raspberry sorbet = pure deliciousness!!

Um...ya!!

Ingrid is coming to concert! Need I say more??

rope climbing

I'd like to explain to you a little about rope climbing. When rope climbing you get into a harness tie yourself to a rope and climb the wall. On the other end of the rope is another person. They are your belayer. They are there to catch you and hold you up if you need a break or slip and fall. When climbing, you start with the yellow dots or the easy problems first. As you build strength and get better, you move on to green dots and blue dots and black dots...etc. etc. Climbing is not a sport that you are just good at all at once. Yes there are people that it comes easier to, but you have to progress in climbing. You do that by building muscles and working as many problems as you can. You can't quit on yourself. A lot of times it is discouraging when you can't get to the top and finish a problem. There are times (especially in rope climbing) when you arms and legs are just too exhausted to go any farther. What you have to remember in situations like this when you are climbing, is that you have a belayer. They are there for you. And if you are too tired to pull up onto one more thing, you can sit and rest your arms and legs for picking back up where you left off. If you don't quit, and have patience, you are certain to reach the top.

This is so much like our lives. We are thrown into life here and we just get moving. We all have hard times in our life. Each is specific to us, like a specific problem on the wall. As we climb up or go through trials it tends to get harder and harder. We have to remember that we have a support system. Whether it be family or friends or our Father in Heaven, there is someone there to hold us up and keep us safe when we feel like we can't go any farther. And then when we are ready to move on, they are right there ready to help us up. As you continue to go through trials and hard times, we grow and become stronger and better people. Then when more trials, and harder trials come our way, we have the strength to get through them and the trust in our support system to make it through no matter how challenging. If you trust, have patience, and believe you have the strength, you will reach the top. It's guaranteed.

And this is what I learned at our family gathering at the climbing gym. It was a fantastic night :)

last night

Last night was a roller coaster of so many different emotions it was crazy! I must say though, that I have one amazing BF. There has been so much on my mind and I just broke down and he was totally there for me. I just spilled out a lot of what I've been going through and feeling. I'm so glad that he is "in-tune" with the spirit. He gave me advice that we both know was inspired. It helped me so much and I can already see a difference in my attitude and such. I just have to give a little shout out to him and tell him thanks! He's awesome! Life is going to be hard when he heads out on his mission, but I know that he'll love it and do amazing things. Life will continue on and we will keep in touch with letters. Woot Woot! Thanks Liz and Dee for raising an amazing son! :D

plans for the future

I still have not decided on a major or career choice...but I do think I have found something that I would just love to do! I'm currently taking French and I absolutely love it. It's kind of complicated and confusing some, but it's a beautiful language and I hope to be amazing at it one day. To go along with that, I think that I will minor in French. My plan is to follow in my dear cousin's teacher's footsteps haha. After I graduate, or maybe after I just get that minor, I am going to move to France. There I plan to be a nanny and work lots :) That way my French will improve, and I will be able to learn so much more about the people and their culture. I think it sounds absolutely fabulous! I've always wanted to go to France, but living there and being a part of life there would be splendid!! I was talking to my sis Casio about it, and if we can find some cool PA/governmentness happening there, then she is coming with me :) I cannot wait. Alas...I do still need to decide on a major, but this whole nanny business has got me really excited about French! Wish me luck! Au revoir!

Cry?...I wish

I am sure that I am not the only one in the world to have those times in life where you just want to cry. When life becomes so unbearable that you just want to curl up into a ball and cry away, what do you do? I'm having a really hard time managing all of my stress and emotions. Seriously, I'm to the point where I'm starting to literally just feel exhausted and sick because there is so much. Work. School. Friends. Dance. Maintaining my house. All of these things just seem to be piling up! I work best when I'm in a crunch, but this crunch is putting me out of commission. I am un-motivated (I don't even know if that is a word ha) to do anything. My Mom loves to remind me that I have limits and that I can't do everything. I don't know why I don't take that to heart. Instead I try to kill myself with taking on so much. But anywho...enough sadness. Yes I am stressed and yes I just want someone to cry to, but that's why I'm a Latter Day Saint. I have my Heavenly Father and Brother to turn to when things get crazy. They know what I'm going through and know how to help me. Yes...I find myself wishing there was a person I could cry to that would just come on over to my house whenever I needed it, but really I can just talk to my Father. Prayer is how I will talk to him, and when I need advice or words of wisdom from Him, I'll read my scriptures. A good cry I feel is quite necessary, and I know He would love to here from me. Hopefully my chats with him will uplift my spirits and keep me sane.

nourriture

So...I'm in a Nutrition class right now and I just can't decide if it's a good thing or a bad thing. I love learning all the facts and details about food and labeling, etc. but it's opening my eyes to a lot of things that I would be happy not knowing. I just don't know what to eat anymore haha. In fact I'm almost considering going vegetarian...probably only part vegetarian because I just can't give up meat :) Anywho...there is a lot that we don't realize about food. I'm going to start paying a lot closer attention to the food that I eat, and hopefully make myself a little healthier! Woot woot!

wishes

There are so many things I find myself wishing for these days. I wish I could run away and travel the world. I wish I loved school the way I used to in elementary school. I wish I knew what I wanted to major in. I wish I knew what was in my future. The list goes on and on. When I first find myself wishing for things, I feel as though there isn't anything I can do. As if they are out of my control. But that is quite silly of me! I have absolute control over my thoughts, attitude, and action. Having control is a God-given gift and I need to take control of my life. Instead of wishing, I'm going to make it happen. One day, I'll travel. I will love school. I will decide a major. With prayer, scripture study, and some faith I will find myself granting my wishes. What are your wishes? Is there something you can do to make them reality?

Brace Face No More!!

Oh my Hannah Montana!!! The days of my braces are almost over!! In fact they are just around the river bend! Holla! I didn't really mind having braces, but having them in college is really quite a bummer. Braces are not the bummer, it's the fact that everyone thinks I'm way super young. Basically a child among adults haha. It doesn't help that I am actually a wee bit younger than everyone. Fear not! Those days are soon going to be behind me :) I think I will totally do a post with before and after pictures! Anywho...I just wanted to share that happy thought with you all! Au revoir!

what to do

Oh college. Why do you do this to me? Everyone tells me that there is no limit to what I want to do, but that is the problem for me. There are so many things that I love and am interested in that I can't focus on one thing. Choosing a career is a HUGE deal! I mean think about it. There are so many aspects that you have to consider. Do I want to do this for the rest of my life? Will the career I choose allow me to have a family? Will the money I make be sufficient to support myself and family and leave me enough to do all the things I wanted to do when I'm older? Where will I have to go to work? Is there something I want to do more? It stresses me out. I thought that I knew what I wanted to do, but I'm completely lost. I've made lists on lists of different careers and nothing is helping. Why can't I just have one thing that I'm really good at, that I know I'm passionate about and could turn it into a career? I've been raised to know that I have the potential to do whatever my heart desires, but what if I can't determine what that is? Is there a possible reason I can't decide on a career/major? I just wish I had the answers to everything but I don't. Instead, I just take classes and get myself interested in tons more. My classes are supposed to help me narrow down all of my choices...it is just adding to them. I really hope that one day I'll be able to figure it all out and go in the direction that is going to make me happy.

Jebbica

I'm sure that most of you have a friend out there that you just love pretty much more than anything...well Jessica is mine.

She is probably one of the greatest friends I've ever had. I cannot even begin to say how much I missed her over the summer. We spent some real quality time together today for the first time since she moved back two weeks ago. Instantly we were laughing our heads off and talking about all the wonderful and hard things in life that best friends talk about. It's so nice that she is there for me. I know I can talk to her about anything and there will be no judging (most of the time haha) and she'll give me advice that I know will help me all the days!

She is absolutely fantastic in every way and I'm lucky to call her my best friend.

I love you Jess!