PIcs from my Phone

This kid is COol!!! As my nieces and nephews get older i get pictures sent to my phone like this one... (David!!! he is so happy and the funniest little guy... when I say little i mean big; he's already out grown his aunty and he's 12... I think...)

And also like this one... (Jen is so beautiful!!!) I think she's at a store or something...

And this one was to keep Joe quiet in Sacrement meeting... I'm a bad example! (Gosh dang he's huge!!)
Myah wanted in on the modeling shoot too...

Then Tucker, who I told him he could get anything he wanted and then talked him into getting these star fish from the natural history museam at BYU. (they were .10$ each) but I let him get 5 and he was so excited!!! He held on to them and didn't lose or break any!

Myah Loves to wake up her Auntie on warm sunday summer mornings (BOOGER)

Crapy weekend, Grateful Thoughts

OK so... Updates...

This weekend was so bad! I just felt so sad and for no real particular reason. May family is at San Luis Obispo for our week long family reunion, and I'm in Utah. I don't fly out till Wednesday night, so i was left to wallow in my own pity all alone this weekend. (my rommies went out of town too).

HOWEVER I did contact Utah State about Grad programs and found 2 that interest me. I can start one of them in the Fall and the other in Spring!!! And both of them make me excited to study.

I also organized my closet (color coded), and organized all of my work clothes. I got new blinds put up and cleaned like crazy. (well needed trust me)

I also got to go to my old roommate Britney's bridal shower (love brit, and Love her hubby (soon to be) Kevo) it was good fun... pampered Chef does a shower which was a good time, and awesome easy idea for gifts.

After the Bridal Shower I got to go see Erika and Mikaela again. This time we hung out in the hospital and did her hair and joked with her. Can I just say she is the Cutest little girl. She's learning sign language again and they use pictures so she can point to what she wants. I love hanging out with Erika there, Mikaela is like a magnet for happiness. I was surprised that with all that has gone on in her little brain that she recognized me. Makes me feel like I should be doing more to visit and be a part of her little life. Erika and I went shopping, we enjoyed the normal Victoria's Secret trip and things for her kid-o's.

When i hang out with Erika I feel a little bit of home. I think it's because she knows so much of me, and I don't have to change anything. I know she'll be my Friend forever (we've been through so much) and I can have confidence in that. At one point in my life I thought I didn't need Friends like that, I'm realizing now that friends are an essential part of life.

I also got to talk to a Friend from back in Junior high days. We were on the Cheer squad together and oh my, the memories!!! Andria Bye! The good time kept coming. We are hoping to get together with our other Junior high click (Amanda Gomez, and Nicole Craig). I haven't talked to Amanda forever (like 8 yrs) but Nik and I hung out not too long ago. It's so great to be reminded of who you really are! As adults (term used very loosely) I have noticed we get so caught up in things that don't really matter... Take me back to Junior High when it was all about matching bathing suits, and cheer leading uniforms.

***Memory of the day*** Amanda Gomez and I were Best Best friends (since kindergarden). in 8th grade we both decided we needed a new swimming suit for the end of the year cheer leading swimming party. This was like the first time we ever went clothes shopping with out each other. After we went shopping we ran home to talk about our big "buys" and How so very awesome our new suits were. Usually we showed each other everything and shared everything, this time I think I went on family vacation then went straight to the party so we didn't get to show each other. As we got undressed for the pool to no surprise we had on the EXACT same swimming suit; color and all!!!*** Crazy. we just laughed. That's the kind of soul sisters Amanda is to me... Her mom was the first to ever make me BEANS, and now look, I'm like 88% Hispanic. I loved that after I got home from my Mission I went to her house and could finally talk to her mom in Spanish. I rubbed it in Amanda's face so badly!!!

A few more... one night i talked Amanda into sleeping at my house, (she was a home body and really a mama's girl) we snuk out to jump on the trampoline at my house at like 10 pm (we thought we were hard core). I still am laughing writing this, I bounced her on the tramp and she flew off landing on her arm on our basket ball court at my house. I could not stop laughing cause my dad had just mowed the lawn and she was covered in dry grass... She looked like a monster and she was crying. I laughed so hard that night I literally peed my pants. I talked her into not calling her mom (we use to get grounded from hanging out) and she was fine, but it was so funny. Also... The first time I took her 4 wheeling in my "jeep" we went in the fields by her house and I LOVED it... it was so fun!!! I took her up on this tiny hill... and she was so scared she PEED her pants... She made me swear i wouldn't tell anyone, and to this day I haven't said a word... If she reads my blog I'm in big trouble.

She also talked me into going to Prom with her and her date (she couldn't go unles I went, her parents trusted me to keep her "chase" (DIDN'T WORK LYDIA: thank heavens for hail Mary's)). It's true! I have a picture of her and her date then ME standing on the side all dressed up. Her mom made fun of me for so long, they said it looked like I jumped in the picture. but no, it was planned that way...

Long story short, I am so lucky to be in touch with my friends from the past. The first words are always "you were always so crazy" and I laugh... I take it as a compliment although I have no idea if that's what it's meant to be... I realize that who I am is so much a part of who they helped me become. I'm grateful i had such good freinds that kept me on the straight and narrow. In high school I took a ceramic class and I made a tile thing for Amanda, I think it works for all my BFF's... the saying goes "If friends were like flowers I'd pick a garden full of you!" and it is true. I wouldn't trade my quirky friends for anything! I love all my Sisters!

Many Thoughts.

So with moving and everything changing in my small pathetic world, Much reflection has been taking place. So many thoughts and it's been a great time to really look at where my life is and where I want it to be. A few things I've found in my evaluation:

1) I'm not in law school... am I closer to that goal? HUmmm... well working at a good job looks good on a resume? True story it does, however I do need to be much more focused on my goal. I could be studying more (i really took a dive after the Ruben break up) and alot more focused on finding a school.

2) Where am I as far as dating guys I would like to marry? Not very good. I have this syndrome, it's called being retarded. The last guy I "hooked up with" was not good. My first sign should have been when he said "your so much better than I am, and you really shouldn't date me." Word of the wise, when a "bad boy" says that, they generally are right... trust the girl who has been retarded for alot of years.

3) Am I closer to my family? YES! My nephew got graduated from High School this past week and sitting with my sisters, and sister in law I was totally comfortable. I love them and have solid relationships with them... thats AWESOME. Also... My nephew got endowed, and even though I didn't make it to the temple I felt really close to him. (people with similar goals are better friends? yes i did call my sweet angel nephew my Friend... best freind)

4) Am I moving along in a career I can be happy in? I am furthering my self along... however not in a career where I want to be forever. It's a good start right?

5) What am I doing for my physical body? I completed a colon cleanse (sounds bad but actually felt AWESOME) and went Jogging. It's amazing how much of the emotional and spiritual gets taken care of when your taking care of your physical body (it's like connected or something?)

6) Am i completing My daily spiritual tasks that I have committed to be completing? Ok so Myah (my niece) bugs me every night before bed to read the Scriptures to her. It's helped me so much... i need a kid just so they will make me do the things I'm supost to be doing.

So... Solutions to the "problems"

1) one of my main concerns going to law school is my GPA. I graduated with honors in poly sci however I didn't do too hot in some other areas of focus... I looked up a few of the education courses at Weber State and also Utah State extension courses and I think a Masters Degree is in the making. Pros: Higher GPA for Law School (and more career options).

2) Although not dating guys I want to marry, I am "hanging out" with higher quality people, and thus will (hopefully) end up married to one of those higher quality people. You marry who you spend time with right? Not that I want to marry any one that I am hanging out with, BUT my expectations of guys has gone way up AND when you surround your self with people who thing your awesome you start to think it too? thats the goal anyways.

3) I need to spend more time with my family. It's such a hard balance. As a single girl I should be out with friends Finding Mr. Amazing, however I feel like I'm missing out on my Nieces and Nephews lives... and my family is what is really important isn't it? I figure the answer is that when I'm with my family it's real time. Every moment is time with Aunt Cheryl and every single person in my family knows that I love and care for them... One on one real love.

4) Career, starting a new position has revitalized my spirit. knowing I'm young and only gaining vacation time everyday makes me look forward... THE WHOLE WORLD IS AHEAD OF ME.

5) Physical body. I've notice my physical body has been an issue whether I admit it or not. I'm not me. After my mission I think it took alot more time shaking off the mono, and I think there was a bit of depression after the Brian ordeal, and then accutane. SO now thats all in the past, time to get to work. I commit to doing the HCG diet and exercising 4 times a week (hopefully more). Ps... my skin looks amazing.

6) Spiritual!!! Church with a smile... thats a BIG one. maybe I'll switch it up and go to the spanish branch. it seems as though the church is more true in Spanish... lol but I'm half serious.

So those are some reflections... and new goals "projects." I'm just so grateful. I got to spend time with my Sweet friend Erika today, We've known each other since High school and she is facing a Huge mountain in her life. I have never never seen someone so strong. I am truly blessed to see her strengthen. Truly.

Also, my dear Friend virg and her Blog. I heard once that to have a successful day you have to accomplish 5 thing... 1) Laugh really hard 2) Get your emotions going and cry about something 3) have a spiritual moment 4) say thank you and be grateful 5) hug someone

With Virg's blog I'm brought to tears every day. Every day I start my computer in the morning and look at holly's blog. The music comes on and it's about being happy... I think about what that means to her and who it represents to her and I have my emotional experience.

it's hard growing old and seeing your dear Friends have pain. I wish it was all wiped away and the world was perfect. However, if that was the case, I wouldn't be writing this blog and feeling the need to be better. How grateful I feel.

Weekend!

Fun! (I need to learn how to turn the pictures)

So Fun... I'll go in order...

Friday morning I picked up my little bud TUCK and Oh my Goodness he is fun! We went swimming, (I actually promised Seven Peaks Water park, but he just got the swimming pool). I taught Tucker a song "Say no to Melanoma" and we proceeded to sing it while in the pool (SPF 50 baby!) Because I am still on acuate I took extra extra precautions to "say no to melanoma." Regardless of my efforts I was burnt about 2 inches on my back were apparently I didn't cover as much as I thought with sun block... Ouch. BUT Tucker Was so much fun to hang out with. He tried the pool but he enjoyed the jacuzzi more. he picked out all the bugs and was so adorable with all my roommates.

After the pool Tucker wanted to Go to "Wendy's" I thought to my self... I can do Wendy's. We grabbed some chicken nuggets and then Tucker learned the "frosty dip" (Which he enjoyed).

After the amazing lunch we watched a little Beethoven and then...

Headed over to the Natural Life Museum; L.L. Bean. It was fun fun fun.

Then Teri, Mike, Scott, and Randy came and moved me. I was officially packed up in an hour! We went to dinner. Rice King and then safely returned my little Tuck to his mom and dad. I feel so lucky for the help moving. My family Rocks. Teri and Scott are master moves who I literally could not have done that my self.

Saturday morning we (Teri and I ) went to a visiting teaching conference and then off we went to move. Josh and his buddy and also Andrew helped, and again, I am so lucky!!!

Saturday night I was home in Provo, my Buddy Dallas suggested I go to his 30+ ward on Sunday.

Dallas made me promise I wouldn't put them on facebook, so I'm not going to... However This is just after we worked out and he had on a mitt for some reason?

So here's the reason why is picture is on my Blog: he is so awesome. We are Buds, so no raised eyebrows, however he is one of the most up lifting friends I've had in a long long time. If you know of any amazing girls that are "older" let me meet them first and we'll see what we can do for dear Dallas.

**Also: being older in the church is rough. People have no idea whatt things they say that are just plain retarded. The church activity rate for people over 25 and single is less than 5%. (yep my bishop stands up and says it every Sunday). I have met allot of people and have had friends, however meeting truly faithful people who have integrity and hold tot he "rod" in all they do is so rare in this stage of life. Some times it helps to have friends in the same stage and just understand, and also Laugh. Kudos to Dallas, what an example!