LITTLE GIRL AND BOY IN AN ADVENTUROUS WORLD: July 2011

Friday, July 29, 2011

To the best friend I've had since I was born!

Today is my brother, David's 26th Birthday! :-) He is older than me by 2 years, and even though we have often fought throughout our lives we have also been the best of friends. He has always helped me to come out of my comfort zone. (Yes, I have a comfort zone at times). Next to my parents he is probably my hero because I have seen him overcome loads throughout his life. (My other siblings are my heroes too. My favorite memories are probably from Jr. High and High School because we would usually fight at home, but at school we'd be the best of buds! I remember once in Jr. High; I was in 6th grade and he was in 8th grade and he had P.E. just before I did so we would always have to walk through the cafetorium (cafeteria/auditorium) and would give each other a high five! It was so cool to be able to see him every day even though I know he hated how I was taller than him at the time. I also really loved high school with him! For my first 2 years of high school he was around and we were in band together! It was nice because even the second half of my freshman year I got to be around him loads, and since I played trumpet and he played percussion I was able to see him loads more. (the trumpets sat in front of the percussion). My brother was basically my best friend and confidant during high school! My sophomore year I had 1 class with him and got to sit with him at lunch, and was able to be in a club with him. The next year I was also in a club that he had been in the year previous. He was my friend at church and is still one of my really good friends today even though we get irritated with each other loads! That's the best part about siblings though (well, at least with mine) no matter how annoying or irritating they can be they are definitely the greatest friends you will always have! Enjoy these pictures of me and my long time best friend! No one can ever top him... except my future husband can sure try!

Eatin some tale and suckin some head

whole family

I been kissed

we love each other

manti

cinderella?

David with his three most favorite girls! ;-)

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait!

I used to hate hearing that IF I waited I would eventually get the thing I wanted most. But as I have gotten older I have learned that IF you do wait for an opportunity and keep trying you will eventually succeed.

About a month ago I got back from Girl's camp and my dad had been researching jobs for me and found one at Legacy Preparatory Academy as a Teacher's aide. He told me I should apply for it and at the time I was kinda nonchalant about it. Mostly, cause I was tired of feeling discouraged. My dad kept encouraging me and so did my mom. I finally just got online and printed out an application and fixed up my resume'. I mailed in both of them and prayed to get some kind of answer and also applied for jobs in the Davis County School District. Last Tuesday I was resting because I had been sick when mom handed me the phone and told me it was LPA. They asked me to come in for an interview on Thursday at 9am. I was so happy because previously I had been planning a trip to Idaho and hadn't quite decided when I would leave. I ended up leaving Friday. So, Thursday I went in for the interview and had my unit from student teaching with me. I left the interview feeling both very hopeful and like it went rather well. I was both honest and told what I knew about the experiences I've had. The lady told me I would hear back within a week on whether or not I got the job. Well, today I had the phone with me just so I would be able to answer it when they called. I had gone upstairs for just a second, but luckily we have at least one phone upstairs. They called and told me that they have an opening and asked if I would like a job working for LPA. I was so excited that I just said yes right away! I wish I could be like my sister and just keep it on the down low, but I just love when good things happen and when life starts to turn around.

Last Friday I had the opportunity to go to BYU-Idaho for my friends' graduation. I was invited by my friend, Stacey, and ended up actually going for all the many friends I've known throughout the years. Congratulations to Brian Christensen, Stacey Corbridge, Jessica Hannon, Bryan Ringo, Kacee Ferrell, and anyone else I've known throughout the years, but didn't know you graduated! Life is truly a blessing and I'm glad to have met all of these people cause they have each made an influence in my life.

Also, I am eternally grateful to my friends Chris & Sadie. Because of them I never have to worry too much about where I will stay when I go to Rexburg for a visit. They are two of the greatest people I know and I'm so happy I can call them my friends! I love their baby because he is so good and happy most of the time!

Thanks to all those you have prayed for me throughout this time and who have been a blessing in my life! All of you have no idea how much you mean to me, and I hope one day I can tell you! Love you all and remember that GOOD THINGS REALLY DO COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT!

Monday, July 4, 2011

A Capitol Fourth 7/4/2011-- Josh Groban singing "Smile"

I felt like this song totally fits with my last post and the message that was conveyed at Girl's Camp! SMILE! Life in general is good!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Girl's That Smile Back! AT GIRL'S CAMP!

2 Nephi 9:39

O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is Death, and to be SPIRITUALLY-MINDED IS LIFE ETERNAL.
SMILE!

This week has been very intense. Good, but intense! On Monday it was a very full day wishing two friends a Happy Birthday and then Married Friends a Happy Anniversary. It was also the death date for Joseph and Hyrum Smith. I went last minute shopping for girl's camp, and then packed and loaded vehicles to head out the next day on a very safe and fun filled trip to Camp Zarahemla!

Tuesday!!!!! We all headed out for Camp Zarahemla where we spent much of the day setting up camp and having a very fun day doing things at camp! We made sure the girls had loads of fun too! We Tie Dyed shirts and just has a blast getting to know everyone! Tuesday night was amazing! It wasn't so cold when we went to bed that we could have the windows open in the tent so, I fell asleep staring at the stars! I ended up having a pretty awesome dream about the constellations too! I really do enjoy looking up at the night sky! It is truly remarkable! We had Strawberry Shortcake for dessert (it's my favorite)!

Wednesday was another fun filled day, but this time we all (meaning all the people from the stake that were at camp) took turns going to East Canyon Reservoir! There is a huge lake there where we canoed and kayaked and just had fun being there and playing in the water and enjoying each other's time! It was one spectacular bonding experience! Hopefully, I can get more pictures from that! We also did skits that night and our girls had to do their's on sexual purity, and I am quite proud of the way they went about doing it by making a very sensitive subject for most people very very comfortable! That night we decided to invite the 1st ward over to have some fun around our campfire cause they didn't have a fire :(! They gladly accepted the invitation from the girl's and we had loads of fun playing games like "Big Booty"! This is a game I played at Girl's Camp back in Louisiana when I went, but we always played it in water! Talk about change for me playing it around a campfire! It was super fun! We had S'mores around the camp fire and smoritos (the 1st ward made those) and Candied Apples! YUMMY!

Thursday being the last full day of Camp and knowing we had loads to do! As usual it started with a devotional in the morning and then the girl's had different activities to do... such as service projects for the missionaries at the camp site, Carving soap, making bookmarks, and making at least 150 picture books for the children in Haiti! I am so proud of our girls because they went above and beyond in all that they did! We had two girls not get in the lunch line and help cut out pictures for the Haiti books when many other girls from other wards were hurrying to get in line! I must say that our girls were pretty spectacular the whole time! Thursday after lunch we had to finish those Haiti books so they had everyone working on them to get them done! We ended up making a total of a 169 books! Pretty awesome... I honestly think we could have done more, but it's still pretty cool. While we were all working on the books the Priesthood brethren were working on a quilt for the Humanitarian center, and of course.. they finished it! After all of that they had a water slide for many people to go down. I would have had I not been feeling like I needed some TUMS... that darn stomach of mine! It was still pretty fun to watch tons of crazies go down it. Including a few priesthood brethren and for their sake I won't mention names! :-D Thursday night we had our dinner as a ward with Bishop and Bro. Payne coming to eat with us. We made Hawaiian Haystacks! TALK ABOUT DELICIOUS! Then we had our own awards and testimony meeting around the camp fire! For me there is something about being outdoors that gets me truly thinking about all the Lord has provided for me! Without Him and the beauty of this earth life would not be as much fun! The Bishopric has a tradition of bringing Doughnuts for dessert! :-D

And Now... FRIDAY! One ward did their devotional and then we had awards; our girls got the award for virtue because of their skit on sexual purity! :-D Then it was time for the closing devotional which our girls were in charge of and they were really awesome! We then went inside the Lodge and had a slide show (some of the brethren had been diligently working on it all week)... and it was really good at capturing those amazing moments! Then it was time to get breakfast and head out and pack up camp... Which was crazy cause Bro. Payne had already taken down the tent for us and packed up all our shading and the badmitton that my mom and bro set up for the girl's on Tuesday! And not too much longer after that we were on the road smelly and tired ready to head home! It was such an amazing time! I had so much fun with all the crazy girls... they are all so pure and loving and kind! :-D

Here is the song our girls picked for their personal theme... they decided to be The Girls that Smile Back instead of the snack that smiles back... they had two goldfish, but one died! :-( But still... their song was Just To See You Smile By Tim McGraw: