New Years Eve

So I know I did horrible the month of November... I didn't update my blog everyday... but I did grateful posts on Facebook everyday! I'm i'm so proud of myself for that. 

Now here it is December 31, the end of the year 2011... so much has happened in the last year. Friends have falling in love and gotten married. Friendships have blossomed much more than I would have ever thought. And sadly some have fallen by the wayside. That is all part of life though. Some people you are meant to know forever, while others touch your life for a brief moment and then they are gone, some gone on a happy note that you stay friends, you just don't keep in contact so much. While others fall out in a harsh way and your friendship is gone forever. Those are sad goodbyes, but its part of life, part of growing up, and part of moving on. 

Also in this past year my family has grown! My brother Andy and Sister in Law Leza welcomed my adorable nephew Brody into this world, and he has brought so much happiness! Then my brother Gary came home from His Mission in Texas. After he got home he got in touch with Chelsey who he went to High School with and they dated till he asked her to become his wife! This next year they will be married and She will join our family for all eternity.

The plan for tonight is that we are going to Salt Lake to ring in the new year with some old friends, and hopefully some new ones... a quote I found: 

Right now, someone you haven't met is out there wondering what it would be like to meet someone like you. 

Hopefully I can take this into the new year and meet some amazing new friends. So here's to the New Year... May it be everything it needs to be, may it teach me some new lessons, may it be filled with new adventures, and may I be able to embrace it all. Thank you 2011 for everything I accomplished.

Day 5

I'm thankful for my roots where and how I grew up. I went to Star Valley this weekend for Taralyn's bridal shower with Crystal. Since we were there and I grew up 20 miles outside of Afton I decided to drive Crystal up to Freedom to show her my family farm.

I'm glad of the way I grew up, on the family farm learning hard work from my dad and how to run a home from my mother.

Some fun things while we were in Afton was that Tara's family gave us a private viewing of the new Footloose movie. Not kidding... they have two theaters... we were in the bigger one... and it was me, Crystal, and Tara... it was fantastic. Then there was the bridal shower where we made Tara blush by giving her cute and inappropriate for little kids lingerie.

Before we headed home we stopped at Burger King and Taco Time for dinner. While at Burger King we asked for fry sauce... found out it was discontinued... but they had a new 'Zesty' sauce that was fry sauce with horseradish sauce... the lady said 'Its like fry sauce on crack'... so if any of you are looking for fry sauce laced with crack... Burger King is the place to go! 

Day 4

Today I am thankful for the last 2 years and where they have brought me, and what I have learned.

So much stuff happens in life and we go through it without a second thought. But if we do this we learn nothing. We have trials to teach us lessons, to learn and bring us closer to God. Struggling is hard while we are in that moment... but it makes us realize just how good we can have it and we cherish those moments so much better.

Day 3

My Sister in Law Leza and my nephew Brody!

This is where my grateful heart is today! I'm so glad they are part of my family. Leza joined our family 3 years ago this month. She married my older brother Andy. This past May she had she had my nephew Brody. The sad part is that in July they moved to Vernal... 4hours away. Its sad that we don't take advantage of family when they are around and only realize that we do this once they've moved away. Family is so important, they are the ones we will be with through the eternities and we need to make those relationships into ones that we want to be with forever.

I got lucky today and Leza was in town with Brody since her younger brother flew home from his mission. Leza text me a few days ago wanting a haircut while she was here. Of course I said I would do this for her... as long as she brought Brody over with her. I hadn't seen them since last time they visited which was back in September. The family went to Vernal to visit them over fall break but sadly being manager at my job I had to work that weekend since my assistant manager got married and for some reason thought that was more important reason to get the days off... lol I love you Nicole.

Know that I love and appreciate you Leza!

Day 2

Day 2: Today I am grateful for my hair. This may sound strange to you but to me it means a lot.

Of course there are days that I certainly hate my hair. Sadly I'm very OCD about my hair and if it isn't perfect I tend to fix it until it is.

Saying this.... The past couple days were so much fun, but drove me crazy with rocking the 70's/80's fro (look at Monday's post). My whole life I've had pretty straight hair, the shorter it is it tends to get a little wavy but not in a cute or flattering way so I end up using my CHI on it. Yet when its long I can usually just blow dry and go.

I love it!

Month of Gratitude

Its a sad that that usually only happens around this time of the year... but I guess we could all be thankful that it does happen.

I saw on facebook that it is a month of gratitude, that everyday we should comment on what we are grateful for. I've heard that by doing this you become more aware of the little things. You notice things that make your day rather than ruin it. You see the way people touch your life, and you try to do things to others to make their lives a little brighter. Its a time where we all strive to be a little more Christlike.

I know I've had this blog for 2 years and I'm usually horrible about updating it... but hopefully with a goal like this I will post some thing at least once a day.

So DAY 1: I'm grateful for this Month of Gratitude so I can become more like and closer to my Savior and Father in Heaven.

pic...

Halloween Weekend

Oh my gosh! Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. 

Its a day where you can dress up all crazy, and act like someone different. 

Put on a crazy outfit, either get all dressed up, more than you ever would, or dress down and be crazy scary.

Crystal and I got all dressed up for Clint's party only to show up to a dud. Clint decided to go hunting instead of being there and his roommates weren't as excited to host this party. When we showed up an hour after it "started" and there were 5 people there none of which were even dressed up in the least little bit. We stayed for 5 minutes then left and went to Aggy's for Josh's birthday. 

Saturday I worked and then went to Stake Conference. It was such a good meeting with so many good messages. I love when you hear a message that you know is from your Heavenly Father but then comes the hard part of putting it to action and changing a little bit to make your life a little better and a little closer to Him.

After Conference we decided to go to Honeyville and chill at Crystal Hot Springs. We got there and they were closing in 20 minutes, but Stephen asked them if we could still go in and they let us in for half prince ($3) which was super nice of them. Then we got back to Logan and went to Charlie's for ice cream.

Tomorrow is Halloween and we are going to dress up and go dancing! Its going to be a blast. Come back soon, hopefully I will post pictures.

I Love to See the Temple!

This is to everyone who has made this day possible...

Growing up in this Church we all have one goal... Getting back to live with our Father in Heaven. 

There are many steps we have to take before we get there. When we are just baby's we get a Blessing placed on us by our Father and loved ones. This is a blessing to give us a name, let us feel of His love, and I think, in a way, it starts to mold us. Yes, even at that young age. We then start on a path of the gospel, learning right and wrong from our Parents, we start school and make friends and of course we are influenced by them. We go to Primary and learn more of the Teachings of Christ, and then when we are 8 we are baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We are washed clean of the transgressions we have made, and we are now accountable for our every action. We start to understand the gospel a little more, we are still little children and have a lot to learn, but we are still being molded.

All through this life in the Church we are blessed with righteous Priesthood holders, we can ask our Father for a blessing whenever we need. During a difficult time, when we are faced with change, when we are feeling down and just need some extra love from above. We've always got our scriptures to guide us, if we utilize them right. 

When I turned 12 I was so excited, I got to start doing baptisms for the dead. The first temple I visited was the Idaho Falls Temple. I was also privileged to not only go and do temple names with my ward, but my Grandmother had been doing genealogy and she asked me to be baptized for a deceased family member. That was such a special day, and has never left my mind. I could feel her spirit there, and since my Grandparents worked in the temple at that time my Grandmother was in the Baptistry  when this ordinance was done. There was so much love and warmth in the room. Since that day I have done Baptisms with my wards in the Ogden Temple, Bountiful Temple, Logan Temple, and the Manti Temple. I have not gone as often as I would have liked to, but I have gone more than some are able and for that I am grateful. 

There is another step we have to take in returning to our Father. Young men at the age of 19 accomplish this next step when they decided to go on a mission. When they receive their call they have the chance to go through the Temple. For young women, we have to wait. We go through the temple before marriage, or before a mission at age 21. Neither of these have been an option for me. Even lately I have thought about turning in my papers, but like before I have the sickest feeling in my gut about it. A mission is not the road that my Father wants me to go down. I have prepared for this my whole life, and have thought hard about it for the past year. And now the time is right and in 2 weeks I have the opportunity to go through the Temple of my Lord and Savior for myself. 

I want to Thank my parents for raising me the way they did, and my brothers and sisters for being such an example to me. But its not only them, its true when people say the community raises the child because they have. Everywhere I have lived there has been someone, or many someones who have touched my life and molded me into the person I am today. I love you all. Thank you for everything.

I think I'm Cursed...

I can count the number of 2nd dates I've had... Dax back in high school, but we were always just friends and doing each other favors, and he's happily married. Tyler after we wrote on his mission, but he has been married now for a year. Then there was David who was into me for a week then was done. Clint... lol... just great friends, we hang out all the time. Andy took me to an Aggies game and then I asked him to a dance at the institute. I can't forget the run around I've had with Jeff in the last 8 months, we never went out, but there were feelings there for sure, and now he lives in Salt Lake and I haven't heard from him since he moved. Now Craig, who I took a risk and met him online. We texted, met for dinner, texted some more, went to lunch and now, even after texting him myself I haven't heard form him since our 2nd date.
No this isn't me having a pity party. I'm just stating my curse, or the fact that God has a plan for all of us, and I haven't met "The One" yet. Some people would get discouraged by this, I do get frustrated, but we have to understand that it is part of life. Some people get to that stage early, and for some of us it takes some time, but we'll all get there in the end.
One day I will meet my prince charming... I guess I just haven't reached that day.



haha! i'm no good at this!

Oh dear... I get on a kick and post and then it seems I fall of the face of this earth. Don't know if I'll ever be a pro at this...

Anyway, so much fun has happend! Back in March we went to Moab for Spring Break. That is a whole post itself that I may, or may not get up in the future.

We;ve been working on wedding stuff for Lindsay and Travis and that hasn't been too bad, until planning the Bridal Shower. Which was good, until Lindsay's Great-Grandma passed and we decided to postpone the party. This weekend we will do Lindsay's bridals! Yay! I will be doing her hair, and driving her around so she doesn't have to in her dress. My bridesmaid dress came, I love it... except I might have issues as the company designed it with only one pocket... my OCD may kick in... but I'll deal.

I also went on a really good date. I haven't had one of those in a really long time... at least one where there is some possible potential. I met him online, and we chatted, then texted, then met at Texas Roadhouse for dinner. We ate and talked for about an hour and a half. So far he seemed to be a really great guy. The following week we continued to text, making jokes, and I know on my end I was laughing a lot. We were going to hang out again at my FHE, as they were doing a dutch oven dinner with 4 wards combined. But his sister-in-law came into town and he ended up babysitting his niece. That was ok as I was at the hospital with my own sister-in-law awaiting the arrival of my nephew Brody O'Dell! But since we ended up not getting together there are plans for another date this weekend. I'm super excited, he is a really good guy.

Back to that other information... I'm an Aunt! Yup, Andy and Leza had little Brody on Mon, May 16, at 9:00ish. He is so dang cute and has taken up all my spare time lol. He looks like Andy, but has Leza's nose, and I'm sure we'll notice many more similarities of both of them as he continues to grow. They are home today, at Leza's parents, and are doing great. They will continue to live here in the valley until about July when they will bless him and then we will say goodbye as they move to Vernal. Good thing its not too far away and we can make many weekend trips to see them.

That is an update on this crazy thing I call my life.

All things Thanksgiving... and BLACK FRIDAY!

Thanksgiving is one of my all time favorite holidays! Family and food! I don't think you can get better than that. This year was no disappointment.

Right beforehand we were on a Blizzard watch... well it was more just a Whiteout! I mean we got some snow, but I don't think it was Blizzard worthy. We got some snow and a lot of wind!

Lindsay was invited by Pono to go to Thanksgiving in Nampa... it was a hard choice as she usually just goes to her Grandparents in Layton. But as the time got closer and she didn't see Pono for almost two weeks when he took a trip to New York she decided that she would go to her Grandparents a day early to spend time with them, then she would go with Pono to spend Thanksgiving and the weekend with his family. And it became a good weekend for them!

For my family we went to Kaysville to Uncle Tom's and Aunt Sirena's house. I love this tradition because so many come and make it so great. The numbers have dwindled in past years as we have started getting married and people have in-laws to go to now, but the ones who do make it have a great time!

Long about 8 I got a text from Nate asking when I was going to get back in town. They were going to get together to play scatterball. Of course I was in, but we didn't get back into town till around 9:30ish. Well I still went over to the church and we had fun... I got the biggest bruise from that game! haha! Totally worth it. Afterwards Nate invited me to his apartment as they were going to put in a movie then go to Walmart at midnight when movies went on sale. Well we just kinda chilled for a bit then headed to Walmart. We went back to Nate's... Me and Sierra, and Nate watched Did You Hear About The Morgans... Sierra and I are always asleep when we go to Nate's for a movie. LOL. Nate stayed awake and even put in Horton Hears A Who, at some point.

Nate woke us up around 4 so he could go to Al's and I went home to get Lexie. Part way home I realized my wallet was still at Nate's. Oops. I had to call him, go get his keys, go back to the apartment... which took forever to unlock, take him back his keys, then I finally got home. Woke up Lexie and we headed to Shoe Carnival because I wanted some boots. Lucky me I paid $16! Then we went to the mall to find Lexie some pants, and even though we didn't find her a good deal she still got some American Eagle jeans.

Nate had mentioned having a breakfast party after shopping so I came home and turned on the TV. Well he ended up going home and went to bed! haha.

That evening we ended up at Clint's, we got dinner at Chick-fil-A then played games. I was so tired and slap happy that Nate and Ryan found joy in tickling me. Oh how I love my friends, they reminded me that I always need to buy waterproof mascara!

It was such a good weekend and Lindsay and Pono finally made it home on Monday as there was another storm that closed the freeway in Idaho. They made it in time to say Happy Birthday to Julie and throw her in the snow! Don't forget hearing Momma J's monkey noise!

Oh the good times that we have!

Stop Complaining!!! We went to Polar Bear!

My crazy friends! Oh how I love them!

The guys have all gone to or worked at a boy scout camp up in McCall, Idaho. Well in the fall they go back up to camp and do what they call the Polar Bear Strut. It makes for a great weekend!

This was back in November, 12-14. We left Friday afternoon and headed to Pono's parents house in Nampa. We got there and put in Back to the Future as it was that weekend in the movie. LOL. We had to get up early the next morning to travel up to McCall. Lindsay and I at one point didn't want to be in the car anymore and started to 'complain' (we were just kidding around) and Clark turned around and yelled at us... "Stop complaining! We're going to Polar Bear!" hahaha it was so funny!

We arrived in McCall and got breakfast at The Pancake House. There they have huge cinnamon rolls! And a Christmas Store! Great place to just chill.

We then went down to the water front to watch the boys get really cold while doing the hokey pokey in the lake. The guys started getting an audience while we waited for someone to show up with their camera. Jamis made a speech and pumped everyone up. Go to facebook and watch the video

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150151934123448

We jumped in the hot tub for a min to warm the guys up then headed back to Boise/Nampa. It was still pretty early and didn't want to just sit around doing nothing so Nate, Sierra, Pono, Lindsay, Spencer, and I went to see a movie. Unstoppable had just come out so we chose that one. Even though I was pretty tired it was way intense and I stayed awake. It was so good!

Pono's mom and dad made us dinner and afterwards we put in Back to the Future part 3, and I think most of us crashed... I know at least I did. After that was over we were really slap happy and laughed a lot till I decided to go to bed. Lindsay stayed up talking to Pono and when she came she apparently came in scared me and I 'inhaled' my nose. LOL.

Nate, Sierra, and Spencer all got up early to make it back to Logan so Sierra could talk in her ward. Lindsay, Pono, and I stayed to go to church with Pono's family and had Lunch at his brother and sister-in-laws. We left around 3 and Lindsay and I took a nap for a bit and made it back to Logan around 830ish.

It was such a fun weekend! We again learned that it was fun going on trips with Pono and those guys and couldn't wait for more to come!

Its Been Too Long!

Oh My!!!! I'm sorry, I've been so horrible! Life has been so amazingly rad that I forget to update all you who follow this! If you are ever missing me, send me an email, or a comment and I'll post. Although I am going to try and be better.

It is late though so I will catch you up this weekend. Some things to watch for..

• The weekend in Boise... Polar Bear
• Thanksgiving
• Temple Square
• I'm going to be an AUNT!
• Christmas
• New Years
• Weekend in Provo
• Andy took me on a date
• I took Andy on a date
• Lindsay got engaged!
• Weekend in St. George

Wow... that is a lot I haven't updated! K we'll do this one day at a time... LOL. Especially since here in 13 days I will have another rad adventure... Going to Moab for Spring Break. Right after that mom and I are going to the Green Pig Pub for St. Patrick's Day. Alright stay posted and if needed send me a message!