quote for the day

“A true champion is someone who wants to make a difference, who never gives up, and who gives everything she has no matter what the circumstances are. A true champion works hard and never loses sight of her dreams."
-Dot Richardson

Evolution of Dance

This is hilarious...

Volunteering

So for school, I am in my 3rd field experience {aka... volunteering}. I am going out with a crisis intervention team during, yes, crisis situations. As most of you remember, I volunteered the first time for the American Cancer Society {which I loved}. Then last Feb. I was at the juvenile detention center {loved even more} and continued volunteering there even when my class was finished. Now, I just had my second day {10 hour days on Saturdays} with crisis intervention. This is the best learning experience I think I will have. It has made me realize how lucky I am. Even if things do not work out the way I wish them to. If I am having a horrible day and want to curl up in bed, I have realized how blessed I am that I can communicate my feelings, I can run, scream, laugh, yell, sing... whatever it might be. Now to just decide what it is my path will be for a career... maybe over the next several weeks things will become a bit clearer. Thanks for listening...

Peace~

Happy New Year

Ok so it's a few days late. I hope that everyone had a good New Year's Eve and most joyful New Year"s Day- I'm just glad for a new year and happy that 07 is done. Thanks for being there for me over the last year...

08 will bring me to:
finishing my degree
possible changes in a career
possible changes in geography
cuter clothes and achieving goals (thanks to Cliff and the girls at Epiphany)

It is scary putting down your goals for everyone to see. So hopefully this means I will stick with them and make the right choices for myself.

Taylor Swift - Silent Night (Live at Rockefeller Center-xmas

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

Merry Christmas~

Christmas Eve

Morgan and Faith on Christmas Eve-

My mom and I went to their house for church and dinner.

Then the girls open their gifts from me.

Playing video games while waiting for dinner!

Anticipating opening gifts...

Ronald McDonald House

Today my mom and I did a little supply shopping and made a donation to the Ronald McDonald house. I had been thinking of doing something charity wise and thought of buying gifts- One of my friends {Sarah} works for the RMH and she told me there was a bigger need for supplies. We bought detergent, dryer sheets, tons of cereal, crackers, and paper towels. My mom and I then headed to downtown Phoenix to drop off the supplies. Sarah gave us a tour of the facilities. I would love to make this a new tradition- to donate to RMHC.

For those of you who would like to do a little something- they collect pop tabs-

Here are a couple facts:

~Approximately 1,267 pop tabs make one pound and it all adds up!

~144 pounds helps one family stay one night at our House. (Statistics based on an average price of $0.50 per pound.)

If you are up for saving your pop tabs let me know when you'd like to have them picked up and I will add them to the collection.

PEACE~

Stand - Rascal Flatts

I believe everday we should live our lives to the fullest. I easily forget to do this. No matter what obstacle is set in my way, I know that I can over come it. You just have to believe....

{remind me of this tomorrow}

Peace

Luminarias

I took Haley and Nikkolina (my cousins daughters) Morgan and Faith to Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden. The girls said it was boring but we actually had fun. It was freezing cold outside and we laughed the entire way while trying to find the exit!

half hour til midnight

5 trips to the store

16 dozen (plus) cookies

(I made peanut butter cookies but ...

they turned out gross so I tossed them)

3 batches of rice krispy treats =

6 care packages

Good night and sleep well~

Baking for our Soldiers

Here is a quick look into my day today~
I am baking cookies to send over to Afghanistan and Kuwait.

My first batch of chocolate chip cookies:

10 dozen chocolate chip, 6 dozen m&m cookies and 3 batches of rice krispy treats.

Thanks for serving!

Chistmas Tree

Ok- I got a Christmas tree this year for the 1st time in about 6 years! I LOVE it!! I seriously need to figure out how to take good "dark" photos though because the pictures do not do justice to the tree!

Halloween

For Halloween our team bought masks and walked around the buildings... just because~

Dino {my manager} and his "devil balls"

{sorry for the delayed posting}

Thanksgiving Day

Cute pictures of my cousin's kids-

Monique, Haley, Zach, Nikkolina

{just a few of the kids}

They played in Monique's room for a couple hours, turning the lights off and on and then screaming just for the fun of it. Crazy thing was- I stayed in the room with them. They cracked me up! All the other boys were playing in another room. Zach is 5 and is always with Haley, which is why he was playing with the girls {that and he is a smart kid- hangs out with the cool ones! ha} I told Zach that he is my favoritest 5 year old and he told me it was the nicest thing I have ever told him! Too cute!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for:

My Mom

My Dad

Morgan

Faith
Freedom

Family Friends

My Health Choices

Laughter/Humor/Fun
Happy Thanksgiving!

The last of the beach...

Beach and the Crab

I don't think there is much you can say to this....

This reminded me of footprints in the sand...

I was sitting on the beach and this crab and I had a little stare down contest.

I won -- I got the photo!

Zip Line

We went on the Zip Line which was totally amazing!

Ok, I will admit it was scarier than sin walking off the platform into-

OH NOTHING-

But after about the 3rd time, it got a bit easier. Here are a few photos.

Yep, we walked across this bridge!

You can see how high off the ground we actually were!

Erika zipping across....

Beach Photos

A few photos of the beach in front of our condo.

Luau- Friday night

We went to a Luau last night and it was so much fun! When we first arrived there were so many cute couples (I came here to get away from that!) Anyways, after a few drinks the excitement picked up. We sat next to locals who were dancers at the show and were off for the night. They had decided to be part of the audience. I sat next to the cutest boy, who I called Honu (Hawaiin for sea turtle). He told me about every dancer and explained that they all look out for one another. Erika had to get on stage and dance. Seriously this was so much fun! Here are a few pictures.

Erika and I.

Honu and I - I couldn't pronounce his real name.

The guy with the maroon and white striped shirt on was hilarious, he was having a hard time keeping up with the dancer so he did his own- the "sprinkler". I think we almost peed our pants we laughed so hard but what a great sport he was.

This little boy just walked up on stage when they were pulling men out of the audience, so they made his dad come up with him (his Dad is next to him in the picture). He followed everything the dancers were doing. He was adorable!

Erika on stage dancing. I am sooo glad I did not have to go, I cannot shake my hips like that!

These people were at the Luau- I couldn't help but get a photo of them. Is it legal to wear plaid and stripes and can you say "PIMP DADDY"??? (I'm going to hell for that...)