FAIL!

I tried to write down things I was thankful for and I forgot yesterday! And started writing all my posts a few days late! Looks like I'll just make a list to finish up the month! I'm thankful for:

Safe cars
Being alive and healthy
Our loving Heavenly Father
Cell phones
Chocolate
Heating in my house and car
Snow plows
Movies
Heated seats:)
Kisses
People who make me laugh
Extra large purses that I can fit my life into
Hot chocolate
Beautiful Colorado
Music
Ice cream
The people who believe in me
Pretty flowers
Life lessons- good and bad
Cheerleading
Did I already mention my wonderful family:))

Happy November!

NOVEMBER 6

November 6, 2011:

Today I am thankful for modern technology. It is so easy to look something up on your phone or computer. You can order or find just about anything you want on the Internet. Along with this comes Skype and FaceTime. I love that we are able to see friends and family that aren't able to be with you. I love catching up with my sister and seeing what's new in her life. I'm lucky to live in a time where these things are available whenever you want them!

NOVEMBER 5

November 5, 2011:

I'm thankful to have a job! Even though I complain about the hours I work, the people I work with, and not making enough money, I'd rather have all of these things than no job at all! Along with my job comes Bob, a mall walker. He hasn't been coming by as often lately because he fell down about a month ago and hasn't been able to get around as well! Not seeing him as often has made me appreciate the times he has come to visit!

NOVEMBER 2:

November 2, 2011:
Today I am thankful for my family. I am lucky to have parents who love me, two sisters that are wonderful examples to me, a brother-in-law that looks out for me, and the cutest niece on the planet that keeps all of us laughing. All of them are such a blessing in my life :)

NOVEMBER 1

Since I haven't been on here in a couple months, I thought  I would put up a post for everyday of the month with things that I am thankful for... Here we go....

November 1, 2011:

Today, I am thankful for my freedom. I think it is something we forget we have. I had lunch with my parents today, and during lunch my mom reminded me that I needed to vote. It was just little things in the school district, so I didn't think it was that big of a deal. She explained that I could drop it off on my way to work, so I decided to quickly fill out the questions. My mom then started talking about how lucky we are to even be able to vote for things we want, instead of being told what we have to do. She told me of a friend of hers that had just gotten back from visiting his 100 year old father in the Middle East. This man, who is from the Middle East as well, told my mom, "The United States really is the best place to live!" We are so lucky and blessed to have the things we do and live in such a wonderful place. I am thankful for the people who are serving our country and pray for their safe return. :)

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Gosh, it has been a while since I have been on here... I have been meaning to blog about the experience I had at the Denver airport in May. 

I love people watching. As I walked through the security line I couldn't help but watch the family in front of me. It was a single mother with 3 children. A daughter about 5, a son about 10 and another daughter about 12. I could tell that the oldest daughter was a little "different". I thought maybe she was shy.  She didn't seem very happy, and didn't interact with her family much. After we had our ID's checked, I noticed her mom sign to her that she needed to take off her shoes.  I started taking my sandals off, minding her mother like it was my own :)The younger daughter turned around and looked at my sandals as I took them off and told me how much she liked them. I told her that I liked hers too! She said she liked my shirt and then told me that she bought her shirt online. She was so eager to talk to me. I loved it! I then felt a hand hanging on to my arm. I looked over to see her older sister using me to help keep her balance as she took off her shoes. Her mother apologized for it, but I told her I didn't mind. We continued through the security line and right before we went through security I again felt the older sister touching my arm. This time it was different. She put her arm around me and gave me a hug. It was so unexpected, but I felt like it made her feel so good. She then smiled at me. This was the first time in the 15 minutes that I was around this family that I had seen her smile. Her mom smiled as well. After almost 3 months, I don't remember much about my time in the airport before that, or after that, but I do remember those 15 minutes or so quite well. 

It amazes me how one little action can have such a big impact on the rest of the day. <3

A Wonderful Weekend

I got a phone call on Friday morning from Anna telling me that she had booked her flight for that night, and was going to surprise our mom for Mother's Day. Justin and I drove to Denver to pick her up, after telling my mom we were going to have a movie night. Clever. :) Anna successfully surprised my mom, and she cried. (When I say she, I mean Anna.) I am glad that my mom was able to have all 4 of her girls with her on Mother's Day.

Thanksgiving in May.

My sister posted this story on her blog, and it made me realize that we need to be thankful for what we have. Every day is a blessing. Not only am I thankful for my family and friends today, but I am thankful for the wonderful guidance they give me. 

"I cross University Parkway every day on my way to and from school. As I was on my way back to work from school, after my first class, I was almost hit by a girl who wasn't paying attention and turned while it was my turn to walk. I hit the window of her passenger door to let her know how close she was to me, hoping that would scare her and the next time she'd pay more attention. I chuckled to myself as I finished crossing the street, thinking of the horrified expression on her face. Grateful that I wasn't hit, I went about my day, forgetting this close call, since it wasn't the first time something like this had happened to me at this intersection.

As I was leaving campus after my last class of the day, it was about 8:45p.m. and starting to rain. I came up to the same intersection that I previously mentioned. I was the first person in my lane and I saw people getting out of their cars and traffic was stopped. There was a car parked in the middle of the intersection. It took me a second to figure out what happened, then it clicked when I saw a body on the ground. Someone had been hit. It looked like the girl who was crossing the street was crossing at the same cross-walk I had been crossing just hours earlier. As I studied the scene, put the puzzle pieces together, and talked with other witnesses, I realized the girl had been crossing the cross-walk on the other side of the street, about 50-feet away. I won't go into any more detail of the things I saw."

I am thankful that this poor girl survived. I am also thankful for my sister's safety in May, and every day.

BOB

This is Bob. He is our 87-year-old mall walker. I have seen him walking around the mall for over a year. One day he decided to wander into our store. Now, he comes in every day to say hi. It doesn't matter which employee is working. Whenever we have a new employee he gets out his notebook that he keeps in his back pocket and writes down their name. He is the cutest man, and I am blessed to have him in my life. :)

Mexican Roll=Heaven

ANNA- can we make sushi when I visit?!


YUMMMMMMMY!


Mexican roll ingredients.

1 7-10 oz white fish such as halibut, or cod. Use mahi mahi for best results.
1 table spoon oil for frying
1 cucumber
1 mango

1 avocado
2 table spoons lime juice
3 Seaweed sheets
3 cups cooked and prepared sushi rice.
2 Table spoons chili powder

---

Cut cucumber, avocado, and mango into 3/16 inch (5mm) to 1/4 inch (6mm) sticks.

Cut mango into oval slices off the pit (typical slices of mango). Then slice these into strips.

Heat pan and oil. Sizzle each side of fish till browned. Turn over once about 9 minutes total. May also grill the fish till it flakes careful not to over cook causing it to be too dry. Cut into small strips. A bit larger strips than the cucumber sticks. Shredding the fish also makes it enjoyable. Pull it apart with a knife and fork after cooking for pulled or shredded fish. Sprinkle chili powder on fish to taste.

Next, spread seasoned rice onto sheet of seaweed as instructed onmedium roll page and place fish, mango, cucumber onto rice. Yields 24 pieces.

True Love

I cannot wait to see these girls in 2 weeks. It has been way too long. I remember the days when they were getting in trouble at good old WRE ;)

I am blessed to have such wonderful friends in my life. 

See you soon, ladies!

My Favorite:

Part of the day: 

Seeing my sister and niece.

Shelby is almost 5 months old! I can't believe it. This Mother's Day will be Amanda's first and I am so excited to spend the day with them. 

Place:

My home away from home. 

I love visiting our house in Scottsdale. I love the weather. The cars. The mall. The Phoenix Suns. The Diamondbacks. The sunsets. 

Thing to do:

Cheer.

It is killing me that I am not able to cheer anymore. I miss this SO much.

There will be more to come :)

Stage Five Clinger

Ok. Here's the deal. I have been dating this guy for the past couple months. About a week and a half ago we decided to make it FBO. Big step, right? I didn't think much would change, but boy was I wrong. Instead of hanging out whenever we had time, he wanted to start hanging out everyday. He is my boyfriend, so I should want the same, right?! Wrong. I have found myself not wanting to spend as much time with him. I didn't think that putting a title on this would turn it into such a stressful thing for me. Last night I was spending time with my sister and niece, and he told me he would "wait" until I had time for him. Really?! I forgot one little detail... He's 26. So here's the question. Am I in the wrong for telling him that I don't want to get serious very quickly? Because even after our conversation about getting on the same page, I still don't feel like we are seeing eye to eye. This dating stuff is too much to deal with.

That's what friends are for...

I can't believe it's almost May. It seems like just yesterday the new semester was starting. February was a pretty difficult month. After getting a phone call that my brother-in-law found a long time family friend and a manager of our family business dead in his bathroom, I knew I would be working more, which would mean I'd have less time for school and friends...
A few weeks later, my dad called me and informed me that my uncle had a rare virus that had attacked all of his major organs. Things weren't looking good. Two days later, as I was heading to the airport to go see my uncle and I got the phone call that he had passed away. It's been hard to focus on school with these things happening so close together.
I know that there is a reason for the trials that we go through, and I am thankful for my family and friends for being so wonderful and supportive in these difficult times.

Anna made me do it...

Well, Anna made me a blog, so I figure I might as well use it..

I moved back to Colorado Springs a year ago, after living in Denver for about two and a half years. I was commuting everyday to coach at Air Academy. That finally paid off. This year we won state! Once I graduate, I plan on moving up to Denver again. I love the city! After I graduate I also want to travel. My friend Brooke and I made a list of places we want to go together...

-Chicago

-Hawaii

-Boston

-Scottsdale

-Europe

-San Francisco 

-Florida/Tampa

I'm sure the list will grow as time goes on :)