And Im Back!

So...after a very long sabbatical, I have decided it is a good time to grace you all with my presence. You're welcome.

Talk about a crazy semester. Whoa. Baby. I have finished my student teaching as well as my entire college career. Can I hear a HEY-O!? Seriously folks. SO GOOD! Yesterday was graduation. And now you ask what I'm doing with my life?? Such a excellent question. I'm still working out the kinks, but to give you some sort of insight into my life, I have no idea. Yeah...I know.

I don't know if I have ever been more confused with what to do with my life. What is this thing that I'm feeling?? Freedom?? No school?? Everything I have been acustomed to for the last 5 years is gone...all of it. Uh. Can't I just have someone follow me around and tell me what to do? I really think I would love that. I could pay them in cookies because I don't even know if I can afford to pay them with real money, but I make a mean cookie. Honest.

Anyway, I really don't have too much to complain about. I have definitely been blessed this semester. Although there were times I wanted to curl up and cry (and sometimes I did) but I really have learned a lot about what I can handle and what I need to work on.

Life is good. I can't complain.

Ode to Linx

Typically I would not have a problem. However, this is lame. So, Friday night. I'm at work. That's fine. Planned on that.

But, I did not plan on everyone being told to go home while I have to stay. That's all I have to say about that. L.A.M.E

Linx
Always
Makes Mari hate them
Everyday

(Linx is where I work and I dont actually hate them. It just worked well with the acrostic poem.)

This is Halloween!

So I LOVE LOVE LOVE Halloween. It is probably one of my favorite holidays. I think it is so fun to dress up and just have fun! I love seeing all the kids costumes. I remember how fun Halloween was when I was little and how EXCITED I was to go trick-or-treating.

So, I've grown out of the whole trick-or-treating phase, but I still love getting dressed up. However, I never think of anything until the day before or the day of and then I get all stressed out and whatever.

Yes, I need ideas. Last year I was Mr. Rogers. I'm finding it hard to top that. I think that it was probably my most favorite costume. AND...it was all my idea. But Im not coming up with anything good so I am seeking the help of those much smarter and creative that me. Please. Offer ideas if you have any.

"Happy Birthday To ME!!!!!!" by Mari Cook.

I am a firm believer that birthdays should last longer than the 1 day that is allotted. That is such a waste of celebration time. So, as a solution to this I like to think of my birthday more of a birthweek.

So here is what I have done for my birthweek. It all started last Friday night.

Little background information:
I LOVE trains. I think I inherited that from my father. He is also a fan. They are so cool and I love them.

Ok, on Friday me, Aly, Lexi, the Parents, James, Jerr, Zach, and James' friends Cliffy and Megan all went on the Heber Creeper to do the Haunted Canyon ride. I was anticipating this being a bit more spooky than it was, but it was still fun!! It was definitely kid friendly which explains the very vocal group of 12 year olds that were sitting next to us.

Bless their hearts I wanted to shoot myself. Were they loud you ask? Oh, why yes they were. They will never ever have a problem being heard by anyone.

Anyway. I loved it in spite.

After the train we were a bit hungry. So to solve this predicament we went to Applebees. Now I have recently become a fan of Salmon. I LOVE it. So of course, any restaurant that has it, I will order it. There is nothing significant to me telling you that, I just didn't want to leave anything out.

Applebees was fun. But it was late and I was at the opposite end of the table from everyone, so conversation was sparse. Thank goodness for the salmon. It kept my attention for a while. They were kind enough to bring me a dessert because it was my birthday, but guess what? NO SINGING!! I know, right?! Outrageous! So, thanks to Zach I got a "Happy Birthday" song sung and everyone else got my dessert. Thanks to my lactose intolerance. Love it...

At the end of the rendezvous at the magical world of Applebees I went home. I wish I had more to put there, but I dont. This is where the night ended.

However, I got to start my day bright and early 9 a.m. (dont judge, thats early) with work. And work was awful. My birthweek was off to such a great start only to be shut down by work.

But, I did not let that get me down. I just put on my good attitude hat and just kept swimming.

I went home and had pizza. It made it all better.

Then I got to go to my friend Alex's reception. This is where Im going to stop talking about me and focus a little on Alex.

It was so great to see him so happy. He deserves it. And his wife could not be cuter. I think she is super sweet. Congrats to them!

Ok, back to me. So then we went to Cafe Rio. Now, I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. Not so much anymore. It's not the one place I crave, but I do like an occasional burrito every now and again. So I got one. Well, I shared one with James. I think his feelings are pretty close to mine, but Jerr loves it so he goes. What a good husband!!

Then we went to Zach's for the BYU game. Sadly, I did not watch much of it. I dont really remember what I did...

Saturday was not very much a celebration of my birth. Thats ok. Its good to take a break.

But we're back! Sunday my mom invited everyone over for dessert. It ended up just being me, Abby, Amy and her 2 cute girls! Still fun! They put balloons up and a lovely banner that my niece Maggie, who is 3, let them borrow. The banner was the 12 dancing barbie princess'. Cant beat that. So we had this wonderful dessert. It really was very good. I cant remember what mom called it...maybe a tussle...? I know it wasnt called truffle if thats what youre thinking.

Ok. So that ends Sunday. Not much else happened.

But Monday....DUN DUN DUN....was my BIRTHDAY!!!! I love my birthday. It is so much fun! And this is the first year in a while that I wasnt sad I was getting older. I have learned to embrace your age.

It all started at 12:12am Monday morning. Abby so kindly came and told me that it was my birthday. Of course we both freaked out a little because we do that. The next morning at 7:30 she proceeded to sing "Happy Birthday" in all the languages she knows. It really was quite the show. And Sarah made the most wonderful muffins for me and an acrostic poem too. The poem is now on my wall. I will have to post it on here...its pretty great.

Then at 10:12am Abby sent me an email as well as texts throughout the day. She might have been more excited than I was. Love her! And she made me the most wonderful shape cake ever!!! I will post pictures!!

Started off by going to school. I know, school on your birthday=lame, but I actually didnt really want to miss. Plus, I would be home alone and that is just no way to spend a birthday. So to school I went. My class clapped for my birthday, thanks to the lovely girls running morning meeting :).

Then after class I went home for a little. Relaxing on your birthday is essential. You will never make it through the nights festivities if you dont. So I did. Then, Jerr and I went and got pedicures!!!!! Love 'em. I painted my toes orange and had them put a cute little spider on them for Halloween.

Then!!!! We went to dinner. The parents came down with Alyson, and Jerr and I met James and Zach at Carabas. If you havent been there, go. It is wonderful. And a plug for our waiter...I was never without Mr. Pibb. He is #1.

At the end of the meal they brought out ice cream with fudge on it!! Yum. And...THEY SANG! Of course when I say they I mean my family...But still. I directed them as if they were my own personal choir. Bless them. And I ate my own dessert this time. I decided that I could bare the pain for one night if it meant I got to have fudge. And it was gooooood!

The night came to an end and I bid farewell to the parents and sister who trekked back to Sandy. After, I went to James' for the after party where we got wild and put in Snow White. I know, I know. You may ask why we didnt try to contain ourselves and I can only tell you that it was impossible. We had to do it. End of story.

Actually that really is the end of the story. It has been a great birthweek so far and I can only assume it will continue till the clock strikes 12 on Friday night.

If more adventures are to be done, you will hear of it. I promise you that.

The joys of being an adult...sort of.

So, I am at work. This is the joy that I was refering to in my title. I understand that I have actually been ensalved by this thing they call work since I was 14...but still. All that money was my own and I didnt have to pay anyone anything. That is sooo not the case now. Boo to people taking my money. And what is this having to go to school and whatever. High school was so much easier. The college prep classes I took did no such preping. Nothing like actual college. Pretty sure I did more sleeping than preping. And now I know youre thinking that maybe the reason they didnt help was because I was sleeping. That is entirely false. I slept because I was BORED OUT OF MY MIND!!!! Im just sayin. The whole purpose of this was to say that once again, Im bored. So instead of sleeping I now blog...and I would get fired if I did sleep. I would much rather be asleep. Once again, Im just sayin.

Dear Abby,

OK, so. My sister in law Jerrica texted me a couple weeks ago and asked if I wanted to run a 10K with her. At first I thought she was insane and I only said yes to be nice (Sorry jerr, but its true) Then I thought about how much I hated running, but how I wanted to like it and then I thought that this would be a perfect way to test it out. And its a great goal to work towards. Except I have no idea how to go about doing it...Remember how I said I hated running? Well, that hasnt changed. So, the purpose of this post to ask for advice on how to work towards this goal of ours. What has worked for you? I really want to do this, but its very daunting to think about. Just let me know what you think. Thanks!!

Clarification

Ok, so having read my Chicago post one would think that I had an awful time judging by the first couple days. THAT IS NOT TRUE!!! I dont know why it all came out like that. I really did love it and I loved everything. The people I was with are what made each of those things we did enjoyable. I hope none of you thought that I hated the whole trip. Not true friends. Not true.