Happy Birthday Alex!

Last night Danielle and I took Alex out on the town for her birthday. The festivities began at Alex's house where we met up and got ready. It took Alex four hours as usual. As soon as Alex had beautified herself we hit the road to Salt Lake.

Our first stop was the Gateway..surprise surprise.. and of course the first store we hit up was Forever 21. Duh. We went to Old Navy next and listened to Danielle cry about her feet. Dummie. Who wears heels all day at work and then expects to be comfy walking all over the Gateway? Again, dummie. At least they were cute and red. But alas, this is a post for Alex so enough about Danielle.

Alex got to pick the dinner delicacies so we went to the Cheesecake Factory in Murray. This turned out to be a rather entertaining event. When we got to the restaurant we had a 60-70 minute wait. Super. We went to Nordstrom for a bit right next door where I enviously watched my friends drop cash on stunning eye shadow and paint (which was foreign to me but I discovered its some sort of shadow for your eyes that MAC makes. Neat). Nordstrom kicked us out at closing and left us with nothing to do and still about 50 minutes minimum to wait for a table for dinner. We went and sat in my car. My friends are out of control.

You won't be able to appreciate the inappropriateness of Alex and Danielle unless you had been there. I am unable to post the pictures at the moment (not because they are crude, which could be expected from these two, but because I'm working) so I will do a follow up post with pictures tonight. Anyways... they made a music video to Taylor Swift, almost kissed about 13 times, and snapped at me for not doing a good enough job capturing every idiotic thing they did. Great news though. We did manage to eat dinner and Alex enjoyed a dallop of ice cream for desert. Happy Birthday gal!

Dazzling Danielle

Due to some recent blog posts about her not being as awesome as Diet Dr. Pepper, Danielle is feeling slightly unloved. She has threatened to break up with me if I don't redeem myself so...



The only way I'm sure to gain back her love is to dedicate a post souly for her. Enjoy the video of Danielle's AWESOME dance moves! Oh and sorry about the side angle thing. I didn't know how to fix it.

I also thought I would honor her with just a few of the many faces of Danielle. Alex and I hung out tonight and she wasn't in our midst. The night was just not the same. Missed you girl!
We can always count on Danielle to make us laugh. Whether she means to or not, the girl is hilarious. She comes up with silly fantasies like being called kitty and my personal favorite is when her foot gets to have a mind of it's own and kicks things randomly... like Alex's forehead.

Danielle, I hope you will reconsider your threat of our breakup. Without you there wouldn't be the three of us. Our group is like Mary-Kate and Ashley... worthless if one is missing.

Alex stalks me

Today my two best gals came and saw me at work. Alex actually showed up twice. It was her day off. Get a life. She first came bearing gifts of rollos and a diet dr. pepper. I think I had a perma-grin the rest of the day. The second time she came bearing Danielle. I'm not sure the second visit had quite the same affect as the first. Joke. Danielle I love you, almost as much as Diet. DP. Thanks for coming to see me ladies. Thanks for worrying about me. Most of all, thanks for putting up with my crap. Love you both.

Dodgeball or Death

Great news. Last night I got knocked out playing dodgeball. Awesome. I can't remember a bit of it so I'll tell you what I heard happened. I do remember bending down to pick up a ball. That is my contribution to the tale.

We were in the middle of a heated game. If I remember correctly the score was tied 2 to 2, however that may not be accurate seeing as a jar to my memory may have occured during my time of unconsciousness. Resume story. It was 2 to 2 and the new game had just started. I was a few feet away from the mid line, bending over to pick up a dodgeball, heart set on disemboweling an unsuspecting victim. BAM. Next thing I know I hear a distant Tesha asking me if I want a drink. All I can remember is thinking, "Why the cripes would I want a drink? I'm in the middle of a game Tesha. Pull your head out." I then proceeded to notice that I couldn't see anything and my left leg kinda hurt from being bent in an awkward position. I realized my blocked vision was due to my eyelids. Opening my eyes I saw my entire team, both refs, and a couple ladies from the other team, huddled over my body which was laying sprawled awkwardly from a fall I didn't remember taking. The ref gave me the run down.

"You got hit in the head. Take your time getting up. We have stopped the game so no rush." Super. I had been hit square in the temple by a rock solid rubber dodgeball which rendered me unconscious for a time. Half my face was swollen, my left eye couldn't focus, and it felt like my heartbeat and moved into my brain. Awesome. I made out like a bandit with only a small yellowish-green bruise next to my left eye. I'm sure I looked like Super-Sped. Who gets knocked out in recreation Women's Dodgeball?? So classy.

Need a vacation?? Don't mind if I do.

I am being stretched very thin. My breaking point is fast approaching and I'm not sure how to slow it down. I'm not making this post to obtain sympathy or advice. This is merely a post for therapy, however if you have anything to add I welcome your thoughts. If you aren't a sympathetic individual find a new blog. This is going to be a whine-fest. You have been warned.

School bites. I picked up another class last week to add to my load. I may regret it. Two Lit classes was NOT a smart choice no matter how you look at it, but I did it anyway and I find myself overtly stressed over all the reading I need to get done. I love helping whenever I can, and often my own homework gets put on the backburner in order to help someone else with theirs. I realize this is my own fault, but I can't say no and I enjoy helping. I wish I was better at prioritizing.

Why is it that the people designated to be your support team are sometimes the ones adding more pressure? I wish I could please everyone and for some reason that seems more and more impossible every day. I try to juggle family, friends, Dewy, homework, work, service, callings, and the like and yet at the end of the day I'm not sure where Amber disappeared to. Isn't losing yourself in service of others supposed to add more strength? Not working. Not yet at least. I really am trying to make everyone happy. Keep the time I spend at Dewy's equal to the time we spend at my house, make sure I plan at least one night a week for girls night, leave my schedule flexible so I can rearrange what I need to in order to write or edit someone's paper, try and be the listening ear when needed, keep my emotions in check at all times cause no one likes a whiner, and making sure other people's comments don't affect me personally. Ugh. I have to do everything.

Why can't I grasp the concept of taking care of number one? My life would go so much smoother if I could look out for myself first and others second. Pleasing everyone else blows, but for some reason that theory is difficult for me to grasp. I need a vacation. Or a blog for theraputic purposes. Personally I would pick the vacation, but alas I'll settle for the "poor poor me" posts for now.

I've Been Shot!!

Or tagged... here goes nothin. Thanks a lot Camie!

SIX NAMES YOU GO BY
1. Amber
2. Amber Jo
3. Josephine (not by choice mind you)
4. Ambo Awen(thanks to Alex)
5. Amber Bamber
6. Dewy's woman (awesome.)

THREE THINGS YOUR WEARING RIGHT NOW
1. My AFCU name tag
2. Boots
3. My CTR ring

TWO THINGS YOU WANT VERY BADLY AT THE MOMENT
1. Timbermine
2. Mark Jacobs perfume DAISY

THREE PEOPLE WHO WILL FILL THIS OUT
1. Emily
2. Camie (cause she already did!)
3. Me

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE THINGS YOU DID LAST NIGHT
1. Watched Dewy play basketball
2. Cuddled
3. Wrote in my journal

FOUR THINGS YOU ATE TODAY
1. Bagel and Cream Cheese
2. Bread sticks (I'm a carb fan!)
3. Orange mints (of course)
4. EL FUDGE cookies (I'm slim. Let me tell you)

TWO PEOPLE YOU LAST TALKED TO ON THE PHONE
1. Dewy
2. Alex

SIX THINGS YOU ARE GOING TO DO TOMORROW
1. Go to church
2. Eat dinner at grandma's!
3. Chill with the Fam
4. See Dewy!!!!!
5. Homework. Boo.
6. Take a nap! Hooray.

THREE FAVORITE BEVERAGES
1. Diet dr. pepper
2. Peach Propel
3. Water

FIVE THINGS YOUR GREATFUL FOR TODAY
1. My family
2. Alex
3. Danielle
4. DEWY!!!!!!
5. The Gospel

I tag Emily, Jordan, Shawni, Angela, Malissa, and Maddee

Alex's Assets

Our favorite thing to do at sleepovers is play with Alex's over the shoulder-boulder holder. Seriously. I'm not sure if its because we are jealous, or possibly just extremely immature, but that bra could keep us entertained for hours. Observe. I look like a fly. Don't worry, I turned it inside out so the outside was touching my face. That could have been gross. Phew.
Here we have Danielle sporting her new vest. She could go swimming in Alex's brazier. Awesome. Alex we love you! Without you we would have to find other means of entertainment, and I guarantee it wouldn't have been nearly as funny.

Chips+Salsa=My lifeline at work

We like treats at work. Sometimes sweet, sometimes salty, always fattening, always delicious. Today's specialty: Daves Salsa from Lee's Deli. Scrumptious.Thanks for the delightful snack Ally!

Stickin it to the man... or woman.

Ally tried to tell me what to do at work. This was the result. Don't sass me. Ever. I tend to throw tantrums and make a mess. I'm a rebel.

Sleepovers

Alex and Danielle sleep at my house because I'm awesome. This is what we look like when we wake up. Hot. The only alterations to our physique would have been a quick booger check. Danielle always has bats in the cave. Also, when we sleep, Danielle and I make Alex sleep in the middle. We all squeeze into my king size bed, and it never fails that Alex's rear shoves me to the floor. Notice how pleased she is.

The Office

Sometimes Ally and I get in fights.

At work, we find ways to entertain ourselves. This particular day, entertainment was scarce and we were desperate. I'm not really sure how it started, but Ally and I got to bickering. Actually, let me clarify--Ally was picking fights, and I was sitting there helplessly assaulted by her verbal abuse. We all know how Ally gets. This is merely documented proof that Ally is mean, and I am angelic. My expression is merely in self defense... obviously. I am contemplating what her next abusive move will be. You would too. Don't judge me.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my darling mother's birthday.

Last night the family took her on the front runner to Salt Lake (because she had never riden it and she wanted to) for dinner. We ate at the California Pizza Kitchen and walked around the Gateway for a while. She was cracking me up.

We were in Aeropostle and she was making comments like, "These pants are cute" and "Wow these slippers are cute." I wonder what she wanted for her birthday! Thats where I get my stealth I think. She is so sneaky.

Happy birthday Mom!! Thanks so much for all you do! I love you!

Happy Valley or Crappy Valley??

Well, it's official. I hate Provo.

Due to my scheduled interview with the CES offices for a position as an EFY counselor, I spent the majority of my day in Happy Valley. I drug Danielle with me. I cannot begin to explain how glad I ended up being that she was with me.

Lunch was at a fantastic little secret called Guru's. Other than the University Mall that place is about the only positive thing Provo can offer me. After lunch I hit my interview, which I think went pretty well. I won't find out the results for another month or two so stay tuned. Or don't. I don't care.

I ran into people I could have lived my entire life without seeing and died happy. Boo. Sometimes I love being blamed for things I didn't do. Not today. Sometimes I love being called awful names. Not today. Sometimes I love being dragged into something I technically had nothing to do with. Not today. Sometimes I wish people would take a leap off a bridge. Yep, today. Oh well, its done with. Life moves on. I hate that I let it get to me.

Why Write?

Today in one of my British Lit classes we discussed why people write. Some write because they can and it's easy, others write for a living and work at it daily, and some write purely for theraputic purposes. Immediately I thought of why I write. Here is what I came up with:

I am fairly unable to express feeling verbally. My words tumble around on my tongue and bounce around in my mind, yet when the time to speak said ideas arrives I find myself left wanting. In writing, however, I have found the ability to express thoughts and feeling to come more readily. I have the chance to meditate my thoughts and find justification for my feelings through words on pen and paper (or blog). I wish to not be so afraid of societal judgement. My dream is to express a thought naked and bare, unspotted from conscious editing in my mind. Why is the idea of impressing another the big influence in exactly which ideas I choose to express? I believe we are what we think about all day. Thoughts are crucial to individuality. Why then do I not write my very first thoughts? Why do I wait for more acceptable notions?

While thinking over those last questions I discovered another idea. Why is the human condition so incapable of being content? We seem to always be searching for satisfaction, and never taking the time to savor it when it arrives. Why are we always thinking anywhere but here, anytime but now, any body but my own? To desire to be elsewhere is to deny your own life. The steps in the journey are more important than the original destination. By focusing on the idea that the best is yet to come, we allow life to speed past without even a thought of what we are missing. There is never opportunity to backpedal, only that of moving forward.

Restrooms: the crowning point of awkward

Public bathrooms are awkward.

Although I thank my lucky stars for the chance I have to conduct my business behind the privacy of a stall door, unlike the male species, I still cannot help but get the heebee geebees every time I walk into a restroom. I stand in line amongst other potty users, silently contemplating which stall I will occupy, and who the stranger was before me to rest their rump on the seat. I scan the stall doors as I become the next in line, watching intently for the individual who leaves their stall first. My eyes rake over their person as I try to determine exactly which communicable diseases I'm going to have to try and save myself from. Like that itty bitty piece of tissue paper I so carefully place on the seat will do anything. Lets be real here.

What about the bathrooms that are simply a room with a toilet? The kind only one person goes into at a time (or possibly a few depending on your age). At work we have a bathroom like this. We share it with the employees at the grocery store. If the bathroom is occupied I have one of two options: hike to the other end of the store to pee, or merely wait for the person to finish. I most often choose the ladder. Said person exits the restroom and there is an awkward moment of confrontation. He/She is caught leaving the restroom, and I am caught going in. You stare for a moment, smile, and try to conceal the thoughts racing through your mind. Both of you are trying to conceal the fact that you are/were using the toilet. Like its something unordinary. Yes boys, ladies go too. Get over it. The worst is if there is a stench. All too often I find myself wanting to chase them down and teach them the courtesy flush. Once while I was waiting to go, a lady exited looked at me sheepishly and with eyes downcast offered her apologies. Confused I stepped in and was assaulted by a hideodorous stench. I was sure someone had died in there.

I need to increase my bladder strength to be able to hold it until I can get home. Is it possible to hold it for eleven hours? Without doing any damage? Bathrooms are weird. Period.

Million Dollar Man... or Just $5000.00

Some people have absolutely NO dignity. Like the fellow my darling friend Emily found on KSL for example. I'm sorry to say the add has been erased from the web site, but not before I was able to read the entire thing a few times and gather enough embarrassing info from him to make a blogworthy post.

This man was, no lie, offering to pay any person $5000.00 to set him up on a date with the woman he would marry. He even claimed he would pay more if they were "goo-goo ga-ga" for each other (and yes he used those exact words). He also had the audacity to say "I have many more $5000.00 so this amount won't be missed." He described himself as wealthy, established, good looking, with a steady job, and searching for someone attractive, witty, outgoing, adventurous, and in her early 20s to early 30s. He never states how old he is, and he is one who thinks he is funnier than he actually is, using phrases like "I have tried everything from singles wards, to singles sites, to single slice cheeses." oh boy. I'm sure his mother is so proud.

I called to tell Dewy about the discovery and had him look up the add. A few hours later he called me up and said, "So Amber I have this guy I want to set you up with. You get him to fall in love and then leave him at the alter and we can run with the money. Take one for the team." Awesome.

Sometimes I think my toes have frostbite

Sometimes I have nightmares that wake me up at 2:30 a.m. and have me tossing and turning until 4:45 a.m. when my alarm goes off to get me up for the gym. This bothers me.

After the gym I showered and readied myself for the last place I wanted to be. Weber State University. All in all I feel school is a good thing, however, when it's frickin freezing outside, and slushy wet, I would much rather stay home. I bit the bullet and drove on Devil's Avenue (aka Harrison Blvd), parked, and headed to class. By the time I reached the building, water and slush had gotten into my shoes and my toes were frozen. I need galoshes.

Also, sometimes I do my friends' homework so that they will join me at the gym in the morning. Danielle can't write herself a bloody one page paper on what would happen if she were a guy, so I milked it. I am amazed at Danielle's talent (I call it that because she is rather good at it) for forgetting things. Like her assignment that is in my back pack. I wonder if she let me hike down to the Institute building (yes I'm taking an institute class everyone applaud) on purpose before calling me to tell me she forgot to grab her assignment. Awesome.

My feet are freezing, I can't understand my British Lit professor who comes from the south and I'm convinced is chemically imbalanced if not annoyingly liberal, and I'm still waiting on books that should have been here days ago. Oh the memoir of a college student. Scrounging for entertainment, and selling her plasma for cash.

Gift Cards = False Hope

Saturday night I finally had Dewy to myself. I can't remember the last time we had been out, just the two of us. I adore our friends, and their company, however, sometimes I wish I could have a night out with no one but my man! Saturday my wish came true, even if things didn't go according to plan.

We had decided on Thursday that we were going to go support our friend James King at a local concert he was putting on. Our good friend Jace sang some tunes there as well. The plan was to go to dinner (using my 25.00 gift card from work), hit the concert, then head to a movie at the Junction (using my gift card from Dewy's sister). The night was to cost us 8.00 total. We realized that there was no way in heaven above we were going to make it to dinner at the place for my gift card before the concert started. We settled for Javier's instead. Sorry Dewy, what was supposed to be a free dinner, well, wasn't.

The concert was actually REALLY good, and we ran into a bunch of our old friends. Aaron and Erica Martinez are expecting a baby, and so are Jason and Kylee Adam! Congrats guys!

Anywho... After leaving the concert, we hit the Megaplex prepped and ready to laugh while watching Jim Carey in YES MAN. My advice to any going to see that movie. DON'T. So lame. Also, we discovered after getting there that my gift card was actually to Tinseltown. What was supposed to cost us a mere 8.00 was actually like 6 times that much. We are poor college kids, anything over 10.00 is pricey. OOps. Dewy was such a champ about it.