something inconvenient

The Big 2-4

2012-01-26T23:50:00.001-07:00

So...

My 24th birthday came and went. No big deal, right? (Especially given the fact that I've been saying I'm 24 since last fall...and my birthday fell on a Sunday.)

To commemorate turning 24, I stole an idea from a blog I found on Pinterest. A woman performed 38 acts of service on her 38th birthday. Brilliant, right? After reading what she did, I quickly "pinned" the idea myself (and tried to think of alternative acts of service I could perform given that most of hers required mucho dinero). A couple of months later, my birthday came to pass and the time to perform the services was upon me.

1. Cleaned the stove for dad.
2. Took Misti on a walk.
3. Put a neighbor's garbage can away.
4. Did the laundry for mom.
5. Sent *** flowers.
6. Sent *** flowers.
7. Visited grandpa's grave.
8. Baked treats for the OC meeting.
9. Visited ***.
10. Visited ***.
11. Visited ***.
12. Wrote *** (a missionary) a letter.
13. Took *** cupcakes.
14. Baked treats for ***.
15. Talked to *** on the phone.
16. Sat with *** at church.
17. Visited grandma.
18. Prayed for ***.
19. Called ***.
20. Wrote a letter to a soldier.
21. Visited *** in the nursing home.
22. Visited *** while he was sick.
23. Wrote my testimony in a Book of Mormon to give away.
24. Wrote a "thank you" card to ***.
*** Names have been removed.

I don't think I could have spent my birthday any better way. Not only was I not focused on the fact that I was turning 24 (which, actually, has been really great to me already), but I was focused on helping others. And you know what, I re-discovered something:

Service = Love. Love = Joy. Service = Joy.

I am so grateful for the opportunities I had to serve those around me. I know that many of these acts seem menial, and there are a few repetitions, but I truly believe that the smallest things can make the biggest difference.

This is definitely a tradition I'd like to keep going for a long time coming.

Domestication: Part Two

2011-12-27T01:04:00.001-07:00

Remember my last 3-week break between semesters? Remember how productive I was and all the things I accomplished?

Yup, this 3-week break has been NOTHING like that.

The semester ended, I decided to take a week from school before starting to study for my Praxis exam in three weeks (smart move?...probably not), I re-learned how to stay up until 4 a.m. and sleep in until noon, Christmas came and went, and now I'm semi-celebrating Kwanzaa.

Below you will find a small(ish) list of the things I had hoped to accomplish during the break.

1. Babysit the niece. (done)

2. Craft each of my Christmas gifts to my family. (half-done)
--> I used this idea for my brother's and sister-in-law's gift. It was a hit!

3. Read plenty of good books. (not even close)

4. Catch up on my LDS readings. (done-ish)

5. Attend the temple. (soon to be done!)

--> Oquirrh Mountain temple in South Jordan, UT

6. Bake something delicious. (working on it)

7. Work out, run, do me some yoga or pilates, etc. (seems to have slipped my mind)

8. Study for the Praxis. (just started today...)

Looks like I've lost my domesticated ways.

Santa is My Best Friend

2011-12-16T14:26:00.001-07:00

Santa came early this year.

He brought the most incredible gift I could have ever been given.

And thanks to Santa, my sister/best friend/other half, Chelsea, and I will be going to see Coldplay in Portland, Oregon on April 24, 2012.

Can I get a "HUZZAH!"???

And luckily, the end of the world doesn't happen until after the concert.
*Side-note: Santa is spelled with the same letters as Satan. Morbid, right?

When All is Said and Done

2011-12-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's the truth.
I'm one semester away from graduating with my Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

I've taken my final final (pun half-intended).

The Praxis test and two internships are all that stand in my way.

As I look back on the past year and a half of my life, I can't help but be grateful. Grateful for the challenges I encountered, the friendships I made, the love I earned but lost, the clients I (think I) helped, the tests and papers I spent hours preparing, the nights I didn't sleep, the tears I shed, the times I just smiled and laughed.

I wonder who and where I would be if my life didn't take this course. I wonder if I'd be writing for The New York Times while living the single life in Manhattan. I wonder if I'd be married to a wonderful man and starting a family. I wonder if I'd be traveling the world until my money (and sense of adventure) ran out. I wonder if more items on my "bucket list" would be crossed off. I wonder if I'd even have some of the same items on that list at all. I wonder if I would have experienced even half of the trials I've experienced. I wonder if I would have grown in the gospel as much as I have. I wonder if I'd be as pleased with who I've become.

No matter what could have and "should have" happened, I'm grateful for how my life has played out, curve balls and all. I'm grateful to the Lord for shaping me into the person I am today. And I know that if I continue to seek to know His will for me, I will continue to be blessed and guided.

Pitch me the next curve ball!

Keep Your Pants On

2011-12-02T23:34:00.000-07:00

Background of title: I'm currently on the second disc of season 2 of Gilmore Girls. Luke just yelled that lovely catch-phrase (okay, so it's not exactly a catch-phrase but close enough) across his diner at Lorelai.

Ask me how much I love my life.

The answer is: "Too much to handle!"

Now it's time for my weekly list of complaints.
-It's December, and it hasn't snowed in ages.
-One of my kiddos bombed a test today. I still haven't learned to "leave my work at work". That's gonna take a while.
-I'm loving wearing leggings (I realize that's not a complaint, get ready for it). Go ahead, throw your immodesty arguments at me, I can take 'em. If you think they're immodest, that's your opinion (that's the best complaint you're gonna get out of me regarding this issue).
-I'm sick of eating take-out and leftovers. Wish I had time for real food!
-I need a job. I have no money. Literally, none. Feel free to look at my bank account, there's nothing to steal.

Aaaaaaaaaand now it's time for my weekly list of awesomeness.
-It's December, and it hasn't snowed. I love snow on the trees, grass, houses, even sidewalks, just not on the roads.
-I love my kiddo that bombed a test. S/he's great. I will miss him/her.
-I'm still drinking Diet Coke. Yum.
-Only one more week of school.
-Two more tests.
-I made a real funny joke today. About a man in my program not being able to read orange signs. Y'all missed out.
-It's Friday night. I took a four hour nap. And I'm totally okay with that.
-I love showers. Like, the showering kind. Complete with hot water, shampoo, conditioner, loufas, and body wash. Oh, and razors. I opposite-of-love other kinds of showers.
-Skim milk is still my first choice of milk choices. It just can't be beat.
-I'm down to wearing smaller sizes of pants and other clothing than I wore in high school. Holla!
-I still wear my retainer to bed. And I'm proud of it.

Okay, that's enough for this week. Feel free to leave comments of your own complaints/awesomeness...I welcome them whole-heartedly!

Falling for Fall

2011-11-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

That is probably the cheesiest blog title I've EVER written. It's staying.

I have a test tomorrow, a big one, but I've already loaded my brain as much as it can handle for the time being...enter Blogger!

This just may be the most random post ever created.

I just read a blog post of a friend of a friend (thank heavens for public blogs!). Geez, you'd think this girl's life had come to an end! There is not one positive post that I was able to find...NOT ONE!!! I understand that life isn't always full of fun and pleasantries, but seriously? This girl rambles on for ages saying "All I want is..." and proceeds to tell the entire world about her perfect man. Then the goes on to say that she's sick of trying and caring...blah blah blah. Um, you're 20 years old. You have PLENTY of time! She ends the post by saying she's packing her bags and moving to Michigan. Yes, running away from your "problems" and frustrations is going to fix them.

[Cue sarcasm and eye roll.]

What I want to say to this girl is: "(Name), I understand how you feel. I know that you just want to find someone who loves you as much as you love him. I know it feels like you've been trying for ages and nothing is coming together how you planned. I know that it hurts to see hopes and dreams go unrealized, to see people you love pass you by, to see good things you're striving for not come at all. But have you taken a second and a step back to realize that maybe this was the plan all along? Maybe not your plan, but Heavenly Father's? Have you thought that maybe, just maybe, all of this could be a growing experience instead of a stunting one?"

Off my soapbox.

Now to the purpose of this post--I haven't written one single thing/posted one single picture since August documenting my adventures! Geez, you'd think school had started or something (insert chuckle).

September 2011
*Jet-skiing with Wes

*Hiking Mt. Timpanogos with good friends

*Half marathon (Yes, there IS a post about this, but no pictures.)

*BYU football games

October 2011
*More BYU games

*Traveling to Florida (and Hogwarts!) during fall break to visit Cindy

And now it feels like winter. Good grief, Mother Nature.

Intentions

2011-10-22T10:45:00.000-06:00

"I may not have gone where I wanted to go..."

I have this really, really great client; he's in elementary school and loves to be silly. The other day, we were describing objects to each other and he described a Furby (one of those nasty owl/cat looking things) as a "girl's toy". He then asked if it was my daughter's toy. I replied that it wasn't and that I didn't have any children. He asked, "Why not?" I responded that I wasn't married and that I didn't want to have children until I was married. (Here's the best part!) This wonderful client of mine then asked how old I was, and I told him I was 23. He proceeded to slap his forehead with the palm of his hand and moan in exasperation. I laughed and we continued on with the session.

To be honest, I never thought I would be 24, single, still in school, and living at home. I thought I would at least have my own place by now and be working for a major newspaper writing the most-read column in the nation. Oh how my life has not gone where I wanted it to go.

But if my life HAD gone where I wanted, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be studying Speech-Language Pathology, I wouldn't have a job that I love, I wouldn't have traveled all over the world, I wouldn't have met hundreds of the amazing people I know and love, I wouldn't have grown as tremendously as I have by working at various LDS youth camps, I wouldn't have struggled and learned what I now know.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have come to realization that I am EXACTLY where I need to be. It's not necessarily where I want to be, but I'm right where I'm needed. And I'm 100% okay with that. Do I still want to get married someday? You bet. Do I still want to have children and a family? Definitely. But those blessings aren't meant to be mine; not yet, anyway.

So for now, I will be happy with the things I do have. I will serve to the best of my abilities in the capacities I'm placed. I will work and strive for the things I want, but also understand that those things will come when I'm ready.

"...but I HAVE ended up where I NEEDED to be."

8 weeks

2011-10-05T12:21:00.000-06:00

I can hardly contain myself! The timing couldn't be more perfect.

Yes, I realize this sounds like an announcement of pregnancy on my behalf.

Ha ha, gotcha!

There are only 8 weeks left of clinic this semester....8!!! I can't believe how quickly the last year of my life has passed by. I'm still in awe of all the things I've learned about treatment approaches, theories, medical and educational settings, different disorders, laws, devices, tests and procedures, etc in speech-language pathology. Seriously, my brain in PACKED!

And the best part of it all? Being able to help others. I know, from personal experience, how it feels to not be able to share your thoughts, feelings, or ideas. I know how scary that can be. So while one of my goals is to be able to help others communicate functionally, a bigger (and better) goal of mine is to help them gain the confidence to do so.

Next January, I will start my two externships in the pubic schools; I'll finish them May 4th. Then I'll walk in the graduation ceremonies, take the Praxis, and be on my way to a real job! Bring it on!

Running Mantra

2011-09-27T13:09:00.000-06:00

So...a few of you loyal, faithful, and dedicated readers have asked what's on my running playlist.

And I'm about to tell you.

I find that a variety of songs get me pumped, so there's not really a specific theme or genre I trend to. Just enjoy this mess of songs that (somehow) keep me moving.

Love Me-Justin Bieber
My Life Would Suck Without You-Kelly Clarkson
Since U Been Gone-Kelly Clarkson
Stolkhom Syndrome-Blink 182*
How Long-Hinder
Born to Lead-Hoobastank
Jigga What/Faint-Jay Z and Linkin Park
Lights and Sounds-Yellowcard
Crying-Sugarcult*
You Make My Dreams-Hall and Oates*
Fix You-Coldplay
Pain-Jimmy Eat World*
The Edge of Glory-Lady Gaga*
Liar-Taking Back Sunday*
I Don't Wanna Dance-Hey Monday
You Are Loved-Josh Groban
See You Again-Miley Cyrus*
Elevation-U2
Stronger-Glee Cast*
Dirty Little Secret-The All-American Rejects
Face Down-Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Born This Way-Glee Cast*
Hands Open-Snow Patrol*
Don't Trust Me-3OH!3*
Viva La Vida-Cold Play*
Low-Flo Rida
Come Out Swinging-The Offspring
Viva La Vida (Cover)-Weezer*
Show Me the Money-Petey Pablo
Space-Something Corporate
What the Hell-Avril Lavigne*
Single Ladies-Beyonce
Fergalicious-Fergie
Rope-Foo Fighters
Walk-Foo Fighters*
Iridescent-Linkin Park
These Days-Foo Fighters*
The Ballad of Mona Lisa-Panic! At The Disco
Stayin' Alive-Bee Gees*
I Gotta Feeling-Black Eyed Peas
Just Dance-Lady Gaga
Animal-Neon Trees

*These are my faves. The beat, tempo, and general awesomeness are just right for long runs. Enjoy!

Halfsies

2011-09-12T10:58:00.000-06:00

Just in case you haven't heard...

I RAN A HALF-MARATHON!

And that's the gospel truth.

I set a personal goal around May(ish) to run a half-marathon. Chelsea and I signed up for the Mt. Timpanogos half-marathon on July 30th, but due to circumstances out of my control (refer to "Infectious Summer" post for further details), I changed my registration to the Mt. Nebo half-marathon on September 10th. (And for those of you wondering, Chelsea did, in fact, run the Mt. Timp half-marathon on July 30th...in less than 2 hours!) Shortly after the Mt. Timp race, I convinced Chelsea to run (yet another) race with me, aka Mt. Nebo.

We started training, although I'm not sure if you could call what I did "training". Chelsea found this great nine-week schedule online, but due to my crazy-insane school schedule, it needed adjusting. I didn't follow the adjusted schedule either. My "training" consisted of running 3 or 4 miles here and there, usually walking more than running.

During the course of my "training", I decided I should get some running shoes of my own since I had just been running in Chelsea's old shoes...that were 1.5 sizes too big. I convinced my mom to buy the new shoes for me, seeing as I have no income at this point in my life. She made this deal with me: If I ran the race, she would buy the shoes. If I didn't run the race, I would have to pay her back.

Ouch.

Despite my lack of training, as well as a lack of truly broken-in shoes, I woke up the morning of September 10th at 5:15 a.m. and headed down to Payson for the race. I was terrified; so terrified, in fact, I forgot to eat or drink anything before the race. Not smart.

The horn blew to signal the beginning of the race, and we were off. Then my iPod fell out of my not-so-secure pocket. Oops. I fought my way through the crowd to retrieve it, hoping that it still worked. To my delight, it did! (Tender mercies!) I switched on my "Running Mantra" playlist and started down the mountain with Chelsea. We ran together the first three miles, then I sent her on her way to school those kids and old folk ahead of us.

I kept running, and running, and running. For ten miles! How I pulled that off, I'm still not sure, but I attribute it to the fact that it was downhill the first ten miles (it was easier to run than walk down the path). As I hit the 10-mile marker, the course flattened out. Crap. I hate running on flat surfaces...I don't get anywhere! Walking seemed like a great idea at this point, so I slowed down to a speed-walking pace.

Just after the 12-mile marker...Chelsea reappeared! Hallelujah! She brought along a banana and water, which I drank all of. She gave me the motivation necessary to finish the race strong; it was a miracle! As I crossed the finish line at 2:33:30, I collapsed on the grass. I realized how much my knees hurt, my back hurt, my feet hurt. And yes, my brand-new shoes had been spoiled by a large amount of blood from my feet. At least I looked legit!

Three days later, I still can't walk, sit, stand, eat, or sleep without hurting. But let me tell you, the pain is definitely worth the feeling of accomplishment! I still can't believe I finished that strong!

Next half-marathon, here I come!

In Remembrance

2011-09-11T16:28:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: I know everyone is posting about the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Please give me the courtesy of doing the same.

As I waited for the yellow school bus to pick me up for one of my first days in 8th grade, my neighbor shared with me the news of one of the World Trade Center towers being hit by a plane. We both wrote it off as an accident, "no big deal", and we boarded the bus.

By the time first period started the morning of September 11, 2001, all of the students sat in awe at the havoc taking place on the television screens. Before us we saw smoke billowing out of the two towers and Pentagon, as well as a field in Pennsylvania. We saw replay after replay of the two planes dive-bombing into the towers, and later we watched as terrified citizens jumped from the upper stories. Eventually, the first tower came crashing down, creating an avalanche of dust and debris. The second tower soon followed suit, creating the same chaos as the first.

At lunch that afternoon, the sky was emptied of airplanes. It was clear, quiet, and beautiful.

I remember the fear and uncertainty I felt that day. I still feel it, too. I remember thinking "What's going on?" "Who are these people?" "Why do they want to hurt and kill innocent people?" I still ask those same questions today. I remember the tears streaming down my face for many, many reasons.

But I also remember the unity as well as the outpouring of love and service due to those horrific attacks. I remember being in awe of the men and women who risked their lives to save others, many losing their own. I learned of true faith and selflessness. I remember being grateful that my father was not working in New York that week, being grateful that I had not personally been affected by the attacks. I remember laying in bed that night listening to Enrique Iglesias' "Hero" with clips of the attacks embedded into the music.

My life was changed. Not in a way I would have liked or planned, but in a way that I needed. And for this, I am grateful.

Domestication

2011-08-17T22:44:00.002-06:00

The three-week school hiatus is coming to an end! Hooray! Double woot!

I would like to call these past few days "Days of Domestication". I am becoming a true woman (according to culture and society)! List of feminine accomplishments to follow.

1. I finished my dress!

Okay, so all I did was sew on the buttons, but this dress was a steal! Thanks to my sister-in-law, Hollie, who picked this Shabby Apple dress up for a mere $5 (size Small, might I add), all that was needed was buttons and someone willing to do the handywork. Enter me. I picked 1" navy buttons to keep it simple and allow for a variety of accessories to be used. Below would be a picture of the dress from Shabby Apple, complete with buttons, but they no longer make the dress.

Now if I could get my sewing machine serviced, I could really start sewing.

2. I made pretzel bites!

No pictures were taken, which is sad, but the process is quite complicated! Total time from start to finish was
approximately 2.5 hours.

Yes, I have that much free time on my hands.

3. I made chocolate souffle!

Okay, so I've only made the batter, but it needs to refrigerate overnight so tomorrow my divine chocolate souffles will be complete. And eaten. Yum. Pictures below.

Yup, I already had a bite before I captured it. May I say 'delish'?

4. I watched my niece, Cadence!

Yes, I do this all the time. And I usually take pictures, but I didn't today. She's adorable. Life is good when she's around. Enjoy the picture, courtesy of Hollie's fb page.

5. I read three books this week!

And yes, it's only Wednesday. They were short, simple, and sweet. I had to have time to sew, bake, cook, and babysit!

I feel very, very accomplished.

Avoidance Techniques

2011-08-10T16:36:00.001-06:00

As is typical with most children, my awesome-little-kidlet-clients are Masters of Avoidance. Kids think of the craziest ways to get out of doing something difficult, "not fun", boring, or challenging.

I have learned many techiques from them.

Things I Am Avoiding:
-Working on my resume
-Training for a half-marathon (which is in four weeks!!!)
-Finding a job
and...
-Showering

Things I Am NOT Avoiding:
-Caffeine-free Diet Coke
-Goldfish
-Harry Potter
-Cadence (the niece)
-Swimsuits

Summertime...the Livin's Easy

2011-08-08T11:43:00.001-06:00

Having a three-week hiatus from school (and life in general, because school = life) sounds like a great idea right? Totally, 100%, completely wrong! I cannot remember a time that I have been more bored. Here is a short (and very basic) list of what I have done in the past 7 days.

-Read the first three Harry Potter books
-Run nearly every day
-Seven Peaks
-Roooodeoooooooo!
-Attended the temple
-Helped my mom at Oakcrest
-Pinned for hours
-Organized my clinic supplies
-Emailed potential externship sites (eek!)
-Slept in until at least 9 a.m. nearly every day
-Thoroughly enjoyed Shark Week

Now, some of my loyal readers may be thinking "That sure seems like a lot of things to keep her busy! What does she mean she's bored?!"

Clarification: my MIND is bored. None of those activities (aside from attending the temple and emailing externships...and HP to an extent) really engage the mind. I've been in graduate school for a year now (can you believe that?!), thus my mind is so very used to being engaged, busy, and constantly on the run. I've found I have too much time to (over)think, (over)analyze, and (over)worry about the little, miniscule, inconsequential things that are happening in my life.

In order to combat the mind-wandering, worry-inducing boredom I seem to be plagued with, I've been studying the gospel much more than I was able to during the school year. Talk about engaging the mind! I've learned many things about true happiness, finding joy in the journey, new beginnings, life changes, and so many more (relevant and important) topics. Perhaps I will dedicate a few posts to these newly-learned (or re-learned) ideas and principles in the future, but I do not feel that now is the proper time as these experiences have been very personal, and quite surprising as well.

Well, loyal (16) readers, here's to the lazy two weeks ahead. Ideas of (free and/or cheap) activities are more than welcome, as are random texts or phone calls to just catch up. Cheers!

Under Pressure

2011-06-28T10:33:00.000-06:00

Yup, the stress of summer semester just hit. Nine major assignments due in the next three weeks. Count 'em....NINE.

I no longer have the time to send myself flowers, nor do I have the money. If any of you feel so inclined, they will be gladly and gratefully welcomed.

Lovin on Them Flowers

2011-06-16T13:10:00.001-06:00

Next week, I'm sending myself flowers. I've never received flowers (at least not from a boy...who isn't my dad). I think it would be nice. And I think I deserve it.

Why?

Not really sure why, but I'm needin some flowers in my life and it's up to me to get them!

I like these.

Infectious Summer

2011-06-10T09:41:00.001-06:00

The title of this post explains it all, but not in the way one might think. You see, in the past week, I've 'contracted' two types of infections. And yes, the explanations will be accompanied by pictures.

A week and a half ago, I was riding The Boy's motorcycle. I've ridden his bike many a time; in fact, you could say I'm a professional passenger. I've learned how to lean with the bike, how to put my leg down in case we start tipping, how to hold The Boy* just right, etc. I've even learned to mount and dismount the bike effectively...or so I thought. One night, I was getting on the bike, and my pant leg got caught on G-knows-what, so in my pathetic attempt to free my leg, the flesh of my leg made contact with the pipes of the bike. The pipes can get up to 1200* F! Needless to say, my leg was instantaneously cinged.

A beautiful blister formed. The following day, I had a session with a young boy. This boy is very active, so I was all over the place, taking no thought about my burn. Halfway through the seession, I look down to see a very (grossly) large spot on my pant leg. Yes, the blister had popped taking every bit of skin with it.

Over the course of the next few days, infection seemed to set in. I'll let the pictures explain themselves.

Doesn't my leg look like a delicious piece of fried meat? Yum.

This is the current state of the burn. (Really, I took this picture solely for the purpose of uploading onto my blog.) As you can see, the bandages and coverings has caused a rash to form around the burn. So now, not only do I have a burn that constantly oozes, I also have a rash around the burn that constantly itches. End of Infection Numero Uno.

Time for Infection Numero Dos. This one isn't nearly as exciting, nor do I have any pictures. Late last night, I looked in the mirror to take out my contacts for the night, and I noticed my left eye was rather red and goopy. Pink eye, right? I was hoping not, especially because I have three hours of clients on Fridays that I really did not want to cancel. I decided to wait until morning before making a final judgment call. I quickly fell asleep (I must have been exhausted!), and wake up before my alarm even goes off. It's at this point in time I realize that I cannot open my left eye...it's been crusted shut. Pink eye, right? Definitely. I now have an appointment to have it looked at and get whatever meds they'll give me so I can get back to my clients asap.

When I was talking to my mom about the pink eye (which, of course, she reacted very violently to), she told me the next thing to be infected was going to be my brain. Pray that doesn't happen.

*No, The Boy and I are not back together. We are friends. :)

Leave It Alone

2011-05-25T18:15:00.000-06:00

When I applied for the Speech-Pathology program at the University of Utah, I don't think I knew it required a full course load and an extra load of clients during the summer semester. But I guess that wasn't enough to deter me from quitting half-way through (yay!) my program because here I sit, in classes and with clients, during the summer time. From my seat in the classroom, I can see the blue sky, the trees swaying in the wind, and the rolling clouds (I swear I can see the heat too!). At least I have a good seat.

It's been nearly two months since the inevitable happened, a weird two months. The past week and a half has been absolutely incredible; my point of view seems to have made a complete 180* turn. I am ~~more~~ completely optimistic in the future, ~~completely~~ more okay with "things" not happening how I planned, and I am much more faithful in the Lord, His plan, and His timing.

This previous week in church I gave a talk on President Packer's most recent conference talk, "Guided by the Holy Spirit". First, the title of the talk is very deceiving, yet fitting. Second, President Packer relates a story about a young man who lost his wife a few days after giving birth to their first child due to mistakes the delivering doctor made. The young husband and new father was very upset, very hurt, and very confused by his trial. Shortly after the wife's death, the stake president called this young man into his office and gave him counsel from the Lord; this counsel was to "leave it alone; nothing you do about it will bring her back." While the young man was shocked and probably hurt, he determined he should be obedient and follow the counsel given him. Later is his life, this man is quoted as saying, "I was an old man before I understood and could finally see...I finally understood!"

I am so very grateful to the Lord for allowing us time to see and understand His purposes; I am so grateful to Him for allowing us to struggle, to struggle to find true happiness. Without this (these) struggles, I do not think we could (or would) fully appreciate the blessings He bestows upon us afterwards. With our struggles and trials come growth, growth and knowledge that cannot be found any other way.

Re-Commitment

2011-05-08T20:51:00.003-06:00

The past month has been...interesting, to say the least. The rollercoaster of life and its emotions has continued, which has made for an eventful ride. All of these ups and down, loops and corkscrews have left me more confused than ever. While I can say that the events and changes that started this rollercoaster happened for the best, that knowledge doesn't make it easy to deal with the aftermath or consequences of decisions I have made.

Today during Relief Society (to which I walked in very late), I had a sort of epiphany. The teacher was talking about faith: faith in an outcome versus faith in Christ. She focused on having the faith to change our will to align with the Lord's, to have the faith to follow His plan for us rather than ours. She related various examples from her life that were surprisingly similar to trials I've been going through the past few months. One of the things she highlighted really hit home: her desires were righteous and she felt she had done everything in her power to see her worthy will be done; however, the Lord had a different plan. Only after realizing that while her plan was good, the Lord's plan was better (no matter how temporarily painful the outcome of that plan was) could she truly see the purpose of His plan.

After my hour-long stint at church was over, I came home to catch up on some blog reading I had missed while on vacation in California. A very good friend of mine, who I look up to and admire in the greatest of ways, wrote a post a few days about timing: our timing versus the Lord's timing. She relayed this talk by Elder Oaks specifically on that topic. One of my favorite lines reads "we cannot have true faith in the Lord without also having complete trust in the Lord’s will and in the Lord’s timing." Not only do we need to have faith in the Lord's plan over ours, we also need to have faith in His timing--that every righteous blessing we desire will be ours when He sees fit.

What's the moral of the story? Again, Elder Oaks states it perfectly: "Anchor your life to eternal principles, and act upon those principles whatever the circumstances and whatever the actions of others. Then you can await the Lord’s timing and be sure of the outcome in eternity...If we have faith in God and if we are committed to the fundamentals of keeping His commandments and putting Him first in our lives, we do not need to plan every single event—even every important event—and we should not feel rejected or depressed if some things—even some very important things—do not happen at the time we had planned or hoped or prayed."

So here I am, to re-commit myself to doing the Lord's will and trusting in His plan and His timing. How grateful I am to know that if I have the faith required to follow His plan, act on that faith, and remain worthy I will receive every blessing I desire...and deserve.

Ballet

2011-04-25T22:37:00.000-06:00

For those of my 15 (yeah, fifteen!) readers that didn't know, I took ballet for years. I mean, years. I loved it. And I miss it.

Well, the good news is, I found an incredible studio in downtown Salt Lake that offers classes for adults who have had classical ballet training but aren't professional dancers...Hello! That's me to the T! The classes are reasonably priced, open enrollment (pay-as-you-go), and scheduled around my classes and clients perfectly. The typical tights and leotard aren't even required, only the ballet slippers are a must.

This is gonna be one great summer.

Lists

2011-04-19T10:18:00.001-06:00

I like lists. I make plenty of them.

To Do lists. To Done lists. To Buy lists. To Return lists. 101 Things I Want To Do Before I Die (aka The Bucket) lists. 101 Things I Don't Want To Do Before I Die (aka The nonBucket) lists. To Call lists. To Text lists. To Email lists. To Read lists. To Cook lists. To Eat lists. To See lists.

You get the idea.

Below is my list I'd like to call "To Look Forward to in California"
1. Sun
2. Beach
3. Ocean
4. Tanning
5. Ridiculously great restaurants
6. Disneyland
7. Six Flags Magic Mountain style
8. San Diego
9. San Diego temple
10. San Diego zoo
11. Seeing a great friend who's serving a mission in San Diego
12. Newport Beach
13. Boutique shopping
14. H&M
15. The Price is Right
16. Craig Ferguson
17. Beach
18. Sun
19. Ocean
20. Tanning
21. Airplanes and airports
22. Swimsuits 24/7
23. Reading any book I want

Below is the list of "To NOT Look Forward to in California"

1. Not seeing Kimber everyday

What are some things YOU're looking forward to this summer?

It All Comes to An End

2011-04-18T11:36:00.000-06:00

It's over. Done. Finito.

"What?" you may ask...

My final paperwork for clients!

Okay, let's be realistic. I will probably have revisions like crazy, which means the paperwork isn't totally complete and out of my hands, but every last bit of it is written.

Hallelujah!

I can hear the bells.

Babies

2011-04-16T17:17:00.000-06:00

No, I'm not pregnant.

Yuck.

Ha ha just kidding. About the yuck part, not the pregnant part.

I just had a thought about people who are preggers: I think some people have babies because they are bored.

I also have another thought: That is wrong. You should want a baby! Babies are a lot of work. And if the baby is an "accident" (we're strictly talking for married couples on this one), love it and want it anyway! If the baby is an "accident" in any other situation, an alternative plan for the child might be the best plan.

Baby thoughts are now completed. I am nowhere near the "baby stage" in life. Don't know where these thoughts came from.

One final PS: I admire all you mothers out there! Keep up the good baby makin'/baby takin' care of work!

I will be grateful...

2011-04-08T17:40:00.000-06:00

Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on Friday!** I'm giving myself one big pat on the back; actually, a huge one. If you're reading this post, you've made it to Friday too so pat away!

I am so grateful for making it through this week. My personal, academic, and spiritual lives have been on one major rollercoaster the past few weeks. A lot of changes have taken place, priorities rearranged, purposes redefined, and large leaps of faith...leapt. These have all been ~~good~~ great things, but they have also been difficult. Here are some things I've rediscovered these past two weeks that kept me going when the going got rough.

1. Personal prayer. This seems like a no-brainer, and it is. How easily I forget the peace and comfort that comes from a personal prayer.

2. Scripture study. When I read of the trials others have endured or choices others have had to make, I realize my life isn't so bad. Yes, my life isn't perfect and there are many things that could be "better", but I'd rather have my trials than someone else's.

3. Faith. We can do anything if we rely upon the Lord. Philippians 4:13.

4. Priesthood blessings. Seriously, these are like mini-patriarchal blessings. I am so grateful to have been raised in a home where priesthood blessings were readily available, thanks to a worthy father and brother who were in tune with the Spirit so they could provide me the messages of comfort and guidance whenever I needed.

5. Friends. I've made some absolutely incredible friends this year and will always hold them dear.

So here's to making it through the rough patches of life and those who helped along the way!

**Yes, Friday is an awful song, but hey, how many of you can actually say you're a recording artist?**

Lip Whore

2011-03-29T21:06:00.000-06:00

I follow a blog. Okay, I follow lots of blogs, but I'm only talking about one in particular this time around. I won't provide a direct link from the post (because that would be mean), but if you search through my "People I Don't Actually Know" list and find the particular blog I am talking about, please let me know so we can giggle together.

This blog's "purpose" is to give its readers, most likely single LDS women, an idea of what it's like to be a single LDS woman in a big city. The writer talks about all the famous people she has met, past dating scandals, a previous marriage, performing on Broadway, what she ate for the day at the best cafe in town, what stores have the best deals, what shoes she's lusting after, etc. Basically, it's a day-to-day journal full of details I really don't care about or need to know. Usually, I find it intriguing, although I think the writer is a little ridiculous by exploiting all of her coworkers, friends, and family member's lives through telling every minute detail of every day (side note: the writer changes most names or uses nicknames).

I've decided to read every single post on this blog from the very beginning. During this perusal, I've finally noticed a trend. The writer is a lip whore. She has made out with every famous, semi-famous, or even furthest-thing-from-famous man she as met. Ugh. Seriously? When did it become okay to make out with so many people (at least she's not doing anything...uh...more than that)? When did it become okay to blog about it?

Seriously, woman, keep your "fun" to yourself.

Thought on Money

2011-03-25T00:05:00.000-06:00

I don't have any.

Spring Break

2011-03-23T22:53:00.017-06:00

*I love spring break.

*Why?

*Sleeping in.

*Eating junk food.

*Road tripping.

*Staying up late.

*Reading three books in one day.

*and...this...

*Yes, I kissed a dinosaur. Talk about liking older men.

*On a less-serious note, enjoy the first clip of "The Dinosaur Witch Project", starring Brooke Tolman and myself. (Ah, shove it. The upload isn't working.)

The Twitch

2011-03-15T23:31:00.000-06:00

I'm stressed. It's no secret. I'm sure I've complained to many of you, if not all of you, about my schedule, clients, classes, tests, projects, paperwork, lack of social life, lack of sleep, and abundance of stress and/or pressure I feel on a daily basis. Usually the stress will manifest itself thru insomnia, lack of appetite, serious weight and/or hair loss, or even a "pimple breakout" all over my face.

This time, the stress has manifested itself in an eye twitch--an eye twitch that has lasted (sporadically) for five days. I think a lack of good sleep, an irregularly large amount of worry over one test, and outrageous amounts of time spent looking at my laptop have combined to create this offense; no matter what has caused it, The Twitch is annoying (I mean, really, I'm trying to study here!). Here are some other possible theories I have heard, thanks to my many friends in the program who know exactly what I'm going through.

1. My facial nerve is being "squished."
2. Parkinson's.
3. Blepho-something or other.
4. Depression.

None of these seem like particularly good ideas to me. Let's just stick with a combination of fatigue and stress paired with staring at computer all day.

*This is NOT how I would react to an eye twitch.

Progress

2011-03-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

One of my clients, "It" (to protect privacy, follow HIPAA laws, and ensure that I don't get booted from the program), is cute. So cute. It has a language delay as well as an articulation disorder, which means It cannot communicate at age-appropriate levels, in either speech or language. But, like I said, It is so cute! And It is so smart!

One of It's goals is to produce final consonants, meaning put sounds on the ends of words such as bat or cat. It doesn't usually produce consonants in the middle or at the end of words...ever, which is the bulk of It's articulation disorder.

Well, today It said eight words with final consonants! Ah! It (really, it...not It) was so exciting! Granted, it took multiple trials for each production, and the percentage of correct productions out of trials was very small, but still...IT SAID EIGHT WORDS WITH FINAL CONSONANTS!

That is all. Just wanted to share.

ENTER TITLE HERE

2011-03-08T11:30:00.006-07:00

yup, figured out how to title my posts. all by myself.

that's all i wanted to say.

2011-02-21T20:56:00.002-07:00

I have a confession.

My television has been on for 12 hours. Without being turned off.

I've been on my couch for the majority of that time. Working, of course, but sitting nonetheless.

What has grad school done to me?!

2011-02-21T12:43:00.002-07:00

To All of the HUGE Mormon Blogger Mommies Out There That Have Suddenly Become the Next Big Thing:

Why are you posting on your blogs at 2 or 3 in the a.m.?! I know where you live (and no, I am not a stalker, your location is part of your profile), the time stamp is always for the time zone you're posting from. Don't you have children and/or newborns to take care of? Doesn't your husband wonder where you are when he wakes up and you're not in bed with him? Don't you need your sleep to make it through the next day taking care of said children, husbands, jobs, other family, and yourselves? I am confused.

Don't get me wrong, I love your blogs. They are uplifting and have plenty of good advice (and then some) for my future. I love reading about the things you are discovering with your children and/or husbands. The pictures are fun. The babies adorable. But why do you need to let the rest of the world know you're every move at 3 a.m.?!

Here's my advice to you: Get some sleep. You have a lot of other things on your plate.

Sincere Reader,
Katrina

2011-02-14T19:14:00.003-07:00

Word the wise: Do NOT get sick the weekend before a major exam. Just don't.

2011-02-10T17:53:00.004-07:00

Holy Ness. I still can't title my blog posts. Grrrr.

Today is officially 31 days since school started this semester and I'm still alive! This is BIG news. Let me give you a run down of what a typical day is like in the life of a University of Utah Masters of Speech-Language Pathology student.

6:00 a.m. Wake up (finish whatever I need to finish that day, get ready, blah blah blah)
7:30 a.m. Drive to class
9:00 a.m. Class
Noon Start doing something clinic-related (clients, planning, supervisory meetings, more planning)
5:00 p.m. Head home
6:00 p.m. Fall asleep (totally on accident of course)
6:30 p.m. Homework (planning clinic, doing paperwork for clinic--it is estimated that for every client there are about 52 forms, yes per client, readings, class projects, reviewing to administer standardized tests, reviewing for real class tests, planning more clinic)
Midnight Shower
*Eating and sleeping are last on the totem pole
**Order of events not typical to every day, but hours spent per event is representative

Welcome to my world. What is your typical day like?

2011-02-02T21:41:00.006-07:00

Here are some things I would like to do in the next few weeks:

*Change my clothes. (Yup, haven't done that in over 24 hours)

*Actually finish a book I start. (I've started at least four books since Christmas)

*Go to a JAZZ game. (I miss my DWill)

*Clean my room. (I can't exactly see my floor)

*Go to a ZUMBA class! (Get my Latin flair on!)

*Re-color my hair. (Less blonde, more chunks)

*Read the newspaper. (Not on the internet)

*Go to the temple! (It's been MONTHS!)

*Clean out and wash Lucille. (It's been MONTHS too)

*Not die. (This seems pretty do-able)

What's next on your list?

2011-01-29T17:43:00.002-07:00

To All of My (13) Dedicated Readers:

I'd like to refer to this semester in my program as "The Sifting Semester", "The Make It or Break It Semester", or "Darwinism Defined". Now, one of two things could happen because of the horrendous three (and a half) months I have ahead of me: severe pain or death. With the loads of new clientelle and the preschool mixed with one previous (and fiesty) client plus three classes full of exams and projects, I'm sure to break at some point.

What does this mean for, my (13) dedicated readers? First, please don't get angry. Second, I won't be writing nearly as much as I'd like. In May, during my 10-day break, I promise to update you on EVERYTHING that has happened, but until then...farewell. Good luck and love to you all.

2011-01-25T09:20:00.002-07:00

No post titles for me. Still.

My birthday was a little bit fabulous. I had stayed over in Provo with Chelsea on Friday night, so she and my family (and the boy) surprised me for breakfast at Magleby's. It was delicious, the presents were great, and being with my family was fun.

Then, it was homework time. After driving around Provo/Orem for a bit and getting gas, I finally arrived home around 1:00. I immediately hit up transcribing and scoring a standardized test I had given to one of my clients on Friday. After I finished getting those results, I started transcribing my other client's session to look for articulation error patterns in her voice. An hour or so later, I decided it was time for a nap. A very long one.

I finally woke up and decided to get ready for my birthday date with the boy. We went to a delicious Japanese/Sushi bar in Sandy, made mini s'mores (thanks Elizabeth for that idea!), and watched Inception (he had never seen it!). It was very lowkey, very fun, and very perfect.

Turning 23 wasn't so bad. Although I am nowhere near where I thought I would be, I'm still happy and I'm getting there.

2011-01-22T16:24:00.002-07:00

Today I am officially 23.

2011-01-20T15:55:00.002-07:00

One of my life goals?

Accomplished.

Actually TWO life goals were accomplished today. But only one was accomplished on purpose.

Onto the next one...

2011-01-17T18:07:00.002-07:00

If Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream, I can have a dream too, right?

I used to dream about having my own "How To" show on TV. It would cover topics from home renovation, personal style make-overs, properly washing pets and clothing, cooking, what to look for when buying cars, etc. Kind of like Martha Stewart or Oprah on steriods.

I also used to have a dream about being a world-traveler. My ultimate dream was to backpack for three months across Europe for my honeymoon with nothing but what I could fit into my backpack and no definite plans. I also wanted to move to the Middle East for a few years and hit up every continent on the planet; yes, even Antarctica.

I once had a dream of never getting married, never have a family, and always be a career woman in New York City. I was dead-set on becoming a world-renown journalist for The New York Times (I even had my picture taken in front of one of their buildings when I went to the city for my 16th birthday).

Then reality set in and I realized none of those dreams were for me. As cool as it would have been if I could have fulfilled just one of them, those dreams didn't mean anything. In fact, they were kind of selfish. Now I have a dream to help people, no matter who they are or what their stories are. I think that's why I chose to study speech-language pathology; not only do I have a very personal connection and respect for the field, but I can help people improve their quality of life which is very important to me. I can't think of a better way for me to fulfill my dream.

Despite my dreams (and realities) changing, I'm still very happy and very excited to see them fulfilled. What are some of your dreams?

2011-01-15T12:32:00.002-07:00

Today, during my scripture study, I came across this:

"Yea, come unto Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourself of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your heart, might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."
(Moroni 10: 32-33)

I can't pick out one specific part that moved me, but I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of the Atonement. Without the Atonement, I would be a lost cause. I have made so many mistakes in my life, some on purpose and some not, but because of the Atonement I can be fully forgiven of all my wrongdoings. I know the Atonement is a process, and not a one-time process at that, but as it states in verse 23 of that same chapter "If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto [Christ]." If I have the faith in Christ to move forward with the process of the Atonement, no matter how difficult and daunting that process may be, I can be forgiven and found worthy to return to my Heavenly Father.

I am in amazement that someone, just one person, would be willing to lay down his life for all of mankind. By far, that is the most courageous act I can think of...and it was done by only one person! I am also in amazement at how much love just this one act demonstrates. I'd like to say that if I were asked to give my life for the entirety of man I would do so, but I don't know if I can honestly say that I would. But because just one person had that love for all of mankind, all of us have the opportunity to partake of the blessings found within.

2011-01-12T21:29:00.003-07:00

I've never been one to make resolutions, especially those for New Years. Don't get me wrong, I try to constantly be aware of things I could change or improve, but I'm not one to use the excuse of a new year to take an inventory of my life and make those changes. But, it just so happens, that right now is one of those many moments throughout the year that I've realized I need to make some major adjustments. And when I say major, I mean MAJOR.

1. Scripture study. Sure, I do plenty of studying...plenty. But none of that this past semester has been scripture study. I've realized that I can get along just fine without it, but if I truly want to learn and to grow, both academically and spiritually, I need to be sure to fit in scripture study on a daily basis. I know this whole "daily basis" thing won't start right away, that I'm going to miss a few days here and there because, well, that's just what happens, but scripture study will definitely become much more frequent and important in my daily schedule. And to prove that point...here's a little break for that scripture study.

2. Personal prayer. Wow, am I bad at this one too. I've always been the type of person to pray for three reasons: when I really need something, when someone else really needs something, or when I realize I haven't prayed for a while. Prayer has never, ever been a habit of mine...and I'm nearly 23 years old! This has got to change! How bad does it make me feel when the boy doesn't text me for an hour? Awful. How must my Heavenly Father feel when I haven't talked to him for days? Doubly awful, I'm sure. How do I feel right now for realizing this? Awful, again. I've had some incredible experiences through prayer, I know the power and peace that comes from it, so why have I not made it a priority? I don't know the answer to that question, but I do know that starting this exact moment...prayer is going to happen. Again, this won't be a "daily basis" experience right from the get go, but it will be eventually. In fact, this will be a "multi-daily basis" eventually and I am so excited for that to happen.

3. Yoga. I know I talk about yoga a lot. So much, in fact, the boy got me a yoga mat for Christmas...a green one! But trust me, yoga does wonders for your body and your spirit. From here on out, I will also make more time for yoga. To be able to meditate for even just five minutes a day is so rejuvenating, and the stretches don't hurt either. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. Heck, why not pray while meditating?

4. Service. I used to volunteer for everything I could get my hands on. Recently, that is not the case. I know I can't commit to so many hours per day, per week, or even per month, but anything I can do will help. I commit to look for opportunities to serve others, whether they be through large organizations or baking cookies for the widower next door, I know I can serve someone.

So, here's a quick re-cap of those things I need to change for those of you who got lost during the scripture study break.
1. Daily scripture study.
2. Multi-daily prayer.
3. Daily yoga, even if it's just five minutes of meditation.
4. Service--whenever, wherever, however.

What are your "resolutions"?

2011-01-05T15:16:00.004-07:00

Back to life. Back to reality.

Pretty sure I've used that line before but it's so darn fitting.

Although I don't technically start school until next Monday (five more days of freedom!), the real work begins this week.

Why?

I need to get back on a sleep routine. I need to contact my clients (clients' parents in some cases) and confirm with them their clinic times for the semester (I hate talking on the phone with people I don't know well, and sometimes even those I do know well...thank you stutter). I need to clean up my room from the holiday festivities. I need to start looking for a place to live if things don't work how I want them to. I need to stop eating so much junk. I need to start making yoga part of my daily routine before school kicks into full gear. I need to buy my books.

There are so many things I need to do, but only a few things I want to do. What are they?

I want to sleep in until 11 every day. I want to go buy new black boots. I want to eat as much dark chocolate as possible. I want to try snowboarding again and not fail miserably (or hurt my tailbone). I want to do yoga 24/7 (or at least as much as I can after the sleeping in and eating is done for the day). I want to go somewhere I can get a tan (and not just go there...live there).

But most of all, I want to be happy. And I am.

So here's to you, 2011. Here's to hoping I can do everything I want and need. Treat me well.

2010-12-16T22:26:00.001-07:00

Pretty sure I'm done with finals.

Pretty sure I'm done with my first semester of grad school.

Pretty sure it feels good.

Nay, pretty sure it feels great.

2010-12-14T11:35:00.001-07:00

Finals.

The week of hell.

2010-11-23T23:17:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving is here. What does that mean for me?

No classes, clients, tests, quizzes, or note-taking for five days. No getting up early to catch the train. No standing out in the arctic wind waiting for the bus. No school-related activities. Period.

Unless you count the paper that is due on Monday at 8 a.m. Or the presentation that is due on Tuesday.

Thanksgiving also means being lonely for five days while the boy is at a family reunion.

What does Thanksgiving mean for you?

2010-11-15T10:30:00.003-07:00

The Remainder of My "To Do" List

1. Aphasia test
2. Research test
3. Aphasia paper
4. Research presentation
5. Artic/Phonology mock cases
6. DLD LAR2
7. DLD LAR extra credit
8. Research paper
9. Seven more sessions of clinic
10. Aphasia final
11. DLD final
12. Artic/phonology final
13. It's over!

Good news of the day: I DON'T have to retake a test! Huzzah. You've been conquered.

2010-11-09T22:28:00.005-07:00

i think i've gone cross-eyed

#1: I changed accounts for this blog. If you read my blog and I want to follow your blog but it's private, add katrina.irving22@gmail.com to your reading list. Please and thank you.

#2: My most recent Facebook status update ("Please, no more music on blogs.") is not directed at anyone specific. Please do not take offense at this status and please still be my friend.

#3: I just spent upwards of 30 hours on one assignment that's worth 30 points and had no instructions or directions as to what is expected. Yes, grad school is awesome.

#4: I am finally working with my very own client one-on-one at the speech-language clinic at the U.

#5: Finding an apartment to live in is hard. Renter's insurance, minimum monthly income, guarantors, etc. Who knew I had it so easy in Provo when all I had to do was initial in three or four spots, sign my full name and date it, pay a simple deposit, and the apartment was mine?

#6: I still like the boy.

#7: I still don't have a way to title these things. Perhaps mine were too witty for Blogger to handle anymore.

#8: I am poor.

#9: I have recently discovered a love for sushi. Yes, real sushi. Okay, really only the salmon kind, but that's a start!

#10: I've been looking at this computer screen for 6 hours now. I think I need to take out my contacts, stand in a steaming hot shower, and go to bed.

#11: I miss Provo.

#12: I miss my friends.

#13: Life is still good, despite the fact I am living at home frantically looking for a place to live, am poor, have been looking at this thing for 6 hours, am an hour away from the boy, miss Provo, and miss my friends. Life is always good in some aspect.

#14: I'm still an aunt. This is really, really good news.

#15: I think I am going to Cali over Christmas break. And that makes me happy.

#16: Only four more weeks of school! (Okay, four and a half, but who's counting?)

#17: I miss lipgloss but have fallen in love with chapstick.

#18: I asked for an elliptical for Christmas. I don't think I'm going to get it.

#19: I want pudding.

#20: I am done now. Thanks for reading and props if you actually made it through this post.

Peace and blessings.
Peace and blessings.

2010-10-27T18:48:00.001-06:00

I'm an aunt, which means Taylor (yes, Taylor!) is a dad.

Crazy how life throws curve balls at you, even when you can see them coming.

2010-10-13T12:55:00.000-06:00

Fall Break Pt. 2

I think my favorite thing about fall break has been the boy...and being with him everyday.

Life is splendid.

2010-10-12T15:35:00.002-06:00

Fall Break

Many of my friends at BYU don't fully understand why I love the U so much. Here's my number one reason: fall break. A full week without classes, tests, group projects, etc. Pure bliss.

2010-10-09T22:06:00.002-06:00

The Wedding Planner

Tonight is a night full of muddy buddies (aka nutty buddies), gouda cheese, yoga, and chick flicks. What has gotten me into this ultra-girly mood?

A boy.

But that's not what this post is about.

As I sit here watching The Wedding Planner, starring the always beautiful Matthew McConaughey and the lively Jennifer Lopez, I can't help but think how unrealistic romantic comedies are. J. Lo stars a beautiful, albeit lonely, wedding planner who magically meets her man in shining armor when he saves her from death by dumpster. After a night under the stars and dancing in kiss-worthy rain with her hero, J. Lo finds out he is the groom in the biggest, most important wedding she's ever managed. (Dirtbag.) Two hours and many laughs later, McMatthew leaves his beautiful, kind, forgiving, smart, and funny fiance for the just as beautiful, kind, smart, and funny but not-as-forgiving J. Lo. Ironic. Perfect. And completely unrealistic.

First, I would hope any almost-married man would be honest enough with a woman who invited him to a movie in the part/under the stars and tell her he's engaged. End of story. Second, I would hope the wedding planner, if the man was still dishonest with her and his fiance by claiming he saved an old woman instead of a sex kitten, would hand over planning the wedding to a colleague; work and love should never mix. Third, the whole premise of falling in love because of a dumpster is just too ridiculous.

Call me a cynic, call me a pessimist, call me whatever you want, but I don't believe it. Any of it. I'd much rather believe in a much more realistic love and much more realistic relationships. I don't expect to fall in love with doctor who happens to be engaged to one of my work projects, but I do expect to fall in love.

I'm not going to rush it.

2010-10-04T13:47:00.002-06:00

Mini Corndogs

Last Friday on my way home from clinic, I was absolutely CRAVING mini corndogs (I don't know why, I don't even like real, full-size corndogs). The only place I know that make mini corndogs is Arctic Circle, but they cost $1.75 and you only get 5 or 6 tops--that's more than a quarter per dog. Ridiculous. I was quickly reminded that most grocery stores sell boxes upon boxes of frozen junk food to pop in the microwave and enjoy, and I was sure Smith's would carry the corndogs I was so craving. As I wandered the frozen food aisles for more than 20 minutes, I could not find the mini corndogs (I did, however, find a box of Cheddar Jack Cheez-Its for less than 2 dollars!). After purchasing the crackers and a Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie pint of ice cream, I meandered across the street to Harmon's (whose prices are so much more inflated than Smith's, might I add) to find to my delight that they carried mini corndogs, which I quickly purchased and drove home.

Five minutes later, I was seated in front of a re-run of Gilmore Girls enjoying eight steamy mini corndogs, fry sauce, and milk. It was the perfect ending to a hectic week and a great beginning to a wonderful weekend. I was also reminded of my glory days in Park Place (aka Pink Alcatraz) eating the same mini corndogs with the same fry sauce and milk while watching re-runs of Gilmore Girls.

Heaven on earth.

In fact, I think I want some mini corndogs as we speak. Adios.

2010-10-02T09:21:00.003-06:00

It's October!

That means:
General Conference (happening right now, but I am in a class called Cultural Competence and Mutual Respect and yes, it's as great as it sounds)
Brooke's Birthday
Abundant fall colors (Sundance = beautiful!)
Soup (especially the really thick, fattening ones)
Hot chocolate (Starbucks please)
Halloween (which also means haunted houses and candy!)
Corn mazes (the scarier, the better)

And it's also one month closer to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and January. October is great.

2010-09-30T20:24:00.003-06:00

First grad school test, you've been rocked.

Here's what my 9-hour study session looked like.

Yes, nine hours. With a 22-page double-sided study guide, two charts to memorize box-for-box, two language assessment protocols to plan, and eight standard scores to convert.

And it totally paid off.

2010-09-29T10:11:00.002-06:00

I stole this from my friend Kylie's blog, which she stole from her friend's blog, which that friend stole from another friend's blog. Pretty sure the list goes on further than that, but that's as far as I could remember.

Watch and enjoy. I promise you won't regret it.

MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON from Dean Fleischer-Camp on Vimeo.

2010-09-28T22:37:00.001-06:00

Why can't I title my stinking posts?!

I have a super title for this one...

I'm in like!

Very, very, very much in like.

That is all you need to know. Details to come.

2010-09-25T21:07:00.000-06:00

I LOVE YOU!

2010-09-21T10:36:00.002-06:00

I still can't title my posts, and it's really annoying. It's annoying enough to keep me from blogging as often as I usual do/would like to. Geez.

I'm in the middle of my first semester of my graduate program (how's that for embedding?) and it's cah-stinkin-razy! The reading is endless, the assignments (not listed in the syllabus, might I add) keep piling up, all of my pre-reqs to work in the clinic and/or be certified to actually be a graduate student keep getting mixed up into one hot mess (and turns out some of BYU's classes don't transfer to the U's graduate program so...here I come online classes), and to top it all off...I forgot to put on a regular bra today. Yes, I'm sporting a sports bra.

But through all of this chaos, I'm loving it. I finally get to put to use what I've been studying over the past four years...even if I'm not very good at remembering it. I'm meeting a lot of people my own age who are interested in the exact same things I'm interested in. My professors are very different from the BYU faculty, but only in the best ways. I'm starting to work with real people who have real speech or language problems and it feels great to see the sorts of progress they're making. I'm beginning to feel like a real adult with purpose and direction and use. I'm really starting to grow up...and, surprisingly, I love it.

I highly recommend it.

2010-09-06T13:07:00.001-06:00

For some reason, I haven't been able to title my blogs for a while. Really. The little box that's supposed to exist above the area to type the body of the blog? Yeah, it's not there. I'm frustrated. I have some pretty clever titles too.

Can you fix it for me?

2010-08-23T01:13:00.002-06:00

Graduate School

How did this happen?!

Oh yeah, I chose to do my undergrad in a field that requires a masters. Duh.

I'm never doing that again.

2010-08-21T12:45:00.002-06:00

Last night, I made these.

Snickerdoodles.

A bit crunchy on the outside (darn it) but deliciously soft and snickerdoodle-y on the inside.

If you would like the recipe, I don't have it. Sorry.

2010-08-15T22:47:00.002-06:00

I like to make goals. A lot of them.

Accomplishing them is a different story.

Here's my latest goal:
No caffeine. For a year.

This means no Diet Coke. For a year.

I have 362 days left. Wish me luck.

2010-08-09T22:45:00.000-06:00

Oh hey, my name’s Kat. I’m a recently unemployed college graduate who lives at home with her parents. Oh, and I’m single.

Go figure.

I have absolutely no idea why I was dealt the cards I’m holding, but I’m beginning to understand how the game of Texas Hold ‘Em (aka Life) is played.

Or maybe it’s Black Jack.

Anyway, I like where I’m at. I don’t love it, but I like it. These aren’t the cards I had planned on getting, but I’m learning to use them to my advantage. I’ve learned how to make a mean poker face and not let the opposition know what my next move is going to be. I like the suspense and tension...I like the unknown.

Hurray for breaking the mold. Hurray for being scared out of my mind. Hurray for something new.

Hurray for life.

2010-08-02T19:27:00.006-06:00

Books

I miss books. I miss reading them. I miss flipping the pages back and forth trying to figure out where I last stopped reading. I miss smelling them...haha just kidding, I can't smell. I miss reading the ending first so I know if I want to continue reading it. I miss reading old favorites over and over again. I miss riding the bus for an hour and a half to work every day so I could take the time to read. I miss having any time to read. I miss having the desire to read.

Missing books stops today.

A couple of weeks ago during my break from work, I had an extra half an hour before I had to head to a bridal shower (which, by the way, ended up being seriously awkward). I was already at Target, and since there was a Barnes and Noble in the same strip mall, I decided to wander on over and get a drink from Starbucks. While I didn't actually make it to Starbucks, I did make it to the fiction and literature section of the store where I re-discovered some of my favorite authors: Virginia Woolf, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Charles Dickens. I decided to venture out of the so-called classics written by these authors and pick up some new titles I hadn't previously heard of.

The Beautiful and Damned by Fitzgerald is a tale similar to that of The Great Gatsby, but with a twist. It parallels his own life when, after his success of This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald squandered his ambition and talent. I am thrilled to be reading this book because I feel that so many young people squander their ambition and talent today; I feel that it will relate well to any time period, and that's what will make this book a great read.

Night and Day by Woolf contrasts the lives of two friends--one lives with her parents and is engaged to a "prig" while the other is an independent woman working for the womens' rights movement after attending college. I think it will be interesting to see how Woolf deals with the marriage v. independent woman debate from the early 1900s as she incorporates the nature of romance and love.

I didn't end up getting a Dickens, but that's next on my list. Stay tuned for a full update on both of these books as they will surely prove to be entertaining...and probably misunderstood greatly.

2010-07-23T12:09:00.002-06:00

Sunbursts and Silly Wagons

List of items completed thus far in Summer 2010
1. Cruise to the Bahamas (I sure do miss that place)
2. Become unemployed
3. Begin working for mother, grandmother, and aunt (turns out nepotism isn't illegal if you're not offically hired)
4. Financial aid (I'm actually responsible to someone other than myself...or my parents)
5. Weeks 1-3 of EFY
6. Girls Camp! (much camping took place)
7. Registering for graduate classes at the U
8. Finding out Brooke's leaving me for four months (sad face)
9. Lagoon
10. Sleepovers in Provo
11. Friendship bracelets
12. Cooking
13. Dating (in the loosest of loose terms)

List of items yet to be completed for Summer 2010
1. Deep house cleaning
2. Decide whether or not to move without Brooke (I have two fantastic offers...but will they be worth it?)
3. Final week of EFY...ever!
4. Seven Peaks (yay two pieces!)
5. Learning to sew
6. Attend a U2 concert (Bono is officially an old man...throwing out his back during rehearsal?!)
7. Start grad school
8. Run some sort of race (yeah, still haven't gotten any closer to my half marathon)
9. Engagement

*Any advice on how to fit all of this into the three weeks I have left will be much appreciated*

2010-07-12T09:39:00.006-06:00

Working with the youth has always been my thing. As soon as I was old enough to be "in charge" of them (meaning I was actually of a legal age AND older than those I would be working with), I dove right in to it. My first youthie job was working at Oakcrest Girls Camp. For those of you who knew me during this period of time, it was not the greatest. While I did learn so many things about myself, my testimony, and the Lord's love for me, the summer was rough. However, I made it through bigger and better. (And now payback's come around...my mom is on the womens' committee for Oakcrest and she is finally beginning to understand why that job was so tough n rough.)

The next summer I was determined to work with the youth again, but I was also determined not to work at Oakcrest. Next thought: EFY! And I've been doing EFY ever since. By the end of this summer, I will have done a total of 16 weeks of Especially for Youth (which also means I will have worked with approximately 480 youth--don't ask me any names, just because I love them doesn't mean I know who they are). Each week has been very different from the others, but because of that I have learned different things each week. This summer has proven to be no different.

Let's be honest--before I started working this summer, I was not thrilled to be doing EFY for the third summer in a row. They only allow you to work five years total, and I was more than halfway there! I had just made plenty of new friends in my singles ward, I was enjoying having little to no responsibility, and I loved to sleep. EFY (for those of you who don't know) tends to make your social life non-existant, is a HUGE responsibility (I mean, really--you're helping the youth find and/or strengthen a testimony and sometimes dealing with life's biggest, most controversial issues...scary!), and to say you don't get enough sleep is a ridiculous understatement. But nevertheless, EFY came and it was too late to drop my contracts...so I went begrudgingly.

Week 1:14-15 year olds, off the wall co-counselor, not-enough-shade company spot=the makings of a poopy week. Boy, was I wrong. While I typically prefer the older age group (for various reasons), this group of younger girls was incredible! Besides the fact they acted much more mature than some of my previous groups of older girls, they were really at EFY for the right reasons. Sure, meeting boys is fun, dancing is fun, eating is fun...but that's all it really is, fun. These girls (a few who will remain nameless in particular) came to really learn of the Spirit and strengthen or find a testimony...and they did. Never again will I question someone's motives for coming to EFY, never again will I label a person right off the bat, and never again will I prepare for and expect the worst.

Lesson learned: the importance of loving each of God's children, everyone has a story.

Week 2: 16-18 year olds, awesome co-counselors, shady company spot=the makings of a great week. Boy, was I wrong. The vast majority of my group was amazing, but there was one girl in particular who made this week a very trying week for me. Everything was drama...everything. At first I thought this girl's attitude was a very surface-level problem, that she didn't want to be at EFY so being sick was her excuse to not to anything. As I came to find out later in the week, she was having troubles at home, both personal and familial. While I still think she over-exaggerated her sickness, the root of the problem was much deeper than I anticipated. While I was able to talk her through it, much of what needed to happen and change needed to be done by her, and only her. As I told her this principle, the light bulb clicked--no one could make her happy but herself!

Lesson learned: patience.

Week 3: 16-18 year olds, doubly awesome co-counselors, not so-shady spot=the makings of a _____ week. Again, let's be honest, I didn't really have any feelings or expectations of this week, I was too exhausted, but even if I did have expectations, they would have been far surpassed. Let's just say this: I love these kids, best week so far. These youth taught me much more than I taught them. The bond between counselors and youthies was instant, which meant that the Spirit was able to touch them much sooner than normal, the group bonded much sooner than expected, and the climate of revelation was present from day 1. Each day with these kids was a joy, but it was also one step closer to something I was dreading--them leaving. I have never cried when my kids were saying their goodbyes, but this week I did. I have never loved an entire group of people so quickly or strongly. And if you think my love for them was amazing, think how much the Lord loves them. These kids will grow up to be a huge strength to the Church and the world, and I feel so blessed to have been with them for just one week.

Lesson learned: I know nothing.

I still have one more week of EFY this summer, and I'm dreading it. I do not want my EFY experience to end, but I know that someday it will have to. I'm so grateful for the lessons I learned every day from each of my groups. The youth of the Church are amazing. The future is in great hands.

The Singles Ward

2010-06-15T14:21:00.003-06:00

I caved. I'm attending the singles ward (although unofficially-my records are still in the home ward). I'm actually liking it. I'm one of the "new girls" all over again, and it's refreshing. I'm also one of the younger people attending the ward-again, refreshing.

Please don't come to my singles ward and ruin it for me.

Well Shoot...

2010-06-02T21:14:00.013-06:00

It sure has been far too long since I've hit the blogging scene. Here's one for a little update on what's happened and what's about to.

April 22-23: Graduation. I did it! Bachelors of Science in Communication Disorders. Huzzah.

April 27: Chelsea gets her first official friendship braclet. Then she was off the Israel...and she's still there.

April 29-May 3: Graduation cruise to the Bahamas! Free alcohol, free scooter rides, free hair-braiding...none of which were accepted. (ps: I got my first official tan!)

Mid-May: The Gateway with Isaac. Good times, good food, good Build-a-Bear.

Mid-May again: Diploma from BYU comes! It's official! Graduation dinner with the 'rents.

End of May: I found a giant chocolate slab. And new church shoes (never mind the face).

What's over the horizon? Well, U2 was cancelled-postponed indefinitely (k, not really, just until 2011). EFY is just a few weeks away, then stake girls camp, then EFY again. I will be making regular appearances in the Provo area, going to Lagoon periodically, and of course attending a Peter Breinholt concert. Double huzzah.

Oh yes, and my FINAL missionary friend comes home in nine days! Triple huzzah.

One through Eleven Re-did

2010-05-11T08:26:00.002-06:00

I have an update on my Top Eleven things I'd like to do at some point in my lifetime. Can you guess what it is?

I don't really want to eat caviar. It's always seemed gross and I'm not sure what came over me to make me add that to the list. From now on, my Number 2 thing to do is...

Drum roll...

Run a HALF marathon!

You're probably wondering why I chose a half-marathon rather than a full-marathon. Well, I don't really enjoy running on a consistent basis-I'd much rather do a marathon on the elliptical. Anyway, I figure I can start now with a half-marathon and if I really like it that much, I'll do a marathon further down the road.

Now don't get your hopes up too much-I have my entire life to do this half-marathon, which means it will not be happening anytime soon. However, I will be signing up for 5Ks and 10Ks on a regular basis to keep me in shape and working toward the half-marathon so if you're interested let me know!

*first 5K is the Utah Valley event on June 12. Cost is $19.

One through Eleven

2010-05-07T08:15:00.003-06:00

At some point in my life, I want to:

1. Go skydiving.
2. Eat caviar.
3. Snorkel in the ocean. (Without fear.)
4. Write a book. (Published=not required.)
5. Meet the Prophet. (Meeting Pres. Monson would be cool, but I'll settle for whomever is the prophet at the time.)
6. Attend a U2 concert. (June 3, Rice Eccles Stadium...anyone in?)
7. Graduate with a Master's degree. (I think I'm on my way!)
8. Get married. (In the temple, of course.)
9. Donate my hair to Locks of Love.
10. See a bear. (This one's for you, Brooke.)
11. Travel to the Mediterranean. (Give me some Greek lovin'!)

20 hours

2010-04-28T13:25:00.003-06:00

In 20 hours, I will be on a plane-a plane headed to the greatest adventure of my life!

Come along for the ride!

Summer Agenda

2010-04-26T14:31:00.003-06:00

Summer 2010. Full of promise and sunshine. Here's what's on my "To Do List" for the upcoming months.

April
1. Cruise to the Bahamas! (only three more days!)

May
1. Become unemployed (three weeks at my current job then it's "bye bye moolah")
2. Begin working for my mother, aunt, and grandmother (this summer is sure to be full of family goodness)
3. Finally finish my FAFSA application
4. Apply for loans (thank goodness for awesome credit)

June
1. EFY begins! (third summer in a row, it's bound to be a good one)
2. Continue working for my mother, aunt, and grandmother
3. Start looking for a beautiful, decently priced basement apartment in the Avenues of Salt Lake City (and figuring out how to live without furniture for two years)

July
1. EFY
2. Familial working (hello nepotism)
3. Girls camp! (bring on the Beehives)
4. Grad school registration

August
1. Finalize all money endeavors (back to "hello moolah")
2. Move to Salt Lake
3. Grad school begins (I'm actually getting clients?!)

What else I'd like to *randomly* fit into this summer (in order of importance):
1. Brooke and Kat's Day of Adventure
2. Lagoon
3. Camping
4. Sleepovers in Provo
5. Friendship bracelets
6. Learning to sew
7. Cooking
8. Dating
9. Engagement

Another "Get to Know You" Post...

2010-04-19T08:57:00.004-06:00

What time did you get up this morning? 6:30 a.m.
Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds. Definitely.
What was the last movie you saw in the cinema? Oh my...Blind Side?
What is your favorite TV show? Glee and/or Lost
What do you usually have for breakfast? One glass of milk, please
What is your middle name? My mother's middle name
What food do you dislike? Anything fruit
What kind of car do you drive? '04 Honda Civic EX Coupe
What is your favorite band? Right now? Train
Favorite sandwich? Egg Salad. Yum!
What characteristic do you despise? Laziness
Favorite item of clothing? Anything and all things panties.
If you could go anywhere on the world for vacation, where would you go? Italy or Greece
Favorite brand? Anything Target or Forever 21.
Where would you retire? The Pacific Northwest sounds nice.
What was your most memorable birthday? My last one? Or my 20th birthday when Heath Ledger died.
Favorite sport to watch? Basketball
When is your birthday? January 22
Are you a morning person or a night person? Both. Or neither.
Shoe size? 7.5 or 8
Pets? Dogs and only dogs. Currently: Misti a.k.a. the devil.
Any exciting news you'd like to share? Ten days until the Bahamas!
What did you want to be when you were little? A ballerina, complete with the pink tutu.
How are you today? Hungry.
What is your favorite candy? Kit Kat. Why? Duh...KAT
What is your favorite flower? The purple pansies I was given yesterday.
What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? April 30th
What are you listening to right now? My computer drone on and on and on
Do you wish on stars? Yes
If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Green. Or Macaroni and Cheese.
What is your natural hair color? Dark, dark, dark brown.
What is your favorite soda? Fresca, especially the citrus kind.
Favorite restaurant? Right now it's Macey's where I can buy chow mein.
Favorite color nail polish? None
What was your favorite toy as a child? My Cabbage Patch doll, Sereisa.
Summer or Winter? Summer.
Hugs or kisses? Depends on the kind of kiss...okay, just straight up kisses.
Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate
Coffee or tea? I'm addicted to Starbucks.
What is under your bed? Plastic bins.
What did you do last night? Dinner with the long-lost cousins followed by Gossip Girl.
Salty or sweet? Both.
How many keys on your key ring? 5
How many years at your current job? 2
Favorite day of the week? Thursday
How many towns have you lived in? 5

Art

2010-04-16T11:56:00.004-06:00

This past semester I've been taking Humanities 202 as my last GE. I was not excited that I would be taking a course full of freshman and sophomores, much less a class where the subject matter did not appeal to me in the slightest. Last semester's class of Humanities 201 was somewhat of a disaster, so I didn't expect much better from this course.

Here is how I felt before the class.

But, I was pleasantly surprised. Dr. Soper is an incredible, fun teacher and he livened up the material to appeal to those (people like me) who did not want to be in the class. We acted out Hamlet in an hour, read some crazy funny pieces of literature, and explored all facets of the humanities.

Here is how I felt during the class.

Surprisingly, I did quite well on all quizzes, papers, assignments, and exams. I was actually enjoying the class!

Here is how I felt after the class.

Now that Humanities 202 is over, I can finally admit that I've learned to appreciate art. While it still is not my chosen choice of profession or topic of conversation, I can discuss art in a sophisticated manner and actually have things to add when various pieces of art or artists are brought up. In fact, I kind of like art. Okay, I really like art.

A New Adventure

2010-04-13T10:29:00.002-06:00

My camera will need to be taken with me everywhere. I'll always be on the constant look out. The most minute details will catch my eye. After quick posing, much laughter will ensue.

Why?

Oh, you know. It's just mine and Brooke's new adventure. Check it out at http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2L9D2X/dengedenge.com/2010/04/the-lying-down-game/

You're sure to enjoy.

To Do

2010-04-12T13:34:00.002-06:00

Days until...

...classes are over: 1.

...finals are over: 9.

...matriculation: 11.

...I'm an official Bahama Mama: 18.

...unemployment: 32.

*I will admit I learned the word "matriculation" from Twilight. And I'm slightly ashamed to do so.

Yoga

2010-04-09T18:31:00.003-06:00

Brooke and I need to buy yoga mats. Why, you ask?

In Salt Lake, most apartments are not furnished, which means Brooke and I will not have beds, dressers, a table, couches, lamps...ANYTHING! Yoga was our solution to this open-space problem. You see, Brooke owns a TV and DVD player. That will be what out apartment consists of until we decide to dish out some dough at the DI. To appease our lack of furniture, we are buying yoga mats and picking up some yoga DVD. It's gonna be great. Feel free to join us at 5:30 a.m. starting mid-August in a beautiful Avenues basement apartment still to be determined.

Until, prepare yourself for the greatness of summer.

Friday Night In

2010-04-02T19:45:00.002-06:00

Today is Friday! Today is Friday! It's my favorite camp day!
It's not Monday, it's not Tuesday, it's not even Wednesday!
It could be Thursday, but it's not because...
Today is Friday! Today is Friday! It's my favorite camp day!

As I sit on my plush, green couch watching season 8 of Friends with my roommate, Tiff, I can't help but think about how happy I am to be staying in on a Friday night. The chow mein is warm and spicy, the chocolate milk is cold, the cell phone is quiet, and the thermostat just right. It's been a crazy week full of 20-page research papers, shuffling 6th graders across campus, and 5-hour long naps. Spending a night in is the perfect way to unwind and relax...just in time for General Conference!

Up goes the hair, on go the pajamas, off comes the make-up, and on goes the latest rental from Redbox. Speaking of Redbox...any suggestions?

note the time

2010-03-31T03:26:00.002-06:00

it's 3:27 a.m. i haven't slept since 6:30 a.m. yesterday. what is the reason for my madness? english 316. technical report. citations and abstracts. is my 19-page paper finally done? yes.

why am i still awake? i'll tell you.

i can't sleep. simple as that. the lights were out, the computer shut down, pajamas on, and my body in bed. i kept imagining this hispanic man head butting my desk next to me. why was he doing that? i don't know. why did i imagine him? no idea.

then i decided that would be a really funny post.

so here i am. listening to my roommate rhythmically breathe while i pound away on the keys of my laptop as i have been for the past 8 hours. hope she doesn't mind.

ColorFun

2010-03-28T10:25:00.006-06:00

The Hindu religion is great. So great. Every year, there is a festival called Holi, which is a celebration of burning a witch who ate children...or something like that. I'm not Hindu, so I don't know the details, but I have grown to love this festival.

Spanish Fork has one of two Hindu temples in the entire country. They host a Festival of Colors every March, burn a witch, and thousands of surrounding Mormons (and Hindus alike) throw brightly colored chalk at each other, resulting in a huge, disgusting dust cloud that last for approximately fifteen minutes and multicolored participants.

This year I went with my sister, Chelsea, and my roommate, Tiffany. While it was just the three of us throwing chalk at each other amidst the chaos of the celebration, we were still very happy with the results.

Canooling into Park City.

2010-03-24T20:26:00.010-06:00

Brooke and I decided to take our own self-imposed spring break last Friday. While we still had to go to work, we skipped out of town early that afternoon and headed up to Park City.

First, lunch at the Skyroom. Delish.

Brooke was a little frightened by her roll.

Next, the drive into Park City. Absolutely astounding.

Third, shopping at the outlets. Yes, we bought these shirts. Okay, not really but we did get some really cute tops from Anne Taylor and a dress from TJ Maxx.

Finally, hot tubbing at the Marriott Mountainside Resort. We love hot tubs. We love sneaking into resorts. Pictures were not taken. Sorry to disappoint.

All in all, our weekend was pretty simple, but pretty fun.

Next on our list: the Bahamas.

Accepted or Denied?

2010-03-15T13:17:00.006-06:00

Well geez. These past few months have been quite a rollercoaster of the waiting game. I interviewed for EFY (yes, again). Still waiting to hear back from them. Pray for me. I also applied for the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Utah. I heard back from them.

Drum roll please...

Keep drumming...

After months of waiting while others were receiving acceptance letters from other programs, I waited. Not so patiently, might I add (which could be why it seemed like an eternity until I heard back). Today, during my Aural Rehab class, I accidentally ignored a call from my mom's cell phone. I text her to let her know I was in class and that I would call later. She immediately responded with a text saying that she had a letter from the U with her. I promptly left my class, which was quite rude of me, I'm sure, and called her. I asked my mom to open the letter for me because I couldn't wait any longer (and she would know the outcome eventually). I was put on speaker phone (after telling my mom how to put her phone on speaker) and she opened the letter. After reading the formalities of the letter, which are not very comforting whether you've been accepted or not, she read that I was recommended for acceptance by the Speech-Pathology program.

In a nutshell: I'M ACCEPTED!

After some final reviews of my GPA and actually obtaining my degree in April, I'll be a full-fledged University of Utah graduate student. And it feels great.

Now the question arises: Will I still support my BYU Cougars or jump on the U of U band-wagon? Stay tuned to find out.

Oh hey

2010-03-10T14:26:00.006-07:00

Today I gave a group presentation. Did I mention it was 45 minutes long on the assessment and rehabilitation of the multiply handicapped? Yeah, it was that great. To make my presentation even more exciting, I HAVE A STUTTER! Gee whiz. Can't a girl catch a break?

Luckily, I was blessed with an extraordinary partner who worked with me and was also very patient. And to calm my nerves, I announced to the entire class, including the professor, that I had a stutter (hence why I've chosen to study communication disorders).

Before the presentation I was sitting outside the classroom, pleading with my Heavenly Father to take my stutter away...just this once. I begged and prayed through my tears for my Heavenly Father's help in getting through the presentation, but He didn't take my stutter away. Not for a second.

I don't know why I was born with a stutter, I don't know if I ever will, but I am grateful for the challenges that have come into my life because of it. Each time I give a presentation, each time I pray aloud, each time I read a quote or a scripture, and each time I talk to someone new on the phone strengthens my ability not only to speak clearly and overcome a fear, but it also strengthens my testimony.

I am grateful for the opportunities I will have to work with others with similar disorders; I'm grateful that I can be both sympathetic and empathetic towards them. I hope that through my personal experience, other people will be able to face their fears and overcome the obstacles that partner speech impediments. If I can see myself as a success in the speech impediment world, perhaps I can help one other person, just one, to see himself as a success too.

If that's all I accomplish in this life, it will be well-worth all of the embarrassment, fear, and pain I've experienced.

Potatoes equals Money

2010-03-05T09:46:00.002-07:00

Today, I got paid to sample garlic mashed potatoes.

Do I love my job? Yes.

Do I want to leave? No.

Do I have to leave when I graduate? Yes.

Shoot.

Budget

2010-03-01T19:29:00.005-07:00

I just created my first real budget ever.

I know, I know-you'd think by now I would have learned how to budget. Well, I just found this ridiculous website that helps me create a budget by allotting certain amounts of money to each category; I then tailor that budget to fit my needs (because I really don't need $40/month for fast food). But get this-it tells me how much I've spent in each category and how much I have left for the month! It even uploads my checking and savings accounts. This way, I can easily keep track of what I spend where. I know I'll be surprised by how much I spend at restaurants and things like that, but if I see my money categorized like, I'll be much more likely to keep my spending on restaurants, groceries, and movies to a minimum.

Now, what this means for my social life is that it will definitely plummet due to a lack of funds. But I am determined to keep my spirits high. Here are some crazy alternatives to the typical night out so I can keep my social status and moolah.

1. Borrow a movie from a neighbor. My complex is filled with 48 girls which means endless supplies of chick flicks. What more could a girl ask for?
2. Make your own treats. Who needs to pay for a $3 cupcake when you can buy two cake mixes and frosting for that price?
3. Go to the MOA, HFAC, or Provo Library for a cultured event. All are open and free to the public. Why not?
4. Star gazing. Bundle up with sweaters and socks you already have-no need to look great, you'll be in the dark.
5. Heart attack someone. Brooke and I just recently heart attacked our boss. It was short, simple, and so free.
6. Do a puzzle. If you don't have one, buy one at DI. They're bound to be even better when they're donated.
7. Make a movie or music video. Complete the experience with costumes, make up, music, and a great editing job.
8. Work out. BYU allows its students to use the SFH and RB workout rooms with just a swipe of the ID card. Not only will working out save you money, you're bound to be smokin' hot if you keep it up.
9. Read a book. Libraries are full of hidden treasures...and books too. Take out your own library card (for free, might I add) and read away.
10. Volunteer somewhere. Local places are always looking for people to sort food or clothes, spend time with older folks, hang out with children and teens, or simply wash dishes. Try the Utah County Food Bank, Jamestown Assisted Living, or Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Utah to start.
11. Create a meal using only the ingredients you have in your kitchen-that's all. No bending or breaking the rules. Allrecipes.com has a great tool that allows you to input ingredients you'd like to use and then produces a list of recipes using those ingredients. Make sure to do the dishes after.
12. Do laundry. It's relaxing, smells great, and you'll have a full closet when you're done.
13. International Cinema. I realize I already gave a movie idea, but who doesn't love a good foreign film?
14. Call an old friend. Sure, it may use up minutes, but most phone plans have either unlimited calling or free nights and weekends. Double check your plan before assuming you can talk for hours without any costs.
15. Make play-doh. There are plenty of recipes online, some easier than others, but they're all great. Proceed to make whatever play-doh creation you'd like.
16. Window shopping. Sure, sometimes it's a drag looking at all of those cute tops you can't afford, but window shopping might just give you the motivation to keep saving money so you can actually afford one of those tops.
17. Donate old clothes and toys to a local charity. You'll feel better by the extra space and less guilty for never wearing that sweater your grandmother gave you when you were 15.
18. Clean. It's definitely a stress buster, plus you'll feel accomplished. And you won't be embarrassed to have guests come past the entry.
19. Write letters. These are even better than phone calls-they're tangible. The only cost is the stamp, but the joy the recipient will feel is more than 44 cents worth.
20. Go on a hike or nature walk. It's incredible how much more sense life makes when you're in nature. Plus, you'll be able to feel the presence of God even stronger. Who doesn't want that?
20. Plan your dream vacation. Sure, you definitely don't have the money for this one either, but (once again) it'll give you the motivation to start saving and something to look forward to. And you might just get a good tan in the end.

Reasons

2010-02-25T11:01:00.003-07:00

Last night in the library, while I was supposed to be studying for my Humanities midterm, I started thinking about my dating life. It's been pretty crazy these past few months (?) and I've been able to interact with quite a few incredible people. However, I'm still single. After this thought occurred in my observant little head, this list quickly followed:

Ten Reasons Why I Like Being Single
1. No obligations
2. NCMOs
3. Free time
4. Spontaneity
5. Lack of boredom
6. Don't have to let others in
7. Spend time with different people
8. No risks
9. Independence
10...okay so I can't think of anymore reasons

As I started to look over this list, I realize how lonely I sound. I've always been happy being on my own, and I still am. But I think it's about time that I grow up and accept that I don't want to be on my own forever. So...

Ten Reasons Why Dating is Nice
1. Obligations
2. No more NCMOs
3. Time spent with someone I love
4. Spontaneity
5. Relaxation
6. Let someone in
7. Still meeting new people
8. Risks
9. Knowing someone is there for me
10. Love

One day, I'll actually believe these reasons.

Sanity Pt. 2

2010-02-22T15:24:00.003-07:00

Yup, I'm still going insane. But, I've devised a plan to keep insanity to a minimum this week...

Monday-Well, today's almost over, but I do feel very accomplished. I've already taken two midterms today and did...decently. There's always room for improvement. All I have left to do today is research for a group project, complete an individual project, and write a 3-page paper for Doctrine and Covenants. Not too shabby for it being a Monday.

Tuesday-D&C paper is due today, hopefully I'll have it done on time to turn into class, but if not I can turn it in by 10 p.m. to Brother Bott's office. I'll also be meeting with my partner to work on the group project-hopefully I've done sufficient research for that as well. Then comes Humanities. Yay. Review session and much studying will ensue.

Wednesday-Turn in individual project. Spend the rest of the day studying for Humanities midterm.

Thursday-Humanities midterm in the afternoon. The evening will be spent working on my English proposal and more research for my group project. Perhaps I'll have time to work out this day as well.

Friday-Group meeting (again), turn in proposal. Now would be a good time to start eating and sleeping again.

Pretty manageable, right? Prayers, meals, and monetary donations will be accepted.

Sanity

2010-02-16T16:15:00.005-07:00

I'm going insane. Really.

Insane.

Why? I don't know.

Perhaps it is the loads of endless homework that just seems to keep piling up. Perhaps it's my calling in the Relief Society presidency that keeps me busy. Perhaps it's the fact that no matter how many dates I go on, I can never seem completely satisfied, thus shooting down each and every opportunity for a relationship I've ever had. Perhaps it is because my grad school application the U of U is still being looked at and I won't hear back from them until the end of March. Perhaps it is because I still haven't heard back from EFY (not that anyone else has either). Perhaps it's because I'm moving home this summer at age 22. Perhaps it's just the fact that I'm 22.

Perhaps there is no reason behind my insanity.

But it all stops now.

Starting today, I'll no longer be crazy. I'll plan out my evenings better so I have the time to finish my homework instead of cramming it in sneakily at work. I'll be even more involved as a counselor in the Relief Society to better get to know the girls and serve them. I'll give guys a fair chance-that's all they need. I'll be more patient with the U and EFY; they have plenty of applications to go through and who am I to tell them how to do their job? I'll move home this summer and hang out with me mom-we can keep each other company. I'll be okay with being 22, graduating from BYU, and not married. In fact, I'll be happy about it.

If there's one thing I've learned from life, it's all about the attitude. I can choose to accept my circumstances and better them, or I can choose to complain and not do anything about them. If I approach life with an optimistic attitide, no matter what situation I find myself in, I will be happy.

So today, I choose happiness. And I'll keep choosing happiness until my dying day.

Friends are the Fruit of Life

2010-02-03T09:27:00.006-07:00

Yes, I'm copying Tiff's blog and writing a sentence to each of the people in my life who have touched it in a meaningful way. There are many, many people who fit that description so if you don't make the list, I'm sorry in advance.

Chelsea-Yes, I know you're my sister. You're the best sister anyone could ask for! Always there to keep my secrets, to do silly things with (such as put our bra and underwear on the outside of our clothes and then proceed to take pictures), and you think I'm funny. What more could I want?
Brooke-Oh geez, where do I begin?! You are the peanut butter to my jelly, the apple of my eye, the Bahama to my Mama. You are ALWAYS there to count on (except 3 a.m.) and you will always be right by my side doing whatever dumb thing is next on my list. Bring on the SLC!
Tiff-Best roommate ever! How can I ever thank you enough? From our talks about Henry VIII to our McDonald's runs at midnight, you are so much fun! You have to love me and I'm glad it's that way.
Audge-We made it all four years! Go us! Thanks for sticking it out with me! You're a great example of optimism and looking at the bright side of things. You're going to make 'someone' very happy one day...
Camilla aka Cami-Geez, why were we not friends before?! I'm so glad you moved in this semester! I've already learned so much from you, and love you despite you lacking a full set of teeth. And you also think I'm funny. Love you!
Kaitlin-I sure do miss you! Thanks for being the roommate I could always talk to without judgment. I love you for it and always will!
Heather-You're going to be a mom! And a great one at that! Thanks for being the mother figure when you lived with us; you were always someone to rely on and talk to when it was needed most. Sure do love you! Good luck with your little boy!
Siri-Bahaha! We had packed all of our fun into one semester and I loved it! How could I ever forget how clumsy you were in the dark or how you looked at your engagement ring multiple times each night before falling asleep? Good times with a great friend! Love you!
Jess-You're on your mission in Florida, but you know that I love you anyway. Thanks for seeing me through since age 13. I sure am glad! You are such an example of strength and love. I couldn't have asked for a better friend for all those years.
Taylor-Yes, you're my brother so I have to include you. Just kidding. You were my best friend ever since we shared a room as wee ones-that's why I kept that disgusting white bear with the light up red heart. You still are one of my best friends! Thanks for letting me be a dork and appreciating it.
Darin-You always know exactly what to say to make me see how silly I am being, especially in the dating realm. Thanks for being that older brother when mine wasn't around and also being a friend. I always know I can count on you. Good luck in Iowa!
Jordan-We're so getting married at age 25 and it's gonna be great! You sure have mellowed out since your heavy metal days, but I like you just as much. You're a one of a kind friend and I love you for it.
Neal-Well shoot, you've always been 'that' friend, whether you knew it or not. Thanks for being so laid-back and drama-free; it was a nice break from the rest of my life for a few years. You're still one of my best friends and always will be.
Isaac-Bestest friend! How much our friendship has changed and evolved over the past few years from dissing on me in Crump's class to being the only one I can talk to at times. It sure does feel great to have you in my life. You're amazing and thought you should know.
Andrew-EFY was one of the greatest things I've done in my life because of you! We became the best of friends that summer and I sure did learn a lot from you. I hope we can become that good of friends again this summer...we're gonna rock this town!
Jared-You always make me smile. Thanks for always being there to make my laugh and simply listen when I'm down. You are one heck of a guy! Sure do love you!
Joey-We definitely had our ups and downs this past year, but I'm so grateful you've been around. You're always there whenever I need something (no matter how silly it is), and I really do appreciate. You've become one of my best friends.

I think I've covered most of the people I had in mind, and now I've run out of time. There are many more of you out there, whether you know it or not, that have made a huge impact on my life! Thanks and love to all of you!

Happy New Thanksmas, Martin Jr.

2010-01-28T19:47:00.026-07:00

Tiffany was complaining that I did not update my blog enough. I mean, come on, isn't every six months enough? Really. Anyway, here's a real quick update with a few scattered pictures.

September: That's too far back. I don't remember.

Oh yeah, Brooke and I went to The Danger Zone. Picture 1.

October: Halloween? That's all I could think of. That means Haunted Forest. Picture 2. And General Conference, and Kaitlin's wedding. Picture 3.

November: BYU v. U of U game. We won. Free Jazz game. 7th row. Picture 4. Meteor shower. Picture 5. Thanksgiving. Picture 6.

December: Christmas. Finals. Tiff's surgery. Jazz game against Lakers. Picture 7.

January: My 22nd birthday. Birthday dinner. Bumblebee. Picture 8. Re-enacted picture 9. Smart Cookie and Sexy Modest. Picture 10.

For all other events and/or pictoral stories, visit my Facebook page.

Out of Touch

2009-09-04T15:25:00.010-06:00

I guess it's time to get back to the real world since summer is over and all...and by "the real world" of course I mean the real world of blogging! I have a lot to catch up on so hold tight and buckle up keeping your hands, arms, heads, and whatever other appendage you can think of inside the ride at all times.

After my H1N1 stint in June at EFY, I went to the TRANSFORMERS 2 midnight premier with Brooke and Mychal!!! So so so great! Not a whole lot of plot, some crude things that definitely didn't need to be in there, but it's Transformers so of course I loved it! Here we are decked out in our T2 attire...don't we look fabulous?

After the Transformers adventure, my friends from high school and I decided to have a camping reunion. We went to some random place in the middle of Lehi, but it sure was spectacular! Sorry...no pictures for that venture. Will post soon.

More weeks of EFY came and went: Ephraim 2 kicked my trash, but Ephraim 3 and Salt Lake 4 were soooooooo great! I couldn't have asked for better groups of kids (they even rival Salt Lake 1). I'll do individual posts on those later, but still enjoy this sneak peak of pictures.
Yellowstone was next on my to-do list and so it was done. Brooke and I were only able to spend a whopping two days there, but we actually saw a lot more than I expected. Enjoy all of these pictures. We took almost 200 pictures on this trip, so be forewarned.

That concludes my summer. Be looking for more in-depth posts on Yellowstone and EFY...they deserve it.

H1N1! Swine! Flu!

2009-06-15T10:02:00.013-06:00

Feast upon EFY? Why, yes I did!

This past week was my first week of EFY this summer at the U of U and it sure was a blast! My kids were SO fun and SO insightful with the gospel...it was mind-boggling! The first day of meeting all of them I knew the week was going to be incredible!

By the time Wednesday rolled around, I already felt as if I had 33 younger siblings, which was great. I've missed having youngins around, especially boys (since I don't have a younger brother). Games and pizza night were fabulous. The huge pizza we got from The Pie was so tasty! And to my surprise, I found out that Spencer was Jon Schmidt's son! Wahoo for talented kids! He and Chantel were asked to sing in the Friday night fireside, and they did one heck of a job!

On Thursday afternoon, Emily was able to perfrom in the variety show. Who knew she had so much talent?! Thursday night was testimony meeting, which meant many tears passed. The Spirit was incredibly strong and it was great to see and hear how much the youth had learned and grown over the week. I love seeing the effort I've put forth (which MUCH of the Lord's help) was worth it.

When Friday came and I realized it was my last day with my new friends I did everything I could to make it the best day yet (which wasn't hard with such great kids!). Dinner and the dance were hilarious, and I became engaged to my co-counselor, Sam. I didn't expect to find a husband at efy!!!

Needless to say, this past week was one full of fun, new friendships, and the Spirit. I hope I can make it through the rest of my summer not being too disappointed if I don't get the same caliber of kids...which might be hard to do!!! They rocked it and I cannot wait until I get to see them again!

I Had a Dream

2009-06-02T09:08:00.005-06:00

So...

I have a dream that one day my children will be able to relish in the music of Peter Breinholt...LIVE!!! I have been so blessed to attend many a concert over the past couple of years, and I don't want to deprive my children of that same happiness.

In fact, just last night I was able to sway along to the soothing sounds of the summer with Peter B. Thanks to David Tolk's facebook status (another great local artist), Brooke and I were able to discover a free concert in Draper featuring Peter B., David Tolk, and Craig Miner (aka Banjo Boy of the Ryan Shupe band). Despite Peter's huge local fan base, there were only families with small children and your occasional token grandparent. Pretty sure Brooke and I were the only two representing the college scene, but we liked it that way.

We even got to see a fly-by of some sort of military plane and its teeny weeny escorts!

Soon after Peter started playing, it started to drizzle. This was mine and Brooke's solution.
After about an hour, Draper City decided to end the concert because of lightning. Pretty sure there was no lightning, just flash photography from the fans and paparazzi. And soon after we got back to the car, the rain created rivers from the sidestreets! There should have been a flashflood warning. Anyway, because the concert ended early, Peter and his band decided to talk with the fans. Of course Brooke and I were the first in line to chat and get a picture with him...it was fabulous! (Now he even knows my camp name from Oakcrest. We are going to be best friends before you know it.)So I had a dream to meet Peter B (again), and it came true! Between the semi-spontaneous nature of the event, the rainstorm, and the picture which started a great friend ship, last night definitely had to be the BEST NIGHT EVER!

Give Me a Piece of that KitKat Bar!

2009-05-31T17:55:00.007-06:00

So I'm way behind on blogging, so this post will be solely dedicated to catching all of my fans up on my life (besides my NY adventure) the past month or so. Be prepared for a mouthful.

First, school ended! Yay! Wahoo! And Yum! It's tradition every year to hike the Y during this time, so we did just that. It was a lot harder than I remember it being last year, but it was still great! Here's a picture of us hiking the Y. Or maybe two pictures.

Second, Tiff, Audge, Darin, Josh, and I surprised Ben for his birthday. Here's the car ride before we got stuck on I-15 for an hour.

Next, Siri's wedding. She married Michael Alemany. That's all you really need to know. I believe she has her own blog anyway.Then was NY.

After NY I started working full-time at my job: Budget Assistant at the BYU Physics Department. What my job sounds like is a boring desk job full of paper work and money transactions, right? Well, my job really consists of baking, scrapbooking, making cards, cleaning, running errands, more baking, etc. It rocks.

Just this past weekend Tiff put together a bonfire up Provo Canyon. It was fab. S'mores, (root) beer, and Starbursts. Need I say more? Plus cuddling because it was cold. Talk about a perfect night.So that's the latest. Soon I start EFY which means plenty of blogs will be coming from there. Then Moab, more EFY, mission homecomings!, etc. Be prepared for a crazy summer of blogging!

KOWABUNGA!!!

2009-05-30T22:54:00.013-06:00

The past month was INCREDIBLE!!! First, it started out with Siri's wedding! Oh how I love that girl! She looked beautiful and she and Michael sure looked happy. They're in New York City for the summer while he completes an internship, then they'll be back in Provo. How I miss her!

The night after Siri's wedding I flew out to New York to meet up with my parents for a few days. Even though I didn't get much sleep on the red-eye, as soon as I hit the ground I was runnin'! I ate lunch at my dad's office in Tribeca, met his "people", took a few "tourist" pictures with the Statue of Liberty and World Trade Center, saw West Side Story, and ate at the most incredible restaurant: Duane Park! We even got free desserts out of it because the waiter loved us. Delish!

The next couple of days were full of more fabulous food and tourist pictures. Breakfast at Norma's was FABULOUS as always and dinner at Broadway Joe's was yummy. I even got a picture with my favorite commandante waiter. We were also able to go to the temple and do baptisms, take pictures in Central Park, get a picture by the big "LOVE" thing, and go to Top of the Rock. Oh man, was I worn out!

Friday was a bit more relaxed, which is exactly what I needed. We moved to the Theater District in Midtown to a hotel with our favorite bellhops (they're very good...looking!). We took a stroll past the New York Public Library, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and I bought my first real Starbucks (Tall Double Chocolately Chip Frappuccino)! Delish! As we were debating whether or not to wait in line for hours at the Museum of Modern Art, it started POURING so we quickly grabbed a cab and headed back to our hotel until dinner at Hard Rock Cafe (where I was able to get my favorite drink...Crushed Velvet Martini!)

Saturday was a long day! We walked to the Museum of Modern Art (in beautiful weather), back to our hotel (where we bought roasted almonds...yum!), packed, and met my friend Allie for lunch. (Allie and I thought it was pretty funny that we met up for lunch in Manhattan when we're both from So Jo.) I then bought another Starbucks (my fourth of the trip), some cupcakes from Crumbs, and Cosi for the plane ride home. A few hours later we boarded the plane in JFK and to my surprise I flew first-class!!! Free movies, free dinner, free candybars, free whatever I wanted! It was fabulous!

I've been secretly planning another trip back east to visit some friends, but it looks like the funds aren't gonna stretch that far. There's too much adventure for one summer!

May I put you on hold?

2009-05-12T11:28:00.002-06:00

Whelp, it's officially been over a month since my last blog entry. I actually have a draft waiting to be published, but I haven't uploaded my pictures from my latest adventures and everyone knows that a truly great blog is incomplete without any photos. So you'll just have to wait until I can find the time in my crazy life to upload my pictures and add them to my blog. Remember, patience is a virtue.

Besides, it's not like any of you actually comment on my blog anyway, so what are you really missing out on?

Time for a Change

2009-04-06T23:03:00.010-06:00

Tonight I had the great opportunity to go to a benefit concert for Paul Cardall, a local musician who is in dire need of a heart transplant. He has congenital heart disease, and his heart failed last August. Over his lifetime, Paul has had 28 surgeries, including 7 open heart surgeries, and has miraculously survived to get married and have a beautiful daughter, Eden, whom the concert was named after. All proceeds went to Paul and his family, which was a total of $40, 500 just from ticket sales! Among the local artists who played was my favorite, Peter Breinholt, as well as Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, Kurt Bestor, and Colors. Each act was dedicated to Paul in love and hope.

Besides gaining a whole list of new records to buy, I gained a new appreciation for life. I realized how so many people, myself included, watch life pass them by without a second thought. Life isn't something to be whittled away on living for the future, we have to live for the now to prepare for the future. No one can say when this life will end or what it will bring, but we have to make sure we are living the best we can making as many memories as possible, in the here and now, so we are not caught off guard when trials and tribulations come.

My sister has a roommate who can never see anything good from her past because she has always looked towards the future. Currently, her life's motto is: Everything will be good when I move back home. She doesn't move home for almost a month, but yet that is what she is looking forward to. Think how much she will miss in the next month because she is planning weeks ahead!

This is my renewed vow, for all of you who follow this blog to witness: I will not live for the future, I will live for now and prepare for the future.

I'm not meaning to say goals and aspirations are detrimental and we should never look toward the future...it holds so many great things in store for us! But each successful goal starts with baby steps right now, which turn into great strides later.

All in all, I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to attend such an uplifting and inspiring concert. Paul's story is one I will not soon forget, and I hope you won't either as you find inspiration from his story. Check it out at http://mytricuspidatresia.blogspot.com/

Foot in my mouth

2009-03-26T22:33:00.003-06:00

So I was wrong, Yao Ming does more than just stand there and put his hand up in the air to block shots. Don't mistake me, he still does that, but can also just put his hand up in the air with a ball in it and make a basket or two. So excuse me, all Houston fans, Yao just may be more an of asset than I orginally thought.

Beyond the fact that Yao was more impressive than expected, the Jazz game was still SPECTACULAR! Brooke and I had a goal to lose our voices, and although that wasn't the case, two days later my throat is still hurting so I feel pretty darn accomplished. I just love Jazz games! Playoffs...here we come!

Whilst at the Jazz game, Brooke and I saw ads for Britney Spears...and we're very tempted to attend. I've never bought any of her music, and I never plan to, but seeing her live may just be worth it. I'll have to keep that in the back of my mind.

Only 10 more days until Peter B! Just a reminder: he's incredible and the cause of the benefit concert is totally worth it! Come, come!

Utah Jazz, March Madness, and Peter B...all rolled into two weeks!

2009-03-23T15:05:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow night I have the opportunity to go to my first Jazz game of the 2008-2009 season...and I am so stoked! The last game I went to was Game 7 against Golden State two years ago with double overtime...man, was that a night to remember! The Jazz are playing the Houston Rockets, which should make for an interesting game (especially because Yao Ming is so stinkin' huge he can barely get his body to start running.) I decided Yao should just stay at the Houston defensive end of the court and wait for the ball to come his way so he can stick his hand up in the air to block it...that's pretty much what he does anyway.

I have to admit, college basketball isn't my thing. I know who the "good" teams are for the season and I know what the stats mean, but I don't watch any games or check up on certain teams, not even BYU. Despite my lack of caring for college basketball, I am in first place in a pool of nine people (eight guys and me) according to espn.com. All of my teams made it to the Sweet Sixteen! I'm thinking that if I do end up being the winner of our pool, each guy should take me out on separate dates...I deserve it, don't I?

Finally (and this is the best news of all), Peter Breinholt is finally doing another concert! It's a benefit concert for another local artist, Paul Cardall, who is having heart surgery. Performing alongside Peter B. is Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand and Kurt Bestor. Tickets are only $12!!! That's $4/artist! It's totally worth it. Check out the websites livingforeden.com or peterbreinholt.com to buy tickets, donate, and relish in the beauty that is Peter B.