Latest Updates

A New Beginning

It has definitely been a much happier week for me with the regards of what happened prior to me, returning back over to the elementary school this coming year. I am incredibly grateful for the many people who have continued to watch out for me every week, and I feel so blessed to be back at a place where I can reconnect with my former students. I have loved being a part of this wonderful school for the past seven years and getting the chance to learn from the teachers that I have had the privilege to work with has been nothing short of a dream come true!!! Over these many years, they have taught me so much more than I ever thought was possible for an individual like myself who has the struggles they have and feel so immensely blessed by their goodness/examples to me!!! Stay tuned later on for more updates and stories throughout this school year to come in the many months/weeks ahead!!!! :) 

Self Advocacy Speakers Network - Third Presentation: SDM


NEXT MONTH---I will be doing a another presentation with this remarkable network and sharing my message of hope with so many people around our state of Utah. We are going to be presenting to a group of staff at one of the many independent living centers in Salt Lake City, Utah at 9AM and cannot wait to let them know what it is that we do to make our voices heard despite what many other people think. I'm super thrilled to be a part of this network and having the chance-- to learn so many things from them as well as what it is we are going to share with them. I know it has been such a long time since I last presented this subject to a group of people just like myself who need to be educated on various things that are important to us each and everyday!!!




New Era Article - February 2011

As many of you know this article came out in the New Era Magazine several years ago, and it was supposed to be about the first year of when my older sister created her Special Needs Ballroom Event. All of us who were participating got interviewed by this intern for the magazine and asked us various questions--- specifically on how this event truly came to be what it is today. I definitely shared a lot more information during those interviews than what you'd probably see inside of the article, but it was such a treat getting to feel somewhat or if not kinda "famous" for a period of time!!! And if you would like me to autograph it for anyone of you reading through this blog post, I would be more than happy to do that at any given moment ;) It is truly such an incredible article and one that I'll admit will or maybe not bring a happy tear to your eye for some reason or other. 

Other Life Update:

One of the many life updates that I have continued to neglect sharing on my blog for quite awhile and just never really knew how to explain it. I know for a lot of people it is truly just the most thrilling announcement somebody can make and have this thrill of excitement inside them, but for me I am still trying to figure this stuff out in my mind for the next little while. I've been volunteering at a local elementary school for the past seven years and a person like me whose absolutely loved it more than anything in this world, you would think for me that can be a very simple adjustment for me to not feel uncomfortable with. I definitely know that after hearing people tell me just the experience of what it is really like and how great I will be than there is no other choice left, expect to just slowly begin changing my attitude about it and just go along with it. In other words, I am going to be an aunt in the spring of 2018 and to be honest about all of this-- I can't really find the words to know what to say/feel/understand/respond or think in just how much fun this experience is going to be. I know it seems like such a big transition for me right now and then once it gets closer, I will probably have a better idea of things and just realizing that this isn't what I had expected to hear... because after seeing my older sister married for six years that they would already have kids by now. I am fairly certain things will get easier as time goes on and trying not to overthink everything in my head or else it could easily become a lot harder than it really should be. #HopeForTheBest

Back To School . . . One Month Later

I know that most of you were probably not all too happy about school starting up... but if you know me, I am more than just super excited to return back-- but getting to do something that I love with all my heart.

I'm super thrilled to be announcing my return back to Westridge Elementary School this coming year and I honestly couldn't be more excited!!! I have really learned to love the school, working with their amazing students and faculty over these many years... but it has certainly turned into a wonderful/life changing experience for me. I love helping kids with anything that they need help with and getting to work with some of the best teachers ever has continued to be such a privilege. I know that this school year started a month ago, but since things in my life kind of got put to the side for awhile-- I've had to keep my focus on that and get myself together after everything that has happened. I cannot wait to get back into the classroom with my new to be third grade students and having an opportunity to help out one of my many favorite teachers!!!! I will also be helping out in a first grade classroom again this yr and I am thrilled to be meeting some new people, (hopefully they will enjoy having me in their class as well as getting better acquainted with them too!) 

It's certainly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I can't wait to do something that I not only love more than anything-- but sharing it with so many people!!! This will be my 8TH year as a volunteer at the Elementary School and I know it's been a very long time, but so worth it in the sense of everything that this experience has taught me. I have absolutely grown & learned lots of things from having been doing this for as long as I have... but seriously though, I love kids and can't wait to be in their presence again!!!! 

When I started this experience SEVEN YEARS AGO--- I never thought of myself being very good at helping with first grade students let alone kids for that matter, but it has continued to be such a fun & amazing experience for me. I'm grateful for the happiness and joy that they continue to bring into my life on a regular basis, but having said that-- I know that my life has never been the same and I can't wait to learn more from them during our time together.

Free Write

I came across this wonderful quote a few weeks ago, on my Facebook News Feed and ever since then it has continued to really stand out to me. I know that having reflected on this for the last little while, it has continued to make me really think about how important it really is to have faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ regardless of whatever situation we are facing. I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life everyday and to know with a certainty that we'll not ever be given something that my Heavenly Father wouldn't be too easy or hard for any one of us to deal with. 

At one time in your lives or another, you have heard the phrase: "Fake it till you make it." and to me this never really made sense in the back of my mind about the emphasis behind what it truly means. I know for me if there was something I had been struggling with in my own life and tried to do whatever I could to "Fake it till I made it to the end and was able to look forward with my head held high... than that is probably what I would have chosen to do instead of just simply doing what I know will help me through any situation. It is simply just amazing to met hat until I saw this quote on Facebook and thought of just how much more important it is to never give up on ourselves (let alone our Savior to help guide/direct us on the straight and narrow path of where we need to be.)

Untitled Post

I'm sorry for neglecting to update my blog within the last couple of weeks, but so much has taken place in the last couple of weeks that I haven't really felt like writing too much. This last week I attended a camp out with my independent living center as well as a other one from the Salt Lake area and to be honest with you, I didn't really know if I was going to do it or not--because of everything that has been going on in my life... but it certainly seemed like a good way to get out of the house and spend time with my friends who I really ever see that often. I'm not necessarily much of a camper myself but getting to do it with other people just made it a little more relaxing for me and I am grateful that I was able to be a part of it. Despite a little bit of rainfall that we had to endure while being there, all of us enjoyed spending time together as well as getting to do some arts/crafts which I will say were actually pretty fun (since there was not a lot of activities planned expect for just laying back and hanging out with everyone who was there.) I really liked being able to meet some new people and reunite with some of the friends that I've known for the last couple of years (due to other activities that I have been able to participate in with them.) It was a little hard not being able to see some of my other friends that I wished had been there with us, but in the end I felt really grateful to be a part of this one and enjoy some time away from the chaos and busy things we all have to do in our lives everyday. 

Special Needs Institute

My twin sister and I started attending special needs institute at Utah Valley University awhile back, just so we could do something together and get my twin sister out of the house for a little bit during the day. It has definitely been such a wonderful thing to be a part of and getting to learn about the gospel has made me really feel more blessed to have something in my life that reminds me of why I'm here on this earth. I greatly miss our previous legit institute teacher more than anything in this world and getting to learn from her was such an incredible experience for me that I will cherish for the rest of my life!!! I am looking forward to what this new semester has in store for us and cannot wait to learn more about what I can do to live a more happier life each day...but we'll see what happens & how things will turn out for us from here. 

Westridge Elementary School Carnival 2017

One of my neighbors posted on our ward's facebook page that they needed extra volunteers to help out with activities going on at the elementary school's carnival & my mom asked if I would be more than willing to help out with it. I was definitely indeed more than thrilled to do whatever needed to be done and getting that chance to see some of my former students again was super fun for me!!!! I actually got to help out with one of the many games that were taking place & somehow it ended up being the most popular for the kids to play... which kind of surprised me considering how much other stuff was going on there at the same time. I really hoped to have run into both of the teachers I was going to be working alongside with this year and getting the chance to talk to them about things, but I'm kind of thinking both of them must have left home before I showed up to do what I was asked to help out with. It was a little bit of a bummer and considering the fact, if I'd been there earlier in the afternoon I would have run into them but no worries-- I had a lot of things on my mind & just needed to focus on what I was there to assist with. Overall, I was grateful for the experience more than anything else in this world & having the chance to do something fun instead of just chilling all over around my house for an entire night-- but I loved every single minute of it more than I could even put into words right now. I'm anxious to get back over to the elementary school and begin my official volunteering duties again in both of the classrooms I hope to be of assistance in this coming year!!! 

Extended Summer Vacation

My summer vacation hasn't necessarily come to an end & that is simply because two of the teachers I plan to help out with over at the elementary school this coming year, need a little bit of extra time to get all settled into their classrooms before I can just randomly show up and do anything. I am more than willing to let them have as much time as they need to have their feet under them, which is just perfectly fine with me to say the least. Even though I feel incredibly anxious to get back into things and help in anyway that I can possible with both of those teachers, I need to continue enjoying my summer vacation!!! I am incredibly excited for what it is to come within the next few weeks as well as getting the chance to attend a reunion of my dad's cousins up at Lava Hot Springs for the day. I'm hoping our trip up there will go over successfully and everyone is going to have a wonderful time--- being able to catch up with each other. We are also planning on attending my first ever home BYU Football Game on my mom's birthday and despite the fact I'm not feeling as thrilled about it as you would think I'd be on this.. I am more than willing to give it a chance for the time being. I will also have the opportunity of attending a camp out with my Independent Living Center and the one from Salt Lake who will be hosting this together for me and my friends!!! I am thrilled to be participating in this activity considering the fact that it never happens all too often, but I think it will be awesome having the privilege of spending time with so many amazing people. After all of that happens, I am hoping to get back over to the elementary school and talking with both of the teachers to see how we can possibly make it work for me to volunteer in their classrooms. I am hoping for an incredible year of adventures and experiences to help me become a better person in this world, but until that point I'll definitely continue to remain patient :) #MoreToComeAboutThisLater. 

Special Needs Ballroom

About eight years ago, my older sister who was crowned Miss Provo 2008 created this Special Needs Ballroom Event for me and my twin sister to be a part of... (along with our best friends.) It has truly become such a wonderful and legit experience for me to have a small glimpse into what being in a ballroom dance competition is like. Even though there are no bright lights on us or any of that cool fancy stuff that I've typically seen at the many dance competitions I've attended, but it has certainly turned into an event where the atmosphere changes from being like any other dance competition lots of people have seen. This is a part of my life that I try to leave out from blogging about just because I never know if anybody would ever think of it as something worth while for them to read. If you don't know this about me already I have danced my entire life and the thrill of performing in right of large crowds is such a wonderful thing. I usually get nerves before heading out on stage and then once I've begun dancing around everything goes away... but you get the picture here, right???? This weekend is the competition and I am very thrilled to have this opportunity of showing off what I've worked very hard on for the last six weeks!!! 

Summer Recap

•  Youth Mentor/Counselor/Staff at 5th annual NINJA Youth Leadership Conference
•  Girls Trip to Orlando, Florida
•  Girls Trip to St. George, UT
• 25th Birthday
•  Family Togethers
•  Self Determination Conference in Salt Lake City
•  Side Trip to Logan, UT to see my best friend & show my family around Utah State Campus of where I stayed at for my NINJA Conference/Lunch with my best friend/Visited the Logan Temple Grounds
• Special Needs Ballroom
•  Ability First Youth Summer Program