Back in Pink

Yes, I’m doing it again - I signed up for the Breast Cancer 3-Day! I had such an incredible experience doing the 3-Day in Atlanta last year that I’m going to Cleavland, this year, for more. I’m so excited about this event, even though this year I really know what I’ve gotten myself into.

Just in case you missed my account of last year’s walk, here is the link to my 3 day story - I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read through it to see why I’m going to be asking you for money with this post. This event isn’t easy, but I promise you, I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t believe 100% that it was worth every muscle ache, weary night, and training walk.

Last year you helped me meet my fund raising goal, I need your help again. My goal is to get 100 people to donate at least $23.00. If you are willing to donate more, I won't say no, if you cannot donate $23.00 all at once, that is fine too. Spread it across the time that you need to. All donations are tax deductible!

For every $23.00 that you donate please give me a name to walk for; I will be carrying these names on pink ribbons throughout the walk.

If you have any questions or want to hear more about what I’m doing let me know, I love talking about the event. Thanks for all of your support. I’m incredibly lucky to have people like you in my life!

Love,
Natalie

P.S. Don’t wait - donate today!

Saturday is a Special Day

This past Saturday I got to spend the day with my second family, the Hazelgrens.

I had seen Jon and Jeena on Friday night at the Riverton game and I ended up watching the end of the game with them. They mentioned that they had tickets to the Draper Temple open house the next day and invited me to come along with them. I went back and forth on this, it had been a long week and then a very long night. I told them I would call them in the morning and I drove home in a rather dense fog.

I found myself up at the crack of dawn. Actually, if I am to be truthful, dawn was still two hours away. I wrote Zach, watched Buffy, worked out, made Jell-O, and called the Hazelgren's and told them I was on my way out to attend the open house with them.

Now, I am the oldest of four. I have no older siblings, it is something I have always wanted. Jon and Jeena have filled that gap. We don't even stop to explain anymore that there is no blood relationship. They are simply family.

It was such a special experience to walk through the temple with them. To hear the girls explain how warm and good they felt in the celestial room. Listening to Jace mention that he felt the Holy Ghost while in the temple. Knowing that I was feeling the same thing. It was a beautiful building and a beautiful morning.

I loved walking with the girls and telling them about the different rooms and sharing in their excitement for the temple. It was a gorgeous building. We couldn't take pictures inside, but here are some of us outside the building after the tour and refreshments!Jeena is missing from the picture as she was taking it!

A tribute to my team

So Florida was crowned champions tonight and tomorrow a final 2008 college poll will be released. Florida will be first, followed by Oklahoma, USC, Texas, and then finally Utah.

Now I am not an irate fan. I am not suing the BCS, like the Utah AG. I am not demanding that Utah be placed first. I am not calling my congressman demanding inquiries, but that does not mean I do not love my team any less than the next guy.

I know that we do not play in a league like the SEC, but we are not a backwater league. The MWC had three top 15 teams this year. We went 6-1 against PAC 10 teams this season.The MWC has sent Utah to the BCS twice, both times they won without question. This year they beat the team that had been ranked No. 1 for the last month of season play.

I don't expect my team to be first, but I would like some recognition on what they accomplished this year. To be the one team that went 13-0 in the nation deserves more than 5th place in the polls.

What I did on my winter break

As I go back to school the one question that I hear the most is going to be, "How was your break?"

In order to preempt that question below is a list of what I did over my break:

1. Watched season 5 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 3.5 seasons of The West Wing, and the first five parts of John Adams.

2. Read Prey, Staying Fat for Sarah Burns, Harry: A History, and started reading A Letter of Mary and Ender's Shadow

3. Wrote more than I should

4. Caught up on my scrapbook

5. Booked lodging for my summer UK trip

6. Finished a baby sweater

7. Hosted two family dinners

8. Realized Get Smart was a funnier movie than I expected

9. Went to lunch with former co-workers, friends visiting from Boston, and an adopted sister and brother.

10. Went to the gym more often then not

11. Watched the reveal of a new Doctor

12. Watched the U win via the yahoo ticker.

13. Cleaned out files

14. Spent the holidays with my family

15. Drank too much Diet Coke

16. Ate too much chocolate

17. Made plans for President's Day Weekend

18. Realized I have never had 16 days off

19. Talked to my baby brother

20. Chatted with Heather

21. Got a new cell phone

22. Learned how to create Doctor Who ringtones for the new cell

23. Took down Christmas decorations


So all in all I think I had a fairly good and productive break, back to the grindstone tomorrow.