The Wishing Tree

Last week at work, my co-workers and I got to tag along with our girls on one of their exploration trips to the Leonardo Museum in Salt Lake City. If you haven't had a chance to visit the museum, I highly recommend it! So many hands-on things to do there for little ones and big people alike! My girls had a blast creating with their hands and being able to think outside the box during multiple activities there.

There was one exhibit in particular that really pulled at my heart strings. In one of the corners of the museum was a single tree with lots and lots of things hanging from it. Out of curiosity I walked over to it and saw the sign that said, "The Wishing Tree" on it. I also realized that the things hanging from the tree were little tags with wishes that people had written. Next to the tree was a little table with the tags and pencils and a sign that said, What do you wish for....?". I instantly thought about all the wishes that I assumed were on the tree like, "I wish for a million dollars", "I wish to be skinnier/prettier", or "I wish to have some really nice car". I started reading some of the tags on the tree and boy, was I wrong!

 As I sat and read through all of the wishes on the tree, I was so overcome with emotion. I was so sad for all the people who have such big wishes; safety, loved ones to return home safely, to be reunited with people they've lost.... At the same time, I was so thankful that I myself have never needed any of those to be my wishes. I have been so incredibly blessed in this life to live the life I do, love the people I love and to be apart of the family and friends that I have. I have nothing to complain about and very few things to feel sorry for myself for. The wishing tree had been on my mind for the entire rest of the day and throughout the couple of days that followed. I started to think about what I would wish for if I really did have a wish or multiple. 

- I would wish for a lifetime of happiness for my mother and father. I would wish for them to understand how much my siblings and I really do love and appreciate everything they've done for us because, at most times, it feels like words could never be enough to express what they mean to us. I would wish for them to feel that all of their effort is acknowledged and appreciated. 

- I would wish for another week or even just a couple of days with my sweet Landon Leo. There were so many times during his battle that I wished so badly that I could be with him and help ease his pain if at all possible. To be able to sit with him, hold his hand, to be able to wrap my arms around him, just to be able to talk to him face to face. To be with him and to spend time with him one last time was my only Christmas wish that year. I would wish for his life to be prolonged just a little bit longer so I could've somehow found a way to get out to see him. 

- I would wish for all of the families with members struggling with addiction would be able to feel comfort during such a dark time in their life. I would wish for them to be able to find strength and solace in the love of Christ and the repentance process. I would wish for them to not give up on those members who are struggling to and be able to be strong enough for that member as well as the rest of the family, as hard as that would be. 

- I would wish for couples that are going through a divorce would be able to leave things on happier terms. Sometimes two people fall out of love and filing for a divorce is what's best for them, their children if applicable, and what's best for their emotional and physical well being. I wish for those couples to be able to part ways as friends, if possible. I wish for the children of divorce to never feel sad or like the divorce was their fault. Children can hear it over and over again but can still not believe it. I wish that all of those children who have ever felt  like they were the cause, to know without a shadow of a doubt that these things are not happening because of them and that they are still loved equally by both parents.

-  I would wish that mankind as a whole would have a better understanding and more compassion toward people with mental disorders. Mental disorders are a very real thing and I have seen first hand how they can influence a person's life as well as all of the people around them. I would wish for all of those people suffering with disorders would seek help and the people they went to seek help from would understand and treat them with dignity and respect; from one human being to another. Just because you may not personally be dealing with what another person is, doesn't mean they deserve to be treated any less than human. 

- I would wish for every single one of my girls that I work with to be able to see themselves through my eyes so they could understand just how absolutely beautiful they are inside as well as the outside. I would wish for them to feel what I feel in my heart when they're sharing their successes as well as what I feel when they are crying and confiding in me. I would wish for them to know how much I truly and utterly love each and every one of them regardless of what their past looks like. I would wish for them to know that they mean something to so many people, especially me. I would wish for them to learn how to deal with their emotions and how to not take their anger and frustrations out on their body. I would wish for them to see how strong they are and how far they've come in life. They survived, they're alive and they are getting help that they need. I would wish for them to be able to look in the mirror and honestly be able to say to themselves, "Wow.... I have been through so much in my life, but damn! I am a freaking warrior! Look at where I am at now!"

- I would wish for my siblings to know that I would do absolutely everything in my power to protect them. I would wish for those three people to know that they come before everyone else and that I love them so very dearly. I would wish for them to be able to come to me with anything whether it's a problem, a struggle, a sin or a crime and I will stand by them and help them through whatever the situation may be. 

- And finally, I would wish to be remembered for something great. I would wish to be remembered as someone who was a great volunteer or someone who was trustworthy. I would wish for people to think of all of the good I did when my name is said aloud. I would wish for people to remember me by my loyalty or how I was always there when they needed a friend. I would wish to be remembered by my kindness in my actions. I would wish to be remembered as something great!

Until Next Time, "There's no point having wishes if you don't at least try to do them!" -- Sally Nicholls

F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

I thought that starting with the theme song and music video from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. was the perfect way  to introduce today's post. The video is adorable and I feel like it's something my friends and I would make. The lyrics are also the story of my life: 

You're still in bed at ten and work began at eight

You've burned your breakfast so far things are going great

Your mother warned you there'd be days like these

But she didn't tell you when the world

Has brought you down to your knees that

I'll be there for you

When the rains starts to pour

I'll be there for you

Like I've been there before

I'll be there for you

'Cause you're there for me too!

I know I have said it time and time again but I am completely and utterly head over heels in love with my friends. Each and every single one of them mean the absolute world to me and there isn't anything in the world that I wouldn't do for any of them. I don't know what I did in Heaven or on this Earth to have them by my side because I don't deserve any of them, but I thank my Heavenly Father for them each and every day! I'm feeling rather emotional this Sunday and incredibly humble and thankful for the people I have met recently and I need to express my gratitude for them.

Aaaaaand, this is the point in the post where I spotlight them individually and try to shed a little light on how much they mean to me (if that's even possible to do)

First and foremost, my absolute best friend in the entire world: Mary Brooke Martinos Olsen! She is my person and has been for 9 years. She knows everything about me and probably more than I know about myself. She's my go to for everything. Every secret, every crush, every sin, every success, every hope, every dream, E V E R Y T H I N G ! My world could be shattering around me and she'd be there to make me smile through the tears. I love her more than words can ever express and more than she will ever comprehend! I'm convinced that no one is as lucky as me because they don't have her to call their BFF. I literally could go on for hours about this girl but I'll leave what I have above because she knows it all, already! 

And of course, her hilarious, adorable, wonderful husband who I adore the crap out of for loving her as much as he does (and as much as I do!) There haven't been many guys in her life that I have liked and Jonathan has given me every reason to do the opposite. I love him to pieces and I'm so grateful she has him!  

Our sweet Tara has been by our sides for this crazy journey as well! The Fantastic 4 is what I always thought of the 3 of us and our beloved Jenna. We got in trouble together, did stupid and reckless things together and laughed together until our guts hurt. Tara is one of the most adventurous people I have ever met. She's willing to drop everything in a second whenever a fun opportunity arrives. She has such a free spirit and I've always envied that about her. She's absolutely gorgeous and I am incredibly lucky to call her a best friend. I haven't seen her in so long but I am grateful for her every day of my life, as well! 

Coming to college, I NEVER would've guessed that I would have made some of my absolute best friends and favorite people here. Having been here for 4 years, I am 10000% sure that I have met the best people that this campus has to offer, if not the entire state!

MKWhipChas

You three have been three of the best things that have happened to me at school! I would call you out individually but I feel like all of our hilarious or memorable moments were when we were all together or it happened with three of us and then we Facetimed or texted to fill the fourth person in! I'm sooooo glad I was friends with Bradley before two years ago so we all could meet. I love staying up way too late laughing about things that aren't even funny but are somehow hilarious with all of us. I love talking endlessly about boys and how much drama we seem to think they cause. I love making up completely inappropriate nicknames and end up sticking and all the inside jokes that we've come across. I cannot wait for you all to be back with Mama Tay this coming school year (Yes, Chas-hole, that means you too! CHOOSE WEBER BABY GIRL!) Love you girls to pieces! Thanks for being my ride or die girls!

These handsome devils below make up my favorite apartment of boys in Pine View; the studs of apartment 38! I've spent many hours in their living room have pillow talks as well as laughing my guts out. Each of these boys have blessed my life more than they know in one way or another. Mr. Spackman: You are one of the most genuine guys that I have ever met in my life. You have an incredibly kind heart and have a knack for making people feel needed and loved. Thank you for all of the awful puns that I think are hilarious anyway as well as all the time we've spent in the car and at the kitchen table surfing through country songs. Thank you for always listening to my rants and giving me the advice that I need to hear and for making me feel good about my cooking skills! I love you Aust!  Dusty Buns: Dust, you too, are one of the kindest people I have ever met. I don't think I've ever heard a foul word or insult escape from your lips about anyone. The example you set for me in that aspect will always be something I admire about you. I loved learning about all the instruments you know how to play throughout the year as well as listening to you sing with your angel voice. I'm glad we got to be twins for a night and loved that we could not make a straight face in a single picture for a solid ten minutes. Thanks for always making me feel good about myself with all the compliments. I love you Dust! Brycee Babe: Never have I ever met a bigger flirt than you or someone who is so fun to flirt with! I remember the first day I met you, after we got back from Taste of Logan, I thought to myself, "Well that was fun.... hope we can be friends with this kid past today!" and look at us now! I love being able to say just about anything to you and you not taking my crap; you're super quick with your comebacks with me! Thanks for always being ready and willing to jump at any chance to help me when I need you. Thanks for making me laugh after I had passed out on my kitchen floor... made recuperation much easier! I love you Bryce! Dill Picks: Dillon, Dillon, Dillon.... You're a punk! And you know it! You can make me laugh harder than just about anyone I know! Some of my favorite memories from this last school year involve you playing your guitar and all our peeps just sitting around and singing together. Thanks for randomly showing up to our apartment to talk for five minutes and never calling before showing up to Home Teach me! I know I could always get hugs from you followed by the tough love that I needed to hear! Thanks for sharing your twerking skills with me! I can't wait to see you again when we come out to California in August! Miss you and love you so much Dill! Mitchellina: I feel like you were hardly ever home and when you were, you were home for a few minutes and then you were leaving again for something on campus or at the church. Some of my favorite memories of you are when we'd all be awake WAY too late and the random things that would come out of your mouth... They were all SO freaking funny! I also loved going to Beto's with you at 3:30 in the morning.... seriously, who thought that was a good idea? Thanks for always making me feel loved and for hugging me every time I came into the room! You're the best Mitchell, I love you! Phteven: Phteven, the Almighty Little Hand... that's what your name is in my phone and I feel like it absolutely perfect! I remember hearing ALL about you before you even lived in PineView! The boys talked about you non stop and made us all really excited for you to finally show up and move in! I remember thinking how nice you were and how funny you were! Thanks for always chatting with me whenever I came into the room and letting me be apart of yours and SJ's engagement party! I wish you two all the very best in the world; you deserve it! I love you Steve!

                                        

These beautiful ladies adopted me at semester break when my MK moved to China and Whip was always studying for classes! I would always wander into their apartment and they were always doing something fun and would invite me in. Thanks for always making me laugh and for letting me vent to you about all of my problems, especially work! I wanna wish luck to all the girls going on missions and for the ones who aren't, I really hope to see you soon! Thank you for everything gorgeous gals! 

Have to give a shout out to my second family here in Logan as well!  Thank you Chase, Mason, Tay, Emma girl and Jaden for being apart of my life and Karen and Val for sharing your kids with me! I love them and you both like crazy!!

I love this girl to pieces and I miss being her roommate! I love driving around the entire valley with her and her cute family, late night talks when we should be sleeping and all of our various inside jokes! I love you so much Sarah Burton! Miss you like crazy baby girl!

 Aaaaaand last but not least, these handsome fellas here! I'm so thankful to have met them a few years back and that we've remained friends since! You boys are the absolute best and I thank you for all the memories and GREAT times! 

I have been far too blessed in my lifetime and this isn't even close to the entire list of people I am thankful for, it only scratches the surface! If you are in my life and not mentioned here, just know that I adore the crap out of you and thank you for your influence in my life!

Until Next Time, "The people who influence you are the people who believe in you." -- Henry Drummond

What I've Learned in College

Yes I've learned all about how the brain works, abnormal disorders, all the stages of development starting at a zygote to 90+ years of age and how to properly block a volleyball so you don't break your hand.... Which I did! But that's not what I'm talking about with this post! Sure, there are a lot to learn when it comes to academics but there is SO MUCH more to learn at college... and here is a list of all of the things that college has taught me:

1. How to get ready in a time crunch.... PR is 30 minutes which included a shower, blow dried and straightened hair, make-up on, cute outfit with matching shoes and even accessories! I just might consider this my #1 college accomplishment!

2. Passive Aggressive notes left on whiteboards, the fridge and various other appliances are surprisingly effective when it comes to messy roommates.

3. The people you surround yourself with is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL! They will make or break you! They will help sculpt and mold you into the person you come, whether you are consciously aware of it or not!

4. Stress breakouts are a real thing! Finals week every year is literally hell for your skin... Bump up your skin regimen about two weeks before finals and pray for the best!

5.  Contrary to popular belief, it's possible to live without properly daily nutrition. I'm still alive after 4 years of eating Ramen, canned and boxed food and the occasional vegetable or fruit here or there.

6. That being said, the freshman 15 is a MYTH! Well, for me it was anyway. As long as you eat your processed crap in moderation (Proper portion sizes) and exercise as you normally do (should), you'll be fine!

7. The triangle is all too real! The triangle that has sides consisting of Grades, Social Life, and Sleep. Triangle rules say you can only have two but you can never have three! This has been the dictator of my entire college career! I'll tell you right now, sleep and social life always win! Academics always, always suffer...especially when you're a freshman.

8. Spending WAY too much money on outings with your friends is INCREDIBLY easy!

9. If you even slightly entertain the idea of skipping class for even a second, you're not going to go

10. Studying is a complete joke! It's one of those things where you know you absolutely need to do it but you just downright don't want to. Until you take the first two tests and realize you have to study for the final otherwise you'll fail the class

11. On the off chance that you do decide to study, DON'T DO IT AT YOUR APARTMENT!! You'll get too distracted and nothing will get accomplished. Go to the library, the laundry room, anywhere that you're not used to being!

12. You don't HAVE  to buy your books and supplies from the campus store! The bookstore on campus has outrageous prices on most things and only have a limited supply of the used/cheaper books and of course, they sell out the fastest! Try other places like Amazon or friends that already have the books from previous semesters! Also, Chegg.com has the absolute best deals! You can buy or rent from them at incredibly low prices, It shows you the original cost, what you're being charged and how much you saved! You also get little gifts in the box when your book comes like cans of Red Bull, laundry soap, gum and other little things.

13. That being said above, you don't ALWAYS need to have the textbook for a course! Go to the first day or two of class and see if you have any assignments that come from the book. A lot of the times, textbooks are supplemental and don't mean a whole lot to the course! Do your research before so you're not wasting tons of money on books that won't even be cracked open the entire semester.

14. Goodbyes N E V E R get easier! In my experience, the incredible people I've met here become my family away from family; my home away from home. There are very few things in this world that I wouldn't do for my friends and having to leave them after nine months of adventures may just be the hardest thing I've had to do thus far in my adult life. Prepare yourself for that now!

15. iClicker/attendance/participation points will absolutely make or break your grade! READ THE SYLLABUS and make sure you don't get points for attendance before you decide to skip a class!

16. The institute ALWAYS has free food and treats! Whether it's Welcome Back Week, Finals week or any random holiday, make sure you stop by the institute for food!

17. Spectrum Magic! is a real thing! It may be called something different at your school but I am a firm believer in the student section helping the athletes when they're out on the court or field!

18. Family is EVERYTHING! I've posted time and time again about this so I'm not going to go into too much detail about it but when you move away to college, you realize how important your family actually is and how much love you actually have for them!

19. Great Value, Kroger and Western Family will become your brands of choice! They are cheaper than name brand foods and could save you hundreds of dollars in the long run!

20. ^^^That being said, eating out will absolutely wreck your bank account and your health. It's ok every now and then if it's for social reasons, a special occasion or you're in a time crunch, but definitely don't make a habit of it!

21. Utilize the free services that are available to you through your school and student tuition & fees! These can including psychological counselors, medical clinics, academic resource centers, printing centers, computer labs and other places on or around campus! This, too, can save you money in the long run!

22. DON'T procrastinate your math classes!! Your allotted time will run out, you'll end of having to take the accuplacer and may end up having to repeat courses that you've already taken! Save yourself the time, money and stress and take math as a freshman! Get it out of the way so you're not taking it as a senior, when you should be graduating and then adding another year when you thought you were finished.

23. Don't get caught in the "Daily Parking Charges" trap! Buy a pass at the beginning of the year and use it for the duration! It may be a lot up front but it's MUCH cheaper than daily charges. Otherwise, walk or bus it!

24. Getting mail is almost as great as Christmas; probably a close second!

25. Celebrating even the littlest of holidays is fun in a college setting! And I'm talking about giant St. Patrick's Day Feasts, GALentine's Day parties, National Pancake Day, etc.

26. Fun Fact: In college, NOBODY cares what you wear to class! As a freshman, this is something you won't understand. For upperclassman, it becomes apart of you. whether it's 10 pounds of make-up with heels and a hand bag or Aggies sweats and a Disneyland T-shirt, people really couldn't care less.

27.  Get involved in activities outside of the classroom-- volunteering, athletic games, intramurals, celebrations, church activities, dances, parties... This is where you meet new people and create the best memories! It also gives you a nice break from studying!

28. Get out in the sun as much as you possibly can! Thanks to living in Utah, it's here for a short time during the school year and gone again too soon!

29. On the first day of class- pick a seat and stay there! Don't be that person that throws off everyone else because you randomly decided to sit somewhere else on any given day!

30. Cops hide EVERY WHERE! If you are known as a speeder, be prepared to pay a lot of tickets! They'll get you, I promise!

31. You won't always like your roommates! You'll have some that you absolutely love and you'll have some that you absolutely hate! I've been lucky in that I've enjoyed all but maybe two of mine and even then I've dealt with it! It's all about what you make of it!

32. The boys at college are 5 times hotter than what you're used to seeing back home and in high school. Maybe it's because they're fresh faces and you haven't seen them before or maybe you're just used to all the ones back home that you're friends with. Either way, college is babe central!

33. The sides of your car will be dinged 1,000 times! I know we're in college and you'd think it was common sense but my green machine is flecked with white scratches down both sides of it and I know for a fact that it wasn't purchased that way. In 4 years of being here, I've only had 1 person leave a not about hitting me...... #SoAnnoying

34. While at school, your Suzy Homemaker side definitely comes out! You may think that you're the least crafty or artistic person in the world like I do, but I promise you! You'll try a lot of new things whether it's crafts, recipes and other things!

35. Course Evaluation Surveys.... TAKE THEM THE FIRST TIME YOU GET THE E-MAIL! Don't delete them thinking that you're outsmarting the system just by not taking them. You will continue to get e-mails over and over until the surveys are taken. Safe yourself and your inbox some grief and take them right away.

36. You will go through ridiculous amounts of clothing. You'll feel like you're needing to do 4 loads of laundry weekly

37. And while we're on the laundry note, your laundry is not safe in the complex washers and dryers. There are lots of inconsiderate people at college who think of only themselves. There may be times when you find your dripping wet clothing sitting on top of the washer you were using while someone else clothes are now in washing instead.... it's happened to me before and it's incredibly annoying. Just remember that you have laundry in and check it frequently!

38. 11 PM or later is the absolute best time to shop at Wal-Mart for groceries. Yeah, you'll have to navigate around the employees unloading food from their freight but other than that, there are very little other shoppers there. They are also putting out their newest shipment of produce! That way you can get fresh stuff and not have to worry about all the people that have touched your food during the day.... just remember to grab fro the back of the stack/row!

39. Group projects are a complete joke! You'll have rock star group members and you'll have absolute crap group members who leave you to pull the weight for everybody! Be sure to advocate for yourself and discuss the problem with your professor if needs be! Don't stress yourself out for the sake of the group when you don't have a group to work with! And... May the Odds be Ever in Your Favor!

40. And last but certainly not least, college has taught me, that even though this has been a completely stressful, crazy, and demanding ride.... I wouldn't trade it for a second. I'm absolutely obsessed with my campus and in love with the people I have come into contact with. I have another year left of school, but if it were up to me, I wouldn't ever leave this place! Once an Aggie, Always an Aggie..... :)

Until Next Time, " A college degree is the key to realizing the American Dream, well worth the financial sacrifice because it is supposed to open the door to a world of opportunity." -- Dan Rather

The Value of an Education

Pre.

Head start. 

Elementary. 

Intermediate. 

Jr. High. 

Middle. 

High. 

Post Secondary. 

Primary. 

University. 

College. 

Secondary.

What do all these words have in common.....?

They are all forms of school/education! Every single person reading this post right now has had some form of education, whether formal or informal. Someone, somewhere has taken the time and has taught you how to read. HOW COOL IS THAT?! Love letters, the newspaper, instructions, road signs and maps... sooo many things are available to you because you can read!

Now... imagine life without that ability. imagine not being able to read.... do a math problem... knowing how to speak properly... Being able to learn facts in our history or knowing who the current president is.It's crazy how often we take education and oh so often! There have been so many times, while being away at school, the phrase, "I hate school!" has slipped from my lips. That as well as, "Why am I doing this to myself?", "This is stupid!", and "That's it, I'm dropping out and becoming a stripper!". It's always been expected of me to go to school. NO EXCEPTIONS. Maybe that's why I've felt this way at time? Maybe I was just feeling a load of pressure on myself at the time? It's taken me 4 years of schooling to FINALLY understand and really appreciate my education! 

It slammed me today during a presentation in my Women and Gender studies course on Culture. We were discussing the importance of education as well as the average salary of a college graduate versus a high school graduate. I started a "big kid" job yesterday with full time hours ,benefits and higher pay than I've ever received from any job I've worked so far. When I was going in for my interview, a girl from one of my college classes was walking out. We were talking the next day in class about how our interviews went and if we were going to accept the job or not. Another girl that sits by us asked if it was good pay. The other girl that interviewed said that she would get $10/hr. When I was interviewing, the supervisor told me that I would get $11/hr because I already have my Associates degree and then my pay would go up once I finish my last two classes and receive my Bachelor's. Also, that one little thing was the thing that put me above all of the other applicants and landed me the job. 

Never have I been so thankful for this college experience! Never have I been so grateful for all of the stress, caffeine, tears, debt, late nights and struggling! I am sooooo thankful that I have been able to go to college for so long, regardless of the amount of student loans I have racked up! I am so thankful for having the opportunity to go to school on such a beautiful campus and meet some of the most incredible people! My father has always said, "It will pay off. I promise you it will eventually pay off!" I am now starting to see it pay off little by little and I am so so happy and thankful for that!

Until Next Time, "The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet." -- Aristotle