.the random cake

Today we went to a movie with Air’s Mom, Josh, Tessa and Tiana. We saw How to Train Your Dragon. SUCH a cute show!

When we got home, some of Air’s seminary kids {Grant and Riley} called and said they wanted to stop by our house because they got us something. Air told them to come, but said that he didn’t like bullets… in case they were planning a murder?

They got here a minute later with a cake! It said, “To: The Gusa’s”


How cute is that!??

We ate some with them and hung out for a while.



I tell ya; there’s nothing like getting a random cake during spring break to lighten up an already good day!

AHH! We love those kids so much!!
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.discouraged under fire

*I love this photo of my sister Elisa and niece Mia in Ut last week. Older siblings are talking in the background.

Tell me: How do I let myself get attached to jobs before I even have an interview?

A week after applying for a receptionist job at a care center, I called to see if the position was still open. The lady very kindly told me that they had already done interviews; and if they didn't call me it was because they didn't think I was qualified...

I feel so unwanted.

Isn't anyone hiring?
It it because I haven't had a job in so long?
Is it the recession in the states?
Is it because I'm white?

Is there a reason at all?

I need a job so badly right now... but when I feel rejected and discouraged like this it really drains my energy to keep trying to find one... or maybe having the flu is what's draining me. Either way, I'm not made for this. If I'm going to be expected to work, I need to be given a job. Basic order of events.


I'm going to the temple tonight.
I need to sort things out in my mind and receive some answers and inspiration. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and knows the things I'm concerned about right now. Does anything else matter? Not really.

See? I feel better already.
And then I remember that today was the last day of seminary before spring break.
Oh, Heavenly Father REALLY loves me!
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.REVEALED

I was getting tired of the art hanging on our living room wall.

I couldn't find anything I loved at stores for a good price so I took matters into my own hands.

A couple weeks ago I borrowed some art supplies from Air's family and started painting away...

little by little...
and lucky for you I collected pictures of my progress start to finish!
Here we go:





...and I absolutely loved doing it

Here's the wall, before and after:



It didn't turn out spectacular or anything... but at least it's personal! And I like it!

Also, if you’re wondering if this was supposed to be the *super-big-secret-surprise-project* that I mentioned in an earlier post… it was.
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.living as a tree

*I found this tree in Virginia, Fall '07

I love nature. Who doesn't?
Even though it sometimes tosses my neatly combed hair up into the air and ties it in knots...

and sometimes it trips me while I'm hiking and makes me dirty once I'm down...
and sometimes it doesn't allow me to enjoy leaving the nice, temperature controlled indoors...
and sometimes it sends rodents into my apartment where they don't belong...

Aside from all that;
there isn't anything about nature that isn't absolutely beautiful.

When I was at Young Women's camp last summer. {The only 'real' camping I've done in about 5 years} I couldn't help but notice all the beautiful trees around us. As I thought, a theory popped into my mind--that we should be more like trees. I think that trees were commanded to be there. To stand tall. Grow their roots as deep as they can. Reach high into the sky with their long branches. And to do their best to be strong enough to resist the wind and rain storms.

They obey perfectly.

If only I could be like a tree and obey every commandment with perfection.

I came across this quote by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin while preparing a visiting teaching message recently:

This quote totally speaks to me; especially since I'd had this thought too before I read it. We need to dig our roots deep into the gospel and be firm and immovable and simple. Just like a tree.

Now I know I should be like a tree ...no matter how silly it sounds.

And it does sound silly to me.

Either way... trees are amazing. Immovable. Simple. Complicated. Giving. Extending out. Deep-rooted. Always growing. Multiplying. Protecting.

Christ-like, really.

I wouldn't mind being more like Him either.

.top o' the marnin' to ye!

Happy St Patty's day from these dorks!

Hope you wore green ....unlike most people I've seen today.... lame


It's been a good couple weeks:
1. I've got a *super-big-secret-surprise-project* in the works
2. I've applied at a couple more jobs through the LDS Employment Resource Center
and
3. I've lost 10 lbs on my diet! (I can't really tell; besides the fact that I need smaller underwear now... as seen below)

.looking applying waiting

I've been looking for a job for about 3 months now.

I absolutely hate looking for jobs by the way.

I'm probably too picky about where I'll work, but I'd rather not end up somewhere that I won't like. I've had enough of those jobs.

I've given my resume to so many businesses I feel a bit exposed with people all over the city having my information.

And not a single call-back.


To be honest, I've been pretty scared to go to work again since I haven't had a "real" job in over a year. I worry that I'll be too tired during the day after early morning seminary.

I remember feeling the same way after I quit my nanny job and moved back to Utah a few years ago. I had to join the work force once again in some type of office with a lot of professional-type people.

An intimidating thought.

The first job I had after I was a nanny was a temp job as a receptionist at the huge Wells Fargo Building in Salt Lake. Can I just tell you-- that was the scariest, busiest, most intense, most intimidating, hardest job. And I might add that I had the meanest boss you could imagine! I was relieved once I was done working there after a month.

.....And then I got another job at a security system company. I worked in the call center with my best friend Nichole. Eventually, everyone else there was a friend too.

It. Was. Awesome.

*my scissors and thumb tacks in jell-o...

I was so blessed to have found that job and pretty much loved every minute of it.

Hopefully I will be just as blessed with this new endeavor?

Wish me luck?
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.Creme de la creme

Before I went to Paris I had heard of this dessert.

Mostly from the show Gilmore Girls {which I was border-line obsessed with at the time}

I finally spotted it on a dessert menu at some fancy restaurant near my home in Chicago and got a tiny bowl for a pretty high price.

I instantly fell in love with the stuff.

While planning the trip through Europe, one of my main goals was to try crème brûlée in Paris.
{Which, when it came to Paris, only came after the Eiffel Tower and The Louvre on my list}

I was determined!

And I succeeded. So good.

But now I've really done it!

I finally made my own crème brûlée.




It worked out really well and tasted just like being in Paris again.

Only better… because this time Air was there with me.


Oh yeah, I also got to do some of the other stuff on my list in Paris... but that's not as important

*2007 at The Louvre with my sister Megan and niece Alexis | *top of the Eiffel Tower

Let the dieting commence!
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.I'll Follow the Sun

I’m very pleased to announce that the sun has returned! The snow is starting to melt away... finally.

We went for a long walk the other day and didn’t freeze at all!

Not even a little!

We didn’t even freeze when we were drinking ice-cold slurpees!

Don't get me wrong though… it still looks like this out there:

I just can’t wait til it’s completely gone!


---------------------------------


You know what else is melting away?

Air.

He lost 25 lbs in a month!

Way to go babe! Looking good, as always...

believe me, I know

I checked you out.
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.Olympians

Our seminary kids got to be Olympians for the past few weeks in the Scripture Mastery Olympics!

It was incredibly fun

We had competitions every morning at the beginning of class...

snowboarding

luge

downhill skiing

figure skating & speed skating

On Monday, we had our closing ceremonies and handed out awards.

We had the Olympic theme song playing as we called out their names and handed them these awards I made out of cookies. It was awesomely cheesy.

Gold Silver and Bronze

Champions!

Gold medalists!

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