h-a-double l-o-w-double e-n spells..HALLOWEEN!

I absolutely LOVE halloween. the fall leaves, pumpkins, costumes, soup, pie, and parties!
and... it isn't just ONE DAY! its usually an array of activities, parties, and dinners!!!! my HALLOWEEN weekend began on thursday with my cute nieces and nephews halloween PARADE! i love that they are all at the same elementary school so I get to see everyone.(p.s. got 3 letters this day too..perfect halloween treat)

 

then saturday came along.... BLACKOUT TIME!!!!!!! the three witches of Ute Mountain came prepared and for our efforts we WON THE COSTUME CONTEST... what did we win? 2ND ROW TICKETS IN THE MIGHTY UTAH STUDENT SECTION!!!! and we won... FINALLY

after the game I RUSHED to my home away from home, LOGAN! time for the HOWL!!!!!!! I had my dreads in (my real hair turned into dreads), they were dyed black, chains on my neck, tatted on the face. ready to go... LIL WAYNE! yup...best rapper alive! It was a fun costume and super comfortable!!!

after only a few hours of sleep and church, I headed home to a PUMPKIN CARVING PARTY at my sisters house! it was so fun to have everyone there! scones, pumpkin seeds, and some awesome pumpkins! who knew my fam had so much pumpkin talent?

then tonight it was off to oakledge rd. to trick or treat with all of the kids! they had so much fun getting everyone's candy and hanging with the fam!! SUCCESSFUL halloween I'd say.

precious cargo....

I pulled down Oakledge Rd! My backseat all cleaned out!
three little boys (not really little but still little to me) climbed in my backseat.
They got all buckled in to head down to the sandwich loft.
As I drove I watched my speed. I checked my blind spots. I used my blinker perfectly.
Not saying I'm normally a reckless driver, but I took much more care today then my usual.
As I heard them laughing in the back I thought to myself...
what precious cargo I have with me.
what beautiful young children of god.
these beautiful kids who came into my life and doubled the size of my heart.
my 8 nieces and nephews change my life daily.
they make it better. they make it happier.
chandler.ashtyn.morgan.ethan.evan.collin.kaylee.jaxon.
8 reasons to be happy every single day.

branches.

it grows. it twists. it twines. it turns.

it fights through bitter cold, rushing wind, excruciating heat.

it's roots grow deep and it's branches reach wide.

constantly changing every season.

yet... it still stands.it stays strong.

well it's time.

here comes the worst conditions.

time for us to fight.

my family-I love you. EACH and EVERY one of you.

no matter what seasons we face that will change us.. we will still stand!

missy aub and a-dawg simzle

sometimes you don't realize JUST HOW MUCH  person means to you...  

stop and think of someone you care about. now think about life without that person.

doesn't seem too glamorous does it?

now I know that friends change ALL the time.. especially in transitions. I HATE this part of life. I HATE knowing that a certain someone may not always be in my life.

so... I need to be so grateful for every second with every great friend that I have.

in the blink of an eye... everything can change.

this year up at Utah State.. I made a friend. I had NO IDEA the impact he would have on my life. It started out as someone to watch Jazz games with and totally school in mario cart.

then it got real. 

whenever i'm lonely, sad, nervous, hesistant, doubtful. he is there.

this year has been a roller coaster year for me. lots of changes. lots of challenges. and at times I pretty much just gave up on myself. but he had hope in me and gave me the courage to face my life and take control of it.

he made me proud of what I believe. he taught me to stick up for myself.

He deserves the world.

He deserves whatever he wants in life.

and I can't believe that before this I didn't realize what I have been so lucky to have.

If you have a friend like this-NEVER let them go.

thank you for being that friend to me.

i'm sorry for times I wasn't that to you.

4 years runnin...

october 2, 2007. mount olympus trailhead. I wrote our story up until that point and ended with, "she told him she would be his girlfriend." in reply to his question.

16 years old. so young so happy.

I can't believe it has been 4 YEARS!!

"so 4 years, holy cow! What a 4 years it has been.  I have loved every moment of it. I look back at these 4 years and really the time when I wasn't happy and not doing what I wanted to do was when you and me were not together.  I just can't wait to see what these next 4 years has for us." -Bryce October 3, 2011

On that day in 2007, I never thought that I would be at this point with this same amazing guy. I feel so lucky. I am so proud of him and all he is doing in Panama.... and I too can't wait to see what will happen these next 4 years.

i've lost that BLOGGING feeling...

today I went back and read some of my old blog posts.... (if you haven't done this you should try it).   I realized something somewhat troubling.
I don't write about important things anymore.  I seem to have gotten into the habit of rattling off facts without any real emotion. ya ya some of them are alright but overall I have lost that BLOGGING feeling. bummer.
so I started thinking about what is going on in my life.

new school (as you can see from all the red that I've overdone that topic).

Bryce (you all know the story... he's my fave blog subject).

I'm sure you're all just waiting for me to say I thought of something important and you are about to read something insightful that has changed my life and perspective of the world.... you are wrong.

I don't have anything to write in the moment.

I'll do my semi-annual conference blog later this week once I have finished watching the DVR recording of a few of the talks I missed.
so for now just know... JUICY STUFF COMING UP!!!

the old blogger is comin back!