A Very Sunday Post

Today was fast Sunday and that means testimony meeting at church. Last month I shared my testimony with the congregation for the first time in eight years....sad, I know. Today I felt the desire to share again but since I did it last month I didn't want to overwhelm myself! So I will share my thoughts on here....

LDS Family Services has a group called SOLE (survivors of life's experiences) and I have been able to observe the group the past couple of weeks. Last week we went to a church building and before anyone arrived, the therapists and I set up a rope/obstacle course. We had a rope tied to the door and it wound through the piano, chairs, tables and crisscrossed over itself. For the first part of group we talked about obedience and then told each woman that they would be blindfolded and led to a dark room where they would receive more instructions.

When the women arrived in the room I was the one who took their hand and placed it on the rope. Then I said to them, "Hold to the rod, never let go and it will lead you safely home". This activity may sound simple but it was not. When you are in a dark room with a blindfold on, you really have to trust your instincts and hold on to that rope. It proved to be challenging for each person that did it. At the end of the course there was someone there to meet them, give them a hug and say the words, "well done my good and faithful servant, welcome home". Every single woman started to laugh and seemed so thrilled to make it to the end!

Afterwards we met and talked about their thoughts and experiences. Most every woman said they loved the activity and how much it meant to them to make it home (to the end). One woman commented on how she thought the iron rod was straight and that you just had to hold on and go straight past the obstacles but she learned that it's not straight, it may go through tough obstacles and twists and turns. The point is to always hold on. If you lose your grip, remember you can always find your way back.

Life is hard, no doubt about it. If you hold to the rod and obey God then you can make it home.....I want to make it home and hear those words, Well done my good and faithful servant, Welcome Home.

Family, BYU, Dolphins, & FOOD

So add all of that up and what does it equal?? Las Vegas! Come on, that was really obvious! So now that my portfolio (aka downfall of spring break) is done I can finally blog about Las Vegas! I made myself promise that I would plow through the portfolio before I did anything else. I'm actually really glad they made this thing due now and not at the end of the semester, it's such a relief to have it done! The portfolio is equivalent to a thesis so it's kind of a big deal. I'm actually not done done because I have to role play the theory I chose for 20 minutes in class next Monday and I already feel sick...bleh...

So back to happier times. After BYU won their basketball game against San Diego a couple of weeks ago I told Matt we had to go to Las Vegas and see them play in the MWC tournament. After some begging he agreed and we bought our tickets and booked the hotel. I was really excited beause 1.I have never been to Las Vegas (ok I've stopped at a gas station driving through and my family always stopped at the Mirage to see the white tiger but he was never there) and 2. I really wanted to see some BYU ball! So I called up my cous, Katie and talked her and her husband into joining us!

We drove up Thursday and had to stop at the Hoover Dam, I have to say I've seen it! We stayed at the Rio which is where the Chip & Dale's show is (it was the running joke of the week that we chose that hotel only for this perk!) Matt and I headed to the strip and ate at Johnny Rocket's, watched the Gandala rides at the Venetian, avoided many dirty photos men and women were handing out on the street, watched the Bellagio water show 4 times (my fav.), and met Pete Rose.

Friday we headed back to the strip and went to the Mirage's Secret Garden exhibit. It's a tad bit pricey but very worth it. They have a dolphin exhibit and an exotic cat exhibit. They have three pools and about 7 dolphins. I loved watching them! In the cat exhibit they had the white tigers, white lions, leopards and two baby tigers! SO CUTE. Oh and we also saw an adorable mouse running around. Matt got a good picture of him.

When we got back to the hotel we ran into Hunter! My cousin-in-law.....he is a BYU fanatic and it was his 5th time going to the tournament! That night Katie and Tanner got to the hotel and we headed over to the BYU game. I wasn't too confident they would win because they were playing New Mexico but they creamed them....and it was the best feeling!

Saturday we met up with a couple from our ward in AZ, Sebrina and CJ, and ate at the Rio buffet. This is the buffet of buffets. I think I ate more food than I do in a whole week. They had chinese, japanese, mexican, bbq, american, italian....the deserts were so good. Anyways it was almost the highlight of my trip!

Afterwards we headed to the BYU vs. SDSU game and cried because it was sad. We lost by a lot and Matt and I snuck off early (shhh. don't tell my dad). Then we drove home.

We had so much fun but I think Vegas is out of my system for at least a few years!

Roosevelt Dam (haha I just saw this and I accidentally wrote Roosevelt Dam because it looks exactly the same haha! Matt warned me but ya know, it's famous and all. So correction: HOOVER DAM)

Matt was very excited to meet Pete Rose.

This dolphin looks evil to me....

I really wanted to go to NY, NY but we didn't have time. I love NY!

Cougs in action!

Jimmer!!!!!!!!!!

Only buffet pic I have. I was too busy eating!

2nd game....no more pics because I was mad haha.

I Do Like To Brag

I'm a bragger....maybe it's annoying but I don't care! I am proud of my Dad! He was in the Wall Street Journal today! Here is his claim to fame paragraph! (Can't you tell how proud I am by all the exclamation points!!!)

Banks Get Back to the People Business

By RUTH SIMON
Wall Street Journal March 7, 2011

Character is making a comeback at your local bank.

As bankers across the U.S. worry less about loans that went bad and more about how to make new loans, some financial institutions are digging much deeper than a potential borrower's credit score or business plan.

Jordan Peterson, a PNC senior vice president, says the questions are helping the Pittsburgh bank make or renew loans that it would have passed up if bankers weren't trying so hard to gauge a borrower's character.

That's all I got....if you want to read the whole article you have to buy a membership to the WSJ web page.

Own Personal Heat Lamp

Matt and I just recently put a lamp in the den because the built in lighting is horrible and I was going blind. Well we began to notice the past couple of days that our cat has been spending a lot of time just sitting under the light and falling asleep. I thought it was so bizarre because she falls asleep sitting up! One day I started petting her and realized her fur was toasty warm! She's using the lamp as her own personal heat lamp! She is smart and I am not!

Top 10 Movies of 2010

Uncle B's list recently came out so that means it's time for my list! (mind you I haven't seen all the movies from 2010)

10. Karate Kid

I've never watched the original all the way through so I didn't have any pre-conceived notions going into this. Every time this movie made it to the #1 position in my netflix queue, I would change it! I wasn't really looking forward to watching this one. Then Friday I noticed that it made it to Instant Play so I gave it a shot. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie! The acting was great and the kung fu scenes kept my interest. ! The next day Matt and I watched the original with Ralph :) and I was impressed with how true the 2010 version was to the original.

9. You Again

Hilarious! Seriously I really liked this one.

8. Inception

Thought about it for days.

7. The A-Team

Entertaining and let's be honest, a movie with Liam Neeson is worth my time ;)

6. Toy Story 3

I cried at the end.

5. Robin Hood

This is and #3 are the only ones Matt and I could agree on. Saw this at the drive-in and fell asleep half way through. Then we rented it and watched the whole thing....it was entertaining. (I didn't fall asleep because it was boring, I fell asleep cause it was like 11pm and I'm old!)

4. Harry Potter

I seriously couldn't believe that 3 hours had gone by so quickly! I loved this movie and can't wait for the last one. HP movies have always honored the books.

3. True Grit

Loved the music and I liked that girls attitude!. The acting was great, however the ending was super depressing and I really would change it if I had the power!

2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid

HILARIOUS and cute. I loved the kids in this movie.

1. How to Train Your Dragon

The music, the story line, the computer animation were all fantastic. I love the soundtrack to this movie. I hear a sequel is in the works.

Honorable Mention: Just Wright. I really like Queen Latifah Movies!

Worst Movie of 2010: Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. I had really high hopes for this one. I mean cats and dogs that talk? I love that. Alas, it was torture.....and I sat through it.

V-Day 2004

Matt painted this for me on our first Valentine's Day together 7 years ago! I have it displayed in my den because I love it so much and I thought I'd share it.

Happy Valentine's Day!

She's Backkkk

Lauren's home!!! After serving for 18 months in the SLC South mission, she flew home today to Philly! Today was a really happy/sad day for me. I felt really sad that I wasn't there when she came riding down the escalator at the airport. I've never been to the airport to pick up a missionary! I guess the oldest child always misses out on a lot of the younger siblings milestones and big events. Pity party :(

On a happier note, I spoke to Lauren tonight and when I asked her how she was feeling she responded that she was stressed! When she got home she went to find a pair of jeans and much to her surprise found most of her clothes gone! A sister who shall not be named took Laurens clothes to college haha. Glad Lauren is adjusting!