Ohhh Cougars...

BYU vs. FSU

86 was a hoot.

Those are some biiiggg boys...


Jeff (friend from work) and I took this RIGHT before FSU killed BYU. lol. :(

...and my voice is GONZO!!! I tried to play guitar tonight and basically cracked my roommates up with my squeaky raspy voice. Mahhhh Good times.

Fireflies and Hiccups.

I think we all still look like babies...haha. In our twenties!! (Well...Shell, almost!)



We didn't know what to do w/ our hands...



I love my sisters.

I went to CO for a quick visit last weekend. It was a blast. :)
(Ps...notice my necklace...I make reference to it later in this post)


My Math phobia is no longer in existence. I focused much of my spare time to practicing and really understanding math, giving it a chance, to prove to myself that it isn't MATH that is bad...I just had some really really bad math teachers.

I really like Math!! :)

I got a new necklace that I am obsessed with!! It is white and gold with diamonds...and it is a Swallow. (bird). When I saw this necklace on the mannequin I was instantly intrigued by it. I couldn't stop starring at it. The closer I got to this necklace the more I "needed" it. After snatching it off the mannequin, and trying it on, I felt like the necklace was made for me.
Okay okay...a little dramatic. Really though, I was in love. Of course I bought it...and I wear it with everything, and it seems to just "work." I looked up the symbolism of a Swallow and it is said to bring wealth. It is also a symbol of loyalty.

Today is the first BYU home game...Goooo Cougarssssss!

On a downer note;
My heart is healing...but it still hurts. I know that is something really bold to write on a public blog...but I am honestly still hurting from my 2008 losses. I am just now realizing this is not something that goes away over night. It isn't something that you just forget about...no matter how angry you are, or were. (...or are).

I love my home, my roommates, my school, my friends, my life. (And of course my family.)
My life here is good, but I feel a change of wind coming very very soon. I am not sure what it is...but EVERY single time in the history of Melinda Blogging that I have said, "There is a change coming..." it is always something massive. The anticipation is killing me...but I am trying to be patient.
These are some good times...but these are also some very hard times. I know I am going to miss this time in my life. Trying to soak it all in and enjoy my twenties. :)

Well, I just got invited to go to the BYU game...soooo it looks like I might need to hurry and get ready for the day!
<3 besos.

Baby Photo Contest

HAVE A CUTE BABY?

Submit your baby photo(s) to our contest NOW to win a $129 baby canvas print of YOUR child!!

(Yes that is me holding a picture of my nephew)

Submit your pictures today and vote on other cute babies!



Big Family Photos is a product of FamilyLink.com

Knocks You Down

Wow...

With 13 credits of school and working 40 hour weeks...I am officially exhausted. My days are crazy from 8 am until about 10pm.
I have a lot of updates...I just don't have time to blog about them.
Life is really good right now. I like all of my classes and feel that I can conquer a 4.0 again this semester. We will see!!
K a few quick updates...
Labor Day weekend coming up and I am doing nothing but playing with friends and relaxing in the sun. :)
Still loving my new phone...catching on to the touch screen finally...haha.

Piano lessons are a blast. I feel like a 3 year old learning to play but it has always been a goal of mine, so I know this will do nothing but benefit me...even if I don't end up with an A in the class.

Ummm... making and keeping friends...spending time with them when I can...

K it is bed time. haha. Sorry I don't have anything exciting to share!! Gute Nacht.

Where Did You Come From Where Did You Go...

-So today there was no church due to a temple dedication and I had a lot of extra time on my hands. I decided to go back through my old blogs and see what my goals were last year to be reached before the end of this year...Check out this blog post from Monday, October 6th 2008.

"What is she going to do with her life now?"

GERMANY! I am saving up to travel to Germany to visit some family this year! (maybe bring some friends?) (Check)

CONCERTS! Any and all...I want to live it up this year. (Check)
CAREER! I figured out what my career will be, and I am now putting it into action. (Check)
FAMILY! I want to sit down with my family and find some way to get to know each other better. (Check)
DEBT. (No exclamation point here...) I plan on getting out of debt by spring. (Check- PAID OFF MY CAR and credit cards!!!)
WORK IT! I have been working out a ton. I would love to run a marathon. (Check-still working on the marathon but I am more toned than ever before)
CREATE! Whether it is a beaded necklace or a new company... (Check)
LOVE! I want to find my Prince Charming. Emphasis on Charming. (Check- Not that I found my prince charming...but I have learned to love and trust again!!)

TRAVEL! I already have some pretty fancy plans for a Thanksgiving on the beach this year...but I hope to get out every other month to a new place I have never been before. (Check)
PRAISE! I will be growing closer to God through all of these experiences. (Check)
FRIENDS! My goal is to grow closer to all of my friends and have spiritual and fun moments with them. No shallow conversations. I have also been QUITE bold lately in making new friends. More people to learn something great from. (Check)
LEARN AND LISTEN!! I am working on being a better listener, and taking advice from people who care about me. I have been practicing meditation and mind exercises to expand my attention span. (Check)
SO many things to do in so little time!!
Enjoy your journey and remember to stand in the light.


K so basically I accomplished each of these goals!! I actually WENT to Germany when at the time I wrote this I had NO idea how I would get there...I just knew I needed to go.
I thought it would take me until October 2009 to accomplish these goals and I covered them by July. Creating goal lists, to me, is like making a Christmas list. "Who do I want to become...I get to choose! What do I want to do? I get to choose!" It is like sitting down and thinking, "I can have whatever I want from life...what few things do I want to ask for this year...what few things can I set my mind to?"
I am going to NOW set another goal list for next year.

Grades- I want to keep up my 4.0 next semester. This is a high goal but I believe I can do it.
Strength-I will continue to tone and strengthen my body.
Travel- I want to travel more this year. Seattle, Canada, and Oklahoma are on my list of places to go.
Love- I will love to the best of my abilities and trust in God that my prince is getting ready for me as I am getting ready to meet him.
Safety- No more texting or talking on the phone while driving.
Painting- I LOVE painting. I will set aside more time to sit down and paint.
Deutsch- I will continue to strengthen the family relationships that I created while in Germany and continue to learn the German language so that I can better communicate with them.
Let go- I have a really hard time letting go of the past and I want to box up the bad parts of my past and let them go for good. I have come so far from where I was at this time last year, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally.
Service- I will participate in a major service event this year. I will know when the right opportunity arises.
Calling- I will ask for a calling and fulfill it to the best of my abilities.
Piano or Guitar- I will broaden my musical abilities.
Politics- I will participate in political events, and try to better understand politics in general. This is a weak area for me.
Math phobia- I will overcome my math phobia and become excited about obtaining mathematical skills once and for all.
Financial Security- I am going to build up my savings account and food storage this year now that my debts have been paid off.
Knee high boots- I have always wanted knee high riding boots and I am going to finally buck up and buy them this year.
Learn to swim and CPR- I will learn how to swim better and I want to become CPR certified.
Family Prayer- Maybe it will be at Christmas or Thanksgiving...but I want to pray with my entire family...all together at once.
Sell it- I have it, and I love it, but I can't keep it, and must sell it.


K I think that is my list!! This year I did so many things that I have ALWAYS wanted to do that should be documented.
Sleeping under the stars
Going on a real horse back ride in the mountains...no trail, and running through a field with my horse.
Getting in shape
Traveling over seas
Meeting my family
Getting a GOOD job
Getting INTO school and doing WELL in school
Learning a new language
Updating my old wardrobe finally. (I still never buy dresses...but I need to and will.)
Wearing my hair curly, often.
Loving again
Trusting again
Growing closer to my family
Making new GOOD friends
Staying temple worthy
Discovering that people talk about you and say what they think about your situation...but they never truly know...because they have never and will never be in your shoes. Truth always prevails and karma persists.
Learning to relax and go to bed at a good hour. (This is a huge one for me)
Positive thinking
Writing music again
Jumping in the lake...even though I was scared
Buying a new camera and taking lots of pictures
Buying cowgirl boots and my first pair of skinny jeans and leggings. haha
Wearing a bikini and feeling confident wearing it
Learning new card games and being good at them
Being there for my family no matter what.

WHAT a year it has been. :) Enjoy your semester and make time for little adventures here and there.

German Lessons and Another Married Friend

Taunia is married!!!



We spoke German for much of the day.

A wedding photographer came up and took a picture for us. What a nice guy. :)



I love love love Taunia!



We ate a huge lunch and I wanted nothing more than a good nap. ^

Hanging out at Dan's favorite park.

v- We found this on the ground...and tried to figure out what it is.

it could be...a pretend piece of food?

It could be...a flower?

We figured it was an "arrow".
Two kids playing cowboys and Indians in the river.

The State Capital building.


Climbing to no avail...



aaahhh dinner time...

German food!! Yum.

We love opening Kinder eggs together. German chocolate eggs with toys inside.

After a full day of playing it was time for the baseball game which was followed by fireworks. What a fun weekend. :)

Everyday's A Start Of Something Beautiful

"There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go."
~ Author Unknown

Things are going unbelievably well these days. Here are a few updates.

1.With my work promotion I got a new Blackberry Storm so that I can email my new clients. :) I love it...even though it can be temperamental at times.

2.I have been spending a lot of time with my best friends lately...nothing like good friends to bring peace into your life.

3.Dan gets back from WY this week...finally. I am counting down the hours until his return. ;) I got the sweetest piece of mail last week including a long letter and a painting from Wyoming... I don't think I have smiled so big in a very long time.

I got my hair done this week and it is newer and cuter than I have had it in a very long time. Very blond though!

4.My body is finally looking sculpted!! I wore a bikini last week and actually felt cute wearing it. After a month of intense working out I am feeling good and healthy again.

5.I wrote 2 new songs on my guitar. One is called "Ivy" and the other doesn't have a title yet but...it is coming together. I LOVE the blisters that have formed on my fingertips again!!!

Dan and his best friend are sooo talented. Here is one of his songs called "We'll Never Know." The song actually reminds me of our rafting trip last weekend. We had DJ there by the campfire to serenade us. :))