"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured" -Pres. Hinckley

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Pickles in Bed


Tonight i was texting my little sis and i guess i was smiling about something because Nick was all "What are you smirking about over there." all that came to mind was "it's a sister thing".

I love my sisters and brother so much! They all are my very best friends and I feel so lucky to have a strong relationship with all of them.

Me and my little sister Ang have been tied at the hip. We are polar opposites yet we get along so well. For instance... she's super athletic while I may or may not have almost gotten paralyzed trying to do a backflip...She's super smart and a fast learner while i'm more worried about the color of my hair and what kind of ice cream I want. She's naturally funny and everyone laughs so hard at her jokes... me on the other hand just "think" i'm funny and laugh at my own jokes. haha I could go on.. but somehow we manage to be the best of friends.

I'm just writing this because there is something about sisters that you just can't explain. Those of you who have sisters that are close to know exactly what I'm talking about. There's just an instant bond.

Me and Ang share the best and worst of memories and she is my ultimate example through everything.

When we were little we would sleep in the same room... share the same twin bed and hold hands at night just in case a burglar came he couldn't take one without the other. Or if one of us by the wall we would easily wake the other if a spider happened to crawl up the wall. But a tradition that we always did for some reason was eat pickles in bed. We would lay there talking and all of a sudden get these cravings... so we'd go sneak into the kitchen and bring back pickles in our bed and chomp on those juicy things. I loved that.

This one particular time we were going to bed and we were taught to always say our prayers. Ang DREADED when I said the prayer because I would pray for every cat and dog in the nation so it ended up taking a year and a half just to say a nightly prayer. Well... this one time we were both on our knees together and I was praying my heart out and all of a sudden I feel this movement in the middle of my prayer... I peaked open one eye and saw the little twit trying to get out and escape my prayer! I immediately halted the prayer and gasped and said "WHAT are you doing?!" ... angie's face goes bright red and says "i... i have to go to the bathroom so bad!" as she's holding her crotch. I was so shocked that she would be so irreverent to leave during my prayer so I said "You're gonna have to hold it" and made her come back and kneel by me til i was finished. haha to this day I kinda feel bad, and so glad she forgave me... poor thing just had to go potty!


Another memory I have of Ang is that we had piano lessons one day but my mom wasn't able to drive us. (we were about 9 and 13), so I told my mom that we could ride our scooter and we would be just fine! My mom had an uneasy feeling about it, but i convinced her we would be just fine. (NOTE: our teacher lived clear down a really busy street) So we had our razer scooters of course and after we finished our lessons we started up the busy road that was on a steep hill.
Well, halfway up there was construction on the side of the road so they closed off the sidewalk. Me being so brave at this situation because I was in the 7th grade and knew exactly what to do... i started jay-walkin it across the street. Ang like always, just followed my every move. Well, the road had a lot of small hills in it so it is hard to see cars that are coming down. We happened to be right smack center of the lane when a car was zooming down at 40 miles per hour right in front of us. I don't know how it happened but I remember grabbing Ang towards me as the car flew almost on the sidewalk and slammed it's breaks so hard that it almost rolled.

I remember looking at the skid marks and my heart pounding how real and close that could have been to losing my bestest friend in the whole wide world. To this day I know it wasn't me that grabbed her to safety. I will forever be grateful for that angel that did tho! The whole way home I just BAWLED... Ang didn't cry a single drop. She just comforted me the entire time. She was the big sister that day and to this day I believe that she still is.

She's moving off to college this year and I know that no matter how far away we are we'll still be best friends. Whenever I go home for the weekend or a night, we still sleep in the same bed...mostly for me I guess. It's comforting to know that if a burglar came or any other hard trial comes in our lives... it won't get one of us without the other.


I love that red headed babe. Always.

Africa!

Well peeps... I leave to Africa in about 2 weeks and staying there for about 3 months teaching dental hygiene... i started another blog that will have everything from the trip updated on there as often as I can!

check out:

aubreyinafrica.blogspot.com

wish me luck!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Squids Testicles...

So, nick made reservations for Carabba's and so we go there... mind you.. i never order an appetizer but Nick doesn't mind spending money on food, so when we go eat it's like this 4 coarse meal.

Anyway... we're deciding on which appetizer to get and I made it FULLY aware to the waiter and to Nick that we can't get anything that was "fish" cuz I HATE seafood. So we were looking at the menu trying to figure out what to get and somehow ordered Calamary.. haha k, do you know what that is?? (squid... just in case you didn't know)

So it comes out and it looked like fried onions, so i'm all "oh, is this onions?" and nick was all "something like that..." So i'm like DOWNING this food like it's no one's business... and then i all of a sudden think in my head.. "wait... what am i really eating?"

So of course i stop eating it and i'm all "nick.. WHAT is this??"

Nick had to run out to his car real quick so i'm sitting there trying to figure it out. Finally it was driving me nuts so I turn to the booth behind us and i'm all "Sorry to interrupt (it was like 4 big guys), but do you mind me asking you what calamary is?" haha this guy looks at me and he's all "Oh ya, it's squid tentacles!"

Cringe... the thought of puking came right into my head. I just had a stomach full of SQUID!?! ew..

So Nick comes back, sits down, and by then the table behind us was listening to what i was going to say, and our waiter was right next to us... So of course i'm all boisterous and shocked at what was in my stomach so I quite loudly yell...

"You made me eat Squid TESTICLES?!?!?!"

I swear, you could hear a pin drop right after and then all of a sudden Nick BUSTS up laughing and the waiter was trying to hold it back..

I realize what I just said and so i like crouch down cuz I was so embarassed and by now the waiter is like bending over laughing and the table behind us is busting a gut and i hear the guy.. "I thought I told her TENTACLES!"

haha so then the waiter comes back up and he's all "Squid... don't have.... testicles.."

hahahaha i was dying and probably will never live it down. I can just see the waiter going in the back being like "guess what that girl thought she was eating?"

haha ew. squids and their testicles can just get out of here!!!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

"God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability."
—
Neal A. Maxwell

Monday, March 21, 2011

Do it Anyway.

I don't know why I've had Mother Theresa's quotes on my mind lately, but they seem to help me! There is one that I can't stop thinking of... it goes something like this:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway


There's not really much else to say. I could finish this post right here! but i just have been thinking a lot about people i just "dislike" in my life which to be honest i can only think of one in particular. I mentioned him awhile ago on my blog. He is now engaged to the girl that was sitting inside that night I waited on his porch for 3 hours. His engagement pictures popped up on my facebook newsfeed... and we aren't even friends. I am counting my blessings that i'm not engaged right now, but it's still difficult. I know it's old news and I've moved on to bigger and better things (literally)... I can't help but feel so much hatred towards him. So I decided that everytime i feel hate towards him that I will pray for him. I'm not gonna lie... my prayers for him aren't very sincere... but I just have to be grateful for what I've learned and forgive and forget that part of my life. for good.

I know this is all old news, but it just helps to write about it and get it off my chest. I am currently dating someone AMAZING and am so grateful to have Nick in my life. He does happen to live in the same apartment complex as "the hated" did...and it's the same set up... so when I was having a hard time last night at Nick's... i found myself for the second time crying in front of the "mirror". I'm done letting it affect me. I have more compassion for those who are emotionally hurt by somebody. I never would understand if I hadn't gone through it. It has lasting affects that I never imagined. From this moment on, I feel if I ever come across someone who has been affected in a similar way I would do anything in my power to help that person... because it's a pain that you can't describe.

I think in our lives we go through things that we can never explain or express to people. I don't write about my life to have people feel sorry for me or to sound like a broken record with talking about something that impacted my life a lot... i write to help myself realize how incredibly lucky and blessed I am.. and that life really is good! i have NO reason to complain.

I wanta add to Mother Theresa's list:

You might hate someone more than ever... pray for them anyway.

we'll see how well it goes:)


Friday, March 18, 2011

Mother Theresa: LIFE

Life is Beauty; admire it.


Life is an adventure; dare it.


Life is a Promise; fulfill it.


Life is a game; play it.


Life is Opportunity; benefit from it.


Life is Bliss; taste it.


Life is a Struggle; accept it.


Life is a Song; sing it.


Life is a Dream; realize it.


Life is a Challenge; meet it.


Life is too Precious; do not destroy it.


Life is Life; fight for it.




Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Quick Review...


I decided that I need to be better at keeping my blog updated! So here is a recap of a few events the past couple months..


Nick took me to the Car show... he almost passed over when he saw this! such a fun weekend with this boy!



The other day we went shooting with Nick's roommates... loved this!



After we jumped in!



So... our apartment complex has what is called "Polar bear PLUNGE!" basically.. you jump in the pool in the middle of february and swim a full lap! Yes... 39 degrees!



Our Valentines Date!



My roommates are so cute! they surprised me for my b-day!



I went to the pizza factory with these cute girls! love all of them!


Our "hott" date was bowling! we're pros if i say so my self!



I had a slight craving for roasted starbursts... Nick is a good sport!


Me and Nick went to a HUGE bonfire! 150 christmas trees! so fun!



My best friend Jay left me for 4 months to go to London to study abroad... i hate goodbyes and miss her so much! thank goodness for skype:)