Shhhhhh...

Tyler and I got Caiden a hamster for his birthday. He's at his mom's tonight so we're going to give it to him in the morning. But I can't hold in how cute the thing is! I had hamsters when I was a kid. When I called my mom to ask her a few questions about them before buying, she said she'd saved a letter I wrote to one of my hamsters when she died.

After the game tonight I got home anxious to see the little fella because Tyler had picked him up during lunch. I opened the cage and sort of just waited while he kept walking up and smelling my hands, then walking away, and back again. And then I reached in and took him out and held him. Soooo cute! I hope Caiden likes him.

Blowout

Saturday we went to the BYU game against Eastern Washington. Like the past 5 weekends, Friday was beautiful and Sunday was beautiful, but Saturday was miserable. Before the game had started I gave Tyler and Caiden a tour of the campus. I love BYU's campus and have only set foot in the stadium vicinity since I left so it meant a lot to me that they'd walk around and enjoy it with me. I showed them some of my favorite buildings and most beautiful spots. We went to the bookstore for some Cougar paraphernalia and then headed over to the game. I went as snow-prepared as possible, excited, but dreading the moment that I would be too cold to just be sitting in it watching a game. My sister was working at Sundance and offered me a massage if I needed to leave the game early. Tempting as it was, I actually survived the first three quarters just fine, never even requiring the hand-warmers the HB brought. We saw BYU score their 6th touchdown to make the score 42-7 and then left shortly after the snow tripled in density and started blowing into our faces. There were 10 minutes left. The last shot was taken by the HB on our way out. It was cool to see it snow like that on the field, but I felt sorry for the players. So we had a great time, but I do hope that not all of the remaining games will be as cold.

Juno

This movie is due out in December, and I can't wait to see it even though I'm sure I"ll bawl my eyes out. Watch the trailer at: Juno trailer

restless or unstable?

I quit my job. I've wanted to quit for months and finally got approval from the HB when I got a job just 2 miles from our house. It will be nice to eliminate the commute and actually do something I enjoy. I'll be working for the website go-utah.com that is a travel and tourism site developing for each state in the nation. I'm excited and figured I had the position nailed because I love the Utah outdoors, I did an archaeology dig in Utah, and I have extensive experience as a travel agent.

I think the HB is suspicious that I'm unstable, due to the frequent change of jobs I've had over the years compared to his. Maybe I am unstable, or just restless. I've never lived anywhere as long as I've lived in Salt Lake (4.5 years now) besides the town I grew up in. I've posted before about the various jobs I've had: you're not your job I blame the high number on moving a lot as a student, I've enjoyed most of the ones I've had so I wouldn't say I'm a quitter. But maybe I've become accustomed to the idea of starting something new on a regular basis and I sort of crave it.

My college boyfriend accused me of leaving every-other semester because I practically did (once to Jerusalem, once to my dig, once to a new apartment complex because we weren't getting along, then to Japan after graduation). It was kind of a joke with my roommates and friends. They said that next thing they knew I'd be in Africa, and I still regret not going there or not having been there yet. (I've read so many books about the birth of humanity that how could I not go there?)

So the job starts next Monday and I am excited. That's all there is to it.

Holy San Rafael

As opposed to sitting at home watching the LDS General Conference in our pajamas, the HB and I decided to go to the San Rafael Swell. It's the latest I've ever been there, and though a little chilly, it was very nice. We brought the HB's parents along with us and dragged them through Little Wild Horse Canyon and Goblin Valley as well as a trek out to some caves.
I love being able to show people the places I love so it was awesome that they came and were so hard-core! We brought Caiden's cousins as well and they had fun climbing on rocks, catching lizards and frogs, and running ahead to hide. Caiden's lizard kept climbing up his arm every time he tried to put it down--it must have really loved him!

My Visual DNA

This is a cool test because it's like a personality test, but based on what pictures you choose to describe different things. My results were pretty accurate for how I would describe myself, even though I did have a hard time deciding on a few of the things. The hardest one to choose was a picture to represent love--I treasure every kind of it!
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Onslaught

Dove's latest ad in their Campaign for Real Beauty. It's disgusting the things we do to our bodies or are made to feel like we need to.

maybe it's my bed

There is no doubt in my mind that my bed is too soft and that that is a contributing factor for my difficulty sleeping. I feel like it totally sinks in the middle and because of that, somewhere in my head I feel like it's not holding me, it's not supporting me, and it's making my limbs conform to poor posture and I hate that. It's almost like I have to somehow stay awake to hold up my body the way I wish it would.

But maybe some of the sleeping problem can be blamed on the HB. Sorry honey, but after reading this article about how men sleep better next to their mates, but women suffer, I was convinced. No you don't snore loudly every night, and no your tossing and turning doesn't wake me often, but can I still blame it on you? I used to sleep so well. I think it's just going to sleep that's difficult. I envy you when you're out seconds after laying down on your back and I'm left alone. Then I feel myself sliding into the sinkhole next to you. I love being next to you, but sometimes that sinkhole is a pit that wants to swallow my body and I feel I have to struggle to keep out all night. My limbs feel tired when I wake up as if they never got to relax and just be held up by something else. It's true the couch is honestly better, but the symbolism of sleeping on it keeps me on the bed most nights. So I'm asking, will you please just knock me out next time?

Box therapy?

Sunday I was afraid the HB wouldn’t want to leave the house with our new TV just sitting there. But prior to the purchase he’d already committed to a hike in the canyons to see the fall colors. He drove all the way up Big Cottonwood while we listened to Uh Huh Her—my latest new band discovery—and while the nauseating curves slowly consumed me. But soon we were at Guardsman Pass and looking down on Park City. We hiked around, finding ourselves at the top of a ski resort. After climbing into the lift seats for pictures we walked through the ski patrol shack and onto the metal catwalk that went through the trees behind it and which culminated in an empty cedar box. After taking turns inside the box--remember the blanket therapy in the movie "I Heart Huckabees?"--we went down the canyon to do a little walk along the Lake Blanche trail. By then I felt totally refreshed. It was much cooler in the canyon, and the colors were insanely vibrant. Last time I hiked this trail was just after getting married and I split my knee open, getting my first stitches ever. I"m madly in love with the trail though. It felt great to be out and I may have a new favorite pic of the HB.