Another Chapter

2011-05-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

Thursday- Utah
Friday- Arizona
Saturday- Mexico
Sunday-back to Utah.

Its going to be a whirlwind weekend...
(usually things are pretty chill...we do our thing...but its nice to mix it up!)

However....it will be a lot of hours in the car!

luckily I wont be alone.

And there will be warm weather and friends and fun!

And planning some surprises...for Rocky. Can't come back without surprises!

In other news...

I really need a new job...(need as in not just a "I dont like my job/tired of this job" type thing).
My hours aren't looking so hot right now.
Planning my classes...
Going to the gym.
(Rocky is my personal trainer. He is also the most motivational workout buddy!)
Enjoyed a few days of sun!
Looking forward to more traveling.
Enjoying Rocky's time off! Now, if the weather would cooperate...
Looking for a new apartment.
Hanging out with friends.
Wishing more of them were either closer or less busy!
My brother goes into the MTC NEXT WEEK! Texas, are you ready???
P.S...who in Provo wants to hang out on Wednesday?
And further ahead, my brother Jeff returns from his mission in S.Africa in August. Time flies!

where do I start?

2011-04-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

More than a month has flown by since I have blogged...hence the title of my post! I am only touching on a few events as you will see below. Enjoy!

~General Conference & mission reunion! It was Rocky's first time watching General Conference in the conference center and we were excited to have lower level seats for the Sunday afternoon session. My mission reunion was very fun as well and I loved visiting as well as listening to the inspiring words of my mission president as well as the past and current presidents. I love updates about the mission!

~Going to the Melting Pot with my friend Nicole for her birthday! So fun! Everyone should go at least once. And don't be deceived, it may not look like a lot but by the end we were soo full! We got the spinach artichoke cheese fondue and the yin yang chocolate fondue. Thanks to Carissa for the suggestion, we had a great time!

~My sister's wedding, which included seeing a bunch of family and friends I haven't seen in a while! It was a great weekend and I made it back to SLC exhausted but with a lot of great memories. I also have a lot of pictures from the wedding that won't make it into this blog post.

~Apartment hunting. LOTS of apartment hunting! We moved last weekend and are still in Salt Lake but just more in the downtown area. It isn't too far from the restaurant, gym, work, all those good things and we gained a Whole Foods right across the street and more importantly we gained more privacy and some needed space! Rocky is the best and I love how he notices the little things and tells me how much he appreciates what I do and has such a great attitude. Also how he helped to get things in order once we moved (including helping me do a clothing purge!) I love that we have free internet and a washer and dryer (doing laundry at the laundromat can really add up!). There are some other things that I for sure do NOT love but we know this location is just temporary!

Rocky has a new schedule starting this week and he will have 2 days off (Tuesday and Thursday this week and Monday and Wednesday the following week and this schedule will alternate). Hopefully things go as planned and this schedule sticks for a while! I know it will help him to be able to relax a little more and we are already planning all the things we want to do on the days he has off! My schedule is flexible at the moment that i can either get off early or take the day off (depending on what day it is) and we are going to go to the Tulip Festival in Thanksgiving Point on Thursday because this is the last week.

We are also going to do things like ice skating (Rocky has never been!), hiking & outdoor activities, trying some new local restaurants that we have seen nearby, going to the outdoor movies, seeing what surrounding areas in Utah have to offer, and just spending time together! Like I said, we will see how this arrangement of time off works! I am optimistic and even if it ends up he has just one day off instead of two it will be better than what we have had, which is basically late in the evenings and Sunday.

2011-03-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

I love my family so much, including my new extended family- Rocky's family. I have the best suegras (in-laws) EVER and I love everyone I have gotten to meet so far and the ones I have talked to over the phone and through skype! That is why we were all glued to the tv and trying to call over to his family who live in Japan Thursday night where the 9.1 earthquake took place. For them it was around 2pm Friday.

Thankfully they are all okay! We were worried because we weren't able to get a hold of anyone by phone at first because the lines were jammed and at one point they may have been down. They live near Tokyo so they felt the quake pretty strongly and the oil refinery that caught on fire is in the city where they live as well. They did have some evacuations but luckily the tsunami did not affect their area. They are still feeling aftershocks this morning when we skyped with them and say things are a mess.

I can't even imagine what it must be like. We are keeping all of them in our prayers and are glad they are safe and that Japan is a country that is better prepared for this kind of natural disaster. I will keep you (that read the blog!) updated as we learn more. It for sure seems more real when it happens to people you know.

Miracle Monday

2011-03-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

So it has been no secret that gas prices have skyrocketed. I can't imagine how people in the Los Angeles area feel (sorry Julianne!) because their prices have reached $5.00 in some areas. We are hovering around the 3.30 mark.

How much is gas for you where you live??

I got gas today for 3.25. It was the cheapest I saw. My gas light was on and part of me STILL was thinking I would be able to find it for cheaper somewhere else. Because, 3.25?!?! Rocky advised me I'd better get it because tomorrow it could go up. That and I knew I would need it today anyways forced me to pull into the gas station. I decided to only fill up with $25 worth of gas, still hoping it might go down a few cents in the next few days. While we waited Rocky and I talked about a story I had heard on the news about a gas station in Roseville, CA that lowered their gas prices by 20 cents for one hour last week. Is that the best thing ever or not? Every little bit helps! Especially when you think about people who have to commute, families with only one person working...there are plenty of examples and even with the price drop (for just an hour!) I'm sure they got so many customers it made up for it!

After replacing the gas cap and getting back into my car we drove off and my eyes wandered to my gas gauge, fully expecting to see it around 1/2 full. I had to look twice because it was FULL. A full tank of gas on $25??? We couldn't believe it! Possibly something wrong with the gas pump? A miracle? For us it's definitely a yes on the second.

2011-03-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

(celebrating! me, Rocky, niece Kayra and sister Rossmary)

March started out with a birthday! Rocky's birthday is March 1st (although his family teases him saying he was born February 29th)...the way I see it is that in 2012 we will celebrate 2 days in a row (just in case!)

It really started at midnight~ his sister's took him out to eat and of course he was itching to open his gifts as well! He was very excited to get a REAL Salt Lake soccer jersey. I think it's a fun tradition to celebrate a little at the real "start" of the day. It can make for a sleepy workday but it is so fun! And birthdays are only once a year and the memories are worth it. Our birthday traditions growing up are very similar (besides the whole celebrating at midnight!) and I love the traditions we are forming- incorporating from our families as well as creating our own.

We were both able to get some of the work day off and we headed up to Park City. Rocky had never been so it was a perfect opportunity! I love the time we got to spend together since we have such hectic schedules. We hit up the outlets...there are SO many but some of them that drew us in were Adidas, Aldo, Nike, Aeropostale, Volcom, Pacsun, Guess, and Oakley. We found some super great sales in Nike, Aldo, and Volcom and Aero. Some stores were more "browsing" stores and that is fun too. I love bargain shopping and Rocky has caught onto it too. If I had pulled out my camera during our shopping adventures you would have laughed!

We will for sure be back to Park City, it is super close and there is so much more to see and explore~ much more than just shopping (although that is always fun too), they have all kinds of events and it is beautiful to be up in the mountains.

I love that we were able to do something fun and different for his special day. Rocky is the best and I am excited for all the future birthdays we get to celebrate together! (and next year I am serious about having a pinata!)

The day ended with Rocky cutting his birthday cake, singing happy birthday, eating cake (made by me!) and homemade cookies from his sisters, and lots of photos!

What is one of your favorite birthday traditions?

For me, the tradition of going out to breakfast with my dad on birthday morning and also the amazing birthday decorations! We went all out with streamers and balloons in our favorite color and a huge banner that everyone signed and decorated!

Missionary Monday

2011-02-28T14:02:00.001-08:00

I think about my mission every day. The people I met, companions I had, the experiences and the teaching opportunities were endless! I love being able to share the gospel as a member of the church as well. Today I realized I hadn't posted yet about the next missionary who will soon be serving from my family!

Matthew got his mission call about 2 weeks ago to serve in the Houston Texas South mission!!! I am so super excited for him!! And while part of me wished he was going to be serving in Salt Lake City (because it is the best mission!) I know that he is being called where the Lord needs him and he will have so many unforgettable experiences and touch so many lives. Matthew has always been an example to me for his hard work, eagerness to learn and share the gospel, as well as always finding the good in others. He reports to the Missionary Training Center May 25th, three days after his 19th birthday! He will be there 2-3 weeks to learn about how to be an effective missionary and then he will go to Texas where he will spend the next two years teaching the gospel, doing service, and having some of the best experiences of his life!

Congrats, good luck, I love you, and yes....I am a little jealous! I will look forward to reading about your experiences over the next two years and am interested to see what kind of accent you come back with!

(for more about missionary work, look here)

(L-R: Matt aka Future Elder Skinner, Rocky, me, and Evan. Thanksgiving 2010)

Thursday Overload

2011-02-24T13:26:00.000-08:00

Do you ever feel like there is SO MUCH you want to do but not enough time?

Or even that there is so much you want to do in a day and the day flies by with not even half the hours you need?

I made a list today….I used to make lists a lot but lately they have fell by the wayside. But really, when you are “too busy” to make a list is when you need a list the most!

Some off of my list…

Rocky’s birthday prep (I have big decoration plans!! Plus I am making his cake, and I have to track down his present!) MARCH 1^st is the big day!

I have a bunch of phone calls to make (this makes up most of my list actually)

Relief Society lesson (I am teaching in March. They asked me last Sunday if I would and I’m excited!). Rocky and I went over the lesson yesterday. He is an amazing teacher and I learn so much from his insights and his tips on teaching.

Go to the gym. Should this be on my to-do list? Sadly, yes. But it makes me excited that I’ll get to cross it off!

Highlights from this week:

Talking with my Dad yesterday on the phone, just catching up on what has been going on in our lives in the last week.

Going to Park City Monday with Nicole, who is AMAZING! We had fun checking out the outlets and found some great deals! Also we ate delicious food together at the restaurant! Yay for ½ days off!

Playing the piano…it’s been too long. I hate to admit that! However, it brought back the desire even stronger to make sure I get in some playing time! LOVE.

When work orders lunch. Randomly on the day that I decided to work through lunch. Right now I am enjoying turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese and avocado on sourdough. It is not complicated, just delicious! I love sandwiches, they remind me of picnics!

Returning Redbox movies the day after renting them! Yes and Yes!

Rocky getting off early- we are going to eat at a new restaurant thanks to a Groupon I have. It's for a place called Pat's Barbecue- its local so look for a review on it soon!

Plus a highlight is that Rocky gets to go play soccer tonight with some guys at church. This is a highlight because of two things. 1. I love seeing how excited he gets to play- its so fun (I want to say cute but won't!) . 2. He always has some hilarious stories to tell afterward! It is the best!

I love it when...

2011-02-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

Rocky & I eat breakfast together.
I know, its the simple things, right?
It's not something we get to do on a daily basis.
During the week I leave for work an hour and a half before him so I bring my breakfast to work and he eats something at home before he leaves.
We ate cinnamon raisin toast, fruit, and drank chocolate milk
It was the perfect way to start our day.

in other news...
I ordered a new camera! Its a Canon and I can't wait till it gets here!!
It's raining today.
I only work 1/2 day Monday!
We have decided on moving to Orlando instead of Miami after going through more of the pros and cons and we feel really good about our decision!
Rocky will be studying culinary arts.
I will be doing something a little different than planned. I'm still working on the details!
Rocky's birthday is coming up! March 1st. (I tell him I'm planning a huge party for him and inviting alllll the people I know and we are going to have a pinata and a huge cake...etcetcetc!! (btw he does NOT want a huge party! But I was just teasing him about doing all that although I do want to get him a pinata!!!!!)

Every day should be a day of LOVE

2011-02-16T08:48:00.000-08:00

First of all, my camera died so any pictures (until I get a new camera- I am looking!) will be older ones.
First...Valentine's day really made me appreciate the fact that even though I'm glad we have a day to celebrate love and things like that, I'm so grateful that Rocky doesn't reserve sharing how he feels about me or saying I love you or giving me a shoulder massage or making me dinner, or any of those many special things he does for me- only for Valentine's day. He does those kind of things daily and I think Valentine's Day should be a reminder to us to make people feel special and loved every day, not just once or twice a year (birthdays can be special as well..).

We knew from the start (even before Monday) we would both be working and Rocky would be working late, until at least 11:30 (which ended up being midnight) because they had a performance/show at the restaurant that night- they had 2 other shows Friday and Saturday. I love to celebrate holidays and do something special, even if we are not going to be able to have the whole day together.

I made Valentine cookies on Sunday and decorated on Monday, cutting out "Feliz Dia de Amor y Amistad!" (Happy day of Love and Friendship) and hearts out of Valentine scrapbook paper to hang up at home. I had a "heart attack" almost when I went to the restaurant at lunch and saw that Rocky had burned his hands (one more than the other he was picking up a metal bowl that was sitting on the grill that he thought was cold but was really HOT and so the bowl was burning hot as well). Luckily they acted quickly and his hands didn't start to blister. They were hurting a TON so I gave him some medicine to lessen the pain.

The best "valentine" to both of us came on Saturday when we got the letter in the mail that Rocky has an interview with immigration for residency! We are both so so excited and are gathering the needed documentation to have everything ready.

We did reminisce over the weekend because it was a year ago (on the 13-14th) that we met! It has been amazing and there have been unexpected changes and we have both learned and grown a lot and become even closer through the things we have been through and I wouldn't change any of it. We are excited for what is to come!

I'm so happy

2011-02-11T10:35:00.000-08:00

Because it is Friday!!! This week has flown by! It has been very busy and this weekend will be no exception. Except I am going to take some moments to just chill and relax (probably more Sunday than Saturday but sometimes I like to have a chill Saturday- like last Saturday I spent a good part of the day watching movies, reading blogs, cleaning house. It was great and very relaxing.
This Saturday I have a little more I need and want to do so not quite as much time will be spent at home but thats okay too.

I just want to sleep in.

And can I just say I need help with returning redbox movies on time???

And....

Happy Birthday to my sister Julianne!!! Yesterday was her birthday! She is great & she is now living the dream (living in CALIFORNIA...yeah...that will be me too one day!). She is super creative and makes amazing things! We had fun times in Rexburg together & I also got to babysit my cute niece! I cant wait to visit them!

2011-02-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

Last night I felt like I got almost NO sleep...it came down to I just wanted it to be time to get up because I had a really bad migraine and nothing was helping it and I kept waking up, each time feeling more and more exhausted. What a night. Plus we got to bed late because Rocky was helping with some of the remodeling at the restaurant and so he didn't get home until 12:30 and I was watching Kayra for Roxy because she was at the restaurant as well, so I took a shower after they got home and Roxy was watching her. She is very cute when she is all happy and smiling. She did have some upset moments but then settled down. Overall she is a very calm baby and likes to have her arms free and loves to kick her blankets off!

In other news....

My car was rear-ended this morning on the way to work. The roads can be deceiving! It snowed last night but the wind had pretty much gotten rid of all the snow on the streets. There were icy patches still but they were harder to see and with most of the snow in the street out of SIGHT it also put precaution out of MIND. It's not too bad of a hit and it will get fixed soon!

I have hives :( I don't know from what!! I had some yesterday morning but just a little and then they went away but now they are back and WORSE and MORE so I'm going to figure out how to get rid of those. They are no fun! Especially because I don't know where they came from!

LOLLLL so when I went to go get lunch today (orange chicken & rice) I was talking to Rocky and I asked him before I left if he slept okay last night because he was tossing and turning a LOT! He does a little but I am also a deep sleeper so I hardly notice. Except last night. He tossed and turned and I was thinking, "poor guy, he can't sleep either..." but when I asked him about it, he said, "I slept fine, just like normal...I was probably just dreaming a lot!" I want to be a part of those dreams...they look like an adventure! So that really made me laugh a lot...annnnd the fact that I didn't get much sleep and everything is extra funny to me when I get less sleep!

After work I'd like to go home and take a NAP. please & thank you. However, first I will go and find out what I can do about these hives.

p.s. These are just some of the day-by-day things that are happening! There are many good and wonderful things as well! I'm not sharing the not-so-pleasant things for any reason in particular, just that they are what is on my mind at this moment. That and work, which isn't so jump-for-joy either. So, to end my post on a happy note, here are a few great things about today:

I love having morning prayer with Rocky. I start work earlier than he does but we start our day off together this way (and end it this way as well) and it really does start my day off really well.

Lets see, fresh fruit~ winter is the time for oranges! Of course, our orange tree at home growing up always had the BEST oranges. I like starting my day off healthy (even if its not all healthy food all day every day) because it helps me make healthier decisions throughout the rest of the day.

Blogs...I love reading blogs! One from friends and family as well as other creative or interesting ones~ I love photography blogs, blogs about people going through new or different experiences, reading these stretches my imagination and gives me things to ponder and think about as well as start new challenges for myself. I love to see the different ways people write and express themselves. I could go on and on about this one but I wont!

Ok and the last one...I love the photos I have on my desk at work! For a while I kept my desk...boring. I didn't really like it that way but it didn't really feel like my space because they didn't really have a space for me. I was part time, worked from a laptop, and sometimes moved from one location to another. Then I moved offices and decided it was time for a change. So I went to some thrift stores and found some super cute frames where I can display pictures of family & friends. Those pictures cheer me up during the day! (and make me want to go thrift store shopping again, I love it! who wants to go with me?) I could go on and on about thrift store shopping as well...I need a good SLC thrift store shopping buddy!

Good Things to Come

2011-02-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

Mondays can be hard...today was one of those Mondays, work is stressful and so I took a few breaks today to watch some Mormon Messages because there are days that need a little more uplifting messages than others and it makes me feel thankful for what I have and feel more hope in the moments that are hard and lately I have felt there have been...nothing HUGE but just those personal challenges/things I need to improve on/be happier about/change in my life.

We are both feeling a TON better! It really makes a big difference! I am not kissing Rocky again when he is sick!! (just kisses on the cheek!) It may be hard but its worth it because this flu/cold/sickness/cough/losing my voice/earache...went on too long!! Rocky did take good care of me (and I took good care of him) and we both agree that on our list of things to do is avoid the drama llama of sickness!!! We are not fans. That one has been sent away. To another planet actually, one where there is no one who can catch what they have! And...guess what was just delivered to my office? 1. hand sanitizer 2. sanitizing wipes. Thank you. That would have been helpful the last couple weeks as well!! (although I have my supply of Lysol in the house and in my office, so I'm not alone!)

Work has been crazy for both of us and this week is shaping up to be a busy one just like we were expecting. Rocky also re-covered all the chairs in the restaurant. He is amazing! I helped him with the last 10 or so and I was good...there are 43 chairs all together! If you look at the before and picture that on 43 chairs it makes a huge difference! (and yes, he also picked out the material...he has good taste too!) The restaurant is like a second home for all the time that is spent there (mostly for Rocky right now) so its nice that he can see his hard work and the difference it makes in the look of the restaurant. If you are in Salt Lake you will have to come by and see it for yourself! (um and yes, Rocky IS in his nice clothes...just for the picture! haha just kidding!!! I had brought him other clothes but he hadn't changed yet, he was on a roll with those chairs!)

In other news, I'm going to start taking some photography classes next week! I'm really excited!

Just when I thought the nice weather was going to start, the rain and snow came! I don't mind the rain, it reminds me of California. The snow...not so much!

I'm about to head home, I have a headache :( and need to get a bunch of stuff done. I hope you all have a great week! Ciao!

2011-02-02T10:08:00.001-08:00

Ahhh so I am finally starting to feel better! Which means I am starting to have more energy and feel up to doing some of the things which were put to the side 'cause of being sick. The other good news is that Rocky feels a lot better as well. Is it just me or does the cold weather bring a lot more sickness?? Thinking about the past, I didn't get sick very often apart from an occasional cold. Sadness! That needs to change. I am currently upping my fruit and veggie intake.

moving on...

This week is flying by, work has been keeping me super busy and kind of stressed but I'm working on that.

Our plans may be changing once AGAIN...thats why what i say is happening isn't written in stone!

So, originally we were going to go to FL in APRIL but then looking at the restaurant situation (the restaurant I refer to as the "baby" because it is a year old and too young to be left on its own without someone we can trust in supervision). Right now that person who can be there 24/6 (we are open 6 days a week!) is Rocky. He has one sister who lives here in SLC but she is unable to be there 24/6 and his other sister who was here visiting just went back to Japan. We weren't sure when she'd be coming back so we decided to put off FL till JULY (when classes start again) and by that time hopefully we would have a trustworthy person in position to take over. Those people are really hard to find! Sometimes we think we have one and then little by little we see they are not. They are still good people but not someone we can trust to run the business.

However, now it looks like his other sister is coming back in the next couple weeks! We need to find out how long she is planning to stay and also how long they give her on her visa. Depending on that, we may end up going back to our original plan of FL in APRIL. Crazy, huh?

How do I feel about all this?? Well I know we will get out there at one point or another. It is Rocky's dream to study at Le Cordon Bleu. He knows the restaurant can continue to have success and grow and develop into something great if the right people are there. They are in a really good place right now and we dont want to lose that, we want to improve and grow. I can see that as well, so if we end up staying here until July, I know its for a good reason and we will be just as motivated to go in July as we are to go in April. (Plus, if we go in July that will have us in FL through March/April of 2012, avoiding the freezing cold of UTAH!) Yes, we plan on coming back to Utah, at least for a little while. We are not planning on living here our whole lives and we are not sure where we will end up (we have our plans and ideas!).

So thats the latest as far as Florida goes. Why Florida? It is where they have the culinary program taught in Spanish. Rocky is learning English but he will understand and advance a lot quicker by taking the program in Spanish.

We are waiting on more documents/interviews in Rocky's residency process. It takes a lot of patience, we should have gotten something last week but nothing came so each day I am checking the mailbox in hopes of having the next letter we need.

2011-01-30T15:55:00.001-08:00

I've been sick this week :( Today is a laid-back kind of day to recuperate and be able to....go to work tomorrow. It was first a cold and the flu which turned into a bad cold and cough and now has an earache thrown in.

Rocky has been taking good care of me...Sundays are the best because we don't work.

I am dreaming of a vacation somewhere warm.

My passport came a couple weeks ago so this will soon become a reality.

Vacation will also include a California wedding (ok so I won't need my passport for that but it will still be fun. and warm!) I can't wait to see EVERYONE!!!

I got skype again and was all excited about skyping but it will prob work better when my voice starts working again.

Rocky has started working long weeks again (aka 74 hr weeks). At least we are kind-of-sort-of in the know because we had a few months of this before. This time it looks like it will be now until July.

I discovered a new thrift store. I still miss the best Goodwill, located in Woodland, CAlifornia.

I have been enjoying snow-free days!

2010-12-06T15:08:00.001-08:00

Even though we are into December now, I neglected to say that the games we played for Thanksgiving were fun!! We laughed a lot during Dad's game and I can say that we are a pretty competitive bunch! The first game was a "roll the dice" game, where the first person had to put on a hat and tie and then use just spoons to open a wrapped up gift- no hands! The second person was rolling dice and when they got doubles the first person had to pass on their role to the next person around the table and start rolling dice. That poor gift was pretty beaten up by the time it was open! The next game was Thanksgiving bingo and we were sitting next to Matt and he had decided to double up on the bingo cards and it was fun watching him when Mom started to read off the words a little quicker!

This past week has been busy. Some things I have learned are to be able to say sorry and ask for forgiveness. Its something I have been taught all my life but I think it is something we are always tested on! Rocky is a great example of this for me and also for not holding grudges and not get upset quickly. He says that when we have grudges or jealousy or hard feelings, those take up the space in us that we could use for good feelings of love, charity, kindness, and happiness. I see this through his actions and that makes me have a greater desire to work on my weaknesses.

Last week I had the most amazing vegetable soup…maybe that doesn't sound so exciting, but it now ranks up there in my gold star soups. I will have to find out how it is made and get the recipe so I can make it in the future! A little background…I go get lunch Monday-Friday at the restaurant. They have a "lunch special" Monday through Thursday which includes soup, a main dish, and a drink, like lemonade. It is different each day and lately I have been on a soup kick (probably cause of the cold weather!) and would just get soup instead of soup and the main dish. Most of the soups are pretty hearty so I can get filled up just on the soup. I think it was Wednesday or Tuesday when I stopped by like regular and I saw a smooth and creamy soup on the stove, which was a new one! I got a spoon and dipped out a taste and I think time might have frozen right then. I asked Rocky, "What is in this soup?" and he said it was a veggie soup. That's what I had guessed, but I didn't think it was possible for veggies in a soup form to taste sooo good! (I like my soups to have some kind of meat in them usually). I took mine back to work and the day seemed brighter. Because of soup. (And of course seeing Rocky!) It's the little things that make me happy! (When the soup was served they added some chopped chicken and homemade croutons so in the end it was "veggie" soup alone. However just the soup alone without the add-ins was amazing as well! ) I called Rocky later in the day and asked him to bring some home if there was any left over at the end of the day. There was and I brought it to work the next day. Good thing too cause the next day the soup of the day included fish and I'm not a fan of fish!

Speaking of being in the month of December, it's the Christmas season!! I am trying to get into the holiday season more. It's a little difficult with our current living situation first of all and also our schedules. However, I am determined to have some good memories to look back on, so its just going to take a little more planning this year. I was thinking back on our family Christmases in California. Some of the things I remember are:

~making Christmas goodies to deliver for Family Home Evening to families we knew.

~Acting out the Christmas story and then sitting around the tree with just the tree lit and all the other lights out.

~Decorating the tree and putting on the ornaments that had special meaning and remembering them after not seeing them for a year. And our stockings! Mom made us each Christmas stockings and we hung up all 10 (eventually 10!) across the fireplace, which were filled little by little throughout the days before Christmas.

~The chocolate advent calendar that we would have, everyone taking turns opening the little doors/windows getting the chocolate inside (l always felt it took forever to be my turn!);

~Christmas music…especially being played on the piano! I remember James always played the loudest and with a lot of spirit!!

~On Christmas eve it seemed like we always had soup for dinner…and I was always so excited that I didn't have an appetite!

~Watching Christmas movies.

~Christmas shopping, and helping wrap gifts!

~Remembering the real reason of Christmas by looking at the nativity set that was always displayed either on the counter by where we ate or on the mantle of the fireplace.

~Christmas morning at home and then to Grandma and Grandpa's house later in the day.

~Dad reminding us to start thinking about new year's resolutions.

~The talks about Christ during Sacrament meeting at church.

And many more…when I start thinking about them I think of more and more; this list could go on for a while! There are many traditions we had (and still have, just that not all of us are living at home right now to celebrate them together through the month of December). Plus new traditions that were made when my family moved and Stace and I were living together in California and our wonderful friends involved us more in their Christmas, as well as having extended family close by. I'm sure you have many great Christmas season memories as well, don't forget to take a moment to think about them!

Thanksgiving pics!

2010-11-30T16:29:00.001-08:00

Above: Hailey was the star of the show...her favorite was uncle Rocky (even though her parents claim she doesnt have "favorites" we know her favorites are uncle rocky and aunt laura!

Above: hmm...Tony tried to escape the picture!! We know its him because of the wedding colored shirt he has on!

Above & below: With everyone! (we convinced Dad we could put the timer on the camera...hahaha...he escaped one but not the other!)

Above: With our favorite little family of three!

Above: With Mom & Dad!

Above: With Matt & Evan...Evan grew even more and is now taller than me by a LOT! But not as tall as Matt yet! I wonder how they will compare in height with Jeff when he gets home?

Above: with Stace...we have fun with her when we are with her and when we are not with her (just thinking about her!)

Above: ahh...little Allison (who is now also taller than me, although i cant remember if she had shoes on?? I will say she did cause I need to be taller than at least ONE person in my family!! ;)

Here are some from Thanksgiving! We had so much fun that we didn't take many pictures until we realized some family was going to be leaving and so we took some real quick! Enjoy!

Thanksgiving surprise

2010-11-30T16:26:00.001-08:00

I'm at working waiting for my car to be returned to me so I thought I'd write real quick.

Rocky and I went to Idaho for Thanksgiving at my parents house. It was a lot of fun!! The drive wasn't too scary (the way there we encountered more ice/snow than on the way back). We had been planning on going for a while and when it came down to the day to leave it was getting later and later and I had to go back to work (I went to my 2^nd job that isn't really my job anymore to help out in the middle of the day) because of some things that needed to be finished up. When 7pm rolled around I was sad cause it was the day before thanksgiving and it was late if we were going to leave!! I got home and Rocky was there and we were talking about our options. My dad had said maybe we should just buy a turkey and have our own Thanksgiving (although I could tell in his voice he really wanted us to be there with everyone!) As we are talking Rocky suddenly says, "Lets go now! Why are we waiting? We can do it!" I love him! I was a little uncertain still 'cause it was late and it's a 5-6 hr drive and we didn't know what we would run into as far as the weather goes. And we were going to rent a car because my car we weren't sure was up to making the drive. He upped my enthusiasm and we packed real quick, filled up on gas, and took off! (We didn't mention to my family we had decided to leave that night…we like the element of surprise!!) Rocky was an amazing help in keeping me calm when we ran into snow and ice. We stopped off in Burley for the night and then drove the rest of the way in the morning (once we passed Twin Falls the roads were great!) We got more and more excited the closer we got and it was a big surprise for the family!

We enjoyed Thanksgiving day with lots of good food (I brought white chocolate chex mix, although it needs a new name because it doesn't have chex in it! I also attempted making rolls but they didn't rise. Luckily mom made her famous rolls so we were okay). Also hanging out, watching movies, playing, doing some black Friday shopping (although not as early as planned). The best part was seeing almost everyone together (we missed James and Jeffrey!) I love my family and its fun when we have the chance to get together. We headed back Friday evening and made good time back to Salt Lake City. And…as I usually head back Sunday night instead of a Friday I felt like I had a double weekend because I still had a Saturday and Sunday.

Now its on to Christmas and we have more surprises planned! I have some, I know Rocky has some up his sleeves too! We really do like surprises. J And we are looking forward to starting some old (passed down) and new Christmas traditions! What are some of yours?

2010-10-13T16:16:00.001-07:00

Life has been busy...
I'm now working full time because my supervisor is going on maternity leave next month (leaving me in charge, yikes!).
I started an institute class...and am planning the classes I'm going to take next semester (to finish my degree, just 2 semesters left!)
This week I need to get a haircut!
My friend Nicole and I have had some fun Saturdays hanging out, she is the best! I haven't had a lot of time to do all the normal "social" stuff so its so great to have a friend here that I have known almost forever.
The weather is starting to get colder at night but during the day its still sunny and warm...well mostly warm!
General conference (the twice a year conference held by my church) was amazing and I loved listening to it at home, on temple square, in the car. I twisted my ankle Sunday so most of that day I listened to it at home. It was after we tried to get into the conference center with our tickets but they were full (us and a lot of other people with tickets weren't able to get in...and we were there on time!) so we were super bummed about that because Rocky has never been to conference in the Conference Center (where the prophet and general authorities are). I am going to see if we can get tickets for the Christmas devotional.
And I can't forget to mention my mission reunion which was also soo fun because I saw some of my bestest best missionaries from the mission!!! Some were old companions, some were missionaries I served with in the same zone or district for a while and we all got along great and had our ups and downs that we love talking about now! Memories! :) It seriously made me so happy to see them!!! I miss the mission so much!!!
Well a lot of day to day stuff happens but this is a quick update to those of you who take a stop to see if there is anything new on my blog!
Oh, and we are planning on going to Idaho for Thanksgiving and CALIFORNIA for Christmas!!!! Super way super excited!!!! Our plans changed a bit because until the process of residency goes through and is finished for Rocky he can't leave the country w/o having to reapply from the country he goes to and that can take a lot longer.
Well thats about it for now!
Some pics from lately....

Edith (still Hna Diaz to me! ) came for my wedding and we got to hang out as well! Love her!

Disneyland? Yes please!!!

Claudia (Hna Nepo!!!) I have missed you!!!

A night at Sampans...(yes, he has since gotten rid of the facial hair!!! lol)

Can I just say how much I love everyone in this picture??? Yes please, thank you. I love you all!!

2010-08-25T10:18:00.000-07:00

The problem with not blogging as often is that when i go to blog I feel like I have sooo much to say that in the end it probably wont make a whole lot of sense! But here I go... ;) and I will have a post just for all the wedding details (this one is more about what has been going on since then). If you want to check out some of the wedding pics on fb let me know (if you need the link).

We have been married a month! (and 2 days!) and it is the best. When i think about it, it is the best because I am married to Rocky and for me he is the best ever! He is so thoughtful, fun, communicative, caring, and so much more. Every day we discover new things about each other. We work together part of the day at the restaurant- he is there all day because the other chef that was working (until a week after we got married) quit. That has put some plans on hold- like to have our california reception, because if he leaves they'll have to close the restaurant for the time we are gone. We are in the process of hiring though, because it is a lot of work for one person as well, espcially on the weekends and Mondays, which are our busiest days. There are times when we get home and he is soo tired from working all day and even though we want to go out and do something, sometimes its better for him to relax because the next day will be a lot of work as well. So hiring someone will give him more free time eventually and be a great help in the long run. I can see so many blessings from the Lord in strength and health for both of us, as well as for his sisters who live here as well.

Speaking of work, I am still working at Varsity during the day and then I work at the restaurant in the late afternoon to close. My schedule has just changed (because of school and all that) but I will still be working both jobs. Working at the restaurant is good (although it can get way busy sometimes!!) because Rocky is there, and besides learning about each other in a work environment, we get to see each other more than just a little in the morning and evening.

Rocky's family was here until just last week when they left to go back to Japan (his dad had to leave earlier, but his mom and grandma were here longer). We are planning on visiting them in December-January! I'm really excited to travel and learn and see more about a different culture. Also, Rocky has a ton of family in Japan so it will be nice to meet more of them. He also wants to meet more of my family...aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins. Right now there are some time constraints that we are working with but hopefully we'll be able to visit everyone soon! He encourages me to see my family & friends whenever it works out, which right now isn't very often, but now that my schedule is changing it should be a little easier. I miss my friends and i wish family was here (even though one of them will be soon! ahahaha!) I also want to do more as far as service goes and going out with the missionaries on splits, exploring more of utah, doing my internship etc. There is a little magazine here that is delivered to the restaurant called "Discovering Utah" and that has given me some good ideas and we have tried some new restaurants. Even in my "free time" it is scheduled but I think that no matter what you are doing, whether it be working, running errands, with family, in the middle of a crisis, or driving in your car, there is always something you can be thankful for and time goes by so fast that I realize now more than ever that there is something to learn from each experience in life and if we can learn in a positive way we ourselves grow, as well as that we gain the oppourtunity to teach others through our experiences and through our words and actions.

overall, thats just a little about life in general, there are many details but hopefully i will get to more of those in another post!!

2010-08-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Today my suegra (mother-in-law) and la obacha (japaneese for grandma) left to go back home to Japan. It has been great having them here, they have been a great help and it has been fun getting to know them better, as well as Rocky's dad, who was here for 2 weeks for the wedding.

Speaking of the wedding...its never to late to post about it! Luckily it has only been a little while, even though time is flying by!

Planning for a wedding is a lot of work~ We definitely saw different sides of each other and gained more patience, realized the importance of a sense of humor, and more of our strengths and weaknesses. Rocky is the best and I know through it all he wanted me to be happy and I found there were some things he wanted for sure as well. The most important part is that we got married in the temple, which means we got married for time and all eternity, which means our marriage won't end with death. I love the gospel and knowing that I will be with Rocky forever! Thinking about that really helped to put things in perspective when things got overwhelming!

Our wedding day was beautiful...we knew it was going to get hot because it was July, but the morning was nice and cool and we headed to the temple in a silver convertible that Rocky's sister Roxy had rented for our special day! We met up with our families but inside the temple I lost my mom, but in the end they found her. I love the beautiful spirit that is in the Salt Lake City temple. It was great having all my brothers and sisters there (except Jeff!) and a lot of Rocky's family as well.

We spent time after our ceremony taking pictures and video until we were ALL famished and it had gotten pretty hot so went over to Thaifoon in the Gateway for lunch. We were quite the group, all 16 of us! The food was great as always, and I love going there because it was where Rocky and I went on our first date.

We had our reception in the evening at The Woods on Ninth. They were so super helpful in decorating and providing the appetizers and we had other food as well. When we pulled up it was great to see friends and family there waiting for us. I was missing a lot of my friends and the relatives in California who weren't able to make it and I knew Rocky was missing his family who weren't able to come as well. We are so grateful for all the support from our friends and family who were there and those who were there in spirit.

There were so many special moments throughout the day and it all went by so fast! We love having our wedding pictures displayed and remembering our day and each day I love Rocky more! He is everything! He is very patient and caring and fun and adventurous and we have so many plans for our future. I think about how we met and know it didn't happen by chance. He is who I need~ he helps me grow and face challenges and achieve my dreams. I want to do the same for him always. I love surprising him, our conversations, how he tells stories, how he loves his family. He really is the best!

2010-08-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

updates coming soon!!!!

2010-07-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, 2 days till our wedding day!
Time is flying by!
Yesterday Rocky's parents and his grandma flew in from Japan. It was great to meet them, Rocky and I went to the airport to pick them up. I was a little nervous, because it was my first time meeting them in person, but I had talked to them before and they are soo nice! I love them!
Today we are doing a lot of the last minute details...
1. meeting up with our photographer-Amber Shaw photography is doing our photos and after feeling unsure about a few others that we were debating on, I came across her website!
2. Picking up my bouquet
3. his parents want to see the reception place.
4. the food...there are still a few details on that to work out!
Fun and crazy and I am taking in every moment! And trying not to feel too stressed.

Yesterday I went and did the alterations on my dress and it is beautiful! I love it! I got it at "Gowns by Pamela" and they have a mix and match dress selection so i picked the top and then the skirt and it has a sash that ties it all together...love!
Thursday my family gets in (tomorrow!)
I can't believe the time is almost here!!!

2010-07-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

Everything is good to go for next Friday! I'm soo relieved and so is Rocky. He doesnt show as much stress on the outside (I do) but he was really worried about the whole situation. But everything is straightened out and today is our last Friday unmarried! :O

One week!!

8 days???

2010-07-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

Eight days till Rocky and I get married...hopefully. I guess the hopefully part isn't what you were expecting to read, right? Well it wasn't what I was expecting either. We are having some problems with extending Rocky's vacation visa (that he is here on right now) and we need that documentation for us to get married. Why don't we still have it? Long story...

There are so many more details but thats what it comes down to, that we are still watiting on the visa extention. I will keep you updated! Our famililes (those that can make it) and some friends are coming out from out of state...I dont know what to say. We are in the process of doing a few different things so that next Friday we can get married as planned. If not, well we will get married at a later date. I just feel so bad because of those people who are planning on being there but we are hoping for the best! I will keep you updated...

On a lighter note...last night we were together and he had been looking for a document and in his things he found a letter he had written to me but had never sent....he didn't say anything about it at the moment, he just had it sitting next to him on the couch and when i came into the room and he was on the phone I just random picked up the folded piece of paper to see what it was...and...it was one of those things that just makes your whole body smile, not just your mouth but in your eyes, your heart, it warms you up inside :) In some ways it was better to not get that letter in March but to get it now instead.

2010-07-07T08:00:00.001-07:00

Ok i'm going to see if i can do a post a day (except the weekends bc of lack of internet) until the wedding.
So last night i was addressing envelopes to send out invites and was doing california ones (sorry they are going out so late!! we had some issues :/ ) and i got so sad. i am so happy that im going to marry rocky and all- thats not why i was sad. its because I want to have it where the people i know are...the ones i grew up with, the ones who have been such a big part of my life. it was sad. i told rocky i wanted to get married in california, not in utah anymore to have everyone there. well, i know not EvErYoNe will be there but its more like home to me. And i was thinking about my aunts and uncles and grandparents and FrIeNdS and the people from my ward and stake who i miss a lot.
The nice thing is that my family and some of rocky's family are coming and it will be great that we can all get together. So i will focus on the positive. Because rocky is also here in utah with most of his family and friends in other places even farther away.

And...

We will be doing a roadtrip to california afterwards (probably the next weekend?) and will have a reception/open house. I have ideas on this but nothing planned so far just because we weren't sure WHEN it would happen. But its really important to me and rocky says if it is important to me its important to him and we will make it happen! He loves california as well :)

So, the california invitations will go out today ( I will have to contact friends individually to let
them know when we will be there) and the other invitations we still need the inserts because the reception place has changed.

Today im working and then im meeting with a coordinator at the reception place and then i have an interview and then we are going to the gym.

Today is also one of the days i have off from working at the restaurant so im taking advantage of that to work on some more wedding plans ( meeting with the coordinator for example).

Ciao. I will try to post some pics soon!

2010-07-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

A post is looong overdue. Sorry. I have limited internet access plus more limited time recently. However, I will do some quick catching up!

I did move to Utah. I am working 2 jobs, one is in the accounting department of a company called Varsity Contractors and the other is working at my bf's restaurant, K-Rico Peru, waitressing in the evenings and some Saturdays.

I'm getting married July 23rd and we are having a reception that evening at a place called The Woods on Ninth in Midvale. We had some problems planning the reception so the location is changed, so the invitations are with the previous place but the new place is so much better. However, that caused a delay in the invitations and dont get me started on the invitations. Thanks to my brother and my dad they helped me realize once again what is important in the big scheme of things even if everything doesnt turn out how i would like it to.

We are still w0rking out a date of when we are going to have our california open house/reception because to me everyone there is like family, the friends and family i have grown up with. I miss them all a lot!! I know when I go back it will be great and I want everyone to meet Rocky and then when its time to leave i'll want to stay.

Most of my time is taken up with work. Wedding plans are worked in and there are just a few more things we need and then we'll be ready. I cant believe its less than a month away. And that i'm getting married! It wasn't in my plans for this year or in Rocky's plans either. But I guess life isn't always how you plan. But you can still achieve your goals and make new goals as well.

I miss my friends and family a lot :( Being here and being so busy hasn't left a lot of time for meeting new people or hanging out with the friends I have here and in the last few weeks I have missed that a LOT.I have been able to a little bit and my friend Nicole threw me a bridal shower and we went wedding dress shopping together too.
.
It has definitely been good that I have been here for the last few months though to have time to get to know Rocky more and to strengthen our relationship. He is amazing in so many ways!

2010-04-07T14:52:00.000-07:00

A quick update....since i last blogged I have gotten engaged, am in the last week of the semester here at byui and am moving to utah later this week and will be transfering to school there to finish up my last 2 semesters! His name is Rocky Chamochumbi and words can't even describe how amazing and wonderful he is! We feel like we have known each other forever and we are getting married July 23rd of this year and we met at a dance in salt lake when I was here to visit for a 3-day weekend and he had only been in utah a few weeks himself (from japan). There are so many more details of how we met that I'll have to share at a later point!

2010-03-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

After a couple weeks? maybe three? I thought I should probably do some kind of bloggy update on mi vida. So, school is good, it is keeping me hopping! Things with the roommies are great and we have had our late night chats, decorating the apartment which now looks super awesome 'cause of all the color that is in here, going to a couple dances. Speaking of dances...beware (note to self). My life has taken some interesting turns because of them (dances, not my roommates haha) or maybe its just Utah that always seems to take my life in unexpected directions. Haha...is that vague enough for you? Sorry...if you want to know details just call me because I srsly need advice right now. bueno. well I'm going to utah this weekend (am I a glutton for punishment when i know what has happened in the past?) although I always have so much fun there and get to visit so many amazing people that I love every chance I have to go back! My friend needs a ride to her cousin's wedding and she is one of my fave ride compas so i was down for it! oh and a couple of my fhe bros are hitching a ride too. fun times. i'm leaving friday after classes and coming back sunday night (no 3-day weekend this time around). sooo that leaves me with a lot to do before then and time is flying by! como siempre. and tomorrow i should get my new cell (thanks stace!) but i'll keep the same number. i am not going to say anything about the weather because i dont want to jinx it but i will say that each day that goes by is a day closer to spring/summer!

2010-02-19T18:38:00.001-08:00

Some pictures of lately....enjoy!! they are of when i went to utah and also of julianne's birthday!

mmm tacos! so betty's (sanchez) boyfriend has this taco stand so of course we went to eats some tacos!!

and of course i'm going to see my daughter while im in utah!! love her!

hailey enjoying mommy's birthday candles!

shawn surprised julianne with a cake!

she is growing sooo fast! love that adorable face!!

2010-02-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

Do you feel like time is flying by? I do! I felt like that again when I got to utah and felt like i had just been there! I love it but its so crazy at the same time!
highlights from utah ('cause to write about all of it would be sooo much and probably not as interesting to you as it is to me haha).

Went dancing with friends friday- met some new ones and got to see some old ones! my friend amanda totally saved me that night. I also ate something that my stomach did not like so i didn't get much sleep that night. But i didnt really get a lot of sleep the whole weekend but thats what vacations are like sometimes!

Saturday i got my hair fixed!! The thing is...well sometimes i dye my hair and i was trying to go lighter but it ended up making it worse (i am tired of the dark) but luckily i did that right before i went to utah so amanda, who works in b space salon, said she could fix it for me. She took out some of the dark (I dont know all the terms), and she ended up weaving in 3 colors, including highlights and so i am on my way back to being my natural color! she did an amazing job and she works at a cool salon.

I also got invited to try peruvian food and omgosh you will have to go to this place, it is really good, it is called k-rico peru and is in SLC off 2100 S and about 280 W. This guy I met on friday invited me to come and eat there because it is his restaurant! It is peruvian food with japaneese fusion. I recommend it!

SO...lets see. I went to stake conference on sunday in the area that my last companion is serving in, which is also an area I served in my first transfer! I love her, she is amazing and it was great to catch up with her, which is kind of rare because they are missionaries and have their schedules and all that but it worked out really well. It made me miss the mission even more!

Sunday I hung out with some more friends and went to visit some members and recent converts and also had a cupcake making party! I helped with the cupcakes but also made cookies! srsly after making all that stuff I didn't even want to eat it...there was soo much sugar in that kitchen! it was fun though and I got to just hang out and talk to some of my friends and it was really laid back Sunday.

Monday...well i got some wifi, a DI trip was made (also one on saturday! love thrift stores!) and then when i got back my friends were up and super excited to head out to IKEA so we went and that was fun looking around at all the home decor and it made me want to have my own place to decorate!! haha.

This trip there were a lot of late nights! its funny thinking about that because I wasn't that tired even with getting less sleep (but i know that only lasts so long! and it was good to come home and sleep). There were some adventures involved too. Ate a lot of good food. Overall it was great to just get away and have a nice little break. The weather was great too btw. i am seriously wanting spring to come now!! SLC is getting it before us. California too...from what i see from FB from all of those who are raving about the warm and sunshiney weather. Send some to me please?

So that was Utah. Highlights at least. I was happy to make some new friends as well and I realized again how blessed I am.

2010-02-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Well I've been sick the last couple days but I'm feeling better tonight. I slept a lot later in the day on saturday and on sunday which kind of blew off my weekend but at least I didn't have classes (I did meet up with a study group and do some work at the library before taking off to visit a couple sisters from my mission for a little bit).

So I discovered this site today: www.livestrong.com which tracks your eating and exercise for those days when I want to see how many calories I'm actually eating (I'm trying to eat healthier and exercise more!) and my exercise, but I didn't really care for how the school does it because even though you write down everything you eat and they give you a "calorie plan" I was more about seeing how exercise is helping me, although I know eating healthy is part of it too. Its a really cool site, you should check it out even if you don't want to use it.

Hopefully I'll be heading to Utah for this upcoming 3-day weekend! Sometimes I just need to get away...and utah is a good change and not too far, plus I get to see so many great friends and remember my mission :D

I'm just trying to balance everything out this week in the different responsibilities I have and things I need/want to do. And this week is mid-terms! I can't believe they are here already! I feel like its still the first weeks of the semester in some ways.

I am excited to feel better and have all my energy back- its at those times when I don't have it to its fullest that I realize what a blessing it is!

You know what else energizes me? Getting an email from a certain someone! I love that feeling!

I was also studying about the immune system tonight to prepare for tomorrow and now I know what my body needs to be doing (or probably is doing) to help me get better! Yay for the lymphatic system!

Today I had a presentation in my family interactions class about homeschooling. Five of us presented and it went well...we did a powerpoint and then incorporated all the info into a jeopardy game, adding "are you smarter than a 5th grader-type questions" and it was fun to see how everyone got into it, including our teacher. At one point when one group got the answer wrong and any of the other groups could answer and they were all putting their hands up, our teacher shot his hand up and then when we called on him he turned to his group and said, "I just raised my hand because I thought you had the answer!"

I can't wait till we have WARM weather! My sandals and warm-weather type shoes are taunting me from my closet!

2010-02-04T22:23:00.000-08:00

I can't believe january is gone and we are already in the month of February! Time is flying by!!

I've been really busy these last couple weeks. Stace noticed because of a lack of blogging...so, here are a few things that have been going on. Kind of but as I think about it, it would take way too long and a lot of it are things that to anyone else would seem insignificant (thats why I sometimes wonder why I blog!)

There are a ton of projects and work for school and that takes up a LOT of my time. I feel like I am memorizing more this semester than for any other so far!

This week I am focusing on looking at ideas for internships for sometime between August and December.

On Saturday i saw the movie "When in Rome" and it is a cute one! And pretty funny too! Def one to see with friends (like I did) or w/ a bf or husband (as Julianne mentioned).

I don't feel like working out is doing anything for me so far, just using some of the precious time during my day!

And, once again...I have the cutest niece in the world! We had some hailey & aunt laura (or aunt lala) bonding time today! Babies change so quickly! Love her and I wish my whole family could see her more often!

2010-01-25T22:15:00.000-08:00

Ok so this is a quick post...this week is going to be another busy one!
I have 2 tests on thursday and another that opens Wednesday.
Tonight Brittany and I made snow angels! The snow was soooo deep outside our apartment! it has been snowing on and off over the weekend and today as well and it was soft and powdery and SO COLD!!! ok, of course snow is cold but try being almost completely covered by it! BRRR!!! we were walking home from FHE and decided to do it 'cause Brittany is from Florida and she has to experience all the snow-type activities! The best one is breaking icicles!! and we are going to go sledding. build a snowman. make an igloo. snowboarding maybe. other suggestions? I am definitely a fan of WARM weather but since the snow is here we can have some fun with it! my favorite is being outside either while it is snowing and watching it cover everything or just after it has snowed and it is silent and totally white and it feels like you are in a different world! ok, now its starting to sound like i really like snow (like how it sparkles at night when the light hits it!) so...moving on...soon there will be SUNSHINE that feels warm (instead of just looking warm and being freezing outside!) and I won't have to wear a million layers of clothing!

otras noticias...

I got 100% on my test today!
I came home to a letter after classes and studying and studying at the library. LML
I am starting to relearn to play the guitar (building on the little I learned before my mission!) and I am excited 'cause i have some new ideas for songs i'm going to learn on the piano. i LOVE music!!
Life is such a blessing, each day I am trying to take advantage of all the opportunities I have because some I will only have once. The time I have with friends and family passes so quickly (we are almost in february!!) and even if its just through a phone call or a txt or a visit, I love it because they are amazing! come visit me!!

2010-01-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from the weekend! It doesn't capture everything I did, but a few of the highlights! Next time I will take more pics! Besides what is below, it was great to drive there and back with my friend Saini, see some members and recent converts in the Salt Lake area, and also have dinner with my friend Nicole.

Elder Flores...ok JOSHUA...(I'm still getting used to calling him that! He was my DL/ZL for like 7 or 8 transfers!) and he made us dinner~chilies rellenos texas style and we also hung out and went to the Creamery. He is the best! It was so great to see him and also to stay with Sanchez and Fulk at their place while I was there.

One is me and Hna Johns (one of my MTC companions!)...her first name is Lauren...it was great to see her and talk about the mission (of course!) and catch up on whats been going on in our lives.

These two are Hna Hernandez (my mission daughter) and then of her and my new granddaughter, Hna Taylor! They are serving in Rose Park 14 which was my first area in the mission! It was so great seeing them! I miss the mission!

2010-01-21T13:41:00.001-08:00

Defining moments. I think a lot of them come when you least expect them.
I have had a few recently and they have made me change a few things.
You know how to know when you are getting good advice?
its when you KNOW that what you are hearing is right even if it is hard to accept, even when you don't completely agree, and then when you can't forget about the advice you were given. and then you start taking some baby steps and experimenting with the advice and testing it out to see what the results could be.
And then you realize that that person was right in part. WHAT. You were for sure that what you were doing before was the best but its true what they say, "you can't see the forest for the trees."
And the advice you got in the beginning you didn't even ask for! but it rarely comes that way...

I say this because I did get some advice, or more of an opinion a few months back and it wasn't what I wanted to hear. After we were done talking, what this person said kept coming back to me again and again and I pondered about pros and cons. It bugged me because I felt that things were good where I was but this person saw more than I could, saw more into the future than I could. Because I can see a little better now a few months later which has helped me accept changing. its kind of liberating in a way. Kind of hard. But it will be fun!

L.M.L.

Well I also went to utah for the 3-day weekend!
It was just what I needed!!
then i got back to this week which has been super busy and kind of stressful.
but as for the weekend...more of a post and pics to come...

2010-01-13T22:24:00.000-08:00

This has been SO busy! Especially from the time on that I decided to to go Utah for the 3-day weekend. I am so excited about this! Utah feels in some ways so much like home-because of the familiarity from my mission and my friends who are there! I feel so blessed to be able to go and see some of them in 2 days! We (me and two friends) are driving there friday after classes and coming back Monday evening. I.cant.wait. Am I maybe a little tooo excited about this? Nope! ;)

This is only the first full week of school but I have been bombarded with work--I think that is why I am so excited as well for a change of scene.

I have a new calling, I'm the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society. I was the first last semester (in charge of teachers, lessons, music) and now as 2nd I'm in charge of planning the activities. I didn't even know there was a difference until I got into the calling last semester! I've been thinking of some possible activity ideas but any ideas you'd have I would love to hear!

I have found some good work out buddies (starting next week)...my roommates!! They have a ton of free classes and tonight they are at yoga (the starting next week is me because I have extra to do now because I'm going to utah friday) and along with yoga they have kickboxing, cycling, step, arobics, hip hop, zumba, advanced yoga..etc..they seriously have a ton of classes!

Thank goodness for Sunday! My ward meets at 9 now and i love coming home afterwards...and sunday I went to see julianne, shawn, and hailey and can i just say i have the cutest niece EVER!!! i love that little girl! she is starting to CRAWL!! love it. love her! (she is going to learn to say "la la"...I just need a little time...julianne? you want to go out? I'll babysit! :D

2010-01-05T20:08:00.000-08:00

Today was my first day of school (for winter semester)!
I had a criminal justice class and biology. both will be really interesting!
wanna see my books??? (plus one extra for a class tomorrow)

look close to see the sticker on all of my books which signifies they are "textbook rentals." Probably the best thing ever for a college student (if you don't have time to wait for shipping by ordering online, which can also be cheap). I got a really good deal on these three. I'm waiting until my other classes tomorrow to see if the books are really necessary. These three are so rented them for so much cheaper than what i would buy them for, even used.

I feel so blessed to be able to be going to school and furthering my education and to be able to do it at this school. Its hard work and I'll get stressed but the blessing are so much greater than the frustrations or stresses that I have in the moment.

In other news...
The first day of school lunch (its a tradition!) ended up being a dinner instead of a lunch and it was soyummy. I made soup in the crockpot and if you ever want to eat some delish soup let me know. I'll a) make some for you and we can enjoy the amazing goodness together b) send you the recipe and you can make it and then call me and i'll tell you to send me some or something...like that...anyways...I love soup in cold weather!

Julianne gave me an extra blender they had and a pizza stone they weren't using sooo I'm excited to make a pizza soon. Maybe for them. Or for me. And my roommates 'cause I have 2 new roommates and they seem pretty cool so far! So we might have to have a pizza night.

Wednesday is my longest day of school because of my biology lab (till 5:15). Today went by super fast. It was funny, I went to go get my books and I saw julianne there and she left before I did and then after I got my books I had to go to walmart and i was about to go in when i got a supergreat phone call and i was outside talking when julianne came out of walmart! so we were just following each other around ;)

well i have some more homework and some other reading to do as well. g'night!

2010-01-03T11:40:00.000-08:00

Stace suggested I blog about this (when I called her on the way to church this morning) and thinking about it right now, why not?

Last night we found out our church hours had been changed from 1pm to 9am. I set my alarm to have enough time to be up and get there in time to play prelude music (I was asked to play the piano for sacrament meeting because about 80% of the ward is new and they weren't sure who played the piano yet).
so...this morning i wake up at 7am and I think to myself "good, i still have a little time to sleep" because I felt incredibly sleepy. next thing I know I open my eyes and see that my alarm clock (which i dont think ever went off!) says 9:02.
Panic!! so...basically there goes playing in sacrament meeting, plus being LATE (i really dont like being late!)
I hurry and get ready and walk to church (about a 10 min walk). I was sitting outside of the door for a while because I didn't want to disrupt going in but still wanted to hear the testimonies (fast and testimony sunday). Then a nice girl come out and when she returns to go back in she invites me to go in and sit with her so i walk in with her and the key is to just act normal...a mistake is a mistake...getting up late happens...its embarassing sometimes...but life goes on! I apologized to the bishop afterwards and he was fine and said i could redeem myself at ward prayer tonight haha. the guy who ended up playing the closing prayer was amazing (the girl in relief society too) so I think the ward got the better end of the deal with me being late!
I really enjoyed talking to some of the ward members that are here again from last semester and I also met some new people who seem really nice.
So. that was my morning. I'm home now and have the rest of the day, which is a lot different than last semester.

How was your Sunday?

2009-12-30T10:11:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

I had a great time in california for christmas! it went by way too fast...now i'm back in idaho and its a few days before the semester starts so i decided it would be a good time to blog! we did so much (stace and I, she drove from arizona) that I'll just be highlighting a few of the things we did!)

before i left, julianne gave me christmas & birthday gifts! they came with me to california...i have to show them off because she is so talented! she makes and sells baby stuff as well and its all so cute!

Christmas eve our friend Kokob came over (after having a wonderful christmas eve dinner with a family in our ward~ its a tradition :) and stace and i had a crazy running around dropping off christmas treats- chocolate dipped pretzels!). she gave us christmas scarves she made, as well as some yummy cookies...

Christmas morning we ate breakfast and i also talked to some friends and family to wish them merry christmas (and feliz navidad!). I love my family and i wish we could have all been together!
We went to visit a friend before heading out to rocklin to our grandparents house in the afternoon and we ate tons of delish food (stace and i made the stuffed celery), had a fun gift exchange, and hung out and caught up on life! i got an assortment of christmas cookies from my aunt lori and the ones with the chocolate in the middle are soo good! i definitely got geared up for a cold idaho winter because my aunt sharon gave me a scarf and gloves which will come in handy when it gets below 0!! We had a smaller crowd this year...we are all spreading out and its harder to get together like we used to!

i also loved looking at a lot of the old photos that my grandparents have up at their house (my dad's side of the family) of my dad when he was little and his brothers and sisters!

you'll have to be sure to check out my sister's blog
for more pictures from the week because she will give a more detailed/full of pics post
! on my birthday she took me to a kings game against cleavland and also out to eat and we also went and saw the movie "blindside" which was SO good, i recommend it!!
we also did some thrift store shopping (woodland has the best.thrift.store.ever. if you want to find some amazingly good deals you have to go there (and invite me along! i will help you find them!)
My sister stace also made me a cool photo collage calendar which came in the mail today! i love surprises and it has so many memories in it because she used recent photos as well as ones from when we were little!

I cant forget two other people that made my holiday so great, carissa and nicole! We have been friends since we were like 12 and have had a lot of fun times together! They have both since married, and all of us are in different states- Arizona (Stace), Idaho (me), Utah (Nicole) and Alabama (Carissa). They were both in woodland for christmas and we had a few get togethers, talking and laughing and catching up on life!
We were able to stop by and visit a lot of families and friends! it was so great to see them all and i can't wait to see you all again (probably in the summer!) it is such a great feeling to be able to see friends that you haven't seen in a while and be able to pick up where you left off and laugh and enjoy a few moments of life together!

The most important part of Christmas is Christ! I am so grateful for his birth and the significance of His life and the gift that He gave all of us!

2009-11-22T19:14:00.000-08:00

What are you thankful for?

tueSday

2009-11-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

Today was a day of S's....

sunshine (and it was actually not super super cold! love days like that, especially in idaho!

I love the smell of skittles! Next time before you eat them, take a moment to smell them. Oh, and I found a snacksize in my backpack (descreetly snacked on during class!)

SMILE! I went back over to return Julianne's cookie sheet and saw baby hailey (2 days in a row)! She fed herself (with my help) and man, she is SO cute! She is getting some teeth in now. And, she has a really loud scream! (she was just screaming to scream...)

Plus Julianne 'cause we update each other on whats up.

Hmmm and now I get to do some more homework. 3 days till Thanksgiving break! Can't wait!

I also sent some delicious

to Rolfy today...yep...and they are pretty much the.best.cookies.ever 'cause they have cinnamon chips and chocolate chips in them and them and nice and soft....mmmm.

And one last thing...i watched this and it happens to have one of my most favorite quotes ever on it by Elder Wirthlin from this talk.

Have a great evening! Now its cold and dark outside...sleep is calling my name early tonight!

2009-11-15T16:32:00.001-08:00

2009-11-12T20:47:00.000-08:00

I want to be a missionary again. This feeling come back over and over again and sometimes it hits me really hard, like right now. I wish I could explain how deeply I feel it!
At the beginning they tell you to make the most of every moment, every opportunity to teach and to learn and to feel the spirit and see the miracles because 1. you will never have those same kinds of experiences again (being a full time missionary) and 2. because it goes by so fast and you want to look back on it as the best experience of your life.
And the good thing about that, is that I can.
The bad thing about it is, I can and its true that I can't go back.
Not to like how it was before.
I want the simplicity of the mission. Of waking up and knowing that I had one focus, one goal.
I know what I learned is going to be tested now, over and over again. Because I learned what I learned and grew in certain ways for a purpose.
The Lord knows I have it but it isn't just to have.

2009-11-05T22:32:00.000-08:00

My halloween was celebrated more the weekend before halloween then actually on halloween! I was in SLC and as you can see we had some adventures! Don't worry, no one got hurt!

why did I end up next to the spider!?

2009-11-03T20:37:00.000-08:00

Today is November 3rd. I can't believe we are in November already! My classes are going...okay for the most part. With the exception of spanish and math. I'm stressed out and have a lot to do and am also looking for a job. Next week I'll register for classes for winter. I'm also deciding if I'm going to stay here in this apartment complex! It has its pros and cons.
Rodolfo is now Elder Moreno. He went into the MTC last Wednesday (has it really only been a week, it feels like more...) and we have been writing and it is really hard not talking to him because he is who I would talk to every day and when I felt down or upset or happy or excited or had good new or bad news or needed advice or wanted to give advice lol he was always just a phone call away. I am really glad i had the weekends I had to go visit him and also for being there his last day before he left to go to the MTC. A little crazy, I know...I left early early Monday morning (of last week) after being there the weekend to come back here to school for my classes (he almost came with me) and we had talked about me coming back up one more time but it looked like there was going to be snow, so that is why he didn't drive up with me to Rexburg. After my classes I couldn't stand the thought of not being with him one more time before he left, so after checking the weather forecasts, I grabbed my laptop and my backpack and a few other things and headed back to Salt Lake City! I felt so peaceful, calm and so happy going back...and a little crazy 'cause I was just there earlier that day! But it didn't matter, I was going to see him again and it turned out to be just what I needed.
There was some snow on Tuesday (we had a little trouble getting to the West Jordan temple where we did a session) but it just snowed on and off. Monday night was great to hang out with his family and talk and eat and Tuesday we went to the temple, ate at Subway, got a few more things he needed, etc, and then at 7pm we went to the stake center and met up with his family and his bishop and he was set apart as a missionary! Before I left to go back to Rexburg, he gave me a blessing. I have no regrets going back (the 3 1/2 hr drive is so familiar now!) and I am greatcoat for all the memories we have together so far! From how we first met, to when he told me how he felt about me, to seeing how it wasn't coincidence that we are where we are now.
Okay so maybe you could tell I'm missing him a LOT (sometimes it will just hit me really hard)! Thank goodness for letters. And that he is doing the work of the Lord because I know this is where he needs to be right now and that it is not our time, it is the Lords. It makes me think a lot about my mission as well, and also about what I can do now as far a missionary work goes, as well as what I can do to prepare for the future. It is true that sometimes the little and seemingly insignificant things are the things that matter most. And it is because of those things that I can continue day to day to put my life in perspective and think positive and follow the spirit and learn something new each day and recognize the many blessings I have.

2009-09-17T12:14:00.000-07:00

I have been debating about myself if 1. i really work better under pressure or 2. just procrastinate.

Right now I am applying this to school but I also think about when I had those sacrament meeting talks and although I thought about the topic a lot beforehand, it never made its way onto paper (or my computer) very easily. I talked about the topic, ask opinions and end up with a lot of information that I could share with others. But it was usually the day (and night) before that I ended up writing something along the lines of what I ended up saying.

I have been thinking about this because I have a paper to write, spanish verb tenses to memorize (which don't really count because I dont have to write an essay or review on them), a book report, etc. I love my classes, they are so interesting and I come out of them wanting to learn more and explore new ideas and do more with my life. I feel so much more of an appreciation for the opportunities I have been given. Then I remember that I have to still...write the paper, the news review, book report. I think its more of the grading process than the learning process is why we do them. And to help on the tests sometimes.

It does help to have an incentive though! I am going to utah (weekend roadtrip) so I need to get these things done! Math is in a totally different category but I am on top of that one so far.

But really, when I think about school, its more like....
Its a huge stepping stone leading me closer to where I want to be.
To having more choices and opportunities.
It is teaching me about sacrifice.
Also about reevaluating my priorities.
And giving me more contacts.
Opening my eyes about what is going on in the world on different levels (probably because of my major, not because im in rexburg!)

Thursday. Almost Friday! I am leaving right after my last class. I'll be back Sunday!
Mom and Dad are coming to Rexburg next week!
Its a beautiful day!
I'm still looking for a job.
I love the missionaries in my life- right now its my brother Jeff and my daughter (in the mission) Hermana Hernandez. and in about a month...Elder Moreno! <3

Back to memorizing spanish verb tenses. there are only 16...

school!

2009-09-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

I started school officially (again) at BYUI yesterday! It is going to be a good semester. and a busy one. so i thought i'd give an update right now and hopefully a few more throughout the semester. I have to say first of all that all my teachers seem really good.
I am taking a math class (algebra) mwf it is my first class of the day at 9am. Math is my least favorite subject but i must bite the bullet because i plan to graduate in 3 semesters and i have 3 math classes to take!
I have my race/ethnicity class mwf 10:15-11:15...so i am pretty much zipping out of math to get up to the ricks building right after! My teacher is gone until next wednesday so today we watched a video. All my classes have a ton of reading, this class has an extra reading assignment/book report to do and we have like 5 books to choose from.
Next i have human relationships/leadership class in the same building (thank goodness) because its just 15 after my race/ethnicity class. what i love about my sociology classes are that they are so so interesting! The teacher for this class is amazing in all he has done in his life.
I had a spanish class tth 7:45-8:15 mtwth but then the teacher told me i actually needed to be in a different spanish class so today i started in my spanish lit class (mwf 3:15-4:15- i wanted an earlier class but that is the earliest they had open). I felt right at home in that class! because of all the spanish. I was worried at first that it might be tooo advanced but it is designed for non native speaking returned missionaries! We all went around and introduced ourselves and where we served and that was really neat. And the best part is that i can test out of 3 other spanish classes = 12 credits!
On tth i have another sociology class (social problems) and that seems like it will be an interesting class, we are going to talk about a lot of issues in the world today, a lot of social problems.
so that is my schedule! I jumped right on my math homework today between classes so i have that all done for monday. And i have other homework in my other classes as well...a lot of reading mostly and and few assignments to turn in. when you are back you are back! i have to admit its a little weird still because i was here before and things are different and all that but overall its good. i have seen a few friends from the mission!! that has been so great! also, julianne, shawn and hailey are here and i stayed with them a couple nights when i first got here. then i went back to utah. and then came back here. so i have done a lot of driving, had a ton of fun, started working hard again in my education and am looking for a job!
I also got to spend a few days having a lot of fun with my bf, rolfy (as stace calls him)...we did a ton...we were going to go to idaho right away but we started out spending most of the day in utah :) and went to lagoon, then to imax to see space mysteries, and got icecream and hung out and to temple square for a little while and then left for idaho and stayed at juliannes and i moved in, we went to church, to the park, and drove back to utah and on wednesday i was with some of the hermanas in the branch for most of the day until i went to pick up rolfy from work and then i got a new laptop!!!!! love it- im on it right now! and we went back to his house to eat and then...i had to leave to come back to idaho because school was going to start the next day! so anyways, we went all over and he drove to idaho the first time and back (he is the best!) because after driving from cali to utah i really wanted a lil break from driving so much!
so even though i didnt think i'd be back here to go to school here i am, and there are pros about being here, including the temple that is super close. i live in hillcrest townhouses and i am on the east side of campus.

yayay

2009-08-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

so at the fair i entered into almost all the giveaways they had...(i do this a lot!). AND...guess what? I won! A starbucks giftcard...im going to go pick it up tomorrow. nice surprise 'cause i usually fill out those things and forget about them.

what is your favorite thing to get at starbucks?
when starbucks was new i thought all they sold was coffee. i later learned that there were other delicious beverages awaiting my tastebuds!

i love their frappachinos. my favorite was the tangerine but they dont have the tang syrup anymore! so sad.

still looking for housing. i found a place i really want to move into and there is a girl who wants to sell her contract BUT she isn't emailing me back. I will let you know. They are townhouses and only 4 girls live there instead of the usual 6. that will be nice (praying that i get it!). and its really close to the building where i have 3 classes.

its a good monday when...

2009-08-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

You come home from work after a looong day and find out you get a settlement check from a place you used to work for that you didn't even know was doing some kind of settlement for! yay! that made my day. it will mostly be spent on books probably but I'll take it!
This week im packing for AriZonA! so excited to go! work is work.
I'm finding a place to live for fall. i'm trying to decide between 2 different places. Its been so long since i've been there and a lot has changed so basically im going off nothing as far as knowing what is good or not. except if a place is full/has a waiting list i pretty much can assume its a good place i guess. Anyways, everyone seems a lot more concerned about me finding housing than i am. i dont know if that is a good thing? I talked to mom this morning and she said something along the lines of "well at least you have a nice car you can sleep in!" dad's comment was "are you finding curtains for your car?" stace had a bunch of questions if i had found a place to live as well. OK its my goal of this week to get housing! Before I go to AZ! I'll keep you updated on where i'll be!

the time is a little different here from SA

2009-08-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

When I went to check my email to my joy (and dismay) i found an email from Jeff! I was planning on writing him today. He said his email day right now that he is in the MTC is Saturday but last week we didnt get an email from him until Sunday...so I think the best thing to do is to email him Friday. Man, I feel bad because I know how important getting mail is to a missionary!
Sooo...guess what. Sunday = good day to write to missionary brother! 'cause besides just getting emails, getting that envelope in the mail with your name on it with the return address being someone you know and have been wondering or thinking about, is the best feeling ever!

I'm going thrift store shopping in a few minutes with Betty. I love the weekends. Last Sunday I went over and had dinner with the Curtemans. Love that family! Jackie is a great cook! We had baked chicken & asparagus, salad, pasta, and for dessert this delicious angelfoodcake strawberry & whipped cream dessert. Afterwards we played a fun game. It was so cute, Camille called me in the afternoon to invite me over for dinner. They are all growing up so fast! I can't believe Spencer has started college and Matthew has started jr high! I will miss them a lot when i go back to school.

'

hmmm update

2009-08-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

I'm going to Arizona in a couple weeks! I'm really excited because I get to hang out with Stace and also with Rene, Paul, and Joey! The only thing I'm worried about is that I might like it so much that I'll want to stay longer! haha. Also, my friend Stef lives in Arizona now too and hopefully we'll be able to get together.

I'll also be heading to Idaho to go back to school in September. School starts on the 10th and I'm driving first to Utah a few days earlier and then to Rexburg (BYU-Idaho). I got most of my classes (math, a bunch of sociology classes, and a spanish class). I need to add a different spanish class because the only one they had an opening for is way earlier than I want to get up! It starts at 6:45 AM!! I got up at 6:30 this morning and I thought about that early class that I have in my schedule and...thats not going to work so well! So I'm watching for an opening for one that is later in the day.
My major is sociology with a minor in spanish. I am still looking for housing up there. If you have any advice on apartment complexes, feel free to share! I'm sure things have changed a bit since I've been up there last.
The best part of being there in Rexburg is that I'll be able to see my sister Julianne and my cute niece Hailey!! I'm so excited for that! Also, I'm only 3 1/2 hours from SLC, and 5 hrs from some more of my fam. Its not the same as being in CaLiFoRnIa though :( or in AZ with Stace...but I only have 3 semesters left and I've been assigned winter/spring track with permission to start in the fall so I can do the 3 semesters in a row and graduate!
ok well that is the whole school update so if you read this you'll have a better idea whats going on.

And now a few photos...

With my grandparents...we all went out to eat while Jeff was here.

With my awesome friends Barbara and Khristine! We met up in Davis while there were here visiting and had a lot of fun catching up and eating at Crepeville and Ben & Jerrys! I can't wait to visit them in New York sometime!

7 things...

2009-07-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

Seven things I did today...

1. Took Linda to the airport

2. Talked to Hna Nepomuceno, Hna Hernandez & Hna Moreno!!! :D

3. Washed my car

4. Filled out job applications

5. Called Evan to wish him HaPpY bIrThDaY (he is 13 now!)

6. Worked on getting everything sorted out for school

7. Read some articles/quotes to see what I want to use in my talk in a couple weeks.

Jeff leaves for his mission on the 4th! I can't believe it! He is going to be an amazing missionary and have so many life changing and wonderful experiences!

Sunday

2009-07-19T21:44:00.000-07:00

At 6:30 AM this morning I went to the stake center to report to the high council about my mission. Two other missionaries were also reporting and it was neat to hear about their experiences as well (in Taiwan and Colorado). I love the mission so much! You know, its true I never really understood before when RM's would get so excited to talk about their mission and just all happy and everything BUT NOW I GET IT....yep I have the returned missionary "i love talking about my mission" syndrome. I want to keep the feeling with me forever of how I felt serving the Lord full time. I recommend it for everyone! There is definitely nothing else like it.
I also got to speak in sacrament meeting in my ward (also about the mission) and to bear my testimony in spanish (I also did that in the high council meeting) and that was great! I also got a calling in my ward today as Young Women's secretary! I am really excited! The leaders are really enthusiastic and I have good experiences of young women's myself and want to be able to help the girls to have great experiences and memories of young womens.

2009-07-18T16:02:00.000-07:00

Hey, I'm making a new blog for a a couple reasons...

-I can't get into my old one at all (I've tried just about everything)
-People still want me to make a blog!

(blogging is not my strongest quality but with some reminders I should be able to update it every now and then).

Today is Saturday. I'm speaking in sacrament meeting tomorrow to talk about my mission! I have been thinking and writing about the different experiences I want to share and it has made me so happy to do that!
Then in the mail today I got a letter from my last companion, Hna Hernandez, and she sent me 3 pictures, including one of Jose, who is a recent convert, of him at the temple open house, as well as one of Luis at his baptism! He was baptized on July 5th!
This is me and Hna Hernandez when I went to see her a couple weeks ago at the Oquirr Mountain Temple open house. I was so excited to see her and the other sisters there!