Utah Visits

So it seems a little odd that I went and visited Utah after only being away for about a month. Well it all began when my old roommate Kellyanne and I planned to attend the Dashboard Confessional concert. We hit it up last year and had one of the best times of our lives (at least mine... see blog on concerts) :) So I booked my tickets back out to Utah, took the time off of work and planned the visits to see many important people to me. That's when the news hit... the phone call from Kellyanne saying that "Dashboard canceled their concert" I was devastated, reached for a brown paper sack to breath into, counted to 10 (ok it wasn't that bad) but I had to make the decision on whether or not I should still go through with the trip. My whole point was to go to their concert and now that it was canceled, I contemplated staying in Colorado. I had plenty of work to do, could save the money and vacation hours but I missed my friends terribly and needed a little break so Utah and me were one again...


Here is Noah and me (my friend Sam's son) I want to gobble him up!


My dear dear friend Sam and her little man Noah!


This is me holding my friend Tanya's new little mini! Oh my goodness he was just a little piece of Heaven!


Tanya and her mini(Rocco Manoni)


I went out with my favorite couple Angie and Tony on Friday night!! We had so much fun going to FYE... Tony finally got to see Angie and I in action and help with the decision process. I adore them and hope someday I have a relationship as good as theirs!


I went out to lunch with my sweet friend Diana!!


This picture is old but my wonderful friend Christina hooked me up with an hour long massage at her school! It was amazing (especially since it was my first one)


And of course... my fabulous girls! We got pedicures, went to dinners, made up new games and had a great time!

Thanks for nice relaxing and fabulous weekend friends!

Snow storms

I meant to blog about this earlier but just barely pulled my pictures off my camera. I was reminded that not more then a month ago this weather is what welcomed me home. Could you believe that we ended up getting 23 inches worth of Snow! It snowed straight for 48 hours, trapping every living being inside. Don't you worry though... this weather wasn't trapping me in. I was being defiant, determined to not let a little snow get me down! Ironically this was the same week that my trainer for work flew out from Kansas (leaving 70 degree weather) to train me. I had promised her the week prior to her flight that I would get her to an outlet mall so she could enjoy the wonderful world of Coach, Guess, Ed Hardy, etc So Rebekah and I drove 15 miles/per hour to the mountains. A drive that was normally supposed to take 35 minutes took us 1 hour and 10 minutes. As we were pulling off the exit Rebekah says to me "Wouldn't it be funny if they weren't even open!?" I gave a little chuckle realizing that Oh my heck that could very well be the case.




Sure enough... not a single car sat in the parking lots of the outlet mall. Why we never thought this through before we made the journey is beyond me, but what shocks me even more is when retelling this story... everyone's comment was "Oh I figured it would be closed with all the snow falling". Really? Really? You knew but choose not to share this small piece of information with us?



So we drove a total of 2 hours round trip to eat at a Qudobas at the Castle Rock Outlet Mall. Lets just say, we got some good talking done.

Life is good

So I've been out of touch for the last month and for those of you who only know about my life from reading my blog I will let you know that LIFE IS GOOD. I've been in Colorado for about 3 1/2 weeks and its strange to think that time has passed that quickly. I am really enjoying my new job and am very thankful that I choose to take it. I think that its definitely more my style. I am also very thankful to be close to my family. They have been very good to me and I can I honestly say if for no other reason, moving back to Colorado to be close to my family was well worth it. Don't get me wrong, I miss my friends terribly and wish that I had more out here but I figure maybe a few more weeks and I'll make some.

I won't lie and I'm not proud... I joined a dating website (I will leave the name out of it) and have actually met a handful of decent guys. They definitely provide entertainment and I get a boost of confidence when I see that my "profile" has been checked out over 500 times in two weeks. I'll keep you all posted if I meet any crazy's or have good stories to tell. Till then... I am alive, I'm doing well, and LIFE IS GOOD!

See you all soon...

WICKED

I know I am a little slow in experiencing the wonderful world of musical/play spectrum, but I can't help but blog about the amazing time I had seeing the musical WICKED.

I am a little old school and ashamed to admit that I had no idea what Wicked was about. I knew it was about the wicked witch of the west but honestly couldn't tell you much more then that.I was able to go on Friday with my mom, sisters and my niece. We started the evening off with dinner at Bubba Gumps (based off the movie Forrest Gump) and then hit up the musical right after. We found some humor comparing my sister Mandy to Galinda... especially in the scene when she holds up the mirror after the song Popular and says "Oh hi" I've included a few photos below. It was great to share the evening with the girls :)

A tribute to Utah

Seven years ago I drove 500 miles to a town called Provo, UT. I was 18. Young,stupid and unsure of what my life would end up being.

I never imagined what it would be like, living on my own, supporting myself being what you would call "an adult". In all honesty though, I still wonder sometimes if I could be considered that.

I spent these seven years learning. Each person coming into my life for a specific reason at a specific time. Teaching me something that I wasn't able to learn from anyone else. Helping me along this so called path of life and giving me instruction on how to endure the world when it comes at me. To these people I am ever grateful for. I am thankful for the good and the bad people in my life, because they made me who I am today.

Its crazy to think that in a way I'm ending this chapter of my life. Moving back to Colorado seems awkward, weird, unfamiliar. Its a change that I am willing to make, but hesitant about the unknown.

To Utah: Thank you for the seven years, thank you for the memories. I'm going to miss you. I'll be out to visit...

To Colorado: Lets Roll!

Music

I've been addicted to music lately... any chance I get I search for a new song to download or go through the old ones that I have and fall in love with them all over again. I am on this "artistic" kick right now so I'm addicted to reading, writing, and listening to music. I pretty much push everything else to the side and make these three things my top priorities. Here are a couple of songs that I recently have fallen in love with...

"Fireflies" Owl City
"Hear you Me" Jimmy Eat World (I know this isn't new but I love it!)
"The Chain" Ingrid Michaelson
"The Way I Am" Ingrid Michaelson
"Speaking a Dead Language" Joy Williams
"Love Drunk" Boys Like Girls

and I'm a little embarrassed to admit this song but I love the beat...

"I know you want me" Pitbull


PS:
I need to take a second and thank my oh so favorite show GREY'S ANATOMY for introducing me to some amazing music! A huge shout out to Ingrid Michaelson who literally takes words out of my mouth, throws some chords with it and sings it more profound then any other artist I know of.

Split in two

I can't help but pretend that even the newest news in my life seems a bit of a stretch. A smack to the face, something that even I couldn't have predicted or expected. I guess this is how the Lord tries our faith.

I got a call a week ago from my old boss. It was a Saturday and I was spending the day with a few close friends of mine for a birthday party. We had just finished our pedicures and were killing time while our freshly painted toes threatened to dent or get banged up. This call was unexpected, even when I saw his name I assumed it was to answer a question my replacement wouldn't know or instruct him on how to complete a report. He let me know that he had just returned from Denver where they discussed in detail the position they once had offered me. They had come to the conclusion that the position needed to be filled and this was the reason for the call. Dave was calling to re-offer me the job in Denver. He asked me to think about it and let him know Monday.

My immediate thoughts were to turn it down, I had just gotten situated here. I was in a new position, a new place of living, a new point in my life. It wasn't until Saturday night when I spoke to a good friend that my eyes were opened up a little. I literally felt like I was being pulled in half (I had some VERY interesting dreams these nights). So what should I do??

Over the next few days, I felt like I was on the phone every second I wasn't working. Asking for advice, sharing thoughts that others had and hoping that this person would give me insight that I had overlooked. I prayed. I prayed so much hoping that the Lord would bless me with peace of mind while I made this difficult decision. I talked in detail with my boss... what risks was I taking by accepting the job? Would I get more money? Training etc. I spoke with my bishop, and he reassured me that I needed to do what was best for me. I shouldn't care what others think that it comes down to what is best for me. I talked to my dad. His words of affirmation and advice pierced my soul and calmed me; and then I asked for a blessing from two worthy priesthood holders.

I was reassured in my blessing that I would have a good night's rest. (Something that I had lost out on since I received the call.) I was promised that I would feel more capable of making this decision after this nights rest. I was also promised that no matter what decision I choose to make I would be successful in it. So I did just that... I slept so well and the next morning, after saying a prayer I made the decision. Immediately following this, my mind was cleared. I felt like the weight I was carrying was lifted from my shoulders and since making this decision. I've had nothing but peace of mind. Even when I start feeling moments of doubt, its immediately washed away with reassurance.

So what decision did I make... I moving back to Colorado. Tuesday Oct 13th will be my last day in Utah. I trust in the Lord that this is the decision he wanted me to make and so I go in Faith.