Payson Temple

What a wonderful experience!! Yesterday I went through the temple for the first time. It was really beautiful. I was super overwhelmed with love, at the support I had. Family from both sides came as well as my friends. I met Mom early at 4 and she was my escort. I feel so blessed that she is my mom. She is beautiful. The whole experience was amazing. They did warn me I would be confused a little bit, which I am. I just can't wait to go back again. Some thoughts: I can't wait to see those in heaven again. My sister M, was so sweet and let me take my Grandma B's leaf necklace inside with me. I kept it in my pocket and held on to it sometimes. I remembered Aunt S. Boy, I can't wait to see them again.
After the temple we went to Zupa's Cafe and we had dinner. When it was time to go, I didn't want to say goodbye. It was such an amazing day. On the way home, we stopped by Z's and he showed us his new house. I hope I never forget this day. (I do have more family pictures, but friend pictures are the only ones I have personally right now. So more pictures to come. They were sweet and stayed with me until Mom came to take me in)
The Lord loves us very much. He knows us and understands us. He hears our prayers. He is merciful. He gave us this gospel and His Son so that we could make it back to live with Him again. He blesses us every day. He gave us people in our lives like family and friends to help us through life. He knows who we need. Families can be together forever. We will see our loved ones again. The Lord will NEVER abandon us. He guides us through the Holy Ghost and his prophets. Temples are His house. They are beautiful and each is unique. We are His children. He sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we can be better through His son's example. Are we not blessed? We are extremely blessed.

Lumberjack Club

Come to find out, my roommates signed me up to be in the Lumberjack Club. We met for our first meeting and we quickly realized that it was a great club to join. We dressed up in plaid and really, I felt like we were the only ones. Maybe we were just being stereotypical. We meet Thursdays. We watch movies. We get free pancakes (chocolate chip and blueberry I might add, with Nutella!) The club has no fees except a shirt cost of $3-$5. B and K left shortly after getting their pancakes to go to a Rodeo in the next town over. M and I stuck around for a little bit. It's going to be a good club.

Stress

“We were not placed on this earth to walk alone. … [God] has assured us that He will be there for us to provide help if we but ask. … I promise you that you will one day stand aside and look at your difficult times, and you will realize that He was always there beside you.”

President Thomas S. Monson, “We Never Walk Alone,”Ensign, Nov. 2013, 121, 124.

Sometimes I just get so overwhelmed and I get so stressed. I feel so alone sometimes (especially when I am at college) and I just wonder, "How come I feel like I am the only one who is stressed?" Sometimes I try to get by and try to focus on other things and it is so hard. This picture tells all. I just try to live day to day and moment by moment. 

My role-model and example is my Mom. She is super patient with me and listens to me. Sometimes I feel like she could hang up the phone at any moment but she stays and listens. She gives me super great advice and talking with her seems to make everything right. She is such a blessing in my life.

"Life by the yard is hard but by the inch, it's a cinch." - President Thomas S. Monson

Waiting

College has been great so far. I'm back with my roommates and old friends who are technically  family. I can't wait to meet more people at church. I love our bishopric. I just spontaneously signed up for a 8:30 am Volleyball class because I needed one more credit and my other roommates are also taking it. We are waiting around for R to get here. We heard earlier he was in a two-toned colored car and so from then on our eyes were peeled looking for one. Yeah, super ironic because we saw 2 right after the other. Our bets were that he'd get here between 6 or 7, we were very wrong.
The heat here makes the days seem so much longer. Is it weird to say I'm excited for classes to start tomorrow? I got paperwork done for work and I start that tomorrow too. I'm nervous about it. I got to go to the temple today. It was super nice to get back inside my favorite temple. Last year we tried to go every Thursday.
I am super excited to get to know my new roommate M. She is super sweet already and we have already had fun times. She is one that will be in my volleyball class and she is good at it. She taught us how to do a rotation with bumping, setting, and spiking. It was fun. I tried to spike it one time and totally failed. Note to self: don't try to spike it when it's almost to your waist's height.

Talking to R so he doesn't fall asleep driving. She was super encouraging.

Quote Wall

This is our beloved quote wall. We started it after watching "A Walk to Remember". We wanted to write things down because we wanted to remember the things we did and funny things and times we have had. If we ever wanted to get back at someone then all we had to do was find something silly they said on the wall and read it back to them, remind them and use it against them. Taking it down was sad. It also took off a lot of paint. Thankfully we know the Walmart people pretty well that Hayden did a fabulous job of paint matching. We also rewrote the cards to give to R for his birthday. He said he would hang them on his ceiling. They spanned all the living room walls and they were quite the conversation starter for those who came over. Not going to lie, we were proud of it.

Just around the corner

     Where has the time gone? Summer is almost over (as in, I will be moving into my apartment in 2 days!!!) This summer has been really great. At the beginning of summer I was offered my old job at Brighton. I was super excited to get the offer but at the same time I was just starting my kids camp job. With the help of Mom, I decided I'd stay and decline the job at Brighton. It was a struggle to decide. Occasionally throughout the summer she has asked me if I have regretted it. Brighton is a great place and last summer was incredible but I don't regret not going this year. It really has been a great time and I've learned a lot.
     Tomorrow is my last day at kids camp. I'm not going to lie, today was a struggle. The kids weren't listening well and there was a call over the walkie-talkie that one of my kiddos was found and was clear on the other side of the farm. (I have no idea how that happened, he was with us the whole time I swear) The kids have been great and I enjoyed working and playing with them. Tonight I am packing up more for college. Dad is hosting the family reunion tomorrow but I can't go due to working still. They are going out on the lake. I'm jealous.
     New adventures to come. New job at school, a new school year, new apartment. I am super excited because I have chosen to go through the temple. I set the date and I've got everything ready to go. Now I am just playing the waiting game until the day. Yesterday, Mom and I went to buy my temple things. It was fun and a really neat experience.

Oh my heavens! He is such a cutey! He wasn't interested in coloring with the others and so we drew a coloring page together. After that, he was so proud of it and was a happy kid the rest of the day going around showing everyone what we did. 

Every Tuesday we have Animal Chat and we talk about the "Lambassador", Snowflake.

Every Thursday we collect chicken eggs. The kids think they lay them just for them. They are just refrigerated eggs. Only one of my kids out of all of my groups all summer has every questioned why they are cold. One kids today said that they must be fresh because it was cold.  

The staff ordered take out lunch. I bought an Iceburg shake. Whoever thought to put Eggnog in a shake so that those who loved Eggnog could enjoy it all year long, was a pure genius. It has lasted me awhile and it is another thing that has helped keep me going. 

Random Pictures

These are pictures that I don't know how to seperately post, so they are all going together.

Temple Thursday with most of the crew

Fairview Museum

Our door for Halloween door decorating contest that didn't actually happen

Denny's with R's bro, R, B, Z, Me, K, and K

Our neighbor K's birthday party

Bowling night for the Business Club

Spa night

Walking through the Drive-Thru

R and L's Wedding

Oh heavens!! What a fun weekend. Our King Pal R, got hitched this weekend. He looked super handsome and very happy with his new bride. Let's see.... to Brianna's house, to Nephi, to Ephraim, to Providence, then to Logan. There is sooo much to talk about and remember. So blessed to have such wonderful friends.

(2nd Reception in Providence)

(OUR spot at the GSC)

(We made 300 cupcakes for the Open House)

(We got into a powdered sugar fight)

(Logan Temple)

Payson Temple Celebration

It rained and rained and rained but after a lot of postponing, they continued with the celebration. Aunt T and N were invited to participate. So glad it could continue. 

This past week at Camp...

Working at the farm camp is something I am going to miss after I head back to college. It's not only my summer job but since it's fun then it is no longer just a chore or a job. I only have 2 weeks left. The kids are so much fun. This past week we made foam boats and the favorite thing to do was play with chalk. This week we also found a lot of bees nest which sadly resulted in a couple of bee stings. They were troupers though.