Lately our house has felt really cluttered to me. I know our little apartment is small. But there's just two of us, we should have space for our miniscule set of belongings Our spare room especially has kind of been haunting me lately. Like at work I can't stop thinking about it. It's like when I try to go to bed without doing the dishes in the sink. I toss and turn and have nightmares about the bacteria growing on last night's spaghetti, until I can't take it and I get up to wash plates at 3 A.M. You think I'm kidding, but it's happened. Something else I've inherited from my mother.
Anyway...so I resolved this weekend to clean up the spare room. Austin wasn't bothered by it, because he's a boy, but regardless of his apathy I recruited his help. Mostly his manpower to lift my tupperware bins and boxes into the outside shed. We sorted, piled, scrubbed, stacked, packed, and vacuumed until there was some semblence of an actual room. We carted out loads of junk that we didn't need, and threw out even more. School papers, scrapbook junk, gun stuff of course, etc. In the end, we realized that we had five computers in there. FIVE COMPUTERS. Three desktops and two laptops. How in the world?! So we compiled everything from all of them onto an external hard drive for our newest computer, and we are selling the rest.
I also went through all of our books and movies and posted all the ones we don't want on Amazon.
And we cleaned out my car. I mean deep cleaned scrubbed down vacuumed, clorox'ed, windex'ed, the whole bit. We are going on a couple of road trips, and we need a nice clean car to travel in for sure. We even had my battery replaced and my oil changed. She's as good as new!
And tonight the adventure continues. We're moving on to organizing our tiny box of a kitchen. We're brainstorming new ways to utilize the little space that we have. It's so nice to clear out the clutter and dejunk our lives.
I'll definitely sleep a little easier now. For a few months at least.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
The future of Pip...
This possible future of our little Pip terrifies me. But that's what she does sometimes, she's just much smaller...it's like a horror movie. Turn your speakers down before you play the video cause it's really loud in the beginning!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Fireflies, Bojangles, and wonderful in-laws
It's always been a funny story to tell that Austin's mom, while he was on his mission in California, would overnight him food from Bojangles, the coveted and famous fried chicken restaurant only found in the South. So the last week or so, all we can think about is Bojangles. It's probably because we haven't been eating out at all for about a month. But it's also because they truly have the most delicious biscuits and chicken strips and honey mustard in the entire WORLD. So Ann called Austin yesterday to inform him that an overnight package would be arriving sometime Thursday...filled with Bojangles! Ingeniously frozen and packaged and ready for us to bake up and enjoy. And as if that weren't enough, this morning I got this email from Ann, addressing my long-standing desire to see fireflies, because I never have in my whole life! (My obsession with them began when I read Bernstein Bears books, and I'm still waiting for this life-changing experience to happen for me.)
Ann, I hope you won't mind me copying this into my blog!!
"Hey Shanna,
I just had to let you know about Terry's valiant yet unsuccessful efforts to send you some lightning bugs. He got the brilliant idea to send them along with the over night package we are sending out today. He found a band-aid box and poked holes in it and then placed some grass down inside the box. So, last night we got home and we could see lightning bugs everywhere. It was beautiful. After about 10 minutes, I went outside to see how things were going. He was in the front yard and suddenly he jumped up and caught one mid air. He placed it inside the box, or so he thought. It was on the tip of his finger and flew away. The only lightning bug he was able to get in the box was one he had found entangled in a spider's web. It died!!! So, the hunt continued and would you believe that we could not see any more lightning bugs? Remember, just a while earlier, they were everywhere. So, I'm sorry to report that your wait to see a lightning bug will have to continue yet a while longer!! But alas, Terry was able to re-live a childhood memory. It was fun!!!!!"
The thought of Terry running around the yard trying to catch some lightning bugs for me cracks me up and warms my heart at the same time!! It's funny how something so silly can make you feel so very loved! =)
Ann, I hope you won't mind me copying this into my blog!!
"Hey Shanna,
I just had to let you know about Terry's valiant yet unsuccessful efforts to send you some lightning bugs. He got the brilliant idea to send them along with the over night package we are sending out today. He found a band-aid box and poked holes in it and then placed some grass down inside the box. So, last night we got home and we could see lightning bugs everywhere. It was beautiful. After about 10 minutes, I went outside to see how things were going. He was in the front yard and suddenly he jumped up and caught one mid air. He placed it inside the box, or so he thought. It was on the tip of his finger and flew away. The only lightning bug he was able to get in the box was one he had found entangled in a spider's web. It died!!! So, the hunt continued and would you believe that we could not see any more lightning bugs? Remember, just a while earlier, they were everywhere. So, I'm sorry to report that your wait to see a lightning bug will have to continue yet a while longer!! But alas, Terry was able to re-live a childhood memory. It was fun!!!!!"
The thought of Terry running around the yard trying to catch some lightning bugs for me cracks me up and warms my heart at the same time!! It's funny how something so silly can make you feel so very loved! =)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
This blog is turning into my journal. I write all the time for a short period, then I neglect it, then I have to do an entry saying that I can't believe it's been so long since I've written and I swear to write every day from now on. And included in that entry is ALWAYS a big summary of what I didn't write about. So here's my big summary blog post, and my promise and resolve to write more!
1) Austin and I were finally released from being nursery teachers. It was fun, and it was a really great calling. But it's seriously been almost a year, and it was hard for both Austin and I to hide how excited we were to hear the news.
2) Right after they released us, they called me to teach in Relief Society. I could not be more excited about any calling!! I love doing anything in Relief Society, and I get to teach this Sunday and I can't wait.
3) Ms. Pip (or the Pip Monster as we refer to her lately) had her last set of kitty shots and will be getting spayed in about a week. She is seriously a little beast. When I took her to the vet on Saturday she was screaming and hissing and growling so much that they didn't even take her temperature cause they were too scared. And it took the vet and two techs to hold her onto the table just to give her the shots. Then we got home and she was sweet as pie and went to sleep on my lap. But after witnessing her rage side, I'm a little more cautious around her.
4) Austin and I made the mistake of going car shopping at a dealership. We instantly regretted it, and paid for our folly by having to spend an hour and a half with a moron who didn't know anything about cars. It was pouring rain, and they didn't even take us around the lot on one of those golf carts. My feet were soaked, we were both freezing, and we weren't interested in anything they had at all. Lesson learned. And we went home more grateful than ever for the cars we own.
5) We are going on a trip to Yellowstone in July, and it is the only thing getting me through the days at work. We booked this adorable little cabin room at a lodge, and we're just going to hike for three days and see everything!
6) Our little garden is growing just wonderfully already. We have a huge bowl of strawberries that we picked, and our corn and tomatoes and beans are getting huge! We can't wait to take our little harvest up to Washington in August, and my mom is going to teach me how to can our vegetables!
7) My best friend Rache turns 21 years old today. She is adorable, wonderful, smart, beautiful, talented, clever, creative, and I am jealous that New York City has her right now. She is my favorite shopping partner, roommate, and Starbucks buddy. I wish I was in New York with her to celebrate, but we will have a belated party when she gets back!
Okay, I think we'reall caught up. I'll post some pictures soon too!!
1) Austin and I were finally released from being nursery teachers. It was fun, and it was a really great calling. But it's seriously been almost a year, and it was hard for both Austin and I to hide how excited we were to hear the news.
2) Right after they released us, they called me to teach in Relief Society. I could not be more excited about any calling!! I love doing anything in Relief Society, and I get to teach this Sunday and I can't wait.
3) Ms. Pip (or the Pip Monster as we refer to her lately) had her last set of kitty shots and will be getting spayed in about a week. She is seriously a little beast. When I took her to the vet on Saturday she was screaming and hissing and growling so much that they didn't even take her temperature cause they were too scared. And it took the vet and two techs to hold her onto the table just to give her the shots. Then we got home and she was sweet as pie and went to sleep on my lap. But after witnessing her rage side, I'm a little more cautious around her.
4) Austin and I made the mistake of going car shopping at a dealership. We instantly regretted it, and paid for our folly by having to spend an hour and a half with a moron who didn't know anything about cars. It was pouring rain, and they didn't even take us around the lot on one of those golf carts. My feet were soaked, we were both freezing, and we weren't interested in anything they had at all. Lesson learned. And we went home more grateful than ever for the cars we own.
5) We are going on a trip to Yellowstone in July, and it is the only thing getting me through the days at work. We booked this adorable little cabin room at a lodge, and we're just going to hike for three days and see everything!
6) Our little garden is growing just wonderfully already. We have a huge bowl of strawberries that we picked, and our corn and tomatoes and beans are getting huge! We can't wait to take our little harvest up to Washington in August, and my mom is going to teach me how to can our vegetables!
7) My best friend Rache turns 21 years old today. She is adorable, wonderful, smart, beautiful, talented, clever, creative, and I am jealous that New York City has her right now. She is my favorite shopping partner, roommate, and Starbucks buddy. I wish I was in New York with her to celebrate, but we will have a belated party when she gets back!
Okay, I think we'reall caught up. I'll post some pictures soon too!!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Man vs. Wild
Prior to last night, I had assumed this show could not get any better. We've seen Bear eat gross stuff, sleep inside gross stuff, drink his own urine, and strip down to his British flag undies. What was there to improve upon? Add Will Ferrell of course! We couldn't believe what a genius idea it was to have him wander the wilderness with Bear. Austin and I pretty much peed our pants laughing the entire time this was on. But at the same time, it was really cool how much Will appreciated the solitude and serenity of being out there in the middle of frozen Sweden. You could tell it was humbling for him in the end, he was laying off the jokes quite a bit for a while. But I gained a new respect for him, that he would be willing to go through something like that. Even the preview cracks me up...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Another London Day
My mom sent me an email today with a link to a blog that a professor who goes on London study abroad each year writes. He takes the UVU Theater group to London, Paris, and Scotland. Reading someone else's experiences there made me miss London extra double time today. Exactly two years ago I was spending my last week there, and I can't believe that the little heartache I get thinking about it has lasted this long. The quote at the top of his blog is by Henry James (whom I adore!) and says:
"It is difficult to speak adequately, or justly, of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or easy, or exempt from reproach. It is only magnificent."
And that is really the only word for it: magnificent. It's dirty, smelly, crowded, obnoxious, chaotic, and a little depressing in some places. It makes you feel like the smallest, most insignificant person in the world most of the time. But there are these other exceptional and rare moments. Like sitting in the park when it's very early, the sun just about to come up, the air is cold and everything is uncharacteristically quiet. And you feel like it's all there just for you. The entire city and everything it has to offer is laid out just because you're there. And that's what makes London so magnificent. It works its way into your heart, and once you really experience it, you know you will never, ever be the same.
"It is difficult to speak adequately, or justly, of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or easy, or exempt from reproach. It is only magnificent."
And that is really the only word for it: magnificent. It's dirty, smelly, crowded, obnoxious, chaotic, and a little depressing in some places. It makes you feel like the smallest, most insignificant person in the world most of the time. But there are these other exceptional and rare moments. Like sitting in the park when it's very early, the sun just about to come up, the air is cold and everything is uncharacteristically quiet. And you feel like it's all there just for you. The entire city and everything it has to offer is laid out just because you're there. And that's what makes London so magnificent. It works its way into your heart, and once you really experience it, you know you will never, ever be the same.
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