Career Spook Alley Success!

When I started preparing and advertising my October open house event for University Career Services at BYU, I would have never imagined that it would be such a success! The event went from 11:00am - 3:00pm (which was a long time, especially when you have to prolong lunch). Career advisors in our center acted as fortune tellers for the event, offering a fake career future for the students who visited the spook alley. Once the fortune was given, the advisors asked what the students really wanted to do and offered a list of services we could provide to help them build the career they wanted.

Fortune tellers included:
Wendy from Wendy's and her French Fry fortunes
Big Navajo, the Medicine Man with chants that invoke the spirits of career advice
(don't worry, he served his mission with the Navajo people and speaks fluently. All very authentic)
Cowgirl, and her magic career advising boot
Blackstrodomus, and his magic black eight ball
Trucker, and his chew
Our local Shriner, and his magic fez hat

In total we had 185 students get counted at the end of the career spook alley. While I was hoping for really high numbers, that was about all we could handle. We were talking to students the whole time with no breaks, had short waits for fortunes, and had a lot of fun walking around and seeing what everyone else was doing. One of the advisors reported that 75 - 80% of the students who came in to visit were freshman and sophomores, which is exactly who we want to introduce to the center at this time.

Big Navajo was gracious enough to give Scott his fortune by chanting to the gods for career advice. Scott received the number 3 or 4 calling in the Navajo people... Corn Grower. Big Navajo said, " Plan A - Corn Grower. Plan B - Sports Med. People in the center here, can help you with Plan B. For Plan A though... you come to Big Navajo."

My husband, the Corn Grower

Here I was thinking that Plan B was physical therapy. Thanks for setting us straight, Big Navajo!

So I'd say it was a success! More so, it was A LOT of fun and I was so glad that everyone got as into it as I always have been. For more pictures, and to view videos of the event, visit my Facebook.

The Big 24

Yes, Chandler family, the moment you've all been waiting for. This is a picture of sad Scottie before we cut his hair. (It was supposed to be my sad before shot with amazing after shot.)

What was meant to be a nice trim before his birthday week, became my misfortune, with his hair actually looking like this on his big day.


And that's one of the better angles.

If you were too distracted by the pictures and my super sassy hair, you may not have read that Scott had a full birthday week, not just a birth-day DAY. Scott didn't have to do dishes all week (which is definitely his chore for a reason), he got to watch as much football or fantasy scores as he wanted, we ate his favorite meals, went out to eat with family, had a party including a BYU Football Fireside, and he attended the BYU v TCU Homecoming Game. Here are some pictures from Scott's Big 24 week.

At Red Robin with cousins for birthday dinner, holding his Golden Ticket from Kyle

At the BYU Football Fireside, wearing the daisy boutonniere that was made for him by a girl at my work

Scott, his senior year at BYU, wearing his new favorite birthday presents from family before the Homecoming Game. Yay for Fall and Football!

Batman and the Bat Show

Now you may wonder, "Why would you get Scott The Worlds Largest Gummy Bat as a birthday present?" Not for Halloween, I would respond, "But because Scott needs a snack while he's out watching the Bat Show."

Many of you faithful blog readers know that our apartment is not the kindest to us. We haven't had the best experiences in it, but we stay for the love of our church ward and neighbors (though I did once seriously look at moving when a good opportunity presented itself). So you can imagine my unsurprise, when I arrived home one day and my husband was on the phone with our landlord. He was arranging a time for him to come over to fix something. When Scott got off the phone, I asked, "What's wrong?" "Why did you need to call the landlord?" "It's not spiders is it?" Scott replied, "Don't worry it's just a small thing... actually 200 small things." Ewww! I thought for sure it was spiders and told Scott that he better not beat around the bush any longer.

Well when Scott had gotten home that day, our neighbors were outside taking pictures of our house. As if that was odd enough, they called him over to talk to him. When Scott arrived at their fence, he realized what they were looking at. Every thirty seconds about 10 bats would fly out of our upstairs neighbors attic vent. The neighbors across the way said this has been happening for about a year, and they knew all about the bats. They were small, so they didn't have rabies, and they are not aggressive. Our neighbors suggested that we call our landlord about it, and they would have told us earlier except we were never home to tell when the bat show was going on, and they liked watching the bats.

Our landlord was going to be gone for a week and wouldn't be able to fix the bat issue until he returned. That didn't bother Scott though, he liked to sit down by the fence and watch "the bat show" every day around dusk. He liked to think he was Batman and even suggested we watch the new Batman movie series for Family Home Evening. I refused to think that the bats existed, because I was much happier that way. But I found Scott crouched down by the fence one day when we were painting the sofa table black.



You can't see the bats, but unfortunately they were there. The Chandler family will note that this is a picture of Scott with his longer hair...

To be continued

The Newest Member of Our Home

One piece of furniture that I have wanted for awhile but never purchased until now is a black sofa table. I mean, really, we've been looking for the ideal purchase for well over a year now. We've scoured garage sales for something we could fix up, searched craigslist/KSL every week, and flip through sale ads for something, ANYTHING that is black and a table and would fit in our entry way. I've known that we needed something there, because the mirror in our hallway told me so. It was lonely, I could tell!

So when Shopko had a sale two weekends ago, I saw the ad and suggested we go look there for Christmas presents and Halloween costumes. Little did we know that we would find the almost-perfect sofa table of our dreams at Shopko. Scott had decided when we arrived at the store that Christmas shopping wasn't as fun when we stopped looking at electronics. So while I looked for girly things to get Addyson and my neices, Scott browsed through the furniture department and immediately called me over.



It's a beaut! Of course, we had to paint it black. And of course, while we painted it, Scott had to play Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones. I topped it with this copper colored tray I got at the Galt auction place (it kind of matches the mirror), Halloween decorations and goodie bag, and presents for Scott's birthday, including The Worlds Largest Gummy Bat...

To be continued

Saturday is a Special Day...

I am falling behind in my blog posts, so I have committed myself to writing out all the stories of these last two weekends to share.

Two weekends ago was ever so productive. In the morning, Scott played basketball before meeting me at the BYU Lost and Found Sale. If you live in Provo, or nearby, you have to keep track of when the Lost and Found Sale is each year. It only happens once a year that the Lost and Found gathers everything that hasn't been claimed in the last 365 days and sells it back to the student body and community. I waited in a long line that looked very similar to when we waited for John Krasinski's movie at Sundance. I arrived at the sale an hour early, and was still near the back of the line. I had heard that the sale could get pretty crazy, with people grabbing anything in sight, piling it up in a corner, and then sorting through to see if they got anything good. That wasn't far from reality. When we entered the sale, there were tables and tables of clothes, random cords, water bottles, sunglasses, and umbrellas.

But I had a goal - two goals actually. I wanted to buy back a basketball that Scott had lost in the RB when we didn't label it as ours and I wanted a new digital camera because I have a form of loathing for Scott's camera. So I ignored the grabbers, and headed for the large bin of basketballs. I attempted to decide which one was worthy of us owning, and chose one that bounced. Luckily when Scott arrived later at the sale I found I had chosen well. Then I grabbed a number for the electronics auction that happened later in the sale.

While I waited for the auction, I grabbed two pairs of awesome sunglasses for $1.50, a BYU water bottle for $0.50, and admired the polka dot umbrellas people were finding but were apparently hiding from my reach. The real deals though came at the auction. Initially it was overwhleming, with iPods and cameras being sold for more than my allotted amount I had given myself to spend on a used camera. So I tried to bid, and always lost. But then the end of the auction rolled around and, by shear luck and the fact that most everyone had already left, I found myself the new owner of TWO digital cameras, which I purchased for $16 (well, under my allotment). So I figure I will keep the one I want and sell the other on Craigslist at Christmas when everyone is needy and wanty.

Proud of my purchases, I drove to the grocery store, unpacked the groceries at home, and headed to the hairstylist for my new sassy cut (that I LOVE).

In the meantime, Scott took a test and did really well, picked up his dry cleaning, and began to build the most recent installment to our collection of home decor...

To be continued

How to Handle the Many Compliments

There were so many exciting events this weekend. Both Scott and I were able to get more done on Saturday than either of us imagined we could do in one day... with fun stories to boot! I was hoping to post all of the events in one long blog this weekend, but with one computer and so many things to get ready (Scott's birthday is on Thursday!) I lost track of my blogging time. In any case, I can't put off this post any longer, because there are too many people asking to see.

I finally got my haircut! I know, most people think I waited too long. I LOVE it though! It is definitely a drastic change. So much so that everyone who saw me on Sunday and everyone who passes by my desk today is making a comment. My primary kids were too excited to point out the change and state their honest opinion. I almost feel like I need to make a sign for my my desk at work that says, "Yes, I got a hair cut. Do you like it? Check Yes or No." One woman in my office likes to make a comment about my new hair cut and how fitting it is after every new commenter that comes by my desk. Not only do I get many compliments, but I get repeat offenders. "Seriously, that cut is SO becoming on you!"


The cut is definitely something to get used to, especially when I've had long hair for so long. My hair stylist friend had to reteach me styling techniques, including blow drying my hair forward and how to pick hair particles for detailing. Lately when I walk by the mirror I don't even recognize myself. The picture doesn't do the do justice. I feel like my whole face has changed. The cut is sassy and sizzlin', unlike my attempt at a Paris Hilton smirk (Thanks, Maura for the tip).
I'm having fun with it though, and the best part is Scott likes it. With Scott's new army buzz (Sorry honey! I'm still learning with the clippers) and my new do, we are prepared for the comments and compliments coming our way.

The Climax of My BYU Plot

Halloween 2008 I watched as adult college students got way too excited about dressing up for the holiday, and as a former marketing student I said to myself, "There has to be a way to capitalize on that." So I thought about the different ways the University Career Services office where I work could use Halloween and costumes to get the word out to students... I devised a plan.

I mapped out a spook alley for this year, using the back interview hallways as the path which open house visitors would follow. I planned that advisers would act as "career fortune tellers" in the interview rooms, using fish bowls or scrabble letters to predict the after-graduation futures of any student or alumni who dare to enter the spook alley. I imagined our former Christmas Grinch, dressed as a witch, ladling an empty black cauldron in the entry way, inviting students to pick a room, pick a fortune! *Cackle cackle*

I've planned this for a year! And about a month or two ago I asked permission from the big bosses to enact my plot to take over the center for a half- day. Surprisingly, they agreed and told me I could move ahead with plans! So I went for the big gun marketing tool... I posted the event on BYU's Homepage Calendar.

Today, when the webmaster told me my event description was posted, I was overjoyed. I feel that I have reached the climax of my existence at BYU. Nothing could possible be more exciting than seeing my dastardly plan in action at BYU. SOOOO Awesome! You can click on the picture to see the "Career Spook Alley" LIVE on the calendar for October 30.

Only one other person in my office shares my great enthusiasm and unending creative vision for this Halloween open house event, so I had to post my achievement on the blog. I'm glad you understand!

I caved!

You all knew I would. We had family come to town to visit, and Scott's sister Amy, with her adorably short cut, reminded me that short cuts need a lot of up keep. She mentioned how glad she was that her hairstylist was near and available to make changes whenever she felt necessary. Hair grows fast, especially when you cut a large chunk off.

That got me to thinkin'... and justifying... If I waited until December to get a haircut while I was on Christmas vacation, I might be going to an out-of-town salon and would be unable to do those quick repairs to my head. Done and done! I tried to narrow down the list of stylists in the nearby vicinity that I would trust for my new do.

At the same time, I was preparing my church primary children for an October singing program and needed to call the previous chorister, Chelsea, to ask how in the world she survived Primary Programs. Light bulb!

Chelsea is a hairstylist in Spanish Fork and she herself always has the cutest, most modern hairstyles. Of course! Why didn't I think of her before. I called her up for both purposes, and luckily she works Saturdays and Thursday evenings and is more than willing to provide her services. So I have an appointment at Naturally Yours Salon on October 17 to change my hair to Paris'.

Scott likes to rub it in. He knew I wouldn't make it past October.