160 Days & Counting

Any one who quotes John Winthrop and the Arabella Sermon will make a fantastic president.

Just ask Ronald Reagan.

I am counting down the days.
 Just a warning: over the course of the next 6 months, this blog is going to get very political. Enjoy. 

Some Photos From the Long Weekend

my favorite guy. he's a keeper & a fantastic friend.

the oakland temple. amazing. 

escalon has beautiful orchards everywhere you look. so i explored one.

lemonade & baseball. perfection.

no wonder all those liberals in san fran can't wait to vote for obama this year. oh wait. 

Perhaps I'll do a long post about my vacation later. Perhaps not. 

Here's a short & sweet of the weekend:

It was a fantastic trip. I spent 18 hours (round trip) in a car with my family and
loved every minute of it. We listened to the Dixie Chicks & Philip Philips.

I hung out with my cousins and caught up on their {almost} adult lives.

I got lots of hugs from my grandma and lots more comments about "that cameron boy."

I spent hours with anna & erin. I love them.

I got thrown over my cousin's (the graduate) shoulder and got sat on more times than I can count.

I ate granola like no one's business took far too many pictures of fruit.

I spent a day cheering against the yankees & touring san fran like a true tourist.

I wore my red sox hat, target scarf, and wind breaker proudly.

and I got the best comment ever: "woah, kayla! you look so different!! you look BEAUTIFUL." haha oh grandma, was I not beautiful when you saw me last june? hahahaha

seriously though, I have a fantastic family. both my family family & my extended family. It was great to catch up with everyone and celebrate my cousin and new favorite marine. He is going to do his family & country proud. Love you, Alex!

All Is Well

Yes, I took this today. All is well with Kayla. 

A Day At the Office

We got a pencil sharpener from staples. It is THE WORST sharpener ever. I seriously have to give it the "fonzie" tap in order to get it to work. Ryan didn't believe me & had to test it for himself.

Moving day reveals my dark secrets. Or in this case, my recycling initiative. I decided to recycle all the water bottles I drink by stuffing them in my drawer...Janna laughed at me & I found a box to recycle my bottles. This "going green" thing is really hard. 

Pictures & a Quote to Sum Up My Life (lately)

pictures 

I repainted my dresser last weekend & am completely in love. 

This weekend I put the final touches on it.

I can't wait for my new bedroom and the tricks I have up my sleeve to make it stinking cool. 

Blue dresser? Probably the coolest thing I've ever created.

Today (may 20th) is cameron's 19 month anniversary. 

19! The thought completely blows my mind. 

I have not seen that man in 19th months & it kind of seems like it was just yesterday. 

I never thought I'd make it here, kind of like I still don't feel like I'll ever make it to October.

And yet, I will & it will be completely worth it. 

Our countdown chain is down to four links. nbd. 

And those girls? I super happy to have them back from school this summer.

They are the best friends, truly. 

We made dinner this week & cuddled while watching the vow.

Last week we watched the lucky one.

Chick flicks make for good saturday nights.

They also visited me on a DI run.

It's so easy to have fun with them & I love it. I missed you both dearly.

 Here's to great summer adventures that await us.

...and a quote

"You will come to know that what appears today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be the greatest investment you ever make."

- Gordon B. Hinckley 

The Best Call Yet

Yesterday (mother's day) I had the amazing opportunity to talk to my cameron for almost two hours. I could hardly sleep Saturday night because I was so excited. Church was great, but dragged because all I wanted was for it to be 5 pm. I went home and had dinner with my family then had to wait one more hour until I could go to Cameron's house. I basically paced back and forth and peed more times than anyone should. I was a nervous wreck and completely excited all at the same time.

Before his call, I was able to catch up with his family and had a great time with them...THEN the phone rang. LeAnn answered and I listened intently to hear his voice. After she talked to him it was Christopher's turn. They talked about working out and other "man" things. Then cameron's step dad, Rob talked to him. I continued to wait patiently and gratefully. Just as it was my turn, Christopher decided he had one more thing to tell Cameron. I was dying!! Then...it was my turn.

I got on and said hello and he did too. Then I just laughed and laughed because his entire family was staring at me. Our conversation was perfect. We laughed and talked and talked. Then his family left me at the house to go to a family party and we really talked. We made plans, not just "some day we'll..." plans, but real plans. What we are going to do for thanksgiving and then Christmas. What we are going to do the day he comes home and that night. Honestly...what do you do after you haven't seen someone for two years? Kiss, obviously ;) but what else? We basically just decided to see what the night brings and just spend every second in each other's arms, but if anyone has a fantastic idea I'd love to hear. We also talked about getting a family phone plan and a cat.

I told him, after a year in college, I finally understand why he gave me a promise ring before he left. Partially to symbolize our promise to one another, but more so to "mark his territory" so to speak. He laughed and confirmed my enlightenment. He told me that the CTR ring I gave him the day he left (to mark my territory) is faded and worn out. We both agreed it was time for new rings ;)

I made fun of his poor grammar in his letters and he told me he wouldn't change a thing about me. And that sums up our relationship perfectly. He was so fun to talk to and made me laugh all night. I never wanted that phone call to end. Sadly, at about 7:30 we had to hang up. He told me he loved me and is going to take me to the temple. I told him I loved him to and am waiting for that day ever so patiently. We cried when we had to say our final goodbyes, but were comforted with the knowledge that the next time we talk, it'll be in person.

I am so in love with that man and know that I made the right decision in deciding to wait for him. He is my absolute best friend and my idol. He challenges me to be better and loves me through my faults. And I love him more than I could ever express on a silly blog post. It was the best phone call we've ever had and I am so grateful for the sacrifice his family makes to allow us to talk. We are so close to the end and so close to the beginning of our life together. This has been an amazing opportunity for the both of us and has challenged our love in the best way. I am so completely blessed.

And bloggers...I have a release date. OCTOBER 23, 2012. Let the final countdown begin.

Perfection

Our phone call was perfect. I'll elaborate tomorrow. I am so in love.

My First Time in Tooele

Tooele - {two-will-a)

Yesterday, after work, I made a trek out to Tooele for my Relay for Life team meeting. 

The meeting was at Kristin's house, so after work I sat in her cubicle, then followed her home.

I'm pretty sure I passed the ocean on the way there. The GSL actually looked...goregous.

Before we exited Kristin and I pulled over so I could take a picture of the exit sign. I'm pretty sure she wanted me to stand in front of the sign, but the cars were moving so fast I chickened out.

We almost got pulled over driving into town. Seriously, the guy behind me got pulled over. I lucked out and Kristin, miss-speed-all-the-way-from-SLC really lucked out.

I saw my first ever tractor crossing sign in Erda! (what an awful town name)

Then we made it to Tooele.

We picked up Gabe from daycare then Kristin made the speediest pizza run I've ever seen. I'm not even kidding. Two minutes: in & out with a hot and ready.

When we got to her house Gabe and I played in the back yard. We played soccer, football, baseball, AND jumped on the tramp. Oh how I've missed trampolines. Seriously. 

I think Gabe and I are kind of best friends now. He even called me tonight. A call the next day from a boy? That's always a good sign.

We had a great meeting and I am super excited for Relay! It is going to be a B L A S T. 

Tooele was not so bad, it even had a stop light & indoor plumbing! and it made for a

great adventure!

Happy Monday!

Best Email Ending Ever

I love you and will talk to you next week.
love me.

Happy 1st!

5.6.12

Today is my 1st anniversary as an employee of SOS Staffing.

One whole year. 

The thought completely blows my mind. I can not believe I have been there a year.

I am so happy. I am so happy to have the perfect college student job with the perfect work family.

I have learned so much in this 1st year and suspect with the changes headed our way, I'll be learning a whole lot more. 

On friday my boss & coworkers celebrated my anniversary. 

Janna made fruit salad for the meeting (I like to think for me ;)) 

Diane took us all to lunch at the olive garden (yum!!) and everyone said really nice things about me

Then Janna presented me with my ONE YEAR certificate and fossil watch.

and for the cherry on top of a great day, Kristin brought us B&B frozen lemonade. This wasn't to celebrate me (like the fruit salad) but since this is my blog and my anniversary
I'm going to claim it was.

It was a fantastic day and I am truly so blessed to be where I'm at right now. I am one lucky girl. 

the best treat. ever.

I Went Back to Panem this Weekend

I finally had the kind of a weekend that I have been craving for months. A weekend with no plans and no commitments. After work on friday I went for a run and decided that what I longed to do more than anything was read. Lame perhaps, but I am a girl that finds happiness in the simplest of things. So I went home, put on my sweats, and traveled to Panem. It's been far too long since I visited and 800 some pages later I'm sad that I soon have to leave. I read the hunger games friday, catching fire saturday, and hope to finish mocking jay tonight.
Don't fool yourself, however, I'm not a complete freak. I managed to leave my book for a couple things this weekend:

I ran a 10k (6.2 miles) bright & early Saturday morning with my Dad. I ran it in 62 minutes. I was hoping for under an hour, but I feel as if 62 minutes is respectable. It was beautiful weather and was a great race. The first of many this season.
PS. please excuse my disgusting face. I look high & gross. I promise I'm much cuter in real life.

I convinced Ashlee to go with me to get my favorite treat: frozen yogurt. And even better, at menchies they have heated peanut butter that you can drizzle over the top. It's basically a marriage of my two favorite foods.

Cute ashy with her yogurt. I won't even mention the toy they gave us with our purchases. Ash loved it WAY too much.

Also, I now have a new bucket list item. I will be attending the Kentucky Derby, preferably sitting in Millionaire Row, wearing an extravagant hat cheering for a horse with a name like
"I'll have another."

Promin'

happy junior prom to my handsome brother. 

he cleans up well doesn't he?

Fifteen

Can we all just appreciate how great this song is because up until today I had forgotten.

I just love this even if I am 19.

Sometimes, We Like to Walk

Sometimes Ann, Kristin, and I go for walks during lunch. 

We chat, laugh, and burn off a little stress.

The best part of our lunch walks? The clash of office wear & work out wear. 

Today, Kristin wins for best clash.

Please appreciate the large hill we hiked up & took this picture at. 

Happy Anniversary

My missionary is a babe.

Such a baby.

Nice...hat?

The city of (brotherly) love. 

Happy anniversary to the greatest man I know. I am so blessed to have you in my life and I absolutely can not wait for October (but of course, I will). 

I love you so much Cameron and I can't wait to spend eternity with you. We have so much to look forward to and I know that all of our sacrifice will be worth it.

You are worth it. 

I love you and I will talk to you next week. 

Love always, me.