a few things

1. spending times with friends that you never get to see is very refreshing. Even if your friends move to Iowa, or stay within 5 minutes it's so important to ALWAYS keep in touch

2. peeling skin is no fun. especially when it's on your back. Good thing I have a back-peeler handy known as Nick. I'll peel your back if you peel mine?

3. prayer is a beautiful thing. So is receiving answers to prayers. I need to always remember to have faith that answers will come, because they always do. Even if it's not as fast as you want it.

4. writing in your journal is more fun if you do it more often. Sometimes I avoid writing in my journal because it has been 3 months and I know that it's going to take 4 pages just to catch up on all the things that are going on and I'm never sure I want to put my hand through that kind of torture

5. helping people when they need you is the most rewarding feeling. I need to stop thinking so much about myself and more about others.

6. Some days I wish I lived with my family. They are all so young and still growing up, I feel like I'm missing out on their childhood and they won't have any memories of me...I guess that just means I have to try that much harder to be a part of their lives so that they always remember how cool their oldest sister is :)

7. when the AC goes out. It sucks. good thing we have a grandma that lives downstairs who is willing to share all of her cold aired goodness.

8. the temple is amazing. I love going with Nick, but I also love going by myself. It leaves me time to myself to ponder and pray. I can't wait till all of my friends get married in the temple and I will be able to be with them in that holy place

9. sunbeams hate primary. i'm almost positive they would rather get their cookies taken away and be put in time out than come to church. I'm pretty sure that was the message they were sending us on Sunday. Nonetheless, I felt that I gave a good lesson...i hope someone was actually listening

10. Everything that I learned over the last year has seeped out of my brain. i mean, I hardly even remember how the adrenergic neuronal blockers react with vasoconstrictors...can someone help me out on this one?

11. August is a BUSY month for us and I can't wait! we have three family members getting married, four birthdays, and a WHOLE LOT of school crud to take care of. I have my anesthesia course for two weeks, then I have to help plan for the second orientation for the first years, {oh ya ALEX IS COMING HOME! i'm sure the first thing he'll say to me is "what's up cuz?"} then school starts for real...not too excited about that

12. Nick has been selling some of his stuff that he NEVER uses, but bought thinking he would, on Craig's list. I was not a believer in the Craig's list madness until today. Seriously, he posted some stuff online yesterday and within the last 17 hours he has had 8 interested calls and has sold 4 things. I'm officially a believer. Apparently some people "Craig's List" for a living...

13. I have made it a goal to not spend so much time on the internet doing "frivelous" things. This includes facebook and blogging. I have some family members and friends that spend their whole life {it seems} on the internet. Life is to be enjoyed by getting out and living. not by being glued to your computer screen. Don't waste your life

14. don't forget to be yourself! Sometime I have a hard time just relaxing and letting my true self come out. No one should judge you for being just the way you are! Those who care won't matter and those who matter won't care {Dr. Seus}

15. i had to pick out a baby gift for the first time yesterday. I guess until I actually know what someone might need in that situation I'll stick with baby clothes. They are always needed, super easy to find/pick out, and they're super cute!

so that was a lot of rambling, but those things have been on my mind. What's on your mind today?

loves, Kristin

turning point

i just had one of those *face-palm* moments

so the other day I read a post about how forgiveness is not only for those who have literally done something wrong towards you, but you should also be forgiving of other peoples flaws and mistakes. She said that she was going to try not to talk about the negative flaws of others, but instead always focus on the good of everyone she meets.

That gave me great inspiration to do the same. Sometimes I have a hard time focusing on positive things when someone has done something that offended me or I think they aren't a very nice person in general.

Well, the other night I was with some friends and a girl that I had always considered to be a brat had shown up. As we played games together I came to realize that I'VE been the brat!
It turns out she is the nicest, most friendly, sincerely positive person I have ever met! I feel so guilty and humbled. I have held this grudge against this person for a long time. I'm glad I got to actually get to know her and see that I was wrong.

This makes me wonder how many times I have held something against someone when I shouldn't. Who knows, maybe she used to be a brat and then changed...people can change and I shouldn't hold their pasts against them forever. What if she has never been a brat and I misjudged her from the start and we could have been good friends this whole time?

No matter what the situation, one thing is for sure. I can't change the past. I can't change how long I've held a grudge against this girl, but I can learn from her example.

She probably won't ever know the impact she had on me, but I'm changing from here on out. I'm going to be positive about everyone. i don't want to say another negative thing about another human being ever again. Life is too short not to be positive and happy. I'm going to go out of my way to be nice and happy to people because let's be honest, it makes people feel good. She treated me as if we have always been good friends. Right now I mostly just feel guilty. But I know that the only thing that I can do is to learn from her example and become more like her.

Isn't it interesting how the roles have changed? What I really want to become more like is my Savior Jesus Christ. He loved everyone no matter what.
My bishop once said "there are only two kinds of people in this world. Those who you know and love, and those you haven't met yet."

I'm glad I had this experience. I'm grateful for the people around me that inspire me to become a better person. Holding things against someone is more hurtful for you than anything.

I want to always be positive. Always speak kind words about everyone even those who are unkind to me. I want to always look at the eternal perspective and realize that everyone is a son or daughter of Heavenly Father. I want to always make people feel my love for them and I want to truly LOVE everyone.

I love all of you
Kristin

June

wow it's been a while. Was it just me or did June seem like the LONGEST month?

if I didn't wait so long between posts, I could post something fun instead of my usual "life update" post.

we had a photo shoot with the kids in my family for a special father's day gift I made for my dad. I'll have to post pictures of the cute gift later when Kim finally sends them to me...

we also went to a family reunion at Amazing Jake's. That place is so darn fun and HUGE!

this is a picture of us getting ready to ride the race cars. we totally owned everyone.

Last weekend we went to my family's cabin in Strawberry for the fourth of July. We had a BLAST. The weather was absolutely beautiful and the fireworks in Payson were so much fun to watch. sometimes I wished in a beautiful small town like Strawberry. I told Nick that when we're old we're going to have a second home up there to escape the heat in the summer :)

me and my cute sister Kim

We had so much fun shooting shotguns in strawberry. I had never done it before, and i shot two clay pigeons in the air! I felt pretty good about myself :)
Nick is a good teacher



Nick's earplugs while shooting
he he :)



my husband is too handsome


us at the fireworks

so that is what has been happening with us lately.

I've also been busy with a stupid summer school class that's totally harshing my mellow. I guess summer school is better than going to school for 8 hours a day...can't WAIT for that to start again...

Before I peace out, I just wanted to give a shout out to all my friends
i love you all and miss you!
You mean so much to me and I'm grateful for your friendship
I also hope that just because I'm married you haven't forgotten me :)

anyway, peace out ya'll
Kristin