When The Roommates Are Away....

Not the typical, happy, friendly pumpkin they are used to..oh no..but they are not here mwahahaha

Kleresa ate all of her snacks. Dang...I was gonna eat them for her.

Mmm these girls use some good smelling shampoo. Maybe I'll borrow it.

I wasn't using Shantel's stuff......

Camille has a wild side apparently...

Now I know what its like to walk in Kleresa's shoes. bahaha

Shantel has such a comfortable, cozy little bed.

Camille had this cute sweater.....that would look good with my jeans..hmm...

Christmas Music!

My family has this long standing tradition that we do NOT EVER listen to Christmas music unless it is between the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas day. However, back in July, we had a Sunday School lesson, and the teacher began class by playing a Christmas song. We LOVED it, because who doesn't love CHRISTMAS! His opinion was that if we are to keep the Christmas spirit throughout the year, and music is a great way to bring in that spirit, WHY do we NOT listen to Christmas music throughout the year?? I LOVED that little lesson! Now my life is enriched greatly by remembering the Christmas spirit whenever I so desire!

New Blog for Recipes

Hey all! I decided to make a blog with recipes from my family on it. My grandma immigrated here from Italy so thankfully we have some great Italian food recipes, not to mention we just love any kind of food. You can find it at: Theirishitalian.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

"It feels like you should be here"

Hello!!!! This week I was asking my aunt how life is going for her, and her family is really struggling. I miss them so much. She wrote me an email the other day explaining all of her trials and such that she is going through, and at the end she said, "It feels like you should be here." I have been feeling similarly for a little while now, but I wonder if we don't all feel that at many times in our lives when we are away from home. Why? Well, it is innate in us to be part of something. Because we aren't just wondering here around on earth, but our lives have "meaning, direction, and purpose" (Relief Society Theme). I think so often we try to look outside of what is already there to find the purpose in our lives, when in reality, our real, true, most meaningful and needed purpose is right there around us, in the walls of our own home. And we will not feel that deep, true fulfillment from any other source. Simple, no? Most things in life seem to be that way!

I Love Friends and Family!

Yesterday our ward went to the Corn Maze. It was so much fun! There was a ton of wind kicking up all the dirt that exists in Utah, but it made the maze all the more fun because the corn stalks were swaying all over the place, and it made it really creepy! haha!

I am the FHE co-chair for the ward so I was trying to help my Bishop and Shelley, our Activities Committee CoChair, to pass out wristbands. In the process, my roommates got into the park and started on the maze. I didn't know where they were so I wandered around a bit. It was so good to see so many ward members hanging out with each other and going around in groups having fun. I was feeling a little bit left out because I was all by myself, and I would join other groups periodically but they were already kind of friends with each other, and I got this swelled up heart and thought, I really do love my roommates, they are like my family, and I am going to find them! Because though I love the people in my ward, it just wasn't the same! So when I called Kleresa and she said "Shaayyynaaaa!!! Where are you!!!!" I thought, oh she wants me to be here too! haha So when I found out they were still lost in the maze I walked to the end of it and waited for them.

Oh how much we need other people, as much as we try to be independent. I am so grateful the Lord puts other people in our lives, especially those who reach out in love and the people we can count on as friends always. I'm so grateful for family. I love them so much!

(That picture was after the fact...we were so wind blown! And I think Kleresa should date Greg there on the right. They are just like each other...but I'm not gonna say anything else...lol...)

Invisible Title

Hey...so....yes. I am trying to figure out how to put cute fonts in for the titles...but in the process I made them disappear. I do NOT know how to write in HTML code, and so it is extra challenging. But...stay tuned. Hopefully I can figure this out soon. Until then, there will be no titles. So you can make up your own. lol.

Fire Ban in the Canyon

So me and some friends and my roommates decided to go make a campfire up in the canyon this weekend so that we could roast marshmallows. But, sadly, we drove around for an HOUR before we decided to just stop at the apartment complex next to ours and use their fire pit. Apparently there is a fire ban on every single park in the canyon, and every single possible place to start a fire! Bummer. But we made lemonade out of lemons, so here are the pics!....well...as soon as blogger will let me put them up....

What do I DOOO!!

So this is my third post today but its ok. I can't decide what to do with my life....be a high school/junior high counselor, or be a Child Life Specialist? (They work in hospitals with kids who are there long term. They act as a social worker, explaining their diseases and helping them to cope, while providing really fun activities for them.) The pros of being a high school counselor is that the jobs are more available, its KIND of similar to being a child life specialist, the program basically pays for itself, and the program is way faster.

Child Life would be right up my alley, though. My cousins have Muscular Dystrophy, and were always in and out of hospitals growing up. I know firsthand what its like for families with kids who struggle with long term illnesses/disabilities, and think I could help those families out a lot. However, the program will in total be probably about three years or more, will be quite expensive, and job availability is slim. There is often only one or two child life specialists per MAJOR hospital. Which means that I would have to move to a big city to find a job, IF they are even hiring for one. What do I do?? oh life is so hard to decide sometimes!

There Can Be Miracles

So I went in for a job interview awhile ago to work as a Customer Service representative for a small company called American Crafts in Provo. The actual interview was for an Executive Assistant position, however, during the interview they told me that I did not seem a good fit for the position, however, they did have a Customer Service rep opening in 6-8 weeks, and I apparently would fit well with this job. I really appreciated their honesty (though I totally think I could have done it). So now that about that much time has passed, I am anxiously awaiting their phone call, but I'm wondering if it was just a nice way of saying "we don't want you to work for us..." I hope they call one way or another just so that I can not keep hoping....

Speaking of hoping, earlier this week I was working out, one of my favorite pasttimes, and the song "There can be miracles if you believe" came on. I had somewhere in the back of my head been contemplating my life and where I was, how I haven't started grad school yet nor have I had much luck in dating, or finding a job (I graduated from BYU with a BS in Marriage, Family, and Human Development) however...I really am very happy with my life. The song hit me because it made me remember that sometimes we just have to believe that there are a lot of great things ahead of us, and believe in the Savior. It's an active decision, and if we choose to believe, we CAN see great miracles in our lives, even if they are small miracles-- like having a better attitude, finding joy in the journey, having a sweet friend give you a hug...and the big things that aren't happening seem like small things. By small and simple things (miracles), great things come to pass. Life is so good, especially when we believe!

Bring My Brother Back!

I'm just wondering if the government is going to reward all of our soldiers in Afghanistan for keeping the peace out there. I sure hope so because whatever Obama is doing isn't exactly worthy of what they are doing....I'm just sayin....Not that I think they shouldn't be out there by all means. I just want my brother back! The poor kid wasn't even allowed to tell us that he was going out there because his mission was top secret. He called us before he left for Japan and asked us to pray for him. He went and got a blessing from his Bishop as well. He hasn't been active in Church since he was about fifteen, though he asks us to pray for him when he has something big going on. We were wondering why he was so worried about leaving, and asked him if they were sending him to Iraq. He responded with something to the effect of, "please do not ask me that question again. It could compromise things." He has lost some of his friends and when I hear what his wife has to say (he doesn't call us, just her, and she relays information), he isn't the same brother that I had before. It's hard for those boys to see such horrific things! :( BRING MY BROTHER BACK!

Yeah yeah halloween!

Mwahahaha.....it was a dark and stormy night in the village of Whosebane.....as the villagers slept soundly in their beds, the sounds of howling awakened a few startled children. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart, there is nothing to be afraid of...we are safe in our beds."

The next morning, the town awoke, and a villager had been attacked by a werewolf in the quiet warmth of his own home. Who is the werewolf in the village....it must be stopped before anyone else gets hurt......are your children safe????

Ha we played "Werewolves" for FHE on Monday at the Bishopric homes, followed by some indoor s'mores (delicious, might I add...and oh so easy to make!) I finally discovered how the word "Smore" came about.....they are so good that you always want s'more!

I am excited for Halloween. It is going to be a blast. And finally my roommates have decided that we are all going to dress up AND host a Halloween party! Keep your ears open for some fun! I will not reveal what our costumes are going to be...however, if you have any silver clothes that you are willing to loan, please let me know! :) (that includes shoes, accessories, etc.)