Happily Ever After.

So it's a little late, but better late than never! :)

For Valentine's day I made up a fairy tale with mine and Jeff's little story, BUT I used fill in the blank with my gifts. So go ahead and give it a try before I give you the answers.
Of course roles were dramatized to make the story more fairy taleish and more interesting! Haha :)
Have fun!

 Our very first picture together!

Word (Gift) Bank:  Lost Symbol, Sweetart, Milkyway, S'more, Skittles, Big Hunk, Bridewars, Aroundthe World in 80 Days, Music & Lyrics, Sour Patches, Light, Physicians Assistant, and Twix.

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Raebmac, but everyone called her Rae. She was truly a    , if you know what I mean. Princess Rae was in a hopeless state, she felt like she was looking for a                that she was never going to find. People were confused as to why she could be so down, she had everything; she had a beautiful crown, she was popular in all the land, she was talented physically and spiritually, she was beautiful, and she came from the greatest family but is seemed she always looking for             . Just as her heart was at the saddest it had ever been an Allycat came to her and demanded she follow her that very second. Princess Rae had been school mates with this Allycat, they weren’t good friends so it was weird that Ally would show up at this time but Princess Rae decided she would follow her just this once. Little did Princess Rae know that Ally had alterior motives to showing up at her time of need, Allycat wanted to use the Princess’s looks and popularity to get what she wanted. However, that was not what God had in store in the great                  galaxy,                  . At the place Ally had taken the Princess there was a                    prince named Sekacyffej, or as his friends called him Seka. When Seka and Princess Rae first laid eyes on one another their hearts seemed to                together as one for just a second. The Allycat noticed this and was furious, she wanted Seka all to herself and she instantly started to regret bringing the Princess along. So she decided she needed to stay connected to Prince Seka the whole night. This disappointed Princess Rae but she didn’t expect anything amazing to come from this one night, she was just glad she was doing something to keep her heart from being sad and alone. At the nights end Princess Rae began her journey home alone, feeling hopeless again, knowing she would never see Prince Seka again. However, Prince Seka saw a special               in  Princess Rae that he didn’t want to pass up. The next day she received an invitation to be a frequent viewer of Prince Seka’s facebook account. Princess Rae was overjoyed and even a little flattered at his inquirey, but in the back of her mind knew that Allycat wouldn’t approve. Seka invited Rae to many events he was involved in, and time after time Rae refused, afraid of ruining what he and Ally had, or what Ally had led her to believe they had. One day Princess Rae decided to ask him why he kept asking her to these events when he had a princess of his own, Ally. Prince Seka just about choked of shock, he refused any relation with Ally and assured Rae that she had nothing to worry about, Ally wanted him but he had no desire to pursue her. In fact, he hadn’t even seen her again after that night. After much reassurance was given he was finally able        to    Princess Rae into going out with him. He instantly won her heart with his sweet                     , and his dreams of becoming a great and mighty                         , and his desire to take her on adventures with him, such as traveling                                     .  He warned her that there will probably be many                 on this journey with him but that no matter what he would always love her with his whole heart and never hold anything back from her. She was touched by his love and knew that nothing would come between them. Not even                , those are the worst kind of wars after all, or so the stories have said. They loved each other with their whole hearts, and they grew more and more in love every day. People would say the best thing about their love was that they were continually becoming greater together, moving forward with hope, faith, and charity. Eventually they lived happily ever after, I say eventually because of course it took time, and nothing great ever comes without opposition. But the point of the story is that they did live happily ever after, forever and ever…The End!

Laughter is Music to the Soul.

Photobooth Fun!

It was so cute cause my Grandparents hadn't ever seen this before so it was fun to play around with it with them! We all laughed until we cried! 

Memories like that are truly priceless.

 She looks like a cartoon, but we all couldn't put our finger on it. Any ideas?

 Don't tell my grandma I put this one up...She would kill me! :) HAHA

 Cec, that's a great look!

 It doesn't get much better than that! HAHAHA

I love this picture of us, I think it really shows off our personalities LOL!

 It's Jeff the frog.

 Really, look at Jeff in this one! What in the world?

I love laughing! 

I think the world needs more of it.

Hopefully these silly pictures made you smile at least.

We all have something in our life worth smile or laughing about.

Don't forget to take the time to find it each day!! :)

IDK.

I don't even know where to begin. 

I feel like I've been out of the blogging world for so long that I don't know where to begin. 

Okay, so it's only been like 2 or 3 weeks, but it feel like longer.

So the title of this post...IDK (I don't know) describes how I feel about where to begin with blogging and maybe a little bit about life. Haha.

Let's start with a brief catch up.

I love my new job! I've learned so many new things already and I'm always doing new things.

It pays me good :) enough said.

I still work at the good ol' PFE.

I love the people I work with and I love it there, I just don't love the whole go from one job to the next thing.

I love teaching cheer, and I feel like I get a little better at it every time.

I love dancing every chance I get.

The more I dance the more I realize the therapy it does for my body and soul.

Remind me to never stop!

I leave my house at 9 almost every day and don't get home til 9:30 at the soonest.

I try really hard to show the loved ones in my life that they are loved by me.

I'm constantly on the go, BUT I'm happy!

So that's all that matters :)

Well I don't know what else to say right now...but stay tuned for the catch up post on the life changing fireside, Valentines day, Vegas day trip, and a few other things from my heart. I wish I had the energy to write it all right now, but I don't haha so love you all and goodnight! :)

This is how we do it...

  I know I've said it before...but I LOVE KALAMITY! This was an amazing article done on something I hold dear to my heart, my Kalamity Fam Bam and the Vault. If you've heard me talk about Kalamity and didn't really understand why I was so passionate about it, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read this and maybe you can grasp just a little view of why I love it so much! Go ahead a leave feedback if you feel so inspired to :)

-Enjoy

Kalamity: Service In Motion | Alive! Utah South

aliveutah.com

By: Linne Marsh

Photos courtesy of Kalamity Dance or Linne Marsh

It’s 9:30 at night. The Vault dance studio is thick with the humidity of the previous Hip Hop class. As the lingering students exit the studio, 15 women remain. After a quick meeting, the music is on, and they are moving in perfect rhythm to the beat. This isn’t your average group of dancers; this is Kalamity, a unique service-centered dance crew. When calamity strikes, Kalamity uses their talent to raise awareness for families in need.

Let’s Start at the Beginning

Tia Ah Quin Stokes, professional dancer and founder of Kalamity, moved back to Southern Utah from Southern California four years ago. Upon her return she was sad to discover St. George offered no dance classes for adults. While teaching a seminar at USA (United Spirit Association), she met a couple girls from St. George, and they got together and started dancing as a way to have fun. This was the humble beginning for Kalamity. It was originally founded as a way to get adults dancing and sharing their passion for movement, but tragedy struck when Tiffany, one of the crew members, was diagnosed with cancer for the second time. Tia decided to put together a concert and raise money for Tiffany’s medical bills. It was this experience that solidified Kalamity’s purpose: the members of the crew would dedicate every step, move, and beat to raise money for real life calamity.

The Cause

Each year Kalamity is invited to perform for multiple causes throughout the community and state, but they select only one cause as their overall focus for a year. It is an especially difficult task to choose one cause because many people would benefit from Kalamity’s help. Tia confesses, “I know there are a lot of people with problems, but we want to make sure it’s a family that isn’t well known and trying to do things on their own—somebody who really needs it.” Last year Kalamity focused on raising funds for Jeanette Bracken, a single mother of six kids suffering from Polycystic Kidney Disease. From July 2011 through December 2011, Kalamity and The Vault dance studio helped raise 8,600 dollars to be put toward the cost of her transplant surgery.
This year Kalamity is raising awareness for “Mighty” Meg. Meg is the mother to two girls and the wife of a loving husband, Josh. They are an eternally optimistic family, but she suffers from a rare cancer called Chondrosarcoma. It is a debilitating, painful disease that often forces her to remain in bed, but she continues to be hopeful about her situation. On the family blog, Josh posted,
“Meg is strong. She won't complain. She has never taken the stance of, ‘Why Me’. Although we don't understand why some of us have to endure such things as cancer, we don't question God and his role in our lives. We do believe in miracles. We do believe there is a miracle out there for Meg. We don't know what that miracle looks like, but we believe it is there.”
I had the unique experience to sit in on the meeting when Meg’s cousin came and introduced the story to Kalamity. As she told Meg’s story, the spirit of the room changed. Almost every person had tears forming. They were truly moved by Meg’s story and decided then and there that she would be their focus for 2012.

Spreading the Word

In the beginning, it was difficult to gain awareness for their cause because people in St. George had to overcome a stigma with hip hop dancing, but now Kalamity is a cool way to serve the community. In fact, this is the first year they’ve had local companies volunteer as sponsors for the cause. And Kalamity’s mission is spread over social networking websites, like Facebook and the Kalamity blog, but the main source of advertising continues to be word of mouth, and The Vault has a lot of dancers who spread the word. Tia says “It’s not just Kalamity. The whole studio gets involved. The cause becomes the center of the studio. It’s all we talk about. After the performances, I even have some of my young dancers running up to their parents and saying, ‘I met Jeanette Bracken today!’ Like she’s a celebrity.” And to the students she is because the idea of serving others is a founding principal for the studio. Because of the influence of Kalamity, children and adults attending Vault classes learn more than just how to dance; they learn compassion and service. And because of Kalamity and The Vault’s excitement about the cause, more people in southern Utah are taking the opportunity to help families in our community.

The Crew

It takes a very special type of dancer and person to sacrifice as much as these women do, but for them it’s more than dancing; it’s a way of life. All the members make at least a year commitment to Kalamity, but many volunteer more. Most of the members have been a part of the team for at least a year and half, and a few have been on since the very beginning (4 years!). They travel the state performing shows, collecting donations, and raising awareness for specific causes throughout the year. These women not only sacrifice time with family and occasionally school and work, but they also willingly pay for costumes, travel, and everything else for performances out of their own pocket. One hundred percent of what they earn goes to “Mighty” Meg.
The 2012 Kalamity crew is currently an all-female team comprised of Tia Stokes, Alexa Ford, Latisha Springer, Erin Burk, Erin Hafen, Becky Hanley, Shay Garcia, Cambria Horlacher, Sami Maw, Josy Alldredge , Lauren Reber, Amber Tirey, Ashley Blake, Jen Olsen, and Sam Wolsleger.. The group ranges in ages from 18 to 29, 8 are married, 6 have kids, and 2 are pregnant. Tia jokes, “There are no exceptions. We all dance pregnant. We dance until we’re 9 months, pop out a kid, and get right back a week later.” And in some cases this is true.

When I asked them what some of their most memorable moments were, I was met with silence. Eventually a couple girls volunteered some stories, but it’s difficult for the team to choose poignant moments from the past because everything they do is important. Tia says, “We have a lot of [important] moments—everything from performing to fundraising. People don’t realize it’s a lifestyle. Once you become a part of it, it’s like an addiction.” She openly admits that she wouldn’t be the dancer she is today without the amazing blessings associated with Kalamity, and Kalamity attributes most, if not all, of their success to a higher power. They may not all be part of the same religious organization, but they agree that someone or something more powerful than them guides the team as they dedicate time, energy, and movement to the cause and they are truly eager and excited to raise awareness for “Mighty” Meg and her family.
Check out these gals' moves and find out why you always see them wearing converse tennis shoes.

Performance Schedule

Kalamity plans only one performance during the first week of December to benefit their cause, but they end up performing much more. Last year they participated in 6 large performances, including Break the Silence in Salt Lake City, a benefit show in Kanab, and other local events. So far this year they have traveled to Las Vegas and performed with other local dance companies at St. George Heritage Days for the 150th birthday celebration.
Their upcoming plans include a performance at the SUU 8th Annual Step Show on February 24th in the SUU Auditorium, and a Humanitarian Aid trip to Mexico, where they will participate in various projects and hopefully sneak in a dance performance or two. In addition to performances, Kalamity heads multiple fundraisers throughout the year. For more information about Kalamity’s upcoming fundraisers and performances check their website:

http://www.thevaultdance.com/kalamity.php

Or Visit them on Facebook.

Uplifting Journalism.

So I have a journal.

BUT it's not just any journal.

It's my spiritual/impressions/thoughts/quote/doodles/anything that stands out to me journal.

Every Sunday, and maybe a few random days in between, I write down pretty much anything that touches my soul.

I like to remember things that touched my soul and writing it down always helps me do that, cause my brain gets overloaded sometimes and I forget really special things.

Anyway...today I decided to read through it and guess what...

MY SOUL WAS TOUCHED AGAIN! :)

I was warmed by the things I had written and as I remembered I felt peace.

So I thought I would share a few thoughts from it!

So hopefully you enjoy even just a little bit of it...

* Thoughts > Desires > Actions...eventually it becomes who you are. Be mindful of the thoughts and desires of your heart.

* "Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith." -President Monson

* "If ye judge people, ye have no time to love them." -Mother Teresa

* We are only people, we need the Lord to achieve and succeed.

* Blessings can only come through obedience.

* To have a pure heart means to have freedom from improper motives.

* Prayer is your personal key to heaven. The lock is on your side of the veil." - Elder Boyd K. Packer

* Have your eyes wide open to your own faults and partially closed to the faults of others. You can't change others, you can only change yourself.

* Choices become hing points in history... every choice has an effect on your eternities. Choose the right.

* You cannot have a better friend than God. Trust Him, love Him, talk to Him. He sent you here to be happy, He knows your heart, He is always there for you. Turn to Him always.

* 11/20/11 This week I felt really low. I was being stubborn and felt like I could do everything on my own. Finally I broke down and I turned to the Lord. I prayed with humility and sincerity. I poured out my heart, my troubles, how I felt. I cried so hard I could hardly breath. I apologized for not turning to Him first. I asked for forgiveness for my unhappy attitude, my self pity, my mistakes, everything I could think of. I cried and I cried until I felt a warm embrace encircle me. I felt joy and at peace. I knew I was being embraced by my Savior. I literally felt like His arms were wrapped around me. The distinct words came into my head, "The Lord still loves you Cam, no matter what." At that moment I felt like I could breath again. I felt like I was important and the things I was going through and the way I was feeling mattered to Him. I knew that I would be okay. I knew that I needed to constantly wait upon the Lord for comfort and guidance. I knew I was loved.

(Even just writing about this experience again gives me the feelings of peace and joy all over again!)

* "I believe in God like I believe in the sun. Not because I can see it, but because of it I can see everything. "- C.S. Lewis

* Live in such a way that if anyone were to speak badly of you, no one would believe it.

* Faith builds on the past, but it never longs to stay there. We need to always be progressing. 

* Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, we can learn from our mistakes without having those experiences condemn us.

* Choose to be happy. Always! :) Happiness is always a choice away!

I'm Happy! :)

These are just a few of the many wonderful things I have felt and have written in my little journal. Reading over it has brought back so many wonderful and even some awful experiences. But they are all mine, and they have all had an impact on me and the person that I am continually becoming. I am so grateful that I wrote down the impressions of my heart and that I can look back and learn from them time and time again! I strongly encourage everyone to get a spiritual/impressions/thoughts/quote/doodles/anything that stands out to me journal. You will be amazed at how much you have learned! :)

Hurray for a new job!

I've been searching and praying for another job opportunity.

Since I'm not in school right now I need to be doing something worthwhile, and paying off my student loan seems worthwhile right?

Fact of the matter...I just don't make enough at good ol' Pizza Factory.

I love the job and the people I work with but I just don't make enough for my needs.

So I've been praying and applying like crazy.

Pause.

I just wanted to share this. I thought it was funny. We should all be grateful for the jobs we have! :) HAHA

My prayers were answered this last Thursday.

I was at Jeff's house just hanging out when his mom walks in and asks if I'm looking for a job. 

'Why yes, yes I am...'

Turns out one of her best friends asked her for references cause she is looking for a personal assistant.

'Please tell me more... :)'

She's really flexible. The work requires doing anything and everything she needs. Pay is good, better than your getting right now. And you will learn all kinds of new cool things. Are you interested???

'YES, YES, YES, AND YES!'

I feel so blessed to have this opportunity!

Today was my first day and I loved it.

I love not having a set schedule. 

I love having a fun boss.

I love learning new things.

I love always having different things to do.

I love my new job.

Of course today was the first day, but so far so good. I have a really good feeling about this job. I know I won't ever get bored with it. I know I'm going to love it!

Thank you Nancy and a big thank you to Tiffany! :) I'm so excited to learn and to work! :) I feel so blessed and I can't wait to get into all the work!!!

Gridiron Performance Weekend.

This last weekend I had the opportunity to go down to Vegas to perform in the Gridiron All-Star Halftime. The performance was great! But all the down time was my favorite!

I think the best way to tell you about it is to just caption the photos! 

So here we go...

Most of the girls in "Raspusha," aka: the 15 passenger van.

Mama T and B! Interpreter & Interpretee HAHAHAHAH

 An outfit that made us miss Sami, haha.

 Of course we had to try fun things on and take pictures...

 Shopping til they drop. Tia and Tish's birthdays are this month so of course they came prepared with money to spend :)

 Marissa, Nina, and Brooklyn rocking those hats and glasses :)

The group!

Everyone ready for a night out! Don't forget "Raspusha" in the back. We named the van.

 Everyone after riding NY NY roller coaster! It was my first time, and it was awesome! I will never forget before the ride. We all were waiting in line and a song we all knew came on so of course that meant we had to sing and dance! Everyone looked at us like we were crazy and drunk, when in reality we were probably the most sober group there. Hahaha. Priceless.

Tia being funny and playing the "chase-raspusha-and-eventually-I-will-let-you-in" game. Classic.

The beautiful ceiling in the Bellagio hotel.

 Look who we found on the strip.

 Can you see him??

 Meet our new friend, the tree awakening guy. Pretty cool. You can look up his stuff on youtube.com, type in tree awakenings if you want to see it.

 My first water show at the Bellagio.

Absolutely beautiful. I loved it.

By this time it was 10:00 and us "old souls" were ready for bed. Hahaha.

 Posing with the eiffel tower.

 Stupid tree is in the way of the awesome Mirage fire show! It was awesome!!!

 Me and my aunt!

 Posing for a picture waiting for the walk sign to come on.

 Take 2 to get everyone in. Not quite. But it was worth a try.

Treasure Island's show. Fun.

 Michael impersonator. Worst one ever. No one was stopping cause he wouldn't dance.

But don't worry...we made people stop with our moves. :)

 All ready to perform :)

Us all killing it in our performance! :)

It was such a fun weekend! I got to know everyone better, had a fun night in Vegas, and got to dance! It was awesome! :) Memories were made, fun was had, and dancing was done. What more could I ask for? It was a great weekend!