Bloody Jack

My dad has been trying to convince me to listen to the Bloody Jack audio book for years now and I finally caved.  I'm not entirely sure why I wasn't excited to read it from the start, but now that I've started it I am hooked!  Now that I'm hooked, I'd like to put the pressure on ANYONE who enjoys good things in life.... go read this book!   The Bloody Jack series just may have snuck its way into my #1 spot.   Oh yeah, it's that good. 

Bloody Jack is a pirate adventure series unlike anything I've ever read.  The back of the book reads:

This description doesn't do the story justice, but it is a start.  Jacky Faber is a ridiculous but extremely charming character.  She has a lot of spunk and is always getting herself in and out of trouble.  I also love that it is based in the 18th century because this time period has always fascinated me.  L.A. Meyer is a phenomenal writer and I can't wait to start the third book.  I'm trying to be really vague because nothing I say will prepare you for the greatness that envelops each page of this book.  I feel like I am gushing everywhere about this book but I can't help it.  When something is this good I have to share it!

Side note: Listening to it as an audio book makes 

it 400 million times better!  The lady who narrates 

this book is beyond fantastic and very entertaining.  

I couldn't wait to drive ANYWHERE just 

so I could listen to this book.

So, put this at the top of your summer reading list and be prepared to be sucked in.  Bloody Jack = Domination.  Happy reading!

Sometimes I blog

Alright.... pretty much I never post anymore but.... oh well. :)

Some pretty big things have been happening around these parts.  Do you want a glimpse into my awesome life?! Sweet, I'd love to share!

This guy came home. 

It's been kind of a BIG DEAL.  If I said that we were ready for him at the airport with a huge poster and balloons and a million people to greet him then I'd be lying.  We ATTEMPTED to make that happen, but realized (20 minutes late) that we were in the wrong terminal.  It's a weird thing to think that Jordan would be coming in through the International terminal.... (face --> palm) Until we got there, Jordan's travel missionary buddy's family stayed with him and tried to act like it was totally fine that his family forgot about him.  Such sweet people.  To make matters worse, before he arrived, while we were waiting at the airport I started bawling my eyes out when two sister missionaries came home and were hugging their families.  Did I cry when I saw Jordan?  Nope. Apparently shock and mad rushing wipes the emotions right out of you!  I sure was excited to see him though. :) I LOVE having him home, our family is complete again!

We DID make a sign at least!

Jordan's first request after we finally left the airport (without one of his bags...stupid bag decided it wanted to go to LA instead), Jordan's first request was a Baconater from Wendy's.   After his arteries were sufficiently clogged we headed home and to get him set apart.

Since Jordan's been home it's just been a non-stop party (can't stop, won't stop).  We've:

• learned a lot more about Albania
• eaten out a ton to make sure Jordan remembers what good American food tastes like
• seen a bunch of family/friends at his homecoming
• even a surprise visit from Little Miss Syd!! woohoo! (Love you!)
• pulled out the old Nintendo 64 and played some Mario Tennis, Super Smash Bros, Diddy Kong Racing, Mario Party and Banjo Kazooie
• successfully recovered all of his mission pictures when we thought they were all wiped from his jump drives whew!
• successfully recovered his P90X video files that he was probably equally worried about losing with his pictures haha 
• celebrated Jordan and my dad's birthday
• and made a list of all the movies Jordan missed out on (we started him off with watching the last Bourne movie!)

I'm so happy to have one of my best friends back.  He's such a stud! If any of you 19-20 year old ladies are single and looking to mingle, let me know and I'll hook you up.  (Oh wait,  you all went on missions....) ;)

Impulsivity

B.S. I'm not entirely sure Impulsivity is an actual word.  Oh well.  (B.S. - Before script... aah man I'm so funny!)

I have a problem.  I like to pretend that I don't have this problem, but lately it has manifested itself a lot and I can no longer ignore it.  I get it from my dad.  He will get hooked on the idea of something (this time around - switching to a Macbook) and research everything about it.  He'll read reviews, discuss practicality, quickly weigh all possible options, wallow in the decision making process and then run out and buy it.  All within the matter of a few days, sometimes hours.  So, what's the problem with that??

I'm impulsive.  NBD.  Like father like daughter.  Except I didn't get a Macbook.

-Impulsivity would explain the new dresser I bought on Saturday (my first big girl furniture purchase!).
-Impulsivity would explain the nine pairs of Vans shoes I have.
-Impulsivity would explain the customized bowling ball and new bowling shoes after only bowling a few times (wait that one probably falls under instant obsession....).
-Impulsivity would explain my new years resolution to learn Spanish (Ugh. I need to master the art of osmosis....)
-Impulsivity would explain the sweater I just bought after seeing it on Elizabeth.  Check it out!
-Impulsivity is what will explain the Delta airline ticket I am thinking about purchasing to visit my cousins in sunny California.... (Still in the early stages of Impulsivity on this one.  If it goes according to the usual Impuslivity timeline, I should have everything figured out by the weekend! ;) Anyone want in on a little weekend getaway from this Utah winter?!)

I'm accepting that I have an Impulsivity problem.  Luckily I'm not impuslive about huge purchases..... yet. Dun, dun, dun.

Woops

So today is Friday.... and yesterday was Thursday.... which means I missed my Weekly Domination post because I was too lazy to do anything.... fail. I'm already re-thinking my frail commitment of doing this post every week, but I'll give it another go for now.

So without further ado... Here's a list of a few awesome things that dominated my week!

• Mom & Me time on Saturday
• I love my mom. :)  Plus I bought myself my first infinity scarf!!
• Holli and I researching my new singles ward.  
• Conclusion: sexy men, they don't discriminate against us "old folk," really friendly and welcoming, great vibe and fantastic bishopric! Score!
• Jazz v. Heat game with a super cool date! 
• Finally met baby Jensen!
• Katie and Dave sure do know how to make one cute kid
• Bailed on my soccer game so that I could go out to eat with my parentals and PK.  
• Worth it! 
• Had a minor breakdown about my living situation/options. 
• Thank heavens I have the smartest parents on the planet.  My dad listened to me and helped me think logically about the situation.  My mom pegged me real good.  She observed that I was stressing out just like I am now when I was trying to decide if I wanted to go back to school or not. I tend to get caught up in what the 'smart' or 'right' thing to do is, but those things are what everyone else thinks or says is the 'smart' or the 'right' thing to do.  I'm wired a little differently, and I know when I'm not ready for something.  Unfortunately I try to fight it and convince myself to follow what is 'smart' and 'right' and it ends up stressing me out of my mind.  Thankfully I have great friends and family to help me wallow in my indecisiveness.  I'm not ready yet, but one day I will be, and I'm finally content with that. :)

Looking forward to this weekend and next week, but also learning to be happy where I'm at (sitting in my office and happily working).  

P.S. I did research the saying "without further ado" just to make sure I was saying it right.  Look at this golden nugget I found: 

Now you know! 

A Different Perspective

Meet my friend Austen.  He's a mastermind entrepreneur and a brilliant business-man.  He shares his thoughts and insights over here at www.austenallred.com  (most of which go straight over my head).  Austen and I have been friends for awhile now and I certainly think the world of him.  He's definitely someone that I think everyone should have the opportunity to meet, or at least watch out for because his biography will be a best seller one day.

In hearing about all the tragedy surrounding the recent Connecticut incident I found myself having a hard time wanting to watch or read up on all the news reports.  It was such a horrible thing, and I just felt terrible inside thinking about all the loss many people have suffered and will continue to suffer.  After reading Austen's blog post (see below), I believe that he hit the nail on the head.   My dad read it and said,

"That was very well written and spot on." 

-Dad

So read this.  Or don't.
But......you probably should.
Just sayin'.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Media Responsibility During Tragedies

I’ve had a rather unique opportunity over the past few months; as Garrett and I have been building and testing GrassWire, we haven’t been required to operate according to traditional journalistic rules and ethics. We are breaking ground and exposing news in a new way (or at least we hope to be), and as such, the journalism world is our playground.

And as I watch and read the coverage of the shootings in Colorado and Connecticut, I have to say: I think we’re doing it all wrong.

The Streaker Rule

It’s standard in sporting events that should an unauthorized individual enter the field of play, cameras should look away. Commonly called “the streaker rule,” this rule applies to those that are clothed as well. The purpose of doing so is to not draw attention to the individual at fault. Naturally, if every streaker had a few minutes of airtime on natural TV, the number of people streaking would increase.

Of course we are curious. Everyone wants to know what is happening, whether they think that streaking is funny or they see it as a serious distraction. But the cameras are responsible enough to divert their attention so as to not provoke more incidents.

Why, then, when an armed individual enters a school and massacres children, do we profile the suspect as intensely as we can? With this most recent example, multiple reputable news sources even found the Facebook profile of the wrong person, instantly plastering it all over the news and social media channels. Later, full hour-long episodes will be dedicated to the shooter, just as they have in the past.

For Columbine, it took a few people that were absolutely diabolical. Now all it takes is someone willing to sacrifice their lives and the lives of others for a little notoriety. That’s dangerous.

We are all morbidly fascinated. What would drive a person to enter a school full of children and begin murdering them is beyond our comprehension and boggles our minds a little bit. But should there not be a “streaker rule” for a tragedy like this? Wouldn’t it be better for all of us, in the long run, to turn the proverbial cameras away?

Sandy Hill Coverage

A lot of unethical things were done during this coverage for the sake of ratings and page views: 6-year-old children were harassed by reporters immediately following the shooting, essentially trying to get them to break down for the rest of the world to see. Somehow a reporter got the phone number of a woman who lost both a child and a grandchild in the shooting, and remarked that when they called to question her she became “silent” and “despondent.” Of course she was!

You would never approach a family member at a funeral and interrogate them as to how they’re feeling. Of course we want to sympathize. We want to understand a tiny portion of what it must feel like to be in the shoes of those people. But doing so needn’t require us to harrow up the most painful of memories from those that badly need to grieve.

There are times when those involved want to tell their story; for some this comes quicker than for others. Give them the option to come forward, give them an outlet through which they can share their thoughts and feelings with us, but don’t prod them.

Media

Those in the journalism industry understand that they will often be asked to make a decision between ethics and profit. The line between tabloid and respected publication seems to be wearing thin. But especially in cases like these, in which so much is at stake, we need to take the high road. As the national media and journalistic institutions of this country, we can do better.

Oh hey Hayward!

This past weekend held my annual work Christmas party, and this year was quite and interesting one for many reasons!!  Everyone dresses up all fancy, we eat great food (the prime rib was to DIE for!), and it was spent among fantastic friends and family! Every year we do a raffle for different prizes to give away to employees, and it's always AWESOME stuff. This year guess who won an awesome prize?  This girl. double thumb point at my own chest

Here's how it all went down:

My name is called out of the blue and I jump up to claim my prize!!  There is something about winning by having your name called out...... so satisfying.   I bring it back to my table and everyone crowds around trying to see what it is.  It's a GoPro camera that connects to your helmet or to a head strap! Sa-weet!  As I looked more into it I realized...... I am never going to use this.   I started to feel guilty that I won something that would not be put to good use, that we'd probably strap to the dog instead of use it for awesome adventures like other people might.  Don't get me wrong, I was more than overjoyed to have won, and I would have never complained to anyone about it because I didn't want to be ungrateful.  The night went on and the way the raffle works is that your name can be called multiple times, you just get the opportunity to trade your previously won item or keep it.  Up comes a Gordon Hayward signed Jazz jersey..... I wanted it so bad, and secretly crossed my fingers that my name would be called.   Waiting and waiting for them to call out a name, everyone was wondering what was taking so long.  Vanna White and my dad (did I mention he's the designated MC for this?) were whispering to each other and kept picking out names and putting them back over and over again.  Finally my dad makes a side comment, "Sheesh Hailey's name keeps coming up."  I leaped up with my hands in the air and said, "I want it!! Can I have it?!" before I could control myself.... Everyone looks at me and as you could guess, my face went the color of a lobster.  No one really said anything for a second so I said, "Can I trade for the jersey......?"  I started to slowly walk my way up to the front, unsure what I was supposed to do now.  Once everyone realized I was serious they started exclaiming and yelling at me to keep the camera.  Everyone thought I was CRAZY for wanting to trade and it turned into this all out battle.  (Maybe that's a little dramatic)  After pacing back and forth while people tried to convince me one way or another I finally just said, "No, I don't care, I want the jersey!"  I grabbed it and hurried back to my seat. 

Well I caused quite the stir apparently because I had so many people come up to me afterwards who were just baffled by my decision.  I explained to them my feelings about not being able to really take advantage of how awesome that camera really is, and while I could find ways to use it, I felt that someone else would be much happier to have it.   Sure enough, the person who won the camera after I traded it back came up to me afterwards and said they were so excited to use the camera!  There was my validation, I knew that someone else could use it more than I could, and I'm so glad that we both were able to win :)  Plus, I'm in LOVE with this over sized jersey.  Who knows, this jersey could be an investment.  Hayward is single you know..... ;)

Happy Halloween!!

I usually hate Halloween.  I like the decorations, and I LOVE dressing up, but I HATE all the scary, spooky-ness that comes with Halloween. Luckily I figured out a long time ago that I don't have to watch scary movies or go through haunted houses.  Us sissies can still have fun during the Halloween season.

Every year we all dress up for work, have a grand old time, eat amazing chili from bread bowls, bring our kids (for those that have them) to trick or treat around the office and fit some work in there some place.

This years conclusion: Dressing up is only fun if everyone does it.   The people that feel embarrassed or dumb about dressing up, and end up coming in jeans, just end up making the rest of us that actually dressed up feel stupid.  If that makes sense.  I think we need to instill a little more of the "go big or go home" mindset into these people.  Coming from someone who's previous costume was pinning cotton balls on blue scrubs and carrying a squirt gun as "Cloudy with a Chance of Rain,"  I can tell you that your costumes do not have to be elaborate or even expensive! 

Anyways.... rant over.

This year my whole family dressed up!  I don't have the picture of everyone yet, but here's a few that I do have....

MOM:

 

She's so great! 
All the ladies at her work dressed like this
but in their own super hero.  Adorable :)

DAD:

 

Player from the Minecraft game

Only a few people will get this one,
but it's still a cool costume!

 

ME:

Scary, I know.



Parker used my costume idea from last year and taped numbers all over his shirt.  He's "Someone you can count on!" :)  I didn't get a picture of him before I left, but he's looking pretty spiffy! Hopefully I'll have more pictures to come! Happy Halloween!!

P.S. Songza failed me on Halloween music stations, turned back to Pandora and found some awesome playlists! 





Oh What a Wonderful Weeekenddd!!

I'm still hurting from this weekend, but man it was a good one!  Friday night PK, J-bird, Jessica Rabbit (inside joke... sorry mom) and I went to dinner then hit the Quarry for some weekend climbing!  I was a little wary when Parker said he wanted to go rock climbing, because the only memories that have ever stuck with me about this activity is PAIN.  The next day I always have a hard time holding on to anything because my weak arm muscles have been destroyed.  However, Parker was dead set on the idea so we went!

Look kids! Spiderman!

Look who we bumped into! What's up Levi!

Almost over the ledge!

Domination.

 

 

Notice how the majority of the pictures are of Parker..... that should give you a good clue as to who had the most endurance.  Me... duh.  Belaying is hard work people! ;)  Well despite being extremely tired afterwards, I did have a lot of fun!  I might even do it again!  I think that this is something that if you did it often enough, you'd have a killer body in no time. 

 

Saturday morning my family and my cousins next door all helped my grandparents out by winterizing their front and back yards.  We filled two trailers full of weeds and dead things!  It was a lot of work, and it did quite a number on my already sore hands, arms and shoulders, but in the end it looked sooo good!  Grandpa was still out there helping where he could, but I'm glad we could do this for him. He's 91 for crying out loud, the guy deserves a break!

 

Sunday brought church with Holli (it only took us 3 tries and a lot of wandering to find a singles ward in Provo), lounging around to rest our poor muscles and a history making tournament of Yahtzee!  In 2 games, we totaled 10 Yahtzees between all of us!  What the?!  The first game no one got a Yahtzee, and by the end dad had 3 Yahtzees in one game! Wow, it was so crazy and so much fun.  Every single time someone would get a Yahtzee we would throw our hands up in the air screaming while the lucky man/woman would dance around the table.  And, would you guess that my Yahztee was with all 4's?  That's right, I'm kind of a big deal. :)

 

 

Welcome to FB

Today my dad came into my office and excitedly said, "Guess what!"

Me: "What?!"

Dad: "Mom and I are friends on Facebook." :)

He broke down and finally activated his Facebook.  I don't know what brought this on, but he was shooting out friend requests like it was no one's business.   Then he asked me, "So, what's the advantage of being your friend?"  I realized at that moment that my father was sizing up my contribution to his friend bank and my donations must not have been holding up very well.   Now that he had joined up with the rest of the world, he had to make sure he was a selective Facebooker.  I tried to prove that our "friendship" was in fact worthwhile, but didn't make a very good presentation.  "You can... keep updated with me and see all my pictures!"   He went along with it to satisfy my lame excuses.  Really there was no dire need for our facebook friendship, but I was shocked at how slighted I started to feel when my dad was questioning the 'validity' of our friendship.  As I thought about it, I would have a hard time arguing that anyone should keep me as their facebook friend.  If someone was weeding you out of their friend list, what would you say to keep your spot?

You can stalk me all you want?  Greeaaat!

I have really fascinating status updates about

choosing Skippy over Jif Peanut Butter?!

They definitely need an update on my

latest purchase of Vans shoes right??

sarcasm font needed.

Yeah I don't know how many people would be convinced by those arguments.   After all, a lot of my friends on Facebook are there for when I can sneak the occasional update on their last vacation, or to investigate their latest boyfriend/girlfriend.  The feeling is mutual though,  they are friends with me for the exact same reason and that's just fine!    Well it took him 30 minutes max to be bored with Facebook and he was done.  Maybe next time he gets on we can chat.. you know since we are official friends now. :)

P.S. Remember this song?

Oldy but Goody - Love it.

J-Dawg

Can I get a shout out for the best dad around? 

With Father's day taking place yesterday we are all a little more aware of how fantastic our dads are.  No matter what the situation, we each can find something about our father that has positively influenced us for the better.  J-Dawg (not the hut selling hot dogs, but rather a nickname for my father) has influenced me in so many ways I don't even know where to begin.  He raised me with morals and great character traits such as hard work and patience, he passed on his witty sense of humor to me, and best of all, through his example he showed me the importance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and how easy it can be to follow faithfully.  He has always been a huge support and such a great example to me.  Not only my dad, but I am grateful for all the dads out there; for all the contribution they have in molding each of us into who we are today. Thank you for everything you've done for me Dad.  I love you!

Muscle Men

The packing, loading, unloading, unpacking routine of moving has become quite tiresome the past week... However, the apartment is starting to look fantastic, and I am loving every second of living with Kaylyn! Soon Anisa and Tycee will move in and it will be a non stop PART-AY! Yesterday it came time to move the TV from my house to the apartment. No big deal right? NBD. Well any normal TV, or even a relatively bigger TV would have been do-able. Na, we like to super-size things around here. :) Remember the old wide screen TVs? Before they made the flat screens that you hang on a wall? Yeah these old ones they decided to make as big and bulky as possible, and as a bonus they weigh a bajillion pounds. Big selling point for more man points I guess? Anyways, my parents were getting rid of their old wide screen TV and mentioned that they might just take it to the DI. Light bulb.

"Could.... I have the TV?"

"If you can find some big buff guys to take it to your apartment, sure."

Excitement started to build inside of me as I thought of how many conversations I'd be able to start with some strapping young men, such as: "Hey, what's your name? Handsome Rob? Great, I'm Hailey, and I have a big screen TV." Instant connection. Genius right? Besides attracting big TV loving men, it'll be great to fill up some of the space in our big living room, and it'll be awesome to watch my shows on the big screen! Well I was able to round up Karlie's strapping husband Jacob, my strong pops and Kaylyn's dad brought his man strength along with the truck. They lifted that large mass with their super strength like it was no one's business, we tied it down and were off! Trent met Kaylyn, Jake and I at my apartment to help get it to the third floor. Oh yeah did I forget to mention that? Weird, I seem to keep forgetting to tell people that kindly agree to help me move heavy things that I live on the third floor...

Well the first flight of stairs went fantastic! The second and third we took a little slower but even then they lifted better than any National Weight Lifter I've ever seen. By our rest stop on the second floor I was so racked with guilt for putting these men through this and I was trying to come up with something that could repay them for all their hard work. Coldstone? Dinner? A new car? After a few more grunts and hoists we made it! It fit perfectly in our apartment and again the excitement came back for all the future movie nights we will be hosting.

I blog about this for two reasons. The first being to document that the previously impossible feat of carrying a massive TV up 3 flights of stairs is in fact possible, and secondly to publicly thank Jake, Trent, and the two dads for all their muscular man-ness. These guys are great! I am so grateful for your willingness and quick thought to serve. Hopefully you will get a lot of blessings in the days to come for this.

Movie anyone? :)

Freedom!!!! Celebrations of the July 4th Weekend.

I love Utah. I have nothing else to compare it to, but in my opinion no one parties in July like Utah. This month is consumed by TWO holidays! Not only do I love that I get two days off of work this month, but even more great is that everyone unites to celebrate and party! Provo has the hot air balloons in the morning, 4th of July parade, and the Freedom Festival. All three of these events are on my "a few of my favorite things" Sound of Music list. Freedom Festival shuts down a part of Center Street with a million booths and tents, overflowing with pretty jewelry, bags, clothing, FOOD, games, and much much more! I was able to go with my Mom and Dad this year and we found some great things! People are so crafty and I love that they want to share their art with me for a small fortune. Aaahh people are great.

Sunday I forced my Mom, Dad, and Jordan to Provo to walk down University Avenue with me in hopes of finding a place to live. We had forgotten that the parade was the next morning, but quickly remembered when we saw the vast amounts of people lining every inch of the sidewalk up and down University Avenue. This is why I love Utah. Everyone gathers together to hang out, have a good time, and get the worst sleep of their life (if they are lucky). It was fun to walk through all the people saving spots for the next morning and occupying themselves by playing wii, watching movies, playing cards, and just having a blast! Part of me was envious that I had not done the same. So, it is on my bucket list. :) While walking and taking numbers of potential pads, we saw this.

[So great.]

On Monday, Steven, Judy, Steven Jr. and Sophie came over for our annual BBQ to celebrate this glorious holiday!

I'll have to post more pictures of this cute girl when I get them. She has definitely accepted her role as a lady with complete confidence. Anywhere I had the camera out, she was right there to strike a pose! Her parents are in for a road of deep pockets and extra storage space for all her dress up clothes. :) atta girl.

Well I ended up finding a few good options for places to call my humble abode! On Tuesday I had an appointment to see a condo at University Avenue Condos. Unique name right? I ended up getting up to Provo quite a bit earlier than expected, so I had some time to kill before my appointment. Meet "ginormo."

This is a Lunchable jacked up on steroids. Thanks to my new best friend 711, I had the opportunity to experience this delectable treat/meal. TWO kinds of meat and cheeses? Silky smooth chocolate for a little something on the side? I'd like to raise my fist in appreciation for Oscar Meyer for their capability to manufacture such greatness. Well, I landed the condo in style and even became friends with one of my future roommates. I believe it was all thanks to Ginormo.

Can't wait until the 24th! Where the real party starts.....

You and Me Goin' Fishin' in the Pool

This week has been full of excitement! On Tuesday Jordan graduated from Maple Mountain High which was a little weird.... Jordan is ready to be out of high school, but I can't believe that he's graduated! Time moves so quickly! Since it was a new high school with the first year graduates I thought the ceremony would be really quick, especially with only 178 people graduating. Not so. Even still, we made it through, and left with the best quote of the day.

"And you said you didn't have any friends to take pictures with."-DAD

What is next on the awesome week agenda you ask? Physical Therapy!! I'm only going one day a week now, which is easier on my mom and my pay check, so I was excited to see how I would do with only that one day of therapy. Well it was a sad day not having Karlie there, especially since it was suuper busy. Anyways, to cut to the core of the crazy therapy day. I got in the pool, AQUA JOGged for the 8 minutes and then got ready for my kicks. As I was doing them my mom was keeping me company. While waiting, she brought out a bag of sweedish fish from her purse and asked if I wanted one. Umm yes! "Don't ask, just bring it!"- good old hot rod :) So in my head I pretended I was a seal while my mom got ready to toss the fish in my mouth. The fish was in the air, a perfect toss. I craned my neck with my mouth open wide. If I don't make it as a paralegal, this could be my big break! The Human Seal! Well....... I missed it. That little guy bounced right off my fat lower lip and plopped in the water. Correlating the sweedish fish with a real fish I assumed it would float, but apparently the Sweeds are sinkers. Trying to grab it created a vortex in the water making the fish sink faster. Watching it finally hit the bottom I realized I had quite the predicament on my hands. I'm wrapped in a floaty which will only allow me in the water to my shoulders, and I haven't quite hit the 4 inch growth spurt to reach the bottom of the pool yet. Plus, if I got my hair wet, I would have to shower when I got home.... not okay. Laughing, my mom came over and we tried to figure out how to get it out. Well turns out heaving yourself up and down turns off the magic powers of the floaty device allowing you to grow a bit to get your toes to the bottom. I thought, sweet I'll just be like Anisa and pick it up with my toes! FAIL: a) my toes aren't as talented as Anisa's b) sweedish fish are slimey when joined with water. After many attempts, my mom said to just use my toes to slide it up the wall of the pool and she'd reach down and grab it. Feat for the olympians, but it was worth a shot. Besides, I'm a believer! Carefully shimmying the fish further up the wall, safely snuggled in the crevace of my toes/foot, I slid it up to about my arm pit and then my leg decided it didn't want to bend anymore. My mom reached down and grabbed it. Success! I returned back to my kicks and the rest of therapy wasn't nearly as exciting, but I did get to eat a few sweedish fish later, so I was content.

Thanks Peak Physical Therapy for allowing me to make a fool out of myself and make great memories at the same time.

Day 4 Continued...

Alright so the rest of this day was.... crazy! haha My mom and I went to get my stuff from my apartment packed up and moved home. We realized that somehow my crap has multiplied and so we headed to WalMart to get some more storage boxes. I have been looking forward to riding one of those motorized carts, "race cars," as I like to call them since I got out of surgery. So we get to WalMart and look around for an available race car, all of them were out! I started off on my crutches, and my mom and I quickly realized that I wasn't going to make it through WalMart on my crutches. It seems I'm a very inexperienced crutch-er (?) So we went to the other entrance hoping to find a race car on that side. A lady was just buckling herself into the last race car right as we got there.... I may have given her the stink eye on accident.... did she REALLY need it? REALLY? So my mom looked at each other for a second, and then my mom had a brilliant idea. I don't know if any of you are familiar or not with the carts that have the attached compartment in the front for two little toddlers to sit in... but that's what we found. We figured we might as well give it a try! So I climbed in under the bar, fit a cheek on the back seat, tried to rest my leg on the front seat, and then had my leg hanging out the back. This just might work! It was better than crutches at least. Going through the store my butt started to cramp, and something had to be done... I decided to switch, and hung my leg out the side and sat comfortably in the far back seat. Much better! So this is how I ended up!

I definitely got some weird looks... especially from this little boy that we passed. His face said, "See mom, I'm not too big to ride in the cart! Look at that girl!"

I'm realizing that one of the lessons I need to learn from this injury, is to lose my pride. Check! It was fun, and my mom and I definitely had some laughs. :)

Cleaning out my apartment was exhausting. I couldn't do much, which was frustrating, because I hate feeling helpless and making others work for me without helping in some way. My mom is an amazing woman. She is efficient, organized and determined. She had my mess organized and stored in those bins so quickly! I tried to help where I could, but my knee was not very happy with me. I looked down once and almost screamed. Somehow, Big Bertha swapped knees with me, and I'm going to need to get mine back from her tomorrow. I took a pain pill at the 4 hour mark and about 30 minutes later my eyes started to get heavy. My dad showed up after work and he took all the bins downstairs and loaded the car to be taken home. We have a few more things to round up tomorrow, but for the most part we got a lot done! Thanks so much MOM and DAD! You guys are soooo great! I don't know where I would be without you both. Sorry to everyone else, but looks like I have the best parents in the entire world! I've been sleeping ever since I got home, woke up for about an hour or two and now I'm headed back to bed. Long day! Night!