I WAS HERE!

If you know me, you know that I LOVE Beyoncé. I love her confidence, her music, her family values, but mostly I love what that woman stands for. Lately one song in particular has meant the world to me. It's called "I was here". The song was written about humanitarian work. It bothers me that most people think Beyoncé is just about shaking her hips and rockin' out. NOPE! This song has really made me think about how I'm spending my time. Last week my best friend lost someone very close to her. I went to her house that night and tried to comfort her. We cried ourselves to sleep and ended up waking up an hour later on her bedroom floor. When I got home this song wouldn't stop playing in my head....It's amazing!

I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time
Know there was something that
Meant something that I left behind
When I leave this world,
I'll leave no regrets
Leave something to remember,
So they won't forget

I was here...
I lived, I loved
I was here...
I did, I've done, everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I will leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here...

I want to say I lived each day,
Until I die
And know that I meant something in somebody's life
The hearts I have touched,
Will be the proof that I leave
That I made a difference
And this world will see

I was here...
I lived, I loved
I was here...
I did, I've done, everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I will leave my mark so everyone will know

I was here...
I lived, I loved
I was here...
I did, I've done, everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I will leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here...

I just want them to know
That I gave my all,
Did my best
Brought someone some happiness
Left this world a little better just because...
I was here...

I was here...
I lived, I loved
I was here...
I did, I've done, everything that I wanted
And it was more than I thought it would be
I wanna leave my mark so everyone will know
I was here...

(I lived, I loved)
(I did, I've done)
(I lived, I loved)
(I did, I've done)
I was here...

I thought about this song as I was graduating high school, when Becky passed away, as I'm headed off to serve the people of Vietnam, and as I'm preparing to serve an LDS mission! I'm so ready leave my mark and make a difference in someone's life! Vietnam here I come! Just 11 days 16 hours and 58 minutes but who's counting?

Cancer Sucks!

Every summer I get to be part of something amazing! I get to go volunteer at a camp for cancer patients and their siblings. The point of the camp is not about cancer. It is about being an average kid. It's about not having to worry about your sister who is in chemo or not being able to swim like everyone else because infection is too risky. This camp is all about making these kids feel like kids! This camp changes lives.

Throughout the week I get to watch the kids learn how to be confident with themselves and become best friends with everyone in their cabin! I get to be a part of healing these kids! I'm 100% convinced that this camp heals these families. It gives them the hope they need to never give up on their fight against cancer. Camp shows them that they aren't alone. They have hundreds of people who want to help them! That, my friends, is healing! 

The stories from camp are endless! They range from a mouse having 4 babies in a girls suit case while we were sleeping; to the various amounts of pranks that the kids loved to pull- more than half involved me getting soaked from head to toe. I was in the Arts and Crafts cabin most of the time which means I got to spend time with each kid learning something new about them every time. Those kids are hilarious. I was known as the "Justin Beiber Lover". All the kids would either mock me for it or love me for it. One Cabin of boys ended up naming their cabin the Justin Beliebers! Those kids never stopped handing out the surprises and laughs. They were all so fun! Everyone at camp seemed to be best friends. We were cracking inside jokes in a matter of hours. It was awesome!

One hour a week is set up to remember the people who we have lost. Every year I've thought of someone to plant a flower for. This year was a little closer to home. I planted a flower for Tyler. He lost his fight to cancer about 5 months ago. It was amazing to be able to feel Tyler with us all throughout camp. I believe Tyler was constantly sending us hints that he was there! Maybe that's why this years camp was just a little bit more special.....
This month there is a 5k called Millie's Princess Run! Go be a part of it! Trust me, it's worth getting up early for!
http://www.milliesprincessrun.org

1

Me!

The biggest part of growing up is figuring out who you are and what you want to be. Lately my friend, Jen, has been asking me this a lot! Who do I want to be? Who am I now? What do I see myself becoming? These were really hard for me to answer because at first I had no idea..Slowly I've started to figure out bits and pieces though. This is what I've come up with.

-I see myself as good person. I like doing things for others and being part of something great!
-I see myself as being smart and good at math and science.
-I see myself as being a good friend and having some of the greatest friends I could ever ask for!

 

-I see myself as a determined athlete. I know I'm not the best figure skater or runner but I really strive to be better every day.

-I see myself as a strong member of the LDS church

-I see myself as a happy person!

-I see myself as a leader. I love being in charge of planning group activities or anything like that!

-I see myself as being a pretty hard core dancer/singer!

Things that I hope to be:

-I want to graduate from Utah State University!

-I hope to be a better communicator. Right now I'm just not good at saying what I think.
-I'm striving to be a successful adult and find the carrier that will make me the most happy! SCARY!
-I want to be an LDS missionary! (turning in my papers in a year!)
-I want to learn to be one of them healthy eaters!
-I want to be a worldwide traveler! (GOING TO VIETNAM IN JUST 90 DAYS WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL!)

-I want people to see me as an example!
-I want to be a wife to someone like my dad and brothers. Those boys are the most perfect boys I know. All are return missionaries and just so fun and hard working. I love them to death! They do so much for me!
-I gotta be a mommy someday! Kids are my life! It for sure is going to be the hardest job in the world but I couldn't be more excited for the day when some freakin' chubby baby calls me mom. AHHH (yes, that picture is me)

-I for sure want to be more like the amazing women in my life (All of them..heather and megan included!) These ladies are smart, strong, confident, independent women that I never stop looking up to and trying to keep up with!

I know that I have the potential to be something great! I am so excite and scared to go to college and figure out who the real Carly is. The other day my brother told me that the best thing I can do is be myself, the real me is going to work for some people and not for others no matter what. So why not just be yourself? I've got nothing to lose. 

Sorry I've been so bad at blogging lately! One of these days I will figure out a story that is worth telling. For now, enjoy my random ranting about life!



Temple or Bust.

          Confession time.....I am not very good at going to seminary. Today was no different. Once again Claire and I tried to avoid going as long as possible by trying to talk to our seminary principal, Brother Sweat. This trick normally helps us avoid a couple of minutes of seminary and get a note from him excusing our tardy. Who knew that this simple childish act would end up being a blessing.
          Today we walked into that office and started asking every question we could think of. At first the questions were stupid and just a waste of time but slowly the questions turned into really cool topics in an hour we covered these topics.

 

1. Joseph Smiths marriage and how hard it was for Emma

2. Polygamy in general

3. Temple marriage

4. Worldly marriage

5. The work inside of the temple (he couldn't go into much detail)

6. Cloning

7. The lost plates

8.The sealed plates

9. John and The Three Nephites (These guys are legit!)

10. Resurrection

11. Going on a mission

12. There is only heaven

13. Temple names

14. Divorce

15. The priesthood

16. How much the Bible connects with the Book of Mormon

 

          I have a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This church is the one and only true church! Without it I really believe that I would be lost and unhappy. The joy that it brings me everyday is incredible. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me! The Holy Ghost touches my life in small simple ways daily! Everything in the church just.....WORKS! God seriously has timed everything in history perfectly! He is obviously a genus and creator. Don't take my word for it. Go read those books! I'm so excited to go on a mission in just a year and a half. Being able to show people what they are missing will be amazing! Being able to go to the temple in about a year is so humbling. I'm going guys! I'm not settling for anything less than the temple! I'm blessed to have a family that raised me in the church. I was baptized by my dad! How lucky is that? I love having three priesthood holders in my house. This church is everything to me. 

Life is Good!

          You know that moment where you finally accomplish a huge goal and you suddenly feel like you're on top of the world? That happened yesterday. It started out being a normal day. I woke up, ate a bowl of Special K cereal, took notes in first period, read and analyzed an article in second period, skipped third period, thought about skipping fourth period then ended up going, had the usual lunch group over at my house for pizza, then went to fifth period where I failed to run more than a mile thanks to the pizza. All of that was fun and average. The amazing part was next.

          Every Tuesday I have a lesson with one of my coaches, Merna. She is for sure my strict coach and most of the time I end up getting frustrated in my lessons with her. Yesterday was different! I finally got a smile out of her! The whole lesson was working on my footwork and somehow after every element she would smile and say something like, "Wow! Carly I can see your improvement." or "Those are looking so good!" IT WAS JUST WHAT I NEEDED! This may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was a huge blessing! The rest of my ice time was spent vigorously working on something else to impress Merna with next week! Who knew those simple sentences could mean so much!

          Somehow, that lesson really got me thinking. I have a lot to be grateful for! Today I spent the entire day choosing to be happy and make the most out of everything that happened. Here's what I noticed.

 

I get the most joy in serving people.

If you make an effort to say hi to someone they will say hi first the next time you see them.

You decide if your day is good or bad.

Making some one's day can be so easy!

The Lord times everything perfectly.

I absolutely adore my friends and family.

 

 

Have a good week! The weekend is quickly approaching! What am I going to get myself into next!?!?!



From 2012 to 2013!

Another year has come and gone. How is that possible? Lately I've been thinking a lot about what I accomplished this past year and what I maybe could have done better on. So much has changed in my life within the past 12 months. I've created relationships with new people and let go of some of the old ones. 2012 taught me a lot about what's important in life, to let God be your best friend, and to always have a smile on your face no matter what. This year will be another year full of that I'm sure!
It freaks me out to think about what 2013 has in store for me. Moving out and growing up is beyond scary. I am just barely figuring out how to do laundry without shrinking everything that I own or putting the wrong colors together! SCARY! I have so much to look forward to and so many lessons to learn. Let's make this next year a good one! May the odds be ever in your favor. :)

Christmas in the Sand!

This Christmas the fam went to Hawaii. You read that correctly. HAWAII! It was a week of relaxing, laughs, water, adventure, family, and the perfect amount of sun! We spent most of the time swimming in the ocean. The second day was spend kayaking through some river and hiking to a secret waterfall! It was beautiful.....and a really good arm workout! Our tour guide, TC, was awesome with his dog, small fry. On Sunday we did something amazing as well! WE ZIP LINED OVER/THROUGH THE FORESTS! Pure awesomeness! It was 6 hours of flying over the trees, then we headed to some hidden pond that was once meant for royalty! How cool is that? I thought it was pretty cool. :)

I love getting to spend time with my family. Being stuck on an island together was the perfect was to get everyone together!

All the other pictures were taken on Trent or Marks camera...but this is what we got on Sarah's phone! (Sorry they are fuzzy)

Some airport fun!

It's fuzzy but it's still my favorite.

Dinner after a long day of kayaking!

Snow cones with ice cream in the middle!

 

We started out the trip with the idea to do one yoga pose on the beach per day....We ran out poses really fast. The rest on pintrest were too advanced.

Cute mermaid Sarah.