A Pinch of Muench

Scrabble!

2012-01-24T11:09:00.001-07:00

Pretty much Tom and I are addicted. . .

His parents gave it to us for Christmas, we just opened it, and have played it every day for the past three days.

We are spending time together, we are using our brains, we are expanding our vocabulary - life is good. :)

Christmastime

2012-01-23T18:24:00.007-07:00

I think it's appropriate to just now be posting about Christmas since it is just now beginning to actually look like Christmas outside.
"Dear snow, where have you been the past three months? Just curious. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind your tardiness. Just please promise that you'll be gone by my birthday. Thanks."

Tom and I chopped down our own little tree the day after Thanksgiving.

I loved having Christmas on a Sunday this year. It gave us the opportunity to go church, sing Christmas hymns and remember what the day is really all about. As you can see, I didn't even take the time to change out of my dress before opening presents. I was too excited! I should have changed back into pajamas though. I find them more appropriate and much more comfortable when opening gifts.
Tom and I loved our first Christmas together as a married couple!

And we were blessed to be able to spend it with both of our families.

As crazy as they may be, we still love them!

My favorite gift? That is a tough question, but I would have to say the electric blanket that Tom gave me. I use it every night and it keeps me toasty warm. We may not have had much snow this season, but it's been COLD!

What a wonderful time of year! We are so blessed.
Merry Christmas everyone!

Little Chef

2012-01-18T18:46:00.001-07:00

Since we've been married, my cooking skills have been put to the test. Sometimes it can be exhausting cooking dinner every night. As soon as I have prepared a nice meal and feel good about myself, it's time to start thinking about tomorrow's dinner. I'm not as good about planning ahead as I ought to be.

Nevertheless, I do enjoy cooking and don't mind at all coming home from work and starting up a meal. Tom is really good about helping out if he's around, and he is so appreciative of having a home-cooked meal each night.

I don't get very fancy or creative with my meals, and sometimes I wonder if Tom gets tired of our "staple meals" like hamburgers, stir fry, and spaghetti. But once in awhile I do branch out and try something new. So far the results have been delicious!

As a wedding gift, our good friend Michelle gave us a cookbook from The Roof restaurant (where we went to dinner the night Tom proposed!). Each month we have been picking one or two new recipes out of the book to try. I wish I had taken pictures of everything, but here is a small sampling. . .

This is a white raspberry cake Tom and I made for my mom's birthday last month. Tom even helped with the decorating. . . Sometimes I wonder if he's better at this kind of stuff than I am.

Chicken and Asparagus Crepes - yumm! I am definitely making this again for us sometime soon.

I have also made Chicken Cordon Bleu, Clam Chowder, and a pasta salad from the recipe book.

Happy cooking!

Grand Canyon 2

2012-01-10T17:25:00.005-07:00

This fall I got to go to the Grand Canyon again with my dear friend Bekah and Mr. Jeremiah Wing. I think that this might become an annual tradition among us. I wouldn't mind!

This year's trip was a little different than last year's though.
A. Because I got to bring Tom, MY HUSBAND, along with us!
B. We decided to camp! Tom and I are always up for camping.

Tom hadn't been to the Grand Canyon since he was 10 years-old, so it was almost like going for the first time for him. He loved it!

Tom was in the process of completing a photography assignment for a Humanities class, and what better place to take beautiful and stunning pictures than the Grand Canyon?!
So I must credit all the excellent landscape photos to him.

We came across the famous Kaibabs again and Tom snuck up real close to get some good shots.

Puppies!

2012-01-05T17:57:00.003-07:00

Our dog, Sophie, had a litter of six puppies back in September. They are the most adorable little things! You can't help but be happy when you're around them. I developed a special attachment to one of the males which Colter named "Bread." In my opinion, he is the cutest and the sweetest. If only our apartment let us have pets. . .

State Fair

2012-01-05T17:28:00.005-07:00

Ok, I am starting the long process of attempting to catch up on my blogging for the year 2011. Better late than never, right? Did I ever mention that Tom and I went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair again ~~this~~ last year? Well, we did. And once again we had a great time. If only we had more money to spend there. We didn't even have enough money to go on one measly ride. Not one! It's ok though, because we spent that money on my very first ever funnel cake! I was not disappointed; it was so delicious!! We also went to the petting zoo and, of course, our favorite hypnotist show. Oh, and Tom got to sit in his dream car - a 2012 convertible Camaro.

Happy Thanksgiving back

2011-11-22T14:40:00.002-07:00

This time of year makes me want to watch You've Got Mail. I just love that movie. Don't you? I must borrow it from my mother and watch it soon. I could probably quote this whole movie to you. Just ask my former roommates about the many late nights we stayed up quoting this and other classic chick flicks. . . good times.

"Rose . . . that is a great name."

Happy Thanksgiving!!

4 months!

2011-11-16T23:56:00.002-07:00

Tom and I have been married for 4 months now! Can you believe it? Time has gone by so quickly, but we are loving every minute of married life together. We decided to have a little celebration in honor of four happy months together, and I surprised Tom with a nice little dinner. Just feast your eyes upon this romantic meal that I whipped up for him! (Thanks Pinterest!) We listened to classic love songs and ate this meal by candlelight. And that's about as mushy as I get.

P.S. I may or may not have melted the bottom of my plastic heart-shaped cookie cutters on the pan while making the pancakes. So there may or may not have been melted plastic in them. . . don't tell Tom.

Note to self: next time use metal cookie cutters.

Conference

2011-11-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

Once again, we headed down to Utah for General Conference the first weekend of October. It brought back many memories for Tom and I since we got engaged during conference weekend six months prior. We didn't have any tickets this time, and hoped to get in via the standby line. But mostly we traveled down there so that Tom could attend his mission reunion. (Tom served his mission in Johannesburg, South Africa for those of you who didn't know.) It was fun to see some of the people he served with, hear fun stories, and meet some of his companions that he has told me so much about. Here is a picture of Tom with his favorite companion, Seth LeFevre.

My favorite part of the mission reunion was when we all gathered in the chapel and sang the mission song. The song was written by one of the missionaries in the area. It was such a powerful moment when all those men stood and sang in unison. You can tell that they all cherish the time they spent sharing the gospel and serving among the South African people. I know that Tom does.

We were jealous to find out that Seth and his wife had gone back to South Africa to visit last spring. I know Tom would love to take me there, and someday maybe we'll actually have the money to do it. Just maybe.

Here is a picture of us in the standby line. Unfortunately we didn't make it in, so we watched from the old tabernacle on Temple Square.

Overall, it was a great trip. I'm sure we'll be down there again sometime. But maybe we'll wait to go until we have tickets.

Oregon Trip!

2011-11-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

Over Labor Day weekend (holy cow, am I really just getting around to posting things that happened two months ago?!) Tom and I traveled to Oregon with the Muenchs for a quick trip to visit his brother Ryan and family. We spent sooo much time in the car, but we had such a good time! Mostly we entertained ourselves by making music videos on Bob's laptop. Oh the joys of technology! I love how well the videos turned out even though they were totally spontaneous.

While in Oregon we got to walk through and explore some caves. We also went bowling, played rock band, and ate yummy food.

As you should be accustomed to by now, I failed at taking pictures. Good thing Bobby took some pictures with my camera, mistakenly thinking it was his mom's. haha

Funny faces at the bowling alley . . . well, at least mine is funny

Tom's niece Nicole. (And I guess she is my niece now too!) She is such a cutie!

She lost her very first tooth while we were there visiting and was so proud!

We stopped for lunch one day at a Dairy Queen in the middle-of-nowhere Oregon and had a huge ice cream cone.

P.S. I got so sick of fast food on this trip.

pumpkin carving

2011-10-26T11:05:00.002-06:00

This year for Halloween we carved pumpkins with my cousin Mandy and her husband Wes. We had so much fun visiting and enjoying their new baby girl, Cambria. Mandy also made a delicious apple crisp for us to enjoy afterwards.

Tom and I decided to go with a Phantom of the Opera themed pumpkin. . .

I had to take a picture with the flash so you could get the full effect of Mandy and Wes's pumpkin - the nose is the best part!

Unfortunately we still have almost a week until Halloween and our pumpkins are already shriveling up, and the eye of the mask is now WAY too big. It looks more like an alien.

More Halloween pictures to come; bet you can't wait to see what we've come up with this year for costumes! We set a high standard last year, but I think this year's will be pretty good also.

Our apartment pics

2011-10-25T20:33:00.010-06:00

Finally I am posting the long-awaited pictures of our apartment! I thought we would start off with the piece de resistance. . . our dining room table which we refinished all by ourselves. It turned out very nice, no?? We reupholstered the chairs, and even grew those centerpiece pumpkins in our very own garden. Be impressed.

Don't the backs of the chairs look like music stands? We thought so too. Quite fitting for our apartment I think.

The living room . . . yes, that is Breaking Dawn on the coffee table/cedar chest. I read it again in preparation for the new movie. And no, I'm not obsessed with Twilight, I just needed a fun book to read while Tom stays up late doing homework.

In the background is the card table we were using before we finished our beautiful masterpiece of a dining table.

The rest of the living room, with a few close-ups for your enjoyment. :)

And now on to our music room! Can I just tell you that I love the fact that we have a music room?? It is perhaps my favorite room in the house. On Sunday afternoons Tom gets out his violin and we play music together. It is absolutely wonderful.

Trusty old Chopin still sits atop my piano.
Also in the music room is what is perhaps my favorite part of our apartment - the bookcase. We also refinished this along with the dining room table and chairs. I love the way it looks, oh so much.

This room says things to me like: sophisticated, classy, refined, well-versed.

Sneak-peak of the bathroom. I just love our shower curtain.

And last but not least, the bedroom. My grandma made this quilt for me as a high school graduation gift. I got to pick out the colors, the pattern, and most of the fabrics. After six years I still love it. And now that I am married I finally get to use it!

Well, that's it! I hope that you enjoyed the tour. It's even better in person so if you're in the area come over and visit some time. Tom and I would love to show off our place to you. We're quite proud of our own little place.

Thoughts for today . . .

2011-10-03T11:41:00.002-06:00

Thought #1: One of the greatest things ever is still getting wedding presents 2 1/2 months after the fact. Ever feel bad about giving belated presents? Don't. They are awesome.

Thought #2: I have been reading lots of blogs lately and I have come to the conclusion that there are two different kinds of blogs: good blogs and ok blogs. What is the differential factor? The pictures. Those with good blogs actually know how to take pictures. Photographers make excellent blogs. Ok blogs come from people like me who aim the camera and push the button. I wish I had an excellent blog that people would be jealous of, but I really don't have enough interest in photography to take the time and effort to learn how. Hence, my readers are stuck with an average, ok blog with amatuer pictures. Sorry.

Thought #3: I need to play the piano more often. Too many things to do and so little time! I just need to make the time and do it! I am somewhat self-concious every time I sit down and play because I know that my neighbors can hear me, but that's just something I'm going to have to get over.
I went to a piano concert up on campus Thursday night. To sum up . . .
Del Parkinson + Franz Liszt = pure, talented amazingness
P.S. If I was born circa 1820 I would have had a major crush on Liszt (like pretty much every other woman in Europe).

Thought #4: I need to blog more often too - as mediocre as the posts may be.

Thought #5: I really wish we had money so we could travel. Top destinations on our list:

Washington, D.C. - oh how I miss you!

California - visit the fam, go to the beach and Boardwalk, enough said

South Africa - Tom could show me around his mission areas, I could finally use my passport, and we could go to Kruger National Park - South Africa's equivalent to Yellowstone (elephants, lions and leopards = way cooler than bears, elk and coyotes!!)

Meadow Lake

2011-08-29T15:00:00.002-06:00

After coming highly recommended by one of my bosses, Tom and I decided to check out Meadow Lake and take a little camping trip there over the weekend. We had such a good time! The lake was beautiful, as was the weather. I dutifully packed my camera prepared to take lots of pictures, but when we pulled it out - much to our dismay - we realized that the camera battery was dead. Great. I should have listened to that little voice inside my head telling me to check the camera battery as we were packing. I guess you will all have to use your imaginations and picture a gorgeous little lake surrounded by lots of rocks and trees, nestled against a mountain side in the middle-of-nowhere Idaho. Are you all imagining? Good.

Now imagine Tom and I rowing out on the lake in little pontoons which our camping neighbors were kind enough to let us borrow. That was by far the best thing ever! So fun. It definitely made our weekend. We took some snacks, drinks, and our fishing gear out on the pontoons. On my first cast, my very first cast of the day, I caught a pretty nice fish. Being the compassionate person that I am, I like to let the fish go after I catch them, unless of course they are super big and I have to keep them to show off later. This one I was prepared to set free, but when they go and swallow the hook what can you do? Picture me holding up my fish with pride. (Ok, not really. I usually let Tom do all the fish/worm handling.) I must say though that my little fishy made quite a nice meal for us that night.

Moral of the story?? Charge your camera batteries before you go on a camping trip.
Oh, and go to Meadow Lake. You'll love it.

Love you out loud

2011-08-22T13:06:00.006-06:00

I've always been one of those people who rolls their eyes when reading mushy gushy blogs about how amazing women's husbands are. But I fear that I might become one of them . . . Ok, probably not. But now that I am married, I can actually relate to these women and why they write these posts, where before marriage I just didn't understand. So, out of appreciation and maybe a little pride, allow me to indulge and tell you what a wonderful husband I have without all the mushy gushy stuff. (And I honestly won't blame you if you stop reading at this point. I might too.)

After a long month of searching, we finally found an apartment to rent and moved in last week! It has been a lot of hard work, but also tons of fun to put together a little home of our own. We are quite proud of it if I do say so myself. (Pictures of our new place soon to come!) The greatest thing is that I haven't had to put the place together and decorate it all by myself. Tom has enjoyed it just as much as I have. We make a great team.

Here are a few other little reasons why I love and appreciate my husband:

He thinks all my ideas are good ideas.

He makes me laugh every.day.

He packs my lunch almost every day. (and it usually includes trail mix!!! the other love of my life)

Since we have been married, he has done most of the laundry and grocery shopping. No joke.

When I asked him this morning what he was going to do since he didn't have to be to work until later he said, "I was thinking I could do some cleaning, vacuum and sweep the floors." What a guy!

I love you Tom Muench!! The End.

Not-too-extreme makeovers

2011-08-05T22:15:00.010-06:00

Last Thursday Tom and I decided to go in and get hair makovers! I made him bring the camera so we could get before and after pictures just for fun. . . I know that at least around here it's totally common and cliche for girls to get married with long hair and then chop it all off after the wedding. The hairdresser even kind of laughed at me because it's what everyone does. But I couldn't help myself. I had wanted a change for some time now, but knew that I wanted long hair for the wedding, so I just decided to wait a little while longer 'til I did anything to it.
I was a little nervous about it (and so was Tom), but I think it turned out great! I love my new look and couldn't be happier. Tom tells me at least once a day how much he loves my haircut. I must say that we're pretty pleased with Tom's darker hair as well. It even has a little bit of a reddish tint to it which we also like. :) Enjoy the pics!

Honeymooning

2011-08-05T21:48:00.007-06:00

Ok, we didn't take a ton of pictures on our honeymoon but I thought I would share what we have. Tom and I spent the majority of our honeymoon in Island Park at Tom's uncle's cabin (not to be confused with Uncle Tom's Cabin) ha ha. It was so nice to get away and not have to worry about work or school, or most of all . . . . wedding plans. We took day trips into both West Yellowstone and Yellowstone National Park where the pictures below were taken.

We also went fishing in Island Park where I almost caught a fish this big. Seriously. I would have proof, but he broke my line. Just ask Tom though, he'll attest to my story.

While in West Yellowstone we also went to the Playmill and saw a hilarious performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I love that place so much we are going back again on August 10th to celebrate my birthday. This time we are going to see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which happens to be one of my favorite movies. I expect to laugh that night. A lot. Can't wait!

Mammoth Hot Springs

Castle Geyser

the Upper Falls

The falls (both Upper and Lower) were by far our favorite part of the park. These are a must-see if you ever go to the park. You get to hike down right to the heads of the falls. The amount of water, its speed, and its force is astounding.

They are absolutely amazing!

the wildlife

Unfortunately, we didn't see any bears or moose from the car, but I was glad not to run into any while we hiked down to the falls.

petrified redwood tree

Old Faithful by sunset

Engagements

2011-08-04T11:46:00.003-06:00

Slowly but surely I am determined to catch up on blogging after my LONG hiatus. Let me just say that planning a wedding totally consumes your life. . . . and I am still waiting for things to get back to "normal" after the wedding. I am hoping that will happen shortly, after we move into a place of our own and get totally settled in. Poor Tom is still living out of boxes. Since I currently don't have the means to post engagement photos myself, I am taking a shortcut and sending you to this link. This will send you to our photographer's blog with engagement photos of me + Tom. We absolutely love them and hope that you do too! Stephanie did such an amazing job and we can't wait to get our wedding photos back (1 1/2 weeks and counting)!

Tom's 24th!!

2011-05-23T11:44:00.000-06:00

Isn't he handsome?

May 4th was my man's 24th birthday! After work I took him out to dinner at Texas Roadhouse. (It was his first time!) Pretty much it was life-changing, just like my mom told him it would be. It's that good! Then we went and saw Source Code, which I thought was a pretty sweet movie. The original plan was to take him to the Bodies exhibit at the museum, but they closed at 5 p.m. :( So I ended up taking him that weekend. It was AMAZING!! Of course, Tom and I both totally love that kind of thing. I am so glad we can share that passion together.

Tom and his mom

Also that weekend, we celebrated Tom's birthday with his family. His parents made a wonderful dinner for us and his sister-in-law, Amy, made the enormous chocolate cake you see in the pictures. It was so good!

Tom with his niece, Kaybrie.

Happy Birthday Tom!!!!!!!!!!!

"Last Chance" Prom

2011-05-16T11:40:00.000-06:00

April 30th was the Second Chance Prom, or as Tom kept mistakenly calling it, the "Last Chance Prom". haha. I thought it would be fun for us to go since (1) it's FREE! and (2) we have never been to a dance together. I pulled my old Jr. Miss dress out of the closet and couldn't wait for Tom to see me in it. (It just happens to be his favorite color.) We got all dressed up and headed to Idaho Falls with my mom and Nolan for dinner at Johnny Carino's (yum!) which was followed by hours of dancing. About half-way through the dance my feet were getting sore, I was tired, plus I ran out of dance moves, so we talked my mom and Nolan into leaving a little early. :) It was such a fun night though, and I loved being with my future hubby. I can't wait for us to start our life together!

The happy couple - this was actually taken after we got home from the dance.

My mom wanted us to do a kissing picture,
but I was too embarrassed so this is what we got instead.

The other happy couple - Nolan and my mom recently got married!

Roommate Reunion

2011-05-16T09:38:00.000-06:00

Around mid-April I made yet another trip to Utah to see my dear friends and former roommates--Bekah, Sarah, and Lindsay. We decided to have a little reunion while we were all still single. (Sarah got married the following Thursday!)

I love these girls all so much! I love the fact that we could have stayed up almost all night just chatting (and we almost did). I love the fact that even if we go months or even years without seeing each other, when we do finally see each other, it's like nothing has changed at all. These girls have taught me a lot and mean so much to me. I know we'll always be friends no matter how often we do or do not see each other. I am really hoping they can all come up for my wedding!

(which is exactly TWO MONTHS from today!)

Me, Sarah, Bekah, Lindsay

So happy together!

First comes love . . .

2011-05-14T10:30:00.006-06:00

I have finally found some time to sit down and blog, so I figured I had better write about my engagement story! It may be 1 1/2 months after the fact, but better late than never right?!

Tom and I went down to Utah for General Conference the first weekend in April. Our friends Bekah and Jeremiah met up with us Saturday afternoon on temple square and we attended the afternoon session with them. Bekah was kind enough to give us two extra tickets! Thanks Bekah!

Here we are on the drive down to Utah.

Tom was being a good boy and watching the road.

As we were standing in line waiting to get in, Bekah said something like, "Wouldn't this be such a romantic day to get engaged?!" I think it scared Tom a little, but she was just teasing him and Jeremiah. If only she knew. . .

Here we are by the temple waiting to meet up with Bekah and Jeremiah. Someone was nice enough to offer to take our picture. At this point I had no idea what was coming!

As a side note, I absolutely LOVE General Conference. It is so inspiring and uplifting. If you would like to learn more, click here.

After we attended conference, we immediately found the stand-by line so Tom could get into the Priesthood session. I stood in line with him for quite awhile, and I got some questioning looks let me tell you (especially during the time when Tom went to use the restroom and I was standing alone in line saving his spot!) haha

After awhile, I left and picked up Colter to hang out with him. I took him to the visitor's center on temple square and also to the church history museum across the street. It was so fun to spend time with him one-on-one. I just keep thinking about how he is growing up so fast and soon he will be moving and I won't get to see him nearly as often. :(

Anyways, sometime during the day Tom revealed to me that he had made dinner reservations for us so we could go out to eat together after the Priesthood session. That's when I started getting nervous. Could this be it or was it just another nice evening out? I tried not to think about it too hard. Turns out the dinner reservations were for The Roof. I had never been there before, but I had heard about it. In fact, before I left for Utah one of my co-workers even said, "Watch out if he takes to you dinner at The Roof cause he'll propose to you!" If only he knew!

Let me tell you, this place was amazing. We had the perfect seats with an awesome view of the temple spires, and the food, oh the food! There were so many things to choose from, I just wanted to try everything! And to please a sweet-tooth like me, there were tables laid out with every type of dessert you could imagine. I think I had two or three platefuls of dessert alone! We were so stuffed afterwards.

Throughout dinner, I was pretty nervous, just waiting and wondering if he was going to pop the question. Every time I would come back from the buffet I would inspect my water glass to see if there was a ring inside of it. Tom could tell that I was nervous but I think it just amused him. By the time we finished dinner, I realized that he wasn't going to ask me so I started breathing normally again. Some other day I thought. After dinner we decided to wander around the Joseph Smith Memorial Building just for fun. We went around to the different floors exploring rooms. By this time it was probably about 10 p.m. so there was really no one else around (except for the janitor who was vacuuming).

At one point in a secluded corner, Tom set down the umbrella he had been carrying and gave me this look. My stomach was doing some crazy acrobatics as he reached into his suit coat pocket and pulled out a ring box. I said something dumb like Are you kidding me? as I took the box from him and opened it up. Inside was not a ring, but a small piece of paper. I opened it up and read it. It said that he had arranged for me to have Monday off from work so we could stay in Utah an extra day and pick out my ring! Then he gave me a big hug and asked me to marry him and I said YES! The end.

On Monday we went to the store and I picked out this ring. It came in the mail that Friday, and I am so happy with it. Mostly I love it simply because it is mine, and it is from Tom.

Ever since then, we have been busy working and making wedding plans. It is fun, but I have to remind myself not to get too stressed about it. The big day is July 16th, only two months away! I can't wait!

Meet the new me

2011-03-22T10:21:00.004-06:00

Yep, I now how glasses. I noticed about a month ago that signs, objects, people, etc. that were far away were looking a little more blurry than normal. Not a good sign. I have never had a problem with my eyes before. Teeth? yes. Nose? for sure. But now my eyes? I blame the genetics. My parent didn't need glasses until a few years ago, so I thought that I would be good until, oh, about age 50. Come to find out, I have grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins who all needed glasses around my age if not earlier. How did my parents get skipped over? Luckies.

Anyways, I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining because I am actually quite enjoying my glasses. I secretly wanted them when I was younger - not because I was wishing for eye problems by any means - I just thought that they would make me look smart and sophisticated. I think that they match my personality quite well. Now I actually look the part of the nerdy person that I am. (I do have a poster hanging in my room of the metabolic pathways of the body after all.)

Also, I decided to put up bright spring flowers as my background (I was never one for pastel colors) because despite the fact that it SNOWED yesterday, for now, the sun is shining. And although the calendar does not apply to southeastern Idaho, it does declare that spring officially started three days ago. So happy spring everyone! Here's to new beginnings, and a new look for me!

I'm an organ donee!

2011-03-14T10:26:00.003-06:00

Ever since I started playing the organ, I have dreamed of having one in my own home some day. Now my dream is about to come true! This past weekend, my mom traveled to Cody, WY to help her boyfriend's family clean out his father's house and get it ready to sell. She told me that if there was anything the family was going to get rid of that I might like, she would let me keep it. I never imagined that there would be an organ in the house that NOBODY wanted. As soon as my mom confirmed to me that it did indeed work, I generously agreed to take it off of their hands. It might be a few months before they can bring it back with the trailer, but that's ok. I am getting my very own organ!! For FREE!!! Even if it is a teeny tiny one. Oh happy day!!

Playing catch up

2011-03-04T09:38:00.005-07:00

We have no internet at my house, so I am taking this opportunity to catch everyone up on what I have been doing lately.

First off, we went skiing at Kelly Canyon. True, it's not Targhee, but I had an absolute blast!! If only the snow wasn't so dang cold, it would have been even more enjoyable. We had to take a few breaks to go inside the lodge and warm our hands and feet. I had not been skiing in four or five years and was happily surprised by how well I did. It's just like riding a bike . . . Tom was happy to see that I was a competent skier as well because instead of waiting for me to take an hour to scoot down the hill, we raced down to the bottom. I put up a good fight, but I think he won every time. I would like to go skiing at least one more time this season. After I go though, I would be ok if the snow just melted away. I think everyone around here is ready for winter to be over.

taken right before skiing - I look so tired, you'd think this was after we were done

For Valentine's Day Tom decided to cook dinner for me. (Keep in mind that Tom has never cooked a full meal for someone in his life except maybe macaroni & cheese.) It was so cute, and he did a great job! The pork chops were amazing. He even bought flowers and decorations to set up for our special candlelit dinner. So romantic.

The following weekend we braved the icy roads and bad weather to travel over to Jackson Hole to watch a hockey game. Yes, Jackson has a hockey team aka the Jackson Hole Moose. I had never been to a hockey game before. It was so much fun! The game is so intense and fast-paced. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of where the puck was. It got really exciting when someone would get pushed up against the edge of the rink. We were hoping to witness a fight (just a little one), but alas, that didn't happen. Maybe next time. We slaughtered the other team (12-2), and it came to a point where I was feeling bad every time the Moose would score. Poor goalie on the other team. I know how I would have felt being in his position. In between periods, we got to watch figure skating performances which was perhaps the highlight of the night. This one kid was awesome and had the crowd going wild! He's got the moves!

taken at the hockey game

Here is the moose mascot. Don't ask me what he is carrying.

Traditional silly faces. I think Tom's a little too good at this game.

I would even blog to say that I'm not blogging

2011-02-05T16:37:00.001-07:00

Yes, I have been an extremely absent blogger as of late. I apologize to all seven of you who actually read this. I just don't have much of anything exciting to write about. I go to work, come home, fix dinner, do the dishes, go to Zumba or institute, and spend a little bit of time with Tom. Like I said, nothing too exciting. Does anybody really want to read about that kind of stuff?? I think back on my D.C. days when every day brought something new and exciting to write about. Unfortunately, I am not in D.C. anymore. I have been seriously craving to go back there lately and even started a separate savings account to save up for a trip there . . . someday. For lack of something special to write about, I guess I will tell you a bunch of nothings. So here we go . . .

It has been painfully cold this week. Like -30 degrees F painful. You don't even need to eat ice cream to get a brain freeze, just go outside. Because of this, my garage door froze shut three days in a row. I had to pour hot water over it to get it to open. Hence, I was late to work this week more than anyone ever should be. (And I used to think that I was a punctual person, ha.) But this week of all weeks was a bad time to be late because . . . I got a raise! Yay! A raise which my boss is probably reconsidering after my recent tardiness.

I was recently called to be the ward assistant organist which is exciting. About nine months ago, this was my dream calling. I wanted it so bad! But now that I have it, I realize how stressful it is for me. I think that it will get easier as time goes by though, and it definitely forces me to practice which I desperately need! And just as a side note, when you (the congregation) starts singing, please don't make it painfully slow, for your oragnist's sake. He/she will greatly appreciate it. Ok thanks.

In other news, and just for fun, here are some other probably-not-so-interesting facts that you didn't want to know about me. . .

Recent likes:

Zumba! (of course) I even have Amber hooked on it now. I feel so proud of myself when I introduce someone to the world of exercise. I feel like I am making the world a happier/better place. :)
Dove chocolates (my Valentine's Day indulgences are starting early this year)
Scarves - I got one for Christmas and also stole another out of my mom's drawer to add to my collection. It is surprising how much warmer these things make you. And just in case you were wondering whether my mom is upset or even missing said scarf, just the other day she said, "That's a nice scarf. Where did you get it?" "Your drawer," I responded. Granted, she has been very sick this past week, so maybe she was a little out of it, but I think that I will go ahead and keep the scarf until she demands that I return it.
Tom - I'm in love. The End.

second Christmas

2011-01-17T19:18:00.006-07:00

Due to high airline prices during Christmastime, our California family decided to come out for a visit a few weeks after Christmas instead. While some traditions were not the same since it wasn't really Christmas, others we just couldn't do without. For example: the Rodrigues family Christmas is all about the pie. It seems like every year we try to out-do the last. And this year definitely took the ~~cake~~ pie. Nana made a total 17 pies. No, that is not a typo. Seventeen was definitely more than our typical one-pie-per-person rationing. Each one was different so you never got bored of trying new flavors. I even branched out a little and tried butterscotch. I do not like butterscotch at all. But throw it in a pie crust and add a nice brown-sugary taste and it's not half bad. Life is full of surprises.

Aside from eating our weight in pie, other activities included building "Alice in Wonderland" themed snow creatures (first inspired by a mushroom), finishing the most difficult and frustrating puzzle in the world, and playing lots of games like "Things," "Cribbage," "Wackee Six" and "Phase 10."

But I'd have to say that the best part of the reunion was our family talent show which is shown below. As you can hear in the background, I couldn't stop laughing. This was definitely a side of my dad that I had never seen before! The acts are listed below in order. . . Enjoy!!

We are so talented.

This is my 2010

2011-01-03T21:13:00.004-07:00

Fishing. first time at the Playmill. Tom.
job hunting. becoming a notary public for the state of Idaho.
musical numbers in church.Madison YSA. Lagoon.
my first post-grad job.Idaho State Fair.
camping.the temple.trip to the Grand Canyon.
holidays. Disneyland. Zumba. Michelle.
4th of July in the Valley.Winter Olympics.visit from David.
baking more banana bread.family.church callings.
parties.car shopping.laughed my head off.
lots of new friends.amazing Halloween costume.
Institute.Sophie.General Conference.
blessings.challenges.love.

What we do best . . .

2010-12-30T16:32:00.006-07:00

December 18th was my mom's birthday! On the way down to Idaho Falls where we watched The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (awesome movie!!) and ate dinner at Texas Roadhouse (yumm!!), we decided to get out the camera and do what we do best: make funny faces!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Merry Christmas Party!

2010-12-30T15:58:00.005-07:00

Time to catch up on some blogging for the month!

On the 10th, I hosted a Christmas party for some friends. The house looked so good with all the Christmas decorations up, I just had to show it off. :) Apparently my generation no longer knows what "RSVP" means because tons more people showed up than I had expected, but I am so glad! The more the merrier!

The party was complete with games, food, music, watching the movie Elf, and even a doughnut-eating contest! But perhaps the best part of all, was the money that everyone donated to a local family in need. I know them through work, and wanted to help them out for Christmas so that they could buy their little girls presents. Between all the guests, I was able to raise $108 for this family! I had my sister deliver the money the following week.

Thank you to all my friends who made the party so great, who helped out so much, and who were willing to donate to those less fortunate! Merry Christmas!!

Zumba Baby!

2010-12-03T21:11:00.004-07:00

I think it's about time to mention Zumba in my blog!! I have been going to different Zumba classes off and on for over a year now, and I love it! A combination of aerobics and Latin dance, Zumba is the bestest, funnest workout ever!

Last night I attended a special Zumbathon put on locally by my Zumba instructor. There was a raffle, a silent auction, donations, and of course lots of "Zumba-ing". Everything was donated to a woman who regularly attends the Zumba classes who is fighting breast cancer. The whole event lasted almost two hours. You definitely had to get there early if you wanted a good spot. It didn't take long before the whole gym was filled with women, girls, and a even a few men. Most of the women wore pink in support of fighting breast cancer.

I always love Zumba, but this was an extra special night. As I watched everyone united for a good cause, united in the same dance moves, amidst a sea of pink, it felt good to be a part of something bigger than myself. I felt the spirit of giving which is what this Christmas season is all about. The love and support shown to this woman and her family was amazing. I am grateful to be a part of such a giving community!

Three kings found the Lord, and so can we!

2010-12-03T21:00:00.004-07:00

Last Monday I took my mom, Colter, and Tom to a performance of The Forgotten Carols by Michael McClean. It was so good, and such a great way to celebrate this holiday season! It just puts you in the mood for Christmas, and giving, and loving your fellowman. I love the story of the Forgotten Carols and I love the music even more! We have a CD of it at home, and I put it on while our family was decorating the house for Christmas. It may be too late this year, but I would encourage everyone to look it up and get tickets next year if you can! You won't regret it!

the GRAND canyon

2010-11-23T14:11:00.005-07:00

Our journey began in Utah . . .

We stopped at the cheese factory in Beaver and bought
some cheese curds (aka squeeky cheese).

Of course we stopped along the way several times to take pictures.

Our first afternoon was spent in St. George where we took a tour
of Brigham Young's winter home . . .

and walked around the temple grounds.

The next morning we left bright and early for Arizona,
home of the Grand Canyon!

Entering Grand Canyon National Park,

home of the infamous Kaibab squirrel (which I was lucky enough to spot).

I have now seen one of the seven natural wonders of the world,

and it is absolutely beautiful!

We watched the sunset over the Canyon before heading back for the night.

Yay for the Grand Canyon and great road trips with friends!

God is an Artist

2010-11-22T19:11:00.005-07:00

I am so thankful for this beautiful earth! I love the diversity and the color. The parts still untouched by man show off the grandeur of God's creations. I got to see a different kind of beauty on my road trip to the Grand Canyon a week ago with all the red rock, Joshua trees, and sand dunes. It's times like that when I wish I knew something about photography. I'm afraid that my photos just don't do it justice, but I hope you still enjoy!

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Angel's Window

Random bits of gratitude

2010-11-19T17:35:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I haven't blogged nearly enough about the things that I am grateful for! Here are a few things that have been on my mind recently, in no particular order:

Good music: A little over a week ago I went to a friend's orchestra performance and was reminded of how grateful I am for good music as I listened to Violin Concerto No. 3 by Camille Saint-Saens. It was beautiful. Whether it's a song that makes me tear up in church, a song to sing along to in the car, or a song that makes me want to get up and dance, I can't deny the power good music has upon me, and it's ability to bring me joy.

Leggings: With the cold weather upon us, I am so grateful for leggings which are both cute and warm. Win-Win! Since I have to dress up for work and I have only two pairs of dress pants, I end up wearing dresses and skirts to work a lot. And with two males in the office, the temperature is never quite as warm as I would like it to be.
Clorox wipes: I cleaned three different bathrooms this week and don't know what I would have done without these things. Clorox wipes are my favorite cleaning product and I go through them like crazy!
No snow! I know this will shortly change, but I consider it lucky that we have made it to almost Thanksgiving without any permanent snowfall. Despite our need for the moisture, I prefer to prolong the days of driving and trenching through the snow as much as possible.

Close friends: I have recently expressed my need for people in my life, and I cherish the friendships that I have developed over the years. I recently had the opportunity to enjoy a road trip down to the Grand Canyon with just such friends and had an absolute blast! But more about that trip in later posts . . .

Literature: I love to read. The vast amount of good books available overwhelms and astounds me. I love books that teach, books that enlighten, books that entertain, . . . pretty much all kinds of books. I spend the majority of my lunch break at work reading. If I don't have a book or two that I am in the middle of, I don't know what to do with myself. Speaking of which, I just finished my book today so a library trip is in order. . . any good suggestions of what I can read next??

bad habits and irrational fears

2010-11-10T17:25:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to address the issue of bad habits . . . We all have them in some form or another. Others may seem more appalling to us than others, but I have found that any of them can be quite disturbing unless, of course, I am the one doing it. What are my bad habits? Popping my gum, talking with a mouth full of food, and putting my elbows on the table (to just name a few). And then there is the one that has been foremost on my mind lately: chewing the inside of my lips. Why do I have the urge to always do this? As I was contemplating this, I realized how disgusting it is to be consuming bits of my own flesh every day. Ew. But is this gross realization going to stop me from continuing? Probably not. I used to think that there were 'x' amount of layers of skin on my lips and that if I kept chewing away at them that I would eventually wear them down to one flimsy layer of skin. Can you say "unattractive"? Thank goodness my body is able to renew itself and create new skin cells to replace the ones that I bite off every hour of every day. (Gratitude mention of the post.)

And now I come to my irrational fears. I will only mention one today. It has resurfaced due to our recent snowfall which is a foreshadowing of what I am going to have to live with for the next six months. Oh joy. I usually get depressed when the first snowfall of the season comes, but this year it actually made me happy and excited for the upcoming holidays. . . .

I have an irrational fear of slipping and falling on the ice. It's normal to have a slight fear of this that causes you to be more cautious when navigating the sidewalks outside, but it shouldn't scare you to the point of near paralysis, right? I.move.so.slowly during the wintertime. I remember as a college student (oh man, I have reached the point where I can say "Back when I was in college . . .") having to walk across campus to my various classes in the snow and ice. People would usually pass me on all sides, walking briskly or even sliding around on the ice for fun. How could they do this with such confidence is beyond me. One time my fear was so overwhelming that I was ready to hole up in the Benson building and not attend any of my other classes that day, just so I wouldn't have to walk outside and run the risk of falling down. It was that bad.

Now, the weird thing about all of this is the fact that I have fallen down on the ice on more than a few occasions, sometimes in a dress. And really, it wasn't all that terrible. No broken bones, no stitches, not even serious bruises worth mentioning. So why am I so afraid?? The answer remains to be seen. Perhaps I am worried that one of these times it really will be bad and that I will seriously injure myself. Perhaps I am most worried about wounding my pride above all else.

So, if you happen to be driving around Rexburg and see a young woman moving at the pace of a snail, it's probably me. You can be nice and smile or wave, but I can almost guarantee that I won't see this because my eyes will be glued to the ground in hard concentration.

I need people.

2010-11-09T11:45:00.005-07:00

Happy November everyone! As this is the month of Thanksgiving, I am determined to include in each post this month something that I am grateful for, starting today. . . .
I am grateful for people!!

As much as I sometimes don't like to admit it, I have recently been reminded of how much I really need people in my life. I wouldn't say that I'm the independant type who doesn't like to ask for help. "Reclusive" is more of the word that I would use for myself. And let's throw "anti-social" into the mix as well. Usually, I just prefer not to talk to people. I know, it's terrible that I would rather bury myself in a book or a long list of to-do's rather than face a social setting that could potentially turn out awkward.

What lies at the root of my problem? I'm not sure. . . It could be that I usually don't have much to say (especially in groups of four or more). I think back on all those times where I have felt like a mere by-stander instead of a participant in a group or at a social gathering simply because I couldn't think of anything interesting to say. Or if I did, I would get nervous as all eyes turned towards me when I spoke up. I was once diagnosed with social anxiety because of this. . . . but really I don't think I'm that bad. (And I hope that some of my friends can back me up on that.)

In all honesty, we truly need each other. One of the purposes of this life is to help each other and learn from one another. A life lived alone on this earth would be an incomplete one.

After experiencing the joy of interaction with others, of making a new friend, or catching up with an old one, I am reminded that interaction with other people is totally worth the potentially uncomfortable situations or hurt. The depth of the joy I find is so much more full and sastisfying than that of finishing a good book or completing my to-do list or having a perfectly clean room. As President Thomas S. Monson put it, " . . . what is most important almost always involves the people around us."

And now I would like to express my thanks for the person whom I am most grateful for: my savior, Jesus Christ; whose merits and mercy and grace have the power to save all men and women who repent and come unto him and follow his example. How grateful I am for his atonement, for his forgiveness, for his love, and for his willingness to bless me despite my weaknesses and imperfections.

Thank you to all you wonderful people out there who make my life better each and every day!

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T13:45:00.002-06:00

I must admit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday. It's just plain creepy and leaves me feeling dirty inside. But, I must say that this year I had one sweet costume, and that Halloween does have its perks. . .

1. Costumes!

Isn't it always fun to dress up? I take the costume as license to be someone else and not be held accountable for my actions. Not that I do anything wrong or bad, it's just that if I want to dance all crazy, then people can't judge me for it. No, it wasn't me dancing like a freak; it was the witch, or the cowgirl, or Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, or the pregnant lady, or whoever/whatever else I have been for Halloween. See what I mean?

Because of our awesome couple's costumes, we won two costume contest awards:
the most creative and, for me, the most unrecognizable.

2. Parties!

Tom and I went to a total of four Halloween parties this year. Overkill you might say? Surprisingly, it wasn't. Although it got a little tiring putting on our costumes over and over and over again (that wig is super itchy), it was always fun to be with a new crowd with different games, food, and responses to our amazing costumes. My favorite reaction was from our bishop who came up and slapped Tom real hard on the chest and said,
"What did you do?!"

Here is me, Tom, and Bobby. Bobby had this mask on the back of his head and wore all his clothes backwards. It was so hilarious, and kind of creepy too.

3. Candy!

Let's be honest here, who doesn't like candy in some form or another? I am definitely a chocolate + nuts kind of girl, so give me a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup or a Snickers and I am happy! I also recently made my first caramel apple at Michelle's birthday party. It was sooo good.

Disneyland - Day 2

2010-10-14T19:02:00.007-06:00

Day two started off a little bit rocky thanks to my own forgetfulness/stupidity. Allow me to expound . . . At Disneyland, your ticket consists of a paper card about the size of a credit card that has some cute Disney character or other printed on it. Word to the wise: these tickets are not waterproof! I placed my ticket in my back pocket thinking it would be safe and then later rode Grizzly Rapids - twice - and subsequently got soaking wet. . . Now I know what you're thinking, but that is not all. Oh no, that is not all. My dear mother decided to do laundry that night (it was free at our hotel) and I threw my wet jeans into the pile to be washed. . . .The next morning we were on our way into the park when I realized that I didn't have my ticket. But not only had I left my ticket at the hotel, my ticket had been washed in the laundry. We returned to the hotel and I optimistically expected to find my ticket safe and sound in the back pocket of my jeans. Not so. To my dismay, the ticket (or what was left of it) was not even recognizable. My thoughts turned to the worst and I imagined having to pay for a whole new ticket. What a waste of money all because of a stupid little mistake! Well, again my mom came to my rescue. She explained the situation the nice lady at the ticket booth and . She agreed to print me off a new ticket. I was so happy and relieved! Yay for my mom!

And now with no further ado . . . more pictures! Enjoy.

the grapes taste like grapes . . . .

and the snozzberries taste like snozzberries!

the Peter Pan ride!

If you watch up in Snow White's tower, the curtains occasionally part to reveal the evil queen and then close again a few seconds later. Pretty creepy.

Colter attempting to pull the sword from the stone . . .

Let me show you how it's done . . .

It's a small world after all,

It's a small world after all,
It's a small world after all,
It's a small, small world!

Shout-out to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz!

Sad day! The teacups were shut down due to the rain.

Toon Town:

Me playing Goofy's piano.

Mom tried to kiss Goofy but he wouldn't let her.
It was rather embarrassing for us kids.

Despite the rough beginning, our day ended with watching the new "World of Color" show at Paradise Bay. Imagine a display of lights, water, color, fire, and clips from your favorite Disney movies all combined and choreographed into one big, amazing, fantastical masterpiece!
If you ever get the chance, go to Disneyland just to see this show.

The Happiest Place on Earth!

2010-10-12T18:41:00.000-06:00

Last week, my family took a somewhat-spontaneous trip down to Southern California to visit Amber and figured that while we were down there, we might as well make a little stop at Disneyland. Hey, why not? :) We spent two fun-filled days at both Disneyland and California Adventure Park on Monday and Tuesday before driving home on Wednesday. Certainly not a relaxing vacation by any means, but definitely lots of fun!!

Here are some of the fun pictures we took on day one:

Silly hats . . . .

I put this one on Amber a little crooked, so she looks like a one-eared mouse. :/

Colter trying on Amber's pirate hat.

Colter in his own hat. I love the expression he is making!

bug 3-D vision glasses . . .

"A" is for Amber . . .

"C" is for ~~cookie~~ Colter . . .

and there's no "K" in "California", so I settled with an "R" for Rodrigues . . .

I love Disneyland!! The planning and genius and money that go into the park simply astound me. It really is such a happy place and everyone there is so nice and helpful. As I walked down Main Street USA, seeing cheerful faces and smelling the ice cream and waffle cones, I wished that the world could really be like Disneyland.

"She's gone country, back to her roots . . ."

2010-09-23T19:10:00.004-06:00

Despite the fact that I'm all grown up with a bachelor's degree, that I spent last summer in the big city, and that I am now working at a law office; at heart, a part of me will always be the country girl who loves to . . .

go camping,

and fishing,

and shooting.

And that will never change!

Lagoon - It's what fun is!

2010-09-20T12:41:00.006-06:00

Ok readers, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you: After an amazing weekend, spending about 7 hours in the car and 11 hours at Lagoon, I came home with absolutely no pictures. Zero. Zip. Nada. I think that I set myself up for failure by telling all of you to "watch for Lagoon pics in my upcoming posts." A thousand apologies to you all. I know those potential, but non-existent pictures meant a lot to you.

I'll have you know that I had every good intention of taking pictures, I just hit a barrier or two in the process. The night before we left, I charged my camera battery to make sure it was ready. I packed my camera. I took my camera in a small backpack into the park, fully prepared to take pictures. We approached the line for our very first ride of the day when the ride attendant informed me that no bags were allowed on the ride and that I would have to pay for a locker and keep my bag there. Lame. I really didn't want to pay money just to keep my backpack in a locker all day so I returned it to the car and that is where my camera remained for the rest of the day. I guess it's better than running the risk of losing my camera on one of the rides. (It wouldn't have been the first time that has happened to me.)

If I had incredible photoshop skills and lots of time on my hands, I would find pictures of the rides online and photoshop ourselves into them. But, since I have neither the time nor the skills, that won't be happening.

So, now that I have spent forever making up excuses, I will tell you about all the fun that we had!

The six of us friends decided that we were going to go big, and then go home. Right off the bat, we started with Lagoon's newest roller coaster, Wicked. (see picture below) This ride was so amazing! I think that I ended up going on it four times.

Can you guess what my favorite part was?? At the very beginning of the ride, they shoot you out of the tunnel down on the left, and up and over the arch. Incredible. You'd think that you were defying the laws of nature.

Another ride that I went on for the first time was the Rocket Re-entry. This thing slowly takes you up to the top of the tower, and then - without warning - plummets you towards the ground. It's such a rush. On this ride, I can honestly say that my scream was out of sheer terror, and not just for the fun of it. We rode this both during the day and at night. The view from the top is amazing; you can see for miles and miles.

And then there is my all-time favorite ride (which happens to be Tom's favorite too), the Samurai. I can't really explain this ride to you, all I can say is that it's the best. Period. The end.

After going on rides to the point of exhaustion, enjoying the beautiful weather, eating dippin' dots, and taking lots of pictures (oh wait, scratch that last part), we left the park and headed back home to Rexburg. I think it's safe to say that we all had a blast and would do it again in a heartbeat. Lagoon really is fun!

Fun at the Fair

2010-09-14T10:51:00.001-06:00

On September 11th, I went to the Idaho State Fair with Tom and Bobby. It had been about 10 years since I had last been to the fair, and it was so much fun!

If you were to ask what my favorite thing about the fair was, I would say it's a tie between . . .

1. petting the incredibly cute and soft bunny . . .

I could have hung out with this little guy all day and been happy.

Number 2: watching Tom get hypnotized (talk about side-splitting laughter!)

Tom's the one in the bright red shirt, and quite the crowd-pleaser if you ask me! Unfortunately, he wouldn't let me post any of the videos, but let me just say that up on stage he was a ballerina dancer and an interpreter for Martians who came to visit Earth.

and Numero Tres: riding this baby - Footloose. Oh yeah!

I LOVE amusement park rides. Forget drugs, these things give me a high like no other. I've found that the more noise you make, the more fun it is. And this ride was just a prep for next weekend when I go to Lagoon with some friends! I am so excited!!!!

(Watch for Lagoon pics in my upcoming posts.)

I'll admit that we committed the crime of not buying a single bite of food to eat at the fair, which is in my opinion quite an amazing feat. There are food booths everywhere, and all of the fried food loaded with grease and sugar smelled amazing, but we restrained ourselves in order to save money (and our figures).

Here are a few other highlights from our day:

Tom's niece, Kaybrie, riding the Merry-Go-Round

The big cow

Love this picture of us!

Lewis and Clark Caverns

2010-09-09T21:57:00.007-06:00

This year's Labor Day was spent up in the great state of Montana. First we visited the Lewis and Clark Caverns, and then stopped in West Yellowstone on our way back for dinner and an IMAX movie. Everybody had such a great time!

If you ever get the chance to visit the caves, I would highly recommend it.
They are amazing.

Tom gave me a piggy-back ride through town . . .

and then Colter had to give it a try too. (Nevermind the fact
that I am more than twice his weight.)

The life of a working woman

2010-09-02T22:20:00.003-06:00

In case you haven't heard, after a long and discouraging eight-month search for a job, I finally found one!! I now work as a legal assistant/receptionist at a law office here in town. I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have a job, and how exciting! My life has changed quite dramatically over the past few weeks. . .

I am just finishing up "week two" of my job and I love it. I am so grateful to be blessed with full-time work during this tough time in our nation's economy. I work 9-5, Monday through Friday, and get weekends and holidays off. It really is perfect. Oh, and did I mention that the office is about two miles from my house?! Plus, I work with great people who are so kind and who can also be quite funny too. They have been so patient with me as I have been training for the job, asking questions, and making a few inevitable mistakes. I have already learned so much, and am excited to continue learning.

Now that I have a job, I suddenly feel this sense of independence and professionalism. I wear business dress to work; I have responsibilities to attend to; and I just received my first paycheck in over a year! I tell you what, the choir in heaven was singing for that blessed moment. I can now spend money without feeling guilty about it. I can contemplate buying things like a new car! And maybe if you're lucky, you'll now receive real gifts from me instead of a loaf of banana bread.

I feel like I have finally entered the realm of adulthood.
Seriously, the words "I can't, I have to work" have never sounded so good!

America's favorite pastime

2010-08-30T18:32:00.006-06:00

Subject: baseball, the greatest sport in the world

Exhibit A: the fearsome mascot, the chukar

Exhibit B: the players

Location: Idaho Falls, Melaleuca Field

I have been to not one, but two Chukars' games this season. I submit to you that there is nothing better than eating a hot dog and watching a game of baseball. Granted, they're no Oakland A's, but they can still be fun to watch . . . when they win. And if you happen to get bored, you can just take silly pictures of yourself like we did. . .

¡Mi cumpleaños!

2010-08-27T18:40:00.004-06:00

One year older, and wiser too . . .

Yes, on August 8th, I turned the ripe old age of 23. Quite the accomplishment if you ask me. :)

Celebrations started early this year. The day before my birthday, I floated the river with some friends from the ward and then we went back to a cabin to have a prime rib dinner. This was my first time eating prime rib, at age (almost)23. Does that qualify as deprivation?

Later that night Michelle, Jordan, Tom, and I went to West Yellowstone to meet up with my mom and brother to go to the Playmill Theatre and watch "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." It was a great show with lots of laughs. I ♥ musicals!! And this one has always been a favorite of mine. When I was a teenager, I would watch it all.the.time with my friend Marinda. We would always pick out which "bride" we were and who the respective "brother" was. (Always our latest crush of course.)

At the beginning of the show, they made everyone who was celebrating a birthday come up on stage so that they could sing to us. And when I say they made me come up, I mean they made me come up. I was not happy about this, but it turned out ok in the end I guess. At least I got a kiss on the cheek from one of the young male actors. To my horror, Tom made a video of the whole thing which I will not be posting due to my embarrassment and awkwardness. I'm sure I've never blushed so much in my life.

Half the fun was the car ride to the Theatre. We were blasting the tunes and singing along and dancing as much as is possible inside a moving vehicle. Plus, we stopped at a gas station where Jordan and Michelle bought me a fishing license for my birthday! My very first fishing license at age (almost)23. Now that definitely counts as deprivation!

front-seat :

Michelle and Jordan

back-seat:
Tom and Me

On Sunday, my actual birthday, I went to church and played the piano for a musical number in sacrament meeting. After church, my family and I enjoyed an amazing home-cooked meal of lasagna, salad, and garlic bread. (Thanks mom!) Soon followed by oatmeal cake (a family favorite). It was so delicious!

Thank you everybody for wishing me a happy birthday, and for all the wonderful gifts!

The Bob and Tom Show

2010-08-27T17:39:00.006-06:00

Many of you may have heard of the famous and colorful Bob and Tom Show. . . Well, I get my own live version of this show all the time, and it is so great! What would I do without these two brothers?? They are some of the greatest guys in the world, and definitely the funniest! Just last night we were playing with Photo Booth on Bob's new Mac and laughing so hard that it put us to tears! If you want to get a taste of how crazy and hilarious these two can be, just watch this video. I promise you'll laugh!

Tom - Me - Bob

A few weeks ago I went fishing with Tom and Bobby. We had a great time, and came away with four good-looking fish to eat. . . I don't usually like to eat trout, but Tom did an a-mazing job cooking them and I actually enjoyed it.

Here are the two fish that I kept (and gutted all by myself)!

These brothers, although 1 1/2 years apart, are practically twins. They are so much alike it is sometimes scary. Being with them is so funny though, because you'll be with one and he'll say something, and then you'll be with the other any he'll say the exact same thing. Is there an echo in here?

Not only are these brothers handsome and hilarious, but did I also mention that they are also both incredibly musically talented?? They both sing, Tom plays the violin, and Bobby plays the piano. Tom and Bob are always working on some song together or making one up. They even have their own little "studio/recording room" set-up in their house where they make all their music. Together they performed at our ward talent show last spring and seriously made all the girls' hearts melt. . . no joke.

I love these boys!!

Lava Hot Springs -

2010-08-25T21:01:00.003-06:00

totally worth the sunburn and three bloody noses!

I do not have any pictures for this post because, let's be honest, who really wants to see me in a bathing suit with makeup smeared around my eyes? I certainly didn't, which is why I didn't take any pictures of myself. But, despite the way I looked, I had an absolute blast with my friends at Lava Hot Springs!

We mostly played on the slides, jumped off of the high platforms, and played basketball in the pool. The basketball was my favorite activity. I am not a huge fan of playing basketball on dry land, but it was so much fun in the water!

The weather was perfect all day. I tried to be really good about applying sunscreen (at this point in my life I would much rather save my skin than try and get tan, it never works anyways), but I ended up missing a few spots. Oops. I paid for it later that night, but it really wasn't too bad.

The most impressive thing that I want to share with everyone is that I jumped off of the Olympic high-dive platform that they have there. This thing is 33 feet high! You may be thinking to yourself right now: That doesn't sound too bad, but let me just tell you that 33 feet is a lot higher once you're up there looking down over the edge! I am so proud of myself for doing it not once, but two times. I would have done it more if it weren't for the fact that it gave me a bloody nose. I think that the sheer terror of free falling made me squeeze my nose a little too hard. I just wanted to be extra sure that no water got up there!

Nature Park

2010-08-24T22:57:00.003-06:00

Our internet service is back after a long, unexplained absence! Now to catch up on my blogging . . .

Awhile back, I took Colter for a bike ride around the Nature Park. Last summer, this became one of my favorite places in Rexburg. Despite it being really hot outside, we had a good time together!

Here are some of the things we found:

Trees to climb!

Mushrooms: the "you probably shouldn't eat one of these or else you will shrivel up and die" kind.

A little abandoned shoe.

And of course tons of ducks and geese; just waiting for you to feed them.

Colter made this video which I think is hilarious. He says the funniest things sometimes . . .

My poor blog

2010-08-19T15:55:00.004-06:00

Sorry that I have been so negligent concerning my blog lately! It's not that I don't have anything to post, because I have TONS . . . seriously, if I could sum up what I have been doing over the past few weeks it would be with one word - playing! The problem is, we no longer have internet service at home. This presents huge problems when trying to blog. . . I could use another computer to blog but then I wouldn't have access to all of my fun pictures. So, just know that I am still alive and very well and I will post everything as soon as I can. Once we get internet service again prepare for an overload of stories and pictures from yours truly!

Cheers!

Just Peachy

2010-07-24T21:28:00.005-06:00

I would like to introduce you the new addition in our family - little "Peach." This bonsai tea tree was an early birthday present from my grandparents, Aunt Stacie, and Uncle Don. I love love love it! I have wanted a bonsai for quite some time now, and finally my wish has come true! Thank you so much!

As you can see, we are quite happy together. :)

Bye Bye Birdie

2010-07-23T18:32:00.006-06:00

A week ago I got to go down to Utah and visit my dear friend Bekah and see her star as the leading role of "Rosie" in the musical Bye Bye Birdie. We also watched Sabrina (one of our absolute favorites!), made mango salsa, went to a cast party at Leatherby's (yumm!), and of course talked a ton since there was so much to catch up on! I had a wonderful time and couldn't have picked a better weekend to visit. I love this girl so much! I just hope she doesn't kill me for posting some of these pictures. . .

Rosie and Albert

"Spanish Rose"

Welcome Home Grandma and Grandpa!

2010-07-13T11:16:00.004-06:00

chocolate chip cookies

2010-07-13T10:13:00.006-06:00

A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!

"Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap." - - Barbara Jordan

God Bless America

2010-07-05T09:56:00.002-06:00

I must admit that I was not happy when I realized that the 4th of July would be on a Sunday this year, and a Fast Sunday at that! I mean, this holiday is all about the barbecues and the fun and the fireworks right?

Nope, I was wrong.
In church yesterday we had an amazing lesson about those who have sacrificed so much for our country and who have preserved the many freedoms that we enjoy each day; freedoms that I think we often take for granted. And then we talked about he who sacrificed everything for us, who descended below all things, who gave his life for us, even our Savior Jesus Christ. It was such a spiritual experience.
I have always loved U.S. history - the people, the stories, even the wars. I love reading and learning about how this nation was miraculously discovered, formed, and preserved despite heavy opposition. I firmly believe that God had a hand in all of this. What better way to celebrate Independence Day than by worshiping God from whom all these blessings of freedom have come? This truly is a blessed nation and I am so grateful to live in this country!

4th of July Weekend

2010-07-05T09:01:00.005-06:00

Let me just start off by saying that I monumentally failed at taking lots of pictures this weekend as I had originally planned. For several various reasons, I just didn't get around to it. So here is what little I have; hope you enjoy them!

This past weekend I went with Tom to his family reunion up in the Valley. We camped out near Darby Canyon where his grandparents live. On the way up, we stopped to see my dad and wish him a happy birthday. We chatted and looked at old pictures of the family and even had a little ping-pong tournament over at my grandparent's place.

On Saturday morning, we watched the good old parade in Victor. I hadn't been to it in four years! I'll admit it was more exciting when I was younger, and I was usually in the parade dancing so I never really watched it. Ever since they stopped giving away free chocolate milk, it just hasn't been the same . . . that was my favorite part! Although it wasn't the most exciting thing, it was still fun to go just for old times' sake. Plus, there was a float for a local dental office which was throwing out free toothbrushes. This got me really excited because I had forgotten to pack my toothbrush and was in desperate need of one! This nice lady heard me yelling hysterically and ran up and grabbed one for me. She came back, handed it to me, and proudly declared, "And look, it's even pink!" If only she knew . . . :) so once again I am stuck with a pink toothbrush. I can't complain though, it is a pretty nice toothbrush and even has those gum-massager-things on the sides which I find quite nice.

That evening we went down to Huntsman Springs for the big firework show and speech by Glenn Beck. I couldn't believe how many people were there! I think that the population of the Valley tripled that night. It was a pretty good show and I really enjoyed it despite the fact that it was a little cold for the 4th, but that's Idaho for you. I don't really know much about Glenn Beck, but apparently he has been ruffling some feathers lately. I wasn't sure what his speech was going to be like, but I think that he did a great job. He simply spoke of our nation's history, and of people who played a key role in forming this great country that we live in. He also spoke about the virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

Sunday morning, the 4th of July, we woke up to the sounds of these birds . . . .

and hot air balloons!

These things are surprisingly noisy. It took me awhile to figure out what the noise was, but when I did, I ran out of the tent to take some pictures. I counted a total of 14 hot air balloons up in the sky!

It was such a wonderful weekend!

It's July!

2010-07-01T10:34:00.003-06:00

Happy 1st of July! During the month of June I hit an all-time low in the world of blogging with only three posts. So I am determined to do better this month, starting today. . .

Here are a few recent highlights in my life:

On June 27th we celebrated Eli's first birthday with cupcakes and presents.

Snickerdoodle cupcakes are soooo good!

Last Tuesday night I went to a production of "Oklahoma" in Idaho Falls with Tom and his family. It was so fun! I still have those songs running through my head.

"I'm just a girl who cain't say no . . ."

I have TWO job interviews in the upcoming week! This is a pretty big deal for me and I really hope that one of them works out.

Most exciting of all, I am going up to the Valley to celebrate the Fourth of July! Camping, hiking, parades, fireworks, and good food . . . I love this time of year! Plus, we are celebrating my dad's birthday (which is tomorrow). Happy Birthday Dad!!

I'm determined to take lots and lots of pictures this weekend so be looking for them in posts soon to come! Enjoy your 4th of July weekend!

Cress Creek

2010-06-28T22:34:00.005-06:00

On Friday, the 25th, I took Tom up to Cress Creek for a little hike. I'm really not much of a hiker, but this trail I can handle. It is short and sweet, and super beautiful! It's called Cress Creek because of all the wild watercress that grows in it. The creek's water is lukewarm all year round because it comes from a natural spring up on the mountain.

Me holding some watercress

From the top we had an amazing view of the valley below, and of the sun casting its light upon the river.

The weather here has been absolutely perfect lately. It's just a shame that all the bugs have realized this too, and are out and about. Already I have numerous mosquito bites. I forgot how much I dislike them!

On the way up we saw this abandoned stroller and thought that someone had left their baby inside!

Psych! It was only a water jug (thank goodness)!

We had such a good time!

Camping and Fishing

2010-06-13T17:53:00.004-06:00

This past weekend my mom, Colter, Tom, and I went on a camping/fishing trip. This is something I missed out on last summer since I was in Washington, D.C., so I was really excited to go. I can't even remember the last time I went fishing and forgot how much fun it could be!

We went and camped at Warm River near Mesa Falls. The weather forecast predicted rain showers, but to our pleasant surprise it didn't rain at all! Aside from it being occasionally windy and a little chilly, the weather was great.

Tom is such a manly wood-chopper. :)

I woke up Saturday morning bright and early (5 a.m.!!!) and was ready to go. I couldn't believe that I felt that great so early in the morning, but it turned out to be a good thing that we were up early. We were down at the river before 7 a.m. so there weren't very many other people out fishing yet.

I was not too thrilled that my mom had the camera out right after we woke up.

Right off the bat we had great success at fishing. Within just a few hours I had hooked four fish! Two got away, but I am ok with that. (It makes me feel bad to kill them.) But we decided to keep the other two.

Tom also caught two fish that morning. We took them back to camp and Tom taught me how to gut a fish. When I was younger, I had always wanted to learn because I thought that it would impress the boys and prove that I wasn't a sissy girl. Well, I got my chance and it really wasn't that bad. I would much rather gut fish than rip the worms in half and put them on the fishing hook. Yuck, I hate that part. It's so gross, but Tom made me do it.

After we returned to camp and ate a delicious breakfast, we went back to the river for round two of fishing. It was pretty windy and there were more people out, so we didn't have as much luck this time. Tom caught a few little ones but threw them back in, and I didn't get so much as a nibble.
But Colter caught a fish later that afternoon and we were so excited for him! He would have been really disappointed if we had left without him having caught a fish.

We got to enjoy the fresh air, watch the sunset over the Falls, and eat amazing dutch oven food. It doesn't get any better than that! I can't remember the last time I was that happy. . . I just couldn't stop smiling! :)

After all the fun we returned home to much needed hot showers and inviting beds.

Banana Bread

2010-06-10T18:19:00.003-06:00

As many of you may know, I have completely mastered the art of baking the perfect loaf of banana bread. (And some of you may have been fortunate enough to sample said bread.)

It all started a few years ago with my roommate, Brooke. She decided to make up her own recipe for banana bread and then made it quite often. I was given her recipe and made it a few times, but decided to make a few personal adjustments . . . and voila! My own breed of banana bread was born and has been a source of pleasure to many people ever since.

It has become my trademark of sorts. If there is a birthday, holiday, party, potluck, etc. you can expect banana bread from Kimberly. I think some of my friends get tired of it. Presents are supposed to be a surprise, but you always know what you're going to get from me.

Well, today I made a total of eleven loaves of bread. Can you believe it? Six big ones and five little ones. This was by far my biggest batch yet. For some reason we had tons of old bananas at my house . . . and what else are you going to do with old, spotted bananas?

Just the other day I was thinking - Wouldn't it be great if I could make a living by selling my banana bread?! If I could make a viable salary off of teaching aerobics and selling banana bread for the rest of my life I would be one happy clam! But, since that's not likely, I have continued searching for a more traditional job, and even had an interview this morning so keep your fingers crossed for me! But seriously, how much would you be willing to pay for a loaf of banana bread? I would like to know.

P.S. Have you noticed how many of my blog posts are dedicated to food? That should tell you something about me. :)

"Remember" is a place from long ago . . .

2010-05-26T16:00:00.010-06:00

"Long ago, far away, life was clear; close your eyes..."

Allow me to reminisce for just a moment as I reflect on the past year of my life, particularly my internship experience . . . .

Exactly one year ago from today I was leaving for Washington, D.C. to begin what would become the greatest adventure and best experience of my life! (so far)
Filled with large amounts of excitement, anxiety, and anticipation I boarded the plane . . . and that is where the story begins.

I have thought about Washington, D.C. every day since returning back in August. I long to go back there so much that it hurts. It literally hurts.

I was perusing through a blog the other day of a friend of a friend who recently returned from doing her internship in D.C. As I looked at pictures and read through stories, I was reminded of my own unique experiences that I had there; people who have become special to me, who have changed my life.

Here are some of the lessons that I learned while in D.C. :

I have the ability to find and make friends in any place and in any situation.
No matter where I go, I can always feel at home when I go to church and enter within the sacred walls of the temple.
Time will rob you of experiences if you allow it; take advantage of every moment you have and make the best of it.
I can make it out there on my own in the big city!
Life never turns out how you expect it to.

I'll tell you one thing, a year ago I certainly didn't expect to find myself in the current situation that I'm in. Although my life isn't everything that I had hoped right now, I know that my expectations will be realized in the future. And I certainly can't deny the fact that I am learning lessons and making new friends along the way. . .

In commemoration of this great day, I thought I would include some of my absolute favorite Washington, D.C. pictures. I had a hard time narrowing it down so you're going to get a good 15 or more in no particular order . . .
Enjoy!

Mount Vernon

Just looking at this picture makes me crave a Potbelly's ice cream sandwich.
Nothing can compare!

This is where I worked - um, yeah, can you say amazing?

Some of my favorite "regulars" who would come into the fitness center.
These people are the best!

The amazing fitness center staff!

Concert at the Capitol - July 3rd.

Kayaking on my 22nd birthday!

Gotta love 5 Guys!

. . . and of course I had to include a picture of one our potlucks.

Best sushi I have ever tasted!

movie night

David in his infamous baby-blue polo.

Cupcakes on Ashley's 21st birthday.

My last evening in D.C.

What little boys are made of . . .

2010-05-25T11:25:00.000-06:00

Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to babysit my little nephew, Eli, and his older brother Nathan. They are both so adorable!

As you can see, baby Eli is not so little anymore. He will be one year old on June 26th! I can't believe it. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I got the phone call telling me that I was an aunt: I was in downtown Washington, D.C. (Chinatown to be exact) with some of my best friends. It had been an uneventful night of wandering and we were just getting in the car to drive home when I got the call. I was so excited and overcome with emotion. I had no idea you could love somebody immediately without even meeting them.

Since it is an open adoption, we get to see Eli every few months. His whole family is so great, and I love having the opportunity to occasionally see them and spend time with them. I am looking forward to attending Eli's first birthday party next month!

A rude awakening

2010-05-09T16:51:00.004-06:00

Lately, as I have had plenty of time to contemplate my life and the direction I am headed, I thought that I had finally settled on something that I want to do when I grow up. As many of you know, I have a passion for health and the human body as well as caring for other people. Why not become a nurse? I questioned myself. I talked myself through the fact that I may have to clean many a dirty bed (which had held me back from considering this option sooner), and resolved that I would just have to grin and bear it, because all the other work I would be doing would make it so worth it. Finally I had found direction! You have know idea how exciting this is after you have been floundering around in a sort of limbo for the past five months! I began researching schools, financial aid options, prerequisite requirements, and so on. It felt so good to be working towards something.
Well, all my plans and dreams were rudely interrupted and cut short this morning as I was reminded of the fact that I don't do well with blood. I never have been able to stomach it, and fear that I never will. Heaven help me when I have small, adventurous children who will surely sustain scraped knees, cuts, and possible broken bones. . .
My mother cut her finger while working out on the deck yesterday and asked me this morning to help her find any possible slivers that may have remained in the wound. Looking at the cut alone already made me feel a little queasy, but I decided to face my fears and help. My job was to peel back the skin with a pair of tweezers while she dug around (literally) in her finger to find stray pieces of wood. The cut started oozing blood and, much to my dismay, I just couldn't handle it. I was absolutely no help to my mom and had to leave the room. I could hardly stand without feeling woozy. Pathetic. I was reminded of similar instances where that same feeling would flood through my body, like the time I tried to help my dad remove stitches from the horse, or when I had to have blood drawn, or even times when I would cut myself shaving in the shower. Super pathetic.
Now I am back to square one trying to figure out some other medical career that piques my interest and that does NOT involve blood. I am open to suggestions . . . .

My Dad's Wedding!

2010-05-03T17:30:00.009-06:00

As promised, here are some pictures from my dad's wedding! I am hoping to get more pictures later since all the ones I took are on Chris's camera. It was such an awesome experience to be there for the wedding, and it made me feel good to see my dad so happy. :) He couldn't stop smiling. Amber and I had to tease him about being nervous beforehand too. How many girls get that opportunity?

The wedding ceremony

Here is my dad and Chris with my four new step-brothers: Bobby, Zac, Grady, and Trenton.

Nana, Grandpa, Dad, and Chris

Me showing off the card that Amber and I made for the newlyweds.

And of course we couldn't pass up the opportunity to take pictures of ourselves . . . being goofy.

On a happier note . . .

2010-04-29T21:27:00.003-06:00

I have realized that my most recent post may have been less than cheerful, so I have decided to write about all the happy things in my life!

Item #1: As promised, David came to Rexburg to visit me (oh, and his twin brother). We went to Craigo's (best pizza ever!) and then played catch in the backyard. This resulted in the large, nasty bruise that is now on my shin - but as a disclaimer, this is through no fault of David's but of my own idiocy. A word to the wise: don't ever try to stop the ball with your shin, or any other body part for that matter. Just stick with the glove or move out of the way if worse comes to worst. All in all, it was a good time though. Thanks for coming up to blustery Rexburg David!

Item #2: My dad is getting married on Saturday! You heard right, that's in t-w-o days. Crazy! While this could potentially be an awkward or unpleasant event, I am very happy and excited for my dad and Chris. They make a great couple and I wish them all the best. Want to hear what's even more crazy though? I will now have four step-brothers. Whoa. Amber and I will no longer be in the majority. Pictures from the wedding shortly to come!

Item #3: Thank heavens for the church! I absolutely love my ward and the people in it. It took me awhile, but once I started getting involved in things like choir and volleyball it just clicked. I've been blessed to have made so many friends in the few short months that I have been there. I have also been blessed to serve in two church callings as a Relief Society teacher and as choir pianist. Just last Monday we held a special musical fireside in which I accompanied six different songs, which it turned out quite well if I do say so myself. I have been grateful for the excuse to be at the piano so much. Love it!

Life is good. :)

Patience

2010-04-20T12:41:00.004-06:00

I feel the need to write once again and give an update on my life and thoughts. Another semester started today at BYU-Idaho and I find myself so jealous of all those starting school again. What I wouldn't give to be busy again, to have a schedule and daily routine that I can slip into. I came home last night and cried just thinking about it. My friends whom I have been spending time with will once again have obligations and responsibilities to attend to. I find myself too often thinking that life is just not fair. All around me I hear about people finding jobs, and here I am after four months still without one. It makes me wonder what I am doing wrong. These past few months have been very difficult for me and I have become bitter because I am not getting what I want. Then I look back and realize that all my thoughts are about me me me.
I read an amazing talk today called "Continue in Patience" by President Uchtdorf of the First Presidency of the Church and found so much comfort in it. Here are some of my favorite excerpts:

"Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. [ . . .] the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter. Nevertheless, without patience, [ . . .] we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace.

"As parents, we know how unwise it would be to indulge our children’s every desire. But children are not the only ones who spoil when showered with immediate gratification. Our Heavenly Father knows what good parents come to understand over time: if children are ever going to mature and reach their potential, they must learn to wait.

"I learned that patience was far more than simply waiting for something to happen—patience required actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results didn’t appear instantly or without effort. [ . . .] Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can—working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!

"Impatience, on the other hand, is a symptom of selfishness. It is a trait of the self-absorbed. It arises from the all-too-prevalent condition called “center of the universe” syndrome, which leads people to believe that the world revolves around them and that all others are just supporting cast in the grand theater of mortality in which only they have the starring role.

"Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can’t see the Lord’s hand in our lives until long after trials have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understanding, and happiness.

"Patience is a process of perfection. The Savior Himself said that in your patience you possess your souls. Or, to use another translation of the Greek text, in your patience you win mastery of your souls. Patience means to abide in faith, knowing that sometimes it is in the waiting rather than in the receiving that we grow the most."

I love this talk, and as you can see, my favorite "excerpts" consist of about half of it. :)

I know that as I exercise patience, I will be blessed. There must be something that I need to learn right now, and experiences that I can gain that will help me later in life. Because of this period of time I will be able to more fully appreciate the blessing of work when it does come. I will be able to look back on this time in my life and see the Lord's hand in it. With the help of my mom, I have realized that right now I need to focus on the blessings that I do have, and all the things I have to be grateful for. If we are grateful for what we have now, we will be blessed with more. The Lord knows what's best for me and I trust that everything will work out. To quote a movie, "Maybe God has a bigger plan for me than I had for myself."

P.S. The weather has been absolutely beautiful since my last blog post and I am grateful for that.

Seriously?!

2010-04-13T12:53:00.002-06:00

Can we just be done with the snow . . . PLEASE? I mean come on, it's April 13th. Easter has come and gone and yet it looks like Christmas-time outside. Today I ask myself the question that keeps coming up over and over: Why do I live here? The past few days were so nice and then out of the blue, here comes the snow again. Mother Nature is apparently not done torturing us yet. It's hard to believe that just yesterday I was outside playing softball in the backyard with Amber, Colter, and our puppy Sydney. It was practically perfect. And now, 24 hours later, we could go sledding in the backyard. Ridiculous. I fought the temptation to stay inside all day in my pajamas and read books and drink hot chocolate, and am now doing my best to be as productive as an unemployed person can be. . . the mere fact that I am blogging right now tells you that I am doing a great job. :) For those of you who are not in Rexburg right now, consider yourselves lucky.

General Conference Weekend

2010-04-05T12:06:00.005-06:00

Hallelujah! After over two weeks, I finally have something to blog about! This past Easter weekend, my family and I went down to Utah to attend General Conference, in which members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather from all over the world to hear messages delivered by the president of the Church and other leaders and general authorities. Although I had attended conference in Salt Lake several times before, it was a first for my mom and brother. What a neat experience! The messages given were inspirational, and the music provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was beautiful. Saturday evening after conference, we wandered around Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City and enjoyed seeing the temple and exploring the visitor's centers.

We also visited The Living Planet aquarium where we got to touch sea stars and manta rays. Perhaps my favorite were the "four-eyed fish." They don't really have four eyes, but their pupils are divided in half so that the upper half is designed to see above the water, and the lower half is designed to see under water. They usually swim on the surface of the water and are able to detect food or predators either above or below the water at the same time. When they do dive down into the water, the upper halves of their eyes become out of focus. Cool huh?!

I am one of those people who usually reads everything at aquariums or museums, but I refrained this time because I had to keep up with my little brother. Not to mention that Colter is an expert in aquatic life, so when you're with him you don't have to read the signs because he will tell you anything you need to know. Seriously.

Music and Lyrics

2010-04-05T10:48:00.005-06:00

While in Utah this past weekend, I also got to spend some time with my good friend David Dzado. I even got to attend a show of his Friday night down in Provo. Despite a setback or two including a broken string, he did a great job and I was so glad I got to see him perform! He also used one of our extra tickets and came to General Conference with us the following morning, and joined us for delicious Chinese food afterward.
I will get to see David again at the end of this month because he is finally coming up to Rexburg! I am so excited to see him again. I just hope that all this snow we've been getting lately will be gone by then.

(For any of my readers out there who are interested in hearing David's music, you can become a fan of him on Facebook.)

Spring, Spring, Spring

2010-03-20T23:01:00.002-06:00

Happy first day of spring! I celebrated by . . .

letting our dog take me for a walk,

going to the nature park,

and wearing my sunglasses.

More sunny days to come! Cheers.

Mmmmm, I feel lucky today

2010-03-17T13:27:00.007-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A day when everyone should wear green: my favorite color, and the only color that makes you smile when you say it. :)

Stars in my eyes

2010-03-13T09:19:00.004-07:00

Since it's been a whole twelve days since I've last posted a blog, I'm sure you've all been dying to know what I've been up to lately (at least I like to flatter myself and think that). So here you go . . .
First of all, I must preface my happenings by telling you that my sister, Amber, got her tonsils out last week. This event has highly influenced my recent activities as you will soon read . . .
My poor sister for the past ten days has been in pain, weak, and on powerful medications that make her . . . drowsy, out of it, itchy, etc. She has hardly been able to eat, drink, or sleep. Since (as I am constantly reminded) I have all this time on my hands, I have been trying to be a good sister/nurse and take care of her. I fetch water, heat up rice bags, and make milkshakes. I'll have you know that I have also become an expert maker of Cream of Wheat.
But I believe my greatest form of service has been my role as the provider of movies, dozens of movies. I think I've been to the public library eight out of the past ten days, and each time I come and go I carry a big stack of movies with me. Sometimes I can barely carry them all out of the place. A librarian was once kind enough to give me some plastic bags for all the movies after watching me struggle and juggle and even drop a few on the floor. I can't tell you how many times I have carefully browsed through the library's collection of movies. Give me the name of a movie, any movie, and I'll tell you whether or not the library has it.
Now, I have been trying not to let my pride get in the way, but sometimes I'll admit that I feel foolish going to the library to check out so many movies. I mean, a library is for books and smart people right? I become acutely aware of people's stares and imagine judgemental thoughts that may be running through their minds. I try to conceal my stack of movies, but really, how well can you actually hide eight video cassettes? Sometimes I'll put a book on top of the movies just for good measure. I hope they haven't noticed that the same girl has been coming in day after day and checking out more movies than anyone should watch over the course of a year, let alone the course of a day or two. Just to prove that I am not an illiterate couch potato, I have compiled a list of all the books I have read since I graduated almost three months ago:

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
The End of the Beginning by Avi
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
Madam Curie by Eve Curie*
I'll Be Seeing You by Jerry Borrowman*
The Book of Mormon*
*I have not yet completed these books

Now that I have proven my point, I feel comfortable continuing, and hopefully explaining the title of my post . . .
I have actually been enjoying watching some of the aforementioned movies with Amber during her recovery, and have particularly enjoyed the older movies of which the library has many to choose from. Here is a sampling of what we have been watching:

An Affair to Remember - quickly becoming my second favorite movie of all time behind It's a Wonderful Life. I love this movie!
A Touch of Mink - can you ever have too much Cary Grant?
Bringing up Baby
The Shop Around the Corner - love Jimmy Stewart!
Magic Town
South Pacific - so classic

Why can't movies be the same as they were back then? There is no cursing, no violence, no drugs, and no sex. It's so refreshing and wholesome. I would recommend these movies to anyone!
It's true, while I should be out in the real world conversing with real people, I have been spending my time crushing on fictional characters who are probably all dead by now. But it's just like the line from Sleepless in Seattle: "You don't want to be in love, you want to be in love in a movie."

Happy 200th Birthday Chopin!

2010-03-01T11:59:00.006-07:00

There is speculation as to exactly when Chopin's birthday is. Some say it is February 22, and some say that it is today, March 1st. For all intents and purposes of this blog, I have decided to celebrate it today.

Born in Poland in 1810, Frederic Chopin rose to become one of the greatest and most well-known composers of all time. For quite a few years now, he has been my absolute favorite. I am partial to the music of the Romantic period, and his beautiful and wistful Nocturnes are to me the epitome of Romantic music. A large bust of Chopin sits atop of my piano and I like to think of him watching me as I play. Sometimes I imagine him looking down and cringing at my lack of proficiency.

Almost six years ago, I played 90 seconds of this Nocturne in Eb Major Op. 9 No. 2 by Chopin in my high school's Junior Miss program. I won the talent award as well as the title of 2nd Runner-up. I went on to learn the rest of the piece and perform it for my senior piano recital. To this day, it's still one of my favorites to play.

It is my dream to someday be able to play this famous piece by Chopin, Fantasie Imrpomptu in C minor Op. 66. I love love love this piece! We'll see if I ever reach that level. (So far I can only play the middle section.)

Happy Birthday to a musical master and genius!
I think I'll go play something on the piano now . . .

My hair twin

2010-02-24T12:11:00.005-07:00

Not gonna lie, when I first saw Shaun White on TV I thought he was a woman. A very manly woman, but a woman nonetheless. Granted, I wasn't watching the television that closely, but I had never seen hair like that on a man before! Wow!

After watching his stellar performance at the Olympics last week though, I think we can all agree that Shaun has proven himself to be a man's man. He was amaaaaaaaaazing!
His trademark of thick, curly, red locks has even actually grown on me. :) I've come to realize that it reminds me of my own hair. In fact, I have come to the conclusion that Shaun White is pretty much my hair twin. Just take a look at this:

Shaun White / Me

Ok, my hair may not be quite as red as his (I think it was the lighting), and my hair is (thank goodness) more feminine.
BUT if I were to ever have a man-twin . . . he would look like Shaun White. Sweet.

What I did this Valentine's Day weekend

2010-02-16T09:55:00.006-07:00

I went to Utah with my friends Marisa, Hannah, and Brenda!

We watched some of the Olympics!

Ate really good food. . . .

I went to church with my dear friend Bethany.

Did NOT get to sleep in. :(

Had an amazing, high-energy dance party to work off all those sweets.
Hannah and I were showing off our Zumba moves!

Jumped on the bed. :)

Ate more food. . . .

I met Zac Efron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(After some persuasion he even joined us for our dance party.)

More food . . .

Spent hours riding in the middle backseat of a full car - talk about painful. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially if they have recently been suffering from lower back pain.

Went to breakfast at IHOP in our pajamas.

Hannah and I tried to master our "come hither" looks. . .

It's a work in progress.

Took a walk through an orchard with David.

Did I mention that we ate a lot of food?

And one of the best parts is that I spent a total of $10.77 the whole weekend! Thank you Channells for feeding me delicious food and providing a place to stay with a wonderful bed (nicknamed the "plush cloud")!

It was an absolutely wonderful weekend, I only wished that it could have lasted longer.

The Piano Puzzler

2010-02-12T10:39:00.004-07:00

Many of you may already know that I am an avid lover of puzzles; crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles . . . I only have yet to find the patience and determination to solve the Rubik's Cube. Something inside of me just loves solving problems. I get into this mode where I'm on a mission and I can't rest until I've found the answer. Maybe that's why I never had a problem with math in school and (don't tell anyone) even enjoyed it. Is it weird that I was actually a little sad that I never had to take any math classes in college?

Every year at Christmas time when my family gets together, we do a jigsaw puzzle. It is tradition. I do not want to admit to the number of hours we've spent bent over those things, just puzzling. My family has even given me the nickname "puzzle hound." If they are looking for a specific piece and can't find it, they come to me. My favorite "quest" is studying a piece and then finding out where it goes by looking at the picture on the box. We seem to get more and more ambitious each year with our puzzles, finding more difficult ones than the year before which sometimes doesn't seem possible. Last Christmas it was so difficult that we weren't able to finish it. Sad day.

My favorite way to solve crossword puzzles is with my Aunt Stacie. It seems so much better when we are able to combine forces than just solving them alone. The thing I love about crossword puzzles is that they really stretch your mind, and I always learn something new. Somehow I feel more wise and cultivated after completing one.

A few months ago I discovered the most wonderful thing on American Public Media's "Performance Today." It is called the Piano Puzzler! Two things that I love combined together make for a simply delightful activity.

Pianos + Puzzles = ♥!

Every Wednesday morning at approximately 9:15 a.m. MST, the Piano Puzzler is played on the radio. A man by the name of Bruce Adolphe takes a popular tune and puts it into the style of a famous composer. Someone calls in, and it is their job to figure out both the tune and the composer. I'll admit that the tunes are often well hidden and it takes me awhile to figure them out, if at all. But when I do figure it out - oh the joy and rapture! It makes me so proud of myself. "Way to pay attention to all those piano and music history lessons!" I tell myself. I doubt I'll ever be brave enough to actually call in. I am simply content to listen in on the radio at home or in the car. And if once a week isn't enough (which, in my opinion, it really isn't) there's a whole archive of Piano Puzzlers available online so I can indulge myself whenever I want!

For all of my fellow nerds out there who may be interested in listening to the Piano Puzzlers, here is a link:
http://performancetoday.publicradio.org/podcast/piano_puzzler/
I must warn you though, Piano Puzzlers can be highly addictive substances. Use with caution. Enjoy! :)

I dyed last night!

2010-02-09T12:27:00.006-07:00

Last night I experienced what it would be like to be a professional cosmetologist. Well, sort of. In preparation for a big hair show that Amber is attending in Las Vegas this week, she wanted to touch up her hair color. When her friend who was originally going to do it couldn't, she asked if I would. What a brave girl. :)

I had helped people dye their hair before, but that was just the stuff that comes in a box at the grocery store. This time it was the real deal. Real dye, tin foil, the whole works. I just didn't have gloves, so I had to resort to wearing my mom's lovely pink ones that she uses when washing the dishes. I felt so clumsy and uncoordinated. It's hard to juggle the dye brush, the comb, the hair clips, and the tin foil at the same time while trying not to get dye all over the place!

Amber kept saying "Come on Kim, it's not that hard. This stuff is common sense." Well, it may be to her, but I haven't been attending hair school for the past five months. This stuff was totally foreign to me!

I must say though, in the end I think that it turned out quite well. Dyeing hair is a little more forgiving than cutting it, at least in my experience. . .

Colter's Baptism

2010-02-09T07:16:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, February 6th, my brother Colter was baptized. It was such a wonderful day!

Mom and Colter

Colter, Dad, and Chris

Colter with his big sisters

cousins and friends

Peking Acrobats

2010-02-07T18:05:00.005-07:00

Last night I had the opportunity to go to the Peking Acrobat show on campus, and let me just say that it was the most unbelievable, freaking-amazing thing I have ever seen! A colorful display of balance, strength, flexibility, skill, talent, poise, and grace. I can't imagine all the years of practice and hard work that must have gone into these performances.

I sat there for the full two hours with my mouth agape, only able to occasionally utter unintelligent phrases such as "Holy cow!" "Oh my heck!" and "No way?!" They performed feats that you would think humanly impossible. And just when you thought you'd seen it all, they would take it one step further!

The performance included juggling, tumbling, and contortion; 11 people piled onto a moving bicycle in perfect formation; a man balancing with one arm on six stacked chairs which were precariously perched atop four bottles; and a glorified version of what I used to call "playing on dad's feet." I just can't even begin to describe it! Our hands were red afterward from clapping so much.

I am so glad that Hannah came with me!

Silly faces . . .

We tried to recreate our faces of awe here, but it didn't really work.

I really wish that I had pictures of the acrobats, but that was prohibited. :( If you are interested in seeing these acrobats though, here are a few links to YouTube you can check out. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42XekCp3E_s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kLJGwU3VoE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpCZrxZzxiM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL82NEDuHKU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkqhZEjIf98&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTcyOfKXF0w&feature=related

Sunday Thoughts

2010-02-05T09:56:00.007-07:00

A few weeks ago I was in a Sunday meeting in which the teacher began to speak about talents and divine gifts that we have been given. She shared the example of her sister's ability to sing well as being a God-given talent, and then invited the class to share examples of their own talents or talents that they recognized in others. Various women shared stories about their own sisters, their parents, or their friends. Then one girl spoke up and said to the teacher, "Well, you're sister isn't the only one who can sing well. I am a really good singer!" This particular girl has special needs and we [the rest of the class] just all had to smile to ourselves. Of course none of us would dare boast of our own talents in that way! But then I began to wonder to myself . . . Why not?

This girl, in a way, is still very much like a child. Many children do not hesitate to show off their abilities to others and pride themselves in their accomplishments. They have not yet learned to practice the virtues of "humility" and "modesty." But is it right to deny our talents and abilities, when acknowledged, and call that humility? I wonder if we can learn from these children and perhaps find a balance between being prideful and denying our worth.

I am just as guilty as the next person of belittling my talents and accomplishments, and saying that they're really not that great or special; so often, in fact, that I truly come to believe it. Isn't it our first reaction when given a compliment to disagree or brush it aside? When told that we look nice do we smile and say "thank you," or do we say something like, "Oh whatever, I didn't even fix my hair today. " That is not only selling ourselves short, but it is also rudely rejecting another person's attempt to show regard for us. Somewhere along the way, we have been fooled into believing that such rejection is practicing modesty. But I believe that to be false.

To support my case, I now quote C.S. Lewis in his book "The Screwtape Letters." Let me first give a little background . . . . This fictional book is a series of letters written by a demon named Screwtape to his nephew demon, Wormwood. Screwtape is instructing his nephew in the ways of tempting and bringing eventual damnation to a man. Since these characters are demons, "the Enemy" being referred to is God.

"By this virtue [humility], as by all the others, our Enemy wants to turn the man's attention away from self to Him, and to the man's neighbours. [ . . .] You must therefore conceal from the patient the true end of Humility. Let him think of it not as self-forgetfulness but as a certain kind of opinion (namely, a low opinion) of his own talents and character. Some talents, I gather, he really has. Fix in his mind the idea that humility consists in trying to believe those talents to be less valuable than he believes them to be. [ . . .] By this method thousands of humans have been brought to think that humility means pretty women trying to believe they are ugly and clever men trying to believe they are fools. And since what they are trying to believe may, in some cases, be manifest nonsense, they cannot succeed in believing it and we have the chance of keeping their minds endlessly revolving on themselves in an effort to achieve the impossible."

To anticipate the Enemy's strategy, we must consider His aims. The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the, fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another. The Enemy wants him, in the end, to be so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour's talents—or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall. He wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognise all creatures (even himself) as glorious and excellent things. He wants to kill their animal self-love as soon as possible; but it is His long-term policy, I fear, to restore to them a new kind of self-love—a charity and gratitude for all selves, including their own; when they have really learned to love their neighbours as themselves, they will be allowed to love themselves as their neighbours."

While we must not boast of ourselves or in our own strength, or ever place ourselves above others, we must also not deny our talents, strength, or beauty that God has given us. I think that it is part of our stewardship over these things to acknowledge them, to glory in them, and to use them for the benefit of others and the building up of His kingdom. I think we could all take a lesson and, as the scriptures say, "[become] as a child." Let's all rejoice in the divine gifts given to us and, most importantly, rejoice in the Giver of these gifts!

I just love a good cry

2010-01-30T18:33:00.004-07:00

Home alone on a Saturday evening, and what did I do? I watched what is now decidedly my favorite movie of all time - "It's a Wonderful Life." (See my blog entry last May.) I again cried like a baby throughout the whole end of the movie. I couldn't help myself. Usually when I cry during movies it only happens the first time. After that, I know what's going to happen and it doesn't have the same effect on me. This movie got me again though. I wonder if I'll cry every time I watch it? After spending a good fifteen minutes with tears streaming down my face, I was put in a sentimental and reminiscent mood. So, after returning the movie to the library I decided to take a drive around the campus of BYU-Idaho, just for old time's sake. I continued to cry during the whole drive while seeing places and remembering specific events and people. I think that it was, in a way, therapeutic for me. Here are some of the things I thought about:

attending special and sacred meetings in the Hart
sleeping over at Davenport with Bekah
Royal Crest 113 - I even drove through the parking lot. It seems like eons ago when I lived there and experienced so much growth.
playing on an ultimate frisbee team "We Believe!"
watching soccer games
getting sent home by a cop because I was sitting in a car with a boy up in the Stake Center parking lot late at night (I don't think I've ever shared that with anyone, I was simply mortified!)
attending the Rexburg Temple open house
Kensington 102 - all two years' worth of memories
Sam's trampoline
washing cars with Mandy
attending my first college dance out on the playing fields with mustard-breath because I had just eaten a turkey sandwich (A guy offered me a piece of gum and I took the hint . . . and the gum.)

Who is that 18-year-old girl who started college here 4+ years ago anyway? So much has changed since then and I have experienced so much growth I can't even begin to write about it all. During my drive I also thought about people whom I have hurt along the way. If they are reading this I would like to once again apologize, you know who you are. I can only hope that overall I have done more good than damage. I wish to tell my friends of my love for them. As the angel Clarence said in the movie, "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends." I may at the moment be penniless, unemployed, and nowhere near my deepest dream and desire of becoming a wife and mother, but I have friends and a bright hope for the future. I know that good things are coming, I just know it!

Winter Wonderland

2010-01-29T09:31:00.004-07:00

For the past few mornings in Rexburg we have been waking up to an exquisite, white, wintry frost. It is absolutely beautiful. Every branch and twig of every tree in town has been carefully covered as if painted by the hand of God Himself. In addition to the frost, there has been an unusual fog that has settled in which adds to its mysterious beauty. It is days like these that make the long winters here bearable.

I decided to go out and enjoy the beauty by going for a walk and taking pictures. I put on my coat, boots, hat, and gloves and headed out into the balmy 20-degree weather. I decided to take our puppy, Sydney, along with me. I hadn't yet made it out of the driveway before I had already slipped and fallen on a sheet of black ice. But I didn't let that small fall (my first of this winter season) discourage me from continuing on.

I don't claim to be a photographer in any way, and my lack of skill was only exacerbated by the fact that I was taking pictures with the same hand which was holding the leash attached to a very jumpy little puppy. I think I'm lucky they turned out as well as they did. I also tried to take a picture of me and Sydney together, but you can imagine how well that went as she was squirming and licking both my face and the camera.

Post Grad Life

2010-01-14T14:24:00.002-07:00

While there are many students out there who would love to be in my position right now, I can't quite understand why. As a college student, it never appealed to me to finish school and cease being a student. Alas, I had to face the inevitable and graduate. I have been a student practically my whole life and I am now at a loss of what to do with myself while looking for a job. My days run together and it is hard to distinguish one from another. The word "weekend" has lost its meaning because every day feels like the weekend to me. I spend my days reading, playing the piano, looking online for jobs, and chatting with friends. My mom has dubbed me the official dinner-maker in the house until I find a job. While everyone is out at work and school I sit at home with only the companionship of our new puppy Sydney (yes, we got a puppy!) and the laptop which provides me with connections to the outside world via various media such as Facebook, Skype, and Google Talk.
I had to laugh out loud the other day as I was reading my book about Madame Curie because she so perfectly described the way that I am feeling right now. Here is what she had to say in a letter to a friend shortly after completing her schooling:

"I don't do a thing, positively not a thing [ . . .] I have no schedule. I get up sometimes at ten o'clock, and sometimes at four or five (morning, not evening!). I read no serious books, only harmlesss and absurd little novels . . . . Thus, in spite of the diploma conferring on me the dignity and maturity of a person who has finished her studies, I feel incredibly stupid."

I love it! And I figure, if she could go on to become the most brilliant woman scientist ever and win the Nobel Prize - twice, maybe I will be ok too. I just hope that I find a job soon. I feel that I am wasting away and there will soon be nothing left of me.

My Thinking Spot

2010-01-12T11:43:00.008-07:00

So remember a long time ago (gosh, it must have been the beginning of September) when I said that I would post pictures of the marina? Well, at long last here they are. You now get to see one of my favorite places in the world. . .

This bike path runs along the west side of the San Francisco Bay. You can just hop on your bike and ride for miles and miles. It is so beautiful there, especially in the springtime when all the flowers are in bloom. My personal favorites are the bright orange California poppies.

This is the perfect place to go when you need a place to think. I like to take a good book with me and stop at one of the park benches along the way to read.

Most times when I have ridden down this path I have gone with my Aunt Josiane. We have had some good talks along the marina about life, future plans, careers, and family.

If only I lived closer . . .

2009 Recap

2010-01-09T00:51:00.010-07:00

Disneyland.learned how to play the organ.
Britton.Wackee Six.internship.graduation.wallyball.
AFAA Group Exercise Certification.Washington, D.C.
first time kayaking.dancing.holidays.West Wing Tour.
got my passport.temple trips.biking at the marina.Skype.
walk around the Tidal Basin.pie.Zumba.
4th of July.seven Utah trips.David.quoting movies with Hannah.
lots of banana bread.potlucks.riding the metro.Amber.
dance parties.depleted my bank account.lots of laughter.
baby Eli.missionaries.staying at Marisa's house.homemade cards.
new kitties.General Conference.heartbreak.
22nd birthday.sleep-overs with Bekah.beach boardwalk.weddings.
made new friends.testimony growth.love.

Utah, Friends, and the Job Hunt

2010-01-08T17:31:00.001-07:00

I've just returned from a week-long trip to Utah so I wanted to write and share my experiences and pictures with you. There were two main reasons for my going to Utah: my Number 1 reason was to visit friends, and Number 2 was to look for a job. I figured that Utah would be a good place to look since it has more jobs and more people than Idaho, plus it's away from home but not too far so that I could still go home and visit on the weekends if I want. I'll admit that I spent a lot more time with friends than I did job hunting . . .

Thursday night, we headed up to an institute party at the University of Utah. There were so many people there! Here we are ringing in the new year to Miley Cyrus's "Party In The U.S.A." and "moving our hips like yeah."

Here I am with Bekah. This girl has been such a huge influence in my life. She really has helped me become the person that I am today. I appreciate her friendship and example so much. I am also extremely grateful for her family who fed me and allowed me to stay for so long.

I also owe a lot to this girl. Bethany and I have been friends since I can't remember when, and I know that we always will be. One of my favorite things to do with her is just sit and talk. It seems like we never grow tired of it or run out of things to say. Since she recently returned from a mission in Texas, we definitely had a lot to catch up on! Thank you Bethany for letting me stay with you and for giving up your bed! (I still feel bad about it, I don't care what you say.)

One surprise bonus to my trip was getting to see Sarah Huzzey! Sarah was my roommate when I first started college. We have so many fond memories together. She also recently returned from a mission (to Argentina) and I was so happy to get to see her and catch up! I love this girl so much! She just makes me smile.
I love those friends you have that no matter how long it's been since you've talked, when you do it's like no time has passed at all. You just pick up where you left off and you still love each other just as much. That's how I feel about Sarah and Bethany.

I can't make a trip down to Utah without seeing some of my fellow D.C. intern friends. We had a few reunions this time because so many of us were in town for the holidays. As always, it was so good to see all of them. This picture is of most of the gang (give or take a few).

I've said it before, but I'll say it again: I don't know what I would have done without them. They truly made my experience in D.C. the best and I have memories with them that I will always cherish. I love the fact that we still keep in touch and make an effort to do things together when possible. It's not just like we were friends in D.C. when we didn't know anyone else and then we forgot about each other once we go back to our normal lives. Nope, we are friends for life! Especially David. He became my best friend in D.C. After all the ups and downs we've been through together, we are still good friends and I owe so much to him. He has taught me a lot. I just wish that we lived closer together so that we could see each other more often.

As for the job search, it wasn't quite as successful as I would have liked. I have already received a few disappointing emails, but I am still hopeful. One company would like to set up a phone interview with me! The catch is that they are not located in Utah . . . try New York and Pittsburgh! I don't know how I would feel about moving that far away. I guess we'll have to see how the phone interviews go. Who knows, maybe that's where I am supposed to be.

Read A Book

2009-12-29T17:07:00.007-07:00

If there's one thing I have on my hands now, it's time. And one of my favorite leisurely activities to pass away the time is reading. I love to read and learn new things! There is nothing better than curling up in a big, comfy chair with a good book (and maybe a snack or a glass of water). I get lost in the stories and plots and characters, and forget all about my own troubles, if only for a few hours.

Here is what currently composes the large stack of books I have on my nightstand (which seems to have grown rapidly since my graduation):

A complete compilation of the novels by Jane Austen
Two books by Michael Crichton (suspenseful/action-thriller/sci-fi/best-sellers)
A biography of Madam Marie Curie (brilliant and revolutionary woman scientist)
The End of the Beginning - a children's book and graduation gift from Britton
The Prayer of Jabez - this one I received as a stocking-stuffer and have yet to read
And then of course there are my scriptures and my journal
Not to forget the Texas Instruments TI-89 instructions manual - sounds like a good read, I know, but really it is out so that I don't forget to give it to my friend Hannah who is the new owner of my TI-89 calculator

Quite a large and well-rounded stack of books if you ask me!

Ahhh, books. Few things in this world make me happier. I was really having quite a lousy day today until I went to the public library. It cheered me right up! I saw a bag there that said "So many books and so little time." So true. Sometimes when I am in libraries or bookstores, I imagine all the time in Heaven that I will finally have to read all these books . . . among other things. (I also have this fantasy of learning how to do things I never learned in this life, like becoming an amazing ice skater or gymnast or cabaret dancer.) Maybe someday. I hope that's not blasphemous.

Well . . . . Happy reading!