Western Carribean Cruise - Ports of Call

One word: Unforgettable

A shot of our actual ship as we were tendering away

Our ports of call were Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize City and Mahogany Bay (Roatan Island, Honduras)

Grand Cayman

Excursion: Pirate Ship Adventure. We also went to a public beach.

Our "bus" driver crammed as many as he could into the huge van he was driving. Aah!

Overall Grade: B

Cozumel

Excursion: Dolphin Swim and Pull with Lunch. Also shopping near the port.

So much fun! I recommend everyone do this once. Lunch was fabulous too. And for all your animal advocates - all the dolphins are born and raised in captivity. They are not caught in the wild.

Overall grade: A

Belize City

Excursion: Cave tubing and zipline through the jungle.

This was so awesome. It was different than anything that we had done before! Belize is very new to tourism but we had a blast.

Overall grade: A

Mahogany Bay, Roatan Island, Honduras

Excursion: Shipwreck snorkel with lunch at beautiful resort.

This was my favorite port. This area is gorgeous! On the tour, it was us three girls and our two guides - so it was like it was a private tour! We snorkeled three different sites and had a great lunch at a beautiful resort. This is a place I want to visit again!

Overall grade: A++

Truly Humbled

This Christmas season my family was able to participate in a Sub4Santa. It was a wonderful experience. My brother found a family with six kids (including a handicapped adult) and a single mother struggling after leaving an abusive relationship. This mother was trying to better the life for her and her kids by going to college and did not have a job. She was having a hard time keeping her family afloat, financially and emotionally. This family rung true with my own in the way that we have six kids in my family. It was so humbling to know that what my family provided this family, we would be their Christmas. During and after this experience, I often think about how truly blessed I am. I never had to worry about my parents finances, their relationship, and how we were going to make it to the next day as a family. I always had a Christmas. I have always had the things I have needed in my life. I am so glad my brother found this family to serve. Christmas, to me, is about Christ and the celebration of his life. He went about doing good and serving others. I feel the best way to spread the Christmas feeling is to do something good for someone else. What can do you to help spread Christmas cheer?

In another experience, I was once again reminded how blessed my life is. How I take for granted so many things in my life such as a stable job, paved roads, electricity, clean water. During my cruise port stops in Belize and Honduras, I saw some real poverty. Individuals struggling to get the basic necessities. And once again, the feeling I have is to give. Give of my time. Give of my extra funds. Give of my love. What can you give in your life?

Long Awaited

Finally.... my dreams have come true!

Is here in Utah for my shopping pleasure

Two of the many hundreds of excited people for the H&M exclusive party for their opening in Fashion Place Mall in Murray, UT!

I've waited for this ever since I discovered my love for H&M when I was 21. The first one I ever went to was in the Sun Valley Mall in Concord, CA. We've had a long love affair that withstood time and hundreds of dollars.

NBA Pro Charity Game

Last night my friend Lauren and I went to the NBA Pro Charity game that was held at the SLCC Taylorsville campus. Featured players were most of the Jazz team (with the exception of AK and Okur), Stephen Curry, Chauncy Billups, Jimmer Ferdette, Wesley Matthews and more. Paul Milsap's little brother that plays college ball was also there. You can totally tell they are family!

The game was a lot of fun! You could tell the players were having a good time. At half time, the Special Olympics teams came out and played two 5-minute halfs. They all got to high-five the pro players and it's probably a highlight in their life. Heck, it'd be a highlight in my life too! But it was very heartfelt watching them interact. The last three or four minutes of the game turned into a dunking contest. It was really fun to watch them show off.

After the game, the players stayed out, signing autographs and talking to the press. But one player really stood out to me - Stephen Curry. He gave away his shoes, jersey and towel. He took his time signing autographs and posing in pictures. His attention was on the fans for the entire 10 or so minutes we stayed after the game. I never saw him talk to the press or go talk to the other players. I think that is very admirable of a professional athlete to take the time to do such things, especially in a city that he doesn't play for. These are the types of things you hardly ever see and things that are not noted in the media. Way to go Stephen - you've earned my respect and a new fan!

Me and Lauren.... Poor lighting :)

Look who we found in the row behind us! Dave and Shonte.

A Place I Once Called Home

As it is raining outside, the temperatures are dropping, and the snow will soon start falling, I find myself remincising about my short 10 months in California. It seemed like 10 years to me. But after you take the bad out (my job, the expensive of living there), I loved my time in California. I met so many wonderful people who changed my life for the better in so many different way. I got to be around my sister and her family a lot, creating memories that will last forever. There were many struggles but the good times far outweigh the bad. I thought I would share a few pictures....

Muir Wood National Monument - absolutely beautiful

Winchester Mystery House - not spooky, just very interesting

Just some of the wonderful friends I made
(and to think... at a point, I thought I would never make friends)



Shinehah and I - just bein' our gansta selfs (in Angela's apartment)

This picture really shows off my studio apartment. I took the picture reflecting off a full length mirror on the door of my closet. This was New Years Eve and I was getting ready to go out. I LOVED this apartment.

Thanksgiving dinner. What a change to have it be so small. But a nice change.

My werewolf cupcake. We made these for a RS activity in October.

These kids have my heart

Especially this one

Often time I wonder what would have happened if I stayed longer, if I had accepted the other job at Union Bank, if I had accepted the interview with the PAC-12, if I hadn't flirted with Matt Wiley in front of Brett West that one night... What would have happened if I didn't choose to move to California? I wouldn't have gotten to experience so many life lessons as I did. I wouldn't have met so many great people. I would not have gotten to build the wonderful relationship I did with Mindy and Chris. I wouldn't have struggled so much with my testimony and faith but would have missed out on one of the biggest growing points of my life so far.

Almost a year later...

I am finally blogging about having my two nieces and nephew over last December to decorate Christmas cookies at my apartment. But hey - better late than never, right? I didn't have a lot of space in my studio apartment but I think they had a good time!

Countdown!

The countdown(s) udpates:

Cruise: 37 days

H&M opens: 7 days

Get to leave work on a Friday afternoon: 4 hours

None of these things can come fast enough!

Lesson #79 - Debit card should always be returned to the wallet.

Have you ever experienced not being able to pay at a restaurant?
I have. Today. Took my wallet with me - no purse.
No cash. No debit card. No credit card.
Friend has no money/card either.
Dang it.
Embarrassing. Awkward.
I told them I was going to run down the street to a Wells Fargo to withdraw some cash since it was during business hours on a Saturday.
They wanted me to leave collateral so they know I'm coming back.
What? You want my library card? I'm not leaving my phone.
See? I am an honest person. I came back and left a hefty tip.
Lesson learned. Debit card always goes right back into the wallet - not thrown into my purse.

Did I just really do that?

Every payday, the first thing I do in the morning is start to pay my bill online. The paycheck on the last day of the month pays certain bills and the paycheck on the 15th of the month pays certain bills. I also have some bills that are automatic withdrawl.

Well, due to the lack of sleep, my hair color and the sheer fact that I just wasn't thinking.... I started to pay the wrong set of bills. I caught myself after two bills - but one of those was my car payment. D'oh!

Looks like my weekends will be filled with OnDemand and my meals will be those things you have in the cupboard that just don't look that appealing.

Silver lining - this gives me more money for my next paycheck!

Project: Re-do

One of my goals is to makeover a piece of furniture. I saw this as a big task, something I wasn't sure I would be able to do. I did go to DI once or twice, looking for small pieces, such as a nightstand or end table, to make over. The smell of DI gives me a funny, not-so-good feeling so I never lingered long. Then one day my co-worker, Debi, told me she had some old barstools she was going to get rid of and asked if I wanted them. I have a small bar in my apartment and she has been there before, so she instantly thought of me. I gladly accepted! I went through 1 1/8 can of black gloss spray paint, one sheet of sandpaper, time spent cleaning up my parents garage floor from the excess in spray and the help of one awesome mom. It was pretty darn simple and I think they turned out great! Here are the results:

No Sugar October

My pants have been telling me that I've been eating too much. It's time for my pants to start telling me something different - like, you need to buy a smaller size!

No Sugar October is a 31 day challenge to eliminate sugar from my life - cake, candy, cookies, white bread, doughnuts, ice cream. I recently discovered the joy of greek yogurt and was shocked to see the delicious black cherry Chobani I was eating had 19 grams of sugar. EEK! Bye bye delicious yogurt.

I will only be eating foods with 7 grams of sugar or less per serving. This means I have to look at my daily morning oatmeal, popcorn, cereal, etc.

Now, I do realize that this is during Halloween season - where candy and treats are in abundance. But tell me, what month is a good month to go off sugar? November? Thanksgiving. December? Where do I begin.... January? All that hot chocolate from Starbucks to keep warm! So October it is.

I have conquered a week of no-sugar, hopefully a month will be a go and it can help me to start eating healthier for life.

Lookin' at me with his wee beedy eyes...

There is a delightful little sea creature out there, floating around called a crawfish.

They are little creatures who are in the same sealife family as crabs and lobsters. They have 19 segements to their body. They breathe through their gills. And boy - are they TASTY!

Last night, I went to a new restaurant in West Valley City called Bucket O'crawfish. The ambiance inside is awesome - just think of Bubba Gumps, but not as loud. They allow patrons to write on the walls - so if you see a big "HOLLY" written, just know that is me :)

Their menu is small but packed with so many choices. They offer seven different types of seafood (priced per pound), three flavors (or you can get all flavors combined), your desired level of spice (from mild to crazy hot) and different add ins.

The tables are covered in a clear, plastic tablecloth. The waitress puts a bib on you. Your food is served in one giant bag! And you dig in with your hands. There are buckets you throw your leftover parts in (i.e. shells) and paper towels galore! And trust me, you'll need a ton of papertowels.

The food was excellent! We all enjoyed everything we ordered: I had crawfish, Lauren had snow crab and Kaleigh had shrimp. We all agreed that we should come back soon. The service was great! Not a lot of people there but it was a Tuesday night.

One week down

I officially celebrated my first week in my new apartment last night! YAY! But unfortunately have already locked myself out once. Bummer.

My sister Mindy and baby KK were in town for the long holiday weekend. Mindy wanted to come see my new place and was going to bring Dunford Doughnuts as a housewarming gift. I gave Mindy directions but somehow in the mess of roads that is my complex, she got lost. I decided to go out to the end of my sidewalk to look for her. Mind you, it was 930 am and yours truly was still in pajamas, no makeup and messy ponytail. Not realising the knob to my front door was locked (it will still open from the inside while locked), the front door shut behind me. I spun around and checked the knob. Locked. Thought #1 - Oh crap. Thought #2 - I'm glad I put a bra on before walking outside. Just then Mindy pulls up and I inform her of the unfortunate situation. With doughnuts and KK in hand, we wait on the front porch. My landlord was not answering, the HOA couldn't do anything for me so I was forced to call a locksmith. The last time I had to do that when I locked my keys in my car, it was $80. Luckily I had my handy smartphone with me! So I googled "locksmith murray" so I could get a locksmith out here quickly. I found a local locksmith and called in. The person on the phone said they would dispatch a driver and they (the driver) would call me in a few minutes when they were on their way. Fast forward twenty minutes - no phone call. So I call again. Yes, someone has been dispatched, they will call you very soon. Fast forward ten minutes - driver finally calls. He'll be there in a few minutes. Fast forward fifteen minutes - my landlord calls me. She is at the airport. But her mom lives 3 miles away and can come bring me a spare key. YAY! No having to pay a locksmith! So I call the locksmith to tell him not to come anymore - I found a way in. Then a few minutes later, I get a call from the locksmith company - saying the driver said I didn't need to be let in anymore. Then they tell me he was only 1 minute away (I call BS on that) and they will have to charge me $19 for dispatching the driver. NO WAY. I tell them it's been 40 minutes since I called the first time and it's been a joke. I live on the border of Taylorsville and Murray, so I spefically called them because they are in Murray. I ask to speak with a manager. I'm told a manager will call me back. And I haven't heard a peep. I was even going to refer them to my "lawyer", Christopher Todd Bang, if they weren't going to let up. But in the meantime of waiting, I got to talk to Mindy for awhile and eat wonderfully delicious doughnuts. KK was an absolute angel just hanging out in her carseat.

As I am getting used to the sounds of a new place, I heard a sound that I wish I didn't ever have to. It's late Saturday night (well, technically Sunday morning) and I'm minding my business, watching last week's episdoe of Bachelor Pad on my laptop in my room. I hear some noises. I pause the video and wait. There it is again! Soft thud, thud, thud, thud. Then it dawns on me. Ewwwwwwww. I turn the volume up on my video.

Yesterday as I was putting stuff away in my room, I looked out the window of my bedroom and saw someone smoking on the backporch of one of my neighbors and saw him again out there 20 minutes later but when he wasn't out there, the sliding porch door remained open. I really didn't think anything of it. Until I went outside an hour later to get the mail. The mailbox is a good 100 feet from this neighbors porch. OH. MY. WORD. It reeks like pot. That guy (and probably others) were lighting up some strong doobies.

I never had this in Turnberry (the occasional yelling late at night outside) or in Walnut Creek. Welcome to apartment living - the next year of my life.

I was reminded today that life is fragile. Nothing is guaranteed.

Unconditionally love your family.

Spend time with them.

Tell them often that you love them.

Sometimes I wonder why I have been burdened with a trial when I am trying to live my life right. But then I remember that this life isn't supposed to easy, only worth it.

FACT: This is hilarious

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVlaZfLlWQc

I don't visit YouTube a lot but a friend of mine showed me this "episode" and I was hooked. I have watched all 5 and the 6th will be premiering Saturday, August 27 at Cottonwood High School. Guess who has tickets? This girl.

If this isn't funny to you.... I don't know what is.

RUN!!

I don't run. I don't run. I don't run. Unless it's from a burning building or to take down Justin Timberlake. But on September 10th, I will run for charity.

Today I registered for my first 5k! It's a goal of mine (see blog post below) that I've had for a few years now but have never had quite the motivation to do it. I've skipped over the ones that have come my way this summer but I know it's getting late in the running/5k season and decided to buckle down and register.

My friend Natalie used to work for the Alpine Adult Center, "which is a nonprofit Alpine School District organization that provides adult individuals with disabilities the opportunity to secure meaningful work in the community, develop valuable work skills, and become a contributing member of our community." I thought it would be a great race to run since I know individuals in my life who are disabled. I know that my $20 contribution (aka registration and tshirt fee) won't make a huge difference but you never know whos' life it might affect.

It is September 10th in Lindon. That gives me almost six weeks to run as much as I can so I don't get totally winded half way through :)

It also feels really good to be reaching the goals I have set up for myself! I need to print them off so that I can cross them off! (I get that from my mother)

27

My friend, Lauren, put up a blog post about 100 things she wanted to do before the end of 2011. I tried to come up with 100 but thought that was a lot! So I narrowed it down to 27 to celebrate my 27 years on this earth! I hope to have all these things accomplished by April 19, 2012 at 11:59 am.
1. Go to a state that I've never been to
Why not expand my state count?
2. Eat crawfish
It's something I've been craving since I ate it for the first time a few years ago
3. Finish the Book of Mormon
So close but yet so far away.... I'm in 3rd Nephi
4. Get a smartphone
There have been several instances this past week where it would have been very convenient
5. Keep a daily journal
Starting tomorrow
6. Hike to the Y
I've only done this once and it was hard but worth the view!
7. Go camping this summer
I love camping and wasn't able to do it last year
8. Go on 50 dates
It's a goal my brother-in-law gave me
9. Go to a Bee's game
I like baseball games and the fireworks that follow
10. Help build a house with Habitat For Humanity
I'm good with a hammer
11. Find a piece of old furniture and make it over
What is one man's garbage is another man's treasure
12. Go on a cruise
Cause I need to get away!
13. Read the first Harry Potter book
I always knock H.P. but I guess I should actually read one book so I know what I'm knocking
14. Take a ceramics/pottery class
Cause I've always thought clay was fun
15. Get lower bowl seats at a Jazz game
'Nuff said
16. Go snowboarding
People look at me like I'm crazy when they find out I'm from Utah and don't do winter sports
17. Try to get up on a wakeboard
Cause I can't get up on waterski's
18. Learn how to dive
Water dive - not scuba dive. I'd like to be graceful instead of doing a bomb into the water.
19. Go horseback riding
Just as long as they don't run
20. Run a 5k/participate in a charity walk
Couch-to-5k training!
21. Have my only debt be my car and student loans
No one wants debt
22. Buy a foam mattress topper
Love it!
23. Go to an outdoor arts festival
Why not appreciate others' talents?
24. Take a self-defense class
You can never learn enough
25. Learn Spanish
Hola mama!
26. Go shooting
I don't want to be afraid of guns!
27. Learn Adobe Photoshop
I want to learn cool picture effects!

Who's in for helping me?!

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today I received the best birthday present! (Well, just short of Mindy and Chris and family showing up on my doorstep today)

I received a job offer! YAY! I will be a Team Assistant with PwC (PriceWaterhouse Cooper) starting on May 16th. Being a Team Assistant is the same thing as being an administrative assistant - just a different name. I will be in their downtown office off of Main Street, so I have the opportunity to be lunch buddies with my sister Sandy and my brother Greg. And I can use public transportation during these times of high (no end in sight) gas prices.

I was feeling very frustrated earlier this morning because of the lack of job openings and the lack of phone calls I have received. I turned down a job interview yesterday because the salary was too low and was also feeling down about that. But now I am feeling so very blessed. My salary at PwC almost matches what I was making in California and the benefits are phenomenal. It's a confirmation to me that I made the right decision at the right time despite how hard it was to leave Mindy and Chris in California.

The past year of my life has been such a challenge - let me rephrase that - California was such a challenge. I knew it wasn't going to be roses all of the time and it wasn't. It was difficult. It tested my faith and what kind of inner-strength I had. Making friends wasn't easy even though I think I am a friendly person. Having to struggle through my job for nine months was rough - feeling unappreciated, stepped on and alone. But there were several bright things - the first being Mindy and Chris. What a wonderful example to me of being faithful despite opposition, caring, understanding. Since I was in their home for four months, I was able to see the deep love and respect they have for each other. I could go on and on about them but I'll stop :) I made some wonderful friends who were placed in my life at the exact time I needed their strength. My church ward was wonderful and my bishop was fantastic! I had such a beautiful apartment that was such a perfect place for me! But the decision to come home was so bittersweet. I have absolutely loved coming home and seeing all of my friends and family. I have missed my friends in California and even more so, Mindy and Chris and their cute family.

The Lord has definitely blessed me. After the trial of your faith is when the blessings come. How true is that! I feel more optimistic about my life than I ever have before. Great things are ahead of me and I can't wait to see what 27 brings!

Thank you to all my friends and family who have showed such immense love and support through this past year!! I love you all.

Nothing depresses me more than....

a) stepping on a weight scale and b) going shopping for jeans.

What happened to the good days where I could literally eat anything I wanted and not gain a thing? Those days are over. Long over.

I stepped on the scale this morning. Not a good way to start my day.

After stuffing myself with a package of chocolate covered gummie bears and two mini bags of Cadbury Mini Eggs (because it was THAT week) last week, I decided it's time to put my foot down.

I need to learn better about saying "no" and learning to get some willpower. How many times do you think "I'll burn this off tonight at the gym" and then you don't go to the gym that night? Or you think "Dang it, I DESERVE this!" when you should be rewarding yourself in other ways?

I am saying "no" to mindless eating.... to thinking "one more won't hurt"..... to talking myself out of working out.

I need to do a serious shift in the way I eat. Because I can sweat, lift and run all I want but if I'm not eating right it won't do any good.

I know that I am not a person with a lot of weight to lose. But I need to lose some. And the only way that will happen is if I put the work in - at the gym and by what I eat.

My goal is to lose 10 pounds by the time I can start using my Seven Peaks Salt Lake pass - which is Memorial Day weekend. Two months.

I CAN do it. I WILL do it. The healthy, old-fashioned way.

Cause of your dad?

These girls make me laugh out loud all of the time! Kaleigh and Lauren came out to see me for President's Day weekend! Here is just a snippet of our adventures!

It rained like crazy during our day in the city! We all bough $10 umbrellas after getting off BART. The rain did minimize all the crowds though!

Things got a bit crazy as we waited for our ferry to Alcatraz. It was freezing, windy and rainy. See that blue thing in the bottom corner? Those are socks that doubled as mittens!

We took a little trip down to San Jose to go to the Winchester Mystery House. If you haven't been, I highly suggest you go! That lady was CRAZY.

We went to Muir Wood National Monument. And no, I didn't get us lost on the way there. It was beautiful! I thought about doing the Karate Kid pose in this picture, but the fence was really slippery and thought it would be best to not break my leg that day.

We also went to the Golden Gate Bridge. It's huge! And we had to walk underneath it to get to this viewpoint. How scary! I loved the view of the city skyline.

I can't even begin to tell you how many times we laughed so hard, how crazy we got and how many times we used the phrases "cause of your dad?" and "Pulling a Ronnie". Oh and PS - I seem to ruin all the good pictures with all the faces I pull (example above) :)

I love these girls!!

2010 Taxes = Done

Yes, I just spent over an hour on a Friday night doing my taxes. But hey - they had to get done sometime, right?
So I'm getting a nice refund! From Federal and California.... but not Utah. I have to pay in Utah but is that really a surprise? Nope. Last year I had to pay $1.
Did you know in California, car registration fees can be counted as a deduction? Who knew!
So now I have to decide what to do with my refund.... hhhhmmmmm.... so many options! Vacation? Clothes? Debt? Furniture? Savings? A boob job? HA! Just kidding on that last one :)

Rants & Raves

Let me tackle a few important issues before I get to shout-outs:

• Rant #1 - The Bachelor. I have a love/hate relationship with this show. Some of these girls are so stupid. Some of them are actually normal and apparently that equals boring. If any of you have been watching the season, I think Shawntel was a normal girl. No drama. No baby daddy past. Not an emotional wreck. And he let her go. And you know what? I think Brad is an absolute gentleman, but dude, we hardly get to see his personality (if he has one). It's a lot of stammering and "uh"s. But this is the best thing that has ever happened to Chris Harrison!


• Rant #2 - Contestant voted off the Biggest Loser this week: They kicked Arthur off. This is a guy who REALLY needs to be on a show like this. He set the record for the heaviest contestant ever. But there are a bunch of game players on the show. I hate game players on a TV show that is really meant to change someone's life for the better (unlike Bad Girls Club, which, sadly, I am addicted to). This is a man's life we are talking about. You basically are saying the final prize money is worth more than his life. Sad day. Poor Angela had to listen to me as I went off about this after the show ended.


• Rant #3 - Brandon Davies getting booted from BYU basketball: Brandon Davies signed an agreement to abide by the BYU honor code. He knew what he was signing - no one forced him to sign it. A lot of people might say that BYU's honor code is archaic and so be it. Congratulations to the University for upholding its standard instead of making an acception for an athlete - I'm so tired of exceptions for athletes, whether it be high school, college and pro.

Now on to shout-outs!

• New Baby (I can't reveal the name): You finally showed up. You are so tiny!! I love you and your one-eyed stares.
• Powerflex teacher: You make it so tough! I love it!
• Socks: You can double as mittens in a pinch.
• Doughnuts from Safeway: It's so wrong but it feels so right.
• An Idiot Abroad: You are hilarious. Thank you for showing my how other countries/cultures design toilets.... or the lack thereof.
• Ronnie from the Jersey Shore: You cried in the bathroom and started a wonderful inside joke between Lauren, Kaleigh and myself.

An Open Letter to Jerry Sloan, Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz players and fans

Wow. That's a long title.

Dear Jerry,

First there was shock. Then came denial. And now comes acceptance. It's called the grief cycle and I think most of us Jazz fans have been through it in the past 24 hours. You up and left us but not without a good reason. You gave us so much - not only for a basketball team but also as a community. You help inspire those you coach and your work ethic is something that we all value. Thank you for sticking with a "small market" team for 23+ years. You coached a lot of players that due to your knowledge and abilities - became stars. You are well respected in the NBA, NCAA and across America. Thank you for leaving behind such an outstanding legacy.

Dear Deron,

Shake it off, buddy. There has been a lot of speculation about you and Sloans decision to leave. But here is what you can do to prove what a leader you are: Win tonight. Lead this team like you know how and show everyone how good of a player you really are. Rally your team together. Chances are significant that you are not going to stay with us after next season - we understand. But while you are hear, DO YOUR BEST. Every night. Don't complain. True leaders show strength and courage in the face of opposition.

Dear Jazz team,

Us fans are still right behind all of you. No, Ty Corbin can't fill the shoes of Sloan and Johnson. But show the rest of the NBA who you truly are - winners. Tough. Fighters.

Dear fans,

I know it hurts. We love Jerry. We love Phil. It will never be the same. But we knew this had to come sometime. Let's rally around the team that we still know and love. Put all rumors of DWill out of your mind. PLEASE do not boo him tonight. Media = blown-up stories.

Let's go out and get a W tonight!!! GO JAZZ!!

Shout-outs!

• McDonalds on San Ramon Valley Blvd - you got me through the drive-thru within two minutes despite a six car back-up when I pulled up.
• AAA - You offer me such cool discounts - like $3 off adult admission to Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco
• Utah Jazz - I feel like someone needs to tell you that they love you and you are all awesome!! Now hopefully with that encouragement from me, you'll win more games.
• My sisters creative blog - Now I can fake that I'm creative.
• Hannah (my 18-mo old niece) - When you try to copy my fishy face, you make me laugh everytime
• February - I'm glad you are here so that means January is over with. January is my least favorite month.
• Grandma Ray - It's your birthday today!! 91 yrs old and off playing in Hawaii.... you constanly amaze me with your zeal for life.

Now for a new portion - a section of shout-downs. I don't mean to complain but seriously - get a grip on it people!

• Bally's Total Fitness Membership Department - I cancelled my friends account (who signed up under me) within the five day "buyers remorse" time frame. That was two weeks ago with no word. I called in to customer service and the rep told me that returns "could take a month. Maybe more than a month. Maybe less than a month". Uh, excuse me? I just want me $55 back.
• JoAnn's Fabrics in San Ramon - Crappy selection, understocked merchandise, unfriendly employees. Every time (three times) I've been in - you never have what I need. It's like I somehow always come in the day before your new shipments arrive.

Shout-outs!

And this weeks shout-outs are..... (drumroll, please)

• Jersey Shore - You are so ridisculously stupid that you make it easy to forget all my problems for a mere forty minutes (rewinding on the DVR = no commercials)
• TC Blatter - My dear friend TC, you made it possible for me to talk to Chris Nixon at that party cause we all know I don't have the ca-hones to do it myself.
• H&M return policy - Cause I still don't know if I should keep the gray blazer or not.
• DVR - once again, don't ever quit on me. I love you.
• Channing Tatum - your dance moves make me drool.

Happy 2011!!

YAY for the new year!

2010 was a crazy year - full of change! I lived in four different locations. I had two different jobs. I made a lot of new friends. I cried a lot (isn't that what Nelson girls do?). I laughed a lot. I said a lot of goodbyes and said "hello" a lot. I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.

But now 2011 is here... what will it bring?

I'm so full of optomisim right now! I have made a few goals that I think are fairly easy to accomplish and aren't setting me up for failure. Some of them are:

Healthier Eating

Be More Physically Active

Do More Service

Take A Vacation

Go To The Temple More

Learn To Cook

Each of these goals are broken down into smaller goals, for example: Heathlier eating - No sugar breaks, food journal, more fruits and vegetables.

Even though my job still sucks, I am really enjoying California. Today, the high temp is supposed to be 54 degrees. You know what the high temp for Utah is supposed to be today? 28 degrees. HA! I am finally starting to feel like I really fit in here. I love my apartment. I love my new couch. I love living on my own. I love the funny little person my niece, Hannah, is turning into.

Yes, I do miss Utah. I do miss my family and my friends. I miss Zupas. I miss Kneaders. I miss Downeast Basic. I miss being able to talk on my cell phone while I drive. I miss my short commute to work.

I have two very good friends coming out to see me during Presidents Day weekend: Lauren and Kaleigh. I'm SO excited to show they around the Bay Area and also get to go to some new places myself! These girls have been so supportive of me during my transition and I don't know how I would have gotten through it without them. Love you both!

I have a lot to be excited for. This is MY year - the year of Holly. Ha ha.