"These Little Wonders Still Remain"

So, I have been thinking about this a lot over the past few weeks, about how it is the small moments in life that we really need to appreciate more. I feel we can pass them over really easily and get caught up in the big things that happen. Then after the events of this weekend, I realized just how important it is to find the small things in life.

In the end, it won't matter that I will be super poor after paying to get my car fixed. Or it won't matter if I didn't get the best grades in school or get the job I wanted. What does matter are the moments with friends and family; the little miracles along the way.

Its the small moments like a friend pulling me into a hug while I cried after my car accident. Or blowing up an air mattress and rafting onto bear lake through a swamp. Or dancing with my roommate Christine all over the apartment and when someone knocks on the door we just take the dance outside to them. Its doing Dancing with the Stars workout video with your bishopric. Its walking to two different 7/11s for free slurpee's and end up having to buy one because they are out because we have to celebrate my favorite date. Or getting soaked during bumper boats because you accidentally hit a little boy with water and he decided he wanted revenge! Making pazookies and all of the sudden you and all your friends turn into animals as you are determined to get as much pazookie as you can!

Dressing up for an 80's birthday party

Dancing with the Stars work out video

Soaked after the bumper boats

With our slurpees on 7/11

At bear lake after enjoying our rafting adventures

I love the talk by President Monson "Finding Joy in the Journey". He talks about how we can't let this life pass us by. If we keep collecting our tomorrows, then all we will have is a whole bunch of empty yesterdays.

"Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone '"

I don't want this to happen to me, to be upset because I didn't fully appreciate the times I had with friends and family. So, I have the goal to be better about holding onto those moments and not pushing them away because I have problems that may seem big at the time. I never want my problems to be more important than the people around me.

our lives are made in these small hours

these little wonders,

these twists & turns of fate time falls away,

but these small hours,

these small hours still remain

Its the small moments that make me who I am. They make me stronger, happier and better. And those memories should be the ones that we try to remember and appreciate. I am glad I have this blog becuase it makes me look for those small moments in my life that I could blog about and my goal is to blog more about those moments!

"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows." President Monson

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"

I love my nieces and nephews! They are all pretty dang adorable! I am lucky enough to have spent time with McKay's kids last month and Rachelle's kids this past week! I find that whenever we are all in the car together, I am somehow in the back with all the kids. And of course, out comes my phone to take pictures of the little cuties! A lot of times, its the funny faces that we make but here are some cute smiling pictures of them!

Rustin and Ryder

Riley and Kaiya

Kyndall

Kaydence

Sadie

Logan and Sadie

Max and Renee

Kassidy

Jealous? Yeah, you should be!

"This Land is my land, this land is your land"

I have always loved the fourth of July! Its a great time to celebrate our country, friendships, and family. This fourth of July received the name "Epic Fourth of July" and rightfully so. We started our celebration on Saturday with the Stadium of Fire. Sadly, I didn't get to go to the Stadium of Fire, but the Riviera is right next to the Stadium.

So, we all sat on Brooke and Kristen's balcony and watched as the sky divers dove into the stadium. Few minutes later, the Jets flew across as well. We were able to watch and hear David Archueleta sing from the big screen. Then later that night we watched the Fireworks! Stadium of Fire has some of the best Fireworks in my opinion. And because we live at the Riviera, we had front row seating for them! It was awesome!

Sunday, we watched Independence Day, a great way to get us in the spirit for America's Birthday! What is more patriotic than Will Smith and Aliens... nothing!

Monday started early. When I was a kid, I remembered going to the Balloon Festival with my Grandparents. They have tons of Hot Air Balloons that all Inflate around the same time and fly off into the sky. I hadn't gone to this festival at all during my college years, understandable... who wants to get up at 6 on the one day you can sleep in?

However, since this could possibly be my last 4th in Utah, I decided we had to do it. So Brooke, Collin, Tyler, Garrett and I all woke up bright and early and took off to the Hot Air Balloon Festival. Sadly, the weather didn't quite agree with the Hot Air Balloons so they weren't going to take off that day. They did still inflate the balloons so we were able to walk around and see them up close. Hot Air Balloons are HUGE!!!! They got a new balloon to the festival, Darth Vader! We were able to get one picture of us with the Balloons in the Background before the huge gust of wind knocked all the balloons down.

After, we came home and made a delicious chocolate chip pancake and egg breakfast before we had to run to the parade. I'm not the biggest fan of parades. You just watch floats and bands walk by and they never seem to end. But, it was Epic Fourth of July and it can't be epic unless you have the Parade in there. We got to sit next to Ginelle and Steve so that was good to see them. (They just got engaged!)

After the parade, we hiked Bridal Veil's Falls. We hike right up the waterfall, took a break for lunch and then went on an adventure past the waterfall. Every time I have done that hike, I just get to the top of the waterfall and then I venture back down. But I loved exploring past the waterfall. We now have a goal to go even farther than we went before the next time we do the hike!

We went for a drive to a really pretty look out and then made our way back to the Riviera. We managed to fit in a little swim before I had to get the BBQ ready. Tommy and I are the "Grandparents" in our ward. We are in charge of the FHE program. Since Fourth of July is a Monday, we made it a ward FHE BBQ! We ate some burgers and then played games with the water balloons. And even had some time for Swedish twister.

After the BBQ, we took off to the Malt Shoppe. Another memory from my childhood. Whenever we came to Utah for the Fourth of July, we would watch Fireworks with my mom's side of the family in the Field that is right by the Malt Shop. Then we would get some shakes from the Malt shop as we waited for the firework show to begin. Well, that Field is gone, so I don't know where my family watches the fireworks, but the Malt Shop still stands! So, I had to continue tradition!

We finished Independence day because we weren't able to watch it all the night before and then drove to Lehi to watch the fireworks at Thanksgiving Point. They weren't as good as stadium of fire and we had to deal with the horrible traffic after but still enjoyable.

All in all, it was a great fourth of July, probably one of the best! We probably spent about 18 hours straight with each other but every minute was a blast!

"Long Distance Runner"

I am doing a Ragnar!!!!

For those of you that don't know what a Ragnar is, it is a giant relay race. We are on teams of 12 people and together we run about 200 miles. This one is down in Vegas, so we start at Lake Mead and then we will finish in Vegas. Each person runs three legs usually around the length of 3-6 miles. It starts at about 8 in the morning on Friday and goes through the night and finishes around the afternoon of Saturday!

About a year and a half ago, I went down to Vegas to cheer on my friend as she ran the Ragnar in Vegas. As I watched all these teams cross the finish line, I found myself thinking about how fun this would be to do, have something that everyone has to work together as a team for. At that time though, I hated running so it was more of a long off wish that I didn't think I would ever do. Then as I started running and training for my first half marathon, the thoughts of a Ragnar slowly started appearing again. But then I realized I would need to find a team, and those thoughts disappeared again.

Well, a couple weeks ago, a friend of mine from work asked if I wanted to do one with him. I immediately said yes. Then we talked about how we should get a team together from work. So, one by one friends from worked joined our team. Even my supervisor joined the team! I have a couple friends from my ward doing it as well. Yesterday, Chris informed us that he successfully registered for the Ragnar!!!! So, its official! I am finally able to check this one off of my bucket list!

This is my leg:

First Leg: 6.5 miles Hard
Second Leg: 2.7 miles Easy
Third: 6.5 miles Moderate

I am runner number 12, so I will be doing the 12th run, the 24th run and the last one!!! I will admit I am a little scared about the 6.5 miles hard but I think this will be a great thing that will push me and help me be a better runner! Especially, since it is looking like in one year I will be running a full marathon!