Singleton Living. Seriously.

In my world as a single girl just barely over 30 (that's my story and I'm sticking to it), I find myself in a very weird place socially. I have just moved home and am attending a family ward which definitely has its ups and downs. I have been here long enough so that people know I am sticking around, but they just don't quite know what to do with me. I find that I am very complimented when people ask why I am not married because that means that they actually wonder. I get the question from the well-meaning people as to if I am single, as always, and I have to say that I am now getting the most unique responses to my answer to that question. A new acquaintance who is married and has some kids even responded, "Lucky!" when I stated my single status. The following conversation that I had on Sunday with an older sister in the ward let me know, however, that I am in a whole new league:

SISTER: So, I have been meaning to talk to you-you have been on my mind a lot lately.
ME: Oh? That's nice, what about?
S: Well, how do you feel about getting married?
M: I feel good about getting married, why do you ask?
S: Well, it is something that I think you should do-have you thought about how you are going to make it happen?
M: Uh...Uh...well, since coming to California, not so much.
S: You really should. Think about it I mean. Do you need some help?
M: Uh...Uh...Apparently.
S: Oh, good, because I was kind of the Yenta of the singles ward when my husband and I were serving over there and since being released, I haven't had the opportunity to work with a young-ish person and get them married. I miss that.
M: Wow. Okay, Yenta. Are you sure that you are up for the challenge? (I really did say that)
S: Oh yes-you just have to have an open attitude and not be picky. I will consider it my project to get you married.
M: Excellent. Isn't it time for class?

So, as a result of this conversation, I have decided a few things: 1) I will have an open attitude. I will be open to anyone who considers themselves a Yenta. 2) I am really not picky. Well, except for a couple of things. I need someone to be at least my height within an inch or taller than me. I am not a bodyguard. I need someone who will laugh at my jokes. I am pretty funny. Other than that, I am pretty flexible. 3) I am pretty sure that I am still young! Not young-ish like she said. YOUNG.
Now, if anyone wants to join "Team Get Anne Married"-you are welcome to. I will get you Yenta's number. Seriously.

Thanksgiving at the Beach. Seriously.

For Thanksgiving this year, it ended up being just me, Laura and the parents, so we decided to accept an invitation to spend big thursday here:It was a great day to spend with family and friends, so of course we decided to spend some time taking pictures of ourselves:
And after a great day of stuffing ourselves, walking on the beach, and taking naps on the porch with the sound of the ocean in the background, we came home and got to hang out with our favorite Barlow:It was a great day and we had a bunch of fun visits from friends and family throughout the weekend and even got in a little trouble with the law:Or, as we call him, Officer Barlow...Anyways, I love this holiday season and the opportunity that it brings to remind me to be thankful for everything that I have.

Livin' It Up In California...

It has been a while, since I have posted, but I have spent the past few weeks packing up all of my belongings, driving them through the desert and then unpacking all of my belongings. So, now I am here and loving being in sunny California. No joke, it has been sunny and around 60 degrees since I got here. And although Logan looked like this when I left:I am pretty sure that it didn't stay that way for long...
So, after leaving Logan, I went to spend a couple of days in Salt Lake and play with some of my favorites:Then, my Dad flew in and we were off on the 12-hour trek to Cali. We got to spend the night in Elko, Nevada and then stop in Winemucca to buy some ammo-which made me feel very redneck to be driving around in a Jeep full of my belongings and buying ammo-and then we were home in record time. So, now I am all unpacked and get to hang out with this anytime I want:
and now, while I do miss my friends and loved ones in Utah, I am really loving being here in California. Come visit!

What I Have Learned from Logan

When I look back at the history of my life in Logan, I will definitely think of the many lessons that I learned here with fondness. So, here is a list of the things that I have learned that will go into the life skills resume:

1. I love the mountains. I never really knew how much before. I have hiked them, camped in them, had numerous bonfires in them, skiied them, sled on them, driven through them when they were fiery colors and when they were so icy and snowy it was scary-all in the name of love. I will miss having the majestic views of the mountains every time I leave the house.
2. I heart Utah State. It has been a great school to attend and to be employed at. I have seen it from the side of a student and an employee and although we will never claim to be "The Lord's School" like a school south of us that shall remain nameless, I truly believe that USU is an inspired place. Apparently I am now a true-blooded Aggie who loves the spot where the sagebrush grows...
3. I have learned many life skills here in Logan. But maybe the best of all skills that I will be able to take into my daily life is a foreign language: REDNECK. That's right. I am fluent in redneck. After spending a few years working at a fence company, I am now able to speak and understand what it means when someone says that they "usedta could" do something or the appropriate use of "getter done". I understand the value of hunting and what a big buck contest is and to always say no when one of the hunters comes back from a week in the woods and offers a dried mystery meat in an unmarked plastic bag. I also know the difference between regular wranglers and sunday wranglers. Now, how to put that on a resume...

4. I have made many friends that I will always consider family. I know what it means to have people around that will come running in the middle of the night if I need them and for this I will always be greatful.

5. No matter how long I have lived in Utah, I can proudly say that the words "Oh my heck" have never become part of my vocabulary. Never.

6. I have learned that no matter what the weather is anywhere else in the state, the canyon has the potential to be a wild ride any time of the year. I have learned that I am able to survive rain, sleet, snow, or hail-sometimes all in one drive...

7. I have learned that having sisters around me is one of my favorite things! No matter what we are doing, whether it is cooking dinner, attending a double feature, or just hanging out-we have a blast. Here we are at Maddox this past Friday taking a picture in front of a random statue:I am sure that there are many more things that I have learned here in Logan, but these are by far the top of the list....

What I'm Watching Now...

I have thoroughly enjoyed this new TV Season especially the addition of GLEE. It is an irreverent, quirky look at the outcasts that make up a high school glee club. They say things like, "You know, that Rachel girl makes me want to set myself on fire, but she can sure sing." But I have to say that one of my favorite lines came in last night's episode when Sue Sylvester, the coach of the award-winning cheerleaders says, "I love minorities. I do. In fact, I love them so much I am considering moving to California to become one." Like I said. Love it.
So, if you haven't had a chance to check it out yet, go to fox.com and catch the first episodes...

Too.Much.Information. Seriously.

So, a quick trip to Wal-Mart last night turned into a moment that I wanted to plug my ears and sing loudly, "I can't hear you! I can't hear you!" when I ran into an old friend of the male gender that I hadn't seen for a while:

AB: Oh hi! (Quick embrace) How are things with you?
Male: Great! My wife is pregnant...
AB: Really? That is great! Does that make 3 for you?
Male: Oh no, this will be our fourth. Our youngest is 8 months old, so they will be 11 months apart when this next one is born.
AB: Wow! Wow...
Male: I know-she was even on birth control. But don't worry, after this one I am getting snipped and everything so we can be free to do...whatever...
AB: Wow...(I didn't really hear anything after this because I was too busy trying to figure out a way to run away and pick up the sour cream I needed)

After this experience I have learned 2 things: 1. Never use the words "Quick Trip" and "Wal-Mart" in the same sentence. It will never happen. 2. Be prepared when asking the question, "How are things with you?" to hear the actual answer. Yikes.

So, I have a simple plea to those of you who have no personal boundaries when it comes to sharing information about your life. If it involves the word "snipping" when describing your new method of birth control, no one besides your spouse wants to hear it. Trust me. Seriously.

So, Here's The Story...

There have been many requests as to the story behind my move to California, so here it is: I graduated. I decided in September that I would be moving to California to look for a great job (hopefully something cool), spend time with the fam and just all around do some fun things. My last day of work here at Utah State is October 23rd and then my Dad is flying up on Thursday, October 29th and we are driving the Jeep back to Pleasanton. I will live at casa Barlow for a while whilst looking for a job to save some money and that is as far as the plan goes...for now. I am really excited and I decided that this is a great time for me to move while I still harbor great feelings about Logan. I am pretty sure that one more winter would have changed my feelings from fondness to something way worse.
I decided to start making a list of the things that I will miss about Logan. Here is the first item on the list: I have loved loved loved the fact that I get to live 5 minutes from the Temple. It is beautiful and you can see it from almost everywhere in the valley. And, in honor of Flashback Friday, you can see that there are others who enjoy it as well: I am sure that as the next 3 weeks transpire, the list of people, places and things that I will miss about Logan will continue to grow, so I will be documenting accordingly.

Fun Fall Festivities

It is finally fall here in Logan. The students are back. The Valley will soon be turning incredible crimson colors. There are a bunch of festivities going on to celebrate Homecoming week. We even have an office decorating contest that we do here in the Taggart Student Center and of course, the Admissions office will not be outdone:

There has been an abundance of school spirit and this week of festivities has been everything that I wanted in a Homecoming week. We are all in our game day shirts today and have even declared this Chocolate Day. Gotta love it! Go Aggies!

It's Official!

I am moving to a place that looks like this in the winter:Instead of this:My last day of work is October 23 and then I am out of here!

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

I find that this day has been a day of reflection, remembering where I was 8 years ago at this time and being nervous about the future of my country. I was reassured by my Commander-In-Chief who promised that the actions of these "faceless cowards" would not go unanswered. It is days like this that I look back on the state of our country and how it has changed since then and I find that I am nervous about the future of our country for different reasons. On days like this I am not so reassured by my Commander-In-Chief who seems to forget that he works for the people and can't stop campaigning even though he has been elected. On days like this I resent that we have a President who asks me to pledge to be a better citizen of this country but gets upset when anyone questions why he is not a better leader. It is days like this that I reflect what it means to be an American. So, I look to the leaders that I do have faith in and who have always made me feel reassured. Harold B. Lee had this to say about our country: "Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges. I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through." (Ye Are the Light of the World, 350-51)
It is days like this that make me greatful to be an American-to mean it when I pledge allegiance to "...One Nation, under God, INDIVISIBLE..." and especially greatful that I believe the words of my church leaders when they reassure me that I live in a place that is favored above all other nations.

Guess What I Did!!

Once upon a time in the history of my life, I set a goal. I have set numerous goals, but this particular one took a lot of time, money, effort and had quite a few obstacles that had to be overcome. So, the last couple of years of my life, I have made this goal a priority. I have sacrificed time and sleep and worked really hard and after traveling on what seemed like a long and winding road, I have accomplished this goal. So, I will give you a couple of hints as to what I finished as of August 14, 2009:

I finally get to wear one of these in Aggie Blue:

I also fulfilled a promise that I made to this lady not so long ago: (Being Flashback Friday, I had to post a great pic) And I am pretty sure that I heard some cheers from Heaven when all was said and done...

In case you couldn't guess from the clues-I GRADUATED! I now have an official Bachelor of Science Degree posted on my transcripts and everything! Phew!
Now I just need to find a job where someone pays me a lot of money to do something that I like. No problem.

Happy Birthday...I mean WEEK!

It has become tradition in my world to celebrate everyone's birthdays for at least a week. It takes that long to really make someone feel appreciated. SO, I figured it would be a great time to take at least a few days to celebrate my birthday. I got to head down to Taylorsville and blow out some candles:Then eat some yummy homemade cupcakes with some of my favorite girls:Then I went out to eat with my sister named Laura to PF Changs and it was so yummy! I would definitely recommend the lettuce wraps-they were to die for! This was the day for some great presents too: some yummy smelling lotion from B & B Works and a new Digital Camera! Anyone who has had to take a picture with what I lovingly refer to as "ghetto camera" will happily agree that this was a much needed gift:) Then, after a few days in Salt Lake, I headed back to Logan for a half day of work and then, Saturday we went to Bear Lake:Here we are at the Bear Lake Lookout and this was the best pic taken by the poor nerdy guy that we asked to take the picture for us. We had a great time and went to LaBeau's (who gave me food poisoning for my birthday and are SO not getting a thank you card for that gift) and just hung out on the lake. And in true Barlow tradition, I had to take a picture of the natural habitat of Bear Lake:I am pretty sure that I never want to run across the "Utah Sucker Fish" whilst playing in the water. All-in-all I had a great week and although I still only admit to being "Twenty Ten" this birthday will rank up there on the list of favorites. Thanks to everyone for the cards, pics, well wishes on Facebook, phone calls and presents. And, oh yeah, I also get to go shopping at my favorite store, ROSS! So I truly feel loved.

Wedding Weekend

Once upon a time there were a group of friends that were always together. They had lots of good times and knew all of each other's secrets (well, most of them anyway...)and will always have great memories. Then, some of them scattered out of Logan to do things like go to school and get better jobs. Weird. But, every once in a while, one of them will do something worth traveling back to Logan. This weekend there was such an occasion. Brad and Tanja got married on Saturday and even convinced a couple people to wear tuxedos. Luckily they are worth it and the tuxedos looked great!Laura came up from Salt Lake and here we are with our Joe:Laura, Me, Tanja, Brad and Michelle. Yes, this is Brad's picture face:And finally, the whole gang together at one time:Joe, Jer, Michelle, Laura, Mikol, Me, and Dave. It was great to have everyone together at least for one night and I am glad that everyone made the trip so that we could catch up on eachother's secrets. I heart you all:)

I heart the A's...and the Bees!

Every summer I try to make it to at least one Salt Lake Bees game and Monday night was the night. It was a perfect night for baseball and there was excitement in the air to be able to watch a great game! We had a whole section of friends and got to meet up with some of our SLC friends we don't get to see much anymore:If you look closely you can see our new friend Derek and the famous Robert Draper in the background. We got to hang around with another new friend:It also marked another occasion of being able to hang out with these two for the last time before they get married on Saturday:They really love baseball. All-in-all it was a great night and totally worth the drive to Salt Lake-even though the Bees really lost big time. But as an A's fan, it just felt right to be cheering for a team that not only loses, but loses with style.

Today is MUCH Better. I promise...

So, after being the driver of the Grumpy Gus Bus yesterday, I decided that I needed some retail therapy before going home to crawl in my bed and hide from the world. I went and got some yummy food from Lee's (mostly all healthy) and decided that I needed to trek to my most favorite store in Logan:Anyone who knows me knows how much I love this store. It is filled with treasures that you never knew you needed for much less than you ever thought you would spend for them. In true fashion of the day yesterday, however, I was almost hit by a car in the parking lot. Don't worry, I jumped out of the way just in time, banged on the hood and shouted, "Watch where you are going!!" to the teenage driver who apparently cannot drive, talk on her cell phone and apply lip gloss all at the same time. I desperately needed a little time in ROSS to salvage my day. Luckily, I found some cookbooks that I have been looking for forever for great deals! I found this one:Which has some great ways to sneak veggies into recipes and no one will ever know it and I also found: This is 3 cookbooks in 1! All of the recipes are very easy, healthy and yummy! And what kind of girl would I be if I left Utah without knowing how to make casseroles? What kind of deals did I get for all of this you ask? I spent a grand total of $10.68 at ROSS and left with a smile on my face. So, if you are looking for a gift for me to convince me you are my favorite, you could get me one of these:I would heart you forever...better yet, just come shopping with me. It would be a good time had by all:)

It's Been One of Those Days...

Maybe I am a little cranky because I woke up with a headache today. Maybe it is because I am a little tired, maybe a little crazy busy. I am not sure. All I know is that I have reached my limit of tolerance for today and luckily my plans for tonight have evolved into crawling into my bed with two guys named Ben and Jerry and watching a movie-just to spare the world from my presence. What pushed me over the edge you ask? Well here are the things that have gotten on my last nerve today:
1. A well-known advisor called me today and first asked in her condescending tone,"How are WE doing today?" and then later in the conversation,"Why would WE do this?" Seriously? How are WE doing? Well, I am fine, how are all of you? Seriously.
2. This doesn't happen very often but two students applied today stating their majors as "Public Health" only they forgot to include the "L". Seriously.
3. I got asked the question,"So when is Preston going to be Annexed into Utah so that we can receive Utah Residency?" Seriously? What I wanted to say was,"Well, Utah and Idaho are going to be combined to make one large state. We're going to call it Udaho." Seriously.
Luckily, the sarcastic answers that run through my mind when things like this happen are not the first things that pop out of my mouth. But seriously. I promise that I love my life and the next post will be way more positive. But for right now, I have just had it.

Quote of the Week:

"If we do everything right, there is still a 30% chance that we are going to get it wrong." -Vice President Joe Biden
Huh?

Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?

Gotta love Logan in the summertime! We have done lots of things like gone to Summerfest:Which is a great outdoor art festival where we go to check out some local artists, hear some cool music, and observe some of the random locals that seem to only come out in the summer:But, let's be honest, we really go to Summerfest to eat the Dutch Oven food and Funnelcakes. Good thing it is only here once a year...
Now that I am only working on my internship through work this summer in order to graduate, I have more time for projects. I needed an end table, so I took this:And used a little of this:To make it into this:I have had the chance to have lots of fun visitors to Logan. My favorites were all in town for the 4th of July weekend, so there was lots of food, fun and watching the fireworks from the stadium. Then, last week, two of my BFFs that I grew up with in Pleasanton converged in Logan. We had a great time, and of course I had to take them to the Famous Aggie Ice Cream (which they insisted must not be THAT famous because they had never heard of it!). Here is a bad picture of Robin, Me, and Janette:And a way better picture of the cute kids:This week, we are going to Harry Potter (which is an event in itself)there's a visit from my favorite Janae from Idaho Falls and then leave for a week in Cali on the 22nd. Until then, I just have one more project to tackle:
This is my $8 kitchen table that right now resembles something from the '80s. So, I have stripped the top and am thinking it needs to be a red top with a black base to match my house but I haven't totally decided...

I'm a Barlow, Yes I Am

Talk to any member of the Barlow family about this little girl named Sammie and be prepared to hear some gushing:Can you spot the family resemblance?

Moneyball Shmoneyball

Dear Oakland A's:
You are breaking my heart. I am reading a book right now that is written about your brilliant tactics to save money while still winning games and being contenders called "Moneyball". There is even a movie being made about the Oakland A's of the late 90's and early 2000's where Brad Pitt will be playing the "visionary" General Manager Billy Beane. The concept of spending the least to get the most return is something that everyone can relate to, especially now. But, I have to tell you that it is now 2009 and you are becoming legendary at something else that no one will write a book about. Being bad. Not only being bad, but setting a new level of bad-ness and it makes me sad.
Gone are the days where we would get all decked out in our green and gold and head to the games early to catch batting practice. To be able to take in the sights and smells of the Coliseum was always exciting. No matter how many games we went to, we still anxiously made the 20 minute drive to Oakland to see our team. We were proud to cheer on our A's and to defend them to anyone who said a bad thing about them. In fact, the Coliseum will always hold a special place in my heart as will the smell of hot dogs and fresh cut grass.There is nothing better than spending a summer night at a ballpark that is filled to capacity with the buzz of excitement to watch our team and cheer them on to victory.
The tone at the Coliseum has changed dramatically, though, and that is the part that breaks my heart. It is almost with dread that we go to Oakland to see our A's because we know that they will most likely lose. The stands are not even close to being full and the excited buzz is gone. Even the players drag themselves onto the field as if they have lost a bet and now have to play baseball. Moneyball, I am afraid to say, is no longer working. It is time to think of something else. As I sat at the game with my family the last time we went and reminisced about the "good 'ol days" with my Dad, I truly felt a sense of loss. So, my plea to you, Oakland Athletics, is this: Please do something different! Restore the trust of your faithful followers before you lose all of us loyal fans that are left.
With that said, I pledge to always be your fan. I will take a page from the Boston Red Sox fans who watched their team suffer from the Curse of the Bambino for years and never let their loyalty waiver. In the end, they were blessed with a World Series title. I have faith in you, A's. I know that you can be great. There will be something to celebrate again and your stands will be full of fans that can once again hold their heads high.Please just hurry. I don't know how many more losing seasons my heart can take.

Seriously? Seriously...

Conversation overheard in the check-out line at The Wal-Mart today:

Daughter:(wearing a Class of 2009 t-shirt and a CTR ring) Mom, why do I even have to take the ACT to get into College? It's not like I will need any of those skills to survive in life.
Me: (thinking silently in my head) Yeah, you will never need basic reading, writing, and comprehension skills...
Mom:(wearing a BYU shirt and CTR ring as well) I don't see why they make you take that test. You don't really need to go to college anyways.
Me: (again silently in my head, except for screaming this time) What?! Even the prophet has instructed women to be educated!
Daughter: I know! You and Dad didn't go to college and we are doing just fine.
Mom: Right. Girls don't need a degree to be wives and mothers. You will just get married and your husband will take care of everything that you need.
Me: (silently in my head, trying with all of my might not to scream out loud) Seriously? What's the need to be educated?
Daughter: I know. When I get married, then I can just do what my husband wants me to do and I will be just fine.
Mom: (pulling out the food stamps, no joke, to pay for her food)That's true, now we just need to find you a husband.
Me: (pulling out my phone to make sure that the date says 2009 and not 1950) Wow! I wonder if these people have been frozen in time...

Seriously? Since when did it become okay to just not be educated? There are many ways to educate ourselves without having degrees, and some of the smartest people I know have been quite successful without having one. That's not the point. I just worry with the way that the world is changing that we need to be taking every opportunity to better our lives and be prepared. Seriously. I think that I will write the book that is floating around in my head. It's called, "Making the most of your Singleness". Seriously.

Happy Father's Day to my Favorite Fathers!

I hope that everyone has a great Father's Day this weekend-especially a few of my favorite Dads: I love you all and thanks for being such great Fathers and Friends!