I Would Also Like to Point Out...

So here I am at 4am. hehe that rhymed. ANYWAY I would like to point out that I have changed my blog! If this is your first time on here then you are unaware of any difference, however if you have been on here before go ahead. Take a minute to look at and appreciate the changes. WELL I would like to thank Lauren Hagee for her help and guidance that made these changes possible. I would like to thank Adobe for having a 30 day trial of photoshop and I would also like to thank my parents for this wonderful laptop which I am able to stay on at all hours of the night without their knowledge. I would like to point out that I am not finished editing this blog, I still need to work out a few kinks. I would also like to point out that I have been working on these changes since 11 am this morning...or was it yesterday???! o_O I would also like to point out that I have to get up for work in 2 hours. I would also like to point out that I am exhausted. I would also like to point out that today after work my friend Tiffany and I flew my kites in the parking lot of Chick-Fil-A and my favorite Batman kite flew out of my hands and onto the roof of the Starbucks next door (more proof that coffee ruins lives) I will probably never see that kite again (luckily I have another kite of the exact nature in the trunk of my car in case the other one ever flew away although I didn't count on having to use it so soon I am still glad I have a back-up) I would also like to point out that I made a new friend tonight. I don't know his name, but he is the night guard of the 1890 ranch shopping center. He rides around on his golf cart all night long. I don't know how old he is, but I do know his life story. He proceeded to tell me his life story when Tiffany and I were sitting in my car (after the unfortunate kite mishap) I don't know why...I didn't ask him to nor did I even attempt to initiate a conversation. However I must have encouraged him in some way because he is now convinced that I want to apply to be a night security guard just like him (he even said that if I put his name under my references he will receive $300 which he will happily split with me) I would also like to point out that this encounter with Paul (I dub him Paul because he vaguely reminds me of Paul Blart: Mall Cop) happened at about 11:30pm last night, our conversation lasted until midnight. I would also like to point out that Paul's only weapons are a flashlight and a ball point pen. I would also like to point out that I named this post after the word "pen" this goes to show that I actually repeated the phrase "I would also like to point out" roughly 8 times without realizing my total lack of creativity and mindless ramblings. If this post doesn't make sense...read it at 4 am, it might help.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Well yesterday was my birthday! yay! I am finally 18. Which is wonderful because now I can buy cigarettes, go to jail as an adult, and buy lotto tickets (none of which I plan to do!) I can however vote, order things from the television, and officially drive to the bank to deposit Chick-Fil-A's money (I say official because once I went when I was 17 and it wasn't technically...legal) ANYWAY. It was also the day of Leander High's prom. I didn't go (in case you were dying to know) I just don't think that spending my birthday at a dance is ideal. First of all I can't dance (especially not the way everyone else does...gross) second of all, I'm not a fan of mainstream music (only type of music played at school dances) third, I didn't have a date, and even if someone had asked me he wouldn't have been the person I'd wanted to be there with (since he already had a date). So you see why I instead chose to go on a 14 mile kayaking trip with my dad. Oh you don't see why anyone in their right mind would choose to do that on their birthday? I suppose you have a point. Kayaking isn't exactly my idea of a fun time either, but my dad really wanted to go and I tend to go out of my comfort zone if it means quality time with my papa. I'm not a particularly strong kayak-er. I am not very fast and I have a hard time avoiding trees (actually I didn't know that until yesterday.) I'd honestly rather be in a motor boat, or a gondola (seeing as how a usually attractive Italian man rows for you).  I wouldn't have gone, but my dad was apparently planning on going whether I was there or not (On my birthday? How dare he!) He actually invited my brother to go after I'd declined the first time, but then after hearing him ask my brother I reconsidered. After all what could be so bad about 14 miles down the San Marcos river? HA! So the day started off icky looking and it looked as though the clouds would release their treasures at any minute. It didn't look like a promising birthday. So my dad and I started off on our adventure. He had high hopes for the day and I was secretly praying it wouldn't take that long to paddle 14 miles. So we're paddling along, paddling along...paddling along for what seems like hours...neither of us are really talkative...I'm quietly whispering "I think I can" under my breath and I have the urge to ask how much longer (I hadn't yet because I didn't want to sound eager to finish or give the impression that I was complaining) I finally did ask and to my dismay we hadn't even met the 5 mile mark yet. The current was almost nonexistent and I was slowly dying of boredom. Finally my dad and I find something to talk about and the conversation keeps us busy until we hit a fork in the river. My dad swears he said "go to the left" but I swear he said "right." So of course I paddled to the right side. Well turns out there's this hugenormous tree blocking the whole right side of the river and the only way to get through it is to lay flat on my kayak and float underneath. Well this may have sounded and even looked simple enough. To anyone else it may have even been simple enough...however I am not just anyone. Before I go on I'd like to mention that I am TERRIFIED of spiders. Bring on snakes and sharks but if I see a spider of any size I scream like a 4 year old little girl. Prior to coming to this fork in the river I'd had a harrowing experience with a pregnant spider who decided to jump on my kayak after I'd had a nasty run in with a tree that must have previously been its home. I screamed like a small girl and with one clean swipe of my paddle I sent the spider flying to who knows where. It still freaked me out and after that I became a little paranoid. MEANWHILE back at the fork in the river I am trying to lay as flat as I can on my kayak so that I can float under this unnecessarily large tree. I get about half way under it when I realize the ENTIRE underside is carpeted with spiders the size of a silver dollar. Well I can't go backwards so I continue to the other side with a speed that I'd never before reached. I sit up and there are at least 10 spiders on my kayak. I went crazy, I was freaking out. I've never been so afraid in my life...well there was that one time. Anyway I'm wildly swinging my paddle around trying to smash these spiders who were obviously going to devour me whole. After nearly falling off my kayak, hitting myself in the back of the head with my paddle, screaming like a banshee, and almost passing out after finding a spider on my hand I was able to get rid of all of the spiders on my kayak (or so I thought, I later found at least three more stowaways) The rest of the kayaking trip consisted of me running into every single tree on the bank of the San Marcos River (it was like they were magnetic and I was made of steel), being knocked out of my kayak by several of those trees (I believe there were 5 of these instances, one of which I was carried away by the current while my kayak remained stuck in the tree my foot then caught on a stray piece of fishing line which I thought might cut off my foot but luckily it broke. This also happened to be the one moment I'd taken off my life jacket to work on my tan and I am a terrible swimmer...I am a more qualified drowner) and an embarrassing run in with a tree in which I ended up in an awkward half upside down position with my feet being the only barrier between me and a spider web covered tree and my paddle swinging pointlessly at a branch of spiders too far out of my reach (I only say this is embarrassing because there was this random woman who was sitting on the side of the river. I don't know whether to be creeped out by the fact that we were in the middle of nowhere and she was randomly staring at me while I fought off a tree, or amused at the thoughts that might have been running through her mind.) The 14 mile trip took about 6 hours. I got myself through it by checking out the cool things in nature that didn't have 8 legs such as this funny lookin caterpillar.

I also found great comfort in singing "Just Around the River Bend" from Pocahontas at the top of my lungs when I thought my dad was out of earshot (unfortunately I only know the line "I look once more Just beyond the river bend, beyond the shore" and so I had to make up my own lines. (ie I hate the trees, they're all out to get me! I've scabbed my knees just trying to escape. Oh look some more, I know that they are hiding out Just around the riverbeeeeeend for me! Coming for me!)) After the 14 miles was up I could barely move my arms, I was exhausted and sore from my waist up (who knew you used more than your arm muscles) Although it may sound like I had a terrible birthday I didn't. I enjoyed the time with my dad and after the sunburn loses it's sting it will turn into a beautiful tan (which will peel off and I will once again be back to an off white color) I got to eat at my favorite restraunt (Posados) and when I got home I fell into bed and slept soundly through the night.I still can't move and my sunburn hurts something awful but it was pretty much worth it. I had a great birthday :) Thanks Dad for the great day and I love you. Happy Mother's day to all the mothers. (who am I kidding my own mother doesn't read this why would any others?)

I LOVE Batman

 

Alright so I've realized that I don't have a post on here dedicated to Batman. I would like to dedicate this post to him, the greatest superhero who ever lived! If you disagree with me then I command you to stop reading my blog becuase you are no longer worthy. I just kind of want to point out a few reasons why he is the best.

~He's human
~He's a billionaire
~He has a LEGIT costume
~He has an even more LEGIT means of transportation
~He is a superhero because he worked hard to become one, he wasn't just "blessed" with powers.
~He has the best villains
~He has a pretty tight video game (which I've beaten ;P)
~He has a cool name
~He has really cool weapons

If you aren't convinced then maybe I can help you to see things my way with my double edged batarang knife. You've been warned.


P.S. I really only put this post on here so I could post the picture above and I didn't want the picture to feel lonely so I added some words.

A Day in the Life of a Cow

So hello there again! I know, I know, you didn't really expect another post so soon, but I feel the need to write something today and I have to kill an hour and a half so I choose to do it here. So this morning I woke up at 5:55am in order to go to seminary. If you read last night's/this morning's post you already know that I didn't get to bed until about 3ish and so I was definately a little bit exhausted this morning. We barely made it to seminary alive this morning (kept nodding off at the wheel)and seminary was uneventful, we had a cool teacher today and I had little control over my neck apparently seeing as how it was really hard to hold up my giant head. Then I came home and immediately fell asleep on my sister's bed (its the most comfortable in the house) I know what you're thinking "this story is REALLY good, I hope this hilarity continues" Well I would just like to point out that I am a TERRIBLE story teller. I don't even know why I have a blog. It could be that I wish I could achieve the fame that Julie did in Julie & Julia(LOVE THAT MOVIE!)or it could also be the fact that I feel slightly more important in the world when I have my very own blog that has the potential to arouse the curiousity of people all over the world (if my story telling does not improve however we can probably rule out both of those) If you know who Nick Swardson is and have heard his stand up there is this one called "had to be there" and that pretty much sums up the story of my life. I'll try and post it, but i'm not quite sure how so don't get your hopes up or anything. So I went off to work at 10. For those of you who don't know I am the Chick-Fil-A cow! In all seriousness that is my actual job. I don't even work at the counter or anything anymore I am solely the cow. I know what you're thinking "that sucks! It's like a thousand degrees in that suit and in the summer it's even hotter!" well you're only a third correct. It is a thousand degrees in there and in the summer it nears a billion degress however I LOVE BEING THE COW! I love handing out balloons to little children, I love dancing like an idiot and not have anyone know that it's me, I love listening to the kids tell me EVERYTHING about their parent's personal lives and all the dirty secrets that you don't want anyone to know but your kid just can't help but tell the world. I just think it is so fun. I don't have to deal with rude customers and when I get too hot I can go sit in the freezer for a bit. I literally get paid to be a little kid (which happens to be easy for me since I can't seem to grow up) I have to go back to work at 5 tonight and be the cow again for another three hours. The split shifts kind of ruin my day but it's kind of worth it on the weekdays. It's not like I ever do anything anyway. Today I had to stay in the back for about an hour because this one little girl would start screaming her head off if she even caught a glimpse of me. That was great...I got paid to sit down it was pretty dang exciting! Little kids are often freaked out by the cow (I don't really blame them..he is kinda huge) but other kids won't leave me the heck alone. I made a new best friend the other day (sorry Sophie) she is 4 and her name is Avery. I know that because she told me a thousand times. She also climbed on my lap and just sat there (I'm not supposed to pick kids up so I couldn't even like lift her off...so i just had to sit there while she kept poking me in the eye and sticking her fingers up the cow's nose) My PS3 didn't come today. I'm sorely disappointed. Well I gotta go get ready to be the cow again. YAY FUN!

My Uneventful Day

Have you ever had one of those days where you come home to relax, maybe plan to sit at your computer and get on stalkbook or write in your blog? Ever turn on your itunes and after about 30 minutes of listening to music realize that you've been listening to the same song because you forgot to take it off of "repeat one" from the other day when you were repeatedly listening to/ singing at the top of your lungs the chef's song from the Little Mermaid? Yea me either. Well see the thing is that I haven't even had an especially trying day. I got up at 11 am to get everyone ready for church. That was pretty uneventful unless you count the last 5 minutes when I realized Brynlee had picked out a lovely pair of black tights with snowmen on them to wear to church... IN APRIL. I would've just let her wear them because I think it is important to let kids express themselves in a way they see fit, but then I figured I'd probably never hear the end of it if I let it slide. After a frantic and fruitless search for socks I decided to just change her shoes (which would've been the easiest solution in the first place) So we were at church a little late (not like that's never happened) we had to sneak in the back and for the first time in a while we had to sit on the uncomfortable metal chairs that I'm convinced are a punishment for being late. Those chairs have got to be the most uncomfortable things to sit on...aside from maybe a flagpole. Church was great as it usually is, good lessons and such. It was fast Sunday and of course that meant testimony meeting. I'm going to be completely honest, I LOVE fast and testimony meetings. I love to hear other people testify of the truthfulness of the gospel. I especially like it when little kids get up to bear their testimonies. Something about little kids proclaiming their love for the gospel and The Savior just makes me really happy. I bore my testimony today. I LOVE to bear my testimony. I think it may have something to do with the fact that I really love to hear myself talk. I bet that sounds really vain, but I don't necessarily love the sound of my voice...I don't know how to explain it really. I just love talking! I don't actually love to bear my testimony in front of the whole congregation because I get really nervous and throw up words that quite possibly don't make any sense when put together. Today however I worked up enough courage to get up and bear my testimony in front of everyone. Lately I've been crying a lot when I bear my testimony. I'd like to think that it's because I really feel the spirit whenever I do, and don't get me wrong I'm sure that's why it happens, but to be honest I really HATE crying in front of people. Coming from such a tom-boyish past I always thought crying was showing weakness. Although I don't actually think that anymore I still get really embarrassed when I cry in front of people. I believe that my recently overactive tear ducts are the consequence of relentlessly making fun of my mother every time she cries. Now I'm not talking about when her crying is rational, funerals and stuff=understandable, but when we're watching TV and a hallmark commercial comes on and her eyes fill up with tears i think I have a fair reason to giggle uncontrollably. Anyway so of course my testimony ended in tears and I returned to my seat to have my brother (who was once my ally in teasing my mother about her over sensitive plumbing) ask in mock concern if I needed a tissue. The rest of church was pleasant although I did get in trouble during Young Women's because I have this weird disease where I have to talk all the time. After church I went to my Sunday School teacher's house with the rest of my SS class for dinner and some games. It was alot of fun, I didn't realize my teacher was that cool (rest assured HE IS!) and now I've been sitting at my computer for the past 4 hours doing who knows what. It's 1:30 in the morning and I'm really tired but for some reason I can't get up off my butt and move the 3...maybe 2 feet to my bed. I think I may have a sleeping disorder. On a more pleasant note my mom comes home tomorrow! She's in Colorado to visit her family and attend her brother's 3 wedding. Hopefully his new wife is not related to Satan like wife #2. Even though it is technically the 3rd now I'd like to give a birthday shout out to my cousin Kelsey Rae Graves. I miss you everyday Kels! I love you and wish you were here all the time. I want to live as good a life as you did. See ya on the other side. Watch over me kay? Well goodnight everyone.

Paradise week

ALRIGHT!! I know this post is half a year overdue but I'm finally going to blog about my wonderfully amazing cruise that I went on in November of 2009 (hold your excitement). Well let me tell you I LOVED it. It was a 7 day-7 nights cruise in the carribbean and it was a week of paradise. I've never been so happy in my life! It was so unbelievable! I still dream about it and wake up so sad that it's not a reality. Let me tell you cruises are addicting...I will definately go on another one at the first opportunity. Let me tell you a bit about it and I will definately include pictures at the bottom of this post! Alright so on Sunday we drove down to Galveston and up until we got on the boat we all figured something would go wrong and we'd miss our trip. When we finally stepped foot on the ship it became a reality albeit an unbelievable one. It felt too good to be true! We got to our rooms (which were suprisingly nice for the price we paid) and unpacked. As soon as we set sail we explored the boat. It was the most amazing thing ever! We spent 4 days at sea and 3 days on land, making stops in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Our first stop was in Jamaica. We went on a zipline tour through the jungle. Jamaica was cooler than I expected it to be. Everyone talked so cool and boy was it beautiful! I'd always thought that "ya mon" was a steroetype...I didn't realize people actually said it after practically every single sentance. It was so cool. The rest of the week we were saying "ya mon" and "no problem!" The Jamaican way of life is just so chill and laid back. Even though the majority of them live in poverty they are still all so happy! Our bus driver was legit. He kept making jokes and talking in his awesome accent, he also taught us alot about Jamaica (their flag colors are yellow (for the sun) Green (for the beautiful lush vegitation) and black (for the people (lol) and also for the poverty that they endure)) Our tour guides on the zipline tour were all hilarious. We got to see a guy climb a huge coconut tree and we also got to try coconut water, and coconut jelly (neither of which i enjoyed much) There were 5 different lines on the tour each one getting progressively higher. The smalles was 250' above the jungle and the tallest was a whopping 1,600'. At first the jump was a little scary but by the end we were hanging upside down over the jungle. After the tour we went to the little gift shops in the area. They were really over priced but I got a rasta hat complete with dreads and well I don't regret it, I wear it often ;P. Our next stop was in Grand Cayman. We went on to sting ray city for our onland excursion. It was so cool! We brought our own snorkeling stuff and we were able to swim with sting rays and even feed them. It was kind of scary to be honest (those things are HUGE) and of course with the recent tragedy of Steve Erwin it made me a little uneasy to be so close to their barbed tails. Skyler ended up getting a hickey when one of the rays mistook his arm for a piece of squid ^_^. The water was really salty, I'd never been in the ocean before and I didn't realize how salty it was, after a few snorkel fulls of ocean water we were all ready to get out, but the water was just so beautiful! We also got to swim by a coral reef and see a ginormous eel. After the stingray city we walked around the shops and stuff, but they were pretty pricey so we didn't buy much. Cozumel was really fun too. We didn't go on any excursions (except my dad who went scuba diving) but we did get to shop all day which by my standard is a pretty great day! Am I right?! It was really fun trying to bargain with the vendors, I got pretty good at it, I was able to get 30 bucks taken off of a hammock chair (which is sitting in my closet as I write...lame) The male vendors kind of cracked me up. I've learned enough spanish from work to get the gist of what they were saying to me "¡Mi amor, Viene aquí! " or "Es tan guapa como una princesa" it made me laugh. If I'd been alone I might've been slightly creeped out but I just laughed it off. We took some really neat pictures and I had alot of fun. It was a beautiful place and even though it was like a thousand degrees I really enjoyed walking the streets. I've decided I really LOVE traveling and I'm so happy I got the chance to visit these places. I hope to return to them someday and travel to more places in time. I had alot of fun and maybe one day I'll be a veteran cruiser (I met this one lady who'd been on 27 cruises) The boat was great, I had alot of fun at sea and they had so many activites at all times of the day. I really loved it and I'm soo thankful I got to go on it. Check out the picture slide show I've put up!

Why I don't work out in public

OK so I've made a new years resolution to be more healthy. I make this resolution every year but I was really serious about it this time. I even made sure I got a gym membership! I really wanted a membership to Gold's Gym since well that's the place to be, BUT my dad got me a membership at the YMCA...not quite as cool but I suppose it serves the right purpose. ANYWAY I went into the YMCA really excited to get back into shape. So i get on one of the free treadmills and go to slide my ipod into my pocket...only I didn't' have pockets so instead I had to stick it on the little shelf on the treadmill. So I'm running pretty fast. I'm on like eight...heck I'm bookin it. I'm runnin I'm runnin and my arms are movin pretty fast. up and down up and down...up and....down on my ipod cord. Ipod flips in the air. I try to catch it. MISS. It hits the treadmill. I bend over to pick it up. Stop running. Treadmill is still going. My feet slid off the edge. My face hits the treadmill. It's still on. Mom screams. YMCA people run over. I get up, huge burn on my face. left cheekbone to the middle of my chin...eyes watering nose feels like its bleeding (luckily it wasn't) I scramble for my ipod and get back on the treadmill and continue running...except my knees and face kind of hurt...Anyway YMCA people surround me and they're all concerned...there's really nothing wrong with me and I am fine. They're all asking if I need ice or anything and I'm just grumbling "no I'm fine..my fault" and I don't really want to turn around so she can see the huge mark across my face. So I pretend its all cool so I don't draw more attention to myself. but people around me arestill staring...it was soooo embarrassing, but looking back it was pretty flippin hilarious...my mom likes to tell everyone she knows...her favorite part is telling people that "everything was fine and then I just see Bree disappear" I don't think that part is too hilarious though.
I never wanted to go back after that...but i did anyway. Obviously I got an arm band, and avoided the treadmills like the plague. SO if you ever want to know why i hate working out...there ya go.