random pictures and a few thoughts

 Favorite Band EVER!!!! EYB! Highways and Broken Hearts is a great song... LOvE it!

Ready for Summer with flip flops and holey jeans

 Flowers a co-worker made me :)

 Snowbird!!!

 This is Aaron... he is addicted to Hockey.

 This is me and I am addicted to Instagram.

 A red Chevy. Word.

 Ladybug!!! I saw this little guy as I was playing Frisbee Golf.

 Old school fire truck. Pretty rad.

 Playing Frisbee Golf last week... it was SUCH a pretty day.

 Center Street Deli... it's in Provo and it's delicious.

 Biggest bottle of hot sauce ever.

 The Beatles. Classic.

Don't dump here.

Hey y'all! I am so ready for warm hot weather. I was able to play Frisbee golf last Saturday with Skyler and Carlie. We had a blast!!! It was like, 85 degrees! They thought it was hot... but I thought it was perfect. I am so excited for Summer and heat and flip flops and ice cold lemonade and BBQ's and trips to the lake and tan skin and watermelon! Heck yes... bring it on! After we played hippie golf Carlie left for a girls night so Sky and I hiked up around Bridal Veil Falls. It was pretty much the bomb.com. We always have a good time.

Work has been good. I am still learning all the small things that only come up on occasion. I feel pretty comfortable when it comes to the routine, everyday things. It's what we call "rush" right now with all the BYU/UVU students moving in and out of Provo. They call.... ME.... (well along with about 10-12 others that can do what I can except they do it better!!! lol) to set up their accounts. So yeah, it's been busy. I like being busy though. It makes the day go by so much faster! I love looking up and it being 5:55pm... that means I am only 5 minutes away from heading out the door to go home :) always a nice feeling... ahhhh sweet freedom.

Wwweeeeeelllllllllllppppp, until next time...

Cheers!

.insta insta instagram.

I love taking pictures! Of  pretty things, stupid things, funny things, random things... pretty much any and everything. Instagram is a new obsession of mine. You can frame and edit the pictures you take from your phone. It's a really nifty app. All the pictures above are ones that I took using Instagram. It gives me something to do on my lunch break! I find myself wanting to go outside or go for a walk just to see if there is something cool or awesome I can snap a picture of on my phone to share with y'all.

.oh hail no, snow.

I thought Spring had sprung. Ha, well... I thought WRONG!!! I woke up to snow this morning. Looking at it on mountains is fine. Seeing it fall from inside near a fire? Sure! I'm down with that. Driving in it and having to stomp through icy, slushy, dirt-nastyness in Toms or ballet flats? Not cool. Not cool at all. The picture above is how I like to picture winter and snow. Heavenly. Pretty. Beautiful. Pure.

The picture below is of a tree right outside the Provo City Center. This is how snow really looks. It clings to the branches of this tree for dear life until the wind blows. Then the flakes start falling slowly to the ground.... they PILE UP and make life horrible at 5:45am. (when we all know I hate life at that time in the morning anyway)

 

...then this happens. You step out your front door into a pile of it. It gets in your shoes. It messes up your hair. It blankets your car forcing you to scrape it all off. In the cold. Without gloves. Even if you had gloves some of the cold flakes would still somehow manage to find their way to the inside of them. They almost mock you. Little tiny flakes inside your gloves making your wrists and hands wet(ish).  

This. Look at it. It's gross. It's dirty. It's everywhere.

Well, not technically. I am being dramatic, I get that. I am just not a fan of looking at... this. Everyone up here laughs when they see me freeze on a "nice" evening or night. I shiver. I get cold easily. I am not used to the looks or wrath of this form of percipitation.

I want Summer. I want heat. I want a tan. BBQ's. Lakes. Boating. Friends. Sun burns.

I want BASEBALL!!! Texas Rangers style. At the ballpark with Rachel Fallows. Last year I went to a game with my BFITWFFFW (aka Rachel) and we bought our tickets there. They asked where we wanted to sit and I said "in the sun". It was a great day. GREAT!!! Shout out to Rach... I miss you giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirl!

Anyway. I am just sayin'

.food for thought.

I'm pretty sure I've been starring at the monitor in front of me for the past 10 minutes. Each blink of the cursor is taunting me to get with it and write something of importance. Something meaningful. Something I feel deeply about. Something I have experienced. Something that would inspire someone to better themselves.

Well...

I've got nothin'.

I read blogs, passages and stories of family and friends often. I read about their lives in places like New York, New York, Hong Kong, LA, and Scotland. I read about goals accomplished, hikes taken, tests passed, marathon's ran, close calls, vacations and miracles. I read about pain. I read about anger and fear. I read about love and happiness.

Sometimes I feel like hugging the blogger whose passage made me think.

Sometimes I feel inspired to get up and... move a mountain! Or move across the country. Or pack a bag, throw it over my shoulder and hit the open road to nowhere in hopes of telling stories of adventure, wonder and amazement.

And then....

I come back down from my inspired high-on-life attitude and remember... I am at work. I am infront of this same computer for 10 hours 4 days a week with $-22.91 in my bank account and just enough gas to get me home tonight.

I don't live a glamorous lifestyle with extravagant vacations and expensive handbags. I don't always live in the moment and milk life for all that it's worth. I don't always stand up for myself. I don't always treat others with respect. I make mistakes. I fall. I fail. I drink too much regular Dr. Pepper and I for sure don't get enough sleep at night.

I am not from somewhere exotic and I don't have a cool accent. My car needs fixin' and is usually on the verge of running out of gas. My nails are chipped. My closet needs to be cleaned out. I have a list of things I could do on my days off but I have a bad habit of procrastinating.

I am just me. I am one of 6 children born into a middle class family from Texas....AAAAAAAnd I pretty much rule.

Just kidding.

I really do think about all this. I take it all in. I realize where I can improve. I know that if I set aside money every pay check I could eventually afford an amazing get away. I know that I could graduate college if I re-applied and worked hard. I know that if I really wanted to, I could pack a small bag with only necessities and live off the grid... but that is just not me. It would be really awesome for about 2 days but it isn't realistic and I would probably end up hating it.

I love reading about other people's lives and the adventures they take. I love being inspired by their experiences and stories. I love reading something that makes me want to go somewhere or do something significant. Who knows... maybe my simple life is entertaining to someone out there. Food for thought.

Happy March 29th y'all...

.a weekend of awesome.

This weekend was amazing.

Carli turned 30!!! Shout out to the most amazingly awesome 30 year old red head hottie I know!

SIDE NOTE: Carli is my roommate. She lives in the basement of our adorable town home. We quickly hit it off as best of buds( "BOB" instead of "BFF" yeah that's right... use it. I dare you.) Anyway... Ever since our Vegas trip back in December we have pretty much been inseparable on Friday's, Saturday's and nightly between the minutes of 9:23 and 9:45ish. Lol.... random? Of course! But it is how we roll.



Friday night we ventured out to Keys on Main, a dueling piano bar right in the heart of SLC. We had a blast. The music was amazing and so was the company. Carli's sister and brother-in-law joined us for the fun. I woke up Saturday morning with a raspy voice thanks to singing along to songs like Billy Joel's " Piano Man" and an all time piano bar fave... Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". Needless to say, Carli had a blast for her 30th and we always let the good times roll.

Saturday afternoon I went out with my friend Trevor to an AMAZING Mexican food restaurant called The Red Iguana. It has been voted as "Best Restaurant in Salt Lake City" on Urban Spoon and was featured on Guy Fieri's "Diner's, Drive In's and Dive's". The food was seriously wonderful. With every bite, pure joy came over my taste buds and happiness filled my soul. If ever you are in SLC and you just need that Mexican goodness in your system... GO TO THE RED IGUANA!!!! You won't be disappointed. I took this picture of my plate. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called... but it had a chicken flauta smothered in this delicious guacamole and sour cream, a chili relleno that was to die for and a cheese enchilada that tasted like it was straight out of someone's home in Mexico. Ok, I will stop raving about it... or try. All I can think about is when I get to go again! Oh dear.... I'm going to need to bust out the sneak's and jog.... to The Red Iguana?! Haha... why the heck not?

After we ate lunch we went to a contemporary Sci+Tech+Art museum called The Leonardo... seriously, such a cool place! It was filled with exhibits that heighten intrigue and works of art that ignite the imagination. As you walk in the building you immediately transform from a thinker into a creator. All of the exhibits are interactive and entertaining. I think people of all ages could enjoy an afternoon spent at The Leonardo. It was definitely impressive.

After leaving the museum we decided to catch a movie. We went to see 21 Jump Street. It's wildy and inappropriately hilarious... Caution to parents of youngouns and people who get offended easily.... you won't like it. You would hate it. I on the other hand thouroughly enjoyed it and will possibly see it again or rent it when it comes out on DVD. I'm dying just looking at the picture of these two studs posted below.... and might I say, Jonah.... you look good in uniform, sir! Channing... you always look good.... shoot. 

After the movie I got home to Carli just in time to head out again for a St. Patty's day party at a friends house. Laughs, great food and a whole mess of green is what the night consisted of. Memories? Always.

Texas Trip Piczzzzzz.

Oh, hey!

And.... I'm back.

Here is the quick version........................

I live in Sandy, UT
I work for the City of Provo in the Energy Department
I am NOT a fan of snow/sleet/cold/nastyness
I miss my family and friends back home
I talk about home too much
I miss my wuppas (a.k.a my dogs)
I am single but ok with it
I am lonely but not alone

I can't believe I am still here in Utah. It has been a rough adjustment but I am doing it. I may be broke, lonely, cold, and lost.... but I am making it work. The first few months here felt like an extended vacation but shortly after that reality slapped me upside the head. I have worked for Cafe Zupas, Dr. Madsen, Target, a gourmet butter plant, a lady named Sharon, a Tax office and finally... the City of Provo. I have gained a "Utah family" but I have lost a best friend. The hardest part about being away from home has been being away from my Mom. Cancer. Chemo. Treatments. Medicines. Pain. And I am here. Away from her.... but she is incredibly strong. I love her dearly and I am happy that I have so many family members surrounding her and helping her stay strong.
Life keeps going.
Memories of "the old days" flood my mind before I finally get to sleep at night. I can't believe I am 26 already. The days of working all day and staying up all night just to do it all again the next day have come and gone. I have realized I just can't hack it anymore. I am too old for such nonsense.
The memories.
Heather and me getting all dolled up for Thursday nights at Red River, Sherlocks, partying, setting off fireworks in an apartment complex with law enforcement personnel, Nick, guilt, experimenting, being young and dumb, moving out of my parents house thinking I was hot stuff, James, living alone in an apartment for the first time, the police department, struggling with who I am, Michael, being too prideful to go home... my real home... and the list goes on....
But... I have grown up. I am still learning. I am still living. I am still loving. I am in a new place with adventures to face and new memories to make.
So for now, all is well... and hopefully, all will be even better soon...

Cheers!

.IPD RULES.

I have been with the Irving Police Department for 4.5 years. I loved it, hated it, enjoyed it, and dreaded it. I laughed here, cried here, fallen here (literally) and lived here (also literally). I have worked on New Years Eve to bring in 2008 and 2010. I have worked Thanksgivings, Christmases and birthdays. I have been through 5 boyfriends, 2 engagements and ... just a few flavors of the week. I have told co-workers about my life, my religious views, what makes me happy, sad, annoyed and grateful. I have talked late into the night with friends I now consider family. I have waltzed in with 1 second to spare and I have run through the doors 15 minutes late. I have said "rest in peace" to a co-worker and cried with my work family over the tragic loss.

I have calmed a hysterical mother.
I have pleaded with a man trying to end his life.
I have heard the cries of a family member losing a loved one.
I have been cussed out and beat verbally by angry people.
I have been shocked and amused.
I have been blamed and mocked.

I have learned things about myself that otherwise may not have been discovered. I have discovered who I am.

Making the decision to move to Utah was not an easy one. I dwelt on it, contemplated other options and prayed my heart out. I am not only leaving a job or career. I am leaving a family. A dysfunctional one but a family nonetheless. I am leaving my home. My real home. I am leaving my state. (God Bless Texas) I have mixed emotions but I know this is the right step for me. I am excited to start a new chapter in my life.

I am grateful for all the memories and friends I have made here at the Irving Police Department. Don't lie to yourselves, you hate to see me go but you love to watch me leave ;) heh heh... WINK!!!!

Y'all better keep in touch... COJO is over and out!

so PRETTY

The most beautiful rose I have ever seen :) So pretty, I just HAD to share it.... 

hittin' the open road in 9 days....

"I was too legit. I was too legit to quit... but now I'm not legit. I'm unlegit. And for that reason, I must quit." -Rod

...SO I DID!!! I have resigned from the IPD. My last day is July 11th and I am moving to Sandy,Utah on the 13th. I am excited, scared, nervous, anxious and happy all at the same time.

I am excited to start fresh. I am excited to discover what I really want out of life, move forward and struggle along the way.
I am scared to leave behind what I have known for the past 25 years. I am scared to leave the stability of my job and the friends I have grown to love.
I am nervous to be on my own in unfamiliar territory. I am nervous to leave home.
I am anxious to meet new friends and see my family. I am anxious to see what the near future holds.
I am happy with my decision and I am happy that I know its right. I am... happy.

The dictionary meaning of home (hohm)-noun:
       1. A place where one lives; a residence.
       2. The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment.

Home is so much more to me... "Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other.  It is the place of confidence.  It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts.  It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule." -Frederick Robertson

A little over a year ago, I returned home. I had come back from being away... not only had I been away physically, but emotionally as well. But the moment I walked through the door that night I felt the kind of love you only feel when you are truly home. It was warm, friendly, inviting and happy.

To leave the security of my home is going to be rough but exciting. I find so much comfort in knowing that I can always return. Whether it is just to visit or to stay until I get back on my feet, I can return home and be welcomed with open arms. I have my parents to thank for making it so special and filled with love. It truly is a safe harbor from the unpredictable winds of the world.  

Ok, that is just about all of the mushy crap I can stand to write in one post...

I get to hit the open road with a car full of nothing but clothes and shoes... maybe a toothbrush... ok, and hair necessities... BUT other than that I really don't have much. Talk about starting out fresh! Ah, it will be greatness. This Texas girl is heading to Utah... do y'all think they are ready for me up there? It sure will be fun finding out...