parents!

I think I have the greatest parent's in the ENTIRE world. This morning I drove down to Orem at 7 am so I could be a support to my dad. He was released as stake president today. I was so happy I could be there to show him support since I am the only child that lives in Utah I thought it would be good to be there. (I also think I moved up on the list of favorite children, right now Nato is number one because he is on a mission but I think after today I have the number two spot in the bag.) He did an excellent job speaking and I know the stake will miss him.

My mom was serving in his stake in the RS presidency. After the meeting people just kept coming up to say how much they are going to miss them. I was so happy to be there and see how much everyone loves my parent's! I just thought to myself I am the luckiest girl in the world. I don't know I did to deserve my parents but I count my blessing for having them.

After we talked about my FAVORITE subject in the world.... MONEY! I am horrible with money and my parent's were so great to sit and talk with me on how I can improve. They are always so supportive in my decisions. I love you mom and dad. Thank you for being the greatest parent's anyone could ask for! xoxo

Facebook!!!

So I work at the computer labs on campus at Utah State University. It is the best job on campus because you get to do your homework, meet and help students, and learn about computers.

Lately our boss Gary decided we (as consultants) didn't need facebook on our computers anymore. His reasoning is we talk on chat to much and don't help the students. At first, I was really mad because sometimes this job gets boring and you need something to take a break. What better than facebook right?

So after a couple of days with no facebook I realized how much more homework I get done at work. I have done papers, research, and reading. It has been GREAT! Also I don't feel like I have an addiction to facebook anymore. I use to be on all day everyday. I knew everything.... Now not so much.

What is really funny to see are the consultants who are trying to find ways around it because they either are so bored or feel out of the loop. So to my fellow consultant I know you will probably read this sooner or later because now that we don't have facebook you don't know what to do. We will all be fine. We are in college so use this time for studying! Or just start a blog?

xoxo
Emo

Mardi gra and the Oscar's!!!

This weekend was so great! On Saturday night Utah State University had their annual Mardi Gra party. We went around ten o'clock to see what there was to offer. They had dancing, a casino, and the illusionist. We started out on the dance floor which was a great time. Everyone had to show there ugliest dance move. I think Ashley was the winner.

After we went up to the casino to win some fake money, Jenny and I started at the Roulette table. This is my favorite game. I just learned how to play when we went to Wendover for the New Year. Jenny and I were really good. We stayed there for most of the night making friends with everyone playing with us. We did really well. We stayed in the positives the whole time. We were getting ready to leave to get in line for the illusionist so we just put everything in. WE WON IT all back and doubled it. We decided to end on a high note and cashed out. Although we got no real money I now know how good I am at roulette.

The Illusionist was amazing. I love watching magic shows because it gets me every time. I was amazed the entire hour and a half. He started off with a Coke can trick was ways really good. My favorite one was at the end when he told a story about his mother who never got to see him do a real magic show before she passed away. She loved snow, so he made it snow at the end of his show. I forgot his name but next year on NBC he is going to have his own show. It will be cool to watch I think.

On Sunday it was the 81st Oscar's so of course when celebrities are celebrating so are we! We made lots of good treats and had a blast watching the Oscar's! My favorite dress was Jennifer Aniston’s. I thought she looked AMAZING! After winning so many Oscar’s I really want to see Slum dog Millionaire. The little kids in there interviews were so cute. They were fun to watch and I am glad everyone came over for them!

Bandcroft!!!

For some reason my brother and sister in law decided to move to the middle of no where? Bandcroft Idaho!!! Population 384. This past weekend I got to experiences small town livin. My brother is the basketball coach and fifth grade teacher up there and they LOVE it. I was so happy I got to go stay with them. My parents came up as well.

On Friday afternoon my parents came and got me. We made it up to Bandcroft around 4 o'clock. The game started at six so we were there for warm ups. They played amazing and the whole town was there to support. They all love Kev and Cristy. Taige and Sydell love it up there because they can run around and do what ever they want. Everyone knows everyone!!! If you think of the movie Hoosiers that is what life is like in Bandcroft! Maybe living in a small town is not that bad?

The best is the way everyone dresses in Bandcroft. They just don't even care what they look like, they can pull off anything. The best was the TWO cheerleaders that performed at half time. I was so proud of them. The EIGHT people in the band played along with as they danced. This was definitely a night to remember!

My Florida Family!

In the words of Walt Disney, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

On November 6, 2007 I got a letter that changed my life. I was chosen to participate in the College Program at Walt Disney World. This was a dream of mine... I mostly wanted to go because I had a broken heart, didn't know where to go because I thought life was over? Where better than to go to Walt Disney World! The "happiest place on earth" right?


I started the most "magical" adventure of my life thus far on Jan. 28, 2008, the college program. I pulled in to Vista Way apartment and started to follow all these signs that had Mickey Mouse on them. I just thought to myself, here we go I can't even wait! This was the answer I was looking for all along. I kept looking around and EVERYONE was dressed up in a costume running towards the bus stop. Just made me more excited. I couldn't wait to see what my costume would look like. I got in line behind a girl from Utah State. I didn't know her before we just found each other in line. I was so nervous\excited to start the "magical adventure" I got my housing assignment and was well on my way.


Day two, My mommy left so I was really there to stay. I got up early to find out I would be working at the Emporium in the Magic Kingdom... Wow what is this place? Little did I know I was going to basically live there for the next seven months of my life. That night my roommates and I went to the Magic Kingdom to see Wishes!!! Only the best fireworks show ever!!! I went into the Emporium just to see what my costume would look like. I couldn't even move in there. I couldn't believe how many people fit in such a small place? I didn't know what to think of it... The costume was a little weird.... But I was just so excited to be there.
Fast forward to the middle of my college program, I really started to get to know the people I worked with. We would have to work until 2,3,4,5,6 in the morning. How can you not become best friends when you are together all the time? We all truly started to rely on each other. We didn't just work together anymore, we started to become a family. We learned all about each others lives and where we were from. Everyone thought I was a little weird because I was Mormon? They couldn't believe I was 21 and never drank before. We would hide in the stockrooms from the managers to procrastinate work. I also taught EVERYONE the Utah song! Now all of my fellow CP's can sing " Utah people working together, Utah what a great place to be" I would even bet now they miss me singing it to them?
I found my true love at the Emporium! The PLUSH wall. I would stock that wall every time I was on stock. I LOVED making it look prefect. One night after making my plush AMAZING I counted how many were on the wall. 4,642 Plush later we were done counting. Pretty crazy how two of us would stock the wall two maybe three times a night. Man I miss it now.The best part about the Emporium were the Krispy Kreme donuts we would get every night. David Lee was the delivery man. I of course became really good friends with him. We had a bond right from the beginning because my name has LEE in it and so does his. He was so sweet to bring us four dozen donuts a night. We would look forward to seeing him every night.(Probably the reason I gained weight in Florida but it was worth it.) The other great part about the Emporium is the soap opera you live in... there were SO many secrets in that place it was crazy. Not only between the cast but with the managers as well. I really at times felt like I was on Days of our Lives. It was the greatest! It just brought us all closer together.The saddest part about Florida that know one EVER told me about was saying goodbye to the ones you grow to love. You truly and deeply fall in love with EVERYTHING around you. There is not one thing I don't miss living in Florida. Every single one of the people there touch my life in one way or another. I am so grateful I got to know the people there. I think about it every single day. How lucky I was to be apart of "making the magic."My fellow CP I don't know what life would be without you. you all blessed my life. I am so lucky to have friends not only across the country but across the world. I learned so much from each other you. I got to know you all in such different ways. I feel like I could come to any of you for anything and you would be right there to help me. I am truly blessed to have all of you in my life. I am so glad we still stay in touch. I love being your friend!Ashley Pawlak, Megan Brennan, Emily Serres, Laura Kelly, Sam Bremer, Jess and Chelsea Irons, you girls are the girls I can't live with out. There is so many things I could say about each of you, I got to know all of you in a way that I will always remember. I am SO lucky to have gone to Florida and gotten to know each one of you! I turned to you in my hard times and my happy times. I believe in life everything happens for a reason, I know the reason I went to Florida was to meet all of you! I am so lucky that you all became like sisters to me! You are the friends I will cherish forever. Thank you for making me such a better person because of the people you are. I have known you for one year and I am so happy there are many more to come. I am so lucky that I get to talk to all of you still on a regular basis. Thank you for the best friends you are to me!!!



My older friends that worked in the Emporium that I got to know and love. They acted like I was their little girl. Beatrice, Miss Faye, and Nagan especially would always worry about me. I learned so many things I will never forget from these women about life and the expeirences they went through.

Florida will ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart. That is where I truly understood how to love people for who they are. I learned so much from every person I came in contact with. I learned every person has an incredible story about life, I was the lucky one who got to listen to them. I am so lucky to have been in Florida for eight months of my life, I will NEVER forget the memories I made there or the people I met! Thank you for being apart of my life! "Thanks for making the MAGIC!!!"

Welcome to the 22 club!

Happy Birthday to my Paigey! Today is Paige Laura Nelson Staples birthday! I love birthday's!!! It is such a great time to remember the person and what they mean to you. Paige and I have been best friends since we were about 8. ( say 8 because I don't remember what grade it was that I could finally play at reccess with Paige) I have spent many birthday's with Paigey. I think everyone except for last year when I moved to Florida the day before.... Sorry about that Paigey... There are not many people that you know your whole life? I have been lucky enough to have Paige as my best friend for 14 years. I don't remember not knowing Paigey! She has\ will always be apart of my life. She is an incredible friend. When Paige is around you know it is going to be a good time. She just makes the everyone smile when she is around. :)

These are the 22 reasons I love my Paigey!

1. She let's me call her Paigey!
2. She loves being Mrs. Staples!
3. She loves Dr. Pepper.
4. She loves York bites and will always sure because she wants you to love them just as much
5. She will ALWAYS watch Friends with me.
6. She ALWAYS has a bad first day of school.
7. She is an incredible listener.
8. She gives excellent advice
9. She is VERY supportive.
10. She is always happy.
11. Her cute dimples.
12. Whenever you take a picture with her she grabs the camera and says, "Oh my gosh earse it." when really she is the prettiest one in the picture.
13. When Jordan and her started to date, Jordan and I would play the game "who knows Paige better." I was good until I moved.... Now he would kill me.
14. How she will always call you a gem when you do things for her.
15. When she calls me Emo- Lee- La just like my family
16. When I came to surprise her for her wedding, She really thought I was going to miss her wedding... hahhahha
17. She will always let you borrow her clothes.
18. We fight like sisters
19. How everything she owns is from the Gap!
20. How much the little things mean the most to her in life.
21. How she is AMAZING at fixing electronic things
22. How she is the best friend anyone could ask for and I am lucky enough to call her my best friend! Love my Paigey!

Paige is incredible and if you don't know her you should. I promise you will not regret it.... She just makes life better!!! Paigey welcome to the double peace sign club! Happy Birthday!

Laugh or cry through life!

Ok, I don't know if it is just me but when you look at that picture you just have to smile! so those of you who know me, know that I try to be a VERY positive person in life through out every situation. Those of you who don't know me don't you think it is a little weird you are reading my blog? You don't even know me?

Anyways, I have always said, "you can go through life either laughing or crying, so you might as well laugh." This is the motto I have always tried to live by. Whenever something bad comes up in my life, my natural reaction is to cry. I think it is because I am an overly senitive person, so i let things get to me that shouldn't. The way I let my emotion out if to cry. I think crying is a great thing. But I think laughing is far better.

So I have been thinking to myself, how do I change this natural reaction to cry and start to laugh when things aren't going the way I had planned them. Well about two weeks ago I was laying in bed and I couldn't sleep. This is very unusually for me because usually I fall asleep within the first three mins. of when I lay down. After 25 mins and I was still laying there. I started to think about my life? I started to think where am I going with my life? Do I make the best of every situation? Am I enjoying my life right now?

All these questions brought me back to the motto "you can go through life either laughing or crying, so you might as well laugh." So as I was laying there and I started to think about my day. I didn't have the best day, I thought, but little did I know you can pick the good out of anything. I decided to pick ten things I did that day, where I started to laugh. Mostly things I was grateful for that day. This totally changed my attitude and I went right to sleep. The next morning I decided I am going to try and make other people laugh today. While I was in the shower I started to think of ten things I could do to make people smile that day.

For two weeks now I have been saying ten things in bed at night that made me laugh during the day, and ten things in the morning I wanted to do to make other people laugh. This has COMPLETELY changed my attitude about life. I have laughed more and connected with people I never thought I could. My attitude is more positive because of it.

Just try it and see what it does for you! These are pictures to make you smile! :) one of the ten today!