Happy Birthday Kari Lin

Kari Lin Winert is turning 22!!! Shelly and her husband gave Kari this awesome painting. She loved it and couldn't wait to show it off at the office. She is amazing and funny and we LOVE having her around.

Have a happy birthday Kari Lin!

These guys say/sing it all.

Paper and Glue

Today was craft day at General Services. I had a project that I wanted to get done, and Kari joined in. This may become a weekly activity if we can think of new projects. Feel free to offer ideas.

This is me working on my animal print zoo invitations.

Kari really liked my ideas.

The final product.

We were playing with the self timer on my camera. I bet you can't tell, but we were trying to have a serious face. But you can't be too serious when you work at General Services.

Full Time

Kari and I spend a lot of quality time together.

Today I asked Caroline to take a picture for me with my camera. She hesitantly took the camera and said, "I don't know how to take a picture." Shirley was standing there and replied, "Point and shoot."

Grandma and Krabby (Some of the nicknames Jess was trying out for us.)

Haha. I don't think she wanted me to take any more pictures.

This is Kari taking a break from gchat so she could do some work. On Friday, Kari was excited about the PacMan game on google's home page. One of the times she was playing it she let out a yelp that rang through the halls. She clamped her hand over her mouth as Jennica and I laughed.

Kari and I have been studying for the GRE. I think it's almost time for me to start administering vocabulary drill every morning.

Let it Snow?

I'd like you to note the date. That's right, May 24th. It's basically summer. It's time for bonfires and camp outs, vacations and outings. But mother nature still has a few tricks up her sleeve. This morning I woke up to this:

Not too bad, you say? That's what I thought. It was inconvenient, but not too bad. Nothing we haven't seen before. I'm sure you all know that Utah has eight seasons. Winter, Sprinter, Spring, Sprummer, Summer, Fummer, Fall, and Finter.

After I cleaned off my windshield I paused to take this picture of the already accumulating snow. The snow was very wet and heavy. It took a little bit longer then usual to drive to the MTC, but I made it to the office just in time to open the window. Kari, on the other hand was late. I felt bad for her, and hoped she'd found a ride or something. At ten after Caroline and I started to worry. Kari usually called if she was going to be late. I'm not sure what we thought happened to her, but we were relieved when she finally walked through the door. She was covered in slush and soaked right through. It took her at least half the day to dry off. Well, it didn't take long before the radio started crackling with work orders about broken branches. The most notable was the tree by the mail room that had been completely uprooted.

This is a picture of it after they had cut some of the branches off.

This is the view from the entrance. It was a close call. Another few feet and it would have hit the building.

The poor flowers were looking so happy until this morning. Now they look downright depressed.

These are some branches from another tree by the mail room.

It pulled the grass up with the roots. All in all, it was pretty exciting.

A Witty Saying Proves Nothing

At GS we often find ourselves hearing and saying humorous things. Of course we did not want to forget the funny things we have said and so we created a "Quote Wall" which we taped to the side of our microwave. It was perfect, until we realized that missionaries kept reading our quotes! It gets pretty annoying to try and explain to them what our quotes mean. And so, I have taken it upon myself to remove the quote wall and put the quotes on the blog instead. I will try to offer explanations for as many quotes as I can. Keep in mind, I was not here for all of them and therefore do not know the story behind each one and some are just funny without an explanation.

Mean Volunteer: "Elders!! Where are you going?!" (She wanted to yell at them for being in 1M on New Missionary Day)
Elders: "Mexico!"

"I don't know you. Let me feel your earlobes" -Gretchen

"That's my pineapple! Step off!" -Julia (During Mission President's Seminar)

"I have a problem... I found a baby in my room" -Elder

Janae: "So.. How are you guys doing?"
Julia: "Not good."
Jessica: "I know! Me neither! I'm doing so bad."

"You're right. I don't know you. I got you mixed up with someone who is nice and has manners" -Crazy FB Stalker

Senior Sister: "Follow me, Dear"
Senior Elder: "I'll follow you all the way to the Celestial Kingdom"

Janae: "Guess what I'll be doing in 24 hours?!"
Julia: "...well... that's between you and him..." (The day before Janae got married)

Elder: "He likes you!"
Kari: "I like you too!"

"I had my wallet stolen by Satan. I don't know how he got in my room!" -Unfortunate Elder

Julia: "I like your hat!"
Brother Littleford: "Does it make me look sexy?"
Julia: "Sure does."
Brother Littleford: "I gotta get me another one then."

"Watch out Elders! She has the Swine Flu!" -Julia

"A stranger likes me" -Kari (I was trying to quote Tarzan "A stranger like me")

"My mama is a big woman" -Davey

"Don't watch World Trade Center. It's sad. I mean, I knew it would be, but still" -Kari

"My comp. wants to know if General Services covers hugs. Do you give hugs here?" -Elder (fyi-GS does NOT offer hugs)

"I've never cuddled with a hometeacher before..." -Gretchen

"I should get a Spanish Tutor... Maybe he'll be cute. Can you imagine?!" -Jess

"And the departure date is... 2 years" -Jess

"Do I need an identity to cash a check?" -Elder

"You get enough action. Your life is like a Soap Opera" -Caroline (to Julia)

"Don't even trip on it!" -Crazy student Janae TAed for

"Man, do you know who I'd marry if I was a girl? Michael Phelps!" -Elder

There you go. Those are some of the crazy things we have said. I'm sure there will be plenty more!! Here at GS nothing is taboo.

UPDATE!

Hello to all our loyal GS (General Services) fans,

This is Kari. And this is my first blog post EVER!!

Please forgive me if I make any blogging faux pas.

Alright, seeing as this blog has not been updated for over a year, I have decided to write a quick update of the last year.

1. Ruthann Beatrice Grawe: Worked at General Services before her Mission to New Jersey. After returning from her Mission Ruthann discovered that General Services was quite different. In fact, no one she had previously worked with still worked at GS.

2. Janae Elizabeth Card Stubbs: Married Richard Stubbs in July 2009. She was offered a Physics TA position at BYU and therefore decided that her time at GS was over. Her last day as a GSG (General Services Girl) was in December 2009.

3. Julia Itri: Received her Mission Call to Omaha, Nebraska. Her last day as a GSG was also in December 2009. In January, she returned to the MTC, this time trading in her white MTC Employee name tag for a black missionary tag.

4. Gretchen Anne Young: Returned to GS in January 2010 after a semester break.

5. Jennica Myra Faye Ostler: Joined the GS crew in January 2010.

Custodian Changes:

Because the 1M afternoon custodians come in each day to clean our office, we often become friends with them. There have been many custodian changes this past year.

1. September 2008-April 2009: Greg and Valerie.

2. April-August 2009: Davey and Melinda

3.August- December 2009: Valerie and Michael

4. January 2010-April 2010: Valerie and Stephan

5. Currently: Two guys that we haven't yet become friends with... and I can't remember their names...

Here are some random pictures from our time at General Services:

Jess & I with Greg & Valerie.

The Afternoon Crew

We had some great times!!

Julia doing her homework.

We are so lucky that we get our homework done while at work!

Gretch doing her homework.

GSG at Gretchen's House

August 2009

GSG with the Custodians Davey & Melinda

Sometimes GS can be exhausting!

It's a tough job at GS

Currently Gretchen, Jennica, and I are keeping the MTC up and running. Ruthann is vacationing (I mean... doing a study abroad) in Mexico. Jessica went "home" to Connecticut (Home, is really in Alpine, but her family has been living in Connecticut for the past two years. They will be returning to Utah this summer). Both Ruthie and Jess will be returning to GS in July. Jennica will then be leaving to work as a Nanny and will return in the Fall.

Well, there you have it folks, a quick summary of the past year. I hope you have enjoyed my first blog post. Please, look forward to more interesting and exciting posts from me and other GSG.

Ten-Four. Over and Out.

Lazy? Or are we just bored out of our minds?

Long days. Long days give us long faces...

...unless we make a good time of it!


We found out that my camera takes panoramic shots. Wanna see?



To be continued...

Today the FANTASTIC day...

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you, our Gretchen. Someone once said that "storytelling is a dying art." Gretchen, ladies and gentlemen, is living proof that such a statement is not yet true. For she lives today and tells stories! Even now--if you listen--you might hear her, telling stories about the day of her birth. Why, today is the day of her birth!!! And so, without further adieu... a haiku.

I don't think I could
Ever say enough of you.
Gretchen is amazing!

Gretchen stands so strong
'Gainst winds of adversity.
And she gives good hugs.

Would that I could tell
All there was to tell--but nay--
'Tis impossible.

Gretchen is not one
To be measured by words alone.
She pretty much rocks.

Happy birthday gal!
Still after office hours
Stands our love for you!

Opa!

So Gretchen, may this day be the bestest ever! Well, for now.

And I expect some awesome stories tomorrow. :)

It's Time to Party!

Well, it's that time of year again. Janae is celebrating the day of her birth for the 21st time. That's right. The lovely creature pictured above is old enough to do so many things. She can legally drink (haha, but she won't), she can have a job and make money so that she can live on her own, she can count to ten (I'm pretty sure she could do that before), but she can not rent a car yet. So my point is...she's a catch. I'm lucky to know her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANAE!!!

Our Dear, Departed Friends...

A eulogy to the late Snow family.

Oh what a sweet and glorious time
When Mr. Snow was made!
The paper stack was high until
It in the shredder was laid.

The bags came out in threes. In Threes!
No doubt this stemmed th'ideas.
Each three was piled up straight and tall
So we kept them like pet chias.

Mr., Mrs., and baby Snow--
Their eyes were bright as paper coal.
Baby even had a Binky,
Each had a simple, happy soul.

Then, one day, out of the mists
There came a sad event,
Upon a morning hour so that
No help could be sent.

The morning girls came in that day
And beheld--to their dismay--
The Snows were gone forevermore;
And thought, "What did this happen for?"

"What purpose in this suffering?
The pain they must have felt?"
Their tears were truly wretched
--the loss their hearts did melt.




The Snows are survived by Caroline, Janae, Kari, Jessica, Gretchen, and Julia. They resided at S.E. Corner, General Services, MTC. Condolences can be sent (in the forms of money and food) to General Services MTC.