I'M IN LOVE, I'M IN LOVE, AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!

Today I finally met my true love. I think I am going to take him home with me to meet ma and pa. Should he choose to become apart our (my) immediate family I will give him a name, I guess you could consider it as a "pet name". It's Herman. I love him so much, so much that I'd even let him sleep with me in my room. Not in the same bed however, he has different needs such as sleeping with the light on. (never understood how he does that.) Anyways I met him today at PETCO, just happened to run into him on my way to look at the reptiles. I took a few pictures so you guys can get the same visual I'm getting...

I'm torn, I am so in love, but Herman just has a steep list of demands. He's a pricey little fetcher. What do you think, should I make him a permanent part of my life?

LOL

Visiting Teaching?

I made these cute little cards you can easily print out.
Attach to a plate of treats and it'd be an easy way to do your visiting teaching :)

If you are interested in having something custom designed, let me know!

Little Chats

Holy Moses, I am stunned and amazed at how often Heavenly Father prepares you in advance for certain moments in life. I am enrolled in institute currently (Women in the Scriptures) and it's awesome. Regardless of my lack of time, I am so glad I chose to take Institute. The way I listen best in class is by doodling, so, I always take my sketchbook to class with me and while I doodle I make notes of things that stick out to me. Today I was blessed to have a really important conversation with my brother Oliver, one that has the potential to be life changing. As the four of us were talking (parental advisors included) I was prompted to pull out my sketchbook. Unaware of the golden thoughts it obtained, I found the answer I felt I needed to share. It was a reminder to all of us, especially myself. Sometimes we get so caught up in the business of life we forget what is really important. (Thank you Alysha for posting that talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf "Of Things That Matter Most.") Since I know you are all dying to know what the golden thought was, I'll reveal the secret to happiness. It was a big, bold P.T.L.F. Put The Lord First. Do this in your life and I promise Heavenly Father will bless you in whatever it is you need help with. :)

I is a big kid now?

I learned how to pop-lock-and-drop-it today. Definitely going to put that on my resume.

LOLer.

Bad News. REALLY BAD NEWS!

Found out some bad news. As you can see by the time of this post it's pretty late. Let me tell you why I'm still awake. Since I am an athlete at UVU we get priority registration so we can work our schedules around practice as much as is permitted. Moving right along, I had my schedule all ready to go, as priority registration begins at 12:01 AM, you have to be ready or else you can't get the classes you need at the times you need them and then life is just a lot harder than it needs to be. Anyway all my classes worked except one, the one and only dreaded class that came straight from the depths of hell. You got it, MATH! Since I took 1010 already I thought I would be able to register for the next one I need for my major which is 1030 (got to love being an art major). HOWEVER (this is where the bad news comes in) when I tried to register for 1030 it wouldn't let me, I was so confused so I read over the requirements, you had to pass 1010 with a C or higher. NBD, I went back to check what I got in 1010... C-. I just want to die. If I could even begin to tell you how hard math 1010 was for me you would just be sick for me. I honestly could cry right now. I put so much work in that class for a lousy C- (not my proudest moment of college but hey you do what you can right?) I can truly say that C- was the best I could do. So here we go again. Ah, someone stab me PLEASE!

Happy Halloween

This is new, but for once in my life I have no idea what to say...

I guess that's a lie because I do have something to say, I'm hungry.

Maybe I should have rephrased that to "I have nothing worthwhile to say today."

I hope you guys have a Marvy Harvy Halloween!

Bristol Board, Acrylic Paint,
Paintbrushes, Paper Towels,
5 Straws,  Cup of Water.

Deep Meaning

Sweet Disposition
By: Temper Trap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C8e7nNLZNs&ob=av2e

Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
By: U2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuDqHtAR6L8

Look what I made MOM!

It's an H. 
It's 3Dimensional. 
I made it in Illustrator.
 The rest of my name to come.
 I love my major.

The DIRTY DASH!

Yes it's backwards I know, for those of you that won't put your computer in front of a mirror...lazy. (LOL) It says, "The Evolution of Running" because as all of you know we evolved from pigs, duh. I don't know who came up with monkeys...

Excited to say the least!

Suuuunday.

Relief Society President is my name, and Visiting Teaching is my game!

Let me just say how much I love this calling. It's funny how Heavenly Father ALWAYS knows what we need, exactly when we need it, when we are most qualified for it, and when we can learn the most from it.

Visiting Teaching has been my main focus since I've been called as Relief Society President and let me tell you, IT'S HARD! This summer we had close to 200 women in our ward. Now let's double that and make sure each one is visited/taught and each one visits/teaches. It's around 400 different assignments. However I think the getting the women to visit is the hardest part. Okay enough whining, it's just rough.

So the boundaries in my ward changed at the beginning of the summer thus resulting in a down pour of records filtering into our membership bank. As the summer has gone by it has been my goal to know the faces so I can be the best Relief Society President I can, but the only way I can get to know them is if they come. We have close to 20 girls that have never come to the ward so I decided I wanted to do some knocking. I know this sounds pushy but honestly it's the only resource we have when there is no phone number, e-mail, or anything other than address.

I really learned about missionary work today, let me tell you. There were 4 of us; my second counselor, secretary, and visiting teaching coordinator. When we approached the door we first wanted to make sure the girls were really living there, second we wanted to invite them to come to church (since we'd never seen most of them in the first place), and third if they seemed willing to extend a visiting teaching assignment to them. I feel like a lot of girls don't come because they don't feel welcome or because they feel inadequate. What better way to make someone feel loved and needed than to give them a calling where they are needed and where they have the opportunity to love and serve. (Sometimes I forget not everyone is as "EXCITED" about church stuff as I am haha.) 

THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF IF YOU WANT TO READ SUBSTANCE.

So after visiting some sisters and having close to no luck we came across a place I now refer to as... "The forsaken house." (This is meant to be a joke, feel free to laugh.) My second counselor and I approached the door, our hearts beating rapidly because it's scary to invite people back to church, especially when some of them haven't been in years. She knocked, and I rang the doorbell AND THEN... we waited. Footsteps softly thumped on the floor behind the doors when the door opened. A man in a hawaiian shirt, brown shorts, and sandals with socks stood in front of us with a look of sheer curiosity. "Can I help you?" He said, with eyebrows raised. "Yes." I said with nerves racking my pitiful 19 year old brain. "We are looking for _______, is she at home?" "I don't know, let me see..." He said, with what I recall to be a small smirk. (Maybe I imagined it, but I'm pretty sure I didn't.) He disappeared behind the door and shortly after a girl in a short tube top dress and long brown hair filled his place. "Yeah?" she said, as if the words were a mouthful of toxic waste. "Hi!"My enthusiastic counselor burst out. "I'm your visiting teaching companion, and I was just wondering if you'd like to go visit our girls sometime. I also haven't seen you at church yet so I'd like to extend an invitation to you to come to our ward." The look in this girls eyes told me everything I needed to know. "I don't know WHY you people keep coming to my house! I've told you before, I WANT MY RECORDS REMOVED! I have no idea why you think I'd want a calling! I don't want to be apart of this!" The smile I'd worn a few short seconds before now vanished into the hole in my head I used to call my mouth. With a quick glance of horror to my counselor I proceeded to state the obvious stupid answer. (how it sounded in my head.) "So duh, you want us to uh... remove your duh... records from the church duh?" (how it really sounded) "So would you like us to tell them to remove your records from our ward." "Yeah." She spat back. "Alright we can do that, sorry to have bothered you." "Whatever." *SLAM*

This was probably one of the hardest things I've ever experienced in my life. I can only appreciate the missionaries THAT much more. Needless to say I shed a few tears. It breaks my heart to see one of God's children shun the gospel with such hatred. To be uninterested I can understand but to flat out hate it and it's affiliates makes me so sad. Regardless of this sisters behavior, I can only pray for her and hope over time her heart is softened. It makes me want to live better so I know I never give anyone a reason to hate this church.

Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been the best thing to ever happen in my life. I love the teachings, although my understanding is inadequate. I know that the things we learn are only here to help us, not hinder us. I am so grateful that I have been so blessed and that Heavenly Father trust me enough to care for his children, I only hope I can do better. I am proud to be a member of the LDS church, I know that my Savior, Jesus Christ, and that he loves us. He does all he can to help us, but he can only bless us when we are living correct gospel principles. A quote I heard in Seminary once that has stuck with me all these years is "The Savior is only as far from you as your knees are to the floor."

I wasn't planning on this post being a novel, but apparently my mind had other ideas. I wanted the readers of my blog to know I have a testimony of this church. I never thought I'd post all this here but I feel like it's important to know that the things you do can truly make a difference.

I also wanted to post a video that touches my life every time I watch it. I hope it will touch your hearts, and that you will remember who you are and what you stand for, at all times, and in all things, and in all places. Thanks for reading my blog, I know it's not always the most interesting and that you guys already live these principles, but it's nice to know I'm not alone and that there are other people striving for the same things I am. To bring Christ's sheep back to the fold. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTpwIYxku6s

Happy Sunday! 

Head-ache.

I can't seem to rid myself of the unpleasant company of headaches. I'm to the point where I don't even want to get out of bed they are so painful. Any advice (other than meds) would be much appreciated. I've tried advil, ibuprofen, excedrin, etc. It all seems to be temporary relief, nothing really keeps them away for longer than a few hours to a day. I've also tried drinking more water and regular exercise, that doesn't seem to be helping either... Anybody, anybody?

Construction.

Periodically I get sick of the appearance of my blog. So like the rest of Utah, my blog is under construction.

2 Years.

He is finally home.

After two long years (that have felt like an eternity on our end) my oldest brother Oliver has honorably returned from serving his God in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Spanish speaking.

We left for the airport around 12:45, and we picked up our precious cargo from the air port around 1:45.

I didn't anticipate the tears (especially considering no one else in my family cried... not even my mom) but nevertheless they made their appearance. I didn't realize how much I have missed my brother until today. That small empty hole in my heart that was always there no matter what I filled it with, finally feels whole again. My family is finally 100% here! There isn't going to be an empty seat at the dinner table, or an extra seat in the car, not even empty family prayers.

I love my brother Oliver.

At 5:00 we went to the Stake Center so Oliver could be released as a full-time missionary. He was given an opportunity to visit with the Stake President first, then we were allowed in. Shortly after Oliver was asked to bear his testimony to my family. I'll tell you something about Oliver, before he left on his mission he was a very hard person. He lived behind steel walls, and didn't like to show his emotions. Ever. The moment I experienced only 30 minutes ago, is one I can promise I will never forget. The spirit was so strong in that room and emotions were definitely high. It meant a lot to hear his thoughts about a mission, especially when the Stake President told him he could take off his name-tag when he got home. That almost made me cry. Okay, I did cry.

It was really meaningful to hear Oliver's testimony. That's something I didn't know if I would ever hear so freely but today has truly been a day of learning. The thing that hit me the hardest was when he referred to the people of his mission. The people who were doing things wrong and weren't changing, how hard it is for him to see people struggle and know that if they would only turn to the gospel they could have someone there to walk through their trials with them, the Savior.

I am so proud of Oliver, he has done something incredible that not everyone can claim to have done. Sacrificing two years of their life in the service of their church, family, God, Savior, the list goes on. Not only is Oliver the first in our immediate family, but he is the first grandchild on both sides of my family to serve a full time honorable mission. Not to mention there are over 40 kids on my dad's side of the family. I can't begin to express what an impact that has made on everyone, extended and immediate. What an example he has set for the future generations.

Now that I've spent my blabbering, I'll add some pictures.

Elliott and I waiting patiently on the drive to the Airport.

The Mom waiting patiently on the drive to the airport.

Jane waiting patiently on the drive to the airport.

Myself, Jane, Dad, and Elliott with our balloons and sign,
not to mention five other missionary families doing the same.

Dad with Elder Groom.

My Brother and Best Friend, Oliver.

Jane and Oliver.

Mom and Oliver.

The children reunited once again, free
the wreak havoc where'ere we please.

My Brother.

Already into the latest and greatest technology.

The famous "Welcome Home Elder" poster.

Mom and Dad with the fruits of their labors.

Ed Stevens

I was just chatting away with my ward's clerk on sunday when he said something really funny. We were talking about people and things they go through, how some people are really busy and don't do their home/visiting teaching, just those kinds of things. Then all of the sudden he stops talking and looks right at me and says "You know Hannah, don't sweat the petty things... but then again, don't pet the sweaty things either." I laughed out loud as he looked at me intently and I watched as a small smile slipped onto his face. Some people are just great.

Pitiful Post

I didn't know anything could possibly hurt THIS BAD! How long does it last?! Doesn't the pain go away after a couple days? It makes me wonder why I ever let my guard down in the first place, how I could be so stupid as to give in to my emotions? Then I remember that it's because this was one of the happiest times in my life. As someone, I'm sure is famous, has said, "It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all." This is probably right, But then why do I still feel like I need a big sparkly band-aid for my heart?

"When I Fall" Barenaked Ladies.

Cherry Stem

35 seconds. I feel cool.

Peeling

IT HAS HAPPENED, FINALLY! I am peeling. After giving myself an incredibly terrible sunburn, and nearly passing on to the next life due to pain... (okay not really that bad, but pretty darn.) I am shedding my scales or skin, whichever you have. The average human wouldn't enjoy this rather unsettling procedure, but it has alleviated quite a bit discomfort.

Just thought I'd share.

Falling

Fabulous song, the link is just so you can listen to the song so disregard the You tube pic.

Ben Kweller

"Falling"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOGa0bT0PBA

Ben Kweller Himself.

Tangled.

My younger sister is going to Girl's Camp this coming week. She is a YCL and the theme of her cabin is "Tangled", as the theme of Camp is "I Believe My Happily Ever After Is Up To Me." So the fellow cabin-mate YCL's unrolled an entire giant spool of yarn and divided it up only to braid the entire thing. Incredibly creative idea but a lot of work. I made some quite witty puns during the process.

1- Looks like you guys are quite "Tangled."

2- Are you at the "end of your rope?" 

3- That does "knot" look fun.

I'm hilarious, I know. ;)