A Bitter Sweet Change

January 30, 2011

Yesterday I woke up with the feeling that something good was going to happen to me. I got up, met my parents for lunch in Salt Lake, then decided to go test drive some Jeeps once again.

I have been looking since about November. A friend of mine from college, Jeff, works at Hinckley Dodge up in Salt Lake. I have been testing a few of the newer Liberty's for a while because my 2003 was getting up there in miles (168,000 to be exact), and I just don't know enough about cars to hang onto her much longer I'm afraid. She was still working well, but it had been 5 years with her, and I felt maybe it was time for something new. I had a feeling in me on Saturday that I would find it.

Jeff and I wandered around the lot for a little discussing payment options of what I could afford. I'm really not that wealthy--I'm a poor teacher after all. But, we decided to check the used lot to see if there was anything there worthwhile. We found one!

I had tested about four others with Jeff, but they all had severe cosmetic detail issues or were missing the "sunroof" or other features that I loved about my Jeep. I knew I'd find the best one when I wouldn't feel sad about leaving my old one. Today was the day.

We found me a 2008 Jeep Liberty Limited--it is probably the nicest thing I have ever owned. It has only 24,000 miles it and it is leather interior and full of fun fancy features. It is also black--which means I'll have to clean it more often...but I think I'll be okay with that. I saw the sunroof and the low miles and it was love at first sight. Once I was in, Jeff and I knew we'd found a winner.

Here's a quick shot of her at my parent's house in Idaho. She is a lot of fun to drive.





And in memory of my old Jeep, here's a few pictures of her. I will miss her--but we had some great memories!

I had taken her to many mountain peaks in the area--she was a great little off-roader.

This was her at her 100,000 mile mark. We celebrated that day!

I think this change will be good. I feel really good about it--until I see my monthly payments go up and the insurance too...good bye spontaneous shopping!

Snowshoe #8--Mineral Fork Night Trip

January 28, 2011

Eric and I finally made our nighttime snowshoe trip happen! And we drug Linda along too! It was great--here's some proof!

Eric teaching us about snow hoar...

A close up of the snow hoar.

Linda admiring the snow hoar

The trail we hiked...I don't think we made it very far.

Some rolling snow stuff...

Eric says this was some mining thingy...


We crossed this little bit of creek--it was a little intense...but fun!

Linda and I after we crossed the creek.

Some bunny footprints

I was testing my camera out to see if it would get a good shot.

Eric knows so much about snow--he was getting ready here to show us the layers of the snow so we could learn about how it packs. I feel I gained a lot of knowledge from Eric.

Feeling A Little Overwhelmed...What Have I Done?

January 25, 2011

Tonight I had the chance to go to my district office to be presented to the school board as a National Board Certified Teacher. It wasn't until they started talking about how great it is that I realized...I may have dug myself a big hole...

Being National Board Certified is great--but now they expect more from me! They expect me to do stuff! What have I gotten myself into!

But--it was neat to meet more teachers and be able to spend some time learning about what I actually can do to make a difference. I am excited for the new direction this certification will allow me to go.

Here's to new adventures in learning.

Me before the dinner trying not to be nervous...

Jason's Mexican Dinner

January 18, 2011

Jason and I made a trade--for me teaching him some Thai food, I decided he should teach me an authentic Mexican dish. Jason served his mission in Oaxaca, Mexico, so he learned to eat some interesting things there. For this dinner though, he made me some chilies verde enchiladas and a jicama salad. It was delicious--and fun to help him make.

Jason, the chef, cutting up the pear.

The finished product--it was very fancy! His presentation gets an A+!

Me partaking of the goodness. It was delicious.

Snowshoe #7--Willow Lake

January 17, 2011

For Martin Luther King Day, since we were out of school, Linda--my old roommate and I, decided to go snowshoe. We brought along our friend Emilee who had never been before. We decided to do a trail to a lake called Willow Lake. This trail went straight up...

But it was beautiful--even if the snow was terrible.

My favorite trees! Quaking Aspens

Part of the steep little hill we climbed

Me

More trees

The storm cloud in the distance

The beaver dam out on the lake

I decided to venture out to it--as you can tell--I was not the first, so that is why I was brave!

Me on the dam

Linda got brave and joined me out at the dam

Emilee and Linda decided it was better to slide down the hill.

I've decided I've gone enough times this winter to get my money's worth for my new snowshoes--but it does not mean I'm done. I still have a few trips left in me I think!

The Thai Dinner

January 15, 2010

At my ward's service auction, I auctioned off a Thai dinner. My friends Spencer and Bailey bought it. They are getting married in July, so it was fun to have a chance to do something with them before their big day (I know--it's still a ways away.).I auctioned off cooking for up to four people, but they told me I could be the third and fourth if I found a date. So--I thought about it--and I invited Jason because he is becoming an expert Thai cook as well.
Bailey and Spencer asked for curry, pad thai, and drunken noodles. Jason was so good to come and help me prep all the things and even cook them. He also made the dessert--sticky rice and mangoes (I taught him well!). The dinner turned out successful--and I have two pictures of the food to show of it!

The Pad Thai

Pad Kee Mow (aka as Drunken Noodles)

I think I'm getting pretty good at it! And it was delicious. Now--time to learn some new ones--I think my next one to learn is Thai barbecue pork that my mom makes for her wanton soup. Yummo :)

Trip #6--Being Braver

January 8, 2011

Jason and I decided to give another night hike a try, since we got scared during our last one. We decided to go where we've been night hiking before--and it wasn't as scary!

We went up Doughnut Falls again--but in the dark--you miss things you usually see in the day--like the trail head. As we were hiking, we suddenly realized we were on the opposite trail we'd taken out last time. I got a picture of it.




In the dark--it was more interesting to think about what is lurking out there. A few times we scared ourselves by thinking we'd heard something. I think it must have just been our snowshoes making funny sounds...

It was so white out there!

Me looking like I'm up to no good--I probably wasn't...

Jason decided we needed to take a funny face picture--little does he know--my face is funny most of the time!

Taking a normal picture--it was about here we decided to turn around and head out.

On our way out--I think we heard more things...and we saw wildlife! A mouse ran across the trail and scared us. But--we lived to tell the tale...

We have yet to make it to the falls...maybe the next time we will!

Trip #5--The Almost Trip...

January 5, 2010

Since I had so much fun with Jason the week before snowshoeing Corner Canyon, I decided to let him take me to Rose Canyon. He's been wanting to go there for a while. So, I said ok.

A little background on Rose Canyon. It scares me. Literally! My friend Mindy has hiked and snowshoed just about everywhere in Utah alone--and she refuses to go up the Oquirrh Mountains by herself. That is a huge thing to me! I've hiked up Rose Canyon before with my roommate Linda, but we brought a gun with us. Every time I go up Butterfield Canyon or those up there--there is always some wildlife.

So Jason and I decided to go Thursday night. Ha! Night!

We headed out after he made me dinner and so it was dark. There was a sliver of moon in the sky. We got out on the trail and started moving. I was glad there was enough snow to wear our shoes in .

The trail up Rose Canyon

As we were going along though--I'd forgotten my beanie. Jason made me put my hood on my head. This limited my peripheral vision...and scared me a little more. With Jason's light and the darkness...I think I freaked both of us out. I remember saying something like, "What if there is something out there stalking us...but we can't see it because it is so dark?" We probably only made it 10 minutes down the trail.

But seriously--mountain lions and cougars don't hibernate in the winter....do they?

So, we turned around and decided to save it for a day time trip. Stay posted to see how it goes if we make it!

Jason with his snowshoes

This was when we turned around. I felt much safer.

I Don't Believe in Resolutions...

January 1, 2010

So--I don't believe in resolutions. Why? Because it is just another thing to make me feel bad about myself when I reflect a year later and see that I didn't accomplish what I set out to do.

Like flossing. This year I decided I was going to become a flosser. That lasted a good three months. I fell out of habit. So--reflecting on it, I realize my teeth are not as strong as they could be. Good job, Amy.

I think I gave up on resolutions several years ago. I had a talk with a bishop one day, and we were chatting about goals in life. We talked about how New Year's resolutions just never seemed to work out. But we talked about goals and how they do.

So--we talked about different kinds of goals. Long term goals and short term goals. I have both kinds of goals I work on. The short term are to give me something to accomplish for an immediate gratification--to keep me motivated. The long term are to help me to become something amazing.

I have a goal board in my room though that reminds me of these goals. They are divided into quadrants to help me to maintain balance in my life. I have quadrants of social, spiritual, physical, and educational. One thing I've learned though is none of these matter unless I am focused on one thing--and that is the Savior. When he is the center of your life--everything else is supposed to fall into place.

So--a goal this year is to work on my relationship with my Savior more. I know there is plenty of room for me to do that. And I think it will help my other goals--like get enough sleep, or to pay off my student loans, or to become a positive thinker, or to not be so perfect all the time.

One more reflective thought for tonight--I just finished reading a book of my dad's by George Durrant called, My Best Day So Far. In it he talks about how each day is our best day so far. I am going to try to live that philosophy this year...some positive thinking in action.

So to my friends out there--Happy New Year! Don't forget, as my mother would say, to clean yourself for the new year--by bathing and washing your hair. I love my crazy Thai traditions!