Barbie Movies

Is it lame that I totally love Barbie movies??
Answer: Uhh.....NO WAY!! Barbie movies are awesome! and she wears such pretty sparkly dresses!

Is it weird that I have an excuse to get barbie movies if the librarian says something to me or gives me that look like, "Are these for you?! Aren't you a bit old for barbie?"
Answer: No it's not weird. Its good to always be ready. I've rehearsed this in my head many times. My option A plan: "My little nieces love these barbie movies. " Plan B: "I babysit a couple of little girls and they love barbie so much. They even have identical dresses that their mom's made them so they could be just like barbie. Its so cute to see them twirl around and sing like barbie."

Would I be lying if I used either of those options?
Answer: Yes, but(justification is coming) its better then them knowing that I secretly watch these movies like 3 or 4 times before I return the movie to the library. And at times I am known to get up and start twirling like a ballerina and singing along with the movie. All the while duke and becca look at me like I am some giant three year old.

Totally embarrassing if caught by someone?
Answer: Oh YES!! But good thing I have amazing eyes(and a really long drive way)that can spot someone driving up before they get too close to the house.

Will I buy barbie movies for our future girls?
Answer: You know I will!! =)


(ps: I want that movie set collection pictured at the top! =) {pic taken from Google})

Granbury, Texas

By Logan Hawkes

There are a lot of strange places in Texas; just about as many as there are strange tales to go along with them. And Garnbury, Texas, nestled in the gentle Brazos River Valley in the north central region of the Lone Star State, has its share.

Some say Granbury was a central focal point for famous and infamous characters of the 19th century; people like Davy Crockett's wife, Elizabeth, who settled in Hood County following the Texas Revolution. Crockett, as well as other Alamo participants, received land grants, and the Crockett family received land in what is now Hood County. Elizabeth Crockett is buried in Acton State Historic Site, the smallest state park in Texas. A large statue of her marks her grave site. Several of Crockett's descendants still reside in Hood County.

Then there is the tale of Jesse James, who is reported to be buried in the City of Granbury Cemetery. Contrary to the popular legend about James, it is believed by many, including many of his adult grandchildren, that James changed his name and lived to old age in Granbury.

An argument can also be made that William Bonney, better known as Billie the Kid, moved to Granbury after reportedly being shot and killed in New Mexico by lawman Pat Garrett. As the story goes, friend and Sheriff Pat Garrett staged the Kid's death and ordered him out of the New Mexico territory in order to continue to live. Bonney may well have headed to Granbury before later moving and retiring in nearby Hico, Texas, who claims to be the home and final resting place of the kid.

But perhaps the strangest local take of them all is about a tall, scholarly getleman who moved to Granbury in the early 1870s to tend bar and teach school lessons by contract. His name, he said, was John St. Helen, and he loved to quote Shakespeare. But on each April 14th, St. Helen, who attended bar at one point in his Granbury life, would drink himself into a stupor and would occasionally mumble nonsensical utterances about government conspiracies and the death of an American hero.

In modern times, the popular television shows 20/20 and Unsolved Mysteries researched the claims that John St. Helens was the one and same John Wilkes Booth, the man who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Enough circumstantial evidence tends to support that claim - at least leaves the question unanswered.

Thought to have perished in a bar fire in Virginia, federal authorities of the time first reported they had thrown Booth's body in the Potomac River. That story was later changed and investigators say they turned over his charred remains to family members. But - while on the subject of conspiracies - there are stories circulating around that has it the assassination of Lincoln was a planned consopiracy by some of Lincoln's own presidential Cabinet members. Remember the same night that Lincoln was assassinated, so were other key members of the government. Conspiracy theorist speculate the government has long covered up the real tale of Lincoln's assassination, and that Booth, the would-be-shooter at Ford Theatre, may have been ushered away by feceral agents immediately following the assassination and "reassigned" with a new identity - similar to what happens today in the witness protection program.

Years ago, before ever hearing about John St. Helens and the Granbury connection, when I was a young reporter working for the San Antonio Light newspaper out of the Hill Country bureau, I stumbled in the Bander public library for a little research on local history. I stumbled across a local newspaper clipping from the late 1800s that told the story of a young man who very much met the description of Booth and St, Helens, who had come to Bandera under suspicious circumstances. He was a school teacher and thespian, and opened a school of acting for the children of elite families in Bandera. It wasn't long before this educated foreigner, who walked with a limp and talked with a southern accent, worked his way into the mainstream of local society and fell in love with the daughter of a local cattle baron.

A marriage had been arranged and a wedding date set. But when a member of the brides family arrived to attend the upcoming ceremony, he reportedly recognized the teacher as the one and same John Wilkes Booth. The relative was part of a team of federal investigators who looked into the Lincoln assassination and were not satisfied that Booth was actually dead. As the story goes, the relative politely questioned the teacher, who became nervous and feigned an illness, saying he would answer all questions properly before the wedding. That night he disappeared never to be seen again in Bandera, leaving his bride-to-be standing empty at the altar.

Could this have been the same man that then traveled to Granbury in attempt to start over again with a different name and identity? Evidence seems to point that way.

Of course, St. Helen's limp and predilection for Shakespeare and liquor may have just been a coincidence, but it remains curious why St. Helen quietly left his home in Glen Rose when approached by a federal marshal. As the story goes, St. Helen actually lived in a small cabin in Glen Rose for two or three years before moving to Granbury. Without bothering to pack, Helen left Glen Rose for Granbury as soon as he learned a local woman was about to marry a U.S. marshal.

John St. Helen's later confessed to Lincoln's assassination, on his death bed in a Granbury's doctor's office. He reported confessed to a priest and several others that he was Abraham Lincoln's lone assassin. He then revealed where they could find the gun he used to kill the president. The gun was later found wrapped in a newspaper clipping detailing Lincoln's untimely death. The only problem is, St. Helens didn't die that day, and shortly left Granbury unannounced.

Years later, in 1903, an Enid, Oklahoma man named David George claimed to be John Wilkes Booth while on his death bed, apparently this time for real. George also claimed to have changed his name the first time around to John St. Helen.

Local stories around Granbury, depending on who you talk to, have it that St. Helen's was a big fan of the Granbury Opera House and may have performed there on several occasions. In fact, the restored Opera House, now open for productions by seasoned Broadway veterans and an in-house team of university interns, is said to be haunted by a stately figure in black wearing large black boots and a waist coat to match. The apparition is said to be well versed in Shakespeare and has been known to launch in a tyrannical performance of passion and prose.

The few who have said to have seen the apparition later, after examining photos of Booth, say the ghost and the assassin appear to look very much the same. Is it the ghost of John Wilkes Booth who haunts the Granbury Opera House? Or are the tales and stories nothing more than legend and fable?

Perhaps the only way to know for certain would be to dress like Ol' Honest Abe and enter the theatre one dark night and ask for yourself. Stranger things have happened in Texas.
(http://texaslesstraveled.com/granburylegends.htm)

I have totally been to Granbury, Texas ans heard some of the same things that these people wrote. most people that live there actually believe that John St. Helen was in fact John Wilkes Booth. How crazy would that be? I just finished reading Killing Lincoln and the end of john wilkes booth was not how it was described in the book. But there are speculations still that he could have escaped and that it wasn't really his body that was buried but another's!

(the text was taken from the internet and I tried to sight the website I found it from the best I could)

Drama Drama Drama

I am watching New Moon right now. Ha ha =) I just thought that you would all like to know. and Becca is laying down next to me. =)

Okay I have to just say that these teen girl movies just make me laugh with all the drama and exaggeration. Was I really like that? Was I ever that full of drama? Oh my goodness. I am really embarrassed to say that I was a teenage girl once. Ugh. The truth right smack in the face. Ha ha =)

Oh bella you are full of drama! Ha ha you remind me that i am not that much of a drama queen.

I have some luck after all...

...but only through marriage. Without austin I am not very lucky at all.

Well I guess we were very lucky this morning. Today started out great! We were going through our normal morning routine: Austin in the shower listening to the radio, Victoria crawling out of bed using all the strength she had to accomplish every task. We listen to KONY Country and every morning they have a morning mind bender. I have tried calling a few times in the past but with no luck, once I actually got on the air but mind-blanked and said a dumb answer to the question. Felt like an idiot ALL day. (I even turned off the station because I felt so dumb and embarrased. Issues? yes.)

Anyways today the morning mind bender was:

Finish this sentence..."In the presence of a beautiful woman men are more...."

So I waited, trying to wake myself up more while saying good morning to the dogs, for austin to guess something because nothing was coming to my sleep dead mind. After a little bit austin guesses clumsy(from the shower still) and I pick up his phone and dial the number to see if we could get the answer right. Well I called at least 10 times with no luck each time. The line was always busy. How rude of everyone to call when I was trying to call! haha jk =)

Well I kept listening to the answers that were being guessed and no one had gotten it yet so I tried one last time thinking this is it,either they answer or they don't and then I am done and need to get breakfast going.

Ring... Ring....Hi this is KONY! What's your guess?!

(I made it on the air!!)
(Thinking to self: Don't sound like an idiot and don't blank. KEEP it TOGETHER. You can do it. Speak clearly!)

Me: Hi! ....Clumsy?
KONY: You know what, were going to take that answer because its pretty darn close enough. the actual answer is accident prone but clumsy is basically the same. Stay on the line and we'll get some more info from you.........(off the air)What's your name?....Are you over 21?..... Come by our office and pick up your prize. Have a great day!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! We got it right!! And my voice was SO on the radio station! Austin heard me and everything! AHHH =) So exciting!! Maybe I am totally lame to think its so cool but whatever we won!! =)

I went by the station office today(because I was going to town anyways) and picked up the prize. Guess what we won?!?

Free two night stay at the Virgin River Hotel in Mesquite, Nevada and a free combo meal at Arctic Circle! =) how awesome is that?! Its about an hour drive to Mesquite and we have dogs so I don't know how we are going to make it work but we'll figure out something. =) but still!!!!! My voice was on the radio and I didn't sound like a total blonde idiot this time!!!!

Awesome points for me!!!!!!! =)

And a million awesome points for austin who gave me the answer!!!!!!! =) Thanks handsome!!! =)

WAHOOOOOOO!!!!!! =)

Tired, sleepy, and cold

No I am not sick, I am actually sitting on the couch blogging(obviously). I didn't sleep well last night so I am tired and sleepy. I am on the couch near the front window and these windows are really crappy and let in the cold and little breezes. So that is what I am up to right now.

I turned in my 2nd assignment for American Heritage. I am beginning to work on the 3rd one. I really dislike this class. Ugh. I did pretty well on the first assignment so I am hoping that I get at least a B on it. All i really want to do is get it over with. I have like 6 months to finish so I am feeling the pressure now.

On friday I sent a good portion of the day on the phone with the BYU's Admission's office. I believe I talked to a total of 7 different people, not all at once but at different times. I talked with a:

• Collin


• Travis


• Ashley


• Tom


• Cathy


• Bridget


• Evan

I might have some of the names wrong but the point is is that I talked to a lot of people. You may be wondering why I am talking to them. Well I will tell you why...

We've come up with a plan B just in case austin is unable to get a job once this internship is up. The plan B is for me to go back to school for one semester and finish my degree. I will only have 3 classes to take I believe so it will be nice and easy. I would start school in the fall. I have come to the realization that online schooling isn't as easy for me as I thought it would be. I need more structure and solid deadlines.

Guess what though!?! I have to re-apply to BYU!!!

What?!?!?!

And come to find out if i want to go in the fall I have to apply prior to Feb. 1st! Pressure much!?

Application and Endorsement!! Stress Central!!

Ugh. So I've called the Admissions office a billion times with questions. I am sure they are sick of me, but what else can I do?! I applied to byu like 5 years ago thinking I would never need to apply again. I think its so dumb that I have to apply again. I have only been out a year. I guess their rule is is that if you miss two consecutive major semesters(meaning fall AND winter) then you are no longer a current student of BYU. Ugh... dumb rule.

Anyways, so here I am stressing about the application and endorsement that must be in by Feb. 1st. And the fear that I won't get back in. It was hard enough the first time and my GPA isn't as good as it was when I graduated high school. Ugh. At least I still have Independent Study that won't turn me away.

I am so ready to be done with school. I do hope that austin will get a job or master's position. that's the ideal situation. I hope that he can get a job with the government sometime soon. Great health benefits is what I hear and that would be really nice. =)

Well there you go. That's all I have to say at the moment. Have a good day everyone! =)

What do you think?

So this is what I have come up with so far. This would be for the serving table at New Beginnings in February. We were thinking we could do a somewhat valentines decorations since it is February and everything. =) I could use some feed back. I put this together in like 25 mins so I won't be offended by suggestions for change etc. =)

Thanks!

Aren't they cute!!! =) =)

I have such a good looking bunch to live with =) Look at those cute smiles!! =) I am the luckiest person ever =)

Lincoln

I am reading the book Killing Lincoln and its really good =) It has me thinking about what our country would have been like now if Lincoln wouldn't have died. You know how in movies how if one little event is changed in the past the whole future is different. Do you think our country would have been in a better place then where we are? I bet it would have better. what do you think? Yup, I think it would have been better.

Wasting Time

so here I am in the library once again. I was looking up centerpiece pictures on Google because I am making a centerpiece for New Beginnings for Young Women and of course I got sidetracked by all the pretty centerpieces and then i started reminiscing about our wedding and then I had to look up western/cowboy themed centerpieces etc and I got lost. Oh man, I really need to practice a little more self control and stick to my original plan. Ha! Like that will happen though! =) so here I have just a couple of the pics that I loved on Google. =) And I thought you might enjoy looking at them too! =)

Isn't that cake totally awesome!?!?! =)
LOVE the wheat with the poppies! =)
Bandannas + sunflowers = BEAUTIFUL!! =)
Sunflowers make me happy =)
What a simple centerpiece. I think I will use this in the future. =)

My wonderful husband =)

I love when austin dances with me. =) Last week sometime I was doing something and austin came over and pulled me over to the dance floor (meaning the rug in our living room) and started twirling me around. I was all smiles =) =) He was leading me around, dipping me, spinning me out and then bringing me back in close and giving me a kiss. =) It was so fun. He's so smooth while I have to hop around because I can't get my footing right. Ha ha Its probably really funny to watch me dance. =) Ha ha Well I just wanted to end with saying I have a really sweet amazing husband. =) I am the luckiest girl ever =)

Family Home Evening

Last night for FHE after we had our lesson we had an AWESOME activity!! =) We sat and read our scriptures. Now that might not sound as exciting but i'm not done explaining. =) We were reading from Songs of Solomon and it was hilarious!! =) Austin would read the verse in Thai and then translate and then I would read the verse in english and we would laugh at how off the Thai was. Or at least his translation. One verse said to look at the beautiful elephant and there is NO verse in Songs of Solomon saying that! But, what made this an even funner activity was that we would try to read them as romantically and seductively as possible. Although we did do very good because we couldn't help but laughing at all the funny things and each others attempt to sound seductive! Ha ha =) =) Ha ha It was really fun! =) We did this for an hour! Overall, great activity =)

Oh becca...

Yesterday was a rough day... Becca wasn't being the best girl in the world... ugh... She became very interested in May. She kept looking in there so I brought May out and held her while becca sniffed her. I was also trying to teach becca not to get too close to May like we taught duke so that May could walk around the house with out the dogs bothering her. Well that didn't go as planned. She wanted to keep tasting May and trying to chew on her. I put May back in her aquarium and becca just went crazy over her. All day I was pulling becca away from the aquarium so that she wouldn't disturb May. Well around 2 o'clock I went and put away some folded clothes in the bedroom and WHAT do I see when I come back into the living room?!?!!???

BECCA WAS INSIDE THE AQUARIUM WITH THE LEFT BACK PAW STILL HANGING OUT WITH HER BUTT IN THE AIR AND TAIL WAGGING AND HER HEAD DOWN IN MAY'S HOLE THAT SHE DUG!!!!!!!

I was going crazy! All day pulling her away from May. I was so thankful when austin got home. I needed him to just take the dogs and do something with them. I needed space. Ugh.

criminals are NOT smart

While making lunch this morning for austin and myself(I am in town once again at the library) I was listening to KONY radio station, which is a great country radio station, and they were talking about the Gorge being closed for the present time due to a robbery. I am not sure where the gorge is but the guy had apparently robbed a bank(I think) of $28,000(ish) and then jumped into his white van(they got plate numbers and everything) and then proceeded to drive to an apartment complex. When the cops approached his car he then took out his hand gun and shot himself in the head.

Okay. I am sad at how the story ended but did this guy wake up that morning and have a death wish?! Why go through all the trouble to steal money which I am guessing was suppose to make him happy, but then doesn't get away and in the end loses the cash and his life! Why? What came to mind when I heard this was, " Why didn't he have a better after the robbery plan?" I mean he probably planned his little robbery with some thought and strategy but really?! jump in a van and "hope" the cops don't follow?! Really?? Wow. F- for this guy and post planning methods.

After thinking about it for the ride to town, I wonder why he wasn't a bit more creative. If I would have been on the robbing team(which I would never be) I would be like their A+ person. The go to planning person. Eventually I would be hired by the government to do top priority/top secret stuff and then retire at 42 and then when I turned 52 I would write a book about my life which would be a best seller for 20 weeks straight, and then a 15 Grammy winning film. It would be titled something like, "From robber to FBI: The amazing Victoria's rise to awesomeness and wealth" (still working on the title). And eventually I would go down in history as the greatest women ever. Your children's children's children would know my name, long after I was gone.

Here is how the post robbing plan would have gone:
3 days prior to robbing the bank I would have a friend drop a car off at a campground parking lot. I would pay(using cash) for a site for 2 weeks and use a false name(of course) and that car plate numbers. I would then hike up to a secluded place at least one mile off the path and have a change of clothes in a bag that I purchased at the DI. With these I would then cover myself in coyote urine. From there about 10 further up the mountain at a predetermined location I would have 1 weeks worth of provisions, along with ample hunting gear and first aid equipment just in case.

Day of robbery: Rob bank. Jump in tricked out junk car(van's are too obvious and can't be maneuvered well) with false plates and drive till I lose the police. Once I know that the police are at least 5 minutes behind me I would go to the camp ground. I would then set cruise control to 45 and jump from the vehicle taking with me the stolen cash. (The car would be set to veer to the left and crash 15 miles down the road at a sharp right turn.) Me with my cash would then set up the mountain to the first determined spot. Change. And then continue on to where I would be staying for the next while. (Police used police dogs to try tracking me. They caught my scent on the first trail but lost it at the changing point. My scent was covered by the urine on my clothes. The police didn't touch the fake car because none of my prints were on it)
I would return to the car once my two weeks were up and get in the car and drive to my buddy's house. Share some of the cash, get a really bad hair cut, dye my hair, get a black eye, and go by a different name(This is to avoid looking to similar to the wanted posters). Then I would get help from my friends, the Jedi's, to transport me to the star trek ship in one of there cruisers and then once in the ship I would beam myself to another planet where they give out false ID's and passports. Then I would be beamed back to earth with a new photo ID and passport, totally legalized on plant Passemporia and earth, and then live a happy life with the new name of Gingin Bilarso occasionally having lunch with Captain Kirk and ET.

Seriously, doesn't that sound like a much better ending then, "I'll put the barrel to my head and pull the trigger"? I only wish I could have talked this man out of killing himself. It really is quite sad. I hope that his family and friends are doing all right.

Well now that I have that off my chest I should probably get to work strategizing what I should fix for dinner. =)

Long Update!!

Well hello everyone. Its been forever since I've blogged. I have been too busy living life to blog I guess. Or that I just have so much that I haven't blogged about that I get overwhelmed thinking about blogging. Ha ha Well here I am. Blogging. And feeling overwhelmed. (just so you know It took me about an hour to upload these photos. i hope you appreciate it!)

First: Austin's Birthday!! My main man is 25. =) He had a great birthday and was spoiled! He got a chain saw!! He has loves playing with it. Every saturday morning I hear that chain saw roar into action as I am making breakfast and it brings a smile to my face. =) Happy birthday handsome! =)

Second: Thanksgiving at grandmas!! =) It was so fun to finally be able to see Brawley and grandma's house. Her house is so cute! I loved it! It was fun to see everyone and meet some new people also. =)

Third: I volunteered with Austin at the BLM! It was so fun to actually see what he does all day. We went searching for cows, took utilization data, took some trend data, and looked for plots out in the middle of no where. It was so much fun. But I think my favorite part was just being with him ALL day. =) Basically the best days ever =)

Fourth: Christmas!!! Merry Christmas!! =) We spent christmas at the Brewer's house and it was really fun! =) Duke loved his christmas present! He wouldn't stop playing with it. =) It was only a little stuffed squeaky toy but oh did that boy love it. Unfortunately its torn up now and I need to sew it up so he can play with it again. =)

Fifth: My family came to visit! =) It was so fun to see them! They were only here for a couple days but it was loads of fun! We went to Zion's, shopping, visiting, the temple, and temple square. It was a bummer that Austin couldn't join in though a bit more. Being an intern means that he doesn't get time off as easily as the other workers. But he still saw them as much as he could.

Sixth: Along with my family coming down they brought...Becca!! =) She is now here living with us and it has been such a joy to have my baby here again!! =) She has loved digging and playing and getting loads of attention all day since I am home. She also loves chewing on the deer antler! duke gets so jealous and just sits there and waits for her to finish or get distracted. It really is quite hilarious. Duke has loved having her here too. Someone to play with, well when she feels like it she will play with him. Although I think duke is jealous of becca getting attention, he will come and climb on my lap if I am giving becca attention. =) we sure love our dogs =)

well I think I have caught you up to the present. =) I am so proud of myself for putting pics up. I hope that I am able to blog better these coming months. I am sure I will have lots to tell. Its just a matter of putting it down on paper. =)