Pint Size

No, I'm not referring to myself... but I just had to mention that I think whoever created pint sized ice cream is a freaking genius. Seriously- I mean there are so many pros rather than cons to this ingenious creation! For one, I can buy one during my lunch break and bring it to work and sneak it to my desk with out looking like a ginormous pig. Plus it makes me feel not so much like a pig because it's small, and don't worry- I don't usually eat the whole thing in one sitting. It can last me for two or three sittings even.
I love ice cream. I love pint sized ice cream. That's all I'm saying. What's your favorite pint sized ice cream? Today I had Häagen-Dazs LITE Blueberry Cheesecake for the first time... not bad.

I know, I'm on a roll

I know, I know... where is all of this coming from? Why the blogging so much lately? I'm not sure... guess I'm feeling inspired to share my opinions or something. I'm like ultra aware of the people and things around me lately too... I must be waking from my "I've got a wedding to plan" mode. I'm just chilling here at work, listening to my little stereo that looks like a silver ice cube and I have Imogen Heap playing. Some of you know who she is, some don't. Some of you know how much I love her, some of you don't care. SO I need to share my opinion. Yes, she's a little on the wacky side. Some have compared her to Bjork- which in a musical sense, I feel she's WAY more talented and more easily understood and easier to relate to lyric wise. I love Bjork, don't get me wrong- but she is definitely an acquired taste and she is a little wacky herself. Maybe it's her culture, I don't know. Need I remind you of the swan dress?

Anyway, I bring all this mumbo-jumbo up because I was highly disappointed with the Grammy's decision on "Best New Artist". Well, in reality, I was highly disappointed with a lot of the Grammy's that were awarded... but that's a whole other issue- I wont go there. The Nominee's for Best New Artist were: Carrie Underwood, Corinne Bailey Rae, Imogen Heap, James Blunt and Chris Brown. Personally I think it's a conspiracy, because Carrie Underwood of ALL of those artist WON. AH! Okay, I've listen to like TWO of her songs and they're vanilla- not bad, but just vanilla. Some might like vanilla and are fine with that, but I guess I like mine with mix-ins and stuff like that. I'm not too familiar with the other artists music, other than that HORRIBLE song "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt. I do know however of Imogen's talent. As crazy as the woman may be- she basically produced, wrote and did all the instruments on her own for her "Speak For Yourself" album. I'm just saying... check it out because it really is amazing. There are a few songs that aren't my favorite, but most of them are amazing. It might take some a minute to get used to it, but it's a really good album. She was also in the band Frou Frou; the Garden State Soundtrack had one of their songs on it. And there were others that were popular. Even one of the first songs on her new album is now featured on a Verizon commercial I noticed. And let me also recommend on of her latest songs on the Chronic-(what?)-cles of Narnia (okay really Chronicles of Narnia) Soundtrack called "Can't Take It In". It's such a good song, that I'm putting it on our wedding video!

Anyway, I just wanted to give props to the wacky lady people call "Immy". And I also wanted to show you her get up at the Grammy's and read this ARTICLE about it... freaking hilarious!!! Wow... that Immy...

And also, do you think that Carrie's win was a conspiracy? I mean with the whole American Idol connection and everything? Because let's be honest, did she write all of her songs? Probably not. Did she play all the instruments? Probably not. Is she as talented? Not yet... I have faith that she will be someday...

Thing I'M grateful for today: SUNSHINE AND BEAUTIFUL WEATHER!

I feel sheepish

So... I work in a cubicle, a gray cubicle that would depress me if I didn't have pictures of my family and friends on it and if I didn't have my beautiful bamboo to look at. Just about everyone on this floor is in a cubicle. And we have our own little areas where we we are combined with other departments or people who do things different then say what my department does. So there is a girl that sits on the other side of our little area who is in a different department, but I see her enough to know who she is and say hi to her and all that courteous stuff. She's a very pretty girl- probably my age, has long blond hair and is fit and you can tell is okay with herself, but not in a bad way. Well, she walked by me just a few minutes ago and I noticed that there was a big black smudge all across her forehead. So thinking to myself, she's got to know that she's got that on there, sure I'm not the only one that's noticed- unless of course it JUST happened! I wondered if she got into some ink or a pen broke and she accidentally wiped in on her forehead and now it wont come off... all of this crossed my mind in the three seconds time I looked at her and softly grabbed her arm and said in a low tone "did you know you had black stuff on your forehead?" to which she replied sort of disgustingly "yes, it's Ash Wednesday...". Whoops... I felt pretty embarrassed and apologized and she assured me I wasn't the first to ask, but still seemed bothered by my lack of knowledge.

Now I've heard of it, but seeing as though it's not something I practice in my religion I wasn't sure of the "rules or procedures" or the symbolism behind it. So I looked Ash Wednesday up in wikipedia.org because I wanted to be a little more educated and more informed about it. I really feel that living in a such a diverse area of the world that it's my it's responsibility to become more informed. I love the different religious or personal beliefs that people choose to live by. I am grateful for what I choose to believe and know that in my heart it is true. But just because I know that, doesn't give me the right to be ignorant about my brothers and sisters who don't know or believe the same way I do. I may not always agree with it, but a lot of people don't agree with my religion either. President Hinckley advises us to be tolerant of other religions because there is good in every one.
I now know that next time I see a smudge on someones forehead on a Wednesday that it's probably a religious thing and that I shouldn't be nice and say anything! But believe me, if it's any other day of the week- I will!

updates from the desk of Heather...

So, the last couple of days (not including today) I've been a little of an emotional wreck. "They" (whoever "they" is...) all say that planning a wedding is mega-stressful, and I've been trying really hard to not let it get that way. Ryan has been SUPER helpful and has done anything I've asked him to do. As well as other people who have helped me put together invitations or whatever it may be- but I have issues with delegating. I, like my mother, tend to be a control freak. I hope it's not THAT bad, but I have a hard time delegating things to people for fear that it'll be different than I pictured in my mind. I mean, someone could take over a task/project and make it look just fine but it might not have been what I thought it would look or be like and so then it throws me off kilter. So then I just decide to do it myself... and hence the stress creeps in like little termites and makes me feel like I'm going to fall apart. I'm okay though... but I guess I just had to have the "typical breakdown" that all brides have. I feel like I have SO much to do, when in reality we're really in a good place.
I have a to do list, but most of it can't be done right now and a lot of it is doing the marriage license and changing my name and stuff like that. And growing up in my culture, a temple marriage was always something that I just knew I'd do. But Ryan isn't a member yet (we're working on a date for that to happen) and so we have to get married "civilly". So, now I have to think of how we're going to do the ceremony and I have NO idea what to do. I have some suggestions from friends and relatives that had to get married civilly first and that's really helped me out. Anyway, things are looking good. And I am grateful to have a man by my side who is ULTRA patient with me and my freak out moments and stress moments and just my regular emotional girl problems! As everyday passes I am reminded of HOW much I love him, and how perfect he is for me!
I have my first bridal shower this weekend, it's a "Naughty or Nice" shower- so that should be fun! I am super appreciative to my lovely girlfriends for throwing that for me; let's hear it for Cecilia who put it together and Ashley who will execute it, and the help of many others I'm sure! It'll be fun, poor Ryan isn't sure what to do with himself during that time period- but I told him he can work on my car if he doesn't have to work! What a treat eh?

One of the things on my to-do list was to pretty up my veil. I bought a very cheap, generic one from Michael's that didn't have any embellishments on it and have been searching for something to make it more "me". Nothing looked good, it was TOO much or to little and I didn't know how to make it work- but then last night, I found what I needed! It turned out pretty nice I think! All for like $23 or something! I tried it out and put it on and I think it'll be just right. I'm excited to wear it on the big day!

Anyone need to borrow a veil after this?

We're getting closer!

So, we got our invitations out. That is a load off our backs, and we're getting close to the end! We've got only just a little under 6 weeks and I am SO ready. I can't wait to be married and to see my family and friends and to have a husband!

My sister in-law has also saved me the trouble of finding dresses for all of our nieces too, and they are ADORABLE! Now, I'm just prefacing that none of them will be wearing the very stylish and cute purple snowflake long sleeved t-shirt underneath them, but look how cute my Brookey is in it! There are five of them wearing the dresses and they are going to be so freaking adorable I can't hardly wait! We're going to have blue sashes on them but we're not sure how yet. It'll be so fun!