Barrettes and things

I was feeling particularly crafty today so I found some of my mom's old fabric scraps and decided I was going to sew! I love how the new trend is to wear big flowers on barrettes and headbands, so I thought I'd try to recreate the look with fabric. Definitely not perfect, but I think they turned out pretty cute! Amber said she'd buy one if she saw it at J.Crew...so maybe I have a future in barrette and headband making...?
Super easy and very "home spun." Now just trying to think of a cute name for my little home spun handi-crafts...

Two Feet

From friday night to Saturday we got 2 feet of snow here in PA. This means we've pretty much been stuck inside for the past two days. Church was even canceled, which for an RM is the hugest bummer of the week. I decided to take some time today and redo my blog...what do you think?

Other things that I've been engaged in is going back to school...I realized that it was a harder transition going back to school than it was coming home. I think it's really setting in that my mission is over, behind me, and the more time I am home the more it dawns on me that there's no turning back. I know that the transition is completely normal but there are days when I just wish I could be back in Utah wearing my tag. Thank goodness for old companions who've answered my phone calls and cheered me up.

I think I'm going to put my focus on learning a new skill, like sewing! My mom is the ultimate sewing master, so I think it's time I learned from her... Hopefully I don't sew my finger off...

Home again

This won't be a long post, just saying I'm back! I got home from my mission December 23rd and am enjoying being home. I miss my mission a lot, but know that there are other exciting things ahead of me. Serving a mission was the best thing I've ever done. It was the happiest I've ever been, and the hardest I've ever worked. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I once heard the phrase, "It wasn't the best 2 years OF my life, but the best 2 years FOR my life." It's true...except adapt that to my case where I served 18 months. It was definitely the best experience for my life. I loved every minute of it...even the hard times. Missions are the best idea in the world!

Farewell for 18 months!

This is my last blog post before I head out on my mission. In fact, tonight is the night that I get set apart as a missionary!!! SO insane. I can't wait, yet I'm filled with nerves, anxiousness, excitement, and just feeling overwhelmed by it all. How grateful I am for this amazing experience. I know I will be stretched and tried, but I also have faith that I will have many joyful moments. The best part is that I know that this is what the Lord wants me to do. I have faith that He knows what he's doing.

Tomorrow we fly out west and begin our "mini" vacation before I enter the MTC on July 16th. We are going to meet up with the couple that were instrumental in my parents becoming members of the church, and they've been close friends ever since. I'm excited to meet them. It's nice to know that they will be out there in Utah with me for the next year and a half of my mission.:)

So, my dear family and friends, I'll miss you all! Continue to be the amazing people that you are and continue to live and love life. I'll see you when I return.:)

God speed!

What I've been doing...Part I

I went to the TEMPLE!!! It was so great to be able to finally go inside. Although a lot of it went over my head, I did leave with a stronger testimony of the power I had when I left. It is so beautiful inside. I honestly felt that it was the closest thing to heaven on this earth. Probably because it is. It was a gorgeous day which is so fitting because I the experience was equally gorgeous. I am really looking forward to going back a few more times before I go on my mission. (which is only about a month away!!!)

Here are a few pics that we captured from that day...(May 24th)

This was Jim talking to Dad who was sitting in the SUV...I love the pic of the temple in the background.

Eating lunch after I took out my endowments:

My parents and I: The girls (Lisa, Amber, Me, Sara Smith):

What I've been doing...Part 2

Last week I went to Pittsburgh to visit one of my best friends, Erin. I decided that since the price of gas is so astronomically high it would be cheaper for me to ride the bus. I haven't had a ton of experience with public transportation but after this trip I can honestly say I've had my fill.


The harrisburg bus station is dodgey to say the least. My bus was supposed to leave at 3pm and didnt leave until 4...and waiting there for that extra hour was rather unnerving, considering all of the strange and dangerous looking folk I was forced to be around. Just thinking about it makes me shutter. It is a miracle I arrived in Pittsburgh unharmed. Seriously.


Once I finally got to the Pittsbugh bus station Erin was there waiting for me, so it was nice to be among "friends" if you know what I mean. I had such an awesome week with her. She has a beautiful home, and I felt like I was staying at a resort! She has a lake in her backyard (pic above) and two adorable yellow lab dogs: Gert and Ben. They were gentle and kind, so I didn't mind being around them in the least.


Since I'm pretty lazy I'm only going to post a few pics of my trip, but if you want a full photo-journal account, go to my facebook and view my album.

Erin's backyard...there is a part of a golf course AND a lake on her property...

What a cute dog...
By the lake...

Out in front of her house...

Erin in the kitchen...

Driving to the bus stop to go home on Friday morning:(.

Driving in to the city of Pittsburgh...

Room Cleaning

Since the semester ended, I've tried to keep myself busy by totally deep cleaning my room. It's not that it's a total pig stye or anything, but I have bins of old papers from High School and even elementary school that I needed to go through and purge.

It is taking me way longer than I thought...But it seriously gets worse before it gets better. I wish I was like Samantha on "Bewitched" so I could just wiggle my nose and then magically everything would go into place and be perfectly organized! But that's definitely not reality.

Other than cleaning my room I am also trying to get to the gym way more often. I decided not to work for the two months before my mission, so that means I have no excuse to waste time.

My life is pretty non-eventful these days.:)