Saturday, December 6, 2008

Balboa Island and Beach Fun...
















We decided to go to the beach on Saturday and it was such a perfect idea! Very relaxing and fun. We had fun dreaming about renting a beach house one day when we have families. We need to marry men who like each other a lot because we plan on doing fun things together! We also thought it would be cool to do rent out a space with single friends. We called this one rental and they said in the off season it is as low as $800 a week and as high as $2,500 a week. So we would have to pile people in to make the cost worth it!

Friday, December 5, 2008

sleeping arrangments...


This did not work! haha :) On to the next idea :)

So we made a makeshift bed for Tara and I thought it was funny so I thought I would share!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Old Friends and Black Friday Deals

Fun new shirts for my TN Trip and Utah Trip!

6 AM Deals! Fun Movies to watch!


About to go shopping... Tara, Emily and Heidi


Aden is so cute!

A long time ago (about 3 1/2 to 4 years ago), the Lord answered a heartfelt prayer of mine. I had just had a relationship end and I felt really alone and being relatively new to CA, I did not really know anyone but my ex and his family.
So I prayed for close friends. The Lord went above and beyond in answering this prayer because he sent me Heidi first and then Heidi introduced me to Tara. Heidi and I first met when I was still dating my ex and then when we broke up I ran into her at a church gathering.

She was so friendly and she said that she wanted to be my friend. I told her how I had prayed for friends due to not feeling like I had anyone outside of my family and she told me she had also prayed for friends since she was new. So we decided to be friends together and she told me about another girl she meet Tara who at the time lived in Riverside.
So we all met up one weekend and went shopping at Ontario Mills Mall. Tara and I instantly connected and we became a fun threesome. I spent every weekend with these girls and they helped me to heal from the relationship that I had been in and they made my life feel right again.

The Lord really blessed me and what impresses me the most is he did not just give them to me for a season, but for a lifetime. Tara and I both have not meet our spouses yet and so we party hard together (even though we would be happy if the men would come into our lives soon!).
We have gone on trips to see each other since she moved back to Utah about 1 year and a half ago. We want to visit Hawaii and I am trying to talk her into going to New York City. We also were roomies for a season and it was so effortless living with her. She has helped me get through challenges and helped me in so many ways grow and believe in myself. I love Tara's family and admire all of them. They are seriously amazing!

Some of my favorite life memories are with her. I miss the days when we lived together because every night was so much fun, sometimes we would just sit around and read from all the 20 library books she would bring home. Which was such a great time to us, but might be boring to others. This weekend was so perfect because I got my friend back even though it was just for four days!

So back to the original story...
On this particular Friday, Heidi drive down to spend some quality time with us, doing what we all love best... shopping!! Ha-ha :) We went to Target, Jamba Juice and the Ontario Mills Mall where our friendship first blossomed!

Heidi married Eric about three years ago and they just had a baby! He is so sweet and I got to pretend that he was mine while Heidi was trying stuff on. Tara said I am quite the natural! He is so precious and its beautiful to see the strong relationship Heidi has with Eric. They are so perfect together and both Tara and I encouraged her to date him and it turned out wonderfully! I am glad she married a CA guy so they can come out and see me!

It felt like time had not past at all and I felt so loved being with two amazing women that I have come to just love and admire in the past few years.
So here is thanks to my Father in Heaven for answering a heartful prayer so long ago and giving me the best friends a girl could ever want to have.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Thanksgiving Party!







This is seriously the most amazing apple pie I have ever had and I don't really even like apple pie! Katie is a talented and incredible baker! Thanks Katie for a pie that wowed me!!! I loved every bite!!!


My cousin Josh was seriously showing great parenting skills this weekend. The kids loved hanging all over him and he was so much fun to spend time with. I think he needs some kids, what do you think?



Aunt Katie, holding the newest Graves addition! This baby was Popular!!!


I cherish this picture!

Tara, being the studious student she is, wrote a paper on Thanksgiving day, 17 pages and so she missed out on some of the partying, but she did manage to have some fun with Josh and I at the Singles table!


A fun picture of all of us laughing!




My dear Aunt! I love her more than anyone will ever comprehend; she is another Mom to me!


Some fun conversations!


My little cutie!
Wendy looking adorable with her little sweetheart!



Josh dancing for us!

Suckers anyone?


Singles table: Josh, Emily and Tara! We had fun :)


A beautiful table setting!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The passing of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

The Newlyweds, Wedding day, 26 May 1941

Our Dear Apostle
I love this man and his many years of wise counsel and direction. To honor him I am posting some of my favorite parts of his last conference address. I hope it comforts you as well. In a way it is a happy day to know that he has now joined his wife on the other side.

Come What May, and Love It....
October 2008

Quotes That Touched My Heart
"I think she (his mother) may have meant that every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don’t sing and bells don’t ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."

"The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."

"The second thing we can do is seek for the eternal. You may feel singled out when adversity enters your life. You shake your head and wonder, “Why me?” But the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt."

"Learning to endure times of disappointment, suffering, and sorrow is part of our on-the-job training. These experiences, while often difficult to bear at the time, are precisely the kinds of experiences that stretch our understanding, build our character, and increase our compassion for others."
"The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."

"As we look for humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we can endure hardship and trial. We can say, as did my mother, “Come what may, and love it.” Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."



A Part of His Testimony

“I wish I could engrave on every heart what I so keenly know and feel,” Elder Wirthlin said. “I bear unwavering testimony that our Heavenly Father and His divine Son, Jesus Christ, rule and reign, and that we must all understand that the gospel is everlasting. It is forever and applicable to all, and each of us is to be held accountable.”

Monday, December 1, 2008

A Time For Thanks...

At work we decorated this tree and wrote about what we are thankful for! It was really fun and I love Thanksgiving (This was a competition and we won)!

So being Thanksgiving time it has made me reflect on many things and I realize that I am normally a really grateful person; but lately I have been bitten by the sorry for myself bug and have looked at what everyone else has and felt left out! I really don't want to be this way and so I have decided I am writing down everyday something I am grateful for. I want to recognize more all that the Lord has given to me and be grateful for that.

One of my dear friends is doing it with me and when we see each other we are going to share all of our blessings with each other. If anyone wants to join us then feel free!

Happy "Thanks" every day of the year! :)