Dallas's high school

I was jealous that Natalie got to write about her high school fun, so I did one too.

...

High School: Gilbert High School
1. Did you date someone from your high school? I dated a couple of girls, but nothing very serious. Mostly just hang-out dates.
2. What kind of car did you drive? For most of my sophomore and junior years I drove a dirt-yellow Nissan pickup. No AC, and if you drove really fast through a puddle, water would splash up through the gear shift. Yeehaw.
3. What was your most embarrassing moment in high school? I didn't have very many, but I got asked to Winter Formal. My date went through this whole scavenger hunt, where you would find clues written on puzzle pieces, and when you get all the clues, you have to put together the puzzle to find out who was asking you to the dance. I found all the clues, and when I put the puzzle together, it said "Megan" in big bold letters... and I had no idea who Megan was. It took me 2 days to figure it out. Yeah, awkward.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Not in high school. Band in junior high, but that's it.
7. Were you a nerd? Absolutely. And very snobby about it too. I took a regular English class my senior year; I thought I had accidentally walked into the Idiot Convention.
8. Were you on any varsity teams? I was on the swim team for 3 years, which didn't exactly have a Varsity/JV distinction (everybody who went to practice got to swim at the meet), but the Boys went on a winning streak at the end of my first year that lasted 2 and a half years! We won our region my senior year, which was very exciting because we got to push our coach into the pool (which was the only time he ever got in the pool in 3 years of swim practice) and he shaved his goatee.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled? No, I never did anything adventurous enough to get suspended or expelled.
10. Can you still sing the fight song? Nope, never could.
11. Who were your favorite teachers? I really liked my Math teacher Mrs. Sullivan (? I think that's her name...!), and my chemistry teacher was really cool.
12. Where did you sit during lunch? My freshman year I hung out with the Goths (it was so much fun!), my sophomore year I mostly just wandered around; I didn't really have a group
13. What was your school mascot? Tigers
14. Did you go to Homecoming and with whom? I went to Highland High's Homecoming (our cross-town rival who was (and is) inferior at all things sports, academics, and basically anything that makes high school fun)
15. If you could go back and do it again, would you? No, I don't think so. But I did have a lot of fun, and there are a bunch of things I wish I had done differently, I definitely don't miss it enough to want to do it again.
16. What do you remember most about graduation? My graduating class was the most irreverent group of kids possible. We had probably 30 or 40 beach balls that we sneaked in, and we did the "wave" almost throughout the whole ceremony.
17. Where did you go senior skip day? I don't remember, but when I was a freshman and sophomore, it sure seemed like the seniors had a lot of senior ditch days!
18. Were you in any clubs? I was in the Physics club my senior year, which makes me sound like the biggest dork ever, but it was actually really fun. We built a solar-powered boat and raced it around Tempe Town Lake. We would have won... but we were slackers and didn't finish the boat until the night before the race, so we didn't test anything, and it broke when it was too late to fix it.
19. Have you gained weight since then? Yeah, I weighed about 160 when I graduated, I'm closer to 180 right now
20. Who was your prom date? My senior prom date was a girl in the Physics club with me.
21. Are you planning on going to your ten-year reunion? I think it would be really fun, just to see everyone and all their kids (my high school was about 80% LDS, most of my friends have 3 kids at least)
22. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Don't be so dang shy all the time! Just go have fun, and try out for the volleyball team your sophomore year instead of senior year!
23. Looking forward, what advice would you give your future self??? Lay off the sweet stuff, it rots your teeth and gives you love handles!!!

I'm married to the silliest guy!!

You know when someone does something so funny you have to tell someone? Well you are all my someone!!

-I was practicing various exams on Dallas for my test that is on Wednesday (Yes, he gets to be my all around guinea pig). Some of the tests for lung quality involve the patient saying various vowels, particularly "E" has you auscultate(listen with the stethescope). As you go along, you have the patient change from an auditory eeee sound to a whisper. I was waiting for Dallas to switch over and he didn't seem to be doing it. I looked at him and I said, "Whisper?" and he said, "How do you whisper?" How do you whisper???? I thought it was so funny! The funniest part was that he really couldn't figure out how to do it. We had to practice for a minute. Then when I went to auscultate he couldn't do it again!(Stagefright) It was so funny, I have been giggling since...he he!!

HIGHSCHOOL TAG

- I saw this on Meredith's blog and it looked life fun!!
High School: Show Low High School
1. Did you date someone from your high school? Sure did, but just one guy my junior year!
2. What kind of car did you drive? I drove a '91 Chevy S10 little pickup truck that was green with red interior(kinda like Christmas). It was sooo much fun! It didn't hold a lot of people but I thought I was pretty tough!!
3. What was your most embarrassing moment in high school? which one, which one, I felt embarrassed all the time and it usually involved being clumsy and falling. I don't know if this is the most embarrassing but I remember telling Shawna this the other day. I think I was a Sophomore and I left my purse in the gym after a rally. Well, needless to say the P.E. boys found it and started to go through it. I found out later they had found my little can of medicine(Sucrets container) with sudafed, and they were joking about it being birth control. I was so embarrassed, really those boys should have been embarrassed.... Natalie Pearce, birth control?????
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? I was in marching band my Freshman year and choir all 4 years. I played the French Horn and decided since I couldn't even play my instrument in marching band I would just do concert band, but in never seemed to fit into my schedule after that. I loved choir though!! It was tons of fun!!
7. Were you a nerd? Umm probably. A choir nerd??? I think I got called a 'Jock' once, but I really doubt I could have been considered that. Can you have girl Jock's?
8. Were you on any varsity teams? I was on the Varsity Volleyball team my senior year which was so much fun. My sophmore year I made it to state in track with the 4x800 team which means I got the title of being on Varsity, but that was the only year I did track. I really should have done it the other years too.
9. Did you get suspended/expelled? No, just a couple of detentions here and there for talking and being late to class after lunch.
10. Can you still sing the fight song? No, but I can see my cougar cub song from elementary school.
11. Who were your favorite teachers? I'm not sure I had one. Mr. Adams, the science teacher, was awesome and since I decided to go into science as a major we could say he was a big part of that desicision.
12. Where did you sit during lunch? Before I could drive I walked to the insitute building. After that we always found somewhere around town to go to lunch!
13. What was your school mascot? COUGARs!!!!
14. Did you go to Homecoming and with whom? I went to two homecomings the first with Jimmy Brookband and then Justin Weeks my senior year!!
15. If you could go back and do it again, would you? That's pushing it!! I loved high school but it was good to move on!! Although I really missed the opportunities I had in high school to be in good choirs, cool clubs, and play competitive volleyball!!
16. What do you remember most about graduation? I was soooo worried about falling. I picked pretty tall shoes to wear. Then the program was planned so I had to walk from one end of the gym(to sing in the choir) to the other(to give a speech) about 3-4 times in front of everyone. Two of these times I was the only one walking and I already mentioned how proned I was to falling....
17. Where did you go senior skip day? I don't remember for sure... we probably went swimming in Fools Hollow.
18. Were you in any clubs? I was in the spanish club so that I could go on the Spanish Club Trip. I attempted to be in the hiking club, but in the end it was just because there were cute boys in it.
19. Have you gained weight since then? uh yea!! I'm like a weight gaining roller coaster!
20. Who was your prom date? My junior prom I went with Karl Owens!! My senior year... what a good story that is. I didn't have a date but my best friend Megan had a date that didn't have a group yet, so she told him he had to find me a date. He called up his friend from Bullhead City(?) and asked him to take me. So I had a blind date for my senior prom! He ended up being..kinda weird. I was excited to be at my senior prom though and got to hang out with all my friends!!
21. Are you planning on going to your ten-year reunion? If we have one, I will definently try to be there!! I would love to see everyone!
22. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Don't worry about what other people think about you, especially those silly boys!! Have fun!!
23. Looking forward, what advice would you give your future self??? HAVE FUN!! My favorite quote as of late,"Shoot for the mooon. Even if you miss you'll land among the stars..."

Your all tagged!! It was a lot of fun!! (Even you mom, I would love to hear about your high school years!!)

****I've been in PA school for 3 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days***

You know how sometimes you all of the sudden realize how funny something is? I was sitting here at my desk, trying to dutifully study for my tests(5, AHHH) next week and I realized how ridiculous I look!

First of all I'm stuck sitting at this desk for the entire night because I re-injured my knee playing volleyball last night:( (and yes I was wearing my 'bionic(sp) women' knee brace) My knee is twice the size it is supposed to be. I can't do my usually wondering down the stairs every hour for something from the kitchen. Instead I have an entire box of KIX on my desk that is slowly depleting. (This strikes me as funny because who eats kid-tested, mother-approved, KIX when they are 23 yrs old, without milk nontheless)
I also love studying with lots of colors. It keeps things interesting. I have colored paper, colored highlighters, and 3 sets of fun colored pens! I'm very serious about my pens. I always seem to get pen and highlighter marks on my hands. Tonight somehow I accomplished to mark myself up to my elbows in little pen marks? How would one do such a thing without doing it on purpose?? I had to think about it for a long time but I realized I got lazy and didn't cap my pens and must have repeatedly but my arm on them. I am really quite the sight :)

My Family

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Just some (not studying) thoughts.

My life right now consist of studying, going to school and loving Dallas. That's it, that is all I have to do all day every day! Sure, I could do other things, but why? These are the things that I love most. I love to study and learn new things. It is so fun and exciting!! I get to spend all day studying and learning things that will help take care of my future family. Dallas told his step-sister last Sunday that as far as school goes, "I'm thriving." I wouldn't put it that way, but I can definently find joy in what I am doing.

 

I had to buy a ~$800 dollar set of medical equipment this summer. I was feeling really annoyed by it all!! Why would I need such an extravagance? Every doctors' office and hospital provides this equipment for their providers. Then I started thinking to the future...

Little Caleb fell off the trampoline and gashed his head open(little exaggeration)! (in the future) If I had been there I could have just pulled out my doctors (pa) bag and stitched up his little head!

If one of my (future) or my sisters kiddos, possibly has an ear infection... I could just whip out my otoscope and check! Fun right :) *I know your all so jealous*

 

Now of course I get tired of studying (like right now), just like you get tired of almost anything that you HAVE to do. If I can keep in mind that I actually like it...Learning that is... sometimes it can set me into the right mood. Other times I have to do something else, like posting my thoughts.

 

Dallas.

What else can I say? He is the love of my life and I don't get to see him nearly enough.

My friends often get tired of me talking about Dallas, which makes me sad because he is so wonderful. I never thought I could love someone so much so easily. I married my best friend.

Dallas and I had to speak in church on Sunday on Marriage and Family. I know what all of you are thinking, the easiest subject in the world. It was. Friday night, when Dallas was at work and I was missing him very much, I sat down and started righting the introduction to my talk. I got a little carried away and ended up pretty much writing the entire thing. All I had to do was add some quotes from President Hinckley and I was set!! I wanted to share some of my favorite parts with you…

Dallas and I have been married 2 ½ years. I grew up in Show Low, AZ in a family of 8 kids and Dallas grew up in Mesa with lots of brothers and sisters too!

We met at a party 3 ½ yrs ago through Dallas's sister, Mindy, who I'd met at ASU

Dallas and I became best friends pretty much immediately. He was the sweetest, nicest, most helpful, caring guy I'd ever met. (He was that way to everyone)

We dated on and off for 5-6 months continuing to stay best friends due to Dallas's insistence on being part of my life

We finally convinced each other to get married and have enjoyed every minute of it.

 

[talk continued…]

I love the commintment that marriage, specifically eternal marriage, brings to our relationship.

• There is a bond that is formed in that holy place that is so special and complete I can not imagine living without it. The trust that encircles our relationship is not something to toy with or take lightly. It forms a perfect security blanket in the world that we live in.
  

 

• Gordon B Hinckley once said, "How sweet is the assurance, how comforting is the peace that comes from the knowledge that if we marry right and live right, our relationship will continue, notwithstanding the certainty of death and the passage of time. Men may write love songs and sing them. They may yearn and hope and dream. But all of this will be only a romantic longing unless there is an exercise of authority that transcends the powers of time and death."
  
• "Every man who truly loves a woman and every woman who truly loves a man hopes and dreams that their companionship will last forever. But marriage is a covenant sealed by authority. If that authority is of the state alone, it will endure only while the state has jurisdiction, and that jurisdiction ends with death. But add to the authority of the state the power of the endowment given by Him who overcame death, and that companionship will endure beyond life if the parties to the marriage live worthy of the promise."
  
  
• "But this gift, precious beyond all others, comes only with a price—with self-discipline, with virtue, with obedience to the commandments of God. These may be difficult, but they are possible under the motivation that comes of an understanding of truth"
  

• Eternal marriage is a security blanket in this world. It is knowing that we will be here for each other for eternity. We are completely committed to each other. We were joined in a union which death cannot dissolve and time cannot destroy.
  
• With our marriage in the temple, we have made an eternal family. The children that we have someday will be born under that sacred covenant and will have that gift from us. What a wonderful thing to give your children! There are very few things that you could give them greater than the gift of an eternal family.
  

  
   

  • I will never forget the excitement and joy that Dallas had the first day he, literally, carried me over the threshold to our new apartment and said, "Welcome, to your new home, Mrs. Turley." What Dallas meant to say was, "Welcome to your eternal family, a relationship you can count on, will always be there, and will be the 'place' you come for comfort." He was so excited to finally have that feeling of commitment and certainty, that this was forever…
    

  
   

• The proclamation to the world concerning family is a wonderul revelation. I love it and its coming forth was perfect timing. It is just another testament that the Lord knows what these last days are going to consist of and gives us the tools we need to get through them. When this revelation came out we had no idea that we would be in a world where we would need to define marriage as between a man and a women. But there it says it explicitly, "Marriage between man and women is essential to His eternal plan, and children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity."
  

  
   

• I love to hear the prophets and apostles speak of their love for their wives. We often heard President Gordon B. Hinckley speak of his wife and their love for each other. It gave me tingles every time and made me yearn for that kind of love and commitment.
  
• Joseph Smith often spoke of his love for Emma in this same way. These two people were truly dedicated to each in life and in death. They loved each other unfailingly and trusted in God to help them through the trying times. In the Ensign this month there is an article about Joseph and Emma. I can't help but love this article about their various hardships and the private love and compassion they held for each other through these hard times. It actually saddens me that we do not speak to each other this way anymore. They letters almost reflected poetry to each other. Hear are some exerts from the ensign article.
  
  • Joseph wrote, "My heart is entwined around yours forever and ever." "My dear and beloved companion of my bosom in tribulation and affliction." "If you want to know how much I want to see you, examine your feelings, how much you want to see me… I would gladly walk from here to you barefoot and bareheaded… to see you and think it great pleasure, and never count it toil." "Oh, Emma, do not forsake me nor the truth, but remember me; if I do not meet you again in this life, may god grant that we may meet in heaven. I cannot express my feelings; my heart is full. Farewell, O my kind and affectionate Emma. I am yours forever, your husband and true friend." No one could deny Josephs affection for Emma. He truly loved her unfailingly.
    
  • Even Emma's letters reflected her deep love and concern for Joseph, "I verily feel that if I had no more confidence in god than some I could name, I should be in a sad case indeed, but I still believe that if we humble ourselves and are as faithful as we can be, we shall be delivered from every snare that may be laid for our feet." "The walls, bars and bolts, rolling rivers, running streams, rising hills, sinking valleys, and spreading prairies that separate us and the cruel injustice that first cast you into prison and still holds you there, with many other considerations, places my feelings far beyond description."
    

 

I love these lines. They would be considered cheezy these days… but I think they are wonderful. They were expressing, quite eloquently, how much they loved each other.

 

 

Our car is Lucky, Lucky, Lucky, Lucky, Lucky

Happy Half-Birthday Dallas

Dallas is 24 1/2 today!! Isn't he sooo cute!!

I love celebrating half birthdays! They are so much fun!

9/11 - Twin Towers Memorial

Remember.

Pics from a fun Sunday Afternoon

Kyson just looks so cute with his tongue sticking out!!

Caleb's back! He's playing with his dad in this picture:)

I love PBS and President Dallin H. Oaks!!!

Dallas and I decided to not pay for cable while we were in school. it really only takes away from precious studying time. There isn't really anything on that is that great to watch anyway.

Instead we have 'bunny ears', that kinda work. They do pickup the various PBS channels. Did you know they have 4 PBS channels? (create, world, just music, and another one I can't remember) I love them all!!

Today (while making flash cards) I watched an ethics panel called "Ethics of America" debate various ethical problems we run across in our lives. They were things like: would you tell the neighbors wife that her husband is having an affair, would you vote for the same man for the PTA. It was pretty interesting seeing these well known, highly educated people debate these simple things. The best part is that President Dallin H. Oaks was also on the panel of experts!!! What an amazing way to see one of the men we greatly respect talking about the ethics of these somewhat wordly problems. It was very interesting and I loved seeing his wisdom radiate from his demeanor.

I also watched a show where a modern day philosopher explains the philosophies of ancient philosophers!! It was actually quite insightful. He talked about many philosophers including Socrates and tried to interpret their philosophies into our modern way of living.

One philosophy I thought was really interesting was Seneca's philosophy on anger and anxiety toward things that we cannot control in our lives. This particular ancient philosopher said that if we were a little bit more pessimistic about the way our lives play out, we would not be surprised by things that don't quite work out the way we want them to, we wouldn't get angry or upset and in the end we would be happier. He thought you should meditate at the beginning of the day about things that would probably go wrong so that we wouldn't be so upset or surprised when it happened. For instance, I shouldn't be surprised if on my way to school I hit every red light, I have to go on a detour because of construction or a car pulls out in front of me and I get in an accident. It is an interesting way of looking at things. Makes you think...

Whirlwind Decorating!!

I made a goal to decorate my house during my week and a half break and I did it! I just decorated with stuff I already had for the most part. It was fun and I just finished!! I only bought a couple of things, most of this stuff is things I've had for a really long time. Dallas helped me out so much! There is no way I could have done it without him. He is so patient, even when I keep making him move everything this way and that trying to find the perfect position. He was great!!

This is my favorite wall in my living room. I thought it turned out really well.

I wanted a cute nook and this is what I came up with.

The sewing machine is from Dallas's mom.

This is actually what took the longest. I painted my old wooden table, my aunt gave me when we got married! It took a lot of paint... Dallas helped me a lot with the table, he did most of the sanding.

This is the only corner of the kitchen that's decorated, the rest will have to wait.

We already had tons of random pictures from one of our apartments we lived in so I decided to just hang them up going up the stairs. It's kinda fun. (I'm actually afraid they are going to all fall down when our washer is on. Crossing my fingers.)

During our vacation to Baltimore we bought this painting from a homeless gentleman who painted it on the bottom of an old dresser drawer! We decided to make it the theme of our downstairs bathroom. I was actually quite impressed that I was able to come up with all this stuff lying around my house! (The only thing I bought was the little ship... cus I thought it was really cute)

Dallas brought me home some of these things from his travels with his old job, science care.This little crab is one of them. In the little box is a hair pin(?) from Tonga that Jamie brought home for me.