the mindless pit that is my brain... golden globes edition

Boy, do I LOOOOOOVE me some Golden Globes
I have my Aggie sweats on and some tissues at my side (for my cold, not my emotions.) I'm ecstatic that Amy and Tina are hosts, so let the games begin!

Red Carpet Pre-show. Crap I missed the first half

• I just love Jimmy Fallon! "Hummm I think Jimmy Kimmel just walked by..." he's just the cutest
• Anne Hathaway... I think I must admit that I now love her. Used to despise her.... now its love. I am also loving her Chanel dress...she better win big tonight
• I wish I was on a first name basis with Kevin...Costner
• HUGH!!!!
• Mental note... GO SEE 'QUARTET.' Maggie Smith is a genius
• Ewan just gets more and more attractive
• I wish Hellen Mirren was my inner voice
• Or maybe Sofia Vergara. yes. her
• speaking of Sofia...I have been insta-following her forever. #truefan

They are startingggg!

• Tina's dress... dang gurl!
• "When it comes to torture, I trust the lady who was married to James Cameron for 3 years... ...dig!
• Hunger Games, Life of Pi.... that was a good one.
• so many jokes. 
• can't keep up
• "Meryl Streep is not here tonight. She has the flu, and I hear she is amazing in it!" 
• I want to watch that opening monologue again. SO GREAT!
• ummm Kate Hudson looks like her mom! 
• Maggie Smith! Holla!!!
• If Paul Rudd asked me to marry him tomorrow.... I would be going to bed now so tomorrow came sooner.
• J. LO's dress looks like its straight out of a Britney Spears video!
• Please ANYTHING but that Taylor Swift Hunger Games song... PLEASE!
• Oh bless you Adele. Way to take one for the team. PS lovely dress
• "That was Hillary Clinton's husband!!!"
• Kristen and Will....must host next year!
• "What does it say? I beat Meryl" good one J.Law, shout out to First Wives Club!!!
• trailer for COMMUNITY!!! Less than 1 month!!
• I would also take John Krasinski AND/OR Robert Downey Jr tomorrow, no question
• Schmidt Max Greenfield looks so dapper!
• Oh hey Anne Princess of Genovia... "Thank you for this blunt force object that I will forever use as a weapon for self doubt." Dang, she is awesome. Classy. 
• Sylvester Stalone's head looks wayyyy too small for his body
• "Russell Crowe had 4 months of singing lessons...that was money well spent"
• Jason Bateman, so fine.
• "Taylor Swift, you stay away from Michael J Foxx's son... or go for it..." ha! I must point out the fact that the camera did NOT show T Swift, but DID show Michael J Fox... yes.
• "You know I'm just gonna put it out there loud and proud, I'm gonna need your support on this- I am, um, single" -Jodie Foster
• "I was going to bring my walker tonight, but it didn't go with the cleavage." -- Jodie Foster, after cheering, "I'm 50!"
• confession... all google commercials make me cry (those tissues apparently WERE for my emotions too)
• Ben Affleck....stand up guy
• dunananananana, Batman!
• "Elektra just gave Wolverine a Golden Globe!!" Hugh Jackman baby! I wanted to kiss this TV just now, happiness! And his shout out to his wife... Presh!
• I just really wanted Eddie Redmayne to give a speech...
• Sooooo many shout-outs to the flu. Strange.
• Why have I still not seen Lincoln? #fail

If you made it this far, you are aware of the fact that I obviously have issues. I just really love movies!

Favorite moments:

and don't forget to check out all the DRESSES! I still think Anne's was my favorite... yes. yes it was. 

over and out. 

this is my life

I have been watching jungle gold and gold rush the past 2 nights, and it makes me feel incredibly stressed... yet I can't look away. What does this mean?

A couple of my kids found out I went on a date this week...oh boy! (apparently some of them have bat like hearing...I swear I was whispering to my team). 1st comment though was "Miss Ward! I knew you weren't going to die alone!" Naturally, I thought of this song. Thanks kiddo....you are the best!

Sometimes I have dreams that are so on the border of reality, I have to take a few minutes in the morning and decipher wether it actually happened or not. And usually, it is something dumb like being asleep in my dream and people coming in my room...so I try to wake up enough to brush my teeth.... my brain is so weird.

I significantly lowered the number of shows in my Hulu queue while off track the past few weeks. I am not even going to tell you how significantly...

Which reminds me: #February17thIsOctober19th best news ever!

Remember how I moved to Midvale in January? Up 3 flights of stairs? I have to move down those 3 flights of stairs soon. Yup...moving again. But only 7 blocks away. Awesome.

I have a love hate relationship with the heater. Mostly HATE. I would much rather have it be cold and cuddle up in my Aggie sweats, slippers, and blankets, than turn the heater on. Most people don't agree with me.

Which also reminds me... I just REALLY need to make it to an Aggie basketball game soon. I have lot's of screaming to do... Who's with me?

Fact: I kind of dislike the thought of the twins being 16 and going on dates. It makes me feel old and weird. Yes, I said it.

My coworker and I are applying to present at the UCET conference in March. #soexcited #ultimatenerdalert. Someone should just buy me suspenders and a pocket protector already....

I literally had to talk myself out of putting up my Christmas happiness tonight. I LOVE Thanksgiving....but I just am so excited to decorate! I blame my mother.

Have a ever mentioned how great my job is? I work with some crazy kids, and some crazy adults, and I love it.

Now I leave you with some of my latest faves:

this song has been playing nonstop for several months

same with this song + the rest of the album, and this song + the rest of the album. Just can't get enough.

I admit.... I wasted a lot of time on this site a bit ago..... and just now.

Watch this.... I bawled my eyes out

Source: lumea.tumblr.com via Whitney on Pinterest

"Be vulnerable. Brene would want you to..."

Here is a fun fact:
I live for a good TED talk. (if you don't know TED...stop what you are doing and spend a couple hours watching the amazingness that the site has to offer)

I mean TED itself stands for technology, education, and design, which are by far 3 of my top 5 most favorite interests. So clearly, this site is just for me.

I love brilliant ideas, creativity, and witnessing amazing people at work, which is what TED is all about.

A few weeks ago, I was having a heart to heart talk with a good friend. We were discussing daily irritations, confusions, joys, and just the meaning of life and love in general. (pretty serious business, right?) Well during this chat (which I swear to you, was not entirely about dating, contrary to what you might be thinking) she asked me if I had seen this particular TED video. Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability. She told me how she breaks down vulnerability and how important it is in our daily lives.  I went home that night, and immediately looked it up.

Let me tell you. This talk is amazing, and precisly what I needed to hear. I watched it twice right then, it was just that good. She talks about connection, shame, and fear, but wraps it up in a hilarious and very relatable speech. Seriously, take 26 minutes right now to watch this video... you won't regret it.

I have since watched it 3 more times. And am referencing her in regular conversation (yes, the title of this post was something that really came out of my mouth....followed by much laughter of course) 

Here are some of my favorite quotes

• If you cannot measure it, it does not exist
• “Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.”
• “That's what life is about: about daring greatly, about being in the arena.”
• Lean into the discomfort
• “You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”
• "The people who have a strong sense of love and belonging, BELIEVE they are worthy of love and belonging."
• "I have a slight office supply addiction, but that's another talk"
• "I lost the fight, but probably won my whole life back"
• "Courage; it means to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart"
• Wholehearted people have:
• the courage to be imperfect, 
• the compassion to be kind to themselves first and then to others, 
• connection as a result of authenticity 
• the willingness to let go of who they think they should be in order to be who they are.
• fully embraced vulnerability and believe what makes them vulnerable, makes them beautiful
• "You can not selectively numb vulnerability. When we numb the bad things, we also numb everything... joy, gratitude, happiness, and then we are miserable."

Oh there are just so many great things about this talk. I can't wait to get my hands on her book and dive in even more. "Vulnerability is not weakness...." what a lesson! There are so many aspects of my life that I can and need to apply this to. It is about taking matters into my own hands, being truly happy with my life and making opportunities and experiences happen for myself. I love to create things, I love when things change for the better, but so often do I find myself not crossing that line of comfort, afraid of what people might say, or think. Afraid I might get hurt or let down. Afraid it won't work out, or feeling inadequate, weak and even unworthy of, or not good enough for a particular joy. "Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change." Clearly, everything she says are words to live by. So be vulnerable peeps, Brene would want you to...

images taken from TEDtalks-Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability

MoTab seats without the red snuggies...

How do you sum up an experience so incredible in one blog post? I'm not really sure. But this is an attempt nonetheless.

Let's just say I have this thing with amphitheaters and performance venues. It's the choir nerd in me, but acoustically speaking, some places are just better to sing in than others. For example, the shower is always a good choice. My laundry room is not...believe me, I have tried.

Well, let's rewind to back when I was in 6th grade, and the first session of conference was being held in the new conference center that April, I told myself I was going to sing there some day. Now, of course this initial dream came from the kid version of myself thinking that it would be when I am 60 and in MoTab with my super awesome husband of some sort. Thank heavens I didn't have to wait for THAT to happen.... it only took 12 years, but I finally made it to those cush-y, perfect posture, burgandy seats. This place is incredible. This was not my first time inside the conference center of course, but every time I step foot in this place, something else literally stuns me.

We could talk about how this place is over 1.4 million square feet, or how it is the largest auditorium IN the world. (#iknowweirdfacts) We could talk about how it seats over 21,000 people, and every time I have been to an event here, there are not many an empty chair in sight. We could talk about how the organ ranges 9 1/2 octaves, and the pipes alone range from a couple inches in height, to over 32 feet. We could talk about the gorgeous pulpit coming from Hinckley's black walnut tree, and how my heart aches a little bit whenever I see it.

I could keep going...but instead I will just have you know, that this was way more than just something to cross off my bucketlist. It was way more than just singing in a choir, and it was way more than a Relief Society broadcast.

I spent basically the whole month of September rehearsing for this, and each and every single rehearsal was been overwhelming, rejuvenating, and so rewarding. It sounds so cheesy, and I apologize since I normally don't get too preachy on this here blog of mine, but I have to document this somewhere, and this place just kind of works....

I had been hoping and wishing and praying for something to happen lately. I don't know what exactly I was wanting, I just knew I needed to be inspired somehow... and then this opportunity was literally handed to me.

It's funny how things work out, you know?

Let's just say it was perfect and I am a changed person. Highlights include, but are not limited to the following:

• Our director...I basically worship the ground she walks on now. A junior high choir teacher from Bountiful, and my new favorite person for real. So funny, and so inspiring. I asked her if I could be in every choir she directs....
• Having this be a 3 stake dealio meant I got to see old friends from my Holladay days, friends from college, and even make new friends. Who knew spending time with over 300 women could ACTUALLY be fun?
• Singing. Performing. Working my vocal chords. Ohhhhh how I miss the days where this was a constant occurance. Man, it felt good to be back at it again.
• Getting to sit in the MoTab seats WITHOUT wearing the red snuggies.
• Buying a new skirt. Hey, it's the little things too....
• Diving into the words of familiar primary songs, and making them come alive again. I never thought I could be emotional while singing "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus" but boy was I surprised when the waterworks started up, especially during the end ...'have faith, have hope, live like His son...'
• Singing my favorite hymn of all time "I Need Thee Every Hour," and trying to 'cry pretty' while doing it.
• learning that you can fight a sneeze by saying the word purple, and if you have an itch, just squish your toes together in your shoe. It works. I'm sold. 
• did I mention that organ? How about the digital button that plays 'Les Cloches de Hinckley.' That gave me chills 
• All the 'Sister Wives' jokes.... sick. Yet funny. But not... I still would like to know who decided on white button down blouses and black skirts for a group of women...
• Finally seeing the teleprompter....Don't ask me why, but this was a REALLY exciting moment for me.
• Sister Burton and I are pretty tight, (serious, we have inside jokes and everything)... so it felt kind of stellar to be there for her first broadcast
• FINALLY GETTING TO SING IN THE MOTAB SEATS!? Seriously people. Dream. Come. True. 
• Being within feet of the prophet
• Feeling the immediate sense of peace. Everything that was said that night was tailor made for me. Seriously. 
• Adding this to my future MoTab resume....just kidding...kind of?
• Getting the thumbs up at the end from Elder Uchtdorf. 

Obviously, September was a good month. That it was. 

Check out the main events:

Midvale YSA 

2,074 miles is far

There are the times in all of our lives when we have to face the facts of growing up.

There's the working, and the bills, 

and the major life decisions, 

and the dating crap (just wait for a fascinating post on that in the near future), 

and the bills,

and the dating crap  

and the blah blah blah....

And we just all think to ourselves

"How did this happen? I did not sign up for this junk, and I demand to be taken off this crap list..."

Maybe it's just me, but I have had that thought many a time even in my 24 years.

Well, today was one of those days where something just down right unfair happened.

My best friend left.

Now it was one thing when she got married 2 years ago,

I approved of this marriage and gave it the go-ahead...

plus I lived a 15 minute drive away at the most,

I couldn't really complain, right?

BUT, it's another thing when said husband decides to pull a fast one 

and transport my life line across the country!

Virginia?

VIRGINIA!

That's 2,074 miles away people.

35 straight driving hours.

Across like 10 states!

That's really far!

And really unfair. 

I'm just feeling particularly upset today.

I texted her after work, and she was just plowing through Nebraska...

(no pun intended)

And here I am in Utah, Katie Craigo less,

Revenge-watching-buddy-less (don't judge)

and feeling blue.

Who will reminisce of those dear Logan days with me?

Who will go to Citrus with me?

Who will I go on Ikea runs with?

Who will watch ridiculous movies with me?

Who will crotchet me awesome blankets now?

Seriously, this is no fun...

Let's just say a trip across those 10 states is in my near future. 

I will definitely be flying, and not driving 3 days, but

it is sure to be epic.

DC Cherry blossoms AND Katie is one trip?

Heck to the yes.

Is it April yet?!

I LOVE YOU LEEFER CRAIGO!

You are missed....obviously!

I hope the Cafe Rio out there is gross so you come back soon!

P.S. Katie I totally looked for our foot holding picture. That was a special moment we shared.... LOVE YOU!

Paris is always a good idea...

My heart skipped a beat...
anyone want to go, right now?

seriously, I am not joking right now.
I'm reaching desperation!
I'm sick of waiting!

ugh. Being poor and a grown up is hard.
Excuse my while I go watch my favorite movie now....

genius

this shouldn't have made me as happy as it did...
who's an ultimate nerd?
*this girl*

Source: stonefreedreamer.tumblr.com via Whitney on Pinterest

p.s. is it sept 12th yet?

wise words

this guy. 

ya, this guy,

always knows what to say...

definitely having a jason night. 

like always.....

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Sink Basket-Part 4

I know it.
I just know it.
You have been sitting on the edge of your seats for 5 whole days,
waiting and craving the latest slice of any news involving our dear friend Bronzie.
Right?
Well, I am here to tell you...I never heard back.
Nope. Never.
But....

On Sunday, I confronted the culprits, who painstakingly and confidently tried to convince Liz and I that they had no clue as to what we were talking about.
They went to all odds to convince us otherwise.

It didn't work. I know these things. So I just figured we would just eagerly wait until we heard from Bronzie the Basket.

But then game night take 4 took place.
There was laughter. And more cookies. And then in a matter of moments,
Miss Alexis was gone. poof. Just like that.
As my previous post shows, we received picture evidence that she was safe,
which also confirmed the culprits.
Poor Miss Alexis. We just knew she needed to get home soon, much like Bronzie.

So Monday came. A plan of action was thought of, and in process in a matter of minutes.
We don't mess around.
We dressed in black. Cranked up the only song that came to mind.
And were ready for our attack.

We were prepared to side swipe them. Ring the doorbell, catch them off guard, and barge in.
Liz was to find Alexis. I was headed for the kitchen to, of course, grab Bronzie,
but also to capture 'the special glass' in return.
I knew that was what I must take as payback.
It is, after all, a pretty special glass.

Simple plan right? We knew there were risks, but we were ready to fight.

But.... what were weren't ready for,
was getting caught.
Yes. Caught.
We rang the doorbell once, and when no one answered we were prepared to turn around and attempt at a later time.
But of course, at that time, and in that moment, said culprits decided to return home with their Frostys in hand, only to find two wide eyed girls in black hoodies standing on their porch.
There was no where to run. There was no where to hide.
There was only the option of admitting defeat.

Fail.

So... much laughter was held at the expense of Liz and I, but somehow we still managed to run in (ya, the door was unlocked all along), grab what was rightfully ours, as well as the 'special glass' and run back out with only little struggle. Actually there wasn't much struggle at all.
They let Alexis and Bronzie come home, and the 'special glass' is mine for an undecided amount of time.
Not much of a fight, but entertaining none-the-less.

So our friends are home safe, but this is not over. I do still have the special glass, and who knows what they might swipe at the next game night....

#i'llbewatching

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Sink Basket-Part 3

This is kind of part 3, because I still have yet to hear back from Bronzie...
BUT the culprits have been confirmed and a war has begun.
Why?
Well, game night took place again in my lovely home, and who goes missing?
Miss Alexis The Head.
We call her our 5th roommate, because we just love her.

Now, all that remains is her tiara. Sitting there, all alone, with no reason to sparkle.

Poor, poor Miss Alexis.
I was however sent this picture....I guess at least we know she is safe?