Take Me Away...

I am sitting at a desk, checking the little clock on the bottom right corner of my computer screen MUCH too frequently. This is always a bad sign. I am going to invent a "Take Me Away Button". It's purpose will be simple: with one touch, I could be transported back in time to a place I have visited (and would rather be). The "speed dial" feature on this ingenious contraption would be programmed as follows:

1) Italy (Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Lago Como..... all cities included)
2) New York City (Grimaldi's, Brooklyn Bridge, Downtown, Uptown, Central Park, Brooklyn, SoHo, the Village, Washington Square Park, Bleeker...I am running out of room)
3) Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Valencia, McDonald's Ice Cream Cones...mouth watering)
4) San Francisco (Home sweet home. Nothing could be more beautiful that that city on the bay)
5) London (West End, Picadilly Circus, The Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, The Eye, Notting Hill, the museums, Portabello Road, the tube, the parks, the shopping...totally worth the arm and leg you have to sell to afford it)
6) Puerto Vallarta (Honeymoon. Enough said.)
7) Oregon Coast (who says the beach has to be warm to be wonderful?)
8) Boston (love, love, love)
9) Hawaii (because seriously, who wouldn't rather be in Hawaii?)
10) Switzerland (I am having a serious chocolate craving)

Perhaps I should expand the speed dial capacity of my button.

Nothing in Life is Free...

A few weeks ago, a girl came into my store looking for some professional clothing for work. Being the chatterbug that I am, I asked about her job and we ended up talking for quite awhile. She happened to work for Wyndham Vacations, a timeshare company, and when I was ringing her up, she offered me a free trip to Anaheim, CA. The catch: I would have to sit through an "hour long" presentation.

Reece and I are no strangers to timeshare presentations. When we got off the plane in Puerto Vallarta on our honeymoon, we were bombarded by the timeshare brigade, offering us free cabs, free food, free tours, free EVERYTHING if we would just sit through a two hour presentation. We like free stuff, so we agreed. Luckily, our timeshare salesman was a big surfer, and apparently the waves were too wicked to pass up, so he let us go after the free breakfast:



We were very pleased with the results...we got to glide through the jungle on zip lines:



Also free, a snorkel "cruise"...



featuring a "gourmet" meal. Check out this little number:



And no, in case you are wondering, I did NOT eat that stuff...I fed the fish instead.

Back to the Anaheim offer. All I heard was "free vacation", and before I knew it I had handed over my name and phone number. I went home and told Reece, expecting great praise and gratitude for winning a free trip with my glowing personality...alas, all I got was a raised eyebrow and an eye roll. "NOTHING in life is free Jessica," he replied.

Nonetheless, I was determined to get this free trip. I need a break from the cold and the monotony of Utah. It was for this precise reason that I dragged my husband to the presentation today, promising him refreshments.

THREE HOURS LATER we walked out of that place feeling like brain dead zombies. They would not take no for an answer. Look people, we are both students, getting ready to apply for grad school, paying ridiculous rent in Salt Lake City. It is NOT going to happen.

We will be going to Anaheim, but believe me, we paid DEARLY for it.

NOTHING in life is free, take my word for it.

Guilt...

I am an emotional person. I have never been good at hiding my feelings, try as I might. I might as well open a clothing line featuring happy, sad, frustrated, nervous etc. on each sleeve (get it?). Although I am not necessarily fond of this inability to appear calm and cool, Reece tells me that my capacity to feel things makes me a unique person. I think this is his "nice" way of telling me to rope those crazy hormones in.

For whatever reason, an the feeling that has been overwhelming me lately is guilt. What a horrible thing to be plagued with. Here are some of the things I felt guilty about today:

1) Asking Reece to make the bed, even though I knew he was running late.
2) Not calling in sick to spend the day with my kitten, who was left alone from 9 am to 11 pm. Somebody should call the Humane Society and report me- I am a horrible pet owner :(
3) Using some...ahem...choice words when expressing my frustrations with the guy who cut me off on the freeway this morning. Who knew I could be so attached to a horn?
4) Eating freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream at 10:30 pm. So much for all the exercise this week.
5) Yelling at Reece for licking my cheek when he got home. OK, to be honest, I SHOULD feel guilty about that, but he deserved it...it was gross and annoying.
6) Not waking up earlier so that I could go to the gym this morning.
7) Not finishing the last of the Thank You cards from the wedding.
8) Did I mention leaving my 4 month old kitten alone in a tiny apartment ALL DAY?
9) Yelling at Reece for informing me that the supposedly "healthy" beans that I ate at the Mexican restaurant tonight were, in fact, fairly fattening (are we sensing a trend? Stupid bathing suit season...)
10) Forcing the reader of this blog to read this tedious list.

I need to figure out how to compensate for all the bad decisions I make. I think tomorrow I will spend the whole day with my kitten, kiss my husband, go to the gym, finish those Thank Yous, eat a big salad, make the bed and comment on the driving skills of those around me. There, I feel better already!

One Year and a Few Days Ago...

Ok, so I know this was the theme of the "Zoo Day" post, but I feel that the actual engagement story was overshadowed by the elephants and albino alligators (naturally, I mean, how do you compete with an albino alligator?). Also, my brain is fried from a LONG day at KSL, so I am not feeling particularly creative or witty tonight.

Prior to meeting my husband, I had set IN STONE the following rules for myself, punishable by death (or, equally horrific, being forced to sit through one of those horrible Star Wars Episode whatever movies):

1) No kissing on the first date: never really was good at this one. More of a guideline than a code. Reece kissed me the day after we met.

2) The "L" word = profanity: for whatever reason, those 3 little words always scared the bejeebers out of my commitment-shy little self. We dropped the bomb after 3 weeks. And I wasn't even freaked out! At this point, I knew things were about to get crazy.

3) Absolutely NO talk of marriage before at least 12 solid months of dating: it took 4 weeks, and I had a ring on my finger 2 months later.

Clearly, there was something in the water.

Anyway, Reece will attest to the fact that I am quite possibly the LEAST patient person in the universe, so after we knew we were going to get hitched, I expected a proposal in the near future.

Didn't really work out that way. Apparently, my husband likes to use my impatience against me.

After many, many weekends of high hopes turning to dashed dreams...I still didn't have a ring. Ever heard of the term "engaged to be engaged"? Well, if you haven't you are lucky, and if you have, you probably hate it as much as I did. But I have to admit, Reece made up for it (and then some) with an unforgettable proposal.

We played tennis in the morning. Well, he played, I made a fool of myself. He took me tanning (I was always complaining about the winter whiteout). We even met up with my parents at Caputo's (where he sneakily informed my dad about the forthcoming proposal, to which my father enthusiastically replied: "Phew! We thought she was going to kill you!") He took me to Ruth's for dinner. We went on what seemed like a 5 mile hike...I was wearing flip flops. He proposed in ITALIAN on a big cliff overlooking the Salt Lake valley (at sunset, of course), and I FINALLY got to put that beautiful bling on my left finger.

Hard to believe it has been a whole year! Marriage is better than I ever thought it could be, and I am so happy that I broke all of my "rules" and took that huge leap with my best friend.

And I Shall Call It....Zoo Day...

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of our engagement, and since we both had the day off today, we decided to celebrate (believe me, we will look for ANY excuse to have a celebration).

We started the day with brunch at Ruth's Diner.

Coincidentally, this is the same restaurant we ate at before Reece proposed.

After a fabulous feast of world-famous biscuits, breakfast burritos and omelets, we headed to Hogle Zoo. Naturally.

I liked the elephants. (You should know that as Reece took this picture, he told me that it looked like I was the elephant on display. Generally NOT something a girl likes to hear).

Reece, however, had a different experience with these gentle giants.

He seemed to have developed a strong bond with the Albino Alligator. Check out those white legs and you might figure out why :)

I had a thing for the deformed camel. I think it may have had something to do with those luscious lips...

We learned that, contrary to popular belief, Reece's extraordinarily long arm span does not match that of the mighty gorilla.

We both enjoyed the zebras, although you wouldn't know it from this picture. The zebra decided to hide behind our huge noggins....either that, or our photographer didn't really understand the assignment.

All in all, it was a fabulous day. We took about 4 million pictures, but I am quickly losing patience with the photo upload feature.

Also...zoos = babies. Lots and lots of darling, adorable, cheek-squeezable babies. NOT great for the oft-mentioned baby hunger.

AGAIN: This stupid layout thing is KILLING me! Tips? Suggestions? Condolences?

Easter Collage (Because I Don't Know How to Make Slideshows)

Easter Weekend Top 10...

1) Banks Family Easter Party...every year, Reece's Mom's family gets together for an Easter egg hunt of epic proportions. I walked outta there with a bag FILLED TO THE BRIM with my favorite chocolate. Did I mention that we get to run around the yard to find the candy before it is gone? It is like a pinata scramble, without the baseball bat.

2) Alexis Wiseman's Baby Shower...or at least the end of it. Unfortunately the Banks Family Easter Party took place at the same time. Reece and I dashed to the other side of town and made it just as everyone else was leaving...just the way we liked it. We got Matt and Alexis (and that stubborn Alivia) to ourselves, and presented our favorite family with the best baby shower gift ever: a Chipotle gift card. Nothing makes baby happier than a stuffed burrito :)
*Added bonus: finally meeting the infamous parentals we hear so much about

3) Sleeping in a Twin Bed...nothing like being smashed up against each other to make you grateful for a queen. I mean, there MUST be limits to family togetherness.

4) Visiting the Home Ward...good for catching up on the Lindon gossip.

5) Fruit...pineapple, strawberries (covered in chocolate, by the way), oranges, bananas, apples...it felt like summer. At least until I was so cruelly reminded that my stomach does NOT do well when crammed with mass amounts of acidic goodness.

6) Dan in Real Life and Enchanted...Thanks honey, for the best Easter basket a girl could ask for :)

7) Decorating Easter Eggs...the vinegar smell was horrendous, but who needs nail polish when you can dip your fingers in dye? Also, I have found the key to Reece's heart: Transformers Egg Decorating Kit. Thank you Target.

8) The Rogers' Family Easter Egg Hunt...Dad chucking eggs on the ground, then getting clever and sticking them in the middle of the spikiest bushes in the yard. No pain, no gain...and we bled for our glory this year. Also, the golden egg filled with a $20 bill funded my Gilmore Girls Season 6 purchase.

9) The Weather...please, please, please, please, please stick around forever? I actually had to TAKE OFF THE JACKET on the family walk. Don't be a tease...just stay for good!

10) The Two Fs: Family and Food...Grilled veggie/chicken skewers, the above-mentioned fruit, chocolate, chocolate and MORE chocolate, brownies, strawberry shortcake, salads, pizza. I better hit the treadmill. Also, what could be better than hanging out with your favorite people in the whole world?

And most importantly....

The celebration of our Savior and the miracle of the Resurrection. I am so blessed to have His love and example in my life.

Why I Already Love May 2nd....

1) We are leaving for a week-long vacation to visit family in Oregon
2) No work
3) I get to bug Reece for the entire 12+ hour drive
4) Road trip snacks (chips, fruit snacks, soda, pita chips and hummus...need I say more?)
5) Road trip games (we like to sharpen our Catch Phrase compatibility)

Hurry up and get here!

Antsy...

I am officially antsy. The time has come for me to embark on another adventure. Those who know me also know that I have an EXTREMELY difficult time staying put in one place for long periods of time. The following list describes my nomadic tendencies over the past five years:

1. Lindon, UT to
2. Provo, UT to
3. Randolf, NJ to
4. Rome, Italy to
5. Torino, Italy to
6. Provo, UT to
7. Randolf, NJ to
8. Lindon, UT to
9. Provo, UT to
10. Salt Lake City, UT

I spared you several "back to Lindon" moves, by the way. It's not that I like the actual moving process, I just like the newness of going somewhere else. I like the unexpected. I like change (as far as surroundings go). I thought this itch might subside after marriage, but unfortunately, I now feel the need to pull Reece into my wandering ways. Poor guy.

I blame my parents. Growing up, we moved a lot. We lived in the bay area for the majority of my childhood, but did stints in Eugene, OR and Bethel, CT before making the more permanent Utah move. We traveled a lot as a family as well. I am severely infected with the incurable travel bug, and I am unconvinced that I will ever fully "recover".

It looks like we will be adding a few more locations to the above list within the next couple of years. There is an increasingly strong possibility that we will be moving to Logan in August so that Reece can finish up at Utah State. Grad school apps are due in February, so we should know where we will be heading the following August. I think we are both pulling for Arizona.

For now, I am going to focus on making Salt Lake City my city. I have tried to claim each place that I have lived as my own by discovering my "things". My grocery store. My pizza place. My jogging trail. My reading spot..... you get the picture. Now that the sunshine is starting to make a cameo, I look forward to getting to know my current city better. The only way to get to know a place is to experience it, and that is what I intend to do (and experiencing is a lot easier when it isn't FRIGID cold).

Salt Lake City, I'm Jessica. Let's be friends.

She made me do it...

First she gets me on Facebook, and now a blog. I used to be so strong. She pushing for a baby right now, and with my apparent lack of willpower, there might be one on the way soon. Trick! I'm scared of babies! Congrats to all of those bold parents who have reproduced and created their own little bundles of joy. I'm pretty sure I can barely take care of myself, let alone a little meatloaf of love dressed in footy pajamas. Good thing they take nine months in the oven so I can get used to the idea of being a dad.

Anyway, consider this my first official blog today. It is short, but I wrote a 10 page paper today and I'm not in the mood to write any more. Go Aggies.

The Art of Being Stupid...

Today, I got up and headed to KSL. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn't need my jacket. I even had time to grab a 32 oz. DDP from our Chevron. Things were looking bright. I got to my desk, sat through the story meeting, and started working on my very intriguing assignment.

Then...it hit.

The nausea, followed by cold sweats, followed by a dash to the bathroom. The flu bug refuses to leave my body- he is seriously camped out, deep within my stomach, just waiting for the most inopportune time to wreak havoc on my insides.

Did I mention we had a station meeting scheduled for this afternoon, catered by some fabulous local eatery? I didn't even get to stay long enough to find out what delicious delicacy the glorious smell belonged to...just my luck.

The good part about my sudden sickness was that it allowed me to spend the day with Reece, who has Wednesdays off. The bad part (aside from the stomach pains) was that he had to dedicate ALL of his time and attention to a 10 page paper, due tonight.

I have mentioned before that I am an extremist when it comes to organization and cleanliness. We have a kitten, therefore our apartment can only remain clean and orderly for about 15 minutes at a time. I am cursed with the inability to relax in a messy area...so immediately after stepping into the apartment I went about making the bed, vacuuming the carpet, cleaning last night's dishes...etc. Reece thinks I am crazy, and maybe I am, but seriously, I get STRESSED if things aren't in their right place. The bug living in my stomach seems to get high off of my stress, so I had to rob him of that pleasure.

So what does a sick girl do after she cleans the entire apartment? She decides that it would be extremely therapeutic to go for a long run outside....

I almost died. And anyone fortunate enough to have been driving/walking/running on Bountiful Boulevard at the time of my demise got quite the show...puke+wind+tears=total misery.

I think there may be a very sound reason for my continued ailments. Does anyone specialize in teaching the art of relaxation???

By the way...

Why is it so hard to to make text and pictures line up? I am possibly the most obsessive-compulsive perfectionist in the entire universe, so that last post is KILLING me. HELP!

St. Patty's Day...

Our St. Patrick's day was amazing enough to make all who read this post green with envy.
First of all, this was a big day for the Ivins family- Jason's Deli, our favorite restaurant, just opened at the Gateway. Of course, we had to be there for the big Salt Lake premiere (Notice the "Asian Tourist" poses. The people walking by sure did).

Three words for you: free soft serve. I had two cones, thank you very much.

Following our fabulous dinner (ice cream qualifies as an essential part of a well-balanced meal in my book), we decided to make some dessert in honor of St. Patrick. Plus, I am big on traditions, so I basically force Reece to do cheesy activities on almost every holiday.

Tonight it was sugar cookies. I got creative and made a leprechaun (2nd blob from the right). Notice the assortment of four-leaf clovers and "coins". Also, Reece is pretty hard core about St. Patrick's Day.

Much to Reece's dismay, Jack developed a love for cookie dough. Additionally, he seems to have inherited my addiction to Diet Dr. Pepper

Needless to say, it was a great night. Now we just have to figure out what to do with all the cookies, because they sure won't last long around here....any takers?

My Live-in Chef...

Reece frequently whips up culinary masterpieces for his smokin' hot wife. This is his latest creation:*Chili-lime chicken tacos with black bean and corn salsa, and yes, that is homemade hummus on the side. YUM. Love the food, love the chef.

March of the Princesses...

Reece and I always happen to go to the Gateway during big events at the Delta Center. We always get frustrated at the lack of parking, and then we argue about each others' driving skills (or lack thereof) in the parking garages. The first time we ran into this issue was the night of the Hannah Montana concert. Last night, it was the Disney Princess on Ice show. As we sat in Rumbi's, eating our gross food, we LOVED watching all the little "princesses" run around with their mommies. Reece commented that he had never seen so many princesses in his entire life :) This situation was NOT good for the "baby hunger", and it made us really really really want a little princess of our own!

ALSO: Did anyone else know that a JASON'S DELI is opening on MONDAY at the Gateway? I told Reece (when he delivered the glorious news) that it was the best moment of my life. You can be sure that the Ivins will be the first in line. Free soft serve = my own personal heaven.

My Boys...

Sometimes they fight.
Sometimes they scratch.
Sometimes they whine.
Sometimes they cry.
Always, always ready to eat.
Always, always want to play.
Always, always leave messes.
Always, always ready to cuddle.

Best things in my life.

Masters Degree vs. Law Degree

Come April I will be an official college graduate. The event that I have anticipated since kindergarten is so close I can almost taste it. After 17 years, I am so DONE!

So why in heaven's name do I feel the need to go BACK to school?

I am starting to feel that panic that so many before me have experienced. NOW WHAT? Do I actually have to be a grown-up in a very grown-up world?

The wise Meredith Grey posed this very question: We're adults. How did that happen? And how do we make it stop? I hear ya sister.

I am currently torn between taking the LSAT or the GRE (for a masters in journalism/communication). I hate tests, always have. So why am I willingly subjecting myself to some of the most miserably intense examinations available to mankind?

After that, I get to apply to college...again. I may sound like I am repeating myself, but WHY would I drag myself through THAT process again? The essays...the application fees...the transcripts...and, worst of all...the waiting. I am already getting a headache.

On top of all of that...graduate programs are NOT cheap.

Ok, so maybe I love school. Maybe I love learning new things. Maybe I need to prove to myself that I can actually do big things. Maybe I need to be protected by the walls of a collegiate institution for just a bit longer. Maybe I really have always wanted this, and managed to push the idea out of my mind during the years of mid-terms, 10-page research papers, late-night cramming and caffeine-filled Finals Weeks.

All I know is that I am starting to miss school, and it looks like I'm going to go crawling back.

F. H. E.

Family Home Evening. Never really had it growing up. My parents did try, and I give them credit for their effort, but we always faught it, and we faught it hard. Monday nights at the Rogers' house were filled with passionate protest from all four children: "I'm busy!" "I have homework!" "I think I am getting sick..." "I hate her!" "Can't we just skip the song and lesson and get to the treat part?"

My dad's equally passionate response: "Silence! We will have fun, damnit!"

In college, I was always the recipient of the cookies that my "family" had baked for that week's activity.

When Reece and I went into our Stake President's interview before we were married, the Stake President challenged us to make FHE a habit in our home, starting with the first monday of our marriage. Although I can't say we have been totally consistent, we did hold FHE tonight...lesson and all. And we made (and ate) these:

So much for that 10 pounds I am trying to lose. I knew this whole FHE thing was a bad idea :)

And, for your enjoyment, a poorly lit family picture, in honor of the evening of familes:

WARNING.

Ladies, if you find yourself "baby hungry", there are several things you really should avoid:

1. Hanging out with pregnant pals. We had dinner with our good friends the Wisemans tonight, and little Alivia is about to join the group. We've been friends throughout the whole pregnancy, and seeing their darling little nursery and teeny-tiny diapers made me CRAZY with baby fever. If they can do it Reece, so can we.

2. Working at a mall. My store just happens to be next door to Kiddie Candids, and what does a mother do after taking pictures of her beautiful child? She goes next door to Maurices to torture Jessica, that's what. Seriously people, leave your gorgeous offspring at home!

3. Listen to General Conference talks about starting that family NOW. If the cute babies don't get to you, the guilt will.



I love watching all the color drain from my husband's face :) It happens quite frequently these days.

Also, if anyone needs a babysitter, consider me your gal.

Tagged...I guess

5 THINGS I WAS DOING 10 YEARS AGO:

1. Swimming on a competitive swim team.

2. Buying every issue of Teen Beat magazine. I heart(ed) JTT :)

3. Babysitting every weekend (I kept all my babysitting money in a big bucket that originally held cotton candy, of all things).

4. Avoiding my "boyfriend" at all costs...because that is what "going out" entailed.

5. Changing the color of the rubber bands on my braces to match each holiday- don't pretend you didn't do it too...

5 THINGS ON MY TO-DO LIST TODAY:

1. Wake up on time.

2. Get to work on time.

3. Meet up with the famiglia for dinner at Atlantic.

4. Kiss my husband.

5. Kiss my kitty.

5 SNACKS I ENJOY:

1. Toast.

2. Soft Serve Ice Cream, preferably from Jason's.

3. Fishy Crackers.

4. Apples.

5. Hummus and Pita.

5 THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A BILLIONAIRE:

1. Buy a villa in Lake Como, next door to George Clooney, of course.

2. Buy George Clooney.

3. Install a soft serve ice cream machine and Diet Dr. Pepper on tap in my house.

4. Travel wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted (Greece, Australia, Thailand, Japan, etc...here I come).

5. Get a law degree AND a Masters in communications...both from Ivy League schools. What student loans?

5 OF MY BAD HABITS:

1. Late-night munching

2. I swear sometimes...

3. Stressing myself out.

4. Addiction to mindless television shows (i.e. Greys, Gilmore Girls, Top Model, Celebrity Rehab...).

5. Buying WAY too much lip gloss.

5 THINGS I WILL NEVER WEAR AGAIN:

1. Skorts. Skirt+Shorts=Shudder.

2. My Steve Young football jersey.

3. My 49ers hat...it was a stage.

4. Jellies...remember those?

5. Scrunchies. In my hair OR on my sweatshirts.

5 PLACES I HAVE LIVED:

1. California

2. Oregon

3. Connecticut

4. New Jersey

5. Italy

5 JOBS I'VE HAD:

1. Bread Girl at Great Harvest.

2. Sales Girl at Nordstrom.

3. Research Analyst Intern at Envision Consulting Group.

4. Assistant to the Chef at Classy Cuisine.

5. TV News Intern at KSL Television.

5 THINGS PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME:

1. I am terrified of the dark, but I can't sleep if there is ANY light in the room.

2. I hate animals dressed like people...just don't do it.

3. I am actually really shy, and force myself to seem outgoing.

4. I always surprise myself when I accomplish something big...I guess I don't always think I can do great things.

5. I have kissed a boy in a cemetery. Gross.

I don't really know how to tag people, but I guess Alexis and Matt are it.

Only in the Movies...

Today was my day off. I slept in until 10, made french toast and watched Grey's until about 2pm. I took Jack outside and let him run around on the 5x5 ft "lawn" in front of our complex. It was so nice outside that I decided to go for a run. It was a GREAT run...I went up past the Capitol and down into Memory Grove. Man, I felt good. After a nice long shower, I did my hair, slipped back into my robe (because who actually gets dressed on their day off?) and decided that it was time to do a little cleaning. About 2 min after I started vacuuming my living room, I realized that the filter was clogged, and when I went to empty it out, was immediately engulfed in a giant cloud of carcinogenic nastiness. I ran to the front door, stuck the filter outside and realized that Jack was making a beeline for freedom. I jumped outside and shut the door just in time. So there I was, on our front porch, in my bathrobe. Perfect setup. I cleaned the filter, turned around to jump back inside and spare myself the humiliation of running into a neighbor or something, and of course.......the door was locked.

ISN'T THIS KIND OF CRAP USUALLY RESERVED FOR TELEVISION?

I had to laugh to keep from crying, jumped onto our balcony, taking great care to keep my robe closed, and proceeded to bust the screen off of our window (there goes our deposit). Of course, the window was also locked. Jack found the whole thing hilarious- he just sat at the sliding door, taunting me. I was rescued by a good Samaritan who offered me the use of her phone (I'm sure the second I handed it back to her she wasted no time in calling everyone on her contact list..."You won't believe what happened today!...Yeah, in nothing but her ROBE!").

I hate having days off. Nothing but trouble.

I Tell Stories.

Here are a couple of stories that I wrote for KSL, voiced and presented by Keith McCord and Bruce Lindsay. Watch and enjoy (and bask in the cheesiness of my scriptwriting skills)...

East High Tourism
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2752749

Glen Canyon Dam
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=2791436

Maybe one day people will see my mug onscreen, instead of just my words.

Cat Scratch Fever...

8:30 am. Sleeping soundly and contently. Subconsciously hear Reece's alarm go off. Feel the mattress bounce when he rolls out of bed to get in the shower.

8:35 am. Roll over and readjust on Reece's side of the bed (I like to sprawl, and his pillow is fluffier). Pull covers over face to block sunlight.

8:36 am. Hear something resembling a creaking door, slowly opening.

8:37 am. Shadow looms over face, safely hidden under sheets.

8:37:28 am. ATTACK! Paw comes barreling at my face, razor-sharp claws out, looking for blood. Razor sharp claws easily tear through sheets. Blood is spilt.

All day, probably for the next 7 or 8 days.... this face:

As much as I love letting my kitten use my nose as his scratching post, I think it is time to lock him out of our room when we sleep. And if the 2 inch gash leaves a scar, Reece has kindly reassured me that I can just get a nose job.

And yes, I had to go to work today, and 1 out of every 2 customers was sweet enough to point out my disfigured proboscis. Here are some of the most memorable soundbites from this day of fun:

"Whoa, did you know that your nose is bleeding?"

"Ewww! What happened to your face?"

"Do you need a tissue?"

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

I love being a pet owner.

Lucky Me...

So I happen to be part Irish, and March is a very important, nay, lucky time of year for me. In honor of the month of the Leprechauns...I would like to prove to the world why I am the luckiest girl around:

Reason #1: I am married to Anthony Reece Ivins. He is a pretty amazing guy. He rubs my feet, buys me soda, brings me roses (every week since we started dating), sends me on trips, reminds me that I am beautiful even when I feel gross, cooks me incredible dinners, takes me to get ice cream at all hours of the night, and most importantly, lets me be the crazy, neurotic maniac that I am, and loves me for it :)

Reason #2: I have the coolest internship ever. So far I have interviewed President Hinckley's in-laws, sat in on a state legislative session, watched 80 members of the Utah National Guard receive a surprise cruise, witnessed a truck blowing up on the side of the freeway, worked one-on-one with some of the most talented and experienced producers and reporters in the state... I never know where I will go or who I will meet when I get to the newsroom each morning. I have officially become addicted to life in the news biz, and I can't get enough of the ride.

Reason #3: I have a fabulous family. My parents are literally my best friends, and they never cease to spoil us. My sister Alysha is one of the greatest examples in my life...not to mention the one who is always there to build me up and make me feel loved. My brother Adam is off doing incredible things in California, always willing to serve anyone that comes into his life. My beautiful baby sister Kelly keeps me laughing so hard that I sometimes think I might die...she is SO much cooler than I was at 15. My in-laws treat me like their own daughter, and I am lucky to have acquired such hilarious brothers and such a sweet and talented sister. I can honestly say that I have never ever felt unloved with so many wonderful people in my life.

Reason #4: I come home to this little guy every night. Enough said.

Chocolate Wafers and Jack from "Lost"

This morning, Reece announced to me that he was going to take me on a "hot date" tonight, so when I got home from work we gathered up our gift cards (getting married is awesome...you never seem to run out of gift cards from the wedding) and hit up Market Street Grill, followed by a trip to the big screen to see Vantage Point. I was a bit worried about leaving our baby (ok, our kitten) alone for so long, but Reece convinced me that he would be ok and that I was NOT being a horrible mother by going out for a few hours. I swear, this cat rules our lives. Anyway, I have never really been a fish person, but the fresh salmon at Market Street is to die for, and we got the "early bird special" that includes ice cream and a chocolate wafer for dessert. That's right...chocolate wafer. Next up was Vantage Point, a movie that both of us have been wanting to see for awhile. Reece will be the first to tell anyone that I am not the easiest person to watch a movie with, especially intense or scary movies. I guess I "ask too many questions"...thus ruining the flick for him. I just like to know what is going on, that's all. Anyway, this movie was the definition of intense, and there were long periods of time that I kept my fingers in my ears (an old technique of mine...somehow if the noise level is lower, so is the fear factor). I asked more questions than a four-year-old, and even got "shushed" by the grumpy guy behind us. Just keep that pudgy hand in the popcorn buddy... I am proud to announce that I guessed who the bad guy was within the first 15 minutes of the movie...I do have a knack for figuring out the twist in a plot at the very beginning (yet another thing that drives my husband nuts). Good movie. Go see it. And ladies, there is a bonus: Jack from Lost is one of the main characters. Yum. Chocolate wafers and Jack from Lost....what a great night :) Thanks to Reece for a very hot date.