Kolob Pictures

I guess I better update the blog!


This picture is too funny! Shellie and kids were all on Chris' bed, reading. I thought I'd jump on and join them. Jameson was 'coughing' on purpose, so he looks like a dork!


These next 2 pictures were taken on Kolob, my favoritest place on earth!!!! I wish my family owned land up there, it's the one place where I really feel at peace. I look forward to going up there whenever possible! Luckily I've had the opportunity to go up twice so far this summer!



So, we got really slow at work and they decided to shut down the outbound side on my shift, for 8 weeks. I had the option to go to 1st shift(knowing me, you know I will never do that), go to weekends or take TLO(temp. lay off). I decided to do TLO. Which I've never done before. I go in on Tuesdays from 5:30 am till 11 am, to cover my benefits. It's hard! I hate early mornings. So I pull all nighters Monday night, I'm afraid once I fall asleep I won't wake up because I am such a deep sleeper. I've only done it 2 times so far, the first week wasn't so bad, I fell asleep in the bath tub. But this week, I was a little more tired. But then again I am getting a cold and had the joy of getting a HUGE cold sore.
At first I was so frustrated over being forced to change my hours or get laid off. But now I am kinda glad I have 8 weeks off to play. In August I will go back to my shift, but at least I get the majority of the HOT summer off!
I still don't know what I am going to do with all my time off. This week, nothing, because I feel horrible. But I am going to make a quilt, or try anyways. Work on another quilt. Put all of my music on the computer. Work on getting my temple recommend(still). Try a whole ton of new recipes(if my dad will buy the ingredients). CLEAN!!!! I'm having a hard time coming up with cheap things to do that will keep me busy. Lucky for me I already have the stuff to do my quilt, I just need to get it started, which I was going to do this week, but I feel so horrible, so I've been doing a lot of reading and drinking tea! Yay for me!!!

Crazy pictures!

Here are some pictures of the last week.


Our property. The HUGE shade pinion in the middle of our camp ground sorta had a few branches break off and they fell on the table and broke a few surrounding trees. My dad said "good fire wood"!!!


This picture was taken at our ward camp out with the Hurricane singles ward on East Zion at the Clear Creek ranch(?). I don't want to put other pictures on here with out anyone's permission. So this is just a random picture of the fun we had!


Edwin and I went up to Kolob this Saturday in the evening, this is one of the lovely pictures he took! I had to delete a few pictures he took of me! They were so bad!!! But was GORGEOUS up there! The reservoir is clear up to the road! I've never seen it that full before! FISHING here I come!!!


We had a HUGE freak storm a few hours before we went up to Kolob, this is the hail that came off the roof out of the gutter. Crazy!!


This picture was taken down by Chevron, holy lake!!! It as crazy!!! LOVED it! We had a small pond on the side of our house. If Wade and Cory can remember how the water would collect on the side of the house, it was about 6 inches deep, but soaked in really fast. LOVED that storm!!!

Relay for Life weekend---

This weekend was crazy! The Hurricane singles ward invited my ward(Washington) to go camping up at Clear Creek, on East Zion and my cousin was doing a Relay for Life in Kanab, and I thought it would be fun to get out and participate. Crazy! So I drove to East Zion(I hate driving through the park, stupid slow drivers- sorry tourists), got up there right after dinner, I would have left earlier, but the reason is for another post. Stayed for a fireside, my cousin Whitney was there, so I hung with her and Marie for awhile.
Left for Kanab around 10:30 pm. It's not a very long drive, maybe 25 miles. I'm not sure how much I walked, I lost track after 6 times around the track, we watched "The Blind Side" well, at least some of it, I walked during the middle and caught the last few minutes. Then they did "The Princess Bride" which I can quote perfectly. I ate a hot dog at like 3:30 am, never done that before. It was really cold there! I was surprised on how cold it got! But me being prepared, I survived it! Edwin and Cody were texting me until 4:30 to keep me awake. They are awesome!
I love this picture of my uncle Jerrol! It cracks me up!!!!

Stuart, Jordan and Austin. I tried to get them all to smile!

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The luminaries, one with the flash and other with out it.


Karri, Ryan and I were there to support the Leavitt's. Gordon's sister(I'm guessing thats who she was) and her two daughters were there. Kims kids and uncle Jerrol and aunt Peggy were there. There were a few others, but I of course didn't know them.
They were selling stuff and I bought 2 shirts(who would pass up on a $1 shirt- make good work shirts). The Leavitt team came in 3rd.
Around 5, when the sun was coming up, I decided to go in and lay down in the tent, I pulled my fire fighter beanie and that Cory gave me a couple years ago, over my eyes, so it was dark. And at like 6 blaring music started. So I didn't get any sleep. We ate, did some more walking and cleaned up. They had a bunch of raffles and lots of games, it was neat, there was a kid who had walked from 6 the night before till they finished the next morning. It was crazy. I think I left around 10:30ish, not sure. Went over to uncle Jerrols house and cleaned up.
I stopped up at our property on East Zion just to look around, that itself is a whole other post. I guess we won't be camping up there till we get it cleaned up. Our BIG huge tree(that shaded our tables) had some huge branches fall off and break other trees around it, on top of the picnic tables. It was bad. I have some pictures, but I will post them later.
Went back to Clear Creek, got there around 12, they were finishing up with a game or a fireside, not sure. Everyone went down to the creek and was swimming and canoeing. It looked like a lot of fun, if I didn't hate water so much, plus the water was all mossy and algae-y, it was gross. I'll post pictures later.
I was SO tired, that I left around 2:30ish. Even though it was fun, I was dead!
Got home almost 4, because of those slow drivers through the park, but by the time I got out of Virgin, I didn't care, I was too tired to speed home.
I fell asleep in the bath tub, woke my self up because I could hear myself snoring. Then later I fell asleep on the trampoline, which is extremely uncomfortable.
Finally I just went to bed at 11:30, Edwin text me 7 minutes later, never even heard it. I was out. I woke up at 11, sat up to start getting ready for church, but I was so tired, I couldn't even keep my eyes open, all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep some more. So I did. I think if I had tried to go to church I probably wouldn't have stayed awake.
So it was an awesome weekend. Long, but totally worth it. And I am SO proud of myself, I only needed 1 Xanax, I thought I'd be popping them the whole time, because its in those situations when I need them. It wasn't until I mentioned that to Cody when I was like, uh-oh, I need one!
Can't wait for next year. Hopefully, that weekend won't be so busy.
I didn't go to the company picnic, because I was just too tired! :)

Recent Ramblings

I keep telling myself that I need to update my blog! So while I am waiting for my nails to dry, I'll write something!
I just watched Alice in Wonderland. That is the cutest movie! It's so funny! Don't lose your muchness!
We haven't been taking any pictures lately. My parents went to Junction on Monday for memorial day, they forgot the camera and the key to my grandma's house. I didn't go. I wanted to, but I just wanted to hang out at home. Every once in awhile, it's nice to just have absolutely nothing in the world to do. I planted cherry tomatoes, weeded and killed stupid earwigs! My uncle Rick showed up and spent the night. I haven't seen him in forever.
This coming weekend, the Hurricane singles ward invited my ward(the Washington singles ward) to go on a camp out on East Zion. I'll probably go. But I'd drive up and spend the evening with them, then go to Kanab and support Kim in the Relay for Life, spend the night somewhere there, then drive back up to East Zion and hang out up there on Saturday. Also on Saturday they are doing a company picnic, I went last year and had a lot of fun, but I'm trying to decide if I want to skip out on dinner and a fireside to go to the picnic or come home after the fireside. And not even worry about the picnic. Either way, I will try and have my camera with me this coming weekend.
I was at Wal-mart tonight after I got off work, I need junk food! I eat healthy about 98% of the time, but junk food is nice to have once in awhile. So I was looking at the the Pringles(which I never eat), they have ketchup flavored pringles. Nasty! I think I threw up a little in my mouth when I saw them. Ew!!! Anyways, so that made for an interesting conversation with Cody and Edwin.
I'm so excited for July, we have a BIG Ipson reunion on Beaver Mt. Yay! I'm so excited. We had so much fun last year that I can't wait till this years reunion.
Then all of my siblings will be here at the end up of the month and since Trent and Dani will be so close to having their baby, we are staying in Hurricane. But we have talked about renting the swimming pool out for an evening, going to the temple together(I'd do baptisms for the dead, since I haven't yet been through). We will sleep outside and watch movies. It will be fun! I can't wait!
So as you can see, this summer is going to be fun!!!! I'm thinking of going up to the Manti pageant this summer, I'd rather not go to the actual pageant alone, but I don't mind driving up there by myself, so maybe I can talk Jim into going with me. Who knows, he might be married now. I haven't talked to him in over a year!
I started reading the bible, I'm still in Genesis. Some nights I can't stop reading, some nights I am so tired that I only read one chapter. But I'm almost done with Genesis. It's interesting. Because I am reading the stories that I've only heard about. It's neat!

Praying

I've never been very good at praying. I hate praying in front of people. When I pray at night, I always wonder if God is even listening, or whatever. So I looked online to see if there were tips on how to say a good prayer. Then I found this poem. It didn't say who wrote it, but I LOVE it!!!

Teach Me How to Pray
Author Unknown

Please teach me, Lord...
I want to know
Exactly how to pray.
I need some words
Which ones are right?
Please tell me what to say.

I've bowed my head
I have knelt down,
But...should I be upright?
I've closed my eyes,
I've raised my hands,
Or...should I fold them tight?

Do I stand up?
Should I sit down?
Dear Lord...what do you like?
Are lights turned on
Or are they off?
Maybe...candle light?

Wear my glasses?
Take them off?
Be at my desk or table?
Should I whisper?
Speak out loud?
Do I quote the Bible?

What do you think
About the time?
Do You prefer the dawn?
Should I pray fast,
Or keep it slow?
Better short...or long?

I'm new at this
What are the rules?
I want to do it right.
How do I know
You'll even hear
That I am in Your sight?

And while I sat there quietly,
Waiting for some sign,
I heard a gentle voice say,
"Oh, dearest child of mine...
Do you think I really care
About the time of day,
Or whether you are standing up,
Or kneeling when you pray?

I don't care about your posture,
Or about the place you choose;
Just open up your soul to me,
I have no other rules.
Tell me what is in your heart,
And tell me what you seek;
Tell me of your sorrows,
And of those things that made you weak.

Speak to me in private
About what concerns you most;
I know about your good deeds...
You have no need to boast.
My child, you don't need lessons,
Just talk to me each day;
Tell me anything you want, dear child,

Anyone can pray.

Really Emotional Post--- sorry!

These last couple of weeks have been a learning experience for me. I have read so many good things. I am loving the reading of good stuff. The way I look at things now are so different. I love it. I have had a few questions I've always wondered about answered for me.




The last 2 weeks I have really struggled a lot. Some of you know I was dating this really awesome guy, for a little over 2 months(we've known each other for forever). And when he had bad days, I had bad days. That's just the way we were. Anyways, so he went home to visit his family and when he came back, just totally ignored me, wanted nothing to do with me. I knew something was up. I tried being patient. For 2 whole weeks, I put up with it. I came home from work and when I'd go to bed, I read my scriptures, then pray. There were a couple of nights where as soon as I started praying I started sobbing. It was so hard, because I honestly was getting the same answer that my "man toy." We just weren't meant to be! But I didn't want to end it at all. He is such an awesome guy! And I didn't want to accept Gods answer, but I knew in my heart what was suppose to be. Anyways, so I struggled with that and the fact that he was totally ignoring me. Because he didn't want to hurt me, but he was hurting me more by waiting to talk to me.
But once we got it all out in the open and talked about everything, it ended really good. I mean, I'm always going to like him, I'm sure I will always have a little crush on him. But I honestly have nothing bad to say about him. I have prayed my heart out that if we ended that it would go smoothly and there wouldn't be bitterness. My prayer was answered. I really think we will stay good friends and support each other in different things in each others lives. He really is a good person and I honestly respect him and I hope for the best in his life.
My only regret is we never got a picture of the two of us! :( Darn it! He really is a good lookin' guy!
Anyways, so everything I have gone through for the last 2 weeks, I just have to thank my Father in Heaven for all his support and love. I'm on His time-line, whatever He has planned for me, will happen when He knows I am ready. I honestly have to say God is becoming one of my best friends!
Oh, then I have to say thank you to all of my wonderful friends(you know who you are) for putting up with me the last few weeks. And my mom, holy cow, she should never have been through what I've put her through, she didn't deserve it! Hopefully the next guy I date will be even more amazing than this last one, which will be pretty hard to top! :)

So THIS is where we get our weirdness!!! I copied this off of facebook so I could print it for my mom. This is my uncle Jerrol, aunt Jeanie and grandpa Jack.



So I have no idea what to write. I get on my blog to see whose updated theirs, and then I think I need to update, but I have nothing exciting to write about.

I have been reading several church books. I am loving them. I've been reading the Eternal Marriage Student Manual(institute), just because I already had it. No, I am not getting married yet. But it is so good. There are things in there that go outside of the marriage topic and I love it. I have to say I have been getting through it faster than the "Church history in the Fullness of Times" manual. Which is also a good book. Maybe one of these days I just might take an institute class.

One of my favorite quotes that I have read so far since starting this temple preparation is - "Spiritual peace is not to be found in race or culture or nationality, but rather through our commitment to God and to the covenants and ordinances of the gospel"(May 1995 Ensign pg 63- Heirs to the Kingdom of God- James E.Faust) I love that for some reason, it reminds me that you don't have to have a higher upper calling or have served a mission to get that peace, all you need is your commitment to God and the gospel. I have it saved on my phone so I can read it whenever I need it. Then I save certain scriptures on my phone so if I happen to go over to the temple to read my scriptures and I can't decide where to start. I just look at phone to see what I happen to be reading about in other books.
It's been a fun little journey. I feel like I'm not just wandering anymore because I have something to work towards.
The other day Madison asked me when I was getting married, just to throw out some random answer I said 6 months(not serious), then Emily asked me if somebody were to ask me to marry him "today" would I say yes? I kinda had a hard time answering that. I am crazy about him, I would like to say heck ya, but I need to get to know him just a little better! I guess marriage scares the crap out of me! I want it, but do I REALLY want it??? Only time will tell! :)

I'm Ready

Here are some more Easter pictures!

I guess someones basket was on the roof of Shellie's house. I think it was Cory's or Mike's but I'm not sure.

When my dad and Cory hide baskets, they can be ANYWHERE!!!! I was looking out by the wood pile and we have a resident squirrel and I looked up to see it like a foot from my face. Scary!

Shellie and Madison.

So, I went to talk to my bishop this last Sunday. I've always wanted to go through the temple, when Cory got married, I seriously wanted to go to his wedding. But couldn't. It nearly killed me when Trent got married and I couldn't be there. I hated it. I'm pretty good about hiding my emotions so I don't think anyone thought anything about it. But I hated not being able to see my little brother get married(even when he took out his endowments, it was pretty hard on me).
But I kept telling myself, I'm on God's time, not mine. When He thinks I am ready, then HE will let me know.
For the last 2-3 months I've been nagged about talking to the bishop about going to the temple. Something in the back of my head just kept bugging me. In sacrament meeting I was so nervous, I just knew I HAD to talk to Bishop that day. I knew I couldn't really get started on working towards it till I knew what I needed to do.
So we talked, he asked me the questions. So for the next 3 months I can only read church approved books(ensign, Sunday school books, institute manuals, books by prophets and apostles, book of Mormon, etc). Because I have a problem with reading non fiction books about polygamy and they kinda put their version of the way the church was started and some of it's not true and it can affect what I think. So this is kinda going to help build my testimony of the church and how important the temple is.
I am really excited to start this experience. I started reading A Marvelous Work and a Wonder by Le grand Richards. It was first written in 1958. So we'll see if I can get through it. I have a hard time with the heavier stuff.
I just feel like it's my time. I mean I won't be able to go through till later on this year, but I'm so excited to put it into action. And have something to work towards. I'm not just wandering right now, I have something worthwhile to work on and look forward to. Just the way it's been on my mind A LOT of the last few months, I feel like I am serious this time. There is nothing holding me back now. This is for me. Yay!!!

Then I told the bishop about how my 2nd goal this year is to get up in sacrament meeting and bear my testimony, which I have never done before. When I told him, he kinda laughed and said since we had about 10 minutes left of the meeting he felt like he needed to ask me to get up and do it then, but he was afraid I'd get up and walk out! I thought that was kinda cool! My bishopric is awesome!!!

Eastering

More pictures of our weekend.

Grandma and Abby snuggling.

Me and Uncle Lane

Mike in his tough guys wear pink shirt

Kim, Kellie and Kyson

Skylar

Four Wheeling

While Cory and Natalie are here we went four wheeling out south of Hurricane. SO much fun!!! I LOVE it out there!

Madison and my mom.


Me and Chris over looking Sand Hollow and in the FAR distance, Quail Lake.


My Dad


Mike and Me


Cory and the kids playing!

The things I did this week...

So, it was my birthday this week. Here's how I spent it!

I know there are only 3 candles, but hey I didn't want to burn down the whole house!


I tried licking it, but my mom wouldn't let me! Dang it! It looked so good!!!


It was also my grandma's 90th birthday this week and we had a party for her on Saturday. My eyes are closed because I was loving being close to her like that!!! I LOVE her to pieces!!!


Me and Trent, that is a totally random picture of us. It was so funny, I love it!!!


Madison and me! There were Polynesian dancers there and they were way good, Madie was on my lap, so I took a picture, got more of me than her!
It was a good party! This whole week was good! It was definitely good! Especially, Tuesday night and Thursday night!! Yay for me! :) And tomorrow night will be cool too!!!! :)

Spring Cleaning of my blog!

Ok, so I decided a while back that I wanted to print out all the posts on my blog because it's like a journal for me because I NEVER write in my journal. So I went and bought some ink and that is what I did today! I started around 4:30 and I just finished about 8:40. I don't even want to know how many pages ended up printing.

Then I decided to delete a lot of posts, just to kinda clean up my blog a little(spring cleaning). So if there was a certain post someone liked and it's gone, sorry! You can read it at my house in my journal! I'm going to put all the pages in a 3 ring binder with clear page protectors. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but our printer was way fast.

Me and Madison(I got my hair cut 2 weeks ago and have been waiting for the right time to get a good picture- even though Trent said he would take some nice ones over easter weekend).


My mom planting flowers.


Lillie being silly!

Isn't this picture gorgeous??? I love ice plants.



Today was funnish.... Church was good. Ann gave a super good lesson in R.S. The speakers were awesome. I stopped into visit my grandma, she is going to be 90 on the 23rd. Wow!!! Crazy.
Natalie and the girls came over for dinner, Trent was kinda there(Dani had to work). We had dutch oven- YES!!!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE dutch oven potatoes! My dads are the best!
Then I met Ryan over at the temple visitors center, we talked for the longest time. So we were walking around and there was this random picture. I was seeing all these pictures of Christ, then there was a picture of some native Americans. so it was random to me, and there a lady standing there looking at it to, so I asked her what she knew about that picture and she said it was Jacob Hamblin and she liked to think Dudley Leavitt was with him because apparently they were pals back in the day. I told her that I came from Dudley's 3rd wife, she came from Dudley's 1st wife. I thought that was so cool! Totally random!
*sigh* :)

My heart is filled with joy-
On Friday after work I got home around 9, I had to talk to Shellie so I was over at her house for a few minutes and as I was walking back I heard the funny sounding meow of my momma cat(she really does have a weird sounding meow). I haven't seen her in months and months. I wrote about her in an early post with a picture of her. But she is a mean little brat. She doesn't like people coming near her, or petting her. Anyways, so she laid on the ground like she wanted to be pet, so I walked over nicely and slowly reached to pet her and she let me pick her up. I was SO EXCITED!!!! I had to show my mom, so I took her inside but I didn't want to make her mad by holding her too long, so I sat on the floor and let her sniff me and just scratched her head a little and she climbed on my lap and purred for about 20 minutes. I LOVED it. I was so excited(I'm repeating myself because I was so excited-ha,ha).
We gave up on her a long time ago, so we just stopped buying cat food and toys. So after that I went to Wal-Mart and bought some food for her, while texting Trent, telling him how excited I was.
Then last night(Saturday) it was raining outside and my mom said my cat was crying at the front door. So both of us went outside, my mom to watch the rain and me to keep the cat company, she acts like she wants to get on my lap but she's not quite sure she's ready for that yet. So she will put her front paws and head on my lap so I can pet her. LOVE it!!!
I let her in for a few minutes so she could eat and she ate, let me pet her and when she was done she walked to the back door and waited for me to open it for her. She knew what she wanted and right now we are trying to love her and give her- her way so maybe she will stick around. She is about 60 years old in human years.


Anyways, so I just had to get a picture of her and this 'miraculous' event.



I went to church today, bugged Edwin for a little while. Then stopped into see my grandma, but she was with her son, Uncle Roger(I still have a hard time calling Lonnie and Roger- uncle). So I came back to Hurricane and went to primary for a little while(my mom teaches a senior class). On my way home I had the pleasure of hitting a rooster!! It just ran out into the road, I wasn't even going fast. I didn't run OVER it, I just hit it and in the rear view mirror I just saw a few feathers on the road but I didn't see the actual rooster. So I figured it was probably fine. But someone else pulled over, so I think either they hit it too, or it somehow hit my passangers side and ended up on the opposite side of the road by the side walk, I really don't think I killed it, no way would it have gone that far without me seeing it. I don't know!

Anyways, so the weather was nice when we got home, but by the time we sat down to eat dinner we had a huge thunder and lightening storm with hail, so I took a picture of it. I think it turned out kinda cool!

Anyways, so that was my weekend so far! We have gotten so much moisture. I LOVE it! My mom told me that Brother Chandler said that our area has paid 200% tithing and we have gotten 200% more rain. I thought that was cool, because of the story of how S. Utah needed rain back in the pioneer days and the prophet said if we pay our tithing we will be blessed with rain. We've needed it!

Anyways, so I think I am going to go cook something(not a rooster). Maybe cookies, maybe a ham, whatever sounds good to me! :)

Your So Vain......

My Grandpa Leavitt(thanks Mickie- I absolutely LOVE this picture- you can so tell he's trying not to smile)!