Family Home Evening

Ryan and I made a stop motion video for Family Home Evening.

Day Six: Eyebrows and Disbelief

In the challenge I am still participating in ("Just because I'm losing, doesn't mean I'm lost" - Coldplay) the day six challenge was "Pet Peeves".

In college, there was a guy I had a HUGE crush on knew, who told me that Pet Peeves were kind of like telling people you enjoyed being annoyed and you couldn't let petty things go.

I liked that idea. I wanted to be a better person who let petty things go....which is exactly why I will be telling you about the trials that are my husband's eyebrows.


Homestar looks like a normal human being with the most prominent feature on his face being his manly beard.

His beard is very real, very spectacular, and very manly. What most people don't know that at home his most prominent features are his eyebrows. 

Those two hairy twins are so normal that when I say it, there are people who think. "He doesn't have a unibrow, and they aren't weird or gross, what's the issue?"

When he wants to convince me to do something, Homestar with say, "Want to do/go [something he finds extremely fun/cool/sweet/awesome]?" And adds this for emphasis:

The movement in his eyebrows isn't seen by most people and that's the pet peeve. Not that he can do it. That's actually impressive. 

But if I say he can wiggle his eyebrows, people look at me like: 

And I become so crazy and absolutely desperate for people to believe me that I try to demonstrate by pushing my own eyebrows up and down like a weirdo and then everyone looks at Homestar and he shrugs. Shrugs. Shrugs, like "I don't know what she's talking about?". 

And then everyone dismisses the claim as "Silly Emily." 

I feel hurt and confused like that poor rabbit from the Trix commercials who I have always wanted to get the cereal away from those mean children. 

So there it is. That's my Pet Peeve. Eyebrows. I feel better now. 

Day Four...about 5 months late: Parents

Yesterday for a gratitude challenge I decided to participate in  I posted a collage of my parents. Basically any picture I had of them on my phone and it sparked a remembrance that I had started this challenge and totally failed at blogging every day. So I decided to get back on the wagon and try to continue this more faithfully. 

Today's challenge was to write a post about my parents. My parents are...not very similar to me. 

It's something that I've grown to respect about myself and about my parents. 

They grew up in a very different environment than I did. They went to the same high school, and had a completely different experience than I did and yet I keep doing things very similar to them. 

I went to Utah State University, same as my parents. I also lived with my grandparents for a time like my mom.

I got married in the Logan Utah Temple, same as my parents. And at the same age as my mother. 

I am living in the same house in Hyrum, UT they lived in 20 years ago. 

No matter where I go I feel like I run into people who know my parents.

From the woman I visit teach, who knows my dad as the best veterinarian she got into contact with, to a professor on campus who remembered my dad. 

I used to get sick of this. I would sullenly respond to queries about my parents with, "Yes. I am their daughter." and try to change the subject quickly. I felt like I was burdened by the expectations people had of me based on my parents. 

It wasn't until I was talking to a friend about getting into law school and I mentioned that my parents family friend was part of the faculty and I could maybe get him an interview. Someone mentioned how many connections I had and I sort of brushed it off. But it started becoming apparent to me that my parents' awesomeness that I kept hearing so much about, gave me my connections to jobs, interviews and services otherwise expensive. 

As much as my personality is different from them, I am glad I have them in my life. 

Perspective or Lack thereof

Awhile ago I read a high school friend's blog about her experience in high school. It was a complete wake up call for me. To sum it up, she stated, "I guess, for people who are wondering, I went through everyday of high school feeling awkward, out of place and mocked".  

As I was reading this I was overcome with a complete shock; I couldn't believe she felt awkward, she was the coolest person I knew in high school.

She mentioned how her sophomore year people threw shoes at her and called her all sorts of names. I met this girl when I was a freshman and she was a sophomore and while we were not close I considered if not a friend at least an ally. She was my hero.

As much as this girl was dislike by others; I was always widely impressed with her. She seemed like the confident, sassy friend everybody wants. And as the awkward, Mormon high school girl, I felt naive and silly every day. She would save me, sometimes from myself and sometimes from others. Most of these things she probably doesn't even remember but I truly and honestly respected her and wish I had had the courage to tell her exactly how she assisted me during a transition period in my life.

Freshman year, when she first stepped in and saved me.  Every day we would wait for the bell to ring by listening (or not) to the announcements. During the 2nd week of school, a boy in our mutual french class asked about my bra size. Most girls would have brushed him off with a "Gross" or a roll of the eyes but I was mortified and found myself blushing and stammering something like, "Shut it." She turned around and told him she was a C and asked him if he was same. The boy never bothered me again.

Sophomore year, while practicing for a play (I never said I was cool) I was feeling jealous about being rejected because I was too tall and not good enough. I made the comment, "I wish I was more like that girl" (the girl who was better, prettier, shorter and not surprisingly meaner). And she said, "You will go way further in life than her."

Junior year, she was in the same Homecoming dance group as me and even though my date kept trying to convince me I didn't need a shawl (I need one for modesty) She stated that I looked really nice and the shawl was beautiful.

She is and always will be someone I respect and admire for her honesty, courage and ability to remain totally confident in herself. Something I have greatly tried to emulate.

I challenge all of you to find someone in your past who helped you and remind them of why they are awesome.

Day 3: Midnight counts right?

Day 3: First Love

Man, these posts are difficult to come up with while moving, but here goes!

Long before I met Homestar, I was in love with one thing and that was puppies. I found myself loving puppies almost more than life itself. I would dream about dogs and how I was going to have 10 when I was older and be a writer and have awesome hair like my Aunt Cami. 

This dream of mine never diminished and even when I see cute puppies now I squeal. Luckily, my begging and pleading paid off in the form of my cute puppy: Cookie. 

Like any proud mama, I take a bajillion pictures of this cute pup but unfortunately I have packed my camera so I don't have any to show you suffice it to say: she's the smartest, cutest pup around. 

I don't know how many times I begged to get a dog. Basically ever since I got married I have been pleading with Homestar to let me get a dog. Conversations would go as follows: 

Me: So Christmas is coming up....how about a dog? 

Homestar: No, we don't have room for a dog.

Me: So....Martin Luther King Day is coming up....how about a dog?

Homestar: No, we don't have time for a dog.

Me: So....National Doughnut Day is coming up....how about a dog?

Homestar: No. 

I need to thank my sister-in-law Jana for providing me the opportunity to get Cookie. She had a co-worker who was trying to find a good home for this cutie pie and Jana knew how much I desperately wanted a dog so she sent me a text and I told her I would ask Homestar. 

I texted him a picture of Cookie (then nameless cute pup) and then asked him if we could at least look at her. He agreed (which completely blew my mind) and then we went and saw her.

I was in love from the moment I held her cute little body in my arms. She was so soft and so cuddly and basically everything good and nice in the world. 

Homestar took a few licks on his hand and then he was as hooked as me. It was a good thing because if we had left without a puppy that night I would have cried. She's a cute one but she is so much bigger than the pictures I am posting (I stole these from facebook). 

She such a cute little baby and has completely destroyed the toy she has in the picture with her. Anyway, she's ours forever and always.

Day 2: Multiple Personalities or just plain old Crazy?

Day 2: Nicknames

Homestar is a fairly level headed guy, the kind of guy who likes dangerous stuff but only in safe ways. He's the one you would like belaying you as you rock climb:

(This picture is just to show you what kind of awesome belayer he is)

A nickname he received in high school was "Skit" because of the commonness of his first name and his last name. This is based off our last name and is something only his high school buddies call him today. "Skit" is more like this: 

A giggling teenage boy. Note the dyed tips of his hair (Skit did that) and the hunched laugh suggesting his laughter is inappropriate (It generally is). That is what my husband becomes when he is called Skit. Skit is not my husband, though I did receive numerous gifts to "Skit and Skit's Wife". 

I feel like nicknames call upon a personality we had/have when we are called by that name. I have about a billion nicknames and depending on the name is who I am. Let's just take a small sample:

1. Any variation of "Babe" (ie Baberrific, Babeasaurus Rex, Babraham Lincoln, Babecakes, etc): Homestar's wife and most amazing companion. I'm sweet and cool and totally down for huge party.

2. Emily/Em: I'm the Emily you know and love! Crazy. Loud. Awesome.

3. Emily (pronounced M-Lay): Sassy High Schooler with attitude. 

4. Emmy: 5 years old. (Only my aunts and uncles call me this)

5. Bretsen's Sister: Annoying younger sister.

So yeah, I really like nicknames. In fact the only time I call Homestar by his first name is when I am upset and want to make a point. Nicknames jazz up a situation and really give an idea to others how serious you are. 

Challenge: Get a new nickname and love it!

Day One: Do I really have to find a camera?

Introduce, recent picture of yourself, 15 interesting facts


The problem with finding a recent picture of yourself is that I would need to take recent photos of myself to have some. I searched facebook and came up with some doozies and the most recent photo is this one:

 

In case you were wondering,  there were more people in this photo but I cropped them out so you could figure out which one is me. Also (and more importantly) I don't have their permission to re-post their photographs on my blog and I would hate for them to be uncomfortable (or sue me).

15 Less Well Known Facts About Me (MLE)

1. I became a vegetarian for a week as a protest to my parents for forcing me to help cook chicken. (No, I'm serious. This really happened.)

2. My first concert ever was The Click Five.

3. When I am reading, an earthquake could happen and I wouldn't notice. This is something that makes people not happy with me.

4. I like Marshmallow Mateys because the ratio of marshmallows to mateys is much better than Lucky Charms.

5. The picture I had on my desk at work of Homestar was 10 years old, and I couldn't find a better one I liked besides that one.

6. I have all of the siblings, you know an older brother, an older sister, a younger brother and a younger sister. So yes, I can relate and I wouldn't change it for the world.

7. I try not to think too far in the future, it scares to think where I'll be and what I'll be doing. Even if I would like it, I like the here and now.

8. I am proud to say I know all the names of my 40+ cousins (both sides and cousin-in-laws), my family is close and I'm extremely grateful of that.

9. I am working on being better at playing the piano but I still can't sightread worth a hill of beans. 

10. I love chapstick, but I'm picky about the variety. It has to be Burt's Bees original (peppermint) not the honey and pomegranate ones. I started liking this chapstick when I was in band in high school.

11. When I was in first grade, my teacher said very quiet and kind of non-social (shy). This was shocking to my parents because I was very loud at home. After that I don't think my parents were ever told that again.

12. My most embarrassing moment is when I yelled at a deaf woman because I forgot she was deaf. This was also the Girls Camp where I made the infamous "Face" that will haunt me forever.

13. I love listening to people dedicate songs to their loves on the radio. I wish there was another person like Delilah so I could listen to that.

14. I'm neither a democrat or a republican, I'm an economist. 

15. One movie I can watch over and over again is "She's the Man". I don't know why but I love that movie.



Well hopefully you enjoyed that insight into the crazy. Tomorrow's all about nicknames!!!