#12 Hot Chocolate

Okay it's not a secret that I absolutely LOVE Hot Chocolate! In fact, if I were to open a store, I would open a Hot Chocolate store! I love mixing different things and coming up with new fun flavors! My absolute favorite one that I've created so far would be my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie. :) It's a mixture of Belgium chocolate, whit chocolate, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and of course, whipped cream! :) When you drink it, it's seriously like drinking a delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie! :) It is simply the best thing I have ever tasted! :) But that's not my only creation. So far I have come up with 10 different fun flavors and I am coming up with MANY more! :)

So for TWELFTH DAY of this challenge,

I LOVE

HOT CHOCOLATE! :)

............and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

#11 Justin Beiber

Okay, so I never really thought of myself as one who would ever have "Bieber Fever". But last night my friends and I went and saw the movie "Never Say Never". And let me tell you..... BIEBER FEVER!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW! It was the most amazing movie I have ever seen! The music was fun, it was family oriented, and just all around VERY inspirational! That boy is SO talented! The things that he does for his fans is incredible! It was so fun to watch it all from behind the scenes. He's going places and I hope he stays around for a long time. The relationship he has with his grandparents and his mom is so cute! He is just a genuinely nice guy! Who knew that what he is now could come from some silly YouTube videos! So if you're questioning whether or not you should go and see it. I say DEFINITELY GO! Don't pass it up! I'm going to take my parents for family night. I honestly could watch that movie over and over every day.

So for the ELEVENTH day of this challenge.... Haha I can't believe I'm saying this.

I LOVE

JUSTIN BIEBER! :)

#10 A good Shopping Day.

I LOVE a good shopping day! I usually am NOT a shopper... I usually detest the fact because I can NEVER find ANYTHING that fits me right, or that's not too pricey! Well today, for some odd reason, I felt like going shopping at Old Navy. Which was weird because I usually never get the feeling to go shopping. I was already to just walk into the store and leave disappointed, BUT today, surprisingly, I was NOT disappointed! They got there summer styles last week so ALL of their spring items are on CLEARANCE! :) I left the store with 4 button up shirts originally priced at $27.50 and two originally priced scarves at $12.50 that I have had my eye on since Christmas, that if I Had bought all of that at Christmas time like I wanted to, it would've been a whopping $135.00! WHOA! Way too much for poor little me! So I'm happy to announce that i left the store with what would've been a $135.00 total plus tax, for only $46.87 dollars! :) BEST PURCHASE EVER! :) And everything I got was fun bright colors like I always love wearing! So Old Navy did not disappoint!

But that's not where it ends. On the way home, I was thinking about this crimper/three barrel/curling iron I've been wanting ever since I've been home from Rexburg that I could not find ANYWHERE! I felt like just trying Shopko, I mean, why not! I was already out and buying things! Well... once again... I was NOT disappointed! Not only did I find one, I found one that was $10.00 off! :) WOOHOO!! :) SUCH a great shopping day! :) AND it got me in the best mood so when I came home and found that there was no letter in the mailbox, I was fine! Hahahaha :) Also, I came up to blog and thought I'd pull up itunes to listen to some music while I blogged about this joyous experience! Then, to my surprise, found out that Colbie Caillat came out with a new single today and it's INCREDIBLE! It's another one of those happy, upbeat, love your life, Colbie Caillat songs. It's called "I Do." I HIGHLY recommend it! It'll turn a sad day into an amazing happy one! And who doesn't want to live life happily!? :)

But so for today, the TENTH day of this challenge, and still going strong,

I LOVE

a GOOD shopping day! :)

........ and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

#9 Pictures

My mom took this picture from inside the house while Jacob and I were having a snowball fight. :) We had no idea she was taking pictures! :)

I love Pictures. I especially love Kodak moment pictures. The ones that you don't know where being taken until you're searching through your camera one day and find them! I love being able to look back and smile at all the memories and being able to see them not just in my head, but right in front of me. :) It also makes things easier to remember. If I could, every wall in my room would be COVERED in pictures! But that's why they invented digital cameras. :) I'm not the greatest at picture taking, but within the last couple months, I've been addicted to taking pictures! I'm not a great journal writer, but if I take a picture, it's just like writing in my journal, only through a captured moment! :)

So for the NINTH day of this challenge,

I LOVE

PICTURES:)

........ and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

#8 the Temple!

Okay, so for those of you who know me, it's not really a secret that I love the temple! :) I just love being able to go and dwell on the spirit and put everything worldly in a locker and be able to just sit there in the house of the Lord. No matter what the world is like, you can always go in the temple and feel the peace and love of our Lord. :) I can't imagine what our world would be like without temples! That's the one place I always look forward to going to during the weekdays! :)There heaven on earth and I absolutely love them! :)

So today, for the EIGHTH day of this challenge,

I LOVE

TEMPLES! :)

.....and THAT'S a sip of Livi's lemonade! :)

This is the Draper Utah temple, My FAVORITE temple! :) One of the reasons why I love it is because just as you can see in this picture, when you look at the temple from the front view, it's so high up on the mountain, the temple is the only thing you see. There's nothing else around it. it's as if the world doesn't exist and you're up in the clouds in Heavenly Fathers house. :) But that's just ONE of the many reasons why I love this temple. :)

#7 Long Hot Showers on a cold winter day!

Okay this is going to be short, but today this is really what I love. Haha.

I Love LONG HOT SHOWERS!

and then getting in baggy sweats and sitting on the couch with a blanket and watch TV :) Especially on a day like today where it's gloomy and cold outside. :) In fact, I'm going to go hook up my ipod, and take a long hot shower right now!

For for day seven of this Challenge,

I love

LONG HOT SHOWERS! :)

.......... and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

Sorry it's so short!

#6 Fast Sunday

I love fast Sunday. In fact, it's usually my favorite Sunday of the month! I just love hear the testimonies of the ward and the spirit that is so STRONG in the meetings throughout the rest of the day! :) I usually avoid participating in these meetings, because my face ends up looking like this.....




but today I just couldn't help but get up! And yes, my face still looked EXACTLY like that. But still, it was a fabulous testimony meeting today! :)

So for day six of this challenge....

I LOVE

TESTIMONY MEETING! :)

.... and THAT'S a sip of Livi's lemonade! :)

#5 Nickelcity

So yesterday I went to work and decided to do something fun last night! So I called up two of my friends, Ben and Kasey, and we went to NICKELCITY! :) I thoroughly enjoyed being a little kid and playing all of the arcade games. We started out by playing one of my favorites, skee-ball, then we found one that EVERYONE was getting TONS of tickets on! I had 5 dollars worth of nickels and I ended up using ALL of them on that one game! IT WAS ADDICTING! In the end, I had received SIX-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE TICKETS!!!! I was in heaven. I have never in my who entire LIFE received that many tickets! It was the best! I won a stress ball, a flippy hair comb, mustaches (courtesy of Ben), candy, and a spider man temporary tattoo.... best night ever.

So for day FIVE of the February challenge...

I LOVE being a little kid and going to

NICKELCITY! :)

...... and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

Children

February 4:

I love little kids!

I have always loved kids. I became an aunt when I was 16 months old, and ever since then, I have just had this LOVE for kids! I Just started my new job as a nanny and I absolutely love it! I babysit 4 girls and they are the cutest little things ever! It was so fun to be able to play house, barbies, play dough, and Lego's! I was surprised at how quickly the girls got attached to me! There is a 1 year old, 4 year old, 6 year old, and 8 year old. With the crazy week I had, it totally made my week to just cuddle up with the two littlest ones and watch "Barney". There is something about a little one cuddling into you when their ready to take a nap, or a preschooler tired from school wanting to just lay down and have you scratch their back. It's making me so excited to one day have my own family! Which won't be for a LONG time, but hey! That's why I'm a nanny! ;)

So for the 4th day of this challenge,

I Love

Little Kids!

.....and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

If you want to see pictures of the ADORABLE little girls I nanny, their mom is a photographer and she just posted some pictures of them at this link: http://www.shinephotographybykaren.com/blog/merry-christmas/

Take a look! They seriously are SO CUTE! :)

#3 Gerbera Daisies!

I LOVE Gerbera Daisies! They top any other flower out there. I love how beautiful they are, and cheeriness of them. You can't HELP but smile when you see them! :) I also love that they come in many different varieties and colors! When ever a receive a Gerber Daisy or I see them, I get so happy inside and I know that everything is going to be okay and it's going to be a great day!

So for the third day of the FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

I

Love

GERBERA DAISIES! :)

.....and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade! :)

Last night Jacob's parents brought over somethings Jacob left me, and his mom gave me a beautiful arrangement of some purple flowers and a HUGE YELLOW gerbera daisy! :) It made my night and I absolutely love it! :) Thank you Wendy! :)

My Best Friend :)

WARNING, THIS IS A REALLY LONG POST:

I would love for you to read it, but I understand with it being so long it could be hard. I do how ever feel that it is my best post. My most heart felt post. It was really healing for me to just write and let it out. It's the story of my best friend, and although it's not the whole story, it shares a must read life lesson, and the most amazing experience that he and I have gone through.

The choice is yours, but I think it's worth reading. :)

February 1 and 2, 2011:

Well, I was going to save this post for a later date, but as I was thinking about what I loved on February 1st and my only answer was my Best Friend! As I mentioned I planned on starting this exactly on February 1st but life is full of unexpected things. Ha ha. I'm not going to tell you exactly what that unexpected event was until the end, but just for those that are impatient like myself, know that your question will be answered!

My best friend in the whole entire world is my friend,

Jacob Parmley.

About 2 and a half years ago, I was a junior at Orem High School. I am very into drama, and our school was putting on the musical, "The Fantastiks". None of my friends wanted to go with me, and I was so excited to see it that I attended by myself. Well the show started with all the characters being introduced and I was thoroughly enjoying the entertainment and then the character "Matt" sang.... and I swore I had NEVER heard any male sing that beautifully in my entire LIFE! Then at that moment I had the strangest feeling that he and I needed to be friends. I ignored that feeling because he was a senior and I was just a timid shy junior girl, I didn't think we would ever be friends!




Well the next day I went to school and was walking into my choir class and realized that HE WAS IN CHAMBER! That wasn't even the best part! HE SAT RIGHT BEHIND ME! The whole entire class I wanted to turn around and tell him that he did wonderful in the play but once again, fear got a hold of me and I went the whole class with out saying a word. I did however get to sit there and listen to his voice for the 90 minutes we were in there. Ha ha ha. (Stalker-ish, I know) I went home and told my mom about what had happened at told her that we HAD to go see the show again after all, it was (extended) closing night.We went and my mom was in the same awe that I was! (Seriously, he has an AMAZING voice!) At the end of the show my mom told me that I needed to become friends with him and I just laughed it off but knew it was true.



The next day is when it all started. We were in A Capella (yes we were in two choirs, ha) and he was sitting across the room from me. There was this little voice in my head screaming, "JUST GO OVER THERE!!!!". I couldn't feel my feet I was so nervous! All the sudden the bell rang for class to end. The next thing I did surprised me and I have no idea how in the world it happened! Next thing I know, I'm walking towards him and TALKING TO HIM! I said, quote, "You were amazing in Fantastik's last night! I seriously can not tell you how great you were!(WHAT WAS I DOING! He just looked at me and thanked me politely, but when the next 8 words came out of my mouth, I knew I must have gone insane.) I just need to give you a hug." I then proceeded to give him a hug and strangely he excepted. I walked away hitting myself for being so dumb and went home feeling like a complete idiot.



Little did I know that that little tiny conversation would lead to my best friend in the whole entire world. It was soon after that that we began to have lunch together every day. We were texting each other and helping each other get through our daily trials and we were always there for each other! Little did I know that the little voice saying “Just go over there!” would change my life for the better.

We went to the Sadie Hawkins Dance together :)

I have the most amazing friend. His name is

Jacob William Parmley

and no one could, can, will, or would, EVER change that.

Well life went on and even though he and I were both in relationships, we still were best friends! There was just this strong connection between us and it was amazing! I would be lying if I said I didn't have feelings about him. Everyone could tell. I liked him, a lot, but he had a girlfriend and I later had a boy friend so I was fine with just being best friend with him. We both needed each other in our lives.

In August 2009, Jacob was called to serve in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission. He was scheduled to leave for the MTC October 21st. He left and I was on my own. Little did I know that the next 8 months would hold some of the most challenging months of my life. I had major trials and I had no one to turn to. It was at this time when I missed Jacob the most. Jacob was gone on his mission and yes we were writing letters but you never want to burden a missionary with your troubles! Haha. So I muddled through it and some how survived. There were so many times I just wished he could've been there to give me a hug but I knew he was serving the Lord and we were both where we needed to be.

This was our last picture before he left :)

Well summer came and I still wasn't doing as well as I should've. I was starting to go to the temple every week and that was helping, and then on June 24 I was hanging out with my friends when I received a phone call from an unknown number. I let it go to voice mail considering I was in a room full of girls. They left a voice mail and I listened to it. It was Jacob's Mother asking if I could give her a call as soon as I could. I immediately ran into a separate room and gave her a call. The next thing I heard was the last thing I expected. Jacob's mom called me to let me know that Jacob had returned from his mission. I immediately had this peace sweep over me and I started to cry. I could feel how hard it must have been for him to leave his mission and come home. His mom told me that he wanted her to give me a call so that when he called me on Sunday, after he was released as a missionary, I would be expecting a call from him. I told her to give him my love and let him know that I would be there for him. I hung up and knew that the next few months would not be easy but if I handled it right, they would hold some true spiritual growth, love, and friendship. In a way it was a real tender mercy for me to be able to have my best friend there when I needed him and most importantly, when he needed me.

I talked to him that Sunday and we made plans to see each other the next day. When I went to his house I took one look at him and my heart was BREAKING to see him that way. He was so sad and you could tell he was embarrassed and felt like a failure for being home. But that was the LAST thing he was! We all were so proud of him for coming home, but it really is NOT and easy task. I repeat. It is NOT an easy task! I continued to pray for him and to help me to know what I could do in order to help him and get him back out on his mission. We saw a lot of each other and talked on the phone almost every day and both stayed really close to the spirit.

Unfortunately time is not on our side. June became July, July be came August, and the next thing we knew, it was September and I was leaving for school up at BYU-Idaho. It was really REALLY hard leaving Orem, and most of all, leaving my Best Friend at a time when we needed each other most. We had a tearful goodbye and a rough few days but we got through it. The next time I had planned to come and visit Orem was October 16th for family pictures but one of my roommates who was also from Orem, was coming home two weeks after we had left Orem. So I decided to come down for a surprise visit. I hadn't told Jacob of this plan and I asked if he would like to come over to my house to talk to me over skype. (Tee Hee Hee). I hid in the back yard as he drove over. He arrived and started to walk up the drive way. I ran out and yelled "BOO!" (it's an inside joke between the 2 of us) He turned around and got this huge smile on his face and ran over and said, "I HOPED YOU WOULD BE HERE!" We hugged and it was the best reunion in the world.

I would like to say life was easy for him but it wasn't. Coming home is not an easy task like I said before. There were so many unanswered questions and there were some really hard days. Those days held some of the most spiritual experiences in the world. There would be moments I would be sitting in my dorm and I would get the impression that something was wrong with Jacob. I would pick up my phone and give him a call and sure enough, he needed me. It was incredible how often that happened! I didn't always know what to say, and I don't remember half of the conversations beacuse of it. I know that Heavenly Father was guiding me to say the right things. (As we talked about it later, he told me there was only ONE TIME that when he needed me, I didn't call him. I was in a dance performance that night and wasn't able to talk.)

This is us during Thanksgiving break :) We were SO HAPPY :) :)

Well, on November 28, ours and Jacob's prayers were answered. After 5 months of not knowing anything, being in limbo, and just wanting to know SOMETHING, he finally received an answer which led to the first step of him getting back out on his mission. Which then led to more and more answers. On January 18, Jacob received his Temple recommend, and everything was set for him to go back out on his mission! (HORRAY!! HE DID IT!) He and I made a goal to try to attend as many temples in Utah as we could before he would leave. We didn't know much about when he would leave except that he would receive a call on any Monday informing him that he would leave on a Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Jacob and I did with what time we had and never had a dull moment, we were always doing something! We made the most of every second we had together before he would be called to Minnesota again.

A little important side note, I had been right about every single date that Jacob would receive an answer that would progress him further in returning on his mission. Every. Single. Date.

We were doing GREAT with our goal and had attended the, Provo, Mt. Timpanogos, Oquirrih Mountain, Bountiful, and Draper Utah Temples. One night Jacob was over at my house when his mom called him let him know that his stake president had called and he wanted Jacob to call him back. So he did. His stake president was just letting him know that he had talked to his mission president and told him that everything was in order for him to come back to Minnesota! Jacob thought he would be funny and play a little trick on his mom. He called her and told her that he was just told he was leaving in two days. I was getting mad at him on one end while his poor mom was probably having a panic attack on the other! He then told her he was joking and got in HUGE TROUBLE. The little stinker :)

Monday morning I woke up and had a feeling that Jacob would be leaving this Wednesday. Like I said earlier, I had been right about every single date this far. Jacob knew that I felt this way and I told him that he should start packing. Well Monday came and went and no phone call from Salt Lake. That night while Jacob and I were texting he said, "Well, I didn't get a call today, so it looks like I'll be here another week!" I told him to not bet on it and to not be surprised when he leaves Wednesday.

Yesterday, Tuesday, The Next Day:

I was at school and I received a text from Jacob and it read, "So........ I'M LEAVING! :)" I wrote back, knowing he was joking, and said, "Oh really!? Haha. :) When?! :)" The next text read, "As soon as tomorrow! :)" Then I thought to myself okay it is a joke, just like what he did to his mom. He would've said tomorrow if he really knew. I didn't reply right away and got another text that said. "No joke! :)" I then walked out of class and called him. Sure enough, he WASN'T LYING! I told him to call me back when he knew for sure and went back into class. Me not being able to focus on anything, decided it would be best if I would pack up my things and head home. After all, I had had a feeling he'd be gone on Wednesday!!!

As I was walking out of the class room I received a text from Jacob and his Mother that said, "Jacob (I) will be set a part at 5:30 tonight, and leaving for Minnesota tomorrow! :)" WHAT!?!?!?! I KNEW it would be fast! But not THAT fast! I bawled on the drive home and tried to get it all out of my system before I went over to his house to help him pack.

(By then, I only had 7 hours to be with him before he was set a part.)

I helped him pack and get ready, there were a few tears but we tried to hold it in. Next thing we knew, it was 5 o'clock and I needed to be getting to work and he only had a half hour before he was going to be set a part. I hugged him one last time, and gave him some rules (if you know Jacob you'll find it funny and TRUE) like, no playing with fire, ice, or salt. Don't pull out the pocket knife unless for protection. And be smart. Haha. :) One tear came out of my eye, but I held it in. I hugged him one more last time and left. He sent me one last final text, and then he was set a part.

This was our last picture together before he was set a part :)

And just like that! He's OUT! :) I'd be lying if I said last night wasn't hard. I couldn't talk to people in drive through at work because getting the strength to open up my mouth to talk just made me want to cry so I worked in the back. Every time my mom or anyone would ask a question, I'd start to cry and couldn't answer because I was crying so hard. I was WRECK! I had my dad give me a blessing and the second he laid his hand on my head, I stopped. I felt comforted, and I knew everything was okay! Now I don't want to make it sound like I was sad he was gone, because I'm not! I think it was just the shock of how everything happened so fast! I am SO SO SO SO SO PROUD OF HIM! When this happens to missionaries, 90 percent of them don't go back out. HE BEAT THE ODDS AND HE IS OUT THERE SERVING THE LORD! He went through so much in the last 7 months and it was not easy! It was actually really hard, BUT HE CONQUERED IT! HE DID IT ALL! HE IS AMAZING!



This morning I received a text from him mom wondering if I would accept a phone call from him before he left. I said yes of course. I will cherish that 30 minute phone call for ever. Yesterday flew by so fast, but yet it had felt like so much happened. It was nice to talk on the phone for that one last final goodbye. His plane left at 2:00pm today, and should be landing in a few minutes here. Today's been easier than last night, but there will still be little things that I see or hear that remind me of him and I'll start to cry out of happiness and sadness. I can be just sitting there doing nothing completely content and then it hits me and I start to cry. It's bittersweet and I'm on the verge of tears at every moment,but I really am fine! I'm so happy!



He is my hero! I don't think I could EVER do what he did. I really can't even describe how happy and proud I am for him! He did a miraculous thing and he's back out there! He'll return June 2012 and be able to serve all of the 24 months any other missionary would serve. Except he's going to be an even BETTER missionary! :)



I'm sorry it ended up being so long. I think I needed this just for myself as a healing process. But I really am SO SO SO SO PROUD OF HIM! I know the days will come with more tears but he'll be back before we know it! I think it is just SO cool that he is back out there! If any of you would like to write him, just let me know and I will get you his address. He's going to need support just like any other missionary!

So for my first two days of this challenge, February 1st and 2nd,

I LOVE MY Best Friend.

His Mom sent me this picture of him at the airport getting ready to go through security :) If you look closely, he's wearing a tie that I gave him the last time he was serving as part of his Christmas present. He claim's it's his favorite tie, and it brings him luck. :)

God be with you til we meet again Elder, See you in 16 months when we've grown, and become even better people than we are now! :)

I have the MOST AMAZING BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD.

JACOB WILLIAM PARMLEY

..... and THAT'S a sip of Livi's lemonade. :)

I won't go into detail, but for those curious souls, there has always been this chemistry between Jacob and I, and with being as close as we'v always been, and knowing so much about each other, he did leave with the both of us sharing feelings for each other. The both of us have never been happier and would love to pursue it when he gets home. And as we both have learned in the last 7 months, it's not our plan, it's the Lords, but lets just say, we both are THRILLED with the out come, and completely happy, and if it just so happens to turn out that way, it will be the greatest story ever told. :)

FEBRUARY CHALLENGE!

Well because I am HORRIBLE a posting, I have decided to make a little challenge for myself. Considering that February is the month of LOVE, I am going to post every day about one thing that I love! I know today is February 2nd, but life is full of unexpected things! I originally planned to post this post on the last day of January, but things came up and now it is February 2nd and I'm fully dedicated to post every day! So I'll do a little repenting and post 3 times today! WHOA! I know thats a lot, but hey, there is a lot to love, and only 28 days to show it! But knowing me, if this goes well, I may do one for every day this year! :) We shall see! So here we go, the February Challenge, 28 things I love, in 28 days.... and THAT'S a sip of Livi's Lemonade!