Be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous!

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

~ Marianne Williamson

'Nuf said.

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!

New Wallet

I get excited over the littlest things! Today Brad and I both had the day off and we went out to his parents to look at his dad's truck's brakes. Then we didn't know what to do and it was only 9:00am when we were done, so we ended up driving over to Kohl's to walk around for a while. We walked passed the wallets and purses and Brad noticed the style of wallet I've been looking for for a long time. It was even my favorite color!! So we splurged a little and bought it. As we were walking out of the store Brad turned to me and said, "Happy Mother's Day!" Isn't he just the best?!? I think so!! He was going to buy some more of my favorite perfume but it turned out to be a whole lot more expensive than either of us thought it would be so we settled for the wallet! Wait a minute! Who's settling! I love it!!!! :) I was so excited to come home and put all my cards and stuff in there. Brad even gave me $6 'cause I didn't have any cash. I chanted "I have a new wallet, I have a new wallet" all afternoon!

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!

Mother's Day 2012

For some crazy reason I decided to host Mother's Day dinner at my apartment. Brad and I talked to our family to see who could come. There ended up being 13 adults and 2 children in our little apartment! It was a little cramped but a lot of fun to have our families together! Dinner turned out great and so did dessert! We were supposed to get 2 chocolate pies from the young women in our ward for their camp fundraiser. However, our name never got on the list and Saturday afternoon Brad and I had to run to Village Inn to get two french silk pies! Brad brought out some of his stuffed animals to let Alyssa play with them. She thought this hat was kinda funny. She was a little skiddish about wearing it but I coaxed her into it with a picture. She's so stinking cute!! Unfortunately, this was the only picture I got of the whole day!

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!

My Creations

Brad and I were in the store the other day and Brad saw some strawberry pull-aparts in the bakery. He thought they looked good and wanted to buy them. I said I knew how to make them, sort of. So we bought some Rhodes dough and caramel syrup, along with our other groceries. I thought I had a big bunt pan but I don't. So we used the mini pan instead. We sprayed the bunt pan with cooking spray and then plopped 3 rolls in each pan and then covered them with what we wanted. We made two with chocolate and caramel syrup, two with blackberry syrup, and two with butter and cinnamon and sugar. We cooked them by the instruction on the dough package. They actually turned out really tasty!!! Next time we might try pulling the dough apart and stuff them with stuff instead of just on top.

Of course, this is a picture of the day after 'cause I didn't think about it until then.

I bought some yarn at Michael's the other day and last night at work Shelby showed me how to crochet the basket weave stitch and how to make a blanket. This is as far as I've gotten. I think it's looking pretty good so far for my first time actually making something real by crocheting!!!

You can't really tell but the the yarn in back is a light green color and navy blue and heather gray. I can't decide if I'm going to use all three colors or just stick with the two.

Anyway, those are my creations as of late. I'll post pictures of the blanket when it's done.

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!

Half Way

Yesterday I took my last final of the semester! I really hate finals. Especially cumulative ones!

On our testing platform we can "save" questions that we aren't sure of the answer and want to come back to later. And everyone always says DON'T CHANGE YOUR ANSWER UNLESS YOU KNOW, 100%, YOU PICKED THE WRONG ONE THE FIRST TIME. 'Cause your first guess/instinct is usually the right one. On both my finals I started out saving a lot of questions.  When I went back through them after I answered the rest, I hardly changed any of my answers because I just felt like mine were the most logical to be right.

Then, every time, comes the mini panic attack when I hit the "Done" button and have to wait forever (okay, only about a minute, if that...) for my score. The whole time I think to myself, "I failed. I failed, I failed, I failed!!!" Ya know, to prepare myself in case I really did fail. Then the scores popped up! WHEW!!! I passed!!!! Slightly amazed, but I passed!!!

Such a good feeling to have that over with for one more semester!! Now, only 3 more to go! I'm half way done with nursing school!!! Wahoo!!

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!

That's All I Ask of You

Confession: I love musicals!! I don't think there is a better way to share thoughts and feelings than through song! Yeah, their cheesy and sometimes just downright ridiculous but I love them!! These are some of my favorite songs from my favorite musicals.

All I Ask of You - Phantom of the Opera

Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.

Anywhere you go, let me go, too.

Just say the word and I will follow you.

Share each day with me, each night, each morning

Love me, that's all I ask of you!

Whenever Brad and I get in an argument or I feel like he's mad at me, all I want to hear is "I Love You!" If I hear those three words, I know he's only mad at the situation and and he still loves me.

I Could Have Danced All Night - My Fair Lady

I could have danced all night,

I could have danced all night

And still have begged for more!

I could have spread my wings and done a thousand things

I've never done before.

I'll never know what made it so exciting!

Why all at once my heart took flight!

I only know when he began to dance with me,

I could have danced, danced, danced all night!

When I was about 10 or so, I would watch "My Fair Lady" every Sunday. I loved this movie!! This was my favorite part! When Eliza realizes she's madly in love with Professor Higgins... I always imagined that's how I'd feel! And you know what! I totally did!!! When I realized I loved Brad and would get to spend eternity with him, I could have danced all night!!!

Defying Gravity - Wicked

Something has changed within me.

Something is not the same.

I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game,

Too late for second guessing,

Too late to go back to sleep.

It's time I trust my instincts,

Close my eyes . . . and leap!

It's time I try

Defying gravity.

I think I'll try

Defying gravity

And you can't pull me down!

Sometimes I wish I could take this song to heart and quit living by everyone else's rules! I wish I was better and being a leader instead of a follower.

Bring Him Home - Les Miserables

God on high hear my prayer.

In my need you have always been there.

He is young, he's afraid.

Let him rest, heaven blessed.

Bring him home.

Bring him home.

Bring him home.

The melody and the feeling behind this song is what really gets me! Complete and total selflessness it what this song reminds me of.

My Favorite Things - Sound of Music

 Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes,

Snowflakes that lay on my nose and eyelashes

Silver white winters that melt into Springs,

These are a few of my favorite things!

When the dog bites, when the bee stings,

When I'm feeling sad,

I simply remember my favorite things!

And then I don't feel so bad!!

This song just makes me happy!! Plain and simple! Great song to sing along to!! And, it's true! Life doesn't seem quite so bad when you focus on the positive things!! :)

For Good - Wicked

It well may be

That we may never meet again in this lifetime

So let me say before we part,

So much of me is made from what I learned from you.

You'll be with me, like a hand print on my heart.

And now whatever way our stories end,

I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend!

Who can say if I've been changed for the better,

But because I knew you,

I have been changed for good.

I think this song sums up friendship perfectly! Some people come into our lives for a long time, maybe our whole life, some people come into our lives for only a little while. But no matter how long we know these people they all change and shape our lives in some way, for better or worse. And I definitely know my friends have changed my life for good!!

Thanks for humoring me. I hope you sang some of them, too!!

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!

A bunch of Questions

I want to post more things, but I'm running out of ideas! If you have any creative ideas, please share!! In the mean time, here's a bunch of random questions. (I'm trying to get Brad to answer them, too, so it's not always about me! We'll see how that goes!)

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

     My mom was watching a Jaclyn Smith movie right before I was born and really liked the name Jaclyn

DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

     Some days

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

     Ham

DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

     Nope, some day
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

     I would hope so! 
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

     I wouldn’t say a lot, but sometimes
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

     Yes
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

     Possibly. I skydived once, and that was awesome!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

     I like Honey Nut Cheerios, Captain Crunch, Lucky Charms, and Life
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

     Not usually. Which is really dumb ‘cause I have to untie them to put them back on anyway!
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

     Not really
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

     Vanilla with chocolate and caramel syrup and bananas, Mmmmm…Tasty!

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

     Their face?
RED OR PINK?

     I look better in red.
WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

     My body, but I don’t do a whole lot to change it so I can’t really complain!
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

     Some friends I haven’t seen in a while.

IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

     Brick Red or Sunshine Yellow
FAVORITE SMELLS?

     Fresh baked cookies, cake, or brownies. My hubby.  Clean laundry, clean house. Just after a rain storm.
MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?

     Mountain hideaway, or at least a foresty place
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

     Football or Soccer
HAIR COLOR?

     Brown

EYE COLOR? 
     Hazel

DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?  
     Nope

FAVORITE FOOD?

     Snack – chips and salsa, buttery popcorn

     Meal – hamburgers, steak, chicken or beef enchiladas (Mexican), pretty much anything with pasta

     Dessert – ice cream, chocolate cake
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

     Happy endings
SUMMER OR WINTER?

     Winter! Easier to warm up than cool off! I love the look outside right after a snow storm!!
HUGS OR KISSES?

     Love hugs!! Kisses from certain people!

STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?

     Probably cardio
COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?

     I like both!
FAVORITE SOUND?

     My husband telling me good morning!
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

     Paris, France
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

     Not really. People like my laugh, but that’s not a talent
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

     Bountiful, UT
WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?

     Murray, UT
WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?

     Mine is white, Brad’s is red

'Til next time . . .

CHEERS!!!