Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Happiness

PHOTOGRAPHER WANTED:

2011-02-13T16:28:00.002-07:00

So I am kinda doing something crazy.. I'm applying for The Mormon Bachelor!

I think it will be a fun experience and help me meet people outside of my regular circle.
They are filming the next season in Provo starting in (Aug?).
Anyways I would like to have a new head shot and the magic of a really great photographer to help me look like a good candidate :)

Please let me know if you or a friend would be willing to help me out!

Love you all!

Blessings in Disguise

2011-01-24T22:46:00.002-07:00

So car crashes suck and are a really bad headache, but when its all said and done...
Its really nice to cross this off my 'wish' list! I've wanted a crossover for a while now and I LOVE the Honda CRV.

This is my new baby! (Not this exact one, it's just a picture of the same year/make/model from Google Images.)

2011 is starting to look up.. I look back at old "Life Plan's" that I've drawn up, and am amazed to see how many of my goals I have been able to accomplish. It is by God's good graces that I live the wonderful life that I do, and I just have to remind myself that this really is His plan. It is up to me to align my goals with His, and to remember that by doing this I'll become the person that He wants me to be.

Lots more on the schedule for this year 2011---
Run at least a 10K.
Possibly another pageant- if I haven't miraculously ended up with a man by then.
Continue with dance classes at Center Stage.
Graduate from BYUI with a BSN in December.
Finally apply for Air Force Reserve.
Go to Tennessee, Alaska, and go on another dive trip somewhere.
Pay off everything but my car and student loans by the end of the year.
Do Baptisms at least once a month.
Have a successful Volunteer Week and officially form my foundation.

And 2012?---
AF Training
Finish Exercise Science degree from BYU
Go to Italy with mom
..that's all so far.

<3 Kaitlin

3rd Annual Volunteer Week News Article

2010-12-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_ba1da1bd-24a5-52b4-a15d-9cc115c4e508.html

Filling My Time

2010-12-21T15:34:00.006-07:00

First experience with Royal Icing, its harder to use than I thought! They are faceless because I ran out of energy :)

My hutch! And some of my glass collection. This has been doubled, maybe tripled by my visits to DI and Hobby Lobby!

I made some really cute Oreo suckers for my work family :)
(Stick the 'Skinny Sticks' into the Oreo, paint oreo's with melted white chocolate and place on wax paper. Sprinkle with sprinkles, drizzle with melted milk chocolate, top with nuts or whatever you like and then place in little plastic bags and use a cute ribbon. So easy!)

This is where I found the idea.. (How Does She... blog is on my blog list, check it out!)

My mom got this frame for $10 at Home Depot because the glass was cracked, its a huge, beautiful frame! (46x24)

I painted it a brilliant blue color (phone pictures don't do it justice!) and will 'antique' it when its dried. This is going to be a chalkboard magnet board so I just bought some magnet board for less than $10 (Home Depot) and painted it with chalkboard paint. I made some really cute magnets with old bottle caps too! I'll post a finished product :)

Predictions

2010-12-07T18:28:00.004-07:00

Predictions for TOP 15 Contestants at Miss America 2011

Wisconsin

Washington

Virginia

Utah

South Dakota

Ohio

New York

Massachusetts

Louisiana

Kansas

Idaho

Hawaii

Delaware

Colorado

California

See for yourself-- http://www.missamerica.org/videocontest/

:D So excited!!

Chicago!!!

2010-11-13T19:44:00.008-07:00

Some highlights from Chicago:

Great graffiti

Great shopping

Lincoln Park Zoo

Navy Pier
Ferris wheel, big funny noodles..

Lots of public transit

Amazing food
Thai food in Wicker Park

Deep-dish Chicago-style four cheese and pesto pizza from Pizzeria Uno. Seriously the best pizza I've ever had in my entire life.

Oreo deliciousness and an incredible veggie burger from Bandera.

Beautiful buildings

Save the World or Your Money Back!

2010-11-08T18:37:00.003-07:00

So I am writing this post to encourage all of you to help
TIPPING BUCKET
win the Pepsi Refresh Grant to help further their efforts to fund projects that do a social good.

"We are a social venture that's redefining traditional deep-pocket philanthropy, busting it open for all who want to make the world a better place—not just the wealthy and powerful."

They are currently ranked #32 which is awesome for such a new venture, but we want to be #1!

Please help out by voting and spreading the word..
Go to their website and follow the link to vote on Facebook, Pepsi, or text your vote!
Thanks guys :D

Gardner Village is like my crack cocaine..

2010-10-30T13:16:00.002-06:00

My most recent relapse included the purchase of this GORGEOUS antique hutch for my future house. I wish you could see the details up close but my camera died and all I had was my moms phone camera..
I think I could furnish a small house, or, as my mom hinted ever so subtly, a StOrAgE UnIt.

These pictures don't even truly capture the color of it.

I fall in love quite often when I walk through those stores.

Funny thing about mountains..you climb one just to find the base of the next one.

2010-10-27T22:13:00.003-06:00

Sooo.. I got accepted into BYU-I's RN to BSN program and start in January.
This is a good thing, it really is, but the last thing I want to do right now is go back to school. And by last- I mean LAST.

I.
Am.
So.
Sick.
Of.
School.

Ugh.
At least its only three semesters right?
Semester 1- Old Testament 1
Professional Communications (Hoping my English 2010 credit counts for this)
Math for Real World (Hoping to test out of this)
Science Foundations
Pathophysiology
Professional Seminar (BSN)
Community Nursing

Semester 2- Old Testament 2
Statistics
The American Epidemic
Art/Propaganda in 20th Century
Nursing Research
Vertical Escrow Credits (No idea what that means)
Advanced Med Surg

Semester 3- Family Foundations
The Heroic Journey
Natural Disasters
Foundations Capstone
Physical Assessment
Nursing Leadership

December=GRADUATION!
Then I can finally be an Air Force Nurse!!

{She packed up her potential, and all she had learned, grabbed a cute pair of shoes, and headed out to change a few things.}

2010-10-23T14:07:00.010-06:00

I found several of these cards by Leigh Standley in some little shop a while back and have been in love with her art ever since. They decorate my room and I think I may be one of her best customers--

You'll be in love too when you read all of these :D
Order them from Curly Girl Design here.

Uh--this post has no purpose.

2010-10-20T19:58:00.003-06:00

So this is a painting hanging up at the American Fork City Building- notice the truck at the bottom- "Parduhn" is my moms maiden name! The famous Star Flour Mill in AF was started byd my great grandpa (his brother started the one in Lehi). Just our little claim to fame :)

I also volunteered to be on the Retention Committee at work so me and Taryn get to decorate the bulletin board! This is a start: Owls and Pumpkins- a little different spin off of the classic 'Turkey made of handprints" theme.

Blech.

2010-10-16T13:10:00.004-06:00

Sore throat on a beautiful fall day.

Good thing I have Grey's,

Sugar Plum Tea,

and my warm fuzzy blanket. :)

We wont mention the fact that HeWhoShallNotBeNamed is supposedly engaged right now. And the fact that I put in TWO YEARS, the girl before me put in THREE YEARS, and this little tart (thats the nicest thing I could come up with) puts in 8 MONTHS and gets a ring? Psh.

Good thing I'm apparently really difficult to get over.
Whatev.

Wow, I'm putting really personal things on my blog lately.

Good news!

2010-10-13T07:54:00.003-06:00

I just ordered my Halloween costume...

Be excited, be VERY excited.

Best Birthday EVER

2010-10-12T00:59:00.004-06:00

Party!:
Jess is wonderful and threw me a wonderful birthday party!
This is me wishing for a __________.

And trying again...

This is the beautiful cake she made me!
LOOKS ARE DECEIVING! Haha

Ronnie, Richael, Kenny, Me, Jess, Jeff, Kylie

Pumpkin Picking:
This is how much I love pumpkins :D

Some yummy Sees candy:

Cupcake Making:
These are SO delicious by the way. The batter is spice cake+vanilla pudding mix+canned pumpkin and inside there is a little cream cheese surprise.

And of course:
SHOPPING! I got some way cute things in case you were wondering :D

Thank you everyone for all of your birthday wishes/texts/calls/etc.
It really made my day perfect and I'm so grateful for all of you!

LOVE YOU!

Oh and some comic relief

2010-10-12T00:55:00.001-06:00

Alpine Loop

2010-10-12T00:25:00.005-06:00

Me and my mom ditched out on our last hour of church to go take a drive up the Alpine Loop, a lot of the leaves had already fallen but we saw some beautiful scenery and I got some good shots.

What I want for my birthday::

2010-10-09T15:22:00.002-06:00

1} People to stop asking me why I'm not married. Really- I already feel like trash so lets not make it worse.

2} A new brother and sister. Preferably ones that don't hate my guts and enjoy trying to make me feel like crap. It would also be nice if they were not pot heads and/or engaged to prison inmates.

(It's not like either of them will ever see this blog because they really have no idea that I even exist 99% of the time.)

Can I move to Canada now??

I hate everything about you

2010-10-09T13:34:00.002-06:00

I HATE MOWING THE LAWN MORE THAN:

meat
cats
jazz music
whiny men
mushrooms

{Favorite Conference Talk So Far}

2010-10-04T13:41:00.002-06:00

Listen here.

Saturday Morning
Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Lake Powell

2010-10-04T11:50:00.007-06:00

A little impromptu Lake Powell trip always does the soul good right?
RIGHT.

I didn't end up taking many pics but I had so much fun! I made a lot of new friends and some great memories!

Pics of the canyons:

Indian ruins:

My swimsuit was still wet when I put my tank top back on and it looked a little awkward so I was trying to cover up..

And then Annette stepped in to help out haha

Thanks to my horrible Dominoes' skills I was supposed to eat a lizard. Luckily no one was able to catch one.. this guy was kinda cute tho.

It is so amazing how people lived like this!

Cliff jumping.

Look how sexy Jess is.. lol

Some of the guys were spear fishing and the guys up on top were leading them to the huge schools of fish that they could see below.

Funny story: One night we were all wound up and supposed to be going to bed. It was hard to relax when freakin Carlos Santana was playing a huge gig in the houseboat down from us. (No it wasn't really him :) just a huge party going on with a live band and a bunch of crazy drink people.)
Anyways- Kenny dared Max and Anton to go down the slide back into the lake, after we were all dry and piled in our massive pile of sleeping mats on top of the houseboat. Of course I objected to the dare because I really didnt want to sleep next to wet-stinky men that night. Weird I know. They ended up trying to throw me in-failing- and then when they were done with their little midnight swim they decided to make a Kaitlin Oreo and soaked my pajamas/sleeping bag/everything. Ugh I was so pissed.. so the next morning I woke them up with an ice cold shower. :D

And then I was thrown in over the side of the boat.
Nice.

Prepare for Vacation Pic Dump.. don't be jealous

2010-09-28T23:06:00.003-06:00

okay.
so there are over 500 pictures of our Florida/Bahamas trip this past week in the Photobucket albums below. enjoy!

i didn't label any of them because that would take years but just some things to look for:

colton is physically incapable of smiling normally in a picture
sometimes i got bored in the car and would just start taking picture after picture after picture of pretty much nothing..
some activities we did:

Ft. Lauderdale Beach (Deerfield Beach)
Stayed at a piece of crap Ramada Inn
Palm Beach shopping and Sailfish Marina
Billie Swamp Safari in the Everglades
Drive-In Movie -The Other Guys
Kennedy Space Center
Cruise to Bahamas on 'Bahamas Celebration'
White sand beach on Lucaya Island Bahamas
Shopping
Butterfly World

Plus: Lots of flights and boredom in airports, wonderful food, cool animals,
sunburns, beached marine animals, etc.

:D

Florida/Bahamas 6

2010-09-28T23:05:00.002-06:00

Florida/Bahamas 5

2010-09-28T23:04:00.002-06:00

Florida/Bahamas 4

2010-09-28T23:03:00.002-06:00

Florida/Bahamas 3

2010-09-28T23:02:00.002-06:00

Florida/Bahamas 2

2010-09-28T23:01:00.002-06:00

Florida/Bahamas 1

2010-09-28T22:58:00.002-06:00

Make it work people!

2010-09-26T20:43:00.002-06:00

So one of the things on my List of Things to Do Before I Die is to sew a dress.
There is NO WAY that I could handle a prom dress/wedding dress/anything with more than a couple yards of fabric, so I just made this little number. I didn't have a pattern, just kinda cut pieces out and tried to make them fit together somehow. It didn't turn out too bad! I mean its definitely not designer but hey, for a first timer I think I did okay!

Sorry this one is a little dark, I took these pictures in my sisters room. (She has slept in it twice MAYBE, and really it has just turned into my really big walk in closet :D)

This is not to show you a picture of my -ahem- chest, its just to show you the detail up top because it looked really hideous without a body to fill it in.

Maybe when I'm done with my Nursing, Cake Decorating, and Circus careers I will call Heidi and Tim up and take a shot at designing on Project Runway haha..

Okay I'm done being obnoxious for the moment.

G'night!

Insert Cheesy Vitamin C Song Here:

2010-09-24T02:03:00.005-06:00

The beautiful flowers my mom got me :) I always feel so special when I get flowers... not that it happens often lol

Diploma!

Me and my mom :)

I have the best grandpa in the whole world. Seriously I dare you to even challenge me on that one.

Mom, Colt, Grandpa, Me, Carolyn

Oh look, he DOES know how to smile!

...and accessorizes so well?

Class of 2010!

"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"

2010-09-10T00:37:00.005-06:00

A little blurry, sorry..

This MASSIVE elephant that came down one of the aisles, SO COOL.

I LOVED LION KING!
I got my mom tickets for her birthday back in April and have been looking forward to it since then. We had so much fun! I loved all of the costumes and the set... it was beautiful.

These guys were hilarious and sounded just like the ones from the cartoon.
(Shenzi, Banzi and Ed)

We almost hit Timone and Pumba on the way there, a little late guys?

Alas, they made it on time :)

This is the pic I pulled off the internet, and then after I uploaded my pics from my camera I realized that I took a pic of the exact same scene. Weird.

I felt so bad for these giraffes, I bet their heads hurt after holding up those heavy costumes all night!

I took a couple pics while we were there and I'll add those to the post later, but for now this is all you get.

Next years birthday present?
LES MIS!
(Shhh...Don't tell her!)

OMG I think I just....

2010-09-10T00:21:00.003-06:00

passed my test and became an RN.

For real.
See look:

Details for KAITLIN ELIZABETH HALE

License Information

Name:	KAITLIN ELIZABETH HALE
City, State, Zip:	AMERICAN FORK, UT 84003
Profession:	NURSE
License Type:	REGISTERED NURSE
	UNDER INTERSTATE COMPACT
License Number:
Obtained By:	APPLICATION
License Status:	ACTIVE
Status Change Reason:	LICENSE ISSUANCE
Original Issue Date:	09/09/2010
Expiration Date:	01/31/2011
Disciplinary Action:	NONE
Docket Number:	N/A

I deleted my license number so no one would try to steal my license or something shady like that lol... but I promise its legit.

And I got an RN position on the Neuro-Trauma Rehab Floor at UVRMC!
REHAB ROCKS!

just some wonderful things that have arrived in the mail lately...

2010-08-28T21:53:00.002-06:00

Integrity First- Service Before Self- Excellence in All We Do

2010-08-14T00:26:00.003-06:00

There may be a slight change of plans...

Dear Body.

2010-08-08T14:14:00.005-06:00

It's time we had a little talk.
You see, coming up here real soon you will be forced to endure many of these

insane amounts of these

and hours and hours of this

I understand that you and I have never quite gotten along when it comes to exercise because, honestly, you suck at it. You've never been muscular and toned, you've never been able to run long distances, and even when paired with a physical trainer (aka Satan), you did not cooperate. I have been filling you with vegetables and protein and all that is good and healthy for you and have been dragging your butt to the gym, but you need to step it up.

Really.

For your own sake.
And for the sake of this really cute swimsuit that I just bought you.

Thank you, that is all.
Love, Kaitlin

Just thinkin.

2010-08-04T22:49:00.002-06:00

Just thinking lately about expectations and what they do for our future selves. Meaning, do expectations and the pressures that are placed on us by either outside forces or by our own selves somehow elevate us to a level unachievable by any other means? Or do these expectations somehow box us into a reality that, when we reach it, forces us to look back and regret so many decisions that we've made? Do we base our goals and dreams on what we should or should not eventually turn out like?

I worry about this a lot.

What if my choices aren't really mine at all? Am I happy with my insides, or do I focus on the image of me too much?

I suppose I must take a closer look at my insides:
What do I love? I mean TRULY love--
I love the explosion of joy felt in my soul when I feel that I've truly made a difference in someones life.
I love reaching a point in a friendship or relationship when all defenses are down and the raw emotions- hope, fear, love, disappointment- can be expressed, accepted, and explored.
I love hearing stories of triumph and strength. The human resolve is an incredible thing.
I love seeing an elderly couple holding hands in the grocery store, and I especially love sitting bedside to an ill patient and listening to their tearful partner recount stories from their life together.
I love the concept of creation. That somethings can be made out of nothing and that there really is no such thing as impossible.
I love proving myself wrong or surprising myself with a strength I didn't know I had.
I love words and poetry and books and eloquent speakers and inspirational quotes and riveting speeches.
I love earth, water, fire- the elements- and our world. Rain is something that will always make my stop and look heavenward. I have decided that this is God's way of getting my attention, perhaps the fact that it is raining an angry storm outside is the reason for my writing this.
I love beauty and grace and the strength of a woman. We truly are capable of amazing things and have an innate love for others.

I love so many other things, but those are a few that are speaking to me right now. So, do the things I'm doing or reaching for reflect the things that I love?

Maybe I'll dream about it tonight and receive a little divine inspiration to help me sort this all out. :)

I need a Champion?

2010-07-31T21:46:00.005-06:00

Think the media alters the expectations we have of the opposite sex much?
That goes for both men and women.

No worries, I will still be the first one in line to see this movie,

I CAN'T WAIT!

*And I wouldn't mind a champion..

Am I dreaming?

2010-07-31T16:50:00.002-06:00

Does it keep spinning? Or does it stop...
I loved this movie with every fiber of my being. And honestly, I am not terribly disturbed by the ending. I felt at peace with the fact that it no longer mattered to him whether it was reality or not. He was with his kids.
(Even though I'm pretty positive it was a dream because his kids were still in the same clothes and looked the exact same as the projection versions of themselves. In real life they would have aged slightly and probably would have been wearing different clothes.)

The only question I have is that- if he is in a dream in the end, he could bring back his wife and live happily ever after in dream world as a whole family couldn't he? Or is it because he already 'released' her from his subconscious when they followed Fischer into Limbo?

Hm...
Good movie, but now I question my own existence haha.

is this the light they were talking about..?

2010-07-29T15:04:00.002-06:00

you know- the one at the end of the tunnel?

This nursing program has felt as though it would never end.

But, alas, this is my last day of class.

I'm not even a little bit sad to leave this school actually.

The End.

Book List Update

2010-07-18T10:05:00.003-06:00

I'm making slow progress on my book list. Right now I'm reading Catch-22 but I'm having a hard time concentrating and somehow end up back on my 'fun' books.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchel
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

If you ever want to feel like you've been hit by a train...

2010-07-18T09:01:00.003-06:00

...try this class with me!

No seriously this is one of the funnest things I've done in a long time. It's also the hardest workout I've ever done. It takes a lot of upper body strength and flexibility and be prepared for injuries!

(This is a silks burn on my leg- one of many!)

I'm addicted to this class and would love it if I could convert more people to come play with me!
Maybe we could be in the circus one day?

It's at Studio Pearl in Midvale, its an adult dance studio and its kinda funny to watch the Pole Dancing 1.0 class upstairs... they mainly just look miserable and bruised. But don't fret-- the silks class is not 'adult' in any way!
Thursday nights from 7pm-8pm... I promise you'll love it!

Dash Photography

2010-07-08T23:01:00.004-06:00

So my friend Dani started her own photography business and she is AWESOME! We went today and took a bunch of fun pics at the Meadow Gold plant and had a blast (even though it was freaking hot and there were some questionable characters following us around..)

Here are some of my favorites!

BaHaMaS BaBY!!

2010-06-24T11:21:00.004-06:00

So I "won" a cruise to the Bahamas! The quotes around the word 'won' are because I technically just won the opportunity to chose a lower priced package deal. But hey, it was a good deal so whatev. As you know, I really wanted to go somewhere to celebrate graduating Nursing School. I would have preferred Alaska, but I definitely wont mind a quick trip to an exotic paradise. My mom and I are sooooooo excited! We'll also do some parasailing, scuba diving (YAY!), stop at Butterfly World...

(Relaxing sigh)

Graduation: September 18th
Vacay: September 19th!

Say WHAT?!

2010-06-16T22:18:00.002-06:00

I am now the new Relief Society Newsletter person. Because I was really worried that I wasn't spending enough time in front of the computer typing assignments and meeting deadlines?

Huh.

Haha well I guess it certainly isn't the WORST calling I could get right?
So I get to put my creative brain cells to use and hopefully add some spice to an otherwise boring document. Go me.

Fun Things Ahead

2010-06-10T02:41:00.004-06:00

Things I'm looking foward too? Stadium of Fire with Carrie Underwood! St. George trip to see Tarzan at the Tuacahn, Lion King at Capitol Theater...I have to plan little events like these to have something to look forward to! They spice up life a and also help me knock off a goal on my Bucket List (I have to see at least 20 Broadway -or broadway type- shows!) :)

Alaska

2010-06-10T01:33:00.003-06:00

For graduation I really wanted to go to Alaska for a week long excursion. I had a great company lined up and was looking forward to hiking, Northern Lights, kayaking, etc. But the little voice inside my head, otherwise known as my conscience, told me that I needed to stay home and pay off some of my debt. If anyone knows how to turn of that annoying little voice please let me know.

Update (prt. 1)

2010-06-08T07:10:00.005-06:00


The last few months of my life have been boring and
absolutely insane at the same time. Does anyone else
ever feel like that? What am I thinking..
I'm sure everyone knows what I'm talking about.

I have been spending countless hours at hospitals for
clinical hours. Between the State Hospital (which I
actually REALLY enjoyed, should I be worried?), work
NeuroTrauma Rehab Rocks! I love my coworkers and the
patients here are incredible!), Primary Children's
also the NeuroTrauma unit but for little people),
and all of the community hours (AA meetings, NAMI
meetings, Disaster Drills, etc.), I feel like I have
already been a nurse for 30 years. I am so close though!
Less than TWO MONTHS left of classes, then boards, then
graduation (September 18th!!). Nursing school has been
the hardest thing I've ever done! Do I feel ready to go
out into the workforce on my own? Not quite, but working
as an LPN (Low-paid nurse :D) has definitely helped.

I've also been trying to really step up my physical
fitness regimen, which means I actually had to start one,
so that I can be ready for Basic Training in October.
At least that's the plan, I'm hoping to leave mid Oct.
I am so anxious about BT, I don't know what to expect! A
part of my wants to leave right now and another part of
me is terrified. There is just so much unsurity in life right
now and gives a Type A personality like me a little extra grief.

Dating life? Uh- what's that? I haven't been on one since
January and honestly I switch between days of despair and
days of gratitude. I couldn't handle a relationship right now
and I feel like I'm still being prepared for whoever
is out there waiting for me.

Family drama is ever present and occasionally makes me feel
like I just can't handle the issues we've been given. But luckily
I know that everything works out how it is supposed to. Erin
turned the big 20 and Colton turned the big 17.
They are getting so big :) "There are no coincidences with an
omniscient being." This is one of my favorite quotes lately.


Facebook. Where to start. I deleted my account, well I
guess I should say that I put it on hold. Long story short-
do not add strange men who appear to be the perfect guy and
give them your personal information. Not that I did that...
just sayin- Hypothetically.


The issues that face our country/world right now are
disheartening to say the least. I enjoy keeping up on
political and world events, even though I don't
really have anyone to passionately discuss them with :)
Good thing Colbert Report provides me with a smile haha..
I love that show.

What else to write about-- maybe just the fact that I
am a horrible friend. If I missed a reception, birthday
party, baby shower, etc., I am SO sorry! I
miss all of my friends and hope that they haven't
all forgotten me lol.

2010-04-05T20:12:00.000-06:00

i love this dress!

Oh, and...117 days left of nursing school!!!

2009-11-30T09:58:00.002-07:00

Just kidding...

My dream house...

2009-11-15T21:57:00.002-07:00

minus the third add-on on the very right. I don't need slave quarters.

...can anyone tell me what movie this house is from?

Baby, Oh baby!...

2009-10-26T14:34:00.003-06:00

I love this cute nursery, have you ever heard of anyone planning a nursery before even having a boyfriend?... let's just not tell any of the local, single guys what i'm up to mmmkay? oh and don't tell them that i had another pregnant dream last night.

Great.
Thanks.

a greater good...

2009-10-12T15:46:00.003-06:00

So I have recently made a decision that is not getting the best response from my family, when I graduate from Nursing school I am going to be an ArMy ReSeRvE NuRsE!
I feel so good about my decision and accept the risks, but am a little frustrated by the lack of support from {my mom} mostly. I am sure that I wont understand how she feels until I have my own daughter, but I wont be on the front lines holding a gun, I will be providing nursing care to those fighting for our country. I went into nursing to help others and have felt a strong pull towards a greater cause that, until now, I didn't feel like I could fulfill. I am SO EXCITED!

It's here, It's here, It's here!!!

2009-09-05T16:11:00.003-06:00

FALL!!!!
:)

My favorite time of the year.

Today I threw a little 'Welcome' party for my dear old friend, fall.
It consisted of jam making, and delicious dessert baking.

I made four batches of peach jam..

And this incredible, heavenly thing which I do not know the name of because I just invented it.
I peeled and cored a bunch of peaches, chopped some walnuts and stuck them into the peaches, and then placed the in a glass pan. Then I mixed whipped cream, cream cheese, sugar and cinnamon together and poured it over the peaches. I threw on a couple handfuls of blueberries and baked it for 15 mins.

Put it on top of some vanilla bean ice cream and you have a little piece of heaven :)

Back on track..

2009-08-05T16:51:00.002-06:00

Hmmm...
I think it's been a while?
Quick re-cap---
Miss Utah Pageant
Second semester nursing classes
Work
No social life,
Anyways I have three weeks off of school and just passed on the crown so now I have time to update my sad neglected blog.

Book lists! I have been reading like crazy! I cant seem to get enough of books. I tore out the Newsweek "Must Read" Article and amazon'd them all, I also copied this list of classics off of one of my friends blogs. Let's see how I'm doing-

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchel
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I have a lot to read I guess!

Wicked

2009-04-25T22:08:00.003-06:00

My mom and I had the perfect day last Saturday! It was her birthday! We started out with Kneaders all-you-can-eat french toast, (then I slept cuz i worked the night before), then we ate at Olive Garden and then went to Wicked!! It definitely didn't disappoint! IT WAS SOOOO GOOOOOOD!!!!!! I fell in love with the music again and now have the storyline to back up my adoration :)

The 'Emerald City' and a cool dragon thingy?

Close up of the Emerald City, obviously this was a very impressive site because 25% of my pics were of it.

Me and mom :)

Queen Bee Tea

2009-02-28T23:16:00.003-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to go to an event hosted by Mrs. Utah, Emily Nelson and her non-profit organization "Project Lemonade." It was the first annual "Queen Bee Tea" and the turn out was fantastic!!

This is Italia, Sydnee, Katelyn, Sicily, and I
(Gorgeous names I know!!!)

This was the auction portion of the event, these little girls were GLOWING and absolutely BEAUTIFUL in their princess dresses. :) It was any little girls dream to be at this event!

Practicing their princess dances on the runway during tea time.

This is what the room looked like pre-princess's :) The room at La Caille was absolutely magical and the food wasn't too bad either!...okay it was DeLiCiOuS! Especially the chocolate dipped strawberries! Thank you for inviting me Emily!

Scuba

2009-02-28T23:13:00.004-07:00

Well, I am officially scuba certified...with no where to go!! haha someday I will go somewhere fun and exotic, but Midway's "Crater" is sort of exotic right?
This is the only picture I got. It is really steamy in the Crater, but this is one of my scuba instructors.

I am only doing this because it is 5 in the morning and I have nothing else to do haha...

2009-02-10T05:01:00.004-07:00

My favorite shows right now? (Becca you're not alone...I also get WAY to emotionally involved in television shows!)

GREY'S ANATOMY!!
I don't care what any of you think...I have watched every show since it first started and will always be a devoted fan, even through the weird lesbian confusions and the frustration of Meridith and Derek NEVER ENDING HAPPILY EVER AFTER!!

Okay this is a new found love, it all started with an assignment from my nursing teacher. We actually have homework that requires we watch House!! I knew I chose the right profession :) The only bad part is that I have to keep rewinding and replaying every scene so I can write down all of the diagnoses and long words.

The End.

Progressions Dance Studio- Grand "Re-opening"

2009-02-10T02:17:00.004-07:00

I am so excited for the 'new' dance studio in American Fork, Progressions! I was able to participate in the ribbon cutting on Friday and also got a tour of the facility.

Ren, Gina, Chloe, Carrie, Kylie, Jessica, Me, Staci

The Miss AF and Miss AF Outstanding Teen Royalties

Me and Carrie :)
We miss Juli but are so happy for her and Adam and wish the best for them and their life together!! Love you Juli!!

12th Night Charity Ball

2009-01-30T22:17:00.003-07:00

The Rotary Club of Lehi hosted a charity ball tonight and it was so much fun!! They had a great band and my escort was an amazing swing dancer :) He was so awesome to keep me company throughout the night!

Miss Pleasant Grove, Staci Spinder;"Scotty" from the Chris Jones Group; Me

Miss Utah, Kayla Barclay; Miss Lehi, Emily Daniels; Me; Miss Pleasant Grove, Staci Spinder

Best Buddies Ball

2009-01-21T23:52:00.003-07:00

The blog police (aka BECCA) have been hounding me to post something new, so here it goes.
These last two weeks have been really rough...I backed my car into my moms car, got my first ticket, had some guy/family drama, etc. Anyways I am hoping that things will look up soon.
So last weekend I was invited to the 'Best Buddies Ball' (thanks again Emily!!) and had SO MUCH FUN! It was seriously the funnest dance I have ever been to! They had a live country band and line dancing! The Best Buddies Ball is a dance for adults with Down Syndrome, it is such a fun opportunity for them to dress up nice and come make new friends.

Just dancin'!

This guy was pro line dancer!! He was stuck to my side for the first of the dance! What a stud!

This is Jessica, she wanted to arm wrestle all of the queens and, yup, she is DANG strong!!

Me and Jessica

Christmas!

2008-12-31T22:46:00.004-07:00

We had Christmas in two shifts this year, the first shift started at the early hour of 11:30 am, then my sister had to wait till the storm passes before she could come down from Salt Lake and didn't make it till around 3:30 or 4. It was such a great Christmas!! We just lazed around and enjoyed having us all there!!

Colt got a 22 for his big gift, and was so so excited!! (Can you tell by the HUGE GRIN on his face?! haha yeah i know..)

My mom is so beautiful!!

Just hanging out.

"Old Faithful" was burried in a huge snow bank!!

Some of my loot. I got a Cricut machine and some boots!!

You know those kids that think that if they can't see you, you cant see them?...Well apparently Colton never grew out of that stage...

FLERN! My favorite sister!

Sp^rk Christmas Cocktail Party

2008-12-14T01:37:00.003-07:00

We had fun...the place was awesome, the nonalcoholic drinks were yummy, the music was great...fabulous party!!

I Served My Time

2008-12-14T01:23:00.002-07:00

I was in jail last week. I know that you had all better expectations of me, I had better expectations of myself as well...I just dont know what happened. Okay I went to "Jail" for the Muscular Dystrophy Association as part of a fundraiser that they had organized for Jerry's Kids. I felt horrible because all I was able to raise was $25 dollars...people are just holding onto their money a lot tighter these days. I was honored to be asked to help and overall it was a great experience and I even got 'cuffed and stuffed.' I felt legit.

What I've Done...

2008-12-09T03:04:00.002-07:00

Copy and paste the 200 statements then bold the ones you have done!! Hope you enjoy it!!
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunch box
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a camp fire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Commented on someone's blog

A Christmas Carol

2008-12-01T23:21:00.004-07:00

Tonight I went to Hale Center Theatre (no relation to the owners) to see A Christmas Carol. My Grandpa bought the entire family tickets and it was so fun to go and share the fun Christmas spirit with them. We drank hot wassail and enjoyed the fun atmosphere. A perfect way to start out the season!

Four Wheelin' and Shootin'

2008-11-30T00:16:00.003-07:00

I LOVE to go four wheeling and shooting and stuff but rarely get to go. Today we got a bunch of our family together and went out to the west desert. It was so much fun!

Us girls took the 4wheelers out for a ride. We don't need men!!

Me and Colt gettin ready for a ride.

My stepgrandma weighs like a buck fifteen and the kick from the 22 knocked her right over hahaha

I look tough, but I am really a HORRIBLE shot. I only hit one clay pidgeon :(

Me and my mom are best friends :D

Earwax

2008-11-30T00:08:00.003-07:00

So in one of my classes in high school we tried some earwax candles and ever since then I have been dying to try them at home! Well, I tried them, and they are SO FREAKIN COOL!!! I know that everyone likes to read about earwax...lol but I had to share my secret.
My mom didn't believe me and was a little worried that I had smoke coming out of my ears (literally)...but she warmed up to the idea when I tried them on her.

You can find these at Good Earth, or other health food stores I'm sure, for like $1.39 each or something. And it cleans you out pretty good so you only have to do it every couple months or so.

Miss Utah Workshop #1

2008-11-27T23:07:00.004-07:00

I had a great time at the workshop last week and learned a ton. I also increased my stress load by 10. AAAH! I did get to meet Miss Utah, Kayla Barclay...she is awesome. It's no wonder why she was chosen!! I am always inspired when I meet these amazing women.

Homemade Pumpkin Pies

2008-11-27T22:57:00.004-07:00

Me and Erin made home made pies the other day... COMPLETELY home made. We boiled the pumpkins and make the crust and everything!!!

(**For loyal blog followers who are worried that this may be Harold..its not. But this poor little guy didn't stand a chance either :D)

Beautiful.

Gingerbread Fesitval

2008-11-16T14:52:00.003-07:00

I had the opportunity on friday to help with the Gingerbread Festival at Thanksgiving Point. I had never been and was so surprised by how many people came and how well organized everything was! There were rows of gingerbread houses, ranging from 'kids craft' cute, to absolutely professional. The proceeds went to the Boy Scouts and the PTA.

This was one of my favorites :D donated by the red cross...I love anything medical.

I sat by a way cute family that was showing off their beautifully decorated gingerbread men.

This wasnt really a gingerbread house..but it was all edible. I met the guy who did it and he teaches culinary arts classes at the prison (how cool is that?!) anyways this picture does not do it justice. It is an "under the sea" theme and there are two seamonsters in back, a candy water surface, sunken pirate ships, treasure chests, sharks, seashells, sand, fish, coral...anything you could possibly find under the sea. And he MADE it with candy and food!! INCREDIBLE!!

These were some of the cute performers from Center Stage. They are dancing around in big stockings haha!

This is an acutal gingerbread house, more like a gingerbread mansion. Can you imagine how much time this would take?!

Hunger Banquet-UVU

2008-11-13T21:27:00.005-07:00

My Mom and I went to the Hunger Banquet at UVU and had so much fun. I was really impressed with the whole thing!

We were all randomly split into 3 groups... Upper Class, Middle Class, and Lower Class. My mom was placed in Lower class and I was put in Middle Class. We ate according to out classes. The picture above is of what my mom was given to eat, RiCe and bEaNs :)

I was given Pizza and Soda ^ and I may have rubbed it in my moms face a little...Just kidding I totally shared :D The Upper Class people were given a three course meal but it involved Roast Beed so I was actually much happier with my pizza haha. They did get a massive, chocolate brownie...I guess I wasn't given that because the universe knew that my hips really didnt need that brownie.
This is Bill Hulterstrom, President and CEO of United Way of Utah County. He gave seriously one of the most amazing speeches on service and volunteering. A completely different approach to the methods and attitudes of giving! I'll be meeting him in a few weeks to discuss my platform. Hopefully he can give me some good feedback and help me develope a little bit better.

I Love to See the Temple

2008-11-13T21:14:00.003-07:00

What is happening to our beloved temples? News of pretests, attacks, and 'mystery substances' are popping up all over. It breaks my heart to see this happen to our church, but I think it was expected. When the Prophet made a stand on Proposition 8, he knew what he was doing. He loves this church and wouldn't do anything to cause it extra trouble...but we have to take a stand on things we believe in. It's time that we step up and remember that we are here to share the gospel. Anyways...just thought I'd add my two cents to this whole scandal.

Here is a link to an article on the attack on the LA temple..
http://familyleader.net/Home/servlet/viewArticle;jsessionid=2BE5B36E2D9CDB3C977E79B45A3ADBB8?contentId=2316&subsite

And a link to the temporary closing of the Salt Lake Temple...
http://mormontimes.com/around_church/temples/

And on a more positive note...some support!! (forwarded to me in an Email)

Proposition 8 is now a part of the California constitution!

That is probably the best news from an otherwise difficult election for conservatives and Republicans. In very large part, we Evangelicals must thank our Mormon cousins for that fact. They, along with our Catholic brethren, were better organized than us and that provided a base from which we could ALL work together to get this job done. What more, as we have chronicled here, Mormons took the brunt of the abuse, derision, and even threats of physical harm that came with this effort.

And like us, they have given thanks to the Almighty that is ultimately in control, even if their understanding of that Almighty is a bit diffrent than ours.

I cannot help but wonder how much more thankful we ALL might be today if we had been more willing to embrace these religious cousins a few months ago - but alas, politics is always about governing today and looking forward to the next election.

Said John Mark Reynolds:

In the battle for the family, however, traditional Christians have no better friends than the Mormon faithful. It would be wrong if that support were taken for granted. We are intolerant of the false attacks on Mormon faith and family. We stand with our Mormon friends in their right to express their views on the public square. We celebrate the areas, such as family values, where we agree.

A heart felt thank you may not win points from other friends who demand one hundred percent agreement from their allies, but it is the decent and proper thing to do.

Thank you to our Mormon friends and allies!

Hard to do better than that. The "Ruth Youth" ministry proclaimed yesterday "International Mormon Appreciation Day." Very appropriate, yet still inadequate.

In addition to our thanks, Mormons deserve our protection. They have been oppressed in ways during the Prop 8 campaign that this nation has not seen since the 1960's and the civil rights movement. The rhetoric has been deplorable, but moreover. we have seen instances of vandalism, property destruction, and some leaders in the fight currently find themselves with armed protection because of the threats made against them and their families.

Our nation will not and cannot tolerate this sort of behavior - it is incumbent on all of us to stand against it, and the best way to do that is to stand between the Mormons and the forces that would perpetrate such evil.

Now I am sure the Mormons can, and probably want, to take care of themselves, but as a Christian, it is my duty to protect the innocent and free the oppressed. To turn a blind eye in this circumstance is not only ungracious, it is simply unChristian.

Make all the theological distinctions you want, but in the political arena we are yoked with the Mormons (he said borrowing some religious imagery) and it is darn well time we started acting like it.

Absolutely, positively thank the Mormons - but don't stop there. Stand up and be counted against the evil that has been perpetrated towards them in this campaign.

As Christians we can do no less.

Dress Troubles

2008-11-06T21:41:00.005-07:00

So the Miss Utah Pageant is in June and I'm already really stressed out. Besides the fact that I am planning some big events for the great city of American Fork and participating in as many things as possible, I also have to start thinking about the wardrobe and talent part of the pageant. I am always looking online at dresses and have found some that are gorgeous and some that are not so gorgeous haha! My trouble is that none are modest. Well, I take that back, there are modest ones but they are hideous. If anyone has suggestions on where in Utah to find some beautif ul, modest pageant gowns please let me know!

I love all three of these dresses...they are each way different but they all have something that will stand out.
HELP!

Kiyana's Halloween Costume

2008-11-02T18:36:00.004-07:00

Kiyana was a LaDyBuG for her first Halloween :) She is so darling!

I had to get a picture of the wings...sorry its a little blurry.

She was eating the pumpkins? Haha it was really random, she just started growling and bit the pumpkins nose! Funny what babies can get away with...

Just Call Me Martha...

2008-11-02T18:21:00.002-07:00

So this weekend I have been trying to relax and do some "me" things, and it turned out that most of those things were crafts and baking. I love to do things like that and can't wait to have my own family to do these things with!
This is my Cherry Pie...I was planning on home making the crust but ran out of time, so all I can really take credit for is the awesome lattice design on top and a few secret ingredients ;)

This is the Halloween Gingerbread House that I decorated. I was able to implement some of my cake decorating skills and it actually turned out kinda cute! haha it was so much fun to do it too!
The back view:

The front view:

These next couple things are for Becca's new babies (that should be here in a week or two but cross your fingers that they stay in longer!) I justs bought some plain white onesies and some iron on applique thingies and put them together. Too bad they wont stay cute and clean for long haha

This is also for Becca's new girls, its a little scrapbook/photo album/whatever Becca wants to use it as.

Yay for crafting!! I wish I had more time to do things like this all the time! It really made me feel like I was accomplishing, even though I was really neglecting my homework :)

The Clark Planetarium

2008-10-26T18:15:00.003-06:00

We also stopped at the Clark Planetarium on our trip around Salt Lake. We just played around with all of the free little exhibit things and in their gift shop. They have the coolest things!
My mom and Erin found some Alien glasses. Hot!

A huge, revolving globe thing that displayed different things.

This is like a massive gumball machine. I could have watched this all day long!

This is a 3-D gumball machine that operates over your head. Also very cool.

I'm sure we've all seen something like this, the pendulum knocks over a block every 2 mins or so because it sways with the earth or something..

The Living Aquarium

2008-10-26T17:34:00.008-06:00

Me and the fam (and Colton's friend Dalton) went and explored Salt Lake a little bit. We went to the living aquarium and saw some awesome sea creatures! The place was a little stinky, but still
pretty cool. I'll have to remember to take my kids there someday!

We touched some slimy sting rays! Its kinda scary to think about the fact that one of these seemingly peacful things killed dear old Steve Irwin. :(

I found Nemo!!

Just a bunch of cool creatures..starfish, tiny octopus thingy, coral, and eel that has cow spots, a spiky fish...

We also got to touch some other smaller little things.

A baby Seahorse!!!! CUTE!!!!!

This Lobster is over 100yrs old. Sick.

These guys were probably the coolest...they had 3 different types of jellyfish: the first ones glowed in the dark almost, the second ones are some pretty big orange ones, and the last ones are upside down ones! Weird!

Ugly fish that was seriously the side of my little sister...well almost haha

They had pumpkins and Halloween decorations in all of the aquariums. So festive!

Frogs are my favorite animal, I dont know why. They are kinda ugly. But this little guy was smiling at me so I had to get a picture.

This fish had the ugliest lips!

Colton and Dalton in the KIDS play area...

HaLlOwEeN PaRtY!

2008-10-26T15:18:00.004-06:00

So last year, my roommates and I were KILLER party throwers. We decided that its been a while and that Halloween would be a fun time to have another one. Well...it was fun, just a little under-attended! Here are some of the highlights:
1) I am officially pretty darn good at fake scar making for a first timer!! I could have done a lot better if I'd ACTUALLY beaten her...but that would totally throw the party off I think.

2) We had the most incredible food ever. Seriously people you missed out. Kari and I slaved all day over these cute little treats...well mostly Kari but the Homemade Rootbeer and Homemade Oreo Cookies were all mine :)

3) I was 'Poison Ivy' from Batman! This party was a costume party but only from the neck up...but i totally had green tights on underneath!! Alex was a gangster and Kari was...i dont know but she was beautiful :D My eyelashes were freakin huge. I could barely hold my head up!

4) We had DJ Kurri in da house and all had so much fun dancing!

5) Some random guy from Kari and Alex's ward came and blew up balloon animals for us?? Yeah not sure about that one...

6) We had hot male dancers!! The highlight was probably watching them dance to "Lip Gloss" by Little Mama(?)..anyways they were hilarious. And total cheaters at "Murderer in the Dark."

Cutest Baby Ever!

2008-10-24T13:18:00.004-06:00

My cousin, Alesha, has the CUTEST baby every!!
Kiyana is almost 1 and is more entertaining that and TV show. She makes a 'stuffy nose' face and does fake little sniffles, she makes horse hoof nosies, does a "boo woo" (dog) noise, sticks out her tongue, and even 'winks' at you. She even took her first step yesterday!!She made friends with all of our little plastic pumpkins :) she gave them hugs and kisses all night long!

Thriller!

2008-10-21T16:18:00.006-06:00

My mom and I went to Thriller on Saturday at Kingsbury Hall. It was not what I expected, but SO AWESOME! They had amazing dancers and hilarious performers. Some of my favorites were a silent, "Romeo and Juliet" type love story between Frankenstein and his bride. There were also two performances tributed to Lorena Bobbit, the angry, man-hating woman who took things into her own hands... ;) HILARIOUS!! I definately recommend seeing it!

My mom and I killing time during the intermission :)

After the show, all of the zombies came outside and haunted the building and the front entrance. They really played their characters well, I wouldn't have been able to keep a strait face haha!

Me and one of the zombies... (I'm the one on the left, er... right, wait I cant tell?)

BYU Homecoming Game!

2008-10-12T20:29:00.003-06:00

The game was SO COLD but SO FUN! And of course our cougars won! Could we expect anything less? I mean lets be honest..

Beth and I got CoUgAr tAiLs! (They are like 1 1/2 feet of maple donut basically.) We talked about sharing one...but we were a little hungry.

Apparently Cameron hates pictures haha

Um.. I dont really know how to explain this.

We're so cute!!

Beth gave Cam a DumDum sucker and it broke part of his tooth off. Memories! HaHa!

The First Pumpkin Carve of the Season

2008-10-12T20:16:00.004-06:00

Cameron made me a wonderful dinner for my 'birthday eve' and while it was cooking, we carved Harold. He's probably the cutest pumpkin that you'll ever see. Except he looks a little possessed in these pictures?..

Cameron and Harold

Harold and I...I'm not sure why I'm petting him.

Safety First!! We even made sure that our little punkin was safe on the ride home.

Miss Utah Outstanding Teen Pageant

2008-10-12T20:03:00.003-06:00

I went to the Miss Utah Outstanding Teen pageant last week to support American Fork's Outstanding Teen, Jessica Taylor. She is amazing. She is beautiful, confident, smart, sweet, and so genuine. She did so well at the pageant! Her talent was a dance to "Here I Am" from the musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels...so fun!! She had the perfect energy for it. She also ROCKED the onstage interview...(that is seriously one of the HaRdEsT areas of competition!) Congrats Jess! You're amazing!

Chloe Cox, Jessica Taylor, Kylie Cox

General Conference and Fall

2008-10-04T14:49:00.004-06:00

I love General Conference! It continues to amaze me that we have a living prophet, the 1st presidency, and the twelve to guide us. They love us so much and I can feel it through the television! Thank goodness that each of us ALWAY has at least these 15 men of God that continually prays and worries for us. When we feel alone, tired, and unloved...we only have to look to these men, our Heavenly Father, and our older brother Jesus Christ. Who better to love and care for us?
I have met some incredible people. Many who sadden me by the lack of understanding they have of their own potential. We have been promised ALL that God has if we follow His commandments and just love Him. I cant understand not wanting ALL that God has. But still I am grateful for all of my friends and family and hope that I am doing all I can to serve them. My heart is full of love and I hate not being able to lift and help others. Lately I have had lots of new opportunities, I believe that I have been given these opportunities to share what I know of the Gospel and the love that God has for His children.

I also have to express my gratitude for fall. It is my favorite time of year. The leaves, the apple cider, the pumpkins, the sweaters...I look forward to it all year long. I can feel fall in the air and, contrary to its chilly presence, it warms me. I LOVE FALL!!!

Baby Shower!!!

2008-09-30T20:35:00.006-06:00

This time it's raining 2 BABIES! We had a shower for Becca and had a blast! (I did, hopefully everyone else did too!) We tasted lots of yummy baby food...

okay Nick definately did not enjoy the baby food, but he was such a good sport! ...

(He actually took the other bottles home with him for dinner the next day :D okay no he didn't...)

Apparently Beth REALLY enjoyed the "Red Potatoes and Alaskan Salmon."

We even booked entertainment!

Becca's belly is so cute! I dont think she was very happy that we all liked to touch it tho...

She got some very cute things!

Including an adorable baby book!
We also had good times watching the Pride and Prejudice video we made in high school, good times!

The Rest of the Gala Pics

2008-09-30T20:03:00.005-06:00

LaVell Edwards and his wife.

Ruth Todd from ABC.

Lindsey Brinton, Miss Outstanding Teen USA

Nathan Osmond and his wife, Sarah.
They are seriously the neatest people!!

Our dinner was so good!!

Love...

2008-09-29T02:43:00.003-06:00

LOVE-I still believe in my fairy tale. I still believe that someday I will meet a man who will love me more than anything and who will want to raise our kids in the gospel. I know he's out there somewhere waiting for me and we both just still need time to prepare ourselves for each other. Why am I rambling about this? Because everyone is getting married and I just have to remind myself, sometimes publicly, that I am only 19 years old and don't really have to worry about meeting my future husband just yet. I am not in a rush but when I look at the row of wedding announcements across my shelf I am tempted to feel anxious. That's all I had to say. :)

A Taste of the Ascend Gala...

2008-09-27T19:18:00.005-06:00

The Ascend Gala was so much fun!!
I have a million pictures that I will be posting but
here are a couple to start out with..

Here are all the VIP Hostesses from all over Utah, they
are all present or former city/county royalty.

Here is Emily giving us all of the instructions for the
night. She is absolutely incredible!!

2008-09-22T17:39:00.003-06:00

This friday I get to be a VIP Hostess at the Ascend Alliance Humanitarian Gala and am so excited! Some of the guests that will be coming are; the Prince of Ethiopia, LaVell Edwards, Good Things Utah Girls, etc. I'm sure that it will be a fun filled night and I will try to post all my pics of this fun event!

These are some of the VIP Hostess' that will also be attending.

And Mrs. Utah Emily Neilsen, she is so cute!

Pageant Clip

2008-09-09T01:05:00.003-06:00

Miss American Fork Pageant
... a day of MaDnEsS!! haha!
(Isn't my mom the greatest?!...)

Long time no see...

2008-09-09T00:43:00.003-06:00

I'm going to start blogging again I swear.
So, update on life?
Graveyards kinda suck at the hospital, but I work with hilarious people and the patients are inspirational. I work on the Inpatient Rehab floor and see a lot of heroic people. I have a favorite, (am i allowed to have a favorite?) his name is Tony :D He laughs and jokes with all of us Nurses and PCA's and has absolutely the most incredible perspective on life.
Love ya Tony!!

So, anyone hear the talk from Elder Holland on Sunday? I really don't even have words to describe how much it touched me. It was somehow exactly what EVERYONE needed to hear. Isn't it incredible how one talk can be so universally applicable and life changing? I love the gospel and I love our prophet and apostles. I love my testimony and am slowly gaining the confidence to share it with others. When I face God in Heaven, I don't want Him to have to ask me why I didn't share the testimony I was given. I want Him to be proud of the efforts I put into building His kingdom. I'm gonna post it here as soon as its available on YouTube..it should be on there right?

Next subject, I am now the new Miss American Fork! I know I couldn't believe it either. This year will be full of so many wonderful opportunities and I am so excited! I was able to meet with Mayor Thompson a few days ago and already have so much respect for him. He is more of a grandfatherly figure and truly cares about people and our wonderful city. I also will be able to spread my platform to a larger group of people. My platform is basically to get people motivated into service and volunteer opportunities. I am working on a website for this and when its finished I'll post a link to it. It is a website that will require a lot of feedback and input so please contribute! I need people to post service opportunities, local heroes, etc. We also need to be more aware of global events and how we can serve our brothers and sisters in different countries. Little things do help and are greatly needed!

Dating life? I just signed my life away for at least a year so don't worry...I won't be sending out wedding invitations anytime soon. Unlike the rest of you.

I am going paragliding in a few weeks! I can't wait! I am slowly accomplishing things on my 'To do before I die' list and it makes life so much sweeter!
~Kaitlin

Goals for the Year

2008-03-28T12:29:00.000-06:00

So, this year is going to be a busy, exciting time...I'm going to run in the Provo River 1/2 marathon (what am i thinking?!), run for Miss American Fork, have plastic surgery, start my nursing program, and start dance classes again...I'm so excited. I just love being busy :) it keeps me out of trouble haha

Mom

2008-03-11T16:01:00.001-06:00

I have to tell everyone what a great mom I have. She is so awesome and such a good example to
me! She is seriously one of my best friends and I can tell her pretty much everything. I'm not gonna lie I'm a little bit worried about this summer when I move home, it seems like we're closer when we don't live together :D But, regardless, I don't know what I would do without her and I hope I never have to go without our lunch dates, Costco runs, chick-flic fixes, etc. I don't think I tell her how much I love her often enough...I'll add that to my list haha.

The Speed of Life

2008-03-11T15:44:00.000-06:00

I am probably one of the most impatient people in the world. I have so much that I want to do and I get so frustrated when things don't happen fast enough or don't happen the way I would like them to. I need to learn to just trust the plan that God has for me, but that lesson is going to be really hard for me. I just have to get some of my goals off of my chest and onto paper...er blog post...not in any particular order...
~Graduate from BYU with a degree in Exercise Science
~Graduate from Provo College with my RN
~Try out for the Miss American Fork pageant (a.k.a. lose 10lbs)
~Be better at Visiting Teaching... a lot better
~Get a car that works
~Finish my "List of Things to Do Before I Die"
~Basically just be a better all around person...
~A lot more that I can't think of right now.
I really do love life and I want to get as much out of it as possible. Each day brings so many opportunities and wonderful experiences, I just have to be better about actually stopping to enjoy them instead of rushing to 'get things accomplished' or 'check off my list'....(wow and I just wrote another list, way to go Kaitlin!) :D

2008-03-09T21:21:00.000-06:00

Wow, here we go... I'm officially a blogger now. Just like Facebook, I promised myself that I wouldn't get sucked in, but my straight up lack of self discipline is an obvious problem. :D