Charlotte Martin...

Okay, so I have to accredit this find to Stanley. However, it does not down play the amazing-ness this is Charlotte Martin!

Best. Comments. Ever.

This would be me leaving you a comment there by conferring an obligation upon you to reciprocate in an appropriate manner due to the afore mentioned imposition. The previous statement is endowed with certain ramifications that could be beneficial or detrimental depending on the speed of your fulfillment of the implicit contractual obligation hence forth imposed. Other mitigating factors you might want to consider include the facts that you know me both personally and professionally and also that it is hard to say that you wouldn't want to get with this...

-Stanley Langford Lloyd

(insert colloquial Salutation here)

(generic acknowledgement of annual ageing celebration)

(obligatory statement about longing to have contact)

(generic parting statement)
-Jessica Meredith Gustafson

Cameron Mark Gustafson 6lbs 10oz 18" long

I proudly present to you Cameron Mark Gustafson. He joined us here in the open world at 2:12pm December 13th 2008. A healthy happy baby boy, weighing in at 6lbs 10.8oz, 18" long! He's a calm little guy. Good thing too, because he's going to have a lot of people in his face. Especially his big sisters Miranda (9) and Emma (6). He and my mom will be home Monday for those of you who would like to stop by and see my 'love bug' yes... I call my brother 'love bug' I'm sorry but it fit.

He had a bit of trouble breathing when he first came to see us. The nurses got him going after a few minutes and he turned a lovely shade of pink!

Happy Baby!

Daddy and Baby!

Momma and Baby!

Ryan and his new baby brother... Cameron and his reaction to his brother.
Leesa just fell in love with this little boy... Cameron's face right before he began whimpering...

This little boy has my grandpa's nose. My curly strawberry blonde hair. He has my dad's ears, 'ribbon' lips and hands, and we're guessing he'll have more of my mom in his face. He doesn't cry. He gives a single yelp and then he's good. It's rather funny. He is a boy, it is certain! The minute they got him cleaned up he was searching around for food. He first found his fist... then the Binky... once my mom was out of surgery (having her last tube removed...) he found relief at last. He's our wiggly miracle child!

...? Never Underestimate The Power Of A Pissed Off Woman!

Betray: be⋅tray 

1.to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty

2.to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust.
3.to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends.
4.to reveal or disclose in violation of confidence: to betray a secret.
5.to reveal unconsciously (something one would preferably conceal

6.to show or exhibit; reveal; disclose: an unfeeling remark that betrays his lack of concern.
7.to deceive, misguide, or corrupt

8.to seduce and desert.

How many different definitions are there for one word... yet how many different feelings and emotions come with it...? One, and it's super huge, and super hard to deal with. Hurt... and with all my mighty, eloquent, and often difficult to understand words I have no other means by which to describe the thwapping sting that follows betrayal. Whether is is intentional or accidental; we often don't have the chance to defend our cause, as we are an emotional race... and slow to forgive and forget.

“One should rather die than be betrayed. There is no deceit in death. It delivers precisely what it has promised. Betrayal, though ... betrayal is the willful slaughter of hope.”
Steven Deitz quotes

“Betrayal is the only truth that sticks.”
Arthur Miller quotes

Hysteria...

I am officially burnt out. I'm done for right now and I don't want to deal with any more. I don't want to put up with, justify, talk down, or rationalize any more faults, failings, and/or mistakes. Of, for, or because of, anyone. Right now I want to be upset, and hurt, and I don't care how stupid it may seem. That is how I feel and that is the way it is going to be... until I choose/say otherwise.

P.S. I saw this quote and thought it was clever... it quite literally has nothing to do with anything. I'm on the verge of hysteria so I'm not making much sense. Love to almost all...

"Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do - but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it." Albert Einstein

Choosing To See What I believe, Not Just Believe What I Am Seeing.

To see is to believe, but what if we could see what we believed? There is a God. There is a Savior of the World. There is a Holy Ghost, a spirit of comfort. There is a true Church on this Earth, and there is a true Prophet living today. There is a Priesthood, and there are men who honor it with a purity. There is Hope, Faith, Truth and Belief in this world. How is it I can say all of this with a conviction that I know whole heartedly to be true? Because I believed it enough to see it.

There are those who Believe. There are those that Hope. There are those that Wonder, and there are those that Fear. Atheists will have you believe they are certain there is no God. I believe they are afraid to hope for something they refuse to see. Coincidence is easier to rationalize and comprehend than a Father who would continue to give unconditionally. It is hard for someone to comprehend and accept what they would not do themselves. I don't know one person who considers themselves strong enough to die for an entire race knowing full well there would be those that spit upon his grave, and turned away in shame/disgust/pride at the audacity he had to love without first being loved. With the way the world is now, a person will hesitate to make a purchase without first testing it. It goes through opinion after opinion before the faith in the item is enough to place down the funds. Not even that, before the trust in the place/person selling said item is placed firmly enough to purchase anything. It is astonishing to me that there is so little faith left in this world. Are we so cynical, and prideful we think we are the only ones worth of trust? Is there not another who is as trustworthy as we? The word of a person is no longer enough, it now needs proof and a letter of recommendation before it will even be considered. The world has become so visual, it is painful! Are we not taught to first believe? Question, and seek for truth, please! Gain a knowledge of what you believe, but if your heart tells you it is right, then it is right. The Heart has reasons that reason cannot know!  Don't continually seek for something you already know. Try accepting it, and then notice that it is everywhere! What I mean by that is, God's handiwork is so thick in daily life it is edible! There is not one thing he didn't first think up. Design. Imagine. The formula for concrete, Clouds, water, Aluminum, thread, air, plastic, trees, life... I could continue on, but I think you get my point. I see God, the Savior, and feel the benefits of the Holy Ghost at all times. I've been called 'perceptive' and 'open-minded' many a time. It isn't me. It's the Holy Ghost whispering tid-bits in my heart. Nudging here, pushing there, sticking his foot out so I fall on my face and land at the feet of someone in need of a laugh/friend/helping hand/chaperone... Worry is a form of Atheism. It is a lack of faith... I know it's scary, but quit waiting for the water to warm up. Your toe isn't going to be able to tell you the temperature of the entire pool. It takes jumping in, and swimming around. Faith comes before the miracle, and it takes faith after to remember and believe... but sometimes believing in the possibility of a miracle is enough.

I don't typically broadcast my testimony, but I can't get these thoughts out of my mind. Bear with me, it may not make sense now or ever... but rest assured it makes sense to at least me! :)

MyHotComments

... Happiness

Jess/Stanley Black Friday Adventure...

Thanksgiving Day. Stanley usually shows up around 9:30 - 10:00 ish. We play around with my family. Usually Jo, Ryan, Leesa, my daddy, and Stanley play poker, BS, or ERS (Egyptian rat screw) and I watch. I will NOT play ERS with Stanley. The kid kicks butt, and your hand takes a full day to recover. He has a mean smack down. My dad usually has Stanley go downstairs to the recording studio to listen to one of his latest compositions to make sure it sounds the way he wants it to, to the public ear. (Not to mention Stanley is the ONLY friend I have that my dad actually respects his musical opinion... Talk about once in a blue moon. Whom ever I marry had better take lessons from Stanley as I've never seen my dad offer his respect or good opinion musically, so freely, to anyone! I'm still recovering from that shock of a lifetime...) Once that calms down we all troop up to my room where we crash on my bed for a few hours and discuss Black Friday. Normally, he comes to get me around 9am and we hit up Kohls, target, Sears. Basic clothing places. This year it started out fairly normal. Earlier than usual, but nothing terribly out of the norm. I got a call at 8:45 asking if I wanted any other movies and then I got a "YOU'RE NOT WATCHING THE MACY PARADE!?" After which I of course asked the channel and proceeded to watch the parade for the first time in my life. There were the occasional text messages throughout the day and what not. He came over around 10ish... visited a bit with Brianna (who stopped by to pick up her vest) and sat down to play poker and ERS after bringing me the famed Bentley Pumpkin Pie he'd been promising me for the past 3 years, and a bit of the sweet potato casserole or pie or whatever it is called, that he made. (I will admit I did a happy dance when I realized he had actually remembered. He called me right before he left his grandparents asking if I wanted some of the sweet potato something-or-other also... key word there is also. It didn't click until after I hung up the phone. I squealed and did my happy jig much to the enjoyment of Jo and Leesa. I hadn't believed him when he said he was for sure going to bring it this year. He was more determined than ever... and he came through! I am so proud of you Stanley! Hahaha! ) Both the pie and the sweet potato something-or-other lived up to, and even rose above expectations. For those of you who don't already know, I have a stance against pumpkin pie. I don't like it. Flat out. However, when I was dating Stanley I promised him that if he brought over a piece of this pie I would try it. It never made it past his plate so I started saying 'yes' just because I knew it would never happen. Way to prove me wrong on so many levels! This is a pumpkin pie that is more than just edible! It is down right enjoyable! The recipe for the sweet potato something-or-other is from Ruths Chris. The steakhouse Stanley works at. He made the one he brought to me, but if ever you go to Ruths Chris, go ahead and order it. It will "alter your life" as Stanley says. After the ritual poker game, and the ERS game; my dad had Stanley follow him and I to the recording studio where he had Stanley deliver his opinion of the newest Christmas composition 'Christmas Drums.' The other big change to this years tradition is the shopping. We went to South Towne at midnight. Jo and Leesa followed us in Jo's car as Stanley and I were going to Best Buy at 3am. That was the other change. I was doing the early morning shopping with Stanley this year instead of just the 9am clothing finds that were recommended to him by his mother and his aunt. The mall, just in case you were wondering was a mad house. Stanley described it to me as "trying to find your way through a bunch of lemmings" after having to run back out to the car to get his A.E. gift card and run back. We made 2 amazing finds at American Eagle. A v-neck dark grey sweater, and a navy blue zip-up hoodie. Originally they were about $70.00 altogether, but when the 'door buster' sale took place it was knocked down to about $48.00 to which we were able to use his $50.00 gift card and still have a little change left for another A.E. day. (Granted it will only take off tax or whatever, but still...!) We left the mall after wriggling our way in to Aeropostale' and walking right back out again. Totally not worth it! The place was so packed there was a line to get in! We made it back to my house leaving again after a quick pee break. We made it to Best Buy at about 2:00am. The line was already wrapped around the building. It turns out people had been camped out there since about 5:00 Thanksgiving Day. Stanley pulled out his stadium seat covers and we laid down on the cement... well, Stanley laid on the cement, I used him as a pillow. We fell asleep for about 20 minutes (favorite part... Stanley mumbling some random thing and the chick behind us though he was talking to her. Why he only talks in his sleep when he's with me... I have no idea, but I think it is one of the most entertaining things!) when the line began to compact. The people in tents had started to pack things up. It started to rain heavily around 3 am. You want cold, I'll give you cold! We were both shaking convulsively by the time they came around with the tickets at 4am. Stanley had the scarf I made him wrapped around his neck and tucked in to his coat, and the scarf from Maggie wrapped around his face. I had to snap a cellphone-picture as it was too hilarious to miss this opportunity of public humiliation! We had a surprise visit from Dan Smith, my friend and ex-co-worker from my DFCU days, or as Stanley calls him 'break-room Dan.' We stood in that rain for 2 hours. It was horrible! After 2 rounds of 20 questions and a 5 minute spat of naming off things that were warm we finally made it in to Best Buy at 5 am. It was time to divide and conquer. I was in charge of finding the V-tech phone, the WII games, and then Stanley. He was going after the movies, and the tv series seasons. We found a few extra movies and made it out of Best Buy at 5:45am. We decided to stop by Kohls and look at their dress coats for Men. We didn't find anything but a euphoric delirium as we somehow wobbled our way back to his 'slick' little car. (Slick is the name for his passat...) After going 40mph down Bangerter, and weaving worse than a drunkard on New Years we made it to my house at 6am. Stanley made it up the stairs and resumed 'his side' of my bed and was out within 2 seconds of his head hitting the pillow. I turned my mattress on to high (I have a heated mattress, not an electric blanket... but the mattress itself is wired to heat up. I can't heat it by myself. It's too big.) so that we would heat up faster and slipped in to my silky pants. I refuse to sleep in jeans if I don't have to. It was 6:09am when I finally joined Stanley on the bed. He had rolled up in the blanket I had thrown on him. It was freaking hilarious! I was too tired to take a picture so you'll just have to picture Stanley rolled up like a pig in a blanket... in a light blue ladybug/caterpillar/dragonfly fleece blanket. His mom called a bit later, as well as his aunt Jenni, and then his mom again all within that first hour. We had about 2 1/2 hours of peace until the members of my family started to rise. Emma (6) and Miranda (9) were quiet. However my special needs aunt (twenty-something... 26...?) began to yell "let go of the plane Jessi" at the tv screen. She gets all in to whatever movie she is watching. Emma started yelling "BE QUIET LAURA" and and then all was quiet for maybe 30 minutes. How Stanley slept through this I do not know... Anyway, Emma came upstairs crying so I got up to quiet her. Stanley woke up to my moving, but was asleep again shortly after affirming I was okay. It was about 45 minutes later that my dad came in, shook his head at Stanley crashed on my bed and carried on with asking for my help in finding out what my mom wants for Christmas. He had to pull me out again 5 mintues later to get the computer to work so he could have my grandpa and Johanna preview the commercial I am doing for his store. I went back upstairs and snuggled up in my blankets again for another hour until Christina Dehlin called and recommended Stanley check out JC Penny's before the day ended. He rolled over and asked me if I would be okay with going there at 11:30. We wound up sleeping until 12:30... We got up and headed out to the District. His mom had picked out the perfect brown dress shoes. We found a leather belt that matched perfectly, and we left for target. We got a Starbucks hot chocolate to share and wandered around for a bit. Neither of us felt rested in the least bit, but it was an adventure well worth experiencing! I'd do it again next year, and will most likely wind up doing so. However, if we are going to wait in line at best buy again I am wearing two pairs of socks with hand warmers in my pockets, and a thermos of hot chocolate whether I am in the mood for it or not!!!

'Hello Dolly!' presented by Bingham High School. Performing Arts Department.

Stanley and I went to Bingham High School Production of Hello Dolly. As always, it was phenomenal! Willden can pull out talent like nobody's business! As per usual, Stanley was his smarty pants self when it came to musicals. However, as this is one of his very favorites I just sat back and had to laugh at all his remarks. It was my first time experiencing this musical, and I left it with a love for this musical as well. I can't wait to see it in movie form... Though I may have to watch it twice because with Stanley as my musical companion I won't hear the actual movie, he'll be quoting it for me. Ha! Anyone care for a movie night...?...!

Dolly Levi (Emily Mecham) was beautiful, she could sing, but (and I have to take Stanley's word on this) she couldn't deliver her lines quickly enough. However, the song that 'defined' her worthiness was simply flawless, so she as well got the generous approval!

Irene Malloy (Katelin Brook Smith) was my personal favorite. That girl could sing! She was simply delightful! (Even the Hello Dolly expert himself approved of her!)

Minnie Fay (Kelli Peterson) was perfect! She was up-beat, perky, and the perfect spazz! Her lines were delivered beautifully, and you were simply caught up in her energy!

Ermengarde (Rebecca Bolduc) my goodness that girl could cry on cue. It was fantastic! she was absolutely perfect, but that is just my view. We didn't hear much from her, but what we did hear was hilarious!

Ernestina (Cassie Fletcher) I didn't see her much, but I had to laugh every time I did! She was brilliant!

Horace Vangergelder (Marc Wells) was most entertaining. He was positively horrid! Just the way he was supposed to be! The boy delievered!

Ambrose Kemper (Tyler Okleberry) He was the perfect little artist around! His costume was perfect, as was his delivery in it!

Cornelius Hackl (Alex Jensen) wasn't (from what I hear, I haven't seen the movie yet.) Michael Crawford... but he was comical from what I saw. I was impressed by him.

Barnaby Tucker (Taybor Abplanalp) I loved this kid! He was absolutely, positively, flat out, funny! (and no I did not misspell his name...)

Rudolph (Steven Hermansen) Oh goodness! The accent, the mannerisms, the stage presence! I could see his facial expressions from the back row! It was quite impressive!

Michelle Willden and her team of wonder women/men created a materpiece! The set design, the costumes, the chorus abilities, and of course the choreography. All ring a true testiment to the wonderous abilities that woman has in putting on a show even the most "macho" of men will enjoy! Truly a hit!

LA Temple And The Miracles It Experienced During Prop. 8

This was sent by a Temple Worker in the LA Temple. It is so wonderful to see the Lord's tender mercies in behalf of the saints who strive to live righteously in the face of persecution:

My dear family, brothers and sisters, friends and leaders:

My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His tender mercies and mighty miracles in our behalf. I just have to share this with you. As most of you know, I am a Temple ordinance worker and work the morning shift in the LA Temple every Saturday. Today, I had the privilege of translating sister Martz-the new assistant Matron's-message during our devotional.
She started like this "The prophet Joseph Smith said that no unhallowed hand would be able to stop this Work from progressing. These past few weeks when mobs have combined and armies have gathered against the saints, the Lord has protected His house". She went on to say that those, like her, who were inside the Temple when mobs were surrounding it, did not realize how scary and terrifying this looked on TV to the rest of us, because inside the House of the Lord all was calm and there was peace abundant. After Proposition 8 passed, the Temple began receiving threatening calls and mail from those opposing it. They were warned that more than 5000 people would come to the Temple and burn it to the ground, and stop its work. The first Thursday when the mob came, the new LA Temple President called the Salt Lake City Temple Offices for instructions. He was instructed to call the local police and to insure the safety of those attending the Temple by closing the gates. The assistant Matron said today, that it was a tender mercy from the Lord that the mob chose that Thursday to come since they had only one person coming to receive his own endowment that day, which he received in time to leave before trouble started.

The LAPD and the FBI responded quickly to the Temple Presidency's summons and patrolled the grounds and kept the mob from entering the same. Most of them had never been there before and expressed their surprise at how beautiful and peaceful all around was. They were invited to come back during the Christmas season to see the lights and they promised they would.

On Thursday, November 13th, sister Campbell, a secretary in the Temple, was opening the mail and upon opening a large manila envelope found inside a smaller one. When she opened this one, a white powder flew all around her desk. She thought this could be related to the demonstrators and feared the worst-ANTRAX. She contacted the President, who in turn called the Salt Lake City Temple office again for instructions. The FBI, the LAPD, and even the SWAT teams were once again in the grounds to investigate, and the Temple once again had to close from around 11:30 AM to 5PM. They closed the gates and were instructed to keep all the people there wherever they were found at the time. Those in the parking lot had to remain in the parking lot. Those entering the Temple had to remain in the first floor and those already upstairs were taken to the Celestial Room. Then, the miracles began to happen:

A brother serving as a recorder that day is a Microbiologist by profession and used to deal with hazardous substances every day. He was the first to say the white powder in the envelope was only talc, and put every one at ease. Then the sister coordinator upstairs was impressed to call upstairs to the sealing area, and said "They said we can't go down but no one said we can't go up, and I have many people in the Celestial room with their ceremonial clothes on ready to work. Could they do some sealings?" As it happened, there were four sealers present that day and they ran four sealing sessions non stop while the Temple was closed. Downstairs, someone else thought to invite those in the Lobby to do some initiatories, which they promptly did for all those hours too, brothers and sisters alike. Among those waiting in the parking lot there was a large group of young men and women with their leaders who had come to do Baptisms for the dead, and who waited patiently all those hours and decided when the Temple was reopened to go ahead and fulfill their assignment instead of driving back home. The Temple reopened in time for the 5:30 PM session. The next day when recording the ordinances, they discovered that they had performed 2000 sacred ordinances on Thursday, only one less than the day before when three stakes had been visiting the Temple.

Once again the assistant matron reminded us of the words of the prophet Joseph Smith, "No unhallowed hand can stop the Work from progressing...". But, this is not all, a prophecy was fulfilled also. When the new LA Temple President was set apart by President Uchdorft of the First Presidency, he received a blessing and these words were pronounced: " The time has come for the LA Temple to come out of obscurity and become an Ensign for Righteousness to the world under your presidency." The pictures of the Temple have been shown on TV, newspapers and the internet, not only in this country but worldwide. People of other faiths have called and sent letters to the Temple thanking the Church for defending marriage and protecting the family, and commenting how impressed they are by how beautiful and majestic the Temple looks . One minister of an African American church, who by his own admission had harbored ill feelings against the Mormons before said " I am impressed by your integrity and Christ like behavior, and even if I am not ready to consider you my brothers and sisters in Christ, we can be first cousins!".

I asked the assistant matron if I could share her comments and she said to go ahead. I can only add my own testimony that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the power and authority of God on earth. God Lives and Jesus, His only Begotten Son and our Savior is coming soon to redeem His people. I am grateful to know this and I pray we stand firm, steadfast and immobile while the prophecies of the signs before His Coming are fulfilled. "Be not afraid, only believe" He has said, and also " What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." I testify that this is true and testify it in the Holy Name of Whom I strive to serve, even Jesus Christ. Be faithful and safe is my humble prayer. Your sister in Christ,

Develop A Passion For Learning. If You Do, You Will Never Cease To Grow. Anthony J. D'Angelo

Story: I kicked my shoes off and propped them up against the bench in front of me.
Guy friend sitting next to me: "That's attractive"
Me: "It's a good thing I'm not trying to attract you then."
Guy friend sitting next to me: "It's a good thing you aren't trying to impress me."
Me: "Do I need to?" my though process...(What the heck!?)
Guy friend sitting next to me: "It would be nice if you did"

Again... What the heck! How does a girl go about trying to 'impress' a guy that doesn't really comment on or compliment anything she does, wears, or says. Also, what is he insinuating by this comment? ...maybe I am over annalyzing...

Where Do You Go When You're Lonely...

Feel This - Bethany Joy Galeotti featuring Enation

Pony- Erin McCarley

Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Ave Maria - Jewel

Where The Sidewalk Cracks - Kate Voegele

Shattered - O.A.R.

Gotta Be Someone - Nickelback

Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne

Love Me Dead - Ludo

Lift me Up - Kate Voegele

Music... my other escape...

Mothers... new, old, expecting, and the hopeful...

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) I know we've all heard about it. However, if you properly research it, you'll find that they are quite mistaken about a few things.

Young parents, especially the fathers, get frustrated when their baby cries in the middle of the night. They aren't hungry, they aren't hurt, but the minute they pick them up the babe instantly falls to sleep again. All they wanted was comfort. Think of it this way. That baby has been with someone constantly for the past 9 -10 months. The sounds of the womb and the mothers breathing as a lullaby. Girls, what is a main reason that we cry? Loneliness... That baby is placed in a cold, hard crib, far away from anyone. Surrounded by frightening objects in the dark... sheesh! I'd cry too! Mothers, sleep with you newborn babies. It is a myth that you will roll over and smother them. If you do your homework, you'll find that those couples they used as a basis for the research were obese or intoxicated. The fact of the matter is, SIDS happens when the babies heart suddenly stops beating. A newborns heart is in sync with the mothers. Their tiny hearts use the mothers to form a rhythm, and a pattern. Placing the baby away from you while they sleep will sometimes startle the heart, and it will stop because it doesn't fully understand what to do yet. The same with breathing. Those systems are so new, and fragile. They are still learning. My daddy used to sleep with me on his chest. (I am the first child) There were moments when my breathing would halt and he'd jerk awake until I started breathing again. My mother has slept with every one of her children in the crook of her arm. That way if the baby started choking, stopped breathing, or woke in the middle of the night hungry she was right there. Though, not one of my mom's kids has ever woken screaming in the middle of the night unless they were sick...

If you aren't comfortable with placing your baby in between you and your husband, at least place the baby in a basinet next to your bed. Don't give me the whole, well, we have a baby monitor next to our bed. We'll be fine. By the time you wake up and realize that your baby isn't breathing, and run to their room will be too late. Crib mattresses are flame retardant. It is illegal to make them any other way. The problem with this is, the chemicals used to make it flame resistant are toxic to a baby. This in one reason why they tell you not to place the baby on it's stomach while sleeping. In Europe and Canada they have designed a specially made crib mattress cover. It has dual layers. A plastic layer that will help trap the toxins and keep them encased, and a soft top layer for the baby to sleep on. It is required that you purchase a mattress cover when purchasing a crib in these locations. I don't know why the US hasn't picked up on this yet.

The last issue I will address in this blog/note is breast feeding. Awkward to some, beautiful to others. Either way it is still the most beneficial thing you will do for your baby. Breast feeding is also a special time of bonding for the mother and the baby. The Lord gave us boobs for a reason. No men, it isn't just a pleasing feature. They are a means to raise healthy children. Breast milk is the most baby friendly substance out there. It fortifies and strengthens the baby's immune system. They receive the most nutrition from it, and it keeps the baby's digestive system happy. Formula is hard for a new system to work through. It has to work double time to break down the formula into nutrients, often times constipating the baby. If you have ever felt a formula fed baby's stomach you'll notice that it is hard as rock. This is because the formula hardens in the system and refuses to completely digest. Creating a horrific belly ache and a very unhappy baby. Breast milk is another of God's miracles. It makes for a happy, healthy baby with a soft tummy. Often called the "perfect food" for a human baby's digestive system, breast milk's components - lactose, protein (whey and casein), and fat - are easily digested by a newborn's immature system. Not to mention it is FREE! Formula gets expensive over time. As a group, formula-fed infants have more difficulty with digestion than do breastfed infants. Breast milk tends to be more easily digested so that breastfed babies have fewer incidences of diarrhea or constipation. Breast milk also naturally contains all the vitamins and minerals that a newborn requires. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates formula companies to ensure that they provide all the known necessary nutrients in their formulas. Commercial formulas do a pretty good job of trying to duplicate the ingredients in breast milk - and are coming closer - but haven't matched their exact combination and composition. Why? Because some of breast milk's more complex substances are too difficult to manufacture and some have not yet been identified. Again, the Lord knew what he was doing when he created the woman. He made us with the ability to carry and feed the baby. Both in the womb and out. Our bodies keep the milk at the perfect temperature. No need to worry about it being too cold and lumpy, or burning the baby's tongue! Breast milk has been proven to to reduce the risk of childhood obesity. Not to mention the higher IQ factor. Recent studies have shown that children who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months have IQ's 5-10 points higher than children who were formula fed. Breastfeeding is beneficial for the mom too! It burns calories and helps shrink the uterus, so you can return to your pre-pregnancy shape and weight a lot quicker. It also lowers the risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, and helps reduce the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer. Oh, and did I mention that a breastfed baby's poop doesn't have a scent. So, until you incorporate solid foods into your babies diet you won't be able to perceive a smell. I understand that some women can't breastfeed and other just aren't willing to do it in public, or at all. For those of you embarrassed by breastfeeding, I would suggest you invest in what is called a breast pump. This pumps the milk so that you can freeze and refrigerate the breastmilk. If you refuse to breastfeed, Enfamil is the best you will be able to find. It is the most gentile, and easy to digest. Also, DO NOT get iron fortified until your baby is 9 months or older. They cannot handle the added iron. It is too hard for them to digest. Use sterilized water to mix with the powder or condensed formula until the baby is at least 6 months of age. If the baby doesn't finish a bottle, after 1 hour throw the unused milk out. Don't microwave the bottles. It will cook chemicals from the plastic bottle into the formula which is extremely dangerous to your baby. Run refrigerated bottles under warm water. That goes for both breastmilk and formula bottles.

If there is something you don't feel I covered well enough, or you have questions of any sort... please feel free to ask. I or my mother will be able to answer any questions or worries you may have. My mom is a licensed and registered midwife, and I've just studied this a bit too much... :)

... :)

My "Pocket" Friend...

Victoria Lastoria... my delectable, delightful, dependable, "pocket friend." Yes, I did just call her a pocket friend, and no that is not dirty. (Guffawing at that... :-] ) Anyway... we have this whacked out double life thing going on. Example... our friends... we both have a male best friend who is our everything.... (when we aren't upset with them, which always happens at the same time ironically enough) We have a female best friend to balance out the testosterone influence. We have a friend who is very much in the high school mentality, that we love to death, but can only handle in small doses. The random adventures friends, the church buddy, the erm... french men), the to gay to be gay buddy, and the sister. Our family situations are a bit similar. We experience the same trials, and life adventures. It's crazy how much we are alike, but we live on opposite sides of the US. We've lost touch a couple of times, but we seem to find one another in the most needed of times, and pick up right where we left off. It's crazy to swap stories and realize we've just lived the same life... again. We dress to a similar fashion, we listen to the same music, and have the same mannerisms when we text. Which is where the name "pocket" friend comes from. We text. Constantly. Anyone will attest to this. I enjoy it though! She is always there at the push of a button! We have our differences, naturally. We are polar opposites, aside from our height and shoe size, and the natural curl to our hair. She is a music major, and I am an English/psych major. We are 2 years apart. Our family stories are similar, but vastly different at the same time. The alterations between us are slight differences, but differences all the same.
I have a deep respect, and adoration for Victoria. She is such an amazing person. She has been through Hell and back on several occasions and rises to the top of her battles. Always. Optimistic, and constantly giggling. She has such a sweet spirit, and a love for the world around her. She knows what she wants, and she isn't afraid to do what it takes to get it. That is something that demands respect. I appreciate her, and the willingness she has to put up with my constant whining about whatever is going on at the moment. Her testimony, and gifts are astonishing. This girl will go far, and I am so happy I get to be a part of it! I couldn't dream up a better "pocket" friend... I didn't know there even was such a thing... hahaha!

Peaches 'n' Cream, with a hint of Lace..

Welcome to the latest edition of name that sex toy! ...What's that you say, sex is a sin? No my friends, sex is not a sin. It is a means to fulfill a commandment. Now before you get all hoity-toity on me, let me clarify. Sex outside of marriage is sinful. Wanting sex, having those desires for someone... not a sin. Entertaining those thoughts to a point of obsession... gross, perverted, and un-healthy, but still... not a sin. The good Lord knew what he was doing when he put sexual desires in our design make-up. So don't you dare try and tell me I am evil, or sinful because I am normal, and I like to crack the occasional sex-joke. Oh, and don't place a judgment upon my shoulders because I'm not afraid to use the term 'sex' over 'intercourse.' Also... pull your self-righteous heads out of your asses; it's not a horrific thing to use the word 'condom', nor is it terrible that I found a productive use (the microphone mute) for it outside of a joy-stick cover. :)
The Twilight series. If I get one more overly 'Utahan Mormon' telling me that series is of the devil, I will laugh in your face. Bella, just like any other normal teenager has a desire to have sex with the guy she loves. However, as this was written by a BYU grad you know that she won't until after they are successfully married. Even then, you don't read a sexual scene. You read the morning after... with the two of them engaged in a "feather fight." Yes, I do mean actual feathers... like from a down feather pillow. And you say I'm sinful...
Coffee, coffee, coffee... yes I will admit it, I love the scent of coffee, and I love the Jamocha flavored ice-cream from Baskin Robbins. Starbucks is a favorite, and I'll tell you what... God doesn't love me any less because of it! I love their frapps, and especially their hot-chocolates. I'll even ask for a coffee flavored drink every now and again. I will say in my defense I typically ask for a cream base, (meaning no actual coffee) with the coffee flavoring. Though yes, I have had a coffee based frapp... I'm not asking you to like what I like. Nor will I ever pressure anyone to try coffee. But here's the thing... Don't place a judgement upon my shoulders because of it. I won't point fingers here (though I'd really take quite a lot of pleasure in doing so...) but who the Hell are you, to point fingers down on me!? It is required of you to love all men, to forgive any wrong done to you (though what I enjoy, and how I am has nothing to do with you) but the Lord will place a judgement, and forgive whom he will... so hike up your skirts ladies, and trudge back through the muck you've been spreading. I spew the occasional word, I enjoy the occasional flavor, and I love cracking a joke. However, I have a testimony of the LDS church and it's laws, I love my Savior, and I am a good person. We all have our flaws, and we all have our little quirks... but do not hold mine against me, because I will not hold myself above calling you out on the floor.

Have a wonderful day...

... Thank you Captain Obvious ...

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Fist Full Of Glitter...

I woke this morning to a world caked in icing... powdered sugar was being sprinkled everywhere, and a crystalized candy encased my driveway as I slipped and slid down it. Aiming for my poor buried car... It took a good 15 minutes to un-cover the sad vehicle, and get the little girls inside it. Snow... "It means Christmas is coming, and the lights at temple square, and it is the perfect time for romantic moments" as Alaina put it... I've always been on the fence about it. It's cold, wet, and gray... until you hit 2am, when the world is swallowed by a delicate silence, and the snow glistens, sitting in a perfect beauty. Humming 'Once Upon A December' and dancing the waltz alone in the middle of the street has always been one of my very favorite moments in the snow. I wait until the flakes are light, and fluffy, drifting down gently to the beat of the song in my head. I twirl, and flit about... I've always been fairly negative, and rude towards Corwin Carlson Hurst, but it was on one of these nights that he offered to me one of my favorite memories. He completely caught me off guard the night we put the lights on his house. It was the night he first said "I Love You" he turned to me and said, your hair is beautiful with snow in it. You really sparkle in the snow. I think it was the cold nipping at my cheeks making them pink, but all the same it's always been one of my favorite compliments. Winter has some of the best moments in it as Alaina pointed out to me. Temple Square is a must for me. It is a tradition that I will personally kill Stanley for, if he ever flakes out on it... We walk around temple square, and then down to the Grand America Hotel, where I beg him to play the piano for me. We walk around a bit more until we are both entirely frozen. Usually we go to my house for hot chocolate or something warm. Who knows what we'll do this year as he lives in the Salt Lake City area currently... Anyway, along with winter comes the Christmas Cd... My dad is known for his orchestral concoctions This year he's cooked up some of the best work I've ever heard! Transiberian Orchestra has been given a run for their money with this next CD! I am sooo excited! I can't even express it in words! Alaina laughed and watched as I danced around the church parking lot trying to describe just how much I love creating music compositions! "AHHHHhh!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT" That was about what she got out of my rantings I think... This is Temple Square when my very favorite tree is lit. I call it the "Red Tree" it has quite the history... and is only lit every other year. Sadly, this is an off year. I will have to wait until next year to sit under it. :) ... Yes I do actually sit... Standing under it alone is just silly!How cool is this picture! Snow at it's best! Hit up starbucks for a salted caramel signature hot chocolate! They're amazing!!!

Tagged... again...

Here are the rules: 1 - List the person who tagged you 2 - Mention the rules on your blog 3 - Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours 4 - Tag 6 fellow bloggers!

**Who tagged me? The One, The Only, Amy Rust!

1- I forget to eat... I'm not anorexic, or doing it on purpose, I genuinely forget to eat. I don't really ever get hungry. So, it's not until I start to get dizzy or start shaking that I realize I haven't eaten yet. That's when I make a Wendy's run, or I whip out some random masterpiece.

2- Speaking of which... I love cooking. I don't normally broadcast that, but I do. Baking is included in that. When I have the house to myself for a weekend or a day I fill it with the scent of bread, and some amazing dishes... My family never knows... It's just our little secret. M-kay!

3- I don't turn my phone off... Ever. I just don't. I tried to leave it off for a day once. I made it 2 hours before I got major butterflies in my tummy telling me someone was trying to get my attention. I turned my phone on and I had 6 text messages, and a voice mail...

4- I have to do everything myself. I hate asking for help. I've gotten better at this since I've been friends with Sunnie and, Stanley, but I still wait until I've failed miserably before I'll even admit what I am trying to do. Even if it's painfully obvious... I guess it's just the Aries in me shining through!

5- Procrastination kicks my trash. I wait until the last moment to do just about everything. I think that about covers it... though it contradicts my next quirk.

6- I have to be on-time, or early to everything! I hate being late with a passion!

I tag... Shayla, Jenni, Marisa, Dustin, Preston, and Sunnie.

Ludo... You're Awful, I Love You...

The newest obsession of mine... This guy can sing. His voice is actually really pretty... The lyrics are a bit gruesome... but they aren't false. It's a new way of looking at things, and it takes a few times to fully understand what exactly he is talking about. Their album is called 'You're Awful I love You' and I promise it's worth the buy!

Tracks

1. Love Me Dead

2. Drunken Lament

3. Please

4. Topeka

5. Lade Pontchartrain

6. Such As It Ends

7. Mutiny Below

8. Streetlights

9. Go-Getter Greg

10. The Horror Of Our Love

11. Scream, Scream, Scream

12. In Space

You can hear the songs at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=3021298

I'm soo funny!

So... pretty sure I deserve the greatest-friend-of-all-time award... I just spent the last hour of my life finding pictures of hair styles for Stanley. He wants to grow his hair out. Well... I gave him my opinion. Some of them were genuine... others... just for my personal enjoyment. (In other words, giving me an excuse to look at pictures of these easyontheeyes guys...) Take a gander... see what you think of my clever little email...HA!

The subject of my email was... "...Beatles Wannabe... here's your own personal Hair Calogue..."

"The thing is... you're hair is going to take awhile to grow... so, deal with the longer faux hawk until then... I've got a few things here. I couldn't copy and paste everything. There are also books at the salon if you wanted to look through those. ... and yes... I did have quite a bit of fun with this thanks..."

(This is Logan from Gilmore Girls) Hahaha! (Well... everyone is always saying you look like Zac Efron...)

Now... if only he had blue eyes... Hey! He's cute... why not just do your hair like this kid! Oh WAIT! Because you like to torment me by growing your hair out... then when you look like lego man/beatles wanna be I get all the blame... thanks Stanley... Love you too...

Breaking Free...

So basically, I'm cracking... my facade is breaking... and I'm bursting at the seams... seem repetitive to you? Yeah, me too. I've got my music to fall into. Deserted Fields to run through, and a whole lot of emptiness to scream into. So, you'd think I'd be fine once I got it out of my system, and still it's stuck... Sitting at the tip of my tongue. Tugging on my lungs, stopping my breath short. I refuse to let it out. I'll break before I throw out my white flag. Try to take me down. I wish you luck. I'm a 'burnt girl' and I know my role. Run. It's cynicism, not sass. It's me being rude, not attractive. Get that through your thick head. I don't want you, I want...

Well... That much will stay with me.

You call it pride. I call it shame. Get off my back. I'll do what I feel is right, and that is all you have any right to ask... Keep trying. I've got more stubbornness than even I know. Good Luck...

Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Je t'aime avec tout mon coeur, et je ne sais pas quoi en faire. Alors, je cours. Suis-je amoureux?Ai-je trop de soins pour vous? Je ne sais même pas mon propre coeur. J'ai peur de trouver la vérité. Non pas parce que j'ai peur de ce qu'elle est, mais à cause de ce qu'il peut effectuer. Que dois-je faire? Devrais-je essayer à nouveau? Dois-je rester ici? Je suis plus que vous savez... Je suis plus que un visage. Stuck vivant dans un même lieu... Lors de la gravure ponts ne descend pas... À l'instar des symphonies sans une bonne... Je me demande ... Existe-t-il espoir pour moi là-bas? Mon coeur est perdu à jamais? Est-il même mon propre? Je suppose que le temps nous le dira...

For every man's nature is concealed with many folds of disguise, and covered as it were with various veils. His brows, his eyes, and very often his countenance, are deceitful, and his speech is most commonly a lie. ~Cicero

Я тебя люблю (That's I Love You in Russian!)

Je n'ai pas l'intention de se lamenter. Je ne cherche pas à. Je voulais juste quelqu'un pour écouter. Quelqu'un à qui parler à... Je suis désolé... Je t'aime...

I have finally figured a way to express everything I would like to and not worry about people understanding, or going to great lengths to read between the lines. If you really want to know what I am saying... email me. I will happily tell you, but as I said before... somethings are meant to be secret, but some secrets need to be shared. Well... I have shared them. They are out of my system, and if you really have nothing better to do, go get a french and a swedish dictionary and translate what I said... Je vous souhaite bonne chance!

As for other news... My dad's family decided to have a "family meeting" or as my mom and I like to call them... Brainwashing meetings... What they do is they all congregate at one place and give a history lesson. (or they did this time. I don't go to these things unless forced.) Grandpa John stood and expressed thanks at being invited into our home to hold one of these meetings. He had enjoyed the visits he made in the hospital, and realized he was missing them. Apparently he liked the fact that I would speak my mind... Anyway, he told a few mission stories of grandpa Clyde's... to which he altered facts to make it sound like they were a holy people... whatever I know how the missions were divied out in those days. He told of how the Order started and why my grandpa Clyde converted as the 2nd man to in the Order... He proceeded to talk about how the Mormons are good people, but we are just mistaken. We don't have all the "holy" principles and ways as Joseph Smith had. We had enough to make progress and to grow as a religion, but we were becoming Catholics slowly... HA! I wanted to cut him off there and contradict everything that he was saying... but I was polite and kept the smirk off of my face, though it was plain as day in my eyes. :) I am paraphrasing this obviously... but that is the jist of what happened... It is so hard to keep my mouth shut at these things... but I would have been overtaken, which just wasn't worth the effort it would have taken to whip out my book of Mormon and explain that that church of the Devil isn't the Catholic church, and the LDS aren't becoming Catholics... and we haven't lost or forgotten any of the restoration... As for the Order, when you have missionaries, serve the sacrament, carry the priesthood, and organize as Christ has asked of us, then maybe I'll give you the time of day... and offer you a chance to erm... preach in my house... until then... STUFF IT! I don't want to hear it!

Use A Condom... and P.S. Remember Your Jacket...

So... it's October... just in case you were wondering. I opened the store today (Michaels Shoe Repair) as my dad was having a late morning helping my mom out. (She is 7 1/2 months pregers) I came in tidied up a bit, and just sat through the regular morning lull. Once my dad finally rolled in he asked me to do his deposits. Thereby resulting in my having to walk to Chase bank... It's cold outside. Silly me... I saw the sun and expected it to be warm! Walking back to the store I my teeth started to chatter. I know, I know... I need to get fat for winter, but that just doesn't seem like a possibility. Summer weather is finally gone... it's the season for the light jackets again. Ha! light jackets... in Utah... funny!

Holy shnap! When did it become a capitol offense to say hello to a person!? I think it's funny if I am going to be honest with you... Here's the story... So, Jessica 'Ameena' (as she prefers to be called by her middle name) Khan. A sweet girl (so I'm told) quiet from what I've seen, and reserved. I sent out a friend request on facebook. I personally would actually like to meet this girl as a fair few of my friends are rather friendly with her, and simply rave about this girl. I've only ever heard good things about her. Well, I get a text from Stanley asking why I had requested her as a friend. I asked if it was a bad thing. He said no, just that he was curious... Heaven Forbid I say hello... I can understand if I startled her, but why not actually talk to me? I promise I'm not that scary. I don't bite, and I don't glare at people as they pass by. In fact I'm quite personable... or so I like to think.

For the music junkies out there... (Okay, for those of us who actually record the noises we make with musical instruments...) there is a perfect way to mute the microphone to get that soft sound, without the boxed tint on the edges. Use A Condom!!! There is a story, don't worry! When recording drums you typically have to put the mic on the opposite side of the room as drums are extremely loud... Hello duh... anyway, there is such a thing as a mic mute box, but it gives the recording a sort of echoy, drums-in-a-box sound. We tried a sock, but the fabric was too heavy, and muted it too much... Micheal's sock made the mic look like an oversized banana. Naturally that lead to penis jokes, (boys and their dirty humor) so after a good laugh I got the brilliant idea to use a condom. I had never actually seen a condom, except for that YouTube video of the idiot boy stretching one over his head... so this was going to be an adventure. (side note - did you know they have scented and flavored condoms!? GROSS!!! Somethings really should not be that close to your face...) It worked! Ladies and Gentlemen the perfect way to get the perfect sound for your drums, or electric guitar is to stretch a condom over you microphones. Please though... use a new one... :)

I learned last night that it is okay to call your best friend simply to vent! It was the coolest lesson ever! It felt weird not having anything to really talk about, but simply wanting to yell and scream and have someone on the other end of the phone. Stanley is a good sport and laughed for the most of it. Apparently it's fun to listen to me be grumpy... his words, not mine. It was the longest phone conversation we'd had in a long time. Of course we went off on tangents, and he is always "mr. fix-it" when I have situations come up... or don't. His suggestions and opinions are always welcome... whether I think so or not. :)

Kill Me Romantically...

*Fill my soul with vomit, then ask me for a piece of gum. Bitter and dumb, you're my sugar plum... You're awful, I love you!

Last night Sunnie totally tried to vacuum me up with the carwash super vac! We went to the COOLEST carwash I have ever experienced! It had everything you could ever want/need in a car wash! From the bug-er-off, to the brilliantly colored tri-foam. (My previous favorite car wash also had the scented tri-foam, but this one has blue instead of yellow!) After the no-touch carwash she pulled straight ahead to the super-vac/scented sprays for your car. After she had vacuumed out the back of the car she threw the hose over the front seat, and it attacked me! It was already 2:30ish in the morning, and I was only half there. I couldn't get the thing off of me, and Sunnie roared with laughter. I joined in once I wasn't being eaten alive by this ridiculously large hose with massive suction powers... FREAK!

*I am not afraid to keep on living. I am not afraid to walk this world alone. Honey if you stay, you'll be forgiven. Nothing you can say, can stop me going home.

As for the job fair that Amy and I went to on Wednesday... it was a complete bust! It was the biggest joke of a job fair I'd ever seen! So, Amy and I got up early, hauled our butts to the trax station where we received cat-calls, and whistles as we walked to the actual train stop. The first train wouldn't let us on. The doors wouldn't open. So we got to sit for another 15 minutes with a bunch of creeps and try not to laugh too hard or loud. When we finally got there (after experiencing several random people, phone guy, lady with noisy kid, and smoker chick) we walked around 3 times, and were hollered at by a group of 3 guys. Apparently they were on the first train that we missed, and thought it was funny we ended up in the same place. We were also followed somewhat obviously by a group of another 3 boys who just watched and smiled from a distance... Amy and I walked to the Gateway Mall so that I could find the plaque with my grandpa's name on it, thanking him for his service in the Olympics. We were whistled at again... but this time... they were GAY! My favorite one was the the gay guy in starbucks. He had black ear gauges that were diamond studded on the rims so it looked like he had fancy tires in his ears. It was awesome! Hahaha! After the mall we were tired and decided to head home. We sat at a trax station for another 30 minutes and endured no less than 5 cars stopping directly in front of us to stare. There wasn't anyone near us, so that threw out that idea. We pulled our cami's up to make sure we weren't showing cleavage or something, so that also was out... We couldn't figure out what it was, but it didn't stop at the trax station. Getting on to the actual train we were closed in by some creeper in a suit that wouldn't stop watching the two of us. Amy got boxed in by some old guy that smelled awful and kept peeking at her from the corner of his eye. An ancient Mexican-native American was singing along with his music, and as he only had 3 teeth it sounded awful. It was seriously some luck when we realized there was a ticket po-po on that train so we hopped off at the next stop. (He was only 2 people away... I didn't purchase a ticket, and Amy's had expired) It seemed as if someone didn't want us to go home or something. We'd missed 2 trains because the doors wouldn't open, and now had to get off the train 4 stops from our destination. It was becoming hilarious! We did eventually get home, and the day proceeded from there...

*I thought I knew myself, somehow you know me more... I don't know who I'd be if I didn't know you. You're so provocative, I'm sot conservative. You're so adventurous, I'm so very cautious, combining you think we would, and we do...

***Ludo-Love Me Dead, My Chemical Romance-Famous Last Words, Adele-My Same

Classic Stanley and Jess Outing

I know a few of you have been wondering what on earth I was talking about when I said Saturday I had a classic Stanley and Jess moment. Well, awhile back Stanley and I would go to dinner or a movie regularly. We used to call them outings because they weren't dates, it was just us hanging out. Well, the last time we saw a movie together was erm... January/February-ish. It was the Atonement... so whenever that was in theatres. The last time we went to dinner was my birthday, and the last time we did lunch was his birthday. This Saturday we went to Jamba and a movie. Something the both of us have needed for ages! Everyone knows that Jamba is also a classic Jess and Stanley move. When we couldn't do a movie, or dinner we'd either get shakes from Arctic Circle, or Jamba and hit up somewhere with a view, and just talk for a bit. We have our regular places and quirks just like any close relationship. Ours are just a bit more random... Anyway, We met about 12:30ish at the District Jamba Juice. He surprised me by opening with a hug and an "I missed you." We decided I'd pay for Jamba, and he'd get the movie. He got the pomegranate, while I got my regular peach perfection. We drove over to the Megaplex, I climbed in his car as he had a new song he wanted me to listen to. He had to eat his Chick-fil-a (however you spell that) chicken sandwich, to which he had me try. We finally got inside after a bit, and he had a smidgen of trouble with the card thingy to purchase your tickets (yes, I had a laugh while he struggled... aren't I the greatest best friend!?) We saw Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist. It was actually pretty funny. I give it a 3, while Stanley gives it a 2+... We had to split after that as he had to book it to work (Ruth Chris Steak House - downtown somewhere) and I promised Leesa I'd be home right after. Let me just say... OH MY HELL I MISSED MY BEST FRIEND! We've hung out and what not, but we haven't had a classic Stanley and Jess outing in ages. Where he wasn't letting school, work, or anything else stress him out. We had casual banter, and easy laughter. It was fantastic! I Loath, abhor, and all other words the portray hate and spite, time limits. We have almost always been on a time limit, but it didn't feel like it which is something he's gotten pretty good at when he wants to. We didn't bicker or have one of our pointless arguments. It was an easy time, and it carried on into Sunday. Amy, Alaina, Brooke, back me up here. We didn't have any bickering right! Just sarcastic banter, and our normal written conversation. I did think it funny that the bishop kept trying to catch my eye in sacrament though. (Stanley was completely out... thanks to my amazing back rubs... hahaha!) Stanley and I met Ethan. Amy's other... we both approved. They were cute and cuddly on that back bench. It was rather adorable. Sorry Amy, but that is the truth of the matter! Alaina and I were threatening to take a picture. I even whipped my phone out of it's normal holding place... Amy burst into fits of laughter when I did this... and as I was also laughing too hard to take the picture we don't have one of the two of them cuddled together on the pew.
GAH! I also 'hung' out with one of Stanley's co-workers D. Christian Smith on Saturday... Ladies, I know he is some-what easy on the eyes, and seems to be a nice guy; but he's only out for one thing. I promise. I had some serious Cory flashback when I was with this kid. Granted he taught me how to play pool, of that I was happy about, but the rest... not so much... I didn't know we were facebook friends until he opened up facebook chat, and we started talking. He is an RM, was LDS, but now is basically a man-whore. He lost his virginity a month ago, and is eager to go at it again. Watch yourselves. He stole Sunnie's number from my cell-phone and hasn't stopped talking to her, though he hasn't said a word to me since I turned him down when he started making advances. NCMO's are fine, but try and pull my shirts off... and you're not going to be making babies any time soon. ;) There is a reason I wear about 3 shirts at all times. 1st I am cold almost all of the time. 2nd I learned the hard way, most guys are after only one thing. Be careful of him!
Oh, and Stanley has my digital camera this week. He is in Illinois, and Michigan for fall break. I told him he had to take pictures and sent him off with my camera as he doesn't really enjoy carrying around his own. (It's a really old one) So... my normal stress outlet is gone and I am not going to bring out my SLR while it is FREAKING SNOWING!!! BAH! I am relying on you (Amy, Sunnie, Brooke, Marisa, Alaina... NO BOYS!!!) to keep me entertained and distracted from the fact that my camera is half way across the map... I trust Stanley with all that I am; but remind me of this, because I'm starting to freak out.

Thriving Ivory : Official Site

Thriving Ivory : Official Site

OH MY HOLY AMAZING!!! I finally found my favorite music band! Thriving Ivory! Lyrics like you've never known, and a sound that allows for angry days, power days, and even the calm serenity days. The lead singer has the most unique voice, but it pulls emotion out of you as you listen. It isn't pretty, but it's full of passion. I can't even express it fully. I have waited for so long to find a band I just connect with on every level. They have a concert in SLC in a few weeks with Second Hand Serenade and I will be doing everything in my power to go. Believe you me!

Runaway...

Yesterday Amy and I spent a good chunk of our day in the Orem/Provo area. Tried on many a 'foofy' dresses, got a managers discount on the food, and even found a 'barbie' store... okay, so techinically there weren't any barbies in this store but it was all PINK it was absolutely disgusting! From the floor to the chandaliers... all of it was pink, and yes I got pictures! So, sit down, shut up, and get in the car, we're going for a ride to provo...

Our ventures in Alyses Bridal... Oh my goodness, foofy!





Our escapade into the barbie store! Everything from the chandeliers to the sparkles in the floor were pink! Amy found a dress that matched the decore of the room, so ofcourse we had to take a picture of her in it! The dressing room nobs were pink, the walls were pink... pink, Pink, PINK... I HATE PINK!!!

The Disney store!!! The floor even sparkled! Princess dresses, and Eeore made for good times with the Amy and Jess adventures! SLEEPING BEAUTY FOREVER!!!


The Halloween store... oh my gosh, things like you wouldn't believe! From the presidential candidates to monsterous shoes, and wings that will possess your soul. THE coolest Hallween store ever!!!

So, all in all we had a blast! From walking around barefoot in a bridal store, to barbies, and my heart stopping as we passed the guitar store, and our bubble gum adventures, to our cloud chasing, and nearly being accosted by 'Broke travelers and their dogs' and even though we were nearly run over in Provo traffic I'd do it again thanks to Amy's skill and practice in this area we survived to see another day! I'd post the foofy dresses we found, but then I'd have to kill you all... So... I won't... Though I do have to say... *Amy, 1...2...3... 'SUCK IN' ... CAN'T BREATH!!!