I'm a MORMON!!!!

Hey everyone!! Check out my profile on mormon.org

May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor!!!

Ok, so for those of you who don't know, I totally LOVE "The Hunger Games" When I got home from my mission it was the first book I read! Than I read "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay." They are just about as amazing as they come!! If you have not read these books I suggest you do so! AND....that you read them all before the movie comes out!! Now that "Harry Potter" (which PS it was flippin amazing!!) is over and done with there is a void left in my soul, this void has been replaced by... well... "Twilight Breaking Dawn part one"(which comes out 18 November 2011! Holla!!)...but ALSO by "The Hunger Games!!" They are making the first movie right now and it's scheduled to come out 23 March 2012!! That is exactly one day before my birthday and I can't think of any greater gift!! Anywho to help you all be totally excited for this movie I have added a few fotos and a poster of the movie!! And to convey my own excitement and the moment I am eagerly anticipating I have added a countdown poster that counts down each day, hour, and minute til the premiere of this totally flippin awesomeness that is "The Hunger Games!"

Katniss Everdeen

The Hunger Games
23 March 2012

Gale Hawthorne and Peeta Mellark

Give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair!

I felt inspired while reading my friend Cortnie's recent blog post about her hair that I decided to write a blog about my own hair. While it's true I haven't had a haircut recently or anything dramatic happen, I just wanted to write about some hair experiences I have had in my life. I too, like Cortnie, will never have short hair again in my life! Let me share with you why:

Once upon a time, I was a little girl and I had incredibly long hair! I was like 3 or so and my hair was like taller than I was! Well maybe not really, but it felt like it! Anywho my mother would brush my hair after each bath and I would scream as she brushed through the rats in my luscious locks! Well after years of me yelling bloody murder every time I got my hair brushed, my mom was ready to throw in the towel. So when I was 5 or so, my mom being the all powerful parent who has all control over her young child's hair cut decided to cut off all my beautiful hair! And I mean ALL of my hair!! It wasn't just a trim to my shoulders to make my hair a lil more manageable, it was like a full fledged boy haircut! Ok, and that isn't even the end of the story! Here is why I was scarred for life and never will cut my hair short like that again in my life! When I was entering kindergarten there was a day when we went to meet our teachers with our parents and as we entered the class and were meeting the teacher for the very first time, the first thing my new teacher said to us was, "oh what a cute little boy you have!!!" UGHHHHHHH!! Seriously!??!!? That definitely left a mark, I have never forgotten that comment in all my life and it will take a heck of a lot for me to ever cut my hair short again!! NEVER AGAIN!!! hahahaha!!

Anywho, so to all the mothers who read this blog, please just remember that if you have a lil girl, and she has long beautiful hair that may require a little effort to brush after a bath, she does not deserve to be scarred for life by giving her a boy hairstyle! Just don't do it! The physical pain of the brushing totally outweighs the lifetime of emotional pain caused by a "what a cute lil boy you have!" comment! I'm just sayin....

stay tuned for more!

Maybe in the future you're gonna come back, you're gonna come back around!

Sup all?? So yah yah, I have been completely HORRIBLE at blogging since I've been home...basically there is no excuse, just that I don't think about doing it much! Ha! Anywho, so what's up?? How y'all been?? Ya know, I hope you are all doing so so great!! I miss you guys!! I'm doing pretty good I guess!! Just at home still, pretty boring, working as a sub, I'll be hopefully getting a summer job working in a laboratory that makes allergy medications and junk. They invented the Epi pen way back when!! So we'll see if I can get that!! It would be semi cool maybe....I would either be a Pollen collector....a Venom extractor, or...a packaging manufacturer...so yah! I'll keep ya posted....or I'll try to keep you posted :)

Anywho, it's way hard sometimes being home from the mish...I just miss it so so much like everyday fo real. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about something or someone from Ecuador and from being a missionary. Yesterday for instance was a very special day for me...not only because it was mother's day...I love my mom, she is totally the greatest and I just love her so so much! I would not be who I am without her..well obviously! haha!! But there is so much of who I am that came from my mother! She is amazing!!

Mother's day of last year was a very special time for me, I was a missionary in Ecuador. Me and my companion called our families the day before mothers day, it was Saturday. While my compa was talking to her fam in the cabinas(the place we go to make calls) there was a guy who was also waiting to call his fam, he was from Perú, his name is Miller. So we started talking to him about families and about the gospel and we had a great convo with him. He agreed that we could visit him the next day...so we did and it was amazing and a couple months later he was baptized!!

But Mother's day last year is also very special for another reason... one of our investigators, María Barrera, was able to be baptized. It was a miracle for many reasons. First of all, let me back up...rewind to like 3 mths before...we had met María she was the friend of a member in the ward. Anywho the first time we taught her it was completely amazing, the spirit was seriously so so strong, María accepted to be baptized in the very first lesson!! María was seriously a woman of much faith, she knew from the very beginning that the Gospel is true! She had been preparing her whole life for the Gospel. She had heard the missionaries before, but she had denied them several times, her life had been hard. Anyways what changed? Well...María found out she had cancer, I think like colon cancer/stomach cancer. I hate cancer, it is such a horrible sickness. But having an illness as such really opened María's eyes...and heart. She allowed the spirit to finally touch her and she decided that she needed to follow what she had known was true for most of her life. Anyways to make a long story a lil less long, María couldn't be baptized for so long because she was so sick with the cancer, we planned her baptism several times only to have it be cancelled because María was in the hospital again or she didn't have the strength to get out of bed that day without passing out.

Finally, on mothers day of last year...actually it was this date to be exact, May 9, 2010, a miracle occured and despite her weakness and constant pain, María Barrera was able to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized! It was in the very early morning before church, we woke up at 5am to travel up the mountain to bring her to her baptism. Her husband thought she was crazy and said, "what are you doing? You can't get out of bed, you can't leave the house. You are too sick!" and I will never forget her response, she said, "No, this is my Salvation!" and she walked out of her house and was baptized! She is seriously a woman of so much faith and so much courage. She was baptized and she received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The day after she became really sick again and had to return to the hospital, for the next 3 weeks she was in and out of the hospital many times. When finally on May 30th 2010, 3 weeks exactly from the day she was baptized, she passed away in her home surrounded by family members, and friends from the church. I know that the choice that she made to be baptized has given her the salvation that Jesus Christ offers to each and everyone of us. That through Him we are able to live with our families and with our Father in Heaven for all of Eternity! I know that María Barrera is happy! She made the most important decision of her life and after she did so the Lord called her back home!! I am so grateful for the blessing that I had to be a missionary of Jesus Christ in Ecuador, to teach María Barrera about the plan that He has for her, and that her life does not end at death, but really just begins and will continue for all Eternity!! I know that I will see her again, this is not the end! Because Jesus Christ loves us each so much He has made this possible through His Atonement!! This is the truth!! I know it is!

I am so happy to know and live the plan God has created for me !! I know that He loves us, we are His children, we must not wait for the perfect time in our life to follow Him, but we must start today and continue each day to do what He would have us do!! When we do this, we are so so blessed and we are happy!! Miracles are real and they happen each day! We just need to open our eyes and our hearts and realize that the Lord is guiding us in all that we do! When we are faced with difficult times, may we respond as María, "This is my salvation!" and may we keep on enduring to the end! Every step we take forward is a step closer to Him!!
It is true!
I love you all!!

the baptism of María Barrera!

Guess who's back...back again!!

Yes it is the truth! I have returned after serving a most wonderful and amazing mission in the Ecuador Guayaquil South mission. It was truly the hardest most difficult thing I have ever done in my whole life, but for that it was also the most rewarding, most amazing thing I have ever done. There is no way to even express the feelings I have or describe everything that has happened to me in that 1½ years of my life. I am definitely a changed person, of course I am the same person, but I have changed a lot. I have learned so many things. I would need to write a novel about all those things. I don't know how to sum it all up. I just don't have the words. I have definitely been strengthened, my testimony was not found on my mission, I had a testimony of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ before I left, but it has been strengthened a whole ton more. I now have the foundation I need to live the rest of my life. To do what the Lord wants me to do, rely completely on Him and His purposes for me. To strive every day to be better than the day before. To get sealed someday in the Temple of the Lord and raise an eternal family. To teach those children that they are children of God and that He loves them so much. To teach them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love the Gospel and I know its true. It is my joy, it is my life! And just because I am no longer in Ecuador and I no longer have a placa(tag) doesn't mean my mission has ended. In a sense it has just begun! I will continue going forth everyday living and sharing what I know to be true with all!! I miss Ecuador so much and all the people there, cuz I love them so very much. But I'm glad to be back as well. I will enjoy sharing with you all again in my blogs my experiences in Ecuador and also my life as it is passing now.
Tune in for more blogging action from this gringuita :)
Love you all!
Ann Marie

So Long Farewell auf weidersehen Good-bye

Well friends...its time for me to depart for the time being! It sure has been great bloggin with ya all! I will surely pick it back up when I come home!! I'm nervous and excited for this adventure! It sure will be different, but it will be good! I love you all!! Keep on doing what you know is right! Strive everyday to be better than the day before! The Lord loves you, you are His child and He will be there with you through it all!! I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to serve Him on my mission! Y'all are wonderful people! Don't ever forget that I love you!!
Good-bye and Good luck!
Much Love,
Ann Marie

Mission Address!!

Hey so one of my friends told me I shouldn't put my address up on anything that is available for random strangers and criminals to see and get and than stalk me and possibly harm me or just be really weird, so I decided not to post my mission addy on my facebook or on my blog. If you would like my mission address, let me know and I will email it to you, if I don't have your email address and you don't feel like random weirdos will stalk you if you post it on here as a comment, than you can give it to me and I will email you!! Anywho sorry for the inconvenience, but I guess its better to be safe than sorry these days!
PS: I will be in the MTC in one week!! HOLY JUNK!!!!!!

MYtube!!

So I think I've mentioned it on here before that I have some videos posted on youtube...check them out right HERE!! Most of them are just of me being a weirdo!
This is my latest addition to my youtube channel, it's a Public Service Announcement I had to make for my Health class!! It was funny to make! My bro Matt helped me! My teacher told me it was the best one she had seen in a long time! HOLLA!!!


Anywho hope you all enjoy em!

Oh what Marvelous Things!!

Hey all! I decided to change my playlist to Eisley. I mean, I absolutely LOVE Eisley! They are my fav band EVER!! This will be my playlist for the next year and a half! So maybe by the time I come home more of my friends will love Eisley as much as I do! They actually are going to be releasing their 3rd CD this fall...I'll be missin out on that. But its ok! It will still be around when I come home...and it will prob be cheaper :) I was almost going to put up my church mix playlist of songs for the next year and a half, BUT...I changed my mind! This way you can all listen to my fav band when I cannot! How bout I listen to church music for a year and a half instead?? Sounds good to me!!!
Love you all!! Hope life is full of Marvelous Things!
PS: "Marvelous Things" is a song by Eisley...it was the first Eisley song that I heard(Thank you Cortnie!) and I fell in Love with them!

This Bird!!!

So this onetime today I was just sitting in my car at a red light after driving all over to purchase things. Well I was just sittin in my car listening to some tunes, when all the sudden I noticed a bird just come and land right in the middle of the intersection...it was really weird cuz normally birds will not land right in the middle of a busy intersection, and if they do its only for a sec...they than get scared cuz all the cars are zoomin past them so they fly away. Well no not this bird! This bird just landed right in the intersection, and than walked across the road to the sidewalk...yep, this bird just walked across the busy intersection, somehow not getting hit and somehow not freaking out!! It was crazy dude!! I couldn't believe this bird!! What was he/she thinking?? Does he/she want to lose his/her life?? Oh goodness!! I was scared for that lil bird!! But it made it safely across the road, it found a patch of green grass and started eating something, perfectly content not knowing the crazy danger it was just in!!

So I wasn't thinking about relating this to the Gospel at all but it just hit me as I was writing this!! I wonder if sometimes we are like that lil bird, we land ourselves right in the middle of Danger not knowing what the heck we're getting ourself into...we walk around not knowing of the danger all around us...Meanwhile somebody is full aware of what we are doing and is shouting from the car to be careful!! And is watching our every move just waiting for us to find a safe spot of grass, He can't forcefully pick us up and move us to the safe spot, but He provides the safe spot and can guide us there! We have to get there on our own physically, but we are not ever alone really. He is always there and has a watchful eye on us. He is guiding us to safety, we just need to look around...pay attention, and realize the safety is in the grass!It may take us awhile to get there but once we do the reward is sweet and we are happy we are there instead of in the busy intersection!

Anywho I'm not sure if that makes sense at all...just some random thoughts about this bird and about life!!

Where'd ya go?? I missed you so!!

Hello everyone!! How have you all been lately?? Awww..I have missed you all too!! Wow, it has been quite some time since I last posted! Lo siento!! I have been fairly busy with multiple things!! Lets see...Oh yah! I went on a trip to Antigua! It was so awesome! I had very much a lot of fun! So I included a lil slide show of pics from the trip!! I didn't want to upload them all on here cuz I had waaaayyy too many! So if you have patience to look through my slide show Go for it!! It was def an experience! I got like second degree sunburn on my leg!! It hurt mad core! I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have some scar on my leg because of it!! I went the whole trip wearing sunscreen and didn't get burned than the last hour of our trip I sat by a pool reading a book and my legs got fried! "Friends don't let friends not wear sunscreen!" Just remember that!

Well onto other news...I'M GOING ON A MISSION (for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)!!! Yep its true! I tried to keep it on the DL and I think I did a pretty good job...but I'm going and I received my call while I was in Antigua, but didn't open it till I got home from Antigua...which meant waiting 4 days to find out where I'd be the next year and a half of my life!! Wow! That sure was hard to wait! It really tried my patience! But what can ya do? My friend Blayre wanted to go to my house and open it for me and read it to me over the phone...but UH-UHHHHHH..I said "Shoot girl no way!" So I spent almost every second till Sunday thinking about all the possible places I'd be going...

ANYWHO.....I'm going to be serving in the Ecuador Guayaquil South Mission!! I got my call technically April 9 and I will be entering the MTC(Missionary Training Center) May 20!! Wow its coming up quick!! But I am seriously really excited!! Part of me is really nervous and thinking Man what am I getting myself into?? But than I have this really major part of me that is just so excited and so happy. I feel extremely blessed and grateful for the opportunity I have to be a messenger of Jesus Christ! The Lord is trusting me to teach his children in Ecuador!! That's a great responsibility, but I know that it's what I am meant to do at this time and I just feel blessed to be able to serve!! I know that I won't be alone in this and that no matter how fearful I am the Lord will be with me! He's not gonna let me do this on my own...He never has! That makes me less fearful! I'm putting my trust in Him and I know that He will not lead me astray and He will help me!! Its going to be super hard, but its going to be great and I'm excited and very happy :) I feel good about it!

Heres a map of my mission!

My Mission is actually the southern most part of Ecuador...its not the light green color or the dark green...my mish is the middle shade of green! PS My sister Audriana served in Quito Ecuador...the light green!! Isn't it crazy we are both going to Ecuador?? Wow I sure think it is!!

So yep one more month and than I'll be peacin out for a year and a half! I know y'all are gonna miss me pretty much outta control like and such, but we can get through it together! I'm gonna miss everyone too! "We're all in this together!" ;) haha!! I'll post my mission addy on here later so everyone can write to me and keep me posted on life!!

Well here are my pics from my trip and a few from...not my trip! I love y'all and hope that life is going so super great for everyone!! I am really thankful for all of you and the great examples you have been to me in my life, whatev stage of life that was for me, I can truthfully say I would not be who I am without you and the wonderful people you are! I truly love you all!!

PS: I'm going to a Mariners game next weekend with my bestie!! HOLLA!! I'm so EXCITED!! GO MARINERS!!!!

PPS: Just in case you didn't watch my whole slide show, here are the ones of my burnt legs and my second degree burn!




WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!!
I'm just sayin......

Off I go!

Well I just wanted to give a lil update before I leave on my Tropical Island Getaway.
I had my bday this past Tuesday, Mar 24th, it was really good. Just real chill and relaxing. I had some cake with my fam than my friend Blayre took me to eat steak. Thats all I wanted...some steak :) and it was very delish! Thanks B!

I also went to the Gold and Green ball, which is a girl ask guy singles dance up here. I went with a guy friend named Soren and Blayre went with a guy named Jim. We went to Chuck E Cheese before to eat pizza and play games! It was way fun! I pretty much whipped Soren in the games...but he tried his best :) Overall I had a fun time!

My sister also got married a few weeks ago. It all went really well. She looked very beautiful and so so happy!! I'm excited for her and I love her very much!

Here are a few pics to display my adventures:

Audri and Isaac very happy to just have been married :)

My sis and I, it was a very very cold day!

At the reception...many people think my sis and I look a lot alike...I just don't see it?

My bro in law Isaac and I...he's an interesting one that Isaac :) I like him!

Going to the dance! These guys are pretty lucky to go with such good looking ladies :)

Dang!! We look good!!!!

Happy Birthday to me! I am now 24! HOLLA!

Yah for family!!!

Mmmmmm...Steak is so so good!! I love having birthdays! Thank you Blayre for the steak! She's the best! I have such wonderful friends!

Well there y'all go!! Hope y'all have a great 2 weeks! Don't be jealous of my Caribbean vacation adventures...enjoy your extended Winter :)

PEACE OUT!!!!

Vampire Weekend!!!

Ok, as much as I totally LOVE Twilight...this is not in reference to Twilight....Although the Twilight movie does come out on DVD this weekend...so technically it would be a Vampire Weekend...BUT....

Thats not what I'm talking about! I'm talking about a super radical band called "Vampire Weekend" I was looking at my friend Melissa's blog the other day and noticed she had listed them as one of her favorite things! So whenev I hear about a rad band I always go check em out...sometimes I don't really care for em...and sometimes I totally love em! Like "Eisley" was recommended to me by my best buddy Cortnie and they are my fav band ever!! Thanks Cort!!
Anywho so I checked out this band on a website called www.playlist.com its pretty much the coolest website..you can go find practically any song!

*side note* Last year My friend Stacee and Taci and I went on playlist.com and were finding all sorts of early 90s cartoon and TV show theme songs, it was the best!! "JEM is excitement! JEM is adventure! Glamour and glitter, fashion and fame!"

Ok so I went and checked out "Vampire Weekend" and they are my fav at the moment. Thanks Melissa!! They kinda remind me of a lot of bands I really like all combined into one! So as much as I like HSM...I am changing my playlist on here to "Vampire Weekend." I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do, but who really knows these days!!
Hope life is going great for all!!

Pirates of the Caribbean here I come :)

Yes tis true, I shall be heading on down to the Tropical Caribbean of Antigua in about 19 days!! Holy Smokes!! I'm so excited!! I've never been to a Tropical place before...the most tropical I've been is Laguna beach in Cali...or the pool at my apts down in Vegas, I mean...there was a palm tree at least :)

Anywho you're prob all wondering..."What the heck?? Why are you going to Antigua?? That's so random!" And you're absolutely right...it is random! I'm sorta a random person. My friends sister lives down in Antigua and so she said, "I'm going to Antigua, anyone that wants to come with me can, all you have to do is pay for a plane tick!" So Dang I jumped on that opportunity! Turns out that it's actually very beneficial I don't have a regular full time job, cuz now I can take two weeks off without getting fired!! Anywho I am real excited for this opportunity...especially since it snowed here yesterday and I feel that spring/summer is never gonna come! It will be good to be in a sunny place for a while!

Also in 14 days something very spectacular happens, everybody clear your calendars and buy your plane tickets to Spokane NOW! The event of the century is going down and you do not...I repeat...DO NOT want to miss it! It's my 24th Birthday!! Which wait?? Look! I'm turning 24 on the 24th! Oh that's right tis my Golden Bday!! HOLLA!! Therefore I might be giving out things covered in gold...just for fun! And cuz I'm obviously swimming in gold coins each day like Uncle Scrooge from Duck Tales, you know there will be plenty to go around! Anywho it will be a joyous event! I'm excited to turn 24! I know its going to be a great year :)

My sis is getting married this weekend!! I'm so excited for her!! She has always been such a great example to me in my life and she is by far my favorite sister ;) ha! I'm happy for her happiness!! I truly love her!

Well I sincerely hope all of you are doing so great!! Remember who you are...choose the right...return with honor...and...look both ways before you cross the street!!
I love you all!!(except for the random weirdos who might also read this blog...in that case...I only strongly like you!)

PS: Did I mention Antigua has 365 beaches?? HOLLA!!!

HSM LOVE

In tribute to all the High School Musical movies I have created a HSM playlist!! It is composed of all the songs from the HSM movies, that's right 1, 2, and 3! If you don't know me that well or are a first time reader of this blog, I absolutely LOVE HSM Please refer to this previous post. I know, I know what you're thinking..."Isn't it kinda a cheesy teenage movie?" Yes in fact it is! But I can't help but totally loving every minute of its lameness and all the corny predictable songs. They are the best!! If you don't know what I am talking about, the third HSM just came out this past week, I recommend going down to the local video rental store and picking up all 3 HSM's...have a HSM marathon, start with the first and go to the third!! You will not be disappointed!! In fact I'm pretty sure if you watch them all by the third one you too will feel like you are a true Wildcat, and you too will be wondering what are Troy and Gabriella, Sharpay and Ryan, Chad and Taylor, and even Kelsi going to be doing now that they are graduated?? Can they really still all be in this together? Anywho you'll just have to watch and see...you might want a tissue or two for the third movie!! I'm just sayin...we can all learn a lot of valuable life lessons from HSM and these Wildcats!

Enjoy my playlist!! I LOVE HSM and I'm sad that there will be no more adventures at East High! But at least I was able to share in these moments and better my life!

We truly are all in this together!
:)

"I've been waiting for a sign, to tell me where I belong!"

So...I pretty much quit my job this week. I decided that I am not meant to be an insurance person. I also really hated it! I mean it wasn't a horrible job, but it just wasn't for me. It was actually really easy, like non use of brain easy. I dreaded doing it everyday, I just felt I was wasting my life and all that I went to school for! I didn't feel like I was making a difference and I wasn't happy at that job. So I quit! I'm going to try and be a non-certified sub until I get my certification. I think I will just enjoy being in a school and feeling like what I do matters. I know, I know, I must be crazy...I won't get paid hardly anything for subbin, but I really feel I'll be happier...and that matters more to me than stupid money!! I'm a simple gal, I don't need much to be content when it comes to material things. I know its weird, but I think having this insurance job has made me realize that Junk, I want to be in school, I want to be around kids and feel like what I do is makin some sort of difference in this world! Is that too much to want in a job...and in life?? I don't think it is!

Anywho I'm still not sure what my long-er term plans are and I'm still waiting for a sign to tell me where I belong, but for right now I'm gonna try my hand at this subbing stuff! We'll see how it goes!! I feel good about it!

*The title of my blog is in reference to a song by Mates of State called Now! Its amazing! Check it out on my playlist :)

Holy smokes its been a long while....

So I know its been a way long time since I last posted...over a month!! Junk!! Well I did end up getting a job working at an insurance company called Safeco. Its def not somethin I want to do for very long, but for right now it pays pretty well and its full time and its actually pretty good...so I'm stickin with it for now! Who knows where I'll go or what I'll do, I still have no clue. My best friend Blayre comes home from her mish in 3 days!! Holy!! I am so so so EXCITED!! I can't believe that a year and a half have already gone by!! I'm still flippin out about it!! Its sooo close!! YAH!!! I'm really stoked about having her back!! I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas to come or their birthday, but I'm like 19 times more excited than that!! I have missed her oh so much! She's amazing and it will be wonderful to have my best friend back home!

Well...I posted this thing on facebook that is 25 random things about me, so I figured I'd post it again for everyone on here just cuz some of you don't have facebook! If you so desire you can post somethin like this on your blog too...don't feel pressured though...
Here is my randomness!! Enjoy :)

1. I love candy so much, prob more than anybody I know...I especially love cotton candy, at times I imagine that I am flying through the air and that the clouds are made of cotton candy , that being said, I've had a lot of cavities in my life
2. I didn't know that Marie is technically my middle name until I was 18 and filling out papers for my HS Diploma, I had always thought that I had no middle name and would tell people I had no middle name, until my mom informed me otherwise
3. When I was in HS I spent most Friday nights with my friend Michele at the Arcade playing a game called Dance Freaks, I can play on Wild and I still enjoying going to the arcade just to play that game
4. I never went to a formal dance until last year when it was my final year of College
5. I want to be an astronaut
6. Eisley is my absolute most fav band ever...yet not many people know who they are, I saw them in concert once and it was totally amazing! I wish I could follow them around on tour sometime! And I have dreams that we are friends :)
7. I am a very clumsy person who gets hurt very randomly, like this onetime I sliced my head on a rotating ceiling fan, or when I ran my forehead into the corner of a car door, but yet I have never broken a bone or been a patient in a hospital (cept when I was born)
8. Someday I'm going to go to Cocoa Island in Maldives with my friend Cortnie
9. I once had a bloody nose in the baptismal font at the Temple
10. My first "Real" Concert was a Neil Diamond concert just a few years ago
11. I worked at a porcelian doll kiosk in the mall as my first job, oh and I don't really like dolls
12. Blue is the best color in the world, I love it very much! Whenev I see a car that is blue I always say, or think in my head..."there is a blue car!" and than wish that my car was blue!
13. When I was younger my bro Matt hit me in the head with a baseball bat when I was playing catcher and he was batter, the bat was made of wood...it explains a lot of my personality... ;)
14. I think kitties are super cute, if they could stay that little forev I would love it!
15. I believe that JUNK is the COOLEST word around!! And its very multi purpose!
16. I will never get sick of the songs "who let the dogs out" by baha men and "If you wanna be my lover" by spice girls
17. They made a movie about me this onetime called "Never Been Kissed"
18. I think Harry Potter is so rad!! I love all the books, they are some of my most fav! I think deep down I am a wizard...I'm still waitin for Hagrid to deliver my acceptance letter to Hogwarts!
19. I wear my retainer every single night, I have this fear that if I miss wearing it onetime my teeth will go crooked
20. I hate bugs that fly especially bees...I will freak out if somethin is flyin at me...onetime I saw something flying at me so I was freakin out...turns out it was a butterfly
21. I have never ridden a horse, except the ones you pay $.25 for in front of Kmart
22. All growing up I had Bunny cakes for my birthday every year, my birthday is Mar 24th close to easter and my mom would always make cakes in the shape of a bunny, I have pictures that document this...now every year I have funfetti rainbow chip frosting cake...mmmmm
23. I hit a grand slam in slow pitch softball during a co-ed intramural game this onetime, it almost went over the fence! I've also made quite a few half court shots in basketball...I'm just sayin.. :)
24. Steak and Potatoes are soooo good...I could eat potatoes every day for the rest of my life and love it..with steak is even better!! Oh and I dislike oriental food..eewww!
25. Up until last year I thought that P.S at the end of a letter stood for "Please Send" and it never made sense to me...my friend Ashley than told me it stood for "Post Script" and all the sudden the lights went on and it made perfect sense!

Oh and I did add a #26....There are about 100 or more people that know me as Judy and don't know me by my real name Ann Marie

Wellllllllllllll....I hope y'all are doing super fantastic!! Hope the first month of the new year has gone well for ya!! Have a Happy Day :)
Much Love!!

You Ugly!! Yah Yah You Ugly!

I went to an Ugly Sweater party this past Friday, it was pretty much super hot! I mean literally hot and figuratively Hott!! Take like 30 people and jam them into someones living room, every person wearing some sort of sweater and some even wearing turtle necks(like me!Which who even wears turtle necks?they are totally uncomfortable!), and its going to be pretty Roasty Toasty!! Who would have ever thought that a sweater would make you actually sweat?? What is the purpose?? I mean it should be to keep you warm, but if you think about it...if its makin you so hot that you are actually sweating (which is obviously the purpose cuz its called a sweater!) than that is just no good and I don't know why anyone would want something that's actual main and named purpose is to make you sweat!! But we were all really stunning and Hott with our ugly sweaters! Holla!

Ok sorry for my sweater rant! Anywho the party was semi-fun! I had a good time! We enjoyed taking pics before at my sista's apt! Here are some pics, just in case some of you no longer have facebook(cortnie and Suzi yes I mean you!)

We all look dashing in our ugly sweaters!

Thumbs up for my sweater...I thought it was pretty ugly, but I didn't win the ugliest sweater..actually people thought my sweater looked like a teachers and they thought it was cute! I thought the punch must have been spiked or somethin! Anywho my mom really likes my sweater...so I'm going to give it to her for Christmas!! Whoev thought that someones ugly could be another persons pretty!

Yah! Emily actually won the ugliest sweater award, shes in the pink and my sis won second place for ugliest sweater..shes in the middle! I only won a cookie...oh wait...the cookies were free.

Emily and Audriana High fivin for Christmas!

Don't give me that attitude!

Glamour shots! PS: My grandma made me that cat for Christmas one year! She used to make us all sorts of stuffed animals and different things for Christmas!! What a crafty lady she was!! I love my grandma!

Emily and Isaac thumbs up for ugliness!!

Oh Isaac and Audriana are quite the fashionable couple!! I heard through the grapevine that they are going steady!! How hip!

The best pic I have ever taken!! Doesn't get any better than this :)

Here's a lil somethin somethin for the people!!

So yeah the party was good! Things have been alright up here in Spokane! Havin fun and keepin semi-busy! I'm still looking for a job, but hopefully I'll be getting somethin here shortly! I'll keep y'all posted!!

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season with friends and Fam! Thanks for being such radical people!!

Much Love!!

Many Moons!

It seems as though it has been a very long time since I last posted a blog! So here ya go...a lil update-a-roo!!

Yes student teaching is done! I am now back in Spokane chillin like a villain..no literally chillin...it is so stinkin cold up here!! I mean when I left Vegas it was still in the 70s, up here it's like 30, that is quite a difference let me tell ya!! But it has been nice to be home!

Currently I am searching for a job! I mean oh look I just graduated in teaching now I can be a teacher, that's what you'd think! But I still have to get my certification, which is some nice paperwork and junk! Once my grades are on my transcript than I can send it all in! Until than I am just looking for something else. I might become a receptionist, because it sounds like a pretty swell job and it pays fairly decent. Plus its full time guaranteed. If I was a sub right now there is no guarantee that it would be every day or that it would be full days. But yeah so this is where I'm at now. I'll keep you posted on everything!!

I'm very excited though because in 59 days my best friend Blayre comes back from her mission to Las Vegas!! I'm so so so ecstatic to have her back and to be able to hang out with her up here in Spokane!! Its going to be joyous! Pretty sure shes absolutely AMAZIN!!! It will be great and fun times! I have missed her indeed!!

Anywho, so I was also watching this show about pandas the other night...and did you know that a baby giant panda weighs 4oz when it is first born, that is about the size of a stick of butter!! Wow!! So interesting I know right! Its pretty much total insanity! They are mega cute though and I'm pretty sure I want a panda!

Well that being said, you all rule! I hope your holiday's are super radical and that you are all choosing the right and keepin it real wherev you may be!!
Love y'all!!

PS: I've added some pics of baby pandas! Enjoy!

Here is a giant panda when its first born, its practically microscopic!
Here is a panda a lil older but still a youngin! Oh what a cute lil bear!! Don't ya just wanna squeeze it!

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!!!!

It is true! I am at the final countdown of my student teaching experience! From today I have a total of 6 teaching days left at Bob Miller Middle School! My last day is Nov 24! I found out I can leave a day early to drive back to Spokane in time for Thanksgiving! So I am pretty stoked!

Anywho can I just say WOW! This whole student teaching has just flown right by! I feel that when I finally am starting to get the hang of everything and really getting to know the kids and love them, its time to leave!! Its going to be bittersweet! I'll miss those crazy kids! I know you might think it sounds cliche or what not, but I really have learned to love my students and they are what I enjoy most about teaching!! I really do feel The children are the future(this is what might sound cliche!) I do what I do for these kids! They are great individuals and I feel super blessed to get to know them and to have the privalege of teaching them for 54 min everyday!

I have learned to love being a teacher and realize that Yes, I can do this and that this is what I want to do! I'm no longer fearful and uncertain of my choice to be a teacher. And yes I was somewhat fearful and uncertain at the start of this whole thing and all through college. But I'm glad I stuck it through and was able to see that this is what I want to do! Its not always the easiest and some days you wonder if its really worth it. But than you have the really good days and those really great students who make it so worth it and make you realize "oh yeah, I remember why I'm doing this!"

Well I could surely go on and on about my student teaching and give lots of stories, but I will refrain, cuz this is just a blog, not Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows(even though I love HP!)

So I just wanted to express the final countdown of my student teaching through this popular song entitled...yes...you guessed it..."The Final Countdown" by the hit 80s hair band Europe...I can't say it any better than them! And the only video that I could find of the song that was not restricted to use was this "Armageddon" video on youtube!



As things are blowing up and earth is in complete peril, just imagine I am one of the astronauts that is saving the world from utter destruction and doom!
Thats teaching...the fate of the World depends on it! :)
Hope y'all are great!! Love you all!

PS: I secretly want to be an astronaut anyways!