A weekend full of family and friends!

It has been such a great week/weekend. Though I have been feeling super crazy and like my plate just keeps piling up, I have had time to see many friends and spend time with family!

It all started Wednesday with half price drinks n games at Dave n Busters with a friend from High School, Kevin L. Now I am going to be honest I am not big on going back to my High School days but there are those certain people who I still love to keep up and hang out with, Kevin is one of those. I had so much fun catching up on life, and playing random games. I recommend Dave n Busters to anyone, especially on Wednesday because it is half price!!

That same night my Aunt came to start the gift wrapping extravaganza for 2K4Kids annual auction and dinner that is happening this coming Friday! Since then we have been organizing baskets, wrapping baskets, numbering baskets, printing out description/auction sheets and getting them all ready so that our guest can bid on them. We will be busy working bees until Friday at 6 when the dinner starts!

Thursday my old roomie, and really good friend Noelle came down to visit me! I am so thankful that she came down here since I cannot come see her up north for a while! It was so great going out to lunch, talking about life, hanging out at the pool, and having dinner with my family! I love having my friends from up north come and visit it me! I miss them so much and it really shows me who my true friends are!! I already miss her and its only been a couple days!

Today I got to head down to Carlsbad to meet up with Brit Hutch! Even though it was raining as I started my trip down to SD, by time we laid our towels down in the sand it was sunny and hot! It was a perfect day to catch up on life, talk about our futures and just enjoy the beautiful beach!

I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family! I love having those days of catch up with good friends, and just enjoying each others company!

This week is going to be a crazy one but I cant wait for Sunday to come…for I am off to Costa Rica with 28 HS students to serve!!

Things of the summer

As we are basically in the middle of summer and we have a little over a month until it is over I decided it was time to post some must have summer items.

Now I know my post so far have not been like this one but I think mixing it up a bit will keep you(the reader) coming back for more! Well at least I hope :)

My favorite summer outfit so far is my Maxi Dress. It is super comfortable and you can dress it up or down!

Second thing on my list of must haves are my sunglasses! Maybe I am biased because I work at a sunglasses company but seriously you cant really go with out them when the sun is beating so bright these days! My favorite (though I seem to wear a different pair every day) is the Paisley! Check out our websites! If you are a guy reading this we have some for you too!! http://shop.fortresseyewear.com/

Next up the sandal. Now I love my rainbows and would normally say those are the must have but I think for this summer I am all about the T-strap style. Rainbows are for the beach, lake and pool. T-straps are for shopping, dates, nights out, well really anything.

A Fan, everyone needs a fan in this heat! So that is why it is my number 4. This fan is top of the line. Ask anyone who has it! They go into your windows and intake cold air and exhaust hot air from the room. It has a temperature gag and all so that your room gets as cold as you want it to!

Lastly you need to spend time with friends and family... I have gone to disneyland, baseball games, the beach, dinner, movies, game nights, and more with family and friends so far this summer. 

My next big stop is Costa Rica for a missions trip with Saddleback high school students, my sister, A.C., phil and anna!!

I hope everyone's summer is going well!!!

Joy!

Joy, in a normal dictionary it is stated as the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure;elation. In Kay Warren's new bible study, Joy is the settle assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life; the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right; and the determined choice to praise God in all things!


What the world sees Joy as if far different then what a Christian/follower of Christ sees it as. Christian seems to stand out in every aspect of life, whether it is our opinions or the way we live our lives, we are different, but in a good way! So why is finding Joy so hard, when you (the Christian) are following such a wonderful God and the bible tells you all these great things that God is going to give you, or when he assures you that you need not fear? 


I have only been to one of Kay's weekly Tuesday bible studies called "Choose Joy" but I am so excited to go back the rest of July! I learned this week that I have 2 false Joys in my life, People and Position. I allow the actions or reactions of others affect my mood and/or self-image, and I sometimes let my joy come from my status in education, career, or stage of life.  After learning and admitting myself to these false joys and being told again that God is the true source of my Joy, I really have no reason to be down and out. But who am I kidding  it is not that easy!


Now that I have been told again and am admitting to things that I didnt realize brought me down, it still is going to take some time. I believe in God fully and trust him in all situations, but I am also human. 


So here is what I am going to do, and please keep me accountable if you see me not...
I will strive to not let "false joys" get me down or affect my life. 
I will keep reminding myself that all I need is God to bring me joy
I will keep attending this bible study and dig more into Choosing Joy!
I will always believe that God will take care of me no matter what!

                                                                   

True Joy....do you have it?

Really people...did you just do that?

People do the dumbest things sometimes when driving!

I was driving yesterday down to the hospital and I could not believe the drivers on the road. I have to be honest I was a little bit more irritated than normal, 1 because I was sick and 2 because I was on my way to the hospital to see my dad but still that does not give an excuse for the way the drivers around me were driving.

First thing that happens, a fire truck comes with its siren and lights on...

So what do I do, I pull all the way over to the side of the road, slow down and stop. What do the cars around me do you might ask,they honk at me, drive around me, proceed to give me dirty looks and keep on driving. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Now maybe it is because my dad was a firefighter and I grew up going to the station and taking firetruck rides, but when you see a firetruck with its sirens on going to a call, you PULL OVER!! It is just respect and the law to get out of the way so they can go do their job. What if it was you who needed the firetruck and because of some stupid driver they were late or did not get there in time to save you or your house. So maybe next time think before you give me dirty looks and honk at me, and actually PULL OVER!!

Second, when you are pulling out of a driveway, say like the gas station driveway, WAIT YOUR TURN! As I was pulling out of the driveway a motorcycle decides to pull up along side of me and proceed to leave the driveway before me. As I was about to pull out, he decided it was his turn, even though he was technically second in line, so took off right in front of me not even flinching when I started to go as well.  DO YOU WANT TO DIE TODAY BUDDY? Really people these days need to learn patients and wait their freakin turn!!

So next time you are driving consider these two things, 1 pull over when you see a firetruck, ambulance, police car with their lights and sirens on and 2 wait your turn, dont be in a hurry to drive for that is what normally causes accidents.