Ah, Love

One of my best friends in the whole world got married yesterday. It was such a wonderful day!
She was married in the Oquirrh mountain Temple, just like Jared and I. I was especially touched when we're led into the same sealing room that Jared and I were sealed in 7 months ago. It is a great blessing to share that tiny similarity with my sweet friend Tricia and he wonderful new Husband Derek.
She looked amazing and it was beautiful. Plus, she had Coldstone cater her reception. Seriously awesome.
I will share pics of Jared and I later in the week, those pictures are on the cameras that I haven't downloaded yet. It's on my to do list for the week.

Real Love

Today I spent my afternoon making snowmen, doing yoga and singing Christmas songs. I got a million hugs today. I had three people tell me that I looked great, and found out that out of everyone in the gym, I lost the most weight out of everyone in six months. That includes all members and employees.

I tried on things that had been sitting in my closet for years, that haven't fit and was happy to find some that hadn't fit in 5 years fit and some that I just missed and now are too big all together.

Today I had two people ask me to spend the holidays with them.

I had dinner with my dear friend Tricia, got a message from Liz J., heard from a ton of my old school Prescott friends including my best friends from High School, Beverly, Jason and Alicia.

Today, I remembered what it is like to be really loved. Unconditionally, faults and all loved. That is what the season is about. It is about remembering what is important and why. It is feeling close the ones you love and knowing that no matter what, they love you back. Thank you my dear friends, for reminding me.

Turkey Run

I started my Thanksgiving off with a Turkey Run. I ran most of the three mile course I did (could do up to five, but I pushed too hard training last Saturday and my old fracture is giving me some pain) and it was wonderful. It was so beautiful this morning and it makes it hard not to be thankful for the amazing blessings in my life!

Blessing number 1, living in beautiful Utah. This was at the end of the run and I just struck me how lucky I was to be so blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery all the time. I love seeing the mountains in the background of everything and I love crisp cool air in the mornings.

I am so blessed to be blessed with amazing friends who have become my family. Being so far from my own family I have been so blessed to have amazing people come into my life. In no particular order the ones I feel most grateful for this year are: Logan, Chantal, Melinda, Tricia, Kari and Peter. There are so many more but it is this small set who have truly been such blessings to me this year by being listening ears, shoulders to cry on, late night texts about Taylor Lautner or Hugh Jackman, temple buddies, encouraging messages or telling me that no matter what others say or act like, that I am a beautiful and sweet person.

I am grateful for the gym and my trainer. You have to bored of this by now but the changes in my life have been staggering and a whole new world has opened up to me because of it. 6 days a week I am at the gym working out and I love the person I have become because of that one little fact.

I am so blessed, to know of my worth. I can move mountains, soothe troubled souls, lend a shoulder when needed and I can build and strengthen those around me. How blessed I am!

I am most grateful for the love of my Heavenly Father who has taught me that as long as I do what I know to be right, things will work out. Every time. It may not be in a week, a month or even a year, but in the end it will.

Those are just a few of the things I am thankful for today. Now that that is out of the way, on the the last bit of Black Friday planning...

Don't Fit the Mold

I have had an emotional week. There is more that has gone through my head and heart in the last week than I thought was humanly possible. I am so overwhelmed. In a good way.

I went and saw "The Proposal" with Tricia, and we laughed the whole way through! It was so funny. I love Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock is just awesome. And we can admit it girls, Ryan is someone I could look at for hours. Very attractive. Totally cried at the end. Good one. A moment or two worth looking the other way for, but I have not laughed so hard in a while.

This month promises to be full of crazy, nutty, amazing times. More posts and some pretty sweet stories. If nothing else, some amazing opportunity to learn a little more the amazing life I get to lead. If there is one thing I know, it is that I am the only one living the way I do. I do not fit the mold. I am not what people expect and truthfully, my life rocks.

Hola

Hello my friends. It has been a crazy week and I have not up-dated like I should have, I am sorry. But the good news is that I am updating now.

Yesterday I left my house at about 3pm for a quick Target run, and I didn't make it home until 11pm! I got my stuff done just in time for my dream Tricia to ask if I wanted to run to Ross with her, and maybe a few other places. I of course said yes and headed off to meet her. After Ross, TJ Maxx, Pier One and Target again, we got a call from Tricia's roommate, our friend Erin, to ask us with help finding the perfect shoes to go with the new dress she had bought. So off we ran to the mall to find her shoes, 5 stores later we headed back to Target for a 3rd run for me. While at the mall we got front row seats to a shoplifter's capture. It totally freaked us out when 4 police men came and stood right beside us to apprehend the shoplifter. Crazy! Then we raced home to Tricia could meet another friend to watch some 24 and to evaluate the Erin's new shoes.

So yesterday was a crazy day.

We had a crazy thunder/hail storm this afternoon. It was so loud that it woke me up from my nap...it was crazy!

Next week you may see me, you may not. I am watching my friend Nicole's three girls (6, 4, and 9 months) while she and her husband go house hunting in Oklahoma. It should be very entertaining.

Have a great week friends!

Moved..Sort Of

Well, the majority of my stuff is moved. Thank you to Logan, Tricia, Danny and Melinda. I could not have done it without them. I still have stuff to do (mostly kitchen stuff) at the old place but this is the first night here in the new place. I am exhausted. I don't know if I can handle it.

I hate moving.

Day-o-Fun!

Well today was as busy as a day off meant to relax could be. I started out heading to the temple first thing. I had some things to ponder and some people to pray for. What a great start to a day!

Then Tricia and I headed to Costco and I picked up some beautiful blackberries, which are my absolute favorite! I was so excited to use on something and I found the perfect thing...homemade vanilla ice cream! It was absolutely divine!

Tricia's sister Camille came up and brought and ice cream maker, I may have to invest in one of those. Mich even came up and enjoyed some as well. Girl talk abounded.

While Tricia and I were out and about we found these gems at Target...it was too funny we had to take pictures. Can you imagine paying $29.99 for these? Neither could we! But it definitely made for some great pictures. There was even a nice lady who laughed and took our picture and said, "I understand, I have sisters!" So nice.

We also built Tricia a bookcase tonight and bought the fabric needed to make the curtains for her room as well as an accent pillow. I will start on that next week.

All in all it was a good day.

New Years Eve

Happy New Year! I am very happy to "bang in" the new year. 2009 is going to be a good year. I feel it.

So some friends and I got together for new years and these are just the few pictures off my camera. Tricia has a bunch on hers that have me in them, so maybe I will update the blog later with pictures from her camera. But for now, here are mine.

Courtney and Tony in our heated game of Imaginiff..

Tricia doing what she always does, taking pictures. Just like me. I love this girl!
Toasting in the New Year...Left to Right:
Stuart, Tony, Courtney, Rashago, Tricia and Dave

Courtney, Tony and Rashago

Ah, me...

We beat the new year in with anything we could get our hands on

Getting ready to watch the ball drop and the pound in the new year. Only one spoon was broken in this lovely tradition.

We had great food, pineapple peach salsa, starbursts, homemade apple cider and played some great games, Imaginiff, Ultimate spoons and just had fun ringing in the new year with friends. Hope your New Years Eve was as fun as mine was!

Music and Graham Crackers

Tonight for FHE we made "gingerbread" houses out of graham crackers. My house with the guys was awesome! Let me take you on a tour...

First we have the boxing ring for the Santa's. Yeah, they guys needed to have some fun stuff involved so they built the boxing ring and the boxing Santa's.


Then there is the tire swing and the pond with the fish in it. Yeah, the girls did that part.


And here is the basketball court...gotta have that.

The front walk complete with cactus with lights and a wreath too.


Here is the front view. Notice the "stained glass" window? It's all in the details. So much fun. We totally won. Ah, the smell of victory!



Tricia and I gave each other Christmas presents tonight and this is what I got...a signed copy of the Brian Stokes Mitchell CD, which is awesome! He was the special guest artist at the Motab concert this year and I really enjoyed him. I was jealous when she got to meet him and when I saw this I about died!

Then I got the new Motab CD...which isn't released until tomorrow...but because she is in the choir, she got an advanced copy for me! I was so excited. Not to mention she sings on this one. That is worth having the CD just for that. What a blessing it is to have Tricia as my friend!

Sunday Night

So, like I promised, pictures from Sunday Night. Enjoy!

The choir at the devotional, so much fun! Look in the section on the left, and you can see my Tricia friend.




From left to right: Lono, Me, Courtney and Rashago


After the devotional we headed out to check out the lights, how beautiful!

Haha, we are so silly! I love Courtney's face, too funny to me!

Lono and Rashago, two totally great and cute guys that I get to call friends.

Ok, I really love this picture! Aren't we totally cute? I love Courtney, she is so cute.

We had so much fun! It was totally what I needed after a long and tearful day.

Lono held my bag for me, but he looked way too natural! We laughed so hard!

We are so silly, but I really enjoyed myself. I have some great friends and I am just so blessed!


This was the best, Lono jumping off the fountain caught in just the right moment!

Now, this is the money shot. I took this amazing picture, I just love the way the light hit and his expression...I am silly, I know.

Merry Christmas, from Me and the Gang

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I had gotten a few of these from friends lately and laughed so hard! I had to make one of my own. It was almost as much fun making one as it was to watch it! Go make one of your kids ladies, you will love it!

The End of the Weekend

Last night my friends Lono, Rashago, Courtney and I went to SLC to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It was such a good way to get into the spirit of the season. It was Lono's first time seeing the choir live and he was so excited. I was so happy to have him come and enjoy it with me. Thanks to Tricia for the tickets...she is the best!

Lono at the Conference Center

Rashago taking pictures with his phone
Pictures are coming, so this is just some warm up...

The best part of this video is that after we took it, we realized that the nativity was actually Mongolian, not hispanic! haha!

Excited!

I AM SO EXCITED!

So, for my birthday (in a few months!) a few friends and I are taking a trip. A trip to California! We are going to hit Disneyland (thank you for the free day for your birthday!), Universal, and some other random places. One of the highlights will be a session in a temple. Four of us are going and I am so excited to be sharing it with them! Tricia, Nic and Logan. All people I love (ok, so don't really know Nic enough to love him, but he is a great guy!) and I am excited to share my birthday with them!

I am just excited to go on trip and to just have fun. I haven't really been on trip for about a year and I am so ready to go and have some fun. So, bring on the planning!

Also, I got my hair cut today...AH! LOVE IT! I will take pictures and post them tomorrow.

Grateful

I am grateful for friends who let me use their washing machine.

I am grateful for my weekly bowling night and knowing that I get to share it with one of my best friends.

I am grateful for weekly temple visits and the peace they bring.

I am grateful for a car that works.

I am grateful for the Mexicans who paid me to take away my piece of crap old car.

I am grateful for the internet and the connection the world that brings me.

I am grateful for cheese, all kinds, colors and flavors.

I am grateful for mac-and-cheese.

I am grateful for my ability to cook and the means to do it.

I am grateful for miracles.

I am grateful for shoes. All colors, kinds and comfort level.

I am grateful for make-up.

I am grateful for my ipod.

I am grateful for my faith, testimony and desire to grow.

I am grateful for 18 year olds who challenge my way of thinking, and my patience.

I am grateful for children who always have a hug for me.

I have so much to be grateful for this year. I have been so blessed this year. I have realized how loved I am by so many people and have learned to love more deeply those in my life. I have been blessed to have amazing people come into my life to share in my journey. I have been blessed to be able to look outside of what I thought was my support system to find what was.

I could choose to look back at this past year in many different ways, but I chose to look back on this year as the year I was blessed with two of the best friends in the world, who loved, encouraged and blessed me with late night talks, food galore, pictures and video to be cherished for a lifetime and a greater love for my Father in Heaven. They have become my family and I am so grateful and blessed to have them as a part of my life. I thank my Father in Heaven daily for them and their love daily. Thank you Tricia and Logan...there are no words to express how much I love the two of you.

I hope this holiday season allows you to show love toward those who need it. I am so grateful for the feeling of hope and happiness that abounds this time of year. I had no less than 4 people I didn't know wish me a happy holiday at the grocery store yesterday...I hope that I can be more like that this holiday season.

Eight

Sorry I have been sick the last few days so this will have to do for a few days I think...

8 T.V. Shows I like to watch:

1. Heroes
2. One Tree Hill (yeah, it is my secret indulgence)
3. The Amazing Race
4. um..
5. America's Next Top Model
6. Super Nanny
7. Deadliest Catch
8. um...uh...

8 Places I like to eat:

1. My house
2. Applebee's
3. Sonic
4. Tricia's House
5. anywhere that I don't pay
6. Logan's House (HAHAHA!!!)
7.
8.

8 Things I did today:

1. Went to Work
2. Took Dayquil
3. Decorated some more for christmas
4. took a nap
5. watched a danielle steele movie (haha! thanks Nicole!)
6. Made Logan Dinner
7. Helped Tricia with her tree
8. blogged

8 Things I'm looking Forward to:

1. Saturday (yay for Tricia!)
2. Jan. 1st, 2009
3. My birthday
4. Birthday Trip to California
5. Free day at Disneyland
6. a hair cut
7. Bowling Wednesday's
8. A good date

8 Things I can't live without

1. My ipod
2. Thursday Afternoons
3. Tricia
4. The scriptures
5. kleenex
6. cute coats
7. my blog!
8. Logan

The Night of 4 Strikes

Today, I changed the oil in my car. Logan helped, because I wouldn't do it by myself the first time. But, we got in there and changed it and filled up the washer fluid, put the plates on, and we got my car done! I am so happy. I know it sounds like I am 16 with my first car, but 5 months of being without a working car and the miracles that happened to put me where I am now, led me to this. I am so grateful that Logan knows about cars and has been able to impart his knowledge of them to me. Before I know it, I will be changing the oil all by myself. I want to know as much as I can about my car and how to do the basic maintenance on it. One, so that I know it better and two, I think it is a good thing to know about your car. I oddly liked getting under the hood and doing the little things. Getting all greasy...don't worry though, I'll leave the big stuff up to the real mechanics.
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I went bowling this evening with Tricia and Logan, man I love bowling! The first game was awesome, I beat both Tricia and Logan and had 4 strikes! The second game wasn't as great for me, a couple spares and no strikes and Logan beat me. But it was fun and I even got to bust a move in the lanes.
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I know I have said it a lot lately but I am so grateful for all I have been blessed with lately. I have been given so much. I am so grateful for all those who have helped make my life so full and have been the hands of the Lord in my life. I am more blessed than I can begin to tell you. I just want to express my gratitude for prayers, good thoughts and help I have been given by those around me who love me so much. I know I am loved and I know how important I am in the lives of the those people. I am grateful for shoulders to cry on, words of comfort and arms wrapped around me. I am so blessed and I couldn't ask for more.

I'm So Excited...

I'm so excited, I'm so...so...scared! (haha, an old school Save by the Bell reference, it just made me think of that, sorry, random thoughts)

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I am really excited, why you might ask? Well let me tell you...I am the proud owner of a new car! Ok, so not really new, just new to me. But it is enough new to me to be exciting to me.
.The whole thing is a miracle. It is a little beat up, but in great condition in general. Logan is going to help me find some rims to help cover the rusted wheels, but other than that, I am good to go. I am so grateful for friends who look out for me, who want to make sure I get a deal and that I am being taken advantage of. I love that I have been a part of the miracle that happened in the last week that made this possible. I hope that one day I am a part of someone else's miracle. a big thank you to all those who were a part of my miracle, Tricia, Nic, Bryce, Logan and Melinda.
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I am excited to have a few new fun and exciting things on the horizon. As soon as I know better what they are and such, I will be able to share. But this is only the beginning for me. Don't worry, it is about to really start for me. I can feel it.

And so it Goes

Well, an eventful few days here. I guess I could try to tell all the details, but I don't feel like it.
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First, I have been battling what I thought was a nasty cold but what turned out to be my first case of bronchitis for the year. I was even going to get my flu shot this week and couldn't because I was so sick. I will spare you major details but green goo was coming from all possible holes in my head. I haven't been sleeping well because I hear myself coughing...and so the cycle goes. But I started antibiotics and I am feeling better for the most part, just still coughing. All I know is I am grateful that I am on the mend. As are roommates, friends, employers...
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I went and looked at the car I am going to buy last night. I was going to take pictures, but I was so exhausted and had such a headache that I couldn't. But it is a cute little car and I am excited about the prospect. The whole thing is a miracle in and of it's self.
A friend of a friend has a friend (ok, did you follow that? I barely did) who had a 1999 Mazda protege sitting in his garage for the last year. The clutch had gone out and they hadn't replaced it. And for reasons no one understood, they let it sit. And sit. And sit. So that the when the right time came it would be sitting there waiting for me. They practically giving it to me, hardly charging anything for a car that is in great shape that just needs to have clutch replaced. And through other miracles, I got loan with an insanely low interest rate. When I say insanely low, I mean, around 1%. Can you imagine? I am still in awe and so humbled by how my Heavenly Father has blessed me lately.
I have felt so stressed and confused and unsure of so many things lately and finally just took that leap of faith that things would work out and let go. And to my amazement things have fallen into place even more beautifully than I could have imagined.
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I even got an amazing lead on an amazing job, which I have been lacking lately, today. I am so excited and hopeful. I feel like there is an end to this dark tunnel that I feel like I have been in all year.
I will look back at this last year as being one of the hardest of my life for so many reasons and also one of the growth inspiring times. I have learned more about myself and those around me than I ever thought was possible. I have discovered reservoirs of strength and determination that I didn't know I had. I am so blessed and humbled.
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And let me not forget how blessed I have been to have such wonderful friends. I could go on and on about them but you have heard about them all. I am so grateful for Tricia and her complete devotion to me and her constant desire to help me when I don't always deserve it. To Logan for stick around through the girl stuff (and we all know there has been plenty!) and still bringing me back to where I belong. Liz J. for reminding me of where I have been, where I am, and where she knows I will be. Ash for loving me like a sister when that is what I need the most. Melinda for being honest and forceful and wonderful.
I am so blessed!
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I may not feel all that great this week, but I am so blessed to see how the Lord's hand has been touching my life, even when I didn't realize it. Every moment has the touch of his hands in it and I am humbled to know I am so loved.

The Best...Again?

So the debate has raged, OK, so there was no debating really, about who the best friend was in the previous post entitled "the best". It seems everyone seems to think the best friend that I was referring to was Logan.

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Well I am here to set the record straight.

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I have a lot of good friends and it could be any of them. Jason is one of my best friends, we spent more hours than you would like to know and I would like to admit to rocking out on Rock Band this last weekend. It was a long week and Jason and I started a new band to just rock out to. We ended up adding Logan in later and titled the band "Los Three Amigos", which is too funny for so many reasons! We talked and he just let me vent and just be me. Which is what I love about Jason. He is always willing to help and not judge. It could be him.

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There is Melinda. Melinda is wonderful, sweet, sarcastic and always tells the truth, like it or not. We spend hours discussing everything from our favorite TV shows (one tree hill!!!, Hell's Kitchen/Kitchen Nightmares, ANTM...), books (still DISGUSTED by renesme and the stupid imprinting!), food, (the apple cake is super yum, spinach pesto meatballs ick) and life in general. Not to mention that this wonderful friend of mine has been so sweet to loan me her car in the mornings (and other random times as well) so that I can get to work while my car is out of commission. I adore her. It could be her.

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There is always Tricia. She is someone I look up to and admire for her ability to go for her goals and not settle for anything less than what she really wants. She is so put together in the things that I am not and she is always there with a listening shoulder and a wonderful sense of humor. We can drool over Colin Firth or talk about the great pink satin trench that is just SCREAMING my name. She humors my coat fetish and even helps dig up some amazing additions to my collection. It could be Tricia.

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And yes, there is Logan. His goofy way of avoiding all things awkward and never getting too worked up about small things. His late night chats when all he really wants to do is sleep and his early morning texts to chat when he just needs to bounce ideas of someone else. His not letting me take a back seat in things or ditching out on things that I should do, but don't really want to. And his unrealistic faith in me. It could be him.

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There is my sister Rachel. We chat with each other regularly about the dumb things like stupid new songs on the radio to the real life problems one or both of us is having. An unlikely pair from the beginning, she is my link to the family at the moment and I like her more than I thought I could and love her more. She thinks I can do things I don't think I can and she really believes it. I am so grateful for her, it could be her.

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It could be my wonderful Stacy friend. She has so much faith in me and in my abilities in anything I do. I think she thinks I am this awesome person that I don't always seem to know. She knows what I am thinking without me saying anything and she enjoys enjoying the wonderful world of eye-candy with me. I can always talk to her about anything, no matter how big or small. She loves me despite and because of our differences. It could be her.

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And I have a million other people it could be! So why would you all just assume that it was Logan? Hm?

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OK, so that one was about him, but it could have been anyone...

Part Three

Ok, so here is more of our Park City Trip.

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After Logan and I rode up to the top of the mountain at Deer Valley, we rode back down. But there were some amazing views on at the top and on the way down. Gliding through in the quiet of the day, no noise or cars or dogs, just stillness and this beauty was enough to make the whole trip worth it. There is a peace to be found up there. And the best part was that I didn't feel the need to talk, we could just ride in silence, thinking our own thoughts and just being. I love that!

View from the top, it was beautiful!

After we got down off the mountain Logan and I hit some shopping and lunch. We ate at a place called The Hungry Moose. Logan had a bison burger and I had some sandwich. It was decent and it was nice to take a bit of a break.

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Downtown Park City is full of little shops full of all kinds of things. From expensive to super cheap and we loved every minute of it. Logan found this great hat that is perfect for the Red Neck Festival we are going to this weekend. He also found in the fur store window a fur jock strap that made my skin crawl. He found all the ways possible to remind me of it and tried to get me to take a picture, but there was no way I was going to waste a picture on that!

Tricia joined us again after her meetings ended and we went on another lift ride. This one was just through the town and up the mountains that downtown is nestled between. It wasn't a good as Deer Valley but it was fun none the less. We tried to take pictures of the three of us but didn't manage to get good ones on my camera. How is it that Tricia can always look so good, Logan always looks the same and I always look totally weird in pictures? I have no idea.

We shopped and laughed and joked and just plan had fun on this trip. I am grateful everyday for the great friends I have in Tricia and Logan. I don't have a family of my own and my family is far away and we don't really keep in touch that much (well, except for me and Rachel) and they have helped to fill the void.

Once a week we get together and do our own little FHE and discuss a topic related to something we heard at church or somewhere. Last week was miracles. We talked about big miracles and little ones and I just kept thinking what a miracle it was to have the two of them right now. They are supportive and love me even when I have a bad day. When I am in tears and upset they still care. They are my family. Last night we got together for half and hour and just chatted about our day and then Logan hung some shelves for me and helped moved some heavy stuff, Tricia gave help with my living room remodel. It was just so nice to feel so comfortable and I feel blessed to have them.