2009 in Review

Well, it's New Years Eve; a day to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the next one. I've had some thoughts on what areas of my life I want to improve on in the coming year, so I'll work at polishing off those goals today. I have to admit, goals haven't really ever been my thing. I've found that when I actually went through the effort of setting a goal, it was most likely NOT going to get achieved. But, I should clarify that the times I have been successful with achieving goals, the goals have come from a more knowledgeable source of "me", than me. :) At those times, it wasn't just my feelings of a need to change, but more the flowing of ideas on how to change. Those were good periods in my life.

For 2009, I honestly can't remember if I set resolutions. I'm just not one for setting them, just for the sake of setting them. But throughout the year, I felt like there were things I could do, and so I set a "resolution" then. As I think over the past year, I'm pleased with it. There isn't anything I would change. I've learned a lot, and progressed in certain areas that have been in need of change. I've had a really great year! No complaints. No regrets.

On Christmas Day night (if that makes any sense), I started getting so many ideas coming into my mind of what I needed to focus on in 2010. I started writing them down and I can see a way of making them work. It's going to be a lot of work on my part, but my outlook is bright. I'm excited for what 2010 will bring. And that’s saying a lot! I turn 30 this year and I'm not even a little worried, bummed, or whatever it is that other people feel when they reach this milestone. Simply put, I expect 2010 to be another great year.

I am so blessed! I have an awesome family that I love to hang out with. I have been blessed with having some really great friends. Seriously, I don't know how I am so lucky to know so many incredible individuals. I have a knowledge of who I am because I know my Heavenly Father and I know that he knows me better than I know myself. I'm grateful for the knowledge and blessings of the gospel. It's all true, I know it. I have been led to an awesome job, while the work may be tedious for most :) its right for me, and the people are the best! I wish everyone could be as lucky as me and work for such a great company. Outside of family and church, I've never met a group of people that were interested in one's progression as an individual as the employees and partners at Larson & Rosenberger. I love working there!

I wish the best for all of you this year. May you look back and have no regrets and look forward with a bright hope of the future. ~ Emily

To my fellow single friends

And to those that have single friends. Check out this blog: http://thedatingrace.blogspot.com/

I can vouch for all 3 individuals. They are all amazing people.

Christmas pictures and vid's

So remember how I was praising my sister Amy on the amazing gift she gave me. Well, she gave me another gift. She couldn't help snickering to herself as I was opening it, so I knew it was one of those silly gifts. This is
what I got:

I failed to mention in the last post that another element of Christmas is putting puzzles together. They have to be 1,000 piece puzzles too. None of this pansy 750 or 500 piece puzzles.... BORING! So, Amy thought she was SO funny giving me the "World's Smallest 1,000 piece puzzle" What a brat! :)

Yet, I still managed to complete it in the same amount of time I do a normal sized one, so it really wasn't anymore difficult. In fact, I dare say I preferred it! It was small enough to fit on a tray and thus I was able to work on it anywhere I wanted. So, if everyone was in one room talking and I wanted to be social, I could and still work on the puzzle. If we moved downstairs to watch a movie, I could do that as well. So there! HA! And you thought you could outsmart me, Amy! I laugh at your challenge. Ha ha ha! :)

Here is a picture showing how small the pieces were... Yes, that is a dime.

And here is the completed project (took me less than 10 hours, and I wasn't working on it constantly)

As I mentioned, my cute nephew was here for Christmas. Here is a picture of him.

Finally, a picture of me and Betsey. Betsey and I were mission companions, roommates and currently, good friends. :) I don't see her often so, it was a treat to be able to visit with her.

So that's it.

Happy St. Stephens Day! (or Boxing Day to all the Brits)

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. Each year, I find greater joy in giving than in receiving. I really love surprising my family and some friends with the gifts that I give. This year was a little bit harder. I really struggled finding the holiday spirit and the creativity to give the way I like to. But you know what they say..... Fake 'til you make it, right? Well, I made it. So, without further adeiu.....

What Christmas means to me:

Staying up late every night for the 2-3 weeks previous to Christmas, working on projects that I hope will be a big hit....and most of the time, I think they are. (remind me to post pictures of last year's craziness!) This year I scaled down but was still kept rather busy in the hopes that I would finish the biggest project on time, but alas, it wasn't. Good thing my sister completely understands.

Random christmas parties, gatherings, and events that are just so much fun that I can't help smiling about now as I remember them. I have a great family and awesome friends.

Having amazing sisters that always know just what to give me. They are incredible! Amy gave me a gift that is very private but very touching. We both cried. She is my bestest friend and the one that knows me more than anyone else. How else could we fight so well? :) Rachel gave me a gift that is so simple, yet so ME! A 4-leaf clover locket. Someone tell me who else that would remind you of? Let's hear it for sisters! Hip hip hooray!!! :) I received other great gifts for which I am most grateful for. Thank you.

Christmas with a 2-year old is preferrable! Seriously. My brother, Jeffrey, and his family (wife-Sarah, and son-Griffin) flew up from the Houston area to spend the hoildays with us and other family and friends. Griffin has made me laugh more over the past 2 days than anyone or anything else. Such an imagination and a language of his own in which he chatters on and on. SO CUTE! Once I am able to, I'll post some vid's and pic's.

Spending all day in my jammies! Oh! What a wonderful thing!

Staying at my parents, the company, the food, it's all good!

But mostly, Christmas this year means alot to me because I'm reminded of the love of a Savior, my Savior. He who lowered himself to come to earth and experience all, so that he might understand what I go through and give me comfort when I need it most. I am so very grateful for such a life. What else can I do to give back, than to give of myself to those needing it. I only hope that I can be the disciple he needs me to be. I hope you all had a great Christmas season and at some point or another found the Savior in your heart.

Love to all ~ Emily

The past 10 days

December can always be a little busy. Here are a few things I've done so far:

Went to St. George to see my Grandma on her 89th Birthday.

Catching up with Chrissy & Melissa (former roommates and current friends)

Lights on my parent's house that I put up.

Trip to Idaho for Meisje's Baptism (my niece)

Driving into Park City

Temperature in Wyoming - Burr!

Frosted Trees in Wyoming

Cute Meisje! (Pronounced my-sha)

Cute Chloe

Family Christmas Party

Unfortunatley half of those who were planning on being there, weren't there. But we still had fun. I didn't get any pictures of the Nativity we acted out, because I was director/narrator of said nativity. But we had some good looking shepards and a giraffe, I mean cow. :)

Santa came and visited

Mom always has to have a picture sitting on his lap. And Dad just sits there. (shaking head).... :)

Jax a little excited to see Santa until....

...he's asked if he has been good....

Renewed commitment to be good.

Carson, wasn't as excited to see "Ho Ho" (this is what Carson calls Santa)

 "Eat me" - translation: "Please don't eat me"

Carson's reply to what he wants for Christmas, "Horse"

Santa's little Candy Cane - Chloe's first Christmas.

"I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

Chloe's look says it all

Family Photo - SSHHhh don't tell.

Ornament exchange - Jax seemed a little excited about this. This is him opening the Humpty Dumpty ornament.

 
So that's some of what I've been doing in December....stay tuned for more fun.....

"Can I Have Your Number?"

On my phone, under the text messages, there are some "Quick Notes". The quick notes are one line texts that are commonly used, I guess. Well this morning I was looking through these notes that I never use and found one that said, "What is your number?" How could anyone send that message? Wouldn't they need to have the number already?

Anyway, it tickled my funny bone.

Black Friday Doings

I've wanted to go to Goblin Valley for a few years and hadn't as yet planned a trip. Well, my friend, Daniel, was talking to me about some of the things he was planning for Thanksgiving week. When he mentioned taking a trip to southern Utah and seeing Goblin Valley, I "suggested" that he should let me tag along.

One of the cool things about Goblin Valley is that one can make out various pictures from the rocks. See if you can see some of what we "saw". :)

"The Sphinges"

"Spinal Column"

"Topographic Map"

Me

"The Multitudes"

"Girl Reading"

Next we hit up Capitol Reef. SUCH a beautiful place. The next few pictures are from the drive there and of the park itself.

Probably one of my favorite pictures that I took.

River/waterfall icing over

The Castle

Eroding rock, but I looked at it and thought of the Indian cave dwellings. Do you see it?

Sunset and a "gnarly" tree!

A very fun way to spend "black friday"! I totally recommend visiting both of these places. I am very thankful for the beautiful world in which we live!

Accountants make life less taxing!

So I've been meaning to post about something very cool that happened at work. As most of you know, I do taxes. My job basically consists of preparing tax returns. Once in awhile I'll get to do other things, like write letters to the IRS (those are always fun), but for the most part my job consists of a lot of data entry. At BYU, they teach us tax students how to do tax research and that quite a few of us will be doing it in our respective positions. Well, I have found that I don't get the opportunity to much research working at the small firm that I do. Which is fine, the research was always a bit intimidating to me.


Last December, I was in a training meeting on the changes that would apply for the next busy season. As the trainer was explaining some aspect of individual taxation, I realized that what he was explaining was something that directly applied to a new client of ours. I got so excited! I walked out of the training (it was on DVD so I wasn't being rude) and went to discuss the idea with my boss. He hadn't heard of it before and told me to do some research and see what I came up with, but he seemed pleased with me.

After pulling up the cases that the trainer referenced and a few others to state my position, I took the information to my boss and let him look over it. He agreed that it was a position that we could take to help out this client.

Now, I should explain that this client had only come to us to get a return amended. He didn't indicate that he would continue with us, because of our fees, which is totally understandable for some people. Well, I called him up and told him about this idea that we had and how it would help him out. He seemed pretty impressed that we were still helping him, despite his lack of "hiring" us. So he gave permission for us to go forward with the idea.

Situations came up and I didn't get to it until this past June. We amended this client's return and I wrote up the reason why, stating the cases that I had found and applying the situation to our client. I handed it to my boss for review and he didn't change my explanation, at all! This was a triumphal moment for me. I tend to be pretty basic and short in my technical writing and my boss always changes things, or corrects my grammar. But in this situation, I guess because I knew what I was writing about, I did the job thoroughly. A proud moment in my career.

A couple of weeks ago, we received a notice from the IRS, stating that they accepted our changes and were processing the return. I was ecstatic! Even though the client won't be coming back, I was still pleased that I had been able to use my skills and abilities to help someone out.

Last week, at our monthly staff meeting, one of the partners talked about what it means to serve with our hearts and our minds, not just with our back and our hands. I truly believe that when we serve with our hearts, we are happier, even when we don't get any direct benefit from doing so.

And that my friends, is why I do the things I do. Yes, it is boring and tedious at times, but it is also quite rewarding!

Temple Square Surprises

Saturday, Rachel, Steven, Chloe and myself, met up with Sonja's family on temple square. We walked around the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Temple Square, and ended up in the North Visitor's Center.

While Ammon wasn't there, he had a special friend visiting and getting to know his family. Later when he met up with us, I realized that we were in the middle of a very special event.

Despite her attempts to flee, she did say, "Yes"! Emily, welcome to the crazy family where you will NEVER lose your marbles, no matter how crazy we all are. (I must say, I like her name!) :)