3D, TV Shows, Sick Days and Mini Cake

I wish I had a really awesome funny story to tell. I don't.

I frequently catch the bus now because I have an iPhone that helps track when the next bus will be coming. So there aren't any funny running to the bus stories.

I'm not in love with my job (that's sugar coating the fact that I don't like my job at all) so 40 hours a week is spent doing something I practically despise. Good thing I get paid.

I've been sick for the last two days so my brain is extra cloudy. I forgot my lunch, cell phone and badge this morning. But I'm feeling a lot better despite sounding like Ursula the Sea Witch.

So here's the real update:

I've seen two 3D movies in the past week, which is funny because I think 3D is over rated. First, we took Lisa's niece to her first movie: Beauty and the Beast. It was her birthday, she had a princess party, and she loved it. (Note how the popcorn bucket is bigger than she is.)

Then, last Saturday after dropping Lisa off at the airport for her flight to Africa, Debbie and I met up with my sister Jess and her husband Michael to see an IMAX movie at the Natural History Museum. We didn't know it was in 3D until we got there, and we got to sport these sweet frames, definitely an improvement from the AMC 3D glasses I think:

Sunday was a low key day but the real excitement is us watching Downton Abbey. Are you watching? We're so hooked on it. I know you can buy Season 2 online and watch it ahead of time, but I kind of really like having people over every week to watch together.

And to continue on the same vein of TV shows I like, I spent my sick day on Monday getting all caught up on Revenge. Do you watch that one? Because I'm totally hooked on that one too. And How I Met Your Mother (that's all on Netflix). I'm finally caught up to the current season.

Yesterday after taking a mid day shower I noticed some serious improvement in the state of my sore throat and stuffy sinuses (TMI?) so I went to the store and bought a mini cake pan to make a birthday cake for Roommate Lindi. Look how cute that cake is!

I tried a new cake recipe and the frosting has marshmallow cream in it. I'm totally hooked. It's awesome frosting. And I'm hooked on the mini cake pan. It's so cute!

I'll have to try and do something stupid so you can have something to laugh at. In the mean time, you'll have to content yourself to this boring post.

A Few Things

this has nothing to do with the post. its just a silly picture.

1. I made my bed this morning. No that's not what was awesome. Actually, you know it is. I'll keep that as number one.
2. When I was making my bed this morning (shocking I assure you), I found a spider. A spider that was probably the size of a nickle (don't worry, that includes the legs), crawled across my duvet and over my pillows. Ew. I slept with a spider.
3. I'm looking extra good today because I got four, yes, that's right FOUR, catcalls this morning on my 15 minute walk to the metro.
4. I was running late today (hence missing the bus and having to walk to the metro instead of catching the bus) and so I didn't get breakfast. Found a bagel on my desk after my 9:00 meeting and a note from Lisa. I love working at the same place as friends.
5. Water spilled all over my desk. Well, I guess the water didn't spill on its own. I knocked water bottle across my desk (avoiding my phone and keyboard luckily) and spilled water all over. But that means the mess that's been on my desk is two things. One, it's now wet, and two, it's now somewhat organized. So I'm thinking it might have actually been a good thing.

Lovely lovely

I had the most lovely wonderful weekend. Saturday was spent avoiding a softball game, that I could have played in, by getting a red pedicure instead. Then the afternoon was spent working on a summer tan at the pool. No burns. I deem it a success.

I spent Sunday morning getting ready to teach at church and making Snickerdoodles. The turned out mediocre. Something was wrong with the baker and her abilities to figure out the perfect amount of time for the cookies to be baked. (Convection bake, 375, 7 minutes, not the 400 8-10 minutes Betty Crocker was calling for. I'll know for next time.)

Sunday evening I made the most delicious pork recipe (Skillet Pork Saute with Peaches). I decided to cook it in my Sunday clothes with the apron. I'm so domestic...

And I feel like the weekend was absolutely perfect. Movies, pool, a little bit of dancing, baking, laughing a lot with friends and ice cream.

Needless to say, it was really hard to come to work this morning.

Update

I have some posts to come. Ones that include pictures of treats I baked this past week. Expect one with a peanut butter/chocolate cake and another with sugar cookies.

I fell in love with my cousin's baby girl (Cozi, short for Cozette) in Florida last month. 

I kind of really miss her cute, smiling face. I wish they lived a lot closer.

You like my farmer's tan?

I'm feeling super geeked out on The Hunger Games movie these days.

Two of my coworkers have read the books in the past few weeks 

and we end up having daily email chats about the casting. 

I even found myself perusing multiple entries of The Hob fansite before adding it to my reader.

Now I'm always up to date.

Oh, what USAID must think if our emails come up on the radar...

I bought a lovely new bathing suit this week, 

and it should be at my house waiting for me to open.

If it looks good, it will be my favorite suit for Duck Beach 2011.

(Single Mormon Weekend Extravaganza for those unfamiliar.)

Also, I'm wishing I was in Provo this weekend because 

sister Jess and brother-in-law Michael are graduating from college. 

They're having a big BBQ tonight and I'm jealous anyone could have fun without me.

I can't believe it was two years ago that I graduated 

and had my own party with my cousin Liv (mother of the precious baby pictured above).

We may have blown this picture up real big for our party... Also, I think I look so different with straight hair now. It's never straight. Too much work in the East Coast humidity.

Um, that's about it. 

More exciting posts to come.

Slacking

I've been a slacker when it comes to posting lately. I have three half finished posts and I'm not sure if I'll finish them. But in order to keep some kind of continuity on my blog, and to get rid of that awful picture as the first thing seen on the blog, I will give the 30 second low down.

1. I finished my latest book One Day last night. I really liked it, keep thinking about it this morning, and am slightly in mourning for it being over. It follows the lives of two friends on July 15th every year from 1988-2007. You get glimpses into what they've done the rest of the year but it's just a quick little snapshot. I couldn't put it down.
2. Saturday night we found ourselves watching the fireworks at the National Cherry Blossom Festival.
3. My sister Jess and her husband are moving to Virginia next month! She is coming out next week to try and get a place to live. I am so excited to have family close!
4. I have decided if there is a government shut down, I will take the forced days off to enjoy the beautiful weather, catch up on sleep, and finally pick up my learning to draw book.
5. This morning I got to the bus stop and realized I didn't have my Kindle, which meant I wouldn't have anything to do at the gym tonight, so after hesitating for a bit, I sprinted home, ran upstairs to my room (two stairs at a time), and back to the bus stop without missing the bus. I'm still a little worn out...

2 weeks?

Guys, it has now been two full weeks since my last blog post. I'm usually a much better blogger than that. So, what's going on with me? Not much really.

• I had last Thursday off for Veteran's day and found myself at Shenandoah National Park for a nice hike. The leaves are gorgeous and the weather was even better. 
• Last Monday, I was added to the official federal employee list. I had to raise my right hand and solemnly swore to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; blah blah blah; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I entered, etc. Kind of intense. And kind of really cool. I actually really liked doing that and feeling really patriotic.
• Big news of the week, but not really news I guess, I'm really really excited for Harry Potter 7. And have a midnight showing ticket in my possession. I will be taking the wand I bought at Harry Potter World in Florida and sporting my Gryffindor Prefect badge.
• Speaking of Florida, I will post pictures when I get them. Something is wrong with my iPhoto and I can't upload any pictures on it. It really puts a damper on my picture postings.

And now for a poll. I am making cookies for our work bake sale tomorrow. Which cookies should I make?

1. Chocolate Caramel Cookies 
2. Brown Sugar Cookies with Maple Icing
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I was going to put a couple more but decided to limit the options. That always makes it easier to choose. Right?

Now I'll end with a picture just for good measure, because blogs are a little more exciting with a picture, right?

I'd love to be on vacation right now. Picture taken at Malbork Castle, Poland. Summer 2007.

Thoughts and updates for the morning

1. I have Pad Thai for lunch today. I'm really excited about it.
2. I started re-reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I forgot how much I liked it.
3. In anticipation for HP 7 coming out in seven weeks, we will be watching one movie a week. How fantastic is that? I'm trying to figure out if I want to dress up for the movie theater. I think I have great hair to be Professor Trelawney or Luna Lovegood. 
4. I found some glasses frames at the office on Thursday and thought, those would be great nerd glasses. I didn't take them but left them where they were in case someone claimed them. Well, they were still there today. I'm taking them if they're still there tomorrow.
5. If it had ever been my goal to be on the front of the BYU home page, my goal has semi been accomplished. (Thank you to everyone who forwarded me the story!) And it's really weird to see your name, or hear someone use your name, especially in conjunction with my alma mater but it's not me! When I worked on campus my senior year (that would be my second senior year) I realized there was another Lauren Richey because she would pop up on our student employees list for the College of Life Sciences. (Different middle names.) Actually, there are 61 Lauren Richeys on Facebook, and I'm sure even more not on Facebook. And, I will definitely take pride in the fact that I nabbed my gmail address first and everyone else will have to figure out something "creative"! 
6. And lastly, I loved General Conference this weekend; it also gave me an excuse to sit around and be lazy, just what I have been needing.

Neglector

I've been committing serious blog neglect lately. I'd apologize but I'm not really sorry. I don't know if I've grown tired of this blog and wish to start new? Or if I'm over blogging? Or if it's just because it's not that interesting to write about how my days consist of pushing snooze too many times, getting ready, running to the bus, working, gchatting, running stressful errands, going to the gym, trying to motivate myself to clean my room, watching Grey's Anatomy (which we get sent via Netflix), making dinner, or doing a myriad of different but not really exciting things. I'm frequently tired because I stay up too late, and by too late I mean 11. And it's been really hot. Too hot. And humid. My hair looks like a lion's mane it's so big.

I'm trying to get in shape for Jess' wedding in September and frequently get frustrated with myself because I didn't start getting in shape last July. I even went so far as to tell Jess it would be much more convenient for me if she got married next summer. That way I would be skinnier, and I'd make the wedding line look better. She told me I was ridiculous and selfish. (I was only joking! Mostly... Besides, that extra year would give me time to find someone good-looking and male to bring as my wedding date... Jess didn't think it was a good idea and is still getting married Labor Day weekend.)

Stole this puppy from Facebook. I think I look like I'm naked. But I assure you I was wearing both a suit and cover up.

Since I live where it's really hot, it's been really convenient to have a friend with a boat. I'm working on my summer tan and future wrinkles and probably skin cancer. Not that I want the wrinkles and the probable skin cancer but I just assume everyone will get it anyway so why not just use your sunscreen try to prevent it if you can but suck it up and jump in the lake. The good news of the last visit to the lake however was that I finally stood up on the wakeboard. And then fell...

Highlight of this week:
Well, I have two highlights.
1.) Lacy came to visit from Arizona. We were roommates at BYU after meeting in Poland. See evidence below:

Warsaw Zone Conference

Roommate picture Fall 2007. Natalie was also in both pictures, but she didn't come visit this weekend, so she doesn't get a post. BUT she has a baby so that won't happen anytime soon...

2.) We went to Zumba on Wednesday night for the first time, loved it, and now we're in the process of teaching a certain roommate (who will remain nameless to protect her identity) to do a body roll. She's going to get it. And she's going to be good at it. And she's going to use it frequently.

And that's about it.

5 second updates

Bought a crockpot, only to return it a week later unopened and having sat in the back of Lisa's Subaru all week.

Ran to the bus stop only to get there and realize I had no wallet, which resulted in me running all the way home, tearing apart my room and finding my wallet in my bag the whole time.

Wearing the same black dress as the co-worker who has her desk right next to mine and reconsidered wardrobe choices since she's a grandma (well, a young grandma).

Saw Inception, dreamed about it all night long and then woke up not remembering a text conversation I had with a friend at 2:30 am.

Almost burned down the house when chicken fajitas were left on the stove when we went to the movie; chicken was dry like wood; house was still in tact.

Bought bridesmaid dress for Jess's wedding.

Took a nap during lunch on the couch behind all the desks right next to the window, it was warm and cozy and the band was playing outside in the plaza.