I went wild this Weekend

 

These will be my flowers and my bridesmaids will wear green Dresses.    The boquets might get some additional color in the form of ribbons on the part where the ribbons go, but I havn't decied for certain.  I just know I love this!

With That out of the way:

I became a Mary Kay Consultant this weekend.

I think I've done it-I've lost my marbles.

Being a Mary Kay Consultant is to start a pretty involved buisness-this week I'll get my site up and running while waiting for my products to come in-that way, you my dear friends and family can place orders and you'll get your stuff just as soon as it takes to come into the mail.

Things I love:
Timewise System
Mineral Foundation
Microdermabrasion

On my Wish List:
Eye Cream
Satin Hands/Body


Thats just getting started
I know as I go I'll fall in love with more products because Mary Kay products are just amazing.
You'll try em and you'll love em to.
And the cost is actually pretty comparable to what you'd find at the Grocery Store, but the quality is 100 X better!

Anyone interested in Hosting a Party let me know (you get points that go towards a discount from your purchase)
I'm also looking for 4 models with different Eye Colors for my training.  (Totally Free Girls night makeover!)

21 yrs done!

I had a birthday yesterday-and in the terms of the world its a big one.  I got the fancy license that goes side ways like the rest of the world, meaning I'm and adult adult (as opposed to when you become an "adult" at 18.  Whats crazy is that so much is up in the air right now.  I want to make plans but the plans I want to make require a partner in crime, but that partner is having commital issues.  I want to just go to work when I'm done with school, but I also want to drive the tour busses, and i want to get my associates, and I want to go to Idaho and get a bachelors in Dance.  :P  So, Idk.  Here's to oppourtunies, here's to adventures, here's to desicions and heres to undetermined plans.  I've always put all my eggs in one basket certain that that is the plan for me, but I think now is the one time in life when I'll be able to spread them around.  Check out different baskets or maybe more than one.  Its both empowering and exciting.  For the short term though, here's to getting my certificate, and taking a ballet class!

Shots!

Okay, so I'm a student of Medical Assisting.  By May I'll have all the classes I need to have in order to get my certification.  I'll just need my externship and then to take the big ugly test in Anchorage-those will happen during the summer.  So, in less than a year I'll be employable.  Which is exciting.  Another exciting thing:  I GAVE MY FIRST SHOT TODAY!

Let me tell you, Giving a shot is much scarier than getting a shot.  But, thanks be to my peer Toni who was patient and calm and cool as I put 0.5ml of Saline in her deltoid.  whew! Now I just gotta do some interdermal, subQ, gluteal, and ztrack and I think I'm good!  For this semester-this semester is jsut practice.  Next semester is the checkoffs!  OY!

Dance Dreams and Goals

Okay, so a while ago I decided I wanted to be ready to teach some lessons here in Fairbanks AK where I am more than qualified to be a dance instructor (take me to Utah or Cali though and I still gots LOTS to learn) and that goal is comming to acheivement!  I'm still learning new steps all the time (Thanks to help from Rulon) with which to teach people how to dance, but as a general concesnsus, I know how to dance and I may not be ginger rogers, but I know a thing or to to help others improve.  I don't think its about the steps, its about the movement and the enjoyment, and the fun and the health.  Steps are just patterns with which to portray your skills.  So, as a follow, I haven't memorized all the patterns, thats what I'm gonna try and do now.

Otherwise, good news for me, I've been getting lots of oppourtunities to teach through networking with first, Stefani B.  She's amazing.  I told her I wanted to teach, and so she gave my name to Artisans courtyard, and with them I've been trying to get a childrens class going.  So far, the only kid to come is my neighbor shelly, but I'm hoping that will change.  Yesterday I went to Anne Wien Elementry (got reffered by Ballroom Dance club of Fairbanks) and helped a 6th grade class learn some swing for a little show they're doing about their studies on Egypt (dancing and actin, but swining to the mummy rock) I've also taught a couple their first dance for their wedding, and received a few other refferals that simply didn't work out because of time-or communication break.

But here's the cool thing:  Me and Rulon were just invited to teach dance classes at AK land Dance Hall for the Ballroom Dance club of Fairbanks.  It will be monday nights, from 6-7, 7-8, And 8-9.  I'm hoping for a real good turn out everybody!  The more the merrier!  With this oppourtunity, the plan is, Rulon helps me know what I need to know so that in the future, I'll be ready to teach it all with him as the TA.  Cool huh?  I'm excited.

With school-I can't wait to get my CMA, but, after I do, I really want to go get my BA in Dance.  Or go to Cali and work more with Arthur Murray or something like that.  This just makes me happy.  CMA stuff makes me happy to, and I think with the two, I should be set!  I'll definately be busy, but maybe someday people will be dreaming of working for my Franchised Dance Studios  :)  I can dream right?

This I know (a special list of Loves, Loves #7)

Fall is my favorite time of year!

Christ is my Saviour, my redeemer, and my bestest best friend

When we do hard things-we get blessings we don't expect.

Tender mercies are all around us.

Families are forever.

People are beautiful.

I'm gonna be an aunt real soon!

To be anxiously engaged in a good cause is good for the soul-yeah Heavenly Father said to do it, but if you do it, you will be happier.  The more you give of yourself for this good cause, the more you lose yourself in it, the happier you will be.

Gods plan is perfect, God plan is complete, God plan is THE plan of happiness.

National Alamo

So-I think Yesterday was my last day at that car rental. I was working up at the airport and my manager had the lot attendants bring me my paycheck, and normally I should have next weeks schedule attached to it, but.....all I got was the paycheck.  I should probably be shocked and outraged that he would tell me in such a way that I'm done working there, and I'm a little concerned about my finaces-but mostly I'm just relieved.  It was a blessing to have the job for the last year, and it was quite the expirience.  Met some cool people, learned patience with some other people-and now I get to move on!   I'll be teaching a couple of childrens dance classes this fall-and I'm SO excited!  As for the car rental-here's some pictures:

First day at National Alamo

Trained and workin on my own

Sooo ready to have Trav home and a regular schedule

New haircut-also moved to Dale rd

Happy Birthday to me haircut!

hehe-Sittin in Chris' Desk

In November-I had a car situation, and so Chris told me to take a dirty home-it wasn't a very dirty dirty

Came to work and someone (Georgie?) had decorated for Christmas!

Love Stephanie!  She's how I survived that place!

Cousin Ian worked in back for a little while!  

Being goofy

Liked it....was on Chris' Desk

Been here tooo long

Happy to be going to Cali!

Back from Cali....

Now, here's the pic I took when I thought I was leaving the first time I thought I was done, and so, now I get to say hooray

Thats excitment on my face!  :D

Goodbye Car Rental!!!

I told you I'm easily ammused

So:

Normal Rubber band size:

 well the ones at work are like ten times as big as that and so they're completely usless and just get in the way-so today, I finally found a solution:

It was SO much FUN!  I just ties a few in knots and bound them together with the others-and when it bounced, it had this awesome backspin effect that was just mezmirizing.  I can't tell you how awesome it was. You'll just have to take my word for it.  Or, come visit me at work!  :D

Independance Day Party!

So, for the 4th of July Weekend, I went to San Fran again.  Saturday, Travis and I went to His Work Party.  For those who might still be in the dark (I don't know how you would be, I just want to brag again), Travis' work This summer is an internship at Lucas Film.  As in the company owned ad crated by George Lucas-the man who created Star Wars, Indiana Jones-His company included Industrial Lights and Magic-which is the place that does the special effects for ummmm....Practically EVERY awesome movies you've seen in the last 32 years (it was the 32 annual picnic).

Anyways, with that as an Intro-now lets talk about the picnic.

The Company has rules about taking photos, and that we can't post photos....but I can tell you about them! I can tell you about picture we took with a bright red shiney Skywalker Ranch Firetruck-I just can't show you on the internet.  I can tell you about the picture of us in front of Ewok Lake, where we had raft races, but you'll have to ask me sometime to see it. And no, I didn't win the raft races, but our team did get first place in a relay race.  The one where you have to hurry put the clothes on run around the cone then take the goofy clothes off so the next person in your team can do the same.  We did it the fastest out of about 8 or more teams-we were pretty happy with ourselves.  We got fancy blue ribbons and everything.

After the relay races, we got to kick back by the pool, and we ate more food.  They had this field set up like you would picture a county fair-with the big tents and rows and rows of picnic tables, and a tent for getting the food, a tent for getting the drinks.  There was an Ice cream truck-with really yummy ice cream, and the weather was soo hot I was having a hard time eating the ice cream before it melted.  That was a new expirience.

Other things there were to do that we didn't get around to, they had horseback/pony rides, lots of relays we didn't make time for, they had little hiking trails, they had wagon rides around the ranch (we tried to do that, but when we were waiting the horses must have been taking a break or getting switched out-and we went to go swimming in the pool) they had a volley ball court, a field people were playing soccer in-all sorts of stuff.  It was awesome!

Here's one picture I can show-after the day at the ranch, Travis and his roommates all crashed.  I tried to take a nap, but it just didn't happen.  I don't think trying to take a nap works very well.  Anyways, poor guys just had too much fun, and came home and crashed.  Look closely, theres 3 of them!


Other than that, here's what I've been doing:

Scavenger Hunts
Pool parties
Playing on Beaches
Exploring San Fran
Movie dates with Travis
Thursday Night Salsa/Bolero series classes @ Arthur Murray
BART and your there
Softball games
Walks with Travis-one was a 6 mile round trip walk to/From Church!

Here's a few pics:

After the Beasts Lost again-we celebrated the season at a sports place that has awesome sized apetizers half off on Tuesdays

After Touring Lucas FilmOffices where Travis works daily, we explored the area, and saw this place!

Sid and Alex with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background

Me and Alex went on a Scavenger Hunt-and looked for 10 different flowers (we found like 50 different types) but this Rose was SO pretty!

Part of the scavenger Hunt was find 4 vinyards, I like the vinyards!

My poor future Children

They are going to have a bedtime that is enforced.  Wether they go to sleep or not is they're choice, but they will be in their beds at a resonalable hour, and then they will stay in their beds in the morning till a reasonable hour.   And they better be optimistic, or else we're going to have a hard time getting along.

The most frustrating thing in the world is a sleepy, cranky, pessimistic 6 yr old.

Today, in the world of nannying was a hard day.  But, we did still manage to have a good time at the pool.  There was one point when Alex started throwing a fit over a toy that "I had first."  I told him that his turn is up and he needed to let it go or we would go home.  And no more problems the rest of the afternoon.  Except my sunburn....but that isn't too bad.  I did put sun screen on, I just need to work on the reapplication bit.  :P  Anyways, I'm pooped, he's pooped, he'll crash soon-we hope. So I'm done.  Have a good night!

Note:  Not the Pool we went to today, but that is a pool we've been to.  I took that photo before all the chitlins ran in after the 20 min break.

The Inner Child

Its interesting, this nanny thing.  Like, I've always thought the life of stay at home mom was so glamourous.  When I was little, I dreamed of being mommy.  I was the pro babysitter-high in demand.  The kids loved me, I loved them, and 3 hrs while the parents went out for dinner and a movie just wasn't enough playtime for their kids or me.  Granted, as I'm not a stay at home mom, so this is all just observation, but, I'm discovering that it really is not glamourous at all.  In fact its kinda rough.  As nanny, I'm having a challenge with keeping just one, six year old boy entertained.  This kid constantly tests my creativity, my patience, my energy levels, my tolerance, and even in some cases my capacity for tenderness and love.  I was SO humbled on Saturday, we went to the Redwoods, and Alex fell down, twice. The first time, he barely scratched himself but cried and cried, granted, yes, falling down hurts but I was just thinking "seriously? Toughen up already!"  And then the 2nd time he fell, he busted skin and had a big drip of blood coming down.  He was dramatic and whiney and said he couldn't walk.  I was trying to be like "Hey battle wounds!  This is worth bragging about!"  But he wasn't buying it....finally, Travis-my dear wonderful patient Travis hoisted this big 6 yr old onto his shoulders and carried him part of the way.  I felt so un-compassionate.  I guess we forget what its like to be 6, and what it really is like to think that a bleeding knee is the end of the world.

Back to the glamour topic, I think the mothers who I've met through Sids ward, who invite me and Alex to play groups-have become my heros.  They're selflessness for their children is again, very humbling.  While talking to sis Andrus, it hit me how right now with my situation, when conversing with these mothers, life sounds so exciting, I'm young, I'm in school, making something of myself, I dance, I study, I travel to this place and that place, I'm just at that place where all the doors are opened to me.  But, I hope someday, when my time for motherhood comes, I can be like these mothers.  I really do hope and pray that theres some special power given from on high to us when we become mothers, because even though they say that the nurturing characteristic is just part of womanhood, I know that that alone won't be enough.  For me.  I used to think "Kids, no problem, I got this."  But its harder than it looks, no matter how much babysitting I did when I was 12.

After Travis put Alex back on the ground Saturday, I talked to Travis about it, and he said "Well, I guess I'm still just a big kid."  And I think he has a point.  I was better with Kids when I was more like the kids.  So, my goal is to rediscover my inner child.  How am I going to do this, and stay in touch with it for years to come?  Instead of watching the kids play on the trampoline and sprinkler, I'm gonna hop on with them.  I'm going to chase the ice cream truck, and ride my bike around and around and around the block cuz thats as far as we're allowed to go.  I'm gonna play at the park and paint my toes in fun bright colors!  I'm Going to collect all the catepillers and lady bugs I can find.  I will take time to hunt through the 4 leaf clover patch, and turn my music up loud and sing and dance like noone else is home.  I'm going to wear my sheets like I'm in ancient egypt or rome, and make popsicles in ice cube trays, and be daring and adventurous.  I'm gonna cover my bed in a massive arrangement of Teddybears and pillows and name everyone of them.

And this is just starters!

The Real Life Energizer Bunny

My cousin Alex, is the energizer buuny.  He has been getting way too little sleep for a 6 yr old, and he just keeps going and going and going!  Just an example, Last night, he didn't get to bed till close to midnight, we expected him to sleep past 9, he woke up 2 mins after Sid left, then he nibbled on breakfast all morning, only had 2 hots dogs for lunch, and didn't eat any dinner-after he spend several hours at the swimming pool in the hot hot sun-should be exhausted right?  Normally his bed time is an hour ago....and he won't settle down.  Crazy kid!

To Utah and Back again-A Travel Log.

Ok, travel Log since Temple square:

   Went to Grama E's briefly then went to Logan with Wendy bird where we went country swing dancing-and I was told I have a commodity, and that "as far as girls go, you're a premium." Compliment came from the buisness major who likes redheads.  Made my night.  Also, saw the beautiful and Talented Erica Colvin, whom I danced with in Idaho.  We were on the Colligiate team together-totally forgot that she was in Logan and starting her own dance studio.  Awesome possum!

   Friday:  Went with Wendy as a volunteer where she works-a Spanish speaking headstart school.  3 yr old Jocelyn is my new best friend, and I fell in love with the troublesome Jose and charming Santiago.  Afterwards, went to the temple for baptisms-and spent the evening back in Tremonton.  I got grampa to Talk. About alot of things, his time in the airforce, where he went, how he also was in the Navy, but best of all what how he met Grama.  :D  He proposed to Grama while they were dancing!  :D  Made my life!

  Saturday, I made cinnamon rolls with Grama Elmer, then Grama Johnson came and got me, and we went to the Ogden Cemetary.  She had the most Beautiful Pink Tulips in her yard, made me kinda sad to pick them because they were SO pretty, but happy at the same time that I could put them in a place to special and share them with him in the way that I could.  Really a bittersweet expirience.  I was actually really glad to have Grama Johnson up there with me-even though she can be frustrating some times, and though I sobbed, having her shoulder there felt right.   

  Sunday, Sacrament with Grama J, then dinner with Elmers.  I met Grampa's Siblings for the first time, The Greats: uncle Delos, Aunt Reva, and Aunt Rada +Dels wife Leslie-whom I love!  She's so awesome! More discovery-Grampa talked alot about the house, how he tried to do a chin up on the bar at the hospitol when he was 10 and had an infection behind his ear-but fell.  Ammusing story.   

  Monday: Porterville Cemetary, where many of my ancesters; the Porters, Kershaws, Elmers, and Deardens are burried.  It was weird, I'd never seen a cemetary where they have mounds over the place where they're burried, and it kinda weirded me out at first, but then we cleaned up Grampa's family's plots, and reshaped the mounds and stuff, and I found out that it has a practical purpose, so, it wasn't so weird.  I also met Rada's hubby Boyce, who is a hoot, and Uncle George, and his wife Joyce, and daughter Lisa.  Then we had a good lunch at Rada/Boyce's house.  Met my mom's cousin Mike, that makes us 1st cousins once removed.  Weird.  

 

Then we (Sid, Alex and Me) drove to Wendover Nevada, stayed the night with Sids friend, and then Tuesday morning Drove the rest of the way to Cali.  Made it through Donner Pass (fun fun fun road!  I got to drive from Winnemucca NV to Sacramento Cali, NV not fun, Donner pass=Much fun!  Steep grades ~7% at one point, and winding roads-SO FUN!  I love driving!)   Then 7:30-9 I had two dance lessons back to back-very awesome.  Learned SO much!  Can't wait till tomorrows!

Today, me and Alex played at the park, made a calendar, found the pool, made copies of some keys, and played a few rounds of Bingo.  He's such a patient kid, which I'm really grateful for.  Tomorrow is his day to choose our lunch though, and he picked Hot Dogs...any creative ideas so they're not so boring?  I think we'll be having them alot....

Creepers

I work at a Car rental agency-and I'm often the only one in the office at night.  There is a night lot attendant but he's usually busy in the back w/the cars or at the airport with the cars.  So, seeming completely alone, some customers think they can take the oppoutunity to have some fun and make jokes that wouldn't be made if another person were around.  It makes me angry.

Today was one such day.  Its the first customer of the day too-Cornelius.  He come in with a Friend, I don't know his name so we'll call him Mr. Stupid-but Mr Stupid was only here because he was the friend  to bring
Cornelius to pick up the rental car.

Anyways, so I'm standing behind the counter at the computer entering all of Cornelius' info from his drivers license, and apparently Mr Stupid is smiling because Corny here says "Awwww look at that, you're making him smile."

I think...uhhh.....excuse me?

"Your making him smile" corny says again

I could see where this was going, and I quickly was very glad that I have a boyfriend-makes it really easy to tell someone why I'm not going to give them my number

Then Mr Stupid says "For reals...*something somthing* but I'd love to have your number."

uhhhhhg I knew it......  So I kindly say with an aw-dang-it-curtesy-smile, "I'm sorry, but I'm in a relationship-your flattering, but sorry."   Then they kept at it-during the entire rental. I'm serious, now that I think about it, I was only at the very beggining of the process entering how many days the rental would be when they started their shenanigans.   He continued to ask my name-I told him the truth though in hindsight I should have given a fake name-becaues then I could have laughed at them-Heres how that part of the convo went:
Mr Stupid: "Whats your name anyways?"
Me: "Melanie"
Corny:  "I knew it-it had to be Melody or peggy or somethinglike dat"
Me:  "It's MelaKNEE"
Corny: "Oh-well we're gonna have to change that right here and now, because you've got a song about you here"

in my head:      ....uhhh.....

There was another point before that that Mr Stupid said I looked like spongebob-then they tried to play it off as a compliment.  Corny said "who works at a car rental just up the street" to the tune of the spongebob song "Who lives in a pineapple under the sea"    ...That actually was kinda funny/creative.  He msut use it alot.

And when I was at the payment screen Mr Stupid asked if I was a gemini.  Again in my head: ....uhhhh....
So I told him no, I'm a saggitarius, and asked why-can't remember his answer but then I told him I don't really follow those anyways....I Hope he felt dumb.

So finally, the worst part-I hit the print button and then have to walk away from the counter to get the papers-as I walk back (not making eye contact) Corny says again, "I knew it, I knew it I knew it."

"knew what?" I ask  (<---stupid question)

"You've got an apple bottom"

o_O

In my head:  AHHHHHH!!!!!  GET THEM OUT OF HERE!!!!

Then they said my a** was fine and I stopped listening and went into auto mode trying to get them to sign the papers as fast as I could and praying that there isn't anymore damage on the car so they can just leave!!!!

It was horrible!

Jedi

Okay, call me a geek, but I love love LOVE Star Wars.  I'm not the biggest geek as in I can't tell you every detail of the movie, the actors, the production and all that stuff that those big geeks know because they spend all their time obsessing over it, but when the final film came out, episode 3-and the story was complete, I fell in love with it.  I had always enjoyed it, and the original films are better than the cheesy new ones, but the cheesy stuff is still enjoyable-and, the storyline as a whole is AMAZING.  I may or may not have pulled it into a Sunday School lesson when I was 14 as an analogy to the plan of salvation....

Anyways, so, with that little brief History, now you can understand how AWESOME the following statement is.

I'm DATING a JEDI! 

Well, I guess he's a padawon learner.....

Thats Right, my boyfriend who was cool before, just became a HUNDRED-MILLION times cooler.  :P  Travis got an intership with Lucas Film in the IT department of the "Jedi Academy" and has now become an official part of "The Force."  It rocks.  He'll start May 24th, and work there through some time in August.  I'll be about an hour away during June and July while nannying my cousin for me uncle.  Not as cool, but just as exciting if you ask me.  While Travis solves peoples problems from an office (granted its probably the coolest and funnest office you could dream of) I'll be soaking up the Sun while playing with my 6 yr old cousin Alex.  And, my uncle lives 3 miles away from an Arthur Murray Dance Studio-which I plan to take full advantage of.  This summer is gonna rock!