Here's the thing.

I love looking at baby animals too much. Maybe Holly and I have recently stayed up until 1am typing into Google Images various types of baby animals. Here our my favorite, I will own a chinese shar-pei one day:

I know, right? Or as Billy or Taylor would say, IKR?

Confessions.

Things I may or may not have done this weekend that I secretly loved:

For Jessie.

It's been too long to try and do a recap of what has been happening in my life for the last six months, so I'm just going to continue forward.

This week is the last week of full time hours, yahtzee. Working 40+ hours a week = dental software controls my life.

The good news is I have great co-workers to keep me entertained for the whole 40 hours. See photo below:

Craps McGaps.

So I suck at blogging- but what else is new.

In other news:

• I have the best institute teacher in the world. I have never learned so much in a church class of any sort. Seriously, I have a crush on him. Is it weird to crush on not only your 52 year old teacher, but your CHURCH teacher? Tevs, I plan on continuing to do so.
• I have the best roommates in the world. See photos below.
• I am a horrible text-flirter. There's just something about the fact that you aren't face-to-face mixed with the fact you have an unlimited amount of time to create a reply that makes me lose my inhibitions thus making me 100% sudsy 100% of the time/regretful way too often. Darn technology.
• After personal research, my theory that even though boy missionaries mature spiritually immensely over two years- they socially remain nineteen year olds, has been solidified.
• I have recently been lucky to have 'run-in's' with my local provo celebs. AKA: my facebook stalking victims. A little bit weird, but I do feel like I'm spotting the famous. I hate what facebook has done to me.
• I suck at keeping in touch with people. Even people I really love and really miss. I think it's a literal disorder I have.
• I miss my missionary everyday.
• There are reasons/benefits to going to the ward you're suppose to be zoned in.
• I get giddy after meeting potential new friends. Yep. Giddy. And yes I said friends- not love interests. I know, I know- slightly pathetic.
• I saw this and this band play last night. I was very pleasantly surprised to have loved both of them. Both extremely talented in my opinion and both a very nice group of gentlemen. I think the term musical snack would be appropriate here.

That's all for now smitches, more updates are bound to follow--- eventually.

The Story.

After a recent facebook friend addition, I was thinking today of my blog and realized that some of you are probably still confused pertaining the name "Quiet Smitches". I've decided to document this story finally and let all of you in on the inside joke. And to those of you who have heard it eighty-seven times, sorry in advance. This story just never gets old to me.

To set up the scene, here's Alonso. Yup. Don't be jealous.

Most of you know that I worked at Forever 21 last year, but more importantly, I worked with a young fellow named Alonso {which you can read about here. In fact you might want to to get an additional brief history on my sassy friend.} He is probs the biggest diva I've ever met. Which is great. Most work nights with Alonso consisted of him telling me of his clubbing adventures and love-life, which he sometimes tried to edit for my sake but usually failed to do so--- thanks a bunch.

Every night after the store closes we have to get together with our manager for the evening and talk about what we need to accomplish before we leave and clock out. As she gathered us around, trying to keep us quiet she proclaimed, "Alright. Quiet everyone, I have to give my smitch." As you can probably assume, most of us were just simply confused. Speech, smitch, what? We all just kind of stood there looking at each other in silence when Alonso steps in front. With the most diva attitude {including '4 snaps in a Z-formation'} he loudly stated, "QUIET SMITCHESSSA!" -- If you could have only heard it.

Of course I busted up laughing and as soon as I got home that night, I knew my roommates would appreciate the story just as much, if not more, than I did. Luckily, I was right. From that point on, "smitch" just becomes history.

So if you ever hear me saying that or calling someone that, consider it a compliment. It's def a term of endearment.

And lastly, thank you Alonso for being so you, smitch.

Kelly Erin.

I was told tonight that I look like Kelly Erin Hannon from The Office. Yeah. I tried to seem neutral about it but my face must of showed my true feelings of disdain, because they tried to back-pedal with an unconvincing, "Oh, uh, I think she's cute". Yeah, "cute" in a cutesy-five-year-old way or "cute" in a homely way. I mean I realize she's not hideous, but come-on. I always hate the "Do you know who you look like?" question. Because, let's be honest, %99 of the time you're let down and left feeling awkward. Because even if I do look like that person, I usually don't want to hear it. I mean if you're going to tell me I look like someone, tell me I look like Zooey Deschanel, Audrey Hepburn or Beyonce (because I know I look like all three of them combined, especially Beyonce). Now that I wouldn't mind.

Moral of the story: Never tell someone who they look like unless youre %100 sure they look like their dream celebrities.

** Sorry for the confusion. I obviously haven't watched the office in a while. The girl I supposedly look like is Kelly ERIN Hannon. I imdb'd her and assumed she was also Kelly. But of course she goes by Erin as to not be confused with Kelly Kapoor. Thanks to Chelsea for bringing this to my attention. If they said I looked like KK that would just be a whole nother issue...

I have a missionary.

And here she is. Brittany Allen no longer exists, from now on it's Sister Allen (or Sister Crister as I have affectionately chosen to call her).

That's right. Sister Crister left January 6, 2010. A day I have now proclaimed as Doom's Day. The day that's been dreaded for the last four months. According to me anyway. I know she feels differently about it. In fact, she was so ready to go she wouldn't even let us stop in front of the Spirit Prison, I mean MTC, to take pictures. We were waiting at the light to turn into it and while we (and by we I mostly mean my mother) were trying to persuade her to park and take pictures in front, her response was "I'll be here for a while and have plenty of chances to take pictures in front of the sign myself and send them to you." Yeah. Rude. If I'm being honest though, it was just another one of our efforts to prolong the sendoff and I think she just saw right through that. She's too good. (Right before we got in the car to drop her off. It's not the best picture of us but it will have to do.)

In effort to give myself an attitude adjustment about the whole ordeal I've decided to make a list. A list of 10 reasons why Britt serving a mission is a wonderful thing. So here goes:

10. I won't have constantly be giving her bites and tastes of my food for the next 18 months. As she likes to say, she's a Bite Person, which I hate.
9. It gives me the chance to have my own room. Which is awesome.
8. It'll force me to finally go out of my way to meet new peeps.
7. I will take more pictures because now I have the reason to send them to her. I constantly say how I want to take more pictures and document things, but never do.
6. I'll get to recieve actual mail and have someone to literally write too. Which is fun because we're in the generation of instant gratification so no one does that anymore. There's nothing like opening an envelope personally addressed to YOU.
5. I'll get to hear funny stories told by her about the Black Jacks and other southern adventures. I hear it feels like a whole different country down south.
4. I'll have my own personal eye-witness to the Gospel is changing people's lives. Hearing stories like that always strengthens my own testimony.I know there are people in Mississippi waiting just for her.
3. The Lord will bless my family in many ways while we give her our full support. Missionary family blessings are the greatest. I already know because of when Dan was in Thailand. This time around we're hoping one blessing might come in the form of a new sister-in-law.
2. It will make me grow into a better person and move forward to a new phase of life, while having an amazing example to look to, Sister Crister/Allen. It is something that I personally needed to help me keep progressing.
1. Brittany will grow so much it's almost unbelievable because she's already one of the very best people I know. She is the light I look to guide me when I'm uncertain or wavering. She's the best sister but more importantly, my best friend. And this is all pre-mission. By the time she get's back, I swear she'll have to be translated.

Now I have to say, I think that actually helped. I guess her serving a mission in such a horrible thing. In fact, I would go as far as saying it's a great and amazing thing. (You should try it Dad.)

Okay I swear I'm almost finished. I just want to say thanks to everyone who has supported and is supporting Sister Allen and our family. I personally have felt lots of love from a lot of wonderful people (you know who you are). Thanks for making this bittersweet time seem more sweet than bitter.