In Lieu of Homework...

Here are some things that have interested me lately/currently:

-I feel like a bit of a fool admitting this, but yesterday as Dan and I were driving past a large body of water behind Timpanogos, I realized that bodies of water are in fact not blue, they are just reflecting the sky. Because water is clear. Or yucky brown.
-Tomorrow I can say, "I am getting married next month!" That's right, 57 days to go! We're on the downhill now!
-I am at work right now and I am dressed as a garden gnome. I even have a giant mushroom sitting next to me on my desk. I'll try to remember to post a picture later.
-I definitely put the dvd "Fantastic Mr. Fox" on our wedding registry list at Target. Also, Dan may or may not have registered for 6 king-size Kit Kat bars at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Call us tacky...because I totally know we are.
-And speaking of tacky, we're trying to avoid "true" tackiness--aka putting on our wedding announcement, "Due to the fact that the couple must drive back up to school, gift cards are appreciated." My mom has been searching the internet for non-tacky ways to say that, and here's the solution she found: on the invite, write, "Visit the couple's website (insert URL) for more information" and then write that nice little tidbit there. So I've gots ta make a wedding blog.
-Lacey's bridal shower is on Saturday. I'm not completely sure if she knows that yet...and I still have a ton to plan.

I honestly tried to do my homework. I have a ton of reading and journal entries to do by tomorrow for my deviant behavior class, but the website (stupid jstor) where I'm supposed to read articles has died apparently. Hopefully it comes back in the next few hours or I'm in deep trouble.

Thank you, that is all.

Zumba

I have a new goal. And that is to become a Zumba instructor.

After reading the lovely Amy's post in which she mentioned that she tried Zumba for the first time, I decided I wanted to write a post about it.

What is Zumba? According to Zumba Fitness:

"Zumba Fitness® is the only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a 'fitness-party' that is downright addictive.
Since its inception in 2001, the Zumba program has grown to become the world's largest – and most successful – dance-fitness program with more than 12 million people of all shapes, sizes and ages taking weekly Zumba classes in over 110,000 locations across more than 125 countries."

Fun side fact: it was kind of created on accident. Beto Perez was an aerobics teacher and one day realized he forgot the normal aerobics tape he had his students dance to...so he went out to his car and got his own personal grooves that were Latin salsa and merengue music for his students to dance to. They loved it so much they asked to dance to it again...and so Zumba was born.

It is so fun! I decided to take a Zumba class this year on a whim and I was a little scared because A: I hate unintentionally making a fool of myself and B: I just don't dance. But I did it because I wanted some sort of exercise class to get myself a bit more in shape for the upcoming marriage I am about to participate in.

The first day I HATED it!!! I was so uncoordinated and felt like an idiot. The next class period I heard some other girls talking about how stupid they felt...and then I realized that probably most of the girls in there felt like stupid, uncoordinated buffoons, too. So I just stopped worrying and now I love it. And I'm way better at it too, so that's a plus.

I have an awesome instructor named Andrea. She is super cool, nice, and funny, and she has the best dance moves. I especially like her because Zumba typically uses a lot of Latin-style music, but she loves to throw some hip-hop/gangster tunes in the mix as well. Those are my favorite to dance to. Here's a sample. It's called "Muevela" by Angel y Khriz. It's probably been my favorite we've danced to so far.

So yep, my goal is to lose some weight, get better at Zumba, and eventually become an instructor. I'd love to do it a few hours a week when Dan and I have a family--a good way to get out of the house a bit but not so time-consuming that I can't raise our kids how I should. Normally I'd think that was totally far-fetched except that Andrea is very much like me--before Zumba she hated running/exercise in general (though I suppose I don't hate it, I'm just not great at it) then she got into Zumba. She lost 30 pounds doing it (still waiting for that one to happen) and got super Zumbafied after 6 months or so. She's been doing Zumba for 2-3 years and is SO good that she was approached by BYU (she's a student at UVU) and asked to come teach it.

Anyways, everybody should try Zumba, it is way fun. And it's like a secret work out. You totally get your heartbeat up and get a good sweat going, but unlike running when you're like, "Oh my gosshh I seriously have 38297 more miles to run!?" you're like, "YES! I love this song, let's go." So it's super fun exercise.

And that is my plug for Zumba. Thank you.

Award

This award token of Lauren Babooshka Snow

1. Say 7 facts about yourself. 2. Pass it on.

1. Dan and I are getting married in 77 days!
2. As much as I hate the cold, I love sleeping in a cold room underneath a warm quilt or two.
3. I have recently rediscovered one of my very favorite songs from high school that I totally forgot about--"So Contagious" by Acceptance. Wonderful!
4. My whole life I have been a rather cluttered person. However, after living with the girls I live with now, mess bugs me more and more. Maybe it's a blessing that they're messy and our apartment's gross.
5. In high school I was obsessed with lime green duct tape. I carried it everywhere with me, and all my friends considered it a badge of honor if they had a piece of it on their shoe, backpack, instrument case, etc. Haha.
6. I really like animals and pity them when they're in pain. And I'm marrying a cow farmer...hmm.
7. I really miss going to concerts, but lately have just had no energy to do so even if I want to.

I give this award to:

Ashley

Linda

Rhonda

Felly

Oh So Bored

Normally I don't do these things but I am incredibly bored at work today and have nothing to do. No Harry Potter, no homework (not complaining about that), no interesting conversations haha. Stole this from Ashley's blog.


Age: 22 (ew..)
Bedsize: Twin
Chores that you hate: Mopping and vacuuming. They make me hot. I also currently hate any chore in my apartment because my roommates are huge slobs and leave bits of toilet paper from blowing their noses literally all over the apartment. I am being defiant and am doing nothing to straighten up because I'm rarely home and feel no obligation. Hmph. (sorry I am a little grouchy.)
Dogs: Scruffy. Cutest and smartest doggy eva!
Essential start to my day: A kiss from Danner! (yes mushy gushy gross I know)
Favorite color: green, teal
Gold or silver? Several years ago I'd have said silver. But now I really like gold too. Both. But not white-gold.
Height? five feet seven inchesss.
Instruments you play? piano, saxomophone, flute, organ, a bit of guitar
Job Title: Team leader/customer service rep
Kids: Yes I want them. Lots of them. Dan says he wants a "fleet." We'll see about that...
Live: Gilbert AZ yo. But currently Provo, where it snowed yesterday and is currently raining.
Mother's name: Linda.
Nicknames: Lise, Lisee, Magoo, Babooshka, Falala, Litha, Leesh, Sharon, La, Lisab
Overnight hospital stays: Cero. Well except for birth I guess.
Pet Peeves: Slow drivers, loud chewers/swallowers, when people pronounce "escape" and "especially" as "ekscape" and "ekspecially" ugh
Quote from movie and tv show:
Movies..."Beneath the clothes, we find a man...and beneath the man, we find his...nucleus." -Nacho Libre
For TV show I seriously have like an infinite number from The Office. A few of my favorites: "It's about to get all STUPID UP IN HERE!!" -Michael Scott. "Why tip someone for a job I’m capable of doing myself? I can deliver food. I can drive a taxi. I can, and do, cut my own hair. I did however, tip my urologist, because I am unable to pulverize my own kidney stones." -Dwight Schrute. "Poop is raining from the ceiling. Poop!" -Angela Martin.
Right or left: Left.
Siblings: My sweet brother Travis.
Time I wake up: Usually around 7:15. Who'da thunk.
Underwear: Well..it's blue right now?
Vegetable I hate: Red bell peppers.
What makes me run late: Thinking that I can get ready faster than I actually can. And this happens literally every day, sometimes multiple times a day.
X-rays I've had: Left leg, right arm, teeth, spleen (ultrasound), right hand
Yummy food you make: Texas sheet cake
Zoo animals: Owls!! There is a new owl aviary exhibit up in Logan Dan and I are going to. I'm so excited.

It Happens Every Time...

when I see you! It happens every time when I think of you. It happens every time, ooh it's magic when we meet baby down on Dream Street.

Okay enough reminiscing about one of my favorite childhood songs by Dream Street. On to the point of this post:

It happens every time--When I actually decide to be proactive and do my homework at work, I either discover that it requires a program our work computers are unfortunately not equipped with, or I don't know how to do it.

Like today.

At least this semester anyways.

I am in Sociology 307 and I HATE it!!! I spend way more time on the 5-point assignments than I do the 100-point assignments. Seriously. I spend 2+ hours on the 5-pointers and only like an hour on the 100-pointers. AND we have a 5-pointer due almost every class period. This class is set up horribly.

Enough complaining, we will now explore other aspects of the happenings in the Life of Lisa.

We are 1/3 of the way through the semester. Hallelujah. I actually might not die before I am able to get married.
Wedding plans are...coming along.
Dan and I are having our engagements shot on Saturday. Saturday, when the high is supposed to be in the 50s and there is a 30% chance of rain. As much as I love rain, I am sincerely hoping the skies are able to keep their tear ducts/salavary glands/what-have-you shut on Saturday.
I am lucky enough to be having 3 bridal showers. I am very grateful for the people who want to throw them for me. I am also very nervous about the gifts I may be getting...heh.
My dear little brother is in Canada now! (And has been for about 2 weeks, I'm behind.) And he is loving it! Look at how cute he is.






He's a real live missionary with a name tag. So crazy and so wonderful.





The end.

Negative + Negative = Positive

Today at work I accidentally discovered that if you take two two-word phrases that mean the same positive thing and accidentally mix them up, it's two negatives.

I was talking to a lady on the phone and she thanked me. I got tongue-tied and mixed "you're welcome" with "no problem."

This is what I ended up saying to her: "You're problem. Err, no welcome."

I sounded like a total scrooge. Haha.

Important Events Call for a Long Post.

There are 35 pictures in this post.

Many things have happened recently. I thought about doing separate blog posts for each of the events I plan to document but am too lazy to do so, so I will separate, entertain, and explain as best I can.


The Family

My family came up here to P-town in July and we had our family photos taken. Our last family photos before Travis went on his mission!!! I love my family sooo much. Here are a few of my favorites.


My parents are so cute. I love this laughing one.




The ones of my parents and me are in black and white because my hair looks disheveled and fly-away because I changed outfits. The black and white kinda hides the fly-aways. :]



I LOVE THIS ONE. Travis is the best Little Brother in the whole universe!


And then I couldn't decide which of these three to post....so you get all of them.




Isn't my family the best!? :]


The Romance

So you remember my last post? And the hint I picked up on? Here's the story:

Dan went home to Arizona with me last week. On Wednesday, August 24, Dan, Travis, and my parents went to the temple to do some sealings. Dan and I had plans to go on a date that night. When they all got back and I was getting ready, I asked my mom if Dan was going to propose that night. She looked completely bewildered and said she had no clue (liar).

So Dan and I made our way to the scrumptious restaurant Macaroni Grill. They have butcher paper on top of the tablecloths that you can draw on, and so we did.

Then we started a rambunctious game of hangman (okay, it wasn't that rambunctious...). I did the word "asparagus," which if any of you know me well you'll know that has been one of my favorite words since I was 14. Don't ask why because I don't know. In fact, it was written in window paint on the front window of our house for years. Anyways, Dan guessed "a" and then immediately got the rest of it. Boo.

Then it was Dan's turn. I guessed "e" and several other letters that were wrong (as you can see by my half-hung man). I was convinced it wasn't a real word, then when he assured me it was real that I didn't know the word, and then when he assured me I did know the word that it wasn't common. But then I realized what it was.

Hmmm. After dinner, Dan suggested going to walk around the temple. I love the Mesa temple. However, there is this random cactus garden off to the side that is not the prettiest thing, and that is where my dad proposed to my mom. I always thought that was a mixture of hilarious and horrifying and told my parents to never let my husband propose to me there. In a cactus garden, really!?!?

So we began walking around. We stopped to read a plaque and I laid my head on Dan's shoulder. And oh boy his heart was RACING! LOUD! And I said to him, "Hey Danner, your heart is beating really loud right now." And he said, "Oh....it is? That's..weird..." He's so cute haha.

We continued our stroll around the temple and to my horror we turned onto the path of the cactus garden. The whole time I was thinking, "Oh my gosh. Not the cactus garden. Is he going to propose to me in the cactus garden!?" But then all of a sudden I realized I didn't care. I thought it would be cool to be proposed to in the same spot my parents got engaged. But we did not stop there, were made a loop around the cactus garden and continued.

After a few minutes we went and sat down on a bench. I could tell he was so nervous. We started talking and Dan told me that he wanted me to be his best friend for eternity then got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him. I said of course!

After the sealing session that Dan and my family did, they went up to the Celestial Room. While they were there, Dan asked their permission (including Travis's) to marry me and they all said yes. We're going to be sealed in the Mesa temple on December 27, 2011. This is a special day because this is also the day I was sealed to my parents in 1989! I'm pretty excited and I couldn't have a better FIANCE! :]

(And so, Kaela, it really is time for that nice linen paper. For those of you who wish to know more, please refer to Kaela's comment in this post.)


The Mission

MY LITTLE BROTHER IS GONE!!!!! He reported to the MTC here in Provo, Utah yesterday. He will be there for three weeks and then be off to Calgary Canada to serve the people there! My heart hurts a little to think that he is about a 5 minute walk down the street from me right now (I am at work, just south of the MTC) but that I can't see him. I am so proud of him and I miss him SO much. Travis was really nervous in the morning, though he'd never admit to it. I could tell though. And I don't blame him! But I know he is really excited too. I just hope he is doing well and adjusting well. Keep him in your prayers! :]

Before we dropped him off, we took some pictures across the street. Here they are in all of their glory.

Goofiness doesn't die when you become a missionary :]

Then we took him to the MTC. Curb drop-off. Ripping the band aid off rather than sitting with the departing missionaries through an orientation and (what I've heard is) a tear-jerking movie. I think it's better this way, they whisk the missionaries away before you have time to start crying (though I did shed a few tears as we drove away). Here is Elder Boatman talking with the three host missionaries who helped him with his luggage.

And here is Elder Boatman entering into the Lord's service. This is the last time I will see him for 2 years. He will miss my wedding and I will miss him terribly, but I KNOW that this is the perfect thing to be doing right now so I am happy. In honor of my family's love for The Office, and more specifically quotes from The Office: "Just like that, as mysteriously as he arrived, he was gone."

I love him so much!!!!


That completes the events I feel necessary to document.

For your viewing pleasure, here are some photos Dan and I took on my computer. We were having a difficult time getting a good picture of our faces and the ring. But I love them all.