If you say "traveling" one more time...

Okay... so, I wasn't really a Utes fan, BUT I am a basketball fan and I have been watching the Utah basketball games at the gym. So... when my good buddy Kimmy invited me to the game I was ecstatic. I just love basketball. To make a long story short... she pretty much excited my pride and on our lunch break last friday, we went to Fanzz in the gateway and bought "gear". She was SO MAD at me because I went as a Utes fan. In my defense, I have been watching them play a lot and they are pretty good. There were even threats (not surprising for a BYU fan-sorry Kim). She threatened to take away my ticket. LOL!!!

The good news.. we won the tip off.
I have to say that my pride may have accelerated quite nicely at this game, that I stopped clapping for BYU. Kim is going to be mad at this... but she'll get over it, she knows I love her. It was DRIVING ME CRAZY that everything the Utes did was either traveling or a foul. The traveling thing... that was pissing me off (sorry Dad for the p-word useage). And of course, like any basketball arena full of fans, they seem to ignore their own mistakes and blame the refs for everything. It bugs me though. I just appreciate good basketball. At first I thought it was cool that they were so hyped up. It made me miss school, but that quickly faded. LOL! Just kidding.

By the way... the Utes ended up losing, but not until after half time. Oh well... NOW... my blood continues to run RED!!!

I'm having a B.A.D day...

I stole... and I don't care if I go to jail!!!
Okay, I just stole this picture from Sarah and Crusty's blog. Today is officially declared as and BAD day. A little something I like to refer to as "Brother Appreciation Day". You may be wondering how I can make a post called "Brother Appreciation Day" and start it by calling him "Crusty", it's because... I just had to start with teasing him... it just wouldn't feel right otherwise. Plus... isn't that the coolest name ever? Heck yes it is. My friend Jodi and I called our brothers names when we were younger, Rustin was Crusty and Mike was Mucas. Rustin should really be grateful because his sounds a lot better than Mike's.
Okay... I would like to take this opportunity to post some things about Crusty. Lets say this may be in lew of the previous "new brother" post, of which... just to clarify, I neither regret, nor take back. How can I... it's too dang hilarious.
Let's call this the "Top 10 Reasons I love my brother" (these are not in order)...

1. Because he always knows just when to call me. It's like the craziest thing I have ever had in my life. It happens a ton. I will be struggling or something will be wrong and all of a sudden, he calls me. He has endured many a tearful phone call during these times. I would like to point out that he endures it well. I always feel bad that I am crying on the other end of the phone, but honestly, knowing that he cares, just makes me more teary eyed. I almost can't help it when I see him calling.
2. His funny sense of humor (for the record, not funnier than mine). He says and does some of the funniest things I've ever seen or heard. You can always count on him for a good laugh. I love it. I will never admit to this again, but some of the funny things I have said, I have stolen from hiim. ONLY SOME... not all!
3. He is a GIANT (not in size- haha), Spiritually. He knows SO MUCH. I can ask him any question and he usually has an answer for me. I can listen to him talk about this stuff for hours nad not get sick of it. Even though I tease him a lot about some of it.. .I love to listen to it. My brother has a photo graphic memory. I'm convinced of it. He can read something once and never forget it. It's amazing. When he was on his mission, he really grew... he amazes us all.
4. He likes to play games. This, my friends and family I am learning is an uncommon trait in the male world (as two of my sisters know), but Rustin will play just about any game with us. My favorite game to play with him... Battle of the Sexes. And I love how competetive he is. Our family is pretty competitive, but that is part of the fun.
5. You should see him do magic tricks. Now there's a laugh. Hahaha... he see's it... tries to do it- fails, and then leaves the room to be "taught" how, then comes back it... gives the trick up by ruining it. And then we all laugh. It's AWESOME!!! Okay... he did successfully do some of them. This was one of the funnier Rustin moments.
6. He is a protective brother. If you are a girl and single, you will appreciate this. When John and I were talking about the idea of getting married, and what I refer to as "the unfortunate situation" happened and John told me that he "wouldn't risk his life for me", after talking to Dave and Nic (I have to put a plug in for Dave... he also thought John was an idiot, and it made me feel good), but when I called my brother, he was mad. It brought tears to my eyes. I really needed him to be mad at that moment, and he was. Especially when I told him I had to buy my own icecream up at Bear lake- which I know sounds trivial, but it made me feel like he didn't really love me. When I wanted to break up with John and end it... it made me feel good that Rustin wanted me to as well. I always know I can count on him to back me up. I love that he thinks he needs to be able to "have a talk" with the men we decide to marry. Although I am the only single one left. I always want his approval. I want him to like the guys I date, and approve of them. He may not even know this.

7. He gave me my first guitar and passed along his method of playing. It helped me learn to play the guitar. He is amazing at it, and sings so well. I love to hear him sing and play his guitar.
8. He let me follow him and some of the things I now love to do, are derived from him. Like... basketball. I learned to love it because of all the times we all played together in the driveway when we were younger. I miss those days. They were awesome. I only went ice fishing because I wanted to spend as much with him as I could before he left on his mission. After Rustin left on his mission, the day we took him to the MTC, I struggled. He was my best friend. I came home and sat on his bed and my eyes welled up. I honestly just felt so lost. I didn't know what to do now. I had learned to like things he did, and now he was gone. I went for a walk on the dirt road by our house. I prayed to Heavenly Father to help me to be happy. I realized on that walk that this was going to be good for me because now i was going to have to "find out who I am", and what I like to do, instead of what he likes to do. I just admired him so much. I did just that. I wrote him all the time on his mission. I had to... I just missed him so much and wanted to feel like he was still part of my life. I learned a lot about myself during his mission.
9. He is Alma the Younger. Well... in some ways. See... Rustin had a hard go of it this summer. I won't post details, but... he amazed me so much. I was talking to a friend one day about Alma the younger and how he watched all those women and children burn. He could have stepped in and saved them. But as he said he was constrained by the spirit to so so. Did he want to just stand there and not do anything. NO! He loved those people. But he loved and trusted God. What does that teach us? Well... constrained means to hold back, right? Well that tells us that he WANTED to step in. He did. But he couldn't. He had to let those people that he loved suffer through that, even though it was probably killing him inside. This teaches us a lot about him. (I can go on and on about this story, but I won't) Well.. that day, I was going off on one of my infamous gospel soap boxes and it hit me... I even stopped talking to think on it for a minute. Oh my gosh... Rustin is Alma the Younger. He has to sit and watch the person he loved more than anyone suffer, and it is killing him inside, but he did it because he is "constrained by the spirit". I of course watered up thinking about it. Just like Alma... he could have stepped in and saved the person, but he is so obedient to the Lord, and so trusting that he didn't. He suffered, so that she wouldn't have to anymore. I love him so much.
10. I love that he reads my posts and laughs, even though he lies about it and pretends that I'm not funny, I know he is dying with laughter on the other end and thinking... MAN MY SISTER IS FUNNIER THAN I! Oh... since I can't make number 11 (seeing as this is top 10), I will add that I love that he is so outdoorsy. I also love that although he likes to say that I am a pain, and a pest and I typically make him shake his head in disappointment of my behavior, he thinks I'm freaking AWESOME!!!! LOL!!!

Okay... HAPPY BAD DAY!!! If any of you have brothers as amazing as mine... you should celebrate Brother Appreciation Day too!!!

Fine Print:
After today... I go back to being a pest and picking on, teasing, and being the most annoying person that stepped foot into your life. This is only for one day and one day only. I will not admit to said things in this post after this day, keep this in mind for the future. I also take no responsibility for my actions from here on out. Future posts will not be backed up by appreciation days, you get one and one only. Enjoy it while it lasts. Oh.. and don't even think about using my comments box to gloat about the body of this post- just read it, smile, let your head swell for the today, and move on.

Don't "Miss It"

SPRING!!!!
You kind of have to look closely to see the new life in this picture, but it is springing up all over Temple Square. I love it. The other day I was walking by with Jen the Great (one day I will introduce her to you) on our typical walk across the street to get a drink and/or sandwich and "catch up" talk, seeing as I don't get to talk to her much at work because it gets so busy up there. Especially for her. As we were walking, she totally stops the conversation and goes "Look at all the (this is where she named the actual flowers, of which I can't remember) starting to come up", and she was so excited. It made me laugh, first that she actually knew their names and next because she was so enthusiastic about it. But I had never noticed that happening before that moment. The next day I was walking across campus in the early afternoon, it was so beautiful outside and I was remembering that talk with Jen. I started to smile as I stopped walking and looking all around me and it was everywhere. Life was beginning EVERYWHERE! It was happening all around me and I was oblivious to it. Now... a little look into the teaching of loving Father who's only job is being a Daddy. His driving force is to bring us all back to him, and he'll help us pretty much every chance he can, if we want him to- I had this thought as I was standing there, and it went like this... My life is like unto this moment right now. There is so much good springing up around me, so much life and I am so oblivious to it. Heavenly Father is putting some of the most amazing, beautiful things in my path and I am missing it. I'm totally missing it. How frustrating for him. It's like when I try to (this will show you how much I am not like him-which is sad) play on a joke on someone and they don't even get it, or know I have done it. It drives me so nuts that I finally have to just have to (in a slightly raised voice) tell them. And then they are like... OH!!! Ha ha ha. And it loses it's effect. This is how I think it must be when Heavenly Father blesses us, or is trying to bless us, and we totally don't even see it, or get it. Needless to say... I had joy, the rest of the day. Men are that they might have...JOY.

See what happens when you leave me alone...

Well... Wednesday night I had to help out the Young Women in my ward with a scavenger hunt. This scavenger hunt took place at the mall. They assigned each of us to a different store and we had to wait at that store for an hour for the girls/guys to come by. Okay... can your eyes pop out like mine did when you read what store they assigned me to... SHUBACH JEWLERS!!! A freakin' ring store. "Hey... let's make the single girl hang out in the ring store for an hour looking like the girl who had a dream." hahahaha... well... I sat there for like 40 minutes and NO ONE CAME!!! I was getting ancy, SOOO... this is what happens when Tahnee gets bored. I reverted back to my childhood and did some people watching. This may not come as a shock to some of you. I started to take pictures of the crazies and the interesting. Pretty much i took pictures of my thoughts... and here they are.... Sorry they aren't that great of pictures, but considering I was trying to lay low, I think they will have to do.

This sticker was pretty much just taunting me the whole time. There's a good chance that someone may have taken over my body, got up, walked over the counter and purchased it. I take no responsibility for my actions at the time. The sign says you can get it WHATEVER SIZE YOU WANT... the size I may or may not have gotten... well now that's priveleged information. (It's the Michael Jordan logo sticker.) Do you how cool that thing would be life sized? Fricken' Sweet!!! That's all I know.

You can't see this very well, but I would like to introduce you to Mullet Man. I tried to get the front of his face, but couldn't. He has red hair... a mullet and Elton John glasses on, they are even tinted. He kept walking past me when i was sitting on the bench... I'm not gonna lie... it pretty much freaked me out.

This lady... she passed me 9 times (I really counted) I'm pretty sure she was getting her excercise in the mall. Either that, or she is VERY indecisive, and if that be the case, I say... it is girls like her that give rest of us "decision making women" a bad name.

and

DUNT...DA...DA...DA...
THE WINNER IS.... (DRUM ROLL PLEASE)
Shopping Cart Man!!!
Who has a freaking shopping cart in the mall?
He only had one thing in it... and it was a kid. I say... GET A STROLLER!!! But hey... who needs a stroller when you can steal your very own shopping cart.

Well finally the YW leaders came over and interupted my good time and told me had to actually be IN THE STORE. I was like... What the....
So... I wandered in and went up to the incredibly attractive.. oh wait... YEP, THERE'S A RING ON HIS FINGER OF COURSE... man working in the store and explained the patheticness that was Tahnee that night. He was actually really cool about it. Then.. this guy from my old singles ward saw me in there, even though I was doing that whole ,look away when he looks your direction so he doesn't recognize you, thing. He came in and started asking me questions. I even made the joke about the family ward assigning the single girl to the ring store, and HE DIDN'T EVEN LAUGH! JERK!!! BOY was I a little uncomfortable as i was sitting in the ring store just waiting.. waiting for my prince to ride up on his white horse and give me a stinkin' reason to be sitting there. At least that's what I felt like. Shoot... I would have settled for Shopping Cart Man and his kid. I would have even pushed the dang cart. LOL! Just kidding. Anyway... it was cool when the kids started coming, and once they were all there... I was out of there!!!

The exclamation point day...

Well.. to help you understand this story I will have to say that last night... Satan and I got in a fight... and I am sad to report that he won! JERK!!! I had a small breakdown in my car on the way home from the Jazz game. I know, I know- this already makes no sense because the Jazz, contrary to popular belief of idiots, they pretty much rock! At least in my world they do. Last night they cremated the Hawks and it was a fantastically fun time. I even bought a Jazz dart board and I played it last night- you'd be surprised how easily darts help to blow off some steam. Well... moving on, I got to work today and did the classic acting like life is peachy keen and happy and blah, blah, blah. You know... what I pretty much excel at in life.
Well...as the day went on, my stress from the previous night began to creep in- let's call this his majesty, the bottom dweller from the depths of hell. I had to go for a walk-Well as i finished I was walking on the sidewalk by the temple tunnel toward the parking lot under the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I was thinking about my family and how I probably don't spend enough time with Mom and Dad. Well... of course, like a stupid girl my eyes started to get all watery. As I looked ahead on the sidewalk I could see a white cart coming. I moved to the side. I still had my headphones on. As it approached me it was Elder Uctdorf. He looked at me and got this big smile on his face and waved at me. I waved back and as he passed I got this flooding overwhelming feeling of Heavenly Father's love for me. Of course I think you know what happened then. I'M A GIRL, this is what we do! Enter... the waterworks, and me trying my hardest not to look like I was crying. And in that moment... it didn't matter one iota what anyone said or did to me, or thought of me, cause I didn't care at all. And that feeling is worth all the hurt in the world.
Okay... so I share that because I just have this amazing love for Heavenly Father and how he pokes his head in at the perfect time- all the time. I mean, he's always there, but when you really need a hug, or someone to love you, he always lets you know, and with a giant exclamation point. That's what I feel like it is. Life is normally like a sentence with a period at the end, you feel his love and know he's there. BUT... when you really need him, it's like life is a sentence with an exclamation point. He REALLY tells you he loves you. It's amazing. I just hope everyone knows that. Cause it applies to everyone. I mean... If there was ever a child that he shakes his head at in pure shock, I'm sure it's me, but he still loves me- and isn't that awesome? I say YES!!! I mean... he is letting me mold young 4 and 5 year old minds in primary. LOL! I know.. it's shocking. I almost asked the Bishop to go back and get a confirmation number from the Lord on that call. BUT... alas... I did not. It would have just been one of those head shaking, sigh, and "who's daughter is that?" moments.