Rides to work

Although I'm grateful for the opportunity to walk to work, I still wouldn't mind a ride at all.  This morning (and pretty much every morning I have to get up before noon) I hated waking up.  I didn't want to go to work, and I especially didn't want to leave my lover.  I wasn't in any rush and ended up pushing it.  I left my home nearly 10 minutes late.  I didn't even walk past my neighbors house when I heard my name.  I turned around and my adorable husband was standing there in his pajamas, with no shoes, standing in the snow, saying he'd give me a ride :).  I'm so in love with that man.  I got to lie down for 15 more minutes and cuddle with Clifton and it was wonderful.  I'm grateful for his sweet heart and for the rides he gives me to work.

Games :)

So today we decided to go to Cliftons parents' house and it was AWESOME!  We learned this new game called Pony Express and I won.  BOTH times we played it.  Booyah grandma!


I've always been a fanatic about playing games.  There wasn't really much else to do while spending every summer in Alabama with my dad.  I didn't have friends and didn't really care to make any.  He lives in a neighborhood that scared me sometimes when I was younger, although it's really not so bad.  So to pass the time me and my siblings (only 2 came along each summer until it got down to just me visiting) would play games.  Rummikub, Flinch, Miles Bourne, Speed, Monopoly, Life, Yahtzee, and whatever else we could come up with.  It was a blast and I have no doubt that's where my love of games started from.  We played a ton of games at my moms as well.  I remember having those little card holders when I was little so I could hold all of my cards while playing Bum Scum.  I actually started crying one time because I couldn't even hold them all in that card holder and I was so embarrassed!  The game-playing got more extreme over the years.  My mom would learn a new card game and we'd play that nearly every night for months until we decided to learn a new one.  It's only been the past few years that we've bought more board games, but we still play cards all the time.  Right now we're stuck on Catan and Hand & Foot but we've pretty much done it all.  Cribbage, Sequence, Canadian Fruit Salad, Hearts, Golf, Pinnochle, Phase 10, Uno-how can anyone go through life without playing that?  Seriously-Pounce, Killer Bunnies, Cranium, Thump, Bum Scum, Guesstures, and so many more!


I am passionate about playing games now.  Before I got married, I decided my husband MUST love games!  But then I met Clifton and decided there's other more important things.  He likes games and he'll play Pounce and other fast-paced games, but mostly he cheers for me.  Or against me.  It just depends.  I pretty much always win when playing games with friends, but with my family I almost never win.  I hate that.  It's still really fun for me though in a pathetic kind of way.


Anyways here are three of my favorite games at the moment :)

Pony Express (the awesome game I won twice today), Lost Cities, and Rage.  I am grateful for games.  There can be a lot learned from game playing and I love that.  I love how close it's brought me to my family.  I just love games.

Writing

I love writing.  So.  Much.  I'm not so great, but I have my own style and I write from the heart and that's good enough for me.  One day I'll write a book but for now it's a great outlet.  It's wonderful expressing myself with words.  Here's a poem I wrote for my good friend James as part of his gift.  Today's his birthday :P.

Warrior of Light
The brilliant sun sets as the Lone Warrior turns away.
A Warrior of the Night with open arms beckons for him.
Against his human instincts the Lone Warrior doesn't stray.
He looks up to the stars that are full of hope and sees one dim.

Searching for more to lead him into the radiant light; love.
Warriors of the Night are cold and brave and have much to give.
With their stars is an ersatz joy wanting as the moon above.
The Lone Warrior stands his ground and he strives to really live.

As the sun rises the Warriors of Night bow to meet light.
A new strength comes to the Lone Warrior and he sets his path.
Going forward as he feels the warm sun; optimistic sight.
All around him bursts of peace and life that before he never hath.

It's then he knows.
He IS the Warrior of Light.
-Jesse Lynn

I'm sure I could go on and on about how much I love writing and why...but I'm pretty sure I've previously blogged about writing.  And I've posted some of my poems and work so...that's all :P.

RUNNING

I went running today for the first time in probably 2 or 3 years...IT WAS THE BEST!!!  I've finally worked my brain up to running again and I'm totally diggin it.  I love running and am so grateful for the lovely endorphins it give me :).

These are my lovely mizunos.  Check out that breathability!  Although, my running shoes are in horrendous condition and I've had them since cross country.  FIVE years ago.  Wow.  I needa get new running shoes asap so I don't hurt myself.

Hope

2 years ago on my way back to Snow College I was listening to a talk given at a fireside (sorry I'm so vague, that's all I can remember).  This talk was about hope.  The speaker told about WWII and those trapped in consetration camps.  He interviewed one survivor and this person said (from what I can remember), "the strongest human emotion isn't love.  It is hope.  Hope is what keeps us going.  When I was in the consetration camp I KNEW people loved me and it didn't wanna make me survive.  Hope did.  Hope for a day of freedom, hope to see those that I loved, and hope for better days."  The speaker went on about hope and how it motivates us and keeps us going and that we MUST NOT lose our hope.  I completely agree...which is why I got this video for you to watch (oh come on, it's only 2 minutes!).

I'm grateful for hope.  It is what keeps me going :)

The fetal position

Ok.  Here's how it is.  Apparently while making love, sometimes things inside get moved around.  And afterward?  Holy momma it hurts.  So I'm just gonna say it now.  I'm grateful for the fetal position to reduce that pain tremendously.  And cramp pain.

Plus, everyone knows the most intelligent people sleep in the fetal position ;).

Ammon

Meet Ammon.

He's my lil half-bro and also the youngest of my moms SEVEN kids.

I've always loved him.

Obviously I teased him and thought many times he was a big pansy.

But he's grown up to be such an incredible man and it makes me happy.

When I was in high school and he was in junior high we discovered each others weaknesses; shopping together.

For some reason whenever we would go shopping for one or two things, we'd end up with 15 or 16.

How does that happen?!

Here's how.

Ammon:  Oh man I want that classical cd set!  It's only $15!

Me:  No you need to save your money remember?!  We only came here for Kari's present.

(10 minutes later while I'm gawking at the $5 DVD's Ammon won't let me buy)

Ammon:  Oh that movie looks way good!  You should buy it!

Me (not realizing I'm being manipulated):  I should save too though.  But you're right I've been wanting this movie for so long!  I'd feel guilty though.  How about I'll buy 3 DVD's and you can get your CD set, deal?

Ammon:  Alright!

Haha that's pretty much how every shopping adventure would end up :D.

Sometimes I'd check him out of school for lunch to let him know I loved him.

That was so much fun.

While at Snow College that bond between us wasn't as strong and I didn't realize how much I missed it until these past few months.

My parents are selling their big-ass house and my little bro gets to stay there for free until it sells.

Talk about the ultimate bachelor pad!

And since being married me and Clifton re-realized how important family is so we've been working on building those bonds and friendships.

We go to Ammons all the time now (it's only 5 minutes away wahoo!) and just hang out.

It sometimes gets to the point that I feel like I'm an annoyance or burden to Ammon (we have to do our dishes there since out water's out...it's a pain) but he never fails in making me and Clifton feel so welcome and loved.

I am so grateful for my little brother Ammon though.

He has been so kind and giving.

We have a blast trying to beat each other in Just Dance 2 for the wii (awesome by the way).

We tease each other constantly and Clifton gets along with him as if they were twins.

Ammon plays the viola beautifully.

He understands my love for cooking/baking and the freedom and creativity that I get from it.

He is sensitive and always thinking of others.

I'm so blessed to have such an incredible brother :).