thnx again

Round 2. Since it's November and you know, gratitude.

I'm grateful for.... 

Priesthood blessings. And having a dad that is always worthy and more than willing to give me one. 

Wise parents that will give me sound advice and that want to help me.

Having parents that tell me they love me often. I've realized how rare it is in families to hug each other and say 'I love you' everyday. 

(Wow, this has turned out to be a parents post. So I guess I'll keep it up!)

Family Night. We had it every single Monday growing up and it brought our family closer.  Because of it I knew my parents had a testimony, I knew my siblings had testimonies, I grew a testimony, and we all strengthened each other's testimonies.

My selfless mother. She has proven that serving others brings happiness. She is doing things for neighbors almost daily. She does things for my family daily. And she is very happy.

I really have such great parents.

thnx

I am thankful for...
(warning: mushy post. compared to my usual, at least)

progression.
..in anything.
i love the feeling when i'm working towards a goal or when i
accomplish something i've been working towards. I don't like feeling stuck or
like I'm not moving forward.

music.
what would i do without it?
nothing, i think.
writing and playing music is such a huge part of me and i feel so fulfilled
when i write something or learn something new. 

sisters.
they're who i go to for advice or just to cry to.
they're always there for me.

the temple.
i've been going a lot more often this fall and i've noticed that i have a
much larger desire to
serve more, pray more, read my scriptures more, and i'm just happier.

hugs.
they're just the best.

the northwest revisited: part 4

On the last day, we woke up and went to Carol's Corner Cafe with Betty for breakfast. When I lived up there, Betty would take me to breakfast or lunch there most weeks. We'd get fries and creamy chicken noodle soup and a massive pancake. We got all that for breakfast and more. And it was delightful. We got mint hot chocolate at McSteven's and also biscuits and gravy hot chocolate. We stopped by Multnomah Falls on the way out. What a treat!

Miss you already, Northwest. 

kloveyoubye.

the northwest revisited: part 3

On day three we drove up to Seattle. Well, ish. We drove up to Bremerton and drove on into the ferry and took an hour ferry ride right into Seattle. It was gorgeous. Pine trees lined the Puget Sound and then you could see the city get bigger and bigger as we got closer. I loved it. 

We pulled into the city and took a great ride on the Great Wheel, went to get some candy at the gum wall, took a ghost tour, went to Pike's Market, and just explored the city.

On our drive back to the 'Couv there was rain like you wouldn't believe. I was scared out of my britches, but I still managed to keep drifting off. Worst copilot eeever. Lizzie and Jake were totally out in the back seat. Luckily Brian drove us back with ease and we didn't die.

the northwest revisited: part 2

On our second day we went to the Oregon Coast. We went to the lighthouse at Cape Meares and had a little tour. WE GOT TO GO IN THE LIGHTHOUSE. What a dream come true. It was blistering hot up in that thur lighthouse, but the view was stellar.

We went to Oceanside and walked around on the beach for a while. The whole trip I had my phone in my back pocket and my camera bag around my neck. But for the beach I decided to ditch them both and just take my camera around my neck. Lucky I did, because that would have been yet another piece of my technology swallowed up by a body of water. Because, you see, Lizzie and I were just walking around, taking pictures, and Jake was climbing a log pole while Brian took pictures on the GoPro. The waves would come up on the beach and maybe touch our toes.

 

AND THEN. 

This gargantuan wave thrust itself upon the shore; hurling itself at everyone and everything in it's path. Lizzie has fast reflexes and booked it outta there. I saw the wave but didn't think it would be too much of a nuisance. But oh, how wrong I was. It hit my legs hard and I almost fell as I was running away. All I could do was just plant my feet there and try not to get knocked down. Unfortunately, it did knock me down pretty quickly. I had my fancy camera in my right hand. When the wave finally toppled me over I landed on my left hand (which later became extremely swollen, like a ripe tomato, but not red like a ripe tomato. More like purple like a plum). Just wanted to be descriptive in case you don't know your color wheel well. And, what do you know? I sprained my thumb.

Anyway, the water swirled around me and swept me up the beach. My first thought was, 'Oh my gosh, I'm wearing clothes and they're soaked now,' but after that all I could think about was saving my dear camera. Jake and Brian were back by the pole, both of them got pretty drenched, including their phones. (Luckily their phones made it). All they could see was my head and my camera above the water. Finally the wave slowly went back down and I felt some arms behind me help me up. Those arms belonged to this really cute guy (pictured below). It's like those stories where the girl is drowning and the cute lifeguard saves her life. Except on the extreme level that would be a ten and my story would be a two. And also he wasn't a lifeguard. And also I wasn't drowning. But still. There are similarities.

We stopped along the way home to use the bathroom. A massive pile of sand spilled out of my pants onto the bathroom floor. I got a tissue and tried to sweep it all up, but I couldn't. There was just too much sand. So, sorry guys who work there. I left a beach in your bathroom. Actually, you're welcome.

the northwest revisited: part 1

I've been dying to go back to the northwest from the second I stepped foot outta thur. So for like, 8 months. A few weeks ago, it finally happened and it was pretty fantastic. I got so excited when were driving along the Columbia River Gorge, even though it was 2 in the morn and dark as dark. But man, you could still see that tree line against the night sky from the pine trees and I love that. A lot.

Brian, Jake, Lizzie, and I left for the long stretch of driving Friday evening. We stopped at Jake's mom's house for some dinny din din and drove all night like a boss, except there were four bosses. We arrived in Vancouver at roughly 4:00 am. We dropped in at Betty's house and took a few hours to snooze. After catching those zzz's I hopped in the shower and it was ice cold. The heat was off and gosh dern it, I couldn't remember how to turn it on! But no matter, we all showered in it anyways (not together). We went to Killer Burger with Gordon and Betty, themselves! and got peanut butter burgers. Everyone was skeptical but after trying them they were totally into them. 

We drove on over a bunch of bridges to the Saturday Market in Portland. We feasted our eyes on the strangest people; a knife thrower, a hipster, two men doing some weird martial arts, bums...

We found the Cullen's house and some old guy was sitting on a chair reading by one of the massive windows. He probably hated us. Daggum nosy kids!

We went to a park and walked up this trail amongst the trees for a few miles, which was rather scenic. And then all we wanted to do was eat and sleep. So, we did, okay?

spiders.

I have arachnophobia I think. I hate spiders just as much as your average girl. I won't scream if I see one. I will shiver a little and maybe get a little squirmy. Every night I get into bed, search under and over my covers and look all around the walls and ceilings to check for spiders. Usually there are none in sight. Now, what caused this paranoia you may wonder? Many experiences.

Once in high school, I was reading scriptures in bed when I saw a movement in my peripherals. I looked to the pillow next to me and there was a spider intruding on my sleep premises! I quickly turned to my right to grab a tissue. I turned back to the spider, prepared to kill, but it was gone! IT WAS GONE. I tore my sheets apart trying to find it, but alas, it was too clever for me. I slept on my bare bed with a quilt that night. Def not in my covers. Ever since then, pre-bedtime spider checking is a normal routine in my life.

One time in college, when Lizzie was my roommate, I had a dream in the middle of the night (Imagine that!). In that dream, a spider was on his string lowering down from the ceiling, about to make my face his landing post. I woke up and shrieked and jumped out of bed, heading for the light switch. Lizzie woke up and thought I was getting kidnapped. Once the light was on I came to my senses. I told her about my dream and apologized for my outburst. Then we examined my bed, just in case. Lo and behold there was a spider on the side of my bed. For realz. We freaked out. That was the day I learned of my sixth sense.

The following summer, Lizzie and I were in a new house. I had an identical dream, freaked out, ran to the light switch, turned on the light, then realized that I was now in reality. There was no actual spider this time. Just a creepy crawly nightmare. That was the day I learned that I maybe don't actually have a sixth sense. Dern it.

This summer, 5 out of 7 mornings I would get in the shower (clarification: I showered 7 of 7 days) and there would be a spider, just waiting to wash up. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't handle the swift speed of the water streams, or the immense quantity of water spewing out. So, down the drain he would go. Luckily, my dad got some sprayage and there are no more spiders in my shower, or anywhere. I can step into the shower with no more worries of spider guts on my feet.

But, pre-bedtime spider checking is still a nightly ritual. And post spider nightmare checking is a monthly tradition.