Body Guards and Best Friends

My friends are the greatest!  They work so hard to make me happy.  I will never be able to repay them for all the amazing things they do for me.

I'm short, not super short, but averagely short.  I tend to find friends that are tall.  Don't know why. Just happens that way.  There is a group of guys that I lovingly refer to as my body guards.  They tower over me.  Sometimes I stand in between them to feel protected.  They have protected me many times from the creepers of this world.  Mark, Joshua, and Jordan are basically the biggest man cheerleaders I have ever had.  I love them all.

Aren't they handsome?!

Guess what?! My blessings don't end there!  I have amazing ladies in my life too.  Rachael and Kelsey got my back!  They cheer me up and pull me through life.  Not to mention, anyone cross me and Kelsey will go ghetto on them.  Believe me! Ghetto Kelsey is SCARY!!  Rachie and I have known each other for a long, long, long time!  Some friends are just meant to be friends.  We are a great giggly team.  I think I laugh more with that girl than I do any other time.  Sometimes we just look at each other and the giggles explode.  People find us slightly (and when I say slightly I mean hugely) ridiculous!

I have many, many more friends that I love and appreciate so much.  This post would be ridiculously long if I talked about them all, so I'm sticking to the ones that I am most thankful for today!

Heavenly Father has blessed me so much and then He put a cherry on top and put these lovely people in my life!  I love you all!

I'm a Cheese Ball.

I can be super cheesy at times.  Valentines day is a great day to let the cheese ooze out!  Here are some of my cheesy valentines

You're sweet and I'm not lion!

I wheelie like you!

You're a great catch!

I love you a hole bunch!

You bring me barrels of joy!

I'm krazy about you!

This weekend my beautiful cousin Sammy got married.  This is my favorite picture from the day!  Love you Uncle Dave.  This is why you are my favorite!

Swedish Fish and Happiness

Sometimes I dwell on things that really don't matter.  My happiness slowly sinks.  I become a crab.  Many small things happened yesterday to remind me why I should be happy.

Work went well.  My students were participating in class.  I have a job in a world where so many can't find one.  I spent a lot of time talking to one of my many loving mommas Rienie.  I had time to just sit and relax.  I went to institute with Cam.  Institute was amazing.  Then I went with Cam to his new apartment.  Hanging out with Cam and Z was so great.  Peaceful.  Drama free.  The best part was they have Swedish Fish and peanut butter M&Ms.  Swedish Fish!  My favorite candy ever.  I was happy.

When I woke up this morning I was still just as happy.  During faculty meeting this afternoon the happiness stayed.  I'm still bursting with happy.  Nothing in this world can wipe the smile off my face. Nothing.

Here's the plan.

So Kelsey and I made a plan tonight.  We are really good at being just good friends with the men in our lives (we have both been "sister"ed a few times too).  So we have decided to accept our fate of lonely sweet spiritedness.  It is not as dismal as it sounds.  Here's the plan.  I hate cats so there is no way that I can be one of those cat ladies.  This of course means I am going to be the hedgehog lady.  Cool right?  Instead of being a cat lady Kelsey is going to be a car lady.  Epic cars.  Pimped out Cadillac Escalade cars.  We are going to rock this world in awesome cars with my hedgehogs.

Here is the best part of our plan: We are going to marry Stripling Warriors.  Can't wait for the Millennium!

Beginning of December Fun!

Mom and I at Cabela's.  Something was just a little off about this mannequin...  Now that I think about it this isn't as funny as we thought it was. 

Last night my friends came over and we played an awesome game of  Werewolf.  

Jer-bear is the best Werewolf narrator out there.

Markus and Hollie having some intense convo!

The other side of the room.

Today I felt like being crafty.  This was the result.

Of course I have seen a bunch of these on Pinterest and I decided I wanted to try it for myself.  What do ya think?

Krafting with Kelsey

Tonight Kels and I had a much needed night of crafts, juice boxes, and a chick-flick.

Can't wait for 24 hours to try out my chalkboard mug!

Life Update!

I have been trying to think of some meaningful things to post on here...but... I feel my life is pretty boring.  So, I decided to do just a basic "this is whats up" post.

First off, after reevaluating my friend circle I have discovered a few things.

#1- Boy best friends.  I need them.  For a while I didn't have one, but then I realized that wasn't true.  I have this friend named Cam (I tend to like this name) and I can honestly say I tell him EVERYTHING about my life.  Granted there is not that much to tell, but he still hears it all.  And sometimes he tells me about his life to.  We do things like go to lunch, sometimes go shopping, and mostly watch random movies.  But the best part is we push each other to actually do something sometimes; like tonight.  Potato selling is hard, but together we accomplished a lot!  When I'm nervous about things he comes with me.  We don't always have to be together, but I know if I really needed him he would come.  He is great ladies! Also single.  Want his number?

#2- I cannot be trusted around a bunch of girls.  I like juicy gossip and I get sucked in very easily.  My solution lately: hang out with guys more often.  Guys don't gossip.  I don't think they even know how...

#3- I used to think when I was with my friends we always needed to be doing exciting/random things.  Well, I have learned that sometimes just watching a movie with them can be the best thing ever.  Last night I learned things about Star Trek that I never would have ever known because I took the time to watch a movie with Cam and Jeremy.  Also, when you feel upset with life watch the beginning of a James Bond movie, eat bagel crisps that taste like pure garlic, and then watch Hunger Games.  

#4- Life is changing.  My friends are changing.  I can let them leave my life.  Its hard, but its possible.  Also, I am very bad at talking to my friends in Logan and I will repent and change that.  Expect a visit from me in the very near future!

More about my life:

I can do hard things like sell potatoes to a random stranger because I went to the wrong house.

One of my best friends of my whole life lost his brother not too long ago.  This reminded me how precious our lives are.

Spending 4 days with my grandparents was the highlight of my past few months.

I spend my afternoons after I am done teaching at my school at the elementary with the secretary.  I honestly can't think of anything I would rather spend my time doing.

I almost moved out but didn't.  Long story.

I know this was more detailed then planned but oh well!  Want to know more about my life? Call me, text me, facebook message me.  I know I want to hear all about yours!

Sunday Moments

Waking up and laying in bed with time to just think.
Having time to try out different hair styles with sister.
Driving to church listening to great music.
Relief society lessons that make you laugh and cry.
Amazing moments during sacrament meeting.
A bishopric that can't go a whole meeting without laughing or making faces at us.
Linger Longers (Nauvoo Tacos today)
Catching him watching you.
Laughter with the family.
Cat naps.
Watching Pride and Prejudice with the sister.
Making playdoh.
Driving with the windows down, singing with the friends.
Party time with the group.
Deep girl conversations about life.
Silly girl pranks.
A cozy bed.
The spirit.
Testimonies.
Love.

I'm Going Nowhere Fast

This stage in my life can be pretty fun.  Okay, it is always fun.  Sometimes it does get old though.  Today was a great reminder of that.  Baby shower for a friend who is almost 2 years younger than me, what a great way for the world to say "why are you so slow?"  Madi, Shay, and I were sitting there talking like we do because we are bestest friends.  I take a look around and what do I see? Pregnant women, women holding their babies, and older women who have already had a lot of babies and are on to their grandchildren.  The 3 of us were the minority in this group.

So, you think it would be comforting having Shay and Madi with me.  Well it was, but not a whole lot.  Wanna know why?  Well because in 21 days Shay is going on a mission.  She has a purpose in life for the next 18 months.  Madi has a most fantabulous boyfriend and her single days are coming to a close.  Me... well... I uh... got nothing.

Reality has hit, and I have a plan.  I am on a quest to find my purpose in life.  I am going to be brave and take chances when I am prompted.  (Even if this means I talk to that really cute boy that I have a huge crush on)  I'm going to do it!  PURPOSE! You better be prepared because I am coming for you!  Full force with the Lord by my side!

Anchors

So there is a song that has become the theme of my life lately.  I love Mindy Gledhill a lot!  Her song Anchor really explains what has been going on in my life the past few years.

Anchor

Mindy Gledhill

When all the world is spinning 'round 

Like a red balloon way up in the clouds 

And my feet will not stay on the ground

You anchor me back down

I am nearly world renowned 

As a restless soul who always skips town 

But I look for you to come around

And anchor me back down

There are those who think that I'm strange

They would box me up and tell me to change

But you hold me close and softly say

That you wouldn't have me any other way

When people pin me as a clown

You behave as though I'm wearing a crown

When I'm lost I feel so very found

When you anchor me back down

Chorus

When all the world is spinning 'round

Like a red balloon way up in the clouds 

And my feet will not stay on the ground

You anchor me back down

I told you all about my Boy Best Friends already.  They are huge anchors in my life.  They often hold me close and tell me they love the way I am.  Mark has been a big help lately.  I get really restless.  I freak out about stupid things and want to run away but he has really kept me grounded.  It is a good thing he is around or I might be in crazy land!  My lovely friend Madison has also become a huge anchor.  She helps me in other ways.  She is just there.  We just play.  Sometimes we talk about life but usually we talk about other things.  I really love my ANCHORS!

Fun with Madison!

Sometimes life is hard and all you need is some girl time.  What do girls do for girl time? Go to lunch, watch Psych, oh and of course create!  Especially baking.

We made healthy cookies!  Half butter half avocado!

We tried our hand at making our own fruit snacks. 

Lego fruit snacks!  They tasted good but were super rubbery. 

Then we decided to make beautiful pizza!  and we invited boys.  Mark LOVES pizza.

Seriously! Isn't this so beautiful??

Then we decided to make these fantastic brownies.  This is just the frosting!  Brownies include a cream cheese and mallow layer!

We like to bake.  It is fun!

Boy Best Friends

This is my 100th post!  Quite an accomplishment for me.  So to celebrate I want to dedicate this to my wonderful Boy Best Friends.

So boy best friend is a very prestigious title in my life.  My boy best friends take my hand when I need a little extra help.  They are ALWAYS there for me and I for them.  They take the role of the older brother I never had.  I love every single one I have had soooo much.

Want to meet them?  (although I usually only have one acting boy best friend at a time I am still very close with each of them)

We will start from the very beginning.  James Olen Popham.  James moved to my neighborhood when we were 6.  He is the best.  He was my boy best friend for a VERY long time.  I remember calling him in junior high over some drama and just crying to him about it.  I love him.

I have about a billion pictures of James and I before the digital age and I am too lazy to  scan them in... this is him with his sister who is also one of my good friends.

After a while Kenneth David Parkinson moved into the spot.  Often I drove him crazy but for some reason he stuck around.  Even when I had stupid boyfriends, right Kenny?  We both moved to Logan fro school and he was at my apartment a lot.  We watched a lot of TaleSpin.  He was my boy best friend until he went on his mission.  We stayed close, but he just wasn't around to talk to all the time.

After a while Conner became my new boy best friend.  He gives the best hugs. EVER.  He was always willing to text when I just needed to talk.  Conner got married.  We are still friends, but marriage just kinda changes friendships.

For a while I didn't have a boy best friend.  It was super weird.  Then I met the Davin Lembke.  Truthfully I started crushing on him and then quickly decided he would be just a great friend.  He was always there when I needed to get away from the girls.  He gave me advice a lot.  He is very mature and I needed a mature man to guide my life.  He also gives great hugs, but for a while he limited my hugs because I always stole so many.  He is now engaged to a wonderful girl.

Davin stayed my boy best friend for a while.  During that time a good friend from high school came back into my life.  Cameron James Decker.  What a stud.  Our friendship is so great.  We started out hanging out, it turned into dating, and then went back to friends.  Some people just fit better in your life that way.  Cameron brought a lot of stability into my life.  He showed me how much I am really worth.  He is AMAZING.

Sometimes friends just grow apart a little.  I moved home from Logan and Cam stayed there.  He is still one of my best friends.  He always will be.

This past little while I have had some really great friends.  Awesome guy friends, but none have really taken the boy best friend position, until now.  Ever feel like there is just someone you just really need to get to know?  Mark Alton Swanson started hanging out with my group of friends.  He intrigued me.  He became a fun friend.  And then for a few days he became more than a friend.  We both realized that our relationship was only meant to be friends.  Funny how that works sometimes.  Now Markus is my new boy best friend.  Even in this short time I really have grown to love him.  Maybe it is because he hugs me often and encourages me to let the tears flow, but is he has become an anchor in my life.  He is the kind of man that makes sure he brings happiness to your life and only that.  He is the kind of man that will randomly text you a scripture because he has been thinking about you and your problems.  I am one lucky girl.

Mark and I don't have any great pictures yet, he is the one next to me touching his ear.

I love all of you so much! Thanks for making my life so wonderful.  I know Heavenly Father loves me because he has let all of you be in my life.

Reach for the Stars!

So at work today I made my crew play this game with me.  We were having all sorts of struggs today moving furniture in the school.  Lets just say the self-esteem and love for each other today was lacking.  I think this game did just the trick!

Yes, this game was written for young children, around kindergarten age, but it still had some great lessons for us to learn.  It taught us to think about our decisions, if they were good, if we should have done something different and how we can fix them.  I learned I will never carve my name in the park bench or not say thank-you to my dad when he fixes my bike.  We also learned "You're special, I'm special, we are all special!"  The best part was chuggin around the patio at work like a train.  It was so fabulous.  If you ever think your group of friends need a night to get closer and build esteem this is the game for you!

Also!  Meet my new baby!  I haven't picked a name for her yet.  Any suggestions?

The Weekend

Friday:
My little sister Em and her bestie Meg came with me to teach on Friday.  It was the Mr. Lancer Assembly so I had a long break in which we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  Yum Yum!  It was a lot of fun.  That night my friends and I went to La Ferrovia for dinner.  This was more than YUM!  If you love Italian you will love this place.  It is on 25th street in Ogden.  Go!  After we at our delicious food we walked over the the Solomon Center and watched people do iFly.  I am a chicken, and poor, and don't see myself trying this out for a LONG time.  One day I will do it.  I will be able to do all the cool flips and tricks too. Next, we went to the $3 movie theater and saw "Red Tails." I had never heard of it, but I loved it. A LOT! Here is the trailer.


After this I went to my aunt's and talked to her and my uncle and Heathie for a bit. We ended up watching "I Dream of Jeannie" and I crashed on her floor.

Saturday:
Woke up and discovered my cousin Jaimie was up here from Arizona. We went to my aunts for a St. Patrick's Day breakfast. We had breakfast burritos in green tortilla shells, a fruit rainbow, toast, green milk, green apple juice, and of course green magic dust. It turned our fruit green! (Take a box of lime jello and put it in a sugar shaker. Shake it onto your food and it will change the color of your food to green. It helps if the food is slightly wet.) After that I came home and did some work and then went to Brigham City with my Aunt Debbie and Momma. We got a free pizza and went over to Idle Isle Candy Shop and got an almond creme toffee. My Momma told me some history of Brigham City while we walked down Main Street. That is where she grew up. Such a pretty little town. We came back home and I went over to Madison's house for drinking games and a movie to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. We had a lot of fun. Drew concocted up a bunch of interesting, and of course virgin, drinks for our games. We laughed so hard it hurt. We played Mau. I have a love/hate relationship with this card game. When we got sick of the game, we watched "Puss in Boots." Hilarious, of course I only saw some of it because of course I fell asleep for the end. It is my curse. I can never finish a movie without falling asleep. One day.

Sunday:
So I woke up to my brother making us breakfast. We have church and then after church we are headed to the Grandparent's for Family Dinner. Our theme is Comfort Food. I am excited to see people! Also, Sunday's are the best!

Dear Men

This is a Dear Boys post gone Men, because quite frankly these ones are all to men who should be acting like men.

Dear Scruffy,
You are worth all the space you take up.  I love you, we all love you.  Your habits are becoming destructive to your body.  Put the bottle down.
Love Me

Dear New Guy,
I have bad commitment issues.  Yours are far worse.  Good luck!
Sincerely,
Losing Interest

Dear Runner,
Make up your mind.  No one hurts my friends like this.  Stop this confusion.
Love Me

Dear BFF,
I feel our friendship slipping away.  Don't let it happen.
Love forever,
I need you.

Dear Coach,
I admire you from a distance.  My students want to set us up.  This scares me a bit.
Sincerely,
That Student Teacher

Dear Mr. Gangly,
You treat her so well.  She deserves that.  Keep it up.
Love Sis

Dear Loser,
I saw you at the store last night.  My heart skipped a beat.  I remembered how much you hurt me.  That is one bad scar you made.
Still Healing

Here's to old friends that become new friends

Sometimes I forget how blessed I am.  I have had so many great friends in my life.  Sometimes friends just grow apart.  Not because they don't get a long anymore, but simply because life takes them to different places. The best thing I have discovered is that sometimes life brings you back to those friends.  Best friends from the past slowly become your best friends of the new future.  I thank Heavenly Father for my chance to be reunited with the best friends I have always loved. 

I am also so glad I get to have the chance to make so many new friends.  So new friends, lets make some memories to last us a lifetime!!!

Bigger or Better?

Ever played the game Bigger or Better?  It sure is fun.  Basically what you do is start out with some random small items and go around the neighborhood and ask if people will trade something bigger or better for your item.

Last night we had a birthday party for my cousin's 16th.  We played this game.  It was hilarious.  My group ended up with a super old toaster oven, a crock pot, a HUGE dish drain, a fake tree, and these beauties

They will be hanging on my wall soon.  Yes, those are tiki men. Thank you Momma Lippert for this great trade!

Some other items we had through the night:

A yoga ball, a read crate, a waste basket, a big dice valentines box (with a few valentines included), a printer, envelopes, toilet paper, and a number 10 can of chili.  

Another Year Over

January:

• My 6th semester at Utah State University
• Undergraduate Teaching Fellow for Creative Arts
• Old friend came home from mission (nervous) and we started talking again
• We threw the most EPIC Vegas Party

February:

• IWA Formal Dance
• Started the Mariposa Program at Mount Logan Middle

March:

• Clinicals at Orion Junior HighDate with Travis to the Jazz game (Marrie meets her future husband!)
• Festival of Colors!

April:

• Amazing General Conference
• Another fantastic Recycle, Redesign Fashion Show
• Dad falls out of a tree, spends 9 days in the hospital 
• Old friend starts talking to me again (Chris)
• Reunite my friendship with Cameron.

May:

• 6th time taking finals
• Move home for the summer
• Spend A LOT of time with my new best friend Cameron

June:

• Join a flash mob
• Watch Nathan graduate
• Go to the premiere of Kid History 5 with Cam

July:

• Do the flash mob
• Introduce Shantel to Chris 
• Janelle and Brad get married
• Marrie and Jordan get married
• Take the PRAXIS!!!

August:

• Vacation in Las Vegas
• Jaimie and Daniel's wedding in Arizona
• Move back to Logan

September:

• Meet Landon
• Imagine Dragons Concert
• Overnight Ward Retreat
• Another great Fashion Show

October:

• General Conference!
• Start dating Landon
• My BIRTHDAY!! 
• Travis comes to visit (incident)
• Meet Lauren and Jerrica

November:

• Best friend Jamie leaves on her mission
• Spend every day with Lauren and Jerrica
• Stop dating Landon (Cry my eyes out to Cam)
• Clinicals at Ogden High
• Wonderful Thanksgiving

December:

• 7th finals week (last one ever)
• Move home from Logan for good
• Christmas
• Shantel and Chris get married

Mawage!

One of the best days of my life so far occurred yesterday December 27th.  Two of my closest and dearest friends got married... to EACH OTHER!

It it all started when I got the bright idea that my friend Chris should meet my friend Shantel.  Yup they met July 4, 2011.

They went from this:

To this:

I love you both so much!  Best of luck with your marriage!

Lets take a walk down memory lane!

First of all, it is official that Emily and I should never be allowed to watch anything that combines T-Swift and Saturday Night Live... Hay is for horses and chicken and fish! Hit me three times and I'll grant you your wish!

So today I was remembering my childhood and the experiences I had that have shaped me to the crazy amazing person that I am.  So here we go!

My Family

The first memory I thought of is one of my favorites.  I have had a best friend literally since birth.  Jamie and I have spent years and years together making memories.  One time she and I were sitting in her basement being weird and talking about the weird things that we usually talked about when her dad walked in and said "Wanna hear a joke?" (John Beal is a very quiet and shy man so he didn't often say much to me)  Of course we were excited to hear what he had to say.  This was his joke, "Once upon a time there was a girl named Jamie..." and then he broke into a fit of laughter.  Yup, that was his joke.  What a silly man.  Another joke he told us was "Once Melissa was riding her bike and someone threw a refrigerator at her..." followed by another fit of laughter.  What a silly man.  The Beal home has always been one of my homes.  I will never forget the time when Cari and I decided that the boys who took care of their lawn were super hunky cute.  So... we put socks in our shirts to make us "bigger"...  Yup.  Beals also had a playhouse in their backyard that we used to love to play in.  Their swimming pool was the best!  Endless hours of pretending to be mermaids and failing to swim like a mermaid.  We also used to hide from cars in their front yard.  On the way to the Beal home I would have to walk through a section of tall grass that always had snakes in it.  We never saw them but we could hear them.

After singing for the Winter Olympics

My house was always a fun place too.  The neighbor kids and I used to play Swiss Family Robinson in our front tree.  Scotty and I were always the mom and dad...  My neighbor Melissa and I used to make concoctions of leaves and tomatoes and put them in the low parts of our front yard.  We were convinced it was witch bait and that we would catch all the witches in the neighborhood with it.  My family has a swing set with a basket swing on it.  We used to pretend it was our canoe and we would sing "just around the river bend" over and over.

Halloween when I was 9.  ( I used to be the tallest  kid in my family...)

When I was younger we ruled the neighborhood.  As kids we ran free and wild.  We used to ride our bikes as fast as we could through the cemetery and pray that the ghosts would not grab our bikes so we would fall.  Melissa and I were always trouble makers but never on purpose.  One time Melissa rolled my little sister Emily down the stairs because she was too heavy to carry.  Not the best idea we ever had.  She and I also had a plan to catch the local cutie and feed him gumballs and kiss him... I don't know where we came up with these ideas...  We used to LOVE eating open faced grilled cheese with sprinkles.  Yep, I recently tried it again... it is as disgusting as it sounds.

There were also some scary times in my childhood.  Once I was down the street being babysat when the neighbor dog got into the yard.  My babysitter tried to get it back over the fence but the dog attacked her and ripped her lip down to her chin.  It was SO SCARY!  I will also never forget when Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped.  Even though it was the middle of the summer I refused to sleep with my windows open in fear that someone would kidnap me.  My fears became worse when there was a man in the neighborhood that tried to kidnap one of the girls I went to school with.  I think I still have a slight fear of being kidnapped...

Ben and Em when we were all young

From playing soccer to running the neighborhood, my childhood was never dull.  I will never forget a lot of these experiences.  They have made me who I am.