Mother's Day 2013

I'm pretty sure that I call my mom (and dad) for help and love and support and advice more often now, as a college graduate than I did as a freshman in college.  I would be nowhere without my mom helping to calm me down when I'm anxious or to help me feel happier when I'm feeling sad.  I have loved Taylor Swift's song "Best Day" ever since I first heard it, but I don't see it here on my blog.  This song makes me think of Mom, Dad, and Mason.  It's perfect.

Lyrics:
I'm five years old, it's getting cold, I've got my big coat onI
 hear your laugh and look up smiling at you, I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides, look now, the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
But I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today

I have an excellent father, his strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother, inside and out, he's better than I am
I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you

There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs
And Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

And now I know why the all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
For staying back and watching me shine
And I didn't know if you knew, so I'm takin' this chance to say
That I had the best day with you today

Read more: TAYLOR SWIFT - THE BEST DAY LYRICS

I love you Mom!  Wish I could be there today!

"Living In The Moment"

I absolutely love Jason Mraz.  I stumbled across across one of his new songs "Living in the Moment" while listening this playlist on Songza and I immediately pressed the thumbs up button, googled the lyrics to this song, and added the song on Spotify. (Random tangent: It's pretty ridiculous just how many different ways it is to listen to music now.  You'd think between my CD's, car radio, iTunes, Pandora, last.fm, Grooveshark, Youtube, Songza, Spotify,  and my iPhone which has access to most of these music mediums, I'd have enough ways to listen to any song I want whenever I want.  And you'd probably be right.  But should it really take so many different avenues to get music?  I think it's slightly ridiculous, but I've pretty much almost always got at least one of them playing. I may be slightly addicted. I wonder if that's healthy?  But I digress.) Just ask my mother, this song is exactly what I need right now.  This past month have been absolutely insane and I have a feeling the next few months are going to be even crazier.  Now most of the madness has actually been very positive and I am so grateful for the opportunities that have been presented in my life right now.  But as good as they have been, they have also been stressful and I've been feeling really anxious, which I know is not healthy.  I know that I need to "run and hide my crazy and start acting like a lady" and "I wish I could be just a little less dramatic" (Miranda Lambert, "Mama's Broken Heart").  This song helps me to be a little less crazy and dramatic.  Jason Mraz is a genius, there isn't a song of his that I have heard that I haven't loved.  This song is like a grown up version of "Hakuna Mata"  which is perfect because I love that song but I'm not so good at having "no worries for the rest of my days."  But I'm going to try to be better at living in the moment with no worries.

Enjoy!

Video:

Lyrics:

If this life is one act 

Why do we lay all these traps 

We put 'em right in our path 

When we just wanna be free 

I will not waste my days 

Making up all kinds of ways 

To worry about all things 

That will not happen to me 

So I just let go of what I know I don't know 

And I know I'll only do this by 

Living in the moment 

Living my life 

Easy and breezy 

With peace in my mind 

With peace in my heart 

Peace in my soul 

Wherever I'm going, I'm already home 

Living in the moment 

I'm letting myself off the hook for things I've done 

I let my past go past 

And now I'm having more fun 

I'm letting go of the thoughts 

That do not make me strong 

And I believe this way can be the same for everyone 

And if I fall asleep 

I know you'll be the one who'll always remind me 

To live in the moment 

To live my life 

Easy and breezy 

With peace in my mind 

With peace in my heart 

With peace in my soul 

Wherever I'm going, I'm already home 

I can't walk through life facing backwards 

I have tried 

I tried more than once to just make sure 

And I was denied the future I'd been searching for 

But I spun around and searched no more 

By living in the moment 

Living my life 

Easy and breezy 

With peace in my mind 

With peace in my heart 

With peace in my soul 

Wherever I'm going, I'm already home 

I'm living in the moment 

I'm living my life 

Just taking it easy 

With peace in my mind 

I got peace in my heart 

I got peace in my soul 

Oh, wherever I'm going, I'm already home 

I'm living in the moment 

I'm living my life 

Oh, easy and breezy 

With peace in my mind 

I got peace in my heart 

I got peace in my soul 

Oh, wherever I'm going, I'm already home 

I'm living in the moment

Called To Serve

This weekend I went home for my little brother's LDS mission farewell ("little" doesn't describe him very well anymore, he's taller than I am now, younger would be a more accurate description, but I've been calling him my little brother forever).  It was a great weekend, definitely worth braving the fog and the snow to make it back home for Mason.  I was so glad so many of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were able to make the five hour drive down especially with the weather.  It was great to be able to share this awesome occasion with them.  It was great to be able to hang Mason one last time before his mission to Ecuador.  And I was glad I was able to help my parents out a little bit with getting ready for brunch after Mason's talk.

The actual farewell was great.  The opening hymn was "Hark All Ye Nations" which immediately brought me back to EFY.  It was one of the songs that was part of musical program which I got to be apart of for two out of my six weeks.  It was one of my favorite songs in the program, although I really wasn't too familiar with it before that summer.  EFY last summer was all about missionary work, which was perfect for these kids who would soon hear about the new age requirements for missionary work.  Mason's talk was great, even though the night before I had distracted him from working on it by joking about movie quotes that he should put in the talk.  Movie quotes and jokes are how we bond.  It was my last chance to hang out with him.  After Mason finished bearing his testimony in Spanish he, my dad, the young men in our ward, and young men leaders sang "Called To Serve" another song dear to my heart because of EFY.  "Called To Serve" and "I Am A Child Of God" are the new EFY medly.  After Brother Duffin and Bishop Ence spoke and then we sang "God Be With You Till We Meet Again".  That song killed me.  I didn't even make it through the first verse before I started bawling.  My mom and dad saw me crying, so they started crying.  Both my grandmothers cried as well.  But I definitely cried the hardest.  I left as soon as the closing prayer was said, hoping to gain my composure while getting ready for the brunch.  In my hurry I lost my shoe, dumped my purse onto my foot and the accelerator while driving home, and got mud from the car all over my leg.  I was a mess.

We got home and I got through the brunch ok until I knew it was time I needed to go so I could beat the snow storm.  Then even the thought of saying good bye got me teary eyed.  I was sad I had to leave so soon, that I'm not coming back home sooner, that I won't be there to see Mason off to the airport.  I was sad that I had to drive five hours away.  I didn't want to say good bye.  I felt bad that everyone was around when I said bye.  I couldn't stop crying.  My family was great, loving, and supportive, sharing their own experiences of saying good bye to brothers, reminding me why it was good for Mason to be going on a mission and I appreciated their love, advice, and caring.  I wasn't crying because I didn't think Mason should go on a mission.  I was crying because I was going to miss him and I wanted more time with him.  We're finally friends.(It's days like today that make me regret what a brat I was during the first eighteen years of my life, especially towards Mason.)  I don't want him to leave me but I do think he should go.  He's not even really leaving for another couple weeks and I've been missing him since the beginning of January.  It just all came to a head today.  And I couldn't stop crying.  We hugged like three times.  We made my aunts cry.  Mason's friends kind of laughed at my crying.  I told them to shut up.   Mason and I said good bye and I drove away.

And I cried all the way until we (my grandmother and I) reached Cedar City.

And then I cried intermittently until we reached Fillmore.

Grandma just kept handing me tissues.

And then I cried while writing this blog post. (Writing this blog post while listening to "Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin, "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins, "Don't Forget To Remember Me" by Carrie Underwood, and "Daniel" by Elton John didn't help with the crying.)

And I'll probably cry all the way through February too.

I keep thinking of the quote from the movie The Other Side Of Heaven where the dad says "I don't know anyone in Tonga well enough to love them, and send them my son, but I guess God does."  That basically sums up how I feel right now, I don't know anyone in Ecuador well enough to love them and send them my brother but I guess God does.

Mason's going to be a great missionary.  He's naturally friendly and social (much more friendly and social than I ever have been.)  He's smart, a hard worker, and he has a great testimony of the gospel.  And I'm sure he'll keep his companions and investigators laughing.  Mason is very caring and loving as well.  I'm happy and excited for him and the people of Ecuador. I'm just sad for me. Because I'm going to miss my friend.

Father's Day and Graduation

This post is kind of a combined tribute to my Dad for Father's Day and to my little (or not so little) brother who recently graduated and is soon to head off to college and then on to his mission.  Mason's spent a lifetime being told that he's just like dad.  And I think that's a good guy to be like.  :)  I was recently listening to Brad Paisley's "If He's Anything Like Me" and it made me think of both of them.  So I thought I'd share it.  :)

"He's gonna love me

And hate me along the way

The years are gonna fly by

And I already dread the day

He's gonna hug his mama, he's gonna shake my hand

He's gonna act like he can't wait to leave

But as he drives out he'll cry his eyes out

If he's anything like me

There's worst folks to be like, oh, he'll be alright

If he's anything like me" 

Happy Father's Day Dad!!

And Happy (late) Graduation Mason!!

Holy Spiderman's Tooth Brush!

I'm blogging again!

It's been a while. I've finished another semester and started a new job. I turned 21 and celebrated in the Sunny South when my family.  I got my "adult" drivers license and I went to the temple with an old roommate.

I just finished Heaven Is Here by Stephanie Nielson and it's pretty much amazing, everyone should read it.  Now I'm about a third of the way through the first book of The Hunger Games but it's common knowledge that book is amazing.  I still haven't watched the movie yet.  I've also been reading The Emerald City of Oz which I think is probably one of the funniest books I have ever read.  My favorite part of that book is when the evil nome general is trying to get the Whimsies, strong creatures with tiny heads who wear huge fake heads made out of pasteboard, to join in his evil plot to capture a magic belt.  He tells them his plan which they agree to.  Then comes my favorite part of the book:

"One Whimsie alone seemed to have a glimmer of sense, for he asked: 'Suppose we fail to capture the Magic Belt? What will happen then, and What good will all our fighting do?' But they threw him into the river for asking foolish questions, and laughed when the water ruined his pasteboard head before he could swim out again."

I've been thinking a lot about attitude lately. There are some people who just naturally have a good attitude and are optimistic.  It doesn't matter if life dumps a butt-load-of-crap on them, their still happy and find the good in life.  And some people are really good at hiding their trials, at making it seem like nothing bad ever happens to them.  I'm not naturally like that, I'm pretty open about my problems and I have a tendency and if I get mad or frustrated I'm not good at hiding it.  I have to remind myself to use my filter.  Whether I'm mad about politics, network TV, personal stuff or whatever other random things I get upset about, everybody doesn't need to know about it all the time and life's still good even when things aren't perfect.  I'm trying to give myself an attitude adjustment and I'm trying to learn to be as happy and optimistic as so many people that I know who I so admire.

The chorus of Kelly Clarkson's newest song "Stronger" pretty much explains how I feel about life.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter
Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger
Just me, myself and I
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone"

And I've pretty much been OBSESSED with anything and everything to do with Mr. Alex Goot and Mr. Chad Sugg.  Seriously. OBSESSED. I spend hours listening to their covers, their original songs, and watching their vlogs while working on homework, studying, filling out paper work, chilling at the hospital getting my blood sucked out of me, and just chilling doing nothing.  It was hard to pick a favorite to share on the blog, but I absolutely love their cover of Call Me Maybe.  It's way better than the original.  But I also love What Makes You Beautiful, Wizards (love the Harry Potter reference), Pumped Up Kicks, and Stereo Hearts (how many guys can pull of singing in a spider man costume and use star wars references and still make me want to marry them?  not many!).  I can't decide who I love more, Alex or Chad.  I pretty much just want to marry both of them.

And yes, I've shared this video on Facebook, Pinterest, and now my blog.  I'm slightly obsessed.  

(If any of those boys gave me their number, I would call them.  And it's true, all the girls want their babies.)

Community has been renewed (even if it is just for a short season)! Cool.  Cool cool cool.

What Has Gotten Me Through The Past Few Weeks Since Spring Break

1. My parents.  I'm pretty sure I've been on the phone with them a ton the past few weeks.

2. This quote from my Girls State days:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - Nelson Mandela

3. "I Have Confidence" from The Sound of Music. Yeah I've been playing this song over and over.

"I have confidence in confidence alone. 

Besides what you see I have confidence in me."

 

Now I'm just hoping to get through the next two weeks.  Two weeks.  I can do it.  

Quick Post

It's been a long time since I've blogged, and my life's been pretty crazy.  Here's a quick recap of the past month or so.

• EFY prep has been really cool.  I've learned a lot.  I'm a little overwhelmed at the thought of being a counselor, especially because I've never really done anything like it before.  It's another one of the many "first's" I've experienced this past year.
• I've got a new job.  I will no longer be calling U of U alumni asking them to donate money to the U.  Instead I will be working with special needs people helping them to get jobs or to work effectively in the job they already have.  I'm excited and nervous for this opportunity as well.  It's going to be another learning experience because I also have never done anything like this before.
• I've started volunteering with a hospice.  The little lady I help is so adorable and funny.  The hour that I spend with her on Sunday's is probably the highlight of my whole week, every week.
• I got a scholarship!  (woot woot!)  Yay for free money for school.
• I got to visit my family over spring break.  :)
• Community is back on NBC!!  :)
• Other than that my life has just been lots of school, homework, visiting teaching, volunteering at Primary's, vampire's stealing my blood (blood draws), roommate drama, and more homework.

I Hate To Be Negative But November Is By Far The Worst Month For College Students

It's the truth.  It's the worst month of the entire year if you're a college student.  It's when the semester starts to wrap up with papers and projects coming out the wazoo!  It's also when college students start cramming in last minute extra credit and start studying for finals (or at least start thinking and stressing about finals).  Then if you're me, or crazy like me, you start a new job, volunteering, and new weekly medical treatments during this last month of the semester.  Because you know that November is supposed to be the craziest/hardest month of the semester, so you should probably try to make it crazier/harder in any way possible.  Because you're just smart like that. Not to mention that Novemember is when it starts to get super dark and cold and wintry.  Which means walking in the cold, windy, and snowy wetness of winter.  And if you're anything like me, all you can think about is how you probably won't see the sun again until April.  If you're lucky.

That's why I am so glad that Thanksgiving is in November.  Because if it wasn't, I would just continue on with all of my crazy negativity and stressing.  It gives me a chance to look at life and be like "Yes it's crappy, but it could be worse.  It could be raining." (I had to throw a Young Frankenstein quote in.  Just for fun).  It gives me a chance to look for the silver lining in the clouds of November that life really is good, and even all of my challenges have good things about them.  And it gives you an excuse to take a break for a couple of days and stuff your face with food and chill with family.

Yay for Thanksgiving!  I can't wait!

Happy Birthday Mom!

I love this song and every time I heard it this summer while I was working it made me think of you.  Especially this part:

"I've got her spirit 

And she's always got my back.

When I look at her 

I think I wanna be just like that.

When I love I give it all I've got

Like my mother does.

When I'm scared, I bow my head and pray

Like my mother does.

When I feel weak and unpretty

I know I'm beautiful and strong.

Because I see myself

Like my mother does.

************

She sees everybody for who they really are

I'm so thankful for her guidance 

She's helped me get this far.

***********

She's a rock, she is grace

She's an angel

She's my heart and soul

She does it all."

(And in case you were wondering, I didn't write this song and I don't own it.)

Have A Very Happy Birthday Mom!

:)

Home

I have been listening to this song all week.




I feel like Dorthy from the Wizard of Oz, clicking her heals "There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

I guess I'm ready to come home for a little while.  :)

First's, Thank You's, and Other Randomness

I've had some firsts this week.

First time going to the gym all by myself at night in the big city.

First time going running. (A result of being scared to death by the above first. Those of you who know me know that I do NOT run.  Ever.  I think my mom thought I'd gone crazy or was sick or got replaced by someone else because her daughter doesn't run.)

First time going bike riding. (In a LONG time).

First time getting on the wrong shuttle. (No worries though, I had plenty of time and eventually got where I was going.)

First homework assignment at the U.

First time class has been cancelled for a football game. (And to answer the question you must be asking, no I didn't go.)

First job interview. (In a long time.)

First time writing a resume. (In a long time.)

First time going up to my grandparent's land and camping. (In a long time.)

First time helping/watching my uncle and cousin figure out how to turn around a horse trailer.

First time waiting until after dark to help pick up my other uncle and cousin from their horseback riding expedition.

First time going up to "the land" without my allergies driving me crazy.  (Thank you knock-off Walgreens Claritin.)

First time going to a church that was so full that I got pushed into the corner of the Relief Society room for sacrament meeting, heard my uncles phone go off to the Steve Miller Band, and watched kids guess what a lady was drawing on the white board and then vigorously erase the drawing.

First time driving rush hour traffic on a Friday evening past a car accident.

First time getting locked out of my apartment.

First quizzes of the new semester.

Not everything this week was a first.  I got to hang out with Grandma H. just the two of us which we've been able to do more often lately.  I really like hanging out just the two of us.  Thanks for inviting me up for the weekend Grandma! And feeding me good food that I didn't have to cook myself.  You're awesome!

I also need to shout out a big Thank You to Aunt Judy for inviting me over to Sunday dinner a couple of weeks ago and again sending me home with lots of yummy, healthy food.  This isn't the first time you've been so kind to me and I'm sure it won't be the last.

I've gotten so many invites for dinner and to help out if I need anything that I know I'm going to be set for a long time.  I feel so loved and I can't wait to hang out with all of my family on such a personal basis.  I feel so blessed.  I know I've got so many people looking out for me.  I think that's probably the only reason my Mom hasn't gone crazy is because she know's I've got such a great support system with my wonderful family who are there in case I need anything.  It's comforting for me too.

Just in case this post wasn't long enough for you, I thought I'd add in a link to Kid History - Episode 6.  I love Kid History and this episode featured some smoothies that reminded me of one of my cousins classic "Green Smoothies" which I love but the kids reactions to them are so funny.

Song for the long weekend:
"Take a Back Road" - Rodney Atkins

I am a Human Development and Family Studies Major

There.

I said it.

And I didn't qualify it.

Every single time someone asks me the inevitable college get to know you question I get a little nervous.  The second I say "Human Development" I get "the look".  I know that look, because I used to give that look.  It's the look that says "What in the world do you expect to do with that major?  Get your MRS degree and then start popping out babies and be a stay at home mom?  What if something happens and you have to provide for your family?  You can't provide for a family with that degree!" And like I said, I used to give "that look" too.  I remember going on a campus tour at BYU and passing the building that they said is where all the family and consumer sciences classes are.  I scoffed and thought to myself "Yeah, all the girls who are counting on getting married, dropping out of college, and being taken care of the rest of their lives. Ha."  Yeah, I was a little judgmental when I was seventeen.  Just a little bit. But I could be because I knew everything back then. I digress.  A few years, a little experience, and a lot of prayers later here I am trying to come to terms with my major.  I always feel like I have to defend what I am studying and why I am studying it.  My answer is almost always "My major is Human Development it's the program that will help me become a Child Life Specialist which is kind of like a play therapist at a hospital." It's a long and awkward explanation. But after that long explanation everyone is pretty much like "Ok, so you actually have a plan for your life." But at the same time I get tired of explaining myself and my life plans in the first five minutes of meeting someone.  And there is a part of me that thinks that I shouldn't have to explain myself and my choice of major to the world.

I was thinking about this today.  I was also thinking about the classes I'm taking and how they relate to families.   I was listening to the Mormon Channel program about families. I realized that this is my way to help families.  It is something that I have control over that will be helping families.  The family is under attack. This is how I can help the family. I realized that I don't have to explain or defend myself and my major and I don't have to feel like I'm pursuing a major that isn't really a good major.  It is an excellent major.  I am glad to be a Human Development and Family Studies Major.

Scenes From NYC

Warning: Tons of Photos

No Soup For You!

Central Park is beautiful!

Today Show

I love SNL so I had to get a picture of these t-shirts.

The tour bus we rode on.  If you ever go to NYC don't  ride the Grayline - Take City Sights.

The view of Central Park from Rockefeller Center.

Had to get my Harry Potter fix at the Harry Potter Exhibition.

I had to get a picture of the Mormon Ads.

I'm in love with Flynn Rider!

Awe, it's the fam!

I had to get a picture with Buddy from the Cake Boss!

Visiting Hogwarts.

Gotta love Forest Gump!

Quick Trip Up To The Great White North

Sorry no pictures.... I always forget to take pictures!


Mason, Dad, and I got work off on Saturday to go to a Family Reunion.  We were up in the Great White North for less then 24 hours (which is why anyone I didn't see shouldn't be offended that I didn't see them).

We left at 8 am (car drive consisted of rocking out to some great music with the family) got up there around 1 pm, ate lunch and wandered around the mall and walmart until 4 pm,

 Family Reunion (Games, people I don't know, playing with cousins cute babies, more people I don't know thinking the babies I was playing with were mine (nope!), handing cranky babies off to my parents/their parents/their grand parents, being adopted by one of my aunts (I got to hear all the pros about it, biggest pro, free food and they're kind of rich), eating, skit watching (some of the skits...ahem...chucks family...may or may not have offended half the people there...apparently only some people find marijuana funny?), people I do know lying to people I don't know (ahem...Jane), people I don't know introducing themselves (two hours in), people I don't know booing me for going to the U (ahem...maybe more on that later...if I'm brave...and stupid...and want to be hated by half the state...I'll probably leave it at that), people I don't know telling how their single children want spouses (wrong place to look for one...awkward silence...thank you dad for not saying that about me),  People I don't know telling me about my great-great-grandparents and taking longer then the five minutes he was supposed to take (didn't even TRY to condense the FOUR PAGES he read to us), and finally People I do know (and some I don't know) taking only five minutes to talk about someone I did know (and some people I didn't know).

Then we headed up to see (a few)  people on the other side of the family, watch volley ball games and sleep.

Then we went to church at nine am, got food from a loving Grandmothers house, and visited some cousins for a few minutes before heading home at 11 am (that car trip consisted of Mason sleeping and me sleeping and having a headache) and we were home by 4 pm.


 Now we're back home, safe and tired and a little cranky, but ultimately glad we came up.

All The Single Ladies Put Your Hands Up!

Wait....

I'm the only one left?

Awkward....

Just kidding, it only feels that way some of the time.  I guess that's why I've been listening to this song because let's face it, the chipettes do the song way better then Beyonce. Carrie Underwood's "The More Boys I Meet" has also been on my playlist lately.

Here's a big shout out to my no longer single friends, especially to my cousin Lindsey who got engaged this week! This song and this song and this song are for you guys!  Seeing everybody else's successful relationships give me hope that someday I'll find my own happy ending!  :)

This song makes me think of my Dad

Hope everyone has had a Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day!

This is me and my Dad's song! I love it!  Happy Fathers Day!

Awesome weekend

This past weekend was amazing!

First my roomies came down to the sunny south to visit! They came early in the morning so we could play before I had to work that afternoon. We ha breakfast at Dennys and while we waited forever for our food we talked and laughed and caught up on old times. After breakfast we went to walmart to make a care packet for one of our awesome roomies who wasn't able to make the trip. While there we browsed through walkways super collection of $5 movies, played with the toys (so many tangled toys!) we stopped and smelled the candles, looked at the fake flowers, and took pictures with lamp shades on our heads! Yeah we're super silly! I had so much fun and it brought me back to last year! I love and miss those girls so much! I want to go back to my home away from home with my family away from family!

After work my family and I played an epic game of monopoly. I won for the first time ever! Yeah I kicked their butts! I was so happy!

Then on Sunday I got a ride to church with my super handsome neighbor and his friends sat by me during sacrament meeting. This is the first time since moving down that somebody has sat with me during sacrament and it meant more to me then they'll probably ever know. Then I taught my first Sunday school lesson. So intimidating! There were so many people in my class! I don't think I made much sense during my lesson I was kind of all over the place (it was kind of like random thoughts with Kelsi guided by the lesson manual and the spirit). And I was shaking like crazy during the whole lesson!  I learned a lot while preparing for the lesson, I just don't know that I was able to transfer everything I learned to my huge intimidating class. But it's over (for a week at least). I guess this is a chance for me to develop a new talent for teaching?

Issues

I guess I'm a little more like my Grandma M. then I realized.  She called me on Sunday to wish me a happy birthday and since it was Mothers Day we talked about how in church on Mothers Day people give talks about "perfect" mothers.  My Grandma told me she hated those "perfect Mothers" talks, I can only assume because she doesn't view herself as a "perfect" mother.  When she told me this it made me think about how I had been pondering blogging about how I tend to compare myself to the "perfect people" in the blogs that I read.  Sometimes these "perfect people" blogs drive me crazy because I don't see myself as a perfect person, so I wonder why I keep a blog or why I even try my best at anything because I never seem to measure up to the perfection that is other people.  And I guess this is the same way my Grandma M. feels about being a mother.  I don't think she's perfect, but I think she did a really good job she just can't see it.  And I think I'm the same way about a lot of things.  I think lots of people are that way though. 

My roommates and I had a similar discussion right before I moved back home.  We were talking about how each of us has "issues" that we think are so obvious to everyone else and that we think everybody just looks at us and thinks "Oh my gosh.  She has issues." and that everyone just sits there and judges us.  In all reality though, we're too busy noticing and trying to cover up our own "issues" to notice and judge most other peoples issues most of the time.  We're all a lot harder on ourselves then we are on other people.  It was interesting to talk about this to my roommates because they all pointed out "issues" they thought were obvious to everyone else, and I didn't think it was an issue for them.  I think we all need to be a little more forgiving of ourselves and realize that we're not the only one struggling to get through life.

The Great White North . . . Continued . . .

I had a great time in the Great White North.  I learned a lot.  Like the U of U is HUGE! (Seriously, I got lost driving on campus, walking on campus, and walking in buildings.  Have you ever been in their library?  It's huge, there's a freaking restaurant in there.  Walking through the library reminded me of walking through an airplane terminal.  WOW!)

Parking is pretty much impossible to find in the Great White North, especially if you're looking for free parking.  Just saying.  Gas is less expensive there though (which made me happy!) 

While I was there I didn't get nearly enough/as much looking for housing and jobs done as I was hoping (but then again I do tend to set unrealistic expectations up for myself a lot ok most of the time).  But I did find some good stuff that I was looking for. I applied at a lot of jobs but haven't heard anything back yet, so I guess we'll see. 

I ended up spending most of my time there practicing my big city driving skills and figuring out where things are in relation to each other (have I ever mentioned that I'm directionally challenged?  Because I am.  I even got lost WITH the GPS!) I was able to kind of figure out where things are located in the Great White North and where to get on and off the highway(s) and stuff like that.  

I also spent a lot of time with my family.  My Grandma had her 77th Birthday HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA! So I got to hang out with her and do cool things like watch Tangled until 11:30 pm and go shopping at Kolhs and Walmart and eat at yummy places like the Olive Garden.  She was so kind as to invite me up to her house for the night and we played Mexican Train with the Garfield family.  At the Olive Garden I got to hang out with most of the family, which I hadn't done in a long time.  I learned a lot about my extended family and was able to develop a relationship with them separate from my nuclear family, which was kind of cool I'm not gonna lie.  I also got to hang out a lot with Judy and Wes and I really enjoyed hanging out with them.

Basically the weekend was amazing and I learned a lot of things I wasn't expecting to learn even though I didn't accomplish everything I expected to accomplish.  But that's the way life goes a lot of the time.  Overall, I deem this past weekend a SUCCESS!