GRATITUDE

For some reason, Monday was a hard day for me and I was feeling a little discouraged. Nothing bad happened, I think I just let myself focus on the negative instead of the positive. That night I read a great article in the Ensign about how expressing your gratitude can help you overcome those discouraging thoughts.

So here it is! I'm going to attempt to write 5 things I'm grateful for every day.

I know what you're thinking - "Ya right, Alisha write on her blog EVERY DAY?" I just got inspired by two of my co-workers, Katelin and Kristina who do this regularly.

Ok so maybe it won't happen, but I will definitely try. And I'm sure it will be the best thing I can do for myself.

1. I am grateful for those moments when you realize Heavenly Father truly is looking out for you by the small moments of reassurance that you feel.
2. I am grateful for my faith in God and in my Savior.
3. I am grateful for my wonderful parents, 3 sisters who are my best friends, the best 2 older brothers a girl could ask for and great in-laws. Oh and did I mention I have the cutest nieces and nephews EVER? :)
4. I am grateful that my sister Sarah lives in the same city as me and I get to hang out with her. She has always given me great guidance on school, career, and dating. I love you Sis!
5. I am grateful that Max calls me Boss-Wisha and will cuddle with me while watching TV.
6. I am grateful for the huge smile that I get from Issey when she sees me and when she gets mad if I put her down.
7. I am grateful for wonderful friends at work, at church, from my almost 3 years in AZ, from college and from high school. They are truly a blessing to me from my Father in Heaven! "Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands." D&C 121:9; "Ye are they whom the Father hath given me, ye are my friends." D&C 84:63
8. I am grateful to work for such a great company, and that I love what I do. It makes my days enjoyable even though it's work :)
9. I am grateful for my wonderful ward and for all of the truly inspiration people that I get to meet. There are both awesome girls AND guys. I haven't found that in a while.
10. I am grateful for a healthy body that enables me to do all the things that I want to do. I feel very blessed that Heavenly Father has allowed me to come to this Earth to prove my worthiness to return to Him. I am definitely imperfect and need His help, but that is my ultimate goal.

I'm BACK

After a 3(?) Month Hiatus I am BACK!!

I'm loving 2010. I feel GREAT about this year. It's gonna be a GREAT one! Something about it being an even, symmetrical year makes me feel good. :)

It's already been pretty good. But sorry, I work A LOT these days so when I get home, I want to run 17 TRILLION miles because I've been sitting all day in front of my computer so therefore I don't blog anymore.

And I don't really read your blog anymore either.

If there are nice pictures I might look at them for 2 seconds during a break at work.

Other than that, life is good! I'm in the best ward in Phoenix and I finally feel like I'm FINALLY in the ward I want/need to be in.

Heavenly Father continues to guide and direct my life and I couldn't be more thankful.

I have REALLY wonderful, inspiring, supporting, caring girlfriends that have been a huge blessing to me lately.

I hope He has blessed you thus far in 2010 as much as he has blessed me.

Much love,

Alisha

I love Max. He is the sweetest thing and always makes me happy. He is very complimentary and He even asked if he could marry me one day!

Some of my amazing girlfriends.

I can't help but look like a cheerleader when I do this pose...

I ALMOST Forgot the Alamo - in San Antonio, TX

I never thought I would get to see the Alamo in San Antonio, but on my second trip there in September, I got to see it! We had a work meeting there, and had to just really quickly drive by in our Mini Van of fun. It reminded me of the good ol' days of college when I drove a mini van!

Needless to say, the Alamo was LESS than exciting. It is actually pretty small! I was a little underwhelmed. But the Riverwalk on the other hand is a happening place! Is it weird that I think of Miss Congeniality when I think of the Riverwalk? When she does her talent of glass playing on stage in that outfit...you KNOW you know what I'm talking about! :)

Well anyway, it was a great trip. And I have a great team at work. And I am grateful to work for a great company! I'm glad that this is how I get to spend the majority of my days.

HALLOWEEN! - My Favorite Holiday!

I. LOVE. HALLOWEEN. There's just no other way to put it. I love seeing people get creative with costumes, and I love the spookiness and just how people just seem to have a little more fun! (Girls also tend to get a lot skankier, but that's ok.) We hit up a few dance parties this weekend and they were PHENOMENAL. I swear, as a single person, you go through phases where you HATE dance parties, and phases where you love them. I am right now in a phase where I love them. But give me a couple months and it could be different.

I love love love Candace. She is amazing and looked great as Alice in Wonderland!

Me and Ashley - she was Black MAIL. So creative!

The crew.

These girls are amazing! Karen, Andria, Katie, Candace and me.

My new friend Sara. What a cute rainbow bright! and she is SO amazing! I'm so grateful we got set up on a blind church date :) (We went to church together without ever meeting before :))

My friends and I LOVE QT and frequently stop there before a night out on the town to get a few Diet cokes/Dr. Peppers. Sometimes you need a little caffeine to have fun, ok??

Where's Waldo?

I wish they had QT's in Utah. This would've made my high school and college career EVEN better!

The dance party was at an airport hanger - it was really neat!

Some of my other favorite girls!!! Andrea, Stephanie, Rachel, Me, Melanie, Sara and Aly

Taylor and Me

My friend Dan was the "Catch of the Day." very clever!

With the airplanes.

Besides Halloween, I flew to Utah this weekend for the day to go to my cousin Kimble's funeral. He was killed in Afghanistan and I can't say enough how grateful I am for the men and women who serve our country to defend our freedom. It was a full military funeral, and a General spoke, there were Vetrans on motorbikes that guarded the family at the funeral and cemetary, and a he was buried at Camp Williams with a 21 gun salute. I was so grateful I was able to spend the day remembering my cousin, and catching up with Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents that I hadn't seen in WAY too long. It was really a great day and I am so grateful I could be there.

It also reminded me how grateful I am for the plan of salvation, and for the fact that I know I will see Kimble again. I know he is in a better place and I know that we will be reunited in heaven one day. There is definitely peace in this experience. I was so grateful for my family who chose to laugh and joke around, cause if not they knew they'd cry. Kimble was an amazing guy and I am grateful to have known him!

The J.W. Marriott Staycation - August 8, 2009

Nothing like spending the night at a 5 Start hotel and then spending the day at the lazy river with your girlfriends :) Happy Birthday to ME!

I dare you to pick out which one of us is the dancer!!

LONG OVERDUE - Pics from the Big 2-4 Birthday

I was so lucky this year to spend my birthday with good friends and family. Friday I went to lunch with my good friends from work at one of my favorite lunch spots, Rumbi. Friday night, a few of my girlfriends and I stayed at the JW Marriott in Scottsdale, and then spent Saturday at the pool and lazy river. :) (PICS TO COME LATER.) Then Saturday night, my sister Sarah and her husband Hunt invited a couple friends over for a BBQ. We had cake and ice cream that night but didn't get pictures.

SO, on Sunday, my actual birthday, we celebrated with a banana. (I can't really remember why now, but that's ok). Luckily, I had a sweet helper MAX to help me blow out my candles!

My friends threw me a little Birthday Dessert Party, but once again, PICS TO COME LATER.

I'm grateful for wonderful family and friends that celebrated my birthday with me! Can't wait for the big 2-5!

Max still doesn't quite know how to blow out candles!

Max is so much fun!

Thanks Sar! Love you guys!

August & September - Where the HECK did they go?

Obviously I have been MIA for the past 2 Months. I really haven't been at home too much - it's been so much fun, but CRAZY. Here's a quick update on what happened, and I hope to have some posts shortly to show all of the fun times:

AUGUST:

9 -Birthday Weekend!

14-16 - Oregon for my cousin's wedding

19-20 - San Antonio for a work meeting

20-24 - San Diego, CA for a family vacation to LEGOLAND! (Yes I flew in from SA and went to SD the same day)

SEPTEMBER:

4 - BYU vs. Oklahoma in Dallas, TX

15-17 - San Antonio for a Work Meeting

18-20 - Utah cause Ellen was in Town!

21-23 - Minnesota for a work trip

Sept1-Oct 2 - CRAZINESS at work

Hope life has been as fun for you as it has for me!