Saturday, August 31, 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Some friends came over this evening for story night. We just read some children's books and made caramel popcorn. That book on top, The Dot by Peter H Reynolds, is one of my favorite children's books. It's moral is basically that you can do anything you put your mind to if you believe in yourself. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Friday August 30, 2013

This is probably my favorite kitchen appliance. I think it's sort if funny that I'm a talented baker/cook--I make some pretty awesome food--but if you ask me what my favorite food is, I'll tell you it's popcorn. Air popped is the best. 

Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Thursday, August 29, 2013

I've actually felt pretty down today. I've got a few things on my mind that I'm trying to deal with. My brother/mom got these for me for my birthday. They are one of my favorite treats so it was nice to have them today. 

Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

When my parents came to visit last weekend, they brought plenty of produce from the garden for me to enjoy. Garden produce is probably the highlight of my summer (except my birthday.) My dad was a farmer when I was growing up, so we always had amazing vegetables during harvest season. Actually, during the summer, our dinners were basically always tomatoes, corn on the cob, bell peppers, squash, and cucumbers. Every once in a while, mom would find bacon on sale and we'd have BLT sandwiches. Since I moved away, it's been sad to not have that every summer. Produce from your own garden is a million times better from the produce found in an average grocery store. It's been so nice to have all those vegetables in my fridge this week. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

A good friend of mine took me to dinner
tonight for my birthday! She even got the servers to sing to me and bring me ice cream. That was a fun treat!
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Monday, August 26, 2013

Monday, August 26, 2013

I got a haircut today! But then I curled it, so you can't really tell... Anyway, I felt more confident after that.

Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Today, I am grateful for my life. I have seen some incredible trials and struggles in my life, but I have also seen some beautiful, miraculous things. A year ago, I know I wouldn't have had this perspective. But today, I look at my future and it is so bright!

Today is my birthday, and it has probably been the best birthday I've ever had. I had a bunch of friends over for cake and ice cream. I made a raspberry Jell-O cake, which is traditional for my birthday.



My friends sang "Happy Birthday" and I blew out the candles. I still haven't grown out of that...



We spent a few hours playing games. Definitely the ideal evening--friends, food, and games.

Some of my friends brought me flowers! I love flowers!



Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Saturday, August 24, 2013

My family came to visit me today to celebrate my birthday, which is tomorrow. They were only able to be here for three-and-a-half hours, so we definitely made the most of it.

We ate Hawaiian haystacks for dinner, which is traditional for my birthday. My parents brought corn in the cob from their garden. So delicious!

My mom was excited to have me open gifts after that. No surprise I asked for kitchen things!

After, we played a game. I made what we call a "supreese." It's basically a giant ball of layers and layers of Saran Wrap, bubble wrap, and packing tape with candy and fun stuff inside. The game goes like this: one person is rolling two dice over and over until they get doubles--both dice are the same number. The person to their right is holding the "supreese" and tearing at it. Anything that comes loose is theirs to keep. To make it tricky, they must wear a pair of winter gloves. When the dice roller gets doubles, they pass on the dice, put on the gloves, and start tearing at the "supreese."

So why is it called a "supreese?" We'll, Loveduck and I are particularly fond of the movie "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events." The villain, Count Olaf, says "Imagine my supreese" instead of "Imagine my surprise." Then later he says, "Kiwi watermelon supreese" instead of "Kiwi watermelon surprise." The first time we made one, it was a surprise for the family. I guess it's kind of a thing we do now!

We ate dessert, took a quick family picture, and my family left for home. It was so good to have them visit me. This hasn't happened since my birthday last year.

Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Friday, August 23, 2013

I've actually been rather frustrated/frazzled today. The reason is I'm one of those people who has to have everything organized all the time. In my spare time, I clean. But yesterday, my landlord started the process of replacing the floors in my apartment. Currently, my kitchen appliances are in my living room, along with my kitchen table. I can't walk on the kitchen floor until tomorrow afternoon. The chaos is getting to me. But when I got home this afternoon and saw the finished flooring, I will admit I was pretty excited! It's new and cleanish and pretty!
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Friday, August 23, 2013

Thursday, August 22, 2013

This evening, I spent some time in the Fine Arts building of the university by which I live. I found a practice room and played the piano for a little over an hour. I find that I'm pretty out of practice lately, just because I don't have a piano in my apartment, let alone in my apartment complex, so opportunities to play are few and far between. I think it's one of those skills that is like riding a bike--you can remember how it's done, but you have to put in the time to get back to the skill level you were before. But when I was playing tonight, it didn't feel that difficult. After an hour, I realized I was playing well and it wasn't too labored. Playing felt comfortable, which is how it should be. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

I was given a new responsibility at work today. I can't share many details simply because I'm in the healthcare business and a lot if my job involves sensitive, confidential information. But this new responsibility is one that I consider an honor. I feel like because it was given to me, I am being recognized and appreciated for all the efforts I put in. I've wanted this for as long as I've had my current job, which is almost a year. When my supervisor sent me a text this morning asking how I felt about it, my response was "Thrilled! Delighted! Excited! Honored. Appreciated."

I can't really post a picture of this one...

Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

I ended up playing Farkle with some friends tonight. I love that we laughed so much! There were so many funny things said--like "Farkle is the Mormon version of gambling."



Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

I'm actually going to share another for today. This one is a bit more personal than other happy moments I've shared.

Behind the LDS temple where I live, there's a hill where one can sit and see the temple and over into the city. During times when I need quiet so I can do some thinking, I go there. So, after my friends and I said good-night, instead of heading back to my apartment, I went to this hill.

In recent weeks, I've had two friends reference the same talk in our conversation--but they were different conversations. I'm pretty sure this means it's one I should check out... So, whilst sitting on the hill tonight, I pulled it up on my phone. I feel so blessed for the way it addressed some concerns I've had lately.

The talk is entitled "His Grace is Sufficient" and was given by Brad Wilcox. (Find it here.)

There are three points that particularly meant something to me. First, Brother Wilcox explains that in life sometimes it seems that there are only two options: perfection, or giving up. I frequently feel that I need to be perfect, and when I fall short of that, it is too easy to get down on myself and, in a sense, give up. The truth is, though, perfection isn't meant to be achieved in this life. Because of Christ's Atonement, it's ok to make mistakes and it perfectly perfect to NOT be perfect. "When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness."

Near the end of his talk, Brother Wilcox quotes Elder Neal A. Maxwell:

"Now may I speak... to those buffeted by false insecurity, who, though laboring devotedly in the Kingdom, have recurring feelings of falling forever short... This feeling of inadequacy is... normal. There is no way the Church can honestly describe where we must yet go and what we must yet do without creating a sense of immense distance... This is a gospel of grand expectations, but God’s grace is sufficient for each of us."

I love the validation this quote gives. It is normal to fall short and even more normal to feel inadequate because of it.

Second, Brother Wilcox references the hymn "Come, Come, Ye Saints." He speaks specifically of the line "Though hard to you your journey may appear, grace shall be as your day." Now, I've been singing this hymn all my life and never really thought about what exactly that means. I love the way Brother Wilcox explained it:

“Grace shall be as your day”—what an interesting phrase. We have all sung it hundreds of times, but have we stopped to consider what it means? “Grace shall be as your day”: grace shall be like a day. As dark as night may become, we can always count on the sun coming up. As dark as our trials, sins, and mistakes may appear, we can always have confidence in the grace of Jesus Christ. Do we earn a sunrise? No. Do we have to be worthy of a chance to begin again? No. We just have to accept these blessings and take advantage of them. As sure as each brand-new day, grace—the enabling power of Jesus Christ—is constant. Faithful pioneers knew they were not alone. The task ahead of them was never as great as the power behind them."

Third, at the very end of his talk, Brother Wilcox lists all the people in your life who are "pulling for you." But the last thing he says is, "Jesus is pulling with you." I feel so comforted by this. See, I have a really difficult time trusting people. It's hard for me to feel like they genuinely care for me. I think about all these people (mostly referencing "peers" or just people I don't know well. I trust the leaders of the church.) in my life who are probably "pulling for me" and recognize that this should give me encouragement. But I don't always trust them, so I can't always believe they are "pulling for me." But when I imagine my Savior pulling with me, I feel secure.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Monday, August 19, 2013

I have a really good friend who loves Spanish, so when I heard this joke, I knew I had to share it with him. It was fun to have him send one back to me!

I love silly jokes--jokes clean enough and simple enough to share with my nine-year-old-sister. I often find that I laugh at the ones that are simple or punny.



Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Sunday, August 18, 2013

In 2009, I met someone who became one of the best friends I've ever had. Somehow, we developed this tradition of having dinner together once a week. We took turns cooking--I made the meal one week and he made it the next. I think I can safely say that dinner with this friend was the highlight of my week for quite some time. I spent days planning a really special menu--always just a little over the top, especially since it was just the two of us and no body was trying to impress anyone. I think those weekly dinners helped me to realize that I love to host dinners. I love inviting friends over for a really special dinner. It gives me an opportunity to share my talent and serve them... by serving them food. I haven't done much hosting since this friend moved away, so any time the opportunity comes, I definitely treasure it. 

Last night, I made spur of the moment plans to host Sunday dinner with some friends. I started baking first thing this morning--dinner rolls and pie crusts. Chicken was marinating before church. I was so excited! Dinner turned out amazing! The chicken was moist and flavorful. The potatoes were delightful. The salad was a perfect accent. My dinner rolls were a hit, as always. The pies were beautiful. 

But honestly, for as delicious as the food was, the thing that made me happy (and always makes me happy about hosting) is the way people look so happy and content after. (A big part of that might be that my friends are all college students, and I'm pretty sure I eat much differently than they do... Dinners like this are a treat.)
Life is beautiful, especially if you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Today was the last day of Loveduck's visit. We had such a fun weekend. I am very blessed to have her as my sister and best friend!
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 


Friday, August 16, 2013

Friday, August 16, 2013

Loveduck is still here visiting! We had so so so much fun today. We did lots of shopping, Tucanos for dinner (just cause I had a coupon because its my birthday month,) and Comedysportz to top it all off!
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Loveduck came to see me today! We've got so many fun things planned for the weekend. She's my best friend, hands down. We can talk and talk for hours. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

My supervisor at work got me flowers today! She just wanted to let me know how much she appreciates all the hard work I do. I don't think she knows how much I love flowers! 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that's happen every day. 


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A friend of mine returned today from a trip to Europe. I taught her how to play cribbage, and we've played a lot this summer. We always have played with a deck of cards that has one of those awkward designs on the back. We decided it looked like a naked baby on a pogo stick, but I think the design is meant to be a cherub riding a bicycle. Anyway, whilst in Germany, this friend found a deck of playing cards for me "so we don't have to play with that awkward deck anymore!" They all have a map of Germany on the back and on the front, each has a picture of places to see on Germany. I love that while she was having a delightful time on vacation, she thought to get something special for me. Oh. She also got a bar of German chocolate for me!
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Monday, August 12, 2013

Monday, August 12, 2013

Full gas tank. While the cost of gas hurts my bank account, same as anybody, I like the security I feel when the tank is full. I feel like if there was an emergency and for some reason I needed to drive somewhere, I'd be ready. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen everyday. 

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Leftovers. See, the way my schedule seems to be lately is that I work so frequently in the evenings that I don't have as many chances as I'd like to make awesome dinners. I find myself making something every couple of days, then eating leftovers in between. Which is kind of funny cause I don't think I cared much for leftovers growing up. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Saturday, August 10, 2013

I love musicals. We watched them frequently growing up. Today I got to watch The Sound of Music at work. It was fun to sing the songs with the girls I work with. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Friday, August 9, 2013

Cribbage. My favorite board/card game. Even better when I win! Though I'm ok with losing. I've found that the biggest reason I like it is because it means I spend time with people who like it almost as much as I do... And who care enough to spend time with me. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day. 


Thursday, August 8, 2013

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Sometimes, I wear my hair in curls. My hair seems to hold shape pretty well, so my curls last all day. I always feel extra pretty and even more confident when I wear curls. 

Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen each day. 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Today, I shared ice cream with some friends. We had a good time chatting. I felt happy when I spent time with them. 
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen each day. 

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

I've actually found a few noteworthy, beautiful things to share today, and that feels really good! But, the one I picked to take a picture of is this crafty little item I created at work. I felt happy because I'm not really artistic, but this was pretty good!
Life is beautiful, especially when you are looking for the beautiful things that happen each day. 

Monday, August 5, 2013

Monday, August 5, 2013

One day last week, I was really craving lasagna. Given my overloaded work schedule, today was the first day I had a chance to make a nice dinner. It was so rewarding to pull the lasagna out of the oven. It smelled so good and looked fantastic! My mom didn't make lasagna much when I was growing up. I never quite understood why, until I became an adult and lived on my own. Lasagna isn't cheap, and it takes lots of time. But I'm definitely ok with taking time to make a fabulous meal. The kitchen is my sanctuary. I felt happy when I plated this delectable meal--homemade lasagna, a simple side salad, and garlic toast made from the bread I made Saturday. 
Life is beautiful, especially if you are looking for the beautiful things that happen each day. 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Today, I am grateful that I got to spend time with one of my friends. We made ice cream sandwiches to celebrate National Ice Cream Sandwich Day.
Life is beautiful, especially if you are looking for the beautiful things that happen each day. 


Saturday, August 3, 2013

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Today, I felt happy when I baked bread. For the past three years, my calling  in my ward has been to bake the sacrament bread. So, pretty much every Saturday, I bake bread. I'm grateful that I have been blessed with the talent to be able to cook and bake well. 

Life is beautiful, especially if you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Friday, August 2, 2013

Friday, August 2, 2013

Today, I felt happy when I bought stamps. See, Ellen and I have been pen pals lately, so I've been going through them much quicker than before. I was down to my last stamp! Then, just a few minutes after leaving the post office, Ellen gave me a call. She wanted to know when I was sending her a letter! I was excited to tell her that I had a fresh sheet of stamps and would try to send it tomorrow.



Life is beautiful, especially if you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Today, I am grateful for my happy shoes. I got this pair of shoes seven years ago. When I wear them, I feel happy. 


Life is beautiful, especially if you are looking for the beautiful things that happen every day.