Good Gig Somedays

I get to wear a lot of hats as a public relations girl on the job, and many of them quite frankly stress the heck out of me. But today I found one that I really, really like – the Santa hat. I’m in charge of the company’s Sub-for-Santa giving effort this year, one that has us signed up to provide Christmas for 80 children in the local community. There’s a lot that goes into such a project, but it doesn’t feel soooo intense, as some things seem to.

Today I found myself on the phone with the families, letting them know that they’d be receiving Sub-for-Santa help this year. Realizing that I have some work to do on my thoughts because they’re not always the kindest, before the process began I was thinking most of these people would just be “users of the system.” And I was wrong. I tend to be more often than not. Call after call I heard the sincere appreciation in a mother’s voice as she told me how grateful she was for the help they are receiving.

As one mother spoke, I could feel how much she absolutely loved her children – she made me want to hug my own children and tell them they’re incredible – and I don’t even have any yet. She’s one I will remember.

Today reminded me the absolute only way to feel the real depth of the Christmas spirit – really the only way to feel happy at all – is to make someone else happy. That’s what it’s all about.

Oh, the Glitter!

Now, on a high level I am opposed to the Christmas before the Thanksgiving sort of thing. BUT – I can’t help it. I am so excited this year.

I’m excited for a lot of reasons, but I’ll tell you one. This year will be our first Christmas in our first home, which means the focal point of decoration – the Christmas tree – will be brand new. What will it look like? I will (Tyler probably won’t…) remember it forever and have the decorations for years, so I feel like it has to be GOOOD.

I’ve gone to my favorite decorations store, (heard of Rod Works?) three times this week, just to get some ideas. I didn’t buy hardly anything, because you see, I’m not made of money and that store is. But I could spend hours there; it really does have the greatest things. I also went to the new place in town – Hobby Lobby – so I can try my hand at homemade decorations. For starters, I bought ceramic snowflakes and bunches of glitter.

I’ve never used glitter before. My sister says it will be everywhere in the house before I know it, so maybe I’ll revamp that opinion come holidays. But for now, you should see my snowflakes! I glittered away through Tyler’s night class and Family Night on TLC. It was so fun. I wanted to glitter other things, like cupboards and doors and counter tops, but I held on to my senses long enough to realize that mistake. What about you? How will you decorate? What ornaments might you make?

The Thanksgiving browns and rusts and deep reds will always be my favorite, so I’m glad we have a few more weeks of them. But come black Friday – the holly jolliness and all that green and red and glitter will make its debut. Can you wait until then?!

And Maybe Some Snow

Breaking News: It snowed last night - all over the place. It's a good thing it's pretty.

Ah. So I can see the mountains out my window and they’re white no longer red.

I stick my tongue at the snow.

You definitely can’t swim in the snow. No bikes in the snow. You can run in the snow, but it’s tricky and I’ve been known to fall down once or twice. Driving is lame in the snow.

You know what’s good about the snow? It’s lovely. And the boots are cute. Hot chocolate with marshmallows. Warm clothes. Crappy Christmas movies. Everything Christmas. That’s actually a better list than I thought I had in me. But no, I still don’t like the snow.

Tyler. He can snowboard in the snow and he is ultra good at that. Maybe if I go with him again this year and not just on the bunny hill, I will get totally awesome and good and maybe I’ll look forward to the snow.

But right now. Snow is unfortunate.

The Best Birthday Present Ever

Forget Disneyland. Even forget Hawaii (no, scratch that, not Hawaii – why would we ever forget Hawaii?). Tyler took me on one of the best trips ever last weekend to celebrate my birthday – the not-so-big 26 on its way tomorrow.

The first stop was the great outdoors on a surprise camping trip – I swear every tree was a different color. We shot guns, we played catch, Tyler figured out that I may never get the Frisbee thing down – I think the realization came when he was knee-deep in the river while chasing my bad toss downstream. Oops. We hiked to these cool hot springs, took to our suits and lived it up in the bathtub-like water (rumor has it some people don’t even bother with clothes at all in a place like this. We did. It was kinda slimy, after all.). Back at camp Tyler’s fire and tinfoil dinners were totally perfect. Then we slept. Next to boy scouts. Who I threatened to throw rocks at in my head.

Early and we broke camp and headed for the super sunny, always awesome St. George, Utah. The goal: the redrock backdrop and wicked vocals at Tuacahn Amphitheatre. Outdoor plays and concerts are totally my thing, and this one was maybe the best I’ve seen. It was so cool. We headed back to the sweet hotel, sweet and cheap, just the way we like it. The whole things was like an awesome dream.

The trip was quick. No low notes at all. And you know what I liked more than anything? Tyler and I spent hours just talking. We didn’t try to plan out the next 40 years or anything at all like that, we just talked. About when we were dating. About Obama and the coolest cars. About all sorts of things that probably wouldn’t matter to anyone at all. We laughed a lot and we learned some more about each other. I wish every day could be so great.

Making it Better

I left the house for work this morning and 12 hours later I headed home. That's pretty on track with how the week was. It was long. I felt like a failure at times. I’ve been working 10-hour plus days writing speeches and creating billions of PowerPoint slides for a big-deal thing on the job. The worst was Wednesday. I woke up and I knew it was going to be bad and asked Tyler if I could call in sick and he said yes, but I knew he was just being nice so I went. And it was what I thought it would be – a day when your head can’t catch a break and life lost its senses.


The failure part has nothing to do with the work part though, I was alright at that. It has to do with the being a wife and friend part.

Tyler’s school days run late on Monday and Tuesday, and this day was a Wednesday – he was finally home, and I was finally going to make him something good for dinner and spend all night just me and him.

But then it was 4:59 – Ty, I’m going to be home a little late. I’m sorry.
Then 5:23 and he offered to take a look at that recipe I’d picked out for the special meal.
Then it was 5:59 and he asked if he should put it in the oven yet.
At 6:05 – I told him I’d leave in 20.
At 6:25 – I told him I needed 15.

Finally, I left – a laptop on my shoulder and barely enough energy to feel relief.

Turns out Tyler can cook. The dinner was great – my favorite touch was the celery and peanut butter set out nicely on the table. Coming home to him was the only thing that got me through the day, or the work that followed me into the night. Thinking about the trip he’s planning for my birthday, thinking about how thoughtful he is, thinking about the little things …

I love him. He makes things better. He fixed everything. Like always.

"It's Rather Easy to be Busy"

So Saturday I was listening to this talk from one of my favorite people. And I got a text from a friend who said – “this talk reminds me of you. You are always so busy.” Tyler had already had a good laugh about how soooo for me the talk was. The topic? Basically: giving yourself too much to do and being busy all the time.

Admittedly I have a list problem. I have at least five lists going at any moment. A list of things to do at work (updated daily). A list of things to do at home each night of the week. A list of things to do at home each night next week. A list of things I want to buy someday. A list of gifts family members might like for Christmas or their next birthday. A list … o.k. a few other lists. Maybe more than a few.

And they ALWAYS have more than I could possibly do. I like to think I get more accomplished than I would have without the list – I would definitely say I’m never bored. But, as the speaker said, “there’s more to life than increasing its speed.”

Am I so all about the list that I don’t have time to be all about the things that really matter? Do I get distracted from the things that matter most? Are my priorities right? Sometimes to all of those. Needs improvement for sure.
 

I think it’s time to re-evaluate. Maybe time for a little un-organizing…

Loyal, Strong and How About Them Aggies

Ok, so they're about to lose. Again. BYU football, I'm feeling a little sick in the stomach. Don't misunderstand, I am true blue. I will pick the Cougs to win every time. But I gotta tell you, I’m a little tired of being the biggest loser in the office poll. I mean really, there’s not one of you guys who can catch the ball?

During my college days, I had the coolest job ever doing sports media relations. My main gig was track and field, but I also spent every football game up in the booth tracking players. Anyone who knew me before that point is now wondering how that ever worked out.

Well, I had a great friend in that booth who started with the basics. That’s the defense, that’s the offense. There’s the quarterback, there’s the cornerback – they’re on different sides of the ball. I learned every name of every player who played that year. I learned that it’s a deep threat (a wide receiver who is really good at catching long passes) rather than a deep throat (a person who talks low, usually a man). I once shed a few tears after I stood in the end zone and watched a one-point devastator against TCU. I love BYU football.

But there will be no tears this year, I'm not up for that much emotion play after play. We’ve deserved to lose. This is not the blue and white I know. I sure hope they find their groove sometime soon. I still hold out hope they will pull out the stops next game ... or the next. If not, I may need to take a breather from the weekend action. Just until the team and I have regained our composure.