Leggings: Pants, or Not?

BYU made this poster a couple years ago. It hung in the Wilkinson Student Center for awhile, and now I think it's by the Honor Code Office.

If you signed your name to an honor code, promising that you would keep your hemlines to the knee...then you shouldn't be surprised or make a big deal when someone calls you out for going back on your word.  If you don't like it, go to a different school and give someone else who is willing to abide by the honor code a chance to come to BYU. We all signed the code at BYU, yet it's Taboo to bring up violations unless you work in the testing center. Even then, with the recent skinny jeans fiasco at BYU-Idaho, I would guess even the monitoring from the testing center might die down a bit.

 If you claim that leggings are pants and therefore the "dress" you're wearing is a shirt, then I hope you don't wear that kind of outfit to church---last I checked it isn't appropriate for women to wear pants to church. If you're wearing your leggings as leggings or tights, then just make sure your hemline is long enough and you're square. Seems easy to me.

My sister made a good point: maybe we could just paint our legs and say we're wearing pants or leggings so our hemline doesn't matter. Right?

I'm not saying the kid should have written that infamous note, but I'm just saying I think it was brave. I think it would be cool if more people who are actually in a position to give reminders about the honor code, did.

In my opinion, leggings are not pants.  If they are pants, then they should be able to be treated as pants in all situations. If they are pants, then all kinds of pants (jeans, work pants, casual pants) should be able to be replaced by leggings and worn without a second thought.  I can't imagine wearing a shirt tucked into your leggings they way you might tuck a shirt in to a pair of jeans or casual pants.  That would just be scary.

So, that's my opinion.

What's yours?  Use the poll on the right side of my blog to give me your vote! The votes are anonymous, so I won't know (or care) if you disagree with me.  I don't care what you wear--unless you are violating a code you signed your own name to. Then I start to care.

8:00 - 5:00 Drama

Ayeayeaye; could this Friday trickle by any s.....l.......o.....w......e.......r?

I spent 3 hours delivering things all around campus yesterday--on foot; things that could have been dropped in campus mail instead.  Today my walking muscles are sore. Every time I get up from my stupid computer my limbs and muscles feel like they can't do their normal bendy/stretchy motions. And I'm thinking, how in the world am I going to run 3 miles today, and 12 tomorrow?

This week (and last week for that matter) has been the kind of week where I want to say words like suck and crap and stupid, and go out to eat for every meal. You know how the Lord promises that He won't tempt and try us above what we are able (1 Corinthians 10:13)?

Well have you ever felt like you've reached the end of your rope, you've handled all you can....but then the trial doesn't end, so you're thinking "okay, I guess I can handle more than I thought". So then your prayers of "I can't handle this anymore" seem obsolete, and kind of feel like your saying instead, "show me what You got...show me just how much I can handle?"

And then you start making plans to move to Europe.

But then you pray that something will happen to give you some hope, some little thing to hang on to. And then it happens, and you realize you are way past what you can handle; the Savior stepped in long ago.  I get myself out of bed and into the shower, and He carries me through the rest of the work day without dying.

Something new is coming my way. I can feel it.

If it doesn't, we're moving to Europe. Seriously.

A Little Bit of Love

Happy Valentine's Day!

I was thinking about how the meaning of Valentine's Day has shifted for me since I got married. It used to be about what romantic thing the boy I was dating would do for me, or it was a torturous reminder that I was single and may end up an old maid. Now, it's about celebrating the people I love.  Particularly, my dear Watson.

When we dated in high school I worried myself sick about whether or not we were doing the right thing. I must have said 5,000 prayers that we would make right choices, and that if Heavenly Father didn't want us to be together, then please let me know. We were young and it was against my previous mindset to have a boyfriend in high school. My dear Watson was special though, and when I look back on the way I felt after meeting him for the first time, I know Heavenly Father had a hand in everything. I think the only reason this worked is because of how desperately we both wanted what was right.

In the months leading up to my dear Watson serving a mission, I spent a LOT of time crying and pleading with Heavenly Father to help me let him go. I prayed that I would keep my eyes and options open to the will of the Lord, even if it meant not marrying my dear Watson. But I prayed occasionally as well, that I would be able to marry him.  I just wanted to do what was right.

I planned a trip to New Zealand 2 months after he left on his mission. I knew this would be critical in helping me heal and let go.  It was critical, and I did heal. In fact, I healed so much that I decided I thought I might want to marry someone else. Not necessarily someone else in particular, but I just didn't think I'd marry my dear Watson anymore.  So I wrote him a letter and that infamous song. I made up my mind and regardless of my situation when he came back, I would not try to go after him. He was not my back-up boyfriend.

After I made that decision, the last year of his mission went by very fast for me...and no doubt for him too.

He came home, and when I heard from my good friend and roommate that she had seen my dear Watson at a wedding reception, I immediately felt nervous. My heart started beating faster and a million thoughts flooded into my mind. I decided that I needed to see him. As we spent time together I approached everything very carefully. I needed to know that I would not break his heart again before I began pursuing anything.  It didn't take long for me to remember how much I loved him.

The first time we held hands after his mission, I went home, fell to my knees and cried and thanked Heavenly Father for this blessing. I truly felt like I understood in a small way, the principle of compensation as Elder Wirthlin described it.  I had cried in pain in that very spot in my bedroom so many, many, times about having to let him go, and now I was there crying because I didn't have to let him go. It was finally our time. Every tear of pain and heartache was replaced by 100 more tears of joy. I was so happy.

I look at him and can't even believe he's the same boy I loved in high school. He's much more than that now and I thank Heavenly Father every day that my dear Watson is my husband.  He is the best part of my life and I'm glad to be able to celebrate our love today.

Can you see God's hand in bringing you and your spouse together? Think about it, and write it down if you haven't.

This is the birthday cake I made for my niece Megan. She said she was the luckiest because she wanted that exact cake. 

Recipe of the Week: Vanilla Vinaigrette

Vanilla Vinaigrette.

Who would have thought? I love this vinaigrette; it's my new fave.  I've been in to making my own salad dressings the last few weeks. It's way easy and it is usually healthier than bottled dressings.  The only bad thing is that I haven't made one yet that has lasted very long in the refrigerator. Some of them say you can use them for up to a week, but I don't know. It hasn't really worked for me.

I just try not to make more than I'm going to use the first time. It's easy enough to make that I can just make more next time I have a salad (this is because we don't have salads every day...or every other day...or every week.  I'm a bad salad maker, okay?).

Here's the recipe, and probably the best salad I've ever made.  In fact, I've made this salad 4 times in the last couple weeks.  Feta cheese is what makes it good if you ask me. If it were up to me, I'd probably just leave out the lettuce though.

Vanilla Vinaigrette


2 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar (guess what, I used red wine vinegar, cause I don't have white)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I used spicy brown which works, but I bet Dijon would be better)
1/2 tsp. vanilla (put a little more, please)
1 Tbsp. chives (I used dried chives and just put about tsp)
3 Tbsp. EVOO (that's how Rachel Ray says Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Salt - a dash
Pepper - to taste

Put all the ingredients in a mason jar (or an old spaghetti sauce jar because you don't have mason jars) and, shake, shake, shake!  That's the Pioneer Woman way.  Makes enough for a salad for 4 people.

This is the shake part.

I made a salad with romaine lettuce, craisins, feta cheese, walnuts, and apples.  See the walnuts and apples? Okay, I forgot to put them in until after I took the picture. I also tried this salad with pears....delish, and I'm sure strawberries and acai berries would be excellent (but not blueberries, gross).

Pour it on and toss it up!

Yummy.

P.S. I met a lady at a Relief Society activity (what's Relief Society? Check this out and while you're there, look at this too) the other day who introduced herself as Sister Holmes and then said, "as in Sherlock Holmes."  I said, funny you should say that, because my last name is Watson.  I thought it was cool.... so, um, yeah.

Maybe you had to be there.

Lately and a Thought From the Past

Not much has been going on for us lately.  We had a fun Super Bowl party at my mom's - with lot's of treats. I attempted to make pretzel bites, which worked out well except for the cinnamon one's; they were more like charcoal bites.

I've got a really great recipe of the week in mind, but I just need to take some pictures. My dear Watson has been sick with a nasty throat and fever for several days, so I've just been trying to keep up on the house and everything else. I'm so grateful that when he's not sick, he does dishes and laundry and vacuuming.  I couldn't do it without his help and I've really become aware of that these last few days.  Thank you honey.

Here are some thoughts from the past:

May 3, 2011

I had a really great experience at Women’s Conference this year. I was in charge of room 250 SWKT, and everything went well. One of the presenter’s husbands who I helped with A/V issues said he wanted to adopt me. The Hospitality staff were all shocked and amazed at how young I am. I got a lovely compliment in the form of: “you’re a good little worker.”  Why thank you. I learned so much in the classes that I wouldn’t have normally chosen to attend. Especially family history.  I learned about finding complete families, not just your direct ancestors but their brothers and sisters etc., who may not have had any descendants.  I also learned that even if you have an ancestor with all their temple work done, you could still research that person just to get to know who they are. You may even come to recognize their help during difficult times in your life.

I went to my first Stake Camp leader meeting. I am the youngest. By FAR!  I felt intimidated and scared, but I also felt very strongly that the Lord wants me to do this calling. There is something I have to offer that no one else could in this particular time. I know that if I can follow the Spirit, the Lord will allow me to do great things for Him and our stake. I’m getting excited about girls camp!

Current Note: A common theme in this journal entry is that being young is sometimes hard when thrown in to a world full of more experienced older people. I struggle with that often. 

I had a Dream About You, Mitt

The other night I had a dream that I was in Washington D.C. listening to Mitt Romney give a speech on what looked like the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. There were hundreds of people there.  Mitt finished his speech and started coming down the stairs. I started going up the stairs and pretty soon was going to get to shake his hand. No one else was around, so I knew he was going to shake MY hand.  As I got closer to him I realized I was still wearing my retainer (which I sleep with every night) and I thought it would be embarrassing to shake his hand and smile with an ugly retainer in my mouth. So, right before I shook his hand I reached up and took my retainer out and put it in my pocket.  A lot of times when I take my retainer out a little bit of slobber comes with it, like a string, and this case was no exception. I'm sure Mitt saw me do all this before he shook my hand, but he shook it anyway and smiled handsomely, and moved on.

That was nice of you Mitt, I really appreciate it. Romney for President 2012.

My dear Watson got me a sparkly shirt for Christmas (at my request) and this is what it does when I'm sitting in the car with the sun shining through:

Isn't that sooooooo cool? Sparkles rock.

Well, I'm off to make pretzel bites for our Super Bowl celebration. Can't wait for lil' smokies!