Today

I went into my boss' cuby today and cried. She cried too.

It's been that kind of a week.

I truly am so grateful for the amazing people I work with and under. 

They are my greatest friends and I love them dearly.

A Little Place Called Mona

This weekend my cute friends and I made a little road trip to a southern town known as mona. It's the kind of a town where if you blink, you might miss it. We were in search of a pond we had seen on an engagement video that had a rope swing.

Yes, a rope swing. like the one in that fantastic movie, the notebook.
So we were adventurous, drove down, asked a mona native for directions, and made our way to the ponds.

We spent the afternoon jumping off rope into a pond. it was completely scary and gross, and yet, absolutely awesome.

The most important thing to know when jumping into a pond is to keep your mouth closed. Unless, of course, you like to swallow mysterious pond water.

We made little friends around the pond and laughed at the pack of hipsters that threw their toms on our pile of towels in order to make room for their bbq and guitar.

We also enjoy our stylish pond hair and the unlimited jokes that come from watching people jump into a pond. Oh, and creature jokes. Those never ever will get old.

It was a fantastic day with some great people. I love those girls. We ended our road trip blasting some summer classics with the windows down on the freeway. yes, mysterious black car, we were singing to you.

We spent the night together, along with miss aubree. Here are some keywords from our night's adventures.
Fire pitt, jamba, late night walmart, wolf shirt, bratty horse, melted spoon, rides in camie's truck, sliding into the window in camie's truck, chats in the living room, and mooning ashlee and aubree.

The inside of my thighs are completely bruised and I am beyond sore. But truly, it was so so worth it.

Great people. Great day. Mona, you are our new favorite place. We will see you soon.

A Summer Weekend in Pictures

I'm not sure what's going on here, but I love it. Haha

Just a Saturday night hike.

Moving day, part one. 

Sara takes pictures of us mid-laugh. I missed my life partner.

Mustache mugs!

My friend, Stache. 

Swim hair & a mustache. 

Great friends.

Friday night Camie & I went swimming. We went of the diving boards a few times, chatted in the water, and we were out & on the way home and hour later. It was a short and sweet pool trip, and super fun. Then, camie and I ran home and got ready for a night of adventures. We stopped at yogurt land (of course) and then picked up ashlee. We went to the dollar store and came home with white mugs. We painted mustaches on them and chatted. Then miss sara came over and we chatted some more. Have I mentioned how much I've missed my friends? Because really, I have.

Saturday I came home to a Uhaul parked in my drive way. It was a truly bizarre feeling to pack up my house and load it into a truck. We decided to put anything we didn't absolutely need into storage so that when we get new carpet we won't have to move as much furniture & so that our house looks a lot bigger when people start looking at it. It was an all day project rewarded by my favorite, a moose tracks shake from artic circle.
That night, Camie, Sara, Chel, and I decided to "stroll" up ensign peak. We chatted all the way up and took pictures at the top. We made friends with a couple at the top and admired the sunset for a couple of minutes then booked it down. Sara was craving a Frutista freeze so we headed to T.B. Along the way we listened to Call Me Maybe & American Pie. Is there a better combination? We retired to Chel's house, facebook stalked her boyfriend, then cuddled to watch Friday Night Lights. I teared up, again and Sara cried. That is one heck of a show. Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Loose.

I have missed these girls so very much and had a fabulous weekend laughing with them.

My Other Brown Man

Michael is the best. Even freaking on the other side of the country (in cameron's mission!) he makes my day. I love that boy. 

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 

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 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.

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. 

Study Guides & Frozen Lemonade

Lina & I spend our Friday nights surrounded by flashcards and notes.

We are determined to ace our bio final. We will, just you watch, no matter how badly
 our professor want us to fail. 

B&B makes for a perfect studying habitat 

(habitat - environment in which organisms live. See, I'm going to ace this final). 

Beans and Brews & Jenga

Biology may be the death of me. That or geology. Have I ever mentioned how ridiculous science classes are? Because they are. I think it has something to do with the crazy professors teaching said courses, but that's another post for another day...Anyways, in order to prepare for my looming Bio final my friend Lina and I have decided to study our heads off. The best place to study? Beans and Brews, hands down. Yummy hot chocolate, comfy seats, and perfect music to ace your final. I highly recommend staking out your local B&B.

After our study session we hung out with some of Lina's friends from work for a  game night. 6 men and Jenga may just be the greatest thing I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure the stress of our final Jenga game took five years off my life expectancy, but no worries, it was a blast.

College is pretty great.

Happy Hour

sneak attack picture on Ryan...too bad he saw it coming.

I work with this face 24 hours a week.

Janna and the birthday girl Lynda

Ann, Kristin, and Me.

Sometimes it's great just to get away from the office and craziness for an hour.

Today was Lynda's celebratory birthday lunch.

We went to the Texas Roadhouse and bonded over meat. What's better?

Ryan and Kenton threw peanuts at my head and Kristin hit on our under-age waiter.

It was a good lunch, so we took pictures to prove it.

Once again (for the thousandth time) I love my job and the great people I work with.

seriously :)

Colors Fest - Before

We went to the colors fest today and parked five miles away... during our hike we took these.

Funny things from the festival:

Camie kept getting smacked with colors as we walked down the street, I blame her crocs.  

One girl smacked my neck with color...she didn't just throw it, she smacked me.

"I should have worn crocs" - ashlee

Awkwardly getting yogurt in orem all covered in chalk.

Two words: culture shock. 

After pictures to come.

Viva Las Vegas

Vegas for Spring Break? It may seem a little cliche, but it was such an adventure. It was the first "vacation" i've ever taken with out my parents and I sure learned a lot...

Here are some things I learned in Vegas:

- If you harass a truck driver long enough, he'll honk his truck horn for you

- If you hold your cafe rio cup out the window while driving 80 mph, it will fly away

- Driving a mini van is way harder than it looks

- 21 is a HUGE birthday if you're not LDS and from Utah

- Walking up and down the strip trying to find things can make you cranky...and make your feet hurt

- The elevators in the Luxor go sideways. (we rode it up and down twice just to be sure).

- The New York New York roller coaster is hard on your body. My parents weren't lying.

- People will do anything for a tip. Be a human statue on the strip, serenade you in front of ceaser's palace, or even rap as you walk by. Anything.

- Colby is a pro winker and is a trooper for putting up with five girls by himself. He is also a great poly husband and secret lesbian named Chloe. Like I said, he was a trooper.

- Erica is the funniest person ever. Really. There is nothing more to add, she is awesome.

- April is korean and has a sassy butt walk.

- Anita's feet and hands swell and she is husband's favorite.

- Ashlee is the best and will hug me when I'm crying and sad even on vacation.

- Home is great to go back to.

Vegas was the perfect little get away. I had a blast with some great people and had some great experiences. Thank you everyone for all the fun!!! Happy Spring Break

This One's For Lex

As the cliche quote that fits this situation most perfectly goes "No one ever said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it."
Lex, some days will be hard. But I'm not going to dwell on that. It will be worth it. I can promise you that.
There is no feeling like the one that accompanies a letter in the mail box. Or better yet, an envelope full of pictures. There is nothing like knowing the man you love more than anything and want to spend forever with is changing people's lives. People will tell you that you can't. They will insist that he will change and will remind you that two years is a long time (as if we could forget). They will be negative, but they will never have the experiences you and josh will have. They will never have the kind of love that comes from being apart or the appreciation a simple letter teaches. They will never be challenged in the way that you will be, and they will never have the blessings that come from those challenges. Lex, I promise you waiting will be worth it. I will be here for you every step of the way, as will Josh, your family, and of course, our savior.
True love is when two people put God before themselves. It is without a doubt the greatest sacrifice I have made thus far in my life, but I am so blessed and so loved because of it.
Remember how blessed you are to have a love worth missing. I love you girl and I know you can do this.

A weekend well spent

We went and got frozen yogurt!

Sara and Ashlee's cute bums at the airport

She took pictures of herself. Vain? Yes.

We were so excited to see them!

for real.

Still excited!

Janna taught me to make bread!

Abby took pictures of us snuggling on the couch

We were talking about mustaches...so we needed a picture

Sara, Ash, and I spent friday night catching up over yogurt and hanging out with all the cool kids at the airport. We weren't waiting for anyone in particular, but had so much fun holding our signs and making conversation with airport staff. On the way home we sang a medley of songs rather loudly from the Joe-Bro's, R-kelley, and Will Smith. Classic.

On saturday I met up with the gilr's (sara and ash) again to head over to allie's baby shower. It was the CUTEST baby shower I've ever seen and it was so great to talk to allie. She is doing so well and I could not be happier for her!

Then I headed over to Janna and Ann's house and learned how to make home made bread!!! I (before today) had never had home made bread strait from the oven. Janna was determined to change that. We made three different kinds of bread and I had so much fun!!

To end the night, after a superb dinner with my momma and dad I headed over to Crys' house and hung out with miss abby! We colored, slid around in our socks, watched AFV, made popcorn, and took way too many goofy pictures. We had a great saturday night!

And that folks...is my weekend. So far. Tomorrow I get to meet my primary class and listen to my family scream at the tv as they watch the superbowl :) Cheers to the weekend!