It's a dog eat shoe world out there!

For those of you who don't know, our family got a dog for Christmas. He is half border collie and half Australian heeler. He is adorable. But as a puppy, he loves to chew on anything he can get his teeth on. His favorite things to chew on happen to be my shoes. So I admit, some of it was my fault for leaving some of my shoes on the floor in my room, but we have proof that he actually limbs into our closet and finds MY shoes specifically and chews them up!! And by chewing them up I mean destroying them. WE have a total of 5 pairs of shoes ruined at this moment. The first pair to go were my favorite bright apple red heels. Then went a pair of cute brown Mary Jane looking type shoes that my sister bought me for Christmas. Then went the white sandals, then my hooker boots which I have had for alt least 6 years (this was the point when I started to cry) and finally a blue pair of flip flops. I don't have pictures of all the ruined shoes, but I do have the last 2 and a picture of him in the act of tearing up my shoes. BAD DOG!!

Journal Entry

Journal Entry for Sunday February 24th or Monday February 25th:

2:30 am. Oscar with Christian. Gone ALL day. Fireside, Sunday School, mtgs, no dinner. Need to get up in 2 hours to do signs. Going to be hating life!!

10 Reasons Why. . . .

I love my new car:
1. It is newer than any other car I've ever owned (2005)
2. It only had 25,000 on it when I bought it.
3. It if fully loaded (automatic everything)
4. It has a 7 CD disc changer
5. It has a subwoofer (sp?)
6. It is silver (hence it's name The Silver Surfer)
7. It gets great gas mileage
8. I get free car washes on it for the rest of my life
9. It has great pick up
and
10. IT'S MINE!!!!

An apple for the teacher

4 weeks of Jr. High School students can make you go crazy!!! I long term subbed for a teacher at my mom's middle school as she had knee surgery (it seems to be a common theme with people I know). I had subbed for her before so I knew most of the kids. That still doesn't mean they respected me all the time. They did write a petition to the principal asking that I be their teacher. Very flattering!! I have the letter in my notebook I take to jobs with me. I was stupid and didn't even bother to take a picture of all my classes. OOOPS!! The funnest part (yes I am a linguistics major and funnest is grammatically correct so don't argue with me) was the 2 hour lock down we had one day. Try keeping 23 students quite and on the floor with lights out for these hours. I've never had to have more students go to the bathroom than I did during those 2 hours. I was soo glad when it was done. I did get a few kids kicked out of class for behavior problems, but overall it was a good experience. The principal asked when I was getting credentialed. I think he wanted to offer me a job. Oh well. At least I have a future reference. My students also gave me lots of fun stuff for valentine's day!! I guess they do love me. Credentialing here I come!!!

Candyland Craze

February brings valentine's day, my brother's b-day, my brother in law's b-day, president's day, Licoln's b-day, and CANDYLAND CRAZE time. I am my activities co-chair in my YSA ward and we decided to have a candyland dance for our activity this month. We had the dance with an awesome dj (that we miraculously got the night before), cute bright colored decorations, nacho bar, and candy games. We only had a total of like 60 people show up, but those who came had a blast. We did have a few that actually dressed up. We had a grandma nut, queen frostie, Mr. and Mrs. Mint, and gloppy's children. I of course danced like a wild woman and had a blast!! Chalk one up for the activities committee!!

Happy SAD Day!

No boy does not mean no fun!! My brother came up with a great acronym. SAD! Or Single's Awareness Day!! I love my family! I spent the day with them and wore the new pink shirt I bought (it's always a good thing when you have a reason to go clothes shopping) and did our usual watching of Sleepless in Seattle (if only life could be like a movie for real!!). My favorite part was my valentine bag. I cut out letters and pasted them on spelling out the letter from Alfalfa to Darla in Little Rascals. Do think I was synical this year?!

Let it snow, let it snow. let it snow!!

Taking a trip to Utah in the middle of January means SNOW!!! If you know me and my family WE LOVE SNOW!!! We grew up in MD and had snow every year (including one year of a 4 foot blizzard), so moving to CA where there is no snow and only rain kind of dampened our spirits. So you better bet your booty I was outside playing in the 2 feet of snow that they had in UT!!! It was a a dream come true and definitely a winter wonderland! The 4th picture is a snow angel (hahaha)!!

The Family Genes!!

So busting up knees is something my whole family must do. Mine is finally getting back to normal. I even ran u[ 2 flights of stairs at P.T. last week and get to kick around a soccer ball this next week at P.T. My Physical therapist said I should be discharged soon!! I am soo excited. Especially since they told me I could still come in whenever I want to used the treadmill and bike and stuff!! YEAH!! I will actually be able to take off these extra pounds I have put on since not being able to exercise since my surgery!!

But just as I am getting better, my dad decides to go and get a total knee replacement. In case you don't know what that is, they actually cut out your whole knee, bone and all, and replace it with a metal knee. It is pretty intense surgery, so that means that I am the temporary father at home running errands and doing everything my dad would normally do. I am not complaining because it keeps me busy (which is something I like better than sitting on my fat duff), but doesn't give me a lot of time to do what I want to do or play with friends!! I need to move out!! I know.

On a side note I am substitute teaching to bring in extra cash and have a job about everyday. I've decided I like high school and elementary school, but not too fond of junior high!! They all have attitudes!! I have officially become Ms. BooBoo since none of my kids (including High schoolers) can remember Ms. Hutchings!! I don't think it is that hard do you?! I love it, but am looking forward to getting my credential and having my own class and own classroom to decorate. I can't help but look at all the different classrooms I teach at and see how I would set it up differently and decorate it differently and make it soo much cuter!! I can't wait!!

I still get to hang out with my family though and love my little brother and sister to pieces. I think they are going to have a hard time when I move out. Especially my little sister. Maybe I can take her with me when I officially decide I have had enough and just up and leave!! I love cheering at my little brother's football games, but want to go in my high school color sometime and confuse the heck out of people!! Hehehehehe!!

Anyone who knows my family knows that our one car garage has turned into the storage unit for all the extra crap we don't have room for upstairs, which in laman's terms means it's a junk heap. Well, we had a black stray cat hanging around our garage for a little while meowing. One day my brother went down there and saw a tiny grey face in our garage. We think the stupid cat had kittens in our garage. We aren't sure and it is such a mess we can't search. But now our house has a funky smell in it and we are scared that the kittens died!! Time for a good spring (fall? winter?) cleaning!! GROSS!!!

Summer Lovin' Had me a blast!!

Okay, so there really wasn't any summer lovin', but there was lots of fun. Hawaii was a blast. It was 9 days of sunshine, beaches shopping performances, luaus, shows, and making new friends. The only downside to the whole trip was that I hurt my knee again and actually bad enough this time to warrant the use of crutches. Dumb me!!! But it was amazing!! It is hard to explain. You have to go there to understand.

The week after was girl's camp. I was the 4th year certification specialist. I had a blast there too. I was in charge of about 10 girls. We got to be good friends. I definitely was born in the wrong era. I act like a 16 year old, but am 27. How did that happen. I enjoyed Hiking (or in my case quading), crafts, skits, songs, sleeping in a tent, hanging out with my sister, and much much more.

Then came surgery, but you already know about that. Then it was off for a week of a family reunion. We stayed in a HUGE mansion and had time to play games, watch movies, go swimming, have another Hawaiian Luau and hang out with fam. It was awesome.

Finally came grandma and grandpa camp. We had a week of going to the zoo, McDonald's, playgrounds, camping some more, watching jungle movies and doing jungle crafts, split chins, and girl's night. I love my nephews and have decided to stay single forever, become a teacher, and in the summer, go and visit all my nieces and nephews.

As summer comes to a close, my days are now filled with searching for jobs (since I don't have one), searching for cars (since I blew the head gasket in my last car), looking into colleges (to go back to get my teaching credential) and praying (that everything works out. Hopefully next week my HUGE brace comes off and I will be a little more mobile.

The knee bones connected to the . . . .

ACL!!! Yep, that's right. I had my surgery on July 5th. At least they let me enjoy my holiday with the family. It was only 2 hours long, but recovery is a bummer. Being put to sleep is the most surreal experience I have ever had. They put an IV drip in me and then wheeled me to the operating room. I saw the surgeon and said hi and that was the last thing I remember. I then remember going in and out. Having a mask on and then not. I kind of was awake and looked at my leg and saw this brace and said "Am I done?" The nurse answered in the affirmative. She gave me a pain pill after I woke up again with some apple juice. Mainly I was just confused at where I was and what was going on!!! I got moved to a kind of couch seat that could be wheeled and then they got my mom. I was still tired, but was really dizzy and sick the whole car ride home. I was in and out for the whole ride home!! I basically slept for 4 straight days after that and had my leg in a brace that goes from my ankle to my groin. It was kept straight for 4 days and then was unlocked so that I could bend it. I have to have the brace on all the time (except for a shower and at night when I sleep) for 6 weeks. I start physical therapy tomorrow and am really excited about it. I can kind of walk around now, but usually have to take a pain pill to sleep at night because my leg is sore by the end of the day. I still use my crutches for long distances and when I am not wearing my brace. I have to go to sleep right after I take a pain pill or else it makes me nauseas and dizzy. No wonder since it is twice as strong at Vicadin!!! I still can't bend it all the way, but I have four little cuts in my legs that will make four little scars. I still have a little fluid in my leg and swear you can feel the screws in my leg. It was quite an experience, but glad I am on the road to recovery.

Accidents, Fires, and Purple Shirts, Oh My!!

So my parents were in Utah for the weekend after I got back from girl's camp and helping my sister. I arrived home on Saturday afternoon and my parents came home on Tuesday morning way early in the morning. In that time I succeeded in getting in 2 car accidents (both in their car as my car has officially died, smoking and stopping on the freeway) (one was a minor rear ending, my fault of course, and the other I backed into my neighbors parked car which actually was parked illegally in the driveway), started a fire on our stove by burning the plastic sack our mashed potatoes were in and burning a hole in our trash can, turning my brother's white shirts a tint of purple by washing them with another shirt that had purple permanent marker on it, and busting the light in our dryer by drying my hiking boots in it. My parents just kept laughing and laughing. Of course it would only happen to me!!

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Hawaii 50!!

So people have been bugging me to post about my trip to Hawaii. WOW!! That's all I have to say!!

END FEST 2007!!!

So my birthday was on the 13th of this month, but since I was on an airplane headed to Hawaii on that day, I couldn't celebrate with my family. So the Saturday before my sister and brother-in-law said they had a surprise for me. They actually had been planning it for months, but didn't tell me what it was. I showed up at their house and my brother handed me a ticket to End Fest 2007!!! My sister couldn't go because she had just had surgery, so it was just me and Jason. For those of you who don't know what end fest is, a local radio station (107.9 The End) puts on a cheap concert every year with a bunch of bands playing. This year it was Click 5, Gym Class Heroes, Katherine McPhee, Hillary Duff, and Neo. Jason and I enjoyed Hillary Duff the best. We were disappointed in Gym Class Heroes because we didn't know that they were a rap group. We also think the guitar player in the band has a better voice than the main singer. Oh well. It was a fun concert and I got a free banner from them. It was a great present.

JUST CUT IT OFF!!

So anyone who knows me, knows that whenever anyone has some sort of health problem (i.e. headache, bad knee, stomachache, anything) I tell you to just cut it off or out.!! So sensitive, no?! Anywho, about 4 months ago, I decided to play indoor soccer and try to go around a girl, but leave my knee where it was. So after about 10 mighty pops I went down hard. Unluckily for me, I didn't have health insurance (my company hadn't given it to me yet). s\So I lost/quit my job (because I couldn't do the work I was doing decrepid and other things) and then I went to the county health to see what they could do for me. Well, I got health insurance with them, but since it is with the county it takes them 3 times as long to do stuff. Which means after 2 months I got and appointment with an orthopedic surgeon and 2 months after that my MRI finally and 2 weeks later found out the final result. I was beginning to think that I was a hypochondriach and that there was nothing really wrong with me. But the final count is (drum roll please)............ I completely tore my meniscus and my ACL!! So literally I am going to get it cut out!! I have to go in for surgery. I have an appt. tomorrow to decide when, where and how much!! Lucky me no?! I am just glad to know what is wrong with me and that it can be fixed. It will probably be over a year recovery, but it is better than never being able to function fully again. So, yeah for JUST CUTTING IT OUT!!!!

Tickets and Suspended Liscenses!!

So we have this neighborhood right near where I work where the police decide it's fun to patrol. My day warned me about it since he has been there before, so I make sure I go max 30 (speed limit is 25) although the rest of the street before and after is 55 mph. What?! There are also like a million stop signs in the neighborhood (okay, so like 4 or 5, but it feels like a million).

Well, as it goes, my insurance ran out in December and I have been just too broke to get more. Oops. I had a letter saying my license has been suspended since March, so I have tried to be super careful. My friend was texting me Monday about F.H.E. and I was texting him back. I guess I wasn't paying attention, because I got pulled over for running a stop sign. I thought I was in HUGE trouble because my license was supposedly suspended. But I only got a ticket for running the stop sign and having no proof of insurance. I also got a fix it ticket because I still have a Utah license although I have been living in California for over 9 months. I was bawling, but truly grateful I wasn't pulled into the police station. OOOOOPPPPPPSSSSSSS!!!!

My families dream houses!!

So on the way to work I get to pass all these really NICE houses in the country!! Some are old fashioned/country style, some are English tutor style, and some are just HUGE!! I started to take pictures for people in my family, because I think every member in my family has there house on one of these 2 streets I drive on. Here are just a few for your viewing pleasure.
Mom's house:









Dad's houses:


















Mindy and Jason's house:

Adventures in Hair Dying!!

Okay, so this one has to be in bright orange because that is what color my hair turned. Yep, I dyed my hair orange. Believe you me, it wasn't on purpose!! I decided I was tired of having a line where my roots were going in and the bright blonde highlights showed. So my sister gave me the great idea of buying a non-permanent hair dye and dye it all one color. I bought one that was close to my original color, but because my hair was soo bright blonde it turned it orange. Sad to say that I didn't take any pictures that night although I should have. I took some today, but it doesn't look the same. That and the dye is washing out so my hair looks more pink now!! I am seeing how many different colors my hair can be in one month!!

HAPPY EASTER!!

I want to write in pink for this holiday, but I don't know if it will work. We'll see. Sorry it has been about a month since I posted, but I am working from 8 to 5 everyday now and then I am gone from about 7 to 10 every night doing something!! I keep thinking my life will get less busy, but it keeps getting busier!! UGH!! Easter was a blast though. My brother, Chad, wife, Beth, and 2 kids, Kayden and Boston, came up from Burbank to spend the holiday with us. I have decided that having kids around for holidays is much more fun than just adults!! They get soo excited about about everything!!! I had to have a new outfit for Easter, so I decided to take my 2 $20 gift certificates to the GAP and buy a dress, but the cheapest I could find was a $60 dress. So I got a pink shirt instead and wore my sister's cute white skirt. We did all the traditions of dying eggs, putting curlers in our hair, and searching for our eggs outside. My nephews were soo cute and Kayden kept doing his happy dance (for those of you who have seen it)!! It was great!! Then my sister and her husband came over for dinner. We had fun being together as a family!! I love holidays!!!