The happiest place on earth

I spent Thanksgiving weekend hanging out at Disneyland for the first time! I absolutely loved it there...the word running through my head over and over was AMBIANCE. Everything was so completely overdone, it was perfect. My favorite ride was the Indiana Jones one. I went on it about five times and still wasn't sick of it. Pirates of the Carribbean was pretty incredible too. We met up with my lovely Aunt Meredith and her boyfriend Aaron and spent the evening in California Adventure. I got shamed into riding the Tower of Terror, so I'm on my way to conquering the Rocket at Lagoon I guess. Here are a few pictures I managed to get when I wasn't too busy going on every single ride!WE ARE COOL.

Um someone tell me why there is a tuba coming out of my head!

Anne's on sugar overload...

Just repping :)
"The most important picture on that camera!"
-Gramps


Stany!

The Quest

Last summer I set a goal to visit every single temple in Utah. Thanks to a couple good friends with some driver's licenses I'm getting closer!

Loved:

Salt Lake, Bountiful, Jordan River, Manti, Provo, and Saint George temples.

Needs some love:

Mt. Timp, Logan, Monticello, Ogden and Vernal temples.

I've enjoyed every single one I've visited, and found them all to be unique in sometimes surprising ways. I love the clean and peaceful feeling after leaving the temple and nothing tastes quite as good as lunch afterwards!

Hopefully I can make it to them all.

Engrish

My Canadian cousin Danielle came down for a surprise visit from BYU today, and we completed our traditional late-night visit to engrish.com
Engrish is a collection of photos of English language mistakes found in Asian countries. Go check it out for yourself!

These were a few of our favorites:

Dictate dominate!

Today I was called down to Hillcrest's SBO room to record my thoughts about the past volleyball season.

I immediately was trying to think of a way to get around the obvious fact that we weren't very successful and make it sound like I had gained something. While we didn't gain very many wins, I found that I have recieved some experiences that really changed me.

Through the past few years I have been lucky enough to have some incredible leadership opportunities presiding over a club, chairing meetings, and competing with speeches. This year however, participating in volleyball offered me a role that I had never played (ha) before. It helped me to have a completely new take on what my idea of leadership is.

At the beginning of the season I was extremely excited when Coaches Dondero and Peterson announced that Natalie Rudd and I would be this year's Sophomore captains.

It was...A LOT..harder than I thought.

Volleyball is a hugely emotional sport. When everyone is up so is our game, and vice versa.

For example, it was the big game day at Alta. We were down and just bombed the game-probably 15 points behind. Before the next match my team gathered in a circle. We all knew what was wrong. We took a deep breath and then just screamed and jumped around like complete idiots. We were pumped up. Guess what? We came back and beat the Hawks by nearly 20 points.

After one really bad practice I knew I needed to have a talk with the coaches. I had been feeling horrible and was just out of it. Dondero and Peterson reminded me what I had forgotten- there were seven other girls who were depending on me and who's playing was affected by my own attitude. Knowing how much the game revolves around the player's intensity I felt a huge responsibility. Even if I was having the worst day in the world, or was dead sick and tired I had to pick myself up and keep going. I told myself that if I couldn't do it for me, then I could at least do it for every other girl.

The big thing that I knew deep down but had never really recognized was the fact that leadership is not a title. It's not always the position you are placed in. It's the difference you make no matter what situation you are in. Isn't it funny that when you are putting others first, that is the only time you are really leading?

"A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion not position."

--John Maxwell

Recently I was called to the Stake Youth Conference committee. We are planning and carrying out the entire Youth Conference for our stake next summer without a leading adult. I'm really starting to feel the weight of this responsibility but I hope I can take what I've learned and make it a great experience for everyone!

Paige and Quinci

I couldn't live without you

This is a little early for Americans, but Canadian Thanksgiving was a month ago so...I would like to mention the poorly recognized pieces of my life that I couldn't do without.
I started thinking about this last night when my family did their annual "Thankful tree". Basically this consists of taping up a paper tree with the objects of our gratitude on each leaf.

My leaves?

-Fast-ish internet
-Muh bunny
-Mom the chauffer
- Mr. Math Dad
- Hunter the violist alarm clock (wakes me up with his playing at 6:30 without fail)
-Freckles
- Curly hair
-Seminary
-Scriptures
-Best friends
-Apples
-Bobby pins!
-Camera
-Calls from Nana
-New violin teacher
- Lockers that open the first time
-Inspiring mentors
- TRAX
-Google
-Hugs on bad days
-Candy bowls

Murrayite Terrors

Three girls + a lott of makeup + an 80's ski jacket + some freaky hair + a car and loud stereo =



Me, Ky, and Megs!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away...

But what about three? Anyone that knows me well (or eats lunch with me) readily rolls their eyes at my typical snack and lunch side dish: an apple. Red delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, and Golden Declicious, I've taste-tested-and loved- them all. They are the perfect size to throw into a bag before a tough run or volleyball workout, and taste soo good. Before you tell me to try some oranges and bananas, check this out.

Apples can increase your bone density, protect from Alzheimers, lower your cholesteral by as much as 16%, protect from Cancer (Lung, Breast, Liver, Colon, you name it), aid in diabetes management, AND help with asthma.

With so many flavors, colors, sizes, and benefits I'm still not tired of my daily apple. Or three :)

Newport Beach

Hunter and Stan the Man

My little brothers are the best :) The way we joke and laugh and push each other around; driving each other up the wall and tolerating each other in turns. My brothers continually blow me away, and in a different way than you might think...

They are both living with Severe Hemophilia, (an inherited bleeding disorder caused by low levels, or absence of, a blood protein that is essential for clotting).

It's nothing to be sorry about, and no, they won't bleed to death from a cut. I have watched them go through so much. Sometimes it's just simple details I forget everyone doesn't live with- needles on vacation, FACTOR MAN, Camp Valor.

Hunter, 13, infuses factor into his blood stream to treat bruises and painful joint swelling. It's so much more difficult for Stanford, 3. Failed attempts by nurses to inject factor into his body have lead to several long nights at the ER. Tomorrow Stanford will go under General Anaesthetic for an hour to receive a port.

A port is a small medical appliance that is installed beneath the skin, it will make the whole process simpler.

Hunter and Stanford are healthy and active, nothing holds them back. I love to see the way they live their lives without letting this disorder cripple them. As I watch the way they deal with Hemophilia, I recognize it's affect on my own life.