Just for Me, Part 2

How cool is this?!

Just for Me

I'm posting this to help me remember I want to add that to my calendar routine at school. This guy is awesome, I've got so many new ideas from him that my brain is on overload and need a place to store my thoughts tonight so I don't forget. Hence, the blog..

Peace

I'm extremely touched and in quiet reverence tonight after watching this. I needed this reminder today. I love my Savior. He is my rock and my foundation. I'm grateful that I have chosen to follow Him. My life is filled with peace because of Him.

SHOUT OUT!!!

I just want to give a HUGE thank you to my good friend Brooke, who created my new blog design. She is so talented! If you look to the right, you'll see a link for Babbling Brooke blog designs. You should check it out, she definitely knows what she's doing! Thanks Brooke, I love and miss you Marva!

To Kansas or Bust?

My dearest friend, Jenna Ann, took on a position at Washburn University last August in Topeka, Kansas, as a professor in Psychology. She came back to Utah during her spring break to visit, and I decided to drive back to Kansas with her so that she wouldn't be alone on the 16 hour car drive, and so I could also see where she is now living and working.

We split the drive into two days to make it not as long. The first night we stopped in the middle of nowhere Nebraska (Ogallala I believe?) and then made it to Topeka the second day. You would think that a 16 hour car drive sounds miserable and horrible and awful...but it was the exact opposite! I tell you what, if you're going to do a long road trip, there's no one better to do it with then Jenna Ann Glover! We talked for hours, sang lots of our favorite songs and laughed and cried hysterically. I will treasure that time with her for a long time to come.

She had to work while I was there, so it was nice to have some time to myself to sleep in, read, watch shows, etc...things that I NEVER get to do with working full time and going to grad school part time. At night, when she would come home, we would go explore the city. We ate at a few yummy restaurants, including the famous Oklahoma Joe's in Kansas City (about an hour from where she lives). The Brown vs. Board of Education case happened in Topeka and there is a museum there in honor of it, in an old elementary school. Being that I'm a teacher, Jenna knew I would love to see it. It was awesome! I was also able to see the University that she works at. I'm so proud of Jenna, and how hard she has worked to make it this far. I always leave her feeling like I am a better person and that to me is a true friend!

This was basically all I saw on the drive to Kansas...

Brown vs. Board of Education

Isn't she adorable?!

Christmas/Birthday

I tell you what, teaching full time, going to Grad school part time, and just everyday life makes me the busiest I have ever been! Hence the reason no blog updates for a while. Since it's Spring Break at USU, I have a week off of studying, paper writing and attending night classes to get caught up on a lot of things in my life, including my blog! I FINALLY uploaded pictures I had taken on my camera. I forgot that I had taken pictures of Christmas! Since I don't have a family of my own yet, I decided to spend Christmas Eve with my brother, sister-in-law, my 2 little sisters, and my nieces. So fun!! We had Christmas Eve dinner, sang some Christmas songs, Aspen (my oldest niece) read us The Night Before Christmas, they opened their pajama presents, and then we wrote what our gifts were to Jesus this year. Then I did something I've never done before...I went back to my house and slept alone on Christmas Eve. Who does that, right?! But I loved having my alone time for a bit for Christmas. :)

Christmas morning, we had breakfast at Mick's house, and Cody and BreAnne joined us for that. Then we all went to our parents house in Tremonton to open presents and have Christmas dinner. As I have gotten older, the meaning of Christmas really has changed from giving and receiving gifts, to really focusing on the "true" meaning of why we celebrate Christmas. I'm extremely grateful for the Savior. The more I learn about His life, and who He really was and is, the more I see His hand in my life and I get to know him in a different way. I've been so blessed to be raised in a home where He was central. I love Him and I strive to follow Him, always.

Abbie in her adorable Santa dress!

Typical Trina

Typical Tabbi

Typical Jen :)

Now on to my birthday! I celebrated it a few weeks ago by flying to my favorite city, Denver! Since my birthday always falls on President's Day weekend, I always like to travel somewhere as a gift to myself. I flew in on my birthday, and my former roommate there and one of my most favorite people alive, Hilary, took me out for sushi with some other Denver friends. Mmm.....I heart sushi!! Then we got frozen yogurt from Yogurtland. Sugar Heaven!!! We then went back to her apartment and played Michael Jackson on the Wii all night. SO fun! I'll be honest, I wasn't that great at it at first, but I got better the more I played. The next day, I went to lunch with Hil and our other roommate Jessica, who just recently was married. I miss Heidi's, they have the best sandwiches! (Besides Jimmy Johns, of course!). Then Hil and I did some shopping. Hil + Tawna = spending lots of time and money shopping! She's my favorite person to shop with! That night, Jessica and Hilary threw a birthday party for me, as well as Jessica's husband, Mac, who also has a birthday on February 18th. We ate pizza, played a lot more Michael Jackson on the Wii and I got red velvet cake from Costco (Again, mmmmmm!)

Sunday was spent visiting other friends and relaxing. I was sad to fly back Monday morning, but so grateful for the chance I had to see my favorite city and some of my favorite people. Denver is very close to my heart and I always love and appreciate when I can go back.

Not much else to report on...I am busy but loving Grad school and doing pretty well in my classes. Teaching is always fun, but the kids have spring fever (and in all honesty, so do I!), and I just registered for the Top of Utah half marathon, so I will be training and running that again this August. Lots and lots of miles to run for the next 5 months!!

SUSHI!!

Look at all the awesome toppings you can put on at yogurtland! I also had 4 different flavors of yogurt underneath all those toppings. Can we say Happy Birthday?!

Disneyland for New Years 2010

I've always wanted to go to Disneyland at Christmastime. My wish FINALLY came true this year! My good friend, Bryce, asked me if I wanted to go to California with him and his family the day after Christmas. Of course I said yes! Bryce's twin brother lives there, and his wife just had a baby, so they were all going out to meet the new member of their family. And of course, hit up Disneyland! The Glovers love Disneyland! (Thanks Bryce, for letting me have all these pictures, since I struggle taking pics with my own camera...)

Disneyland was crowded! I knew it would be, but they were not letting people in after 10 AM because they had already reached capacity. So the first day we did California Adventure. My favorite ride that day was Midway Mania, the new Toy Story 3-D ride. They also had an awesome outside night dancing club for the new movie, Tron. We all really liked that.


We attempted Disneyland the next day but got up too late so we ended up driving around, eating Sushi, hanging out at Downtown Disney, and eating at Mrs. Knott's at Knottsberry Farm. So yummy!! That had a huge line so we waited for over an hour to just get in to eat.

The next day we got up super early so that we could actually get into Disneyland. It was pouring rain as well, so we came prepared with raincoats. We got in! And it was such a fun day! The rain came and went throughout the morning, and let up in the afternoon. My favorites this day were the Haunted Mansion had turned into The Nightmare Before Christmas, eating the Monte Cristo sandwich, and It's A Small World, which had also been transformed for Christmas with Jingle Bells. Bryce and I left Disneyland early to go to the Staples Center, where the Jazz were playing the Clippers. He's a huge Jazz fan, and had to have nice seats. So I was lucky to sit in great seats to watch the game. We won! They had a fan there who would get up every few minutes and cheer the crowd on, he had a really loud voice and everyone loved him! Then we met up with Brandon, Bryce's twin, and ate at Pink's, a famous hot dog stand. Yummy!!


Thursday we went to see my good friend Brandon from high school. He works in Beverly Hills, right off Rodeo Drive. He looked great, as always! (I'm sad I didn't get a picture with him). We also got cupcakes at Sprinkles cupcakes.

Friday, just Bryce and I went to Disneyland to celebrate New Years Eve. Disneyland was extremely crowded! We had to wait in line to get a locker, wait in line for food, wait in line for rides, etc. We spent a lot of time in lines :) But it was a long, fun day. We were there from 8 AM to 12:30 AM so we were completely exhausted by the time we got back to our hotel. Thanks Bryce, for being so good to me and for the fun trip!!