Receli

what will happen if prop 8 fails?

2008-10-25T20:20:00.001-07:00

I love California but...

2008-10-25T20:07:00.001-07:00

Why is there a coming out day in Elementary Schools?

Since when do we teach sexuality in elementary schools?

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/oct/08102306.html

prop 8 continued...

2008-10-25T20:04:00.001-07:00

I am surprised at how much has already changed in Massachussetts in such a short time period.

http://www.massresistance.org/docs/marriage/effects_of_ssm.html

Yes on Prop 8

2008-10-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

I have been reading up more on the issue and really am surprised at how much our schools will be allowed to teach our children if Prop 8 fails.

Already there are field trips to go to gay weddings during school for kindergarteners... and more stuff has been going on in Massachussetts.

Read up on the issues for yourself.

http://www.protectmarriage.com/

So... I got engaged and

2008-10-02T09:49:00.000-07:00

married in the past two months since my last post. It has been crazy but wonderful!! I haven't quite decided what I want to do with this blog and the new one that we started as a "family" So, I guess we will all find out soon enough :)

Our other blog is skylerrachel.blogspot.com

Any suggestions with what to do with each of the blogs cause I don't want them to be repetitious :)

Flagstaff

2008-08-09T05:07:00.001-07:00

I really loved how quiet and beautiful Flagstaff Arizona was.

Bliss...

2008-07-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

So, I am sitting on a couch with my laptop wearing Xyience sweats and a red sequin tank top.

I am watching Step Up 2 with all of its bad acting and AMAZING dancing.

I have a basket of laundry for me to fold while I watch.

I think that chips and salsa are to come... along with ice cream...

The 3-person party involved an additional 7 people...

Did I mention great hip hop music?

Shannon is in her coordinating tank top and so is Allison even though she isn't even here.

Oh Girls' night... isn't it great?

Trips...

2008-07-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking a lot about trips recently... I think it is because I have been traveling so much for the past 1 1/2 years... it seems like I have been constantly going...

These are some of the things I have learned:

You can almost always just buy what you have forgotten at home...

You really don't need to ever unpack your traveling toiletries bag...

You should buy a traveling pillow... great for planes, cars, and even when you are staying in dorms whose pillows are flat.

Comfortable shoes are a must. Don't forget bandaids...

Powerbars are really helpful inbetween meals or before you know where to buy things...

No matter how cool and collected you think you look... people know you are a tourist.

You need to unpack before you pack again...

Not checking luggage and checking in online... means really easy travel :)

Driving takes longer... but you can stop whenever you want and aren't surrounded by strangers...

So, I am headed on another trip on Friday... Orange County and Arizona. I should have fun pictures when I get back :)

The Hansen Family

2008-07-30T10:49:00.003-07:00

I realized that using that tiny picture didn't let anyone see anyone in the picture. So, here goes again...

The baby girls

2008-07-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post pics of the new baby girls.

Malia Mae Durrant

Emma Noelle Silvester

My family is growing... this is after Malia's blessing in Modesto.

SORRY!!

2008-07-30T10:26:00.000-07:00

I have been a little distracted from my blog.

Since I last wrote...

I went to Orange county once.

I went to Modesto twice.

I turned in my thesis.

I got my computer back after 2 months.

And then there is this boy...

Pink is for little girls

2008-06-23T19:26:00.000-07:00

So, my sister, Malissa, helped me figure out how to change my blog and do fancy stuff... so I made it pink in celebration of my two new baby neices!

So... time flies when you are writing and defending a thesis...

2008-06-12T16:46:00.001-07:00

I guess that is why it has been two months since I wrote a post. :)

I am having fun and about to embark on a lovely baby road trip.

More details to come.

Funny survey...

2008-04-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night? Casey really tried...
2. What were you doing at 0800?
3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? watching Miss Texas win Miss USA!
4. What happened to you in 2006? I moved to Sierra apartments :)
5. What was the last thing you said out loud? "Have fun!" as Allison walked out the door.
6. How many beverages did you have today? coke, water, coke, water, water
7. What color is your hairbrush? I don't have one... but my new comb is blue
8. What was the last thing you paid for? a junior bacon cheeseburger and chicken nuggets
9. Where were you last night? Interviews, dinner group, Taco Bell, Wal-mart, Shannon's room :)
10. What color is your front door? from inside it is white...
11. Where do you keep your change? in a green bowl.
12. What’s the weather like today? it was snowing... then warm.
13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? So not a fair question especially since they all sound good since I have been "off" dairy for 5 days now!!
14. What excites you? people
15. Do you want to cut your hair? yes and get it colored :)
16. Are you over the age of 25? Yep!
17. Do you talk a lot? Yep!
18. Do you watch the O.C.? Nope!
19. Do you know anyone named Steven? My mom's brother. And Steve Elms...
20. Do you make up your own words? TOTALLY!! pludging for example :)
21. Are you a jealous person? only with ex-boyfriends....
22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Allison, Analee
23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘S’. Shannon
24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? Noallcell
25. What does the last text message you received say? "Save us a spot by you."
26. Do you chew on your straw? not habitually... but I am sure I have.
27. Do you have curly hair? naturally yes.
28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? my bed when I got to sleep
29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? WOW... loaded question...
30. What was the last thing you ate? part of a peanut butter cookie...
31. Will you get married in the future? I think that involves a two-person decision... not just mine...
32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? Kite-runner
33. Is there anyone you like right now? Totally...
34. When was the last time you did the dishes? I think I put a few away yesterday.
35.Are you currently depressed? sometimes
36. Did you cry today? no.
37. Why did you answer and post this? cause I have very little text on my blog...
38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey: well, only like 2 people read this blog...

Eriola came to visit!

2008-04-06T12:05:00.000-07:00

We hung out...

We went shopping...

We went to the mission reunion...

We went to conference....

AAAL 2008

2008-04-06T11:52:00.000-07:00

The chinatown bus was fun! I saw the immaculate conception cathedral...

The cherry blossoms were beautiful....

The hotel was gorgeous....

Wendy was really helpful as always...

I did my hair just like Jordan or Larkin would want me too....

I loved all of the little shops around the hotel...

New York New York...

2008-04-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

I stayed in Harlem and Inwood.

I saw The Little Mermaid

I went to the New York Public Library...

Museum of Natural History,

Central Park...

The Met....

It was great!!

Movie night...

2008-04-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Every girl needs a chance to dress up!

We even did our hair!

So, we have some interesting guy friends...

Some more...

more....

Sewing projects...

2008-04-06T11:09:00.001-07:00

I have been sewing again...

Including aprons...

A giant fleece fish...

A sequinned tie....

A princess pillow...

My hair is growing...

2008-03-19T15:40:00.001-07:00

So, it has been a year... and look how much it has grown...

Reno

2008-03-18T20:26:00.001-07:00

We flew out Thursday night to Reno.
Larkin and Rachel Bailey were twinners in pinkish sweaters.
Greg and I were twins in TX shirts... go ORANGE!
We checked in that night at Circus Circus.
We joked with pilots about giving sandbags as romantic gifts to women....
Then we stayed up late to start out powerpoint presentation for the following day...
Greg has great ideas!!
Then

Well, there was a lot of stuff....
....

This is Larkin's summary: The BYUGSS presidency went to the NAGPS Western Regional conference at the University of Nevada - Reno. They were wonderful hosts and have a beautiful campus with an impressive graduate student lounge . . . We stayed at Circus Circus, which wasn't as sketchy as I originally imagined. We were on a smoke free floor, so that was really great. On the first day of the conference we presented about designing events that match the university's graduate student population. It was thrown together the night before… it was great. We even had matching outfits! To reward ourselves for a long hard day at the conference, we played the night away! They had a bunch of carnival games that we played. It was extra fun because we got a bunch of 2 for 1 tickets -- so I guess it was twice as fun :) We found this camel racing game that was a mix between skeeball and a race. All four of us could play/compete at once. In the same area of the hotel, these circus shows would just randomly start. They were hilarious. We saw a juggling act, trapeeze artists, and a bendy person.

What is a blog?

2008-03-06T17:02:00.001-08:00

So, I know that most people get that a blog is something that people write... I also get that I really just write random phrases and put pictures with them. It is a sort of online mediocre journal!! Well, I guess that is better than nothing, right? So, as I was just sitting in cubicleland I was thinking to myself, do I have something to blabber about? The answer was, not really.

Two weeks ago, when I was talking to a friend he told me that ALL I needed in this stage of my life is a puppy and a blog. Meaning that a puppy could sit with me, cuddle up and give me the physical love that I needed. The blog would allow me to talk and share my feelings, thoughts, and concerns. He said, who needs a significant other?

I guess this would be perfect except that I rent an apartment and I can't have a puppy... plus sometimes I really like to be introverted and not worry about helpless creatures... so maybe a puppy is too big of a commitment for me. Which leaves me with this blog.

Let's be honest. I think like 3 people can even access my blog. those same 3 people talk to me already... so.. I don't know how much this helps. Plus, I fear having such a concrete, somewhat form of my thoughts... they can be scary sometime.

So, I guess the solution is that I am just going to have to play with other people's puppies and continue to talk in person or on the phone... Life seems pretty good. I just need to find a cute puppy to borrow when needed....

Fun times back in UT!

2008-03-04T22:31:00.000-08:00

Post DC trip:
Shooting pains in my foot...
Parking ticket
limping... "don't favor that foot!"
"I don't do lights"
"Well, if my foot is gonna hurt anyway, I might as well wear cute shoes!!"
"Then we saw camels..."
"In order to see the speaker, you need to hire a light specialist!"

"It seems like you have done this before"- X-ray guy
"I have never had one before" -me

"Dr., what is the official diagnosis?" -nurse
"Let's call it a possible hairline fracture..." -podiatrist

Step up 2, Step up, Cougarettes, New hip hop music!
Zupas, Panda Express, popcorn, brownies, homemade cake…
Karaoke, Red roses, $60 bouquet of miscellaneous flowers
“Hi Adam… my party is next Saturday!”
Buying my next plane ticket to the east coast
Needing additional data for my thesis J
Going to 2 malls and spending 3 hours to find matching shirts!

The week of love...

2008-02-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

This is the week of love...

The East Coast

2008-02-13T22:31:00.001-08:00

Eating cincinnati chili in the airport.

Eating dunkin donuts in the airport.

Walking a few miles over the course of 2 hours to see Lincoln, the white house, the reflection pool...

Spending quality time at UPS.

Explaining how to use a flashdrive to a worker at the public library.

Eating cold pizza for 4 meals in a row.

Tucking my black pants into my white socks and tennis shoes.

Crunchy hair.

Riding the metro for the first time and trying to look like I know what I am doing.

Reading "How to win friends and influence people" on my way to see Orrin's Hatch's staff.

Eating a super chicken burrito with black beans as it busts open spills, leaks, and all that good stuff.

Trying to explain my plans for Valentine's day.

Flying through the night.

Changing into a suit in the public restroom at the Atlanta airport while it is being cleaned.

Telling the employee at the Whole Foods Store that it is really only

9:56pm. 10pm is the official time of closing.

Organic soy crunch.

Watching one paper print for like 4 minutes.

Talking about the ambiguity between substantial and sufficient.

Carrying around my job applications for 3 days.

Taking a taxi almost everywhere.

Drinking lots of water.

Ben and Jerrys.

Remembering where my car was parked.

Talking about Martin Luther King Day.

Seeing Obama supporters on every other corner.

Tempered Concert

2008-01-27T23:27:00.000-08:00

It was super fun... especially after the high school bands ended!

The Weekend of Martin Luther King Day!

2008-01-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty comprehensive list of the memorable weekend:

FRIDAY
Morning:
Waited for BYU takeout to pick up stuff at my cubicle
Interview and setting apart as ordinance worker with Pres Batemen (provo temple pres)
Bought new prescription
Afternoon:
Taught my class
Met with USC about the "Redefine Service" video
Stake luau:
The flyer... I mean... no flyer
gross ham sandwiches
Assorted pink and red punches
stealing food from outside of the line
mint brownies
Unintentionally freaking out Mike Allred- he was having a lonely day since his fiancee is gone
Night one with people we don't know:
dollar theater
August Rush
Andrew Brandt
Ghiradelli chocolate squared with caramel
Funny boy who won a scholarship he didn't apply for.
Shan... Shan... Shan...
So, how do you know each other... uh....
Late night:
Ice cream in my bedroom
Hearing about Allison’s date.
Organizing the Rachel Hansen family (including Shan and Allison)
First family scripture study

Spicy fries and Chili cheese fries... from the best place on earth... Sconecutter!
Robots... the amazing movie!! I actually fell asleep... I haven't done that since Anne of Green Gables in 8th grade
Slumber party on the couches with Allison

SATURDAY
Morning:
Sleeping in
Expense report for NAGPS trip to DC
Oregon Trail
Afternoon:
Baxter's reception in Alpine

Buying Valentine's Day presents in style... if you know what I mean...
CPK- California Pizza Kitchen dinner... Thai crunch salad, Greek pizza, Chicken Tandoori pizza

Wrapping Valentine's Day presents!! :)
Night:
Kristi (Allison's sister that we hadn't met yet) had a party
Guy with black nail polish... cookies...
Night with Nori
Sequins
WalMart
Step up... and the dance routine
Aquiring Valentine's costumes...
Veggie tray continued...

SUNDAY
Morning:
Record breaking speed (getting ready and in church in 24 min)
Church
Afternoon:
Naps
french toast with jam... french toast with peanut butter
Night:
Hometeachers
XXXL shirts
wrapping presents
Ward Prayer spotlight with coordinating shirts...

Christmas Letter (Disclaimer: The tables weren't able to convert over... )

2008-01-14T06:45:00.000-08:00

“The Letter 2007”

This is the official Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year/ Hi to everyone I haven’t talked to in a year/ Watch out you might get a graduation announcement in a few months/ If I write a letter a year it is almost like I am writing in my journal… Letter!

After giving a 40 minute PowerPoint presentation, Dr. Manning suggested that tables were a great way to clearly and concisely share information. In the spirit of my graduate semantics class, reference Tables 1-4 and Figure 1 for moments, possessions, thoughts, and pictures of 2007. These tables are subdivided into the following areas: proud, happy, embarrassing, and sad. Note: some of the contents could actually be categorized by more than one of these emotions.

Table 1 Moments of 2007
Proud
I only lost my keys once in the past 2 months. Thank you DI for the $0.50 keyboard.
I made our Christmas tree out of dark green fleece and jewelry.
I saw 5 cayenne peppers grow in our little planted garden that sat on our pile of cinderblocks.
Happy
I got rain boots for Christmas that are black with multi-colored polka-dots
I replaced the Jack in the Box “Jack” on my car antenna 3 times this year.
I married off two roommates (Megan Smith Moe and Kristy Money Straubhaar)
Embarrassing
I left my computer in Orange County.
I tripped six times today on my way to church.
I forgot my gas cap on my car and drove away…
Sad
Only one total jalapeno grew on our five jalapeno plants.
Our graduate semantics shirts were all white instead of colored.
Allergic reactions to antibiotics… and Montezuma’s revenge…

Table 2 Possessions of 2007
Proud
Brand-new-never used skillet!
Sweatshirt BYU blanket from guessing M&Ms.
Lots of yarn= crocheted baby blankets
Happy
Colorful Happy Birthday plate!
Pretty red IKEA rugs in our living room!
Free Queen size bed with accompanying 5 pillows!
Embarrassing
Snowmen salt and pepper shakers that were turned green.
Picture frames hung that still have strangers in them
6 boxes of Jell-O… still untouched in the cupboard...
Sad
Purse filled with child vomit a block away from a sink and standing out in the mid-afternoon heat.
Flooded carpet, walls, and ceiling… and all of the consequences…
Mistletoe

Table 3 Miscellaneous of 2007
Proud
After growing my hair out for 9 months, I can braid my hair! (Disclaimer: it has to be French braided tightly into two braids in order to keep my hair from falling out )
2 jobs winter semester
2 summer jobs
3 jobs fall semester
I worked at Walgreen’s for 3 hours during a linguistics conference…
Happy
I bought my first nativity of my new nativity collection… grand total: 1
$4 lime green shirt from K-mart to wear with my new pinstriped black suit.
I have my own car insurance policy! It is totally in MY name.
Embarrassing
Not quite becoming a maid in the Doubletree Hotel at Doheny Beach…
I still haven’t finished reading Anna Karenina… it has been 12 months…
Shan and I are up to 30 matching shirts and now coordinating WICKED hats!
Sad
Confused travelers looking for the Austin flight at the wrong gate because of my Univ of Texas shirt.
Failing seven students in 2 semesters…
Watching Becoming Jane with my sis Emily and my mom… oh the memories and the Kleenex…

Table 4 Pictures of 2007
Proud
14 inches chopped off my hair for Locks of Love! There is a little girl wearing my hair…
I helped Megan Smith Moe with her wedding prep esp. her hair! I want to grow up and go to cosmetology school…
Happy
Pink ‘Ultimate Fighting’ sweat outfits, fuzzy puff-painted love pillows and handmade Valentines Day cards!
Tiaras, beauty pageant queens, formal dresses, puffed sleeves, and a Halloween party prize!
Embarrassing
I dyed my hair for the first time. I prepared myself emotionally for a few months. I had withdrawals for a few weeks after… YES, it looked exactly like my natural color: Dark Brown with subtle red highlights…
I sewed pants for a boy with heart fabric sewn into the sides. He wore them in public… NO we weren’t dating…
Sad
We had fans blowing under our carpets and helping to circulate the moldy foam smell for a whole week!
We took a picture outside of the Wax Museum instead of going inside! Poor Zach (five-year-old nephew)!

Figure 1 Lucky Number of 2007

1 couple met and later dated because of my birthday party
1 roommate hasn’t moved out (Shannon) unlike Ashleigh, Megan, Kristy, and Lorena
1 trip to Denver, trip to Texas, trip to Idaho, trip to Arizona, day in Mexico
1 exboyfriend was “redated”
1 month that I worked for KLAS enterprises as a transcriptionist
1 raise from the Linguistics dept.
1 visiting marsupial and 1 niece (Tristan) came to our funnest slumber parties
1 roommate who is now serving a mission
1 thousand people came to our fall barbecue, Go BYU Graduate Student Society!
1 successful Christmas/New Year/whatever-you-call-it letter that was written and sent!

Love, Rachel J

Finals week...

2007-12-19T00:59:00.001-08:00

This week:taking 2-hour naps at 6pm, eating fast food 2/3 of my meals, giving Christmas presents, getting my fingers really sticky and greasy making Christmas holly, having April "mama" come stay for a few days, wearing my "I care this much" sweatshirt A LOT, buying baby clothes, praying that priest quorum activities will cancel, eating lots of cookies, thinking about exercising, seeing plastic surgery, playing with excel, watching movies in bed, wearing lots of pony-tails, planning a dinner date with my grandpa to Zupas, stealing jinglebells, planning for 64 degree weather, giving strangers rides home at 1 am, the list goes on...

Family time for Thanksgiving

2007-12-18T22:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving time:

Driving from Provo to SLC every day! Avoiding unpacking from TX. Freezing my fingers off at temple square to look at the lights. Singing tubby songs to Shakira music. Hot gluing foam feathers onto pilgrim hats for a five year old. Spending 10 hours in the temple in one day. Randomly talking to 50 people as they walk into the temple. Screaming as a family during the last 2 minutes of the football game... 1/2 of us were happy with the ending. Getting drugs passed to me in the temple cafeteria. Buying songs off itunes for the first time.

Texas

2007-11-20T12:37:00.000-08:00

Greg and I arrived Wednesday and went to San Antonio with his friend Travis. We went to the Alamo. Ate at Jake in the Box. Saw Deep Sea at the Imax theater. Ate at Whattaburger. Visited the UT Austin campus. I took a picture by the tower.

Our conference started on Friday morning. We had workshops on campus and also at the Texas state capital building. It was eye-opening to be in Texas.

I think I can safely say that there is no place like Texas.

I think the best part was just being surrounded by lots of people who are actively involved and are as crazy as me!

We elected the national board on Saturday. And of course I got elected to the national board of NAGPS. So, I am gonna be working with the employment concerns of graduate and professional students. It should be fun.

Life... Fall Semester

2007-11-03T23:05:00.000-07:00

This semester has been great. It has been an adjustment getting back into normal life after the relaxing days of summer. I have a full schedule, 3 jobs, Relief Society president stuff, a dinner group, friends, and kind of a social life.

For my graduate studies job, we had a barbecue that fed about 1,000 people. Luckily I have extra credit to my students to come and help... so we had enough volunteers! These are the few of hte graduate students from my ward! (Kelly, Nikki, me and Jared). We have also had a fall workshop and a council activity.

Ashleigh, my old roommate has been in the MTC. It has been fun to write her and hear about her life. She is now in Kennewick, Washington and has two companions!

September was a funny month. During BYU homecoming I went to Denver for the LASSO conference. Before I left I transported 6 bales of hay for our graduate student society (GSS) float!! It made a real mess in the car! One of my favorite fellow students just graduated, Kelly who is in the green shirt. It was fun to play with her at the conference. We decided to go to PhD programs together... since we like the same stuff: psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics!! We are both going to apply next year.

The highlight of October was probably Halloween! It was really fun to have Emily's dresses. It was fun to win the competition. And sometimes it is fun to be the center of attention!

Our friend, Jared, the one previously shown above had a really rough week last week. So, we decided to heartattack his room, make his bed, and put pictures of us on his ceiling!! He loved it....

Arizona/Mexico/Provo

2007-09-06T23:10:00.000-07:00

Sitting in a car for at least a couple of hours every day, pitstops in Mexico on the side of the freeway to eat an entire coconut and drink all the milk from the inside, seeing people (Karen Hinkle and Jon Parkinson) randomly that you haven't seen since 1999 or so at institute in Mesa, AZ, pinata parties for 4-year-old Mexican girls dressed in Strawberry Shortcake dresses, getting two blessings in six days, sharing my testimony for the first time in Spanish in San Luis (5 min from the Mexican border), buying a chocolate cake just so we could sit inside "FOOD CITY" and enjoy the air-conditioning, hanging out with 16-year-olds and hearing about their dating lives, having my house flooded, calling people to try to help with our flooded house while we were in St. George, carne asada..., eating really good tostitos with nacho cheese and jalapenos in a random hole-in-the-wall store while the Spanish television is blaring and I am trying to understand the little girl who speaks a mile a minute.... in Spanish!, and playing in a fake waterfall 20 feet from the London Bridge that is now in Havasu, AZ!!!

Summer Fun

2007-08-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

This summer has been pretty crazy! I have freetime and that is a new experience!