Projects....

Project 1:

I have decided I am going to make a temple dress. Well I won't be making it...my friend Kathleen will be but I will be an incredible supporter and the funder of this project. I decided since I work once a week and I will eventually get married, I would like one that is meaningful and sentimental for me. I would like to get married in my temple dress and not my reception dress. I am going to head to Joanne's tomorrow to look at patterns. I like the one ( pink and black one) above but with a higher neck and sleeves. But I love the ruffles around the neck and the waste band and A-line. It could look so pretty. I think lace around the waste would be pretty and the rest satin.

Project 2:

Also...my bathroom desperately needs a makeover. Thank goodness for Pinterest. I have been gathering ideas.

Project 3:

I need to make a recipe book of my very own. I am thinking of different ideas to compile so not totally sure how I am going to do it. Any ideas?

Wish me luck. I have been needing to be really distracted lately so this will help!!

Haircut time...

It's that time....

for a haircut.  I am over my

long hair and I need a change.

#1

Don't know if I can go this short

and I have never done bangs before.

# 2

I have done this before

and I liked it. 

Similar...

Similar...

#3

This is more choppy.

I need a picture

to take to Hilary.

What should I do?  

This is a time I would

actually be ok with wearing

a wig so I could decide better what I like. 

Someday...

I have decided my next BIG purchase in life is 

going to be this.  Now...just where to put it??

(They cost anywhere from $8,000-$15,000...
no biggie!  And I would like the Essex brand
in case you were wondering)

I REALLY miss having a piano to practice
on and play around on...
and I have always wanted a baby grand.
The touch and sound of it...
nothing like it!

I would play all the time.
I miss it.

Someday...

Blessed

Time is racing.  I can't believe
Thanksgiving has come and gone
and Christmas is right around the corner.
Before I know it, this school/work year
will be over.  It is crazy.

I am grateful for all
the blessings in my life
big and small:

1. The Gospel

2. These people:

 
3. Good friends (especially roommates).  I
have the greatest friends.

4. My job...it is stressful but
I love it about 75% of the time.

5. My health!!!!!

6.  Working in the temple.  I work every friday mid-shift
and I love it.  It is basically what keeps
my sanity these days with work
and just life sometimes. So on Friday...this young family
came in for a live sealing with their 2 little boys.  And I knew one
of them had to be adopted but I was struck with how much
they both looked like the Mom.  They were sealing their
new 6 month old to them and I commented how
much he looked like her and she said that they get that
all the time.  I got a little chocked up.  Heavenly
Father is certainly in control.  It wasn't a
very big thing but I knew His hand was
in this family's life.  I am so grateful for the
sealing power found only in temples,
 and that they are adopting this sweet little
boy and that he will be raised in the Gospel by a good and loving family.
I wish I could take home about 80% of my students cause my heart just
breaks for their situations.  I want my own kids obviously...
and I have always wanted to adopt...but after
Friday I know for sure that someday I will.


But I am also grateful for:

--Waking up and realizing I still have 30 minutes to sleep
--food channel, biggest loser
--a full tank of gas
--eye contact with a cute guy
(happened the other day at some
single adult thing
and I actually got butterflies)
--holding hands
--Christmas music
--new skinny jeans
--the smell of my new pumpkin candle
--finally getting back in running shape
--new work out clothes
--an unexpected email from a friend
--laughing...it is the greatest
--a good hair day
--a song on the radio that
you have been wanting to hear but
couldn't remember the song title
--trials...and that aches and pains
in all forms
will not always be there.
--funny people/ sense of humor

My nephew Jack told me
that he is grateful for his shoes and I asked him why.
He said, "cause they fit Bekah...duh"

Well said.

Play Ball...

My friends and I joined a girls powder puff football team.

It's for singles (even though I recruited my friend Stacie

who is married...she is good...and I want to win).

I realize I am better at running with the

ball then catching, and that my body

is not used to using certain muscles.  

And I am probably a better cheerleader,

but I like to run and hit people.  

More like push.

Our game is this Saturday, November 12th

at 2pm at Dobson High School.  

And it is $3 to get in.  I guess the money

goes to single moms.  

Come and support the Gold Diggers.

Ps...not the name I would have 

chosen but funny nonetheless.

Gggoooooooo   TEAM!

Picture

So sweet...

My favorite things as of late...

1. Friends....minus Carly...

she is in Sedona

2. Pinterest....

do you have any idea how many 

recipes, crafts, home decor,

funny sayings

and most importantly...

fashion ideas I have now??

Didn't think so.

3. Shredded steak and cheese

Burritos from Costco...

18 to a package...

delicious...

I usually eat my lunch at 

work on the run...

perfect!

4. Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cupcakes....

I made these the other day...

I would marry myself after making

these babies!

5. This photograph...

every girl deserves this moment...

  

6. This entire look...

I am a sucker for coats, skinny jeans

and red heels...plus

I love her hair.

7. Dream Kitchen...

Someday...

8.  Old Navy T-shirts...

super soft...

can work out in...

sleep in...

wear to work in...

go out in...

I may or may not have bought

every color...

You know me and sales...

or

9. Kids Art Wall...

I love this idea and you

could do all kinds of things with it!

The second picture is a bit

more chaotic

but kids would love this!

Well...maybe I would love it 

a tad more then them...but

they will learn to love it.

10.  My mottos

for this month...

Awesome.

Butterfinger Blondies

Butterfinger Blondies

I made these Sunday 

and they were really good!

Next time I will use reeses or

snickers.

Eat with vanilla bean ice cream.

Only Vanilla Bean...can't

be the other stuff. 

Ingredients

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp coarse sea salt

2 cups coarsely chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 16 “Fun Size” bars)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°

Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl.

Add the vanilla and eggs and mix until incorporated.

On low add your dry ingredients (flour, salt and baking soda) until just combined.

Stir in your chopped Butterfinger.

Spread in a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 25 minutes until center is JUST set.

Remove from oven and cool completely.

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 25 minute(s)

BUTTERFINGER BUTTERCREAM:

Ingredients

1/2 cup room temp butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup chopped Butterfinger Bars (approx 4 “Fun Size” bars)

Instructions

Cream the butter and shortening together until smooth.

Add in you powdered sugar on low speed.  Turn speed up to medium and mix until smooth

Stir in your chopped Butterfinger. (I sprinkled mine on top rather than stirring them in!)

Spread on your cooled blondies

Preparation time: 5 minute(s)

Planning...for Someday

Obviously I am not close to getting married currently

but a girl can always dream...right?

RIGHT.

So I always keep my eyes open for things

I like and color schemes and reception ideas 

cause you never know....

And I found this on Pinterest...

add a little more sleeves and a higher neck and 

BAM!

THIS IS PRETTY MUCH EXACTLY
WHAT I WANT...

I AM NOT CRAZY ABOUT ALL THE LACE
BUT I THINK IT COULD GROW ON ME...

YEP PRETTY SURE.

Friends...

One thing Heavenly Father has always blessed me with is good friends. I have so many friends that I have known since forever and somehow we still remain in touch. And they are always funny people. I guess it is a requirement of mine to be my friend. You have to be funny and slightly sarcastic and witty otherwise I don’t have much to say to you. JK. But it is true. I think back to all the people I am close to or drawn to and every single one of them is funny. Just sayin…laughing is my favorite. I may not be as funny but you have to be.

Salena was my very best friend growing up and I have so many memories of us growing up together. We would do gymnastics in her living room and knock things over and watch weird movies with Steve Martin (can’t remember what it is called) and “My Girl” and she always had way more barbies then I did and I did not like that. Whatever. And we use to buy these weird Popsicle things for $.10 a few doors down but I loved them. And I was in love with Sione basically since I was 5 and thought I was going to marry him. Still do…JK Brittney. But I do equate most of my jokes to Salena. Not kidding.

And then we had our tight knit “HP” group through YW/YM and we were basically inseparable. There was like 10 of us. And we thought we were so cool (which we were). And I learned that if you can like the same boy as teenage girls and remain friends…it speaks volumes to your friendship. Just sayin…

Amy and I were joined at the hip in high school and people would tell us that you could hear us before you could see us which is true. We LAUGHED ALL THE TIME! And things are always funnier when you aren’t supposed to be laughing so that has been the story of my life. We use to write things down in class and then report on our breaks when we would see each other. I loved the girls on my cheer squad and that was a relief since I spent 50% of my high school life with them it seemed like.

Don’t even get me started with my friends at BYU. We pretty much only hung out with each other; which may be why most of us didn’t get married while we were living together. Anyways…I still love them and I miss them and we remain close despite all of them married with children besides Kelli and I. That is a whole different post. Speaking of…I think it is my turn to email back. Sorry guys. I will get on that.

And then I moved home and somehow…I still get good friends. I am so blessed.

It is has been a rough year and so many changes. It was beyond difficult for me when I gave the ring back to Steven. And then my parents got divorced. My parents lost their business. My brother Danny moved to Utah and got married. Spencer moved to Alaska. Our contract didn’t get re-signed and then I got hired at a different school district and my case load gets bigger and bigger every week. My brother Dallin left on his mission and then my sister moved to Temucula and took my nephews with her. It has been a tad overwhelming but I finally feel like I am coming out of it. I actually cried tears of happiness in the temple the other day and not tears of sadness.  I am a crier.  I got choked up the other day at a commercial about a dog and I don't even like dogs.  I do...just not when they smell and shed and bark loudly. 

And my friends here at home have been amazing. I just love them. I came home from California to this sitting on my desk.

 It made me smile….largely



PERSPECTIVE

A para asked me the other day at work why I went into speech and special education. Of course my normal response, “well I love kids and the ability to give them the ability to communicate since language is EVERYTHING…AND BLAH BLAH BLAH…”

I work in self contained on Mondays. These kids have everything from Autism, Down Syndrome, Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, visually impaired (one of my students only sees light and dark), and one was born with an s-shaped spine. I was super nervous in the beginning because you never know what to expect. You don’t want to hurt them since most use wheelchairs or other devices for transportation. Some can only crawl or scoot and one little girl will use you to stand up and then take off on her own only to fall. She thinks it is the funniest game. Some drool constantly and so your hands, clothes and arms will be a bit covered at times. The smell can even be overwhelming and I was a bit uncomfortable touching and getting real close with them my first time. But as I was working with a little boy today on simply localizing sound and nodding his head for “no”, I was overcome. He climbed up into my lap, laid his head back against my chest and started to hum. He has been non-vocal his whole life. He didn’t want to work on his goals or nod his head no or turn his head, he just wanted some love and I was so happy that I was the one to give it. When these kids smile or laugh, it is like the whole world and all of its problems go away. They have these horrible physical and mental diseases that have crippled them and taken away so many possibilities for a normal and productive life. It is very humbling for me. They are so pure and so innocent and all they want is love.

They may have physical and mental limitations but we are not that much different from them. I have had cancer. I have a fear of commitment and trusting in love and being whole in relationships. This has led me to possibly losing the greatest man I know.

I have family members and close friends with mental illnesses. I know people or of people with addictions. I know people who are clinically depressed, have bi-polar, schizophrenia and so forth. I work with kids with learning disabilities and one who is in the 7th grade and you can hardly understand anything he is saying.

What about when we are judgmental, self righteous, prideful, selfish, disobedient, and we have the capacity to KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING AND THAT IT IS WRONG. THESE KIDS DON’T.

We all deal with things on a daily basis but these kids put it all in perspective. They help me remember the important things and that I am so blessed. I can run. I can play normally outside with my friends. I can ride a bike. I can drive a car. I can feed myself. I can count to 10 and I know all my colors. I have every opportunity for success in this life. I just am grateful for these sweet, sweet spirits who are perfect and for reminding me that life is good and we are blessed. I need that constant reminder I guess.

So maybe that is why I went into my field. So that I could interact with people who humble me and bless my life and help me remember that I have no reason to complain or whine or moan or feel sorry for myself. Cause I am here to tell you…that they don’t. Ever. So why should I?

I am so grateful for the Atonement that heals our wounds and our broken hearts and can make us whole physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I am so grateful that maybe one day I will see these kids in heaven and they will no longer be strapped to a wheelchair with a feeding tube in their stomach. But rather running and laughing and playing with their friends. Because I am here to tell you…their limitations and trials and problems won’t be holding them back like ours to do us. I no longer feel sorry for them. I marvel at them.

And this is why I really decided to become a speech therapist. It only took 3 years and 6 perfect people to help me figure it out.

Turbo Weekend

Last weekend was so busy with Danny's open

house and Dallin's farewell.

It was so nice to have Danny, Megan, Katrina,

David and their 2 cute girls in town.  

Megan is wonderful and we are

so happy to have her in the family.

These are Katrina's two adorable girls.

The next day was Dallin's farewell

and he did such an awesome job.  He is going

to honestly be the best missionary.

I have never met anyone more excited to go.

I thought this picture 

was really funny.  Spencer and I

are actually playing

"words with friends" with each other.

Dallin is out cold.  The hardest part for 

Dallin is going to be getting up early every

morning.   He is NOT a morning person to 

say the least.  It will be an adjustment.

The setting apart

And the morning of...

I am such a cry baby...seriously!

He is a little obsessed with his 

camelback.  He would wear it around the

house.  At least he was staying hydrated.

This is precious...

And of course I am crying still.

    It was really hard to see him go

but he is beyond ready.  

I was fine when Danny and Spencer left.

Probably cause I was still up at 

school and I had too many things going on

but down here it is the constant reminder.

But I am so proud of him.  The people

of Singapore are going to love him.

He has this ability to make everyone

feel special and loved and he is 

going to help change people's lives for the better.

(I haven't figured out how to upload a video without

having to do youtube first.  No one sees it on youtube since

its a private account but I need to figure out how to do it.

Anybody know how?)

Dear Parents...

Please do not

call me to complain about your

student's teacher.

I AM A THERAPIST... NOT...

 A PRINCIPAL.

Don't call to tell me

that the teacher doesn't seem to be a

good fit for your student's

special needs and that I should be in the classoom

an hour a day as their aid.

Not part of my job description.

REALLY? SERIOUSLY?

Do not come into my

room twice in one day

to re-introduce yourself.

Do not call to tell me

that your student's therapist

last year didn't know what she was doing.

And above all...do not bring your student

in and say that he is shy around

women teachers who

are cute.  I mean seriously?

Unless you want me

to look like a crazy cat

(pictured above)...

Leave me alone for right now and

Let me do my job.

We haven't even been in full

swing for 48 hours.

Seriously.

Book Club #3

We finished "The Help" and it 

was awesome.

If you haven't read it: go get it

and start it right away.

 I cried at the 

very last scene with Aibaleen and

Moe Mabley.  I was on the plane trip

home and trying so hard to hide it. 

It was such a good read.

The movie comes out next weekend!

But our next book is.....

I remember Steven talking about
this book awhile ago.

I have heard great things about

it... and a girl in the group

suggested it.  

I guess I know now what 

I will be listening to on my way

to work for the next while.

Danny's Wedding

My brother Danny got married 

over the weekend in Manti.

So we flew up Thursday and the

sealing was on Friday.  I forgot how big

and beautiful it is.  I was there

on a date to the Manti pageant like 4 summers

ago...so I totally forgot.

Cute boys...

The sealer did such a fantastic job...

He talked a lot about the endowment 

which was good to review.

He told Danny that women naturally

have "spiritual DNA" and

to always listen to what she

has to say and respect her opinion

and work together on decisions 

and whatever life brings you.

It was beautiful.

Megan is the youngest of 10
children and comes from a ranching family.

Here are her dad and brothers wearing
their boots.  I was so intrigued...
I took pictures.

But her family is pretty incredible
and so welcoming and her sister-in-law Julie
and I are pretty much best friends now.

So precious...
Danny is so happy
and she just fits him
so well.

She has such a calm
and pleasant
demeanor...
but she definitely
has a little fight in her which
I like.

I am so happy to see
him so happy.

Cute Jack

The next day we drove to
Manila for the reception.

It is right on the border of Wyoming
and Utah and just tons and tons
of land.  It was such a pretty drive.

The ranch is out of the middle
of nowhere and is
2,500 acres large.

The took us for a ride to show
us a little bit and it is pretty legit.

Tons of cattle and horses
and hay and tractors

and it is PERFECT for Danny.

Just put him to work.

The reception was really nice.  Weddings

are a lot of work but a lot of fun.

It is such a great time

and my Mom cried the whole day.

"here she goes again..."

On the way back to my Grandma's we took
a picture of this sign cause we thought it
was pretty amazing that there are only 150 people.

It was a fun weekend
but I am glad to be home.

I start work tomorrow
with meetings and trainings
and all kinds of stuff.

No more Summer.

Not sure where it went.