Merry Christmas!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

I am off to home for the holidays and will be away from the internet for a while. So I wanted to wish all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I hope all can enjoy the moments of the season to be with family, reflect on the birth of our Savior, and renew our commitments to Him.

Mundane Monday - My Morning Routine

Don't be scared off by the title of this entry - I wont go into the nitty-gritty details of how I wash my face and brush my teeth or put on my make-up. But you might be surprised to hear that I have a very hectic 3 hours before work begins nearly every morning!! Yes, I said 3 hours.

5:00 am - My alarm on my cell phone goes off for the first time (Since moving to my place I've started using my cell phone instead of my old clock radio that I've used ever since moving to Utah. . . and I think I like it.)

5:05 am - Alarm goes off again and I snooze it again. :)

5:10 am - Repeat. Ha! I just can't get out of bed!! (I once had a real roommate, the kind where you actually share a room with her, ask me to not hit snooze ever again because it woke her up too. I quit cold turkey. As soon as we were no longer roommates, I went right back to hitting snooze again.)

5:15 am - Alarm goes off for the last time. I actually get up this time! But not with ease, let me tell you. I lay in bed for a minute or two convincing myself that I will actually be glad that I got up and went to the gym and that it will be so worth it. So I roll out of bed after some serious persuasion.

Then I immediately make my bed so I won't be tempted to get back in it. Get into my gym clothes, put my hair in a pony-tail, brush my teeth, and then fill my water bottle.

5:30ish am - Hop in my car. Turn up the volume on my current favorite song and listen/sing to it all the way to the gym. Yes, my gym is only one song away from my house. So awesome. I don't know if I would actually go to the gym if it wasn't so close to my house.

5:35ish am - Get on the elliptical at Golds. And read. Read? Yeah. I love it. I get so much reading done while at the gym. I read the month's Ensign, Skiing magazine, Backpacker magazine, my current book or even the Book of Mormon. (My ward has had a challenge recently to read the whole Book of Mormon from November 1 through Christmas Eve - and let me tell you: it has been a challenge. But my reading time at the gym has saved me - I listen to it on my iPod and read it while on the elliptical.)

6:25 am - Do some strength training and try to avoid the creepy, nasty guy that seems to pick up on every girl there. Who does that at that time of day?! It use to be the time where only serious people went to the gym and no one talks to any one - in other words, my kind of time of day. But yeah, one time I was writing in my exercise journal and this creepy guy, thinking he was all funny and suave, asked me if that was where I was taking down orders. I don't think I even smiled at him (who smiles at that time in the morning?) and promptly shut his remark down. Ha!

6:45 am - Wrap up my stretching and cooling and listening to relaxing music (my favorites: anything off the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, Norah Jones, Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole's Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Eva Cassidy, and Enya). And then I drive home and listen to the same song I listened to on the way to the gym - probably. :o)

6:55 am - Hop in the shower and begin getting ready for the day.

7:40 am - Pack my bag with my purse, book I plan to read during lunch, lunch, snacks and breakfast.

7:45 am - Drive to work. While driving - eat my oatmeal (I also drive a manual transmission so you can imagine the fun of driving, changing gears, avoiding pedestrians, speeding through yellow lights, and eating oatmeal all at the same time. Consequentially, I like my oatmeal thick so it won't slop on me while I drive and eat at the same time.) Here is your oddity for you: the street I drive to get to work has 4 lanes, the "fast" lane is always slow even if it has the appearance of going faster. I've learned this over the 4.5 years of working at BYU and living in the same area: stay in the "slow" lane until the very last minute and then get over to turn left onto campus. It's an art. Believe me.

8:00 am - Start work!!

BYU's Daily Universe Letters to the Editor

So, when I was still in school I used to read BYU's newspaper: The Daily Universe. It was good for many laughs. The two columns I frequented and read with religious consistency were the Police Beat and the Letters to the Editor. Sure, I would skim the headlines for world, nation and local news but they didn't hold my attention very long. They probably should have, but I found way too much entertainment in the two mentioned columns. The Police Beat was always good to see what backpacks had been stolen on campus, what practical jokes had gotten some silly kid in trouble with the law, etc. etc. But the Letters to the Editor were the best. I could always count on some very silly opinions and an occasional serious opinion on some serious topic. But most of the time the letters to the editor were ridiculous. Well, after a hiatus of reading the letters to the editor for a couple of years I picked up again this past Friday only because there was a note from the editor saying this:

Rarely, does The Daily Universe receive as many letters in response to one letter to the editor as it did to, "Message for sisters," which was printed December 12. These letters are a small sampling of the responses.

So here is the letter that started it all:

Message for sisters

If I were a Relief Society president I would teach the sisters that:
1) BYU guys don't have to be dancers to be marriageable. Do I really have to watch "Step Up" with you?
2) RMs are not creepy. They're just awkward. Wouldn't you be if you hadn't dated in two years?
3) Bug-eyed sunglasses and furry boots are not attractive.
4) Taping "Will Open for Dates Only" signs on your door will not get you more dates.
5) Don't ask guys to watch musicals with you. We watch "Terminator" and "Die Hard," not "Newsies" and "Wicked."
6) Guys go to football games to watch football, not to chat. If you don't understand the rules, don't ask.
7) Synthetic diamonds are just as good as, and a lot cheaper than, "real" diamonds. Do you want to live in a cardboard box for five years after your wedding?
8) Marriage is not a major.
9) You can ask guys on dates. They won't be offended.
10) Sisters, you're special.

Matt Richardson: Springfield, Ore.

And now here are my favorite responses. I seriously laughed all day at work. Note that some responses were written by guys and girls alike!

As long as men are allowed to use the Readers Forum to steady the ark of our dear Relief Society councils, allow me to put in my two cents. I hope this becomes a new series: "If I were Relief Society President. I'd teach the sisters:"
1) BYU guys make great dancers. You should marry one of us. We want you to.
2) RMs really are not creepy. Asking you on a second date doesn't mean we've fabricated personal revelation telling ourselves that you're our soul mate.
3) Bug-eyed sunglasses are cute indoors. Uggs too.
4) Posting "Will open for dates only" on your door is doing just what an apostle told you to, which is uber-attractive to the guys who are worth dating.
5) We love to watch musicals with you. Your interests are our interests. We're hard up for culture and thank you for bearing with us through the football games.
6) If we suggest watching "Terminator" or "Die Hard" toether, we are asking you to break up with us. That's the only way to get the inspiration to write great songs for our band.
7) Expect a diamond. It's not the diamond that matters, but the exra hours we worked to get it for you. It's the earning, not the the giving, that says "I love you."
8) If BYU says that marriage is a major, then a major it is.
9) Don't call us, we'll call you. But please do answer.
10) Sisters, we love you.

Josh Guest: Klamath Falls, Oregon

If I were an Elder's Quorum president I would teach the brethren that,
1) "Step Up" is not just about the dancing. It's about the message that anyone can change for the better.
2) The sisters understand that RMs haven't dated for two years, but telling them that they could be the ONE on the second or third date is just plain creepy.
3) "Accidentally" lapsing into your mission tongue is not that impressive.
4) If you would ask more girls on dates, there would be fewer signs taped on doors.
5) There are a lot of girls that like action movies, but they like to branch out a little too. If you want them to watch action movies with you, you should watch musicals with them.
6) Most girls go to football games to hang out with guys they like. They don't really care about the game.
7) Real diamonds retain their value, just like the real men that buy them.
8) Most girls don't come to BYU for an MRS. degree, but all the RMs raise the number that get one.
9) Guys should make the first move, it's more impressive.
10) Brethren, be bold!

Shiloh White: Grand Junction, Colorado

If I were an Elder's Quorum president I would teach the elders that:
1) Guys could learn a few more dance moves. Take a hint from "Hitch" and keep it at home base.
2) RMs are a bit awkward. Slow down those first few months and all of society will benefit.
3) Tight jeans and that free t-shirt you won in high school aren't attractive.
4) What? Did you miss the fireside by Dallin H. Oaks?
5) We watch man movies, you can handle a couple chick flicks. Most guys are closet chick flick lovers anyway.
6) Sorry to ask questions at football games. We're just trying to make you feel smart.
7) Why stop at cubic zirconium? Just get her a ring pop, and she can get a different color every week.
8) You're right. Marriage isn't a major. It's more than that.
9) You can ask girls on dates. They won't get offended.
10) Brothers, you're special too.

Mary Bennion: Salt Lake City, Utah
Diane Stewart: Spanish Fork, Utah

The purpose of this letter is to defend the women that the author of "Message for sisters' so idiotically addressed in his letter.
Think. If the world were unfortunate enough to have you as a Relief Society president, you would be on the receive ending of your chauvinistic "message." Reading between the lines, it seems as though you are in need of a date of your own. Given you're bearable enough to deserve such an honor, here are some thoughts from another man's perspective:
1) Yes, you really do have to watch "Step Up" with her. Get over it.
2) You are right: We (RMs) are awkward. Creepy awkward.
3) Bug-eyed sunglasses and furry boots are most definitely attractive.
4) Those girls took down that sign. It now reads, "Forget it."
5) I own a musical, thank you very much.
6) Understand that any girl that goes to a football game is worth your time. She's asking about the rules to show interest in you. Genius.
7) As for your eloquent diamond discourse: Do you know anything about women?
8) If marriage were major, you'd never make it past the first prerequisite: Brains.
9) Ok, fine. Ten percent of your list was true. But you killed the 3 percent chance of actually having a girl ask you out by writing your letter.
10) The words, "You're special," will never, ever get you forgiven. Try apologizing for being stupid. Or flowers. Or both.

Calvin Olsen: Meridian, Idaho

First Annual Christmas Music Soirée

What a delight! My roommate, Jen, and Lindsey planned and hosted a music soirée this past weekend at our house. Jen and I had so much fun decorating for Christmas and I spent way too much money on food for the event of the month! I bought makings for two different types of hot drinks - Russian Tea, a family favorite and tradition; and Mulled Cranberry Cider, a new one that my sister gave me a couple years ago. And I bought stuff for chocolate fondue and all of the dippers and a little cracker-salsa-cream cheese number. And then Jen and Lindsey provided food and so did some of our guests! It was really such good food. But the food was not everything.

It all got started because Jen and Lindsey would practice their instruments - Jen plays the cello and Lindsey plays the viola (and actually, they both play the piano too!) So they played together with Lindsey's brother playing the piano at the party. We sang carols in between performances. Some of the performances were soloists, singing, reading a story and other such stuff.

Lindsey's little niece came to the party and was so cute! I snapped this darling picture of her coming to play the piano with Lindsey. There was even a little exchange of kisses under the mistletoe - go BJ and Jen!! And then a friendly towel-whipping after all was said and done! It was fun and we had a really good time.

Thanksgiving Review

Thanksgiving this year . . . was infinitely better for my health! Yes, for my health. If you will recall, last year I stayed in my jammies until 5 o'clock in the evening watching a marathon run of 24 episodes that my brother-in-law rented. And that is when I got hooked on 24. I watched the rest of the seasons in the same marathon fashion nearly every night and got caught up without missing too many episodes of the season that was playing at the time. Anyway . . . this year my roommate, Jen, came with me to my sister's house and in an effort to make things interesting for her and to improve my holiday's activities - I suggested we go mountain biking up Green Canyon. And she obliged! It was probably 20-25 degrees outside when we went!

I borrowed my sister's super-fancy mountain bike. Hers is full-suspension and mine is no-suspension. I bought my bike when I was 15 or something crazy like that. Front suspension was out at the time, but it was too expensive for my taste. Anyway, my sister's bike also has clips - not the kind where you have to have the special shoes but the kind like the cage things that you stick your toes in. I got pretty good getting into them on our way into the canyon so I stayed in both of them when we started up the single-track. At one point we were going up hill and it was a little narrow with lots of trees around and lots of rocks. I was going so super slow . . . then I hit a rock in the trail and it brought me to a dead stop at which point I could not get out of the clips fast enough because I forgot I was in them. Well I fell over side-ways . . . into a pile of rocks. That is the second pile of rocks that I have met intimately this year without too much damage. (The other pile of rocks was in Mystery Canyon in Zions.) Ooooo my knee was stiff for several days. I think I have full movement back now - 1.5 weeks later. Although it is still tender to kneel on it. (I think I bruised my knee cap when I fell into the pile of rocks - don't ask me how I did it, I have no idea.)

The ride, overall, was pretty fun despite the fall, the cold, and the skiff of snow on the trail and road. :o)

Then of course there was Thanksgiving dinner. The best part about Thanksgiving? Well, I would have to say the food, but I think the true best thing about Thanksgiving is that people make a point to gather with their loved ones. They make the effort, they sacrifice the time, other responsibilities, their desires - all to be with family and share time with family, make memories, and best of all: develop lasting relationships with family. There should be more opportunities like that - and especially government sponsored ones. :o) But the church provides that for us - with Family Home Evenings (FHE). I really look forward to having real Family Home Evenings with my own family someday. The pseudo-family FHEs are decent enough for right now - it helps to get the habit formed so that every Monday night is blocked for that activity. But I really look forward to my very own FHEs where I have to struggle to come up with a new and exciting activity that will bring my children and my spouse and I closer together. I just hope I don't have to struggle too hard to come up with those activities - in fact, I am currently trying to prevent that by slowly gathering ideas and putting them in my FHE box. Someday that box will be used . . . to its fullest. That will be an excellent day and I hope I remember that I thought it would be an excellent day when the day finally comes. :o)

We also came up with an idea to make a family holiday cookbook to share all of the famous recipes we use for the holidays. And there is one recipe that started it all rolling and one that Jen dubbed "Karol's Kursing Yams". Crack up! A couple of years ago my mom was warming up the sauce for the yams in the microwave but the sauce kind of exploded like a volcano! And when she realized it and opened the door to the microwave and the sauce was spilling out all over the place . . . she swore! It was such a laugh - hence the "Karol's Kursing Yams."

And then we ended the holiday with making some gingerbread houses! So fun. I haven't done that since I was a kid - and neither had Jen. The gingerbread house is completely edible, my sister made the gingerbread from scratch and baked it for us. And then the tradition is that you bust it up on New Year's Day and eat it! And we did a little shopping on Saturday too. It was a nice Thanksgiving!!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Thanksgiving!

Mundane Monday - Dinner Groups

So my life has been pretty slow of late and lacking in adventures. Meh. But that is fine because . . . I am kindling my fire to become a bonfire and get ready for the ski season if it will ever come! All of the resorts were suppose to open this past weekend and now all of their websites say "TBA". Bummer. I take it back - there is one resort that opened: Solitude - with 2 runs and 17 inches of man-made snow barely covering the dirt. Yuck. What a shame! My roommate and I were planning on using our free lift ticket to the Canyons the day after Thanksgiving and now we can't because they aren't even open and won't be any time soon! Bummer. Well enough of my tangent. :o)

Mundane Monday is going to be my new thing. It will probably be written more frequently when I don't have any adventures going on (like right now) and it will be more of a "what in the world does Jessika do in between adventures and in her normal daily routine?" Yeah, it will address those kinds of things. (I've also had enough people tell me that my blog is like a journal so these kind of entries are for posterity's sake - I always liked to hear what my grandma had to do for normal life - hike two miles to school everyday, uphill, in the snow, both ways, all year long.) Ha! :o) Anyway - and now for the post:

My favorite routine thing in my life is my dinner group! Three of my friends and I get together for dinner 4 nights a week and cook for each other. We each have a day of the week that is generally our night to cook for the others. We eat Monday through Thursday. Sunday is reserved for make-up day in case your assigned day blew up on you and you weren't able to cook after all. And then Fridays and Saturdays are left open . . . . for . . . . hopefully dates - if we have them. We are also pretty flexible - if we know we can't cook our normal night then we try to reschedule and swap nights with one of the other girls. (I did that last week!) And then, like this week, when there is just too much going on, then we bag it for the week. It is so laid back! We don't have a set dinner time and we don't require a certain percentage of attendance and best of all: if someone (or none of the rest of the group) is able to make it for dinner that night, we save them a plate! So then they have leftovers to come home to or to take to lunch the next day. Don't you love the idea of that? We do.

It makes cooking dinner so much more rewarding and motivating when you have someone to cook for. And we find that we eat much more healthily too. (Is that a word?) We really do strive to cook something healthy each time too. And we love to try new recipes on each other. Pretty much all of us have subscriptions to Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine. For a while I was going way over my food budget each month - so I've had to cut back on my experimental cooking to 2 meals a month and then 2 meals of normal food a month.

And then the fringe benefits of our dinner group: I love the friends I cook with! They are Camille, Lindsey and Jen. Through our dinner group we have formed such an awesome friendship - we can get through thick and thin - believe you me! We are the core group for sure. I love it especially now that I don't live next door to Camille and Lindsey - because this way I can keep up on what is happening in their lives and not lose their friendship. (I have a nasty habit of getting caught up in my new lifestyle, friends, roommates, location, whatever and lose track of my friends. It's almost like I can only have so many friends. I don't like that. :o( I have learned that I have to make a concerted effort to see my friends and do stuff with them in order to retain and maintain the friendships I adore!)

So yeah. That's my dinner group.

Happy Veterans/Remembrance Day

I have to admit, the first time Veterans Day really resonated with me was when I was in London on my study abroad. For like a week in advance of the 11th of November, the British started passing out little paper poppies to pin to your coat in order to commemorate what they call Remembrance Day. (I still have my paper poppy to this very day!) And then they have a moment of silence at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month - Remembrance Day! The entire island stops everything at 11:00 am and has a moment of silence to remember those that were lost in the first World War and all others that have been lost since in later wars. Then the Queen places a wreath of poppies at the base of the Cenotaph in the middle of Whitehall in the heart of London.

I think the reason Veterans Day first resonated with me there is because the British made such a big deal of it. Life stops for them every November 11th at 11:00 am. Being over in there in Europe, they have been caught in the middle of both World Wars and had their country attacked numerous times. While on my study abroad, we visited Coventry and saw the bombed out cathedral there - the British have actually preserved the walls in order to retain the knowledge that they survived the bombings of England, and the Battle of Britain and all the other attacks that were made on England.

We, in the United States, have been truly blessed that we have not had to defend our homeland to the extent they (or the rest of European countries, for that matter) have had to. Don't get me wrong, we have had some terrible tragedies take place on our homeland - with Pearl Harbor and 9/11 standing out the most to me. We would all do well to count our blessings and thank the Lord for the chance we have to live in the land of the free!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Halloween!

Taste of my Church History Tour

Well, I've been back for a week from my trip and I am finally getting around to adding an entry about it! My mom and I left on Tuesday, October 9th and got back late Wednesday, October 17th.

The church history tour took us everywhere! Palmyra, New York area, Niagara Falls, Kirtland, Ohio area, Independence, Missouri and surroundings, Nauvoo, Illinois and then finally Carthage Jail in Carthage, Illinois.

My favorite part would have to be Nauvoo - we had a chance to attend a temple session at the beautiful Nauvoo Temple and then walk all over historic Nauvoo. And there was so much to see and do! Mom and I got the famous and cute Old Nauvoo bricks and then we also got some prairie diamonds at the blacksmith shop (which are really just horse-shoe nails rounded to fit like a ring). But the close second favorite place was the Joseph Smith, Sr. farm. I loved it. I loved the Sacred Grove. It's crazy to think that I am related to them - through Hyrum Smith!

I think the best part about the whole trip is this: That it strengthened my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The entire tour was a witness to his life, work and calling. He truly was a prophet of God! He endured so much, struggled, and sacrificed so much for the benefit of the church. I know he translated the Book of Mormon only by the gift and power of God. Doctrine & Covenants 135 sums it best:

Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!

Hence my current favorite purchase of the Joseph Smith statuette - to remind me of my testimony of his calling as a Prophet of God. To learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints click here.

Here are some pics of the trip - just to wet your appetite.

At the Hill Cumorah, New York

The Sacred Grove, near Palmyra, New York

The Sacred Grove, near Palmyra, New York

Joseph Smith, Sr. Log Home, near Palmyra, New York

Peter Whitmer Farm, near Fayette, New York. Where the church was organized on April 6, 1830.

Niagara Falls

Newell K. Whitney Store, Kirtland, Ohio

John Johnson Farm, Hiram, Ohio

Kirtland Ohio Temple

Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri

Far West Missouri Temple Lot

Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Missouri

Nauvoo Illinois Temple

Outside the Brigham Young home, Nauvoo, Illinois

Carthage Jail, Carthage, Illinois. Where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred June 27, 1844.

First Snow in the Valley!

It snowed huge, awesome snowflakes tonight!!!! Hooray!!!

2nd Annual Fall Colors & Dutch Oven Dessert

This year was much colder than last year! We had a very cold weekend and it snowed!! Yay! We went up to the same place as we did last year - in Rock Canyon. There was maybe 2 inches of snow on the ground (and the roads - made for some fun driving) but no worries, it was melting and there was a path cleared for us to walk on.

This year, we were smarter: we brought camping chairs and two Dutch ovens.

New friends joined us - Camille, Lindsey and me - this year: Nate and Jon, Rob, Jen, and Cary. This year we made a super yummy Caramel Pudding Cake and an Upside Down Pineapple Cake. I think the Caramel Pudding Cake was the best! Enjoy the beautiful pics!

Tour of My Place

And here is the entry you have all been looking forward to! The tour of my new place. Finally! I had a little trouble figuring out the video portion of my camera. I needed to make sure the video was less than 100 MB before I could upload it and I finally figured out a way to make the video compact enough to upload it, although it does take a toll on the quality. Enjoy the tour!

Moonlight Lift Ride

This past Wednesday evening, some friends and I got together and rode the lift at Sundance Resort. There was a full moon and lots of fun laughs. Lindsey made some super yummy apple cider and ginger cookies. The ride just got me and Jen excited for the ski season!
Friday night, we even saw our first ski film by Teton Gravity Research. But the venue was awful! We went to Harry O's in Park City for the premiere which is a bar/dance club. We expected the smoking and drinking to be happening around us, but not the lack of seating! There was only a few seating areas and they were all reserved for the sponsors and athletes. Dumb! So we had to stand through a rough hour of an awful band and then an hour and a half of the film. Yes, TGR does show their film elsewhere with better seating, but I will be gone for most of them - on my Church History tour! Oh well.

Wordless Wednesday - My Treadmill

The Seattle Summary

So I am back from Seattle! Mike (and Nate) showed me a great time! Super fun. Chatting late into the night the first night - catching up, curbing a big nasty prank that would have been pulled on me too, the city (Pike's Street Marketplace, THE best ever REI (what dreams are made of), the Space Needle, and a delectable dinner at Ivars), breakfast and hiking near Issaquah on Saturday - watching the hang-gliders and para-gliders launch from the top of our hike (the hike was 1.6 miles and 2,000 feet elevation gain), breakfast with Ruth Ann on Sunday and then church in the local singles ward. Fun filled weekend! Thank again Mike!! Enjoy the pics.