poor fishy sad fishy

It's no surprise to anyone to find out that I love animals. I recently got two little 13 cent fish! One didn't have any front fins, Major Captin Fin, the other was perfect, who I named Prudence. Major Captin Fin died the third day I had him, which I was expecting because of the lack of fins. Prudence died about a week later which I was very surprised about. Poor thing probably died from a broken heart. Well about a week and a half had passed since Prudence had died and I wanted another pet fish so I went to Walmart.I was looking at the 13 cent fish trying to decide which one I wanted to take home with me when I saw a sad looking Koi. This poor fishy didn't have a dorsal fin and his mouth was swollen and puffy. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor fellow. So I bought him, the sickly looking fish, for a dollar (because he looked so bad and is probably going to die soon I got him for a bargain price). I got him home and realized how big he was. I didn't even have a tank big enough to put him in. So I found a plastic tupperware container to keep him in. Underneath is a video of him when I first brought him home. You can see where his top fin use to be and you can kind of see how is mouth is all ripped up and swollen.

I wasn't sure how long Butch (that's what I named him, Butch Cassidy) was going to stick around. He was in really bad condition and I wasn't about to spend a nice chunk of money on a tank big enough for him if he was just going to die. And he didn't know the difference between an actual tank and a container. Well after having him for three days I decided to go out looking for a practically priced tank for him. I didn't find a single one that I liked. I came home upset and was trying to decide what to do with Butch when my dad told me that he had an old fish tank somewhere that I could use! I was so excited. Being the wonderful person he is he dug it out of the back of the garage and brought it inside. It was a big ten gallon tank! Perfect for Butch and a couple friends! I spent all today cleaning dead bugs and spiderwebs off the tank, pebbles, and decor to go in the tank :) Dianne and I ran the the store and bought three friends for him and put them all into their new home. They are all so happy, even Butch has perked up and is swimming around with them! I love my new fish.

 

My four fish: Top Left is Heavy Metal. He was our 25 cent fish and is smaller than most of the 12 cent fish. Top Right is Oi. She's our big 12 center. Bottom Right is Scrawny. She was caught up in the net when we were getting Oi. And in the middle is Butch Cassidy my 1 dollar Koi :)

Puddle Jumping! In Jaunary?

It sure doesn't feel like winter here. There is no snow on the ground and it's raining. But I have something much more interesting to talk about than the weather.

I went puddle jumping. Last night. In the month of January!

I have never said that before in my life. Wierd. It's definitely not been an ordinary winter. It's kind of upsetting that there's no snow and it being warm outside, but it's also brought some grand times.

So last night I was coming home from tending Eliana and it was raining, there were puddles everywhere and I had a very strong desire to go puddle jumping :) I called up Katie and she recognized  the urge as well! So at seven that night we got bundled up in coats and shorts to go play in the rain :)

the before picture

The water was freezing! But it was so much fun! Something about the rain just puts me into a good mood and playing in it amplifies that mood ten times!

It had been raining hard the whole day so there were nice puddles everywhere waiting for us. Unfortunately by the time we got outside to enjoy the rain it had stopped. At first we were both disappointed but we then decided it was a good thing. If it had still been raining it would have been sooo much colder than it already was.

I sure am glad I have a friend that loves to do crazy things and loves the rain just as much as me!

 

The water was so cold that our feet went numb. It was a weird sensation to try to walk with numb feet and it was funny to try to run! But before they went numb and after, when they were warming up, they sure did hurt!!!

There were leaves. There was mud. There was ice. During one of the first jumps from the curb into a puddle we both landed on a patch of ice under the water! Thankfully we didn't slip but it was a nice reminder to be careful.

 

the after picture

It doesn't look like it but we were soaked! The movie below is Katie taking off her shoes when we were finished.

When we were walking home, after we had had our fill of jumping into puddles,  we were cold. We were wet. Our feet hurt and we were hungry. It was then that we got a tiny little glimpse to what the pioneers experienced when they made their trek to Utah. 

You grow up hearing the amazing stories of the pioneers. About how much faith they had and the hardships they had to go through to get here. You get told stories about how they walked threw the snow while pulling their handcarts. You try to imagine how cold they must have been without coats and shoes but you really can't. Well we felt a sliver of that last night.

I am so thankful for those faithful people!  

Happy birthday Grandma AND Grandma

Happy birthday to both of my Grandmas :) I'd just like to let every know that I have THE best Grandmas a girl could ask for. They have been, and still are, important role models in my life! They played a big role in my life by raising my parents! Both of them weren't just moms... they are WONDERFUL moms! And for that I am deeply grateful! I am beginning to see how much hard work it takes to be a mom. I have been given a glimpse into motherhood. It is a very small one but boy has it been a big eye opener for me! Everyday for the past couple months I tend a little 12 month old girl. She is the cutest little thing I have ever seen! She is often the highlight of my day :) But I have already learned why mom's can be so tired. I am so excited for motherhood and to have my own cute little kids, but thinking about how I am responsible for them, how I have to take care of them 24 hours a day, and just imagining having more than one little person running around scares me a little! I am scared but I'm not too worried; my kids will be well taken care of by my two sisters, my mom and both of my grandmas! All I have to say is that BOTH of them better be around when that happens!

(my guy life is kind of at a lull, not that it really ever started, so I may not get married until I am well into my 30s. Just a warning for you Grandma. You better live forever!) 

2012? the end or the beginning?

New Years Day; As I was sitting in relief society listening to the lesson I was writing in my notebook. I wasn't writing anything specific, just about the thoughts that were rolling around in my head. I was thinking about the year that has past, the one that is on it's way and what it holds for me. I was also thinking about my "new year resolutions". (I really hate that we call our goal-setting-in-the-month-of-January that. It just has such an awful ring to it). Anyways I was sitting there writing down some long terms goals I have, you know where I will be in five years kind of list. I started my list with things like:

Returned Missionary

Married in the Temple

Done with College

Traveled the world

Okay not the last one but things like that. It then dawned on me that these are awful goals to have! I was focusing so much on what I want to have done in 5 years and not WHO I want to be! My list drastically changed after realising that. Actually not just my list changed but my perspective on life in general. I can't always control what other people choose and how it affects me. I can't control my surroundings and what happens to me, but I can control my attitude, my choices, my desires and my spiritual growth! My list then looked more like:

Be a Proud Daughter of Heavenly Father

Have a Killer Testimony of the Atonement and of Jesus Christ

Be Worthy to Enter the Temple

Live in a Way that People can See Christ Through Me

Another thing that helped with the "new year resolutions" was found in Luke 2:52: And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favour with god and Man.
Christ developed in those four categorizes. Wisdom (intellect) Stature (physical) Favor with God (spiritual) Favor with Man (social). So I made a goal for each of those. Be like Christ, Follow His example.
To say the least I'm excited for this new year. I can't wait to see what it has in store for me. I look at who I was, where I was at and what I knew this time last year and I hardly can believe it's the same person. I really didn't realize how much I have grown in a year. I loved 2011 and I hope that 2012 is just as good to me :)