Nothing is cuter...

Than this pair!
I love you Tolman!!

An adventure!

That nasty piece of white bubblegum in the middle of this picture was Jami's addition to the gum wall.

Jami and Tol came and visited for a couple days and we did all sorts of fun things. One of the first things we did was visit the Gum Wall-and all the other cool places at Pike's Place Market. Unfortunately, this is where we were when the car window got bashed in...but we won't talk about that here since it's already been posted.

Jame and Tol looking at the fish. Tol and I wondered how long ago they were swimming around in the water.

We were in paradise. Exact words of the little man, "Seattle is paradise!!"
What is a trip to Seattle without visiting the Space Needle.

We had dinner on top of the Space Needle. Tol said it was the coolest restaurant he has ever been to-500 feet in the air and it spins!
Perhaps this picture doesn't look rad, but this ball was not connected to the ground. We were able to balance it while all 3 of us got on it.
On Sunday I got to go to part of a seminar so I drove the motorcycle. I met Jami and Tol later on and they took a picture... Look how pretty the sky is!
We went to Kirkland-where Jason the Bachelor is from and walked around and played by the water. Jami was on the lookout for Jason....

This picture is right in my backyard. We went down to the dock and over to the golf course.
Tol and I thought it was pretty cool that cars were driving above us!
King of the mountain!
We decided to find rocks and throw them into the water from the bridge...it was fun when they made big splashes.

We were trying to catch, or at least touch, a goose. They were too fast for Tol and I.
Tol wouldn't give his auntie a kiss.
We saw a raccoon on the tree during din din. There were actually 2 of them out there. This is right outside my back window.
Uncle Paul, Pauls date Evalon, me and Uncle Joe. Joe is my landlord and Paul lives in the basement apartment. Joe made us all an excellent dinner. Thanks Joe!
We had a little bbq afterwards for some delicious treats!


There will be more pictures to come but had to document the last few days!

I'm mad/entertained

Because my car got broken in to.

I was at Pike's Place Market earlier today with Jami and Tol...we got there at about 11am. We got back to the car at about 12:20 and my front window wasn't there anymore. Actually, it was there, it was just scattered in lots and lots of pieces on the ground and on the front seat.

Bummer.
We didn't allow it to stop the fun though...

We went to the Crab Pot!

Amazing weekend

I was able to go on an amazing trip this weekend. I got home just a few hours ago and can't do anything until I sit and write and express some of the feelings in my heart. I went to LaPush with Adriane, Pam, Alana and Ciara and the five of us had an amazing time.Niko, Ferg, Alana, Ciara, Pam and Me

Yesterday I was on the beach by myself. I started a fire and took a little nap and then I just wrote. Wrote and wrote. I'll share a little...

"My hand can't move fast enough. Even if it could it would be impossible to write what I'm feeling. Peace, happiness, whole, calm-calm but ready to burst. Everything makes sense but nothing matters-nothing except that I'm alive!"

"I'm in La Push, WA-perhaps one of the worlds best kept secrets. I don't want to look down at this paper because it is the beauty I see that inspires my soul. But I can't not write-in fear that I may forget this moment."

"Everything about my complicated life seems so simple. Everything seems simple. And when I think about how just the day before yesterday I thought my life was complicated I look inside myself and giggle a bit and call myself dramatic."

"I don't have my cell phone and haven't wanted it. I don't have my computer and haven't wanted it. I don't know what time it is and I haven't cared. It's great and simple and beautiful. I wonder why I view simpleness as beauty. But I do. Yesterday we were eating tin foil dinners with our fingers and I thought it was beautiful. Ferg didn't want to shower because sometimes she likes getting dirty and smelling like fire and I thought that was beautiful. We all just hung out and did what we wanted when we wanted and that was the most beautiful of all."

"What is it about the earth that speaks to me? I've never been in a crowded place and had this kind of moment. But when I am on the front row of God's most awesome creation I am blown away and taken to areas of myself that I absolutely love and some that I am introduced to for the first time. It makes me giddy."

"My heart and my soul and my entire self are rejuvenated. Not only am I in an absolutely beautiful physical place-perhaps one of the prettiest places I have ever seen-I am in an amazing mental place. AND I am with people who motivate and inspire me. The combination of the three makes for a perfect weekend. I needed this. I have already laughed so hard that I've cried-more than once. I am in my element-in the mountains, by a fire, away from the complicated thing we call life. I am with the best part of myself. I'm in my paradise."


Okay, it's me again. And I'm at home...and I am giggling to myself thinking about the weekend...Here are some pictures.

This is Ferg, Pam and I on the front of the ferry. This was mine and Pam's first ferry ride and we were sooo excited!!

Second Beach

Ferg being like a superheroBy the camp fire...my heaven. I could stare at a fire for hours...and I did!!One of my favorite things about Washington is the cloud formations...Third Beach-and my favorite picture from the trip
We found this on the tree. Perfect for the end of the trip!

On the drive home

I'm pouting that I have to go home

This was indeed a fabulous weekend.
"Letting go and moving on."

Insight

The last 24 hours my mind has been in a frantic frenzy-trying to hold on to good thoughts and feelings...because sad thoughts and feelings have been trying to overpower.

It started the evening of St. Patty's Day when I ran into a (what should we can this particular person??) friend (?? not hardly) and this person was nothing but rude. In fact, this person mentioned how she/he takes pride in the fact that other people know him/her to be mean. (I don't want to give any hints on who this person is...)

Anyway, my interaction with this person was nothing but negative and left me feeling a little-no-a lot down. I don't know why I interacted with this person, I should have known that it wasn't going to be good-it's never good-this person is not a happy uplifting person-in my opinion, this person is the complete opposite-but I guess I was trying to give this person the benefit of the doubt. I thought that maybe I would have caught him/her on a good day...

So I was feeling low. I was sad that some people like to be mean. Seriously, it's weird. I honestly think that this particular person enjoys being mean. I actually know it! This person mentioned how its fun...I was blown away. And then I just got sad.

Are there a lot of people out there like that??

I thought of the story Alana told last weekend. She was at a store where there were a few young rowdy kids and she witnessed a lady going up to the father of these kids and rudely requesting that he take control of them. The mans response was, "I'm sorry lady. My kids just lost there mother and I just lost my wife a couple hours ago."

I thought of another story, one that I personally experienced, when I was in South America and I gave my sandwich to a kid who took it to his sister because it wasn't his turn to eat that day.

One time I had a bad day because I found out my dad had cancer. I had another bad day when my sister was in a car accident and her boyfriend was killed. The things I remember about those days were kind words/gestures from strangers who had no idea what was going on in my life...people who were genuinely nice.

My reason for telling those stories is we never know what people are going through. If we all had it stamped on our faces what we were going through, like "come congratulate me! I have had worlds best day because I fell in love or got a raise or am having a baby" or "today has totally sucked! I lost my job or my dad or I found out I am sick" I think we might treat people a little different. But sometimes we treat people like robots-like there only reason the person in the car next to me is alive is to waste space.

It is sad to me.

On a better note, I went climbing with Ferg last night. I hadn't been for quite sometime and was happy to go. I miss certain things about Utah-climbing, although I wasn't great at it, is one of them. I miss the recreation (but I keep hearing I am in the recreation meca of the world!!! so i am looking forward to it!!) but am excited for the warm weather so I can get out and enjoy!

Here are a few pictures of St Patty's! (St Patty's was like any other Tuesday. We are all on a soccer team together and practice every Tuesday night and then go to rose afterwards for taco Tuesday!)

Cousin and PamFerg Dog and mePam, Mel, Me and Nika

Me and Karah

Brighton

This morning (at about 4am) I couldn't sleep so I began cleaning out one of my closets and I found my Brighton Camp Songbook. So, I opened up and flipped through each page playing my guitar and singing. I was in heaven. Actually, I was in my bathroom (because I thought that was the only place I could go where Paul wouldn't be able to hear me).

It brought back soo many memories. Brighton will forever and always be my favorite place in the entire universe!!

Jess

Today is my sister Jessica's birthday. She is 28 today. I wish I were at home to celebrate with her because her life is certainly something to celebrate!

For some reason I didn't feel especially close to Jess growing up but over the last few years, maybe even the last few months, I have fallen in love with her. Her life excites me and her passion motivates me. She is a strong, determined woman and because of her this world is better. She is a light in my life and someone who I would want my daughters to be like.

Jessica is a hero of mine. She is so many good things, so many of the best things, wrapped up into one person. I love her openmindedness and ability to love all people. I love her passion for learning and success. I admire her commitment to her family-her commitment to me. I am so thankful I have such an amazing person (and lucky for me I have 2 people I feel this way about) I get to call my sister.

Jess, I love you!! Happy Birthday!

26

It is almost 2am on my BIRTHDAY!!!

I was in Seattle a year ago from this second. I was in Seattle visiting Tipton, who I will always love and admire, and her girlfriend at the time, Sara. I needed a vacation-a mini break from life- and they were kind enough to have me.

A year ago from right this second, I was out with Leah and Miska-friends that I met out here on an earlier trip to Seattle. They took me to a place where I was sung to and danced with that had really good food-but the name of the place is slipping my mind. When I got back to Tipton and Sara's place I went right to sleep but woke up early the next day (which was my birthday!!!) to have a phone interview with REI. It's unbelievable that was a year ago... After my phone interview, Tipton drove me to the airport and I was on my way back to Utah.

When I got to Utah, I made a quick stop home and then headed to the REI parking lot at SouthTown Mall to meet Jamie...and the two of us headed up to one of my favorite places in the entire universe. Brighton.

We had an amazing time up there. We met and had dinner with a man from Scotland and another from California. Jamie gave me an amazing gift with a perfect card. I think it must have taken hours to create. I remember reading it with tears rolling down my face-not only because the words that were written but also the effort that she put into making it...it was all incredible to me. That card is still one of my most treasured things.

At that moment I remember knowing for certain that nobody would ever know me like Jamie. Little did I know. Now, exactly one year later, she is a complete stranger to me. She has a familiar voice but she is a stranger.

My 25th year was hard. I will (shamefully) admit that a lot of that sadness came from my own actions but a lot came from the actions of others as well. And the fact that life is just hard sometimes-which isn't anyones fault.

This, my 26th year, is going to be a good one. I can feel it. It started off great-at midnight I was at a dinner party with some of the best people I have ever met. I have created a family up here! They are people who see the best in me and encourage me to do good things. I feel lucky!!

Let me introduce some of the fam...so at least they have familiar faces to my other family, who is my actual family at home...

This is at brunch last week-not a great shot but great people.
Me, Mel, Alana, Pam and CiaraKarah and Erin and cute little HoodieChelsea and Chelsea

Mel, Katherine, and PamelaSo, this is kinda random but this is Mel Nebeker and she is my ACTUAL distant cousin. Our grandparents are cousins...

So, there are some of the people that I get to associate with and spend my time with. I am lucky. Another lucky, lucky thing going on in my life is that I actually LIVE in Washington. I felt overwhelmed the other day as I was driving around for work because I live in such a beautiful place. I realize I may not have been super safe but I took a few pictures as I was driving around...just so I could document how amazingly beautiful it is here...

Even further, check out what was in my back yard last week... I know you can't tell but this is AN EAGLE!! Paul, who lives below me, called me at 6:00 in the morning and told me to go outside and see what's there...this is what I found. Again, bad picture but amazingly beautiful and incredible.I have a newness about myself and my life. I feel peace and confidence that I haven't ever felt before. I am grateful. I know who I am and for the first time, I am proud of it.

Here is to continue adding goodness in my life and deleting negativeness. Here is to continue creating relationships with good people. Here is to my amazing family who hasn't done anything but love and support me.

Here is to a great 26th year!