Iron Man 2

I got to see Iron Man 2 last night, and I really liked it. I actually kinda liked it better than the first one. I loved the villain, and I thought it was a shame that they killed him off in this movie...they should've carried him on for at least another movie.

Anyways, go see it. I approve.

Temple Work

Saturday I went to the temple to do the baptism and confirmation for Maritza, my Uncle Tom's wife, who died about 10 years ago I believe. It was really a special experience.

It's a unique thing for me to do temple work for family members...I have generation upon generation of family members on both sides in the church, and many of those did their genealogy and got the temple work done for them already. So to have someone in the family that close to me...who I knew!...it was a neat experience.

When I walked into the office to retrieve the card, I didn't realize that I had a huge smile on my face...the ladies all commented on it, and so I had to explain who she was...I really felt quite happy and peaceful, and I really believe she accepted the baptism and that she was finally able to see our family who have already passed on once again. What a happy reunion!! :)

Released...

I was officially released today as stake YW secretary...sad day...

I really really enjoyed this calling. Getting to know all the Young Women in the stake was a real treat...made me feel a little younger when I was with them. I earned the nickname 'Twizzler' from carrying around a bucket of Twizzlers at camp last year, making sure that everyone got one...and I mean EVERYONE...I would hunt down people and make sure that they each got the option of having one.

I hated camp as a young women, but going to camp last year was a real treat. Hanging out with the young women and all the leaders was just a lot of fun.

Sad, sad day...it was kinda sweet though...the stake president was visiting our ward today, and when he got up, he had me stand up and he said 'it is with great reluctance that we are releasing Sister Madsen'...good to know that I did something right.

This isn't an indication that I have a moving date...I don't. This is just a preemptive measure before I really do move...

I think I am still going to do all the Personal Progress stuff though...I want to get the new medallion, and I already started working on the new Personal Progress book...wouldn't it be funny if the Bishop of my singles ward in Arizona presented me with the Young Womanhood Recognition Award? :)

Practice...

Last night two couples came to have dinner with the family I am living with at the moment. One of the ladies happens to be a pianist, and so after dinner I pulled out my cello, grabbed my Brahm's cello sonata in e minor...

...and bombed it...it was awful...everyone else said that it was great to listen to us, but seriously, I am totally ashamed of my left hand. The second movement wasn't so bad, but the third...wasn't even going to go there. Not after how the first movement went...

Need. To. Practice.

To the Menfolk of the World

Dear Sirs,

For the last few years, you have been baffled by the sometimes obsession us womenfolk have with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga. I too was baffled by it, until I finally relented this last winter and read all of the books. I am not a Twi-Hard by any means, but I definitely am now a fan of the books as well as the movies.

Us womenfolk have dragged you to the movie theaters and our television screens, forcing you to watch the movies with us. And you have stuck it out. And us womenfolk have promised you that the wait for the third movie would be worth it. We have read the books. We know what happens in Eclipse...and there is definitely a great deal of draw for men in the third book.

And then the first trailer came out...and you didn't believe us.

Well, my dear menfolk...the second trailer has appeared...watch, and then make sure to write down this date in your books: 6-30-2010.

Click here for trailer

Sincerely,

Elizabeth

(Eclipse is my favorite of the Twilight Saga...so I might be the tiniest bit an Eclipse-hard...:) I will embed the video when I can...currently, Oprah has control of the reigns for the trailer...)

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.

Birthday...

28 years old today...trying to wrap my head around that fact...