Comment on compliments.....

I love Jillian Michaels. Who wouldn't love to have her kick your butt like she does to the contestants on The Biggest Loser? I would!

So when her latest book came out I decided to read it. I didn't realize it was a full-on self-help book but it is. I decided to read through it and found this little gem that reflects my feelings on receiving (and giving compliments):

     Compliments are without a doubt one of the easiest and quickest confidence-boosters out there.    And yet for some reason the first thing most of us do when we receive one is to deflect it. I like your hair. "Oh, thanks. I couldn't do anything with it this morning." I like your sweater. "Oh, thanks. I'm not sure it goes with these pants." I like your pants. "Oh, thanks. I got them on sale."

     Seriously, get over it and take the damn compliment. Even if you don't believe it, or you think it's been given out of some ulterior motive-just say thanks and accept it, own it.

     On the flip side of this, giving compliments is another great way to project your own confidence to those around you. By giving compliments freely and genuinely, you are sending the message that you are comfortable with and enjoy other people's strengths.

Thank you Jillian! There's nothing more annoying than when you compliment someone and they downplay it. If someone compliments something you did or how you look-own it! I've been working on this the last few years and it's fun to actually appreciate the compliments I get rather than feeling like I need to excuse it away. If you struggle with this-try it!

Just a thought :)

There's only one explanation.....

I had a craving........

And Harmons had a sale.......



Comment on Bossypants.....

I laughed, I cried from laughing, it was better than, well not better than Chelsea Handler's "Are You There Vodka, It's Me Chelsea", but I didn't have to edit so much and could actually read all of it. If you like Tina Fey read this. It's fabulous. I've also been watching 30 Rock on Netflix. Speaking of which-why do they keep raising the prices? Maybe they need an open letter. But I've enjoyed 30 Rock more than I thought I would. It's pretty funny as well.

Anyway my point is....

Tina's great.

Enjoy.

Comment on Kenny 2011......

Oh, Kenny......

You missed us last year, but came back this year and didn't disappoint.

This year the Kenny concert was epic. Mostly because of our seats. We've been close before, but when we bought our tickets, I didn't realize just how close we were. Probably because I woke up in the middle of a sleeping between night shifts to purchase said tickets. After realizing how close I was I realized I might actually be able to rush the stage. Unfortunately, due to bad weather, I left my cowboy hat at home. So I bought a kenny hat for him to sign. I was just that sure.

Anyway DJ and Jenny and I had tickets together, just a row up from Lisa, Steff and Em. It was fantastic. Unfortunately we were in the middle of a group of ladies who were there for the party. Fortunately for us, the ladies wanted to sit together, so they switched seats with us, putting us closer to the aisle and right in front of our cousins, so that they could all be together and not have a group of party poopers (sober people) in between them. In the words of Jenny, it pays to be lame. DJ and I perpetuated the theory that we were lame by staying seated all during Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington. We didn't want them to get the idea that we were actually going to be fun during this concert and then renig on the switch.

Things got even better for us when the dudes now next to us, who wanted to party with the chicas, decided to switch seats with us in a deal brokered by DJ. All the young lad had to say was, "we don't want to stand in the way of you guys getting lucky tonight", and the seats were switched. That put us right on the aisle and in prime location to have my hat signed by K-Chez.

The concert was great. I got fantastic pictures and even ran up closer periodically to get better shots until the bouncer would make me go back to my seat. Seriously, he did a good job of keeping some people away, but mostly he was a total douche bag. We watched him throughout the entire concert and he was just plain mean for the fun of it. Fortunately, at the end of the concert when Lisa and I were up taking pics, he went to go throw someone else out and we were able to dodge our way up to the stage which is how I got my hat signed. As soon as I saw Kenny walking over to our side of the stage with a marker in hand I ducked and pushed my way to the stage and stuck my hat out there. He looked at it, grabbed it and signed it and then went down to the next group of people. It was the best ever!!! I thanked him, but I'm sure he didn't hear it haha. Anyway I can't wait for next  year. His concerts are seriously awesome!! Love Kenny!!!

And here are a few of my favorite pics:

DJ, Jenny and I in the midst of seat changes

There's always laughter with us

One of the party girls

The row of true religions getting all up in DJ's business

That's just how close we were folks

We were in a constant beer lake

The crowd behind us

Kenny's arm looks hot! Also those are some great IV veins!

The douche bag bouncer-I don't even remember getting this pic!

Right after dodging my way to the stage

He signed it!

The Kenny girls! L-R: Jenny, Me, Lisa, Em, Steffy P



An open letter to Usana......

Dear Usana,

I've been a concert attendee at your venue for years now. Last week's Kenny Chesney concert was not my first rodeo, nor was it yours. And yet, there are problems that one would think you'd try to fix, and yet year after year, you don't.

The problem I'm referring to is your parking lot. Getting in and getting parked goes rather smoothly. You have plenty of parking attendants to help guide us into our spots. This year we even used the Carpool lot. It was great.

My question is-Why does it take at least 1.5 hours to get out of the lot YEAR AFTER YEAR? Where are all of those helpful attendants after the show is over? Thanks to the long wait we had people were literally peeing outside their cars:

yes, this is real. And it wasn't the only pee-er we saw

This was literally the scene of the parking lot for over an hour. No movement. Do you think this is a problem? If not, why? Why won't you fix this?

After who knows how long a concert attendee actually got out of his car and started to direct traffic. That helped until his car got through and he stopped. Maybe you can take a clue from him and actually have people out there directing traffic rather than the 2 cops who are monitoring the exits.

You can't see the dude but he was out there and it was fantastic.

In short, Usana, we all hate you. We do. You're parking lot is just a means to an end for us to be able to see the concerts we wait all year for. But don't think we don't dread what we have to go through to be entertained. I'd like to see our concert fees actually go towards something useful like providing attendees with a complete arrival to departure satisfactory experience.

Please look into it.

Comment on the little things I appreciate at work.....

As I was charting one night I looked up and saw this view, which I try to never take for granted...

And this is the following morning as I was waiting for report

Awesome

A picture says a thousand words......

In my defense these weren't all mine.....





But most of them were

A citizen's arrest.....

Dear Greasy Gym Man,

I know you like to come to the gym classes. I'm not faulting you for that. HOWEVER, when you dress for the gym, keep one thought in mind. Wearing white mesh shorts with colored, saggy, fruit-of-the-looms underneath is not a good look. For anyone. Please take this into careful consideration and make the necessary changes.

Sincerely,

The Girl On The Bench Behind You*


*And possibly the rest of the class

Comment on a little twilight.......

Not that Twilight.....

This twilight:

Tonight I had a rare evening where I wasn't working and didn't have plans, so I decided to go for an evening jog. I love jogging in the evenings, yet I haven't done it since summers when I lived in Provo. I went every night back then-jogged from my apartment by Provo High, up around the Provo Temple and back home. It was the best way to spend summer evenings.

Tonight I listened to General Conference while I jogged, until the last 20 minutes or so when I had a nice long talk with my Heavenly Father about some things I need to do. It's the best way to pray I think. It's quiet, no distractions, just the rhythm of my feet on the pavement and my breathing. I thought about how great it is that I can listen to the words of the Apostles of Jesus Christ whenever I want, and how amazing it is that what I heard tonight is exactly what I needed to hear.

I can't wait to go out again.

Testing.....

So I bought an Android a few months ago. And I'm so glad I did. There are so many apps I never knew I needed but now can't live without!

Including this Blogger Droid app which allows me to blog from my phone. Which I'm doing right now....

So what apps do you love that I absolutely must have??

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.1

Comment on my birthday.......

Today is my birthday. I'm not dwelling on age-but I am noticing I'm starting to notice a few age-related issues:


I missed my cousin's baby shower because I thought it was next week-a sure sign of dementia

The candles on my cake about set off my aunt and uncle's smoke alarms

When I blew out said candles I missed a few and afterwards was winded from the effort

I ate too much today and therefore won't be able to sleep, which I'll complain about tomorrow as I chug down my prevacid

My friend called to tell me happy birthday, thought I was only 34 instead of 35. When I corrected her she realized now she's turning 36 this year and she got off the phone all depressed (oops)

It took 2 people to light the candles folks

Gearing up for the big blowout

Blowing all the wind out of my sails

My most favorite ice cream ever

Lisa, Pat and Steffy P

Em

The tremendously good cake and ice cream

Thanks everyone for making my birthday fabulous! And thanks to Skype I was able to spend some time with my family long distance as well!

Comment on the latest perfume I'd never admit to wearing.........

I purchased this month's Lucky magazine (Lauren Conrad is on the cover and I love her) and inside was something unexpected.

A sample of this perfume:

Which smells really good -kind of along the same lines as the Escada summer perfumes that I love.

Unfortunately the sample was accompanied by this picture in the ad:

That's right. It's a Justin Bieber perfume. A prepubescent boy has his name on this perfume.I can't spend money on that. Could you imagine telling people you're wearing The Bieb?

However if someone just happened to give it to me I wouldn't throw it out if you know what I mean. I just wouldn't admit what fragrance it is.....

Comment on getting a little bliss.....

Ok, so this picture from google is pretty pixelated, but oh well. I think you get the gist. Bliss Poetic Waxing kit from Sephora (and anywhere else you can find it) is FABULOUS. It's a little pricey, but I've been using it weekly on various areas on my face ( I hate hair on my face ) and it isn't even half gone yet. It has revolutionized my life. It's also really simple to use. It's one of those waxes you peel off without using muslin strips. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

Maybe you will too.

Comment on Utah's Greatest Contribution.....

If you are one of those people whose life is constantly busy and filled with purposeful activities from sunup to sundown you probably haven't been watching The Bachelorette. Or actually maybe you are but you like to make other people think you don't have time for that drivel. Whatever. I don't believe you. I'm a faithful watcher. It's fine.

The last 2 seasons of Bachelor/Bachelorette have really put Utah on the map with Michelle "it was all editing" Money and her antics with Bachelor Brad:

And then this week's douche baggery provided by Bentley "I wish she was Emily but I'd still fool around with her" Williams on The Bachelorette:

The wise powers that be at ABC have wised up to our craziness out here in Zion and have announced a Bachelor/Bachelorette casting call in SLC on June 11th at the Peery Hotel.

I won't be there. I'm too normal. And properly medicated.

Images courtesy of Google

Comment on Family Pictures.....

Last month my parents were in Pocatello for Jenna's graduation from ISU (go Bengals!!). Since we were all going to be together my mom thought a great idea would be to take a family picture. This means my dad hauls out his camera stuff and takes the pictures for us. While this sounds like a great idea and all, it really wasn't because Gayle (my mom) had forgotten to mention this to me, or DJ, and she had mentioned it to Jenna but she forgot. The problem was that my mom wanted everyone to wear white shirts. Nobody has white shirts. So I'm in Old Navy the night before I was going to Idaho with a dying cell phone trying to figure out what kind of shirt Jenny would want (easy) and what Jenna would want (extremely difficult and painful. I may have let a swear word or two slip out).

Aside from white shirt issues, the weather was also a problem. Since May in Pocatello is fraught with snow and rain, it was hard to find a sunny day to work for us. We kept pushing picture day off hoping for better weather until we were down to crunch time on Sunday. Unfortunately this was the worst day out of all of them. It was freezing and wouldn't stop raining. When we finally had a break in weather my  mom said maybe we should go do it. We were all grumbling then we decided maybe we should wait. And then Jenny started hollering around about how she did a facial mask that morning and so there better be pictures. Since Jenny never hollers (she's learning though) we decided fine. We'd go.

Here are the results:

We started out at Bartz Field until we got rained out. Jenny didn't realize my dad was using her to focus his lenses.



Puppy was being wrangled and didn't want much to do with me.



We were cold. It started raining. Let's be honest.

We went back to our house to take pics on our covered deck. Some of us recommended that earlier in the day but some people didn't think that would be a good idea. 

Dad was wrong-it was the perfect place to take our pictures. And I guess the white did look pretty good.

Of course we had to bust out the hat. I tried to tame my hair so I wouldn't look so much like Slash from Guns'N'Roses. Did it work?

Dad didn't quite get DJ's vision of his hat picture but you they still turned out good for the young lad

Jenny posed like a professional. It's as if she was supposed to be in our family or something....

Jenna is always flawless-it's hard not to hate her.

Kody-a man and his step-dog.



Sisters! Also you probably haven't been able to tell but it was pouring rain behind our pics.


That's all for the Mills Photo Shoot 2011. Apparently we're doing another one at Christmas.
We're all supposed to be wearing white shirts and khakis.
Seriously?