Ready

~ I'm ready to feel better
~ I'm ready to have a full voice again
~ I'm ready to have energy
~ I'm ready to see my family
~ I'm ready for the holidays to come but want them to stay longer
~ I'm ready to start my Christmas shopping
~ I'm ready to finish my Christmas shopping
~ I'm ready to have a social life again
~ I'm ready to run (not quoting the song)
~ I'm ready to exercises again
~ I'm ready to move forward
~ I'm ready for the next step

These are just a few of the things for which I am so ready right now. What about you?

Health Update

I have found my voice, and since I was the one who found it, I win the prize! Woo Hoo!!!! Ha ha ha.

A couple of weeks ago, I posted that I wasn't feeling well and being grouchy and then I mentioned I had lost my voice. Well, it took until this current Wednesday to actually get my voice back, but I was still coughing, worn out and just plain sick. My bosses have been so good to me. They have told me that I will be getting sick pay. They even texted me on Thanksgiving to make sure I had a dinner to eat. The day after Thanksgiving, they brought me soup, other goodies and movie to help me while I was feeling blah. For how stinky I thought Thanksgiving was going to be, I ended up realizing how extremely blessed I am to know so many wonderful people.

After another week of being sick, I was completely worn out and tired and feeling like this was never going to end. Through the encouragement of some different co-workers, I decided to go to the doctor yesterday. Two hours and $200 later, I found out that I have pneumonia and now have the medicine to take care of it.

As bad as that sounds, I am actually really excited to know what is wrong and that there is a way to take care of it and get better. I have some pretty strong meds and am so ready to start feeling better.

Lost

LOST:

My Voice

It took with it:
A bit of my sanity
A small part of my brain


IF FOUND

Please return to me ASAP!!!

REWARD: My friendship and Gratitude FOREVER

(Please note that without it, I will sound like a someone who has had a voice box transplant. Very Mechanical)

A Comfy Couch of Complaints

I try not to be a complainer but here it goes.

Right now I am on my couch thinking about all the things that I need to and want to get done today. My immediate thought after that is that I don't want to move. Yet I know, if these things don't get done, there will be issues. However, staying on the couch is where I will stay. Why, you ask? Because my co-worker has learned to share really well. He was sick all last week and I am now sick. It kind of stinks. I really should be drinking plenty of liquids but I get tired of plain liquids and I really don't want to get of the couch. Yet, I am too prideful to ask for help or have someone run to the store for me and get me some apple juice or some Powerade Zero or Propel or something. This couch is really comfortable. It is my parents' old couch and I inherited it when they bought a new one. However, it does not provide much entertainment. I have read, checked facebook, watched some TV/movies, texted my bro and attempted to talk to my sister, though I don't have much of a voice. It would be great to get a "Brady Hug". My brother gives some amazing hugs and they always make me feel better, but he is too far away. Oh well. Life goes on and at least the couch is comfy.

Basically, I am hard to please today. Guess that comes with the territory. Thanks for listening to me complain.

A Little Corny........

I am telling on myself with this post, but it makes me laugh so it is going on the blog. Ha Ha. I work at a food production plant as an office assistant/manager. We make a caramel popcorn product that is amazing!!! Talk to me if you want more details!

This morning, I was sitting in my office and working, because that is what I get paid to do. As I was working my nose began to sniff something. I had checked the break room and no one was eating anything, my co-workers were in their offices and the production workers were busy. I immediately began to wonder who was eating corn at 11:15 in the morning in this office.

Sadly it took a few minutes for me to get it. Oh yeah, they are in production and the popcorn is popping. That is why it smells like corn. Oh my! Ha Ha. Now it has me craving popcorn.

Fun Fun Fun

A week or two ago, I got together with some girls to have so much needed Girl Time. It was a blast. We all brought food and ended up talking, eating, dancing, taking random pictures and watching a movie while eating lots and lots of candy. Her is a slide show of the pictures that we took.

Personalize your own free photo slideshow

Thanks for the great times girls!!! Let's not wait too long before we do another one!

11/11/11

With it being Veteran's Day and in the spirit of the date 11/11/11, I would like to share with you 11 things relating to veterans, this date, or the number 11 in general.

1. I am so extremely grateful for all of those who have sacrificed their time and efforts, some even giving their lives or arms, or what be it. They are true heroes who deserve to be honored and recognized.

2. One of my favorite Veteran's Day memories happened a couple of years ago, while working in a law office in Idaho. We went to lunch as an office and one of the attorneys, who is a veteran, shared stories of his experiences with military service. It was really neat to hear. What was cool was that you could see the pride in had for the USA.

3. Growing up, I loved it when the digital clocks hit 11:11. I always made a huge deal of it and would make a wish when I saw that. I was convinced that all the wishes made at 11:11, as long as the clock did not change, would come true. Ha Ha. If that is the case, I should be making wishes all day today because it is 11/11/11.

4. As a member of the Drill Team, I remember performing at Veteran's Day assemblies and hearing stories of veterans. Those were always neat experiences.

5. Every year in Poky, the bands, color guards, drill teams, and cheerleaders would get together and perform a huge halftime show call Extravaganza. We would practice the week before with the marching and formations and all of that. It was always a very patriotic program. There would be a 21-gun salute and taps.

6. It seems that this holiday begins to mean more and more to me each year. A deeper sense of gratitude for all the liberties that we enjoy, because of these veterans.

7. My Grandpa is a veteran. He was one of my heroes growing up. I have learned more about him since his death in 2005. I truly wish that I could have learned more about him and his service while he was still alive. He has been on my mind a lot today.

8. Eleven has the most syllables of the numbers 1-20, with three. Yup. That's right. Random Fact.

9. Patriotic music helps set the mood of the day nicely. This morning, while working I had the opportunity to listen to a lot of different songs and it made me happy. :)

10. This one is brought to you by Sesame Street. Click here.

11. Happy Veteran's Day. May this one be better then the one before and the next one even better. Remember to thank those who have served. (Oh and Happy 11/11/11. Don't stop wishing today. You never know when they will come true.)

Inspired and Blessed

Hello Friends! Hope you are all doing just fabulous! Lately I have been doing a lot of reflecting and thinking (which is miraculous in and of itself because my brain has not been working so great). There are so many things that have happened over the past year and the blessings that have come from those are incredible. I entered this weekend with a resolve to be more grateful for all that I have and to be more positive, even when things are not going how they should or how I want them to.

This weekend was Stake Conference and it was great! The Saturday night session proved amazing, as usual. There were talks about overcoming trials, clinging to covenants, being prepared and more. The music was phenomenal. It made me excited for the Sunday session.

The Sunday session was a Regional Broadcast and we were blessed to hear from Elder Jensen, Sister Wixom, Elder Anderson, & President Monson. Each of their talks struck a different chord with me and helped me to realize how abundantly I have been blessed, but that there is still so much more to do. I could write about the whole experience, but felt that some of what I learned was very personal for me. Let's just say it was a GREAT Stake Conference.

Sunday night, my stake had a fireside. A man from the Ivory Coast spoke about his conversion and story. He was amazing and strong with his testimony. It was incredible the power you felt as he testified and shared his stories of how he found the church, came to the United States, and received answers to others prayers that literally saved his families lives. The way he acted upon the promptings he received after humble and sincere prayer, showed his courage, trust and faith.

The night finished up watching a movie about the Saints in Africa. Their faith is awe inspiring. I would have to check, but pretty sure I said "Wow!" over twenty times. They went ahead with worshipping and with faith, even though there was no formal organization when they began learning about the church. They were strong and devout to what they had learned through the scriptures and other literature that church provided. Once they were officially organized they continued with the same strength and conviction.

They (the saints on the movie and the speaker at the fireside)have inspired me to be better and more faithful in keeping the commandments and my covenants. Also, showed me that I really need to be appreciative for what I know, what I have, and the way that gospel came into my life. They are so humble, but so strong and faithful. What powerful example!

Family Friday

Friday was my favorite day of this week (thus far because the week isn't over, but it will be hard to beat.)You see, it has been 5 months since I have seen my sister and her family. They were at my parents' house this weekend and I was able to take a day off and spend some time with them. Here are some of the highlights.

~Getting niece and nephews hugs and cuddles.
~Taking pictures
~Visiting with my Grandma.
~Helping my dad fix doors (with a table saw and all).
~Good Food!
~Rough housing, dog piling and tickling.
~Playing at Brooklyn's Playground.
~Good company.

After all the fun, it was sooo hard to come back. However, I needed to be back and get some sleep.

Sometimes it is so hard to to live far away from them. My brother wasn't able to come down either. It has been so long since all of us were all together. With the holidays coming up, hopefully we will all be able to spend more time with each other.

Love my family tons!!!

Cowgirl Up!

HOWDY! A couple of years ago, while filling my car with gas, I began to small talk with another man (in his forties or fifties) about little things. While I was washing my windows, waiting for my car to be filled, he asked me a really random question. He asked “Are you a Cowgirl?”

I was a little confused and told him no. He continued to tell me that I sound like a cowgirl and I was dressed like a cowgirl. Please note that I was wearing a sweater and jeans that day. I have never been told I sound like one, so I began to think what cowgirls sound like.

Another incident occurred when on a date over a year ago. It was a blind date. When the guy found out that I was from Idaho, he got really excited. He immediately asked me if I was a rancher. After I told him no, he continued to ask if my parents were ranchers. After responding no to this question, he was a bit dumbfounded. I explained that we lived in a city in Idaho. He was so confused. Then he said this: “Then your grandparents must be ranchers!” Wow! My Grandpa did work on a Potato Farm for a while, but honestly, he was not a rancher. He was a railroader. This guy was flabbergasted, to say the least.

Let’s fast forward to this morning. Since getting this job, I haven’t really had a need to wear long pants to work, where it is a casual work environment, where I may need to help on the production floor, and where the weather has been great. This morning was chilly and I didn't see it warming up. I put on some jeans, a shirt, a zip up hoodie, and a pair of black shoes. Not sure why, but my co-worker came up and asked me if I was trying to be all cowgirl like today. Ha Ha Ha. I laughed. He thought I was wearing boots and the jeans probably threw him off. As I walked to the shipping department, I was literally laughing as all of these memories rushed my head.

When I pictures cowgirls, this is what I picture:



That’s not me.

Maybe this is a sign that I was meant to be a cowgirl. I decided to do a little research on what it takes to be a cowgirl.

Dress like one ~ Apparently I have that one down, even though I don’t think I do. I don’t own the cowgirl hat or boots.

Know lots about horses ~ I know some things about them, but not a ton. Plus, I have never really been horseback riding. We went once when I was a kid, but someone guided the horse the whole time. If that counts, then I have been elephant back riding too.

Attend Rodeos ~ Though I from a place where the DNCFR comes yearly, I have never been to a rodeo.

Listen to Country and Rock Music ~ This one is fine. I do listen to Country music sometimes, but not so much rock. Hhhmmm

Work on a Ranch and learn about cattle ~ Lots of room for improvement on this one. Seriously!

Enjoy being outdoors, working with animals and keeping a quintessential American way of life alive. ~ I love being outside, not so much with the animals, but the American way of life is always great!

It appears that I don’t have what it takes to be a cowgirl. Ha Ha. Oh well, a girl can dream right? Or, I can always wait for more people to proclaim me a cowgirl even though it is not true. Happy Trails Y’all!

A Bittersweet State.....

Oh, what a bittersweet announcement this is. I can no longer be identified as an Idaho Driver based on my car. I guess that comes with the territory of buying a new car in a different State. Yesterday it became official. I now have a new State's license plates on my car. The funny part is that when I was choosing out which plates to get, they guy was describing to me what each of the plates looked like. He mentioned one looked similar to the Idaho ones. He really didn't need to go any further. Those were the ones I wanted at that point.

Not sure how I feel about it, but the new owner of my old car gave me my old plates back so technically, I still have Idaho plates.

That is all for now, but there is more to come.

Reminiscing

I am not sure where it came from or why it has happened, but I have a case of Reminiscing Fever. I thought that I would share some of those walks down memory lane with you. (Some of you may be involved in these stories so I hope you enjoy the walk down Memory Lane as well.

On Thursday, I was talking on the phone with a friend and some random memories came to mind. It was strange because they were ones from Elementary School (ions ago - or at least that's how it feels). In Kindergarten, we made these little phone books to practice writing our numbers. That was probably the first time a guy ever asked me for my phone number. Ha Ha Ha. Anyway, my phone number had two of the same numbers together and people got confused. I remember thinking that I was not going to get confused when people had two numbers together in their phone number. Then one girl was giving me her number and it had the of the same number together, and it made me confused. Guess I didn't do so well with this one.

Another memory from early elementary days, was my keen fashion sense. Yes, that's right. I was a fashion diva. For those of you who didn't know me then, I am completely kidding on this one. In fact, I was quite the opposite. I wore matching sweatsuits to school constantly. When it warmed up, I would still wear the pant with t-shirts or find a pair of shorts and wear a dance shirt or something. Yup. I was the coolest.

I was also pretty random (some things don't change). I would get together with one friend and almost every time we were at her house we would dance to music and eat popcorn. The songs were not normal songs. I think they were songs like "Purple People Eater" and those types. i don't rightly recall. (Help me out Jenn!). Those were good times.

On some more serious notes, lately I have been thinking a lot about the past. Memories have flooded my brain of the mission and some of the experiences there. It seems like, no matter where I am at, something from the mission will pop up.

While sitting in Sunday School, on came to mind and wouldn't go away. This happened in my third area. I felt like I was a relatively new missionary and my companion was a new missionary too. We had been put into a new area and told to work. We had some good times together. However the one memory that keeps coming to mind is when we were teaching a man in his garage. We were have a good lesson and he was doing most of the teaching. Some people came from another religion and want to argue. We answered their questions and then tried to turn it around. Being newer missionaries, and not feeling a great command of the language, we did what we knew how to do and testified. I remember testifying and saying we are not here to argue but to teach. They left shortly after that and the mood and spirit completely changed. It was a great teaching moment of how peace brings the spirit.

Another mission memory came to my mind of a woman in that same area who was trying to give up coffee. When we presented her with the commitment to keep the Word of Wisdom, we were a little nervous. Her response amazed us. She said something about how she gave up coffee and alcohol when she was pregnant because she loved her kids, and she loved the Lord even more, so she would give this up for him.

This weekend, I was able to come home and spend some time with my padres and some friends. I was talking to a friend's brother. I met him when he was 8. In fact, one of my first memories of him was giving him Play-do on his birthday and both of us being all excited about it. As I talked with him yesterday, it was strange to see that he is all grown up and getting ready to serve a mission in Hawaii.

There are so many other memories I have, and I seem to be in the mood to explore memories, so help me out. If you have some fun memories of us, please remind me of those. I love walking down memory lane and I have so many good memories with people who read this. It would be fun to remember more. For those of you I didn't mention on here, if you leave me a comment with a memory, I will leave you a memory of you as well. Maybe this will cure the fever!

Somedays You've Gotta Vent!

My dad is amazing! This morning, I called him after a particularly frustrating situation. We ended up talking for 40 minutes or so. He not only listened, but gave me advice on that situation and some other situations in my life. Usually, I try to not to vent on the blog, but here are a few things that set me off.

~People getting in my face (literally). I hate contention and don't like being in those types of situations. Getting in my face will make a draw back and pay less attention to what you are saying. That is just what happens.

~It drives me nuts when people think that they can manage my life and health better than I can, and accuse me of doing the worst possible things for my body when they are the exact things that have helped me. I don't mind advice, I really don't, but when I say some things work and others don't, please believe me.

~When I say that I am healthier now, than I was in the beginning, excitement would be nice, instead of telling me that I am not healthy and the blood tests lie. Really, I didn't know those test could fabricate the truth. My nutrition levels, for the most part, have been balanced the past couple of times I have had them checked. That is healthy to me (or as healthy as I can be with a paralyzed stomach).

With that off my chest, thank you for allowing this vent session. Some times it helps to say what you feel. It doesn't help that I have been living in pain this week, with something like Impingement Syndrome in my shoulder. Pain always makes everything worse.
However, talking with my dad proved to be a great blessing. Another major blessing was running into an old Bishop who is a doctor and getting some help with the shoulder. One more blessing was an amazing fireside that has inspired me to focus on being a better disciple. Last night, I ran into a friend, who I always tend to see when she is in town. There is no denying that the Lord's hand is in my life and He is constantly aware of me and my needs. He knows my needs and efforts and will make up for my weaknesses and imperfections.

It All Happened in One CrAzY Week....

Once there was a girl who had a crazy week. It all started one Friday with a busy day at work. Once she got home, she planned to take it easy. She did just that, while having some fun with a friend to celebrate. They went to dinner and got frozen yogurt. It was amazing!
The next day started out super-early, at the temple. After the temple, she had been invited to this event called "The Rope Swing of Happiness". It was fun to watch and great to catch up with the people there. She began to get tired but decided to do some grocery shopping before going home. Shortly after getting home, some friends contacted her and they got together to do some stuff. They ended up doing some shopping and the girl found a dress she liked and was pleasantly surprised when the price of that dress was $10. Woo Hoo! Then it was time to rush home and prep for the BSU football game. She got together with some other friends to watch it. Good times and a good game!
Sunday proved to be just as busy. After church, she went to lunch at a friend's house, whom she hadn't talked with in a while. Then she met up with another friend, who needed to talk and vent. The rest of the day was spent with her.
Monday was a day of fun. A group of friends went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair, which is quite amazing! They had a blast. The food and exhibits and company were all just Great!!!
Tuesday, work was a little too crazy. She ended up working late and was in need of a stress reliever when she got home. Her relief was going for a run and ended up going about 2 1/2 miles! :D Then she went for a drive with her newly married friend and they caught up with each others' lives.
Wednesday was still crazy-busy at work, and she even ended up working a little late again. However, she couldn't work too late because she had to go to a board meeting, where she was up for nomination to become a member of the board. The nomination was approved.
By Thursday, she had decided that work was going to be crazy, no matter what that week. After work she realized how completely worn out she was and skipped doing some things that she really should have or wanted to, so that she could rest.
Wow! She was tired. That Friday, she found herself hoping for a little bit of a less craziness for the upcoming week! Who knows what will happen.

Lessons Learned

That's right folks, it is now time for another episode of Lessons Learned, brought to you by me! Ha Ha. So get comfortable and grab a snack and a notepad, because these are good!

~New cars drive great!
~Good conversations with a friend teaches you tons about them and yourself!
~The more similarities you find with people, you find out that there really are types of people and you are a type.
~Everyone needs to have a cat. (This was taught by a 3-year old boy).
~If you do not have a cat, then said 3-year old boy will pretend to be your cat.
~Little kids bring excitement to life.
~Give kids candy and they'll like you!
~Guitar Hero is intense. Not so good at it, but it was my first time.
~Insurance hunting is no bueno. Just need to go and get it done.
~Talking with someone on the phone about good stuff makes me happy :)
~When cleaning a car, you tend to get dirty. Kind of ironic, right?
~Even an old car can feel nice when clean.
~Throwing a Frisbee takes skills that I don't have, at least not yet.
~Zumba is super-fun
~The day after Zumba, you will be super-dehydrated so carry water with you wherever you go. Seriously!
~Good co-workers are great to have! It makes work more fun!
~A job can be considered amazing when you can eat a Caramel Cob and do your job at the same time and not be looked at as a slacker but more as Quality Assurance. (So Sweet!!!)

"Epically Amazing"

Yesterday was epically (my new made-up word) amazing!

Why, you ask. Well, let me share some parts of this day.


I spent the morning in the temple and received some great answers and guidance, as well as learned a very powerful lesson on the strength of women in their own unique ways.

I bought a car today! It was a little nerve racking, to say the least. Thanks to my friend Sheila who helped me throughout the process. It is a great car and I am super-excited!!! It was great to see everything fall into place with the car and it just worked out so well, that I know it was a good choice.



As a thank-you, Sheila and I went to lunch at Pizza Pie Cafe. I know what some of you are thinking. "You can't eat pizza Whitney." Well, you're right, but there is a lot more than pizza there. They have pastas and sauces, dessert pizzas, cheese sticks, and more. Basically it was my one and only meal of the day because we ate so much.

Tonight we were blessed with the opportunity to listen to Elder Bednar. He was in town and did a Q&A fireside for the YSA. It was so great and there is so much to think about now. There was a lot of talk about faith requiring actions, agency, the strength of the Lord, and the Atonement. It is amazing how much was fit into a short two-hour period.

Thanks to everyone involved in the epically amazing day.

Activities & Ancestors

This has been a pretty epic week! Basically, it was amazing!!! Here are some of the highlights.

- My good friends Andrea and Robert got married on Tuesday and I was able to attend the sealing and the picnic afterwards. It was such a neat experience and they are so perfect for each other. :D

- I tried Huckleberry Pie for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed it!

- Went to a board meeting for the Literacy Center.

- Celebrated National Chocolate Chip Day, with lots of amazing chocolate chip treats.

- Got a free sample of a new flavor of product at work and it is FABULOUS!! (I don't do the production, I work the office end of the spectrum).

- Made mint brownies

- Went to dinner with two good friends.

- The temple is opened again, so I got to go back to work there. It was sooooo good to be back! :D

- Got shaved ice from a little Mexican place that was super good!

- Went for a walk on the River Trail.

- Received a calling as the Literacy Specialist in my ward.

- Had a potluck with some good friends!

Tons of Fun!!!

On a more serious note, yesterday I was encouraged to learn more about my heritage. This is something that I know little bits about but never taken the time to learn. Today, I spent some time reading some of the histories that I had been given. It was really neat. One of my relatives was the first mayor of Logan. Another relative crossed the plains in a group with very little water and took it to the Lord. With his help, she was able to find the needed water. Some of my relatives traveled with the Willard Richards Handcart Company and traveled through Martin's Cove. I remember hearing of my dad and grandpa going up there but it never really hit me to study their story.

After reading through the papers I had, I felt a special feeling for one ancestor. Her name is Mary Jane Barnes. Her pioneer journey started when she was four days old. She traveled with the Martin Company in one of the companies that suffered the greatest losses. Her parents assisted in building the St. George Temple. I am not sure why I felt this connection to her, but I did. After her death, her children were looking over her personal things and found wrapped and labeled presents for each one of them, that were ready for Christmas.

What an inspirational woman and what an example of being prepared and thinking and putting others first.

An Equation of Sorts

What do you get when you have:

Whitney

Chocolate Overload

&

A HUGE Thunder & Lightning Storm


I'll give you some time to ponder that. Insert Final Jeopardy music here.

........................................................................
........................................................................
........................................................................

Times Up!

Did you get it?

The answer is:
One tired girl who could not sleep because of the storm and fried nerves, as well a chocolate overdose, who is trying to fight the after affects of all of that.

Here's hoping it works.

Change of Plans

I have decided that maybe I should not be such a planner. It seems that whenever I make plans to do one thing, I end up doing something completely different. This is seemingly becoming a norm in my life. Honestly. Here is why I say that.

In my last post, I had decided to home for the upcoming weekend and attend my class reunion. The decision was made and the money sent in. Tuesday, we received notice that the reunion had been canceled. Yup, that meant that I had a whole weekend with nothing to do because I had been planning on leaving. The best part though is that, because of the change of plans, I was able to spend the weekend helping some friends move and serving others, which I truly needed. It gave me the opportunity to think more of others and less of myself.

Next, I had planned to do something with a group tonight. However a storm thundered in and lighting struck. It was loud and close enough that it seemed to shake my place... or maybe that was just me feeling me shaking, but I promise that it was the thunder. There was one clap of thunder that sounded like it hit a close-by building, with another clap of thunder right behind it. (This may be a good time to let you know that my biggest fear in the world is thunder and lightning.) This storm scared me enough that I was shaking for the next hour. Wow! Basically, that did not goes as planned either.

Basically, July was the month of plans changing plans and it has taught me a lot of things. Honestly, changes in plans can make for some fun and interesting times, as well as some well-needed help and changes.

On a side note, the focus on family has yet to subside. Basically for the past three weeks, it has become a major focus in my life. Though I am not sure why, it has been a time of great learning and has increased my desire for that exact thing.

Reunited and it Feels So Good!!!

Last night I went to dinner with an amazing friend who I don't get to see very often. She is here for the summer and it was fabulous! One of her first comments to me was that I needed to blog more, so this one is for you! ;)

After dinner, we met up with two other friends and had a RSP 11th ward reunion. Everything seemed to pickup where it had left off. These girls are great. Basically, we covered ever subject possible in one way or another. My goodness, we even talked about crazy and awkward situations, seeing people riding bikes while carrying a scooter and smoking, SNL like situations, changes, bawling in movie theaters and more. Definitely made my night, plus we got Gelatto! Pretty fabulous stuff there. I got Mamma Mia Mango. YUMMY!!!

This got me to think about how fun certain reunions can be. I was really looking forward to this one because we all know each other and have fun when we are together. Family reunions are usually something I look forward to as well. We don't have them a lot in my family, but we have certain times when we get together that I look forward to. For instance, an uncle who lives in Tennessee comes out once a year, usually in July. When he comes, if possible, I try to head home. Last year, we had one for my dad's family that was nice. It was great to see cousins that I usually don't get to see. These kind of reunions always turn out to be fun.

Which brings us to the class reunion. That's right. I have one of those coming up and am not sure what to think. I am going into it with some major trepidation. I have my reasons, but will keep those inside because nobody needs to know how odd I am. To me, they seem valid, but to others they may appear silly. However, I am thinking I will brave this one out and see how it goes. Who knows, maybe it will be a fabulous experience. If not, I don't have to go ever again, right?

Maybe the reason I am not looking forward to it is the fear of the unexpected. Not knowing what is going to happen is sometimes really hard for me. I take that back, not knowing what is going to happen is usually pretty hard on me, but I am getting better at it.

My hope is that I will leave my class reunion thinking, as I have thought with other reunions, (in the words of Peaches and Herbs) "Reunited and it Feels So Good!"

Amazing Fourth of July Fun!!!

In case you don't remember, I LOVE the Fourth of July!!! It is pretty much my favorite holiday ever!!! Basically it is in part because of the fireworks: the colors, the sounds, the smell, and all that fun stuff. Usually we spend some time as a family with a picnic and all that fun stuff. However, this year did not turn out that way. My parents were with my sister and my brother was up at school. Where I live, they do a big firework display on the Friday before. I watched those from a parking lot and hurried home after to get to so I could get up early the next morning. I thought about heading back to Poky for the big firework display, but nothing seemed to work out and the weather didn't look to promising Monday morning, so I stayed put.
A couple of friends and I went to a parade in a neighboring city. It was nice and the weather was perfect.




This was followed by some yummy food. I came home and cleaned a bit. I went to "Kung Fu Panda 2" which was good. Then it was off to a party and some fireworks in the same neighboring city. It was so fun!!! After that, we went back to a friend's house to watch some more fireworks. That totally made my day!!! Basically, this Fourth of July was AMAZING! :D Thanks to all those who were a part of it!

Help!!!

I am going to be speaking in church in a couple of weeks and the topic is a really tough one for me. Basically, here are the three topics that I need to incorporate:

~Pioneers
~Establishing a Christ-Centered Home (Conference talk from April 2011)
~Developing Celestial Traditions

As I have read through this talk and some scriptures on traditions, I realized how family-centered this talk is going to be. I feel completely out of my league. Tonight I have been searching the Internet for some pioneer stories that could be used. Does anyone have any suggestions where to look or have any stories or thoughts.

Please share!!!

Thanks! :D

Good News!!!

I Got A Job!!!

It has been over 7 months, and they have not been the easiest months in the world. However, they have taught me a lot about who I am and what I really need and want in life. It has been eye opening.

Last Thursday, I learned that I would have one job interview on Monday afternoon. The next day, I did a phone interview and got called back for a face-to-face interview on Monday morning. Two interviews in one day. After the interviews, I had a preference of which job I would prefer and was super-excited to hear back from them. On Thursday, I found out I had not received one of the jobs. Shortly after that discovery, the job that I was excited about called me and asked me to come in for another interview. It was so exciting. They told me that I would hear back either that night or Friday morning. After 5, I determined it would be the next day because the office closes at 5. I got a call around 6:45 offering me the job! I am so excited and it is going to be a fabulous experience! I will be the Office Assistant for Kathy Kaye Foods! I start Monday!

It is such a blessing to get a job and I know that it is a direct result of all the prayers that have been made in my behalf during this time. Thank you all for your love and support and prayers!!! You are the greatest family and friends ever!!!

Falling Into Place

“Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” – Abraham Lincoln

It seems like the past couple of months, things have been up in the air and, at times, I have seriously doubted if things were ever going to work out. It is hard to believe the peace that comes when they start. My life has gone from boring to exciting and fun. I am truly happy with the direction it is heading.

As mentioned in the previous post, I have started attending a family ward and it is amazing. I can now walk to church and also am ready to learn so much. It is great!

My internship is keeping me busy and I am developing a passion for the organization. This past week I was given the opportunity to teach future volunteers and train them. It was crazy to think that I could teach that after such a short time, but it was great!

On Wednesday, I was set apart as an ordinance worker for the temple and start bright and early on Saturday. When I say early, I mean 5 am. It is going to be fabulous and I am super-excited for the opportunity.

I had a phone interview for a job today and have another interview for a different job on Monday, with the possibility of another one next week. This is great because I was beginning to feel stagnant in the job hunt.


“God helps those who help themselves.” – Benjamin Franklin

It seems like I have been directed to do so many things lately and have had no clue why. Now, I am beginning to see what a blessing they were in my life and am so thankful for the time I have had to discover these blessings. However, I recognize that I need to keep working towards the goals I have and doing my best, so that the blessing will continue to come.

A Quick Update

Life is Great!!!!!!



I was tempted just to put that, but I decided that you may want more description than that. The past couple weeks have been super-fun and super-busy! I love it! It seemed rare to have a day or night when there was nothing to do, which is nice for someone who likes to stay busy.

The decision has been made. As of this Sunday, I will begin to attend a conventional ward. This was a hard decisions. After a lot of praying and also talking with both Bishops, it feels so right. It is going to be good!

My social life has been loads of fun. I have been able to spend a lot of time with a lot of different friends and make some new ones too. There has been time for dinners, bike rides, hikes, movie nights, plays, and more. My friends are the best.

I was invited to attend a stake woman's conference. It was amazing. The speaker was Emily Watts and the food was incredible. Thanks Jenny for the invite. Also, Jenny has taken good care of me and let me attend church with her, play with her kids and treated me to something that could easily become a new favorite.... Twizleberry!!! So Good!!! You are the best ever Jenny!!!

I have also done a little bit of short road trips. I spent one day in Salt Lake to take a friend to the airport and to attend another friend's bridal shower. Yesterday, I went to Ogden to meet up with my sister and her family at the Tree house Museum, which was really neat.

On top of all of this, I have started an internship with the Bridgerland Literacy Center. It has been a pretty incredible experience and there is so much to do. We are constantly looking for more volunteers to tutor and help, as well as raise funds so that more people can learn to read, write, and more. This is an awesome opportunity to help others.

All of this has kept me busy, so in short, Life is Great!!!

Gastroparesis

This is not the easiest entry for me to write. For some reason, I have tried to avoid drawing attention to this medical condition that has plagued me for 5 1/2 years now. I received an email from a friend today with a link to a news story on a girl who struggled with gastroparesis. Please check it out. The story is great. Here is that link:

"Saving Gentrie: Teen Survives Tough Battle Against Disease that Paralyzed Her Stomach"

In some cases, she suffered far more than I did. However, when I first started getting sick, I was not diagnosed for six months or more. I, too, was placed on Reglan and many other medicines, that were not always the cheapest. The constant throwing up was not as terrible as her's was, but it was still a nightmare at times. We even discussed the possiblility of putting tubes in me to help me get the utrients that I needed. I was also asked numerous times if I had an eating disorder. It was really frustrating. I still struggle daily with different aspects of gastroparesis, but some days are definitely better than others.

Since my diagnosis, I have had many tests and actually been told twice that I am a candidate for the gastric pacemaker. Unlike the story, the first time this option came up was when I was talking to a doctor in Utah who suggested the procedure. At the point, I was told that it was experimental and insurance would not cover it. I have heard that it is less experimental now, but am fighting the insurance battle currently.

I do not write this posts to complain. There have been so many blessings that I have seen in my life that are a direct result from this trial and condition that I have. I have learned how to live a happy, fulfilling life, while dealing with this condition. It was hard to regulate what I can and cannot eat and portion size,but it has made a difference. This is more to inform people that this is a real condition that needs attention. On the side of this blog, you can find links to websites that contain more information about this condition.

Though I do not claim to know everything about this condition, please feel free to ask me questions that you may have. I will do my best to answer them. Although I know a cure is still a long ways off, it is possible to raise awareness.

Oh Mud!

This spring has been a rather cold and wet one, especially in this neck of the woods, so to speak. About two weeks ago (it was a Monday) I finally got really fed up with it. Let's just say Monday's are my day where I spend the first part on campus and usually have some other things to get done. That Monday was totally disgusting in the fact that everywhere I stepped there were big, fat, juicy worms. They were literally everywhere. Usually, I just avoid and ignore them, but it was impossible. In fact, at one point, a worm fell from my friend's garage door and almost landed on her. It was gross.

My roommate and I got to talking and she mentioned that she wanted worms.... Gummy Worms! Then we formulated a brilliant idea, reverting back to childhood days.





MUD CUPS!!!! (aka Dirt Cups)

We made these and invited a few friends over to enjoy them. These are the kind of worms and mud that I like. They tasted fabulous and made a yucky day better! :D

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

I have the most amazing friends ever!!! It is so nice to be able to spend time with these lovely ladies (and Janae, who could not make it. Sad Day.)



I went to Elementary school with two of these girls. I met two of the others in Junior High, and the other one in High School. We all became pretty great friends! Anyway, we got together one Saturday afternoon for food, games and, of course, catching up. This is something that we have done a couple other times. This time we did it in Logan. It was so nice to spend some time with these fabulous ladies. I didn't take many photos, so I thought I would tell something about each of these girls that is amazing!

~ Jenny is like a sister to me. She is such a good friend and listener. She cares about everyone and wants the best for all those around her.

~ Lisa is so much fun to talk to. She has a great memory and fun stories. She always brings a smile to my face when she is around.

~ Janae is so full of love for her family and others. She has the biggest heart and is probably one of the sweetest people ever.

~ Lynae is hilarious and thoughtful. She is so much fun to be around and is truly an example to me of being yourself and loving life.

~ Amie is Amie! Ha Ha. Her energy and smile brighten a room and make life fun and random. She is also a rock that I can lean on when I need her.

My friends are the best and this girl's day was GREAT!!!

Convetional vs. YSA

Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the main event!
In one corner we have the conventional ward.
In the other corner, we the YSA ward.
Who will win???

This really isn't a wrestling match with crazy fans, lights and hard hits. It is more of an internal wrestling match that has been going on with myself for quite some time. It may seem random that someone who is still eligible for a YSA ward to be considering this type of change, but truthfully, it could be a good thing.

Case and point, a girl I know started attending a conventional ward, was put into a wonderful calling and no longer than six months later, was engaged. It is possible without being in a ward full of single people. In fact, I wonder if it is easier that way, because then you are not battling with hundreds of other singles for the same person (to your own knowledge).

Today, I decided to try it out and went to both wards. There are positives and negatives about both. I started in a conventional ward setting. There were quite a few younger couples and younger children. However, the talks were applicable to those in whatever stage of life. In fact, a member of the bishopric spoke a little and I felt as if he were talking right to me. The people were curious, courteous and helpful. They seemed happy and were there for the right reasons. I was able to get a lot out of the lessons. I did keep finding myself asking if I would get discouraged in a place where everyone was couples and families.

After that ward, I went to Sacrament Meeting in my YSA ward. Upon arrival, I met with the Relief Society president and then was able to help the ward choir (because my calling in life for that is to be the official page-turner, even though it is not a calling or anything of that nature). There are so many amazing people who come from different walks of life, but are all in somewhat similar circumstances at this point. It is easy to relate to them and receive/prepare messages for a specific audience. However, there is a lot of pressure going to the ward about doing and saying the right thing for fear that you are constantly being judged and looked at as a potential eternal companion or competition.

This is the battle! At this point, the answer is unclear. My hope is to make a decision and take it to the temple this week and decide where I am truly and honestly needed and wanted, or more so, what the Lord wants me to do.

Basically, I am still in the decision-making process and any help would be fabulous! Any thoughts or input? Who should win? What are some of your thoughts and opinions? Is there anything that I am overlooking or forgetting?

Decisions, Decisions

I am terrible at making decisions, especially big ones. When I was making the decision whether or not to go on a mission, I struggled with receiving an answer on my own. It was when I fasted, prayed, pondered, and spoke with my Bishop, that I knew that I was supposed to serve a mission. What a marvelous experience that was in my life!

Moving was another decision that was hard for me. However, after visiting here a couple of times and always feeling like this was home and where I needed to be, the decision was made and I was at peace with that. It was an amazing blessing to move here and has helped to mold me to who I am today.

I won't share all the decisions I have ever made, because that would take too long. However, I will say that whenever there has been a decision (especially in the past year or two) I have learned how important it is to turn to the Lord.
On Sunday, I realized that I am going to possibly have some big decisions to make in the future. Since then, it has been a constant stressing of what should happen.

Then, as I was reading in the scriptures, I came across these verses in Alma 7.

23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

24 And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.
Though that is not a specific answer, it is answer enough to know that he will take care of me if I am doing my part by applying the qualities and attributes in these verses (which is easier said than done) and trusting in him to lead and guide me to what needs to happen. I still may be terrible at making decisions, but He will help me!

Bunches of Birthday Fun!

This year was one of those years where I was not looking forward to celebrating my birthday at all. Whenever people would ask me what I wanted for my birthday, I would usually respond "A job, a new car, and a man.". Ha Ha. I tried to avoid the idea of having a party or celebrating. However, about a week before my birthday, I got a phone call and ended up getting a job interview. The date they requested was my birthday!!! It was at that point that my birthday, all of the sudden, became more exciting and I could not wait for it to come.

WEDNESDAY ~ My parents came down. They brought me some presents that were basically amazing and took me to dinner at the Olive Garden! I left there with enough food for two more meals! After dinner, we came back to my place and ate cheesecake. Then they were off to SLC where they flew out the next day for Hawaii. That night ended with a haircut/trim and layers and a movie.

THURSDAY ~ The main focus was the job interview. It was sooooo much fun! It may sound really odd but it the truth. The people interviewing me were so nice and it was a very comfortable and happy environment. I am not sure if I will get the job or not, but it was a fun experience. After that, I got to spend some time with a friend for a while. My roommate and I had some amazing cheesy breadsticks for dinner. We had a mini birthday thing where I opened their gifts and they sang to me. I have the best roommates ever!

FRIDAY ~ This was the party day. My neighbor made some awesome chocolate cake (with pudding in the middle) and some cupcakes with peach cheesecake frosting. DELICIOUS!!! I really wasn't sure what to expect. It was a blast. A lot of friends came and there was a ton of food, games, music, randomness, and fun. I realized how blessed I am to have such amazing friends here. They accept me for who I am and are so much fun to be around. I am not sure what I have done to deserve these friends, but they are GREAT! Needless to say, after all the excitement sleep was hard to come by that night.

SATURDAY ~ So, this is not directly related to birthday coolness, but it was fun so it has earned a spot in this epic post! This evening I attended The Magic Flute, which is an opera by Mozart. It was super-good and I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the performance.

I found myself wondering today why I was so worn out. Then, I thought about everything that had happened this week and realized why. It has been a week full of lots of fun!!! Thanks to everyone involved directly or indirectly! :D

What a Week!!!

Phew! I survived this week and got some good stuff accomplished and had some fun. Here is what it consisted of.

~ Institute with a friend
~ Stake Italian Dinner
~ Cookie, ice cream, and interpretive dance party
~ Taxes
~ Meeting
~ Lunch & a Movie
~ Root Beer Floats and Tangled
~ Temple
~ Impromptu trip home
~ Time with the family
~ Birthday party for roommate
~ General Conference
~ Ladies Night
~ Pot Luck
~ Made cookie brownies

Yup, it has been a good week and this next week promises to be great too. My parents are coming down on Wednesday, Thursday I have a job interview and there is more fun and excitement planned and to be planned. Wish me luck!

Running Away: The Epilogue

Here is a quick epilogue of the running away. Since returning, I have had some time reflecting on what this journey taught me. It has seriously helped me so much and life has been so busy and fun since.

Here are some lessons that I have learned:
~ Family time is some of the best psychology.
~ Taking time away, takes your time off of everything.
~ Though Idaho is fabulous, it is not where I need to be right now.
~ Sincere and honest prayer really brings answers when you least expect them.

There were more lessons that were learned, but I don't want to waste your time with those. Basically, coming home has made the past week and a half really exciting. Thank goodness for good cleansing time to put your mind in the right frame of mind.

This now ends the saga of Running Away. Thanks for reading!

Running Away: Part Three

Day 10

Everyone in my family had to work. While they were working, I took advantage of it and worked out some. It was good. That evening, my mom and I played Scrabble. She won the first one and I beat her the other times. :D Thanks Mom!

Day 11

Not a whole lot happened today. We played Scrabble again and I won again. That night I had a really crazy and random dream that would make an excellent movie. Without details, it was super-interesting and fun.

Day 12

Brady and I got to talk this morning before church and it was a good talk. We went his ward and it was really good. Once we got home, my grandpa came over for dinner. After that, my home stake had a fireside with the Stake Presidency. I love their Stake President. It was all on perspective and how when things don't work out, it is always good to look at the situation from a new prospective and find a new way to reach a better outcome. There was a lot more that I could say about this because it was amazing and really helped in my finding myself during my running away.

Day 13

Today I ran errands and did some job hunting.

Day 14

I got to spend time with my bro in the morning while he did some stuff he needed too. When we got back from that, my dad had been hard at work trimming a big tree in our backyard. I helped load the branches up in the truck (with only a few scratches and scrapes) and take those to the dump. The dump was muddy and we got mud in the truck and it was on my pants and shoes. Some friends and I decided to go walking in the cemetery, which was nice because we got to talk while being active. The rest of the night consisted of going to an institute class and then talking with Brady and a friend.

Day 15

I woke up this morning with a really stuffy nose. My dad and I went and saw my grandma and chatted with her for a while. Then we ran some errands. After that, I began preparations to come back. As I was driving home, I had a really neat experience that answered some questions that I had when I left to start this whole adventure. As I drove into town, it felt so nice to be back.

*Stay tuned for an epilogue*

Running Away: Part Two

(This is a continuation of the post below)

Day 3

I loaded my car and took off to my sister's house, which is around a 3 hour 40 minute drive. Luckily, I was told that listening to books on CD while driving makes the trip go quicker and it was so true. It was great of her and her family to let me stay with them for a week. My nephews and niece are so cute and I had a blast playing with them.

Day 4

For the most part it was a relaxing day, until late afternoon. My sister does this thing with two other couple where one family will watch the other two families' kids while they have a date night. It was my sister's night to host it and they had a pajama party with 8 kids. It was a little crazy and tiring. It was also tons of fun.

Day 5

Church was on the agenda today. I was able to go to my sister's ward and, for the first time in ages, attend primary. That was a fun experience. Also, I attended the Singles Branch there. That was interesting.

Day 6

Where it was President's day, we spent most the day together. The best part for me was having a real family home evening. The was a lesson, a scripture, an activity, a song, and homemade milkshakes. They even had me teach them a few words in Spanish like familia and ensenar. :D

Day 7

On Tuesday, it was back to everyday life for them. Both of the nephews had school. While they were at school, my sister, niece and I went to the store for a few things. That afternoon my sister had a meeting and my brother0in-law had an appointment so I got to babysit the kids. :D We had a good time!!!

Day 8

I also got to watch my youngest nephew and niece today. We listened to and watched a video of a live concert of a group called Colors. My nephew loved it! He loves music in general. He brought out his guitar, drum set and microphone and was singing and playing along with them. My niece tried to play the guitar too. It was too cute! My niece was dancing right along with him too.











Day 9

This was a hard day for me because I had to leave my sister's house. These are a few of the parting shots I got before I left. Thanks Heather and family for a fabulous week of fun!!! After leaving there, I headed to Pocatello to spend time with the rest on my family.





(To Be Continued)

Running Away: Part One

A couple of weeks ago, I decided that I needed to get away and I was not sure for how long or a lot of the details. After a really rough week, it became necessary. Here is my story on my run away. I have broken it into parts so you don't have one huge post to read all at once.

DAY 1

On the Wednesday of that week, some of my friends came over for a fabulous dinner. My roommate made some chicken and mashed potatoes, I made some yummy cheese garlic bread, one friend brought some corn and another friend brought brownies. So good!!!



These girls are the best. After eating a ton, we had some good conversation and watched "Letters to Juliet". That was a wonderful night.





DAY 2

I was struggling with the idea of leaving because I was worried that I was running away from life. However, I accomplished a lot including packing for a trip that I had no clue on how long it would last. That evening, a good friend came over and brought me garlic cheese bread ingredients and ice cream. Also, I was able to get a blessing. I do not remember much of what was said, but the feeling of peace overcame me and I know that I am a Daughter of God. Some other friends came over too. We played Disney Scene It! It was a great evening as well. I did not get pictures of this because my camera was packed.

My Report

This is my report back from the last post.

My life is pretty boring. I totally failed at posting Christmas details and apologize for that. If I had my camera with me, I would post about that right now with pictures, but instead I will just briefly tell you.

This year for Christmas, I spent it with me family in Pocatello. My friend Andrea came and joined us for the festivities. Here are just some of the activities that we did over the holiday. We ate tons, looked at lights, delivered secret Christmas gifts and other gifts too, ate some food, watched movies, opened presents, visited with family, played with the niece and nephews, and ate some more. Those were some good times.

Now, on to the update on my life right now and how I am doing on my to-do list. I thought I had figured out the type of job I was going to look for and started looking and preparing for jobs in that area. However, shortly after I made the decision, I got an interview at another place, not in that field. Ha Ha. I have been doing better about finding joy everyday and being happy about whatever is happening in my life. The journal writing is going well. My visiting teaching companion and the girls we visit have set a goal to write daily and are checking in with each other on that, which helps. The last one of focusing on others, for me, goes right along with finding joy in the journey.

Right now, I am sitting in Pocatello. I came home over the weekend to be there when a good friend went through the temple. I loved being at the temple and spending time with her and others. I was also able to attend the blessing of my cousin's baby. What a neat experience that was. Basically, this weekend was FABULOUS!!!

Confessions of a Negligent Blogger

Hi, my name is Whitney. (Hi Whitney)I have a problem. My problem is that I have become a negligent blogger. For some reason, it seems like every time that I have gone to post about Christmas or anything else, I just can't do it. So here I am, writing this post, trying to get the blogging started. With any luck, I may actually blog about Christmas and change the music and backdrop on my blog in the next week. We'll see what happens.

The past two months have been interesting. They have been full of many ups and downs. I don't want this to be full of complaints so I will leave it at that. My life right now is consisting of figuring out what I want to be when I get older. It is interesting to me that, in some ways, all the paths I have tried to avoid growing up are the ones that I am starting to head towards. Too bad it took me so long to figure out.

Yesterday I had a wake up call, or better yet, a happy test and passed it! That made me happy. Somethings happened yesterday that could have brought me down to some major lows, but instead, I was honestly and truly happy for the good news that some close friends received. That is a big step for me. If it would have happened a month ago, I would probably still be in my room or inside myself, having a pity party.
This week has shown me that I can make good things happen. Not only did I accomplish the daily tasks but I was able to spend some time with my good friend Jenny, volunteer and a local child care center, help a friend shop for a wedding dress, and will get to help clean the temple tomorrow morning.

What am I left with? A to-do list of desires. 1. Figure out what kind of job I want. 2. Find a job in said area. 3. Find joy in the journey. 4. Write in my journal daily. 5. Focus more on others and not complain so much.

Maybe I should add to that list keeping up-to-date on my blog and not being so negligent.