Thursday, November 19, 2009
In the Spirit of Thanksgiving
Hi Everyone. Isn't that picture by Norman Rockwell great.
I hope you had a wonderful Halloween. I did. In fact I even dressed up as a flapper and thanks to Grandma and Amber I had the proper accessories. I would post pictures but That would require a camera cord so I am currently lacking. I was told I was cute and authentic though.
Now that Halloween is over we can move onto Thanksgiving. Have you all seen the clip from church yet? If not you should click on the link.
In the Spirit of Thanksgiving
I just wanted to let you know of a few things that I am thankful for.
1. The privileged of having the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.
2. That I have a wonderful eternal family that brings joy into my
days.
3. That I get to live in Utah and be by allot of those family members
(Thanksgiving will be so fun).
4. That I have a job that meets my needs
5. That I get to further my education
6. That technology allows me to stay in touch with my family that
isn't close by.
7. That I temples are close by.
8. That I live in America.
9. That I have roommates and friends that take care of me and make
me laugh.
10. That Heavenly Father knows and has a plan for me that will give
me many more things to be thankful for.
Have a happy Thanksgiving. Feel free to share what your thankful for.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Provo
In case your wondering what I have been up to here you go.
I have been loving Provo. My apartment is full of cool girls. They are Eden, Andrea, Rozanne, Ashlee, and Julia. In true Y form Rosanne is engaged as of Monday. My apartment complex is full of fun people which means my ward is full of fun people. If you ever need anything around here you will find people that are willing to help. That goes to almost every hour of the day to because very few people seem to sleep around here.
Apart from the great new people I hang out with I have gotten to spend time with my family. I see Grandma and Grandpa at least once a week. They even let me do laundry at there house. This is great because I would much rather visit with them then a stranger in laundry mat. I also see Amber, David and Brody at least once a week. Brody is almost twice the size he was at birth. Provo is the place for visitors. My TX parents have both been up along with lots of other family members.
At the moment I am working for a preschool/ day care center. It is a good job and normally a fun one. We play games color and snack. Of course my kids have days when I am very glad I don't have to take them home with me. They give me hugs though so it makes up for there bad moments. All in all it's a good job and I am getting lots of practice.
Sorry that there are no pictures I will take some after cleaning checks this weekend.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Kids
S-"So we can learn to get married"
When picking up Miss Lou's rental violin S spotted a little one that was HIS size. He was very excited and thought he should have it. When telling him that it was to expensive didn't work Miss Lou took over. It went something like this
Miss Lou-"If you get a violin you have to take lessons so you will know how to play"
S-"No we can get it and I will play MY way"
After my mom wrote out the check for the violin Miss Lou said "Thank you so much mom." Impressed the cashier said he had never heard a child thank his parents before. My mom told him that it is very important to Miss Lou to be nice. Miss Lou told the cashier "I AM a nice girl" When my mom tells the story she adds "and so humble too."
My Aussie Dad was recently watching a BYU football game (see, football is so cool even Australians like it). He gets into watching games so he was yelling at the TV. Most likely somewhat surprised that his dad was yelling A says, "Dad, I'm right here. You don't need to yell"
Kids are the best. I am very thankful that my parents have blessed me with three cute kids that I have gotten to see grow from babies to their personality-filled selves.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Sweet Pea
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday at EFY
MONDAY
Check-In
This is when the youth say "I'm here. Um, now what do I do" It is intersting to see how nervous some are. Thats ok though becasue we give them things for braving it. The things are a handbook (this thing is actually cool. It doubles as a journal, hymn book, agenda and study guide), a lanyard, nametag, cd, dvd and shirt.
After they spend sometime practicing patients we divide them into groups. Normally each councelor has about 10 youth. Here we do a get to know you game (Mine involved starbursts), out line the rules, set personal goals and I gather up the information I need. In my case this came to involve taking pictures so I could write down there names and study who they are. These are some of the pictures I took for that reason. Aren't my girls lovely.
This is when my girls meet the other counselor groups in our company. There is always at least one boy counselor and one girl counselor. Here we do more get to know you games, make a short cheer, tell the kids what our company name is and from what scripture it was taken.
Orientation
Here we gather as an entire EFY session. It is when the youth first meet the session director and are told about things like the BIG FIVE. The BIG FIVE are the rules that when broken the youth will be sent home with out question. This is also when the counselors perform the legendary EFY dances.
Dinner
If you want to eat first on Monday you had better hope your counselor can dance because that is how they decided who gets to go next. This dance competition is held in front of the entire youth so hopefully your not to self conscience. If you're a counselor you probably aren't.
Session Director Lesson
This is basically the spiritual part of family night. The lesson is taught by the session director to the entire session
FHE Games
I like these games allot. These are played in a company. One of my favorite games was Anteater. In this game 3 or 4 youth are pulled from the company. They are the "Anteaters". Their job it to tag the other youth or the "ants". The other youth start at one end of the field and try to get to their "ant hill" at the other end of the field. Once the game starts the only safe side of the field is the ant hill. If the ants are tagged as they try to get to the ant hill they must lay on their backs with their feet in the air.
Then the other ants try to rescue them. It take 4 ants to rescue a fallen ant. The 4 rescue ants must carry them back. While an ant is attached to a fallen ant they are safe unless their are more then 4 ants attached. In order to win all the ants must make it back to the hill. It is a fun game.
"15. And if it so be that you should labor all your days in
crying repentance unto this people and bring save it be
one soul unto me how great shall be your joy with him
in the kingdom of my Father!
16. And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that
you have brought unto me into the kingdom of Father,
how great will be your joy if you should bring many
souls unto me!"
After that I asked them how they could apply it in their lives. So I will ask you too.
How can you apply that lesson in your life?
After they think about we move onto the next game and do the same for it.
Goal Setting
Goals are important things to have. They help you get the most out of life. Because we want our youth to get the most out of EFY we have them set personal goals. We also set company goals. That we do during this time. There are four areas the the youth set goals in. They are physical, mental, social and spiritual. We as counselors are not to set the goals. We collect there thoughts and compile them into to one goal that seems to cover what they hope to achieve. Then the youth agree with it or not. Through out the week we review these goals.
Counselor Devotional
After we do goal setting we break off into counselor groups. Mondays devotional is on recognizing the promptings of the spirit. I think this one is important to have on Monday because the youth will have many opportunities to feel the spirt and be prompted by it. We want them to realize where those feeling and promptings come from so we teach them.
Personal Scripture Study/Journal Time
It is rather selfexplainitory. We have it though so the youth can learn the good habbit. Why is writting in your journal important. It helps you remember the feelings you have and put them into words. Then later when you read them again you can feel the same feelings you had. This is important becasue we want the youth to take home what they have learned and felt at EFY.
Carlucci's
When I first got to Utah in May, Ceptember and I went to grab a treat at Carlucci's in Salt Lake. It is a little cafe. Admittedly the prices were a bit up there but the food was good and it was a one time only treat. I had been craving cheesecake so that is what I got.
Ceptember came for her favorite. The fruit tart. Doesn't it look yummy?
Anyone know of a hidden treasure place(s) to eat.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Pebbles In My Pocket
This is the scrapbook store of scrapbook stores to me. I can remember going here before I reached my first set of double digits. They have all sorts of fun things. They also have stuff designed specifically for LDS people. I could spend hours in there store looking at all there cool ideas and merchandise. It will be hard to stay away while I live in Provo. For those of you who didn't know They have a blog. The blog tells about them but it also has some cute ideas.
Anyone know of other fun scrapbook stores in the Provo area?
Saturday, July 11, 2009
A Roof Over My Head
Being me, I didn't realize until the day before I left for Utah that EFY does not give volunteer counselors a place to stay. GULP. I was stressed but a little voice inside my head said Go ahead and get on the plane. It will be taken care of. So off I went. I had no clue where I was going to stay and the people I had called to see if they knew someone who would let me stay with them had no idea either. Finally I got a call form my wonderful Dad N.. My cousin Bre had been going to School in Logan and I could stay with her. That was a major blessing. Three weeks down two more to go. Of course, after Logan is all taken care of I get an e-mail asking if anyone needs a place to stay while in Logan for EFY. Nope but what about Sandy. So I called the session coordinator and she said they would find me a place to stay Sunday night. Sunday night comes around and I still don't know where I'm sleeping that night. What if no one takes me? I can't afford a hotel for two weeks. Ahh. Not until the very end did someone say they cold take me. That week I also found a girl who would take me for the week after.
Why am I telling you this? Because there is a principle. I did not know how things would work out. I only knew that ths was what I should be doing. I also had to put forth the faith that Heavenly Father would take care of me before it was evident how he had planned for that to be accomplished. My help also came from others.
Just like in life we have to put forth faith before we can understand. Sometimes when we are told to do something it seems like help is not going to come but it does and most often trough other people.
I am thankful for being taught this principle.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Utah
Craft stores
Yummy places to eat
BYU sports (FOOTBALL!!!)
My grandparents are here.
My cousin Emily from Australia is going to school in Utah
Church related things are EVERYWHERE
My sister, her husband and their soon to be here baby boy are moving here in a week.
My Cousins Tressa and Mindy are here (maybe they will let me babysit some time).
I have lots of aunts, uncles and cousins here. Some very close by and others just a few hours away. (I haven't lived so close to family since I was in kindergarten)
My Aunt Kim and Uncle Roger from Australia are coming in October and I will be here for it. (I think we ought to go to General conference together since they will be here for it)
I could go on but I will leave it at that. I am so happy and excited and being all of those things makes me thankful too.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
A lesson form a sport
Recently John Bytheway published a book called Sports. Life lessons form court, field and gridiron. My grandparents just happen to have it and I have been reading it. I'm not done. I haven't even made it to the football section, but here is one of the quotes. Its found on page 38 and Spencer W Kimball said it.
"I have special luck with my shots tonight, the ball goes through the hoop again and again, and the game ends with our high school team victors against the college team. I am the smallest player and the youngest one on the team. I have piled up the most points through the efforts of the whole team in protecting me and feeding the ball to me. I am on the shoulders of the big players of the Academy. They are parading me around the hall to my consternation and embarrassment. I like basketball. I would rather play this game than eat"
Obviously he must have been a good player. I think that in life if we want to be truly good at something we have to want it more than anything. Like food. This made me think of fast Sunday because fasting is not one of my favorite things. But I should want to obey the law of the fast more than eat food so I will have to be better at it.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Make Up Your Mind
Saturday, June 6, 2009
EFC
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
There is no Arizona
Yep, I am moving back to Az at the end of July. I am so excited. I have never lived without family before so it will be a different sort of adventure. A more grown up and responsible adventure. I have been pinching pennies in preparation for this. I haven't pinched them this much in years. I am so happy. I have been dreaming of roommates since I was a kid. Of course I am a little nervous. I have never had roommates before. Stacie is wonderful so I know it will work out. She went to the trouble of finding us an apartment and roommates. She even made sure the apartment met my only requirement. That it be in a particular ward. In true fashion to the way my life works out that requirement won't matter by the time I get there because they are probably changing the ward boundaries. Oh well, even more new people can't be to bad.
We have two other roommates, Kristi and Mia. They are sisters. I don't know htem very well but I got to know their older sister when I was there and she is awesome. Kristi is the oldest of us all. I met her once and she seemed nice. I have it on good authority that she is. Mia is the youngest of us all. I haven't meet her but Stacie says she is nice too. Supposedly she doesn't have a bubble which is good because me and Stacie don't either. I am also told that she has lots of energy all the time. This will probably lead to lots of crazy roommate nights but hopefully Kristi will remind us of our neighbors before they remind our landlord of the noise policy. Actually I don't even know if there is one. I guess I'll find out.
A Favorite
I like it too.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Comfort Food
Gingersnaps
Ice cream
Hot chocolate
Moms spaghetti that she makes with the curly noodles
Chocolate banana milk shakes
French fries
Frosties
Grandpa L's favorite cereal
Oranges
Grape fruit
Peaches
Anything that reminds me of Australia
Brown sugar
What are some of your comfort foods
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Birthday Boy
Monday, May 11, 2009
My Mother
-Abraham Lincoln
2. She loves her children more than anything. Even when we are annoying and stress her out.
10. Shes who I want to be when I grow up.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Slacker
IT WAS WONDERFUL!!!! I had a blast. I got to see my amazing grandparents, awesome cousins, my great sister and brother-in-law along with 2 of my best friends. I am so spoiled sometimes.
So what did I do with all these fun people in one of my favorite places in the world? We bowled, ate at the creamery (aw grapes, now I'm hungry. oh well, I'll be there soon enough), walked around BYU, got a few jamba juices, avoided the scrapbook stores (I didn't want to break my little bank), ate yummy food that Grandma made, played games, studied (WOW! Stacie is a super good influence. Oh, for those of you that didn't know she is the friend that drove up with David, Amber (and Sweat Pea), and Kourtney), watched General Conference and went to General Conference. Apart from that we talked and talked and talked.
I love my family. I am so privileged to be related to the wonderful people that I am. I learn so much from their examples and am lifted up from their spirits.
Friday, April 10, 2009
TV
Monday, April 6, 2009
Going Home
So do you want to know all the fun things I did? To bad. You have to wait until I get home, sort through my General conference notes and get my pictures from cousins. Hopefully that will be soon.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A little up date.
Tuesday- I made a friend chocolate covered strawberries. I can't eat them but I wanted to make them.
Today- I completely spaced that it was Wednesday and went to class very late. Ops.
Tomorrow- Early in the morning I am off to the airport. I get to go to Utah to see my Loveland family and go to General Conference. I am so excited.
Friday- have fun with family
Saturday-General Conference and the traditional between sessions pizza. I think we girl cousin should have a mini girls night while them men are at the priesthood session
Sunday- I get to go to Conference in the conference center. Yea! Then back to grandma and grandpas for the last session and most likely games.
Monday- I fly back to reality.
I am going to have a great time. Yea!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Hair Cut
Thursday, March 19, 2009
A Great Mail Day
Oh, did I mention that she sent them to Amber too. She's the greatest!Amber said she was extra excited because she wanted to start a collection of children's books to read to the baby. Thanks for jump starting that Kim.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Makes me Happy
Watching good old(as in the actors are now dead or close to it) movies with my mom or Amber. One of my favorites is Major and the Minor.
Anything to do with Australia. After all, I was born there. Then again it could be the food, air, scenery, beaches, reefs, animals or the people and there easy going, fun loving nature.
Good Food. I love good Food. It makes my taste buds happy. Oh and it is even better when it looks good too. In case you didn't know, I have dreamed of food. I like those dreams........until I wake up.
A good book on a rainy or sunny day. If it's raining you can curl up in a blanket. If its hot then it gives you an excuse to go outside and tan.
Babies. I love them. They are so cute. I always hate giving the babies back at church. That is why my friend says I steal them. Silly friend.
I don't know who took this picture but they did a good job.
Oh, in case you didn't know, I am going to be an Aunt. That makes me happy too.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Little Hat
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Bootsie Barker Bites
Albertsons
Monday, February 23, 2009
Errr
Friday, February 20, 2009
Possum Magic
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Monotone
EFY 2009
Cards
Do you like my tree? I cut it out myself. For the leafs I used a hole puncher.