Quick Beach Trip

Went home to California for a quick trip to the beach with some friends from Las Vegas. It was a really quick trip but lots of fun.

I took them to the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner. It was delicious!!!

Huntington Beach

Down in Corona Del Mar there was lots of seaweed so we decided to have some fun!

I had to show off my effort with personal training. Pays off!

We stopped at the Newport Beach Temple for some pictures.

My friend SHAY!!!!

When I started Graduate school in 2007 I never knew I would meet one of the most amazing women ever!!! Shay is one of the best people I know. She worked 3 jobs at one point just to make it through grad school. She struggled through childhood growing up in foster care and beat the odds and not only graduated high school, but college and then graduate school. She constantly sought to support everyone in our graduating class. She always had a smile on her face and a great sense of humor. Even though she was facing her own inner struggles, she never quit, never gave up, and never stopped serving the community and advocating for what she believed in.

In 2009 a few months before graduation we took the opportunity to go to the capitol in Sacramento and lobby for some very important social work bills, one specifically for foster care. Here we are displaying our posters to lobby on the capitol steps. Shay is on the left, our good friend Jenn is in the middle, and of course I am on the right.


Just after Lobby Days Shay shared with me her application to be a participant on the biggest loser. Anything she needed help with, I was there. Video camera...check. Computer software....check. I knew this was a journey that Shay really wanted and needed. Although she never complained about her weight, I knew it was something she struggled with daily, and really wanted to see her smile with confidence and love and see herself as we all saw her.....an amazing, beautiful, compassionate, and dedicated woman willing and ready to take on the world!!!!

When she was accepted onto the biggest loser it was the best announcement ever. She would have to miss the last few weeks of grad school and graduation....but that wouldn't stop her. As her classmates, we stood behind her 100%, we all sent letters cheering her on, decorated our grad caps in her honor, and even video taped the graduation with many of us giving messages of motivation and support. I even made a cut out of her and glued a grad cap onto it and had people take pictures with the cut out so she had some graduation pictures, even if she couldn't be there.

When Shay started on the Biggest Loser she weighed 476lbs....she is the largest female contestant ever on the show. She pushed and pushed herself and finally the game strategies caught up with her and she was voted off week 11....after losing 100lbs!!!!!!!! I got to attend her reveal party after she got sent home and it was amazing to see her renewed hope, strength and confidence she found in herself through her journey.....but it wasn't over. At the finale of the show she was offered a special challenge from Subway since she still had a long way to go before she was at a healthy weight. For every pound she lost from that day until the finale of the next season of the Biggest Loser....about 5 months....she would receive $1,000!!!! Well, the finale was just the other night and let me tell you, she looked amazing!!!!!

Are you ready to see the change?

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WOW!!!!!!!!

She lost 52lbs winning $52,000 but the challenge didn't stop there....Subway extended the challenge and offered to double her winnings if she agreed to run a marathon at the end of the year....her answer...YES!!!! She weighs in at 252lbs now losing a total of 224lbs in less than a year!!!!

Like I said, when I started Graduate school I never knew I would meet one of the most amazing women ever!!! Shay has inspired me to eat healthier, work out, and most of all, never give up!!! I am so proud to call this extraordinary woman my friend!!!

To learn more about Shay and her journey visit her website or just google her name...Shay Sorrells and you will find plenty of great articles and blogs about how she has inspired so many!
I love you Shay!!!!

Grandma's 80th Birthday

My grandma may have turned 80 but she still acts like she is 65. I drove up to SLC to attend her wonderful birthday party and see all my cousins as well. We had so much fun. My grandma is one of the most active people I know, she is always going, going, going and she even exercises a few days a week.

All her children and grandchildren worked together to make a memory book for her with our favorite memories of Grandma and pictures....by her face I think you can tell she liked it.

We played games from Minute to Win It and my Grandma was willing to try anything. She played the game "Junk in your Trunk" and you can see how fun she is from the video!!

I didn't do so well, I had to shoot rubber bands at some empty tin cans and my first shot was great but then I couldn't get any more...I am not too great at shooting rubber bands.

Of course since my cousin and I have been both attending a personal trainer we had to test our strength and arm wrestle!! I totally won!!!

Here are all the girl cousins with the grandparents.

Although it was a very short trip I was so glad I was able to go...I miss living in Utah and being able to attend all the birthdays and holidays with my relatives there. It was great spending time with them and I love them all so much!!!

Catching up!!!!

So I went home last weekend because this wonderful brother of mine had a birthday. The big 29....only one more year before he starts going down the hill......just kidding. I love you Ryan!!!

This lovely Thai girl is going to be my sister in law soon...not sure when. But excited!!! Love her!

And this beautiful lady is going to be my sister in law in November...Ryan's fiance!

I also got to go kayaking in the Newport Bay....such an adventure. I went with a group of church friends including this handsome boy.....Jon Jon.

Getting ready to enter the double kayak aka the "divorce kayak". It is incredible hard to synchronize and work together and steer...definitely works your patience and communication skills.

Here is our big group....so much fun!!!

Got to see the girls of course....always good to see them!

Went to a party for a guy in the ward....he is trying to go on a mission and had a fundraising dinner/party.

Sooo....to show my support along with my entrance fee, I purchased a date with this good gentleman Christian from the ward. We are going to see Savior of the World this weekend....should be awesome!

As you can see I have been having lots of fun, I am excited that the weather is getting warmer and found some awesome friends here in Vegas to continue learning how to kayak.....wait for more fun pictures!!!! Can't wait! This weekend the Elder's Quorum is putting on a bbq and washing the cars for all the RS ladies....what gentleman!!! You better believe I am taking advantage of this one!

A life transforming idea!!

I recently found out about this book while watching the Today show and went that same day to the bookstore to purchase it. Of course the newest editions were not even shelved yet so I had to wait about 20 minutes for them to find the book....but it was well worth the wait.

The next time you have a decision to make and you can't decide, or that big life changing moment comes and the stress of making that decision seems almost too much to bare, use this simple method to help make your decision to take your life on a path that is true to your values and what you really want out of life.

How will this effect me in 10 minutes?
How will this effect me in 10 months?
How will this effect me in 10 years?

I have only begun to read it and I already see how it is helping me make everyday decisions. I also have gained a lot of ideas on how to use it with clients in therapy to assist them in making better decisions and moving toward a life they want to have.

It is so simple, yet so profound. We often get stuck on the 10 minutes and never look at how the things we do now effect us years down the road, or even just months. I hope someone reading this will take my advice and go buy the book, it is only $15 and the newest addition, pictured above, has a great worksheet in the back to really reflect and evaluate your life values so you can more effectively make good decisions that will make you happy.

Delbert came to visit!

My friend Delbert came to visit from California. We have been friends for what seems like forever, but really only like 3 years. He became very interested in my pretty bow bobby pins and wanted to try them on, as you can see in the pic below.

We headed down to the strip to have a little fun and I found a motorcycle to pose on.

Delbert made me pose for this pic, he thought it would be cool because I know what kind of car it is, rather than just taking a picture with a cool looking car. He said it is hot when a girl knows the types of cars. So, yes it is a Ferrari.

Delberts inner child pretending to get arrested by some trooper from Star Wars. He loves this picture.

We went and watched the UFC fight with my friend Lori and her boyfriend Dave who cooked us some great hamburgers and hot dogs and guacamole that Delbert couldn't stop eating. Thanks Dave. Of course I always have to get a picture with Lori when I see her.

Last day in Oz!!!

So my last day in Australia I got a lot in since it wasn't raining, at least not most of the day.

I tried some famous Tim Tams....a must in Australia, they are a delicious chocolate treat that I wish was sold in the states. Bec was kind enough to give me a package of them to take home with me. Thanks bec!!!

Kangaroo just chillin on the side of the road getting his grub on. He was a big daddy....very tall!

So I am lucky I got to keep this pic, my friend Jay and I went to the correctional center (prison grounds) based on a tip from someone that there were lots of kangaroo's grazing on the land. We walked on over to them not knowing we were in restricted area, there was a foot path and everything, next thing we know, a big beefy cop was questioning us and running background checks on us. After about 20 minute of questioning, we were sent on our way. It was quite ridiculous really. Just glad we weren't fined and I got to see some kangaroo's out in the country!!!

Took a walk along the river in the city and took this beautiful pic of the Brisbane Temple across the river. It is so pretty with the cliffs and lit up at night.

View from Mount Coot'tha of Brisbane City...it was overcast and a bit rainy all day so we were lucky to get a few shots this clear of the city.

I am headed to the airport now to return to the States....although I had a whole week of rain, it turned out ok thanks to all the awesome people I got to spend time with. Especially thanks to Jenessa and Joel for letting me stay at their place.....love you!!!