Now for the good stuff :)

Goofy things about me…

I love snakes!

I have had snakes for the past few years.  I have mainly pythons and they are great pets. 

Me and Monty

Taking Lemon for a ride

I love to read

I love books.  I prefer fantasy but enjoy other genres as well.  I have an ‘adventure book club’.  I call it that because we read books then do activities that coincide with the themes of the books.  For instance, we read a spy novel and for book club we played lazer tag.  Another time we read Jurassic Park and went to the dinosaur museum.

I love to travel

When I was a child we lived in Saudi Arabia for several years.  On my mission I was in Portugal and Cabo Verde, West Africa.  Also as an adult I have traveled to Vietnam, Hong Kong and Guatemala.  I most enjoy getting to know the people and the things that make them unique.

My sister and I spent a day in the jungle with this big guy in Thailand

I love M&M’s and Dr Pepper

Enough said...

I have an amazing family

I grew up in Northern California.  I am 2nd of 6 children, 4 girls and 2 boys.  I live far away from them but we get together whenever we can.  I am especially close to my sisters.  As I’ve gotten older it’s been so fun to get to know all my nieces and nephews.  I do not have children of my own so I get to spoil them.  My parents have always been amazing examples to me.  

That's quite the dinner table...Chrsitmas 2015

Sisters trip to Savannah, GA

Flying with my awesome dad

The whole bunch July 2015

I am independant

Thought I didn’t exactly plan on being single at my age, I make the most of it.  I have a great life and have been fending for myself for years.  I am happy to be alone or with a group and being single forces me to get out and do things with others.  I have been the only one managing my money and my time and do so wisely most of the time.

Just got myself a new car and I LOVE it, especially in the snow

I am educated

I have a bachelor’s degree in History and an associate’s degree in Fashion Merchandising.  Right after High School I moved to San Francisco to study at FIDM.  It is a fashion college and I studied Merchandise Marketing.  After serving a mission I decide I did not want to live in New York or LA so I went back to school and got my bachelors degree in History.

Bachelor's Degree from Utah State University

I like taking pictures

I’m an amature photographer but love catching interresting things and people on film.  Someday I’d like to have a fancy camera, but for now, my phone camera works just fine.

One of my adorable nieces, Kennedy

An angel, taken at the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA

Utah State Capitol

I love to do my nails

Silly I know, but fun none the less

 

I value others for who they are

Serving an LDS mission as well as working with at-risk youth has given me added perspective into the unique struggles people go through.  

I can say the alphabet backwards

Self explanatory

I like to sing

Though I am not particularly musical, I grew up singing with my sisters.  Growing up together and singing together allows us to harmonize easily and to sing with one voice.  We did talent shows and singing groups as children and most often sang in church.  

I am a follower of my faith

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I served a mission to both Portugal and Cabo Verde, West Africa.  I continue to practice my faith and am an active participant in my congregation.  I have worked a lot with the women and am currently in charge of communication and social media for our congregation of 600+.

I make amazing snowflakes (pretty much the only craft I can do, lol)

Growing up my mom always had us cut snowflakes to put on the windows during the holidays.  Little by little I became quite skilled at cutting snowflakes.  I still make them for my office door every year.  They are quite good, if I do say so myself.

I love movies

I have to admit, I have a movie habit. I enjoy movies for lots of the same reason I enjoy books, you can go on many types of adventures.  

I often plan large groups for the movies, lots of fun.

I am a teacher

I was a history teacher professionally and have often taught in my church.  In my current job I use so many of those skills with my co-workers and the families I work with.  

I have amazing friends

Being single in my community is a little out of the ordinary.  I have never been married or had children and many of my friends are in similar situations.  Being away from my family geographically also allows me the opportunity to have a network of friends who are like family.  I surround myself with people who lift me up, help me when I’m down, and allow me to do the same for them.  

A birthday at the movies

Ziplining

I love hats

Several years back I started having “Hats & Heels” parties.  I have a large group of women friends and it is so fun to get dressed up, eat finger sandwiches and socialize.  It’s a picture fest and it's so much fun.

I am a leader

Both in my personal life and in my job.  I am a quick learner and high efficiency worker.  I am a teacher which helps me lead in effective ways.  I hold myself to a high standard, integrity is key.  I am a great multi-tasker and have a ‘get it done’ work ethic. I am also an organizer.  

I love to plan activities for family and friends

Last summer I planned and organized a family reunion for my mother’s side of the extended family.  We had 50+ people for 3 days and it was so much fun.  Making arrangements for hotels, travel, activities, budgets and favors were all done effectively and we made lots of great memories.

On the friends side, I have multiple Facebook groups for various activities.  I have a movie group, a breakfast group, Sushi group, book club, and a paint your nails group. We do activities throughout the year and always bring in new and interesting people.  Social networking is important both in work and in life.

I am a daughter, sister, aunt and friend

Family and friends will always be a high priority.  I am a daughter to two wonderful parent.  A sister to 5 siblings, an aunt to 11 little rascals and a friend to anyone who will allow me to get to know them.  Relationships get us through life.

Probation

In my current position as a Probation Officer in Juvenile Court, I work with youth and their families primarily in the community. I spend time in court as well as out in the field. I developed a reading program that is used statewide for kids to get community service for reading.  I am also involved in the credit recovery program which allows youth to do makeup packets for high school credits.  I model good work ethic for my peers and am often a mentor for new staff.

Experience with youth in custody

In 2004 I began working at a residential assessment facility with youth in custody.  After many types of assessments, we made recommendations to court for their future placement, either back home, to group homes or various facilities throughout the state. One important lesson I learned from working there was to match programs with the needs of the child.  This happened through assessment tools as well as spending time with the kids and helping them find things that motivated them in a positive way.  

During most of my years there I was in charge of all of the volunteers.  We had groups come in for church services and activities, art, therapy dogs, crocheting, and special speakers.  We had many community service projects as well as projects around the center.  

One project I spearheaded was making quilts for their beds.  It was fun to see them learn to sew on the machine, cut fabric, design quilt patterns and be invested in the quilts they created.   

O&A newspaper

One of my passions...working with youth

From 1999 to 2004 I taught High School history at an alternative school.  We had students with behavior problems as well as kids with Autism spectrum disorders. I taught all the History classes; Geography, World History, US History and Government.  

I also had the leadership kids.  It was a delight to see kids that spent most of their school years getting in trouble turn into peer leaders.  We did a lot of experiential learning.  Activities included camping, Snowboarding, movies, prom, The Shakespeare Festival, college campus tours and an amazing musical show. 

Singing with the girls

We also went on a few school trips, once to New York and Boston and the other to Florida.

While out and about they learned to use public transportation, use maps to find where they needed to go and managed their own money.  

Service projects included hats and gloves for impoverished children, sandwiches for the homeless shelter, delivering food for the food bank and Sub-for-Santa.  Serving others brought many of them out of their comfort zones and gave them a new perspective.  

Making sandwiches for the homeless.

Years later and we're still getting together for dinner.

I first fell in love with Africa while serving an LDS mission in 1994 to Mindelo, Cabo Verde, West Africa.

Me and Tuna

It was so great to serve the people of Mindelo, Cabo Verde.  They were full of joy even though they had so little.  

The little green things in front of them are snails.

Washing clothes in a cement basin with very little water

Being an LDS missionary, we taught our religion to those who were interested.  We spent time with church leaders teaching them how to go about the day to day functioning of a religious congregation, taught church classes and planned church activities.  We worked with the leadership as well as the youth and primary aged kids.  

Nadine

Cebel

Once a week we volunteered in the hospital with the babies.  Most of them were malnourished and did not have the care they needed.  We spent the entire time changing diapers, changing soiled sheets and providing them with a human touch they did not get otherwise.  Many of them did not make it past a few months.  We also taught English.  We held a class once a week for anyone who wanted to learn.  They did not have to be members of our church.  

Let's learn some English

Though it was many years ago, I will always have a great fondness for my time there.  The people were genuine and caring and loved to have fun.  They were full of music and dance and eager to learn anything new.  

They had a strong sense of family and welcomed us into their lives with smiles.

Some of the young women we worked with. 

beautiful girls

Sewing class with a group of young ladies. 

Making mud bricks

Mindelo, Cabo Verde