What Is Wrong With Me!!

So, I have heard from several people about the show Prison Break. I've only heard good things about it so I thought I'd check it out. It came on Netflix as an instant watch so I started watching it while I was in Texas.   This genre of show is not something I watch ever so why I started now I have no idea. It was almost too intense for me. The problem was that there was some intrigue to it that of course drew me in and kept me watching. Mainly some pretty faces :) I watched the whole first season in two days because I became so tense that I didn't want it taking over my life any longer than that. I know I have a problem.

After that I told myself I was not going to keep watching it and it's been almost a month since then. I had even read about what happened in the coming seasons thinking that would satisfy my curiosity and keep me from watching it. Yeah right! Yesterday night I gave into temptation and started season two! Although at first it didn't seem as intense as season one that quickly changed and now I'm back on the edge of my seat. I need help!!!!

Last night I even had a bad dream that one of the escaped convicts (the one that really shouldn't have got out) had come to my school. I tried to play it cool cause I knew if he knew I knew that would be the end of me. So I wrote a note to the principal and excused myself to use the restroom. I ran to the office to give them my note so they could call the police with the least amount of suspicious behavior but he had come up behind me and grabbed the note. He had caught me and I was a dead man!! I never have bad dreams so why am I doing this to myself! What is wrong with me!!!!

So if you are reading this and have never watched Prison Break, don't start. It's good and that's the problem cause once your into it it's hard to stop. Maybe I can find a support group and get back to my English flicks and Cary Grant. Now that is safe territory!!

Disclaimer, Caution, or Warning, take your pick

I was feeling a need to explain myself a little. I don't usually blog when I have something exciting happen in life or I really have something to say (most of the time). Unfortunately I blog when I have nothing in particular to say but I just have a desire to write. Because of this, when I'm writing I have about a dozen thoughts running through my head and I have no idea which ones are coming out. When I'm finished with most of my posts I have no idea what it says, if it makes sense or if I've just embarrassed myself. 

I usually have to go back and reread it a day or two later and fix or delete things. The miracle of it is that I rarely have to do delete things. 

The reason I mention this is so you can understand my writing process cause most of the time when I'm finished I wonder if you all are going to think I'm crazy cause nothing makes sense. So consider yourselves warned and I won't worry anymore :)

Summer Time Blues:The Tale of a Flip-flopped Problem

Most of everyone I know suffers from the occasional blues in the cold wintry months when sunshine is scarce. Who ever heard of having the blues in the wonderful months of summer when sunshine is far and wide, and freedom is savored?!

The answer to that is sadly, me. I'm guess I'm not talking about real serious blues but my freedom is far from savored. There are many things that I love about summer time; laying on the grass, going up the canyon for picnics, my favorite holidays, etc. There is only one aspect of summer that I don't love and that is not having a schedule.

Don't get me wrong, it's great for a few weeks but then it's just not much fun. I'm the type that loves those cold dreary months because it brings purpose, busy schedules and above all friendship. I just need order and structure in my life, is that to much to ask :)

Now for all you people that actually stay busy and work hard throughout the summer, who are probably rolling your eyes about now at my patheticness this wasn't the intent of the post. I just wonder if there are people out there that suffer from can't-enjoy-it-while-you-got-it syndrome?

This summer hasn't really been that bad since I got to take my summer hiatus to Texas but every once in a while I feel those blues coming on. During these summer months Sundays and church become my favorite things. I actually get to socialize a little bit and that is the thing I savor above my vacation freedom. I would never have guessed but I actually like to be social now!

I guess I've been thinking about it because of how much I have loved my Sundays this summer and this last Sunday was a good one. After a long time I actually have responsibilities and new friendships. It really has been a long time and I am so excited for the opportunities that the next months have to offer.

So Good

I was recently reintroduced to the movie Rigoletto. It's one of those movies that I watched when I was little and since then had totally forgot about it. I don't even know what made me remember it but I'm glad I did cause it is such a good movie. The music is fantastic and I have had it in my head for a week now. This is my favorite song so I thought I would share.

Home Again

I'm kind of disappointed in myself that here I have finally had some adventure in my life and I feel I have nothing to write. I guess nothing would be an exaggeration. I guess my problem is that I'm having a hard time finding the right words to describe the time that I spent in Texas. It's a fine line between being to dramatic and cheesy and not getting across how significant this trip was to me.

A little background information might you see why. I'm the kinda person that can never feel totally comfortable in new places with new people as welcome as they make me feel. I'm the kinda person that when I get tired I get ornery and annoyed pretty easily. It's like I take a few days to warm up, enjoy myself for a few more days and then am more than ready to be home. 

It is because of these personality quarks of mine that going to stay with other people for a month totally freaked me out. I just knew that I would wear out my welcome, that we would get on each other's nerves, and after a couple of weeks I would just be dying to get home.

I only mention all of this because the trip that I had was NOTHING like that! I felt at home from my first day and enjoyed every day. When time was up I was not wanting to leave. I loved Texas and hope that someday I may get to move there but what I really loved about the trip was getting to know family that I barely knew before. 

Chesney and I grew up on opposite sides of the country and aren't close in age. I had always enjoyed her company but we really never had much to do with each other. I would like to take a bold step here and say that now that we have spend a lot of time together I would consider her my new best friend.  

Being away from home leaves you completely on your own to make your decisions. Decisions based on what you want and what you want to be rather than on what you've always been and what you think people expect you to be. It's slightly frightening but extremely liberating. I find I like that person much better than the one I am at home and that's why being home is sad. 

I am not saying anything bad about home cause it really is a great place but life here is so predictable and stagnant. I could live my daily life with my eyes closed, no thinking no feeling, just doing. Life is suppose to be exciting and challenging. I'm not talking sky diving and last minute trips to Europe exciting but the excitement of new faces and places. A change of pace is never a bad thing. 

Cooking Up A Storm

Before my mission I really enjoyed cooking. It was fun and I enjoyed trying new things. My weakness is desserts, they are so fun to make. Unfortunately I did little to no cooking in Ecuador and didn't find it very fun when I got home. It was a skill I completely lost (I was reimbursed with about 12 other ones so I'm not complaining) and have slowly had to relearn.

It's taken this long because what fun is it to cook for yourself? Answer: None! Now that I'm here in Texas though I've been able to cook some and have rediscovered how much I love it. I'm having so much fun!

I'm keeping a list of the successful recipes I've made on the side but my two favorite of those are the Lemon Raspberry bars and the Apple Pie. 

I've made about every version of Lemon bar known to mankind because I love lemony things that much but this recipe is my new favorite.

Just look at them:

I've also made lots of apple pies and never found a recipe that I was in love with. That mystery has at last been solved and this will be the recipe of choice from now on! So Good!!!

Up to Something

I've been here in Texas for two weeks now and have two more to go. I worried before I came that I would be staying for too long but now I'm not so sure about that because I am loving it here.

We have been staying busy and taken time to relax and even though that sounds like an oxymoron, it makes for a perfect vacation. We go on some adventures and then take a few days to recover and watch movies, rinse and repeat :) It's sooo much nicer than cramming everything into a few days.

We started out by going to a water park called Hawaiian Falls which got me into a swimsuit for the first time in who knows how many years. I won't even try to comment on that and it's best not to try and picture that one. Let's just say I hate swimsuits and have developed this thing in my old age of really disliking getting wet. I honestly don't know where it came from but I just find getting wet kinda uncomfortable. Despite all of that I really did have a fun time, honest! I enjoyed floating down the lazy river and the wave pool cause that's how adventurous I get sometimes :) My idea of living on the edge was not sun screening my legs hoping to get some color, unfortunately I got the wrong color, Lobster Red! Needless to say, so I'll say it anyway, we were all in pain for days.

The next week we headed down to a family reunion in a small town called Vidor, which is kind of by Houston. The drive down was fun and pretty but I felt like we were in the back woods where the Family Dollar store is hip and teeth are optional. I'm not passing judgement but it was a whole new experience.

It was cool when we got to Vidor because I felt like I had taken a step back in time with all the small shops, forties era cars driving along side you, and roller skating (as in four wheels and a toe break). It was awesome.

I've seen all sorts of nifty things since I've been here like a Walmart parking lot guarded by Mountie envious ladies on horseback and the greatest rest stop of all, Bucees where I got this amazingly awesome shirt*:

I mean seriously, their advertising is priceless

Besides finding humor in odd places we've been watching a lot of Robin Hood. There are a lot of shows that I love but there was never a show as addictive as this show. I do not jest when I say addictive either and at the risk of sounding as pathetic as ever, when the show is over I'm in mourning for days!

* I had no idea that this had an obscene meaning before I bought it, I honestly thought I was just getting a funny random shirt.