tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16606088130774775522024-03-13T03:18:41.728-06:00this is real life.Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.comBlogger624125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-13017947590908298732016-05-15T20:24:00.001-06:002016-05-15T20:24:05.216-06:00life as we know itthis blog has obviously been neglected. there are so many times that i want to start writing again, but always put it off. but i guess that ends today :)<div>
so much has happened since my last post, duh. it would be impossible to catch up so instead we'll start from the present. i am currently working at the moran eye center, but have switched roles and now work as a surgical counselor for our refractive department. i have loved working closely with our cornea doctors and refractive patients. they've asked me to dabble in marketing for the new laser center and it's been more fun than i anticipated. who would have thought i'd have a knack for marketing? it was fun to present some ideas to the marketing director and i'm excited to become more involved in that side of things. thanks to kevin's (my brother in law) app brandr and for train rides to and from work that let me put together a few images to present. who knows what will happen, but for now i'm enjoying work and the opportunities that lie ahead.</div>
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jowanza is working at a startup called oneclick retail and really enjoying it. it makes a huge difference when you like your job! jowanza continues to work on his personal technical blog which gets alot of attention from others in his field. i'm constantly amazed at how much effort and thought he puts into his work and career. his mind is always thinking about how to progress his skills connections within his profession. </div>
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baby norah is doing well. it's still a little surreal to say that we are expecting a baby girl and that she'll be here in september. in one breath it seems so soon and the next seems so far away. i'm feeling pretty darn good most of the time, so can't complain. silly things like sleeping and eating can still be a challenge, but i feel pretty lucky overall. every single doctors appointment that allows me to see baby or hear her heartbeat is priceless. they keep telling me that everything is low risk and that the baby is doing great, but i have yet to feel her move and am quasi- showing. until my belly really pops or i can feel my baby move frequently i find myself getting nervous. maybe it's the hormones, but i have this overwhelming love and respect for women-- like every woman who's ever had a baby before. it's hard! and this is coming from someone who's only survived half of her pregnancy. i still have childbirth to conquer and then that whole "raising a child" thing to worry about. haha. i know it all comes one day at a time, but i look at others who have done it and continue to do it and i LOVE THEM. like real deep down ugly cry feeling a lot of feelings love them. being a woman is an incredible thing, and what God allows our bodies to do to bring life into this world is wonderful.</div>
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we bought a house! and to keep things exciting, we are building. every time i tell people we're building they tell me that we are "brave" and ask if jowanza and i have been fighting over design choices. it's been a really fun process and we haven't fought at all! its been fun for us to create our own space that identifies with both of our styles. it's really exciting knowing that we will be bringing home baby norah to the new space. jowanza is working to make our new place a "smart home". i know i saw a disney movie about that once that didn't end well, but it's been fun for him to get little gadgets that do things that i don't understand, but i'm sure it will be great. and then i can run my whole home from my smart phone. haha (but seriously though)</div>
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hoping to keep this updated as we get closer and closer to new home and new baby, two large new chapters we are starting with our little family. that means pictures! i need to be better :)</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-68106638957108278652014-05-03T16:56:00.002-06:002014-05-03T16:56:41.069-06:00lifetimeyou guys. not that i had anything to do today, but still. we accidentally turned on lifetime and now i've been sitting here for 3 1/2 hours watching weird movies about people that are weird and obsessive and kill people just because they love someone "so much it hurts".<br />
and guess what, i loved every second of it. plus, i was watering the lawn (via sprinkler) while i was watching. i'm all about multi-tasking.<br />
we did hit up a local art market this morning. i love going to those things and love to buy local craftiness. sometimes it's frustrating when i see stuff being sold there- its easy to have the thought process of "i could make that" or "i could make that cuter" or "that is pure ugly and anything i make would be better than that". ok that sounds harsh, and maybe i couldn't really make something cuter. but then i want to get a booth and make stuff and sell it. how do these people start little jewelry businesses (or felt balls or bags or prints or whatever)?!?!?! it can't be that hard, right?<br />
anyway, if you want to start a business with me, give me a jingle. lets do this thing. until then, i'll be watching "the surrogate" on lifetime.<br />
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<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-43932995133591974392014-04-27T20:08:00.002-06:002014-04-27T20:08:40.703-06:00that one time...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
that mark came to visit. granted, he was here on business…but he called, and i ditched work. we went out to lunch and he ran a few errands with me. icing on the cake, we went to target and i loaded this hello kitty bag chuck full of hello kitty gear (sophies newest obsession). when i asked mark if he was ok taking it as his carry on, he said "are you kidding? i'm proud. this means i have a daughter that i love!" man alive, he's a good guy. </div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-30653583170437112192014-04-27T19:48:00.000-06:002014-04-27T19:48:41.799-06:00things you miss when your power goes outi haven't had to deal with a power outage in a long time, and guess what? it's the pits. it also made me realize how much i take for granted every day (weird how that works, right?)<br />
let's start with the plugs. i know that seems obvious, but how is one supposed to dry your hair and such if you can't plug them in and have them turn on?<br />
in case you forgot, your kitchen appliances also use plugs. i guess i won't microwave anything, or cook eggs, or make a breakfast smoothie for that matter. hmm.<br />
obviously the tv won't turn on, and even though your computer is completely charged, the internet doesn't work.<br />
it's been cold and rainy the last few days. my house also needs power for the heat to turn on. seriously.<br />
go somewhere where there's power? great idea. i mean grandma only lives 10 minutes away. but my car is parked in the garage, and i've since learned that my garage door doesn't open without power.<br />
lucky for me i had a fully charged cell phone. but what to do when that dies?<br />
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basically i learned how dependent i am on electricity, and i get that it's 2014 but it still made me rethink things a bit. what would i do in a natural disaster or emergency? i mean it's great if i have gas in my car, but it doesn't do me much good if it's stuck in the garage. it also made me rethink how i spend my time. my house was <i>really</i> quiet this morning, and that should have been ok. instead i found myself wondering what to do. I'm excited for summer and the idea of being able to be outside more. who knows, i might even take up reading :)<br />
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<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-63184527034728446252013-09-07T17:58:00.001-06:002013-09-07T17:58:14.599-06:00brain washi turned down spending time with a boy tonight because "i needed to be by myself and think through some stuff". after claiming to have a bad day (which, let's be honest...i've had better...and worse, but that's beside the point) i really did just want to come home and wear sweat pants and eat ice cream...and continue to stew about the stuff that was bugging me. i know that i'll sleep it off and in the morning, things will be better. until then, i'll tickle your fancy with a few things i've learned about....well, things (ok, me):<br />
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1. i'm a people pleaser. i want other people to be happy, even if it means at my expense. its something i'm working to communicate better-- with coworkers, family and friends. believe it or not, i do have boundaries, and they can be pushed, or crossed (and that's when i flip out)<br />
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2. i spend alot of time accommodating other people. for the most part, i really enjoy it. i like seeing other people happy and stuff. sometimes i could care less. sometimes i experience a guilt because i'm the one who's most able to accommodate, and i just don't want to.<br />
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3. i like the chase. like i used to think it would be nice to have someone who's obsessed with me... but i'm learning that as much as it might seem like a game, i like the chase. about 5 years ago, my dad told me i needed to be more "mysterious" in my dating. i hated that advice, and now i'm realizing i hated it because i didn't understand it (funny how that works, right?). don't get me wrong, i need to be pursued...but there needs to be a little bit of mystery. the intrigue that makes you want to see them again, and vice versa. too much too fast takes the fun out of everything.<br />
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4. why is it the boys i dont want to date or cant date are obsessed with me and the boys i can and want to date...well, aren't. i've never been good at test taking, and this test is no different. at this point, i'd rather be sitting in the testing center with a number 2 pencil and a scantron. this real life stuff is the pits.<br />
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5. i will forever love the rain. it's soothing. it smells so fresh. everything seems clean. and then add thunder and lightning to the mix, and i'm a happy girl. i could open every window in the house and sit on the porch and sit out a whole storm. even though i stay where it's dry, i still feel that release-- let it go-- feeling, which is sometimes just what i need. thank goodness for rain.Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-91789540913160968602013-06-18T16:26:00.001-06:002013-06-18T16:26:08.187-06:00st. geezy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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let me start out with my birthday/graduation shout out to my funniest and youngest brother. i still can't believe matthew is moving to provo THIS WEEK. read it and weep, ladies. is he a stud or what?<br />
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this past weekend we met up in st. george for a fun filled weekend with family. we missed the usual (mark's crew and beb on her mission), but still managed to have a good time :)</div>
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i am not complaining about this pool time. colby and i both took a long nap in the shade. perfection.</div>
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we went on a short little hike...</div>
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and then stayed up late watching heavyweights. could life get any better??</div>
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church the next day was a struggle to stay awake for some....</div>
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these pictures are classic :)</div>
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i like these people. thanks for a fun weekend, guys!!</div>
<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-87867987028922246532013-06-18T16:18:00.003-06:002013-06-18T16:18:56.513-06:00does two "halfs" equal a "full"??<div style="text-align: center;">
if that's the case, then i've completed a marathon. remember that one time a <a href="http://bethannelouise.blogspot.com/2012/06/half-marathon-check.html">ran a half marathon?</a> i think that was the same time i said i would never do it again.</div>
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as just bieber said...never say never.</div>
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cindy and i signed up months ago, with intentions of training. the road to you know where is paved with good intentions. we were still optimistic about the race...can you tell??</div>
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packet pick up</div>
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we stayed the night at cousin lindseys house, and about 9pm we got a call from a friend that had a free entry to the race. we convinced lindsey to join us...since we hadn't trained either. so early early morning we woke up and headed to the shuttles. this is nervous beth, have you ever met her?</div>
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we met up with some other friends in the canyon who were running the race too. obviously all of us were running on little sleep....</div>
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and off we went. the route really is beautiful. the weather was perfect. if only they'd had port-o potties every two miles like they'd promised :)</div>
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whitney and crew came to cheer us on at two different places on our route. what a welcome sight!! whitney is one that understands what a little cheering on can do for the soul. it was so fun to see them. (i know it's not the easiest or funnest thing in the world to load up your kids several times and then wait on the side of the road for two girls who haven't trained wobble on past. thanks again whit for your support!!!)</div>
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we finished!! it was the best feeling of all time. my hips didn't hurt as much this time around, but i kept getting this weird foot cramp in my right foot that was making my toes curl under like a charlie horse everytime i'd lift my foot off the ground. how do you stretch that out? luckily that happened about the last mile and a half, and only would happen when i was running. </div>
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we hugged. we cried. and then i saw this crew (dfc peeps!!!) what a pleasant surprise!!</div>
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nathan and caitie were waiting at the finish line with a cup of ice. i almost wept. so nice of them to come and support, especially since caitie had just finished a 12 hour shift at PCMC. thanks for coming guys!!!</div>
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and here we are. crossed the finish line. with our medals. it really is a sense of accomplishment that i can't really describe. as much as i hated parts of that race, i have to say i'm glad i did it. cindy was a great partner in crime (as usual). she forced me to think of the race as a whole, not pushing myself too hard in the beginning--reminding me that there were still so many miles to go. we talked about boys and jammed to great tunes. needless to say, it was a raging success. </div>
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this time i'm smart enough that i won't say i'll NEVER do this race again. hopefully next time i'll train? just an idea.....</div>
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ps. sorry i look so good in all of these pictures (please pick up on this sarcasm). i would normally not post pictures of me looking soooo good, but i decided i don't really care. </div>
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pps. lindsey was a rockstar and made it to mile NINE (long before cindy and i did btw) but was having issues with her ankles from a previous injury. i told her not to push herself and talked her into letting whitney come pick her up. i'm so proud of her!!!!</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-77511165842156167892013-06-18T15:55:00.002-06:002013-06-18T15:55:56.457-06:00dfc<div style="text-align: center;">
campout this year was a success as always. it's interesting how it continues to change, but so many things will be the same...forever. we were sad that mark and megan and sophie weren't there....oh yeah, and melissa. she's usually my partner in crime and tent-mate/secret keeper/arm tickler. basically i slept in the tent with my parents--and maybe cried myself to sleep the first night that i didn't have melissa cuddled up next to me. </div>
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(boo hoo)</div>
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okay, i had a really bad headache and had matthew crack my back and then i was trying to stretch. in true matthew fashion (he is my funniest brother) he had to make fun of me. i'm so lucky.</div>
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sorry about the quality of this picture, but this is the only group shot we got of my family before people started leaving. and it was dusk. whoops. and we all look so cute cause we've been camping for 3 days. </div>
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big whoop.</div>
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the dance was a success (of course with DJBeth and ADJMatthew). the food was delish. church was a scorcher. and as usual, the company stellar. </div>
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DFC 2014 will the be 50th campout. unreal, right? i feel cool being a part of such an awesome family!!</div>
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<br /><br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-81550532510063076982013-06-18T15:47:00.002-06:002013-06-18T15:47:13.543-06:00roommates<div style="text-align: center;">
have you met my roommates? </div>
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i like them. </div>
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and not just like they're nice, sort of like.</div>
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like we're actually friends, like.</div>
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like they come climb in my bed at the end of a long day and talk and laugh and take stupid pictures.</div>
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it's been a long time coming.</div>
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we've also been working on the yard and trying to make our house cool. </div>
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introducing sexy porch. </div>
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first roommate to get a smooch under those lights gets a prize.</div>
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we don't know what the prize is, but it will be good.</div>
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<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-91026424324827739682013-06-18T15:42:00.001-06:002013-06-18T15:42:18.415-06:00mothers dayWe started out mothers day by going to music and the spoken word. it was a great program, and Mitt Romney was there, so we figured it was the cool place to be. it was the perfect day -- we were welcoming the sun after the loooong winter and then rain we had for a few weeks.<br />
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the roommates</div>
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i'm a pretty lucky girl to have such great girlfriends :)</div>
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and in case you forgot what happens on mothers day in a family with a missionary:</div>
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it was so good to talk to Beb--to see her and hear her at the same time. maybe that sounds silly, but it was just good to see her smile and hear her laugh, especially when she feels so far away. we got to talk as a WHOLE FAMILY on google chat. can you see everyone at the bottom?? (beth, mom and dad and math, mark and sophie, beb, nathan, ryan and crew, and whit and crew). it was so fun, and so hard at the same time. i cried like baby when i had to say bye (whoops). sometimes i think about what she's doing everyday and i can't believe it. i'm so proud of her and her efforts in Thailand. </div>
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so basically, this mothers day rocked. </div>
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ps. i did talk to my mom on mothers day, and in case you guys didn't already know....i think she's the greatest thing in the world....my world, at least. </div>
<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-30865876326452853272013-06-18T15:29:00.002-06:002013-06-18T15:29:22.153-06:00his fathers son<div style="text-align: center;">
I love when I facetime with this dude and he shows me tricks. Such a show-off ...like someone else i know :)</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-47320030769981723172013-05-15T11:28:00.001-06:002013-05-15T11:28:21.426-06:00watch out, ya'llfirst things first-- <a href="http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/8-things-you-should-not-do-every-day.html">read this article.</a><br />
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ok. lets talk about it. i felt kind of cool when i felt like i was already very concious of a few of these things before some genius author person wrote and article about it. <br />
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but let's be real...number 6 punched me right in the gut. remember that one time i blogged about <a href="http://bethannelouise.blogspot.com/2012/03/bold-beth.html">bold beth?</a> don't get me wrong, its still very cool that i ran a half marathon, but lets actually apply #6 to different parts of life. going for that higher certification at work or heaven forbid--being vulnerable in a dating situation even though i might fall flat on my face. <br />
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why is it so hard to go for something when there is a chance you could fail? i'm trying to convince myself that it's worth taking a risk. is it worth looking a little silly or even feeling stupid? <br />
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i think it is. bold beth is back.Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-35990569535450461142013-04-22T22:08:00.000-06:002013-04-22T22:08:34.053-06:00the awakeningwarning: picture overload<br />
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Months ago I got an email from my cousin Carson inviting me on "the trip of a lifetime". Three days backpacking in the "fairied motherland of Rae Jean Davis". As a child, my grandma Davis would spend summers at her grandparents in Escalante, Utah. I've heard lovely stories about summers spent horseback riding, visiting posey lake, and spending time with her grandparents (and the local boys her age...in case you wonder where I get it). Years ago my whole extended family went to Escalante and actually stayed in my great-great-grandparents house that we rented out for visit. Cool, right? So even though Escalante is in the middle of no where, it's a special place to me.<br />
When Carson sent the email full of beautiful pictures of red rocks and arches and rivers and waterfalls, I committed to go. I got work off...all the while having no idea what I was getting myself into.<br />
We left after work on Thursday and got into camp at about 2 am. It was freezing, and Carson and Olivia were nice enough to set up camp. We went straight to bed, and with it being pitch black outside, I had no idea where we were.<br />
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We woke the next morning in Devils Garden, and after breakfast hiked around a bit. We thought it was so cool. We thought we were so cool (or was that just me?)</div>
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From Devils Garden, we drove to the slot canyons. Again, I had no clue what I was getting into, but I thought that me and my chacos were ready. We hiked down into the canyon and this is what was waiting for us...</div>
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Carson had done these slot canyons before, and he also knows the size of my hips, so I trusted that I would survive.</div>
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It was tricky at times, and for sure challenging-- but soooo cool! I still giggle a little bit when I look at these pictures. I really did that! We climbed up peek-a-boo slot canyon-- this is us after we climbed our way out--</div>
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again, you may think that we are a little too proud of ourselves. if you're thinking that, you should be ashamed of yourself. just kidding. but still, we were really proud and thought we were beyond cool. from here we hiked over to climb down spooky canyon (do i call it spooky canyon? or spooky slot canyon? or just spooky? I'll never learn...) while we were walking linds and I talked about a slew of things, one of which was a book that she recently read called "The Awakening". I think it was about women's rights or something, but it was quickly made the tag line of our trip. THE AWAKENING. Beth's awakening. More on this later....</div>
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our fearless and sexy leaders</div>
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lest you think it was a easy trek down spooky, there were several times I'd come up to something like this, and was just supposed to climb down that? I feel like it required alot of thinking on my part, trying to figure our how my short legs and wide hips would make it down things like this and around corners. </div>
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dont worry, we also came upon this beauty-- we called it the birth canal (sorry if thats gross or offensive). at this point we had already coined "the awakening" so it was easy to jump right into rebirth. A new Beth. Luckily Carson was on the other side to help with the drop once I shimmied my bod through there. Seriously.</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(my face in this picture is priceless. can you tell what i'm thinking? and no, i'm not crying...yet)</span></div>
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and then we hiked out....</div>
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...back to the car for lunch. I think this is by far the most delicious open face tuna sandwich I've ever tasted.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3UvwHNfKO0AB9b5uNSxBUYIScT0w9lmnjZVCqdspPRE-KUsI-b_SLw-tEWEuPpbBRF2Fm2kGTWt3hLEa3-DuZlFLBYrLlrDg55T46mzqqvb9SU6SO_mrTkwhx0NCKoDMz2pWP1YF_Hw/s1600/IMG_4480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq3UvwHNfKO0AB9b5uNSxBUYIScT0w9lmnjZVCqdspPRE-KUsI-b_SLw-tEWEuPpbBRF2Fm2kGTWt3hLEa3-DuZlFLBYrLlrDg55T46mzqqvb9SU6SO_mrTkwhx0NCKoDMz2pWP1YF_Hw/s320/IMG_4480.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is when we started packing our packs. Carsons advice was to pack alot, and then when we got there we could evaluate the weather and bring what we needed. Smart, right? We drove to our trailhead and off we went. This was the first time in my life hiking with a pack. I don't even think I was wearing it correctly at this point, but my chacos look cool, right?</div>
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and then we hiked....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSES6oIXQ_7XrEFnoUi0-m_2FltfwazLRsD-f8XfvwuXmFnVtRhQs8F9WRmHN96hBa50YKw7m-cMvWidgTUmpKUTaSOHxsWj_ZQtZU0C513gUh4I0o5dnzv8vRet7Fm8tQW0nYKPJFac/s1600/IMG_4488.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSES6oIXQ_7XrEFnoUi0-m_2FltfwazLRsD-f8XfvwuXmFnVtRhQs8F9WRmHN96hBa50YKw7m-cMvWidgTUmpKUTaSOHxsWj_ZQtZU0C513gUh4I0o5dnzv8vRet7Fm8tQW0nYKPJFac/s640/IMG_4488.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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.....across these rocks....for hours. This is when it gets sad. We had accidentally started at the wrong trailhead and ended up in the wrong spot (like couldn't get down into the canyon wrong spot).</div>
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So we turned around and hiked back to the car. That's when I started crying against my will. My feet hurt. It was hot. My back hurt. I was tired. And now we had to go hike to our real camping spot for the night on some cliff. It was getting dark. But guess what, we did it. I tied on my tennis shoes and we hiked until it got dark. We found the perfect little camping spot and I ate the most delicious ramen ever made. Seriously. </div>
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We packed up and headed to the cliff where we were going to hike down through a crack in the wall. </div>
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We lowered our packs down....</div>
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Do I look contemplative? Wonder what I'm looking at??</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">KABLAM. </span></div>
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Again, I was a little overwhelmed.</div>
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can you spot an arch?? </div>
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We finally got down to the river (I think it was called Calf Creek?). We called this the Garden of Eden because it was green and pretty! </div>
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And then we found the most stellar camping spot of all time:</div>
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Thank the dear heavens for this camp. It was soft cool sand, so we took our shoes off and walked around barefoot. We left our packs and headed out on our hike up to Jacob Hamblin Arch. The afternoon was spent in and out of river...</div>
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Coyote Arch</div>
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We finally made it!! It was as grand as Carson said it would be.</div>
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And just like that we headed back to camp. We got there before dark, giving us just enough time to filter some water and make some dinner. Our little campsite sat up on the bank of some petrified sand, and some smarty pants backpackers that came before us had carved chairs into the edge of it. This is me sitting in my magic chair. We called it "Jace" because thats who's name was carved into the chair. "Elle" wasn't nearly as comfortable. If i hadn't been concerned about being cold or wild animals, I would have slept right there.</div>
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Carson even made us popcorn for an evening treat-- fancy, right? I was a happy girl.</div>
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The next morning we woke up to hike out. Knowing we hiked alllll the way down into the canyon on soft sand made me more than nervous. That was the only way out...hiking up a huge mountain of soft beachy sand. Slow and steady wins the race, and with Carsons help (he came back down after he finished and took my pack and hiked up the rest of the way with me-- can you say lifesaver?) WE MADE IT BACK TO THE TOP! I gave a riveting "awakening" speech, and then it was back through crack in the wall and on our way to the car.</div>
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It was so nice to talk with Linds as we crossed the rocky terrain. It was slow paced, and we talked about what we had learned about ourselves on this trip. Olivia joked at one point that there sure was alot of symbolism on this trip. Seriously though, we had a parallel for everything- from awakening to rebirth. I realized I can do hard things. Things I don't like. Things I would rather not do. And even if it's hard, or challenging, or painful, I can still accomplish those things and feel good about my effort. It exhausting, but worth it.</div>
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We finished! This is us at the trailhead after all was said and done. Like how my hands are on the buckle? I think my pack was off in about 3 seconds and I had my shoes off in about 5. I was a happy girl to sit in that car.</div>
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We drove into Escalante to see our family home. It's more run down than I remember, but it's still standing. (for the record, I'm talking about the house, not us. I know we look run down, but we're not that bad, right? Maybe you'd say differently if you'd seen us limping over there to take that picture!)</div>
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And then we went to Nemos (just a local burger place) that by some miracle was open on Sunday. Carson got the largest hamburger ever made. We ate onion rings and chicken fingers and...wait for it... they had good ice. I almost wept. Carson went back and got me my own big cup for the road-- now that's love.</div>
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And there you have it. I still can't believe it happened. If I didn't have blisters and a wicked limp, I'd question these pictures. Everyone keeps asking, "so how was it?" </div>
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It was hard. I hated parts of it. I loved parts of it. The company was exceptional. It was challenging. It was scary at times. My body hated me. My feet hurt. I hate chacos. It was beautiful. The weather was perfect. I learned alot about myself, emotionally. I learned my body can do things I didn't think it could. I would like to say I learned a little bit about backpacking. I ate trail mix and dehydrated eggs and ham.</div>
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It was the trip of a lifetime.</div>
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So long Escalante.</div>
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In case you're wondering, my next trip will be to <i>CITY CREEK</i>. I think I'll buy a sandwich and sit next to that little babbling brook and reminisce about "the awakening".</div>
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<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-67438219365049395412013-04-04T16:41:00.003-06:002013-04-04T16:41:29.624-06:00my mom is cooler than your mom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you know me at all, you know I like a good craft. I owe every crafty bone in my body to my mother-- the ultimate crafter. now that she has a little more time on her hands, she started quilting with a local quilting store that has a monthly square until you have a surprise finished product. She had this much done when I was home in January before Beb left on her mission. Impressive, right? I continue to learn more and more about my mother the older I get. She is one of the most kind and most talented people I know-- from the kitchen to the sewing machine, to book clubs to being a listening ear. If I turn out to be just like my mom, I'll be one lucky lady :)</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-29594767511589332662013-04-01T10:00:00.000-06:002013-04-01T10:00:07.823-06:00challengetoday starts my 90 day challenge. my challenge to eat better, exercise more and hopefully end up in a smaller pant size with more energy. remember that one time i signed up for a half marathon last year, didn't train, finished it anyways and then swore i would never do that again? i'm all about proving myself wrong, i guess. i've signed up for the same exact race, but already seem more prepared than last time. i know the course, and for some reason knowing that i've completed it once before makes me feel a little bit of confidence that maybe i can do it again. (fingers crossed)<div>
i also have a hiking trip planned. i know, i know, i don't even like hiking. can you believe i actually took time off work and am driving hours away to camp and wear a pack and hike around. i hear the view is pretty great. don't worry, i'll be taking pictures.</div>
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i'll try to keep you posted on this 90 day challenge business. it's one of those things that starts out being personal, and by the end i want to shout it from the rooftops. i'm excited to track my progress and see change, and i'll be excited if you want to join me! </div>
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something about the sun being out just gets me excited for change. get rid of the snow-- green trees, flowers, blue skies. there is change in the air, and i love it!!</div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-81357138983262558932013-03-13T22:25:00.002-06:002013-03-13T22:25:14.765-06:00spring forwardsometimes i write very long posts --spilling my guts-- and then i delete them. and then i sit here and stare at an empty screen and think about how i have nothing to write. i'm trying so hard to make this blog what it was before, and then i get frustrated with myself when i can't puts any thoughts or experiences on here without thinking that i'm sharing too much.<br />
i'm starting to realize that this blog is different now, and for good reason.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> i'm different now</span>. it's been a weird road for me to realize that i'm different, and a little convincing for me to say that its a good different and not a <i>depressing</i> different.<br />
i read other friends blogs-- friends with kids and husbands. mothers and wives are needed in a way that i'm just not. and thats ok, its just different. i like to read about how my friends are potty training their kids and learning to be parents. i love watching my friends in new phases of life, and sometimes i wish i was in that same phase of life. and then i remember that i really am happy with my current life.<br />
then i read other blogs or see facebook pages of friends who are going on trips and going to parties. i get tired just looking at their pictures. how do they have so much energy? do they really like all those people in all of those pictures? are they really even friends with all those people? i get exhausted, and then i feel old. but then i remember that i really am very happy with the newest version of myself.<br />
here's a few random facts about the newest beth that you might not know:<br />
1. if i had my choice i would be in bed sound asleep before 10:30 every single night. maybe even on weekends.<br />
2. i hate my current kitchen. i love to cook and would do it on a much more regular basis if i had a different kitchen.<br />
3. i like nuts now. in fact, i eat almonds on a regular basis. ok fine, let's just say i like almonds because those are actually the only kind of nuts i like....but still, that's a big deal people.<br />
4. i like small groups better. i remember a time where i loved having my house packed full of people wandering in and out of rooms, getting food from the fridge like it was their house, music playing and a handful of conversations i could join. don't get me wrong.... i still like a good party but i'm much more comfortable now in a smaller group.<br />
5. number 4 might be partly because i get distracted way too easily. i thought it was bad before, but now it's really really bad. and then i forget, which basically means that things dont get done, or conversations don't get finished, and so on. it basically makes me look like i've really got my stuff together, you know, all those ducks in a row. basically, the smaller the group, the more focused i am. focus is good.<br />
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and in case you're wondering, theres some good old things that havent changed (and probably never will...)<br />
1. i'm so disorganized. this is basically a very nice way of saying my bedroom is constantly a mess. the fact that i rarely make my bed also plays into that, but oh well.<br />
2. i still eat ice. my mom called this week concerned about my teeth. she wants me to see our family dentist next time i'm home. (i'm actually horribly nervous about this. will blog about feelings soon)<br />
3. i still hate the winter. i still love the summer. i'm very very happy that it is spring. the snow is melting. the sun stays out past 5 pm. just wait until the grass turns green. i'll be so happy you wont know what to do with yourselves.<br />
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i feel like i'm starting to accept that it's good to change. and it's good to be the same. i guess that's all a part of growing up?<br />
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here's to spring. and being different. the good kind of different :)Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-87271733307491445982013-02-24T20:25:00.002-07:002013-02-24T20:25:43.638-07:00#realtalki am a bad dater.<br />
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i'm not afraid to admit it. i guess it's better to know that and say it outloud than pretend it "must just be all those weirdos" out there i find myself spending a few hours with here and there. they say the first step is admitting theres an issue....and usually if there is a "first step", then a second step follows, right? i'm assuming the second step is to become a better dater? except i don't really know how to do that.<br />
either it's been really really smart or really really bad that in the past i seem to have dated my friends. friendships turned into relationships? it actually worked...for a while, until it didn't anymore. and before you ask, i have tried online dating before. it didn't end well (like worse than when i dated my friends), so i've kind of decided that i should steer clear of that. i'm not saying i'll never do it again, but for right now its just not my thing.<br />
my most recent problem is i don't know what i want. i have so many people who want to set me up and the first question i get asked is "what are you looking for?" or "what kind of guy do you like?" great question, right? i don't have an answer.<br />
ok, its not like i'm looking for a bum off the streets. to make it simple, i usually tell people at work who ask me:<br />
1- he has to be a boy<br />
2- he has to be single<br />
3- he has to like girls (yes, i have to specify)<br />
4- he has to be mormon<br />
5- please let him already have his education<br />
6- and please don't be a stick in the mud<br />
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when it comes to other things? i'm not quite sure. when i look at the people i've dated in the past, they're all different, and i'm trying really hard to never say "he's not my type" or "i would never end up with someone like that"...because without my knowing, maybe they are my type and exactly who i'll end up with.<br />
this makes it a little difficult in my search for mr. right. how do i look when i don't really know what i'm looking for? ok, maybe that's a little extreme, but it's still easy to feel that way sometimes. i find myself meeting people or spending time with people and having a great time, but then coming home and not even knowing how i feel. do i like them? could i like them? and then talking myself out of the idea that they would ever be interested in me, so it's better for me to just leave it alone.<br />
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you'd think by 30 i'd have a nice little list of what i'm looking for and what i don't. instead this just confirms that the older i get, the less i know.Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-83564067772054905052013-02-23T12:58:00.001-07:002013-02-23T12:58:16.229-07:00winter woes<div style="text-align: center;">
i had plans today. and now it looks like this outside with no sign of sun:</div>
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and yeah, i'm standing on my front porch. i don't dare go much further. it snowed a bit yesterday morning, and then the sun came out and melted everything that might have been shoveled. i have high hopes that the same will happen today, but i know in my deep downs that i'll be out in an hour shoveling that stupid driveway.</div>
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this winter is a big downer. not good for the soul. and not good for my house. it seems to be falling apart. i feel bad texting my landlord because i just feel like there is more and more to fix. boo.</div>
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when you come over, you might want to use the side door. with all the snow dripping, then melting, then freezing, melting dripping, more snow...you get the idea. our front steps basically get worse every day. we've told our landlord, but only at the beginning. i feel bad telling her it's as bad as it is now--and seeing how it just keeps snowing, there's not much that can be done about it now. </div>
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our sink is a hot mess. the faucet has been dripping for months now. our landlord bought us this beauty:</div>
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but it's just been sitting in our house. in the box. can you install a faucet? please come visit me.</div>
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we also had some old water damage that was fixed recently. its wonderful to not have a big water stain on my ceiling anymore, but we were left with this:</div>
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so much for being done with painting. now we get to repaint these stripes :)</div>
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its ok really, and we actually told our landlord that we would repaint ourselves after she offered to have someone come in. it will be major motivation for us to paint our kitchen, which is still a lovely shade of olive green. bad news for the kitchen and the stripes (ok, and the coffee table)...when it's snowing outside, the last thing i want to do it paint. in fact, i just want to sit and watch a marathon of stupid movies on the lifetime channel. </div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-66967796771851658022013-02-07T15:49:00.001-07:002013-02-08T08:56:58.218-07:00mission blessings.<div style="text-align: center;">
conversation at work today:</div>
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co-worker : bethany, i know you're not married because you're picky.</div>
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me : like, too picky? you're just telling me i'm picky?</div>
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cw : no, not <i>too</i> picky. but i know you won't shack up with the first person who tells you you're cute.</div>
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me : ok</div>
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seriously though. </div>
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remember that one time melissa left on her mission??</div>
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weird. that girl was ready to go into the mtc. i dont think she was quite as ready to give me her computer. (remember how generous she was to literally <i>gift</i> me her apple computer? ps...i need someone to show me how to use it)</div>
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she was brave. she is brave. and she'll be an excellent missionary. i laid in bed last night and thought about her first day in the mtc and then i thought about all of the lives she would bless. beb has a way of connecting with people. i know that she will make long lasting friends, build binding relationships and learn eternal lessons. i'm just plain excited for her.</div>
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plus, she gifted me all of her blessings from her mission. you heard me. any blessings my family might get for her serving a mission? she said they're reserved for me. "now go find your husband and then bring him over to thailand to pick me up" </div>
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okay, okay.....twist my arm.</div>
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-14564964106056403372013-01-07T15:09:00.000-07:002013-01-07T15:09:03.942-07:00the love of my life<img height="425" src="http://www.bluelemon.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/house-soup1.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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Butternut Squash soup from Blue Lemon has had my heart for a few months now. seriously, if you haven't had it, you need to go.<br />
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so if you wonder why i go to city creek so much, it's not really to shop or be trendy or listen to bearded men sing on saturday nights.....it's for this soup (and maybe the bearded man a little bit)<br />
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if you decide you want to go, but you don't want to go by yourself....i guess i could go with you.Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-87657837585272694922013-01-03T12:19:00.001-07:002013-01-03T12:19:29.084-07:00twenty thirteenits a new year, can you believe it?<br />
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i had a nice talk about resolutions and goals with cousin lindsey. i feel like thats a pretty personal conversation -- seeing as how setting goals and resolutions usually means you are trying to do things differently or be better, which requires you to point out and acknowledge your weaknesses or faults. <br />
so i'm not going to talk about my resolutions. or goals. so there.<br />
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i saw someone post as their facebook status that "2012 was bad, but 2013 is going to be awesome". while i admire their optimism...if 2012 was so bad, what's going to keep 2013 from being the same? i think that's where my mind went when i thought of what i want to do differently this year. it's not so much what you write down on the list, but the attitude that you have on a daily basis. i can make good out of any situation, and that's what i plan to do. <br />
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so here's to 2013. more discipline. more committment. more confidence. and alot of tuna fish sandwiches.<br />
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ps. christmas was great. new years was great. i'll post about those sometime soon :)<br />
<br />Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-2642027515972106932012-11-27T15:29:00.002-07:002012-11-27T15:29:20.580-07:00googlea couple of weeks ago, cindy and i were looking for something on google. somehow we ended up google searching eachother and then looking under images. i hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. i don't know why it was so funny, but we enjoyed playing "this is you" for at least 20 minutes.<div>
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this one time about 7 years ago this guy i'd had a crush on for a long time asked me out on a date. holy cow, i was on cloud nine. because of a few silly scheduling conflicts, we never ended up going out. sometimes i still think about this kid. he's probably married with 18 kids by now...but sometimes i google him. ok, i know that sounds creepy....but guess what--he's no where to be found. (which is probably what you want when you're going to med school and applying to different programs, right? the last thing you want is for them to find weird pictures or videos of you on the internet...). i think i've secretly accepted it as a challenge. eventually he has to finish med school and start practicing, right? and then maybe i'll be having stomach pain or hurt my knee or need reconstructive surgery or a hip replacement <span style="font-size: x-small;">(i obviously have no clue what kind of medicine he wanted to practice)</span> and then maybe on accident schedule an appointment.</div>
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ok, so this is not serious at all. except the "google"ing. that really happened.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(do you think it would be flattering to find out someone was "google"ing you? or just really creepy? ok, maybe don't answer that...)</span><br /><div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-9280554242981379212012-11-27T11:16:00.000-07:002012-11-27T11:16:11.704-07:00it's about to get personal...<span style="font-size: large;">...i hope thats ok.</span><br />
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yesterday i flipped through my blog posts this past year. it didn't take long, which is when i realized i really didn't blog very much in 2012. there aren't many posts, and every post seemed like a desperate effort to "catch up". most of the posts seemed pretty formal--hard to believe i was writing about my life for close friends and family to read. <br />
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of course i started thinking. it was on my mind most of the day, so when we had a little cousin chat last night and andrew asked what was on my mind...i accidently shared all of my thoughts. luckily, andrew and cindy are smart cousins and listened...and then gave great counsel. <br />
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i've always considered myself a pretty open book. i love for my friends and family to know the ins and outs of my life. it makes me happy to have people involved. but of course, there are those things that you don't just tell any joe schmoe on the street. once upon a time i told those things to someone. it was hard. i was vulnerable. it was scary. and then he left. <br />
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this isn't a pity party or a sob story by any means. without trying, i think i found myself shutting down. ultimately i was embarassed that i had shared things so personal with someone and then didn't see the fruits from what i thought was a big accomplishment. i had learned my lesson, and the last thing i was going to do was to share anything personal again. heaven forbid. <br />
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so there you have it. if you've asked me in the past year how things are going, i will most likely say "good". how's work? "i love it". roomates? "they are great". ward? "so fun". family? "same old same old"<br />
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lame, right? without even realizing it i was closing off. so last night chatting with cousins i decided i needed to change. i like sharing details of my life with people, but have just been afraid to do it. so let this be a warning to you. maybe just be more careful when you ask how i'm doing because i might actually tell you. and watch out, i might actually start sharing real details of my life on this blog.<br />
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just to jumpstart my new found courage to share my business.....<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">my sister is going on a mission</span>. again, something you might know...but do you know how i feel about it? because i haven't really talked about it <span style="font-size: x-small;">(except maybe being a little excited that she asked me to babysit her really nice computer while she's gone...which is so incredibly generous of her</span><span style="font-size: small;">). i have so many mixed emotions. i'm so excited for her to go, but so nervous at the same time. nervous for her. </span><br />
she's been a good friend. a good sister. and she's always a phonecall away. everytime i go home to visit my parents, she sleeps in my bed (even though she has her own room with her own bed just down the hallway). she always tickles my arm. she always tells me my hair looks cute. she always seems interested in my love life. she laughs at my jokes. she knows what i'm thinking when i make "that face" from the other side of the room. she tells me her secrets...and she makes me tell her mine. she keeps me young and hip. <br />
so when i guess i say i'm nervous for her, i'm actually nervous for <em>me.</em> nervous how i'm going to get through the next 18 months without her here. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(ok, i know we'll both be fine....but still)</span><br />
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needless to say the next month and a half is going to be a little difficult for me. i tend to be a little emotional through the holidays anyways (<span style="font-size: x-small;">i can't control it! happens with age, i guess)</span><span style="font-size: small;"> and then add in the fact that my sister is leaving, 2 of my brothers live far away, its cold, and christmas this year is going to be me, my parents and sweet matthew....</span><br />
things aren't bad, they're just different. and thats ok. i might just cry about it from time to time :) <br />
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so there you have it folks. the new and improved beth who likes to be around people and share details of her life is back in action. i'm really glad i had my little cousin chat last night. i didn't plan to resolve and issue i was still trying to even understand existed. it's always nice to have people in my life who encourage, support and motivate me to be my best self. <em>you</em> are those people and i'm pretty lucky to have you around. so, faithful readers--<span style="font-size: x-small;">(does anybody still even read this??)</span><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: large;">thank you.</span> thanks for being my friend.</span><br />
Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-2305536331456718422012-11-17T21:07:00.002-07:002012-11-17T21:07:58.177-07:00i'm out of hibernation... i think.<br />
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i feel like things have been really busy lately, and not busy all at the same time.<br />
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<li>one of my headlights went out on my car and i drove it around like that for over 2 weeks. yeah, i'm that girl. lucky for you, i'm going home to las vegas for thanksgiving, so i all the sudden feel the need to have my car in tip top shape. that includes cleaning out the back seat, which hasn't actually happened yet, but it will. thanks to jiffy lube for overcharging me for one headlight.</li>
<li>we only have a few things to paint in our house (coffee table, side table, kitchen table). i'm not rushed to paint any of those things. it's really nice to feel like things are getting settled. No, we haven't put any of our kitchen stuff away yet. baby steps...</li>
<li>we are getting a new dishwasher and a new kitchen faucet next week. thank goodness because i think we are all sick of washing our own dishes, and sick of a nasty leaky faucet that makes our kitchen smell like rotten eggs. (ok, i really think it's an issue with the disposal...we'll bring it up to the plumber that comes to install our new goodies next week. </li>
<li>i am a part of the "circle of excellence" at work. i didn't know what that meant until i went to the luncheon they held for 125 employees that were identified by their managers as high performers. cool, right? thanks for lunch, and the gift card. </li>
<li>a few weeks ago was national opthalmic technician week. i had no clue, but one of my doctors brought in breakfast one day, another doctor bought lunch another day, and then i got a really nice card signed by a few of the doctors i work with. let me just say that i really like my doctors. they are rad, and i'm lucky that i get to work with them and learn from them. i guess you could say i'm liking my job right now.</li>
<li>my brother and sister-in-law and niece just moved to san francisco. break my heart! i'm so excited for them and their new adventure. can't wait to visit!!!</li>
<li>getting ready to plan a trip to the great state of indiana. face timing with ryan and halie and frank is just not cutting it. </li>
<li>christmas this year is just going to be me, mom, dad and matthew. weird, right? i've been talking to my mom about starting a few new traditions this year. weird to think that this is matthews last christmas at home before he leaves on his mission. </li>
<li>my twin nephews turned 10 last month. whaaaaattt?? they turned one while i was doing my semester in nauvoo, which basically means next year makes 10 years since i was in nauvoo. i'm getting old...</li>
<li>i can pull my hair into a pony tail. this is a big deal, peeps. beb has been trying to get me to grow my hair our past my shoulders...which i have never done before in my life. the idea is starting to grow on me. maybe i've even considered extensions. ok, so i would never really do that, but still.</li>
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ok, that was a lot of rambling information. i'm going to try to be better with updates. pictures to come. i promise!!</div>
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1660608813077477552.post-9342930336120647842012-10-08T16:44:00.002-06:002012-10-08T16:44:46.943-06:00falling for falleveryone keeps posting about how much they like october, and fall, and halloween, and the leaves, and cooler weather, and hot chocolate. i haven't done that yet, because i think i'm still learning to like fall. don't get me wrong, it's gorgeous outside. it's nice to enjoy cooler weather and pull out my sweaters. but do you know what comes after fall?? WINTER. i'm trying to prepare myself for that, and knowing that i get to park in a GARAGE this winter might just make me feel differently about the whole snow thing.<br />
i've actually made of list of shows and movies that i want to watch and wont allow myself to see them now. i'll wait until it's cold outside. until everyone is calling me wanting me to go snowboarding and sledding and go to temple square 5 times in one week. then i can say "sorry, i have things to do at home"...and now you know those things are rewatching lost from beginning to end (don't judge me).<br />
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i bought a couch last week. and a lamp. and paint. there's just a few different projects happening in my house right now that i'm thrilled about. maybe if you're lucky, i'll post some pictures of the changes happening.<br />
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conference weekend was great, and i was so excited and surprised about the changes made for missionaries. weird to think that melissa could have already gone and been back. even weirder to think that my youngest brother will be of age right after graduation...which makes me feel like he's growing up way too fast. it can't be good for anyones health to have your youngest sibling grow up. <br />
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and ps, one of our residents today told me he thought it was great i chewed ice. nice crunchy treat, plus it burns calories because la di da something about lowering my core temperature or something like that. i already liked this resident, but now i like him even more. and i know all about lowering my core temperature. i've been found in my house eating a cup of ice sitting directly in front of my space heater. <br />
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just another reason winter is difficult for me... :)<br />
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and just because i think it's lame to post without a picture, here's a recent screen shot from facetime with my brother. some things never change... (and just be grateful i didn't post that other picture, ry)<br />
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Bethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03717031500591338111noreply@blogger.com1