Just.Cant.Stop.

Forgive me (in advance) for the lack of grammatical & punctuational correctness as I am attempting to Blog via mobile.

So I'm reading this book by Gary Chapman called ''The Five Love Languages''. Chapman describes 'how to express heartfelt commitment to your mate' by way of 5 different things: Quality Time. Words of Affirmation. Gifts. Acts of Service. Physical Touch.

Needless to say- I recommend it to anyone and everyone whether you're married or not. The kind of love he talks about can be applied to friendships...your work environment...church...just in the way you treat people & how they want to be treated. Not everyone's love language is the same- which Gary says unfortunately results in divorces and split families.

I picked this book up at our local Christian Bible book store for about $15...but my guess is you might score a good deal on Amazon or EBay.

And yes! I read too much. I'm still working on the Left Behind series...im now on book 9 out of 12. I'm still working on 'Walking With God'. What else am I going to do for 8 hours a day? Do get the book! And DO share it w/everyone around you!

Aspire to...and you will Find.

I aspire to not gossip
I have found that I wouldn’t like people talking about me, so I wouldn’t like to talk about them.

I aspire to do my best in college and come out swinging
I have found that there is more to life than who has the most friends or comments on MySpace or Facebook.

I aspire to be an awesome mom and the betty crocker wife
I have found that that’s all I’ve ever wanted to truly be.

I aspire to make mature decisions
I have found that I’m several steps ahead of most people my age..and I stand tall knowing I reached a point of maturity early in life.

I aspire to choose my friends wisely
I have found that the friends in my life the most are the ones worth fighting for.

I aspire to never follow the crowd
I have found that what the world says is right, popular, cool and fun... is generally always wrong.

I aspire to forgive and forget
I have found that holding grudges is nothing but a burden on no one’s shoulders but the one who carries them.

I aspire to never be jealous of what I wish I could have...or what I don’t have
I have found that I am far more blessed than not only most people my age, but most people in general.

I aspire to throw away my pride
I have found that it’s not the clothes you wear, the cars you drive, or the money you pretend to have that matter.

I aspire to make smart financial decisions
I have found that money will NEVER buy you complete happiness; the fun always wears off.

I aspire to show more compassion
I have found that in time, people need to be shown they are loved and cared for… even when the rest of the crowd doesn’t see them.

I aspire to take good care of my body; mentally, spiritually & physically
I have found that you only live life once and you can never take back a decision you have already made and completed.

I aspire to smile and laugh often
I have found that life is too short to be jealous, demeaning, prideful, lustful, and overall negative. There are so many more things to be thankful for to ever have to stop and be concerned with who is doing what or what juicy gossip has been leaked your way and who you can tell it to next.

I aspire to follow God’s Will and be compliant to the standards He has set for me as a child of the Most High
I have found that that is what life is all about and THAT is why I aspire to always do the best I can, yet be fully aware mistakes will be made, judgments will be passed, things will be said, and people will talk about anyone, anything and everything, opportunities will rise and at the same time be taken away, pride will come and go, jealousy will sting and hurt for a while… but that’s okay.

It’s not winning the race that rewards you; it’s having fun doing it and having the strength & endurance to persevere till the very end that makes every second worth trying.

Decisions.

Sometimes when you least expect it (or when you choose to neglect what's coming to you all along), life throws you a curve ball. It doesn't always have to be a bad one, no one ever said a curve ball was a bad thing, just another move in the game of life to mix things up a bit...make it interesting.

You can put things off as long as you want to, but it only builds up more and more, the more you choose to do so until the pressure is so incredibly strong, everything else, important or not, becomes obsolete. You know it's there, and so does everybody else. I find myself "weighing my options" in most every situation. Perhaps that's my way of coping with tough decisions that come my way, but for the most part, it generally works. I'm stuck in a scenario where I have weighed my options to either a) follow my heart and go with what I know is right or b) be stubborn, stay behind and be miserable yet..content in some factors.

It's easy to be a in comfort zone. And it's even easier to want to stay in it. We can't always live life in a place that makes us feel warm and fuzzy..who knows..we could be missing something great on the other side. Sometimes we have to jump on the train and follow the long road ahead.

Take risks in life, and don't be afraid to be happy.

Today, I am thankful for: Bible group, prayer, warm apple candles, VS lotion, socks, and fleece blankets.

Here's Your Free Boost:

Don't tell God how big the storm is...tell the storm how big God is!

Who Loves You?

I DO!!

Since the day I met you, I knew there was something very unique about you. About everything about you. I loved the way you talked to me and smiled at me…even in my childish immature ways. And I know I was nothing more than an annoyance to you (and Ryan). Every night at camp was dreadful, because I knew at some point during the night, I would have to leave you. Every morning was a blessing, because I knew once again I would get to see your smiling face! Of course, not being quite yet a teen, I was smitten with any boy that paid any attention to me in the least, and you gave me more than the other boys, so you were always my favorite. I was sad because I was aware that once camp was over, those little butterflies flying around in my stomach would soon collapse from our soon-to-be growing distance apart. And I couldn’t imagine never seeing you again- or at least until next year’s church camp took place. A little birdy revealed to me that you actually lived in Roseburg! I was so excited! From that point on, our relationship kind of flourished- awkwardly. I was first friends with Tab. From Tab I met Jordan, plus Jared and Rachel. I remember spending Graffiti together with a group of our friends (I miss your Jeep) for years. We spent countless movie nights side by side and went on many riding trips. It’s amazing to find that our favorite hobby brought us together, and at one of the places we love the most. On January 19th of 2008, I met my best friend and saw him in a whole new light. Fate, I believe, played a large roll in the beginning of “You and I”. The night before, we had plans to go to the dunes with Jordan and Pickens. Jordan ended up having to go back to school, and Pickens remembered he had to work the next morning, so, that left the two of us. We were so anxious to go, we just decided to meet up at your house, load up your quad and drive to the coast! I remember how awkward, yet no-so-much the drive over there went. We talked about a whole line up of things…the way your truck sounded (and smoked) when you fired it up, all kinds of engine stuff (that went WAY over my head)…but I listened and pretended to understand, because I knew that’s what made sense to you. We got so excited because everyone in Roseburg said the weather was going to be terrible at the coast (it was raining in town), however, about halfway there, the sun shined so bright we could hardly see. More serious conversations fell, and I remember becoming frustrated with my history of relationships (mainly just frustrated that I didn’t have you), and asking you “is there something wrong with me? Am I doing something wrong?” You kept assuring me I was doing nothing wrong, but just attracting all the wrong people. I kept hinting at what you might be looking for in a girlfriend. You reminded me of how much I “matured” over the years, blah blah blah. We talked about that most of the way to the dunes. We had a great day. The sun shone most of the day, and sprinkled the rest. We rode for a couple of hours at Horsfall and took a lunch break to Taco Bell, as we usually did when we went to the coast with friends. After Taco Bell, we drove back over to ride again, only this time, it was raining harder. We sat in your truck watching the rain fall for at least a half an hour, picking up where our conversation left off earlier. The rain didn’t calm down for a while, so we decided to go to the end lot and walk out to the beach. We walked around talking for a while, and checked out the wrecked ship stuck in the sand, and laughed about how we could easily pop a tire riding on that beach! Once the rain slowly died down, we headed back to truck and stopped midway on the little wooden walkway they had built leading up the beach entrance. We had a conversation talking about how good of friends we’ve become over the years, how much we’ve grown up, were alike, and how much we’ve experienced as individuals. We were glad to be able to talk again after about a year of ‘solitary confinement’. We went back to the dune entrance and rode some more. I remember night time fell and we decided to go to Spinreel and do a little night riding. We both knew it was crazy because no one was out there in the event we needed help, but we were young and dumb! We did it! We unloaded the bike in the rain and went for it. The very first large dune we came across was entirely too steep, for any quad really. We plunged into the sand and I fell backwards as the bike came to a sudden stop. The dune was as vertical as it gets. We laughed, after we realized neither of us was hurt, got back on the bike, and took off to head back to the truck (it was safer there). It was a long, eventful, yet successful day. We grew a lot in our friendship and brought our comfort level back to where it use to be and then some. We spent about a year forbidden to talk to one another, and yet it felt like it was just a day. The first half hour of the drive was silent. We both knew what each other was thinking, but neither of us wanted to be the first to fess up. Finally, out of nowhere, you spoke up. The first line out of your mouth was “So, I want to know how you feel about me. As in, you and I.” I pinched myself like they do in the movies. I just knew this wasn’t happening. I had been head over heels for you for years, but just came to realize that nothing would ever come of it. I had convinced myself that I wasn’t good enough for you, and that you deserved better. I sat there silent, and repeated your question in my head a million times over until it dawned on me that you were really being honest. “Say something!” you demanded. Hahaha. I wish I could have, but I was in too much shock. I had to roll my jaw up off the floor before I could muster up enough courage to answer your question. But I did. I could have talked your ear off with all the built up conversations I had ran through my head all day long. If you didn’t say something first, I would have. We agreed to slowly work our way into our newfound relationship, to “get to know each other better”. That never held true. From that night on, our relationship flourished immediately. Not a day went by that I wasn’t completely head over heels for you. To this day, January 19th of 2009, one year after our solo dune trip, I am still head over heels for you. This letter could go on and on and on, but you know what all fits into the empty spaces, and that’s what matters. I’m only reminding you of the beginning as I remember it like it was just yesterday. Fate put us through so many trials and tribulations from one relationship to another. I think the reason we were never satisfied is because fate wanted us to be together. It is perfect, because it was suppose to be. The best part is, we have so much more to look forward to. Our lives haven’t even begun yet. To many more years spent together…

Sandy Weekend.

Kay..so we decided to go camping on the dunes for the weekend. We got there and decided to go into town and get some dinner. Soo the boys grab the lock and run it through the spokes of their d-bikes and gas cans. As we're leaving, we see one more gas can in the back of my truck that we had missed, so they go to unlock the padlock and it just turns- it will not release. So we've got two bikes and three gas cans stuck in a line. We decide to deal with it when we get back. ...We get back to the camp site and try to work the lock some more. It really wouldn't budge. So luckily, we had two extra quads on board that they rode for our night ride until we could find someone who had a lock cutter in the morning. We get ready to head out for the ride and my battery was dead. I spent a good 15mins being lugged around the parking lot trying to get a boost. Anywho, morning came and the boys placed their credit cards as collateral in order to use a Polaris shop's lock cutter.

So we set out for our ride. Not a half an hour in and my boyfriend's exhaust nearly falls off and he loses a front fender, too. THEN, Kyle (one of the amigos) discovers his CRF250 motor has seized. A few of us ride back to the trucks and I aired down the tires in the truck for it's first trip onto the sand to come to the rescue. About 30 minutes later, we find the boys and pull the bike up into the back of the Ford. I pull the front of the bike up, and SOMEONE had the brilliant idea of giving it a good shove, jamming it into my knee cap and further damaging my previous 1,000 injuries to the SAME knee-never fails. So, we get the bike loaded up and are followed out by our other friend Reece, whom along the way busts his clutch cable. Shortly after he busts his clutch cable, his back sand tire pops.

We get back to the site and we all pile in the truck to return the lock cutter and get replacement clutch cable #2. To make a long story short, he broke that second clutch cable that same day, the generator in the RV wouldn't turn over so we didn't get to eat, and our trailer came unhitched from the truck on the way home.

(Okay, so the last one was fake). Aside from all that...we DID get a few cool pics:

Today, I am thankful for: 4 wheel drive, tire pressure gauges, Metal Mulisha, and good riding buddies.

Till tomorrow~

Ohhh, Let Me Tell Ya Bout My Best FriendS!

Here's the story of some of my good friends, in absolutely NO order. My life would SUCK without each and every single one of them. In our lives we have people that make a difference. Well, these are the people that make all the difference in mine:

This is Zach. I met him when I was 12 years old, at literally one of the greatest places in the world: Camp Crestview. I had been working as the children's pastor assistant and she asked me to come and help her with being on staff at church camp. I remember Zach walking through the doors of the manor. And I also remember, we hit it off right off the bat. He has been a dear friend of mine ever since. We spent many vacations together on trips with our other youth group friends, etc. Needless to say, our friendship grew. There are so many things I could tell you about us and our adventures, but I would write a never-ending novel. Finally after about 7 years of friendship, we both realized something...and here we are almost a year and a half into an absolutely flawless relationship (I didn't even know such a thing was possible). But our love story is another blog. He is the BEST friend (and mechanic, haha) I have ever had in my entire life.

Oh..and this is our Russian "love turtle", lol, Tork:

Also, Christmas of '09, Zach gave me the perfect present!:

Then, there's Kirstin. I met her in 8th grade. We immediately hit it off. We spent hours in our math class writing ridiculous songs with a few of our friends for our "band", Pink Ice. Dear goodness. She was JUST like me! She was always so much fun to be around. She moved to Arizona when it was time for high school. It completely broke both of our hearts, and many things led up to her leaving. MANY, many things. Some good, some bad. Mainly just bad. We were there for each other through break-ups and life's little surprises. It's amazing to find someone in your life who will be gone for months at a time (sometimes a year), and they can come back the same person they were when they left. Things are never awkward between us, and she has always been and will continue to be one of the greatest friends I've ever had. There is so much history in our friendship, there would, again, be another novel. Kirstin also had a baby girl named Shalynn. Shalynn is also my goddaughter and one of the sweetest little girls you'll ever meet. And she has such a personality. I do miss you very much K*Boy. I miss swimming at the lake with you and Sammy, eating at Asia Gardens, our "ritual" at the Mall, and screaming at the top of our lungs to any song that came across the radio. Come home soon, kay? I love you.

And then you've got Rachel. Rachel is also Zach's older sister. Rachel and I became friends shortly after Zach and I did. We are all actually part of a large group of friends that unfortunately, is now scattered across Oregon due to college, jobs, and marriage. Rachel and I have stayed close for a very long time. She always makes me laugh, and from what she's said, I make her bust up, too. What are friends for, right? She's my shopping buddy, my stressed-out-after-work buddy, my Michael's coupon clipping buddy, my Hills buddy, my "soft-peaks" buddy (inside joke)...pretty much my buddy throughout everything. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Rachel in my life. She keeps me calm, and proper..yet WILD AND CRAZY! And I am slowly getting her EXCITED about riding the new quad that her and her husband Jared (I'll get to him) recently bought. We have so many memories together..and they go WAY back! We still laugh about the time that we all went camping (you know, the one where I wrecked) and Tab fell asleep and woke up in a puddle with a soaked pillow in the tent! That camping trip was littered with so many funny and oopsie! memories. Anywho...I just LOVE YOU!
Jared. (Yes, this is Rachel's hunny- the dude in the picture right above this sentence). Apparently, he is my brother...or so people tend to think. I guess we kinda (?) look AND ACT alike, hahaha. I met Jared when I met Rachel, only because they have been together since Dinosaurs walked the earth. He just cracks me up. We laugh about the same stupid stuff, and finish each other's stupid sentences and swap some elbow when something gnarly goes down. Only a true friend would understand some of the ridiculous things that come of out my mouth, and Jared does! We have an odd understanding of each other. He's a stud. Pretty much just a stud..and a pretty chill guy. Him and Rachel (they come as a pair, you see) have made such a huge difference in my life. Without these guys, the experiences and adventures in my life would be so small and uneventful. We have spent lots of time together swimming, camping, having movie nights, routine Sonic trips, Frisbee Golf, finding crazy rap songs to totally distort, bonfires, riding (now that they got that sa-weet quad!), scrappin up in the mountains, and just enjoying the fellowship between good friends. Jared's the goof and Rachel simmers him down. Life just wouldn't be the same without you guys just a mile away!

This is the "Helix"

(You know what they say: "Like brother, like sister"! )

Finally, there's Jordan. I also met Jordan through that same large group of friends from church camp (and just church in general). He brings out the hick in me. Well, actually, he brings out a lot of things in me. If there's anything you need to know mechanical wise: Jordan's your man. He has always been there for me and is always there to cheer me up when things just aren't going right. He always finds the right time to say the things he does and acknowledges even my smallest of achievements. It's good to have people like that in your life and Jordan fills in a good part of that gap. We have also shared many hysterical and unforgettable memories. He, too, was also at that camping trip years ago, which is the trip that really kicked off our friendship (now you can see why this trip was so important). I'll never forget the look on his face when I wrecked the Wheeler's quad and bust my face on the handlebars, putting my teeth through my tongue. "Dude! Are you okay! You don't look so good!" (as the blood is spurting out my tongue). It's always exciting to hear when he's down visiting for the weekend, because, like most of our group, he is off at college and working...so to get to visit (or go scrappin up in the backwoods) with him with all of our friends is a blast and moments to be cherished. Oh..and I'll never ever never forget the Obama muffin, the tarp, and the riding helmet pillow :) You are such a blessing in my life!

This was a trip, Zach, Jordan and I randomly took at 10pm to Diamond Lake. We took J's truck, grabbed the camera and loaded up the 50 for a night of fun! After hours of spinning cookies and riding the bike in a snow blizzard, we got home around 4 in the morning. I will NEVER forget this night!

These are the friends who make a difference in my life, both big and small. Not a lot of people go through their lives with as many close, amazing, uplifting, and inspirational friends as I have in my life. Not a day goes by that not a single one of them cross my mind. When I am sad, I just think of all the great memories we all share together and it's amazing how quickly doing something like that can just turn your frown upside down. Friends are important, and God plucked just the right ones off the branch to place in my lap. I give them a lot of the credit for the joy in my life. I hope and pray we always close and even when we're all old and wrinkly, we always hold dear those silly memories from years ago, and that we can continue to build new. Each and every one of you are an inspiration to me in one way or another. I think about them throughout my day, every day, and thank God for the little blessings he's placed in my life. These people aren't just my friends, they're my BEST friends.
(^ R.I.P Pumpkin Patch! ^) - Don't ask ;]

This is part of the "group". Tab, Zach, Jared, Rach and Abby @ the Jeremy Camp concert.

Another random trip to the coast for a day with the friends.

Oh, you know...just vandalizing Tab's vehicle with wedding paraphernalia.

Josh, Zach, Rach, Tab, Jordan and Trista (L-R)

(And yes...this was THE camping trip :)

Dodge This.

I am ashamed to say I never did inform any of you of my recent LARGE purchase. After almost a year of having people lug my quad around on their truck/trailer, I finally sold my 30+ mile to the gallon Honda Civic and bought a 13.1 mile to the gallon Dodge Dakota, also known as the love of my life. It's a perfect truck..and yes, I am proud to say, I AM one of those people who rant and rave about their "rides" and how my life has changed ever since. Bahahaha.

So the Dodge got a bit of a make-over~

The day after I brought him home:

After a few mini-mods (Infinity sound system, Flowmaster exhaust, and black wheels):

He's about due for some news tires here within the next year or so, at which point we will then UPGRADE to 32's and give him a bit of a boost (aka- "lift").

Here are some of his guts:

V8 (318) Magnum power, baby!

Oh! And I almost forgot! The same night I bought him, he we scrapping in the Callahans. The very next morning, he went scrapping on Seven Devil's beach in Bandon, Oregon with some of the greatest people I know: