New Year's Resolution or Daydreaming? Only Time Will Tell!

I have decided that one of my New Year's Resolutions this year is going to be traveling to different places around the globe...and to get a Passport so that I can! My first big trip that I want to take will be during Spring Break. My friend, Sara, and I were talking and we both would LOVE to go to Scotland and Ireland. I have been doing my research online and can I even tell you how excited it makes me? SO excited!!! So, this will be my first trip.

Then, this summer, I am going to be taking an Alaskan cruise with my friend Jen. We were wanting to do this last year but it fell through at the last minute. Which actually turned out to be a good thing because I was then able to go to Washington DC and that was an awesome experience!!!

We will see if there are any other destinations that end up on the list. As for now, it's at least fun to dream about it all! I am hoping to make this my reality...only time will tell! :)

Nine Years???

On December 20, 2000, I returned from serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Although several years have now passed, this experience is still one of the most valuable, beloved, life changing highlights of my life! I loved serving as a missionary in the California, San Bernardino Spanish Speaking Mission and am truly a better person because of my time in California. I really don't think that there is a day that goes by that I don't think about the mission! I loved the wonderful people, the many different cultures, the Spanish language and most importantly the Gospel message that I shared everyday for 18 months. I love my companions and am grateful for the lifelong friendships that have come as a direct result of serving as a missionary. Thank heavens that Heavenly Father knew what He was doing when He called me on a mission! Now the question is...where has the time gone???

Busy December Weekends...

The Busy Weekends of December:

• Ward Christmas Party and a Chance to Sit on Santa's Lap...I believe in Santa!
• A Visit with Pam and Keith from Germany at the Hawkes Home...good times with great friends!
• An Informative Field Trip to the University of Washington Tacoma with my National Honor Society Students (I am the advisor)
• An Outing to the Bodies Exhibit in Seattle with a group of friends...talk about amazing!!!
• The Mom and Pops Christmas Shop Service Tradition with my National Honor Society Students. We also write letters in response to student's letters to Santa. My kids LOVE playing Santa! Thanks to my mom's second grade class in Utah that gives us the chance!
• A Play Station 3 Rock Band Party...seriously the funnest game on the planet!
• The annual tradition of going to the Nutcracker and to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Seattle with Jessica and Lindsay. Kate joined us this year, too!

As you can see, it has been a busy month...lots of fun weekends have helped me as my work load has been pretty heavy this month! I am grateful for good friends and great times!!!

Crazy December...

December has been a very crazy month for me....in every aspect of the word. I can honestly say that I am definitely looking forward to a break.

On my way home from Portland on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I received word that there had been a terrible shooting in the Tacoma/Parkland area. Four police officers had been meeting before their shifts at a local coffee house. A man came in and opened fire on all four of them, leaving them for dead. Come to find out, this hit a little too close to home. I received a telephone call that night from my principal informing me that one of the officers that had been killed was Greg Richards. He has two children at GKHS. This was a shock. What added to the shock was the additional news that we received the next day. One of my students committed suicide on Sunday night, November 30th. Needless to say, it has been a very difficult and trying month for Graham-Kapowsin High School as we have dealt with these tragedies. As a counselor, my load has been extra heavy but I have been very grateful to be able to support my students as we have all been coping with these losses.

In the midst of trials, come the blessings. With the deaths of the police officers, Washington state came together to support the families of the fallen officers. For example, the local Papa John's Pizzas in Pierce, King and Kitsap counties donated 100% of their profits to the families on December 8th and December 9th. The outcome was incredible. Thousands of people went to support this fundraiser. In fact, I tried to order pizza at one location and told that it was denied the ability to even order pizza they were so busy. I ended up driving to the one in Federal Way and was finally able to order pizza. Papa John's ended up raising a whopping $125,855...six times more than the restaurant chain was expecting! Amazing!

A Weekend With My Boys!!!

Jeff and Ashley just celebrated their one year anniversary. Crazy how time flies! In order to give them some time away for just the two of them, I volunteered to watch their boys, Ty and Charlie, the weekend after Thanksgiving. I was already in Oregon for Thanksgiving and so this was an easy thing for me to do. Plus, I can't even begin to tell you how much I LOVE these little boys. They are my favorite!!! And, Jeff and Ashley definitely did need a little getaway for just the two of them. On Friday, I took the boys to the Portland Children's Museum. It is a must any time that you are in that area and you have kids with you! They loved it! There was a train that they played with for about an hour, a fun room where they could play with water, a place where they could pretend to go grocery shopping and where they could also act like they were waiters, a crocodile whose teeth they could brush, a room where Clifford the Big Red Dog was spotlighted, and lots of other little areas that kids enjoy. We spent about four hours there and both Ty and Charlie absolutely loved their time there! We saw a big train outside afterwards and they wanted to climb up on it so I took advantage of the moment and made it a kodak moment. Afterwards, I took the boys to McDonald's where they could play a little more. We then went back to their home and they wanted to watch "Home Alone" again. Charlie told me that he was scared and asked if he could lay by me on the couch. I think he was wanting some cuddle time and I needed some, too. On Saturday, I woke up to the boys wanting to climb in bed with me at 7 AM. They told me that they wanted to sleep with me but then ended up talking to me for a while. We decided to get up and get some breakfast. We then played around for a little while. Later on, we went bowling. I was impressed with their bowling skills. They both did awesome and I didn't do so bad myself. I actually bowled over 100 both times...that NEVER happens! I think they were my lucky charms! Sunday was fun because I got to go to church with them and they had their Primary Program that day. The boys both had memorized their parts and they did awesome at reciting them. I think some of the little things that stick out to me from the weekend are: cuddle time, singing in the car with the boys Primary songs and B-I-N-G-O, watching as Charlie would throw the bowling ball down the lane and ask if he got a strike every time, Ty's tender spirit that is just so special, Charlie and his questions...he is so curious, exchanging "I love you's", and all the hugs and kisses. I love these boys! I really do believe that I am the luckiest because I get to be their aunt!!! Thanks for going away, Jeff and Ashley, so that I could get some good bonding time with my boys! Love you all!