ALEXANDRIA

The adventures continue...

2012-02-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2012

The adventures in the Singles Ward definitely continued today! It seems that Fast Sunday brings out the best, worst, weirdest...whatever you want to call it, in people! I decided that the best way for me to remember all of the fabulous moments of the day would be to take notes. Here they are...

1. Dude in sunglasses talking about how he works in a donut shop & how people get really upset when they run out of their favorite donut. "Who knew that over fried dough and sugar people would lose their minds?" But don't worry because when we die, heaven has every kind of donut!!

2. Apparently the gospel is like stubbing your toe??

3. We are playing 'NINJA' for Family Home Evening tomorrow. Not quite sure what that is, but pretty sure I am much too old to play!

4. There is a new calling in our ward, The Dating Coordinator! Must find his # out and put him in my 'Do Not Answer' phonebook!!

5. Role Playing in Relief Society how to do our Visiting Teaching! Thank you for showing me how to pick up the phone and call my partner to set up an appointment...it was VERY helpful!

I seriously cannot believe that my life has led me to this point in my life. I feel like I am way to old to deal with the shenanigans that go on in our Singles Ward. The only thing I can do is try and find humor in this patch of life I am in! Haha I hope your Sunday was just as fabulous!! :)

Photo A Day Challenge

2012-02-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

Last month all of my friends were taking part in a January Photo-A-Day challenge on Instagram. I, unfortunately, did not catch on until it was too late. But lucky for me there is now a February challenge. I cannot wait to start this today.

http://www.fatmumslim.com.au/ is one of my new favorite blogs, and thanks to her I look forward to each day! If you have an instagram account all you have to do is post your picture of the day with #febphotoaday in the comments. Then you can follow what everyone else is posting! You can follow me on Instagram under alsoel, and if I am not already following you let me know! It is one of my favorite obsessions!
If you don't have Instagram, still join in and add them to your blog, scrapbook or facebook! If all else fails it gives us something fun to do besides dwell on this awful winter weather!

Adventures in the Singles Ward

2012-01-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

So I have decided that I need to start documenting my experiences in the Singles Ward. We just recently changed wards and it is AWFUL! I can't even focus because there are always so many awkward things going on around me! For those of you who have not had the joys of experiencing this fabulousness I hope I can paint a clear picture for you....

SUNDAY JANUARY 29, 2012

Church started off with my roommates and I running into church late. Luckily there was a bench in the back of the chapel that was empty, because most weeks we make the grand entrance and are forced to walk to the front as everyone is staring at us! Sacrament starts and everything is going good. The first speaker is the only cute guy in our entire ward, which may have helped us actually pay attention.

The next 2 speakers seemed to drag on and on and on...

During these 2 speakers Michelle and I started to notice all of the awkwardness going on around us. It got to be too much and it took all we had not to start laughing out loud!

Awkward moment #1: the three people having a VERY LOUD conversation while everyone is trying to listen to the speakers. This happens every week in all 3 meetings. I personally find it so rude, but they seem to be having a grand ole' time!

Awkward moment #2: the guy sitting behind us sucking up snot every 5 seconds. This was no ordinary sniffle...it was a full blown gargle that started from his throat and ended probably at the top of his brain! DISGUSTING!

Awkward moment #3: Our ward has decided that once Sacrament Meeting is over they will have each of the committee chair members come up and make announcements for the upcoming week. This in its self is awkward. We have had engaged couples come up & invite us to their weddings, a guy come up and do a dance and then tell us that he lost a bet...the list goes on & on! But today's awkward moment was when someone announced the wrong date for an activity and a girl proceeded to yell from her seat in the congregation the correct date. Apparently people find this normal...?

Awkward moment #4: The same girl that yelled in Sacrament decided to give us a reminder on this activity during Sunday School. And I quote, "we will be meeting at the church at 7:30 and all that CRAP." This may seem insignificant but when you go from that to a lesson that is supposed to be about the Savior I find that just a tad bit inappropriate.

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I know there were many more awkward moments but that is all I can think of at the moment. Needless to say I have never wanted to get married or do anything I can to get out of the singles ward. I feel like I go a little more crazy each week and I am just happy that I at least have my roommates to share this experience with! If you ever feel like your ward is bad, please feel free to visit mine one day...You will never feel that way again! Haha

Ready Set Go...

2012-01-24T22:08:00.001-07:00

These days my life feels like one big rush! I am currently working 2 very time consuming jobs and I am constantly on the go! I leave my house at 7:00 am (more like 7:15...it is amazing how precious those 15 extra minutes of sleep can be!) and go to my regular 8-5 job at Zions Bank in Salt Lake City. Besides working full-time at Zions I also work for the television station KJZZ. So every night that there is a Jazz game I go straight from the bank to the game! Needless to say I don't get home until around 11:00 pm! Lucky for me I LOVE being on the go and really would not have it any other way!

I graduated in Broadcast Journalism a few years ago and I am extremely lucky to have this job with KJZZ. I work behind the scenes on the Pre, Half & Post game show with some pretty amazing guys like former Jazz player Thurl Bailey and Hall of Fame coach Phil Johnson!

Plus I can't complain when I run into some of the Jazz players in the halls before the game! I am still crossing my fingers that Paul Millsap will realize how much he ♥'s me! :)

With this crazy schedule it is no wonder that I am still a 26 year old single white female! But I have decided that I love this craziness and until someone comes around that makes me love them more...WHY NOT work 16 hour work days! :)

I Have A Dream...

2012-01-16T13:10:00.001-07:00

Today is Martin Luther King Day, and I cannot help but feel gratitude for this amazing man. This particular speech is such an inspiration to me and I love how powerful his words are. He saw and had to live through so many horrible things, and the fact that he was still willing and able to stand up for what he believed in is why he is that inspiration. He had unwavering faith that our nation could turn around, and that people could change their way of thinking to make this a better country for all people. It is because of him and many many others that people like my family can be where we are today!

I know that this country is definitely not where it should be yet. There are still many people who judge others by the color of their skin, instead of judging them by their character. There are still people who look at my family and do not understand it. But to me, my family is no different than yours. Black, White, Brown, Yellow, Pink...it doesn't matter! I think we should all take a minute today and reflect on the things that really matter in life! I think we should change the way we think about others and the situations they are in. Martin Luther King Jr. died for his cause. He died trying to show his children that they could have a better way of life, that no matter what they wanted to be when they grew up it could be possible. I hope each of us will ponder the meaning of this day, and not just look at it as another day off from work! Thank you Dr. King for being such an amazing example!

Dating vs. Job Interview

2012-01-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

The more I date the more I find similarities between dating and job interviews! You can officially call me the 'Queen of Blind Dates' because that is apparently the only kind of dating I do. In Utah it seems like if you are over the age of 21 and not married something must be wrong...and heaven forbid you are 26 and still single! (*GASP*) I have officially become the 'project' among relatives, friends, and co-workers who are all married. It is now their duty to find people to set me up with! At first I was a little offended, but now my theory is "what could it hurt? At the very least it is a free meal!"

Before every blind date I go on I find myself running through the questions that he could ask me & rehearsing what the best answer might be! I also do this as I am waiting in the lobby for a job interview.

Possible Date Question: What do you like to do for fun?

Answer: I like to be outdoors & go 4-wheeling (as long as I am not out there for very long & there is running water wherever we are), I love to scrapbook, I like to just hang out with friends (In my sweats, after a day full of shopping) blah blah blah.

Interview Question: What are your best qualities?

Answer: I am a hard worker, trustworthy, fast learner...(the list can go on)

For some reason it seems MUCH easier to answer the Job Interview questions. When did dating become more stressful than finding a job? Why don't I feel like I can just be myself and tell him that I don't really like camping because I really like to wash my hair and use a normal bathroom? Haha, but instead I feel like I have to impress him by having similar hobbies etc. What happens when it works out and he realizes I am not the granola girl he thought I was?

Moral of the story is the more I worry about these small things in dating the more stressful it becomes! I have decided that from now on I am going to be no one but myself & if he doesn't like it and doesn't ask me out again then that is his prerogative! I have been on a few dates since making this discovery and it is refreshing how much more fun I have on dates! My life is full of amazing people and work that I love! If he doesn't want to be a part of that then I guess it is his loss!

2011 Recap

2012-01-08T23:21:00.002-07:00

2011 was a really good year. I feel like it went by way too quick, but I am so grateful for all of the fun, hard, challenging experiences I was able to experience!

First of all I was able to start a new job in March. I am still working for Zions bank, but I am now working in the Private Banking department Downtown. It has been such an amazing change! I actually enjoy going into work and it is nice to have a boss that acknowledges the hard work that I do for once! It has been one of the best decisions I have made! This is the view that I get to look at everyday! Who wouldn't love that?!

Also in March, Grace and I had the life changing experience of going to the Lady Gaga concert in Salt Lake City. ( I am still not certain if it was the best decision on my part to take my 11 year old sister ) It was by far one of the craziest, most entertaining concerts I have ever been to. I have never seen so many "interesting" people all in one place in my entire life! Definitely won't be forgetting that!

In May I made the big decision to go through the Temple and receive my endowments. This was a very big decision for me, and one that I had been contemplating for a long time. I had always imagined myself going through for my first time right before I got married. But I just had a feeling that I could not shake that this was the right time for me to go through. I am SO glad that I did. I have learned so much and have had so many wonderful blessings brought to my life because of that decision. It is an amazing feeling to go into the Lord's house and feel his spirit, and I am so glad that I can now make that a regular piece of my life! My testimony has grown tremendously and it makes me so excited for what lies ahead!

In June my family took a road trip to San Francisco. With Scott & Sadie getting married the next month, and Jordan not around it turned out to only be my parents, Grace and I. We had such a blast and us girls definitely kept my dad on his toes. He now refers to the 4 of us as "Just us girls?" Haha but I really don't think he would have it any other way!

The beach was always FREEZING but we had to go anyways! It was too beautiful to stay away!

With the queens of scrapbooking, my dad got dragged to all the typical touristy spots so we could take pictures!

While we were there we were able to go to a Giants Baseball game, did plenty of shopping, and even took the train to Oakland when we were actually trying to go up the street a couple of blocks. (I take full responsibility, California's train system is WAY more complicated than NYC's subways!)

The following month in July my cute brother Scott got married to Sadie! They had a beautiful ceremony up at the Logan temple and then a reception back in Kaysville. I am so happy for them and the fun life they have created together! We love adding 1 more girl to our family!

In October I turned the ripe ol' age of 26! I still cannot believe it. When I think back to when I was in high school etc. I never would have guessed that I would be where I am today. I thought for sure that I would be married, with kids...blah blah blah. But I am really grateful for the way my life has turned out! I have been able to experience and see so many amazing things that never would have happened if things had turned out the way I expected them to!

In October I was expecting to start working at the Jazz games again, but the NBA players decided that they wanted to make more money so I got stuck not working until December because of the lockout! It was kind of nice to have an extra 2 months to relax, but I am glad that my busy schedule is back in full swing!

December was probably one of my favorite months! My dad and I took a road trip to Denver to see the Denver Broncos play agains (My Team) The New England Patriots! It was my very first NFL game and it was one of the funnest things I have ever done! We were so lucky and had amazing 60 degree weather for the game, and I was lucky because my team WON! We had awesome seats and no beer was thrown on me for cheering for the other team! It was a very successful weekend!

All in all 2011 was a really great year! I am so thankful for all of my family and friends who were there to support me in everything! I cannot wait to see what this new year has in store!

another attempt at blogging

2011-07-23T23:25:00.000-06:00

Well I am back and attempting another round in the blogging world!
My life is so super busy so we will see how long it lasts this time :)