Mix Tape Monday

So today, the actual mixtape-ness, is really just one song.

But oh well.


One of my favorite women...on my list of people I want to have lunch with is Emma Smith.

Emma was the wife of Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Throughout her life she suffered much persecution and many trials.
She lost children, she lost homes, and she finally lost her husband to an angry mob.



She impresses me.
She inspires me.


So today, we honor her, with one of my favorite songs.

Sunset on the Mississippi

A Moment To Get Away

As I look back on my life, the times I look back on with the greatest fondness generally focus on a time when I left town.

A time when I got out.
When I left regular life behind and had a little vacation moment.



With the crazy that has been happening in my life lately, I felt like I needed a break.

I had days in a row off, and so I took the middle day and got out of town.

I only really had the day, but I knew exactly where I wanted to go.

Only 3 short hours away and one of my favorite places on earth.



I have always loved this city.

Its an old settlement by the early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, begun after fleeing Ohio and Missouri, and abandoned with the threat of mobs and further persecution.

There is a special spirit to this town.
The sacrifice of the former residents of this small city on the banks of the Mississippi makes it even more special.


It was a cold and windy day.  10 degrees colder than forecasted.  And when I say windy, I mean-I LITERALLY was blown over into a bench.

I wandered around for a while, visited the Nauvoo temple, and took a walk down Parley street and sat on the bank of the Mississippi.

It was perfect!

The drive there, suddenly I realized I was smiling and I didn't remember when I started, or what started it.

Its been a long time since that happen.
Spontaneous happiness with no clear rhyme or reason.
Its hard to come by.

And thank goodness for Nauvoo for helping me find that.


Like I said-one of my favorite places on earth!



More on my trip to come!!!!!!!!!

I Don't Want This Weekend to End

PRETEND this was posted July 22  hahaha




Ever gone on vacation and not wanted to come home?

Wait doesn't that describe every vacation??

hahaha


But really.
This weekend I got the opportunity to go with a few friends to a lake house in Indiana.
Can we say AMAZING!!!!

Like seriously gorgeous!

I have serious opinions about vacations.

They should be about relaxing.  Yeah do fun stuff...but don't over schedule or over do it!

Its been a crazy couple of months...some huge stuff....but mostly just the day to day grind.

So getting out for a bit was a welcome adventure.

Windblown...no makeup or hair doing....

Usually not a good look....unless you are on VACA!!!!

midnight boat rides

naps on the dock

late nights on the deck

lakeside sunrises and sunsets

tubing

swimming

floating

good food

good friends

good talks

PERFECTION

Like seriously....this picture has not been doctored in anyway....and was taken on an iphone......

GOOD GRIEF GORG!!!!

 It was very hard to go home.  VERY hard.  I didn't want to...but at least we've got the memories.

Smile Cause it Happened everyone!

And don't forget.....Be Happy Be Healthy!

Backroads, Railroad Tracks and Fireflies

Ever had a night that you felt like was really close to perfect?


I've had a few times in my life when I have felt TRULY 100% content and happy.

and last night was one of those times.

I was hesitant to go out-just kinda in a blah.  An "I've worked all week and now I am cranky, tired, and pathetic" mood.  But my friends convinced me....so I went over and we chatted for a while, nothing fancy, nothing big.  And then suddenly....we were in the truck...windows down, music at full blast...heading south.

Now we all know how much I love my town.  The city of St Louis is STELLAR and my little corner of suburbia....AMAHZING.
But drive 45 or so minutes south-and BAM-yo South County...or SoCO as the locals call it....and if you know where to go-some of the best spots in town.


There is still an old railroad that runs right along the Mississippi river and if you go at the right time-you can walk along the track, in total still silence with nothing but the quiet rustle of the trees in the wind and the water  lapping against the shore.

If its a clear night, the stars are tremendous and if you are really lucky- you might see one or two shooting across the sky.  The smell of honeysuckle (aka the official smell of summer around here!) is almost intoxicating while the fireflies dance in the woods looking like a professional fireworks show.

It truly was an incredible night.

And though it is cheesy-this will forever be the song that will remind me of the night we left the crazy and just WERE...

Sometimes life can be lonely.  Sometimes it gets you down and there are hard times.

But also there are somedays when it seems like nothing can go wrong. 

And those days recharge you and make you remember.

If I ever leave this place-I will certainly miss it-but I will always smile at the memories.

Be Happy Be Healthy!

Montana Trip

So my 3 week vacation along with time in Utah and St Louis included a weekend in one of the most BEAUTIFUL places on EARTH!!!!!!! 

Southeastern Montana

The friends I had planned on hanging out with while I was in Utah ended up taking a trip up to Montana (my friend Maddie's family has a cabin up there) while I was there.  When I found out they were going I was super bummed cause it meant I would get much less time with them.  But then because they are the awesome people that they are..they totally out of the blue invited me!  Seriously these guys are the salt of the earth!  I'm not really a part of their group anymore because of the simple fact of my moving..but they welcomed me back with open arms as if I had never left!

We left Friday night about an hour later than planned....and found out on the way that we were headed for a completely closed highway and frontage road (HUGE ACCIDENT!!!)  So we were forced to take a different route...and therefore add an extra 2 hours to the trip.  But better than 6 extra hours right??

I was in one of the cooler cars of course ;)  Lots of chatting, teasing, and game playing happened on the way up.  And we finally got there around 1 in the morning!

But of course we couldn't go straight to bed...we had to play with huckleberry and the swing!!!!

Eventually we finally went to bed...but not before me and Kelsi planned to get out to the lake by 7 am to catch the last of the fog on the lake (we wanted to see the sunrise....but that just didn't seem practical haha)

It was one of the PRETTIEST MORNINGS EVER...seriously!!!!  

That day we spent on the lake boating and hanging out.  I spent the whole morning lying in the sun dozing in and out on the dock.  It was the BEST!!!!!  Just being able to talk to my friends and spend time with them doing fun things in such a beautiful place....BEST!!!!

That night we got all "cleaned up" and headed to the Mountain Man Rendevous.  Ok seriously cool place!!!

Best part was Mad Jack....we had some pretty awesome jam sessions with him!

That night we had a great bonfire and just hung out.  Games..and of course lots of singing!

The next day was Sunday...and we managed to get all 22 of us to church on time!!!!!!  AWESOME!!!!  And we all got seats together and in the chapel.  The West Yellowstone ward is so full in the summers they have overflow in the Relief Society room!  And the sacrament took literally 45 minutes.  It was the best!  You got to really sit and think.  And it was so great!

After church we all drove into Yellowstone national park to see the sights. 

Joe literally fell over cause someone pushed him....so that is a real look of concern from me and Rachel 

we were instructed to do something with our hands haha

That night we came back...took a little nap and started making dinner.  Then suddenly somehow we realized the sunset was AMAZING!  

So we all headed out to the dock....and seriously got almost eaten alive by mosquitoes....but no matter.  We were all together looking at the most amazing view.  None of us cared to much as we watched the moon rise over the lake.

3 things I learned this trip......1. 22 people eat  A LOT OF FOOD  2. 22 people take FOREVER to get anywhere!  3. 22 people CANNOT make a decision!!!!

The next morning was kinda cloudy and cool...but we went out on the boat a little and went across the lake to play some volleyball.

Our 6 sets of siblings.....cool eh??

Unfortunately, that afternoon we had to leave.  Luckily I got to ride back with my FAVORITE Lauren...and we chatted and had fun for the whole way!!!!

Even with the great ride back I was NOT happy about leaving.  It had been a very hard couple of months and I had missed my friends all so much.  I didn't even realize how much they meant to me until I went back.  They truly are my family.  The kindest and best people I have ever known!

I found happiness in Montana.  It had be a long time since I truly was happy.  I had almost forgotten what it was like.  Thank goodness I had this trip to remind me!

Montana will always hold a special place in my heart!

Utah Trip!

So my program gave me a BLESSED 3 week vacation between summer and fall.  IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

And included a wonderful trip to Utah!

It was so nice to see all my friends again.

I got to go on a great walk with my Iggy.
Got J-Dawgs with Spencey-poo
Had a great chat with my Person
Got to chat up my favorite Traci-girl
Saw Jess and Scott...my FAVORITE couple
Had a civilized run-in with "the ex"
Danced with Jose again!!!

Went on a fun shopping trip with my favorite cousins
Spent some quality time with my Grandmother, Mother and Big Sister

Held my favorite "nephew"  Charley/Aaron for as long as people would let me!!!

Momentary explanation of why I call my cousin Jessie's son Aaron, Charley.  Jessie is practically my sister and when she told me she was pregnant, I decided I wanted a name to call it before one was actually picked. Call me crazy...but this is my first "nephew".  Anyway I picked the name Charley cause that could be a boy's or a girl's name.  And it just kinda stuck.  Isn't he the CUTEST!!!

I ADORE HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (ps he LOVED the fountain...fell right asleep!)

AWWWWWWWWW

BESTEST CUTEST BABY IN THE WORLD!!!

And ran a wedding!  Well I didn't actually run it....I just played a pretty big role in the running of it.
There were outfits to buy, fruit to cut, center-pieces to decide about, pictures to get taken, ties to purchase, receptions to set up, chocolate fountains to man, and of course the occasional fire to put out here and there.  Granted some of those fires were started by yours truly!  (Note to self...lots of stress plus lack of sleep usually leads people to be on edge...novel idea right???)

But the wedding turned out lovely!
Here's some pics!

I placed all those little diamonds individually...and they looked...well no one could really tell haha

Me and the magical picture list....and my CRAZY EYES!!!!  

Its the happy couple!!!  Melissa and Kenny Moake

The couple with my aunt and uncle...mother and father of the bride

The Pallot side represented!!!

all the sisters....gorgeous right!!!???

me and the bride!!!!  Love ya Mel!!!!

this was the beginning of a kissy shot....ya not so much haha

hopefully the photographer got one better than this of the whole wedding party!!

either Kenny is really heavy or the bridesmaids are SUPER weak!!!

bride and groom and grandparents

the seven dwarfs expanded

bridesmaids

bride and her parents!

Me and Anna

Me and Mikayla

Me and Kestra

Me and My Grammy

Me and the BESTEST MOMMY EVER EVER EVER!!!

My bestie!!!! Jessie!

Me...my mom...my aunt (who could be considered my second mother for all the help she gave me while I lived at BYU)

thanks Grammy for capturing me telling the story of my burned finger

My mommy..the baby whisperer!!!  Seriously Charley calmed down almost immediately when she held him!

My cousin Laura caught the bouquet....much to her delight....I stood way far in the back!!!!!!!!!
 I did not want to caught that thing AT ALL!!!!!!

I got the most HANDSOME guy in the whole room to dance with me!

May I introduce the current love of my life???  This is Charley!

This is me cleaning up....thank you Thomas and Wilson for capturing my ROCKIN dance moves!!!!!