I Love...Family!

My family is dysfunctional, crazy, and sometimes unbearable. But we're also a pretty great bunch of people when we get together.

4 generations of head-strong, German women: Great Grandma (Bertie), me, Grandma (Audrey), and Mom

Holding my cousin Peter whilst my Dad holds me. (And yes, it's okay to say it: I *am* adorable, aren't I?!)

I heart my Dad. Always will.

Mom, me, and my sister (who has somehow seen fit to forgive me for teasing her that she was adopted).

Celebrating the opening of my sister's LDS mission call with our lovely grandmother.

My Dad's side of the family. A crazy bunch we are!

With my parents, grandpa, and sister at the airport before I left for my LDS mission to Colorado/Wyoming.

I Love...Laughing!

Note: NEVER e-v-e-r leave your camera alone when Casey, Amy W8, and I are around. Just sayin'... :-)

Laughing whilst dancing with Luke W.

Wet and tired, laughing with Sister Marta at Hanging Lake (Colorado).

I Love...Celebrating My Birthday Corner Gas Style!

Some of my favorite Corner Gas bits:

Karen Pelly: I got a riddle for you, Hank. Okay. A plane crashes on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Where do they bury the survivors?
Hank Yarbo: Hmmm. Tough one. Right on the border, huh? Well, is there one larger chunk of the airplane on one side?
Karen Pelly: No. It's broken directly in half, distributed over the two sides.
Hank Yarbo: Wow, that's really tough.
Karen Pelly: [Repeats herself] A plane crashes directly on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Where do they bury the SURVIVORS?
Hank Yarbo: OHHHHH! The *survivors*.
[pause]
Hank Yarbo: Bury one on each side. 

Oscar Leroy: Let me answer that question with another question: Shut up!

Brent LeRoy: [in Dog River's extremely small library] Hey Alice, I was wondering if...
Alice: Shh!
Brent LeRoy: Pardon?
Alice: [whispering] This is a library. Shh!
Brent LeRoy: Well, we're the only ones in here.
Alice: [whispering] I'm sorry Brent, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave if you don't keep it down.
Brent LeRoy: [whispering] Okay, I was just wondering if you had a book on child psychology.
Alice: [still whispering] On what?
Brent LeRoy: [still whispering] Child psychology.
Alice: [still whispering] "Jives on top of me"?
Brent LeRoy: [sarcastically] That's right Alice, I want a book about jives on top of you. 

Oscar Leroy: Don't come crying to me when you need a fuzzy red lobster!

Hank Yarbo: [Brent and Hank are wearing the same shirt] Look at us, we're identical!
Brent LeRoy: We're not identical, I have different pants than you.
Hank Yarbo: Yeah, I don't even wanna get into your pants.
Brent LeRoy: You're not gonna with that kinda whining.

I Love...My Sister

I only have one official, biological sister (unless there's something my mother and father haven't told me, haha). That is much to my great disappointment. But even though I begged and pleaded, prayed to Heavenly Father and petitioned Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, all I got was the one sibling.

Which actually turned out just fine because my sister is amaze-balls!

We've always been close, despite the 7 years, 7 months, and 7 days difference in age.

With my sister when she returned from her LDS mission.

Holding my sister just after she was born (8 weeks premature).

Together in front of the Idaho Falls LDS temple before she left on her LDS mission.

At the Missionary Training Center (MTC) in Provo. See the orange "dork dot" on her black name tag? I had one of those too when I entered the MTC. Ah, the memories!

Just chillin'.

Chillin' some more...

I Love...People with Down syndrome!

There's such a tender place in my heart for those who are perceived as "different" and/or "unwanted" or "unlovable."  Two of my cousins (one from each side of my family) are autistic, which has brought this issue very close to home for me.

When I was at university, I had the privilege of directing a group called Unified Sports. The volunteer-led organization provided a weekly activity for people with Down syndrome and their families. It was during this wonderful time of service that my love for people with Down syndrome blossomed. Some of my fondest memories are from this special time.

Orphans with Down syndrome harrow my heart with a great force. Someday I will bring (at least) one of those precious children home to live with me. And someday I will be in a financially abundant position to enable other families to do the same.

Until those somedays...

At the Special Olympics when Dustin won (another) gold medal!

With Dustin as my "date" to a dance. (Love my crimped hair, eh?)

With Eli Rios, a previous "boyfriend" with Down syndrome. (I break the hearts of these poor boys, huh? Haha.)

With Dustin at his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. So proud of you, Dust!

I Love...Children

...Probably because I act like one most of the time, haha!

My "niece" Brooke. Love her!!!

Hangin' out on the 4-wheeler. Sooooo much fun!

Despite the "head-butt hello" from Sammy here, he's super fun to hang out with!

Holding a sleeping Jackson Keith. He smelled soooo good!

With Maddy

I Love...to Dance!

Hip hop. Hula. Irish. Folk Dance. Clogging. Lyrical jazz. Ballroom. Salsa. Ballet. I haven't yet met a form of dance I didn't like.

One of the things I miss in my workaholic life is the opportunity to dance as much as I used to. Oh sure, I dance whenever and wherever I am: clogging down the aisle at the grocery store, bustin' a move while I'm driving, practicing ballet positions while standing in line--even doing a series of Chainé turns down the hallway of my office to pick up prints from the printer (like I did today!). But it's not the same. Not sure how to incorporate dance back into my life. I might not be able to have a career as a back-up dancer for Paula Abdul/Janet Jackson or be the principal ballerina in the Nutcracker as I dreamed of doing when I was younger. Hopefully, though, I can bring the happiness of dance into my life in a more structured, consistent way.

My ballet debut in the Balloon Dance. And yes, if you ask really nicely, I'll recreate this pose for you in person. But only if you ask REALLY nicely. Ok, let's be honest: I'll do it without anyone asking!

Practicing my clogging routine in my apartment. (I'm sure my neighbors below LOVED that!)

Even on when serving my LDS mission, I couldn't NOT dance! Here I am teaching the hula to seniors at a care center where we served each week.