It finally feels like Summer

We hit 100 degrees this week! It's about time that's all I have to say. You wont hear me complaining about it either. I guarantee that. I will take this heat in before it's cold again.

So the latest is that school is going well. At least I'd like to think so. I love my tennis class. I finally don't have to wear a sweater to class now because it's warmer.  And my math class has turned into a joke I'm not going to lie. My professor just goes on tangents. Sometimes it's about math, but more often than not it's about something completely off topic and ridiculous. It's humorous sometimes. Other times when I could be doing something more productive I wish I was elsewhere.

Have I mentioned that I love my job yet? Because I do. Every day is an adventure that's for sure. Audi (short for autumn) is working on her alphabet with the school she will be attending for Kindergarten and we are on the letter H I think  now, and apparently she's making great progress. We went to swimming lessons this past week. And boy oh boy was that interesting. Have you ever been in the pool and had to get out because someone took a crap?! Well I had to claim a child who did that. Kamy. Oh what a joy that was. So funny! Poor chica had diarrhea. Evacuation from the pool- most def. I love those girls, and that family. I went to church with them for father's day. Which was so much better than going anywhere else for it. Sometimes they give me treats like Orange Rolls, or homemade bread. Who wouldn't like my job?! I drive their cars, and get paid to play with two of the cutest little girls. I couldn't have a better set up if I thought of it myself.

Steven and I end up seeing each other about 3 times a week maybe 4 or 5 if we are lucky right now. But Sunday we leave to go to Lake Powell with his family! I'm pretty excited! It's going to be such a blast. he taught me how to work the backhoe. City girl in a tractor... It was pretty cool though.  We are going to run a 5k in October, or a half marathon we haven't decided it all depends on what we do for fall break because that's when it is. Either way I'm excited to do it with him! We are going to start donating plasma when he gets back from New York too. Oh which I can't wait for you know why?!! Because he wont have his beard!! We had a campfire date with two other couples from institute council last weekend which was fun. It was out in Diamond Valley by a lake/pond (pond if you're from FL Lake if your from UT). We had a blast. Steven got the food ready in tinfoil, we put it in the fire, and then baam it was good! :)






Side note: I love the girls I live with. I can count on one hand when we have all been home at the same time, but regardless Connie, Mel and Brit are the greatest. There's always laughter and then we can have our serious convos.. hardly without a giggle. We have a neighborhood cat that left us a present..a dead decapitated cat. So gross.
















I got a new phone finally. My Blackberry was dying, and then coming back to life. I would talk on the phone for 5 minutes when it was fully charged, and then it would die! So I went and got a new one. iPhone bandwagon. Oh yes. Never thought I would do it. But I did. Steven got one last week too. I have to say I'm in love, and those who have one know what I am talking about. It's a different world out there now No joke!

I feel like I have so much more I could write about but it's not coming to my mind to remember it all! That's okay I'm going to give myself a pat on the back just for keeping it up to post on here.

School. Work & Play

So the last post I mentioned that I would be totally cool with NEVER hiking Angels Landing again right? Okay so Steven's best friend Tommy texted him and was like, "Hey I've got a date to hike Angels Landing do you and Gabbi want to come?" So of course I say yes, one because it's a double date, two because it's a hike outside, and three why not hike angels landing twice in one week? So we did it, and it was fun. Took us longer than we both expected, but it was fun. We even got to see two Owls! I've never seen an owl in the wild before. I'm not going to lie though, one of them wasn't that cute.


Work is going really well. I love my job. I couldn't have a more fun, easier, flexible job if I made it up myself. The girls are getting used to me. It's the little things like holding hands when we cross the street, saying please and thank you's that is a struggle for them to get used to. But the girls are starting to catch on. Every time I go out there, I get super close to running over either a stupid roadrunner, or a rabbit. Stupid animals. Kamy (the 3 yr old) wants to have a sleepover soon, and go

for a ride in my truck. Sometimes we will have one on one days where Grandma will take one, and I'll take the other. I taught the girls a song that my aunt used to sing to me when I would take a bath when I was really little. It's a song from South Pacific called "I'm going to wash that man right outta my hair." And they remember it, and now we sing it every time they take a bath! The one thing that is a struggle for me is getting them to sleep. They have so much energy! My age is starting to show! Needless to say, I love my job.

School is good too. My tennis class is fun. I woke up an hour late last week, because my phone was acting weird, and so my alarm went off an hour later than usual, and so when I got to class I was so confused as to why everyone was already playing. And then it was made known that class had been going for an hour. Silly me. Math is good too, but I'm not going to lie, sometimes I just browse the web like last week it was photographers. Not sure what this week will bring yet, but I'll figure something out that's for sure.


Now for Steven and I. We are doing great! :)  Couldn't ask for a better guy. We played tennis which was hilarious! I'm not good at all lets just say that much. We spent all day Friday together and ran errands went to the temple, and I had an Institute Activity to help with, and he willingly came with me to help with a bunch of set up for it, and was such a big help. We went and saw Water For Elephants which was so good, but def liked the book more. Then we headed back up to Springdale for our Angels Landing hike the next morning. This next week, we both work a ton and are busy with stuff, and so we wont get to spend much time together, but it's just prep for when he leaves for 17 days to go to New York in July. He leaves in 17 days! Crazy! We are going to Lake Powell right before he leaves! I've never been there, so I'm excited! So things are moving right along. Barf as you may, but I used to be the girl who did everything by herself, totally fine going grocery shopping alone, running errands, getting lunch stuff like that, but now I'd much rather do it all with him.

Oh Institute! So fun! I love my calling. I love the people on council with me. We just have this great bond. I've never worked with such a dedicated and fun group of people. We all share something so special, and bring it together and things run smoothly, and I love it.

I'm missing home a little bit more than usually. I think it's just because I'm not nearly as busy as I usually am, which gives me more thinking time of home. But my mom may come to visit in August. I'm crossing my fingers, because that would be so much fun!! I think I'm still used to the concept of when I'm bored I would just go to the beach..I don't have that option here. Still hasn't sunk in after two years apparently.

So life is great. I count my blessings more and more every day. I can honestly say that when you look at the big picture - at all the great things that are in your life - those things that make you upset, annoyed, and confused seem so much smaller. I read something the other day that made me think. If you complain about spoiled milk, be grateful that you have milk to be spoiled. Or if you're friends are mad at you- be grateful that you have friends. And when you fail a test, be grateful that you have the opportunity to get an education. Just shed a different light on complaining, and the perspective of being a little more grateful for what we have. Definitely something that I can work on.

Steven and I are reading the New Testament right now, and we just got to Luke, and it's not my first time reading through it, but every time I read something over again, I love how I gain something new that I didn't notice before. I love learning about Christ and his ministry. The many miracles that he performed. And what a testimony it is to me, to see him still working miracles in our lives today. When you read the stories of those who were healed by Him, you can feel that love that He had for others. It's all so incredible to me. He lives. It's as simple as that. I love Him and all that he does for me.

Back to the Red

After slacking yet again, I'm back to Utah. 21 days gone and I think I caught up to my tan, and spent time with my favorite girls back home, went kayaking with my mom, and did lots of fun stuff while I was home.  Needless to say, I'm glad to be back and in my productive, proactive, busy self again. 

But first things first, the day I flew into Vegas, I sat next to a guy who had never seen mountains before! So he was beyond fascinated by them, and kinda gave me a reality check on yet again having the best of both worlds. Beach in florida, and then mountains here in Utah. He was quite the talker, made a friend though! lol Once I got to Vegas, I saw Steven! :) Did I mention he's growing a beard? He has to for the Palmyra Pageant in New York that he is going to be in with his sister in July. Anyway, anticipated getting my bags off the vault, everyone knows that's the worst feeling not knowing if your bags made it or not, but they did thankfully.  We got back to his car, and he had flowers for me :) We went to The Venetian and walked around for a little back, and then headed back to St. George. Where we got about 10 minutes from home, and we got pulled over because of a headlight that's out. But it was good to get back that's for sure. 

Spend the weekend up in Springdale and went to church up there which is always fun for me. We made cakebites! Which ended up turning out better than I thought they would. Then we went on a motorcycle trip to  Leman Caves, Nevada with Steven's parents. Which was really neat. Oh and freezing! I was wearing a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, a windbreaker, and my North Face ski jacket. And it was almost June. On the way back is when the funny part comes in to play. I fell asleep on the back of the motorcycle, and didn't wake up. Apparently I was at a 90 degree angle. It's not wonder that my neck hurt afterwards. Steven had to hold on to me--for my life, and his life's sakes. But I woke up eventually.

School started last Tuesday, and it's not so bad after all. I actually like my math class. I say that now, and may change my mind next week. And I love my tennis class. I made a friend, and her name is June and she's from China! Her english is pretty good, and she's actually good at tennis which makes me look awful! lol But I bet by the end we will be going to the pros!

Thursday night Steven and I were suppose to go to see The Little Mermaid, but it got cancelled due to technical difficulties, so instead, we went mini golfing and we are both not so good at it, so it was hilarious! I almost peed my pants. Then we went to Pasta Factory for dinner. I miss the food, but that's about it. Friday we went and hiked Angels Landing again! According to Steven he'd say that I was power walking it up to the top. Which I kinda was bookin it up there, but I wanted us to get back to dinner to eat with the Sister missionaries, and when someone says I doubt you can do it, just makes me want to do it that much faster! So we did make it back just in time for dinner. But while we were hiking, we ran into Sister Allred, who is the First Councilor in the General Relief Society of the church. She's from El Salvador, and I heard her accent and mentioned to Steven that it had to be her, and he was like "No it's not! It can't be!" yadda yadda. Well on our way back down from the top, we saw her and her husband resting under the tree and Steven said Hi, and I asked where they were from, and then I asked if it was here and it was!! Baam! Then we saw a guy who was hiking in flip flops! Crazy person! And then two lizards crazy fighting. Like biting each others heads! Overall it was a good hike up and back, but I think I'm good now. I don't want to go through that again any time soon. 

Sunday I got to go to my new ward, and it was a million times better than I thought it was going to be! I met a guy who served in the Tampa, Florida Mission! Knew a few of the Elders that I knew there! So that was pretty cool, and it seems as though everyone is united. Which is something I was worried about.  But no need to fret! It's all good!  Afterwards I went over to Toquerville, and my grandparents and I were invited over to the Young's (more of Steven's family) for dinner. Everyone was in town for a baby blessing. So we enjoyed a nice dutch over dinner over there, and then went back up to Springdale. Oh! Funny story! There a was a biker (road bike) who lost his hearing aid device, and needed a way back to Hurricane which is about 20 minutes away from Springdale. So Steven and I were his chaufer's to get to Hurricane, and we got his whole life story, and all about his latest travels! It was fun! I love getting to know new people, especially the old ones because they always seem to give the best advice. After that we went to a park until I got cold. 

Great weekend! I am counting my blessings that's for sure. It all goes back to the little things that count, and when you look back they become to the big things. I love my life :)