Zumba Baby!

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!

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

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

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

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

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.

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!