Hyrum came to visit

My BFF Hyrum came to visit this weekend. It was my first weekend after my first week of work.. so I was a little tired but seeing him automatically makes me a little hyper.. I don't know what it is. HA! Well we only had friday night and all day saturday to hang out but we had a lot of fun and had a lot to laugh about.

Friday night Jeff and Hyrum and I went out to eat at an Italian restaurant called Buca di Beppo which has really good food. I immediately fell in love with the restaurant because of their black and white pictures all over their walls AND the fact that their menus show pictures of their entrees (weird, that I love that so much, but I do...). Well, the picture below shows what happened to me on my first visit to Buca di Beppo. Doesn't look too bad?? Well, it was. Hyrum was handing his menu to the waitress and well, let's just say that there was no water, ice OR lemon left in my glass. It was all in my lap. Embarrassing.

After we went to dinner we decided to walk around downtown. I talked to two sisters from Edmonton, Canada, where my brother Coleman is serving, so that was fun! We kind of just took in the downtown atmosphere and enjoyed the GORGEOUS weather.

On Saturday Hyrum and I decided to go to Lagoon. I went ahead and purchased a season pass just because it was like paying to go only two times. So I'm pretty cool now with my Lagoon card with my big face on it. Our biggest priority was to go on the Wicked. Hyrum had never been and well, we loved it. That coaster is insane.

The whole day at Lagoon was quite the experience. We both intentionally didn't put on sunscreen with the hopes of getting a little color. Well, Hyrum never puts on sunscreen.. or aloe for that matter. After we got home and I was tending to my sunburnt chest he told me that aloe was for wimps. But then after I frowned he said, "or for Blondies!" Thanks, Hy. Thanks.

Anyways, we had my soon-to-be niece Regan and her other 14 year old friend with us. Great fun but it was filled with drama. I honestly do NOT remember everything being so dramatic but I'm sure I was like that a little. And maybe it was because we were with 14 year olds all day.... but Hyrum and I (mostly I) was completely bothered by the following picture:

Yes, those are little boys running the Samari ride at Lagoon. I kid you not. Lagoon is basically ran by kids who look like they are 10 years old. I couldn't believe it. I probably complained about it 20 times throughout the day. I think it's great that these little kids have something to keep themselves busy during the summer to keep them out of trouble and to keep them active. But wouldn't sending them to a summer camp suffice? They are YOUNG teenagers. OK, I wasn't so bothered by all of the 14 year olds who were doing the carny games (like "step up and I'll guess your age, weight or birth month", or "throw this ball and hit down all three milk jugs") But the boys in the above picture were running the Samari by themselves. All I have to say is if you can't drive yourself to work then you should NOT be able to run a ride at a theme park....

Oh man, we had some good laughs about it though. If I didn't have a job I would have job challenged them FOR SURE!

Well, the weekend is over (besides the rest of today which will consist of napping). I wish the weekend wasn't quite over yet and that Hyrum didn't have to leave... But life goes on. Hopefully I remember everything I've learned in my training for work tomorrow :)

New York, NY

I've never been to New York but I've always wanted to go. I would walk town the streets and shop pretending that I was on an episode of the City or Gossip Girl livin' large like they do..OK, except I wouldn't have the whole sex appeal, glamorous clothes, beautiful man friends and cash. My experience would probably be more like the one Julia Roberts had in Pretty Woman...minus the whole hooker thing.

Well, today I had my first real experience with New York. Being a FC meeting planner we work on seminars all over the country. Today I was given a 2 week update to work on at my desk ALL BY MYSELF. I opened the file and it was for a seminar at the Hilton in New York City, NY. I figured out all of my contacts and catering info and realized that our regular Host in NY couldn't make it for the particular date of the seminar. This meant that I had to call and hire a Temp to cover that date through the Temp Service. I totally made friendlies with my contacts in New York! ... It may not seem too big and I know it's only the beginning and I will be doing stuff like this EVERYDAY but today was the first time for me so I'm pretty happy about it.

Day 3 on the Job--Feeling of accomplishment and general coolness?..... CHECK!

First Day of Work

I will admit that I was really nervous for my first day of work. I don't know why. I guess just because it's something new. But I got up and got all ready for the day (which I haven't really done a lot of in the last two months..shh.. don't tell). I made myself a sack lunch and decided I was just going to go and be my happy/confident self!

The best thing is that they hired another girl for a 6 month temporary position so she is training with me! She's about my age, 24, and she just graduated from college, so it's basically great. So I have a new friend AND, most importantly, I didn't have to awkwardly eat lunch by myself on the first day, which eating by myself is always an insecurity of mine.. I need to work on that. But I still felt like the new kid at school. You know, the one that everyone eyes up and down trying to figure out where they came from and what their business is. Little do they know, I was doing the exact same thing to them! Over all, there are nice people who work there.

The way things are going to work is that there are 3 event planners plus myself. I am going to be over planning the Seminars primarily for the VA hospitals as well as planning various programs around the country. Today was just a lot of training with Amber, the head planner. We learned how to use the main programs as well as trying to get a hang of the whole planning and organizing process. I'll just say it's going to take a while to get organized as well as get the hang of everything.. but it will come!

Long story short though, I have an official FranklinCovey badge to get me into all of the doors, I have my own big desk with a new computer, phone and e-mail!! haha. It's going to be a little crazy going to "the office" everyday but I'm going to enjoy it (aside from the 30 minute commute, but that's only for a couple of months until I find my own place in a good area)!

Time to save/plan some trips!

OH and don't worry, I'm sure I will do something stupid soon.. so I will get back with some stories :)

My trip to the E.R.

This story could be potentially embarrassing but I figured I'd rather save myself some time and blog about it than have to tell a bunch of people via text message or phone call.

Yesterday was a really good day. I went shopping with my mom, Jamie and Regan and just hung out watching TV for the rest of the day/night. Really relaxing. I went to bed feeling fine and decided to sleep on the side of the bed next to the wall just incase mom needed to get up in the middle of the night (since she is here for the weekend she slept in my big girl bed with me.) I remember waking up to my mom shutting the window at 3:00... I was having a really scary dream involving the girl from the grudge and some of my friends (weird). When I woke up I started to have a sharp pain in my stomach. I thought.. "Oh.. maybe I just have to go to the bathroom" (embarrasing, I know) But that wasn't the issue. The pain was super sharp and was right above my belly button. I decided to get in bed and try to fall asleep thinking it would just get better but it didn't. In fact, it only got worse. I couldn't sleep, it hurt to breathe and I was terribly uncomfortable. I know it's nothing like having a baby but it was the worst pain I had ever felt. I started to feel like I was going to throw up but nothing would come. By this time it was almost 4:30; I was miserable. I got onto Webmd and it said that appendicitis pain sometime starts above the navel. It also talked about vomiting, fever..ect.. I was trying to convince myself that I was fine and that it would get better and that it was just gas or something but it wasn't... we all know what that feels like. I'll admit that I was crying, hunched over and in a LOT of pain and I wasn't going to risk my appendix bursting or something..

Good thing mom was here because I don't know what I would have done. Probably cut out my own stomach (because at the time I thought that would feel better)..But my mom got up and took me to the Davis County E.R. The pain continually got worse and I felt like I was going to throw up even more than before. Well, good thing they see patients according to severity because I wasn't the only one there at 5 in the morning and the pain got worse at the hospital (but I think hospitals will just do that to you) But they slapped a bracelet on my arm and got me in.

They checked my vitals, got me into the nasty tie up hospital gowns that are actually kind of comfortable, and started to get an IV going (i'm such a pro at the whole needle thing it's kind of sickening). At this point I'm breathing hard (moaning my mom would say), I'm hunched over trying to cope with the pain and trying not to cry. Then I felt it....the puke was coming. The nurse was busy finishing my IV and drawing blood so he asked my mom to grab a puke bucket in the cupboard. Then we all went into panic mode. I yelled "HURRY!!!" to my mom and she grabbed the first thing he saw, placed it on my lap and up it came. I felt to yucky and bad to notice that my mom had placed a bed pan on my lap. To make it better my mom, in a really nice voice was like "ohh.. you look like you have rabies.. it's all foamy and bubbly." HA. thanks?

Well, I didn't feel better after I spewed like I usually do. In fact it was worse. That's when the lovely man nurse came in and gave me a huge shot of Demerol into my IV to help with the pain. Well yeah, it wasn't really working... Maybe I didn't give it enough time but I was in too much pain. Then came another shot. I think it was morphine that time. And well, that did it. After 15 minutes, I wasn't breathing as hard, the pain was pretty much gone and I was comfortable enough to sleep.

The doctor came in and told me that my blood work looked great but he was concerned that I may have some issues with my gall bladder. So I got to ride in a wheel chair and have an ultra sound. As if my chubby self didn't already feel like I was pregnant..add some stomach pains, pain medication an ULTRA SOUND? oh boy.

Well, the ultra sound was an experience. The gel wasn't cold like I'd imagined it would be and it kind of felt like a massage on my stomach.. except the tech lady scared me a little. I mean, we were in a dark room, I was in my underoos, she was rubbing my tummy and didn't say much. It was weird.

I know it's a long story but the doctor came in and said that the ultra sound looked OK. They didn't find anything wrong with my gall bladder. He said that it was most likely a spasm in my stomach. REALLY DOC? This was the worse pain i've ever felt. I then went on to ask him what I should do if it happens again and he proceeded to tell me "Ibuprofen." I was so mad. I mean, I didn't want anything to be wrong with me that would require surgery but I felt stupid because there was nothing to be done about it. But like my mom said, I wouldn't have been able to just let this pain go.. it was AWFUL.. and I was throwing up.. SO I guess at least we now know that I don't have gall bladder problems and that my blood work was good.

The doctor did tell me that if it comes back and it's just as bad that we will have to do a CT scan to figure it out. But for now it was a spasm. We ended up leaving the E.R about 8 and I slept like a baby until about 1..that medicine will do it I guess. I still kind of have an upset stomach but no more really sharp pains...thank goodness.

What an experience.

Not a very, merry UNbirthday.. A HALF birthday.. very legit.

I'm a firm believer that any reason to celebrate is a good one. Well, today is officially my half birthday! I'm 22 1/2 and my mom is in town visiting for the weekend. I'm going to pretend that she is here for my half birthday, I'm probably going to buy myself something today, and we are going to go out out to eat (never mind that the dinner part is really to celebrate Jamie's 26th birthday that was 4 days ago)...I can pretend right!?

**NOTE: I didn't blog on my sister's birthday.. I thought making her a cake was enough, but I was sorely mistaken! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMIE LYN! I REALLY DO LOVE YOU :)

The fake story is much easier to explain..

I knew that my life would consist of A LOT more changes from the moment I graduated college. I knew that someday I would find a job (which I start tuesday) and that I would have to find my own place.. eventually. Well, I've moved into my second place in the last two months and again, it's only temporary. I moved in with my sister's boyfriend and his 14-year-old daughter, Regan. I can't even believe how nice he is for letting me move in. I'll be the first to admit that it's sounds a little sketch. My friend Alex, when he first found out, told me that when people ask, I need to say, "I'm the live-in nanny!" Well, it's actually legit. No need to make up some story about being a nanny... even though that would be a lot easier to explain..

Jamie and James are going to be getting married in a couple of months and James was nice enough to offer to have me stay at his house in Kaysville to save some money. At the time, I didn't have a job and I jumped on the opportunity. Well, as you know, I got a job but I still decided to stick with the plan to move in for a couple of months.

It's actually pretty great (aside from a few things I will have to get used to but that will come I'm sure.) I have a bigger room with a huge walk in closet, I'll get to see my sister more than when I lived with her for the last 2 months, it's free, close to Lagoon, and I'll get to know James and Regan a lot better !

So the plan for now is to start my job, hopefully love it, try to meet some new people (GOAL: actually make an effort this time), then get my own place in Salt Lake or somewhere closer to work! I think it's a good plan. The only thing is that reality has set in that I'm going to have to start working everyday, and that I have something keeping me in.. gulp.. UTAH! yeah, I best be making an effort with the whole social thing.

**NOTE** Jennifer would appreciate it if her BFF's came to visit OFTEN!

Franklin Covey

After a month and a half of doing the whole job search thing.. I got a job offer with:

I start tuesday working as a Meeting Planner at the FranklinCovey headquarters in SLC! I'm super excited but nervous to start a new job that doesn't involve Fireworks or Fur. HAHA. Oh man, this is going to be great :)

#11 of the Random Loves of Jennifer

Reading on the balcony on a gorgeous, sunny day :)

The Bachelorette Kick Off

The Bachelorette 2-hour season premier was last night. If you were fans of the Bachelor last season then you already know Ali!

The first episode of the season is always great. There are always embarrassing things said and jealousy, drama and accusations between the guys starts to form. I just love it. I already have my pick of who is going to cause a bunch of drama, who is going to be overly emotional and who probably isn't there for the right reasons--"To find their soul mate."

Anyways, she already got rid of 8 guys. I will add that two of them she cut where the ones who both did/said something embarrassing... AKA.. Shooter (enough said) and the guy who wore cowboy boots because he thought ALI was wearing cowboy boots last season when she stepped out of the limo and into Jake's life. YEAH RIGHT. First of all, I don't know why she would be wearing cowboy boots at all, let alone with an evening gown when she's trying to make a GOOD first impression on someone who could quite possibly become the love of her life. Nice try, man.

SO FAR I would say that my favorites (the ones who stuck out the most) are:

Chris L: The 33 year old Landscaper from Cape Cod who's mom passed away a year ago

Jesse: The 24 year old Contractor who gave her the wooden heart necklace he made.

Roberto: The 26 year old insurance agent... Ali already has great chemistry with him!

There were a few others that I liked but my favorites change a little! I mean, this was only off the first impression.

If you want to meet the bachelors you can go to abc.com and check them out. I'd like to add that there is a tattoo count on each of the bios. Why is it that the ones I like the most have tattoos!!? haha. Typical me.

One Great Weekend

How do I sum up a great weekend with friends in one blog post? Well, I will try my best.

1.) I have some of the best friends in the world.

(Thank you Savanna and Alex for keeping me thoroughly entertained)

2.) Some things never change. aka...Rexburg snow.. IN MAY!

3.).97 cent clothing sale with savanna=GOOD TIMES

4.) When furniture shopping with alex, or any shopping for that matter, always just go with whatever story the workers or salespeople bring up.

Salesman: "Are you two designers?"

Alex:"Yes" while I simultaneously answer "NO"

Me:"I mean, I don't have clients.. He does though."

5.) The girls in Red Brick House are some of the prettiest/coolest/nicest girls i've ever met in Rexburg!

6.) Some people are picky about where their "FREE TO THEM" meat is cooked "ONLY ON A GRILL".. such people deserved to be called names... (sorry new friends for having to hear that!)

7.) Making homemade lasagna is a fun and exciting adventure.

8.) Talks about life with Savanna will never get old and will always make me feel better.

9.) I miss my old roommates and FHE sisters. I had so much fun meeting up with them for some DQ!

10.) Friends make me smile. Smiling is my favorite.