Vacations!

I just got back from 2 great vacations! I love summer.

First trip.... Fort Collins, CO.

We went to Fort Collins to check out Colorado State University because that is where Art wants to go to Vet School. And... well... just to get away! My Uncle Mark and Aunt Linda graciously let us stay at their house there, thanks you guys!

Artie driving on the way there.

Me enjoying the drive!

Us

There were so many windmills in Wyoming!


At Buffalo Wild Wings- Yum!- One of Artie's favorites!

The Colorado State University campus was beautiful!
Art will be going there in a few years, I guess
I'll just have to go visit him!


In Big Thompson Canyon, there was this cute little place
called Colorado Cherry Company. They sell homemade
pies, cider and my favorite JAM!

We had to stop and get some.

We went to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park
It is more famously known as Overlook Hotel from
Steven King's The Shining. It was huge and beautiful, Spooky!

We had a blast in Colorado, then it was off to the Cloward Family Jackson Hole Trip '09!

A few of us at Jenny Lake
Artie, Me, Riley, Cindy, Cheyenne, Vanesa, Bridger

Us At Jenny Lake

Famous Chey Attitude and pretty sparkly water


Bridge and Vanes


Pretty Tetons

Brian, Chey, Vanesa, Bridger, and Riley

Pretty.

Some of the cousins.

Jackson Hole was so fun this year! Everyone (except Mason-we missed you) came and it was a blast. My camera died after the first day so I'm missing pictures of shopping, swimming, eating at Bubba's and River Rafting. Can't wait until next year!

Such a fun night...

Tonight, Artie and I went and saw Matisyahu in concert. Holy crap he was amazing. The concert was one of the best I have every been to! He is amazingly talented. This video doesn't even cover it!



Now off to Colorado in the morning!

Peeved!

Two of my biggest pet peeves punched me square in the face yesterday. I went to the bank and chose the shortest line in the drive through because I was in a hurry. Little did I know that I would be stuck behind some oblivious and rude lady who wasn't paying any attention to her banking transaction, but was talking on her phone! I was sitting there waiting for five minutes for the people in the bank to send her back her "teleporter tube" come to find out that she hadn't even put anything in it yet! I wanted to just back up and go inside, but someone was behind me. So there I was... trapped behind the epitome of why I hate people who drive with cell phones... a good 5-7 more minutes pass and her tube comes back to her, but she doesn't notice. Her windows are down, her door is half open, but she was so enthralled with her conversation that she didn't look to see if her transaction was completed for 6 whole minutes! Yes I counted! I kept thinking, can I honk at her? Is that allowed at a bank? Or maybe I should get out of my car and go up and physically hand her tube and say, "just in case you didn't notice, you've been here 15 minutes and there are 2 cars behind you...have a nice day." I mean come on! Is it really that hard to not talk on the phone when you are in a drive thru? It's just rude! And it wasn't just me, the car behind me finally moved so I could but I watched and the lady sent her tube back 3, yes THREE more times after noticing it had come back the first time. Three. If you have a transaction that is that complicated or big, take it inside! I felt bad for the teller waiting on her and not being able to help any other customers! Needless to say, I went to an empty line and completed my transaction and left long before that lady did! ARGH!!!




Driving home from the bank I encountered another one of my pet peeves...old people driving. Now I know that when I am old I will probably be the one who refuses to admit she's too old to drive and sneaks the car keys from her kids after they take them away. But there seriously needs to be a new law about this. There is the standard characteristics of old drivers like driving too slow, falling asleep at the stop sign/traffic light, not knowing how to roll the windows down or turn down the radio in their brand Pontiac because the old one finally died, and having a 10 second delayed reaction to serious road hazards but mysteriously slamming on the brakes a quarter mile from a car who turns in front of them because they "almost got hit." Now, on top of all of those lovelies, these old people have to deal with roundabouts. If there are any old people reading, TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME, roundabouts are not your friend. The little old grandma I was behind didn't stop or yield before pulling into the roundabout and stopped while in it to let 1 and a half cars in (a half because she stopped for the second one but right as they started pulling out, she floors it!) I'm not a very patient person, but I can't take this! Old people should have to take a driving test every year if they want their social security check. It should be required. And an actual driving test, not the dumb written test that is the same as when they got their first licence back in the early 1890's. Make it happen people, make it happen.

I love Mondays.

My New Hobby

So this year I decided to get a new hobby. I really like to be creative and enjoy lots of different hobbies like sewing, cooking, crochet etc... but I tend to not finish what I start. This is one of the first hobbies that I have actually been finishing and getting a sense of accomplishment out of! Making cakes is so much freakin' fun and while it can be really hard and frustrating, I always love to see the end product. And... I'm seeing that practicing really does help! Imagine that! I hope this will rub off onto my other hobbies...and maybe my homework...haha.

I have been making cakes as birthday gifts this year because, well, it's cheap- and personal! What could be better! These are my only creations so far but there will definitely be more to come. Bon Appetite!

Birthday Cake for my friend Chris

Artie's Birthday Cake

Baby Shower Cake

My Birthday Cake

Baby Shower Cake Side 1

Baby Shower Cake Side 2

Thankful

Today, I find myself needed to share what I am so grateful and thankful for in my life. I hate when I get to the point where I feel like I am drowning and in over my head. So many negative thoughts arise, and I am definitely one to dwell on the "what ifs". I have realized lately that I sometimes let those thoughts of fear, defeat and worry consume my life. And not only that, but it changes the way I act towards the ones I love and towards every situation that I find myself in. But today, I woke and realized how lucky I am. It really helps me to reflect on these things when life gets low.

First, I am so grateful to be alive! I am so glad that I was born in this country and to have good health and wonderful surroundings. I am so very blessed to have such an amazing family. They keep me in check and help to keep my stresses at bay. I am very grateful that I have a rent-free place to live while I finish school. My boyfriend is absolutely amazing and who I wake up thinking about every morning. He is what keeps me afloat, my life preserver and my best friend. I am so thankful for the opportunity to go to college even though sometimes I feel like it will never end! And last, lately I have been more and more thankful to faith in God. Prayer and meditation has been one of the only ways that I can get through some days. Sometimes I forget that God is a part of all of this, the backbone of life. Sometimes I wonder where my spiritual self has gone and how I have deviated so far away from the warmth and happiness of God's love in my heart. I hope all of those reading can be just as grateful as I am today.

All things magical

I love Christmas! I have been so busy these last couple of weeks with finals and work to really have any fun however. But it is officially Christmas week! I have to work still, but I'm having so much fun wrapping presents, watching Christmas movies and I'm making Christmas cookies today! Sacrificing sleep to do it, but it is so worth it! I noticed this morning when I was at the store, how cheery Christmas really makes people. Strangers who normally wouldn't give you a second glance strike up friendly conversation and everyone is just so happy, well most people anyways. I think part of it is the snow. I've never had Christmas anywhere where there wasn't snow, so I have no basis of comparison, but there is just something about it. The whole world goes quiet when it snows, it's magical. Anyway, I hope I get over my nasty cold by Wednesday so I can fully enjoy it. Happy Holidays to y'all!

Stressed to the max!

Oh where do I even begin!? A little over a week ago, I started my new job at the post office. And the training is probably the single most stressful task I have ever had to do. Yet, it shouldn't be so hard, I'm just a freaking basket case! It's a self paced computer course that has you go through lessons with practice and then test. Sounds easy right? Well technically it should be, but the pressure of my job on the line (if I don't pass training I can't work there) plus a million other things has led me to a nervous breakdown. I have 2 days left to complete my training, and I'm really close, I'm just really stuck on the last several. Argh! My boyfriend and I work together now, but he, being a carefree boy and all, got through the training just fine, which makes me feel even more inadequate! (Nothing you did baby, I'm so proud of you!, just worried about myself!
I'm generally a nervous person anyway, but I don't think I have ever had this much anxiety. Its awful. I'm having constant anxiety. It's hard to breathe my body goes numb and sometimes trembles, every muscle in my body aches, and I get weird random pains that scare me so then I get even more stressed out. The lack of sleep due to me trying to adjust to my new upcoming schedule(graveyards) is definitely a big part of this as well. And on top of all of that, school is being such a pain in the butt lately. In math the teacher just keeps adding huge assignments so I have 2 huge things due in that class next week, my giant assessment paper due for science, and I still have not finished my hours or taught my lessons! Its all starting to feel impossible! There are so many more things, but I will write more later. I need sleep. Thanks for listening to my rant.