And time...goes by..so slowly...

So the time has come for me to write again. People have been asking me what has taken so long and I can't really say why I've delayed in doing it, other than maybe I have had so many incredible things to share that I feel slightly overwhelmed as to where I should even begin. Yes! I think that's my problem. (I'm not sure which problem is worse, my lack of motivation to write or that massive run-on sentence) Whew! So here we go.

As many of you know I was in Salt Lake City all last week (May 17-23). Now some might ask why on Earth I would spend a week's vacation going to a city I lived near for...(well 1998-2007, minus the mission...whatever that is)...many years! Ummm yeah. When I was initially invited, I had asked myself the same question, but after accepting the invitation and going, I have to tell you-it was an amazing experience! I can't even begin to explain how much I loved being there.(Take note that I said I was in SLC and not Provo!) It still seems so bizarre to me, because other than the mountains and having frequent David Archuleta conversations, I honestly forgot I was even in Utah half the time. It just seemed like everyday I was super happy and excited to wake up with energy and anticipation of what new and exciting adventures the day would bring us. In fact, I would dare say it was probably one of the best trips I've ever been on, possibly even topping last spring's trip to L.A. with Summer... (and that's saying something for all my crazy traveling I've done.) So what made it so great?! call me and I'll tell you all about it.

So now let's talk about the concept of TIME. I have 3 thoughts about it:
#1 Time passing, #2 Timing and #3 How to spend your time

#1 I feel like time goes by really slowly, especially today at work where I know it's my last Friday at this job and I have nothing to do. I've realized whenever I'm looking forward to something, time seems to go by really slowly. Why is that? Whenever I'm having fun, however, time seems to sprint past me. I don't like that.

#2 I have had more than a handful of circumstances in my life that constantly remind me that I DO NOT control the timing of things in my life. This time, last year, I don't think I could have creatively imagined that my life would be the way it is today. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing to complain about by any means, but it's just so interesting where the wind blows me.
I can honestly say that it sure seems like since being "blown home" to Kansas last fall, the winds of my life have really picked up! (and I'm not just talking about the local tornado weather...although both experiences are equally fun!) I've decided one of my new goals is to stop being such a planner. You're laughing right now, aren't you?! When it comes to sorting through the calendar in my brain, both past & present, I'm a genius! The bad part, however, is that I can't see the future and therefore I can only plan ahead so far. I used to play the "A year from now..." game, but it was always pointless. So I've decided to settle for the "Hopefully, by the end of the summer...," game and be content with that. I received a pretty nifty promise from my bishop in the blessing when he set me apart last sunday. I love being reminded how much my Heavenly Father knows me on such a personal level!

#3 Facebook, blogging, gchat, writing emails, cell phone, texting...technology has taken over my life!!! Part of me is definitely ok with that! (especially when I have people that I love who are far away from me), but this past week I have become slightly obsessed with DDR. I guess that could still fall under the "technology" category, but wow is it fun! I admit my motives in playing so often did not start because of exercise or pleasure in any way. In fact, I am slightly ashamed to admit my initial motives were not innocent at all, rather quite competitive. Interestingly enough, it's turned into fun and now I look forward to pouring sweat every night! The only problem now is that the competition is against myself.
I feel obligated to score on each song that much higher than the score I earned the time before. Last night this went on for 2 hours. Would this be considered spending my time wisely? Exercise, personal goal-setting/self-improvement, social interaction.....yeah sure. Why not say it's time well spent?!

Life is like a rafting trip...

I had a conversation with my brother, Martin, a few weeks back. It was one of those really good talks. You know the kind, where you hang up feeling like you are definitely the luckiest girl in the world to have such cool brothers who know perfectly how to help you "get" things about life because they just know how to talk to you. Yeah, it was one of those moments. My brain loves analogies and I think this one even top my "How Hermanas are like potatoes" analogy that I came up with on my mission (That's a classic..but we'll save that for another day). So here it is.. life is like a rafting trip.

A white water rafting trip was something I had on my "To do before I die" list ever since I was a kid and saw the pictures my brothers brought back from their high adventure trips. I wanted to go for many years, butI never really made any plans or efforts to actually do it. The opportunity pretty much just appeared for me and finally I was able to cross it off my list. I was 24 years old.
LIFE APPLICATION: When you put little effort into the things you desire out of life, you're going to just continue waiting and waiting and waiting. (you reap what you sow) OR Good things come to those who wait (really it just depends on the situation you apply it to)

So now let's get out on that river!... Have you been rafting before? If not, how do you picture a white water rafting adventure? Exciting?! Thrilling?! Maybe slightly frightening?! Well, if you've been on a rafting trip then you know what I'm talking about when I say you spend about 85% of the trip just floating along riding the gentle current.
LIFE APPLICATION: Life is not always super exciting. In fact, most of the time we're just kinda coasting along, and the tricky part for us is in figuring out how to enjoy the gentle "current".

Now let's analyze the raft. Did you see Cast Away? Titanic? or really any other survival movie where the individual stays alive floating atop who knows what piece of junk they found. We can also talk about the homemade "Tom Sawyer" type rafts or the professionally designed white water rafting boats, safety-equipped with blah blah blah.
LIFE APPLICATION: Who are you? How strong is your raft? Can it support you? Can it also be a support to others? Are you the safety-equipped boat with life jackets to share or are you struggling to stay afloat yourself?

HERE COME THE RAPIDS!!! Are you excited? Your heart starts pounding, the anticipation is building..Will you hit it just right? Will you get wet? Will you fall out? Will you get that amazing feeling in the pit of your stomach that makes you want to throw up and laugh yourself silly all at the same time?! Yes! We love rapids! In a paddle boat, you have to work together, paddling your arms off, as a team, to make sure you "dig in" just right to be able to get through it. Oh, isn't the adrenalin rush amazing!! you know, the one that comes when we go through the rapids. it's just as satisfying as the relief that comes once we've survived them.


LIFE APPLICATION: Trials are like rapids. We all know they're going to come, but how we work through them is what matters. Who do we have on our team in our paddle boat? People who help or people who are paddling against us? Also, are we doing our part to "dig in" or are we sleeping in the back of the boat, hoping everyone else's efforts will suffice? Trials, just like rapids, only happen every once in awhile in our lives. If we stay focused on the tough experiences and trials we survived years ago (just like overly focusing on a rapid we may have gone through 5 miles back) we can't fully concentrate on what we're doing in the present (whether that be enjoying the gentle coast in the current or preparing to paddle through a new rapid, which will be different than any we have gone through before).

So what happens if I fall out of the boat? Well it happens. That's why you have to be prepared. The river guide always goes through all the safety drills before the boat ever leaves the shore and every boat has a guide, a throw rope, life jackets and sometimes helmets. Stay calm, follow the instructions the guide gives you. You're going to be just fine.
LIFE APPLICATION This one is easy. Who is our ultimate guide in life? I'm sure most of us can say we feel like we have been tossed out of the "boat of life" a time or two. How prepared are we? Do we follow the instructions we've been given? All of us are dumb sometimes, yet even when we're not as prepared as we should be, the guide ALWAYS comes to the rescue.

So in closing, just remember, life is like a rafting trip and people generally don't sign up just to float around in the gentle current and get sunburned thighs. No, people actually sign up for, and pay hundreds of dollars for the RAPIDS!

Isn't that cool?! Once again, another example of Recreation Therapy at its best, thus proving that all fun things really do have a life lesson to process from it, all you have to do is look for it (or have a fabulous Rec therapist handy to point it out for you)

Being "well rounded"

Entry #2 was supposed to be completed three days ago. Maybe I’m not as good at this blog thing as I thought I would be. There is something slightly disturbing about writing and not actually knowing if anyone is going to login and read it. I have to say there are parts of me that prefer a good old fashioned email to someone much more. (But then again, who am I to say people want to login and read their emails either) hmm? Anyway. So entry #2... we’re going to call it “being well-rounded.” Last Friday, as I was recounting all of the activities from those past couple of days to my life-long friend, Matt, I said "Wow! I have a cool life. I do fun stuff. And it's all so diverse too. I guess you could call me well-rounded." Matt's reply was "Yes. Well-rounded is the perfect word for it, and I'm not just talking about your booty." I laughed-a lot! Thank you, Matt..So in honor of my friend, Matt, this entry is titled "Being well-rounded" Last week I had what my co-workers considered to be “partying as if it were a 5 day weekend.” Personally, I think everyday should be considered a party. That’s what makes life so much fun! Saturday & Sunday were basically full of family fun mostly due to Mother's Day, where we watched all kinds of disturbing home videos from the most retched years of my childhood. Seriously..ugh! But let’s just get to the point.

On Wednesday May 7th I attended the opera “John Brown” in Kansas City, along with my parents and my brother, Kevin. How many of you know the story of John Brown, the abolitionist? Well I will avoid writing a history lesson and merely just advise you to google it if it doesn’t ring a bell. Long story short-he was a Kansas man, and pretty much the real reason the Civil War started.

So back to the opera- I took humanities classes, and we all know I love music, but I just could not get myself to appreciate this opera. Maybe it was my mood or maybe it was because I felt like I was watching an extremely overly dramatic and tragically depressing version of the musical “Oklahoma.” But two good things came out of this experience: First and foremost, Amy Gowans has strong arms. She was the whole reason we went in the first place. (Yeah right, as if my Dad would ever choose to go to an opera!) No, the real story is that Kevin’ girlfriend, Amy, is a rather incredible and professional violinist and was playing in the orchestra. She’s awesome and I learned she has really strong arms to be able to do that for 3 hours straight, meaning she could whip me in any cat fight (note to self-never arm wrestle with Amy!)-got it.
Ok and #2 I loved this line from the opera. I even got out a pen and wrote it down. “Love is Heaven’s music sent below to harmonize our souls.” think on that for a moment...…ok moving on

I had been waiting for Thursday, May 8th for almost 3 months. (Since Feb 5th to be exact). Yes, it’s true! I bought tickets to see “Wicked” as soon as they went on sale. I think it was within the first hour actually. People didn’t believe me when I said I was making a countdown chain and everything, but it’s true. Just ask my friends, I really did!
For any of you that have not yet been introduced to this brilliant phenomenon that is “Wicked,” just let me know and I will convert you. Here are your options:
#1 I will sing the entire soundtrack to you, but tell you nothing about the story.
#2 I will tell you the entire story, thus ruining all of your fun.
#3 you can read the novel and wonder how on earth a book so boring could possibly be considered probably the greatest musical of this generation!
#4 You can borrow and watch my DVD of the original broadway cast performing it in NYC. Ssshhhh! (I’ll never tell you how I got that) or
#5 I will fly to London, NYC, LA, Chicago, or stalk the touring company with you to see it as many times as you would like. Some of you have probably heard the CD and you’re left thinking “what’s the big deal?

I’m telling you, once you’ve seen it, you will be hooked because the CD just makes so much more sense after you've seen it! When I saw it for the first time in LA last spring with my friend, Summer, I actually shed tears! I was 10th row in the orchestra- so close you could see the buttons on the costumes. It was amazing! This time was a different experience. Our seats were far away in the top balcony, which provided a completely different perspective and to be honest, I still don’t know what my friends really thought of it. But it doesn’t matter to me. I actually know one of the cast members in the touring company, so it was an added bonus to be able to watch him perform. Overall, it was still a magical experience, even the second time around. Will the third time be a charm? I guess I'll find out on May 24th when I go to see it AGAIN, this time with the Player women.

Friday’s festivities combined the wonderful world of music with the always enjoyable world of major league baseball. Around here, we Kansas City folk were just calling it “David Cook Day.” For any of you that may be stumped regarding the name, “David Cook,” let me know and I will call a rescue team to come and rid you of the rock you must be living under. (yes I ended the sentence with a preposition). But seriously... American Idol people, American Idol! Just suck it up and watch it (or admit that you watch it).

It’s only 4 months out of the year and I promise your social awareness and ability to have a conversation with people will greatly increase for having done it. David Cook is one of the top 3 left on this season’s American Idol and although I honestly can’t choose between him and Utah’s very own David Archuleta, I’m definitely pulling for a “Battle of the Davids” for the finale. (Sorry Syesha, you sing well, but you’re not named David). Part of me wants to pull for David Cook, just because he’s from Kansas City.

Ok so back to Friday night. My life-long friend, Matt, and I went to the Royals game to see David Cook and watch the game, and we had a blast! We started the evening with our own private tailgating party.

We parked as far away from the stadium as I think was possible, which meant only one thing for us...DANCING!

We are so crazy whenever we get together. You would seriously think we are still 10 yrs old the way we act sometimes. I grew up going to, and loving Royals games. They are so much fun, and this one was no exception. Here are the reasons why:
#8 David Cook was there to throw out the first pitch and lead us all in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch.

#7 Matt and I had our tickets up high, but we found my little brother, Jonathan and his wife, Cassie down on field level, so we declared ourselves the "seat upgrade" winners of the night and went down and joined them.

#6 Cassie didn't want the rest of her choclate malt, which meant I got the leftovers. I ate a good $2 worth of that thing!
#5 The Royals scored in the 7th inning, and although they didn't win the game, that run won me a free sundae from Sheridan's (the best frozen custard in town!)
#4 Three bats were broken during the game. MLB may want to reconsider the whole maple bat idea.
#3 As a team of 4, all in position, we succesfully caught one of the flying t-shirts tossed to the crowd
#2 Royals super fan pins were passed out. YAY! Free stuff!
#1 Friday means one thing at Kauffman Stadium..FIREWORKS!

Have I mentioned how much I love Kansas City lately?!!

To start this blog...

I had planned to have my first entry something else, but after writing all of this in the "ABOUT ME" section, and then being told it was too long (which is so typical) I decided instead of deleting it all, I would post it as my first entry to get the ball rolling. This is going to be fun!

I hope by being someone who is reading my blog, that you already know most of the basics about me. But if for some reason you don't... then I'll share just the top 5 facts of what make me-ME! and these are in no particular order....

#1.KANSAS I live here, I love it here, I consider it home and it took me forever to be able to come back here, so don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

#2 FAMILY -The first word that popped into my head was "crazy," but that is an adjective that can explain so many things. Feel free to put it in front of any of the following to describe the hilarious bunch that I call my family. -Fun, Close, Real, Loyal, Honest, Loving, Talkative, Active, and Supportive


#3 FAITH- That is definitely the most general word I could come up with to describe my relationship with God, but faith is the basis for a lot of things. It's what reminds me of who I really am, and it's what gets me through each and everyday!

#4 PEOPLE- I love people..all kinds. it's kinda crazy how much I love being around people actually. I would say that 80% of my thoughts in a day are usually about the people in my life. how they've made me laugh, what they've taught me, how my life is "changed for the better" (shameless WICKED plug) because they have been in it, and what I can do to express gratitude for them. I am in awe at how many people I have been able to meet throughout my many life experiences and how deeply I care for so many of them. Although I am quite comfortable with alone time once in awhile, my life is so much more enriched because of the people in it!

#5 FUN- I am a huge supporter of healthy recreation. That's why I spent thousands of dollars going to college to get a degree in it. I believe that having FUN is the best tool to unite all of the above: people, families, communities, and yes there can even be a sense of spirituality to it!
Let the games begin!