Roommate Christmas!

Me & my AWESOME Roommates!!!!

2 & 1/2 Years of livin' up the single life together!! We went to Biaggi's for our Christmas dinner, we wanted to go somewhere nice! I love their Butternut Squash! Yum!

I had a burger king hat in my car so Natalie recommended that we try them on "Graham Style." Fun, huh!

This was Nat's sweet gift from Niki! We were seriously rolling on the floor laughing out loud as Natalie read it to us! I highly recommend this gift for all those who can appreciate laughing about poo!

I am EXTREMELY grateful for wonderful roommates! If it wasn't for great roommates I would be renting a one bedroom apartment and I'd be really poor and lonely...so THANKS Loha & Grahamster!

SuPer SaTuRDaY!

I had a busy day yesterday! I signed up with the ward to go to the homeless shelter in the morning. When we arrived they were overloaded with volunteers, so we decided to go to the food bank and they had too many volunteers too! Then we decided to go to Highland Cove Assisted Living and visit the elderly people. It was so much fun! Those old people crack me up and love visitors!

Next, I came home and took a little nap...I sure needed one! I had a hard time sleeping Friday night and all week for that matter...just restless that's all, there's been so much to think about this month!

Then my sister Leslee and I went to go pick up Natalie and Kate our "adopted" nieces for a date night! The girls really wanted to go to the mall to shop, so we did! They even got to use their money! We went to Hello Kitty first, their favorite store!

Next, we went to the Festival of Trees. The girls loved the trees! I did too! I love that all of the proceeds to Primary Children's Hospital.

We needed a little snack to tie us over:). Katie bug loved the diet coke!

Natalie and Kate by their favorite trees!

Leslee and I both knew people who put trees in the festival in remembrance of a loved one who passed away, these are their trees.

The girls legs got tired so what did we do? Carry them!

Then we headed to Burger King so we could wear a princess crown! It cost $22.94 for everyone to eat! Sheesh! I'll never go out to eat when I have kids...it's so expensive! But it was worth it. It was funny because I just started eating and Leslee said to me, "aren't you going to help Natalie get her food out of the bag?" I laughed because I had forgotten I was with small children! I like to think I'm good with kids, I guess I just forget sometimes what to do... :) (Plus no matter what grade I've taught, I've taught them to do things on their own:)). Then I had to help Kate in the bathroom...it was gross because I had to help her wipe and my hand touched the water that she just peed in, SICK! Overall, it was an AWESOME time! I love those kids soooo much!

I ended the night by going to see Twilight! It was NOT what I expected. Parts of it were AWESOME...some parts were not so awesome... I liked feeling like I was reading a book again:).

Oh and tonight, Sunday, my roommates and I decorated the tree! Doesn't it look great!

Oh #2, I'm collecting plastic bags for my classroom! Yay!!!! My ward has helped sooooo much! One day after I sent out a ward/H4 email, 700 bags were left at my door! Yay! Thank you friends!

Ladies Night...Relief Society Conference Tickets...

So I had 5 tickets to RS conference last night!
We were so excited to go!
Mom, Sister, Niki, Tasha, me!
We drove there early.
Not early enough.
Couldn't park anywere!
Drove to a chapel nearby.
Loved the talks!
I have a desire to fill my life with more service and to learn more and more!
We went to Chuck-A-Rama!
Ate Yummy Food!
Had lots of fun!
The End!

FO CO Reunion!

Camille--Kimmy--Elissa--Me

Fair on 9th & 9th!

I met up with Kimmy and Camille this weekend, my roommates from when I lived in FOCO, aka Fort Collins, Colorado! I love that city. Someday I would like to live there again! Elissa also hung out, she was practically our roommate too, plus she let me live with her my last two weeks in Colorado!

FO CO Roommates

Go UTES! Tribute to Tasha!

Thanks to Tasha and facebook, here are some pics from the UTES game!

Tribute to Tasha! Tasha is one of my new friends and new co-workers! We both teach 3rd grade and have a blast doing it! It's so funny because people at school ask us all the time if we were friends before we started working together, but nope, we just seemed to hit it off as friends and teachers having a good 'ol time planning curriculum and laughing together. Also, I've never met someone who has so many of the same clothes as me without ever knowing each other, I must say it's a little creepy! Tasha is hilarious! She keeps me on my sarcastic toes and keeps teaching fun and interesting, she never misses a beat! I don't know what I'd do without her! With all the new adjustments in my life, she makes them a whole lot more fun! And as you can see by the pics we even hang out, outside of work! She came over on Sunday for "Breakfast at Tiffany's", too! Yummo! Niki and I've decided to get to know more people and have Sunday dinners every once in a while, it was fun! Oh, and Bryan Hinton came to our Sunday dinner too, that was a blast from the past! Bryan and I went to High school in Colorado together and just ran into each other a little while ago! Small world! Sorry, I don't take pictures of every event, shucks...there will be more "breakfast at Tiffany's" to come!

Family, Isn't it about time?!

Tribute to the Finley Family...

I love my family. I love, love, love, love, love, love, love them... times infinity and beyond! Did I mention I love my family????! So tonight, Niki and I decided to travel around town and visit our families! We went to her parents and had a grand 'ol time and then headed over to my fams place.

My mom, Niki, and I all went on a little and by little I mean a 3 mile walk around the neighborhood, chatting it up and just have fun.

I think my mom is great, she is so funny, she really is! She is smart, beautiful, spiritual, thoughtful and the list just goes on! I really admire her:). She was telling us about all her great garage sale deals and her clearance deals! She cracks me up. When we got home we chatted with the rest of the fam, while mom showed us all her cute clothes and dad showed off all his handy work and remodeling on the house. My dad is also VERY funny! He was walking around with this little head lamp that clips onto his baseball cap. My dad is amazing...since neither one of my parents brag about themselves nearly enough, I feel that it my duty to share their wonderful talents! My dad is one of the most generous, kind, hard-working guys I know! He can fix ANYTHING! He can cook ANYTHING! And he has a way of making everyone feel welcome at our house.

So now that I'm on a family bragging kick, here's what great about all my siblings...

Leslee, 22, is going to UVU, has her associates and is kicking but in classes! Last semester she got a 4.0! Go Les! She too, is so generous! If I'm having a bad day, she doesn't even hesitate to lift my spirits by hanging out, having an extra long conversation with me or buying me a gift...that last one is my favorite, jk! I love my favorite sister! She understands my soul and knows what makes me tick.

Joey, 20, is on a mission in Brazil! He is now a Zone leader and the second counselor in the Bishopric, weird! He has more charisma and positive attitude than a monkey on steroids! He is awesome! He only has 9 months left...I can't wait to hang out with him again!

Aaron, 16, is now a dater and a driver! He is the "cool" one in the family, seriously he radiates coolness. He is handsome and down to earth! Aaron works his tail off at school and at his job at Larry H! So I thought I was pretty awesome at math in high school, oh no, Aaron puts me to shame with him kick-butt college Algebra classes! I can't believe some of the classes he is in! Aaron rocks!

Ryan, 15, is now a trader, going to Jordan High School....ha! The three middle kids all went to Alta but Ryan decided to switch it up a little this year. Ryan is awesome! He's been playing football and kickin' the other teams trash! Last year Ryan came and helped out in my classroom, he is always so kind and willing to serve, man I love this kid!

Beau, 7, our family dog. He is the love of our lives...every night, still to this day, all the kids fight over sleeping with him! My parents got him during the middle of my senior year of high school (makes me feel old!). He is the sweetest dog ever! He's always there to give some lovin' and absolutely loves to go on walks!

Man, this post makes me have an attitude of gratitude! Lately, I've just been so grateful for my life and for the people who have made it so wonderful, both family and friends...I know this post is a little gushy and over the top, but who cares! I love them and after all, I am the "emotional" on in the family! I'm also grateful for my Heavenly Family, meaning Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Prayers are answers, when you seek, ye will find, I promise! :) I have a testimony of that, no doubt about it.

PS The CES fireside on Sunday was AMAZING! If you didn't get a chance to watch it and want to, click here! This was one sure fire way of knowing the Lord knows me and knows what I need to learn and hear in my life at this time:)!

First, Smokey Moutain. Next, Spoon Me!

"Okay, fine, we will stop reading and go PLAY!"

BELOW...Tiffany's six step half-up hair process! Natalie had a little fun with the Camera!


Left: Step 1 Right: Step 2

Left: Step 3 Right: Step 4

Left: Step 5 Right: Step 5, Ta da!

Niki and Me

Nat and Me

Middle: Natalie does take out the trash!!!!!!!! Left and Right, the middle windows of this apartment is our place!

Memorial Park!

Continued...

Awe...the roommates...2+ years and going strong!

Smokey Mountain!

Our "Wilson" pictures! Inspiration=Natalie!



Salt Lake Cemetery

Yesterday was Labor Day as you all know! I started out the day very lazy and really not feeling well...so what did I do? Read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??!?! I've been meaning to read the second book in the Twilight series for months now...well now I have little to no distractions and finally finished, thanks to my lazy morning yesterday! I read a total of 400 pages this weekend and still had a fun, busy time! Well, after my lazy, but yet VERY productive morning of lounging and reading, Natalie one of my favorite roommates suggested that Niki I get out of the reading grove and do something! PS Niki was a little more productive than me, she also did homework! So we decided to go to lunch and a movie! We went to a restaurant called Smokey Mountain, and I must say it has highly recommendable food, but SLOW service! Then we couldn't help but notice the frozen yogurt joint next store, Spoon Me! So we decided to meander over there and check it out, it was pretty good, but not on my top ten list (however, I do think the name is catchy! hehe!) Then we headed for the movies only to find out that it was all sold out!!!!!!!! Sad day! Have no fear, Tiffany is here with tons of suggestions! I started giving ideas of places to go, and my roommates looked at me like a was crazy, I suggested going to the Copper Mines, the Planetarium, the Aquarium in Sandy, This is the Place Monument, the gun Museum up in Ogden, the Alpine Slide, the Heber Creeper...so I have just happened to hear about all these places over the years and have started storing them in memory in case I get bored and want to do something...turns out I'll have to do them ALONE because no one seems to think they're great places to visit...So if you want to go, just let me know! Or if you know someone who would want to go, and they aren't too creepy or weird, let me know:). Okay, enough rambling, what did we end up doing? We went to Memorial Grove! Not a place on my list, but it was great non-the-less, it was beautiful!!!! Then we went to the Salt Lake cemetery to check out a grave sight that Natalie had heard about that says "victim of the beast 666" on it! Good thing it was daylight or else I think I would have had to change my shorts later!