epitome of happiness

Today was rough.

This week actually has been rough

but it's ok because there is this things called a cell phone that I have,

and it allows me to call my mom and ball my eyes out for awhile...

then life is happy again and the future isn't quite so bleak anymore.

And THEN your roommate finds this:

via here

big fat smile!

p.s. I have no words to describe how much I love the divinity of peaches and cream. YUM!

Playing Catch-Up

To lose few people who read my blog

Sorry for my absence.

I've been playing, 

but I have also been slacking.

But I shall catch you up quickly NOW:

I have probably been overdosing on these lovely things:

Thanks Aunt Robin and Uncle Blake for letting us raid your patch.

Here is a picture from the earlier "letterized" Beach Boys experience

Ashley, me, and Shayna excited to be there.

Firework boats were made and sent down a nice little. . ."stream"

The launch

I got to take off to Bear Lake with the Savage Tribe and I loved every minute of the lake, butterflies, cabins, food, fun, and mostly the people. I love my family so much!

Bocce Ball - I missed the game as I sat on the dock by a Jet Ski
we couldn't use in the stormy winds

Now that's what I call service

I love butterflies AND this beautiful girl! :)

Candy Bar Game. :)

Hooray for shakes and my mini-twin. :)

Grandpa and the girls in the Hot Tub... I love that Grandma made it into this photo too.

:) p.s. it was also my mom's birthday this month*

(p.s. other cameras were utilized so I didn't end up with very many photos

and I will be posting my butterfly holding photos)

Before that adventure Grandpa took us to dinner with the same tribe and two six-year-olds took some great photos.

Best of friends

After the big adventure I got to attend the zoo with one of my best friends 

for one of my favorite men's birthdays (despite all of our fights)

I love Australia.

Hooray birthday boy #1

I ate delicious Caspers with the sister group. :)

And I have been on many a walks.

To top off the last bit of this summer update of life Shayna, Michelle and I took off
to Bear Lake where we had a wondrous photo shot...

photos will appear someday.

(Caspers is out next stop on photo shoot locations)

* Happy birthday to this gorgeous lady below:

Thanks for EVERYTHING you do for me. For listening. For advice. For letting me listen. For knowledge. For you example. For your faith. For your strength. For your fun. For your relaxed attitude. For your love and the example of it. For your joy. For your peace. For being beautiful and so much more. I love you most!

The Next Curie, Noether, or Meitner

This was posted on Facebook today and I kind of liked it:

"You don't become great by trying to be great.

You become great by wanting to do something,

and then doing it so hard that you become great in the process."

Love that part.

Don't try to be the "next great" (they are indeed greats)

Be you, by finding something you love, and doing it.

"I Got You"

I love the days that are really hard,
that make you see where you need to change,
what you need to do to be better
(well I am working on loving them anyway) . . .

But I love them even more when the days come that are filled with JOY
And gratitude
and just plain happy.
(days like today even though I am at work all day long - p.s. this weekend helped)

And I love the things that make life happy.
I'll catch you up on some of the events and people later
but as for now here is some SYTYCD to catch up on yourself
(you don't need to watch all of them . . .
but DO for sure watch the second to last one of the "professionals" ...
and melanie and marko):

Melanie and Marko (I am loving them):

Turn to Stone

I Got You

Sasha and Alexander

Coming Home

Belong

Clarice and Jesse

Cathedrals

Fly Me to the Moon

Tadd and Jordan

Fade into Me

Ashley and Chris

Please Mr. Jailor


Mitchell and Caitlyn

Turning Tables - Adele

Ricky and Ryan

With Every Heartbeat

And this special number by Eric Luna and Georgia Ambarian

Wow they are phenomenal.

I really love all the dancers but definitely some more than others.
What do you think? Did I miss any great ones?

p.s. I miss these two.

Letters: Numero 2

Dear Mosquitoes,
I did not give you permission to eat me for breakfast yesterday. I declare you are also not allowed to have me for dinner, lunch, dessert, or any snack in between. I don't really want to become a bitter old hag so that I no longer taste sweet - just resist temptation.
Sincerly,
The girl who might be more sensitive to your bites than others a.k.a. the one who looks very bruised.

Dear World,
The Beach Boys still have it. Yup the "oldies" ones. They performed in Logan tonight and I got to hear them live. They sound strangely the same and I loved it.
Enjoy,
The girl who likes "being cool"

Dear Cyri Dixon Best Friend,
You made my day with your blog post today. I needed it more than you will ever know at the moment I read it.
Always,
Your best friend who loves you most

Dear Boys,
You sometimes complicate my life. I love the Mary Poppin's song line, "Although we adore men individually, we agree that as a group they're rather stupid." Yup I agree. But sometimes as individuals you sure make my life hard too. BUT BUT as individuals you make my life fantastic and happy too.
*sigh*
I'll figure it out someday

Dear Life,
Why do you make things hard and why does my brain join you in the conquest? I am making the choice to live you with yes's and no regrets and I am doing what makes me happy no matter what. Oh and choosing to be happy no matter what too.
Challenge Accepted,
The girl who is figuring you and herself out slowly but surely
p.s. I am loving you.

Dear unpaid therapists Natalie, Mom, and Sam,
Thank you for your thoughts and helpful insights and love and light and examples and challenges and ideas and risk taking encouragements.
Love,
The girl who appreciates it over and over again

Dear kids,
Thanks for being who you are. Through and through. And remembering simplicity. I aspire to the simpleness of you.
Thanks,
A girl who is trying to simplify instead of over-complicate

Summer Adventures

They sure do make me happy.

Enjoying the pool!

Nothing like being in the middle of nowhere.

Some people have THE coolest yard decor - mining equipment from Mackay, ID.

Wildflowers! :D

Best friends.

And MORE best friends.

Sometimes accidents happen.

But if disaster strikes you just go somewhere else. :)

Lovin' us some Brown Cows from Reed's Dairy

Happiness. Yep that's people for me.

p.s. I sure do love Vitamin D.

It tastes delicious in the form of milk 

and synthesizing it using the sun feels scrumptious on my skin.

p.p.s. tomorrow I get to hike with my friend Katie. YES! 

p.p.p.s. Katie we might need new pictures (except it will be 6 am). 

Find It: Strength, Confidence, and Beauty

Today I have been blown away by some of the posts I have read.
They aren't necessarily exposing a NEW, BIG idea or anything,
but they are reminding me and some thoughts are astounding.

For instance you can go here and read what Cyri says about strengths and how sometimes we don't even notice the ones we have because they are so natural (welcome to my life of trying to write a resume - I am working on looking to see them and share them on paper though).

The you can go here and read about confidence. I really like this lady. She is happy and doing what she loves. Plus that last line in her post kind of makes you step back and go - whoa. She also has posts on self-esteem, and several on beauty here, here and here.

And then there is my "long lost cousin" Elise, who is super inspiring with her sense of purpose in life. She posted on beauty here (and I happened to be featured - boy is putting a definition of beauty down into words hard), but I love everything in that post. I think I want to say namaste much more frequently. A few more of her posts to make you happy and confident including this one here.

I have THE best people in my life.
I think I could honestly argue that to the death
because it's a really big choice to be down when they are around or sharing insight.

So just know that you are wonderul.
You have strengths, talents, and beauty!
Thanks for sharing with me! :D

p.s. sometimes our strengths are like our ideas and we don't think we are all that special or unique but like our ideas - sometimes we are obvious to ourselves but to others we are astounding.