Year in Review

So a new year huh? What did I do in 2009....hmmmm....
Well I was still in Zambia,
In January Michi was with me and she had decided to go home and I had decided to stay...but we wanted to go to Victoria Falls together before we left...so we kinda snuck out and went. And I am glad I did! It was fun to go with some one and see it, because the next time I went I traveled by my self the entire 10 hour bus ride. Then the next week Michi left and I was alone...all alone, for a few months anyway. But January, February, March and April where when I really got to work! I went out and taught and it was amazing...I miss it! At the time I really just wanted to come home more than anything, I had a homemade calendar counting down the days. But I really miss it and I want to go back. I taught at 11 schools. And I loved my students! They were so much fun. Some were better than others, Showgrounds was my favorite. It was the poorest school I taught at but it had the best students! There were 4 girls and 1 boy that were always asking questions. Always wanting to know more. The last time I went there one of the girls got up the courage to ask to feel my hair....so I have 30 dirty hands running their fingers through my hair. They gabbered away in Tonga, in excited and awed voices. I miss them.
January, February and March where also the time when I put on the most weight while I was there...I was only cooking for myself and I felt like I could not waste any food I made. Also it was really hard being by myself...so food was my friend, and what did I do when I got bored? I ate food and read books....I read A LOT of books. I brought....6 books and I read those all in the first month...so I downloaded books off of the internet. 10 books from the internet....and then when Hye-Jin came in March she brought 6 more books.
I also had a lot of visitors from other "projects" in those months...which was so nice. A girl from Austria came and stayed a week. A boy from China also stayed a week. Yuskuke, that I trained with, came and stayed a week. It was so fun to meet new people. And have them go with me to my classes.
Then a few weeks before I left I went to Livingstone to see Victoria Falls again. It was amazing both times! But this time even more so. It was after the rainy season and there was so much water! So so so so so much! The first time I went I didn't wear a poncho, but this time I did, but it soaked right through and I was dripping, dripping wet when I took it off! I really want to go back there and bungie jump off of the bridge just below the falls...life goal.
The last couple of days I was there I finally got the package my mother had sent 3 months before. It was full of children books, which I had asked for so I could take them to my schools and to the hospital. So I went to the hospital with Hye-Jin and read to the children in the children's ward. I think that is one of my favorite memories.
The last day I was there was unbelievably stressful. I didn't know how I was getting to Lusaka, or if I was going to be given money to travel....I think I cried harder that day then I ever have before...and ask anyone who was there with me...I cried a ton while I was there.
But finally I got home. After delay, upon delay, lost baggage and almost missing my connecting flight. But I was back on American soil!
I then drove home with my wonderful friend Elyse. And then flew back to Utah. And welcomed home by my wonderful family and amazing best friend.
Being home.....what to do what to do.
Well one thing was certain, I needed to lose my almost 30 lbs that I had gained. I needed a job and I needed something to keep me busy.
I searched and searched for a job, sent out a million resumes, and went to LDS "how to get a job" workshop. I finally got one at Mozy and I started working there Aug. 2nd. I have lost 25 of the 30 lbs that I gained. And over the summer I was in Children of Eden that American Fork/Highland arts council up on. Which was so fun to be in! I love love love theater and am resolved to do more of it. Being in it kept me busy and I was able to make wonderful friendships and renew some so they are even better and I don't know what I would do without them.
So all in all a good year...there is only one thing that is lacking...and that is a boyfriend. I have concluded that I am dating handicap. I have been on some dates, few good, more not so good. But I will just have to keep on trying. I just wish it wasn't so hard. I just want to date a good guy that likes me...someone to cuddle with. Is that too much to ask :)

Feather Head Bands

So for Christmas we choose names, but we buy a gift and also make gifts. So this year I got April and I wanted to do something different, because it every usually does the same things...blankets, pillow cases, pj's...stuff like. Also I really love theses! I made Feather Head Bands! :)
So here is a little picture tutorial. They were super easy to make. I went to Cabala's and got a huge bag of Fly tying feathers and I got some felt from wal-mart, some headbands and a glue gun, and some cute things from Roberts to cover up the bottom of the feathers.













These I ended up give to my cousin for her Auction to raise funds so her and her husband can adopt a baby. But I made a bunch more...and I have lots more feathers!
I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!!! Love you!

Birthday and Thanksgiving

Mmmmm....so I have been 22 for a week and a day. So Happy Birthday me! We went to Wolf Creek for my birthday and for Thanksgiving. It was nice, a bit boring, and a bit cold. I like being at home. My wonderful mother forgot my present at home so I didn't get it till saturday...but she did get me what I wanted. I brought home a beautiful painting from Africa that has 6 woman with babies on it, and I wanted it framed...so I got it framed! Well Mom got it framed for me.
So 22, the big 22...I don't know what to say about that, besides it is the same a 21+1....
But when I was little I always thought I would be married by the time I was 22...ha ha ha ha how naive of me :) All I can say is that it is good to be 22.

No Shave November at work

So it being NO SHAVE NOVEMBER, the guys at work decided to have a contest. The rules: no shaving. The prize a trip for 2 to St. George. Here are some pictures of the final judging.


So it got down to Jon and Mark...really the two best beards on the team. I voted for Jon, left. But Mark ended up winning. Go Mark! Yeah for having good beard growing genes :)

Here are most of the guys that competed. Clay was on a call, but we pulled him in for a sec to get voted on. The Voters, all of the girls in the office. I think there were maybe 20.

Most of the team. Top, left to right: Derrick, Jon, Mark, Nate F, Austin. Second row, left to right:Jeremy, Ben, me with my manly mustache, and Kayleigh with her highly attractive 'stache. And then Keith in front. We were missing Rex, Clay, Nate L, Steve and Justin ( he is in the picture above, on the right)

Kayleigh and I thought we would join the fun, and thought it was unfair that only the guys got to have a contest. So Kayleigh go some felt and we cut 'staches of our own! We were DQed, well because we were girls and the rules were beards not mustaches.

New Moon

Ok, so my good friend Adam got me into see New Moon. What do I have to say. I liked it. And then sometimes not so much. I laughed really hard at some parts where you probably weren't "suppose" to laugh. But it was so so so so, ok to many so's. Just so better than Twilight. Still hated Kristen Stewart. Can she act. NO. Does she look like she cares for Edward, nope not a smidgen. Did her screaming make me uncomfortable, you betcha. I could so be a better Bella ;) Robert Pattinson is still hairy and still wears lipstick, and still don't like his "acting". The script still sucked...stupid, cheesy, random. But I still liked it. The music was better. They stuck better to the book. And of course Taylor Lautner shirtless almost the entire movie. What can I say I am a sucker for a six pack, hairless, steaming guy/boy. And it made me laugh! I am going to go see it again with my co-worker Kayleigh. And I am excited.

The tale of the Curtains

So since it has been getting colder, the leaves on the tree outside my window have fallen all off. Therefore I decided it was time to get some curtains, you know so I didn't flash anyone or something like that. I can pretty much get away with no curtains in the summer. So this is the tale of Leah trying to make curtains. First I went to wal-mart, ok well I was all ready there, and I passed the fabric, and I thought to myself and said to Sarah. I need curtains. So we looked and found this pretty great sheerish, gray stuff. I got enough to double layer it. Then proceeded to buy it and take it home. I then got home and set out to make my wonderful curtains. I cut and I sewed and I sewed some more, very crookedly I might add. I went to the store and also got curtain rods. Then I went home and put up my wonderful new curtains. But later that night mom and dad came home and said, "so I see you put up new curtains". "Yes" I replied. "You know you can see everything through them, every poster on your wall, EVERYTHING." So failed I did with my curtains, what good are they if you can see through them? So that night I made sure to change out of sight of the window. The next day I was determined to do it right. I went to a real fabric store and picked out some pretty purple fabric, that was HALF OFF! I know right! For me, amazing! I actually look at the price. Any way I got 4 yards, and made sure it was not sheerish at all. Then I went home and cut and I sewed and I sewed some more, very crookedly I might add. The I was finished! And here they are! I put both of them up and they have a very nice effect. The End

Halloween!

So I decided that I really like Halloween! Last year I missed it, I spent most of it on an airplane or in the London airport, 12 hour layover not so fun, so it is my six month mark of being home, or going to Africa, however you want to look at it. That was really long run on sentence...any way I was really excited to dress up and carve pumpkins! We also had a Japanese exchange student for a week that I nicked named Rio, he only stayed for a week but he was really fun! Here are some pictures!

Ok, not the most flattering picture of me, but whatever, we had fun picking the pumpkins.Ok, so NEVER get a white pumpkin! It was impossible for me to carve, I gave myself a bruise on my hand trying to dig the guts out if it. So that is why the mighty Ben and Isaac are seen carving it. There was just no way I could have done it, I did draw the pattern, and get the guts out, so they can't take all of the credit for it.

So that was my work costume, in my work shirt! I love it! Dad hates it, I think it is funny and I get the greatest looks when I am wearing it. Ike was Santa, he is growing a pretty awesome beard for the play. Mom was a devil woman, thing, but we found the dress she is wearing at DI and it made the perfect costume. Al was superman, he made that costume him self! Oh my cute family!
So here is the full, going out or night, costume, and me trying to look all cool, yeah didn't work so well.

My curly faux hawk.....loved it, but I think if I do it again I will not spray it pink. I felt and looked a bit like cotton candy.


I am not going to lie, it was pretty sweet! And super easy, banana clips girls! Seriously five minutes!

I hope you all had a Happy Halloween!

Shakespeare

So this Thursday, Friday and Saturday I went with American Fork High School to Cedar City, where they have a Shakespeare competition every year. I went as a chaperon/hair stylist. It was so much fun! Allen and Isaac both competed in one way or another. So it was great to be able to go down with them. They both did AMAZING and I am so proud! I just had so much fun!

So Al-bee did a Monologue from King Henry IV Part II......and he was so so so good!

And did I mention that he won FIRST PLACE! Oh yeah that is my brother!

So for the ensemble scene they did Macbeth, the murder of Banquo and where Banquo's ghost appears to Macbeth at the Feast. It was so....there are no words. Just really great! I had so much fun doing everyone's hair and make up. So the guy with the red Mohawk (Matt Roundy)....he normally has really, really curly hair, but I got it to stick strait up some how. It was fun and I love doing that. And I had some really great help!

Hey that is my cute brother! He was the murder. He stabbed poor Banquo in the back and in the heart.

Oh and did I mention that they won FIRST PLACE too? Great job guys! Love you all! I had a great time!

While we were there we saw some really great plays too, Thursday afternoon we saw Woman in Black. I was freaky. But I could have done without all of the screaming girls. Then that night we saw Tuesdays with Morrie. So so so Amazing. Bawled the whole way through. Uncontrollable. Ugly, ugly crying. It was so good. Man. Then Friday after noon we saw The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged. So funny! I was crying for a whole different reason watching that one.
It was really nice to get away, spend time with my great, wonderful brothers and just watch some really good theater. Great weekend!

CASA

So now that Africa is done, I thing it is time to move on to a new blog. Leah's latest Adventures :)

So here you go,

So as you may know, going to Zambia changed me, and for the better I hope. I fell in love with volunteering. Even more, I fell in love especially with the children I volunteered with. The poorest of poor, the underprivileged, the forgotten and neglected. My most favorite day was when I decided I had to do something....anything. That was the day things changed for me there and changed my whole life. I went to a closed run down school and played with children. We didn't understand each other but we did, in our own way. After playing for what seemed like hours, I walked away with a million new best friends, all wanting to hug me and hold my hand. I love them. But one little girl and one little boy, I don't even know their names, helped me realize what I wanted to do with my life. So this whole time I have been looking for how to do that. And I found CASA. Court. Appointed. Special. Advocates. I start the training Oct. 23rd. I am so excited! CASA's website: http://www.nationalcasa.org/index.asp