The Price of Rice in China

Dang Girl Scouts!

2012-02-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

Consumed a few too many Samoas and Do-Si-Dos tonight. Oy!

Quote for the Day

2012-02-09T09:01:00.001-07:00

"Circumstances are the rulers of the weak; they are but the instruments of the wise." -- Samuel Lover

Anyone else subscribe to the goodreads.com quote of the day emails? I just recently subscribed and there have been some gems sent my way. This was today's.

A Lesson in Timing

2012-02-03T18:58:00.000-07:00

Sunday, the 22nd, I was driving the ten miles from Blair's apartment downtown to my brother's place. I had just excited the freeway [one mile from my brother's] when every signal/warning sign on my dashboard lit up and my car would no longer accelerate. To my right was a row of parked cars with an opening big enough to glide my car into. Stopped safely next to the curb, I tried restarting the car [thinking maybe it just shut off]. It didn't start. Crap! I called my brother Adam to let him know what happened, that I'd check the oil and try again to restart the car. Oil was full, car still won't start, called Adam and he was on his way to pick me up. [So much for talking up my little car a few posts ago!]

While I waited, I called my brother, David-- he's always my go-to when I have questions about cars. I told him what had happened and asked him for a diagnosis. Remember that one time I talked about how handy my brothers are? I wasn't exaggerating. Dave said it sounded like a timing belt issue. I don't know a ton about cars, but I know that you DON'T want your timing belt to break.

I spent Monday calling tow companies for tow rates and auto repair shops for timing belt repair rates. Tuesday I had the car towed to a repair shop, Wednesday I picked up my car.

Side note: First auto repair shop I found told me I was lucky to drive a Toyota--something about Toyota's having free-standing engines so when a timing belt brakes while the car is running it doesn't ruin your valves--maybe that makes sense to one of you? Not me. But I'm glad I have a Toyota!

Before I get to the lesson learned, let's discuss a few things:

One week prior, I drove 700 miles with my mom, Kylee and the car packed full of stuff and had a safe arrival.
The weekend I arrived, I drove another 200 miles round trip to LA to visit friends and drop Kylee off at the airport. No problems.
Mid-week before the timing belt incident, Genna asked me to come up to LA again for the weekend to hang out and I felt like I shouldn't go.
The incident happened one mile from home at 9pm-ish when there was no traffic.
The timing belt couldn't have chosen to break at a better place-- off the freeway, in no traffic, near a safe place to park my car for a day without receiving a ticket, and, one mile from home.

Call these things coincidences if you want, but what I learned is a lesson in timing and how the Lord is ever attentive to the tiniest details in each of our lives.

How fitting that the timing belt taught me a lesson in the Lord's timing.

Unplugged

2012-01-26T22:16:00.001-07:00

I'm staying with my brother and his family in San Diego until I find a job. I've been here almost two weeks and my brother has had some recurring advice for me already. You're probably thinking it's 'get a job' or 'move out already' but it's not. It's actually only one word of advice-- 'unplug'. I'm on my computer looking for jobs, checking my email, etc. I get off the computer and 10 minutes later, I'm looking something up on my phone [because I can]. I admit, it's a little excessive so I'm attempting to cut back. Nothing extreme, just being in the moment more instead of on my phone or computer. Instead of turning to my phone for Twitter or Facebook in the lulls of the day, I'm finishing a book I started awhile ago or exercising or playing with my niece and nephew or writing letters or figuring out and setting new goals.

Interestingly enough, I checked my Twitter feed a little bit ago [it was the first time all day, promise]. I follow the sports writer, Rick Reilly. He tweeted this earlier today: My son unplugged himself for 90 days w/surprising results. Check this out, then hire him as a writer for your ad firm! [link to his son's website www.bodycopybyjake.com]

The video is short, sweet and thought provoking. So I'm sharing it here. I thought I was being good by scaling back...this dude takes the cake. Enjoy 'The Amish Project'.

What'd you think?

I Made It

2012-01-18T11:18:00.001-07:00

700 miles, 2 pit stops, $50 in gas and one fender bender later (someone rear-ended us, but no notable damage to my car), I'm here in San Diego. Late afternoon Friday, my mom, Kylee and I drove down packed tight in my little go-kart. We may have slowed from 75mph to 60mph while we climbed hills, but I am so proud of that little car. It's completely rundown on the outside, but it sure has a lot of heart. Bonus: it's really great not to have a car payment while I look for a job.

I had a minor freakout in my brain after a job interview. San Diego is expensive and you have no job! Crazy! What are you doing? But, I made a visit to the temple [so incredibly gorgeous inside and out] and felt peace. Nothing compares to that feeling of knowing everything will work out as it should, if I'm doing what I'm supposed to. To top it off, two general conference talks that really spoke to me in 2011, came up in a row as I drove from the temple to Blair's for dinner.

First: Waiting upon the Lord by Elder Robert D. Hales
Second: The Spirit of Revelation by Elder David A. Bednar

If you know anyone who is hiring down here, let me know! :-)

I'm Going There Someday

2012-01-14T20:27:00.001-07:00

...probably Tuesday :)

2012: Just Do It

2012-01-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

I'm sticking with an athletic apparel slogan for my yearly theme again this year. Last year it was Under Armour, this year it's Nike. I'm a sporty kind of girl so I'm okay with it.

2012: Just Do It

Sometimes I can take too much counsel from my fear of the unknown and end up keeping myself from doing good things. Whether it is as simple as giving a compliment to a complete stranger [they might think I'm weird!] or as big as moving to California without a job [the economy is horrible, the cost of living is so high!].

It stops today.

Consider this an official announcement that I'm moving to San Diego, CA in 13 days. [Long story short: I received an opportunity to work and live in Germany for all of 2012, I quit my job in Utah as of Dec 30th, the opportunity in Germany fell through so now I'm moving to San Diego to look for jobs in Southern California :-)]

Life can take every unconventional turn to get you to do something and though nothing may seem logical and you're full of fear of the unknown, there are deeper fibers in your soul that push you forward to embrace each twist and turn.

I guess that's what 2012: Just Do It is all about.

2011: I Will [Get Through It]

2011-12-31T17:55:00.000-07:00

I realized just exactly what my theme for this year meant a few weeks ago as I reviewed events of the year.

2011: I Will [Get Through It]

It has been a hard year.

To 2011 I say-- Good riddance!

Before I Forget

2011-12-11T17:50:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful. The numbers around the table were smaller than normal, but still great. My sister and her family hosted the meal for me, Mom, Grandpa and my brother-in-law's good friend and his family. I should post the recipe for the sweet potato casserole I made-- delicious! My sister found the recipe in the newspaper and I decided to try it out. After dinner we sat around the table for a little while listening to Grandpa talk about economic times of his life and his advice to us. I liked that. He recalled a pound of ground beef costing $0.15 when he was growing up! Then it was time for pie. Skye made pecan, banana cream and chocolate cream pies. The banana cream was made with a homemade custard. Mmmm!

The rest of the evening continued as follows:

Connect Four

Sorry

Nala curled up for a nap

some piano playing by my niece and nephew and me.

Bananagrams! So fun!

ended the night with some scripture reading

Excuse the pics from my phone, but I wanted to capture all the fun things we did. The following day my mom and I drove down the St George to attend the temple (I only need to visit two more in the state of Utah!) and then we drove back. I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins out loud on our drive down and back.

Sunday night my roommate and I hosted a sushi night at our place. Successful weekend!

Mike's homemade sushi.

Chocolate Shakes

2011-11-30T20:38:00.001-07:00

Dad's decision to get a chocolate milkshake vs. any other flavor was always based on one question:

"Is your chocolate milkshake made with chocolate ice cream or vanilla ice cream and chocolate flavoring?"

To be honest, I didn't care how they got the chocolate flavor....I just loved a milkshake! So, when I bought myself a chocolate shake today, took my first sip and said "Nope!" (as in "nope-- not made with chocolate ice cream") aloud to myself in the car, I had to laugh.

Guess I cared more than I thought.

While we're on the subject of shakes, I'd also like to say this-- a milkshake, by definition, is a drink. It should be able to consumed by a straw. If it can only be eaten by a spoon it should be advertised as soft serve ice cream [because that's what it is].

P.S. Thanksgiving recap and photo dump to come soon. I've been in a bad streak of posting without photos, my apologies.

Push Along

2011-11-03T19:17:00.000-06:00

Love this excerpt from President Eyring's talk during Priesthood Session in October:

...form a habit of pushing on through the fatigue and fear that might make you think of quitting. The Lord’s great mentors have shown me that spiritual staying power comes from working past the point when others would have taken a rest.

Onward and upward!

Dear All Things That Go Vroom,

2011-10-26T17:05:00.001-06:00

If you are ridden or driven on two wheels, do me a favor and park towards the back end of parking stalls. Please?
Sometimes it totally bums me out to think I've found a great parking spot in a busy parking lot only to turn into the spot and be surprised by your tiny self parked at the front of the parking space!

Love,
Me

P.S. On days when I'm in a hurry and such an instance takes place I am tempted to park my tiny go-kart of a car (I think the politically correct term is "coupe") behind you. Believe me, I could totally fit. I haven't yet done it, but, beware!

P.P.S. In all seriousness, thanks for making me burn a few extra calories to and from mi coche!

Fumble Jumble

2011-10-19T17:05:00.004-06:00

A few unrelated things I'd like to share with you today:

"Unhurried time is a greater gift." - Stake RS Meeting 10-16-11
___

Saturday night I took the cutest video of the cutest boy. He's two and so sweet, cute and SMART. We were up at the Outlets in Park City playing with the Legos inside one of the kid's stores when he was prompted by his dad: "Tell Rachelle what's a fumble."

F: "A fumble, Rachelle, a fumble means when you drop the ball and jump on it and... [motion to run] get fast!!"

Two years old, people! I see a future at ESPN for him-- I think his parents would enjoy that. :-)
__

I don't watch much TV but back in August (feels like forever ago!) I watched all five seasons of Friday Night Lights. Love that show! Season One was my favorite and I want to re-watch it. I want to find a real life Coach Taylor to marry. ;-) Know of anyone like him?

Wondering

2011-10-06T21:41:00.000-06:00

Do kids still draw mountains by drawing a zigzag line near the top of the triangle for snow (all year round) and coloring the bottom portion of the triangle purple?
Or was that only in the 90s?
Or was that just me and my friends?

And, if it wasn't just in the 90s or just me that did it, why is this a universal way kids draw mountains?

I've never seen a purple mountain. I know we sing about them in America the Beautiful, but that's all that comes to mind.

Please, enlighten me.

Zzzzzzzz!

2011-10-05T07:17:00.003-06:00

Yesterday:
Throbbing headache
Nauseau
Fever
Chills

Went home after work, put in some laundry and went to bed at 7pm.
Woke up at 5:30am feeling 100% better.

Sometimes you just need a little [or a ton] of sleep.

Happy Girl

2011-09-30T10:46:00.001-06:00

I babysat my nieces and nephews last night. Caught this gem to send to Aunt Heather on her birthday. Love that face!

Hills and Headwinds

2011-09-19T17:59:00.003-06:00

On Saturday, my sister and I rode 100 miles on our bikes in the Wonder Woman Century. We started in Payson, rode through Mona to Nephi, back through Mona to Goshen, then Genola to West Mountain to Lincoln Beach to Benjamin to Spanish Fork to Salem, back to Payson. Whew!

Lots of the ride was uphill [unfortunately not nearly as many downs as ups!]. Probably 90% of the time we had a headwind. Right before lunch (mile 60) I thought about giving up because I had no energy. Turns out, I just needed some food. Our goal this year was just to finish and finish we did! 7 hours bike time and 8 hr 20 min overall. Mom and her college roommate, Cheryl, were there to greet us at the finish line.

So glad my sister encourages me to do hard things! She's a rockstar and could have easily finished a lot faster than I did, but she hung out with me. Love her for that (and many other reasons).

Before

We had to wait for a train to pass along the way

Lunch. Hope I'm this smokin' hot in 12 years!

High five!

Finish Line

Fun Fact: The most painful part of the day? Watching the Cougars throw away the game to the Utes in our stadium. Ouch! Here's to moving on! [I still love the BYU Cougars!]

Helmets

2011-09-14T10:08:00.001-06:00

Every time I pass a helmet-less motorcyclist I cringe. Doesn't he/she know better? Something as simple and common sense as wearing a helmet could be a matter of life and death in the event of an accident! Do they think they don't need one because they are extra careful drivers and an accident would never happen to them? Or do they not wear one simply because the law doesn't require it here? I ride passed them on my high horse thinking I would never be so foolish.

This morning I was instructed otherwise. I'll call it The Parable of the Helmet.

On my drive to work I passed two people on a scooter. These two were actually wearing helmets and I felt a little relief. Whoa! Helmets! I was reminded of the bazillion riders I've seen this summer without helmets. Then came the realization, or rather, instruction from the Holy Ghost: There are helmets in each of our lives we may be choosing not to wear. Simple helmets. Helmets common sense would tell us to wear. Though they may not all be tangible helmets, they are a means of protection. Just as a physical helmet, they can limit the damage, or, prevent it all together should an accident happen. Maybe we neglect to wear the helmet because we feel we are such good, careful drivers and an accident will surely not come our way. Maybe it is simply because it is not required by the law. In the instance of an accident, what matters is whether or not we are wearing one.

Two things:
1. I know exactly what helmet I need to buckle down.
2. Quiet moments allow us to be taught by the Spirit. Had I driven to work with the radio blaring [like I do most days] I may not have had the same lesson...or any lesson at all.

Energizer Bunny

2011-09-12T13:45:00.000-06:00

My car passed its safety and emissions test on Saturday! This was very exciting for me. Every year I think it's going to be the year my 18-year-old car with 189,000 miles is going to croak (or cost too much to fix) but every year it keeps going and going and going.

I love that little thing!! It may seem like a junker on the outside but that car has a whole lot of heart. I'm a proud owner and celebrated by getting an interior/exterior treat at the local Super Sonic Car Wash.

Double Windsor

2011-09-10T01:23:00.002-06:00

My Dad taught me how to tie a necktie.

Someday, I'll have a husband and little boy(s) to tie one for....just one of the many little things I look forward to. :-)

Exhausted

2011-08-25T09:41:00.000-06:00

I fell asleep last night before 9pm in my gym clothes (because I was just going to "rest for a second" before I headed to the gym-- fail.)

I woke up at 5:20am to turn off my light, plug in my cell, and sleep some more. I probably should've gone to the gym and gotten ready for the day at that time.

Sleep is one of the many things I don't fully comprehend. Too little of it and I'm exhausted, too much and I'm still exhausted.

Any tips on maintaining good energy levels all day long? How can I avoid hitting my energy low at 2pm every day?

Happiness

2011-08-21T22:45:00.000-06:00

"The happiest people do not have the best of everything. They make the best of everything they have."

My friend shared this quote on her Facebook status the other day and I loved it. Truth!

Tour de Tennessee: Part 3

2011-08-19T15:59:00.000-06:00

Sunday morning we went to the singles ward in Nashville and then drove to Alabama. Amanda went to high school there so we went to visit one if her best friends in Huntsville. It was much hotter and more humid in Alabama but prettier than I had imagined.

Southern hospitality at its finest-- Rachel made us delicious food for dinner and breakfast the next morning. Delicious!

I wasn't quite as in love with the state of Alabama as I was with Tennessee, but we had fun with Rachel and her family!

Tour de Tennessee: Part 2

2011-08-08T09:11:00.001-06:00

Day 3: Nashville, TN

Woke up, ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel and then headed to the Grand Ole Opry. We took the backstage tour and I really enjoyed it. I was surprised to find that it only seats 4,000 people. On the tour we got to see the performers dressing rooms, the green room (which had a chair rail on the wall noting how high the flood water reached last year) and on stage.

Outside

in the green room

The circle is part of the original stage from the Ryman Auditorium, the original house of the Grand Ole Opry

looking out from the stage

looking from the audience

outside

singing on stage

After the Grand Ole Opry tour we headed to downtown Nashville to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I love country music! It was fun to learn more about the history of it. We didn't take many pictures here though.

I loved all the awards on the walls.

This is in the actual hall of fame...though it's not a hall, but a circle. And that pointy thing Amanda is standing under? It's what they originally used to broadcast the Grand Ole Opry around the country-- it's diamond shaped. The top half of the diamond is outside on top of the dome and the bottom half comes through into the hall of fame.


We all took pics with someone's plaque in the hall of fame. Here's Amanda with Loretta Lynn. I had a hard time choosing between George Strait and Reba McIntyre-- I went with Reba. Adrienne took her pic with Dolly Parton.

Next, we walked around downtown. What I loved about Memphis and Nashville is that there seemed to always be music playing from every store, bar, etc. We passed a store downtown that had a sign out front "Buy 1 pair boots, get 2 free". We checked it out and each walked out with a pair of cowboy boots.

Walking around Nashville was fun. It felt clean there. I liked it.

After downtown adventures, we headed to the Nashville Zoo before it closed.

I don't know what Amanda is doing here

Playing in the kids area


Amanda loves snakes. Not really, but you'd think so after she played in this one.

We ended the day with the drive to Gatlinburg, TN.

Day 4: Gatlinburg, TN

My favorite little town! We did so many things this day! We started the day right by waking up early to get to the Pancake Pantry without a wait time. Delicious! Reminded me of The Original Pancake House in Salt Lake...mmmmm! After breakfast we went back to our hotel for an early morning swim/ hot tub and then we got ready for the day.

First stop, horseback riding through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My favorite part of the day! I'm telling you, Tennessee is b-e-a-u-tiful! My horse was named Ghost and he was very well-behaved-- I think he liked my singing. haha! Our guide loved us and asked us to hang out with him and his buddies later that night but we were headed back to Nashville.

Next stop, Ober Gatlinburg. Gatlinburg is a ski town, but in the summer there are lots of fun things to do up the mountain. We hopped on the tram and went to see what it was all about. We rode the Alpine Slide and walked around. They had a waterslide up there, carousel, swings, ice skating rink, fudge shops...just lots of fun stuff.

Check out the old chair lifts...We are spoiled here in Utah.

Adrienne and Amanda on the Alpine Slide

We came back down the mountain to make our zipline appointment. We were early and I ended up falling asleep on their couch, but I woke up to this gorgeous man walking passed and I said to Amanda and Adrienne "I sure hope he's our guide"-- and he was! We had lots of fun and got to zipline a few extra times because the group ahead of us was taking too long. We like to think it was because Eric (hot zipline guide) liked spending time with us. ;-)

concentrated

medium concentration

not concentrated at all-- just having fun!

I love this one because it looks like Adrienne is holding on for dear life!

I was coming into the landing backwards...it turned out ok.

I'm really not as huge as these pictures seem to portray.

After our zipline tour we hopped in the car and headed back to Nashville...we had booked a ghost tour for that night we had to get back for. We drove around Nashville in a "convertible" hearse while our tour guide blasted the theme song to Ghostbusters as we drove around town. It was hilarious. People were driving by trying to scare us, but mostly just laughing at us. It was my first ghost tour and most likely my last. I thought I would get scared at least once-- nope!

in the hearse

at the end of our tour...awesome, right?

That concludes Day 4.

It Happens

2011-08-02T09:08:00.001-06:00

Some days I take leftovers to work for lunch but at 9am they're already half eaten.

Oops.

Tour de Tennessee: Part 1

2011-07-29T20:50:00.002-06:00

June 29, 2011
Text message from Amanda: We want you to come to Nashville with us.
Rachelle: Ooooh! When? I have always wanted to go there!
Amanda: Middle of july

If you know Amanda, you won't be surprised to hear that she and Adrienne put 50 states into a hat and pulled one out for their summer vacation destination. I was happy to be invited along. We booked our flights that night (found GREAT prices flying out of the Provo Airport) and two weeks later we were there.

6 days, 4 cities, 3 girls, 3200 miles by plane, 1100 miles by car, endless fun!

Before I get into the details, know this: Tennessee is awesome! I could live there (I found a neighborhood outside of Nashville I would love to be a part of--Brentwood). Beautiful landscape, clean cities, good music, and the humidity wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated.

Day 1: Travel Day
Flew from Provo to Denver, Denver to Nashville, picked up rental car, headed towards Memphis, TN.

We actually crossed state lines into Olive Branch, MS to stay for the night. Ate at a local Mexican restaurant then intended to get in the hot tub but it wasn't hot! Probably the only bummer thing that happened on this trip!

Day 2: Memphis, TN

We're ready to go!

in line to buy our tickets

First stop, Graceland. Super cool! Only downside is they don't let you go upstairs on the tour. Apparently Elvis never let guests up to his personal living quarters...he was always fully dressed and ready before he'd come downstairs to greet anyone.

Graceland

with our super cool headsets in Elvis' front room

the staircase no one is allowed to walk up

TV room in the basement...notice the 'taking care of business' lightning bolt

the billiards room

The Jungle Room complete with indoor waterfall on the wall.

One of many buildings to hold all his gold records

The morning of the day he died, Elvis was sitting in this room singing with friends around the piano.

This was once his racquetball court

Part of the backyard

Elvis, his parents and his grandmother Presley are all buried in the 'Meditation Garden' area of his yard. There is also a memorial to Elvis' twin brother who died on their day of birth-- his actual burial place is in Tupelo, MS.

Left side of his front yard.

more front yard

From his house we went to his automobile museum, then on to check out his wardrobe and his personal airplanes.

Apparently Elvis sold Mary Kay? Just kidding, but he did own a pink Cadillac.

in the Lisa Marie (Elvis' plane)

in the bedroom of the plane...there was even a seatbelt across the bed!

Next Stop: Riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River. Crossed into Arkansas for about 5 minutes.

on the boat. the only pic we took.

After the cruise we made our way down Beale Street.

Beale Street. So much music everywhere!

After Beale Street we hopped in the car and drove back to Nashville.

Stay tuned-- more to come!

To The Duchess of Cambridge:

2011-07-08T22:54:00.000-06:00

If I had the choice to inherit the closet of one person, I would choose you, dear Catherine.

A little bit trendy.
A whole lot classy.

Here are some recent pics of her on her tour of Canada with Prince William. [All photos taken from gettyimages.com]

Mid-Year Evaluation

2011-06-30T17:53:00.003-06:00

As Q2 comes to a close I feel the need to evaluate my projected goals for the year 2011 vs. my actual progress. Here goes...

Projected Goal #1: Play the violin more.
Actual Progress: I have yet to take my violin out of its case.
Overall Grade: Fail

Projected Goal #2: Eat out 4 or fewer times a month.
Actual Progress: Q1 was excellent, Q2...not so great. [But dinner group makes Q3 look promising]
Overall Grade: B- (Q1 = A+, Q2 = D)

Projected Goal #3: Save more moolah.
Actual Progress: Good, but could be better
Overall Grade: B

Projected Goal #4: Write more letters via the Postal Service.
Actual Progress: This is another non-quantitative goal, but I'm doing great at writing real letters so I'm happy!
Overall Grade: A

Projected Goal #5: Read at least 5 books with one of those 5 being the New Testament.
Actual Progress: In the middle of 3 books currently [To The Rescue, The Help and The NT] with plans to finish the first 2 by end of July. [The NT is going to be a read for the whole year]
Overall Grade: A...since I'm on track to reach the goal

Projected Goal #6: Visit Yellowstone for my first time.
Actual Progress: Glad there are still six months left...
Overall Grade: Fail.

Projected Goal #7: Complete 200 hours of service.
Actual Progress: According to my spreadsheet, I've completed 90 hours this year. Slightly behind, but pretty happy with where I am.
Overall Grade: B+

I could be doing better. I will be better. Now that I've laid out my progress I know where my strengths and weaknesses lie and I'm identifying ways to improve the weaknesses.

2011: I will!

Note to self: In years to come, make sure all your goals are quantitative.

P.S. Darlin' Do Not Fear by Brett Dennen and Knee Deep by Zac Brown Band (ft. Jimmy Buffett) are great tunes for summer!

Some Memories Never Fade

2011-06-19T02:13:00.001-06:00


Dad and Me. Ensenada, Mexico cruise, April 2000.

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers I know!

Remember the time...

2011-06-16T23:31:00.000-06:00

Had an idea for the people who read this blog [if any]

How about you leave me a comment with a memory of us?

I know, I know...people post these things on Facebook and blogs all the time, but I just wrote an email to a friend in which I listed out a bunch of old memories of us and it made me laugh for a good while.

Try it. It's fun!

Like Wine

2011-06-08T17:34:00.001-06:00

Do you ever read through old emails? It's something I enjoy doing. I like reliving some moments and measuring my growth from other moments.

Recently I came across a picture sent to me by Allison in April 2006. I wanted to cry, but was initially confused as to whether or not I should let the tears of sadness or joy come through. Joy won out.

April 2006

Today I'm celebrating that I don't look like that any more.
I'm thankful for learning how to do my hair.
I'm thankful for Dr. Eyre for helping me clear up my face.
I'm thankful for the gym and for using it.
I'm thankful that five years later I've changed for the better.

But mostly, I'm thankful for the two other people in this photo [and everyone else who was my friend at the time]. Thank you for being my friend even when my face resembled a pepperoni pizza, when my body was "swollen", and when I was so completely frumpy. True friends.

Now you all know that when you hear me say "I'm like fine wine, I get better with age"...I'm not exaggerating!

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go print this picture to put up in my room as a reminder to keep changing for the better.

Call Me A Nerd, But...

2011-06-07T22:08:00.000-06:00

I love biographies and non-fiction.

The end.

Rachelle and the Terribly Wonderful, Really Good Day

2011-06-05T22:42:00.002-06:00

Today was just one of those really good days.

Church was great.
I came home, changed into my Nikes and some comfy clothes and went on a walk. Five miles and a stop at a friend's house later I was home.
The day was gorgeous. "Clear skies all the way to Las Vegas" [name the movie]
I said hello to some strangers.
I passed an older man sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of his gorgeous red brick house with white shutters. There was an empty rocking chair next to him and I really wanted to go hop in it and have a chat with him. I didn't.
I heard animals and streams.
I soaked in the sun.
I sang to myself a little bit of the hymn, For the Beauty of the Earth.
I read a good book with Penelope at my feet.
And on my drive I sang along to these words that echo my heart today:

Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue, blue sky,
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by,
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by our lilac tree,
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.

He gave me my eyes that I might see
The color of butterfly wings.
He gave me my ears that I might hear
The magical sound of things.
He gave me life, my mind, my heart;
I thank him rev'rently
For all his creations, of which I'm a part.
Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me.

I feel invigorated!

And because you haven't seen my face in some time on this blog, I took a few snapshots for you just now at 10:39pm. Three goofy ones and one slightly normal one.

Jumbled

2011-06-02T16:11:00.000-06:00

I was about to tell you how I watched the movie Crossroads last night for my first time. [Yes, the 2002 Britney Spears film debut] But then my brain started singing.

I'll see you at the crossroads, crossroads, crossroads
So you won't be lonely, lonely, lonely

Bone Thugs N Harmony.

Reminds me of my sister and her Barney-purple Ford escort hatchback.

Years ago she was dating this guy and she took me out to his house to visit him with her. We rolled back the sunroof, rolled down the windows and blared this song to and from his house. I think she had just purchased the Bone Thugs cassette tape or maybe even recorded it off the radio [remember that time of technology?]

Turns out, the dude was quite a few years younger than he originally told my sister and she dumped him.

The memory made me laugh and I forgot why I even started writing....Probably something about wanting to be Britney Spears back in the day. You're glad I forgot, aren't you?

That's embarrassing

2011-05-29T18:53:00.001-06:00

My sis pointed out that I spelled road bike wrong. I'm embarrassed. I know it is road, not rode.

Guess I was so excited to have one I didn't proof read!

...Or it's just karma coming back at me because I always get a good laugh when people mix up their homophones.

Oops. Thanks Ash for correcting my error.

Dear Thief in the Night,

2011-05-26T14:50:00.000-06:00

Did you really think a '93 Toyota Tercel with its paint peeling off was going to have valuables in it? Really?

Hope you enjoy my swag bag from the last half marathon I ran...it's full of paper advertisements for upcoming races. Bet you were excited to open that up when you got home.

I'm really surprised you didn't take off with my cassette tapes that Melissa Plowman made me a few years back for my birthday. They're the only thing in my car I'd miss if they were gone. They come in really handy when my radio loses reception in the mountains. You missed out.

Sincerely,

Blonde But Not Dumb

New Ride

2011-05-23T14:53:00.001-06:00

Get ready for a post full of exclamations...

I bought a rode bike!
I'm super duper excited about it!
My sister and I (and anyone else who wants to join us) are riding 100 miles in September!

Wahoo!

Also, I went to the Manti Temple last week with my mom and sis! I'm just checking things of my to-do list every day!

Never Again

2011-05-14T10:54:00.000-06:00

I hate scary movies. They terrify me and leave vivid images in my brain that like to replay over and over any time I am alone.

Yet, somehow, every few years I forget how they make me feel and what they do to me and I give in to watching one.

Last night I went on a hike with friends and then we watched a scary movie in honor of the date [Friday the 13th]. I thought I'd be okay. Well, I wasn't. I spent 85% of the movie [The Uninvited] staring at my hands because I didn't want those images stuck in my head.

Well, this post is to declare...NEVER AGAIN! Never again will I think I am ready to watch a scary movie. I will NEVER be ready. And I'm completely okay with that!

Thankful

2011-05-09T23:49:00.000-06:00

For nice notes.
...
For friends.
...
For warm showers and beds.
...
For music.
...
For hope.
...
For good things to come.
...
For being able to sleep with the window open.
...
For my 2-year-old angel.
...
For memory.
...
For Cinco de Mayo fiestas!

Courage

2011-05-03T20:34:00.000-06:00

My friend had this as her Facebook status:

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying 'I will try again tomorrow."

- Mary Anne Radmacher

I liked it and thought maybe one of you would like it too.

Good Advice

2011-04-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

This is worth 7 minutes of your time.

Read the full talk here:

BYU Devotional Address, May 14, 1996 by Elder F. Enzio Busche

Yesterday was a great day.

2011-04-15T17:13:00.000-06:00

I hopped in the car after work and drove 120 miles to Logan, UT and caught the last session in the temple. Loved it.

In the last almost eight months I have been to eight different temples [that's a coincidence, it wasn't planned to be 8 for 8] and I can't wait to get to more.

Mt. Timpanogos Utah

Provo Utah

Draper Utah

Sacramento California

Oquirrh Mountain Utah

Salt Lake City Utah

Jordan River Utah

Logan Utah

I was hoping to get all Utah temples in before the end of the year, but then I learned it isn't possible since the Ogden Utah temple is being completely remodeled [inside and out] and is therefore out of commission for a couple years. Anyone want to join me?

In The Middle

2011-04-13T18:00:00.003-06:00

Ever feel like you're in the middle? Of learning a lesson, but you just haven't figured out what the whole lesson is yet? Or of figuring out what you're doing with life?

That's how I feel right now.

I started thinking about things that had middles...
-the middle of an Oreo...the cream
-the middle of an ice cream sandwich...the ice cream
-the middle of a regular sandwich...the turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheese, mustard [or whatever you prefer]
-the middle of a Blowpop...the gum

...you get the idea. This led me to this thought: without the middle, none of those tasty treats are nearly as tasty.

Forgive me for the cheesy personal application, but I guess one of many lessons to learn is that the 'middle' moments of life are what make it the complete package. Without the middle, we don't appreciate the other parts as much.

I've been repeating this scripture to myself practically every day in hopes of keeping the eternal perspective:

...all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. - D&C 122:7

Also, I loved Elder Bednar's talk from the most recent General Conference...

In many of the uncertainties and challenges we encounter in our lives, God requires us to do our best, to act and not be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:26), and to trust in Him. We may not see angels, hear heavenly voices, or receive overwhelming spiritual impressions. We frequently may press forward hoping and praying—but without absolute assurance—that we are acting in accordance with God’s will. But as we honor our covenants and keep the commandments, as we strive ever more consistently to do good and to become better, we can walk with the confidence that God will guide our steps. And we can speak with the assurance that God will inspire our utterances. This is in part the meaning of the scripture that declares, “Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God” (D&C 121:45).

That's my thought for the day.

I Should Do More

2011-04-03T12:38:00.000-06:00

Shelene showed me this video just now and I have to share it. Amazing.

Dayton's Legs via YouTube

Little Letters

2011-03-31T22:49:00.000-06:00

Dear Weekend,
I need you.

Dear Family,
Can't wait to see you.

Dear Songwriters,
How is it that you are able to describe my feelings?

Dear Roommates,
I loved that we sat down and had dinner together this week. Let's do it more often.

Dear Cooking,
I realized this week that you are one of my favorite creative outlets.

Dear Christmas 2010,
Thanks for these webcam memories...and so many more.

On My Camera

2011-03-22T08:59:00.000-06:00

bad lighting but she is so dang cute!

love those chubby cheeks!

never got one with a smile+looking at the camera...that's too much to ask!

My 4-Legged Friend

2011-03-17T18:53:00.001-06:00

Meet Penelope.

She prefers to be called Penny.

We've spent most of this week together while her parents are out of town. I've loved it. There's just something about staying somewhere besides my apt that makes me feel like I'm on vacation.

We've all heard that dogs are man's best friend. If you're one of the unlucky ones to never have loved a dog, allow me tell you why you would love Penny.

1. She's always sad to see you leave, but...
2. She's always excited when you return
3. She'll feed herself when she's hungry...just make sure her bowl has food.
4. She's content curling up at your feet and watching whatever you want. [Last night she watched me work on my budget, no whimpering or whining]
5. She'll protect you. You'll always know when someone is outside your place because she'll bark.
6. She doesn't shed!
7. She goes into her bed/cage any time you want...as long as you give her a treat.
8. She's kid-friendly. Just ask her biggest fan, Finn.
9. She's always listening. [I just commented aloud to myself about the BYU vs. Wofford game and she turned to listen and seemed to agree with her "Mhnm" response]

And last but not least...
10. She'll never leave her dirty dishes in the sink and wait for someone else to do them. [That's more than I can say for some roommates of mine]

The last few days with Miss Penelope have opened my eyes to living alone. I used to think I couldn't do it because I have a tendency to freak myself out at night. But, with a dog like Penny, living alone is completely doable.

40 Days

2011-03-09T09:39:00.001-07:00

Today is Ash Wednesday. This year I'm giving up Facebook and fast food for 40 days.

I fell off the clean eating bandwagon in February. I spent too much time eating things that were fast and convenient instead of healthy.

Facebook...I love it and I hate it. But the truth is, I have spent too much time being a FB creeper lately, so it's out.

Ultimately, I'd like to never return to either of these habits after the 40 days, but we'll see.

On this day in 1931...

2011-03-03T16:35:00.000-07:00

the Star Spangled Banner became the official national anthem of the United States.

Love that song.

"Guys, we have really good seats!" *

2011-02-16T13:02:00.000-07:00

*This was overheard by the 8 year olds sitting behind me. Made my night. Those kids' lives are only going to get better!

Now, on to the Jazz game. The game was mostly uneventful until the Suns came back to win it after the Jazz had the lead the entire game. Lucky me, I didn't really care who won. Just fun to be there...except the 5-10 minutes of it that I fell asleep...it had been a long day and I can fall asleep anywhere.

Let me preface some of the pictures by saying this: we joked on the drive to SLC that it would've been funny if we had made a sign that said "Where's Jimmer?" or "I love Jimmer!" because of all the Jimmer Fredette hoopla in college basketball right now. For the record, we all know Jimmer does not play for the Utah Jazz.

The Jenson sisters

Heather and Adam...presh.

The back seat. aka the boring seat. :-)

The front seats. aka the party seats!

Shelene and Carolyn

Carolyn and me

All of us

Shelene dancing

oh yeah...the court from our seats. Agree with the boys behind us? haha

"Bitter beer face"

"So excited to be here"

"Where's Jimmer?"

Normal face

If you've seen the Lawrence Welk parody's on SNL, you know what she's doing

Jimmer love at the Jazz game.

Some Thoughts on Love

2011-02-14T11:26:00.002-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

During my volunteer shift at the hospital yesterday, I got to hold a baby in the nursery. This particular baby boy, born that morning, was being adopted by a family from the East Coast. They were flying in to meet him, but wouldn't arrive until 11pm. In the meantime, he needed some lovin'.

After stocking the nursery cupboards, making some newborn beanies and folding newborn laundry, I took the unnamed baby out of his crib, rocked with him and just watched him. He was always quiet and mostly calm, but every now and then his tiny eyelids or body would flutter a little bit. It sent my mind off with lots of thoughts.

What was he thinking?
Was he ready for this crazy journey of life and all that it entails?
Did he know how much love he would add to his family's life just by being born and given to them?

I thought about love.
How various the ways it is expressed or felt.
How much there is all around.
How lucky I am to have a list longer than I'd ever imagined of people to love and who love me in return.
How love is the what life is about.

Live it. Find it. Share it. Feel it. Let it in. Let it out...no matter how many times you've done it before. Love again and again. What goes around, comes around. It's worth it.

New(ish) Glasses

2011-02-03T16:39:00.001-07:00

There are some things I just don't see the need to spend hundreds of dollars on. Eyeglasses are one of those things.

Have you heard about zennioptical.com?

CHEAP prescription glasses. Clearly, they are not designer brands and some frames are weird looking, BUT! they're cheap and I can see out of them very crisply.

Check out my $15 pair of glasses. [yes, that is the total cost of frames and lenses-- I splurged and got anti-reflective lenses, too (an additional $4.95)]

I'm happy. See?

this is not me angry...this is me rockin' out in my new glasses.

What do you think? Not horrible, right?

Truth

2011-02-02T09:24:00.001-07:00

I like this:

"...men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life." - Ezra Taft Benson

All Grown Up

2011-01-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

Dear Jared,

I still think of you like this:

But I really hope you still don't think of me like that because my hair sort of resembles a polygamist's.

If you think about it, it's as if Mom knew we'd be close buddies the rest of our lives when she had this picture taken...we have eight older siblings and she took just the two of us to Olan Mills for a photo shoot. I'm glad she did. This picture is one of my favorites of my childhood. So glad I can share it with you.

You'll always be my baby brother. I love you.

Gorgeous!

2011-01-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

...That's what today is. Absolutely gorgeous.

Winter isn't so bad when the sun comes out to play.

Happy Monday!

Smile

2011-01-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

A long while ago, my friend, Laura, wanted to test out her new camera. So we had my niece come over and play at the park while Laura snapped photos.

Here is one of the many pictures taken. I came across it on my computer and it always makes me smile, so why not share, right?

Happy Thursday to you!

Here's hoping you have lots of pictures that bring a smile to your face.

A Little Tart but Mostly Just Sweet, Juicy and Crispy

2011-01-14T17:31:00.003-07:00

Honeycrisp apples are the best.

I'm eating one as I type.

Mmm, good.

Big Pet Peeve

2011-01-13T09:02:00.001-07:00

It bugs me when I write an email to a stranger and sign my name "Rachelle" and receive a reply from them addressed to "Rachel".

If your memory doesn't last long enough to type the name correctly in a response just copy and paste!

Anyone else experience this?

Daily Bread

2011-01-12T11:37:00.002-07:00

Did you get a chance to watch Elder Christofferson's CES Fireside address on Sunday night? If not, you should. It was just so good. Click here to watch it, or check back for the transcript in a few weeks.

He talked about planning for the future one day at a time. He taught about the Lord's Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount and how Jesus prayed "give us this day our daily bread...". He didn't pray for a week, a month, or year's worth of bread, just what was necessary to fill the needs for one day.

I needed that reminder. Sometimes I think about where I want to be/where I see myself in the future and where I am currently; the gap between the two can be overwhelming. But improving from one day to the next, focusing on my daily bread, isn't quite so overwhelming.

I just liked it. I hope you do, too.

Two Zero One One

2011-01-05T07:00:00.001-07:00

Aren't we supposed to have personal jet-packs by now?

2010 was a good year and I'm ready to make 2011 even better. I decided on my motto while I was home for the holidays.

On Christmas Eve, Heather, Jared and I did some last minute gift shopping. [It's hard to buy before when I know I have to pack it in my luggage] During our shopping we purchased some goods from the Under Armour outlet. At some point over the holidays I was looking at the bag that had Under Armour's latest slogan on it:

I liked it. Mostly just the "I will" part of it.

So I present to you my motto for the year [stolen from Under Armour].

2011: I will!

In 2011 I will:

Play the violin more,

Eat out 4 or fewer times a month,

Save more moolah,

Write more letters via the postal service,

Read at least 5 books with one of those 5 being the New Testament,

Visit Yellowstone for my first time,

Complete 200 hours of service.

What I love about "2011: I will!" is that it's another positive mindset for the year. What things won't happen in 2011?...it doesn't matter because there are so many things I will make happen. It's about leaving behind the won'ts of yester-years and focusing on the wills.

Here's to another good year!

Pictures

2011-01-04T08:13:00.004-07:00

Ava and Me

Brian, Me, Ava, Mark

Mom, Jared, Ava, Me, Heather, Brian, Mark

The three youngest.

Ashley and Me

With my nephew, Cameron.

with Heather

Lydia. I loved that every time I took her picture she pulled her dress out like that...such a princess.

My 5 year old nephew took this pic and I really like it. Heather's house is always so beautifully decorated.

With Stasia.

Scott with David's kids.

David, Stasia, Landen, Lydia, Rowan.

Peter.

Got to meet up with the Chavez's for lunch!

Stasia and Rowan on New Year's Eve. Row's wearing the skirt I gave her for her birthday.

Had to add this pic for Boose. Shout out to Westside Ministries! haha

Beginning.

Middle.

End.

We are the champions!

I'm usually better at making sure I get a picture of everyone in the family, but I didn't this time. Dang it!

Now I need to hurry off to work! Enjoy!

Home

2011-01-02T01:15:00.000-07:00

It's late. I'm sitting in "my" bed at Heather's house soaking in my last few hours in California with family I don't see often enough. Jared, Heather and I just watched the movie Cop & 1/2 [Jared used to watch it every day after school in first grade and I got a DVD version for him for Christmas]. I fell asleep on the couch, but now that I'm in bed, I'm awake. Thinking.

This holiday trip home was so good. Nearly perfect [for me]. I went by my house to pick up mail for my mom [it's home to some renters while Mom is out of state for a few years]. It was so strange to be in my house and not feel at home. There was no running upstairs to Ashley's and my room, no yelling over the banister to someone downstairs, no piano playing in the front room, no [hideous] peach and blue bathroom I painted years back, there was hardly even a sound in the house. No home in my house.

Home was Jared and Ashley lying that they were in the car stuck in traffic at the airport and showing up behind me with a hug as I waited on the airport curb.
Home was laughing until tears were shed with Mom, Heather and Jared playing Cranium.
Home was turkey dinner at Heather's on Christmas day and ham dinner at David's on Sunday.
Home was a big ol' bear hug from Scott.
Home was Ashley making a mix cd for our drive home from the airport.
Home was the occasional slight rough housing with Adam and Jared...because they have to keep me tough.
Home was the temple with Mom and Stasia.
Home was the not-for-slackers workouts with Heather.
Home was sparkling cider and hoagie sandwiches and 13 of us sleeping under one roof for New Year's.
Home was getting loud and having a good time playing foosball at Brian's.
Home was hugs and "I love yous" shared at every coming and going.
Home was the chats during the car rides from one sibling's to another's.

Home was and will always be wherever my family is.


Stole this pic of the Gleason kids with Mom [at Grandma's funeral in June 2009] off the family computer.

"...Rah, rah shiskumbah, Gleason, Gleason, rah, rah, rah!"

Pics from my trip home to come soon.

Year End Review

2010-12-30T10:01:00.010-07:00

I set out at the start of this year to 'let it begin in 2010' not really knowing for sure what I expected to 'let begin' this year. But that's exactly why I liked the motto when my sister suggested it to me-- it allowed me to just let the year unfold and allow things to begin as they would. It put no bounds on what I could do this year.

So here's what I let begin in 2010:

A healthy lifestyle. It started with giving up excess sugars for 'Lent' and then extending that goal to my next birthday in 2011. In May I noticed I had lost some weight and I found more motivation to work harder and lose more. Since February I've lost 35lbs. I've worked really hard for this--changing my eating habits for the better and working out 4-5 times each week for an hour. I love it. I've always been one who likes to push myself to do hard things and I'm happy with this result.

Consistent journal writing. No, not here on the blog. I'm talking old-school, moleskin journal and pen. I've always written my thoughts, feelings, daily dillydally-ings, moments of inspiration, happiness, frustration, etc in a personal journal, but never consistently. I've not yet gotten to writing in it every day, but at least a few times each week. I feel that I'm in a very formative time of life establishing patterns and habits for my future and I needed a place to sort these things out. It's already come in handy to go back and reread things that are already fuzzy in my memory.

New covenants. The best decision I made all year was to go through the temple. Without a doubt, it was the happiest and most peaceful day of my life to date. I was blessed to share the day with people I love.

Dating. Since I've lived in Provo I've consistently gone on one date a year [not an exaggeration]. Oh wait, I lied, one year I went on two. Anyway, this year I went on more! Wahoo! Maybe this is the beginning of a prosperous future...

2010 was good to me, I can't complain about much. I know life's going to keep getting better. Day after day, year after year. There will continue to be highs and lows, but always trending upward toward new heights. I'm looking forward to it.

I'm still working on my motto for 2011. Stay tuned.

White Stitch Madness

2010-12-22T10:00:00.002-07:00

Dear Silver Jeans,

Why did you have to go all white stitch on me? I hate it. I'm so not a white stitch jean kind of girl.

You were my favorite denim brand. Good cuts, good lengths, good dye jobs, you last forever and you're not ridiculously overpriced-- though still a little more than I'd like to pay.

Come back to the normal stitch jean world.

XOXO,

Me

On Being a Tall(er) Girl

2010-12-15T14:09:00.001-07:00

I'm 5'8 3/4" tall. For convenience, I round up and say I'm 5'9". Not a giant, by any means, but definitely on the taller end for a woman.

I don't wish to be shorter, but it is nice to feel smaller than people. Especially males.

So, when a really handsome 5'10" male thinks that I'm 5'6" or 5'7" and makes us stand up and measure to have our roommates confirm that I am indeed only an inch shorter than he is [because he "feels so much taller" than me], it feels good.

Anyone else agree?

My Recipe For Happiness

2010-12-06T11:52:00.001-07:00

When I'm frustrated or upset or sad or mad I allot myself an amount of time, depending on the degree of frustration, to sulk. Longer for things that hurt more, less for trivial matters, but never longer than one day. And then I drop it. Over. Done. No more sulking or feeling sorry for myself.

Next, I pray and only talk with Heavenly Father about things I'm thankful for.

I always call or visit someone I love because they always put a smile on my face.

Whenever the thought to sulk again sneaks up on me, I've found that sprint intervals on the nearest treadmill are my best remedy. It leaves me feeling strong and capable. Plus, endorphins rock my world!

I love one of Elder Holland's "maxims for living". He says:

"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse."

What I don't do: go shopping [because I always end up with buyer's remorse and I return it].
What I used to do [but realized it did me no good]: eat ice cream.

I am of the opinion that every person should develop a personal strategy for happiness.

Do you have one?

How do you choose happiness?

Expectations

2010-12-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

Something life has taught me:

Expectations must be expressed in order to be met. You can't expect anyone to read your mind.

Simple, right?

Sometimes I just forget. I'm trying to be better.

Hero(es) of the Day: The Men of 1702

2010-11-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

I grew up in a typical 1990 cookie cutter Florsheim home. It's taken a few beatings over the years, but over the last year or so, my brothers have basically remodeled the place I call home [all while having families, jobs, school, etc]. You see, my brothers are the handiest of men and I think they deserve a shout out.

Turn all the square corners in the house round? No problem.
Replace the floors? Check.
Remove 90s florescent lighting and replace with canned lights? Sure thing.
Update brass fixtures? Affirmative.
Remodel and rewire the laundry room? Why not?
New dishwasher and microwave? Okay!
Put in new sprinkler pipes? Done.
Paint the exterior? Happy Mother's Day.
and the list goes on...

I knew about the rounded corners and saw pictures of the exterior paint, but had no idea about everything else that happened until I was talking with my brother, David, earlier this week.

So, I just wanted to write this post to my brothers to say thanks for their hard work [long after they've finished it].

Dear Brothers,

You work hard and do many good things that go unnoticed. Thanks. I'm proud of you.

Love,

Rachelle/Shelly-Bell/Rashiz

*Note: while my brothers did a large portion, I can't leave out my sister, Heather, and my sisters-in-law...I know they had a part in all of it too.

Have I Ever Told You?

2010-11-16T23:34:00.001-07:00

How much I love these three people?

*stole this off your blog. hope you don't mind. :-)

Well, the answer is: A LOT.

I've tried to quantify my love for them before, but I can't. No amount of words [or gifts or money or anything] can adequately describe just how much I love them.

So, I'll just say thank you.

Thank you for the friendship and love and laughs a plenty. And for making sure I had everything I needed [and more] after my wisdom teeth were pulled last weekend. You've extended my definition of family, of home away from home.

"If I could, I would do a back handspring right now."

2010-11-15T12:34:00.001-07:00

Two weekends ago I had a night in with two of my three roommates and 'Uncle Adam' [as I call him].

Probably one of my favorite nights since we all became roommates in September.

Shelene taught Heather and I how to squat like they do in China.

Heather, Shelene, Me!

That somehow progressed to us putting on long shorts and taking 'little people' pictures.

This is the one picture I wasn't falling over in.

We also had a 'talent' night. I wow'd them with my ability to do a backbend and then stand back up. haha.

We laughed a whole lot and that's what made the night so fun!

I may not know exactly what my next step in life is right now, but I do that I'm in the right place right now and that feels good.

Can I Just Say...

2010-11-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

airlines are of the devil?

No, really, they are.

I just paid almost $100 more than I've EVER paid for a flight home at Christmas.

I thought we were in a bad economy? [ie. costs should be down because no one can afford it]

I guess they know I'll fork out the money to be home for the holidays. Jerks.

October 28th

2010-11-07T21:15:00.001-07:00

Two months ago, a group of friends sat in Kylee and April's living room playing games and talking. Dane pipes in "I'm thinking I want to throw a masquerade ball for Halloween" then proceeds to paint an awesome picture of the ambiance of said masquerade. It didn't take long for everyone in the room to hop on the Dane Train headed toward Masquerade Madness.
He was serious. So were we.

October 3 -- First stop, committee meeting. Dane gave the vision and then we all [there are 30 people on the committee] divided into sub-committees: Invitations, Decorations, Music, Food, etc.

Originally the Masquerade would be held in committee members' clubhouse. Then, Megan found a reception center that let us rent for a tiny fraction of the cost. The reception center can hold 600 people. They had decorations, tables, servingware, lighting, sound system etc that we could use [all part of the package]. Suddenly, the already amazing idea turned better.

October 10 -- With fewer costs to incur, the event turned from a party for friends to a charitable event. Monetary and non-perishable food items would be donated to United Way.

The invitations? AMAZING. Complete with a wax seal with an 'M' [for masquerade, obviously]. And even better, the printer gave us a discount because it was for a charitable event.

October 19-22 - All these discount prices we were receiving encouraged me to call around to local bakeries for donations. I ended up getting 11 dozen fancy cupcakes donated! 4 doz from Cupcake Chic, 3 doz from Cocoa Bean Cupcake Cafe, and 2 doz each from Sweet Tooth Fairy and Dippidee! And all I had to do was ask! I love generous people.

Next, Megan caught the 'ask for donations/discounts' bug and found a DJ willing to donate his time!

October 24 - Final committee meeting. Dane's text: "our brain child has matured to an adult and she is dirty hot."

before the event started.

party people!

Ryan, me and new roommate Kimmy before we left.

Tanner and Ladd

Amanda! Leave it to the artist to paint her masque.

The mastermind, Dane, giving his speech after we crowned him the "Beau of the Ball".

Yours truly

No words

R-squared, April and Kylee.

The invitation.

Approximately 325 people attended. 300 lbs of non-perishable food collected. $165 cash collected.

Fun is an understatement.

Freshmen Reunion

2010-10-22T12:51:00.001-06:00

Wednesday night I got together with four of my five freshmen roommates.

It was a lot of fun to see them and catch up on life. The last reunion we had was three and a half years ago [also at CPK!]

From left to right:

Courtney, Great Basin Archaeologist
Melissa, Wedding and Event Florist
Stephanie, Mom to super cute Henry & Dr. Holmes' wife
Me
Lacey, currently getting a MPA [going to change the world one nonprofit at a time!]

Thanks Ladies for a great night!

Today

2010-10-14T09:12:00.000-06:00

If I were home in California today...

I'd head up to the town of Murphys and visit the Darby Red Apple Ranch roadside stand [assuming it's open this year].
There, I'd eat fresh apple donuts and drink fresh apple cider on the old picnic benches outside.
I'd buy extra donuts and cider to take home with me because they're THAT good.
Then, I'd drive a little further up the road to Calaveras Big Trees.
I'd dance around on the tree stump and take the walking trail through the gigantic Redwoods for the gazillionth [or so it may seem] time.
I'd think about God and His wondrous creations.
I'd think about Dad and his love for all those creations [except snakes].

But, I'm not in California.

So, I'll drink some Simply Apple, pretend I'm eating an apple donut, and relive memories from family excursions to Big Trees [though it won't be nearly as fun to pretend]. I'll still think about God and Dad and I'll look forward to the next time I can be there. And my heart will smile at just the thought. Never have the things I own brought me as much happiness as the people I love and the memories we make together.

What about you? What would you do today if you could do anything your lovely heart desired?

Warning: Picture Overload

2010-10-03T17:39:00.000-06:00

I was able to see half of my family members last week and I loved every minute of it. I miss them. We went to the beach, the pool, bbq'd, played Wii and hangman, checked out the Mormon Battalion visitor's center, laughed and took way too many pictures. Someday I will have babies as cute as my nieces and nephews.

Full To Bursting

2010-09-15T13:22:00.001-06:00

There's a lot of love in this world. Can you feel it?

It's easy to see the things going terribly wrong in societies all over the world, but I'm a glass half-full kind of girl and I'm focusing on the love. There's a lot of it, sometimes you just have to look for it. Once you see it, you'll spread more of it. Love begets love.

Try it.

This little ol' heart of mine feels like it could burst-- in a good way. There are good people and good things going on all around me and I'm thankful for the moments when I recognize or remember it.

*image can be found here

8/28/10

2010-08-31T11:33:00.002-06:00

One of the happiest days of my life thus far.

And check out these beautiful flowers I got earlier in the week...the photo doesn't do them justice.

Do you ever?

2010-08-26T09:08:00.000-06:00

I make a To-Do list every day on a post-it note and then stick it on the back of my wallet to outline my priorities for the day.

Every day I include things like "work" and "lunch" [and other completely obvious to-dos for the day]. There's just some sort of satisfaction that comes from crossing things off the list...especially on days where I go from one job to the next with a 30 min break between the two.

Do you ever do that?

My Support Group

2010-08-17T09:10:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking for a few weeks about one thing in particular that I love about my family. It's this: we all enjoy exercise and try to be healthy. Don't misunderstand that -- None of us are body builders, personal trainers or anything of the sort, but I think it's great we all make an effort and encourage each other to be healthy. I don't remember my parents sitting us down and instructing us about exercise or health [maybe they did? probably not], we all just enjoy it. Our routines my vary, but we all do what works best for each of us. Some of us play sports, some run, some walk, some hit the gym, some have at-home gyms, some do yoga, etc.

I think it's neat that I can call up any of my siblings [and Mom, too] to chat about health and share tips or ideas on each others' exercise goals and we push/encourage each other to do hard things...at least that's what my family members do for me. :-)

Thanks, family, for being you and being my support group!

Just Popping In

2010-08-15T22:46:00.003-06:00

...to say hi!

I'm just lounging here on my bed contemplating life and playing with the webcam.

My thought for the day: When you keep your end of the deal, the Lord always fulfills His. Be patient. Keep faith. Have hope. Be positive. Serve others. Take steps into the darkness. Pray. Good things are in store. I know it.

P.S. I got a new niece on Monday of last week and probably another one sometime this week! Yay. #19 & #20!

The Thing About Tunafish

2010-08-04T17:15:00.001-06:00

It's really good for you,

but...

the fishy/really bad body odor smell is so gross.

And it lingers.

For what seems like forever.

Let's just say this-- my coworkers always know when I'm eating tuna and crackers for lunch.

Sorry, guys.

Think you could find it in your hearts to forgive me?

Pretty please?

Dear Video Chat,

2010-07-23T09:08:00.000-06:00

Thanks for allowing me to:
see Heather & Melissa's new hair cuts,
laugh at Jared flexing his biceps [and everything else he does],
make funny faces with Ashley,
take a peek at Landen, Lydia and Rowan sleeping in their beds,
be a part of David & Stasia's 4th of July family get-together for 10 minutes,
hear Kalli sing her ABCs,
get a glimpse of Mike's inches lost,
view Noah's latest origami creation and his scorpion souvenir from Arizona,
get the latest world news update from Matt,
watch Haleigh text me from her brand new iPod Touch,
share your goodness with Steph & kids so they can see their cousins across the country,
chat face-to-face with Ryan for the heck of it just because it's fun!

You add extra spice to life and I love it!

XOXO,
me

Goal for this week

2010-07-18T15:06:00.000-06:00

and every week hereafter...

put shoes back where they go instead of letting them pile up around my room.

I know, it's simple and stupid, but something I totally suck at. I take them off as soon as I'm in my room and then they end up staying right where I left them [until I wear them again and the vicious cycle repeats itself]. Bad habit.

Words To Live By

2010-07-16T12:45:00.000-06:00

"Never suppress a generous thought."

- Camilla Kimball

Sunday Sounds

2010-07-11T15:25:00.000-06:00

Feeling very grateful and loved. Just thought I'd share one of my favorite non-hymn church songs, "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul". Lyrics are under the video.

Savior, Redeemer, of my soul,
Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,
Whose wondrous pow'r hath raised me up
And filled with sweet my bitter cup!
What tongue my gratitude can tell,
Oh gracious God of Israel.

Never can I repay thee, Lord,
But I can love thee. Thy pure word,
Hath it not been my one delight,
My joy by day, my dream by night.
Then let my lips proclaim it still
and all my life reflect thy will.

O'errule mine acts to serve thine ends.
Change frowning foes to smiling friends.
Chasten my soul 'til I shall be
In perfect harmony with thee.
Make me more worthy of thy love,
and fit me for the life above.

Addicted

2010-07-08T12:11:00.001-06:00

I am addicted to the sun and warmth.

I love exiting an excessively air-conditioned building and feeling the instant heat on my skin.

I love getting into a perfectly warm car after it has been sitting in the sunshine. I've often wondered if skin can brown from the heat inside the car like chicken inside an oven.

If it is hotter than 95 degrees or if someone else is with me in my car, I'll turn the air conditioner on; otherwise, I love to just roll the windows down and drive.

I love just walking outside.

I love that the sky isn't completely dark at 9pm and that it's bright outside before I wake up.

I love that little bit of tiredness that comes after an afternoon spent at the pool.

Now, if I could just find more time to spend at the pool!

I Don't Wash My Jeans After One Wear

2010-06-30T17:26:00.005-06:00

Sometimes the loose jean feel is the perfect mood-booster-- makes me feel like I'm on my way to a smaller pant size.

And it is almost always enough motivation [when it's necessary] to keep working out.

I'm Still Team 'NSYNC

2010-06-29T00:58:00.000-06:00

A month or so ago, I got a text message from my friend, Krista, stating something to the effect of "would you want to go to a BSB concert so I don't feel as guilty for betraying 'NSYNC?" I'm pretty sure I replied with "Yeah, sounds like it'll be fun and hilarious." And hilarious it was. And corny. And so fun!

A huge group of girls all went together and relived our teenage boy-band loving years. Keep in mind though that the oldest member of the group is almost 40, two are mid-30s, and one is just 30. Most of the time, Kylee and I were laughing at their corny lyrics (they have a song about PDA) and cheesy one liners like: "Utah, without you my life would be incomplete [cue intro to their song "Incomplete"]"...and don't worry, that was said by the almost 40 year old. haha

But I had a ton of fun with the group of girls dancing, singing, and just having an all around good time. One thing is for sure. I will forever be Team 'NSYNC. Justin Timberlake is my #1. :-)

The group:

We had to wait forever for them to actually get on stage, so Kylee and I took lots of goofy pictures of ourselves.

Finally they came on stage...don't these pictures capture the boy-band perfectly? Thanks, Ky!

P.S. In case you were wondering, yes, there were originally 5 members of BSB; however, Kevin Richardson decided it was time to move on with life and did not reunite.

Party at the Wilson's!

2010-06-23T16:55:00.002-06:00

I had a lot of fun this last weekend at Megan's wedding. She's the last in her family so it was a big party.

Horse-pulled wagon rides to keep all the kids entertained
Photo booth with dress-clothes for their guest book and for our party favor
Delicious food
Dancing
and of course, great company!

Picture commentary:
1. C was a dancing queen-- she was having fun if you can't tell!
2. My sis is due in 6 weeks and I think she looks great! We laughed as she double-fisted her kids' italian sodas.
3. Lots of fun cousin time.
4. And although it's dark, I thought it was really cool that Taylor and Megan rode off on their horses!

It's in the Genes

2010-06-22T17:33:00.002-06:00

Last time I saw Mom:

Mom: "Rachelle, you look like you've lost some weight, what have you been doing?"
Me: with complete sarcasm "Starving myself."

Hours later:

Mom: "Rachelle, are you really not eating? You need to eat."

...If you've ever wondered where I get my gullibility, now you know.

Beautiful

2010-06-17T21:57:00.000-06:00

1991 called, they want their shirt back

2010-06-15T18:04:00.001-06:00

Last weekend I was in Forever 21 and found a replica of a tank top I used to wear in first grade. I remember loving the tank-- even wearing it for my "Student of the Month" picture that year.

Although, I couldn't find the tank online that I saw in the store, I found one close enough for you to get the idea....MINNIE!! Same color scheme and everything...although the edges of my tank were trimmed with the aqua color, I believe.

I thought about buying it for pajamas or something of that sort since I'm not 6 years old any more, but I didn't. Apparently, Mickey and Minnie are making a comeback because there are at least five different Mickey/Minnie graphic tees to choose from...just FYI.

Did anyone else have a similar tee?
Any of my siblings remember me wearing mine?

Explain This To Me

2010-06-11T23:37:00.001-06:00

Why is it that I can remember my first interaction with one friend so vividly but I cannot think of a single detail of my first interaction with another friend? [when both interactions were nothing monumental/extremely memorable]

How does the brain choose precedence to memories?

Or do we subconsciously [or consciously] choose what to remember when it comes to silly things like the exact phrase they said and how they said it upon your first meeting?

Do tell...

Happy Heart

2010-06-10T22:35:00.000-06:00

I love it when I'm so happy I feel every heartbeat and it feels like my heart is going to burst out of my chest and start dancing.

Some things that have contributed to this happy heart of mine:

-lunch with my with some of my favorite people and walking away in awe of the friendships I've managed to acquire here in Utah Valley.
-niece and nephews happy/surprised to see me every morning at breakfast.
-babies/toddlers
-video and/or text messages from long-distance friends that make me laugh and feel like although we live miles apart, I'm still a part of their lives.
-true love [at a ward activity we had some live music. these lyrics are sung: "the weather is always better when you're here" and i see the bishop's wife lean to her husband and say "that's so true!"]

I started writing more consistently in my journal two months ago. I really think writing what happened each day-- what I did, what I could've done better, the blessings in my life and the lessons learned-- has brought so much peace to my life, along with reading the scriptures.

Nothing extraordinarily special has occurred recently, I am just so happy I had to share it.

And because I said I'd try to change the no picture problem on my blog here's some I took just for you.

I'm laughing at myself in that last one for being so dumb. Fun times on a Thursday night!

Lacking

2010-06-08T10:27:00.000-06:00

This blog is lacking pictures lately.

I apologize.

I'll see what I can do to change that.

LWK 3

2010-05-28T08:55:00.000-06:00

Living With Kids 3

[a few weeks ago]

Twin A: Aunt Rachelle, where are you going?
Me: To work.
Twin A: Oh man-- that means you're gone foreeeever!

Happy to Report

2010-05-27T16:41:00.001-06:00

I have a scale in my bathroom. There was a time when I stepped on it every day, but that was just excessive and annoying.

Last time I stepped on it was a month after I gave up refined sugars--I had lost 4 pounds. That was two months ago. I stepped on it today to find I'd lost 6 more lbs for a total of 10 pounds! All I've done was stop eating candy, desserts, etc. Seriously, that's all...after the half-marathon my schedule at Kids on the Move picked up to four nights a week and I have completely slacked on exercise.

I gave up sugar to live a healthier lifestyle and challenge myself-- it was never about losing weight-- but hot-diggity-dang, I'll take it!

10 lbs in 3 months. Such a slow, but healthy process! If this keeps going, I could potentially lose 40 lbs in the year I'm going without excess sugar! I'm not betting that it will continue exactly like this, but I'll take what I can get.

Have you seen this?

2010-05-26T11:49:00.001-06:00

This message popped up yesterday.

Laura: Rachellethey posted a video of you as a child on facebook I think . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg&feature=player_embedded

If you haven't seen the video of Jessica's "Daily Affirmations" watch it. It's so cute and funny.

"I can do anything good!" haha

Good Reminder

2010-05-20T16:05:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite quotes:

"What He wants--hard as it may be--will always be best for us." - Henry B. Eyring

Read the full devotional here.

Just Wondering

2010-05-13T15:11:00.000-06:00

Do you ever look back at old pictures that you thought you looked good in and now you think they're bad pics?

I guess it just means I like the changes I've made, but sometimes I think "I really thought that was a good pic??" or "I looked like that??"