Relief Society Retreat

The night before the boating trip at Echo Lake, with my singles ward, our Relief Society had a special retreat in Bishop Menlove's cabin. It was so much fun.

The girls had such a good time as we laughed around the dinning room table and talked about the craziest dating experiences. Later we were all touched by each other's tender testimonies of the gospel.

We also had the privilege of listening to a choir named Divine Heritage. We were all spiritually feed by their uplifting devotional on the rich blessings the savior brings into our lives. Even though it was freezing sitting outside on the wrap-around deck, everyone was feeling the warmth from the spirit that was there.

I got to know some of the girls in my ward that I haven't gotten to know before the trip. The feeling of sisterhood that developed in our retreat was so strong and we all felt a part of something special. I'm so grateful for the Relief Society and for our ward's presidency. They are amazing women who are great examples of what a lady should be.

'Rieting time' lyrics

I wrote a song, a love song actually. I showed my roommate Annie my lyrics and she immediately started to write music for it. She made it into a beautiful song, I hope one day I can learn the music and be able to feel comfortable enough to sing it for you.

Until then, here are the words and if you ever are so lucky to hear Annie sing-I'm sure she'd play it for you. :)

Star's Song

I wish I may, I wish I might
be the light in your dark eyes
I twinkle, only for you
glowing in the wide navy blue

I'm a falling star
falling, falling, falling for you

Milky white skin, so pale and delicate
waiting to be seen
through the soft clouds
and whistling maple leaves
I'm shining down for you to see

Watching you sleeping
on these carbon colored sheets
your heavy eyes closed tight
in perfect trust and perfect peace
I will shine bright through the night

I'm a falling star
falling, falling, falling for you

My skin, the color of sugar
tastes just as sweet
breathe in the night air
through your lips,savor me

I'm your falling star
falling, falling, falling

Random beloved poem

This poem means a lot to me. I first heard it when I was going through a really hard depression spell when I was in Jr. High. One of my friend's parents told me that he thought of me when he heard this poem. Star, became one of my nicknames because of it.

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art--
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priest like task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--
No--yet still steadfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever--or else swoon to death.

Utah Utes

I went to my very first college football game a few weeks ago. It was super fun even though it rained almost the entire time. We were all soaked to the bone except our friend Isaac "hot sauce" Talbot who packs a travel slicker whenever he goes to an outdoor sporting event. Isaac is a hard core sports fan. I on the other hand have no idea what is going on with any sport. Isaac was kind enough to buy My, Annie's, and Neal's ticket to go see the game.
The Utes crushed Colorado State 59-6.
(A special thanks to Annie for keeping me updated on what was actually happening!!)

Ninja Strike!!

(I’d like to thank my roommates for unknowingly providing my blog with demonstration photos for my rendition of How to play Ninja Strike. Honorary room mate Neal Mortensen and roomies Logan Smith and Annie Munk)

This is a game that is played at my home often. I've never heard about it before I moved into the Chateau de la hotties, but ever since I find that more and more people know how to play the game.

The objection:
To Ninja Strike the other players until you are the last Ninja standing. (You do this by slapping one of their hands or feet.)

The rules:
-start by standing in front of your opponent with your hands centered or in a circle with the crowd you are playing with.

-Someone yells out the war cry of "NINJA STRIKE"
-Every one takes a defensive stance. You will learn quickly what type of stances will work to your advantage or will get you out of the game faster than a ninja assassin.

-The person who attacks get to make one move to try to tag the player next to him/her. Once you strike, you must stay how you land. You cannot move back to where you started from.
-The defending ninja can move once to dodge the strike.

-If the defensive ninja did not get slapped on the hands or feet they will then become the Striking Ninja.
-They have one strike toward their enemy and then they must freeze as the other ninja then dodges them and will then become the assassin.
-Continue playing until only one Ninja is left.


As you practice your ninja strikes will get faster, more lethal, and you will learn how to trick your enemies into moving into danger.



Please ask me for a demo if you ever need an object lesson. Good luck to those future ninjas out there.

(for more ninja strike photos please visit my face book photo album named "Ninja Strike".)

26 on 7-31

I turned 26 on July 31st and I celebrated with my family, my "extended family" the Dunn's, and some of my close friends. (Shannon Newman (and her hubby McWayne), Rachel (and her family RA, Eden, Zion, and Gideon), and Amber Woolsey.)

We all had dinner together and they sang to me while I opened my lovely and thoughtful gifts. I feel very blessed to have such great friends and the world's best sisters.

My sister London made this AMAZING cake. She is so talented with just about anything she tries. Naturally cake decorating is easily part of her many talents. The only thing about this cake that was better than her master decorating skill, was the taste. I have never had such a yummy cake in my whole life. This was such a great gift!!

Luckily this mass of sugar and chocolate was made to feed about 50+ people so I was able to take it home and leave it on my kitchen counter for a few days as my room mates and I flew around this like vultures and ate a piece every breakfast, lunch, and dinner until the only part left was the cardboard.

Turning 26 was weird for me. I'm not feeling old yet like others said I would, but it did bring on a small feeling of disappointment. I want to be a mom, a wife, a writer, more active in the church, and all of the other great miles stones of life and I feel like I'm no where near any of my long-term goals. Luckily for me, I have time on my side to complete my many wants in life.

When I blew out the candle I wished for something I never wished for before. It was simple and something that I wonder if anyone else would have wished for that specific thing. I can't tell you what it is because I want it to come true. I feel like it's starting to... :)

Echo Lake

(Logan Smith, me, and Allison Wood)

I want to live by Echo Lake, case closed.

When I was younger I used to dream about living in Garden City, but I think that is because I've never been to this amazing vacation spot. After boating here, my heart will never turn back.

My singles ward had a service challenge where everyone in the ward would donate service hours. After we all collected enough we turned them into the bishop and as a reward he took us up to Echo Lake and drove us around on his boat. One of my most favorite things in life is to go boating. I love all that it has to offer. The wind in my hair, the beautiful water below, and the sky above you and all you see is horizon. It's you and the beautiful earth showing you how surrounded you are by it's goodness.

On the boat we all danced and sang to R&B music and we laughed as our church friends tried to do tricks on the water skis. There were a few that were trying extreme-sport-style tricks on the water tube, most were unsuccessful.

We ate lunch under the shady trees. We took turns on the boat and turns under the sun on the docks with the water slapping up on our legs. We all got to know each other better as a ward family.

Yep, the rewards of service can be pretty awesome.

Bear Lake

(This is a photo to show the vast difference between my summer skin and Annie’s. Yikes!!)

Oh how I love Bear Lake. Some of my favorite childhood memories were spent next to this insanely blue body of water.

One of my childhood best friends owned a cabin in Garden City, and still to this day even though I haven’t seen him almost a decade, his cabin is one of my favorite places on the earth. I also went to Bear Lake for Shannon’s family reunion every year. Her family became a part of my family and I feel in love with all of them and our temporary home by the lake.

This August my friend Mike invited me up to camp on his property. My room mate Annie and him are really good friends, and I’m grateful that they are because I would have never met such an amazing guy as Mike, with out her. The were four of us ladies that shared the camper while the guys slept outside in tents.

The waves on the lake were super choppy because the weather was almost bad, partly cloudy. (Which is what I call Annie-Rie weather because she loves the sun and I love the shade) Riding the ski-do was scary because we would bounce a few feet in the air with every bad wave and there were a few times that my body completely left the ski-do as well as Annie. When we were done with our terrifying yet elating ride we were slowly pulling our ski-do in past the first set of boonies and we cut the engine. Our ski-do started to tip and I leap-frog jumped off of it thinking that would save Annie from falling in. Wrong! My legs sent the already diagonal Ski-do flying to the side and both of us were catapulted into the freezing lake. It was a sight to see.

We read books on the seashell covered beach and took a ton of pictures of our friends and some un-expecting hotties next to us that were playing football. We ate raspberry ice cream shakes and laughed about the previous late night secret swimming adventures.


(Becky Foster, me, and Annie Munk)

ode to the sexy voice of John Mayer

In August I was lucky to go to the John Mayer concert with two of my favorite people. (Neal Mortensen and Annie Munk) It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. John Mayer was sultry in the way he wooed the crowd with his velvety soft voice.

Everywhere you looked there were ladies screaming and fanning themselves, men clapping in awe, and homemade signs being waved like surrendering flags to the majesty of what is John Mayer's poetically enchanting lyrics.

If I could die and come back as in inanimate object, I would be the first in line to be John Mayer's guitar. The way he plays that instrument looks almost as though some heartbreaking unrequited love story is being told, as his fingers dance along the strings. The poor guitar has no way express it's wanting to be with John, so she sings out loud wishing he understands her.

This concert was truly magical. I was happy that most of the songs he sang I was able to sing along with and the one's I've never heard before became fast favorites.

My two favorite songs are:

GRAVITY
This is the sexiest song ever written. I cannot even stand how hot the music vs. the lyrics are in this song. The guitar has face melting solos as it's trying to seduce the masculine voice that is weaving in and out of it's delicious cords. *sings* "Ohh-oooo Gravity" Please listen to this song!!

DREAMING WITH A BROKEN HEART
Interestingly enough, this song reminds me of my Mom. I know that the lyrics are supposed to be about a broken up couple, but I can't help but think of the hard times I have had after my mom's passing and The waking up is the hardest part" and all you can do is "You roll outta bed and down on your knees". I heard this song for the first time when I was standing in a Quizno's restaurant and I was bawling. The girl behind the counter looked as though she had no idea what to do, so I left, and I found out the title of the song and made a CD so I could listen to it until it became a part of me.

NaBloPoMo, take 2

Last year I took on the challenge to blog one post for each day of the month of November. NaBloPoMo(National Blog Posting Month)was extremely fun for me to complete in 2009. I loved it. This year I'm taking on the goal of blogging throughout November with a bit of hesitancy.

This summer has probably been one of the busiest seasons of my life. Between traveling and work and meeting new and delicious single friends, I have just fallen out of the habit of blogging. Actually I'm going to be really honest here, I haven't even touched my book in the last 5 months, and I'm really embarrassed to admit that. I've found more distractions in life than I ever could have planned for.

There has been a lot that has happened and luckily for me that gives me many things to blog about; so this month I'm going to make a goal of writing for every day and while doing so I can hopefully catch everyone up on what I have been doing these past few months.

I've prepared by making a list of 30 topics and I even had a bit of overflow so I'm hoping that writing these posts will be easy and I wont get stopped by writer's block. Wish me luck.

Riepie.blogspot.com, I've missed you my dear friend. I'm glad that we are starting to hang out again. I'm hoping that time away from you hasn't ruined our friendship, or my writing...

1 post down - 29 to go.