I'm it

There are six rules.
1. Post these rules.
2. Post 11 random things about yourself.
3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post (i.e., Kristie's for me).
4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.
5. Go to their blog and tell them you've tagged them.
6. No saying, "If you are reading this, you're tagged."

11 random things about me.
1. I am obsessed with Hawaiian Haystacks.
2. I remember a lot of random facts about people.
3. My right foot is bigger than my left foot.
4. After many years of piano lessons, I am awesome at sightseeing. After that, my playing goes downhill dramatically.
5. I love using a planner.
6. When making a comment on blogs, I get nervous when I have to do the security word fill in...what if I misspell the word and my comment gets lost!! Stresses me out.
7. My mom can make me smile by saying "there's a smile crawling up your leg!" Pretty sure I'm the only human that works on.
8. One time, I was cutting my fingernails, and a small piece got stuck in my eye. It hurt.
9. I love to talk to myself.
10. I had a few imaginary friends growing up (see number 9).
11. I can count on one hand how many times I've made scrambled eggs. I'm more of a fried eggs kind of gal.

Kristie's questions for me.
1. Do you have any pets? If so, what kind and what are they're names? No. But I do try to run over cats in the street. Does that count?
2. What is your favorite dessert of all time? Cinnamon Rolls
3. Are you an Oxford Comma user? According to Wikipedia....I go half and half.
4. What's the best field trip you ever went on? I did a summer travel study, visiting U.S. History, Church History and Literature sites throughout the United States. 1 Month long. By far the best field trip ever.
5. If you had a time machine and could travel to any time in history, what would it be? Since it's Sunday...the days of Enoch. I'd like to know what Zion really is like.
6. Who is the most influential teacher you ever had? Why? So many. Each teacher has taught me something about myself. I could be super nerdy and tell you all the teachers I've ever had, but I will spare you and share 2. Ms. MacAusland. She was a crazy teacher, but understood stuff so much and was passionate about it. And taught me how to spell sovereignty. I figured I could be like her someday. Stephen Smith. His mom called him Stephen, and if we thought we were better than her, we could call her something else. He challenged my mind and view on things constantly, and in a conservative college, it was needed.
7. What is your favorite makeup product? Mascara. Or chapstick, but that's more of a basic human right.
8. What's better? Clean sheets or new pillows? Clean sheets for sure. I like my pillows flat. New pillows make my neck hurt.
9. What is your favorite poem? Of course Kristie would ask this. I have no idea. Longfellow is nice.
10. What is your secret to happiness? Good food, don't question life but believe that you have it all, be obedient to the gospel, take naps, find things humorous.
11. What's your favorite movie of all time? Mary Poppins

My questions for the friends I tag.
1. What book section is your favorite at Barnes & Noble?
2. Who would you want to play you in a screen adaptation of your life?
3. What's your shower routine?
4. Where is your favorite place?
5. Why did you choose where you're at right now in life?
6. Are you ticklish?
7. What's your favorite piece of art?
8. Which store would you spend the most money in?
9. What makes you find joy in the journey?
10. If you had to punch a family member in the face where would it be and why?
11. What is your favorite joke?

I tag...Megan, Mel, Kate, & Jake.

The List

I just finished THE cutest book. "The List." Written by Melanie Jacobson. It's a Mormon Romance novel, which, I would normally stray a way from, I just like reading words of the Prophets as my only "church" reading. But goodness, I read this and LOVED every bit of it. It was darling and had me doing Flintstone Feet with how giddy it was making me. Kind of embarrassing, but so rejuvenating. I do love love. Thanks to Kaytlin for recommending it to me with such fervor!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwGGZTZ-3pM

Picture from a few years ago. Trust falls into the love sack.

Sometimes I just have a few things on my mind and I need to do something about it.

1) flighty people frustrate me, and I hate even more when I fall into this category. I caused some drama today for The Fantastic 12 who are running ragnar tomorrow. I was supposed to drive, and then I was a co-driver, and then I bailed. Makes me feel bad, but not enough to stay driving. So I feel bad, but there's nothing I can do. So, I'll make sure I do my homework tomorrow as penance.

2) so excited for my nephew Jordan to be getting married. It's kind of soon - April 6 - but I am thrilled. What has made me feel odd about it all is that starting in April, great-aunthood is 9 months away. Don't know how I feel about that. I will be 29 when that happens, and I think that's too soon. Working through those feelings. Maybe if I had grey hair...

3) Spirit Airlines has a really cheap flight from PHX to Las Vegas. Incredible. Cheaper than a tank of gas.

4) am I a bad loser? Someone said that to me the other day, and when I asked for details, the person failed to give me any information. Which makes me wonder if she's afraid of me. Which makes me feel bad.

5) there is the prettiest tree outside the Mesa Temple. Today I went before it was dark and got some pictures. Beautiful. I love that it is so warm here.

6) kind of bummed about my grandma. She isn't doing very well. I'll call her in the morning.

7) 1 Nephi 8:24-25 "...and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree. And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed." The first verse is always quoted with fervor in church, that we need to be clinging to the word of God. But I don't like that in the next verse it tells what happens to those people that clung...they were ashamed of the fruit. How should we be holding on to the rod? Verse 30 "press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree." Sometimes it feels like I'm clinging, just barely holding on. I hope I will continually hold fast to the rod.

Okay, that's enough of my thoughts. Thanks for humoring me.

Wisdom

I've heard it said (3 points if you have Wicked stuck in your head) that if unless you can explain something to a child, you don't understand it well enough.

After having a few conversations this past weekend with my nephew, I am not very smart.

"Julie, why do girls put on make-up?"
How do I answer that without us sounding vain?
You can't. Unless you use the word "enhance."

Series of questions about driving:
Why does that stop light have 5 dots and the other one only has 3? (I took a little editing license on this one to make the question more understandable)
Why do we have to turn?
Why do ambulances get to speed?

Why don't you stay here?

Why did that pig build a house out of sticks? They aren't very strong.

But I can answer this one:
Will you teach me how to drive?
Of course! and I have already let him drive. He was barely 3, but he's quite the good driver.

And be careful, Disney movies always bring up unanswerable questions.
From Tangled, the mean lady falls out of the tower. "Why did she become a ball?"

He's the smart one - he couldn't remember the color of my car, but quickly said he'll see it when he comes to swim in my swimming pool. Don't know when we talked about that feature of my home last, but it's been a few months. Why sweat not remembering a fact when you remember that someone has a swimming pool? Networking. Well played Kid.

Celebrity Status

Today, I feel a wee bit like a celebrity.

http://steviljuice.blogspot.com/2012/02/monday-mormon-julie-t.html?spref=tw
http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6497139536276865329&postID=2254383676668644780&page=1&token=1329173481740

Being featured on 2 blogs in one day! Don't know how that worked out, but it did.

The first feature - I'm a Mormon! I love thinking about how much my church means to me and getting to express it. Thanks to Steve for giving me a chance to do that!

The second feature - I am loved! Larissa has been a DOLL and has been telling the world of the people she loves, and I made that list! Nothing like stroking my ego and reminding me of how much I love her back! And then all my fabulous friends, too!

AND, last night I saw a funny episode of 30 Rock, which Meredith Vieira is in. And since I apparently look like her, it's like I was on tv, too :0)

Boo-yah!!

Sometimes my eyes hurt

The book on the top is Atlas Shrugged.
The book below is Shell Seekers. Not sure if I like it yet, but my friend recommended it. And luckily, it was only available in the large print section of the library. I am flying through these pages!

Not all books are created equal.