S is for...

Many of you may remember the S-Hall T-shirts from when I was a Resident Assistant at DT. We created the "S is for..." shirt. People always ask about it when I wear it. Well, when I saw this on the side of a game, it made my heart so incredibly and unbelievably happy! I had to put this on here, so you all could enjoy the wonderful-ness that is S is for...things!

Seriously?!

My ward here in Florence, OR has a weekly quilting group where ladies come together on Tuesdays and they make quilts for humanitarian aid, newlyweds, new babies in the ward. It is a well known fact that many of the ladies that come to quilting are flowers that have more fully bloomed in the age of life. I am by far the youngest person there and I do enjoy the time I spend with them. We usually chit chat about different things, but this week it took an interesting turn. There is music playing on a CD player while we are working, and this week it instigated a converstation I never thought I would hear in all my life. The artist we were listening to had the first name of "Alonso", maybe "Alonzo" but that is not really the point. The way one of the ladies said it made me laugh so hard. She was rolling his name off her tongue like butter on a hot roll. These ladies then started talking about "Mr. Groban" and these other singers that they all loved. Some of the artists were of yesteryear but some of them were pretty contemporary and young! I ended up blushing so much because I never expected these things to come out of their mouths. I was entertained and enlightened, to say the least. I wonder what will happen next week...

The Most WONDERFUL Time of the Year!

I love Christmas. Not just the present parts (which is nice) but the change that happens to people. They are nicer, more giving, and trying to live up to the "good will toward men" thing. I love it so much. The day after Thanksgiving, Christmas music starts...all the time. I just love it all so much! I don't think I can say it enough and actually express the amount of love that I have for this time of year.

Can you feel the love?

While we were in Washington for Thanksgiving, I had a surge of love from my uncle and cousin, David. We got to talking about when I get married (eventually). They both offered their services of marksmanship when I decide to get marriage serious with a young man. My uncle specifically offered to send a target that shows three bullet holes that can be covered with a dime. That's how good he is. My cousin also offered to show his guns and skills to my intended. How can a girl not feel loved as her family offers to defend her and protect her happiness in regards to the man she will eventually marry? I sure felt the love!

Oh, Happy Day!

As Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow, I wanted to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for a few things. First of all, I am grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am able to build my testimony, to grow closer to my Heavenly Father, my Savior Jesus Christ, and to try to become more like them. I am grateful to be preparing to serve a full time mission in Bulgaria, to share the gospel with the wonderful people there. I am also grateful for my family. We obviously have our ups and downs, but at the end of the day, there is a lot of love and we do have fun. I am so grateful for my friends and the wonderful influence they have in my life, the support they give me, and the fun we have. I am grateful to know that I am a daughter of God and the peace and direction that gives me in my life as I strive to become better than I was the day before. I love you all so much! Thank you for all you do!

I KNOW You Wanted to Know...

5 things I was doing 10 years ago

1. Freshman year of high school, but for me it was the last year at Lee Jr. High
2. First year of EARLY morning seminary
3. Anxiously waiting to turn 15
4. Loving Student Government class!
5. Moved across town

5 things on my to-do list
1. Wash my bedsheets
2. Check something for my mom
3. Help the kids after school
4. Start thinking about Christmas stuff
5. Mission Prep

5 snacks I enjoy
1. Sourdough bread
2. Peanut Butter M&Ms
3. Chocolate covered pretzels
4. Triscuits
5. Fruit

5 things I would do if I was a millionaire
1. Visit all my friends before my mission
2. Pay completely for my mission
3. Feed people
4. Pay for my parents to go on a vacation
5. Donate to good causes

5 places I've lived
1. Provo, UT
2. Woodland, CA
3. Florence, OR
4. Orem, UT (I know this is a stretch, but hey, 6 weeks!)
5. That's it

5 jobs I've had
1. Bagger at Raley's
2. Bakery worker at Raley's
3. DT RA
4. DT Desk Attendant
5. Provo High Driver Education Instructor

4 things I'm passionate about
1. My Family
2. Self-Worth/identity/etc
3. Personal Relationships
4. The Gospel

4 things I say often
1. "That's not what your mom said"
2. "That makes my heart happy"
3. "Bulgaria, but I don't leave until February."
4. "Girl, PLEASE!"

4 things I want to do before I die
1. Travel the world
2. Have quality relationships with my family
3. Serve missions
4. Visit all 50 states

4 things I want/need
1. Open communication
2. A vacation to Utah...strange, I know
3. A car to drive while I am in Oregon
4. The new Betsy Brannon Green novel

4 places I want to see/visit
1. Hawaii
2. Ireland
3. Australia
4. Africa

How about 4 TV shows I've enjoyed in the past 3 years
1. So You Think You Can Dance
2. Anything on the Food Network
3. One Tree Hill
4. Bones

4 things you don't know about me
1. I used to be a yellow, now I am a blue
2. I love crossword puzzles
3. I love me some me-time
4. I still sleep with my stuffed dinosaur that I have had for as long as I can remember.

Burnt to a Crisp

Our family has Family Home Evening on Sunday nights. This week was my turn to provide the treat. I decided to make s'mores. The small issue is that our stove is an electric one; it makes it a little tricky to toast marshmallows over the coils. I know it's not impossible-my wonderful roommates have done it in the past. However, it takes a lot of patience, which I don't have when trying to get the treat for 5 people at once. My mom thought that maybe we could use the oven and use the broiler and that would be great.

I assembled the grahams and then put the mallow. We put the rack on the top, and waited so patiently for the oven to heat up. I put the mallows in with the intention of toasting them and then pressing the chocolate in after it was out, and then the other graham on top. Oh, the best laid plans.

About a minute later, there was a unique smell and a little smoke coming out of the oven. The smoke detector went off. I quickly took care of that and went to the oven. When I opened the oven, flames flew up at my face, so I quickly closed the door.

"Um...dad? There are flames in the oven..."

The kids quick response was to jump up and see for themselves while I backed away to avoid the flames. My dad opened it back up, took the tray out and blew out the mallows like a birthday cake. They looked so special. I tried it again, making a few changes and had much better results. Derek ended up eating one of the original s'mores, and he liked it. a lot. Don't ask.

Here are a few pictures of the "s'mores":

My Dog Loves Me!

I had the experience of spending a bit of time with my family's dog today. She is a friendly dog, and I got a lot of that friendliness today. She decided to sit on my lap and have a little cuddle. The thing is, Missy is a boxer...not a small dog, but she still hung out on my lap and gave me some special kisses. Oh my, I have never experienced such a thing in all my life! She is a loving dog and showed me that love today. She also left a little part of herself in the form of dog hair ALL over me! I sure do love my dog.

She also likes to sit like a person when she is on her couch. She looks like a person sitting there, waiting for something to happen!

Oregon!

I am now in Oregon. It was an uneventful ride up to Oregon from Woodland. For most people, this is an expected thing, but if you know me and my traveling history, this is actually a cause for celebration. Go ahead, break out the streamers and party hats! It is interesting living at home again, as I have not been here for more than a week or so in over 5 years. I have 2 kids that both love to talk to me, and sometimes, more often than not, they try to do it at the same time. We are learning about taking turns! I love being with my mom and dad, that is for sure!

The ward is plenty nice and definitely friendly. They are all so excited for me and I just hope that I can remember people and get to know them.

The temple was wonderful! I met some lovely people there, and I can't wait to go back so I can pay more attention to what is going on instead of being a little nervous about all that would potentially happen...you know what I mean!

ANOTHER transition...

So my time in California is rapidly coming to an end! I can't believe that it has already been 3 weeks! My parents are coming in to town tomorrow, I get to go to the temple on Thursday morning and then we head on up to Oregon! I am excited and nervous (in a good way) about the changes that are this week!

I have loved being here and seeing people from my past! I have seen my family, those who I have loved like family, friends from high school, people from church, and random people I know! I got to see "The Drowsy Chaperone" with GILBERT BLYTHE...I mean Jonathan Crombie, try sushi, go to In-N-Out twice with Linda, read some good books, relax, and hang with my family!

I realize how blessed I am to be able to connect with those that have touched my life and helped me along my path, sometimes without me really realizing the influence they have had on me. I am grateful to be able to thank them for the impact they have made on my life and use their continuing example in my future!

It will be interesting to transition once again to living with my parents and with Derek and Emalee. I haven't ever really been with them for an extended period of time and this will be an adventure, to say the least!

Roots

I am back in Woodland, CA for 3 weeks! It is kind of strange to go back to the place you grew up when your parents no longer live there. Yes, 2 of my siblings still live here, and another was here until a little over a year ago, but it is still strange to be somewhat out of the loop of things. Another crazy part is the kids growing up! I see kids in my ward at church who were itty bitty when I left who are now real people! (oh you know what I mean) I am still not adjusted to the fact that I am not going back to Utah until I go to the MTC in February. I miss it~strange, I know! I think it is more the people I miss...you know who you are! Anyway, it is good to come 'home' before I leave for such a long time!

Called to Serve!

I received my mission call! I will be serving for 18 months in the Bulgaria, Sofia Mission. Bulgaria is surrounded by Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, and the Black Sea. I will speak Bulgarian. I enter the MTC in February 2009.

Oregon...FINALLY!!!!

So, quick is not the reality in this case, but I did move, do my mission papers, get my mission call, and have a life somewhere in here, but here we go! I took notes of the things we did each day while there so I have a better record to make this fun and succinct. This trip was at the beginning of August.

Saturday: We drove to Oregon. (By we I mean Bryan, Danielle, and myself.) It was pretty uneventful minus the 15 minute traffic standstill near Boise. One highlight was the replaying of "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay over and over...I LOVE that song, and actually learned the words by listening to it a bazilliondy times!

Sunday: It was an adventure finding the church, and we were a bit late (A LOT!!!) but we enjoyed it. We visited that night and got our family reunion shirts. Thanks Grandma and Auntie!

Monday: We had a trip to the tide pools, where there was a minus tide, meaning that the water was even further out than normal so we got to see even more specimen. One little somewhat tricky part about this trip was that I did not bring tennis shoes. I brought a pair of docs, but they were not about to get all tide pooly. Dani and I had fun with our flip flops! We also visited and toured the Yaquina Lighthouse. I hate heights, so as we went up, I just looked straight ahead and didn't look down AT ALL! It was a beautiful building! We also went to the interpretive center where we learned about wild life, and saw a little statue of my beloved puffins! We played games that night and Lora and I watched a movie too!

Tuesday:I spent most of the day reading "Breaking Dawn", which was a good conclusion to the saga o' Bella and Edward and Jacob. We had a family FHE where we shared family memories and had a family birthday party.

Wednesday: Mom and I took a drive to Lincoln City where we did a little shopping for a kite and she ended up getting me a loaf of sourdough of my own! I do miss good sourdough while I am away from the west coast. I had a nice long visit with my Aunt Kitty, which always brings joy to my heart! We took our family pictures, which is always interesting! Bryan, Dani, Lora, and I watched a movie that was kinda dumb that night!

Thursday: Bryan, Dani, Derek, Lora, and I went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. We saw so much, including my PUFFINS!!! Have you ever seen a puffin try to fly/land? It is so awkward it makes them endearing! We also went to the sharks and Derek actually looked at them! Dani LOVED!!! this part of the day. We went to Flashbacks, a 50's style restaurant with pretty good food. The water was GROSS!!! We shared a ice cream sundae at the end...yum!

Friday: Grandma, Wally, Aunt Kitty, Uncle Andy, Aunt Karla, Lora, and I all went to Izzy's for lunch. It was fun to spend time with them in a smaller group! Aunt Karla, Lora, and I went browsing in a leather shop in Depoe Bay! Everything was cheap, but good. We also had a nice visit with Celeste, Dennis, and little Michelle. Uncle Andy was there for part of the visit too! That night was the opening ceremonies to the olympics where I saw Jill Camerena on TV!!!!

Saturday: We drove...a lot! There was this rain that was the misty kind of rain, so when you got out of the car you got wet by mist. There was a gorgeous waterfall, and there were bathrooms there that were GROSS!! Just thought you should know! We went to a Taco Time in Baker City, OR and it reminded us of Delta, UT or Spanish Fork, UT...if you know what I am talking about, you are just that cool. We were cruising right along, as we were getting ready to cross the Idaho/Utah border we got a flat tire. We put the spare on, but it was flat. We called around and someone could come help us, but we were 4th on the list. Then the storm came. We found out later that it was one of the worst storms they had had in quite some time, and we were sitting in the middle of it, waiting to be rescued. We watched "The Italian Job", and balanced between having fresh air with windows down and rolling up the windows to prevent too much rain from coming in. Our hero man came and helped us and we got our tire in Tremonten. It was a long day! I seriously cannot travel without SOMETHING happening!

That is a quick little ditty about my trip...as late as it was :)

Soon...for real!

I am going to get my oregon trip up soon!

A quick jaunt to Vegas!

We decided to go visit our dear friend Cari Dahl in the lovely Vegas desert.
Our trip down there was a bit eventful, in that it is HOT!!! We started running the air conditioner but that quickly ended as we were afraid of over heating the car. Jennifer and Heather became quickly synchronized in their window rolling up and down skills. We did almost die when there was a traffic jam and we had the windows down, the heater on, and then there was stripping down to the bear minimum. Luckily the traffic cleared up and we were on our way again. It got so hot that when we would bump into each other, we would stick to each other and then slowly rip the skin apart.
We really appreciate the greenness of the Dahl's lawn! It was the first thing we noticed as we pulled up to her house. We were all so excited to see her, but all feeling a little ripe at the time. We had a wonderful time that night, eating some delicious food and hanging out with Cari's family. The next morning, after a French toast FEAST, we headed out to the Old Mormon Fort to have some sort of education on our trip. It was interesting enough and it is funny that Vegas was settled by the Mormons. We...the we I am talking about is: Cari, Heather, Jennae, Jennifer, Jessica, Kristen, Nick, and Phillip; we headed for the strip for our next adventures. The Las Vegans showed us the strip, and then we got to wander. We went to a plethora of places, including the Venetian, where we saw the human performance statue man, wax Blue Man Group people, and the gondolas. We also went to Caesar's Palace, the Bellagio (and saw areas from Ocean's Eleven), just to name a few. The architecture is absolutely amazing! I loved just strolling around and looking at the sites. We also made money by watching and evaluating a tv show and a movie trailer. We came back later that night and watched the fountains at the bellagio...4 times actually...2 times in the car on the way in and then 2 times when we had actually parked. We also had fun with the cops on the way to the stratosphere...don't ask. We went to the stratosphere and most of our group decided to go on the ride, but a few of us opted out. I hate heights and it took a bit for me to actually go on to the deck. It was fun but a late night.
We made it to sacrament meeting, and then headed out for the road. We checked our water levels and put a LOT of water to keep the car as cool as possible. We had fun on the way back, including driving through a few rain/lightening storms, having guys show us their phone number with face cards, and cheering when we were close to home.
All in all it was a fun trip and it was great to spend time with the PCN clan and the Dahl clan in Vegas!

What a Trip!

So, I thought about doing a day by day thing, but then I realized that it would take A LOT of BRAIN POWER (rockband, anyone?) to do that, so I decided instead to give highlights and excitement that happened....HERE WE GO! (It will probably still go somewhat in order of events...)

*We left Monday morning and getting out and about was no problem. One of the great things about our car was that it had an XM radio, and we listened mostly to all broadway, all the time. I felt a little sad for Derek because he REALLY wanted to hear "People" from Funny Girl and he never did. It broke my heart a little.

*We had this GPS system that helped for the most part, but didn't help at others, but it added to the adventure of it all!

*Mom had said we were camping, and boy did we! The first night we were in Ogallala (I think that is right) Nebraska. We got in kind of late because the spots were a little hard to find, and we ROUGHED it that night. We got there and quickly set up our tents. On the first night, the "we" in the tent setting up was everyone but me because I was a little inept at this point AND I was getting attacked by mosquitoes. Also, they were not kidding when they used the term "primative"...the toilet was a stinky outhouse that freaked Emalee out and I had to check it before she would even think about going in. No sinks, no lights, nothing! I think it was character building! I got to sleep alright, but Emalee was freaking out at every noise, which was funny. We got up the next morning at 5:20 AM...yes, that early! I was feeling very ripe and gross, so mom, the wonderful person that she is, found us a place to shower...I do love me a shower!

*Our next day of travel got us more through Nebraska. We also got the chance to go to Winter Quarters. We had the opportunity to see the Visitor's Center, the Temple, and the Cemetary. We found it thanks to Jenny, and her mad googling skills! I loved being able to stop off at different church history places. We made it into Newton Iowa. This was my favorite place to camp because we got there earlier to set our stuff up, the kiddles got to go swimming, we had a dinner feast and it was the first night we saw FIREFLIES!!!! ALSO, there were SHOWERS!!!!!!

*I love fireflies so much it is a little ridiculous. They just seem to make things magical and lively. They go on their way, leaving a little light trying to find that someone. I don't know...I just love love love them!

*The next day was the one of an unexpected but AWESOME adventure! The plan was to go to the Chicago Zoo. We made it into Chicago with no problem....but finding the zoo is a completely different story, and this is where the awesomeness comes in. We got to drive around Downtown Chicago. It is an absolutely breathtaking city. The architecture, the size of the buildings, the people, the scenery is all amazing. It was funny because I would see different buildings and remind everyone in the car that this building was from such and such movie, or from that TV show. It was neat to see them all in person. We saw one of the Great Lakes, a few times as we tried to find the zoo. We eventually stopped for directions twice and found the zoo. HOWEVER, we couldn't find any parking that was less than an arm and a leg for any length of time and it was already the afternoon and wouldn't have been worth it. Derek was a bit emotional by this time because he loves zoos and he was hungry, so we left. We were going to go to a bookstore, but there wasn't any parking there either. Parking in Downtown does NOT exist!

*The girls in the car all loved the day and joked about it, but Derek was not in the best mood about the whole thing. As we drove out of the city we tried to make light of it, but Derek was not having it. I still have to smile about the whole thing.

*We saw a McDonald's oasis~seriously, it was in the middle of the road right after the toll booth. We were planning on stopping but we didn't think oasis meant in the middle of the road, so we drove right past it. We ended up at a Long John Silver's and it was good grub, but while we were there we heard the employees talking about the coming storm. We got a little nervous, as we were camping that night, but we figured we would be fine, a little rain never hurt anyone. (I wonder if that is what the people in Noah's time thought when it started to rain.)

*As we arrived at our campsite for the night, things were looking good. There were showers, another pool, laundry, and fireflies! The check-in lady warned that if it was storming, we would have to go to either the laundry room or the bathrooms. HA! We got the tents set up. (I became quite the tent putting up guru by the end of the trip.) I took the kids swimming again, but this time there were other people there and I ended up getting pelted with water toys a couple of times. We went to bed and life was good.

*HERE IS THE ADVENTURE!!!! We had the bug screens as the doors for our tents when the rain started. We quickly zipped up the more protective 'door' and took inventory of the wetness of the tent. There was a little from the rain, but it didn't seem too bad. A few minutes later we heard mom and Derek getting out from the tent and booking it for the car. I thought Emalee and I were okay, and I was checking every few minutes and things seemed to be fine. However, we wound up swimming in our tent so we jumped out of the tent, zipped it up and knocked on the car door. Emalee and I piled in to the back seat with mom, while Derek was in the front seat (the driver seat had stuff piled on it). After trying to get situated, my mom suggested that because I would be driving for a while the next day that Derek and I switch. I was perfectly fine with this idea, but Derek was a understandably little hesitant, but he was a trooper and made his way to the back of the car. My mom was in the middle with a kid on either side of her AND THEN the car got steamy! We would open the door a crack to let air circulate while trying to prevent the rain from coming in. Eventually, we all fell asleep and the rain ceased. The next morning we were a little grumpy but we made the best of the situation, tried to dry everything as much as possible, and get on the road again.

*I got to drive for quite a bit this day. By the end of the trip we noticed that it seemed to rain when I was driving.

*We went to Kirtland, Ohio. I had never been before and it was wonderful to be able to actually SEE where the Saints lived, to walk where they walked, to imagine myself as a part of their world. We also drove to see the Kirtland Temple. Although we didn't go in, it was nice to see the first temple of this dispensation. It is interesting because while it was a beautiful building, there was a lack of the spirit of temples there. I am so grateful to have the priesthood and the work of temples restored to us and to be able to go to the House of the Lord to feel His presence.

*Our next stop was a blast! We went to visit my mom's long lost brother (technically half brother, but who cares?) in Cleveland, Ohio. I had only met my Uncle Leon and his wife Laura one other time before this trip, so I was a bit unsure of what to expect because the last time it was a BIG group, it was a few years ago, and things have happened that change people. I was greatly reassured about the visit the second I got out of the car. Uncle Leon gave me this big hug and welcomed us with open arms into his home. He and Laura were the best hosts, they bent over backwards and are so loving. We had a home cooked meal and were able to relax. I was grateful to get to know him better, to see him, to be with him. (it was another bonus because we got to use a computer) He let us TRY to play his guitars, and use the computer, watch TV, and Laura was just as accommodating. The next day was Independence Day. We got to go to the Cleveland Zoo. Derek was quite excited that we finally got to go to a zoo. It had been years since Leon and Laura had gone too, and they were *really excited to go! It was really cool because the zoo put up signs for any animal that was a patriotic color of any sort. They have many beautiful animals that we got to see, which was neat, but it makes me sad for them at the same time. We also had a BBQ that night.

*We also had the opportunity to visit my mom's Aunt Olive while in Cleveland. She was unable to go to the reunion, but mom wanted to see her, so we stopped by. Her home is amazing! They have little birds, beautiful fish, and ducks. There is also a little downtowny feeling place with a salon,a cafe, a chapel, etc.

*The next day was the actual reunion. We got off to a bit of a late start, so we arrived late in Michigan, but it was so nice to be with family. It can be a bit awkward talking to family you haven't really spoken to or seen much, but it got better and I was able to talk to family and get to know them better. One good thing was that mom had been put in charge of activities, so she had us shift around the room, in different groups, depending on things like the decade we were born, the time zone we were born in, the one we currently live in, and things like that. We did some other activities and talked. I am in full support of not doing too much but getting to talk to others.

*We headed out to the Pierson's farm in Hastings for a bonfire and weenie roast. We were given the musical stylings of Derek on his clarinet, my aunt and her husband's vocal stylings and my mom's cousin Mark played his guitar for us while we were all singing. It is interesting to hear the songs that other church's sing-the tunes as well as the words that are sung. It was great fun, although my marshmallow toasting skills are not really up to par. I had a great time and wasn't eaten too badly by the mosquitoes.

*I am totally loving my mom's cousin Mark. He is funny and sassy, and lets me sass him right back. We have this connection that bridges the eons of time between our ages!

*We got to spend the night at Aunt Orpha's house. (she is my mom's aunt) We went to their church the next morning. They go to a Free Methodist Church. They had a piano (played my mom's cousin, June), an organ, a flute, a bass guitar, a guitar and 4 song leaders. It is a different atmosphere than our church. On our way to the cemetery to see Uncle Arlo's grave (he passed almost a year ago and is Aunt Orpha's husband), Uncle Harry asked me about the difference in our services. It was nice to have a few minutes of a missionary practice to share about our church. Our talk was very short, but it was nice to know that Uncle Harry is interested in our church to some extent.

*We had lunch at Larry and Janet Nicholson's house and it was GOOD! We had ham and potatoes and good pasta salad. I tell you these Michiganians (?) sure know how to cook up some delicious grub! We then made our way to Aunt Ella Mae's for strawberry shortcake.

*Aunt Ella Mae's house is one of my favorite places on earth. No doubt in my mind that it is in my top 5 places I would choose to be, even for just 1 day. We were there with a bunch of family, kind of the last hurrah of the reunion weekend. I liked having a bunch of different activities because we got to talk to a different group of people at each place. We looked at family pictures and heard stories about my grandpa who passed away when my mom was 18. I could stay at Aunt Ella Mae's house forever. I love sitting on her porch and just listening to the world. There is often a light breeze blowing, making the wind chimes dance together in a symphony. There are birds talking to each other and the colors are so vibrant. The trees are green, the sky is so bright blue, and the sunsets are an amazing watercolor of orange, yellow and red. We had the chance to stay the night at her house and leave early the next morning for our trip home. Before we went to bed I had the chance to sit and talk with Aunt Ella Mae and just talk to her. I have only been to her house 3 times, but I have loved it so much each time and feel fortunate to have the memories I do of the farm.

*I feel so lucky to have the wonderful people I have in my family. My great aunts and uncles are all wonderfully loving and welcoming people and they have wonderful families.

*The second part of our trip was a wonderful Church History Tour. I had been to many of these places when I was 6 or 7, but it is so nice to have gone again when I can really remember and appreciate. We first went to Carthage Jail, where the Prophet Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith were martyred. It was amazing to go there and to see where Joseph and Hyrum sealed their testimonies with their blood. The door still has the bullet hole that killed Hyrum and the well that was next to where Joseph fell. I feel that this church history tour was so good for me before I go on my mission. I am reminded of the sacrifices that were made that I can go on a mission, that I can share the truth with others; that I am who I am because of those who came before. We also went to Nauvoo. We arrived in the late afternoon, so we went to the Visitor's Center and then headed for the "Night on the Mississippi" performance. It was PHENOMENAL!!! The couple missionaries as well as the performing missionaries made it a night to remember!

*The next morning mom went to the temple while I took Derek and Emalee to Nauvoo. Our first stop was the horse-drawn wagon ride around the historical parts of Nauvoo. It was not the down town part, but more country and the stories of the people that helped build the town. We saw a well close to where King Follett died and we got to see Inspiration Point. It was a wonderful ride and I love hearing the history of the town. We then went to the print shop, the school, the bakery, the Family Living Center, the brickyard, the blacksmith, and the Cultural Hall. We danced a bit where Joseph and Emma danced! We went to the family accommodation center for the temple and watched an interesting video. We were only able to go for a day, but I am dying to go back and spend at least a week there to get to go EVERYWHERE!

*We headed for Liberty, where we visited the jail and then to Independence. The Independence Visitor's Center is the only Temple Visitor's Center that is running before a temple is there. Both places are incredible and I feel so much more for the early pioneers and the many sacrifices they made. I think that one of the words that can always be used for our church and choosing the right is SACRIFICE. We have the choice and ability to make our lives go in the direction we think is best, but it comes with some sacrifice. Sacrifice helps Heavenly Father mold us into the people that become more than we are.

*The rest of our trip was uneventful. We drove back to Utah to drop me off, but not before we had the chance to sleep in a rest stop in Colorado.

*It was a great trip and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to travel with my family and to visit so many places and to get to know my family that much better!

Soon...I promise!

I will give a synopsis of my trip soon...I promise! I am trying to get back into the groove of things, and then I will be all about telling you all about my recent adventures.

Animal Kingdom: Provo

On my way to work every morning I have to make my way through the gaunlet that is the sidewalk after the sprinklers in Provo. I have to work around the hoards of ants that seem to build their hill in the same place even though they always get 'rained' out. The sprinklers are on the same areas at least twice a week. The next part of my journey is to weave and step lightly through the trail and pockets of worms that also come up after another area gets watered. I don't want to step on them because it is mean, and let's face it, really gross! Watch yourself as you walk down the streets in the morning hours in Provo, UT.

Rigoletto!!!

So I went to a fireside on Sunday night to enjoy the musical stylings of "1856 the Musical", and let me tell you, it was amazing! First of all the music was really good, but the most amazing part was the fact that RIGOLETTO was there! They announced that this man was portraying Brigham Young, he got up and THERE he was!!! I was pretty sure it was him, and then he began to sing and I knew for sure! He has the most amazing voice and it was rich and beautiful and rang true! The rest of the performance was great, but he made the night for me and made my heart oh so happy!

Sad, but True

I realized I haven't written much lately on this here blog, and I came to a sad, but true realization...there isn't much to say as far as new and exciting in my life. In honor of that sad fact, I will give you an unexciting recap/update of my life.

*I am currently teaching Driver Education at Provo High School during the month of June. I teach 2 periods a day, each one an hour and a half. I start at 8am and I am done at 11:30. I have a half hour space between each class, but I usually have student from my first class staying for a bit or students in my second class coming in early. I am enjoying this teaching experience much more than my class in May. I think I had to have it rough in order to truly enjoy the greatness and ease that seems to be with this month of teaching. I love teaching and am glad that I have found something I will enjoy for a long time. I also will probably do some behind the wheel...not my favorite, but I can handle it!

*DeAnna and Jenny McGraw were here for almost a week, and it was FABULOUS!!! I love being with them and having crazy adventures. Another fun part of them being here is getting to see their family. I love being with them, including their cousins. I feel included and loved in their family and they are just so much crazy fun!

*I am planning on traveling a bit this summer. At the end of June/beginning of July my mom, Derek, Emalee, and I are going on a road trip! We are driving to Michigan for a family reunion! We are also going to hit up Kirtland and Nauvoo. We are going to visit Uncle Leon before the reunion and party it up across the country. At the end of July, for a quick trip the roommates and I are going to trek down to Las Vegas to visit the one and only Cari Dahl and the PCN Crew. I am so excited because the extent of my Vegas experience has been the airport...not my favorite with the slot machines constantly going ding-ding-ding. ALSO, we have a Kennedy family reunion in August in Oregon. I am so excited for that because I will be seeing family I haven't seen in quite some time.

*Two of my roommates are engaged, which is always a fun adventure! I love both of their fiances, making the experience much more enjoyable than if I didn't like them. (I have been on both sides of that coin!)

There is some more excitement coming, but I am keeping it a secret for now, but don't you fret, I will let you know when the time is right!

Tag, I'm it!

I was tagged by Ashley!

Four places I go over and over:

Provo High School
Apartment 207
Church
Temple

Four people who e-mail me regularly:

My mom
My sister
Dodi
Facebook!

Four of my favorite places to eat:

My parent's house
Olive Garden
Cafe Rio
Los Hermanos

Four places I would rather be right now:

Florence, OR
Woodland, CA
Hawaii
On a cruise

Four people I talk to on a daily basis:

Jessica
Jennifer
Heather
Jennae
Karlie (I had to make a fifth to include all roommates)

Four TV shows I watch over and over:

Gilmore Girls
Crossing Jordan
Grey's Anatomy
Bones

Four people I’m tagging:
Jennifer
Heather
Catie Lutz
Cari Dahl

A Summer Goal Accomplished...FINALLY!!

My friends, the time has come that I accomplished a goal that has been a long time coming. I finally returned my BYU rented computer!!!! I have had it for years, and have been graduated since the end of December! My computer is gone from my life. It's pretty funny because I haven't been using for quite some time, and now there is room on our desk for something! I feel great about it, and a summer goal is done! Check mark for me!

Arachnaphobia...Group Chaos!

I have discovered that my roommates all seem to have arachnaphobia. Not only are they afraid of spiders, but when they are afraid it spreads to the other roommates that are in the area. They freak out together and then I try to come and save the day by attempting to get rid of the spider. They are frightened for a bit and I have to laugh to myself. We all think it has gotten worse for them as they have lived together. I guess the mob mentality works for fear with spiders as well in this here apartment!

Cinco de Mayo comes but Once a Year...sadly!

As you may know, my roommates and I love to celebrate the most random holidays (sometimes not in the most PC ways...remember Crutchy?) in fun ways. We had originally planned on going out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant for the day, but because of circumstances, we decided to be a little more low key and just have chips and salsa, and invite some friends over for the fun. The party planned quickly expanded and grew to include virgin strawberry daiquiris (made by yours truly) and a pinata named Pepito and saying "OLE" as much as possible. We had quite the group of friends over and we all took a whack at poor Pepito. We had a blast! I only wish Cinco de Mayo came more than once a year so we could have this much fun every time! Oh, what joy fills my heart when more random holidays come around. Armed Forces Day is just around the corner...

For your viewing pleasure, I have included some pictures of the festivities, including me whacking Pepito, Heather showing off our fake sombrero, and Pepito's new home in our apartment.

Highlights of my Oregon Adventure

Here are just a few of the highlights of my weekend trip!
*The woman at Rancherito's saying "Tank-oo".
*The good smelling flowers outside Denny's in Pendleton.
*The tomato basil soup at Denny's.
*It taking Derek 10 million years to figure out that Bryan, Danielle, and I were there waiting to pick him up from school.
*Hearing that I am not the sister he talks about.
*Seeing my family!!!!!!
*Watching "The Wedding Dress" because my mom loves it! (I liked it too!)
*Going to a writer's workshop in Eugene
*Having the poet laureate of Oregon think I was 14, yes 14!
*After finding out I was a college graduate, he laughed about it for at least a minute!
*Library pamphlets
*Surprising Grandma and Wally at Mo's.
*Going to dinner at Mo's and expanding my dining from a cannonball bowl.
*Having Emalee invite me to her YOUTH dance, and telling me there were going to be "lots of cute boys there". Yes, Emalee...cute BOYS! I am not desperate enough to prowl the youth dances quite yet.
*Doing Emalee's hair for her dance.
*Driving Lora's car!
*Our whole family trying to squeeze onto one bench at church, and having to sit basically on one side of my body for a large portion of the meeting.
*Seeing Derek pass the sacrament for the first time.
*Eating mom's homecooking!
*Eating a TON of GOOD sourdough bread.
*Leaving at 5am
*Wearing the traveling pants, and tying them just below my knees. (my roommates told me later that I pull of the grunge look very well...I think that is a good thing. I think I looked quite cute!)
*Driving in a car, sitting in unique positions, causing Bryan to ask if I was ACTUALLY comfortable sitting like that.
*Almost crying when Bryan told us how far we really were from the Utah border.
*Rest Stops!
*Seeing the Boise and Portland temples
*Hanging out and talking with Bryan and Danielle. I LOVED IT!!!! They rock!
*Getting out of Utah!
*Getting back earlier than expected

*If anyone can think of any others, let me know!!! It was a great weekend!

Time FLIES!!!

Oh, I can't believe it! Derek is 12 today!!! Time flies so fast! I still remember the first time I saw him; it was a Saturday, and I was on my way to John Robert Powers, and grandma and I stopped by the hospital on the way out of town. He was so tiny and I instantly fell in love with him. Over the past 12 years, he has become one of my best friends. I am so proud of him and all of his accomplishments and the wonderful young man he is becoming. I am so amazed by him, and I am sure that people get sick of me talking about him, but I don't care! I want the world to know how great he is, and how lucky I am to be his big sister! I love Derek!

I am in LOVE...with a food!

Is it a crime to be in love with a food? Because if it is, cuff me now! To celebrate the end of tax season for Heather, we went to The Cheesecake Factory. The food was good enough, and I loved eating avacado! (random, I know) The food that I am willing to go to jail for is non other than cheesecake. Now, this is not a typical cheesecake...this is a chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake. The beauty of this outing is that the 4 of us that went each got a different kind of cake, and we rotated to taste the different kinds. We wanted a variety, so mine was the 'fruit' one. We also had black tuxedo cheesecake, dulce de leche, and peanut butter fudge ripple. They will all wonderful, but I am seriously IN LOVE with my chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Take me away, I am IN LOVE and will shout it from the rooftops!

A little foolish to achieve a goal

My roommates and I like to come up with goals each semester. I have decided to get a head start on my next goals. I decided to finally learn how to roller blade, after owning them for many years. We needed something to do during the priesthood session, so we strapped on the roller blades and went to work. It is quite embarrassing, but I am sharing some of the pictures with you...it is definitely a goal in progress! This is me, getting ready to go!!! I really like this one! Oh, yeah!!! Check me out! Watch out world!

Sisters?

So, a girl came up to Jennifer and I after ward prayer, and started chatting with us. As we were talking, she asked if we were sisters! This was the first time this has happened with Jennifer! It was quite exciting! It goes to show that you do start to look like those you spend time with. Just thought you should know!

Festival of Colors!

On Saturday, 3 of my roommates and I went to the Hare Krishna Temple for the Festival of colors. It is a celebration where people throw colored...chalk, basically, to celebrate the holiday. They also have a bonfire where they symbolically burn this lady who used to burn children. It really is an interesting story, you should look it up! Anyway, when we went, we ran into some old friends, and it was great fun! We ended up not buying any of the powder, but that was NOT a problem. We stood in the middle of the crowd of hundreds, if not thousands of people and were BATHED in the dust.

The beginning was cool, but then we couldn't see anything other than each other, the air was filled with pink dust, yellow dust, green dust, etc. We couldn't really breathe either, and ended up choking a bit. We had to spit a lot, close our eyes to the dust, and try to breathe through it all. I wondered if that is what it would be like to suffocate. I wasn't such a fan of the not breathing, but the colors were a blast!


This is a group shot of the lovely colors.


Here is a chance to see more of the colors.


Here is the top of my head...dusty!

Afterwards, we took turns showering, and washed our clothes together. They said it didn't stain, but some of our clothing ended up PINK! My thermal that was white with blue flowers is now pink with blue flowers. The best thing I can say is that it is an even dye job. We ended up vacuuming Heather's car to get rid of the dust, and all in all had a BLAST!

The Sweetest Brother!

Bryan called me the other day and asked if I would like to go to dinner...just the two of us! Dani had dinner plans with an old friend, and so they thought it would be fun for the siblings to get together for dinner, so we went! Brick Oven is a lovely place! It was so great to be with him, to talk about things, to deepen our relationship. I really like loving my brother not only because we are siblings, but because we are friends. It makes life that much better!

A downside to this wonderful night? Our server kept calling me ma'am! Yes...MA'AM! Jibbely, jibbely!

Bryan rocks my socks!

Oh, what songs of my heart!

You know how there are some sounds or smells or other sense things that can transport you to another place and time so easily? This happens to me at times, and it makes my heart so happy. There is one that speaks to my soul so much, and I had to share it! There is an apartment in my complex, and my ward, that has wind chimes and those wooden looking chime like things hanging on their balcony. The first time I heard them, (and saw in the case of the wooden thing) I was immediately transported back to my Grandma Winans house on Carlisle Drive in California from ages ago. She had about a bazillion wind chimes outside her house, and when the wind picked up, it was a symphony of chimes, ranging in tones from deep and soulful to light and airy. I loved listening to those chimes, as well as spending time with my grandma, and those chimes make my heart so happy and take me back to those precious memories I have of my grandma. The music speaks to my heart!

I appreciate how our senses are intertwined with our memories and how we are connected to our pasts and presents through those intricate, specific memories, and how they shape who we are, how we see the world, and our attitudes towards life.

A few of my favorite people!

I am PSYCHED!!!! You want to know why??? I get to see some of my favorite people today!!! That's right! The Andersons are coming in to Provo to take Blake to the MTC tomorrow, and we are going to get together today! It makes my heart so happy. They are the family I have chosen (and thankfully they have chosen me back), in addition to the family I was born into. They are my big family when I go back to Woodland; if I am not with my sister, I am with the Andersons. It feeds my soul to be with them, and I will get to feast today! I am so grateful for them and soooooo happy to see them!

Oh, the joys of Spring!

The last few days have been those of absolutely GORGEOUS weather, and it makes my heart so happy! I can wear flip flops and my toes don't freeze. The warmth of the sun radiates over my body as I walk to and from work. There is a slight breeze that keeps it from getting too warm too soon, and blows the lightness of the air all over. I really love the spring weather and the renewal of life that comes through on the trees, plants, flowers, and the grass! I am grateful every day for the beauty of the earth and the simple joys in provides in my life. I know every day that Heavenly Father loves me, has provided an amazing world for me to enjoy and shows me that love in the little details of the world. Man, are we lucky!

Teacher Fair Roller Coaster

So, I am currently attempting to find a teaching position for the Fall. I am looking all over the United States, not too picky on where I ended up. My main requirement is that I move out of the area. If I end up here, I would be okay with that, but I really want to have a new adventure in my life. I had my heart set on going to Virginia, but I found out that to teach health, you have to be certified to also teach Physical Education, which I am not. So, Virginia is out, and the other states are all in. Some people gave me a look of pity when I told them my subject area...sad! I went around the fair and talked with several places, but not one that particulary stood out. I was freaking out about the whole thing, but I am now calmer and more trusting in the Lord for my future. I know it will work out, there is a specific place for me to be in the Fall, and I will find that place when the time is right. I need to put more of my trust in Him, not doubting that there is a bigger plan for me than I have even imagined! This is a time to figure out where I really want and need to be, and finding the best way to get me there. I will keep you posted on the happenings of my adventures in finding the next step of my life! Please keep me in your prayers, and if you hear of anything, please let me know!

Pi(e) Day

Today is 3/14, also known as Pi(e) Day. We had pumpkin, chocolate mint, apple, and cheesecake pie made by our roommates. We also had people bring peach, pink lemonade ice cream, banana cream, brought by others. We had a BUNCH of friends come over and enjoy the joys of pie. GOOD TIMES!!!

Ironic, don't you think???

I had a substituting job today (that is not the ironic part). They called me in to sub in a math class. Luckily, I thought at the time that because the teacher had called in sick, it would end up being easy, and there would be a prep period, and life would be grand. Oh no...of course not!

I went the class, and the tracker was there. He told me that he couldn't find the notes that were supposed to be used by the students, so they had basically been sitting for a while doing nothing. I took over and ENDED UP TEACHING. I found the notebook the teacher used, and verbally gave the instructions to the class. This was towards the end of the period that I actually got there, so we did a little bit, and then class was done and done.

The next period, I had it planned out and the kids were great and it went off without a hitch! Life was good, even if I was TEACHING MATH!!!! Who knew!?!?! The next period was chaos, to say the least. The class was a different one, so I had to do the new lesson outline (which had all the notes, pages, etc, thankfully) and try to get the students on task. Just as this was happening, the fire alarm went off and we had to evacuate the building. I had trouble finding all my students, but eventually we got to go back into the class and I tried again to get them focused and on track. It worked to an extent, but there were some students that were pains in my neck and I wanted them out! Luckily, lunch came, and I had 45 glorious minutes to myself.

My last class was a pain, for several reasons. The worksheets were messed up, and so I had to go question by question and the student complained about having to actually write the assignments and do it. My goodnes! Students have changed so much, even in the few years that have been since I was in school.

The most ironic part of the day was that I spent it on my feet, TEACHING MATH!!!!

I then spent an hour and a half doing driving range too. My legs and body are TIRED!!!

KILL the Wii!!!

Last night I went over to visit with Clark for a bit, and I walked on a scene that greatly disturbed me. No, there were no animal sacrifices or indoor fires burning...it was much more worrisome to me. I saw Kendel and Neil playing Super Smash Brothers extraordinaire part 17. Well, it is really the newest Smash Brothers game. This was not the most disturbing part, oh no. It is fine that they are playing, increasing their finger dexterity, working on teamwork, and building a kindred spirit with each other...this I am fine with. HOWEVER, when you play a game for 5 HOURS, I get a little worried and even more disturbed at the thought. ALSO, Kendel was only about 58% of the way through the game, meaning that they will be glued to the television for the next few days, beating the game, working the game, and finding all the little tricks and nuances of the game. I worry for the fate and state of the guys in apartment 207. Maybe there is a way to get rid of the wii...hmmm...

Stupidest Injury...EVER!

So, part of my lower back was hurting during church yesterday. I thought maybe I had slept on it wrong, or the time change had done something weird, I am just not sure. I made it through church, but the pain got worse and worse. After church, Jessica worked on my back for a bit, which relieved the pain for a while, but it came back. I still was not sure why I was hurting, and we went through what I had done that might hurt my back. We were hanging out with our friend Jacob, who is a massage therapist, and he also helped with the quest of figuring out the pain. We figured it out, and here comes the stupid part. I tweaked my back from....BOWLING! How embarrassing is that!??! Luckily, Jacob is kind enough to work on my back for a bit, and it is feeling much better. I hope that it will completely better soon! Thanks to all who helped, and didn't laugh too much when we figured out the issue!

Bowling Adventure

So, I went on a triple date, and we went bowling. I ended up being first, so I had the pressure to make it good, and to set the standard. Well, the first game I did pretty well. I ended up with a score of 120, beating everyone else. I got a few strikes and pretty well rocked that game. The second game, we had 1 frame of left handed bowling, and another of spinning it while you bowl. These two frames did nothing for my already dismal score. (Whenever I go bowling I rock at one and stink at the other.) I ended up getting the lowest score of the bunch, and even less than half of my other score, with a score of 58. It was a humbling experience, but it was so much fun! I forgot how much I liked bowling until I went again today! I heart bowling!

Stupid strange dreams!

Have you ever had a dream that causes you to wake up thinking "what?!?!?!?!". I sure have, and it seems to happen in clusters of strange dreams. I have a few friends that are currently running for college leadership positions, and while I have NO say in either decision (I am no longer a student, so I can't vote), I had STRANGE dreams about the election process for these individuals. I can't recount exact events of the dreams, I just know that it was not a typical voting process, and hula hoops were involved. Other strange kiddie toys and games were also a part of the dream, I am just not sure how they all fit together. I woke up feeling stressed for them, and with a clenched jaw. I also had a headache...but that had been around for a few days. Anyway, this is definitely not the first time this has happened, but it is the most recent, and I just had to type it out! Strange dreams are stupid! Well, the dreams themselves may be kooky fun, but the results are STUPID!!!! and that is all.

Movie Frustrations

Have I ever told you how much I HATE movies that bring things up and then never address them, or leave endings too open, not giving the viewer enough closure on the film. For example, in The Bourne Ultimatum, Julia Stiles' and Matt Damon's characters are talking while they were on the run, and she brought up the fact that with him it was always difficult for her. THEY NEVER GO BACK TO THIS PART OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP...I looked, and they said they made it ambiguous, but important ON PURPOSE!! It kills me when they do that. Also, I know that some endings are to be left open to interpretation, but sometimes you want some closure as a viewer. I am okay with most movies, but every once in a while, they end just too soon for enough closure. I can't think of any right at this moment, but I know it happens!! Oh well....

LEAP DAY!

Generally, today would be the last day of the month, however, as it is leap year, we have an extra day!!! In honor of that special day, my roommates and I will be playing leap frog, eating grasshopper cookies, and then watching "The Bourne Ultimatum". The movie is not so much for the day, but because we wanted to watch it. What will an extra day bring for us this year? Only time will tell.

My personal diploma ceremony!

I wanted to share my diploma opening 'ceremony' with all of you...enjoy!

Just so you know...

I finally figured out how to make and put a slide show on my blog, so the pictures from my 24th birthday are finally up!!!

Random Happenings as of Late

Alright my friends, just wanted to give you an update in the exciting life of one Kristen Kennedy. I am still doing Provo High Driver's Education, and loving it! Some days can be a little long (I only work the range for 2 hours at a time) because it gets a little boring watching teenagers drive around and around for that long. I have been subbing occasionally and even had time to do my taxes...go me!
Clark and I have been spending time together, as we do enjoy that aspect of dating and liking each other! We had a low key Valentine's Day where we took in an art exhibit that had some of his roommate's photography and went to dinner, where we ran into Natalie Nance. We also took Clark's younger brother, Brady, to see the Utah Blaze (AFL team...indoor football) in a scrimmage game and to meet the players. We had a blast, and apparently Brady thinks I am fun because he wants to adopt me as his sister, which is cool because he never wanted a sister before. I also got to hang out for a bit with Clark's parents, and they are so great! They were so gracious and genuinely interested in me, and I loved being in a home with parents and family and all that fun stuff.
Our ward threw a date night with dinner and dancing, and we had a blast! My roommate, Jennifer, and our dates were trendsetters, twice! We got a bunch of people to do the electric slide (on a non-country song), and to artistically move about the dance floor (walking with style) during another song. Clark taught me about cha-cha, and we even waltzed a bit too. Of course, we also made up some pretty sweet dance moves.
A side note...the church where we had this party had restroom doors with handles...ODD!!!
All in all, things are going well, and I am happy and hope that you all who are reading this are also doing well and are happy and at peace in your lives! I love you all!

Here is a little picture of Clark and I at the dance.

Pancake fun!

So, my roommate has a tradition of having an "Aunt Jemima pancake night" in February to celebrate Black History Month. We had pancakes, waffles (with a plethora of fixin's) random facts about different Black people that have made a difference in the world, and music too! Here is a picture of Clark and I at the party!

Facebook status change...

For those of you who are not aware as of yet...I have officially changed my facebook relationship status to "in a relationship"....yes ladies and gents, I am dating someone! His name is Clark; he is from my ward, and we are dating. We actually started getting to know each other at the beginning of this semester, and then a date progressed to more getting together, usually with our apartments, and then a second date, which included hand holding, and now we are together. He is from Utah, studying business, and he can play a plethora of instruments. I am excited to be dating a guy, but I am not exactly sure what is going on, what to do, etc....it has been so long, and I did it wrong the last time I tried to date a guy, so hopefully I am better at it this time! I love you all!!!!

Life Update!

I continue to substitute every so often, and I enjoy it a lot. I am also working for Provo High School with their Driver's Education program every day after school. I am really enjoying it, and my boss-lady is excited to have me! She keeps me informed on things at the school, like the possibility of a health teacher position opening in the fall! We shall see if it is for me!

I went on a second date tonight...don't have a heart attack! I know it has been a long time since a second date has come my way, but it was great and hopefully there will be more in the future!

I am SICK SICK SICK of the snow.

Substituting Fun!

So, I survived my first day of substituting. I spent it at Centennial Middle School in a sewing and family consumer sciences class. We watched videos...and I got sick of them a bit, but it was fun to be in a classroom again and to be with students, I can't wait to do it more! I also loved having something to do during the day!

Venting!

I am soooooo frustrated with some people in my life right now! There are some girls that we (Jessica, DeAnna, and I) were really good friends with this summer. We all did so much together, like dinner, movies, camping, we were all together every day. Things changed a bit when DeAnna left and Jess and I moved, but we had all be trying for a time to keep as close as we could with us no longer being in the same complex. It has been more difficult lately, and schedules didn't seem to match up. However, this weekend it all came to a screeching halt, followed by a crash and explosion of emotions and tempers.

We were supposed to celebreate Jess' birthday and she tried to find out when people were available, but they never responded, so she/we finally just planned something and yet again, they had already made plans and were not going to come. It seems like this is a pattern with these people, and I am sick of it. It got heated through texts and others (who had not been in the conversation) put their own 2 cents in and exponentially increased the drama in the situation (which is a normal occurance for this person). This friendship that had been so strong just a few short months ago is now going up in smoke.

One thing that really frustrates me is that it seemed like it was 2 against 1 on Jessica, and I wasn't able to help her cause. This may be a good thing, because I probably would have gone off. I still may if I am given the opportunity to do so. You do not say such things to anyone, much less someone you call your friend. Trying to express feelings that may be a little upsetting is one thing, but downright attacking someone is a whole new ballpark and unacceptable and just plain rude. AUGH! This is not going to be pretty!

BOREDOM!!! and other stuff too!

So, I signed up to do temp stuff, more specifically substituting with Provo school district, and my orientation meeting is on Friday. I have a few days of not much to do, and I am DYING OF BOREDOM! I don't know how much longer I could take of not having much to do! I am glad when I have at least something to do during the day.

On the other side, I have gotten the chance to know a couple of guys' apartments in my ward this week, and I LOVE the guys! They are so fun to be around, and I am glad that I have a new, refreshed attitude about my sociality!

I got to talk to DeAnna today, and it fed my soul! I love that girl!

New Year Fun!

I am BACK!!!! It is interesting to not have internet as readily available, and then have it again. A new year brings new-ness in my life. I look forward to the changes and the differences. I am ready for a new direction and the excitement that will come as well. I hope you all had a great new year!