Working on Eternity. One day at a time.

& a Happy New Year.

2011-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011.

2011-12-25T16:39:00.001-08:00

Istanbul

2011-11-23T11:59:00.000-08:00

Istanbul was amazing. We were there for three and a half days. We spent most of the time running around the city exploring with our tour guide Atik. He has been giving tours for just about 20 years and has been to every museum and mosque more than 6,000 times. He is so smart and had so much to tell us about ever place we stopped. Since we spend every waking minute of two weeks with him we got to know him very well. He told us about his wife and son, about life as a local in Istanbul, his job, his experience in uni, and lots of other things. Needless to say, I can still sometime hear him in my head.

The first day we were in Istanbul we went for a guided bus tour. There were tons and tons of luxury cars. Lots of people, old buildings and houses with no space.

Did you know that most of Turkey is actually located in Asia? Well we went from Europe to Asia in a matter of minutes. If I remember correctly the above picture was taken in the Asian Bank of Istanbul.

I love the flag waving.

I'm not sure if this is a church or a school. Or both. But it was beautiful. As were most or all of the old buildings that we saw.

They have feral dogs and cats everywhere. In the thousands. A lot of the people in our group loved these animals. I however thought they were disgusting.

Our second day in Istanbul was spent running from mosque to mosque. We saw six different ones that day. They were all beautiful and empty. There was a very worldly feeling in all of them. With all the gold as decoration.

There were painting all over the city on the side of buildings. I loved this one. We found them on our day out. The day we had to explore the entire city. If we really wanted to explore a city like Istanbul we would have needed at least two weeks.

This is the view from our hotel lobby. The Q-Inn. It was a nice hotel on a very busy street. I woke up in the middle of the night to Sean Paul playing. I was extremely confused.

This is Hagia Sofia. Sofia means Wisdom.

Me, Stephanie, Courtney

Inside the above building. Beautiful. Very Muslim. Very Interesting.

Greece.

2011-10-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

Um. Im not exactly sure what city that I am currently in. But this is from last Saturday when we went to Patmos. Lets just say that most of Greece does not look like this. It is beautiful, but not what I imagined! Tomorrow we will leave for Athens and we will be there til we fly out Tuesday morning. This trip has been amazing, fun, educational, and exhausting! But well worth it! I will update more when I get back next week!

my week in pictures.

2011-09-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving tomorrow.

We are going down to Salt Lake. We are leaving for Istanbul on Monday morning. We have to be at the airport by 6:30am.

We have been in class all week from 8am -5pm.
We are doing in one week what is normally done in three.
The benches we are sitting in may permanently have our butt prints.
I have classroom fever.
I memorized every ones name.
I tried to pay attention. Sometimes it was easier than other times.

I got this text during class, from Kim.
She was sitting right behind me.
It's now the background of my phone.
It's really fun having friends going with me.

We made dinner with some friends on Wednesday night.
Fajitas.
The only thing I know how to make in large numbers.
It was good.
I like my new roommates.
They love to take pictures. Lots of pictures.

This is my own work of art. I have been slowly working on it all week. It looks a lot different now.

Happy Birthday Al!

2011-09-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Happy Birthday Al! I hope these kids were really good to you today!

Denver.

2011-09-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

This is my layover in denver.
All these old people were going to Cancun.
Ugh. I wanted to get on their flight.
I went to Salt Lake instead.

Mustache.

2011-09-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

This may be considered torture.

But it is so cute.

I could not resist.

He is a stud


And she is a cute little princess!!!

The New Me. Clothes.

2011-09-05T13:48:00.001-07:00

This is how the new me dresses.

The New Me. Music.

2011-09-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

\

I think I may be having an identity crisis. I can't decide if I want to be a hippie or not. But I think this is the music that the new me would just LOVE!!!

Nail Salon.

2011-09-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

I wore these cool shades in the hallway at church today. Our old Bishop said "Ya know, if the lights are to bright we can turn them down!" I thought that was hilarious. I wore them anyway, cuz I'm cool like that!

This is what my nails look like right now!

We played nail salon today. My friend suggested doing the matte with shiny black tips. They look pretty sweet. Then dad had the idea to do the check board. So he cut it out of tape and place it on my nails, all I had to do was paint over it! It was definatly entertaining!

Word.

2011-09-01T20:47:00.001-07:00

Did you know you can blog through Microsoft word. You can use all the cool fonts that you have downloaded and add all the pictures you want! Try it. Its cool. All you have to do is click create new blog post. Follow the links to setting up your own blog and then blog away. It makes me want to blog all the time. That probably why I have been doing it so much!

Playdough.

2011-09-01T20:33:00.001-07:00

Look what I made at work today…

Inspiration.

2011-09-01T19:26:00.001-07:00

Do one thing every day that scare you. Eleanor Roosevelt

Hat.

2011-09-01T07:42:00.001-07:00

I got a new hat and some cool vintage earrings from some wonderful friends of mine! I love it! Thanks for thinking of me while on your vacation!

Sofie.

2011-08-31T20:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this beautiful little girl is now 5 years old and a kindergartener. I love her. I miss her. I am proud of her!

Hunger Games

2011-08-31T12:39:00.000-07:00

I know what I will be doing 3.23.2012

Movie Night.

2011-08-30T17:53:00.000-07:00

Little Sis and I saw it & loved it. I would totally recommend it.

Jenny.

2011-08-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

I live with this cool girl. Jenny. She's from Louisiana and we're friends. Shes has cool shoes! And shes starting a blog! Woot!

check it out at www.jennylaughlin.blogspot.com

Happiness

2011-08-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

is knowing who I am and being comfortable in my life! I love my life and where I am at right now. So please keep your opinions to yourself.
Happiness is Respect. I respect people and I would like to think that I give them the benefit of the doubt. But I would also like to think that it would be given in return.
If you have something to say about me then call me up and say it. At least let me defend myself.

25 Days.

2011-08-25T20:33:00.000-07:00

25 Days.

Little People & a Dance.

2011-08-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

I went to the dance. As a chaperone.

It was hilarious!

Look at those cute little boys! I use to babysit them. ALL of them.

Sunny Sunday Afternoon.

2011-08-14T20:05:00.000-07:00

I made Lo get dressed and come take pictures with me.

in a field. With lots and lots of crickets, snakes, and a plethora of other creepy crawly things

Who would have thought that Lo would freak out at a few bugs...

We laughed. We had fun.

Good things our Mum is photographer! Thanks Mum!!!

Me and the little sis.

2011-08-14T19:50:00.000-07:00

I love shoes.

Especially cute ones.

Sunburst Mirror.

2011-08-13T11:29:00.000-07:00

I want to make this sunburst mirror. If you do too go here...

Shoes.

2011-08-12T22:04:00.001-07:00

I got these! I love them.

Hilarious.

2011-08-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

Seriously. Am I the only person who thinks this is the best commerical ever?

Hi Kevin.

2011-08-07T20:31:00.001-07:00

This is a panoramic picture. I like to take them.

This is a s'more. I like to eat them.

Swamp People.

2011-08-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

Yea. We met. I know. You're jealous. I would be to. I understand.

Kristen & Steve.

2011-08-06T14:14:00.000-07:00

Congrats!!!

Dear Big E, Little E & Baby B,

2011-08-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

Please come back. It was not long enough.

Henna.

2011-08-03T20:31:00.001-07:00

I love(d) my henna tattoo! and T'Jae too.

Makes me happy.

2011-08-01T21:16:00.001-07:00

KITCHEN.

Cookies.

2011-08-01T20:12:00.001-07:00

Nawee made cookies today.

I supervised.

Jealous?

Yep. You should be.

Picture Perfect.

2011-07-30T21:02:00.001-07:00

GREECE

I'm going to Greece.

It doesn't feel real, and it probably won't until I am on the plane. It's only 7 short weeks away.

Plan of Salvation.

2011-07-30T20:50:00.000-07:00

This family's story is incredible. What I get to read about what they have been through has taught me a lot. I am grateful for the knowledge we have of the Plan of Salvation.

http://www.patrickandashley.blogspot.com/

Happy Weekend. Love it!

2011-07-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

Priesthood.

2011-06-13T00:08:00.000-07:00

I am grateful for the Priesthood and having it so accessible to me. There was a need for it within my apartment today. There were four boys over who hold the priesthood worthily. But we try to follow the proper order and asked our home teachers to come over. They were so willing and it was so neat to hear the words spoken directly to my roommate that I know came from Heavenly Father to her. I had a great day at church and enjoyed learning on how I can be more obedient and growing closer to my Heavenly Father.

If you want to learn more about the priesthood go here.

Utah.

2011-06-13T00:03:00.000-07:00

A about a month ago I went to Utah with some friends. Their parents were in town for their grandparents birthday parties! It was fun. We usually have a fun time together. This was no exception.

It took forever to get pictures. These are not the best quality because they were taken with an ipod. Enjoy

Pictures.

2011-06-09T00:56:00.001-07:00

Inside St. Sophia

The Underground City of Kaymakli.

White Calcium Cascades.

St. Sophia

Patmos Island.

Meteora Monasteries.

Hierapolis.

Blue Mosque.

Topkapi Palace.

I don't think you guys really understand. In three short months I will be fulfilling one of the biggest dreams of my life. I can check off my bucket list. Going to Greece.

Turkey. Greece.

2011-06-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

We received our Itinerary for our trip. We will be leaving September 20 to head to Istanbul, Turkey. We will be visiting the following places...
St. Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Uchisar's Natural Citadel, Underground ciry of Kaymakli, Pisidians Antioch, The White Calcium Cascades (so far this looks like it may be my favorite place), House of Virgin Mary, Cathedral of St. John, Patmos Island, and Monastery of St. John the Theologian.
Then we will be off to Greece to visit places like...
The TriumphalArch of Galerius and St. Dimitios Church, Meteora Monasteries, Temple of Zeus, Temple of Hera, The Altar of the Olympic Flame, The Greek National Library, The Presidential Palace, Areios Pagos, Mars Hill, Panathenaic Stadium (Where the first Modern Olympic Games were held in 1896), and the Tomb of Agamemnon.
We will be flying back to the States on October 11th. This is going to be a jam packed couple of weeks. But I could not be more excited!

Birthday Presents.

2011-05-25T12:42:00.001-07:00

I started an apron collection and my wonderful mom adds to my collection, which I love!! I received these two awesome aprons for my birthday! I now have five aprons and counting!

This apron is so cute! It matches the hand towels, which happen to match the saying above our stove "Kiss the Cook"! I love decorating our apartment! This helps a lot!

Thanks Mum!!!

Birthday.

2011-04-24T23:22:00.000-07:00

In just three short weeks I will be turning 24. It sounds old. I am not coping with it well. But I have thought of a few things that will make it come a bit easier. I will take an 8 please.

I would love the blue ones!!!! A girl can dream right?!?
http://www.dsw.com/shoe/madden+girl+maiitai+platform?prodId=207082&category=dsw12cat1210003

http://www.dsw.com/shoe/madden+girl+sweetie+pump?prodId=212971&category=dsw12cat1210003

with love,emily

etsy.

2011-04-11T21:36:00.000-07:00

Check these etsy stores out. I am in <3 with them. http://www.myleighashley.com/ http://www.etsy.com/shop/CMVISIONJewelry?ref=pr_shop_more http://www.etsy.com/shop/PiperBlue?ref=pr_shop_more with love,emily

Sunday.

2011-04-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days I have been moving into my new apartment. It is really different. Not. It is literally just downstairs from the last two semesters. Don't tell anyone, but I have enjoyed Rexburg for the last few days because it is quiet and empty. I have been tired because the last weeks of the semester have been spent studying and moving. As I was laying on the couch last night waiting to fall asleep I was honestly contemplating if I would go to church today. Our Bishop thought that I would be out of town, and only my two friends downstairs knew that I was here. I thought about how tired I was and how nice it might be to have just one day to sleep as late as I wanted. When my alarm clock went off this morning, I turned it off instead of pushing snooze. I think this was done unconsciously. I fell back asleep and woke up at 9:00 am, only 30 minutes before church starts. I jumped off the couch and ran into the bathroom to start getting ready. It was quick, but it happened. My hair didn't look great, my makeup was not done, my outfit was thrown together, I forgot my scriptures, and had a headache. But everything that happened after was a blessing. Mariah and I went to church together, we talked and laughed on the way. We sat by some wonderful friends, I saw a friend after sacrament that I had not expected to see. I sat by him in Sunday School. It was a blessing to spend time with people that I care about in a place where we can learn and grow together. I was asked to conduct Relief Society today, I had about 4.3 minutes to prepare everything for this. The sisters were so willing to help and everything turned out wonder. We had a great lesson on Obedience, I thought back to my mission, I thought of ways that I can be more obedient now, and how I need to do what I want to be. It was a great three hours! When I got home I had some lunch, laid on the couch, read blogs, and relaxed. I organized some of my things, I hung up some vinyl sayings around the apartment and moved the couch about three different times...I still don't like how it looks. I thought about who will teach the Relief Society Lesson next Sunday. I went to our new Bishop's home for dinner. We talked and laughed with his family, we talked about missions and told our favorite stories. I had a wonderful prompting and confirmation that Bishop was called of God and is in this ward for a specific reason. That his desire is to have the members of his ward succeed in being obedient. I never once felt that what he was doing was for show, or done in because he wanted others to see that he was the new 'Bishop'. But because he already has a love for us, and a concern for the members of the ward. I love the spirit that was in the Bishop's home and am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with a family with young kids. It has been too long! I have spend this Sunday grateful to my Heavenly Father for helping me feel comfortable and have confidence in the decision to stay in Rexburg. I loving seeing how everything falls into place, and knowing that the hand of God is in it all. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest blessing! with love,emily

A glance into my past.

2011-04-06T22:41:00.000-07:00

I have been reminiscing a lot lately. I was looking through mission photos tonight. This was one of the most difficult decisions that I made. It turned out to be the best decision ever!

This was our last night in Australia as missionaries. We were at President and Sister Richard's home. I have sweet and tender memories of those last few hours.

Let me introduce you to a few of my companions (I would introduce you to all of them, but I just realized that I am missing half of my mission pictures. They must be on the computer at home.) The far left is Sister Tutagalevao. Try that on for size...We called her Sister T for short. She is Samoan but from New Zealand. I want to go to New Zealand so badly! In the middle is Sister Kaman. She is from Papua New Guinea. She is loving, kind and very thoughtful. She does not have a lot to her name but works hard.

Sister Bazar is from Mongolia. I learned to love her through lots of different challenging experiences. She has a great desire to learn English and to do God's work. I served with her in Burpengary, one of my favorite areas! I have a great desire to go back and visit the people there!

Meet Sister Lemon. She is now Amanda Lewis. She is my only American companion and one of my great friends. She is the only companion that I still talk to...not by choice. I would love to talk to the rest of them but have no way to get a hold of them. Sister Lemon was my first companion and trainer. We served together for a short time and were reunited a year later. We made some great memories, we worked hard, learned a lot, and we were always on the go! I love and cherish the friendship that we have! It is a blessing in my life!

This is the McDonald family and Sister Kiaben. She is from Kirabati. She was amazing. Funny, smart, hard working, diligent and dedicated. She always told the funniest stories, I use to play a game with her, when we would do our exercise in the morning I would see how long it would take me to get her to start telling me a story. Sometimes I would only have to say a few words or ask a few questions. But every morning I would say something that would lead to her telling me the funniest stories of her life at home, or a family member, or something that she used to do at home. I really miss her. I would love to contact her and hear how her life is now!

This is Sister Brooks, a member, Sister Shaw and I. They were my companions while I had a broken foot. They treated me like a grandchild and spoiled me beyond compare. It was fun to live with them, but I could not wait to get back to the work. It was a short time in comparison but it seemed like forever!

I have been home for over a year now. Some of the memories are fading and this scares me. Some of the memories are still very fresh and raw. This excites me. I made the best decision ever to do this! My testimony was strengthened by witnessing others build their own testimony from the ground up. I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love knowing that it is eternal! I testify that Christ is real, this is His gospel and the only true church upon the face of the earth today!

with love,emily

Lacey.

2011-04-03T10:47:00.000-07:00

I love this girl. She is my best friend!

Thought for the day.

2011-03-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

I would rather live my life knowing that it didn't work out, then always wondering if it could have.

Blue Brownies.

2011-03-28T18:57:00.000-07:00

I can't be sure. But I think we may have eaten brownies that we tainted. They turned our pee blue. Sorry if that grosses you out.
These are my best friends. Lacey and Blake.

We may have talked talked about it for days after. It was about the most exciting thing in our life at the time. Good thing we have moved on to bigger and better things. Like jumping off the roof.

with love,emily

The Aftermath.

2011-03-28T18:41:00.000-07:00

We rented all our party supplies on Saturday, the store is closed on Sunday so we had to keep it til Monday. Yesterday we had a huge family dinner and set up the bounce house in our front yard and the cotton candy machine in our kitchen. This is the product of many hours of hard work.

Cotton Candy Mustaches. The new cool thing.

Stephanie.
Rhett.
Lacey and Travis. I am not exactly sure what is going through his brain at this moment. I think he is excited.
Lacey and Dan.

The follow activites were very dangerous and done against all logic and reason.
Nathan started it all. He started on the balcony roof of the second floor landing. He told someone to turn of the machine and when the bounce house was deflating he jumped off the roof on to the top of the bounce house.
He then decided that the balcony roof was not high enough. So he jumped out of our window. I warned him not to.

Lacey and I were very excited about the bounce house. We felt like two little kids! These pictures may or may not prove it! I will let you be the judge of that!

p.s. This is the balcony that was used as the jumping point. After Nathan jumped and people started watching many others decided that they needed to join in on the fun. I think in total about 15 different people jumped. SO scary!!!

with love,emily

Birthday Party.

2011-03-28T18:17:00.001-07:00

We had a very wonderful surprise "unbirthday" birthday party for Stephanie, Travis and Blake. We rented a bounce house, a cotton machine, and a helium tank to blow up balloons!

T'Jae and Stephanie. We all loved the cotton candy machine! But who doesn't love pure sugar???

Travis, T'Jae, Preston all doing the worm to warm up the dance floor!

I had to leave so I could go distract the friends we were surprising. My stress levels were very high at this point. It is a good thing that I have wonderful friends that made it even better than I imagined! It took two hours to set everything up!

Jackie, and Nathan

Nathan. I served in an area next to him for a year. I never imagined that two years later I would see him all the time.

Blake, Taylor, Stephanie, Travis, Mariah

Janet, Sarah, Alesha

with love,emily

The Handwriting Game.

2011-03-23T18:29:00.000-07:00

I cannot get it any bigger...its frustrating! Oh well!

This is me with it! Between the two of them you should be able to read it! I tag...Mum, Allison, Emily, Kristina, and Stacey Preator.

1. What's your name and your blogs name?

2. What's your blog's URL?

3. Write, "A quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog."

4. What's your favorite quote?

5. What's your favorite song?

6. What's your favorite band/singer(s)?

7. Anything you want to say.

8. Tag someone.

with love,emily

Homework.

2011-03-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Like we need anymore distractions.

But to distract ourselves from doing our homework we took a ton of pictures!

This is the end result.

Lacey, Stephanie, Me, Blake

This one may be my favorite. I love Stephanie's face! ha

I was trying to be gansta.

In the picture above Stephanie is making fun of me. In almost every picture I take I make a peace sign! She said look I am doing an Emily pose.

Today I.

2011-03-21T23:20:00.000-07:00

slept til 9:15. (Could have slept longer if I didn't have to go to class.)
took a quick shower and got ready for class.
left at 10:04 for my Doctrine and Covenants class that started at 10:15. I talked to Emily as I walked. I miss her. Received a message from Stephanie that class was canceled. I turned around and walked home.
10:30-1:40 Sat/laid on the couch. In lots of pain. Watched the O.C. and did indexing at the same time.
at 1:40 I decided that I should start walking to my class. I think I waited so long because I was secretly hoping that one of my roommates would leave and I could ride with them to class. On a side note.... I had a very serious battle going in my head about going to class or not. It lasted a long time. I think I may have heard some voice. Should I be concerned? Anyway, I sat in class, thinking about how I should have read the chapter we were discussing. I realized if I had I would not be so lost. So instead I zone out and start day dreaming about going to Greece and Turkey, about what I would do when I get home, I was defiantly day dreaming that the dishes would be done when I got home. ha
I walked home in the rain. I got home at like 3:15...I sat on the couch til my roommate easily convinced me to go to Jamba Juice with her, shhhh, by we also stopped at the Cocoa Bean. I got a delicious Coconut Lime Cupcake. I really love cupcakes. I then watched a Dear John, while texting Stephanie who was in her room... Her room happens to be right next to mine. We could have talked through the walls but then others would hear. We can't tell secrets if others are listening. We are going to look at a new apartment building tomorrow. We might move in the fall. Stephanie sent me a message that made my year. She and her sister, Courtney, are going to Greece and Turkey with me in the fall. I have two travel buddies. I have not met Courtney yet. She is on her mission right now in Iowa. Then I took a nap, and sat on the couch with Stephanie and Travis and a few random visitors in between and watched the O.C. All the while thinking about the speech that I should be writing. I use my pain for an excuse.
Is it a real excuse? Probably not.
Could I have been more productive? Yes
Could I have accomplished more things on my to do list? Yes
Is there room for improvement tomorrow? Yes
Will things improve tomorrow? Only time can tell.

Besties.

2011-03-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

This is to Vita. I miss you!

This is to Lacey & Stephanie.

I am the first person to admit that I have tons of best friends. Within the last year I have had the privilege to get to know a few more best friends. Without them my experience here in Rexburg would not have been the same. I owe most of my fun, spontaneous, and most memorable memories to these people. I love you. I will miss you!

Signature.

2011-03-19T22:40:00.000-07:00

I love the signature that appears at the bottom of all posts. I want to add it but I cannot figure out how to add it. Please help me!

Love.

2011-03-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

I love. the ocean. family. music. good friends. orange juice. going to the temple. sleeping. movies. reading good books. knowing that school is almost over. blogging. the gospel. shoes. dressing up. baking. laughing. running. serving. teaching. learning. being me. making decisions that I know will effect the rest of my life. getting random text messages or phone calls that make my day. mass texting. my roommates. trips to Idaho Falls. friends that stick with you no matter what. the sun. doing laundry. change (even though it scares me). knowing that I am going to Greece. hats. motor cross. despicable me. beaches. traveling. my hair. the sound system in our apartment that belongs to the boys. rap music when I am running. my cricut. national geographic. my list of wants that goes on for like ten pages. the fact that it just stopped snowing. Horkley's. that I can see the temple from my window. camping in the summer. my dream house. the O.C. random holidays that happen every month. shopping. lunch dates. money. accounting. Christmas. my future family. coincidence. the girls in my Relief Society. perfume. the lava hot springs. dreaming. criminal minds. knowing that good news is always on its way. decorating houses. wishing I had my own. Australia. random visits from people I love. i-pods. knowing that people read my blog. my calling. the future. watching soccer. cars. netflix. the internet. my life.

Birthday Cake.

2011-03-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at making a cake with fondant. I think it could me much better. But that comes in my with much more practice. I made the fondant. It was really easy, and it tastes good. I got the recipe from Emily, its below if you want to try it. I made it for our friends birthday. It was extremely random and spur of the moment. Hopefully it is well liked!!!

1 lb bag of Kraft jet puffed mini marshmallows ( yes they have to be Kraft and have to be mini)
1 2lb bag of powdered sugar, ( must be either Sam's or c&h not generic!)
2 TBSP of water
shortening
Okay so, take the marshmallows and put them in a large glass bowl, I like the big pampered chef measuring cup. Put the marshmallows and the water in the bowl. Put that in the microwave for 2 min, take it out and stir every 30 secs, do this until it is all melted ( usually takes 2 min, could take longer depending on your microwave!) after it is melted have a big spot on your counter, rub shortening all over your area. I think about an 18 inch square is good, poor the sugar over the melted marshmallows. then dump that onto your counter, cover your hands with shortening and get kneading! It will take a little bit to come together. If is is too dry flick a little water onto the mixture, it will come together i promise! It will fell like softer regular fondant, when it is all combined you can use it right away or cover it with little bit of shortening and wrap in plastic wrap to store, it is best to let it rest for 24 hours but you don't have to do that! One more hint if you only need one color, I put the coloring in the melted marshmallows before adding the sugar. Otherwise just knead in the color as normal

Hair Cut

2011-03-18T16:06:00.001-07:00

I got my hair cut. It is really short. This is what it looks like. But I really love it. The girl who cut it did a great job!

Question? Answer...

2011-03-13T23:02:00.001-07:00

Sister Julie B. Beck came to campus a few weeks ago and had a wonderful question answer session with all who were present. We decided that was something we could incorporate into our own Relief Society. We passed around a papers and had the girls write any questions that have been on their minds that we will answer next week. I wanted to put these questions out there for everyone. If you have any talks that come to mind or scriptures that will help as we answer these questions they will be much appreciated!
1. What are ways that we can make ourselves feel more comfortable and happy in our own skin?
2. How do you know if you are following God's will? What is His will for you?
3. I am going through the temple for the first time very soon. What is the best way to prepare for the temple?
4. How can we prepare our minds to receive direction or revelation in the temple?
5. How do you know if it is the spirit speaking to you and not just yourself?
6. How can we recognize the answers or promptings we are receiving from the Spirit?

Chris Medina - What Are Words

2011-03-12T14:34:00.000-08:00

This video shares a bit about Chris Medina and his story about his fiancee. I love the song and the message behind it. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!

content.

2011-03-10T12:58:00.001-08:00

I have a wonderful life. I am blessed beyond measure. I have a great family, wonderful friends and am in a great place in life. I have millions of things that run through my head constantly. I am a thinker. I think about big things, little things and everything in between. I am always thinking of ways that I can do better, things that I can improve and things that I can do to become the best person that I need to be. I have been through many different experience in my life to make me the person that I am today. I moved to Rexburg five and a half years ago. I was in such a different phase in life, I had different friends, I had a different major, and I had a different level of understanding. Then life happened. I went on my mission. I came back to school. I learned, I grew up, and I became me. I have had experience that I would not change for anything. As I continue to live and travel I will be blessed to have more experience that will shape and bend me. But for now. I am content. With my life, with the things that I am doing and the things that I am learning. I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for all that He has given to me. I attribute all that I have and all that I will ever have and the blessings that I receive to my loving Heavenly Father.

Marathon??? Call me crazy

2011-03-07T18:46:00.000-08:00

I had this wonderful text conversation with one of my best friends the other day. This is how it went!

Melanie: So I have a proposal for you! There is a half marathon that I want to run that is in Idaho. The problem is I don't wanna do it alone. Would you be my partner and train with me? We could support each other and have a great time together! Think about it.

Me:When is it?

Melanie: Sept four in Pocatello. And I lost thirty pounds training for my last half marathon and I need to lose twenty more and I know I can only do it if someone does it with me.

Me: I really want to! I have been running a lot lately!!!

Melanie: Really? That's awesome! What distances have you run?

Me: 6 miles. I did it in like an hour and fifteen minutes!

Melanie: No way that is amazing! You're my hero! So we could totally do this. Actually I do have a confession, my real goal is to do a marathon. What do you think about skipping the half and doin a while since we have six months to train? It would be an accomplishment we've both never done before and we could do it together.

Me: (This is the point I can claim 'insanity') That would be totally fine with me. I need something to work towards!

Melanie: (This is the funniest thing she said) Me too! Wow no offense but I thought I'd have to use coercion but you are awesome! I'm so excited! I look into the run a little bit further, we'll have to sign up soon in order for me to maintain a commitment and I'll set up a schedule and send it to you!

Me: Perfect! I'm excited.

Melanie: Me Too! I wanna scream! I'm way intimidated by a marathon but I know we can do it! Plus I'll get to hang out with you!

Me: This will be a great accomplishment! Plus I will be in great shape for Greece!

Melanie: Yeah! And I'll be in great shape for vacation this summer!

And now the training begins!

Two of One Kind!

2011-03-07T18:39:00.000-08:00

I Call New Zealand Home!

This is Travis. He is putting his mission papers in tomorrow! WootWoot! He wants nothing more than to go to New Zealand. Who wouldn't right? Well if you notice...we have matching shirts! In the last area of my mission there was a sister in our ward who had this shirt. I loved it and wanted it. But I just got around to ordering one...well I had to get one for him too! Hopefully to New Zealand he goes...but I am going to laugh when he opens his call and he is going to some place like Reno, Boise, or Iowa!

Study Abroad.

2011-03-01T21:22:00.000-08:00

I applied for a Study Abroad for this Fall Semester! When I handed in the application I spoke with Brother Call the department director. He was very friendly, he told me that many many years ago he served his mission in Australia! After he briefly looked over my application he told me that I would most likely be accepted he just needed to check a few things. I waited, wondering what the results would be. Then last night I received this e-mail!

Emily,

Congratulations!!! You have been accepted to join us on the Mediterranean Religious Student Study Tour, “Travel of the Apostles.” We are very excited to have you join us in this marvelous tour of places that the Apostles Paul and John fulfilled their ministries here on the earth. We will be studying and learning during the first block of Fall Semester, 2011.

.....

Again congratulations on your being accepted we look forward to being students and learners together.

Regards,

It's official! I will be going to Greece, Turkey, and Macedonia in September or October! I am very excited about this opportunity! It will be a great blessing and learning experience!

Jackson Hole, WY

2011-02-21T22:57:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago we went to Jackson Hole, WY for the day. They have an amateur hockey team there so we went to a game. It was fun, cheap entertainment. We had a great time and it was fun to get away from Rexburg for the day!

Blain, Me, Lacey
The mascot showing off his dancing skills.

Jason, Trevor, Lacey, Blain, Lisa, Tyler, Sky, Larissa

Another group shot!

Tyler, Lisa, Mark, Lacey, me, Blain, Trevor, Sky, Larissa, Jason

I don't know why we took so many group pictures. I guess the better chance of getting a good one!

Lacey, Blain, Me

Lacey, Me

Blain, Me, Trev. Before the hockey game we walked around Jackson, we spent hours in different art galleries. After the first one they got so boring! But it was fun to be with my great friends!

President's Weekend!

2011-02-21T22:30:00.000-08:00

I have wonderful friends. Trevor's parents live in Three Forks, Montana. We went to there house Friday night. We had so much fun. We watched movies, stayed up way to late, ate way too much food and made some wonderful memories! We stayed at their house til Sunday Morning. We went to their cabin in Island Park and stayed the night there. We went snowmobiling today and headed back tonight. Trevor's family was wonderful for hosting and for having us! We can't wait to go back in the summer and have lots more fun! Here are a few for your viewing pleasure.

Lacey, her cute little thumb drawing, and Wesley.

Lacey, Me

Me. Getting ready to go snowmobiling! It was really cold!

This is the huge grizzly bear at Trevor's cabin. His dad killed it. In Russia.

This is the hallway in the cabin with all the rooms. I think there were like 8 rooms down this hallway. There were about 4 bathrooms.

These are some big horn sheep that came down from the mountains because of the snow.

This is one of my favorite places to eat. This is probably the closest one to Rexburg. We had to eat here for lunch.

This is when we went to Bozeman. or maybe it was Billings. I can't really remember.

We all found matching hats and wanted a picture.

I thought this picture of Stephanie was hilarious!

The boys really wanted to go to REI. We went to World Market next door! REI was much more fun!

Lacey, Steph

Jason, Mark, Lacey, T'Jae, Trevor

The bear. Again.

The big room in the cabin.

Me. Sleeping.

Lacey, Me, Mark. Singing Karaoke.

Dear Sugar,

2011-02-09T23:26:00.000-08:00

I really hate you. I hate craving you after I spend hours at the gym. I hate that you are everywhere and in everything. Please go away.
Much Love!

A Christmas Message

2010-12-15T04:24:00.000-08:00

laugh.

2010-12-10T18:38:00.000-08:00

Love.

Laugh.

Live.

Taken on a cold night with a beautiful sunset! There is nothing that can compare to college life! I love it!

My Room.

2010-12-02T19:22:00.000-08:00

These are the pillows on my bed. I got them at TJMaxx and totally love them!

This is a full shot of my bed and the cute little round mirror!

This is what my room looks like when you walk in! I love having my own room and decorating it how I want! I love it! I love not having to worry about a roommate wake my up at 4:00 in the morning! It's selfish. But it works for me, since there is only one of me!

This is the bookshelf that I bought at Target. Kyrie and I put it up one weekend! I decorated it and I love it! I bought to put my school stuff on, but that is my school stuff on the floor next to it!

These are our family pictures that we took. They are out dated already. We have a new addition to our family, baby Shayla. But I love how it turned out! I love the saying on the wall. It really fits!

Christmas Countdown.

2010-12-02T18:27:00.000-08:00

It seems that I cannot go to Porter's without a coming home with a new project! This was just to cute to pass up! It is my new Christmas Countdown! It was fun to make! We cut out the paper and modge poded them on, and then put the vinyl on top! Really easy and super cute!

Only 23 days til Christmas, and only 16 until I am at home!

Food. Fun. Friends.

2010-12-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of the week in Armagosa we had about 75 pallets and a huge pile of wood. Six very cold days later, it was gone. If we were not in the dunes on a ride we were sitting around the fire trying to stay warm.

This is the Sand Rail. Only Mark (Stephanie's dad) can drive it. Mark's two cousins also have them. We went for a ride in it. It was so fun. It was fast and very thrilling to come over the top of a dune and catch some air! This is a hobby that I wouldn't mind taking up! I didn't get picture of the rest of the motorized vehicles but there was a quad or dirt bike, or ridge runner for every person in camp. I had lots of practice on the clutch and am making great progress! It will make it easier to get my motorcycle license next summer!

Me and Steph.

Me and Cami. We stayed with her family in Vegas from the Friday we flew in till Monday morning. Then when we got back from the dunes on Saturday night till we flew out again on Monday morning.

Callaway Family. Stephanie, Anna, me, Cooper the dog, Hailey, Brittney (in the very back), Mark, Amy, Sam the dog. There are five girls in the Callaway family. Courtney is on her mission in Iowa. So, I fit right in!

This is our camp site. There were about 15 motor homes / Toy haulers in the circle, and in total about 80 people. We had more and less depending on the day. In the back you can see the dunes! We went everywhere in those dunes! We went on morning rides, day rides, and night rides. Personally, I loved the night rides. We went on a ride one night, stopped, got out to look around. It was amazing! I could see so many stars! I love God's creations!

I had a great time! I made memories that can not be forgotten! I miss my family, but this was a fun way to spend Thanksgiving!

Life as a student.

2010-11-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

I love being in Idaho and I love going to school! I love my friends and the fun things that we do together! A few weeks ago we were invited to a friends house for Family Night! We went shooting, drank hot chocolate, had a large bonfire, and ate a huge meal that our friends mom made! It was so much fun to have family night with so many different people!

I did pretty well! I guess that is what happens when you practice at home on bunnies!

Lindsay, my roommate is operating the pulling machine.

I am receiving instructions.

Tyler, is giving instructions.

Rhett, I don't really know what he is doing!

This is part of my Family Home Evening Group! They are heaps of fun! We always do something active and fun for FHE. I think this picture was taken on a Sunday Game Night!

Back Row. Blane, Lindsay, Vita, Mark the Man.

Middle Row. Mark O., Mary, Steph, Me.

Bottom Row. Chuck.

I love living at the Ridge! I love my roommates and I love having great friends that I can spend some quality time with! I am here for a reason, Heavenly Father has blessed me and I am making great memories!

Finally A break!

2010-11-17T23:09:00.001-08:00

School has been in full swing for about two months. No Breaks. Weekends full of homework, group projects and tests. This is no joke. University is hard work, it is my full time job. I am trying to live my life now as if I have a career. It has lasted for about two days! Go me! But Thanksgiving is coming! I can't wait to eat, play, eat, have fun, eat, not do homework for ten days, and stay up way to late!! Steph, my way fun roommate, invited me to go with her family for this very anticipated holiday! We start our tour in Las Vegas. We fly in Friday Night, to stay with some cousins....we will probably hit the strip for a while and stop by my favourite place in the world! CHIPOTLE!!!! See some Elvis impersonators, and have some fun shopping at real stores in real malls!

On Sunday we will head down to the Armagosa Valley, to spend a week at the dunes! The Armagosa Valley is about an hour outside of Vegas. I have heard about this for a while now. Steph's family has this tradition! They go to Amragosa every year! About 40-50 family members spend a week in the desert! Playing on four-wheelers and in dune buggies!

Steph has an aunt....Her family drives her RV, pulls a toy hauler, and a second trailer just with food! Apparently, there are four or five turkeys on Thanksgiving Day! One is deep fried, I can't wait to try it! We will laugh play games, and eat way to much food!

I have not had a Thanksgiving in two years! This has been look forward to for two long years! I don't think I will be let down!

I will let you know about the beautiful weather, the good food and the many friends! I am wishing that my camera charger will come in the mail sometime before we leave! Then I will be able to take lots of pictures of our fun adventures! I will be back in ten day! Such a long vacation! I am not sure I will know what to do with all that time!

Remind me why I moved here...

2010-11-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is what I woke up to this morning! Remind me why I moved here, again! It is still snowing and getting worse. I don't plan on leaving my apartment today!

What was I doing one year ago?

2010-11-03T22:11:00.000-07:00

Sister Weisener (mini missionary), me, Sister Lemon

November 3 2009. A journal Entry excerpt.
We went to Kangaroo Point today for a mission tour with Elder Brent H. Nielsen and his wife, Sister Nielsen. Elder Brooksby was conducting our meeting and about ten minutes til nine am he announced that Elder Nielsen wanted to shake everybody hands. I walked up to him and he said "Hi Sister Clark, where are you from?" I stated that I was from Minnesota and he said Oh I served my mission in Finland and everybody in Finland has a cousin in MN. I really just wanted to be done talking to him by he was shaking my hand at the same time and kept pulling me back in front of him and talking a bit more. I guess it was at that point that I knew that I would be interviewed by him. So I tried to move myself along as fast as I could. He began the meeting by stating that if you only learn one thing while you are here today it should be this...President Monson loves you and we appreciate the work that you are doing. The spirit was so undeniable strong it was amazing. We went for a couple of hours, closed the meeting and then had lunch. While we were eating we were taking and I looked up and saw Elder Nielsen talking to President Richards looking out at all the missionaries and I saw him say I want that one and then he pointed then i saw him pointing some more and pondering, looking at everyone. And then I looked away to tell Sister Lemon, when I looked up I noticed that President Richards was walking towards an Elder and he told the Elder that Elder Nielsen wanted to meet with him at two, then he asked him if he could be in the lobby waiting. Then President looked me in the eyes walked towards me and asked me the very same thing. I was secretly not surprised, I had told Sister Lemon the night before that I wanted this very thing to happen. So we waited in the lobby. Then I had the opportunity to speak to him and he told me a story about his mission and he told me another story about his sons mission. Then he asked me a few questions. He wanted to know what I thought we did well at as a mission. He asked what I thought we could improve on and he wanted to know a few different things like that. We talked for a while and just before he sent me on my way he told me that if I ever see him again that I need to come up and talk to him and remind him who I am. I told him at the end of my interview that I had told my companion the night before that I wanted to be interviewed and he said well it looks like your prayer was answered and mine. Then it was over. It really felt wonderful to be with him and be able to just talk to him and get to know his personality."
This was a highlight of my mission. I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father that I had the chance to serve Him and all my Australian Brothers and Sisters! I love being able to talk about it, share stories and to remember back on that wonderful time in my life!

Trouble Sleeping

2010-10-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

I have wondered for a while now if I have insomnia or something similar. I have a really difficult time falling asleep and staying asleep. This developed in the latter part of my mission, and for some reason has felt the need to stay around. I looked up "insomnia" on google and came up with the following. The things highlighted in red describe me. On a usual night it may take me upto an hour or an hour and half to fall asleep. Needless to say, I am tired a lot.

Overview

Insomnia is difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, or having non-refreshing sleep for at least 1 month.

Symptoms

Difficulty falling asleep on most nights
Feeling tired during the day or falling asleep during the day
Not feeling refreshed when you wake up
Waking up several times during sleep

People who have primary insomnia tend to keep thinking about getting enough sleep. The more they try to sleep, the greater their sense of frustration and distress, and the more difficult sleep becomes.

Treatment

The following tips can help improve sleep. This is called sleep hygiene.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, or nicotine before bed.
Don't take daytime naps.
Eat at regular times each day (avoid large meals near bedtime).
Exercise at least 2 hours before going to bed.
Go to bed at the same time every night.
Keep comfortable sleeping conditions.
Remove the anxiety that comes with trying to sleep by reassuring yourself that you will sleep or by distracting yourself.
Use the bed only for sleep.

Do something relaxing just before bedtime (such as reading or taking a bath) so that you don't dwell on worrisome issues. Watching TV or using a computer may be stimulating to some people and interfere with their ability to fall asleep.

If you can't fall asleep within 30 minutes, get up and move to another room. Engage in a quiet activity until you feel sleepy.

One method of preventing worries from keeping you awake is to keep a journal before going to bed. List all issues that worry you. By this method, you transfer your worries from your thoughts to paper. This leaves your mind quieter and more ready to sleep.

If you follow these recommendations and still have insomnia, your doctor may prescribe medications such as benzodiazepines.

Causes

Primary insomnia refers to insomnia that is not caused by any known physical or mental condition.

Insomnia is caused by many different things. The most common causes of insomnia are:

Alcohol
Anxiety
Coffee
Stress

Secondary insomnia is caused by a medical condition. Depression is a very common cause of secondary insomnia. Often, insomnia is the symptom that causes people with depression to seek medical help.

Tests & diagnosis

Your health care provider will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your current medications, drug use, and medical history. Usually, these are the only methods needed to diagnose insomnia.

Polysomnography, an overnight sleep study, can help rule out other types of sleep disorders (such as sleep apnea).

Prognosis

You should be able to sleep if you practice good sleep hygiene. See a doctor if you have chronic insomnia that does not improve.

It is important to remember that your health is not at risk if you do not get 6 - 8 hours of sleep every day. Different people have different sleep requirements. Some do fine on 4 hours of sleep a night, while others only thrive if they get 10 - 11 hours.

Sleep requirements also change with age. Listen to your body's sleep signals and don't try to sleep more or less than is refreshing for you.

Complications

Daytime sleepiness is the most common complication, though there is some evidence that lack of sleep can also lower your immune system's ability to fight infections. Sleep deprivation is also a common cause of auto accidents -- if you are driving and feel sleepy, take a break.

When to contact a doctor

Call your doctor if chronic insomnia has become a problem.

Reunion.

2010-10-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

Check out the trip we took last weekend HERE.

Rexburg.

2010-09-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

I have been in Rexburg for three weeks now. I moved into a new apartment. It has six bedrooms, two large bathrooms, a big kitchen, living room, pantry, and six new very fun roommates! I love them! Steph, Vita, Ashlyn, Lindsay and Mary. Classes are in full swing, I have very little time to do anything but homework. My life is busy, crazy and worth every fun minute! This semester and the next are going to be awesome! I will add pictures soon! Love to all!

Moving On.

2010-09-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

The time has come for me to move on. I am no longer a facebook user. I offically deleted my account today to make room for my new life. School. Homework. Sleep. Repeat! It is an exciting day!

Made me think.

2010-09-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

I was studying the conference edition of the Ensign this morning when I came across this quote by Joseph F. Smith that made me think.

"It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead the women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and...purifying to the children of men."

Do I do this? Am I the change that I desire to see in the world? Or am I following the women of the world who set their hearts upon status and money? I think it is a wonderful idea to take a moment and reflect on where we are in our lives and where we imagined ourselves at this point. There are things I could change. There are things I can do better. There are things I can improve. Are there things like that for you?

Washington.

2010-08-29T19:28:00.001-07:00

The majesty of this earth amazes me! This photo was taken while we were driving to La Push.

This is the beach that Jacob and Bella go to many times.

1st Beach. La Push.

My little cousins playing in the ocean.

Ke'Lynn & Summer.

In my mind the Cullen's home was much bigger and better than this!

I love this sign

Once we past the treaty line I felt much safer.

These pictures are out of order. For that I thank blogger. This was hanging on the Cullen home. I thought it was sooo funny.

I could not leave forks without this photo!

We had a lot of fun, Sarah and I quickly realized that if we had not brought Ke'Lynn & Summer with us it would not have been as memorable.

Washington was wonderful. We spend 2 relaxing weeks with Grandma & Grandpa in Salem and Uncle Ken and Aunt Brenda in Toledo WA. I had a great time reading, sun bathing, watching movies, playing with little cousins, and having a mini reunion. It was a lot of fun! I am so glad that we had this experience!

Happy 4th of July.

2010-07-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to be free. I am blessed to live in a country in which I feel safe, in which I know that I can say what I want and do as I please. I am blessed to have freedom. I am grateful for those who have served my country to give me that freedom. I am thankful to have a country that was founded under the direction of the Almighty God. I am grateful that Jesus Christ led the way.

I am grateful that the spirit of the Lord was given to Joseph Smith, and that he was given the freedom and the choice to worship the God that he was well acquainted with. I am grateful that freedom to worship how, where or what we may was never lost.

I am grateful for events in history that have led to this.

I love America!

I love the flag with symbolizes freedom!

I loved that I can sit in a street for 45 minutes and watch fireworks while enjoying the company of my best friends! I love this symbol of freedom as well...

This is American. Homemade Honey Whole Wheat Bread. I made it today while wearing my 4th of July Apron!

What is the 4th of July without Homemade American Pie.

It is delicious!

What a great way to spend the 4th of July...worshipping the Almighty God who has given me this freedom!

Happy Fourth of July.

Thank You to all those who serve our country to provide us with freedom!

101 things. 1001 days.

2010-07-01T22:33:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of things that I would like to accomplish over the next 1001 days or 2.74 years. They are listed in no specific order. But they are goals that I have. Wish me luck!

1. Go to the temple every day for a week. (0/5)

2. Graduate.

3. Become a CPA.

4. Go to Australia.

5. Get a massage.

6. Save for a down payment on a house.

7. Get my motorcycle license.

8. Get to my goal weight.

9. Get all "A" for at least one semester.

10. Buy a house.

11. Visit all the temples in Idaho and Utah

(Rexburg Id, Idaho Falls Id, Twin Falls Id, Boise Id, Logan Ut, Ogden Ut, Bountiful Ut, Salt Lake City Ut, Jordan River Ut, Oquirrh Mtn Ut, Draper Ut, Mount Timpanogos Ut, Vernal Ut, Provo Ut, Manti Ut, Monticello Ut, St. George Ut.)

12. Babysit my niece(s) and nephew for a weekend so Allison and Nate can take a vacation.

13. Write my remaining companions at least every month until they finish their mission. (1/6)

14. Eliminate carbonated beverages from my diet for at least 30 days.

15. Run a half marathon.

16. Get a job.

17. Buy a car...with cash.

18. Visit the East Coast. New York. Maine. D.C. area. for fun.

19. Get on the "Fast Grad" track for school.

20. Get an internship in Minneapolis.

21. Go to Yellowstone to camp.

22. Buy a new wardrobe.

23. delete my facebook. 9/15/2010

24. Buy a nice camera.

25. Learn how to edit my photos.

26. Finish my mission scrapbook.

27. Attend the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar.

28. Attend a professional sporting event.

29. Invest in the stock market.

30. Go to Nauvoo. Like we have been planning since 10th grade.

31. Bike a century ride.

32. Update my journal.

33. Get contacts. 8/17/2010

34. Watch the sunset and the sunrise while sitting on the top of a mountain.

35. Exercise everyday for one month. (0/30)

36. Don't eat sugar for one week. (0/7)

37. Spend a week on a beach.

38. Go golfing every Saturday for a month. (0/4)

39. Practice the piano everyday for two weeks. (0/14)

40. Learn how to ballroom dance.

41. Live in a tent for one month.

42. Volunteer at a hospital.

43. Get my pilot license.

44. Learn how to do a proper cart-wheel.

45. Play on a rec Softball team.

46. Go snorkeling while in Australia.

47. Spend a day in silence.

48. Attend the temple every month for a year. (0/12)

49. Plant a garden.

50. Eat only food from my garden for one week.

51. Learn 5 new songs on the piano. (0/5)

52. Get rid of all my clutter and keep only things I need.

53. Subscribe to National Geographic.

54. Celebrate New Years in Time Square.

55. Read the Book of Mormon 4 times. (0/4)

56. Introduce myself to 1 new person a day for a month.

57. Attend an Opera.

58. Attend General Conference in the Conference Center.

59. Do nice things for strangers everyday for a week.

60. Spend a girls weekend in Las Vegas.

70. Attend a Cattle Drive.

71. Have a progressive dinner.

72. Go to Utah for a weekend and work on Family History.

73. Attend Breaking Dawn Midnight showing. 6/30/2010

74. Make my own skirts.

75. Buy a sewing machine.

76. Learn how to make aprons.

77. Make an apron for every holiday.

78. Buy a Kitchen-Aid.

79. Buy a Bread Maker.

80. Have low lights put in my hair, and have a peek-a-boo put in. 8/20/2010

81. Turn in my grad-school application.

82. Make my own bread for three weeks.

83. Visit the Great Barrier Reef.

84. Buy 10 new shirts. 8/2/2010

85. Go horseback riding up the Tetons.

86. Go to Arch's National Park.

87. Be an EFY Counselor.

88. Go to a drive in, and watch a double feature.

89. Go to three church history sites.

90. Go to the spoon with the cherry on it...in Minneapolis.

91. Spend a weekend in Salmon, ID.

92. Go on an Expedition with School....Network.

93. Be the vice-president of SAS.

94. Keep my blog updated weekly, at the end of the year have it printed.

95. Have lunch on Grand Ave in St. Paul.

96. Visit the Nations Capitol.

97. Stick to a strict meal plan for a month.

98. Visit Ayers Rock.

99. Go to the Sydney Opera House.

100. Go to the Four Corners in the west.

101. Go to Forks. Home of Twilight. July 29 2010

Eclipse.

2010-07-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

We went to the midnight showing of ECLIPSE...along with half of Rexburg. We went to the Eclipse pre-party and bought VIP tickets...so we were the some of the first ones in the theater and we got to cut the ribbon for the ceremony. It was totally silly, and goofy and so much fun. The movie was much better than the first two. I really enjoyed it! haha

These are some of the girls that came with. Kyr is the only one I know. Haha
Shelly, Em, Me

Check out Emily's blog to see her pictures as well!

Me, Em, Aubrie. We had our hair done by a lady there. They also had people doing scratches on arms and vampire bites on faces. That is why it looks like there is blood dripping down my arm.

Me. After my hair was done.

While I was getting my hair done. I kept hearing you look like a "who from whoville"

Shelly, Me, Katie, Aubrie, Em.

Me and Em after we had our ware wolf scratches put on.

Shelly, Me, Em.

Shellys shirt says "Team Jacob because life is always better half naked."

My shirt says "Team Jacob. Protecting the pack 1 Bloodsucker at a time."

Emilys shirt says "Dear Jacob, I WIN. Sincerely, Edward."

Team Jacob

2010-06-28T17:16:00.000-07:00

The Midnight showing of Eclipse is a little more than 24 hours away...and counting...There are 7 of us going to see it. I just wanted to make it clear exactly who I am rooting for....

TEAM JACOB...

We had our pre-party at Emily Burch's house on Saturday...we each brough a dish inspired by the Twilight series. We watched Twilight and New Moon while making our shirts! It was a fun day with my best friends!

Let the games begin.

I needed a change.

2010-06-27T21:12:00.001-07:00

This is what happens when your best friend is a "Future Hair Professional" at Paul Mitchell Partner School...

Before.

Salons and Beauty Schools have been asked to send hair to the Gulf Coast region to help soak up the oil that BP has spilt....Since I can't go and clean up like I would like to I decided to send my hair instead.

A lot of my Hair.

I love my new cut. It is cute and really easy to manage. It was easy to style and so fun!

I love it! Thanks Kyr!

Dear Anyone.

2010-06-22T16:05:00.000-07:00

If anyone has been thinking lately about buying me a present...I don't know why you would be...but in the off chance that you were. This is what I would like.

Thanks and Much Love,

Emily

Update.

2010-06-17T18:49:00.000-07:00

My friend Tyrel Nelson (The one on the left of the elder in the suit in the middle) came home last week. Amanda Lemon, Kelsie Day and I (along with many many others) went to his homecoming on Sunday. It was a blast. It was fun to catch up and to take a little trip down memory lane.

I started and finished Twilight. I only have two more books to complete before the 30Th...When Kyrie, Emily, Shelly and I will be going to the midnight showing of Eclipse! For a preview go to Kyries blog! I am so excited! I will start New Moon tomorrow!

I added a block softball class. It is so much fun. I picked something that I didn't know much about. I was going to add golf but all the classes were full. It is quite fun! It is on Tuesdays and Thursdays...It will be an easy A...good way to boost my GPA...

Amanda, Kelsie and I went to the temple on Saturday. It is really nice having a temple so close.

Emily, Shelly, Cami and I went to Coldstone last night. It was our girls night out for the week. We talked and talked and talked and laughed and had a great time. I have the best friends!

We reunite. Amanda Lemon came into town for the homecoming. It has been 6 months since we have seen each other. It was fun. It was quick and we had a great time. This picture was our last temple trip as companions. We had the cutest mini missionary with us then. This was probably 8 months ago.

This is her now. She lost heaps of weight.. It was fun to catch up. It was fun to reminisce and to make new memories. We found out when our President and Sister Richards homecoming is. So we will be able to see each other again in about three weeks....and all the other missionaries that I miss heaps. It will be fun!

The Good list.

2010-06-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

I would love to read a normal book. A book with characters, a plot, a climax, a story and perhaps a real ending. Instead I read text books. Books that seem to be filled with so much information that my head starts to spin every time I think about reading another chapter. So this begins my list of books that I am going to read. I am going to take them on vacation with me and I am going to stay up way to late and get up early just so I can finish these books....the list is long....I mean really long but I will conquer it by the end of the year. I will quit school if I have to. Okay maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself.
1. The Lucky One by. Nicholas Sparks
2. Dear John by. Nicholas Sparks
3. The Last Song by.Nicholas Sparks
4. Nights in Rodanthe by. Nicholas Sparks
5. Twilight by. Stephenie Meyer I have already read these four, I have forgotten most of what happened so I need a refresher. Plus....I really need to read Eclipse before we go to the Midnight showing. I don't have much time I better get started on that. It comes out in 20 days, but who is counting?
6. New Moon
7. Eclipse
8. Breaking Dawn
9. There are many more books that I would love to read many more I would love to add to my list. I would love to read all of these today, tomorrow, next week, or by the end of this year (which by the way in in less than 6 months) but I have to be honest with myself. I will be so so so happy if I get through these! But for now. I think I will stick to my text books.

Happy Day.

2010-06-09T20:35:00.001-07:00

I wish this was real life. I am in love. This movie is wonderful. Shelly, Emily and I went to see it. We literally just got back. It was great. I wish that this was real life, I wish that something wonderful like this would happen to me! Love is grand. At least that is what I hear. HAHA I would give it two thumbs up...or five stars...what ever rating you prefer. Today was a fantastic day! Nothing could ruin in. Plus....my roommate cleaned her part of the room. Thanks for doing movie night with me! It was a great choice. I am glad we didn't wait until we all read the book. We would have been waiting for a while.

I LOVE TODAY!!!!!!!! (I wish you could hear me sing this!)

Can you please help.

2010-06-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

Two of my roommates are getting married. We are throwing two separate showers for them a week apart. I am in need of some great ideas. I am really up for any ideas. Games, foods, decorations...anything! If you have any ideas...please...leave a comment. Thanks heaps. I will let you all know how they go!

$4.77

2010-06-06T14:53:00.000-07:00

Emily, Kyrie and I went to Porter's (a small craft store in the small city of Rexburg)...We saw a really cute ribbon holder. I loved it but we all decided that it could be made cheaper from treasures from DI. So we ventured out yesterday to the DI. I found this two cute picture frames for $1.00 each....Two frames=$2.00

Next step...We went to Wal-Mart and found white paint, sponge painters, and ribbon. I spend $2.77. This project can be cheaper if you have these things on hand.
Then I painted. The frame on the right is an original. Old, and dirty...but once painted they look really nice. Trendy and cute!

This is a closer picture of what they look like.

Me painting. Emily and baby in the background!

I used a box and cut out a piece of cardboard that was the size of the frame.

I used two pieces of scrapbook paper and wrapped the cardboard in the paper.

I then cute the ribbon to the correct size and glued the ends to the back of the cardboard. Make sure they are really secure.

You place them in the frame and are finished! Hang them around the house. You can use them for a few different things. You can clip bows to it. Tuck pictures behind them or To Do note. A really cute and cheap way to decorate! And to have a little fun!

Total cost of my project...$4.77.

Farmers Market.

2010-06-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

You have to look for fun things to do in Rexburg. Look High and Low...sometimes you find things to do. Sometimes you sit at home and wonder what people in real towns are doing on a Friday night. That was not the case this Friday night. There is a small farmers market in town. I really wanted to go. I brought Shelly, Emily, Kyrie and Baby Austin along. I had a blast looking at all the fun things they were selling....thinking of how I could make the same things out of "treasures" from the DI. You would be surprised what you could find there.

My wonderful friends! They all left their husbands at home and we had a girls night!

A pottery stand. This one is for Dad.

After about an hour of wondering, I decided upon a fresh Basil plant for $1.50. When I saw it I thought of how big my Mum's gets every summer and all the yummy food that she makes with the fresh basil. After the market we were off to DI to find a pot. I found this cute little one for $1.50...It was already painted so it made it worth it.

Then I planted it. With dirt from Emily's front yard. Haha!
This is what it looked like in the end. Now it is sitting in my room...waiting for the sun to come out so it can receive some food! Yeah! I will keep you updated on the life and times of my Basil Plant.

After the farmers market and DI we went to Emily's house and played a game. Then we went and saw Letters to Juliet. It was cute and cheesy and so much fun to hang out with my friends! I would recommend this movie...it is at the dollar theater here....so it was cheap too!

four hands. three hours. two brains. one dresser.

2010-06-02T21:43:00.001-07:00

This is what happens when Jake goes out of town.

It starts like this. Open the box and pull out all the parts and pieces....

Make sure that everything is there! Measure twice, cut once...I learned this the hard way.

After many hours we manged to get this done!

Next step. Put all the drawers together. It is much harder than it looks. Four drawers. 1.5 Hours.

One drawer down, three to go. Baby Austin in the background. So cute. He loves me! We love to hang out!

The finished product! Yeah! We did it! By ourselves and no help! Who says you need a man around?

A wonderful place for Kyr to store alllllllll of her clothes. It is a lot of fun when husbands leave town!

cedar city.

2010-06-01T19:44:00.001-07:00

I had an absolute blast this weekend. Melanie and Mark invited me to their home for Memorial Day weekend! We hung out with the whole Storland gang...just like old times...most of the times it was Mel, Mark, Maliza and I....We stayed up late, watched movies, saw a sunset over the mountains, went four wheeling, went dirt biking at Three Peaks, ate lots of really good food...went to Mesquite Nevada to go swimming and play in the sun, went for a ride on a street bike and made lots of wonderful memories with some of my best friends!

This is me on the dirt bike I rode this weekend.

The four-wheeler...Marks truck and toy hauler behind me.

Riding back into the camp site...Mark and I had a blow dart competition....I lost...That is our target...and the results. Mine are the blue darts.

Warning. Really blurry. Mel and JJ making Sunday breakfast. The whole Storland Family and spouses came and we had crapes together. Yum.

When we went up to the mountain to see the sunset. It is beautiful in Cedar. Mel and I with Cedar City as our background

Maliza...she is a firecracker...and a doll. She is so funny, and smart. We had lots of fun together! She put these glasses on at the store, and looked so cute!

My gracious hosts...Melanie and Mark.

I love the red mountains in the background. I love the landscape in Southern Utah. I am drawn to it. It is beautiful!

Mel and I...in front of Mark's work. We stopped by to say hello

Joel. Tonka the Horse. Me. Maliza. Joel and I went riding on Saturday morning. Maliza was so scared of the horse in this picture. But the next day she was sitting on the horse and telling it to go....cute girl!

I have more. But I don't want to overload you! I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed my weekend!

Thank You to Melanie and Mark for the great time! I will see you again sometime soon!

temple.

2010-05-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

I have wonderful friends! Two of my friends and I had the opportunity to go the Rexburg Temple tonight! It was awesome! I love being there and I loved not having to go by myself! Thanks Em and Shelly!!!! After we went to Dairy Queen...We sat and talk and laughed and had a great time! It is great being here in Rexburg, learning and growing!

Tomorrow I am off to see more wonderful friends in Utah. It will be the first time I have seen them in almost two years. I will let you all know how it went by Tuesday! Love ya all!

meet my roommates.

2010-05-20T20:59:00.001-07:00

Judith. Becky. Me. Chazz. Erin. Trista.

Meet Trista. She is funny, laughs at everything, loves music, plays the clarinet, is a music major, from Arizona, is the oldest in her family, she is so fun to be with. Trista has a great personality and a great new friend!

Meet Erin. She is engaged to Jeremy and is very focused, works at KFC, is from Idaho, majoring in Elementary Education, has a car (the only one in the flat), loves to talk (I love to listen), is 19, is happy, is dedicated, loves what she does.

Meet Becky. She is awesome, an interior design major, has a mac, is from Utah, is 22, is always busy with homework, is fun to hang out with, has 10 brothers and sisters, is very organized, has wonderful decorating skills, is a great example. She is great and I am happy to know her!

Meet Judith. She has the biggest smile, she loves her Fiancee Payton, she is a psychology major, she is a walking dictionary, she is from Florida, has lots of brothers and sisters, is really smart, is very patient and loving.

Meet Chazz. Real name Chaska, her dream is to visit Chaska, MN (She thinks it is the only place in the world where she can get a key chain with her name on it), she is a theater major, she loves attention, loves to sing, loves to talk, she is happy, she is very loving, is willing to help anyone she meets, she is from Idaho, she is 22, she wants to go on a mission. I don't really know if there are words to describe her.

I didn't really know what I was getting into when I moved here. I didn't know who I would be living with. Honestly, it was kinda scary, but all in all it works. I am so grateful that we have the Gospel of Jesus Christ in common. It makes things a lot easier. I like my roommates, they are a fun group of girls all trying to achieve the same thing, just in different aspects of our lives! It is amazing how Heavenly Father works! I love it!

Safety for the Soul

2010-05-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. When I heard Elder Holland's talk in conference of October 2009 I felt what he was saying. No one who listens to his testimony can deny it. As a missionary I had a wonderful experience of hearing Elder Holland speak directly to us. He told us how much he loves the Book of Mormon, he believes that if it is in a room it eminates light. It brings people to Christ and His gospel. It fulfills it purpose everyday! I love the spirit found within the Book of Mormon. Follow the link below and feel the love and truth for yourself!!!!
Testimony-of-the-Book-of-Mormon
If you have a few minutes check out all the other Mormon Messages on Youtube...it is truely inspiring!!!!