New Year, New You?

I've never been one for making New Year's resolutions.  I suppose it stems from the fact that I would like to always be working toward something better - better relationships, more education, fewer bad habits, new skills - all year long, rather than just sporadically at the beginning of the year.

That or I'm lazy.

In fact, this year I didn't even remember it was New Year's Eve until yesterday, when Kelli texted me and said, "what are we doing for New Year's?"  It's strange and maybe a little sad to be so busy you don't realize the biggest party night of the year is tomorrow!  That and I have a terrible cold, so my stuffy head isn't keeping up with the facts at the moment.  (I also have a relentless cough that is raping my throat.  Ouchie.)  

Now that it is actually New Year's Eve, nearly 6 pm MST, I've been thinking a bit over the past year, and it was quite a busy one.  

In 2008 I:

1. Had three different jobs

2. Met, dated, and broke up with the love-of-my-life-so-far

3. Bought the cutest house ever! (and acquired the third of three addresses in one year)

4. Bought a lawnmower, washer and dryer, and a treadmill (all things I NEVER thought about before owning a house)

5. Made my own Thanksgiving dinner, and got my first-ever full-size Christmas tree

6. Made a handful of really great friends, and

7. Became an "auntie" to Sophia Lavelle Ainge, most beautiful child on the planet!

It makes me wonder what's in store for the next 365 days...but I digress.

Back to the resolutions.  Is there a reason people have decided that the beginning of the new year is the time to get into shape, or lose 10 pounds, or quit smoking or whatever?  I understand the 'new beginning' concept, but why is it that the resolutions are always so trite, so cliché?  What would be really great if everyone could look deep inside themselves and decide to become kinder, more open-minded, more patient, more loving, more optimistic.  What a fantastic world it would be then!!

At least for a couple of weeks.  You know by February everyone's given up on their resolutions.  So have any of you resolved anything for the new year?

The List of Done and Done Nots (mmm...donuts)

Go ahead and copy the list, and then highlight the things you have done...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (um...does Vernal count?)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michaelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (had it drawn.  by a class of art students.)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in movie
55. Been in a movie (movies of Christopher and I singing the Elephant Love Medley count, right?)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (I like to eat Girl Scout cookies.)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (many, many, many times)
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt 
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (hey, it was new to me!)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (ew.)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life (of course, it wasn't just me...there were nurses and doctors there, too.)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one 
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Talked your way out of a ticket (I think the crying helped, too.)

How have I never swam in the Great Salt Lake?  What kind of a Utahn am I??

Christmastime According to Tonya

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?  Hot Chocolate...I've never actually tried eggnog that I can remember, but the thought of drinking raw eggs does not make me feel happy.  I ADORE the new hot chocolate at Starbucks: salted caramel hot chocolate.  It's full of salty/sweet deliciousness.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?  Neither - Santa sets our presents out grouped with our stockings on the couch or chair.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?  I had to search high and low for those big white Christmas lights this year to put on my house.  I prefer white lights on my house and tree, but I like them all except the plain blue ones.  How is blue Christmas-y?

4. Do you hang mistletoe?  If I could find mistletoe anywhere, you bet your bottom dollar I'd hang it!  I'd probably carry some around with me, too.

5. When do you put up your decorations?  Typically the day after Thanksgiving, but this year I was on call for work and had to stay home, so I put up the tree on Thanksgiving day.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?  Dad's glazed ham, Rayma's pumpkin roll, spiced apple cider

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child?  I can never remember specific memories from my childhood.  I loved driving around on Christmas eve looking at lights, then hanging out at Grandma's with all the cousins, going ice-skating together on Christmas day, and opening our presents together.  Also our rockin' cousin Christmas party and our crazy white elephant games.

8. Have you ever seen Santa?  You betcha.  Did you know on Google maps you can track Santa's progress on Christmas Eve?  

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?  Indeed we did.  We still do, in fact.  And the past couple of years Levi has had to work on Christmas day, so we opened all our presents on Christmas eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?  White lights, silver, red and gold glass balls of assorted sizes, and a few sentimental ornaments like my Bawlmer pink flamingo ornament.

12. Can you ice skate?  Yes I can, but it takes me a minute to get back into the groove after a whole year without skating.  Also, the only way I know how to stop is to run into the side wall...

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?  Honestly?...no.  I was super excited about my huge doll house when I was little.  In high school I was super excited about my letterman's jacket.  In college I was mostly excited to be home with the family.  I get more excited about the gifts I give.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?  Spending time with family and friends, eating amazing food, not getting stressed out, and decorating with tons of lights.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?  I'm a fan of dessert in general, I don't recall any that are only made around the holidays.  Maybe fudge or homemade toffee.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?  White elephant games at the cousin Christmas party, with everyone attempting to bring the gift that will be fought over the most.

17. What tops your tree?  A silver star

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?  Absolutely giving.  I've always LOVED the feeling of getting someone a gift you know they will just adore.  That's probably my favorite part of the holidays, is having a reason to buy fantastic gifts for everyone.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? O Holy Night, The Christmas Song, Baby it's Cold Outside, Carol of the Bells

20. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized?  Yes.  Yes I do.  I don't understand why anyone would rather be stressed out and too busy and going into debt for Christmas  than just taking the opportunity to be with people you love and appreciating the season for what it is.  

If it's dark outside it's too early to be awake.

What is it about 2:30am that makes my body think it's time to wake up?  For the past couple of weeks I've been having this problem: I wake up at 2:30-ish and can NOT go back to sleep.  Sure, I'll lay there for two or three hours, willing sleep to come back to me.  I'll get up and use the restroom because maybe that will fix it.  I turn on one side.  Then onto my belly.  Then onto the other side.  I push the covers off.  I turn back to the first side.  I pull the covers back on.  I lay on my back.  Meanwhile I've looked at the clock about 75 times.  Then I finally decide to get out of bed, but don't have anything to do.  What do you do at 5 am if you're not sleeping?

I guess you update your blog.  

Thanksgiving was lovely.  I had to stay home because I was on-call for work, but I made myself a little turkey dinner, complete with stuffing, rolls (from scratch!  for the first time!), cranberry sauce (also from scratch-delish), and gravy.  I put up my Christmas tree and got some stuff done around the house, and I only got called into work once.  It was a good day.  

Yesterday was my birthday, which was also lovely.  At work I got donuts and the girls took me to lunch.  I also took myself out for a pedicure, and mom and dad bought me a ladder and a crock-pot.  (You know you're old and lame when you're that excited for a ladder.)  I'm now 27 years old, which for some reason seems old to me.  Logically, I know it isn't old.  I realize I'm still a baby, but it feels old.  Probably because I still feel like I'm 17 and just playing at all this work/house/grown-up life.  This week I also put Christmas lights up on my house, which was an exciting adventure - climbing around on the roof like a monkey.  My neighbor was a little nervous for me, I think.  She kept coming out to check on me.  :)  She's cute.  

The Cutest House on the Block!

(You should be able to make the pics bigger now, if you'd like...)

Thank you, my friends, for being so patient...and let me assure you, it was totally worth the wait!  I finally have my house mostly set up the way I want and now you, too, can enjoy the darlingness that is my home sweet home.  Let me give you the tour...

First, the front and back yard, and the view of the house from the street (I'm not even kidding, there are no words for how much I love this tiny house.)

Moving inside to the front room:

And my little 'home office' area and the giant armoire that is my coat closet:

This here is the kitchen (by the way, I didn't have to paint or do anything...it was already this adorable.)

...and the so called 'dining room' which has yet to be dined in

The little restroom:

The smallest spare-room ever, which has become my exercise room:

And finally, my wonderful bedroom:

Decisions...

I have decided that I'm only making myself more miserable dwelling on things I can't control or change.  I'm letting go of those awful feelings of sadness and anger and being inadequate.  Welcome to my much more cheerful blogspace.  :)

i

I am...excited to see some old friends this weekend!
I think...my house is the cutest EVER!
I know... how to sniff out a bargain on pretty much anything
I want... to go dancing this weekend
I have... around 25 handbags
I wish ...I didn't get irritated so easily
I hate... meatloaf, rude people, windy weather
I fear... losing people who are important to me
I feel... productive - I've already raked leaves AND done my workout for the day!
I hear... some good music coming from the back bedroom
I smell... apple cinnamon air freshener
I wonder... what I'll take to Pam's this weekend
I regret... letting myself be too vulnerable
I love... naps, ice cream, doggies, my family
I always... follow my instincts
I am not ... big on drama
I believe... in myself
I don't always... remember to take out the garbage on trash day
I win... because I have the raddest friends EVER
I lose... a lot of things because I'm too forgetful and easily distracted (if anyone finds my Banana Republic card...)
I never... am on time for anything!
I listen... to my own fears and insecurities more than I should
I am scared of... ghosts and spiders
I read... whatever I can get my hands on, whenever I have time
I am happy about... my independence and my ability to rely on myself

Five is easier than eight

Thanks Kami...I'm sure everyone was DYING to know these things about me.
5 things I was doing 10 years ago ...
1- That was a long time ago...1998.  Sheesh, I was a junior in high school.  
2- Taking calculus and AP Literature
3- Hanging out with Kaysie a lot (but that was most of the 90s.  :))
4- Skipping seminary with Greg and going to McDonalds for breakfast
5- Making Christopher my new best friend...and he still hasn't gotten rid of me.  Mwah hah hah!

5 things on today's "to do" list...
1- Today is almost over!  My to do list is almost done!
2- Work.  For a long time.  
3- Take out the garbage can (I actually remembered!)
4- Run the dishwasher - done!
5- Wash my sheets...um...this one's waiting until tomorrow.

5 snacks I enjoy...
1- Chips and salsa
2- Graham crackers with chocolate frosting
3- Ice cream
4- Sour patch kids
5- honestly I've had to think about this question more than any other...um...string cheese.

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire...
1- Pay off my house and student loans
2- Landscape the yard, finish the basement, build a garage
3- Vacations, baby!
4- Jewelry shopping
5- More vacations.  I sure like not working.

5 places I have lived...
1- V-Town
2- WeJo
3- St Jorge
4- B'more
5- SLCUT

5 jobs that I have had...
1- Costume maker
2- Registration clerk
3- Pharmacy intern
4- Pharmacist
5- Being awesome.  Kami is my mentor.

I can see Russia from my house!

I wasn't planning on doing anything for Halloween this year, but at work people dressed up and there was a party and a costume contest so Kami convinced me to dress up as Sarah Palin.  Or, more accurately, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.  (It was easy since I already had everything I needed in my closet.)  It turned out pretty fantastic - my hair was absolutely amazing, like a helmet of pouf.  And at work I won Scariest Costume.  After work I went to Kami's sister and brother-in-law's house for dinner and a movie, and Sarah got rave reviews there as well.  All in all it was a lovely night.  Happy halloween!

ESPN 8 - The Ocho!

Yes, it appears I've been tagged...

[eight] shows I love to watch:

1.  Arrested Development

2.  Seinfeld

3.  The Simpsons

4.  The Office

5.  Scrubs

6.  What Not to Wear

7.  My Name is Earl

8.  Anything on History or Discovery

Of course, this is all hypothetical, because I only watch about an hour or two of TV a week...

[eight] things that happened yesterday:

1.  I pretty much broke up with my boyfriend

2.  Took a bath

3.  Cried

4.  Drank a glass of wine

5.  Cried some more

6.  Got a huge headache from crying

7.  Listened to Sarah Mclachlan to calm down

8.  Cried myself to sleep

[eight] favorite places to eat:

1.  Home

2.  Cafe Rio

3.  Red Robin or Training Table

4.  That sushi place in Ogden

5.  Paper Moon (Baltimore)

6.  Cafe Hon (Baltimore)

7.  Any place with delish Thai or Chinese food

8.  People's homes on the Indian reservation I did a rotation at in New Mexico - BEST green chile EVER!

[eight] things I am looking forward to:

1.  Falling asleep tonight

2.  Not feeling like shit over breaking up with someone I still really like

3.  Paying off my student loans (in 20 years...)

4.  Landscaping my backyard

5.  Darcy visiting in the spring

6.  Seeing my brother this weekend

7.  Another glass of wine and another bath

8.  Getting a second job

[eight] things on my wish list:

1.  Having someone give me $500,000 to pay off everything I'm in debt for (school, home, car, etc.)

2.  Jeremy to call and say he wants to be with me after all, OR

3.  Stop feeling like shit about breaking up with him

4.  Live by the ocean

5.  Have enough time and energy to cook my own meals and take care of my house and yard

6.  Lose 15 pounds

7.  That gorgeous ring from Tiffany's

8.  Live by all my closest friends

And I'm sure you all feel much less depressed now that you've read this ridiculous post.  I know I do.

It's about huggin' time!

Hello my friends!  Finally I have the energy and time to update.  Firstly, the trip to Bear Lake...I went up for the weekend of July 24th with Kami, her mom, her sister and brother in law and their 3 kids.  It was SO relaxing and wonderful!  We laid out all day, we ate lots of junk food, and we went jet-skiing. 

Secondly, Soumi and Aninda's wedding in New Jersey.  My first (and possibly only) Indian wedding, and it was absolutely beautiful!  I also got to see a bunch of friends from pharmacy school, so that was great as well.  I stayed with Beth and Brett, and Bethy took me to the beach and to get a massage on the first day, and that evening I went to the Mendhi party at Soumi's parents' house.  The next day was the wedding, which was just fantastic and chaotic and noisy and ornate and crazy, with the cocktail party and reception to follow.  

And I still have not gotten everything put away in my house, but I have the next couple of days off, so hopefully I'll have some pictures up this weekend.  Love you all!

Helllooooo!

I'm sick of being so busy!  I did have a lovely weekend at Bear Lake (pictures to come), and my house is slowly coming together (pictures to come, eventually) AND I'm going to dirty Jersey this weekend for Soumi and Aninda's wedding and I'm so excited to see everyone!  (Definitely pictures to come.)  So stay tuned!!

Still too busy...

Yay!  I closed on my house today!  I was so excited and full of butterflies and I wanted to tell everyone!  So I called my dad, no answer.  I called my mom, no answer.  I called my dad again, no answer.  I called my mom again, no answer.  I called Levi, no answer.  I called Darcy, no answer.  I knew everyone else was at work so I called my dad again, no answer.  I called dad's work, they said he'd already left for the day.  I called my mom, no answer.  I called my dad, no answer.  Then I gave up.  But I'm still uber excited!  Hooray!

Quick Update

-Still loving the new job.  We are currently in the process of merging with another pharmacy, and I have been working TONS of overtime (11-15 hour days) to help out (and to have a little extra moolah, because...)

-I'm buying a house!  It's SO adorable, a tiny little bungalow with a big front porch and a big yard and a fireplace in the living room, and I love it!  I close on it July 2, so there will be many more updates to come.

-It has finally gotten warm enough to be summer here in the good ol' SLC, and I am loving it!  Makes me miss my Dixie days and laying out at the pool 4 days a week. 

-I'm on call for the first time this weekend for work, and I'm kinda nervous!  I don't really even know what I'm supposed to do!  Cross your fingers that I don't get called in in the middle of the night!

Workin' for the Weekend

So as many of you may already know, I recently got a new job.  I figured, I've now been out of school a year, I've been a licensed pharmacist working at Target for a whole 5 months now, it's time to try something new-and that something new is called Pharmerica.  (Every time I say it I feel stupid because it's such a stupid name and it reminds me of Kramerica Industries.)  However, it is turning out to be the best job EVER!  

Pharmerica (*wince*) is what we in the biz call a 'closed door' pharmacy, contracted with long term care facilities like nursing homes and such.  It's 'closed door' because we do business directly with the nurses and doctors at the facilities, and don't have people bringing their prescriptions to us to fill.  

I've worked there five days now, and I can't believe I actually get paid the same money to do this as I was at Target.  It's a BREEZE!  All I have to do is check prescriptions for interactions, clinical appropriateness, etc, etc....I don't have to enter orders, or speak with insurance companies or grumpy customers, or stand for 12 hours a day without even getting to go to the restroom, or anything, I get to actually BE a pharmacist!  I haven't been even remotely yelled at for over a week, and I gotta tell ya, it feels sensational.  I work Monday through Friday, 9-6, with a WHOLE HOUR for lunch-no more 12-13 hour days!  No more scarfing down my lunch in 10 minutes!  It's AWESOME!!!  

So, in case any of you were wondering if Tonya is happy in her new job, the answer is a tepid, "it's pretty okay."  :)

Happy, Happy Birthday From All of Me to You!

I wish it was my birthday, so I could party too, HEY!

Happy birthday yesterday to two of my nearest and dearest, Kami and Ashley!!! 

Is it odd that two of my best friends have the same beeday?  Maybe I'm just attracted to the Tauruses.  

I love you both!

I have HAD it!

So, I've had this wretched cold for a week now - my third already this year!  I cough, blow my nose a thousand times a day, have headaches and a sore throat, fevers (I haven't had a fever since I was in single digits!), and just pretty much feel like poo.  On the days I work I just pray a mistake doesn't slip through my cold-compressed brain, and on my days off all I do is sleep and lay around like a slug.  I've gotta say, I'm 100% sick of it.

I Heart NY

I recently went to New York for a week with Darcy (can I say no to a free hotel room in New York City for a week???) and it was fantastic!  We saw shows, spent the day in Central Park, ate amazing food (hello, Angelo's pizza!), went shopping, and basically enjoyed NY for what it is: the Best City Ever.  

Also, my darling friends Diana and Nic got engaged the other day!!  Congratulations!  

Things I really love (thanks Ash)

Naps

That first really warm day of spring

Laughing

My family

New York City

Road trips + great music + fun people

Houseplants that stay alive under my care

Doggies

Friends old and new

Finding a darling coat/dress/pair of shoes at a screaming deal

Tiffany's

Knowing the answer to a drug question without having to look it up

Pedicures

Mentholatum

A good read

Laying out on the beach with enough sunscreen and good sunglasses when it's just warm enough

Curel unscented lotion

Making Levi laugh (it's hard to do!)

Arrested Development

Traveling

Macs

My Friends Have the Cutest Kids!!!

I have come to this conclusion because it's absolutely true.  All of my friends' kids are just stinking adorable!  Don't believe me?  Check it out:

Julie and Jesse's little man, McClain

Kristi's two guys, Easton and Ian

Ashley and Eric's cutie pie, Abe (they have Hank, too, but I don't have any pictures of him!)

Paul and Jaesi's darlings, Leah and Asher

Not only are they the cutest kids around, they have the cutest names.  And there's even more to come!  Kaysie's little gal, Sophie, due in April; Paul and Jaesi's new bundle, baby Maya-due in just a couple of days...I'm going to go into cuteness overload if this keeps up.