Experience

Our project this semester for school is to design an URBAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. The site is located downtown and will be focusing on the teachings of Montessori. This is a collage that I made of different materials that are around the site. Part of my concept has to do with the richness and experience that this site provides. I chose to represent that through displaying the materials to help show the experiences that can be had on this site. This week we are headed down to LA for a field trip. Seriously. We are going down to study buildings and walk around like a bunch of architecture nerds. Maybe I should say as instead of like. I am excited to go and not have to make any of my friends suffer the aggravating hours of me examining every building I walk past. As I looked at the itinterary, I thought to myself that even I might get bored. We are going for the purpose of studing so there is no free time, but I am really excited to do something other than sit inside the same building day after day. I am posting this for two reasons, one, I wanted to give you a warning that I am going to post lots of really nerdy facts and two, cause it has now been a month since my last post. This is pretty much getting ridiculous. Who would write about how she hates it when no one updates their blog and then become a huge hypocrite? I mean, seriously

A New Year

As a new year begins, it is customary to start it with some resolutions in mind. I have often thought about some and decided that I would persue some of them, but nothing has even been that successful. A companion of mine taught me that it isn't a goal until you write it down, so this is my attempt to keep myself in check this next year. You are also welcome to ask me about these goals and how they are coming throughout the year. It is harder to flake out on something when you have to answer for it.
I have spent the last couple of days deciding what exactly it was that I wanted to focus on this year. Many things have come to mind like: perfecting my already incredible beat boxing skills, finally learning to properly cut a bonsai tree, and my all time favorite, pick up casual swearing (thanks for the idea, Anne). While all of these are good, sound goals, I am not sure that they are the ones for me this year. Here is what I have decided to help me be just a little bit better.....


1. Get in shape.....and I am not talking about round being a shape. This has been something diffucult for me troughout my life and it is time that I get it under control. I worked out on my mission because it was a rule and I had a great motivating companion (remind me to tell you about Christmas Marathon 2004). I had never felt so good than I did when I came home from my mission except the whole not being able to understand english thing. So my specific goal is to workout five days a week. Some days may only be fifteen minutes, but I must make time for it everyday!

and we all know how poor I am.

2. Study the scriptures everyday........this is a continuing goal. I try to read the scriptures everyday even if it just a few verses. I have recently switched to reading my scriptures in english. It has been a whole new experience since I have read it in spanish for the last four years. Its incredible to learn something new when you translate it. Daily study of the scriptures and not falling asleep while doing it and not being afraid to take time to look something up for fear of not finishing a chapter.

3. Temple Attendance.....needs to increase. While on my mission I promised that I would never take advantage of the temple when I got home...oops! I need to be better and go to any and all temples that are accessible. With the opening of the Draper Temple this year, I should have even less excuses.

4. Look for new experiences.....and don't be afraid to take advantages of them. Most of my best memories is when I have attempted something new, travel to a new place, or just got out of my comfort zone. It is easier to just do the same thing all the time, but what do I learn from that? Whatever comes this next year I must take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves even if it seems scary at the beginning.

seriously something I want to do yet freaks me out.

5. Follow a generous thought.....I often think of something nice that I could do for someone else, but second guess myself for fear of looking stupid. I need to follow those thoughts and not supress an act of kindness. Take action and stop being scared that others with think I am crazy.

6. Respond to emails......I have this weird thing that once something goes into my inbox, it gets lost and never attended to. So it is now my goal to respond to my emails when they are recieved. Attached to this goal is the need for me to follow up with emails. I often tell people that I will send them something (mainly pictures) or check on something else and let them know. For some reason, I get distracted and never follow through with this. If I have promised you something and have yet to deliver, please remind me of it and I will get it taken care of. These next pictures are for my sister whom I promised that I would post these. this is my new amazing haircut and highlights
we made this for my parents this year and the texans haven't seen it yet
7. Follow this motto:.... "You can't do everything, all the time, but you can do most things, most of the time. But whatever you do, make sure you do nothing, none of the time." This motto has continued to grow and progress over the course of a couple of years and with a few different friends. Throughout different circumstances and times, I believe that this is how I want to live my life. I went through a time period when I thought I could do everything and that I was Super Woman. After a few stubborn years, I have come to realize that it isn't possible and I need to relax just a little bit more. It can't be perfect, so learn to roll with it. But no matter how crazy life gets, don't give up! This post has ended up being a little longer than I had planned, but it made me put it all into words so that these goals can be accomplished. Some are more simple while others will be a lifelong quest. I hope that all of your new year has already started off well and that it may continue. Hopefully, I will become so great at accomplishing these goals that I will find sometime to perfect the ones I mentioned at the beginning. Anyone know a good recording artist for beat boxers?

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow......please!

As many of you know, when I returned home from Guatemala, my body chemistry had changed just a little bit. Having lived in a tropical country where the low is in the 50's and spending my last weeks on the beach, made it really hard to come home at the end of December. Many friends will attest to the fact that I used to "warm them out" of their own vehicles. I was often asked in desperation if I was warm yet. So this posting may seem just a little strange to all my dehydrated friends.

Winter is beautiful and I love the Christmas season. I love the soft flakes, the first snowfall, and listening to my feet crunch in that blissful white blanket. As the season goes on and finals drag out, I have often been known to change my tune and start complaining about the cold. Never mind the beauty and how it makes this season have a whole other feel....I am freezing and I hate it! So with all of that preface I post this hesitantly........I AM MISSING THE SNOW!!!! I know that this is totally out of character, but seriously where is all the white stuff? I have yet to be really cold this year, with exception of that ridiculous day in the studio when we made a tent around a space heater. I haven't even really busted out all the winter gear. And worst of all, it doesn't feel like Christmas! I was downtown tonight when then turned the lights on for the evening and as amazing as it was, it just wasn't the same. To end this rambling, I would like it to snow please. It doesn't have to be feet, but something to give me hope that this season will feel right eventually. As Meggie would say, "Let it no, let it no, let it no!" I need some soon or as soon as these silly finals are over, I am out of here to Vail or Big Sky or at least Oakley!

I am posting these photos of past snowy fun in hopes to help remind them above how great it is.

Snowy riverbank at cabin

about a month being home

Fence detail

haylee stuck in a snowbank.....I made her stay while I took this

crystalized snowflakes

doesn't this say, "Welcome Home"?

no photoshop on this one

come on, without snow would this be as gorgeous?

can you see it?

sign of heaven

snowstorm in the canyon

snowy sunrise

I dare you to not want snow now!

The Beginning....

I have often been critical of those who have chosen the blogging lifestyle. Seemed silly. Now I have crossed over and joined the ranks. I now believe that I can help win this blogging war or at least a battle. As I go though my day, I find myself often drawn to the blogs of my friends and even their friends in some cases. It has become a daily ritual for me to check up all of my friends and for all of you that know and love my OCD tendencies, I never miss a day. I find myself becoming annoyed with those who do not update me daily with the very happenings of their lives. Why would they not think that there should be an update more than once a month? Instead I should be asking, how do all these amazing people find the time to update their blogs every month? So in an effort to understand them more (really I just wanted to feel cool) I have created my own. This is now my little corner of the universe where I can share the going ons of my life as well as the many humorous tid bits that I come across daily. I do have to warn you that the things I find funny may not be to all who read. This gives just a little more insight into the title of this blog. It can be amusing or a musing...... I'll let you decide! It will just add to the fun. Which is also why I added this picture. This has nothing to do with the post except for the fact that every post should have a picture attached. Who posts without a picture? I mean seriously!

So I guess that is it for now.....here we go.....the beginning.....