This makes my run worth it.

The other day I went running and realized how much I really love MD. I am so glad to me home and have the opportunity to train in such a beautiful place. When I do run I just run around my neighborhood and the walking trails they have built in it. Can I just say it is breath taking? Here are a few pictures of the scenery I get to see every day.





Eventually the view will get even better when this:



Turns into this:



I love MD in the fall and I am SO glad I get to be home to experience it. I took this picture a few years ago but every year it gets this way and I love it!


HEHE on my run the other day I was going through the trails and I was surprised to end up at the play ground where I got my first kiss when I was 17 and 1/2. I stopped and sat on the swing and laughed at the fun memories I have and don't take time to remember. Sorry I don't have a picture of it. There were kids there today.

Who Said Sunday was the day of rest?

Sundays are usually a busy day for me on just a regular ordinary Sunday. But yesterday was a whole new type of business. I teach the CTR 7 class in our primary (That is a Sunday school class for 7 year olds) and have 6 lively, adorable children. Yesterday we had a class presentation for the junior primary and I had no idea what I was doing. As I was trying to find scriptures and pictures for my class before I left for church the phone rang. It was one of my primary kid's mothers asking me to pick her up for church which cut my prep time down quite a bit. But still I was happy to do it. I picked her up and we got to church. I didn't hear a word that was said in sacrament meeting because I was still preparing. Of course the speakers got done early and so the bishop decided to close the meeting and give the sunday school teachers the extra time. We went to primary and got all 6 kinds through the presentation and then went to class. LOL Class was an experience in it's self because I hadn't planned a lesson due to the presentation I had been thinking about all week. So I had to wing it. I grabbed Tressa to help me hold down the fort because that day my class was particularly lively. (and by lively I mean Literally bouncing off the walls and running around our class room in circles.) After they tried to hold the door shut on me and I walked into the chaos I said I wouldn't start class till every one of them sat quietly in their seats with their arms folded. It took a while (which was fine because I was still trying to figure out what I was going to teach) but they all did it.

I ended up taking the kids out side and brought up the topic of the lesson. Talents. Luckily I have very confident kids and they spent the rest of the time listing all the talents they had. You know, normal stuff like swimming, running, and scaring their little sister. LOL they are so cute. After church I had little Anita to take home. My mother had suggested we have her come to our house after church while her mother was at work and Anita grabbed onto that and wouldn't let go. So after church I had a little 7 year old to entertain. Luckily a little boy from my class, Daniel, and his five other brothers came over while my mom visit taught their mother. That entertained Anita for a while but then my siblings and I had 7 children between the ages of 10 and 1 to keep out of the living room where their mother was and dog poop in the back yard.

After the boys left Anita and I made cards and danced to veggie tales in my room until her mother came to get her at 9:30pm. She had a lot of fun and so did I, but needless to say yesterday I did not get my much needed Sunday nap and by the time Anita's mother left our house I was wiped out!

Here are a few pictures we took at the end of the day.




(I promise Anita told me to pose like that. She is quite the little photographer.)

I need my Privacy!

Well, I have been thinking about this for a while and am finally going to do it. My blog will be going private October 11th. (It felt like a fitting day) I love all my readers and I am glad every one visits. (and trust me I know when you visit.) So if you would like to continue to read my blog let me know. If you are reading this and are some one I want reading my blog you should already have a way to contact me so holla! I love you all!

Shake it like a polaroid picture!

There is one way to know if I really feel comfortable around you. This is if you have seen me dance. You know you really know me when I feel comfortable enough to break out into dance for no reason around you. When I go to formal dances or am teaching that is a different thing, but when we are in the kitchen and I start singing and dancing out of no where, you know you've made it.

One of my long time passions is dancing. I L-O-V-E it. I truly get a high from it. I could do it all day long and never get tired of it. I have not pursued it like I want for one reason or another. Either we didn't have the money for classes growing up or the simple fact the nursing program doesn't look at your ballroom form while evaluating your nursing application has kept me from the art. Luckily I have been blessed to have a former ballroom dancer as my father. He has taught me everything I know. Even in my social dance class I knew most everything they taught.

When I was young I used to beg my dad to dance with me and teach me dances like the swing and the waltz. Then I would force my younger brother Eldon (who was the same size as I was) to dance with me over and over till I felt we had it right. My dad is my favorite partner (Eldon lost interest after the first thousand times I forced him to do the two step). Dad and I have taught many basic swing classes, won a merengue contest against a bunch of latins, and the yearly Rose Ball is the high light of my year because we always hit the floor to let loose and have fun. My poor mother has to fight me to even get a chance to dance with my dad.

I always am in a trance when I watch shows like so you think you can dance and dancing with the stars. There is something that stirs inside of me and longs to be there every time the music starts. It kinda kills me to know I am not as good as I could be if I would have spent more time with it. Shoot, forget the nursing....I should just go be a dancer. I mean who needs to eat?

(Me and one of my favorite dance tutors at the Rose Ball. Sorry the picture is kind of blurry. I mean come on, we were dancing!)

(At a church Youth dance. The funny part is I was the adult leader who came as the chaperone. It was funny to me when one of the teenagers who wanted to dance with me made me show him my ID. I jumped at the chance to chaperon because I don't often pass up the chance to get down with my bad self!)

Oh and let me just clarify that the only reason my dad and I won the merengue contest is because my dad really knows how to shake it! He's better at it then me. sad, I know.

One more story I wanted to add. Talk about awkward moment and if Cameron read this he'd kill me. But good thing he doesn't. When Cameron proposed it was a VERY romantic proposal. (he was good at that) However, when he had us dance there wasn't much space up there on the space needle and I was tripping over his backpack on the ground and was feeling a little stressed trying to dodge the bag, stay on my feet, and still focus on him and the feeling of the moment. That was not the awkward moment. That came after we were back in Rexburg and I made some comment about the dance and he got really hurt. I felt so bad and no matter what I said I could not dig myself out of the hole. So finally I just told him I didn't know how to slow dance because I just knew how to waltz. That made things a little better but still was not smart. Ohy, why can't I just keep my mouth shut?

Toilet paper.....really?

I have learned something new about myself. Years ago I was riding in a car with my sister and a friend of ours. We were all talking and my sister mentioned something about how you really needed to discuss EVERYTHING with the person you are going to marry before you marry them because it is the little things you don't discuss like which direction to put the toilet paper roll on that gets on your nerves. (she wasn't married at the time). our friend and I looked at each other and agreed the best way is to have the toilet paper roll facing out. (you know so the loose toilet paper is on the outside). My sister, wanting us to consider all points suggested that once we get older and have children it might be better to have it in so children can not roll the toilet paper off as much. I thought is was a good point but it was something silly to discuss cuz really why would it ever bother some one. Plus every one I knew put the roll on facing the outside.

Why am I wasting my time and yours writing about this? Well it is simple I now understand my sister's point of small things getting on your nerves. Mysteriously the roll of toilet paper in the bathroom has been facing in since I have gotten home. I change it every time but when I return it is back to the way it was. I don't know if it is because I have not been feeling very well, or if it is because I am getting less sleep then I normally do but it is really bothering me! I feel like I am in a battle with a phantom toilet paper bandit. What is wrong with me and why is it bothering me? LOL I really need to chill but you know, my sister is right. and now I have one more thing to talk to my future husband about.

But to that phantom bandit: I think I know who you are... let's stop the madness. Just keep the roll facing out.

I am thankful for holidays

I have about ten minutes to update this thing before a busy weekend. Once again I am thankful for many things but today I am especially grateful for Holidays that best buy recognizes simply for the sweet fact of time and a half which means more money for school. Right.

Thankful Thursday Again

WOW! I can not believe that it is Thursday AGAIN! It seems like just yesterday I wrote my last thankful post. I promise this one will be much less.....long winded.

1. I am thankful for My best friend Catherine Loveland. She has been my bestest best friend since I was about 12 years old. She was with me on the first day of girls camp, the two years we pretty much ran the school at Cobalt Middle, and saved me from being arrested at Silverado High School. I love that most times I don't even have to say a word and she knows when I am not impressed. She knows how I will react to pretty much any situation and backs me up on anything I want to do. I really have been so blessed to have such an amazing person as my best friend. Last night as I drove home from work i found myself telling her an exact play by play of my latest encounter with a certain man. After about 15 minutes I realized that I had absolutely no point to the story and said "and that's it because I don't even know what the point of this story is." She just laughed and said "I love it when you tell that story." LOL What a good friend! Cat thanks for kicking my rear into gear when i need to lighten up and for listening to me cry over the most recent boofhead! NGGB Forever!

2. I am grateful that heavenly father knows me so well and knows exactly what I need when. Today (which is actually friday now) I went to a friend's house and just caught eachother up on the craziness of our lives over the past 7 months I have been away from school. This woman is amazing and relates to me so well. She is a little older then me and has had similar guy experiences that I have. LOL it's so nice to talk to her and get her persective. I left feeling so uplifted and refreshed. Don't you just love friends like that?

BREAKING NEWS: I Have a Hobby!!!

I was sitting in relief society one day looking at the birthday list for that month printed on the RS bulletin. I thought, "you know I bet some of these sisters don't get very much recognition on their birthdays." I thought how sad that maybe for some because with my friends and I birthdays are big deals. (I know this isn't the case for everyone But I enjoy a good birthday. whether it's mine or not) I kept looking at this list and thought, "I think I'll send them all a birthday card." That was the beginning of something great!

I decided that it would be more cost effective for me to make the cards then buy each one. I bought some scrapbook paper and some velum sayings and one thing of stickers and got to work. I just want to say I LOVE IT! Making cards that is. I have never been one to scrapbook. It stresses me out to much. As I was making these cards I have a great realization. I HAVE A HOBBY!

What do you like to do for fun or what are your hobbies has always been one of my most dreaded questions. I hate it when people ask me that because as soon as the question comes out of their mouth my mind goes blank and I sit there frantically searching the corners of my mind for anything I do that can fall under the "hobby/do for fun" category. I mean don't get me wrong, I am a fun person and like to think of myself as dynamic, but there has never been one specific activity that I think, "Oh I have some free time...I will go work on my hobby, (fill in the blank)."

I mostly enjoy being with people. I like talking to them, interacting, and building relationships. I can sit around doing nothing and be content as ever if I have some one to talk to. I mean I Play the flute, I love rock climbing, dancing, hiking, kickboxing, baking, traveling, and many other things (which now include card making). Although I have interests I don't do them often enough to make me good at them or call them hobbies, Which is a good reason for why I draw a blank when people ask about my hobbies.

But I am very proud to say that next that question comes, as it always does, I finally have a hobby to list! "I love making de cards!" (To be said in a foreign accent.) Every time I make a card I get so giddy and have to show it to EVERYONE in my family like I am 5 and just drew the greatest picture ever. LOL Anyway, I will end my narration here and just show you a few of the cards I've been working on. The ones in the pictures are all just birthday cards but I have made others like mother's and Father's day cards and wedding cards. Maybe I'll throw those up here another time.