turkey weekend

So Thanksgiving weekend has been quite a blast. My family came up from Simi to join in the festivities of the Ogles clan in Springville. It was so great to have so much family here!

MoGene, Darcy and Sadie

Thursday was filled with cooking, eating, karaoke, performances, basketball, etc.

After our Thanksgiving meal (lunch), our family gathered in the family room (all 50 or so of us) and enjoyed each family performing something:

Amy Lambert enjoying the performances (along with the rest of the people in the background)

ie - Sarah, Marie and I with our frantically put-together, barely practiced performance of "Sisters" (from A White Christmas)
ie - Chuck Norris jokes
ie - A quick game of charades

Then, as cheezy as it sounds, our family played our own game-show called, "We're Related!" It was fun to see how many of the younger kids knew so much about our family history!

Then the karaoke machine came out. You know its not Ogles karaoke if Safety Dance isn't put on at least once!

Marie getting ready to eat!

After everyone's fill of pie (we had 12 pies...), my cousin Liz came home with 4 tickets to the Jazz game!! So Liz, Melissa, Jackie and I headed off to Salt Lake to enjoy our 100 Club tickets! The Jazz were playing the Chicago Bulls. I don't think I can ever go to another NBA game unless I can go like this: free, VIP parking; free tickets; free food at a restaurant on the 6th floor overlooking the stadium--crab, lobster, shrimp, etc; free snacks at halftime--popcorn, nachos, soda. There is really no other way to go. Thanks to Liz's Uncle Gary (and NuSkin), we thoroughly enjoyed our free Jazz evening--enough so to be able to spend a few dollars on things like t-shirts and hoodies!

Liz and Melissa are Boozer fans. (Jackie and I are Kirilenko fans--go Russian dude!)

Then, last night ( with 9 cousins, 3 siblings, and my dad), we went to the BYU Men's Basketball game against Weber State. Go Cougs! I'm having major luck with my sports games this weekend. The Jazz slaughtered the Bulls. And although the Cougars lost it for a while, we came back and won against Weber. Let's hope my luck remains today as BYU comes up against our greatest rivalry, Utah. I predict the following ending:


O Rise and Shout, the Cougars are out
Along the trail to fame and glory.
Rise and shout, our cheers will ring out,
As you unfold your vict'ry story.
On you go to vanquish the foe
For Alma Mater's sons and daughters.
As we join in song, in praise of you, our faith is strong.
We'll raise our colors high in the blue,
And cheer the Cougars of BYU.

GO COUGS!

ridiculous query

So I had this conversation with many of the women in my family over the Thanksgiving weekend. After New Moon came out last week, it was ever-more apparent to me that Robert Pattison makes a HORRIBLE Edward Cullen in Twilight. Not only is his acting absolutely atrocious, but he is just not good looking enough for the part. And the more I've watched Vampire Diaries on the CW, the more apparent it is that Stephenie Meyer should have used Paul Wesley (vampire Stefan Salvatore) as her Edward Cullen.

What are your thoughts? Robert Pattison? Or Paul Wesley?

Robert Pattison/Gag-Edward Cullen: (PS - and what's with his crazy hair? Comb it already!)

Or Paul Wesley/Steamy Stefan Salvatore (should-have-been-Edward-Cullen):



He is just so much better looking, no?

grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize

So for Halloween this year, I dressed up as the Progressive salesgirl "Flo" in the commercials. At this point of the night, my lipstick had worn off. But I think I did a pretty good job of it.

Sarah and I went to her Stake Halloween party at Noah's in Lindon. It was basically a HUGE dance. Regardless of the fact that I was exhausted and didn't know that many people, I had a lot of fun.

At one point of the night, I saw a girl walk past dressed up as Ms. Trunchbull from Matilda. She was totally awesome, boots and javelin in tow. The thought that went through my head was "Greatest costume EVER." And then she turned around and it was my friend Jill Highland! Haha. I love her.

And surprisingly, I only had 2 pieces of candy all Halloween weekend. I think that must be a record or something.

ridiculousness

The Daily Universe sponsored a Stephenie Meyer-style writing contest. Need I say more?

Enjoy:

First Place

By Meridith Reed, 24

He had eyes like murky duck pond water: mysterious, forbidden things lurked beneath an impenetrable surface. Instantly, I felt a deep otherworldly connection between us. It was as if hot lightning had struck both of us and forever bound us together.
My eyes were sudden slaves to his; looking away would have been fighting gravity. And then, I saw, in the bottomless recesses of his black pupils, a vision of our long, happy life together. I parted my lips to speak, but I was breathless and voiceless. He spoke first: “And you’ll get a bubble sheet at the printer. Next!”

Second Place

By Sarah Montgomery, 19

The crisp autumn air quivered with hidden promise, waiting to be found, like a bed of fluffy cream shrouded within a Twinkie. It had been three months now: she knew the sensuous intensity in her home teacher’s hauntingly butterscotch eyes wasn’t imagined. She saw how his fingers fumbled distractedly for the right page of the Ensign; she noticed how he lingered eagerly in the doorway once the closing prayer was done; she heard the meaningful inflection of his voice as he breathed, “Is there anything we can do for you, sisters?” She knew: they were destined to be together.

Third Place

By Summer Myers, 23

She often fantasized about their domestic life together: cooking meals, folding laundry, brushing their teeth. Oh, to share that intimate nocturnal rite! His rugged fingers would confidently grip the brush; he would roll the toothpaste tube, firmly and evenly, from the bottom. With every stroke his breath would become fresher, his gum line healthier, his enamel whiter.

Would he rinse with a cup, or would he sip the water from his own deft hand? She longed to know. And when he finished he would turn to her, and the resplendent gleam of his smile would be audible.

california will always be home

It's been a while, but I decided it was about time to update you dedicated few on my amazing trip to California at the end of the summer. I brought some great friends home with me for a week and a half-- Dan and Melissa Johnson, and my dear cousin Amy Lambert. We had a blast!

We went to the beach, Zuma and Santa Monica, ate watermelon everyday, and visited LA like a regular tourist--Getty Museum, Huntington Library, Hollywood sign, Fashion District, etc.
























This picture of Bry is like the perfect summer beach picture--drinking a caprisun, with the lifeguard station and people and umbrellas and Malibu in the background.

One of the main reasons of my trip was to make it to Mike Oakford and Austen Anderson's homecoming on time. We left late Saturday night and stopped in Mesquite to sleep before waking up at the crack of dawn to drive the rest of the way to Simi. Amy and I walked into Sacrament meeting more or less exactly when Mike stood up to speak. Whew! We are amazing. And regardless of the fact that we only had 5 hours of sleep, we enjoyed our time on Sunday celebrating my dad's birthday in LA with the grandparentals and then celebrating the happy return of Mike and Austen.

Don't you love the hat? Not something I would usually wear. And it's actually Bry's. haha.

I didn't realize how much I missed my puppy until he freaked out when I walked in the house. He's getting so old! It makes my heart hurt to see how bad Bandit's arthritis is getting.

One night I went out with my Young Women leaders.
And when I came back, this is what I found:
Melissa and Dan enthusiastically competing
in the Wii version of Dancing with the Stars.
It was quite entertaining. I'm glad they

were able to make themselves at home.

Another reason I came home was for David and

Ariel's wedding, which I do believe was
absolutely gorgeous. Congrats you two!
And I do have to admit that I am very proud of
this picture. I have definite photography skills.

Dad and Mom dancing at the wedding. Aww....

Marie and Amy most likely conniving together to do something ridiculous. =D They are gorgeous girlies. I love them both.
On the way home, we ran into quite a beautiful sight. I should have pulled over and gotten out of the car to take a better picture. But isn't the double full rainbow gorgeous? I have never seen one before! It was a great welcome back into Utah.

oh BANG!

I love old friends getting together again.
Yay for game night.

JBaum &
Melissa: Her eggo is preggo! And she looks adorable!

We played BANG! for the first time in a few months. I can't believe we don't play it more! And even though Lionel and Chad weren't sitting next to each other, they STILL figured out how to cheat. I don't understand how they do it.

"Dear Andrew McMahon,

You were amazing! I totally enjoyed my time listening to your rather extraordinary piano rock band: JACK'S MANNEQUIN. You were amazing in Something Corporate and you are a leukemia survivor. Thanks for being a hero to many. PS - Thanks for exciting the crowd by standing on your piano. I would have loved to see you light your piano on fire again like you did when you were in Something Corporate. Maybe next time."



In response to my excited statement on facebook that Jack's Mannequin was amazing, my uncle made a rather witty comment that I have become rather pathetic if my dating scene has now completely eradicated men and substituted them with mannequins owned by men.

Hah. Not funny. =D

I had a lot of fun at Usana Amphitheater. The concert was really amazing (despite the fact that The Fray wasn't as good as Jack's Mannequin, or that I got bit by a spider that ended up riding home with me---kind of a funny story. Ask me sometime).

Yay for old roommates who I miss! Love you two!

stadium of fire

For the 4th of July, I went to the Stadium of Fire. It's pretty much a big deal in Utah. Still not sure why. The traffic is such a pain.

But there's always a concert with famous performers. In the past, The Osmonds, Bob Hope, the Beach Boys, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Toby Keith, Lee Ann Womack, and Brooks & Dunn (just to name a few) have all performed at the BYU Football Stadium for this event.

This year, LaVell Edwards Stadium was graced by the presence of SHeDAISY and (drum roll please for the full effect).... the Jonas Brothers. (Hah. I hope that fell flat). SHeDAISY was horrible in concert. I was embarrassed for them. The Jonas Brothers were actually good in concert. I wasn't expecting it, so it was a nice surprise. And I realized that I know way more Jonas Brother's songs than I probably should. =D



I went with my cousins! We really had a lot of fun. I love Amy's face in this picture. PS - We have quite a story about arriving at the stadium. Not only did the mean gate people make us eat our food before entering; Not only did they make us empty our water bottles; Not only did they give us this free sample of some gross new super juice; BUT--on the way in, my cousin Lydia was stopped by this modeling agency because they thought she was drop-dead gorgeous. It was really funny. She was flattered but totally not interested after we found out that the modeling agency wasn't modest-oriented like the woman implied.

The Fireworks were awesome too.


And I'm good at taking pictures of them, if I do say so myself.





We quite enjoyed ourselves.... despite the perfect description of this year's concert with the Jonas Brother's: "A mere mention of the Jonas Brothers sent fans into a frenzy. The possibility that they might walk by sent girls into high-pitched delirium. When the three actually walked onstage at the Stadium of Fire, the noise level of the thousands of girls in the audience went eardrum-busting and shrill" (© Copyright 2009, Daily Herald, Provo, UT).

What they forgot to mention is that this eardrum-busting and shrill noise did not stop for 2 hours. I know that I suffered from temporary threshold-shift that took about another 2-3 hours for my hearing to come back to normal. The 6-yr old girl sitting next to me was exquisitely talented at the high-pitched squeal.

Me and the Jonas Brothers. haha

Lydia and Amy having a blast.

kolob 13th branch

We always have so much fun. As you can see..

We may be adults, but we still know how to play old school.

Krista, Britney and me.

Becca, Megan, Blake, Krista, Lis, Ari, Britney, Miranda and Debra. (I'm laying on the grass taking the picture). haha

Me and my favoritist cousin that I live with, Liz.

Playing on the playground.

Everyone jump! No! Everyone jump with their legs bent!

We are the champions, my friend.

Jillian, Stacy and me.

Liz being herself. :D

hey deveny

I thought you might want to see this picture. I thought it was cute. =D