Happy Birthday to Me... back in February

So back in February I celebrated my birthday with most of my besties. We went to Maggiano's at the Grove in LA. It is really good Italian food and we dined family style. Everything was SUPER tasty and I had the best company EVER! I had a great night. There really is nothing better than being surrounded by friends that make my life better. I love these ladies.

Creative June

Well a lot has happened since I last blogged. I am now the Young Women President in my ward. I'm having a great time and I have amazing girls in my ward. I think sometimes I'm getting more out of YW then they are. Ha ha.
When I was a YW we made button dolls that sit on a shelf and the button limbs hang. It was cute, but who really needs a button doll for more than 10 years?!
My friend Hillary was telling me of how easy it was to make hair decorations. All we needed was fabric, felt, needle & thread, hot glue and buttons. So my button doll was disassembled for the cause.

Aren't the hair pieces cute? I can't wait to make more! I think this will help fulfill my creative bug and actually be useful. Thanks Hill!! You're the best! Oh, and the few girls that showed up loved making them too. Success!

"So, can I get your number?"

Have you ever had the experience where your talking with someone, you're really hitting it off, he's totally cute (or just not disgusting) and then... Nothing.

I've had a few of these experiences over the last couple months. I've met someone, somewhere, and we have a great time getting to know each other a little and at the end of the night I'm left wondering if I was supposed to get THEIR number!?! I'm not an expert or anything, but isn't it the guy's job? Is that too old school?

Then there comes the rationalization - Maybe this one guy is just a nice guy who LOVES my son (not in a creepy way). Maybe the other guy was shy. Maybe the other guy _________...

I get that it's hard. The risk of rejection is hard. So I've tried to make it easier. I've even made sure a guy (or more) had my number, but then no call. A guy friend of mine says that if he doesn't call me (or call me back) then he isn't interested.

So, who made the first move? Is it true that it won't go anywhere unless the man is the pursuer? Is it too much to ask to be pursued (again, not in a creepy way)?

Accomplishments

Yeah, so blogging hasn't been going so well in the last few months...
Anyway - I guess I haven't blogged because I don't want to make it seem all negative. But it's not all positive either. I think I need something extreme one way or another for me to feel inspired to blog about it.

Some recent accomplishments:
1. I just folded three batches of laundry I did LAST WEEK (now I need to put them away)
2. I just put together some lentil soup that will cook all day tomorrow.
3. I've finished watching all 6 seasons of The Office except for the episodes not out yet. I've created a strong relationship with the crew down at Blockbuster.
4. I've been reading more with Jonas and I've seen improvements in his skills. He is one smart kid. It's fun to watch his successes and growth. I think this effort has also improved his mood, happiness level, and his relationship with me.
5. I've actually called some people I care about. (Sometimes it feels so hard to pick up the phone)
6. I started a cash budgeting system in January and have done really well with it. This has lead to being able to take a real look at my finances and get a plan together. Pay off debt: I've paid off 1 credit card, I have one more that should be gone once I get my tax return, and all I'll have left is my student loan. Feels good. Make more money. Which leads to -
7. I've put a nice looking resume together. I'm not in a rush to jump ship, I just need to be prepared for where I am being led. It may be time to back out of the dead end.
8. I had another birthday and had fun celebrating it. On the day of I had to work, but everyone there makes it so special. Plus I was giving my mom a hard time about how she often forgets my birthday, so she made it a point to send me flowers and a birthday baloon to my work. I didn't need that, but it was nice that she put in the effort. Plus they were beautiful. I hung with Jonas that night. We went to Red Robin and then watched The Lightning Theif, which was really good. The next evening I went out with most of my best friends to Maggiano's at the Grove in LA. So good. We ate family style so there was SO MUCH FOOD! The food was amazing, but the company was even better. It was a great girls night out, but even better because they were all MY girls!

There are a LOT of things that I had hoped to have accomplished by now, but they take away from the success I have had. So I'll save those for another post.

Interests

Okay, I know I haven't blogged and barely get on blogspot every-other week to read, but... okay no excuse. Sorry.

Back to what's on my mind...
So far January has been a month of lists: budgets, to-dos, plans for YW at church, goals and possible interests. Yes I said POSSIBLE because I'm not sure if I have any interests, or not interests on their own, as in THINGS that I am interested in because I enjoy them. Lemme explain... I have things that I like to do: cooking, baking, board games, taking walks, playing volleyball, boating, going to the movies, going out to eat, sight seeing, etc. But really I like these things because they all involve PEOPLE, doing these things with them or for them. None of these are because I like the task of doing it.

So that's all fine and dandy as long as I have people I care about to do them with or for. But that isn't always the case. I have friends. Many friends actually. But that doesn't always work out. I have a son, but not every-other-weekend. My siblings actually have lives outside of mine. I have my parents... um that doesn't count (see side note #1 at bottom).

So I've been trying to be fine alone. Trying to feel full, at peace, engaged while by myself. Because after all, there are no guarantees that I will ever "have" someone else (see side note #2 at bottom). It's difficult to feel all that when I'm not really interested in anything. So how do I solve this... I guess by trying new things. I just don't know where to start. I have a list but would welcome suggestions.

What have you done to cultivate interests?

Side note #1: I made dinner tonight (for myself and made more than enough to share with my parents); Cobb Salad. Yummo!!! It was so good (if I do say so myself); however, the only things my dad uttered as he shoveled it down his gullet is that he didn't like how the lettuce was cut, and inquired about what dressings are usually served on a Cobb (And it was all done in a way to imply that I had done it wrong). I do NOT like to cook for ungrateful condescending people... It takes the joy out of it.

Side note #2: I do believe that I will "have" someone someday. I'm great. I have hope. But I can't wait around until "it" happens and really there aren't any guarantees. I just want to be happy either way. That's where this whole train of thought was coming from.

Thanksgiving "Stay-cation" with the McNiers

Jonas and I went to Tennessee last Christmas to see my cousin Jessie and her family. This year I convinced them to come party in Southern California for Thanksgiving week. I can't go too long without seeing her or her beautiful family. This time they had a new addition. We had a blast! We ate a ton, saw the Christmas Carol (totally too scary for children) at the Long Beach Town Center, went to Downtown Disney, Liberty Park in Cerritos, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and explored Downtown Long Beach and Shoreline Village. We saw old friends, visited with family, and my amazing friend Anja hooked us up with a free trip to Legoland. I had so much fun and bawled my eyes out after dropping them off at the airport. I love this family and part of my heart is with them in Tennessee. Thanks for the great time and for being an example of a God loving family!

Legoland!

Halloween

On Friday Jonas' school had a Halloween party for the families. We had a lot of fun and got to hang out with Lorie & Joseph. On Halloween we had a chili cook-off and Halloween party. My dad had made a great chili and ended up winning. It was one of the best chilies I had ever eaten. My friend Liz came and joined us in the festivities. We hit up the street by the church for some "real trick-or-treating" as Jonas requested. Then he wanted to know what the other people are called...the ones who are at the homes who pass out the candy. I told him they are called neighbors (I couldn't think of anything better). So, he wanted to go home to be a good neighbor. It was a fun, stress-free, safe and full Halloween filled with friends.