Update

Well, things are good. August was a good month. Nothing too exciting happened, at least not that I can remember at this particular time. I helped Mark and Lu move down from Logan. They live in Springville now, which is awesome. Les and I went over there last Saturday and just chilled. It was good times. I'm glad that they're here. I like chillin with the fam.
A few weeks ago I took pictures for an awesome family I know. Sam had just turned 1 and Megan wanted to get some photos snapped. I took some of cute ones of David too. Here are just a few of my favorites.









I started school last week. So far so good. I think I'll really enjoy my classes this semester. My favorite so far is my Old Testament institute class. My teacher is pretty much the best ever. I've been really lucky when it comes to Seminary and Institute teachers. Anyway, the class is awesome. We've only had two lessons, and I've been blown by both. It's a great way to start off the school day.
I am also taking an English 2010 class. My teacher is very much an.....what's the word...intellectual? Maybe that's the word I want to use. I'm not sure. He's super passionate about writing and reading which is awesome, though sometimes a single sentence from him can make me go: "Wha?" And then I feel stupid. But that's nothing new.
Last and I wish least, I'm enrolled in Math 1010. Let's just pray I can make it through. My Professor is definitely cool, and I've actually made friends in the class (Is that the sound of the end of the world I hear?). But math is like death. Inevitable, but not fun.
Leslee's sure had a good month. A while ago she was at work and her back started to hurt. Pretty soon she was walking all distorted. She was like a walking right angle. So over the the hospital she went and had an MRI. What a surprise! She's got degenerative disc disease, inherited lovingly from Mom. :) I think all the kids got it. I was diagnosed when I was like 15. But unfortunately for Les, one of her herniated discs flared up. I've never had that pleasure, but sure am looking forward to it.
So yesterday she had spinal injections. Yikes! I just about pass out at the thought! Mark and I went with my mom once when she was getting injections. The needles they use are insane! But Leslee said it wasn't as bad as she thought. Hopefully it'll help her for a few months at least.
The best part about this past week was I was able to watch Athena! She's just as cute as ever. This time around she wasn't as easy to tend. She didn't like my Mom for some reason and would cry her eyes out every time I left the room. (This filled me with secret joy in knowing that she liked me more than everyone else.) Yesterday, while Les and the parental units were at the hospital, I watched her all by myself. Yep, we could do OK, she and I. I pretty much adore her, and clearly she thinks I'm awesome. It was sad to see her leave again, but I'm just grateful I got to say goodbye this time.
Now it's time to rest my poor body which is sore from carrying her all over the place. Here's to all the mom's who have to do it everyday!! You guys are great.
Also, another cool thing, I'm finally done with Primary! I will be released tomorrow. What's my new calling you ask? I'm the new Beehives advisor! Wahoo! This should be an interesting experience. I've never taught older kids before. They'll probably end up teaching me a few things. :)
That's all that's going on with me. Thanks for stopping by. Peace!

Years of Growing

Now, don't slide your mouse over to that red X in the right hand corner just yet. I promise that this is not a corny blog, though the title may suggest otherwise. :) I just wanted to talk about my hair. I know, ridiculous right? Here's the thing. As some of you may know, I can't stay with one hair style for too long. We laugh often at pictures of my friends and me at how in each picture my hair is completely different. Well, for about 2 years now, I have been growing my hair out and it's been very difficult. Growing my hair is like......growing a Chia Pet. It's really boring, takes much too long and the end result is never what you want. But I'm trying anyway. So, let's take a look back....just about two years ago.

This was taken with my phone, so that explains the poor quality, but here is my hair at it's shortest. Isn't it adorable? I think so. I would curl the sideburns sometimes, giving myself a very 20's style. Miss it!



Here it is at about the same length (this was taken at the end of 2007) But it was flipped out, instead of smoothed. Again, miss this length. So fun.



Now here is mid 2008. My first months in the growing out process. Still cute, the layers gave my hair some good body. (however my bangs usually looked better than they do in this pic)


Here is early 2009, it's almost to a shoulder length....but not quite. Not as cute as the shorter styles I'm afraid.....but again, I'm determined.


Now here is a picture from two months ago. I was actually having a great hair day on this day, so know that my hair does not often look that good. (Usually I pull it back in a bun anyway)

And if you look to the previous blog post you will see even more recent pictures. The point is, I'm meant for short hair. Everyone agrees. But yet, I am stubborn and refuse to cut it. At the same time, all I want to do is chop it off! I'm hoping to last until next summer before I cut it all off. That way I can grow about 4 more inches. I've never had my hair that long in my life. Who knows, maybe when it gets to a certain length it'll be way hot. Doubtful, but we'll see.

Well, now that I've wasted about ten minutes of your time. Time in which you could have been doing something infinitely more exciting. But thanks anyway for reading! Peace!

July In Pictures

July 4th- Stadium of Fire

Missy is way excited for the JONAS BROTHERS!!!
OH MY GOSH IT'S JOE!! :)





Leslee and I spent many days in the car, driving lots of places. Mainly SLC.


We went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house. Here is poor Moroni who was struck by lightning and now has a black arm and trumpet.


What a beautiful temple!

Who doesn't love stopping at Sears on their day off?


On the 17th (aka-the best day of my whole life) we went to the George Strait concert at the Usana Amphitheatre. It kicked A! Except for this part. See this long line we had to stand in? Yeah, 104 degrees outside baby. I think I lost twenty pounds in sweat. Gross.

See, we are not happy. But don't fret. It was totally worth it.
Now we're inside the amphitheatre! It may not look like it, but we did have pretty good seats. Though being surrounded by drunk people was a little strange...........

Here is the whole group! And a few drunk people behind us. :)
AHHHH!!! It's Gorgeous George!!! Isn't he the best?

This me being all giddy about the fact I was watching the love of my life singing on stage. :)



Now we're on to the next day when we had a BBQ for my Grandpa's B-day! This is me making cupcakes. Just call me Betty.

This is Leslee eating my cupcake batter. Smart girl.


So, for five days we watched my cousin's 10 month old baby girl. Her name is Athena and my family fell head over heels for this little cutie. She was the best baby I've ever encountered. She hardly ever cried, slept whenever she was tired, loved to clap her hands and drool and go for walks in her stroller. She ate her food like a good little baby (even the gross macaroni and beef with chicken crap). Long story short. I love her. I miss her.


My visiting teachers said she looked like she could be mine (a comment of which filled me with complete bliss because I wish it was true!) But I don't see a resemblance really. She's much too cute to look anything like me.



This is the day we went to the Zoo and a baseball game. Unfortunately, we couldn't take the camera into the baseball stadium, though I think I would have just taken pictures of the players looking attractive in their uniforms. :) I'm not going to post any animal pictures either. They're kinda boring. But here is cute little Thena in her stroller. Les likes this picture, she kinda has shifty eyes goin on.


Here is me pushing the stroller at the Zoo.

So instead of animals, how about I show you pictures of Les and I acting like retards at the Zoo playground! I'm in a turtle shell, which I may say was very difficult to get into due to the fact I was in a skirt. Les is in an egg though she kept saying "I'm in a womb."



Good news! We have a new washer and dryer! Aren't they pretty? I don't know how to work them yet, but they're Bosch. And I hear that's pretty good.

Now this is a picture of our new central air system! Yeah baby! Woohoo! No more swamp cooler for us. We're moving up in the world. Dang, new washer and dryer, new air conditioning system, a basement all to myself. Psh! And people think it's uncool that I live with my parents. I'm livin the dream!


These are my favorite. :) This is my "photo shoot" with Athena. Thanks to Les for helping with the entertaining.







So that's all the pictures I'll post. It was a good month. Thanks for stopping by! Peace.

My sermon for the night. :)

Ephesians 6:13-18

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit..."

For years upon years these versus have been almost a constant in my mind. I'm not sure what made them resonate like they have, maybe it was that song on the New Testament church CD. That guy with a deep voice sings it. :D The point is, I love them. Now here is my spiel:

Paul the Apostle told us to take upon us the WHOLE armour of God. Leaving any part of ourselves unprotected well.....leaves us unprotected. It makes us weak, makes us vulnerable to Satan's wiles.

Verse 13: "...that you may be able to withstand in the evil day..." Is there any day more evil than today? There is nothing more prominent in the world today than immorality. The first piece of armour Paul speaks of is the Girdle of Truth (chuckle if you must, I do every time I see the word). We have to keep ourselves true, morally righteous, clean, chaste, and so on. That is the most difficult task we young people have ahead of us, what with all the media garbage thrown in our faces wherever we go.

Verse 15: [Keep] "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace". I love this part of our armour. I look at it in two ways. The first is missionary work. What better opportunity do we have in life than to teach others the gospel? Wherever we go, we must spread the gospel of peace. Second, if you just read it like this: keep your feet shod with peace, I think of it a bit different. In the footnote to this verse it says "Peace of God". Christ's gospel IS peace. "Build upon my rock, which is my gospel." D&C 11:24. We need a solid foundation to stand on. There is nothing more solid than the gospel of Jesus Christ. He must be our rock. If we keep our feet firm on the solid foundation of the gospel, no storm can move us.

The other pieces of armour I could go on and on about too, but I don't want to start boring anyone. But I do want to say something about the Shield of Faith. "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked."

No protection you have will do any good without faith. We believe in that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can keep our faith strong by doing those things we should be doing. I don't want to sound like a child in primary, but what better answer to 'what should we be doing?' is there than the typical primary answers? Going to church, reading our scriptures, saying our prayers (As we're told to do in verse 18!), going to the temple, etc.

The point is, the church is true. The Gospel of Peace is the true gospel. I know it. God loves me, Christ loves me and there is nothing that will make them change there minds about that. If we lose a piece of our armour and make mistakes, as we all will, what greater gift our we given than the gift of repentance?

Well, that's it. I hope I didn't ramble on, I just needed to write my thoughts down. I hope it wasn't too weird that I basically bore my testimony on my blog.......

Anywhoo, life is good! I wish all of you well! Peace!

Art City Days and such

Well another week over, another week to come. That doesn't sound very positive, but I don't mean it to be negative. This weekend was actually quite cool. The carnival was in town for Art City Days. Saturday was our traditional Saturday. We had the parade in the morning, thanks to Bryan and Megan for coming! Their cute little boy David livened the whole thing up for me. He's a keeper. Here's a pic of him at the parade showing me some of the great taffy he picked up off the ground. :)Here's their other little Cutie Sammy-


I didn't get any real nice pictures of the parade, so I'm not going to post any. :) Anywhoo, After the parade it was off the the Nance Family BBQ. I played Daddio in ping pong and held my own, though I'm sure he was just going easy on me. It was nice to see the fam. Especially Grandma. I love that woman. After the Par-tay, it was back home to watch a great Thunderstorm. After the rain stopped I took the camera out and snapped some pictures. They turned out pretty well, though they would have been better if I had a Macro Lens. But alas, I do not.

The pictures above were actually taken before it rained. :) Hence, the dryness of the flower.


After that my fam took a quick trip to the carnival and I bought a pretty bracelet. :) Saturday night Bryan, Megan, their kiddies, Pop and I braved the wet cold and went to the fireworks. They were awesome.

So that was my weekend in a nutshel. For now, Peace!