My 2015 in Review

This last year was pretty amazing sauce for me!

And, with that being said, I look forward to a wonderful 2016 ahead of me.

Highlights of 2015

• Dad came to San Francisco with me on an overnight.
• Visited Ireland for the first time ever...and started to show off my Honey Bunny a little bit more.
• Saw Paris a second time. 
• Had some dear friends visit Chicago, and let me play tour guide.
• Saw the Cubs play an amazing baseball game, that later sent them to the playoffs.
• Worked some awesome overnights with some awesome crews.
• Euro-tripped it, again, to Amsterdam with Paul and his auntie. Was a first time for him in Amsterdam. Him and I made a great traveling duo.
• Flew to Iceland, with Paul and my brother Flint, and road tripped the entire island on the famous Ring Road.
• Saw the groundbreaking of a new LDS church in downtown Chicago.
• Took a day trip to PDX for Paul's birthday - all in a day, and even got first class coming home!
• Haribo candies sent me a gold mine of free Haribo gummy candies. BEST! DAY! EVER!
• Watched my brother Cash marry his longtime girlfriend Kali. Funnest wedding all year!
• Took an epic family road trip to Durango, Colorado with my whole family, and Paul.
• Watched the airplanes land at SXM airport in St. Maarten. Then balled my eyes out trying to get out of that airport...
• Jetted to Switzerland, for the most life changing event ever. I GOT ENGAGED! AT THE BASE OF THE MATTERHORN!
• Had more visitors to Chicago - Flint, Paul, and my Mom. And had a few more friends that came to visit too.
• Watched the Chicago marathon, and cheered on those runners.
• Spent those major holidays surrounded by family.
• Witnessed the CTA Christmas train - which was a big deal for me.
• Said goodbye to dive of a restaurant, that will always have wonderful childhood memories. Long live the Cow, may you rest in peace Top Spot.
• Saw Star Wars, fell asleep, and ruined it for those who hadn't seen it. Therefore, took a break from social media. (New Years resolution for the new year: shut up!)
• Rang in the New Year surrounded by my family.

And So I Live to Blog Again...

Where in the world of small town USA have I been?  I have been asking myself that same question for months!

For months I have fallen behind in my blogging.  Something just ain't right when I stop blogging?  So, I begin again.  The question is, where do I begin?

Summertime is almost over and I review the many wonderful things that have happened in just a few short months.  Let me begin by rewinding as far back as April.  We all know that summer in this part of the country starts fairly early.

About 14 years ago a certain movie came out, called Titanic.  My girlfriends and I happened to be "big shot seniors" in high school.  We were young and in love (maybe just me) with the actor Leonardo Dicaprio.  To see a movie about the historic Titanic intertwined with a tragic love story made us girls delight in joy.  We would brave the crowds and go see this movie.  We went, we saw, we cried (a lot), and we talked about it for days (and possibly longer).  So it was, 14 years later they re-released this classic tale in what they call 3D.  My girls and I reunited for the re-release, and were just slightly disappointed to see that the ending was still the same - Jack let go, and died again!  Buggers.

Did you know the world just witnessed a rare solar eclipse in a very small town known as Kanarraville?  The small town of Kanarraville happened to be the one and only spot in all the world that the ring of fire could be witnessed in all it's glory - people were referring to the town of Kanarraville as the "Sweet Spot."  Fortunately this town is where my family roots lie.  I was able to witness this exciting phenomena because my brother owns a home there.  A massive party was thrown in his back yard, and friends and family came from all over.  I have never seen this small town so crowded with people, and the traffic to leave town was out of control!  My favorite part of the evening was the moment the sun and moon aligned to allow for the perfect ring of fire.  The cheering in the town sent chills up my body.

The 4th of July is always a wonderful time of year in my family.  This grand holiday is almost more celebrated then Christmas in the Williams household.  My family loves to come together and celebrate our freedom in small little Kanarraville.  The town has some wonderful traditions that have continued to live on for years and years.  My favorite part of the day is when we do our "cook out" (that's what my family calls a BBQ).  Back in the day we would gather at my Papa and Granny's house - now that they are gone and my brother lives in Kanarraville we congregated there.  This year the food was spectacular.  Always is.  However, I tried my hand at a new cake recipe and think I hit success!  The chocolate cake was so rich and sweet that my cousins wife who is pregnant and is on the brink of gestational diabetes saved up her sugar intake just so she could eat my dessert!

It's inevitable.  Each year I have a birthday, and I just keep getting older!  This year I turned 32.  32!  Can you believe I'm in my early 30's.  Some people would say I act a lot younger, and then there are some who would say I am close to death.  Whatever age I may be I just can't seem to win.  At any rate, my birthday was another success.  More than just "another day."  I ended up having to work for my first time ever in all my birthday having years.  After work a few of my close friends kidnapped me (not really) and took me to Mesquite (against my own will - kind of) and paid to have me gamble.  I played BINGO for the first time ever and even got lucky enough to win 18 dollars.  Score!

To top off my summer I just recently returned from a trip to Yellowstone for my first time ever!  I know right, it took me long enough to get there.  The week long trip was with family and extended family.  We rented a big o'l cabin in Driggs, ID, and felt like kings and queens living it up.  The week was filled with lot's of driving (it had to happen), eating so much/well that I probably just gained 10lbs in one week, visiting National Parks, seeing an array of wild life, and having some great reunions with family and friends I haven't seen in ages.  Vacations are always much needed, and this vacation hit the spot on my summer.

Lastly, a great time was had by all when I got to attend my first ever performance of the much loved play, Wicked.  Now I have a little bit of culture...it still is going to take eons to catch up to my sister, but I'm working on it.  The play Wicked was absolutely amazingly awesome!  I cried like three times, yes three times.  I have to say it was the best weekend ever!  (Stay tuned for that blog post...it's quite a funny story.)

The summer months are coming to an end.  School is about to begin and this will be my final semester of being a college student.  I thought I would never get to this point.  And believe me, it has taken FOREVER to get to this point.  I begin my student teaching August 27th and have sadly already counted down the days until I finish.  (If you were in my shoes you probably would too!)  Along with student teaching I am down to just one job - working on Grounds Crew just until student teaching starts, and then it is back to the Testing Center for one last semester.  What is going to happen at the end of the semester....nobody knows, I don't even know!  Let's just focus on the time at hand cause it's scaring me to death to think of my future!  Until then, thanks for reading about my wonderful summer time fun!

108 Days of MY Summer Vacation

Woweeeeee!  Where, oh where, did this summer vacation of mine go.....

My summer vacation started out with a bang.  The Sis and I did a VERY LONG ROAD TRIP - remember that???

14-15 days...give or take a few, (I can't remember) of traveling in a circle amongst the states of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming.

4 days of Cake Decorating Classes - to which I might add, I'm not a fan of decorating cakes.  I was stressed the whole time because of my chemistry class that was going on the at SAME TIME.  And, I think the icing we had to make was absolutely disgusting.  Therefore, my cakes that I ended up producing got thrown in the trash.  My final cake for the class didn't even make it to class because of stress and poor planning - that cake was a complete mess, and so was I!!!  I will say that the one thing I gained from this experience was some nifty baking tricks, and an admiration for anyone who decorates cakes.  Let me just fork out the big bucks to those cake decorators in the world, because you won't ever see me decorating another cake!

Me and my two girls - Staci and Reagan at our favorite flower bed - Presidents house.

 Some of the other fun flower and ground girls.  (Back:  Julianne, Kim, Kali, Reagan, Staci.  Bottom:  Vonae, and Me.)

63ish days of working the grounds of SUU.  I got "stuck" with two younger girls in a threesome this summer, and let's just say I wasn't looking forward to it.  BUT, I ended up having a blast with my two young co-workers, and we had a fun time working together each day.  Reagan (20) and Staci (18) taught me a lot.  I go back to what my Boss said when he paired us up, "You can learn a lot from these two girls."  I said, "How can I learn something from a 20 year old and fresh new High School graduate???"  I looked passed the age difference (finally) and had a great time working the grounds with two young'ns.

Kyle, Me, (Kyle + Me (Libby) = "Kibby") Erin, and Auntie Cami!!!  Best 31st Birthday EVER!

3 days of birthday celebration!  The night before my birthday my Sis and one of my Bro's baked me some cookies, lite a candle on fire, sang "happy birthday," and let me open my presents.  The day of my birthday I was surprised with flowers, singing, and Dairy Queen ice cream cake!  What a wonderful surprise from dear friends!!!!  A few days later I was then treated to dinner by another friend to a very yummy BBQ restaurant in Cedar City.  Tasted so good, but left smelling like a fire pit - worth it, I think so!

5 days of Tiki Shack snow cone eating!  I know, totally disappointed in my lack of support to one of the best Snow Cone shacks this side of Hawaii!  Next year I will not disappoint!  (If you haven't stopped on main street in Cedar City at the decorated camping trailer known as the Tiki Shack then you, my readers, are missing out!  When you go, (next summer since they closed for winter) please get a snow cone with your choice of flavor, vanilla ice cream on the bottom, sweet and condensed milk on top, and then lastly topped off with whip cream - HEAVENLY!)

73 days, and still going....UGH!  I planted a garden.  I have decided that gardens as big as mine are for people who have kids that can help, or for people who have a spouse, and you are both retired.  I bit off more then I could chew, and this garden has been a lot of work.  However, I have reaped the benefits, okay a lot of benefits. I have more squash then I know what to do with - anyone want some?  Contact me!!!!  Sheesh! They say that when planting a zucchini plant or squash plant you plant two.  Two, just in case one plant doesn't make it you'll at least have one.  Oh no, I planted three different types of squash and six plants each of the different squash.  That makes a total of 18 FREAKING plants.  And, on top of that, I accidentally dropped some pumpkin seeds that surprisingly popped up, so now I have a huge pumpkin plant taking over a section of my garden.  Anyone need pumpkins this fall????  Well, at least I can say that I learned a lot from this garden experience.  I know what to do next time, and what not to do.  Next year, I do not see a garden in my future, at least not a very big one.

5 days of culture, as I spent time going to plays at Tuachan and Shakespeare.  I got to see "The Glass Menagerie," which was very interesting, depressing, and hit a little to close to home.  "Romeo and Juliet" where I leaned back and slept through most of the play...it was free so I wasn't out any money, and I was taking my Sister - who loved it!  "Noises Off!" which was was hilarious, clever, and I very much recommend.  "Grease" which was SO AWESOME - such a classic in my book!  And lastly, I got to see "The Little Mermaid," which was actually kind of silly - cool affects, but super silly.  (I also get to go see "Dial M For Murder" in October, which is a fall play during the Shakespeare festival.)

This is me FINALLY passing chemistry - thumbs up yo!  (Don't worry I just signed my tutor up for another semester with my Food Science class - Lord help me!!!)

38 days of studying my pea brain out over chemistry!  And not to mention I spent $700.00 on a tutor who FINALLY got me to pass organic bio chemistry.  How does it go....
A big bag of sunflower seeds $3.59
Over due fees at the library for using a study room $2.30
70 hours for a personal tutor $700.00
Passing chemistry after the fourth time (or 9th time - all together)...PRICELESS.  Heck yes, FREAKING PRICELESS!!!

 The whole hiking gang at Kanarraville Falls.

A couple of days (here and there) hanging out with family, having barbeque's, going hiking, camping, and river rafting - yeah buddy.  Our latest hike took us to the canyon right up the road from my bro's house.  Kanarra Narrows, as we always called it growing up.  We finally set a date and went and hiked the narrows.  Had a most beautiful Saturday afternoon, and couldn't have picked a better date.  The narrows were packed with people and we had some interesting experiences, but we didn't see any snakes and we all survived each other.

Lastly, out of my whole summer vacation I only watched about 20 days of Netflix.  Shocking, I know!  I should've just put my account on hold as I was so busy with chemistry, chemistry, and well whatever else I did this summer.  I didn't put it on hold, so my very few dvd's I recived over the summer sat in their envelope for days, sometimes weeks without me watching the dvd.  I also watch instant, so the rest of my watching days were set to my latest crave, (or the flashback to mid 90's watching "My So Called Life" with the beautiful Jared Leto) "Take Home Chef" - which I used to watch when it aired years ago on TLC.  This show only lasted two seasons, but has over 100 episodes.  AND, the only time I would get to watch that show was when I had dishes THAT HAD TO BE DONE.  I clean dishes and watch a beautiful (straight) Austrialian man cook dinner.  Oh the life I live!  I also want to put in my two cents about this whole Netflix - raising the price thing.  IT STINKS!  But, as my Mommy tried to calm me down...she said, "Libby, it was bound to happen - get over it!"  I'm sticking with Netflix, but they can forget me converting any more people over to their company.  SHOOT - I used to have such a strong testimony of them and their company, but then that thing called money and greed got in the way and this is how they treat their consumers.  Nu Uh - I don't think so.  I tired to wait it out by making a threat (either "you don't make us pay or I'm canceling my account") via Facebook, along with umpteen thousand others....but those Netflix folk are sticking to their guns and I am just going to have to buck up and pay the extra money a month.  So, I'm sticking with them! I am even paying the $16.00 (actually $17.07 - just got my first bill) a month so I can have one unlimited and instant viewing.

My new home - what a mess.  Wish I could find time to unpack instead of just doing a little here and little there!!!!!!

And lastly, I spent all my other time trying to pack up my CRAP and move.  Yes, I cut the cord from my younger brother and moved out to the big city of Cedar City.  I wish I would've done it sooner.  I will miss my Bro - he has been a fantastic landlord/storage unit, but the time has come.  Now I really can make fun of people who are my age and still live at home!  I moved to Cedar City, and it has taken me forever to get my CRAP to my little basement apartment that is just blocks away from campus, and in the heart of downtown.  I live below an old family friend who is my age and has a little boy.  I love my new crib, and I am almost done decorating it - you want a tour...I will be making a video of my new digs just cause it's been a while since I have made a lame video.  Stay tuned - it's going to be a good one!

I know my summer wasn't as exciting as most of my family and friends, but I sure did stay busy.  I guess that's all that matters at this point in my life.  Won't this next year of mine be interesting to watch....can't wait to see where I end up!

It Ain't Easy Turning 29 Again

It's official, today July 18, 2011 marks the day of my birth 31 years ago.  (Am I doing the math right...maybe it's only been 29 years down...)  My Mother lay up in the hospital in downtown St. George, Utah.  Within minutes, okay maybe a few hours I popped out of her like a jack pops out of a box! Big eyed and bushy tailed I came a screaming into this world, and believe me, I plan on screaming on the way out!

It has been a roller coaster of a life I have lead, 30 years has allowed me to see and do much.  I sure as heck haven't seen and done it all yet, and believe me, I am not ready to go a screaming yet!!!

Tim McGraw sings, 

"I think I'll take a moment, celebrate my age

The ending of an era and the turning of a page
Now it's time to focus in on where I go from here
Lord have mercy on my next thirty years"

My Past 30 Years
1.  Grew up (and still growing) in a wonderful family with a loving Mommy and Daddy - with pretty good siblings too, I have my parents to thank for producing a wild bunch.

2.  Met, have, acquired, and grateful for many, many, many dear sweet friends who SERIOUSLY complete my life!!!

3.  Developed, and STILL developing many talents...like, I have learned how to decorate a cake, play the piano and guitar, cook, sew, crochet, picked up knitting (hate it), public speaking, gardening, blogging, etc.

4.  Traveled a lot, for me, but I still have a lot more traveling to do!

5.  Left the United States a couple of times, and still need to leave it a couple more times.

6.  Seen 27 out of the 50 States, and by golly I hope to see them all!!! (I'm a little more than half way there...)

7.  Worked and lived in Alaska - one of the main goals on my list "to do" in this lifetime.

8.  Served a mission for the LDS Church - loved every hard moment of it!

9.  Read a lot of AWESOME books, and watched a lot of AWESOME movies.  (Yes I still love Netflix, it was bound to happen - we made peace and life can roll on!)

10.  Have had a broken heart a couple of times, I guess, but I'm glad I have!  Only one regret, and he's married now, oh well he wasn't for me!

11.  Worked many, many, many jobs - feel very well rounded.  Tour guiding was my favorite!

12.  Graduated from a junior college with my associates degree.  At the time it was just "Dixie College."

13.  PLANNING ON, AND WILL GRADUATE a University with my bachelors degree in FCS Education in May 2012!!!  Bout FREAKING TIME!!!

14.  Am completely self sufficient (as self sufficient as a college student can be) and learned how to budget.  

15.  I know how to bake brownies from scratch!

16.  Went skinny dipping - see here!

17.  Tried, cooked, and have ate many wonderful and yummy things!

18.  Ran a half marathon - maybe one day I'll do a full marathon.  MAYBE!

19.  Sufficiently been humbled - numerous times, and yet, I still get humbled today! 

20.  Had a "booty call," mormon/christian style...won't go into to detail - email me if you would like the details.  It was clean - don't be thinking things - sheesh!
booty call
noun informal
a *Christian "Make-out" invitation or rendezvous.
   • a person regarded for this : to him, I was just a booty call.
    ORIGIN 1990s: from booty (slang for ‘buttocks’ ) and call.

*words have been changed.

21.  Visited almost all the National Parks - still have a few more to go.

22.  Made a fool out of myself more times then I can remember.  A couple of examples, see here, and here!

23.  I Have experience many struggles and trials that have only made me stronger.

24.  Developed a "Plan B" - that leads me to where I am now, I guess?

25.  Lived through many funny and disastrous blind dates - you know I'm always up for free meals!  (I actually don't say that anymore...I'm trying to mature - comes with age I suppose!)

26.  Cultivated my own personal style - comfortable, casual, and kind of classy - I own lot's of argyle.

27.  Had my fortune told at age 18 in Balboa Park (San Diego).  She said I would marry later in life and have three kids.  She just might be right, except I want more than three kiddos?

28.  Grew a garden from scratch - it has taught me a lot.

29.  Dyed my hair an outrageous color - well it was outrageous for me - dark reddish brown.  I am definitely a blond, and should always be.

That's me in the middle...it was a late night with roomies?
You have no words right?
(This is my real hair - not a wig!)

 AND...............Lastly, but not leastly...

30.  I officially drink soy milk.  Vanilla is quite tasty!

"Hey my next thirty years I'm gonna have some fun
Try to forget about all the crazy things I've done
Maybe now I've conquered all my adolescent fears
And I'll do it better in my next thirty years."

Here's to some great years ahead.  I'm going to shoot for that thing where you find a man and make them your husband.  We'll probably be eloping...so stay tuned!  

HaPpY BiRtHdAy LiB-dAwG!!!

So Far, I'm Surviving 30!

Turning 30 isn't so bad.

My friend Jeremy and I ran away for the weekend - kind of? We took a small town Utah road trip, ended up all over the place with no plan, but a good time was had.

We started out Saturday morning from K-town and headed north on back highways. On our way to Minersville we saw The Parowan Gap. Checked out the Gap, and then headed north to the small town of Minersville, took a left and headed towards Beaver where we ate at a yummy little burger joint. On to the cheese factory, then north bound for Manti. On our way to Manti we decided to see Cove Fort (it's been a long time). We had a cute little senior couple sister missionary take us through the tour. Bless her heart, she had a farting problem, so it was hard to keep a straight face. However, the spirit was there, and that's all that really matters.

When the tour was over it was on to Manti to do a live session for our first time. It was pretty cool, and at times put a smile on my face. Wow those temple workers are amazing. When we were all finished they showed us the amazing stair case (only three in the United States and Manti Temple has two of them).

After the temple we went to Ephraim, found a yummy pizza joint, and then saw that not very far from Ephraim in the town Fountain Green they were having a festival for sheep. Just so happened that they were doing a firework show that night. So, we drove to the small town watched the fireworks then back to Ephraim.

(Rained in Ephraim and caught a beautiful rainbow.)

The next morning we drove through lots of small towns, over the Manti/La Sal Mountains, and into the armpit town of Price. I know! Neither one of us had ever been to Price and I don't think either one of us will ever go back to Price. But, now we can say we've been to Price. We did eat at a really good Cafe in town called Ty's Cafe which was amazing, and super cheap. After our filling lunch it was time to head south for home. We drove through more small towns, took the scenic Highway 89, up over Panguitch Lake, and down Cedar Mountain.

(Some lake going over Manti/La Sal Mountains...)

(Not sure what I'm doing here...this was in Helper Utah.)

Amongst the drive down Highway 89 I got a little heavy on the gas and got pulled over. ON MY BIRTHDAY!!!! Luckily, the Highway Patrol Man was nice enough to just give me a warning. Woosh. That would've been very, very, very bad if I would've gotten a ticket.

On Monday my friends (in Cedar) took me to my new favorite restaurant in Cedar City called Sweet Basil (Thai food). After eating some tasty food we went out shooting - totally random, but lots of fun. Let's just say I will never shoot a gun again. I hate guns, guns scare me, guns are bad, and I hate guns. I did do a little bit of shooting but was so shaky that it wasn't very enjoyable for me. Although, I did enjoy watching everyone else shoot the guns, and there was the most beautiful sunset.

(Kyle and Camaree trying to show me how to shoot.)

Dang - what a mouth full of Birthday fun. Thanks everyone for making my 30th so memorable and enjoyable. I really appreciate all the texts, phone calls, emails, and Facebook comments. And, Sydney thanks so much for the "30 Sucks" gift. I took it to work and everyone got a kick out of it, and enjoyed all the suckers.

30 does not suck, and so far, it's been a great week of being 30!!!!! Here's to 30 more wonderful years!

A Little Freaked Out

I'M TURNING 30, AND I'M FREAKING OUT!!! I have my good days and I have my bad days. I'm really trying not to think about it, but each day it gets closer and closer. (I mean really...I live with my brother, I can't pass chemistry, I'm still working on my FREAKING bachelors, (and yes, I have heard the joke many times about how I've been in school so long I should have my P - H - D!!!!!!) I'm not married and live in Utah which makes me an Old Maid, I work in the dirt - soon back to part time in the fall, my car is all broken, and I just feel like I can never catch a break! AND, yesterday I made a huge batch of salsa that turned out like baby poop! That was a mouth full of depression! Wink, Wink! As you can tell today is a "bad day.")

A few weeks ago, on one of my "good days," I had this idea to jump out of plane the day before I turned the big 3 OH! Really ring in this momentous age turning day. However, last week, because of few recent events, a few things have changed. As I was getting ready to make the date to jump out of a plane I had to get my car estimated, due to the DEER INCIDENT, after getting my estimate and realizing that my car was a tiny bit more important I still was staying strong on jumping. About an hour after I got my car estimated I broke a tooth on ONE little freaking Hot Tamale. "Seriously, that's IT, I've had it with life..." then I spit out the tooth fragments? I'm being a little overdramatic...just a tad. That tooth was the final straw! I looked to the sky and said, "FINE, I guess I won't be jumping - my tooth and car are a lot more important!!!" I looked to the sky because I felt that it was God telling me not to jump because my parachute possibly wasn't going to open...YOU NEVER KNOW!

So, since I'm not jumping I have decided to drive to the Manti Temple, do a live endowment, reflect on my last 29 years, and TRY to figure out the next 30 years. The Lord knows I have some major figuring out to do! Yes, I realize that Plan B could cause a car accident on my drive to and from, but since I'm going to the temple I hope that I will have a little bit of protection. Again, YOU NEVER KNOW. Maybe I was only suppose to be here on earth for 29 years...let me say it one more time cause it's not annoying...YOU NEVER KNOW!

As for the "defying gravity" I have decided that I will just go buy a really good expensive bra!!!