Saturday, June 30, 2012

Camping with Cows

It's almost July and in the thick of Lousiana summer. Hot and muggy. And who decides to go camping? This girl.

Friday, after work, I drove out to Slaughter to go camping on the Brian's land. It was such a beautiful drive - country roads and cranked up country music. Perfection. Sydney, Camille, Sarah, Becca and I braved the heat for a one night camping trip.We had so much fun and ate way too much yummy food. We ate HUGE pieces of watermelon, then made scrumptious foil dinners. Seriously one of my favorite meals ever. For dessert we made homemade ice cream and dump cake (cake in a dutch oven with all kinds of yummy berries and fruit). I think we all ate so much we were about to burst.

After our feast, we sat around the fire talking and laughing. We were right by this little creek and it was very picturesque. Well, except for the smell of cow manure. Did I mention that we were in a cow field? I didn't actually SEE any cows, but I heard  them and I sure smelled them. We were dodging cow patties all evening. Anyway, we were sitting around the campfire when Riley and Sam tried to scare us. We suspected someone would try to get us, so they didn't really scare us. Riley had a deer call or something, and although I think it was supposed to scare us, mostly it just gave us warning that they were there. Then Sam came out in a ghillie suit, which probably would have scared the bejeebies out of me if we hadn't been tipped off by the deer call.

Eventually we crawled into the tent to go to sleep (around 1:30-2:00 a.m.). Not long after (around 3:00 a.m.) my bladder was about to burst. How annoying. So I crawled back out of the tent, avoiding cow patties, and ventured off to relieve myself. I'm not a fan of peeing outside. I am very thankful for plumbing. Indoor plumbing.

In the morning we packed up camp and went to Camille's house for breakfast. We had such a good time. I wish I could remember even half of the funny things that were said. Such a blast. A very, very hot blast.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

The Happiest Place on Earth

No, not Disney. The REAL happiest place on earth: the temple. I am so blessed to live so near a temple. It is such a blessing. I love the Provo temple, but there's something special about doing baptisms at the Baton Rouge temple where baptisms don't happen so often. I just love going to the temple. It makes my heart happy.

One of the Elders from American Samoa was there tonight and I loved the way he made all the names (including mine!) sound so exotic.

On the way to the temple I listened to this song:
Virtue by Jenny Phillips on Grooveshark
One line that really stuck out to me was I didn't come to earth to compromise, I came here to hold up my light.

In what areas of my life am I compromising? I'm on a mission to find those areas and stop compromising. Because I didn't come to here to compromise.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Little Lisa

Yesterday my mom asked me what I would tell "little Lisa" if I could talk to her. What would I play with her? What would I teach her? It was strange (and a bit difficult) to mesh my "little Lisa" and "big Lisa" brains. I know "little Lisa" would want to play Barbies. Lots of Barbies. And there would be so much I'd want her to know. So many things I'd want to prepare her for. Obviously I can't go back in time and play with "little Lisa", but I thought I might be able to bring a little bit of my little self to my blog. MEET LITTLE LISA:


The Best Day by Taylor Swift on Grooveshark

Friday, June 22, 2012

Status Update

I don't "tweet" and some things just shouldn't be as public as a facebook status update, but I would like to share some breaking news: I just unfriended my 6th grade crush on facebook. It was nothing personal, I was just cleaning out my friend list. Oh the memories that flooded my mind when I clicked "unfriend"....the time he smiled at me and did the pointing thing where your fingers make guns, the time I took a million creeper pictures of him on a field trip, the time we talked at car pool(probably the only time I even almost sort of kind of had a conversation with him), the time I followed him home from school....Oh junior high. Then I had to avoid him like the plague in high school because I realized what a creep I had been. So I was a freak in sixth grade. It happens.

Alaska

Do you ever get a fabulous idea and it just won't leave your head? It's a wonderful thing. Yesterday when I was talking to Josh I decided that I am going to visit him in Alaska. He'll probably be there for about three years, so this trip must take place within that time period. He told me I was welcome to come and stay with him. He even said he'd feed me. I just have to get there.




Let the saving begin.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

People > Yoga

I've become a little obsessed with yoga. I just love it. It feels so good. I've been doing it every day, but today I just didn't have time. After work I came home, ate dinner, had a video chat with Megan and Chase, took a bath, and then (right when I was about to fo my yoga) Josh called. He's in Utah! I'm so jealous. Of course, he's just driving through so I guess I'm not that  jealous. We talked for a longgg time. I guess he's worth it. New goal: save up money to go to Alaska to visit him sometime in the next 3 years. Anyway, after talking to Josh it was time to watch Dad and I's tv shows. So yes, I missed doing yoga tonight. But I got to talk to some of my favorite people. WORTH IT.


...besides, maybe I can still do yoga before bed :)

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Da Weekend

This weekend has been quite spectacular. I spent Friday night with the Howard girls (three beautiful little girls that I have been babysitting since before the youngest was even born...and now she's a big kindergartener! Well, first grader now I suppose since school is out - CRAZY!) It was so fun to catch up with them and see how much they've grown. They are seriously the best kids ever. Love them. I was having so much fun with them that we may have stayed up a little...or a lot....past bedtime. Worth it.

Saturday morning I went to the temple with the Baton Rouge and New Orleans stakes YSAs. Then I went home and went into a sugar coma eating homemade cinnamon rolls as big as my head. Ridiculous. So delicious, but seriously coma-inducing. I took a nice long nap.

Today I taught the 6-7 year olds primary class. They are so much fun! I probably enjoyed singing time and sharing time just as much or more than they did - oh, how I've missed "popcorn popping". The most hilarious thing said in sharing time: so this little boy was drawing a picture of his family and he (accidentally I'm sure) left out one of his brothers (who also happened to be in primary). One of the leaders pointed it out and the boy said "This is my eternal family" haha, it was so hard not to laugh. *Note: he did add his brother into the picture later.

I was amazed how well my class behaved. Overall, I think it was a successful day. They seemed to have fun, learn, and even taught me a thing or two! I can't wait to go back next week :)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

He Knows

Just a quick couple of thoughts...

My cousin Melissa posted a link to this Time Out for Women blog post and I just loved it. It was written by a mommy who was having a hard time letting her baby cry it out at night. She then compared it to how Heavenly Father sometimes lets us "cry it out" and doesn't immediately rush to solve our problems--because He knows what is best for us.


Sometimes God doesn't give you what you think you want.
Not because you don't deserve it,
But because you deserve more.
-Pinterest
(Yes, I realize pinterest didn't really write that, but I didn't know who else to credit)


I Am His Daughter by Nicole Sheahan on Grooveshark

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Monday

I needed to go up in the attic to get a closed file. **side note: the air conditioning has not been working as well as it normally does** At the top of the ladder-thing to the attic, I saw crashed boxes with files everywhere. And a broken air conditioner pipe/tube thing-a-ma-gig. Lovely. Due to the obvious danger hazard (and the extreme importance of my life) I did not go up in the attic. I called the air conditioning people and the air conditioner is now working (too well in my opinion - I'm freezing!!!)

Tuesday

I learned that you can sort of  put a price on love. Legally, that is. Or maybe it's more like putting a price on attention, but I'm pretty sure attention is my "love language" so it's BASICALLY the same thing. I'm probably interpretting it all wrong, but check out this new term I learned:

con·sor·ti·um

[kuhn-sawr-shee-uhm, -tee-] 
noun, plural con·sor·ti·a [-shee-uh, -tee-uh] 
1. a combination of financial institutions, capitalists, etc., for carrying into effect some financial operation requiring large resources of capital.
2. any association, partnership, or union.
3. Law . the legal right of husband and wife to companionship and conjugal intercourse with each other: In a wrongful death action the surviving spouse commonly seeks damages for loss of consortium.
Check out number 3--the law definition. Crazy, huh? Money can't buy love, but if you lose that companionship you can sure seek money to soften the blow. Interesting. I kind of like knowing that the legal system recognizes how important it is to be cuddled. I mean, I don't think money would really help if my future hubby was in an accident and could no longer cuddle  me, but it's nice that they care enough to at least try to help out.
Wednesday
Short people problems. Today I was reminded just how vertically challenged I am. With the attic fiasco from Monday all taken care of, it was time to finally venture into the attic. In order to open the attic, I had to get the step ladder to reach for the string to pull down the attic ladder. A ladder to reach a ladder...okay. I then had to try to unfold the attic ladder (which was still much too high for me to reach). Eventually I got the ladder down (not very gracefully, I might add) and retrieved the needed file from the attic. The best part? Trying to close the attic. If watching me fold up the attic ladder wasn't entertainment enough, you should have seen me trying to close the attic door. Don't those things normally snap back up with a little push? Well, not ours. I stood on the step ladder and pushed it was far as it would go, but I couldn't get it to close! I finally resorted to pushing it closed with the broom.  Gotta love the view of the world from 5'2. 

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Well played, Louisiana, well played

I know I should be thankful for the rain. Without it, Louisiana would be even more unbearably hot. But it seems like everyday this week (and according to the woman at the post office, it will continue all through next week) it starts storming exactly when it's time to leave work - which means I have to go outside in the rain.


By the time I got home, it was pouring. I parked the car and grabbed my umbrella. Due to the wind, the umbrella was pretty useless. The rain just blew up under the umbrella. Oh well. I was wearing new shoes, and I didn't want them to get ruined as I swam across the river (aka the street that floods when it rains). I was about to cross over to the building we live in when a very rude car sped by. Evidently they don't know the "pedestrains always have the right of way" rule - which rule is especially true when said pedestrian is standing in the pouring rain and you are sitting, dry, in your car. Not only did they not let me cross first, but they didn't even slow down. In fact, I think they sped up - spraying water everywhere! But, ha ha I jumped back in time to avoid being soaked with your rudeness.

Sincerely,
I have to park in visitor's parking

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Vulnerable

I don't like to cry in public. I don't like doctors. I talk nonstop, but there are certain things (LOTS of certain things) that I tell very few people. Like who I might have a crush on, for example. Okay, so that one was kind of blown last semester and a bunch of people found out, but usually that's pretty top secret information. As open as people may think I am, I'm really not. In fact, if you knew me really well you'd probably be quite surprised by how many people who think they know me don't know me at all. You might think I'm outgoing, but if you asked my mom she would tell you I'm actually shy. I think one thing I've learned I'm learning as I venture out into the world of independence is accepting my vulnerabilities.

I crave perfection. I cried when I accidentally ran my first red light. I bawled like a baby when I broke a big yellow bowl that my dad had had since before he and my mom got married - and the bowl had absolutely no sentimental value. My mom even made a celebration out of me getting my first F on a test. Looking back, I think she was just trying to distract me so my perfectionist self wouldn't have a complete breakdown. Although perfection is a worthy aspiration - in my opinion it is what we should all be striving for - sometimes our focus on becoming perfect makes us feel unworthy. Unworthy of friendship. Unworthy of love. Unworthy of...well, just about anything.

Before you freak out and worry about my emotional well-being, I'm all good. Don't fret. This post is inspired by an afternoon alone in the office watching Ted Talks. Most of them were "ehh", a few were interesting, but one in particular captured my attention. So much so that I took notes. Brene Brown delivered a message called The Power of Vulnerability. It's just over 20 minutes long, but totally worth the time spent.

Mrs. Brown...Dr. Brown? studies human connection. Our ability to relate to one another. Our ability to feel loved. I don't know of a single person who likes to feel vulnerable. It's a terrible icky feeling, isn't it? But don't we all feel vulnerable at times? Dr. Brown explained what she found to be the difference between those that feel connected and those that struggle to feel connections. In order to feel those connections that we all so deeply desire, we must embrace our vulnerabilities. We aren't perfect, and we have to embrace it! It's okay that I ran that red light, it was an accident. It's okay that I dropped the yellow bowl. It's okay that I've gotten bad test grades. It's okay that I've messed up. I'm not perfect.

Your vulnerabilities are what make you beautiful, and they are completely necessary. Be willing to say I love you first. Do something where there are no guarantees. Invest in a relationship that may or may not work out. You never know until you try, right? In my experience, it's worth it: even when things don't work out. Are there days when I feel like my relationship with my ex was a total waste of time and I wish it never happened? Yeap. But there are more days that I realize how much that experience taught me. How much I am who I am because of things I experienced. In the video that spurred this whole rant, Dr. Brown points out that we can't selectively numb our emotions. If you numb the sadness, the pain, the hurt...all the bad stuff, then you also numb the JOY, the happiness, the love...all the good stuff. We're always trying to get rid of the bad, but sometimes we just need to embrace it. It's okay to be sad (a lesson Megan taught me repeatedly this year).

We're always trying to perfect everything. I loved the part of the video where Dr. Brown talks about becoming a parent. She says it isn't a parent's job to perfect their child. It is their job to show the child that he or she is worthy of their love despite his or her imperfections.

Being imperfect takes guts. Admitting that you're imperfect isn't fun, nor is it always easy. Dr. Brown encourages people to have the courage to be imperfect. She defined the original meaning of courage, the meaning it had from when it was first added to the English language: telling the story of who you are with your whole heart. Don't you just love that?! I want to be courageous. I want to tell my story. And in small ways, this blog has enabled me to do just that.

Have the courage to be imperfect.
Have compassion for yourself - and others.
Let go of who you think you should be, and allow yourself to be who you are.
Embrace vulnerability.
Let yourself be seen deeply.
Love with your whole heart.
Practice gratitude and joy.
Believe you are enough...because you are.



Sunday, June 3, 2012

I'm NOT Fishing

Today was stake conference. We had a lot of wonderful talks focused on the temple. President Tolbert talked about filling the measure of our creation. For example, a gallon of milk container was created to hold a gallon of milk. So a gallon of milk is the measure of its creation. We were created for perfection. It's a big goal, but with Christ we can do it.

After the meeting was over Brother Gomez fussed at me for not going to single's ward. He said I'm never going to catch a fish if I don't go fishing. I told him I'm not looking for a fish. We went over to the Gomez's for dinner tonight...we had fish.

Beach Bums



Highlights from this weekends beach trip:


sandy white beaches


burying Livia


Livia getting stuck...she didn't exactly like that



watching the sunset...and the sunrise



























Mom reading Alcoholics Anonymous on the beach

me reading a book called Matched - it reminds me a lot of The Hunger Games

the black man who was wearing brown swimming trunks...he looked naked

attempting to build a sandcastle

people watching on the beach

jamming out in the car

considering photo bombing the wedding on the beach

boogie boarding

Such a wonderful weekend. And I came back without a sunburn! ...But I did get a heat rash.






Happy Mother's Day to Me, a Plant Mom

I really love my plant babies. I didn't know how much I would enjoy being a plant mom. In the past, I've basically killed e...