Thank you Dashboard.

Last night I stood in line in the cold for an hour to see this beautiful man:

CHRIS CARRABBA

It was the 10 year anniversary for the release of their "Swiss Army Romance" album. He played all of the greats and sounded just as great live. Here's a taste:

I can't even count how many times Hyrum and I drove around singing entire albums at the top of our lungs. Awesome.

I will post more vids to my fbook :)

Bachelor....Shock and Awe.

The women on the Bachelor never cease to bring on the shock and awe factor to ABC. Why do I like the show? I really don't know. Maybe it's all of the back biting, jealousy, drama and fighting over one man. Ridiculous. It could be the fact that half of the people aren't really there for the right reason.... regardless of what they all say.

Recap of the shock and awe of tonight's premier episode:

Vampire girl. omg. For reals, she has fangs. Embarrassing. And he kept her on. Most likely for ratings and to keep the Twihards watching. No shame in that ABC, I suppose.

The girl who thought it was a good idea to slap the kid when she first met him. Honestly don't know why he kept her on...it was straight up rude. I would have asked her to get back in the Limo. No joke.

The "Fashion Marketer" who hopped out of the Limo to greet brad in the ugliest hot pink WEDGE shoes I have ever seen. Missed it live? They kind of looked like these:

I wish I was joking. I still can't get the image out of head. It was probably the highlight of the night for me. Really lady, you're a fashion marketer?? PUH-LEEEEEASE!

I'm not sure where they find these women but I'm pretty sure that I know men with more class and fashion sense then some of these girls. Just sayin'.

Once again...Shock and awe. Will watch the entire season and still have favorite picks? Absolutely.

Side note: I kind of miss the "On the Wings of LOVE" song. However, ABC did treat us with Seal's "Kiss From a Rose." cheesy goods.

Welcoming 2011

Growing up, I never really understood the term "Happy New Year" and the celebration that went with it. I mean, every other year I've been so content with the happenings of the ending year that I never really wanted it to end because that meant change. Sure, I'd go to the New Year's parties, light my fireworks and cheer when the clock struck midnight but I wasn't ever truly happy for a new year (except for 2006 when it was the year I was to graduate High School of course.)

This year, however, I'm ready for the new year.

To say that 2010 was a huge year for me is an understatement. I graduated with a Bachelors Degree from BYU-I, moved straight to SLC with no idea of what I was going to do(huge step for me), got my own apartment (three moves and three singles wards later), started paying bills for the first time and landed a great job as a Meeting Planner for Franklin Covey (which is a great step toward reaching my future goals). On top of that, I gained a brother-in-law and a teenage niece, found out my sister is expecting a baby, and as a family we welcomed home our Returned Missionary from Canada!

In the midst of all of these good/great things, I can't help but think of all of the time I wasted not truly living. After a draining and rocky start in 2010, I sort of shut myself away from making new friends because I didn't like change. I wanted things to be the way the were back when... Now I find myself in this place where I only know a handful of people outside of work and yet I keep saying, "once Cole gets down here it will be better.." or "i'll start going to activities and being social once I get into my new place/ward in February."

Well, I've been an idiot. I let the bad that happened outweigh all of the good and I sat around waiting for things to happen. News flash. It doesn't work that way, dear. I am ready for a fresh start.

Wow, this post isn't going the way that I expected it. I didn't think that many good things happened in 2010. Morale of the story is, I guess I now understand the term "Happy New Year" and why we celebrate. We can forget about the heartache we've been through and the people we've lost and reflect on and celebrate the things we've accomplished, the people we've met, the places we've been and the lessons we've learned!... and boy have I learned a lot of lessons.

With that said, go ahead and make goals. It's not just cliche. We make these goals not to fail at them but in the attempt to make the next year the best it can be. To be and do better. I have made my list. Here's a few:

1.) Not purchase bottled water unless absolutely needed ie: in a foreign country or at a concert where it's a must. (I know this one sounds silly but I've been to the landfill and almost had a panic attach seeing all of the plastic up in there... don't trip--I'm not going "green.")

2.) Get back on track with working out and cutting out the carbs... Started last week... If I did it for two years before, I can do it again!

3.) Start being social and make some freaking friends around here!

4.) Enroll in a class of some kind.

5.) Work harder at serving others.

I have more but that's just a little taste...phew, well.. I'll step off my soap box and just say-- "Happy New Year!" :)

At least give me Zac and Leo Decap? PLEASE :)

Over Christmas break my mom had to make a phone call to AT&T so that cole could get the internet on his phone (yeah, I tried to convince him that he didnt' need it but he disagreed...I guess I have no room to talk since I have a BB with a wicked expensive data package...anyway) Dad decided that he wanted to get rid of their land line which made complete sense. I mean, we all have cell phones. But you know what that means, padre? You have to up the cell phone plan to get more minutes. Neverending.

So mom "up-ed" the plan to pretty sure the highest you could have (we Hansen women are phone talkers for sure) and she said that we can now have a 'Fave 10!' SAY WHAT?? So we have to decide who we each talk to the most so we can talk to them without using our minutes..

Dear Mom,

Forget the "real" people we talk too. Here's who I've decided I would like to be our Fave 10 instead:

Zac Efron.

yes, his name is worthy to have a period at the end. He is THAT Fab.

Leo Decap

yes, I shorten his name.. I love him dearly. So much that I plan on naming my first kid Jack after him in Titanic. No joke.

Josh Duhamel

mmm.....No words.

Ben Affleck

So what.. I'm obsessed with the movie "Pearl Harbor"... Guilty

Paul Walker

Pretty sure I fell in love with him in Fast and the Furious...

Robert Hoffman

Confused? Step up 2! Straight up break dancer.

Jude Law

oooooh Hey Jude. The accent says is all.

Eminem

yeah, I said it. And I'm not ashamed to admit that this rhyme master is probably closer to the top of the list.

Christian Bale

"Cowboy" in Newsies? Yes!.. but the winner would be as Laurie in Little Women. melts my heart every stinkin' time.

Johnny Depp

Who doesn't love this guy? He does it all. Plus, I just feel like we'd be good friends! ha.

I know what you're thinking Mom--I didn't include any Twilight peeps. Sorry. I will have you know though, Ian Somerhalder (Damon from Vampire Diaries) was one of the next to make the cut. Vampires REPRESENT. or not. whatever. He was right there with Channing and oh shoot, I forgot Ryan. Grrr. I guess we'll just need to have a top 20! :)

It started and ended with tears..

I've been talking about this day for months now.. the returning of the Brother from his mission in Canada. I don't have any pictures of it yet (waiting for my friend to post them since she took the pics... We all know I was too excited to be worried about picture taking.)

As we were waiting at the airport my aunt Cindy said, "there's nothing better than sending a missionary out except for picking them up at the end of their mission." She was beyond right.

I remember taking Coleman to the MTC and trying so hard to be strong because I knew it was harder for him to watch his family leave then it was for us to leave together.. I was so proud of him for making the decision to serve a mission and knew that he was going to change lives. I also remember driving all the way home all by myself and crying the entire way..

Waiting at the airport was crazy. There really is nothing better than the anticipation of waiting for your missionary to round the corner after not seeing them for two years. Family and friends crowded around the doors just waiting for him to round the corner.

When he did my heart dropped and all I could do was cry because I was so excited and so happy to know that he had been serving the Lord for the last two years. I'm pretty sure I ugly cried but I didn't care, I was just so happy. He really has become one of my best friends over the last couple of years. We didn't miss a week of emailing each other. I really look up to him (and that's not just because he's even taller than when he left.)

My Aunt was right... There's nothing better.

Best Christmas present ever.

Who would you rather comfort??

Well girls, it happened. They're single! Yesterday it was announced that Zac and Vanessa split and today it was announced that Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson are getting a divorce...

I'll be honest and say that Zac Efron can do better and really.. they met during High School Musical before they were celebs. Time to move on I think.

As for Ryan and Scarlett.. I don't really care for her.. never have. However, they were married and I never like seeing marriages end in divorce. Especially when it's the sexiest man alive.

As I was reading the buzz online I saw this statement..

"Who would you rather comfort?"

For me that's easy. I mean, sorry Ryan... you're gorgeous but I'd take Zac any day. Here's why:

yepp. Thank you Zac Efron.

Where has Indian food been all my life??

This weekend I was able to spend some much needed time with Savanna! If you want to read about it go here. Savanna tells about it better than I could. Let's just say it was indeed filled with Christmas Miracles and was greatly needed!

So check it... Saturday night, after looking at the lights on Temple Square, our friend Katie took us to this Indian resturant downtown SLC..and all I have to say is Where has it been all of my life.

Lamb Vindaloo and Naan. Enough said.

Not only was the food delicious but there are some cute Indian guys up in there. No joke.

If you want to try something different..Check out the Himalayan Kitchen! It's a new/fun fave.

I better shake this...

You know you have a problem when the only songs that really encompass the way you're feeling at the very moment are by Linkin Park.

Issues.

I guess I will swap my "RS Lesson Planning night" for "cleaning night..."

Mission: Compile "The List."

We're 10 days away from the Bro coming home! With that said, I was supposed to be keeping a list of movies, music and other "happenings" that Cole missed while he was gone for the past 2 years (not that he really missed anything since he was happily serving the Lord!)

Anyways. I need help compiling "the List."

I've pretty much got music covered, especially the underground stuff.... but I want help with some other things. You can either comment on the Facebook link or simply leave a comment right here on my blog :)

Goal: Only good stuff that he'd really be interested in knowing/seeing/hearing, heck... even smelling or tasting!

example: Avatar. You Me at Six. Toms.

Welcome back Nelly.

Oh..and let's leave out Lady GaGa and Justin Bieber. Trust me. The Biebster is from Canada... he knows!

Ready, Set, GO!

Me and the Soap Channel

I kind of have a relationship with the Soap channel these days. I've watched the whole complete series at least two times already. Once in High School when each episode first aired on TV and then again during the second year at college. I got a couple of my roommates addicted. I have vivid memories of waking up in the morning and seeing my newly addicted roommate Emily with the couch pulled right in front of the TV having not slept at all because she couldn't turn it off. And watching my roommate Becca react to Marisa's tragic death (I have never seen someone so upset and crying so hard over a TV show.. you would have thought that someone really died.) redic.

Well thanks to the Soap Channel, I've been watching them all again. They are playing three different seasons so I bounce back and fourth. Strangely I've watched the series end and re-watched the very first season.. oh how I love it. Emotional.

I really wish that I still had the shirt my friends made me in High School that said "I heart Ryan" and then on the back said "From the OC." ... although, I've decided that my High School self loved Ryan because he was the "bad boy" and cared about Marissa so much. BUT, my older new self is all about Seth Cohen--Nerdy, Funny, Weird, and awkward stress case who can't do things by himself, loves Death Cab and listens to Boys to Men when he's sad. He's basically me. Minus the whole rebellious pot phase he went through...

Love him. Love the Soap Channel.