Pumped

Today I needed a pump up.

I reached back into my early college experience for silly things that gave me a buzz and came up with this little guy:

Oh Homestar!  11 years after your most recent update, you still rock my world!

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail194.html

Dream come true

I'm sure I've dreamed of having a night like this one since my freshman year of college.  I went into BYU excited for sketch comedy like "Divine Comedy" and "Vocal Point."  I had 3 brothers attend BYU before me, and one had made this specific aspect of the experience especially exciting.  This was about the same time that everyone in college housing was answering their phone with "Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?" and political discussions almost always involved throwing in the concept of whether or not you would "Vote for Pedro."  Around 19 and 20, a good laugh was the main theme of conversation.

As I acclaimated to the campus, I felt a buzz on that comedy frequency of this one performer's CD. 

Thus began my experience with Brian Reagan.  Wikipedia compares him to a younger generation's Steve Martin, and I can see it--very physical humor, about every day life, and completely, entirely clean.  Even his performances on Comedy Central.  So, not only was he almost worshipped by a BYU student base who strove for integrity in a world of rapidly degrading class, but he could almost make you pee your pants.  The first CD I heard from him revolved around him trying to go through life without looking stupid.  My friends were regularly quoting his lines when awkward things happened, making the moment exciting rather than embarassing.  "You too!"  "He's callin' the hump Walt, he's not supposed to want the hump."  "I call this chair!" ...  oh!  Those were the days!

When you consider the hours of joy this comedian's recorded performances brought us, you can imagine my excitement when 3 years after leaving this hoard of friendships and silly quotes my husband calls up and tells me that he got us tickets to see a LIVE PERFORMANCE!!!!!  I seriously started dancing and jumping up and down when he told me.

Here is the concert hall where he performed.

Here is how close we were to the stage.

Here is the scale I saw him in with the naked eye.

I laughed til I cried.  I laughed til I lost my voice from laughing.  I laughed til my face felt like rubber from smiling the whole time.

Dream. Come. True.

What the new year brings

I've tried to post every day for a week now about the awesomeness that 2012 has brought us.

I tried to post about Dale's NEW JOB change and move up to LANDesk as an HR Specialist. 

Doesn't this look like a great office
for my honey?

I tried to post about my TWO JOB OFFERS and the drama that ensued upon trying to figure out which one to take.

I tried to post about my subsequent JOB ACCEPTANCE at Avalon Valley Rehabilitation Center as a Medical Social Worker.

I tried to post about what it's been like to work for my first full week in 2 months at a great facility that is almost the mirror image of the last job, but 15 miles closer to home, and how it brings up all of the hurt of being suddenly let go from the job previous.

But I can't seem to capture the complex excitement we have felt in all its glory in a way that anyone else would be interested in reading it! 

So here it is blogosphere!  Just know that we feel extremely blessed, that God has watched out for us the whole time, and that we are humbled and grateful.

Some hints about things that also happened in the first 2 weeks of 2012 that I WILL be posting about as future events transpire:

Comedy (January)

Dale--games (February)

Endluge... (March)

HUGE TRIP!!! (May)

Most of that is thanks to having a husband who is passionate about life.  Ending 2011 with only the most bare bones plans for the upcoming year, this is fleshing out quite nicely!  Are you excited for me?

Christmas in the Mountains

This year was the first time in our 3-year marriage that we have been to Dale's house for Christmas.  I think it's fun how you can spend ALL of your time with someone and still have major things to learn about them as the years pass. 

What I learned about Dale this Christmas:

1. He feels very strongly about his childhood Christmas stocking.

2. Even if I say "maybe 11 lego games is enough"  he will still by 18 of them.

3.  He looks extremely cute in "the Grinch" themed Christmas pajamas

4.  We re-learned how to use a hot glue gun together.

5.  If given a choice between me and his brother on a holiday trip, Dale will choose his brother 75% of the time :). 

6.  Dale listens pointedly for things that I mention that I would like and suprizes me with them as gifts when I've forgotten about how I mentioned I'd like them.

7.  He builds boxes of legos to the instructions.  I had never done that before.

My favorite parts of the holliday week:

1. A hike in Glacier International Park

2. Cooking a traditional Christmas meal where everyone helps out.

3. Wearing cute new PJs with Dale every night.

4. Puzzles.  We assembled almost 3 1000 piece puzzles in the 10 days I was there.  I feel like an 80 year old admitting it to myself, but I'm really good at it.  And doing things I have a natural aptitude for boosts my confidence.

5. The game of Things.  We played it on two evenings as a big group, and it was a lot of fun.

Good times.  Thanks to everyone who was involved!  It really made the holliday special.

Here is a picture.