Grams

For Christmas this year we are making a book of our favorite memories of my Grandma Oka (cousin Harmony's idea). Grams is turning 90 on January 22nd. This is one of my favorite memories of her!

I consider myself the luckiest of all the grandchildren. I get to share the one day a year that is all about me with my grandma. As far as I know I have only spent one birthday away from her in 24 (soon to be 25) years.

My earliest birthday memories are of Grams taking me to McDonalds for dinner. This is something that my grandpa would do and for a short time Grams carried on the tradition.

Grams and I have spent our birthday in a few different places. Once was in Las Vegas at the Hesley's house. Others were had over Sunday dinner and TV at Grams house. Most birthdays were spent with family. And of course all had cake.

The cake is my birthday present to Grams. For years now the tradition has been that I make the cake and Grams makes the dinner (usually my favorite, turkey, scalloped potatoes, and rice). Recently the dinner menu has changed, but nothing will ever compare to sharing my birthday with Grams.

I have been so lucky being able to share this with her and I look forward to each and every year!

Weekly Family Dinner

We have recently started having a weekly family dinner at my sisters house. It's never the same day (usually whatever day works with everyone's schedule). Cousin Hannah (also my roommate) and cousin Hali come also. I have really grown fond of these dinners. It's fun to hang out and reminisce the good old days of Sunday dinners at grandmas.

It's also nice to have real homemade food. The only other time I eat food that is not microwavable, boilable, or fast food is when I eat at Lincoln's house and his grandma cooks. We have become quite the little chefs at these dinners. This week's was chicken manicotti. After Halloween we used the pumpkins to make real pumpkin pie! It was yummy (my mother would be proud)!

Funny story, a few weeks ago we were having dinner (keep in mind that Lincoln comes to these dinners). I said a blessing on the food and mentioned something about family AND friends. After the prayer Hannah said something to the effect of, Was that friend part necessary? We're pretty much all family at this point! YAY! That makes me happy!

Happy Thanksgiving

So Thanksgiving is a great time to remember all the things you're thankful for. Well here is one that I'm thankful for....



Lincoln and I were wrestling (first mistake) he's bigger than me (second mistake, note: not stronger...just bigger). Well when push comes to shove I got shoved into a wooden chair, hence the black eye.

So I'm thankful I have a hard enough head to stop me!

3 jobs and an illness

So even thought I had two jobs (Texas Roadhouse & Bed, Bath & Beyond)I decided to go to an interview at Iggies. I just wanted to see if it would be a better option than Texas Roadhouse. Well I went and got a second interview and then I got the job.

After deliberating I decided to take the job and see how it worked out. If it didn't I wouldn't stay and if it did I would quit Texas Roadhouse. So I worked three jobs for a week and half. And at first thought I might keep all three, but then I got sick.

I thought it was the common cold. But it wasn't getting any better. So I went to the doctor who told me that I either had a bad sinus infection or mono again. He gave me an antibiotic for the sinus infection and said if it wasn't better to come back in a week. I'm still feeling about the same, but hoping it's only a sinus infection.

Well being sick made me realize that working three jobs is not so fun. I would probably make about the same amount at both jobs. My decision was made based how well they would work with my other schedule. So I chose to stay at Iggies and quit Texas Roadhouse.

I feel good about the decision. And I think it will work out really well for me. So now I have two jobs again. And I still work a lot but it's good I enjoy it.

Update

Here is an update on Lincoln and me. Well not so much of an update (we're still dating) I just really like this picture.
Hannah is part of this game that you lie face down anywhere and take a picture. Lincoln and I where helping her on day and she wanted one on the 'A'. Then we forced Lincoln to take a kissing picture.

New Job

So I got another new job the other day. I wasn't getting scheduled very much at Texas Roadhouse, so I heard of an opening at Bed Bath and Beyond. I had a friend that works there, so I used her as a reference. They interviewed me and offered me a job all in the same day. I've only started training, but it seems like I'm going to like it.

The funny thing is that I received a call from Iggie's yesterday for another job that I was offered right when I started at Texas Roadhouse, but didn't take. They're doing more hiring, but I don't really want three jobs so I told them no.

I find it interesting that 5 months ago I was unemployed now I have 2 jobs. A month ago I had a totally different job in which I was offered an manager position. Not to mention I'm still getting phone calls about other jobs. Like Kim said. When it rains it pours.

Texas Roadhouse

The new job is going good. It's been lots of fun (other than the line dancing). The people are all really nice and fun to work with.

Here's an article from channel 4 news about the restaurant.

New Logan restaurant dedicates all profits to charity

LOGAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A new Texas Roadhouse restaurant opens on Monday in Logan, but this Utah location won't make a dime for the Louisville-based company. All the profits go to charity.

It's the first restaurant of its kind in the country, with all profits dedicated to help those less fortunate.

The charity is called Andy's Outreach, a program that helps Texas Roadhouse employees and their families in need ("Andy" is the company's cartoon armadillo mascot).

The roots of Andy's Outreach are born of tragedy.

A few years ago, Texas Roadhouse CEO G.J. Hart was attending a training seminar at the company headquarters in Louisville. While there, he met a 5-year veteran dishwasher named James Bryan, a deaf man and father to five children. He was impressed with Bryan and found out what an inspiration he was to all his co-workers. A few weeks after meeting Bryan, Hart learned the beloved employee had died from a heart attack, and organized an effort to pay for his funeral and help his surviving family members. Hart and others did more than help with family finances; the group eventually put all 5 children through college.

Since Bryan's death, the company charity has grown through employee contributions and other fund raisers, while helping hundreds of family members through some tough times. Eligible employees can get financial assistance when a child is born or when there is a death in the family.

Why Logan?

According to company representatives, Logan was one of several possibilities to become the principal provider for Andy's Outreach. Several economic and market factors went into choosing Logan over other potential new locations, but it wasn't until Texas Roadhouse brass flew into the Cache Valley that Logan got the final nod.

According to Texas Roadhouse managers, the company takes pride in taking care of its own, even during times of recession or economic downturn.

The store opens on Monday September 21, 2009, but several hundred invitees showed for an open house on Friday the 18th.

Those who attended were treated to the Texas Roadhouse tradition of several line-dancing performances by servers and other employees surrounded by big screen TVs and Texas-style decorations.

One decoration unique to the Logan restaurant is a mural hanging over the bar depicting the late James Bryan, flanked by Hart and others - a constant reminder of the special mission of a special restaurant where Cache Valley residents can go to forget their own troubles for a while, and ease the troubles of people they will most likely never meet.

There are more that 300 Texas Roadhouse locations across the country, but only one does a little more than provide steaks, drinks and a little atmosphere.

It's a special restaurant, and it's in a special place: Logan, Utah.

Homecoming

Click on picture to enlarge.



So this is the picture that got sent out on a postcard to 10,000+ Alumni. It can also be found on the homecoming website and the USU home page. Kim informed me that it will be a half page add in the Herald Journal as well...

Let me just tell you how much I HATE this picture. It's horrible!!! I post it so the few of you who have not had the opportunity to see it may. I know I take some pretty bad pictures but I think this one tops them all. Enjoy!

NEW JOB!

So about a month ago I applied for a job at the new Texas Roadhouse in Logan. Two weeks ago they told me I did not get the job. I was a little disappointed. At this point I was taking lots of hours at Cafe Sabor in Bear Lake and was doing a lot of driving (I blame Lincoln). Needless to say it was getting old and less fun.

Well on Saturday the owner of Cafe Sabor sat me down and offered me a manager position. The restaurant is staying open on the weekends through the winter and I would be managing a few shifts a week. I would get paid more, but do to the new store hours my shifts would be cut drastically.

Jobs in Logan are hard to come by once the students come back, so my chances of getting a job here were slim. I weighed the pros and cons. Driving through the winter would not be fun. I would be getting a new boss to which I did not get along with very well. Less hours; off season, so less people. The plus side I would get a raise. I could work a few shifts at the Logan Cafe Sabor (helping with the 'less hours' issue). I would be getting manager experience. I would have a job.

So when it came down to it I knew that I would never quite unless I found something else first. And so I decided to stay up there and take the promotion, even if it wasn't ideal. I would work up there till the snow came and then reevaluate.

Well two days later I get an interesting phone call from the manager at Texas Roadhouse. He basically said that if I still wanted the job and could start today it was mine. I told him I didn't really know, so he told me to come in and talk to him. Well out comes the pros and cons again. This time the only major con would be giving up the manager opportunity.

So I went in and talked to him and decided that it would be a good thing for me. I accepted the job and he told me that I started training in two hours (the store's grand opening is Monday). So in that two hour break I called my boss from Cafe Sabor and quit.

I no longer work in Bear Lake, but I'm fine with that. I have training everyday this week for about five hours a day. It's a lot to take in, but I think it will be lots of fun. Today was a little overwhelming but good. I will say that one of the negatives is that I have to line dance. Yep that's right if you ever come to eat there you will probably see me dancing! Oh boy!

It has been one long day. I got hired, quit one job, and started the other one all in just a few short hours. I should probably go to be now. But I am really excited about my new job!!

Blogging

So people are always asking me why I don't blog more. I have come to the conclusion that I just don't have that interesting of a life. No kids, no school, boring job, etc. I guess I am dating someone. But he hates when I take pictures, so I don't have anything to show. I guess I could talk about him more...here it goes.

Lincoln and I spend a lot of time together. Hannah and Kim would probably tell you that we do everything together. However, this is not true...we just do A LOT together. I think it's a good thing that I'm not sick of him yet! Hannah calls us Trincoln and considers him a third roommate. I just think Hannah never sees me and when she does he just happens to be around. Or maybe it's because he lives with his grandparents so hanging out at his house isn't that fun. I don't know, but I enjoy spending time with him.

We went to the Utah vs Utah State football game yesterday. That was pretty fun. The Aggies lost but that's ok...I don't know that anyone thought they would win. I am so excited for college sports to start again. I love going to see the Aggies play. We went to a volleyball game the other day. It was against BYU so the win was that much sweeter! Basketball is what I"m really excited for, but that wont be for a few months.

Now I'm just rambling trying to find things to talk about. I've got nothing....that's how boring my life is! Oh well, I'll blog again when I have something good to say.

Update

So I'm moving out tomorrow. I love living with kim but it's time for some space. But I'm living with Hannah and I'm really excited about it. Still working at Cafe Sabor in Bear Lake. That's going well. Not much else just trying to have a fun summer!

Here are some more pictures of what I've been doing....

A few of Lincoln and me




The most decent picture of us I have. We both struggle a little bit!


My friend Tess and I just having fun.


Every summer we go to a Bees game. It's a fun tradition we started a few years ago. They do fireworks after some of the games. We really enjoyed going.


Merica and Me at the Bees game. She is moving to Virginia on Tuesday. I will miss her lots! Love you


The girls having fun bowling

Summer Fun

People keep telling me I need to blog more. Here is my attempt. These are some pictures of things I've been doing this summer.

Anyone who comes over to Grandma Oka's house has to ride the carts down the hill...it's tradition. Lincoln didn't like this tradition. I think it's because I won every race!


Bowling with a bunch of friends from Logan. Notice the trophies. That's right I got one!


Rock Band at night on a 20 foot screen


Volleyball at grandma Oka's house is one of my favorite summer past times


Hannah and I lighting fireworks on the 24th of July

The Boy

I thought about all the jokes I could come up with using his name in the title but I will refrain.....

So everyone keeps asking me about this boy I'm dating, so I guess I will make it official...

Lincoln Andraesen is his name. He's 23, 6 foot, blond hair, blue eyes.....ok you can probably figure that out from the picture.

I met him playing volleyball. There is a group of us that play about 3 times a week, so we got to know each other that way. Hannah has since join the volleyball group and we all love her (just a side note).

We've been dating just over a month now. And NO we haven't talked marriage. We are both just going with the flow and seeing how things turn out. So please don't ask....THANKS!

He's a biology major graduating next spring and maybe on to medical school after that. He has taken the MCAT and is awaiting his scores. Med school isn't a definite plan it's just the plan for now.

Here is a picture of us it's not the best but it's the only one we have so far. It was taken after a day of boating so neither of us look very good (you can't really see him anyway). Oh and notice the really intense Rubiks Cube I am trying to solve!!!

Anyway that's Lincoln! It must be official if I just blogged about it!

Pacman

I found this on Youtube. Here are some of my favorite things about it...

1. All the people in the library staring, laughing and going back to there work like nothing happend
2. Pacman screaming for his life
3. The Ghost and his waka waka's
4. The sharp turns that both of them make
5. How fast they seem to be running without using any arms

I am dead set on doing this in the USU library during finals week.

Finger

So I had to post these. Sorry for the graphic pics.

For those of you who were not at my family party this is what happens when you use a Japanese cutting tool (mandoline I think) and don't use the guard. Oops. We'll see if it grows back!

Update

So here is my life as of recent....

I'll start with the good stuff...boys.

Well that update was easy. But really I'm not dating anyone nor am I interested in anyone. They say love is blind right? Well it must be. Every person of the male gender that I have met recently seem to be the biggest losers. Now I'm not saying all men are losers just the available ones. So I think in order for me to find a guy that I'm actually okay with dating there has to be some higher power involved.

Don't worry though I have much more to worry about then boys. Like my business.
Things are actaully going really well. I have had a lot of help from people and so things seem to be fitting into place.

I working on getting the funding and hope to have that accomplished in the next few weeks. We have set our projected open date for the middle of August. This means we have a lot of work to do, but also that we have something a little more tangible to look forward to. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and saying my prayers and I couldn't be more excited.

Let's see what else. Oh my church calling. I am an FHE group leader. AKA: Mom. it's been fun for the most part. We've done rock band parties and dutch oven. Here's a picture of us dressed up for rock band. I look kind of scary. We made our outfits that day. People were impressed.




I have more updates. but given the hour I'm going to go to be. I'll finish later.

Purses

So for Easter we are making watches and doing all sorts of girlie things. If you would like to learn how to make a purse out of place mats I would be glad to show you. Just buy your favorite place mat(s) and bring them to grams house. I will have everything else you will need. It should be lots of fun.

Oh and if you have a sewing machine you can bring that too. I don't know how much we will be doing, but it might be good to have just in case. See you then!!!

Friends

Remember when you were younger and life seemed so hard. Well I pretty sure it was easy. The other day I was talking to my roommate Merica about friends. We were discussing how funny friendship used to be when you were younger. You lived life from day to day or even recess to recess. If something was planned ahead it was a HUGE deal and that's all you could think about.

Remember how you picked your friends based on who wanted to jump rope at recess. And you couldn't be friends with someone who wanted to play hopscotch. Remember how you had a new best friend everyday. And how you would only sit with the people who had chocolate milk at lunch. Remember when you would fight with a friend and the next day forget that the fight ever happened. Remember when you and your friends would coordinate outfits. Remember how hard life seemed to be, but looking back it all seems silly.

I asked Merica why people don't treat friendship like this anymore. Obviously we have grown out of sitting by people who only drink chocolate milk. But why aren't we as forgiving as children. Or why can't we still think boys have cooties. Why do we have to grow up and plan things two months in advance. Now I know that we have responsibilities and we have more things to worry about. But wouldn't it be nice to go to recess once and awhile? When you're a kid you can't wait to grow up and now that I'm grown up I just want to play like a kid again. Isn't it ironic.

So to share a story that totally fits in with being a kid again...

The other day I was at Kim and Cory's. The kids have these new Puma socks (just a brand with a little tiger pic on them) That's all they can talk about. "Aunt Tracey, these are my new Puma socks." It makes me laugh. So Cory and I were getting them ready to load up in the car. I'm putting their shoes on and they just keep telling me about their Puma socks. So being a mean aunt I said to Bradley, "Those aren't Puma socks." He looked at me really confused and said "Yes, Puma socks." I said no and this went back and forth a couple of times.

Then Bradley gets this look on his face. And he starts balling. I mean hysterically crying. Well Laney looks at him and starts crying too. I'm laughing so hard I can't control myself. Cory comes upstairs and wants to know what happen. I tell him and he looks at Bradley an says "Yes, those are your Puma socks. Aunt Tracey is just teasing you." Well that seemed to satisfy them both and they stopped crying.

Now I know you're thinking I'm mean. And yes I am, but what made me laugh is that they were just socks. Does it matter what kind of socks they are? Then I thought life is so hard at that age. You get upset over socks. But oh how I wish that's all the worries I had in life.

Puma socks. Who would have thought.

Hey Baby Lets Go To VEGAS!!!

Spring Break was last week and I decided to go. I mean why not? I was supposed to go to Phoenix and see a bunch of Spring Training games, but that didn't work out. So instead I went with my roommate to Vegas! We mostly just walked around and took pictures (We were having fun with the camera). We stayed one night at the Luxor and went to Blue Man Group. It was super fun. But I'm glad to be home even though I am leaving again tomorrow to go to Boise to see the Aggies play!!!! Gotta have fun while I can I guess!

Something Fun

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

Restrictions:
1 - I get to give you anything I want to give you.
2 - But it will be just for you.
3 - You'll receive it by the end of March
4 - You must re-post this on your blog and offer the same giveaway to 5 people.
5 - Don't forget to take a picture of what you get.

Great Minds Think Alike

So these are the awesome glasses that I got from Burger King. As you can see Merica is sporting the BK Crown. Anyway I thought it was funny that Harm has the same pair of glasses. Not only that but she has pictures wearing them too. I guess great minds do think alike!

Purse Party

Didn't they turn out so cute!

Merica and I went to enrichment where we learned how to make these really cute purses. All it is is a place mat. I would like to have a Purse Party!!! Everyone can just find a cute place mat that they like and bring it. I think it would be super fun. Let me know what you think and we will pick a day to have it!!!

Bull Pen

So the business is coming. We've been crunching numbers and things are starting to work. But it's all just estimations. We wont really know until our doors open.

Let me give you a little idea of the experience you will have when you come to The Bull Pen...

When you walk in our doors you will immediately find yourself in a comfortable restaurant all "Aggied" up. On one side you will see the dinning area and the other couches and Luv Sacks (places to lounge). In the middle you will see pool tables and dart boards. Everything will be in Aggie Blue (not to be mistaken by the new "BYU Blue"). You will automatically feel as though you are a part of Utah State University. GO AGGIES.

When you decide to order food...which you will....everything on the menu will be under $5. But it will be the best $5 food you've ever had. Now I know you are thinking you don't want a "college food" or even fast food, but this will be different. Think hamburgers but the good kind you make at home and buffalo wings, or should I say Big Blue Hot Wings. This is only the beginning. You will have to come to find out the rest.

Now lets talk entertainment. So you come and eat our awesome food and maybe hang out little while you're there, but what are you going to do on those boring Saturday nights. Maybe come to an open mic night, see a comedian, listen to live bands, or maybe catch the student film festival.

If this sounds like fun to you than The Bull Pen is the place to go. Okay I know that was a little bit of advertising, but it's going to be awesome!!! I don't really have a time line of when we expect to be opening. The great thing is that we EXPECT to be opening!!! Yes I think this really might happen!!! YAY

24 and loving it

This year I had two birthday parties. One with my friends in Logan. We went to the bar...notice how we are all drinking water? And the other one was shared with my Grandma Oka. It's always fun to blow out the candles with her.

Roommates

When boredom hits there's nothing better than hanging out with your roommies!













Andrea, Me, Merica