Let the countdown begin

The countdown to what you might be wondering?  The countdown until our VACATION!! Now, where are we going on this vacation?  Go ahead, guess...come on, GUESS!! OK, I'll just tell you.  We are going to Bali, Indonesia!!

In 6 days we will be boarding a plane in Salt Lake, arriving in San Fran, and from there heading on over to the beautiful Bali.  We are SOOO excited.  We will be there for 7 days.  Some of our tentative activities include riding elephants, feeding monkeys, river rafting, beaching it up, and just relaxing together.  I seriously can hardly wait.

On another note, this last weekend we went tubing at soldier hollow.  We got these half off coupons from groupon, (thanks, ash) and so the whole thing only cost 20 bucks.  We had so much fun.  The snow was kinda melting and pretty much only had snow where the tube run was, but when we all hooked together we could still fly down the hill. 

His Love

Lately I have been feeling frustrated. Frustrated that life doesn’t always go my way, frustrated that I feel like I am trying to do what’s right and failing. Frustrated that I feel I am not receiving answers to my prayers. Frustrated that I can’t do or be everything. But as I look back, I realize that I have had a very spiritual 6 months. I have witnessed the Lord’s hand in my life. I have felt the spirit touch my heart and lift me up when I couldn’t stand on my own. I have received answers, though they may not be to the questions I am pondering now. Answers to prayers pleading assistance and assurance have come.
Often times I do not understand why we are required to go through some trials. I know we need to learn and grow in ways that the Lord sees fit, but sometimes some things still don’t click. I know the lord has a plan for me – but sometimes I feel like He is obstructing the path as much as He is clearing it. However this week I have felt such a strong spirit. I have truly been blessed, and although I have not received the exact answers I am looking for, I have truly been comforted and at peace amidst my questions.
A lot of times I get caught up in the little things. I get caught in the trap of “someday I’ll have more time to…” fill in the blank with any of the following: actually study my scriptures, pray with more intent, serve others, be a better visiting teacher, sign up for things in the relief society, really focus on making the sabbath day holy, etc. Every time I think any of these things I am reminded of a phrase President Monson said long ago in conference when I was a teenager. He said, “Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today.” Those words have always stayed with me, though often times I do not heed the counsel. Yet I am still blessed.
Recently I have felt an abundance of my Savior’s love. Although I may not understand why or how I am supposed to go through these trials, I know that through it all I can turn to Him, and place those burdens on His shoulders, and He WILL share the load with me. I am grateful to know that I am not required to be perfect. My Savior has and will bridge the gap between who I am now and who I want to be if I can turn to Him. Words cannot adequately express the gratitude I have for the knowledge and blessing of this gospel. I am so grateful for the comfort I have received throughout my life, and especially recently. I have truly learned to rely on these words, “I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.”
This Song, His Love, by Jake Rau , is a beautiful tribute to the Savior. Just wanted to share it with you.

A few of our FaVoRiTeS

K friends – here are a few of our favorite things as of late.
{Favorite} Regarded with particular affection, esteem, or preference; as, a favorite walk; a favorite child.

TV show

Seriously, if you haven’t seen this show, you gotta watch it. It has all elements – drama, love, comedy, emotion, questions, and overcoming trials. I teared up a few times, laughed a lot, and sat captivated mostly. Dan got me hooked, but it really is a good show for any type of person.

Thing to do
TRAVEL

Time of Day

{as is it when we get off work}

Treat

No one can go wrong with a good popsicle.Ok, this one is mostly Dan’s favorite, but I do enjoy it on occasion. Dan would like to get bulk candy every minute of the day

Healthy Snack These are my new favorite. Super easy to make. Just dump spinach, water, and frozen fruit (or fresh) into a blender and bada bing, green shake. Lately I have been adding raw oatmeal, it adds a new dimension and it’s G double O D, good.

Thing to buy: Uh, duh. I have always had a soft spot for shoes. I get teased regularly about it, but I’m over it. I know what I love, and I’m not ashamed. My dad used to call me Imelda Marcos. I guess she was the wife of the president of the Philippines, and had over 3000 pairs of shoes. Now, I have no where close to that many, but one day when I’m really rich, I wouldn’t mind it. Sadly, these are only about half of the shoes I own.

New obsession:
Power Pump at Golds Gym. Seriously – best AND hardest class I’ve ever taken…and I’m in love with it.

T Shirt Do you even have to ask? So comfy, so cute. Not to mention they are our best friend’s company. You should check ‘em out. You won’t be disappointed. They are currently working on new designs. http://www.damagedgoodsco.com/

New thing Got this little gem for Christmas on a SUPER black Friday special. Have been having so much fun with it. I wanna take a class. Does anyone know of any/want to do one with me?

Way to read No more holding the book open, no more having to make sure your hands are moist enough to turn the pages. It’s super nice, and it has digital ink, so it doesn’t hurt your eyes. Plus, it’s the best thing for traveling. It can hold 3500 books, so you never have to worry about finishing your book with 10 hours left to go on your flight with nothing else to read because you couldn’t pack one more thing. It’s AMAZING.

Book(s) For just a single book, I would definitely have to say Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza. It’s about the holocost in Rwanda. After going to Africa, this hit me pretty hard. Not to mention it is SO inspirational. I would highly recommend it. For a series there’s no competition. The Harry Potter series is by far the best. It never gets old. When I was reading them I was relating everything to what was happening in the book. Just ask my friends and coworkers. They got sick of my raving pretty fast.

Quote
Carlie:

From the book Left to Tell {…I came to learn that God never shows us something we aren’t ready to understand. Instead, He lets us see what we need to see, when we need to see it. He’ll wait until our eyes and hearts are open to Him, and then when we’re ready, He will plant our feet on the path that’s best for us, but it’s up to us to do the walking…}
Dan
{I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.} -Nelson Mandela