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What's Next?

2012-01-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

School. I have decided to go back and do something about that dead-end feeling. It struck me last week that I shouldn't allow lack of funding to hold me back, and so I am planning on enrolling in the Alternative License program at UCCS and get my Teaching License for Secondary Education. I want to eventually teach High School English. I have always wanted to teach, but my motivation just wasn't at the right level before now, and I figure I am at a stable enough point in my life to make it happen. Of course, it would have been easier to do when I was still and undergraduate, but I guess I'll just have to have faith that this is what I need to be doing right now. It struck me so forcefully that this is what I need to do, so I will trust that and move forward!

Contemplation

2012-01-08T13:48:00.001-08:00

It's been a little over a month since I started my new job, and I still love it. The kids are just so fun to work with! I begin as the cook soon, and so I will not get to work with the kids as much as I would like, but the hours are much nicer, so it's kind of a trade-off. So that is my update as far as the job goes.

As far as everything else, it seems having a job that I like and am good at does not automatically solve all of my other problems. Lately I have just felt a little bit lost. Like there is no forward motion happening in my life. I suppose I have felt this way before, and every time I did, I would move. Move states, move apartment complexes, move out of the country, move back to the states, move out of my family's house. But right now, I have nowhere to go. I can't move. I don't know if I am just getting bored with where I am or if I am discontent with the way my life is going. Before, I could always escape. But there isn't an easy way out of the situation I am in now, and I don't know if changing my surroundings will be at all helpful to me right now.

So what I am left with is the monotony of a never-changing tomorrow that I feel powerless to change. I have a useless degree, a dead-end job, a student loan, and it looks as if very soon I will have to add a car payment to that list. I know I sound like a downer, but I'm not sad or upset, I am just at a loss of what to do next. I suppose I could find a way to keep traveling the world, but I don't believe that will bring me any more satisfaction in life than I have now.

As much as I harp on it, I want a purpose. I want to be needed. I need some kind of responsibility in life. I want to be a wife, a mother, a homemaker. But since thus far I have not even seriously dated, I doubt that I will be in that situation for a long time yet.

So then what? What does one do when denied what they have always viewed as the purpose of their time in this second estate? That is what I am trying to figure out. And so far, I am left a little confused and entirely at a loss.

I know what I want out of life. I know that I was born to a purpose and that I am an immeasurably valuable daughter of God. So what am I supposed to do? There has to be more than what I do now. I just have to find what it is that either I am missing, or that I haven't given enough thought, fasting, and prayer to have received an answer for. Until the day that I find it, I will remain a stalwart, faithful, and humble servant in the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father. And if I say that enough times, maybe one day I will actually become all that I am needed to be.

;) Till next time!

New Job!

2011-12-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

So...on Monday, I started a new job at a childcare center (they call it an early learning center, but when you take babies as small as 6 weeks, it's a daycare to me) and so far I LOVE it! It is so much fun to be able to work with kids again, I have always enjoyed kids. I am what they call a "floater", which means I go wherever they need me to go. Last week I worked with the two-year-old, three-year-old, and five-year-old kids for most of the week. i am also in charge of doing the bus run to the local elementary school to pick up some of the kids that come after school. I have about twenty that get a ride on our bus, and I love doing it! Not only is it a nice break, but the kids are just so fun! I hope that I continue to enjoy this new job and that I can make a difference in the lives of the people I work with and the kids I am in charge of.

It Lifts My Soul

2011-11-21T17:23:00.000-08:00

Lately, as my life has seemed to fall apart and then come together again, I have been constantly amazed by the way music can always soothe me and make me happy, even in the darkest times. No matter how I am feeling, I can find a song to make me feel understood, loved, happy, joyous, and pacified.

What is it about music that makes it such a balm for the soul? I can only believe that God meant it to be that way. He knew that in times when we were most lost, when we most need Him, His spirit would always be able to be felt through music. Every time I hear a hymn of praise, I can feel His loving arms around me, and I am filled to bursting with gratitude and a certainty in my eternal purpose. It makes my heart sing, and I feel that no matter what trials I have to go through i life, I will never have to endure them alone.

Because I have always had an affinity for music and I was raised in a particularly musical home, I feel that I am uniquely suited to share that love with others. I very much dislike singing for large groups, and I have pretty bad nerves when I do decide to do it. But I know that in some small way, I am helping others to feel the love of the Savior, and of our Heavenly Father. And so occasionally I will volunteer to sing for holidays or other things. I recently consented to sing at the ward Christmas party and in Sacrament meeting. Although I know my hands will start going numb from nerves, I am grateful that I was blessed with the talent of sharing the love of God with others through music, and I hope to continue to do so for many years to come!

Now, just for grins and giggles, I thought I would list some of my favorite songs, both sacred and secular:

Hymns:

1. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing (Who doesn't like this one? I mean, seriously.)

2. Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy-This is a men's hymn, and I love the message it has of the merciful nature of God.

3. Lead Kindly Light-I have always loved this one.

4. All Creatures of Our God and King-I once sang a 4-part women's harmony on this song, and it was possibly one of the most beautiful arrangements of any song I have ever heard.

5. How Can I Keep From Singing-It's just uplifting, and perfectly puts in words how music can lift us and bring light into darkness.

Secular (I have new favorite songs on an almost weekly basis, so this changes a lot, but right now this list is accurate):

1. Dashboard Confessional-You Have Stolen My Heart (If you think you might be in love but don't know, listen to this song, and you will.)

2. Young The Giant-Cough Syrup (Just the right amount of melancholy...)

3. Ellie Goulding-Lights (This one just makes me inexplicably happy).

4. Death Cab For Cutie-You Are a Tourist (Although I actually love almost every song they've ever done. LOVE.)

5. John Mayer-Assassin

6. The Fray-Heartbeat

7. Coldplay-Paradise

Of course, there are innumerable songs that I have left off of both lists for the sake of not having a billion-page post, but rest assured that my love of all types of music continues to grow! What is your favorite song this week? Inquiring minds would like to know! ;)

When one door closes...

2011-11-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

...another inevitably opens! So, a quick update on the past two weeks:

1. I quit my job.
2. I was very upset about quitting, but it needed to be done. I was a little depressed about it for a day or so, but decided to press forward and look for something new!
3. I found a new job! I'll be working at a daycare as the full-time cook.
4. I got released as the FHE coordinator in my ward, and was called as a Relief Society teacher. I am so excited to be a teacher! I am really looking forward to having a calling that I only have to think about once every month, haha.
5. I have been really, really happy for the first time in a long time.
6. I have been sick for about two months now, mostly from stress, and I have finally been feeling better! I didn't realize just how much it was draining me to be chronically ill until I started getting better.

That's all for now! I know, not much. But it isn't really one of those long updates that I go into detail with...and yes I know that I hardly ever go into detail, but honestly, of the two people that read this blog, you all mostly know what is going on anyway. ;)

Update

2011-10-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't get that job. So for now, I am just going to have to try harder to be better at my job. Also, I need to try harder not to be so whiny. I feel like all I do is whine! I need to stop. I have been incredibly blessed, and I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Update over! ;)

Oh Dear. Life is at it again.

2011-10-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

So I find myself constantly in transition lately. Every time I think I have things figured out and under control, in comes the curveball. Not that I have any complaints. I have had and will continue to have a blessed, happy, and joyful life. But happiness has never precluded trials. I was never promised an easy life, and I will continue to have hardship for the rest of my days. And for that I am grateful. If I had never had to suffer through trials in the past, I wouldn't be the smart, wonderful, capable person I am today, haha ;)

So, now an update. I am currently in the process of acquiring new employment. The woman I work for happens to be my very best friend's mother, and while I do like working for her, lately I have found that I am really not the right person for the job. It is not only causing me untold amounts of stress, but I feel that my relationship with her family is becoming strained. So, in an effort to salvage that relationship and to be happier and less stressed myself, I will be drastically cutting back the hours I work for this wonderful woman, and spending more time working another job which I have interviewed for, but have not necessarily been hired for yet. (Fingers crossed!)

So that's one thing.

Secondly, there is the boy thing. Which is frustrating, and hard, and I have spent entirely too much time talking about. I will spare you from hearing about it again.

Then there is the fact that I really, truly need a new car. But as much as I need one, I cannot afford to own one. Right now my parents have graciously allowed me to use our family's extra car, which happens to be a 1994 Ford Aerostar van. It is bright red, seats seven, has not heat or air conditioning, gets 10 miles to the gallon and eats premium gas like a champ. Also, the driver's side window doesn't roll down. Which makes ordering at a drive through, paying toll booths, and talking to people on the road very difficult.

That being said, it does run. It gets me from point A to point B. And if I end up not being able to pay rent, I could totally fit everything I own into the back of it, save my dresser. That would be a legit apartment.

Now that I have sufficiently related my sorrows, concerns, and worries, I will again go back to the fact that I am, and have always been, very blessed. I have an amazing family, awesome friends, and a loving Father in Heaven who will always supply everything I need in this life and the life to come. And for that knowledge, and the knowledge of my Savior, I will have joy for the rest of my life.

Love Love Me! ;)

Not my favorite subject...

2011-10-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that dating is much, much harder than I thought it would be? I mean, I knew how to NOT date, that was easy. Not dating was so much simpler than dating, even if it was sad and depressing.

And not dating didn't make me cry.

Or have stress dreams.

It's driving me crazy, and I feel like I should be happier, not more anxious.

Basically, I hate it at the moment, and wish I could crawl into a hole and hibernate for a few months.

That is all.

Conference

2011-10-02T17:45:00.000-07:00

Oh Conference. How I love thee! I look forward to your semi-annualness like a kid looks forward to Christmas. Because just like Christmas, I get so many gifts from you!

This year I watched all four sessions by myself, and I was amazed by how well I payed attention! And throughout the two-day wonderfulness, I noticed a few themes.

1. The importance of scripture reading, especially the Book of Mormon.
2. Missionary work.
3. The importance of being morally strong in the world today.

There were a few other talks that were wonderful and had very poignant messages such as the importance of prayer, and how to raise faithful daughters.

I am so grateful for Conference, and for the opportunity to watch it every April and October. I love listening to Prophets, Seers, and Revelators, and I know that the words they say are coming from the Lord to help us to navigate this mortal life as best we can.

I am also grateful for the chance I have to be a member of a wonderful ward, and to have so many friends that are wonderful examples of love and charity. I am very blessed to have met such incredible people in my life! I love you guys! :)

CAKE

2011-09-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

Woof. Making cakes is a time consuming activity! As I write this, I am waiting for a 12-inch cake to cool (which takes a while), and sitting at the kitchen table in my baking attire (pajamas covered in powdered sugar). As much as I stress out over doing cakes like this, I always have a sense of accomplishment when I finish and the Bride is happy with the outcome. Hopefully this bride will be happy! If she isn't...I just hope I didn't ruin her wedding...

Anyway.

So lately I have been thinking about life in general and where I want my life to go. Being single, I have no attachments or responsibilities here. I could go and do anything I want. The problem is...I don't want anything that I can get for myself. All I want is to have a family, and that is highly dependent on a second party being willing. Which at this point, I have all but given up on.

I know, I'm dramatic.

But seriously.

So instead of lamenting my lot in life (the lot being eternal singlehood) I have decided that I am going to choose to make the best of my situation. So. Here is the plan.

1. Get a great job that has benefits and pays well enough.

2. Choose places that I want to travel to/friends I would like to visit.

3. Work and save up to go to those places after saving up for a new car.

4. Choose some classes I would like to take from the local community college (like metal working, Confectionary, etc.)

5. Take said classes when I have time.

Good plan, right?

I think so too.

100

2011-09-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is my 100th post! Crazy! I never thought I'd stick with it this far, but I am glad I have. It has been such a great journal for me, as I have a hard time sitting down and writing it all out by hand.

So, I have had a great revelation today.

I am HAPPY.

Have I been struggling lately? You betcha.

But I am so happy. I have so many incredible things to be happy about, and they always seem to overwhelm the sad or hard things I have to deal with. So I decided to make a short list of some of the things that make me happy, and that put a smile on my face every moment of every day if I just remember them!

1. The gospel. I am so eternally grateful for this in m life! It is EVERYTHING to me. And every time I start to grumble, I remember that He paid for my sins. He loves me. I am never alone, and He will make my burdens light.

2. My family. They are just the best, even if they sometimes make me crazy ;)

3. Good music. It never fails to lift me up and make my heart lighter. I love music!

4. Scriptures. I have recently grown to love my daily scripture study and really look forward to reading every day.

5. Prayer. I cannot express my gratitude for this. Prayer can work miracles.

6. Fall. It's so wonderful to see the change in the air, the pumpkins, the leaves, and everything else that comes with the changing season.

7. Friends. They just make me so happy! I would name you all, but it might make other people jealous ;)

8. The General Authorities. They rock.

9. Enchiladas. No really. They make me happy.

10. Random dancing in the car. It just brings me so much joy to see the looks on other driver's faces.

11. Singing. I love to sing! It is so great to be able to express myself through music.

12. Dogs. They are just so awesome. They are so full of joy, how can you not be happy around them?

13. My KitchenAid. It is so wonderful!

14. Sleep. I love to sleep! I love getting eight full hours a night, and so does my body! Haha.

15. The Temple. There are so many reasons why the Temple makes me happy, but mainly it is because I can feel the presence of my Heavenly Father there, and it is such a comfort to me. I love being there!

16. Letters. It makes me so happy to get letters in the mail!

17. Children. They are just so great! So sweet and innocent and loving!

18. Driving. It is just nice. I like it.

19. Serving others. It never fails to make me so happy! I love doing things for other people! If you need anything, let me know! It makes me so happy!

20. Love. Love makes me happy. No matter who it is from, it makes me happy! I love love! Haha.

I could probably find 100 things that make me happy, but I think I'll stop there. Rest assured, that I will continue to find things that make me happy, and so should you! I defy you to not be happy after making your own list!

Life

2011-09-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

...is interesting.

So the past few weeks have been a bit rough for me. I have been somewhere in the middle of not-quite-adult and full-on-adult, and it has become painfully clear to me that living life is HARD. Not only am I in a transitional period when it comes to my temporal life, but I have been going through a tough transition in my spiritual life as well.

Just to recap last Friday:

My parents told me I was no longer welcome in their home, and that I needed to find another situation as soon as possible. Not because I have done anything wrong, but because they believe that I am hindering my own personal growth by remaining at home.

My Boss decided it was a great time to give me a lecture about where my life is going, and made me cry for the second time that day. For those of you that know me, I am not the crying type. It exhausts me.

Also, my phone ended up getting exposed to water in my purse, and died. Icing on the cake.

After this epic fail of a day, I was just so tired! The rest of the week followed, and along with looking for a second job, a new place to live, and a car within my price range for when my poor old van finally dies, I was told that I was being removed from the Family phone plan, and that I needed to get my own phone.

Which I did.

And then today I was feeling like I should call a girl in my ward to see if she still needed a roommate, and she said she did, and I could move in...tomorrow.

So it's been a crazy week. Add on top of that the fact that my "special friend" has recently been completely ignoring me and when we do converse, seems completely disinterested, and you have the cherry on top of my life feeling like it's completely out of control.

Please tell me I am not the only one who has felt this way!! I know I'm not, but it is just so...different for me. I have never felt so helpless in my own life. I do feel better now that I have a solid plan and a place to live, but it has been a very long journey from just last Friday.

I know it probably sounds like I am lamenting my lot in life, but I'm not. When I decided to follow Christ and come to earth, I knew it was going to be hard. I knew it was going to hurt, and that I was going to cry sometimes, and that I would have to deal with heartbreak and turmoil. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to move in with other LDS young adults, I am blessed to have been raised to know the Gospel and to know that I am a child of God, and I am so very blessed to know that I am loved by so many people (even if it's not always the people I'd like!). I know that I am a Daughter of God, and that I have infinite worth, and that I am smart, talented, and worth far more than I can comprehend. I am so grateful to have a loving family, a terrific Ward, a fun calling, and a job. I have some of the most incredible friends, and I am so happy that I have them in my life to lift me up and to tell me it's okay and that I am loved. I am so very blessed!

I know that I have a way back to my Father in Heaven, and I know that Jesus Christ died for me. I know Joseph Smith was a Prophet and that he restored the only true and living Church on the earth today. I hope that all of you who read this know how much I love and appreciate you, and how much more your Heavenly Father loves you!

Never forget that He is always there for you!

Day 30

2011-09-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

Where I see myself in 10 years:

I see myself married, settled, and with one or two kids. That is all I really want. I know, the total cliche of a Mormon girl, but really, I feel like that is what I was cut out to do. All my talents are geared for being a homemaker, and I would love to just have a family.

That's the end of the challenge! I did it! I have to admit, I was a little bit of a slacker some days, but I am so glad I did it!

Thanks to everyone who read, I hope to update more often now that I am used to doing it.

Day 29

2011-09-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

A person I love:

Wow. Um, how am I supposed to pick just one? There are so many amazing people that I love, and all of them are just so special to me! Maybe I'll talk about someone I haven't mentioned yet in this challenge...Bethany.

Bethany and I met my second semester at BYU-I. We lived in he same complex and were in the same German class, so she decided we should be friends. She just walked right up to me, said "I think we're in the same class and the same ward." And that was it. From that day on, we were besties. We pranked, cooked, and just hung out and before long I couldn't imagine my life without her. She is one of the kindest, most faithful, and just all-around amazing women I have ever had the privilege of calling my friend. She is currently serving a mission in Independence, Missouri, but she is almost done! She comes home THIS MONTH!! I am so excited to have her closer and I hope I get to visit her soon, because her rib-crushing hugs are one of my great joys in life!

Day 28

2011-08-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

A place I love:

Hmm. I like a lot of places, Munich, Garmisch, Colorado Springs, Morgan Hill, San Francisco, Boston, Rexburg...but I LOVE the Temple.

It is a holy, serene, and incredible place, and every time I go there it fills me with peace. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to go there and feel the love of my Heavenly Father.

Day 27

2011-08-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

What's in my purse:

Once I made a list...a big purse list of everything a girl should have in her purse. It's a long list. I wonder if Stacy still has that list...

Anyway, the contents of my purse at the moment:

green olives (I like them, and I happened to go to the grocery store before work. Don't judge me.)
business cards
random pieces of paper with important information on them
cell phone
cash wallet
card wallet
gum
pens
sunscreen (I have sunscreen with me everywhere I go. I need it.)
keys
a book of word searches
keys
Tarte lipstain pencil (I highly recommend this product! It's awesome!)
a bottle cap from a birch beer ( like root beer)
a cheap metal ring that Renee got me in Manitou from a penny arcade machine
fingernail clippers
stickers from Wahoo's
chapstick

That's all!

Day 26

2011-08-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Who do I admire:

I don't really know if I do admire anyone in particular. I know, awful, right? But I think we are all worthy of admiration to some degree, because we have all struggled, we have all had trial and adversity. At some point we have all needed to rely on inner strength and faith to get us to where we are today. I admire the faith of my parents and Grandparents. I admire the way my friends can see past all the crazy and love me. I admire the people who can make big things happen in this world, and the people who are quietly changing lives every day. I admire the men in my life that have shown me that being a man of God is the best kind to be, and that there is no shame in shedding a tear or two. I admire the children that have a simple kind of faith, and who can be stronger than I am sometimes. I admire those who have had the strength to ask for help, and are willing to accept it. I admire all the incredible people that are helping to build Zion in these that Latter Days. I am so grateful for them. So I guess I do admire a lot of people! ;)

Day 25

2011-08-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

A favorite Photo-

I generally hate photos, mostly because I can find the smallest thing that s wrong and only see that every time I look at it. This one is pretty good, considering, and I will not point out the one thing that bugs me so as not to have everyone else see it...haha!

Day 24

2011-08-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

My Childhood:

Oh dear. My childhood. Well, I cannot complain. I have an incredible family, so the fact that I moved more than ten times between the ages of 3 days and fifteen years is not as bad as it could have been. I listed earlier the places I've lived (most of them, anyway), and why I did or did not like them. I particularly liked Boston and Saudi Arabia, but Albuquerque is a close third. In childhood, some of my favorite things were picking fruit with my family, camping, and exploring things. We had a smallish wood by our house in Boston and I would spend endless hours pretending to be something or other in the trees. I loved sledding in the winter, apple picking and pumpkin carving, and I just adored the Fall. I still enjoy doing a lot of those things! Overall I had a wonderful childhood full of love and laughter.

Day 23

2011-08-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

Something I never tire of doing-

I never tire of being with the person I wrote about yesterday. Which sounds awfully mushy and gross, but it's true. I hope he never reads this blog, because it might make him run for cover! ;)

Day 22

2011-08-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

My current relationship.

Well...I'm in one. I'm not sure where it's at or where it's going, but for now I am content to enjoy the ride! He treats me better than I deserve, and likes me for all the right reasons, so I am happy to let it develop and grow in the Lord's time. Hopefully I can keep that same perspective the whole duration!! ;)

Day 21

2011-08-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

My fears-

Well, as far as actual fears...I fear needles and spiders. I have always hated needles, and to this day it terrifies me to get blood drawn or to get an IV put in. I hate it with a burning passion. And spiders are just crawly and icky and should die. I can do big spiders, like tarantulas, but anyhing smaller than that and I freak out.

Day 20

2011-08-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

A hobby of mine:

I LOVE to horseback ride. LOVE. When I was 10, my mother set me up with horseback riding lessons, and I never looked back. While in college in Idaho, I found out that I could take classes at the livestock center, and I sure did take all of them! I can barrel race, herd, and jump like a pro! I loved every second of it, and I take every opportunity I can get to go. I haven't gone in a while, but I hope to find a friend really soon that has horses and will take me riding!

Day 19

2011-08-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

A fun memory:

I have a lot of fun memories. Trying to pinpoint one is hard! One of my favorite times was when I was in college. I had lots of awesome roommates, but one in particular stands out to me (Stacy). Stacy was meant to be my friend. We were in several classes together, and even worked in the same department! But for some reason we never connected until we moved into the same apartment in my Sophomore year. And then it was all over. We ended up doing things together almost every weekend, thus creating "The Weekenders". We would go on walks, do crafts, take silly pictures, make food, watch movies, and build forts. We talked about life, love, family, struggles, and school. We even took a class together so we could read to each other and do homework together! We had so much fun going glowsticking in caves, eating tacos, and getting stranded in the snow. I have so many fun memories of doing random things with Stacy, and all my college friends, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to learn and grow with such amazing people!

Day 18

2011-08-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

A favorite thing about each of my family members:

Dad: My Dad is awesome. He is so loving and kind, and he is endlessly interested in what is going on in my life. Considering that he is busy with work, church callings, and four other children, I always feel like he takes time to appreciate me and what I am doing.

Mom: My Mom has taught me everything I know (well, mostly). Despite me being stubborn and hard to teach, she has patiently taught me to sew, cook, plan a budget, do laundry, and clean a home. I am so grateful for her example in my life.

Adam: Adam is always happy. I am sure he has times when he is worried or unhappy, but he always has such an optimistic attitude, and he is just so fun to be around!

Natalie: Natalie is so funny. She says the greatest things all the time, and, like Adam, is always happy. Also, she puts up with Adam, and keeps him as happy as a clam! I can't wait for her to have her baby in a few weeks so they can be a happy little family. I am sure their little boy will be just as happy as they are!

Shay: Shay is very personable. I have never met anyone who didn't like her and want to be her friend.

Jordan: Jordan is always willing to help. If I need something from the attic or the shed, he will get it for me, no questions asked. I am so grateful for that, because you pretty much have to be an acrobat to get anything out of the garage attic.

Westin: Westin is just a great kid. Everyone loves him, from his YM leaders to his friends, to random people on the street. He is unabashedly optimistic and extremely outgoing. I admire him so much for his ability o love who he is and to do what he knows is right.

Day 17

2011-08-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

A photo of your family:

There you have it! Clockwise from left: Jordan, Me, Shay, Adam, Natalie (Adam's Wife), Westin, Mom, Dad, and Suki.

Day 16

2011-08-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

A favorite food

Some of my most favorite foods are:

Shrimp Tacos, and basically anything else involving shrimp. (Insert Bubba Gump reference here)

Doner Kebabs. They are heavenly, and really only available in Germany. Which makes me a sad panda.

Falafel and Hummus. I could eat this stuff every day and it wouldn't get old. I love it!

Ever since I was a small child, I have loved clam chowder. I would ask for it at every restaurant we went to, much to the chagrin of my ever-patient parents. To this day whenever I am on either coast, I will always find a way to get me some yummy chowder in a bread bowl!

Day 15

2011-08-17T10:27:00.000-07:00

My Celebrity Crush:

Gotta be Ben Barnes. He is just....that hair...yes.

Day 14

2011-08-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Something I love and couldn't live without-

There are just a very few things on this list.

1. Sundays. I could not function without the good, helthy dose of spiritual medicine I get every Sunday. I love Sundays more than any other day of the week.

2. My friends and family. They are the world to me. I could not be who I am without them, and even whe I haven't seen or heard from them in a while, I know their love and support will always be there when I need it.

3. My KitchenAid. It's pretty much my favorite.

Day 13

2011-08-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

Something I want to buy:

I would really, really like some new clothes. I keep going shopping, and nothing turns up that I love. Love is a requirement when I purchase clothing, because I have learned from experience that if I only kinda like it, I will never wear it.

Day 12

2011-08-14T17:28:00.000-07:00

Something I bought recently:

I haven't really purchased a lot lately. But I do have a friend who helps me to splurge, and she happens to have impeccable taste, so I am never disappointed! This last time we went to Sephora, which sells high-end cosmetics. For those of you who know me, you know I am pretty minimalistic when it comes to makeup. I hate feeling like I have anything on my face, so I try to keep it to a minimum. However, I do like to experiment with new things, and I love doing my eye makeup in new and fun ways. So the last thing I purchased was a new liquid eyeliner, an eye color palette, and a lip stain (I will not wear lip gloss, lip stick, or even chapstick. I hate the feeling of something on my lips. A lip stain does just what it says, without adding any "goopiness" to my lips.)

Pretty boring, but still fun for me!

Day 11

2011-08-13T15:30:00.000-07:00

Nicknames I have and why-

Well, I don't really have that many. My Dad calls me Sis, probably because I am the oldest daughter and have four siblings. I do have a sister, but she is never called that, just me. Weird.

My friend Casey calls me Sammy Sam, or Spam. I think it's because she'd my best friend and can get away with a lot.

Stacy calls me Shmoo, because the crazy kid that sat in front of us in Early American Lit in college once turned around and randomly announced that the Hebrew word for Samuel was Shmuel, and wondered if anyone ever called me Shmoo because my name is Sam. Well, now someone does, crazy kid. Stacy.

I have a few others, but those are the ones I will actually answer to and be called by on a regular basis.

Day 10

2011-08-12T07:09:00.001-07:00

A photo taken of me over 10 years ago...

Wow. The early nineties were not kind to my hair. Or my Mother's. But hey! Dad actually has some in this picture! It's funny, but I actually cannot remember when my Dad didn't shave his head. I was still so young when he started doing it that I have no recollection of him with even a small amount of it. Weird. Anyway, enjoy!

Day 9

2011-08-11T07:34:00.001-07:00

Pet Peeves

Now, my family would say I have a lot of these. But in actuality, there are only a couple of things that really set me off.

1. I hate it when someone leaves 3 seconds on the microwave. Just hit cancel. It's not hard, and I need to know what time it is.

2. I also hate it when people use the last of the toilet paper and don't bother to replace it. That's just plain rude.

3. When ppl tlk like this when txting. U have a full keyboard. Use it. K?

4. When people take things without asking first, and then never return or replace what they took. Chances are I will let you borrow/have what you want, I would just like to be asked. And no, it is not better to "ask forgiveness than to ask permission". That's the coward's way out.

5. Finally, when people lie about things to make their lives easier. If you don't want to do it, say you just don't want to do it. Don't make up some lame excuse to make yourself feel better about it. I'll find out eventually, and then I'll have lost all respect for you.

That's it! I think that most people will agree with me about most of these, but the microwave thing is kinda silly. It drives me nuts. ;)

Day 8

2011-08-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

Things I would like to do before I die

Well, let's see. I am not really that ambitious. All I have every really wanted before I die is a family of my own, a cozy little house, and enough money to be comfortable and do a bit of traveling. Other than that, I really don't have a bucket list. I am so boring! Oh well. ;)

Day 7

2011-08-09T18:07:00.000-07:00

Something that makes me happy.

Honestly, the only thing that truly makes me happy is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you are an LDS friend of mine, you know what I mean. If you are not LDS, you know that I am, and how I feel about it. If you would like to know why it makes me so indescribably happy, I would love to tell you.

I also very much like NHB.

Day 6

2011-08-08T20:34:00.000-07:00

Places I would like to travel

Well, I have done quite a bit of traveling in Europe, hitting almost all of the must-sees. The places I still want to go are still quite numerous, so I will not have a problem here!

Japan
Australia
The Maldives
Egypt
Israel
China
South Korea
Alaska
Sweden
The Netherlands
Belgium
Turkey
Finland
Brazil
Argentina
Peru
Chile

Places I want to re-visit:
England
France
Germany
Austria
Scotland
Czech Republic
Switzerland
Spain
Italy

I think that's all! Although the more I see, the more I want to see. So I will most likely just want to see everything eventually!

Day 5

2011-08-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

A habit I have that I wish I didn't:

I have a lot of these. Who doesn't? Trying to pick one is like trying to chose a favorite ice cream, every time you think you know which flavor you want, you think of a different one you want more. Then you just end up choosing five or six.

Anyway.

I guess right now my least favorite habit is the way I over-think EVERYTHING. Really. Sometimes I have to sing a hymn in my head to make it stop. I like to consider every angle of a situation. However, often said situation involves a third party over which I have no control, so speculation is not only pointless, but detrimental to my mental health. But I do it anyway. It's worse when I haven't had a chance to talk to anyone about it to work out exactly what I am nervous/excited/worried/angry about.

And it drives me nuts.

I know I should stop, but I very seldom can without outside encouragement. So that is my bad habit.

Day 4

2011-08-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Top 10 Favorite Books

This is going to be a hard one, mostly because I have always been a voracious reader, and some of the books I most enjoy reading I have read more than a few times. I will do my best, and hope that the lack of adult literature will not put a damper on your respect for my intelligence! ;)

1. Ella Enchanted-Gail Carson Levine
2. Ender's Game- Orson Scott Card
3. Sabriel-Garth Nix
4. Anthem- Ayn Rand
5. The Golden Compass- Philip Pullman
6. Harry Potter (All 7)-J.K. Rowling
7. The Seer and the Sword- Victoria Hanley
8. Song of the Lioness Quartet- Tamora Pierce(Pretty much anything by this author, actually).
9. Fablehaven Series- Brandon Mull
10. The Giver- Lois Lowry

There are probably hundreds of books I have enjoyed over the years, but these are the ones that I always go back to at some point to re-read. They're just so good!

Day 3

2011-08-05T07:27:00.000-07:00

10 facts about your hometown

Well, to be honest, I really don't have a hometown. The longest I have stayed in one place is four years, and I don't feel a real attachment to anywhere. I guess being a military brat does have it's downside, but I have learned to enjoy seeing new places and learning new tings at each station. So for my top ten, I will name the places I have lived and my favorite thing about them.

1. Provo, Utah-I was born and lived here a total of 3 days before moving for the first time. Provo is well known for being the town that BYU is in, and there are many stigmas associated with living there. The BYU Creamery is my favorite thing about it.

2. Fairfield, California (Travis AFB)-we moved here so my Dad could got to Officer Training School. I don't really know anything about this town.

3. Aurora, Colorado (Buckley AFB)-My sister, Shay, was born here. I like Aurora, because it is close enough to Denver to be fun, but far enough away that you avoid the big city problems.

4. Dayton, Ohio (Wright-Patterson AFB)-We lived here for a few years, and I can vaguely remember a few things that happened. My favorite thing by far about living here was going to Amish Country. I remember that vividly, and I would love to go back and visit one day.

5. Lincoln, Massachusetts (Hanscom AFB)-This is where I begin really remembering everything. We lived here for four and a half years, and I met my first very best friend, Kirsten, here. We had a lot of history in the area, including a Minute Man trail behind our home that led to a small Minute Man museum. My favorite thing about living here was picking blackberries by the bushel with my family, visiting Boston, and learning to ride a bike.

6. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-I loved this place! The camels, the interesting people, and going to the markets are some of my favorite memories. I also would go out and catch little lizards at twilight with some friends. One night we had forty of them in our grasp!

7. Copperopolis, California-This was by far the smallest town I ever lived in. The population was around 900, and the school often combined grades into one class from lack of students. My favorite thing about living here was fishing at the lake with my Grandpa, and going to visit my Grandparents in Morgan Hill. I also started playing the flute here.

8. Albuquerque, New Mexico-The Land of Enchantment, and aptly named! I loved living here, and I have a lot of fond memories of it. I still keep in touch with some of my friends from here, and I love going back to visit. One of my favorite things is at Christmas time, when they light the entirety of Old Town with luminarias (Paper bags with candles in them). It is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I also enjoyed the annual Balloon Fiesta, and the way the Sandia mountains turn deep red at sunset. It's magical!

9. Montgomery, Alabama-The only nice thing I have to say about Alabama is that their Boiled Peanuts are amazing.

10. Colorado Springs, Colorado- This is where my family ended up, and so I will leave the list here. (Although I have moved a couple of times more, I am living here now so I might as well). Colorado Springs has an elevation of 6,500 feet, and is home to Pike's Peak, which is over 14,000 feet tall. It is a beautiful place to live, and I love it here. The seasons are relatively mild, with temperatures rarely getting above 90 or below 0. We do get our fair share of snow, but it is generally melted by the next day if we get a significant amount. In fact, we often have days in the middle of winter when the temp reaches 70 degrees! It is a wonderful place to raise a family, and I love how nice the downtown area is. I always feel safe here. And now I sound like a tour guide. Oh well!

So there you have it! My 10 hometowns, and why I love them. Until tomorrow, then!

Day 2

2011-08-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

My top 10 favorite movies of all time (in no particular order) are:

1. The Fifth Element
2. The Three Musketeers (Chris O'Donnell version)
3. Rocketman
4. Better Off Dead
5. Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth version)
6. RED
7. The Scarlet Pimpernel
8. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
9. She's the Man
10. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Really, I enjoy a lot of movies. To pick my favorites for this list, I just chose movies I can watch on a regular basis and not get tired of. There are a lot more, but these ten were the first to come to mind.
The end.

Day 1

2011-08-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is the most recent picture I have. Yes, I do realize that wearing a Star Wars apron is nerdy, but there is a pretty good story of why I am wearing it and standing in front of a case of large knives. That story will be shared with anyone who is really interested in hearing it, but right now, I have to tell you 15 things about me.

1. I don't actually know what color my hair is. Last time it was it's natural color, I was 14. I assume it is still blonde.
2. I am extremely ticklish, and no, you do not need to test that.
3. I have a Bachelors Degree from BYU-Idaho.
4. I live in Colorado Springs, CO.
5. I have moved a total of 12 times, beginning when I was 3 days old.
6. I learned to ride a bike (sans training wheels) before my older brother did.
7. I cannot eat lettuce. Not won't. Can't.
8. If you put pineapple on your pizza, we can't be friends. Or grapes in your chicken salad. Ew.
9. My favorite band is Death Cab for Cutie.
10. I have always loved horses, and took several riding classes in college. Wanna barrel race? I'll take you down.
10. I love driving in the car with friends. Especially when I'm headed to somewhere fun, like Utah or Idaho.
11. I hate riding in the car with my family. Especially if it's more than an hour drive.
12. I can bake the best cupcakes you've ever had. Just ask anyone. They're amazing.
13. I love to cook for people. LOVE.
14. I read a lot. I can read five or six large books a week if I'm in the mood.
15. My favorite food is falafel. It's pretty much the best thing ever.

That's all for today folks!

30 Day Challenge

2011-08-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

I decided, after seeing this on a friend's blog, that I should do it as well. I am generally a horrible blogger, mostly because my life is pretty boring. But This will give me something to blog about each day, so I hope I can be more diligent in posting!

Day 01 — A recent picture and 15 facts about you
Day 02 — Top 10 Favorite Movies of All Time
Day 03 — 10 Facts about your hometown.
Day 04 — Top 10 Favorite Books
Day 05 — A habit you have that you wish you didn't
Day 06 — Places you would like to travel
Day 07 — Something that makes you happy
Day 08 — Things you'd like to do before you die
Day 09 — Pet peeves
Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 — Nicknames you have and why
Day 12 — Something you bought recently
Day 13 — Something you want to buy
Day 14 — Things you love and can't live without
Day 15 — Your celebrity crush
Day 16 — A favorite food
Day 17 — A photo of your family
Day 18 — What you like best about each member of your family
Day 19 — A fun memory
Day 20 — A hobby of yours
Day 21 — Your fears
Day 22 — Your current relationship.
Day 23 — Something you never tire of doing.
Day 24 — About your childhood
Day 25 — A favorite photo
Day 26 — Who do you admire?
Day 27 — What’s in your purse?
Day 28 — A place you love
Day 29 — A person you love
Day 30 — Where you'd like to be in 10 years

For Anne

2011-05-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Well, since Anne requested it, I'll oblige her! ;) There aren't too many new things going on with me, just the same old same old. I am still working as a personal assistant, and my job is very interesting, to say the least. I do everything from blogging to making cupcakes to running errands, and it never gets boring!

I am still the FHE co-chairperson, and it keeps me busy when I'm not at work. Planning activities that are fun and well-attended can be challenging, but I have found a lot of joy in this calling.

Lately I have been pretty busy between all the things I do, and my baking business on the side is picking up as well. Next weekend I have a huge event cake for a 50th Birthday party, which I am excited about, but also nervous for. It's the first big event cake I've ever done for full pay, and as my own business, so I hope it turns out well. I'm sure they'll be happy with it, but I am always my own worst critic! It's three tiers with the top tier being made in the shape of a hat, and five smaller gum paste hats on the other two layers. It will be a lot of work, but I know it will be a really fun cake to do.

On a personal note, I am "socializing" with someone...which may or may not be dating. I certainly like this young man quite a lot, and he has shown an affinity for me as well. I don't actually know how serious it is at the moment, but if I had my way, it would be! Haha. So nothing too exciting yet. I'll be sure to let you all know when (or if) that happens!

And that's about it! Nothing too extraordinary going on, just life! I love you all and miss those of you who I haven't seen in a while! I hope you know how much I value you in my life, and that you know that you are always in my thoughts and prayers.

So until next time!

Yeah, I know I'm a slacker.

2011-03-22T10:38:00.000-07:00

So, it's about time I updated this thing. I took a trip last month, and it was awesome! I had decided before I left Europe that I would have to visit my friends in the States soon after I left, as most of them are living in the Seattle area. That made it very convenient for me to see all of them at once! So I bought a plane ticket, and went!

I visited with my friends Tyane, and Ben for the majority of the trip, but I also saw my former roomie Amy and a few other girls from Garmisch. It was a blast!

When I got to Seattle, Ben picked me up and made sure I got to Tyane without any problems. We got to catch up on things, which was nice. When we got to Tyane, we took him to the ferry so he could get back to work. We went to Tyane's place, and just relaxed for a bit. We went grocery shopping and watched a movie. It was nice! The next day we went around to a few of the city's best arks, saw the Fremont Troll, and had some amazing Greek food. It was great to walk around town and see everything.

On Saturday we met up with Tyane's Dad at his hotel to have breakfast. After breakfast, we caught the bus to downtown and walked around the Pike's Place Market, and went shopping. It was great! After that we went to a party with all the girls from Garmisch in the area. It was so much fun to catch up and just see everyone again.

On Sunday we got up early and went to Kingston to attend Ben's church. He is the worship leader there, which means he runs the music and youth programs. He does a wonderful job, and we had a great time. After church we all went out to lunch with Ben's parents, and then spent the afternoon hanging out. That night we stayed at Ben's parent's home, so that we could leave early the next morning for Canada.

We got up at five and left for Port Angeles. That is where the ferry to Victoria leaves from. We caught the ferry and in no time we were in the lovely, rainy country of British Columbia. We walked around Victoria for several hours, and had lunch at a Scottish Pub. It was so fun to be with friends again who I hadn't seen in a while, and go back to how we were in Germany.

On Tuesday Tyane and I had some down time in the morning, and then met up with Ben for dinner, and a basketball game. The game was good, and we had a good time rooting for Tyane's team to win (which they didn't). We then went to a diner that was open late and ate some fried food. It was delicious! Then came the sad part, saying goodbye to Ben for a while. It was late, so we went to bed quickly after getting back to Tyane's place.

On Wednesday, we had to do some work, so Tyane and I went to the house where she nanny's and watched the kids for a while. After that, we didn't have very much time before I had to catch my plane. So we drove to the airport, and I said goodbye to Tyane. All in all it was an amazing trip, and I had a blast!

So now I feel like I accomplished something!

Manitou Springs

2011-01-19T19:28:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I decided that I am too anti-social and called a friend to go to Manitou Springs for the day and walk around. Manitou Springs is a little town on the outskirts of Colorado Springs that is very artsy (and, by default, has a very high concentration of hippies). It is a fun place to walk around and just take in the local flair. So Joy and I made our way into town, parked, and began our adventure! This is the first thing we saw:

Oh yeah! The Trippin' Troll! Haha.

After we walked around a little more, we found a traditional "bear made from a log" statue, and had to take a picture with it.

Getting some Bear lovin'!

Joy and the bear

After posing with the bear, we moved on and found the next must-have of the day: Henna tattoos. We had a blast choosing the patterns and getting them done!

Mine looked like this-
And Joy's looked like this-

Sweet! After the paste came off, we were left with light brown "tattoos" that will fade in a week or two. So fun!

After getting our henna, we found a penny arcade with a photo booth and had a blast posing for the camera. We made goofy faces, cute faces, smiley faces, and weird faces. Now we each have a strip of amazing pictures to commemorate our awesomeness.

We finished off the day with a trip to the British Home Shoppe for digestives. For those of you not familiar with them, they are a British invention, and they are delicious! If you can find them, try them.

That is all for this episode of the life and times of Samantha Smiley! Check back soon for more funny and endearing stories! :)

Well, there's a first time for everything...

2011-01-07T21:57:00.000-08:00

So tonight was Temple night, same as every other First Friday of every month. I drove to the church, was asked to drive to Denver, which I did, and began the trip after a prayer. I had a full car, and we were all chatting away with each other. About half-way through Castle Rock (which is about 45 min from C. Springs, the boys informed me that a patrol car had pulled out after us. I wasn't worried, as I knew I wasn't speeding and I hadn't done anything wrong. So I kept driving. But then the State Trooper turned on his flashy lights. Uh-Oh. I was in the far left lane, so I naturally pulled onto the left shoulder. I wondered why I had been pulled over, and I was assured by all of my passengers that they too had assumed that the speed limit was 75. So I rolled down my window, expecting something like a light having gone out. But no. Apparently while I was conversing with my passengers, I had neglected to see a sign that the speed limit changed to 65. Oops. The Trooper informed me that at my rate of 79 mph, I was going 14 miles over the limit. He also asked me why I had pulled onto the left shoulder, when I should have pulled off to the right. "Well," I said, "I've never been pulled over before." I'm a genius. GHAA! I knew I was in for it. I explained that I had not seen the sign, and that I had honestly thought I was still within the legal speed limit. He asked me where we were going, and I informed the kind officer that we were headed to the Temple in Denver. He smirked at me and said, "I may have to take away your recommend." I HAD BEEN PULLED OVER BY WHAT MAY BE THE ONLY LDS STATE TROOPER IN COLORADO. SERIOUSLY. He then told me that because I was only going 14 over, he wasn't obligated to write me a ticket, and could let me off with a warning. I'm pretty sure he could very well have written me a ticket, and I gladly would have taken it. Because I was going over the speed limit. I was the class dunce driver of the evening. But being the incredibly blessed person I am, he only expressed the regret that he could not accompany us to the Temple, because he was on duty and had to work. I swear, if it weren't for the tender mercies I receive daily from the Lord, I have no idea at all how I would have made it this far!

2010-12-21T20:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I've waited long enough. Things have changed quite a bit since my last post, so it may be longer than a paragraph. So. First, I have a new job. It is awesome. I pretty much get to do things I'm good at all day, and then I get to play with fun things, like Pampered Chef products. I like to call myself an executive assistant, but really I'm just a personal office assistant for an Executive Director with The Pampered Chef. I love it, and she hasn't figured out that I have no idea what I'm doing yet :) Just kidding. I mostly know what I'm doing. Sometimes.
Anyway, the next new thing is my calling. I was first called into the FHE committee as a council member. three weeks later, they made me the head of the committee. Great. I actually really enjoy it. I get to help plan and execute the activities, and I have a great co-chair who is very patient (he would have to be to put up with the likes of me). One thing this calling has really helped me with is making friends and getting to know the other singles in the ward. Usually I try to hide as much as possible, but there is no hiding in FHE. You are up in front of everyone every week. It's weird, and fun, and a little bit scary, but I am learning a lot and hopefully others are enjoying the activities and such that I have planned so far.
I am also dating. Granted, nobody I am really interested in has asked me out, but I have been on a few dates, which is pretty much a record for me. Usually I go out with someone once, and then they move on. But I've been on a few dates with this one guy, so that is new.
That's really everything. Boring, right? I keep hoping things will get more exciting, but maybe I'm due for a lull in my life after a year in Europe being a travel bum. Meh.

Life is...

2010-11-21T20:09:00.001-08:00

Well, boring. Nothing very exciting is going on for me lately. I am doing a little bit of Christmas shopping, a little bit of baking (like always), a little bit of dating (don't ask), a little bit of singing, and a lotta bit of working. Work is going okay, I no longer make mistakes while cashiering, and I very rarely feel overwhelmed. Which is a great thing. I have found a few girlfriends to talk to, but I REALLY miss my friends. I wish everyone lived close so I could have friends all the time, and not just when they decide to visit! But I realize that life is tricky that way. Everyone has to go their own way at some point. Hopefully I can get some more posts up now that I have a CAMERA! Yay! So until then, arrivaderci!

Life is funny that way...

2010-10-31T22:22:00.001-07:00

Isn't it funny ho some things in life can surprise you? Just when you least expect it, BOOM! POW! It hits you. Most of the time, in my experience, it has been a good thing to be taken by unawares by life's little surprises. I can't complain. I have had it easy compared to many, many of God's children. I am so blessed to be alive and healthy with a college education, a loving family, and a job. How could I possibly complain when I have been so tremendously blessed? I have to say, it makes me so full of joy to look back on my life and reflect on the trials I have come through with my faith in the Lord intact. I am so grateful for my parents' example, for the opportunities I have had to learn and grow in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so happy that I have great friends that also have a knowledge of the Savior, and of His atoning sacrifice. I love Sundays with the chance to meet other Saints and to increase in my knowledge of the Gospel, and the many opportunities to share my own personal talents and testimony with others. I sincerely hope that if I can continue to live in a way that is pleasing to my Heavenly Father, that I can continue to see the blessings unfold in my everyday life. I love you all, and goodnight!

Bored at Home

2010-10-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

Saw this on a friend's blog and decided to try it! In italics are the things I have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a Mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a Lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (I've been to Venice, so I'm counting it.)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (BYU-Idaho paper)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Jessica Simpson)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Graduted from College

Having Faith

2010-10-07T08:18:00.000-07:00

It's been an interesting few weeks. I am still waiting to hear back about a job rolling burritos at Chipotle, but I am almost positive that I got it. Not that it's my dream job, but it pays, and it's busy most of the time, so the time goes fast. Hopefully I can move up in the ranks quickly! In the meantime I am still applying to government jobs, hoping to make more than $8,000 a year. Because I do have a degree, however unmarketable it is. I still don't really know where I'm headed in the job department, but I do know I want to possibly go to Grad school sometime in the near future. I just love the idea of being a librarian! I love books, I love talking about books, analyzing books, and just the feel of a solid block of paper in my hands! So I think that may be a good thing for me to work toward.

Singles Ward is still...interesting. Most of the people there are either close to 30, or barely 18. So being in the middle is weird. There are a few people here that are in the middle with me, but it's going to take some time for me to get back into the "in" crowd. And by that I mean the crowd that hangs out outside the designated activities. So far all I've gotten is the weird guy who hits on every new girl, hoping he'll get somewhere before they figure out how odd he is. But I am determined to be nice and try to be friends with him, without giving him the wrong idea. Why do I always get the weird ones? Seriously? Oh well.
On the plus side, I have a wonderful family, great friends (who happen to be far away...) and a loving Father in Heaven. So all I need now is the faith that He will help me to figure out where my life is headed, and the strength to endure to the end. I know that the Church is true. I know Christ atoned for my sins. I now Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Lord, and that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet today. I know that He loves me, and that I am a child of God. I am so grateful for everything that I have been blessed with in my life, and I am so grateful fr a Heavenly Father who knows me by name!

Two weeks

2010-09-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

So I'm two weeks in, and nothing. Nada. Zilch. When it comes to good jobs, I might as well be living in employment Siberia. Really. (Those of you who know me well know that I tend to exaggerate. But seriously, I am having a rough time.)
One of the biggest problems is that I really have no idea what I want to do right now. Do I want to take another dead-end job? Not really. But do I want to settle into a job that pays the bills, if I hate every second of it? Nah. What about just settling for anything that pays decently and has benefits? Maybe, if there were any jobs like that. But there aren't. And it's beginning to look like I may have to just settle for anything. Even if I hate it. Even if going to work every day makes me sad. Because let's face it, I have student loans. And a cell phone bill. And I am going to need a car at some point that isn't a huge red van that guzzles mid-grade gas. So what do I do? Wait for a better job to come along, or take whatever opens up, regardless? I don't know yet, but I hope to find some direction soon! In the meantime, I am trying to stay busy by getting back into the single's scene! I attend one of the local single's wards, and I have tried to show my support at FHE, ward choir, and all other activities, as well as attending Institute choir and classes. It has helped a bit, to be anxiously engaged in something. But I have still felt really lonely here at home. Hopefully I can make some new friends and visit my old friends soon! I miss having friends! It's a good thing I have so many all over, because I could practically drive cross country and never stay in a hotel! I may do that one day, just so you guys know... :)

Colorado

2010-09-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

It is so beautiful here! I forgot how amazing the sky can be, and how sunny Colorado really is. I am grateful to be back, although the same lingering fear of having to make big decisions looms over me. I have had a few opportunities open up, and then close just as abruptly. Live and learn, right? But hopefully something will open up at the right time, in the right place. For now I am content with getting back into the Institute scene, and I am excited to attend my first class tonight.
Well, nothing much else is going on at the moment, except I really miss my friends. All of you! I hope to be visiting soon enough, just as soon as I get an amazing job that pays 100,000 dollars a year...haha. I'll make it happen! Love you all, and see you soon! <3

In the End is a New Beginning

2010-09-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

So I am at the end. I have exactly one day left in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the German town I have called home for the last 13 months of my life. And boy, has it been a roller-coaster! I started out HATING it...and now I'm a little bit scared to leave. Over the past year I have learned a lot about people, and even more about myself. I have learned some of my weaknesses, and also some of my greatest strengths. I have seen a lot more of the world, and I am much better for it. I thought I would make a short list of the things I will miss, as well as some of the things I will NOT miss. I'll start with the things I am going to miss the most-

1. People-I have made some incredible friends here, and I hope that I can stay in touch with all of them for the rest of my life. I have been truly blessed by their friendships here in Germany!

2. Food-Bakeries especially, but also chocolate, Schnitzel, and many other European delights!

3. Walking everywhere- Colorado Springs and most other big cities in the west have very little public transport, and it's impossible to walk everywhere. I have loved being able to get anywhere without a car!

And now some things I will not miss-

1. Drunk People- I'm pretty sure it's a German hobby to see how drunk you can get at any point in the day.

2. Beer- the smell of it, how it transforms people from normal to stupid in one pint flat, how it is such a huge part of the culture here.

3. The two hour commute to church- Woof.

I am so grateful for the experience of living in Europe, and getting to travel so much. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to broaden my horizons a little bit more, and learn so much. I hope that the next chapter in my life will continue to help me learn and grow, and that I can be an influence for good wherever I might be!

Funny Story...

2010-08-26T04:04:00.000-07:00

So as I was reminiscing over my three years at BYU-Idaho, I came across a random memory from one summer semester when I worked at the BYU-Idaho catering bakery. I was a sophomore, and loved my job. I got to go to work every day and make hundreds of dozens of cookies for the meal plan buffet as well as all the catering orders for school and community functions. This particular summer we made a lot of extra rolled sugar cookies that required icing, and no one ordered enough to deplete our supply, so we decided to decorate then and send them out to the buffet line. Because there was little supervision and my coworkers and I had some extra time, we decided to have a little bit of fun and write our phone numbers on a few of the cookies. We figured it was harmless, and we might get a funny phone call out of it. What we didn't account for was the large number of EFY kids that ate every meal at the buffet. Oops! So the next day, I had a message on my cell from a seventeen-year-old, asking if I could meet up with him!! Ghaa! I figured I could just ignore it, but then I answered the phone the next tome he called without realizing it! He asked me how old I was (at the time I was three years older than him) and if I could meet him by the dorms at midnight. Of course I declined, but he was persistent. Little bugger. He called me every night that week! I never met up with him, and he eventually got the hint, but it was my first lesson in thinking through my ideas before acting upon them. It is still a really funny story, and one that I reflect on fondly, just becuase it was such a funny situation! How could I have forgotten about EFY with hundreds of teenagaers on campus making my life difficult? Getting in my way? So funny!

To Do List

2010-08-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

I think maybe I'll make a list, half for myself and half for you three readers, of things I still want to do and places I still want to see. Read on if you're interested, or just skip this post for the next one, also done today!

Things to do:

-Go to a really fancy restaurant

-Wear a really gorgeous dress

-Skydive

-Paraglide

-See several more Operas, Broadway shows, Symphonies, etc.

-Surprise someone

-Have a grown-up dinner party, with grown-ups

-Drive a really nice car

Places I want to go:

-Maldives

-China

-Australia

-New Zealand

-Israel

-Morocco

-Turkey

-Egypt

-Canada (yes, Canada.)

Things I would like to buy-but I don't really need. (I know, I need to be less material. )

-A real cashmere sweater

-a power suit

-a nice camera

That's it. My to do life list. Somewhere in there I want a husband and kids. But they will want to do all that stuff too, right? I hope so!

Four Weeks!

2010-08-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

It's truly amazing how quickly the time passes. Just Twelve short months ago I arrived here in Garmisch, Germany, and now I am preparing to leave. Of course, at the time, I felt that a year was an intolerably long time. But looking back, it was an incredibly short amount of time. So, being one month from my leave date, I decided to do a quick recap of the past year.

From August 10, 2009-August 10, 2010 I have:

-visited nine countries (Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, England, Scotland, France, and Spain.)

-ridden the train to Munich approximately 50 times (1 and a half hours each way.)

-Sledded down a mountain at midnight.

-Purchased two Dirndls (traditional Bavarian dresses-think bar wench.)

-Been to three traditional German festivals-Frühlings Fest, Garmischer Fest, Partenkirchen Fest

-Seen BMW World-and sat in a brand new BMW-5 series.

-Seen more churches and cathedrals than I can count!

-Been to a Monastery where the monks spend one month out of every year extremely drunk.

-Done the majority of my grocery shopping at Germany grocery stores-which is more difficult than it sounds!

-Eaten five Doner Kebaps-if you've had one, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, that is the reason you have that empty feeling in the pit of your stomach sometimes.

-Eaten at least five pounds of the finest European chocolate.

-Seen at least four castles (Schloss Linderhof, Buckingham Palace, Edinburgh Castle, and the Rezidence.)

-Seen two Operas (Jenufa and Il Turco in Italia)

-Seen one West End show in London (Wicked)

-Had more amazing Italian food than is strictly healthy...oh well.

-Had at least two gallons of Gelato. Per summer. Mango is my favorite.

-Discovered Stroop Wafels. Thanks Angela. They are Belgian waffles with caramel in the middle. 'Nuff said.

-Had two dinner parties.

-Tried Buffalo Burgers. Yum!

-Started charcoal all by myself! It doesn't matter that it went out...

-Befriended some incredible people in Munich and Garmisch. Just to name a few: Munich-Angela, Melanie, Kay, Andreas, Nate, Elodie and Isabel. Garmisch-Ben, Tyane, Katie, Kelly, Emily, Ryan, Renee, Jen, and Zack.

-Had some incredible days and nights with amazing people!

I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to meet so many awesome people an see so many amazing places. Not many people have had the luxury of traveling so much so early in life, and I am so very thankful that I have had this experience. I hope to continue to travel, as theer are many more things I would love to see. But for now, I am ready to see what kinds of adventures I can have back in th good 'ol US of A!

A Car and Castle

2010-08-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

The other day, my friend Ben and I decided last minute to rent a car and go up to Crazy King Ludwig's summer Palace, Schloss Linderhof. I had been before, but it was winter, so the beautiful gardens the Palace is known for were dead, and the incredible fountains were all boarded up. I was so excited to see the gardens, and to ride in a car! It is funny how much I am getting sick of traveling by train. The freedom of jumping in the car and just going is something I dearly miss!
So we went down to the local car rental agency and rented a brand-spankin' new VW Passat. It was SWEET! Of course Ben drove, as my 6-speed skills are severely lacking. We headed up to Linderhof and walked around the beautiful gardens, saw the fountains and statues, and just had an all-around great time. After we had taken in the gorgeous gardens and scenery, we headed to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play Theater and walk around town. We stopped at a bakery for breakfast, and I had a really good plum torte. Ben had almond cake and some coffee to get him started for the day. I had some of his Almond cake and it was divine! I am really going to miss German bakeries! After breakfast, we walked around the little town, stopping to get Ben a authentic Bavarian sweater vest, which he had wanted for quite a while. He looks very sharp in it, if anyone is wondering ;) We went and looked at the theater where the Passion Play is performed every ten years, and saw some of the history in a picture presentation set up in the lobby of the theater. I had been to the play already, but Ben hadn't seen it yet. When we left, he was vowing to find a ticket to the play.
After Oberammergau, we headed down to Ettal, a tiny little town that houses a huge monastery known for their liqueur and cheese production. We saw the ornate Rococo-style chapel, and toured the grounds when we accidentally got lost. It was so funny, because we couldn't figure out how to get back out o the front of the monastery, so Ben decided to try to jump the wall that surrounds the back of the place. He gave the woman on the other side of the wall quite a fright! He stopped trying to jump the wall after that! We had a good laugh, and did eventually find out way to the front of the monastery. We had a wonderful lunch at a local restaurant, and then headed back to Garmisch. But the day was FAR from over!
When we got home, we went to Post (the U.S. Army garrison) and ran some errands. Then we went to watch a softball game which ended up being canceled. Earlier in the day we had looked at movie times at the English theater in Munich and saw that Inception was playing at 10:15. We thought it would be fun to go and see it, as I hadn't seen a movie in theaters since before I came to Germany. We asked our friends Ryan, Emily and Zach to go with us, and we headed up to Munich at around 8. When we got to the theater and picked up our tickets, we had about an hour to waste time so we walked around downtown Munich. The movie was great, (although I had really weird dreams the next morning) and we just had a great time in general. My favorite part of the night was driving home, because I convinced Ben to go really fast on the Autobahn. We got up to 200 kph (about 124 mph). It was awesome! At this point it was 2:00 in the morning, and I was ready for bed. But it was such a fantastic day! I hope I can have some more great days like that before I have to leave this dreamworld I live in!

For Angela

2010-07-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

This weekend I spent Sunday and Monday in Munich. Sunday was for Church and YSA activities, and Monday was to spend time with my good friend Angela. Angela has really been a blessing in my life here in Germany. She works as an Opera singer for the Bayerisch Staatoper in Munich, and she is truly gifted. I had the opportunity to sit in on a few of her practice sessions, and it was such an incredible experience! We had such a great day. After the first couple of practice session, we went to Olympia park for Tollwood, only to find that it was already done and over with. So, we improvised, and went to BMW World. It was so fun! We took some fun pictures in our dream vehicles, and let me tell you, they were sweet! I love BMWs!!! After drooling over the beautiful German machinery, we went to the Olympiaeinkaufzentrum, which is the biggest mall (with the longest name) in Munich. We had some fun trying on clothes and looking at home furnishings. We also ate four scoops of gelato. Each. Yep.
After we were finished trying on expensive clothing, we decided to go somewhere we could actually afford, so we headed back into the city center and went to a little dress shop to look around. We tried on more cute clothes, and Angela even found a great summer dress! Then we went shopping for postcards and a key chain for me, as I hadn't gotten anything in all of my days in Munich. so we did that, and then went back to the Operahouse for a final practice session. After that we went back to Angela's apartment and relaxed for a few minutes before meeting her opera friends for a birthday dinner. Angela's birthday was on Sunday, but they waited until Monday to celebrate. It was a wonderful time at a small Mexican restaurant. After dinner was over, I needed to catch the last train out of Munich to Garmisch. I said goodbye to Angela, letting her know it was definitely not for the last time, and then began the long journey back home. I loved spending so much time with a good friend, and I had such a great time seeing the career she has chosen with her incredible talent. I am so grateful for good friends, and I am blessed to count Angela as one of them. So this one's for you, Ang!

Can I make it?

2010-07-16T01:51:00.000-07:00

I don't know! It has become increasingly hard to concentrate on being in Germany when all of my thoughts are of the future. I know I am always one to worry, but I am going a little bit crazy thinking about what I have to do when I get back to Colorado. Get a job, get a phone, get health insurance, get a car, car insurance, etc. I am pretty much freaking out. Luckily, my amazing parents are going to graciously let me stay in their home until I get everything figured out, so I don't have to get an apartment yet, but somewhere down the line I am going to have to do that too. It feels like I have been avoiding life in a dream world where nothing matters except having fun and getting to work on time, and now I have to suddenly grow up and deal with real life. I am ready (I think...) to take that step, but at the same time, I'm afraid of failing at it. But onward and upward, right? I think I am coming off a little bit sad, but that is not the case at all! I am super excited, and cannot stand having to wait the month and a half I have 'til I come home! I am excited to have a real job, drive a car (finally!) and be able to start living a fulfilling life. But it is all a little bit terrifying at the same time. I am so grateful for having parents who prepared me for being a contributing member of society, and I hope I can live up to what I know they expect from me. I am also grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who watches out for me and lets me know when I am going he wrong way, no matter how much I wish I wasn't. I am grateful for the knowledge of the Gospel, and for Joseph Smith, a prophet of the Lord, who was faithful enough to stand up for what he knew was true to bring the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel!

Mom's Visit and Lake Garda

2010-06-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

Well, for the last little while I have been kept occupied by my Mom! She came out to Germany for three weeks this month, and we had a blast! She flew to Munich on June 22, and went straight to our friends' home in Mueldorf. She stayed with them until the 6th, when I met her in Munich for church. It was exciting to see someone here from back home, but also a little weird, like my old life meeting my new one. Anyway, we had some fun in Garmisch for a week, taking a three country tour on Monday the 7th through Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. It was along day of mostly sitting on a tour bus, so we were pretty happy when it ended. On Tuesday we hung out with my friend Ben in Mittenwald, a little Bavarian town just before the Austrian border. It was a beautiful sunny day, and it was such a great outing! On Wednesday I had to work for eight hours, a full shift, so my Mom kept herself busy baking and just relaxing in my room, after which we went to a Bible study group with several of my friends. Thursday we went to a softball game and rooted for my roommate Tyane, and Ben. Friday we went to the town Farmer's Market and then got everything squared away with our rental car and hotel in Italy, where we were going to spend Sunday through Thursday of the following week. I also attended a girls night to say farewell to a Bible study friend. There were quite a few girls there, and we spent the night at a married friend's home, for which her husband was sent to spend the night with Ben. On Saturday we all (all the girls, Ben, and the woman's hubby, also named Ben) went to a swimming pond, a super cool man-made pond at the base of one of the mountains in town. The entrance fee was so small we were all very excited to relive childhood memories of swimming in non-chlorinated water.

On Sunday My Mom and I left for Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy. It happens to be a three hour drive from where I live, so it was a nice ride down to the little vacation villa we had rented for the week. On Sunday we pretty much just chillaxed in our apartment, reading library books, cooking dinner, and watching chick flicks. It was wonderful to finally have a real vacation where I didn't have to run around a huge city trying to see everything!

On Monday we hit a local market, then hit a huge Botanical Garden complex about a twenty minute drive from Cavalcaselle. It was incredible! Not only did it cover 600,000 square meters, but it had everything from castle ruins to koi ponds to an actual church on the grounds! We wandered the gardens for a good portion of the day and then went back to our apartment for some more chill time.

Tuesday we went to a charming little town called Sirmione, where we ate Gelato, took in a Castle and some Roman Baths, and ate delicious pizza. On the way home we picked up some groceries for the rest of the week.

Wednesday was supposed to be the lay-out-by-the-pool-with-70spf-sunscreen-on day, but it rained all day, so we decided to see another little town instead. We walked around a place called Desenzano, and saw some pretty sweet panoramas of the lake. After we got back from that, we went to a street market in the town we stayed in Cavalcaselle, which had some great stuff. Then we ate our last dinner in the apartment and got ready to leave.

On Thursday we checked out early and headed back to Garmisch. We had the car for the whole day, so the afternoon was spent running errands that are much easier with a car. We went to the Army Post for groceries, hit up the library, and went around town with my friends to help them out as well. It was a nice day, and it had finally stopped raining!

Friday rolled around and I had to go back to work, so I did. Mom kept herself occupied with watching movies and baking, and I hurried home as fast as I could. We spent the evening watching a movie and having some dinner together.

Saturday I worked early in the morning, and then we just had a nice walk around town, which ended up in a little shopping at H&M. Boy do I love that place! For a follow up, we watched Star Trek. My favorite! Chris Pine is so...easy on the eyes...haha.

Sunday we attended the local Prodestant service as we were both a little drained from so much traveling. After the service we had a little girl time coloring our hair, painting our nails, and baking some more. We Smiley girls sure do love to bake! At nine, we met up with Ben, who had his parents in town for dinner at Zum Wildchutz, a great Bavarian restaurant in town. We had a lovely evening, and I tried Wild Boar for the first time. Yum!

Monday was Mom's last day here, so we went to the local swimming complex and sat around in the hot tub. After that we went home, baked some more, and then watched one last chick flick before she went back to our boy-infested home in Colorado. She left early the next day, and we said a groggy goodbye, then she left! sad day. But on the bright side, I only have a couple of months left here! Then it's off to the real world!

Barcelona

2010-06-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Well, time for another late update! About two weeks ago I had the opportunity to go to Spain, and the Catalunya region in particular. So let the chronicling begin!

Day 1: I went on this trip with a guy named Jeremy because I had heard that Spain was a dangerous place. We took a later train to Munich and caught our plane to Barcelona. We got to the city pretty late, and had a forty minute train ride to the area our Hostel was in. I had directions, and it seemed simple enough. It was easy to find, at the very top of a very steep hill that seemed to stretch on forever at 12:30 at night. We finally made it to our room, and crashed.

Day 2: We woke up in time to eat breakfast, then headed out to a famous park in the city that was designed by it's most famous artist-Gaudi. The park was owned by a man named Güell, who was a patron of the artist, and even had him design his home. The park was beautiful, and we enjoyed hiking around it and seeing all the different installations by Gaudi. After taking in our fill of beautiful scenery to a soundtrack of local musicians, we headed into the heart of town to see the famous cathedral Sagrada Familia, also designed by Gaudi. We took a round-about route, taking in more of the local flair. We marveled at one of the most unusual and magnificent cathedrals in Europe, and thought it was quite the sight. After that we went to see a big building that looked a lot like the Gherkin in London, and walked a bit more around town, including the famous Las Ramblas shopping district. By this point, we were both pretty tired, because all this sightseeing entailed several miles of walking. So we got on the train back to our hostel and called it a night after once again braving what came to be known as "The Hill".

Day 3: Our first task of the day was looking for the Picasso Museum. When we finally managed to find it, it was closed! Sad! So instead we went to the Choolate Museum. I thought it was a suitable substitute. We ate some chocolate (our tickets were actually small bars of dark chocolate), looked at some amazing chocolate art, and then ate more chocolate. After filling up on that, we headed back to the shopping district to actually do some shopping. For the rest of the day we wandered around looking into interesting shops and such until we were ready to head back to the hostel.

Day 4: We both agreed that we needed a break after ll that walking, so we headed down to the beach on this day. Once we located a suitable spot(which, incidentally, involved quite a bit of walking), we laid out for a good four hours. Of course, I slathered on tons of sunscreen and did not get the least bit of color. But its okay, because pasty is my favorite color. When we were finished baking, we went straight back to the hostel.

Day 5: This was another busy day! We began by heading up to the top of Mount Tibidabo to see a huge church on it's peak. We had to take two trains, one bus, and one funicular(small, one-segment train) to the top. Once there, we paid two euro to take an elevator to the middle floor of the roof, and from there climbed to the very top of the cathedral. The view of the city from this platform was incomparable to anything we had previously encountered, and we took a lot of pictures. It was cool to see Barcelona from that point of view, because we could also see all of the surrounding countryside. When we had taken in the beauty of the Catalunyan countryside, we made our way bak down the mountain, using all of the aforementioned means of transportation. When we were back in the city, we went to the National Museum of Catalynan Art. We walked through a teeming mass of Futbol fans gathered before the biggest game of the season, and incidentally, the stadium is located directly behind the museum, so they were completely surrounding the place. Once we fought our way through, we saw some amazing art from the Byzantine era all the way up to the most modern art. When we had finished at the museum, we went back to the hostel and were in bed by 8:30. We were bushed!

Day 6: Going home! We woke up, got packed, took one last jaunt into town for a few last minute items, and then made our way back to the airport, and eventually rain-sodden Garmisch! Yay!

Paris

2010-04-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

What can I even say? Paris was...indescribable! But for the sake of all my dedicated readers (Hi Casey!) I will try!

Day 1: There were five of us going to Paris together, but we left a different times. Two girls left early Monday morning, and the other three (including me) left Monday night. We took the four o'clock train to Munich, and caught our plane at around 8:55 p.m. Upon arrival, we bought five day train passes, and headed into the city. Our hotel was in the financial district of La Defence, and was really, really inexpensive, considering we were going to shove five girls into a four bed room. But it was cozy! We got to the hotel at midnight, and went straight to bed. Before retiring, Kelly and I decided to get up early to catch a bike tour of the city that we believed started at 7 am and went until 11:30 at night. We had to meet the tour at the Eiffel tower, so we needed to get up at five in order to be on time.

Day 2: So Kelly and I get up super early and head to the Eiffel tower. When we arrive, we see that the area is completely deserted, and cannot see anything even remotely resembling a bike tour. So we sent a message to the friend that told us about the tour, and he told us it began at 7 PM!! So we went to get breakfast and rest before meeting up with the other girls to take a free walking tour. On the way to meet them, we saw the Arc de Triomphe, a famous monument in Paris. It was really cool to see the monuments in person after seeing them so many times in movies and in pictures. We met up with the girls by the town hall, and discovered that our map had listed the incorrect meeting place for the tour. By the time we found the actual meeting point we had missed the tour, so we went to eat lunch and wait for the next tour to start, around 1pm. We had some amazing Chocolate Banana Crepes, and met up with the tour just in time. The tour covered quite a bit of the major sights in the city like the Louvre, Notre Dame, Champ E'Lysses, the Eiffel Tower, The Arc de Triomphe, and many more. It was a great tour, and it helped us decide what we wanted to do the next day. After the tour we went to the Eiffel tower as a group and took the elevator to the top. It was such an amazing experience! The city was all lit up, and we enjoyed seeing it together. After descending the tower, we ate another Crepe (I know, I know. But we were in Paris!) and headed back to the hotel.

Day 3: This day we split up for the morning. Kelly, Jade and I went to the Montmarte district to see the Sacre Couer, and amazing basilica right in the middle of the tourist area. Before seeing the church, we stopped and saw Moulin Rouge, a famous sight in the red light district. It was...interesting. The place itself was cool to se, but the area was a little sketch. But we quickly vacated the area for the basilica. It was a very beautiful sight, and we really enjoyed seeing it. After that, Jade left to do her own thing, and Kelley and I went to the Orangerie, a museum that houses several impressionist masterpieces, including work by Monet, Degas, Picasso, and others. It was amazing! Monet did some incredibly beautiful work, and I was reminded of how much I enjoy impressionist art. When we were done there, we headed to Champ E'Lysses, the most upscale shopping street in all of Paris. Kelly had her heart set on a Louis Vuitton bag, and she would not leave without getting it. It was one of those things that I thought was crazy, buying a handbag that cost upwards of $500, but the heart wants what it wants, I guess! After her purchase, we went to meet Jade at the catacombs. Unfortunately, they had closed, so we were unable to see them. At 5:30, we headed for the Louvre, and saw some of the most famous works of art of all time. We saw the Mona Lisa, Victory, Venus De Milo, several Michelangelo sculptures, and countless other masterpieces. It was breathtaking! When the museum closed at ten, we headed back to our hotel for the night.

Day 4: DISNEYLAND PARIS! That is what Kelly, Jade an I did on our last full day in Paris. I know, why would anyone want to go there? I don't know, we just did. And it was a blast going on rides and seeing characters from our childhood. We went on Space Moutain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Phantom Manor, Indiana Jones, Star Tours, and Tower of Terror. We had a blast! Half-way through the day we got a message from Katie and Erin, who were supposed to catch their flight that afternoon saying that their flight had been canceled due to and erupting volcano in Iceland. In disbelief, we wrote it off until we got back to the hotel and talked to them about it. We found out that not only had their flight been canceled, but ours had as well. That is when we went to bed.

Day 5: In the morning we headed straight to the airport to get the lowdown. We found out that our only option to fly out was the following Monday (This was on Friday). Obviously, we could not afford to stay in Paris for another three days or longer. So we tried to rent a car, but they were all rented out already. So then we headed to the main train station, only to find that all the trains were booked until Monday as well. In desperation, we went to the platform of the next train to Munich and asked the conductor if we could get on the train at all. He aid we could, but we wouldn't have seats. At this point, we didn't care. So for 6 1/2 hours, we sat on the floor of the bar on the train. And paid 150 euro each to sit there. It was interesting. But we made it back!

Don't forget to check our my post on Rome, right below this one! ;)

Roma

2010-04-20T06:14:00.001-07:00

Rome was an amazing trip! I had such a good time seeing one of the first great civilizations that once covered a huge portion of Europe and the Mediterranean. It was also my first solo adventure, and it turned out to be so relaxing to just do whatever I wanted whenever I wanted!

Day 1: I flew out of Munich and straight into Rome. The flight was only about an hour long, so I got to Rome with some daylight left, around 2 p.m. The first thing I did was locate my hostel (which took a while, as I got lost-no surprise there) and check into my room. The room was nice, and I was sharing with four other girls. I always pay a little extra to have a nicer room, and if I can find it, a girls only dorm. I dropped off my things and headed out toward the Spanish Steps to find my tour guide. I had booked three tours before I left, knowing that seeing the city by myself would not be as cool as knowing some of the history behind the places I was seeing. This tour covered most of the city's main sights and was very informative. We saw the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Valentino's house, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Campo Di Fiori. Our guide was a very knowledgeable Brit who once came to Rome on vacation and never left. At the end of the tour I took a bus back to the main train station, which is a few blocks from the hostel, and went to bed, knowing I had to be up early for a tour in the morning.

Day 2: Woke up early and had breakfast in the hostel, which consisted of rolls and jam. I guess that's what you get for 15 euro a night ;) I got an early start, and made my way to Piazza Del Poppolo, the main square in Rome where three of the main streets converge, and the Vatican can be seen straight down the road. It took me a while to find it, because maps are confusing, but I made it there in a round-about manner. After seeing the famous piazza, I wandered toward the Vatican, where I would eventually meet up with my tour of the Vatican. I wandered around by the Vatican, buying postcards and other souvenirs, then found a Pizza shop (I found one every day) and took a break. After some delicious pizza and a Gelato chaser, I met up with my tour. We saw some incredible works of art in the Vatican Museum, learned about St. Peter's Basilica, saw Pieta by Michaelangelo, and learned about the Country of the Vatican. It was very informative, and such an interesting place to see. When the tour ended, I made my way back to the Hostel for dinner, and went to bed early.

Day 3: I had a nine a.m. tour of the Roman forum and Colosseum, so I got up early and headed out. I had met some people in the hostel the night before, and one of the girls decided to take the same tour I was on, so we went together. We met up with our tour and made our way past the Constantine arch and into the Roman Forum. The Roman forum was the seat of government for Rome back in the day, kind of like an ancient Washington D.C. We saw Mussolini's home, which he had built among the ruins, old temples to the pagan gods, homes, palaces, and so much more. In it's glory days, the Forum would have been incredibly magnificent to behold! After seeing the Forum, we went to the Colosseum and learned all about the epic battles between Gladiators, lions, and prisoners that provided entertainment for the Roman masses. It seemes very barbaric to me, but I suppose that humans have been doing horrible things to other humans for a very long time (Cain and Abel anyone?). That Colosseum was very cool, and the tour ended on a high note. After the tour, my new friend and I wandered the city, and I showed her the big sights like the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Del Poppolo. We walked quite a bit, and had a great time seeing more of the city. After we couldn't walk any more, we headed back to the hostel, where I met up with another girl from my room to go to dinner. I had wanted to have a nice Italian dinner, but didn't ant to go alone, so we decided to do it together, both of us being solo travelers. We took the bus back to the Trevi Fountain, and ate at a cute little cafe down one of the side streets surrounding the plaza. Our food was excellent, and we had a wonderful time. After dinner I headed to the airport, where I had to spend a horrible night trying to sleep on a bench before catching my plane at six in the morning. It was not the best night I have ever had, but all in all, I had such a fantastic time in Rome that it didn't matter!

Venice

2010-03-28T04:08:00.001-07:00

As requested (by Casey) I will continue to chronicle my adventures travel-log style. So heeeeeeeere's Venice!

Day 1: Tyane (my roomie) and Andrew (a friend) decided to rent a car and drive the four and a half hours to Venice, Italy for a weekend. We left on Saturday night and drove non-stop all the way. When we finally arrived, we checked into our hotel and crashed.

Day 2: After discovering that our bathroom and shower were one whole unit and marveling at the flood that resulted from taking a shower, we headed out to the train station. It was a little bit chilly, but much warmer that Garmisch. We took the train onto the island and decided that instead of taking the water taxi, we wanted to explore by walking the city. So we started by finding Piazza San Marco, the most famous Piazza in Venice. The view was incredible! Venice is such an amazing place! We wandered around, going into random churches and shops as we pleased, and I even took in my very first Catholic Mass in a Benedictine Monastery. It was such a neat experience to see the people of Venice in their everyday lives. We saw so many cool things, and the city is truly a beautiful place! Every picture I took was a postcard! After a substantial amount of walking, we decided to call it a day. Venice is a very small city, and perfect to see in a day or two. We took the train back to the mainland and took a nap on the rock-hard mattresses before setting out to find dinner. We all wanted to experience some good Italian food, so we asked the front desk clerk to recommend somewhere. He pointed us toward a great little seafood joint, where we had amazing food and great conversation. After that, we decided the day couldn't get any better, so we went to bed.

Day 3: This day we decided that rather that having to rush home, we wanted to take the day slow and meander back. We had seen that the next town over had an Ikea, so we thought it would be a great idea to take advantage of having a car and stop in to see if they had any good deals. They DID! Tyane and I got some shelves, a rug, and lamps for our bedside tables, as well as some picture frames for the great oil paintings we bought in Venice. We loaded our loot in the car and set off through the beautiful vineyards of northern Italy and steadily made our way back to the German alps we call home!

London, Extended Version

2010-03-26T03:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, so here is how it went down...

Day 1: Katie and I went to Memmingen (west of Munich) to catch our Ryan Air flight to London-Stanstead. We got into London at around 7:00, and took a bus into town. Because we weren't sure about where our hostel was, we wandered around the Liverpool station a little bit before we found the right place to go. We ended up being able to walk there in around ten minutes, so we braved the streets and got acquainted with London right away. We decided to be crazy and both dyed our hair in the hostel that night, although we both did colors we had done before, so nothing drastic (although Katie's was pretty red...). Then we crawled into bed and crashed after our long day of traveling.

Day 2: Both Katie and I really wanted to do some shopping an such while in London, so we decided to go to Camden Town, which is the market district in London. We found some really good deals, and ended up getting our hair cut as well. We both cut a lot of hair off! I cut off about five inches! It was a fun change for both of us. Because my hair was taking such a long time, Katie decided she wanted to go see a museum of Modern Art, so we chose a meeting time (7:00) and place (outside the entrance to the Museum). Unfortunately, there were several entrances to the museum, and we lost each other for about two hours. I have to admit, I thought she was taken by white slavers. But we are both very responsible people, and thought that going back to the Hostel was a safe bet, and we found each other there. After vowing to never separate again, we set off to meet up with a tour of some of London's best Pubs. Because I didn't want her to go alone, I decided to tag along, and just be the designated bus/cab finder at the end of the night. Plus, I got all my drinks free! Water is usually free, but even if I had had to pay, there were plenty of willing parties to do that for me ;) We ended up meeting some cool people, and having a good time, even though it is tough to find your way back to a hostel with four semi-drunk people in tow. I am now very confident that I could be the designated driver/bus/cab-finder anywhere.

Day 3: The best day ever! We began with a free tour of the most famous sights in London, including Buckingham Place, Big Ben, and Westminster. After this tour, we had a great lunch of Fish and Chips with Smashed Peas, and made our way to the afternoon tour of Old London. That was a great tour that took in the Lawyer's area (it's a city within a city within a city!) the church of the Knights Templar, Covent Garden, and more. We ate dinner at our favorite restaurant (Pret Manager) and discovered Love bars (best things since chocolate bars). After this tour we rushed back to change into our finery for the best part of London by far, which was seeing Wicked!!! It was amazing and so much fun!

Day 4: Caught the bus back to the airport and made our merry way back to Garmisch!

London

2010-03-12T11:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's taken me this long to post about London, who knows when I'll get around to Venice and Rome! I had a blast in England, soaking up the local culture with my friend Katie. We saw everything, and then some! We went to see Wicked on our final night in town, and just had a blast! If you want to see pictures, you'll have to go to facebook, because my internet is too slow to upload pictures on blogspot. Sorry!

Just a Random Update!

2010-02-09T01:44:00.000-08:00

Well hello everyone! Just thought I'd drop a line! Recently I have delved into the Garmisch lifestyle, even trying out snowboarding for the first time! It was much more fun that I had anticipated, and I am looking forward to going again when we get some more snow. Right now the snow is pretty melted, and then it freezes into ice at night which would be painful to fall on. I also went sledding with a few friends down a trail on the mountain that we live by. It's called the Kramer, and about half-way up the side of the mountain there is a small restaurant called the Half-Way house. We climbed up the trail in the snow one night, and sledded back down. It was freezing cold, but so much fun! I still have the battle scars from that night! Last night I invited the Elders down from Munich (It's about a 45 minute drive). They came and brought a newly baptized member, and I also invited a few friends from the Abrams (the place I live) to eat with us. We all sat on the ground in my room, and ate some amazing Paella and Milk Chocolate Mousse. After dinner, I asked the Elders to share a short message. I have never done this before, seeing as I went to school with all members, so it was quite an experience for me to share the gospel with my non-member friends. I had expected them to not say anything or ask questions, but they did! We talked about Joseph Smith and the Restoration, then we talked about Moroni's challenge, and my friends asked a LOT of questions! We ended up discussing things for quite some time, until the Elders realized they were going to be late getting home, and we had to wrap things up. I am looking forward to having them down again in the near future.
Everything is going well over here in Pretzel Land, and I am soon going to be traveling to far off places again! February 22-25 I will get to go to London, which I am very excited about! I already have tickets to Wicked, and I am planning on seeing all the famous sights while there. Hopefully in March I will be able to go on a few weekend trips, as my fried Tyane and I have the same days off and want to see some of the same places. Right now we are thinking Venice for a couple of days, which should be a blast! In April I am going to Paris for four days, which I am super excited about, and I have a long trip to Italy planned, hopefully in June. Other than that, I am just trying to stay sane at work! I love you all!

Fitness Challenge

2010-01-30T00:59:00.000-08:00

Okay. So over here in Pretzel land, we have a big gym on post. And said gym is having a six week fitness challenge, which I am signed up for with some of my friends. You have to get weighed, check your BMI and body fat content, as well as flexibility. Then, you get awarded points for things like working out, eating right, and giving up things that are unhealthy for you. I have decided to be gung-ho about it, and I am giving up sweets for the duration. That may be the hardest part of the whole thing! However, I have set some personal goals to accompany the challenge, so we'll see how it goes! Wish me luck!

Snow White and the Seven Dirndls

2010-01-27T13:01:00.000-08:00

Hello my loyal fans! Or, you know, two or three readers...I am back! I wish I had more to Write about, but what goes on around here is mostly work. So I'll try to find enough interesting things to write about! The biggest thing to happen recently was the purchase and subsequent use of a shnazzy new...Dirndl! For those of you who are not familiar with Dirndls, they are a type of traditional dress worn in Bavaria for Fests and such. I have wanted one for a while, but most are very expensive (~500 euro). So I did what any sane poor person world do. I went to a thrift store. I ended up getting the whole thing for less that 150 euro! I know that is still a lot, but it really was a good deal. I love my new Dirndl, and it loves me. I got to wear it the very next day for a friend's birthday party, and had a blast feeling like a true Bavarian. At some point during the evening, someone mentioned that I reminded them of Snow White with my very pale skin, very dark hair, and peachy complexion added to the Dirndl. I always knew I was a princess. I should have guessed it would be the whitest one. Oh well!

I love it!

In other news, we had an Eighties night here a few weeks ago, and we all dressed up for it. It was a really fun time, and I look forward to doing it again real soon!

Me an Katie in our 80's gear!

Okay! That is all! Stay tuned for my trip to London at the end of February!

Odds and Ends

2010-01-08T04:32:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy with work and play that I have neglected my blog! Sorry! I don't feel too bad, because I know only three people read this thing anyway! Okay, so a few things happened since my last significant post...

1) My birthday! I still don't feel 23...maybe I will when I turn 24. Anyway, I had a wonderful birthday, complete with winning an Ipod shuffle at work (which I gave away, since I already have one, you are welcome Joel), and then going out to a fantastic dinner with some amazing friends! It was a blast!

The Roomies! Amy, the blonde one, is my roommate. She's awesome!

2) Christmas! I was super crafty and made Christmas candy and went caroling around my complex. It was really fun, and everyone enjoyed the Fudge and Divinity I made! Christmas day I was awoken by my good friend Tyane, who came bearing cinnamon rolls in a can, so we baked them and joined a breakfast group in the hallway. Later that day we went to work, and tried to spread Christmas cheer by caroling and generally being in a good mood. It was a great day!

3) New Years! I worked on New Year's Eve, but got off at midnight, at which point I rushed downtown to be with Tyane for her birthday (she was born on the 31st). We danced in Marienplaz, fought our way through the crowds at IPub, and then ended up snagging some goodies from Burger King around 2 am before catching a cab home. When we got there, we cut her birthday cake and sang to her. It was a long, eventful night, but one for the books!

I think we are caught up! Now I am busy planning all the places I want to see in the new year. On the list are London, Brussels, any part of Italy, and somewhere in Spain. I am so excited to see the world, and share all my adventures with you! Until next time!

2009-12-25T02:28:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
That is all! I love you guys!

A Little bit of Everything

2009-12-15T03:55:00.000-08:00

So it's been a while (again). I just seem to lose track of time over here! So much going on, and way too much fun! So in the past few weeks I have done a lot of exciting things like:

Decorating for Christmas (sorry it's sideways...)

Taking in the very first real snow of the year!

Taking naps...Natasha joined me for this one!

Hanging out with amazing people...Like Angela and Isabell

Cooking Sunday dinner...Natasha and Sven helped out in the kitchen!

And also...

Going to the Munich Christmas Market! So much fun!

I will have to put more pictures up soon, as these are only a small portion of the fun!

A Tale of Turkey and Turkey

2009-12-01T03:58:00.000-08:00

The past few weeks have been busy! On the 22 of November I had the chance to attend another Opera, this one starring my beautiful and talented friend Angela! It was called Il Turco in Italia, or The Turk in Italy. The opera was fantastic, and I enjoyed getting to see Angela in a starring role! She did wonderfully!

Angela the Gypsy

This week I had the good fortune to spend Thanksgiving Day with some friends, and cook a delicious meal. We had a great time making traditional turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. It was a quiet night at home!

Sunday, however, was a very different story! Melanie wanted to organize Thanksgiving dinner for the YSAs and missionaries in Munich, so we got some turkeys (four, to be exact) and all the fixings for a feast! It actually began on Saturday, with Nathan, Andreas and I making the pumpkin pies and rolls. We spent a lovely afternoon baking and listening to some classical music in the church kitchen. The pies turned out great, but the rolls were a bit undercooked (okay, I still haven't gotten used to the ovens here).

Nathan with the pies!

We hid the good away for Sunday and headed out. I met up with Angela, and we had a great time having a sleepover at Melanie's apartment which she graciously allowed us to use while he was out of town. It was a really fun time!

Sunday I was blessed to be called as a primary teacher, and so I am now responsible for the 9-11 year old Valiant class. I have been subbing for their class for the past two weeks, and I am very excited to get to know them better. I also gave a talk in Sacrament meeting, which was scary! I hadn't given a talk for almost five years (!) but I think it went pretty well, despite being terrified.

Fast forward to about three that afternoon, and I have just put the first turkey in the oven. One turkey was being cooked in Melanie's oven, one by the missionaries in the mission office oven, and two at the church. By five, we had all the help we could have wanted to cook the side dishes. S many cooks in the kitchen! But it was such a fun time being together!

Cooking with everyone

Little did I know that everyone else was playing games while we were slaving away! Some friends they are...Just kidding. The kitchen was so crowded! I am glad they found something to do while the food was being prepared.

Wii bowling, anyone?

Before we knew it, it was time to carve the turkeys! They turned out great and we had so many good things to eat!

Carving the Turkeys

Then we ate! It was so good! After two long days, we pulled it off! We counted heads, and we fed over 30 people that day! How crazy!

Enjoying our blessings!

I loved getting to help out on Sunday, and I have realized just how blessed I am to have such great people in my life. I hope everyone had such a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that everyone who I didn't get to see this year know how much I love you!

Foray into the land of Coos and Haggis

2009-11-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, it has been quite some time since I did anything of any consequence, until this past week. On Wednesday, November 4th, I had the chance to fly to SCOTLAND! Yes, it's really cool. I had the most amazing three days exploring Edinburgh and the Scottish countryside! But let's start at the beginning, so as to impart the full fabulosity of my trip!

Day 1- I woke up relatively early to catch the train with my travel buddy, Jade. We took the train to Memmingen, where there is a small airport. We made good time, and got to the terminal early. The plane was uneventful, and flight attendants were selling stuff to us the whole time. Snacks, booze, and scratch lottery tickets, just to mention a few products offered by a pre-recorded voice over the intercom. It was lovely. We arrived in Edinburgh in the afternoon, and made our way to our hostel, St Christopher's of Edinburgh. Our room was great, as I decided to book and all-girls room with a private bathroom for a few extra pounds.

View from our room in St Christopher's

So we dropped off our stuff and went to wander the Royal Mile, which happened to be a two-minute walk from the hostel. We found a small fish 'n chips shop and obligingly partook of the national food of the UK while looking at tourist-y shops and kilted shop-lads. We also booked a tour of the Scottish countryside and Loch Ness for the next day. After finishing our dinner, we headed back to St. Cristopher's for a good night's sleep.

Day 2-We awoke very early to get a jump start on our day. After free breakfast offered by the hostel, we headed out to meet with our tour group. At eight o'clock sharp, we departed in a 30 passenger van for Loch Ness. Our guide was a born and raised Scot, and was very knowledgeable about the country's history and interesting lore.
As we sped at alarming speeds down the "wrong" side of the road, and after my life had flashed in front of my eyes at least three times, we came to our first official stop to see a Heeland Coo, better known as a shaggy/hairy cow. It was so cool! It looked like a big shaggy dog with huge horns and hooves.

Hamish

It was awesome! Despite our best efforts, Hamish (that was this coo's name) decided to stay in his little shack and now come out for some delicious coo food that we were waving at him from the fence. Oh well. Moving on, we drove past several interesting sights, including the castle where Monty Python was filmed,

THE castle!

the highest peak in the UK, and many Lochs.
Finally we reached Loch Ness, where we ate lunch and went on a boat tour, trying to spot Nessie.

Loch ness

The boat captain told us that if we were to capture irrefutable proof of the existence of a creature in Loch Ness, we were entitled to 1 Million pounds from the British government. Needless to say, Jade and I had our eyes peeled! But alas, we didn't spot any monsters this trip.

Or did we...

On the way home, because of the sun going down so early, the whole group got to watch Braveheart on a small monitor in the van. After a 12 hour day, Jade and I went straight to bed when we got back.

Day 3-On Friday we decided to get up early to catch a bus out to Roslin to see the Rosslyn Chapel that has recently gained world fame from it's role in the Davinci Code. We got to sit at the top f a double decker bus all the way out to the tiny village of Roslin, and see a very intricately beautiful cathedral under piles of scaffolding and restoration debris. It was a little disappointing, but still a sight worth seeing in the end. Upon arriving back in Edinburgh, we headed up to the Royal Mile to explore a little more before meeting up with the free tour offered by the New City Tours company. This company is by far the best deal, and having taken a tour by the same group in Munich, knew it was going to be well worth the time. The tour was three and a half hours long, and covered all the major sights in the city. Our tour guide was amazing and energetic and had a lot of knowledge not only on the history of Edinburgh, but also of the more recent contributions the city has made, including the fact that the first few Harry Potters were written there.

Our funny tour guide

It was fantastic, and we enjoyed every minute of it! We tipped the tour guide heavily at the end, and in exchange he gave us a 25% off coupon for a restaurant on the Royal Mile where we could get some authentic Haggis.

Haggis...Yum!

We obligingly walked to the restaurant and ordered the Scottish specialty, which was surprisingly really good! We ate more of it that the nachos we ordered to supplement our meal. We ended the night by purchasing kilts (mine was an apron that was made to look like a kilt, so I cheated) and other novelties, then headed off to bed.

Day 4-This was our last morning in the city, so we made the most of it, beginning by hiking up to Edinburgh Castle and taking in the panoramic view of the city it offered. After taking a ton of pictures there, we went to the Tartan shop and had a tutorial on medieval swords. It was entertaining to see how enthusiastic our barely-out-of-his-teens sword master described his practice sessions in the city park with his battle-reenacting buddies. After that we needed to head up to the airport , so we said goodbye to our beloved Scotland and flew back to Germany. The end!
Pictures to come soon!

Opera

2009-10-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend I had the good fortune to score some Opera tickets from a friend of mine who sings for the Munich Stadt Oper in Munich, Germany.
The girls! We had some silly boys come, but they somehow escaped the camera!

From left to right-Angela (the Opera singer!), Isabelle, Me, Melanie

I went with a group of YSA's, and we had an absolute blast! he evening began with a great dinner at an Italian restaurant near Marienplatz, where you can order whatever you want on a pizza, pasta, or salad, and they make it in front of you, then you can add fresh herbs from pots right on the table. It was really cool! After that, we made our way to the Munich Opera house, which is an absolutely beautiful place, inside and out.

The inside of the opera house!

We had great seats for the Opera, which was called Jenufa, a Czech opera that happens to be really sad and depressing. If you ever want to be horrified, saddened, and ultimately leave feeling contemplative and sober, go and see Jenufa. It was actually not too bad, and the music was beautiful, and performed by a wonderful orchestra. My friend did very well in her role, and had an amazing voice. All in all, it was a fantastic experience, and one that I hope to repeat several more times before I go back to the states. After the performance, we got a backstage tour from Angela, my Opera friend, and went out for ice cream at Haagen Daas. Best night ever!

Heeding the Prophet's Council

2009-10-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

As I watched Conference this weekend, a particular talk stood out to me. It was Elder Bednar's address from the Saturday evening session (I think). He spoke about the need for every member of the church to bear their testimony as often as possible to everyone around them. So, as it has been several years since I have borne my testimony in Sacrament meeting, I decided I would make a concerted effort to stand up next fast Sunday and proclaim that I know that My Redeemer lives. I know he died for my sins, and rose again on the third day to break the bonds of death, and continues to plead for me with my Heavenly Father, even when I make mistakes (which I do frequently). I know that Joseph Smith knelt down in a grove and asked for guidance, and spoke to the Father and the Son face to face, and that The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the only true and living church on the planet today. I know that I can be forgiven, and that if I make and keep sacred covenants, I can return to live with my Heavenly Father. I know that if I can hold to the rod, and heed all the counsel of the Prophets and Apostles, I will be very blessed, and I will never go wanting for any righteous desire. And I know that He loves me! I love all of you so much, friends and Family, and I hope that as time goes on, I can show my love for you and for my Father in Heaven through my actions.

So much better!

2009-10-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling so much better lately, that I remember why I am here, what I want to accomplish, and that I need to have patience! Being sick really made me homesick, but now I'm all better, and I am ready to tackle whatever life throws my way!

Decisions, Decisions.

2009-09-27T02:07:00.000-07:00

So here it is. I have so many choices to make, and anyone who knows me well, knows that I stress over things WAY earlier than I need to. I had my life planned after college four times before actually settling into one option. And that was six months before graduation! I know many people have planned that far out, but it seemed like I rushed into something when I was just terrified that I would get stuck somewhere I didn't want to be, and the easiest plan was to come here to Germany and work for a year. I figured that because everything fell into place so easily that it was a sign that coming here was the right choice. But is staying here for the full year also the right choice? Am I supposed to come, learn about the world, and then call it good, or should I stubbornly stick it out for the sake of chalking it up to experience, although I am not happy? What is the right choice? So mny options are open to me right now, and I have had way too much time the past few days to think about it. I could move back home and attend Culinary School. I could move to Oregon and try to find a bakery or restaurant to take me without a proper Culinary degree. I could move to New York with Ashley and find a bakery to work for and call it an internship. Or I could look for a job teaching English in Munich, or I could become a cat lady with 27 cats and take Claritin every day. So many options! But what is right for me? I guess for the time being I am just going to keep on trucking and hope that I begin to enjoy living her a little better, and pray that I can keep in good health, and see how the chips fall. Maybe there is something I am supposed to accomplish here that I haven't done yet, and maybe it really is just supposed to be an experience that teaches me more about the world outside the "Bubble". All I can do is pray and know that what happens is supposed to happen, and go from there. And maybe I should stop being so antsy and just take time to smell the roses. I know I'm just feeling this way because I'm unhappy with my situation and being sick in a foreign country has a negative affect on most people's outlook. I guess I just like to review all the possibilities and see what interests me the most, and right now I have time to do that. But the Church is true, The Lord knows what I need, and I know that He lives and loves me! What else could a girl want?

So they finally made me go...

2009-09-25T02:58:00.000-07:00

...to the doctor. I got to work today, and my boss took one look at me and demanded that I make a doctor's appointment, and go straight there. So my wonderful supervisor, Christine, drove me to a German doctor, where they quickly prescribed me medications, and discharged me. Afterward, Christine took me to the Apotheke (pharmacy), and then took me home for a weekend of bed rest. Yep, turns out two weeks of illness is not so good for you. Who knew? It's funny that just when you're about to break, the Lord sends just what you need into your life to help you out. It never ceases to amaze me that the tender mercies of the Lord are never ending, and that someone loves me that much! I am so grateful for the gospel in my life, and I know that whenever I need anything, I can ask, and He'll listen to me. This is such a great comfort to me, especially here, when I'm so far away from everyone I love, and everything I know.

Why does Japan have so many earthquakes?

2009-09-24T02:50:00.000-07:00

So the funny title is just the first prompt that popped up when I typed a w into the text box. I thought it was funny and kept it, although it has nothing to do with the actual subject matter in this post.

And now for the actual post.

So it's coming up on week seven of my adventure in Germany, and things are...interesting. I have had the good fortune of being sick for almost two weeks now, and it is making it hard to want to stay here, despite the fact that I get to live in a foreign country rent free. I am trying really hard to just push through it, but when you can hardly eat anything for two weeks straight, you begin to wonder if moving so far away from home and people you love was a rash thing to do. Unfortunately, the closest health care facility is two towns over, and I haven't been able to get there yet, so I have no idea what is wrong, and it isn't getting any better. But more on that later.

On the bright side, I have made many friends among the YSAs in Munich, and we always have a great time together on Sunday. Last Sunday we all got together and went to Salzburg for a single's ward. The ward is mobile, and meets about once every few months, each time in a different city. This time, it was in the beautiful Austrian city of Salzburg! The meeting lasted two hours, then dinner was served, and our group decided to take in a few sights before heading back to Munich. We saw the house used in the filming of The Sound of Music (!!!!!) and the lake that the Von Trapp children fell into with Maria. Then we walked past a beautiful castle high on a hill, and saw the gate Maria enters in the movie. After strolling through the Austrian countryside, we caught a bus into town and saw the birthplace of Mozart! It was very cool, and we loved seeing all the great sights. Once we saw enough to leave us all planning a trip back, we headed for the train station. At one point, we realized that we would not be able to make the train unless we ran the final 1/3 mile or so. I was in heels that had already given me huge blisters. So I took them off and ran in my stockings all the way to the train station. Needless to say, I had very dirty feet and ruined nylons upon arrival, but we made it!! Thankfully, we then had a two hour train ride to cool off and settle back down after all the hullabaloo. It was such a fun trip, and it makes me even more excited for Scotland in November! Hopefully I will be able to borrow a camera for that trip!

Update!

2009-09-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Okay, so first off, my camera was stolen, so no more pictures for a while, until I can afford to replace it. I know, sad. :( But on the bright side, I have been having the best time! Two weeks ago I had the chance to go to Munich for the day and see the city. I took my friend Jen, and we had so much fun! We started by going to an outdoor grocery market and wandering around, then we found a free walking tour in Marienplatz that took you all around the old city center. It was so cool to see all the architecture that was destroyed and then rebuilt after the war. The Germans sure do pay attention to detail! The guide wa funny and engaging, and we enjoyed it very much. After the tour Jen and I separated so she could go home and I could go stay with my Missionaries (my Uncle's parents are on a mission here, and they put me up whenever I stay overnight). Sunday was wonderful, as usual, and I had a great night. The next weekend I spent Saturday reading and chilling out in my room, because it rained all day. This is turning out to be indicative of the weather round here in general. Rain. Sunday I took an early train and decided to stay in Munich for an activity that a few YSA's in the area do every Sunday night. We made Mexcian food with the sister missionaries, and sat around talking and having a good time. The guy who lives only a couple of towns over accompanied me most of the way home, and I can't wait for this Sunday to do it again! I had so much fun, and I look forward to getting to know there kids ore in coming weeks! As for friends here in Garmisch, I have finally found a few. A girl I work with named Tyane, who is very religious and easy going, Ben, who came in two weeks after I did who is also christian, and Scott, who is so funny and such a cool kid! We have hung out a few times and we have so much fun together. Last night we all went to get some dinner at a Doner Kebap joint downtown, and while getting Gelato afterward, we got hit with some major rain. We got a cab home, and spent the rest of the night watching Phantom of the Opera on the big screen downstairs. It was so much fun, and I really feel like I am beginning to find my niche here. All in all, I am settling in at last, and I have high hopes for the next year!

First Adventure!

2009-08-14T14:37:00.001-07:00

This Friday a group from the Abrahms (the employee housing) went to a little town called Murnau in Germany known for a small Gasthaus/brewery/restaurant to celebrate a few birthdays. I was invited by a girl I met at the Fest last Wednesday. We caught the Six O'clock train, and with a Bayern pass, paid very little for our tickets. Once there, we got some great food and had a great time! I was excited for my first official out-of-town trip here in Europe.

My meal, which consisted of traditional Knodl and Pork with Mushrooms. Soooo good!

Sorry this is sideways, that's never happened before! This is the view from the train!

Getting on the train to Murnau!

So the guy who picked us up at the airport told us that cows walk right through the downtown of Garmisch every day to get to and from their homes. I hadn't ever seen them before, so I was astonished to see them actually blocking traffic today! It was so funny!

Picture Time

2009-08-11T11:24:00.001-07:00

On the plane, about 30 min from landing. The clouds were so cool!

First glimpse of German soil!

On the road from Munich to Garmisch.

The view out my bdroom window. Yes folks, I get to wake up to this every day!

Some more mountains by the Army post.

Day 1!

2009-08-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, this will be brief as I am about to pass out. I got in on time and met up with the Missionary couple that I had been in contact with for the past few weeks. Then I found the Resort rep, met the other guys in my group, and headed out to Garmisch. I had a quick tour of the housing complex, met my roomie, and set up my stuff, then promptly fell asleep for two hours. My new roommate, Amy, woke me up and invited me to go to a Softball game with her and a few friends. Before the game began, Amy and I trudged through the torrential downpour to a Chinese restaurant, a I hadn't eaten since the plane that morning. After my first meal in Germany, I got to watch several people get very drunk, which was interesting, and now I'm going to bed. But before I do, I just want to say this. Lederhosen are hott. Peace out.

And so it begins...

2009-08-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

I leave tomorrow morning at 10:44 am, and arrive in Munich at 7:40 on Monday morning! Yay! I'll post more when I have gotten there!

Getting Ready for...LIFE!

2009-08-03T15:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, well, so much has happened lately! On Thursday, July 23rd, I graduated from college. Yep, I did it! I never thought it would happen, but lo and behold, I have a Bachelor's Degree! And it only took me the four years that are usually allotted for that kind of thing. It still has to sink in that I will never have to go back to Idaho again! But I am very grateful for everything I got out of the wonderful years I spent in Rexburg. I have some of the most amazing friends that I will love for life, and I have life experiences that will help me be a better person. For that I am eternally grateful!

After graduation, my family and I drove down to Utah for a couple of family reunions. Saturday was the Poulton Reunion, for my Mother's Father's Mother's family. It is always a fun time, and I was happily accompanied by my very best friend Casey Van Wagenen. We then spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and watching our favorite chick flick. I am going to miss her so much this next year!

Sunday was the beginning of the Eddington/Smiley Reunion in Alpine, Ut. We spent Monday going to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house, and it was beautiful!

After that, we went to a famous Mexican joint in downtown Salt Lake called the Red Iguana.

My brother Westin had seen it on the Food network and wanted to go, so we checked it out. It was great food, and had a really laid back atmosphere. We had a great dinner, and headed back to Alpine for another reunion function that included some extended family on the Eddington side.

Tuesday was Lagoon day. it was so much fun! I haven't been in a while, so I had to catch up on all the newest attractions. I went on Wicked twice, and holy cow! It was exhilarating! It also gave me a headache. But hey, all in the name of a thrill! Haha. The day was amazing, racing down water slides that give you a killer wedgie, eating amusement park food, and roller coasters; who could ask for more?

Wednesday we all headed up to Mount Timp for a picnic and hike. I wasn't able to go on the hike to the caves, as I had promised Bethany, a very good friend of mine from American Fork, that I would go to Institute with her. We had a wonderful lesson, and then went back to my Aunt's home for a bonfire and S'mores.

Thursday was a day of goodbyes as I prepared to fly back home to Colorado for my final week in the states. My sister-in-law, Natalie, picked me and Jordan (my little brother) and took us back to her place to wait for Adam. Once he got there, we drove back home to the Springs.

I know I probably am loading this post with way too much, but hey, I may not get to it again for a while, so what the heck.

Friday was a down day after so much travel. Saturday rolled around, and we went to see G-Force in the theatre. I couldn't understand why my Dad wanted to see it, and after seeing it, I still can't. But at least now he doesn't either. :)

Sunday I attended the single's ward in town in which I have several aquaintances. It was fun to see all of them again, but I won't miss the single's ward here. I can't wait to meet all the singles in Gremany! My Uncle's parents are on their missin in Munich right now, and have been telling me all about the ward there. I am getting so anxious to get there already! After church I made a killer dinner using a recipe I learned at school. My family loved it, and I was happy they did! I guess I am always happy to please people with my talents!

Today my Mom and I did some shopping. I hate spending my parent's money, but they do have much mor of it than I do. I got some shoes, and a sweet bag for traveling. I am looking forward to using all of it in Germany!

Okay, that's it for now! Pretty boring stuff, I know. It should get more exciting in the near future!

2009-07-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

So, basically, my life rocks! I have been so blessed this week with so many good friends, good people, and amazing experiences! This past week I have crossed so many things off my bucket list (refer to second post). First, I went on a way fun date with a friend from work. He treated me to a wonderful dinner at a Gringos, the local Mexican restaurant, and then we saw a campus talent show. It was a blast!

Then last Monday night I was invited by a married friend, Rachel, and her husband to spent the night and all of Tuesday with them and a friend at a cabin in Island Park, Idaho. It's only an hour from Rexburg, but id infinitely more beautiful! We got there late on Monday night, watched a movie and had a slumber party in the living room. (For all of those thinking I am scandalous, I made sure we did everything by the Honor Code!) The next day we got up early and had an amazing pancake breakfast, and then went to ride ATVs, which I have really never done before! I even got to drive one, and caught some air going over a bump. That really caught Rachel by surprise! It was so fun! After we got back from four wheeling, we rafted down a part of the Moose River. We were all in a little raft with oars, and we just got to enjoy the beauty of Idaho! We were pretty much spent after that, so while the boys went to get the truck, Rachel and I improvised some lunch, and after lunch we all drank some hot chocolate and took a quick nap before heading home. Luckily, work was canceled (Rachel and I work together) so we got to take our time getting back.

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to help open a restaurant for my Culinary Arts class. We had to plan the menu-including developing our own recipes-and do all of the pricing, ordering, and dining room design. After planning all of that, we also had to be the kitchen staff and front of house staff (waitstaff, host, etc). I was in charge of all main dish plating, as well as telling the cooks when to put certain things on the grill to cook, when to prepare items, and all that. It was very hectic, and I felt that I was in WAY over my head, but I loved it! It was a long day, but turned out very well. I also had the good fortune of having my recipe for a main dishes be selected for service, so I got very uplifting comments on my food. It was amazing!

But that was far from the end of what happened this week! On Thursday I had a final in y floral arranging class, and did very well on both the final exam and the practical exam. I now have a beautiful silk arrangement in my living room, and some skills I can use for the rest of my life. I have really enjoyed learning about flowers and the way they can me used to enhance a room or and outfit! I can now make beautiful corsages, vase arrangements, and table pieces.

Okay, finally we get to the weekend! Friday I had the pleasure of going on yet another date with a friend's roommate who I have been acquainted with a few times. We went to get some frozen yogurt, then went for a lovely walk that ended with some star-gazing in Porter Park. When the caretaker came to tell us he was going to turn on the sprinklers, we called it a night. It was so much fun!

On Saturday, I got to go to work in the morning, and see some of the coolest people for the last time. It was sad! I love the people I work with, and I have had such a great time getting to know all of them! Later that day, Zach, Rob (from Friday) Stacy, and random dude, and I went to the Civil Defense caves in Ashton to play games. We hiked all the way through the caves, then found a level place to play. Then we proceeded to ply glow-in-the-dark hide-and-go-seek. The way you play the game is simple; you get some dollar store glow sticks, cut them open, and fling them all over the cave and your clothing. Then you extinguish all lights and everyone hides. It's so tough! When everyone is bespeckled with glow, they blend in really well with the floor and walls! It was one of the best things I have ever done! We had so much fun, we were a little late getting home! And now I get to cap off the whole week with a perfect Sunday with curry for dinner, a party in the evening, Home teachers and Visiting Teaching. I am so blessed, as you can tell from all the fun I've had! And next week, I get to see my family, and Graduate from College! can life get any better that that?

July the Fourth

2009-07-09T12:26:00.000-07:00

This was such a fun day! It began with taking the Elderly residents of a nursing home in town to the local parade. That was fun, even though Rexburg's parade lasted for TWO hours!! It was very long, and I got a little sun for the first time this summer. I have been so occupied with graduating that the only time I spent outside is walking to classes and to work. But I did love the Giant Broulim's Cart. It was ginormous!

Broulims Cart

the High School Marching Band. This throws me back to freshman year in Alabama!

After the Parade, my roommates and I ate some lunch and then headed to Idaho Falls for some shopping and a barbecue at Bishop Bishop's home before heading to our spot to watch the fireworks. I got such a deal on new jeans that day! It was amazing!

The whole gang! There's Stacy, Zach, Charlotte, Angela, Bailey, and Amber.

Idaho Falls is supposed to have the best fireworks this side of the Mississippi!

So fun!

Things I Know

2009-07-05T12:11:00.000-07:00

There are very few things that I actually know, without a doubt. Yes, I know many of you would describe me as an insufferable know-it-all, but unfortunately, I am very good at sounding knowledgeable. I really don't know very much at all. But what I do know, is that I am a Child of God. I know that he loves me, I know he answers my prayers. I know that my Redeemer died and rose again on the third day to atone for my sins, that I might have the chance to return to my Heavenly Father. I know God loves me, and I know he forgives me for my imperfections. I know that I love my family, and that they love me. I know that with and through my Brother, Jesus Christ, I can do anything and everything I put my mind to. The things I know may be few, but he fact that I know these things has carried me through my life, through my trials past, present, and future, and will be the rock of my salvation if I continue to be faithful and obedient.

A Weekend of Photos

2009-06-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

So we take a lot of pictures. Of everything. And sometimes we go a little crazy, and take two hundred at a time. But they always provide good memories and help document the end and beginning of things. Take this weekend for example. I got new batteries for my camera, and wore them out in two days. Thursday Stacy, Bethany and I went on a grand tour of the school's green houses, and found the perfect spot for portraits...and everything else.

Me

Bethany

Stacy

And then, we took many, many more...

And there you have it. Lots and lots of completely pointless photos. But so much fun!

The Time Speedily Cometh

2009-06-17T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am getting so excited for all the things coming up in my life! The next big event I have planned is a fun almost-weekend in Utah. The second ans third of July are holidays for my school, BYU-Idaho, and my roommates and I decided to go to Utah for those two days to hang out with a friends family and visit Ikea, which is a super-fun store! Two of my roommates have never been, ad as one opened up recently in Draper, we thought it might be fun to go. We also thought it would b fun if our friend from American Fork set us all up with dates for Thursday night. So we're all going to have a blast just doing whatever. We plan to head back to Idaho Friday night, as we all would like to spend the Fourth with our ward and watching the famous fireworks in Idaho Falls.

After this fun weekend, I have only one week to prepare for the final in my Culinary class, which will consist of putting together a menu and opening a restaurant for an evening. I have conveniently been chosen to head up my team, and s such, have to coordinate a full six-course menu with my fellow classmates. I really enjoy the challenge, and I'm already having a blast coming up with my own recipe for an entree that may possibly be used on the menu. After that eventful evening, I have a few days to prepare for my family to come up to Idaho for my graduation from college. Yes folks, I am actually graduating from a University with a Bachelors! I never thought that was going to happen for me, and I am so grateful for all the support I have gotten from family and friends! I really am so excited! Anyway, right after graduation, I go to Utah for a family reunion, and then to Colorado to prepare to move to GERMANY! I am so very excited!

I think I'll post some fun pictures that my roomies and I took of us...well, three of us! We were all very photogenic that day, as you can see from the following.

Sorry!

2009-06-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

So it's been an eventful few weeks! I went home for Adam's wedding at the end of May, and had so much fun seeing all my family! After getting back to Rexburg, I had a full week of mid-terms. I'm a little worried about how fast this semester is going! I knew it would go quickly, but wow! I'm looking toward graduation with increasing excitement and anxiety. I am Excited to have gotten through all four years of college, and at the same time anxious to enter the world! I am heading off to a largely unknown territory, without anyone I know for reassurance. At the same time, I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing right now. I know I have a purpose in going to Germany, and I hope that I can have a positive impact on all the new people I meet there. Today I'm going to make a cake for my roommate Stacy's birthday. I love being able to make people happy with my talents! It is what made me want to go into the culinary field! Anyway, I know this is short, but I don't have too much going on right now! More later, I promise!

Blabbity Blah

2009-06-02T21:37:00.001-07:00

I'm the best.

And also, I love Stacy.

The Weekenders strike again!

2009-05-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been so much fun! It began with building a fort in the living room, and then Saturday consisted of blowing bubbles outside in the sunshine, and ended with a bonfire! It was great spending time with my many wonderful friends!

The fort!

It was so cool!

We watched the Scarlet Pimpernel in it!

The More...Interesting Side of Sam

2009-05-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

So, I get bored easily. Especially on weekends when all my friends, excepting one, abandon me. So when my very good friend and roommate Stacy and I decided to dress up, we went all out!

Oh YES!

Stacy and I RULE!

Now that my future children have plenty of ammunition, I'll end. Bye!

Bake-Off!

2009-05-08T21:09:00.000-07:00

So I decided to challenge my old FHE brother to a bake-off after he insulted my roomie's baked goods. So we set it up, and we each baked something. My offerings were cupcakes. I did two kinds, a double chocolate mint cake with dark chocolate mousse, and a strawberry butter cake with fluffy marshmallow icing. Yes, I know I am an overachiever, I do plate designs. Don't judge me.

The Strawberry Cake

href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HzgwHxJ68kE/SgUEf0PMDEI/AAAAAAAAADQ/Rk52uIvVi0Q/s1600-h/IMG_2275.JPG">
The Double Chocolate Fudge Mint Cake

My Contender was Craig, who brought Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread.

After our numerous judges tried all the goods...

Nicole

The boys...Kyle, Travis, and Craig

After the judging, it was decided that the winner was....Both!
Because of the differences between the baked goods, it was decided that each was good for a different purpose. Lame. I think I showed much more skill. At least in appearance, I win hands down! We decided to have a round two, baking a set product at the same time. So stay tuned!

Impatient!

2009-05-04T20:32:00.000-07:00

Ever since I found out that I got a job with United States Armed Forces Recreation Centers in Garmisch, Germany, I have been very antsy. Every day I want to look up new information on traveling in Europe, and I have been itching to contact the bishop of the ward over there to let him know I'm coming. However, I will not be flying to Germany until August 9th, so I'll have to be patient. Which, if you know me at all, I am VERY not. Patience is not a virtue that I have at this point in time. I have found it hard to wait for other things in life as well. Finding my FEC (haha!), getting my degree, and much more. Even in daily life, I find myself wanting to move faster in classwork, and people around me notice. My classmates often comment on how much faster I am at doing assignments. I think that this is sometimes a flaw, but somtimes it is a good thing. I also think that I have been partially ruined by my Military Brat upbringing. Every three years or so my family would up and move, giving me a chance to make new fiends, have new experiences, and learn new things. I love having the chance to start over with a clean slate in new places! I have a hard time staying in one place for very long anymore. I remembervtelling my Mother, after living in Colorado for three years, "Okay Mom, time to move again!" I just love it! So I am very grateful for the traveling I have been able to do already, and I am looking forward to doing much more in the future! I am going to go to as many places in Europe as I can in the time I have this next year! If you happen to have any suggestions, let me know!

Flawed

2009-05-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am very, very flawed. And as I continue to find my many flaws, I will continue to be grateful for the people in my life who point them out! Last night my parents called, and asked me how I was doing. I, being the kind of person who won't ask for help unless it's absolutely needed, told them I was fine, and that I am doing well, which I am. I neglected to tell them that I had two dollars in my bank account, and would not get paid for a week, and was running out of clean underwear. I also neglected to mention that out of my earnings for each month (around $300), $200 went to rent, and $30 to tithing, I was left with around $70 for everything else. But I was never going to ask for money. I hate asking for money. It is absolutely my least favorite thing to do. If I have to live off ramen, I will. That's how much I dislike it. But my loving parents have the foresight to call, and knowing my personality, they asked me directly how much I had in my account, and soundly reprimanded me for not telling them I was flat broke. I love parents! They told me for the umpteenth time that if I was personally doing everything within my power to make ends meet, they would happily supplement my income each month. Of course, they give me much more that I would ever ask for, both monetarily and otherwise, but it never ceases to amaze me that they are so in tune with the spirit that they know when I need a hand, or when I'm struggling. I am so grateful for my loving family that supports me, and for the opportunity to be brought up in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Evry ay I see blesings, whether it be a phone call, a friendly smile, or a postponed exam :) I know that I am nothing without my Savior, and I am eternally indebted to Him for everything I have. I hope that all of you that rad this and have not had the opportunity to hear the truth of the restord gospel will not hesitiate to ask me anything you want about it!
Love, Sam :)