Tender Mercy Tuesday: 58th Edition

Hello my dears! I hope this Tuesday has brought you something wonderful. My Tuesday has brought me big, giant, romantic snowflakes and hopes and dreams of the future.

I have two thoughts for today. The first having to do with just this past Sunday. I wasn't feel down, per se, but I did have a few struggles on my mind and things I was praying about.  At the end of my wonderful set of meetings a dear sister came up to me and paid me the sweetest compliment I think I've received since becoming the Relief Society President. It was a simple compliment, but one that I will always treasure and rely on during hard times.

The second thought is that we have an extra 24 hours to our lives this year. I've known all year long that this year was a leap year which equals an extra day to the year...however I didn't really think about the fact that we're going to get a WHOLE extra 24 hours! I mean, this is an opportunity that only comes once every FOUR years. It's kind of a big deal! How often do we wish that we had more time? An extra day? Well, this year you're getting it! Granted, it's probably going to feel much like any other day (especially for me who gets to work and meet with her bishop. :o) ) But I can't help but want to do something to make the day feel just a tad special.

So my dears, what will you do with your extra 24 hours?

Things I'm loving...

the darling Rasha at And this is what She said posted a little post this morning called "Things I'm loving" and I thought it was simply beautiful that I decided to copy her.

So, without further ado, just a few things:

• late night phone conversations with Soldier Boy
• the sweet spirit that was in Relief Society yesterday
• the dear sister who paid me the most sincere compliment that I really needed to hear
• the color green
• cooperative hair
• cute scarves
• my gym trainer
• meal plans
• crock pots
• dark chocolate Hershey kisses

Thursday Shenanigans

Hey dears! It's Thursday! Also, there are less than TWO weeks until my birthday. Luckily for you, you still have plenty of time to get me a birthday present. ;)

In other news, I have plans to be extremely productive this weekend. I know I've said that a lot in the past, but I really believe that to be true. So...without further ado: some Thursday Things. (aka SHENANIGANS!)

• I was fairly tame in college. No extreme late nights, no crazy parties. It seems that I might be making up for that now. This is difficult because I'm older and my body needs sleep more than it did as a 20-year old co-ed. ha. Life is fun.

• Solider Boy is the sweetest future boyfriend a girl could ask for. I'm so glad he's my friend right now.

• I danced in the parking lot in the rain last night. It was amazing. :-)

• Tonight I get to go to Blue Tango. I LOVE Blue Tango. Seriously, if you're anywhere close to Cougartown and have a love for dancing, then you need to get your butt there pronto. It's great fun.

• Tomorrow I get to go to Ft. Douglas. I've never been there!

• Also tomorrow I'm going to the temple w/my bestest roommate, Roommate R! :o) I'm rather excited to be there with her tomorrow.

• I went to a really good Thai restaurant last night. It was nummy. 

• My trainer is pretty fantastic. He has made me find muscles I didn't even know existed. My inner thighs? They are sore. :P

• My hair is getting REALLY long and I LOVE it. :o) It's great.

• I already have an idea of the epic summer adventures I'm going to have - it's going to be one GREAT summer. :o)

• Finally, here's a list of everything else I'd like to get done (there's a TON more I WANT to get done, but I'm trying to be realistic here)

• clean off bottom of night stand
• clean out and clean off cedar chest
• clean bathroom (maybe. still debating this one. ;) )
• Update St. Patty's day wreath for door.
• Decorate for St. Patty's day
• Start to make (maybe do the whole thing?) my new bag for Disneyland
• Make a spring table runner
• clean out fridge
• clean out pantry - organize it!

• Sounds do-able right? right. :o)

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tender Mercy Tuesday: 57th Edition

Hello dears. I hope you are doing splendidly and are enjoying "Fat Tuesday."

If you're not Catholic (like myself) then this day holds no extreme significance for you. I have, in the past, given up "things" for Lent. However, this year I am focusing not so much on giving things up, but getting things done. Occupying my life. Attempting to be patient until an unknown future date.

Life has been an interesting roller coaster ride as of late. I don't see it as being one of tons of ups and downs, but more of one with lots of twists and turns, new things around every bend. I have understood for a long time that God is omnipotent, but it still never ceases to amaze me how well he knows me and the ability he has to take me on a journey that is the best possible route for me.

Solider Boy told me a personal story last night that directly related to us and our future relationship that just confirmed to me how right this situation is for us right now. I've known it's right, but any outside evidence is always helpful to combating the feelings of doubt and fear that Satan tries to instill into my mind. I'm constantly reciting and remembering Doctrine and Covenants 6:36, "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." This scripture is pulling and pushing me through this unknown amount of time. How I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Basically, I want you to know that I KNOW that God is looking out for us no matter our situation or religious affiliation. We are all children of Him and He wants us to be a happy and joyful people. What a great thing to have - an omnipotent being rooting for us every step of the way. :o)

God bless.

p.s. If you happen to be LDS and have a favorite General Conference talk, I'd love for you to share it with me. I'm speaking in my congregation in a few weeks and have complete freedom in choosing my topic from a General Conference talk. However, I have no idea where to start - so please share your favorite talk of all time! Thanks!

surprises, Don Quixote, flowers, and fun, flirty times

I am sure that you are all waiting with baited breath to hear about my reunion with Solider Boy and the fantastic weekend that followed.

Well, if you are that person then you are in luck because I am here to tell you all about my most amazing weekend.

Thursday night was GREAT. I got to see Solider Boy, exchange valentines, and dance the night away. It was SO NICE to see him again. I was reminded of how much I really do like this boy that is in my life. He is amazing and so very kind to me. He gave me a book with the sweetest of inscriptions written inside. I felt loved. :o)

Friday I had a few surprises. #1 - Soldier Boy visited me during lunch because he hadn't gone home yet. #2 - He ended up being around for the afternoon as well so after I got off of work I got to see him some more. #3 - He actually didn't go home until LATE Friday night/early Saturday morning because he was around with a friend of his and then he came and saw me. :o) It was most wonderful.

Then there was Saturday. I took my own sweet time getting ready, and was glad for it. I looked gorgeous. I felt like a pretty princess in my dress (pictures coming, promise!) and my hair turned out quite perfectly. Soldier Boy loved my hair. Also, Roommate A did my makeup and she did a stunning job. I loved the look she gave me. Soldier Boy and I met in SLC and then went to dinner at the Blue Iguana. I LOVED my dish! I got the beef tacos and that beef was absolutely amazing. Soldier Boy got the Chocolate Mole and he also enjoyed his dish. Mmmmm...my mouth is watering thinking about that beef. It was delicious. I think my favorite part about dinner was the cute couple that owned the restaurant that came around serenading everyone. They were amazing and it was so nice to have someone sing to us while we ate.

THEN there was the ballet: Don Quixote. IT WAS FREAKING AMAZING. Ballet West did the most amazing job Saturday night. They dancing was incredible, the dancers played their characters PERFECTLY and thoroughly and THEN there was the flamenco at the beginning of Act 3. Oh my goodness. It was INCREDIBLE! I loved it! They only used the sound of a stick keeping time back stage and the stomping of their feet/clapping of their hands. There wasn't a single misstep or moment where they weren't together. I was much impressed. Kitri was incredible and did stunning things with her extensions and turns. Sigh. It was wonderful.

One of my favorite things was that not only did I have a surprise for Solider Boy that night (his boutonniere) but he had a surprise for me! He got me a corsage! Ha. It was so funny that we had the same thought for that night. My corsage was beautiful and featured a main  white rose with three small roses with it. It also had a silvery sparkly ribbon. I loved it and felt so fancy with a wrist corsage to go with my dress. Soldier Boy knows me SO WELL and it was great that we matched being all fancy and dressed up and what not. :-)

After the ballet we ended up sitting in his car just talking. We had the BEST conversation. It was exactly what we both needed and several things were mentioned that we both needed to hear. It was good times. Then, because we hadn't had enough of each other at this point in the weekend, we talked on the phone while we drove home - it was great.

Then there was yesterday. (whew, this is getting long. Good thing you all want to know all the details huh? lol) Yesterday Soldier Boy came down for Sunday dinner with Sister B + Husband. We had a really fantastic roast w/potatoes, green salad and homemade rolls with Hot Fudge Sundae cake for dessert. mmmm....It was SO GOOD. We played a long round of Killer Bunnies (sometimes that game is short and sometimes not, but it was GREAT fun.) There was much laughter, tons of flirting and cards that made my night 100% worth it. After Sister B + Husband left, Solider Boy and I enjoyed reading on the couch together, watching videos of me drugged from my knee surgery, and just talking. I stayed up too late and seeing as how I don't have today off - I'm feeling a little tired, but it was such a great weekend that I'm totally fine with it. The great news is that Soldier Boy is going to be in SLC basically all weekend so I get to spend some extra time with him and that is going to make me one happy camper. :-D

I hope your weekend was FANTASTIC!

Just a few....Thursday Things!

Hi dearest friends! It's been a crazy few days and my brain is fried and I still have to work tomorrow. :P However! Exciting things ARE happening this weekend and I'm rather excited about everything, so let's get to it shall we?!

• It's been a VERY long TWELVE days, but tonight I finally get to see Soldier Boy again. I'm so giddy with excitement, it's ridiculous. Here's hoping I can hold it together through my ballet class tonight....

• We're exchanging valentines tonight....:o) Here's a peak at what Soldier Boy's looks like:

• cute, right? (His valentine is glued to a box of cereal, in case you didn't figure that out by the cheesy saying. ;) )

• Tomorrow night is going to include me and Roommate A going to a stake activity. I'm going to be her wing woman while we go "speed dating: bingo style." ha ha ha. should be entertaining to say the least.

• I think I am MOST excited for Saturday.

• See Saturday....Saturday I'm going to see Ballet West's Don Quixote. It's supposedly FANTASTIC. (at least, that's what EVERYONE keeps telling me)

• Also, I'm going to the Blue Iguana with Soldier Boy prior to the ballet. I've heard mixed reviews of the place, and I'm intrigued to try it.

• I'm going to look AMAZING in my dress. I promise to post a picture later. :o)

• I have left all my shows in my hulu que to watch while I get ready for the ballet. It's going to be fun times.

• Next week is looking fantastic. :o) 

• Basically, life is really, REALLY good.

Wordy Wednesday

First off, I need to tell you that I had a great post in my head for yesterday. It's still there in fact...in my head. However, yesterday ended up being an insanely busy day and I had no moments to blog. At all. I need to be better about getting things ready ahead of time.....yeah right.

Anyways, it was your basic single person's Valentine's Day. Soldier Boy and I talked on the phone for a very long time and it's making me all sleepy and slightly ornery today. Hopefully there are no punks on the phones. :P We're actually doing our V-Day celebration on Thursday at Blue Tango. At least, that's when he'll get his Valentine. :o)

Also, we're going to the ballet on Saturday, and I'm very much looking forward to it. I'm going to wear the prettiest dress and my hair piece I made? Super cute. Want proof? Okay. :-D

Finally, I was stalking a blogger named meg and she shared this magnificent quote:

"Time is tricky. You have whole months, even years, when nothing changes a speck, when you don't go anywhere or do anything or think one new thought. And then you can get hit with a day or an hour, or half a second, when so much happens, it's almost like you are born all over again into some brand-new person you for damn sure never expected to meet."

E.R. Frank

Isn't that just fantastic? I totally feel like this right now. I feel like the past few years have been the same old, same old. Not much change, just me and my life going down the river. However, my river has quickly turned into a quick changing beast with rapids and waterfalls, and new scenery that is just beautiful. Life is full of surprises and the person I am right now is never the person I expected I would become. Here I am though...and I love it.

Have a happy Wednesday everyone!

Happy Monday + a Question

Hi friends. It's Monday. I am excited if only because it's one day closer to Thursday which is when I get to see Soldier Boy again....sigh.

Anyways.

I have a pressing question for you all.

I had a light bulb idea last night while working on Soldier Boy's valentine - I think I should get him a boutonniere for the ballet on Saturday. I'm pretty sure he'd appreciate the gesture, but I'm not sure if it's too much. thoughts?

I'm thinking something simple - like this:

Anyways. Please leave your thoughts. :o)

Thursday Things

okay. work is nuts, and i only have a few minutes. so without further ado....

THURSDAY THINGS!!! (dun dun duuuuun)

• Soldier Boy is in Disneyland. I'm missing him something fierce this week. :(
• This week is my Friday off and I have THE best plans ever!!
• I'm getting a massage tomorrow
• I'm going to Tucano's with Sister B and her husband tomorrow
• I'm having a Disney Movie Marathon on Saturday
• I'm going to the Temple this weekend
• I'm going to get LOTS of sleep
• I'm going to fix my ADORABLE dress that I'm wearing to LA (and most likely the ballet next weekend)

Pretty much...life is great minus the fact that a certain someone is not HERE right now....sigh. Hope you have a great weekend!

Tender Mercy Tuesday - 56th Edition

Sometimes I dread doing my Tender Mercy Tuesday posts - I just don't feel like doing them on occasion, but it is always those times when I really DO need to do said meme posts. I always find myself more thankful for the little things in my life that help keep me happy.

Today's small thing is actually two small things. See...I was having a rough night yesterday. I was letting my emotions get the better of me and was struggling with a few personal matters. I knew that the doubts I were having were pointless - doubts don't come from God, but it didn't matter, I was still doubting and hesitating. Then, I read this quote that Roommate R left on my doorstep over a year ago when I was going through a hard time.

"Things work out; it isn't as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out, don't worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. If you do your best, it will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in him, if we will pray to him, if we will live worthy of his blessings, he will hear our prayers." - President Gordon B. Hinckley

I love this quote. It always reminds me that everything will work out. I just need to do those things necessary to stay faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

My second thing is Soldier Boy. We talked for just a few minutes last night (unlike the normal hour or two that we usually go for) mostly because he wanted to make sure I got the sleep I needed. (he's way too good to me) I was happy just to hear his voice and get to talk to him even if it was only for a few minutes. Then I woke up this morning and noticed that he had texted me several hours later. That text message was filled with the exact words I was needing to hear. He's just so sweet and tender to me and knows exactly what I need and when I need it. I'm so grateful to have him in my life. :o)

Have a great Tuesday all!

craziness

Hi guys. So....I started a post on Friday, but then I didn't ever get around to finishing it and posting it. Then I stayed away from the internets (for the most part) this weekend. See...it was show weekend. That meant I spent all afternoon/evening Friday and Saturday at the Covey Center for the Arts. It was fun and exhausting all in one. Also - I realize I didn't finish the 10-day challenge. My life blew up with the show (some crazy stuff hit the fan late Thursday) and I really couldn't think of something to do PLUS the one thing I did think of possibly doing, I couldn't do because I wasn't allowed to wear jeans to work on Friday due to the board of directors meeting that happened. Oh well. C'est la vie.

The silver lining though to this weekend was that Solider Boy stuck around on Friday. We went to lunch together and then he came and suppported me and my ballet company at the performance that night. It was SO NICE to have him with me. We followed up the show with dinner w/a good friend of mine and then went back to my place to talk and just chill. He ended up staying another (unplanned, but still good) night in UT county and we got to spend a bit of time together Saturday morning before he left on his week long trip to California. sigh. I miss him.

Also, I've realized that I haven't really blogged about a lot of what happened last weekend (the 28/29 of January) or what not...and I'm pretty sure I don't want to go into all of the details about it all. It's a VERY long story and pretty personal, but the jist of it is this: we're not really dating right now and we're going to be that way for a little while. It's a complicated mess, but Solider Boy is my future boyfriend. One of my friends described it as us being "engaged to be in a relationship." We don't have a timeline for when we will be officially dating, but in the meantime we are good friends strengthening our friendship. We hang out and talk to each other because we both need that support. I honestly really like where we are in our relationship and I'm so grateful for this time to learn more about him and grow closer together without all the other emotional/physical aspects of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship getting in the way. We both really like each other and we're excited to see where things go, when they can go. So...Soldier Boy isn't disappearing completely, I just don't get to kiss him or hold his hand right now. :'(

Anywho...there's the reader's digest version of where things are for us right now. :o) Have a great Monday y'all!

Day 9: Group OTI

I'll admit, the Group OTI prompt scared the living daylights out of me. I really wasn't sure what I was going to do or how I was going to interpret the outfit. Without further ado, here's what I wore:

So, neutrals with a pop of color. I tried to layer...but I don't own that many sweaters/cardigans and not one really flowed with the outfit. I chose to ignore that part of the outfit. :o) Pants and shirt: JC Penney's - sash: made by a friend to match my graduation dress. :o)

And now my plea for help, tomorrow challenge is to do something that scares you. I'm not sure what scares me when it comes to clothes (well, leggings scare me, but I'm not going to go out and buy some for the challenge when I REALLY don't like them.) I need to figure out what I'm scared of...maybe I'll have to go perusing the blogosphere......suggestions?

Day 8: Dress up a Coat

Well...here we are, Day 8 of the lovely 10 day challenge. I'll admit that it is going MUCH faster than the last challenge, although a part of me is going to miss it. I really enjoy someone else telling me how to dress. (Sometimes. Not all the time.)

Anywho, I didn't really feel like dressing up my every day coat - because most people really wouldn't get to see it and that thought made me sad. :( But then I had the brilliant idea to dress up my suit coat! I love, love, love my suit coat.

Before I dressed it up:

This suit coat was purchased by my mom, for me, a bazillion years ago from Walmart. (I think.) It was also long-sleeved. Well....I didn't ever really wear it - the sleeves were a little on the short side and I just didn't love it. THEN one day I got all crazy sauce, whacked off the sleeves and then hemmed them. NOW I LOVE this jacket and wear it way more often. It's fun. :o)

The whole she-bang outfit:

I added this AWESOME flower to the lapel of my jacket (safety pin to be able to clip this flower onto. :o) ) Pencil skirt from JC Penney, tights (see below) from Forever 21 and my favorite bright pink heels.

the details:

These are some awesome paisely/fishnet tights that I paired OVER a pair of bright pink tights. LOVE this look. I'm a huge fan.

Overall...I loved adding the flower to my jacket! It totally made the outfit pop just a little bit more than it normally does. WOO HOO!