Graveyard Goodies

Sesame Street: Smell Like A Monster

I think Grover needs to be the next spokesman (spokesmonster) for Old Spice. I watched this clip 3 times and giggled every time.

Happy National Potato Day!

Idaho Potato Facts:

-Idaho grows roughly one-third of the U.S. fall potato crop.

-The Idaho Potato industry accounts for more than 15% of the state's gross state product.

-In 2008, an estimated 300,000 acres of Idaho Potatoes were harvested - about 11 billion pounds of potatoes. That's enough potatoes to fill 500 NFL football fields.

-The exceptional quality of Idaho Potatoes is a product of the state's rich volcanic soil, warm days, cool nights and an adequate supply of clean water for irrigation.

Pictures of from the Idaho Potato Museum:

World's largest potato chip


Potato Mashers

Oh nanny!

Kate, Sean, and Ellie-Jane are home for the summer. Sometimes I watch Ellie-Jane (usually just for few minutes). When Kate needs me to watch Ellie-Jane, she comes down the hall and says "Oh nanny!" all sing-songy. The problem is that Ellie-Jane has started calling me Nanny. Oh my!

Ellie-Jane seems to enjoy coming into my room. I think it's because I have new things to play with (like stamps!) and new books, which are too long for her attention span. I think she also likes the idea that she usually gets to do what she wants when she is in my room (under close supervision of course).

24 Things You Probably Didn't (or Maybe You Did) Know About Me

In honor of turning 24 this week, I've decided to list 24 things that you might not know about me:

1. I don't have a middle name. Even though it is a tradition in my dad's family, I still feel a little jipped. I've decided that one of the things I'm going to do when I get married is buy a nice terry robe and get it monogrammed with my 3 initials. My daughters will probably have 2 middle names to make up for this complex (not really, but chances are they will have middle names).

2. If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would go to Tahiti. I saw these bungalows that were over the reef in a bridal magazine when I was a teenager. Even though I have seen these bungalows elsewhere, Tahiti has always stuck.

3. I would like to take piano, voice, photography, and drawing lessons. It would be wonderful to learn how to read music so I didn't have to sing the soprano line in my alto voice and be able to draw something recognizable other than a stick figure.

4. In almost every one of my apartments there has been a quote wall. Instead of inspiring and uplifting quotes, these quote walls consisted of silly quotes usually said by myself or one of my roommates ("The thought just hits on you."). A lot of the quotes bring back so great memories. Other just don't make sense. Guess you had to be there at 12:30 A.M. in our living room.

5. Three years ago, three of my closest friends and I were suppose to take a trip to France and Italy. All three of my friends dropped out for various reasons and I didn't want to take it by myself. The funds for that trip are currently sitting in my savings account in hopes that we will all be able to travel someday.

6. My top love languages are physical touch, gifts,and acts of service. I could easily spend most of my money on other people. (If you don't know what I'm talking about click here.)

7. My earliest memory is eating the sand out of my sandbox when I was living in southern California (we moved to Northern California just before I turned 3).

8. My favorite music to listen to while working out are soundtracks from movies (usually the battle or climatic scenes).

9. If I could choose to live anywhere right now I would pick the Washington D.C. area

10. I'm more productive in the morning and wish it were easier for me to get out of bed. If I don't have anywhere to go in the morning I usually have to hit my snooze button for an hour before I really wake up.

11. The kiwi phrases/words I still use are "No worries mate," "good on you," "Sorry then," "rubbish," and "bro"

12. I bought kissing lessons at a ward service auction, but never used them.

13. I have a hope chest, except it's not really chest (although I've wanted one). It's collection of serving pieces, dinnerware, and kitchen prep accessories. I ask for these things for Christmas and my birthday.

14. My favorite type of cookie is peanut butter blossom. Chocolate + peanut butter = goodness

15. I'm usually late with birthdays, Father's Day, and Mother's Day. The problem is that I usually mean to do something big to make up for it and then never do. So if you've never heard from me on your birthday, that's most likely what happened.

16. My personal coldstone creation: dutch chocolate ice cream, caramel, brownies, and banana. I actually saw a generic brand with the same combination, except banana ice cream replaced the bananas. The banana ice cream didn't sound all that great to me.

17. My perfume scent of choice: Romance by Ralph Lauren

18. I used to iron my clothes everyday. The little bumps on my sleeves from the hanger drove me nuts.

19. Out of the 23 pairs of shoes that I own, I wear my reef flip-flops the most often.

20. I love vintage things, more specifically dresses, shoes, and music from that time. Frank Sinatra knows the way to this girl's heart.

21. I also love elegant things: evening gowns, jewelry, and fine table settings. There was a Cartier jewelry exhibit at a local museum and when I first walked into the exhibit I got giddy. If I had had the opportunity, being a débutante would have been excessively diverting. :)

22. I have never had to pull an all-nighter.

23. My favorite flowers are carousel roses, tulips, and as of late, peonies

24. I know more about weddings than a single woman really should. My wedding is also planned far more than it should be (colors, dress, etc.). However, if the saying "three times a bridesmaid never a bride" is true then I 'm not getting married in this life or the next. :)



Idea for this blog post complements of Amparo and Katie B.

ode to the padre

Today, I went to my home ward to be with my dad for father's day. As the primary kids were getting up to sing a Father's Day medley, the pianist played "Fathers." I got a bit teary-eyed as I thought about the chorus of the song:

Fathers are so special with a very special love.
They watch us and protect us.
They guide us and direct us
Back to our home above.

There are times that my dad and I don't see a situation the same way, he asks me about things I don't want to talk about ("Dad, let's talk about you."), he did things that I, his teenager daughter, found embarrassing, and our timing to get things done is different. Still, I'm grateful for his influence in my life, the encouragement to be better, and support that I need.

I'm thankful for the opportunity he gave me to obtain a higher education. I was the fifth child my dad had supported through college. When I received my degree, I walked off that stage completely debt free. His support allowed me to focus on my education and enjoy my college experience.


My dad has invited my siblings and me to go with him and my mom on trips. As I have begun looking at taking trips of my own, I have realized what a financial sacrifice he made to include us on these trips. I'm so grateful for the chance to go on these family vacations. These trips have opened my eyes to new cultures and beautiful sites; some sites so beautiful that my dad was constantly pulling our car to the side of the road to take pictures. :) Many Sunday evenings after dinner were spent reminiscing about the wonderful memories made as we followed the man in the yellow hat.


Many Sunday evenings were also spent playing cards games. My dad never lets us win easily. If we won, we earned it or luck was on our side, depending on the game. He would screech "NO!" in my ear was trying to place a die on a four level tower while playing stack. He wouldn't give up a card in phase 10 without a fight ("That was a draw"). The traveling and game playing helped me understand why in The Family: A Proclamation to the World, we learn that one of the ways successful families and marriages are maintained is through wholesome recreational activities.


While my dad's time is precious, he did find time to attend my extracurricular activities. He came to track meets, plays, senior nights, and the football game when I was nominated for Homecoming Court. He would only come for part of the time, but it meant a lot to me when he did come.

Happy Father's Day, Papu! I love you HEAPS!

Mr. Alligator, Alligator, Alligator

The title is a blog post is a song that my niece likes to sing. I flew down to Florida this week for an interview. On Thursday night, I was standing on a dock, watching an amazing sunset, eating the best flavor of ice cream I’ve ever had (Captain's Butterscotch- butterscotch topping, brownie chunks, and miniature chocolate peanut butter cups), when I heard something in the water below me. I thought it was a duck (since I was on a lake). I looked down and there is an alligator about 5 feet away from me. He stayed around just long enough for me to snap a shot of him. He must have been a member of the Florida Welcoming Committee stopping by to say hello. Since that experience I have had "Mr. Alligator" stuck in my head. :)

And then I graduated...Wait, what?

I'm a college graduate. That's a strange to think that I'm done with college, possibly forever (a Master's degree is sitting on the back burner for the next few years). My parents came into town on Thursday and I drove down from Idaho that day as well. Every restaurant was packed of course as it usually is that time of year. I introduced my parents to Zupa's, a soup, salad, and sandwich place.

D. Todd Christofferson spoke at commencement exercises. J. Willard Marriott, Chairman and CEO of Marriott International spoke at convocation. It took an hour and a half to hand out all the degrees. Many graduates left with their families after they got their degrees. My department was at the end, so a lot of people had left by the time I walked across the stage. My parents moved so that they were near where graduates were having their portraits taken before walking across the stage. My mother yelled, “You go girl” in spirit of my college application essay.

My college application essay:
"With baton in hand, I took off, only 400 meters to the finish line. I had never sprinted so fast. I was nearing the finish when my coach yelled, "Lean forward!" As I stretched out, I lost balance. Suddenly I was on the ground ten feet from the finish line. The surround sound of 'Ohh's' let me know how many people were watching. Other runner's feet raced past me. Should I get up?
This was the first time I had fallen in a race, but it wasn't the first time I'd seen people finish before me. Many times I had been the last person to hand in her in-class essay or the last to finish a test. The reading assignment my classmates were able to scan in between first and second period, took me an hour the night before. But I learned I could compete with other students, as long as i invested enough time. I didn't give up.
I knew I had to finish the race. Reaching back, I grabbed the baton, pulled myself up and sprinted. I heard the applause from the stands. One woman yelled, 'You go girl!' When I cross the stage at my college graduation, I think I'll hear her words again calling faintly in my mind. It won't be the end of a race though, it will be the beginning."

I got a bit choked up as I walked toward the stage. I realized that this moment was something that I had looked forward to for so long. The path that I took to get to that moment was full of laughter, late nights (for both academic and social reasons), tears, teachers’ curricular excitement & passion that I got caught up in, stress, group projects, and friends whose influence I hope will never fade. There is a part of me that wishes that I could go back to that lifestyle, but the other part of me looks forward to the life that lies ahead. I have my heading and am anxious to see what lies on the other side of my horizon.




My 1950's housewife dress :)


"It won't be the end the race, it will be the beginning"

Conquering a Mountain

The two year mark from when I came home from my mission was a few months ago. In the past, year marks have been hard for me: when I came home from my mission, when I entered the MTC, when I was suppose to come home, etc. I didn’t feel like I was really getting better until March 2009. I was walking home from campus one day and I felt happy. There was still more healing to do after that, but after I had hit that point, it was a lot easier to do.

My trial with panic attacks isn’t over, however, I do feel prepared enough to move on to the next challenges of my life. It has been a challenging past two and half years. It’s been the most difficult thing I have gone through, but also the experience that has offered the most amount of growth.
This experience reminded me of a story that my mission president shared in a zone conference:

“In a Sunday School class there was sharp criticism of the ill-fated Martin and Willie Handcart Companies, which met with tragedy because of their late start on the trek to the Salt Lake Valley. An elderly man arose and said: ‘I ask you to stop this criticism. You are discussing a matter you know nothing about. Cold historic facts … give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife … too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but … we became acquainted with [God] in our extrem[i]ties.’” (Elder Robert L. Backman, emphasis added)

I feel that I became God acquainted with God with this experience.

•Patience: There were times that I got frustrated because I didn’t feel like my prayers were being answered. I turned from Him. However, when I turned back to Him, He was there waiting.
•Omnipotent: Many opportunities were given to me because of the timing of my release from my mission. I was able to serve in leadership positions in church and also on my department’s student council. In January 2009, I was singing the closing hymn in sacrament meeting when I got the impression, “You would not be teaching Sunday School today had you not been medically released from your mission.” It was such a small and simple thing, but it showed me that my Heavenly Father really did have a plan for me.
•Merciful: Many people were sent into my life to help me through this difficult time; roommates, Home Teachers, and people in my wards. I had an amazing counselor that helped me see how I could take control of my panic attacks and how my panic attacks can be a warning of when I’m not taking care of things that I should. I was also blessed with amazing parents who were patient and encouraging of getting the help that I desperately needed.
•Loving: Many times throughout this experience that I cried and prayed that this burden might be lifted from me. However, it was not. I think He knew that there was more that I had to learn from this experience. I don’t know what it is like to be a parent, but I can imagine that if father saw his child suffering, he would do whatever it took to relieve her of that pain. It must take a lot of love and strength to hold back that power to heal in order to let a child learn from a difficult experience.

I’ve been able to use this experience to relate to the patients that I work with at the psychiatric hospital that I did my internship at. I’ve developed two lesson ideas. The first one, we talk about the therapeutic aspects of writing: journaling, poetry, and stories. I tell my patients that I will never ask them to do something I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing. So I often do an example of what we are doing. I try to do it relating to experience to my panic attacks. I don’t directly tell them what has happened in my past, but I try to relate that I have some insight as to what they are going through. Here is the poem that wrote for my therapeutic writing group:

Shivers go down my spine
The lack of light makes me cold
Beads of sweat race down my neck
As I ascend from the low valley floor
To a mountaintop
Where sunshine dances upon its purple peak
I reach a ledge near its top
Light and wholeness within my reach
But a painful squall flings me
Like a rag doll down the cutting mountainside
With abrasions covering my crumpled body
I begin reclaiming the slope
Rocks slip under my pressure
I hold to secure ones for dear life
I reach the ledge
“Hope was here” engraved upon its face
My body flung from its edge again and again
By the same troublesome wind
Each blow raises my determination
“I will see another sunrise,” I avow
As I reach the ledge, I brace for wind
But it does not come
A blissful grin radiates the hope released within
I ascend to the top of the peak
Marveling at the stunning view that encompasses me
The valley below no longer seems so dark
I embrace the sun in a sweet reunion
Before I venture and conquer another mountain

The second lesson I teach is the therapeutic aspects of art. I talk about the different types of art: Honore- realistic portrayal, Picasso- cubism, Pollack- dripping and scattering paint, and Van Gogh- post impressionism. I talk about how Van Gogh painted Starry Night when he was in a psychiatric hospital. Then I show my patients the symbolism behind different colors. I give them the option to draw something that reflects how they are currently feeling or a coloring page of Starry Night. I also show them this drawing:



I ask them to interpret the painting. I then explain that this was a difficult time in my life and that I felt as though I was sitting the dark with the light out of my grasp. I try to also show them that you don’t have to amazing at art for it to be a way of expressing yourself and a form of stress relief. I then have them go around and explain their drawings to me and their peers. It’s amazing the insight I get from these patients when I do these groups. Many of them really reach down inside themselves and when they do that and allow me to see what is beneath the surface, that’s when the real therapy can begin.

Like I said earlier, this has been a rough road to travel down, but I’m so glad I went through it. I used to think by doing my mission, when I went through a difficult time I could look back and say, “Well, I served a mission and that was a difficult thing, I can do this.” It was going my overwhelming mastery experience (Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory). When I came home from my mission early and I was disappointed that I wasn’t going to be able to use that. What I learned through this experience was much better. It taught me that when times are difficult, if I do everything that I can and rely on the Lord everything will turn out. Sometimes our plans are different from the Lord’s but if we put our trust in Him and let our will melt into His, things will turn out even better, including ourselves.

Valentine's Weekend

My friend, Nikki (the one on the right), came out from Hawaii for the three day weekend. I decided to drive down to Utah so my old roommates and I could get together for a little reunion. It was so much fun! It felt like being home again. For me, it's not really where I am, but who I'm with. I had a great time catching up with them, playing games, and making breakfast together. It wasn't until we were all together that I realized how much I missed them. These girls really are special people in my life.

I was also able to catch up with other roommates as well while I was down there. I actually stayed with all my old roommates (with the exception of one set) since I've been at college. I consider myself so blessed to have had such wonderful roommates.

Amaya Cornish also made an appearance while I was down in Utah. While I was in my last ward, I started writing really cheesy love notes under the name Amaya Cornish through the nice notes at ward prayer to a guy nicknamed Cookie. I thought it might be fun if Amaya made a appearance since I was already in the area, so I wrote a poem for Valentine's Day.

I swiftly ascend to the solitary hillcrest
For thoughts of you raise me heavenward
I deferentially walk to your side
You turn to me and declare with conviction, “I am Heathcliff!”
I stand mesmerized by your fiery, cerulean eyes
Before you came into my life
The sign “Abandon hope, you who enter here”
Hung on the dilapidated door to my heart
“Let me be your be your Valentine,” I whisper
An impressionistic sunrise stretches out before us
The endless summer of our lives bejeweled with fading morning stars
With my hand firmly in yours
We depart for Kythera

Let the Adventure Begin!

So I've moved from Utah to Idaho. As I crossed the border to Idaho, I said, "Let the adventure begin!" So far it's been a really positive experience. I'm living in a house with four other girls: Janae, Lacey, Sonia, and Meghann. It's nice because they're really social and so I'm getting to know a lot of people. The ward is great. I'm liking that the fact there are more guys in the ward than girls. Finally the tables have finally turn!

I finished my first week at the hospital. I had orientation on Monday. I've been following recreation therapists getting use to the schedule and learning more about the groups that they run. I'm learning so much and I'm excited when I get to be running the groups on my own. It's never a dull moment with the patients. :)