Home Sweet Home

Home is love. At least my home is. I feel so much better about being home this time than last time. My spirits are much brighter and I am in less of a MOOD. I am filled with joy that it still feels like home here and I hope it always does.
The hardest part about coming home is that I know I have to go back. Last time I cried a little bit. yeah

It started out to well!

First I woke up nice and early and made myself presentable and ventured off to Oasis Orthodontics! I got to visit my working girls! And I so totally miss working. I wanted to jump in and help out so bad. I can't wait until I am working on my own patients again. !JANUARY! (please feel free to come in and be one of my first official hygiene patients)

Next I got chill with the girls. Marina and I gossiped and filled one another in on our lives and got all caught up. I miss that girl I tell ya. Then we went SHOPPING! Brooke, Lindsay, Marina, Sis Stirling, and I perused Forever 21. I walked away with a smashing little sweater and some kickin tights. I am excited about those.
Megann met up with us and then I got to spend some one on one time with her.
NEXT (after making myself eating waaay too much Chipotle ) It was girls time again with Kaitlyn, Keri, Brooke, Megann, and my cute self. You realize how much your friends all mean to you when you really don't have them anymore!

We all watched a video that Brooke and Linz made for their FHE and I think that I laughed so hard that I caused some internal damage to my body.

Jared called and we all went over to his house- AFTER Austy met up with us. I miss that kid! He is a quality human I tell ya. He was so excited for me to come home that he even posted it on Facebook-- now THAT is a true friend. AND He is out of his non-hugging stage. How good is THAT?

At Jared's, Brian, Megann and I played a competitive game of ping pong. I was laughing AGAIN so HARD that I think that I seriously caused some trauma. I couldn't breath and I almost fell to the floor. That's how you can know that I love you- I fall on the floor in laughter whenever I am around you!!

So far Home is Still Sweet Home.

Sunshine Day!

So Saturday was a very good day. I started the day out by thoroughly cleaning my apartment top to bottom. Then at 10 that morning, I ventured off into the world of Great Salt Lake to help Alyssa with a photo shoot. That was just lovely.....
Here is where it gets magical....
Alyssa has been wanting to start a photo project of taking pictures of all the sighn holders and people that have to dress up for advertising.
That is when we saw him!
THE HAMBURGLER!
We couldn't let the opportunity pass by... The project had to be started!
But of course Alyssa had to pee before taking a picture, so she went inside the McDonalds for the bathroom, when Suddenly!... Ronald McDonald appeared.
So we approached the guy, and he was AWESOME! He proceeded to pose me in all of the pictures that we took together. He was very creative.

When we went outside, the Hamburgler was a hoot and posed and flirted up a storm for us.
It was quite a magic afternoon!
The day proceeded to become even more interesting when Miss Brooke Stirling bribed me to go on a blind date in her spot.
SO with an hour to spare I prepped myself, because I am the world's greatest friend.
I hopped on Stella and scooted off into the freezing night to meet my very first blind date.
(sounds exciting doesn't it- kinda like a movie)
Well- surprisingly I had a ton of fun.
The guy WAS shorter than me.. so Brooke owes me $25 billion. She will be paying me in $2 a day installments.
But the group was way great and we laughed oodles while we played games.
I'd say a successful first ever blind date.
It was probably better than most of my real life dates.... Well yep.

Play Day

Today I get to go to a musical, and I am oh so excited!! It has been avery long time since I have seen a show, which breaks my heart. My dear roommate Nellie has tickets to Little Shop Of Horrors at the Hale Theater in Orem... and the sweetie is letting me tag along! Isn't that like the nicest thing you ever did hear??!! I really like Little Shop.. Someday I will play Audrey... I am a natural born Audrey.
This basically the only exciting thing that I have done since my birthday... So the stokedness is bursting from me!!!

The Shivers!

I am very cold in this here place! It snows sometimes, which makes me sad a little bit. There is not a moment during the day when I can"t see my breath. I do think that I might just freeze to death.
Here is my last WILL AND TESTAMENT!
Mom and Dad
You can sell off anything of mine of value if my school doesn"t reimburse you my tuition.
Dana- you can have any of my clothes and shoes.
Marina- You can fight Dana for any jewelery or whatever you want.
My bonds and money can pay for the funeral and the elaborate dinner party I wish to have held afterward.
Basically that is all I have.
Wait! My $1200 glasses (LOUPES) Those can be sold if neccessary... If not I want to be burried in them. And STELLA- Pink Lightening---- She will need to be my head stone. I will be really upset if this doesn"t happen!


I send my dying and freezing love!

Dear Friend,

Dear Friend,
Where have you gone? Once upon a time, you were always there. You were by my side as I went down the slide. Ol buddy, you were there as played with putty. I always could count on you when I needed a wing man or when I needed a you to simply turn on my fan. You were there when I turned 8 and we both loved to skate. You were there when I turned 10. The day I decided to not lie, THAT"S WHEN! Together we were through thick and thin. I"ve never ever been alone ... but today it will begin. I need you dear friend, wherever you are!! I can"t be alone, especially when I don"t have a car... (seriously this is an issue.. I might need a tissue) I am not handling this well, this separation thing. So I call you to you.. I don"t even need a ring! DEAR FRIEND DEAR FRIEND COME FIND ME QUICK! BEFORE THIS LONELINESS MAKES ME OH SO SICK!!!

Much Love,
Your Cara Friend
XOxoXXoo

Quick One

Just a quickie update.
So is just great. Long hours and tedious work.. but still good. We are getting into all the fun stuff about now!

So Friday morning I took a quick drive down to home. You know.. just a quick 10 hours.
I spent a little time with the fam and then continued to hop into another car and drive up to the lake for a camping trip.
It was worth it because I so totally got up waking boarding like 4 times. Yeah that's right. I am just hoping that lasts until next summer!! Then I'll be too legit to quit.

I missed my Marina and Megann so much and it was great to have some good girl time when we got left on the shore.
It was also fun to see Jared, Brian and Nate. I missed them too.. but at some points the reunion seemed a little off for us. Maybe because I was so tired... maybe because 2 months is a long time in boy hours. Who knows?

At home.... I am not doing so well at the "being present" thing. But my trip has given me a new drive to do so. It's movin' on time I believe. SO I'd better get to it huh?
First up... make new friends!!!! My ward is a little barren at the moment. I propose attending new wards. THAT"S IT! IT WILL BE DONE!

But thank goodness for my roommates. They are a hoot and I love 'em. Love 'em to death. WE laugh at a lot, and I mean A LOT. It's not quite up to the standard of a Marina and I laugh... but it is sufficient for the time being.


Well I cut all my hair off. yes.. almost like Peter Pan which I've always wanted. This is as close as I will ever get I think. To celebrate this accomplishment, I will be portraying Peter Pan for Halloween again. This time I will actually look like a little boy... almost. We'll see.

Super duper

I never really liked my birthday. October first sounds pretty nice right? It's actually always on an inconvientient weekend. Conference Weekend. Plus also birthdays just aint what they used to be. Once you are out of high school they just become a situation that is awkward and a little embarrassing. What are you really supposed to do while people are singing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you? I have taken on the uncomfortable smile and wierd giggle to fill in the space of people singing AT me.

So how did I celebrate my totally stellar 2oth birthday??! Well I went to school. I was in school mode from 730 to 5. The girls were sweet though. The girl who sits next to me made me cookies. And then all the other girls wished me a happy one. Which after awhile started to make me feel awkward.

Then when I got home I got my rent and utilities checks all put together. Oh what fun!
NEt I hopped onto Stella and made the 15 mile ride to my sister's house to pick up some stuff that I needed. THen I jumped right back on and rode home... Did I mention it was 52 degrees and I had no coat, nor gloves, and I was going 50 miles/hr. Needless to say, I was a little cold. So as a Happy birthday to myself, I bought gloves on the way home so that my fingers wouldn't fall off.
Next, my roommates bought me a cake and they sang to me (insert smile and giggle)
Then I scooted over to Alyssa and Koa's house to make sushi. It was yummy!

Then I scooted home and sat for a bit with a couple of my roommates. Then I went to bed. It was just after 10. I guess that was another happy birthday gift to myself.
The next morning I woke up a 7 and scooted the 15 miles to Pleasant Grove to babysit and clean. Oh and this time it was 32 degrees.

Later that night after a waaaay too long ride home (BYU football traffic)
I went to that BYU football game with Brooke, and it was surprisingly fun. First realish football game I have ever been to.
After that we went to the desert and dropped gasoline filled milk jugs down a huge old mine shaft. That was quite terrifying but cool too. IT might require a whole post to itself.

Saturday night... I sat at home. Yep.. thank you general conference.

YAY for being 20

To You, YES YOU... who read.

So if you read my blog, you should leave a comment. That way I know who is getting an eyeful about my life and also, those who's spirits I may be touching. Really deep down to the pit. Oh and if you don't have an account or something so can't leave one... just send me a little facebook tid bit r something.

Thanks
MUCH MUCH LOVE

I Hope I Never Go Insane

There is a sad fact about life. Pregnant women are crazy. For the 9 months that they are with child, they could probably be institutionalized. They probably should. Men around the world would be much safer.
Another, somewhat crazy thing about life, is that girls' clocks start ticking. Oh yes. And way earlier than they should or often are wanted. At about, eh, 20, every time a girl sees a baby, her heart does a little flip. And then it sinks, because well she doesn't have one (That is if she doesn't already. They are popping them out pretty early now a days). But then she gets her active imagination going. And Oh how it goes! She'll start with thinking about cute clothes that she would dress her baby in. Then grows into "Oh that name would be so perfect!"... And THEN it quickly progresses (hurdles actually)... to "Oh well HE would make beautiful babies with me". Yes that is what happens when a girl sees a baby. But what most of "THAT GIRL" fails to think about is the 9 months of having her eggo- preggo.

She will be insane. When her doting husband is so busy that he fails to do the dishes the first time she asks, she will cry. NO, she will sob and become absolutely hysterical. There will be no reasoning. This hysteria will hurdle to become chaos. There will most likely be a battle. Words of hatred will fly and she will definitely try to do some serious damage to that oh so confused hubby. He will even do the dishes, but it won't help. She'll lock her self in the bathroom to "cool off", but instead it is actually so hot in there that she gets even more agitated. She'll storm out and tell him to leave because she doesn't like him right now. And then she'll start acting like she is 4 and pouting until she throws her self onto the bed. Not until this moment when dear hubby is being super sweet to her, does she slightly recognize that she is being a little bit ridiculous. But will she admit it and apologize? OH Heck NO! She is way too strong of a woman to do THAT. So she guilts poor the poor boy until he leaves her and brings her gifts later.

This behavior is widely accepted in these here United States. I am sure that it is accepted in many other parts of the world, I just have never been there.
How can a husband look at his wife the same way if she acts like she is 4?

I have chosen to educate myself on this issue, so that when the days come when my loins are fertile, I don't become "THAT PREGGO". I would hope too that if anyone starts to sense that my sanity is slipping, that they would call me out on it. BUT if I am just way too proud to admit it... please send me away!
I do pray it never comes to that. I will try my oh so hardest, to not be crazy.
But once those darn hormones go haywire, I really can't promise anything. Just be a pal and be honest with me. If your honesty triggers an attempt at your life, I think that will be a sign to me that I probably shouldn't have more kids.
This however, is my declare: I will be a pleasant pregnant woman. I hear by claim that I refuse to go insane!

This is becomes an official document with my signature.

Cara Dodini

I would like to move into my closet

I would like to move into my closet because it is actually quite spacious. I could close the door and no one would even think to look for me in there. Because, really, what 20 year old girl would move into her closet? I would do it. Just for a little while. Maybe until things didn't feel so strange. Or maybe until I became queen of the world and I could make things fall into place just like they do in my head. My head is a very fun place. It is quite perfect and undoubtedly amazing. There is a detailed and colorful mental image flowing through constantly. Plus also, it is the best musical you'd ever see. Really.

So since I can't hide out in my closet, nor can I join the circus, I am trying to be more present in my current state in life. But it's hard, because I don't really want to. This doesn't feel like home and I have the thought creep into my head that I don't need new friends... I already have some at home. But home is a long ways away. However, my friends are pretty great and they hold my heart and keep me connected to them. We could just so easily move on with our lives and forget about one another. But we don't, because we fit. At least I like to think so. In my uber fascinating mind, I was kept living at home last winter and spring because I was supposed to be there and meet some of them and learn and grow with them. Well that thought makes me feel better too because at first I thought I was staying for Melanie and then she up and left. So It's nicer to think that there actually was a reason.

One of my efforts to be more present was to finish the Book of Mormon, I was off to an OK start, then Jared asked if I would read it with him by Christmas. Then we invited Marina and Brian to do it too. Marina and I are a team. The deal is that if someone doesn't finish by Christmas, that team has to buy the lift tickets of the opposing team. So we are all doing it! Which I also think is pretty freaking awesome. Yes Yes.
Now I am a scripture reading fiend. If I stay on track, I am hoping to kick everyone's trash and be done by Thanksgiving. We'll see how that goes.
I feel a little more focused now that I'm in a serious scripture study. It's good. I'm hoping this track will help me come to the understanding of God's special little mission that He has set up for me. I know it's pretty important, so I wanna figure it out pretty soon. That would be good.

OOO So apparently I glow. This only occurs when I am leading music in sacrament meeting. I have been told on many occasion after leading... "You just glow up there" I'm afraid this means that I am pregnant too. Because people say it just the way they'd say it to a prego. At least they don't ask when I'm due. That could be EMBARRASSING. For them that is.

No more sleeping in

So yesterday I agreed to start babysitting Rachel's (my sister) kids every Friday from 9-6. This means no more sleeping in until noon on my lovely Fridays. But don't worry... I still have Saturday's and Sunday's!!!!

The Chillins





Also! Samuel (da brotha) is coming home in less than 2 weeks! Oh how times flies when... you are going to school and working? Where did two years go? I was like last month that Sam was there when I had my melt down at the homecoming football game my senior year just before he left.

Pre mission WONDERS!!






Sam and THE Mongolian Princesses.

The Sexy Lip Bite

This is the infamous Sexy Lip bite. The sexy lip bite all started with my dear friend Austin. We were lounging around watching "That Thing You Do" when he commented that Liv Tyler was so sexy when she did her lip bite. I said "Hey I can do that too". I demonstrated MY Sexy Lip Bite.. and Austin agreed.. it was quite sexy.

The SLB has been seen and performed on many occasions. I tend to find that most people enjoy
it. It has become... my signature you might just say.

But If you try and steal it from me... I might be quite upset. As you can see.
Marina was in so much trouble.

However... It is also great fun to share it with friends... especially when you are all so very wet from a down pour!

Oasis Orthodontics

This was my last day at Oasis! I miss them oodles. Kristina, Erica, and I had so much fun together! I think I fell on the floor laughing like 6 times with these ladies! On the last day, they gave me 6 balloons. By the time I made it home on my scooter, of them had flown away. And I cried. It was a tough day. I love Oasis Ortho! I learned so much there, had fun, and grew up and even down a little.

The Oil Spill

Oh OH Oh. So yesterday I changed the oil on my scooter for the first time. I came out victorious but not without causing a little bit of damage.
It all started out with me not wanting to lay on the ground outside my apartment under my scooter alone. So I scooted on over to Alyssa and Kekoa's apartment to have a little company.
Outside her place I crawled underneath Stella/ pink lightning and began the process. The cap burst off with great force due to the large spring behind it. I also underestimated how much oil was in my little guy... so it overflowed all over the road. A lot. Once the dripping ended, Alyssa made me run upstairs (since she's all prego and lazy) to get some detergent to soak up the oil. So I spread that everywhere and then climbed back on the ground. The cap and spring posed a problem. It took me like 20 minutes to get that darn thing back on since that spring was so stubborn. Meanwhile I was covered in oil. My hair had found its way into the large puddle and I literally looked like a greasy homeless man. I was wearing my tie dye shirt too... super classy.
The last step was to put oil back in. Not so easy since it was at a weird angle. Kekoa fashioned a nice funnel for me out of a water bottle !! Then I won! Alyssa gave me a D+ I give myself an A!! I was so totally champion!!

Provo-shmovo

So here I am iving in Provo. And I basically hate it. It is probably one of the most overrated towns ever. It's pretty dang hard being away from home and friends. I miss some more than others but they are all missed.
One of the biggest problems I am facing here is that I can't sleep in my apartment and then when I do sleep I have a really weird and vivid dreams. They started as innocent hopeless romantic dreams and then moved to weird. Now they are scary. One of the wierd ones was that I married one of my guy friends, Nate, and it was supposed to be fake but it ended up being real.. so we decided to stay that way. The scary one was that Jared died. And no one would tell me how it happened and then everyone was all "Who are you and why are you here" when I went to the funeral type thing. The only person that would really talk to me was his little brother... but he just kept saying"these things just happen" And I was getting really upset and no one could understand why and then I woke up crying. It was awful. This is what my life is becoming.

But today Jared challened me to read the Book of Mormon by Christmas. We are trying to get other friends to join in. First We gotta think of a realy good incentive. Jared said dinner would be on him for whoever finshes.. but he needs something really good for him. The plan is that the incentive comes to me in a dream tonight. Putting those crazy things to good use.

Sam comes home on Friday and I can't wait until he comes up to visit me since I can't go home. It'll be better here once he comes up.
I need to start my count down until Thanksgiving when I get to go home! I can't wait to see some of my friends. They all were together ast night, which made me sad that I am missing out. It' s ONLY 20 months! Things can't possible change that much in that time right? I'll just keep telling myself that. Just like I keep telling my self that I LOVE singles wards. LOVE LOVE LOVE
Can you sense the sarcasm? Oh I hope so.

Well this is only the beginning of the next 20 months of cynical and desperate sounding posts!

Oooo time to update!

So like a month ago I found out that I got accepted into the Utah College of Dental Hygiene!!!
The past month I have been scrambling around to get everything together for school and for moving out. Everything is in for school except my first payment of $9,000. One of four payments that I have to come up with over the next 20 months. Dang that's a lot of dinero, but I hoping to pay off the loans that my parents are going to have to get for me, about 2 years after I graduate. ----Which will be April 2011. I haven't even started, but I can't wait to be done! I really do not enjoy school... but I really love working. It's going to be really hard leaving my job in AZ at Oasis. I've been there for over 2 years, and it's been an awesome experience. I absolutely love the girls I work with and I have learned so much. Plus it was super fabulous always having weekends free and a flexible schedule for most of the time.
If school isn't too crazy, I'll be looking for some kind of work so that I am not completely broke for the next 2 years. JOY! I've only had one job on my life, so this is going to be a pain in the butt looking for a new one and then doing something completely new.
Blah

In Utah, the school is in Orem, but I will be living in Provo at the Branbury apartments. It's like a 5 mile drive, but hopefully, it won't be too inconvenient.

So the hardest part about having to move to another state is that I'll be leaving my great Friendship here. Had you told me like 7 or 8 months ago that I was moving, it wouldn't have been that big of a deal to me. But over these last few months I've become friends with some kindred spirits of mine. It's so funny how people end up together huh? Through the fates, Marina and I along with Megann, found ourselves tagging along with Jared, Brian, and Derek (The testosterone tower) With added fun with Nate.
We have all had a blast with all of our shenanigans! When Marina left me alone while she jetted off to Russia, Jared assumed the role of my best friend. There was an intense audition process, but he came out victorious from the battle with all the other hundreds of auditioners.
The guys were all super great and sweet most of the time while she was gone. I think that had Marina not left, then I wouldn't have gotten quite as close the them all. AND it would be slightly easier to leave. Darn you Russia!!! :) But dang do I love those guys. we are all just perfect for each other. Truly compatible. It's kind of a big deal.
I'm scared that I won't find any other friends that are even close to being as legit as the guys are. If people are unlegit, then I must quit!

Jared pinkie promised me that they would all take a trip up to see me a few times. Oh if they don't.. I am going to be so upset! I might just cry a little too. You can't go back on a pinkie promise though. It is like a binding, eternal contract. you don't mess with that.


So yesterday I made a bite splint( retainer) for a friend and trying to cut it out and make it smooth has made my thumb go numb. I haven't been able to feel it for 2 days. I think that it means that I'm going to lose the thumb.
It's not very helpful having a numb thumb when I am trying to pack up all my crap in my room. And I have a lot of crap! I think I could fill a garbage can that goes out side, to the top will all the papers that I am getting rid of. I don't even know what to do with all of my makeup. I have more lipstick than a Clinique counter.

SO the numbness has spread to my index finger and down my arm.... I think I'm in trouble!

JOY

SOOOO.. I got accepted as an alternated to the Dental hygiene school that I applied to in Utah. So I just have to finish up this semester and my two classes this summer and then hopefully if it's right then I'll get a call this summer and I get in.

Also I am down 17 pounds using Isagenix. I did some major cheating a couple of days around Easter, so I got a little behind my goal, but I'm still going along pretty well.

Anyways that's my life at the moment..

I got my braces off!!! WHOOOO!

Heidi's Reception- First Friend's wedding!

A little Recap

So I am not a blogger officially. But an update. The interview went well from my perspective. I have been waiting these last couple months to hear back from the school. The interviews ended a couple weeks ago... SO I should be hearing SOMETHING soonish. Prayers are always good!
In the meanwhile I have been going to school taking 13 credit hours and I just picked up 4 more this week. Also I have been working my patooty off as an ortho assistant. I still like it a lot. I'm kind of a grown up assistant now because I have gotten to do so much more lately, like putting a whole mouth of brackets on.
I can't wait to get more information about school so that I can make a decision about where to go next fall if I don't get into school.
Lots of people want me to move to Provo. But I do have a steady job here that I could do full time in the fall.
AROUND and round and round she goes.. where she stops.. nobody knows....

Getting Ready

So on Friday I am venturing off on the treacherous roads to Utah interview at the Utah College of Dental Hygiene. This is probably the most important interview of my WHOLE LIFE! If I get accepted into the school for the Fall I can complete my Bachelors in 20 months. If I don't get in, then I will have a year to sit around and wait to reapply to the program or maybe to another program. However, I really feel strongly about this program, so any and all prayers are appreciated in my behalf.
Hopefully I can make a video of the drive up to Utah to document the occasion!!!