My little haven/happy dance!

I've been trying to go to the gym every other day, but since finals have been coming up, I have had no time to do anything! But forget the gym....I have found my own little haven. It's a trail up near the canyon that's about a mile long and has obstacles for you to do along the way, such as pull-ups, sit-ups, squats, arm workouts and weird "jump with one leg up in the air" things. I love it! I got up around 6:30 this morning, grabbed my running shorts and shoes and drove up to where it started. What I like about it first is that it pretty much works out your whole ENTIRE body! Second, I am not a long distance runner so it's nice to run and then have those little breaks to do the other workouts; and third.....it's right next to the mountains!

As for my happy dance.....I was up late last night and the night before studying for my "final before the final" in nutrition. I had heard this test was pretty hard so of course I freaked out and studied my brains out! When it came time to take the test, I unwillingly dragged myself, slowly into the dreaded testing center and sat down to take my test. I'm halfway through, feeling pretty confident.....now have one question left....still feeling confident....and I push the END TEST NOW button on the screen and prepare for my test score to come up. My palms start to sweat and my heart starts to accelerate. I look up to the screen to find my test score.....A BABY!!! So I dash out the door, grab my backpack, and did my happy dance all the way to my car!
The end.

I love missionaries...and this is why!

News Flash

This just in....Ricardo has now been removed from our wall....yuck! Thanks to Tim!



This just in again....Tim has now removed another bird....that was there from LAST YEAR! I am officially repulsed.

Things I have done this summer

This summer has been quite the busy one! Really, I mean where did June go? Here includes the following things I have done this summer.

• Hike to Waterfall Canyon....TWICE....in bright green leggings!
• Gone home almost every weekend :)
• Sidewalk chalked our sidewalk....wow what a mouth full.
• Have two pet cats...Tiger and Jag...and they are not really our pets.
• Ran through a random persons sprinklers. It just looked so appeasing at the time
• Dropped dental instruments way too many times
• Studied outside and got eaten alive by misquotes
• Went to the Temple
• Covered my thumb with super glue...and not on purpose
• Read my scriptures
• study... study... study
• Biked 12 miles on the tandem with pops
• Slept in a tent in our backyard
• Made the most amazing dinner ever!
• Bought new scrubs!
• Burned myself at work too many times
• Learned that the best thing to put on a burn is mustard...I know right!?!?
• Ate a whole thing of brownies with the help of my roomie pink tights
• Gained a new friend...literally gained....his name is bert and he hangs over my belt.
• Had birds living in our walls....pink tights named one Ricardo
• Ricardo now lies dead in the wall....
• Wrote a bunch of letters

That is all for now...funny stories still to come!

Salt Lake Chalk Art Festival

Can you believe that's chalk?















Free Willy!













This is the grand winner! Totally blows my chalk
rainbow out of the water






It amazes me the works of art that these people were able to create with just chalk! My family and I were standing on the upper level so we could get a better view of the art when we spotted a little boy....walking straight through one of the chalk portraits!!! We were about to yell but the artist came and scolded the boy. Man if someone little punk just walked over my chalk portrait I think I would have a fit! The sad thing about this art is that is just pretty much stays there until it rains; then all their hard work gets washed away in copious amounts of colors.


















"Red Waterfall"













This just made me so happy!

In memory of Grandma Packard

Few can bring the warmth
we can find in her embrace.
And little more is needed to bring love
than the smile on her face.

We belive that God sent us Grandma
as our legacy from above.
To share the moments of our life
as extra measures of His love.

Love you grandma. You will be missed dearly

Rest

So many emotions are running through my body right now. Sadness, relief, lost, irate, fear...and it goes on. How can one person feel this many emotions in one body? It has now come time for me to face the fact of life. It's normal for human beings to grow old, then pass away. Nothing abnormal about that. But when it hits home, that changes quite a few things. As you know my grandma has been in the hospital for quite some time now. Well today I got a call from my mom telling me that things have turned for the worse and that the family has prayed about it and have decided to take grandma off life support. It's a hard, very hard thing to do, but we just don't want her to suffer anymore. I wish I could just sit down with her and have our good ol' talks like we used to; but I know that's not going to happen anymore. A feeling of sadness fills my head. But then I remember the wonderful plan of salvation! Death is not the end. It is just another step for us to reach our Heavenly Father. How grateful I am for the knowledge that I have that I will be able to see grandma in Heaven again and that she will remember me, and to also know that she wont have to suffer anymore. I couldn't imagine what life would be without that knowledge. It's times like these where I know that without a doubt that this church is true. Even with as sad tidings as this, my testimony has grown even stronger. It's funny how things like that can make your testimony grow. I opened my scriptures for some guidance and I turned to Enos 1:27; it states:

"And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen."

Feelings of sadness immediately left after I read this scripture and was replaced with feelings of hope and love. My grandma lived a wonderful life and left behind an amazing legacy. Over 100 grandchildren and a couple of great grandchildren will always remember her and how she sought out the best in everyone and everything. Love you grandma!