Friday, December 27, 2013

NC Bingo

To spice up our trip to North Carolina, Matt and I created a Bingo Sheet of things to do while we were there. The "***" are spaces we filled in for the other person to do, and the blank middle space is the free space. 

North Carolina Bingo Sheet

Find a man with great beard
Throw something really really far
***
Stand statue still for 8 seconds
Create fangs using anything
Eat a dessert in one shot
Talk about camping or spelunking with someone else
Jinx the other person
***
Balance something on your nose
Order some food with a real Southern accent
Find someone in the airport with a stuffed toy
Find a word that has more than 13 letters in it
Without asking them, get someone to quote a Christmas song
Find a couple making out
Find any animal from the deer family and take a pic
Find a Utah license plate
Eat something without your hands
Photobomb someone
***
Eat some food like you’re in a cheesy commercial
Take a really angry picture somewhere pretty
***
Take a pic with an inanimate object

Matt's Angry Face at our pretty Open House

Me eating dessert in one shot.


Me with an animal from the deer family


Matt throwing something really, really far.


We both were able to do everything except 'find a couple making out.' Probably one of the only times I've been disappointed for not seeing PDA.

What would you put on a traveling Bingo sheet?

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

P.S. For the record, Matt was the first to get a Bingo.



Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Christmas in NC

We booked our flights back in August, and the time has finally come. Here's a glimpse of our list of "Things to do in North Carolina:

See the Festival of Lights (bad picture, I know, but the car was in motion). 

Have a fabulous Open House.


Visit Matt's old schools.


Eat authentic Southern BBQ.


Go hiking in the mountains (yes, it was a little chilly).


Eat at Krispy Kreme.


Visit our nieces' graves.


Have a fabulous Christmas Eve dinner.


Spend time with family.



List: Complete.

What was on your to-do list over Christmas break?

Rhetorically,
Rebekah


Wednesday, December 18, 2013

My Secret Identities

I always wanted to dye my hair when I was younger. I never got the chance until I went to college. *rebel* I dyed my hair 3 colors (Dark Brown, Blonde, Ginger) before returning to my original "honey brown." Every time I dyed my hair, I almost felt like I was wearing a disguise (like a wig). Hence, my secret identities.

The first time I dyed my hair I thought I'd make it a beautiful dark brown, just like my mom. She helped me put in a temporary dye that was supposed to come out after 10 washes or so. You can't tell very well from the picture on the left, but it was pretty dark.

When I served a mission to the Dominican Republic, I decided to go blonde since everyone called me "rubia" (blondie) anyway. I could usually get one of my companions to help me dye it every 6-8 weeks. The middle picture is a professional job when I got back from my mission.

Red was my most daring attempt. I've always thought it would be awesome to be a ginger, but I saved it for last because it would be the most different. My hair has a slight reddish tint to it, and I think I've liked this color the best. On the right is my hair after putting in a tinted conditioner.

It's been interesting to see how people viewed me when my hair was a different color. Often there is a stigma associated with blonde or red hair, for example. I think the difference was mostly internal, how people perceived me, as opposed to how they treated me, so it was hard to measure the difference. I have to say, though, I got the most comments when I went from blonde to red.







Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Monday, December 16, 2013

Second Date


On our second and third dates, Matt and I composed a "Silly Song with Larry." Since it was Christmas time, we decided to do something festive: Mistletoe!
Since it would take way too long to actually compose a song and write lyrics (we gained new respect for musicians) we used the tune to "Far Far Away on Judea's Plains."
We weren't able to finish the song on the second date *oh darn* we had to get together a day or so later to complete it. Those three dates during finals were totally worth it.


Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Thursday, December 12, 2013

To Spiders


When I was younger, I'd cower in the corner while my dad disposed of you.
As I got older, I could catch you with a tissue and flush you down the toilet myself.

When I went on my mission, I developed a higher tolerance for you.
My new motto: "if you can't see the spider from the other side of the room, it may live."

I even let one of you live on the ceiling in my apartment because you would catch so many flies. That is, until we realized there were a bunch of smaller dots surrounding you--aka your dozens of babies.

When I came back from my mission, my tolerance lowered again.
In the past few months, Matt has killed most of you.

And you have been FAT. I mean, disgustingly fat. 
Which makes me wonder: Were you born that way? 
Or are you that fat because you've eaten so many other things that we wouldn't want to see?

If the former, I hope we've killed you before you could reproduce.
If the latter, then thank you for disposing of unwanted insects (or other spiders?)


Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

To Elle the Dell (My 1st Laptop)

I got you as a Graduation/ Christmas present in December of 2006. And after 6 years, you died on me this past January. You were there for some of the most significant experiences of my life:
  1. My Sterling Scholar portfolio
  2. Every undergraduate paper I wrote. Ever.
  3. My mission call (application)
  4. My jobs as a Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, and Paralegal.
  5. My first semester of Law School (including Finals--that's probably what did you in).
You were with me through every single all-nighter I pulled in an attempt to finish my papers at the last minute. You helped me Skype, set up my Facebook account, and correspond with dozens of friends and family. 

You stored all of my songs, either uploaded from CDs or downloaded from iTunes, as well as all of my documents, outlines, and notes from High School through my Graduate Degree. Thankfully, my dad was able to save everything you had post-mortem.

It was a sad day when you died, and I have yet to permanently replace you. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Sunday, December 8, 2013

First Date

A year ago today, Matt and I went on our 1st date.  He invited me to hike Y-mountain, since I had mentioned earlier in the semester that I liked that particular trail.

Since it was December, and I was out of shape, I told him we'd have to walk slow. We talked the whole way, and when we were finished with the hike, we decided to continue our conversation by driving around in his car. The date lasted four hours, and it was fabulous.

We both agreed we should go on a second date. We later went on a third date, and a fourth, and...well, you know the rest.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

So This Is What It's Like...

To Form a Habit.

I blog basically every day for a month, and then I go two days without blogging and feel guilty--even though I completed my goal of blogging for a month. Huh. I don't think that's ever happened to me before. Usually I make a goal, keep it, and move on when I'm done. Or I eventually rationalize it away (this is how I stopped journaling for a year- but don't worry, I now journal daily again).

Keeping up blogging this past month was really a feat for me. I still can't believe I did it. It was a good reminder how even spending 5 minutes a day can help me accomplish something big. Even though it didn't take up a lot of time, I had to make it a conscious priority every day. Imagine what I could accomplish if I did that with everything! I would get a lot done, and also probably be tired all the time.

However, I will start small.
1. Write Every Day (I already proved to myself that I could do it)
2. Read the Scriptures Every Morning (With 8am classes this semester, it's been hard to get up and read early in the morning when I'm rushing to get ready to leave.)

Another habit I've kept this semester- reading Chronicles of Narnia. I can't express how awesome it is to actually read "fun" books during the semester. Usually I go on a "book fast" because I like to finish books in a single sitting. I don't read a single book the whole semester and then I binge over the breaks. The fact that I've been consistently reading throughout the semester is something that's never happened to me before.

A book I'd like to read that I think I can pace myself on: To Kill A Mockingbird. Maybe next semester.

The world is full of possibilities when you do something little each day.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Frozen Review


So our family has the tradition of going to the movie theater on Thanksgiving morning to watch a new movie. This year, we split up and saw "Frozen" and "Ender's Game."

I saw Frozen, and it was...unexpected. I thought I had figured the whole plot out from the trailers, but there were a few twists thrown in that I wasn't expecting. Props to Disney for that! (I'll refrain from spoilers, because I really want you to see it!)

I especially liked the soundtrack. My favorite songs were: Love is an Open Door, Let it Go, In Summer, and For the First Time. (So basically all of them). All of the voices were exceptional.

We saw the movie in 3D, which was cool, but I think I would have liked it just as well in 2D. The animation was great, and I could really see the influence from the animators of Wreck it Ralph and Tangled. It was one of those movies that reminds you about all the fun things you can do in winter, and the beauty there is in the snow.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Christmas Party Poster

So I spent a good portion of today working on the following poster for the Ward Christmas Party:


Nothing traced, everything handwritten or drawn. As with any project where I painstakingly pay attention to detail, I always have a spelling error. Do you see it? I promise I know how to spell, but I finished the poster around midnight (with the help of Amazing Matt) and was too tired to triple check. Because apparently double checking, which we did, wasn't enough.

Anyway, the mistake is fixed now:


Rhetorically,
Rebekah


Friday, November 29, 2013

Cindy the Cat

Once upon a time, when Rebekah was around 5 years old, she asked her parents if she could have a cat. Her parents, fearing that Rebekah was not yet mature enough to take care of a pet on her own, said "no." Persisting, Rebekah continued to ask for a cat for the next three years. On December 23, 1997, Rebekah's father told her to come to the garage for a surprise. There was the loudest, most fluffy cat she had ever seen.

Earlier that week, Rebekah's father had gone to the pound and asked for the hardiest, friendliest cat they had. The worker told him that there was one cat that they had gotten off the street that would follow her around. The cat's name was Cindy.

And so their friendship began. Cindy lived in the garage, and Rebekah would dutifully clean out her litter box every day and brush Cindy every week. Rebekah would dangle string or wave a stick on the ground and Cindy would pounce and chase it around the garage. In 4th grade, Rebekah wrote and illustrated a book about Cindy, that was published along with the other books her classmates wrote. In 5th grade, when Rebekah had to do a project using simple machines, she made a small entertainment center for Cindy to play on.

While Cindy loved to cuddle with Rebekah, she had a tendency to attack other people, especially when she was hungry. Like the mailman. Or Rebekah's mom. Or small children walking home from school (in her defense, the children provoked her). Her favorite form of attack was to wrap her arms and legs around the victim's leg and try to bite them.

Cindy was also well known for her hunting prowess. She brought home numerous mice and rats, thus eliminating any rodent problem that Rebekah's house--or any other house near it--had. She was praised and rewarded for these efforts. She caught and killed a neighbor's pet snake that had escaped. She was not praised for this, but there was nothing much Rebekah could do except for apologize to the owners (who thought the snake had already died). Cindy also brought home numerous dead birds. This was very sad for Rebekah, who once was able to rescue one of these birds caught in the garage and nurse it back to health. Cindy would occasionally branch out to crickets and grasshoppers, which were disgusting for Rebekah to pick up.

However, Cindy redeemed herself by being an excellent purrer, a lover of tight hugs, and an overall affectionate cat. Two of the most traumatizing days in Rebekah's childhood were when Cindy got caught under the garage door. Cindy had a tendency of slipping under at the last second, and twice she cut it too close. The worst part was that the sensor didn't trigger, and so the poor cat was stuck struggling under the weight of the closed door. Both times she survived, although she was quite weak following these incidents.

Rebekah and her father would take Cindy to the vet every December, where Cindy would get her yearly vaccinations. Once they even took Cindy to the vet to get shaved for the summer! Cindy looked pretty funny (since they didn't shave her paws, tail, or head) but she sure did enjoy the summer without her thick winter coat. And Rebekah enjoyed not having to clean up shedding hair every day.

As Rebekah got older, she began to develop an allergy towards cats. Since she still loved Cindy, she would occasionally spend time with her, although not nearly as much as she did before. When Rebekah moved to college, her father took over the duty of taking care of the cat, which Rebekah greatly appreciated. Even though Rebekah no longer sees Cindy regularly, she is grateful for her father's sacrifice in getting her the cat she begged for as a child, and later taking care of that same cat when Rebekah became an adult.

The Vet estimated that Cindy was one year old when Rebekah first got her. This means that next month, December 2013, Cindy will be 17 years old! These days, she enjoys sunbathing and sitting in her favorite white wicker chair on the front porch.

To my family: what are your Cindy memories?

Rhetorically,
Rebekah


Thursday, November 28, 2013

It's not thanksgiving if there's no...

Note: these are not in order of preference
Turkey
Pumpkin pie
Stuffing
Food comas from over eating
Watching a movie or TV
Low traffic (we hit 90% green lights today)
Family visits
Grateful moments

What does thanksgiving mean to you?
Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Triumphs of the Week

I got my oral argument done.
I wrote the required 10 pages for my White Collar paper.
We cleaned out Robby's room and I itemized everything we took to DI.
I got all the electronic photos my parents have of me copied to flash drives so I can have them.
I made good progress on checking for broken links on the CSO website.
I blogged daily.

What were your triumphs of the week?
Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Minute to Win It


So we were asked to help out with the Ward Christmas party by brainstorming "Minute to Win It" games. Naturally, I immediately went to the internet. Here were some of my favorites:

(compliments of: About.com)
Christmas Cliffhanger
Set up Christmas Cliffhanger by placing ten open Christmas cards in a row on a table, close to the edge. Stand cards horizontally so they look like little tents. Then, stand at the opposite side of the table. The object of the game is to blow on the cards to move them to the very edge of the table so that one of them is left hanging over the edge without falling off. You have one minute and ten cards to accomplish your task.

Christmas Ball Roll
To play, you must use a gift-wrapped box (about the size of a shirt box) as a fan to move a round Christmas ornament across the floor and into a marked square. The box must not touch the ornament while the game is in play. You can vary the distance that the ornament must be fanned depending on the age of the people playing.

Face the Gingerbread Man
Face the Gingerbread Man is played exactly like Face the Cookie, using a gingerbread man in place of the Oreo. Sit down and lean your head back; place the cookie on your forehead and move it to your mouth using only the muscles in your face. Don't touch the cookie with your hands!

Do You Hear What I Hear?
To set up Do You Hear What I Hear, take seven gift-wrapped boxes of the same size and place small jingle bells in each of them. Boxes should contain the following number of bells: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35. Place the closed boxes on a table. To play the game, the contestant must arrange the boxes in order by the number of bells they contain, from smallest to largest. Contestants can pick up and shake the boxes, but they must not look inside.


Bonus: A Puzzle of the Nativity!

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

P.S. What Minute to Win It games do you like?
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