Raining OC weekend with Kirsten

Kirsten flew in from San Fran on Saturday Feb 7th to a very wet Orange County. We headed into Huntington Beach to check things out and show her the area and I managed to ge a few photos. We hit up Newport Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza. Saturday night was dinner with a big group of girls at the Cheesecake Factory.

Sunday night I invited over a few friends for dinner and games. I cooked up flank stake, potatoes, salad, bread, veggies.

Monday morning we headed out in the rain for a run before we headed off to lunch and the airport. It was a super fun weekend having a friend around to play and talk with all day. It was just a big bummer we had rain all weekend long.

Tuesday night I arranged to meet Corbett and friends for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory at Fashion Island. Corbett was celebrating a birthday and I wanted to help celebrate before I left town. I am so grateful for all of their friendships and enjoyed dinner and conversation.

Quote 02-09-09

"That I'm not a princess This ain't a fairytale I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet Lead her up the stairwell This ain't Hollywood This is a small town I was a dreamer before you went and let me down Now it's too late for you and your white horse To come around"

-Taylor Swift

Quote 2-2-09

"The person I could be is very, very different from the person I am now, and becoming that person is worth any sacrifice. "

Author Unknown

Superbowl Sunday

Thanks to the wonderful girls Ali, Wendy, and Marci for hosting this years Superbowl party. I had a "super" time hanging with everyone and being the annoying photographer.

LA Day

THE HOUSE OF THE LORD LOS ANGELES TEMPLE THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS

I was super excited to join Anthony today as he experienced the temple endowment session for the first time. My friend Annalee met me at my home to make the drive up to LA today at 11:00a.m. We made a stop for lunch at IN N OUT in LA and made it in time for the 1:30 session. Following the temple session I took a few shots around temple grounds since I was carry my D90. Following the temple it was about time for dinner. So I was off to my favorite taco place in LA, and without fail the place was packed but totally worth the wait.

The night was still young so Annalee and I headed off to Santa Monica 3rd street promenade. This street is pretty cool with a bunch of street preformers and fun shops and some very interesting people to watch. I thought I took video of this group dancing but I guess I don't know how to work it since I came home without the video. Maybe next time I will have my camera better figured out.

Meet Curious George. The guy holding this saw me walk by looking at Curious George and my massive camera around my neck. He asked me to take a photo and then says I should give him money. Yeah right! Dude it is a stuffed money and I am not giving you a dime. So thanks for carry around a stuffed monkey.

Bummed I didn't get this video since it was rad.

Another wonderful weekend and great day in LA!

Happy Birthday Elder Emmett

Just 154 days till you return from your mission. Not that I am counting or anything. Thanks for being the best little brother and awesome missionary. Hope my present made it to CO today.

Quote 1-26-09

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in determination."

dinner

I had the opportunity to join these two couples for dinner this week. And you can see they both have adorable little boys. I am grateful to have them as friends and glad they would take the time to hang out with a single friend. :) Thanks for dinner guys I look forward to the next time we can all meet up again.

Job Update

Before
After
After

After a long day I am happy to report that I finished my last day as the Student Development Office Assistant. Today feels a little bittersweet because it was just two years ago I walked onto Irvine Valley College Campus because my dear friend Anthony called in a favor to my future boss to get me an interview. Little did the world know that I would walk on the day of club day January 2007 and walked off on club day January 2009. Very Cool! Tomorrow I start subbing as the Senior Administration Assistant in the facilities and maintenance department. I am so grateful for new opportunities and am hopeful for the future.

The road to running

I am now on my third pair of Brooks running shoes. Brooks makes an awesome super comfortable shoe that I have come to really enjoy running in. Not to mention that they are always on sale when I need to buy a new pair. I have finished 2 half marathons, 2 triathlons, and a 10k. Also lots of running before each race. For those wondering why I have three pairs is because shoes wear out after about 6-8 months of putting in 10+ miles a week on them. I am what they call someone who pronates where my feet hit on the inside heal first and this shoe help correct that. I love running when my knee is working and the time to think and enjoy the beauty that is all around. I hope to finish many more races this year!

Quote 1-19-09

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I found a quote from him that I enjoyed reading.

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

Happy Birthday Dad

September 2008

In Brazil with Elder Emmett

August 2008

August 2008

August 2008

Maui 2000

April 2004

June 1977

Bob with Kristin 1981

I hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed finding these to post. There are so many wonderful memories and I had to stop before this post got any longer.

What can you get a father who already has so much and is extremely blessed with an amazing family, a job, a home, an awesome road bike, sweet ski's, great friends, wonderful parents, good health, the gospel, adorable grandchildren, and a garage filled with more toys? He does like to read so a new book is coming his way. I am grateful to have a father who is so loving, supportive, funny, talented, educated, and thoughtful. While in college I called home three different occasions after getting in a car accident. I think all three of them I was in tears for so many reason but mainly I felt bad for wrecking the car and the cost of my insurance going up. He managed to calm me really quickly just by letting me know he was glad I was not hurt and not to worry about the car. He loves the gospel and serves the Lord with an honest heart and loves my mother so much. It is rare to find him in a bad mood. As uncool as it may be for a girl in her late 20's to be living with her parents I am just grateful to have them in my life and for the daily support my parents are for me. I will move out one day and will always look back on those years so humbled and amazed at the love they gave towards me. So my post on the birth of my dad is dedicated to the BEST FATHER a girl could have.

Happy Birthday Wes

Happy Birthday to my friend Wes! Tonight we celebrated with some cake and ice cream at his place. Mike picked up my camera and had a little fun playing around. So now they are going to be posted here.

hot hot hot

It is currently mid 70 outside and it is 11:00 p.m. and I am off to bed. But this morning when I woke at 7:00am for my 3 mile run at 7:45 it was also warming up into the 70 degree weather. The warm weather was very unexpected and it made for a bright hot longer run then planned. It added about 8 minutes to my run because it was almost to warm to run in. I love California weather in January. If this keeps up I might be back to swimming in the morning and running in the evenings. Maybe this means I can hit up the beach this weekend.

Missionary Year

There has never been a better year to share the gospel in California then in 2009. With Prop 8 still generating a lot of conversation around schools, work, and home Latter Day Saints need to continue showing the world what we believe in and why Saints felt strong about protecting marriage. As the weeks fly by this year and moving to Utah becomes closer I feel like I need to take adventage of this blessing of living in California. But this post is not about the past election but how I am going to be sharing the gospel this year. One of my Christlike goals in 2009 is to be a better member missionary. Since I have such a strong testimony and live the gospel everyday I want others to know the joy I feel in my life. Today was the first day of many of reaching out to my friends and co-workers by giving them a Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is a second witness of Jesus Christ and a companion volume of scripture to the Bible that records God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. I know the God lives and that the Church is lead by a Prophet of God Thomas S. Monson. I love my Savior and know that he lives and that we can return to our Father in Heaven because he suffered for our sins.

Quote 1-12-09

"you won't do anyone any good by pretending to be less then what you are"

nora walker