Living in Thanksgiving Daily

I was planning the FHE lesson for my ward tonight and ran across this talk, "Living in Thanksgiving Daily" by Elder Joseph B. Worthlinthat, that I absolutely love. Can you imagine how your life would improve if you lived in thanksgiving daily? Can you imagine how your life would improve if others did the same? Do you think the world would be a happier place? less stressful? less angry? more spiritual? Here are just a few excerpts that I found helpful:)

First, we must open our eyes.
Look around you. Notice the people you care about. Notice the fragrance of the flowers and the song of the birds. Notice and give thanks for the blue of the sky, the color of the leaves, and the white of the clouds. Enjoy every sight, every smell, every taste, every sound.

The second thing we can do is open our hearts.
We must let go of the negative emotions that bind our hearts and instead fill our souls with love, faith, and thanksgiving. Forgive others who have offended you. Don’t waste another moment feeling self-pity. Every day drain from your heart the feelings of resentment, rage, and defeat that do nothing but discourage and destroy. Fill your heart with those things that ennoble, encourage, and inspire.

The third thing we can do to live in thanksgiving daily is open our arms.
One of the best ways we show our gratitude is by blessing the lives of those around us.
When was the last time you unselfishly reached out to help another in need? Every time we cheer another’s heart, every time we ease another’s burden, every time we lift a weary hand, we show our gratitude to that God to whom we owe all that we have and all that we are.

President Joseph F. Smith proclaimed: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!”

BYU vs New Mexico!

We were freezing, but we loved every minute of it!

Kylie was mad, because she accidentally left her phone in my car the whole game.

No marshmallows...

Sara Bareilles

Last night Blaine and I went to the Sara Bareilles concert. Honestly, before the show I was not a huge fan. I was probably closer to disliking her music than liking it, but now my opinion has completely changed! Her voice is amazing! I was so impressed. She sounds better live than on a recording which is rare. The best part, though, was watching Blaine get so excited when she first stepped out on stage. He definitely lost his cool:) He was singing and dancing along the whole time... but then again so was I! I absolutely love live music. It gives me a huge appreciation for the artist and the talents that they are blessed with. Thanks thanks thanks for inviting me, Blainey boy;)

I'm Confident

This is my theme song! Got this track stuck on repeat.

Halloweenie

I was a cheetah. Kylie was a lady bug. Cassie was a bird, and Jenika was a zebra. Jungle mania!

Oh and this is Kennadee with all her Halloween friends! She was a Pittsburgh Steelers cheerleader:)

Nightmare On 13th

I cried before we even stepped foot inside... literally.

I wanna go again!

ANTM

One of my best friends, Cassie Houghton, is in cosmetology school, and her school held a hairshow fundraiser for one of their students to go to Paris, France and compete internationally! About a month ago Cassie asked me to be her model. Ever since, I have been counting down the days til the big night. It finally came last night and all my dreams came true!

My day began like this: Wake up at 9 a.m., shower, comb my hair, and step out the door. I left the house without a stitch of make-up on, and my hair was still wet! I hate to admit it, but I'm one of those girls who NEVER goes out in public unless I'm looking like a 10. I seriously feel like I'm 12 if my face is in the nude, but Cassie wanted a blank canvas to work on! I quickly got over that though once I stepped into the salon. There were tons of girls getting all dolled up, and the air was polluted with aerosol hair spray! At least it smelt good:) First, we started with my hair. We'd planned a little bit two days before the show, but for the most part it was totally off the cuff. Cassie worked her magic! She used styrofoam cyllinders and balls to anti-gravity my hair. Then, she curled and back combed the rest of it. To add the finishing touch, she added black feathers speratically throughout my fro. All in all, the styling took about an hour and a half. Next was the make-up! Cassie really wanted to focus on my eyes. She used a combination of bronzes and greens for my eyeshadow and huge, black feather falsies (that poked me in the eye everytime I blinked! Ouch!) Lastly, she painted my fingernails black with one green nail on each hand. FINALLY! I was done.

We had to drive to another location for the actual show. My hair didn't fit in the car, so I had to recline the seat all the way back. People driving by gave us the weirdest looks! Once we got there, we did a practice run. We all had to cram behind the curtains like herded cattle and wait our turn to strut our stuff. Megan lost her balance and almost fell off the runway! The kicker is we got it on camera! Afterwards we had to wait around for about an hour and a half outside and wait for the guests to arrive for the final showdown. Megan and I took this opportunity to perfect our walks (which we did). At this point I was starving. I hadn't eaten all day! I had a few sips of MD, but that was it. The show must go on! It came time to get back in the building. I was so nervous! All I wanted was some pumpin' music to get me excited. We made friends with a couple other girls that were standing in line by us and had fun cracking jokes about this male model that was behind us claiming he was a published poet in addition to a nurse on the side. Ok buddy... Get real. Anyways, it was my turn to go out. Let me tell you that I rocked it! I got out there and walked flawlessly. Cassie was so proud of me that I dared to "pop it" during the middle pose! The crowd loved it. Everyone was laughing and clapping. What a rush! I felt so amazing afterwards. I just wanted to get back up and do it again. Photographers were asking to take my picture. At that point I felt like a real model. Ah crazy! I give all the credit to Cassie! She never siezes to amaze me! When we were done, we went to Arctic Circle to get a much deserved pumpkin shake. Mmm mmm good!

I got home at 10p.m. and immediately hopped into the shower. My hair will never be the same. It was cemented with hairspray! I couldn't have asked for a better day though. Spending my days with my close friends and making new ones is what I live for:)

Counting My Blessings

Friday was Blaine's 23rd birthday (and my half birthday but who cares)! We all took the frontrunner down to Salt Lake and went to Tucanos to stuff our faces. Cassie and I were the only one's who didn't dare to eat the freaking disgusting chicken heart. Yeah right! I filled up on the salad bar and the fried pineapple. Yummy! I'd pay $25 just to eat their pineapple. It's my favorite. Good friends. Good food. Good times:)

Saturday and Sunday I was lucky enough to be able to go to General Conference and sing with my single's ward on the temple grounds inbetween sessions. The spirit I felt was overwhelming. By no means am I a good singer, but so many people walked by and thanked us for our simple hymns. I watched one lady pass by with tears in her eyes. At that moment I realized I was doing the work of the Lord and that he was pleased with my service.

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be surrounded by such inspiring people. I'm convinced that I'm a better person today because of the friends I have chosen to spend my time with.

I can't believe it's... FABIO!

All those years growing up having to deal with the world of Rottweilers and the weirdos that come along with it finally paid off tonight. If you didn't know, my dad's kind of a big deal. Even Fabio Lanzoni has heard of him. Funny story... A few months ago we got a phone call from a guy interested in buying a puppy. As the conversation went on my dad was asking the man, "So where are you from? What do you do for a living?" The guy was a little hesitant to answer and just replied, "I live in LA and I'm in the entertainment business". As simple as that. Not wanting to push the subject any further, my dad settled for the answer. After the phone call ended my dad checked the caller-id... None other than the Fabio! Holy smokes! The puzzle pieces were all falling into place. The man on the other line did have a strange accent. He was also very secretive about his personal information and wanted to keep things private. WOW!

I only had one thing on my mind today: Fabio is coming to my house! I invited Cassie over and we waited in my room, looking out the window with the lights off. When we saw his car pull up, we went ballistic! Even Kennadee was screaming, "FABIO!" We played it cool though when he walked through the doors. He's such a down to earth guy! It was so casual. It still hasn't hit me that the Fabio was actually at my house, shaking my hand, snuggling up with Cassie on the ottoman, and pulling me in close for a picture;) He hooked us up with a signed sexy poster of himself, too, which is going on my wall right away. Also he told us to contact him anytime we were in the LA area. Serious or not, I'm gonna take him up on the offer! I can die happy now. I have a new best day of my life.

Better Than Ever

Just when I thought I couldn't get any happier...

OTH babes;)

"You girls are cute... F@#$"

Best Friends

The Gateway

"Is that a tea pot?"

Hooper Nights

LIFE IS GOOD:)

Waxing the Pits

Kylie's Reaction

My Reaction

I will never go back to shaving my armpits again...

Families Are Forever

I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to enter into the Lord's temple and witness my niece/sister be sealed to my loving parents for time and all eternity. When I found out that I could actually be present during the sealing I was so excited! Then my nerves hit. I'd never been in the temple besides to do baptisms. My main fear was that I would get separated from my mom and have no clue where I was or what I was doing. I was so worried that I'd be on my own, lost, and wandering the halls. I didn't know what to expect. Of course I knew that I was being irrational and thinking of the worst possible case scenario.

As soon as we entered through the front doors, all my fears were washed away. We were greeted by the helpful temple workers with big smiles on their faces! I realized then that this was the house of the Lord. I was safer there than I would be anywhere else on the face of the earth. So why was I so afraid? I laughed at myself for being so caught up in my own selfish emotions. The sisters who stayed with Kennadee and me gave us Gold Fish and cookies for crying out loud! If I would have known that I was going to get a little snack out of the deal, I would have never been scared in the first place:)

I gained a huge testimony that day of the purpose of temples and how my Heavenly Father watches over his children and comforts them in their times of need. I'm so fortunate to live only a few miles away from one of His houses and that I can take advantage of them whenever possible. I'm so grateful for the atonement and that through it I can be worthy to receive all of the miracles and blessings this gospel has to offer. The next time I will be able to enter into the sealing room, I will be getting married to my eternal companion.

Missing Someone?

Then don't listen to this song. It will only bring tears... but it's ohhh sooo goood!

Bieber Fever

I just need somebody like JB! He's got the three C's: a career, charm, and he's Canadian eh? Plus, I'm known to be somewhat of a cougar;);) Geez louise! Justin Bieber might be cute and cuddly, but Usher will always hold the key to my heart (sigh).

Whirlwind of a Week

Sunday: Father's Day

Not only was it Father's Day, but I also got to speak in sacrament... for the very first time in my entire life! My singles ward is teensy-weensy, but I still felt the pressure. My topic was Fathers of course:) I did really well, at least that's what I've been told. I controlled my emotions, so no one got to see my ugly crying face. After church, we had a family party. I love our family parties. They consist of re-living the "old days" and catching up on the new, Chris Farley quotes, singing and crazy dancing, playing games and food! This time we played croquet. I found out that I stink at that game. Once again Garrett showed off his freaky, double jointed thumb... Anyways, I'm grateful for all the fathers in my family. They're amazing men and I look for the qualities that they possess in my (distant, very distant) future eternal companion. I love my dad most of all!

Tuesday: Play date

Erica, Gage, Kennadee and I (oh and Tex) walked to Hooper park. More importantly we stopped off and got snowies on the way there. Delish! Gage wanted to sit in the stroller, but he made it clear that he was still a big boy despite the fact. The most hilarious thing ever was to watch Tex pull him down the street and eventually crash him into the curb. Kennadee surprised me and was totally independent on the playground. She was even sneaking chips out of an abandoned bag of BBQ Lays. We all had a blast playin with the other kids.

Wednesday: BSB Concert

Thirteen years ago, my mom, sister and I all went to the Backstreet Boys concert in Salt Lake. So when they came around again it was only obvious that we HAD to go again. Our entire family is die hard BSB fans. We all love them and know all their songs by heart. My mom and I met up with my aunt Kelly, cousin Brandon and his friend Reed, and my other cousin Jakelle and had dinner at JB's (on accident). There was so much laughing. I loved it. Then came the concert. Holy smokes! I have never screamed louder in my entire life. We missed Kevin, because he was our favorite, but the show was still amazing! Best one to date by far, and I got a t-shirt:)

Thursday-Saturday: Thousand Peaks Ranch

I'm gonna be honest. At first, I was a little nervous to agree to visit Erica's cabin with her. My main fear: SPIDERS! I'm not much of the outdoors type, but man oh man that has changed (maybe just a little bit). The beauty up there is unmatched to any place I've ever seen. I felt at peace with myself and the world. Being secluded and free from any outside communication was liberating. I didn't even bring my cell phone! The first night and halfway into the second day we didn't have water. Thanks Jake;) Don't worry. We managed to survive. Erica and I spent our time writing songs and strummin' on the ole geet, doing our Mor-Er photo shoot, star gazing, bird/dinosaur calling, hiking, hiking, and more hiking. On the last day, Jenkin, Erica, Jake and I hiked Blue Bell Falls. After about an hour and a half, strenuous hike, we finally reached the top. This was a major breakthrough for me. Along with spiders, I'm deathly afraid of heights. I was so scared to even walk by the edge seeing as it was a straight drop off of what seemed like a thousand feet (total exaggeration). With the encouragement of Erica, I was able to sit at the very edge of the falls. I didn't die! Even if it seemed like a cake walk to the others, I was so proud of myself. I accomplished something I thought was impossible. I'm so blessed with a best friend who was kind enough to share her little slice of heaven with me. Thanks Er Head! "That's why I come up here. NATURE!"

Seek the Higher Ground

"Those who journey to higher ground love the Lord with all their hearts. We see in their lives manifestations of that love. They seek their God in prayer and plead for His Holy Spirit. They humble themselves and open their hearts to the teachings of the prophets. They magnify their callings and seek to serve rather than be served. They stand as witnesses of God. They obey His commandments and grow strong in their testimony of the truth.

They also love Heavenly Father’s children, and their lives manifest that love. They care for their brothers and sisters. They nurture, serve, and sustain their spouses and children. In the spirit of love and kindness, they build up those around them. They give freely of their substance to others. They mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.

This journey to higher ground is the pathway of discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a journey that will ultimately lead us to exaltation with our families in the presence of the Father and the Son. Consequently, our journey to higher ground must include the house of the Lord. As we come unto Christ and journey to higher ground, we will desire to spend more time in His temples, because the temples represent higher ground, sacred ground.

In every age we are faced with a choice. We can trust in our own strength, or we can journey to higher ground and come unto Christ.

Each choice has a consequence.

Each consequence, a destination".-- Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

To seek spiritual high ground is to rise above the world and its temptation and to follow our Savior. As converted followers of the Savior, we are commissioned to strengthen those around us. We get on high ground not just to save ourselves from the adversary but also so that we can lift others to safety. An important lesson I have learned is that one must be on higher ground to be able to lift someone up. There is no use in trying to help another person if we ourselves are not on a stable foundation from above. As we seek the higher ground, we are blessed with strength beyond our own to carry us through the times we are "tried, and persecuted unjustly, and mocked unfairly, and face temporal and spiritual storms of a magnitude that will seem unbearable to us, and experience bitter cups that we pray would pass from us". Live a better life and spiritually avoid the low pathway where the things of this world dominate.

"Hiking" the Y

After driving around for the better part of the day, my sister and I spontaneously decided to attempt to hike the Y. We had no idea how to get to the start of the trail, but we eventually found it after weaving in and out of an extremely uphill neighborhood. I didn't think my car was gonna make it! We realized we were not prepared with the necessary shoes or clothes for an adventure like this, but chose to press on anyways (we'd later regret it). After the first few steps, we found out that this seemingly easy trail wasn't so easy after all. WE WERE DYING! I'm embarrassed to admit it. The trail is designed in the form of a zig zag with eleven or so turns. We took "picture breaks" at every turning point. We saw little kids and a few hefty couples marching down the mountain past us. We kept telling ourselves, "If they can make it to the top, we can do it, too!" Obviously not. We only made it half way, or less. I blame our failure on our lack of preparedness, though I'm sure there were a few other factors;) Regardless of where we were located on the trail, the views were amazzzing. We vowed to get to the top by the end of the summer even if we have to make it an all day event!

Lessons of Love

Each person who enters our life has a unique lesson to teach us. And it is only through these lessons that we learn about life, people, relationships and God.

When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always as they seem. The truth is often far beneath the surface. Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know their heart. And remove your own masks to let people know yours.

When someone steals from you, it teaches you that nothing is forever. Always appreciate what you have, for you never know when you might lose it. Never ever take your friends and family for granted, because they are the only people who have your best interest at heart. You can trust them most of all.

When someone inflicts an injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state is a fragile one. Protect and take care of your body as best you can; it's the only thing you are sure to have forever.

When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike. When you encounter people who are different from you, don't judge them by how they look or act; instead base your opinion on the contents of their heart.

When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone does not always mean that person will love you back. But don't turn your back on love because when you find the right person, the joy that one person brings will make up for all the past hurts put together -- times ten!!! Spend life with who makes you happy not who you have to impress.

When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you that everyone makes mistakes. When you are wronged, the most virtuous thing you can do is forgive the offender without pretense. Forgiving those who have hurt us is the most difficult and courageous thing anyone can do.

When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting temptation is man's greatest challenge. Be vigilant in your resistance against all temptation. By doing so, you will be rewarded with an enduring sense of satisfaction far greater than the temporary pleasure by which you were tempted.

When someone cheats on you, it teaches you that greed is the root of all evil. Aspire to make your dreams come true, no matter how lofty they may be. Do not feel guilty about your success, but never let an obsession with achieving your goals lead you to engage in malevolent activities.

When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is perfect. "If evil be said of thee, and if it be true, correct thyself; if it be a lie, laugh at it". Accept people for their merits and be tolerant of their flaws. Do not ever reject someone for imperfections over which they have no control.

When someone hurts you over and over, think of them as sandpaper. They scratch and hurt you. But later, you will be shiny and polished while they end up useless.

What about lessons to be learned from Man's good deeds?

When someone loves us, it teaches us that love, kindness, charity, honesty, humility, forgiveness and acceptance can counteract all the evil in the world. For every good deed, there is one less evil deed. Man alone has the power to control the balance between good and evil, but because the lessons of love are not taught often enough, the power is too often abused.

When you enter someone's life, whether by plan, chance or coincidence, consider what your lesson will be. Will you teach love or a harsh lesson of reality? When you die, will your life have resulted in more loving or hurting? More comfort or pain? More joy or sadness?

Each one of us has power over the balance of love in the world. Use it wisely. Don't miss an opportunity to nudge the world's scale in the right direction.

"To fall in love is easy, even to remain it is not difficult; our human loneliness is cause enough. But it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes the person one desires to be"- Anna Louise Strong.

Earth Day

What a gorgeous day to celebrate Mother Earth! I got a taste of the sunshine, the cool breeze, the rain, and the snow all in one day.The mix of weather left our mountains glistening, the blue sky scattered with white and grey fluffy clouds, and the grass and trees fresh green. Take time to appreciate the planet we live on and all of its simple beauties. If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom. Nature is the art of God. It's His way of expressing His love toward his children. Acknowledge His presence in the world around you. I love astronomy, and this is one of my favorite videos to watch right before I go to sleep at night. I lay in my bed, turn off all the lights, and switch the settings to full screen. Cheesy? Maybe, but it leaves the impression of peace and gratitude in my mind before I drift off. Enjoy:)

Recipe: A Blissful Reminder

Sometimes we become so consumed by our busy lives that we forget how to appreciate and be grateful for everything we do have. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves why we are so lucky and that life is not that bad after all.

• Retreat to your journal or diary
• Think of happiness and what it means to you
• Think of everything you've ever wanted
• Find the good in everything you had or have had happen to you
• Now write out a list of everything you have in your life to be grateful for: Memories, people, experiences, opportunities, objects, even life itself
• Refer back to this list after an exceptionally awful day

And there you have your blissful reminder.

Here and Now

My thoughts determine my perspective.

My vision determines my future.

My beliefs determine my direction.

My hope determines my persistence.

My goals determine my destiny.

My values determine my priorities.

My energy determines my capacity.

My focus determines my attention.

My strategies determine my effectiveness.

My actions determine my progress.

My commitment determines my endurance.

We all have to decide whether we will become "Doers" or "Doubters" in life. We cannot ignore the past, but we cannot live in it. We cannot change the past but only learn from it. There is little we can do about some of the mistakes we have made. We, therefore, should not dwell too much on the past. And the future, whatever it holds, is yet ahead. However, we cannot dwell there either. Yet some people live so much for the future that they fail to live at the moment, the present. Adopt this motto:

I will learn from the past.

I will live in the present.

I will look forward to the future.

Love You Better

Things I Love About Myself:

• I love my laugh and how I take every opportunity to let people hear it.
• I love my freckles.
• I love that I play stupid very well, but I'm secretly a genius.
• Contrary to popular belief, I love my red hair.
• I love my testimony in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• I love my chubby cheeks when I smile.
• I love my ability to make friends with the least expected people.
• I love my flat chest.
• I love how I can never correctly word common sayings.
• I love my long toes and sausage fingers.
• I love how petrified I am of insects and flying creatures.
• I love my straight teeth thanks to braces.
• I love my random sense of humor.
• I love that most of the time I am preggers with a food baby.
• I love that I forgive others too easily.
• I love that no matter how hard I try, I will always have pale skin.
• I love how I act tough and always say, "I'm gonna punch your lights out!", but I'd never dare to actually hit someone. I'm all talk.
• I love how I look like a twelve year old little girl.
• I love that I am optimistic and look for the good in every situation.
• I love that my fingernails are always painted.
• I love that I would rather listen to others than talk about myself.
• I love that I am not comfortable with the way I move, but I dance anyways.
• I love how I can tell the most hilarious jokes, but I can also have serious conversations about life.
• I love my eyes and how one day they're frosty blue, and the next they're olive green.
• I love how easy it is for me to cry whether I am happy or in pain.
• I love how my eyebrows do a jig when I talk. They catch everyone's attention.
• I love how much I've learned to love myself. I am who I've always wanted to be.

Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you have decided to look beyond the imperfections. Make a list of what you love about yourself. Accept who you are and learn to love even your flaws. Be proud of the progress you are making in this life. Always act like you're wearing an invisible crown. After all, the way you treat yourself sets the standard for others. We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. You are a creation of God; God doesn't create idiots.

Today you are you.

That is truer than true.

There is no one alive

Who is youer than you.

--Dr. Seuss

You're fine exactly as you are.

Your curves, words, flaws, strengths, thoughts.

You don't need to change.

You aren't ugly, fat, stupid, or worthless.

You are you.

Be the best version of you!

1. Go to Google.com

2. Type in "Who's the cutest?"

3. Click I'm feeling lucky.

It's true!