Rooftop Heaven!

Aubs and I hanging out at the Rooftop Concert

The first friday every month during the summer there is a free rooftop concert in downtown Provo. I had never been to one but I had heard that they were a lot of fun. We decided to get a group together and go. We got to watch some amazing artists. The main performer was Meaghan Smith. As soon as she started singing I immediately fell in love with her style. Mindy Gledhill opened for Meaghan. She is a local artist that sings on a lot of all of the EFY cd's. It was really fun to hear her music. She is a very cute and happy sounding singer! I definitely recommend both of them! All of us had a lot of fun enjoying the music and the summer night! Plus Aubry officially lives in Provo now!

It is nice to have my sister around. I had forgotten what it is like to see my family everyday. I didnt really realize how much I missed it until she came. We have a lot of fun together. I think we have done pretty much everything together since she has moved up here. I know that everyone back in Panguitch misses her, but I am so happy that she is here with me.

I am so glad that it is summer! Bring on all the summer adventures!

Dallen and I at the concert

Kobie (the most awesome co-worker ever) and I!!!

The Beauty of Mother Nature!

I love being outdoors. It is definitely one of my favorite places. I love being away from the noises of the busy city and being in the quiet and calm outdoors. A couple weekends ago a group of us went down to Southern Utah to go hiking and camping at Zions National Park. We set up camp and as we were waiting for the other car of people to get there we spent time just sitting there. I had the opportunity to sit and think about life. As I was sitting in my camping chair I realized that I had absolutely nothing to worry about. I was away from my normal everyday stresses. I did not have to worry about anything. I was free from the world. Something about being in the middle of nowhere is very comforting to me. I feel comfortable and relaxed. I love sitting around a campfire and just staring into the flame while I contemplate life in my mind.

The world has so much to offer us, we just need to take the time to take a step back from our normal everyday busy lives to notice the beauty around us. We need to take time to sit down and think. We need those fun times with our friends to not worry about anything else other than having a good time.

So from the bottom of my heart...Thank you Mother Nature for providing that opportunity for me.

The whole group with an arch we found

Me on top of Angels Landing

The AMAZING view from the top of Angels Landing

What a Night!

This is how I am spending my Saturday night. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do and I realized that all I wanted to do was curl up on my couch and watch a movie. So I have my favorite chips, salsa, queso, and Heath Ledger...What else could a girl want? (except maybe chocolate!!)

The Best Time of the Year!

I Love Summer!

Summer is my favorite season of the year. You do not have to walk around wearing a coat and wondering if you are going to freeze on your way to class. I love the way the sun feels on my skin. Summer is a time for excitement and adventure.

For some reason when it is sunny and beautiful outside I am so much happier. I like snow and how it looks when I am inside, but for some reason summer, green grass, swimming, bonfires, and hiking make my life happy. I am so excited for trips to the beach, Zion National Park, the Panguitch Balloon Festival, and so many more things this summer.

I love life!!! I could not be happier!!! Summer is finally here and it has made me one happy girl!!

Crock Pot Chicken

For dinner last night I really wanted to use my crock pot. I have had it for a while but I have only used it once or twice. So I got it out and decided to make something delicious. I ended up making BBQ chicken. It actually turned out pretty good. The only thing I would do different was the BBQ sauce. I just grabbed the kind that was sitting in my fridge and it was not really my favorite. The best part was that the chicken was so tender and just fell apart! I am definitely going to have to try this one again.

Food Time!

So I got a random urge today to make Alfredo Sauce. I have have never really liked the kind that you buy in a bottle at the grocery store. So for lunch today I decided to get in my cooking mode. To my surprise it actually did not turn out too bad. There are definitely some things I would change about the recipe that I used, but I can not wait to perfect it! My goal this summer is to be better about cooking. I need add to my cookbook.

I love to cook, I just feel like as a college student your life is all about trying to do things quickly so you have time to get everything you need to do done. So, since I am not taking classes this summer I am going to spend my free time cooking amazing food!

He is Risen!!

Today is Easter! I woke up this morning expecting it to be like any other Sunday (well other than the fact that today was my 1st Sunday in the Relief Society Presidency). Anyway, I honestly had forgot at first that it was Easter. I think in my mind I just had decided to treat it normally because this is the first Easter I have been away from my family. I did not want to think about it because I knew that it would make me sad. Then as I was getting ready for Relief Society I was looking at some talks and such online. I came across a Mormon Message about Easter. It was Elder Holland talking about Christ. He said "One of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so." At that moment I realized that even though I was spending Easter by myself I had what I needed, my Older brother!

I continued in my search for Easter talks and such and I came across President Monson's talk last year titled "He is Risen". In his talk he discusses the Savior and the purpose of his atonement. As I listened to his talk while sitting on my bed I just started to cry. I started thinking about my own personal experiences with the Atonement and how grateful I truly am for a Savior who was willing to be risen again so that I can someday do the same.

I went through the rest of the day thinking about how much I have been blessed by the Atonement, and crying a lot during it!

I think my favorite part of the day was when I got back from ward prayer. I decided that I should check my email before going to bed and I saw an email from my Grandpa Parkin. He had open heart surgery about a month ago and has been in rehab since. He sent out an email to all of his family informing us that he was being released from the rehab center. In his email he said something that I really liked. He said,

"Today begins a new chapter in my life. After a week in intensive care and almost another four weeks in a recovery hospital, I am being released from the hospital TODAY to finally return to my home, where I can begin "A NEW". I think it is very significant that I’m being released to return home on Easter Sunday.Easter celebrates the most important and significant day in the history of the world. It is a day of rebirth; dead things come back to life and it celebrates that greatest of all events that provides, through the atonement and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we will all live again. He also made it possible that all who embrace and live his gospel may live in perfection with the Savior for eternity. I think this Easter will be a special day of rebirth for me as I begin my recovery back to health and as we all celebrate and give praise for the mission of the Savior and the actions taken by him on our behalf on this date so many years ago."

I am very grateful that I have a father in heaven who has heard my family's prayers.

The Easter that started out as what I thought was going to be my least favorite, has turned out to be my favorite! Even though I was not surrounded by family, I was surrounded with the Holy Ghost and my love of Christ and his Atonement.