A WANDERER'S WHAT~HAPS

Nothing Short of a Miracle!

2008-10-26T21:20:00.001-07:00

No, I'm not talking about me finally blogging or even the price of gas being super low, although these too are miracles, but I will tell you of a couple other miracles. Many of you know that my two brothers are inactive from church...well, both of them attended church last week. When I first heard, I almost didn't believe it. I asked if there was a baby blessing or missionary homecoming or something they forgot to tell me about.

My one brother went because he was on a trip with my mom and respected her enough to find a ward for them to attend. The other one, I found out today, has been going for about a month or so due to an encouraging friend. Even when I arrived at my parents today and asked where he was, they said he was doing his hometeaching and would be back in time for dinner.

Words can't express how thankful I am!!!! I'm thankful to a loving Heavenly Father who answers prayers and sends people into our lives who can best help us; as well as, the guy who befriended my brother and helped him come back to church. It renews my hope for my other brother although it would take a lot more for him to come back to church.

The other miracle, which no one really knew about (because I failed to blog about it), is that my sister just had her fourth girl, Tessa Grace, this past Monday. Of course...this is much more a miracle than people realize because the baby almost didn't make it. Although my sister practically went full-term, the baby has always been smaller than what she should be at each of the check ups and so they were going to deliver the baby a week or two early. Even then the baby came earlier because at the last check up, two days before my sister was due, the doctors discovered that there wasn't really any amniotic fluids and they would need to deliver right away or the baby would suffocate. Needless to say the baby survived but is not out of the danger zone yet. She was born weighing a whopping 3lbs. Smallest baby I'd ever seen! These pictures may give you an idea of how small she is but still don't do any justice.

My sister gave us an update today at our family dinner. She said this past week Tessa's had some problems eating and keeping food down and lost about 40 grams. She's been moved to another hospital where she can receive more one on one care. After running some tests they realized that the problem was that she'd been fed too much. too fast which caused some intestinal problems. The nurses were only giving her about a teaspoon and a half (which really isn't much of anything) but it's just that her stomach is so small. Poor girl had to have her stomach pumped to relieve some of the problems. She's been doing a little better since then and has gained 12 grams making her way back up to 3lbs. I guess that's why I consider her a miracle because even with everything she's been through, she's still here with us!

Dream Come True

2008-10-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

I know this is long overdue! I've been working on a slideshow of all the Alaskan Cruise pictures but seeing as there were 6 cameras....needless to say, there's a lot of pictures to sort through and put together. Instead of keeping you waiting forever, and losing all my fans (the few that there are), I decided to give you a preview. There are some seriously gorgeous pictures of Alaska!!!! Those who have been there know what I'm talking about and those who haven't I wish you could've been there! It was a dream come true!!! Who wouldn't love to have a week with some of their closest friends doing a bunch of once in a lifetime activities in places so beautiful that it takes your breath away?!! They're not in any real order but enjoy the pictures.

Mendenhall Glacier

Boarding the Star Princess

Kandis in Skagway

Ketchikan if you didn't already know

Butchart Gardens

Seattle Temple

Ketchikan kayaking

Tree hugger

Soon to be water slide at Tracy Arm J/K

Tracy Arm

Sunset at Victoria, B.C.

An out of boat experience...actually there was another that looked just like ours.

Made our way to the top on a bus tour in Skagway.

Juneau whale watching with the best looking guide around!

Birthday Girl

Fountain at Butchart Gardens

Butchart Gardens

Touring ol' Seattle the underground city.

Making myself at home.

Seattle Space Needle

Totem Pole wanna be's

Sea Lions fighting over the bell buoy.

Annalyse at a waterfall in Skagway.

Butchart Gardens

It's always nice to know you're in good hands!

We had all the men wanting to take our picture.

Pure stupidity...yet pure entertainment!

Mendenhall Glacier seen from Tracy Arm

Humpback Whale

Hiking in Skagway

Hiking Hotties!

What a view!

America's Top Models

Wonderland...look for Alice

Roses amongst the flowers.

Donut Falls

2008-09-15T20:17:00.000-07:00

Although I know you're just dying to hear about my cruise and and the events that took place, I still have a little more work of putting together the pics before I spill the beans about how cool it was. I thought you might at least like some of these pics in the mean time. And if you think these pics are georgeous...just you wait!

Gettin' A Grip

2008-08-25T22:32:00.000-07:00

So....I'm sorry you had the same annoying music and blog for about a month now! Also, I know how much you love my poems and you might have been looking forward to the one about my brother but...I decided not to post that one. I want to keep my angelic image.

Since the last time I updated I've had a lot of new things. I feel like I'm getting a grip on things...new phone, new haircut, new position w/my very own desk. Yeah, yeah!!!

As for the guys however...I've had a few crushes lately and I've messed up some golden opportunities to do something with them and really make some moves if you know what I mean ;o) ...I think I'm a lost cause!!! I'm probably doomed to be an old maid!

Ok, so that's not true, and one of the guys did say I'd make a good wife, but this is definitely a weak part of my life that I wish I could get more of a grip on! It makes me think of Lindsey's blog where she says...

We are the Gopher Girls
we always Gopher guys
who never Gopher us
but we always Gopher them

It would be nice to meet a Gopher Guy who will Gopher Girls who Gopher them. Maybe I just need a change of mentality but I feel like I've been part of the love triangle. I'm usually the one who's in love with someone who's chasing after someone else.

Maybe I just need a vacation. They say "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". We'll see if any of the guys miss me. I also heard from a friend about a book called "The Surrendered Single"...I just might have to squeeze in some reading while I'm gone. I'll let you know if any of it works.

Miserable Mis-haps

2008-07-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

So.....I'm sorry for the pain I've been. I'm not much fun when I'm in bad moods and lately I feel like I've been in the worst of moods for the past couple weeks. I was like a loaded cannon ready to explode. Actually...I did explode in a couple of people's faces this weekend and then unloaded persay to my BFF.
It was definitely one of the worst couple of weeks in a while. Things have been stressful at work, lots of events to plan for, new co-worker, depriving myself of sleep, some of my favorite dancers on "So You Think You Can Dance" got kicked off, and yet the most miserable was all the events that happened last Saturday night.

Many of you know I've been trying to sell my Pontiac for quite some time. I've put it on KSL a couple times, told friends and family, called around to a few places for quotes and after getting a couple tickets and an impound notice.....well....I really just want to get rid of it and be done.
So, after a long day at work, I met up with my dad at a 7-11. I filled the tires with air, gas tank is already full from the last time I cleaned it out real good, and I had my dad follow me to Low Book Sales because I felt it was my last hope. The car drove well but I have to be careful because it needs new brake pads and some axle work.
When we got there it was 9:40pm and they close @ 10pm. The dealer took my info and then quick look at the car. He offered $450 for it and, although I almost got $1300 for it a couple months ago, at this point that sounded good and I could be done with it. Of course, after I said yes, he further explained that he's not a licensed appraiser and it's not actually the dealership that buys the car, it's a national auto auction company and the offer is good for up to 7 days. So then he proceeded to explain that I could try to sale the car within the 7 days and if I don't then I can bring it back and sale it to them for the $450.
I told him that I felt that I had already exhausted all my resources and that's why I was coming to them and I just wanted to be done with it. Then it practically became 2 on 1 because my dad and the dealer were practically telling me that I should try to sale it in that time seeing as I almost got triple what they could offer. I then told them that I work dawn till dusk, I'm running a race, and going out of town There's no way I'm going to have time to sell the car or even have people look at it this week. Then the dealer suggests taking it to my dad's house or even signing over the title to him. His co-worker pulls him aside for a little bit at this point and my dad says it might be a good idea to take the 7 days to sell the car because the offer is still good. I told him I'd had several experiences before where I thought if I tried a little bit harder and gave things a little more time that I could make it worth it but it never works that way and I was tired of false hopes!
The dealer then came back and explained that he had quoted us the wrong amount and that he could only sell it for $200. As Corey would say...I got punk'd!!! I felt like he was never straight with us, like he didn't take my decision seriously, and maybe even that he just didn't want to deal with it that late at night. So I said no to the $200 offer because I know other companies that would do a little more. Now I just had to decide whether to take it back to my house or my dad's.

I've been tired of getting tickets and seeing it everyday as a reminder I still haven't sold it so I decided I'd take it to my dad's. I asked my dad which back roads he thought I should take. He told me to take the freeway and though I didn't like it at first, I gave in. BIG MISTAKE!!!! It was a pretty enjoyable ride until we were coming up on the 90th off ramp and there's a line of cars. So I slow down and a little truck got between my dad and I. As I was nearing the line of cars and slowing I could tell that my car was about to die. Worst feeling in the world!
Just as I stopped near the line of cars, my car did die. I tried more than a couple times to get my car going again but, everytime I put it in gear, it died. My hazards weren't even working. The poor guy behind me didn't realize anything was wrong until I was pushing my car off to the side out of traffic's way. He went around me and my dad put on his hazards.
As I pushed the car, it suddenly felt a lot lighter than it should and it was picking up speed and I worried that it was getting out of my control (which I've had some freaky dreams about) so I almost hurt myself getting in and steer things more to the right as I push on the brake. I then realize my dad was pushing the car. So now that it's out of the way and at a complete stop. I got out and immediately starting yelling at him. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE PUSHIN' THE CAR? I HAD NO IDEA! I ALMOST HURT MYSELF TRYING TO GET IN BECAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS LOSING CONTROL! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU TOLD ME TO TAKE THE FREEWAY! I SHOULD'VE NEVER TAKEN THE FREEWAY! ONLY THE BACK ROADS!"
It wasn't long before I was apologizing to him and explaining that it had just been a long day and I was stressed. Looking back, I could've hurt my dad pretty bad with putting on the brakes too quickly and not knowing he was there.
He moved his Suburban and we noticed that some of the people behind him were not too bright. They weren't watching the fact that there's a line of cars (not to mention the hazard lights my dad had on) and they got in an accident. Nobody was hurt, as far as I know, but after a while I knew they were stickin' around for the cops to come resolve the accident and I didn't want to be around seein' as I was the cause of the accident and I'd had a ticket and impound notice for not having current registration.
I tried to see if my car would go this time but no luck. I tried calling my sister since we have a tow service but she wasn't answering so...then as my dad is talking to my mom they end up arguing a bit but end up calling triple AAA to come have my car towed.
While waiting for the tow truck, my brother Nate drove my mom over to us with the triple AAA card and my dad and I continued to push my car down the ramp to avoid being part of the accident.
We got to a certain point where I pushed it on my own while my dad went back to the Suburban to move it closer to my car. I even got to the slight downward incline to the point I didn't have to push. Of course, dumb me, thought I could try starting the car and, with the momentum, be able to get it going, but as soon as I tried putting it in gear, it jolted to a complete stop. I then had to push again and this time as it picked up speed the brake wouldn't work. I couldn't find the parking brake and so I just tried to press extra hard on the brake. Finally, I got it to stop and told my dad that we were not movin' it any further because I felt it was too dangerous.

Nate and my mom showed up soon after that. After talking a little bit, Nate asked why I hadn't just taken the $200, he had made a few other remarks and laughed making it seem ridiculous that I hadn't just accepted the offer. He then asked how much I was expecting to sell my car for.
I responded that I didn't want to talk about it since it had been a long day and he had already laughed in my face about the other stuff, which in turn made him upset. Just because I didn't feel like talking to him after he'd just been laughing at me, he then lashed out at me. He blamed me for putting my mom in a bad mood and said we wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't been irresponsible and sold the car months ago or even just taken back roads instead of the freeway.

I was already feeling extremely guilty for all of those things but when he lashed out at me like that, everything went to the side except for how mad I became with him. I didn't fight back much. I wanted to, but nothing gets through to my brother. Plus, my mom and dad stepped in at that point. All I could do was look like I didn't care and try not to think about it to keep from letting the tears flood out of my eyes. I just wanted to go home!
My brother left. Thank heavens!!! I vented to my mom about how he's always had this opinion of me being lazy and irresponsible and it's never going to change. I continued to tell her how judgemental he is and how he thinks he has the right to be mad just because things don't go his way.
When we got back to my parents I didn't even want to go inside because I knew he was there. I had to eventually to put the car keys away and I walked in on a little of Nate venting to my mom about me. Ugggh! I left the house and my dad drove me home. I didn't get home till around 12:30ish. Of all the things I could be doing on a Sat night, I end up being talked out of a deal by a dealership, breaking down on the freeway, causing an accident, yelling at my dad, putting people in bad moods, pushing my car down a freeway ramp with hundreds of passersby watching, and becoming extremely upset with my brother.
The next day, I was so upset with my brother that I didn't feel like going to church. Even once I was there I became a little more upset. In one of the Sunday school classes they asked if we'd ever been told by somebody that we're brainwashed. Yep, my very own brother. Most of Sunday I spent writing a poem to get out my frustration which will have to be in another blog entry. Sorry.
It's not just the way he treated me on Sat night but it's how if I seems to make a mistake then he dumps everything he possibly can on me instead of trying to understand what I've just been through. I know we're supposed to forgive people even if it's for the same thing but......I feel like this happens all the time. He starts treatin' me like his buddy and wanting to do things and becoming more family oriented but then when something goes wrong it goes downhill from there. What makes it worse is when he apologizes it's not really an apology. He always starts off with "Well...I'm sorry but...." But nothing!!!! If you were sorry then you wouldn't be trying to wrap it around an excuse. It makes it harder to forgive him and makes me feel like I want to disown him and never see him again.
This may sound silly but.....I told Heavenly Father I'd forgive him but I still get to post the poem about him to my blog once it's finished. I have some very happy things happen Mon night that turned things around for me but that to will have to wait. Till next time...hope you're each having a good week.

2 Weeks Worth of Accomplishments....

2008-07-20T22:48:00.000-07:00

I ran, I read, I made my bed,

Washed clothes, washed dishes, set goals, made wishes,

Budget, paid bills, ate healthy meals,

Changed oil, planned trip, fixed a rock chip,

Prepared training, survived work, apologized for being a jerk,

Cleaned house, pulled weeds, did some good deeds,

Friendship bread, airport ride, wedding reception for the bride,

Washed cars, paid fines, built bonfire in the pines,

Took pictures, striked poses, admired my neighbor's roses,

Watered lawn, emptied trash, enjoyed my candy stash,

Relaxed, watched tv, took some time for me,

Visited family, visited friends, the list just never ends,

Day in, day out, this is what life's all about!

Holy Fireworks Batman!!!

2008-07-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

This is why they call me a pyro!!!!!

This Indepence Day was obviously a BLAST!...... but for more reasons that just shooting off fireworks. The night before, my family and I celebrated my brother's belated birthday (since we all went to Bear Lake while he had to stay home and work on his birthday weekend). We celebrated by going to the Redwood Road Drive-In Theatre where we saw WALLE and Prince Caspian. Both were really good in my opinion.

The next morning, we had a family breakfast with my parents ward. It's always good to see old friends and there were definitely some unforgettable moments. One was my bro-in-law putting away his grill that he let my dad borrow. He was on his way to the car to put it away when my sister went to kiss him and he said,"Why ya'll gettin' up in my grill?!" That was hilarious! And the other one was when I was finishing up my breakfast and sitting next to my dad when my mom came over. She briefly talked with him and gave him a quick peck on the lips before turning to leave. Of course, she didn't get very far before he stuck his hand in the back of her jean pocket and pulled her back for a real kiss! I almost choked on my breakfast because I was laughing so hard yet then managed to say,"Wow! It's only the morning of July 4th and you're already setting off sparks!" Then my sister came over to the table and I asked her,"Did you see those fireworks?"

After the breakfast, some went shopping for fireworks while some of us stayed home playing the Wii which became very addicting. It was like Christmas when they came home with that many fireworks! Later that night we enjoyed a lovely meal provided by the Colonel (KFC) and then went to Coldstone. While eating our ice cream, we were very much entertained by the girls. Eliza kept wiping Brooklyn's mouth even though her mouth was extremely messy and it gets better...she ran out of napkins and goes over to the counter where the workers are and says,"I need more napkins for the little girl." Kids say the darnest things! It was seriously a funny sight to see!!! We then went home and lit all the fireworks and had tons of fun! I wish everyday were Indepence Day....I'd always have the day off, I could light fireworks anytime I wanted and as many as I wanted. Luckily for me, being a pyro and all, July 24th is coming up and is another chance to do more fireworks!!!

No Worries

2008-07-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I had a few of you worried since it's been too long since I've last updated my blog. But no worries, I'm not dead, no injuries, and no...I have not been in a coma. I've merely just been lounging about the house sick or been on family outings. As much as I would love to fill you in on everything...I can't right now. I've been catching up on a few things and now I need to catch up on my sleep so....till next time.....I hope you're all doing well.

3rd Annual Triathlon

2008-06-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

For the past 3 years, my friends do a triathlon.
Each year strengthening their brain and brawn.
A few weeks ago, I began to train
With nothing to lose and everything to gain.
While Shan and I went to the Aquatic Center to swim,
JaNae and Wendy devoutly exercised at the gym.
They put together these really sweet Adidas bags.
Holding a shirt, power bar, gel and our very own tags.
Oh, and let’s not forget the Gatorade.
Now if I just had a box of first aid.
Oh well…most of it’s mental and takes a strong mind.
The hardest part is when I fall behind.
My friends are faster than me, no matter how I try,
Even when I get a head start, they still pass me by.
This year will require a lot more hustle
And hopefully I’ll avoid pulling a muscle.
I’m excited for running since it’s mostly downhill
And running with friends is always a thrill.
But before too long, they’ll get ahead
Leaving only footprints for me to tread.
At least it’s comforting listening to my MP3’s
With an occasional feel of a nice light breeze.
With biking on the second round,
Maybe I can make up some ground.
They say 2 heads are better than 1,
So 3 wheels instead of 2 would help a ton!
And though I wish I had a shiny red Tryke,
Guess I’ll have to do with my rundown green bike.
Because it’s too late to change, I have to settle.
So I’ll stop whining and put my foot to the pedal.
When I reach the pool for round three,
I’m sure all eyes will be on me!
Wearing a leopard-print swimming suit
Most people think is really cute.
Hopefully they see me go the extra length
Surviving off the rest of my strength.
I may look weird with my goggles and nose plug.
But once I get going, I become a water bug.
My only hope is that my strength doesn’t diminish
So I can keep going and hold out till the finish.
My prediction is that my friends will finish pretty fast,
While I take my sweet time and come in last.
But even if it takes a wing and a prayer,
I’d rather be the tortoise than the hare.
I know I can do it and I know I don’t suck,
But do me a favor and wish me good luck!

Life has it's Ups and Downs!

2008-05-31T23:46:00.000-07:00

Fortunately....throughout my life, I've had more ups than downs but when I have downs they tend to be extreme. Lately I've been going through that quite a bit and wanting pity parties and attention. I've been working on pulling myself together but yesterday was really hard for me! I was a wreck in the morning, got better in the afternoon and then didn't end so well at night. Kandis and I were watching a show (which reminded me of Cloverfield) where a majority of people die! I couldn't help but be reminded of my morning and that's why it didn't end well.

Of course, now you're probably wondering what happened. Well,...one of my regular members, who I've been helping him and his wife for a few years now, came Sat. morning to do his transaction. I asked him a couple weeks ago how his wife was doing, since I noticed that she hadn't been coming for quite some time. He replied that she'd been ill for quite some time and was in the hospital. She'd been fighting cancer. The doctor said that it was only a matter of time and that she should go home and get her affairs in order. I let him know that she would be in my prayers and thought to myself that I should go see her on my next day off.

After he finished his transaction with my coworker, I asked him once again how his wife was doing and wondered if there had been any progress over the last couple of weeks. He turned toward me and, almost choking on the words, answered,"She died yesterday!" There was a brief moment of silence. After the initial shock of the news, I let him know that I was sorry to hear that. Both of us were now holding back tears and both agreed that now she was in a better place and not having to deal with the pain.

After he left, I went straight to the back room in our office for a moment to regroup. I tried holding back tears but they continued to stream down my face (Of all days to be wearing mascara it had to be today!) and my breathing was heavy from holding it all in. I started to calm myself down and went to the bathroom. My eyes were bloodshot and stained with mascara. I got cleaned up, felt much better and headed back in hopes that I'd be fine the rest of the day.

I went in my supervisor's office with intentions to let him know I'd be in the backroom for a while (just till the red eye wore off) but as soon as I starting explaining I just broke down to the point where my words at the end were more like a scream because they were so high-pitched because of crying. What began as a stream of tears soon became a waterfall! He told me to sit down and take a moment as he shut the door to the office. It felt like the worst ache coming from deep down inside me and made me bawl! My heart just goes out to this man and his family because his wife was one of the sweetest ladies you'd ever known. She was always so appreciative and supportive of others.

Needless to say...my coworkers were extra nice to me and looking for opportunities to make me laugh and get my mind off things. We ended up having quite a few laughs and even played some glow-in-the-dark basketball in between helping the members that came to our branch. Work ended well but after watching that show and seeing all the people dying made me want to cry even more.

Part of it is just that I'm afraid of losing the ones I love. Another part of it is that I don't do enough to show them how much I care. As soon as I heard that woman passed away, I felt terrible that I didn't take the time to go to the hospital and let her know how much I enjoyed seeing her and getting to know her as I did her transactions each time. It got me thinking that I need to tell people more often in words and actions that I love them and appreciate them.

Especially since I've been lucky enough to have some of the best people in my life right now. Kandis' mom has taken me in as one of her own; as well as, the rest of the Bryant family and allow me to enjoy fabulous family meals with them and be surrounded by good company. Deneigh always shows up in the times that I need her most so we can have our heart to heart talks.

JaNae's always been lookin' out for me when I felt like I didn't belong and believes in me even when I don't, which helps me to push myself. She always invites me to play sports, go to the gym, or go running. It's because of her I was able to run the DesNews 10k that I've always wanted to.

Wendy always brings out the best in people and makes for a great sidekick. It brought tears to my eyes the other day when we ran in the rain because it brought back a sweet memory. I was struggling toward the end of our run, and although she'd already finished, she ran back to me to help me run the rest which was very similar to when we ran the Bryce Half Marathon.

Kandis practically took me under her wing. She was my visiting teacher and really helped me in so many ways. She's always been someone I can talk to and I get excited to share news with her especially if it's about a date with a guy I like. She's so talented, hardworking and extremely funny that I can't help but want to be around her all the time! Hopes and dreams are her specialty. If she's not asking people what their hopes and dreams are then she's making them come true!

Hopefully, now that I've shared about each of these closest friends of mine, you'll be able to see why they mean so much to me! (And that's just one paragraph about them...just wait till I write the complete novel..."Friends Without Ends" ) He!He! If anyone asked me if I'd ever had a dream come true...I'd say,"Yeah,...I got the friends I've always dreamed of having!!! And they continue to make my dreams come true!!!" You can't ask for anything more!

My New Toys

2008-05-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

So here are some of my new toys. Although a couple of them I've had for a while, I've never really used them till now and they're still in new condition so I feel they are new. Anyway, this sweet looking flashlight from my work is a really nice one that I look forward to using on my next camping trip. Then there's a picture printer that came with the camera I bought from Kandis' coworker that I've been meaning to use but haven't. SOON!!! And last but not least...the extremely new printer/scanner I bought myself. I practically had to chase down the DHL guy to deliver it! I've already used it and it's awesome. Thanks to DELL and technology I'll be able to do more things on my blog that I've been wanting to. Oh, and the oragami paper unicorn was made by my friend Sunny. Amazing huh?

One more thing.... You remember that song..."The farmer in the dale, the farmer in the dale, hi..
ho..the merry-o, the farmer in the dale"? Well, if you look closely at each of the Dell Logos in the pictures...you should be able to see me. Nifty, huh?! Now people can sing..."The Erika in the Dell, The Erika in the Dell, hi..ho..the merry-o, the Erika in the Dell!"

S.P.O.I.L.E.D.

2008-05-16T02:08:00.000-07:00

*Seeking Pleasures Openly In Life Each Day
*Seeking Pleasures Of Ideal Luxuries Every Day

Although I couldn't decide between these two acronyms, basically both best describe me at this time. I continue to enjoy my new clothes, shoes, car, and now this weekend...a trip. Yep, that's right, I'm S.P.O.I.L.E.D. and it's time to get away and leave everything behind! Work has been so stressful that it is a much needed thing at this time. Don't get me wrong...I love my job(oddly enough) and love being there but it is nice to get out once in a while. Unfortunately it's going to be short-lived. I'm going with Wendy, JaNae, Liz, and Mel to Wendy's family cabin for an over-nighter. Part of me is excited and another tired because I know I'm going to have fun but it's going to be very eventful this weekend. I work part of the day Friday before we leave, we'll attend the Manti temple when we get there, play around, go hiking and biking the next day and then after I return from the trip, I go straight to a work party Saturday night and then Sunday is a family dinner at my sister's place in Grantsville. I'll be all over the place!

I hope things are going well for each of you. Have a great weekend! I know I will!

Mother May I...

2008-05-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered why Mother's Day is in May??? Did someone think of the phrase "Mother may I" and think to themself..."May is the perfect month to have Mother's Day". It would've been even better if they had thought to have it on May 1st. (Mother's Day May 1st=Mother May I)

Anyway, here's what comes to mind when I think of the word MOTHER...

Memories~My mom always has a camera with her to catch the kodak moments. In her spare time (almost a foreign concept since she doesn't get much), she likes to use photoshop and put together slideshows, wedding announcements, baby announcements, anything to do with pictures and making memories.

Original~She's so creative and makes things fun. I remember when my dad went with my brother on a scout camping trip. My sister and I wanted to go but it was only for the scouts. My mom suggested we build a fort out of blankets & chairs and roast hot dogs & marshmellows over the stove top. Good times.

Trusting~Too trusting sometimes. Some would even call it being gullible. Each of us kids have taken advantage of that and played some pretty good pranks on mom. Luckily, she's forgiving too. =0)

Hard-working~As if it's not hard enough to raise 5 kids, my mom has always had a job. Sometimes even two or three. Of course, maybe it was more of a break from us kids...hmmmm.

Explorer~Loves traveling & seeing the sights. Although my mom has dreamed of touring Europe for quite some time, she has settled for traveling to several places in the states. However, her dream will come true this coming fall now that they have enough sky miles. Yeah!

Rewarding~Having her for a mother is just that...rewarding.

Out With The Old and In With The New

2008-05-04T22:43:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I've made quite the purchases lately...

new car

new clothes

and new shoes.

You're probably wondering....what's next??? Well, I've been asking myself that same question and after much fasting and prayer I've decided to move.

Just kidding! I love it where I'm at and not ready for that big of change. However, I do want to make some other dramatic changes to my life...eating healthy, exercising and getting sleep. =)

I've started eating healthy. Have a look...

Of course, eating isn't that hard for me. The real challenge will be exercising and sleeping. I've set some goals for this week to go to bed by 11pm and run 2 miles on 3 days this week along with a couple others. I'm hoping that by telling you these goals I'll be more likely to accomplish them. Well, thanks for reading. Have a fabulous week!

P.S.~ Happy Cinco De Mayo!!!

A Shout Out...

2008-04-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

A shout out goes to the Bryant family for allowing me to enjoy two birthday dinners in the last couple of weeks. Not only is the food great but the company is amazing! I have nothing but love, respect, and admiration for their whole family! Thanks for also letting me be a part of that!

Thanks also to those of you who have voted on my latest poll. Majority of you voted for Myles while Rocco and Spartacus were thee other desired names for my car. There was a lot of consideration and thought put into this decision and...call me a crowd pleaser but....I've decided to stick with Myles which was the majority vote although Rocco was another name I loved. I'm thinking I'll save the name Rocco for the Dodge Viper I've always wanted and I'll use Spartacus for the first minivan I buy. (Just for you Wendy!) ;o)

I've had many other great purchases lately that I'd like to share more about but it will have to wait. Till then have a fantabulous day!!!

Tribute to Dr. Seuss

2008-04-15T17:33:00.000-07:00

Whose books always amuse? Could it be...Dr. Seuss?

Yes, yes, now there's a great man,

of him I've always been a huge fan!

This morning I ate green eggs and ham! I am a fan! Yes, I am!

He's ever so clever with his words, and even more so, with his cat, fish, and birds.

He's a modern day Shakespeare, creating new things,

the Wump, Gack, Gox, and the Yings.

The Swommie-Swans, Wasket, Woset, and Nook,

more & more creatures in each new book.

The creativity never stops,

there's the Zeds, Zans, Yinks & and Yops.

And Who could forget the cream of his crops....

the Wocket, Lorax, & Sneeches with features,

everybody loves to read of these creatures.

He makes rhyming look like a cinch.

Don't believe me?...just read the Grinch!

To one whose books always amuse,

this tribute goes out to Dr. Seuss!

And those not yet fans as I am...

may I suggest you try green eggs and ham!

Imagine If...

2008-04-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

...you're walking out your front door and at the end of your walk way is this beauty!

I'll even let you have a closer look. It's my new joy ride!!! Literally! I love driving in it!

After buying the car, I happened to read about this girl who loved her car and they did everything together. Everything from camping trips to road trips and more. As she explained that their saga was coming to an end...I couldn't help but think ours is just beginning. It began when JaNae and I had the "handing over the key" ceremony. (Sorry no pics at this time.) So the saga continues...

We've already had an adventure picking up Wendy at Liberty Park after she got a flat tire.

I'm looking forward to more adventures with my new car! However, all of my cars have had names and I need your help deciding on one so feel free to vote on a name on my new poll! Or if you have other name ideas, feel free to tell me in the comments. I'm open to suggestions!

You're probably also wondering what happened to my other car, Viper. Well...he's practically been dying on me. They say there might be some internal problems and it's just not looking good for him. I now call him my mechanic special. I'm not quite sure what I'll end up doing with him but he's been a good car and I'll miss him.

Yo Soy Rebelde!

2008-04-02T22:58:00.000-07:00

It's tough acting so innocent day in & day out! April Fool's is always a good day to let my true colors shine! My roommates weren't home all day so I had to take my wrath out on my co-workers. ;) There was only so much damage I could do since I was there less than 3 hours. I was able to at least play one prank per co-worker. He! He!

For one of them I switched the top of their teller stamp so when they stamped their checks it stamped upside down. That was no big deal but then for another co-worker, I took the ball out of his mouse and hid it so he couldn't move the cursor on the computer. Little did I know that he would become the "curser" as it was keeping him from clocking in. =0) Just kidding he wasn't cursing and he found the ball but it still kept him from clocking in on time.

Then last, but not least,...the other co-worker left her sucker on some sticky notes. (I wonder if that's why they call them sticky notes?!) I couldn't help the urge to do a couple things with that one. I could either tape the sucker to the sticky notes, or glue it to the sticky notes, or better yet...use some of the sea salt from the break room to spice up her sucker. I chose the third idea. The funniest part about it was that she thought it tasted weird at first however she had just eaten Ramen Noodles for lunch and thought the taste was just carrying over from that. I laughed so hard!!!! It probably wasn't my most productive work day, but it was sure fun and made us all laugh.

A little later than day, as I was running errands, my car was having problems. Its been acting up and needing some work done but I haven't really had the time, money or energy to take it to my mechanic. I'm sure some of my family and friends thought I was pulling their leg when I told them that my car was in the shop and I needed a ride home. Luckily for me, they believed me and I got a ride home.

Although I had more tricks up my sleeve, I guess they'll just have to wait till next year. Don't say I didn't warn you! =o)

It's Never Too Late To Celebrate!

2008-03-26T23:54:00.000-07:00

I've put together a slideshow in honor of Easter and although Easter is over, we practically celebrate it every week on Sunday when we go to church, so I don't feel like it's too late to celebrate! Besides...everyday could be a celebration if we were to think about what Christ has done for us so we can be happy in this life, as well as in the next . The song writers and artists did an excellent job of depicting Christ's character through their words and pictures. My only hope is....that the message carries deep into the heart of each person who watches this. We truly have a Savior and Redeemer who knows us personally and loves us. He'll never leave us comfortless! May we each strive to keep Christ centered in our lives because....without Him, we have nothing. God Bless!

No Bunny Loves Me

2008-03-24T00:24:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Easter Bunny decided to take a break this year for my family. It didn't even feel like Easter. No baskets, no decorated eggs, no Easter egg hunts, not even a single plastic egg in sight. Although it was disappointing, it helped me focus more on the real reason for the season. I had high hopes in sharing a slideshow for Easter but it's going to have to wait a couple more days. Which means I'm extending the holiday. Woohoo!!! Happy Easter!

OUT OF LUCK!

2008-03-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

So...after St. Patrick's Day, are you feelin' lucky??? I hope so. I'm sure you've heard the phrases...."you lucky dog","lucky duck", "thank my lucky stars", "come on lucky sevens" or even "lucky you", and....don't forget...."lucky me"! But my personal favorite is "You're out of luck!" Well, my St. Patrick's Day felt just like that-my luck ran out! It started out nice (which was deceiving) but ended up being a frustrating day. I put a hole in my shirt, caused one of my tellers to be off $5000(it will get fixed but it's still frustrating), left work late because our members didn't leave until 7:15 when we're supposed to be closed at 7:00, and had a 3 hour conversation covering the same points like 10 times due to a language barrier. The guy even brought an interpreter but after you get the interpreter to finally understand what you're saying, you hope he can do the same for the guy he interprets for. It also doesn't help that my coworkers helped at least 7 people in the time that I helped one. It was reeeediculous!!!!!!!!!

OH.....and March Madness is taking on a whole new meaning in my life!!! At work, we've been doing a basketball theme for our certificate campaign that we have going on and we've divided into 3 teams- The Brine Shrimp, The Rebels, and The Fire-Breathing Rubber Duckies. (Care to guess which team I'm on??? See the poll to the right.) --->

Well, co-workers will jokingly comment that my team could do better and that I've done nothing to contribute. Deep down I know that's the nice way of saying "you suck and you better step it up". I'd just like you to all know that I was the one who got my team started and the second one to open a certificate! So there! Besides, it's been SOOOOO busy at our branch!!! So much to do, so little time! You'd think the basketball theme would be a huge motivator for me but sometimes I feel like just not participating.

Have you ever wondered where the name "fighting Irish" came from? Could it be that once they ran out of luck they turned to violence as the answer? If so, just call me Irish.

You're going to think this is lame, but I want to share it anyway. I heard a story at church (I'll give the short version) where a bird built a nest for her eggs in a wreath hanging on a front door. The bird later realized it was a poor choice of location to build her nest and keep her eggs because of all the people going in & out of the front door. The speaker said it was very unfortunate to find the bird had abandoned the nest and broke the eggs before leaving. The moral of the story I got from that lesson was: It's good luck to "break a leg" but it's bad luck to "break an egg"! Just something to think about now that we're passed St. Patrick's Day and fast approaching Easter! Thanks for reading! Till next time....

What's the Hold Up???

2008-03-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

Well, tonight was disappointing as Kandis and I watched an intense episode of "Biggest Loser". By the end, both Kandis & I were just as frustrated as the "Biggest Loser" contestants. We devoted two hours of our time to see who would be the next person voted off, but it's not going to be revealed until next week. Ever since the beginning of this season they have voted off someone by the end of the episode, so this time, when it didn't happen, it's like a shock to the system. It's like...What's the hold up? They better have a darn good reason for doing it. It's just not right to get people interested and all worked up and then leave them hanging like that.

Of course, the more I'm sharing this, I can't help but think of how I've left you all hanging. I'm really sorry. However, I have plenty of good reasons for keeping you hanging. Take your pick:

1. Studying for tests and passing them. (Ok so maybe not believable since I never study but true nonetheless.)

2. Started reading Twilight and got "sucked" in.

3. Blog under construction. All of us know that construction can be a long process.

4. I've been dating and being more socially active.

5. Stress, exhaustion, and sickness set in and left me crippled on the couch with nothing to do other than be entertained by American Idol, Harry Potter, and....Matt Damon in Bourne Ultimatum. (I feel much better now!)

6. It was a test to see if my fans really wanted more...you passed.

Well, unfortunately I won't be filling you in on things this time around but soon. I promise. Hope each of you are doing well. Stay tuned till next time and you can hear more about my successes, my dramas, and maybe even my hopes and dreams. =0)

Sigh of Relief !

2008-02-22T23:54:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a test you didn't feel prepared for and got really stressed about? Well then....you know exactly how my week has been. It's literally been chaos at my work and, although I'm not the kind to get headaches a lot, I've definitely had more than my fair share this past week. Knowing this test was coming up was a major stress factor but, it's part of becoming a loan officer and moving up in the career path at America First Credit Union. I took the test on Friday morning and......passed. Whew!

Simply Pleased & Easily Entertained

2008-02-12T16:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen the commercial where the baby is given a toy but then discovers the box to be more entertaining & is entertained for hours. That was me!!! I was the baby!!!! Ok..ok so it wasn't me but I could've played the part. First of all, I was a really cute baby and second, I've always been easily entertained! Although my siblings would beg to differ....I swear I'm my mom's easiest kid! Being the 2nd child of 5 I got a lot of hand-me-down clothes, toys, and other accessories but then as I grew up, I helped take care of my younger siblings. I just had to make due with what I had. It's because of these experiences I'm so simply pleased & easily entertained. I usually end up being the entertainer! As I sat reminiscing today about some of my experiences I thought I'd just share some prime examples of being easily entertained.

Age 3: In NY, we lived in some wooded area near a pond. One day, my parents left my sister, my brother, & I with my dad's coworkers. While everyone sat watching t.v., I slipped out the back door, down the stairs & headed toward the pond. There were a bunch of people who had set up tents & were paddling canoes around the pond. Needless to say, I made new friends that day. By the time I was done, I returned home just in time for the search party.

Age 7: After everyone fell asleep (excluding my mom because she always worked late nights), I would sneak downstairs to watch infomercials while doing homework & eating all the freeze pops (a.k.a. otter pops) I wanted. I would sneak back upstairs as soon as I saw my mom's car headlights pulling up. That soon ended after I almost got caught. I was too sneaky though & they still don't know to this day.

Age 11-12: In the winter I collected icicles & in the summer I collected reptiles-usually frogs & salamanders. Of course, the reptiles were more entertaining. Especially when my friend & I had a sleep over & forget to put the salamanders back in their cage. We got to play hide & seek with them the next day. My mom was not happy. I'm sure it brought back bad memories of the time I collected caterpillars & left them in the car. On the next car ride, when she put down her visor, there was one crawling along the top of it, which in turn drew our attention to a couple more crawling around the car ceiling. I'm also sure my mom would've preferred me sticking with icicle collecting.

Looking back at these memories brings lots of laughs. And so it continues...even up till now there have been several other times where I'm simply entertained. I wish I had pictures for those past experiences. I had to use substitutes. At least I have pictures to show you for some recent experiences which are of taking pictures of myself, enjoying time with my nieces, and filling balloons with different items. See if you can make out what's in them. There's a story behind the filling the balloons but that will have to be continued....till next time.

Look on the bright side...

2008-02-05T22:58:00.000-08:00

Looking on the bright side of things isn't always easy! Throughout my life I've considered myself a pretty positive person but I have to admit...it's due to great examples! These are just a few of the friends and family I admire for their positive outlook on life. Even when life is hard they are persistent in making life better or at least finding some good in the midst of bad circumstances. Don't be fooled...it's not just the shades that are helping them to look on the bright side. =0)

Other than these friends & family, there's a short story I got from Peter Breinholt that helps with having the right perspective on life. He spoke at an institute activity right before my mission & said that he got this from a youth speaker. It's called:

HOW I FINALLY TAUGHT THE BIG GUY A LESSON

I did not provoke the fight so I feel no remorse for what I was forced to do. We were arguing, and seeing that I was right and he was wrong, he decided to fight to cover for his stupidity.

He swung at me first, but being in the top of condition, I was able to act quickly and block the punch neatly with my head. Whereupon I jumped to the ground knocking him down on top of me. Then I placed my ear in his mouth and poked his finger several times with my eye.

His teeth hurt so from the strength of my ear that he became irate and tried to kick me, but I cleverly blocked the onslaught with my ribs and face. I scrambled to my feet and ran to my car in hopes I would get away and save this man from my deadly hands.

Before I could start the car, he pulled me from the still open door. I then proceeded to swing at him, but only managed to hit myself in the head. Then I said: "What's this? Two against one?" That was the final straw--I lost all control. There will be no mercy!!

Taking him in my death grip, I pounded him in the knee with my stomach then hit him two or three times hard in the fist with my teeth! He had had it! I could tell. After that he didn't even try to pick me up off the ground. He was too chicken!!!!

PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING!!

Born to be Wild

2008-01-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

Most people, as they get older, become more mature and look to settling down...not me! Each new year I get a little more wild and daring. Now-a-days, I'm looking for more thrills, adventures, and living life to the fullest! Even these pictures and video don't do justice of half of the exciting things I've done but they do go to show that I've done some wild and exciting things. Of course, as you can see...I'm influenced by many around me who also love being spontaneous, outgoing, and living on the wild side. Life just wouldn't be that fun without putting yourself out there now and then!

Other wild & spontaneous things about me, that unfortunately I don't have pics of, include:
~I eat pizza backwards, nutty bars by the layer, and twix bars-the chocolate around it first
~Enjoy wild rides @ theme parks
~Hiked a couple steep mountainsides without a trail
~Cave tubing & zip-lining in Belize
~Repelling @ Camp Williams twice (once getting my shirt caught in the rope and creating a nice hole in the center)
~Driven backwards down a mountain road (I was lazy & didn't want to remove the sun visor from the windshield. My brother was daring enough to ride with me.)
~Half-mooned people from a car window
~Longest all-nighter was about 48 hours
~Went on an independent camping trip to Rockport on Independence Day (good times!)
~Ice blocking @ Sugarhouse Park
~Ate 25 pixie stix at the same time (big time sugar rush @ 2 in the morning and no it was not related to the 48 hour all-nighter) =0)
~Drove backwards thru fast food drive-thru & also walked through a fast food drive-thru
~Rode in car trunk (it was quite comfortable actually)
~Jumped into lake off the top of a house boat (it was pretty high up)
~Went off house boat water slide every way possible-frontwards, on knees, stomach face first & vice versa, on my back face first, sitting backwards (if you can think of any others, I probably did that too)
~Did back flip off diving board @ Taylorsville Pool
~Did back flips on a bungee tramp on cruise ship (practically landing on my head)
~Waterskiing @ Lake Powell in my pajamas
~Allow friends to give my name and number to waiters

If any of you would like to share some of your wild and spontaneous events, be my guest...I'm always interested in new ideas. =0) Remember to live life to the fullest...Carpe Diem...Seize the day!!!

Good Fortune

2008-01-06T01:50:00.000-08:00

As you're reading this, I'm already well on my way to enjoying another vacation. I'm not meaning to rub it in by any means but, I've had good fortune lately. Maybe it's due to all the fortune cookies I've had. I've been to 2 really good restaurants lately and, between the 2, I've had 7 fortune cookies. =0) You might find it funny though that I had 5 from the buffet inside The Rio Casino and 2 from Pei Wei; however, at Pei Wei as I ate my second fortune cookie there was no fortune in it. After opening it, I felt shocked and thought to myself-"Wow, do you really only get one fortune? How did they know that I'd already had one?" Of course, the more I think about it...I have all the good fortune I need at the moment. If you're curious to know what they said then here they are:

~Consolidate your interest while the lights are active.
~It is better to have a hen tomorrow than an egg today.
~People are attracted by your delicate features.
~You are demonstrative with those you love.
~You will be advanced socially, without any special effort.
~Good fortune is always on your side.

I knew you just couldn't resist reading those. Pretty deep stuff if you ask me. Well, I'll let you ponder those for a while and then I'll get back to you. Hope this new year brings you some good fortune! Take care. Bon Voyage!

Christmas in Cali

2007-12-24T01:23:00.000-08:00

I miss the snow!!! If it weren't for Christmas lights and music, you wouldn't even be able to tell that it was Christmas here in California. Luckily for us, my sister & her husband also thought to bring a Christmas tree. I've already had loads of fun and there's still more to come! I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

AFTER

2007-12-17T07:02:00.000-08:00

So there's no sound with this video (other than the clicking of my phone as I zoom in & out), but if there was sound, you'd hear the Hallilujah chorus in the background because of how organized my room has become! For those of you who have been praying for a miracle or wanted to witness one this year...here it is!

BEFORE

2007-12-11T11:19:00.000-08:00

2007-12-01T22:38:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago, my friend, Natalie tagged me which means I'm supposed to share 6 things about me. So here they are:

~I love to travel. It's due to my parents always taking us kids on trips when we were little. I've moved across country twice in my youth and been in about 35 states. One day I hope to be able to say that I've been to all 50 states.

~Occasionally, I'll write poems and stories in my spare time. Of course, I don't get a lot of spare time so therefore I don't get to put them together like I want to. One of these days I will write one for my blog.

~All my friends know how much I love making noises such as b-boxing, a clown horn, and my friend's most favorite-a shooting star. Interresting enough, I use to count how many different noises I could make.

~The house I live in has the perfect accoustics. I'm usually working on my pipes (if you know what I mean) when no one's around.

~Cooking is another thing that I love and feel that I do well. I love cooking for my friends and I know they love my cooking.

~There's nothing I enjoy better than playing sports (especially basketball) and hanging out with my friends.

~Just another little interresting thing about me...it was 5 years ago today that I got my first kiss.

Well, I'm sure it's not as fun hearing about these things as it is experiencing them. So...if you ever want me to cook, sing, write you a poem or travel with you...just remember...I'm your friend!

Short & Sweet

2007-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone's enjoying this time of year! I love the holidays! Here's some pics from Halloween and my two niece's birthday(One turned 8 & the other turned 1). Tons of fun!

Sibling Camping Trip

2007-10-13T23:53:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Trip Favorites
10. Having five different beds to choose from at the family cabin. We really roughed it!
9. Breaking a childhood skateboard and using part of it as firewood. It was great starter wood!
8. Putting the fish we caught in a beef jerky bag because we left the other bag in the car.
7. Becoming human jungle gyms for chipmunks to climb on while feeding them peanuts.
6. Watching most of a movie on my laptop till the battery died even though they’re was a dvd player and t.v. at the cabin if I just turned on the electricity.
5. The outhouse had two different toilet seats-one white and one brown (do you think they meant anything by that???)
4. Using my Coleman stove to cook some of the best burgers but forgetting the cheese & condiments at home.
3. Using walking talkies & code names while standing side by side for a majority of the time.
2. Mistaking one of the cows for a mile marker because it had a white face.
1. Enjoying quality time with my brother in the great outdoors.

A few weeks ago, my brother and I went on a camping trip to our family cabin. Many of you already know about this trip and I'm sure you're thinking...It's about time! Instead of having several pictures on the blog, I put together a slideshow and it's been very time consuming. Otherwise, you would have heard about this time a lot sooner. Of course, I think you'll find that it was worth the wait. =0) I should also mention that none of the chipmunks were harmed during the making of this slideshow; however, I can't say the same for the fish. Hence, the reason for leaving their pictures out of the slideshow.

I'm sure you're also curious about why the fish were put in a beef jerky bag...well, after my brother caught the first fish, he turned to me and asked if I brought a bag for the fish. I turned back to him and replied that I thought he had grabbed a bag. The car wasn't close by since we had hiked to this lake (although it wasn't far either) and so I looked to see what I did have available. All that was big enough was my beef jerky bag. Of course, we decided that one fish just wasn't enough to go home with us, so we shoved two inside the same bag. =0)

This trip was one of thee best camping trips I've been on in a long time!!! I'm glad I got to enjoy it with my buddy Nick! It definitely made for a more memorable experience!!!

Work Party On The Clock!

2007-10-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

So I've realized I have fans out there who really want to know about my life. =0) I'll try to update you more often on events from my some what eventful life. Well, working for America First Credit Union inside a Wal-Mart is always interresting. There's never a dull moment that's for sure! (I could tell you lots of interresting stories!)

Although it's been extremely busy with work, we still know how to party and have a good time. Here's pics of when we decorated our managers office for his 30th birthday and this past Sat. when we caught a bit of a break due to a power outage.
The power briefly went out and then 20 min. later it shut off completely. We stood around for 5 min. thinking it would come back on but then realized we needed to close our gates. It was also bizarre since Wal-Mart cleared everybody out of the store as we just sat behind our closed gate watching. It's a good thing for all the skylights in the store or it would have been almost pitch black.

Since we couldn't work, we decided to eat pizza while waiting for a definite answer whether we could go home or not. Pizza Hut is the best!!! After a couple hours, even Wal-Mart was sen

ding workers home so we were sent home also. Woo hoo! It was quite the experience!

First Impressions

2007-09-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I refer to myself as "The Wanderer" because there are many groups of friends that I hang out with but I've never felt like I totally belong...until recently. Most people would probably take one look at me and think of the book "Sarah Plain & Tall", but as they get to know me, find that I can be quite the character! I seem to catch my friends off guard sometimes by what I say or do because it seems out of my character...but if they only knew...=0) Of course, a lot of things come by surprise because I keep a lot inside. Through experience, I've learned that it is better to leave a lot of things unsaid unless people really want to hear it. I've been fortunate enough to have a few friends who are extremely amazing listeners and I open up to them ALL the time. (Which is forever appreciated!) Now that I've talked their ears off, they can just read my blogs. =0) Hopefully, they don't go blind. =0)
To tell you a little more about me (I don't want to give myself away completely on the first blog, it just wouldn't be right!), I love sports, chocolate, the great outdoors, making people laugh, movies, and traveling hence another reason for being called "The Wanderer". =0)