Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Catching up!

I am a bad blogger! It seems like I haven't taken the time to post lately ... and now I'm overwhelmed with everything to get on here. So I'll summarize (although I'm sure everyone will be VERY disappointed not knowing every detail).

All things Witchy - The last two weekends I have gone to Gardner Village with my favorite witches to do a little early-Halloween celebrating. First, I went with some girls from my ward ... it was very fun. We shopped and chatted. And some of us got very festive and wore hats :)! This is a pic of us that night. Last weekend I went with my mom, aunt, cousin and a couple of family friends. We went for the official "Witches Night Out" festival. It was so fun! But INSANE. We seriously parked a mile and half away. I wish I were kidding, but I'm not. The shops were very busy, so it was hard to get any serious shopping done ... but don't worry ... I still found an adorable pair of shoes that I got talked into buying (not that it was hard ...). We forgot to take our camera though ... bummer!

Last night I held a Cookie Lee party for Kim (a friend who is a brand-new consultant). It was really fun, and lots of girls came. I decided to get very creative and Halloween-y and made a pumpkin shaped cake. I can assure you it looked much better on the recipe website. However, everyone thought it was very cute ... so I took a picture for your viewing enjoyment :)!

I'm so excited for Halloween ... and passing out candy! Yay!

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Station

This weekend was very fun ... and busy! I'll post pics, etc. later. On Sunday we had the chance to go see my dad speak in church. He read this story - which I have heard a million times growing up (the beauty of moving a lot - you get to recycle stuff for Sacrament talks :)!) but it stood out a lot to Jeff and I this time. So I wanted to share ... hope you enjoy!

The Station
By: Robert Hastings

Tucked away in our subconscious minds is an idyllic vision in which we see ourselves on a long journey that spans an entire continent. We're traveling by train and, from the windows, we drink in the passing scenes of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at crossings, of cattle grazing in distant pastures, of smoke pouring from power plants, of row upon row upon row of cotton and corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our conscious minds is our final destination--for at a certain hour and on a given day, our train will finally pull into the Station with bells ringing, flags waving, and bands playing. And once that day comes, so many wonderful dreams will come true. So restlessly, we pace the aisles and count the miles, peering ahead, waiting, waiting, waiting for the Station.

"Yes, when we reach the Station, that will be it!" we promise ourselves. "When we're eighteen. . . win that promotion. . . put the last kid through college. . . buy that 450SL Mercedes-Benz. . . have a nest egg for retirement!" From that day on we will all live happily ever after.

Sooner or later, however, we must realize there is no Station in this life, no one earthly place to arrive at once and for all. The journey is the joy. The Station is an illusion--it constantly outdistances us. Yesterday's a memory, tomorrow's a dream. Yesterday belongs to a history, tomorrow belongs to God. Yesterday's a fading sunset, tomorrow's a faint sunrise. Only today is there light enough to love and live.

So, gently close the door on yesterday and throw the key away. It isn't the burdens of today that drive men mad, but rather the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who would rob us of today. "Relish the moment" is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, swim more rivers, climb more mountains, kiss more babies, count more stars. Laugh more and cry less. Go barefoot more often. Eat more ice cream. Ride more merry-go-rounds. Watch more sunsets. Life must be lived as we go along. The Station will come soon enough.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Great Times ... with Great Friends

This Saturday we had the best of both worlds ... we went shopping and then to a football game! And we did both with great friends.

First we headed to Park City with Kolby, Kristie and their adorable little girl Taylor. We shopped (and found some very fabulous deals I might add) and then we went to Baja Cantina for lunch. It is AMAZING - best Mexican food ever! This is a picture of us right after we finished eating ... see how happy that food made us?

Then we met up with another set of great friends ... Austin and Diana for the BYU Homecoming game! It was SO cold, but not snowing like predicted, so that made us happy. We cheered loud ... and won! (I'm sure as a direct result of us cheering, of course) Then we went out to dinner at Wingers and chatted ... and had some more fun!(and if I look a little chubby you'll know why!) This is us looking very cold ... but with a lot of school spirit :)!

When we got home Jeff decided to hold my new clothes hostage until I cleaned out my closet :)! It worked ... by Sunday night I had gotten rid of a lot ... and my new clothes are now happily hanging in my closet where they belong.

Overall it was a fabulously fun weekend!!

I have also been tagged twice! I hope I get to both this week ... but the last time I didn't ever get around to it ... woops!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

New and Improved

We decided that this weekend would be a good time for a project (love those!) ... so we decided to put crown molding in our kitchen to match our living room. My dad and Jeff were super fast and had it up in no time - doesn't it look great?