Wowee. Even Facebook noticed. *ah, the importance...*

Happy Birthday, DeeAura!

From all of us on The Facebook Team, have a great day!

Huh. Well, yep. The best thing about this day and age is that even if not a single, living soul recognized the event of my birth, I couldn't have felt alone, really, because of the virtual celebratory birthday wishes from Facebook, of all things. Lol. Goodie! Who needs real people when you have a virtual social network at your fingertips?! *Heaven is only a mouse click away* (A virtual high five to all you who knew that movie right away...) Thanks for knowing the important things. :) Bwahahahaha!

Oh, August 27th came and went, and I turned another year older. It's - like - so cool to be 18! Hahaha! I actually woke up that morning, and just stayed in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking "I can't believe I'm 26! What in the world?! What do people DO when they're 26?" :) So I made a really awesome "things to do when I'm 26" list that I will share with you at a later date. Since I know you're already sitting on the edges of your seats, dying to know. :)

When I got to work that morning (yes, I went to work...I took my time getting there, but seriously - everyone I know here in Provo was going to be at work as well anyway, so why would I sit at home watching soaps all day? Seriously, people!) this is what I was greeted with...Oh, yes. This picture may fail to show the massive amounts of fruit rollup (left over from efy monday night treats) left lovingly for me by my coworkers. I also greatly appreciated the artistic use of the CAUTION TAPE. :) I happen to know Lindsay Johnson, my favorite co-worker to the left, was the driving force behind this decorative venture. The red balloons are a dead giveaway... Lol. We all went to lunch pretty soon after I got there (I told you I took my time going in that day!) since it was a day of much celebration. It was Lindsay's "last" day of full-time working, since she's awesome and will be starting the MPA program this year at BYU and it requires your soul and your firstborn child. :) Becca Cranney (soon to be Bird) met us there - she's getting married this week, and I'm so excited for her and her fiance, Camden. They're basically perfect together, and nothing could make me happier. :) (Okay, maybe some things could make me happier...) :) Jenna and Jaylene came with us, and we decided it was a celebration for them as well, since Jenna was finally getting to take a few days off to go relax in California, and Jaylene just started working full time. Quite the load of info for those of you who don't work with us, but whatever. It's my blog, and my life. If you're reading it, you now officially care. :) I'll have to insert the picture of that lunch at a later time because I was awesome and forgot to bring my camera. Ugh. So I'm waiting to get it from Jenna or Lindsay. *hint, hint* :)  Got it.  :)  Thanks, Linds!
Anyhooo - then, when I got back to work, a delivery girl came in with flowers that my darling roommates - I mean my secret loverrr - sent to me. Aren't these girls so great?! Shallie, Danz, Aubs, and Jess. "The Posse." My co-worker, JD, tried to claim all the credit by saying he totally knew it was my birthday, and those flowers from him, the "Boss Posse," in appreciation for all my hard work. But I'm a sleuth and knew right away he was lying. I know. Someday I'll teach you my truth-deriving skills. They are many.
And don't worry. On the way home that day, I had to hold on to them beside me as I drove because they wouldn't fit in any cup holder, etc., and I didn't want them to spill everywhere...*ahem* Good thing I did that so the first turn I took would spill water all over my pants. Lol. Stupid freaking #*@()#%@ - Vases are awesome. :) I actually laughed out loud. Of course. That was as it should be, right? :)

Later that night, I went to the temple with Jen (Jeni Weston, whom I absolutely love) like we do every Wednesday, and afterward, the great Cali Cottle Stoddard had made cake, etc. so a bunch of us met there and just caught up and had a great time playing with her adorable little girl, Addie. What a cutie, by the way! I still marvel at the fact that this little person was inside my friend not too long ago. Whew! Babies are miracles. I like 'em. :) Also, when we went to light the...uh...candle...on the cake, the match kept going out. It didn't want to be lit. Stupid match.

It was just so good to be around good friends that night!  Nothing too crazy, but I think I preferred it that way this year. Most of these girls I have known for enough years now that it was basically like family. Love 'em. :)
I also was able to spend some time with my family the weekend before my birthday, and it was so good to be with them, too! Jen, Mike, and Brandon came as well - the only person we were missing was Ben because he's in Wyoming, but it was great fun to have most everyone there. I sometimes feel like I'm living between two worlds...not really still in either one of them, but I get to switch back and forth sometimes. And for now, that's pretty nice. :)

This is my little nephew, Brandon, whom I absolutely adore. :)

The traditional screaming (cannot be categorized as singing - ever!) of Happy Birthday is so funny, and yes, one of my favorite things, but it was especially terrible with Daniel-boy barking in my ear. Lol. :)

My family will never, ever be normal. Hip, hip, hooray! :) I like us better that way. :)

It's no secret - I absolutely LOVE this little boy! It's crazy to me how much he looks like Jen when she was this little! I still see my little sister staring back up at me every time I look at him! It's those eyes. What a cutie! :)

For the bravest, best girl I know.

For those of you who don't know the other girl in this picture, I'd like to introduce you to my best friend since I was 14, Alaina Nelson. We met way back in the good 'ol days of Junior High when we were both in the very glamorous and professional school production of "Oklahoma." My family actually moved across town while we were in that play, and I walked into our new ward that sunday in a pretty sour mood. (As a 14 year old, moving was probably the worst thing I could think of. Even though it was just across town.) I knew Heavenly Father really did care about my 14-year-old life because Alaina was in that ward. I had an instant friend. :)

This girl is incredible. She has done so many amazing things with her life! Up until this past year, she has been performing with a group called the Young Americans. She has gone all over the U.S. and the world, teaching children of all ages to not only put on shows, but also instilling confidence in them by giving them a chance to do something they may not have been able to do before. I just think she's amazing, and I really am sometimes envious of the incredible things she has been able to do, and all the places she's been! What a cool life!

She has been home again for just about all of the past year, and it's the first time in 6 or 7 years we've been able see each other on a fairly regular basis instead of just keeping in touch through emails, etc. It's been so great! I've loved it! But then I ruined everything by getting a job here in Provo and moving away. :( Oh, life. :) Now she's leaving tomorrow to go to Russia for the next 5 months to go teach english, and I'm so incredibly excited for her! I am so grateful to have such an amazing friend, and to have had her in my life for so long! I love this girl from the bottom of my heart!

As a going away "present" to you, here are some of my favorite memories:

1. Jumping on the trampoline in my backyard so we could get a glimpse of the Taylor boys. (we were 14! C'mon!)
2. Walking past the Phippens' house on an almost embarrassingly regular basis (ummm...we still do that...lol...)
3. making those bbq chicken rolls...
4. watching CSI, Law & Order, and all other crime-investigation shows with your mom every chance we got. :)
5. Walking past the soccer fields at just exactly the same time the team would be out there practicing. I can still see Kyle's hair blowing in the wind. (BWAHAHAHA!!) :)
6. Chicken Quesadillas with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. (Umm...we clearly have a think for bbq and chicken...)
7. that famous sleepover at my house when Eli, Levi, and Mark "leafed" my parent's yard...AND we caught them listening to our very private girl sleep-over conversations! Scandal!
8. toilet papering the Phippen's yard promptly after chasing the boys away
9. running down the street and hiding in the Peterson's yard after we thought Bob caught us...lol!
10. Every single holiday since we graduated when I knew you would be home. :) And a million other things...you know them all as well as I do. :)
    

Now GOOD LUCK!!! I hope you find Dimitri while you're there. Also please bring back his incredibly attractive identical twin with you when you return. I'll be waiting only semi-impatiently. :)

Sister, Oh, Sister!

Oh, how I love my girls! Last summer, there was this one day when we were all in our giant YPM van, driving to Sunset or Carthage or something heavenly like that, and the subject of our wardrobe came up. For those who don't know, for all our time in Nauvoo except for Sundays and on Preparation Days when we'd go to Keokuk (usually) for groceries, we had to wear all pioneer clothing. This included the layers of petticoats and last but not least, the pantaloons. :) We decided we needed something to keep us all in touch for the rest of our lives...hahha...and the conversation turned to a favorite chick flick on that topic, "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." It's silly and corny and all sorts of stuff, but we all immediately ran with the idea. We would be the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantaloons. Hahah. :) It was perfect. We were sister missionaries whose one common piece of pioneer clothing was our pantaloons! Lol. Our original plan was to make a pair of pantaloons and literally mail it around with a quick update of what happened while we had them for our "turn." Unfortunately, I was the one who said I would make these pantaloons, and...ummm...my "domestic" skills + lack of a sewing machine + lack of time = that never happened. Entirely my fault. The other part of our plan was to have this pair we would wear in our wedding pictures whenever any of us got married. We were all instantly taken with the idea. So, when our Amy Elbert got married just this past May, Sis. Pulsipher (now Katie Brown!) and her mom made this beautiful pair of pantaloons, and we all got together and put together a package that included the pantaloons to mail to Amy in Wisconsin just in time for her to get married in Nauvoo. :) I think it's fitting that Pulse made them...she is the most domestic of all of us, after all. :) So since then, Katie got married, and yes; both of them have supplied us with wedding pantaloon pictures. It's only the greatest thing ever. :) It is a tradition to be continued on with the next being our Sadie when she gets married in December! Woohoo!!! :)

Anyway. When we all heard the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 was coming to theaters this summer, we laughed and said we should all go to it together. I think it was a semi-joke at first, but we actually did it!! It's always so much FUN to get together with everyone! We're terrible at leaving each other once we actually get together, so it always turns out to be a really late night, but it's always just good for my soul to be with these girls! Even getting together and going to a silly movie is the best thing ever as long as it's with my sisters. :) Also, it was definitely a "you had to be there" moment, but I've never laughed harder at a more inappropriate time at a more inappropriately placed comment by Megan REES, of all people, than I did that night. I hope we are still doing these silly things until maybe forever. :)

Nauvoo Part Two! I promise I have other things to talk about... :)

Okay, so you might think I'm a nerd, but I don't care.  Last year, when I was lucky/blessed enough to be able to serve as a YPM in Nauvoo, I never got the chance to go to the Sarah Granger Kimball home.  It was the one place there I've always felt sad about not actually seeing, and I promised myself if I ever got the chance to go back to Nauvoo, this particular home would be a necessary stop.  I guess for me, it symbolizes a lot of what I love about Nauvoo.

It was in her home that the idea for the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was born.  She initially opened her home for social and religious gatherings there in Nauvoo.  She organized a "Ladies Society" to sew shirts for the men working on the temple.  It was such a huge, central effort for all the saints living there in Nauvoo, and everyone felt a desire to help in whatever way they could.  Eliza R. Snow was asked to write a constitution for the society, which she did.  When it was shown to the Prophet Joseph Smith, he said it was the best he'd ever seen, that their offering was accepted of the Lord, and He (the Lord) had something better for the sisters of the Church.  It was in March of 1842 that the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo was organized under the direction of the Priesthood.  I have a huge admiration for the women of Nauvoo; their unfailing, unwavering strength through life's challenges, devotion to their families and those around them, and their unfailing faith in God.  Living in Nauvoo for those four short months gave me such an appreciation for all these women did and the incredible refinement that can come to all of us through living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Needless to say, that was the one place I didn't ever have time to go visit, and the one place I promised myself I would go see if I ever had the chance to go back!  

Lindsay (She's my boss, and she's great.  I always feel a little weird introducing her as my boss.  It just seems odd for some reason.  Huh.) hadn't ever been there, either, so we went when we could both go.  I know it's just a house, but I loved it anyway.  :)  

I loved the end of the tour where they gave us this quote from the dedication of the home after it had been restored in March of 1982.  Barbara B. Smith, the General President of the Relief Society at the time, said this: 

"We hope women will understand that within their own homes, things can happen that can have great significance in the Church and in the world."

It just makes me so happy to know that all along, and especially in our world today, that Heavenly Father has had a plan for all of us to help us literally return back to His presence.  It's things like the Relief Society and this focus on the home and the family, service, and love that give me hope for the future.  

And wahoo!  Take a look at that incredible view!  It's so beautiful!  And can you imagine seeing the original temple being built every day from your front porch?  Happiness and Bliss.  :)

I know.  It's just a doorbell.  But this is Wilford Woodruff's Nauvoo doorbell, and I just happen to think it's the greatest doorbell in all of Nauvoo.  :)  Hello!  Why don't we make them cool like this anymore?!  Wilford Woodruff has always been one of my favorite prophets because of his commitment to write in his journal all throughout his life.  If you don't already know this about me, you should know now, I suppose, about my obsession with keeping a journal.  I have a whole shelf of my own journals, and I'm a huge proponent of the whole idea of keeping a personal history.  Even if no one else ever gets anything out of my personal journals, they help me remember why I've made certain decisions, and they help me remember important people and events in my life, etc.  

The Elders at the oxen ride were a hoot!  It makes all the difference in the world when you love what you're doing, eh?!  No matter where you are, or what you're doing.  :)

Yes.  We have them by the horns.  Try not to be jealous.  Also, this was Lindsay's first ride in a covered wagon pulled by oxen.  She'd never seen them in real life before!  I thought that was so weird and incredibly funny at first.  But - I guess that's not terribly odd...it's not like they're around in normal life everyday anymore...lol...

Some Nauvoo blips. :)

I don't have much time to write right now, but here are some of the good times from the past few days.  :)  I've loved running into so many of these wonderful people I love!  This is Sister Heap, who always greeted me at our morning prayer meetings with her same wonderful hug and love.  It was like coming home to see her again, and in the Family Living Center of all places!!!  If I could bottle that Family Living Center scent and take it with me everywhere I go, I would.  :)

Now this is darling Sister Owens.  I found her tonight at the Rendezvous show, along with many other long-lost senior friends!  How I've missed them!!  Sister Owens was my seamstress when I first got to Nauvoo.  I have her to thank for many funny and wonderful memories.  :)

Elder Duke was one of the first senior Elders I met last year in Nauvoo, and I found him again today!  He and Sister Duke leave just next week, along with what I swear is half of Nauvoo.  It's quite the exodus for the Nauvoo mission next week; most everyone I talk to is leaving right about then!  I was so glad to find him there, though!  He is the kindest man I think I have ever met.  And so darn funny!  :)

I found my show dress!  Funny Sister Christensen has it for her Sunset dress.  :)  And I found Bingham's blue Sunset dress at the same time.  Anothe band sister is wearing my Sunset dress from last year as well - for her Sunset dress.  I just haven't taken a picture yet.  It's so odd, at first, to see my dress running around with me inside of it!  I sometimes hated those dresses at first...but oh, how I grew to love them!!

A few hours later, I found dear Sister Duke and Sister Hyland at the Visitor's Center front desk.  We chatted for almost an hour about life last summer and life now.  It might seem crazy to other people how close I feel to these senior missionaries, but they really became some of my closest friends during my time in Nauvoo last summer.  Age is relative in Nauvoo.  We all forget we're not the "same" age.  :)  (Except I rely fully upon any wisdom they have to give!  They're all so rich in life experiences!  I love it!)

Next, I found the first showing of the Anna Amanda preshow I could and soaked in time with those silly little puppets!  They were so great!  A side note for my YPMs last year:  They beat-boxed the Lion King song!  It was hilarious!!!  AND the English Lady's father did someserious bootie shakin' as he exited on his way to the "library."  Hahahah!  

Also.  I found my satellite dish bonnet!  HOW is that giant thing STILL in circulation?!?!?!  Lol!!  I thought I was going to die laughing when I first saw it.  But the greatest part is this:  It plays an even bigger part (hahah...bigger...get it?)  this year since this poor girl has to wear it 3 or 4 times in the show.  Whereas I?  Only during Riverboat's a Comin', thank you very much!!  :)

And last but certainly not least, since the Sunset stage has been moved to the old City of Joseph clearing just above the Visitor's Center, I haven't got any amazing actual sunset pictures yet, but this was the sky last night, and it was breathtaking!  Sunsets over the Mississippi are still coming though.  Don't you worry.  :)  That and much, much more!

My undying opinion of the phantom "guy" handbook. I want to destroy it.

DEEP BREATHS.  

@&*#^!*@&%$*&@!^#*&!@^#*&!%@*&#^*!@&

&@#^&!*@&^@*&@*!@#&^!*&@#*&!@#*!&@#!

@&#^!*@&^#*!&@^#*&!@^#*!@&^#!@*&#^!!!!!!

Really?  REALLY??  Really.  They all say the same things, and then, in deliberation, they all think they're the exception and should therefore be free and clear.  Yep.  Really.  I want to find the male instigator of this book, code of conduct, encoding device, or whatever it is and destroy him and it once and for all.  This is getting beyond ridiculous.  It's like getting a computer printout that should be different and even possibly exciting each time, but - - - huh.  Well that's odd...could I get a refund?  Oh.  No?  But...and we're back to the anger/irritation/frustration of the moment.

Please review the difference between being a guy and being a man.  If that search turns up fruitless, try asking a girl.  And try listening to her this time.  Thank you and goodnight. 

Ugh.  I'm sorry.  Typical response to a typical situation.  Getting over it....now.  :)

Focus, focus, focus...

In just about an hour, I will be leaving for the airport to go to Nauvoo! I'm so antsy I can't even focus. I came to work so I could get a lot of things done today, and I'm getting them done, but I swear the clocks aren't working because I stay away from them for an hour, and when I look, only four minutes have gone by. TELL ME HOW THAT HAPPENS! :) This has been an insane week...I had jury duty for three days, and the case was so sad and so terrible. It made me sad to sit there and have to listen to these terrible things and then have to make a decision that will change someone's life forever. Clearly, their actions are not my fault; so they brought the consequences upon themselves, but...I still feel marginally responsible. I did learn a lot, though. I was surprised at how almost...unprepared...the attorneys were. It was a little unsettling, actually. Maybe I've just watched a little too much CSI/Law & Order, but...no, this was almost appalling. And it was so hard to tell who was telling the truth and who was lying; who had no idea what was going on, and who was deliberately twisting reality for the sake of saving someone they loved. Seriously people! Can we all just choose the right for crying out loud?! I'd rather not write any specifics about the case...I could, I suppose...but I'd sort of like to pretend I don't know about it anymore. I pounded every detail into my brain when it was necessary, but now? Now I'd like to go on as if I know nothing about it. *sigh* Yet ANOTHER reason I'm so glad to be going to Nauvoo!! This has been an insanely busy summer, and then the trial these last few days...I'm unbelievably ready for a break!!!

On Parley Street...

Two of the finest people I know, Shane Steel, and Sadie James, got engaged in Nauvoo just a week ago today - on July 25th in the Blacksmith Shop on Parley Street. I wish there were words awesome and incredible enough to express my happiness for them! Anyone who knows either one of them will agree with me. I think fewer words are best here: I've never been a huge believer in fate or anything like that...maybe I was and just never knew it, but...spending one miraculous summer of my life with these two and seeing how this relationship has grown since then is something I feel privileged to have witnessed. I love you both, my friends!