"When I Fall in Love"

Weddings are just so fun and a couple weeks ago I had the chance to go up to one of my way good friend's weddings and be a bridesmaid! It was a crazy busy and exhausting weekend but so amazing at the same time! I loved it and I loved getting a chance to see the happiness that Michelle and Dallin felt as they walked out of the Temple! The spirit was really strong and you could just tell that everything was right! Anywho, here are some pictures from that wonderful and crazy weekend.

Annie and I at the reception

Taylor, Annie and I

The amazing cake!

The couple

Babysitting outside the temple

They are married!!!

Bride with some of her bridesmaids!

The bride and I 

I love this temple! So beautiful!

"I won't give up"

Two and a half years ago I started training for my first half marathon. Extremely nervous and not sure if I would be able to run a half marathon, I started to train for it in a gym and once it warmed up, I started to train in the canyon. Every time I ran on the trail up there, at the spot that I usually would want to quit running, I ran past this cement rock with lots of graffiti on it. Normally I just ignore graffiti seeing as most of it is swear words or inappropriate pictures or phrases, but this time, something caught my eye. It was this statement:

"Life has no limits if you are not afraid to get in it." 

That quote usually gave me another boost and I would be able to finish my run for that day.  I loved running past that rock every day because every day I was reminded that really there are no limits to what we are capable of doing. I saw that immediately with my running life. Many years ago I would have never dreamed of running two half marathons and a full marathon but I did it. I didn't let the fear of trying something new or pushing myself stop me from accomplishing something great. 

Today as I was thinking about my life, I found myself thinking back to this graffiti rock and how I have been letting my fears take over what I am capable of. I started to allow the thoughts of "I am not good enough to be a recreation therapist" stop me from really searching for a job. I realized that I need to stop letting that fear stop me from applying because really there are no limits to what I am capable of. There is a job out there that needs me, and I will be able to do more that I think I will be able to because there are NO limits. 

There are two extremely powerful words that we allow to have more influence in our lives then we should, "I can't".  As soon as we start saying we can't do something, then just that happens, we can't and we don't.  We stop all our potential and progress because we tell ourselves that we can't. And once we believe that we can't, why even try right? And then failure happens and of course we say that the failure happened because we can't do whatever it was that we were thinking about trying. 

Luckily, we have two other words that are just as powerful or even more powerful, "I can." Its amazing how much power those words have. Once we tell ourselves that we can do something, we get over the fears of failure that we have and we jump. And in the end, we will succeed because we know that we are capable and we can be successful.  

President Uchtdorf said in General Conference a couple years ago, " Don't let the voice of critics paralyze you-- Whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside."  I think the majority of the time, we are paralyzed from our own criticizing voice. We got to take another word of advice from President Uchtdorf and "STOP IT." We need to stop paralyzing our self from reaching our full potential  in life because we feel that there are limits to what we are capable of.  

Its a crazy thought that a little bit of graffiti has changed my life, but it has. So thank you to whoever decided to paint on a rock because it has reminded me that I can take big leaps because really I am the only one who can limit what I do. 

"Come Fly with Me"

Wow, it has been a while since I have last posted and boy do I have a lot to say. But I will do it in several different posts. First post.... my adventures down to Arizona.

Rachelle and her kids drive to visit my parents about once a year. I decided that I really wanted to go to Arizona when they were there for a weekend. So, Thursday after work I flew down to Arizona for the weekend.

Friday we woke up and got right into the pool. Whenever I wasn't stressing about one of the little kids drowning, I was having a blast! We went down the slide, played on the different blow up toys and just splashed around.  After we went to a bounce place where they had the big blowup slides and other little obstacle courses. Boy oh boy is that a work out! We climb up the wall and come right down that slide, just to repeat about 20 more times. Kaydence and I had a system going. First she would go down and I would watch, then I would go down and she watch. Then we would go down together. And repeat.

That night, Rachelle, Ryan, my dad and mom and I all went out dinner with just the adults while Gigi had a no adults party with the kids.

Saturday we got to have a big family swim party which was a blast. Even with a haboob hitting us right in the middle! But no haboob is going to stop us, so we kept swimming! The haboob actually cooled everything down which was nice since Arizona is ridiculously hot!

Sunday, Rachelle and I made our own belgian waffles and yeah, they weren't as good as my cousins waffles or the Belgian waffles in Salt Lake City but I do think they turned out a lot better then I expected. They were pretty good! Soon, I will be able to open up my own waffle place... haha, I have too many other dreams of shops i will open so I don't think the waffle one will make it to the top of the list. That night it was back to Utah and back to the job.

Pictures taken on my horrible camera on my phone, so not that great. Oh well.

Rustin and I 

Kyndall

Ryder and his "dragon"

Yep, he is a red head

Kassidy

The girls sitting on the chair at that time

Attempt One to get the three of us....

Ryder was pretty upset that only half of his face made it in that
last picture, so he made sure that wouldn't happen again!

Ryder, Kyndall, Kaydence and I

This little cutie always wanted to pose for the pictures

It was a great little weekend getaway!

"Its a love story baby, just say yes"

Its crazy to think that one year ago, Thomas and I were just co workers. In fact, one year ago I created an experience at work that I think Thomas would list as one of his least favorite experiences. But I would like to think I have made up for that time over the past year!  Well, here is the story of TNT!

A little over a year ago, Thomas started working at BYU Independent Study because his friend/roommate Justin worked there. I trained Thomas a couple of times but nothing too crazy or special happened.  Through out the summer, I would hang out with Justin and Thomas a couple of times.  At work, I would sit next to Thomas sometimes and as most girls did with him, discuss his dating life. He had strange dating views, pretty much he didn't date. So, one day I brought up this fact to him when we were sitting in a room that had about ten girls in it. He made a comment stating, "I don't want to date because if I do, then I will find someone, fall in love and then want to get married and I don't want to get married till I am at least 26." Well, I thought that idea was so ridiculous, I had been on several dates but that didn't mean I wanted to marry all of them.  (Little did I realize just how that true his comment was.) Anyway, that got about all ten girls involved in the conversation and they pretty much attacked poor Thomas. I felt pretty bad that I had started that but now it will always been a funny memory we share!

First soccer game

It wasn't until the new semester would start when things would change. Thomas and I were sitting at the reception desk at work and chatting about our weekend plans. He invited me to come with him and his roommates to the soccer game. I was planning on going with one of my friends already so I thought that would be fun to join them for the game. Thomas didn't have my number yet and instead of asking for it, he just told me to call Justin and plan everything to him. I honestly thought at that moment that he really wanted to make sure that I knew he had no interest in me. Well, that night I went to the soccer game and it was a lot of fun! After, I went back to his place and as everyone else wanted to watch TV but Thomas didn't want to just sit still and wanted to throw a football. Since I am not much for TV, I totally wanted to throw a football. We did that and then I destroyed him in ping pong. We watched a movie that night with his roommates, and he started to scoot closer to me on the couch(even though he claims I scooted closer to him) but suddenly I found myself wondering if I liked him! It was so unexpected!

Squaw Peak

He actually got my number that night! And I invited him to go on a hike, early Monday morning! Even though he hates mornings, he wanted to come! After he was willing to scale up the side of a mountain with my roommate and I, I knew I was starting to like him. A few days later he asked me on a date! The anti dating boy asked me on a date! The date was a lot more fun and longer than I had expected! We went and played mini croquet and then ate some dinner. After, he wanted to drop me off at home but I recently moved from the riv(keys are just a door code) to a place that actually needed a key. Of course, I forgot my key, no roommates were home and I didn't have my phone! So, I went over to Thomas' and we ended up hanging out all the way to midnight. And I loved every minute of it and that is when I knew I liked him. 

Things went real fast from there, a couple days later he brought me ice cream as I was studying at the library. As we were chatting outside the library, he held my hand! He made dinner with me for my grandma, we went on another date and started spending most days with each other. Then came the first kiss in my kitchen after we made some pudding for my class. Things were real great till I freaked out and broke up with him.

A month later, after lots of growing and learning to let go of pains from past relationships, I was finding myself really missing Thomas. I hated that we didn't talk, that at work he tried his best to not talk to me and that other people were doing things with him and it wasn't me. So, I decided to try to be friends again. I brought him cake for his birthday and we talked for so long. A week or two later, I knew that I needed to talk to him and see if he would give me a second chance. And he did.

I am so grateful he was willing to give us another chance. I really don't know how my life would be with out him. We have gone on so many adventures and I look forward to the adventures that will come! Being poor through medical school, having kids, moving to new locations and anything else, I am excited that it will be with him.

November

December

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

Now that brings me to the Engagement story. Saturday, July 21st asked me to marry him! Earlier that morning he had asked me to go the The Chocolate (a place that serves the most amazing pazookies and it has kind of become our place) and I was all for that. Except that my mom and I went to a bridal expo and we ate a lot of sugary items. So, when I came home I told him that I didn't want to eat there anymore, so I kind of ruined that plan! So, he told me that he wanted to go ride the ski lift and hike stewart falls. So, before we left he gave me a surprise, in a nice little ring box(not the actual ring box but the box that a ring box comes in). So, kind of making me wonder but I opened it to find six headbands(whenever we work out I forget my headband and so my bangs get in my eyes and its annoying. So, now I have six to put every where so I won't forget!). Then on the ski lift he brought his back pack and he would keep nervously opening and closing it. Kind of making me wonder if it was going to happen there or not but then he pulled out another surprise, a photo album with pictures of us! And the last half empty to fill up with the adventures to come!

Then it was too late to do any hiking so we came back down on the ski lift. Thomas decided he still really wanted to have a pazookie at the chocolate before we had to leave for batman.  He suddenly was in a big rush to get to the chocolate. He came up with the plan to drop me off so I could change, go pick his groceries that were at his sisters and change and then come pick me up. Once again, I ruined that plan again! We got in a little debate because I thought he should just wait a minute for me to change and then go with him to his sisters. And I won. Little did I know, the ring was at his sisters. So, he called her while i was changing and told her to disguise it. We rushed off to the chocolate and after we ate the cazookie, he pulled out his last surprise! And asked me to marry him! I made him get on his knee, and then said yes!

July 21st, 2012

The rest is still unwritten!

(sorry, that was kind of long! oh well!)

"Cowboy Take me Away"

Last night, I had the chance to experience a Rodeo for the first time in my life and it was pretty great! I got a nice plaid shirt for the occasion and headed on down to Nephi with Thomas, Michelle and Sean for the Rodeo.

First, we walked around the carnival outside of the rodeo and checked out all of the rides. I noticed something about all of them. They all were some kind of variation of a circular motion with upside down in there but they still looked fun to do. Sadly, we didn't have time to do any of them but looking was still fun!

Michelle and Sean

Thomas and I

The boys fitting right in!

After we decided to go say hello to the horses and bulls as we were getting to our spots. The bulls were big and they had huge horns! And smelly!

Then it was time for the Rodeo to start! You could tell the announcer was really proud of the Nephi Rodeo and to be American! But he and this creepy clown guy were kind of inappropriate with their jokes, which I didn't really like. In fact, I really really dislike the clown co host. 

The Announcer

The Bulls

They played "Proud to Be an American as this guy fell from the sky! 

We got see the little cowboys get knocked off the little bulls, and then the big cowboys wrestle the bulls. We even saw the big cowboys fall off of horses and then to end it all was the big cowboys falling off of the big bulls. About half way through the rodeo Thomas pointed out this super dark storm cloud heading our way and we got a little nervous that this great weather that we had at that moment was going to come to an end. The announcer assured us all that it wouldn't rain.  Sadly he was wrong and the rodeo was cut short when that crazy thunderstorm came and poured hard just in Nephi! So, we left early not wanting to get struck by lightning or get ourselves too cold!

Watching the Rodeo

Our attempts to protect ourselves from the rain. Then it
poured and there was no hope!

Soaking wet from the storm

Thomas was really sad we didn't see more people get knocked off bulls!

Even though it stormed and we had to leave early, I still thought it was a great rodeo and first experience. It was a lot of fun!

"Oh Say can you see by the Dawns early light"

This fourth of July was pretty dang amazing! I had the chance to fly up to Portland and spend it with Thomas and his family! And if you were defining a vacation as relaxing then I would say this was not a vacation. But if you define it as adventurous, awesome, amazing and fun than this definitely would be called a vacation!

Wednesday I flew in and got to chat with one of my favorite girls Annie! Loved getting to see her! We picked up Thomas' old roommate Ian and his girl Jenni and were off to Thomas' house for the party! After a mean round of miniature golf and buying a few more fireworks (I learned, you can never have too many fireworks!) the barbeque had started and then the fireworks! I have never set off fireworks myself but I think it was more amazing then seeing them at a show! His entire street was setting off the fireworks! It was amazing!

Jenni teaching Ian all her golfing skills

My hard hits!

Ice cream after! Anything better than that? I think not!

Watching the fireworks

Setting off fireworks

Sparklers

The fireworks!

Hanging out on the tramp at the BBQ

Thursday, Thomas and I woke up an insane hour of 5:00 am to go get doughnuts! There is this place that is called VooDoo doughnuts and from what I had heard, I had to get some! So, in order to avoid the lines, we woke up early and headed into the city to get ourselves some delicious doughnuts! They were pretty good and creative. After, we headed out for some white water rafting!!! Another first for me! We went about 13 miles and hit about 6 big rapids! It was so much fun!

Five in the morning with our doughnuts!

Before rafting!

Being "candid"

He is a cutie!!

Thomas' family excited for rafting

We survived!

Friday, we got up even earlier at 4:30 AM!! Ahh! And we headed up to St. Helens to conquer that Volcano. Quite the amazing adventure! The trail was pretty much straight up the mountain, we went up snow and rocks! And the way down, we pretty much sledded down the entire mountain on our bottoms!

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Shadow shot of trekking through the snow

We made it!!!!

The whole group at the top! It was freezing up there!

Saturday was a nice and relaxing day just hanging out with the family and taking pictures and early Sunday morning I was heading back to Provo. Short trip but so worth it! The latest I slept in on this vacation was about 6:30. But that was okay with me! Happy Fourth of July to everyone! I hope it was a great day for you all just as it was for me!