Dani-Fani nominated me as a Kreativ Blogger! This was very sweet of her, especially since I don't feel like a very "creative blogger," I'm pretty much just your standard blogger! So thanks a ton Dani for believing me and inspiring me to live up to your nomination! ;) I'll try my hardest! (Consequently, Dani is quite the creative blogger - emphasis on creative! Her posts always make me laugh (she's definitely stalk worthy!) AND she's been making some FABULOUS jewelry! So talented!)

Here's the deets:
1. Copy the pretty picture and post it on your blog. (coming soon.)
2. Thank the wonderful person that nominated you and link their blog.(because we all need more people to stalk)
3. Write 7 things about yourself we don't know.

Seven things you don't know about me? Hmmm....
1. I love making lists. Being able to check something off a list is motivation enough to get me to do just about.........anything!

2. "Reginasaurus" is my new favorite song of the moment. It is by, as you might have guessed, the musical genius Regina Spektor. I LOVE Regina. In fact, I'm going to the MTC to learn Russian just so I can be more like her. (Okay, just kidding. But the fact that I'd be able to talk to Regina in Russian if I ever met her has crossed my mind since I received my call!)

3. I secretly wish I could go back to high school sometimes. Life was great in high school! Think about it - I had rockin' awesome friends, I was in choir and drama and had a BLAST with everything associated with them, no worries about paying for things or having a job, summers were actually relaxing times, and every year you knew exactly where you would be a year from then! No huge life decisions!

4. I continually fall asleep in Lord of the Rings every time it's on, and I fell asleep in the Borne Supremacy, but I can stay awake during an entire symphony or opera performance. When the Utah Symphony did Brahms' Requiem, I was at the edge of my seat the whole time!

5. THIS is my new favorite video of all time. I've watched it at least 7 times today.

6. Another reason I'm really excited to go to the Ukraine because I've seen some awesome mountains I want to climb!

7. More updates will be coming to my blog soon. I know, I'm currently failing at this blog thing, but hey, don't judge me.

I nominate Chelsea and Sharelle!

The results are in!!!

UKRAINE DNIPROPETROVSK MISSION!!!

On February 10, 2010, I will enter the MTC to learn RUSSIAN, then three months after that, I will leave for the country and teach the gospel! I'm SO excited! I thought it would make it a little more real once I got my call, but it really hasn't! I still feel like I'm pretending!
Sheila Favero (that I work with in Jr. Miss) has a son that actually helped open this mission, and after his mission, she and her husband went and toured the country! So she has a lot of pictures and things she can show me and tell me! It's a relatively new mission, so hopefully it will have LOTS of work for me to do!

Here are some pictures of Ukraine and Dnipropetrovsk:

Hey look! After filming "Top Gun," Tom Cruise went to Dnipropetrovsk, died his hair blonde, and became a catalog model for a while!

Just kidding.......I don't actually know that to be the truth, but as I was looking for pictures of my mission, I found this one and laughed!

Mission Update #5

The papers are officially 100% IN!!!!

Within the next two weeks, my picture will pop up in front of two apostles and they will receive direct revelation as to where I should go. Pretty crazy.

Blogworthy

Okay, so it's no secret that all I've ever wanted to be is a mom. Oh sure, there are other things I want to do (like play Belle at Disneyland!) but the only occupation that's ever been a consideration for me is motherhood in all of it's nose-wiping, diaper-changing glory. It's usually just a dull ache, but today I found something that gave me that rush of emotion. (It even prompted a change of background and music player in hopes you would get one of the many sweet, contemplative songs like I was listening to when I saw these!)

Anyway, enjoy these beautiful photos. And moms, enjoy your kids because there are some of us who really want them and don't have them yet!

http://www.etfphotography.com/blog/little-chief/

I was tagged, so here we go!

RULES: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 1 person to tag.

Disclaimer: I stole these from the one I did on Facebook. I promise I changed some of them though!

1. I absolutely ADORE the Roses are Red smoothie from the Orange Peel. Sadly, the closest location is St. George.

2.When I was in 8th grade, I set a goal to go to State Solo and Ensemble Festival after I heard Ivy Woolsey sing - and I accomplished it!

3. Sometimes, when alphabetizing, I still have to sing the ABC song to remember what comes next. Sad, I know!

4. I'll admit it - I LOVE weddings! They are so much fun! I think my very favorite part is the photography and videography. Many, MANY times I've been caught looking at wedding photography sites! Don't judge!

5. One of my very favorite places is the Virgin River Gorge right outside of St. George. If I could, I would spend an entire day driving that over and over again!

6. I really do aspire to be an outdoorsy, (whoa! "Outdoorsy" is an actual word! There are no red dots under it!) hiking, canyoneering, rock climbing kind of girl. I WILL be someday, I promise!

7. Food is one of my love languages. When I want to show someone I love them, I cook/bake them things they enjoy. If someone doesn't like my food, I take it really personally!

8. I have the cutest, coolest, most INCREDIBLE nieces and nephews ever! Period. No arguments.

9. Ummmm.....I never learned how to ride a bike. I blame every member of my family except Westin for this. (Well, and I guess my in-laws because they didn't know me when I was little, so they didn't have the opportunity.) The reason I don't blame Westin is because he has often wanted to do experiments based around theories he has about how easy it should be for me to learn-so he's at least interested.

10. "Windy" is my favorite atmospheric condition.

11. My family are all super heroes. Just ask Ethan or Westin.

12. I love sandy beaches, red rock, wide-open fields, mountains, and ALL water - oceans, rivers, streams, fountains, you name it!

13. I've been planning my wedding since I was very little. When I was 3,4,5 (I don't know which. Mom or Josie or someone correct me on this.) I told my mom I wanted a pink wedding dress. I also wanted a pink monster truck to run over people with - but just the bad people!

14. Don't worry, pink isn't my favorite color anymore!

15. My secret ambition is to be Belle in some sort of Disney parade/cruise/show, etc., but that takes a lot of work, so perhaps I'll just have to dream of it! (However, Lynnette, now you know you're my hero for actually accomplishing this!)

16. I'm a major planner. I like to plan weddings, events, shows, etc. I have notebooks with sketches of costumes, sets, and hair for all the musicals/plays I love, and if I have time where I'm bored, I sit and think of events that I would plan and what venues, caterers, color schemes, etc. I would use.

17. Abbreviations like "lol" "brb" "g2g" "TomKat" "Brangelina" really annoy me. I may use exclamation points and happy faces like there's no tomorrow, but I REFUSE to use these!
18. I'll admit, I love taking random, crazy pictures with my friends, even though my parents don't understand the fun there is in this! Westin should be proud of me though because I haven't done a single "Charlie's Angels" pose in years!

19. I'm a sucker for any guy that's musically talented in the form of singing, (ESPECIALLY this one!) piano, guitar, and I've recently added drums. The reason I don't just blanket it as "musically talented" is because there are some instruments that just aren't particularly "attractive" per se. Like a male flautist. Awkward. Sorry if there are any male flautists that read this.

20. One of my biggest fears is that I will have unattractive children. I want stunningly beautiful children- and not just children I think are beautiful, but ones everyone in the world recognizes their "stunningly beautiful"-ness. I'm sure my husband will be deliciously attractive. The reason I worry is because of the genes I will be adding to the mix. (Wow, I kind of sound horrible in a way)

21. I have a picture on my phone of a newspaper article with picture of a totally passive-aggressive FBI agent and the quote "We will arrest you." Think about it for a minute. Is it not funny?! I still laugh at it, and it's been weeks!

22. I LOVE flowers! Yes, this IS a hint that you should send me some!

23. Christmas is my absolute FAVORITE holiday, and I'm so excited for it! In fact, I listen to Christmas music all year-round, and today I watched my first Christmas movie of the season!

24. Even the slightest bit of caffeine sends me off the edge. (okay, so more than just "the slightest bit. We're talking a little bit of coke or pepsi or something, not just chocolate) I have been known to giggle uncontrollably when people say simple words like "spoon," come up with the most mindless conversation topics, or fall off chairs. These are all true stories.

25. I answer to just about anything that starts with A or L, or sounds the slightest bit like my name because of the many nicknames I've acquired over the years: Al, Lo, Lowa, Lor, Lori, Loriloo, Alowa, Ayowa, Awoyra (compliments of the nephews), Lala, Lottie, Little Lottie, Olaf, Olaf the Itchy, etc.............

Done! Since the rules say I have to tag someone, and with my upcoming mission I'm working on obedience, I tag........ERICA!

Mission Update #4: I have 4 holes in my arms!!!

Thanks to my doctor appointment today, I had four needles shoved into my arms today. First was the Tetanus shot on my upper right arm. Next came Hades, I mean Hepatitis A & B in my upper left arm. Then a PPD on my right forearm. To finish it off, I had a vial of of blood drawn for a blood count in the middle of my right arm. Which arm hurts worse, you ask? One might think it was the right arm with three holes in it (especially since one was the dreaded tetanus shot!), but NO!!!! The Hepatitis strains hurt a bazillion times worse!!!!! If you can at all avoid it, do NOT get the express hepatitis shots. It's much better to do them the way they're supposed to be done. This way, there are actually two different strains going in at the same time as opposed to just one, causing a thicker serum going in and a harder time moving it through the bloodstream. (At least, that's how I understood it) On the plus side, as Jake told me today, I can now feel free to lick toilet seats because I won't get hepatitis! Ugh, I just grossed myself out.

While I'm at it, here's a mission update:

Papers: 100%

Dentist: 75% - I'm getting my wisdom teeth removed on Wednesday, and that is my last dental thing. P.S., supposedly I'm a really good time on drugs. So if you're looking for entertainment on Wednesday, come on by and make fun of the man jaw I will inevitably have!

Doctor: 98% - I just have to call in the dates of my other immunizations and keep a watch on my PPD for the next 48-72 hours. As long as it doesn't produce redness or a rash, I'm good. If it does, well, I'll probably die.

Interviews: 50% - Just need to talk with the Stake President!

Another plus, I still have 20/20 vision in my right eye! Huzzah! Also, there are no warning signs that I'm abnormal......uh......moving on....... However, this did not prevent an awkward situation in which the nurse told us how she got pregnant at 17, but she and her husband have still had a successful 7 year marriage, so HA! to all those in her family that doubted them! Yeesh.

P.S. A friend of mine has also told me that getting the Strep shot instead of taking the antibiotic is probably one of the most painful shots. Apparently it's a thick, milky serum that they have to keep in the fridge until just before they shoot it into you. Then they try to warm it up in their hands, but it's still cold and thick going into your warm body. OUCH!!! I would try to avoid it at all cost.

P.P.S I realized today I would be a HORRIBLE druggie! I hate needles FAR too much!

Temples and Applesauce Day!!!!!

I think I've decided to go through the Draper Temple. I'm still thinking of Bountiful, so we'll see. These were my other choices (in order) and why they were eliminated:

1. Salt Lake Temple - By far, my favorite temple, but they only do live sessions, and I've heard it's better to do the video the first time.
2. St. George Temple - I absolutely LOVE this temple, and I have some special memories with it, but it's too far away for my whole family to go to.
3. Nauvoo Temple - My dad and uncles worked on this temple, but it's obviously too far away too.
4. Provo Temple - I spent A LOT of time there during my semester at BYU, but I thought it was pretty far away for most people to go to.

I'm SO excited to go through the temple! For the past few months (even before I decided to go on a mission) I've had this really strong desire to make those covenants with the Lord. At first, I was like, "Where's my stinkin' eternal companion so I can go to the temple," but I'm really excited to go for myself and be able to focus on that instead of having it be somewhat overlooked in the excitement of a wedding.

In other news, we made applesauce today! We started at 11:00 AM and now 11 hours and 9 boxes of apples later, we're almost finished! During this time, I've figured a couple things out:

1. Hot, fresh applesauce makes me do a "Happy-Applesauce-Dance"
2. I only REALLY enjoy cleaning when it's stormy. Not just overcast - stormy
3. "Very Sexy for Him" from Victoria's Secret is my favorite scent for a guy, but I'd kinda be weirded out if he bought it himself