Since I am without a working digital camera...

...I am taking advantage of being home and around photo albums and collections of photographs popping up in random places...AND having a wonderful scanner on hand...

For your viewing pleasure (only two, sorry!)

 Above is a picture of me that I had never seen before until today. I am sitting on my Grandpa Raisor's lap. The man on the left is my Great-Uncle Lloyd, and on the right is Barron being held by Aunt Dianne (at least, we are pretty sure it's Aunt Dianne...). I instantly fell in love with this picture. I lived with Grandpa for 1 1/2 years before he died, and so any picture which included me and him I would probably have the same reaction too. Anyways. So that was me before I grew up.

Now this is a great example of what it was like for me growing up. Obviously, I am the one a full head and neck taller than the other two standing. We are ALL the same age...in fact, I know Regina (on the left) was older than me, and I believe Sara (on the right) was as well. Letitia I believe was a little taller than the two of them. We were on a science camp out in 4th grade. 4th grade, and I was a giant. The funny thing is that I was the one that was picked in elementary school and even in middle school, although after looking at this picture I easily could've been the bully. I was SOOOO passive aggressive back then, and very much an introvert. My how things can change.

I hope you enjoyed this episode of 'The Past-Times of Elizabeth'.

Good Times

Despite the fact that 28 in my mind is a great deal older than 27, it was a great birthday. I was home not too long ago, so I was able to celebrate a bit with the family. Then Saturday morning, I met with a few friends and went to an arts festival up in Cullman, AL...and had my first cake of the day...a FUNNEL cake...yum!

Then we went to the Norris clan's home and nearly burned their house down making homemade potato chips...there was fire and smoke and everything...definitely made it a birthday to remember...the first batch, despite the impending doom we felt sure was coming upon us, turned out really well. Note to all you DIY peoples...when frying potato chips, use a pan with very tall walls so that the oil doesn't boil over when you put the elements you are frying INTO the pan.

Then there was the youth dance. The leaders from Tuscaloosa and I went out to dinner to this GREAT Hawaiian Burger place in town that I can't remember the name of...so yummy...then we went back to the dance, and a few friends and I shared a small thing of chocolate ice cream with chocolate chunks in it (they know me well!). The youth stopped the dance to sing happy birthday, which was wonderfully embarrassing. Then after the dance, I went home, got in my PJ's...and 4 of the youth from the ward here came in singing happy birthday with an ice cream cake in hand. :) Thankfully, instead of 28 candles which would've looked like an inferno, they had two candles with the numbers 2 and 8...didn't need to try and burn down another house on my birthday. :)

Sunday I went to Northport Ward Sacrament meeting and then took off for Jackson, MS where my Aunt Pat was hanging out with some of her cousins on the other side of the family...it was lovely hanging out with her and her cousins, they were so nice to let me come and stay with them!!! She reminds me so much of Aunt Linda (Aunt Pat is actually my Mom's cousin, but I call her Aunt anyways...kind of like how I am to all my cousins kids...)...they look and sound and in some ways act like each other. I love it. We had a great time.

So far a great start. Hopefully this year leading up to 29 brings even better things.

My First *Real* Entry

Hello. Let me introduce myself...I know most who will be checking this out already know me, but perhaps the following will shed some light on a few things that you don't know about me.

My name obviously is Elizabeth. I am named after my lovely Grandma Raisor who passed away when I was 17. I love my name, and always have. Both she and I do not care for the name 'Liz' or 'Lizzy'...sounds too close to 'lizard' for me at least. She went by Beth, and so I have kept that as her name and have never been called that.

Most call me Elizabeth, but a select few call me Lizbeth, Lizabeth, Iddlebet (NOT idle-bet), Eliza, Zissbess, and Babydoll (the last belongs ONLY to my Mom, so please don't call me that unless you the reader are my Mom, in which case I love it...I really do, too). Two of you who happen to be my best friends are still calling me Liz, and one day that habit will be broken. :)

I am six feet tall, white as can be, surprisingly still blond considering both my parents went brunnette when they reached adulthood, and on the overweight side of things...which I am not happy about, and never have been happy about. I have decided to start running. I never have been a runner, so I will be working myself up to this. But I want to run in a marathon, and actually be able to run the entire time. Hopefully by doing so, the overweight thing will go AWAY!

Tomorrow I will be 28 years old. Today I am 27. I feel like I am turning 30. Nope, not too happy about that either. Not really that I am getting older, but that I don't have anyone or much of anything to show for it besides my bachelors degree and buying my first car. This year is my 10th anniversary from graduating high school. I simply cannot believe it's been 10 years. I am quite determined that the next 10 years will have far more to show that just a degree.

I love long walks on the beach, movies, Indian food, chocolate, fresh mowed California grass, baseball, music, shopping, In-N-Out, Michael Buble, friends, family, KIDS, babies, being in love and all that mushy stuff that goes with it, the Gospel, playing Charlie (my cello), cooking, make-up, finding cute shoes that FIT, listening, talking, laughing, singing really loud to a good song when I am by myself in my car, driving, Halloween, diamonds (though I don't own any), New York City, doodling, reading...and a few other things...and definitely not in this order.

My favorites:

Color: White, close second is green...used to be black, but I changed my mind...
Sport: Baseball
Music: ha, not going there. I love it all practically.
TV Show: NCIS...the people I am living with have sucked me into it
Broadway Show: Wicked
Movie: The Slipper and the Rose...it gets me all romantical...I LOVE IT...
Book: Book of Mormon, obviously, the Blue Sword by Robin McKinley, but I have to say (and PLEASE don't judge me for this, I am entertained QUITE easily) I really like Eclipse...I am JUST saying! I need to re-read the Blue Sword though...it's been a while...I will probably revert to it, and this is just a passing fad...for non-fiction, currently it's 'My Life in France' by Julia Child. Loved it.

Why the beach theme? I love the beach. It's like a magnet for me...I nearly constantly feel a pull to go there. If I lived near a beach, I would go to it everyday. The feeling of sand underneath my feet, jumping into waves, being in the sun...love it.

There are other places that I love more, such as the temple, sitting anywhere next to my Mom, Disneyland...but having 'Disneyland' as a theme seems a bit childish, and I don't think my Mom would like a big picture of her and me at the top of this blog. :) And I can go to the temple any day, and since there are temples everywhere I pretty much will always be able to go to the temple. But the beach is a bit more elusive, and since it is on my mind right now it is my theme for this blog.

It (the beach) is kind of a goal for me, actually.

In ten years, I want to be in a position where if I want to go to the beach, I can just pick up and go. If my sister needs me to come take care of my future nieces and nephews, or really any of my cousins or good friends kids, I can just pick up and go. If my parents need me, I can go be there. If I feel like going to Disneyland, I can just (grab a few kids to come along with me...hopefully some of my own if the fates will go my way...and) go!

Now to get going.