merry christmas!

all I want for christmas

is...a JOB.
my mom does a great job collaborating with Santa every year,
and I don't think we ever really appreciate the effort it
takes to ask for, and then purchase

{8 christmas wish lists}.

I think it's the "Wish" part that always throws us off...so maybe that
is what prompts us to ask for exactly whatever
it is that we feel like asking for.

She always has encouraged dreaming. Also, please note the suck-ups in this family,
made obvious through their very "endearing" requests this year. No names included.

Andre'.

I also love how what everybody asks for speaks volumes of their personality.

For posterity, here is the Hutchens' kids 2010 "Wish-Lists":

JACLYN ANDERSON:

1. DYSON vacuum
2. yellow sheets/euro pillows
3. clothes for Ben
4. blu-ray player
5. clothes for Jaclyn
6. sunday socks for ben
7. sherlock holmes dvd
8. perfume for jaclyn (COACH Poppy, DKNY Pure, True Religion)
9. MAC gift certificate
10. tools for ben

ANDRE':

1. love at home
2. christmas spirit all year long
3. a sugar mama (I'll raise the hijos)
4. lots of snow
5. jeff and grandpa to visit
6. costco pack of capri suns
7. new pair of vans
8. clothes (jeans, plaid shirts)
9. blu-ray player
10. a job in provo

ROBBIE:

1. new cowboy hat
2. new cowboy boots
3. adobe photoshop
4. byu/texas clothes
5. jeans (straight-fit)
6. shirts
7. g's
8. TV
9. car stero, iPod transmitter
10. hats

ROXY:

1. black boots (or short brown furry uggs)
2. black lacy tights
3. vera bradley villager tote for traveling
4. juicy couture perfume
5. gift certificates - j.crew or banana
6. black purse
7. bare minerals makeup
8. wii
9. wal-mart or costco gift cards
10. dvd rack

HOLLY:

1. snowboard bindings
2. hard computer cover
3. light brown flat leather knee-high boots
4. season pass to the canyons
5. movies, money, iTunes gift cards
6. betsey johnson perfume
7. kitchenware
8. records, food gift cards, movie tickets
9. vacuum, best buy gift card
10. gift cards (makeup, clothes, target, wal-mart)

HUNTER:

1. iPod touch
2. iPod player for my car
3. red, yellow and green NEFFO beanie
4. long sleeve/thermal shirts
5. some sweet TOMS
6. new pair of basketball shorts
7. jump rope

SAMANTHA:

1. iTunes gift card
2. personal dance studio
3. iTouch
4. moonlight magic (book)
5. happy family
6. massage
7. barnes & noble gift card
8. 2011 calendar
9. a 'sam i am' shirt
10. surprise me!

CARMEN:

1. gmail
2. new nintendo DS
3. 2011 calendar (animal planet)
4. herbal essences (red raspberry)
5. barnes & noble gift card
6. dragon hunters (book)
7. celtics basketball shorts
8. art canvases
9. earphones
10. khaki pants

Santa Claus and my parents have been very busy this year.
I can't wait for tomorrow! the buddies are going to be so excited.



quote of the night: santa, take off your beard so I can see if you're uncle glen!

Merry Christmas everybody!

home for the holidays

I really love being home. Today, we had a perfect Christmas day,
including, Christmas shopping, and lunch with the girls.

Followed by, running errands with mom, and
card games with the family.

Carmen and I share a room now. Actually, I just don't have one.
So she is nice enough to share hers. We stay up late and share
facts like: did you know that emus and elephants can't walk backwards?
followed by: no. did you know that rhinoceros beetles are the strongest animals
in the world, because they can move 350 times their own body weight?

Yes, we are nerds, and share a bond of loving animals.
I love my little Mowgli.

I love our home always, but especially at Christmas. My mom
is so cute, and works so hard so that everything is just perfect
for her kids to come home.

she fancies her nutcrackers, I've counted at least 9. this one, is life sized.

and my most favorite room in the house! christmas tree, scripture reading,
game-playing, multi-functional fun place to be.

and Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a list. Elizabeth's includes some things
I probably should have asked for this year.
she's really got her head on straight.

my list only says: JOB.

Santa, seriously. Please.

You've got 2 days.

I love Christmas

The Christmas Story, as told by the children at St. Paul's church in England,
and brought to you by yours truly, Shavs Lewis.

Way too cute not to share.



Merry Christmas!

ode to finals

Twas the night before finals, and all through the college,

The students were praying for last minute knowledge.
Most were quite sleepy, but none touched their beds,
While visions of essays danced in their heads.

In my own apartment, I had been pacing,
And dreaded exams I soon would be facing.
My roommate was speechless, her nose in her books,
And my comments to her drew unfriendly looks.
I drained all the diet coke, the time I cared not,

and no longer caring that my nerves were all shot.

I stared at my notes, but my thoughts they were muddy,
My eyes went a blur, I just couldn't study.
"Some pizza might help," I said with a shiver,
But each place I called refused to deliver.
I'd nearly concluded that life was too cruel,
With futures depending on grades had in school.

When all of a sudden, our door opened wide,
And Patron Saint Put-It-Off ambled inside.
Her spirit was careless, her manner was mellow,
She wore a white toga, she started to bellow:
"What kind of student would make such a fuss,
To toss back at teachers what they tossed at us?"

"On Cliff Notes! On Crib Notes! On last year's exams!
On Wingit and Slingit, and last minute crams!"
Her message delivered, she vanished from sight,
But we heard her laughing outside in the night.
"Your teachers have pegged you, so just do your best.
Happy finals to all, and to all, a good test!"

So God rest ye merry gentlemen...after finals. Until then, I will be in the library until 2 a.m.

the real christmas

most of the time, I let the month of December get to me. for the past few years,
it has always mean the same thing: snow, finals, bad drivers, and being cold, and christmas songs.

but I sometimes forget, it's supposed to mean something else. it is the Christmas season,
and for one month a year, people tend to take on Christlike attributes, and do so
more consciously. People are more willing to give of themselves, of their time,
and "the simple teaching of the Savior that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) becomes a reality.

I had lunch with megan yesterday, and bless both of our hearts we struggle in the winter time.
but this year, I decided I want to try and truly feel and study the meaning and feeling of Christmas.

we have decided to read one Christmas devotional or story everyday in the month of December, and I could not be more excited about it. Today is day three, and here is my favorite quote:

Christmas is not a day or a season, but a condition of heart and mind.

If we love our neighbors as ourselves;

if in our riches we are poor in spirit and in our poverty we are rich in grace;

if our charity vaunteth not itself, but suffereth long and is kind;

if when our brother asks for a loaf, we give ourselves instead;if each day dawns in opportunity and sets in achievement, however small—

then every day is Christ’s day and Christmas is always near.

Merry Christmas season!
and please bless that I will get a better Christmas spirit.

we're in a recession folks

I've been slowly catching on to a growing hair trend: the hair melt aka ombre hair.

at first I really didn't think I liked it that much, but, I do.

it doesn't look like regrowth (okay it totally does),

but rather sunkissed tresses. Amazing how trends

can change your perspective. I am so hip.

I'm totally having this done to my hair tomorrow. I'm copying Richelle. Kind of.

If you really don't want me to, stop me by tomorrow.

The best part is I will let it grow out and save monies an no one will know the difference.

I am poor.

loving these

these albums have been on repeat in my car for a good two months now. I realize that two of them are country. so sue me. buy them now, I'm serious. you need these songs.

Taylor Swift:
1. Mine
2. Never Grow Up

Brandon Flowers:
1. Hard Enough
2. Crossfire

Lady Antebellum:
1. Love this Pain
2. Perfect Day

Pretty soon I'm only gonna be listening to this:

good thoughts

I just remembered a phrase I used to use in every

single one of my prayers growing up:

"may we have good dreams not bad dreams, good thoughts not bad thoughts."

I wish my concerns were that simple now too. Here is my good thought today.

"With any major decision there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been an illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. Cast not away therefore your confidence. Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

--Jeffrey R. Holland

Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence

Liahona June 2000

brain dump

I can't help it, I am terrible at blogging. I always read others blogs though,

so it makes me feel like I don't need to call dear friends like Shauna Lewis because

I constantly feel like I've just been updated on what's new in her life.

(not an excuse.)

I seriously can't wait to be done with school.

Glory glory hallelujah.

Taking 18 credits your senior year is not recommended.

I still have no job- esthetics in Utah is mostly a joke.

You people are cheap. I have had one appointment in two months.

I love having Andre' in my ward, and having Holly close.

Nothing like having family nearby while you're in school.

I went to Disneyland two weekends ago, haven't been forever.

I loved it. For so many reasons. If I ever move to LA, I will be a season pass holder.

It's getting cold in Utah again. I shouldn't be able to complain,

seeing how it is the middle of November and we haven't even REALLY seen snow,

but I hate it. I do not do well.

My North Face fleece and my UGG boots are

going to be the only thing you see me in until next year.

Too bad Bethers isn't here to be hating winter with me.

I have not gone shopping, even once this semester.

Okay once, and I bought these gems:

I don't regret it at all, and I wear them with everything on the days I'm not wearing my UGGs.

I cannot wait to have a real grown up job with real grown up paychecks.

But just because I'm not shopping does not mean I'm living under a rock.

I could really use these items:

I've really gotten back into chicken soft tacos from Del Taco recently,

not sure why but I think they are really really good.

I miss my friends, even though most of them live in the same complex as me.

Amazing how that seems so far sometimes. I could really use

more of them in my life. Also, I want to be back here:

I can't stop watching two movies:

1. How to Train Your Dragon

2. Sleepless in Seattle

How had I never seen How to Train Your Dragon before? That movie is hilarious, action packed, and an all-around good time.

Aidan and Ethan can't stop quoting it:

Aidan: "I have beefy arms! I have beefy eyes!"

Ethan: "Ha. ha. Beeth eyes!"

Hilarious.

It is almost the holidays. Richelle has been lighting her christmas candles,

has her tree up already, and has been listening to N'Sync Christmas on Pandora.

It makes me want to be home with these crazy peeps:

And it's a fact that I have the cutest nephews inthe entire world. Seriously.

stress

if there is one phrase that I possibly overuse, it is this:

I. am. stressed.

Or any other sort of variation. That stresses me out. I'm stressin. Mostly I'm kidding, but enjoy making things semi-awkward and uncomfortable.

This week, midterms stressed me out. But not as much as they normally do because I am beginning to not care. I just need a job.

Two nights ago, I could not stop watching the show Hoarders: Buried Alive. These people are crazy, and watching them live in these types of conditions stressed me out. I spent the entire day cleaning.

Midterms ended, I stopped staying up late to watch stressful television, and woke up and started watching TLC's A Baby Story, and I Didn't Know I was Pregnant.

What the freak?

Like I wasn't terrified enough already of growing a person inside myself, people go on national television to share their awful, stressful experiences. These people are crazy.

All of this stress has caused me to become sick. Which is how I'm going to spend the rest of my fall break from school. Awesome.

At least my room is clean, I'm not pregnant, and I dominated my midterms.

breakthrough

sometimes, I surprise even myself.

between me, Meggers, Bertolli and Richelle, the last thing we need is an excuse not to date somebody. Seinfeld said it best:

She had man hands.

He's a regifter.

She's a two-face.

She's got the jimmy legs.

She's a virgin.

She just took credit for my salad.

She's one of these low-talkers.

He's a high talker.

He's a bit of a close talker.

She's bald.

She went out with Newman?

She's too tan.

She's too good.

She wasn't my type.

and we can definitely add our own to the list.

he wears gloves. he's not funny. he has weird friends. he made me eat vegetables. he made a double comeback. his heart just isn't in it. he likes bad music. he had a booger in his nose. He won't chew gum. He wears gargoyle shirts. He has baby hands. He has a weird laugh. He only wears free t-shirts.

But recently, I've grown.

Me: I hate his jeans.

Richelle: Jeans are fixable.

Me: You're right.

Richelle: How bad are they?

Me: Awful.

Richelle: Yikes.

Me: I've met plenty of guys with good jeans and bad attitudes.

Maybe there's hope for me after all.

keaton andre'

Keaton Andre' Anderson

was born September 21, 2010 at 5:12 a.m.

I know everyone says this, but I really do have the most darling nephews in the world. And he is just barely 24 hours old here, and he doesn't even look like an alien.

THAT is good baby-making.

I wasn't able to go to bed until 2:00a.m. Monday night

(thanks for nothing Professor Barron, your class is really terrible.)

and then woke up to Holly banging on my bedroom window thirty minutes after I'd gone to bed. We picked up Andre', picked up Wendy's, and headed over to the hospital. After a series of VERY fortunate events (I will spare you the details which my sister did not do here) bebis Keaton arrived safe and sound, breathing on his own, at 5:30.

Later that day, I played single mom to two munchkins, had a sleepover, watched Wall-E, made breakfast, and drove a minivan. and I would do it all over again. maybe.

P.S. I named him. After my high school crush/boyfriend Keeton Little, while we were having lunch at Carl's Jr.

Oh, memories.

(I can't remember if we actually "dated", which is probably not a good sign. but we did kiss. that is all that matters.)

you learn a lot about yourself from roadkill

I'm serious. I think it says a lot about a person when it comes to animals and death.

Recently, my friend ran over a squirrel on the freeway. It wasn't his fault- but he apologized to the little squirrel whose resting place is now the I-80.

When I was 15, my friend Elizabeth and I were at Bucks Lake, CA for girls camp. Girls camp...is a different experience. It probably even deserves a post all by itself. I even had a bear encounter once. But that year was different. We were infested with squirrels. They were everywhere. They were eating our trail mix, nibbling our toes, causing havoc in the camps. You get the idea. These things are nothing short of really obnoxious.

Elizabeth and I woke up one day, and we decided we had had enough. While laying on our bags for sleeping one morning and listening to N'Sync, a little dusty grey squirrel perched himself up on a tree stump, eating some kind of stolen goodness and stared at us. I was protecting my candy bars with my life, and Elizabeth decided to take a different approach. She grabbed a handful of small-to-medium sized rocks, and started chucking them at the squirrel. With her very first rock, she hit the little sucker square in the temple, knocking him to the ground. He never got up.

Now what I mean in learning a lot about yourself is this: we both laughed. Hysterically. The poor little squirrel never even saw it coming, and we took some sort of sick pleasure in ridding ourselves of one squirrel- even though there were thousands of the things left.

But this summer was different. While I was living in San Diego, I lived at my friend Brittany's house, which is across from a park. Every morning on my way to work, I saw bunnies. Not the ugly jack rabbit kind- but the cute little Peter cottontail bunnies with white fluffy tails. One morning, I didn't see the bunny in time. I killed him. Flat on the road.

"NOOOOOOO! What are you doing little bunny? Why? Why did you throw yourself in front of my car?"

But the bunny didn't answer. I felt so bad I had to tell someone, so I called my friend Nick, looking for some sort of comfort. He just told me it was probably somebody's pet. Clearly, these types of incidents cannot be avoided. But why me? Why my tires? All that was left of the little guy was a tuft of fur on Auburn Ridge Way. The only thing I learned from this experience is that at least I know that I'm a better person than I was at 15. I wonder if Elizabeth is too.

Sorry everyone, Easter is cancelled.

back to schoolings

back to school, back to school, to prove to dad I'm not a fool.

Also, I realize this blog has lost some substance over the past few months. I apologize. But not really. Because summer 2010 sucked the life outta me. For reals.

P.S. I am blogging this from school where these two returned missionaries will NOT stop talking about how they picked up their wives in Russia, NOT because they were Russian, but simply because that is whom they happened to fall in love with. Get real. But maybe get real somewhere else. Nobody cares.

Anyways. My friend Fish blogged about something I've been giving a lot of thought to, and it seems everyone else has as well. You may have heard about the proposed and approved mosque and community center near the 9/11 site. Unless you're like me and call Us Weekly the news.

This plan was approved by a city panel, just two blocks from ground zero. As you can imagine, controversy has ensued ever since. Sarah Palin was so upset about the whole thing she even asked for peaceful Muslims to "refudiate" the plan, and called it a stab to the American heart, all via Twitter. Lots of problems with this statement, beginning with the fact that refudiate isn't actually a word to begin with. Anyways.


I understand both sides, but I really think the issue has gotten a little out of hand. So how should something like this even be settled? Precedent? A coin toss? My friend Fish had the idea to "put a New York Yankee on the very top of the freedom tower (that doesn't yet exist.) Now, it needs to be an American citizen. No Mexicans. Probably not even a Puerto Rican. And not just some naturalized player. A real live multi generational citizen. Now, let that Yankee drop hit a baseball as far as he can, from the tip top of the non existent freedom tower(s), and where that ball lands, is the closest that any Mosque may be built". In my opinion this is the best idea yet.


I also remember another religious controversy involving Catholic nuns praying for Auschwitz victims in a chapel near the historical site. Even though they were nuns, just about the least threatening entities on the planet, Pope John Paul II asked them to leave as it still indicated an expropriation of the memory of the Jews killed there. The place was just too sensitive for families still in the area, and they stopped praying there when they realized it was causing them pain. I'd like to think that if the RLDS church ever was involved in some sort of American tragedy they would not build a pray center right next to the site. It's just insensitive. I think that overall the Muslims don't mean any harm, and that it's time, for us as Americans, to MOVE ON.

I gotta have this bag

that is all. for now. better updates later, I promise.

shark week

SHARK WEEK.

this is my favorite week. I would tivo all of the shows if I didn't already know all of the shows are virtually the same and about sharks. and if I had tivo.

don't be fooled--just because my summer has been unbelievably boring and filled with work, this is not why I love shark week.

I LOVED IT BEFORE I BECAME A GROWNUP WORKAHOLIC.

I proudly own this one guys.

friday brain-dump

This week I have had a lot of jumbled thoughts, but nothing really post-worthy by itself.

• Today is payday. I am still working at Pottery Barn, J.Crew and downtown at the PR agency, J.Simms. I have told myself that I was going to put my two-weeks notice in at J.Crew like eight times, but then they just keep scheduling me for four hours a week, which is worth keeping for the discount. I'll be shooting myself in the foot when next week's schedule comes out and I am working 60 hours again.

• I finally replaced my Michael Kors watch that went missing at Christmas. Pretty sure it was lost somewhere in Reno. Since then I had gone back to Provo, and then moved out of my apartment and to San Diego. No sign. It took me a while but I was able to let go, and swallow the fact that I wasn't going to find it. I went in to the Michael Kors store this week, and the guy felt sorry for me after my story and gave me 15% off.

• 

• It has FINALLY started to warm up down here in San Diego. For the past two weeks it has been overcast and chilly, not really getting above 70. Mid-July, and it's finally HOT. Well, considering. High 70's today, and mid-70's the rest of the week. At least warm enough to go to the beach.
  

• Cami is coming down here the end of July, I could not be more thrilled. I haven't seen that girl in way way too long. Considering we used to be pretty much inseparable and she probably still knows me better than anyone, that's not acceptable. Really wish Megan, Benita and Beth would get on that train.

• Really wanting to plan a graduation trip either in December or next summer. I've never been anywhere, and think that'd be the perfect time to go. Any suggestions?

• Fish tacos are just as good now as they were two months ago when I got here. They are never getting old.
  

• I should be at Seven Peaks.
• 
• Went into Verizon to get a new phone, but instead the guy gave me a new battery for free. Problem temporarily solved, and for free. Committing to a new phone is so stressful, I can't do it. But I will probably go with the Droid.

• After WEEKS of playing phone tag with Megan, I finally got a hold of her. Or her of me. Whichever. Immediately after talking to her, I felt better about things. She is seriously amazing. I hope all of you have a friend like her.

• I am still on a Facebook fast. I decided that checking it at night, in the morning, at work and inbetween work was a little excessive. I deactivated for a week, and today marks the seventh day. But I just don't miss it that much. I will be back, I just don't know when. I think I am getting more sleep.
  

• Stephen Jones is hilarious. Love him in BYU's rendition of the OldSpice commercial:

so what? I watch reality TV

Truth is, I like watching reality television. I try really hard not to do it unless I'm with my friends, who appreciate my meaningless comments, and on DVR, where we can rewind the most ridiculous parts to watch them over and over again.

This is my favorite time of year as far as television is concerned, airing my two favorites:

So You Think You Can Dance (or SYTYCD for all you followers out there)

and, the lovely Bachelorette.

I realize, without you having to say anything at all, that the second show is just absurd, and each season reaches a new level of ridiculousness. But that's besides the point. It is FUNNY. It is full of crazy people, cheesy comments, love, hate, evil stepmothers. Really, what more could you ask for?

Unfortunately, I've been watching my shows by myself this summer. But I do have some things to say.

The Bachelorette:

I was really sad the "world-tour" was over, because I loved just looking at all of the places they were able to go. Lisbon was absolutely beautiful. I will go there.

Ali goes to Robert's hometown first. He won the hometown dates for sure--he had it all. Even the baseball uni, which if you are unsure how I feel about those, go here. Playing in the park, the amazingly awesome hispanic family (I'm a little bit biased), and best of all, he appears to be one hundred percent normal. Not to mention, one of the best looking. I don't think he'd really propose though in the end. He's way too smart.

Next Ali goes to the Cape to visit Chris M. He is the second most normal, and the second-best looking. But let's be real, Ali why are you wearing those leather boots to the beach? Darling, but not your best judgment. And I thought her hair was bad before. YOU ARE ON NATIONAL TELEVISION. Where is your hairbrush?



Other than that, another normal trip. I was pretty sad about that part. His sisters seemed normal, and his dad could not have been more cute. And I have his sister-in-law's boots. Ali doesn't seem as interested in him as the others though, I can tell this because she is not constantly interrupting what he's saying with her tongue in his mouth.

Kirk's house is where it starts to get good. So so glad that Kirk is gone. His blonde eyebrows were always throwing me off, and the taxodermy Dad? That would have sealed the deal for me too. At this point I think that Chris and Kirk probably have the most genuine feelings towards Ali, but I don't see her picking Chris in the end either.

Finally, I have never ever liked Frank. Not even at the Hollywood sign on their first date. The glasses, the bad cardigans, his snaggletooth and insecurities, it's just not my thing. Plus he always seems a gust of wind away from a panic attack. Seriously. Calm down Frank. Plus I heard that you have a girlfriend too and break the news in Tahiti. That should be good.

Sidenote: Remember Kiptyn from last year? I do. He is by far the best-looking contestant they have ever had on the show. Too bad Ali didn't have nearly the pool of applicants as Jill did. I heard he's recently off the market and with a Jake cast-off from last season...but seriously.
Kiptyn, if it doesn't work out, I'm 100% available and in San Diego until further notice.




I realize this just very quickly became a Kiptyn shrine, but I don't care.

rebuild, breathe

I've been having a pretty rough time this year, magnified by the ample amount of time I've had to spend by myself this summer.

I'm getting ready to finish school this fall, and begin looking for jobs.
(Hopefully doing something I actually like to do.)
My bestest graduated and moved away from me back to Austin, TX, I didn't get to live with my friends last year and dating ups and downs (mostly downs). Training for the marathon earlier this year, I also fractured my tibia, which has really discouraged me in my running, and trying to regain where I was before.

I know my trials this year have been for a reason, and I'm still hopeful to find out the why's.

I went for a run though this past week, and decided to do it without my iPod.
(this is almost a for-sure adrenalin killer)
But this time, it worked out even better than I could have hoped.

I ended up running 7 miles, which is twice what I have normally been doing during the week, and I felt amazing. I had the chance to just be left alone with my thoughts, and a silent prayer that lasted the entire run.

Turns out, I had a lot to say. And even more to listen to. The two words/phrases that kept coming to my mind over and over, were

rebuild. just breathe.

I know how simple it sounds, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. I may have been battling the injury since March, but it has given me the opportunity to rebuild the foundation I had, and to do it better than I had done it before. If I rebuilt better, I can be faster, stronger, and healthier than I was the first time. And not only as it relates to running, but to my everyday life as well. I tend to get caught up in the things that don't matter, and I start to immediately doubt. I doubt things I know for sure, and things I said I would never doubt again. I doubt everything except what I can do myself. But I can rebuild. I can start over, and I can do it better than I did the first time.

And of course, just breathe. Any runner will know what this phrase can do for you, but all of us have had similar experiences where we just need to tell ourselves that everything will be okay, and we need to regain perspective on what's currently happening.

What an incredible opportunity all of us have been presented with, to start over. At any age. At any time of day, no matter our circumstance.

I'm going to continue this summer, with a renewed enthusiasm for my jobs, for the people I've met and have not met yet, and rebuild,so that I can be stronger, and a better friend for my friends, and for the people that need friends. A better sister, and a better daughter.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk in May of 2009, about losing our way, and losing sight of what matters most.

Nehemiah from the Old Testament set to rebuild the city Jerusalem, no small task. As the walls of Jerusalem were being built stronger, his opposition began to intensify, but it never distracted him. Nehemiah's response:

"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down."

When faced with trial and suffering, we respond, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.”

When faced with ridicule and reproach, we proclaim, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down.”

"Our Heavenly Father seeks those who refuse to allow the trivial to hinder them in their pursuit of the eternal. He seeks those who will not allow the attraction of ease or the traps of the adversary to distract them from the work He has given them to perform. He seeks those whose actions conform to their words—those who say with conviction, 'I am doing a great work and cannot come down.'

We have a great work to do. We stand overlooking the horizon of our age. It is my fervent prayer that in spite of temptations, we will never lower our standards; that in spite of distractions, wherever they may come from, we will not lose focus on what matters most; that we will stand resolute and together, shoulder to shoulder, as we valiantly bear the banner of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that we may [keep ourselves worthy] and, to a man, lift our heads and with unwavering voice proclaim to the world, “We are doing a great work, and we will not come down.”

Yup. this is definitely what I needed to hear today.

j.simms internship

so far this summer, I've had the amazing opportunity to be working in San Diego at a PR/advertising agency. I've been working closely with the City of Imperial Beach, who hosts the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition every year. The largest sandcastle competition in the U.S., this event attracts over 325,000 people over a three-day weekend, and is probably going to be bigger than I realize even now. I've been working with the local San Diego television and news stations, gaining local and national press attention for the event.

I also was asked to design two advertisements that were approved, and ran in two different publications. I'm pretty excited about them! Like my experience with Vida, seeing something you've designed printed in a magazine is a completely different experience than creating an invitation, or poster. I may or may not be addicted.