President Hinckley

Yesterday evening the President and Prophet of my church, Gordon B. Hinckley passed away. I have to admit that I was shocked when I heard the news. It just hits you when you hear something like that. It is a little sad because he has been the Prophet for almost 13 years (since I was 10) and I loved him so much. He was such a sweet, nice, spiritual man. I could really feel his love for all of the members of the Church. I know that he is now with his wife again and so happy to be with her. You could tell when Sister Hinckley died a few years ago that it really affected him. I am so glad that I know that his death doesn't affect the authority of the church or it's truth. And I am glad that we were able to have such a wonderful man lead us for so long. It's so good to know that death isn't the end. It is only the beginning!

Tubing!

Saturday my ward went Tubing at Soldier's Hollow in Midway. It was SO much fun! After tubing we went in the Heber and had awesome burgers and shakes at the Dairy Keen. It was so good. I managed to survive the day with out killing myself too! No broken bones and not too many sore muscles and only a couple bruises on my knee where i had to stick my legs off the back of the tube because my feet weren't slowing me down enough and there was a stupid worker standing just at the end of my lane! She should have moved!

Like Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, Two is Always Better than One

Last weekend in LA I had so much fun because I got to go to Disneyland for my birthday, not once but twice! On Friday I went with friends from my ward who came down to LA for the long weekend and on Monday I went with friends from home. I had forgotten how AMAZING Disneyland can actually be! And going for your birthday is the best, you get a birthday pin from city hall on main street and everyone wishes you a happy birthday! I managed to stretch my birthday from Friday to Monday (It was actually Sunday the 20th)! For my actual birthday my mom made dinner (I love Tri-tip) and I had Brandee and Anibal and my brother and his wife there. It was an awesome birthday. And to think I was a little worried about turning 23!

Weddings, Birthdays and the HAPPIEST Place on Earth!

Last Saturday my brother got married! I am SO excited for him. Carl married a woman who is just perfect for him! Her name is Janet and she lives up here in Utah and so Carl is moving (I guess has moved) up here! It will be so nice to have more family around. Now I have a brother and a sister (and a sister in-law and a brother in-law and a niece) all within an hour driving time. Aparently I am an awful sister though because I took my camera and then it sat in my purse the whole reception! I think I was just busy. This weekend we are having an open house in LA though and I will make sure to take pictures there.

So the open house is on Saturday but I am heading to LA tomorrow morning to go to Disneyland with a group of people from my ward to celebrate about half of our birthdays just happening to be in January! I am going to Disneyland twice actually because I am going on Monday as well with Brandee. Sunday is my birthday. I will be officially old.... or at least 23. I am excited to spend my birthday in Los Angeles and with my family, I haven't been with my family on my birthday since I was in High School and turned 18. Somehow spending your birthday with your mother just makes it better (it's her day too right?). And I will get a birthday dinner!!! Considering the open house the night before it might consist of left overs and wedding cake but it's still a meal I don't have to cook for myself or pay for!

Sledding again! Don't tell my Doctor!

For Family Home Evening on Monday my group went to Rock Canyon Park to go Sledding on the snow that had arrived the morning before. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you like going really fast) the sun on Monday turned the hills into solid ice with more ice at the bottom of the hills. I managed to have fun with only some minor bruises (no more broken bones and locked joints). The second time I went down the hill I tried to slow myself down and ended up sliding on my back across ice and rocks... That's where the minor bruises come in but other than that I had a lot of fun. After that wipe out we moved to some not as steep hills and mainly went down in trains of several sleds. I think at one point we had 10 people going down the hill at the same time!

Mr. Mad Scientist

Last Friday (the 4th) Linds and I went to visit Jason at work. Doesn't he just look like he belongs in a lab? I think it's funny that the pictures he is in with us he wears the lab coat and has the goggles handy but the one of him actually working with chemicals they are absent. Jason, I don't know if Linds likes thinking of you using all those dangerous chemicals without protection.

Happy New Year!

Well I guess I got a head start on the age old new year's resolution to drop a few pounds.... on January second I got the stomach flu.... sure helped me out of some of the holiday weight. Ok, all kidding aside, this year is only 3 days old and It has already seen ups and downs. Like having a blast hanging out with friends on New Year's Day and then waking up early the next morning so sick I thought I was going to die (or at least I wished I would but was afraid I wouldn't). I got so dehydrated that i was dizzy every time I moved and my kidneys were killing me. But thanks to finally being able to hold something down, and Ashley's gift of Gatorade and crackers I pulled through the second day of January and made it to the third. I was still feeling rather ill (and my fever hadn't broken till that morning) so I called off work and spent the day in bed again, except that I made an appointment to get a new eye prescription. So I went to Lenscrafters to have my appointment and get new contacts/glasses. I can't believe how much I wasn't seeing! The change in my prescription is so much that wearing the new lenses still feels a little weird. It was supposed to take and hour to get my glasses made so I went down to bath and body works to look around their big sale and by the time I was done there (maybe ten minutes) I was so wiped out all I wanted was to find someplace to sit! I cannot believe how much throwing up and not eating can suck so much out of you for so long! I don't know how all the super models do it! Also on the third of January, I moved on to semi solid food -- I had soup! ( I guess crackers are solid but they don't count as food). Oh and my new battery for my camera came in the mail (did I mention that the four month old battery of my new camera died and would not recharge? Yeah, I'm still bitter about that). I am so excited to be able to take pictures again. Maybe I'll take one of me in my new cute glasses. So I am supposed to be back at work already but due to my illness I could not go back when I was supposed to... The fourth (I guess that's later today) should be my first day back, but because of how weak I still feel even after just fifteen minutes of walking in the mall, and not entirely back on real food I just don't think I can do it yet. I will definitely go Monday but I think I need just one more day of sickness.