Update

Well here is the update of what has been going on in my life. I completed my first year of college. Now I am home for 7 weeks then I start my sophomore year of college. I still can't believe it myself.

Emily, Casey, and Adam visited for a couple of days. It was so much fun having them here. We went to pirate's cove, which is a little water park by my house. There is a big bucket that dumps every 10 minutes. Adam absolutely loved it. We all loved the lazy river and I had my most embarrassing moment while going down the water slide. We saw Despicable Me. I about died of laughter!

I found a job at Tamarac Medical assembling medical kits that test for lead poisoning. I am very grateful for this job! While I have been home I have been reading loads of books. I finished These is my Words, Peter and the Starcatchers, Hunger Games, and Pictures of Hollis Woods. I loved all of these books! I haven't been able to go to the pool as often as I would like but overall I have had a great summer! Another thing I have become obsessed with editing photos.

Fireflies

Fireflies lit up that summer I turned six.
My brothers decided to show me the art of firefly catching.

Casey and I ran down the creaky stairs to the dimly lit storage room. My heart beat with excitement as we grabbed a couple of canning jars. Poking holes on top, we allowed the fireflies to breathe.

Hand in hand with my two brothers, I stepped outside and breathed the scent of honeysuckles. The fireflies’ lights dotted the evening sky, capturing my heart and imagination. They were ballerinas gliding across a starlit stage.

Tyson caught one of them. I took a breath, scared of what would happen next. He immediately put her in the jar. The jar blazed with light. Tyson and Casey soon caught others, and each time the light grew brighter.

Now it was my turn. I gently caught her, feeling her heart beat pulsing through me. Tenderly placing her in the jar, I reflected on the glass walls that held her in. I opened the lid, setting her free. Shining so brightly against the dark night, I longed to be her, flying free. Still in the jar, protected from the storms of life. One day I would be set free into the night and would have to make the choice to shine.

Thoughts from the mind of a second semester freshmen

I can't believe that in like 4 weeks I officially become a sophmore in college! As I turn 20 this july, I have been reflecting on my life up to this point. I don't feel like I have done alot in my short life. I have no medals or achievements, but I have learned some really important lessons.

This semester has been alot harder on me than last semester. Academically I am doing great, but I miss home so much. I have also been stressed about deciding on my major and what I want to be when I leave college. I have learned so much about myself and what I want to become. As of right now I am going to major in Child Development and cluster in Home and Family and Reading for a Lifetime. I can't wait to start taking classes for each one of these programs.

I found this quote from Helen Keller that has become my new favorite saying. "Keep your face to the sunshine and you can not see the shadow. It's what the sunflowers do." She truly was a wise woman. I have come to release that I need to not be afraid and to trust Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that everything will work out.

Here are the things that make me the most happy: My family, my friends, the gospel of Jesus Christ, my children's literature class and my other classes, phone calls from family and friends, packages, cheap groceries, comfortable pants, a sunny day without wind, all different kinds of flowers, the route I take for my walk, Patsy's porch, seeing the preschool children on campus, Shopping at the dollar spot in Target

Frosty the Snowman

In good old Colorado style we experienced the biggest snowstorm in March. On March 24, 2010 we had a blizzard. While this snowstorm was happening , I got to play mom for Maddie, Isabelle, and Charlotte. It was fun and hard at the same time. I don't know how moms do it at all. You have absolutely no time for yourself. I learned loads from this experience. I learned how I need to be more patient and to appreciate my own parents and what they do for me. I learned that I do really want to be a mom someday.

On Thursday, my mom, the three girls and I decided to make a snowman. I took pictures of the snowman but, I cannot find my camera cord so you will just have to imagine for yourselves what he looks like. He was definitely the best snowman I have ever made.

Home Sweet Home

I can't begin to explain how much I am loving life and just being home in sunny Colorado. I have officially decided that I don't want to live anywhere else except Colorado. I love the people, the weather, and the mountains. I can't believe how much I have been blessed lately. Here are a few pictures from the view of my back porch.

This picture was taken during a foggy day in centennial town.

Look at the beautiful sunset in these two next pictures. I love the sunsets here!

Don't Feed the Animals

A couple of weeks ago I was eating a orange looking out onto the backyard. I saw a squirrel eating some bark off of our aspen tree. Here I am eating a delicious orange while this squirrel is eating bark. I felt bad for the poor creature.

I decided to give the squirrel some of my orange. I threw out a couple of slices onto the porch. The squirrel paced around the porch avoiding the orange at first deciding if perhaps the orange was some sort of trap. After about 5 minutes, the squirrel decided to grab the orange and gobble it down.

Day after day the squirrel came to our house and waited outside the door for a slice of orange. I didn't give him any more. Then a couple days later the squirrel decided to chew on my mom's rug that she left outside to get dry. My mom was so mad. She blamed me and told me to never feed squirrels again. The moral of this story is never feed wild animals especially ones that can be found in your own backyard.

Count your many Blessings

Well since I have been home from BYU- Idaho one thing has been on my mind. Get a Job. I believe job hunting is probably the one thing every human being dreads. I have applied to multiple places and got no results! I have been feeling pretty down lately! I have had to really dig deep and trust in the Lord to help me. To help me in this process of picking myself up again, I made a list of the many blessings I have been given.

First and Foremost, I couldn't ask for a better family than mine. My parents are the two most amazing, righteous people I know. The Lord has truly blessed me to be born into my home. My siblings are amazing as well. Each one has taught me something special. Plus they have given the cutest nieces and nephews that a girl could ask for.

Second, I have a Heavenly Father and a Savior who love me despite my many faults and imperfections.

Third, the Scriptures. Each time I read them I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.

Four, living right next to the Denver Temple. Not many people get to say that they get to wake up in the same neighborhood that I do.

Fifth, great friends. I have the most amazing friends! They truly have helped me in so many ways like writing notes of encouragement, giving hugs, and just spending time with me.

Sixth, good food. I love food! Especially grilled cheese and chocolate milk. I believe that good food can turn a frown upside down.

Seventh, comfy things. Soft blankets, slippers, furry hoods, velour pants and hoodies, and stuffed animals are things that make up me.

Eighth, Sunshine. My mom told me the other day that the sun helps your body to make vitamin D which helps lift the spirit. I wish I could lay out in the sun everyday!

This exercise helped me out alot to see that I have been given so many blessings. Everyone should try it out to either turn a frown upside down or to make a smile even brighter.

New Years Resolutions and Thoughts

Sorry everyone for not blogging on a regular basis. Christmas break has been fantastic! After leaving rexburg, my parents and I stayed with my sister Leslie and her family. We went and saw the lights at Temple Square. This was my first time going and it was absolutely amazing. I could feel the Spirit so strong as I reflected on the Savior's birth. While I was in the Joseph Smith building warming myself cause it was cold, Dylan dragged me over to the gigantic globe. There was this little boy over there and he came up to me and lifted up his arms, wanting me to lift him up so he could touch the globe. I felt bad so I did. As soon as lifted him up, his mom scurried over. She said thank you even though I knew she thought I was probably a creeper for picking up her son. Anyways I thought that this story was hilarious.
I have been thinking about my new years resolutions lately and I am having a hard time coming up with them, but this is the list that I am planning on working on.

1. Read plenty of books while I am off track
2. Read the Old Testament as well as the Book of Mormon
3. Smile everyday and serve at least one person a day
4. Lose at least another 15 pounds
5. Read about my ancestors
6. Learn to sew
7. Work, Work, Work
8. Take more pictures so as to capture the little moments of life
9. Be more Happy!

I have been reading the book entitled The Hiding Place. It is truly an amazing book. I would highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet. I wanted to share a quote that I really like. "Happiness isn't something that depends on our surroundings, Corrie. It's something we make inside ourselves." I know that this quote is very true. I know that in my own life when I stop expecting people and things to make me happy, I become more happy. My mom always said to me that "I don't smile because I am happy. I am happy because I smile."