Embracing My Roots

Somehow in my family I was the only one born with curly hair, even in my extended family (with the exception of my cousin Ted who became curly at puberty). We don't know where it came from, both sides of my family show no signs of this trait. When I was young I had these little blond ringlets and my dad used to call me Dolly.

As I grew older and my hair grew longer we didn't know how to maintain it anymore. My parents blame it on me but what does a 4 year old know about hair care? So as my hair grew longer the curls faded and were brushed out. I always had a slight wave to it but there was so much hair that it would get tangled very easily and my mom would have to spend time at night brushing it out... many times with me fighting through it. It was also kept in a permi-ponytail...I guess I was scared of change.

In high school I discovered the world of hair straighteners and then spent every morning after that trying to make my hair look like everyone else's. I assumed that I would never have hair like my baby pictures again so I fixed it in the only way I knew how. About a year after I graduated I got rid of the ponytail and when I chopped it off too short for any rubber band. I loved my hair and got such a good response from my friends and family that I kept this look up for quite a while.





Then when I went to Hawaii this past summer for six weeks I realized that it was too hard to try and keep it straight. The humidity was so strong and we were always playing in the ocean that it wasn't worth trying to straighten every day. Here is when I learned that my curly hair wasn't just a phase from my child hood. Having short curly hair was such perfect beach hair. It was easy to do and maintain and didn't ever have to worry about it. My new friends that I made there didn't know that was a new style for me. No one knew me beforehand so I wasn't afraid to change my look. For them it was different on the few Sunday's when I did straighten my hair.

When I came home, half the time I would style it curly, and the other half I would straighten it. Now, I don't know if I'm lazy, or the fact that I really like it, but most days you'll see me with curly hair.I literally only wash it every three or four days. In the mornings I either just get up and go without really having to touch it, or if I have some serious bed head then I just have to spray it with a little water and scrunch a little gel into it.

So there it is, the life story of my hair.

Stay Strong Little Phone

This is currently what my phone looks like... and surprisingly it still works. There is just one life-line of a string holding it together but I'm still able to talk and text with it.

I've had this phone for almost two years now. I'm about a month away from being able to renew my contract and get a new one so I'm still going to hold out with this sorry looking mess. We've been through a lot together and I'm not ready to get rid of it yet.

And I've been thinking lately that I like all the new fancy phones on the market right now but I'm not sure my lifestyle is ready to own something that nice. I'm not very careful with cell phones... as you can tell... and by not careful, I mean I once threw it in the air and let someone hit it with a blow up bat. It flew across the room and into a wall...oopsies. The cell phone I had before this one went through the washing machine... I just took it apart and let it dry out for a day and it worked fine.

How much longer do you give this one? I'm not giving up hope yet

I Love This Baby

Mike and Stephanie had baby number 3 on Friday November 16, Stella Rose Court. She is so cute and small. I've been to the hospital twice now to see her and each time I didn't want to give her back. Yesterday she fell asleep on my chest so I ended up staying a little longer than I had planned.

Way to go Mike and Steph! You sure do make cute babies.

To see more pictures of baby Stella go to
Mike's tumbelog










(Her toes are always stretched out)

One Year Older... Not Much Wiser

Friday was my 22nd birthday and I loved every minute of it. First of all my work let me sleep in, and I got woken up by Mabel and Oliver... which usually doesn't happen till Saturday so it was a nice surprise. Mabel drew me a picture of the two of us on a horse, she is becoming quite the artist. Then I went outside to see that my friends Brittany, Chris and Doug had decorated my car windows... Stephanie almost had to drive to her doctor's appointment in it which might have been a little embarrassing for her.

At work, everyone was awesome and wished me a happy birthday all day long and my boss even bought me lunch (shhhh... don't tell my other co-workers cause they don't get that kind of treatment). Then when I got home at 6 my parents and Mike's family were there to surprise me with cake and ice cream complete with trick candles. Oliver started to get a little worried after a few times of trying to blow them out. He asked me to move the cake not so close to him.(notice Olivers big cheesy smile)

After that, I went out to dinner with Katie, Brittany, and Briley at a restaurant called BJ's. They gave us a free, delicious, birthday pazookie. The four of us then drove over to Graham's Central Station for a night of cowgirl fun. We met up with Briley's brother Wyatt and a few of his friends.

I had never been go Graham's before but it was so much fun. It had four rooms we could wander through. Karaoke, Hip Hop, 80's dance, and Country Western. We spent most of our time in the Country one and even rode the mechanical bullI rocked that bull but it sure was a full body workout. My inner thighs are very sore.

We ended the night with a little karaoke... The lady working there let us sneak to the top of the list so we didn't have to wait for an hour. After that I took everyone home and I crashed on my bed. It was an awesome day and I feel very blessed to have the family and friends that I do.

I Hate Reserch Papers

They only magnify how much of a procrastinator I really am. Hence being awake at 2 in the morning on a Monday... Well technically it is Tuesday now. Of course I've known about this paper all semester, and my professor even gave us a week extra to do it, but did I make use of that time? Not a lick. I hope you all enjoyed your sleep cause I'll be waking up in just a few more hours.

Halloween is Finally over

Does having Halloween in the middle of the week mess anyone else up? By the time my work got done with our Fall Festival on Friday and our ward Trunk or Treat on Saturday I felt like it should have been over by then... but no, there was still 4 more days. Then on the real Halloween my kids at work had a little party so it made it feel like Friday. I was so messed up.

On Wednesday (Halloween night) Brittany and I went to a YSA party dressed as cops and robbers. My clothes came from Goodwill and the accessories came in a pack from Fry's for $3. If I was standing by myself at the party people would ask me if I was a security guard or a cop, but if Brit and I were together they usually got it. The party was fun... no one fun or interesting to meet though... I'm starting to give up hope on that... I mean, I will be 22 next week. Thats pretty much considered an old hag in Mormon standards.
Just jokes... not that I like being single but I'm not in a rush to get married... although it would be nice to have a scrabble partner for family game night.

Then on Thursday the ASU institute did a "Jack-O-Smash" where people could bring their carved pumpkins to the top of the 4 story parking structure and throw it off. Awesome idea.