Christmas Comes Early

So I have this blue circular CD case that is filled with a blue oily substance that makes cool designs (Cami, you know what I'm talking about). On my honeymoon I left said CD case with all of my favorite CDs in the car. All week. In July. Needless to say, the case melted and oil got all over my CDs. I've been mourning them since. I mean, these were my favorites. Motion City Soundtrack, Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, The Shins, Copeland, two Death Cab for Cuties, Katie Perry, two Ingrid Michaelsons, etc. So as you can see, pure devastation.

The other day however, Karl and I were at Walmart when I spied a CD cleaning kit. It was the only one and didn't have a price. I still bought it.

Last night I used it. My CDs are healed! You have no idea how excited I am! I'm ecstatic. Best $14 I ever spent.



Motion City Soundtrack is the best. Try not to laugh.

Christmassss Treee!

Hey can you guess what we did this weekend?! It's not hard. Haha. But I'll get to that in just a minute.

This weekend was full of:
-Black Friday shopping (it was at night, but I think it still counts)
-Christmas shopping for ornaments, lights, etc.
-Movie watching
-Grocery shopping
-Cuddling
-Lasagna making
-Tree buying (it's so gorgeous and REAL!)
-Cleaning
-Church going
-Christmas music listening
-Paying off bills
-Prayerfully making a big decision
-Christmas tree decorating, as mentioned above
-Slow dancing in the living room
-Lots of kissing


Christmas really is the best time of year. The snow has been coming down all day. It's light snow, so it's nice and unassuming from inside. It's been all toasty warm in our house and the soft glow from our new tree makes it all the more lovely.

Mmm. Love that pine smell.






I don't really have a snaggle tooth. The lighting was just bad. Humor me.

Karl wasn't in these because all the pictures I got of him were in his underwear. Haha. What can I say? The man doesn't like to wear clothes.

To Die For

I have a serious crush on this home over at decor8. I'm not usually into the monochromatic thing, but it's just so lovely.

Shanksgiving

Thanksgiving a couple of years ago with Dixie

Last night with all of the blizzard madness Karl did something so spectacularly sweet. He took his boss' truck home so I didn't have to pick him up from work. He then rode his bike in absolutely frigid weather from home to my work (about 10 minutes driving) so that he could drive me home. He knows I hate snow driving and said he felt a strong urgency to get to my work and drive me home. He showed up with a bright pink face and a smile. I don't think I've ever loved him more than at that moment.

So with that, here are all the things I'm grateful for this holiday season:
-My wonderful, charming, dedicated, handsome, etc. husband. I could go on and on with the adjectives but for the sake of time, I'll stop here.
-My husband's warm family and all the love they have shown toward me from the very beginning.
-My own family. We've had our rocky moments, but in the end, there's only love there.
-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and all the things I'd be missing without it, including the promptings I receive daily.
-My job. I know I whine about it a lot, but I'm so grateful to have a job. And for the new friends I've made there.
-All of my friends. The ones I've maintained over the years and the new ones I continue to make.
-Steph's version of "Forget December". "Remember December" is where it's at these days.
-Sickness and bad days. I know that sounds wierd, but don't your days feel so much better when you're finally better after being sick or when you have a bad day only to come home to the sweetest husband or friends?
-This time of year. It's the best. Happiness and love all around.

Well, I'm headed down to St. George tonight for Thanksgiving with Karl's family. I hope you all have a wonderful, safe holiday!

Blizzard Conditions

A storm is hitting Salt Lake any minute now. It's been creeping down from Seattle all the way here for the last few days. There's a weather advisory out. It's supposed to be the biggest storm Utah has seen in years. I'm still at work, but all the people in the surrounding buildings have gone home. All the people from corporate upstairs have gone home. The banks are all closed. All but mine. Power is expected to go out. Accidents are already happening. Cars are getting stuck. Everyone was advised not to drive if possible. The sky is dark gray and deep blue. I would think it was pretty if I didn't know what was coming. The wind is howling. The snow has yet to come, but I know that it will. It's a little scary. Once I'm home cuddled up next to Karl I'll be fine, but the commute home is what scares me. I don't have the best feeling tonight.

The Happy Disconnect

My street in MA

It's Thanksgiving this week. We just got a decent amount of snow this weekend. It's chilly, but not frigid. This morning, on my way home from driving Karl to work I had severe deja vous. The snow and the warm car and my pajamas and love. It felt like last year and the year before and the year before that combined. It felt like airports and kisses in the snow and falling in love. It was such an interesting phenomenon. Suddenly I was hit with gratitude. Gratitude for my husband. My family. My life. Contentment washed over me. I am happy.

Rest in Peace Shelma and Why I Hate 4th South

Not my Shelma, but an accurate depiction

So yesterday my faithful car, Shelma called it quits. I've had her since I was 15. My dad bought her for $500. She got shipped from MA to UT because I missed her so much (AKA I hated taking the bus). She was lovingly stitched up with zip ties by Jessica when I crashed her into a wall and her bumper was falling off. Despite her being a '93 Honda Accord Hatchback with 290,000 miles on her, she was my single white female car. That is, until Karl began driving her because the clutch was going out. So yesterday after leaking 6 quarts of oil in one day and failing to accelerate at a normal pace (for months), we decided to pull the plug. I'm not sad really. She had a long, good life. So here's to you Shelma, you will be missed.

On that note, I had to go pick Karl up from work last night. I work downtown. I can never remember where the entrance to I-15 South is. I saw a sign on State and 4th South that said I-15 South. It was my lucky day. I drove all the way down to the entrance only to be thwarted by the car pool lane. You can only get onto I-15 S from 4oo S if you have more than one person in the car, which I did not. I therefore had to swerve out of the lane I was in, continue down 9th West (the ghetto) hoping to find 13th South to get on the freeway. Too bad 900W is where Utah's famous grid system begins to fail you. Little did I know, 1300S at that point is called California Ave. or something. So in the end, after swerving, and some cursing, and lots of going the wrong way it took me a little over a half hour to get somewhere that should have taken me 15, tops. So moral of the story, Carpool lanes are awful. What were you thinking Utah? At least have some clearcut signs before I have to risk the ghetto and wonder what Cortez Highlights are (there are a lot of Mexican salons on 9th West).

Sorry about that rant. I'm done now.

Dinosaurs and Black Face Babies

Yesterday Kahl and I took a trip to visit his family in Price, UT which as many of you know, is home to a renown dinosaur and prehistoric museum. While Kahl's family was at a play, we ventured to the museum. We sat in tee pees, crossed the lines we were supposed to stay behind for some photo ops, and may or may not have made out in the fluorescent rock dark room. Maybe. Haha.


Saber-tooth Tiger

Columbian Mammoth

Allosaurus

Karl Triceratops

Me and a Utah Raptor which is almost twice the size of regular raptors.

Karl with a stuffed bear

Staring contest

Creepy baby in an exhibit in Black Face


"How you doin?"

I want a tee pee.

Apparently I'm a sleep talker

It's 3:45am. I'm up because Karl told me I was sleep talking about my color board that determines my admission into the Interior Design Program at LDSBC. Now I'm stressing real hard about it. Sleep isn't coming any time soon when I don't know how to show what furniture finishes I want. Why don't they sell wood stain samples at Home Depot? Karl's frustrated with me. Who wouldn't be. It's 3:45 am and I'm going off about color samples.

Anyone know a good designer?

It's 3:49am.

OMGLC

I totes luv ur dress.

Get ready for and "Awww" story.

Yesterday was colossally awful. Epic awfulness was happening at work. I had been yelled at, given dirty looks, heaped with work other people just didn't want to do, I had my schedule changed 3 times without being asked, and I got in an argument with my boss about policy (I was right. He doesn't know what he's talking about). I broke down in a fit of tears twice. I was the closest I have ever come to just walking out. THE WORST DAY I've ever had at this job. Or any job.

When I got home, I was greeted by the smell of onions and a boquet of pink roses being thrust at me. Karl was making his famous spaghetti with home made sauce. He knew I had had a really bad day and wanted my night to be better. I collapsed in a fit of tears on his shoulder when he hugged me.

After an amazing dinner, cookies from Paradise Bakery, and an 8:30 bed time, I felt so much better.

I really have the best husband ever.

Infidelity

Today I was reading one of my favorite blogs in which the author interviews "people who have experienced interesting/amazing/challenging things." The title of today's interview was True Story: I Cheated on My Husband. While I almost didn't read it, I'm glad I did. The woman, Jo, who cheated on her husband states "I knew that having an affair was wrong. I felt sneaky and dishonest and I wanted to end my marriage immediately. But I would doubt myself and hesitate. I didn’t want my husband to be hurt, I at least didn’t want it to be anymore painful than it had to be. Every moment I spent with my husband in my “regular life” felt like a farce, like I was cheating on the person I really loved."

I understand the courage it took for her to talk about this, but I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with sadness. Almost all of the comments were about women going through the same thing, who were married, but felt their ambitions and passions were more important than their marriages. I know that sometimes people fall out of love. I know that sometimes a husband and wife can loathe each other. I have witnessed both of those things first hand. That still is no reason to give up. Marriage is work. I don't think I have unrealistic expectations or views on this topic*.

When asked what advice Jo would give someone who is unhappy in their marriage and considering an affair she says, "Be brave - sometimes you just need to jump. If you are in a relationship and “the one” walks into your life be willing to cut ties and pursue it outright. My affair was my hesitation to set my old life on fire and begin anew." This bothered me the most**. Marriage is about sacrifice. About loving your spouse more than yourself. It's a promise you make.

Far too many people take marriage lightly. It's not a farce. It's the most important thing you can ever do. Tossing it aside so nonchalantly is so so sad. I guess what I'm trying to say is cheating is never okay. It destroys marriages and individuals. It rips families apart. It mocks the sanctity of marriage.

No one can say it better than the leaders of my church, the Mormon church:

“ ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery.’ … Lying, loss of self-respect, and disloyalty are bosom companions of adultery. If we are seriously interested in being successful in any endeavor, we shall avoid every type of immorality as we would avoid the plague.”
-President Marion G. Romney

“Infidelity and sexual immorality are two principal evils that threaten to weaken and to wreck present-day civilization”
-President David O. McKay

“Challenging though it may be, there is a way to apply traditional moral principles in our day. For some unknown reason, there is constantly appearing the false rationalization that at one time in the long-ago, virtue was easy and that now it is difficult. I would like to remind any who feel that way that there has never been a time since the Creation when the same forces were not at work that are at work today. The proposal made by Potiphar’s wife to Joseph in Egypt is no different from that faced by many men and women and youth in our day.

“The influences today may be more apparent and more seductive, but they are no more compelling. One cannot be shielded entirely from these influences. They are all about us. Our culture is saturated with them. But the same kind of self-discipline exercised by Joseph will yield the same beneficial result. Notwithstanding the so-called “new morality,” notwithstanding the much-discussed changes in moral standards, there is no adequate substitute for virtue. God’s standards may be challenged everywhere throughout the world, but God has not abrogated his commandments.

“The violation of his commandments in this, as in any other age, brings only regret, sorrow, loss of self-respect, and in many cases tragedy”
-President Gordon B. Hinckley

These things don't only apply to Latter-Day Saints. They ring true for the whole of society.

*I do believe in certain, extreme circumstances divorce is necessary such as when there is any form of abuse or addictions that the person cannot overcome.
**I have nothing but love for Jo, but nothing but loathing for the act of cheating.

Or when all my Utah family gets together, they could just not invite me.

Not my first choice, but I guess that'll work. Thanks guys.

My little sister and I haven't spoken since May. She just moved to Utah and in with my brother and his family. I'm not sure I've forgiven her yet.

This could make Utah family gatherings awkward...

November 19th

Is is wierd that no that Karl and I are done reading the Harry Potter series, we don't know what to do with ourselves? Haha. We started reading Treasure Island the other night and it's really good so far. We also watched all the seasons of 30 Rock that are out, The Rocketeer, and Toy Story 3. Despite all this, there is still a void that only Harry, Ron, and Hermione can fill. Haha. Does that make us complete nerds?

Yes. It does.


P.S. Application to LDS Business College is completed and submitted as of last night! Now on to my color board.

Jesus Loves Everyone

This may be sacrilegious, but just try not to laugh.


P.S. We found this by Googling "cute baby animals" and "baby hairless cats." Haha.