Audge-Podge's Adventure

Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!

2011-12-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

Another year has come and gone! I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season with your loved ones near by. The past year has been quite the time for me: traveled to Canada, Florida and Utah a few times, have tried new food and seen new places in the City I love, worked hard and had fun. My greatest joy has been spending time with my amazing boyfriend, Hedrick. He is funny, smart, adventurous and a great strength in my life. We spend time cooking, watching our favorite shows on tv, going out on the town, hanging out with his family and taking our dog, Logan, to the park. The 2012-year has great things in store, I will be starting classes for Graphic Design, retiring from the nanny field and looking forward to what the future holds. Hedrick will be continuing his work for Johnson & Johnson, hopes to do some more traveling and enjoy more down time with his family and friends. We wish you all well this holiday season and hope all your dreams can be accomplished in the New Year to come.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Audrey Jensen & Hedrick Alvizures

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2011-11-24T14:16:00.001-08:00

Top Left to Right: Alex(Hedrick's brother) and Hedrick

Bottom Left to Right: Jonna (Alex's girlfriend) and Me

I Am Thankful For:

The gift of life

My parents that raised me through thick and thin

My loving grandparents, especially my grandmas PB&J

The open air that I grew up in

My friends, that I could laugh with, cry with and have fun with

My schooling

The places I have seen

The things I have learned from my travels

The pillow I can rest my head on

The clothes on my back and the shoes to protect my feet

The man that holds my hand and cares for me

I wish you all well!

Just a picture

2011-11-04T07:24:00.000-07:00

Photography class

2011-09-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to take a photography class in NYC. It was so great to meet new people and experience NYC outside of a tourist view. I felt like a NYer. I attended this class at High Line Park, it was beautiful. High Line Park was a train line that was elevated high above the streets. It has been out of use for a long time but was not torn down. Instead of tearing it down they turned it into a park. Sidewalks, nature and the city view, amazing! It was great and I look forward to taking more and more classes.

Here are some of my favorite pictures:

2011-09-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hedrick and I at his birthday dinner. It was nice to go out with his family. The cafe is getting more and more business. I have started a new position and looking to find my career. Life is moving along. Sorry this is short but I thought a check in would be nice.

I miss you all!

FLORIDA

2011-08-05T06:50:00.001-07:00

If you had asked me two weeks ago where I was going to be in August...Floirda would not have been in my plans. But things work out in mysterious and surprising ways. A family that I worked for previously in California offered me some work/vacation time with them in Florida. At first I hesitated, FLORIDA IS SOOOO HUMID!

But now was the time to take the opportunity to go some where new, again.

So I boarded the plan at 6 am Monday morning and I am enjoying it here in Florida.

I am not your usual tourist, in that I don't enjoy the BIG things of Florida.

I went to the beach and want to go to a few little Florida places and that will be my trip.

I am just happy seeing the kids and relaxing. I LOVE THESE KIDS!

I can't complain

2011-07-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

The past few months have been pretty busy. I have been helping Hedrick open his Cafe. A cafe that serves Authentic Central American Cuisine.It has been quite a learning experience for me. I have learned what goes into opening a business: permits, a plumber, a carpenter, people to install alarms, hard labor on your own part and more. But the Cafe is up and running now and we can enjoy our hard work being admired by those that come in.

Our first day was slow but the second day picked up like a spark on a dry grass field. We have had a customer every hour if not more. It has been amazing to see the people come in and enjoy their meals. We are enjoying getting started! There is still more to learn; as we go through the day we are reminded of the things that we need to get or how we can do things differently.

On top of helping Hedrick open the Cafe and be his support, I get to learn how to make some of the dishes that we serve. So far I have learned how to make handmade tortillas and chuchitos. I have been able to learn all of these things from his mother which is a great experience. She says everything in spanish knowing I only know a little. But I am learning more and more. She gets on me for not talking. Apparently, I am doing well with my spanish and cooking.

I WILL...FOR HER!

2011-07-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

Brittney Nicole Knouf

May 18, 1990 - July 18, 2011

I WILL RUN FOR HER!

I WILL SMILE FOR HER!

I WILL CELEBRATE FOR HER!

I WILL ENJOY LIFE FOR HER!

I WILL CHERISH FRIENDSHIPS FOR HER!

I WILL DANCE FOR HER!

I WILL HAVE FUN FOR HER!

I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HER FOREVER!

We love you and miss you, Britt!

She is wonderful

2011-07-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

I lost a best friend today

She was beautiful

She was kind

She was loving

She was funny

She was smart

She cared for so many

She liked to have a good time

She meant so much to me and my life

I will love her and cherish our memories.

I love you Brittney Knouf

SUMMER...WHERE IS IT?!

2011-06-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

I wish my attitude was this positive when the East coast has been hit with storm after storm at the start of our summer. I think my family and friends on the West coast are getting better weather. That is a first!

22 years

2011-06-08T08:26:00.001-07:00

I have made it to my 22nd birthday! Not usually noted as a milestone birthday but I would like to mark it as such.

In my 22 years:

I have graduated preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high school

I have made friends and lost friends

I have been swallowed up by hard trials and held onto the branch to pull myself out of those trials

I have lived on my own

I have lived in different parts of the US and make plans to go outside the US

I have learned SO many things that I cherish those who have taught me

I have had bad relationships and currently love the one I am in

I have certainly lived my life to its fullest and look forward to living many more.

I will remember

2011-05-02T12:15:00.001-07:00

Her smile that went ear to ear

Her stories

Watching CSI with her

Preparing her favorite: Toast with Tofu spread

Her gasping laugh that made me laugh even more

Seeing her everyday after school while she lived with us

Spending my dinner time feeding her

Giving her a hard time when she would bit my finger..she felt so bad but we would both laugh

Being able to get to know her and learn from her strength from dealing with MS

Tears of sadness have been shed because she is no longer with us

Tears of happiness have been shed because she is no longer suffering

I will always love you, Aunt Deb

I am truly happy

2011-04-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

As I was sitting at my computer...on Facebook looking at updates and pictures I had a thought come to my mind...I am truly happy. I am in the state that I want to be, I am working in a position that I do well in and I have a wonderful boyfriend.

:New York:

I know that New York is not for everyone but I have been able to enjoy it. It is fun to catch the train into the city and just go anywhere. Do you want to go to Italy? Ok, catch the subway to Little Italy. How about Chinatown? Just a few streets over from Little Italy. Central park is amazing in all the seasons. It is a great place to escape with my camera. It is REALLY hard to be so FAR away from my family and friends. They all mean so much to me! Some of my friends have had a real hard time with me leaving but they see that I am happy here.

Thank you! I MISS EVERYONE SO MUCH!

:Nanny:

As many of you know, I have always enjoyed working with children. I grew up in a large family, took child development classes in high school and college and I have had MANY babysitting jobs. It is amazing to see their little faces light up when they learn or see something new. The ideas they have for games are very intriguing. They give me a great work out! They have good days and bad days but when they cuddle up with you on the couch it makes everything ok. Leaving past positions and starting new ones is always hard. Getting to know families with their little quirks is always a stress but I am finally getting past that. I have been here for three months now. I can have fun with this family.

:Boyfriend:

Hedrick is such an amazing guy!! I have stated this before but he is...I think that I deserve a great guy like him. I have been waiting quite a while. He is so smart, funny and kind. We love to go on walks...the other day on our walk with his dog, Logan, I got pushed by the dog. Hedrick turned to me, put out his hand and said "Honey, I'm sorry". AWW...I know you are all thinking it...haha. He and I are able to enjoy seeing new things, going to new places and just knowing the other is there is wonderful.

The wonderful man in my life

2011-03-21T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hedrick Alvizures is....

Sweet

Kind

Intelligent

Handsome

Caring

Loves his family and spending time with them

Wonderful

Smart

Funny

Gentleman

I love the city!

2011-03-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

When I got on the train that Wednesday morning it was raining. I was not looking forward to walking around the city with Alexandria with the rain coming down. But once I came out of the underground world of the trains and subways it turned into a BEAUTIFUL DAY! We got lunch, did a little shopping, went to the TOP of the Empire State Building and enjoyed nutella and smoothies in Herald Square. It was a great day! I am glad she came to NY from OR to visit.

AHHHHHHHHH!

2011-03-02T07:06:00.000-08:00

Pardon me for a moment while I reflect on my CRAZY morning.

-Wake up to my alarm at 7am.

-Shower and get out right before the hot water runs out(about 5 mins into my 10min shower. No that is not long when I brush m

y teeth and was my face in the shower).

-Get dressed leave my hair wet because I knew I didn't have to drive the boy(5 years old) to the bus stop.

-Go downstairs and find out that I am driving the boy to the bus stop.

-Run upstairs to blow dry my hair in five seconds.

-Rush with the boy out the door.

-Defrost the car...urgh! This adds an extra 5-10mins to the morning routine.

-Get to the bus stop just in time.

-Come home and listen to my Boss tell me all the things she wants me to do for the girls birthday party.

-Finally go get the girl(3 years old) ready for school with only 20mins to do it in.

Which would be fine but...the girl started throwing the BIGGEST fit. She wouldn't let me do her hair, she asked for her mom to do it but she wouldn't let her mom do it. Then the girl started screaming, crying, running around the house, spitting and hitting her mom. I was left to take(carry) the girl out to the car. If she did those things to her mother...what do you think she did to me? Yep she hit me in the face, screamed "I don't like you!", when I put her down so I could open the car door she started to run, I caught and finally got her buckled in the car. When I got her to school(late) she acted shy with her teachers and wouldn't let go of me.

Once I got back to the car I wanted to scream but it was not the right place. Instead I turned up the radio REALLY loud and sang at the top of my lungs. I came home, "ran" to my room and did some breathing/Yoga exercises. My boss text me, "Everything ok?"...sure.

Sorry for a sad post but I needed to get it off my chest.

My escape!

2011-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

This position has me more worn out than other positions that I have had. I am not sure what it is that gets me ready to seek refuge in my bed when I "clock out" at 5 o'clock. My first position I was watching three older children, with sleepovers, sports, shopping, etc. The second position was two younger kids, one was home ALL day with me. This position has two younger kids as well, one is in school from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm and the other has preschool three days a week for two and a half hours. Why am I so tired? I am not sure. I think I am ready to "retire" from being a nanny...haha. Retire? Really? I have enjoyed the experience that being a nanny has given me but I want to settle into a "normal" job. I have just started this one so give me time. But I would actually like to settle into a job over here on the East coast. We will see...

My guy: Hedrick and I are enjoying spending time together! We have really gotten to know each other and we are both happy. I can't wait for nicer weather so that we can have some really fun outdoor dates. He is so sweet an funny! He is willing to do anything on our dates just so that he can spend time with me. Yes....that means he went shopping with me, through TONS of stores, carried quite a few bags and still held my hand while we were walking around the mall. Aww :)

Anyway, life is good for me right now! I hope it is for you too!

Miss you and love you all!

Keep in touch!

I am falling in love....

2011-02-16T07:42:00.000-08:00

with my camera ALL over again!!

Over the past few days with the gorgeous weather and the beautiful flowers being shared for Valentine's Day...I got inspired!

I am not PRO like many others but I am just enjoying it.

The card...

2011-02-15T17:08:00.001-08:00

When I showed up to Hedrick's house on Valentine's Day, he had dinner almost finished, a beautiful arrangement of flowers and a very sweet card. The card said this: Audrey, getting to know you has been the best thing to happen to me in quite some time. I look forward to getting to know you even better. Awww, he is the sweetest! It was a great Valentine's. It has been so wonderful to get to know him every minute of every day. He is funny, smart, sweet, wise and so much more. Even that night he showed me how caring he was...after we finished eating, he made a plate and took it to his brother.

Valentine's Day

2011-02-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

Never a holiday that I paid much attention to besides having to choose between Princess or Barbie Valentines while I was in elementary or enjoying the box of conversation hearts that my mother would always buy for us kids. It was just a normal day... sometimes sad but normal. Well this year I get to spend it with someone special. His name is Hedrick and he will make this a Valentine's Day a day to remember. He is going to make me dinner...one of his favorite dishes to make. It is a surprise but he is a good cook, so there is not anything to worry about. I hope to make a delicious dessert or we might go out for that. It will be fun! I have already purchased a card and some chocolates for him. I have been working on hinting to him that they have a great selection of flowers at the local shops or how many jewelry commercials I have seen. Do you think it will work?? HAHA. Whatever he does will be fine with me.

I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL Valentine's Day with that special someone, friends and family!

HAPPINESS

2011-01-30T14:20:00.000-08:00

TGIF

2011-01-28T07:47:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow(Saturday) I will be going to an Iron & Wine Concert at Radio City with Hedrick. It is exciting because in my 21 years this will be my first concert. It will also be Hedrick's first time to Radio City, he has lived in New York since he was 10 years old(20 years ago). Should be fun and cold!!

Who is Hedrick? You might ask...He is a really great guy that I really like....he really likes me too! I gave into peer pressure when I was in California and started an online dating profile. I thought it was lame for me to do and kind of scary. With help from friends and family, I made a nice little profile and waited. Once I decided to go to New York I changed my location from California to New York. Hedrick popped up as a guy I might be interested in talking to. I thought what they heck...but he actually emailed me first. He must have gotten the same notice about me, haha. His first email was great. He had tons of questions and he kept coming back with more. We started texting a week later and then he started calling me on the phone. Once I got here we met and I was so nervous! He was just the way I thought he would be...a GENTLEMAN. We have gone on about four dates in the time I have been here. We are enjoying getting to know each other. :)

I am surviving the storm of the East Coast. We get unburied from one storm and another one comes in. It is nice to see things all covered in white but I wish it was a bit warmer. I hope I won't injure myself anymore this season...cross your fingers.

I am still getting to know the family but things are moving along. It took awhile to get into the groove of things because the snow closed the schools. The kids have good days and bad days. Yesterday was a good day, Abby(3 year old) and I played Mancala(game) pretty much all afternoon. She kept saying "I am giving you the pretty marbles because I love you". :) :) It was a good day!!

I hope you are all doing well!

I have made it back to New York

2011-01-16T18:32:00.001-08:00

I am in a beautiful town, Warwick. The little village is so neat and filled with little stores and social places. I am short train ride away from NYC and I can't wait to venture back to all the things that I have missed so much. The family seems great! The mother is so funny and sweet. The kids are entertaining and cute. I can't wait to get to know everyone better.

Follow along with my blog!

Cheers to the New Year!

2010-12-29T21:38:00.001-08:00

1-1-11

is around the corner!

Can you believe it?

How far have you come in the last year?

Graduated?

Engaged?

Married?

First child?

Second child?

First child graduate from high school?

Moved?

Lost weight?

Gone back to school?

WHATEVER it might be...CELEBRATE IT!!

Cheers to another year of being alive, being with the ones that you love,

or seeing them going of and starting their lives.

I know my life has taken me many places, seen many things, made many new friends and seen "old" friends go on to do different things. I left New York in June, went to California in August and will be off to New York in January. Crazy, right? But I think I have found my place. I enjoy everything about New York...the City, the island and the "small" places. I am excited to be back on the East coast but sad to leave those on the West coast. So please don't forget to check my blog, my Facebook, ask for my mailing address and my phone number.

LOVE YOU ALL!

My first 5K Turkey Stuffer

2010-11-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

49.22

This is the time I made it in...I jogged and walked. I feel like that is a good time for my first time. It was FREEZING!! It was so much fun to start the race with friends and see them there at the end supporting me. I look forward to working hard and getting ready for next year!! My goal is to run the whole time. Hopefully it won't be so cold next time and maybe I can get some family to join in.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! I hope you count your blessings and share your thanks with those around you. Family and friends are the most precious gift we have been giving outside of life itself. I am thankful for every single one of them. Through the good times and bad....I LOVE THEM ALL!

I LOVE MY JOB! I LOVE MY JOB!

2010-11-21T07:26:00.001-08:00

YES! I LOVE MY JOB!

I can make this statement without an ounce of regret. I get to watch silly, cute little kids all day long. We can play, do crafts, go to the park, etc. HAVE FUN! Don't get me wrong, they are kids...they have good days and bad days. But when we drive from point A to point B and they are pointing out the "Dragon" cloud in the sky and making up a story to go with it. Makes all the little fits they throw worth it. I learn so much from them! I get to see a new area and meet new people. It is hard to not see my family and friends and live out of a suitcase pretty much. Thank you to technology: computers and cellphones...I don't feel so far away.

I am using scissors to...

2010-11-03T14:43:00.000-07:00

CUT MY DEBT!!

Like many young adults...I gave into different credit card deals and got myself into debt. I have been keeping up on the monthly payments but the interest was adding up. I did not have credit card people breathing down my neck but I realized the "pain" I was putting myself in. Luckily, I have been blessed with a large steady income and have been able to pay credit cards off in large lumps instead of little ones. I can breathe the fresh air of getting out of debt. I am still working on paying off my student loans but I am ok with that...for right now. IT FEELS GREAT!!

Special K

2010-10-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

YUMMY!

I have started the Special K diet.

For those of you that don't know what it is. All I do is replace two meals a day with any

delicious Special K food items: a great variety of cereal, drinks, snack bars, etc.

I worked with the Special K diet before in high school. I found great success but since high

school I have gained all the weight that I lost back. Now that I am in California and have a beautiful GYM membership I will be using it!! I have already lost three pounds in just a few days. Happy...yes...motivated...heck yes...success....DOUBLE YES!!

Maybe I should do some before and after pictures??

Well here is one of me on the California Coast at the start of September.

Wish me luck!!

Labor Day Weekend..pictures

2010-09-27T18:39:00.001-07:00

I figured it was about time I posted a few pictures from my great weekend.

Labor Day weekend!

2010-09-11T22:42:00.000-07:00

It was a great time...I did quite a few things.

Friday:

The Sarantis family was visiting a friend in San Fran. He was working Friday so I was able to visit with them. We spent the day in San Fran. It was fun!! We ate lunch at this little sandwich shop that was actually featured on the food channel. It was a long wait but worth it. The bread was fresh and warm and there was this "dirty sauce" that made the whole sandwich delicious. We went to Chinatown and we all got a kick out of the picture of James Sarantis TOWERING over everyone. We went to the park by the famous row houses. It was beautiful how you could see all of San Fran behind them. We then finished the day at Pier 39. We were able to see the sea lions on the docks. It was fun to see the Sarantis family and I enjoyed my day in the city.

Saturday:

I went and hiked Mt. Tamalpais near San Fran with a group of people. It was beautiful!! The fog was underneath us, the brown grass hills surrounding us and the blue sky above us. It was a rough hike with my allergies but I enjoyed the views and the company. After the hike we went to the beach at the bottom. It was quite chilled but there was a lot of people in the water, lying out in their bathing suits...for sure different. We had some laughs and then we all jumped into our cars for a long, winding drive to the Golden Gate Bridge. It made for some cool pictures and I look forward to going back. To finish the night we went out to dinner in Sacramento at a Texas Steakhouse. It was delicious and filling!!

Sunday:

I went to church, had a introduction meeting with the branch president, shared my testimony during sacrament and then went home. Yes I went home after sacrament because my allergies were killing me. I had a little lunch and fell right asleep.

Monday:

I thought I was not working but I was. Which led for a bit of a bummer day but it was ok.

That was my weekend(pictures to come). I hope you all were able to enjoy time with friends and family. Good luck to the school year ahead.

San Francisco

2010-08-21T21:15:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to meet up with some New York friends while theywere visiting the West Coast. Their first stop was to San Francisco... I drove out Friday afternoon and came back Saturday morning because I had to work Saturday afternoon. I have to say that it is not what I expected. Don't get me wrong it was busy, pretty and the architecture was amazing. I didn't see much but Union Square and at night. Union square seems to be the gathering place for that area. I picked my friends up at Pier 39, went backto the hotel which was gorgeous and unique then we got ready to hit the town. The place we went to eat was ok but we waited 20 mins beforeour order was even written down. After walking around looking for a reasonable dance placewe decided that what we needed was ice cream and bed. The next morning we went to get my car and then I needed to take them back to Pier 39. I almost got us killed because I pulled in front of a bus!! Luckily driving in New York had prepared me to be comfortable with using my gas pedal. I had checked my mirrors many times but he appeared from a side street.It was SCARY! I got us lost but we found the famous curvy street.It was so cool!! The girls were sticking their bodies out the windows to take pictures. Overall it was great to see them and I look forward to going back and seeing

more.

I CRIED this weekend...

2010-08-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

-When the man on the HWY to my mom's house told me to turn around

-When he would not help me find a different way to my mom's house

-When Tommy(my GPS) would not give me different directions

-When it was so HOT outside

-When Penny(car) was running out of gasoline

-When my mom didn't know where I should go

-When Tommy(my GPS) directed me to a run down gas station

-When my three hour trip turned into a five hour trip

-When I had to leave my mom and sisters

Yes that is a lot of CRYING!! I was traveling just fine to my mother's house in Quincy when this HWY patrol guy said there was a fire further up on the HWY. It was so frustrating because it was hot and I was already sick of sitting in the car. In the end I did make it to my mother's house. I was able to enjoy my first weekend in Cali with her and my two sisters. My mom now lives in this small forest town and it was quite nice. She will be moving into a log house at the end of the month. It is gorgeous!! Rap around porch, porch swing, 6 acres, a view of fields and mountains...I love it! I look forward to visiting her more! I start work this week. I have met the kids and they are very cute and crazy. I am excited about the opportunities that will come forth from being here. I MISS AND LOVE YOU ALL!!

California!!

2010-07-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

California girl...

I made it to California yesterday in record time. It was an easy drive and the scenery was not quite what I expected. There was a lot of open fields but I figured there would be buildings instead. It was a nice day but I was sure worn out because I had not slept well the night before and I woke up early to leave. My host parents are very nice and funny. The neighborhood is gorgeous! My host parents took me out to dinner after I arrived. I was able to see the businesses and area surrounding. The kids will be arriving on Wednesday night. From what my host mom has told me the kids seem very sweet and fun. I will be able to spend this time before the kids get here to see the area and see my mom and sisters. I should have slept in this morning but it was hard to get to sleep last night not matter how tired I was. I look forward to getting into a routine and seeing all that California has to offer.

Oregon Coast

2010-07-18T08:47:00.001-07:00

I have not been to the Oregon Coast in forever!! This last week I was finally able to go with a great group, the Sarantis girls. We went to driftwood shores, Heceta Head and then to BJs ice cream. It was tons of fun to see the girls run around and play. The water was FREEZING and it was quite windy but there was blue skies and the sun was out. I was able to take some great pictures. It is nice to say that I have been "coast to coast"! Maybe not "everywhere in between" but close enough.

I will be leaving to California Friday July 30th!! Some many emotions come at the thought of leaving Oregon, my home and the place I JUST returned to. But I am young and it is now that I must act upon the opportunities to travel.

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Please welcome...

2010-07-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

the newest member to my family: PENNY!

She is my new ride and will be along for my new adventures. She is a 2002 Ford Focus. Yes, I have named my car Penny because I found a "lucky" penny in the dashboard of the car. I was never really one to name my cars but this should make it fun for when I do blog posts. To hear about the adventures that I go on with Penny.

Talking about adventures...I will be going to CALIFORNIA!! Yes you heard it right, in about a month from now I will be driving down to Cali with Penny. I have taken another nanny job. I will be watching over two younger children down in the Sacramento area. It is great pay, nice family and fun area. A great thing about this location is that it is CLOSER to home. So I can travel home more often than I could while I was in New York. I am very excited and look forward to starting another chapter in my life.

I am here!

2010-06-24T21:48:00.000-07:00

As some of you already know, I am back in Oregon!!

So far:

Went to my sisters field day

Took my sisters shopping for summer clothes

Watched my best friends wedding(reception)...no not the movie with Julia Roberts

Had lunch with another best friend

Got sick for three days!!

Got my iPhone!!*BIG SMILES*

Looking into jobs

SO MUCH!!

I am looking forward to the summer ahead. I don't know where life will take me but I am enjoying my time with family and friends. Hope everyone is having a good summer!

"I'm leaving on a jet plane!"

2010-06-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

MONDAY JUNE 14TH

The countdown to home is coming to a close. I just have a few more days with the my host family here in New York. This week is and still is very busy. My host parents are away in Hawaii and I am here watching the kids. This whole experience in New York has given me more knowledge about raising children and helped me learn more about myself. I have enjoyed the people I have met and the things that I have seen. I look forward to finally being home and seeing where my life will take me. But for right now, I will get to spend time with my family, friends and see the sites on the West coast that I have been missing.

I'M COMING HOME!!

I have made it to my 21st year!!

2010-06-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yes making it this far has been quite an accomplishment and I am proud of myself!!

Pre-K
Elementary school
Middle school
High school
Moving away from home
Going to college
Traveling from the West coast to the East coast

My life this far has come with hard times and good times but I have been helped through them with great family and friends. The Lord has blessed me with all those that I know! Those that have cared for me when they didn't have to. I have been blessed to push away from people and things that would not help me to get me where I need to be. I look forward to the years to come and the adventures that I will go on.

Yuck!!

2010-05-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!

Oh the joy of allergies and the companionship of a tissue box. It all started yesterday. My nose was dripping like a leaky faucet and I was sneezing out of control. It was entertaining for the kids but I felt miserable. I had tissue stuffed up my nose because it would not stop. I kept waking up last night and there were used tissues all over my bedroom floor. The funny thing, I don't remember using that many. The misery continues today!! How am I to conquer these allergies?? Does anyone have some home remedies?

Catch up!!

2010-05-11T08:05:00.001-07:00

Ok I have not posted in awhile...maybe because nothing interesting has happened...I am still working hard. I have gotten in trouble a few times. Can you believe it? How could I get in trouble? I think it is just because my host dad and I see differently. I have cried quite a bit and I am SOOOOO looking to being back home in Oregon. I am worried about finding a job once I get back home. I hope I will find something that will bring in the dough. I was not sure if my host family has any interest in doing ANYTHING for my birthday. So I decided to throw my own party. It is my 21st and I couldn't go without a small gathering. I invited people from the singles branch to join me for a BBQ of some sort. Anyway, things are going well enough for me in NY. Can't wait to see everyone!!

Happyness!

2010-04-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

I am blessed to feel so happy!!

Hello everyone!

My life has changed unexpectedly, I have to tell you that this change brought about a great amount of stress. I keep telling myself that I just need to know that someone has a plan for me and it is not in my control. I am praying that things will work out for me once I return back home to Oregon. I will be without work, without a car and dealing with a strict budget. But there are happy things to think about as well:

The sun is out

My 21st birthday is coming in about a month

My best friend is getting married

I have family and friends that care for me

I will be able to enjoy the summer with my family and friends

I can FINALLY help my dad

SO MANY THINGS!

Life is worth living and being happy!

"I'm leaving on a jet plane!"

2010-04-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

I AM COMING BACK TO OREGON!!!!!!

Everyone! I am coming back home! After talking with my host parents the decision was made that I would stay for just the school year. I am sad that My adventure will be cut shorter than I planned. But I am so happy that I can go home!! I will be able to see my sister graduate from 5th grade, attend my best friend's wedding and see all my GREAT friends that I have not seen in forever.

This is been quite the experience. I have learned so much since I have been here and have seen so much. It blew me to see the huge skyscrapers of NYC and it will make me tear up to leave my new friends behind. Watching these kids made me so happy. Seeing them grow and change has been a great thing.

I AM COMING HOME!!

Missing home!!

2010-04-18T06:04:00.000-07:00

This is post to some of the things that I miss from back home!!

P.S. I am sorry if your picture is not in here. Trust me....if I know you, I miss you!!

I went to Palmyra!!

2010-03-29T11:40:00.000-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity and greatest blessing to go to Palmyra!

This last weekend I went with a group of single adults from the branch to upstate

Palmyra. I can not believe that I almost passed on the experience. I had everyone stay at my house Friday because my host family was out of town and it was easier to be in one place. Since we had to leave at 4 am on Saturday!! There was 7 grown adults in a smaller SUV which made for a cramped trip. We slept a lot and had tons of laughs. We arrived around 11 am on Saturday to a cute little apartment that was great for us and our wallets. There was another part of our group that had been there since Friday night. We all were tried and starving but we

immediately went to see the sites.

The Smith Property

There were two sister missionaries that gave us a tour around the Smith property. The Smith house seemed huge to SUV that we just traveled in, haha. It was great to see where everything happened. The kitchen that Sister Smith felt so blessed to have. The land was huge and great to see where it all happened so long ago. It was great to walk through the Sacred Grove. I could not believe that this was the place so long ago that Brother Smith got down on his knees.

Hill Cumorah Visitor Center

This was a beautiful building that you could see the statue of Christ through the windows in front. The missionaries were honored to see such a large group and we were from all over: Brazil, Oregon, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Long Island, Australia and more. It was impressive!! We watched the movie touching Restoration video. I almost burst into tears half way through it.

The Palmyra Temple

It was such a beautiful thing to see the Palmyra Temple. We were all sad that the temple was closed and we were not able to go in. Each temple has its own unique beauty! We look forward to the opportunity to go back again and see it.

It was the best time and the greatest way to spend a weekend!

Life has become very interesting!!

2010-03-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!

The sun has started to come out but there are still spring showers here and there. I love it but I wish it would just stay sunny and 70 degrees all year round!! The kids are getting more projects and I feel like I am in school again. My host mom is going on more and more work trips which makes me a little bit more busy. I am enjoying spending more time at the singles branch. There really is a great gathering of people. A group of us(pretty much the whole branch) will be heading up to Palmyra this weekend. Sadly, the temple will be closed but we will still be able to enjoy.

I hope to come home in June for a friends beautiful wedding and reception. The reception will be held at a resort in Harrisburg. What? A resort in Harrisburg? I grew up there and I remember when I went back to visit because they got ONE traffic light. Now a resort, I can not believe it...hahaha. It is also weird to see a housing development where my house and land used to be.

Anyway, I just started writing a missionary that I don't even know. It has been quite the experience. It all started when I was talking to my friends mom on facebook. I told her how yet another friend of mine was getting married and how I wished I had been set for an arranged marriage. She laughed and said her daughter thought the same thing. She told me that she had a nephew that was serving a mission in France and that I should write him. I laughed thinking it was a joke but my friend(her daughter) got in on the conversation and told me to write him. I was still laughing thinking it was such a silly idea. I later told a friend here and she told me to do it. I forgot that she had the same situation and is now in love with the guy she has been writing. She told me he could be the one and that I will never know unless I write him. So I did! I wrote him and received two emails in one day. My mom, my friend and her mom are now planning the wedding! Oh my! I am just writing and waiting to see what happens. My friend Jenny is happy because this missionary is from Albany, Oregon. A relationship would bring me closer to home...hahaha.

That is my life for right now. I hope everyone is doing well. Miss you all and I hope to see you soon!

Beach Day!!

2010-03-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful day at the beach on Sunday!!

My host parents were out of town for the weekend and I was watching the kids. We had beautiful weather all weekend. Since it would not be appropriate to take the kids to church I decided to take them to the beach. We traveled out towards the Hamptons. Brooke had asked me to take her there. So I packed up the car with toys, food and the kids. I looked up a beach on Tommy(GPS) and headed out. It was the most gorgeous beach I have ever seen, Tiana Beach. You travel up a "rollar coaster" bridge which is surrounded by beautiful blue water and white sand and the sun was hitting the water just right. The waves were crashing on the sand which made for the coolest pictures!! We had a little picnic on the beach, picked up shells, slide down the dunes, etc. It made for a great day! A plus was that the kids fell asleep on the way home!! This was a bonus, tehehehe.

SIMPLY SUNDAY

2010-02-28T06:21:00.001-08:00

Just to check in

2010-02-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

Alright everyone! How is life going? There really is not much going on here. Just trying to figure out what I am going to do once I am done in NY. Getting news of friends getting married, finishing school and starting their families. CRAZY! My oldest girl B broke her arm at gymnastics. It was the scariest thing ever for me. I jumped over anything and everything to get to her. I have to say it was an experience. She is doing just fine but I hope to never see a bone bent like that again. Anyway, things are going well here!

MISS YOU ALL!

VaCaTiOn!

2010-01-20T18:41:00.000-08:00

My host family has been in Colorado for the week! I do miss them but I have had a blast. My friend, Amber C., actually worked and saved so that she could come out and visit me for the WHOLE week. We have had so much fun staying up late, watching movies, eating ice cream and so much more. She deserves this trip! She has never been to the East coast and with two boys at home it was a good time to get away.

We went to lunch today at a greek place. It was so cute! The food was delicious! It was a great time besides the man yelling at me. It was SOOO scary! I had taken some pictures with my camera and then switched to the camera on my phone. This man was staring at me the whole

time and it was making me VERY uncomfortable. He pretty much jumped from his seat, flew over to our table, stood in front of me, leaned in and demanded me to put the camera

away. YIKES! He disrupted the whole restaurant and upset me. He said he did not like m

e pointing the camera at him and apparently taking pictures of him. I yelled back at him that I was not taking pictures of him and that he could look for himself. He ran back to his table without looking. I put my camera away and was very frustrated that he ruined my time. Amber and I concluded that he must be hiding from the law or something. The waitress later asked us why he was yelling at us. We told her and she said that you never know what you are going to run into in NY. We later looked at the pictures, I took but three and NONE of them were even close to pointing at this guy.

Anyway, it has been a great time! She even cut and colored my hair. It is something new but I really like the change. It is a great way to start the new year. We will be going into the city tomorrow. I hope we can get to all the things that Amber would like to see.

MISS YOU ALL BACK HOME!

I don't like airports!

2010-01-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 5 am to drop my host family off at the JFK International Airport that is an hour and fifteen minutes away. IT IS SATURDAY! All I wanted to do was sleep when I got home. Honestly that was all I could think about when I was driving there and back. Once I walked through the door I had some cleaning to do but then off to bed. So what do you when you clean? Well for me, I turn on the music REAL loud! 70s music it was! Turning on the music ruined any hope of sleeping at all for the rest of the day. It was fun to run around the house singing as loud as I could along with the music with no one but the dog there to listen. Poor dog...hahaha.

It is almost 3 pm, I am still in my pajamas and listening to the 70s. I do need to get ready to go...guess what? I have to go BACK to JFK International Airport to pick up my friend that will be visiting for a week. I am very excited to have her here! I just don't want to go back to the airport. Have any of you flown in or out of JFK? It is crazy. It seems as though each airline has its own terminal or shares it with four or five other airlines. It is such maze to get to the right one. I wish it was like Eugene or even Portland!

Happy NEW YEARS!

2010-01-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

2010

I like the sound of that!

Reflections:

I started my 2009 in Idaho attending BYU for child development. I was also working at Arby's. I had great roommates and great fun. I learned so much about living with others, surviving on my own, seeking help when I needed it, managing my money, how much ice cream and a good movie can help, hahaha. I gained so much! Around the end of May and beginning of June I decided that school was not the place to be, for me, at that time. So I took a break and planned on staying in Idaho and working at Arby's.

Well my heart pulled me somewhere else, NEW YORK. After just a month out of school, working more hours and living in a beautiful townhouse. I opened a profile on a few different nanny websites. Just a day or so later I got a few emails and later a phone call from a family. They had three kids and were located in Long Island, New York. When I started my search for a family I never thought about location. I just wanted to see something new and have fun while doing it. I talked with the family for a few days and we agreed that this was a "match".

I worked on getting things in order to leave. It was about the end of July. I had planned a trip to go home to Oregon at the end of August but I had agreed that I would start work in New York in the middle of August. I had to break the news to family and friends back home. Some were excited for the experience it would give me, others NERVOUS, others not wanting me to go unless I came home first. So I thought to myself, I had the time and the money why not move the trip up. I packed up my car and traveled to Oregon for a visit!! Visiting with family and friends for a week and a half was much needed. I returned back to Idaho, packed up my things and headed for my Grandparents in Utah. The plan was that I would be there for about a week or so before I headed to New York. PLANS CHANGED!

The first family I was talking with broke the news to me that they would not be needing me as soon as they thought they would. They asked me to wait until December. I had to break the news to them that I would have to move on. Funny thing, they are still contacting me even after I told them I already am contracted until September, if not longer.

Anyway, I was worried that I would not find a job in time but I got in contact with the family I work for now. I have been truly blessed! I have seen so much here in New York and have enjoyed so much. As I have mentioned before, my host family has really welcomed me into their home and family.

I look forward to all that I will learn and gain this coming up year. I have set my 2010 resolutions and plan on sticking to them. I hope you all can look back on this last year with a smile on great memories and learn from those memories that bring you tears. Cheers to the New Year and all that we can do!

Thanksgiving week!!

2009-11-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

WOW!

This has been quite the week. Below is an outline of what I did.

Monday night:

-Bed at midnight

Tuesday:

-Up at 5 am

-Drove to JFK to pick up Miriam

-Went to visit Ariel in Dix Hills

-Drove to Port Jefferson with Miriam

-Two kids had a half day. So we played while Miriam slept.

-Third child got home from school.

-Packed the kids for New Hampshire

-Rushed with my host-mom, Miriam and

the kids to Dix Hills.

-DROVE to the City! CRAZY!

-Went to see Radio City Hall Christmas Spectacular

-Took Miriam to Times Square with Ariel

-Drove back to Dix Hills and then on to Port Jefferson.

-Fell asleep on the couch off and on.

Wednesday:

-Got a call at 4am from the Police saying that my host-dads office window had been broken

-Went to my host-dads office in my pjs.

-Got back from my host-dads office at 5:30 am.

-Picked up the house

-Took a nap at 7:30 am

-Woke up at 10:30am

-Went to the grocery store to get food for Thanksgiving dinner. CRAZY!!

-Took a nap at 4:30 pm

-Woke up at 6 pm

-Went to dinner with Ariel and Miriam and saw New Moon

-Went to bed at 2 am

Thursday:

-Woke up at 7:30 am

-Organized Thanksgiving dinner

-9 am watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

-Waited for Miriam and Ariel while they slept in..Geesh

-Started Thanksgiving dinner at noon.

-Had a wonderful dinner with Miriam and Ariel!

-Went to bed at 2 am

Friday:

-Woke up at 7:30 am

-Got ready to go to NYC with Miriam, Ariel and Kristi.

-Drove to Dix Hills at 8:15 am to catch the train to NYC.

-Got into the City around 11 am.

-Walked through Central Park

-Went on a carousel

-Got on the Subway to the ferry

-Saw the Bull in the Financial District

-Had dinner in Little Italy

-Went back to Dix Hills around 10 pm.

-Got to Port Jefferson around 1 am.

-Cleaned the house a little because my host family was coming back to New Hampshire the next day.

-Went to bed around 2 am.

Saturday:

-Woke up at 5:30 am

-Got ready to go into the NYC again with Miriam, Ariel and Alex.

-Did some more cleaning.

-Drove to Ronkonkoma to catch the train.

-Caught up with Alex.

-Got on the Subway to catch the ferry for The Statue of Liberty Island

-Avoided the suspicious bag

-Went back to Times Square to wonder around with Alex while Miriam did some shopping.

-Around 6:20 pm I went to catch the train back to Ronkonkoma.

-Sat down on the train and realized that I forgot my car keys in Alex's bag.

-Waited at the Ronkonkoma station for about 45 mins for the keys.

-Drove to Port Jefferson.

As you can see, my week was so crazy but I enjoyed EVERY minute of it. I was so happy that Miriam could come visit me and Ariel. It was great to see the Christmas show! It was such a rush to DRIVE into the city. My host parents don't allow the nanny's to take the car into the city. But we were running late and my host-dad did not want any of us to miss the show. I was nervous about cooking the turkey but it turned out golden. Once I saw the Statue of Liberty I realized that I have been given such a great opportunity to be here. It is great to see so many things in such a small island. I am sad that I am away from family and friends especially during the holidays. But I am thankful for the connections that I have through this blog, facebook, phone and letters. I hope you all enjoy my blog entries and pictures. I miss you all!

It was a beautiful Sunday!

2009-11-12T07:32:00.001-08:00

This last Sunday my friend Alex and new friend Martina came up to Port Jefferson from Southampton. We enjoyed beautiful blue skies, white clouds, warm temperatures and a cool breeze. It was nice to just walk around Port and take pictures of us here and there. We laughed so hard that we cried. Alex said she was glad that we were all getting along so that we could enjoy our day. Not that we had not gotten along but that I had just met Martina that day.

Alex really wants me to work on my photography. Saying that I am practically a professional. I am not sure about that. I have taken some really great shots that I am very proud of but not much more than that. I do have the camera of a professional but I don't know.

My host family is great! This week I have been working more hours because the youngest is sick. Poor guy! But he is so sweet. The other day I taught him how to blow his nose, he said " I am glad you came.""Came where, Stephen?", I responded. "Came here, so that you could teach me how to blow my nose". " Thanks Buddy. I am glad I came here to!" He is so sweet! I don't know if I mentioned it before but people have brought it to my attention that I am like a daughter in this house. It makes me feel so good.

Miriam will be coming to visit for Thanksgiving and I am so excited. Miriam, Ariel and I will be attending the Christmas Spectacular with my host family. I AM SO EXCITED! I can not wait for the holiday season....wait it is already here!

I hope everyone is well!

THE BEST DAY(so far) IN THE CITY! + ONE OF THE BEST WEEKENDS IN MY LIFE!!

2009-11-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Lets see.....how did it all start???

Ariel drove down from Dix Hills to Port Jefferson on Friday night. She did it all by herself....until she called me for help...lol. I spent the evening carving pumpkins with the family. Ariel and I woke up EARLY the next morning to start into the city. Waking up early on the weekend was not my favorite part but it was needed. We took the train into the city where we met our new friend, Stacy. Ariel pointed out some funny signs on the train and I pointed out the guy that blew her a kiss....lol. I have gone into the city about five or so times since I have been here. But this was the first time I took my big camera with me. It was heavy and annoying but I am SOOO glad I did. I got great shots that you will need to tune into Facebook to see. Anyway, we met up with Stacy at Madison Square Garden and started our day.

We:

-Walked through St. Patrick Cathedral

-Walked through Times Square

-Walked through Central Park

-Ate a FOOT long HOT DOG in Central Park

-Bought a black dress at H & M

-Took the Subway to Little Italy

-Ate pizza in Little Italy

-Walked through Chinatown

-Had some guy WHISPER in MY ear "Hey Beautiful" and then he followed us. We ran and lost him.

-Walked on the Brooklyn Bridge in the pouring wind and hard wind.

It was an absolutely wonderful day and the greatest company.

Then Sunday night I headed to the Southampton, my friend Alex is a nanny there. We got chinese food and talked late into the night. Monday morning we got up and walked through Southampton. We took some fun shots with my phone camera. I bought the CUTEST jacket, got great postcards and saw pretty buildings. I really love the Hamptons!

Then on my way home I called my GMA. She shared the great news that they sold my car. How would that be great news? Well, I will be rolling in the money...not really....lol.

My host family is absolutely wonderful and I LOVE them! I really do feel like I am apart of the family. I am so grateful that I found them.

As you can see(read), things are going great for me here. Please look to my Facebook for pictures. Thank you!!!

Well.....

2009-10-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

I hope you all enjoyed the pictures from my last post. How is everyone doing back home? Wherever you might call home...lol. I have mentioned this before and was talking to someone yesterday about "home". They laughed and said "Audrey, where is your home?" HEY! I belong to someone...somewhere....I hope, lol.

Anyway, the leaves on the trees are changing colors. BEAUTIFUL! We have gotten quite a lot of rain over the past weekend. I was out driving with Ariel J. and the freeway had RIVERS running through them. It was so funny and scary at the same time. Yes, I did say Ariel J. She is here now! She actually is the nanny for the cousins of my kids. This should be a jammed packed two months for her before she goes to Idaho for school. Yesterday was my first Sunday at church since I have been here. I know that sounds bad but I worked about four Sundays since I have been here, sick another and then conference. I have to say it was quite interesting!! First Ariel and I could not find it, even with GPS. It kept saying "You have reached your destination on your left". It was a house! We finally found it. We had driven past it quite a few times but it was a different building before it belonged to the church. So we didn't recognize it. It was stake conference so the chapel and gym were full and you know how warm it gets being that full. The choir was.....good. There was actually one guy in the congregation that on the last song he belted each word out. Even the missionaries were giggling. Then in the middle of the meeting an older woman came into the chapel from the foyer. She got to the end of her pew and knelt down and did the sign of the cross on her chest. It was quite a Sunday. Later there was a munch and mingle for Young Single Adults at the President's house. Ariel and I met some nice people. Then I took Ariel to the beach so that she could actually step foot on the East Coast. It made for a nice Sunday.

I hope everyone is doing fine! Miss you all!

My time here thus far...

2009-10-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

So I have been here for a little over a month now. It has been quite an adventure...I always say that. But it has been. I said from the very beginning that me being here is quite a blessing. I know for most people to hop on the plane to go to Paris or Hawaii is nothing. So going to New York is a home away from home. I thought I would go to school in Idaho, move back to Oregon or Utah when I was done and stay there forever. But no, I got this wonderful opportunity to come here and live and work for this great family. I really enjoy it.

Here are some pictures. A little photo timeline of my stay here.

I hope you enjoy. I will start doing the "Simply Sunday" pictures this month.

The host parents: John and Bonnie

The kids: S, C and B(R-L)

The car

Actually stepping foot on the EAST COAST!

Soccer game for C

Watching B cheer at a football game.
Going to NYC

Driving the Lexus..funny, I know.

Going Upstate and seeing Niagara Falls.

Crap(pardon my french) happens...Yikes!

2009-10-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

How is everyone doing?! I sure miss everyone back in Oregon and Rexburg and Utah...geesh. You would think I have commitment issues....oh wait I do...just kidding. I hope everyone is looking forward to the holidays and fun.

My life in NY? Going great. I really do love it here and I really love the kids. The other night they all had fun scarring me while I was trying to put them down for bed. We all laughed so hard that we cried. The parents are great and really care and include me. I love that the mom likes to have dinner all together. Which sometimes feels like the challenge of getting everyone together is not worth it. It is interesting being a nanny. The family I work for has a cleaning lady come every other week, people that come and mow the lawn every other week, a nanny to take care of the kids, one parent works from home and one parent makes his own hours. They love their kids...there is no question of that. I just think it is very interesting. I hope I never have to have a babysitter or use daycare. I want to be a stay at home mom. Spend every moment with my kids!

Anyway, I am having a hard time sleeping! I hate it. I am not sure what to do about it. Any ideas?

I feel so bad and guilty! It is quite a story of why I feel bad. Here it is: I work for John and Bonnie. Bonnie has a friend, B*****, that lives about half an hour away. B***** has a nanny as well. B*****'s nanny is S********, she is 19, from Washington State and LDS. Bonnie was happy because that would mean a built in social life for me because we could both go to church together. S******* joined B*****'s family only a few weeks before I joined Bonnie's family. When I met S******** I was not sure about her. She was scattered and loud one second and quite and calm the next. There were a few other things that did not make sense to me about her. We got a long enough that she took me with a group of people she knew into NYC and she calls me about church stuff. Well the other night B***** called John. John then turned to me and mentioned that I had a friend that wanted to come to the East Coast to be a nanny. I said well yes I do. John asked if I would talk to her about joining B*****'s family. I said sure but then thought, "wait what? What happened to S********?" LONG STORY short, my friend is going to come and be B*****'s nanny. I found the nanny to replace S********! OH NO! What have I done? I know this is very dramatic but I feel so guilty. What am I supposed to do, say, feel? AHHH!

The power of learning

2009-10-03T20:10:00.000-07:00

I am enjoying myself so much! Being with this family and working with the kids....is so fun. Next Friday it will mark my first month here. I have learned so much already. They all have their own sports. I have attended practice for cheer and soccer. The youngest just started hockey last week. These kids are so talented. I wish I could have done a sport when I was little. Ok I did do t-ball for one summer. Anyway, I love to see them running and jumping and having fun.

It is so beautiful over here but it sure gets humid. YUCK!

I went with the kids and their cousins and their nanny to an Aquarium last Monday. It was fun and we went to a beach afterwards. It was so pretty! I have seen so much and there is so much more to see.

I do wish I was home with my family back in Oregon! I just hope that they can pull through strong.

This is a weird post but I am so tired. Anyway, look to my facebook for pictures.

Still going....

2009-09-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

I am having such a great time over here. The thought that I am actually in NY keeps coming into my mind and it absolutely blows me away. I do miss being back in Oregon but I love being here too. It is green, bright, fun, busy, etc. I hope to stay here as long as I can.

The family is really great. I worry that I might bother them because I am still learning where things are. The roads curve in every direction and there are twenty different ways to get to one place. I feel that I am doing well and I am trying. I hope they can see that. The parents are hard workers but they love to be with their kids. The mother says that her simple pleasure is to have everyone sit down at the dinner table for dinner. The kids are sweet and cranky...lol. They have their moments but I am working on ways to deal with the little fights and attitudes. The other night two of the kids wanted to cuddle with me. HOW SWEET! The other afternoon one of the girls gave me a big hug. Things are going well.

Miss you all!

P.s. Kristen(if you read this) what is your question?

Times Square!

2009-09-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Last night was my first night in NYC. It was so crazy and fun. I have decided that I could totally live there or somewhere close and take daily trips into NYC. It is the city that never sleeps and I could handle that.

My day started out with a birthday party for one of my kids, I met the nanny for the cousins of my kids. She is LDS too but a little....I don't know. You wouldn't of seen us hanging out before. But I wanted to get out and see the city. So we took the subway, which is quite expensive, into the city. AHHHHH! I wanted to take pictures of everything and I tried. It was crowded, dirty, bright, loud and crazy! The lights in Time Square made it feel like day time. There are illegal vendors that carry there stuff around on a sheet so that when they see cops they can pick it all up and run. Crazy! went to this little comedy act that the other nanny knew about. After that we went into Times Square and jumped into pictures with random people. I was videotaping the whole time and it was hilarious. At first I thought it was rude but people really started to enjoy us doing it. They thought we were famous or something. One of the guys jumped into a photo and then kissed the lady on the cheek. She freaked out but then her friend asked where is my kiss....it was so much fun.

I really enjoyed going to NYC and I am blessed that I have such an opportunity. I look forward to going back again...oooh wait that is now.

I have learned my lesson.

2009-09-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

The other day I took the kids out for ice cream. Brooke(oldest child) gave me great directions all the way there. But then when we got there they only take cash...Darn it! I never ever carry cash. So we had to go find an ATM, now we needed gas, then a child needed to use the bathroom and we we finally made our way BACK to the ice cream parlor. Oh MY! Plus that was the most expensive ice cream I have ever paid for. They enjoyed it though! I guess that is what matters.

Today I will be taking the kids to a movie. A never ending adventure here in the big NY! Also I get phone calls from home arranging brownies for my dads birthday and visits with friends. My oh my, being a "mother".

I hope everyone is doing well!

East Coast!

2009-09-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

As the sun rises through the rain clouds....

2009-09-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

I saw the East Coast! It was so great. I can not believe how excited I was...I cried. I realized how blessed I was that I could have such an opportunity to be living in NY. NY is on my list of places to see before I die. I know tons of people travel here for work, visiting or whatever. You have to understand that this was a strong dream that I never saw happening.

Just this weekend me being here was threatened. My dad is getting worse instead of better. He can barely hold the phone. My three sisters are there for the school year. They are my dads greatest joy but it is hard for him and them. The Doctor said he would not be well for a long time, a year at least. I felt that maybe I should return home. Someone said that I should take this opportunity now. Then when I am done in a year I can go back to help him. I never though I would be doing this but I ask all of you to pray for my dad. That he will grain strength. Thank you!

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang...

2009-09-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

Hahaha. I am not sure but I liked that title for this post.

I started my Sunday at 8am, made breakfast for the kids as they rolled out of bed, had them get dressed and then we went to run errands. WOW! It was so crazy. I got honked at for not pulling out in front of traffic that was going so fast! I don't want to kill these kids on our first outing. I had printed out directions but realized that all the starting locations were the home address. GREAT! Luckily the girls had a faint(when I say faint, I mean FAINT) idea of where we were and where we needed to go. So we went and returned bottles at one store, took the money we got there and had a trip to the Dollar Store. Then I took them out to lunch. I am good with directions but the streets over here are so crazy! You would not believe it unless you have been here. The main street feels like a main highway. I apologized to the kids that I did not know where I was going but that at least they were safe. They agreed and said that it usually takes a few weeks to learn things and with help from the GPS...GPS? What? Where is that? Geesh that would be so helpful. Anyway, it was a fun day.

I am a little worried because every afternoon since I have been here I get a headache and a weird stomach pain. I don't know why but I hope it does not continue. It will not be a good year if this feeling continues. Anybody have ideas?

Everyone make sure you keep up with my blog. I am going to try and post everyday. I don't want anyone to miss anything. I will put a little post on facebook but I will have so much more on my blog. Also, I am going to steal K. Moss' "wordless wednesday" idea. Only it will be simple sunday. I hope she(you) don't mind. If you do let me know and I won't do it. There is going to be so many pictures to post.

I hope all is well for everyone!

First drive time in NY

2009-09-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

Last night we had to go pick up the "soccer mom" van that I will be driving around with the kids. It was dark and scary. I was so worried that I was going to get hit. I went through a red light...I was just following my guide, Bonnie. YIKES! Today we are going to a soccer game and I am having to drive the kids home from that. YIKES! NY is a hands free state so if I get lost it will be harder to get back on line. PRAY FOR ME!

2nd full day in NY

2009-09-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

I woke up to a rainy day in NY...I thought that only happened in Eugene, OR..guess not. I like it though, it reminds me of home. I really wanted to go for a walk today. The family is so far so good. The kids seem really sweet. I don't think they would put honey in my shampoo or glue in my tennis shoe. I have seen those nanny movies and those children can be pure evil...lol. I think I just might need to worry about the adults in the house....the grandpa offered me a beer yesterday. Yikes! "No that is ok, maybe later"...tehehehehe.

I actually had an unexpected night shift last night with the kids. The parents had an unplanned tennis game...they LOVE tennis. But everything went well. Except for the little boy crying because he wanted a drink of water before he went to go get ready for bed. I was going to give him one but a little bit later. It was just alittle fit so I survived. The mom felt bad for leaving me on my first night but felt good when she came home and I was laughing with one of the girls. I do not get up in the morning with the kids, the parents do. But I feel weird and bad because I am sleeping in till nine or ten...darn time difference. That would be seven or eight in Utah, where I have been for quite a while. That is still late for a mom but I have had no kids around for almost two years. I will get into the time difference soon...I hope.

I am sorry I have not posted pictures yet. I will get on that soon.

I have arrived

2009-09-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

Here I am sitting in a very quiet kitchen at one in the morning in NY. It was quite a journey to get here. I am not a huge fan of flying and there was a lot of wind. It will take awhile to get into a schedule, being two hours difference from Utah. Bonnie(the mother) picked me up from the airport and she gave me a hug when we first saw each other. How sweet! It was late when I got in(NY time) and we had an hour and a half drive home. The airport was huge! The drive was alittle awkward but she was tired. The house is so cute! It was actually quite loud outside with creatures that roam the night, lol. John(the husband) rolled out of bed to introduce himself. I will be sleeping(whenever the happens) in one of the girls room for the first few days. Then I will move into the basement apartment. Anyway, there is my first post from NY! Stay tuned for more and wonderful pictures! Miss you and love you!

Worker for hirer!

2009-09-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

I can pull up carpet, put in carpet, move HEAVY furniture, move people from house to house, cook dinner, watch children, personal shopper, driver and so much more...lol. I thought it would be funny to post this. I have had so much experience lately with different things. I helped my friend move before I left Rexburg, helped my grandparents clean out their living room and put down the heaviest carpet ever. Then when I went home to visit family I pulled up the carpet in my dad's house, drove him and my sisters around, took my sisters clothes shopping for the first day of school, watched my two favorite little girls from the ward. Geesh, I am tired now.

As many of you know, my dad had been in the hospital for about two weeks. He just got out a week ago. He is now on oxygen, 40 lbs lighter and at home with three young girls. My grandparents and I drove over to Oregon for a week to get them all set up. It was really hard to see my dad at first for me and my siblings. Molly, the youngest, held my hand and asked questions. She cried later, oh my it made me cry. It is hard to see the one that has cared for you for so long slowly grow weak. It was hard to leave, yet again. I hope they all do well this year.

I AM GOING TO NY! I leave on Wednesday, two days! I am so excited and nervous. I hope everything goes well. Wish me luck!

Here I come!

2009-08-25T13:56:00.000-07:00

Ok everyone, here is the latest.

I had been talking with a few families. One in Utah and two in New York. I talked with one family in New York last Friday and they called back Saturday. They asked me to come and join their family. I was so excited but I had to control it on the phone, lol. I was still worried that they would "back out" like the first family. But no, I am flying out Sept. 9th from Salt Lake.

Here is a little bit about the family: there is John, he is a lawyer and his wife, Bonnie works with pharmaceuticals. They have three kids. Two girls and one boy and their ages are 9, 7 and 5. They love to travel and seem really fun. They live in Port Jefferson, Long Island. It is Northwest and close to the coast.

I will have a basement apartment with a kitchen area and bathroom. My days will be pretty easy. The parents get up with the kids and I take over when the kids get home from school around three. I am in charge of getting them off the bus, snack, homework help, transportation to clubs and activities. From 9 am to 3 pm is for me to do whatever I like. NYC! My mom has a friend that lives in the Hamptons. She is going to show me around.

I am so excited! I wish time would go faster! I will be posting as many pictures as I can on facebook and blog. I don't post pictures that much on blog but I will try for those who don't check facebook.

Well, well, looky here.

2009-08-21T20:46:00.000-07:00

I am still alive everybody! I just have not been on my blog. So here is a little update....YEAH!

The last week of July I was in Oregon. I loved that I was able to visit family and friends. I was able to see Anna, my little sister, who I had not seen in about a year. I didn't get to see my little buddy(other little sister), Molly. She was very mad and cried when I told her over the phone. I MISS HER! People say we are twins but there is ten years between us. Anyway, I could see that my dad was sick and had been for awhile. I tried to help him as much as I could and I wish I could have done more. He is now in the hospital and has been for about a week. They are running test after test to figure out what is going on. They are not sure how long he will be there. Hopefully he will be well enough to go pick up his little girls in Cali. Alli was getting ready for her trip to Japan! I was worried for her because it would only be her second flight and it was sooo long. She is enjoying being in Japan though. Also while in Oregon I got to see the Sarantis family. They are all growing so much. I miss them and everyone for that matter back in Oregon!

I then traveled back to my townhouse in Rexburg, packed up my stuff and hit the road for Utah. I have been here since August 8th living with my grandparents. I am just waiting for a nanny job. There was a family in England...that was pretty exciting but the visa was not going to work out...legally...lol. So I am waiting for the next family to come around. I am excited for the experience it will give me.

Well that is my not so little update. I am not sure what you guys really want to hear but there you go. I hope things are going well for everyone!

I WANT TO CRY!

2009-08-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

I am so frustrated and sad. The nanny position in New York is not working out. The mother said that they would love for me to join them in January...WHAT?! Well I have quit my job and am living in a closet at my grandparents house in Utah. I was so frustrated and I had to find something else. There are a few nanny positions in Utah and there is one in Connecticut. Who knows what will happen but I hope something works out. Connecticut is only an hour from NYC... WISH ME LUCK!

Long Island, New York

2009-07-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

New York, New York....I'm going to New York!

For those of you who don't know, I am going to Long Island, New York to be a nanny. I will be there for a year starting towards mid-August. I am so excited! Plus a little nervous and scared. The family seems really nice and fun. There are three kids: two girls and one boy. Their ages are 8, 6 and 4. I am not sure what else to say!

What I would give..

2009-07-16T11:34:00.001-07:00

What I would give,

for one more day.

One more chance to say what is in my heart.

I love you!

I think of the good times past:

The laughter

The happiness

The joy

The love

I am sorry for what has happened,

for what has been done and said.

This is life and I have given it all of me.

Have you?

4th of July

2009-07-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

My fourth was kind of boring and exhausting at the same time. I had to leave Monday earlier that week. I went to Utah to help my grandma. She had a stroke on Sunday and was in the hospital on Monday night to Tuesday evening. That women never stops even after her second stroke. I did not sleep very well and missed out on great hours at work. I came home Friday night so I could work Saturday. I worked the longest shift out of everybody there. I speed home after I got off work at 9 pm, picked up my roomie, drove half an hour, did not get food or to use a restroom until midnight and sat by a group of smokers the whole show (I am allergic to smoke). Anyway that was my fourth. Geesh! I wish I was home...or do I. I am coming home in August and I am very excited! I hope you all had a great fouth.

Boredom

2009-06-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I am sorry that my last post was so emotionally driven. That was not very nice to read. I have yet to master what to write about on my blog and what NOT to. Thank you all though for the words of encouragement.

So there is need for an update on my life. To start I have withdrawn from school for right now. I was doing well but I felt myself falling into a whole that would not of been easy to recover from. I was to stressed and my emotions were taking over my life. I talked to the right people and made up my mind. It will just be for a year or so and then I can go back stronger than before. I know that I made the right choice because I actually am a bit happier and smile more, or so I have been told.

Now since I withdrew from school I had to move. This was a little stressful. But with the help of a good friend, Kelsi, I was able to find a place. It is a little bit out of town but I can go for a walk in the country. It is a townhouse, with stainless steel appliances, wood floor, leather coaches, washer/dryer, etc. For a beautiful price of.....$250 a month. It is such a great price for all that I get. I was able to cash in like $30 dollars in quarters when I got here. I was having to spend like $10 in quarters every time I did my laundry at my old place. There were two girls already living here but I hope they turn out to be good friends.

I am still working at Arby's and hope that I will only work there. I am not getting the hours that I need but I don't like the idea of having to find another job. We will see.

I am trying to work on my relationship with my parents. This is so hard because they are not wanting to talk about issues in my life that are very important. They don't want to talk about those issues but they want to know about everything else. I don't feel like it should work that way. I still get blamed for things that are not my fault. All I can say is that we have to agree to disagree in order to move on with our relationships. That is not easy to do because I know what they are thinking and what they want to say. Hopefully things work out because I want my parents back in my life.

YEAH! I plan on coming to Oregon in August! I hope I will have enough money saved up to go. So lets pray for that.

Anyway, that is my life to this point. I hope you are all doing well.

Birthday gone bad..

2009-06-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

Hmmm. I am 20! I am glad that I will not be called a teen anymore. But I have to say that it was the worst birthday I have ever had. My gparents were supposed to be here and help me celebrate. No! They left a day early from Rexburg to head back to Utah. I wanted to cry! Oh wait...I did. Then I found that it would be better for me and my health to just withdraw from school right now. I have been doing everything that I should be doing or people wanted me to do. What do I want to do? I decided that I needed a break. I will be working but I need to find myself and where my life needs to go. Anyway, I did get a few posts on facebook but nothing is quite like family and friends gathering for cake and ice cream. I wish I was little again. My dad did not even call me! This makes me so mad and I let him know it. My sister that I never talk to called me...what...but not my dad. This made me quite frustrated. Urgh...now I see why as people get older they try to forget their birthdays.

WOW! Poor me. I am such a whiner but this is my adventure...

I'M SICK OF:

2009-05-27T20:52:00.000-07:00

school

work

homework

being sick

money or the lack there of

sunburns

a not so family

Really, I am just sick of everything right now. I need a vacation! Who is with me? I feel like crying most of the time....lol. Life is so crazy!

Did I tell you that my mother is getting married??? This news came at a bad time in my week. How am I supposed to react? What am I supposed to say? If I don't even talk to my mom, does that mean I have to call him my step-dad? I don't know him. I have thought about this moment many times. I never thought I would cry so much about it....and have not stopped since.

My grandma is coming for "Mother's weekend" because my own mother would not come. My life is a wreck but I love my grandma! I am glad that we can have a good weekend. They will be here for my birthday so I don't have to celebrate alone. They are probably the only family that will remember or say anything. HOW HARD IS IT TO PICK UP THE PHONE?!

WOW! This was not a nice post. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the summer that is on its way. MISS YOU!

Don't get blown away Mary Poppins...Audrey.

2009-05-12T19:32:00.000-07:00

Oh my world! It has been SOOO windy here. I have really almost been blown away so many times. I get pelted by pebbles on campus and I get dirt in my teeth. I don't enjoy it at all. It was really nice this weekend. I went to the park to prepare my lesson on Saturday and then went to the park on Sunday after church.

My lesson...I was so nervous that I wanted to throw up and seriously looked for a trash can when I got into the classroom. I think I did ok but I really don't know. Everyone keeps telling me that I will do fine. When I got this calling the Bishop whispered to me that he was going to push me. Push me by giving me this calling...why do I need to be pushed? I don't think he likes me much after I told him that his secretary is RUDE.

School is ok but I still wish I was doing better. Some classes are fun and some are not. I am excited that my Grandma is coming up for Mothers weekend at the end of the month. I think that will be fun. I will also be turning twenty in less than a month. YES!!!

I hope everyone is doing fine! Miss you all!

I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love with a wonderful....Macbook.

2009-04-21T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yes it is true. I am very blessed and was able to get a silver Macbook. I am moving up in the world. Until I found out that my 10 and 12 year old sisters got laptops from my mom. WHAT?! Oh well they are spoiled little bugs. It has been a stress and a joy to work on getting the Mac set up but I know it will be fun to use and last me a long time. I am all Apple out, except my phone. That is my exciting news.
The new semester is going well so far and I am quite excited for a few of my classes. My communication class should be fun and the teacher is hilarious. Liz, Mckenzie and Tina are all here and that will make the summer really fun.
HEY! Guess what....I heard some news a few weeks ago that made me cry. My mom and her boyfriend, my sister Mary and my brother Matt are all going back to church. I love it! Maybe everyone will stop calling me names now. I am so happy for them and the choice they have made. Speaking of church..I got my calling for the new semester. OH MY WORLD! They have called me as the Gospel Doctrine teacher. I am so nervous and don't know what God is thinking. I told my friend, Jenny Sarantis about it yesterday. She said that she would love to sit in on my class. I don't know about that. How do I fill an hour with teaching. Pray for me!
I hope you are all doing well!

A start to a new semester!

2009-04-14T23:21:00.001-07:00

Classes for the Spring semester will be starting on Monday. Yuck! I am not really looking forward to it. The other grouping of semesters get a much longer break than we do now. There is either the seven week summer break or the whole month of December. It is not fair! I have some "fun" classes. I will be taking two child development classes, intro to theatre, Book of Mormon and marriage prep. I will have some new friends here. It is sort of funny but out of the original six girls from fall semester in my apartment....three are married or engaged. WHAT HAPPENED? It is the summer and tons more fun. I just hope I do not get distracted by beautiful days and boys.....lol. It snowed today. What am I thinking? Is everyone doing well? I see oober cute picks of babies, growing children and graduating seniors. CRAZY! I feel old. I talked to my three little sisters tonight. It was wonderful. I never talk to all three of them. The second youngest is going on her first temple trip in May..I AM OLD! The sister right below me is going to Japan next year for school and the youngest is my little twin and I love her. She wants to come visit me!! Anyway, that is my life and I hope you enjoy it.

End of the semester!

2009-04-07T22:41:00.000-07:00

There are only a few days left in the semester. Man it was sure crazy! I am very blessed because my finals have not been to bad. I do have to take a class over again but I am ready this time. I know what I need to do next semester. Pray for me that I will make it! The sun is coming out and staying longer. It is warming up quite a bit. There will be so much to do during the summer but I need to make plans around homework. This will be real hard. My friends: Liz, Kristina and McKenzie will be here. I am so excited! Miriam will be leaving! I have to hold back the tears or she will kill me. We have had so much fun! Well there is a bit about my life. I hope you are all well and safe. Please be good and don't have too much fun without me.

"Oh what a Beatiful day!"-Did not last long!

2009-03-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

Last Friday reported to be one of the most beautiful days this semester. The sun was out, the snow was melting, it was quite warm and wonderful! No one wanted to be in the classroom and you could hear cheers from the park. I did not have to work that night. Wonderful! At least it was wonderful until it started SNOWING on Sunday. It was the biggest snow flakes I had seen ever! Then it snowed Monday as well. It did not snow today, cross your fingers.

Things are winding down as far as school goes. I think I will make it out ok. I am moving into the cutest house during the summer break. I will be traveling with out Miriam. It will be quite fun and exciting. I am also a little scared because I will be living with 16 girls! This house is split into two apartments, the upstairs and then the downstairs. The upstairs apartment has ten girls and the bottom apartment has six. But it is right on campus and right next to a set of guys apartments. This is what I am talking about, lol. Pray for me!

I hope everyone is well!

P.S. I could not post a picture because it would not work. Sad!

What your attitude can do for you?

2009-03-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

As you all may know I have been struggling with school and being in Rexburg. I have cried myself to sleep many a night. I wondered why I was doing this to myself. It is partly my depression that gets me down but I have the power to work past that. So I decided to change my attitude! School is a challenge that I am going to overcome in VICTORY! I will be able to walk away in two or four years with a career that I will be happy with. Just by a change in my attitiude I have been able to work a little bit harder and relax a little bit easier.

I encourage you to do the same. Is there a person or situation that you do not agree with or work to avoid? Change your attitude about it and you will see a great change. Pray about it as well, the spirit will be able to guide you through.

I hope you are all doing well! The sun is out, blue skies and beautiful white clouds are here. I am not sure how long it will last but it is getting warmer. I am working to enjoy it. I am putting on a bridal shower with Miriam for our roommate Tracey. It has been quite funny. Another roommate got engaged..oh my. Where is my guy? I do have better feelings about not dating or not having guys fall down at my feet. Don't get me wrong, I will be screaming from the roof tops when I am in a relationship. It is just that I am not so negative about it now. It will come when it is time, I tell myself. One less distraction from my school work is helpful. Anyway, I miss you all! Hugs and kisses

I love blogging!

2009-02-26T22:46:00.000-08:00

I would like to start this post by thanking Rachel for helping create this beautiful new blog. I kept thinking to myself how I need to update stuff and make it more exciting. I have been busy with school, homework and work. I was not able to sit down and do anything with it. Thank you!

School...I want to cry. I have been having a hard time with attending classes. My depression is kicking in again and I don't have my medication. Not attending has made my grades suffer terribly. I am working on doing better and praying for help. It is fun though to think of being in college and doing new and exciting things. Work is boring and I don't want to go anymore. I need the money still. I hope you are all doing well. I miss you!

I am never going to...

2009-02-06T23:09:00.000-08:00

Get married! I swear...I don't really swear...tehehe. Men think women are complicated and oh my are they wrong. I knew nothing would happen when that young man came over to get his CD. It is not just this incident that has me convinced that I am never going to get married. I am going to serve a mission, finish school, work my life away and find joy in family and friends children. I will have a house full of cats, dogs, hamsters and all sort of animals. Oh well that is my life!

P.s. if you did not catch it...NOTHING happened when that guy came over. Not even a "let me repay you by taking you out for Jamba Juice"...nothing!

Funny story

2009-02-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hey ladies,

I have quite the story and it is quite funny, lol. I was walking home from church on Sunday and I saw a CD on the ground. I was going to pick it up, then not going to and finally did. It had "E. Bruce" and "Mish pics" written on it. I thought to myself and laughed, How am I going to find the owner? So I put it in my computer and looked at the pictures. Then I went on to the BYU-I website and put Bruce in a search of students. I found one boy, Ryan Bruce, so I emailed him. Stating that it was funny to do this but I knew how important pictures are. Thank goodness it was the right person and I did not make a fool of myself. We have been emailing back and forth, now I am going to meet with him to give him his CD. When I told my roomies about this they said eternal companion and went right to facebook to search him.

That is my funny story. I am not sure what is going to happen but I will sure let you all know. Have a good one!

I am the owner of a brand new car!

2009-01-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

Ok it is a newly used car, lol. So I was the owner of my beloved SAAB for about a year or so. Within the last few months it has been falling apart and a huge money problem. So I was talking with my g-parents about what I should do: put money towards the SAAB or sell the SAAB and put money towards a different car? I am not spoiled and I am very used to using my own two feet for transportation or the bus or bike. With the amount of snow and ice it is not safe to walk to and from my work especially at the hours I am working. So my g-parents said they would come up and help me trade my car in. Well then my g-ma called a few days after that conversation and said that they found me a car. So this weekend I went down with two of my the other roommates and picked up my newly used car. It is my g-parents 2004 Kia Spectra. I took that car, they took the money they could get out of mine and got a 2008 Kia Optima for themselves. SWEET! I love my new car!

I am a Survivor!

2009-01-15T10:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was an official week of me attending college....I have barely made it but made it none the less. I had a hard weekend of crying and praying but I am surviving. I am slowly getting a better handle on my homework. My classes include two Child development classes, writing, Book of Mormon, math and an Intro to BYU-I class. Child development should be fun, the writing material is complicated to read, Book of Mormon is intense, I hate math and the Intro to BYU-I is WAY easy! I did have a math placement test to take, I only had to get 12 out of 20 to call it good. I took it once with no studying and got 11, DANG IT! I took it again with looking over some problems that I did not get and got 16! WOOOOHOOO! I was very proud of myself. I am working few hours but I should survive. I am going this weekend to visit my grandparents and get a new car! I hope you are all doing well and missing me every second of the day, lol. You are great!

First day of school!

2009-01-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Here I go! I am finally starting college. It has been a long wait but now is the time for me to have late nights, early mornings, all day study sessions and so much more( I feel like I am selling the idea of college, lol). I am all set with my books(Miriam helped me get) and my printer. I am nervous and excited. It makes me think back on my high school days and how I don't miss having a back all hunched over from the load of books. But here we go! Wish me luck and I will post a picture from my first day of school.

Love you and miss you all!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to me!

2008-11-25T21:16:00.000-08:00

I had a little extra money and just could not resist anymore. I got the new iPod touch! It is so much fun. I can go everything on it: photos, music, games, web and so much more. I sound like a tv ad...lol. I just wanted to share my exciting news! Hope all is well!

P.s. Thanks from all of those responses about Thanksgiving. I have found a place. I spent my Thanksgiving day with my coworker, Kelsi and her family. It was fun.

All alone

2008-11-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

So it is Thanksgiving break for all BYU-I students. Four of my roommates left the state on Friday and that left Abby and I. We were soooo bored. Then she left me on Sunday so I was all alone in this apartment of mine...Sad life! lol. I locked myself in my room! She said she might come back tomorrow but we will see...lol. It is getting colder and it snowed a little bit but some have said it might snow all that much this year. We will have to wait and see what happens. I registered for classes last week! I am so excited to get into the routine of college life and continuing my education. Sorry to disappoint but that guy I had rteported about in my last post... GONE. My friends said to just wait and see the choices I will have when I start classes. Miriam still thinks I will be engaged before my first school year is done. I GET TO GO HOME IN DECEMBER! I have been waiting for this and I have started a countdown. I hope to see you all! Hope you are all doing well! Nighty night!

hmmm.

2008-10-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

Oh my! It has been forever since I have put a post on. Lets see....I am still working at Arby's, waiting for school to start and wishing I was home. Arby's is going well and I hope it will help me keep a steady income. Some of the people I like and have a great time with others...well they are good people. I don't start school till Jan. I am nervous about money but excited to finally be doing something with my life. I was called as a Stake extraction worker...I wanted something a little bit bigger but this will do. I am trying to meet more people. I have met this guy and I am excited to see what comes of it...tehehehe. I hope to come home for Christmas! Hope all is well.

Arby's

2008-08-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day at Arby's here in Rexburg. I was SOOO nervous but it was not that bad. I worked at the "fry station"....getting splattered with hot grease is NOT fun. It got really busy but it was not as bad as I thought it would be. Hopefully this will work out for me so that I can stop working at DownEast Basics in Idaho Falls because it is not worth the drive for a few hours. School will be starting here soon..not for me. So there will be more cute guys here to choose from..WOHOOO! Hope everything is going well for everyone!

How time flies...

2008-08-22T13:34:00.000-07:00

So I have been here for almost a month now and having a fun time. I think I have found a job closer to home...Arby's...yeah. Pray for me that it works out because I need a job closer to home with MORE hours or I am going to need to rent that box from you Rachel, lol. Miriam will be up her soon and I can't wait!! I had some problems with my car but they seem to have disappeared. I won't be starting school until January but am excited and trying to decide what I want to major in. There is lots of CUTE boys to choose from but they seem to be alittle shy. Tomorrow is one of my FAVORITE nieces 1st birthday! I can not believe how time has flown by and how much she has changed. She started eating solid food, making words and is now crawling. I MISS HER and the family! Things are hard and exciting but I am working as hard as I can. Miss you all in Oregon and wish I could be there!

Rexburg

2008-08-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

I have been here for about two and a half weeks. I have been working off and on, enjoying fun times with me new roommates and just trying to enjoy this new adventure. We have gone swimming in a canal, made a music video(check it out on youtube.com..."Should've Said No Remake Taylor Swift" ask me if you need more info to find it) and much more. Sadly I am trying to find another job a little bit closer to home. I am currently working at DownEast Basics(modest clothing) in Idaho Falls, about thirty minutes away for only 10 or 12 hours a week. This is not working very well. So I am getting to the point of looking into fast food...YUCK! I never wanted to work fast food but there is not much in Rexburg, Idaho. So hopefully things work out for me so that I can still enjoy my time. I can not wait for more of my friends to get here! Miss you all!

I made IT!

2008-07-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

So I am rolling on my third day in Rexburg, Idaho. It feels SO different to be here at MY apartment table. I keep saying to myself that I am not visiting friends....I am here and these are my roommates. It is quite a change and I hope that I can make it through. I traveled to work yesterday, it was quite a journey. I am not sure how long I will be able to do that I might have to find a job right here in Rexburg. Anyway, things are going well and I am actually cooking Jenny S. famous ribs for my roommates on Sunday. Wish me luck!

Here I go again....REXBURG!

2008-07-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready to head off to the GrEaT Rexburg, Idaho....or so I hope, hahaha. I don't start school until January but I have a job and an apartment. So I am off! I am so scared, excited, nervous and so many more emotions. My room is full of stuff that I will need to survive on my own. GEESH! I will be leaving in two weeks. There are a few bets laid out on when I will get married...December, a year or two years...lol. We will have to see.

To all those out there(the two of you, lol)...Please help me out with some quick, easy and cheap recipes that I can make for myself or the girls in my apartment. It will be helpful.

Wish me luck!

Day out with my Gpa

2008-07-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Wednesday I went to the Hogle Zoo with my Grandpa. It was quite fun. We first went out to eat at Chuck-arama...with a name like that I planned on NEVER eating there but it was his choice. It was good food but they should really think about changing the name, haha. Then we walked through the zoo and I got some great pictures. I think my Gpa enjoyed himself but it was really HOTT! The reason we were able to go was because for three days military men and their families got in for free. AWESOME! It was nice to go out with my Gpa.

WOOOOOHOOOO!! BYU-IDAHO!

2008-06-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! I got accepted to BYU-I! Last night I got online to find an email leading me to my application status.....ACCEPTED. I wanted to scream but it was 11 p.m. and everyone was asleep. I felt sick to my stomach, light-headed and was crying all within ten minutes of reading the email(I felt like I was prego, lol). My dad did not think I would make it to college but this will show him. tehehehehehe. I am nervous, excited, terrified and ready. WOW! I can not believe it. BYU-I! I got in! Everyone said I would get in but saying it and it actually happening is two different things. HERE I COME!

Visit to Oregon

2008-06-17T19:29:00.000-07:00

I went back to Oregon last weekend for the ***** Graduation and to visit people. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I did not want to leave but I have to work...yeah. My two nieces have GROWN! I was able to see my two little sisters, who live in Cali but are visiting Oregon for the summer. They have changed so much. I was sad because I could not spend more time with them. I had a visit with baby Delaney, she is so cute. I went to Sweet Life with my friend Olivia, YUMMMMY! It was a great visit and I look forward to another one.