May 4th - 10th

May 4^th I woke up to see a flower and a money butterfly with a card waiting to wish me happy birthday this morning.

Followed by a phone call from the Amblers singing me happy birthday. I then got ready for church and mom gave me a ride to church (thanks mom). I walked in to lots of Happy Birthdays and well wishes!

After church we had a mingle where Bro. Pugsley sang to me and he was rather surprised when he heard I wasn’t turning 26 but 29.  Then I sat down and Lee Millard joined me. It’s also Lee’s birthday (but he’s a year older) and Peter decided that he should tell everyone it’s our birthday. He stood up and gets everyone’s attention, starts telling everyone that today is… when Leslie Gates and Shane Gibbs yell (from across the room) "not yet, not yet!" So Peter awkwardly says, “uh ok never mind everyone!” Sits down, “Well that was awkward!”

A few minutes later Leslie and Shane come back into the room and get everyone’s attention (again) and say’s it’s our birthday and they all started to sing.   It was embarrassing and flattering. In comes a tray with a Watermelon cake! It was so funny and nice! I thanked everyone and helped serve watermelon. It was VERY nice of them and it made my day special!

Then we had a wonderful fireside by Elder Ballard. Here are my thoughts:

You will be the leaders of the church one-day! Do you have some personal quiet time? Seek for some spiritual quiet time! We need time to contemplate and meditate. Your personal devices should be our servants not our masters. How much time do you spend on your devices. Talk to each other and your Father. 

Heather came over after the fireside and we chatted then Tiffany and the kids called. It has been it nice day! Thank you to everyone who has made today special!!

May 5^th I have high hopes for this summer to go really well and it makes me very nervous that those high hopes are of others perspectives of me.

Work was work today. I had an outdoors committee meeting in Roy. It will be the first one without Natasha there so I was a little curious how it was going to go. It went well. We were able to get things settled and also I tried to get their help with some of the other things and their opinions. I will need their help to be prepared for “work days” and I think they are more apt to help right now with all the changes with management.

             I hope this will bring everyone together and encourage us all to work better with each other and also be more understanding of each other too!

May 6^th I loved the building, the beautiful vaulted wood ceilings and stained glass windows were beautiful!

Two fun things today! I was able to go with Mom to her water Zumba class. It was fun but I didn’t have any water shoes and I’ll tell you what, you need them. I was mostly just floating around but I still enjoyed it! Afterwards we went and got into the lazy river where I danced around and then the HOT tub. What a great way to start the day!

THEN that night Heather invited mom and I to go to get sushi. It was my first time! We went and picked up Hamilton’s and headed into Salt Lake. It was Ichiban Sushi, which is a church turned restaurant, and it was really neat. I loved the building, the beautiful vaulted wood ceilings and stained glass windows were beautiful! I would love to have a home like that! I thought the food was really good too; I had the veggie and sunrise sushi rolls, which were beautiful too! The seaweed is a little chewy but still good, and the lemon on the sunrise roll was my favorite part. Mom had steak & mushrooms and it was also delicious (I don’t really like steak and this was good)! Thanks to Heather, Matt, Autumn and Gigi for a great evening!

May 7^th Yeah, I worked today 

May 8^th It kind-a makes me nervous but at the same time I know he is going to be great to work with so I shouldn’t be.

Mom and I went shopping for the Mother’s Day Celebration on Saturday. I thought we were getting more food then we needed but I never get enough food! So mom is probably right to get as much as we did.

            Today was my first day with the new manger Terri. To be honest I never really saw him. I was always running around getting things prepped. Stephanie starts tomorrow and I want to make sure that I’m ready for her too. He did come to me while I was on the phone with a bride and lets know that we need to chat. It kind-a makes me nervous but at the same time I know he is going to be great to work with so I shouldn’t be.

           

May 9^th All the while we chatted about life and our experiences.

Stephanie started today! Stephanie is, I think, an awesome possum! We started with a tour of the areas and then we had a wedding tour. The wedding tour was for a bride who is getting married in 2015 in March. I have not done a wedding in the winter and to be honest don’t really want too! We are a small venue and I’m not sure that we can do it. I guess we’ll leave that up to the bride.

After our intro we got to work setting up for our big event! We set the tables and the centerpieces then we got all the food ready! All the while we chatted about life and our experiences. We have some similar things in common and I hope that we will have a fun summer working together.

Heather and Mom came up for our Super Fun girl’s weekend!  I wasn’t quiet ready so I finished up and headed with them to pick out a movie. I made them dinner (fish, veggies, and rice) and we chatted about life experiences, good and hard, and then mom and I watched a movie while Heather slept near by. It was a fun night to spend with two of my loved ones!

May 10^th I wanted one, I REALLY love getting free stuff.

I woke up and sneaked out without waking up mom and Heather. We had another ‘work day’ but this time it was for the archery range. I received a text from Kris saying that she was sick and wouldn’t be able to let me in but Zach should be there. Well he wasn’t. I was waiting for him to come… and waiting… He was over an hour late. I didn’t set-off the alarm but someone else did. I’m not sure who, but I headed over to look around and couldn’t find anyone.

Finally Whisper for the store (and Zach) arrived at 8:30 and let us in. By this time, the ‘work day’ people were on their way to the archery range and Stephanie and I got ready for the event! My mom and Heather came, oh wait, I had another member ask me if I was going to apply for management. I was surprised but when I explained my concern she said she understood and agreed, anywho, THEN I had the next group of people show up and we started the party! Our Doterra people were about 45 minutes late but I was just happy when they showed up.

We had raffle prizes (I wanted one, I REALLY love getting free stuff), pedicures, manicure, waxing, movies, doTerra, and ‘It Works!’. It Works! Is a wrap company, facials, body wraps, etc. We had food and fun all around! I enjoyed it and I hope everyone else did. I think it went over well too!

We had a few male visitors but overall it was just we ladies. Autumn came and visited too, and she is just a cute little thing. She told me all about the fish she caught with her daddy. I hung out with them for a little after our day was over. We were VERY blessed to have some extra helpers to help us wrap up the event and it was great!! I say it was a great kick-off to the summer activity!!

Apr 27th - May 3rd

Apr 27^th “What is it worth to you to have the words of the prophets.”            

 Today we had Stake Conference at the Conference center. It was great! Here’s what I learned:

Elder Arnold: Hasten the work!   His promise: My spirit shall be round about you and mine angels shall bare you up.

Sis Cheryl Esplin: We hold our children; we provide good bones by teaching them righteousness.  That way when the ‘things’ come it will be like water on a ducks back.” 

Elder Clayton: We have an obsession with measuring things. “We need to spiritual measure ourselves.” 

Sis. Anderson: “What is it worth to you to have the words of the prophets.” 

Elder Anderson: “Observe those around you, embrace the gospel principals they live. “Faith, diligence, and patience; these are the spiritual qualities to nourish.” 

AS you can see it was a great conference. One our walk back to the car we pasted the beauty that is Temple Square! Beautiful day!!

Apr. 28^th I have my bruised knees and cut hands but I am ready to get back up and move forward.

            Today I shed a few tears. It was a rather hard day at work, ya-know, work is hard, life is hard. This has been a rough road for me, east canyon resort, that is. It’s been confusing and challenging and down right dramatic. I feel used, lied too, and I think my soul is bruised. I don’t wont to write down the details because I don’t want to re-live any of it, ever again. I’m confused, feeling a bit lost, and…. Icky.

            I came home to loving parents who I know what the best for me and I told them about my day. All the really bad parts; the parts I wish weren’t in my brain, the parts I don’t want, the parts you’ll never know about. I feel pretty low and… confused.

            Life is hard. I know this, I know because it has always been hard, and soon it will be a different kind of hard. Once I’ve made it through this hard, the Lord will bless me with another hard. I’m a little afraid of hard… it hurts and I’m not a fan of pain. But I know that hard will come, and I will do my best, and I will stumble and fall, and I will have bruises on my knees and cuts on my hands. And then my parents will help me get back up and I will heal and become stronger. Sometimes I pray that these hard lessons wont hurt so much, but I know that they will and that is the way that He is making me who He wants me to be.

            This has been a bit of a Debbie Downer post, but one of the hard lessons I learned on my mission was that it always gets harder before it gets better. People, it’s harder, so it’s gonna get better! Just like when I learned about my gallbladder, it was harder then and it got better. But the harder usually hurts when I get to that point. I know that we go through hard things so we can make choices. Choices like, ‘Am I going to let this hard experience bring me happiness or heartache?’ Maybe it will bring both, but we decide how we are to act, “We are agents to act, not object to be acted upon!” Elder Bednar.

            Through my whimpering heartaches my parents sat in front of me with problems and concerns of their own. I know my Dad’s heart is aching for a friend in need; my Mom’s heart is aching for a loved one’s health. They are always concerned for their children and are always praying for us. I know they are not prefect but they have tired their best through their hard experiences and have become wonderful people.

            On my mission, when I was truly struggling, I received a phone call from my amazing mission president, Pres Hobbs. He told me my grandpa had died. I was crushed. My heart hurt. It was bruised. But it healed, it healed because I turned to the Lord, put my trust in Him and faith in Him. It healed. It will heal again. I know it will most likely be bruised again, someday (hopefully not any time soon), and when it does I know that I can turn to my family. My wonderful earthly Parents who love me, and my Eternal Loving Heavenly Father, who also loves me, and who both want me to become the best I can be.

            The only option I can see is to get back up, I have my bruised knees and cut hands but I am ready to get back up and move forward. It will be hard, yes it will be hard, but not impossible and not horrible! I think I am quite ready for another adventure!!  

Apr 29^th I am trying to spread encouragement and trust and hopefully, they will feel the same way!

            I woke up this morning having high hopes for the day!  I was ready to take on the world (or maybe just my to do list) and wanted to have a good attitude about it. And it was a surprisingly good day.

So things are a bit crazy at work, as mentioned, my manager was fired. The acting manager is out of town this week and the assistant manager has lots on her plate, as you can imagine! I’m trying to help and not hinder in this whole process. I ‘m trying to stay positive and encourage all the other employees to do the same. I’m hoping that the drama will end and that we can work together as a team, because that is what we are, a team. I am trying to spread encouragement and trust and hopefully, they will feel the same way!

I’ve had a few people today ask me if I am going to apply for the manager job. Well I would like to think that I would be able to help the resort but the truth of the matter is, I’m not qualified. It would be a steep learning curve, not impossible, just really, really, steep!! I also look at the last resort manager that wasn’t really qualified and see what happened and it makes me even more nervous. It’s something to think about, maybe… I don’t think so, but it’s a thought.

 

Apr 30^th

            Well I think it’s all going to work out, but it’s still a bit confusing. I’m trying to get ready for the first ‘work day’ at the resort, Natasha was suppose to be charge of this, but she’s no longer here to do so. SO now I have to step up and do it, which makes sense really, it is in my department.  Just would have hoped for more time to prepare for it and that our maintenance guy was going to be around. I don’t know of 3 or 3o people will show for this ‘work day.’ Axcil is usually around to help with everything including the to do list, but he wont be so I have to be in charge. He was funny, trying to show me around, it was good for me.  I had the list of items we talked about and we went through and showed me where everything would be. He showed me where the key to get into the building was and I thought, okay, I can do this!

May 1^st I think they will work but I hope the brides like them too!

Well my tire popped on the freeway right before I drove up Weber Canyon. Huh I don’t know how to change my tire so I thought, I need to call my dad (because I always call my Dad for help)… but I’m in Weber… so who might be closer. I thought Jeff Gale said he was coming up to the resort so I’ll call him. He was just not until the late afternoon. He called his son, Brad, to come to my rescue. He and Mike came and changed my tire then told me where to take it. I took it to Les Schwab and they fixed it AND they did charge me for it! I’d said that was a GREAT blessing!!

After my tire hiccup I went to work and worked on getting last minute everything ready. The flowers continue to die every year so Jeff and Kris decided that we should try silk flowers and see if that will work out. SO I spent a bit trying to put together the flowers for the planter boxes. I hope they don’t look really bad! I think they will work but I hope the brides like them too!

May 2^nd I haven’t had her braid my hair since high school and it was great!

            Today I picked up the logo canvas wrap for the restaurant. I think it looks great and I hope it will add the little touch needed in there. I also picked up the volunteer vouchers for all our hunters tomorrow.

            Tomorrow will be an early day so I need to get everything ready and call it an early night. I asked mom to French-braid my hair. I haven’t had her braid my hair since high school and it was great! I look horrible with this hairstyle but I didn’t care cause I was worried about it getting in the way while working.

May 3^rd I set off the alarm to the resort, yup, this girl.

What a crazy day! It started early and drove to the resort to open the A-frame and find out that the maintenance guys, BOTH of them are gone. I set off the alarm to the resort, yup, this girl. I think overall the day went really well. Since I didn’t know that both guys were gonna be gone I didn’t get any other codes. We had a few run around’s trying to find the codes but eventually we got them all. I was thinking maybe 15 people and we had 35ish people. It was a little overwhelming.

            After the day was ‘over’ I was trying to leave and this nice old man stops me in the parking lot and just starts chatting away. I learned all about his three daughters and one son, and his 11 grandkids. That he is from Portland but now lives in Idaho. Not really sure how it got around to it but he was talking to me about family history and then it got to how I have the control in choosing who I marry, meaning it’s up to me, it’s my choice. He continued to tell me that I have plenty of time and not to worry until I turn 30. Weeellll… he must have thought I was 22 (he mentioned that) and didn’t realize that tomorrow is my 29^th birthday. After an hour of his advice and chatting I was able to get going. He was a very nice man who I think missed his three daughters and felt like sharing some life lessons with me!

            THEN I drove home as fast as possible since I was an hour lat, changed and Dad, Mom, Peter and I went to Dinner at Royal India in Bountiful. Yummy!! Afterward Ashley Marie and I hung out until the wee hours of the morning.

Apr 20th - Apr 26th

Apr 20^th What a day to celebrate all the miracles that are Jesus Christ!

            Today was a great Easter Sunday! Wonderful messages at church and time spent with my family! Heather came up to the house because the Easter bunny left Autumn’s eggs around our house J. She was so cute and had so much fun with it! It was such a beautiful day too! We spent a little of it out on the swing and I got to snuggle with the Moosmans AND the Ambler’s (most of them) for a minute before running inside for dinner.

            What a day to celebrate all the miracles that are Jesus Christ! I’m very grateful for him and for what he did and does for me!!

 

Apr 21^st To Reach the Unreachable Star

            Tonight I went and saw The Man of La Moncha. They did a wonderful job!! I was VERY impressed. I had never seen the play nor did I know anything about it. It was a little hard to figure it all out but I thought it was well done. Easton said it was his favorite but I’m thinking it was a little hard for him to follow along with and maybe just liked the fact that they dressed up and were silly.

            One of my favorite songs is a theme in this musical, The Impossible Dream, and it’s beautiful! 

 Here, enjoy:

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest

To follow that star

No matter how hopeless

No matter how far

To fight for the right without question or pause

To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars,

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To reach the unreachable star

Apr 22^nd I thought that the cover of the movie seemed like Natalie Portman became a superhero, but of course she’s not.

            Mom and I went to dinner at PeiWi and then went and got a movie. We got the Thor 2 movie, I’ve been wanting to see it. It wasn’t what I thought it was going to be, but it was still good. 

Apr 23^rd Powers out equals boring day…

            So pretty much I did nothing today because the power was out and all the stuff I wanted/needed to do I couldn’t. SO it was a bit boring and not so productive… I need to go to the resort tomorrow so I’m sure it will be better.

Apr 24^th It was cold and I smelt of exhaust but it was fun!  

Power is out again at the resort, and it’s freezing! Seriously, it was really cold! I worked on wedding stuff upstairs in the lodge.  Sorted as much as I could before I needed a break from the cold and had to go outside and warm up. Yes I said that correctly! It was warmer outside than inside. Axcil showed up with the new fire truck (which looks like he just stole it from the army, of course he didn’t J) and took us all on a test drive.  It was cold and I smelt of exhaust but it was fun!

Apr 25^th Well today was a little stressful. My manager was fired.

            Yup. My levels of stress keep raising but I’m trying to not let everything get to me. I vent to my mom then try not to think about it but I guess I need to try a little harder, because it’s REALLY getting to me. I’m a little confused about what is going to happen and who will be in charge and all of the unknown! I can’t do anything about it so I’m going to not worry about it until I know what’s going on.

Apr 26^th “It’s not so much where we’ve been but where we are willing to go.”

Tiffany put together a Doterra training conference! She did a wonderful job! It was wonderful to be hearing about and being a little involved in the oil world. I love learning and I love attending these things!!

It rained all day long. It sort of reflected my emotions. I was happy to be at class but then I got a phone call from work that rather crush my happy emotions, I couldn’t really shake the feeling after that.

BUT I REALLY TRIED TOO!! I was taking one of my besties to her 30^th Birthday dinner and the LAST thing I wanted to do was complain about my worries! I was going to put on a happy face (which I was happy to be with her) and help her celebrate her wonderful day!  She wanted to go to California Pizza Kitchen, so we did! I had the California Veggie Pizza (without the cheese) and enjoyed it, it’s not for everyone I get that but I don’t miss cheese (the convenience maybe). She told me all about her day and how it did turn out the way she expected. I understand that, sometimes I put expectations that just don’t get fulfilled. I try to no do that, it’s not fair.

I enjoyed my time with Ashley Marie and after dinner we went to Stake Conference, Adult Session; which was also wonderful! Sis. Goldsberry said: “It’s not so much where we’ve been but where we are willing to go.” 

Sis. Hymas: “You are a partner, with Christ, in the work of the Salvation of man” 

Sis. Boyer:  “You must become the rock the river cannot wash away!” 

Kirk Nelson: “Going through hard times helps us see the joy that is possible because of Jesus Christ.” 

Tiffany: We need to love ourselves first. We need to see ourselves the way the Lord does.

Pres. Boyer: “It’s about the ordnances!” He announced that we are going to combine wards during Sunday school, which means we will be in Singles buildings. Yup, my stake president is pretty amazing! Starting in June we will be re-located to the new (to us) buildings so we have more opportunities to meet people. They want us to be able to have more opportunities to meet, so they made it possible. He explained it’s not just about meeting people but that we need to have all the ordnances and marriage is an ordnance we all need. “You need to do your part in this process of meeting people.” “Live the way you want your spouse to live. Become the person you want to marry!” This was great for me to hear because I have been thinking about that lately. I need to be the person I want to marry and make sure that I am a person someone will want to marry! It was a great message.

Afterwards, Peter, Kelvin (Kelton & Devin Gubler, I made this name up, I think it’s funny), April, Shantel, and I went to get some frozen yogurt (so did half of utah it seemed). Lots of wonderful things happened in this day!

Apr 13th - Apr 19th

Apr 13^th Church was, of course, wonderful! I love Sundays, it's my favorite day of the week!

Apr 14^{th  “}Put on your Sunday clothes when you feel down and out. Strut down the street and have your picture took.”

            This year our ward won the stake cultural night performance! Technically another ward would have won but they broke the rules so we did. I’ll take it! Everyone did a great job! Our ward was combined with another really involved ward and they worked together well. This picture is from the “rule-breaking ward.” They did “Put on your Sunday Clothes”(one of my favorite songs by-the-way) and they had Wall-e there too. They did an amazing job making him. Does he look great!! It was a fun night!

Apr 15^th This is the stuff I like to do!

Today was shopping for all the last minute things I have forgotten to get for the Easter Activities at ECR. I was also able to pick up all the frosting for the cookies. I will try to get it to double in size and then bag then in “piping bags” for little hands to be able to decorate.  This is the stuff I like to do!

Apr 16^th I kind-a like the hands on part of getting things ready!  

            I kind-a like the hands on part of getting things ready! It gets me excited for the actual event. That’s what I did today. Tried to get as much job away from the resort as possible. 

Apr 17^th It was a busy day of wedding preps and plans!

Today I had a couple of consultations with brides that had already booked. We were able to set some more plans and help me figure out a little better what needed to happen! It was a busy day of wedding preps and plans!

Apr 18^th  I was a little sick of looking at eggs by the end of the day but it was for the kids, so it was worth it!

            Today was supposed to be all about prepping the areas for all of the activities on Saturday! I was able to get a lot done, with the help from others. I was grateful for the help of others! It was nice getting everything ready and made me excited about all the fun things that would be happening. I was working until about 9:00 that night trying to do as much as I could! I was a little sick of looking at eggs by the end of the day but it was for the kids, so it was worth it!

            I also had two consultations, booked them, so we have two more to add to the summer fun!

Apr 19^th I pretty much have the best family in the whole wide world!!

            Everything turned out great! My helpers were a little late but it all worked out. Peter ended up not being the Easter bunny but helping with one of the games. Raelynn helped with the Bunny suit with made us a little late in the start time, but it I think it worked out. I had fun and was able to walk around making sure everyone was doing great and taking pictures!  I heard that everyone enjoyed all the activities, but there was too much time to get everything done. I will need to re-evaluate for next year! I had lots of fun and it was even greater that my whole family was there. I pretty much have the best family in the whole wide world!! 

Apr 6th - Apr 12th

Apr 6^th I read “The Women you Dream of Becoming” by Pres. Hinckley. I missed him… I do. I miss his soft voice and funniness.

            It was a talk I found in some of my random room findings. I thought I should read it and see why I kept it. It was a wonderful talk, I’m glad I kept it!!          

We had two more wonderful sessions of conference.

Pres. Uchtdorf: “There is one thing we can do, we can be grateful! Give Thanks to God!”  

Elder Ballard:   “Following is key! It’s like buying a ticket to a concert and never going.” 

Sis. Stevens:  “He always has a plan to get e safely home again.” 

Elder Steveson:  “Your pathway to eternal life has checkpoints. They are the ordnances.” 

Elder Bednar: “It was the load that enabled him to return to his family and home. We each need out own load, it is help create spiritual traction to get back to our Heavenly Father.” 

Pres. Monson: “God has given us neighbors to serve. They usually come unexpectedly.” 

Pres. Packer:  “Parenthood is a sacred privilege.” 

Elder Walker:  “We will be better people if we know who we came from and their stories.”

Elder Perry: “The driver knows best, He knows the plan, He is our Savior, Follow the Drivers lead.” 

Elder Corbridge:  “Family is the pattern of Heaven.”

Elder Teh: “Do not spend money on that which has no worth. Nor labor for that which does not satisfy.” 

Elder Aidukaitis:  “One should not roam through garbage!” 

Elder Christofferson;  “He simply is and will always be, for he stores life, death is not the end!”

Apr 7^thI read Emma, another Latter-day Tale - It’s another book written by Rebecca Jamison.

 I don’t like it as much as Persuasion but I still like it. Actually I have never really liked the character of Emma, but I think Mr. Knightly is a great character.  I thought it was well written and matched the characters in Jane Austen’s Emma.

Apr 8^th It really makes me want my own space to paint and decorate and one day I will have that.

            Today was a trip to the resort AND I picked out paint for the restaurant! This may mean nothing to all of you because you haven’t seen the really bad paint color that is there now. SO this is kind-a a big deal, for me. I had some questions answered about my wages and the future. Not the answers I wanted but it lets mw know what the future will hold. I now have to make some decisions, hard ones.

            I also helped Heather with her home paint. I say home paint because she is painting her house (inside and out). I think the colors we chose look really good and feel like what she wanted. It’s been lots of fun helping my lovely siblings with paint and interior design questions. It really makes me want my own space to paint and decorate and one day I will have that J

Apr 9^th  Another day at work…

Apr 10^th I always get nervous about these brides.

            Working up at the resort wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t so far. It just feels like I’m the car ALL the time!! I booked another wedding, well it’s an event, but it’s a wedding too. We are treating it as an event (budget) but they are getting married at the resort. I always get nervous about these brides. I will be clear about what we will and will not do but then they will show up on the day and except something else. It’s just my nerves! They get to me sometimes 

Apr 11^th Highlight of my day was being able to go to Dinner and Movie with Ashley Marie.

We met up at Rumbi’s and then went and saw Divergent. It was fun and beautiful weather! We even had time to go to a lotion store and sample all sorts of good stuff. I even got a EARLY birthday present, Ashley bought my ticket to the movie! It was a great night!  Thanks Friend!

Apr 12^th Ever hear of the dead sea scrolls?!

Today I was able to go and see them along with a whole bunch of other artifacts. It was amazing! People are smart and have to have a lot of patience to work in that in industry. Mom and Dad took Peter, Andy, Tiffany, and me and it was just a really neat experience! Afterwards we went to dinner. It was a great night spent with some of my loved ones! Thanks to Dad and mom for a great night!! 

Mar. 30th - Apr. 5th

Mar 30^th It frosted everything and made all the dead stuff look beautiful!

            Another wonderful day at church! To be able to partake in the sacrament, be taught the spirit and enjoy the company of others. After church we had a mingle where I volunteered to bring cookies. Yup, I tried to get involved! It’s a simple way but one that I knew I could contribute in. It was a fun mingle and I was even able to help clean up afterwards. While at church it snowed, a lot! It really came down and made it slushy and slick, but nothing really bad. It frosted everything and made all the dead stuff look beautiful!

Mar 31^st Murder Mystery at FHE. Slim shady... I mean Sam Shady died. 

Yes this was the highlight of my day. At FHE we played clue, but life sized. To be honest, it didn’t make any sense at all on how we were to figure out the answer, but luckily my team was fun and that made it worth it. Here are two of my team members and Maid… someone (I don’t remember her fake name) but Jen!

 

Apr 1^st I’m engaged! HAHAHAHA APRIL FOOLS!!! Oh man I’m funny!

            I bet you thought I was serious! Of-course you didn’t, I know, it wasn’t really that funny. O-well, it was another day at work.

Apr 2^nd I hope it will be a wonderful Mother’s Day Celebration!

I got my hair trimmed this morning and she even straighten it, this only happens when she does it because I can’t get me straight like she can. It felt nice to have it done and made me excited for the Mothers Day Celebration! For Mother’s Day this year I am doing a Spa Day. Each person can have a pedicure or a manicure and upper lip/eyebrow waxing, and a hand technique (doTERRA) and a body wrap! There will be treats, music and great company J I will not be getting to do any of these things but I thought it sounded like something people would want. Well I have 35 spots and all of them are full! Not bad uh?! I hope it will be a wonderful Mother’s Day Celebration! 

Apr 3^rd  My nieces and nephews are just the cutest things there are!

I love my family, but it’s hard to focus on work when they are around! I’m not complaining because I think they are just the cutest things there are but I had to leave the room and lock my bedroom door. It hurt.

Apr 4^th It seems like a strange way but I needed peace, calmness, and a sense of enjoyment and reading can do that for me.

            So I have been emotional struggling lately, as hinted towards but not explained in past dates. Work, life, me, it has all been getting to me lately. It’s been such a problem that my skin (it’s usually my way of showing stress) has taken a hit. 

My mom has helped me put together some different approaches to help my skin and my soul.  I hope to feel better physically, spiritually, and emotionally soon! As you can imagine I was VERY much looking forward to general conference to receive answers and the peace that I have been seeking! To help me get ready I read a book. It seems like a strange way but I needed peace, calmness, and a sense of enjoyment and reading can do that for me. I had wanted to re-read a book that I got for Christmas and knew I could read it in one day. Persuasion, a Latter-day Tale; by Rebecca H. Jamison. It’s a modern day LDS take on Jane Austen’s Persuasion. I read it and it did help.

      

     

Apr 5^th “Courage beyond Words”

            Today was General Conference, I needed this and loved this. Our Heavenly Father knows each of us and what we need to hear. Here are just some of the things that stood that I wrote about these sessions.

Pres. Monson “Listen and Learn”

Elder Holland “Courageously stand up for the Church and your beliefs” 

Elder Rasband “Angels will be round about you to lift you up.” 

Elder Amado “Christ usually served others, one by one. Let us serve until the end.”

Sis. Reeves “Daily scripture study, daily prayer and FHE will help change your heart and your desires.” 

Elder Andersen “All things in commotion, spiritual whirlwinds, they will move you; sometimes without you knowing it!” 

Pres Erying “It takes faith to keep your covenants.” 

Elder Nelson “Faith is the Antidote of Fear.”

Elder Scott “His grandmother was a wonderful example (as was mine), she put the Lord first.”

Elder Hales  “Obedience is taught by example. Obedience makes us stronger for the next trails that are to come.”

Elder Zivic “He loved music so much that we practiced and worked on his music without reminders.”

Elder Zwick “Practice this question; what were you thinking? Listen to each other and try to see their perspective.” 

Elder Cook “We need to save our ancestors, we act as their agents. We need to be connected to our roots and branches.” 

After Conference mom and I had a little mother daughter date.  We went to dinner and then to see a movie. We saw The Book Thief. It was very moving! It stirred feelings of that day and age when horrible things happened. The thing that makes it hard is that it’s STILL happening. It was a VERY well done movie and an emotional one. I would suggest it as a film to help you put life into perspective. “Courage beyond Words”