M is for MAC, which is for Make-up Artistry Cosmetics

After 2 1/2 great years with Bare Escentuals, I finally took a leap, and landed 5 feet away at the MAC counter! While I loved (and still love) Bare Escentuals, I knew it was time for me to try something new and give myself a challenge! After 1 week of training (which deserves a blog spot all its own!) and 1 full week actually working, I can honestly say that I KNOW I made the right decision this time!

My complete devotion to fashion and beauty magazines is finally paying off, as MAC is a company that EXPECTS us to know what the trends are, and to represent them! Not that Bare Escentuals discouraged that, but they were definitely going for a different image.

Just to let everyone know, in case you're worried, I am well aware of what the "typical" MAC image is, and I WILL still stay true to myself. So, no, I won't be rocking hot pink hair and a massive tattoo on my chest anytime soon!

I'm loving my new job, even though it's not all that different from my previous one. I know that i have a lot to offer the company, and I am excited for all the opportunities that will come my way!

W is for Wonderful Women

Today is my Grandma Ruby's 90th birthday, and I feel it only appropriate to talk about all the of the women in my life who have been extremely influential. As I think about each woman, I realize that I have been VERY blessed to know so many!

Grandma Ruby is 90 today, and probably has more energy and initiative to accomplish goals than I do! She is one of the sweetest women in the world, and yet, she's got a sassy side too! She is a hard-worker and the best example of how we can all be missionaries our entire lives. I am so excited for her to come to Utah in a couple of weeks!

Grandma Lois is one of the funniest women that I know! While I mentioned Ruby's sassy-ness, I think Lois wins in this department. One of my favorite memories with her is when we were at the Sipes home for dinner, and we played dominoes afterward, and as I started to consistently win, she looked over at me and said, "I never did like you very much". That STILL makes me laugh to this day! Aside from being hilarious, she is a fabulous example to me of a true woman of faith. She is strong, caring, and all-around wonderful! I'm so grateful for my grandmas!

I definitely need to give a MAJOR shout-out to my sisters (real and in law). Sara, Scott's wife, gives me so much hope for my future. She stayed true to herself, got through BYU, and found a pretty awesome guy, so maybe I have a chance! She is intimidatingly intelligent,beautiful, a modern-day feminist(as am I!), and an incredible cook! She makes so much sense in our family, and I love her!

Erin is the newest addition to our family, and the living proof that I was right to be frustrated with Dave when he was in High School! I used to get so mad because I found his taste in girls shallow, and then he finally grew up and married someone who IS beautiful, but also smart, funny, caring, and wonderful! She has been so good to me, and such a great friend and mentor here in Utah! (And a side note, Erin's family has been SOOOOO good to me, and I love them! Erin's mom and sisters are for SURE among my favorite women! The guys are ok too. :) They have given me a family here in Utah that I have needed lately!).

My sister, Missi or Melissa (depending on which you prefer...I personally can't call her Melissa, it just feels weird), has guided me through my entire life! She is 8 years older than me, and has showed me how I ought to be living my life (although I'm a few years behind in the whole husband, pregnant department). She is beautiful, smart, hilarious, hard-working, loving, responsible, and pretty much everything I want to be someday! She has raised three of the cutest kids in the world who are fun, sweet, and smart. I have been SO lucky to have her in my life! I feel so blessed to have family members who are more than just that, they are my best friends!

Now, obviously, there are so many more women I love and admire, but if you're still reading this, you're probably waiting for me to get to my mom. So thank you to all my great girl friends out there, but my mom kinda wins.

Where do I start with my mom? The first thing I have to say about her is that she is my best friend and biggest fan who loves me so much, and that gets me through every single day, no matter what. That alone is really enough, and more than a lot of others can say. I have never questioned her love for me or anyone in my family. She would do literally anything to make me happy, and is one of the most selfless people I know. She trusts me and my decisions, and has never forced anything on me. She is beautiful, caring, Christ-like, quirky, fun, intelligent, spiritual, and pretty much everything a mother should be! She does so much for others without asking for recognition, and I admire that so much! I'm not sure how to ever repay her for everything she has done and all the clothes and make-up she has bought! :) Thank you for being my friend and example!

Well, there are so many more women who have influenced me and blessed my life, so thank you to all of you as well! Let's hope I learn a thing or two from each of these special ladies!

C is for Change

No, nothing has changed, just to warn all of you who were hoping for an exciting revelation about my life. As I have thought about how steady my life has become, I started to think about all those people who would LOVE the consistency that I have. Steady job, wonderful family, great friends, amazing school, etc. So many friends of mine tell me how scared they are of change, and how they wish they could just keep their lives steady and consistent.

Why is it that I don't have that fear? I CRAVE change. BIG change. Yes, I don't want to lose those steady parts of my life like family, friends, the gospel, etc, but change is EXCITING for me. New job opportunities are always enticing, and doing study abroad or internships are constantly tempting me. I get a little restless here in Provo as I look at internships in London with Sothebys, think about moving to New York, wanting to travel the world and see what is out there. Change doesn't feel negative to me. Maybe MY challenge is to learn to make my life's consistencies exciting...or just figure out how to make all those changes I crave a reality!

G is for Groomswoman

You've heard the phrase, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride". While this may be true for some women, I feel like my life has been more along the lines of "Always a groomsmen, never a bride". Now, before I start, let me just say, this post will not be about complaining, but more about a realization that I have come to.

While growing up, I was extremely influenced by my older siblings. I got into good 80s music because of Scott, embraced my feminine side because of Missi, and thanks to Dave, I loved hockey and other sports. Despite my varied interests, however, I always seemed to get along with boys so much better than girls. While I had my close girl friends all throughout Elementary and Junior High, in the end, my closest friends are almost entirely male.

Maybe it was the lack of drama and back-stabbing, but I just related to these guys so well! Herein lies the problem: I became SO comfortable being friends with guys, that I don't really know how to DATE them. I can sit around and laugh when one of them farts, but sit me alone with one of them at a restaurant over candlelight? It's not good.

As much as I used to let this get to me, I realized maybe it isn't so bad. I have faith that someday I'll be able to be more than 'just friends' with a man. I have actually been so LUCKY to be friends with so many awesome guys, and they have taught me a lot of things about their "species" that I am sure I will find useful in my marriage. And, when all these guys start getting married, I think I will actually look pretty good in a tux. ;)

D is for Difficult Decisions

It has been too long since I have posted anything, and with good reason: nothing has changed in my life. Until now, that is. It seems that my blog has become an outlet for me to share my ever-changing job situations. Well, here comes another one.

Just for a little information on my current job, I work for Bare Escentuals inside of Nordstrom. I do make-up on women, but I also have sales goals to meet. I am paid by BE, NOT Nordstrom. Therefore, I don't make commission like every other Nordstrom employee, and I also receive no discount on anything but Bare Escentuals product. The commission situation really didn't bother me when I was hired, but that slowly started to change. Nordstrom is constantly understaffed in the cosmetics department, and so everyone has to work outside of their own make-up lines to help customers. Other employees, however, have a some incentive since they will still receive a commission for anything they sell. My team? Not so lucky. We are the only counter other than MAC that is ALWAYS staffed, open to close, and thus we end up doing a lot of work for other lines...with no reward. This has really frustrated me lately, as I feel a bit like free labor for Nordstrom.

Well, I heard about a full-time opening at the MAC counter. I was intrigued because I know how respected those employees are and that they make more hourly PLUS commission. I decided that I would talk to the manager of MAC and of Nordstrom cosmetics to let them know I was interested. Both were eager to have me apply, and that was really encouraging!

On the flip-side, I was terrified to tell MY manager that I was even CONSIDERING to leave BE. I felt that she should know, however, so that it wouldn't seem like I was sneaking around behind her back interviewing other places. Telling her was extremely difficult, and she didn't take it very well.

The past couple of days, I have been so conflicted, trying to decide what to do. I even made a list of pros and cons. In the end, I know what I should be doing right now. And even though everything else I have said might make you think otherwise, I have decided to stay with Bare Escentuals. I feel like the frustrations I have now would be nothing compared to the others that would come from working for MAC. I respect them a lot, but it is just not for me right now. So, for once, one of my "Job Blogs" doesn't involve change!

S is for Sunday. Whew!

The Gospel is true....and very exhausting. Yesterday I had one of those nonstop, meeting after meeting, no time to eat Sundays. As the daughter of a bishop/Stake Presidency kind of dad, I have always known that many people in the church have VERY long days. So, Dad and everyone else that has spent hours and hours with church activities... I know how you feel.

11:30- Relief Society Presidency meeting (Thank goodness I started this late...we all know I am not a morning person...)

12:15-3:15- Sacrament, Sunday School, Relief Society (Nothing out of the ordinary here!)

3:15-3:45- socializing with some new sisters in my Relief Society (While this may sound like a break, taking mental notes on names, hometowns, majors, etc can be exhausting!)

4-5- My home teachers came and taught us/talked with us. (These two guys are so great, we could have talked for so much longer)

5-6:30- I went and did MY visiting teaching, to two girls (Last Sunday of the month! Whoo hoo!)

6:30-6:45- Super fast meal (only real one of the day!)

6:45-7- walking in the slush/rain/snow/cold in high heels to a Stake Leadership Training Meeting (While this was not an activity or anything, I just want you to pity me :).)

7-8:30-Stake Leadership Training Meeting (First everyone together, and then Relief Society Presidencies on their own)

8:30-8:45- Stinking weather

8:45-9- Interviewing two people to spotlight at ward prayer (This time I had paper and a pen to help me remember names, dates, majors, interests, etc.)

9-9:30- Ward Prayer (So fun...so cold)

9:30-10:30- Linger Longer, sweets and socializing (While this is not a REQUIRED activity...it is if one wants friends in the ward)

10:30-12- Nice long conversation with a friend. (SOMETIMES I am a good listener)


I came home at midnight, read my scriptures(That was for the parents...just so they know! haha), washed my face, brushed my teeth, and that was it. The end.

Even though I make it sound so tiring and arduous, it was a great day! I was spiritually fed,taught by many,able to teach myself, talked with awesome people, and felt like I did not waste a day!

A is for "And the Oscar goes to..."

Every year in my ward, the FHE groups get together and make 10 minute long videos about anything they choose, and then the whole ward gets together and watches them. It is a really fun tradition, and the "Oscars" have become a pretty big deal. Well, this year, my group made a funny 1950s educational video about how to survive a zombie uprising. It was really funny, thanks to some pretty tech/movie/editing savvy guys in the group. I even helped out with the zombie make-up, which was kind of refreshing after all the "natural" looks I do everyday! This past Thursday, our whole ward went to the SWKT(Kimball Tower) and watched the movies is a huge theater. It was so fun, plus, formal wear was encouraged, so it felt like prom again! My roommates and I had fun getting ready together (I even did about 5 girls' eye make-up in about an hour, PLUS myself! Whew!), and we looked great! Here are some pictures from the after-party. If you have a facebook account, my groups video is on my profile, so check it out!






Oh, and our group won! The bishopric gave an award to each group, and then the ward voted on the best overall! So, we got the People's Choice Oscar, which is really the best!