"Bill" is short for "William"

This weekend my famalia and I went to Williamsburg,Va. Our Trip started with Busch Gardens. Bethany and I were punished right away for our typical assaults: (but the funny thing is, I didn't notice we had picked the "crimes" we did until afterwards.. it was fate!)


If you didn't know Busch Gardens is separated into 'countries.' Our Irish heritage couldn't be contained when we entered Busch Gardens : Ireland

The next day was designated for: Water Country USA. But first we needed to get some good ol' southern grub at Mama Steve's Pancake house. Yes that's the real name, and yes the waitresses wore aprons, bonnets and dresses.

Like I said.. our Irish heritage was uncontrollable.

BUT our Scottish heritage also made an entrance. The hat I am wearing has the family colors for the "Lindsay family" there was Lindsay stuff everywhere. And Cameron stuff too (my brother's name). So we are REALLY Scots.

We finally made it to Water Country USA where we were pleased to find Nick and Jenna! Or Jick and Nenna as we kept calling them all day. Ok, we didn't necessarily FIND them, it was planned. And a fun day we had!! Jenna and I were punished in Colonial Williamsburg. We also made the same poses without coordinating it. And Jenna is one-legged.


Dad and Nick matched and it was soo cute.

This is how Nick and Jenna met.

Then we went to Sno-to-Go which is a BOMB diggity snow-cone place we found thanks to Nick and Jenna. And we regretted taking pictures after water-parking. But for the sake of memories we endured.

YUM!

So that was my weekend!

I've been a Counting Crow

Well incase you haven't been counting days in my life... today marks 6 months. I have been pratically counting the minutes to this day which marks when my old life ends and my new life begins. And now that it's here it's 1. anticlimatic haha, but more importantly 2. Scarier than I thought. I was so excited to start new and fresh and now I'm terrified, or atleast nervous! Will I make new friends? Will boys like me? How will I tell weird boys I don't want to go on dates? Will boys even ask me on dates? Will I be lonely? Will i get attacked/robbed now that I live alone? Since I was 16 I've never done anything without Mitch. He was always around. I've never been at school without Mitch. I've never gone to Church without knowing exactly with whom I was going to sit. I've never wondered if I would have something to do or someone to hang out with. This year is going to be really different anda all my security blankets are gone!!! They called a new bishop (and my old bishop knew EVERYTHING.. I mean I lived with him during alot of it), my BFF Jesse will be in EUROPE (I'm happy for ya suga, even though I complain). Mommy and daddy won't be around. And I'll have NO roommates...something I swore I would never do. My clinical BFF Ashley is no longer in my clincial group and I am in a whole new group with people I don't even know, etc etc!

Me&Jesse aka Kanye

Me&Ash

Me&Rooms

So now the day I've been waiting for is here. And I want to rewind and start over. Maybe to March 2007 when I decided Mitch was right for my life. My next beau will have a current temple recomment and go ON HIS OWN. Will have a stable financial background and future. He will love his mama and the Lord. And he will be a hunk-o-juicy-meat. By that time I will have waited long enough for babies, so I want them to be pretty!! ;). I think those are reasonable requirements.

I know it will all turn out ok, but for now.. I reserve the right to be scared!

The Best of Friends

I am a really lukcy girl. I have lots of wonderful people and experiences in my life. The other day I was reminded that in my life I will be "loved by many, will love many and have friendships unnumbered." I know I love many, so I hope that the other half of the promise is honored. Of all of the friendships I enjoy there are some that I not only enjoy but I treasure. I have some of the best friends and I wanted to tell them how much I LOVE them and share just a little bit of the special relationship I share with them with you. This will be a tad long. But aren't all my posts?

Kristy Cook (formerly Kristy Pickeral, or Krispy Pickles ;) )

Kristy's family and my family met in Hawaii when our dads were in the military. Our parents became dear friends as well as us kids. Especially Kristy and I (and our big sissies Adrienne and Kaelyn). Kristy and I would enjoy the typical life of a child eating frozen vegetables, swallowing mouse trap pieces and wandering around barefoot. After my family left HI when I was 4 Kristy and I spoke once when I was nine. I didn't see her again until their family decided to come and pay us a visit when I was 13. It was like we had never spent a day apart. We had everything in common from LOVING dolphins and whales, the color orange and chicken and broccoli casserole. We MUST have been friends before we came here and we will certainly be friends long after we leave. Forever, to be precise. I love her! She is symbol of strength in many ways. She has suffered great loss but has always smiled (and I always noticed). I know that when I talk to her I will be happier when I get off the phone, and I count down the days until I get to see her! She is the best mom to the cutest little boy and will be an even greater mom to the cutest girl when she gets here. Here's to thousands more years of kindred spirits! I love you!!

Lauren Bales aka the BOMB

Lauren is my cousin, my sister, my best friend and my late-night lighthouse. I can remember many conversations spent in the still and dark of the night when no one else was around to talk it out, and frankly.. I didn't want to talk it out with anyone else. Lauren and I haven't always been 'best friends' you see, atleast we like to say that so we can tell our awesome story. We were playing outside and Lauren was trying to talk to me and I was just singing so she popped me in the face to get my attention and I laid a good one back right across her face. Ohh man we were so mad at eachother and Lauren even told me she HATED me and that I wasn't invited to her bday party anymore. Well, the next time I saw her she said sorry (so did I) and gave me a best friend necklace.. and well-the rest is history. Lauren is the person I always want to talk to first..whatever it is. She had I have shared so many of our experiences together and have had surprisingly similar life..issues.. at the same time. Even now though our situations are rather different, in many ways they are much the same. This has made it possible for us to always be able to support eachother and Lauren has been one of my greatest supports. I want her to be happier than anyone on earth and I am so excited for what lies ahead for her (and us) but don't know what I will do if she leaves for a mission! Who will I talk to at 3 am????? I am so happy that we are bound together eternally! I love you!

Adrienne and Bethany aka Broom-broom and boop

These are my sissies. I LOVE THEM. I am so happy to have sisters!!!! What a blessing for girls to be able to have their bestfriends within their own families. Adrienne is my big sis, we weren't always best friends either.. but what siblings are? I am so happy we decided to grow up and get along because it is so awesome. Adrienne is a strong head on strong shoulders and has been able to comfort, advise, guide and listen to me in a way that no one else could during the darkest times of this year. She has help to restore hope and confidence and reminded me of the importance of an eternal perspective. I have learned a lot from her and I know I will continue to. I love you!! Bethany is my baby sister. I can't accept that she's 18. I specifically remember when we were younger holding her little hands and thinking "I wish her hands could always be so little" I didn't want her to ever grow up! I have always been her protector and she has always reciprocated. And while we still get annoyed and snip I wouldn't change anything out. Together we can enjoy a corny movie and doing ridiculous things like 'dance-fighting.' I can't wait to see her come out of her shell and be so fabulous! I love you!!!!

All of my cousins!!!!!!!!!!! Well, all my Holden cousins!

All my girl cousins!!!!!! (except Brittany and Alison)

I had to include these pictures as well because while distance and circumstance has not made is as possible for me to spend as much time with some of my other cousins I love them so much!!! And miss each of them and want so much for each of us to live on the same street forever. Brittany, Jenna are beautiful, fabulous and so much fun. Whenever I see Brittany and Jenna.. no matter how long it's been.. it feels like we've lived next door to eachother our whole lives.. we never miss a beat. And I love to see how we are much more alike than different. Hayley and Kirsten are so hilarious and beautiful. Annie has been as Lauren would say "exactly what our family needed. She's has all the qualities none of us have." And while I haven't spent much time with Alison I adore how she adores my darling cousin Anthony and I am so happy to have her in our family! And the newest addition is Erika, and I have great anticipation about the new friendship ahead! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! (well... gals :) )

I got served!

I am so excited about this that I want to share it, especially since (as far as I know) mostly/only girls read this... which means I will be well understood, and this will be so appreciated and ENVIED! ;)

So, friday morning mom and I drove up to Kensington, MD to go to the Washintong DC temple, because we try to go each week.. preferrably together.

When we got there, they were paving the upper part of the parking lot and so we had to go towards the back and didn't think much of it so we parked and walked up to the temple doors.. to find them gated and LOCKED! The temple was and HAD BEEN closed!!! We had no idea.. we felt pretty foolish and disappointed. Our trip all the way to the Temple was in vain.
Well, anyway... so we got back in the car to leave and mom decided we would stop by FairOaks mall to make Bethany an appointment at JCPenney's for Senior pictures. I didn't feel like going home just yet, so we stayed and meandered around the store. Once we found the women's department it took us straight to the shoes where they were having a GREAT SALE!!! And I mean.. great! So here is what I bought on our rerouted trip to the mall:




Sooo the point of this is.. this ENTIRE PURCHASE: Two HOT shoes, a pair of randomly found black pinstripe trousers that fit like a GLOVE, two shirts, a bangle and a necklace came to a STYLISH total of: $40.40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lord certainly blessed us for our efforts to serve him... the effort turned out to NOT be in vain!! Though it may have contributed to vanity :). (No way!!)