How to Dress to Avoid a Nursery Calling and Q&A

It was our first Sunday in our new ward - or so we thought. I was excited. I got all dressed up - my game plan being that they would think (accurately) that I was vain and pretentious and a terrible choice for Nursery. Yet, the second we sat down, a member of the bishopric beelines over to us and after hearing where we live says abruptly "Oh this is the wrong ward." Okkkkkkkk. Well I successfully dodged nursery for at least one week, right?

So enough about avoiding divinely inspired callings. My cute friend Dany tagged me in a Q&A, which I always love. I can blog without having to think too hard about it. Check out her blog for cute stories and great beauty posts.

/favorite song off the top of your head, and provide a link if you can!

Right now... probably Second Chance by Peter Bjorn and John. It was a great packing/moving/driving song and I've listened to it probably 1000x in the last 2 weeks. Don't let the weirdo music video turn you off. Close your eyes if you have to.

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/who do you look up to most, and why?

I actually look DOWN to this person, in more ways than one. She is younger and shorter than me, but my sister-in-law Haley is already as good a person as I can hope to become. She's so warm and kind - people just love her. She's is such a good person and her testimony is so visible in the way she lives her life. She's responsible and mature, way better with kids and old people than I am. She is so beautiful and fun, which is why everyone, girls and boys alike just want to be around her. I want to copy her optimism, charity and general attitude. Lucky for us, she's engaged to a guy we love and we get to double with them weekly now. :)

//if you could change one thing that has happened to you, what would it be & why?

Happened to me - meaning I had no control? Most of what I regret is stupid decisions I've made, but I'd say probably getting the job in Mapleton. They gave the job to the intern who had taught that grade level all year - which makes sense. I just think sometimes about if I'd been given that job and we'd had another year in Mapleton to take it easy, have easy jobs, save money and figure life out. 

//what is your favorite memory?

This doesn't sound all that special, but I love it because it's when we both kind of started to realize we loved each other. A few weeks after The Beard and I started "officially" dating (but really we were still just hanging out), he turned to me one night when we were hanging on the couch watching The Office no doubt, and said "Ok. I'm taking you on a real date Friday night. Wear something nice." I think I smiled every second until he came to pick me up that Friday night. He's put on a nice shirt and his "fancy" jeans and HE HAD EVEN SHAVED HIS SCRUFF (this is pre-full-always-beard days) OMG. He took me to our favorite little Italian place - La Dolce Vita in Provo, then to see Easy A. We ended the night just laughing and talking until way past Honor Code hours. I'm pretty sure I smiled for about a week afterwards.

//spillllll - what's your guilty pleasure?

Crunching Wint-O-Green Mints. Again, Dany knows about this one. I used to go through literally a hundred a day. I'm falling back into it again lately. I smell minty and delicious all the time, but my jaw is aching. 

//any beauty secrets that you're currently loving?

It's way too hot to wear melty, thick makeup, so my thing lately has been a super light layer of moisturizer and a very light dusting of loose powder foundation. Streak free, Holmes!!!

//most embarrassing moment

Oh easy. Dany was even there for this one. The National Anthem Incident of 2008. The girl who was supposed to sing it didn't show up, so my coach asked me to sing it. Don't know why. I said, "Sure, why not?!!" because I was the team clown/goofy/attention hungry probably. I forgot the words approximately 2 seconds in, due to the pterodactyls in my stomach. So I did what any rational, self-possessed teenager would do - lower your volume and mumble until you remember it. Classic way to honor our Beautiful America. I'm sorry Uncle Sam. 

//favorite thing about YOURself - gloat as you may, we love you no matter what!

I hope I have a good sense of humor and a quick wit. I really like being funny. That means more to me than anything else. That's what I really want to be described as when people say "What's Danica like?" "Funny." But not "Funny LOOKING." Gotcha Dad. We all know you were thinking it. 

 

Tasting My Own Medicine...

Miss Katie suggested that I answer my own questions from the "Tagged" post. I suppose I shouldn't ask people to do something I wouldn't... so here goes.

1. Last book you read? Memoirs of a Geisha - to brush up on Asian culture before I taught my Asia unit. Currently reading I Am Legend, which is weird and good.
2. Favorite song right now? Somebody that I Used to Know - Gotye. Ryan's so sick of it.
3. Favorite place to shop? I'm a big online shopper. But as far as stores go, I know I'll always find several things I love at Forever 21. It's a cheap weakness.
4. Best purchase ever? Do I sound worthless if I say our TV? We got an awesome deal on it and I use it every day for The Office, Just Dance, Wii and Kickboxing. I love it. So much.
5. Most embarrassing moment, please. Totally choking and forgetting the words to the National Anthem at a softball game. It was years before I could even TALK about it.
6. First kiss story. May NOT be the same as #5. I was 16. I had been dating my boyfriend for a few months, neither of us had ever kissed anyone and we were super nervous about it. I'm pretty sure everyone knew we were gonna have our first kiss soon. It was like a random Thursday afternoon, we'd been doing homework at his house (torrid romance, obviously). I had to go home, probably for dinner, so he walked me out to my car. He just kept hugging me and I was like "Oh no. Not now. Not here. Not with the kids on their Razor scooters across the street." But he wouldn't let me go and, with my eyes open, planted the most flat, weird kiss ever on me. I guess I should be grateful it wasn't wet. Although I was scandalized the first time he stuck his tongue in my mouth. TMI. Not really sure who is actually reading this post. Anyways. Within 24 hours EVERYONE knew we'd kissed. And the rest is high school history, meaning we had a big emotional breakup a while later.
7. Grossest food you've ever eaten? I once choked down gross greasy tacos at a really gross unclean house because it was a team lunch. I felt sick for days. I was certain I was going to get mad cow, botulism or some other awful unclean disease.
8. What is your next vacation? What are your plans? We are contemplating a cruise for our 1 year anniversary in July, so I'm having a blast psuedo-planning that whole thing. But more realistically, we'll probably head down to St. George during Spring Break in like 6 weeks. Plans = eat, sleep, swim. Repeat. Can't wait.
9. Favorite blog that you follow? Hard to choose. I follow well over 100 and I like them for different reasons. Famous people - Kendi Everyday, The Daybook, The Rockstar Diaries. Friends - Eliesa, Courtney and Jeanette make me smile and laugh.
10. Celebrity you'd most like to punch in the face? I don't watch the Kardashian reality bullcrap TV, but I'd really like to punch Kim, I think.
11. Something you LOVE that you're embarrassed about? I used to be really secretive about how much I loved Gossip Girl (Seasons 1-3).

Tagged... I'm it.

I've seen these challenges, and never been tagged. I feel honored and also a little bit like I lost the tag game. Thanks, Karlie!

Here are the rules of the challenge:

1 - you must post the rules.

2 - post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post

3 - answer the eleven questions the tagger set for you in their post

4 - create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged

5 - tag eleven people and link them on your post

6 - let them know you've tagged them!

11 Fun Facts About Me

1. I eat more microwave popcorn than anyone you know.
2. I have an extremely obsessive personality. When I love something, I LOVE IT. Too much. A little like a crazy person.
3. Due to my obsessive love of The Office (see #2), I regularly dream in full, original Office episodes. And they are hilarious! I always think about writing actual scripts and sending them to NBC. Maybe one day I will.
4. I use Pinterest for everything. Seriously.
5. Lately, I wake up at 4 am on the dot every morning, regardless of when I go to bed. Whyyyyy?
6. I loved sports and always will, but during college I got super into yoga and now I'm getting into kickboxing.
7. As much as I love the concept of a Zombie Apocalypse, if I ever have to "roug
   h it" I'll just cover myself in honey and lay down in front of a bear. Not worth it.
8. I have earned over 600 stars on Just Dance 3.
9. I have wanted to be a drummer since I was 6 years old. Meg White style.
10. At any given moment, there is a 70% chance I'm picking at my split ends.
11. I think I'm addicted to fashion magazines. And blogs.

Karlie's 11 Questions

1. How many kids do you want to have?

Right now? None. I'm kind of terrified of kids. I have "daymares" where I accidentally drop my babies on their heads. Part of me is scared I'll never get past that. But I know I will. In the future, maybe 2-3? Ryan wants a whole baseball team....

2. What is the number one quality you look for in a spouse?

Humor, always. Ryan and I love some quote that says something like "a relationship based on playfulness will last forever."

3. What is your favorite picture of all time? (Either post it or explain it)

4. What do you cook most often for dinner? (I need some ideas...preferably easy ideas)

The Beard loves mac n cheese more than anything, so I do a ton of variations of that. The next most common is what we like to call "Asian Wok Adventure," usually every Friday night if we don't make plans. It's fried rice, potstickers and whatever style Asian dish we want - General Tso's, Orange Chicken, etc.

5. What is your favorite craft you have ever done? (Will you teach me how to do it, I'm on a craft kick right now. Thanks)

I have never done a craft in my life and I suck at it. My cousin Chelsey is amazing at it though. She basically decorated her entire house in the cutest urban style and all homemade. Check her blog.

6. What has been your favorite date you have ever been on?

The Beard and I had been pseudo-dating for like 8 months, but had never really done a "real date." When we finally became "official," we went on a few "real dates" to "consummate" our relationship. My favorite one was a couple of weeks after we had been officially dating. He told me we were going on a nice date, but kept it a secret. He picked me up, in a nice shirt and his fancy jeans (embarrassing, honey?) and took me to his favorite Italian place, La Dolce Vita, which later became our "spot." (Really sorry for all the quotation marks.) Then he surprised me by taking me to see Easy A, because he hates movies. It was so simple and regular, but he made a real effort and it was just so sweet. I remember smiling for days.

7. How often do you change the sheets on your bed?

Not enough? He loves nothing more than a freshly made clean bed. I really try to get it every couple of weeks, but I need to improve.

8. Which is better - cherry, watermelon, strawberry?

Raspberry.

9. Is Pearl an old person name? How about Ruby?

I will admit I think of a little old lady that is trying to give me some stale chocolate. I really like the name Ruby though.

10. Does the future scare you? Why or why not?

The future involving kids, yes. Otherwise, no. I really do have faith that everything is going to be awesome, even though we have no idea what we'll be doing even next fall. And I know that at some point I will feel better about having little ones.

11. What do you like more of in blogs, pictures or words?

It depends. On my fashion blogs - pictures all the way. But with the humor and narrative blogs, I love great stories and fun messages.

Here are the friends that I tag....

1. Eliesa. Bestie
2. Courtney Bestie
3. Jeanette Bestie
4. Katie S. Bestie
5. Katie A. Married Besties
6. Cristina, English Teacher Extraordinare
7. Chelsey, Cousin/Sister-in-law
8. Kaybri, High school sensation
9. Meg from Pinker on My Side
10. Lisa Nickle, funniest person I've never met
11. Tayler from Wales

My 11 Questions

1. Last book you read?
2. Favorite song right now?
3. Favorite place to shop?
4. Best purchase ever?
5. Most embarrassing moment, please.
6. First kiss story. May NOT be the same as #5.
7. Grossest food you've ever eaten?
8. What is your next vacation? What are your plans?
9. Favorite blog that you follow?
10. Celebrity you'd most like to punch in the face?
11. Something you LOVE that you're embarrassed about?

Thanks, all!