Bucket List

I've started a "foreseeable future" bucket list

• Climb Maple Canyon
• Go water skiing - get up slalom
• Take a Spanish class
• Live in a Latin American Country
• Go to a Masquerade ball

That's all I've got so far - its finals week

But here are some pictures of the past little while

First snow! yeah I was excited!

I get out of work as the sun is setting and there have been some pretty amazing sunsets.

Sledding up at Alta - EPIC (I just like to use that word).

My dad painted this for me!

Another sunset.

The Absolute Greatness of my Weekend!

Happy Halloween!

I got home from work on Friday to these two. (My roommate Andrea and her friend Danielle). They convinced me to come get those attractive mustaches with them. So of course I had to dress up. Costume #1 Punk Rocker

Second party of the night I changed into my unfinished Peter Pan costume. I went dancing with pins holding it together! It was so fun, really I just got to be myself, plus a little added craziness!

Sadly I was reminded too late that night that I had wanted to be Flock of Seagulls!

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo1/Brendamartin116/MUSIC/B000ERU3PG01_SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V6488.jpgI almost had it on accident though! have to find some other occasion.

After the dance party we watched The Others. I didn't get to bed until 2:30. I woke up at 7am to go to the Hot Pots up Spanish Fork Canyon. It filled my soul! and I was with more people that I could just be myself with!

Then comes the real party! Meet Captain Kirk, The Queen of Hearts and Peter Pan!

Also meet a Baseball Junky and my little Leprechaun!

Captain Kirk was the life of the party! as usual!

This weekend went far better than I had planned or even expected. I was excited and filled! Hope you had a great Halloween!

Fall is definitely here!

And finally my rockin' outfit...

aviator glasses with matching jacket, skinny jeans and zebra heals!

Mary's Wedding

My cousin Mary got married so my sister came into town. So we got time with the nephews!

And the Cousins. We were a bit hungry so Jane got us a chunk of cheese that we downed!

Yeah we're just crazy!

My nephew Kaden loves me!

Mary and Steed coming out of the Temple.

My nephew Tanner has the creepy laugh that is actually quite hilarious. Mary is the only one who can get him to do it.

(sorry I still haven't figured out that i can't turn my camera when i take video!)

smatterings of life.

Katie is an awesome cake decorator! She made a "Rainy Day" cake for Paulette's bridal shower! Those are little chocolate umbrellas on the cake!

My best friend Sierra and her husband came into town! We played fútball -aka soccer.

Ate the first pumpkin pie of the season! It made me so happy!

and she helped me with my Biology!

Later that weekend I got to jam on an electric Violin!

Hispanos

Updated post with pictures!

The things that have made me smile lately.

Tonight I went to the Jordan River temple with Katherine, Pipper and Aurelia.

Aurelia es de Peru. Fuimos al session en espanol! Fue tan bonito y dispues Aurelia nos diohistorias del crecemiento del evangelio en Peru. (disculpe mi grammatica y espanol en general).

This is the dinner she cooked us before we went. Oh, SOOSOOOOO good!

Monday I was at the Doctors for a checkup and the man sitting next to me was waiting for his wife. He was from Mexico and we talked a lot about his wife and how he is dealing with her struggles. I really felt like I was in the right place and my insights were what he needed to hear.

Life is good. I am reminded of that a lot! Documenting it helps me remember.

So pictures to come!

Have a fabulous day!

NAMI WALKS for the Mind of America

Candle Warmers Etc., my work, put together a team in honor of Bradford Beesley who past away last year. This is our walker page. We almost raised the most money out of any team that walked that day! I think we came in second to a U of U fraternity.

http://www.nami.org/walkTemplate.cfm?section=NAMIWALKS&template=/customsource/namiwalks/teampage.cfm&teamID=21798

Nami Walk Utah 2010

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Trying to bring awareness and help to the many who are affected by mental illness. (one of my soap boxes).

http://www.nami.org/

Patty Beesley, Brad's mom, broke her leg in Europe a few days before the walk. She was a great sport! They carried her up the stairs so she could be in the official picture.

My brother Max was an angel and came with me.

This is Brookston - the cutest little kid! He is Heather and Brett Heylands little boy. Heather used to work with us until this little guy came along. Now her Husband Brett is working with us. Now they've got just about everyone working at Candle Warmers. All the brothers and brother-in-laws.

Heather and me.

Brynn - a vary talented Popsicle eater. This is Brad and Shannon's little girl.

Our bright yellow wrist bands.

This is another reason for this blog. To remember the good in life. To take it to enjoy and celebrate it. Savor it with all you've got! to get you through the harder times when it's so hard to recognize the good that's there.

Right now I'm wearing my green scrubs and my tie-die shirt - just because it makes me happy. I choose not to remember all the hard things of this day. Hey, I think I did pretty good on my Biology exam. I got to watch part of a movie and just hang out with my roommates which is a luxury these days. Oh, and I woke up early for the second, maybe even third time! I got to study in the morning. It's even crossed my mind to go to the temple in the morning. It's been, well, along time since my body has allowed that.

Wow there's lots to smile about!

Yeah, so hand washing is no fun. So I decided to try foot washing!

Arroz Con Leche! The University Singers sang one of my favorite little mexican songs! My companion would sing it to me all the time. It really made me smile! Pretty sure I was actually dancing along I was so excited about it.

We went to see Steve Day and Dan Kennard. They are two of the many great guys we have in our ward.

My parents went out of town so we decided to have a sibling dinner. We went all out! Roast, Corn on the Cob and Corn bread. Don't you just love how purposefully awkward my brother and brother-in-law can be!

The sun rise!

Christen Farr has an amazing Peach Pie Recipe of her grandmas.

We made it for my parents anniversary and my sisters birthday. Yeah those are fresh peaches picked from a local Utah farm. I bought a whole box!

So I still have to write about the NAMI walk and the most recent stuff from this weekend, because they were oh so good! They'll come, maybe after tuesday's Biology test.

Smile!

So these are the sunflowers that start about Centerville and cover every field all the way to work! (still working on the picture taking... though it still looks cool)

Breakfast this morning!

I visited my cousin Sara last night to give her a little present from Ireland and I came out with much more than I went in with!

Fresh peaches

Fresh Tomatoes

Fresh Basil

A little bag of shallots

and a big bag of freshly dried fruit!

-Dinner tomorrow... something Italian!

I don't know if you can tell in the picture, but the leaves are changing color!!! I think I'm more excited about it because it's going to be in the 90's this weekend!

ha, appropriately a red light! Fall just wait a little longer. You're pretty and all, I just need a bit more summer time!

There is God in the world

I was driving home today stressing about homework and I had the thought, "Well it's only $2000. In the large scheme of things thats not that much, I don't have to keep going." I looked over and saw this paper laying on the ground. I sat there looking at it and finally had to get out and pick it up - the traffic light just wasn't changing!

I realized, well more like admitted to myself, that I would be giving up so much more that just the $2000 of tuition. Now it's hanging above my desk - road dirt and all!

The assignments and quizzes really weren't that bad. I made it though and feel more caught up.

Top Gun

I love that I get to think of Top Gun everyday - classic!

I go to work everyday to see these fly by!

I love my job! I love the people, the funny conversations and the support. I love that I cut up cardboard and color pretty pictures and look for inspiration all day!

I can't lie, I have a lot of up and down times. But this quote has helped me out multiple times now so it's worth putting down.

"I am not afraid, I was born to do this."

I was born to push myself, to learn from all the hard times, to enjoy the good times. I was born to create a beautiful life, to learn how to create joy and good out of the difficult or discouraging.

So there is more good to come!

Instead of Homework! Because I need to

Haley, my dear roommate, went out and bought stuff for dirt cups. I got so excited just talking about them the other day that she went out and bought them for me!

I'm enjoying my classes! I was way nervous about my Chemistry class. Biology is great - my teacher is very enthusiastic and I like the way she teaches. (she's in it to really help us learn not just shove facts down our throats). So the other day I was reading my Biology book. The information was so interesting I started getting all excited to learn Biology. I then realized I was reading the chapter on Chemistry. Yeah it made me happy! I needed that!

We went to the farmers Market on Saturday

Katie met a wonderful man who like to brag of his biggness.

There is much more. Like walking home with my home teacher, and my mom saying just the right thing, and getting specifically what I prayed for right when I needed it, and feeling that the things I am happy about are really making it in. As in, into my body, my psyche, my heart and soul. So when I say, "I love my job!" my insides listen! and it's starting to make me happy from the inside out!