YES! I AM STILL ALIVE!

Yes, everyone I am still around. I guess that's how you find out that people really care and start to wonder if you are still around, just don't post anything on your blog for a couple weeks and people start asking questions.

I have been super busy this last little while so I have kind of dropped out of site. I work two jobs these days, I still work at the Residential Treatment Center for girls and I also work at the Crisis Center. I have been running back and forth between those jobs and it keeps me pretty busy, plus my laptop decided it had enough and quit working in addition to the Internet not working all last week at the treatment center. This is pretty much why I have not posted anything. Plus I really didn't have anything to post.

This week I have been at a 40 hour training to become an Advocate for victims of Rape or Sexual Assault for the Crisis Center. I am really excited about this and think it will be something I will enjoy doing. I am also going to start volunteering for the SUMCT which is the Southern Utah Mobile Crisis Team. They pretty much get dispatched when the police get a call and we go on site for Domestic Violence, Child Abuse, Rape, Homicide, Suicide calls, and anything else they might need us for. Our job is to be and advocate for the victims. We are there to support them and help them with their needs while the Police department handles the other stuff. I will also be responding to hospital calls for victims of Rape or Sexual Assault to help them through the process, provide resources, answer questions, and anything else they need. I am volunteering so I can get experience and then hopefully I will be able to get a job when the funds are available. I am also looking into doing a few ride alongs with the Police Department. I am really excited and think this will be fun.

I will try not to be absent so long from blogging, and try and do something exciting and fun so I can post.

O and PS I finally watched the office and it is like my new favorite show.{THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!! :) }

SHEEP PARADE!!!

Here are a few pics for your enjoyment. I forgot my camera so these few just came from the cell phone.

So I guess every year Cedar has what they call a sheep parade. I have never been and probably would not have ever gone except I have decided that I probably miss out on a lot of things in life because I think they are stupid. So for the next little while anything that I think is stupid I am going to try. Well........

The sad part is I went to the sheep parade and actually liked it. It was pretty entertaining and provided a lot of laughs. They not only paraded a 1,000 sheep down main street but also a very nice and long line of several different makes and models of tractors from small to big and some other random farm equipment(mostly I think that people just got in there farm equipment and showed up at the parade so they could be in it). I swear every sheep wagon in Cedar City and the surrounding areas, the diesels that haul the sheep, and.... ...you guessed it- a bag pipe playing marching band. The parade was topped of with, no not candy! they actually threw out sheep wool(hahaha). It was pretty great experience. I guess this new experiment is paying off. I never thought I would attend a sheep parade let alone enjoy it. AWWW small towns:)

A few of the other events I was sad/glad I missed out on.

-Tractor pull

-Sheep dog event

-Dutch oven mutton

-Cowboy poetry

WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE?

Ok so on my way to work this morning at 5:40AM, I am trying to hurry so I won't be late. I take the back road where it is all dark, run down and basically pretty ghettto! I see a car coming toward me and it is flashing it's lights. Without even really thinking I started to stop. Then all the sudden the voice of reason came into my mind, yelling what are you doing? it's dark, there is no one around, and you are stopping for a car and have no idea who it is or what they want! I was already stopped at this point the the person was rolling down there very dark tinted window! (yikes!!!) I was freaking out at this point thinking, well I've finally done it! this is how I'm going to die! but I just sat there and didn't speed of like my human instinct was telling me to. Luckily it was a lady who was lost looking for the airport! whoosh. I tried to give her directions but she said she had been lost for awhile. I was already going to be late for work and knew she probably would not find it. She said "I beg of you"(sad, that totally suckered me in) So I led her there!(totally making me late for work being as my gas light was on and i had to stop and get gas too) she stopped me again and said "what do I owe you?" of course I said nothing. She said "o thank you, you are an angel" well that gave me the warm fuzzes:) I drove off feeling good and glad I stopped! But really that was a risky thing that I did. SO MY QUESTION, WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE LINE OF BEING A KIND HELPING CITIZEN OF SOMEONE IN NEED OR A CITIZEN THAT HAS THE "EVERYMAN FOR THEMSELVES" ATTITUDE? ANYONE?

CHAMPIONS!!!

Well we won the championship last Thursday night. We played at 6:30 and beat that team by 15 runs then we didn't play again until 9:30 for the Championship. We ended up playing the same team that we played at 6:30 but they had played us then another team so they were still warmed up and had a lot of batting practice in. They got a lot of runs on us and were ahead of us by 7 runs with time running out. Somehow we managed to put up 9 runs in our last at bat with all the time gone. They had last bats and we were only ahead by two. We got an easy out then a few people got on base. One run scored on a sacrifice fly, so we had two outs and were only ahead by one. luckily the last out came quick with no one on base. We won by one! we got another trophy and T-Shirts. Sorry the pic is blurry its from my phone so its not a great picture.

A CHALLENGE

Ok so I don't know if any of you have ever had the pleasure of driving northbound on I-15 comfortably cruising at a speed of 76mph between Beaver and Fillmore at 6:53 in the morning in a mini van, but if you have not your missing out! just as I was sitting in the back soaking in all the luckiness that had recently come upon me, my boss hits the breaks which immediately pulls me back to reality and totally freaks myself and another fellow employee out. She says "is that an animal?" as we frantically search back and forth and scan the area we see nothing! and could not figure out what she was talking about. She points into oncoming traffic and we all realized what she was looking at. The top of a semi coming up and over a hill! BAHAHA I was like "what you mean that big 18 wheel semi truck?" Seriously we laughed forever, I was a little scared for my life after that I'm not gonna lie. But in her defense and to validate her feelings, I posted some pictures so everyone could see how interchangeable these two things really are and how easily she could have mistaken one for the other(common mistake I'm sure). Good times. If any0ne is board or got a little extra time on their hands I highly recommend this experience. It creates laughs all day and I'm sure many in the future. I challenge all of you to try it and see if the same experience will happen. In honor of my lovely, outgoing, hard working, extremely organized and amazing boss. POP OFF!! Thanks for the laughs all day!

A FUNNY OBSERVATION

The popper AHHHHHH!!!!The Dart gun

Well I don't have kids but I have pretty much been around them my whole life being the youngest of 6 kids and having 21 nieces and nephews. I know that parents mean well when they go to the store and want to find the perfect toy that they think their child will love and have so much fun with, or the child picks it out and wants it so bad and cries until the parent gives in and buys it. The funny part about this, is that parents don't really consider or think about what exactly they are buying sometimes. I know a lot of you parents can relate, you know they toys that make the same annoying sound over and over or the little popper thing they push around that has the balls that pop when they hit the thing in the middle(that toy makes me what to get a sledge hammer and go to town) so I'm sure by now you all have a vision in your head of the toys that annoy you to death. What then usually occurs is the kids are having a great time but the parents are about to pull their hair out and then start to get mad and the kids for playing with the toys. A perfect example of this, this last weekend I went home to visit my mom and she was babysitting the kids she had bought them these toy guns that shoot little dart things(at an unusually powerful force that should be reevaluated for a child's gun! I would know I got hit by several) anyway, they proceeded to run all over the house and shoot them at each other and at targets, well after a couple of hours my mom was trying to get them to "put the guns away and watch a movie" ha ha yea right they are little boys with toy guns that actually shoot things. She looked like she was about to lose it and start pulling her hair out and I started laughing and said "you can't buy them toys like that and then get mad at them when they play with them", we had a really good laugh after that about it . I have witnessed this several times and just think it is so funny. I personally blame the people who make the toys for not considering this to begin with, but since they don't, next time we want to put a smile on a child's face with the perfect toy I recommend really doing some research on they toy and how it is going to affect us 4 hours after we buy it. Just for everyone sake.

Please feel free to comment and tell me the toys that annoy you I would really like to make a list so that I never buy them for my children and then have to hear them cry when I take them away and smash them with a hammer into tiny pieces:)

GETTING IT DONE SINCE THE YANKEES CANT!!!

Well since the Yankees cant make the playoffs, it's a good thing that my team can. I'm not the best one on the team in fact I'm probably closer to the worst one, but I get my good hits in every now and then so I feel like I contributed. This is me with our trophy. Last week we clinched the co-rec softball division and headed first place into the tournament. We won out first game tonight and avenged our only loss by like 15 runs! With the win we head right into championship night. Cross your fingers!!

STAGE ONE: SHOCK AND DENIAL

Seriously this morning was pretty rough I can't believe its over! I know i'm probably over reacting but it's just sad. All the history and all the memories. The house that Ruth built is no more. I'm sure there will be many more memories and a lot more history made in the new one but it's hard to let go, I HATE CHANGE. I'm glad I had the oppertunity to visit there twice and sit in the Yankee dugout and visit the club house. Thanks Mo and the rest of the great Yankees for the memories!!!

THE SEVEN STAGES OF GRIEF HAVE BEGUN!!!!!

Well for all you baseball fans you know what I mean. Tonight was the last game ever played in Yankee Stadium:( In the last game Andy Pettitte got the win, Jose Molina hit the last homer and Mariano Rivera finished the Yankees' 7-3 win over the Orioles. Let's just say there were some tears. I put a few pictures for some memories.

This is what you see when you are coming out of the club house to the Yankee dugout. It says "I want to thank the good lord for making me a Yankee"
I'm gonna miss it but I'll probably enjoy the new one as well. It's even worse that they probably wont make the playoffs either. This will be the first time in who knows how long. SAD I KNOW!!

SEPTEMBER ENSIGN

SMALL THINGS HAVE A WAY OF GROWING LARGE WHEN WE DWELL ON THEM

TOOTHPASTE ON THE MIRROR

By Bryce R. Peterson

I thought this was a really good and sad story. It is a story about an older lady and her husband. It is told by her daughter. She said that one of her mom's complaints was that her dad would splash toothpaste all over the mirror when he brushed his teeth. It drove her mom crazy! and she couldn't let it go.

After her father passed away her mother missed him more than she thought she would. one day when the daughter visited, her mothers eyes turned watery and she told her daughter of a mistake she regretted. She reminded her of the toothpaste and how adamant she had been that her dad was so slothful in neglecting to clean up his mess. She had been so angry over such a small thing.

Her mother went on to say that after her dad died there had been toothpaste on the mirror. She had cleaned it off, the next day there was more so she cleaned it off, and the next day more... this went on for a few days. Her mother realized that she had blamed her dad for the toothpaste for many years but it had been both of them splashing it in the mirror. She felt terrible that she had been so upset about that for years. She admitted that her anger had hurt her much worse than it had affected her dad.

I liked this story because it shows you that everyone has faults and before we get angry about something someone else is doing we need to take a look at ourself and see what we are doing.

A LITTLE HOMESICK!!

I was a little homesick today as I was setting at work. I know I only live an hour and a half away but I have not been home for like a month or so, and I was feeling like I needed to see the Mountains. If you are from there or a few of the surrounding areas you should recognize these mountains if not all three at least one. Anyway, just thought I would share one of my favorite pics of our backyard. (Its true, I'm a mommas girl)

RACHIES B-DAY/LABOR DAY WEEKEND/WEEK

Me, MJ, John taking of to the spoon room. Our group of spoon players.

So our friend Rachel came down this last weekend for her birthday and she is really someone I can roll with. She wanted to have a birthday week:) which most of my friends know we used to do that for me. So we decided to call it Rachie week. It has been pretty fun. This is Kacee me and Rachel at the bowling alley. not sure what is going on with my smile. We decided to play a wicked game of spoons. We wanted to make it a little more fun so we put the spoons in another room in the dark. Let's talk this got a little crazy cause as soon as someone got four of a kind it was a mad dash of running crazy pushing and all kinds of stuff. It was pretty much everyone for themselves. It was fun

So this is John and MJ attacking me because I grabbed both the spoons. I finally let go of one and John got away with it. But MJ was relentless.
Don't worry I finally came out with the spoon and a few wounds. I pretty much had the imprint of the spoon handle in my hand for the whole next day.
I am not sure if you can see the spoon that well but it was pretty bent up when me and MJ got done.

CEDAR CITY PLANE TRADGEDY

I just wanted to put a post about the recent tradgedy that has hit our small community. We lost 10 people from our area and a few surrounding areas and the impact has been devastating! I am a client at the southwest skin and cancer center as well as the medical spa. I had the opportunity to know most of the people on that plane and knew what great people they were. Cecilee Goddard has been my esthetician for the past year and she was such a genuine caring person. I also work with her sister and the loss of her father and sister has been so heartbreaking. It is hard to understand things like this and hard to find comfort. I send my thoughts and prayers out to the ten families and hope they can find some comfort and peace on the other side of there sorrow. Please keep them in your prayers as well.

You can leave Condolences at--

http://cedarcondolences.blogspot.com/

THE BIG FAMILY WEEKEND!!

Well all of our family got together the other weekend. It was the first time in a couple years that we have all been together and the first time that we got to see Cary and Cindys new baby!! I loved her and miss her like crazy. Well I guess all of us were there except Ron. Sorry Ron we probably won't phot shop you in either:)
So nobody told me that I totally look like I am having a baby! i'm not. At least I am not the only one without a spouse this time. Thanks Ron.

YOU GOTTA LOVE THE OLYMPICS AND... MICHAEL PHELPS AND ...... OF COURSE MISTY MAY AND KERRY WALSH

Well it's that time again. I love the olympics and when they are on that is pretty much the only thing I am doing. These are just a few of my favorite parts but I love it all. They are just awesome!!!

AUGUST ENSIGN

Well as you know this Ensign was all about being single! Yes I have read it and taken some considerations :). It was kind of funny when it came out, because everyone asked me if I had seen it yet. Even with all the good info about being single I found something I liked way better than that.

SAMUEL H. SMITH

Faithful Brother of Joseph and Hyrum

By: Larene Porter Gaunt and Robert A. Smith

"Who was Samuel H. Smith? He became the hands that helped his father care for the farm when his prophet-brother Joseph with Hyrum at his side, was working to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was Samuel who helped chop the wood, plow the land, and harvest the crops in 1892 so that Joseph was free to translate the gold plates. It was Samuel who, as an early missionary during the years 1831-32 walked more than 4, 000 miles through the Midwest and New England distributing copies of the Book of Mormon. It was Samuel who often helped his parents move as Joseph led the Saints from Ohio to Missouri to Illinois. And, in the end, it was Samuel who helped load the bodies of his martyred brothers, Joseph and Hyrum, into the wagons that carried them to Nauvoo. This was the pattern of Samuel's life."

"Samuel H. Smith willingly gave everything, including his life, to help build the kingdom of God. He did not "exaggerate either his importance of his experiences." His life attests to the truth that "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass". With a pure heart, Samuel tended to the needs of his wife, children, parents, and siblings. Because of Samuel, the Prophet Joseph and Hyrum had more freedom to fulfill their missions relative to the Restoration of the gospel. In that, the words of a blessing from Father Smith were fulfilled: "Thou shall hear[the Lord's ] voice [saying] Samuel, Samuel. Thou shalt be equal to thy brethern."

I THOUGHT THIS STORY WAS AWESOME! I GUESS I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH JOSEPH'S FAMILY HAD TO SACRIFICE TO HELP HIM OUT. WE DON'T REALLY HEAR ABOUT ALL THEY WENT THROUGH THAT MUCH, BUT THIS STORY REALLY OPENED MY EYES AND GAVE ME MORE RESPECT FOR HIS WHOLE FAMILY AND HOW THEY HELPED AND SUPPORTED HIM. THIS ARTICLE TELLS A LOT ABOUT SAMUELS LIFE AND ALL THE THINGS HE DID. IT WAS BECAUSE OF A BOOK OF MORMON THAT SAMUEL LEFT THAT BRIGHAM YOUNG WAS CONVERTED. I GUESS THE MAIN LESSON IT TAUGHT ME WAS THAT WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY, THOUGH THEY ARE ALL DIFFERENT AND SOME MAY SEEM SMALLER THAN OTHERS. JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AS RECOGNIZED OR MAY SEEM AS IMPORTANT, NO TASK THE LORD GIVES, BIG OR SMALL IS ANY LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE OTHER, IF ANYTHING THEY ARE EQUAL!

THE 3 THING TAG.

How to play the game. Post these rules on your blog: List 3 Joys, 3 Fears, 3 Goals, 3 Current Obsessions/Collections, and 3 Random surprises about your self. Tag five people at the end of your post by leaving their names.

3 JOYS-
- BASEBALL
- FRIENDS/FAMILY
-SUMMER NIGHTS
3 FEARS-
- LOSING SOMEONE I LOVE
- STARTING A NEW JOB
- NEVER BEING GOOD ENOUGH
3 GOALS-
- BE MORE POSITIVE
- DO SOMETHING EACH DAY TO BE PROUD OF
- BE THE KIND OF PERSON THAT WILL MAKE SOMEONE ELSE WANT TO BE LIKE ME
3 CURRENT OBSESSIONS-
- MOVIE MUSICAL SOUNDTRACKS (WICKED AND MAMA MIA)
- RUNNING
- CHURCH RELATED MATERIAL
3 RANDOM SURPRISES ABOUT MYSELF-
- I KNOW MORE ABOUT BASEBALL THAN A GIRL SHOULD:)
- I'D RATHER MAKE SOMEONE ELSE SMILE THAN HAVE THEM MAKE ME SMILE
- I MISS CANNONVILLE

I TAG ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DO THIS. IT IS FUN AND MAKES YOU THINK.

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OF THE B-DAY WEEK

Well on Firday I headed home for the BBQ my family was having for me on Sat, and I wanted to make this cake I had made like 4 years ago out of angel food twinkies but of course my luck they were out of them in every store I tried. So with Melinda's help we came up with our own. I used little Debbie's strawberry swiss cake rolls and strawberry pie filling. I cut them up and put some wrap in the bottom on a bowl and lined the sides then poured the mix in. I should have put some strawberries in the middle but didn't think about it till later. then I added another layer of rolls and some more gel and let it get cold, then flipped it over and ........ Here it is! I made some homemade whip cream and it was pretty good I thought.
We had a BBQ on sat after the parade, it was fun. My sister Stephanie and her husband and their kids came and brought me these balloons. It is not the best pic but the kids really wanted to be in one.
My Mom also made me a Turtle cake!! It is my favorite kind of cake and the only time I will eat chocolate cake. So we had to get a pic with that for my mom. I'm not to fond of this picture but my mom wanted one. She is the best mom and I wanted to thank for her all she does.

That's it for this years birthday. Next year I really am not having one unless someone wants to take me to Hawaii :)

JULY 24TH THE BIG 26!! HOW DEPRESSING.

Well for the birthday this year I didn't do to much. Clark party of one took on a whole new meaning. I took myself shopping and just hung out by myself. It was the first time I have actually went out of town and went shopping by myself. I figured I better get used to and needed to see what it was like. I hated it!! Then I came back to Cedar and hung out with Melinda and her family.
I got some pictures with the nieces before I left because I figured I wouldn't be taking any by myself later.

WED 7-23 B-DAY WITH FRIENDS!!

My friends Brea and Bree took me to taste of Hawaii for my B-day dinner. They gave me a picture frame with pictures of us in it and step up two, which could be one of my favorite movies.
They are awesome friends and even when I tried to pretend like i was not having a birthday they made me. I am lucky to have them.

Me and Brea Me and the other Bree
Leaving taste of Hawaii Bree wanted to get a picture and if you know me at all I don't really like pitures of myself and had already let them take way to many so when this one came I just decieded to roll with it and give them what they wanted. Hope you like it Bree :)