Finding Beauty Wherever You Are

When I went to Europe this summer, by the end of the trip I was more than ready to come back to America. I loved Europe! Don't get me wrong, but all of us were starting to get tired of all the walking, bus rides, etap hotels, and cheese (we ate way too much cheese on that trip!). We were starting to get a little homesick. It was just time to go back home. So we waved goodbye to France, hopped on a plane, and some hours later, we arrived at the Salt Lake City airport. It was so nice to see my parents again and to enjoy some of the things we had to give up on our trip...like a washer and dryer. Now, I saw some pretty amazing and beautiful things in Europe. I'd love to go back! But after spending a month out of the country and then coming back and the first thing I got to see was the Utah landscape, I came to realize something.

I'd never really thought Utah was a pretty state. It's nothing compared to the vast trees, green, and water of Washington state where a piece of my heart will remain always (um...yep, Washington is that awesome). But as we got in the car and drove towards my aunt and uncle's, for the first time probably ever, I stared out my window, grateful to be back in my own country with my family, and I thought all that dirt, brush, and hills were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen...okay...not the most beautiful....but the point is I was finally able to see some beauty in it.

Since then, I've come to believe that you can find beauty no matter where on earth you are. If you can't find that beauty, it's because you won't allow yourself. Perhaps you can't get over the fact that wherever you are isn't like home or some other place. Well, two places are never going to be exactly alike. Anyway, I've noticed how there's a good handful of people in this college town who complain about the ugliness of Idaho. I probably would have said the same thing a year ago, but this semester I've found that there is beauty here too. If you complain about it, how it isn't home, how dreadful the snow and wind is, how there's nothing to do around here, than yes, Idaho will be ugly to you. But if you stop thinking about how much you hate the place for one moment and give yourself a chance to look around, I can guarantee that you can find beauty even in a little town in Idaho.

So, wherever you are at this moment, take some time to find a piece of beauty around you. It can be different things that make that place special or beautiful to you. Give it a shot, and tell me what you discover!

For example, one thing that makes Rexburg, Idaho beautiful to me is simply the people who I've met here. Maybe that shouldn't count, but really, that's one of the reasons why I like it here. Now, something else that is beautiful here is when you are up on the hill towards the temple and you look out over the Idaho wasteland (I couldn't think of another word :) ) and the sun is setting. The sky fills with the most beautiful colors and there's still enough light to see all the hills in the distance. That, my friends, is a beautiful sight.

So what makes your home or whever it is you may be at present beautiful. And don't say nothing because I won't buy it!

Oh, and speaking of home, only two more days until I go back for a few weeks :)

Some Guy Named Matt

My roommate showed me this today and I thought it was awesome, so I'm sharing. If I understand correctly, this guy was actually paid to go around the world and randomly dance! I don't think you're necessarily supposed to take something from it, but I did. Take a look at the video, and then I'll tell you what I thought.






I was touched by all these different people all around the world just randomly dancing! To me it showed how all of us are people. That sounds dumb, but I hope you understand what I mean. We are all precious. I have a belief in God, a God who loves us all. I believe that we are all his children, and as I watched this video, I thought of that. You don't have to get the same thing out of it, but there you go. Just a thought. If nothing else, there was just something beautiful about seeing all these different places in the world with all its native peoples. I hope you enjoyed the video!

4 Days

I meant to update sooner than this, but everytime I started writing a post I had to force myself off so I would work on something else...like the 4 papers I have due tomorrow and Wednesday! I was a little concerned I wasn't going to be able to accomplish this since my brain really wants to be back home right now. It makes it hard to focus. But now, things are looking promising. Maybe they won't be my best work, but they aren't the worst I've ever seen. Besides, in the past I've always done better than I expect myself to do, so maybe the trend will continue.

Anyway, I have a few minutes right now, and I'm taking advantage of it to update all of you! There are only four more days until I hope on a plane headed back home. I am so excited! First of all, it's always nice to have a break from school. Secondly, I get to see my family! Oh and friends. I get to see those too :)

I still have a lot of work to do before that time (finals, packing, white glove....), but I'm not stressing out. After all, I've done it before! I can do it again!

Unfortunately, that's all I have time for right now. I have to make myself presentable for class. So long for now. Have a good day!

Thanksgiving Break

Last week was Thanksgiving! Yay! We had the whole week off of school. It was really nice not to have to worry about anything for a while. Megan and I went to Utah to stay with our aunt and uncle. My grandma and grandpa were there too, which made it extra fun. We didn't leave until Wednesday so I still had Monday and Tuesday to do homework...theoretically anyway. More like I hung around my apartment Monday, and then partied with people on Tuesday. That pretty much sums those two days up! I was really grateful for people on Tuesday for inviting me to do stuff so I was stuck in my apartment the entire day.

Megan and I were in Utah from Wednesday to Sunday. On Thanksgiving, we went to my great aunt and uncle's home and shared the holiday with them and some of their children with their families. It was fun to be with everyone and be re-introduced since I haven't seen some of those relative for a very long time.

On Friday night, Megan, Grandpa, my cousin Bree, and I all went to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. I had never been and I was really excited. It was beautiful and we had a lot of fun!

After we came home and watched the episode of Monk from earlier in the evening, we all went to bed in high spirits. I woke up about two hours later incredibly sick. Saturday wasn't such a fun day for me...at least not until close to noon when my stomach finally stopped freaking out. I slept practically all day. The good thing is, it only lasted one day. I was actually able to function Sunday, which I'm really grateful for because I really didn't want to be sick whilst driving back to Rexburg.

I really did enjoy the break and seeing my extended family. They were a lot of fun. My cousin, Ryan, is crazy (in a good way :) ). He was totally tackling me and trying to tickle me like the whole time I was there! There was this other time where he was trying to crawl through the opening in his chair, sticking his feet in first. He was doing really good until he got to his head which refused to fit through. It was very entertaining to watch him try to make it work though.

Thanks family and friends for making the break awesome :)

Don't Jump to Conclusions

I've been thinking a lot today about what I could write about. I had a lot of good ideas, but I didn't write them down or something so I can't remember any of them! Thankfully, I have more than one idea in one day so I can still come up with something to share with you.

In The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (fabulous book by the way), the three main characters learn the dangers of jumping to conclusions. If I remember correctly (it has been a rather long time since I last read the book), they are driving along when each of them individual thinks or says something which would qualify as jumping to conclusions. All of them are then whisked out of the car, and the next thing they know, they are on the island of Conclusions! And the only way to get back to the mainland and their car is to swim all the way back. So that's what they do.

So in real life, it's highly unlikely that you will literally be whisked off to Conclusions and then have to swim all the way back. If that happens to you, let me know. I'd love to hear about it.

Anyway, the point is, jumping to conclusions or making assumptions don't always end up well for us. First of all, many if not most of the time when we do this, we are wrong. Let's face it. We make wrong assumptions of people everyday! We won't always have the opportunity to correct those assumptions, but sometimes we can. Or, at least we can calm ourselves down a little bit.

Here is one thing I've done or heard of that is kind of ridiculous if you think about, but it's something some of us are prone to do, so no making fun! haha. Okay, the scenario goes something like this. Person A texts or facebook chats Person B. Person B doesn't respond or delays responding. During that space in time between what Person A said and what Person B will potentially say, Person A may be tempted to jump to all sorts of wild conclusions as to why Person B isn't responding. "Maybe I said something wrong. Maybe they don't like me. Why did I even start talking?" Etc. etc. Give yourself a break, Person A. Most likely, they were getting their poptarts out of the toaster and were therefore away from their computer or phone.

So having been Person A on more than one occasion, I've come to realize that the conversation will be a lot less stressful for you if you just relax. Give Person B time. Never assume that there is something wrong with you if they don't answer (unless of course you said something you really shouldn't have or proclaimed your undying love or something. You may receive a very long pause for that. haha). If you assume anything, assume they are busy and they will get back to you when they can. If what you have to say is really important, call them. People still like to hear each other's voices, as crazy as that seems.

That's just one example. Oh here's another good one. When I was in middle school, I remember the day I learned about President Hoover. I came home with the firm conviction that he was an idiot and I was telling people about it (by people...it was probably my mom). My grandpa was there and overheard what I was saying and I remember him saying something to the effect of, "How do you know? You weren't even there." True Grandpa, true. And I doubt my 7th grade education gave me enough background to actually judge whether or not Hoover was an idiot. I remember being a bit embarrassed. I guess you shouldn't make judgements about things or people that you really know nothing about! Fancy that.

So before you go causing yourself or anyone else pain, don't jump to conclusions! Become well informed, take a chance on someone who may seem weird (maybe they're normal after all!), or try a new food even if it looks/sounds disgusting (mayonaise, peanut butter, cheese, and pickle sandwiches really aren't as bad as they sound). And the next time you're on facebook chat, be patient...or go knocking on Person B's door and demand that they answer. You'll make more friends that way probably.

Aufwiedersehen!

Why Today Was Awesome

1.) I found out a friend from back home gets to be my roommate next semester! Huzzah!

2.) Although I'm fighting a head cold (and I think I'm winning!), I'm no longer throwing up! Double huzzah!

3.) Mask making class... I was pretty much useless, but it was good to see people since I haven't seen them for a week! Plus they give me hugs! I love hugs!

4.) Wasting way too much time on Facebook talking to awesome people

5.) Bekah's imagery of pre-mortal spirits fighting each other just for the chance to be my children. Priceless!

6.) My teacher wanting a copy of an assignment I'd turned in because it was apparently that awesome (don't get too excited. It was only a t-analysis!).

7.) I'm attempting to write a letter to someone I don't even know. Haha that should be fun...and random. The whole situation is entertaining to me if nothing else!

I'm sure I could think of more, but seven is pretty good. I still have a bunch to do, and I'd claim that I just don't have enough time in the day, but I know I waste so much of my time that I have no right to complain! Besides, life is good! It's not always easy, but we shouldn't expect it to be. I just had hot cocoa and I think I'll have another glass! Make that number 8 on the list! Okay, now I'll be a good little girl and write a story for my class tomorrow.

Have a good week! Remember to let someone know you appreciate them or say hello to someone you haven't spoken to in awhile. It could be the pick-me-up they've been looking for!

A Quick Little Update

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving! It was good to get out of town for awhile and see my relatives. I'm already missing them. I got to see some of my family that I haven't seen in years! That was fun. I've got some really awesome people in my extended family :)

Yesterday was kind of the depressing day of my vacation as I was hit with a 24 hour flu that had me throwing up starting at 2 o'clock in the morning. That wasn't fun. But I'm glad it happened at my aunt and uncle's instead of at school because they had everything I needed. I would have been a lot more sad if I'd been in my apartment I think.

I am officially back in Rexburg and school starts back up tomorrow. Three more weeks and I'll be heading home for Christmas. I am so excited for that! I've got a few more things I need to to do before I'm off to bed, so I should probably stop waisting time on here!

My brief thought for the day: Be happy because you are loved. Share that love with others!

Because We All Have An Influence On People

You know, probably 90% of the time, we will never actually know what affect we have on people, for good or for bad. We may get the occasional 'thank you' note, or maybe someone will actually come up to us and tell us face to face. But more often than not, we will never know the impact we have on people.

We may take this to mean that we have no impact at all--that our lives are insignificant. That is not the case. Maybe the whole world doesn't know our name, but that doesn't really matter. We influence every life we come in contact with, even if it is just for that moment. Heck, we may influence lives that we didn't even realize we had a part in (like when someone overhears something you say and potentially makes fun of you for it. Haha).

You probably don't realize what you mean to some people. I probably don't express my appreciation enough, which is probably why some people don't realize how much I care about them. I try to express it through actions instead of just words--sometimes trying to find the right words while at the same time not making things awkward is a difficult task.

Anyway, this is just something that's been running through my mind lately. You don't always know if you've made someone's day by something simple that you do. I guess the moral of the story is that people care about you, even if they aren't always the greatest at expressing that, you have an impact on people, and even simple actions matter.

There's my thought of the day. I hope everyone is having a good week! Thanksgiving is in a few short days! Remember to be thankful and express that thanks!

Don't Text and Drive

So basically by posting this video on my blog, I'm attempting to boost my friends pride. Ha ha. He's a communications major and spends a lot of time putting little movies/clips together. He posted this on his wall on facebook asking people to watch it so he can get the views up. Thus, I'm making you all watch it to boost his self-esteem...well ok we'll stick with pride. It's sad but good and I know everyone in the video which makes me feel extra special! Take a look. And, if you feel so inclined, check out some of the other things he's done on his youtube profile.

Contemplating Emotion

I'm not sure I have and answer to this, but as I am attempting to do my homework (sometimes a very difficult process, especially since I would love to be asleep right now), I starting thinking and came up with this question: are people, in general, subconsciously afraid of emotion, particularly strong emotion, and are we taught (or do we teach ourselves) to suppress or hide these emotions?

I was thinking about how a lot of times I don't even realize how much something means to me until I talk to someone about it. Sometimes, for example, I know I'm hurting. We get hurt--it's a part of life. But when I think I've gotten over it, I'll start to talk to someone and then I realize that I'm still hurting. In fact, in that moment, it may hurt more than it seemed to in the first place!

I think maybe we hide will sometimes hide emotion, negative emotions in particular, because we've convinced ourselves it's a sign of weakness. Or maybe we just don't want to admit something is wrong because we don't want to talk about it. Or maybe we don't want people to think we're just a silly little whiner. Maybe it's because we're afraid no one will understand. Maybe we hope that if we ignore that emotion, it will just go away or whatever it is that caused that emotion will go away. There's probably not just one answer.

What do you think?

The Best Way to Ask for a Christmas Present

I've helped Breanna with yet another video! I don't appear in this one but I did pretty much all of the camera work and I helped plan out some of the shots. I'm pretty proud of myself :) haha. Anyway, this is a music video that we put together for her to ask her dad for a specific camera for Christmas. It's set to the tune of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me." I think it's cute even with our mediocre skills! I hope she gets the camera after all this effort! Anyway, check out my awesome camera skills!! Oh...and Breanna too. I guess you can check out her skills :)

Don't Make Excuses

Being an English major with a creative writing emphasis, perhaps I should share some of my infinite wisdom I've been adding to as I've gone through my education. It's impossible to explain all the things I've learned since I first stepped on campus all in one sitting (and my wisdom is not infinite, but don't go telling people that! I've got a reputation to maintain!), but perhaps for all you other aspiring writers out there, some of the things I'm learning may be beneficial to you. You may be tempted to discard my knowledge as my credentials are somewhat lacking (i.e. never officially been published...in anything that really matters anyway. There was that one time in high school but...anyway...). But I'm learning through experience, and that's what I'll share with you. When I begin another attempt to make it into the published world, I can give you advice on that too, but for now, you'll get some perspective from a soon to be holder of a bachelor's degree. Huzzah! But enough of that.

First of all, let me recommend a book to you, and it is probably advice from said book that I will focus on for this post today. This was required reading for my creative writing class. I really enjoyed it and it gives very helpful tips for writers. And it's a quick and enjoyable read! It is called "The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (And how to Avoid Them)" by Jack M. Bickham.

His first piece of advice is to stop making excuses. It kind of reminds me of how I always say there is no time to exercise. I let that excuse hold me back. We do the same thing with writing. Published writers don't have unlimited time either. You have to make time. If it really is important to you, you will make time. Sometimes that means giving up something else, making some sort of sacrifice. Maybe you get up a little earlier or go to bed a little later. Maybe you spend less time on facebook...or blogger (pah! Never!). Or you can relax a bit on your video game obsession or put your favorite TV shows on hold for a bit. "But those are the essence of life" or "But I need those things to help me relax" you may say. Understandable...well the second one is anyway. I spend way too much time with those things too! The important thing is time management. Organize your time. It's possible to have time and sometimes you need a little break between work or classes and writing because writing is work too. Just don't let those things take up your whole day.

You don't have to go writing all day either. Just set an allotted amount of time to it, preferably on a daily basis, and pretty soon you'll have a bunch of short stories or be well on your way to finishing your first novel. I make it sound so easy. Let me assure you that writing is not all fun and games, but even with where I am as a writer, I can look at what I've done and tell you wholeheartedly that it is worth it.

So I guess that's my writing advice for the day. Don't let excuses get in the way. Writing takes practice, so dedicate time to it, and being well read can help too. The more you read, the easier it is for you to pick up on styles or even correct grammar and characters and plot, etc. that will help you with your own writing.

Take a look at Bickham's book! He addressed a lot of my concerns. Don't give up. If you want to write, do it. Don't expect miracles to happen. Writing takes a lot of work and usually a lot of rejection before it's accepted. Sometimes you get lucky, but if you aren't one of those, don't be discouraged.

Have a good day and happy writing to you all :)

The Simple Things

You know, things don't always happen the way we want them to. Sometimes we hope that things will be easier than they actually are or all our troubles will disappear when we wake up tomorrow morning. But you know, even with all the rough times in between the good times, life is good. One of the highlights of my day: I was at a friend's apartment and two of his friends from Idaho Falls were visiting. One of his friends, her name is Ellis if I remember correctly, was saying something about debate back in high school and she said something about labyrinth. Someone asked her what she meant and she said, "Do you know what Labyrinth is?" My immediate response (although technically directed towards no one in particular) was "David Bowie." That's all it took for us to form some sort of deep probably spiritual connection. She turned to me and said "I love you," and then continued on with whatever she was saying originally. For some reason, that was very amusing to me. I'm glad people appreciate my random outbursts like that. Maybe you just had to be there. In short, don't be afraid to be yourself and life is good. The end.

The Love Languages

You've all heard of the 5 love languages right? Well in case you haven't, they are Physical Touch, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Words of Affirmation. I'd taken the test a while ago, but I didn't remember what my results were. It seems to be something that is brought up a lot, so I decided to retake the test. I was expected Words of Affirmation to be my top love language. I thought about it some more and realized that isn't always the case, but I was still willing to bet on it. Well...Words of Affirmation is number four for me. Here are my results:


Acts of Service 30%
Quality Time 27%
Physical Touch 20%
Words of Affirmation 17%
Receiving Gifts 7%


So there you have it. Now if anyone asks me what my love language is, I can tell them, and we'll know right then and there if we are compatable. Ha ha.

I learned something about myself today. I learned that acts of service mean more to me than words of affirmation. Who would have thought? Want to know what your love language is? Take the test here!

So Scared I thought I'd Wet Myself

This post is dedicated to Megan. She just wrote a post about our discovery of the Tower of Terror at California Adventure in August 2008. The above picture is the second time we went on (she said she couldn't find it so I decided to put it in my post). To see the first time, look here.

The first time, Megan and I went with our brother, Josh, and our cousin, Michael. They were determined to keep straight faces for the photo, which they accompished. Megan and I on the other hand, were screaming for our lives! Before we went on, I thought it wasn't going to be a big deal. I thought, "It's just a few drops. How bad can it be?" Well, the ride is Twilight Zone themed and you watch the story behind the haunted elevator and how you are going to relive the experience that made it haunted. You see the ghostly figures of the people who died tragically when the elevator fell. Michael was sitting next to me, and he said, "We will start falling right after you see the images of the people fall." I was still thinking it wouldn't be a big deal, but I was starting to get a little nervous. As the images of the people seemed to get smaller and farther away, Michael said, "Okay, we are going to drop....now." As soon as he finished talking, we began the first drop, and I began screaming like there was no tomorrow!

It was horrifying! A lot worse than I'd expected. I suppose you could also say it's exilerating. The second time Megan and I went, we went with our dad. He made fun of us the whole time we were waiting in line because we were freaking out...a lot! I think he understood why once we started that first drop!! Since I knew where the camera was this time, I smiled for the picture and then immediately resumed screaming.

What I love about the picture is that the shadows make it look like Dad had two giant sweat marks! Haha He was so scared!

Will I do it again? Maybe...but I'll probably whine whilst waiting in line even more than before.

Letterboxing: My Latest Adventure

For one of my English classes I have to write an article about making your own fun in Rexburg. I was inspired by Laura, and decided to discover the joy that is letterboxing. I looked it up on letterboxing.com and found one right here on campus!

It's near here!! Go find it!

Letterboxing is kind of like geocache. People make homemade rubber stamps and hide them. You then go and find said stamp based on the clues they give you. Once you find it, you get to use their stamp to add to your own little book and then you stamp their book and you can leave your name, etc. Make sure you are curtious, and hide the box back where you found it (the stamps are usually in some sort of food storage container).

I made my roommate, Talia, and my friend, Breanna, go with me to share in my adventure. We semi-cheated as we don't have our own stamps (I'm going to get one though!! Huzzah!). So instead of stamping the book, we drew pictures that we thought represented us.

You'd think I'd draw a book or something, but no. I most definitely drew the triforce.

We found a little bionicle man inside as well, so we took some pictures with him. It was all very exciting.

Here is a picture of the stamp that was there. You know you want to start a new hobby and go find it for yourself :) Maybe is sounds kind of weird and maybe even dull, but I assure you, it is quite fun!! Go have yourself an adventure! You never know what good times you'll have along the way!

Good luck with all of your adventures!!

If My Life Had A Soundtrack

Last night after watching "The Sound of Music" and "Phantom of the Opera," I was helping my roommate put together her very own blog. As part of this project, she asked me to help her figure out how to get a playlist on her blog. She also asked me to help pick out songs...but I wasn't very good at that. Most of the songs she was adding to her playlist were by people I'd never even heard of before. She was looking for chill, happy music, and the only ones I could think of are ones that are over done. I kind of laughed as I mentioned how unlike her chill playlist that she was afraid would make her look like a depressed kid, the playlist I've created on playlist.com is a lovely mixture of 80's, broadway, random songs I know line dances too, and others.

I listen to a lot of different styles of music. It kind of depends on my mood. The only thing I don't really like much of is rap. So when people ask me what kind of music I listen to I always say, "A little bit of everything," which is true. But sometimes that's not good enough for people: they want more specifics. So here you go: you are about to get a list of just a few of the songs on my computer, and you can judge my music style for yourself :) I'll even give you specific songs and that way you can discover their awesomeness for yourself!

"You Might Think" by The Cars
"Eye in the Sky" and "Talk About Me" by The Alan Parsons Project
"Save Me" by Remy Zero (you might know this song better as the Smallville theme)
"Pinball Wizard" by The Who (this song cracks me up! You should listen to it!)
"Days Go By" or "Somebody Like You" by Keith Urban
"On the Radio" or "Samson" or "The Call" by Regina Spektor
"Let Love In" by The Goo Goo Dolls
"Take a Chance on Me" or "Mamma Mia" or "SOS" by ABBA
"Northwest Passage" by Stan Rogers
"I'm Gone, I'm Going" by Lesley Roy
"Reptillia" by The Strokes
"Potential Breakup Song" by Aly and AJ
"Come What May" from Moulin Rouge
Pretty much anything from Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables
"Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Root
"Dreams" by the Cranberries
"Here Comes the Sun" or "Hey Jude" or practically anything by The Beatles
"Anywhere is" by Enya
"Within" by William Joseph
"Calling America" or "Mr. Blue Sky" by E.L.O.
"Learning to Breathe" by Switchfoot
Excerpts from Handel's Messiah
"Devil in Disguise" by Elvis
"Run" by Snow Patrol


So there you have it. A brief list of some of the songs on my computer! Those are just some of the first ones that come to my head. What kinds of music do you listen to?

I was just trying to think who it is who can take credit for my love for music or for certain types of music, and I realize I can't just give that credit to one person in particular. Some of it I discovered on my own, some from Rockband/Guitar Hero, some from my parents, and some from friends. Thank you, Dad, for some of the music you introduced me to! My childhood wouldn't have been the same! Haha plus I don't think I would have the same love for things like "Phantom of the Opera" and what I know of The Cars if it weren't for your influence. Mom, I think you deserve some credit too :)

One Thing That Gets Me Through The Day

First of all, a little update. After I wrote my last post, I ironically started to slowly fall into a state of stress and unhappiness. Tuesday was a rough day. It was one of those days where you are so stressed out that you start to worry and get upset about things that don't even matter or aren't even related to the thing causing you stress in the first place! Plus it didn't help that I'd forgotten some things I had to do so I was up until 2:00 am and had to wake up five hours later to make it to my first class of the day. I enjoy my sleep...It was very hard to keep my own advice of not complaining.

It was interesting to me because it almost seemed like there were things building up to that moment. It made me think of how my roommate said a few days ago that there have been so many times in her life that she knows God has prepared her for something before it actually happens--not necessarily big things, but still...I know He helped me through that day even though it was really hard.

Here's the other thing that got me through the day:

That woman there on the right. The person on the left (me) was not what got me through the day. I know I'm pretty awesome like that, but I'd be lying to say I can make it through this life all on my lonesome. Sometimes I like to think I can, but I need a hand every once and awhile. We all do.

Anyway, the woman whose having just as much crazy fun as I am in that picture is my mother. She is a great blessing in my life, and I don't know what I'd do without her. She's inspirational. She always seems to know what to say to make me feel better or what to say because I need to hear it even if it doesn't make me feel better at the time. But in those cases she's always there to give me a hug and tell me that it will all work out, which it always does. It just doesn't always seem like it will at the time. She's let me cry many times and never ever thinks I'm stupid or weak for those moments, a fact that I'm so greatful for because in those moments I'm the one who thinks I'm being weak or stupid. She cares so much about people and doing the right thing. She's so willing to serve others, and she sets a great example. I don't think I can adequate express how much I love her, but hopefully you get the idea.

Thank you, Mom, for encouraging me and reminding me of simple truths that sometimes I'm tempted to forget in those moments where I reach my lowest low. I can't wait to see you again!

Oh, and although I still have a lot to do, my stress level has gone back down. The sun is shining, it's unusually warm for this time of year in Rexburg, and I still have time to fit in a walk which might be slowly becoming part of my daily routine. I'm beginning to realize that even places like Rexburg can be beautiful in its own way.

Until next time! Have a very enjoyable November 5.

To Complain or not to Complain...

I suppose this is really obvious, but sometimes we need a reminder of the obvious because it's those things that we so frequently put aside and ignore, right? So I was just thinking today how easy it is to complain. Each of us, quite easily, could find one if not many things to complain about in a single day. Or if we don't complain we at least look at things in a negative light which will inevatibly put us in bad spirits as long as we allow those things to bring us down. For example:

My hair is being dumb today (something I've thought on more than one occasion :) )

I really wish so and so would contact me

They did so much better than I did or could ever do

Nobody ever cleans up around here

I've got too much to do all the time!

These are just some of the thoughts that might come up, and I've experienced them all at one point or another, so I have a little bit of an idea of what I'm talking about :) But here's the deal. In a lot of these situations, I've come to realize that we want to blame other things or people other than ourselves. We could sit around a mope that certain things are the way they are or how we wish something would just magically happen, but the chances are that it won't get you anywhere. If you want those things to happen, do something about it! If so and so hasn't contacted you in a while, why not try contacting them? Many times it seems that we try to put all the fault on something and disregard the fact that some of the fault lies with us as well. So nobody is cleaning up around the apartment. Take a moment: are you guilty of that as well? You can't rightly complain against other people if you aren't even willing to do your part and put forth some effort to change things. Sorry, that's just the way it is.

Complaining gets you nowhere. In fact, it leaves you worse of than before. It will make you grumpy and irritable and depressed, and it will negatively effect those around you too. No one likes a whiner. It's so easy to pick out the negative things in our life, but if we truly wanted we could see all the good in our life as well. We can make it into a habit, and we will be happier because of it.

I've come to realize that much of happiness depends on our own choice. Really, sometimes it's as simple as telling ourselves, "Okay, I'm done with being grumpy. I'm going to be happy!" If you really mean it, you have the ability to rid yourself of the sadness we so often bring upon ourselves. Now I recognize that it's not always that easy. Sometimes we need help to get out of those ruts. For some people it's just harder, but all people are capable of happiness.

So instead of focusing on all the negative aspects of your day, focus on all the good things in the day. Can't think of anything? What about all those things you take for granted on a daily basis: family, friends, home, food, nice weather, letters, blogs, crafts, whatever it is that you enjoy. If you're having a bad day, change it. You can't control all things that will come your way. Some days just suck. There's no getting around it. But even in those times we can find the good.

I feel like I'm starting to repeat myself. Hopefully that means you'll get the point! Recently, my way of helping me sort things out, get my emotions back in order, or as I like to say, refocus my chi, is by going on walks. These walks can be with someone or on your own. Personally, I like to have the alone time to get away from everything that may be bothering me: school, people :) , etc. I like to walk to one of the parks around here, take some time for introspection, or to read a book, or to write in my journal, or something of the like. Sometimes it's just nice to get out and just let your mind rest. So my tip for the day: take a walk! Besides, if you're any where as busy as I claim to be (the truth lies more in my procrastination I believe), it's a good excuse to make time for a little exercise :)

Remember to take some time for you. Don't let your brain go on overload. Been there. Done that. It's not a fun experience. You need a break every once in a while. Just don't let those breaks talk over all your time.

So in conclusion, try to focus more on the positive in life. Complaining won't help you in this endeavor. In fact it won't help you in any endeavor, and it will hold you back more than anything. Here are just a few things I'm grateful for today:

1. The snow this year hasn't lasted for more than a day at a time thus far. Quite an unusual phenomena for Rexburg.

2. There are so many great people here I've had the pleasure to meet and become friends with!

3. I'm getting an education. Yeah, I complain about that a lot, but really, it's a great blessing.

4. It's sunny :)

5. I did better on my midterm than I thought I would. Huzzah!

6. I've officially registered for my last set of classes without any further troubles! I was a little worried about some things, but it all worked out.

So there you have it! Those are just a few. What are you grateful for today?

And of course I'm grateful for these people. Love you family :)

Hooray for the Weekend!

This past weekend was full of adventure. On Friday I went to a campfire. The most exciting part about it is that it took place entirely in the rain! It was pretty cold, but we were just excited that we could get the fire going. I then went to watch Newsies with a couple of friends of mine since I had never seen it. I still can't claim to have seen it as we spent more time talking and making Batman references than actually watching. So someday, I will actually watch the Newsies.

On Saturday, our whole apartment hung out with Talia's family and we went four wheeling. I had never been before. I went twice that day. The first time was awesome and I didn't die!! The second time was a little more adventurous. One of Talia's sisters was riding with me and we were following her dad and one of her other sisters. He took us on a trail that went right beside a lake. The beach was covered in rocks and I hit one just right, lost control, and drove right into the lake!!! It was so cold!! I jumped off the four wheeler, carried Talia's sister to shore, and waited for her dad to come and save me. The good news is I didn't break the four wheeler!! Oh yeah, and neither Talia's sister or I were hurt.

I'm on the back of the red four wheeler.

We also decorated a bunch of Halloween cookies, played Imaginiff, drew pictures, etc. It was a load of fun. It was nice to get out of town for a little while and have a break from school.

My roommates are tons of fun! It was good to spend a whole day with them. We don't get to spend a lot of time togehter as an entire apartment since we all have busy schedules. We are now halfway through the semester. It's crazy!! Life can be stressful at times, but generally, life is good!!

For All You Stalkers Out There

As promised, here's the stalking video Breanna and I made. Maybe I should actually write a post instead of only putting videos and pictures up all the time...maybe... For now, enjoy our video!

What's This? Danielle was a Part of Another Video for a Class?

That's right. One thing I'm good for around here is making cameo appearences, playing the leading lady, voice overs, and the occasional camera work. The other day as I was walking back to my apartment, I ran into my neighbor and friend, Breanna (the same girl who I did the voice over for and was part of the Pride and Prejudice shin dig). It was like fate! She needed to make a little video intro to a slideshow she would be showing in class the next day so she asked if I'd be willing to give her a hand. Heck yes! I really like making random videos! I'm pretty sure it's more fun for me than it is for the poor people who have to witness the final product. Ha ha. So I'm basically acting as "girl stalked" in this feature and I also served as cameraman when it wasn't just sitting on something so both Breanna and I could be in the shot. Breanna, clever girl that she is, also did some experimenting with a homemade green screen (which consists of six pieces of poster board taped to her wall by the way). So here is the final product! I'm not sure why the last word was cut off...but she is supposed to say "retaliation." So just keep that in mind I guess!






Okay, now off to being a good student, which in this situation means actually doing my homework. Later today, Breanna and I are going to be doing some more filming, so lucky you! You'll probably get to see more of my shinanigans. That's all for the time being! Have a wonderful weekend!

Last Minute or in other words Procrastination

I'm really very good at procrastinating. That in and of itself is not an entirely good thing. It creates a lot of stress. But I'm taking this moment to say I few things before I attend to my mountains of homework. First of all, happy Columbus Day and whatever that truly means to you. It is quite possible that it means nothing to you. More on that subject tomorrow when I have more time to write a longer post. Let's just say people like Columbus have been on my mind lately thanks to my Early American Lit class.

Other thoughts: you know what's great? When you think your next story isn't due until next week only to discover it's actually due tomorrow! Huzzah! The good news is, I already finished my story a couple of days ago. It just messes up my plans a little bit. But it will work out for the better I think. Things tend to have a way of working out even if it is with a few rough edges.

This weekend was pretty awesome. On Friday I got to see Broadway Review on campus. Basically the idea behind Broadway Review is a bunch of people audition to perform songs from famous musicals. One of my friends, Matt, was in it again this year. He performed a duet from Spamalot. They sang "The Song that Goes Like This." So pretty much it was the most hilarious thing I witnessed all weekend. There were some other really good acts as well. I Think my other favorites were "Confrontation" from Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde and "Agony" from Into the Woods. So good job everybody although there's really no point in me saying that here since none those people actually read my blog. Haha.

On Saturday, Megan and I got to see Jim Brickman in concert. He came to campus and he played a lot of songs from his new album. He has some really good music.

Oh, speaking of music, when I was in Europe we attended church in Swansea, Wales. They sang a traditional song at the end of the meeting which I thought was so beautiful. I was so touched by the lyrics and those loving people. The other day, I stumbled across the song. I was able to find the lyrics and then find a choir singing it on youtube. So in closing of this post, I'd like to share this song with you. It's called "We'll Keep a Welcome in the Hillsides."

Far away a voice is calling,
Bells from memory do chime
Come home again, come home again,
They call through the oceans of time.

Well keep a welcome in the hillside.
Well keep a welcome in the Vales
This land you knew will still be singing
When you come home again to Wales.

This land of song will keep a welcome
And with a love that never fails,
We'll kiss away each hour of hiraeth
When you come home again to Wales.

Here's one of the videos a came across so you can actually hear it sung:

Doodle Fiend

So this is what i doodled during church yesterday. Yay doodling!

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Ender's Shadow

So I believe it was last weekend when I was asked to be the voice for a 4 year old boy for a commercial for the book "Ender's Shadow" by Orson Scott Card. She was making it for a class. I was way excited to do it. She has awesome animation skills for the technology she has available to her. Anyway, I think I sound absolutely ridiculous! My first line is okay but I kind of lost it after that....probably because I couldn't stop laughing. I mean, the kid goes by the name Bean. That was somehow incredibly funny. Plus after my first line (I know how you can get rid of the bullies), I tried to say something like "murder them all" in a creepy voice, but I couldn't make it through the whole line without falling over with laughter. Yeah, I was having issues. All in all, I'm still proud of it. I'm part of an animated feature!!! Ha ha! Maybe I'll actually read the books now....when I have time.....

Anyway, I've taken the liberty of including the clip on here so you can see how awesome I am as a 4 year old.





I think this will open up some more job opportunities for me :)

I discussed the possibility of becoming a professional consultant that helps girls break up with boys with a couple of my guy friends on campus. For some reason they thought that would be a suiting job for me....haha I think I still go for becoming an author. I like that idea better. Or I could always become a rockstar :)

"Well I don't have two heads so...."

So today I separated my plaster tape mold of my face from the plaster. I manage to do that without destroying the plaster tape mold so you get to see it now!! Just imagine it over my face.

Me and my plaster tape face, we are best of friends forever!

Adventures with Plaster Tape

Today I felt truly claustrophobic for the first time in my life!! I mean sure there's been those times where I'm like "There are way to many people in here. I need some fresh air." But never have a actually felt fear. I was kind of surprised today when some tinglings of fear was part of my reaction to my adventure with paster tape. Let me explain. I'm currently taking a mask making class here at school and it's really helpful when making a mask to have a face to model it on. So for the past couple of class periods we've been making molds of our faces which we will then fill with plaster of paris and then we will have the perfect model to make masks for our faces! Hooray!! The way you make the mold is essentially by covering your entire face (eyes and mouth included) with plaster tape, letting it dry, and then pulling it off. I don't have a picture from class but I found this picture online.






That's how it's done! We actually did it a little differently. That is, we covered the hair with plastic wrap so we could go back a little farther on the head. You also get to put vaseline on your face as to prevent your eyebrows/eyelashes/etc. from being pulled out (that would have been handy when I put latex and tissue on your face, huh Laura?).

So after my entire face had been covered except for my two nostrils so I didn't die, I began to be somewhat afraid. There was no need to be, but the fear was creeping up nonetheless. So in that moment I wondered if that's how my mom or grandpa feel when they are in tight places--that fear that prevents them from touring the Oregon Caves and such. I wonder...

It wasn't too bad though. Not nearly as bad as when someone comes at me with a needle....

The Power of Positive Thinking

First of all, I like to give a shout out to my wonderful family. I know I've done this a few times but you can never tell your family how much you appreciate and love them too many times right? Today I had a nice long talk with Megan (it was awesome just to sit and talk forever), and among other things I started to think of how grateful I am for my family especially since I can just sit and talk with them for hours. Times of change are coming. Megan and I are both graduating in April and then a new adventure will begin for us (scary but exciting!). Stuart and Laura are starting a new adventure of their own in the form of heading to California for Chiropractic school. I kind of miss having them around....especially since for the first time in my college career I have to keep track of quarters just so I can have clean underwear.... I'm really excited for them though. Mom and Dad, you rock my socks and even when we are so far away from each other, you still manage to keep me entertained :) Love you! And my baby brother is finish his associates. He's growing up :) Ha ha. Well the point is, I love you family and though times are changing, I'll still love you no matter what and we'll still find time to hang out I'm sure :)

Okay onto the second thought process of this post. As I mentioned, I talk with Megan for a really long time today and I came to realize something. I can be really hard on myself (it's an easy thing to do really) and it sometimes causes problems (i.e. stress, sadness, you get the idea). Then it dawned on me: I need a shift in my attitude. I always use phrases like "Will you read this to see if it really sucks that bad" or have mindsets like "I really need to lose weight so I can be beautiful." So perhaps my thoughts aren't like that verbatim, but I realized that part of the reason it's so easy for me to be hard on myself and fall into that occasional depression is simply because of the things I say to myself or how I phrase things. My roommate Sara was talking to me yesterday and mention how at one point when she was able to lose weight it was mostly because she changed her mindset. As soon as she started telling herself she was beautiful and came to believe it, she was able to lose the weight she needed to lose.

This idea popped into my head when I was telling Megan that she would have to read a story that I'm working on to see how much it sucked. I then corrected myself by saying something like "I mean so you can see how wonderful it is." At that moment, with that simple change of attitude/positive word choice I actually felt much better about myself. It was one of those "aha" moments where I realized that I'm the only one bringing myself down. No one else tells me I suck at this or that. In fact, other people have been telling me good things about myself, but I counteract it with my negative thinking towards myself.

So my main point is how completely awesome I am. Ha ha nah my point is mostly a message to myself to stop being so negative. And my advice to you is don't be so hard on yourself either! You are your own worst critic. Start viewing life in a positive way. You'll be a lot happier with yourself and your life in general. Give it a try!

Now it's time to do my homework....stay positive. Stay positive!!!

Night all.

Clifford and Thelma

These are my great grandparents Clifford and Thelma Murray. They were my subjects today for my digital scrapbooking efforts. I was trying to add a bit more to it but I couldn't make it work. This isn't so bad though. By the way, I survived the first day of classes. Yay!

Back in the Burg

I am officially back in Rexburg waiting to start a new semester (classes start tomorrow!). It's always a little wierd to make the transition back to school life, but it's going to be great. I just know it! I like my new apartment (it comes with dish network!) and if I ever get bored I have friends close by. I only have two semester left including this one! Huzzah! We'll see what happens after that! Well there's not much to tell right now. I spent a lot of time sitting around yesterday and I think the same thing is going to happen today! Oh and Mom, I know I tried to send you a picture yesterday via phone but now you can see it better. This is one thing I was working on yesterday:

The time is drawing near for me to leave for school. I was just reminde this morning why i'm excited to go back. I love the people there! I still have a bunch of stuff to do like packing and cleaning my room like you can see from the picture. So off i go to actually do something besides playing online games! Here i come messy room...right after i get some lunch.

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Oregon Trip

Okay, get ready for your brief synopsis of my Oregon trip as promised! We finally made it to my grandparents house in Grants Pass after squeezing in Astoria, Fort Clatsop, Newport Aquarium, and Heceta Lighthouse into our itinerary. Megan and I had to sleep in my grandparents little trailer. She was so kind to give me the tiny bed (which I fell off of one night).

The next day, Thursday, we spent a lot of time just hanging out. We played a lot of ping pong and darts, and we spent a lot of time hanging out on the patio visiting, reading, etc. It was really hot that day, so we went to a park along the Rogue River, had a picnic, and played in the water. Well, only Megan, Stuart, and Laura got in the water. Megan was trying to catch a fish with her bare hands. That didn't really work. She screamed when one of them got brave enough to touch her. Stuart got out of the water around that time as one of the fish decided to come up and smack him. But at least he didn't scream :)

Friday, we all went out to breakfast to Elmers as is tradition when we make our Oregon trips. It was pretty much delicious even though their hash browns suck compared to my dad's (heck, I think all hash browns suck compared with my dad's!). At the front desk they have dum dums for you to take. They should know not to give dum dums to a group of dum dums because something like this might happen:

Saturday was a very exciting day. We got to go to "America's largest wild animal petting park!" That's right. I got to pet a lion cub, leopard cub, a lynx, and other animals with smaller claws/teeth. We even got to hold a possum in a sack! I discovered that possums have really ugly feet. I'm just saying... I would post a picture of me holding the possum but as soon as Megan handed him to me, he ducked into his sack and wouldn't come out again. As soon as I gave him to someone else to hold, he decided to make an appearance. Rude!

We also spent some time on the coast. It was really windy and therefore really cold! It was pretty though and we got to go the the top of a lighthouse. To go to the top, you had to be wearing closed toed shoes. Megan and I were both wearing flip flops, so we had to trade with Josh and his girlfriend, Heather, after they went up and came back down.

Sunday was your average sunday. We went to church and some of us got to witness a fight among some women (don't worry it wasn't a physical fight. They just started yelling at each other. That type of fight.). That was...exciting?

Monday was our last day. We went on a hike to Rainie Falls. I'd been there once before and I remembered the hike being easier than it actually was. It wasn't too bad though and I think the view at the end is worth it.

Tuesday morning we said our goodbyes and made the trip back home! Now I have one week (from yesterday!) before I leave back to school. It's almost nerve wracking now that it's so close! But there are definitely some things I'm looking forward to back in Idaho...one of them is not the weather...

It's Late, But I Love You So....

Hey all. I will give you a proper update later.... That's the plan anyway. Whenever I put something like this off and say I'll tell you what happened in my recent past later, it usually doesn't happen. But I have faith. Just in case, here's a brief sketch as I am wont to give.

I just got back from a vacation in Oregon to visit my grandparents and I loved it! It's really nice to get a change of scenery every once and a while. It felt good to get away for a little bit. We made some stops on the way down that we don't normally take. I can now officially say I've been to Astoria, OR! Huzzah! What's so cool about Astoria you may ask? Shame on you for not knowing!! But I forgive you. First, it's kind of a cute little town that I wish I would have had more time to explore. But the biggest reason why I wanted to stop there was because that's where "The Goonies" was filmed. We stopped (very briefly) at some key Goonies sights including the Goonies house! That was fun, especially since once my dad and I walked up the private drive (it was allowed I promise!!!) it took us a bit to figure out which one was actually the Goonies house. We kind of guessed and took a picture. Luckily we guessed correctly.

We also made a stop at an aquarium and Heceta lighthouse. That wasn't the lighthouse we were planning on seeing but we couldn't find the other one. A little disappointing, but I was happy to get to see a lighthouse instead of not seeing one at all. Oh I forgot! We also stopped at Fort Clatsop just outside of Astoria. For those who don't know, Fort Clatsop is where Louis and Clark stayed for a time. It was very cool.

Hmm I'm getting very sleepy. I'll give you more details (including pictures!!) on Oregon later. I only have a little bit left until I take off for school again for my last two semesters at BYU-Idaho. I'm starting (starting probably isn't correct as this isn't the first time I've had this feeling) to feel the pressure of figuring out what to do with my life after college. My dad pointed it out today that I should have some idea of a plan or career. Either that or I can marry a rich guy. Thanks dad, but I don't think that's going to happen :)

I'm secretly hoping I'll become instantly famous somehow. I'm not sure how, but it could happen, right? Good news though: my creative writing juices are beginning to come back. I probably didn't mention that I thought they'd died and I lost them forever (definitely not a good thing for an English major with an emphasis in creative writing who planned on writing books for a living.......yeah I should find a back up plan). While on my vacation I spent some time reading and some time writing and my love for reading and writing is slowly reviving. I need to devote more time to books and my characters who are dying to be shared with the world. I've been working on a story for a very long time and I hope I'll soon be able to finish it. Even if it doesn't get anywhere, I want to finish it. The only thing is once I finish it I have to go back and edit it and probably re-edit it. I should have written a children's book instead....


Well I hope all's well for you in the big world out there. Good luck with your ambitions and dreams! And always make time to settle down and read a good book :) Or spend a few hours playing your favorite video game. Haha. That's one thing that really took my time away from books and writing. Silly "Kingdom Hearts". Why do I love you so? Until next time! Enjoy the rest of your summer while you still can (unless it's ended for you already!!!).

Idea Inspired by the Journal Jar

What's this? Two posts in one day within minutes of each other?! THAT'S RIGHT!!!!! I just had this feeling that you were all craving just a little bit more. So a little bit more you shall have! Okay so here's my idea: I have this old journal jar from back in my Young Women days (take a moment for nostalgia to kick in, take a deep breath, and focus back to the present). Since I seem to have trouble coming up with topics lately I thought perhaps it's about time I actually use the thing. So every so often, I will pull a slip of paper from the jar and write on whatever topic is written there. It's been so long I don't even remember what some of the topics are. You may also use the topics to inspire your own writing. I think I will post some topics on the side and rotate them. You better use some of these topics just because I am really curious what is in there and what people will say about them. I hope there's some good ones in there!! That is all.

I Want To Be A Superhero

Okay so in my head I'm thinking "I have nothing new to talk about", but I'm hoping if I just keep typing something will come up because I feel like I somewhat neglect my poor little blog.

I suppose I could talk about how I'm a "closet gamer" according to Stuart (Laura just calls me a geek). I spent most of Saturday finishing 'Kingdom Hearts II'. Totally worth it, although I think I like the first one a little bit better.

Or I could talk about how Stuart and I have been discussing time and time travel. Stuart and I have differing views on the subject. Maybe I just don't think about things enough or I'm just too stubborn. I don't know. I'm not even going to attempt to explain all of Stuart's points (which I'll admit were valid. Is that good enough for you ?) :P

Okay so neither of those topics are really any good. Not good enough for an entire post anyway....

Well why I don't I just give you a brief synopsis of my life now and in the near future. Sounds riviting, eh?

I'm currently working at Jansport just like last summer. Some of you may remember those few Jansport posts. Here's a review. People ask me what it is I do all day and it's actually very simple. I take a box which has a label on it telling what other box or boxes to go to in order to retrieve the backpack(s) the customer ordered (take note I'm in a warehouse and don't actually deal with customers myself). I take the backpacks from the boxes they are all cozied up in and stuff them into the new box. I then tape the box and send it on it's way. Very exciting stuff. And that's what I do from 6-2:30 Monday through Friday.

So it might not be that exciting, but it pays well and I'm just lucky I was able to get my same job back!! Nobody likes job hunting. And now I will be able to afford food when I return to BYU-Idaho at the beginning of September. Hooray!

My last day of work is next Wednesday as my family is heading down to Oregon to hang with the grandparents. Woot!! I'm actually really excited. I need a change of scenery or something. Plus I love my grandparents and Oregon! So it pretty much equals happiness all around.

Once we get back, it won't be long till I'm off for my last two semesters in Rexburg. Yay! That's exciting and kind of scary since I don't know what I'm going to do with my life after I graduate. That's all part of the adventure right? Besides, if all else fails, I can just live in my parents' basement for the rest of my life while continuing to be a closet gamer!! Sounds good to me....

I'm actually not to worried about it right now. Maybe that's a bad thing, but I just feel like everything will work out somehow. Right now the important thing is to graduate! Then I can decide if I should do more schooling, or do service for my church, or dig a giant hole in my backyard for a pool. Sometimes we just have to take things one step at a time.

I think I just made up my mind right now. I'm definitely going with that pool option. Either that or I'm becoming a superhero... Someone find my a radioactive spider! Quick!

Maybe I Do Have Some Creativity After All

So I decided to take another stab at digital scrapbooking and this is what I came up with. I was putting it together while watching "Just Like Heaven" with my family. My dad peeked over my shoulder and asked what program I was using. I hesitated before admitting to using paint and powerpoint. I don't have any of that fancy stuff and I was much to lazy to download some sort of free rip off or something. Besides, I like experimenting. And it didn't turn out half bad, right?

I love this picture. I came across it as I was stealing old photos and things from my mom (and when I say stealing I mean scanning with permission). This is a picture of my mom with her grandpa, Jackson. She talked to me a little bit about the memories she has associated with this picture. That's one reason I love going through my mom's old photos: I get to hear stories I haven't heard before and I get to put faces to familiar names.

I'd like to know your thoughts on my scrapbooking attempt. You even have permission to make fun of me for using paint as a resource :) I think it's kind of funny. Have a great day!!!

Body Types and Jean Sizes

Remember that movie/book "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" where one pair of jeans magically fits four different girls? Does anyone else wish that jeans actually worked like that? Shopping for jeans can kind of stress me out sometimes. Today I was out and about and thought I would browse some jeans. I wasn't really in a big shopping mood but I found a pair tried it on (more like attempted to try them on) and didn't feel like trying anymore on. I have similar experiences almost everytime I attempt to put on a pair of jeans and they won't even get halfway up my hips and when they do make it over my hips they don't fit everywhere else. So I came to a conclusion today and I've decided to demonstrate my thoughts with pictures! Here we go...

Here are the well known body types: hour glass, apple, and pear (poor hour glass....doesn't get to be a fruit like everyone else....)

These are the people, like me, struggle to get those perfect jeans that fit every part of your lower half like they were just an extra layer of skin. And here is the fourth body shape, the shape that jeans are really made for, the stick figure....

So basically, here was my conclusion:

Jean sizes are modeled after those people so small that they still fit into their life size Barbie outfits (kind of like Angela on "The Office". Anyone remember that episode? Ok so it wasn't life size Barbie clothes.....). That is why I cannot find the perfect jeans very often.

Tina the stick bug says: "Do these make me look fat?"

Family History: Why I Do It

I haven't updated in a long time. I've felt like I didn't have anything to write about, but it's occured to me that you can always dig up something to write about. So no more excuses. Today's focus is family history -- something I spend a lot of time with.

One time I was at a cemetery not far from my home taking pictures of some graves that people had requested pictures of (a service through findagrave.com). This particular time, I had to make a request regarding care of the grave. There was an overgrown bush covering the grave and I submitted a form to get it trimmed. The man helping me with this process asked me why I was taking time to take pictures of graves for someone I didn't even know. I replied that I would want someone to do the same thing for me (and they do and a million thanks to them for their time), but there's more to it than that. It's part of the whole reason why I do family history, and that's what I'm attempting to share with you today.

I do family history because who they were is part of who I am or who I will become. We can learn from the past and the decisions people made or the things people fought for. This is a picture of my Grandpa Rieck with me and my brother and sister back in 1992.

I love this picture. I don't actually remember my granpda, but I've heard a lot of things about him from my mom. He has a special place in my heart, and this picture is proof that we actually did know each other at some point :) Another reason I do family history is because I believe I will be able to see people again after this life. My Grandpa Rieck is one person I look forward to seeing again.

This is my great grandpa Malone in his army uniform. I only have 4 resources to proove he existed: personal memories, photos, headstone, and the Oregon Death Index. I have no idea who his parents were or even if he had any siblings. He ran away from home and lied about his age so he could join the army. It seems he didn't like to talk about his family, and the records from his birthplace were destroyed in a fire. His background is a mystery that has caused me some frustration. I am determined to find his family someday or at least provide a beginning so someone else can find his family. I do family history to uncover mysteries like his and to discover as much as I can the lives of my ancestors.

I also save records/pictures so those who come after me can know me and my family now. I don't know if any of my children will take an interest in family history as I have. However, there may come a point where they want to know the stories that I've collected or gain greater insight into even who I am. I know now that I would do almost anything just to have in my hands a journal from some of my family who in all actuality haven't been gone from this earth for that long.

So why do I take pictues of graves for people I don't know or help others find their family links or scan tons of my moms old pictures I find around the house? I do it because just having a picture or a document or a headstone makes that person more real to you. Because you can create a connection to your past. Because their stories deserved to be told.

I do family history because who they were is a part of who I am or who I will become. Whether directly or indirectly, I'm affected by these people and their lives. Without certain choices made along the line, my life to this point would have played out differently than it has. I love my family and I want to feel a connection to them.

So do your family history. It takes a lot of time and it can definitely be frustrating at times, but I hope you will find the rewards as I have.

Cows With Guns

Tonight we went out to The Outback for dinner. While we were sitting there gnawing our steaks, we started singing this song. Enjoy!

This is why megan and i love the strawberry festival! Thursday night we went to the carnival they have every year. I took this picture on my favorite ride: the scrambler. Everytime i get on that ride it's like i suddenly become high on life. I laugh so hard i cry. Also megan was being thrown into me by via spinning motion. That might have had something to do with the tears. Ha ha! Here's to little adventures in our everyday lives. Cheers.

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I don't think you could ever understand how much it moves me...

I am in love with Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera". I grew up with the soundtrack with Sarah Brightman and Michael Crawford. We used to listen to it during road trips. When the movie came out in 2004, I was so excited to see it. My parents had taken my brother and sister to see it on stage in Seattle, but I didn't go for who knows why. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to see it on stage, and the movie was one step towards the real thing.

There are aspects of the movie that I do really enjoy, but I still wanted to see the real thing. When I went abroad, our teachers were able to get enough of our money together for us to be able to do something extra in London. My lifelong dream was finally realized! Not only was I able to see "Phantom" on stage, but I saw it in "Her Majesty's Theatre" -- the place it was originally performed.

It was magical! Just hearing the music gives me chills. I don't even know how to describe how much I am moved by the musical. I get so wrapped up in it, and I always want to cry for the phantom....always. Even when I read the book (in which the phantom seems more cruel to me), I thought I would not feel bad for him in the end, but I still nearly cried.

I could go on and on about specifics and comparing the movie with the stage production, but I don't think I'll do that at this time. Just trust me, you must see "The Phantom of the Opera" on stage before you die.

To make the dream even more awesomely fulfilled, when we went to Paris, Megan and I found The Paris Opera House, where Gaston Leroux's novel takes place!! It was hard to get good pictures of me, but it is beautiful. You can't see all of the opera house, but there are still stables and 17 storeys (or something close to that). Something else we learned is that there actually is a lake underneath the opera house.

The infamous chandelier!!!

So there is a brief look at a dream fulfilled.