Janauary 2010

Townhouse update:

This is the month I was supposed to close on the townhouse and move in, but it looks like it will happen in Feb. Buying a house and a car are two things that are not on my favorite things to do list. But I am working at being patient and I know that I have done all I can do so now I need to wait and see what happens. I am excited about the new townhouse and have found a kitchen table and couches already!

Birthday

I had a great birthday. Went to eat with family, friends and co-workers.

For fun

Bibliophile= one who loves books

Bookworm=one who loves reading

Sara= both.

I love owning books and reading them. I currently have 232 books and they are all organized in an awesome excel database. Right now I am reading the Kingdom and Crown series by Gerald Lund in preparation to my visit to the Holy land and I can’t put them down. There is hardly anything better than a really good book!

Photography update

I shot pictures for two really great friends Bethany Kartchner and Lara Binch. Both turned out great.

Although a bit stressful at times it has been a great month. I have a happy, abundant life

2009 Stats

I think stats can tell a lot about a person.

I read 48 books.

My unwritten goal is 52 per year which is one a week.

Sometimes I only read one book a month, like in March when I read Uncle Tom’s Cabin and it took all month.

While recovering from surgery in February I read all 9 of the Work and Glory books again.

Every December when I go to my parents for Christmas, I read Fire of the Covenant which always moves me to tears and makes me thankful for the pioneer heritage of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

My favorite book this year was The Exceptions, it was written by my friend Jill and is not yet printed. I am so impressed that she wrote such a great, fun book and it is a series which I love and I can hardly wait for book number 2.

Of course I read Ender’s Game... I wonder when I will not want to read it all the time. I also read the Ender’s Shadow trilogy which I have decided that I like the best. (My little brother got it on CD to listen to and has found out why I like it so much

I saw 25 movies

Only three were in the movie theater- 7 pounds, Benjamin Button (with Amy Pett) and Blindside with the family at Christmas.

Many of my movies were watched on my Ipod as I flew all over the country, I love watching movies as I fly, it makes the time go so quickly.

And the rest were rented from Netflix.

I watched 5 reality shows

Survivor. I started watching it in 2004 with Sheree and Jay and have been an avid fan ever since.

Biggest Loser. So inspirational, sad that I can’t watch it later on the computer, I missed many episodes this last season.

So You Think You Can Dance. I am not a dancer and don’t want to be, but I thoroughly enjoy watching others dance so beautifully. This show also has to be watched on TV therefore I missed a lot.

America’s Next Top Model. It must be the photographer in me, I really like this show.

Bachelor/ Bachelorette. Yes I know. I got hooked while in Grad school and one of the guys I studied with Rich Kells, knew the Bachelor, Andy Baldwin (they went to school together at Duke) so on the commute home after school a bunch of us would talk about the Bachelor and I got hooked. And then they have used a bachelorette from the season of the bachelor and the bachelor from the bachelorette and I continue to watch!

Angela and I watch most of the shows together.

I went on 5 trips

Sedona and the Grand Canyon with Alice and Sible in March. It was so much fun!

In April I went on my annual trip to DC.  This year I went a little early and spent time with Melinda and her family in Virginia beach.

I went to Oregon to visit my family in July, Oregon is so beautiful in the summer. We went to the Redwoods and the Oregon Coast. It was a fantastic trip.

If Oregon is beautiful in the summer then Utah is gorgeous in the Fall. I went to Utah of visit Uncle Jack and Aunt Wanda, see friends: Jill, Noelle and Brandon, the Quinney’s and go to General Conference at the conference center in Salt Lake City. It was a wonderful trip.

December brought me back to Oregon to spend the Christmas holidays with my family. I mostly played with people. Uno , Memory, Slide and visiting the llamas with Elric, wresting with Brynner and cards with Mom, Scotty, Kristen and Jared. Did a lot of recording with mom and dad.

I took 1 class

Owning and operating a small business.

I had 25 photo shoots

Families, individual, and weddings. For more info see http://jarviephotography.wordpress.com/ as I blog there also.

Spent 19 Sunday mornings at Westchester

Really got to know Betty, Mary, Marie, Jim, Gerorgia, Pete, Carmen and Nolan.

*It has been a great year and while this post is mostly about things, it is the people in my life that make it so enjoyable!

December 2009

It has been a very eventful month!

First,  my photo business.  I worked hard at it. I finished my class and therefore my feasibility study, I met with a small business professional, got a license and set up a business account. Although it is a bit overwhelming I know that I will learn a lot in the process. My personality is the type that would prefer to work for someone else, rather than to run the business myself. So this will be an adventure!

Along with many other books and movies I read and watched this month, I read One in Thine Hand about modern day Palistine and watched My Life in Ruins to get me excited about my cruise next year.

Each Sunday morning I go to church at a retirement center called Westchester. The old people are so cute and I love them! Here are few of the pictures I took with them on Dec. 6th.

And of course the highlight of the month was being able to go to Oregon and be with my family for Christmas. Scotty and I bought our dad a voice recorder and I had fun helping mom and dad record some of their life stories. It was great to be with Kristen and her boys. I even got to play a few hands of Rook with Jared. Our annual movie outing was Blideside this year, very good. It snowed a couple of times which I love. Jay Jarvie’s came down for Christmas Eve and that was great. I have a wonderful family.

Dad recording with his new present.

Elric and I often go see the llamas together. This time he got to feed them

Brynner loves his Grandma

Our annual trip to the movies, Blindside was this years movie.

My dad wanted me to take this picture so people can decide who is most handsome. My did is cute especially in this next photo.

Don’t you think? We had good laughs taking and looking at these pictures.

My sister and I with our new glasses.

My mom and I (not sure what dad was doing in the background but he does like to show off his bald head as evidenced in this picture of my parents).

The biggest news is that I put an offer in on a townhouse on Dec. 17th and went to the inspection on the 31st. It is supposed to close on Jan. 29th (so next month’s blog update will have more info).

One more thing… I got a beautiful pot from my uncle Jack. I means so much to me that he made a pot especially for me, I have many of his pots from times that I have visited and he has let me pick out one to take home, but this time he made it for me with with message on the bottom– Sara Jarvie 2009 by Uncle Jack. I am so touched, it is really is special to me.  Him and Aunt Wanda are like my grandparents and I love them so much!

I definitely have a happy, abundant life!

November 2009

It has been another good month!

I kept very busy this month with photo shoots-Reggie, Cristina and Val, Alice, Robin and Angela.  Thanksgiving was nice. I played some roller hockey in the morning, had lunch with the Brundages, and dinner with Kyla and Sabra.

Here are pictures from the photo shoots I did

October 2009 post

October was a great month!

At the beginning of the month (1st-4th) I went to Utah. I went mostly to see my Aunt Wanda and Uncle Jack. I went the weekend of conference and was able to go to both the Sunday morning and afternoon sessions in the conference center. What a wonderful experience. I also got to spend time with friends; Jill, we spent Friday taking pictures together, Brandon and Noelle, it has been too long since I have seen them (13 years) Noelle was one of my first roommates at BYU. And the Quinney’s. Scotty and I took pictures of the them up in the canyon. I also went and roamed around BYU. I love Utah in the fall. It was gorgeous!!

A couple pictures of BYU

Brandon, me and Noelle

Brandon and Noelle with their adorable children.

Jill

American Fork Canyon

Jack, Me, Wanda

Another shot of American Fork Canyon

Quinney Family

Eric, Beth, Me and Scotty

Scotty and I had some fun taking pictures of each other.

Scotty and I in front of the conference center

Scotty, Me, Sasha and Jon

The other big event of October was the begining of my holiday special. I took pictures for Sabrina, Alica and Charles, Valana and her dogs, Yolanda and Ashlee and the Udalls. Here are a few from each shoot.

Sabrina-

Hilbran’s-

Valana and her dogs-

Udall’s-

Yolanda and Ashlee-

In addition the to the holiday specials I also shot pictures of  Elliot Groves Ward Halloween party and JJ and Zach’s reception.

—-

—-

At nights I keep busy with homework and watching my favorite reality shows; SYTYCD, Survivor, Amazing Race and occasionaly Biggest Loser.

Thanks for checking in.

September 2009 post

This has been an exciting month.

It started with my decision to go on a Mediterranean cruise!

Yes the down payment was paid September  3rd. The trip is Oct 4-19, 2010 so I have a year to study and learn all about Venice, Egypt, Israel, Greece and Croatia. I am so excited for this wonderful opportunity to go to the Middle East – I can’t wait to see the pyramids, the Holy Land, and the Acropolis in Athens. And I get to do it from a cruise. I am going with my roommate Angela and her family. There will be more blogs to come! 

 This month there was a very big first. I ran my fist 5K! I have never been much of a runner but decided that it was good exercise so I started training using Robert Ollery’s 9 week Couch to 5K pod cast. Here is a picture of Me, Sasha and Renee right before the race.

It was a September 11^th memorial run. I did well… 37 minutes and no walking. J

September is also the start of new seasons of TV shows. My favorites are reality shows–So You Think You can Dance, Biggest Loser, America’s Next Top Model, Survivor, and Amazing Race (in no particular order). Thank goodness for technology and the ability to be able to watch most of the shows on line at my convenience.

September is Restaurant week in Phoenix so Dave, Alec, Mike, and Leigh went to Wildfish. It was a great dinner (yummy trout) and evening. It was great to catch up on what is going on each other’s lives.

The General Women’s Relief Society broadcast was wonderful. I feel so blessed to be a part of the Relief Society and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was a evening of friendship, love and the spirit of Christ.

Elric turned 5 and Kristen turned 35 this month. I love them both so much!

Monthly Posts

My Blog will now have monthly installments. At the end of the year I will to write about the top highlights of the year.

Trip to Oregon July 2009

I spent a wonderful week in Oregon with my family. We went to the Redwood forrest, Oregon Coast and then spent quality time in Klammath with the parents.

Jay, Jodi, Donavoaghn, and Emerson at the base of one the trees.

Next was the coast

It is hard to imagine but the boys played in the freezing cold water. And I never took my sweatshirt off. I must be getting old.

This one is for Remington…his future house on the coast.

And this is Jay and Jodi’s house on the beach.

Emerson showing his manly chest.

my cute dad.

Jay and Jodi posing on a rock in the river.

The view out my parents front window. The horse closest is named Steed and the one in the back is Tammy.

Here is mom feeding steed.

These are the raseberries we picked out of the garden.

And this is dad holding the best meal I had on vacation.

One day we went bowling

and another a girls lunch

Klamath Lake

I had a wonderful time.

Massage Therapy

I am going back to school! I have often considered going back and getting a PhD in higher education with an emphais on engineers studying abroad, but for now that will have to wait…while I get my certification in massage therapy. There is a program through the local community college that I have enrolled in. This summer I am taking my first course–Intro to Massage Therapy. I LOVE IT!

Since I work full time I will be going to school part time. I anticipate that the program will take about 3 years to complete.  When I turn 40 I should be a licensed massage therapist!  Then I can work on my friends and family. I love my career in academia so this massage therapy is on the side–just to learn more about the body, help people, relax, and earn a little extra money.

I am excited for the endeavor.

April 2009 trip to DC

Every year I am lucky enough to get to go back to DC. I love the east coast in the spring time, the azelea’s and dogwoods were in bloom and it was gorgeous. In addition to how beautiful it was I got to see my friends. This time more than ever before I ate! I ate Brazillian, Indian, Italian, Seafood, and my favorite Eastern Market real-maple-syrup-peacan-french-toast. The older I get the more I realize how eating is a very social activity. Here are a few pictures taken with my little camera. For more pictures see my facebook page. For the professional pictures see my other blog http://jarviephotography.blogspot.com/

 

Me, Callie and Melinda

I spent a lot of time with Ketan Patel this trip.

Me and Jana

At Hook with Nashwa, Colin, Howard and Yin

Sarah and Ashley on our way to Eastern Market

Me and Erika. Notice Ella is falling off the couch in the background

Camille Pissaro at the National Gallery of Art

My favorite–Dogwood