Things that have changed my life...

(in no paticular order)
1. Gospel
2. CHI
3. IPOD
4. DVR

new addition...
5. my new Memory Foam on my bed.

I could die happy.
Thank you Santa.

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

the sequel...

I like this one even better...

Don't Apply to Utah State

Please watch and send to everyone you know... k bye.

Welcome to the Spectrum... oh wait...

So the Aggies played those Cougs at the Delta Center on Saturday. Won't play us at home? That's ok we'll go to Salt Lake. Ok, so we lost... it sucked. Cliffy and I sure had fun though.

Now I have a lot to say about this game, the fans, just BYU in general... but I'm going to keep them to myself. However, I couldn't pass up this quote in the Deseret News:

"While both sides drew great fan support, we learned the Aggies can transfer their legendary spirit of the Spectrum home court. The Aggie student section killed the BYU side. They arrived earlier and were louder. It was like USU students came wired for an organized, orchestrated cage fight with a script. BYU's side sounded like they were at family home evening without a lesson plan leader."

Priceless.

USU vs BYU student sections: hmmm. The Aggies also had the whole upper bowl.

Go Aggies.

California... knows how to party...

So I went to CA to visit my sisi pants for Thanksgiving. I've missed her so much so it was so fun to spend some time with her and Matt.

- Thanksgiving dinner for three. So Matt was worried about the dinner... and that we would have enought food and more specifically... enough "variety". Hello Matt have you met our family? We know how to cook, and we definately cook enough. Have I mentioned how much Abbey loves stuffing? She once cried when my mom made it for her...

- Black Friday. Shopping the day after Thanksgiving is a big deal. Moms and cousins meet that night and make a plan of attack. We meet at 4 am Fri morning, divide and conquer. It's usually freezing and we stampede through the store with the other million crazy women (I promise we don't trample anyone to death). So Abbey and I decided to face the crowds in CA and we were prepared for the worst. We get to Target at 5:40 am and could not believe it... seriously 70-80 people there total. Everyone walks in single file. No makeupless, crazy mothers in their pajamas. No cheering. No running. I really missed my money saving mormons. By 7:30 am we were back home in bed.

-Biggest trees on earth. On Saturday, Abbey and I went to Seqioua National Park. Abbey and turned into five year olds in a candy store. We loved these massive trees. One tree, the General Sherman, is 3,100 years old, over 300 feet tall and weighs 1200 tons. Of course the asians were going crazy with pictures, but I think we even beat them. Better than Disneyland (sorry Jenn).

Catch Up...

I love my life every Fall. I don't have to worry about a social life (who has time for friends), I don't have to clean my room (because I sleep in my own bed a total of like 3 nights), I don't have to cook (it's just easier to eat out every meal), and I don't have to pay for gas (because I'm sporting a chevy impala these days). Yeah life is awesome. I figured I was in Logan a total of 6 days last month... and yes that included weekends.

Even though work is insane, there have been some funny highlights:

1. Witches Night Out @ Gardner Village- For some reason, women... of all ages... go crazy when they put on a witch costume. Dancing, cackling, shopping... couldn't be happier.

Jess and Em both work at Archibalds- have you ever had deep fried Avacado? Delicious.

2. Phoenix, AZ- We did a recruitment reception in Mesa AZ- which was awesome. Craig used his magic to get us "conciere service" which included cookies and milk delivered to our room every day. I could get used to that treatment... I also could get used to 85 degree weather in October. (I've already asked Jenn for a transfer)

Kate also decided to wear her dad's newest gift... in public.

3. Portland, OR- We went to a conference (PACRAO) in Portland this last week. We managed to squeeze in multiple sports bars (you know how I am with my sports) and some shopping along with this nice lady... man...she...he...oh well welcome to Portland.

Of course I also got my needed palm reading from Maria. I'm afraid I can't tell you about the palm reading, Maria asked us not to and I must respect Maria's wishes. Let's just say it was insightful and probably the best $5 I've ever spent.

At PACRAO, they had a "gala' that included dueling pianos. They did requests and sing-a-longs. Does the term "Registrars Gone Wild" mean anything to you?

All in all it's been an eventful and exhausting month. Its sad when my dream weekend includes cleaning my house, sleeping and catching up on some needed tv!

Viva La Reba

My obsession with Reba started when I was very young. I remember as a little kid singing “Cathy’s Clown”. All five of us in the front of the pick-up driving up the mountain blasting “Does He Love You”. Joining the Reba fan club- shirts, mugs, a backstage pass (yeah I just found it at the end of one of the concerts, but I kept it anyway). Sleeping out in front of the Smiths for 3rd row seats and Reba doing Abbey and I’s actions to “Till You Love Me”. Going to Nashville over Thanksgiving and visiting her house… she wasn’t there… but I was. I own every cd. I know every song. I’ve seen the infamous red dress. Yeah, I’m a fan.

So of course I went to the Reebs (just a little nick-name Abbey and I gave her) concert. Yeah, it was my 7th one. My friend Amelia got great seats. I also had Tara (huge Kelly Clarkson fan), Nick (I dare say as big of Reba fan as me- together we’ve seen her a total of 12 times in concert) and Kate, who wasn’t as quite as excited as the rest of us but is now singing a different tune. (I wouldn’t be surprised if she stopped on her way home last night and bough Reba #1’s)
Highlights of the evening:

-I had a very large man sitting next to me, decided he needed 1 ½ seats and he took his other ½ out of mine. The fact of the matter is I need an entire seat and that didn’t include sitting on his lap. I should have asked for half of my ticket.

-Tara never sitting down, regardless if the entire North side of the Delta Center was sitting. Snide comments from beside us and behind us did not stop her enthusiasm for this concert.

- Calling my sisi pants during “Does He Love You”… it’s our song…she’s always Linda and I’m always Reebs. I know it’s weird to have a song about a wife and a mistress be your favorite song between sisters, but it is. Kate can do a pretty good rendition of Linda herself as well.

-The usher from the floor talking to us multiple times during the concert. He was old but I’m pretty sure he had a crush on Tara. You can see creepy smiling in the background.

-Nick and I singing EVERY word to EVERY Reba song…and loving EVERY one.

-Nick deciding that he should be on-stage with Reba during Fancy. No I take that back, Nick deciding he was Reba during Fancy. Singing, dancing, actions. No Nick you were not “born just plain white trash, and Fancy isn’t your name”.

Reba, thank you. Thank you for teaching me that “Love will find its way to me”, that “There is life out there” and that “I am a survivor”. As usual, I was not disappointed. Great concert.

CLIFFY...

If you don't know my dad, then you are missing out. He is probably the funniest person I've ever met... no really...and if you encourage his behavior he only gets funnier. One of the best things about my dad are his sayings.

He has a saying for everything, I can't really explain them, so just enjoy:

"Born yesterday and lived all day for nothin"

"I know that's right"

"Hello der"

"Eat through the pain"

"Cramin' for the Famin"

"Put an egg in your shoe and beat it"

"That's the shits"

"Can't afford yesterday's newspaper"

"Them sonsabitches"

"It aint me"

"Let's make like a sheep herder and get the flock out of here"

"Balder then Ted Maynard"
"Got to go talk to a man about a horse"

"Bound up tighter than Brandy"

"Not wet enough to dry"
"More nervous than a dog shitting peach pits"

"I don't think there's anybody back there"
"You can shit the fans but you can't shit the players" huh?

"I'm tapped"

Names of Cars include: "Rice Gobbler", "Toyodle", "the Pumpkin", "Exploder", "the Taco", "Very fine mo-chine"

He usually only calls people by one of the following names: "Tina", "Evelyn", "Jeffy", "Tommy", "Tiny", "Swootie", "Carla three babies" dogs are called "un-vopers"

Thanks dad- for always making me laugh... love you!

Supportive and Sensitive...

Today is a sad day. Abbey and Matt moved to CA today. Matt's parents flew in Tuesday and they and my parents are helping Matt and Sister move this weekend. So my mom made a great dinner last night for the whole crew. So after dinner I walked Gramps home and we had the following conversation:

Gramps: "What are you going to do when Abbey leaves tomorrow? She is your best friend so I'll bet this will be sad"

(at this point I'm thinking... yeah Grandpa, way to be sensitive)

Me: "Yeah, I will definately miss her... don't know what I will do without her"

Gramps: "Well now that she is married, she has a new best friend"

Me: " I know, but Matt is going to have to share her with me"

(this is where I thought Grandpa would agree with me and take the supportive role that he should... instead he said the following...)

Gramps: "You know if you don't get married, you're just going to be all alone"

Oh to be 86 and not have to worry about what you say... or remember it for that matter. Love him.

Mr & Mrs Matthew Mann

Always Patsy...

If the words "Crazy... crazy for being so lonely", "I go out walking... after midnight... out in the moonlight...", and "You walk by and I fall to pieces" mean anything to you then you should go to "Always Patsy Cline" the play... I did.

The night started out with Abbey, Matt and I rushing to the marriage license place. Literally. I'm talking them jumping out of the car and running hand-in-hand at 4:59 pm. They were a lot more prepared than the other couple who had to call home and ask not only her mothers middle name, but also her mom's maiden name. (People like that should not be allowed to marry)

Then we were off to Chuck-a-Rama...dinner of champions. I knew the choices would be Sizzler, OG never-ending pasta or Chuck-a-Rama. Gauranteed the never ending pasta was better than that mac n' cheese look-a-like I had... sick.

Then we were off to Patsy. The woman, the myth, the legend. We're talking a two-person, two-hour play of Patsy herself. Aunt Terri on my left singing every word and Matt on my right not knowing who the hell she was. Dad just beaming from ear to ear... no seriously he's been talking about this play for over a year now.

The play was actually great... lots' of fringe, sparkles and boots... loved every minute of it.

My mom dared us to take a picture with Patsy after... no dare needed.
I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks Cliff & Patsy for the memorable evening.

Sisi's Getting Married...

The happy couple...

Mr Matthew Raymann Mann and the soon to be Mrs Abbey Rae Mann

Here is Matt and Abbey showing us their excited engaged faces...Yeah, he's going to fit in this family just fine! (Thanks Curt for the bunny ears)

Abbey will explain the whole engagement and her plans on her blog- missabbeygal.blogspot.com but I wanted to give you a couple funny things that happened the last couple of days:

1. Ruining the proposal. So Matt had big plans to propose to Abbey at my house Sunday night, with close friends and family. Only I didn't know that... so close friends and family included some people from work and their roommates, my gay friend and his boyfriend, etc. So when I said things like ... "put that ring in your pocket, you cannot propose right now" I had no idea I was ruining everything. My mother then called and confirmed that I had in-fact ruined everything. So I frantically text Matt... appologizing profusely... with no repsonse. I couldn't sleep that night, knowing that this was all my fault. Fact is I was actually texting Matt's old number... no wonder her never responds. The best part about this whole thing was that Matt, my mom, and my dad all knew about this little plan... they just forgot to inform me. Thanks family.

2. Another Grandpa-ism. So if having a little sis get married isn't hard enought... let's throw Grandpa Coy in the mix. Grandpa needs to work on a little thing called tact. So we set off for a day of shopping and wedding planning on Tuesday. Grandpa stopped by to see what we were doing.

Conversation went a little something like this:

Gramps: So what are you are you guys doing today?

Me: We're going wedding dress shopping...

Gramps: Not for you (with a little fist tap to the chin... yeah you know how that goes)

Thanks Gramps...you've out-done yourself...yet again.

Congrats to the happy couple... I'm so excited for you!!!

Raging Waters...

Raging Waters is one of those places that attracts all kinds of people... kind of like the State Fair. Some have massive tattoos, some are wearing swimsuites that reveal a bit too much, and others I wonder how they could be seeing the sun for the first time of the summer.

I also believe Raging Waters brings people together. It's ok to be 30 years old and standing in line with 12 year old boys, 50 year old men and mothers with their small children. So the 5 amigos (Casey, Kate, Lisa, Scott and I) set off for an exciting day that consisted of Waimea Waves, Blue Thunder, White Lightening, Serpentine Slides, The Rampage and the Acapulco Cliff Dive. This was not a day to lay out and relax... this was a day to ride the rides (have I mentioned that I'm pretty scared of things like this?).

Funny moments of the day consisted of us riding out the wave pool (at least 10 times) without tubes... almost drowned, but continued to do it over and over again until all our strength was gone. Watching Casey pull himself across the rope ladder. Watching Scott and Kate play stiff as a board in the water. Me never making it down the slide still in-tact with the tube. Kate has also written about raging waters experience... which I cannot duplicate... so get the whole story at singletonliving.blogspot.com.

Needless to say, we had a great time... but not without injuries. Lisa and Scott hit heads on the double tubes, Casey hit his nose and scraped up his feet, Kate... well she landed on her not-small chest and me? well I broke a couple of toes... on the 2nd ride...

Was it worth it? Absolutely.