Home for the Holidays, Merry Christmas

I finally made it back yesterday, after what seemed like months of over-excitement to come home. As I flew in with my family, I was welcomed with a blanket of snow covering every inch of Salt Lake. Ashley and I have been trying our best to get into the Christmas spirit in Arizona, and though we did a pretty good job, nothing is like being home for the holidays.

A lot of things are different about this year, and they've been making me a little anxious. Luckily, I'm so darn happy all the time now, that I don't recognize stress in my life anymore and it just comes in the form of hives. That's right, hives. It's going to be an itchy Christmas. The biggest change is that I'm back home with my parents and sisters this year, but I couldn't be happier to feel like a little kid again. My mom always makes the house so warm and cozy that it is hard not to feel the Christmas spirit. My expectations are pretty high this time of year and she does not disappoint. I have to admit that I was a little concerned about how my emotions/mental state would be since this is the first Christmas single again, but I think my whole family is breathing a sigh of relief this year as everything seems as it should be. Second, would be that my focus on how I view Christmas has changed a little bit. Not that I didn't realize this before, but I'm recognizing this Christmas as a time for being grateful for family and friends and the time I'm able to spend with them. Most of all, my thoughts turn towards our Savior, and the blessings He has brought into my life. Thirdly, I've managed to survive almost solely on sugar the last couple of days. It's been amazing how many great neighbors my parents have and what incredible bakers they are. It's awesome. I'm excited to see all of you while I'm in town, and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace."
Agnes M. Pharo

Happy Birthday Ashley Brook!!

I am always gushing about how awesome my friends are, and today, one of my very best in the whole world, Ashley Brook Branch Lee turns 25. Ashley is one of my very oldest and best friends. We have been best buds since elementary school, and we were an unstoppable duo. I have so many fond memories of Ashley. From "accidentally" wearing the same thing to school, planning our double wedding, to eating grilled cheese sandwiches everyday after school in her living room, and toilet-papering the Branch's house because we weren't allowed to leave the house during our sleepovers - my life would not be the same without her. Being around her makes me happy because she exudes such a positive energy and love for those around her. She has always been supportive of me and all of our friends, will never miss any friend functions, and genuinely wants the best for those she cares about. Ashley helped shape my childhood, adolescence, and because of her, I feel like I always have someone to turn to. So, to my sweet Ashley Brook...Happy Birthday! I hope today is great, and I know this is going to be another fantastic year for you. I love you so much and thanks for always being such a great friend!!! I have a habit of collecting quotes, and here are a few of my favorites that I think fit and honor the relationship I have with Ashley best:

"Never shall I forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend,
as you will always find me yours."
-Ludwig van Beethoven

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures."
-Kahil Gibran

"A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway."
-Jerome Cummings

"You only meet your once in a lifetime friend... once in a lifetime."
-Little Rascals

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

A little Christmas-time reflection (longest post of the year)...

As the end of the year approaches, I have been looking back at everything that happened in 2007, and I'm a little amazed at how fast it has gone by. After an extremely rocky start, my year is ending as one that I know will be engraved in my memory as one of the most influential/maturing/crazy/amazing years of my life. I have grown so much from the experiences that I had and am learning to be grateful that I had them - they brought me to where I am now, which turns out to be one of the happiest places I have ever been. So, instead of reflecting on the harder/rough things of this year, I've decided to compile a list of my favorite. Kind of like "Oprah's Favorite Things" episode, and in no particular order, these are the things that I LOVED this year:

Family - I know this is an obvious one, but I have learned to appreciate my family on a whole different level this year. I have felt and seen their unconditional love for me, and feel so blessed to be a part of their lives. Knowing I am going to be with them for eternity brings so much joy into my life. My Mom is amazing in every sense of the word - I hope to be just like her some day. My parents have stood by me and walked with me through everything. I trust them, love them, I can (and do) tell them anything and everything and they have become two of my very best friends this year. My brother, Bryan, and his wife Amanda are two people that I look up to and respect so much. They are both so hard-working and treat each other so well - their marriage is what I hope my future one to be. Oh, and my sisters. There are no words. They are my two best friends - hilarious, intelligent, witty, kind-hearted and beautiful. I feel like their younger sister because I look up to them so much.

Friends (Old and new) - This always goes without saying, but I have never felt so lucky to have such a great group of friends. Most of us have been close since high school, and I always know that I can turn to every single one of them if I need to. During the rough times in our lives, I have seen them rally together - to support, love, listen and just be there for each other. There are a select few, who held my hand, and took care of me during part of this year - I will be eternally grateful. I love you guys. Also, after moving to a new state (and some I've reconnected with back in Utah), there are a few people that I have met and I am not quite sure how I ever lived without them. They have all meant so much to me, and I learn so much from each one. Friends are so important to me, and I hope I can always be as good of a friend to those who are always being that to me.

The Gospel - I know I said that there are no favorites, but if there was, this would have to be it. My entire life has changed after recognizing this great blessing I have in my life. I have put so much faith and trust in the Lord, and it has given me so much more of a sense of direction and purpose. This has become one of, if not the most important thing in my life. The peace and happiness it has brought to me is irreplaceable. I am amazed at how many incredible and spiritual experiences I have had once I opened my heart to all that is offered to me. It has made me a better person, sister, daughter, friend, and I know one day - a mother and wife.

Blogs - Being away from home, blogs have been so much fun to have - they keep us updated and in close contact with those we love most. I hope all of you know how much I enjoy reading your blog, and seeing what is going on in your lives. Our blog has also given me a creative outlet for venting, sharing and telling about the random spacey/stupid things I do. So, keep them up! Blogging is definitely one of my favorite things this year.

Silk Soy Chocolate Milk - You knew I'd have some weird things on my list, didn't you? This is a recent favorite. I've been trying to drink only soy milk, and once I found the chocolate version, I was sold. You should buy it - it's amazing, and I can't live without it.

Ashley - I could have easily included Ashley in the "friends" category, but she deserves her own. We have almost, quite literally, been together every single day this whole year. I have never spent so much time with one person (and I've been married), and amazingly, I never get sick of her. Our friend Jeff told us last night, "I could never picture the two of you not being together." I don't think I could either. She has been my greatest support, and I appreciate her more than words can express. She knows me better than I know myself, and is one of the people I trust most. I hope she knows how much I cherish her words of advice, her sarcasm and hilarious personality, and unwavering friendship. Having her as a constant in my life, has made this year wonderful.

Trees/Mountains/Environment - You really appreciate what you had when it isn't there anymore. Since we have moved to Arizona, I have missed how beautiful, mountainous and lush Utah is. Not that Arizona isn't pretty in its own way, but I love the outdoors and feel lucky to have grown up in such an amazing place. It makes me want to take care of everything around just a little bit more, and I definitely appreciate it on a daily basis now.

Music - Another kind of silly one, but I have grown to have a whole new appreciation for music this year. And all kinds. It can put you in a good mood, help you feel the spirit, and reflect a certain time in your life. It seems like I have been introduced to a lot of new music this year (a lot from Ashley), and it makes me want to be more musical. I think one of my New Year's resolutions is going to be to learn how to play a few instruments. A little far-fetched, but its a goal. I will let you know how that goes.

Teaching - I have always had about a million things that I have wanted to do, career-wise. I've gone back and forth with medical school, law school, marketing/sales, novelist, entrepreneur, etc...but always, teaching was in the back of my mind. In the little time that I've spent working at a school, I have never felt more personally rewarded and confident in the fact that I'm exactly where I should be. Knowing me, there is a possibility that my mind will start wandering, and I will get on a different track, but for now, it fits - and I've never been happier.

Olivia - If you know me, and you are reading this, you know that I am obsessed with babies. If you have one, I'm sure I have already smothered him/her. I never did realize though, the amount of love you can have for your brother's or sister's child. She brings an indescribable amount of joy into my life. I love watching her smile, laugh, grow and turn into the beautiful child I always knew that she would be. Its so hard for me to be away from her, and I get so excited at every chance I get to be near her. I think of her often, and hope to be the kind of aunt that she deserves.

My Dad - In a way, I've kind of saved the best for last. I have counted heavily on my dad this year. There are too many good things to say about him and not enough time. What seems to fit best for me right now though is- he makes everything OK. When I need him most, he is there. He is a constant support in my life, and makes me want more out of it. He makes me more ambitious and driven, he gives me hope, teaches me to be humble, kind, and to always put family first. He was there and walked with me through the hardest of times, and I don't think I could have done it without him. He is the most amazing, loving, hard-working father I could have ever been blessed with, and I hope to find a future husband just like him. He is my best friend.


I hope that all of you have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and know that you are in my thoughts and prayers!

Mesa Temple Lights

Just a little glimpse at the Temple lights in Mesa, Arizona. Not Salt Lake, but not bad.

Gym stories

All Scottsdale, AZ LA Fitness male members....PLEASE READ:

1- A skin tight t-shirt with Armani Exchange written across it in sequins is not appropriate gym attire.
2- Also, that same shirt that is cutting off the circulation in your upper body, is not in fact, defining/showing off your muscles. They don't look any bigger. Nor does it qualify you to give out fitness advice of any kind.
3- Use sweat bands sparingly. If at all possible, for sweat.
4- It does not matter how much college memorablia you wear - no one is going to actually believe you played college football. Try and keep it to a minimum.
5- A tight choker/necklace does not make your neck/traps look bigger.
6- Bronzer is for women. Stop. We know you are wearing it.
7- The aerobic/yoga rooms, though they are surrounded by mirrors, are not to be used to practice your dance/clubbin' moves.
8- The black hair dye/greasy spiked hair/orange-tan skin look is out. Shower and rinse that stuff off. Its getting everywhere.
9- The mirrors in front of the weight room are actually there for you to watch yourselves as you lift the weights. NOT for standing in front of them trying out your many sweet facial expressions and to see how many people are "checking you out".
10- The hours between 5-9 pm are not considered "happy hour" and therefore should not be used for picking up women. There have been complaints.

Also, LA Fitness EMPLOYEES:
**Though your position is called, "Sales Professional" the tucked-in shirt/slacks/blackberry-clipped-to-belt is unnecessary. You're not fooling anyone. You work at a gym.

Yes, this is mean. But all true. It couldn't be helped.

Green is sexy

For those of you who remember my promoting of Sheababy Naturals a couple of months ago, the day has finally come. All of their adorable designs are available online now, and are truly one of a kind. These charming baby clothes are all made of 100% cotton - pure, clean, and best of all, helping to preserve our planet. If I had kids, they would only be wearing sheababy. Of course, since sheababy was developed by family, and since the babies/kids on the website are my nieces, I'm a little biased. Check them out:

www.sheababynaturals.com

Also, in an attempt to be more "green," I recently made a purchase that I feel everyone should be able to get in on. On one of my 17 trips to the store this week, I couldn't stop thinking about how many bags were being wasted on me. I don't even want to do the math because of the disappointment I'm sure I would feel about myself. Even asking for paper, it is still a disservice to the environment. I started thinking of what a great business idea it would be to make reusable bags and sell them online. I started doing some research, and it turns out, someone beat me to the punch. I stumbled upon a website that sells really cute/awesome 100% recycleable/reusable bags. BYOB (bring your own bag)! They are pretty good looking, and maybe we can get a trend to catch on. Every little bit helps.

www.bagthehabit.com

Happy Holidays from Ashley and Laura...

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1123009712

Happy Birthday C-Rod!!!

One of the hardest parts of living away from home for me and Ashley is that we have to be away from our other third. I have known Carlee since junior high when I idolized her for getting all the guys and being so hot. I have to admit, I was really jealous. I really got to know her in high school, and even more in college where we became the best of friends. Years later, I only feel closer to her as the years go by. I get a little teary-eyed writing about Carlee because she has meant more to me as a friend than she will ever understand. She has been there for me through everything - her love, friendship and understanding always constant. The three of us have had so many memorable and fun times together. She turns 25 today and is only getting more amazing and beautiful with age. Ashley and I have come up with a list of the top 10 reasons of what we think makes Carlee great:

1- She is always positive and uplifting. Whenever something is going wrong in either of our lives, we can count on Carlee to bring us back up.
2- We can trust Carlee to always be honest with us. She always has our best interests at heart and is incredibly trustworthy.
3- Always a barrel of laughs, Carlee is always up for anything. Even when we know she doesn't want to do something, she will still humor us, and come along. She is easy-going and laid back and the day/night is always more fun with her around.
4- Carlee is incredibly openminded and doesn't judge. You will never find Carlee gossiping about anyone. It is beneath her and she will always consider another's point of view.
5- She is confident. Carlee has been a great example to us. She is confident with herself and it shows in all areas of her life.
6- She is caring and kindhearted. Everyone loves Carlee. Enough said.
7- Carlee will never tell us what to do. As much as I beg her to make my decisions for me, she will lend an open ear, give her advice, but always tell me that, "she is not going to tell me what to do". I know she truly cares and will be there for me no matter what decisions I make in my life.
8- She just cares. Carlee is the first person to call when something happens. Good or bad. She is just the person we want to talk to because she cares. She would be there in a second and drop anything if we needed her.
9- Her laugh. Carlee has the most contagious laugh. I laugh just thinking about it.
10- Her family. We L-O-V-E the Roderick's. They make us feel like family and we consider them just that. Its easy to see that the awesomeness runs in the family.

Ok, we couldn't stop at 10...
11- Her eyes. And smile. Carlee is gorgeous and everyone knows it. One time I got really sick of everyone telling Carlee how "pretty/beautiful/amazing" her blue eyes are and I told her. I was jealous. And now I feel bad about it. Cause they really are incredible.
12- Carlee is just an amazing friend. Everyone should have a C-Rod in their life. They would be happier if they did. She is the best and we love her.

There are about a million things to write about Carlee, but to keep things short....C-Rod, you are awesome. We wish we could be with you today! We love you so much! Happy Birthday!!!!

Thanks-Giving, Attitude, Service and all the good stuff....

With my flight home to Utah less than 24 hours away, I could not be more excited. I miss my family so much, and am anxious to spend some quality time with them. I think this will be my last post before Thanksgiving, so I thought I'd make it a sentimental one. With the holiday season approaching, you can expect a lot of these from me. Already being a bit overly-emotional, I get even worse around the holidays, so bear with me.

Ashley and I had the opportunity this last weekend to spend the day at the Phoenix Rescue Mission with our ward, passing out food for Thanksgiving and spending time with the kids. The families we were able to help were SO grateful, and it really set the mood for my entire week. We have so much in our lives to be grateful for, and it is so important to realize that giving back to others and the community, really is, "the pure love of Christ". We should all be taking the time to notice the little acts of service we can be doing everyday. It takes a lot of work, but I definitely notice a difference in my day. Because of this, I have also been thinking about 'attitude' a lot lately and how much it affects my everyday life. I was lucky enough to run across my sweet sister-in-law, Amanda's sister, Natallee's blog (does that make sense??) and she had an awesome quote about attitude. Over the last couple of months, I have noticed that my attitude about a lot of things has changed for the better. I thank the Gospel being present in my life for most of it...the rest to Bikram yoga - which has made me unusually calm and stress-free (for those who know me as just plain, crazy). And for those of you that were worried...I can feel the bitter cynicism in me passing. So, with this I leave you...I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!!

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than apperance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in certain ways. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one thing we have and that is our attitude...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes." -Charles Swindoll


**The picture above is of a Arizona sunset, which I have really grown to love and appreciate. See...my attitute IS changing. I found something good about the core of the Earth that I live in.

How to drive in Arizona...

Ashley and I drove to L.A. last week to visit Darren and Lacey (more details of that to come) and I would just like to point out that we left in the early afternoon and got out of Phoenix just as it was getting dark. So, for those who might be visiting in the future, or to serve as a reminder for those who have and want to visit again, this is to let you know how awesome the driving is...

1. You must first learn to pronounce the city name, it is: 'FEE-NICKS'.

2. The morning rush hour is from 5:00am to noon. The evening rush hour is from noon to 7:00pm. Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

3. The minimum acceptable speed on most freeways is 85 mph. On Loop 101, your speed is expected to match the highway number. Anything less is considered 'Wussy'.

4. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Phoenix has its own version of traffic rules. For example, cars/trucks with the loudest muffler go first at a four-way stop; the trucks with the biggest tires go second. However, East Valley, SUV-driving, cell phone-talking moms ALWAYS have the right of way.

5. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear ended, cussed out, and possibly shot.

6. Never honk at anyone. Ever. Seriously. It's another offense that can get you shot.

7. Road construction is permanent and continuous in Phoenix. Detour barrels are moved around for your entertainment pleasure during the middle of the night to make the next day's driving a bit more exciting.

8. Watch carefully for road hazards such as drunks, skunks, dogs, barrels, cones, cows, horses, cats, mattresses, shredded tires, squirrels, rabbits, crows, vultures, roadrunners, and the coyotes feeding on any of these items.

9. Maricopa Freeway, Papago Freeway and the 'I-10' are the same road. SR202 is the same road as The Red Mountain FWY. Dunlap and Olive are the same street too. Jefferson becomes Washington, but they are not the same street. I-17 is also called The Black Canyon Freeway as well as The Veterans Memorial Highway. And if all that isn't enough to remember SR 51 has recently been renamed to Piestewa Freeway because Squaw Peak Parkway was too easy to pronounce. SR 101 is also the Pima FWY except west of I-17, which is also The Black Canyon FWY, and The Veterans Memorial HWY. Lastly, Thunderbird Rd. becomes Cactus Rd. but, Cactus Rd. doesn't become Thunderbird Rd. because it dead ends at a mountain.

10. If someone actually has their turn signal on, wave them to the shoulder immediately to let them know it has been 'accidentally activated.'

11. If you are in the left lane and only driving 70 in a 55-65 mph zone, you are considered a road hazard and will be 'flipped off' accordingly. If you return the flip, you'll be shot.

12. For summer driving, it is advisable to wear potholders on your hands.

Gaining a little perspective....

As the end of the year approaches, I have thought a lot about the last 11 months of my life. I have thought about how much I have changed and I am always hoping that it has been for the better. I feel like I have aged 10 years in 1, but I know that the experiences that I have had are helping me turn into the person I hope to someday be. I have become acutely aware of the world around me, and I think that I have slowed down a bit. I notice more about the people around me, trying to take something good from each day. I've learned that we can gain so much from our relationships with others, and whether good or bad, it helps shape our lives in so many ways. I haven't had a overly-sensitive, cheesy post in a while, so I thought with the holidays coming up, this would be appropriate.

As many of you know, I am working at a high school in the Special Education department in Arizona. Over the past couple of months, I have gotten to know some amazing kids. Some of the biggest hearts I have ever seen have been with this program. One in particular, Dillon, has taught me more than almost anyone I have ever known. Dillon has Cerebral Palsy, a neuromuscular disorder that affects his entire body - most specifically, his motor and speech skills. His handicap is one that is so debiltating that constant supervision is almost always needed and his muscle spasms will cause him noticable pain quite a few times during the day. He struggles to walk, talk, write, etc. Daily living is always a struggle. Still, his sweet spirit is constant and he has helped me see life from a different perspective. From the moment I started my position, Dillon has always been so attentive. He is always asking if I am liking my job and if I'm "finding my way around the school Ok," wondering if he can help. Dillon always greets everyone with a huge smile, and asks how they are doing - you can tell by the way he looks at you, that he is truly listening to your response. He remembers details about your life, because he listens and really cares about what you have to say. He never judges. Never discriminates. He has a great sense of humor. He is humble. He cares. He the epitome of a Christ-like individual. He is just happy to be where he is, and grateful for those around him. At the end of each day, he gives me a hug and thanks me for my help. It makes my job seem so meaningful, even on the toughest of days. To me, it seems like he has every right to be an unpleasant individual, and get away with it. He couldn't be further from that. He has helped me realize that no matter what I go through, I have so many things in my life to be grateful for.

So, even though Dillon won't read this, he should know that because of him, I am learning more patience. I am learning the importance of charity and service. I have learned that kindness to EVERYONE is something to be striving for on an everyday basis. I understand the importance of the relationships around me and to cherish them each day. I am so lucky to have the family that I do. They support me and love me unconditionally. And even though it seems impossible, I think I love them more each day. The same goes for my unwavering, loyal friends, who bring so much love and joy to my life. I am learning to be more humble, and to strive for a more simple life. I am learning that love and kindness really do rub off on other people, and can turn a bad mood into good. I am striving to be more Christ-like and more like my sweet Dillon, everyday. So Dillon, this post is a shout-out to you, and I hope that with Thanksgiving coming up, we can all take the time to realize everything we have to be grateful for, and gain a little perspective on what is truly important....

"As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done." ("O Remember, Remember," Ensign, Nov 2007, 66–69).

"Absentmindedness is a sign of intelligence"

My mom once told me that absentmindedness was a sign of intelligence, and it is something I find myself repeating over and over to myself on a daily basis. Somewhere over the last year or so, I have become THAT girl. If there is a banana peel within a 100 foot radius of where I am walking, not only will I find it, but while slipping on it, I will land on something that will either cause me to bleed profusely, or break something. Many of you may remember how I not only slammed my thumb in my car door a couple months ago, but also locked it in there. One hospital trip and unnecessarily large ER bill later, my thumb remains attached to my hand. A couple of weeks ago, Ashley and I were in Anthropologie and while rounding a corner to the perfume table, my "Mary Poppins-sized" bag and myself took out about 15 glass candles. Immediately after the shattering of glass subsided, Ashley gasped, then yelled, "Oh, nice one Laura!" while she backed up as if not to be seen with me. The kind woman working there tried to make me feel better by telling me that they get little kids knocking stuff over all the time. Yes, little kids...and me.

So far, I have been able to hide this clumsy, and absentminded curse from my students at school. After today, that is no longer the case. It had just been one of those days. I spilled a drink all over my shirt on the way to school. My hair acted as if there was bubble of static electricity surrounding my head all day. I forgot some papers and my teacher ID card at home, and so on. While in between class periods, I was walking outside carrying a large stack of papers, when my heel got caught in a crack on the sidewalk. As a rush of panic began flowing through my entire body, I could tell that I would not be going down softly. As about 100 papers flew into the air, my ankle twisted in agony and I came tumbling to the ground. The blood immediately rushed to my face, and I laid there for what felt like 10 minutes. Its been pretty hard to blend into Westwood High School, as I am definitely the minority in a 90% Hispanic school, but now there was no hiding me. One of my sweet students who refers to me as, Ms. Soupa (Ms. Soup in Spanish...as in Campbell Soup. Creative, I know.) came to my side and didn't hide his laughter as he helped me pick up the papers surrounding me. I quickly got up and ran to my classroom. I'm sure there are going to be a lot of new nicknames for me now.

I'm thinking that this clumsy streak I have going on cannot last forever, but I will keep you all updated....

Oh so tired...

I have been a very bad blogger. I have stories and tidbits of information to share, but I am going through a little bit of a blogging funk. I really do want to write, as it has become somewhat of a stress reliever for me, but I cannot muster up the energy at the end of the day. I made fun of Ashley when she first started teaching because she would only sleep in her free time. Now, I know exactly how it feels. As soon as I get back on track, I will pick up my blogging, add some pictures, try to pimp out my page and so on..... Hope you are all doing well. I'm headed off to bed now.

The fair is in town.

Few words can describe the experience and excitement of the Arizona State Fair, where Ashley and I spent all Friday night with our friends Ryan and Jeff. But knowing me, I'm going to try anyway. We didn't have any plans for the weekend, so Ash and I were pretty excited once we heard that the fair was in town. We didn't know what to expect, and since I've only been to the Utah State Fair once in my life, and all I can remember is eating cotton candy while standing around watching a country singer whose name I can't remember now, my expectations were not very high.

As we were driving on the freeway towards Phoenix, we could see the bright lights of the fair in the distance. Ashley immediately perked up, and I could see that the thought of fast rollercoasters and rides were on her mind. As we were waved into our parking spot, it became very obvious that we were in a "sketchy" part of town - which gave us even more insight to who might be attending this State Fair. I immediately started picturing all the "carni's" (politically incorrect, but true) we would be running into, and I must admit that the thought of a bearded woman made my stomach churn (I quickly learned that the state fair is quite different from a carnival. Good to know.) Still, the fair pulls in all kinds. Kids with their kids. White-trash cowboys. Grandma's with hair extensions and nose rings. Lesbians. The local gang. And us.

As we walked into the fair, the booths showcasing a display of animal cruelty were set up towards the front: "World's Largest Steed!" "World's Smallest Horse! As tiny as a baby!" "World's Largest Gator! Alive!" "Only $1!" After the freaky stuff comes the food. So. Much. Food. All kinds. And almost ALL of it is fried. Fried bread. Fried churros. Fried chicken. And the best....the fried Snickers bar (The fair obviously caters to a healthy crowd). We didn't have the guts to try it, but I'm sure we will next time. Once we got past all the people noshing on their baby-sized turkey legs, we walked into what I can only explain as Ashley's dream transformed into reality. Arizona does not skimp on rides for their State Fair. Ashley's eyes light up as she took in the red, purple and yellow strobe lights. She was in her element. I on the other hand, was immediately dizzy. We got our tickets and proceeded to hit all the rides. I can only explain them as the SCARIEST rides imaginable, and on the verge of being incredibly unsafe. Death traps, if you will. As I screamed as if I was plummeting to my death on almost every ride (which I am still convinced I was), Ashley only asked for more and more. Our last ride of the night which I'll refer to as, "the human washing machine" almost ended it for me. And I mean, my life. While I shut my eyes planning what my funeral might be like, and our friend Ryan screamed, "What is the point of this? What is the point of this?" over and over, Ashley channeled her inner Wicked Witch of the West as she cackled at my tears and screams the entire time (Poor Jeff had to sit this one out). After visiting all the freakishly-sized animals on the way out (we got in for free, as we would NEVER pay and support such a thing), we decided to call it a night. All and all, we really did have a great time. I think everyone should attend their local state fair....if only for the people watching and fried foods.

We were so pooped from all the excitement of the fair that we stayed home the rest of the weekend. We plan on going back next week.

15 days of Halloween.

This last week I have really gotten into the Halloween spirit. Last night I dragged Ashley out to the video store to rent a bunch of scary movies. I guess I really didn't have to "drag" her though, because she also loves Halloween and all things scary. She loves her Haunted Houses!!! So lately, all I want to do is dress up, watch scary movies and embrace everything that the fall season has to offer. It is my goal to do something Halloweenish every night until Halloween this year. Last night we watched, The Blair Witch Project....oh so creepy! I love everything about fall and Halloween, but since I love making lists so much, I thought I'd give you my top 10 reasons:

10. Halloween decorations....even the stupid ones.
9. Outdoor fall activities (hiking in the fall is the best!)
8. Cold weather (I'm writing this as if I live in Utah right now).
7. Scary movies
6. Carving pumpkins.
5. I can finally wear my fall clothes without being criticized for wearing them all year long.
4. Candy corn
3. Changing of the leaves....I love fall colors.
2. Pumpkin spice anything (cookies, lattes, candles, etc.)
And #1: Ashley and I can buy 8 bags of assorted candy on a Monday night for ourselves without being judged.

We're not as young as we used to be...but still soldiers.

Ok, Ok...I know what you are all thinking. No, we are not old. But this last weekend, Ashley and I learned that we are not quite as invincible as we used to be. Determined? Yes. Resilient? Double yes. In shape? Not really.

Ashley and I were invited to hike the infamous Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale on Saturday, and anxious to do it because it is finally cooling down enough at 7 a.m. to be outside without dying of heat exhaustion (anything past 9 a.m. is a different story though). Unfortunately, Friday night we promised one of our friends, Monica, that we would go out with her. We had a long leisurely dinner, and then were out on the town. Keep in mind, that when we are "out on the town" in Scottsdale, it mainly consists of us making fun of everyone that really is... "out on the town" (I've yet to get my jeans and t-shirt "look" to catch on here). Anyway, we stayed out WAY too late. I remember the days in high school where we didn't need any sleep - those are long over. Early morning rolled around, and even though we had only gotten approximately 4 hours of sleep, we didn't want to bail on the group.

The hike started off great - a few rocks to hop over, not very steep, a little bump here and there - something we could have done in our sleep. Any other day, this hike would have been relatively easy. I'm pretty sure I saw a couple of 6 year olds pass us somewhere along the line. As the climb kept getting higher and higher up though, our endurance seemed to fail us. Not wanting to look like wusses, we put on a brave face and always answered, "Great! This is awesome!" when asked how we were doing. Careful to stay behind the group so they couldn't see the strain in our faces, Ashley and I switched off hanging on to each others shirts so we wouldn't fall down the mountain. Since we drank half of the ONE water bottle we brought between the two of us on the drive over, we were in survival mode as we took the tiniest of sips as to conserve what was left. Ashley was in a particularly good mood as I heard her mumble under her breath on several occasions, "I want to kill everyone right now," and "I hate my life". Still we pushed through. We were not going to NOT finish.

It took a little longer than it should have, but eventually we reached the top. It was breathtaking and so worth the effort. We could see the entire Phoenix valley - which is huge! We hung out on the top for about a half hour taking in the desert scenery. For some reason, I never feel more spiritual and in-tune with myself than when I am hiking and in nature. We were in the best moods at the top and had our second wind on the way down - at least until I started sliding down backwards and the tripping forced me to slow down. Ashley practically ran though. I think she was thirsty. We plan on doing this a ton once "winter" rolls around, so if anyone ever feels like coming out and visiting us (nobody has felt like it so far), it is on the top of our list of things to do.

Ashley and her date....and Laura...

One of the awesome parts about living with me is that Ashley has to deal with all the baggage that comes along with it. She's a good sport. I monopolize all her time and unfortunately that carries over into her love life. Some people might call this..."being the third wheel." I'm almost like the kid that comes along with the single mom. Half way into the first date, a single mom might inevitably drop the, "oh, yeah, I have a 3 year old" bomb. Midway through Ashley's dates she has to bring up the, "I have this friend, Laura...." topic. Well, last night was a good example of why if this continues, Ashley will never get married and her family will form an intervention to get rid of me (I know they are worrying as they read this - don't worry, I exaggerate just a little).

Ashley and I went to dinner last night and as we were finishing, a guy that Ashley has been on a couple of dates with called and wanted to hang out with her. Of course, she told him that she was with me, and so he kindly asked "us" to come meet up with him (but also thinking to himself, "Why is she with HER again?") To give myself a little credit, I thought he was with a few people, so I technically wouldn't have been the third wheel, and I would not have gone if it was just the two of them. (I'm still only comfortable being Carlee and Ben's third wheel) We met up with him, and to both mine and Ashley's surprise, it was just the three of us. Awesome. The funny thing is, is that it isn't awkward for me or Ashley. But the poor guy that has to sit in the middle of our conversation - that is who I feel bad for. Throughout the night he has to listen to our inside jokes and sarcastic comments. Normally, we can keep the guy entertained, just enough so he feels included, but last night it took a different turn. I could see Ashley's date progressively get more and more annoyed as the night went on. He would switch between looks on his face of, "Why is Laura here, and how do I get rid of her?" to, "Why does she laugh at her own jokes so much?" By the end of the night he was pouting. I'm not kidding. Pouting. He walked ten steps ahead of us to the car, and once he got there, barely said two words before he drove off into the night.

This leads me to my two philosophies on dating. First, as just a general rule of thumb - I do not think I could date a man that had a Chiuaua or Poodle. Can't handle a real dog, can't handle a real relationship. And second, which is a direct result of last night - if you can't handle both Ashley and I together, you are probably not worth it. Keep the lesbian jokes to a minimum please.

Scrapbooking, my worst nightmare.

There are a few things in this world that I have always wished I could do, but have never had the talent. I wish I could sing. I've always wanted to be really girly and get creative with my makeup and hair. I wish I was a little bit taller so I could make the volleyball team, etc, etc. And I really wish I was artistic. Sometimes I am in awe of how artistic my siblings are. Amy, who is studying art at the U, has talent in almost any form of art. She can paint, draw, sculpt, build, etc. My brother Bryan, is the same. He has always been able to draw anything. Anna, has more style in her pinky finger than I have in my whole body and is an amazing photographer. I guess the "art gene" just skipped me. Still, my lack of craftiness and artistic ability has never left me wishing I could scrapbook. It is my own personal hell and I don't see the appeal.
While visiting Barnes and Noble this afternoon (insert "lack of life" pun here), there were two incredibly perky females working a "scrapbooking booth" outside of the main entrance. Once I saw them and the determination in their wide eyes as I inched closer to the door, I knew there was no escape. I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, and I'm not proud of how sarcastic and negative I was feeling, but nevertheless, the dialogue went a little something like this:

Scrapbook Enthusiast: "Hello dear, how are you doing today? Do you mind if I show you some of the new scrapbooking tools we are showcasing today?"

Laura: "Actually, I was just going inside to study. Thanks though..."

SE: "It will only take a minute hon. You look like you are creative, and I think we have some stuff you might enjoy. Have you scrapbooked before?"

L: "Well, no I haven't. I prefer to just download my pictures on my computer and leave them there."

SE: "Well, what if your computer crashed and you lost them all?" (she was obviously prepared for this) "Its nice to keep a book that is pretty to look at and that you can share with others. Do you have a husband, wedding pictures...what about kids?" (dagger in the stomach) I shook my head no, with a hesitant smile. "Pictures of all the fun things you and your boyfriend are doing...?" (rubbing salt in the wound)

L: "Is it necessary to be in a relationship to scrapbook?"

SE: (nervous laugh) "Of course not. We have a lot of examples of scrapbooks for trips with friends, family and holidays, and....oh, we have supplies here that will help you throw your OWN scrapbooking party..." (what?????)

L: (cutting her off as I'm walking towards the door) "Really, I appreciate it, but I don't think I will be getting anything today....thanks....".

I could not have run away from anything faster. I didn't feel that bad though because I was in Mesa (the Provo of AZ) and I'm sure she had a lot of interested people to bug besides me. Maybe its just me, but I do not see what is so appealing about cutting out teeny tiny shapes and letters just to put under your pictures and stick them in a huge book that people oooh and aahhh over. It seems like an unnecessary waste of paper if you ask me (I apologize to all my scrapbooking buddies). I will be the first one to volunteer to change your tire, help paint your house...I will even ooh and ahh over your scrapbook. But, for the sake of our friendship, please do not invite me to a "Scrapbooking Party".

Sappy Moment Tuesday: National Friendship Month

So, with no help from any of YOU (which leads me to assume that Ashley really is the only one that still reads OUR "dual-blog"), I have come up with a topic all by myself. And after a brief absence, my mind has returned to its normal state of craziness and a million thoughts - and while not necessarily everything needs to be written down, it helps keep my head organized. So bear with me.

With that being said, I read way too many magazines. If I read as many books as I read magazines, I'd be really intelligent. Even more so than I am now :) I picked up an old issue of SELF magazine that I had among my collection this morning, and it flipped open to an article titled "National Friendship Month". It discussed a study done at UCLA about friendship among women and how important it is to our actual EXISTENCE (yes, I'm capitalizing for emphasis). The study suggested that the special bond between certain women "soothe our tumultuous inner world, fill the emotional gaps in our marriage, and help us remember who we really are." It went on to say a lot more, but the bottom line being that the women that nurture their friendships as one of the most important aspects of their lives, live longer, happier ones.

The article hit close to home because over the last couple of months, I have really taken the time to re-evaluate my relationships/friendships, and have learned to appreciate my own friends on a completely different level. Ashley and I were talking last night about our "relationships," and how they come and go, but the true friendships we have will remain consistent and constant our entire lives. I know I have let some of my friendships take a backseat at times, so I only hope I can be the kind of friend to those that have stuck by me through everything, like they have been to me. There are so many of my close female friends that have literally, breathed life back into me, on my darkest of days. I would not be the person I am today, nor the one I have yet to become without them (tear :)). I know there are days I take advantage of it, but will forever make a effort to always recognize them as the most important relationships I have.

So, thanks to all my friends...this post is a shout-out to you.

"You were the one who made things different, you were the one who took me in. You were the one thing I could count on, above all, you were my friend." - Tom Petty

Article:
http://www.anapsid.org/cnd/gender/tendfend.html

Drawing a blank....

Have you ever had those days where you feel like you are walking in a trance with not a whole lot going on in your head? Well, unfortunately, that is what is going on with me right now. Carlee pointed out that it has been over a week since I posted one of my many random thoughts of the day, and I can't help it. Usually I'm writing a novel in my head, but something is going on with me the last little bit. I got nothin. Someone please give me something to write about. A topic, a quote, a book to read, etc. etc. I'm drawing a blank. I think the heat is getting to me.....

Thought of the Day: Random acts of kindness

Have you ever seen the commercial where someone witnesses another person doing something nice for another person or themselves, and in turn does the same for someone else? I was at Wild Oats yesterday (my home away from home, away from Borders), and after I had put my groceries in my car, began walking my cart back to the front of the store. It was especially warm yesterday, and I was wearing a sweater in rebellion, so my heat exhaustion was obvious. There was a woman in the car across the street from mine walking her cart back as well, and as I turned to walk towards the store, smiled at me, and said, "Let me take that cart for you..." It seems like such a small thing as I am writing this down, but at the time, it completely changed my mood. The drive home, during rush hour (which is insane in Phoenix), seemed like so much less of a chore, as I consciously tried to be courteous to other drivers. This approach to helping out others around me, continued all day - all because another woman offered to take my cart. I believe, no matter how small the favor, if we can be more aware of the treatment we give others around us, the world will be a better place. People would start caring more about others, which in turn, would make them care more about world and environment around them. And then we would all recycle and live in peace. Ok, maybe I'm getting carried away, but I can dream.


"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."
- Mother Teresa

Grayden Blaine Dumas

Some of my best friends in the whole world, Cole and Lindsey Dumas had their sweet little baby boy yesterday. He is a whopping 8 lbs. 5 oz, and 20 1/2 inches long of sweet baby perfection! Cole and Lindsey are already amazing parents to the littlest love of my life, Laney, and Grayden is so lucky to be blessed into such an incredible family. I'm dying to fly home and meet him! Congratulations!!!

Epiphany

All I want to do today is wear a sweater. Its 115 degrees outside and I just want to wear a sweater. I had an epiphany today that maybe we are put in positions sometimes - maybe when we have spent too many months focused only on ourselves and our own problems - only to help us realize what we may be taking advantage of and not appreciating like we should. Like four seasons. That's all I have to say about that.

sheababy

So, a few of the regular visitors to our blog may have noticed the link to "sheababy naturals" on our site. I'm not one to promote or market products, but this I am much too excited about to keep to myself. Developed by some of the most talented, innovative, creative (not to mention ridiculously good-looking) people and young parents I know, this line of beautifully desiged baby clothing, produced from organically grown cotton is something everyone should be looking into. Those that know me best know how much I love and respect the Crawford's and Allen's, and their commitment to help preserve the environment has had a huge affect on me (as most of you have seen) and I know that their business is the next big thing. I have seen the designs first-hand and they are amazing. They are just starting up, so keep watching the site and look forward to their Fall 2007 collection!

http://www.sheababynaturals.com/

"I'm on call, to be there"

So, it happened. Something managed to keep Ashley awake past 8 pm. Last night we went to the Kings of Leon concert in Tempe and it was amazing!!! Don't make fun of my pictures. I know you can't see them, but I only had my phone camera to work with. Anyway, the concert was awesome and the venue was perfect. I don't know if you have all heard of them, but they sound even better live. To be honest, we've been a little worried with the "Arizona scene" we've been dealing with the last couple of months, but this last weekend we found that the people in Tempe were pretty laid-back and hippie-ish and so was the crowd at the concert. Lots 'o' fun. Note to self: wear shoes with a heel. I was on my toes the entire concert because for some reason, people that go to concerts are unusually tall. And I'm not. The bikram yoga I have been doing has come in handy though....I can now stay raised on my toes for an incredible amount of time. What a useless talent.

Pinkberry is my life.

Over the weekend, Lacey and Darren introduced us to my new favorite thing in the whole world! I don't know if any of you have been priveleged enough to try the new phenomenon that is Pinkberry, but it is AMAZING. It is 4 oz. of refreshing, invigorating and fruity goodness. It is a franchise, so if the opportunity arises, I've got dibs. But it is worth the flight to California to have some. So you should.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is a hard day for me, being away from home. It is my wonderful Mom's birthday today and I wish I could be back home to bake her a huge chocolate cake! She is an amazing mother and I hope she knows how much I am thinking about her today.

Top 10 reasons I love my mom (and there are thousands):
1) She is the most unselfish person I've ever known and would do anything for those that she loves.
2) She doesn't judge people.
3) She still calls me "sweetheart".
4) She l.o.v.e.s. her family.
5) No matter how old I get, I know she will always be there if I need her.
6) She always encourages me to do my best, and in a way that makes me want to.
7) She has lots of friends of all ages.
8) All my friends love her.
9) She is one of my best friends and the first person I turn to for advice.
10) She raised 4 spectacular kids, if I can say so myself.


I love you, Mom. Happy Birthday.

This last weekend you could find us:

driving the 5+ hours to L.A. to see Lacey and Darren

riding the Tower of Terror at Disneyland over and over because there were no lines

getting SOAKED on Grizzly Rapids (typical)

eating Churros at Disneyland

driving around and falling in love with L.A. (never thought that would've happened)

cruising the Sunday afternoon vintage market and buying a rad painting and cool jewelry

eating LOTS of Pinkberry (a new fave and we are OBSESSED)

being sad to leave the Neilson's and the somewhat normal-temperatured Cali.

singing Disney songs while driving the 5+ hours back to Scottsdale

We've been tagged!

We were tagged by cute Jenny Bowen!
1. What is the best thing you cooked last week?
I haven't cooked in months, but I baked Ashley an amazing birthday cake last week!

2. If money, time and babysitting were no object where would you go and with who?
That's tough to pinpoint one particular place. I'd travel all over the world with my close friends and family! And then I would buy Disneyland.

3. When was the last time you cried?
Leaving Utah a couple weeks ago, when I had to say goodbye to Carlee again. I can feel some built-up tears that might come through today though.

4. What is the most played song on your i-pod right now?
I shuffle my songs.

5. Is there something on TV this week that you are more excited about than the So You Think You Can Dance Finale?
I'm really big into The Hills right now....

6. Who are you tagging?
See below...

HERE IS MY SECOND TAG!
4 Jobs I've had...
1. U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association - PR/Events
2. Wheeler Machinery Co. - Marketing Assistant
3. Wheeler Machinery Co. - Marketing/Sales Rep.
4. Taneko

4 Movies I can watch over and over...
1. The Last Kiss
2. Anchorman (also a Will Ferrell fan)
3. Best in Show
4. Knocked Up

4 Favorite TV Shows...
1. Sex and the City
2. Friends
3. The Hills
4. The Office

4 Places I have lived...
1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Jackson Hole, WY
3. Draper, UT
4. Scottsdale, AZ

4 Places I have been...
1. Maui, HI
2. Mexico
3. all over California
4. all over WY and Idaho...(I need to travel more, and plan on it!)

4 Favorite Foods...
1. Mexican food
2. Ice cream
3. anything from Pita Jungle
4. breakfast food (eggs, pancakes, etc)

4 Favorite Websites...
1. perezhilton.com
2. USnews.com
3. blogger.com
4. greenissexy.org

4 buddies I'm tagging...
1. Carlee Roderick
2. Ashley and Ezra Lee
3. Kelly Edmondson
4. Lacey Latimer

Happy Birthday Kar-Kar!

I am very fortunate to have so many good friends. One of those topping the list, is the sweet love of my life, Karlee Anderson, who turns 24 today! Karlee, or as our friends know her, Kar-Kar, is easily one of the most genuine, thoughtful and most amazing girls I've ever known. We have been close since our Alta High School days, and I know I could count on her for anything. She has always listened when I have needed someone to talk to, but unlike most people, she is able to give great advice and insight on almost any situation. She is smart, ambitious, lovely, and perfect in every way shape and form. Even though this sounds like an Anne of Green Gables moment, she is truly a kindred spirit. Since I'm doing a really good job with the "name-poem" I'm going to do one for her right now:
K-is for kind, because she is beyond that.
A-is for amazing, because she is that too.
R-is for ridiculously good-looking.
L-is for love, because she loves hard and everyone loves her too.
E-is entertaining, because she is always fun to be around.
E-is for eternal friendship

Thanks for being such a big part of my life Karlee. Happy Birthday!!

Ode to the Birthday Girl

There are few people in my life that have had quite the affect that Ashley Engar has had on me. She is easily one of my favorite people in the world, and today she turns 24! Ashley is one of those people that has a lot of friends and admirers because she is so freaking cool. I have technically known her since junior high when I would play against her in soccer. I really wanted to be her friend, but as this was my most awkward phase in life, and she was a lot more popular and only friends with the "soccer girls," we only knew each other as acquaintances. I knew deep down though, that one day we would be friends. High school was pretty much the same thing, until senior year, when she slowly crept into my life. College was our time. Ashley started out at UVSC, but sophomore year she transferred to the University of Utah and our life together began. We were majoring and minoring in the same subject, so we had a lot of classes together, and ended up rushing and joining the same sorority together. It was a match made in Heaven. We have been through a lot together, school, jobs, good/bad relationships, and have had a lot of fun times. In between all the fun times, there have been some hard life changes, and I have always been able to go to Ashley for support. I appreciate her because she always tells me like it is, and because I know she really cares. She puts me in my place and is always honest. She tries to make me cool like she is, by introducing me to new music, new people and stuff I was always afraid to do on my own. I love her because she has an opinion about everything, and can always give you a thoughtful, educated answer. She is passionate about what she believes in, and stands by her beliefs. I could go on and on, so in tribute to the birthday girl, I wrote a poem in the form of an assignment that she might give her students:
A-is for ambitious, because she has so many dreams and always encourages me to go for mine.
S-is for sarcastic, because she is.
H-is for hilarious, because she is that as well.
L-is for lovely...and beautiful and talented, etc. etc.
E-is for educated (and very opinionated).
Y-is for yawn, because she sleeps a lot, now that she is working 12 hour days.
E-is for eyes, because she always gets compliments on how pretty hers are.
N-is for nice, because she can have her moments.
G-is for great style.
A-is for admiration, because her friends feel this towards her.
R-is for RAD.

So, to sum this posting up, Happy Birthday Ashley! Thanks to your parents for having you, they did a great job. Also, thanks for being my friend. You are really good at it.

Wednesday night blogging

My mind sure has been wandering today. I don't know if it is the fever that I have been running the past two days, or that maybe all this extra time on my hands is making me crazy. It's probably both, but anywhoo...admist my delirious, sweaty, fever-induced afternoon, I watched a documentary called "Shut up and Sing" that reviewed the last four years of the Dixie Chicks' career and the media-crazed backlash that they received stemming from the, "I'm ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas," comment. Natalie Maines, the lead singer, mentioned in the film that she would never be able to forgive the media and people that refused to buy, listen or have anything to do with their music after the fact.

It made me start thinking about forgiveness, and how hard it is for some people to forgive. For some reason, I have always been one of those people who forgives quickly. Hearing the phrase, "I will forgive, but never forget" is something that will never ring true for me. I actually do end up...forgetting. I don't know if it is some glitch in my brain, or maybe that I am just choosing, subconsciously, to not think about the "wrong-doings" that have been done to me. To me, it is easier to just, "forgive and forget". This has hurt me in my life, and I realize that, as I trust and forgive way too easily. Some confuse it with naivity, and though I am that too (and I'm working on it), I mostly feel that it takes more energy to be mad at someone than just try and move on. I discussed this with Ashley tonight and she also is one that always forgives and forgets. She brought up an interesting point that pride in not wanting to give in and forgive, may be one the reasons friendships/relationships may be lost after someone mistreats us or betrays our trust, and I agree with her. But which is better? Forgiving and "forgetting" and taking the risk of being hurt again? Or forgiving, and NOT forgetting, but harboring onto bitter feelings towards someone your whole life? Ultimately, I think it is a personal, emotional choice and I think I can understand both sides. Still, for me, forgiveness has been one of the most important things over the last few months for me in dealing with my divorce. While there our some parts of the situation that are impossible to forget (hence the end of my marriage); accepting the situation, and knowing that I love CJ for what we once had and forgiving him for what he did, has helped me move on that much more quickly.

After thinking about all this, I remembered a quote that I read from The Peacemaker: "Being mistreated is the most important condition of mortality, for eternity itself depends on how we view those who mistreat us."

Maybe I've given you all something to think about. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow, my fever will have broken, and I will realize I wrote a bunch of nonsense and end up erasing this. I don't know. Either way, hope you are all having a good night.

Inspiring Women

I love reading stories about the women in the world that are making a difference in others lives. Knowing that these are just ordinary women doing extraordinary things only makes me want to try harder to make a difference in the world around me, especially by making a difference in the lives of the people that I love most. I recently read an article on Maya Angelou, whom I consider one of the most charitable and recognized women in our society. She has accomplished so much as a writer, teacher, civil rights activist, poet, ect, and even with a trying past, has spread her message of hope and unwavering optimism throughout the world. So for today, I'm trying to balance my feministic cynicism and turn it into something postive - uplifting even - to the favorite women in my life. Though I'm not sure anyone besides Carlee and Ashley "the eternal feminists" actually read my posts, I thought I'd take some time to write down some things from some inspiring women that I've made notes of the last couple of weeks. So even if it only gets out to my two best buds...here you go:

"Astonish the world with acts of kindness." - Maya Angelou
"Change is scary. But its also inevitable. To me, that's truly exciting." - Vera Wang
"Leadership is having the courage to show true action." - Oprah Winfrey
"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." - Harriet Beacher Stowe
"Don't make money your goal. You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Pursue things you love doing and do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you." - Maya Angelou
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." - Mother Theresa
"A woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself." Susan B. Anthony
"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it." - Margaret Fuller

**Please note that my incredible Mom says inspiring things to me almost everyday, I just haven't been smart enough to write them down yet.....

Welcome to class kids....I'm your new teacher, Ms. Engar

Here we are into our third week living in Scottsdale, and it is getting better every minute! These are a few pictures of Ashley's new classroom! We have been busy decorating it and coming up with fun new ideas to keep the students interested. Ashley has met a lot of nice teachers that work in her department. One in particular, Mr. Ross, the social studies teacher, has a daughter named Hannah that comes to work with him everyday during the summer, and has quickly become our little pet. She hasn't really wanted to leave since we got there, and will bring us random supplies, from markers to golf balls. Ashley has been busy this week planning her lessons, since she has only a week and a half until school starts! I, on the other hand, have found my new useless talent in being able to staple small things on high walls. I have asked a few other teachers if they would pay me to decorate their classroom, but no one has gone for it yet.

We have also found a new love for Golden Spoon, a cute little non-fat yogurt place near Ashley's school. The owner know us by our first names, and wants me to work there so badly, that he actually handed me an application on my way out the door. Hey....at least I'm networking!!! Hope everyone is doing well. More to come....

Our South African Treasure!!!!

This is Lance, the maintenance man, and has quickly become are "go-to-guy". He is pretty much over everyday doing us random favors and putting things together. He is from South Africa and loves us. These are pictures of him putting a peep hole in our door (his idea). I don't know what we would do without him!!!!

Scottsdale....Week 2

This is the picture of the outside of our condo. Cute, right? It will be really cute once we get it painted. Which is happening as we speak. More pictures to come once its completed!! Monsoon season is in full swing in Arizona right now and we have been getting a lot more rain than I expected to see the whole year we plan being here.

Here are some things I've learned about Scottsdale, now being here almost 2 weeks:
1-About 3/4 of Scottsdale's population is made up strictly of gay men.
2-Ashley is going to be an awesome teacher and her classroom looks AMAZING....thanks to my incredible stapling skills.
3-Boob jobs are not as cool as I thought they were, since I now see them everytime I turn the corner.
4-Pita Jungle is the best restaurant I've ever been to (you will all see what I'm talking about when you come visit us).

The cute kitchen with Laura

ashley is sort of like a man. Strong and bold. Check out our sick couch!

Who needs men?

We bought some furniture at IKEA and little did we know that "assembly is required". We are pretty much amazing though, and this is the little contraption we built.

Moving to Scottsdale week!!!

So, we thought this would be fun to keep everyone updated on what is going on in our lives here in Scottsdale, Arizona for the next year. I think that everyone should start their own blog, that way we can all see what is going on in each others lives complete with pictures! We are aware that we sound like a newlywed couple, but just humor us. We will take pictures of us with boys to prove that we are not really "life partners".

Ashley and I have been in Scottsdale for one week! It has gone by pretty fast and we are getting settled into our new condo. We have been exploring the area and melting in the heat! Apparently we moved during the "monsoon season" so it has been pretty rainy and windy. We have met some cool new people and are hoping to have some life changing experiences over the next year.

Ashley is getting set up to teach high school sophomores and seniors at Mountain View High School in Mesa. It is weird to think that she is old enough to be teaching high school, but her first day is August 13th! She is getting a lot of...."don't mess around with your student" jokes. It is really getting annoying to her, so I wouldn't mention it anymore :)

I, on the other hand.....am doing nothing. I will let you know when I start to do "something". No, seriously though, it has been nice to do some thinking about what my next move will be and REALLY nice to be in a different city doing different things.