Twins?

Yesterday at church someone asked my sister Casey and I if we were twins. Casey said yes, and they believed her. It sure is fun having a "twin." I was looking at the picture I have of us on my blog and I realised that if I didn't know us then I would think that we were twins too. It's funny how certain siblings can look so much alike.

I always wanted to have a twin...I guess that wish has come true.

You look....familiar...

These are two of the fabulous geese on my parent's farm. When they were just little goslings we would pet them and play with them and wash them and feed them and love them...ok so I'm being a little silly. The point is that I had a TON of interaction with these animals they would even follow me around, so they should know who I am, right? However, when they got older they would look at me like this and say "you look...familiar." Okay so they wouldn't "say" it but you could read it in their eyes. The best thing about these geese was that they would also stare at the sun the same way. I think they were wondering how it got up there so high.

Unfortunately all of the geese, save one, has since gone the way of all the Earth. RIP little geesies.

Julie tagged me! The directions were to go to your fourth picture folder and post your fourth picture in that folder and explain it a bit. Since I have only one picture folder this is the fourth photo in that. Feel free to bend the rules as much as you want :) just don't break them!

Since I was tagged I must now tag 4 other lucky souls!
Christie, Megan, Sam, and Stacey H. (we'll see if any of you's guys read my blog ha ha)

72 Hour Kit

Something that has been on my mind a lot lately is having a 72 hour kit, and what I would need to do in case of a disaster. The following links will take you to some valuable resourses.

http://www.ready.gov/america/getakit/index.html

http://www.fema.gov/plan/index.shtm

http://www.redcrossstore.org/shopper/ProdList.aspx?LocationId=1

These sites give valuable information and resources to help us be prepared for the worst. If we are prepared we will not fear.

Making a simple 72 hour kit

The following was taken from www.lds.org. Having a 72 hour kit has been on my mind for some time now. I'm sharing this information in the hope that it will inspire you all to make and keep one handy.

Your family can be prepared by storing basic emergency supplies in one convenient place. You can gather your own emergency items, such as:

An extra change of clothing

A sweater or coat, hat, and gloves

Your scriptures

Your journal

Toothpaste, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, soap, and a washcloth

A flashlight

A whistle

Emergency contact information

72 hours’ worth of food and water for each person and pet

Blankets and sheets (for warmth or carrying someone who is hurt)

Puzzles, games, and books


Click to View Larger FormatIllustrations by Matt Smith
For more ideas, visit the “Food Storage and Preparedness” section at www.providentliving.org, and www.fema.gov/kids.
[illustrations] Illustrations by Matt Smith

I love it

"To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then one suffers from not loving. Therefore to love is to suffer, not to love is to suffer. To suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy then is to suffer. But suffering makes one unhappy. Therefore, to be unhappy one must love, or love to suffer, or suffer from too much happiness. I hope you're getting this down." - Woody Allen

To ignore or to be ignored

I sorta separated myself from the FHE group tonight. I could hear them having a good time inside carving pumpkins, but I stayed outside to carve my pumpkin. A couple people came by and talked to me for a minute; Katie my roommate stayed with me the whole time. Later when I went inside I was pretty much invisible. I made a few comments and was ignored. I guess what goes around comes around.

I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner

The story behind the picture:One day I was walking through the supermarket and I saw Brounschweiger. I started singing "I wish I were an oscar mayer braunschweiger...etc...my braunschweiger has a first name...etc." Anyways that developed into a plan for the next talent show. I came out as you see me and I sang "I wish I were and oscar mayer weiner" and lamented about being a braunschweiger since no one likes liver sausage. Then I "made up" my own song basically copying the bologna song hoping that people would like me. Then my friend Katy came out dressed as a package of bologna and reamed me for taking her song and then showed me how it should be done. The End.

Happy Labor Day from Wyoming

Today was Labor day. It started out with just a few clouds and then this happened:

It wasn't too bad at first

But then it started to snow harder

A view of my brother's barn from my front porch

My mother's flowerbed

Thankfully the snow melted away a few hours after it finished snowing. Durring the storm my sister Casey, my mom and me all drank hot chocolate and played games while listening to John Denver. This brought back many happy childhood memories and I was feeling great. Later we joined my dad at a rummage sale. We all found some great "treasures".

All in all it was a great day.

Some people never learn...aka The Butterfinger.

One day I was eating a Butterfinger candy bar. I had set it on the counter for a minute while I was doing something else. When I picked it up I saw that there were some Butterfinger crumbs on the counter. I ate them and to my surprise they were crusty dry old cheese. Later I was watching a move and I set my Butterfinger bar on the coffee table. After I picked it up I saw that there were some chocolate crumbs so I picked them up and ate them. Much to my surprise it was dirt. I didn't eat a butter finger again for a long time.

True Love

As my mom walked by my dad she bent to give him a kiss. My dad looked back to see what she was doing and burped right in her face. My mother was surprised and blinked a few times and then she kissed him anyways. Now that's true love.

You can't buy memories like that.

The snake river will never be the same again.

This was my first experience white water rafting and now I'm in love. Kiersten invited me to join her in this adventure and her ward payed for it (thanks again!). The first time down was rather uneventful, I even was able to keep my hat on! It was like a little jaunt nothing too exciting happened. Except for some "oar wars" when our paddling was off.

Rafting pictures of the 9:30am ride:

https://www.snakeriverphotos.net/findphotos.asp?InfoID=40098

http://snakeriver.elevationimaging.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?&category=639386

Oh but the second time down was another story all together. I was the lucky girl who got to be the head rower on the left. My job was to set the pace so to speak. In my opinion it was the best position and I recommend it highly. When we got to the calm mile we were able to jump out of the boat and swim in the balmy 57 degree water. I actually wanted to jump in but I didn't want to make anyone lug my 225lb body back into the boat. So Kiersten, being the great friend that she is, pulled me in by force. Clinging to a hand grip and yelling "no no no no no" didn't deter her in the slightest. It took about 4 people to get me back in, it was quite an experience. As I lay panting half in the boat and half on the side I realised that these people probably hate me now (or those who dragged me in). So I broke the awkwardness by saying "I'd like to thank all the little people who've made this possible." Much to my relief everyone laughed. The first time I fell out I was the only one. All of a sudden I was in the water and there was a foot in my face. I remember wondering "why is there a foot in my face?" and then I had a short panic when I thought that the boat would run me over. I could hear the guide calling "where is she?" and then seeing me clinging to the front of the boat she called for others to pull me in. My life vest was pulled up over my head and I almost stuck my head through the arm hole. It was pulled back over my head and tightened so much that it acted as a girdle/suffocation device. I had lost my hat. Unfortunately there isn't a picture of that one. Later we hit the big kahuna. A total of 3 people fell out on that one. Two girls were "riding the bull" on the prow of the ship and one flew out taking the right lead rower with her and the other one...well you can see her feet in the air falling back into the boat. I look like I'm leisurely climbing out of the boat but in reality I was flung against my will. One minute I was in the boat and the next I was thinking "what am I doing in the water?" I was quite shocked by this turn of events. Then I thought "what is this thing in my hand? A paddle what do I need that for?" It was then that I realised that I needed to swim back to the boat. I am still proud of my self for hanging onto my paddle. I shoved it towards Kiersten and she handed me hers. When my boat mates stopped laughing at losing three of us they pulled me back into the boat. I had been pulled into a mess of bodies and I remained in a "V" position with my feet sticking out of the boat for what seamed an eternity, it turns out that your back doesn't like to make a "V" shape when you are tummy down with your feet in the air and your head up too. I was so cold that I couldn't move. I remember a girl kindly offering me her seat but I was powerless to gain it. Eventually I was able to get up and sit down. I would do it all again in a heart beat.

Now for the exciting ones from the 11:30 ride:

https://www.snakeriverphotos.net/findphotos.asp?InfoID=40136

http://snakeriver.elevationimaging.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?&category=639572

This morning I have many "pretty" bruises, even some on my hands I didn't hit any rocks sooo...water must be harder than I thought.

Toes are a terrible thing to waste

A recent misadventure, involving trying to sit on a bench, has brought home to me the importance of toes. I walked toward a bench/love seat on my parent's back porch and stubbed my pinkie toe it didn't hurt more than usual but I do remember thinking that it "crunched". This little accident, which happens to me all the time but is not limited to benches, resulted in a broken pinkie toe. I now have a purple and slightly swollen toe, and you bet this little guy has seen better days. I have stubbed my toes many many times on various "torture" devices but I haven't done it so well as to break a bone until yesterday. A slight limp and a dull ache are the results not too bad considering that a bone was snapped. But this incident has brought home to me how important my toes are. They help me balance, pick things up off the ground without having to bend over and other various purposes. The worst part is that when your toes don't feel good you can't do as many fun things, like hiking with your sisters in the morning, as you were able to before they were out of commission. The funny thing is that I avoid doing "dangerous" things so that I won't get hurt. But it turns out that trying to sit on a porch is what did my toe in. I guess I should just go out and live a little since I get hurt anyways. I should go and do much more wild and dangerous things and possibly break other members of my body but at least I would have some fun!

"Important" news stories pertaining to my major

As a psychology major I couldn't help but post links to these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ7J7UjsRqg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6j-KiehBj4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpwVN7mJfMA

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did...keep in mind that the onion is NOT a real news station!

Yummy Food

I ate a delicious lunch today and felt the need to share.

I took a low carb high fiber tortilla (yes it was good I promise) and smeared a goodly amount of hummus (that I made myself-yes I'm very proud) and topped it with green olives, white onion, lettuce and spinach. Okay it may not be every one's cup of tea, but I thought it was rather tasty!

Mission Plans

I just talked to my bishop today about getting started on my mission paperwork. I still need to wait a few months but I am way psyched. It's funny how a little comment made by this same bishop not too long ago sparked my desire to serve a mission. I just found out today that there is no age limit for women who want to serve a mission. I thought it was 30, but I thought wrong. Every time I start to plan when I want to go I choose an earlier date. I've gone from: when I finish school (4-ish years from now), to next fall, to April, to March 1st...who knows when I'll decide to go next!?

"I forget"...a story about my amazing memory

One morning I woke up with a pain in my left hip/but. I decided that I would investigate and found an enormous bruise, by enormous I mean at least 8in. in diameter. It was puffy, dark and very tender. As I puzzled over how I could have gotten such a large bruise I decided to call my sister. I was joking with her about how I hurt myself all the time and am always finding mystery bruises. I said "I mean I could probably fall down the stairs and forget all about (eyes widening at sudden realization)......I fell down the stairs and I totally forgot about it, that's how I got this bruise!" My memory is amazing.

The best things in life aren't always what you want.

"It just goes to show you that the best things in life aren't always the things you plan or even the things you initially want." My friend Sam wrote this in her very first Blog and it truly touched me when I read it.

I was just thinking today about how I have done and am doing so many things with my life that I never thought I would do, in fact many of them are things that I never wanted to do. I moved up to no where's ville Wyoming, started school, and now I'm going on a mission for my church (see http://www.lds.org/). Every one of these things is something that I never wanted. Not just indifferent but did NOT want to do it ever. It just goes to show how the Lord leads and guides our lives. That may sound discouraging "If I let God lead me then I'll have to do the things I don't want to do" but the true miracle is that when you desire to know His will and follow it you find joy so exquisite that you never would have allowed yourself to have. I would have denied myself of the greatest blessings I have ever had if I had stubbornly stuck to what I wanted.

Sam I thank you for your profound statement.

This I believe

God:
He knows me, he loves me, He desires to bless me, and He always knows and wants what is best for me. I am literally a spirit daughter of God. He is always there ready to help me as soon as I am ready to let him.

Jesus Christ:
He is my savior my redeemer, my advocate with the Father, my friend, and elder brother. Because of His great atoning sacrifice I am able to repent. He is one with the Father in all things. He is my every thing.

The Holy Ghost:
Because of this great member of the Godhead I am able to understand what God the Father and Jesus Christ would have me do. All truth, light, and knowledge come through Him. He sanctifies me and puts the “stamp of approval” on all the ordinances of the gospel.

The Restoration:
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true and restored church of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in the sacred Grove. Because of this the restoration was able to happen. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet. I know that all of the priesthood keys have been restored and we are able to make sacred covenants in the temple. My knowledge and testimony of the restoration is the key to my faith in all the teachings of the church. Christ is the cornerstone of my faith, but without the restoration of the truth, I would not know Christ. see http://www.mormon.org/

Family:
“I have a family here on earth; they are so good to me. I want to share my life with them through all eternity. Families can be together forever through Heavenly Father’s plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the Lord has shown me how I can.” The family is central to the plan of happiness. I have a lovely family and they help me through this life. There is a reason why I was sent to the family that I have. I do not know the full extent of it, but I am confident that I could not become all that I need to if I had a different family.

My Future Spouse:
I will be his “dearest friend” and he will be mine.
I believe that he will be everything that I am promised in my patriarcle blessing. If I am to marry I will not settle for less than what every daughter in Zion deserves.

Friends:
A true friend knows who you are and loves you because of it. They help you to become all that you can be, in their presence you think your best thoughts, and do your best deeds. When I am being a true friend I do the same for them. I keep confidences confidential; I do not talk down to them or talk about them in a degrading manner especially when they are not around.

Self Esteem:
I believe that having good self esteem is very important. Good self esteem is knowing who you want to be, and either being that person or actively working to become that person. When I have good self esteem it means that I am not putting myself above others to make me feel good. I can be happy with who I am independent of what others think of me but not independent of what God thinks of me.

Success:
Success is relative. When I meet my goals without cheating, or compromising myself I have achieved success. Success is going out and living my life. If I just sit around and let life happen to me then I will not be successful. Success is being healthy in mind, body, and spirit. Success brings happiness and fulfillment to my life. I cannot blame others or my learning disability for my lack of success.

Fear:
“A life lived in fear is a life half lived.” (from the movie Strictly Ballroom) “Fear is the mind killer… I will face my fear… I will let it pass through me…only I will remain.” (taken from the Dune book series) Fear and Faith cannot coexist. Whenever I am afraid of something I must work through that fear and conquer it.

Adversity:
Adversity comes in to everyone’s life, it is necessary for my progression and my salvation. When it does I must look at it as Nephi of old. I will ask “What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? Who am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial?” Adversity comes in different forms and requires different responses, but my trust in Heavenly Father must be constant no matter what.

Profession/Career:
I will make a difference in people’s lives. I will enjoy the work that I do, or it is not worth doing. It will be fascinating, interesting, and stimulating. It will not just be a “job” it will be a way of life. I will make plenty of money, in other words I will have enough money for my needs, I will be able to help others, and there will be enough to have a comfortable retirement when the time comes.

Education:
It is not necessary to get a “degree” in order to get an “education”. If everyone went to college then there would be no one to pick up the trash. I know that this is an over simplification, but what I mean is that college is not the only answer when it comes to education. It is important to always be learning something new and advancing as much as you can as a human being. Getting as much knowledge of Jesus Christ as you can is the most important education.

Who I am:
I am a Daughter of God. My life has meaning purpose and direction. I have a divine destiny and I am the master of that destiny. I am a good person who has the potential to become something great.

My biggest problem

This is me...age 21 and aproximately 360 lbs. Yes that's right 3-6-0 it's not a typo. I've been working hard, off and on, for the past 6 years to get the weight off. Yes 6 years, that's what happens when you only work on it "off and on". Now I'm finally down to 224.5 lbs. My initial goal was to get down to 180 because that would be half the woman that I used to be. I've only got 44.5lbs left to go and I am very excited. I have made a new goal for myself though. I want to be 130lbs now. The funny thing is that I've already lost more than my goal weight. If you do the math you will realise that in the end I will have lost 230lbs... just a little bit more than what I weigh now as a morbidly obese woman.

Memories of the way we were....and a cute picture of some pigs.

Memory Time!!!!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!


2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. I will revisit your blog and leave a memory as well!!

Happy Memory making!!

My Review of Prince Caspian (warning this may spoil it for you if you haven't seen it)

So I just saw this movie last night. It was pretty good...don't worry I won't spoil the ending. (yet) But I was dissapointed they breezed right through the whole point of the movie so that they could cram in more action and more "hot" Prince Caspian time. Anyways the point of the book was that you should follow Christ no matter what other people are doing. If you don't follow him and then repent don't waste time wondering about what might have been, you can't do anything about the past. You can however change the present and future and that's what really matters. The other thing that was a really important point was that durring all the wars and hardships Peter and the other kids kept on wondering "where's Aslan?" Peter even thought that Aslan wasn't comming at all and that they could use their own strength to defeat their enemies instead of having Aslan's help and strength. But the thing is Aslan was there when they first arrived he was available to help them from the very begining, but they didn't go to him. They didn't believe that he was truely there. (Also Susan's horn was in Narnia if the Narnians had used it they wouldn't have suffered for so long.) They wanted him to come to them on their own terms looking for miracles and signs that were spectacular instead of listening to the most humble of them all...Lucy who was a little child. Also I found it a bit amusing and rather dissapointing that they had to add a love story between Susan and the Prince. What the heck? Why do they have to add that garbage? Esp. Susan kissing the Prince right before she left. Nothing like teaching kids that they should be adolecent smoochers. I hate it when they have such young kids kissing especially when it's pointless and doesn't mean anything. Also what was with Peter and the prince being so tempted by the White witch? I guess it was to let Edmund have a chance to redeam himself...but it was unnecessary and it made it seem even more like Aslan had abandoned them when they were the ones who were forsaking him. It is always better to stay as close to the book as possible but this one had to be holywooded up. Anyways....that's my review.