Simplify

I have been feeling stressed, rushed, tired, among many other emotions lately. I have been confused where my life is going and major decisions have presented themselves. While sitting in my apartment, I saw the sign my sister made me. "Simplify." I need to relax, breathe, and take it one step at a time. 

Crazy things are happening now and temptations and Satan has never been stronger. In my opinion. It has been really hard for me to be alone. But I KNOW I have a loving family who will ALWAYS be there for me. I would be so far gone without each and every single one of them in my life.

"Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of."

-Benjamin Franklin

Brown?

The last few days I have seriously been considering dying my hair. I have been toying with the idea that I want to dye my hair brown. I am a little nervous since I have never dyed my hair before and it might be fun to say I have never dyed my hair in my life. I am not sure. Any opinions?

This week I used something from my sister. When I was little I wasn't allowed to play a certain game with the family. I played this game for the first time and I now know "How to host a murder." It was intense and very fun! =]

I also discovered this last week that four more of my friends are engaged. That would make somewhere around 10 to 15 people that are my age that recently have been getting engaged and married. 

"You are only young once, but you can be immature forever!"

- Hannah Marks

Opportunities

I have recently discovered that I do not like teaching teenage boys. I had the most difficult time teaching boys hip hop yesterday while the actual teacher was home with food poisoning. They wouldn't do what I asked, and they made smart comments back about how they didn't want me to be there and they reason they couldn't dance is because I was there. Well, I was the teacher and of course, made them do it anyway. I am glad I was only a substitute for that class and it is not regular. It was worth some extra money. A good opportunity?

I am grateful for the opportunity to live in St. George. It has taught me skills of being a mother by learning to cook and do laundry on a regular basis and smart ways to go grocery shopping. I have learned about living with other people and it is not always easy. I have the tremendous opportunity to go to institute! I have the opportunity to miss my family more than anything and realize the strength we hold together, even miles apart.

"Family: A social unit where the father is concerned with parking space, the children with outer space, and the mother with closet space."

-Evan Esar

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful

I decided to spend the weekend at home in Lehi. I drove home Friday afternoon with my roommate KC and her friend Lisa. Regretfully, we left Lehi, Sunday afternoon at 4:00 to head back to St. George. We get to the Orem center street exit when a highway patrol pulls out in front of us and starts swerving back and forth so nobody would pass him. We followed behind him, going 30 mph for a couple miles. We came around the UVU bend where there was a big puddle of water that covered the carpool lane to the median. This was only a minor setback and we kept on going. We got a little past Nephi when KC's car started shaking. It ended up that we had a flat tire. Triple A would not come help us so it was good that I know how to change a tire. As I started, a man from Louisiana pulled over to help. Shortly after a highway patrol stopped. All in all, we got the tire fixed. We were on the road driving but not with ease. The snow was so bad we could only go 30 mph and it was still really difficult to see. It felt like we weren't moving at all. We stopped in Fillmore to get some food and hot chocolate. I was putting the lid on my hot chocolate and guess I grabbed the cup to hard and it shot up in my eye, on my glasses, in my hair, and all over my white shirt. It was some bad news right there. We got back on the road and it was still really difficult to see. We were close to being hit a few times as well. Really scary! We dropped Lisa off in Cedar and seriously toyed with the idea of spending the night in Cedar City. I have never had to drive in a storm so bad. I have also never been so scared. It took us 7 hours to get home. I thought I would be home at the latest 8:00 but we didn't get back until 11:00 at night. All I can say is I am glad I am home and I am grateful for the power of prayer! 

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

-Wayne Gretzky 

I have a few topics to touch on in this blog so I hope you don't mind. I hope it doesn't turn out to be too lengthy.

First, yesterday at work we always begin with a light warm up. I was teaching the 5 yr. old girls how to do the butterfly stretch. I had them get in the ready position and I told them we were going to make a sandwich. Their feet were the pieces of bread and they were going to hold them open and put in the meat and the lettuce and tomatoes and things like such as. After they had them all in we closed the pieces of bread and we stretch over to eat the sandwich. When I looked up to see if they were stretching over, I saw the girls really biting their feet. I think they got the concept pretty well! 

Second, I realized today that some people really aren't worth patching-up friendships. I was trying to be the bigger person and help things fade out on good terms but it was not meant to be. I heard a quote a few years ago that said "Don't worry about people from your past, there is a reason they didn't make it into your future." I think that is the case for this one.

Last but not least, I got to see a calvaruim yesterday! Unfortunately I was only able to see the beginning of the sawing and then I had to go to the bus stop, but it was still neat to see the different layers of the skin and the skull =]

"When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one that has opened for us." 

Preparation For Eternal Marriage

I saw a class being offered at institute titled "Preparation for eternal marriage" and thought it would be a wonderful class. Come to find out, my roommate KC is already in a class that would fit my schedule. Tonight was my first night, and I cannot believe how quick I was struck by the spirit. I had great peace in my heart and felt the spirit so strong. Brother Anderson (my teacher) is a tremendous instructor and has so much positive insight. I am already beginning to grasp the type of eternal companion I deserve. I can tell this is going to be a class I will love! 

"If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything"

-President Gordon B. Hinckley 

Once Upon A Time

I have found great joy in reading my sister's blog. I live 300 miles away, so it is nice to read how my niece and nephews are doing. I love to read about her opinions and hear how life is going. I get a lot of insight and can find the "right" thing I need to hear at the time. What else are big sisters for right? As I was reading through her blog this morning, I got some crazy inspiration to start my own. I know that she, and possibly the potential of my mother, are going to be the only people to read this...but I don't mind. =] 

I have titled this "Once Upon A Time" because I am writing my own history. It is a new year, new me, new semester, and of course...new blog! It all starts somewhere. I believe in dreams. I am also big Disney fanatic so it only makes sense to have that as my base. 

I am going to apologize upfront, I do make mistakes with english grammar and spelling and things like such as....so pretend not to see them =]

I have seen the tremendous example of my loving sister and I have decided to make a gratitude section. So here it goes! 

1. Naturally, I am grateful for my sister. I look up to her and all her strength and beautiful glory! She is spiritual and a shining light. She is "thrifty" in all of her purchases. She is a mastered chef, even if it is only in the heart of her own kitchen. She is kind and she is my favorite sister! =]

2. While on the subject of family, I am forever in debt to my parents. Not particularly financially, but on so many other levels. They have molded me to be the person I am now. They have forgiven me for my mistakes. They have helped me learn the lessons from situations I would not normally see the good. My mother has supported me through years of dance and has NEVER missed a single competition or performance. Not even for the girls I'm teaching. My father has been the one to teach me to believe in dreams and never give up. If I have a hankering for something, I better find the means to do it because I can! I love my parents.

3. I am grateful for Sunday music. I struggled as a child to have the desire for Sunday music. Now being away at college, I find so much pleasure and peace listening to Sunday music. I feel the spirit and the love the savior has for us. It is also and strengthening tool throughout the week.

4. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in school. I am getting the education I need and want to help me get farther in my career and life. I know other people do not have the same opportunity.

5. I am EXTREMELY grateful for chocolate milk. It is my escape. It is my comfort food.

6. I am grateful for movies. They are my release from reality. Especially Disney movies. 

7. Being grateful for Disney movies leads to the next one, I am grateful for Disneyland! I love Disneyland with all my heart! I love going there every second I can. I am a sponge to soak of information about Disneyland. 

8. I am grateful for temples around the world. They stand as a beacon of hope. They light of the sky. They are the place for marriage.

9. I am grateful for pictures. Most people know me to take pictures. I love pictures. I am grateful for pictures to reflect on happy memories.

10. I am grateful for trials and tribulation. I have learned life lessons from my mistakes. I have learned of the love my family has for me and each other. I have learned who I am. Importantly, I have learned who I want to be.

11. I am grateful for shower at my apartment. The water comes out extremely hard and rough, but I get a back massage every time.

12. I am grateful for bottled alfredo sauce. It makes for an easy dinner when I am not in the mood to cook. Which has happened quite often.

13. I am grateful for the SunTran bus drivers. They have an upbeat attitude and make the bus ride more enjoyable on my way to work.

14. I am grateful for Sacrament meeting. Not only is it a place to renew covenants, but a place for me to have my own personal entertainment while watching the children in other benches. It also prepares me to be a better mother with better teaching techniques by watching through example.

There is so much more to be grateful for but I am afraid of getting carpal tunnel. These are not particularly funny but they are indeed things I am grateful for. Maybe sometime after my wrists have rested, I will write more. 

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."

-Aristotle