my family and charades

My family plays charades all the time. We love charades.

Porter is my favorite to watch. He acts out just what it means and sometimes we have no idea what he's doing. Sometimes that gets frustrating, especially for dad.
I went home this past weekend and guess what we played...that's right, charades. It was Porter's turn and this is by far the best one I think that he has ever had. He gets up and we figure out that it is two words and he wants to start with the second word. He begins to flutter around and we soon realize he is being the tooth fairy...but that's not the second word or a word that sounds like it. So he decides he will try at the first word. He begins to pick oranges, makes juice, and drinks it. This goes on for a good five or ten minutes and no one had any idea what was going on in that brain of his.

Do you know what he was trying to act out?



pulp fiction. hahaha go figure. love that boy.

Samantita's graduation

So I just got back from spending the evening with my family in Bountiful. We went to Samantha's graduation ceremony and then out for dinner. It was fabulously fun!
The ceremony was very formal and we were reminded that this was a ceremony, not a celebration. They even played Harry Potter, Fiddler on the Roof, Beauty and the Beast, Hercules, and many more surprising songs in the background as they called up the graduates. It was a little interesting. My favorite part though...there was a young man with Down Syndrome who went to go accept his diploma. Everyone loved him. He kept throwing gang signs and when it came time to take the picture with his diploma and the principal or whoever was handing it to him, he stood in front of him in one of his stunner poses. I couldn't help but cry. Everyone was so proud of him. I was proud of him and I don't even know his name. I guess that is why I am creating my life around these wonderful children.
Sami looked beautiful, of course. I am so glad I was able to go spend the evening with family. We went to dinner at Bucca de Beppo and laughed, laughed, laughed. Our waiter was from Mexico City and so everything was in Spanish. I loved it. We ate, ate, and ate. I will be stuffed for the next day and a half.

I love my family. I love what I am studying. I love it all.


****Mom, Michelle, and Lorena are in Vegas with Grandma for her birthday. She just realized she is staying in the same hotel where Julio Iglesias is playing in concert today and tomorrow. Little does she know that she is going to see him tomorrow!!!

doing the "best"

Sometimes I get discouraged. Sometimes things don't go the way that I would like them to. Some days are harder than others. Some days require more work than others. Some days are really hot but the beautiful sun is hidden in the clouds. It always comes down to me thinking that I am not sure I am doing anything wrong, but am I doing all that I can right? And of course then I realize what I need to change.

Today hasn't been bad, I mean the Lakers are 2 minutes away from a killer win! But it was just one of those days, mostly a day where I missed home and Mexico. I was reading through all my old blogs and I have forgotten about all the amazing experiences I had there. I realize there is more that I can be doing right today, there is more "best" out there for me to put into my daily schedule.

summertime

This has already been my most interesting summer. It's like another really fun semester rather than a summer. It took awhile, but I am really starting to enjoy it. Summer for the last five years of my life has always been working the coolest job, spending ALL day in the sun and then going to the beach for bonfires every night. Now...I am here, in Utah (where it gets amazingly HOT), working, taking classes, and soon to be semi-mini student teaching three days a week. I am serious when I say I am busy. Tuesday through Thursday I leave at 7 and get home at 7. Then I have tons of homework that I will have to get through too. Lovely huh?

But before Utah gets too hot, I have really been impressed at how beautiful it can be. My ward is constantly playing games outside. We have BBQ's and watch movies. Four square has become a favorite game.

Soccer has started and Real Salt Lake games have become a fabulous summer activity thanks to Aubrey and her family! Then there is the NBA playoffs. Aubrey left me for New York and an internship just a little over a week ago - but basketball has kept me busy for a good amount of my evenings alone. GO LAKERS!! It also reminds me of last summer when I was in Mexico. We spent a few nights searching for a place to watch the games. It's so easy now to just turn on my TV and, click, there is the game!

Another summer plus - all my freshman friends start coming home from their missions! I have to admit, it is a little crazy. There have been about 3 already and it's weird to see that they still have three years of school ahead of themselves when here I am, just about done. It should be fun anyway!

Best part for me is that my SUMMER MUSIC has finally come out. This is the only time when it is cool to drive through the streets of Provo blasting LFO, Backstreet Boy, N'Sync and the like. And you better believe I blast it. Kelsey get's so ridiculously embarrassed that it makes me turn it up even louder :)