Jesika Lee, that's me!

I want...

2011-11-18T00:24:00.001-08:00

to go back to this day!

life was easier and much less complicated!
if i close my eyes, it's almost like i'm back here.
Here, where the people in my life were my best friends, we shared everything, we shared our lives.
Here i was happy, so happy.
i went to school, i went to work, i went to the library (and laughed my head off in the library)!
Here i ate bagels and cheez its.
and just for tonight, i'm going back there!

I have a blog!

2011-11-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in 6 months! I'd forgotten that i even had a blog!

The first 3 months of my blog hiatus were because i had nothing to blog about. i was getting ready to go back to school and really the only thing i would have written about were my anxious feelings about returning to school. The past 3 months I could have written about so many things- starting graduate school, my impressions of BYU, my new friends, ward, roommates, boys...but i've been busy doing all of those things to sit down and write about it!

But today i decided that i want to sit down and write about my cohort!

when i say "cohort", most people have no idea what on earth i am talking about- my cohort are the 9 (now 8) people that i take all of my classes with and will take all of my classes with for the next 2 years, but my cohort has now become the term that i use when i talk about my best friends. i love these people more than i thought i could love people after knowing them only 2 months!

This is my cohort!

We are goofy but i love us!

Erin, Hayley

Ben, Elizabeth, Victoria, Jason

Me, Alex, Danielle and Ruthann

I spend a good chunk of my time with these incredible people and i am so grateful for each and every one of them! We are all different which makes us such an incredible group, but i'm learning more and more that we are more alike than it seems.

i love these people!
and you should love them too!

ROOMMATE REUNION!

2011-06-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

(thanks Shan'tel for the picture!)

Last weekend, a miracle happened!

5 years ago, i moved into an apartment full of wonderful girls! wonderful girls that became the best friends i've ever had! oh i love my 308 girls!

after we all lived together and went our separate ways, we promised that we would get together and see each other from time to time! at the time we said every year, but we realized that wasn't realistic! about 2 1/2 years ago, we all got together in Rexburg.

and the miracle is that last weekend, we were all going to be in the western United States!

Kayla moved to Virginia a year ago, but her and her family are in Boise for the summer!

Becca lives in Texas but was spending a few weeks in Utah.

that meant that we were all in Idaho or Utah!

that was too good a chance for us to pass up!

by some miracle, we made it possible to all get together in Utah for a day!!

and it was a wonderful day!

we met up in the morning and talked and caught up. we made some spaghetti for lunch and then spent the afternoon at the wetlands conservation...which was an incredibly special place to the experienced eye! it was mostly a wetlands with a boardwalk throughout. Tayler took care of the kids (thank you Tayler) so us girls got to just walk and talk and be together!

the rest of the afternoon was spent talking, napping and shopping. we made a bbq dinner and enjoyed the beautiful weather on the back porch! it was a lovely evening! it was so good to just all be together like old times!

we ended the evening with a trip to Dairy Queen for our roommate tradition of Blizzards! (p.s. I just joined the Blizzard Fan Club!) we have always loved Blizzards, and it was so great to get together in our favorite place! we ate Blizzards, laughed and cried while laughing! it was so like old times, i almost believed we were back in Rexburg and it was like we were still living together!

many years have passed, and we've had 3 marriages, 3 kids with 2 on the way, moved thousands of miles away but we are still wonderful friends! i am so grateful to have had Megan, Kayla, Shan'tel and Becca as my roommates and i'm so blessed that they are still my best friends!

i love you ladies!

Mr. and Mrs. Olsen 2!!

2011-05-22T10:05:00.001-07:00

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Olsen!! another wedding! yes we've been doing weddings a lot around here! Taylor and Courtnie got married on May 21, 2011! happy day!! i now have sister #2!

I got to be a bridesmaid for my lovely new sister!
she picked the most beautiful colors- purple and gray! i loved it! everything was beautiful and she was the most beautiful of all!

look at me and my beautiful sisters!

we tramped out to this field to take pictures and although it was a little inconvenient, the pictures turned out amazing!! good thing Court had a helper!

i love this sister of mine!

and look at my studly brothers! dang, they are freaking handsome!

Taylor and Courtnie are one good looking couple! don't you think?

my family is growing! and we are loving it! and we are a good looking bunch of people! :)

me and Lindsey waiting while the boys take pictures! we took a lot of pictures, and Dallan smiled through them all, a great improvement from the last wedding!

the church looked really beautiful! the ceremony was lovely, and that little ringbearer was adorable! you rocked that bowtie Jack!

"I now pronounce you husband and wife!!"
they are one happy couple!

it was a great night and we had a blast celebrating wedding #2!

Taylor and Courtnie are happily married and off on their honeymoon! thankfully they are going to live close by for a while, so we still get to see them! love you two! :)

Congrats my brother and new sister!

WICKED!!

2011-05-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend i got to go see Wicked!!

for the second time!

It only gets better the second time!

3 years ago, we saved up our money and Shan'tel, Heather, Jessica, Ryan and I made a long trip to LA to see Wicked! it was the best trip ever! totally worth every cent!

about a year ago, we found out that Wicked was coming to Boise! the fact that a Broadway touring company was coming to Boise was huge! so my parents, my neighbors and everyone i know rushed to get tickets. i was dumb and didn't get a ticket because i thought to myself,

"self, you've already seen Wicked, you can't really justify spending $80 to $100 on a ticket, you've already seen it, you don't need to see it again."

so time passes, and Wicked comes to town last weekend. i babysat for my neighbors while they went to Wicked and i was more jealous than i've ever been!! green with envy you might say!

i didn't have a ticket and i wanted one!! but the show had been sold out for weeks- what is a girl to do!?!? thankfully, i didn't have to do a thing!

a week before, my friend Dustin texted me and told me that his mom and sisters were going to Boise to see Wicked. i told him i was super jealous and that his mom and sisters should sneak me in....fast forward a couple of days...Dustin's sister Kati texts me and tells me that they have an extra ticket, and it's mine if i want it!! HECK YES I WANT IT!! it was the best news i heard all day, all week even. maybe the best news all month!

as it turned out, the Peters sisters had ordered tickets a year ago, like so many smart people had done, but they had never received their tickets in the mail. they called the company, the company apologized and offered to upgrade their tickets to the 11th row and to give them an extra ticket at half price!!! AHHHH!

BEST DEAL EVER!

the girls mentioned to Dustin they had an extra ticket, thank heavens he didn't want to go and thank my lucky stars that he knew i wanted to go!!

so not only did i get a ticket to Wicked, i got an 11th row ticket at half price!!!

The show was spectacular!! i had forgot how truly breathtaking it is!! when Elphaba sings Defying Gravity, it took my breath away!

BEST SHOW EVER!

next time i have a chance to see it, i'm not wasting time getting my ticket!!

Mr. and Mrs. Olsen!

2011-04-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

Saturday, April 16, 2011 was an exciting day!Brenen Thomas Olsen and Lindsey Renae Despain were married for time and all eternity!

my little brother is a married man!

They are darling and i'm so happy for them!

I'm happy for my brother and so happy to now have a sister!! The almost newlyweds! Taylor and Courtnie are getting married in 5 weeks, my 22 year old and 18 year old brothers getting married 5 weeks apart- who would have thought?

Oh how i love my siblings!! (and my new sisters)!

sorry Court, the dang photographer got in the way and hid you in the picture!

THE HAPPY COUPLE!

SOOO glad my Vegas cousins came to visit!

I love you Linz and Paige!

i'm so glad i got to see you

and even more glad i get to see you soon! :)

my studly brothers!

look how grown up they are!

the cake!

Me and Courtnie, my soon to be sister!

It was a long day, and Dallan had had enough! although, this was his face for most of the day!

It's official...

2011-03-29T23:36:00.001-07:00

I'm going to Brigham Young University!!

i officially accepted the offer to attend on Sunday!

i'm going to BYU in the school psychology program!

i'm going to become a school psychologist!

oh my heck, oh my heck, oh my heck!

it's real now.

for the past year, i've been in the process of applying and getting ready for graduate school, but now it's done. I'M IN!

and now the hard part, actually going back to school!

yikes!

but the good news is- i have a plan for my life and it's looking good!

i've applied to graduate school and i got into a great one!

HOORAY FOR ME!

Utah Trip!

2011-03-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

i feel like that is the title of more of my posts than any other, maybe i just love Utah and never knew it....or maybe i'm Mormon! :)

This past week i went to Idaho and Utah, but since i live in Idaho i don't think that state can really be included in my blog post title.

Anyways...i set off Tuesday night for Rexburg! I was so excited to go to Rexburg, i miss my little college town and couldn't wait to be there again and see all of the changes- and there were a ton!

Upon my arrival, i drove around campus a little just to get a glimpse of the place. There were new buildings, new apartment complexes being built, the new Auditorium!! Hogi Yogi is gone- how can that be? it was such a landmark. Craigos isn't called Craigos anymore- oh the humanity!! Pizza Pie Cafe...not as cool in my opinion. so many things have changed and i have only been gone for a year!

I stayed with my aunt and uncle and got to see Brenen and Lindsey that night, which was great!! on Wednesday, i went to Paul Mitchell to have Lindsey cut my hair! i've always gone to Paul Mitchell and have loved it-especially the Lather Lounge- but having someone you know cut your hair is better! you wouldn't think so, but i guess it's a trust thing! i trust my (almost) sister-in-law to give me amazing hair!! and she did! afterward, i went to see my old roommate- Laura Beth McKeen!! we spent one of the best semesters of my college career together and i haven't seen her in over a year! it's about time we got to be together again! it was a little strange at first because it's been so long but it was just great to see her!! i then went to lunch with Rachel Minor at New Fongs! i don't know what it is about Fongs but i just love it! and Rachel is one of the few people i know who loves it as much as me! we just love those random Chinese places- New Fongs and Mongolian all the way, those are our places! New Fongs was delicious!! i know it's not gourmet by any means but we still love it!! we ate and talked and just had a great time! now hurry home Rachel so we can do the same at Mongolian! i spent the rest of the afternoon walking around campus and seeing all of the new changes- the auditorium is beautiful and those sky walks are cool!! i went to visit my old teachers and bosses at the math lab and had a wonderful time seeing them. i told them all about applying and interviewing for graduate schools and they all had something wonderfully inspiring to say, i got some great peptalks and felt all the more ready for my final 2 grad school inteviews! i saw my dear old roommate Heather Aulick Smith for just a little while while we were both on campus! love that girl!! i spent the next part of my afternoon visiting my old friend Dustin- we have always liked to suprise visit each other- i have done a remarkable job at surprise visits but he hasn't done as remarkable a job because his sister has a big mouth! but lately he's been winning, but not anymore! totally got in a surprise visit- go me! we just sat in his apartment and talked, and then talked while he watched the Jazz game, which was less successful because how many guys do you know who can carry on a conversation and watch sports at the same time? i had dinner with my Riviera roommates Laura and McKenzie!! i love you two! we went and had dinner at Gator Jack's and it felt like old times! i miss those good days! when then randomly ended up at Walmart because McKenzie and I didn't believe Laura when she told us about butt paste...she was right, there is such a thing as butt paste for babies! weird, i know! we also randomly ended up in the easter candy aisle and had to buy some peeps to blow up in the microwave like old times- peeps and some chocolate milk made the rest of our evening! i spent the last part of my day in Rexburg with Brenen and Lindsey, talking wedding stuff and just feeling familial! so excited for my brother and (almost) sister-in-law!!!

Thursday i left Rexburg bright and early to go to Pocatello for a graduate school interview at Idaho State University! the interview went well, i don't think i'm a shoe in but i thought it went well. i wasn't thrilled by the interview by any means and i was quite turned off when everyone i asked about whether they liked Pocatello said, "ummmm..... (silence)" not a good sign! after the interview, i hopped back in the car and drove my butt down to Provo! by some miracle, the best kind of miracle, my best friend Shantal was in Provo that weekend!! she's currently living in Chicago, so what are the chances we would both be in Provo on the same weekend! Thank you Heavenly Father for making that possible, that's the only explanation! we met up at the mall and went shopping and then spent the rest of our afternoon at her brother and sister-in-law's house, helping her nephew with his math homework and playing 5 minutes of about 3 different games! in all honesty, i just love being with my best friend- Shantal Leslie Cropper Moody- I HAVE MISSED YOU!! i spent my night in American Fork with my best friend Shan'tel!! (as a side note- what are the odds that my two best friends have almost the same name?! crazy i know!) we went out to get some food and then went to Walmart to get craft supplies!! :) the thing i love about being with my best friends is it seems like we've never been apart- there's no awkwardness, there's no lenghty pauses because we don't know what to say to each other, we're just still best friends even though time has gone by! that's why we're best friends, Shan'tel/Shantal!! Shan'tel and i picked Andy up from school and then we went back home and made smoothies! and it kind of turned into a disaster! Shan'tel and i should not cook together because we always mess something up- it all started with the cool whip fruit salad of Mother's Weekend 2006? 2007? and continued with the oreo frosting of Utah Visit 2010, and culminated with the leaking smoothie blender of Utah Visit 2011! thankfully Andy is around to save the day!! he saved our rainbow smoothie which turned out pretty well and was a great refreshment while we watched Kid History on youtube! good times Christensens!!

early morning Friday, i drove to Provo for a graduate school interview at BYU and thankfully my last interview!! save the best for last they say, and that was absolutely the case!! i have never really loved Provo and never really wanted to go to BYU, but today i did!! i loved the interview, it was stressfree and pleasant, the faculty were funny and friendly, everyone who interviewed were nice and smart and i loved everything about it!! I REALLY WANT TO GO TO BYU! i've never really been able to say that, but on that day it was true! i sat in that interview and really wanted it to go well- i can't say that for any of my other interviews! i did my best and now just had to wait!! i spent the rest of the afternoon on campus, just walking around and exploring! i went to the Creamery to get ice cream with the Moodys and their niece Katie- yum!! we hung out at the Bookstore, surrounded by Cougars and Jimmer paraphernalia. that night, i hung out with Shan'tel and Andy! Shan'tel took me to this bakery that is decorated in teal- if you know Shan'tel, you know she loves teal!! LOVES!! we went to the Sticky Shoe movie theater that night and saw Tangled- cute movie!!! we spent the rest of our night in craft mode!! we made these crepe paper roses to decorate balls with to hang from her ceiling! it turned out really cute even though i think we were a little retarded while trying to make them...we need some practice because they never looked great. i found out that same night that I WAS ACCEPTED TO BYU!! the same day!! holy excitement! i've never been so excited before! Shannie was excited for me, Andy too, but Shannie was more excited because that means i'd be 20 minutes away!! best news of my life!! i get to live near my best friend again...if i go to BYU! yeah...it's about 99% sure!!

Saturday was full of goodbyes, good bye to the Moodys whom i hope to see this summer! can you say "tax returns"!!?? and good bye to the Christensens, whom i hope to live close to!! goodbye to Utah, hope to see you again real soon!!!

and thanks to Glee albums 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 for entertaining me on my 6 hour drive home!! yeah that's right, made it through all 5 albums!! it was a great trip!!!

p.s. i wish i had pictures from my trip but i didn't take any, bad move on my part!

Washington DC!

2011-02-28T14:54:00.000-08:00

WARNING!

this post contains an exorbitant amount of photographs!

the best way i knew to document my trip to the Nation's capital was with my camera!

and i did :)

Hello Washington DC! It's me, Jesika! the girl who has never been west of Yellowstone National Park- this is my biggest adventure to date! and you showed me a great time! i don't know if i want to live with you, but visiting was a blast!!

My "I'm in DC" picture!

First order of business- graduate school interview at George Washington University! this is an excellent school, and i was quite impressed with the interview, the students and the faculty. the interview went really well and i really loved being on a campus again! i'm excited to be a student again. Although i loved this school, there are two drawbacks- 1) it's RIDICULOUSLY expensive and 2) it's really really far away from home! other than that, i loved the school and really enjoyed my time there!

As a side note, I just received a letter of acceptance today from George Washington University! this school is so prestigious i didn't even think i'd get an interview, but i not only got an interview but i was given a spot in their school counseling program! i am so proud of myself! even if i don't attend, the fact that i got in is HUGE!

Beginning of my sightseeing tour of the District of Columbia!
After my interview on Friday afternoon, i got to spend the rest of my time in DC just being a tourist and seeing all of the sites!
First stop- the Washington Monument!
I got there right before sunset so it looked beautiful! i love this picture! besides the beauty of the sunset, this monument is gigantic and the utter size of it is remarkable! it's a beautiful momument you can see almost everywhere you go in DC!

These are my walking shoes...i'm not big on the practical footwear, and i walked a bagillion miles that weekend in these shoes! what can i say, i love my flats!
I was so lucky to get to stay with Heather Hughes, my dear old roommate, while i was in DC. she's lived there for about 2 years and was nice enough to let me stay and show me some of the sites! i love Heather! i haven't seen her in a year and a half, and i've missed her dearly. She hasn't had the easiest year of her life, so it was good to see her and to remember and relive some of the better times in our lives.
Here we are at the Lincoln Memorial!
Can i just say how much i loved the Lincoln Memorial? It is enchanting at night, so i was so glad we got to see it at night! Lincoln is a very imposing figure at this memorial, and you can just feel the granduer of the things he did and accomplished with his life and during his terms as president! i was so impressed! i loved loved loved this place! I grew kind of fond of Abraham Lincoln on my trip!

The view from the Lincoln Memorial that night was also incredible! The Lincoln Memorial is at one end of the National Mall, so from its steps you can look out on the mall and see the Washington Monument in the middle and the US Capitol on the other end. That night was especially cool because there was a full moon and we looked out and saw this...

This picture DOES NOT do the scene justice, but just know it was incredible!

We met up with Heather's friend Brad and those two crazy kids decided that they wanted to walk home that night. It was a beautiful night, it was windy but it wasn't cold, so we thought it would be a pleasant walk. It was but it was LONG! it was a 3+ miles walk! whew!

but we did see some cool things along the way!

we walked by the Pentagon and stopped to see the Pentagon Memorial. it's a memorial dedicated to all those who died on September 11th either in the Pentagon or the plane that hit it. It was beautiful, but it's incredible how close you can get to the Pentagon! we were about 20 yards from the Pentagon! so close!

The next day was tourist day!

It was a windy day, so most of my pictures of me from that day look like this!

I started off my day on the East side of the Mall! Here's a pic of the US Capitol, wish i could have gone inside, but i only got to see the outside. no doubt there were exciting things going on in this building!

I first went to the place i was most excited to see! i just couldn't wait!

The Library of Congress!

This building has more books than any other library...i didn't see any of them but still the thought is daunting! I would have loved to spend all day at this place. i love books, so i guess i just loved this library! besides being the house of a million books, it is a beautiful building!! just stunning!

I WANT TO GO HERE SOMEDAY! this is the Main Reading Room and it's only for researchers! i only got to look inside. someday i'm going to go inside and read and read for hours!

The Thomas Jefferson Library Exhibit!

Someday i'm going to have a library as coveted as this ones :) ha ha, i can dream can't i?

Next stop on my windy walk...

THE SMITHSONIAN!

The Smithsonian is actually 16 buildings so there is no way that any one person could visit all of them in one day, in one week even. So I had to pick and choose which ones i would tackle in my day on the National Mall.

First stop- The Air and Space Museum

Amelia Earhart's plane!

when i was little i did a report on Amelia Earhart, and i've been fascinated with her ever since.

Wilbur and Orville's bicycle!

The Wright Brothers- Wilbur and Orville- two of the coolest guys on the National Mall!

Next stop- the Museum of Natural History!

This is the elephant in the rotunda of the museum...i guess i just assumed it would be a T-Rex, Night at the Museum can be quite misleading.

This is a coral reef, made exclusively out of yarn. Of all of the cool things to see in this museum, i still think it's odd that this is the thing i found to be the most fascinating!

Last stop on my Smithsonian adventure- The Museum of American History

This is Michelle Obama's dress she wore to the Presidential Inauguration.

These are Dorothy's ruby red slippers!

And who could visit Washington DC without seeing the White House!? You can't get very close to it, for obvious reasons, but i wish i could have taken a tour inside. i saw pictures of the inside but it's not the same. Wonder what Obama is doing right this minute?

Me at the White House!

(some very nice lady took my picture, going on vacation by yourself has the drawback of very few pictures of yourself, because there's no one around to take your picture)

Sunday was my last day in DC! I was planning on going to church and going to see the temple, because we all know the temple is GORGEOUS! but getting there would mean taking the metro on the red line, and that weekend the red line was all sorts of messed up. i didn't want to get stranded somewhere so i opted to spend my Sabbath a different way.

At Arlington National Cemetery

I chose the right!

Tomb of the Unknown Solider! Really cool experience, very neat ceremony, very somber spirit here! it was a great thing to see, full of respect and admiration for those who have sacrificed their life for our country.

Changing of the GuardMe on a beautiful Sunday! the sun was shining, the wind was minimal, it was a gorgeous day to be out walking around the city. although i would not recommend carrying a duffel bag with you as you walk around Arlington National Cemetery. that cemetery has hills and you will be huffing and puffing by the time you get to the top ;)

this is the Metro, just wanted to throw in a picture of my transportation around the District, i think since i mastered the metro i can consider myself a city girl!

The National Archives!!

i could not leave DC without visiting the National Archives

this building houses the Charters of Freedom- the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights!

Most amazing three documents i've seen in my life!

On Sunday, i took the train to Virginia for another graduate school interview and to spend some time with the Tibbitts! here i am on the train, eating my pizza for dinner. i have been avoiding eating carbs and sugars, so i couldn't eat the crust from the pizza, so i ate the toppings off and this is what was left! scrumptous!

My interview at James Madison in Harrisonburg was an hour away from Kayla and Tayler in Charlottesville! They were so kind to put me up for the night and drive me to Harrisonburg for the interview from HECK! i hated the interview, but loved my time with Kayla!! i missed you so much Kay! it was so good to see Tayler again and get to talk with him and Kay! I loved seeing Luke again, he's gotten so big, and although it looks like he doesn't like me he really did! okay, so it took him a while to warm up to me, but i think he finally came around!

and i got to meet baby Eli Wayne Tibbitts!!

I can't believe my friend and old roommate is a mother of two! but she is and she's a wonderful mother! Kay, you've always been a wonderful example to me and now you're teaching me even more! i am so glad that i got to see Kayla! can't wait for you to come to Boise :)

After my time in Virginia, i headed back to DC to say my goodbyes to Heather, who was gracious enough to take me to the airport at 4am! at 6am i was on a plane and on my way home!! i was so excited to go back to Idaho! i loved my time on the East coast, but i have to admit, i'm pretty fond of my West coast!

if you made it through all of that, you're a trooper!

now the only question is,

where to visit next??!!

Apparently....

2011-02-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

I don't blog enough! It's probably true, i've gotten really out of the blogging habit! but to appease my dear friend, I have decided to provide an update for this new year!

Here goes!

At the end of December, my dear dear friend Delilah passed away. She has been my dear friend since i was 15 1/2. She has also been my car for that long too! I got her for Christmas 2002, and she has given me 8 great years of driving! One day after we had just got a ton of snow, Delilah started making a horrible noise. i thought that it sounded like a chunk of ice stuck up in the tire...so i figured, wait a while for the snow to melt and all will be well...but all was not well! The snow melted, the problem didn't go away and then one day she just died. :(

Here she is, the last time i saw her, as she's getting towed to the junk yard

She was such a good car! Dependable, reliable...yet old, worn down and battered, with a whole bunch of character. Thank you Delilah for the good times! Thank you for your broken door handles, broken radio display, broken cruise control, missing hubcap, 20 dents in your body, cracked windshield, cracked dashboard (you get the idea), it was definitely her time to go!

Welcome Bianca!!
buying a car stinks! i was carless for quite a few weeks before i finally found a car for a good deal. She's a 2000 Mazda 626 and has been getting the job done. I think that i am going to call her Bianca, it hasn't settled on her yet, but i think it's going to stick. She's much newer than Delilah, not everything is broken, she has a CD player and air conditioning! it's a dream come true!! i'm so looking forward to driving this summer! i can road trip and not sweat bullets the whole time! hooray! she's a good little car and i think we are going to have some good years together!

Because i had to get a new car ( i should say new-to-me car) i needed to save some money by not paying rent...and so thanks to the generosity of my incredible parents, i have moved home again! i am actually glad to be here and i'm glad that i got to move back. i love getting to be with my brothers and see my family everyday. i love the love and encouragement that only a family member can offer! i'm so lucky i have the family i do!

I think from December 2010 to May 2011 is going to be what i call wedding season. definitely not your typical wedding season, but it's going to be for me! On December 31st, my dear friends Josh and Jessica got married!! HIP HIP HOORAY! i'm so excited for these two! they are my dear friends in Nampa, i have known them since high school and am so glad that i got to be a part of their special day! Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Valencia!

Love you guys!

More weddings! My two brothers are getting married! so there is a lot of wedding talk and business and shopping! i've had some experience with weddings, not my own mind you, but a bagillion of my friends have so i have a lot of ideas so i've been helping out with wedding preparations! Wedding dress shopping is one of my favorites and i got to go with both of my future sister-in-laws! LOVE IT!

Graduate Schools- tis the season for applying! I have applied to 6 schools, now let's hope i get in to at least one!! I have applied to

Now, as of today, I have 3 interviews! One at George Washington, one at James Madison and one at Utah State! The good news is that i am lucky enough that i get to go to both George Washington and James Madison for interviews. This means that i am going to Washington DC and Virginia!! for interviews!! I AM GOING TO THE EAST COAST! i am so excited! I have very charitable neighbors who bought my plane ticket, two wonderful roommates who are letting me stay with them and just enough money of my own to have some fun! I am so excited!! I'm leaving Thursday, so wish me luck!

that will have to do with the update for present! when i get back from DC you'd better believe i'll have a whole bunch of things to blog about!

More Marriage!

2011-01-01T22:12:00.000-08:00

This morning, at 12:15am(ish), technically 1/1/11, my brother Brenen proposed to his girlfriend Lindsey

and she said YES!

that's right, brother #2 is getting married! holy cow! two brothers getting engaged less than a month apart! CRAZY!

Lindsey is from Middleton, is in my grandparent's and aunt and uncle's ward, and they all wanted the two to meet for the longest time. They finally met in Rexburg this semester, and have been dating for about 3 months! and now they're getting married! normally i'd say "you're crazy" but it doesn't seem crazy for them! they're a good match!

it's really exciting though- two engagements, two weddings, two new sisters!

it's going to be an exciting new year!

Marriage!

2010-12-04T22:37:00.000-08:00

my little brother is getting married!!!

oh my heck!

tonight Taylor and Courtnie got engaged!

they have been dating for 2 years so it's not shocking that they're getting married, but it is still! my little brother is getting married! when the heck did he grow up? and when did he become more grown up than me?

while trying to find the answer to this question, i can say that i'm so excited! I love Courtnie and am so excited to be getting a sister! and i'm so happy for Taylor! what an exciting day!

My New Place!

2010-10-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

so September 10th, I moved into a new place. It's taken a while to get some pictures, but today I took some. I thought I would share them with you!

The House!

(my room is the first window upstairs)

The Front Room

The Living Room

The Dining Room

The Kitchen

My Bedroom

forgive the mess on my couch!

I would love to put my creative touch on all surfaces of this house, but my budget is restricting all of that! oh if only i could do everything i want to do! come by and see it sometime! i love having visitors!! now if i could throw all of my favorite roommates over the years into this house, it'd be perfect! love you and miss you my college roommates!! not the same without you!

The Pond???

2010-10-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

Today i spent the day with my extended family and wrote a literary masterpiece ;). My step grandma LaRee is taking an English class at BSU and she has an assignment to write a paper. She decided that she wanted to write about the pond that my Grandpa owns, now refered to as Weber pond (it was never called that when i was growing up, it was just called the pond). LaRee decided though that it would be so great to get all the kids and grandkids to write their memories of the pond for her to include in her paper, or to comprise her paper. So i was asked to write my memories of the pond....uh....hm....if you know me, you can imagine that as a little girl i wasn't dying to spend all of my time at the pond. Honestly, the only times i went to the pond were when we went on motorcycle rides with my dad and uncles and then we threw rocks in the pond and rode back home. not an exciting story, so i chose a memory that is related to the pond. i'm not sure that's what LaRee had in mind but it's what she got. here's the story i came up with- it's kind of ridiculous but i am proud of it regardless. I don't really know what to call it, so here it is

When I was a little girl, my dreams were painted shades of Disney technicolor as most little girls' dreams are. I loved Cinderella and her glass slippers, Sleeping Beauty and her beautiful dresses and Snow White and her fairy tale ending. I knew that I could also be princess enough to have a fairy godmother, a pumpkin carriage and a prince charming to sweep me off my feet. But when I went to my grandma's house, my dreams took on a different light; dreams now filled with magic umbrellas, spoons full of sugary goodness, words too difficult for normal mouths and chimney sweeps that made me believe that rooftops were the most glamorous ballroom ever. My thoughts soared to flying kites and magical street painting portals to other worlds. I forgot those tiaras and lovely princess gowns because if i owned a carpet bag of undefinable dimensions, I could have all of that finery and more. That magical world, housed in one video cassette tape, held more magic to me than any other world could. When I spent time at Grandma's house, I was consumed by that world, an obsession that required the tv and vcr to be solely mine for hours during my visits. A mixture of obsession, charm and stubbornness guaranteed to me a monopoly on that tv, an occurence which my uncle and brother looked on with great disdain. That tv was also their portal to worlds of miniature Italian super heros on secret missions and dangerous hunts for flocks of fowl in Nintendo land. They did not appreciate my fantasies standing in their way. A plan was hatched and a plot was formed for the overthrow of my world. In order to take control, the demise of my video was paramount. In the minds of those boys, they could not merely rid me of access to that video, it needed to be destroyed, decimated from existence. Their plan involved one thing- the pond! Their plan- drop my video into the endless depths of pond water until it was lost forever. Those two took such painstaking efforts to enact a plan, draft a diagram and plan the day and time of the fateful takeover. Although meant to be secretive, a lapse in judgment ruined the secret. Their one mistake was pride in their plan, which led them to brag of their genius, revealing to me their diabolical plan. Telling a girl you wish to take away her favorite thing, regardless of what it is, is an invitiation to war. But to my benefit, the best weapon in their arsenal- brute force. The best weapon in my arsenal- eye fluttering and lip pouting; a girl's best weapons. If there was something to be done to save my world, in addition to my own power, I would need to enlist an ally. And who would strike fear into the hearts of my barbaric uncle and vicious brother better than my grandma. Once I discharged my weapons, my grandma had no choice but to support my cause. With haste, she attacked those boys with an onslaught of conscience and good sense before they had a chance to get anywhere near that precious treasure of mine. My fantasy world was saved by my champion. I had come off victor over my uncle, my brother and the pond that threatened to steal my video. I would forever be free to take carousel rides across the countryside, fly kites up to the highest heights and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to my heart's content.

Today that movie is a symbol of my childhood, the moments in my life when anything I dreamed came true. That video connects me to a woman that shaped my life. That pond today reminds me of the war I won over my brother and uncle and the joy I feel that my fairy tale dreams are warm and safe and dry, instead of at the bottom of Weber pond.

that's it! kind of crazy and kooky, probably slightly dramatic and hardly anything to do with the pond, but i had a blast writing it! those are my memories of the pond! and good ones at that!

UTAH!

2010-08-29T16:18:00.001-07:00

I have had many adventures in Utah this month!! The easiest way to retell all of the SUPER FUN things i did while in Utah is to list it! it's going to be a long list!

WEEK 1

Sunday- arrived in Logan Utah!!

Monday- Slip n' slide with Sam in the rain!

swimming in the stormclouds

saw Becca and met Nicholas

FHE...kind of lame

stirfry dinner, Aggie Ice Cream and movies!

Tuesday- said goodbye to Sam and Logan

drove to Kaysville

met up with Will Smith, my long lost best friend

lunch at Zupas

saw Salt, the movie

remet Gloria, Will's mom

hit Salt Lake traffic during rush hour and construction

arrived in Provo

stayed with Heather and Camron

soccer, New Moon and popcorn

Wednesday- grocery store with Heather

shopping in Provo

went to the MOODYS- puzzle, shopping with Katie and Julia,

pizza and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, puzzle and Toy Story

Thursday- cold shower, breakfast and puzzle

Oquirrh Mountain Temple!

Heather Martin's wedding

old roommates- McKenzie, Kariann and Kelsey!

adventures in the park- trails, forests and bums with white bikes sleeping under trees

Kelsey's and Bride Wars

In N' Out

Reception at Thanksgiving Pointe

arrived in American Fork

stayed with Shan'tel and Andrew

talked late into the night

Friday- slept in!

slowly got ready

went to Shade liquidation sale...lame

picked Shan'tel up from work

Dear Lizzies!

Pizza biscuit dinner

IKEA!

Saturday- headed home!

got super lost

made it home!

THAT WAS A LONG WEEK!

WEEK 2

Friday- drove an awesome New red Jeep to Utah!

met up with Shantal!

went curling (like in the Olympics) at the Olympic Oval

in Kearns with the Moodys and Anthony- good curling!
puzzling

Saturday- Library Booksale

Antelope Island

floating in the Great Salt Lake!

dinner, the Wii and Youtube

Sunday- Church with married people

peanut butter noodles

games, walk, feeding Smart Duck, Grandpa Duck and Teenage Duck

Eclairs!

Facebook stalking with Shantal- good times!

Monday- IKEA

pizza, Boccee ball (kicked butt at Boccee Ball with Aaron)

Enchanted in the park

Tuesday- Park City

Relief Society Enrichment

Pesto!

Wednesday- Anniversary Breakfast...with loud smoke detector like alarm clock

Temple Square

Airport

HOME!

whew! what fun trips!! there are so many more things i could say about all of these adventures...and this post needs some pictures, so here's some of those!

Slip n sliding!!

The Twins!
Meeting Becca and Nicholas!
Heather Aulick Smith!
The Moodys!

Old Roommates!

Mr. and Mrs. Snow Shan'tel and I! Me curling!! SOOO COOL!

Master sweepers!

Antelope Island!

THE GREAT SALT LAKE!

What fun!! i had a reallly awesome time in Utah! thank you to all of my friends that put me up for the night and made my trip so worth it! i love you all, thanks for making my vacation so EPIC!

p.s. as a side note, in the past month I got to see all of my 308 roommates! how lucky am i that i got to see Megs, Kay, Becca and Shanny all in one month!! :) ladies, can we have a roommate reunion before the nursing home please? miss you all, love you all!

Fashion!

2010-08-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

since getting my new hairdo, i have had a new burst of fashion sense! i was in a big rut and i didn't even know! but now i'm all about style!! :)
my new favorite site here, has been terrific inspiration! i have always loved fashion, remember when i wanted to be a designer, well i feel like this lady and i have similar style so i love love love visiting her site!
there is a giveaway going on right now for a new item from downeast basics! can i just say how much i love downeast basics!! i do! i am wanting so many things from there right now, it's a little insane! if only i could win a summer breeze skirt , i would be in heaven!
in need of some fashion advice, visit uberchicforcheap.blogspot.com! you'll be happy you did!

Things i want!

skirt from Downeast

sweater from Downeast

necklace from Anthropologie

tank from American Eagle

must exercise some self restraint....

I DID IT AGAIN!

2010-07-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

I CHOPPED OFF MY HAIR!

12 inches to be exact!

4 years ago, i cut off 7 inches to donate and i have been growing out my hair ever since with the intent to donate it again! and i did it!

my friend Ashlee is in hair school and she cut it for me! did you know when you donate your hair you get a free hair cut?! :) love it! and love the cut! it's short, and it's going to take some time for me to get used to looking in the mirror but i love it!

so far, reactions from others have been positive- i've heard "cute hair", "best haircut on you ever", and "you look sassy"! there's always the "You cut your hair" comment first! it's a drastic change but

I LOVE IT!

My Families!

2010-07-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

this is just for fun!

The Olsen Family!

The Weber Family!

That's a lot of family! :)

Weber Family Reunion

2010-07-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

The first weekend in July was the Weber Family Reunion!

The only way to describe what those three words means, are to tell you this- my mom is a Weber. She is the oldest of 9 children- Joann, Lee, Sandra, Gary, Steve, Dan, Karen, Bruce and Linda. Multiply those 9 kids by an average of 5 children and you get a whole lot of people! This reunion was the first time in a long time that we have had EVERYONE (except one) together. There were 61 people at this reunion! and that's just our immediate family!

Here's a recap of the festivities!

FOURTH OF JULY!

Brenen and Dallan at the Middleton fireworks

Garrett and I at the fireworks!

Taylor and Courtnie

SHOSHONE FALLS AND DIERKES LAKE!

This is the Webers- there are many of us and we eat...all the time! that's the essence of Weber!

CLIFF JUMPING!

The older cousins- Tyler, Taylor, Alesha, Brianne & Erika

Me- cliff falling! I jumped twice! the first time i just went for it, the second time i freaked myself out! but it was way fun! but scary! i'm impressed with myself for actually jumping!

ALBION, IDAHO!

we stayed at an old college in middle of nowhere Albion, Idaho! the place is now called Campus Grove. when we drove in, the buildings were boarded up and we were worried, but it turned out to be beautiful! (i recommend it for anyone having a family reunion)! Every family got their own room, there was a huge kitchen and dining area, a game room in the upper loft, a pool, hot tub, horseshoes, volleyball, and tons of grass to keep 61 people very happy!

Webers at the campfire! the building in the back is the one we stayed in!

The Olsen siblings!

The whole gang- minus Lee and Tysen!

SWIMMING!

the kids loved this water slide! the older kids didn't because it hurt when you hit the botttom!

the pool was FREEZING! but we braved the cold anyways!

time out from swimming...

Emma gave me a manicure and pedicure! This little 4 year old is a doll, and my best little friend! she painted my nails, cuticles and surrounding fingertips a beautiful lilac purple! she was so focused on her work, it was so cute! i love Emma lou!

MINUTE TO WIN IT!

my mom and i organized a Weber family Minute to Win It Night! like the TV show! We had so many fun games i can't even name them all! Here Dalan is trying to get a cookie from his forehead to his mouth! So funny!

Brenen, Grandpa, Linda and Bruce are trying to knock down waterbottles with baseballs in the nylons on their heads! Grandpa just started knocking them over with his feet ;)

COUSIN LOVE!

Alesha, Taylor, Brianne, Brad, and Tyler

CITY OF ROCKS!

on our way home, we stopped at City of Rocks and picniced and rock climbed!

My Family!

Brenen, Taylor, Me, Dad, Mom, Dallan and Garrett

that's just a taste of the Reunion of all reunions! We had a great time, great food, great family! it was so wonderful to be with the whole Weber family! it was great to see all the cousins and all the aunts and uncles! i love my family!

Sara Bareilles - King of Anything

2010-06-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite song!! I can't get over it! A few of my friends and I have been singing and/or humming this song for weeks straight! I love Sara Bareilles! Don't you!?

Do you care?

2010-06-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to show people that you care about them! I've been thinking about this because 1) i've been making all sorts of new friends, 2) i've tried to keep in touch with all of my old friends, 3) i've heard more than one tirade about how technology is ruining our communication and interpersonal skills, to which i agree, just not as vehemently as others do! The other day i came across this list online, of ways to show people you care about them without spending money or going through elaborate charades- just those simple gestures that have always been the real way we show admiration and affection! Try one today, will you?
Here's the list:
1. Give money you can spare to someone who needs it and then pretend you never had it.
2. Let someone tell a story without feeling the need to one-up them or tell your own.
3. Let someone vent, even if you can't offer a solution, just be an ear without considering how well they listened to you last week.
4. Help someone who is struggling with difficult feelings by admitting you've felt the same thing without considering whether they'd be as open with you.
5. Ask, "What can i do to help you today?" and then let it go after following through.
6. Tell someone how you feel about them, even if it makes you feel vulnerable, just to let them know they are loved and not alone.
7.Apologize when you've acted selfishly, even if you don't like feeling wrong, because it will remind the other person that they deserve to be treated with respect.
8. Let someone else educate you, even if you're tempted to stay close-minded, because you value their knowledge and appreciate their willingness to share it.
9. Forgive someone who wronged you because you have compassion for them, not because you know they'll owe you one afterward.
10. Hold someone's hand when they feel vulnerable to let them know you haven't judged them.
11. Give your full attention to the person in front of you when you're tempted to let your thoughts wander to show them their words are valuable.
12. Assume the best when you're tempted to suspect someone for no valid reason- even if they haven't always given you the benefit of the doubt.
13. Accompany someone to an appointment or drive them to an interview when they need support just to help them feel strong.
14. Change your plans for someone you love if yours weren't too important without questioning whether they would do the same for you.
15. Teach someone how to do something without taking a superior position because they've likely taught you many things, whether they were obvious or not.
16. Leave a thoughtful comment on someone's blog, not to build your readership but rather to show them that they affected you.
17. Tell someone you believe in their potential, even if they haven't always shown you the same support.
18. Say no when it would make you feel good to say yes, because sometimes being kind means pushing someone to step up and try harder.
19. Tell someone you know they meant well instead of using mistakes as an opportunity to manipulate their guilt.
20. ....How do you give just to show you care?
http://tinybuddha.com/blog/20-ways-to-give-without-expectations/

Remembering...

2010-06-13T22:41:00.000-07:00

Carol Forsberg Weber

my grandma, a mother, a wife, a woman people named their children after, a girl who hung up on a boy, who was trying to ask her out, because he was asking too many dumb questions, a Ricks college alumni, the woman who thought that women should wear dresses to show that they were ladies, a woman who wanted to sock her annoying roommate in the face, a favorite to all boys under the age of 5, a woman who knew how to follow the Spirit, who fell in love with Raymond and mistakenly thought she wasn't good enough for him, a woman who mothered 9 of her own children and was a light to so many more, whose favorite color was pink, who helped me make cookies, always sent me home with a treat, a woman who called me beautiful when i was 14 and i didn't believe it unless she was the one who said it, a woman i strive to emulate

i have been wanting to do this for quite some time, but today i finally sat down with my grandma's life story and read through her entries. she is the woman that i try and model my life after, a woman i can only hope to be, and at this time in my life when i'm trying to decide the next big step...i knew that i needed to learn from my grandma and remember her example. The entries i read today are mostly from her years at Ricks College, which i absolutely loved reading! I felt that i related to her experiences so much more after having gone there myself- it was remarkable! the more that i read, the more i realized how similar i am to her!

Example #1- when Carol was at college, this annoying boy called her up to ask her to go to a dance. he just kept talking and asking her dumb questions, and she had just been heading out the door to go to class. He was absolutely wasting her time and she had no interest in going out with him, so she hung up the phone and went to class! when i read that story to my mom, she said "That sounds like you!" and it absolutely does! I see my grandma as this amazing woman, but even she could turn down a boy and feel completely and entirely guilt free afterwards!

Example #2- when Carol was at college, she had a roommate that drove her absolutely bonkers! this girl was so emotional, rude, selfish and all around annoying! this roommate had made dinner one night, and Carol had not liked it so she hadn't eaten very much, to which her roommate freaked out! Carol wanted to punch her right in her lousy face, but didn't, even though she really wanted to! Oh my heck, this almost exactly same thing happened with me and a very unsavory roommate of mine! and i didn't sock her in the face either!

Example #3- she loved Ricks College and i loved BYU-Idaho! i think you can say that's the same thing!

Example #4- Carol was in charge of the finances for her apartment (which is nothing like me, people shouldn't put me in charge of money), so she bought the groceries for her apartment every week. One day, while going grocery shopping, she says, "Went to go buy groceries and bought some new high heeled shoes too"! Love it, wouldn't and haven't i done the exact same thing!? Every time i would go to Walmart in Rexburg, i'd become distracted by the Payless shoes right next door! maybe my urge to shop is genetic!

Example #5- Carol's first semester was filled with wonderful roommates! They would stay up late at night doing all sorts of things college girls do when they should be sleeping! My favorite is the entry when she said they came home and made fudge and stayed up until 1:30! How often can i say the same thing? Can you say fudge nuggets ladies!?

These are just little stories that mean the world to me because maybe it means that if i can be so similar to her in these ways, maybe there's still hope for me to someday be the woman that she was! My grandma died right before my 16th birthday, and as her oldest grandchild, I remember her the most, but I don't remember everything. I wish that all of those moments were written down, so i could keep reading them, keep remembering them, i wish that there were pages and pages more to read. maybe then i could figure out how she became the woman she is, so maybe, i could carry on that legacy, her legacy- a woman so revered by those who knew her, and so admired for her service and love, that she was spoken of as near perfection at the end of her life. I don't know how to accomplish such a task, but i know she's the woman i love and the kind of woman i want to be like someday

THE SOCK!

2010-06-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

My very dear best friend Shan'tel is visiting tonight, and i could not be happier! we realized that it's been a year since we have seen each other- A YEAR! that is too long for best friends not to see each other! We had a good night talking and reminiscing, good girl talk, while Andy sat their and read a book! Thanks Andy, for letting us two girls talk and for being a good sport while we did! You're an awesome guy for bringing my best friend to see me AND letting us talk all night!

While we were talking, we got on the heated topic of The Sock! There is a big story behind The Sock! When Shanny and i were roommates in Carriage House, we had our own washer and dryer in our apartment, which is a very nice feature! (I recommend it to all college students, unless you're a big fan of quarters!) With your own washer and dryer, you get rid of those annoying inconveniences like not having enough quarters, sitting around waiting to change the loads, walking up and down stairs and outside in the snow, losing clothes, you know all those obnoxious features of a laundromat. Our in-home laundromat afforded us many conveniences and even some extras! On more than one occasion, we found bonus clothes in our dryer-underwear and socks to name a few! No one would ever claim the extra clothes... so they usually ended up in someone's drawer, and when that person discovered the article of clothing they passed it along to someone else's drawer, only to continue the game of pass the unclaimed sock to all the roommates! Shan'tel and i were some of the main players in this game, and we passed around a white and gray sock, this white and gray sock!

We have been playing this game for quite a few years! As you can see, this is Shan'tel's sock! but for some reason, she won't keep it! ;) We have been passing around this sock ever since then! Every time that we see each other, this sock seems to change hands! It's a little game that probably will not end until one of us dies! The last time I had it was a year ago in April- I had the sock when i went to go visit Shan'tel before her wedding. I was dang sneaky and hid that sock in her room someplace i knew she wouldn't look until she cleaned out her room before her wedding! Sure enough, she didn't find it until after i left! The next time i saw it was her wedding day! Aunt Jessica was given the task of getting that nasty sock back to me, but she failed royally! I found it soon after it was passed back to me...which gave me opportunity to pass it right back, stuffed in someone's wedding gift! Thankfully i haven't seen it for a year! And then last week, Shan'tel broke the rules and mailed me the blasted sock! YOU'RE A RULE BREAKER! The rule has always been that you have to change the sock in person! The only reason i'm letting it slide is because you came to see me! and the only reason that i didn't pass it back to you was because i needed a picture of it for this post...and because i'm a good friend, and because i have kind of missed it! but don't get me wrong, you will get that sock back soon Shan'tel Christensen!

morale of this story- love the sock, love Shan'tel, love when Shan'tel has the sock!

HALLELUJAH!

2010-05-27T15:56:00.001-07:00

MY CREDIT CARD IS OFFICIALLY PAID OFF!! I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THIS DAY FOR QUITE A WHILE AND NOW I HAVE A ZERO BALANCE! HOORAY! AND HALLELUJAH!

Financial freedom is something that i have always struggled with, and paying for school has been an added burden, but with my credit card paid off, i have one more loan to repay and then i will be debt free! when i clicked that button for my last payment today, it was a wonderful feeling! who knew that seeing the number zero could be so entirely gratifying! i count this as a HUGE accomplishment. granted, i'm super broke still but i'm almost out of the hole! now the goal would be to never be in the hole again...probably won't happen if i go back to school! oh well, short successes!

OH MY!

2010-05-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

Teaching is an adventure! Today had some really good moments though-

1. I can not help myself from sharing this...i was cleaning up papers from the tables after the kids left for the period and i found this note and i just have to share it! it's so ridiculous!

Dear friend,

You may or may not believe this but i get away with being bad because i'm a vampire. you won't believe it cause you think they aren't real but they are.

Sincerely,

Anne

i honestly could not stop laughing! this girl really thinks she's a vampire! what is this world coming too?? maybe i'll get a paper cut in front of her and see what happens! :)

2- we have been talking about symbolism for the past couple of days and the other day we talked about symbolism in music. we talked about some songs lyrics and one of the songs was Drops of Jupiter by Train! I have literally had that song stuck in my head for the past week. Today i showed them a video from youtube with the lyrics so they could hear the music and see the lyrics...one class ate it up! they were being so awesome that when they requested that i play Fireflies for them, i couldn't resist. Two boys went up to the front of the room and started interpretive dancing to the song right in the middle of class and it was AWESOME! i so wished at that moment that i had a video camera! it was so hilarious! two 6th grade boys twirling around in slow circles while "the earth moves slowly"! PRICELESS!!

A Due Reward!

2010-05-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

I love long term subbing- do not get me wrong- but these kids at the end of the school year are out of control!! I love them, (most of them), but these kids are giving me the run around! It's a hard balance between caring what they do and just running out of patience to care what they do! The teacher i am subbing for is on maternity leave and she will be retiring from teaching to be a stay-at-home mom! because of this, she has boxes in her room so that she can come and pack things up! This week, because i'm so nice and because i had run out of patience, I let this boy named Matt build a fort with them! He's been wanting to all week and I got tired of saying no- and dang was it so cute to see this 6th grader doing his spelling packet in a cardboard box fort! I wish i had taken a picture! I know i probably shouldn't have let him do it, but i didn't care at that point!

i figure that i deserve a reward if i can make it through these last 2 weeks of school! i think that i more than deserve this-

i love it and want it and frankly, i'm going to get it before school is over! maybe i should have enough self-control to wait but i don't!

there is also something else that i am dying to own, but i don't know that there is anything i can go through to feel that i deserve this as a reward...it's $200, but it would be well worth it!

all of the seasons of Lost compiled so conveniently in one boxed set! if i really rationalize, i tell myself that buying all the seasons separately would be much more expensive- 6 seasons x $40 per season= $240! so $200 is a steal! ;) okay, maybe not, but i'm starting to save my money!!

as a side note...

TOMORROW IS THE SERIES FINALE OF LOST!

i have mixed emotions about the whole thing- i became a Lost fan my junior year of college! i had few friends and a non-existent social life and a good internet connection, all which lead me to watching seasons 1-5 on my down time (and when i should be doing homework, and when i should be studying, and when i should be doing a whole slue of other things) and i fell in love! I watched Lost so much that i started dreaming about meeting Jack Shepard on an island, and flying on airplanes and sitting next to Kate Austen! I LOVE LOST! i am so excited to see if all of my questions will be answered tomorrow, i kind of think they won't, but i can not wait to watch the series finale (i'll be watching it Monday, so don't bother me on Monday!)

but then it will be over, and then what will we talk about through late night texts Betsy! well...we'll just have to watch it over from the beginning, that way i can still get my Lost kick every week!

Comfort!

2010-05-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

When you have a really crappy day, a day like today, what do you reach for?? I personally look for one of two things- clothes or food! :) Today was a mostly crappy day! I have been long term subbing for a 6th grade class and mostly they are good kids! but this one class had given me the run around and today i got so mad that i left the class!! ;) okay i just stepped out of the class but still! so today i needed some comfort food! i took a jaunt to good ol McD's and got myself a crispy chicken honey mustard snack wrap! oh yum! i don't know why but i freaking love those snack wraps! and then another drive down the street to the sno cone shack for a strawberries n' cream sno cone! :) and those two things together make for my mid day snack and a little pick me up!

What do you grab for when you have had a crappy day!?

(not to make you focus on the crap of a day, but the comfort afterwards!)

Wishing I had something to say...

2010-05-16T21:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since i've posted and that's because i have nothing to say! You know how when you write words down and send them out into the universe, or the world we call the internet, you want them to be witty and clever and the first thing that everyone you know wants to read... I don't have any of those words today! but i have some words, however less than profound they may be- i can guarantee that they will be almost completely and utterly incoherent!

Life is hard, but life is great right?! how can it be both at the same time? I don't know, but it's one of those things i've been thinking about. how can we be happy when so many things are crumbling down around us? how do we find the strength and the will power to get out of bed every morning, especially on the days we don't want to!? Why do we do half the things that we do?

I guess that lately i've fallen into a rut and i've been thinking a lot about why i do the things i do. i haven't been doing the things i want to do and i haven't been the person i want to be, at least not every day. I want to be someone who inspires others, and who makes a difference, but i haven't felt that lately! But i walk out in the sunshine, or hear an amazing song, or get a text or call from a friend i've been dying to talk to! or savor a delicious candy bar of perfectly mixed chocolate, caramel and peanuts all melted to the perfect state and it not only tastes good but makes all my worries melt away! Those are good things! Those make a good day!

but what about all the bad things? people not getting along, disappointment, grief, pain, loneliness, confusion and fear! what do we do with that? what do we do- we move forward! why do we do that, why don't we just let ourselves wallow in self-pity, why do we even try to pick ourselves back up and try again? i guess there's a million reasons why, but i know we do! we pick ourselves back up and we try again, and we try more and we try harder and we just try!

President Monson can say it better than me,

"Our responsibility is to rise from mediocrity to competence, from failure to achievement. Our task is to become our best selves. One of God's greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final."

wishing i had something to say, probably more appropriate is...i wish i had something concrete to say! i don't know what i'm trying to say! i guess, life doesn't always make sense but even so it's good! i see people with problems all around me and i want to fix them but we can't always fix them. We want to find just the right words to make everything okay but we can't, we want to say and do the right thing but there's isn't such a thing. we want to be ourselves but always be better! we change our minds from day to day, week to week- we change, we grow, we progress and we always live in a state of contentment and anxiousness for the next stage. We live today and plan for tomorrow! and we think about yesterday!

we write a blog post and hope by the end of it we've said something profound, and if we haven't, we hope people don't think we're crazy and have lost our marbles! because sometimes the only thing we can do is write and let what comes, come

and we wake up tomorrow and try to make sense of it all...and hopefully we figure out more than we did today!

A New Adventure!

2010-04-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

Well some of you know, but for those of you who do not, I am starting a new adventure! 4 months ago I graduated from college and was really excited about what was coming next. i had no idea what that was, but i was excited about whatever was coming next. Things started off pretty rocky, but things have been quite good lately! I got a job that i liked, and started a calling that has been going well!

And now, things are changing! which makes life an adventure!

here's what makes life an adventure- work, school, church!

WORK! I have really liked substitute teaching and it has been a great thing for me. I've learned that i really like being in the classroom and teaching those kids, however crazy they might be! which has helped me to decide that i am going to go back to school for math education. right now, it seems like the right thing for me! i still want to do school psychology, but it may be a few years until that happens. but...unfortunately, i'm out of a job come June, so i have to find something to do for the summer- lame! so i have to figure that out right now

SCHOOL! although i think i have decided to do math education, i am in the process of figuring out how i'm going to do it. i applied to Utah State and Boise State and have been accepted to both, and although i'm pretty sure that i will be going to BSU there are still some other options that i'm thinking about and i'm not sure which one to do- ugh! and i need to figure that out in the very near future!

but the main reason that life is a new adventure...

CHURCH! A few months ago, I was called to be the 2nd counselor in my singles ward Relief Society presidency, which was a really great thing for me! it helped me feel like i had a purpose here in Nampa, for however long i was here. Well, it appears that i will be in Nampa for long than anticipated!

because yesterday i was set apart as the Relief Society president in my singles ward!!! WOW, right?! I KNOW! i am feeling so many things about this new calling- anxious, excited, nervous, humble, grateful, overwhelmed! so many things! I am excited about the chance that i have to serve the Lord and serve the sisters in my ward, but i know it's going to be a lot of work and responsibility! i already feel that responsibility!! i've been thinking a lot for the past 2 weeks about relief society, the Savior and His characteristics, love, leadership, divine nature, belonging, i've been studying like crazy! I want so much to get this right, to do what the Lord would have me do in this calling, i just hope that i can!! this is kind of a big deal to me! when i graduated, from the talks that were given and graduation speeches, i felt that i had had the opportunity to learn at BYU-I and now i was to take that knowledge and go serve! well i now know that the Lord wants me to serve in Nampa Idaho! not where i thought that i would be after graduation, but i think that helps me know that this is where the Lord wants me! if it was what i planned on, He'd make me go somewhere else, or at least it always seems like that! but i'm here, in Nampa, and ready to give this Relief Society President thing a try!! "Be of good cheer and get to work" were the wise words of my bishop, so here i go!

These are some of the weightier things i've been thinking about lately! but i am so excited to get to testify of womanhood and the blessings of Relief Society! So that's what i'm going to do!

"I worry that some of you feel you don’t fit in Relief Society, that you don’t belong! Whether you feel too young or too old, too rich or too poor, too intelligent or too undereducated, none of us is too different to belong! If I could have my heart’s desire, it would be that every one of you feel like you fit, like you belong. I testify that you do fit, that you do belong to Relief Society—the Good Shepherd’s fold for women."

Bonnie D. Parkin, “Belonging Is Our Sacred Birthright,” Ensign, Nov 2004, 106–8

Input needed...

2010-04-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

I found a pattern for this dress online!! two words- IN LOVE! i have decided that once Joann's has a great sale (one weeks time) and once i finish my other projects currently in the works, i am making this dress!!!

this is how it looked when the designer made it!

i need some input! what color or pattern do you think would look best?? i really really really like the light grey and olive green! i'm half tempted to do the same, but i'm also feeling some multi colored floral or something! but that's where you come in! Please let me know what you think i should do!

Next order of business...
remember when my hair looked like this- (all my life up to 2006)

and i cut it to look like this??- (Spring 2006)

well it looks like this now... (Present)

and i very much want to cut it like this... (Summer 2010?)

although i would be a brunette, not a blonde! (and don't judge me on these horrible pictures...they're horrid, i know!)

i've been wanting to do this for a while now, so maybe it's time! i've been planning on donating my hair and i think it's the 10 inches it needs to be!! what do you think?? should i go for it....again!??!!?!

these are just some of the things that i've been thinking about lately!!
anticipate a post in the near future about the weightier things i've been thinking about....

Birthday and Craft Update!!

2010-03-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

Yes I am going to put those two things together! Yes i blew out all of the candles! and Yes this post is going to be awesome! Today is my 23rd birthday- hooray for me! Today has been a great day thanks to family, friends and just the fact that it is my birthday! :) i highly anticipate that tomorrow might be the worst day of this year because in the past i always have a super bad day sometime around my birthday, i guess the best day has to be followed with a not so good day, BUT today is my birthday and i am going to enjoy it! I had a nice day with my family, relaxed at home and got a ton of wonderful birthday wishes from a ton of dear dear friends! I have a strange goal of getting the same number of birthday comments on Facebook as my age (not that there's anything i can do about it but it's fun nonetheless) and thanks to my wonderful friends, i more than met that goal! It's a good day! we had Italian chicken for my birthday dinner, chocolate heaven cake and ice cream for dessert and watched the Blindside! it really was a good day! i didn't go out on the town or frequent any bars but i did have a great b-day! complete with some superb presents! Because of my recent craft obsession, a lot of the things that i asked for are craft related but really my presents are a random hodge podge of awesomeness that anyone would die for!

1)Diploma Frame

at the age of 23, Yes i have graduated from college! YEAH! i am super glad that i have accomplished this task by this time in my life! it is a big thing! so i have a diploma, so i needed something to put it in! i do have a diploma cover but then you can't actually see that important piece of paper, but now with a frame, you can!

2)Scents Burner

although i wanted a Scentsy burner, i will take the off brand scents burner! it's cute and it gives off a lovely scent, so it will do- i'll keep it!

3)Windshield Wonder

when we watch TV at home, there are more than enough cheesy infomercials on and my brothers and i either make fun of them or totally want whatever they are selling. ones we make fun of- pop can Bottle Toppers, Bump its, Big Top cupcakes, Smooth Away, ones we love and totally want- Windshield Wonder, Bump its :)
so my dear brother Taylor got me a windshield wonder for my birthday! naturally he wants to use it for his car too, but he also cleaned my windshield- and it was so fast and easy, only with the Windshield Wonder!!

4)Picture Frames

i will always have a love for pictures frames! i'm not sure what i'm going to put in them yet, but i'll find something! i found the gold one today and i actually think i'm going to paint it black or if i'm feeling crazy, maybe a turquoise or a red! I smell a craft project!

5)Fabric!

as i mentioned, i found another purse pattern that i want to try out! this bag doesn't take a lot of fabric, so i got these two fabrics for pretty cheap! i also got a gift card to Joanns so that i can get some more fabric to fuel my creative side! i wonder how long this craft obsession is going to last...

6)Tool Set

okay, i know that this is totally random and seems totally not like me, BUT while i was at school, there was more than one occasion when i, or someone i knew, would need a screwdriver or a hammer so i always thought that i should get a tool kit! and of course i wanted a girly one! these tools are pink- LOVE IT! i know that my brothers won't touch them so now if i ever need to fix something, which probably won't happen until i live away from my 4 men and handy mom but the day will come!

7)Food Chopper

this will also come in handy when i have my own house and my own kitchen and cook for myself again, but at the very least, i am slowly but surely getting myself some nice kitchen stuff!

8)clothes!!

i really don't need any more clothes but i sure want some more! i got this nice skirt and some other things...but there are a few other things that i have found that i want...so i'm going to be going on a shopping trip soon!

9)NEW MOON!

last year for my birthday i got TWILIGHT! and lucky me, this year NEW MOON came out 6 days before my birthday so that completes my current Twilight series DVD collection! until Eclipse comes out! i know that it's cliche to love Twilight, but i do and i don't care that i'm excited to get New Moon for my birthday! and i'm going to really love making my brothers watch it! ha ha ha ha (evil laugh)!

10)New Journal!

i got this present for myself! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! i love journals and even though i have just barely started on my next one and have another blank one, i really love this one (the pink one on the top) and it has been promoted to next on the list!

And for my craft update...this week for our Relief Society activity, we made the temple plaques! i made this one and i think that it turned out pretty well, i'm not sure that i like the ribbon to hang with, so i just tied it but i could always change it if need be!

I have also almost finished this bag! I'm not quite finished and i'm going to add some embellishments to it to spice it up, but all in all, i think i like it! :)

There's something in the air...

2010-03-20T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what it is but i am feeling awfully crafty lately! I'm sure it started when i got my sewing machine for Christmas, and it has just escalated from there! I love this sewing machine- not only is it easy to use but it has so many cool gadgets! my absolute favorite part- automatic bobbin threader! i always hate threading the bobbin (the thread underneath) on my mom's machine, but mine does it for you, no sweat! LOVE IT! not to mention there are tons of neat stitches and thread cutters all over the place! because of this new toy, i've been finding all sorts of things that i want to make! combine my new sewing hobby with my old scrapbooking love...and you've got a lot of projects on the brain!

1)i found this bag online and it is at the top of my "things to make list"! it's just cute and easy and if i'm brave enough, i'm going to try my own twist!

2) i'm really loving this! i don't know what i'm going to do with it yet, but i just want to make it! maybe a memory book or birthday gift for someone special!! we'll see what and if this materializes!

3) we are making this for our relief society activity this coming week! the supplies are all gathered, everything is almost all set and i'm excited to see how they turn out!!

4)this bag is a work in progress right now, the first one Simply Legendary! my neighbor Betsy gave me the pattern and i have the fabric cut out and everything ready to go...but i have not gotten the fleece yet, so this project is on hold! hopefully one of these days i remember to pick some up! mine will have a turquoise and brown paisley fabric on the front and a brown fabric for the lining and straps, and i'm thinking of putting either felt or organza flowers on the front...we'll see!

5)i have aspirations to do this to one of my shirts, but i'm not yet sure how i will go about doing it...i would need to find another shirt to match or go out and buy two new ones, so i've yet to decide which i will do!
Needless to say there are a lot of things that i'm thinking of doing and i'm having trouble deciding which i'd like to do first! i don't know what i'm going to do with all of these crafty thing floating around in my mind, but i think the best idea is just to get started!

The sun is shining...

2010-03-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

the tank is clean!!! ha ha ha, i just naturally put those two phrases together, and i forever will! But don't you just love it?! i know i do! Thanks Peach for that great catch phrase!

The reason for this Finding Nemo reference is because today the sun was shining and life feels so good today! I think that the sun being out has a lot to do with the brightness of this day, that and wearing a spring dress to church! It was just a really great day! Today i realized that life is so great! Right now, I have a calling that i love, a job that i love, a family that i love, friends that i love, and what more is there to ask for! a month ago, i could not say anything close to what i'm saying today- ONE MONTH! that's 30 days, but that one month was February so it was even less! it amazes me how quickly things can turn around, and how quickly they have turned around! One month ago, i had a job that i hated, no purpose in life, nothing that really motivated me to get out of bed for, and now things are looking up! I can see things a lot more clearly and am happy with what i see! The tank is truly clean!

Today i am reminded of two quotes that i really love and i'm going to share them with you! I gave one of them in my lesson and another i have been searching for and finally found!

"When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities."

Ezra Taft Benson, “The Great Commandment—Love the Lord,” Ensign, May 1988, 4

“When you are filled with the Spirit of God, … that [Spirit] satisfies and fills up every longing of the human heart, and fills up every vacuum."

Eliza R. Snow (Woman’s Exponent, Sept. 15, 1873, 62)

Shan'tel, this is the quote that i was asking you about a while back! And you will never guess where i found it? I count this as a tender mercy- I have been looking for this quote and looking and looking and couldn't find it anywhere. This was in January when i first came home and also the same time that i was rereading my old journals- i really wanted to find this quote, and just when i had given up, i got to the part in my journal where i had copied it down almost 3 years ago! i'm so glad that i did write it down so that i could find it again at a time when i needed it! just some things i've been thinking- things work out! i don't know why we ever doubt because i know we all have a testimony that the Lord will make things work out! They aren't perfect by any means, but right now, i'm happy with the view from this sunshine filled, spic and span little fishbowl i call life!

p.s. i just had to add this because it makes me happy! hope it makes you happy too! i only like 0:45 through 1:45 though! My favorite lines in the whole movie are in this clip, which if you know me, you know i say on a regular basis- "The sun is shining, the tank is clean" and "CURSE YOU AQUA SCUM!"

Substitute Teaching- Day One!

2010-02-27T14:31:00.001-08:00

Friday was my first day as a substitute teacher, and i have to say that it went pretty well! Things were not perfect by any means, and I surely have some pros and cons about the whole experience, BUT i survived and got some good stories out of it! I subbed for a science teacher at the middle school who teaches 6th and 7th graders, and as a substitute i let them ask me some questions so they could learn a little about me...i love the things they came up with! Here's my list of

THINGS EVERY MIDDLE SCHOOLER WANTS TO KNOW

Are you related to the Olsen twins?

Are you married?

Are you seeing someone?

Is your boyfriend blonde?

Are you Mexican?

Do you have any kids?

Do you like kids?

What's the most exciting thing you've EVER done?

What's your phone number?

What's your first name? (I told them it was Ms.)

Are we friends?

Do you like me?

Do you like like me?

Basically, i left at the end of the day with a 100+ kids thinking i was the older sister to Mary-kate and Ashley, my parents were very unoriginal when they named me, and with 15 twelve year old boys with crushes on me! I'd say all in all, it was a good day!

surveys!! :)

2010-02-24T20:34:00.000-08:00

some of you might not know this about me, but i really like taking surveys! i don't know why, it's a weird thing to like, maybe it's the psychologist in me coming out; i used to do it all the time but it's been quite some time! well it's time for another survey!!

There are two things that I need some info on:

- how often do you carry a purse with you when you go out???

less than 25%

25% to 50%

50% to 75%

more than 75%

- (this is more for my own curiosity) when was the last time that you wrote in your journal?? do you even have a journal??

i have been working on catching up on my journal, which is pretty much the only thing that i ever do when i write in my journal!! but the good news is that i am only 7 months behind! not bad considering! i've always been a big journal writer, it really helps me process my thoughts and decipher my feelings and it's an incredible emotional outlet! my posterity will probably be reeling with how ridiculous i sound...but it is what it is! it's my life and it's going to be written down in all of it's (probably embellished) glory!

Talk about a curveball!!

2010-02-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

Well! Life has thrown me a massive curveball! All i can say is, the Lord does work in mysterious ways! This week has been so crazy- on Sunday, i was set apart as the second counselor in the Relief Society presidency of my singles ward, which will be amazing and for which i am so grateful for! I was writing a post the other day about how grateful i am for this calling, which i am, but also about how i now feel like my life is starting to take shape and how things are starting to fall into place...well i won't be posting that post, because things have come crashing down! I am still grateful for my calling and i am excited for the opportunity to worry about and serve others instead of worrying about myself, but I now also know that the Lord is absolutely in control and that He's got a plan for me that i'm not quite aware of yet!

As of Tuesday of this week, I am unemployed again! I went into work and we all came to the understanding that I am not a good fit for their company and i agreed that this company is not a good fit for me! so under mutual agreement, i hightailed it out of there, never to return to the crap shoot that was my first post graduation job...and from hereafter, never to be referred to again! Done. It. Never. Happened.

Also this week, I was let go from a friendship! My dear friend that i have become so fond of and have come to rely on throughout these difficult months in my life, informed me over facebook :

Jesika,
I've been pondering a significant amount these past several weeks and I regret to inform you that I don't think you're a good fit for our friendship. You've tried your best but I don't think you quite make the cut.
My condolences,
Samantha

;)

As if nothing else were working in my life and i failed at a friendship! and i thought things were going so well! so the morale of the story- i am failing at life! I can't keep a job, or a friend, and now i don't know what to do! I don't really have any marketable skills, i don't even know what i want to do and nothing is working out the way that i thought it would!

BUT... as i was sitting there, listening to some poor business managers, tell me that i was not fit for their poorly run company, i knew at that moment that this was absolutely part of the plan that Heavenly Father is putting into motion for me! this is not going to be an easy time in my life, this i know! i'm going to have to dig deep and figure out who i am and what i want out of life and what the Lord wants me to do! At least i know that this is all going to work out, it's not working out at all how i would like, but the Lord is going to fit all of the discombobulated pieces together, and i hope i don't do anything stupid to mess it up!

Here's what i do know:

This was NOT the job for me, and Heavenly Father offered a way out so that i can find that better job He has for me somewhere else!

The Lord is absolutely in charge, and he might take me a on a wild goose chase and throw me some fast balls and some less than ideal curveballs, just to make sure that i'm still going to follow Him on this chase full of sports metaphors that i don't understand!

This calling has shown me that i am right where the Lord wants me. i never wanted to graduate from college and go back home to live with my parents in a town that has almost no potential for me, but i'm here, and even though it's not where i saw myself, it's where the Lord wants me and that is enough for now!

I've got a family, a roof over my head, and food on the table, so for now, I'm okay! i might not have a job, money, solid plans for my future, a boyfriend, or tons of friends to hang out with, but they'll come...whenever the Lord wants to send them to me!

and in the meantime, i'll be practicing my batting swing!

Blast from the Past!

2010-01-24T21:18:00.000-08:00

i've been doing a lot of soul searching lately because i'm kind of lost right now in my life! i've just completed a major milestone in my life and i'm trying to figure out what this next stage will bring! in my search, i've been doing a lot of looking at my past and trying to compare who i was then to who i am now and who i want to be in the future! this has lead me to find some really amazing gems of my past! this video is one such example! during my sophomore year at BYU-Idaho, i had the BEST roommates a girl could ask for! we were all so close and they are still my best friends to this day! Shanny, Kay, Becca and Megs- i love you!! i love this video because it reminds me of all of the good times that we had, but really, how much fun we did have! Everyday was a party and i loved every minute! Today i have been missing those times, thanks to many memory texts from Becca today :) and some other conversations i've had this past week, i'm remembering the good times and hoping for more!!

this video is just a brief glimpse of the fond memories i have in 308!

some of my favorite things from this video are:

Shan'tel's sweatpants that say, "You can't afford me" which she took a permanent marker to so that they read "You can afford me"!

Our winter lights in the background!

Shan'tel belting out "EGGGGSSSS"!

OUR HICK ACCENTS!

Kayla's laugh in the background!

Megs riding in on her horse! and her karate cartwheel!

and let's be honest- Becca's excellence as a director!

Above is Part 1 and below is Part 2 of this skit!

oh...how i love these friends! my life is forever better because I know you!

there are so many more videos i wish to post but i might crash my computer trying to put them all on! we had too many good times and i'm so glad that we documented so many!

i love you Megan, Kayla, Shan'tel and Becca!

this one's for you!

p.s. this last video is just a bonus! because i remember how much fun we had this night! and i'm missing our brothers like nobody's business! There is little i can say to make this video make sense- i have only three things to say, 1) John, 2) the Pope, 3) the KKK! :) Listen to those laughs!

To...

2010-01-19T13:30:00.000-08:00

My Dear Friend Heather Hughes!

(pictured in the middle)

Today i found out that your father died, and today i have been thinking of you! You have known that this is coming for a while now- your dad had cancer and it came back again. But you were selfless and wanted him to go quickly so that he wouldn't suffer anymore!

How lucky we are that we have the Gospel and know that he is not gone, how lucky you are to have the Spirit and the peace that it has brought you in these last couple of months

and will continue to bring you!

How loved you are, by me and so many others-

your family, your friends and your Father in Heaven.

How blessed I am to know you! You are such a strong woman, and i admire you! i have always admired your close relationship with your Heavenly Father. When you pray, I know that He hears you because you know that He hears you! How blessed I was to be your roommate and to be your forever friend! From talking muffins and prodigal bamboo, to late night talks in my room, to sobbing fests in your room, to trips and adventures, to moving and moving on! You have been the truest friend to me these 4 years, and even though our paths have gone different directions, we are still friends!

You are going through a hard time right now, but you will get through with flying colors! because you have already showed me the strength that you have, because you know that

" death isn't as horrible as I thought it would be. It's really quite easy with the spirit."

You are so amazing! Only a strong, independent, humble person like you could feel that way! You help me realize that life is hard, but so good! I have my father with me, and my mom and my four brothers! I have a loving family and a nice house to live in. I have food and water and a job to go to. I am happy and healthy! and i have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life! and you have showed me that life is worth every minute that we have! I'm so glad that i have you in my life and i wish i could be there with you now!

but know that i love you dearly and am praying for you!

2010...

2010-01-10T20:23:00.000-08:00

is off to a less than ideal start! here i am, a college graduate...living at home, unemployed and all of my future plans have come unraveled! so what is one to do?? a wise friend told me "write down things you are grateful for everyday and that will give you hope"! (or something like that) and Sam, you could not be more right! so at the end of my drab week and the beginning of a new, here is my list of wonderful things in my wonderful life!

BLANKETS!

my parents keep our home at a colder temperature than i did as a college student who didn't have to pay utilities! so because of that, we have blankets all over the house! we are always curled up in blankets, if we were not fashion conscious we would all own snuggies, but i think i can speak for all of us when i say, i would not be caught dead in a snuggie!

MY NEW LAPTOP!

this was the best graduation present! i am so glad that i don't have to use my grandpa laptop anymore! wireless internet is the best thing ever! at least with nothing else working in my life, i can always count on my laptop to come through for me! now if only i had some money to get her a new laptop skin...

A HOME TO LIVE IN!

quite honestly, i am glad that i am not homeless right now! my parents are kind enough to let me live at home until i figure out what i'm doing, which considering how much neither of us want it, is a huge thing to be grateful for! even when we were talking about me going back to school locally, they said that i could live here! never thought i would hear those words! that is how i know my parents love me...the fact that they haven't kicked me out yet!

MY BOYS!

as perhaps lame as it might sound, i am so glad that i have my little brothers! these guys are the only guys that i want to hang out with! this weekend, my parents went away for a night and i hung out with them! we had pizza and watched movies and did whatever we wanted and it was wonderful! Yes, i like hanging out with my 11, 14 and 17 year old brothers!

MY FRIENDS!

i have like zero friends in Nampa, but i do have some other places out there in the world! there are too many to name but all of you have been more than encouraging to me over the past couple of months! those of you who know me well know that i love school and the thought of finishing college was unnerving! but with all of your help, i feel that i can do this, i can make this transition and i can succeed! you all have such hope in me and it makes me almost believe it about myself! so thank you!

BABYSITTING!

Betsy, this may come as a shock, but i love babysitting your kids! ;) the other day I was holding Max and he got sleepy and fell asleep in my arms for a few minutes! it was at that moment that i realized that i REALLY want a baby and a family, and although i might not have it right now, when i always thought and hoped that i would, i will someday! and when that day comes, i will have beautiful babies like the one asleep in my arms and that's what i'm preparing for! and Heavenly Father must know that i need more preparation! but He also sends me a little girl to sit on my lap during church to tide me over in the meantime!

FAITH!

i don't know all the answers, heck, i don't know any answers! in the past week, i have found what i thought was a great job, turned down the job, questioned my whole career path, changed my whole career choice, gave up on a career, bawled my eyes out, hit half way to rock bottom and wanted to give up. and then i rerealized that if i have faith, everything will work out! i have no idea how, but i know the Lord does and that will have to be enough for now!

i'm sure that there will be many more times i need to make a list like this because i am nowhere close to being out of the woods for this trial... but i haven't hit rock bottom until i have to put that i'm grateful for guys that wear socks with their sandals on my thankful list! when that happens, know that i'm officially insane! until then, i'm thankful!

Graduation!

2009-12-21T21:01:00.000-08:00

Well, i did it! On Friday and Saturday, I graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho! with a Bachelor's degree in psychology! It's such a surreal feeling, 4 and 1/2 years of college over and done! These college years have gone so fast, i can hardly believe it!

Friday, December 18, 2009 was a crazy day! i had to take the last two finals of my college career, run around campus to get graduation tickets and all before that night when i had my convocation with the Education and Human Development college- they read my name and i walked across the stage to get my diploma (cover)! and of course got to wear this most stylish outfit!

All of my family was able to come for my graduation! i was so happy to have them there with me on this big day! My parents, my brothers, both sets of grandparents and my dear aunt and uncle from Rexburg all came to support me and i was so glad!

Saturday, December 19, 2009 was the Commencement ceremony for all of the Fall 2009 graduates- there were 1270+ graduates! We lined up in the Fieldhouse and as we walked through the halls to the auditorium, our teachers lined the halls and clapped for us as we walked down the hall! It was such a cool experience because these teachers know my name and know me and really did care about me and my accomplishment! It was a really cool experience and I was so glad that i was able to go to this school and have this experience!

Graduation was a really great experience- there were excellent speakers and wonderful words of wisdom and a real feeling of accomplishment! It was a wonderful end to my hard working 4 and 1/2 years of college! President Clarke spake, Elder Johnson of the Seventy and Elder Richard G. Scott! (When his speech is posted on line, i will post my favorite parts!)

It was a wonderful weekend- i still don't feel old enough, wise enough or mature enough to be a college graduate but so it is! I'm sad that this stage has come to an end, it has been a wonderful time of my life, but i'm also excited for this next stage! There are so wonderful things to come...and i'll just have to wait and see what it is!

A Post!

2009-11-08T19:29:00.000-08:00

I haven't written on my blog in the longest time, so i decided that i should at least post something since it has been so long, it might seem like i don't have a life! and sometimes i wonder the same thing! I have been deep into my last semester at BYU-I so i have only had that as my life! Most days i go from 9 or 10 until 6 or 7 nonstop!! thankfully after midterms, things have slowed down a little bit, but midterms just mean that the semester is coming to a quick end! i almost can't believe that i am graduating in December! i have to remind myself everyday, else i will probably not get anything done that i need to!

i'm in a stage right now where i am having to make some new goals for my life because i have achieved as many of my current goals as i can! New goals....anybody got any ideas!? I'm making a list of things that i want to do with my life and this is what i have so far-

Make a better Philo T. Farnsworth museum in Rigby, Idaho

Go to the Logan Temple and do baptisms for the dead

Take a cake decorating class

Go to graduate school

Graduate from college - check!

Pay off my school debt

Get married

Have kids

Go to a temple session in every temple in the United States

Be in the temple with all of my family

Buy a new car

Drive a convertible

Make a quilt

Read all of Jane Austen's books

(these are not necessarily in any kind of order!)

Go to see a Broadway play in New York

that's all i've got so far! if anyone has any ideas of great goals to have in life, let me know! i need some direction!

July 2009!

2009-08-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

July has been the best month of the whole entire summer!

Why you ask?

Because my brother Brenen came home from his mission!

July 24th was the day! He has been on his mission in Paraguay for 2 years and now he is home! That day was one of the longest of my life- it's like waiting for Christmas, but even more exciting! He was supposed to get in at 6:30 Friday night but one of his flights was delayed and he didn't end up getting into Boise until 9:30 that night! Talk about anxious!

Here we are at the airport, so excited for our brother to come home! we are excited, even if it doesn't exactly look like that!

My parents were so excited! They were the most excited, but they were trying to play it cool!

Here he is! Elder Olsen, home at last! We couldn't believe that it was him! After two years, we thought he looked like a completely different person- he talked funny, and looked different, but in actuality, i think we were just in shock, because within 24 hours he looked and talked normal and completely like himself! He was just as much in shock as we were, all he could say was "oh my goodness!" i can't imagine what it would be like coming home after serving a mission for 2 years of your life!

The Olsen family is back together! I love this picture of all of the boys! I love my boys! We were so excited to have our whole family back together for the first time in over 2 years! What an exciting day- it really was better than Christmas! I was so happy, i just smiled all day!

What a sight! A whole slue of pre and post missionaries! and a great bunch of men! I am so proud of all of these great men in my life!

We picked up his luggage- (only 2 suitcases for two years, i don't know how that's possible)- and then got in the car and went home! that was it, that was all it took! He's home now and i'm so glad to have him home! i love my brother!

You're It!

2009-08-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Rebecca Wood Andersen- you keep me blogging! I have been told, on more than one occasion in the last month, that i don't update my blog enough! my response- i blog when i have time and something important to report! so now i have time and something to report, so get ready for a long blog post! Becca tagged me in this questionnaire and so i will entertain you all with my answers...i hope!

What is your current obsession? my current obsession is probably watching Psych! my family just went on vacation and spent 15 + hours in the car, all of which were spent watching season 3 of Psych! i suggest that everyone watch it, you'll love it! "Gus, don't be a gooey chocolate chip cookie" "That's some bad ju ju mc gumbo!" :) just watch it and see!

What do you hate (or dislike) the most that everyone else seems to love? Monopoly, i just don't have a desire to ever play that game and i've promised myself that i never will. i have no reason for hating it, i have just chose to dislike it!

What are you wearing today? my fav pair of jeans, a hot pink shade shirt and a ponytail! my excuse- we drove home all day today, i didn't get ready and had no reason to!

What's for dinner? we had Papa John's pizza, i chose pepperoni and chicken! pepperoni is the best!

What would you eat for your last meal? i love Italian Chicken! it's the best dish that i make, as well as the easiest! but it's jus my favorite thing- chicken and pasta! yummy!

What was the last thing you bought? a book- The Time Traveler's Wife

What are you listening to right now? Joshua Radin, but that's who not what

What do you think of the person who tagged you? Becca is such an amazing woman! I am so stinking jealous of her because she's smart and beautiful, has an awesome husband and is having a beatiful son, she's always trying to be and do her best and she most often succeeds!

If you could have a house fully paid for and totally furnished anywhere in the world, where would it be? Somewhere green and not too hot, maybe somewhere like Maine or Oregon! actually, i would love a house on the coast, so either the northwest or northeast!

If you could go anywhere for the next hour, where would it be? I really want to go to Utah and see Shan'tel! i really want to see her and her new apartment and just spend the night talking like we used to! i miss you Shanny!

What is one of your hobbies? I love to read-it really doesn't matter what it is, i just love having a book in my hand and a story to read!

What are three things that annoy you most? 1- people who have to be the center of attention and have to be in the spotlight, 2-people who aren't flexible and have to always be right, 3- people who don't do what they say they will or what they are responsible for

What is your favorite color? blue, not entirely original, but nonetheless my favorite

What is your favorite item of clothing in your wardrobe? i have a lot of clothes so it's hard to choose...Practical? jeans, i love a comfy pair of jeans Impractical? my red velvet high heels

What are you going to do after this? go to bed

What is your favorite fruit? either strawberries or bananas! or both together!

What inspires you? the chance to be better, to make a difference, to have a full life and be an inspiration to someone else

Who was the last person you kissed? no one, i have never been kissed and never kissed anyone!

What are you currently reading? The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

What delighted you the most today? hearing my family laugh and enjoy being together, all 7 of us back together!

I tag:
Megan
Shan'tel
Kayla
BreighAn

Shan'tel and Andrew Christensen's Wedding!

2009-06-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, I went down to Utah for the wedding of my best friend Shan'tel! She and I were each other's first roommates in college; wound up together randomly, shared a room for a year and were roommates for two and were destined to be the best friends ever! She and I have been best friends ever since and I was so excited to go down to American Fork for her wedding!

Shan'tel Nelson married Andrew Christensen in the Mt. Timpanogos Temple! They have known each other for 2 years and now are man and wife. I was so excited for her- i almost cried i was so happy for her!

Shan'tel and I have been through a lot together and we always say that we go through the same things at the same time! She is now a little bit ahead of me, being married and all, but I could not be happier about her beating me! Andy is an awesome guy and I throughly approve! Now that I approve and they are married, my job is done!

They got married in the morning and then we spent the afternoon at their luncheon- which was delicious! Then the bride and groom favored as all with a rendition of Dueling Banjos! Shan'tel played the banjo and Andrew played the guitar! It was amazing! Their children are going to be musical prodigies! :)

That evening was the reception at the Alpine Arts Center! It was beautiful! There were roses and teal everywhere! Shan'tel's favorite color is teal so all of the wedding party wore teal! It was so wonderful to see all of the people who came to support the happy couple and to hear everyone talk so highly of them both! It was said over and over that these two are a perfect match!

This is the bouquet toss and I totally caught the bouquet! I've never wanted to catch a bouquet so much in my life, but it was my best friend's bouquet after all!

This is the groom and his dad! Andrew Christensen is a great guy and I am so glad that he found my best friend and fell in love with her! They will be so happy!

The day was a success- Shan'tel got married to the love of her life, the weather was wonderful, the rain stopped all day and didn't start again until that night, the food was good, the cake didn't fall, all of the technology worked, and the only thing that went wrong was that the roses froze in the fridge and they had to be reworked that day, but all in all it was an amazing day and Mr. and Mrs. Christensen rode away into the sunset!

I was so excited to see my best friend married! I wish her every happiness in the world and am so glad that she was sealed for time and all eternity to the man of her dreams!

Sno Cone!

2009-05-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday i had my first sno cone of the summer! Need i say more...

My Fate This Summer

2009-05-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I have spent the past 4 summers of my life being a hostess at the Olive Garden- "When you're here, you're family"- I personally think that nothing could be farther from the truth, do you really want to be treated like family when you go out to eat! My fate this summer lies in having to work there AGAIN! i did not want to ever go back to Olive Garden, 4 summers was enough for me, but with a horrible economy and really no job experience and no degree, I was having a next to impossible time finding anything else. So here I am, my 5th summer at Olive Garden, and counting down the days until I never have to work there again!

Now it's not all bad, granted- they have great breadsticks, but people, I never get to taste those breadsticks unless i pay for them just like you (and *spoiler alert*- they come out of a box)! There are some perks to the job, and a lot of cons- here's my lists and reasons for my feelings toward Olive Garden
1) the first question out of everyone's mouth when they hear i work at the OG is "you must get tons of free food?" and the answer is a resounding NO! those people are so stingy, maybe that's why they are so profitable, but in exchange you get hungry employees!
2) you meet all kinds of people when you work at a restaurant, everybody's got to eat so you see all kinds! i enjoy the personal study of people that the Olive Garden environment affords, so at least that keeps my mind occupied! other than that, i've never been so bored in my life when i am assigned to greet, which is code for "be a glorified door stop and try not to feel like a robot when you say the same five phrases over and over again-"Hi, how many today, how was everything, thanks for coming in, have a great night"!
3) i do admit, that i get a thrill from the power that i hold as a hostess! this is ridiculous, i know but let me explain the thrill- every summer i start at the bottom of the hostess totempole, because of that people assume that i don't know what i'm doing, within a week they know that i know what's going on and not to mess with me, and then i try my best to work my way to the top of the totempole within the month! the top of the totempole allows me to be "Lead", which means i get to stand around and tell people what to do! i never thought that i would let power go to my head, but somehow it does! there is also a wonderful thrill knowing that you rule the restaurant even if nobody really knows it!
4) the only reasons i find myself going back to Olive Garden is 1) that they let me come back for the summer, 2) i don't have to work Sundays, and 3) i know that i can reasonably handle 4 months of the place before i go insane! i do have some friends there and i do enjoy it some days, but my final resolve is that i will never, after this summer, be going back to Olive Garden, unless it is to sit down and eat like a normal person, or as normal as possible, working in a restaurant ruins you to eating in restuarants because you know the inner workings and you know what's going on and you overanalyze a situation that should be relaxing and worryfree!
There are so many stories i could tell and more i could vent about, but for now, know that I am wasting away my summer days in a commercialized faux-italian restaurant, hungry because while you are coming in to eat, i'm working and so wishing i could have one of your breadsticks!

End of Winter Semester!

2009-04-18T15:54:00.001-07:00

This semester has been one of the best! i loved loved loved loved loved my roommates! I was so glad that i stayed in Riviera so that i could meet and know these girls- Kariann, Lexi, Laura and Kenzie! we ended the semester off with a bang, complete with finals, cleaning, packing, picture taking and a midnight trip to Dennys! Most of us extended the goodbyes because we all went down to Utah for the break, but then again most of Rexburg went down to Utah for the break! It was so fun to hang out on campus with nothing to do, while everyone else ran around stressed out with school work! and now i am home, and glad to be here with my family, but missing you girls tons! All i can say is i loved this semester and i love you! thanks for making it a great semester number 8!

I also must have spent the semester doing enough homework and studying because I pulled through with A's! (and one A- but that one should have been an A too, but i won't get into that)! Whew, that's a load off of my mind! Another semester accomplished- 8 down, 1 to go! ....and then 3 more years after that! woot!

2009-03-31T23:17:00.000-07:00

I am now officially 22! Of course, it doesn't feel much different than 21, but it does feel older! I'm hoping that 22 is going to be a good year, i anticipate that it will- Brenen comes home, i'm graduating from college and hopefully getting a life! We'll see, only time will tell! More details coming on the festivities... cause right now i need to be writing essays for finals!

4 MONTHS!

2009-03-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

Today is the day!! This day means that Brenen has been on his mission for 20 months, and that he has 4, read it, 4 more months on his mission! I am so excited for him to come home! He has been an amazing missionary in Paraguay, and I am so proud of him! But boy am i excited for him to come home! 4 MORE MONTHS!

The Rexburg Temple!

2009-02-09T20:09:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is the one year anniversary of the Rexburg Temple! Can you believe that it's been one whole year since the dedication of our temple? I was recounting the open house and dedication with a friend of mine, and he asked me if i had gone to the open house- i had to confess that i had gone 4 times! I remembered how excited i was to go into the House of the Lord, i couldn't stay away! I haven't been able to go back very often because it's so packe and busy! But i am making a new goal to go back more often!

The thing that affected me most about the dedication last February, was the emphasis on President Woodruff's prophecy of this valley:

"Be not disheaertened; be not discouraged, because God's blessing is upon this land. It will be only a little time before there will be prosperous and happy settlements of Latter-day Saints here. You feel that you have gone away from your friends, and you are almost out of the world, but it will be only a short time when you will have a meeting house, and a school house, and all of the facilities here that you had at home before you came here. God will bless and multiply the land! The Spirit of the Lord rests mightily upon me and I feel to bless you in the name of Jesus Christ. I promise you that the climate will be moderated for your good. I can see these great sagebrush prairies, as far as the eye can reach, turned into fertile fields. I bless the land that it shall yield forth in its strength. Flowers and trees and fine homes shall grace this great valley from one end to the other. Schools and colleges of higher learning shall be built to serve you that you may learn the mysteries of God’s great universe. I see churches and meetinghouses dotting the landscape, where the God of

Israel

may be worshiped in spirit and in truth. Yes, and as I look into the future of this great valley I can see temples—I can see beautiful temples"

I'm so glad that this revelation has come to past, and that i have been around to see it happen! I love to see the temple and I'm so grateful it's sitting up on the hill!

25 Random Things

2009-02-08T22:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my dear Becca, who tagged me, I am going to spend some much need sleep time coming up with random facts about me...excitement!

Here we go...

1) I can not keep a secret worth beans! well, an exciting secret! It's probably one of my biggest faults and i try to hide it oh-so-well, but let's face it, if you tell me something exciting, i'm going to want to tell people, unless i am explicitly told not to! but i'm sure not good at secret keeping!

2) I am teaching a math class on campus! part-time, once a week

3) My brother is coming home from his mission in 5 1/2 months! I am so freaking excited that i'm having dreams about him coming home! He doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be my best friend!

4) I LOVE SHOES! AND CLOTHES! i have more than enough clothes to last me at least a month without doing my laundry, and probably shoes to go with it!

5) I cried when my mom came home and told me that my youngest sibling was going to be a boy! I already had 3 brothers and wanted a sister, but i wouldn't trade my Dally Wally for anything!

6) My hair is my secret pride! Honestly, i have great hair! it's not straight and it's not curly but it can do both! it's amazing! and it's a lovely chocolate brown! I also hate it when people tell me i have black hair, cause i dont!

7) Today my best friend Shantal and i were making biscuits at the same time, AND the same kind of biscuits!! IT'S AMAZING! i know this because i called her as i was making biscuits and she answered while she was making biscuits!

8) My wise words of wisdom usually consist of these phrases- It's not a big deal, don't worry about it, things will work out!

9) I have a new found love of waffles! i make them at least once a week and love them with peanut butter, bananas and tons of syrup!

10) I don't know how i ended up at BYU-Idaho, and i don't know how i ended up as a psychology major, but i did and i am!

11) I rarely if ever sleep under my covers! I don't like being restricted and i don't like making my bed so i sleep on top of the covers with a blanket!

12) I put exclamation points at the end of almost every sentence!!!!!!

13) I am a devout stadium singer!

14) I think the brain is fascinating! and i like math! and i like school! i'm a nerd, i know!

15) I am having Rock Band withdrawals! i'm an awesome guitarist!

16) I am a horrible decision maker, at least when it comes to what i want! i know what i don't want, but i have to use that info to narrow down my options to what i do in fact want!

17) Today is my one month anniversary of knowing Laura McKeen!

18) I am competitive when it comes to two things- academics and bowling!

19) I am my mother's daughter! Apparently we are identical! even though we don't see it!

20) I hit the snooze button every morning for at least an hour!

21) I LOVE WINTER! i love the snow, and i like cold weather, i hate being hot, so Rexburg is an awesome place!

22) i like throwing parties! i like being the hostess of parties! i like people coming over for parties! i love parties!

23) I like polka dots! i used to hate them, my mom would try to get me to buy things with polka dots on them and i refused because i hated polka dots and i swore that i would never like polks dots...yeah, i like polka dots!

24) i may be lactose intolerant, sucky!

25) i don't like to capitalize my i's!

Thoughts...

2009-01-23T00:16:00.000-08:00

“The Saints should always remember that God sees not as man sees; that he does not willingly afflict his children, and that if he requires them to endure present privation and trial, it is that they may escape greater tribulations which would otherwise inevitably overtake them. If He deprives them of any present blessing, it is that he may bestow upon them greater and more glorious ones by-and-by.” ~ Elder George Q. Cannon

“Jesus labored. Jesus loved. Jesus served. Jesus testified. What finer example could we strive to emulate? Let us begin now, this very night, to do so. Cast off forever will be the old self and with it defeat, despair, doubt and disbelief. To a newness of life we come- a life of faith, hope, courage and joy. No task looms too large; no responsibility weighs too heavily; no duty is a burden. All things become possible.” ~ President Thomas S. Monson

A NEW SEMESTER!

2009-01-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

This is semester #8 at BYU-Idaho and i can hardly believe that i have been here for so long! I don't tend to notice it until my roommates remind me that they are 18 and have been here 2 weeks and i'm 21 and have been here for years already! I'm excited for this semester though- it's going to be one of the busiest yet! i'm full time, taking 14 credits- i'm taking 2 psychology classes; Sensation and Perception & Psychological Assessment, and 3 minor classes- Parenting, Foundations of Early Childhood Education and Fundamentals of Scripture Study! On top of that, i'm working in the math lab tutoring Statistics, plus working as a TA doing one-on-one tutoring for Algebra, plus tutoring two middle school kids from Rexburg, whose Mom has accosted me multiple times to help them, and on top of all of that, I was asked to teach a Pre-Algebra class a couple of times this semester! So that leaves a little room for homework and sleep, the gym and a social life, but mostly the word is BUSY! I'm excited though for what this semester will bring! i've got one semester left after this so i'm just trying to enjoy the time that i have left here! LET THE SEMESTER BEGIN!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-19T13:01:00.000-08:00

The Olsen Family at Christmas (minus Brenen)

Brenen spending a Christmas in Paraguay!

MY FAMILY!

2008-11-25T16:53:00.001-08:00

I'm home for Thanksgiving and so grateful for my family today! Aren't we good looking? I'm so glad to have four super cute boys totally in love with me, that's right- FOUR! and the best mom and dad in the world! I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Ping Pong Table!

2008-11-25T15:23:00.000-08:00

This summer, my family got a ping pong table! We had so much fun with it, and now that i'm home i have access to our pics! let me just say- Around the World is the best ping pong game ever!

Becca begging me to blog!

2008-11-25T15:18:00.000-08:00

I wanted to keep with the B theme of my blogs! let's see how long i can keep that up! Well Becca, you can now see my blog, but remember, i don't know how to blog and you promised to help me...so this is me asking for some blogging help! HELP! my blog is boring and needs a serious makeover!

Blogging

2008-09-30T00:05:00.000-07:00

As a smart and knowledgeable college student, I like to think that I know some things, but let's face it, i know nothing about blogging, that's why i haven't done it in forever, and that's why no one will probably ever see this blog! Regardless, i am determined to figure out something cool about blogs sometime in the near future! As of now it's 1 o'clock in the morning and of course i have class tomorrow, i will have to leave conquering the world of blogging for another time! Until then...

Truly yours,

Jesika

Beginning of Blogging

2008-06-12T23:33:00.000-07:00

Well, thanks to Kate and Maggie for getting me into the world of blogging! Yes, that's right, my 8 and 10 year old little girls got me a blog! I haven't a clue what i'm doing, but i am 21 and i do go to college so this should essentially be a piece of cake! I am home, alone, and instead of going to bed, my dear friend Brian got me looking at my horribly pathetic blog! so here, at least now, there will be some sort of post! til later, when i have more time and um...a life...
Truly yours,
Jesika Lee Olsen

2008-04-30T20:17:00.000-07:00

This is me at Wicked! woo hoo, i love Wicked!