So I finally updated The Swafford Scoop. Sorry it took so long!

First the SD card in my camera was fried and then the hard drive on my poor little powerbook failed so I have had no means to post pictures or anything. But now there are two new posts and all is well again.

I have a paper to write and two exams to study for so I have to keep this short!

Can you believe it's November already?

Hey, do you guys remember me? I've been gone a while. Here's a brief introduction in case you forgot.

I'm Amanda and I have green eyes and I go to BYU. I'm married to the unendingly sexy and smart Jeremy Swafford. He loves me too! Even though I literally saw him for less than 10 minutes today. I love Disney almost as much as I love him. (I just spent the last 12 hours helping other people realize how much they love it too!)

I have a quiz tomorrow that I haven't studied for. But that's okay. I got seven hours of sleep last night and that was exquisite.

I just dyed my hair dark chocolate brown so if you see me you may not recognize me. Oh wait, you probably will. BECAUSE EVERYBODY DOES. Even random people that I don't know in Walmart. Still. It's because of my sweet ride.

I enjoy fine stationary and scrapbooking. I just hand made and mailed about 60 invitations. They were adorable. I also like to throw parties and I'm throwing my biggest yet on November 15th! You can come, and I know you want to because the food will be delish, but you have to bring a present for my friend. Well, for her half-made baby really.

I'm really pale but I'm learning to embrace it. I feel no desire to be tan anymore. I am just me and I love that my new dark hair complements my ivory skin so nicely. Even if I simply can't find makeup light enough. I think I will dye it even darker next time. Yes, I will. I am trying to channel Snow White, although Ariel is my forever favorite gal.

I have two cats and I know they understand what I say to them because they talk back. They pretend to be annoyed with me all day when I constantly hug them but they really love me and I know it because they snuggle with me ALL night EVERY night.

I am quite the pushover. Somehow I was talked into buying Guitar Hero World Tour BEFORE Christmas and I always end up having to be the singer. (The very bad singer. But I embrace that too. Nobody can make Smashing Pumpkins sound right but them.) I love my Swafford boys though and they out vote me anyways so I may as well go with it.

Some people may say that I am vain but I don't think there's anything wrong with loving yourself as long as you love others and the Lord more. Sometimes I need to say nice things to myself so that I can be grateful for my talents and blessings. Sometimes I need to write in my long lost xanga just because I literally haven't had a minute to myself in weeks.

My favorite days are days when my husband doesn't have to work and we actually get to SLEEP IN THE BED AT THE SAME TIME. I also love days when my little family goes and does fun things together. Like the Haunted Halloween train ride and carving pumpkins. Oh wait, I was the only one that carved pumpkins.

I love going on dates with my husband alone. Or even just short car rides together. Or going to Sam's together because we are out of laundry detergent. Or twenty minute conversations over the phone while I'm in bed and he's at work. I especially love quick kisses in the car that make back seat occupants say, "EWW!"

I love my faith and my new church ward! It's fun to have old people in church again. It's so lovely to have a community of true friends and fellow believers no matter where on this big Earth you go. I'm grateful for Gospel principles and knowledge of truth. It is so renewing and invigorating.

There is a boy scout in my house now. And it's awesome. I love putting the little badges on that fancy shirt and packing bags for camping trips. And I love that he loves it and has already made so many friends.

I love my chaotic yet bedrock-stable life and where it's going. But mostly, I love the people I'm enjoying it with.

I forgot to write a paper for school, my house is a disaster, I didn't do any studying, Jeremy spent his 23rd birthday in an emergency trip to the endodontist, and he and I were too sick to make it to church.

However, I finished all the baby shower invitations, got almost all the family to help carve three pumpkins (two more to go!), and made two birthday cakes (although two days late.)

I still say it was a productive weekend.

I forgot to write a paper for school, my house is a disaster, I didn't do any studying, Jeremy spent his 23rd birthday in an emergency trip to the endodontist, and he and I were too sick to make it a church.

However, I finished all the baby shower invitations, got almost all the family to help carve three pumpkins (two more to go!), and made two birthday cakes (although two days late.)

I still say it was a productive weekend.

Ok two quick questions. I'm curious.

If you don't mind sharing your opinion could you give me your thoughts?

#1: Who are you voting for and why? McCain or Obama? WHY? I agree with both of them on different things and I can't decide which issues are most important to me.

And #2: How do you feel about Proposition 8 in California?

Both are making my head spin. I don't like it. I'd prefer life to have clear cut answers and there just aren't any.

oh I am so tired. I can't remember the last time I was up this late. It used to be every night. Not anymore!

So my life has gotten really busy. Like...SUPER busy. Usually I am doing two or three things at once. For example, tonight I was making baby shower invitations, watching Heroes, and talking to a girl on the phone who had about five questions about the Disney college program.

But I love being busy.

It snowed a couple times this weekend. This is the earliet snow I've seen in Utah since I've been here.

So tonight I was doing my daily google reader reading. I am subscribed to about 40 blogs. I used to have time to read them all. Now I only read about 10 every day, depending on whether they have updated or not. It made me wonder, am I in someone's required daily reading list? And if I am, how disappointed are they that I post so rarely now?

If only I had time to worry about it. Or do something about it.

But right now I am literally falling asleep on my pillow and Crookshanks just curled up next to my butt. That means it is officially bedtime.

Goodnight.

Here's an email I sent to Jeremy today:

"Two days ago I decided what I'm getting you for your birthday. Please don't make hints or say what you want or ANYTHING.

"You know how I hate to give you something you actually asked for. So don't even discuss it. Just let me surprise you. PLEASE. Don't ruin it.

"And don't think you can change my mind. And don't worry either because I think (hope) you will like it. At least you better because I came up with it all by myself. But on the rare, nearly impossible, chance that you think of it too, and you ask for it, I swear I will give up on ever giving you an amazing gift again!

"And yes, you have to wait until your actual birthday."

Ladies, you know what I mean right? I try to be an expert gift giver. I try to think of the perfect gift and sneakily get something that will blow his mind!

Jeremy is very difficult. I have a hard time with him. Everything he really wants is like, really expensive. So I have to get creative or sometimes I just give up.

But there's one thing that ruins it. Say, I want to get him an iPod. A green iPod because I know he will love it. So I buy it or make plans to buy it and one day he says, "You know, you should really get me a green iPod for my birthday. That's what I really want."

UGH! That ruins everything! Then he kinda KNOWS what he's getting, PLUS, I don't get the credit of thinking of the perfect gift for him! How can he understand how much I love him and want to get him the perfect gift if I don't even have to work for it? Don't TELL me. Any mediocre wife can get her husband something he specifically asked for. That takes no homework, no research, no visits to unknown (and occasionally creepy) places.

It seems like this happens EVERY Christmas and birthday with him. So I give up and get him a T-shirt or something. And then he's like, "Oh great, another T-shirt." (He pretends to love it but I know he'd rather have something cooler which still kinda hurts my feelings.) However, the green iPod would not be as exciting either because he asked for it specifically and if he really wants it he'll just go out and buy it anyway. He doesn't NEED me in that exchange. He'd probably rather make the trip to the Apple store himself. It's like a playground for him.

I want to buy the gift that he doesn't know that he wants. Or the gift that he thinks I would never actually know to give him.

So Jeremy, just don't speak to me for the next 10 days if that's what it takes...haha! Let me enjoy the process of deciding what to get you, going to every place in the Utah or Salt Lake Valley that may have it/them, and doing it all by myself without any hints from you. It's only because I love you.

There are few things more joyous on the first truly chilly morning of the semester than to realize that yes, you DO have chapstick in your bookbag.

hello all! I haven't been around because Disney has practically owned my life recently. To give you an idea...Disney asked me and the rest of the team to get 41 people at the presentation.

We got 111!

So yeah. Between that and the three exams I had this week and tomorrow...I am almost dead.

But I'm loving it. For real.

I can't post on there from my iPhone. Who actually uses a computer anymore? Sheesh!

And look at the funny words that unknowingly happen when you post on the iPhone! Bligspit! That is hilarious!

Well, I have to study my weekend away. I have two exams this week AND my first Disney presentation for the semester. It will be crazy. But I'm excited. Especially for the free dinner at Tucanos. Thank you Mickey Mouse!