Just a Girl and Her Boys: February 2008

Friday, February 29, 2008

Flashback Friday- Playmill 2001

I know this isn't as entertaining for all my girls to see... but today's flashback Friday comes from the Summer of 2001. Playmill. GOOD TIMES.

Leaving my mark on the walls of the Playmill on closing night

Joe getting ready for Playmill Prom... yeah. Don't ask... ha ha.

Derek and I playing before intermission. I ate fifty million gallons of popcorn that summer.

My Playmill Christmas gift from Travis and Jenni. That year I was photoshopped on the body of another girl in that cast picture- so they put my head on EVERYONE'S bodies. I haven't laughed that hard since.

Hannah and I "Boogie Woogie Piggy"-ing it.

My birthday present from Terrah

Skpping around the room after my birthday song

My present from Joe... never leave your underwear around the room when he's around.

Baby Maggie Merrill

Little Liza

Joe "playing his bass."

Ben looking pretty.

Little Shops Girls

Me with spilled Honey Bunches of Oats all over my sweatshirt. I fell down the slippery stairs and this was the result.

OD-ing on Cookie Dough

Yes, I work today- But I did two shows this morning and now I've had a five hour break before my next two shows later today. Tonight my roommates and I are having a "Leap Year" party here at our house. Therefore, I decided to make some yummy butterscotch/chocolate chip cookies for our visitors. In the last two hours I have eaten at least a gallon of cookie dough. Ah- the glories of raw cookie dough that my mother would never let me eat. I feel sick.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Confessions...

Tap. Tap tap. Uh hem... is this thing on?

After much teasing, chastisement, begging, rolling of the eyes, etc etc etc, I have decided to publicly come clean about my dating life. For those of you who know me well, TOO well, I expect that at this moment you're sitting on your computer chair practically ready to pee your pants. Well you may wanna run and buy yourself some Depends because this is most likely the most shocking, and revealing post you'll ever see from me. (And it's the last one like this you'll see for awhile...) Yup. Pee away.

Deep breath.

I have been dating "the boy" for nearly six months now. While some of you only started really hearing about it a few months ago, its been going on for more like six months. Yeah. Sorry for not blabbing it from the rooftops and whatever- it's just not my style. Anyway...

Now y'all now how RIDICULOUSLY private I am about my dating life. I have been that way since I was in the 9th grade and "going out" with Jedd Yuhas. Yes Mommy, all those phone calls I would have out on the deck at night in 9th grade... I was talking to a BOY. (Shocking... LIKE YOU DIDN'T KNOW!) ACTUALLY I have been that was since I wrote about James Garrett in my sixth grade diary, got nervous someone would read it, tore out the entry and sealed it in an envelope on which I drew and eyeball and wrote "DO NOT OPEN: I AM WATCHING YOU!!!!) Anyway, I am famous for dating boys, breaking up with them, and telling people AFTER the fact.

Here's the scoop:

His name is Chuck Keeler (Charles Brigham really... but he, like my dad, like HIS dad, and like his Grandpa- is named Charles. But he, UNLIKE my dad, goes by Chuck.) Now I will admit that for a long time the whole "Chuck" thing was an issue for me. Ha ha. For YEARS (those of you who were friends with me in junior high and high school may remember this...) I called my dad Chuck. I called him Chuckie as well. We would drive on Gordon Ave. and onto Ash Drive (past Alyson Mooney and Haley Wiseman's houses...) and Biff and I would scream "Speed, Chuckie, SPEED!!" Such was my relation with the name Chuck. Hmmmm. Then "the boy" comes along.

President Keeler (for he IS the Elders Quorum President of the ward...) is 27- almost 28 years old. (Loud cheers and whistles for the fact that, yes, he IS actually older than me!) He grew up in California and actually went to school with the Winkels... yes Tiffany... a good chunk of this post is for you. Ha ha. He is working here at Disney as an artist/graphic designer, communications dude... yep. He's RIDICULOUSLY good at what he does (which can I say is SO attractive?) and he brings me flowers and writes me cute notes on napkins when we go out to dinner. We fight over stupid things like Sea World and he LOVES kitties. Ok- that last bit was a complete lie. He hates cats and it is a constant source of banter between the two of us. I have started a tradition that for every holiday/present giving occasion I get him a toy cat. HA. I'm funny. I love kitties.

Every day around 6:00 I know he'll show up at my house. We play, we talk, he puts up with my crazy hyperness and ADD, we watch movies, we eat out, we laugh, we make up stupid games, and we have fun. Oh yeah, and did I mention that for about a month, when I first got here, I used him to hang things on my wall and do manly-like jobs (All with the intentions of making him be devastatingly in love with me) ? Ha. Oh yes, AND he scrapes dead reptiles from our garage floor. Yup. Good times in Orlando. That is all.

And that concludes confessions of Amy. You may want to read this post over and over to satisfy your thirst for info that you won't get for another four months. Peace.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Where I Was...

I stole this off Laurel's Blog. I never do these things, but it's nice to have something to do as I sort of watch the Oscars. I tag Heather, Brooke, Aubrey, and Melissa (Gloria).

20 Years Ago:

1988- I was 6. Sooooooo I was living in my Heather Drive house, in the first grade with my favorite teacher ever, Susan Firmage, and I spent my time playing My Little Ponies and house with my sister. I also got in trouble at school for talking too much all the time. Once (or probably several times...) Mrs.Firmage made me stay in from recess with my head on the desk because I was talking too much during class. I was crushed that I had let my teacher down.

10 Years Ago:

February 1998- I was a junior at Layton High School. I was working on the school musical, "The Pirated Penzance," playing a vocalist and still feeling jealous that my friends Alicia, Jenny, and April were all in Productions and I wasn't. I was getting ready for Junior Prom with Rich Schill, and I was still getting over the shock of the death of Jon Jensen.

5 Years Ago:

February 2003- I was at BYU-Idaho (even though I'd graduated two years earlier) waiting to hear if I'd be accepted into MDT at BYU, had just broken up with Brant, and was getting opening "Guys and Dolls" at the school. I was rooming at Brookside with my cousin Melissa, having Barry Manilow nights and running around like a fat, twelve-year-old elf. I love you, Yiss!

3 Years Ago:

2005- I was in my 4th semester at BYU- taking Music Theory and Modern Marathon. I was skipping classes as much as possible with Andrea Finch and performing with Young Ambassdors and lets see... who was I crushing on- Ah- I was getting over Chad Gallacher . Sigh. Ha. That semester was the semester of "Throw all of Amy's weaknesses and insecurities in front of people and make her cry." I've NEVER been such a basketcase as I was that semester. I couldn't play the piano, I couldn't dance modernly, and I couldn't even sing "If I Were a Bell" in my musical scene studies class. I broke down in Randy Boothe's office as I tried to sing it... good stuff. I also cried in front of my modern teacher Raymond, and Ron Simpson. I NEVER cry and get emotional like that- it was WEIRD!

1 Year Ago:

February 2007- I was in Hong Kong enjoying a round of visitors. My mom, grandma, and Dave Burton had all just come to see me, so I was on a high and ready to take on the last two months of my contract. I was craving Taco Bell, teaching the 4 and 5 year olds in the Hong Kong Victoria 1 Branch (Oh how I miss that branch...), and I was performing in The Golden Mickeys at Hong Kong Disneyland 5 days a week! I had also just been cast as Millie in Thoroughly Modern Millie at Hale and was REALLY anxious to get my script!

So Far This Year:

I have been working in Beauty and the Beast, I've done three special events, and I have had lots of visitors- Justin, mom, grandma, Lindsey, Nikki, and Becca. And I am still dating the boy. Don't look so surprised, you.Hee.

Yesterday:

I did five shows at Beauty and the Beast and then came home, showered, and took a boat ride around parts of Disneyworld with the BOOOOOY.

Today:

I woke up at 7:30, tweaked my Relief Society lesson, went to church at 10, taught my lesson on Elder Oaks' "Good, Better, Best," and have had a LOVELY relaxing evening taking a nap, watching Dumbo, and watching the Oscars.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY to Aubrey!

Happy Birthday, Aub!

Friday, February 22, 2008

Flashback Friday

Nearly all of my REALLY good flashback pictures are in Utah still. Dumb. I need to arrange to get some of them when my sister and Brett come out here in a few weeks. Anyway- so for now, enjoy what I got. :-)

Little Amy!
(Look at all the hair I had at two and a half!)

Hillary, Laurel and Me

Heather's Wedding

Little Lexie at Heather's Wedding

Nicole LeFleur, me, and Heather watching the Olympic Torch go by on Harrison Blvd

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Good, Better, Best

I am in the process of preparing my Relief Society lesson for Sunday. I LOVE LOVE LOVE being the 4th Sunday teacher because it means that I get to teach from the current words of our prophets and apostles.

The lesson this week comes from Elder Dallin H. Oaks' "Good, Better, Best," a talk that made a big impression on me back when it was given in conference last October. I have always loved Elder Oaks... his speaking voice is just fabulous, and I feel some connection with him because he went to BYU at the same time as my grandparents. Ha ha.

The talk is full of amazing counsel for each of us concerning the BEST things we can be doing with our precious time. I love that he describes BEST as the "most effective"things and tells us that the BEST things ARE best because they develop faith in the Savior and strengthen our families. He mentions everything from overbooking our kids to church service, and even tells of the shocking statistic that unstructured outdoor activities for kids have declined by 50%. I LOVED PLAYING OUTSIDE AS A KID!!!! So now they all just stay inside glued to the TV and computer? Hmmmmm. Yeah- I'm not a mom yet, but wow- I really feel strongly about limiting all that stuff. ANYWAY- continuing...

I just want to know y'alls thoughts on this talk. I am trying to figure out how to best relate it to the sisters in my class... single young women without families and with jobs and school and whatever else. I know for me personally, "Good, Better, Best" made me really think about the way I spend my time. Let's be honest, I only work 25 hours a week... so what am I doing with the rest of my time? Sleeping... playing on facebook, blogging... lounging around with a boy, watching election updates on CNN... eating Girl Scout cookies- yep- pretty much none of those are particularly effective in building faith in my Savior and helping prepare me to be a better mother and wife to my future family. Hmmmm... time to look at those New Years Resolutions again... those are all BEST things :-)

Growly Face. NBC and iTunes,

I just need to express my disappointment that NBC ended their contract with iTunes at the beginning of this year. Because of the writers strike I hadn't even LOOKED at the iTunes Store in months... but low and behold I discovered yesterday that episodes of THE OFFICE are no longer available on iTunes. LAME.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Adventures of Carrabbas and The Doggy Pee Pad

The title of this post has very little to do with the pictures that follow... but it was the most entertaining part of the last few weeks so I had to use it somehow!!!

Last night my cousin Lindsey and I celebrated her last night here in FL with a lovely dinner at Carrabbas. We're both Italian freaks... anyway... the wait was like 40 minutes long, but honestly, it was the MOST entertaining wait at a restaurant I have ever had. First of all, we got to observe two gay guys on their first date. Mr # 1 was OBVIOUSLY not into Mr #2 and ha! It was highly comical to watch #1 clutch his man purse and back himself into the corner as far as possible to stop #2 from coming any closer. Loved it. THEN this old lady next to Lindsey kept farting, and to top it all off, in rolls a lady on a motorized scooter. She looked like a normal scooter lady, but it reminded me that there is a reason I don't wanna get old... on the seat beneath her was a doggy training pad... for accidents. Hmmmm.

ANYWAY:

I have been swamped. I have to go to work in ten minutes but I am here puttering around on my computer because I have no motivation to go get "Belle-ified" and prance around the stage with princess hands and dancing tea cups. But alas, my life is NOT hard and I must go. Since Feb 2 I have been GO GO GO GO GO GO GOing, and on top of that I have been sick. NOT FUN. However, I have had a great time with my visitors (Mom, Grandma, Lindsey, Becca, and Nikki), and I am excited to finally have time to post pictures.

Lindsey and I spent all day yesterday at Clearwater Beach