A Full Heart

Today I feel blessed. I can hardly believe that I get to be the one living my life. I am surrounded by the best people.

Family and friends that are just too good to be true.

Have you ever sat back and thought, "Oh my gosh, I have never felt more loved or wanted by the people in my life." And, then you think "Ah, that Heavenly Father...He is one smart and loving cookie. He let me have these people in my life and let me be a part of the best family on the planet."

This Valentine's Day my words may not be eloquent or lyrical but my heart is full. I feel that Heavenly Father know me and is mindful of me.

I love you friends and family.

2013: 7 Days In

2013 - This is going to be my year. The year I accomplish everything.
The year I stop waiting for things to happen...
And instead MAKE THEM HAPPEN.

But not everyone got the memo...
FRIDAY DIDN'T GET THE MEMO.

Friday started like every other great day: I looked great (great hair especially), I had two plans for that night, and I had a ******** that morning with one of my favorite previous ****** ever. And I mean ever.

Walking out the door and Friday slapped me right in the face. My iTouch slipped out of my hand and hit just right on the ground and the face shattered. Very sad.

Instead of letting it put me in a bad mood I just went on with my day. You know I did the "I control how I react to this situation and it doesn't control me" type attitude. And, I was on my way to the above secret appointment.

Had the most amazing appointment ever.
Free lunch at work (yes!!)
Dinner with friends. (heck yes!)
Girl's Night with the ladies in the Ward (super HECK yes!!)

And then Friday punched me in the throat...

Stomach Flu that came on that night about 10 PM. Lame SAUCE.

It kicked my butt all weekend.

Don't worry, 2013 is still my year. Today I get my iTouch fixed and that stomach flu....well who doesn't want to lose a couple of pounds in a couple of days...right?

Watch out 2013...I am all over you!

I Just Found It - 2013 Theme

I just found my theme for 2013:

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."  --Theodore Roosevelt April 23, 1910

Today's Question

Question: What famous living person would you want to meet for drinks?

Answer: President Barack Obama AND Mitt Romney as long as I had a magical truth serum potion

I find it hard to wade through the BOG of political opinions, new stories, debates, and posturing and would love nothing other than to interview the candidates myself with my own questions.

And we all know I can think of some pretty great questions....

Don't get me wrong I am pretty sure I know who I will be voting for in November and can and do seek out truths I find important about the candidates. But, let's be honest here, it would be nice to have a one on one conversation.
 
Who would you want to meet for drinks?

Summer of Fun - Adventure Numero UNO

So, remember how I was going to blog about all the adventures I had planned for D'Nell's Summer of Fun 2012?

Yeah, I was too busy having fun.

The first OFFICIAL activity was to go to the Sun Tunnel's to watch the summer solstice. In case you don't know me or have NEVER spent a significant amount of time in a car or Chinese train with me...let me clue in...

I am pretty fun and my mind has a million random things in it at any given moment.

During this 7ish hour car ride (3ish hours there and 3ish hours back) we played my all time favorite game:

WHAT IF.

What if you you were forced to get a tattoo what would it be and where would you get it?

(Yes, someone would get a tramp stamp...NOT ME)

OR

What if I gave you $10,000...would you let me punch you as hard as I could in the FACE?

(Heck YES I would...pretty much any day of the week).

Suzie, Gen, and Sarah were more than willing participants in this first adventure.

(Gen and Suzie...they ARE sisters, I am glad you asked)

(Me and Sarah. his is a necessary pose for Summer of Fun activities, I am glad you asked.)

Also, Summer of FUN adventures are better when there is a guy with a spear and a girl with a hula hoop requesting to pose ANYWHERE. See above. (She totally reminded me of Terusha).

The Sun Tunnels are an Earthworks art project in the west (and I mean past Wendover NEVADA and then barely back into Utah) Utah desert. They basically four concrete tunnels positioned exactly where the sun will shine exactly through the center during the Summer and Winter solstice's.

And basically, they are awesome and take beautiful pictures.

WHO'S in for NEXT year???

p.s. there was a pre-summer of fun demolition derby I attended...but I didn't get any pictures. BOO.

Today

Today.

My heart is overflowing with emotion.

This morning I went to a beautiful funeral for a co-worker.

          A beautiful SPIRIT filled service. My eyes were overflowing with emotion.
          Also known as crying. My heart overflowed through my eyes.
          It was a service that when it was over you felt better. Renewed even, because you communed with
          Holy Spirit. And you know He lives, even Jesus Christ, the Atonement is real, and you are a much
          better person for knowing the person whose life you are celebrating.

My day ended with a wedding dinner for a dear friend. I went with two other amazing ladies. These three people have become like sisters to me. I am better for knowing them. And, again for the second time today my eyes overflowed with emotion.

          Pure joy and happiness for being a part of HayPants special celebration.

Today I have been renewed.
Today I am happy.
Today I will thank my Heavenly Father for the amazing people I have in my life.
He put them there.
I just followed His path.

Today.
Today is a GREAT day.

Sweat Your Heart Out

Did you know I have a pass to the rec center close to my house?

Oh you didn't? Well now you know.

I love the rec pass and the rec center. I have been going to for a month or so with my friend Tiffany H. Super fun.

Although sometimes she calls me a pansy.

Which I guess is all right because it:
a. makes me laugh
2. makes me work harder

So, remember this year's theme "What do I want more?" this goes right a long with it. And, now Tiffany has thought up punishments for other things. For instance, I am trying to give up soda, so for every day I drink a soda she thinks of a punishment at the gym. Tonight it was to run on the elliptical for 2 minutes at 5mph on a level 3.

I almost died.

Seriously.

But then I didn't so good for me.

And now I will think twice about if I really want a soda.

(p.s. I don't love when people say pop v soda. It's a weird thing about me.)

Thirty Four (Read Twenty Four)

I just turned 34.
Bleh.
That's what I think when I think of my age. However, that doesn't mean that I am unhappy to be this age...but it just sounds so OLD! Seriously. If I live as long as my mom...well..in 6 more years I will be midway through my life! Ahhh! Let's hope that my mom lives another 10 to 20 years.

Any who, side track over.

Did you know that I often pick themes for each year?
You didn't? Well, now you know.

This years theme is "What do I want more?" When making any decision I am asking myself this question, or at least I try to.

Let's be honest, it hasn't been going well...I got completely sidetracked...however, I am trying to bring this to the forefront of my mind. For instance, when deciding what to do tonight:

1. Stay home and watch T.V.
2. Go to the gym

I ask, what do I want more? Do I want the life and body that I have or do I want to make changes that going to the gym will help with? Hmmmm....let me think...

GYM.

Feel free to ask what I want more if you see I am facing a dilemma...

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

This picture is from the Thomas Family party on Friday night. I bought this wig for my mom to wear. I thinks she is totally rocking it. Everyone was supposed to be giving their best "zombie" face.

Between Now and December 31st

I decided today that between now and December 31st I will read the Book of Mormon. Cover to Cover. What a great way to end the year.

Interesting Fact #14

Interesting Fact #14 (about ME): I name my plants. This is not a secret and most of you probably already know this.

Above is one of my plants at work. His name is SPIKE. When I first adopted SPIKE he was just barely poking above his home. Now look at him! SPIKE is a giant!

FYI #1 The plant next to SPIKE is named DEAN. I received both of them in a planter when DEAN passed away.

FYI #2 I love plants and I love them more when they have names!

FYI #3 Someone once told me that I have awful taste when picking names for my plants. That person was wrong and basically and idiot. I love my plant names.

Just in Case

Just in case you didn't know...I have a freckle on my finger.

And I like it.

A lot.

It's just one unique thing about me.

Just in case you didn't know...

Good Advice

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Steve Jobs [Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

I needed to read this today.

3 Things

3 things that I am excited about this week:

1. UTAH FOOTBALL! Did you know I love all sports if I get to play them or watch them live? Season tickets to Utah Football is one of the best decisions ever. EVER.
2. Getting my hair did by Cody. I just like Cody.
3. Eating a sno-cone. I am determined that I will eat a sno-cone this week. Yum!

Sno-Cones

Sno-Cones = HEAVEN ON EARTH.

Seriously.

Friends, I went with my new friend Tiffany (from my ward) to get a sno-cone tonight.

It. Was. AWESOME.

It's the sno-cone place in the parking lot of Rite-Aids in Bountiful. YUM. And cheap! Best combo ever! (and they will be open until September 17th!!)

Here is the best part. I got a cherry mango with 3 creams. For $1.95. Amazing. I knew the girl working and let me try her...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Ready? You are not going to believe this...

CINNAMON with CREAM sno-cone. Kind of weird. DELICIOUSLY weird. I am so getting it next time.

Ahhh...Sno-Cones.

Weird

After school adjusting is weird.
I find that I don't really know what to do with myself.
And that I am a little overwhelmed with the things I placed on "hold" and now have to start doing again and thinking about.

I am kind of regretting placing somethings on "hold".
Darn it. I should have organized my time a little better while in school.
I could have done it all, right?

Anyway, this is a weird place for me to be in.
I feel a little out of sync with my life.
Not quite in the groove

Are you picking up what I am putting down?
(That phrase always makes me giggle.)

Let's hope this doesn't last too long.

Just Call Me Master

Tonight is my very last MBA class. I thought I would feel different than I do.

The best word to describe how I am feeling is: Bittersweet.

Don't worry, I will soon get over the "bitter" part so I can enjoy the SWEET!

After School Reading List

I am so excited for school to be done so I can do some of my very favorite things. ONE of which is reading. I am starting a list of books that I want to read after school is over. Here is the list so far:

1. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
3. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
4. The Portrait of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde
5. Walden by Henry David Thoreau
6. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
7. The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
8. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
9. Middlemarch by George Eliot
10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
11. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee (I have already read this, but want to read it again)
12. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (I have already read this too)
13. The Island of the Blue Dolphin by Scott O'Dell
14. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (I have read these a million times but want to read them again)

Anyone have any other suggestions of books that I should add to my list?

Personal Ethics Statement

Have I told you lately that I love my Ethics class? Well, I do.

The classes I have loved most, these last two years, are the classes that make me think. And think. and think. And then make me want to have conversations about what I am thinking about.

I love a good conversation.

In my Ethics class one of our assignments is to write a personal ethics statement. I have been struggling with this assignment. I have googled it, thought about it, asked colleagues about it, and asked a friend who took this class earlier if I could read theirs.

And I am still struggling to write a personal ethics statement. So, I came up with a list of questions and topics to help me know what to include and what issues I want to address.

Family
Friends
All who I come in contact with
Business dealings
Financial responsibilities
Health/Wellness
Is it okay to use the word or feel hate?
What motivates me?
What values do I hold close?
Who do I answer too?
What actions need to be present?
What actions should never be present?
How do I define: Honest, Truth, Just?
How do I speak to others?
Am I kind? Compassionate? Do I act like my Savior in all aspects of my life? Who is my "gauge" in life?
How do handle, think about, fulfill my religious callings and duties?
Where do my priorities lie? With church? God? Work? Family? Friends? Myself?
What do I stand for?
What is my social responsibility? Locally? Globally?
What about my commitment to my country?

These are the questions that I will be answering before I write my personal ethics statement this weekend. Wish me luck!

3 Things

3 things I love about Monday nights:

1. I get to do math. Just good old fashioned algebra and geometry and I am in heaven.
2. I am learning new tricks I never knew about! I mean seriously, why didn't teachers ever teach us these SUPER EASY tricks to figure out math problems?
3. I feel closer to Dean every Monday. My dad had a passion for math and especially for the number 1 & 0. Each Monday as I study and then work through problems and explain them, I picture him watching me with a huge grin on his face. I can also hear him telling his friends and family in heaven, "That's my daughter, isn't she great!"

Did I tell you how much I enjoy Monday nights?