Thank you's!

I am not sure why it has taken me so long to blog!  But it worked out timing wise since I got my Facebook paper back this week!
I want to Thank all of you that participated in the survey! And a special Thanks to those that disabled their Facebook pages for a few days and wrote up a summary to me!
Thanks~ (PS, I did Thank them all with a card in the mail too!)
Andy
Jason
Petar
Janet
Miker
and Jody
This week my paper came back in the mail ~ Here are the final comments the teacher put at the end that made me jump up and down with excitement....
"A" "Excellent work!  Please email me a copy.  I would like to use it as a student sample for future classes!"  Holy cow, when I saw that I was sooooo excited!
I am done with the semester and have a total of 3 classes completed since I started this summer! I am taking 2 more classes next semester! Thanks to everyone who encourages and supports me in the decision to go back to school! It means so much to me!

English Research Paper.....

I am writing my final English paper of the semester and this one is a research paper.  My topic is "Negative (and positive) effects of Facebook on lives.  I need your help. 
I am attaching an online survey that I would love to have everyone fill out.  I would also love some stories...
Good and bad. If you or anyone you know has any stories of how Facebook has positively or negatively affected your life I would love to hear your story!
I was a fan of Facebook for a few years, but about 2 years ago I reluctantly disabled my Facebook in hopes of helping my marriage by getting rid of some distractions.  Unfortunately things still did not work out, but I know now that I am not the biggest fan of Facebook.  I think it is a giant distraction in life. And I don't think I will ever activate a Facebook account again.  I want to connect with people in my life in person, or on the phone, or by writing a letter.  Sure, I do miss daily updates of friends from out of state etc, but overall I think there is a huge lack of human connection and there seems to be only partial truth that is shared.
I would love a few volunteers to help me in my project by agreeing to disable your Facebook account for 3-5 days (it is very easy to enable it again).  Please email me if you would like to try this ~
Or email me with any stories, negative or positive. tiffb123@yahoo.com
Also, if you are not on Facebook I would love to know why and how you have avoided the pressure of signing up!
Thank you everyone! I really appreciate your time and help~ :)
SURVEY!!

Shhhhh.....

Don't tell anyone!

But there is this really cool secret place that, sadly, I just discovered this year....You can get free books (cookbooks too), music, AND movies.... It is called "The Library"!  :)

Yes, I really just got my first library card as an adult about 6 months ago.  Now I use it ALL THE TIME!

I log on and put things on hold then pick them up about a day later!

If you have not been recently you should go!! They have tons of great music now too!!

Have you found any great finds at the Library?

Happy Birthday to my beautiful sister!

Happy Birthday Brooke!
I hope you have a wonderful birthday!!
Thank you for being such an amazing sister~ I want to Thank You for supporting me in my life for all these years, even when at times I am sure you were questioning my decisions~ You have always supported me no matter what and that means so much to me.
I am so very lucky to have you as my sister!
I love you!
Happy Birthday!

....Fall is for hiking....

I LOVE FALL!!!
It may be my favorite time of year~
Utah is such a beautiful place too so I am sure that makes Fall even better!
My friend Rachelle and I hiked up to Lake Blanch a few weeks ago and no lie, my legs were sore for a week! It was about 4 and a half hours round trip~ It was amazing! What a beautiful new discovery!
I hope to make it up there at least one more time before it is covered in feet of snow....
Happy Fall!

....technology....

My computer crashed a few weeks ago so I haven't had a way to upload photos for blogging lately. Luckily, the day before the big beast went down I purchased a laptop for school~ I will blog more soon when I have time to take some photos and upload them to the new computer! For now, a pinterest quote!
I hope you are having an amazing October so far! I LOVE FALL!!

Source: blog.workisnotajob.com via Tiffany on Pinterest

...peaceful warrior...

The past few months I have been taking Yoga classes at a local studio~ I have really connected with it.  The summer was too hot for me to motivate to run much so Yoga has been my excercise outlet. 
The teachers I have had have been amazing. 
One of the yoga instructors shared a quote that really made me think....
Ever since my beautiful mom died I have had this feeling that I have something to share, something more to do, something I cannot quite pinpoint, but I know there is something.......
The words she shared really resonated inside of me.
"The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose in life is to share it." I am not sure where the quote originates from but I just love it!
Do you have the feeling that there is more to do, more to give, more to share?

....Holy Schnikes!....

It is my birthday....I am 38 today....And I cannot believe it!
The speed of life gets more crazy and more scary every year.
I am very lucky to have an amazing family and wonderful friends that I get to celebrate with and share my life with! And that is the best gift ever!

MIA from blogging~ Ooops!

I have a goal to be back more often ~ No excuses, this is a place for me to write and share so I will be sure to post more very soon!
How about I share a treat secret!
Be careful......They are very addicting....

...3 years...

It has been 3 years...3 years....It seems so strange to me that it has been that long since I have gotten to see my beautiful mom, talk to her, hear her laugh.  I miss her very much. 
The other day I was driving and saw an old truck and started to reach for my phone to call her and let her know. She loved old trucks and she would take pictures of them and paint them.  It was such a strange feeling to realize that I am still reaching for the phone to call her sometimes.  Oh how I wish I could.
I miss her laugh. I miss her wisdom and advice. 
Today we will spend the day together as a family, enjoying the sunshine, telling stories, laughing and probably crying.  
Today is a day to be together and honor the life that she lived, and the lives that she gave to each of us~ It is a day to be grateful for her and for each other!
She is loved and missed as much today as every other day.

Life is so busy and filled with so much that when you really take a few minutes to think and reflect it becomes heavier than one person can handle. There is such a huge weight and an extreme void in life without her here. Honestly, it just sucks! No profound words there, just truth.
Mom,
We love you and miss you so very much~
I am so grateful to be your daughter!
Love, Tiff

tomatillo?

A few months ago in my bountiful basket I got one of these.....

I wondered "What is this and what do I do with it?"  My friend Andy knew!  When I described it, he told me it was a tomatillo! Sure enough, that is exactly what it was!  So I looked up recipes on pinterest and made my first salsa verde....it was delish!!

...venice, italy...

Wow, I have been MIA from the blog lately~ How about a post from Venice, Italy.  It is my last post about my 2011 European adventure, and that makes me very sad.

I want to blow up and frame some of the travel photos for my house, any favorites?

Venice is an amazing place!

If you ever get the chance to go there, I highly recommend it!

No cars, not even bikes.  Only boats.  It is truly a place like no other. 

A lot of fresh produce.

                                   

San Marco Square is the place with all of the birds~ Very cool.

Notice the produce stand on the boat in the water below and the guy working has a cigarette in his mouth.

Interesting!

There was a funky art studio that had some strange exhibits, but very cool too...

I went on a gondola ride, ended up with an awesome couple from Colorado. 

(I took photos of them but it was with their camera). 

Very cool experience. And super nice people!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful mom...

She would have been 71 today.
We would have spent the day having lunch and going to a movie or shopping, and then she would have taken us all out to dinner at a wonderful restaurant with a patio (It was her tradition to take everyone out on her birthday, we couldn't argue with this one). 
Instead, my family and I hiked up to Cecret Lake and spent the afternoon having a picnic and toasting her life.
She gave us such a gift in each other and in such a beautiful place to celebrate her!
Happy Birthday mom!