TOP TEN OF 2010...

I know...it has been FOREVER since I have blogged. I have missed doing so as it always gives me an opportunity to reflect upon the highlights in my life. And, since I was just asked to give a talk on gratitude in church in a few weeks, I thought that I would start here. In order to catch up to speed and in an effort to capture a glimpse of the positives of 2010, I have made a list of my TOP TEN from 2010. Here they are in no particular order... 10- The Marines Educator Workshop in San Diego, California- January 2010. I also got to go to the Washington State University Educator Workshop in Pullman, Washington. - October 2010 9- My friends wedding in Utah... Diana and Brad are a fabulous couple! - June 2010 8- Mid Singles Conferences in Huntington Beach, CA (April), Indianapolis, IN (November) and Seattle, Washington (July). I met Paul in Indiana and we dated for a few months. And, I was on the committee for the one in Seattle. They were all great experiences and a lot of fun!!! :) 7- Trip of a lifetime to ALASKA aboard the Golden Princess with the Hoffenreich family. Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay and Victoria. AMAZING!! -June-July 2010 6- Our annual family reunion in Midway, Utah. We had tons of fun at the outlets in Park City, we went on the Alpine Slide and the Zip Line, we went on the Heber Creeper, we enjoyed yummy food, we played lots of games and most importantly just enjoyed our time together as a family. I got reunited with my mission president who is the stake president in Midway. - July 2010 5- I had the amazing opportunity of reuniting with my fun friends that I served with at Academy For Girls. We had an incredible weekend of spirituality and fun in Midway, Utah. I love these women and honestly stand in awe at them and am humbled to be associated with them. What a blessing Academy For Girls was in my life and it continues to be so! - July 2010 4- My mom and I had the great blessing of attending Especially For Women at the University of Utah. It is a week long camp with women from all over the United States and Canada. The focus of the camp is to help us to recognize and remember our worth as daughters of God. We are taught amazing life lessons from what to wear, to ways to serve others, to building a lasting and strong relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ. Mom and I loved this experience and would LOVE to go again this coming summer. I stayed a week longer in Utah this summer so that I could also attend BYU's Education Week. I definitely was needing a good shot in the arm of spirituality and that is what I got this summer! - August 2010 3- I continue to enjoy my job as a high school counselor at Graham-Kapowsin High School. Last year, I had a senior student that I worked really closely with. At the end of the school year, Tommy ended up short in his credits and received word that he would not be able to graduate. This was a very difficult and discouraging time for him. One day, I invited Tommy into my office for a lemonade party. I told him that although life had given him lemons, he could make lemonade. I then gave him his options of what he could do to finish up and get his high school diploma. Tommy chose to come back to GK to take a class the first semester of this year. At the end of the semester, I got an email from Tommy informing me that he had made lemonade out of his lemons and that he had finished up his class, that he was graduating and that he was getting his diploma. 2- I had the amazing blessing of serving in the Primary Presidency for the first half of 2010. I loved my calling and thoroughly enjoyed serving the children in the primary. I was also very fortunate to serve with incredible sisters. My call in the primary taught me a lot and I am so grateful. In August, I was released from the Primary Presidency and was put into the Young Women Presidency. Once again, I am so blessed to serve with amazing sisters. My young women are incredible and I am always impressed by their continuous desires and efforts to stand for truth and righteousness amidst today's trials. They are awesome and I am learning a lot in this calling. I love it! And, I love my ward. :) 1- Without question, the number one best thing that happened in 2010 was the birth of my little angel niece, Emma Kimberly Knight. Emma was born on October 27, 2010 to Jeff and Ashley in Portland, Oregon. She is the best! I had the opportunity of helping Ashley while she was on bedrest in September for a weekend. It was a blessing to be able to serve so that this sweet baby could enter the world safely. Plus, my sister-in-law and nephews are tons of fun! I also got to go to Portland the weekend that Emma was born. I love holding her and cuddling with her. I also got to witness as Jeff blessed Emma in December in Utah. That was also a very special experience. Ashley has been great and has text me pictures of Emma regularly. Honestly, everyday that I get a picture my day is so much brighter. I love being an aunt! Emma is a true blessing to our whole family. I love you, Emma! :) So, this comprises my TOP TEN IN 2010.

Ketchikan!!!

Ketchikan was our final port in Alaska...and perhaps my most favorite. I loved the little town and I loved all of the totem poles that were around the area. I have to admit that I am a huge fan of totem poles! :) Our shore excursion in Ketchikan was also my favorite!!! We went ziplining through the 2nd largest rainforest in the world...the Tongass Rainforest. It was crazy and lots of fun...all at the same time! :) I LOVED IT!!! :)

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Perhaps one of the most amazing things that I saw in Alaska was Glacier Bay. It was absolutely stunning! The coolest part was to hear the glacier breaking and then see pieces...LARGE pieces...fall into the water. It was right there...right in front of our faces! Amazing! And...yes...it was FREEZING!!! But so worth the experience! :) Also, we had some fun times out on the boat. It was super windy. Jen, Zech, Mom H. and I all went out to the front of the boat. We tried to run into the wind...it was seriously hilarious. Mom H. entertained us by singing camp songs. Looking at these pictures just make me smile. Hope they do the same for you! :)

Skagway Hall of Fame

I found this to be really interesting when I got off and on the boat in Skagway. On the side of the mountain there, different crews from the different ships had left their mark. If the crews really liked their captain, they would climb to the highest area and paint their ships name and captains name. The higher the artwork, the more they appreciated their captain. There was also a skull painted to represent Soapy Smith...an individual that made a huge mark on the history of Skagway.

Liarsville Salmon Bake

Part of our Yukon excursion was a stop in Liarsville for a delicious salmon bake. The history of Liarsville is really quite interesting. There were a few journalists who had come to see the gold rush in Alaska. They went back to the states claiming that there was a ton of gold to be found in that particular area. Well, when the gold rushers came through, they found nothing. As a result, the area was names Liarsville.

The Yukon Suspension Bridge

One of our excursions in Skagway was the Yukon Suspension Bridge. It was pretty cool to go through the Yukon Pass and on into Canada. This was the route that many of the gold rushers followed when they were searching for gold. It was cold but SO beautiful here! It was also lots of fun to cross the Yukon Suspension Bridge.