hmmmm

Sisters, sisters, never ever such devoted sisters......

So I am back from California for Christmas. I had a lot of fun this time, but not the kind of fun I usually had. I was stressed out almost the whole time, nothing was going right, we got ants in all the presents at my aunt's house because my grandma made lots of goodies, I was sick the morning we had Christmas with my aunt so by the time I got there I was looking like and feeling like such a mess.....(haha the first thing my Uncle said to me when I walked through the door was "Are you alright? You look like you have been through a whirlwind" (then a caring pat on the back) haha oh uncle danny, that melted my heart. :) somehow he always pins me. haha. how does he know me so well. I wasn't all that too much of a mess, but he could read it all over my countenance. I felt much better after that. haha. ) plus I forgot my camera so I didn't get to take pictures of any of my aunt's Christmas festivities!! I had it all planned out, and my plan was thrown out.

So on the way to my aunt's house, we had gone about an hours worth of a drive, we realized we forgot to bring the presents, so we had to turn all the way back around, cross the bay bridge, and get the presents. So we ended up being 3 hours late (we were already running late haha...oops) but on the way back, we saw this guy in his car just rocking out. It made all of us laugh and made the trip a lot funner, cause man he was really going at it! It went on for at least 10 minutes. My sister took a video of him and we all gave him a thumbs up. haha.

Then on the day I was to leave, about an hour before I was to go to the airport, we had to make a pit stop at DSW shoes. he he he...
My mom tells me "we aren't leaving this store without you getting a pair of shoes." I'm like, dang....dream of my life....but how to choose? i mean, every single shoe was worth buying. haha. and it was a whole wearhouse. And I am not decisive when it comes to things like this....
so, an hour later, my sister and mom shove two pairs at me prettymuch and we leave, barely barely making it to the airport. My mom is parked in front of the Southwest part with her car all sticking out in the street as we try to shove my new shoes into my suitcases along with the other goodies that Grandma gave me for Christmas. hahaha........oh my, i hate hate being disorganized and here we have a very disorganized trip that almost made me cry but ya know what??.....

I will say though amidst the crazyness, I think I got some sense knocked into me. I oftentimes love being home so much that I try to get everything on camera. I forgot my camera this time, so I was more focused on the actual visiting with family and just soaking it up rather than trying to get it all documented so I could show everyone at home how cool my family is. This also meant I wasn't selfishly focused on trying to make myself look good for pictures. haha. I dont even know where on earth this sudden habit has come from but its ridiculous and not even like me. I mean, within reason ya know, but not like, to the point where I have to go fluff up my hair before I let anyone take my picture. haha. oh vanity.....i hope i dont do that again. it is facebook's fault. Heavenly Father has ways of humbling us and I am so glad because I really get into ruts or habits or whatever and I just love a good humbling day, week, month..whatever it ends up being! I think our trials are really the catalylsts that teach us. I don't know what I would do without trials. seriously. Not only that but I was reminded that I could just have a bad day and my family was still okay with it. I think sometimes I try to be so perfect that I am not myself, even around family at times (at least when I've been away for awhile), its like I get into this attempted super nice girl attitude, which is silly cause honestly I am not a mean person (but ya know, when you dont want to be a jerk or to be seen as someone with a bad attitude, you try extra hard and hence end up missing the mark.) Until I was humbled I wasn't able to enjoy my trip. Too bad it happened on the last day of my trip. Dang pride....

(I decorated Courtney's face and she decorated mine. What are you trying to say????)

It also was a bit of a whirlwind trip...though I was there for 10 days and 9 nights, I only spent 3 nights at each house. I prettymuch have 3 families. There is my dad and his wife and my step family (step sister and her daughter and my step aunt and her kids) and the Kingons, and then there is my mom and my sisters, and then there is my aunt, uncle, grandparents and cousins (all in the same house) I spent lots of my life in each place so I consider each place like home. I do not want to think about Christmastime when I get married. haha.

(This is the Kingon family. Yeah :)....)

I was glad to get back though, too. Now my apartment is totally empty of people and very quiet, I'm just trying to keep it a clean and peaceful place ;) rooommmies get back soooon its sooo quiieeettt!!! :)

Lights on Temple Square

This is our Christmas tree complete with Elf who has a drinking problem....Sprite drinking that is. ;)

I forgot to put in my last post that me and my coworkers went to see the lights on temple square this week for FHE! They were very pretty. I really enjoyed myself this time...I always do but its extra special when you are with people that you are such good friends with! So here are some pictures:

Crazy week

Hey! so this week has been insane. haha. On Thursday, I flew to California....but let's back up just a little bit.

Since we got a good snowfall up at Aspen, me and a couple of my coworkers decided to take the opportunity to do a little sledding! 2 feet of snow, come on, what else were we going to do? ;) But we were the first ones down the hill so we had to create our own trails. So here I am forcing myself down this snow covered hill through about a foot of snow...It took me like 15 minutes to get down the thing. I had to sit on the sled and try to scoot my butt forward really hard so I could move downwards. Entertaining? Yes. I am very glad I bought some snowpants.

This one was taken right before we started down that hill. This huge pile of snow was a lot bigger than we thought so when we stepped in it we sunk in all the way up our legs.


And here we are taking lots of pictures. Our faces were frozen so it was hard to smile like normal so I resorted to that expression. haha.

Wednesday night I realized I did not pack. I watched "Stardust" which was a really great movie and I am very glad I watched it! (for the 2nd time but it was even funner this time :) ) So I started packing about 10:30, and didnt get done until after midnight, which I have no idea why but by this time I was so loopy and tired I just wanted to go to bed! I knew I would have to get up about 6:30 to get ready to leave for my flight.

So Thursday morning rolls around, and I get a text from my friend David who says I might want to leave a little bit early cause the roads are bad. I figure, well, we are already leaving about 2 hours before I had to be there, plus my roommate wasn't ready to go at the earlier hour, so we left at 8 from Provo to get to the SLC airport.....

The roads were HORRIBLE! Beyond anything I have ever seen in my life. We couldn't even see any tire tracks for about half the time. Not only that but there was tons of traffic! After about 2 hours, we finally reached Bangerter Highway (normally about a 25 minute trip), and we decide to pull off and get into a different freeway that would be a little less crowded. But less crowded means less travelled which means worse roads. So we get on the Bangerter, and it was even worse! Not only that, but our car started fishtailing and we couldn't control it, so Kleresa pulled over to the side for a second to get her breath again, and this semi BLOWS past us. I swear, it almost hit our car...talk about scary! So my roommate was about to cry, I was trying to calm her down, and by this time I am about to miss my flight. So I call the airlines, and thankfully they were offering free flight changes for those who were going to be transferring in Vegas (becase the Vegas airport had shut down the day before). So I opted for a later flight, and we pulled off and went to my roommates' mom's elementary school where she is a teacher's aide. We hung out there for a little while while my roommate could get her bearings again, hung out with her sisters for lunch, and left after a few hours. Her mom came with us this time for moral support. This helped Kleresa to feel better for sure.

This time, the roads were completely clear! The sun was shining and the traffic had lessened. I was very glad that they were offering later flights for free (I think I even got $10 back). I was glad we didn't die. And I am still wound with stress haha....its stressful having to plan out Christmas vacation and visit lots of relatives and make everyone happy, but I am glad to be home nonetheless!I know I would regret it if I didn't take the time to visit everyone. I think because I got this trip started off on a rough leg it made it harder for me to just pop in and be myself and be completely relaxed and ready to visit and enjoy my vacation. I guess that is how life is sometimes though right? .....sigh......It is going to be alright Shayna, it is going to be alright....;) There is no more snow to deal with out here, I get to be with my family!, and I don't have to drive up a scary mountain for 10 days!! :)

Its 10:52 PM and I am blogging...

Yep, that's about right. But I will say this in my defense. I don't have to work until 2pm tomorrow, and I just barely got home from work. Barely meaning about 45 minutes ago. But hey, ya know what? Work is tiring, and I am going to exercise in a few minutes so its all good.
So I just got back from California yesterday, yay! It was good to get home for sure! I think living on my own for so long makes me really appreciate family more and more. I already loved them but going home makes me realize more of what I want in my own future home. It just feels like you don't have to pretend like you are someone else and they love you anyways! ;) NOt that i am a brat or anything, i hope i'm not at least. then there is the whole feeling like you don't have to worry about the world outside anymore, you are home and taken care of! :)
Some of my favorite parts about this past weekend were when we played "Would You Rather" and we made my mom do a booty dance. She acted like she didn't want to but then when we played the song...THE song....
Other hilights--I got to see my sisters, they are growing up so fast, especially Kaitlin! Courtney I talk to more than Kaitlin but Kaitlin is becoming a young woman, crazy how that works! I remember when she was a baby....!!
I also liked when we went through all of our old pictures, in an effort to work on a Christmas present for someone. I cannot say anything now....actually I am hoping it all works out, all depending on how much my fam is willing to help out! :) HINT HINT...But yeah I was kinda a dorky kid, honestly. What was I thinking dying my hair?? gross. oh wait, i did that because we were trying to save money and do at home hilights but then they went really bad and I looked like a skunk, so we died it overtop....
But I was also thinking how back then I thought I had these huge, gigantic legs. Like I needed to lose lots of weight on them. But seeing the picture, I don't know why I was so worried, they were just fine! I think sometimes we are too hard on ourselves and we don't see ourselves in the proper perspective.
Well...yep like i said it is now 11:15. Merry Christmas everyone!

A new post for Elaina.

Haha ok so I didn't think that anyone ever really looked at this but looks like I should post more often......since Elaina said so ;)
So lately I have been looking for another job, but still picking up lessons from my current job at Aspen Grove. like, for example, I was driving home through the Canyon and there was this big rainstorm that was coming through. I see the Canyon in all its colors, literally--fall, spring, summer, and winter, and what a beautiful place it is! It really shows me the grandeur of our Father in Heaven. Oftentimes I think we think of Him as a gentle, kind, Father (as He is) but today in all the magnificence of this storm, I came across this bend, where usually the sun beams and it displays this beautiful part of the canyon, but this time it was big and black and intimidating, and I was thinking, "Wow, yes He creates these masterpieces, and not only that but He has a great personality--He has passion and strength and power and love--completely controlled of course and only used in the way that will benefit His children, whether that be to teach them a lesson or to set things up for them so that their life will take the right turns." He has created everything that to me symbolizes His Son and His plan for us. We can learn so much about Him from His creations!
What else is going on in my life...well I have been trying to decide what to get my Master's degree in, debating between MPA (Masters of Public Administration--which would allow me to run my own non-profit organization for families), or perhaps CFLE (a master's degree that would certify me as a family life educator, which would put me actually teaching classes and stuff)....so many decisions. I am leaning towards CFLE at the moment. I am looking at schools, so far not many offer it! I'm looking in Utah and California and at least in the general vicinity of those states.
Yep, ,that's about my life right now. Yay Prop 8 passed! Way to go all of you who worked so hard at making phone calls and campaigning!! Keep up all of your hard work! The world needs you so much! Things are becoming so blurred, and like my Institute teacher said this week, as the Saints become more righteous and more firm in their testimonies, the world will become more hard on us! But you were saved for these times! Like President Monson said, if you have become inactive, or if you have lost your way, please come back. We love you, we need you, we need your help! And the Lord will bless you with the things that you need to accomplish such a feat if you are willing!

Protect The Sanctity of Marriage Ammendment!

Okay, I know the Proposition 8 ammendment doesn't specifically say that the "sanctity" of marriage needs to be protected, but in my eyes, this is what it is doing. I have a strong conviction that marriage is something that is ordained of God, and that it was designed to be between a man and a woman, specifically. There are important reasons that men and women should be together, and that each gender contributes certain things to the other gender that are essential and that are designed to create balance and to create a positive influence on children as they raise them--not to mention the fact that those differences also create an environment for each individual in the relationship to flourish emotionally, socially, physically, and spiritually--regardless of how religious of a person you are.
There have been tons of studies done on the differences between men and women, and the contributions that a mother and a father, separately and individually, make on a child's positive development. For example, studies have shown that girls who have a positive relationship with their father (specifically) have less emotional problems, less problems in school, tend to stay out of early sexual relationships (which can be very harmful to that child's emotional and social development), and overall do much better in life.
I think we all know deep down that marriage between a man and a woman is a good thing, and some may say that it is intolerant of me to say that homosexual marriage is not good, but I believe that intolerance can go both ways. If we continue to "tolerate" situations that could make the future of our country's society crumble, then what good will that do? I am not saying that I have a hatred towards homosexuals in any way. I have a lot of acquaintances that I am on good terms with who are homosexual. I just do not tolerate the act of homosexual relations and I do not want to see our society melt--think of the long-term repercussions this could have. Adoption agencies would have to make new rules about who gets to adopt children (and since statistics have shown that most homosexual relationships do not last very long, what kind of a situation are we putting those kids in? I believe I heard that most homosexual people have had over twenty partners in their lifetime.) Not only that, but here in America our birth rate is not high enough to replace our population. Over time, at the rate we are already going at, Americans will be no longer. We will, and already are, have to rely on immigrants to replace our population. If we have more homosexual couples around, where are the children going to come from? There are several reasons why allowing homosexual marriage could take a toll on our society.
Marriage is a sacred bond--designed by our Father in Heaven--with a premortal purpose. Of course it is under attack--there are powers among us that do not want to see the beauty of family life flourish. You cannot create life between two men or two women. And children raised in that kind of environment do not fare as well, as stated earlier. (And for those of you who are Latter-day Saints, you cannot be sealed in the temple to your homosexual spouse, which sealing is a requirement that allows you to obtain the highest degree of glory in the heavens, what we are all down here trying to do--of course the Adversary is trying to stop us from getting there!) and I know for some people this is a very difficult thing to understand, but this goes hand in hand with all the things we are taught from the Holy Bible, that men and women belong together, not in homosexual relationships. I believe there are great reasons for this.
So for those of you who read this, please do not forget to vote for Proposition 8. And please spread the word!

Two Names You Go By
1. Shayna
2. Bo Bayna

Two Parts of Your Heritage
1. Italian (1/4)
2. Irish

Two Things That Scare You
1. boys
2. bees

Two of Your Everyday Essentials
1. computer
2. going outside

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. a new pink shirt ;)
2. a skirt that i've had forever

Two of Your Favorite Bands or Musical Artists (at the moment)
1. Jack Johnson
2. anything country

Two Truths
1. I love the gospel and I know it's true
2. I act like i know more than i do most of the time ;) but that doesn't negate number 1!

Two Physical Things That Get You Compliments
1. my eyes
2. legs...haha shantel....

Two of Your Favorite Hobbies
1. facebook. yah, i know....i gotta stop that! either that or shopping. but i dont like spending money so it evens out. haha.
2. exercising or doing things outside.


Two Things You Want Really Badly Right now?
1. a dream job ;)
2. to know what i am supposed to be doing with my life.

1.) Two Places You Want to go on Vacation
1. Disney World
2. hawaii

2.) Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. be a mom
2. teach people something that will change their lives ;)

3.) Two Things You Are Thinking About Now
1. How I should be paying more attention to conference but I am feeling ansy so I'm trying to do lots of things at once.
2. how beautiful of a day it is outside.

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"Honestly"

1.Honestly, where are you now?
at jeremy and jason's apartment watching conference.

2.Honestly, have you ever failed a subject in high school?
nope, never less than a B

3.Honestly, what's on your mind?
a million things like usual ;)

4.Honestly, what is it that you really should be doing right now?
focusing on conference gosh stop distracting me! ;)

5.Honestly, have you brushed your teeth today?
yep

6.Honestly, who are your best friends in the world?
my family.

7.Honestly, who is the hottest person you know?
I do not like the term hot I think it does not reflect someone's worth so I don't really pay attention to that

8.Honestly, are you a good friend?
I try to be! I am sure I have a lot to work on.

9.Honestly, do you think school is important?
absolutely. I miss it already.

10.Honestly, what are your dreams mostly about?
people that I know and that I am close to.

11.Honestly, who/what makes you happy most of the time?
Being understood, knowing I am loved, and making other people happy.

12.Honestly, how happy are you now?
I'm happy.

13.Honestly, what song are you listening to?
Conference.

14.Honestly, who do you want to see at this very moment?
My family :)

15.Honestly, do you have a deadly disease?
not that I know of, i hope not!

16.Honestly, do you hate someone right now?
no. I might be a little frusterated and disappointed but I do not hate anyone.

17.Honestly, who/what do you wanna hug right now?
My family! I know, i know. Sometimes Courtney doesn't believe that. haha.

18.Honestly, are you bored?
Lately, no, but sometimes, yes. :) I try to keep myself busy.

Why Isn't It Working??

So lately I have been really frustrated with the way things are not going how I want them to be going with work. I have my bachelor's degree, and really really want to use it to bless the lives of people. Is it that hard to ask for a job that will help me to do that? Why is it that other people can find a good job in a few weeks and I have been looking since February and still have not found a place that wants to hire me? Well, I am working at Aspen Grove, so at least I am working, but still--it can be defeating to be told over and over that you are not wanted.
So I have been thinking about this, the whole why me thing, and what I am doing wrong, which is probably a good thing to think about because obviously it is something right? Lack of interviewing skills, maybe I need a better resume...who knows. But through all of this, though I am still looking for another job, it seems that my attitude has been changing.
Lately at work things have seemed a little bit easier, too. It is a very physical job and I think I am getting stronger so I can do more things a lot faster--plus I am learning the ropes so it is getting better. Still not my dream job. But Along those lines--this does have a point I promise--I was just thinking tonight about how sometimes we aren't given what we want. Imagine that. But, what HAVE I been given? Well, I have been given this job. I am able to associate with the head honchos a lot so maybe I can learn something from them. I am working with a lot of younger people who still have zest for life and are not jaded from all kinds of bad experiences or failed relationships or whatever. ;) I feel like my attitude is slowly changing and I am coming to appreciate hard work a lot more. The days are going by faster and I can come home knowing that I worked hard and got a lot accomplished, and not only that, but I am hopefully not getting any bigger from sitting around all day. haha....Anyway so I think sometimes when we are frusterated that things in our life are not meeting up to our expectations, we just have to throw up our hands and remember what we HAVE been given, remember that we can't really control everything and make it go the way we want it to go, and instead, look at what the Lord has given you and stop being so prideful and be grateful for it and USE it--spend the life you have been given the way the Lord intends for you to spend it. (I think I might contact one of the head honchos and ask him if I can learn some administration things from him) Enjoy it while it is here. Put forth all of your efforts to see that each day and each task and each person is given your best. Oh how selfish and short minded we can be! Remember your blessings! :) Look for the things that God has given you, look for them and see them as tools. Then build your life accordingly.

Thoughts on Women and Our Crazy Emotions

So I have been dwelling on this subject periodically the last couple of months. I have had several guy friends who said that they are not so sure they will be able to deal with their wife having the typical emotions that girls have. Now, being a girl, and being one to not want to put burdens on people around me, I have been observing my own emotions lately and trying to determine if I am highly emotional. Hmm....well each of my roommates, when I ask them if I am emotional, say "well, you have your days.." What? I thought I was totally stoic. Guess not!
Then I start thinking, Oh man. I dont want to be emotional! That is so hard to live with! I mean, I don't cry very often, it is true, but I guess there are other emotions. Nor do I get mad very often if at all!
OK so anyway.....on to what I was going to say in the first place. OK, first of all, we girls don't have to feel guilty about having emotions. Why? Look at this scripture:

"And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God..." (Jacob 2:7)

God made us like that. It is pleasing to Him! It doesn't mean that there is something wrong with the men, either. Men are wonderful in that they teach us to learn to be more temperate in our emotions--we are also commanded to be temperate in all things. And we are wonderful to the men--we teach them the beautiful things of life that come when our hearts are tender and soft. Not that guy's can't do that, but women have special gifts of compassion and charity and discernment that are given to us to be better mothers. Men, if you had our emotions, then you probably would not fare as well in the business world, because it can be brutal out there, let's face it. Not to say that girls cant do it, but if we do, then we tend to have to callous ourselves.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on the topic. I hope that the guys out there understand that I am not at all against men, I love them dearly and am grateful for their influence in my life. I am just sad when I see men who don't appreciate the women for all they do have to offer and who get impatient with our emotions! Remember guys--YOU don't have to deal with our emotions. WE do. Let US deal with our own emotions. That is our job, and it is a big enough job as it is. YOUR job is NOT to make it better or to deal with it, but rather to BE OUR FRIEND. That is all that we need.
Girls, you are amazing. Remember your potential! And guys, you are also very amazing! Work together, learn to capitalize on each other's natural talents and spiritual gifts, and you make the best team!

Grateful for Fall

So I have been enjoying my drive up to work every day! I am grateful to have a job, and especially a job in a place that I love to be--Aspen Grove! It is a bit of a drive, but every day I feel renewed and refreshed as I feel I am engulfed in magnificent creations! It isn't the most glamorous job--today I mowed lawns, cleaned bathrooms, and assembled lamps (?!) but at least I am learning fun things right? I even got the lawn mower stuck in the fence and it took me 20 minutes to get it out. haha. Besides getting almost attacked by a few snakes, hovered on by many bees (which I am terrified of, and oftentimes have to remind myself to just be still like my dad used to tell me!...but this will be good right, maybe I will get over my fear and then I won't have kids who are terrified of bees), developing man-hands I think....or at least they will be soon, and having lots of fun with cleaners, I have been able to be outside and learn a lot of great things. I enjoy having a walkie talkie, and its great that even the camp director works right next to us--it's not like there is a hierarchy there. I mean, of course there are leaders and they tell us what to do, but they do exactly the same things that we do. I had no idea how much work it took to run a camp!
Don't worry, I am not planning on doing this the rest of my life. But at least for now as I prepare for Grad School and need to refill my bank account, it is a job, and I am grateful to have it for now. Let me know if you hear of anything else too ;)

Solitude

I have always been one to appreciate solitude, but lately I think it has been more important to me. I believe that everyone needs time to just stop and be alone for awhile. It isn't a depressing thing and doesn't mean there is something wrong, but rather, it is a time to rejuvenate ourselves and come closer to the Lord. Even the Savior spent much of his time alone, whether in the wilderness or on a mountain. It is hard to give of ourselves when we are not sure who we are anymore--sometimes we just need to get away from people and connect with ourselves and with the Spirit.
And I've also been thinking a lot lately about the balance of giving of ourselves and giving to ourselves. Those who are trying to live more Christ-like lives tend to try to focus their energies on the people around them, especially in sacrificing and having charity. This idea extends to other people in our ward, other people in our family, and to our spouse. I like the quote found from "How to avoid marrying a jerk" that I heard in Institute the other night: "Find your life by centering on yourself and you will lose it. Lose your life by centering on your partner and you will find it."
I think there is a notion where couples get worried about how much time they are supposed to spend on or with their spouse, and how much time they are supposed to spend on doing things that they want to do by themselves. As I have learned in many classes as well as in Church, it is important to pay attention to the needs of one another, yet it is also vitally important to spend time doing things that we love to do and cultivating our own talents and not expecting ourselves or our spouse to devote every second of the day on the other person. This way, when you do come back together, you will both have something more to give to each other and to the relationship. This is not to say that we are supposed to just drop them and be selfish, or go out and date other people, or put yourself in tempting situations or situations that make it appear that you are single, nor does it mean that we shouldn't expect our spouse to care about us always. After all, as we have heard several times "Love is the anxious concern for the well-being of our companion" (or something like that..I'm not sure who said it). But healthy marital relationships are a delicate balance of autonomy and dependency. I for one love spending time doing my own activities (whether alone or with others)--exercising, reading, learning, observing--and when I take this time for myself, I have a lot more energy to give to the people that I care about. Sometimes I even find solitude when I am with someone or in a crowd of people--I just get quiet and reflective, and it doesn't mean I am mad or upset. I always appreciate friends who don't mind my quiet moods and who I can just sit and be quiet with and still feel like we have connected even though we haven't said a word. I'm sure we all appreciate that!
And I am not just making this up out of my own head, but these are things that I have learned at BYU. Good luck in your quest to find the right balance! Remember that each couple will need time to adjust to this, and that is why the first few years of marriage are sometimes kind of rocky--it doesn't mean you are with the wrong person, or that they don't love you because they just need some time to do their own thing, but just have patience and communicate and things will work out eventually. Don't worry, you still love each other. ;)

Yay Maren and Aaron!

Congratulations you two! I think I was standing a little too close to Aaron. Don't worry Maren, no competition there!
It was good to see old roommates and friends from CT, I miss you guys!
(And this is also to prove that I don't always look like a man. ;)

Hot Springs

This weekend we went to the Hot Springs in....I think Springville or Spanish Fork, one of the two! Last summer I went there for the first time and loved it. It was actually my first real camping trip ever. They have changed the hot springs quite a bit--they made them a lot nicer, putting up rocks and places to sit and hang your towels and what not, and they are a LOT cleaner. Plus you can control the water flow and make it warmer or cooler as you please! Its like a spa!







This was the girls' tent. That pile of toilet paper is from a little war we had with a bunch of earwigs and spiders as we were trying to go to bed. Word from the not so wise: keep your tent door closed! Also protects from bears and the like.... :)

Here is the actual hot spot. This is me in the morning after spending all night worried I would get eaten alive by earwigs and spiders. I'm serious, they were everywhere. But anyways, see how they are all man made now? WAY nicer. And apparently sulfer is great for your skin AND it kills bacteria. And thankfully our democrat friends weren't swimming around when we went down there...they were a little too liberal in some ways....

Mmmmm Breakfast burritos! Thanks JR and Rich!

This is Jaime, I am very glad she came. We all noticed it was a little chilly in the morning! (that's not why I'm glad she came. I'm just glad she came. :) )

Hahaha get a load of these bumper stickers. We Californians decided that this truck made us feel like we were at home so we took a picture by it! This belonged to our Democrat friends. They were actually really nice, they waved to us every time we passed by their campsite.






Yay for a fun camping trip. We have contemplative looking Jeff on the left, manly looking Shayna in the middle, and...Rich. Yeah, I had no idea he was doing that until after the picture was taken. Good thing the car didn't lurch or something, that would be the most disgusting wet willie EVER. ;) (side note, I had a HUGE crush on the guy at my right)

Education Week!

Well, our fun in Rigby was up, and now it was time to head to Education Week. To be honest, I was having so much fun that I didn't really want to go to Education Week. But I am so glad that I did, it was just what I needed!

When we arrived, we realized that our dorms were BOY dorms. Yeah, I know. Don't even go there. There were stinky, its true, but we spruced up the bathroom just a little bit to make it more homey.

Ahhh, much better. Guys, you know you wish you had more females around.

Actually the beds were pretty comfortable, and it wasn't all that bad. We had the place smelling like girls in no time!

I love being a woman! ;)

So before we even got settled, we got to know some of the ladies on our floor. I guess my roommates already knew them from previous Education Week adventures. What fun ladies! I couldn't have asked for more energetic women. They were a lot of fun! Here is a picture of the whole group of em...




The classes were just amazing. We were definitely tired after a long day of class, but I don't think I have been that motivated for a long time. You know when you get into ruts, and at least for me, its like you lose your purpose and direction? I think I really needed to get some boost in that. After I graduated and still don't have a job, not really gettin married anytime soon, its kind of demotivating because you don't really know what your purpose is in life. But I think the most important thing I gleaned from Education Week is that I do have an important mission and that each day I can especially keep building up other people around me and also remembering to nourish my own spiritual reserves by filling up my own lamp so to speak.

"I GREET YOU AS A FELLOW WORRY WART!!!!"
(had to put that in there....girls, stop worrying about things, let the Lord take it over! Anxiety never gets you anywhere and it only crowds out feelings of peace and faith in the Lord! We can't become what the Lord would want us to become if we are so stuck in fear! Thanks Merillee Boyack ;) )

Here I am filling up my oil in a class that taught us the difference in men and women's communication styles! That is Kleresa my roommate, she is such a great example and fun friend to have--always has her head on her shoulders! I love this girl!



Side note, I just saw Prince Caspian last night....way good movie, a little violent but it reminded me again of the nobility we all have within us--the power of godliness, and how if we rely on the Lord instead of ourselves we can find whatever strength we need and THEN some! And oh how much happier we can be! I highly recommend those books....just ask me if you would like to borrow them!

So after class one day we all decided to go take some pretty pictures outside in the romantic gardens that are oh so strategically placed on campus......right smack dab in the middle, you prettymuch HAVE to walk through them, which isn't so bad ;) I can just see two co-eds one day, walking through campus, in a beautiful place....their eyes meet....I dont have to go much more into detail.

It was good to see Becky again, she is another amazing girl!
I think this week really made me appreciate my roomates
more. I already love these girls, but spending a week
being uplifted and motivated together really helped
us to become closer! And sharing shampoo and hair straighteners and a broken hairdryer helped, too. ;) Maybe I should tell you a little bit about how great they are.
Ashley, well she is the one on the far left. She is always looking out for those around her. She seems to know exactly when someone needs a smile and a lift, and she is there! She is a hoot to be around, too. If you need anything done, she is right there on the ball, definitely a strong leader in our apartment! Not to mention very good at decorating , and cleaning....its nice to have Ashley around ;) She is also the one who tends to bring in the men.....its okay though, we have our own fun bringing her more men...like Todd! ;)
Then there is Kleresa. Kleresa and Ashley are sisters! Kleresa is the older sister, but only by 10 months. She is my next door neighboor ;) well so is Ashley but anyways, Kleresa is our organized one! She plans things out to the detail, and it is quite an amazing skill! She also always keeps to good standards. I admire her ability to stand up for what she believes in! Kleresa also looks out for those around her! She is always the one that people come and talk to about things, what a great friend! And what another fun girl!
Then there is Becky, who used to live in our apartment but she lives in Idaho now. (That is where she is from). Becky is our highly enthusiastic one--when she gets excited about something her entire being lights up! She makes everyone around her excited, too! And when she is on excedrin its even harder to keep up with her. And then she gets involved in doing her projects and she focuses her energy on that. Becky is very fun, very kind, and very all around all-American girl!! We have other roommates now, but since they aren't in these pictures I'll write about them later!

This is our last stop..Becky's apartment! What a cute place, and what fun roommates she has!

I love these girls!!

Hmm what other pictures do I want to share with everyone.....

What would be a trip to Rexburg without seeing the Rexburg temple? There were at least 4 weddings going on. I had to take these pictures around all the groups of people! This temple is brand new, it just opened in November I believe. It reminds me of Nauvoo! I have yet to see Nauvoo in person but one day I will!


Well, now that we are at the "tail" end of our trip, I would like to say to everyone to come to Idaho! What a beautiful state. Of course, I spent half my life in Oklahoma and about 4 years of my life in Utah so it felt like a second home to me, perfect mix of the two ;) (I have yet to see it in Winter though, I might change my mind....)

PS....go try a cow tale candy bar....they are good ;)

Fun in Rigby Before Education Week

What a blast we have had in Idaho. After hiking Table Rock, we spent a few more days at Jeff's house, having lots of fun. We took a ride in the tractor, and his dad even let us DRIVE it!

(ACTION SHOT!)

We also tubed down the "green river" behind his house:


Poor Jeff--what a chivalrous guy--jumped in the river to stop his boat because I was taking too long and was way behind the group.....for some reason my tube did not want to go quickly, guess I ate a little too much that week! ;) So here he is holding all of us down while we were waiting for everyone to get in so that we would be somewhat together as we floated down the "rapids.."(rapids meaning a little bump in the river..seriously I thought it would be like a 3 foot drop. It didn't help that my roommates went in front of me and I couldn't see the bump, but I could hear them screaming from miles away, and here I am thinking "great, death becomes me.." but then it was not nearly as bad as I had thought. hahaha) Here he is probably frozen solid cause all his clothes were wet and that water was COOLLDDD!!



We also ate some Bambino's (little pizza-in-a-scone type things), swung on swings by the river (ahem...we almost died there too, just ask me about the bee trap planted right there on the swing...dont worry we had men then too to protect us), followed by some GOLFING...my first time ever! I thought it would be boring to be honest, but it was really pretty fun...its kinda satisfying to whack that thing across the golf course....

















We drove around Rigby and saw all the cute little places that you can only find in a small town, like a drug store that served drinks called "ironport & cherry" (that was a way cute place. There was a guy there serving the drinks behind the counter, and all these kids kept coming up to the counter and ordering them just the way they liked it--just a little more juice in that one, please!)



Not to mention the the wild dirtbike riding that Jeff took us on ;)



















Overall we had a very good time, we definitely tired out Jeff! (SHHH dont tell him this picture is up here, he will not be too happy ;) actually if he wants me to take it down I will.......but he was very much asleep, I couldn't help myself, I thought it was the perfect picture to illustrate just how much he did to keep us happy.....haha.....


What a great week in Rigby. Nice people, lots of fun, away from the rest of the world. I had a blast and am definitely going to miss it once I get back to Provo.

Teton Hike--Up to Table Rock We Go!

I just got back from Idaho yesterday, and what a blast it was!! I think I am in love with Idaho! Our first day there, we were greeted with a delicious meal by Jeff's very kind parents, we packed for our hike up Table Rock, and we tried to go to sleep despite our excitement!

At 5:15 we woke up and got ready for the hike. We left about 7, and started the hike around 8. What a beautiful mountain! Full of flowers and tons of trees and a river that we crossed quite a few times, oh how pretty!

Of course, it was pretty dangerous too, ahem....we prettymuch could have died, you know, all that crossing over rivers and no bathrooms around anywhere, not to mention the bears that we had to tackle and the anaconda that wrapped itself around Kleresa--don't worry, she is safe. If it wasn't for our fearless men we would have perished..

By the time we got up past the treeline, we could see our destination pretty well. It seemed so far away! Yet we had already gone about 3-4 hours, and we had covered tons of ground, so we just kept enjoying the journey. We even crossed a potential avalanche! ;)



Well, there was snow piled up--it was pretty cool looking to see it! Then we crossed this rockbed--tons of rocks, I have no idea how they got there. We also passed several "altars" people had made out of the rocks--or, just piles of rocks that have been added to over time--JR added a rock each time we passed one.



Eventually we got to the top, after several exclamations of "OK, only TEN MORE MINUTES!!" What a pretty sight! We had to cross 2 states to get there! ;) We started in Idaho and ended up in Wyoming. (I will admit I got a bit loopy at the top...maybe it was the altitude! and did you know that there are really fat flies that can survive at 11,000 feet? It's hard to take a nap on a rock when there are flies buzzing around your head...sigh....guess all good things come with opposition ;) )




Did I mention how tired we were? We didn't think that we would make it! But we did, and those rocks felt so comfortable!!

Here is a picture of Jeff, he wanted to win the BYU bookstore bag picture so he brought one up to the top of Table Rock.....I think he is really imagining that he is hitting the winning golf shot against his dad!

So in conclusion, I love being in the mountains. There is something to be said for accomplishing a tough feat, but there are also lots of gospel lessons that you can get from it! I was thinking about this a long time ago, why its so peaceful to be in nature, and I recall learning at one point that all of Heavenly Father's creations, like the trees and animals and everything in nature, has a spirit. They are also completely obedient to what He would have them to do, unlike humans, who get feisty and stubborn (unlike me...ha ha ha) so I think being around that kind of an atmosphere, around obedient creations, brings a feeling of peace. And it reminds us of what the Lord has created for us! What a beautiful world this is!

To My Unmarried Friends Who Wonder "Why Is Me??"

I was going through some old papers from some of my old classes at BYU in order to find some good info for this website we are putting together. I found a couple of papers from Dr. Barlow's class on Marriage Prep, and thought that those of you who aren't married might be interested in this. The first one is 10 key questions on preparation, and the second one is called the MAP, or "Marriage Action Plan" (hahaha). If you are wondering why you are still single, maybe this can help. (this is a good list to go off of!)

10 Key Questions on Preparation: (now, remember to be honest with yourself when you answer these questions. You may want to write these in your journal and periodically review them!)

1. Do I want to marry? If not, why? (remember, this is from a marriage prep class...)

2. Within what period of time do I want to marry?

3. Am I ready for marriage? Why, or why not?

4. What could I do to better prepare for marriage?

5. What do I have to offer someone in marriage?

6. Do I believe I will eventually marry? Why or why not?

7. What am I presently doing to bring about my future marriage?

8. How do I feel about myself? (Remember: "Others will feel toward you how you feel toward yourself")

9. Am I currently available for marriage within the next 6-12 months if I found an appropriate marriage partner?

10. Is the person I am dating currently available for marriage within the next 6-12 months if he/she found an appropriate marriage partner? (Hint: If you don't know, ask!)

And here is the MAP (aka, Marriage Action Plan!)

1. If single: What are 12-15 things I can do in the next 12 months to find a marriage partner

2. If engaged: What are 6-12 things I can do during the engagement to improve our relationship in preparation for marriage?

3: If married: What are 6-12 things I can do during the next 3-6 months to improve my marital relationship?

OK, ok. Don't worry, I don't think about this stuff every day, but I thought this might benefit someone out there. So don't make fun of me for putting it up or think that I am one of those crazy obsessed girls. :) I do want to get married, of course, when I find someone that actually loves me and that I love and who will be right there with me through it all, (and be man enough to actually go for me if he wants me!) but I am not trying to beat down the doors of the guys to make it happen, after all, these things take time (and girls that do that are scary and I dont want to scare away the boys, no no no) and they happen when its the right time for us and for the other person, and the Lord won't hold us back from His promises, but if we do our part, and remember that He really is in control of it all, that it will happen when it is right for us. Happy hunting ;) And remember, have faith, have hope, and have fun!

3 Things About Me

How To Play This Game of Tag: Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

3 Joys:
1. Being with people I love. Whether we are just sitting and not saying anything, or having fun together, or having serious conversations, I love it.
2. The sunshine and being in nature.
3. Hearing a beautiful song, or a song that lifts the spirits, even if it just makes you smile ;)


3 Fears:
1. Hurting the people I love, and then not having them near me cause I was selfish and they didn't want to be with me anymore.
2. Death--I didnt realize I had this fear until I noticed I always run away when I am scared of something even if there are other people with me who might be hurt as well--my fight or flight reaction totally kicks in! Weird cause I'm not afraid of what happens after death, I just love life so much and would hate to leave the people I love, not only that but I would hate to see them grieving over me. So instead of trying to save them I save myself....makes no sense to me. haha. I'll have to work on that one...
3. Not living my life and using it to the best of my potential.

3 Goals:
1. Be more humble.
2. Try to learn from real life and real relationships instead of from books (MFHD major... :) .
3. Learn to love the wintertime. I am planning on doing this by finding things I like to do in winter so I will look forward to it despite the cold! I think I'll spend some time outside too and soak up whatever sunshine I can get!

3 Current Obsessions:
1. Jack Johnson....I love his music :) Actually I have been collecting lots of my fav songs lately, not just from him but from all over the place.
2. Blogging and checking out my friends' blogs. (and my email actually) Yeah, thats what you do when you don't have a job!
3. Soaking up whatever summer I can get!!!!!! I LOVE SUMMER!!!!!

3 Surprising Facts:
1. My personality type only makes up 1% of the population. (INFJ)...yeah, I'm a weirdo. It's ok, I'm over it.
2. I used to try to jump out of trees so that I could break my ankle so that I could wear a cast. Never happened--the only bone I have broken was my nose, and it happened in a jump house when I was trying to do a forward flip.
3. I am only 2 1/2 inches over the official height limit for midgets.

I tag: ELAINA, KATIE, and...whoever else reads this! (I don't have lots of people's blogs yet.)

Summer Lovin

Yo, so its summer and I love it and I never want the snow to fall again. Shhhh dont say that too loud. It's nice having a clean car and wearing shorts. I hate wearing layers of clothes. I almost said I hate wearing lots of clothes but that definitely wouldn't sound right.

So this picture is my ward, we went hiking up Stewart Falls, and it was sooo fun! We even took a dirty foot picture. hahaha

It's been a good summer, eating huge strawberries, playing on the slip n' slide, goin to Virginia to see my brother off to Cuba (he's in the Marines, go bro!) teaching Elaina to make a blog page which she figured out how to do it better than me...haha. Oh yes, I am on a temple quest right now, finally visiting other temples in Utah besides Provo. Right now so far I have been to Provo, Mt Timp, and Jordan River. Next on my list is Salt Lake, then I have to look again at what temples are around here.

And I haven't even been camping yet...but that might change tonight. Then in a couple of weeks its off to IDAHO FOR EDUCATION WEEK WOOHOOOOOO!!
Oh but the best part is that I get to hang out at a friend's house, and we are climbing up Table Rock!!!! I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He even says he has a bet bear. Well, I kinda stretched that one. ;)

4th of July!

So I did something absolutely brilliant during 4th of July weekend......so I am from California, so I figured I could surf on anything, right?
I went with my roommates to Draper, which was a blast by the way, (get it...fireworks..blast...ha ha ha) anyway, their dad set up a slip n slide, it was great cause it was long and wide and full of water. So on my second try, I decided to slip n' slide on my feet, you know--surf across--accept I forgot about the part where I could have slipped. I made it successfully--about halfway across, then suddenly WHAM! My feet slipped out from under me and I found myself flying through the air and on my side...my head flew back and whiplashed....I waited a little while before getting back on. Haha..oh the things I do to myself. I bet it looked hilarious. Thankfully, after a Sunday of hobbling around, I was better in a couple of days.
It was a good weekend though, I spent some time with my roommates' family and we ate some great food and set off some fireworks in the street...good ole classic American 4th!