Family Pictures

We had a professional photographer come and take our family pictures when we were all home for Thanksgiving, but once she left, we had some fun with my camera.

Life's Paths

When I was 17/18 years old, I totally had my life planned out. I was going to finish high school, start college, marry the man of my dreams after he returned from his mission, so around 21, work as a special education teacher, I would start having kids around 22 or 23 and then be a stay at home mom and raise my children and possibly to photography on the side. Well, as we all know, that's not exactly how my life has played out. Actually, that's no where close to how my life has been.

Utah was a place where I said I would never in my life live. I love California too much, I LOVE being close to my family, I have amazing friends there, the beach is just minutes away from where I live, and Utah Mormons are weird! (No offense to all you out there, that's just what I had in my head when I was younger) When my friend Heather told me we were moving to Utah, I looked at her like she was on some kind of drug and told her there was no way I was moving. Little did I know at the time, Utah was one of my paths in life. As much as I didn't want to move and as much as I tried to ignore the feelings that I was having I knew Utah is where I needed to be. As we all know, here I am in Utah 5 years later and sometimes still wonder why the heck I'm here. Utah has been a good place for me as much as I wouldn't like to admit it. There for sure have been some challenges, but I've grown up a lot, I've made some amazing friends, and I have learned many of life's lessons up here. I still have NO idea why I had the feeling that moving to Utah was the right thing for me to do, but I had the feeling that I couldn't ignore and that's why I'm here!

I currently work for an environmental consultant company, which is no where close and has nothing to do with special education. This is just another path in my life that I didn't know was there. Work has been a challenge for me lately. I have recently changed positions from the program coordinator to something that, at first, we couldn't think of a title for. I was walking into a meeting and the Managing Principal of my office comes running (literally) up to me and tells me she needs to talk to me before I go into the meeting. She tells me that she would like to take more of my time and to basically have me as an assistant and that some of my job responsibilities would be given to someone else. Also, she would like me to start helping with proposals for the office. In my head I was thinking, great! The MP of the company trusts me enough to have me as her assistant and to give me some of the responsibilities of doing proposals, PLUS I get to give away a few things of what I'm doing now and things are great. After this talk with the MP, I walk into the meeting to hear my job position as open and anyone could apply for it. WHAT?!?!?! I thought I was just giving up a few of my responsibilities, not my whole job. So what am I now? Are they trying to get rid of me by phasing me out? What is going on? At this point, I'm not too happy about what has just happened. After a few weeks of meetings and work reassuring me that I'm too valuable to loose things are getting better and I'm starting to enjoy my new position. Yet again, something not on MY path, even as a few months ago.

I am turning 27 in 2 1/2 weeks and I don't date, which means I'm no where close to getting married. My Bishops wife tells me tonight ,that I am the most known person in the Ward (which I disagree with, but that's besides the point) and that she always hears that I'm everybodys "best bud" so why am I not dating? I told her if my life was the way that I had "planned" when I was younger, I wouldn't be having this problem because I'd be married and having kids right now. She just giggled and told me that there is someone out there for me, which of course, I hear all the time. Its not a bad thing to hear, don't get me wrong, I just hear it a lot. Utah is a hard place to live when you are a 27 year old female. Most of the guys my age are married and if they are not, they do live in Provo, where there are over 65,000 students. There's a lot of competition around here :)

So are we seeing the pattern yet? :) Life doesn't always take you the way you think its going to go. I have always realized this, but have never struggled with it as much I have been lately. I couldn't tell you why this has been on my mind so much and why I've been having a hard time with it lately, but I have. Why am I almost 27 and not married? Why the heck do I live in Utah? Why was taking the job that I have now on my path? Am I struggling because its time to start a new path in my life? There is a reason my life has taken me the direction that it has. I know someday I'll look back and realize why exactly my life has played out like it has, but sometimes I just wonder, WHY?

Happy Birthday Madyson!!

Happy 17th Birthday Mady Boo Bear!

I cannot get over that my little sister is 17 today!! I'll never forget the day she was born. Dad called and said that I had a little sister and then put the phone up to Mady and she was crying in the phone. I'll never forget how excited I was and how bad I wanted to go to the hospital to see her.

Now my little sister is all grown up, beautiful, witty, an amazing runner, dating, and graduating from HS next year...Where has the time gone?!

Sub for Santa

Every year my Ward does an auction about a month before Christmas. With the money raised, we go buy families that are struggling Christmas gifts. Last year we had a lot of people donate (hair cuts, massages, O tickets in Vegas, ski lessons, snowboard lessons, swim lessons, dinners, desserts, etc) and participate in the auction. Because of the generosity of everyone were able to buy 5 families presents. The family that I was able to buy and take gifts to had 3 little kids. We got to spend a little over $100 on each kid and then wrap and deliver the gifts the next week. I can't even tell you how much I loved seeing the faces of the family when we showed up with 6 of us carrying presents to their house.
This year my Ward is struggling to get people to donate. If anyone has something that they would be willing to donate please let me know! The auction is this coming Monday (11/16), so I would need to have all donations before then. Thank you so much, in advance, to anyone who is able to help!

Harry O's

I love going dancing! There's a club in Park City called Harry O's that has become a favorite of mine. Holly, Erika and I went up this past weekend and it was a blast!! We met so many new people and had lots of laughs with these awesome guys (pictured below). I wouldn't mind going to Harry O's and running into them again! And to answer questions before I get them...No there is not interest in the guys below. At least one or two of them are gay, so that would present a problem! The guys were just a TON of fun!!

Who Knew I Could Be OCD

My condo, in my opinion, had been a mess for a while and I was so embarrassed to have people come over. My parents came into town and I didn't even want them to come over and see my place because, once again, I was so embarrassed. The mess wasn't mine so I kept telling myself I wasn't going to clean it up. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I cleaned the condo. Both of my roommates were gone one weekend and I was home alone so I spent hours getting the place back to how I like it. I sent out a text to both of my roommates asking them to help keep it clean because I had spent a long time on the place. I don't think they appreciated my text, but I cleaned their mess and I didn't want to do it again. Because its finally clean again and because of the time I spent on the condo, I've totally become OCD about the place!! If there is a dish in the sink that I see, I put it in the dishwasher. If the counter looks like there's a spot on it, I clean it. If there is something left out, I put it away. If a pillow is on the floor, I put it on the couch.

When I got home yesterday one of my roommates had come home and her shoes and clothes were on the floor and some of her stuff was on the bar. I couldn't handle it. I picked up her stuff and put them in her room. Before I go to bed or after people leave my house (which is almost on a daily occurrence, since our place is the party/meeting place) I get things picked back up. I have NEVER been OCD about anything....especially cleanliness. I like to have the rooms that people see when they walk in looking decent, but never to the point of where I am now. I guess my OCD is keeping the condo clean right now though, so that's all that matters! YAY for a clean condo!!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Happy Birthday to the most amazing dad that anyone could ask for!!! I'm so lucky to have such a great dad who I can turn to when I need someone to talk to, when I need advice and when I need a laugh. I think my dad is HILARIOUS and he always can put a smile on my face!! I LOVE YOU DAD!!!!!!