I'm still alive!

I was getting a little frustrated that people don't update their blogs more... and decided to stop being such a hypocrite and do a little posting of my own. So probably the most exciting news is that last week I submitted my mission papers! I should hopefully hear something in the next few weeks and will keep everyone posted. Here's some other things I've been up to :)

This really has nothing to do with me, but I did take this picture of Camie, Joey and the baby...

I graduated!!! Well back in March, but I finally walked :)

Graduation was held at the University of Phoenix stadium, where the Cardinals play. That is also some random girl who I don't know.

My mom and dad came down to help me celebrate and we had a little bocce ball tournament... I almost won.

The little caterpillar is finally growing up...

One week in Wyoming

Good News and Bad News of the week

Good News:

My mom and my sister Cheri have been here visiting and it's been sooo much fun! We've had the best time!!

Camie had her baby, he's adorable and pretty sure I'm the favorite aunt.

I found out my awesome roommate is actually related.

Bad News:

I found out my roommates good-looking brother is also related.

I unfortunately didn't take any pictures of me, my mom, my sister, my nephew or the brother, so here's some from my trip to Wyoming over the 4th of July.

Shooting fireworks was a little too loud for Spencer... Good think uncle Justin was there.
Me and Shell Falls
Cheri and Spencer
Mom, Dad and Baby Sydney
Sydney and Brynn playing in the rain

So I went to Italy

I'm a firm believer that opportunities present themselves to all of us and we can either chose to take advantage of these times and possibly change our lives forever or we can choose to let the moment pass us by and try to be content with what we have. So what does this have to do with me going to Italy? Absolutely nothing... however, be bold, be brave.

This is St. Peter's Square in Rome

Florence at sunset. We hiked up this huge hill and were just in time to watch the sun set over the city with a group of about 50 people.

If you watched Angels and Demons, you might recognize this place!!

We took a night train to Venice, we got there at 5:30 in the morning and had the place to ourselves. It's an awesome way to see everything, without being crammed in like sardines.

Cinque Terre, again in the morning. Monterosso.

This is a little town on Lake Como, it was beautiful and set right among the southern Alps.

This is the replica of David's shadow... and some little guy who wishes he could be him.

The Duomo in Milan. It had crazy decorations on the outside and some huge amazing stained glass windows.

The inside of the duomo in Florence, we hiked all the way to the top and this is a painting... so crazy!

Outside the old city Pompeii and Vesuvius in the background.

We had a great trip and became experts at hostels, Regionali trains, gelato and scoping out good looking Italians... so if anyone wants a tour guide or a travel buddy, I am definitely in!

a few things...

First and foremost. I was able to go to Florida and live it up for a week with my sister and her family and seriously had the best time EVER. We were able to see Ray Lamontagne in concert and seriously of all of the concerts I have been to it was my ALL time favorite. It was an amazing venue and I swear he's better live.

Proof that we were at least outside the place.

This is the best I could of the stage. They wouldn't let us take pictures of the singers and really I can say that I respected their wishes... mostly because I was mesmorized enough that I don't think I hardly moved the entire time.

But that's not all we did. We went to Busch Gardens, the beach and played soo much.

With my crazy life, it was just the break from reality I needed. Well to get me through the month anyway :) Because I'm actually headed to Italy in a little less than a month! I've got my tickets and everything is set and ready to go! I'm going with a friend of mine, who's parents live in Rome. So hurray for vacations!

Ta Da!

So let me tell you all a little story. I can still remember walking out of the fifth grade classroom and thinking to myself that I would be so happy when I got out of school. I was never going to college and I was giving serious thought to the whole "16 being the legal age to drop out" idea. But I guess my "life path" (I just made that up) had other ideas. I have been very fortunate to have opportunities open up for me that have allowed me to keep going with my education and now after this little accomplishment I have finally reached a spot where I can stop for a while. Wahoo! Now a lot of people have asked me what I'm going to be doing know that I have my degree and let me answer your question with a question of my own... "What do you think I should do?" Because seriously, I have no idea.

Also, parting thought. With all my years of knowledge-gaining experiences, I bet you would have thought I would have learned that having headphones on means that I can't hear other people, not the other way around... don't worry, a nice lady at the gym reminded me.

Finally in the same room with Grant Hill...

First of all, I'm very proud of myself because this is a new record for me as far as posting goes... I guess I just keep experiencing so many cool things, I can't help but share! So to continue on with random/awesome things I'm doing, I got a text message this week from my friend/carpool buddy Dalisa and she said her husband had gotten box seat tickets to the Suns vs Nuggets game and he couldn't make it. Wow, Somebody loves me... So here are some pics from our awesome night out. It was a great game and VERY VERY worth the late night and early morning.

This was pre-game, we got there pretty early, we were so excited.

This was our Suite.

So this came on our tv right before game time... seriously, Grant Hill had an awesome night and he's still my ALL time favorite!

Dalisa and me!

Final Score!!

Holy Rascal Flatts!

One of the things that I keep hearing that is the best thing about being unmarried is the fact that you can do whatever you want. So for this year, I have decided that is going to be my theme and I'm going to continue to do whatever I want, when I want. That being said, I've decided that once a month I will do something uncharacteristic, irresponsible, or just completely random. So far let me give you a brief rundown:

January~ Flirted shamelessly with the magazine salesman: I would say this actually wasn't the most successful... he got my number, moved to California, Nevada and back to Texas, sends me random texts messages ... and I spent a whole bunch of money, however, I am keeping up on the latest science discoveries and sporting adventures so maybe I'll say a tie for this one.

February~ Dropped my emphasis in my masters program to finish early: successful because I'm done and will hopefully never take another class or have homework ever again... until I get bored and decide to do another one.

March~ Started a guitar class and went to a Rascal Flatts concert: again, so far so good. I can already play a couple of songs AND seriously, it was Rascal Flatts.

Now these aren't the only things I'm doing, but some of the more random/exciting ones, that I can remember. Sorry, I don't have pictures for the other things, but here are some of the concert.

Andrea, Cassie, me and Jamie

Lessons Learned

This has been a very enlightening weekend for me and I thought there really is no other place to share the truths I have learned then on this, my blog. So here for the viewing pleasure and so you don't make the same mistakes I have made...

1) If you ever go to a dance where there's an option to wear a wrist band that informs anyone over 50 they can't dance with you... it's probably better to just not go.

2) If you're ever at a bonfire and you have the pleasure of seeing a "Sobe bomb" or plan on making one yourself, just know that there is not actual Sobe in the bottle.

3)Texts messages do not give you the option of knowing who you are really talking to... refrain from inside jokes and giving out personal information to those who might have changed their numbers.

Who knew that life could be so educational?

Some Changes...

So as some of you might know... Camie's a traitor and got her own blogspot. I'm not offended, I understand when you get married you move on to bigger and better things but just out of spite I'm not including her in any of the pictures I'm posting... maybe for a while.

Here are some pictures from a hike we took last weekend. I've decided I'm a little out of shape and will need to work on that... slowly and in my own time :)

So this is me and my friends Carleen and Stacy. We were almost done at this point and even though I'm smiling on the outside... my inside and the rest of my body were not smiling.

Here is our whole group... there weren't many pictures of the boys... because this was honestly the only time we saw them.

This is at the top a little place I like to call Flat Iron... because that is it's name.

View of the beautiful valley of the Sun.

Oh, this was my favorite part of whole hike. This is Stacy helping her special friend. Who know that doing a random act of service could be so painful or hilarious for everyone else?

This was at the end of the hike looking back. See the highest point that looks nearly impossible to reach... I was there.