memory

I have a little piece of paper that I keep in my scriptures.
It is a meal order ticket from the restaurant where I had my first job.
On this ticket is a list I made for myself while I was at work one day.

These are the things I was working on when I was 15:

"No gossping
No complaining
No whining
Take focus off boys
Do Personal Progress and seminary make-ups
Don't be vain
Have charity
Be honest
Don't be mean--even in joking
Don't freak out or be uptight
Don't make people feel stupid
Don't skip class
Work hard
Study by learning and faith
Don't throw fits when I have to clean up the bathroom after Chels"

Oregon

Thursday...

...morning: Seth, my mom, and I leave at 6 a.m. to drive to Oregon.

...afternoon: We have to take a detour through Nevada; a section of I-15 was closed because of the hurricane winds. It adds 2 1/2 hours onto our trip.

...night: We drop my mom off in Portland at 8 pm, and we drive on to Seth's friend Justin's house in Estacada.

Friday...

...morning: Seth and Justin go golfing. I stay in bed reading and take my time getting ready.

...afternoon: Seth shows me around Estacada, the town he grew up in.

Seth's family first lived in the tiny little house in the back while the house in the front was being built.

This is the road going to down to the house. It's the perfect picture of Oregon :)

This is the other house Seth lived in with his family. His dad built it.

We drive to Welches so I can show him where I grew up.

This is the first house we lived in when we moved to Welches. My mom planted those huge trees in front.

 

(There are basically no pictures of the rest of the trip, which included visiting 5 more houses in Welches I lived in . So I'm a failure as a wife and a blogger. Sue me.)

...evening: We drive up to Sandy when Mason (my brother) gets off work, and Seth meets Mason for the first time.

Saturday...

...morning: Seth and Justin go golfing again.

...afternoon: We meet up with some of my mom's family for brunch in Gresham.

...evening: We go to my grandpa's house in Portland to have dinner with my dad's family.

Sunday...

...morning: We go to my grandma's memorial. I sing in a duet.

...afternoon: We have lunch with my dad's family.

 



...evening: We go to a white elephant Christmas party with my mom's family.

...late evening: We decide to start the drive back home then instead of in the morning.

recently

I had unloaded some groceries from the back of the truck, but I forgot about the two gallons of milk. I also forgot that the tailgate was still down. By the time I got home from work later, I only had one gallon of milk...

***

My mom and I went to yet another women's expo: coupons for free admission, free lip gloss, free facial spray-on tan, free $5 gift card to Target and another to Walmart, sunglasses for $10, shirt for $10, all the Mod Bod shirts we could fit in a little bag (5 shirts and 2 cardigans :) for $20, and "friendship earrings" from Mom (it's a tradition that she buys two of something at every expo, calls them "friendship earrings (or bracelets, rings, etc.)," and gives them to me and Chelsea).

***

There was a book sale at the library and I came home with these all for $3:

Lisey's Story is a hardcover and Stern Men and The Girl in the Green Raincoat are in brand new condition!

weekends we loved

March 4

 

Seth, his dad, and I went to Arizona for Seth's sister's baby's blessing.

His grandma taught me how to cook enchiladas.

Seth told me for the first time that he loves me :)

April 8


Dad came to Utah to celebrate Brynlee's first birthday.

He met Seth for the first time.

We all went to the driving range.

Dad's car broke down on his way home to Vegas, so he left it in a shop in Nephi and drove Chelsea and Trent's second car back home.




April 15


Seth and I drove Dad's car back to Vegas for him after it got fixed in Utah.

We explored the strip for Seth's first time (four hours and only 3 casinos!).

We met Dad's girlfriend, Janice.

We drove Chelsea and Trent's car back to Utah for them.

think about:

"God has designed this mortal existence 

to require nearly constant exertion."

 Elder D. Todd Christofferson

of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"Reflections on a Consecrated Life"

General Conference, October 2010