Grandma's Dating Advice...

I love this so much.

To: Me

From:  Grandma

I'm not a newspaper reader, nor do I get one in the mail or anything.  So sometimes my grandma will cut out articles she thinks I should read.  For example, I used to go running a lot (more often than I do now) so she casually handed me an article once about a certain running trail in Provo where many girls had been attacked and raped.  Umm... thank you Grandma!  She'll cut out random articles about the Boys & Girls Club or sometimes even job postings, even though I'm not looking for a job.  :)  It's all well-meaning though and I usually just take the article and may or may not even read it.

Last week I mowed my grandma's lawn and while I was still out mowing, she brought the article (shown above) outside and waved it around so I could see it.  I asked her to leave it on the bench and I'd get it when I left.  Well you can imagine my reaction when I opened this big one.  I laughed.  Smiled.  Chuckled.  Oh grandma.  You're adorable.

But you know what I did this time?  I actually read it!  I took it to work with me-- mostly to show the teens what my Grandma had carefully selected for me.  But I surprisingly really enjoyed this article.  It's based off the advice of a woman who has become a national best-seller for her book and now travels all over the place as a motivational speaker and dating coach.  

Her name is Tamara Duricka Johnson and she used to be a writer for Good Morning America.  She was in her 30's, single, and decided to try an experiment of her own:  Go on 31 dates in 31 days and see what came of the adventure.  Doesn't it sound like one of those cheesy chick-flick movies we love?  Well, I would love it.  You know... "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"... "He's Just Not That Into You"... "27 Dresses"... and so on.  Turns out, she went on all the dates and ended up marrying one of those guys... who just so happened to be a student at BYU Hawaii.  *yay*  Yep, Tamara is LDS so that made me all the more interested in this thing.  You can see the website here where she has a blog and other pages about her experience:

31 Dates in 31 Days

In conclusion, I was delighted to discover this story and immediately ordered copies of the book for me AND Cassity.  Haha. :)  Consider me a groupie.  The books should arrive any day now and I am actually quite excited to read about her dating adventures with 31 men.  Imagine that.  All of those "first dates!"  That is non-stop stress if you ask me, but whatev!  That's why she's the dating pro, and I'm still single. :)

Private Blog Updated

I updated my private blog. 

(Link to Bree Unplugged)

That's all. :)

A Musical Fireside... by Bree!

So I've been playing the guitar for 14+ years.  I've played the piano for 25+ years (wow that makes me feel really old).  I've always enjoyed singing.  And I've been writing my own songs for 16+ years.  Quite the musical history in my simple little life, and it is a huge part of me.

But never in my past have I initiated or been asked to do any sort of "musical fireside."  I have certainly performed in various places and settings, and I have done the typical "play and sing around the campfire" kind of ditty.  But my good friend, Kathy Randall (who is the Young Women president in her West Jordan ward) has asked me to come be the "special guest" at their combined YW activity this week.  She wants me to use my songs to teach the girls about the gospel, feeling the Spirit, understanding trials, overcoming obstacles, dealing with relationship struggles, finding a testimony, and enjoying family and friends.  I guess my songs cover a wide variety of topics-- I dunno.  But she believes in me and wants me to share whatever I can bring to the girls in this ward.  I have only met a few of them (Kathy's daughters) so it will be interesting to see what kind of a group I'll have that evening.  And if these girls will even be receptive to my personality and music.

Hopefully it won't be the whole "crickets chirping" awkward moments.  Hopefully I will be natural and comfortable and be inspired to share certain experiences I've had that have taught me life-changing lessons.

I have taken opportunities at my job to share my songs with the teens I work with.  But it will be so much better to be able to share my music in a church setting, where I can bear my testimony and talk about spiritual things.  Granted, not all of my songs are "churchy" and I have some pretty upbeat, happy-go-lucky whatever songs... but I think they will be fitting for a YW activity and something to uplift the girls.

I'm really excited about this opportunity.  I'm excited to feel the power of music and hopefully influence these girls' lives in some way.  And this experience will bless mine in return.  I have tons of homework.  I have so much on my plate.  But I can't pass up an invitation like this!  Who knows... if it goes well, maybe I'll try to do this more often with other groups of young women.  Wish me luck! :)   *Thank you Kathy*

Private Blog UPDATED

Hi All.  I got the idea from my friend to just put a little "shout out" in this blog when I update my other "private" blog.  Since it won't ever show up in a normal blog list, sometimes private blogs get lost in the wilderness of secrets.  Well... there's new stuff in there if you have access.  Dig in!  :)

First Time for Everything

Here's what I love about my job at the Boys & Girls Club.

We get to let these kids have experiences they wouldn't have otherwise.

On Friday it was a no-school day and only a few teens come who have paid the additional "fee."

$20 for the whole year to come on any holiday or closed school days.  (Bargain, 'eh?)

Anyway, we always provide lunch-- usually pizza or something simple.

I asked for their suggestions.

One of them said Olive Garden, as a joke, and we all laughed.

Then my staff mentioned the all-you-can eat bread and salad option for $6.95.

Hmmmm... maybe we could actually do it!

There were only 3 teens at the time.  

It was still morning and I wasn't sure how many others would show up.

Another one came.  Shoot.  Hopefully not too many more or we couldn't afford it.

A few more showed up... but I really wanted to try the Olive Garden option.

One girl has always said Olive Garden is her FAVORITE restaurant.

Then she admitted she'd only eaten there once.

Precious.

I decided we were going to Olive Garden for SURE.

One kid had never been there.

He told me the only "nice" restaurant he'd ever been to was when we took him to IHOP a year or so ago for some special incentive at Club that month.  

Last week I got treats from Wendy's for my "Squad" and some of them had never eaten there before.

Never been to Wendy's?!  How do I take such "luxuries" for granted?

Long story short, the 4 staff and 4 teens hopped in the short bus and went to Olive Garden for lunch.

It was so fun and I loved seeing the excitement in their eyes as they ordered.

The bread sticks are the best part of Olive Garden FOR SURE.  We ate so many.

I got the Never-ending Pasta Bowl and shared some with the teens.

It was absolutely delicious.

We all made sure to do one last "refill" of our entrees so we could have awesome leftovers to take home.

These are always my favorite days working with the teens at the Club.

Taking them somewhere they normally wouldn't go.

Allowing them to indulge a little and just enjoy life.

Staying Entertained on the Highway

I drive 30 minutes one-way every day to get to work.  That's 60 minutes of pure solitary time in my little car. I have learned to love that time to myself and almost always have to have music playing non-stop.  I think I've made the drive in complete silence a time or two when I needed that time to sit in peace... but for the most part the music is on and going strong.

Now that I don't text when I drive :)  I am more dependent on good music.  I recently created a playlist of songs that I can just sing my heart out to!  It's fun to listen to good music but it's even better when I can sing all the words and belt it out like I'm on stage or something.  Here is my latest list of SING THE WHOLE SONG AS LOUD OR DRAMATIC AS I WANT TO songs:

(Not in order by preference)

The Sign-- Ace of Base
From a Distance-- Bette Midler
Two is Better Than One-- Boys Like Girls
Count on Me-- Bruno Mars
Call Me Maybe-- Carly Rae Jepson
Arms-- Christina Perri
Love a Little Stronger-- Diamond Rio
I Will Follow You Into the Dark-- Death Cab for Cutie
Beautiful Mess-- Diamond Rio
One More Day-- Diamond Rio
Cowboy Take Me Away-- Dixie Chicks
Cold Day in July-- Dixie Chicks
Don't Stop Believing-- GLEE version
Over the Rainbow-- GLEE version
Defying Gravity-- GLEE version
Imagine-- GLEE version
True Colors-- GLEE version
We're All in This Together-- High School Musical
Power of Two-- Indigo Girls
Be OK-- Ingrid Michaelson
Giving Up-- Ingrid Michaelson
You and I-- Ingrid Michaelson
Everybody-- Ingrid Michaelson
Maybe-- Ingrid Michaelson
Parachute-- Ingrid Michaelson
I'm Through-- Ingrid Michaelson
The Way I Am-- Ingrid Michaelson
I Won't Give Up-- Jason Mraz
The Climb-- Miley Cyrus
Safe & Sound-- Taylor Swift (Hunger Games)
Back to December-- Taylor Swift
Enchanted-- Taylor Swift
Love Story-- Taylor Swift
White Horse-- Taylor Swift
Teardrops on My Guitar-- Taylor Swift
Marry Me-- Train
Firework-- Katy Perry
In Another Life-- Katy Perry
Lovely-- Sara Haze
Love Song-- Sara Bareilles
Speak Now-- Taylor Swift
What I've Been Looking For-- High School Musical
Breaking Free-- High School Musical
Oh Happy Day-- Sister Act 2
February Song-- Josh Groban

In all reality, the list could go on and on and on.  Those are just random songs I pulled onto the list when I was inspired to sing my whole way home the other night.  I just set my iPod on shuffle and the concert begins. :)  Do you sing out any of those songs?  I'm sure you do. :)

Skinny Jeans... What's Your Opinion?

"Eeewwwww" was my first response to skinny jeans.  I was on my mission (4 years ago) when a past companion of mine called me all excited about her purchase on P-Day:  Skinny Jeans at Wal-mart!  Gross.  First of all-- who cares about fashion on the mission?  Not me.  But this Sister did, and she rocked it.  But skinny jeans were barf to me.  And I told her that all the time.  

Then I got home from my mission and started working at the Boys & Girls Club (2009).  I noticed a few girls wearing skinny jeans and was shocked that some girls who really shouldn't wear skinny jeans were definitely wearing them.  Every day.  And I thought, "Really?"  It was even more weird when I noticed the trend switching over for boys too.  Your typical "baggy pants" skater boys were suddenly wearing tight, tapered pants.  I remember the first time I noticed this as I watched some boys play basketball at the Club.  "What... are... those... pants he's wearing?"  Weird.  It was all so weird to me.

Then I went to the "Dew Tour" in Salt Lake City where all these skaters and BMX bikers competed against each other (2011).  They were all wearing skinny jeans and FOR THE FIRST TIME skinny jeans made sense:  Since the pants were tight against their legs, their pants wouldn't get all caught up in the pedals or spokes of the bike like baggy pants would.  But it's still ridiculous how some boys sag their skinny jeans because then it just looks plain dumb.  Justin Bieber.  But whatev.  :)  

Okay.  So I finally got used to skinny jeans and slowly observed how skinny jeans and furry winter boots were a cute style.  I could maybe do that one day.  But I vowed to never wear skinny jeans with those flat girly shoes because that's just not my style.  I don't own any of those cute flats... nor do I think I'd ever buy them.  I've gone on rants about girly shoes before.  Don't get me started on heels.  Barf.

Well last year I came to the realization that I was in my 30's, still wearing jeans and a T-shirt to work every day.  It was completely normal to me... and probably more than anything-- it was comfortable.  But there I was surrounded by teens who were super fashionable and made me look like crap.  Not like I need to compete with 16 yr olds... but in a way they inspired me to care about myself more-- or at least try to look nicer and more appropriate for certain occasions.  

That was also during the trend when people put fake feathers in their hair.  All my Club teens had one and I just cringed and said, "Yuck, I'll never do that."  They kept trying and trying to get me to do it but I refused.  I don't like anything in my hair.  But I promised them that I would wear skinny jeans before ever putting a feather in my hair. 

Christmas break (2011) rolled around and I was shopping at home in Pennsylvania.  Somehow I felt ever so inspired to look for skinny jeans.  What?! And I found a pair on sale that fit nicely.  They were actually quite comfortable which was really surprising to me.  It was like this little "Bree transformation" took place over that week back home and I was so excited to come back to Utah with my new look.  

It was official.  I owned skinny jeans.  

Then I bought cute boots to wear with them.  And I liked them!  Surprise surprise.

So I've swallowed my pride a little and I'm not such a skinny jeans hater anymore.  I've worn them on several occasions.  In the summer time I rolled them up a little and wore them with flip flops or cute summery shoes. And every time, without fail, someone at work says, "Look at you in your skinny jeans! I love it!"  And I just smile and say thanks!  Well... it's more like I do a little jig and show off a little, but whatever.

I currently own 2 pairs of skinny jeans.  Woa, woa, calm down. I know!  I'm looking forward to wintery boot weather because they look the cutest that way.

Today one of the teens (who is a little insecure and not usually one who cares about fashion) said to me, "Hey Bree... I'll wear my skinny jeans tomorrow if you wear your's."  I said, "YES!!"  and then announced to everyone else in the room. "Tomorrow is skinny jeans day!  Wear your skinny jeans!"  Did I ever imagine myself saying that?  Ever?  No way.  And granted, there are people out there who already wear skinny jeans every day because they can rock the look.  But as for me... I will only wear skinny jeans when I feel like it.

And for now... I'll be wearing them tomorrow.  :)