Celebrating Am-bo

Last Sunday night my friend Kimberlee and I threw a birthday party for our friend Amber. We decided to make it a dessert party, so it gave me an excuse to make cupcakes! Kimberlee put together an amazing array of ice cream toppings. It was all delicious and beautiful!

Here's the table ready for our guests to arrive.

Kimberlee, Amber and I at the party. These 2 are amazing and I'm grateful to have friends who are such kindred spirits. Love them.

Kimberlee, Amber and I.

Me, Jessica, Nick. As most of you know I love people who entertain me. Jessica and Nick are 2 of the most entertaining people I know. So glad they were at the party. Keep up the good work guys.

Amber took pics with most of her guests. Here she is doing a 90's-ish friends photo with a few of the peps from our branch.

Getting ready to blow out her candles.

Deciding what to wish for. At least one wish came true, she was able to spend her birthday eve with so many people that think she's great, what more could a girl ask for? Happy birthday Am-bo. You don't look a day over 25. :)

Sometimes things just aren't for me....

As many of you know 2013 has been a year of new adventures for me. I have tried many new things and discovered new passions in life. However here is my Disclaimer...this blog post is meant to both give myself courage to continue to try new things and remind my future self that paint ball...well it's just not for me. 

Last Saturday after running our 10 K, and eating a divine breakfast, my friend Kimberlee and I headed off to meet up with our branch for a paint ball game. Turns out paint ball in a group, where many of the players have never played before, takes FOREVER to get organized. We arrived at 12:30 and didn't begin playing til around 3pm. Here are some photos we took in the process...

Looking tough.

Finally got our gear...Here's Kimberlee.

Me Looking tough.

Our group ready to hit the field.
We actually had a really great group of people and I enjoyed getting to know the people that came. The reality is, however, when it came to paint ball...I pretty much had to tap out after a couple of games. Can't win them all.

Congratulations, you (really) did it!

Last Saturday morning I ran my first 10K ever! It was my first real race, at least as an adult. My friend Kimberlee invited me a few weeks ago to do the Santa Monica Santa run. I was a little nervous about trying to run 10K since the longest I've ever run consecutively is 3 miles, and a 10 K is over 6 miles. My plan was to train/build up to it over the 3 weeks between when we talked about it and the run. Turns out, however, one of those weeks was thanksgiving week, followed by a rather lazy trying not to get sick week after thanksgiving, and the week before the race trying to get my but in gear. Anyway I arrived at the starting line of the race ready or not.

Kimberlee rocking her Christmas-ie outfit complete with furry leg warmers. Love it.

I decided to got the ugly sweater route with my outfit. Yes, that's a glued on Santa beard under my number. Don't hate.

The runners in the shoot. Kimberlee was telling me about a woman who she met in line for the bathroom who kept talking about getting "in the shoot" to get ready for this ten K. The thing is it was a silly fun run for most of the participants so using the term "the shoot" seemed a little silly.

Ready to get on our way.

Ran by my friend Ashley and her cross fit group who were dressed as reindeer and were pulling one of their injured members in a wagon dressed as Santa. Super cute.

As we ran along we chatted, listened to our music, and were thoroughly entertained by all the people around us. I just took it mile by mile and ended up being able to run the whole way! It was a proud moment for me.

Here I am still smiling after over 6 miles of running. 

Kimberlee ready to run across the finish line.

Congratulations, you did it! It felt amazing!

Work Christmas festivity

Last Thursday was much anticipated night of fun for the staff at my work. We had our Christmas party! The staff has been fundraising all year to make our party nice. Here's a pic I took of my hair...it was supposed to show how big it was...but the phot doesn't really do it justice.

 My work bestie, Marlou, and I ready for the party. 

Marlou, Me, and Mayada (one or our per deim OT's) looking classy.

Hott rehab ladies....Tarra, Mayada, Me, Ashley, Marlou, Kelly...

PS. yes Teen I know my eyes are closed...but it's a super cute pic. 

The rehab staff at the party! Tarra, Me, Marlou, Danielle, AJ, Ashley, Kelly, Mayada, Michelle.

Full time Rehab staff! The dream team (minus Ben, who was out of town). Me, Marlou, Danielle, AJ

Besties!

For some reason we had a belly dancer for entertainment at our Christmas party, doesn't really seem very Christmasie to me....Here's one my favorite nurses Sana dancing with the belly dancer. Shes's so cute.

Me and Mayada

Beth (on the left) Our director of staffing is one of my favorite people our facility. She is spunky, fashionable, and fun loving. She has been a really important cheerleader for me in my "weight loss journey". She bought the dress I'm wearing in these photos to let me know how proud she is of me. Seriously one of the best people I've ever met. Sana is one of our nursing supervisors and seriously the back bone of the facility. She know all of the pts and staff. She encourages open communication between departments and is alway willing to help whenever we need her. She is always willing to bluntly give advice &  laugh with me. AMAZING WOMEN!

More of our amazing staff. Melchu (social work), Elsa (med records, sweetest woman on earth), Me, Kristy (charge nurse), Remi (treatment nurse, funny and sassy)

OT picture! Tarra, Mayada, Me, Kelly, and Ashley. We have great per diem staff!

Marlou and I both won prizes in the raffle....Not sure what we're going to do with what we won but we were excited none the less. :)

At the end our the night after having a great time partying it down on the dance floor, eating good food, and laughing till our stomach hurt.

Dressing up and Playing games...

 Last Saturday one of my friends had a Roaring 20's birthday party. It was a dress up party, and we all know how much I LOVE dress up parties so of course I was in. While I was home for Thanksgiving I went through our old family heirloom costumes and found the perfect dress. That along with my pearls,  another family heirloom, made my costume just right.

 I started out learning to play Craps. It was a lot of fun and I cleaned up turning my original 500 chip to over 5,000...blowing on the dice and lots of yelling really did the trick.

 Here I am with the birthday girl, madam Dani herself!

 Me with my winnings. I was pretty excited.

 Winnings from the craps table.

 My friend Kendra and I enjoying some 20's music in the lounge.

 Me and Amber sporting our costumes.

Me, Amber, Ryan at the black Jack table, kind of a boring game compared to the rest. Right after this pic I went to the poker table where I learned to play all types of poker, I had an amazing bunch of teachers and it was lots of fun! It was a night of good fun, new friends, and lots of looking hott. Loved it!

Gratitude weekend with the family

 Thankfully, I was able to go home for Thanksgiving weekend. Our Thursday started off with Brianna and I going for a jog in hopes of warding off the holiday pounds this year, followed by a Yoga session with our nephew Adden.

 After doing some cooking, slicing open my thumb, and getting ready we all went to watch my brother in law play mud football with some peps from our home ward. It actually looked like a lot of fun. :)

 After we got home we headed over to Grandmas house for a day of feasting. Here I am with my dish a Sweet potato and acorn squash casserole. It was savory and delicious.

 Eating thanksgiving dinner, talking about how much we have to be grateful for.

 After dinner came our traditional cousins photo shoot. Here I am with my sister Brianna waiting for the other girls to be ready.

 Cousins, looking country. Addie, Sadie, Brianna, Tara, Katie.

 It started getting dark...Hug shot.

 I'm not really sure what we were up to here....but we look cute.

 Looking normal. :)

 Jumping pic.

 We took this pic, with space in between for Callie our baby sister who wasn't able to be with us...turns out that friendly cow filled the space. Miss you COW-IE.

 Love this pic of me and my favorite boy. :)

 Me and my beloved Sadie

 Adden wanted a picture with all the girls. So cute.

 Next came making gingerbread houses. Here we are hard at work.

 The cousins all crowded in for gingerbread house making.

 Brianna and I with our final products.

 The group with our houses.

 My brother and I with the house we worked on together.  Such a wonderful day with the fam.

 The next day we were up early ready for our next adventure.

 Matthew, Me, and Brianna doing our best T-rex dance moves...We're weird I know, but I like it. :)

 It was Grandma Shirley's 81st birthday so to celebrate we went out to Aunt Lynn and Uncle Brian's property to hike around. We started out by singing happy birthday and each sharing something we love about our independent, hard working, intelligent Grandma.

 Then we were off Hiking and running around the property.

 Checking out the site where they are going to build their house. Such a beautiful place. After Hiking we napped, chatted and spent the evening with our Griffith side at Grandma and Grandpas house. Another great day.

 On Saturday B and I got up early again to have breakfast with these lovely ladies our 3rd ward besties! Love these girls and so glad we got to catch up.

 It was a lazy day with a bit of shopping, crafting, napping and cookie making. Lovely and holiday-ish.

Cookie time at the Griffiths. Sunday was hanging with the fan, playing some golf and church before heading back to real life. It was a great weekend and a much needed break from the fast pace of real life. So much to be Thankful for.