L a t e l y

Is this not the most perfect bunch of grapes you've ever seen?

Not to mention they are DELICIOUS.

 All this basketball is making me impatient for March Madness.

And girl scout cookies.

Because they are one in the same.

Another birthday celebration, another cake.

Yes, I've had cake for breakfast, lunch, and a midnight snack

for over a week.

 I thought I lost this little gem the other day.

I about freaked.

But I found it ;)

I've also had a big kid capri sun everyday this week.

Thanks dad for buying a butt load!

And finally,
the daily horoscope app freaks me out.

Happy Monday!

Unbelievably Beautiful

Today my beautiful sister turned twelve years old. I truly can't believe it! I remember the day she was born, and I was beyond excited to finally have a sister (I cried at both of my brothers ultrasounds when we found out they were boys.) Little did I know I was going to be blessed with the most incredible one out there. She has taught me so much, and she has grown into such a precious young lady. Her sense of humor, positive outlook, contagious laugh, tender heart, and growing testimony have influenced me in so many good ways. She has so many amazing qualities that it blows my mind. How can one little girl contain so much positivity? She is one of my greatest friends, and an extremely big example. I don't know where I would be without her. Not to mention she is naturally one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen. Ever. Her smile can make anybody's day better, and she is one of the sweetest people you could ever know. Everyone should have someone like her in their life. She's one of a kind. 

Happy birthday Squirt! You are such a blessing to me and I hope you know how much I love you! I hope your twelfth year treats you good, because you deserve better than the best in everything. Thank you for being yourself and for making my life so much better. You really are the best sister in the world, and not just because you're my only sister, but because you really are the best. Words can't begin to tell you how much you mean to me. Love you! ♥

People and Meaning

*Fair warning, this is a long post, so brace yourselves.

Life has a way of bringing people together for simply significant reasons and in mysterious ways. One cannot simply define the emotions of an everyday heart, but it's sure an adventure worth living for. Being constantly surrounded by people is an interesting side story to any situation. One simply doesn't know who will come in or out of a life, and the amount of impact they will have, but no matter who it is, it's important and so are they. 

The first person I want to recognize is a woman of compassion, beauty, dedication, love, and amazement. Although I have known her forever, she was sent into my life to teach me so many things. 

My beautiful mom is one of the most incredible people I've ever known. There are no words to possibly explain the impact she has had on me. I look up to her in so many ways, and she continues to make my love for her grow. The relationship between a mother and daughter is one of the most outstanding things ever created. We may view things differently, or have bumps along the way, but she's one of very few that I know will love me forever and ever no matter what. Differences and arguments don't change the love I feel for her, in fact, they make me love her even more because I know we'll shortly be laughing at the other person laughing. If you don't know my mom, you're missing out. She's incredible. Happy Birthday to her a couple weeks ago! 

Next is a situation where I'm grateful for people with educations and their willingness to engage themselves in what they are good at. (Even if the situation sucks...) Lucky me got my wisdom teeth out a couple weeks ago. I had told people that I was going to be that one person who has the worst experience with it, and that I would be the story that made people nervous to get theirs out. I decided I should stop saying what I think when it involves situations like that, because they tend to come true. It was the worst week (still going, but thank heavens it's getting better) of my life. If you know me, I'm a walking mystery in the health aspect of life, and long story short, my body decided to throw everything at me at once on the day I got them out. So, to anyone getting theirs out in the near future, I wish you the best of luck and I hope it's a more pleasant experience than mine. I am, however, grateful for such a concerned and friendly Oral Surgeon. 

Sometimes it's not just one person who impacts your life, but a group of individuals. I have a deep love for surprises. Sometimes I can be a tricky one to surprise though. I tend to guess, and I am a very good guesser. This past week however, I was surprised, and clueless. My birthday is coming up, tomorrow in fact, and my sweet best friend invited me over to her house. Little did I know that I was in for the most exciting news ever. Her and her family surprised me with a trip to Hawaii! The entire family is going, and somehow I got invited along with them! I was seriously holding back tears all night. I'm counting down the days, and I can't even begin to say how grateful I am for every single person in that family. They all have become so near and dear to my heart, and they have helped me in ways that are unexplainable. They have adopted me into their family, and I will forever feel so blessed to have them in my life. 

Do you ever stop and wonder how a friendship started? One that has lasted a life time? I have grown up with one of the most amazing boys, and had to part ways after 14 years. A mission is such a bittersweet event. I wouldn't have the situation any other way, but saying goodbye for two years is such a hard thing to do. He has been there for me through the thick and thin, and has always been one to care about me very openly. I have cherished the time we spent together, and look forward to the day he comes home. He's been a huge blessing in my life, and I'm so excited for him to bless the lives of so many others.

Last but not least, there are the people who enter our lives as strangers, and grow to become someone extremely dear to our hearts. Someone who has a new outlook on the world. Someone who shows you how endearing life can be. I've been blessed with one of these people. I've come to know someone who I never knew even existed. Someone who has seen me for who I am and treated me in a way I thought only true in movies. Someone who has replaced fear with confidence. Someone who is different than many of the people I know, and what a mark he has left on my life. My eyes have been opened to something beautiful and mysterious, and I could never express my gratitude I have for that. There aren't many people who can show you a new perspective on a life you thought was already amazing. I'll forever be grateful and have him dear to my heart.

Life is an amazing journey. I definitely can't complain about my adventure thus far. I'm beyond blessed and I wish I could share my love and happiness to all those who lack it. I hope we all can find the positive in our life even when things get tough. "Even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise." 

Rewind and Fast Forward

 I need to rewind a little bit to catch up on what's been happening up until this point!

We celebrated both Caden and Hunter's birthdays. Cade turned the big 1-6 (which is super weird..), and Si turned 14.  I love that their birthdays are only six days apart, because that means double the cake for me! 

 If you read my earlier post about the eagle project that Hunter was doing, he accomplished it! His goal was to get his Eagle before his fourteenth birthday. He collected books for the Navajo Native American Reservation in Arizona called the "Teec Nos Pos Chapter".  He got a little over two thousand books, then he and my dad took a little road trip down there with our Aunt Zana is a full blood Navajo and such a great help to give the books to the children's library. My little brother is the best, and I'm so proud of him. He did such an awesome job and definitely earned his rank as an Eagle!

Of course, we carved pumpkins for Halloween. I attempted to carve the Joker, which did not turn out. Caden carved the Assassins Creed symbol. Hunter carved Iron man, and Ally carved the word mustache. I'm not really sure why, but she was proud of it. :)

I also was apart of the annual "Godfrey Hallow" with my best friend and her family. It's always an interesting/super fun experience. It was followed by the most delicious Navajo Tacos known to man and a bunch of laughs. 

Cade went on his first date and to his first dance with the cute neighbor girl! 

He looks like such a man in the picture on the right. He's getting too big.

Congratulations to all of the newly called Elders recently. I had six friends get their calls on the same day. Pretty exciting! Life is such a great experience. There have been some happy new things recently that have made life that much better! Count your blessings :) 

Can you believe it's November already? 

Dear Dad

No one knows the love I have for my dad.  He's my number one man, my cheerleader, biggest fan, coach, teacher, friend, and laughing buddy.  That's just to mention a few.  The things he has taught me is countless and there would be no way to write it all down and some are not expressable in words.  He's taught me to have goals and to work to achieve them, to love those around me always, to never be afraid to stick up for what I believe in, to serve others before yourself, and to take life as a pleasant journey.  He taught me to chase the end of the rainbow, to thank Grandma D for the pretty sunsets, to sing when you're having fun and make up silly songs (that will stay with me for the rest of my life), and make ordinary, everyday tasks memorable.  He is one of the biggest reasons it makes me sad to grow up.  He is the one person that can make me laugh every single day to the point that I have tears streaming down my cheeks and I can't breath.  Although I never admit it, he is the funniest person I know, but shh.. don't tell him I said that. ;) He always makes an effort to teach  me and the other kids little tasks that will help us in our life.  For example, every time he works on a car, he asks me if I want to learn how to do 'this' whatever this may be, because I might need to know how one day.  He's not one that can just sit still.  He is the hardest working man I've ever met.  Whether it be in the yard, the garden, at work, with his church calling, helping the neighbors, cooking dinner, doing the dishes or the laundry, or just playing with us kids, he is always doing something that will benefit someone else. I look up to his testimony and love for the gospel.  He's been a extremely important missionary in my life.  I love his sense of humor, and how much he loves his family.  I deeply cherish every memory I have with him.  He's my best friend. One day I'm going to have to grow up and move out, and I dread that day,  only because that means he won't be right there with me.  I hope and pray I find a guy with qualities like my dad's that I will be blessed to marry.  He's one of a kind, and I'm grateful that he's in my life.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday! You don't look a day over 25.. ;)
Love you Daddy. More than words could ever tell you.

Your Georgia Peach,

Dear Jess

   Okay, so this might or might not be the seventh way I have wished you a Happy Birthday. Gotta love social networking, right? Plus, there's one way you haven't seen yet. Anyway, who doesn't love to be wished a happy birthday over and over again? ;)
   We've gone through some bumpy roads to get here, but I wouldn't trade these past few years for anything.  You have taught me so much and have been such an incredible example to me, and I will forever be grateful. I still wish that I could create a mirror to give you that let's you see how I see you.  You are an incredible person and I'm grateful to have you in my life.
   Thank you for always being supportive and caring.  I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me over the years, and how you have influenced my life.
   I hope you have the greatest week on your road trip and make so many memories!  I wish I could be with you on this glorious second best day of the year ;) , but I'm so excited to see you when you get home. I wish you the best day ever, and I hope all your wishes come true!

Cheers to the Birthday Girl!
Love you so much. :)