Picture this:

You're driving in the back seat of your family car with your sister beside you, your other two siblings in the seats in front of you with your parents in the drivers and passengers seats. You're going down the highway with a view of the ocean on your right and on your left a magnificent array of beautiful beach houses, greenery, and sometimes, equally beautiful strip malls. Your dad chooses a great selection of music that the whole family falls in love with and its turned up loud enough to block out any other sound that might distract you from the drive. Although its a little chilly with the windows down, you're glad they are because they make you feel more apart of the experience. And, finally when you reach your destination you feel like you really belong there but more importantly, closer to your family because you know that they just had the same experience you did.

Christmas

This year I've thought a little bit more about the true meaning of Christmas. I've always loved this magical time of the year. I love the classic Christmas movies, the decorations, my family traditions, and the anticipation of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. But, this year has been a little bit different. Definitely not in a bad way; just in a different way. I think it was partly because finals ended so near to Christmas and as a result I was a little more preoccupied with school than with the normal Christmas festivities. So, I found myself looking for different ways to feel the spirit of Christmas. One day while brushing on Spanish I read this verse in 3 Nephi:

... y he aquí , la voz del Señor vino a él, diciendo: Alza la cabeza y sé de buen ánimo, pues he aquí, ha llegado el momento; y esta noche se dará la señal, y mañan avengo al mundo para mostrar al mundo que he de cumplir todas las cosas que he de cumplir todas las cosasque he hecho declarar por boca de mis santos profetas.

In English:
... and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying: Lift up you head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

After reading, I remembered the true meaning of Christmas. I am so grateful for this beautiful time of year when we have the opportunity to celebrate our Savior's birth and His life and love for us.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Check. It. Out.

Back in the day I used to check the apple trailers site daily for the hopes of seeing a new and exciting trailer.  For quite a while there was always something that caught my interest; something that lured me in. But, I'd say for the past six months we've hit a big dry spell. I probably only check the site once a week and even then the only things I find are trailers for creepy-looking rated R movies. Bleh. 

However, after discovering Yahoo Movies a few months ago things started to go up. Now, I think I've hit a real high, a movie trailer euphoria if you will. There are so many that I want to see! Here are my top choices. If you have time, take a look and, if you do decide to sneak a peak, do yourself a favor and watch it in HD. Anything less and you're cheating yourself.

1) Juno

I'm most excited about this one. It looks like it has an independent film kind of charm.

2) P.S. I love you

Grab your tissues ladies. 

3)Prince Caspian (Chronicles of Narnia)

Looks magical. 

4)Penelope

I'll be honest, at first I thought this looked kind of dumb. But, give it a second chance - it looks cute. Also, is it weird that I think James Mcavoy is strangely attractive? Who would have thought  - Mr. Tumnus!

5) Alvin and the Chipmunks

"Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?"

6)National Treasure

Oh Nicholas.

7)Leatherheads

This looks kind of interesting. But I do have to say, even though I love Jim, in other movies I don't think he's that great of an actor. But, George Clooney and Renee Z. look great.

8) You Don't Mess With the Zohan

I feel slightly ashamed to say I want to see this.

Well, there they are. Sorry if I went a little overkill!

You Should Be an Artist

You are incredibly creative, spontaneous, and unique. No one can guess what you're going to do next, but it's usually something amazing. You can't deal with routine, rules, or structure. You're easily bored. As long as you are able to innovate and break the rules, you are extremely successful. You do best when you: - Can work by yourself - Can express your personality in your work You would also be a good journalist or actor.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

This is me a little conflicted at the moment attempting to explore my options through online quizzes. But, the truth of the matter is, I do feel a little bit unsure about what I want to do when I "grow up". I love my Spanish classes but at the same time feel like I belong more in the artsy world of film/photo/painting. Hmmm, food for thought.

On My Mind

So, after Monday one of the only things thats been on my mind has been these weird, metal brackets in my mouth. Talk about one track minded. Seriously, its kind of dumb. I was thinking about posting yesterday and all I could think about was braces. And, because I usually think about little lines from movies, songs, or sometimes quotes that I just make up, here are some that have been occupying my mind the past two days.

" I just got my braces tightened and the pain killer isn't helping" The title of a poem written by a roommate's sister

"I'm seventeen(Smile)"

"Come on grandma, chew faster!" what I think to myself as I try to chew Kix cereal after sucking on them for a second then trying to chew them with the gums in the back of my mouth

"Braces are like jewelry for the teeth" consolation from a friends mom

" A clean mouth is a happy mouth (smile)" The ortho office sure has a good way of scaring you into flossing and brushing. But, I do feel proud of myself after every floss session.

Ok so only one of these is actually from a movie. Maybe the others should be in a movie.

Into the Unkown

Its a leap of faith. A leap of faith that I feel really at peace with.

I'm getting braces tomorrow.

Not the most enjoyable experience for a 20 year old, junior in college. Believe me I know. I've known that I was going to have to do it somewhere along the line and have since been dreading the prospect of looking into the mirror and seeing a "tin grin". However, I never imagined myself being this excited or fine with getting them. I won't go into all of the little details, but due to certain upcoming events, I (for some reason still unbeknownst to me) felt like it would be better to get the good ol' wire braces as opposed to the "invisible" choice. The wire ones would come off around June and the invisaligns wouldn't come off until August or September.

So, if you see me after tomorrow, I'll be wearing braces. Although I may have, in my mom's words, "a come-apart" after seeing my smile for the first time, I know that this, for me, is the right thing to do. I'm grateful for the peace and confidence I have about this decision. And, I really would be ungrateful if I didn't thank my Heavenly Father for helping me to feel this way. I'm grateful to Him for His plan for me and my life.

A Split Soul

Its begun. The long-awaited game between Utah and BYU is underway. But, what am I not there watching the two teams battle it out? Well, answer number one: I'm at work. Answer number two: I don't know who to cheer for.

Every year at this time I'm presented with the greatest moral dilemma. I've been raised all of my life as Ute fan. I remember going to a restaurant in San Diego when I was probably 8 with a bunch of other Ute fans, decked out in red to watch a Ute game. However we couldn't get the channel that the game was one - I remember saying a silent little prayer asking that we could get the needed channel to work. I remember making up Ute cheers with my Dad during basketball season. And I remember moving to Provo , the anti Utah capital of the world, proud of my Ute heritage.

Its not that I feel any less proud or connected to my Utah roots. I love seeing my aunts, uncles and cousins wearing Utah sweatshirts. I love going to Rice Eccles with my Dad to see a Utah football game after walking through the campus listening to my Dad tell me about his college days there ( I even like hearing him tell me about how greatly architected the buildings are).

But there have been some new developments in the past couple of years. Attending BYU has had certain effects on me. Now, I love hearing BYU's fight song (you know, "rise and shout, the cougars are out!"),the colors blue and white have grown on me quite a bit, and I get really defensive when people start trashing BYU. I love my school, its weird quirks and all. I wouldn't go anywhere else. I guess I'm a zoobie.

So, what do I do today? Luckily I'm not a huge sports fan so in reality, its not that important. And, in writing this blogs,I think I've come to the conclusion that its ok for me to be happy for whoever wins! I'm in good company too - there are lots of people with good, solid roots that have fond feelings for BYU too. I bet even Cecil will have a little smile in his heart if Utah wins.

Whew, I'm glad I've got all of this sorted out!

Thanksgiving Eve

Well, Thanksgiving is here and there's no school. I would know because I slept in until 11:30. Not a normal occurance for me but I woke up early with an earache and a sore throat (which I'm contemplating just taking some old, unused amoxicillin for instead of going to the doctor.) Anyway, thats my justification for sleeping so late.

But, apart from sleeping in, there is much more that I'm excited for this Thanksgiving break. I still have to work but that really doesn't bother me. For the most part things are pretty relaxed and there is this unspoken excitement in the air. And on Friday we're going to be listening to ... Christmas music!

What else will be going on during the break that I'm so excited for you ask? I shall tell you.
I'm excited to go up to Grandma Holts house! We're heading up early so we can help out in the kitchen and just "be there" for all the prep work. Then, I hope that when we're there we can watch the Macy's Day Parade, which, in all honesty, isn't that great but having it on means that Thanksgiving is here. My only question is: what will we do without Katie?

Also, I'm of course excited for the cuisine tomorrow. I'm especially excited for cranberry sauce, the first time I had it was a couple of weeks ago. All I can say is wow - I don't know what I was missing! The only sad thing about having cranberry sauce is finding out that (thanks to Biggest Looser) one cup of cranberry sauce has as many grams of sugar as six chocolate doughnuts. I swear, sometimes ignorance is bliss. Other food items I'm excited for include: warm pumpkin pie, yams, and mashed tatters.

Finally, the thing that I'm most excited for is spending an entire day with my family. I can't wait to see everyone tomorrow. A day at the Holts with G&G Holt, Ram's, Nan's and Marie's families is going to be awesome. Playing games, watching movies, gathering around the fire, maybe a little reading. Mmmm. Thats what I'm talking about.

I'm grateful for this fun week!

Who Am I? ... I'm Jean Valjean

I discovered this really amusing site that tells you all of the superficial things you'll ever need to know about yourself. If you've ever done the quizzes in seventeen you'll enjoy it. Here are somethings that I've been wondering about for quite a while (don't worry, not really):

You Are Most Like Scarlett Johansson

“One of the best things for a woman to hear is that she is sexy.”

What modern bombshell are you most like??

I also discovered that I'm only 36% weird, I should wear mauve lip gloss, I'm a "downtown girl", and apparently my famous celebrity kiss would be the upside down spiderman kiss. I don't know how I could have gone on without knowing these things about myself!

I'm It

I got tagged.
Seven Random Things About Me:

1. I hardly ever get to bed before 1:00 am.

2. One of my favorite movies is Titanic. Rose, Jack, and lets not forget Bill Pulman ( you know, the guy with the long hair and the earing who says, " Are you ready to go back to Titanic?") will always have a place in my heart.

3. I sleep with my teddy bear.

4. I was crowned "Miss Shalom" my last year of girls camp.

5. I get excited every night when I think about my oatmeal & brown sugar breakfast the next morning

6. I am the ward greeter

7. I think it would be really exciting to join the Peace Corps


I hearby tag:

Rachel
Becky
Cami
Marie
Meriel
Laurel
Kathy

note: please feel no obligation to follow through with the "tag". my sincerest apologies if you've already done something like this

Score

Last weekend I saw two, yes two, great flicks. For some reason, I always get excited for movies (hence my obsession for the apple trailers site) but then never get around to seeing them. Maybe its because the BYU population is constantly being encouraged to do activities to "get to know each other". I guess sitting quietly in a dark theater doesn't fall into that category.

Anyway, the movies I saw were good in there own different ways. Star Dust, although cheesy and unbelievable at times ( Claire Danes with a British accent? I don't think so), was surprisingly entertaining. If you're looking for a fun, quirky fairytale that makes you smile in the end, this one's for you. And, only a dollar. Perfect.

The other was Dan in Real Life. Even though in the movie I felt sad for Dan a lot of the time, Steve Carell's performance won me over. He may have some of the same idiosycracies in all of his characters, but who doesn't? What I love about him isn't just his ability to make us laugh. Its his ability to, in the important moments, make us feel what he feels. That takes talent.

Its one thing for an actor to be believable; there are lots of actors who are good enough to get the part and play it so the audience doesn't doubt them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that its easy. But, there is another level, a higher level, that only certain actors reach. Its when they draw the audience into their emotional state and let us experience their emotions with them. Its when you can really connect with them both in the happy moments and in the sad moments. Thats what I love about great acting and thats what I loved about Dan in Real life.

Wow. Does that even make sense? Sorry if it doesn't. Maybe it makes more sense when I say it outloud. Nevertheless, it was a great movie and a great performance by good ol' Steve. I definitely recommend it.

Contraband

Confession: I listened to Christmas music last night on Kozy 106.5 , and you know what? ... I loved it!

I can't wait for the holidays. Delicious food, "Lights on", Christmas trees, hot chocolate, sledding and sleepovers at Grandma Holts, Nat King Cole on Christmas morning, Tab choir Christmas music, the Nativity story, feeling warm inside, family. Ok. I have to stop, I'm just getting too excited!

Update

Who: Me
What: A quick update of my life
Why: Not a lot of time. I've been itching to write for over a week. I guess it just hasn't been in the cards.
Where: HBLL (Harold B. Lee Library, BYU campus)
Latest good news: I have "Tracy" (my maroon little Nissan) back. Thanks Dad!
Latest not-so-great news: They've put fake Christmas trees up all around Campus. I think the turkeys feel jipped.
Frustrating: Pants shopping. Curves come with a price.
Feel good/responsible moment(they don't happen very often): Staying home on Friday night to study
Song of the week: "Apologize" by Timbaland
Movie of the week: Stick It
Food of the week: Frozen Yoplait, split pea soup, and Dad's second round of doughnuts
Inspiration: Stake Conference
Goal of the week: "I'm trying to be like Jesus"

The Thrill of it All

Work today was really great. Judging by how things were going this morning it didn't seem like it was going to turn out very well. I was running late and had to walk to work, which actually, ended up turning into a run. I kind of felt like a freshman in high school as I was running down 2nd north in my flats, holding my purse, magazine, camera bag, and binder. (I hope that image makes you laugh, because it makes me laugh too.) Luckily I was only three minutes late.

But, unlike the walk/run there, the morning was really pleasant. I worked with a girl that I've never really gotten the chance to know because she works the morning shift and I work in the afternoons. She's going to BYU also but is married, so I wasn't sure if we were going to have a lot in common. To my surprise, we talked for almost the whole time; it was so fun to get to know her. Do you know those people that, when you talk to them, you feel like a better person? She was definitely one of them.

Then, I talked with a customer from Mexico for a few minutes (in Spanish of course). That always makes my day. Its so thrilling to me to be able to converse in Spanish, and through that, get to know a wider variety of people.

So, nothing to exciting, but nonetheless a great little morning at work.

Two a Day

I don't know why I'm into doing two posts at the same time. Anyway, I've never considered myself to be a crafty person. But recently crafts, especially Martha Stewart crafts, have sparked my interest. So in the spirit of Halloween my roommate and I decided to spookify our apartment. Its not much but I think its pretty fun.

Apparently there is a fabric store right around the corner from my house. I was walking home from work ( a walk that I love. Its so fun to see Provo's little quirks) I popped in and got this for half off.


Hanging bat silhouettes


My favorite - a black wreath that we made entirely by ourselves - thank you Martha!


P.S. umm...couldn't quite figure out how to get it right side up

Good News/Bad News

Good News: All of the candy corn is gone at my parents house. No more temptation.
Bad News: I was the one that finished it off.
Good News: I uploaded some recent pictures. Here are a few favs (sorry, a couple are from El Salvador)

My street in El Sal and me


A random insect


Devin after homecoming - hot mama!


Gabe being goofy


Ruby playing in the rain


I love my family!

Just like any other teenager

Ok, so maybe I'm not a teenager anymore. But, I can still be BEYOND excited to see this movie, right?

Go to apple trailers and watch it. You won't regret it.( well, you might if you are a guy or if you don't enjoy horribly scripted yet extremely entertaining teen dance movies)

P.S. I know it seems weird that I'm posting this right after my last post. I guess it just shows that you can love all types of movies!

My Thoughts

I don't really know why I'm blogging right now. I don't have any specific prompt, but I just feel guilty that my last post was last Monday - almost a week ago.

I think in my head I imagine that I blog a lot more than I actually do. This is because as things happen throughout the week I think to myself, " ooo, great blog idea". I'll start writing a post in my head but, when it comes down to it, I'll either not have time or have access to the internet to post and, when I do finally get a chance, the ideas/feelings that were so compelling to me just aren't there anymore. So, here I am on a Sunday evening finally with the time and means to write a post and nothing really interesting to write about.

However, I don't want my post to end just at that. Boooring. So, I'll dive into something thats been on my mind the last couple of days. (Sorry if its too... deep. If you want to, feel free to stop reading right now.) I saw a movie on Wednesday that renewed my faith in good films. I won't say the name because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who is still going to see it. Anyway, the movie was really captivating and had a lot of romantic elements, but unlike a normal Hollywood love story, lacked a happily ever after ending. As my friend and I were driving home, we talked about how much we loved it even though it left us feeling sad for the outcome of the main character.

After talking with her I thought about a lot of the books, movies and songs that have left me feeling this way and how much I loved them despite their less-than-perfect endings. I love these stories because they explore the real feelings of human existence. (Don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy stories that are downright depressing without any shred of light or goodness - a story can still have goodness and truth even though it ends tragically.) But, there is beauty in learning about and sympathizing with other human beings. Although we haven't gone through the same things or maybe never will, we can relate to them because we know how it feels to be angry or happy or sad. I think this is what I love - being able to look inside myself and find feelings that don't surface very often but still exist. This is why I love movies. Its a beautiful thing when we have the opportunity to learn about others and even ourselves when we listen to the experiences of others.

Why am I not sleeping?

Good Morning! Right now I'm in the library at school. I was working on an assignment for my next class but decided that I was way too delirious to finish it. Last night I stayed up late then got up early to do it, skipping my nine o'clock class to wrap it up. (I could have avoided all this but "Grease" was on ABC family and I just couldn't resist watching John Travolta in a pair of tight jeans). But, sleep deprevations was taking its toll, so I decided to quit doing my assignment to take a power nap so that I could be at least semi-functional in class. But, as I was heading downstairs to the comfortable chairs I realized that I didn't have my phone with me! What was I to do without an alarm to wake me up for class?! I could have risked it, but decided it'd be safer not to.

Anyway, that's the reason for the blog this morning. Random, I know, but at least its kept me awake. Actually, I do feel a little more rejuvenated than before. Have a great day!

(P.S. The John Travolta comment was a lie. But I really did watch Grease and loved it. It reminded me of my aunts Sue, Marie, and summertime at Grandma Holts)

"Man! I feel like a woman!"

Shania Twain said it best. I couldn't stop thinking of this song today as I got ready then headed out for school. Actually, I've wanted to blog about this for a while, but whenever I get the time to write, its stopped playing in my head and the inspiration is gone - good thing its still with me right now.

As I was saying, this song was playing over and over in my head this morning along with the lyrics from other songs like " I feel pretty, oh so pretty" and " cause I'm a woman, W-O-M-A-N!".

Don't worry though, there was definitely a reason for this little outburst of womanly melodies (I don't go around singing these songs to myself all the time - that'd be weird and a little ego-centric)My good reason is: the other day I was at target and decided to pick up an item of makeup that I haven't owned for a while. I bought some cheap, covergirl blush. Actually, I think its been a few years since I've had my very own. Ever since I discovered the phenomena of bronzer, I haven't given blush a second thought but, just recently I've rediscovered this amazing cosmetic tool when I've had to use my mom's make up. I don't know why its so amazing; its not even that noticeable. But when I apply it everything just seems to look a lot better. I feel like a woman.

Using lip liner has the same effect.

After applying these I walk out the door I feel like I can do anything. Who would have thought that such small items can make you feel so different?

So, ladies, next time you want a little confidence boost just get out the lip liner pencil and the blush brush and in no time you'll be singing to yourself " The best thing about being a woman is the prerogative to have a little fun.... Man! I feel like a woman!"

(don't forget the electric guitar in the background when you're singing along - its not the same without it)

The Bane of My Existence

Hello, my name is Maclaine and I'm an addict.

Every year when Halloween rolls around I find myself in the same predicament. I just can't say no to a good handful (or five) of candy corn.

This year I've vowed to keep it under control. We'll see how that works out.

Saturday, September 29th

Hello. Its just another Saturday at work. Today is a rainy day - which surprisingly I love right now . Its blustery enough that you have to wear a sweatshirt, but can feel confident that your hair won't frizz out if you decide to blow dry. But what am I talking about, when do I ever blow dry my hair?

I was planning on blogging about something interesting today to occupy the down time at work, but whether it was because I'm wearing a hoodie, the weather or just being tired from a late Friday night, I couldn't do it. Sometimes is kind of nice to just sit down and write sometimes without a prompt or purpose in mind. So, in the spirit of randomness, here are some things I've thought to myself today.

" I think I just ate the worm I found in my apple"

" Mmmm, I think I'll go to Macy's to buy some Progresso soup for lunch"

"I hope the guy from the census bureau doesn't stay for too long today"

" Hmm, this check is from Fairview. I wonder how it would be to live in Fairview"

" I love the fall!"

"I think I'll write down my plan for the week after the gym"

"I can't wait to go the R.S. broadcast with Mom!"

Well, that's pretty much it for now. If I think of anything else interesting I'll be sure to jot it down. In the meantime I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the mind of Maclaine!

Mr. Rogers' Style

Every Morning on PBS Mr. Rogers comes on and sings a song. I don't know the title but one line has always stuck with me, " Its such a good feeling to know you're alive, its such a happy feeling..." Even though I trail off at this point and start humming the rest, it always makes me grateful for the life I'm living.

Today I was humming that song while driving home from work and thought, "I want to write a post about what an awesome day I've had". Nothing that significant or special happened, just little things like an inspiring mission prep class, translating for a Mexican customer, being with my family, etc. Really simple things I know,but at the same time they reminded me of what I'm grateful for in life. These little tender mercies help me remember how blessed I am and inspire me to sing the Mr. Rogers song.


"It's such a good feeling to know you're alive.
It's such a happy feeling: You're growing inside.
And when you wake up ready to say,
'I think I'll make a snappy new day.'
It's such a good feeling, a very good feeling,
The feeling you know that we're friends."

8:00 Surprise

So the other morning I was just getting out of bed and after I strolled into the kitchen to make myself some oatmeal there was a knock at the door. It was for me! But who would be coming to visit so early in the morning? None other than my BF and former roommate Michelle. It was the greatest surprise a girl could ask for.

Michelle got married the day after I returned from El Salvador and with the craziness of school and conflicting schedules we haven't been able to see each other since. So, she took matters into her own hands and while on her run stopped by my complex, found my car, and from the number in the stall came knocking at my door. It was a great start to my day. No - it was a great start to the week.

Here are a few pics of our adventures together...

Freshman year


Decorating for Jamie


All grown up

An Addition

Warning: You might find the following really strange.

Today at the bank a customer drove through accompanied by her two dogs riding in the backseat of the car. ( You'd be surprised by how many people take their dogs with them to the bank. I don't think I'll ever do it.) After I finished her transaction I offered her a couple of doggy treats. It was then that I had the weirdest desire; I wanted to taste one.

Have you ever thought about it? What do they taste like? Now, keep in mind I'm not talking about the moist, jerky-like treats that grow mold inside of the container (we had these at my old branch). I'm talking about the dry, cookie/cracker looking kind that sometimes resemble a bone. I know that they must be pretty nasty but I decided today that I just need to find out for myself. Its going on my list of things to do in my lifetime. I don't know if I'm ready to try one today, maybe not even for the next few years but before I die I'll know what a doggie treat tastes like.

September

I never wanted to be one of those bloggers that just posts every couple of weeks. But, if you look closely at the date its been exactly two weeks since my last post. Shameful. Absolutely shameful. I've been waiting for the perfect opportunity to blog for the last week or so, but life has been so busy that I just haven't had the chance. Every time I sit down to blog a big black cloud of guilt hangs over me and the little angel on my shoulder tells me that there are a lot of other things I need to be doing on the computer. But, I've been itching to post for so long that I had to make a special date with the computer to write down the fun, boring, and exciting things that have happened in the last couple of weeks. So, right now I'm in the computer lab at school, just got done with Eng 315 and am ready to have a nice, relaxing time with "Miss Maclaine."

New Developments since last time
* I've moved into a condo which I LOVE. I don't know why, but having some kind of color on the walls, a washer and dryer and my own parking space really makes going home a lot more enjoyable.
* School's started. ( I've vowed to never depend on add/drop cards again)
* I've narrowed down the choices for a major: Spanish or Humanities with an emphasis in Spanish lit.

New Discoveries
* The non-fat yoplait yogurt at Macy's went up 10 cents
* Apples are not very tasty right now. The only ones I like are from Grandma Holt's tree.
* America's next top model makes me feel unproductive and at times empty inside. (But I still watch it!)
* Diet Dr. Pepper is my favorite new drink.

Not Fun things
* Overflowing toilets
* Being arrested and bailed out by my parents (But saying it is pretty fun)

Fun Things
* Watching Devin do cross country and Ruby play soccer
* Spending time with the family
* Finishing HP5 and Eclipse
* Going to the U of U game and eating fish tacos with Dad, Ruby, and Gabe.
* Watching Japanese games shows on You Tube
* Listening to "September" with Jamie
* Being at school

Upcoming excitements
* The India fest this weekend
* Candy Corn!
* Changing leaves
* Football
* Going dress shopping with the girls!

Well that's pretty much it. Sorry for the long post! Its been a fun date with the computer!

"Oh Mitch, Its been so long. So very long"

I'm sorry I just had to label this post with a quote from one of my favorites. It makes me laugh just reading it. But, I won't divulge where it comes from - I think that its more fun that way.

So, I decided that it was time for a post. I'm just sitting at the computer listening to my friends wedding mix and feeling very reminicent because 1) love songs just do that to you and 2) one week ago today I flew home from El Sal (my inspiration for the blog title). I want to share some more of my favorite pics.... please humor me :)

The preschoolers at the zoo - gotta love the matching hoodies!


Playing ball.


REAL lava! We climbed an active volcano. It was really hot!


My girlfriends at CIPI


Carlos and I. Carlos was a guy that would come around to our house a lot - we had some good times with him. He was all about love and peace.

A Tribute

Its my last night in El Salvador and as I was printing out my flight information I felt the need to give my thanks and gratitude to the internet cafe where I have spent many a night keeping in touch with the outside world.


Thank you Gecco for the good times we´ve had together. I have enjoyed the air conditioning, rolly seats and cool Spanish keyboards as much, if not more than the internet. Its been great. It´s been real. But, as the children in the Sound of Music sing I have to say " So long, Farwell, Auf Wiedersehn goodbye!"
Gecco, you´ll be in my heart forever.

A Quickie

Yikes, I only have 9 minutes left until the internet closes, but I was looking forward to posting all day! I wanted to post a couple of pictures and a few things, sayings, etc. that I love to hear and see in El Sal.... P.S. sorry some of them are in Spanish.

" Hey Baby.... I love you forever" gotta love the words yelled at the gringas in the street

"quata, quata, quata" (quarter, quarter, quarter)

"porfa tia, porfa"

" regálamelo, tia."

" preciosa"

Ok, sorry most of them were in Spanish :)

A Little Slice of Heaven

Hello All!

So, this blog sadly won´t include any pictures because my USB has a virus or something like it because there isn´t a single file in it! Don´t worry hopefully next time I will have a few pictures.

Well as my time here in El Salvador is drawing to a close I find myself enjoying everything just a little bit more. I have loved my time here and feel so lucky to have had this opportunity.

Today was a really awesome day, maybe even one of the best. We spent the morning taking the preschoolers to the zoo. We expected complete kaos but everything actually went really well. I think that they enjoyed seeing the world outside of CIPI. Later that afternoon I visited the teenage girls where we made "thank you" cards, that again turned out really well. Then our last stop was the nursery at CIPI. This was the highlight of my day. We got there and because most of the babies were asleep I was able to give more of my attention to the toddlers. There is one toddler named Victor and he is one of those kids who needs a lot of attention and last week when a tooth was coming through life was pretty rough. Today though he was relatively happy. Then as we were playing he was crawling around on me and it seemed to me that he had the desire to walk around. So, I helped him for a litte bit and then decided to see if he could stand up on his own. Well, standing up turned into first steps and walking around the whole room! This made my day! He was smiling up a storm (which I rarely see him do) and I was so proud of him!

Anyway, it might seem like a pretty simple story but it was so neat for me to see and help this little boy take his first steps. I am so grateful that I was there to see!

Well, I hope you enjoyed my little snipit from El Sal and are enjoying the last couple weeks of summer!

My Little Angel

This is Alicia. She is my favorite little girl in the nursery at one center where we work called CIPI. The nursery is just a temporary place where the little ones stay before they go to be adopted. She came a couple of weeks ago from an abusive home and was so scared and disoriented. But now she and I play and laugh all of the time! I have a huge prayer in my heart for her that she will end up in a loving home! She´s my little angel!

Some Photos from Down South

Hello everyone! Here are some photos of whats been going on down here! I´m loving it so much and can´t believe that I only have two weeks left. I love the people down here and even though it can be hard sometimes, there are so many things and people to love!



A before and after of the room we just finished painting in the special ed room at CIPI.


A birthday party I helped out with in the special ed room. One of the volunteers prepared a lesson about birthdays and afterword we fed them ice cream, which I don´t think they had ever eaten before. It was a big sucess.



The beginning of many bug bites and checking for lice - my favorite!

My sweet henna tatoo I got at the "feria" on Friday. I got to pick everything out myself before he painted it on.


The CISNA boys and I.

A little extra time...

So its Saturday, our day off, and I was just sitting here on the internet waiting for my travel buddy to finish on the internet and remembered that I´ve been tagged by two people and haven´t posted anything yet! One of them, Dianna, tagged me a long time ago and I just never got around to it. Sorry Dee Dee! Anyway, I combined the two questionares and made one of my own...

4 Favorite Places
1. Newport Beach
2. Disneyland
3. Provo Canyon
4. El Salvador

4 Things I can do
1. Speak Spanish!
2. Art
3. Critique movies
4. Cool, weird body tricks ( sing w/mouth closed, double jointed shoulders,etc)

4 Things I cannot do
1. Wake up without pressing the snooze button
2. Arrive on time to class or church
3. Go a few days without communicating with my family
4. Ignore the smell of smoke on my clothes or in the house

Favorite Foods
1. Peanut butter
2. Basically anything that my dad makes
3. Salads
4. Really good Mexican food

4 things to do before I die
1. Go to Europe
2. Get Married/ Kids etc
3. Make a Difference
4. Live in California again

Things I love about life
1. Family
2. The church
3. Friends
4. Memories

4 people I tag
Basically everyone who I would want to do one has already been tagged!

A Hearty Hello

My sincere apologies for only doing one update while being in El Salvador. But, who knows maybe you really haven’t been missing it. but, if that’s the case you don’t need to share that with me. Anyway, things are going great down here! I’ve been here for two weeks already and cannot believe that I’m a third of the way done. Things like bus routes and stops are finally becoming more familiar and I am getting more and more involved in the various projects we are doing.

The big project we´ve been doing this week is a painting project at one of the orphanages we work at. We are painting two murals one in the “preschool” which is basically just the room for the 3-6 year olds (this one is already completed) and the other will be in the special ed room. It has been really neat to see something that was nothing turn into something special because of what we have done.

It also was the 24th of July this week. To celebrate, we picked up about 40-50 dollars (which here is a ton of money – when I buy lunch it usually costs me less than a dollar) worth of some pretty sweet fireworks. I´m positive that all of them would be completely illegal in the states. But, they were awesome! My favorites were the ones that looked like little artillery shells that when shot up into the air made huge and colorful explosions while simultaneously setting off about five car alarms. By the way, car alarms go off all of the time and they all have the same sound.

Well, things are going really great down here. I love it more and more everyday. There are the occasional spells of homesickness, but I think that’s pretty normal for a girl that loves her fam so much! Also, I did have an unpleasant visit from the flu fairy last week – not fun. I ended up sleeping for about 36 hours in a couple of days! Other than that and discovering that the “bichos” or bugs are munching on my ankles, everything here is marvilloso!

I hope that everyone is having a great summer!

In need of a few suggestions...

Hello Everyone!

So this blog is not so much of an update (on of those will be coming shortly) as it is just a call for any suggestions that you might have. I am starting to work with an organization down here that houses teenage girls who have been either abused, lived on the street, or have children already. Anyway, what I want to do with these girls is just do simple activities that will increase a feeling of self worth, or encourage self expression. I have a few ideas, but if you guys have any that would be great! Think back to your high school or young women days - any favorite or memorable activities? If you do please share! I would greatly appreciate it!

Estoy Sentando Aqui

Hello All! Like my dad´s favorite phrase in Spanish explains, I am sitting here. Only, I´m sitting here in an internet cafe in the San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador.

Wow, I can´t believe I´m here. Just the other day I was headed out in an airplane not knowing anything to expect, and now I´m in a totally different country learning bus routes, customs, the language and how to use this different keyboard! Everyone told me that I wouldn´t know how it was until I got here, and now I totally understand. Another thing I understand is why missionaries letters and emails are sometimes short and lacking some of the details! THere is so much to tell, but I´ll try to summarize what has happened so far because I want to share this awesome experience with all of you! ( I apologize in advance for the many grammatical and spelling errors this will have)

Well I arrived on Thursday and haven´t really stopped going since then! All of the volunteers here divide up into different "projects" throughout the week, so us new girls are taking this week to test them out and see what we want to focus for the duration of the trip. I´ve only been to three but so far I really like teaching english at the LDS employment center ( everyone does this on M, W, and F) and helping out at a place called CISNA. Thats where I went today. Its a place where orphan boys and boys who have been in trouble with the law go. They are all so sweet and really receptive to any love or attention you show them. I made a couple of friends there today who kept asking me if they could give me kisses. Don´t worry I told them no :) Sometimes they can be a little too affectionate, so we have to keep that undercontrol.

On Wednesday I´ll probably go to a place called CIPI for troubled girls, their children, and other children with special needs. I´m really interested in teaching the girls somekind of literacy or art class, but we´ll see how that goes.

Anyway, thats a little report of how all of the projects have been going.

Its so awesome to be here! I love all of the greenary. We go everywhere on the crazy, but fun busses and so I get to see a lot of the city, which i really enjoy. Even though its really dirty, it has a lot of personality, especially because everything is in Espanol!

Well internet time is up! Thank you all for your love and support!

Me llamo Maclaine

Well Today I left at 4:00 am to go to houston then El Salvador! The next time I post it will be from there. I don't know exactly when that will be, but be watching out for it! El Salvador, here I come!

Clinton, Stacy and a little bit of Tyra

The last week or so I have found myself frequently tuning to a few good shows. The more I watch, the more I know that it is a complete waste of time, but become more addicted to these fascinating programs.(Wow, its even more pathetic that I'm writing a blog entry about it). It all started with "What Not to Wear". This one has been a favorite for a while; I love Clinton's sassy sense of humor and Stacy's fashion advice, not to mention her random gray streak of hair.

Then, I saw a new series called " I've got nothing to wear"; this focuses more on fashion design. They take a person's somewhat out-of-style wardrobe to "the chop shop" where "design prodigies" (gotta love the names) make a new wardrobe only using the fabric of the old clothes.

The last on TLC is "Take Home Chef". Who wouldn't want to watch a sexy Australian cook make dinner for a random stranger?

Even though it is basically just drivel, I have learned a few good pointers about cooking and fashion. In fact as I was getting ready for church today I didn't know what shoes to wear. But then I recalled an episode of "What Not to Wear"...



P.S. The modeling pose was inspired by "America's Next Top Model". Tyra Banks is so wise...