Teeth

I hate brushing my teeth. How can anyone hate brushing their teeth, you might be asking yourself, but I don't like it. I love what my teeth feel like after a dentist cleaning and I like the minty flavor of my toothpaste and I do like the way my breath feels and how my teeth are reasonably smooth when I finish brushing, but I don't really like the actual brushing part. Maybe it's because I find it awkward to move a small instrument back and forth or in circles over my teeth and I rush it. It usually goes like this: bottom right, bottom left. Close teeth together, right top and bottom sides then left top and bottom sides, then a quick graze over the front teeth (circular motion) then a few swipes over the tongue and I'm done. Sometimes this process is halted while I put on my socks and shoes or find a pair of earrings while the toothbrush hangs limply from my mouth. Then I realize I'm really late for work and I quickly move the brush over all surfaces once, spit, rinse, wipe and grab a piece of gum to mask any residual morning breath smells and swipe of some plum mint Co Bigelow mentha lip tint (the label says it's mint-infused for fresh breath). What a horrible way to take care of my teeth!

If I do do a more thorough job of brushing my teeth, I can't keep my face clean and have toothpaste all over.

This is a mild brushing mess just for effect.

Today I decided it was time for me to retire my current toothbrush to the world of cleaning, specifically a new job as a calligraphy pen scrubber. While at Target I bought this beauty:

It's an Oral B.

I just brushed my teeth with it. I love it. It has a timer too. When it started to pulse I figured it was giving me an indication that I was half way, but then a little bit later it did it again. I guess it doesn't shut off when you've hit your recommended two minutes, it pulses and if you want to keep brushing you can. I brushed for four minutes. My teeth are really smooth.

I think I'm going to enjoy brushing my teeth a lot more now. Now if I could only afford one of those electric flossing machines. I hate flossing more than brushing. And, did you ever have that toothpaste that came in the two different sides, one was blue and the other was white? I think it was Mentadent or something. I kind of want some right now.

Mardi Gras

was last night and most people spend it in a variety of ways, all of which a google image search resulted in retina burn and some scarring. But, if you do want to see something slightly disturbing but also hilarious, click here. BUT remember, I did warn you! We spent our Fat Tuesday here:

Yes it's the Draper Temple, and we went to the Open House. Unfortunately we all forgot our cameras so I have no personal photographic proof, but it was beautiful. The ordinance rooms inside are painted with Utah type scenes. I liked the room with the trees the best. They were beautiful and reminded me a little of a Monet series of Poplar trees.

Poplars along the River Epte, 1891

Unfortunately there are no pictures from the inside of the temple. But I promise, it was beautiful and worth it. I had fun with Cami and two of her former roommates and I'll probably go again next week with my ward! It was wonderful to be in a spiritual place apart from the rest of the world. In retrospect, it was even better to be there on a night that is known for it's hedonism, sin and self gratification. What an interesting juxtaposition.

One of those days

Do you ever have one of those days when you feel like everything you do isn't good enough or that you won't ever be able to get to the point where you want to be? Or that you are one of the most obnoxious beings to ever walk the planet? That was my day today. I frequently feel inadequate but I just suck it up and figure it'll be ok. Today I think I cracked and unloaded on my parents in the driveway to my grandparent's house for about 30 minutes about all the things that are causing me to feel the way I do. Obviously it's my own doing and all I need to do is tell myself that it really doesn't matter and that things are fine but it's easier said than done. I hope your Sunday was wonderful. For me, next Sunday will be better.

Cutie Cami

Cami's 21st birthday was Thursday. I remember when I turned 21 I was just turning in my mission papers and wondering where I was going to get called to. I didn't have a party because I have a summer birthday and I never get one. I was working at the Dermatology Clinic of Springfield trying to save up money that I desperately needed after having completely depleted my bank account after four months in Vienna, a semester of school and a month in England where I knew that one pound was more like $2 but I still had a hard time with the calculations. (I almost bought a really cute pair of shoes that were totally on sale for 25 pounds but I had to remind myself that that was $50 and they weren't worth $50.) But my insane money spending problems are not the purpose of this post. This is a post for Cami. She's in town this weekend to visit for her birthday and before she leaves for Finland next month (well, just the MTC really). But I like Cami. Actually, I love Cami. She does her own thing. She's really goofy and doesn't care if she looks retarded in a picture or doing something weird. Examples:

But she's also so beautiful. When she was a baby her nickname was Pret which was short for Pretty. I know, my nickname for a while there was Different. Jess's nickname was Special. And Emma's was Toot and Rachel's was Chub. How did Cami get the best nickname? Luckily my nickname didn't stick. But anyway, back to pretty Cami:

Not only is Cami pretty but she's good at lots of different things. She's talented athletically (she was our QB) and she's so talented musically. She's really good at playing and writing music and she's smart.

Cami does her own thing and I admire her so much for doing what she wants and being her own person. She went to Jerusalem last year at when I went I looked to her for a lot of advice on the best things to do, where to shop, what and where to eat.

Cami is fabulous. She is a wonderful example to me of staying calm in the heat of emotion and is able to focus intently on what she wants and what she's doing. I am proud of her for going on a mission and I'm glad she's in town for her birthday weekend.

Poladroid

There is a program you can download online that turns your pictures into Polaroid looking pictures. (Redundant) Anyway I have now seen it on two different unrelated people's blogs and decided I needed to check it out for myself. I love it. I love the way it makes my pictures look. I decided to turn a few from Egypt into Polaroids. I like the way it distorts the colors slightly and blurs the edges. The only part missing is the actual shaking of the picture. I always liked doing that. But here you go, for your viewing enjoyment:

At the pyramids. (Duh)

On the Nile.

Me on a Camel! How exciting!

In front of King Tut's tomb.

Here we are walking around the giant stone scarab eight times to ensure that we get married.

Temple at Karnak columns. I was amazed.

Oh how I miss my summer days. My next big adventure is figuring out my life. I think I'll be working on that for the next 50 years though. Who knows what I'll be doing next summer though? Hopefully something fun and relatively exciting. Writing my missionaries (my sisters, duh)? Probably.

Yum

I'm tempted to make this 14 layer cake for next dinner group.

But I think I'm going to make these Vanilla Nutella Cupcakes instead:

Cake and recipe found here. Cupcakes and recipe found here.

Best Valentine's Day EVER!

I like Valentine's Day. I think it's because I like the colors. Someone once told me I looked good in pink (probably my Grandma. She says I'm a "Summer".) So I think I like an excuse to wear my V-day colors. But I've never had a Valentine, I know right? And Valentine's days aren't really that fabulous for me. I really liked Valentine's days on my mission but that was probably because I didn't have to worry about not having a Valentine and feeling like I was the only single girl left in the world, because it wasn't true (well, I know it's not true anyway, but sometimes it just feels like it is that way), I obviously had a companion who didn't have a Valentine either, well, except my second Valentine's day, she technically had a valentine. My companion, was this girl here:

and she happened to be my trainee, or greenie, or all star or whatever you might call new missionaries. She decided she wanted to learn how to say "Will you be my Valentine?" and then ask one of the elders, (obviously not an uptight one, but one who would get a kick out of it) to be her Valentine. We crafted the sentance, "Starszy, czy bedziesz mojem Walentynem?" (Well, that's how we figured it would probably work. Who knows if I'm right... Ewa?) And so we called up the Elders on our phone on a cold blizzardy February night in the middle of a neighborhood we happened to be searching for inactive members in and she asked her fateful question. He said yes and eventually gave her a little red heart shaped pillow that he saw in a shop window. It said "Kocham cie" on it, or "I love you". Unfortunately I don't have any photographic evidence of the epic pillow. But I promise, it happened.

Up until yesterday, that was maybe my favorite Valentine's day. But yesterday completely took the cake. What did I do you? I spent my Saturday night, my Valentine's evening at the MONSTER TRUCK JAM! I've always wanted to go and so we decided that it would be a fabulous way for us to spend our Valentine's Day. And it was SO worth it! When we first got there I noticed that people were wearing ear plugs. I was nervous that it was going to be really loud. It was. (I think all of us were talking extra loud after in the car and back at our apartment.) I have never been in a place where the entire building seems to be vibrating because of the sound. And, I thought the Delta Center-- oh excuse me, the Energy Solutions Arena-- was going to be packed with rednecks and hicks and men, and my friends and roommates all dressed the part (not me though, I didn't want to go buy something that I would never want to wear again), but it was largely a family event with little kids crying (but I could only see tears and snot, I was too deaf to actually hear them), old people, moms and dads. They brought out the American flag and played I'm Proud to be an American, and then the Star Spangled Banner. I felt like it was very appropriate for the crowd. (Why does it seem like the more educated you are the less Patriotic you are suppose to be or almost expected to be? Or why does a "redneck" event like the Monster Truck Jam honor civil servants, active duty military and veterans but other events don't? Well, that's definitely a heavy topic for for another post), but I thought it was neat, even if I think the I'm Proud to be an American song is a little cheezy. Here are some highlights of the show complete with video! Whoohoo!

All the trucks.

Liz, me and Laura before the show started.

Maximum Destruction. I thought he was going to flip over backwards!

I could not get over the Motocross racers. They were pulling insane tricks and were super high in the air! One guy did a backflip! I think every dog in Salt Lake heard my squeel of terror and delight!

Roommates! Sofia, Jen, Amy and me.