Merry Christmas!

Today I feel extremely grateful.

I love that Christmas was on a Sunday this year.

It really helped to keep the focus on the Savior.

Today in sacrament meeting I felt the spirit so strong as I listened to talks on the true meaning of Christmas and to beautiful Christmas songs sung by the choir. 

Today I was reminded of how wonderful it feels to give a thoughtful gift. 

I can only imagine the joy that our Savior feels when we take the gift he's given us and use it with excitement.

I was also reminded that Christmas isn't about the gifts or the decorations or any of that fun stuff, it's about the gratitude we feel for one another and for our Savior.

No matter how hard or bad things can get, we are always offered a gift of peace and love...the atonement. 

I guess I'm grateful for Christmas and for the reminder of what's really important.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I hope you enjoy your holiday with loved ones and gratitude! :)

Love you all...

Families are forever :)

Mele Kalikimaka!!!!

Ornament Tradition.

I love Christmas traditions.

Christmas traditions put the spirit of love in the air.

Every year my family goes ornament shopping.

We each pick out an ornament that represents something significant from that year.

I love this tradition so much.

Our tree holds more than beauty.

It holds years of memories and love.

Our family tree :)

 My ornament. Represents Hawaii :)

 Cecilee's ornament. Looks like her and represents her first hair color streak :)

 Trevor's Ornament. Represents high school off campus lunch, and his goal to gain weight :)

Sydnee's Ornament. Represents cheer :)

My parents haven't yet found an ornament. 

I love this tradition so much. 

I plan to carry this tradition on to my own family one day.

Thank you Mom for carrying this tradition on in our family.

I have one great family, and an amazing Mom!

This week.

This week.

Highlights:

• Went Christmas shopping! I love getting gifts for people I love. I wish I had no limit to my spending and my creativity!
• Took family pictures. I love capturing our family in time. :)
• Had a heart to heart talk with first my Aunt and role model, and then another one with my boy, Jeff :) both play a big role in my life, and I am so grateful for both!
• Got to go shopping with my mom and best friend! I love the time we get to spend together, especially when we are shopping ;)
• I got to work/hang out with my sister! That is a rare occasion, but I absolutely love it when it happens.
• Kalamity try outs! SCARY! I still don't know if I made it, so everyone cross your fingers and say a prayer for me.
• Was treated to Red Lobster by Jeffrey, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm :) sooooo goooooood!
• Saw "The Warrior" and it was a great movie!
• Had a fun little sleep over with Major (hahahahahahahhahaa I LOVE THAT KID!)
• Had laughs and warm moments with my family, gosh I love them so incredibly much!
• And to top off my week I had an amazing day at church! I'm richly blessed and I know it!

Opposite of highlights (I can't think of a word for that right now, guess that's what not going to college does to you haha)

• We lost an adorable puppy, Roxy. I won't go into detail but it broke my heart. That is one reason why I don't want to have a dog when I'm out on my own. 
• Christmas shopping, although I LOVE IT, sucked my wallet dry :(
• Went home sick from work for the first time EVER.
• Still just trying to figure everything in my life out. I'm learning more and more just to roll with the punches and make the most of every situation. Cause there is always joy to be found in every situation. Life is just life, it really is what we make it.

I am so blessed. I really love my life. I know that even in hard times there will always be more highlights then lowlights (haha).  It's as the scripture goes, "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." We are the way we are to find joy, we all just have to look in our own way with the Lord's help and eventually we will see nothing but joy. :) I'm learning that slowly but surely.

Kalamity.

I have been a part of Kalamity for over a year and a half now and it has been nothing short of AMAZING. 

But recently I have had the hardest time figuring out what I'm supposed to be doing with my life.

I've tried to fix the college situation and it turns out it costs more money than I have.

I don't want to work at Pizza Factory the rest of my life.

 I want to have more experiences and really be able to find what I want to do career wise.

I just want to live.

So lately I've been trying to figure out if I can really commit to Kalamity again for a whole year.

I won't be going to college for a little while longer.

I will still be working at Pizza Factory.

I will still have my car payment and insurance payment.

And I will still be here.

I LOVE KALAMITY!

I don't ever want to give it up.

Just the thought of not being a part of it breaks my heart.

But really, my heart literally hurts every time I think about it and my eyes can't help but leak.

Since I've been on Kalamity, I have become a better dancer and a better person.

I've learned how to deal with life as it comes.

I've learned the importance of communication.

I've learned to love more deeply.

I've learned to feel more fully.

I've learned to literally dance in the middle of the storm.

And I've learned that there is always someone else out there that has it worse than I so I need to be grateful and serve any way I can.

I don't know what to do. All I know is whatever I decide to do, I will do it with my best foot forward, being fully committed. Right about now I am wishing that the Lord would send a pillar of fire or a vision telling me what to do, but I know my answer will come from him in a way that I will know.

In the meantime of thinking...LAST NIGHTS BENEFIT CONCERT FOR JEANETTE BRACKEN WAS INCREDIBLE!!!! To say the least.

Kalamity and Kaos have worked their butts off the whole year for this one event.

We have put in countless hours, gallons of sweat, tears here and there, and even blood sometimes, just to make this show the best it can be. 

We've done date night babysitting, yard sales, college dances, kids dance camps, and more just to raise awareness and money for our girl, Jeanette Bracken.

We've prayed with humbled hearts before and after every gathering.

But most importantly, we've put our faith in the Lord.

Because anything is possible with the Lord.

Just in this last year we have put on SIX different benefit concerts, we've raised over $30,000 for these different "calamities," and that's not even including Jeanette's concert.

We've opened a studio and are doing amazing with that.
We've done too many performances to count.
We even did a flash mob.

And we've been nothing but dedicated to doing our best in every thing.

Kalamity is life changing. 

Not only for the people we raise money for, but mostly for the people involved so heavily with it, like me.

I am so grateful for Kalamity and for what it is in my life.

I know that it has changed me and will continue to change me forever.

So if you are in St. George tonight, Please come to support Kalamiy and Kaos, and most importantly Jeanette Bracken. And I can promise you will not regret it!

Kalamity and Kaos with Jeanette Bracken!