Hello June

Maybe I'm the only one who sometimes really has a hard time being happy for people who are getting married. And maybe it's not that I'm not happy for them, but that my own disappointment for my lack of relationship overshadows any happiness I have for the happy little lovebirds. You may recall from my birthday month of dating that I had a third date who bailed on me because he got a girlfriend. That was a hard one to take and then they broke up after 2 weeks. By then I was knee deep in April Fools and "obviously unavailable". Not that I really think anything would have happened with him, but there's that tiny little voice that says "what if?" Honestly I don't think it would have worked and I'm okay with the fact that he's engaged. My favorite part is that he gave me SUCH a hard time about not knowing "Jordan" for very long. According to my story we had been dating for 2 months-ish. Now here he is, engaged after only 2.5 months. smh. Hypocrite. :) Oh well. I hope they will be very happy. I really honestly do. And more than that, I hope I will be very happy. Oh man.
On a different note, I started out June in style. No treat month is over and this was my breakfast.

That's right. A smoothie and a cupcake. I did make some eggs as well. My roommate made cupcakes last night and she decorated this one especially for me. Earlier in May she made brownies and one pan didn't turn out how she wanted so she put them on a plate on the counter with a sign that said "Eat me" and then in tiny letters below "except Cathy". My roommates were very supportive of me in my May challenge.

LOL

I'm excessively bored at work today. Facebook is failing at keeping me entertained, I've read everyone's blogs (thanks for those who updated), finished reading my book, and that left me with pinterest. I came across this gem. Seriously cracks me up and I really feel like this some days.

I thought of posting it on facebook, but didn't want to deal with the inevitable comments of you're too picky, he's out there, it will happen, blah, blah, blah. So blog world, you get it. I'd even willing to compromise:
Dear men who are smart, decently attractive, not super socially awkward and madly in love with me: Please start existing.

Oh! and that I like back. Crap. Maybe I am too picky.

More April

What a week. Somehow I got tricked talked into running a half marathon in May. I have NOT been training, so this week began my training. I'll probably die, but I said that last time too. This week I ran 22 miles. Yuck.
I feel like a lot happened and now that I'm sitting down to write it I can't think of anything. Friday night I had a date with Jay (my fake fiance). Sadly I killed all his plans by going to plasma. Poor Julia hit a tendon and I almost hit her. It hurt so bad and my arm was pretty much out of commission for the rest of the night. We ended up going to dinner and watching a movie. We had talked about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang earlier this month and decided we needed to watch it, so my arm gave us an excuse to sit and watch a movie instead of going out and doing some other date thing.
Saturday morning was my long run. 8 miles. The actually running wasn't bad, it was the after that wasn't much fun. So tired and not feeling well aren't really my favorite things. I had Aubrey and Rick over for pancakes since it was the end of the week and I hadn't done my 2 recipes.
Ricotta Souffle Pancakes were pretty tasty.
My friend Tammy does a food blog and I got it from there. Mine definitely didn't turn out as pretty as hers, but they tasted okay. I should just get a pancake griddle. I think it'd help.
After pancakes I made these beauties.
Thin Mint gooey cake bars Seriously they were so easy and SO good. You could just substitute any mint cookie, keebler grasshopper or the like for the thin mints since they are seasonal. Really good. Yum.
I took them to the Sister Reunion we had for my mission and they were a hit.
The reunion was SO fun. I love seeing the sisters from the mission. Elders are great, but we really had such a great time together as sisters and I was always with sisters so we did fun stuff together on p-day. It was a "Sevilla Seis" reunion with everyone else invited to attend as well. I love the mission and I LOVE these girls.
Thanks Camille for letting us use your house and for not hating me (anymore)for my "mean" joke. I love you!
Sunday I got up and started on my 2 recipes for this week. That's right I decided to not be a slacker and Aubrey volunteered me to make dinner on Sunday. I decided to go with Chilean Empanadas which I love.
They weren't too difficult but did take some time. My dough didn't chill as long as it was suppose to . . . woops. They still turned out. I also made pretzel jello salad.
I love this, but hadn't ever made it myself. It turned out okay.
For dinner I invited Aubrey, Jay, Rick and Emma.
We had a lovely time. We played "Have you ever Smurfed?" Which can be very funny.
Dinner was followed by an Easter Musical Fireside in my stake and then Disney movie night where we watched Sleeping Beauty. I did manage to get a nap in before dinner, but it seems my body didn't take it as well as it use to since I was up until 1 unable to sleep. Oh well.

April Fools

So in case you missed it, I'm neither engaged nor married. It was an April Fools joke. Why start so early and go so all out? Because no one believes you when you change your relationship status 2 days before April 1st. I figured if I was going to pull a prank I might as well go all out. Many thanks to my immediate family for going with it. They didn't want to, but they lied for me. As well as: the 232nd ward, Aubrey, Katie, Sarah, Pam, many members of the 233rd ward, my cousin Emma and especially Richard and Jay for being in the pictures with me. Couldn't have done it without you.

4/1/12
Glad it's over. Love you all. Thanks for believing me and being happy for me. I'll understand if you don't get excited for me when it really happens, since you already went to the trouble with this one. But I promise to never lie/joke about my relationship status. Don't hate me for too long, it was after all a joke. THe whole point was to fool people, thus "April Fools".
So in case you care, this is how I felt during the whole thing.

A log of my April Fools joke

3/8/12

Today is day 3 of my prank for April Fools. I've been very surprised by the whole thing. I knew people would be excited but I didn't really understand how much. So far it's been hilarious and stressful and I've felt awful. I'm no good at lying. Especially face to face. But today I have just felt so loved. My boss from when I worked at BYU-I text me and asked me why I hadn't told him personally. He said, "I don't know if I approve" like I need his approval, but still . . . love it.

The people calling me and offering to help are so great, it makes me feel bad that it's not for real. Another favorite comment I've gotten is my basketball coach from high school "Congrats Cathy! We're super excited for you ... does he need a talk from your bb coach to make sure he knows he's the luckiest man alive?" Seriously I almost cried over that one.

I really hope people just take this for what it is: A very elaborate prank. I don't mean to make anyone mad or hurt their feelings. Obviously it's a lie, but it's not a lie I want people to believe forever. Maybe that's me justifying, but really I think it's so funny.

Another comment my sister got about it was "Never thought that'd happen". Real nice. Thanks for that one. I'll not name who actually said it, but still, thanks for the vote of confidence.

So I hope everyone will forgive me. Laugh it off. And I promise to never lie about my relationship status ever again.

3/9/12

I feel better today. Maybe it's because I haven't lied to anyone today. :) It's back to being funny again. Now my issue is trying to figure out how to play it up without over or under doing it. I'm sure most people think it's ridiculous and that we'll cancel it. Maybe I'd feel the same way.

3/12/12

So yesterday was "engagement pictures". How ridiculous can I be? Apparently very. :) My friend's brother was going to come and do them and at the last minute, I mean the very last, he bailed. (Aubrey called to see where he was and he said sorry, not coming). Helpful. So she called her friend Jay who said yes and came over 2 minutes later. I had met Jay twice before. It was so ridiculous taking pictures, but we had loads of fun. Jay was a great sport about the whole thing.

I have decided to tell my ward because it's just too hard to lie to people face to face. Sadly I missed telling the truth to one girl who I had already told I was getting married and she told her roommate who announced it at ward council. Oops. The Relief Society president talked to the bishop and told him what's up so now I just have to deal with those people who were at ward council. Too funny. This whole thing just makes me laugh.

3/13/12
So obviously there are people who know that this is a joke. My ward, my immediate family, and some friends who live here in Provo that I hang out with all the time who would never believe me. I LOVE that they go along with it. Be Jordan's friend on facebook, comment on his facebook, comment on our pictures, it seriously cracks me up. Wow I think I'm so funny. Don't hate me.

Something funny that keeps coming up: "What if you and Jay really got married?" That would be hilarious! Such a great story and I bet you all would be more forgiving of my deception. :) Jay is great. I still don't know him at all, but anyone who is willing to come be in some fake engagements, on short notice, with a girl he barely knows gets points in my book.

3/14/12
Sometimes I think maybe everyone knows and they have all conspired against me. They are going to make me really work for it and make me feel as guilty as possible and that will be their joke on me. If that's the case, I think it's working. Probably, I'm just paranoid.

3/16/12

Remember how I still do fun things with my friends but I can't talk about it because I should be doing fun things with Jordan? Yeah, that's a lame consequence of lying. How do liars live this way? I do not like it. So last night I was hanging out with Aubrey and we were kinda bored and so we went to the movies. Well we went to the movie theater, we didn't actually see a movie. Her friend was at the movies, by himself, so we went and painted the windows on his car with hearts and stuff. Ridiculous. Best part is the text she got. "Aubrey you are so dead". lol. THEN her backdoor neighbor is one of those people who I am just really sarcastic and kind of snarky with. I don't know what it is. There are just a couple people who really bring that out in me. Anyway he really hates Monday's. Aubrey has been sending him "inspirational" (shall we call them?) things all week. Last night, we went and painted his car as well with TGIF. Man we think we're so funny and clever. Good times.

3/19/12

The big Stake Spring Fling was this last weekend. It was a BLAST! It was fun to put on a big poofy dress and go dance around like a fool. Earlier in the day I went to lunch with Denae and her brother Garet. That was fun. I was sure that by the end of lunch the truth would be told, but it never happened. I thought about it, but I guess my conscience is disappearing or something.

The dance was good, except for the prick of guilt (guess I do still have it) that came when my friend Aaron, who I grew up with, came and congratulated me. Oh man. Other than that, it was delightful. People just ask me how my "engagement" is going since they all know I'm a big liar face. They are anxious to see how the hate mail pours in. Remember people, this is a JOKE. A very extended, elaborate, JOKE. Not lies. Jokes. right. . . jokes. keep telling yourself that Cathy.

9:30 p.m. I wish I had a real Jordan Bateman. :(

3/21/12

The countdown has officially begun. I know people are always anxious and counting down until they get married and I'm counting down as well, until I'm unengaged. 1 and half weeks and the jig will be up. Cat out of the bag. Beans spilled. I can't wait!

3/23/12

When someone asks you what your fiance's name is and you go J....... Jordan because you have to think about it and almost say Jay instead, you know that lying just isn't your thing.

3/26/12

The final week. I am so SO excited. I actually hung out with Jay last night and today we became facebook friends. I wanted him to be able to see all that happens this weekend.

3/28/12

This last week is going by faster than I thought it would. I'm just so excited to see what happens and for the whole thing to be over. I think i'll never do an April Fools joke again.

3/29/12

I may or may not have been freaking out a bit last night when my sister called and during the conversation I found out she didn't know where the pictures were. YIKES! The engagement thing is a set-up for the real joke which is me getting married. Without the pictures it kind of wouldn't work. My whole joke and a month of lying gone. Luckily she found the pictures today. :) 3 days. 3 more days.

3/30/12

Happy fake wedding day to me!! My favorite was actually telling someone in person that i got married this morning and seeing their reaction. If I could just replay it over and over. Priceless.

The Ring

So a few people have been asking for a picture of the ring. Here you go. Don't worry about the mess that is my desk at work. :)
Things are going great. Found a place to live! Woot! Checking things off this list. And counting down the days until I'm Mrs. Jordan Jay Bateman!!! Life is good.

When I was a kid . . .

My parents have told me on more than one occasion that they'll pay me to not have a reception. Basically they want me to elope, but make sure that they are there. I always told them "NO WAY! I want a reception and announcements and millions of people there." Now that I'm actually in the moment, taking the money and running doesn't sound like such a bad idea. It's not that it's that complicated, but it does require some planning. Making lists of people to invite, finding decorations, which temple, who comes to the temple, who doesn't, bridesmaid, no bridesmaids. blah blah blah. Mom and dad's idea is just so much easier. I'm sure if we went with it, there would be some people who would be upset with us, but they'd get over it. Right? Whatever. Onward with planning! It'll be here before I know it. Lots to get done. Bring it on!

February follow-up

In case you missed it, this month was my birthday. My friend Katie decided she wanted to put me on her own version of the dating game.
I didn't really like that idea too much. HOW EMBARRASSING!
So she compromised and just gave me 3 dates. She planned and paid for them and my friend Aubrey found the guys to go on these dates. Since I was getting 3 dates with no effort on my part, I decided to switch February and March as far as challenges go. We'll be cooking in March and I did the dating in February.
Week 1. The play date with Ryan.
There was a plastic baggy with slips of paper containing different activities, you drew one out, did it, then picked another. We modified this, pulled out all the slips and decided what we wanted to do. We ended up going to the Bean Museum on BYU campus (for all you non-BYU people, it is not a museum of beans like I thought, it's a wildlife museum named after some dude named Bean). We then got ice cream at the creamery and finished up the afternoon with a modified version of a game out of the bag. It was fun.

Week 2. Pick a letter with Ben.
We picked letters out of a bag and then had to think of a restaurant, dessert, or activity that had that letter. We ended up going to dinner at Los Hermanos and then we were going to get cake, but never actually did. While we waited to get in for dinner we walked around Provo and played the modified game from week 1. After dinner we played some more games and had a lovely time.

Week 3. Progressive dinner with David ???
Pull a different restaurant out of a bag for an appetizer, dinner, and dessert. Sadly this one didn't happen. 3 days before the date, he cancelled. Why did he cancel, because he got a girlfriend. How do I know this? Because I figured out who it was going to be and we're facebook friends. Facebook tells all. (at least in this case). I saw him recently and he asked me how my last date went. I told him it didn't happen. You could just catch a smirk on his face (but only if you had been watching for it. Maybe it was my imagination) He doesn't know that I know it was suppose to be him. It's been having an internal battle for me to not say something like, "yeah, he bailed on me because he got a girlfriend". Just so he knows, that I know. I suppose since I haven't actually done that I get some points. Too bad I'm not on a little higher plain to not even think it. Oh well.
So instead of going on said date, I went shopping with Pam. I don't especially like shopping, but we had a good time. For my week 3 I'm going to count my trip to Zion with Wes and Aaron. We were in the car together for A LONG TIME!! Longer than any normal date should be. We played the game from the previous 2 dates and I had a great time. Call me a cheater if you want, but I'm totally counting it.
Date 4. Miniature golf with Ryan.
That's right, Katie's plot seems to have worked since Ryan (week 1) asked me out for a second date. We went a played black light miniature golf. It was really fun and I won! He might argue that point, but I was the only one who got a hole in one on one of the hardest holes of the course. He said that himself. I took my camera but I forgot to take a picture. Oops.

Can't be good

The other day at my birthday party, my friend David asked me if I was baby hungry. This was not completely out of the blue since he was holding my friend Katie's baby and my age is not a secret. I responded that I was not. I had babysat Katie's other two children enough to not have that problem. (At least not to a degree where I'll admit it). I guess I find I should go in order. You should get married before you have a baby. I know I've written about this before, but let's be honest, I'm guessing most unmarried LDS (and others) women around my age think about marriage more than we'd like to admit. There are a multitude of reasons. I'm sick of dating, being lonely and I want to start a family before I get to an age where I'll be mistaken for the kids grandparent instead of the parent. Those are my top reasons. Then you give me facebook where everyone posts pictures of their beautiful families, their engagement pictures, and all around "perfect lives". I am not naive enough to believe they have perfect lives, I have after all babysat Katie's kids, read your blogs, and had people tell my mom, they thought my family looked perfect (hello? really?) Add to facebook,

It doesn't really help my situation very much. Basically, I should completely skip out on social media, get married, or just get over it. I dont' really see any of those things happening any time soon. Oh dear. I suppose I'll just keep plugging along, working on bettering myself, and living the gospel. God knows what he's doing.
I'm not really feeling sorry for myself (not too much anyway) this has just been on my mind lately.
Dear Doughnut,
I'm trying to be patient, but I'm failing. Please hurry.
Love, Cathy

Never fails

Once upon a time I wrote about a guy who asked for my number at institute. He called, we went out, the end. Apparently he wasn't interested and that's okay. Wednesday at plasma as I'm leaving, this guy follows me out and asks for my number. Any guy who has the guts to just go ask a girl for her number shouldn't be rejected in my opinion (unless he appears super creepy or you don't feel good about that, neither of those applies to my situation).
So this boy adds me on facebook and we chat a bit. So far I'm not too impressed.
On the other hand, I have a small (maybe not so small) crush on my friends neighbor. Seriously so cute, really funny, smart, good listener (I'm not talking, sit down and tell him my life story, more like ask what time it is in a room of 10 people and he's the only one who pays any attention and gives me the time), motivated and on and on. I'm sure if I knew him more than the 3 short encounters we've had I could be more detailed. :) Anyway, my friend invited me to a music night last night at this boys house. We'll call this boy Ben. So, I'm definitely going to go because it's at Ben's house (Ben plays the guitar) and I figure the chances are high that he'll be there and who doesn't enjoy a good music night. I go. My friend NEVER SHOWS UP, which I found out later was because she thought I had gone to some other party. Luckily I had met most of the other people who were there before so I wasn't feeling super awkward, unluckily Ben was not there. He came home after I'd been there about an hour and a half, then left. Then came back and then left. :( It was a bit sad, but I had fun at the music night anyway. He did say I had cool pants and I was leaving (the same time he left for the second time) he winked and waved goodbye. Now I'm not going to read into the winking, actually I'm not going to read into any of it because let's be honest, there's nothing to read. BUT, he did notice that I was alive and I at least merited some recognition.
Now to my point after all of that not really very important stuff. Why is it, that the boys I'm interested in are not interested in me? Or maybe just don't show it? and the boys that are, aren't really the quality I'm looking for? Here's a better question that I don't really want to ask, why don't I take a leaf from Mr. Plasma's book and just ask out Ben? I actually know the answer to that, because I'm scared. Plain and simple. It's quite terrifying. I don't know how guys do it at all!! I even know Ben (sort of). I'm not asking a complete stranger and yet, can't do it.
Maybe the problem is me not showing interest. It's not really a secret that in flirting 101 I'd get a big fat F.
Uggghhhh, March is going to be a hard month. Dear friends, I am giving another plea for help to achieve my March challenge. As you can see I'll definitely need it. If any of you happen to know Ben . . . I wouldn't mind being set up with him. :)
Mr. Doughnut man, wherever you are, you definitely have your work cut out for you.