Welcome to my private blog!

Jeff has been wanting me to go private for a while...so I decided to seize the day and so it. I would always kind of hold back on my posts, because it was public (maybe that is why there were so few of them). Hopefully now, since I can talk more openly about what is going on in our lives and hopefully this way, I can give everyone more updates!

Love,

Amanda

Private

Hey Everyone,

I am taking my blog to private land.

E-mail me or facebook me your e-mail address so I can you to my list of friends.

Love,

Amanda

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - AKA. Goodbye 2009

I am not sad to say "goodbye" to 2009. Although I have been very blessed in many ways this year (good grades, have my old job back, Jeff and I are truckin' along, etc.) I have also had a really rough time emotionally. A lot of it I didn't really talk about (which is why I made this blog private - so I can fill you all in), but I feel like the things that emotionally or physically got me down this year will be inspiration for me to do great next year.

I had a lot of problems with school this year. Granted, my grades were great (4.0 this semester), but there was a lot of stress surrounding registering for class and taking the classes I need to take. Because of the California budget cuts, less classes were/are offered, and for some reason that is out of my hands (that I personally think is a conspiracy) I have a very late registration date. Those two things prevented me from taking classes that I needed to take which were pre-requisite classes, and because I had already planned on taking them at certain times (and assuming that I would be able to register for my needed classes) I was told by my employer (Dr. B) that I wouldn't be able to continue working there. So - last semester, I was taking classes that I didn't really want to take, that weren't pre-requisites for anything, and didn't really challenge me at all...And I was unemployed. Eventually I became self-employed and worked as a lifestyle educator (which was cool) for a couple CRAZY and weird doctors (which was not very cool). It was a very negative time in my life - sure I was making good money, but I wasn't happy. I was happy whenever I would help out at my old work (at Dr. B's office). When he finally found out that I was working for another doctor, he asked me to come back and work for him (which is where I have been since mid November). It has been nice being back at Dr. B's office, and I have been doing more and more lifestyle education through his office, and less front office work, which I like. I feel like now, communication is more open about my needs and my plans for school. I don't really deal with change or the unknown. This was a very rough time for me.

Another thing that was really tough on me this year was the passing of one of my best friends, Rebecca. She passed away in September after loosing a battle with addiction. We had been friends since we were 8, and did a lot of theater together. In high school, me her and my friend Chris were the three amigos and always hanging out and having adventures together. After high school, we still hung out a lot. She did the show that Jeff and I met in and befriended Jeff when I was too chicken to talk to him. She was the one who brought us together and Jeff and I hung out with her a whole bunch over the last 5 years. She dated one of Jeff's best friends at the time, Jessie. She was someone who I could talk to for hours and hours and just laugh and have a good time. A little bit before Jeff and I got married, our lives went different directions. She started taking prescription pain medications recreationally and was hanging out with a bad crowd (which is the reason why she was MIA at our wedding). That progressed to the point of being admitted into rehab. When she got out, Jeff and I were there for her. Then her phone got turned off and we lost contact again. Just a couple weeks before she passed away, she was back living in a sober group home, trying to get better. Two weeks before she passed away, she and her mom ran into my mom at church. My mom gave her my phone number and Rebecca called me a couple nights later. We talked for almost two hours and made plans to watch the piles of videos we had from the years of doing theatre together. She also was going to accompany me to Jeff's show that Friday night. Things got busy that week, and I didn't get a chance to call her until Friday morning. She said she was tired and wasn't in a good mood, so she didn't want to go to the show, but she said she would probably change her mind later and asked that I call her later before I left for the show. I didn't. The next day, I got a call from her mom telling me that Rebecca had died. It was without a doubt the most heartbreaking news I had ever heard. I had dealt with my great grandma and grandfather dying before - both of whom i was very close with. But this was a completely different experience. It was tramatic and shocking. This was someone that I shared SO many intimate moments with and someone who knew things about me (and vice versa) that no one ever would know. There are millions of memories I have with her, and I think about her every day, and I cry about losing her almost every day. For the last couple months, I have been going through the grieving process. In late September was her memorial service and November (on her birthday) was when I met with her family and my friend Chris to spread her ashes. Both of those events were very interesting... I could probably write a book about both of those events (maybe I will...)

Rebecca and me at a Softlightes show in 2006

Chris, Mike (our director), me and Rebecca in 2002 - "Graduating" from Junior Theatre's Confetti

Me and Rebecca backstage Junior Theatre in 2000.

Through dealing with this, I have renewed my friendship with Chris, (the other member of the trio). I have also been trying harder to keep my friendships with other people alive. Losing someone close to you really makes you realize how special the relationships in your life are. I sometimes get so involved in my own little world that I don't spend time with my friends or family...not even a call to say "hey how's it going..." I really am going to change that this year. 2010 is going to be my year where I renew and keep alive my friendships. I also am going to make an effort to go out and visit my brother in Louisiana and talk to him more. I can talk to him for hours and hours. He is really the only other person on earth who gets me and gets my sense of humor (he has seen the same movies as me, grew up with the same parents and have the same inside jokes). Now that he is in the military, I don't see or talk to him nearly as much as I did before. It is sad. I miss him.

I really feel like 2010 is going to be a good year. I am going to graduate next fall, and hopefully we will buy a place between now and then. I am going to be doing more "PLC" at my work (aka. lifestyle education) and will be able to work more hours on the weekend/early morning to bring in more money. Hopefully I will be able to do a show this year (I am trying out for three early this year - but unfortunately, because of everything going on in my life right now, I won't do the show unless I get a good part). I will definitely let you all know by February if I am doing any shows. I have been practicing a lot lately, and am getting my vocal cords in good condition again.

Here is a list of some things I would like to do in 2010 (and I won't call them resolutions, because if I do - then I will break them):

• Visit my brother and his wife in Louisiana
• Spend more time with my mom, dad and grandma
• Be a really great wife and a good daughter and a best friend
  
• Apply for some scholarships through school
• Run a marathon
• Buy a house
• Graduate college
• Go to Disneyland a couple times
• Go on a trip outside of the U.S.
• Do a musical
• Take more pictures
• Spend more money on clothes

Here's to 2010!!

Culinary and Food Science Club

Did I ever mention on here that I started a club on campus this semester? It has been so much fun, I just thought that I would share it with everyone.

It is called the Culinary and Food Science Club, and we tour food production facilities, farms, and restaurants. We have different "food of the month" items and provide different recipes for each item. At every meeting, we play a food related game. The first meeting, we had a bunch of unlabeled bags of spices, and in teams of three, members had to guess which spice was what. At the last meeting, someone made Baba Ganoush and the members tasted it and guessed what ingredients were inside.

It is a lot of fun. Just recently, we toured the campus bakery and food production facility. They had little games and activities for us at each place. At the food production facility, we had to try to recreate a pasta salad by taste alone (my team won :-) The bakery had us decorate cakes. It was so much fun! Here are some pictures:

The Chef, Carly, Me, Rachael, Audrey, The Manager, Another Chef

Creating "mayo delight"

Our small group

Audrey and My cake

At the bakery


We also went to tour a cheese factory earlier in the semester, here are some pics:

Annie, Me, Cara

It was like "how it's made..."but live! This is the final rinsing of the fresh mozzarella logs. The best part of the tour was immediately after this, when we got to have samples!


The group at The Burger Lounge tour
Mandy, Natalie, Leslie, Salina, Cara, Me, Vanessa, Rachael and Carly

Here is a link to our website: http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~cfsc/index.php

Halloween Post

Hi Everyone,

I know it has been forever since I blogged. September was a rough month, and then October and November have just been busy busy busy! I am working back at Dr. Bressler's office after a brief stint at two other practices. It feels good, and I feel like I am becoming myself again. Jeff is still trekkin' along. I keep trying to convince him that we should record a Christmas song, but so far it is a no go :(

I have a couple pictures from our Halloween night. I was really sick, and so we didn't really do anything. We ended up watching Beavis and Butthead DVDs and carving pumpkins and going to get pizza at Mazara's, the Italian restaurant down the street (it was really good!) When we got back from that, we roasted the pumpkin seeds and watched Defiance with James Bond.

It wad a nice quiet evening. I bought some Reeses in hopes that we wouldn't get any trick or treaters and Jeff and I would have to polish the bag off, but we ended up getting a large family who whiped us out! Below are pictures from our pumpkin carving.

We leave for Utah for Thanksgiving next Friday, a week from tomorrow. We are both pretty excited. The night before we leave, my mom and I are going to dork out and go to the Twilight/New Moon double feature at 9pm an midnight. Should be a lot of fun!

Me Carving my Pumpkin

Me and Jeff

Jeff's Pumpkin - Jack Skellington - The Pumpkin King
My pumpkkin - Started out as Paul Stanley from Kiss, but then I messed up so it became shapes.

Trip to South Dakota (whip-crack-a-way, whip-crack-a-way, whip-crack-a-way!)

Jeff and I went to visit the Deals in South Dakota last weekend. We had so much fun, it was really hard to leave! I like to call this the "Spa Getaway in the Black Hills" trip, because Sarah spoiled us rotten! Jeff and I scored haircuts, pedicures, hair coloring and multiple tanning sessions. We definitely came home from vacation well rested and beautified!

Since this was my first trip to South Dakota, I wanted to make sure we snuck in a couple touristy things while we were up there. We got to spend a lot of time at Wall Drug, playing around and taking pictures:



The jackalope, my childhood obsession...

At the waterbench...


T-Rex

We spent a lot of time at Sarah's salon, The Polished Pinky. I tell ya, if she had the same salon, but in San Diego, I would go to it...It felt so nice and home-y.



Harper getting her nails done:


We also drove through the Badlands and ate Indian Tacos...



However, the climax of the trip came Saturday evening, when we celebrated Jeff and Sarah's 31st birthday. They haven't been together on their birthday for about 13 years, so Craig and I wanted to make it special. A week or so before our trip, he e-mailed me and said that he ordered a banner and a cake - he wanted to make this the cheesiest birthday ever. So I decided that noting is cheesier than shirts with pictures on them, so I make a couple for us to wear:


Jeff and Sarah's shirts say "Together since the womb" with a baby picture of them on it, and mine and Craig's say "Look who's 31 today!" with silly pictures of Jeff and Sarah on them. They turned out excellent...




On Sunday, we played tourist and went to Mount Rushmore. I am usually very disappointed when I finally get to see national landmarks. They always seem so much smaller than expected. However, I thought that Mount Rushmore was VERY cool! I really liked it. I was very impressed.


That evening, we went to Deadwood, played a couple penny slots and ate at Kevin Costner's restaurant. It was really neat being in Deadwood...One of my favorite movies growing up was "Calamity Jane" staring Doris Day, which is set in Deadwood. Infact, this picture was taken outside of the saloon that Wild Bill Hickok got killed at.


I actually have come to realize that I can sing a musical song about almost anything. When we were in Iowa visiting Jon and Anne Marie, I kept singing "De Butte, Des Moines, Davenport, Marshall Town, Mason City, Keokook, Ames, CLEARLAKE! Got to give Iowa, a try!" ... And now in South Dakota, I can't stop singing "Take me back to the black hills...the black hills of Dakota." (nerd alert!)

Anyway, it was a really good trip, wish we could go and travel to see family more!

Update for July

Hello...

So, I got all of my school and work problems worked out. I am going to be working for an MD in La Jolla, doing FLT for her, which will be a lot of fun. It will only be a couple hours a week, so I am going to try to start a "errand running/meal planning/pre-cooked meals" business, that I can do from home, on the weekend, etc. It will be exciting if it takes off.

Last week, Jeff's brother Ben and his wife Brooke came to visit us in San Diego. Well, they were actually coming to go see a concert in LA, but they stayed with us for a couple nights. It was SO much fun having them down here. We went to the beach one day, and Jeff, Ben and Brooke played in the waves while I was lame and studied on the beach. We also watched Coraline and The Life Aquatic...however I fell asleep in both of them (as did everyone else. No reflection on the movies of course, just that we were all exhausted when we started them). We also ate at this really awesome hole-in-the-wall italian deli in La Mesa called BMH (http://www.bmhitalian.com/). Pretty good! We also took them to go eat at Lucha Libre Gourmet Taco Shop (http://www.tacosmackdown.com), which is slowly becoming me favorite in San Diego. The whole theme of the restaurant is mexican wrestler, and it is painted bright pink and blue. There is an amazing salsa bar, and amazing and cheap food. Next time anyone comes to visit...we have to go get Queso Tacos... yummy...

Here are some beach pics with Ben and Brooke:








In other news, this weekend, Jeff and I were going to see Public Enemies...and on the way there, I had a blow out in the middle of the freeway. It was pretty scary for me. When I was 16, I got in a major accident and totaled my first car all from having a blowout on the freeway. My friend had to go to the hospital, it was pretty bad. After that happened, I often had panic attacks whenever I drove at night, or on the freeway. I obviously got over it, but getting a blow out really freaked me out. Luckily, Jeff was there to coach me through what to do. We changed the tire, and went to Costco to get new tires put on. That was a large chunk of money down the drain, but I am so glad that we are both safe and my car is in good shape. We eventually went to go see Public Enemies and it was AWEsome!

This week is rather busy. Tomorrow is our anniversary (Two years!) and we are going to dinner at The Godfather. It is kind of our tradition, because that is where we had our rehearsal dinner. Golden Spoon also has sent us a coupon for two free yogurts on our anniversary...I think they sent it to me because I am their #1 customer...

Thursday, I take my final in Biochem...which shouldn't be too bad. I need to get 70 points on the test to get an A in the course...so I can technically bomb the final and still get an A...pretty good situation to be in I would say.

Friday, we fly out to South Dakota to visit with Sarah and Craig for a couple days. It is going to be lots of fun, because A) Sturgis is going on...the #1 party in all of America. B) It is Sarah and Jeff's birthday on Saturday. C) I finally get to go to Wall Drug!!

Hopefully I will be able to capture the next couple weeks on film to post here.

That's it...Bye!

Thanks!

Thank you everyone for your positive comments and attitudes. I am kind of getting over the school schedule thing. Misery loves company, (and I have a lot of company on this one) so some friends of mine who are on the same boat planned around it and are taking other classes together. It should be a good semester. One class that I get to take this semester that I otherwise wouldn't be able to is called 'Plants, Drugs and Medicine"... and its a biology class, not a chemistry class... so we'll be looking at what they do once they are inside the body, as opposed to looking at the chemical structures and what gets hydrolyzed and what gets added when inside. I am really excited :-)

OTher than that, things have been going really well. My Biochem class is almost over, it ends August 6th (and I still have two exams, a final, two reading assignments and a research paper due..no biggie :-/ ) and the day after it ends, Jeff and I are going to get on a plane and go see Jeff's sister Sarah in South Dakota. It will be SUCH a fun trip, I can't wait! Sturgess will still be going on, and I will have to go take lots of pictures of that, and bring home a bunch of memorabilia for my dad!

Other than that, I am looking for another job. I am going to try to get one in the weight loss counseling/diet therapy realm. I have put my resume in to various places, I will let you all know if anything exciting happens. I figure if I don't get anything by mid August, then I will try to find a serving job again. And if I can't find a serving job anywhere, I can always go back to Marie Callenders :-)

Vent about School

Okay...apology in advance for complaining...

California's state budget is embarassing...They can't get it together, and we have no money. The State school system is suffering for it, big time. I enjoy being organized and having things planned out, and so my schedule for the fall was all picked out at the end of last spring semester.

Then they took the schedule off line, Played around with it and rerranged everything. I adapted... Then they rearranged it again, so I would have to be at school from Monday -Thursday from around 8-3 everyday. That wouldn't fly with my job, so I was told that I can't work there in the fall...Great.

SO NOW...I go on to discover that the class that I need to take this fall is full/closed, because you have to take the lab with it, and they aren't offering enough lab sections. Did I mention this is a prerequisite for the classes i have to take the following semesters?

So now, I have to take classes that are for my major, but aren't a pre-requisite (which means, I can take them at any point...as in...not this semester because there are more important classes to take). ..Oh, and this class that I can't get into is the class that I am taking biochem this summer for (because biochem is a pre-rec for it...If I would have known that I couldn't get into that class this fall, then I could have had a summer off and worked all summer to make extra money and not have to cram biochem in my brain in 8 weeks...)

SO NOW...I had to re-do my schedule, and it looks like I will only be at school Monday and Wednesday from 10-7...

Can I have my job back?

This is just so frustrating. It makes me want to cry, or scream, or a little bit of both. I have worked so hard to get to this point. I have been working full time and going to school full time for the last three years, and I have a 3.7 GPA. You would think that I would get some kind of priority with registration...But I don't. And it might even push me back another semester, making me (yes) 27 when I graduate.

As you can tell, I don't handle it well when things don't go my way...

Top Ten Random Thoughts About Lost (so far)

We're on episode 8 of season 5...and here are some of my random thoughts about the series so far:

1. Crazy that Ben killed Locke...he is SO EVIL! I trust Charles Whitmore so much more than Ben. It is kind of funny because when I first started watching Lost (about 6 months ago), I told my mom that I thought that Locke was going to be a bad guy during the second episode. Woah, was I way off!

2. I think that the island is "pergatory" (I know, not an original theory...but it makes sense) and the war that is coming is going to be the war that ends the world...and then maybe it will be the second coming...woah, crazy...

3. What happened to Claire?

4. I think one of my least favorite episodes was the one where it showed Michael's really depressing life after he got back from the island, and the guy with the beard came and had a gay lover, and Michael kept trying to kill himself. It was very sad...the whole thing.

5. I think my favorite episodes so far were (in no particular order): in the second season with Hurley's imaginary friend, who you gets him to eat...The one where locke's dad pushes him out of the window...the one where we first learn about hurley's number fixation, and then see that it is written outside of the hatch...The one where Charlie dies and writes his best life memories.

6. Speaking of the numbers, what happened to that whole theme? It kind of disappeared after the hatch was blown up.

7. My favorite quote form the series is "See you in another life Brotha'"

8. I liked Sawyer much much much better when he was a tough guy who called everyone mean nick names.

9. What happened to the "Expose" couple who were barried alive?

10. How did Kate really get away with saying Aaron was her baby??

Top 3 Favorite Characters:
Sajid
Sawyer
Desmond

***NOTE - This blog post is dedicated to Anna and Phil Dutson, who were nice enough to get us a copy of season five...THANKS!***

***NOTE - I feel like a twelve year old after re-reading this...Oh well!***

Pictoral Essay of Katie and David's wedding

We have been up in Logan, UT since Tuesday this week. We came up for Katie and David's wedding (and Tyson and Gentry's wedding)! So much fun packed into a couple days trip. So far we have gone hiking (twice) and I got to go running with Melissa (twice!!) We ate at Costa Vida and had a little BBQ. It has been a really nice trip. I will post pictures from our hike next...but here are some pictures of Katie and David's wedding:

Katie and David, the happy couple! Got married at the Logan temple



The Hibshman Family



Katie with her brothers - Jon, Jeff and Ben

Katie and her sisters - Sarah, Anna and Jennie

Jeff and me (and Brooklyn)


Taking a break between the wedding and luncheon at Bed Bath and beyond...Snuck a quick massage!

The one picture from the luncheon. Food was really good!!

Katie and David at the reception
At the reception, Katie and David with Carole and Dave

Jeff being silly at the reception


Me being completely normal at the reception


Here are some cute/funny pictures of the nieces and nephews that we snapped throughout the day:
Double Buckle - Logan and Harper

Harper - exhausted from the day

Bradley, Brooklyn and Julianne

Ethan at the reception

Kile with a bit of brownie hanging off his nose

Mason in a tired daze...he didn't even know we were taking pictures of him!

Jeff with Sammy - he is SO CUTE!


All the cousins with their Aunt Katie and Uncle David

The post for the month of June

Hey!

I just wanted to first thank everyone for doing such a good job with their blogs. I enjoy reading everyone's blog posts so much, I seriously check every day, and read everyone's blog all the time.

Secondly, I would like to apologize for being such a bad blogger. I try to start a new post, but then stop because I don't have anything to write about. I guess the trivia things that go on in life are interesting enough to blog about, so I guess that is what I will have to start writing about...

SO - With that being said...

Jeff left for Japan last Sunday for a week long trip with the band. This trip wasn't being paid for and planned by their label, so it will be a different experience. When their label pays, they get nice hotel rooms and cash for food every day, however this time...the only thing that was paid for were their plane tickets and budget hotel rooms. However, it doesn't seem to matter much, he was still really excited about the trip! (I would be too...a free plane ticket to Japan is more than generous). The band also got a new member who is playing the guitar and keyboard, so they are not longer playing to tracks. Last night was their first show with the new member (and Jeff has a new set up and different things to play) and he said that it went fairly well. They have three more shows while they are out there, so I am sure they will come back sounding perfect!

Last nigh was my first night of my summer school class, Biochemistry. I was a little nervous about it because I took Organic Chemistry last summer...and like every class you take, you forget a lot of it if you don't use it. So I kind of forgot most of what happened in O-Chem. The teacher is really cool though. He is a total hippie and is the department chair of chemistry, so he is a great teacher and has a passion for the subject. The class is at a community college (60 dollars for one class Vs 760 dollars for one class at the university...) and so I didn't think I would know anyone, but funny enough...the class is full of SDSU nutrition majors. Kind of good, but it is also kind of lame because there are some really annoying girls in that major. I have come to grips with the fact that I am at least 4 years older than everyone else in all of my classes, however I am now dealing with not being annoyed at people who talk all the time (you know...the ones who's voices are at a register that just grate your eardrums and talk every chance they get...not about the subject you're learning). I am very regimental when it comes to lecture classes. I like to sit in the same place every class and not talk to anyone, and when we get a break, I stay in class and read...very nerdy, but it is what I do, and it works for me.

Anyway, aside from that, I saw The Hangover with my mom this past weekend, and then on Monday, my friend Kellie came over and we watched Twilight (twice) and Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist (not good). I have also been working on a special present for Jeff for his birthday. I am hesitant to talk about it here, just incase he reads this (which only happens when I say "Hey Jeff, look at so-and-so's blog"). Tonight is craft night...well, that's the plan. Sydney and Stephanie from work are planning on coming over to work on crafts. it will probably end up being more like "make cards night". I know I said that my resolution for 2009 was to send out birthday cards, but it hasn't really happened yet...so if I get prepared now, then I can FOR SURE send out birthday cards for 2010...

When Jeff gets back, we will immediately turn around and go out to Katie's wedding. We're really excited to spend a little time in Utah. I wish we were going to be there a couple days before the wedding, but it will be a great trip regardless!

Okay, talk to you all later...Keep those blogs a commin'!

Amanda

School's Out for Summer!

I don't really have much else to say, other than I am stoked that school is out!

I am taking biochem and an english class over the summer, so I don't get much of a break, but they won't be too bad. Plus we have a fun vacation coming up going to Utah for Katie's wedding in June. Right when we get back, my mom and I are going to go to Disneyland for my birthday (the big 25!!!)

In August, we might go up to South Dakota to visit the deal family and run the half marathon with Sarah. That will be a lot of fun!

For the times inbetween, the plan is to just do a lot of surfing and running...and scrapbooking. I have decided to start keeping a real scrapbook (and I might end up completing my mom's scrapbook from our wedding!)

Okay..so I need to do some serious relaxing now. Classes start mid-June!

Amanda

Great Grandma's Memorial

(Great-Grandpa Kano, Great-Grandma, Grandma)

(L-R: Grandma Denton and Great Grandma Latham)

Yesterday, Jeff and I went to my Great Grandma's memorial service at my aunt Tricia's house. It was a really nice way to commemorate my grandma's life...just family, lots of laughs and some good food! My grandma was pretty awesome! Here is a little info about her...
*She was a beautician, owned several salons, and always had perfect hair and make up.
*She was married 5 times, never divorced (well, once divorced, but then they got re-married).
*She loved dancing.
*She loved her family.
*She was always the life of the party, telling stories and jokes (sometimes a little off color...)
*She would never admit her real age...but she could get away with it because she always looked at least 10 years younger than she was.
There was a lot that I really admired about her, especially her excitement for life. She thought she was invincible, even into her 90's. It was clear yesterday at the memorial, that Great-Grandma will be missed!

Leading up to the memorial, I helped my mom put together a video of pictures highlighting Grandma's life. It was a good bonding experience with my mom. It turned out great in the end, I think everyone was pleased with it.

Here are some pictures from the day:

The Angel Food Cake that I made (my first one from scratch...It turned out pretty well!)

Grandma Denton making a Banana Cream Pie (With her world famous crust!!!)

Male Bonding Time (L-R: Uncle David's legs, Great-Uncle Dan, His Friend, Cousin Tony, My Dad, Jeff, Cousin Chris)

Aunt Susan with my cute cousins (her grand-daughters): Tessa and Maile

Dad and Mom

Mom, Dad, me and Jeff

Me and Jeff