I Can Dream

Someday my kitchen will look like this:

Or this...I will take either. But I kind of like the first one better, but beggars can't be choosers!

Only in Utah

So I had my first real experience at Costco today. I have been before with friends but I actually bought my own membership today and bought quite a few things in bulk that I use on a regular basis like healthy choice soup, ritz crackers, granola, yogurt, soap, granola bars, saltines, apples, laundry detergent, ect. I love it. Why spend so much money on small portions of things when you can just buy bulk that will last longer!

But my main reason for even going to Costco was to buy a bigger size of "bear naked" granola. So I head over to the cereal section and start looking for it but I couldn't find it. So I asked a few of the sample stand women but none of them could speak very good English and one told me it was in the clothing section. Ya well anyways, I finally find someone that looked like they would know what they are talking about and he tells me that they don't have it anymore because A LADY COMPLAINED ABOUT BEING OFFENDED HAVING "NAKED" ON A PRODUCT. SHE SAID SHE REFUSES TO COME TO COSTCO IF THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THAT PRODUCT. I about died. What in the world is that all about. I understand that the naked part is kind of strange and I even felt strange asking the man if they still had "bear naked" granola but it's granola not an underwear product or something. I couldn't believe it. So he told me to fill out a feedback card and ask them to bring the granola back. So I think I will. But the point is, I go to Costco, apply for a membership, pay $50 for a year membership, and then because of some lady who needs to step out Utah complained, I had to buy Quaker granola. Which is fine but not as good. For crying out loud people!

Creative Clipboards

How great is this! I found this off of another blog "poppytalk" and just loved the idea. I am one that has to be organized and how cute would this be to keep things organized and in their proper place like bills, church things, mail, hw, and ect. Just find decorative wall paper or even scrapbook paper and then cut with a craft knife and gluing on very carefully to the clipboard. You can find cheap clipboards at the dollar store and Honks on Freedom has cheap cheap scrap booking materials. I'm excited!

Wisdom from Larry the Cable Guy

1. A day without sunshine is like night.
2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
3. 42.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
4. 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
10. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
11. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
12. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.
13. Ok, so what's the speed of dark?
14. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
15. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
16. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
17. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?
18. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, "what the heck happened?"
19. Just remember--if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
20. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
21. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

3 down....

Code got married to Jon Hoopes on Friday in the Logan temple and it was a fantastic day. Here are a few pictures but Kelli has an excellent recap of the day on her blog so check it out....

http://www.kellibradshaw.blogspot.com/

Kia Kaha...

It's About Time

So I have been getting tired of my normal running routes and so I decided to switch it up a little and ran down 800 north and then turned left on Geneva and look what I found...the pathway along the Provo River. It is so pretty! A guy had told me about it but I just stumbled upon Saturday because I forgot where he told me it was. I didn't take this picture but it is really really similar to what it looks like. I love it. I am so excited so if any of you need a place to run until it gets freezing...here it is!

Code Is Getting Married!

Code is getting married on Friday so we celebrated all weekend. Friday night we played games and laughed the whole time. It's no wonder we can only play one game for so long before going on to the next one. And Dayna came down from Logan so it was fun to see her and she is having a baby in April!

For those that have seen Baby Mama you will understand what Haley and Code are doing. If you haven't seen it, you should. It's pretty funny.

We had her shower Saturday and it was so fun. Kelli, Code and I went and had facials done before the shower and it was amazing. I highly recommend it.

This picture we had to take with the timer so it was quite entertaining trying to take it. And Jolynn and Chelsey brought their babies and they are so cute. The bridal shower was a definite success and our way of sending Code on her "marry" way. Haha. We love her!

Later that night, Jon and Code set me up with their friend Zack and we all had a good time. WE went bowling and then carved pumpkins. I want you to go ahead and guess what ours is. Go ahead. I know what it is and I even have to look at it for awhile to figure it out. But it was really fun. Don't you think he looks like Heath Ledger?

Internship

Well I am just going to call in an internship because I am a Speech Pathology major and we don't need to have an internship to graduate since you have to do graduate school. Or that's what I am guessing anyways. But I graduate in April (which can't come soon enough) and my plans are to be a speech assistant for a year before I go to graduate school. So I got thinking that I better have some kind of experience before I start applying for a full time position. So I contacted "Kids On The Move" (thanks Rachelle for the info) which is a non-profit organization that provides support to families with children who have special needs with delays in cognitive development, language development, social and emotional development and physical development which includes motor, vision and hearing. I am so excited! I met with the Speech Pathologist that I will be working with on Tuesday and today was my first day. It is all volunteer work but it's experience! I didn't do much today but she will have me doing different projects for her and then starting in January, I will work in play groups and actually shadow her. It's a great opportunity and just today being around all the speech materials and books and activities for articulation disorders and and toys and seeing books on the tables that are my text books for class just got me so excited. I know this is what I am suppose to be doing. It's a great feeling.

And my mom really is my #1 fan. She always sends me newspaper articles in the paper back home with articles on how desperately they need speech therapists. It's a good feeling to know I will have no trouble finding a job.

Words of Relief

Our secretary in the relief society sent this out to all the girls to watch. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO WATCH IT! Trust me. It is worth your time especially if you are having a rough day or even just to remind us of how much our Heavenly Father loves us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAjZ8mfoYw

Conference Weekend

I love conference weekend! I love being able to hear from the Lord's servants and his mouthpiece, President Monson. I have really been looking forward to conference for awhile and I just tried to soak in every talk. And this is the first time since I have lived up here that I haven't been to at least 1 session up at the conference center and even though I love the experience of being up in Salt Lake, I have to admit it was nice to stay home too. Sometimes you are in such a hurry to get there and leave and it was nice to relax and not be in such a rush. I loved all the talks and there was a definite theme of missionary work and unity and building Zion. I especially liked Elder Wirthlin's talk. I loved out he outlined 3 different ways to deal with trials: laugher, keeping an eternal vision, and the law of compensation. It was fantastic! And President Uchtdorf's on hope, and Elder Bednar's on prayer. Made me re-think and reflect on my own prayers. But I could go on and on as I am sure all of you can but it was great!

And I was able to go up to my Grandma's and spend time with her and watch some conference with her. And I got new running shoes while I was up there. I know, I know! I am pretty spoiled and I will be the first to admit that. But anyhow, it was like running on clouds Saturday morning. Amazing! I wondered where these shoes have been all my life.

So while I was up at my Grandma's, we went and ate at Arctic Circle because she really likes the dipped cones. That woman can sure eat dipped ice cream cones. She even finished mine for me. And then we went to bed early, woke up early, listened to conference, ate lunch, watched conference, took a nap and then made Grandma's famous Zucchini bread. And she is VERY specific on how she bakes and cooks. I try to help but end up stepping aside so I don't get in her way. But as I was saying...she is very specific and the picture above is a perfect example of that. She cooks the bread in waxed paper and then when it is right out of the oven, she peels it off with a knife VERY carefully and then lets it sit to cool off. But no wonder why my mom is such a good cook. She did learn from the best.

The brains behind it all...Isn't she just adorable! I love spending time with her and I know that her days are limited so I am trying to spend as much time with her as I can. But she is doing quite well for being 85! She is still walking every morning and gardens and knits and works in the temple. She is just a doll and I am so grateful for her. But here is the recipe because it is incredible. It's like candy.

Grandma Nelson's Famous Zucchini Bread:
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 cups peeled, grated and chopped zuchhini
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup coconut
1 pkg butterscotch chips
a few drops of almond extract

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour for medium loaf and 1:15 for large loaf

Be sure to beat the 3 eggs thouroughly before adding the rest of the ingredients! Grandma prefers baking with waxed paper lined in the pans and then when still hot, gently peel the wax paper off the bread after done baking. Enjoy! Best served hot with vanilla ice cream.

And then Thursday night, we all went up to see Kelli's new aparment. So sticken cute! Makes me excited to hopefully move to Salt Lake when I graduate. And we had dinner at Melinda's and she made an awesome taco soup. Yum! And then we went and saw "Eagle Eye" It was intense and I highly recommend. Something you can see with a boyfriend or brothers and you can all enjoy it. So it was a pretty successful conference weekend I would say.

Good ol' Tim

It's been a whole year this weekend that Tim was killed in a car accident driving back here to Provo. I will never forget that phone call from my Dad when he called me at work to tell me what had happened. I felt like the floor had been swept from under me. It was one of the most surreal and worst days of my life. I think I called his phone like 20 times just to hear his voice on his voice mail.

But anyways, I miss Tim still and I think about him every time I walk into the library or I go for a run or I go home to Mesa and see his family at chruch. In fact, I still thik about Tim a lot. I miss his spiritual depth, his laugh, his teasing attitude and his sense of humor. Tim always knew how to get a reaction out of me. He loved to tease me and I wasn't afraid to dish it right back. He was such a good friend to me and was always willing to help or listen. In fact there are still times where the only person I want to talk to is Tim. I remember one time we were in the BYU bookstore and I saw a BYU blanket that I wanted but I didn't want to spend the money on it. Well the very next day, Tim shows up at my doorstep with the blanket. I will never forget that. Tim always would listen to what you didn't say.

Thank goodness though we all know where he is and that he is most likely tearing it up in the spirit world. He is probably leading an entire mission right now. Thank goodness for the plan of salvation and that we know that his family will see him again and that we all will see him again. I better see him again...I still owe him $20 and dinner.

But I can honestly say that this world is better for having Tim in it for a short time. If anyone was ready to go it was Tim. I remember one time while we were running last summer he told me he was writing a book called, "His mission, Not mine." and that just about sums Tim up. Everything was the Lord's, not his. Tim we miss you and love you but we will see you again.