Hello Holiday Season!

Hello bloggy friends:) I've missed blog world! So the holidays are upon us.  Didn't we just do this? I swear the old I get the faster time goes.  This year we are doing things a little different.  Forgive for bringing this up, but of course this will be my first Christmas without my mom.  It's going to be rough and I am prepared.  Thanksgiving was really hard...REALLY hard.  This year, we decided to get out of town.  We are running to the lovely island of Oahu! I'm excited to sit on the beach and veg out.  What are you all doing for the holidays? I'm super excited to go...I get to finally see the USS Arizona memorial (I'm a bit of a WWII nerd).  The only thing I'm not excited about is flying over the ocean.  Something about deep water freaks me out (even in swimming pools...and I know how to swim).  I love water though so it's kind of weird that I'm bugged.  Hopefully it will get me prepared when Scott and I go to London in June to visit my sis-in-law Leia...that I am super excited for! I'm hoping that we can take the chunnel over to France and hit Normandy...anyway, I'm off track.  I truly hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.  I love you all! I will make sure I post photos of our trip.  We leave no the 22nd...YAY! I also just posted photos on my photo blog of the Christmas lights at Temple Square.  Check them out here http://jasminepphotography.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-time-at-temple-square.html.  Hope to write more soon:) XOXO
Jas

Artificial intelligence and deep thoughts.

Snazzy title eh? I want to throw out a disclaimer here. *I will try not to offend anyone in this post...try being the key word* I'm just one little human being in this world. I may also ramble and lose my train of thought...which happens more then not! Ahem...here we go. I was on my way to work this morning and was deep in thought (not all road rage like normal, okay maybe a little road rage). I was thinking about the culture that we live in, and the culture that surrounds my home in this state that I live in (I live in Utah for those of you that don't know. Don't know where it is? Look it up on the map. Oh and I'm NOT mormon (anymore...more on that in another post). I can HONESTLY say that there is not one single person in this world that I hate. There may be a few that I don't care for, but I truly do not hate anyone. I can't even hate the close minded people that surround us on a daily basis, or the scum of the earth that I have to deal with on a daily basis at work. With that said there are things in this world that I truly despise. Proposition 8 is on thing I truly despise! We are living in the 21st century, and you think that people would come to accept others. I just don't get it. Is it really that big of a deal if my friends Liz and Kara want to get married? Is it really hurting anyone? I'm ashamed of the attitudes others have against it. I UNDERSTAND that everyone has an opinion...I get that. Really do, but just leave them alone. And honestly, you have to ask what is wrong with parents who don't teach their children that others are different? I've read that there have been 6 teenagers that have committed suicide in the last few weeks because they were getting bullied in school about being gay. REALLY????? Don't get it. Also, what is the big deal about the memorial crosses that sit off of our highways signifying that is where a law enforcement officer was killed? It's a MEMORIAL! Leave it alone. Okay, end rant. Sorry everyone, I'm just tired of the close mind people. Have some tolerance.

Loads of new photos:)

I've just posted a TON of new photos on my photo blog. If you are interested head on over and check it out:) Once again, opinions and comments are always greatly appreciated! BTW, how is everyone doing?? I miss bloggy world. Need to update more. Oh...the photo blog site is www.jasminepphotography.blogspot.com. Hope things are great for everyone! The photos I entered into the fair (which are also on the photo blog) didn't win anything. But that is okay, I got them out there and people saw them. That is honestly more then I could ever hope for. Smithsonian Magazine is having a photo contest. Thinking of entering it. Hmm...should I go for it??? Okay, time to go to bed. I hope that this post finds everyone well! XOXO, goodnight:)

Oktoberfest

A few weekends ago Scotty and I went to Oktoberfest at Snowbird (it's a ski resort up Little Cottonwood Canyon). It was BEAUTIFUL!!! I love Oktoberfest...it's a great way to get back to my German roots...and to have some beer:) Here are a few photos I took.

Celebration of Life

As the 6 month anniversary of my mother's death approaches I have to say that I'm no better then I was 6 months ago. I'm numb and the pain has seemed to have lessened. I want to think that I have come to terms with it, but I'm not really sure I have yet. One day at a time is all anyone can ask for. One amazing thing that came out of this tragedy is that my mom chose to be an organ donor. She donated her corneas, tissues, some bone and ligaments. Someone out there has an extra chance because she had the courage to be a donor. On Saturday August 28th 346 names were added to a monument that honors those who have donated organs, tissues, corneas etc to give other people another chance. These donors are living and deceased. Imagine if everyone was an organ donor, people wouldn't have to wait on donation lists for years and years. Anyway, if you aren't a donor please consider it. If you are a donor you are doing a great thing.

Holy mother of....

I haven't posted in forever! WTH!?!?! Ok, I have been busy. Ok, not really, I have been slacking. Life has been so unpredictable. Too many hobbies and so little time:) And honestly, time has begun to speed up a little bit more each day. School is back in session, summer is almost a moment of the past. Pretty soon Christmas will be here GAH! ;-0 Summer was full of lots of activites...concerts, camping, trips. How was your summer? What did you do?

New blog:)

I have started a new venture:) I started a photography blog! Check it out when you get the chance. It's www.jasminepphotography.blogspot.com. Photography has always been a hobby for me for a long time but recently I've decided to just go with it and see what happens. Please let me know what you think. I love feedback! Thanks so much XOXO

Happy Fourth of July

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July weekend! It was busy on my end, but still pretty good! I know I haven't updated in FOREVER! But I'm planning on changing that:) I started a new blog called Jasmine P. Photography. :) Not starting a business just starting the blog. Will start posting pics on it ASAP! Once again, sorry for not updating. I'll try harder:) Love you all my bloggy friends!
XOXOXO,
Jasmine

Ensign Peak, State Capitol, & Memory Grove

Photos I took today:) I think that they turned out pretty good.

Seer Clothing/Kyle Korver Foundation

Hello my friends:) As you may or may not know, I'm a HUGE sports fan. My favorite team, until the day I die, is the Utah Jazz. I've grown up with that team (they came here in June 1979 and I was born in July 1979). My dad and I have shared this bond since I was a wee babe:) I do have a point with this post:) I'm a huge supporter of charities and helping anyway I can (Human Society, Paralyzed Vets of America, downtown homeless shelters etc.) so when I saw that Kyle Korver (he is a forward/guard for the Utah Jazz) had his own foundation I jumped on it. They raise money by selling tshirts (I have 4 of them so far!). The money goes to help underprivleged children and those in need. There is a great article here that was written back in January. The shirts cost $24.99. It is well worth it to buy a shirt and know that the money you spent has gone to a worthy cause such as building a wheelchair ramp at someone's home. The shirts do run a bit small, so get a size bigger. At least take a look at them:) Thanks, hope you all are having a fantastic day:) On another note, I'm going to Game 3 on Saturday against the LA Lakers. :) GO JAZZ:) :)

It's spring time:)

I got a new camera and have been trying to get as many pics as I can:) It's a Nikon D5000 and boy is it sweet:) I'm trying to get my self back into photography and painting and all the artsy stuff I can, it's good therapy:) Anyway, here are some photos I took in my front yard of our Tulips:)

Hollow and broken

Isn't it odd how a single phone call can change the rest of your life? I got such a phone call on March 5th. Everything was a normal day (well sort of). I was on my way to work when I got a phone call from my mom's boyfriend Don telling me that she had taken her life. What? What do you mean? You are kidding right? Is she alive? She's not dead right? I was in an utter state of panic and on the verge of hysterics. He told me she was gone. I didn't know what to do. Who do I call? How do I go on with the rest of my day? I have to say that the day was the worst day of my life. I'm grateful that I was able to have one last conversation with her in the wee hours of that morning. Such a shock. I'm devastated. Having been her only child I've had to take on the task of arranging everything. I've had to talk to the tissue donor people (12 hours after her death), I've had to talk to the funeral director, I've had to close out all of her accounts, I had to write up her obituary, and I had to clean out her stuff from the aparment she shared with Don. It's been weird, and I've had to present a death certificate with all her information for the world to see to all these people that shouldn't know her business. If I didn't have Scott as a support I don't know what I would do. He has been so amazing. Everyone has been great. I'm bugged though. I know that I will have my days, right now I'm still really numb, but this is a grief that most people can't understand. This isn't my first loss of a loved one. I lost my maternal grandmother when I was 11. She died of lung cancer so it was something that we could at least be a bit prepared for. My great grandmother died when I was 18. I lost my maternal grandfather when I was 19. He died from kidney failure after having a heart valve replacement. My Aunt Suzi followed shortly after this, passing away from liver failure. Then my paternal grandmother died when I was 23. The thing with all of these deaths is that they were expected. We knew it would be happening. But with my mother, I had no idea that she was thinking at that moment suicide. I mean, there had been times where she had told me that she was depressed and times where she had cries for help. But this one she did none of the above. She just did it. No note, no nothing. I'm grateful that people can understand that i'm grieving, but grieving a death from suicide is completely different. I have so many questions...what was the last thing she thought about? Why did she decide to do it? Why did she decide to do it the way she did? Did she know that I loved her more then anything? I personally do not have any guilt from this, because I know that this was her choice. She just couldn't take the stresses of her life and thought she had no other way. I believe that she did this hoping Don would find her in the middle of it and save her. I'm always going to have so many questions. It breaks my heart that I couldn't have tried to do something differently, but I know that it could have just prolonged the inevitable situation. I appreciate the support from everyone though! It's an amazing feeling to know that if you need anything there are people there that will help you. I'm just not sure what to do from this point on. I can't pick up the phone and call her, I can't go on our shopping trips anymore. It's a weird, surreal situation. I will heal, and I will be okay. I won't always feel this hollow and broken. It's going to take time, but my life has been forever changed. I appreciate this little rant and I appreciate the support. :)

Long time no post!

So I saw this fabulous giveaway on the twilight moms website and thought I would repost:) I know I haven't posted anything for a long time, and I'm really sorry. Life just gets in the way of my computer activities:) Anyway, check out the giveaway:)
http://www.twilightmoms.com/2010/02/giveaway-romantic-marriages/