A throwback to the Myspace era.

What's your favorite name for a girl?
Peyton. One Tree Hill almost ruined that name for me, though, because that character was awful.

What's your favorite name for a boy?
My first son will be Cohen. 2nd son, Charlie. And no way will I ever allow them to watch the shows that the characters they are named after are in.

Have you read Twilight?
I read Twilight, and I liked it... but not as much as Cherry ChapStick. Really though, I made it through the 2nd book in the series, then I just got bored.

What does your car smell like?
Cherry... ChapStick.

Have you ever eaten a marshmallow burnt?
Who doesn't love a roasted 'mallow?

Do you have a gerbil?
Even better. A dwarf hamster.

Are you afraid of airplanes?
Nope.

What gives you goosebumps?
Goosebumps books.

Whose your favorite character on TV?
Sweet Dee. Was this question even necessary?

favorite song?
"Not Afraid"- Eminem
"If I Die Young"- the Band Perry
"When I'm Gone"- Eminem
"The Good Stuff"- Kenny Chesney
"Beautiful"- Eminem
AND pretty much every other Eminem song... I've always loved him; can't help it.

Do you like ice cream?
Sometimes.

What is your least favorite movie?
Why would I bother remembering something like that?

When do you think the world will end?
Soon, hopefully.

Do you live in the moment?
I live by the hour.

Do you consider yourself tolerent to others?
I discriminate against people who can't spell or use proper grammar. Other than that, I'm pretty forgiving.

How long does it take you to shower?
Half an hour.

Do you...?

Smoke?
Nope.

Do drugs?
Only heroin, and only on Thursdays.

Go to church?
Not so much.

Sleep with stuffed animals?
Harold.

Talk to people even if you hate them?
Ever had a job?

Believe in premarital sex?
Is that like believing in Oprah? Then yes, I definitely do.

Want to get married?
Eh, it'll happen.

Want to go to college?
Tried that once.

Want to have children?
Much more than I want to get married.

Like coffee?
It's delicious. I am a sinner.

Wear makeup everytime you go out?
I wear makeup even when I'm not going anywhere. I like to look good; sue me. Or something.

like roller coasters?
More like love.

Like to cook?
I've done it a few times.

Have you ever...?

Been out of the country?
One time.

Been in love?
Two times.

Gone skinny dipping?
Sadly, no.

Had surgery?
Only dental.

Played strip poker?
Didn't get very far.

Been on stage?
Oliver, Oliver...

Pulled an all nighter?
More like an all-weeker.

Gone one day without food?
Easy.

Slept all day?
Even easier.

Kissed a stranger?
He wasn't that strange.

Had a dream that came true?
Tess.

Broken the law?
Aplenty.

Stolen anything?
I stole 11 gumballs from Ryan a few months ago. Maddie knows about this. She was my accomplice.

Been on radio/tv?
Kid stuff.

Bungee jumped?
Gross.

Had a dream that kept coming back?
All too often.

Shopped at Abercrombie and Fitch?
No, but that LFO song is amazing.

Broken a bone?
Fractured a wrist. Does that count?

Been to a theme park?
Lagoon & Disney.

This or That

Pepsi or Coke:
Pepsi.

McDonalds or BUrger King:
BK.

Chocolate or Vanilla:
I've always been attracted to black men.

Burgers or Hot dogs:
Well, now I feel like this survey is getting a bit inappropriate...

is the glass half empty or half full:
Always full of somethin'.

romantic comedy or thriller:
Horror.

waffles or pancakes-
Waffles.

First thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Their face.

Right this moment...

What are you wearing?
Clothes, mostly.

The Last...

Movie you watched:
Saw 3-D. Awesome, in case anyone was wondering.

Movie you rented:
Nobody does that anymore.

Book you read:
"the Help." Great read, by the way.

Person to call you:
The only calls I get are either from Mom or work. Everyone else just texts.
= )

time you wore a skirt:
It's been far too long. I live in scrubs.

Your favorite:

Color:
Blue.

Candy:
Starbursts.

Pizza topping:
Pepperoni.

Fruit:
Watermelon.

TV Show:
It's Always Sunny & SVU.

Holiday:
Christmas.

Number:
11.

Sport to watch:
Basketball.

Flower:
Do not have one.

Aren’t thunderstorms awesome?
They certainly are.

Do you like expensive things?
They're okay.

Why do you smile?
Because I have an amazing one... or so I've been told.

Do you like taking pictures?
NO.

Are you happy you are alive?
I'm pretty stoked about it, yeah.

What or who makes life worth living?
My family, cute babies, & our patients at the hospital.

Do you think you are a nice person?
Too nice, most of the time.

Do you like swimming?
Favorite thing in the world.

Have you ever swam in the ocean?
A few times.

Ever climbed rocks?
Yep.

Was it fun?
It was terrible. Whoever thinks hiking is fun needs to be kicked in the head. By a rock.

Name someone you miss really badly:
Seaners.

Have you lost any one close to you?
Yep.

Ever witnessed some one dieing?
Yep.

Do you have a job?
Yep.

Do you like it?
If I didn't love it, it wouldn't be my job.

Do you have any animals?
One hamster. I raised her myself.

How many windows are in your room?
Uno.

Have you ever online dated?
Hell, no. Forgive the language.

Do you like bulldogs?
Not really. Everyone says they're so cute, but ugh... I don't see it.

Do you like classical music?
I like it about as much as my mom likes rap music. = )

Have you ever dated 2 people at one time?
I like to keep it at 3 or 4.

Have you ever sniffed someone's hair secretly?
No, I have never been a rapist.

Will you tell your friends to do this survey?
Wouldn't dream of it.

Good Morning, Campers.

Some days I think to myself, "I really should blog more. I'm just too busy to find the time." Other days I think, "I really should blog more. I just don't have anything to blog about." Yes, it's true- my life is pretty effin' busy. I spend most of it at work. But I also don't have a lot of life-changing announcements or updates, so I feel like there isn't much to say when I post. At the end of the day, though, it just feels good to write. So I'm going to make a true effort to do so more often. If it's boring, who cares? It's still better than nothing. Right? Right.

Done, Dude.

I have a whole bunch of my friend's blogs bookmarked- or, at least, I DID- but then I realized that I could free up a whole bunch of space on my computer by only reading "Seriously, So Blessed." It's honestly just the same crap anyway. Have a super awesome day, Girlies!
Ugh, you're so annoying.

Good.

I realized something tonight... it's all good. This is a phrase I use quite often, but more out of habit than anything else. I never really stop to think about what it means. But tonight, as I was getting ready for bed- or contemplating getting ready for bed, rather- I just had a feeling of peace. No real reason for it. It was just a good feeling. Almost like a little sigh... a good vibe passing through, if you will. But it stuck with me. Life is alright right now. I have an amazing family, good friends, an awesome job... and the feeling that even more good things are coming my way. This is weird for me, because everyone who knows me knows that I am much more a "realist" than anything else. I've been through some rough times, especially during the past few years. Peace isn't a feeling that I've been terribly used to. I've learned to hope for the best but expect the worst. Which is fine. I mean, it works. But I think I could get used to this new hopeful feeling. Maybe it's not such a bad thing to hope for the best and-GASP- also expect the best. I feel like I'm definitely willing to at least give it a shot.
= )

I've been Incepted.

So I FINALLY saw Inception the other day. I tend to steer clear from overly-hyped films, for the most part. But I do love Leo, and I also happen to have a major weakness for Joseph Gordon Leavitt. I knew I owed it to both of them to see this movie. And just as everyone said- it was amazing. Probably the best movie I've seen in years, and coming from me, that's a pretty big statement. But I didn't just love this movie because it was amazing. I loved it because I'm a big dream person. Not necessarily by choice, but I am. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always remembered my dreams. Almost every single morning of my life, I've been able to recount the dream I'd just woken up from in vivid detail. Now, at first, this was cool. It was entertaining to see what my mind would come up with while I was sleeping, and everyone got a kick out of the wacky things that ran through my subconscious every night. But before too long, I started having nightmares. Those are not so fun. I spent many a night sleeping on my parents' or my brothers' bedroom floors, because let's face it- when you wake up from a nightmare, the scariest thought in the world is the idea of going back to sleep in a room by yourself. Luckily, the nightmares became a lot less frequent as I entered my teen years, and by the time I was in high school, I hardly dreamt at all- well, okay, everyone dreams, but I was fortunate enough to not remember my dreams for a time, and therefore was able to enjoy virtually dream-less sleep for a few years. The nightmares started coming back only a couple of years ago, but they got worse. They progressed into what are technically known as "night terrors," which are much more intense than normal old nightmares. I know this for a fact, because I would wake up from them shaking, crying, screaming, gasping for air- and always in a cold sweat. This is some scary stuff; definitely no picnic. The fact that I am an insomniac to this day is certainly no coincidence. It got to a point where I was too afraid to go to sleep, so I just wouldn't let myself. I've stayed awake for days at a time, just so that I wouldn't have to dream. I took Melatonin for awhile to try and doze off at night, but it only worked for so long. I then resorted to asking my doctor for sleeping pills. But I hate sleeping pills. The hours of sleep that I get after taking a sleeping pill are never of any quality, and I always wake up feeling as tired as if I'd just woken from a nightmare, so it's kind of a lose-lose situation. I've come to realize in the past few years how valuable sleep is, and I envy people who can just fall asleep whenever they are tired, and wake up feeling refreshed. Anyway, about a year ago, I started seeing a therapist so that I could either obtain sleep medication, or somehow figure out how to solve this night terror issue once and for all. Turns out, this therapist had a daughter who also suffered from night terrors, and he introduced me to a process known as "lucid dreaming." It took some practice, but I am happy to say that I am now able to not only realize when I am dreaming- but I can also force myself to wake up from even the most terrifying nightmare. It's not easy; the only way I can describe the feeling is that it's as if I am walking on a bridge that is being smothered in quick sand, but if I concentrate hard enough, I KNOW I can make it across, and always just in the nick of time. The human brain is amazing, and the fact that I can have so much control over my own mind even when I am ASLEEP- well, that's just straight-up remarkable! The entire time I was watching Inception, I kept thinking, "Holy crap, this is lucid dreaming at its finest!" Not only was the movie incredible because of the storyline and the amazing acting, but also because it was all about techniques I have been practicing for months now. It got me all excited, which may or may not suggest how pathetic my life is right now, but whatever. Still pretty cool. The point that I'm trying to make here is that Inception was awesome, and if you haven't seen it, you need to go see it. Well worth the 6 bucks, to say the least. The End.

Hmmm.

So... I put a tracker on my blog, just to see how many views it gets. Apparently, a lot more people check in here than I would have thought. Which is both completely okay and flattering, but I must say that I'm a bit confused. If people are looking at my blog this often, why are they not commenting? Or should I say, why are YOU not commenting? Yes, you. Validate me, tell me how awesome I am- give me something! I know you're reading, so you may as well praise me while you're at it. I don't mind at all. Also, I have a few friends who keep blogs, and I love reading them and commenting on them. But I have noticed as of late that I am not listed in their "Blogs I Stalk" list. Not a single one of them. Not. ONE. Really, guys? Are you not allowed to add me to your official list because I don't have a cute husband to write about or darling babies to post pictures of? Are you ashamed to admit that you follow my blog?! I just feel I deserve some recognition, that's all. I mean, that's what a blog is for... right?

Tess Colette.

I realized today that I've never actually put up photos along with any of my posts. So I decided to switch it up this time. And what better way to do that, than to dedicate a post to my baby sister, who also happens to be the most beautiful kid in the universe. Tess joined our family 5 years ago, but I can't even remember what life was like without her. She is a miracle and a blessing, and we adore her- and spoil her- like crazy. But look at that face; how could anyone not? Even though Tess is 20 years younger than me, she and I still have so much fun when we hang out and have "sister time." She's so smart, funny, & stinkin' adorable, it blows me away most of the time. And she's a total Dunshee; she's got the same goofy sense of humor as the rest of us. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Tess's birth mom, and how much love I have for her. She made an amazing, selfless decision, and gave our family the most amazing gift anyone can give. I would love to meet her one day, give her a huge hug, and just thank her. Although we could thank her a million times, and it still wouldn't be enough. Adoption is such a beautiful thing, and I have an incredible amount of respect and love for all birth mothers. I wish I could hug them all! Anyway, I sure do love my little sis. She's one of the greatest blessings in my life. I thank God every day for this sweet girl.
= )

Super.

I realized the other day, that I am not even old enough to legally rent a car... aw, see? I'm still just a baby. Suck on THAT, Utah!

More CNA Shiz.

Well, I passed the written exam, and just took the skills test earlier today. Won't know whether I passed until they mail me my result in 5-10 days. Seriously, who uses snail mail these days? Oh, well. I guess it's time to start the official job search, which is probably my least-favorite pastime.... ever. There's just something so demeaning about the whole job-hunting process. I'm definitely not a fan. But I'll survive. I always do, somehow or another. I'm very excited to finally be able to use my CNA license, though. Doing something that you love and getting paid for it; that's the American dream, right? Or something like that. Anyway. That's all I've got for now. I have a good feeling about where things are going for me, though. I do eat success for breakfast, after all.
; )

How 'bout that?

Just got a semi-job offer. I am excited. At first, I was hesitant to work at a retirement home, only because I've heard horror stories about employees who abuse the residents. I know it happens, and it breaks my heart to think about.
But that shouldn't stop me from accepting an offer from such a place. I feel like if anything, I do need to take that job. If only to make one person's life a bit easier. I bawled my eyes out after my first day of clinicals, but it was only because I absolutely fell in love with the people that I was able to help that day. That's how I know this is what I should be doing.

Thought of the day.

I'd like to thank the "Hoarders" marathon on A&E for giving me the motivation to FINALLY clean and organize my closet.

What's up, Blog?

I am currently having a love affair with pistachio nuts. They might be the most delicious little snacks in the world. Of course, they're so ridiculously expensive that I can't afford to buy them very often. But maybe that's one of the reasons I enjoy them so much?

In other news, I have almost completed my CNA training. I passed the class & finished up all of my clinical hours. (Clinicals were an amazing experience, by the way.) So now all I have to do is go take the state test- which consists of both a written and a skills exam. I've been kind of putting it off, because I'm not sure that I'm fully prepared to take it quite yet. I am a terrible test-taker. But at the end of the day, I can only study so much... I know what I really need to do is just bite the bullet & go take the dang test. So wish me luck. I'm gonna need it.