End Of Summer...and I'm still in love with Harry Potter

It's that time of year again...when my siblings go off to school instead of playing with me. Kian starts Kindergarten this week (CRAZY) AND he started sleeping in his own bed in his very own room. He's growing up fast! We've been spending a lot of time together playing the Wii and playing Uno. We changed it up a bit the other night and decided to break out the sidewalk chalk...a favorite childhood pastime of mine. We had a blast and we will probably both become world famous sidewalk chalk artists....maybe not.

This one is for my bestie Jen. I really do miss you a lot JennAY from the HizzAY...

Our dryer has yet to be hooked up so we've been kickin it old school with the clothesline...jealous?

We also had our first official sit down home cooked family dinner since moving into our new house. It was delicious.


I've been spending most of my time the last couple of days re-reading the 6th and 7th Harry Potter books.

It has caused the following maladies...
1. Having Harry Potter related dreams where I have to fight Lord Voldemort and also may be married to Harry (but c'mon would that really be so bad?)
2. Trying to cast random spells such as Alohomora (unlock stuff) Accio fill in the blank (to make that fill in the blank come to you) and Wingardium Leviosa (to make things come up off the ground)...apparently I am truly just a Muggle ( a non magical person)
3. Feeling a bit strange because I am a 22 year old girl who has once again become obsessed with a book filled with magical mischief....but only a bit because I LOVE Harry too much to feel that strange about it.

Adventures In Utah

Since our arrival to the Beehive State we have been involved in many wonderful and thrilling activities.
But first of all let me just say that if anyone wants to feel welcomed...just move to Utah. When we first arrived we walked in to our house and sitting on our counter was a home cooked meal (still hot) with a note from our neighbors. Since then it has been an endless carnival of random people ringing the door bell with cookies, muffins, brownies...etc in tow. Wonderful.
Now back to our adventures...
Our second day in the state we were able to have lunch at our favorite spot...The Training Table.

Oh how I missed you the best turkey sandwich I ever had...
We also of course had dinner at Brick Oven.
It was just Mom, Kian, Calah, and I and we had the best food with a lot of laughs.

Why is Apple Beer so good???

Mom made a comment that you must have to be on Prozac to work at Brick Oven because everyone is SO cheerful. I said no I think you just have to be Mormon. While we were there we saw a REALLY awkward first date (he was talking about all the famous church guys he was related to....sorry buddy but I don't think a second date is in your future) and the waitress started up a conversation with the table next to us about the pioneers...I love Utah.

We also got to have a big family BBQ...something that I have definitely missed since living so far away from family. I had a blast...it was so fun to be able to hang out and laugh with my cousins again...they are awesome.

16 shots of my cousin Meagan eating an eclair...priceless.

So far so good out here in Utah and I've only missed Indiana a few times- although I do NOT miss humidity in the slightest.
I like getting out of the shower and not feeling like I'm still in the shower.

Life Is a Highway....

So happy to finally be done driving! Some of the days on the road making the big move were the LONGEST of my life. We saw some very interesting things along the way and learned a few lessons as well...some of the things we saw/and learned by order of state...
Illinois:
My brother is great

My brother likes to sleep...

as does my sister...


Iowa:
You can get just about anything at a gas station....

I get a little stir crazy...

It didn't help that we were stuck in traffic for about an hour because the majority of Iowa is one lane....nice.

Nebraska:
Don't get off on random exits...you may almost be taken by the children of the corn...no joke.

Drinking out of a syringe is a lot more fun than drinking out of a straw...


There is a whole entire island for Mormons!!!


Wyoming:
Paul Bunyan gets his tires delivered

Those random windmills kind of creep me out


Utah:
They have beautiful sunsets...

Driving down from Heber to Provo through the canyon at night kind of makes me claustrophobic...

Some things never change...


Sorry for lack of pictures of Mackenzie but she spent the whole time driving with Dad in this beauty...

All in all it was a good time but I think we are all relieved and happy to be here. Living back in the same house that we lived in before we moved to Indy is a little weird. Provo has changed a bit but the people are the same. It's been so fun seeing all the old familiar faces. Still job hunting.... :(
Hopefully that won't last long.
In the famous words of Brigham Young...this is the place.

Leavin...

Packing.
Taping.
Writing in black Sharpies.
Heavy Lifting.
Complaining.
Not Sleeping.

These are a few of the activities I've been participating in as of late. Sounds fun right? Don't you want to move across the country now too?
I didn't think so.
Moving day officially tomorrow.
Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Pops!

It's my Dad's birthday today.
I love my Dad for the following reasons...
1. He's so gangsta...he even has P.Diddy pajamas...Holla!
2. He is tall...like me which is fun when we put stuff up too high for anyone to reach.
3. He has an amazing eclectic taste in music that he thankfully passed on to me.
4. He's a very dedicated and hard worker which is an example to us kids
5. He is SO FUNNY...seriously...he's such a crack up- another trait he passed on to me...obviously.
6. He is very strong spiritually. He loves the gospel. He loves his Father in Heaven. He is always ready to teach us doctrine we didn't know or understand and he has a way of explaining it that makes perfect sense. He bears his testimony frequently and we could never question his faith because it is unshakable.
7. He has worked very hard to keep us where we are and as comfortable as we can be through these hard times. I know how much he wants to be able to provide for us and tries as hard as he can.

So Happy Birthday Dad!
I hope it's amazing and wonderful and filled with lemon cake goodness and happy times!
We love you!

Big Trouble In Little China

Recently I have seen some truly amazing movies...one of them was called "Hot Rod"...

honestly...how could I have not seen this movie sooner? My bestest Jen told me about this movie and told me it was basically a documentary of the time we have spent together. After watching it I have to say Mazel Tov to Jen for getting that one exactly right. It was completely brilliant...from the casting to the dialog to the soundtrack (basically all Europe songs...I mean what could get better right?) Here's just a little tid bit....


So after watching that I was thinking...how could it get any better right? Well then I saw this movie...

I was a little hesitant at first because it wasn't a movie that I ever saw promoted in any way but sometimes I have discovered that those kinds of movies are the best kinds of movies. This one was no different. The beginning was a little slow but honestly it was one of the best movies I have ever seen. Fun and so beautiful. I actually cried while watching it. I would definitely check it out if I were you!

And if you are just looking for a great feel good all over classic movie I would go with

I mean c'mon...have you ever seen Kurt Russel look so hot?
Happy Viewing!

Someone Better Do Something About That Monkey

The other night at work was an interesting one filled with one exciting event or another. My first exciting event happened when one of my patients started getting a bit...shall we say...forgetful? at around 11:30 pm. She was in there talking to "people" that weren't there. So I went in to check on her when she started yelling...here is how the conversation progressed...
*"Hey (fill in blank name here) is everything ok?"
~"Someone better do something about that monkey"
* "What monkey?"
~"That monkey over there by the window"
...clearly we all know there is no said monkey by the window...
*"I don't see a monkey over by your window"
~"Well he's there and somebody better do something about it"
at this point I figure I will completely play into her monkey fantasies...it's really easier than trying to convince her otherwise...
*"Oh that monkey! Yeah he's nice though he won't hurt you...you're in the hospital and you are safe I'll be back to check on you in a little while...try and get some sleep"
30 minutes pass...I am casually walking past the room and now the patient is talking very angrily and waving her arms
*"What's going on?"
~"There's this darn monkey in my bed and he's growling at me"
*"Oh really?"
~"Yes you shut up and get this monkey out of my bed!"
she's getting feisty now
*"Honey...I don't know how to get that monkey out of your bed..."
~"Well you better find someone who does!"
*"Ok I'll see what I can do..."
3 minutes pass and I re enter the room as the greatest invisible monkey catcher of all time...
*"Hi there (fill in the blank name) I heard you have a monkey problem? I'm here to take care of that for you..."
pretend to catch invisible monkey
*"Ok we've got him...I'm going to put him in this cage and we'll take care of him"
~"Well who does that monkey belong to?"
*"I'm not sure ma'am but we'll find out"
~"Yeah you better find out who is letting their monkey run around loose..where are you taking him?"
*"Well we'll probably take him to the zoo and then find out he belongs to ok?"
~"Yeah all right."

No more complaints of monkeys for the rest of the night. Who knew that catching invisible monkeys was in my job description...let alone something I would be so incredibly good at???
During that shift I also had a true blue celebrity as a patient and had another patient try to escape the floor in her birthday suit.
And no I don't work on the psych unit.

Utah or Indy?

So as most people know my family has been pretty heavily considering moving back to Utah...and by heavily considering I mean most likely are. At first I was fully prepared to stay here in Indy. My job is here....oh wait...yeah that's about all that is here. I have a few straggling friends here but some of them (ok one of them...and really the only one that counts) is married, has a baby, and lives a few hours away (shout out to Jen and the entire city of Mishawaka)...so although she lives here I don't see her as much as I would like. In Utah my whole Dad's side of the family lives there and many of my friends live out there...but in true Vanessa fashion I decided to make a pro/con list to help me make my decision.

Indiana Pros

Family

Friends

Fireflies

My job
Colts Football

Crazy Rednecks

Mullets

(I'm really glad I got my boyfriend to cooperate for this photo)
Diversity
the BEST HAIRSTYLIST EVER
living close to amazing cities like
NASHVILLE, MEMPHIS, INDIANAPOLIS, LOUISVILLE, CHICAGO

Indiana Cons

Tornadoes

Crazy Rednecks
Humidity

Utah Pros...

Family

Friends

Mountains

many activities for people in my same age group
closer to the ocean
Grandma Sycamore's bread...mmm delicious

nice breezy cool summer nights
Gateway Mall (the shopping center made by the hands of angels I'm pretty sure)
Park City...home of Robert Redford, The Sundance Film Festival and the Cirque Lodge where celebrities (or just Lindsay Lohan) go to rehab...

Living next to amazing cities like SAN FRANCISCO, SALT LAKE CITY, LAS VEGAS, LOS ANGELES

Utah Cons...

Earthquakes
The Utah "Poof"...a hairstyle I've never been good at
no guaranteed job right away
DRY DRY DRY
too many of the same types of people
David Archuleta




So as you can see I have some big decision making a head of me...any suggestions?