Light to Dark...

I'm sure most of you will totally know what I mean when I say I was having one of those times when I just wanted a change with my hair...different color, style, or just something! I mean, as a girl, that just happens...we like a change and many times that change can come with our hair! So, I decided to go for it and I dyed it! Granted, I'd dyed my hair before--putting highlights in it and just more of subtle changes...nothing to drastic. Well, not this time! I went from light to dark--and when I say dark, I mean DARK! It was totally different at first, but I'm liking it! Here's some pics...

My hair color before:




My hair after:

My Crafty Side....

So I never thought I was quite crafty, but I kept seeing so many cute things other people made and I came across so many cute blogs with fun crafts on them that I decided I wanted to try my hand at making some new things. So, here's what I've come up with so far:

My shelf I painted and decorated with my willow tree figurines and hats...


Some fun circles I painted and decorated to hang in my room...


And a bunch of hair bows I've been making for my nieces...






That's it for right now, but I'm looking at and trying to come up with a bunch of other fun stuff! I love summer and just being able to relax, have fun, and do fun things! :)

Writing...

So I sat here, wanting to update/write on my blog, but thinking what exactly to write about...nothing new or exciting has really been going on--just the usual hanging out with family and friends, reading, doing school stuff, etc...But then I got to thinking that today's Sunday, the Sabbath Day, and so I wanted to put something down that went along with that. For those of you who may not know, I love to write--especially when it's things that we all can relate to in some way or another. I have this book just full of things I write, and so as I was writing in it today and looking through past things, I found one that I wanted to write on here and share with all of you. I really liked (well, I'd hope I liked it since I wrote it...haha), but that has to do with our Savior, the Gospel, and everything--it just fit perfect for today. I hope you guys like it--I think it can fit into each of our lives in some way. So here it is (sorry if it's kinda a long post):

"The Canvas"

That first breath that we inhale is the opening to our blank canvas.
Each a pure, clean slate awaiting the Master's hand--to place each stroke in its necessary setting;
As we gaze upon each of these strokes that have been shaped, shifted, and formed to fit that which our life has created.
Questions fill my mind: "What are these detailed lines forming?" "What is this creation that our Master seems to see so clearly and yet it has a sense of haze over my eyes?"
As I'm forced to face life's challenges, it seems that the strokes become more plentiful.
It's during my hardest times in life that the Master's hand is so quick at work.
I can't figure out what it is that He's creating, but I hear Him say: "Trust me my child, I am with thee."
As I near the end of my mortal existence, I pray and ask God one more time...
"God, why have I gone through all these trials, why has it seemed that when times were hardest your hands were fast at work, and God, what have you created from all of this?"
A still small voice is than heard: "Oh my child, when you first let out a cry into this world, a blank canvas appeared.It was your canvas and nobody else's.Each canvas is different--but my hand is still a part of each one."
"At those times when you thought you'd messed up, I was here to clear your canvas off and give you another try."
"And during those times when you cried late into the night longing for peace and tranquility, all of these beautiful lines, shapes, and figures were created from those tears."
"Now my child, take a step back and look at your canvas now."
I stepped back, and with wide eyes, I realized that all of those frustrations, the sorrow, happincess, and pleading for help and forgivness, had created my Celestial Eternity."

Pictures...

So a couple posts ago I had said how I had just redone my room and how I painted my shelf and everything and that I'd post pics...Well, here they are!

My shelf I painted...


My quote on the wall above my vanity--I love it...


My wall with polka dots and frame full of pictures with friends...


My cute new bedspread (quilt) that my aunt made me...


I'm loving it, and just thought it was fun! I also came across some way cute blogs of fun crafts and things to do...
sewdangcute.blogspot.com
sweetcharli.blogspot.com
atsecondstreet.blogspot.com

They had some cute stuff if you want to check them out!
Hope everyone's doing well! :)

Cute Nieces and Studly Nephews....

So I wanted to do this post on my cute nieces and nephews because I just love and adore them all!!! These guys can all just make my day and are so cute and fun to be around and I'm just so proud of all of them! So we'll kind of go by families...
My oldest sister Janeice has two kids--Corey's 9 (he'll be 10 this summer) and Ashley's 5 (she'll be 6 this summer). They are such sweet and fun kids! Corey is such a smart kid, going into fifth grade (I can't believe how big he's getting) and he's just hilarious! He's the kind of guy you can always count on to make you laugh and have fun...I love him--he's definitely a stud!!! Ashley's such a sweetheart! She's getting so big too and graduating from kindergarten this year--I'm so proud of her!!! She is so fun to be around, and totally girly--it's great! She's just the sweetest little girl--she was over the other week and sat in my room and colored while I got ready and then we sat and painted her nails and just talked and had fun...she's such a cutie and I love her!
Ashley and Corey



My next oldest sister Jodi has four boys--Jeremy's 10, Justin's 7 (he'll be 8 this summer), Jace's 6, and Jon's 3 (he'll be 4 this summer)! Oh my goodness, talk about having some studly little boys! I love these guys they are so much fun!!! Jeremy is the oldest out of all my nieces and nephews and I can't believe how big he's getting! He'll be in the fifth next year and I swear he's going to pass me in height in like a year! This kid is so fun and has such sweet heart! He's great in sports and just a great kid--total stud! Justin is hilarious! I just love watching him because you can always just see these looks he'll get on his face--either of mischevious (wondering what is he up to), just total helper and sweetheart, and/or just laughing having fun! He's getting ready to get baptized this summer and I am so proud of him! He's a great kid and definitely studly! Jace!!! Oh I love this boy! He's graduating from kindergarten this year and I'm proud of him! This kid is great at sports, such a sweetheart, and just gives the best big like bear hugs! He's so fun to be around, I love him to pieces, and total stud! And, Jon...he's a ham! Definitely loves his mom and he's just so funny and such a character sometimes! He loves to make you smile and laugh and is getting so big and he's so fun! I love him and he's a little stud!
Jodi with Jeremy, Justin, Jace, and Jon


Jessica is next and she has two kids--Kaleb is 6 and Sammy is 3 (she'll be four next month)! Oh goodness, what do I say about these two?! Kaleb is a brain! He just had his kindergarten graduation and I am so proud of him! He got accepted into an advanced learning school for next year that he tested for and he's so excited--I'm proud of him! He loves to draw, read, and make things and he's just so fun to watch play pretend and give you hugs and talk to! He's a sweetie and a little stud! Sammy is such a cutie! She's a little girly girl and it's just a blast! When she comes over she'll always ask me to paint her finger and toenails, she wants to put on lipgloss, lotion, and she'll tell me 'oh I like your flower (in my hair) Jackie or oh I like this'...such a sweetie! And she loves to help out with cleaning, laundry, dishes, cooking, anything--it's great and so fun! She's graduating from pre-school tomorrow and I'm proud of her, love her, and she's just cute!
Kaleb and Sammy


Jill's my sister just older than me (the last of my siblings with kids--Taylor and Kara both have awhile). Jill has two kids--Abbie's 2 and Nixxon's 9 months (he'll be 1 in August). Abbie's so cute...little girly girl with blonde curly hair, big eyes, and just melts your heart! She loves to help with her brother, she let me sit and paint her nails the other day, she loves to laugh, and likes to play with her dolls and to just laugh and be around everyone! She's such a sweetheart and is learning so much--she called me and counted to ten all by herself the other day...I'm so proud of her and I love her--she's such a cutie! Nixxon, oh my goodness! He's such a cute little guy! He is probably one of the happiest babies I've ever seen and he's just so much fun to hold and be with! He loves to just sit and smile, laugh, look at you and at everything around him, and to jump! He's just so sweet and melts your heart to hold him! He's definitely a little stud!
Nixxon and Abbie



So those are all my little nieces and nephews! They are all so different from one another, have their own personalities, and are each just so much fun to be around and they just make my day and I'm so grateful to have them in my life! I love them to pieces and they're just so cute and studly!!!

May=Ehlers Danlos Awareness Month

Okay, so it has been a super long time since I posted--I really need to get better at this, and I promise I will try. But, here's an update on what's been going on since my last post....
As far as medically, the doctors decided they didn't want to do surgery on my knee so I've just been trying to be careful, do some strengthening, and we've been taping and bracing it. I went back for a check up in Colorado on my hip and they said that it is looking really good, I finally got my brace off (only had to have it on for about 4 1/2 months), I get to start some additional strengthening stuff on it. and I'm just supposed to take it slow and be very, very careful!!! Alot of my other joints--my wrists, fingers, shoulder, knee, and stuff have been getting worse and having lots of problems, but the doctors have said that as of right now there's nothing really we can do for them besides bracing them (I have braces for both thumbs, one wrist, about 5 fingers, and my knee), taking it easy, and doing what little easy things I can to strengthen them. But, things are going pretty good. I've been sick the last couple weeks with abdominal pains, headaches, sinus, and then a virus, but I went to the doctor today and got some medicine, so hopefully it should start going away in a couple days. I gave it to my mom though--I feel bad...sorry mom!!!
On other notes...Spring semester ended and I was able to finish with a 4.0! Yea!!! I'm taking summer semester off, but am studying some different stuff on my own to try and be ready for fall semester. I finally finished painting my shelf and a couple other things and hanging it up in my room that I redid, did some cleaning and organizing, so it's finally almost finished! I'll have to take some pics and show ya when it's all done...I like it!
And finally, to end this post, I'll get to the title of my entry..."May=Ehlers Danlos Awareness Month"! So, as most of you probably know, I have a rare collagen disease called Ehlers Danlos that I was diagnosed with about a year and a half ago. Anyways, May is Ehlers Danlos Awaress Month and we're (the ehlers danlos national foundation and the eds--ehlers danlos syndrome--community) trying to get it recognized in each state and raise awareness about it because it is so unheard of. So I thought that I would post about it on my blog to let you all know that it is Ehlers Danlos Awareness month and I'd really appreciate the support from all of you on this subject that is very important to me! If you have any questions about it or would like to know more information on it, you can always ask me--please feel free to--or you can visit the national foundation website at: www.ednf.org There's actually a big learning conference this summer in July (for the annual learning convention and celebrating 25 years of the foundation)back in Baltimore that I want to try and go to.
Well, I hope that each of you are doing wonderful! I will try to post again very soon!

MRIs and Spinal Taps

The last week has been pretty busy. Last Thursday I went in to have an MRI on my brain--to check and see if my spinal pressure was low (because I have had a constant headache for the last 6 weeks or so). When I got there I needed to also schedule an MRI on my knee (due to some pain and instability from my ehlers danlos), and luckily and so nice as they were, they just did both MRIs at the same time.
I got a phone call that night from my neurologist, and the good news was that my spinal pressure was not low, the bad news, we still didn't know for sure what was going on with these headaches. So, yesterday I went back into the doctor's office and they had to do a spinal tap to check and see if the spinal pressure was too high. Good news again, my spinal pressure was normal! Yea! The neurologist said that it sounds like since my spinal pressure is normal, which is good, that I have chronic migraines and that due to some of the pain medicine doctor's have given me for my joints and my kidney stones, it has caused them to get worse.
As far as the MRI on my knee, it did show a tear in my meniscus (the cartilage in my knee), and I go to the doctor today to find out what is going on for sure with that.
Other than those things, nothing too much new or exciting is going on. This semester of school gets done in like 4 weeks so I am super excited about that! Yea!!! And, I was able to have a wonderful, fun, well-needed movie night with Jenna the other night...thank you SO much Jenna for always being there for me--I love ya to death girly and I honestly don't know what I'd do without you!
I am continually blessed with an amazing family and great friends who I love so much and am so grateful for, and also a loving Savior and Father in Heaven who continually watch over me!