Thanksgiving, Courtney, and Boys

Blades of Glory....yeah that movie was gross I dont even know why we did that ha! It just fit..

SLC Temple

Trax

Me and Courtney driving to UT

This is my uncle..guess it runs in the family

Baby Rocklin! Finally a baby in the family! :) Sorry guys I am slacking..but hey...

Me and Grandpa

Yeah....

My Daddy :)

My Mom modeling her suitcase...I mean..Purse

Christamae smiling that twinkling smile she always has

Shayna and Robby Jr.

Shayna and cousin Robby

Wow can we say Blog Procrastination at its best??!

Hmm where to begin..Thanksgiving was fun--my family wasn't sure I was coming until I walked into the door. Ha! That was a good day. I love being with my family! Me and Tim and Shanna drove up to CA for Thanksgiving, then Courtney came back with us and spent a week with me and just went back today. It's amazing how much she has "grown up" in the last couple of years. I sometimes wish I could have been there to be a better sister, but I was in school and guess I just wanted space to grow up myself as well. It was a blast having her here! I miss being around family.

Oh yes, and boys. Ha! So our Bishopric decided to tell all the guys in the ward that they had to go on one date a week. People are moving out because they aren't getting asked out. But the boys are all thinking that the girls need to be doing the work in starting up relationships.....I happen to be a little old fashioned, however. I think, at least from experience, that guys need to work for it or else they won't appreciate it. Right?? Am I right or what?? I feel like I'm always doing the chasing when I like a guy, and every time it ends up going down the drain and he never mans up and asks me out, or he never ends up liking me.....so I'm going on strike from that. We'll see how long it lasts though. Ha! :) (Though I never ask them on dates....just invite them over for activities....but still.....boys are just dumb, amen.)

More On Relationships

I dont even know what to title this, but this is my Marriage and Family degree coming out again...sigh....

So I was talking to a girl in my ward a few days ago, and she has got herself into a little relationship. Exciting huh? Well, feeling head over heels over someone is always exciting. Who doesn't want to have their heart aflutter with feelings of affection? However, after listening to her story, I got a little bit frustrated with the situation. For one, they have been dating for FOUR MONTHS and the guy only asks her out once a week....as in, they only see each other once a week. They haven't even held hands. She texts him and he doesn't respond for HOURS. She has days where she just cries and cries. He lives around here, so there is no good reason. Yes, he is a vice principal at a school, very successful, very confident, a great guy in many ways, but he hasn't had a relationship for probably ten years. So being the 31 year old man that he is, and she being the 24 year old woman that she is, he has had a lot more time to establish himself as a very independent, and shall I say, a bit selfish of a person..though I am not ragging on him here, but come on dude. She sacrifices everything--she would drop anything she was doing to be with him. ANYTHING. Trust me...She said even just being in the room with him makes her happy--she told him that he doesn't even have to pay attention to her, just as long as she is there with him. (???)

So ladies, it is important to be patient of course, but I believe that we all have the right to be seen as the most important thing in our man's life, and vice versa. If you really love someone, it isn't about being dragged around in the waiting game. It isn't about sacrificing so much of who you are just to become an empty vessel being conveniently used by someone else who isn't giving you the time of day. He, in all honesty, probably doesn't even realize he is doing it, but it is no excuse--relationships take time. They take SACRIFICE. They take awareness of each other, SAYING "I love you", ACCEPTING compliments and giving them, breaking down the walls of your heart and giving of yourself. It's all about making those decisions, and being committed to them. Oh how much happier we would be if we were willing to do those things for someone else!

Like I said, I am not trying to tear this boy apart, because he really is awesome in many ways. Just trying to get across some principles of good relationships!

My Little Bro!

I just wanted everyone to see my little brother! that is him on the bottom far right kneeling with his half smirk that he always has. Well, its more like the sun is in his eyes but he has that look on his face frequently....haha :) I miss him, what a perfect place for him to be...the kid who used to rip apart all the stuffed animals so he could shove the stuffing up his nose.....Now he is a basically a trained assassin. Ha...Thanks to all you boys out there (and ladies!) serving our country!

PS he isn't in Iraq anymore! YES! Now the little punk is cruising around Australia....pshhh...

Cleaning Checks are NOT Cool at Carriage Cove

We have lived at Carriage Cove for the past year and a half, and have yet to pass a single cleaning check. (This is coming from the previous SHOW apartment at Cinnamon Tree....we had such a clean and supposedly cute apartment they asked us to be the show apartment.) Actually, I take that back, we did pass one time. That was worth framing the paper, let me tell you!

The reason why I believe we never pass is not because we do not clean our apartment, oh no no no, we usually spend an average of 6 hours a person on our given jobs. However, if you know anything about Carriage Cove, you know money is involved. (I can go on more about this...but I will refrain.) Yes, indeed. They charge you a fee PER JOB of things that did not get done properly. For example, I don't know the exact amount, but we will say if your windowsill has a piece of lint on it that was leftover from the rag you were using to clean it off with, they would charge you $5 for a dirty windowsill. Ridiculous.

This is why I refuse to fail. I am going to be here regardless of what should be going on in my life while they are checking my apartment. Then I can get rid of whatever lint they find, and they cannot charge me a fee for it. Good thing I have a job in the evenings. I feel bad for those who have to work..or go to school...huh..who on EARTH would have class from 9am-noon?

Now, don't get me wrong, I love living here.....but cleaning checks are a beast.