Pancakes!

I had weddings this weekend. Katie & I did one at the Powerhouse last night. It was gorgeous and so much fun. I think my favorite wedding so far. We even brought lily's back with us :) Beautiful!



Friday night I hung out with James, Ben, Caleb, Molly & Courtney. We had a pool & pancake party at courtney & molly's apt. And then watched Hannibal at Ben's. Blueberries, chocolate chips, and even marshmallows were experimented with! James & Ben even created a gingerbread man for Molly :) It was lots of fun!

Their pancake faces...haha

The gingerbread man :)

Lovely, huh? :)

I am enjoying my weekend without homework, today I read a book :) It was marvelous...to read something not related to business! And now I am on my way to wedding #2 for the weekend :)

Is there an answer?

There are times in my life when I am at a complete loss. I have no idea what to do. what to think, how to feel, what to say. I just can't work out the thoughts in my head. This weekend I learned something about one of my friends, something scary. Something new, unkown, life changing. Something that could possibly change thoughts, dreams, ideas, and all because of one little thing. How do you respond to something like that? How do you comfort someone knowing that there is nothing to say that will make it better? What do you do? Is there a good answer to that question? I have been doing the only thing I can think of to do. There is only one thing I know how to do. Pray.

BBQ...BBQ...

Stephanie left yesterday...Katie leaves Sunday...and I'll be back to hating Nampa in the summer :) Okay, maybe not really hating...but it is totally different with campus deserted! Speaking of which...today is my last day of class!!! I never thought it would arrive :) I have a presentation and final tonight, an online final next week and then I do not have to think again until August 11th! It will be so nice! Of course I'm sure I'll get bored after a few weeks...but that is what summer was made for! Right?
So after that crazy wedding...Sunday, Covenant performed at Boise First Church, so katie & I went to watch them there, and then we all had a BBQ for Covenant and their families! Good times! Once I caught a ride back to my car from Meridian, I headed straight back over to Boise-to James & Kevin's apt. A group of us took on the Boise River! It was so much fun! There were 8 of us...4 of us in a raft, 3 on air mattresses and 1 intertube. It was a blast! Caleb almost died in the trees, after he escaped from the crazy people, before he turned blue from the cold, Tammy almost made it through the rapids standing on her mattress, battling James, who saved his sunglasses in the fall, as he surfed the rapids, Ben landed on top of me, with a little help from the whitewater, Kelly discovered that her camera floats, Kevin works well as a rutter, and I protected the pirate flag from the crazy people! haha. It was so much fun! We started at Barber Park & got out at Ann Morrison Park, where Ben had left his car. We then went back for BBQ #2! I don't know if Sunday gets any better than 2 BBQs!

Yeah!

I did it! I finally floated the Boise River!
It was so much fun!
More to come...

Stupid rain!

Why?! Everytime I wash my car...it rains! It has been in the 90's for weeks...and today I wash my car...and tonight when I'm out at a wedding it decides to storm & rain! Lame! I'm so mad!


We actually went in to "The Market" today. Seriously this place looks like it should be in Paris. It is so modern and nice...an organic/fancy grocery in the basement, deli/cafe at street level and fancy restaurant upstairs! Jessie would love this place! All those fancy spices and sauces :) Too bad she's in Cali. So Covenant had a canceled camp this week so they are in Nampa until Tuesday! That's why Steph was around for the day...gotta love those canceled plans...so she's staying at my house! :)

Okay, so today was amazing. 2nd saturday in a row the girls spent downtown. So much fun! We started at Flying M again...of course, but then headed right over to Honker's to visit Ashleigh. The 4 of us (steph, erika, katie & i) then walked downtown...classic car show!! So cool! Oh my gosh there was a beautiful Pontiac LeMans...and of course lots of chevelle's & corvettes. Even a few Bel Air's and Studebakers!

Tonight, Katie & I worked at a wedding...never seen so many tattoos & piercings on a bridal party :) Interesting...although the weather sucked! So windy!!

Funnel Cakes

That first week of May always makes me wish I was in Wenatchee...walking along the parade route, eating at the food fair, watching the fancy cars or screaming at the carnival...yet I never seem to be able to justify the drive...well this weekend is "Dairy Days" in Meridian...sorry, I have no idea what that means! Other then the fact there is a carnival (if you can call it that) set up at the park I drive by every morning. Well I saw a funnel cake booth the other day and I LOVE funnel cakes!! I think it's been 3 years since I was home for Apple Blossom...and that long since I had a funnel cake! Well this park is probably 2 miles from my office, so today Linda & I decided to walk to the fair and have a funnel cake on our lunch break. It is a gorgeous 91 today...with enough of a breeze to make it nice! Well this "carnival" is squished in an area probably the size of a football field! And then there are little booths on the outside...maybe about 15 booths, most of them businesses (Wells Fargo, State Farm, CBHomes). And the funnel cake booth was a table with a fry daddy on it...Nothing compared to the carnival and food fair for Apple Blossom! However, the funnel cake was amazing :)

I am.

I don't typically consider myself a bubbly, happy, giddy person. Not that I am unhappy, just that I am more quiet about expressing myself and that doesn't exactly shout to the outside world that I am one of those people you call happy...like my sister. And maybe I don't consider myself a happy person because I am always compared to her. She is so bubbly that you can't help but think sunshine and smiles when you think Jaclyn.
I am more serious. I am more reserved. I think about things...over and over. I do not like to be the center of attention. I would rather be in the corner alone, then in the middle of a crowd. I am shy in groups. It takes awhile for me to be comfortable around new people. I overthink conversations and relationships. I remember the little things. Details matter. I am sensitve. And yet despite that I can be careless with words. Especially with people I love. I am VERY black and white. (According to my mother). Which often translates into judgement. It is something I have to consciously work on. I know what I believe. In all situations. I have a hard time when people disagree with me. I hardly ever waiver in my decisions. I am not a confident person. I embarass easily. I am quiet about the things that really matter to me. As if I do not want to truly expose who I am. I do not like being vulnerable. Yet, I am not afraid to tell you how I feel about you. I am impatient. I like things done a certain way. My way. I am independent. I am clean. I do not understand laziness and do not have much tolerance for it. I respect people that know what they're doing and do it. Make things happen.
I have changed a lot in the last few years. Being in a different state from my sister (and family) has helped me realize who I am. Instead of who I am in relation to them. In recent months I have achieved peace. I know what I am doing with my life. I do not know what the future holds. What I will do, where I will live, who I will marry, who I will stay in touch with, who I will be friends with. But I know who I am. I know I am following God's plan. I am finally at peace with the uncertainty the future holds. It will happen. It will be wonderful. I will shape into the person I am meant to be. It is amazing what peace does. I am a happy person.

Pretty Great

I have an awesome family! :) Wow, I am so blessed. I have one issue...my computer...and have 3 different cousins spend their time helping me! So Friday when I knew I needed to order a new computer I decided to talk to my cousin Hilary about it...she works for HP...and she helped me tremendously! Even gave me her employee discount!! Then after my rant on my blog about my computer/battery issues...I got an email from my cousin Reid with suggestions on how to make my comptuer work! Thank you Reid! Then on top of all that...Sunday night we had a surprise retirement party for my aunt and so I was talking with my cousin Jamie and we got on the subject of my computer...and how it is RETARDED! haha. And then yesterday she and her mom stop by my office...why you ask? They brought me Jamie's laptop to use until my new one gets here! Seriously, isn't my family great? :)

So last night my Aunt Kathy & Aunt Sheryl (here visiting from Italy) came over to the house for dinner...before I had class. It was so much fun, I don't remember ever spending any time with my aunt's when it wasn't a big family event. Other then this week :) Friday night Sheryl and I went to dinner and did some shopping just the two of us...so much fun! It's nice to be an 'adult' now...and have common ground with the older generation in my family. I'm enjoying getting to know my aunt's and uncle's as friends.

Other then that the most exciting thing in my life right now!? 8 more days until I'm done with class until August!!! Hallelujah!

AHH!!!

In the alley behind The Urban Shed...

This has been one of those weekends...it is amazing to me how one day can hold so much. My emotions cannot handle it all at once. Saturday started out beautifully...I picked up Katie & Stephanie and we went downtown (yes, Nampa)! We started at Flying M for our morning jolt and then strolled down 2nd street to The Brass Razoo, we didn't buy anything but had a lot of fun browsing! We then continued on down and decided 13th looked promising. We found the most amazing stores! Nampa definitely holds many hidden treasures! The Urban Shed was an antique, eclectic, foreign furniture & home store all in one! It was so fun...everything was one of kind or looked like it was made hundreds of years ago. In the back they had a local artist show...lots of jewelry, beads, clothes, scarves, pottery and such. Very fun! We also wandered across the street to a new boutique called Sparrow Clothing. Most of the store is clothes refurbished by local artists. Also very cute. Katie found this dress and fell in love...Steph & I refused to let her spend her money on it :)

She says if its still there at the end of June she's buying it :) haha. We told her we probably won't go out in public with her...

But then we also went into a couple other stores and found two really cute cafes that we will definitely try out later! It was so much fun, and Steph's last few hours in Nampa before departing for life on the road!

However, then once I got home (about 2) I had massive amounts of homework to complete before the day was through...which normally wouldn't be a problem, that is if the computer is functioning properly! My laptop has decided that the battery only charges when the computer is turned off...so I can't use it and charge it at the same time. Well my battery sucks! And is getting worse everday! It will last me about 30 minutes if it is fully charged...and now on top of that, it takes about 10 hours to charge completely! So it must sit OFF plugged in for 10 hours, in order for me to use it for 30 minutes! Talk about frustrating...especially when I'm supposed to be writing a paper. Needless to say I was freaking out a little yesterday...I can be pretty high strung when I'm stressed :) It was one of those days where I wanted to complete give up. I wanted to be done with school, I wanted to just crawl up in a ball and cry. I don't know why I get that way...but I think it has a lot to do with my need for alone time. Yesterday afternoon was the first time I'd been home for more than an hour since last Thursday. Oh wow, I just realized that...that is 9 days too long! I don't do well without my quiet, calm, alone time. Even when I'm having fun with everything else in my life, I still need that time or I become cranky, exhausted and extremely emotional. The day ended okay, I took a nap, read a book, worked out and talked to my mom...all which helped me calm down, but I still have a computer that will do me no good. I have ordered a new one (frustrating) but it will take about 2 weeks to get here...lets hope the other one will at least "sort of" last that long. Not that it is really doing me any good at the moment, but I need to be able to get my software programs off and such. We'll see...something that will cause more stress in the future I'm sure. Oh and it has been plugged in since 11:30 last night (it is now 5pm) and it is charged at 80%! Are you kidding me!? How am I supposed to use a computer that takes 24 hours to charge!! Ahh!

But today I'm trying not to worry about it. I am sitting here using Katie's computer, supposed to be studying for my law test and writing my ethics paper :) She is at the moment sewing me a laptop bag for my new computer. She is so cute! :) Love her! And I'm making Aunt Leslie's famous Ginger Snaps. Yum!! I love Sundays! Especially after stressful Saturdays.

What happens when the plan fails?

So since April 1st I've been doing a workout plan...yes, it's actually a plan...each day has certain exerices you are supposed to do and certain walking patterns. I have done really well at actually doing them everyday, rather than just when I feel like it. And I can tell!! Yeah for being able to finally wear those jeans I could wear before I started this desk job a year ago!
However, last weekend when I went to McCall I didn't do any weights all weekend (didn't want to take them up there and then watch them sit in my suitcase the entire time!) And since I got back...yes, that's right I still haven't done the weights. I've done the stretches and sit ups and you know the easy stuff without any actual weights...but haven't found the motivation (or really the time) to do the weights yet. Now, it's almost like this weight on my shoulder about feeling guilty for taking a week off and worrying about when I will start doing them again. Will I be sore all over again? Which, I admit isn't so bad, I like that painful feeling...makes me feel like whatever I'm doing is actually affecting my body somehow. But Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday are the WEIGHT workout days, and being as its Thursday I know I need to do something tonight! But I have a dinner downtown Eagle @ 6:30 with my cousins...whom I love, but they can talk for hours :) I know that I will not make it home before 10...so then I have to ask myself will I really have the energy to do anything when I get home? Do I value my sleep more? Will I feel better once I actually do it? haha...I think this whole exercise thing creates more stress in my life then I ever thought it would :) Although I suppose it also helps me relieve stress in other parts of my life! Why is it so difficult to find the time to do something that is so good for me? Yes, I know....probably that same reason its so hard to eat those foods that are good for me :)

Questions

Well it is now Wednesday following a weekend where I didn't do any homework and didnt get much sleep...I may finally be caught up a little on the sleep (I can at least function now). But I don't know when I will ever be caught up on the homework! Ahh! :)

So do you ever play mind games with yourself and God? The last few days I feel like I keep going back and forth in my head about whether I want to openly admit what I want to God or rather completely give up control and tell him that if that isn't what he has for me, then that's okay too. For some reason in my head it makes a big difference if I hold onto it or if I let it go. It's like I think that if I hold onto it, there is a better chance of it happening, where as if I let it go then it's like I give up hope...when really I know that it doesn't matter. He already knows what I want...better than I do...and he knows whether or not I would really be okay without it. Why then do I let myself struggle with this idea of control? Why can't I just let it go with a "You're in control. Do what is best." I don't understand why I overthink those things...why don't my head and heart agree?

Does it get any better?

So you may not agree with my priorities...but these are the pictures that make it up before any others :) Dad & I (yes, I'm driving) in the Porsche Boxster...

here's dad driving the Porsche...notice no key :)

Me getting ready to take the Corvette out for a spin!

Don't I look good in that thing? Wow...so fun! I think the Corvette is prettier...

But this Porsche sure handles better :) We were going well over 100 and it feels just like you're going 45...

Can you believe Dennis let me drive this?! haha...We got the spoiler to come up when we hit 75...

New Meadows

This weekend is one of very few in my life...one I wish there were more of. I am at my aunt & uncle's 'cabin' (really fancy lodge!) in New Meadows...right outside of McCall. My grandma & her sister and all families under them are here for the week! Last night there were 20 of us, and tonight there will be 28...all in this cabin!

My great aunt has 4 children, as does my grandma. So the 2 sets of grandparents, 8 children (and spouses) and then 18 grandkids...are the family gathering for the weekend. Weird how when we used to do these my generation was truly "the kids"! This weekend Hilary (19) & I are the youngest here! It's nice that we are all older now, makes these weekends much more relaxing! We are spending lots of time playing games, and bonding with nature :) haha.

This picture of my dad and his cousin Lowell is what I found when we got here last night...they are really just kids at heart :) Of course anywhere there are cars...of any size or kind...you will find my dad :) They are so fun to watch together...two of my favorite people :)

This morning 3 of them went out to find some wildlife up brundage...they called an hour later and needed us to come rescue them! They were stuck in snow! Yes, it is June!! (My aunt Kathy calls, completely frantic...she is ridiculous, it was so funny to listen to her on the phone!) She just wanted a man! My mom answered the phone and Kathy just kept demanding my mom find a man in the house for Kathy to talk to) Well mom decided she didn't want to wake anyone up...so just grabbed me and Carmen & we decided to find them :) Luckily we ran into Grandpa on our way out the door so he came along also.

It was crazy...so 4 of us grabbed some shovels, gloves and boots and went and dug them out of the snow! We found them on the road...yes Kathy was running down the middle of the snow throwing her arms about...oh man. There are not words to describe her :) haha...we just laugh.

But Grandpa knew what he wanted to do...he just drove right over the snow bank to the other side of their stuck car. We hooked up the tow rope to both cars and he just floored it and completely drug them out of the snow :) It was awesome, he drug Ken probably 20 yds before we finally got his attention to make him stop! He just said he was going to make sure he was good and out of the snow :) So cute! Grandpa was right in his element! Ken came back with soaked clothes and exhausted from trying to dig them out with rocks before we showed up with the shovel. We'll just say it was an interesting morning :)

These distant cousins (really, my dads cousins) I haven't seen in many years! It is fun to see how everyone's life has changed and yet how we can all get together and it's like we've never been apart. I am very thankful for the family that I have. Even though we are all a little crazy :) we enjoy spending whatever time we have together.

Well we'll see what other adventures we can get into this weekend...

Brass Razoo

So there's this little shop in Nampa on 2nd street...it's called The Brass Razoo...it's fairly new, but anyways...it is so cute! And the owner is awesome! She is so fun and amazing! She will adjust straps on anything so that they fit better, or fix the zipper, she even added a 3in ruffle to the bottom of my friends dress so that it was long enough for Covenant (the dress was not purchased at Brass Razoo)!! She is awesome...most of the clothes in her store are very eclectic and original. She makes some of them, or buys them at a retail outlet (such as Nordstroms) and then adds lace or buttons or something to make it completely unique! And it is totally affordable! Anyways, it is my new favorite place to shop...and I HATE to shop, so that's saying a lot! :) Katie & I went there Saturday, and I NEEDED skirts! I have over 30 wedding's this summer and own 2 skirts (black & brown) not exactly wedding attire! Not only did I find skirts that were adorable...I found 6 that fit perfect and were long and flowy, very feminine. Love them! So I bought 4 of them!! haha! Yes, maybe a little extreme, but like I said I hate shopping so if I could get it all done in one trip...so much better :) Anywayz...I love it when I try on clothes and they actually fit! Really, the actual shopping part is fun...but once I get into the fitting room is when I just want to walk out! Nothing ever fits right :) So anyways...heres a pic of one of the skirts...its not really a good pic of if, but it shows the fabric I guess...oh and my $8 shoes to match!

Roxy

I love this picture of my dog...so my brother is taking pictures in the backyard and everytime he moves to take a picture the dog follows him and stares right at the camera :) Apparently she thinks she is better looking then anything else he could find to take a picture of! So cute!

Well...I don't have much to say today...same old stuff :) I only have 4 more weeks of class until we finally get a break!!