The Adventures of 2011 :)

As I think over this last year, I can't help but smile. It's had it's many ups and downs and I have been so blessed! This year has truly helped me to grow and develop into a better person. I feel as though I know myself better now than I ever have before. I feel very present and I am less fearful of things to come. I have a burning desire to move forward and accept whatever adventures lay ahead of me this coming year!

As I started 2011, I had just wrecked my favorite car that I had worked so hard for. I was sad to say goodbye to Susie Q. AND I really miss the cute turtle decal I had on the back with my 'One Love'

Poor Susie Q.

I was doing all I could to move forward and let go! I had discovered a love for ZUMBA and also going to the gym and running. I was just starting a new job at Clearlink. I bought a cheap car from my aunt and  decided to make the best of my time!

January 1 2011 after 90 min of ZUMBA!

A random run :)

January and February flew by quickly. In March things picked up a little. I had a LIV training in Las Vegas, My best friend Karen left to go serve an LDS mission in the Houston Texas, East mission and My sweet little Bandit went missing all in the same week. It was an interesting time. Thinking back now I can see why it all happened the way it did and even though it was strange it worked out for the best. 

I miss Bandit so very much! He was such a cute little dog. He used to cuddle with me every night and he would climb on top of me every morning to snuggle and give me kisses. He used to love to play with his leather glove and chase the birds out of the yard. I miss tickling him and hearing his frustrated little grunts. I hope that where ever he is that he is happy and well taken care of. He is such a good dog. 

April was filled with a lot of fun and celebration, and also brought change. We celebrated my mom's birthday with a bunch of her friends towards the beginning of the month.  I went on one of my favorite drives of the year at that time too. There was a full moon and I was able to drive up through Park City and up past Heber. There was a road that lead off to some camp sites that I drove down for a while. It was a clear night after a recent snow storm. It was incredibly beautiful. I remember it like it was yesterday. We celebrated my friend Lindsay's 21st birthday and I was let go from Clearlink. 

Lindsay and I at Mom's birthday bash

Lindsay's 21st Birthday

Dancing fools :)

In May I started working with my friend Bryan Strout. He is the biggest University of Utah fan I have ever met. We would do all sorts of fun things together! Bryan loves to go to the gym and workout and volunteer at the Human Society. He loves monster trucks and anything Disney. We had so much fun playing basketball and going to drum lessons. I was so blessed to be able to meet Bryan this year. He taught me a lot about living life without excuses and enjoying it to the fullest!

The highlight of my year came at the end of June this year. Music has always been such a passion for me and in February I was introduced to 'The Civil Wars' after a friend had seen them perform at Sundance. I fell in LOVE. They came and played at 

The State Room on the 28th and I was the happiest girl in ALL of Salt Lake City!!

The Civil Wars

Rhett, Ashley, Daniel

I spent the Forth of July with My friends Neil and Olivia this year. We went to Sugarhouse Park for the fireworks and then went back to Neil's house and played games. Towards the end of July there was a private weekend retreat training up in Sundance for Leaders in LIV. It was a blast!! We learned really important things. Especially the elusive pole trick....

At the end of July My twin sister Allyse gave birth the her second baby, Stephen James LaRue. This baby boy has been such a light and joy to get to know over the last few months. I am so in love!

In August I was able to participate in a LIV Adventure in which we hiked Mt. Timpanogas at night.  There was a FULL MOON which added to the fun! A bunch of us met at 11:30 pm on the evening of August 12 at the LIV headquarters and headed up to the trail. We hiked to the summit watched the sun rise. It was SO much fun!! 

Another highlight of August was Jared and Miki DeMann's Wedding in Sundance. It was the wedding of the year for me. I loved all of the weddings I attended this year, don't get me wrong... I LOVED this wedding most though. Everything about it was just so personal and creative. Great friends and wonderful memories were shared in celebration of two of the greatest people I know committing to matrimony!

I tried my first go at Bikram Yoga at the end of August with My cousin Tia. I fell in LOVE! 

After Bikram Munchies :)

In September I had a lot of random fun! At the beginning of the month I called up my long time friend Nash Allen and we decided it would be fun to go up near Snowbird and hike and find a waterfall. It was a crazy fun adventure!!

I wore shorts and flip flops. Brilliant!

Just can't make it!

Fallin. Don't worry I won't let go of the green ball I found!

His pants didn't make it. FML. 

My friend Moana came into town in the middle of the month and we went off on some wild adventures together! We stayed at the cabin in Sundance and had a ball. We helped spread the mission of Liv International while working at the Earthwell Festival with Joline and Stevie and road tripped to Vernal to play with some of our LIV familia there. We had car troubles on the way and had to be rescued.... It was a blast!

Later in the month we had another weekend retreat in Sundance with the Leaders in LIV. It was such an amazing weekend. I really loved this particular training more than the previous ones that I have been to. It hit me differently. It was a really trying weekend for me and I had to make some hard decisions. I learned what it is to really be in integrity with yourself even if it means disappointing people you love.

During October my grandpa was in town and we were able to go as a family to the Oktoberfest up at Snowbird. It was a blast!My mom and I decided to join in some of the fun and games ;)

 I was able to spend a lot of time at a cabin up near Sundance and also travel back and forth to Las Vegas to help some of my friends share the message of Operation Detox. I was able to meet The Brown's from the popular reality t.v. show 'Sister Wives' and spend time with them in their homes. They are incredible people and I am grateful to know them and look forward to all the fun we're going to have together in 2012! I also got to spend time with some pretty sweet dogs!

In November we took Saidi to ride the Heber Creeper for the first time. We had a lot of fun as we rode to the pumpkin patch and picked out pumpkins and then ate cookies and drank hot chocolate while we decorated them!

Thanksgiving was really low key this year. It was really special to me because it was the last time I was able to see my sweet Gram. She went into the hospital the week after with an infection and was put on hospice on December 2nd.

On December 3rd my grandmother JoAnn Timpson Richards passed away peacefully with my loving Grand dad by her side. I have missed her so much. She was such an amazing influence in my life. She taught me so much about life and she was truly the best example of a loving, devoted, and unconditionally supportive wife and mother.

Her funeral services were beautiful. She had requested a song called 'Still, Still With Thee' be sung. My cousins Abby, Sarah, Alyssa, and I sang it and it was just perfect. I was so honored to be able to share with my cousins in singing a piece of music that showed our talents that our sweet Gram had nurtured in each of us over the years. 

About a week later I wrecked my poor car! REPEAT of LAST YEAR??

WHY?!?

Christmas didn't feel the same to me this year. I made the best of it though. I spent Christmas Eve with my mom and then woke up the next morning and Went to Allyse and Shane's house. Later that day all of my siblings joined together at Amanda and Rob's for dinner and our girt exchange. It was awesome. Amanda's cooking was just what I needed and the kids made each moment enjoyable. Later I went up and visited my Grand dad and my dad. 

And then there was that funky night a few days ago where nothing seemed to be going as planned. So instead of sitting at home in a funk, Morgan came to the rescue!

As I sit here on New Year's Eve, thinking about this last year, I am grateful. I have truly been blessed with much. The hard times were out weighed by many joyful moments. I am so blessed to have many great friends who enrich my life daily. As I move into this next year, I am EXCITED. I know that life is only going to continue to get better. There are many new and thrilling adventures that await me in 2012. It will be a year of continual growth and development for me. I plan on continuing to seek new and better ways to improve the quality of my life and those around me. To reach my goals and to challenge myself daily. Look out! This is going to be one HELL of a RIDE!!