GRADUATION!! (Grad School)

Sunday, December 31

3 Things......

It's late and I am tired so to make this short

1....I might have a house to move into soon. Then I can stop feeling like a mooch, and be more independent again.

2.....I really love working in the book store. I'll be honest: if I could make the same amount of money with the same great benefits, I would give up my day job and never leave the store. *sigh*

3....The Kindertransport was an amazing thing....I have now read the book and now onto the movie.

Wednesday, December 27

2006

I found this on my Friend Jeremy's site! Let’s see what I can remember.Now we all know the answer is not much. Thank heavens for the blog...I wrote most of the important things on at least one of my sites. Lol!

JANUARY
1. Where were you on New Years Eve?
I do remember that: We were in Alexandria looking for fireworks…..Steph and Boo were getting annoyed by a boy….Who else was with us? Gwen was there with her boy….who else?

2. Did you have a new year's resolution this year?
Yes, there were a couple of resolutions: continue on my track to go to the temple, continue to walk everywhere, and travel over seas. None of them stuck! 

3. Does it snow where you live?
It should be…but it is not yet

4. Do you like hot chocolate?
Of Course……

5. Have you ever been to Times Square to watch the ball drop?
I haven’t been to New York ( I am not counting the times we flew in and out of the airport to go over seas…we never left the airports (did we? Tiana do you remember?)

FEBRUARY
1. Who was your Valentine?
I don’t think I had one….There might have been a crush at the time but nothing that got written about.

2. When you were little, did you buy valentines for your whole class?
Well, I don’t actually remember that but I know that the boys had to make cards for everyone in their class….so I am assuming that I was also required to.

3. Do you care if the groundhog sees its shadow or not?
Am I supposed to? Never really thought about the poor rodent!

MARCH
1. Are you Irish?
I believe there is a trace of the Irish in the mutt blood that I have.

2. Do you wear green on St. Patty's Day?
Always! It is my favorite holiday.

3. What did you do for St. Patty's Day in 2006?
Got mad at a friend (wonder what it was about, Steph do you remember?) and went to dinner with R.A.G.S. to plan the trips we never took. *sigh*

4. Are you happy when winter is over?
Yes and No. I love winter but there is something about be able to walk with out the biting wind or sleet.

APRIL
1. Do you like the rain?
My ring tone is Singing In the Rain!! I love the Rain!!!

2. Did you play an April fool's joke on anyone this year?
I never got in to April Fool’s jokes…I feel bad when I make someone else feel silly.

3. Do you get tons of candy on Easter?
Not tons…but I believe there was Easter candy consumed this year.

4. Do you celebrate 4/20?
No

5. Do you love the month of April?
Yes! Usually……..maybe……..I don’t know. I think so.

MAY
1. What's your favorite kind of flower?
I love the Forget-me-nots. But I also love Lilacs…so much so that my mother planted them in our yard just for me!

3. Finish the phrase "April showers":
bring May flowers. What do Mayflowers bring? PILGRIMS!

4. What is the first color you think of when you think of Spring?
forget me not blue….pastel Green….

JUNE
1. What year do/did you graduate from High School?
1997.

2. Anything special happen to you in June?
June was a busy month: I turned 27; I gave CORRECT directions for the first time; I worked on the time out for women conference, I came home from the beach, I went to baseball games, there was lots of Rain (YAY!), and I got a broken heart. Not sure any of it was special though.

JULY
1. What did you do on the Fourth of July?
I can’t remember, I know we watched fireworks at my friend Nicks House, because Staph and Boo blogged it. But I think I slept through the rest of it? That is the only thing I blogged on any of my sites.

2. Did you go on any vacations during this month?
My sister came for a visit and I went rafting!! And camping!!!

AUGUST
1. Did you do anything special at the end of your summer?
I went to Utah for my brothers Mission Farewell and I got sick. The dizzy spells had set in and I was not a happy person.

2. What was your favorite summer memory of '06?
Sitting on the Beach all by myself….sleeping in the hammock at the beach….really most of my time at the beach.

3. Did you have a sunburn?
Yes…SPF 15 is not strong enough for this whitey!

4. Do you go to the beach a lot?
May….I spent 2 weeks straight at the beach. It was heaven!


SEPTEMBER
1. did you attend college in 06?
No. I wish!

2. Who is your favorite teacher?
I had an English teacher in High school named Mrs. Bestor (Kurt’s mother not his wife) I loved her!

3. Do you like fall better than summer?
I love the fall as much as I love the spring…Summer is probably my least favorite season, though I still like it.

OCTOBER
1. What was your favorite Halloween costume?
I really don’t dress up….though this year I wanted to be Velma Dinkley from Scooby Doo….I think I could have pulled it off….Oh well maybe next year!

2. What's your favorite candy?
I love Candy Corn.

3. What did you dress up as this year?
I didn’t….

4. Carve a pumpkin this year?
(Jeremy you are so right with this answer I am going to keep it!)
No. It's really no fun for me to do these decorating things all by me onesies. I'll carve a pumpkin when there's someone worth carving a pumpkin for.


NOVEMBER
1. Whose house do you go to for Thanksgiving?
I stayed at my place. Boo came over and we made soup and Pie!

2. Do you love stuffing?
I love Stuffing! It goes with Mash Potatoes and Gravy! Oh I miss those foods. I wonder if I could make them on my own with out ruining them? Hmmmm…..

3. What are you thankful for?
Peace of Mind, Family, Good Friends, and so many other things….but mostly the people in my life, they have such an impact!

DECEMBER
1. Do you celebrate Christmas?
Yeah, it is always a whirlwind of activity with the Hinkson Clans

2. Have you ever been kissed under mistletoe?
Not that I remember. Would be nice to have happen….Anyone know when David Boreanz is going to be standing under some Mistletoe?

3. Get anything special ?
I got a digital camera that I still have to learn, some good books and this fabulous homemade Christmas ornament(from these great girls in Idaho!)

4. What did you want this year?
Not something I got…..but then again it was not something that was really possible so I am not to heartbroken that it didn’t come.

5. Do you like cold weather?
YES! I love the snow…the winds of Idaho this year were a little more then I am used to. I am glad to be back in VA where it is at least 50 degrees!

And that is my year in review!

Tuesday, December 26

Home Again

I am Home!! I was glad to have my time with my friends and family. But I am glad to be home! Sunday Morning was a rush, between sick kids, church, and the rush to make the Hinkson Christmas Eve dinner. Dinner was a true Hinkson affair. We barely fit in the dining room. There had to be two separate tables. There was lots of laughter and just a touch of food throwing (but only the rolls I promise, I don’t throw the messy stuff!). From there we went to the living room for gifts. Yet again there was the realization that we just don’t fit any more. Gifts were fun, the new babies made out like bandits as was expected, and the chatter was almost overwhelming. As the night drew to a close, the babies got tired. One of my favorite moments was watching my big brother fall asleep while he rocked his daughter. There were tender moments all around. Those that were staying at the house then stayed up till 1:30 playing Killer Bunnies (a card game of sorts).

Christmas Morning didn’t even start until 9 am, luckily for us…..but then it lasted till almost 2 pm. I have many favorite gifts…but I think the digital camera is one that will find the most use in the next little while. I am still learning but hopefully soon I will be posting my own pics here.

Our Christmas movie was Eragon. I won’t say much other then I can see the influence of Robert Jordan and J. R. R. Tolkien in Chris Paolini’s stories. It was enjoyable for what it was, even if they took liberties with a few of the story lines.

Now I am back into the thick of things. Apartment hunting and working (hopefully I still have my job at B & N Lol!). Only 5 days left of December….are you ready for 2007?

December 22nd and 23rd

Today is day three of my Christmas Holiday and day two in Idaho. Every night I have tried to write a little for my blog. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to get my thoughts in order. The trip on Thursday was fine; as a matter of fact I rather enjoyed my second layover in Vegas. I got to watch a beautiful sunset. Yesterday (Friday, December 22) was filled with fun and first meetings:

I met my niece Amber for the first time. She is 8 months old and this is the first time I have had a chance to visit with her. She is adorable and so happy. I couldn’t believe how calm she was, our family is quite chaotic and to see her so calm and content made me rather hopeful for our future generations. My bother Ralph is a good daddy, I never doubted that he would be, but it is amazing to see him in action.




From there we went to see the newest nephew. As I posted a little over a week ago, Kent III (a. k. a. Triple Dee) has joined this mortal realm. Tiana and I had a chance to spend some time with the new baby and his mom Cynthia. As you can see he is also adorable, unfortunately, at a week old all he does is eat, sleep and poop. He is not all that fun yet, but I am sure he will be as he gets older.



Next was a 3 hour drive to Pocatello. Tiana, Sarah, Baby Sean Michael, and I headed north to see Grams Gifford. I must admit to being a bit distracted, I do not handle a change of plans, when my schedule is tight. But thanks to Sheila I was able to get back on track, though not quite focused. Grams is doing well, but there was only time for a short visit before I finished my final leg of the journey.

I was able to catch the Salt Lake Express from the Jackson’s Shell Station and hitch a ride to Idaho Falls. After an interesting ride where I learned that the young man in the back had recently found the delights of “more then a handful” and the woman in front of me felt the need to put her dog in my face, I met up with Sheila at the Kick’s 66 in Idaho Falls. Of course I was running a hour late, but the kids were nice enough to hold dinner for me. And what a dinner, The Professor had made a delightful meal. From the Bisque and Pastry to the Risotto and Beef the food was delicious.

I don’t know if I have time in this blog to say all that I want about the first meeting with Sheila, the Professor, and the children. I will say that I had an enjoyable time, and hope to be able to meet up with them again at some point when I am not on such a tight schedule. They and the children are quite enjoyable to be around


That brings us to today (December 23rd). Today was a day of activity. It started with a fun drive filled with I spy and Fabulous Stories of Cinder Cheddar and Prince Gorgonzola ( or was it Mozzarella) from Camille. There was a quick goodbye to the Hadden/ Skazzekie clan before I was swept up n the whirlwind that was family pictures.











As you can see they turned out pretty good.


FYI: This is Arizona Dad’s Mother, her 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren (plus spouses) for a grand total of 19 people. We were there for almost 2 hours getting the poses and pictures set up.
















Pictures were followed by a family dinner at a local restaurant. We didn’t want Grams to have to cook for all of us, so soon after surgery (Plus this way we didn’t have to do dishes, a major incentive for us!!) Dinner was a boisterous affair, full of laughter and a few tears. Dinner was followed by presents at Grams’ while Ian slept on the floor.

We rounded out the evening with pumpkin pie and a lovely game of Mexican Train. Almost every memory I have of visiting my grandmother includes playing Mexican Train. It is tradition; we cannot leave without playing this game. We surround the kitchen table and try our best to get rid of all of our dominoes. These are treasured memories. They are always happy times full of laughter and joy. As was that night.

Thursday, December 21

Lesson Learned.....

Here I sit at my second layover of the day. The first in Atlanta was pleasant, as is this one in Las Vegas. My next flight is not for another hour and a half and I figured I could impart a bit of the wisdom I have gained today.

So here are the lessons I have learned so far today:

  • Do not write at 3 am when you are tired and still not finished packing, life almost always looks bleak at 3 am, even when you have a pretty good life.

  • You will not sleep very well on an airplane full of people.

  • Delta Airlines Stewards are very nice people, they will wake you every time the pass by your seat offering food (even if you would rather be sleeping).

  • Long layovers aren’t that bad, especially if you have a laptop, a slew of movies, and you own electronic handheld Sudoku game (Kate you are the greatest ever!!)

  • When the airport is under construction and 3 out of the 4 women’s restrooms are under going renovations…..Hold it till the next airport, you will have to even if you stand in the line that wraps around the corner.

Hope everyone else is having a fabulous Thursday and isn’t stranded in Denver!!

Alone for the holidays....

Well it is that time of year again. Single women around the globe get depressed and stressed over their singleton status then we eat lots of chocolate and holiday foods.

I am never technically alone at holiday time. When all the numbers are added up I have 19 members of my immediate family. If you include spouses, nieces and nephews, grandparents etc. the number rises drastically. Plus I have many good friends that I could call on at a moments notice. So there is never really a chance that I will be "alone" for the holidays. In reality though, I have been a singleton for every Christmas season I can remember. So while I am technically not alone, the holidays remind me just how single I really am. Don't get me wrong, siblings, parents, and friends are great and I love my time with them, but that is not what we are talking about here. This has been on my mind for the past week. Most girls stress over being alone for the rest of their life. I will admit that I can be found stressing over it on occasion; but I am more often then not okay with my status. I like where I am in my life. This week I realized that even though I dislike being alone, it is preferable to being with someone who does not want to be with me. In my head I hear Cheap Trick singing: "I want you to want me."

I am tired of the game. I am tired of trying to sell myself. I know I am not any good at sales. I never have been, I am too shy on the inside. It makes me feel as if I am forcing people to be my friend. That is not a good feeling in the dating world. I want someone who thinks I am interesting enough to pursue. I want someone who will approach me, some one who wants me. Sooooo.........until I find someone who is willing to put forth a little effort I will be single. Every girl deserves to be wanted and needed. I know Christmas hasn't come yet, but that is going to become my New Years Resolution. Not exactly a "Down with Men" year; but a resolve to not date those men that don't think I am worth the effort of pursuit.

Now I am off to pack. I am to fly out in 7 hours and I am not finished packing.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night.

Sunday, December 17

Time.........

Then (with the clan of course):
Lately, I have been thinking about the passage of time. There was a comment made in Relief Society about things happening one drop at a time. It was said in regards to learning things line upon line when we are a society that thrives on instant gratification. Unfortunately, my brain took a turn from the lesson and all I could think about was the passage of time. Things happen drop by drop, minute by minute, and day by day. One day you look back and you realize that while you have been living day by day, months and even years have passed. I am 27 years old. I have been home from my mission for over 5 years now. I have lived on the East Coast for almost 2 years. (Sidebar: Ladies we are going to have to figure out a way to do a bi-coastal R.A.G.S. celebration this year!)
As I go through the stress of this holiday season, I realize that this isn’t the first time I have done this. Last year there were worries about flights and holiday parties and what to get roommates and friends for Christmas. Next year will be the same. It amazes me how time slips away from us. I start to wonder if I have appreciated all of the things that I have been able to do this year. There have been beautiful sunrises and sunsets; moments on the beach, rafting trips, dinners and movies with friends, baseball games, hockey games, new friends, old friends, new babies, funerals, and memorials. I have learned quite a bit about myself this year, but is it enough? As my dad asked earlier this year: Have I finished finding myself so that I can move home? I think I finally have your answer dad. I think I have found a bit more of myself, and this bit says I AM home. The day to day living had masked that change. I am comfortable here. I no longer feel like a country bumpkin on her first trip to the “big city.” I still miss my family and am shocked when I return to Utah and see all of the changes in my boys, but for now I am home. And I am grateful to be here.

Now (with Tiana):

Friday night was the Holiday Party for work. My company is good to us. Every year they put us in a resort for a night. Each employee and their chosen guest (or spouse lol) are required to get dressed in cocktail attire and then they give us free food and drinks until midnight. It is always funny to watch people you work with get totally smashed and tonight didn’t disappoint in that area. There were a few awkward moments when I was less then graceful, though I was told I handled the situation gracefully. There was a little frustration, I mean come on, when will I be able to get all dressed up and not do something klutzy? I am 27 ½ years old; you would think I would have grown out of the awkward phase, but I guess not. I guess all I can do is learn to handle the mistakes I make, as I am sure they will never stop. Lucky for me, the mishap did not ruin my night. After a few minutes with a hair blow dryer (Cuddles you are a genius!) I was able to return and dance the night away. There were plenty of pictures taken; I’ll have to post some of them later when I get copies.

Saturday, I spent the day at my “second job.” I can’t really call it work because it is more play for me then anything. I mean who can hate working with books. Even when working the cash register, I am happy to be there. We’ll see how much longer it lasts, though with the way I am about books, I doubt it will ever end. Or should I say, I hope it will never end!

Wednesday, December 13

Congratulations are in order…..

Wahoo for the Kent Hinkson Jr Family!!
I am happy to announce the newest addition to my ever growing clan.

My newest nephew joined our family this morning at about 1 am……
Kent Dee Hinkson III, weighing in at 7 lbs 2 oz. and 18.5 inches long, had to be here in time to meet Tiana and me at Christmas.

As you can see he came into the world a screamer with a full head of hair.
Congrats to the proud parents!

Tuesday, December 12

The next day....

The day after I am sick is always the best day of my life. Have you ever noticed that? Sunday and Monday were rotten days. This morning was beautiful. The air was crisp and clear. You could smell the winter in it. The sun was shining. I feel good! I got to work and was happy to be here. It didn’t matter that I knew it would be an extremely busy day. I was just glad to feel good. To top it off…….Today’s calendar quote reads:

“I will not, under any circumstances, spend my precious time with a man who has already rejected me.”

So I guess I am no longer wondering whether or not to be friends with that “old friend”. Lol!

Saturday, December 9

The Bells are ringing....

Tonight Kate and I took the time to enjoy the lights at the temple. We were specifically going to the Temple Visitors Center to listen to tonights bell choir. While there we walked the grounds and just enjoyed the peace and the lights. There is nothing greater then being able to enjoy the peace that can be found at the temple. The bell choir was fabulous. Making music is not a talent I have. Even in band I was last chair; well except for one day…I got to be second chair; unfortunately there were only 2 people in class that day. But there is something about music that resonates with me. Music seems to be a living thing, I love to listen and feel it. I have a hard time sitting still at concerts, tonight they even let us sing a long to a couple of the Christmas songs. I was completely content.

By the end of the evening, we had realized that the weeks fatigue had caught up with us. This made it a perfect time for me to watch one of Kate’s favorite movies. Therefore I can now say I have seen Wayne’s World. Interesting…to say the least. Fatigue definitely makes it funnier then I think it really is.

To answer a few questions which have come my way recently:

1) Yes, I have moved out of the house on Jenkins Lane.

2) I packed Tuesday and Wednesday then moved on Thursday.

3) Yes, that means my schedule has been a little crazy with very little sleep.

4) No, I do not have permanent housing at this time.

5) My belongings are being stored at various places

a. A special thanks to The Water Oaks Boys, the Leeland Ladies, and Boo. What more could a girl ask for then good friends.

6) I am currently staying with the Leeland Ladies and looking for something more permanent, so if you know of a place close to a metro please let me know.

I hope that answers everything. I am tired so I better go to bed before Time convinces me to buy a bunch of 70’s soft rock CD’s. ;)

G’Night

Wednesday, December 6

So a friend from my past decided to help me pack last night.
He was kind and sweet and funny.

He would like to be friends again.

Do I trust him?

I am too tired to decide for myself.

Monday, December 4

Isn't it Ironic......

I have gotten into the habit of reading the Express on my way to work in the mornings (I love taking the Bus!!) Ironically today's horoscope read:

You mustn't let a negative outlook keep you from trying, from experimenting, from moving forward. Do everything you can to maintain momentum.

Once in the office my quote calendar read:

"There's never a reason to shout at someone unless they are in imminent danger."

Just a little bit of irony in my world. I hope everyone had a good weekend. If anyone has time on Thursday night I am moving, and could use any help you can give! I'll treat to pizza after we are done, though we will have to go out for it. Lol!