Happy Halloween!

So I wasn't sure what I was going to be this year- then thanks to Heather's Mom, Delanie, I found some treasures in her costume box. Basically I found a rockin' wig and decided to go from there. I guess I am a she-devil? Yet- we couldn't find the pitchfork. Anyway, I just like the wig.

A Late but still Sincere "THANK YOU"

I know that my birthday was last Saturday, but I have been meaning to put up this blog post since then. I need to say THANK YOU. Thank you Mom & Dad for allowing me to go to a delicious lunch at Cheesecake factory and for the lovely cards. (Dad sent me a card with a picture of the Hoffman on it...) Thank you Chad and Kammy, Travis and Heather, Nicole and Ben, Monica and Tim, and Dallas and Valerie for the thoughtful cards and gifts. Thank you Grandpa and everyone else that made my day really special. I know it is like I'm giving an Oscar acceptance award-but oh well. Deal with it.

Basically my weekend was one that will be hard to top in future years. My roommates spoiled me by throwing me a party with cake, ice cream, brownies, and other treats that will end up putting me on the biggest loser. I felt so loved and appreciated. It is official that I am a fan of birthdays. I don't believe in the celebrating birthdays, "low key" or not doing anything for it. It is not another day. It is YOUR day. So I urge everyone to do something really nice for your loved one/s on their birthdays. It is worth it- everyone needs to know how much they are loved at least once a year:)

Thanks everyone! I love all of you. 22, whoo hoo.

Birthdays and the Mayan

This month is mine, Chad, and Travis' birthdays. So yesterday Travis' family and Chad's family and I met up at the Mayan restaurant in Sandy Utah. Basically it is the "Mayan adventure" because about every twenty minutes there are divers that dive into this pool.

Traven and Tyler loved it. Tyler Especially loved the "girl diver." I quote, Tyler, "That girl diver is my friend." Travis:"Oh what's her name?" Tyler,"Oh I don't know." Travis,"Oh so she is your friend but you don't know her name." Tyler,"Yeah, I love her."

I too loved the divers. Especially the diver on my left, Travis referred to him as "Tarzan." At one point Kammy said I should hang from the vine and call, "HELP" so that Tarzan could save me...

We ended the night with a fantastic but expensive explosion cake. (It was a sparkler on top of a brownie and ice cream.) Tyler wanted to blow it out but Heather explained how that might not be a good idea. Overall it was great fun- goodness I love birthdays. Am I really going to 22 already? Scary.

Knee Surgery.

So as I am sure many of you know I had knee surgery on my left knee. I got it about hm, two and a half weeks ago. Just a summary- it was a scope so fortunately nothing too invasive. I had patella-femoral disease, basically saying my knee cap liked to go to the side. I've had it for a long time (ever since I sprained my acl) but sorta have dealt with it. I was still able to run and do things, except squatting and lunges were a no-go. But recently my knee was acting up so much to the point where I wasn't even able to go on the bike. So I went and finally saw a doctor and the Student Health Center. Up until this point I had only been offered physical therapy as a solution but this doctor said I could get minor surgery. I would get a "Lateral Release" and the recovery period would be 6 weeks. SO I was put under for the surgery and everything went well. Apparently I have no cartilage damage which is a good thing. Two and a half weeks later I have rode the bike for a total of 20 minutes and am walking almost normally. Honestly, this whole thing has been pretty humbling. I mean, I consider myself almost an exercise-aholic so to have to just stop everything is pretty tough. But there have been two things that have gotten me through it so far: My roommates and Chocolate. So this picture is the two things. This is the night after my surgery we went out and got four pints of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream. It was delicious. My favorite was the Cinnamon Swirl. The brownie is delicious but rich.

Once a California Girl always a California girl?

I spent the entire first 18 years of my life living in the same house in Castro Valley California. Some may say that I needed to get out more, moving offers experience, ect. But let's face it- I was completely fine with it. For the past four years, with the exception of my semester living in Hawaii, I have lived in Provo Utah. When the winter season comes- the snow falls, the temperature drops, and I am surrounded by individuals whose eyes light up watching the snow come down. See, they are pumped for the upcoming snowboarding/skiing season. Usually I just stand there silently with a fake smile on trying to share in their joy. You see, I never grew up with snow, and ever since my family got into a serious car accident because of black ice- my parents hate the snow. So I never grew up going snowboarding or skiing or sledding. It wasn't until I went to Utah that I understood what a "White Christmas" was. Perhaps I was deprived, but I never felt that way. So as I sit here wishing I could go for a run outside, but realizing it is below freezing- I have realized I am not a Utah girl. I love California and pretty sure I always will. So perhaps the label of a "California girl" is correct in this case.

Christmas?

So I have been lectured numerous times by various amounts of people that I do not post. Well to be honest part of it is because I feel like I need to censor anything that I put up so that it is positive- painting my life like it is all sunshine and roses. However, I've realized that if I had a blog where every post is talking about how great my life was, it wouldn't paint my life in a very accurate picture. Now, I'm not saying I'm going to be depressing or go crazy- I'm just going to be more honest. This way you might get a better understanding of what the college life of Danielle Blevins is really like. Also, I must admit I have been inspired both my roommate's and friends' posts where they write about their opinions, lame things that have happened, or basically anything they want.
So to kick this new turn of blog posting I am going to talk about the Christmas season while at college. So basically Thanksgiving is officially over and Christmas is here right? Well not exactly...you see for those of us at BYU next week is our last day of classes and the following week is finals. So I am left trying to get projects finished, grades intact, loose ends tied- while still trying desperately to feel the Christmas spirit by grabbing a cup of hot cocoa and only listening to Christmas music on my iTunes. Not to mention the list of favorite Christmas movies that I have failed to sneak in. I do realize that once I go home to California I will be surrounded by yummy food my mom will make, seeing Christmas lights, and a decorated home. Yet, unfortunately I get home only six days before the wonderful Christmas day arrives. Then before I know it, I am suddenly watching the tree be taken down while the Forgotten Carols song "I Cry the day that I take the tree down" plays in the background. It is a bad combination considering that song is my least favorite on the album and I am one of those people that thinks the tree should be left up until after New Years. I realize that Christmas may not as big deal to everyone. But for me, I truly get all warm and fuzzy inside when Christmas comes. It's a feeling I want to start and last as long as possible so the fact that my teacher is yelling at me for eating food in the classroom is not what I want to be dealing with at the moment. (Yes there are still crazy teachers that do stuff like that even when you are a senior in college...wait did I get thrown back to eighth grade?) Anyway, my philosophy right now is stick it to the man- or school-or whatever. I am going to enjoy Christmas here at college and for the first time I am going to go see that play or watch that movie instead of making the treck to the library at nine at night. I will not give in! Wish me luck.

MERRY CHRISTMAS. I will say it as much as possible.

How To Dribble a Soccer Ball

Okay so in my technology class for teaching we had to make a movie of us demonstrating a skill. Like many other things with technology it was frustrating and hard to do but I got through it.