6 posts for the month of May?

That's just sad. 

Maybe it's because I've been spending my days thinking about what to write over here every Friday. The requirement to be profound once a week can be a bit taxing. 

Oh well. 

Adi Love

This is my niece Adi. She recently decided that I am her favorite aunt, which is so flattering. Every time she sees me, her face lights up and she gives me a huge hug. She tells me that she loves me over and over. It is very sweet.


Last Sunday we had a big family dinner, and of course Adi was there. When she spotted me, a smile spread over her face as she exclaimed, "I love YOU!" She gave me a great big hug and a kiss. 


"What's my name?" I asked when she was done.
"Uhhhhh..."


I love the fact that Adi can't remember my name (or the name of any of our other family members, for that matter), but she knows that she loves us. Wouldn't it be great if we could all be that way, letting go of our impressions and judgments and categories, and focusing our energy on loving unconditionally? 


I love the lessons that we learn from children. 

Top 10 "Friday" Parodies

So my husband and I love finding parodies of Rebecca Black's "Friday." Of course, some of them are even worse than the original, but we've actually found some good ones. The list is getting so long that I decided that I just had to share.

10. The Glee Version. They make it sound more like a dance party mix.

9. The Stars Wars Version, aka "Prime Day."

8. The Conan O' Brien Version, "Thursday." Horrible quality, but that's the point, right? This version of the rap cracks me up!

7. The Christopher Walken voice over. Famous for "my hand is a dolphin!"

6. The Christian Church Ad, "Sunday." This girl doesn't sing much better than Rebecca Black. I love the rap that her pastor does in the middle!

5. The Bob Dylan version. I love this version because it is so soothing, and the comments are hilarious!

4. The Chinese Version. He actually makes it sound quite nice!

3. The soulful Mullet-guy version. I'm not sure what the best part is - his purple shirt, his hair, the beautiful piano line, how melodramatic he is. Judge for yourself. 

2. The Rockin' Acoustic Version. It makes me so happy. 

1. The bad lip read, aka "Gang Fight." This is Brandon's absolute favorite. They change the melody of the song, so it's less annoying, and the lyrics are oh-so quotable. "Sweet Carp on the side!"

Hope you enjoyed these as much as we did!


PS- My good friend Li-Sha reminded me of another great version by Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon. Don't miss it! Thanks Li-Sha :]

We might be runners

Image found here.

I just signed my husband and I up to run the Lavender 5k in Mona on July 9th. I've never run a 5k before. My last race was the Dr. Seuss Magic Mile when I was about 6 - I walked most of the way. Hopefully this time, I'll do better. 


Though, my husband talks about the one time he spontaneously ran a 5k while he had a cold and was wearing jeans. If he survived that, I'm sure I can manage this race. 


And with views like this, it's sure to be an amazing experience.

Image found here.

Image found here.

Image found here.

If you'll be in Utah during the summer, you should run the race too!

The Women in my Life

Each mother's day, I can't help thinking of the many amazing women I know whose hearts break on this holiday because they haven't yet received the opportunity to be a mother - and so, I want to express gratitude for ALL the women in my life this day.


I'm grateful for my mom who taught me to laugh, to serve, to worship, and to trust in God when all else fails. She makes each day magical. She has been there for me on all my darkest days. She is my hero, and I hope that some day when I grow up, I can be like her.


I am grateful for my grandmothers who have taught me to sew, to cook, to clean, to work hard, and to appreciate my family history. Both of my grandmothers are beautiful, strong women who have always been great examples to me.


I am grateful for my aunts who taught me how to take care of babies, to have fun, and to enjoy life as it comes. I don't know any of them very well, but I am grateful that they saw the beauty in me even during my awkward years, and have always shown me love and support. I look forward to the opportunity to get to know them better some day.


I am grateful for family friends and church leaders who have taken care of me over the years. They have been like mothers to me, encouraging me in my dreams, teaching me their talents, always taking the time to listen to me and give advice. I feel blessed to have been guided through life by such angelic servants of God. Your testimonies and Christlike love have made me into the person I am today. Thank you for listening to the Spirit and being there for me whenever I needed a helping hand.


I am grateful for sisters-in-law who have welcomed me into the family with open arms. They have not hesitated to love me and help with our wedding. It is a blessing to know that my children will grow up in a family with aunts and cousins who will always love and encourage them.


I am grateful for my sweet mother-in-law who has loved me without restraint and stood up to help me before I even knew I had needs. I am grateful that she raised such an amazing son to be my eternal companion and that she has accepted me as her own daughter. I could not ask for a better mother-in-law.


Thank you to each of you women who have shaped my life. I believe that it truly takes a village to raise a child, and I was blessed to be placed in a wonderful village. Don't forget that your little kindnesses, testimonies, and acts of service really do mean a lot - they have changed my life for the better. I echo Elder Cook's sentiments - you women are incredible!


Have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Wonderfulness.

We just got back from our California trip yesterday. It was delightful. We feel so refreshed and ready to get back to work.


Our open house was beautiful. My sister did an incredible job with the decorations, food, and everything. She really is amazing! It felt like an old-fashioned garden party, and was more magical than I ever could have dreamed of. Thank you to all of you who helped out and came by to share your love and support! It was a wonderful day and we are still in awe of all the love that was showered upon us. Thank you! (You can see more gorgeous photos here.)

My uncle built this sweet archway

Sneaking away to a secluded table on one of the decks

Everybody loves Wibby!

All the children wanted to dance with us. It was so sweet!

In other good news, I got accepted for a very special internship! This summer, I will be writing blog posts for BYU Women's Services and Resources! My posts will appear each Friday. I am thrilled and honored to have this opportunity to use my talents to make a difference. 

And now, two of my new favorite videos to brighten your day. The first is the trailer for the new Winnie the Pooh movie. I am so excited! Pooh is a big part of my childhood. I'm glad he lives on. 

This video is a gorgeous song by Peter Breinholt and John Schmidt. My husband introduced it to me as we were making the long drive to San Diego. Listening to it while watching the sun set behind the beautiful Utah mountains was a very special experience. 

Enjoy your weekend and the beautiful spring weather!

Life is good.