Renard (Throwback Thursdays)

I feel this is a perfect time for this post. School is starting, I am a teacher, and now I am teaching English for the first time.

Today's throwback, hosted by The Life of Bon, is about a teacher or high school class.

My favorite teacher is Lisa Renard-Spicer.

I first met Renard in my creative class in tenth grade. Now, I had been very into poetry and short stories and had even started a fantasy novel in middle school. So, to get instruction and guidance, I was very excited. (I was also definitely in my bohemian phase at this point in time.)

 The first poem I turned in for credit, I was very proud of. But, now I realize it was very mediocre writing. I had a large C written over it. I thought I was being poetic, but I wasn't using any skills. There was no craft to my writing.

Renard was a quality teacher. She had us write every single day with different kinds of prompts and assignments. She expected us to step out of our shoes and not only be influenced and inspired by the world around us, but be able to communicate our thoughts and feelings to the world around us.

My creative writing skills made leaps and bounds. I was a writer. I felt good about my skill. I took three years of creative writing with Renard and got to especially know her during my senior year when I had both Creative Writing and IB English 12.

Renard likes the Buddhist philosophy of life--"it's about the journey, not the destination" is something she tried to instill in us as we prepared to go to college. She taught us to think outside the box and make connections between different pieces of literature, as well as our own lives. She inspired me to be an English teacher. (I already knew I wanted to teach history.) I'm so glad I can network with her now for advice on my first year of teaching English!

But, as you can see in this conversation, Renard didn't only influence me. She influenced many, many others in their love of writing or literature. Remember that one scene in Dead Poet Society when all the students stand up to honor their English teacher by repeating a favorite poem of his?

Shivers every single time I watch it. Well, one day, we were watching this movie (but not this scene) in Creative Writing. Renard went out as we were watching (we were a small group and she trusted us) to make some copies or something. We all stood on our desks and when she returned, in unison called out "Oh Captain, my Captain." She influenced so many of us at our high school. Helped so many of us. Cared about us. And now, I just wish I can live up to those standards and have someone, someday say the same to me.

My First Kiss--Throwback Thursday

Today is yet another awesome Throwback Thursday, hosted by Bonnie over at Life of Bon.

Today's topic is:

In Mormon culture, we advise the youth not to date until we are 16. This is to try and protect our teens and to allow them to become friends before they worry about dating. The youth still have a lot of fun activities and programs for both genders. Strong friendships are created and parties happen all the time. When they are 16, typically we socially date--meaning we go do fun activities, we aren't serious in relationships, group dates are the norm. Sometimes, after age 16, teens do become a couple; boyfriend and girlfriend. That is perfectly ok.

And, sometimes, we "date" and "go out" and have "significant others" before we are 16.

I was one such girl. I had a "boyfriend" named Ben. He was barely a year older than me and we started "dating" when I was 14. 

"Dating"= calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend, sitting with each other, IM'ing/calling each other, holding hands, hugging. 

No more, no less. No dates, no physical-ness.

We dated on and off until I was 16. 

That year was hard for Ben. He and his father had some issues and so Ben was going to live with his Uncle for the summer, across the entire country. I was devastated and sad. This was my first love. I was 16. We had been on one date (on my birthday) and now he was leaving! I hadn't even had my first kiss!

Ben invited me over and his two "psuedo-sisters" (some of my best friends) and we watched the Bourne Trilogy. The whole time, Merissa and Amina were on the other couch, and kept sending me signals, and Ben separate signals. Ben and I cuddle and held hands tightly, knowing our time was running out.

Near the end of the 3rd movie, my mom came to pick me up. This was it. It was the last time I was going to see him.  

We all got up and headed upstairs, out of the basement. Amina and Merissa gave Ben a knowing look and rushed up the stairs. 

Holding my hand, Ben hesitated and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. We mentioned how much we'd miss each other and how much we meant to each other. Then, he said, "Tayler, I want to kiss you."

 Ben gently took my cheek in his hand and bent down to kiss me (he was much taller than me). But, he was shaking. I was his first girlfriend and his first kiss as well.

We kissed. Less than a second. It wasn't even quite a peck. 

And you think first kisses are awkward? I wasn't even sure that counted as a kiss. 

But, it was what it was. 

I beamed. He beamed.

Awkwardly.

And awkwardly, we headed upstairs to meet Amina and Merissa's devious smiles.

And that was my first kiss.

Also, don't forget about our super adorable GIVEAWAY!!!

Like Peas in a Pod (or Pieces of a Quilt) Throwback Thursdays

My family owns a quilt created by my dad's sister. Instead of the typical square pieces of fabric, instead she used articles of clothing from my deceased grandmother. I never really knew her--I was a toddler when she passed away. But, my parents remembered. She was my dad's mom and my mother loved her. So, this quilt was very special. And, it was also very interesting. The pieces were almost chaotic--there was no pattern to the quilt.

During a freshman writing course at BYU, we had to write personal essays about someone who meant a lot to us. We were also supposed to use some sort of metaphor. The more I thought about my childhood best friend, the more I realized this unique quilt and all it's different patches represented my best friend and I perfectly.

Her name was Elly Bendele. We met at a sleepover my elementary school hosted to the top reading boy and girl of each class. We were in different 5th grade classes and I noticed she was reading Harry Potter. Then, I didn't really see her until 6th grade. We were put in the same class rotation and our friendship grew.

Here is a quote from my essay to show how close we were:

On the first day of Geometry, in seventh grade, we decided to sit next to each other, just like in all our other classes. We chose the second row from the front, near the wall. By sitting close, the teacher saw we were good students, but it also allowed us to pass notes inconspicuously.

That year, math class was writing class for us. Elly and I both started writing fantasy in sixth grade, and we knew everything about the others’ stories. We decided to merge our stories into one. This book would, of course, be published, along with our own series.

Each day during class, one of us would take notes, while the other wrote part of the novel. Then we switched. We managed to fill an entire notebook with our story, which we called, The Dragon Queen’s Rise.

We wrote together, we read together, we went to see movies together. We were geeks together and we loved it and welcomed other geeks to our group.

Via

However, middle school proved hard for both of us, as it does for everyone. We both had to deal with our own issues and overcome different social trials. But, we still stuck with each other, even if others didn't like one of us. We had sleepovers all the time. She was Catholic and I was Mormon and we would spend hours on end discussing religion and philosophy. As we grew to high school, our views on the world became more different. But, we strove to be in the same class because we were best friends. We still accepted each other.

She was always the voice of reason. With each new boyfriend, my mom always found something wrong. But, she was my mom, she was supposed to find something wrong with every boy I liked. But Elly would plain call me stupid to my face. Especially with one. And, she was right about him. I was stupid to keep coming back time and time again to this boy.

We got in fights sometimes. We'd both end up crying and not talking to each other the next day. But, we always hugged and made up. We needed each other. We needed the support we gave each other. 

Via

The hardest part was in AP Government senior year:

A Freudian slip almost ruined our friendship for good. 

I hated AP Government. I hardly understood what our teacher, with her poor lecturing style, was talking about. The textbook was over my head. I had to rely on Elly to explain everything to me. She, on the other hand, loved the class so much; that she decided to take Global Issues along with it. 

We were talking about homosexual rights in class. This topic has always made me cringe. I’m not comfortable with homosexuality. I don’t know whether to believe the choice is theirs, or if they’re born that way. 

Elly, of course, with liberal thoughts, was deep into the conversation our small group was having. Then she let it out. 

My best friend, Elly, was lesbian. 

When I got home, I went straight past my mom and out the back door. I sat on the edge of the porch banister and cried. I cried more than I had in all my teenage years. My mind was the aftermath of a hurricane. I didn’t know what to think. Should I stay her friend? What would people think? Should I try to convince her to come away from this terrible sin? Would people think the same applied to me when I walked with her in the hall? What would God do to her on her day of judgment? Would I be able to look at her the same way? What would I do? How come I didn’t know this before? 

I decided to pray. I spilled my heart out to God, asking him all these questions. The biggest one was, should I stay her best friend and feel like I am supporting her homosexuality, or should I end our friendship? 

It took a few days for the answer to come, but when it came, I knew. A feeling walked up to me, looked me straight in the eye, and said, “It’s okay what you’re going through. But think; is Elly’s homosexuality a big enough reason to destroy eight years of being best friends?” 

I realized what God was trying to tell me; I loved my best friend, even if I didn’t approve of her homosexuality. It was her ideas, her personality, her friendship, her loyalty, her company with which I had become friends. She was still the same Elly. 

True, the next few weeks were awkward, my mind constantly telling me, “Your best friend is lesbian and that is not consistent with your values. What’s wrong with this picture?” But as the year continued, I realized, nothing about our friendship had changed, it was the same it had been for the past eight years.

Via

It doesn't matter. That's the thing. I came to know Elly for 8 years. We grew up together. We knew each other's thoughts and feelings. We were sisters. (We both loved the series Wheel of Time and decided we wanted to do one of the Aiel rituals to become "sisters.")

I moved to California and went to BYU. She stayed in Virginia and went to college. We have stayed connected throughout the past 5 years, congratulating each other on following our dreams. The best part about having a best friend is that we don't need to be living near each other and see each other every day. We are the type of friends that can go weeks without messaging or calling one another and still be best friends.

I ended my essay with this closing metaphor:

A theme on this quilt is pattern and color. Almost every piece of clothing my grandma has on the quilt had a repeating pattern of different colors, making the quilt vibrant and intriguing to look at. Even if none of the patches are in a simple geometric shape, the pattern makes the quilt look complete and finished.

Elly was a friend that I needed as I grew up. And, she needed me. We were are two parts of one whole. Although I have not personally seen her for 5 years now, she is still a support to me. And that will never change.

“Friends”

 Like a patchwork sewn throughout time;

Each friend is different-each one divine.

Time stitches together the pieces we share,

Leaving a quilt that the years cannot wear.

 Deena Rutter, 1996

Wales Study Abroad--Throwback Thursdays

Time for another Throwback Thursday!

Today's topic is your favorite summer vacation. 

That is very, very easy for me. 

Mine was an almost-two-month summer "vacation."

Any one care to venture a guess?

That's right--Wales!!!

In the summer of 2010, I had the opportunity to go on a study abroad to Wales. We were to learn more of the Welsh language--dysgu Cymraeg, and explore the history of Wales and the rest of Great Britain. 

It was the best 2 months I've ever had. There is far too much to tell you in one post, so I definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely advise you to check out my short mini-blog on my adventures there: Writing Welsh. When you get to the mini-blog, scroll down on the left-hand side, under the "Foods I've Tried in the UK" to see my archive list.

I had studied Welsh for about a year at BYU and decided I wanted to explore England--I had always wanted to go. It was only $2000 with a $1500 plane ticket. Very manageable! I scrimped and I saved, and I was able to go after I finished my sophomore year of college.

The trip to get to Wales was very exciting! There were delays, people to meet up with, a missed connection in Dublin, a ferry ride, and sight-seeing train ride all down Wales entering into Cardiff at midnight on the weekend after a Paul McCartney concert with free beer. Definitely read about it here.

My absolute favorite part was seeing and exploring every inch and crevice of all the old castles. I could just imagine what life was like in these during the medieval times--I had read so many historical fictions. I read many history books about Wales and England earlier that summer and recognized many of the castles we visited. I could literally feel the history. How grand was that! Some we visited were: Chepstow, Rhaglan and Usk Castles,  Winchester Castle where the Round Table lies, Cardiff (the capital of Wales) Castle, St. Michael's and Dover Castle and Edinburgh Castle.

We had many Austin fans in our study abroad. I sadly, hadn't even read one of Jane Austin's books by 2010 (I know, it's despicable!). But, I had seen different variations of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility and knew I loved Austin. We saw many sites that related to her books. And...of course there were Harry Potter fans, I being a huge one. J.K. Rowling's house, many on-sight locations, and of course, Platform 9 3/4 were many of the sights we visited. We visited Tolkein's boyhood home and came to understand why he wrote Isengard in the way he did--he hated the new mills and factories that "invaded" his village.

We visited many places that were associated with my favorite myth and legend: King Arthur! We explored Tintagel, where Arthur was born and grew up. Under the caste ruins was Merlin's Cave. What mystery lay there. I imaged that magic really happened there. I could feel the mist of legend and lore throughout the entire city. The air was heavy with it. Of course, there were plenty of pagans and Wiccans there as well, all paying homage to Merlin and Arthur.

We climbed the highest "mountain" in Wales: Snowdon. This was barely 3500 feet, whereas I live in the Rockies, near Mount Timpanogos (11,700 feet) in Utah. It wasn't a mountain to us, but it was to them. The Welsh take pride in their mountains. If you doubt me, watch the movie: The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain. Legend has it that Merlin grew up in the shadow of Snowdon, also known as Yr Wyddfa. It was a long trek, but a fun one.

We also spent two weeks in 8-hour-a-day immersion classes, studying Welsh grammar, pronunciation, and conversation. Sometimes it was a little intimidating speaking to senior Welshmen who had been speaking Welsh for almost their entire lives and we had only been studying it for less than 2 years! But, they were always very kind and patient, helping to teach us. The question we got the most, though, was why would Americans want to learn Welsh? We also were able to visit the National Eisteddfod, the annual Welsh cultural festival.

We spent two whole days in London. We visited the British Museum, the Museum of London, and the British archives. We traipsed around Westminster Abbey and Parliament. We explored the White Tower and the Tower of London: the jewels, the chopping stone, and the torture tower. We also went to the Globe and watched Henry V Part 2. Then, we missed the last train back to Cardiff, forcing us to spend a night in Paddington Station.

Of course, there was the time that Aer Lingus and Delta lost my luggage when I returned home--a week before I had to go back to Utah for BYU.

It has been a brilliant experience to explore and travel throughout Great Britain. It is hard to believe that it has been 3 years! As you can see in the post, there is great, obvious, logical reason I want to return! Justin just needs some convincing. Please help me!

Moving on and out--Throwback Thursdays

Today's Throwback is about moving away from home.

That was a tough time for me.

In the beginning of 2008, the Marine Corps told my dad he was getting transferred. He had spent 3 tours (and a tour in Iraq) in Virginia, and it was time to move somewhere else. He only had 4 years left until he retired, so we tried every trick in the book to stay. The Marine Corps only said, "Sorry, you've been here too long. Bye." Thus, we knew that summer, we'd be moving to Barstow, California. Blech!!!!

In February 2008, I learned I was accepted to BYU, the only college I had ever wanted to go to. On June 14, 2008, a Friday, I graduated Mountain View High in Stafford, Virginia. On Sat, June 15, my sister Paige got baptized in our church. Sun, June 16th was my mom's birthday and the day we moved. I spent as much time with my friends that month as possible. I did have quite a few Mormon friends, but either they weren't going to BYU, or weren't graduating till next year. Then, all my non-Mormon friends were going to VA universities. I would never see them again.

It took us a couple weeks to move from VA to CA as we stopped in Nauvoo and then visited family in both Idaho and Utah. When we finally got to CA, I didn't even really want to unpack because I'd be leaving for Provo, Utah in about a month, anyway. I spent the time surfing the web at the public library, making numerous trips to Target with my mom, and running through the desert.

I felt alone. I didn't have any friends in CA, and that would become a pattern every summer I would go "home." I wrote this in my journal:

I was gone from everything I held dear to my heart. The colors of Virginia, the forest, the shade, the weather. My job, my coworkers, our jokes, the pizza. My school, the teachers, the classes, the knowing who you are and where you belong. My friends, their support and love. My boy friend, his tender kisses and hugs. Knowing where I was and where I was going in life. Knowing I had a plan for each and everyday, a scheldule to follow. My church, the activities we had, the sleepovers, visits to the D.C. Temple, Sunday school, my friends.

Home is where the heart is. That is true. My belongings may be packed up in boxes, my clothes may be hanging in my sister's closet, and my body and house may be in California, but I left one thing in Virginia. My heart. I may never physically return to Stafford in my life, but my heart and mind visits every single day. 

I love Stafford and all the friends I left there. If I had a choice, I would move back, but the military is just to powerful to persuade. So yes, I may have left, but I will never forget the wonderful 8 years spent in Stafford, nor will ever call anywhere else (until I get married and have my own family) HOME. That is special and sacred only for Stafford, because "home is where the heart is" and my heart is forever superglued to Virginia.

When I moved into the dorms at BYU, I was excited. I was finally ready to be on my own. I had no doubts that I could do well in college and do well on my own as a grown-up. I made a few friends who I would got to midnight dollar theatre showings and get hotcocoa at Denny's with on the weekends. I got an awesome job which I kept until November 2013. That job allowed me to make a few friends, have some awesome laughs, great memories, and get good food service experience under my belt. I didn't travel far--I didn't have a car. I still went to bed before midnight, got up at 7 and went running. I ate well (lost 18 lbs that year!) and studied well. I was still a good student and a good girl. But, I still missed Virginia. 

After Christmas break, we decided to move me to another on-campus housing complex because rent was cheaper. For the second time within a year, I was displaced again. I made two of the best friends I ever had then, but I still didn't feel at home. I went home for the summer, only to find out the owner of the house we rented foreclosed...my family was forced to move. 

And so it went throughout my college life--the renters always foreclosed on my family (in the 4 years they lived there, they moved 3 times), I lived in 2 different apartments, each year always with different roommates. Never did I ever feel "at home."

I still, after 5 years, feel displaced. Even though I am married and we have an apartment, it is still "college housing" because we are still in Provo. It is tiny and cramped. It is as homy as we can make it, but we know it's temporary until Justin graduates. Maybe that's why I am so anxious to get out of Provo--not because of the "bubble" and stereotypes, but because I have been in a transition stage for 5 years. I want a house. But more than that, I want a place to call "home." (I can't wait till next summer when Justin graduates and we can move!)

Throwback Thursday--First Job

Today is another Throwback Thursday! 

This week, you get a double answer! Justin and I both will be talking about our first jobs! Yaay!

Tayler's First Jobs
My first, first job was Quiznos. When I got my driver's license, Mom led me out to the car and said, "Don't come back without a job." So, I pounded the pavement. I really wanted to work at a local pizza buffet called Cici's, but they just put my application in a pile. I went on the Quiznos, which was nearby and they hired me on the spot. The manager was Indian, and his wife, daughter, and son all worked there. I was the only white girl and the only one who couldn't speak Hindi. I worked there about a week, and I hated it. Even though I told them I was a student in high school and I had religious class (seminary) at 6AM on weekdays, he still made me work up until like 10-11pm. 
So, I went back to Cici's. I asked to talk to the manager, was actually able to sit down with her, show her the application I filled out, and told her I was friends with a Mormon employee. Based on that, she hired me! I called Quiznos to tell them I quit. (The money I earned at Quiznos that week allowed me to buy my first iPod ever--a 2GB nano!!!)

Cici's Pizza was a great job for a 16 year old! It was an all-you-can eat buffet for $5! It included a salad bar, pasta bar, pizza bar, and dessert bar (cinnamon rolls--they're famous, apple pie pizza, and brownies). The best perks were at this job as well--I got free food anytime I want, my family got free food anytime they wanted, and my friends (if they were eating with me) got free food as well. The reason they were able to allow this is because of how popular Cici's Pizza was! Friday and Saturday nights were full to bursting, sometimes, people would have to wait in line to be seated. Cici's was also the place to hold parties: birthday parties, sport team trophy dinners, etc. Schools also used it almost every month for fundraising. These were the best nights. True, they were full to bursting, with little kids running all over the place, pizza everywhere: on the buffet, racing through the oven, on the floor, all over the tables. Noise level was insane, the lines were out the door, our busboys could barely keep up. But, it was great because of how strong the community was. No one really complained--they had fun talking and sharing stories, knowing they would eventually get their fill on pizza. I saw so many of my friends and would talk to them over the buffet. If it was slower, and I saw friends, I could sit and eat with them for a while. 

What was also great fun was the shout outs we did for each fresh pizza:

Cheese pizza--"I say smile, you say cheese! Smile!" "Cheese" shouts the customers.

Mac&Cheese pizza (It's actually quite yummy)--"It's not easy being cheesy."

BBQ pizza--"1,2, BBQ, YEEEHAW!!"

Pepperoni--"It's not bologna, it's pepperoni!"

My favorite is still the Buffalo pizza. We were training a new girl to stock the buffet and the shoutouts. Up came a buffalo chicken pizza. She asked what the shout out was. My manager said, "Oh, you shout, 'fresh hot buffalo pizza is on the buffet' then make a loud buffalo noise."
So, she did and boy, was her buffalo grunt the funniest thing in the entire world.

I also loved my coworkers: Jessica, the manager who was engaged to a marine. Brittany, who said, "That's my JAM!" every time a new song came on the radio. My Mormon friends who worked with me. The Mexicans who prepped, cleaned, and made the pizzas who would teach me Spanish words (like the infamous "Chaga-Chaga") and bring homemade Mexican food (the first time I tried Mole and I loved it!). 

I worked there from 2006-2008, from the time I got my driver's license until I graduated high school. I miss Cici's Pizza. 

Justin's First Jobs
My first official job was at a family owned (not mine) diner/dive in the town of Lancaster, Pa called Freeze and Frizz..  One of those old school 50s style diner looks known for their soft serve ice cream and their BBQ sandwiches.  The BBQ sauce was a secret family recipe that to this day I can't fathom what was in it (although I was able to figure out one of the ingredients was Pickle Relish).  I work there for the summer of 2006 and throughout my senior year of high school.

My family had spent countless evenings driving up and getting ice cream and french fries at Freeze and Frizz throughout my life and I was thankful they hired me to work there (it was within biking distance). After several months there, they hired my little sister as well when her job at ice cream stand in an amusement park wasn't going so well.  They were more than accommodating to let me have Sundays off and it was a very nice environment.  My boss, Dan, was one of the most relaxed and honest men I had known.  He was always smiling and constantly looked out for the welfare of his employees, which were mostly high school kids.  One of the best memories I have is when the Justin Special was invented.  Through trial and error over a few months, I had concocted the perfect sandwich that I proceeded to make for myself every day I was on shift.  It was a simple ham and cheese sandwich with a little cajun seasoning, pickles, and occasionally some of the BBQ sauce for dipping.  My boss quickly picked up on the habit and would have one made for me before I went on my lunch break (more often or not, he would make one for me as a hint that I should go on my break, as I typically didnt like sitting in the back whilest everyone was out working).  Soon, other employees started getting the sandwich a few times for their lunch, and my boss even caved a few times as well.  There was a time you could go to Freeze and Frizz and ask the cashier for a "Justin Special" and we'd grill one up.

It was a great place for a first job and I'll cherish the memories and friends I made there.

Happy 4th of July (Throwback Thursdays)

Don't forget about the Honey Lemon Designs prints and decorative pictures Giveaway here!
Also, don't forget about the sponsored giveaway on Bailey Dailies here!

Shoes: Sole Envy // Pants: Papaya // Shirt: Papaya // Headband: Clarie's // Jewelry:  Christmas Present

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Today I am linking up with Bonnie for another Throwback Thursday!

My favorite 4th of July was in 2002. My family decided to go visit Niagara Falls. We went for the first week of July, but on the Canadian side. We exchanged our money, and as a 12 year old, the concept of changing American dollars, quarters, and dimes to Canadian dollars, quarters, and dimes didn't make since. It was the same money, but it was different worths! While we were in Canadian Niagara Falls, we went on a boat to right up to the falls and got completely soaked through, even though we had rain jackets on. We also went to a funhouse.

What was really cool about our Independence Day in Canada, was that we got two Independence Day's! Canada's in on July 1st. So, we set up a blanket and treats over the falls and watch Canadian fireworks at at night! Then, for the 4th, we traveled back down to New York. We stayed with some family friends and went to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant. We then saw American New York fireworks on the 4th!

My second favorite was in 2011. I went home to Apple Valley, CA for the summer. This city is also called the High Desert because there are mountains all around. So, we jeeped up the mountain and found some remote spot at the edge of town, looking down over the valley. Now, Apple Valley was part of a tri-city area: Apple Valley, Victorville, and Hisperia. So, we were able to see three cities's fireworks all the same time. It was amazing. But, what made it even more amazing was that we played a lot of games and talked while we waited and it was very relaxing and nice.

But, now, I think this is my 3rd favorite Independence Day, and it's not even over yet! Justin's parents (and sister Jana) are in Utah (from Georgia) for a couple of weeks, so we went down to Nephi to hang out with his family. Justin's brother Jason and his wife Rachel have 3 kids who are adorable. As a big group, we decided to go down to Nephi's festival. We had breakfast--eggs, ham, pancakes as big as your plate, and frozen orange juice cartons. We watched a quilt auction, and looked at silent auction items. Once the flag was raised, the fun began. We followed the three little kids around with Jason and Rachel as they played. There were inflatable obstacle courses and moon jumps, cart rides, and other fun games. It soon got really hot, and we started to get really tired, so we went down to Mount Pleasant and ate at a Mexican food hole-in-the-wall called Juanitas. We stopped by my in-laws house they bought in preparation of retired, then came back up to watch my niece Natalie dance at the festival. But, it started to rain, so my straightened hair, which was already curling due to the humidity, curled even more. But, by the time Natalie's group got on stage, it stopped and turned super hot and sunny again. Natalie was adorable and just like her uncle Justin in clogging! We gorged ourselves on scones, watermelon, salt water taffey, and sno cones.

Natalie, Zach and I playing with bows and arrows.

Little Brady trying to push Aunt Jana

Zach and Brady getting all patriotic!

Brady, Zach, and Natalie crushing the obstacle course!

We rested at home, watched Tangled, and made all the boys do hula hoops for us, bribing them with salt water taffey. It was hilarious! We are about to eat a good dinner and are waiting patiently for dusk to fall so we can go watch and do fireworks! Keep an eye out for Instagrams on them!

This will be a fun weekend! Justin and I have to return to Provo tomorrow for work, but will be back in Nephi at night and another of his sisters will be in town! Saturday, little 8 year old Natalie is getting officially baptized into our church--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Can't wait!

Favorite Birthdays--Throwback Thursdays

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It's another....

This week is about a throwback birthday. Well, I have a couple!

My brother was born 3 days after my 7th birthday. He was born with a club foot, so mom, dad, and him stayed at the hospital for a few days. Because we didn't expect this, mom had already planned a birthday party for me, which my Grandma hosted. As I was opening presents, my parents walked in the door with the best birthday present ever--my brother, Bobby! I had prayed for a brother for 2 years and I finally got one! 

Some years, we each had our own cake and own party, but others, we shared a cake and had a family celebration. I thought it was super cool to have a birthday so close to a sibling.

Beware the next! I've warned time and time again, I was an awkward teenager, and this year, I really let my geek out. Today, it is a facepalm!

As a teenager, I was obsessed with faeries. Still am, actually. I liked Amy Brown art, Hot Topic faeries, dark magic and fairy war books. So, I decided to be silly and dress up..."goth" faerie on top, "faerie princess" on bottom. It was just the family, so I didn't really care. I do not miss that year, seeing myself in that picture (braces, glasses, acne, oh the hair!) but I do miss that shirt...that was an awesome shirt!

That year, I got my first faerie figurine. These were figurines of warrior faeries. Overall, I had almost 10 by the time I graduated high school. Then, my dad got transferred across the country (military) and I packed up to go to college. They haven't seen the light of day since 2008 and I can't wait to have an actual house rather than married student apartments so I can dust them off and put them back on display!

Next, comes my 16th birthday, which was one of my favorites! I wanted a sweet sixteen and I definitely got one! I was living in Virginia at the time. One man in our congregation owned a lot of land in our county, including a farm (without the animals) and had converted his barn into almost like a diner. Our church used it for many activities: Memorial Day picnics, youth camp outs, etc. So, I asked if we could borrow it for my sweet 16. It was big and had awesome speakers for music and a mini kitchen. I invited a lot of my friends. 

Now, one of my friends from church, Matt, had a birthday 7 days after mine. My sweet sixteen was planned for his birthday, which was a Saturday. Since we shared most of our friends, my mom, his mom, and I decided to make it a surprise birthday for him as well; meaning, we'd celebrate his birthday without him knowing we would.

He certainly was surprised! We all danced, we all played games. Then, it came for cakes. We both got our own separate cake, and were sung to separately. Then, we opened presents. I got another faerie figurine. When guests RSVP'd, they would ask my mom what to get me, and mom said books...so, I ended up with about $100 worth of Border's gift cards! It was great! Matt's present for me was a serenaded song. He was very good at singing and guitar (he taught many people in our congregation to play guitar), so he played me a song. It was very sweet (and completely platonic--we were both dating other people). 

It was probably the funnest teenage birthday party ever! Also, notice...another faerie shirt (Tinkerbell this time, also from Hot Topic)...and see all the coats in the back? My birthday is in February, and I lived in VA...it was currently snowing outside.

My last memorable teenage birthday was my 18th one. I had never had a surprise birthday. I always thought what a cool treat it would be to have one. My sister, Madison, being the awesome sister she is, and knowing me in and out, decided to take it upon herself to give me one before I would never see my friends again (by February, we already knew my family would be transferred across the country). So, she talked to my closest friends and told them that there would be a surprise birthday party for me at the bowling alley. I kind of suspected something and was super excited. Then, on my birthday, I felt queasy all day. I thought it was just due to the excitement. When I came home from school, only a few hours till the party, I threw up. I was upset, but laid down, hoping it'd be a one time thing. After, I felt much better. It was about an hour until the "surprise." I still wanted it to happen. I'd never had a surprise birthday party before and doubted I'd ever get the chance again. I told my mom I was alright, and as soon as I muttered those words, what should come out but more vomit. Madison called all my friends, explaining the situation, and I went to bed early, crying because I couldn't have a surprise 18th birthday party...

I have had 5 birthdays since then, and still have not had a surprise party. Ever. For anything. I still want one.

Keep that in mind, friends and family!

Young Crushes--Throwback Thursday

First off, click this cute little button to follow on Bloglovin (heart=lovin) and look to the right column: see all the other cute little buttons? Click on them to follow my other social media!


Time for another round of Throwback Thrusdays, hosted by Bonnie!

Today's topic is Elementary school crush.

Well, I can honestly say I had a crush every single school year up until I started dating at 14. However, with years gone by, names escape me, but I do remember each boy!

Kindergarten: His name was Entoy. I remember because isn't that a weird name? I think he was Asian? Again, I was 5, that is super long ago. But, I do remember we had the same birthday: February 10th. So, that day, we had a party in my class to celebrate our birthdays! It was great!

1st Grade: I believe his name was Jonathon. I can't really remember. But, he was in my class and I loved to do group work with him and read with him. One day during recess, I fell off the playground and hurt my knee badly. So, he helped me to the nurse's office and stayed there with me as the nurse fixed me up. What a great boy! A few years ago, I found this random anime picture and it has always reminded me of that instance.

2nd grade: We'll call him "Ted." Ted and I actually had a group of friends. He and his guy friends were all big into Sonic the Hedgehog the cartoon, so we would all play it during recess. Ted was Sonic which meant of course I was to be Princess Sally Acorn. All they told was this was the princess Sonic fought for. I thought, how romantic. We would also play Mortal Kombat in the sandboxes, try to be in each other's play groups, and shared our lunches a lot.

3rd grade: Honestly, I don't remember a crush for 3rd grade. But, I hung with all boys, except for Sarah. During recess, we came up with a game called "Chase." The boys would chase Sarah and I around and we'd have to be sneaky like ninjas, hiding behind bushes, going behind the trailer classrooms, to escape from them. But, we loved our boys and didn't play with anyone else. 

4th grade: Let's call him "David." He was hispanic, and boy was he a looker. Tall for a 4th grader, with a smile to die for. He was also very athletic and very smart. I wished to sit by him in class and was always excited when we were on the same team during P.E.

Through out middle school (and 5th grade) there was a series of 3 boys whom I crushed on. This was a hard time for me as kids started dating and becoming couples. My church has a very smart standard (to avoid pre-marital sexual relationships) that suggests not dating until 16 (and then trying not to single yourselves out).  So, in middle school, I wasn't allowed to date. But boy did I talk about boys just as much as everyone else!

There was this one boy I liked, as well as every girl. Everyone wished to be his girlfriend. We had been in the same 5th grade class, and had many of the same periods in 6th and 7th grade. One day, (April Fool's Day), Brandon comes up to me during Health Class and said, "Tayler, we've known each other for a long time now. We're good friends. I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me?" I was speechless! This was the first time any boy was asking me out! But....But....BUT I couldn't date!!! I was only 12! I started to explain that to him, with a big smile on my red, red face. Then, a smile appeared on his-- "April Fool's!!" he shouted. Boy was I embarrassed.

 I even had this blue, furry journal called "My Secret Crush Book." In it, you would write down the boy's name, as well as some of their personal information. Then, you would rate: their car, their house, their looks, their brains, their brawn, their talent, etc. It would then rate them if they were good enough to keep. I filled out pages of this. 

Only a few weeks ago, my family found it in a box in their storage closet. They called me up, read some of it out loud, and we all cracked up. The funniest thing was that we still knew quite a few of these boys, and if I had had a chance with them before I married Justin, I would have laughed at the thought! 

Throwback Thursday: Learning to Drive

Bonnie has a cool new idea to entertain us during the summer: Throwback Thursdays.

Today's topic is learning how to drive. Well, my stories aren't as funny as my mom's or my sister's, but those are their stories to tell, not mine.

So, I have a few short ones. (Sorry, I don't have pictures for this one--I don't have any from 2005-2006 on my computer, and my parents are both at work all day today)

1) Being Pulled Over: When I had my learner's permit, at age 15, my family decided to go see a movie. As we packed in the car, I got in the driver's seat since I had to have a total of 40 practice hours to get my license. We turn the radio on, and I start driving down the local streets. I was being very careful to follow the speed limit, even though on the 6-10, everyone loved to go 15mph + over the speed limit. Then, all of a sudden, a cop appeared behind me. A second later, they were flashing their lights--no siren, but definitely flashing lights. I freaked out! What had I done wrong? I waited until after I passed through the intersection to change lanes, we all had our seat belts on, I wasn't speeding, what? Mom soothed me as I pulled over, but there were already tears streaming down my face--I didn't even have a license and now something terrible was going to be put on my permanent record! When the officer arrived, I handed him my learner's permit, insurance, and mom's license. He said that our plates were expired and that as the driver, it was technically my fault/responsibility. The tears doubled. I hadn't known. They weren't my plates, they were my mom's (I didn't say that). He said technically he should give me a ticket. Mom talked with him over my sobs and apologized and said it was her fault. He said, "No, ma'am. Your daughter being the driver, it is her fault. But, because she is just learning, I will let you both off with a warning." Mom thanked him and he left. I was shaking. Mom had to finish driving us to the theatre. But thankfully, no ticket. To this day (knock on wood) I have nothing on my driving record!

2) First Time on the Interstate: I still had my learner's permit and my grandparents were in town. Now, growing up in Stafford, Virginia, I was less than half an hour away from 3 Civil War battle sites, 45 minutes from D.C., and 2 hours away from Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. So, whenever friends and family came to visit, we go show them history. My grandpa was interested in seeing some battle sites, so, we hop in two cars and head to I-95. Again, I was a learner, so, I drove with my Grandpa next to me. My first time getting on the interstate=my first time going over 50mph. It was scary. Although it only took about 20 minutes to drive on the interstate, the entire time, my hands had a death grip on the steering wheel. By the time we got to the Battle of Fredericksburg, my hands were white and they hurt after I let go of the wheel.

3) Ran off the Road: I was about 17 years old and my sister (15) and I were on an indoor soccer team. I was driving us in my dad's Jeep Liberty (which I want one desperately). I had barely gotten on one of the first roads when this car started following pretty close behind. So, I sped up a little to give us some space. He quickly closed that gap. I did so again, this time going over the speed limit. Again, he closed the gap. We finally got to the road I needed to turn on, so we turned, and guess who was following right on our bumper at the turn? So, I decided to stop on the side of the road and let this speed-demon pass. However, the view of the side of the road was deceiving (and in Virginia, the "side of the road" means grass). We went down a tiny hill of about 3-5 feet and the jeep was breaking as quickly as I wanted. In front of us was a deep ditch (maybe about 3 feet deep). We both screamed and stopped about a foot from the ditch. I called home and explained our situation; Madison called 911 and told them the license plate of the guy. Dad came and helped get the Jeep back on the road. I didn't want to drive after that--I was shaking pretty badly. And I don't remember if a parent drove us to our game, or if we just stayed home that night.

4) Killing a Pheasant: In 2008, my dad (a Marine) was transferred from Virginia to California, which means we had to move cross-country again. The whole last week, we stayed in a hotel as the Marine Corps packed up our house and started moving to CA. Saturday, I graduated high school, Sunday was my mom's birthday and Paige's baptism, and Monday, we left the state. We had 6 of us, two cars, and a trailer full of bikes and important JAG papers, and other random boxes. So, we needed 2 drivers at all times. Well, we had 3 (my parents and me) so we rotated. One day, my dad was driving the jeep and trailer, and I was driving the minivan. We were in the New Mexico/Arizona/Nevada area--somewhere with only one lane going each ways and no cars to be seen. I was in front, going about 80mph and I saw this huge bird. I started to slow because it wasn't running or flying away. I was going to quickly get on the other side of the road (again, no cars to be seen) to go around it, but my mom assured me it would fly away. A few seconds later, it didn't fly away. There was a thud-ud. I had ran over the big pheasant. It was big enough to have hit the van's license plate before going under. My dad called us on his cellphone asking what had happened because red stuff had flown into the front window of his jeep. Mom answered that I had ran over a pheasant. I was crying (I cry alot apparently). I yelled over the phone "Because mom made me!" When we stopped for gas, we noticed a bunch of guts and blood that had smeared all over the jeep's grill. My dad and brother and mom could not stop laughing. I felt terrible because I could've saved the pheasants life if I hadn't listened to mom. Today, it is kinda funny, but it certainly wasn't for almost a year!