Two Dozen Years

A Birthday in Review:

January 13th:
I went in to work to sign my papers for my new job! YAY! What they didn't tell me is that they wanted me to stay and work...ummm okay. So I did, but got off early so that I could go to  get SUSHI with my mom and brother. We went to New Zealand Cafe. I quaint little place that is hiding the best sushi ever.

I had unagi (eel) of course...my fave. It was called the caterpillar roll, so this is what it looked like.

It was divine...man just writing about it makes me want some more.

We were in the car and I said, "Now for something sweet!" And my mom took us to a cute little frozen yogurt shop called Sweet Frog:

It's just a like a place in Rexburg called Kiwi Loco...so I was excited and kept comparing everything to Kiwi Loco. We even had a stool shrinking race like back in the college days...oh those days. :) 

January 15th:

We celebrated my birthday as a family a day early because we wanted to allow the whole family to be there. We had Pollo con Crema, 24 cupcakes (um...yeah that was on purpose), and homemade ice cream! STUPENDOUS! 

This is was 24 Years looks like....

 ...pretty spectacular if I do say so myself.

I received a Kindle as my birthday present from everyone. I LOOOVE IT! I'm reading on my hour lunch break every day and finding all the good books out there. I'm so excited. 

January 16th:

MLK Day...also known as My Birthday! But I had to work from 9am-6pm. I was grateful for my job but it landed on a day when everyone was home and could CELEBRATE with me. Oh well...we went out to Showmars that night and hung out together...it was an amazing time to celebrate my two dozen years. 

I really am thankful for the people who called, texted, facebooked, and took me out to dinner! I am so lucky to have a great family who knows me so well and works to show me how much they love me. 

If You Let Yourself Be,

Arica 

Color Code Test: BLUE

I thought this was pretty spot on...a little insight about me...and now you know a little more too.

Blue: 49.06%
Red: ??? %
White: ??? %
Yellow: ??? %
(I don't know the other percentages because that would cost money)

Blues (Motive: Intimacy) Blues are motivated by Intimacy. They seek to genuinely connect with others, and need to be understood and appreciated. Everything they do is quality-based. They are loyal friends, employers, and employees. Whatever or whomever they commit to is their sole (and soul) focus. They love to serve and give of themselves freely in order to nurture others' lives.

Blues have distinct preferences and have the most controlling personality. Their personal code of ethics is remarkably strong and they expect others to live honest, committed lives as well. They enjoy sharing meaningful moments in conversation as well as paying close attention to special life events (e.g. birthdays and anniversaries). Blues are dependable, thoughtful, and analytical; but can also be self-righteous, worry-prone, and moody. They are "sainted pit-bulls" who never let go of something or someone once they are committed. When you deal with a BLUE, be sincere and make a genuine effort to understand and appreciate them.

Credit Given to: Color Code Test

Firsts and Learning Curves

Firsts and learning curves of 2011

Some of the things that are listed here are vague or general for the reason that they are either personal or just things I don't want everyone to know. If there are things that you would like clarification on I would be glad to share and explain in a personal message.

Leadership

I was called to be the Relief Society President for the winter semester of college. It was a learning experience and I kind of wish I had a do over. In hindsight I could have done things differently and been more involved in my sisters lives. But I think that's why there are firsts to everything so that we can take what we learned through that experience and build upon it. I am now the secretary for the Relief Society Presidency, so I am magnifying that calling with the ideas that I wish I'd implemented when I was the president. My presidency now is amazing and we really work hard together to work for what is in the best interest of the sisters. 

Friends Can Turn into Family

Relationship

While in the same semester I met a nice young man and we started dating. This being my first serious relationship I learned SO much about myself. I look back and wonder how I even focused on school while I was so wrapped up in what was going on with me and Dane. He was a great guy. We had a lot of fun and laughter together. It was a great first to have and he was a great person to be my first boy friend. In the end we had to go our separate ways but I don't regret a dating him. 

My Worst Fear

My Career

It was this year that took a lot of classes that helped me realize what I really want to do with my life. My team and I helped a little boy with cerebral palsy to communicate and have more control over his life. He was only 5 but he didn't have any options as to what he wore, watched, or liked. After coming we discovered that he could answer yes and no questions and make choices. His parents took into account our counsel to let him choose more often. I remember telling my partners in the car "THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO!" and I meant it. I wanted to go to children's home and help them meet goals, allowing their parents to help their children more. In another class a partner and I went to a child's house who had PDD-NOS. We went into his home once a week and did intervention with him. We set goals and worked toward them. It felt so good to write that report and see his progress. I just realized how I want to help children with special needs. 

Alone Time

How to Job Hunt

In years past I got a job because my mom worked there and they knew I'd be dependable. Then when I got to school after my mission I needed to get a job. I asked around and my very good professor put in a good word for me with another professor. I got the job just on recommendation. Now I am looking for a full time job from people who don't have know someone to recommend me. It's been harder than I thought. I really learned the ins and outs of searching. And you CAN'T just rely on the internet as a source. I found that going to places in person makes a difference. I also found resources at the library, by accident, but it was amazing and I've found a lot more leads than anywhere else. 

And that my friends is the highlights of what I learned in 2011. It was an amazing year as I graduated, moved to Utah, moved to North Carolina and now have started being an adult. There is light at the end of the tunnel for everything you start, that's for sure, and it goes faster than you might think. 

Onto 2012...and all the things I want to accomplish this year...let's make it happen!

Christmas with Inserts

Since the kids in our family are older we have started doing Christmas by picking names and then buying items for one person each year. We USED to keep this a secret, but by Christmas Eve my mom knew who everyone had and we were constantly guessing at who everyone else was shopping for. This year we decided to make the secret keeping a little easier by not making it a secret. :) I used to think I was good at secrets and surprises...I have learned in the year 2011 that I only like those things if I'm in on the secret or surprise. It drives me nuts not knowing things. (Coming soon, things I learned in 2011) So we drew names, I already had ideas for my mom so I put in a special request. The other names were chosen at random.

Insert: We have these pieces of paper with our names on them that we use to choose partners for games. We have dubbed them "The Fates". Even though I don't always agree with "The Fates", like putting Andrew and Mom together for Canasta three times in a row over the Christmas break, it is however the rules according to the law. We have also started using said "Fates" for things like picking our Not-So-Secret Santas.

And we're back. So they were chosen. I after being able to request my mother, "The Fates" decided to allow my mother to be my not-so-secret Santa as well. Yes, we had each other. What I found interesting about this Christmas though was that I was more excited to see my mom open her gifts than I was to open mine. I knew whatever my mom got me would be awesome but I hoped she liked mine because I really thought about each thing to get her. I think the best thing was, okay there were two things, first: the desk calendar I made for her. It had all of these quotes and life lessons that she's been saying to us our whole lives and then each child's birthday month was pictures of them. It was perfect. I even got pictures of Joey in there just in time to send it off. I made it on Shutterfly. I love making keep sakes like that!

The second one was a straw. Yes, a straw.

Insert 2: I think it was in high school when my mom started noticing the quality of straws. We'd go out to eat and we started rating the straw quality. Soon the whole family was on a quest to find the perfect disposable straw. (Camelbak straws do NOT count) She used to think McDonald's had a great straw and they were in the running for a while but then Costco straws came around. The family came to realize we had to rate the straw on more than the stamina, but width came in to play. So while McDonald's had the width Costco had the stamina. But both lacked the other. The search continued.

Christmas 2011 continued...While living in Lehi I did the unthinkable. I found the number 1 straw. I went out to eat with the sister missionaries at Emmet & Ethels (amazing burger joint) and there I found the straw. I quickly told the Sisters about our straw search and they agreed that it was pretty high quality. So I wrapped the straw up for my mom with a note.

She loved it! She wanted to frame it. I told her to use it and that we'd call the restaurant and ask where they got their straws from. I did call and ask a couple of days later. They thought I was crazy but obliged me and helped my find my answer. A company that sold only to restaurants. We will get the straws somehow but until them my mom loves it.

Then of course there is the traditional stories about what I received from my not so secret santa. Here's a couple pictures to describe the moments.

Dun-der Miff-lin...the People Person's Paper People!

GRITS: Girl Raised in the South...

HARRY POTTER 1-7 in paper back...ALL MY OWN!!!!

I was happy about everything I was given. I also got Sharpies...if anyone knows me they should know my love of Sharpies. Really a great Christmas.

I love Christmas on Sundays. I loved that while I was taking the Sacrament I could think: 'What I'm doing right now, this ordinance is the reason why Christ came to earth. We are partaking of the very reason for which Christ as born.' What a cool thing to realize and to be reminded of every week. 

Merry Christmas,

Arica

Redbox Chasin'

Life after college has been an education. I have been searching for a job all last week. It's been a good experience to see how the whole process works and how I can use my degree. The tough part is seeing how I can use my degree out east. I have known how to use my degree out west but didn't know it'd be so different in North Carolina. So the job search continues. I have an interview tomorrow for a part time job for an after school position, but I honestly don't feel right about it. I just think I'm meant to work with students with special needs, and that's what I really want to get into. There's a school here in Charlotte that does exactly what I want to do called the Cyzner Institute...and they are going to open a new classroom starting in January so I'm hoping things work out with that place.

In the mean time I've been the cook around the house. I recently made this really great recipe called Butternut Squash Soup. Check it out! I plan on making some New Years Chicken this week, which is basically sesame chicken but I'm going with the name my friend uses, and she gave me the recipe. I also did an overnight babysitting job this week. A couple with two boys (10 and 8), needed to go to a work Christmas party in Georgia! Yeah...Georgia. So I stayed the night and got them to school the next day. It was a lot of fun. The older boy really liked baseball so we got along great. He was playing a baseball video game and he decided to be the Redsox. It was awesome because I would tell him who was a really good hitter and stuff like that. He was a Redsox fan by the end of the night if he wasn't one before. :) It's sad because I know the team I love is changing in dramatic ways, but I won't get into that just now.

One more thing that keeps me occupied is our puppy: Joey Anne! :) We just call her Joey, but we want people to know that she's a girl. She looked like a little kangaroo at times...hince the name Joey. She is too cute. I just have to put a picture up.

I thought I'd just get annoyed with her because we have to worry about where she is all the time...but I just love her.

I've been attending the singles ward the last couple of weeks and I think I'm going to really enjoy going there. It's SO different than it was when I was there in the summers of 2007 and 2008. Everyone is pretty much married and new people have come in. But I've made a friend already and it's been fun to start fresh.

Coming home has actually been really amazing. Besides the fact that I have to job hunt, I've been having a great time. This weekend was a ton of fun because we were just sooo silly. Mom, Andrew, and I went around looking for the movie The Help at 5 different Redbox locations. We were determined to find it. Every where we went, it was gone. We were about to give up, but we remembered there was a blockbuster box at our local grocery store. My mom said, "Should we go?"
Andrew and I, "LET'S DO IT!"
We crossed the street and as we did, without rehearsal or word, we all rose our hands in the air and screamed in determination. And that's how the night started, we went from there and became more hilarious as the night went on. We did get to see The Help, on demand! It was more expensive but worth it, I knew that Mom and Andrew would love it.
The funny night carried over to the next day...I love when that happens.

Still Running,
Arica