The Right to be Picky

So as any who knows me, I am 27 years old and single. In the LDS culture I am officially an old maid and at times feel like a misfit. Friends and family often don't understand what it's like to be a single, LDS, 27 year old female.  I have been asked from time to time by both family and friends "are you just being too picky?" Now I know they mean well when they ask this question and others regarding my single status, but as most of those asking the questions were married fairly young, they simply don't understand the situation that I am in, and the questions sometimes sting.
I have talked with others singles who are in a situation similar to mine and we have talked about these awkward and at times unintentionally hurtful questions that imply that we are single because we are to picky, to demanding, to uninvolved, etc. We all have come to the same conclusion that those who have never been single over the age of say 25, have no idea how hard it can be, especially in the LDS society where family is so strongly emphasized.
I've been thinking about this alot, in fact my single state is something I think about alot. Only those who have personally been in a similar situation will ever fully understand but let me try and help those of you who were lucky and blessed enough to find love early in life take a glimpse into the trials that come from  being single.
First off, I would give anything to find an eternal love. This can make it hard sometimes to spend too much time with those who have found their love. Imagine watching your friends who are happily married to a man they love ,have started a beautiful little family, and that are living in a cute little home. It's hard not to be envious of their happiness, not that you want their exact life or their husband and children, but you want that kind of happiness for yourself. I know that their lives are not perfect that there are arguments, long nights, frustrations, and that marriage doesn't make problems disappear. I still want it, the good and the bad. Imagine going through all the hard times in life alone, making all the big decisions alone with no one to help bear the load. I can't count the number of times I've wished I had a husband that could help me make those big decisions that will change my life.
Its also hard when friends who were previously single find their loves, talk about a situation that calls out the green monster of jealousy. It's so hard to have the opposing emotions of happiness and excitement for your friend that they have found that someone and the feelings at jealousy that you haven't. Same thing when friends tell you they are expecting a new baby. You are happy and yet your heart cries out "When will it be my turn?"
Now I'm not saying that being single is all heart aches, I've been doing my best to make the most of my singleness. I have taken the view of my life that I am going to experience as much as I can while I have no one but myself to answer to. My money is mine alone and I can spend it however I like, I have no one at home to get home to so I don't have to worry as much about timelines and there's defiantly a benefit to not having to worry about getting a baby sitter. I have gotten to do lots of things that my married friends haven't; trips, educational opportunities, shopping sprees, etc, and I have many more planned; But oh how nice it would be to have been making memories with my eternal companion.
So back to the original question of am I being picky? The answer is YES, I am being picky and I feel that I have every right to be picky. My parents agree with me on this choice, as we all feel that when it comes to choosing who I will spend the rest of this life with and who I will be with throughout eternity deserves a  certain degree of pickiness. Its the biggest decision I'll ever make and will effect the rest of my life, his life and our families lives.
So let me tell you in what ways I am being picky. Those who ask the questions assume that I am looking for the prefect man; tall, handsome, successful, etc. Those things would be nice, I won't lie, but those things are no where near the top of my list of what I'm looking for. There are qualities that are much more important to me: a love of God, a desire for family and to support that family. Being married to someone who was successful and made lots of money would be nice but, I would rather be poor and married to a man I love with all my heart and who feels the same about me than be married to a rich man and have no true love for each other. I am not looking for a fireworks type of love, I am looking for a love that when I am with him I am home and at peace. Yes I'd like romance and attraction. Yes I want to find someone I find attractive and who finds me attractive also, it's defiantly important that there is some chemistry but there's more to a marriage that chemistry, there also needs to be compassion, communication, and trust, trust is a big one. Mostly I want to be loved just like anyone else.
Someday I hope to find that special someone, a perfectly imperfect person that is perfect for me in my imperfection. Someone with whom I can share my life and have build a family and home with, but until then I will keep looking, keep enjoying my life and searching for fun and interesting new experiences that will help me grow  and progress on my own. Hopefully I will not have to spend my life alone, but in case that undesirable situation does happen I am preparing for the possibility of having to provide for myself.
I never planned on being still single at 27 years old, I'd always thought that by now I'd be married and have a couple children. My life has never gone according to plan and that has been a hard lesson to learn. I have learned that God has a plan for my life even if I don't always understand it.It's been hard having the one dream I've always wanted be the one dream that it seems like will never come true. I've had to find new dreams to keep me going but still that original dream of marrying and having a home and family of my own still holds center stage in my life.
So the next time you see an older single person, don't immediately assume that there's something wrong with them, or that they must simply be too picky, rather remember that under that carefree smile there may be a broken heart and unfulfilled dreams. Hopefully there still remains in that persons heart a hope that their day will come and that those heartfelt prayers will be heard, that all the tears, broken hearts and failed relationships will not have been in vain and the belief that it is worth it to keep trying because one day a dating relationship will end not in a broken heart but in a joyful marriage. It can be hard to keep trying when past experiences tell you that you are a failure at relationships, that they never work our for you and to carry that fear that perhaps they never will.
Remember that sometimes it's important to be picky and choosing who to marry is defiantly one of those times, and don't judge those who are still looking. Sometimes it seems that the older I get, the harder it is to find a good, righteous, LDS man who honours his covenants and wants a traditional family. I know that somewhere out there is at least one man with whom I can build an eternal love and life with, so I'll keep looking, keep putting my heart on the chopping block and patching it back together when it gets slaughtered yet again, all in the hope that one day someone will come along who will take my heart off the chopping block and will carefully cherish and protect it and me for the rest of our existence.

A broken heart has earned the right to be a picky heart, because it is an educated heart. What you really need to fear is the picky heart who has never been broken.

Beginnings and Endings

HAPPY 2012!
What a crazy year 2011 was, lots of ups and downs, big successes and big let downs. It makes me wonder what 2012 holds in store for me. The end of 2011 found me spending lots of time with family as we celebrated Thanksgiving, and Christmas together. It was a much simpler holiday season than usual as Dad lost his job in October so money was pretty tight, but we made do and God watched over us and made sure that bills were covered and needs were met. Dad begins his new job at the end of the month which is good except for the fact that it is in Missouri. The job is a temp job that is expected to last 1-3 years. For now mom will be staying here, but perhaps she will eventually join him out there, only time will tell.
At the start of this new year I am also looking to move during the coming year. The first week of the year found me and my friend Rachel traveling to Eugene, Oregon where a job offer awaited me with a landscaping company. We stayed with Rachels sister Sarah and had a great time exploring the town and surrounding area. We took a trip down to Florence, OR and spent the night in a yurt in the Honeyman National Forest and spent some time playing on the South Jetty Beach, collecting seashells, writing in the sand and just enjoying ourselves.

My interview went really good but in the end I decided not to accept the offer as I really didn't like the Eugene area and the job was only going to be part time. So it's back to plan A which is to go to school in the fall at the University of Idaho to earn a bachelors and a masters degree in landscape architecture.

If nothing else 2012 is sure to bring some big changes in my life and in the life of my family. Hopefully they are all changes for the best.

Bunnies Everywhere

This August I began a journey that turned out lots different than what I originally thought it would be like, of course thats been this whole past year, but that is a different story entirely, the one I was refering to involved two adorable bunnies that I named Belladonna and Tuffy. I bought them at work. It was Belladonnas fault really as she captivated me with her beautiful, black rimmed, hazel eyes and each time I saw someone looking at her I willed them not to choose her. Tuffy was chosen because he was so sweet and gentle, and oh so handsome. I had hoped he was a she, but he wasn't and defiantly isn't a she.

Tuffy and Belladonna

A short two weeks later Bells and Tuffy were joined by a new friend, my sweet little Aspen who was a gift from a friend needing to find him a new home. For a while my three little bunnies lived happliy together along with my chinchilla Mia, who loved the newfound freedom and space outside.

Aspen

As my little bunnies grew it soon became apparent that Aspen and Tuffy were defiantly boys and that Belladonna was defiantly a girl, the boys noticed also. I hopes of preventing a quick bunny population growth I seperated the boys from the girls, but as I was soon to find out Tuffy was quicker than me.

On October 8th, 2011 my three became eight.

I have learned alot about bunnies throughout this adventure as I have reasearched about rabbits and how ot care for them, for instance, did you know a rabbit only feeds her young once every 12-24 hours! Crazy! It's been fun watching the babies grow and develop from tiny, pink, hairless babies whos eyes were firmly closed into fuzzy little bundles of energy that keep me scrambling! Marie is an albino with the reddest eyes you've ever seen, she (I think its a she) is so beautiful and fun to watch, she loves food just like her mom! Dorian is white and brown and has short hair like her mom. Indiana was the first baby to go adventuring and gave me quite a fright one afternoon when I couldn't find the little stinker, he is also super sweet to snuggle with. Talouse is very unique as he has wavy hair, he is so funny as him and Marie explore together. He has the funniest little moustache. And the fifth babies name is Bandit as he/she has a cute little mask around each eye. Bandit is one of the cuddliest and is so cute with lighter grey markings and long fluffy hair!

Bells and Dorian, Bunny Kisses

Talouse, Marie, Dorian, Bandit and Mia

Indiana

Marie, Talouse and Bells

On November 14th I received another surprise, as Belladonna again had babies. Tuffy could apparently climb fences, a situation now remedied, but apparently too late. This time she had six. Today when I went outside I found three of my week old babbies venturing out of their box for the first time, crazy since their eyes are only just beginning to open.

One day old

I have also learned about when Bunnies get sick. That part has been hard but I have learned alot, including that I can be a worry wart Bunny mama. Rabbits don't get sick very often and when they do it can be bad.Tuffy sneezed some mucus up one day which began a very stressful week for me as I ran him to the vet and spent the next seven days giving him two shots a day. He was such a great patient! Aspen also gave me a fright that week as well when he stopped eating and drinking as much and acting mopey. He too was ran to the vet who said he wasn't dehydrated, thank goodness, and that if I wanted I could give him what was left of the bottle of medicine he gave me for Tuffy. One heat lamp later, and lots of snuggle time and both boys seem to be on the mend. Neither seems to be eating as much, especially Aspen but as they are acting fairly normal I am trying to not over react or make assumptions.
 
So, that has been my bunny adventure so far, I had forgotten how much fun bunnies can be, and I never knew they could be so much work. Despite the ups and downs, the emergency seperations, pen building, weather protecting and doctor runs it has been and continues to be worth it. One day when I am able to get a place of my own I hope to make my bunnies into house bunnies, Bells is already well litter box trained and as soon as I think the boys are healthy enough they will be fixed and that will hopefully help them get trained better as well.
Bunnies are such fun, curious, loving pets and I am enjoyig them very much! And if you are reading this and saying, I'd love one for myself, just let me know becasue have I got a deal for you, considering I now need to find homes for two litters of baby bunnies!

It's the Monster Mash!

Halloween has come and gone yet again and with it came another successful halloween party! We had alot of people come and lots of yummy food! My mom and I made a bunch of different types of cupcakes and then I decorated each one up with fun Halloween motifs! We ate, we played werewolves, we talked and we just plain had a great time. Let me introduce you to some of the unusual guest I had at my Party! First off there was Ryan and Jed, or is that Jed and Ryan... it all gets so confusing!  Later in the night they transformed into Granny Ryan and Buck Boy!

Next we had the Zipper Faces Chey and Corben...  a little to real for mom, but defiantly very cool!

There was also the Jail birds and their little Crayon Ethan! So stinkin cute!

The Big Bad Wolf and Little Red also came along with Thing One, Thing Two and Mr. and Ms. Incredible!

Ashley the Graduate and Angela the Ballerina came to join in the festivities along with Pebbles and the Masked Beauty!

The Crazy Pilot, The Fairy Man and Tom Cruise came as well!

And we can't forget the masters of the house... Pumpkin Woman and Road Rash Man along with their little Dogcula Cuddles!

There were others of course, we had Ken Barbie, the Nerd, a Vampire with suspiciously real looking fangs, Abbie the Witch Puppy and Count Ralph.

And then of course there was me, Rapunzel with my trusty frying pan... "A frying pan, who knew!?"

Life Accourding to Plan

The older I get the more I realize how futile it is to try and plan out your life beyond a general to do list of chores and assignments.When I was in high school I thought I had my life all planned out to perfection: Graduate and go to BYU-I where I would graduate in two years with my associates. By that time I would also be married and possibly expecting my first child. We would then go where ever his job took us and life would be perfect.
That was the plan, obviously it failed misserably so I ran to Salt Lake City, UT to try a new plan and lick my wounds and try to regroup and form a new plan which involved getting a massage license. So I went to massage school and I did well, I had a knack for it and everyone said I had soothing hands, only problem was that I didn't really care for it. I'm not a touchy person, hmmm that could be a problem in that field. So I finished massage school and got licensed becaue if nothing else I am not a quitter. So now I had a license to do something I didn't want to do and the student loans to prove it, but still no idea what to do with my life.
So began a series of jobs that taught lots of new skills but didn't excite me at all.
And then it hit me one warm fall day, I love working in the yard, I love plants... what could I do with that? So a new plan was formed and off I went to school to get my bachelors degree, something I'd wanted to do but just didn't know what to get it in. It took one week of classes to know that I was on the right track for once! I loved all of my horticulture classes, they were interesting and exciting to me! I had finally finally found something to study that I could be passionate about! So I got my bachelors degree in Hortuculture emphasis Landscape design, graduating in 2011!
But then a new plan was needed, still no husband, that plan was still proving a failure. So I needed a job and as a new graduate I shared the dream of so many others of landing the dream job. SO I started calling companies, I could go anywhere! I decided that oregon sounded nice, wrong. Apparently Oregon is a dead zone of growth of any kind right now except in the expansion of crazy liberals who apparently want nothing to be built. So Oregon was out. So where is the conquering horticulture graduate working? At a Farm Store/ gas station as a cashier. What a let down. At least I get to help people with chemicals for their lawns.
Now this all seems depressing but I must point out an important factor that has existed throughout all of my failed plans and that is that though all of my plans have failed I have slowly been moving right along in Gods plan for me. At times its been easier to see Gods hand than others but its been there all the same. God's plan didn't have me gettign married like all my firends right out of high school, for some reason He needs me to wait to marry till later in life. He wanted me to study horticulture but he knew that I needed to go a little later so I could meet certain people who wouldn't have been in the program had I started earlier. He knew I needed to go to SLC and massage school to learn about myself, to meet certain people and to learn skills and trust that only massage school could teach me. Gods plan hasn't always been an easy one for me and at times I've fought to have my own way but still I eventually see the wisdom of His path.
There are still things I want to acheive in life, things I want to do but now my plans are more flexible and less set in stone becasue if nothing else I've learned that I have to be flexible in this life, I have to be patient, and I have to above all trust in Gods plan. One day I trust tthat my plans to marry and Gods will merge and I'll be able to marry a man that is just right for me despite all our imperfections. I still plan on having children one day, of owning my own home, of using my horticulture skills and most reacently I have gained two new goals to add to my plans. I want to own my own reception center and gardens and I want to try and create a home that is fairly self sufficent... growing and canning much of the food my family eats, perhaps a milk cow and chickens so my family can eat fresh milk, butter, cheese, yogurt and eggs. Perhaps I'll raise cows for meat, though someone esle will have to butcher them for me.
So here I go,making new (more flexible) plans (without specific deadlines) and set out on this new chapter of my life as a graduate in an unsteady economy, seeking to use my skills and follow my plans for what I want to acheive, do and become in my life. Despite challenges, set backs and dissapointments in the past I have experienced lots of joy and had many wonderful experiences and I am sure that the future will bring many more such moments that I could never have planned on, but that were all a part of God's plan all along!

I love to see the Temple,I'll go inside someday!

The morning of May 19, 2011 was a windy, slightly overcast spring day in Rexburg, Idaho and yet from that blustery begining comes the start of a singularly memorable and special day in my life. On that windy morning I found myself at the Rexburg Temple and there I was blessed to receive my endoowments! I have been preparing for that day for a long time and even now, I can't beleive that I am an endowed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I was warned by many how overwhelming it could be but I didn't find it to be so. I wasn't always sure what to expect but there were friends and family close to help guide me. I loved the temple and already have plans to return and I hope to return often, every week if possible!

I never really understood before this experience just how much joy can be felt when one is doing God's will and following his path for your life. More than once in the days before I went to the temple I awoke so full of happiness that I jsut seemed to float and bounce through the day with an exceedingly great joy! Even now the thought of the temple and the knowledge that at any time I can go back fills me with such amazing feelings of happiness! Life couldn't be any better and I couldn't be anymore blessed than I am right now, I KNOW my Father loves me, He's shown me in so many ways as of late that this is true!

The Conquering Graduate

Graduated, what a strange term to be able to apply to myself. I have been in school for the last 21 years and it is weird to realize that I am no longer a student. I have found myself doing alot of reflecting lately. It's interasting to look at where i have been, where I am right now and to look at a future with so many different optons and possabilities. It's pretty exciting when you think about it, and yet it is kind of scary as well because there are so many unkowns. Where am I going to find a job, where will I be living, how long will I be there? Will it be in Idaho, Oregon, California, etc? Who will I meet there? Will I like it there? So many questions and not a single answer yet.
Everyone wants to know, where to now? The answer is 'I don't know". I have some ideas about where I may go. There is always southern California, with sunshine, friends, the beach, and of course Disneyland. I would love to go back to the Newport Beach area. Perhaps I can make it my official vacation destination if I don't end up living there!
For the past year or so as I have began thinking of where I might go after graduation, i have thought alot about Oregon, a place I haven't been to since I was only two or three. I feel a draw to Oregon that I don't feel for other places and so the majority of my job hunting is focused on Oregon. It is interesting to feel like there is somewhere you need to be, but you just can't seem to figure out where exactly it is that you need to go. I have been feeling this way lately and I can't help but think that Oregon holds the key to answering the question of where and what I am meant to do next.
So I keep going forward one step at a time, trusting that God will guide me to where he wants me to be. It'll be intersting to see where I end up! And so we begin a new chapter in my life: Career Woman. I wonder what amazing adventures this new chapter will see me having!

PLANET 2011

Third Place again! Yup we made the top three in the nation! What a busy week and a great end to a busy semester! We were sweating there at the end wondering if we'd even made the top ten so needless to say we were super excited when we were called as the third place winners! Also a major plus this year was that Bro. Byron John, my design teacher was awarded the teacher of the year award!!! I am proud to say that I wrote one of the recomendation letters when Bro. Nelson submitted his name!
There are some amazing landscape companies in Chicago land and if I ever felt the need to move to the mid west I would defiantly start looking there, though I wasn't a fan of all the toll roads, who wants to pay to get off the road honestly!!!
I was happy to get in the top five with my exterior design but was bummed that my my interior didn't do so well, comming in at 16th. To put it into proper prospective though that is 16 out of 50, so it is still pretty darn good, just not what I was hoping to get especially since I got fifth in it last year, I was hoping to improve my scores! Oh well. All in all it was a great trip.
Pictures to come soon!

Graduation!

Anyone wanting to come just needs to let me know asap so I can get tickets if you want to go to the first part of commencment where they have the main speaker and what not. At 11:00 I'll be walking in the BYUI Center with the rest of the graduates in my department and no ticket is required for that! We'll be having a get together after graduation to celebrate! Just let me know so we can know how many to plan for!

Shopping!!!

My Mom and I decided to go and spend our money the other day as we claimed a mother daughter shopping trip, which we haven't done in quite a while. We spent the entire day out and about and had a great time. We went into Joann's Fabric and craft and got a bunch of fabric, beads, patterns and other stuff that was all 50-75% off. It was great! I got some fabric for upcoming projects for super cheap. you can't beat 1.25 when it's regularly  7.99 of more! The purples are for my Rapunzel costume for this next Halloween, Hair...Check, material and ribbons for dress... check, now all I need to get are purple flowers for my hair and manage to not get so fed up with my hair before Oct 31 that I give up and cut it! The solid green is for table cloths and the shears are for other miscellaneous projects! So now I just need to find time to get all my new projects sewn up!

Turning 26 in Texas

So I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to my birthday this year, 26 just seemed.... OLD. I know that it's not that old but for some reason as I looked at it it seemed that way. Perhaps that it's also where I am in my life, about to graduate and facing the 'real world'. In January I received a text from Ephraim that went as follows " I have a plan, it involves a plane ticket and you coming to Texas". So that's what we did. Within a few days I had bought a ticket to Dallas Texas and on Friday, February 4th I drove to Salt Lake. Big Thanks again to the Pease family for letting me stay the night with them!

Saturday morning bright and early I found myself sitting in the SLC Airport waiting for my flight. 45 minutes after we were supposed to leave we finally boarded due to a sick flight attendant who had to be replaced so we could leave. When I got to Texas I was enthusiastically greeted by Ephraim and we quickly set off the start our weekend together. Our first stop was at the Gaylord Texan, a huge resort which has an atrium in the middle, Ephraim knows I'm a nut for those types of things. We had a great time looking at everything and oohing and awing, as well as geekily naming as many of the plants as we could!

After stopping to grab a small bite to eat and walking around in a park we drove to Ephraim's house where I fell asleep cuddling, three hours of sleep at night is defiantly not enough for me to function on. That evening we went to a restaurant called Babe's with Ephraim's  three best friends and his sister Estrella. On the way there I was the at the center of a series of questions as Eph's friends tried to get to know me better. By the time we got to the restaurant we had determined what our assassin names were, what super power and weapon we would have and many other interesting topics. The food was so yummy and I had a great time despite the fact that I had to wear a horrible chicken hat while they sang to me (stupid birthday traditions anyway), needless to say I was thoroughly embarrassed and flat out refused to do the chicken dance. We finished up the night at Allen and Jen's house playing games. What a fun night!

The next day was Sunday and stake conference for Ephraim's family so we went to church and there I got to meet many the important people in Ephraim's life.
After church we watched the super bowl,mostly for the commercials and the excuse to have a lazy day. Ephraim's mom made a really yummy apple cake for my birthday. Ephraim's adopted nephew Adam was really happy when we finally cup into the pie! It took him a while to warm up to me (He's 2) but once he did it was really cute because he came and wanted to cuddle with me, between Adam and Ephraim I was occasionally a Vallie sandwich, which was fine with me! 

Monday I found myself back at the airport waiting for my 12:15 flight. At 12:20 I realized something was up because they weren't announcing the flight, they weren't loading and come to find out when I went and asked what was going on it wasn't even at the airport anymore, having taken off ten minutes earlier. Apparent;y they like changing gates without telling their passengers  at the DFW airport. After six miserable hours at the airport I finally was able to get a ticket to SLC leaving at 8:55 pm. Ephraim came back to the airport and as I was a mess by then and stressed almost beyond my ability to handle. We sat and talked and hugged for about thirty minutes before I went back through security and finally flew back to SLC. I then drove 2 hours to Pocatello where I crashed on my brothers couch for the night before heading the rest of the way home the next morning.

So in conclusion, being 26 isn't so bad, especially when you've got a great boyfriend and his Friends and family to help make the day a memorable one! Thanks again Strasser Family and FATS for making it a

great weekend!

26 Years of Lessons Learned

In nine days I will have been alive for 26 years. I can't help but look back at those years and wonder what I have learned and reflect on all the many things I've done and accomplished in that time.At times I feel as though I haven't really done that much but then I stop and really think about it and I am amazed at the life I have been blessed to live.

Lessons I've Learned

1. God KNOWS what He is doing and things go alot smoother when you trust Him and don't try to fight His plan for you; He really does know whats best for you because He KNOWS you!
2. The church really is true!
3. Not everything good is good for you at that exact moment
4. Patience is a virtue (though at times a hard one to practice)
5. Sometimes you gotta close your eyes and just jump
6. School and learning can be really fun!
7. Nothing beats sand between your toes on a warm summer day
8. Sometimes the little things are really the big things
9. Life never goes as planned so just enjoy the ride and do your best
10. Life surprises you with great things when you least expect it to
11. Dogs can give hugs
12. True good friends can be hard to find but they are well worth the search to find!
13. Family is always there
14. Dirt under your finger nails is good for the soul
15. Anything worth having is worth the effort
16. No one is perfect
17. Learning a new language can be really hard
18. You really can learn from others mistakes without trying them out for yourself
19. Goals really are important
20. If you have to stop and ask yourself if you really want or need something... you probably don't
21. Being the 'Teachers  Favorite/Pet' isn't necessarily a bad thing
22. A smile can change someones day
23. It's okay to be afraid as long as that fear doesn't stop you from moving forward
24. Life is easier and funner when you stop caring what everyone else thinks
25. Change can be a very good thing
26. Things and people aren't always what they appear to be
27. Sometimes you just have to let loose
28. Never leave home without your camera because the day you do is when you'll see something you want to take a picture of and you won't be able to.
29. Never say never
30. It's okay to try something new, even if it turns out you aren't good at it; at least you can say your tried
31. Trust your gut instincts because they are often right
32. Being different can be alot of fun
33. Some things are worth waiting for
34. Time really can be the best gift you can give someone else
35. Life is an adventure, enjoy it!

Things I've Accomplished/Done

1. Associates degree
2. Almost have a Bachelors degree in Horticulture:Landscape design (finishing in April 2011!!!!!)
3. Hiked Hurricane Pass in Tetons
4. Lived in California
5. Lived in Utah
6. Graduated from Massage School
7. Nationally Certified as a Massage therapist (no longer certified)
8. Designed 3 landscapes (Installed 2), and designed and installed one irrigation system outside of school
9. Graduated High school
10. Came in fifth at PLANET in interior scape design (hoping to place in top three this year!)
11. Bought a season pass to Disneyland and made it worth the money in one month!
12. Bought my first car
13. Felted a blanket and a hat
14. Learned to canoe
15. Learned the basics of surfing
16. Taught children about llamas for over 5 years
17. Made a clay pot
18. Found a Major and career path that I love and am passionate about!
19. Worked for the same company for 12 years (Lonepine Nursery)
20. Made some great friends from all over the country
21. Made a bucket list and started checking things off
22. Made a buckskin shirt form a hide I tanned (only took me five days to tan)
23. Started a fire with two sticks
24. Learned to survive with nothing in the woods
25. Found MY OWN style

2011: The Beginning of a New Year of Adventures

Well the new year has officially began and with it comes lots of new adventures. This is sure to be a busy year full of many wonderful new changes. The first of which is that I will be graduating in either april (my goal) or july depending on how much my teachers like me and are willing to work with me. One of my teachers changed the time of their class so now I have a conflict in my schedule that if they won't work with me then I'll be here on more semester to take just that one class.

The rest of the changes to come are still very much up in the air and hidden from view. With my graduation will come a move, that much I know for sure but the where is not as certain, though at the moment it's looking like it will likely be in Texas. This is largley in part becausee of a certain guy who has recently entered my life and he lives in Texas.

Yes it is going to be an exciting and busy year and I am looking forward to seeing what the year 2011 will bring and where it will take me in this great big world that we call home!

What is already passed is not more fixed than the certainty that what is future will grow out of what has already passed, or is now passing. - G.B. Cheever

Merry Christmas Time is Here

The end of the semester has finally come and I am so ready for the break that it provides. School was very busy last semester and its nice to finally not have to constantly be working on homework. I was sad for the end of the semester to come though because it meant that a very dear friend would be graduating and leaving Rexburg.
As usual our weather has been crazy  and it has rained twice already this month which is strange considering it is december. It's pretty easy to find scating rinks around the yard thanls to all the rain  and melting we've been getting the pst couple days.
I am looking forward to being able to graduate next semester and despite complications with my schedule I am bound and determined to not let it keep me from that long awaited goal. I am definalty ready to be done with school!
Happy Holidays to any who may read this post, I hope you are surrounded by family and friends and I pray that you may remeber the reason for this very special holiday, the celebration of the greatest gift  ever given, God's gift or his precious son Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Apple Mashing

My Uncle Brian and Aunt Deb had their annual cider pressing yesterday. We made lots and lots of fresh apple cide. There is nothing quite like fresh apple cider straight off the press. We had beautiful weather, very few bugs and lots of really good food. It was great to get together and spend the day squezzing apples. I took a bucket of crabapples to press for making jelly with. It came out the most beautiful red and had a cranberry tang to it, super yummy! My uncles press is one that he's restored that belonged to hsi great grandfather who got it new during the civil war era. My Uncle brought it over from Vermont along with a bunch of old stop go motors when he moved to Idaho. There was about six steam motors there. There was also old fashioned bikes, old cars, and a grain mill. It was fun to see all the resstored historic machines!

Sun, Surf, Sand, and Screams with my Mom

Ever since I came home from my internship last fall I have wanted to return to California and this past month I got that oppertunity! My Mom and I took off for nine days and went to California! We drove to Springville on friday Aug 27 and spent the night with Jenn and Ricardo. Saturday we drove to the SLC airport and at 12:25 we took off. We had a one hour layover in Vegas before flying on to the Orange County airport. At the airport we picked up our rental car, a bright blue Ford Focus, and set out for my friends house. We spent three nights with my friends Nacolynn, Natalie and Mandy in their super cute apartment. Saturday night we went to a great pizza place in Balboa called BJ's. Their food was amazing! Nacolynn and my friend Austin went with us to dinner and then we all went to the Great Park for a concert by a group called Te Vaka, they play a modernized version of island music, lots of Samoan and polynesian influences. They were really good! Sunday I was able to catch up with another friend, Brenda who spent most of the day with Nacolynn and I.

Monday my mom and I got up and going early and by 9:30 we were walking down the beach, picking up sea shells and enjoying the sand between our toes. We walked almost the whole distance between the Newport and Balboa piers. When we got to Balboa we were just in time to go out on a whale watching boat. It was alot of fun! We went out for two hours and got to see four blue whales, a minkee whale, which we were told are hard to find, and a pod of dolphins! My mom also saw a jelly fish. On the way back into the harbor we saw some sea lions hanging out on a bouy. We went out just over six miles from the coast. We spent the rest of the day shopping in Balboa and Newport. We also got Balboa bars and sat on the beach eating them, boy are they messy when they start melting! I left my mom laying on the beach under the umberella Naco let us borrow, thanks Naco!, while I went out into the water to look for shells. I found lots of little shells and one really big one. I was so excited becasue I've never found a shell so big but alas I wasn't able to keep it as it's owner was still living in it so I took a picture and threw him back out into the water as far as I could. He was pretty cool and it was still fun to find, even if I couldn't keep it.

 Tuesday we packed up our stuff and loaded it in the car, and drove back out to Balboa to do a little more shopping before driving down to Anaheim to check into our hotel. By three we were all checked in and dressed to head over to Disneyland! Our hotel was directly across the street from the main Disney entrance and it took us about five minutes to walk to the main gates of Disneyland or California Adventures. We had so much fun and dropped into bed each night with our feet aching from all the walking we had done that day! We rode almost wvery ride at least once and most of our favorites three or four times. We spent three and a half days at disneyland!

We couldn't have planned a better time to visit California as the tourist season was over and the kids were all back in school. The beaches and Disneyland were both fairly free of crowds. At Disneyland we rarly had to wait more than 10-15 minutes for even the most popular rides! Friday night we spent to night with my friends Rachel and Brant. Saturday we went to the airport and set backoff for first Vegas and then Salt Lake before driving home. We got home about 9:30pm and boy were we glad to be home. All in all it was a great vacation! I can't wait till I get to go again! Thanks to all my friends who let me stay with them!