The College Life

New Blog

2009-05-28T22:30:00.001-07:00

We started a new blog! It's in the works, but we have 1 post up. The link is www.gogibbys.blogspot.com. Thanks!

Happy Birthday Wishes!

2009-04-08T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to write a little post about this guy on his birthday! Some random facts about Devon:
*he loves Extreme Home Makeover
*he really likes clothes and looking nice
*he loves his family
*he's studying landscape management, and will someday make an amazing landscape architect!
*he really likes dancing
*he's into running
*he's nice to everyone and is very easy going
*he loves food, and will eat almost anything
*he works as a high school tutor
*he's great with kids
*he's very low maintenance, he doesn't need a lot of material things; also, small things make him really happy
*he's a very hard worker
*he's very serviceable; he always looks for ways to help and serve me
*he will someday make a great husband. (in the very near future i might add...)

Happy 22nd Birthday Dev! I love you!

The Happiest Place on Earth!

2009-03-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a little girl I have absolutely LOVED Disneyland! We lived in California until I was about 3 1/2, and my parents would take me about 4-5 times a year; once we moved away we have definitely been back to visit! Lately, I've just had this great desire to rekindle my Disney spirit and visit once again. Tonight I was looking at the website (www.disneyland.disney.go.com) and the background music and pictures brought back such nostalgia. I keep trying to probe Devon into going, but I've come to the reality that being married is expensive and we are....poor. However, I have found a slight chance at making my Disney dreams come true-Devon and I are going to San Diego on our honeymoon. We had talked of going to Sea World, but tonight he asked me if I'd rather drive up to Disneyland....does that question even need to be asked?! To heck with Sea World, I'd take Disney any day :). I hope he knows since he brought up that option that it's permanent in my mind; I think he just did it so I'd stop bugging him about taking me there :).

What's been going on!

2009-03-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

So I realized I didn't even blog the whole month of February--these are crazy times! This is just a short recap of what's been going on:

-Devon and I went up to Burley to do wedding stuff (didn't really end up doing wedding stuff); thus, we are going up this coming weekend to do the stuff we were supposed to do last time
-while in Idaho, we went snowboarding! it was great, haven't done it in a long long time!
-I got my wedding dress :)
-we picked out invitiations; they are being made as I write
-we booked our honeymoon to San Diego!
-we found an apartment!! This was probably one of the best things of all. We looked SO hard to find a place and had the hardest time! Married housing is very difficult to find--but we found somewhere and are so so excited about it! Funny side note...it happens to be the exact same apartment in the exact same complex that Devon's sister Colette and her husband Eric lived in when they first were married...how weird is that ?! We decided it was fate.
-we took our engagement pictures; Lindsey Hale did them, it was so fun! I can't wait to see them.
-we bought tickets to go see DAVID ARCHULETA!! (march 27th at the e center) If you scroll back to about a year ago, you can read my post about how much I love David! Devon has started to love him too, it makes me really happy.
-many other things were done and still much to do. on my to do list: research cell phone plans, finish registering, find bridesmaid outfits, contact a florist, find jewelry and veil, find plane tickets for houston reception, order a cake, make interviews for temple recommend, find groomsman ties, collect addresses and more.

The thought of summer is so exciting to me. I love wedding stuff; however, I don't know how much I love it while going to school and working. Life is great, I'm happy-and I hope all of you are too! Pictures and more frequent posts to come.

Coming Along!

2009-01-27T13:18:00.000-08:00

Well I feel that our wedding plans are going great! We've registered at one store, I have my dress, we have a photographer, and our plans are moving right along! However, the rest of the aspects of my life are suffering just a bit...Me and Dev have decided that it's going to be a challenge to keep our (we wish!) 4.0 gpa's this semester. Just a couple of scholastic set-backs:

1. Devon went to class on Friday realizing that it's a Tuesday/Thursday class.
2.I went to my math class thinking I had all day to take my test, realizing it finished in an hour.
3.We went to marriage prep thinking we had lots of extra time to write our papers, when in fact they were due that day.
4. We have yet to get all of our books...hmmm, how are we doing our daily reading?
5. We each have 0 preparation points for marriage prep. Well, Dev has 1 :). The way I see it, arn't we preparing enough?

Well, anyways--hopefully we will get ourselves into a better homework routine! Everything else is so great though. Wedding planning has been really fun. Oh, and we are getting married in 100 days!

My Ring

2009-01-19T21:06:00.001-08:00

ENGAGED!!!

2009-01-13T22:52:00.000-08:00

I, Ashley Vincent, am officially engaged to Devon Gibby!! He proposed earlier tonight and everything was just so perfect! He had told me on Sunday that we were going to a piano recital for his friend, and I totally believed him. Tonight when it was time for him to pick me up, his roommate came to the door and said he was taking me somewhere and had to blindfold me. I new then that he would probably propose, but prior to that I had no idea! So we first went to the movie theater where we first met, and everything was staged perfectly. The same people were there and they pretended like we were going to see the same movie--the other people proceeded to pretend to go to the movie and Dev took me to the next place. We then went to the first place we officially hung out and the same people were there too. We played the same game we had played that night and reenacted everything, even the conversation. Next he took me to JcW's where we went to eat on our first date; following that we went to Thanksgiving Point where we went and the same couple that was on our first date was there, so everything was reenacted exactly like it had been. After that we went to the place where we first kissed. Then he took me to the canyon and there was a blanket by the river with flowers and a couple of candles. ( oh and the whole time we were in the car we were listening to a cd he had made with songs that had special meaning to both of us). When we got there we sat and talked and he told me why he wanted to marry me and proposed! And of course I said "YES!" Everything was absolutely perfect and so well planned. I'm so grateful for Devon and am absolutely so excited to marry him; I couldn't think of anyone better that I would want to spend the rest of my life and forever with. We are getting married May 8th in the Bountiful temple! Pictures coming ASAP.

Absolute Blog Slacker!

2009-01-09T00:20:00.000-08:00

I have been an absolute blogging slacker lately! Life has been a bit busy, but I'm going to try to make it a goal to be a more consistent blogger. My Christmas break was absolutely wonderful! The first week and a half were very relaxing-it was so nice to actually have "free time" and time to sleep! The weather in Houston is also a heck of a lot different from what Provo was experiencing. While Provo was getting dumped with snow, it was almost summer like weather in Houston. While I do enjoy to get out of the cold every now and again, I also like how the snow makes it feel more Christmasy. It just doesn't feel like Christmas outside when it's in the 70's....I shouldn't complain though :). Anyways, we had a great break, and it was so fun to have Devon come and visit! My family really liked him, and we had a great time. Devon has now decided though that he is in love with Houston and wants to move there! I told him to wait until the summer time and then see if he really loves it...But now it's back to school again. My classes this semester are looking good except for Math-my teacher doesn't explain anything, and I'm already totally lost in the first week....I'm thinking that's not a good sign! It is good to be back in Utah though with my friends and return to some sense of a scheduled life, however crazy it may be! Life is great for me right now, I can't complain one bit. I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year!Chris, Me, Rachel and Ryan right before I left to come back to Utah.
Me and Devon ice skating at the GalleriaOn New Years Eve-we went out to eat with my family and had a great time!

Oh Baby...

2008-12-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

So as many of you know and are experiencing... this week is finals week. Most people are almost done or completely done with their finals by Thursday...nope, not me! This is my own fault; however, I have been studying and not slacking off. I don't think I remember a week in my scholastic career where I have been so stressed out! I just keep telling myself that it will all be over soon and then i can finally enjoy Christmas. I have learned a few things and have had a couple of realizations over the past couple of days:

1. I am way too highly emotional and over dramatic at late hours of the night.
2. When feeling large amounts of stress, I become on the verge of psychotic.
3. My body requires 8 hours of sleep to function properly.
4. I am a much happier person every other week of the year, except this one.

Needless to say, I feel like the cat in the picture.

Holiday Fun!

2008-12-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

Beautiful snow-the view from my apartments
Pretty temple square lights

I love Christmas time! It's a bit different trying to celebrate the holiday in college-you have finals and so much to do that I realized I really haven't done many Christmasy things. One thing we did do is go to temple square to see the lights. I love doing this! It is so beautiful and really is a great way to put you in the Christmas spirit. However, the night we were there it was super super freezing and really busy...but that's ok, I still loved it. Also, today it finally snowed! I hurried out with my camera to take a picture-I've been wanting it to snow so badly! And I was a little miffed when I got a phone call from my family in Houston, Texas the other day saying it had snowed there! What the heck?! When does it ever snow in Houston and not Provo?? They even sent me a picture of their little snowman they built, they were so proud! Anyways, I hope everyone is having a great holiday season!

Thanksgiving!

2008-12-04T00:26:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving I got to go to Devon's house in Burley, ID-we had so much fun! We got in Tuesday night and ate dinner with his family and then some of his high school friends came over. It was fun to be able to meet them and to get to know Devon's family better. The next day we spent pretty much all in Twin Falls. We went to see the new temple there, went to the mall and then went to some water falls that were so beautiful! That night we went on a double date with Devon's friend Brock-we went out to eat and then roasted smores. The next day was Thanksgiving! We started off by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade (a tradition in my family) and then helped a bit before dinner. Alot of Dev's extended family were able to come, so I think there was about 25 people at dinner. We played games later that night and visited with all the family. The next morning I had to leave to get back to work for the oh so highly anticipated black Friday. It was a really nice break, and I was so glad to be able to spend it with the Gibby's. Here are just a couple of pictures-most of the Thanksgiving pics are on Devon's camera, but here's a couple from our trip:

On our way to Burley, I know....this could be our most attractive picture yet!In Twin Falls at the new temple

The product of my father

2008-11-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

So today I was thinking about my family and trying to figure out which one of them I am most like...and I've decided that as I have gotten older I have become so much more like my dad! My dad has very strong views on certain things, and as I've gotten older I've realized that my views are pretty much the same when it comes to politics and such. I called him last night ranting about a certain political issue that's been bugging me, and he just laughed at my emphatic views on the matter....it all comes from you, dad! Also, my dad loves people and is a very social person. I always am impressed by how many different connections and friends he has throughout the world-I love people too; I love meeting new people, getting to know about them, and making new friends. This is always a trait I have admired about him. For those of you who REALLY know my dad, he is kind of an emotional guy; needless to say, I follow in his footsteps. We both share the gift of crying...well, I don't know if it's really a gift. This really is something I appreciate though-my dad is very emotional, especially when it comes to his children. I remember at a young women's activity each father had to tell a little bit about their daughter. When it came my dad's turn he started talking about the day I was born...and the crying began. At the time I was embarrassed, but as I look back on it now I realize that he only cries when something is really important to him; I appreciate his emotional side. I'm glad my dad and I share different traits; being away from home and talking on the phone to him often has really made me realize just how much we have in common! He is one of my greatest friends, and I'm really grateful for the relationship we share.

Blessings

2008-11-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

So I decided that since it is the month of Thanksgiving, I should take some time to remember why I am so blessed. So here it goes:

1. I have an AMAZING family-immediate and extended. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family who does so much for me and loves me!
2. I have the most loyal, wonderful friends in the world! And an amazing boyfriend :)
3. I live in the best country in the world--where so many opportunities are available
4. I attend a great university, where I receive an excellent education
5. I do not have any debilitating diseases and am able to see, hear and walk!
6. I have financial security-a home to live in, food to eat, nice clothes to wear, and a job.
7. I have been born into the gospel, and have a testimony of the happiness it brings!
8. I live in a beautiful place, with gorgeous scenery
9. I have talents that bring me joy, and that I can expand on

Now for the more trivial blessings:
10. my car! --love this thing :) it takes me to wherever I need to go
11. yummy food--i love food, esp. good food. it brings me so much happiness
12. my ipod--music is such a huge part of my life, my favorite is to listen to it while I'm getting ready
13. my cell phone--oh my, what would i do w/out this thing! it's my lifeline to a world outside of BYU...
14. make-up! oh my, how grateful i am for this...
15. television--keeps me updated on my fav. shows
16. computers--amazing invention.

There are so many other things that I could list...this is just a short summary. I'm grateful for this time of year that we have to really think about what we're grateful for, hopefully we can remember that all year round!

Baby Mania!

2008-11-05T17:57:00.000-08:00

So I've had a very strange baby hungry yearning lately...where does this come from you may ask?? I have no stinkin clue! I'm not married, so it's not even remotely possible...so why do I want one? Is this normal? I ask myself...do other people feel this way? I work at a kids clothing store, so I see cute kids and babies all of the time; plus, I see adorable baby clothes constantly and want to buy them. But for who? Definitely not me. On top of this, I have baby dreams! I either dream that I'm pregnant or have a baby. Exhibit A: Last night I dreamed that I had a 2 year old baby boy named Logan. He was the cutest, sweetest baby ever! He had bright blonde, curly hair and big blue eyes-adorable. Anways, this is my ranting topic of the day-do other people feel like this? Is baby mania normal?

"A Collection of Thoughts" By: Ashley L. Vincent...

2008-10-22T20:39:00.001-07:00

Thought #1:
I love the fall! Today as I was walking from class, the sun was shining, the leaves were blowing, and it was just an absolute beautiful day. I have been noticing lately how pretty the leaves are getting. Devon and I went on a walk in the canyon on Sunday, and it was just gorgeous! I'm so happy that I live in such a beautiful place.

Thought#2:
Domestication (Is this a word?). This is my new goal. I have found that I rather enjoy cooking and have decided to broaden my cooking horizon's to make a new goal and try cooking new recipes. I would also like to be a bit more crafty, and possibly take up sewing one day. However, it will not be for a while considering school seems to be more important at the moment.

Thought #3:
Throughout my experience working at The Children's Place I have discovered something...the mother's of Utah are beautiful! I see these mom's come in all of the time looking absolutely perfect-dressed well, hair is great-and the amazing thing is that their children look the same. I don't know how they do it...I strive to be like this one day--hopefully that doesn't sound too vein. However, I do realize that other things are much more important.

Thought #4:
Samuel the Lamanite is amazing! Today as I was reading my scriptures I realized just how much courage and guts it must have taken him to preach repentance from the top of a wall. When I realize that the people I so admire in the scriptures are real, I am in awe. I don't know if I would have the strength or gall to do some of the things they do- they are all my heroes :)

Thought #5:

The other day I went to Kung Fu Panda and one line really stuck with me. The old turtle (can't remember his name) said something like "Each day is a gift, that is why it is called the present". (bet you didn't know animated movies were so inspiring!) Anyways, I LOVED that and really think it's true. Each day is truly a gift filled with new adventures, opportunites and blessings-- my new goal is to tr y and realize that, and live accordingly

We carved pumpkins for a date we went on. Ou r's is the cat on the right, hopefully you can tell it's a cat...Me, Devon, and pretty tree-on a walk in the canyon

I've Been Tagged!

2008-10-09T15:35:00.000-07:00

*8 Favorite TV shows:
1. What Not to Wear
2. The Hills
3. Hannah Montana
4. What I Like About You
5. American Idol
6. Take Home Chef
7. The View
8. Wizards of Waverly Place

*8 Favorite Restraunts:
1. Carabbbas
2. Happy Sumo
3. PF Changs
4. Cafe Rio
5. Benihanas
6. Brio's
7. Cheesecake Factory
8. Kneaders

*8 things that happened yesterday:
1. Got to eat lunch at the Cannon Center
2. Ate Pasta Roni for dinner
3. Slept in :)
4. Had time to read a book
5. Talked about life lessons with Meg
6. Hung out with Dev
7. Bought new Halloween decorations
8. Went on a walk

*8 things to look forward to:
1. Getting paid tomorrow
2. Cold weather forecasted for the weekend
3. the Twilight movie
4. the weekend
5. pumpkin carving
6. hanging out with my friend Amanda
7. using my coupons to go fun places
8. HSM 3!

*8 things I love about fall:
1. Walking past Bath and Body Works and smelling the scents
2. Crunching leaves
3. Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations
4. Fall clothes
5. 13 Nights of Halloween on ABC Family
6. Pretty drives through the canyon
7. Going to Thanksgiving point to the corn maze
8. Thanksgiving, and lots of good food

*8 Things on My Wish List:
1. To do well in school this semester
2. To travel to lots of fun places
3. To go to watch the Olympics in 2010
4. Learn to play the violin again
5. Be more organized
6. To learn to cook better and become a bit more domestic
7. I really want a watch with fake diamonds around it...
8. To just continue to be happy, healthy and love life!

*8 people I'm tagging:
1. Kaitlin
2. Audrey
3. Leslie
4. Rachelle
5. Lorina
6. Hannah S.
7. Lauren F.
8. Dani

I am mortified!

2008-10-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

For anyone who saw a bad picture linked to my blog, I never ever ever ever ever would post that! I had no idea it was on there until someone mentioned it, and I took it off immediately! I am so sorry for anyone who may have seen it , and promise I was totally unaware and would never have any association with such a thing. I am so mortified and have no idea how this happened. It just goes to show how sick, twisted and sneaky the world is. Again my total apologies! ~Ashley

A fun visitor!

2008-09-17T15:11:00.000-07:00

So last Wednesday my dad flew into town to visit for a while...little did he know he would be here longer than expected (due to Hurricane Ike). It was so fun though! I love when any member of my family comes to visit me, especially since I'm so far away from home. He took me out to eat every night, which is such a treat for a college student! My fridge has been filled with leftovers :). It was just so fun to be able to spend time with him and talk to him. We also went to the very exciting BYU football game on Saturday! My dad is a very avid football and Cougar fan so it was fun for him to attend one the games live. We were a little worried about the rest of the family back home with the hurricane. They are all doing ok, our fence got blown over but that is it. We are so grateful! I love my family and am so blessed to have such a great one! I'm especially grateful for the wonderful relationship I have with my dad, he's the best! So thanks dad for coming to visit, love ya!

Home Sweet Home!

2008-09-10T20:20:00.000-07:00

So I'm totally moved into my new apartment. I love it, and I love my roommates! We've had a great time so far and have met some nice people in our complex. Classes have started and are going great! This semester I'm taking: Language Science, Language Development, Phonology, Food Science, Teaching of the Living Prophets, and a vocal class. I love speech pathology; I'm so glad that I chose it as a major! The more I learn, the more I love it. So that's just a brief recap of my life the past couple of weeks: moving and school. Here's just a couple of pictures of my new apartment!

In love with Lochte...

2008-08-15T23:47:00.000-07:00

I love the Olympics! I have had so much fun watching them...especially one particular swimmer, Ryan Lochte. Now don't get me wrong, I think Michael Phelps is amazing and all, but I think Lochte is great too :). (And not to mention very, very attractive...) He has currently moved to the position of my computer screen saver. I was so excited for him the other night when he snatched the gold in the 200m backstroke. I think he's a great olympian, and has made my olympic viewing experience much more enjoyable! So congrats to Lochte and the other olympians-Go team USA! P.S.-photos provided for your viewing pleasure

My Best Friends Wedding

2008-08-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

I went to my best friend's wedding this past weekend in Portland. It was beautiful! Rachel and Mike are so happy, and I was so glad that I could go and be a part of their big day!

Life

2008-07-19T23:26:00.000-07:00

The other day I had the opportunity to attend the funeral of my great aunt who passed away on my birthday. I didn't really know her, but was encouraged to go by my dad to represent our family. I was so glad that I attended. As I heard the stories of her life and sat there I realized what an amazing thing life is...and how I should never take it for granted. I feel that so many times in my life I only hope for the next phase...for example: "Oh things will be wonderful when I'm done with school!" or "When I get married life will be great". I have realized that I need to live in the moment and enjoy each phase as it comes. I feel like life flies by so fast...I mean where have my first 20 years gone?! But each day is a new adventure and I'm grateful for the opportunity to live it.
As I sat in the funeral my thoughts were also turned to those important people who have had a great impact on my life. Every time I attend a funeral I think of my mom, and remember the day that I attended her funeral. Besides my dad, she has had the greatest impact on my life, and I believe still does. I want to please her and make her proud, and I feel like that helps me to be a better person. She is the most caring, giving, and courageous person I have every known. I feel so much a part of her, and love the similarites that we share. Even though I only had her here for 14 years, I feel that I have been so blessed to have her as my mom and to still learn of her through letters she has left behind. She had so many friends and was one of those people that everyone just adored. I'm so grateful for the plan of salvation and to know that I will see her again. That news brings me so much comfort and peace. I'm grateful for each day and for the gift of life! It's such a wonderful, beautiful thing and I'm grateful for all of the people in my life who help to make it so great :).

My Birthday!

2008-07-05T00:20:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday! It was so much fun, and I can't believe that I'm 20! It started out with a great breakfast at my friend Leslie's families house. Me and my roommate Audrey went and it was a great way to start off the day! The day followed with lunch with my Kingwood friends and later, the Stadium of Fire. Me and Audrey were so excited to see Miley that we went and bought Hannah Montana logo attire...it was so much fun! We had a wonderful time at the concert!! The fireworks were great too :) I had so many friends that called or texted me and it was so nice, I have the most loyal, wonderful friends in the world! My family was also great and reminded me 14 times throughout the day that it was my birthday via texting or phone calls :) I gained a sense of greater gratitude as I thought about my first 20 years of life. Life goes by so fast, and I'm constantly reminded that I need to enjoy it. These 20 years have been filled with wonderful moments and hopefully the next 20 will be just as great. I also have a great appreciation for the independence of our country. I love having my birthday on the 4th of July, I always thought I was a little firecracker! So, thank you to all who helped to make my birthday spectacular!

Shortly after the clock striked 12 on July 4th...woohoo I'm 20!
Audrey bought me the same bag I got her for her birthday, just in white
Erica, Me, Thuy, and Audrey at Mimi's Cafe for a birthday lunch
Ready for the concert!
Glenn Beck, the host

MILEY!!
and more...
Miley on stage
The Blue Man Group

more Blue Man group...

Miley singing. good shot, huh?
We love her!
Me and Audrey freaking out!
My beautiful birthday cake, made by Jan Noble...thank you :)

Make a wish!

My Slide Show

2008-06-29T20:28:00.001-07:00

Summer Fun

2008-06-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

Our Amazing Gingerbread city
We worked on the residential area. D.K., Annie, Me, and Nathan
Me and my roommate Annie
Me and Lauren were matching so I had to get a picture!
Cami, Amy, Lauren, me and Annie...all on our laptops!

I'm finally moved into my new apartment and am all settled in! I'm still in the same complex but decided it was time for a change...so I changed buildings. It's been so fun! I have really cute roommates who are super sweet so everything has worked out great :) I'm so glad that I decided to come back and stay for the summer. There's always something going on, and I've met some really nice people. Last night we went and made a ginger bread city...if you look at the pictures you can see how fabulous it turned out! I have also started my new job...full force! I love it! The kids that I work with are so adorable and I can tell that this job will be so great and rewarding. So things are going wonderfully, and I will keep you all updated on adventures to come!

Recap of Alaska

2008-06-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

Chris and I at dinner our first night
Our boat! The Norwegian Pearl
The Mendenhaal glacier and a pretty waterfall
Glacier Bay

The port in Ketchikan

Well I've been back from our cruise for about 1 1/2 weeks now, and am finally getting adjusted back into normal life! It was absolutely beautiful and we had a wonderful time! Some of the highlights of the trip include: visiting glaciers and seeing beautiful scenery, spotting wildlife, shopping in the different and very unique ports, taking a train ride through the mountains, going to a lumberjack show, eating lots of yummy yummy food, and just spending time with family. This was a great experience for me and Chris and I'm grateful we were able to visit this part of the country! Thanks grandma and grandpa!

The Power of Tithing

2008-06-17T00:09:00.001-07:00

Last month I had some tithing to catch up on that turned into quite alot of money! I didn't have much money at the time, but knew I had to pay it. I had faith that things would work out. And as I wrote in my last blog I found out that the job I thought I had didn't need me for a while so I was jobless! I was stressed out because I needed a new job to tide me over to earn some money. So I decided that I would go on my cruise, relax, and tackle the situation as soon as I got home. Well...literally the MINUTE I got off the plane, I received a phone call saying that another girl had suddenly moved and the job I wanted needed me ASAP full time! I was so relieved and so grateful! When I was standing by the baggage claim the thought came to me about how I had paid my tithing in faith that things would be ok...and they were! I was and am so grateful, and truly believe that this opportunity came as a result of my obedience. My grandma told me, "See, someone up above is watching out for you!" I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with faith promoting experiences and for always looking out for me.

All Aboard, Off to Alaska!

2008-06-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

I am getting so excited for my upcoming trip, but have realized that I have so much to do! I found out today that the job I thought I was going to have when I got back from my cruise doesn't need me until late July or August due to limited clientel in their new office. I was a little frantic! I had everything planned out perfectly so that when I got back from vacation I could start this wonderful new job...but to my dismay I'm jobless now! So I've been looking for a job via computer all night to tide me over for a couple of months until this other job builds up business. So cross your fingers! And if anyone knows of anywhere hiring in the Provo area, please let me know :). But I am so looking forward to my vacation on the seas. Me and Chris leave for Utah on Friday to meet up with my grandparents and all of my mom's side of the family that will be joining us on the cruise. Then Saturday we all fly up to Seattle where the cruise departs from. Sunday morning our ship leaves! We're going to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan Alaska, and also Victoria, Canada. I am so excited! I've never been on a cruise before and I've been reading up on the fun things to do on the boat and my grandma's been telling me about different excursions we're going on in Alaska and it sounds like tons of fun. It should be a great vacation to spend with my family :).

Not a very fun week!

2008-05-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, I had to get a cyst removed near my tailbone....a pain in the butt, literally! To my dismay, they went in and found that it was bigger and deeper than they thought. So as a result, I've been drugged up on pain medications the past couple of days. I will admit though, it has been quite nice to sit around and totally relax! I've been feeling better but have had some problems from the anesthesia. So I'm just hoping that I will be up and going for my trip Friday.

One year down!

2008-05-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

So, today Brad hits his 1 year mark for his mission! Woohoo! I can't believe he's already been gone a year....boy how time flies. I'm so glad it's this time this year instead of this time last year when I was a crying mess! He is doing just great though! He's so happy and has grown so much. He's been such a faithful writer, and I love getting his letters and hearing about how he's doing and the experiences he's having. Right now he's in a suburb of Perth called Scarborough and has a great companion-they really get along well! They've had a lot of success lately and had about 6 or 7 investigators at church, so he was really excited. I'm so proud of him and how hard he's working and how well he's doing! He's such a good example to me and always makes me want to be better. Dating was different this year.... I would compare everyone to him and no one has quite matched up yet! So I've heard that the 2nd year goes by much faster, and hopefully before I know it he'll be home :).

David Archuleta....YOU hold the key to my heart <3

2008-05-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

So for those of you American Idol lovers out there...this is a seriously crucial time in the competition, it's the finale! Tonight Archuleta and Cook went head to head in the last show before tomorrow night's results. And I think Simon said it best when he stated that tonight was a "knockout" (meaning that Archuleta crushed Cook). He was amazing!! I was truly in love. Not only do I think he has a beautiful voice, but he's always so humble about what the judges say and seems so grateful for positive feedback. I think he should be the American Idol of 2008! So much so that I voted 135 times for him :). It's not that I don't like David Cook...I really do think he's talented-but I just like David Archuleta so much more! Needless to say...there will be tears shed tomorrow night whatever the results may be. So GOOD LUCK DAVID ARCHULETA! I'M ROOTING FOR YA!

Pictures

2008-05-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

I love taking pictures! It's always great to look back at pictures and remember the fun times I've had. Whenever I'm with my family, I try to get us all to take family pictures...but the boys usually aren't up for it! Today I told Chris that I wanted us to go outside and take pictures, and finally after some moaning he complied to my wishes! These are just some of the pictures we took of each other.

Twilight

2008-05-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

So after much convincing from my roommates, I decided to read the hit book Twilight. I decided it would probably be a good idea to wait until I had a blocked out amount of time so I could read the book as quickly as I wanted. That was a smart idea! I fell in love with this book! After finishing today I am simply and totally in love with the story and more importantly the super hot vampire, Edward!! Holy smokes...why can't all boys be like him. He's so attractive, sweet, caring, tender and totally in love with Bella. I told my roommate Audrey that I'm in love with a fictional character, which does sound kinda pathetic....but if you've read the book you know what I mean. I just can't understand how someone can be so perfect, and is it humanly possible to find someone like Edward? Probably not since he's a vampire...which might I add makes him even hotter! I will keep my hopes high. I plan on starting New Moon tonight and am worried that I'll become totally engrossed in this book too! My eyesight got a little weird after so many hours of reading...haha. But for those of you who maybe haven't read this book, I would totally recommend it...it's truly amazing!

Cute Blogs!

2008-05-05T16:00:00.000-07:00

So I really wanted to figure out how to get a fun layout for my blog, and my friend told me about a link that's super easy and has really cute layouts! So for those of you who have been trying to figure out how to do it, go to www.cutestblogontheblock.blogspot.com. Just read the directions on the side and it will tell you what to do!

An interesting plane ride...

2008-04-26T11:32:00.000-07:00

So yesterday as I was riding on the plane we had an unexpected surprise...The plane ride was going just fine and I was excited and anxious to get home. It seemed about the time that we should be landing when the captain announced that we did not have enough gas to make it to Houston and we would have to stop in Austin to fill up! Oh boy....just great. Apparently we had to fly around a big storm which took up the rest of the gas. So we stopped in Austin and they turned the air conditioning off on the plane...probably not a good idea when your in Texas! The plane starting to get sweltering hot and there was a buzzing going around among the passengers. A group of men gathered around to chat when one announced "Hey, we should play name that tune!" Then a gay man whispered under his breath that the other man needed to sit his fat butt down. (I wrote it in nicer terms). All the while, I was quite amused and entertained by the antics of the passengers! I made friends with the boy next to me who was going to Florida and chatted with him. After about an hour we were on our way back to Houston. We got in about 2 hours late, so I felt bad for those people with connecting flights. I was welcomed by the wonderful humidity...the kind that just makes you feel like you've just stepped out of the shower. I'm still adjusting to it, but on the bright side my skin will be nice and moisturized :). Claudia, my stepmom, met me at the airport and brought me home to await a lovely meal of Chinese..yummm. Me and Chris had lofty plans this morning to get up and go running, but instead got up and went to a doughnut shop. And I've been relaxing ever since! It's so good to be home!

Goodbye to school, hello to summer...

2008-04-21T23:10:00.000-07:00

So the school year is ending and summer time is quickly approaching! I have been stressed out just a bit with trying to prepare for finals and figuring out how the heck I'm going to get everything packed by Thursday morning! I have so much stuff to pack and it takes me forever. But it will be so nice to go home :). The end of each school year is kind of bitter sweet...I hate saying goodbye to people! I realize that many of the people I've met in classes and in my ward I may not really keep in contact with, but each new school year brings new friends. Some girls that I'm really going to miss are my dear roommates! I will see Audrey and Rachelle over the summer when I come back up to Utah, but will miss Ann, Meghan and Kaitlin. I love them so much; they are my dearest friends and we all get along so well! I feel like in college there is so much change and transition, and it's hard for me to plan out what the future holds for my life. I have finally realized that it's ok if I don't know what is going to happen as long as I have just have faith and try to enjoy each day. My plans for the summer are to go home for spring semester and then to come back up to Provo for summer semester and start working at my new job at "U Can Learn" center. I will be helping test and tutor children with learning and language dissabilities...I'm so excited! But right now I'm just focusing on getting ready to go home-I love my home. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family too! It will be so wonderful to be home with them :)

Blogging

2008-04-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

So I'm really new to this whole "blogging" thing, but it is so fun! Alot of my friends are getting blogs, and it's fun to read what they have to say...and it's a good way to keep in touch with other people's lives i think. I love reading other people's blogs and looking at their pictures and stories-although I discovered that some people have really cool templates, which I can't figure out...so if you know how to do that I would love to learn :). Now all of my roommates are starting to get into blogging too. My roommate Meghan is going to Hawaii for the summer, so I'm glad I have a way to hear her adventures and see her pictures on her blog! Also, my roommate Rachelle is making a blog right now actually...so hopefully this trend will continue.