Ok, I'm Ready

The Hotness
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

Mostly.

I don't think we're ever ready for the changes that occur in our lives. We just have to take them as they come and roll with the punches.

I hear so many people (including me) say that they aren't ready for marriage and a family. But I am. Why wouldn't I be? It's another challenge, another part of the journey. A path that I want to walk down now. Ok?
I'm done fighting against it. Ya'll won't hear me cracking on the evils of marriage anymore. I'll stop running guys off with answers like, "Probably." When they ask, "Haven't we met before?" While rolling my eyes. I'll even stop saying things like, "He's waaaaay too BYU for me." Or, "Peter? Is that you?" But I will always always always make sure the world knows that "I like a little man in my man."

Maybe I've just been living with married people for too long... Maybe that's a good thing.

Greatest weekend ever since Bear Lake

Mamacita,
originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

My mom and I drove 2 hours to see Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band this weekend. Very cool. On the way up, we went through an old mining town. I loved it! It's this really pretty town on the side of a mountain that is full of art galleries. We spent the afternoon going from gallery to gallery. It made me so happy! I want everyone to come visit me and we can go camping up there and wander around the cool galleries. Besides, it's 20 degrees cooler up there than in the valley. Check out these pics!

Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band

Warming Up
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

Drumming on the Banjo

Drummin on the Banjo!
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

Close up

Close up
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

Cool house

Cool house
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

Jerome, AZ

Adventures in Exposure...

..or Exhibition Part II
Our bathroom door has come off. Who knows why? It just did. Using that bathroom is now a test of speed and cunning. Luckily, the bathroom is "L" shaped and the part with the toilet and shower are at the far end, but it's not a terribly far end. I've reverted back to my old habit of singing in the loo. There is another bathroom in the house, but it's in the married folks' room. So if you got business after they go to sleep at 9pm, you just gotta take the risk. Showering is an adventure. I feel like a big game hunter, listening carefully for footsteps and heavy breathing to know where the prey is in relation to me and the toilet. Actually, I feel like the prey, hiding from the cheetah also known as Boodji, who has been known to knock on the bathroom door to get me to come play. "Yu-Yu? Whey ah yu?" I'm just really glad our shower curtain is opaque...

In other news, I've gone from being Auntie Buck, to Yu-Yu, to Lah-Lo. Seriously, we thought Lulu was really easy to pronounce! Maybe we should just teach him my real name?

Matt's attempt

Matt's attempt
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

So... I was going through my photos and using my bro's scanner and found this. It was really dark and blurry so I cleaned it up as best I could and it was clearest black and white. Check out my cheeks, trying to be serious, trying not to laugh. I look like a blowfish! Too bad you can't see Matt's lips and eyes, he meant business.

So...

I really like this one too...

Random Thoughts...

...are good for you.

I want to post this link to a cool ring I found online. I like the setting a lot. Also, I've decided that I really love band websites that play continuous music. Like the site for Everything But the Girl. I just minimized the window and listened for 2 hours yesterday while I blogged, read emails, etc. It made me happy.

That's all.

Ok, maybe not.

I just found out that a girl in my ward served in my same mission, 2 years before me and we know a lot of the same people and talked for an hour today. It was shartastic.

I spent Father's Day with my Dad's Dad. I love him very very much. I always miss my Dad, but spending time with his father and brothers makes it better a lot of days. I come from an amazing line of people and being with them encourages me to always try to be better. I always leave them feeling blessed and more grounded.

Remembering Johnny

I was just sitting here reading blogs and listening to music and I realized what a jerk I am. I've only been home from Johnny's funeral for an hour and I'd already forgotten about it. I need and want to post my experience. Out of love and respect for the Robertson family.

It was such a sad and moving service. But like a lot of memorial services, you could feel the family pulling together and lifting each other. There was so much focus on him finally being free from the horrible addictions that consumed his life. I was there with over a dozen of my co-workers. We all cried with the family. His brave little 10 year old niece, Lindsay, got up and talked about how much she loved her uncle and how happy he always made her. His dad told us that recently, John had committed to call his dad weekly to set goals for getting clean and had been really consistent. He'd asked his dad to help him to become the man he really wanted to be. His dad and older brother sang and played guitar. His brother gave the eulogy and just stood there hanging his head and apologizing for not setting a better example for his baby brother. It broke my heart. Then he raised his head and said, "We never know who our actions will effect and what the outcome may be." With that, he turned and picked up his guitar and sang a sad, sad song.
It was really beautiful to see this family come together. His mother, Sandy, has told us all about her life experiences and the struggles she'd had with her children and herself, and I have so much respect and love for her. Grieving takes time and I pray for her family, that they can be lifted by this experience and that good will come out of this. God Bless them.

There are two roads to walk down...

and one road to choose.

Senseless

I walked into a quiet and sad workplace today. My boss took me in her office and told me that the local PD killed the 19 year old son of one of my co-workers yesterday in broad daylight. It was a long, hard day for everyone. He was a sweet kid, although troubled. He came to the shelter to see his mom all the time. His mother asked that we do all that we can to fight the media's portrayal of him as a dangerous person. She says that he is harmless and has never and would never hurt anyone. This is my contribution. No matter what the media's portrayal of John Robertson, I knew him as a sweet kid, struggling to overcome his addictions and take control of his life. This should not have happened. My prayers are with his family. They have a long battle ahead of them.

I'm trying to get edumacated up in here...

Well, Earl's Academy of Beauty turned out to be Earl's Academy of Hoochi. It was straight-up nasty and I couldn't get out of that hole fast enough. Girls were running around in minis and daisy-dukes and flip flops cutting hair. It was trashy. I'm suddenly a big fan of dress codes. Plus, those fools were trying to get my social security number when all I showed up for was a tour. The idiot 20 year old behind the desk almost threw a tantrum when I refused to fill out any paper work. She finally said "Fine, just do what you want!" And she stomped away in her 4 inch thick flip flops. I had a scheduled appointment for a tour and even though I was early, I waited for 30 minutes. I was just getting up to leave when the admissions director brought his old behind out of his office. No apologies for the insane wait. He found out what I do for a living and then all he wanted to do was talk about every story of domestic violence he's ever seen on the Lifetime Network. I thanked him for his time and let him know that I had to get back to the shelter...
It wasn't a total waste though. It helped me realize that there is no way in hell that I'm going to go to a school that doesn't have a major name attached to it. I went to the Toni & Guy Academy today and LOVED it. It was so bright and happy and progressive. AND, it's right across the street from Tiffany's! Literally. Like, I could totally have "Lunch at Tiffany's" every single day. I just have to come up with $13,300 by October 2nd. Hello FAFSA! There's another school I want to check out before I decide though. It's an Aveda school. That would be cool too. But I haven't been able to get in touch with the admissions director. I think she works from 10am to 10:15am every day. I called her yesterday and left a message and tried to reach her 6 times today. She called me at 10am, but I was in a training meeting and totally missed the call. I think I'm just gonna show up. I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.

Hee hee

Ice cream sandwiches
Sweat pants
and
Tampons
and I miss
"The Chocolate Box"

Tra-la-la

Blasting the A.C.
and
Dancing to Cyndi
in between
Mood swings

Tra-la-la

Surprise break-out on my face!
Beauty binges
and
I'm off to buy new magazines

Tra-la-la

Being a girl is fun to do
Fun to do
Fun to do

Tra-la-la

This has no rhyme or reason
Where are my car keys?
The drugstore closes at 12

Tra-la-la

Flashbacks...

I'm a big Cyndi Lauper fan. She's freaking fabulous! My older sisters rocked out to her as teenagers and I used to sit on their bedroom floor in front of their record/tape player and listen to her albums. She's touring this summer. Problem: Her tour is only 10 days long and she's only playing casinos. Not even Vegas casinos, cuz if she was, my sisters and I would be road tripping right now. Girl is gonna be in Atlantic City with all the old farts. How bad does that suck? Oh well.

Calling all cars, calling all cars, this is an Emergency...

Broad shoulders, nice arms.
Originally uploaded by Lulu-Belle.

This is from my most recent comment on Kimbolicious' blog.

Where is My:
Patient
Happy
Reasonably attractive (Reasonable is relative, see picture.)
Not skinny
Intelligent
Motivated
Funny
Average-height MAN
With broad shoulders and nice arms?
(I listed these by order of importance.)

Has Anyone Seen My Twin?

This blog is a plea to get Chris Bailey to start blogging again.
Um... Hello?
I need updates!
I need to laugh, cry, pee my pants, and be inspired.
Come back!!!
You are the Luke to my Leia.
You are my guerrilla-style-water-gun-fight partner in crime.
Remember that time when we went costume shopping?
Remember the Nickelcade?
Kalai?
Anomalies?
Bad crushes?
The Bad-Ness?
The Nap-Overs and the Hobo Campout?
Popsicles?
Dr. Mario?
Dirty feet?
Watermelon?
Wal-Mart?
1 hour hair-cuts?
The "Lunch Lady" song?
Thanksgiving?
Remember the time you almost killed me on a wave runner at Bear Lake?
Remember how we used to laugh at everyone?
Remember how we are the most attractive people we know?
How's your loaf?
Where did you go?

Okay friends, post all your favorite memories of G.C. Bailey and when you see him, HECKLE him. We gotta get that boy blogging!

Star Struck Part II

I have now officially been compared to Goldie Hawn by 3 people. I feel good about that. I think she's beautiful and hilarious. So, thanks. I'll take it. Since high school, I've been told I look like Drew Barrymore, Natalie Maines, and Brittany Murphy. I couldn't really see it in any of them, but I'm feeling the whole Goldie thing.