12.29.03-So hard to come back to work today! I enjoyed my time off tremendously!

I had a nice Christmas. My big present this year was a digital camera and I have had some great fun breaking it in. I have taken it almost everywhere this weekend and been taking all kinds of pics...check out the gallery for new images.

At Thanksgiving this year I made pies with my mom and she helped me figure out how to put the crust on the edge of the pie and make it look nice. That mixed with my trying to do a latice on the top made my pie turn out so well...it was the perfect peach pie. Go here to see it!

The new friday five:

December 26, 2003

1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year? Getting published

2. What was your biggest disappointment? not going back to school

3. What do you hope the new year brings? change....I am really in need of some change and feeling of progression

4. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions? If yes, what will they be? I am still thinking about that. I am trying to decide what resolutions/goals would bring me the most good.

5. What are your plans for New Year's Eve? so far no plans

12.22.03-What a weekend! I had a heck of a time doing Christmas shopping for my mom, all of the stores I tried were out of the things I was looking for. On we shall go tomorrow and try again.

Saturday night my friend Emily & her husband Jeff & their daughter Megan came to dinner. They moved to Indiana this past summer so it was fun to see them. I added pics to the gallery.

Also did the friday five:

December 19, 2003

1. List your five favorite beverages. Gatorade, Vanilla Coke, Chocolate Milk, Fresca & Water

2. List your five favorite websites. Jen-Garner.net, Official Alias Site, & LDS.org

3. List your five favorite snack foods. Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Neapolitan Ice Cream, Peanut Butter,

4. List your five favorite board and/or card games. Scategories, Cranium, Monopoly, Scum, & Outburst.

5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games. I don't play a lot of computer games, but I do like Bounce Out, Super Mario Brothers on Nintendo, & Tetris.

12.19.03-Last night was our annual Christmas dinner with the Cannon's. What fun we had! I received the game Cranium...big plans for a game night sometime in the near future! I added pictures to the gallery! Tis true! They are Survivor Freaks!

In the mood of the Lord of the Rings Craze I decided to take this quiz yesterday....Which Lord of the Rings Character are you? I ended up being Arwen:

A total romantic, you'd do absolutely anything for love—which is why you're most like Arwen. The people you love feel totally protected by and connected to you—you have an amazing ability to know just how your friends are feeling. Sometimes, though, you'd be better advised to watch out for yourself.

12.17.03-Today has already been quite the adventure. Last week a screw fell off the door on my Jeep and I kept the screw but didn't worry too much about it. Well yesterday the door started to stick a bit and then this morning my car door wouldn't stay shut and because the latch wasn't hooking the dome light was staying on. Picture me driving down the freeway at 65 to 70 mph with my door not all the way shut! Not fun! Plus if I didn't get it fixed my battery would have died and that would have stunk! Lucky for me my friend Travis works at a car place near my work and so he fixed it for me. I am so glad that is taken care of. I still have to take it and get some other stuff done to it, but at least my door can shut and lock now and my battery won't die on me.

12.12.03-Another week is coming to an end.....here is this week's Friday Five:

December 12, 2003

1. Do you enjoy the cold weather and snow for the holidays? I would much rather have the snow and cold. When I lived in California for three years I really missed having white christmases.

2. What is your ideal holiday celebration? How, where, with whom would you celebrate to make things perfect? Perfect...is there really such a thing? I think a perfect holiday is spending it with all the people you love and enjoying each others company and remembering what the season is truly about.

3. Do you do have any holiday traditions? We have tons of traditions....we always put the tree up on Thanksgiving day and we have our annual Christmas open house which is going to be tomorrow. We make tons of goodies and share them with neighbors and friends and I always go downtown to see the lights at Temple Square.

4. Do you do anything to help the needy? We normally try to get a family and do a secret santa for someone that is struggling that year. We usually donate mittens and scarves and hats to the homeless shelters.

5. What one gift would you like for yourself? Happiness

12.10.03-Some of you know my feelings on Christmas this year and I thought this story really emphasized them and really wanted to share it with everyone....please read this and remember the reason for the season!

Who Started Christmas?

This morning I heard a story on the radio of a woman who was out Christmas shopping with her two children; after many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids. She was feeling what so many of us feel during the holiday season time of the year---overwhelming pressure to go to every party, every housewarming, taste all the holiday food and treats, get that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, make sure we don't forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

Finally the elevator doors opened and there was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her and all the bags of stuff. Wh en the doors closed she couldn't take it anymore and stated, "Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot."

From the back of the car everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, "Don't worry. We already crucified him."

For the rest of the trip down the elevator it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

Don't forget this year to keep the One who started this whole Christmas thing in your every thought, deed, purchase, and word. If we all did it, just think of how different this whole world would be.

12.09.03-I wanted to share this thought with you that I received from my friend today via email. It is called Women Have One Flaw and it really hit home to me at a time when I have been struggling. Go here to read.

Last night we went to Temple Square to see the lights. It was absolutely beautiful. Going down there is one of the few times this season where it actually feels like Christmas for me. It seems so strange, because normally I am the Christmas guru. I haven't even put my decorations up at work this year.

12.08.03-What a weekend! After yesterday, I swear I am going crazy! I feel like my life is spinning in circles around me and I am sitting and fighting with it!

12.02.03-Added the pics I took this weekend at Ben's Birthday, Ward Prayer, & Family Home Evening to the gallery. Oh and if you missed the karaoke pics of Aaron, Brian & Jessilyn go here.

I also added a bunch of stuff to the features section under Funny!

12.01.03-I did some major thinking this morning and last night about my life and where it is at. And one thing I have figured out is that it is a lot easier to figure things out when you write them down, so here goes. One I have huge trust issues! I think I have always known this but I don't think I realized how scared I am to trust people. Next that life is complicated only because we make it so. Next, friends are sent here by Heavenly Father to help us... but it is up to us and wether we want to be stubborn and accept that help. And sometimes when advice is given it might seem hard, but the harder it seems the more right it probably is.

So that is my thinking ..... oh and one more thing..... the perfect peach pie can really put a smile on your face!

The updates for today are that I updated the layout! I used these awesome pictures from the new gap ads that I totally loved! I also used a java applet to do the banner, so if you can't see the banner then your java probably isn't enabled or you don't have java downloaded to your computer.

I also added some new "old" pictures from New Years Eve last year that I found. And Lacey gave me a bunch of pics she took at Ward Prayer a few weeks ago that I added. And I also did the Friday Five:

November 28, 2003

1. Do you like to shop? Why or why not? It depends...most of the time I do if I have money and something to buy ... if there is no reason to go then it is a waste of time

2. What was the last thing you purchased? a bunch of black picture frames

3. Do you prefer shopping online or at an actual store? Why? I like to go to the actual store, especially for clothes, because then you can actually see what you are buying

4. Did you get an allowance as a child? How much was it? nope

5. What was the last thing you regret purchasing? I am not sure....probably some cd I never listen to

11.26.03-Happy Thanksgiving! I know I am a day early, but I doubt I will have the chance to get on here and update! We are going up north to spend the holiday with the Cannon family. It should be a lot of fun. I can't wait for the pies!

I am working on a new layout to put up for Christmas .... it is going to be awesome! I am so excited!

11.19.03-Katie sent me this quiz to see how well I knew her and I decided to make my own. Go here to take it!

11.17.03-Well it is Monday again...but this weekend was so much fun! I went to the Peter Breinholt Christmas concert with my friend Ben. I was pleasantly surprised that Peter B wasn't the only local artist that performed. He also invited Nancy Hanson, Ryan Shupe, James Conlee & David Tolk. It was such a fun concert! I really love the music that these musicians play. I am definitely ready for the holiday season now!

Also Happy Birthday Heath! (it was yesterday so I am a bit late!)

This week is going to be busy, since I have something planned for every night.

I added Lacey's page to the Friend section!

11.14.03-It is friday again! Woo Hoo! I have Friday Forum today and I think I am going to vegitate tonight. I haven't had a ton of sleep this week, and I could really use the rest. But then again if someone calls...I am sure I could be persuaded! :o}

Tomorrow is the Peter Breinholt Christmas Concert at Kingsbury Hall. I can't wait! I love his music. I find it fun and upbeat!

11.10.03-I have done some serious thinking this past week about how blessed I am. I have some amazing people in my life and I want to express my gratitude because I don't think I do it enough... I love and am grateful for you! Thank you!

On Friday I went to the Grizzlies game with a bunch of friends from the ward. The Grizzlies won 6-1. I must say there is a whole lot of fighting in hockey...I guess I had forgotten. I haven't been to a hockey game since before my mission!

Next added some more pics this weekend, including brand new family ones that my mom and I took up Big Cottonwood Canyon this weekend. Go here to see!

For all of you that told me the link to the gallery wasn't working on the friends part of the site - it is fixed!

11.06.03-Life is good!

I have been overhauling the site the past few days...first the layout and now the gallery. I have totally redone how the gallery is presented and I have added a bunch of new images. Go here to see what I've done!

I also have redone the layout of the Friends section and added a few more paragraphs...still trying to get all those done, so please be patient!

11.04.03-As some may have noticed I redid the layout. I used pictures that I took up Big Cottonwood Canyon this past weekend...love the meshing of the fall colors and the beautiful white snow!

Last night I went roller skating, well okay not exactly. Because I am still wearing my walking boot I couldn't skate, but I went and watched my friends, took pics, and danced. Afterwards we headed to Leatherby's which was a grand ol' time! I added some pics to the gallery so you can see the fun we had!