How I Want to Live My Life

"I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk’s lawn. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor’s children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden. I want to be there with children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

-Sister Marjorie Pae Hinckley

Mother Teresa

I really liked this quote and the new perspective it gives to loving our neighbor. 

"At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made . . . We will be judged by ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.’ Hungry not only for bread—but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing—but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks—but homeless because of rejection.” ~ Mother Teresa

California Trip

This past week {two weeks now} I spent it with my sister Brittany and her family in San Francisco, California. It was my niece's baptism. I have a lot more photos on my camera... but here is a quick summery of what we did according to my phone.

^^The Golden Gate Bridge. A windy Day^^

  ^^ Since Brittany has a membership, we went to the Academy of Science on Friday. This is Ella and I making fun posses^^

 

^^We went to Muir Redwood Forest on Monday ^^

I missed my hubby tremendously those four days, but I had a great time visiting with the Turley's! 

Fun Activities

^^I have wanted to go to Color Me Mine for years and I finally got to for my Birthday! :D It really is so much FUN!^^

^^My Sunday Birthday Dinner- We are silly^^

^^Sammy wanted to get me flowers for my Birthday... long story short--he thought making them would be more meaningful. Didn't they turn out amazing?? I love them!^^

^^We are tired little monkeys^^

^^I started making a car seat canopy!^^

^^One of my Best Friends, Kenzy. We have known each other... well almost ever since I can remember! Sam and I got to be with her as she received her endowment^^

 Love her! :D

Come What May and Love It

^^Sam and I were on an intramural soccer team with our ward this past spring term. We were awesome! I am still surprised by my husband's natural athletic ability! He scored an amazing goal! :)^^ 

* * *

Sam and I use one of our gift cards, that we were given or we won, about once a month for our date nights. We only get one entree and split it {cheaper & it actually fills us up most of the time} 

In April we went to Gloria's to celebrate school being out:

^^ Gloria's Gnocchi: their best seller. Fresh potato dumpling pasta-- it's like a cotton ball. So Yummy!^^

In May we had our First Year Anniversary. We went back to our Honeymoon spot.

 We couldn't go all the way up there without eating at the famous "Harley & Bucks"-- this place is delicious!

July we went to:

This place also has really good food! These little joints in Provo really know how to cook! 

 "When you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself." 

My Mother

Lots of people have this misconception about Marriage, Family, and Human Development classes-- we rarely if EVER talk about specific practices we really only talk about principles. In my efforts to complement my mother on her practices that teach principles-- I didn't do so well. My classes have opened up my eyes what it takes to be a good mom... and what an amazing mother I have. 

I learn the principles, but I don't have ideas on good practices... until I began to notice {a fraction} what my mother does... that teaches me important principles.

I began to realize all the little details that add up to make her one amazing mother.

* * *

My mom stayed up late and played the "reserve your seat for the fourth of July parade" game so we could have front row seats under the trees for shade and close to home.

She got up and made breakfast for everyone and even the most delicious banana bread you will ever eat!! She even did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen all while she let us get some very needed sleep. 

She went and got special food at the grocery store so we could have food that was just a little healthier and tasted a little better. She remembered to get the drinks and waters in the cooler and even added ice so we wouldn't overheat during the parade. 

She took a moment to help the neighbors.

Then she went and parked the car by our parade spot and so after the parade we wouldn't have to carry all of the blankets, chairs and coolers back... ... and then she walked with her hurt knee all the way back home.

After the parade she left and reserved the best seats in town to watch the fireworks and spent a good amount of time making sure the angles were all perfect so we would have the best seats in the house. 

{And it is still morning.}

* * *

Mom,

You show me that being a mother is one of the greatest thing I will ever do in this life because you have made it one of the greatest things in your life. 

You were always there with great enthusiasm at my track meets, award ceremonies or banquets.  You have always been my greatest fan, cheering me on the front row. I will always be able to pick out your voice in the crowd.

You have taught me to love education and to pursue my dreams. Because you believed in me, I believe in myself. You teach me, by example, to love others.

And although life can be really hard, you get up and fight each morning because life is worth it.

You taught me what it means to have faith. You taught me to forgive and the importance of forgiveness. You taught me to do my best (and what it means to do my best).

You taught me that life can go in many directions-- and even if you find yourself in a circumstance that you don't like-- things change.

Because of you, I am who I am and where I am today. Your selfless sacrifices have made such an impact on my life. You strengthened me during my darkest hours so I could feel the sunshine of today. 

Thank you. You are my angel and best-friend.

I love you Mom!

Moments

The past couple weeks I have been making notes of different random moments that i'd like to remember. 

Baby Hungry Moment: 
      I was telling Sam some of the things that I learned in my socialization class. Namely, when babies/toddlers get really happy they "chirp" from excitement and JOY; and at about 9 months babies are very responsive and parents can "emotionally dance" with there kids. So if the parents "practice" the baby will move their limbs at the rate of your voice, and will actually change the rate of there body movement with your voice rate. It's really cute. The cuter part was Sam's reaction: Sam got SO excited for the day when we are blessed to bring kids into this world!!

Hobby Moment: 
       I love to Organize. Honestly. I am pretty tolerant when things aren't organized so it took me awhile to realize that I really DO like  to organize {the tolerance actually helps me to enjoy it and not feel obligated to do it :)}. I also LOVE preparing for the future and planning. Sam and I went through our important papers and updated our filing system {aka my old filing system from 3 years ago that is no longer working}. I decided that my life is pretty busy to try and keep maintaining things. So under {Housing} I added a file for "Mortgage" and under {Insurances} we added "Life Insurance" :) We also made a binder for our important legal documents {S.S. card, Birth certificates, wedding announcement :) }. I actually wanted to do this last summer but I ran out of time.

GRE Moment: GRE accepted my petition!! :)

Scrapbooking Moment: 
      I asked Sam if he could go through all of my several crazy locations of scrapbook stuff and pull things that I could use for my easter testimony book {It's a final project I am doing for one of my classes-- to make a religious object}. I started to show Sam examples of what to pull and then he said: I think it would be easier for me to organize your stuff and so you can find/access it quicker when you need it. I thought this was a great idea! I have been wanting to organize all of my scrapbook papers/stamps/paper-sewing machine/tools/instruments(as Sam calls them) etc... for years and years now! I just haven't had the time. As we went through one of the big boxes that had idea books, stampin-up books and paper I finally found my box with all of my medals and trophies!!! I had been so worried I had lost them and Sam had never seen all of them. :) So as most organizing/going through boxes projects go, you stumble upon random papers that need to be sorted through.

When this project was winding down I said:
"Sam, this is so great! Now, I only have 1.5 junk boxes to go through!" 
"Yeah, now I have all this useless information of where everything is! ;)"

{Note: when I got married a year-ago I had about 8 "junk" boxes- who knew a 20-year-old could have so much stuff? Something else that is funny is after I asked Sam where he thought I got some of these things he basically replied that after box two he stopped questioning where I got some of the things and why I have some things :p it was funny}