Forks Fun and a Familiar Face

I have a lot of catching up to do. It's been over 2 weeks since I last blogged, and even before that, I had stuff to blog, but I was holding back so as not to raise suspicions of people... like Stacy :). So, here goes the week of March 7 through 15.

On March 7, my mom, Christina, the girls, and I went to Forks, WA. For those of you who don't know, Forks is where those ever-popular Twilight books are set. At 2.5 hours away from me, it was a do-able day trip. And it was something fun to do. Plus, I could finally get Stacy that Forks dirt she had requested months back. So we went. It was a chilly day. A rainy day. Not out of the ordinary for this part of the state. What was out of the ordinary was when it started snowing on us. Yes, here it was, March 7, and we are getting snowed on. The good news was that it wasn't sticking to the ground. So we continued our way to Forks, passing through Port Angeles. The girls did magnificently. We enjoyed light banter. We got to Forks and pulled off at the sign. And okay, so we got honked at by the locals. I was embarassed. Seriously embarassed. But as we trudged up to the sign (that has a make-shift walkway that, I'm sure, has made an appearance because of the books' popularity), I saw tons of shoe marks in the mud, so I knew I wasn't the only one :). That helped a little.


So we got that picture, and then I had to collect the dirt. I really did feel so silly. But hey, it was for a worthy cause :). And I collected the dirt by the sign so that there could be no question as to whether or not it was authentic Forks dirt ;). And my little helper Desiree helped scoop dirt up too.


Around this time, Christina said, "Hila, we have company." I immediately thought the worst and said, "Is it the police?" Hahahahaha... Turns out it was 3 teenage girls from Canada. Priceless. And these 3 girls ended up following us to the next "hot-spot" on our list -- Forks High School.


I had a map that I got from the Chamber of Commerce site. Basically the only two spots I saw worth visiting were the High School and the Police Station (where the main character's father worked). So, we went to the City Hall, where the police station really is.


Then we went to a store. My mom bought us each a t-shirt. Mine is black with silver writing that says, "Real Vampires Sparkle in Forks, WA." They sprayed it with glitter so that I'd sparkle. I didn't wear it that day, though. I was saving it for Stacy's Twilight party in Alabama. Anyway, I ended up getting pins for everyone who would be at Stacy's party. The pins said, "Vampires Rain in Forks, WA" or something like that. I thought it was clever. They aren't the run-of-the-mill pins you can get through mass distributors, since the lady said her boss designed them. So, I thought that was neat. The lady also threw in 8 pairs of plastic vampire fangs, since I bought 8 pins. Oh, I also bought a pencil for my friend April's daughter Courtney. Anyway, they also had this map of the city with all the "hot spots" for Twilight. So, you know we had to do it. We ended up going by the hospital and taking a picture with the sign for Dr. Cullen's parking space.

If you can't tell by the way I look, I felt very self-conscious. Because right about this time, a guy was walking over and saying, "Why are you taking a picture with my parking space?" I chuckled and flippantly said, "Don't you know you're famous?" And he laughed and said, "Yeah." Then he shook my hand. As I was looking down to shake his hand, I saw his badge around his neck said "Dr. Cullen." And I quite stupidly said, "Oh! You really are Dr. Cullen!" In retrospect, I feel like a total idiot. What a total duh moment. He so was not a real Dr. Cullen. I'm sure he made that up for that specific purpose. Hahahaha... Sometimes I get flustered enough to be really ditzy.

We drove by the house that was supposed to be Bella's, but it wasn't all that. But I did stop by and get a picture with the Forks Memorial Library sign.


We also went into another store, where Desiree got some vampire teeth. She loved these.


After this, we drove out to La Push.

I didn't know Stacy would've loved rocks or something from here... Sorry about that. Next time, I promise :). Anyway, we made our way down to First Beach. It was so pretty. Unfortunately, it was also very cold. So cold, in fact, that it started hailing on us. But whatever. We were there to take pictures, so we did.


Also, I thought this reminded me a lot of The Goonies. Which is probably because that movie was filmed off the coast of Oregon, and the Oregon and Washington coasts look alike. Anyway, it was cool. I'd like to go back when it's warmer.


There was a restaurant on the road to La Push that was supposed to have a full Twilight menu. We didn't stop, though, because we had planned to eat at Bella Italia in Port Angeles on the way back. So instead, we snacked on the Twilight conversation hearts I bought for us at the grocery store:


So we got snowed on again on the way into Port Angeles. And this time, it was sticking. Blech. But, we made it :).


Much to our chagrin, it turns out that we couldn't find Bella Italia. I was so distraught. We should've eaten at the Twilight restaurant!!! Oh well, guess you can't win them all... We ended up at McDonald's. I'm telling you... Italian would have been much better!

And so ended the Forks trip. But it was fun :). A great memory. And lots of fun to get the stuff to take to the Twilight party at which I was going to be a surprise guest!

That week, I just worked and watched the kiddos. Nothing out of the ordinary. Although I did take a picture of Emily holding up her head like a pro. I don't know how they grow up so fast...

Also, by this point, April and I had come up with our girlie theme for our get together in Birmingham. So we were working on ideas and stuff throughout the week.

But then on Saturday, the 14th, Donna was in Seattle! So, I took the ferry over to Seattle and met up with her at Pike Place Market :). It was so fun to see a familiar face from Alabama. So we walked all over the city -- which was super easy, actually -- and found a bakery and a burger place that were noted in her travel guide. We also hit the Starbucks at Pike Place Market -- the first Starbucks ever. Most amusing was the girl behind the counter trying to sell Donna a different coffee experience. "Would you like it brewed in this special machine that is made to enhance the flavor, for just a few cents more?" When the questions finally came to, "Do you like a creamy chocolate flavor in your coffee, or do you prefer a bold berry taste?", Donna finally said, "You know what? I think I'll stick with the regular Pike Place blend. Too many choices confuse me." I laughed so hard!


Donna walked with me back to the ferry terminal, and we passed this sign -- and had to take a picture (keep in mind St. Patrick's Day was coming up). Gotta love Seattle.


I spent Saturday night finalizing some things. And then I woke up on Sunday, and this is what I saw:

Seriously not what I wanted to see. We didn't go to church, because my mom's car was sliding on the hill coming up that morning. And before it was all said and done, we had about 3.5 inches of snow! On March 15!!! CRAZY! And seriously, I was going a little psycho... I was quite concerned about my flight status for that night. In the meantime, I packed and prepared the Forks Dirt vials for everyone. I flew out on the red-eye -- which was a tad delayed because we had to be de-iced twice. But those stories are for another day... For now, this is about half of my catch-up. With a promise of more to come!

These Little Wonders

I've admitted before to being more easily prone to pessimism than to optimism. And for whatever reason, the past two weeks have slammed me with reasons to sink deeply into dark moments of doubt, fear, pain, confusion, and yes, even anger. And, sad as it is to admit, I must admit that I've given way to those feelings. And in those moments, it's easy to focus on the negative things. It's easy to see everything that is wrong with life and forget everything that is right. And because I'm tired of trudging in the pit of despair (movie, anyone?), I'm holding myself accountable to looking on the bright side and overcoming those feelings. And so I'm going to focus on what is right, right now. These are my little wonders. And yes, this is a song-title post :).

I have neglected being sufficiently grateful for the timing of my job. And the job itself, for that matter. I like what I'm doing. Sometimes it makes me want to pull my hair out (not advisable) when I get to some of those convoluted files that reference about 4 other files that have to be pulled and examined. But you know what? Little by little, I'm getting through them. And they will be better for it. The location will run more smoothly because of it. And I will have a product to present. I am already seeing the fruits of my labors, and that is a thrilling feeling. The "big boss" (the person who is over the Seattle market for the company) was out here earlier this week. She was taken out to the fileroom, and I hear she was very impressed with it. And it's still a work in progress, so that is wonderful news! But anyway... The timing. You know, I was starting to wonder where the money would come from in order to pay my bills. I mean, I knew my student loan was going to come due. I knew I had to get the credit card paid off before July. And with no job prospects, it was looking bleak. And then my mom's boss asked her if she thought I'd be interested in fixing the file room. He knew I have my MLIS, and he knew I was looking for a job. And do you know, once everything was said and done, I started working right about the time my saved up money (and gifted money from my dad) would be running out. And do you know that, though I don't make heaps of money, I make enough to pay what I need to pay? And that I still have a little left over to do fun stuff? And so, I have what I need. And I know that is a blessing. A little wonder. The other little wonder is that I don't dread the job. I actually love going to work. I love working there. I know it's crazy. But I actually get up and go in at 8:30 every morning, even though I don't have to. I feel like a part of things there. And it's a great feeling. It's fun to joke around with people and to feel like you fit in a place.

I'm healthy. And this is such a huge blessing, especially when I don't have health insurance. Do I take the time to recognize that every day that I don't get deathly ill is a blessing? No, I don't. And so it's time that I did. My body may not be all that I wish it was... But it is healthy. And you know the saying... You can't put a price on your health.

My car runs. And runs, and runs, and runs some more. And isn't it also a blessing that I haven't gotten pulled over for the right back brakelight/blinker that doesn't work anymore? Because I went and priced the part to replace it back in September when I first got here. And it's over $200, because I have to buy the whole light assembly to replace it. And even then, the parts lady said that there's a possibility that there's a short further up the line and that purchasing the assembly might not fix it. She recommended a $90 "diagnosis" thing. So yeah, that's a two-fer. My car has been a work-horse. It has gotten me all over the place all over the country :). Hahaha...

I'm meeting up with my friend Donna tomorrow in Seattle. What a wonderful thing -- to visit a familiar face thousands of miles away from where we met. I know it will be a wonderful day :). Even if it is going to rain all day. Blech! (Though we have had about 4 days of absolutely beautiful -- though cold -- weather!).

I am close to my family. My siblings. My nieces and nephews. My cousins. Of course, in some cases this applies both physically and emotionally. But I was originally meaning emotionally. I have brothers who help me and laugh with me. A sister who always wants to hang out with me and invites me over all the time -- in fact, it's an open invitation. She likes to spend time with me, and I like to spend time with her. And that's a wonderful feeling. I have come to realize over my years in that insane place called adulthood that there are people out there who do not have the closeness with their family that I have with mine. And I have come to realize how truly blessed I am to have it. Not to mention the opportunity I have to be a part of my nieces and nephews' lives. They will know their Aunt Hila. And I will smile and laugh with every Samuel statement: "I can't give myself a spanking, because it will never be a hard spanking." And smile with every time Desiree sings along to "Balley Winter" (as she calls it). Another little wonder.

And so, in moments in the pit of despair, I need to remember what I do have. Yeah, so life has handed me a few lemons. But it's handed me already-squeezed lemonade too. And I love lemonade :). And something tells me that some of those lemons will eventually make very sweet lemonade, if I but squeeze a little harder and longer. And I need to remember that, as Elka says, "Things eventually have a breaking point." Or realize, as Stacy said, that maybe I only feel like things are wrong, wrong, wrong, because something wonderful is just around the corner, and someone doesn't want me to get to that wonderful something, but would rather I give up first. Or say "Amen," along with Megan that I blog-stalk, to my new quote: “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” Or just flat out listen to the advice I read last night in Elder Wirthlin's talk from October's General Conference.... "If we approach adversities wisely, our hardest times can be times of greatest growth, which in turn can lead toward times of greatest happiness." And, "The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss... While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude." This was his last talk before his passing. Is that not amazing?

Well, I've droned on and on about this for far longer than I had planned :). And there are so many more little wonders. But, a list has to end somewhere, right :)? So, I'm off to do more research on The Office.

*And Julie, Christina, Stacy, and Kristy have guessed the movie quote correctly!*

Vanilla True and True

Okay, so seriously. My life is rather vanilla! I go to work when I'm not watching the girls. I rarely have anything exciting on my plate these days. At work, I've finished all the backlogged filing and am now working on going through the files one by one. You ever suggest something that seems really easy at first and then turns out to be a nightmare? Hahahaha... Phew! I only thought I knew how badly those files needed fixing! I'm making new cards for every file (which means a 3x5 file card for each name associated with each file and how they are associated) and also sometimes separating files or combining them as is appropriate. It's pretty interesting to see how things are done about 5 million different ways. I look forward to when I am making some serious headway in the project. So far I've completed 9 whole files. Something like 5,000 to go ;). (And that's just my mental estimate, which is probably way off...). But I do know that it will be so worth it when it's all said and done. Though I have discovered that working on the file cards, because I'm doing them on a computer, does prevent me from belting out music... And you know what? I miss that! I'm hoping I'll get a computer out in what is endearingly referred to as the tin can or the boxcar in the near future :). Then I can sit out there and go through files... and SING!

So, today, surprise, surprise, it snowed... again! It didn't stick, but they were huge, fat flakes of snow. Wish I'd had my camera, because the snow was really falling hard. In the middle of that, I went out to check something in the park. And Bob was nice enough to take me to where I had to go on the Gator, so I didn't have to walk all that way in the snow. The people there are so nice. And fun. I really enjoy the environment :). I will say I was sooo cold when it was all said and done, though! And tonight, I think it's already freezing outside. Ick. This is March, people!

And so there you go. I have nothing else interesting to say! I told you my life is very vanilla these days :).

Oh! But, my friend Donna -- with whom I used to work at Troy -- is going to be in Seattle next weekend! So, we're going to hang out in the afternoon :). So that is exciting :).

Also, I'm working on the Twilight Trivia game for Stacy's party. I'm almost done now. Just typing up the questions -- of which Christina and I came up with 44.

*And Elka guessed the movie quote correctly!*

Battered and Bruised

So yesterday, Brad and Tarylyn moved pretty much all the big stuff from their "old" house to their new one. And I went and helped. And oh man, that kicked my booty! I am seriously sore today... My shoulders especially. I need a good back/shoulder massager. So, just because I know you want to see all my battle wounds, I took pictures :). The first one is of my left arm at the end of the night... The second one is my knee after a day of letting the bruise form. I'm sure it'll look even prettier tomorrow. But that dark round spot is a huge bruise. I have a matching one on the other leg ;). These are courtesy of moving the massive solid wood entertainment center. For the record, it took 3 men to move that sucker into their house back in August, and Brad and I moved it out by ourselves yesterday. So, does that mean I have the strength of 2 men? (Seriously hope not...) Hahahaha...



Anyway, so I worked until about 1 and then ate a quick lunch with my mom and then headed out. I picked up Christina, and she helped pack a bit of stuff, but mostly helped watch the kids while the rest of us were moving the big stuff. This mostly because Emily is a tad bit of a rotten and has an opinion about not being held. But she's totally happy in the snuggly thing. And so cute! And look at my stinkin' skinny sister... You shouldn't be allowed to look this good 3 months after giving birth. I've never given birth, ever, and I look like a heifer! (You'll see this is true in a couple of pictures...)


I mean, isn't that picture so cute!!! She looks absolutely thrilled, let me tell you. Actually, though, she's a really good baby. That's another thing about Christina... She has really "go-with-the-flow" babies. Desiree was like that. Nothing much ruffles their feathers.

And so here are a couple of moving pictures (just a couple, because the batteries started dying):


See? There's Hila the Heifer... Like my moving clothes? That's what happens when you leave from work. In fact, I was quite styling on the feet. Nylons and tennis shoes. Because I sure wasn't wearing my high-heeled boots for this job!

And then the kids wanted to pose on the rock outside of the house. And Aunt Hila, though heiferish, is quite cool. So, she got them all on the rock and took the pictures :).


Funny kids. I love them.

Christina had to go grocery shopping, so I took her, Desiree, and Emily back home. And then I went back and helped Brad some more. Actually, the 2nd trip was the one with all the really heavy stuff. Namely that entertainment center. Man, that thing killed me. After it was all said and done, Brad and I went and picked up Popeye's chicken and some other stuff and went back to the house and ate. I left there around 9, and I was exhausted!

I really like their new home. It's very home-y.

And, basically, other than that, I just have gone to work. My life really is a thrill a minute :).

*And Mrs. S and Elizabeth guessed the movie quote correctly!*

My Brother, the Hero

So yesterday, my older brother Ben was my hero :). He showed up and drilled my front plate right onto my car and so far, so good :). Thank you so much, Ben!!! I love you!


Today I went to work at 8:30. I have quite a routine going. I get there, get my cocoa (I guess this is the equivalent of Nilla coffee ;)), and go sit down in the big Friendship Room for the daily meeting. And let me tell you that sometimes I am sure I have a little bit of my mom's genes in me... See, lately, I've been drinking the Land O Lakes hot chocolate that comes in like 6 or so different flavors. Side note: I'm so bummed that they did away with the mint chocolate one. What were they thinking!?! Anyway, so they come in these little foil packets. And so every day, I empty my packet into my "I Love Jim" mug (thanks again, Elka ;)), and then I proceed to fill the packet with hot water from the coffee machine that has a little hot water spout. So, hotter than tap water. The first time I did it, I filled that sucker up with hot water -- you know, to get all the powder residue left on the packet... Well, those packets are pretty darn good heat conductors, so it burned my hand. But whatever... I got through it, thoroughly enjoyed my cocoa (which probably wouldn't have been half as good without those little bits of powder that were clinging for their lives to the packet, right?), and promptly forgot about the whole thing. Then the next morning, I repeated the same steps. So, one of the guys watched me (he'd watched me the day before and heard me say, 'ow! That's hot!'). And so, wonder of wonders, I burned my hand again, and I said, as I laughed, "I don't know why I keep doing this. I know it burns." And he laughed... Anyway, so I still put water in the little packet, but I don't fill it all the way, and I've learned how to hold it... Okay, so why does this make me say I have some of my mom's genes in me? Well, because this is how she used to make kool-aid. She'd fill the little kool-aid packet with water several times after dumping in the powder, and add that packet-water to the pitcher first... You know, to get all the flavor. Hahahaha... Of course, you do use cold water with the kool-aid. So maybe I'm my very own class of special.

Anyway, so that's my routine. Like you wanted to know :).

Today I didn't work in the file room at all. I worked on typing up cards for funeral files. I also worked the reception desk for about 40 minutes while the receptionist went to lunch. Oh, ironically, Elka... The receptionist's name really is Pam. I left work at about 2 so I could hit the bank and then head over and watch Desiree and Emily so Christina could go to work.


When Nick got home, I headed over to Brad's new house to give them boxes I'd been collecting. It was fun to see the house they are moving into. It's nice. Seems roomier than the house they are in now, but perhaps just becuase this house doesn't have an upstairs, so the room seems more "usable" since the upstairs area of the house they've been in is pretty much exclusively a playroom for the kids... So tomorrow I'll be helping them move the big stuff. Moving is such a joy, let me tell you :).

So, this is random, but it's something I discovered not too long ago. Or rather, I realized it. Despite the fact that it drizzles here a lot, it doesn't storm. I haven't heard thunder or seen lightning since I left Alabama. Isn't that crazy? Just one day, it occurred to me that that was true. One day last week, we had "heavy" rain. But really, it's still just sprinkles in Alabama-talk. Today the high was nice... Somewhere around 58 or so. I heard, though, that the temperatures will drop again, and we might get more snow. Ick! Hahaha... Actually, though, I think by this point, it won't stick to the ground, so it's no biggie :).

*And Julie, Christina, Stacy, and Elka have guessed the movie quote correctly!*