Pirate-Cowboys

I don't have anything exciting going on right now, but I feel like blogging. Yesterday was my parents anniversary. They have been married for 36 years! They have been a wonderful example to me and great parents. Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!! Here's to 36 years more!!

Yesterday, I babysat a cute little 2 year old named Adam. Adam and I played Pirate-Cowboys. (A game like cowboys with guns, and a lot of "ARRRR"ing going on.) We also watched the movie Cars and ate Oranges, Bananas, and Pretzels in the shape of fish provided by Adam's mom. Delicious, but we weren't sure if that was authentic Pirate-Cowboy food. Ultimately, we decided that the food was good so we should eat it cause that is what Pirate-Cowboys would do. I was required to answer many questions and make funny sound effects. It was pretty fun.

I am Grateful for...

Nearby Parking. I work downtown where there is not a lot of parking. Places charge a million dollars to park. I use to park in a free lot down by the river, under the bridge, until my catalytic converter was stolen off of my car. So now, everyday, I park about 6 blocks from work. It's up hill both ways, and across busy Henley street. It's sort of like playing frogger. (Don't worry Mom, I am exaggerating slightly.) You are suppose to pay $30 to park there, but I don't. It's a Methodist Church parking lot. So, effectively, I am stealing from a Church. Noone has ever asked me to pay, so I haven't.

I don't really know what it's like to be able to just park outside the door of my everyday desired destination. The University of Tennessee has about 100 parking passes per parking spot, and the parking lots are not anywhere close to classes. Even at Walmart or Target, I am rarely able to find an empty close spot that isn't for expectant mothers or labeled handicapped. I have worked in the same building since 2003 and have had a long trek from my car. But I digress...

Sometimes, when it's raining, really really cold, or I am just lazy, I pay to park in the garage across the street from work. This has hazards of its own. I have to wait for about 15 minutes in the turn lane to turn onto the street for the garage. It never fails that someone in a mercedes or BMW pulls into the NON TURN LANE, around everyone who has been patiently waiting, and cuts us all off. I can feel my blood boiling in my ears as I plot ways to speed around these people and cut them off. Fortunately, I remind myself that they are probably a lawyer and that would be a bad idea. I am able to control myself and make it to the parking garage safely.

Once in the garage, I have to pay $7.00 to park! This equals lunch for two days, a (matinee) movie ticket, or dinner at taco bell. Seriously, that is a lot of money to pay! I mean, this garage has like 400 parking spots. At 7.00 a day that is $2,800.00 a day! That's Crazy! Did I mention that this garage is actually cheap compared to others downtown?

So after all the road rage and panic from spending too much money, I finally get to my desk at work needing a little break. Is the short walk to my car worth it? When I get off of work and don't have to walk 5 miles in the cold/rain/sleet/dark to play frogger across Henley Street. YES it is worth it.

Valentine's Weekend

This weekend was great because #1 it was a THREE day weekend for me (thank you president's day), #2 we got to hang out with Jennifer and Bill, (which was super fun. Thanks guys!), and #3 it was valentine's day. Which, I like mostly because I love flowers and I love red/pink together. OH and because it's tradition for Kase to buy me chocolate covered strawberries! YUM. For Kase, I knew that the only way to his heart was pizza:

AND Movies:We had a good weekend together.

P.S. To celebrate President's day, I watched part of a five hour presentation of "The Presidents" on the History channel. Has anyone watched that? I have retained no knowledge from school regarding our past presidents. It is pretty cool to watch. I even took notes. I am a dork. I still have 3 more hours recorded to watch and I am excited. I use to think history was boring, but now I really like it.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Lunch Date

Last Thursday, Kase wisked me away from my cluttered desk and we went out for lunch. He usually finds it difficult to get away from his job and come eat lunch with me, so it was quite a treat!

We walked to the Duncan Cafe downtown. One Mushroom hamburger, chili-cheese fries, and a BLT later, we were stuffed.

He is so sweet to battle the traffic, lack of parking spots, security guards, and freezing cold to come eat lunch with me downtown.

Isn't he dreamy?

There's No Snow like No Snow

Last week it snowed, sort of.

Well, it was a lot of snow for us around here. Unfortunately, I still had to work. I did get to sleep in for a few hours one day though!

At our house, I think we got a couple of inches. I raced home after work (Well, I drove as fast as I could with all the drivers going 20 mph because of all the snow.) got the kids and took them outside to play. Oh wait, I don't have kids. I mean I got the dog, aka the Monster, and we went outside to play.

She bounced and rolled and loved the snow. I threw snow balls at her and she jumped up and caught them in her mouth. She then proceeded to kill the snowballs just in case. If one of the snowballs bounced off her nose, into the snow, she would then try and find it by sticking her head into the snow and sniffing. Because the snowball should certainly smell different or stick out in some way from the rest of the snow. Yes. She is one smart dog.

Looking for the missing-in-action snowball.

Hopefully, our future kids will be smarter.

25 Most Random Things

I have been tagged... on facebook. But I figure, why not post it here too? Mostly cause I am too lazy to come up with a different post. Oh well. I am tagging Erin, Beth, Desi, Jennifer, Katina, Katy, and Lori!!!

1. I like going to the dentist. I just went this morning!
2. I love my famiy. My parents are wonderful and I love my brother and sister. I wish I had more siblings. I wish I knew my brother's wife better. I love Kase's family. They make me laugh and I love having a sister-in-law my age who I can scrapbook with!
3. I like to scrapbook, but i really only do it about every 6 months.
4. I am a shy person, until you get to know me. I wish I was more outgoing.
5. I wish I didn't worry so much. I worry about that.
6. I am a planner.
7. I want atleast 3 kids, maybe 4.
8. I love the Lord and I have a strong testimony of the gospel. I try to respect others beliefs and I think we can all learn from each other.
9. I don't really have a favorite color. I like all of them.
10. I love to clean and organize.
11. I wear pink. A lot.
12. My husband is sweet and takes good care of me. He still opens my car door. He is patient with me and he makes me laugh everyday.
13. I can't swim but I can keep a float and not drown.
14. I lived alone for 2 years after my old roommate got married and before I got married. I got married at 24 and I didn't think I was ever going to get married.
15. I use to HATE country music, but now I love it. Well, some of it. The rest is just funny.
16. I can't dance, sing, paint, draw, or do math in my head.
17. I took advanced math in high school.
18. I love taking pictures and I hope to take a photography class one day.
19. I was named after my great grandmother Laura and my grandmother Martyne.
20. I love taco bell.
21. I don't really cook a lot but I wish that i did. I am learning slowly.
22. I have thought I was "old" since I turned 21, but every year I think "what? I wasn't old last year, but I am old now!" But I don't think you're old really until maybe.... 75.
23. I love to travel. I wish I could travel more. I like to see new places and see how other people live.
24. I am tall. About 5'9" or 5'10" I use to hate being tall, but now I don't mind it so much.
25. I HATE public speaking. I get really nervous. My ears turn bright red. My hands get clammy and swollen. My knees turn to jello. I freak out. But after it's over I feel great!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

So, my current church calling is in Primary. That means lots of kids ages 3 to 11. (Our ward has around 60!) One of my favorite things to do in my calling is to listen. I sit in the back of the room on Sunday and listen to all the funny things that the kids say. Last Sunday, we learned about Adam and Eve.

Teacher: Adam and Eve were married in the Garden of Eden.

Kid #1: Really? What kind of wedding cake did they have?

Teacher: Well... I don't think they had wedding cake back then.

Kid #2: What?! What did they eat then?

Teacher: Well, they had really good fruit. There was only one fruit tree that they weren't suppose to eat from. So they probably ate fruit.

Kid #3: OH! So they had FRUIT CAKE?!!