Day 8: A Moment

I'd like to take a moment to say a few things on my mind.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lol.  Whew, glad thats off my chest.  Now high ho high ho!  Its off to the week I go!

5th and 6th Days of Valentines:

For the 5th Day of Valentines I gave 

to my Sweettart!

For the 6th Day of Valentines I gave to my true love:

to tell him that "Life gave me Lemonade when Life gave me you!"

(Inspired by the Lemonade song he sent me over 2 yrs ago by Chris Rice Listen to it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2-rKgGnx34  )

2nd, 3rd, and 4th Days of Valentines

On the second Day of Valentines I gave to my true love:
  

As I handed it to him I said without any explanation:

I've got a CRUSH on you!

On the 3rd Day of Valentines I gave to my True Love:

A Honey Bun for my Honey Bun!

On the 4th Day of Valentines I gave to my true love:

  

For my Stud Muffin

I have more coming, I was going to town with the puns while shopping for the next few days.  

I'm finding this to be a really inexpensive, low pressure, fun way to express to Travis how much I love him.  Like I said, this is our first time being together for Valentines, and with the wedding and everything coming up-this is probably my favorite thing.  Simple gifts for my sweet man that don't even take much preparation. I got the idea from a combination of other blogs and websites, but have added a personal spin to a few of them(that poem was all mine, and I've gotten creative with a few of my own materials and puns-and definitely simplified the presentation-but it works, and someday I can work up to the perfect presentation).  But definitely the highpoint in my day is when I get to see him and give him his daily treat.  Love seeing it bring a smile to his face, sometimes a chuckle, and its more than kind to my budget.

The First Day of Valentines

This year I'm trying to do a 14 days of Valentines sort of thing for Travis-its actually the first Valentines where we'll be in the same place together.  Anyways, so yesterday I started it with this:
                                        

 I wrote him a poem to go with these:

Poem said:

   

Our love is sweet, our love is true

You were MINT for me, and I for you!

I missed Day 2 because our class scheduals on Wednesdays are so opposite eachother and he doesn't work Wednesday nights but I do, so I really didn't see him at all today.  I'll give him day 2 and 3 tomorrow though, then I'll share here. :o)  And then I should be on Track.  :-P

White Tulips

Saw something like this at the store today, and I fell in love with White tulips!

I can't get enough!

Love the tulips!

Gorgeous eh?  I think I'll have tulips of every color in their own pots with the white tulips to tie it together!!

love the tulips with the roses and the loopy loopys

I think, white tulips will bring together the colors I've picked!

My Christmas Highlight

(Photo Thanks to Adam Baxter)

There are many legends about the moon. A full moon is said to be a symbol of love and romance.  On that, 

I must agree.

There was a total Lunar Eclipse on Solstice this year, visible in Alaska on the Eve of Winter Solstice. 

My dear wonderful Travis took the special night, December 20th, 2010 to propose :)  

Yes, we are engaged!  

I think there is some special symbolism in it.  

Just as the celestial bodies aligned that night, 

Travis and I aligned our hearts in a promise of celestial significance.  

I love that man!

Long Story Short:

I'm an optimist, a Ballroom Dancer, Big sister, a friend, a goofball, a student, a dreamer, and I'm a mormon.




Friend was talking to me, suggested I make one of those profiles on mormon.org. This is as far as I've gotten so far. I'll let you know when I have the rest of it together.

What I am MOST thankful for

I am thankful for the Love of my Heavenly Father.

He is the source of love, joy, peace, hope, life, and everything good.

What I'm thankful for this year: (in no particular order)

Adorable little Brother Liam
Adorable Little Sister Elyse
My mommy
Rulon
Robin
Amanda
Jordan
Clara
Travis
Kimmie
Rhea
Oppourtunities to go visit Grampa, Grama's Elmer and Johnson, and Dad's site.
The oppoutunity I had to work for Uncle Sid in California nannying Alex
Human Anatomy-its cool stuff!
Medical Assisting Program/knowing what I'm doing with my education and career!!
Modern Medicine (allergy shots, Liam's hospital visits) and the health care team!
Ballroom Dance Club of Fairbanks
Artisans Courtyard teaching oppourtunity (even though it didn't really work out, I learned alot while using the space for teaching shelly)
Stefani Borrego
Melody Debenham
Abbey Tsigonis
Ariel Cheney
Jennifer Kendall
Krystal Duval
Brittani Sunderlund
Wendy Madsen
Randi Ellingson
Missionaries
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Temples
The Preisthood
Sealing Ordinance
Uncle Dennis getting sealed to his family
Roses
Pres Duval, Pres Olsen, Bro Maynes and all other church leadership
Lori Moser
Scriptures
Red Wood Forrests
LaMyrl Sandholtz
Family History
Good Music
Dance
Baking
Balloons
Christmas Lights
Mountains
Vehicles
Good Shoes
Warm Clothes
Friends near and far (I love you even if your name was not specifically mentioned.)
Family Near and Far (Again, I love you even if you were not individually named)
Federal Student Loans
The Dividend
Pumpkins
Airplanes
Pools on Hot Days
Indexing
Good Books
Good Movies
Visiting Teaching
Munch n Mingle
Church Choir
Cousins
Family Home Evening
People who adopt Kitties
Sherry Wolf
Penny Tibbs
Christa Barttlet
I love you notes on my bed
Health
Excersise Facitlities
Hot Water
Technology
Pumpkin Pie
Beautiful Weather
Family Recipes
Instant Recipes
Warm House
Alaska
Patch Adams
Old Roommates
Stephanie Quintana



Theres lots more-but I'm getting sleepy.  So, Goodnight!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Mr Turkey

Elyse taught me a new song today, sing it to the tune of  "Frère Jacques"

Mister Turkey (Mister Turkey)

Big and Fat (Big and Fat)

I am gonna eat you (I am gonna eat you)

Just like that (Just like that)

Happy Birthday Pres Uchtdorf!

It is in the quiet moments when I sit and think and pray-that I find peace, and comfort.  Assurance.  I know who I am, I know Gods plan.  I am a child of God, I came from his home in heaven to this earth to become like him, and its back to him that I am striving to get.  I know that Jesus Christ Lives.  He bled in the Garden for me meeting the laws of Justice so that I could be restored to righteousness and therefore qualify for the Kingdom of God.  I know that Christ  arose from the grave, breaking the bonds of death that I might live with my family for forever.   I know that the Priesthood is the power and authority of God, that with it what is bound on earth will stand in full force in the eternities if I do my part.  I know that obedience to the laws and commandments of God brings something more precious that happiness, it brings joy and peace.  I know that repentance allows me to make my wrongs and failings right, and myself complete.  I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth, and that it was restored, in all its Fullness by the power of God through the prophet Joseph Smith.  I know we are led now by Prophets Seers and Revelators.  They hold the keys of the priesthood.  They know the way, and they are here to teach us and guide us on our journey.

Patch Adams

What an Inspiring Guy.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I went to his -lecture? today, but it was amazing.  I was in tears in a few spots.  Just overwhelmed with a sense of caring for his cause and the people he meets.  You could tell he was genuine-and his ideas are so idealistic.  He really beleives in his cause and labors for it, its a labor of love.  I think Robin Williams did an excellent portrayal of his essence-his sense of curiosity and love and compassion for other humans.  He's not immune to reality-he just sees the world through a broader lens that allows him to care for the individual.  I wrote so much of what he said down-I wish I had a recording of the evening.  I hope that whenever I start my career-and that whomever I come into contact with, I can share a sense of love and concern for them.

Patch said he never said "Laughter is the best medicine"  But that "Friendship is the best medicine-and laughter, humor is a means to make that friendship."  It was wonderful.  And I will forever cherish his wisdom in my heart, and strive to be a little more positive, a little more happy, a little more concerned and a little more caring with everyone I meet.  Thank you Mr Adams!

Other Than that, today was also fun, because we had our first real snow (didn't stick around much, but it was definately there.)  On my lunch break from Classes I went home to find lysie in her snowcoat, boots, snowpants, mittens, the whole regalia.  So I joined her and we tossed some small, puny snowballs around, but had oh so much fun!  

Clara is cuter.

Its October and Theres no snow yet.  What is this?
Anyways,
Conference Weekend:
   Good times with Travis.
   We Watched Conference (oops, I fell asleep on Sunday afternoon session)
   We played outside with the frisbee
   We made French Toast
   We bought cheesecake!  ( and ate it too)
   We had a stargate marathon
   And spend pretty much all day both days together, it was nice. I don't think we had had that much quality time since California.  I do love him so!

Also, my past roommate Dana had her Baby Girl!  Congrats Dana and Dallin Broadhead on the healthy arrival of Gabriella!

I must say though, Ella is adorable-no mistake there, but I'm biased and I think my niece Clara is cuter.  :P  hehehe

As of late

here's an Update:

Went to Anchorage last weekend for a wonderful temple trip :)  Enjoyed every min of it, and the weather was perfect from Fairbanks to abt Trapper Creek (just before the road construction) on both days of driving!  Also, the unperfect weather in the southern part of our great state still wasn't that bad.  :)  In Denali Nat'l Park, we saw the Great One-our beautiful mountain Denali/Mt Mckinley-Heres some pictures from the trip:

My September 11, 2010

Today was beautiful.  I woke up, got dressed (which I really didn't feel like getting out of my jammies, so it was a big deal, thus it gets to be listed in the days activities), got a haircut, then spent a glorious fall afternoon in Nature with my darling Travis.  I've been saying every weekend, "We need to go outside while the weather is still good" And so finally, the weather was PERFECT and the leaves are a beautiful golden.  So we went to Chena Lakes-but past where you turn off to go to the lakes but farther down the main road to where theres a beautiful river campsite and a few walking trails.  Oh, I just can't say enough, but it was beautiful.  There, we threw rocks in the water like little kids-Travis can throw then reallly high and really far (hit the sign on the other side of the river, or threw them really high so they would make cool sounds when the fell into the water, like "THWOOPM") and he's really good at skipping rocks-I've said it once and I'll say it again, I'm easy to please!  I loved it!

Other than that, he made me some dinner, and we watched a movie.  It was a great day.

Kinda Ironic given the anniversary of today, 9/11.......but I think its a perfect example of how God gives us tender mercies.  Beautiful weather and sunshine to light up the shadows and open our eyes to all the beauties and blessings still extended and offered to us.

I still got it

Recently I was wondering If I still have any clue as to whats good for me and whats not.  Alot of questions in my mind go around about wether I should do this or do that, and its all been very frustrating and confusing.  I used to just know-but as I've had much to think about-and plans to devise, I found, I still got it.  I know when something is right-and I still recognise it as right for me, something that will make me happy and joyful and successfull.  And I can still diffferentiate between it and that feeling that tells me "This is not good for you."   So, thats a relief.  I guess this last bit of time of frustration hasn't been in vain, but, a step into the dark and unknown. I'm glad for little moments of reflection that remind me that though I have no idea what will happen, I can have faith and peace and assurance that it will work out and make sense in the end.  I may not have my answers yet, but time will bring them to light.  phew.  Right now I need to keep chugging along on the path I'm on.  Details are yet to be established, but the big picture is in veiw.

I can hardly contain myself

Travis comes home today.  I've missed him!  Its funny cuz I've been so busy it hasn't really phased me-but I really stinkin love that boy!  It hit me today how excited I am to see him again! I just have to endure the last 2 and a half hours of work, then distract myself till 9:30 when he's due to land.  :D  YAY!!!

Loves #6

I love Hot Sunny weather and Pool Parties
I love Playing in the Rain
I love hiking
I love that I'm starting the Medical Assisting Program in just about a month
I love getting my textbooks in the mail
I love good speakers at Church
I love waking up to Liam on my feet cuz he climbed out of the crib
I love being Penniless-Its made life simpler
I love when Skype works-cuz then I can talk to Travis
I love Travis
I love Banana Bread
I love fresh fruit
I love good salads
I love kind and inspired leaders
I love my mommy
I love excersizing
I love that in 3 yrs I should have much fewer allergies because I've started taking allergy shots
I love learning to play hymns on the piano
I love wedding announcements
I love the anticipation of new babies!
I love having my nails done
I love scooby-doo bandaids
I love trying on my old prom dresses and finding that they still fit me-better now than they did then!  :D
I love being home
I love musicals
I love 24 hr daylight
I love playing on the beach
I love scavenger hunts
I love playing with Elyse and Liam

Loves #1-#5

An Explanation-I started doing this on Facebook before I did it here, I wanted to move them over so I can keep them all in one easy to get to place.  When I'm feeling particuarly down or frustrated, or blessed, I'll stop and count things that I love.  Enjoy!  (Ariel was my inspiration)

Loves #1-Jan 29, 2009

1. I love to Dance, and to share dance with others
2. I love Lysie peices-my 2 year old sista! And giggling with her at bed time when neither of us are ready to go to bed
3. I love that my mom is having another baby next month and that I'm gonna have a little brother-brand new baby to hold and cuddle ALL SUMMER!!
4. I love when the trees get all covered in frost and look beautiful and crytalized
5. I love freshly fallen snow
6. I love going on road trips
7. I love the temple
8. I love Travis
9. I love hiking, and camping
10. I love flowers
11. I love the feeling of accomplishment
12. I love it when it rains while the sun is shining
13. I love Rexburg!
14. I love Alaska!
15. I love bubble baths
16. I love motorcylces
17. I love teddybears
18. I love to have people play with my hair
19. I love roommates! (previous and current)
20. I love late night girl pow-wows
21. I love my calling-I get to teach on the teachings of our time week!
22. I love reconnecting with old friends
23. I love Family history!
24. I love little people, aka children :)
25. I love packages in the mail, letters in the mail, mail!
26. I love sisters!
27. I love rice pudding (havn't had it in a while and I want some..)
28. I love my grama's quilts
29. I love my gramas cinnamin rolls
30. I love my gramas and grampa!
31. I love hymns
32. I love naps on the rare occasion I get one
33. I love laughing
34. I love singing
35. I love ice scultures/the ice park
36. I love chocolate
37. I love the feeling of doing everything on my to do list (wish that happened more often)
28. I love movies-feel good movies
29. I love love songs
30. I love how Emilia fills the micro-fridge with inspirational sticky notes

I love alot of things...thats why this is Loves #1. I'll be posting more of these. :)






Loves #2-February 28, 2009


1. I love my mommy
2. I love Sundays
3. I love uncles
4. I love vocal point
5. I love BYU-Idaho
6. I love Olive Garden
7. I love religion classes
8. I love stadium singing
9. I love singing!
10. I love dancing
11. I love Sunny days
12. I love dressing up and going on a photo shoot with roommates on sunny days!
13. I love quesedillas at the MC
14. I love strawberries
15. I love calling home and listening to Elyse sing "I am a Child of God"
16. I love sisters
17. I love looong weekends
18. I love road trips!
19. I love chocolate
20. I love clean rooms
21. I love flowers
22. I love quilts
23. I love clear sidewalks (the slushy snow is really getting on my nerves)
24. I love Apples w/peanut butter
25. I love devotionals
26. I love pajama pants
27. I love technology which enables us to talk to loved ones far away
28. I love getting new dance shoes!
29. I love mashed potatoes
30. I love the excitement of counting down till Liam is born!

Loves #3-March 31,2009
1. Travis
2. Ariel is engaged!
3. Relief Society!
4. Easter decor!
5. Easter!
6. 11 days till I go home!
7. GREAT april fools day jokes/laughs!
8. Writing messages in the snow
9. Dance preformances!
10. Adventures to Grama's house!
11. Gramas and Grampa
12. Ice cream and other treats at Grama and Grampa's house!
13. upcoming Trips-or having trips to look forward to!
14. General Conference!
15. BYU-I 61st WARD!
16. Gullible people
17. Reminicing
18. Concerts with cellos!
19. Roommates!
20. Notes from roommates! (thanks Erin!)
21. Men's choirs ;)
22. Cuddly Baby brothers (so I've been told...)
23. Dance shows!
24. My dance team here at school :)
25. Family History
26. Family History Homework!
27. Texts from my Laura about "love letters" aka senior announcements
28. Temples!
29. My friends!
30. my family

Loves #4-November 26, 2009

So, I decided since I havn't done one of these since before I got home in April, it was time to do it again. :)

I love....(in no particular order)

Sun streaming through frost covered trees
Travis, and ya know being where Travis is, hugging Travis, talking to Travis, kissing Travis all that stuff :)
Robin going on a mission...even though I wish it weren't happening quite so soon!
Elyse (on her good days...and even some of the bad ones haha)
Liam-he's so stinking cuddly!
Amanda and Jordan. They make me happy
Phone calls with Ariel (I really hate the phone, except with her....I like Ariel phone calls)(nothing personal to everyone else)
Mommy
Rulon
Family History
Black leather boots that keep my legs warm on Sundays
Pearls
Having my nails done
Stefani Borrego-she's awesome!
Getting good grades back on my labs/tests in my science classes! 
My birthday-being in a week
Thanksgiving so we can kick the Christmas season into gear!
Board Games
Gym time with Mommy(even thought we can't wake up for it)
Telling people I go to the gym with my mommy
Turning up the radio and dancing around the office after Chris leaves...haha...
SG1. 
Pumpkin Pie
Clean house/room
Kitty cats
Friends
Seeing elementry school buddies on campus
Releif Society-and how we hear the elders quarom singing opening and closing hymns. :D its great!
Choir on Sundays
Munch'n'mingle


:) Happy Thanksgiving!

Loves #5-March7, 2010
Travis :D
Strawberry scented car fresheners
Weekly Paychecks
Helping my cousin!
Ice Sculptures
SPRING BREAKS!
getting an A on my first Human A/P lab PRacticle of the Semester
Lysie telling me "MELANIE I MISSED YOU TODAY!"
Letters from Sister Robin Johnson
Baptisms
Liam walking
Seeing all my family In Utah/Idaho last month
Dennis and Beth and their girls going through the temple last month
Seeing Roommates in Idaho Last month
Dancing
Baking
Conference Talks
Having a plan at school!
Breathing-its a big deal for me
Talking to Ariel. I just love her!
Did I mentions spring break? :P
Warmer weather
New Dresses
Family near and far!
Proximity to summer. :) 

April Showers make me happy

This week was kinda an awesome week-despite its rough start.  On Sunday, my first disaster was at Branch Conference, I'm the choir director and we had planned on singing this awesome arrangement of "How firm a foundation" but 10 mins before the meeting I still don't have my violinist or pianist.  So, the show much go on and we sang a number from the hymn book with Chelsea (life saver) as our Pianist.  That is every choir directors worst nightmare.  Anyways, still recovering from that and a few other personal crisises which also happened during church, I was in Northpole with Travis and I got a phone call from my family that Liam went into the hospital because of breathing problems.  Oy.  So the next few days were busy busy as I played mom and chauffer to Lysie and a friend whom I take to doctor appointments-all the while I also finnished a group project for Sociology and got to all my classes on time.  Tuesday evening, things started calming down.  Liam got to come home, and Travis had a birthday!  <--That was actually all day but I didn't see him till after I was done chauffering and running errands and all that jazz

I must say I was pretty happy with myself, I got travis an icecream cake from Coldstones, his mom made dinner (steak and potatoes, yum!) and I also got him a fun electronic monopoly game and a lightsaber (cuz every jedi needs a lightsaber) and bubbles (Who doesn't love bubbles?).  After dinner we went for a nice walk in the beautiful sunshine and blue skies and 65+ weather, and played 2 hrs of Monopoly and watched an episode of Stargate.  It was a good night.

Wednesday, not much happened, except those creepers at work-see post titled "creepers" if you want that story.

Thursday, after I went to my Chem class and helped my friend get to and from her meetings, I got to go hiking with Lisa Anderson and  Stephanie Dayton-we went to Angel rocks.  We were kinda worried because on the drive we got pelted with rain, but while we were there it was beautiful.  We were all sweating by the top where we enjoyed the veiws and turned around.  By the time we left it was starting to rain again.  After making it back into town, I went out to North Pole to finish the monopoly game with Travis-and he kicked my trash!  He had a total of 69.9 Million at the end and I only had 6 million-the last move I made, I was holding my breath hoping to land on chance and not on his times square property--The most expensive one next that sits right next to go-- he had a hotel on it and the 8 million dollar rent would surely bankrupt me.  So I rolled and sigh of relief landed on chance.  The card read: "Celebrate New Years in The Big Apple, advance to Times Square."  Game over. But, fun way for it to end I guess.

Friday, not much excitement either, but still a good day-went to meetings in the morning, then classes and work was quiet-ish.

Saturday, it was still rainy but it held off while I did the Chena River run with my family.  I made it in 45 minutes, a 5K.  I pushed Liam the whole way while he slept in a stroller. Rulon ran, finnished in 25 minutes, and my Mom and Michelle walked it in 58 minutes with Elyse in a stroller also.  After that, I got some chores done-the world is always jsut a bit better when my room is clean and laundry is done.  Then I got to spend another evening with Travis-we had chicken enchiladas at my house and enjoyed some more stargate at his.  I know it sounds like we're lame watching this show all the time, but I'm in season 6-and almost done, and tomorrow his complete series is supposed to get here-and we're gonna try and have a marathon before we go to Cali. Still, may sound like we're geeks, but I promise we're not.  If you would just give it a chance and watch the show-you'd be just as hooked.  Its hilarious!

Anyways, today was also a productive and relaxing Sunday-Testimony meetings were really good, and its awesome how many new people are showing up for choir!  And I got my temple Reccomend renewed-I plan to go on the Branch Temple trip the 14th/15th-my choir pianist Catherine, and her beloved Jack are getting hitched the same weekend and they asked that I be there for pictures outside the temple since I can't go into their ceremony.  That was special.  I'm so happy for them.  And I'm glad I got to be a part of their coming together-I didn't do much but invite Catherine to come to church in October and be the choir pianist (that one week only-I was begging) but apparently that was all she needed to be called as my pianist and then to become more active and to meet Jack.  Jack always greets me with a Hug and a big "Thanks for finding me my wife" -AGain, I don't think I did much but it means alot to me that I meant that much to them.  Also, about the temple, how exciting that This summer, I'll be just about an hour away from the Oakland Cali temple!  YAY!!!  I've missed the temple so much-Fairbanks really needs one closer to home.  When I was in Rexburg I got to go every week!  I hope I can do that this summer-at least every other week (sing I won't have a car myself....)  And also, today, Travis and I bought our plane tickets to Cali and made some other plans for the summer.  I'm so excited!  We leave in 16 days-which are going to be some of the busiest days of my life, but I'm oh so excited about it!  YAY summer, YAY life!!!