Been Thinkin and Surfin

I've become rather enthralled with this world of blogging. I've been surfing random blogs for the past week and have been making new friends. Since being married I've moved 15 minutes from town and therefore don't get to be as social as I'd like. Also, my husband is a super busy farmer and so as for double dates and such; maybe happens once a month or once every other month. All this leaves me feeling rather lonely since I have been a social butterfly my entire life. I hate being alone and I love making new friends, chatting and learning about peoples lives. I've become rather fond of the idea that you can make good friendships on here and I've noticed on blogs the posts and little signs for Nie. I have noticed this for the last week and finally today, I'm rather sad that I didn't do this sooner, have looked into exactly what is going on with this Stephanie character and her husband. I saw a picture of her today and I was so moved; call me crazy (please do, I am a bit crazy) but I saw myself in her. I have freckles, she has freckles. She is beautiful, I like to think and hope I am too (it makes me feel much better about myself). But more than that I thought, how wonderful that hundreds of people are getting involved and trying to help this beautiful person. I want to help. I'm a bit bummed I missed their auction they held for her but I've read this blog (which I've been stalking) and I think she has a great idea. She is planning on putting a blog book together of really clever, funny posts. I want to contribute, although I'm not so sure how funny I am, but I'd sure like to try. Check it out, I think it's a great idea. Not to mention I already know that most of the blogs I read are hilarious and this book would be nothing but laughs. Anyway, here is the link to Nie's blog; she's been blogging since September 2005.

This really isn't like me to get this involved in someone else's life; especially someone I don't know. Anyway, here's to me trying to be funny and helpful. I'm going to start compiling a list of subjects that might be good enough to get me into that book. I bet you all could do it, too.




Since I can't ever post something with out a picture, here 2 of my brothers and my dad (love the comb over pops) weeding my patch of dirt in front of my home. I didn't plant a garden this year because of time (lame excuse). School and softball really put a damper on my home improvement. On my birthday I pulled into my drive way to see this. I couldn't stop laughing because it was so funny. Apparently, Jason, the brother with the knee brace couldn't sit still (I was getting my Cold Stone birthday cake) waiting so he started to pull my HUGE weeds and the other's felt lazy, I guess (men) so they joined in the fun. I couldn't resist a picture. Thanks boys!

Here I am with my Cold Stone yummy cake. I love love love cake batter ice cream, so I thought, perfect! Birthday cake batter ice cream cake! My 3 year old nephew is sitting on the counter next to me. I couldn't tell you how excited that boy was to have cake. I came out in the morning and he said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY WHITNEY! Now can we have some birthday cake now?" He waited so patiently (not) all day. :) I love being an auntie!! (maybe now someday soon I can also be a mommy? Maybe??)

Hey Batta Batta

I just read this article about a 9 year old boy(see picture to left) in Connecticut who was barred from an 8-10 year old baseball league because he was too good. He has a 40 mph fastball and is accurate and has not hit anyone. They won 8 games in a row, then they were told Jericho (the 9 year old) could not pitch because he was too fast. So he played second base the next game but then showed up to pitch for the game after that. The opposing team walked off the field and forfeited the game. The mother then had a conniption and is meeting with a lawyer. Do we (as Americans) honestly have to answer to everything with an opportunity to sue? The league suggested for him to either; play a different position or move to a more advanced league. The team he was on is being disbanded (because the coach resigned, yeah, I know, drama!) and then the players will be redistributed to other teams in the league. At least those parents who want can get their $50 sign up fee back.



I think his talent is too good to waste. If he enjoys playing then why not move him to a more advanced league? Or if he is not as gifted in other positions why not have him play that and then let him practice pitching in practices to help the team become better batters? Or he could train out of the 'developmental' league in pitching but train to improve other skills in that (the developmental 8-10 yr olds) league. I think there are other options for this scenario than the one that is being played out. Also... what is this doing to the boy?

What do you think?

What's For Dinner?

I had a hot pocket for dinner tonight. This guy pretty much sums it up perfectly.






And I had one of each of these. MmmmMMMMmmm.












P.S. I don't know why it's on here twice.

If I Could Make A Dream Come True......

I love love love Law and Order. Jaren and I have lunch together whenever we can. It's nearly impossible when I'm in school, but last summer and fall I was home during lunch times. On TNT they show re run after re run of Law and Order and that is what Jaren likes to watch while he eats his lunches. Oh how I hated them. I thought they were boring and I would try and try to not whine about how bored I was with the show. Well... after a few months of having to watch it, I found I rather enjoyed it. I have to watch the beginning where the crime happens to be interested in the whole episode. But.... I have this super desire to be in a Law and Order episode. I don't care what it is I'm an extra for, I just want to be in it. They can kill me off, make me a bad guy, have me be a witness, I can be a decoy by running across the screen. I'll take anything! I don't think I'd be a horrible actress, especially if I'm having to play dead. It would be a dream come true to meet Jack and the cast and maybe even be murdered or almost murdered on screen (not in real life crazy; I haven't had any babies yet).

New Calling!

I feel like I'm slowly but surely growing older in the ward again. After Jaren and I were married we enjoyed not having a calling for about a month. We are in the ward he grew up in so I think they felt fine about putting us in the nursery assuming since Jaren knows most of the ward, I'd know them too? Maybe that's what they thought? So in the nursery I got to know lots of babies! But not their parents. Then we were called to the primary. We've never had a definite primary calling, really. We were substitutes and taught all ages, then we were teaching Sunbeams. That was fun and funny. The first of this year we were called to be team teachers with an older couple in the ward teaching the oldest primary class the 11 and 12 year olds. We liked that calling because we only had to teach every other Sunday and so I got to go to Relief Society too.

New Calling! Last Sunday we had to meet with one of the counselors and who knows what that could mean. We had heard they were releasing a lot of people from the primary and so we thought we were going to be permanent full time teachers for one of the now empty spots. Hah, nope! Jaren was told first; he was called to be the Young Men's secretary. He's so busy with farming that he thought this wouldn't be so bad. Nothing was said to me for a few minutes so I thought I was home free and wasn't going to have a calling for a little while. Wrong!! I was asked to be the Beehive adviser. I was so excited! I've always wanted to be in the Young Women's cause I'm practically their age. Come to find, this Sunday when they were sustaining me in Church, the 1st counselor said Beehiveadviser, but after the meeting I was informed he was wrong, I'm the Mia Maid adviser! I'm a tid bit nervous because I'm only 7 years their senior. I'm pretty excited too, though. I hope I can make some sort of difference in their lives. I thought in order to celebrate this momentous occasion of finally graduating from Primary, I'd share some pictures when I was a Mia Maid! (Eventually I'll make it to Relief Society)

I think I might have been 16 in this pictures. And those leapord PJ pants were from my mom for Christmas along with matching undies. I was rather impressed and surprised with her present choice.

So I was 16 here on a date for a dance.

All dressed up for that dance.

For our Homecoming week we have dress up days. This was 80's day. Everything I was wearing is my mom's. The pants are "MC Hammer" pants; ya know, the big baggy one's but are super tight at the ankles.
Another dress up day; Husky Pride. This is Kevin's (older brother) football jersey from when the team took state.

I was 15 here and I thougt I was so cool cause my name was Whitney also.

Now that I look at this... why the heck am I sitting on the Sacred Grove sign!!! At least my eyes are closed so I'm kind of trying to be reverent.

At Vicki's wedding; she was so beautiful!! I was 14 a month away from turning 15 here. Lindsey is so little!

Hungry For Baby

It's true, I'm hungry for babies. Well, not just babies, but at least one baby. I feel like everyone around me is pregnant. I have 3 sister-in-laws and two are expecting. Wait wait... let me explain so you'll understand. I have 4 siblings.

Jason - oldest, smartest, has a PhD.
Married to Vicki they have 2 children. Josh - 3 yrs almost 4 and Claire - will be 12 months September 10th.

Kevin - Next oldest, has his masters, is the most friendly and outgoing (besides myself, of course)
Married to Lena they have one child and are expecting their 2nd. Isak - 15 months Fetus - Due February 17th.

Nathan - 3rd oldest, will graduate with his Bachelors in April (as will I), and is the most driven of all my siblings.
Married to Stephanie they are expecting their first child February 21st.

Whitney - this is me, I'm amazing and awesome and I can't wait to graduate in April with my Bachelors in Health Science so I can finally have me some BABIES!

Lindsey - The youngest and is my only sister. She's very outgoing and is absolutely hilarious. I love spending time with her and am glad she has chosen to live in Rexburg.
Not married and currently single, for any of you young men out there who are wondering (Yes, she's a beautiful almost 20 year old brunette who would definitely keep you on your toes. Man, she'll love me for offering her up on my blog.)

My Family

So there you have it; my siblings. All of us girls, except my spinsty single sister, all planned on having some babies in the year 2009. As you can see two of them took this very seriously and jumped the gun almost too early. Well... here I am, blazing my way through school trying not to think about babies cause I know I can't have any till I graduate. I know I know... I've only been married for almost 17 months; but you see... were settled. Forever. In Rexburg (sigh....). I married a man with a career and he's 5 years older than I. So, he has been set up here for some time and I just get to be along for the ride. It's nice most of the time. Him being done with school and us never having to worry about where we might end up or how we'll end up there. So, the excuse that we can't bring a child into our world because we are not prepared or cannot handle the responsibility or cannot afford or will have to tote around the U.S. is not an excuse. Okay.. so onto being hungry...

I paid for my school clothes all growing up by baby sitting. I love kids. I feel rather knowledged on the subject of children; especially without having any of my own. (I don't need to hear about how hard it is or what a responsibility or anything, I know I know I know) The idea of having to take care of a teeny little baby does not frighten me in the least. The idea of popping a BABY out of ME on the other hand is horribly terrifying. I've gone through bouts of wanting a baby and not wanting one at all. Feeling much too young (I'm 22) and then feeling like I'm getting too old. (In the Mormon culture... 22 is plenty old to start a family). To be honest, I want to be done having kids by the time I'm 35 if I can help it; sooner if I can manage that. So.... I kinda want to get started. I don't feel pressured at all, especially since 2 of the 4 of us are already expecting. I just personally want a baby. My husband is not at all ready, hence the fact that we are not "trying" right now. He's almost 27, but he doesn't care, he says that he's not the one who has to have the babies and raise them, I'm the one that has to be young. I'm not ready right this second... because I don't want to be wheeled into the Hospital in my graduation gown (ew, horrible image) But how do I get a hold on myself and get rid of the baby hunger for a few more months? It's driving me mad. Not even kidding when I say all of my friends and most of my family are expecting or have just had babies. These are the times when it's the worst

• Sacrament meeting when all around me are babies looking all cute and cuddly.
  
• Seeing Fathers holding their infants.
• Seeing a pregnant woman
• Looking at baby furniture (I can't help myself!!!!)
• Walking through a parking lot and seeing a car seat in a car
• (don't think I'm crazy) hearing a crying baby (I want to hold them and calm them down, cause I know chances are I probably can. I always have)
  
• Being around my pregnant family and feeling a teensy eentsy bit left out.
• Right now not being in school; I have waaaay too much time on my hands to feel lonely and think about it (next semester starts in 2 weeks... boo).
  

So. What to do, what to do.... I am surrounded by growing belly's and mostly happy women about it. I have a husband who all but cringes when I mention babies and "trying" dates. And I just cannot help myself... I want a gosh darn baby next summer! Blasted farming for getting in the way.

The Happy Seedless Couple

My neice Claire and I. She made me the baby hungriest of them all.

For Your Education

Some of you may be surprised to know that my Dad owns and runs a Dairy Farm with one of my Uncles. I grew up working mostly on the farm, but helping at the Dairy and with construction because they are constantly building. I mostly drove the swather which cut alfalfa (hay) and I custom cut mint and straw. (see swather much like the one I drove, below)

I drove truck during corn harvest and did a lot of manual labor growing up. I thought I knew quite a bit about farming... not a ton, but enough. Come to find out, being married to a Potato farmer, I don't know as much as I thought I did. Here are a few things that I felt rather dumb about not knowing, but have been recently discovering. I realize that some of this is probably common knowledge, so I'll take the dumb card.



(picture of field behind my house of grain babies.
Those are Sand Dunes in the background)






Grain turns gold on it's own, you don't have to stop the water to dry it out. I thought that in order for wheat/barley/oats to turn yellow you turned off the water and they dried out. Just this summer I've realized that Jaren is still watering his grain while it's yellow.... I couldn't figure out why, till I realized that that is how it ripens. On it's own it turns yellow and hardens and still needs the water.


This is almost ripened grain.







Potatoes have to be "killed" before they are harvested/dug. You don't just dig up the potato right out of the ground come fall. The plant is killed, then they drive over and "de-vine" the potato, then wait for the skin to harden and then it's harvested.

Potatoes can be stored in cellars for 10 months without going bad. As long as they are kept cool (below 43 degrees), dark and humid they are still yummy! It's quite a sight, let me tell ya. I'm going to take pictures this harvest.

Animal Cruelty???

This last semester I was sitting in my Exercise Phys class and the boy who always sits behind me started talking to me about vegetarianism. I personally love me some juicy steak and will always eat more meat than vegetables probably for my entire life. I try to be healthy, but I just can't help myself most of the time. This boy has a brother who has a girlfriend who is Vegan. The brother has decided to try it also and has been converted. The two brothers argued about animal cruelty and the Vegan in training argued that cows were mistreated and raped and taken advantage of by being milked all the time. I couldn't help but laugh. I grew up around cows, I mostly just think they are funny and I love love love milk. I decided to see what my dad would say. I told him that this boy thinks cow's are being raped and taken advantage of, to which my dad responded, "They like it." hahahaha. I really think they do. They like being milked 3 times a day and I'm sure they like their set up. They get tons of food, water, shade, straw to sleep on, 24 hour doctor that makes sure they are healthy; these cow's have a much more cush life than those who get to graze and wander like nomads. So animal cruelty? I think not.

Blog Stalkers... Come Forth!

So... I see my counter dealy goin up every time I get on, but I hardly ever have any comments. I'm not sure who looks at my blog, but if you do and you want to be friends, just leave me a comment! I love to meet new people and I try and comment on the blogs I read even if I don't know them. So if you get a comment from me... it usually means I want to be your friend cause I think your cool. I should probably try and make my blog more interesting, I guess. Well see if anything clever or interesting comes to mind soon. But really.... don't be shy cause I'm not.

Trip to Yellowstone

Since my family was all in Rexburg at the end of July we decided to take a trip to Yellowstone since most of my family hasn't been. August 2nd we loaded up the burb and drove the hour and a half it takes to get to Yellowstone. The park was nice that day just a little windy. We saw elk and a moose, but I wanted to see a bear! Maybe some other day.We got rather lucky with Old Faithful. We parked walked to the park and 30 seconds later it started to blow. The next eruption was scheduled to happen an hour and a half later. I'm so glad we didn't have to wait! (That's my little sister Lindsey in the bottom right corner.... I'm not so good at taking pictures, I guess)
A tree that had fallen over and made this rather appropriate sculpture perfect for picture taking!
I'm not quite sure why there was a moom man wandering around the painting pot or whatever it was called. But there was another guy filming him and they thought it was funny that everyone wanted pictures with him. I sure wonder what they were filming for...... and if I'll be in it?

Not quite lined up like it should be. But you get the idea, right?
Vicki, Lindsey and I after Old Faithful blew.
One way to get a 3 year old to sit still for a picture and smile is to have him pose. Hence, the thumbs up. Whatever works! Too bad Claire is just a leg and a white hat... she's pretty cute. I'll show her off in another blog.

Pervert with a Rock

This is an old blog from my myspace page. I never blog on there anymore cause I'm addicted to blogspot! But, since my post about Goose Lake, I thought I'd share my experience from 2 years ago.
July 2, 2006

Perverts with Rocks
Current mood: annoyed
Category: Automotive

I am going to dramatize this story just a little :)

One day I was back in the wonderful land I like to call, O Town, break it down visiting my most wonderful friends whom I love oh so much. It was maddeningly hot so Chelsi and I drove to a lake called Goose where there are plenty of cliffs we can throw ourselves off of into water. We were meeting a bunch of our guy friends at nooner. We got there 15 minutes past nooner and they weren't there. People like to get drunk and drive their cars off of the cliffs so our trusty park rangers put up a chain as a gate so we have to walk 3/4 of a mile to the cliffs. When I got there I saw a little black pick up backed up by the gate, and I thought to myself, "Oh, there are already people here, wow, Ooo and good idea, this way you can get out easier." So I backed in also. I am one smart girl so I put my purse underneath a blanket in my backseat, but I must not be that smart b/c I left my jargantuous CD case on the seat. I locked up the car, and started the oh so long treck to the cliffs on goose lake.

When we arrived at the lake there was no one there. Ooo, we had it all to ourselves. I just figured that someone had left the truck there over night, didn't surprise me, people do that quite often. About 10 minutes later the boys show up and we start our fun time jumping, diving, splashing, climbing and swimming. About 15 minutes later a big truck pulls up and my good friend Chris is standing on the back w/ a mega phone and says, "Can Whitney Gilbert please come here" (I was at a different cliff a little ways from the main one where cars can park). I recognized the men in uniforms and got so scared I was in trouble. Maybe I parked wrong.... maybe I'm going to get a fine because I needed a parking permit... maybe we can't be here... but why do they want ME for that?? I started my way over and Chris met me and said, "Whit... someone broke into your car" My heart dropped. "But they caught him." So I took off and ran over there. They had my purse and my CD case with them. Asked me to come with them to my car and make sure nothing else was missing. I did and nothing else was. The guy, we'll call him a pervert because he had some pretty high tech binoculars with him and one of the rangers saw him walking along the cliff while chels and I were walking and told us he was a pervert. So, the pervert had thrown a rock through my back window on the drivers side, crawled in, grabbed my CD's, threw the blanket off and grabbed my purse. Ran into his little black truck and took off, and my favorite park rangers caught him only a few yards after that. I didn't get to see who he was.... wish I could have. He was in the back seat of the truck the whole time and you'd better believe I glared at that window everytime I passed. Although, I did ask one of the rangers if I'd get into trouble if I hit him... he said yes.. too bad. I had to vacuume all of the glass out and tape up the window because the next day (today) I had to drive the 9 hours to Idaho. Now, THAT was annoying. The plastic came off a few times and I had to pull over and duct tape it back on.

Moral of the story... if you take your car to Goose, don't have anything in it. OR, take your 1991 chevy suburban that anyone who wanted to get into it could just open the door cause it's never locked and all they would find is windsheild washer fluid and crumbs. Too bad the perv didn't smash my windshield, it has a crack, it needs replaced. But he did pick the window that had a little bit of tape residue from the paper at the dealer. So that's my story.. I do feel a little white trash riding around w/ no window and plastic over it. haha. But thank goodness for Park Rangers!!!

Cliff Jumping at Goose

Any of you who did not grow up in the Columbia Basin of Washington will not understand the term "Goose". Thousands and thousands of years ago... I think? Some flood or something washed through Washington, or what was to be Washington and made all these Gorge's and lakes and stuff. There is a lake 10 miles or so (right?) from Othello called Goose Lake. There are cliffs that are oober tall, and some that are not so oober tall. Upper Goose is the part of the lake with the "baby cliffs" that are a good 30 feet depending on the water level. Correct me if I'm wrong on the feet. You would have to drive another 15 minutes to get to Lower Goose where the "Mother cliff" is. I've jumped off all of them, needless to say I am not afraid of heights. The mother cliff is at least 50 feet... or maybe I'm wrong, I've never taken a measuring tape out there. Anyway, while I was visiting the town I grew up in, Othello, I went with some friends to jump cliffs. Last time I was there was 2 years ago... I think I'll post that story too! But later. :)
Chelsea and I. I can't wait to see your little one! I wont be back till Christmas, but I'm excited all the same! I didn't realize I had so many freckles.... they usually show themselves in the sun, figures.
The group that was there. I wasn't able to stay as long as I would have liked but I can't wait to go again next summer..... or the next, whichever. Fron the left: Carly (right? I sure hope so), Tanner, Chelsea, Chad, Rolando, me, Chelsi, Vicki and Michelle.

This is so funny... look at their faces if you can. If you could get it full size you'd see what I meant.

Yes, what strong men you all are. From the left, Tanner, Rolando and Chad.



I supposed I didn't hear Chels say that Rolo wanted me to wait. I got impatient. Chelsi kept filming after I jumped trying to get Vicki and others to jump... looks like everyone else is chicken!


This is the boy's "Mountain Dew Commercial".

I have a lot to post because I've been all over the place doing all sorts of stuff. So I think I'll do a post every day for a few days. I know your all so excited!!