...And Tagged by Kala and Kim

Man, I swear I keep getting tagged, and I feel like I should do it when I get tagged! This is an easy one..4th picture in 4th folder.

Invesco Field, I want to go inside so bad! I love driving by and seeing it.. :)

99

To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done (I made mine purple). Happy discoveries! Thanks
Kelsy and Katie for this idea...And sorry, the brown wouldn't turn black. The brown ones are ones I haven't done.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band - trumpet

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland- yes and I LOVE it so much!

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris- I will some day!

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (I don't get it)-I'm with you Kelsy..don't get it

15. Adopted a child- My plan is, if I'm not married by 35, I will adopt. Right Jackie? :)

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty-I've walked around the outside of it, though

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France-I can't wait to see it!!

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked-terrifies me at the thought of it..

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping - a few times :)

27. Run a Marathon- would like to someday, have ran a few 5K's though

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise- again, I will someday!

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community- LOVED it

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied -until the bills arrived

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo's David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt- secretly love it...but no one else I know really does

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris-again, can't wait!

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain-I think I would really like this though

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater - few times

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies-sure love buying them!

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp-one of my life goals

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt-kind of...

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job - eh.

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem-another life goal

84. Had your picture in the newspaper - one good thing about growing up in a little town!

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating-forced to on the pioneer trek. I guess I didn't kill the chicken but someone in my "family" did. I sobbed...

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone's life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous- a few. Good old Sundance, baby!

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby - someday!

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee-well, a wasp..

Don't tell my dad or brother Mick

I had a fun Saturday because I FINALLY got to watch a football game live. I love watching it on TV but it's different in person. I love watching football, it doesn't matter who is playing. I love the excitement in the air, I love watching the players complete plays (and secretly I love watching the football players in general), and how riled up fans can be. I can become very involved and passionate when it is a team that I love. It's my favorite thing to do on a Fall Saturday, attend or watch a football game. A few of us decided we wanted to go to the Air Force vs. BYU football game in Colorado Springs. Now, this is the dilemma. I grew up kind of despising BYU. My dad very much dislikes anything related to BYU, as well as my brother, so I kind of just adapted that same feeling. I am an Aggie, always have, always will be, and I'm very proud of that. I loved attending the Aggie vs. Cougar games, even though we would lose because I felt so much pride for my team. Hate is a very strong word, and I don't hate anyone or anything in my life (ok, maybe a few things, but that's just for me to know), so I won't go that far. But I have never cheered for BYU. In fact, when U of U played BYU, I wanted the Utes to win, another team I kind of despise!
This is where that changes a bit. My very dear friend, Jenna Glover, is a HUGE BYU football fan (She's also a huge fan of blogs, fyi). When we became close friends and I discovered this, it almost terminated our friendship. She would force me to watch games with her. I would bring along my school work and pretend to focus more on the work than the game. But if you read earlier, you know I love to watch any game, despite who's playing. So yes, I would actually watch the games. And I discovered that I really, really, really liked one of the players on the BYU team. So I slowly transitioned into not cheering for the team, but cheering for him. So since then, I have secretly wanted to see this certain player live in action. Call me crazy. I tried to make it home this year for the USU vs. BYU game but was too late. Hence the reason why I wanted to go this past Saturday. And I'm not going to lie, going to a game at Falcon Stadium would be an awesome experience, one I couldn't pass up.
I decided to show that I wasn't cheering for either side, just this certain player, by making my own shirt, as you will see in a moment. I choose not to say this player's name because I don't want to look like a crazy fan, but if you know BYU football players, you'll know who it is. Also, I decorated the back for Jenna, but for some reason it came up as a video not a picture, so I'll figure out how to load that later. It was a really fun game, with lots of entertainment. Before the game even started, there was about 5-6 parachuters that landed on the field. They also had a fly by that was so loud but so cool! BYU ended up winning 38-24, and my favorite player had a great game, I must say. Mick, I promise I'm not a Cougar fan. I added a little note about the Aggies on my t-shirt.

When Air Force scored, several of the members would run down and do push-ups of what the score was. I was like, "Keep scoring boys, keep scoring!"
My friend Sara and I at the game. I loved the people behind us, they had awesome accents! I'm really good at butting in and listening to conversations I'm not a part of...

I look pregnant here, hilarious! Just wanted you to see my shirt. In the corner it says, "I heart the Aggies though."

A Piece is Missing

My mom e-mailed me today and told me that one of my former students returned a book from my classroom library that he had found to her. This particular student was one of the highlights of my life last year when I was having a very difficult few months. One day I was teaching a lesson on fears, things that we are afraid of that can get in our way, our own personal monsters, if you will. I shared an example in my own life and then had the students think of one, and draw a picture of what it was, and then list ways they could overcome that fear. This student of mine that I absolutely adored shared a very similar fear of mine, but his way of overcoming it was to sing to himself the Bob Marley song, "Don't worry, be happy, it's all going to be all right." I remembered starting to cry when I saw it. I asked him if I could keep it, and I took it home and posted it on my fridge as a daily reminder that it was all going to work out. My students were my saving grace. And I realized tonight, that even though I very much have enjoyed my time out here, and have grown so much, a part of me is missing, I haven't been complete here. And it's because I miss my students. I miss my daily interactions with them, the pure joy they brought to my soul. They brought out the best parts of me, they loved me unconditionally, they were so forgiving, and I learned so much from them. Teaching is so much a part of me, it's hard not to have that here. I have very much appreciated the time away, and I LOVE the job I have right now. But a piece of me isn't here, it's back at classroom 23 at McKinley Elementary. My mom also told me about how one of her students that she works with had lost their hearing aid on the playground, so she had the school secretary do an all call to all the students to help search for it. She said it touched her heart how all the kids in the whole school were searching for it. That brought tears to my eyes, literally. Because I know the goodness children have. And I miss my interactions with them. I miss feeling so much love and hope that they brought to my life. I guess I miss the person I was when I was with them, and hope to someday return to that person inside of me.

Art is...

I had a great day Saturday with my friends Hilary and Sara. I have a goal to eat at a unique place in the Denver area at least once a month while I'm here. So I did some research and found a place called Dozens that was right by the Denver Art Museum. So we took a nice casual stroll over to it. And it was a great place! I'm such a spaz at times though. I walked right up to the guy at the front and said, "Do you want my name?" Man I got teased for that big time. After the yummy food (which sells breakfast food all day), we headed over to the museum. There was a lot of interesting art (for example, there was a picture of an artist licking her husbands eye, literally; urinals made out of red lipstick). But I LOVED it. I love art. I like to think that I look for the deeper, more meaningful things in life. I do that with music, with books, with movies, and with art. Somehow I find something in it that applies to me. There were quite a few that I just stared at for a few minutes, thinking of what the artist maybe could have been thinking. There was one that I absolutely adored and was lucky to find a copy of in the museum shop. When I get some money, I want to buy a nice frame for it. I also had the chance to write a poem and do some of my own art in the museum. The creative side of me came out. :)
The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is across from the Denver Library and we decided to go in and take a peak. I of course headed straight for the Children's Library. So many books! I am going to go back and spend a whole Saturday afternoon reading picture books. Then we walked around that area for a bit, the view of the city was cool! I was so close to the tall buildings that I love and to the capital. There was a big chair with a random horse outside the Library that we loved.
We all were thinking, "Food, we want food!" after all that, so we cruised over to the Cherry Creek Mall and found the John Elway restaurant. It had been an adventurous day thus far so we thought, "Why not?" We walked in, took one look at the menu and about died. It was so expensive! But it was a new experience and yummy food!
I was able to cross a few things off my "Things to do in Denver" list and thought of one to add to it. I look forward to a bunch more adventures. Anyone is welcome to come visit me and join me on completing a few more!

Sara and I outside the yummy Dozens restaurant.

You were allowed to take pictures of some art, and this one was one of my favorites. I have a deep love and fascination with clouds. And this artist did an amazing job at portraying them in both frames.

Here is my poem, written on cloud paper. Also, my art. I love when I see trees all alone, so I decided to have that be my art by my poem. :)

This was the poem Hilary wrote for me. Funny story! She kills me...
This is the picture that was my favorite. I love how the girls are here, they look so at peace with themselves and each other, and so comfortable in their surrounding. It's like nothing else mattered at that moment but being with each other. I can't decide if they are sisters or friends but it doesn't matter. It's "Childhood Idyll" by William A. Bougureau and it was done in 1900.

Hil and I on the bridge between the two buildings that make up the Denver Art Museum.

There was so much fun stuff in the museum for us "kids". You could even dress up! I'm wearing the fat suit (this is TOTALLY what I'm going to look like when I get prego, pretty sad). Don't you love how Hil has her hand on my stomache and the awesome hat on her head?

Here's the HUGE chair and horse. I'll take you there if you come see me, hint hint!

A Life Uncommon..

My heart is so full tonight, I feel that I need to share a few thoughts. Welcome to the inside of my head and heart! It's a vulnerable place, but it's overflowing with so much emotion tonight. You know how you experience those moments that change you for the better and you are never the same? That happens to me often. I have a lot of "little" life changing moments. Like the time I hear a song that speaks to my heart, or meeting a new person who is so full of light, or someone says something that makes so much sense, or reading a book or watching a movie that just change you. That is what makes life the journey, not the destination. Tonight I had one of those life changing moments. I was able to see the movie "The Secret Life of Bees". Who knew a movie could make me think and feel so much?! I think it helped that I went into the theater with a lot already on my mind. Wow...what a powerful message that movie spoke to my soul. I came out of that theater a different person than when I entered. I love how life does that. You are constantly growing and changing and improving for the better. One of the many messages I got out of that movie is just the love the girl felt for everyone around her. She didn't care the color of your skin, what you looked like, or the choices you had made. She just loved each person and saw the good in them. I strive for that Christ-like love on a daily basis. I desire to love and accept others, no matter what they choose to do with their life. That love changes everything. I wish everyone could love others that way, our world would be so different. We waste too much time judging one another. Another message I took from it was to not be afraid of your emotions, and to live life to the fullest. It is definitely a movie everyone should see.
As I was driving home, I drove past downtown Denver. I absolutely love seeing big buildings in a big city, all lit up at night. Ever since I was a little girl, I have found great joy when I would enter a big city at night. I think the reason I love it so much is the buildings are so big, so many people are around, it just makes me feel like the world is so big, that there's more out there than I can dream of. I can't really explain it, but it is a pure joy for me, and I think it always will be. I have seen downtown Denver a few times at night, and I still feel that excitement when I see it all lit up. It's so majestic to me. And then it hit me, how there is something greater and more majestic than those tall, lit up buildings that brings me the best kind of joy there is. And that is Jesus Christ. He is the core and center of my being. He is the example for the way I want to live my life. He is so aware of me, of each of us. He loves so selflessly, with no strings attached. He brings me pure, true, peaceful joy. Because of Him, I have faith and hope. Everything and everyone that is around me is a testament that He lives, and that He is always by my side. His love enfolds me. I cherish the relationship I share with Him. When I find fulfillment in that, everything else in my life works out and I am calm and okay. What a gift that knowledge has brought to my life. The spirit speaks truth, and I have had truth confirmed to me of who He is, and what He did and continues to do. He led a life uncommon, and that is what I strive for.

Can't Think of a Creative Title For This Post...

The other night my good friend here in Colorado, Sara, invited Jessica and I over to play the Wii. Good times, my friends, good times. Growing up, my family loved Mario Kart, or anything Mario related, especially us girls. Every Thanskgiving and/or Christmas break, we would rent a few games and play until our fingers were numb. So I was so excited to know she had the MarioKart game for the Wii. It was so much fun! You have the actual steering wheel to play. Once I become rich, I would like to purchase this. (Mom and Dad, that's a hint...for family get togethers, this would be a great thing to have! Hint, Hint!) I wish I had pictures! We also tested our Wii Fitness. Apparently on the bowling one I was doing something crazy with my foot because they wouldn't stop laughing at me. Makes me think I do the same thing when I'm actually bowling because people laugh at me then as well..hmm..Anyway, I've enjoyed all the people I have met here. Colorado is full of great, fun people! I appreciate all the people I come across in life. I love how different they each are, and what they teach me.
I'm going to a museum tomorrow so I'll have pictures to post!