What a week.

Wow, what a week!

This has been a roller coaster week.

So many ups and downs it's hard to remember them all.

But in the end, it was great!

Ups...

• Jeff changed my transmission fluid and my oil, and I now have a new thermostat. (Haha quite the story with that one, click story to find that out.)
• I had a job interview at a place that I would LOVE to work.
• I ate a lot of oreos :) my favorite!
• I did a post on my favorite article of clothing, cardigans! Click here to check it out!
• I went to Vegas and had a super fun weekend. End of story.
• Watched 17 Miracles and was reminded of my gratitude for the pioneers.
• My face is choosing to be clear and I can't express my excitement for that!!!
• My little brother put the wrong dish soap in the dishwasher and caused a disaster. Gotta love it!

Vegas!

Yay for no major zits!

"What do I do now?"

Downs...

• Got in one too many disagreements. Quote below.
• Was super excited about the job interview but I'm afraid they are looking for someone with retail experience. But I will keep my fingers crossed...
• Happy New Year to you...a fresh start, starting with the . (period)
• A lot of self reflection and maybe even a little bit of feeling sorry, but in the end pulled through! Haha

I know I say this a lot...but I truly love my life!! :) 

And I know that everything happens for a reason, but that life is meant to be enjoyed.

We need to always remember to find joy in the journey.

How about an oil change, yeah?

Jeff is such a sweetheart.
He's always doing everything he can to make my life easier.
And sometimes that includes doing an oil change for me.

I love this boy.

Anyway, let me give you a little history of cars and Jeff and I.
First story.
Last school year it was a Saturday and I had my biology death class.
(Don't ask me what I was thinking taking a Friday/Saturday biology class, cause truly I DON'T KNOW! Sometimes I'm crazy.)
Anyway, I went to class early, of course. Got all situated, and I was ready to learn. But of course the professor comes in and says, "Whoever drives the black honda civic...you have a flat tire. It's extremely flat, and if I were you I would probably take care of that now."
Of course the professor knows best so I went out and called Jeff.
Let me give you the run down version of what happened.

Jeff gets there. We jack up my car. Try to get the spare out, but realize the bolt was corroded on so we couldn't get the tire out. While trying to get the spare out we accidentally pushed the car off of the jack so now the axle is resting on the curb. (Haha resting. What a joke.) Decide to just take the tire to get it patched. Get it patched. Take it back. Get it on. THEN Cam locks her keys in her car. (Which if you knew this car, you'd know that locking the keys in the car is nearly impossible.) Both get frustrated but just laugh. Drive to Jeff's house to get supplies. Grab the most random tools possible. Luckily and skillfully get the car unlocked. Kiss goodbye. We both go home. It only took about 3 hours. HAHAHAHAHA.

2nd experience. Run Down.
Looking for something specific at Walmart. Didn't have it in Bloomington. Started on our way to Washington one. Just past the first exit, not the exit needed, the car gas slips. No exceleration from pushing the gas. Stops moving at the worst possible place on the freeway. Get out. Run to the gas station. Call my dad. Dad comes. We rent a trailer. Have to go on the freeway for a while to get to the spot. Finally get to my car. Push the car on the trailer. Take to mechanic. Can't remember what, but something was wrong with the ignition. Fix. Took 4 hours. I'm lucky, I know. HAHAHA.

Next experience goes a little like this...run down version again.
Sami, Jeff, and Cam all decide to make a trip to Vegas to go shopping. Go to Walmart. Get treats and gas. On our way. Talking, laughing, singing, having  a good time. Ten minutes out of Vegas car breaks. Get out to look at it cause it's smoking or steaming, still not sure which. Jeff pops the hood. Puts a glove on. Sami and Cam stand back. Jeff starts unscrewing the coolant. Coolant explodes everywhere. Sami and Cam weren't far enough away. Jeff gets burned and Sam and Cam are covered head to toe with hot coolant. Did I mention it's summer? It's over 100 degrees outside. Call his family in Logandale. Call his dad back home. Sit and wait while Jeff apologizes over and over. His family get there with their mortuary van. Drive to their house. Watch "Little Red Riding Hood." Eat the most delicious BLT ever. Jeff's dad and Buck (lifesaver) comes with the trailer to pick us and the car up. Load it up. Drive back. Eat Hi-Chews. Unload the car at Jeff's mechanic. Drop off Buck's trailer. Go back to Jeff's house. Borrow his mom's van. We record each of us screaming (I don't know why, haha, seemed like fun at the time.)He takes each of us home. It only took 7 hours. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 Ready for our Vegas adventure.

 Broken down, trying to figure it out.

 In the back of the mortuary van, can you tell we were covered in coolant?

 Loaded up! Me being a goober :)

 Me and Sami having the time of our lives.

Unloading at Papa Boyle's (mechanic)

One of our screaming videos. :)

Needless to say, not so lucky with cars.
I always tease that it's Jeff, but I know it's because of me!
So let me tell you about this oil change.
Run down of course.

So Jeff buys the oil and filter I need. He's confident he knows how to do it. We pull it up on the ramp at my house. He gets down there and I'm his tool girl. He unscrews the plug. Reddish fluid sprays everywhere but the bucket. Red fluid everywhere. We freak that my dad will freak about the oil. So we do the stupid and get the hose to spray it down the driveway. I work on getting rid of the oil while Jeff pour oil in. No oil is coming out. Realize we just drained the transmission and not the motor oil. SHOOT. Panic moment. Look up how to do an oil change on Mazdas on youtube. Jeff is upset with himself. I try to make the situation better. Jeff lays in the wet oil. Try to pour the red fluid back into the hole we drained. It won't go in. Panic again. Take a deep breath. Figure out how to get the fluid back in. But decide it's best to just get all new fluid, JUST IN CASE. Go to the store. He's soaking wet and I'm in floods and ugly work tennis shoes. I joke with him that I won't go in cause I look ugly. We both laugh but go in anyway. Did I mention he's soaking wet? Haha everyone stares at us as we just laugh at ourselves. We get the transmission fluid and a skinny, long funnel. Jeff bought everything. Such a sweetheart. We get back. Put the oil back in. Hurry and clean up our mess. Laugh hysterically. Go back in and eat Mac and Cheese. I go to work, he goes home. It only took 2 hours. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Then we finally get around to the oil change 3 days later. My plug screw thingy is stripped. So the oil change takes 4 hours, BUT it gets done. And of course Jeff replaced the screw and bought only the best supplies for my car.

I am so grateful for Jeff in all of these instances and for all instances of life. He's always so good to me. I love how no matter how big the catastrophe is, we always have fun and make the most of it with a kiss at the end of everything. After each experience we fall more and more in love. It's memories like all of these that make life so great. :)

Today I'm like a wave.

Upset. Hurt. Exhausted. Sad.

All are words that describe me right now.

Why is it that everyone always feels like they know what's best with you?

They work and work behind your back to build up all this ammunition for what?

To hurt you with it? Use it against you? Get what they want?

People always say they just want you to be happy.

But why do they close their eyes to your joy.

They pick and choose what they want to see.

Let me just say this...

Life is hard.

Things won't always work out the way you had hoped.

Or if your me, they will hardly ever work the way you'd hoped. Haha.

Sometimes they will bring you down.

And unfortunately, sometimes it will show that they have brought you down.

But you can't blame it on the sun.

It's not the suns fault things have brought me down.

If anything the sun has just been constant and comforting.

The sun has brought so much hope and love.

The sun isn't perfect, but nothing is, except for our Savior.

Have people ever sat to think how hard they make it to show the joy the sun brings me?

My prayer is that eyes will be opened, hearts will be softened, and the sun will shine through as constant and hopeful as ever.

Today I am this wave. Tossed and turned by emotions and maybe a little hurt. But every day I learn a little more and more to roll with the flow and trust that the sun will always shine through. 

I know this probably doesn't make a lot of sense.

But sometimes nonsense rambling helps the soul.

Much aloha! Have a great day! :)

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!