Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Tagged

I've been tagged. The rules are that you list 6 facts/habits about yourself then at the end of the post name 6 people that you are going to tag. Then you go into their comments and tell them that they have been tagged.

1. The one thing that I absolutely love is a good book. It's probably one of my most favorite things to do and when I find a good one I get a little obsessed about it. I have a really hard time putting down a book I love and most books I can finish within a day or two. I'm trying to remind myself to take my time with new books so I can enjoy them for a lot longer. Once I've finished a book I feel very connected to it and I think about it constantly and usually carry it around with me for a day or two in case I want to read a little exerb at some random time. I'm definitely one of those people that cries and laughs outloud while reading.

2. To go along with my first fact/habit, I want to write a book someday. It will probably be fiction and along the lines of fantasy. I started two books this past summer and every now and then write a little more but I put a lot of pressure on myself to think up an orginal idea and when things start to sound to cliche I stop, hoping that with time my mind will clear and I will be able to once again write something uniquely me.

3. Working hard. I thrive on challenging myself to work hard in everything I start or do. My job, school, and just life in general. Sometimes it could be learning something new (which I love) or just putting myself in a situation that's unfamilar or uncomfortable, but something that I want to do, and then just doing it. When I was younger I missed out on some opportunities because I didn't work hard enough or was too scared and I am determined to not let that happen again.

4. A lot of people don't know that I grew up helping my dad with a lot of different rental properties he owned. Since I was the only girl in the family I got to help right along with my brothers while we reshingled roofs, built fences, fixed toilets, painted, landscaped, etc. Pretty much anything you can think of that has to do with home repair I did. Plus, my dad designed and built (acutally built) our house so I helped with a lot of that too. :)

5. I love being outside. When I was single and lived in Salt Lake City, I used to take a blanket, a book or my journal, and sit on the grass at Liberty Park next to the pond a couple of times a week during the summer. Nature in general is just great!

6. Maybe someday in the distant future I would like to go back to school and go further into psychology, more specifically the homopathic side. Instead on prescribing things like ritalin for ADD, I would like to try more natural remedies. A lot of evidence is showing that in cancer, natual remedies are a lot better healthwise and show a lot better results then chemo. I think the same things can be applied to psychological illnesses. But this is all in the very distant future...maybe someday...

Tagged; Terra, Lupita, Brianne, Stacey, Brooke, Christi

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Conference October 2007


Ever since I moved to Utah back in 2001, Conference has always held a special place in my heart. It always signalled the coming of Winter or the beginning of Spring to me, both favorite seasons. It's also a time when I can sit and re-evaluated where I am at in my life as I listen to new guidance and firm reminders from the prophet, apostles, and other leaders of the church.
Nate and I have been blessed almost ever conference to be able to attend at least one session, and this year it was hard not to be around as Utah seemed to tingle with the anticipation on new direction; however, as I listened from Canada I still felt the message of each speaker as if I was sitting right there in the Conference Center. It was a good reminder to me that the gospel and the spirit is the same no matter where you are.
I was particular touched by the talk given by Elder Bednar in the Sunday morning session. I'm not sure what it's titled because I wasn't actually writing notes but his talked struck me and I've been thinking about it ever sense. He talked about having 1. clean hands and 2. a pure heart. It's a topic we learn a lot about but what hit me was that he said it is possible to have clean hands and and impure heart. It automatically reminded me of Mosiah 4:30 when King Benjamin warns about watching our thoughts. It scared me to think that I could have clean hands and not a pure heart b/c those seem to go together. Elder Bednar also talked about how important the atonement is in have both clean hands and a pure heart. I made a resolution to make sure that my thoughts are as clean as I think my hands are and if I stray to use the atonement daily to repent of those things.

Thursday, October 4, 2007

VW Fire

At the end of June, our new Passat (well new for us, 2003 VW Passat) that Nate and I had bought about six months before, spontaneously caught on fire in the engine area. I drove from our apt. in Miamisburg, Ohio about 30 miles south into Cincinatti to shop at Costco. Before I actually started shopping I sat down to eat one of those delicious costco hot dogs when I noticed a couple of people run by with fire extingishers. Not thinking too much of it (obviously it couldn't be my car, it was still new) I finished my lunch. Then for some reason I just felt like it would be the "responsible" thing to do just to make sure it wasn't my car, so I walked out and, wow, yeah there is was, my car, flames shooting out from under the hood (well, not really shooting) but definitely visable. Then the fire dept. drove up, jumped out, and preceeded to pry open the hood of my car with a crowbar. Yeah...not too fun to watch. The end of the story? Well, VW flew out a specalist to check out our car. They ended up paying it off and giving us a $3000 credit to use at VW or Audi, which we used to buy a new VW Passat, which we love! No fires so far.

Today I recieved a message from a friend (thanks Brandon) with a link to a news article talking about how the government is upgrading an investigation into VW after recieving dozens of reports of engine fires in Passats. Below are a couple of links to the article written regarding these fires. Same article just two different sources.


Here are some pics of our poor car! The engine area was totally melted but the body and inside the car was perfect! When I went to pick up my stuff from the car the rest of the car looked so perfect that it was like I could drive it out of the lot.














Stephenie Meyer

I just realized that I put Stephenie Meyer was an artist and she is in the sense that she writes books...but that can be art too, right?? :)

Links

I finally got the whole link think figured out so check out some of my links and favorite websites! The husband of one of my good friends is an amazing artist! Check out Justin's Paintings and Beach paintings to look at some of his work. Also, Stephenie Meyer has become a favorite artist of mine and I'm always checking out her site for new info. on her books and the Twilight movie. If you haven't read that book yet, READ IT!!!

Monday, October 1, 2007

Our New Blog, Welcome!

Well, blogging just seemed liked a good idea. Hopefully you all can find some kind of enjoyment in this new page that is dedicated to me and Nate and our family of two. :)