I miss you Jason!

It feels like just yesterday we were all sitting in the living room on a Sunday evening enjoying each others company. It has been seven years since that happened though, since we were all together, with no one missing.

Seven years ago today we lost my big brother Jason. It feels like it has been an eternity since I have seen him, but at the same time it feels like just the other day he was here making everyone laugh! I miss everything about him! Sometimes I still forget that he is gone and think maybe he will just walk through the front door for Sunday dinner. I am so grateful that I was able to know him and have him as a brother. I am so thankful that he is a part of our family, and that he didn't go a day sooner than he did.

One thing that I love about Jason is that he always had a music in his heart. He was either singing, playing the piano or guitar, or tapping along to some tune. I love how much he loved animals! I love how he was such a brilliant and funny person. He could always make new friends with anyone and was always making people laugh. I remember when we were little, Jason came up with a game for us to play called, "Who wants to be a 'Chip'-a-naire?" Where he would ask us questions like on Who wants to be a millionaire?, but he would give us potato chips as a prize in place of money! He always had something creative up his sleeve like that!

I miss you so much Jason! I really can not wait to be able to see you again and hear you laughing and singing once more! I love you so much!

I know that waiting to see you again will be one of the hardest things our family will ever have to do, but the important thing to remember is that WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN!! I know that by having the Gospel in our lives we will once again be in your presence someday! I know that through the incredible power of the Plan of Salvation our family will be whole again once more!

Even though we can't see you, I know that you are always here with us, I have felt your presence many times. Thank you for watching over us and for watching over all of our sweet nieces and nephews before they came into this world. I know that Evelyn has been watched over by you and that you will ensure her safe arrival into this world.

I love you Jason! So much!

Happy Birthday Crysta!!

I love you so much Crysta! I am so grateful that you are my sister! I hope that you have the happiest of birthdays  and that all of your hopes and dreams come true! I have always looked up to you and I am so proud of the amazing and beautiful woman, wife and mother that you have become! I remember when we were little and you would stop and take the time to play house with me or comfort me when there was a tornado watch and mom wasn't home! I will always cherish those memories we have together! I love you so much! I am so glad that you guys are back from Washington and live so close, I have missed you! Have a great day! I love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

 

 

 

Change of Plans!

I have had a lot on my mind for the last little while. So, like most of you know, I have dreamed of being an elementary school teacher ever since I was in the third grade. That was my whole life’s ambition up until, well... a month or two ago. Then I realized, maybe I should follow my heart. Maybe I should work on fulfilling the ultimate dream that was deep within my heart. Maybe I should do the one thing that makes me happier than anything else in the world! So, I decided why not just do it.. What is holding me back? I am young and I still have my whole life ahead of me! So I have decided that one thing, the thing that makes me feel like I am walking on sunshine, is baking! I absolutely LOVE baking!

So after much contemplation and LOTS of conversations with my Father in Heaven, I have decided to change some things in my life to put it more in line with achieving my dream of becoming a professional baker. I am changing my major in school from Elementary Ed. to Culinary Arts. I still love kids and I can't wait to be a teacher to my own children someday, but I think that will be enough to fulfill the teacher dream of mine! I have researched my options as to what school would help me reach my goal. I have looked into both the Culinary Arts program at BYU-I, as well as at UVU. I have decided to transfer to UVU and start working towards a Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts. I plan on attending this Fall! 

I am so excited to start this new chapter in my life! Don't get me wrong, I had a blast at BYU-Idaho and I wouldn't trade the experiences I had there for the world! I loved the opportunity I had to live on my own and figure out that part of growing up. I also loved the relationships that I gained from going to school there! I know it was an essential path for me to go down to reach this decision in my life and I don’t regret a second of it.

One other major thing in my life that I have decided is that I am going to start preparing to serve a mission. If everything goes according to plan, I would want to leave sometime around January or February 2015. I know that plans change though, so even if I don't end up serving a mission officially, I will be prepared to serve the Lord in whatever way He desires me to!

So I am doing it, I am getting one step closer to achieving my dream! I know that I still have a long ways to go and a lot to learn, but I am following my passion and that is what is important! If you have read this far, I'm sure you were bored at some point in this blog post, so thank you for enduring to the end, it means a lot! Thank you for the support! I love you all and I am grateful for the blessing you have been to me in my life!

 

Here is a video that helped me understand that sometimes you have to go down the wrong road first in order to recognize which road is right for YOU!

 

 

SMILE because it happened!

There are a lot of songs out there that really do make my thoughts wander to people and memories. Music really does have a lot of power! It can make you sad, happy, excited, hyper, gloomy and much more! Sometimes I like the memories that come with certain songs and sometimes the memories that surface with songs bring up things of the past that I would rather not think about. I try to think of this quote by Dr. Seuss when memories of people and things of my past come to mind because of a song:

This is something that I think we should all keep in mind! We can't be sad because great things that have happened in our life are over, we need to remember the good things and be happy because they happened! We also need to remember the good that came from those experiences and relationships!

Here are a few songs that bring me back to different times, but I am going to smile because those things happened and I am not going to cry because they are only in my past, not my present. Never forget, the future holds many more memories and experiences!

Sail - Awolnation

Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's

Homecoming - Hey Monday

Lucky - Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillet

All About Us - He is We

Happy Birthday Courtney!!

Today is my sister in law Courtney's birthday and I just wanted to wish her a happy birthday! 

I love you Courtney! I am so glad that you are a part of our family, I don't know what we would do without you! You are so beautiful and I have always looked up to you, ever since Jason brought you home that first day! I remember the day you officially became a part of our family, when you and Jason got married, I was so happy to have another sister! I love you Courtney and I hope that your Birthday is quite splendid! 

Happy Birthday!!!

Veronica Mars

I love Veronica Mars! I am so stinking excited for The Veronica Mars Movie! It comes out on March 14th and I can not wait! Tickets go on sale this Friday! (This is the only good thing about that day!)



So Veronica Mars is actually a TV series that aired in 2004 and was canceled after only 3 seasons, without having a proper ending. They are finally making a movie to finish off the series! Veronica Mars is my all time favorite series! I have watched it so many times all of the way through, I still get mad when I get to the last episode, and there are so many unresolved problems! I can't wait to finally get a conclusion the story! If you have not watched this series yet, do it! Fast! Before March 14th! You will not be disappointed! It is on Amazon Prime, so if you have Prime, go watch it!

Snowman Cupcakes

I made these cute snowman cupcakes a few weeks ago with my niece Emily and I thought I would share a few pictures of them! Emily had been asking for days to make snow man cupcakes, so I finally gave in and made some! I just did a simple vanilla cupcake recipe with vanilla butter cream frosting. Here are a few pictures of the cupcakes!