Letter to Santa

My mom found this letter that I wrote to Santa when I was eight years old so she typed it up as is. It's pretty funny! I think I'm pretty persuasive, don't you? Not much has changed--except that my desire for a wiener dog is definitely gone. Merry Christmas!

Dear Santa,

Hi Santa! Im sorry if your buzy. But I need to talk to you. You know my dad John Cone talked to me about getting the thing I've always wanted, always will, and its the thing I've wanted most in the world. More than $100! Serious. A wiener dog, or a cat. I'd really love one you know. So can you really try to get me one? Anyhow, my dad said you said youd be happy to get me one, but Mom and Craig don't want one, and my mom said you'd be happy to get me one at dad's house. I think the one Mom said sounds better. And by the way, if you can't get me a wiener dog, or a cat (hope you can get one,)I'd be happy to have a chameleon, lizard, or a cool animal like that won't bite me! Merry Chrismas!

Love, Kim Cone

P.S I will help you this year with what you've asked me to do. Heres some ideas: Go door to door and ask if they can donate somethings to the homeless and hungry. Or I can make some jars, and put a sign on them wich sais: Please help the hungry and homeless. I'll put it in my school, and other places.

P.P.S. Write back if possible!

P.S.S. Do you like the ideas?

Yes

No

Maybe

Australia

I’d like to bust a couple of myths about Australians: 1. They do not ride kangaroos. 2. They don’t ever say “let’s put another shrimp on the barbie” except to make fun of Americans for thinking they say that. 3. Koalas are not kind and cuddly creatures (maybe at a zoo, but definitely not in the wild!)

I hope your vision of Australia isn’t dashed to pieces. The truth is that Australians are extremely friendly and helpful, the beaches are picturesque, and vegemite is found in the a lot of Australians’ cupboards. Clay and I just got back from our trip to Australia— it was exhilarating. Some highlights:

• Seeing friends I hadn’t seen for five years

• Going back to my old high school and seeing teachers & having a little reunion

• Going to the beautiful beaches in perfect weather

• Playing Rugby (I was pretty excited when I scored a try)

• Eating my favorite Australian foods: natural lollies (candy), coconut ice, Thai Orchid, salad sandwiches, Arnott’s cookies (including Tim Tams), pavlova, New Zealand Natural ice cream, & lamingtons

• Going to Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo and hanging out with the kangaroos and koalas

• Seeing the movie "Australia" in Australia--not far from where part of it was filmed!
  

• And going to Fiji on the way home.

  

Australia, Here We Come!

Clay and I are off to Australia tomorrow!!! Jess and Arthur are coming too and we are so excited for the adventures we will have there. As most of you probably know, Jess and I spent all of our high school years there and came to be completely attached to that blessed country and the wonderful people that live there! Clay and I have been planning this trip for years so it is pretty surreal that it’s actually time to go.

It’ll take 24 hours of traveling … we stop in LA and Fiji … but it will all be worth it! Some things I’m looking forward to: Seeing old friends, eating aussie food like meat pies, NZ ice cream, lamingtons, Pavlova, Thai Orchid, salad sandwiches, natural lollies, going to see “Australia” at the Gold Class Cinemas—the theatre has comfy recliner chairs & people bring us food and drinks. Don’t worry—they are coming to America! Going to see kangaroos and koalas at Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, the beautiful beach, showing Clay my high school and house, etc.

Aussie, aussie, aussie, oi oi oi!

My First Tag (aww, special!)

8 Things I'm passionate about...

1. Clay
2. My whole family
3. Vacationing
4. My beliefs
5. Exercising
6. My friends
7. Writing & acting

8. Change & variety in life

5 Favorite TV Shows...(I narrowed it from 8 to 5 because I don't watch much TV)

1. Take Home Chef
2. Ace of Cakes
3. Whose Wedding is it Anyway
4. King of Queens
5. Gilmore Girls

8 Favorite Restaurants...
1. Thai Orchid (Australia)
2. Paradise Bakery
3. The Cheesecake Factory
4. Harvest Restaurant
5. Mimi's Cafe
6. Trio
7. Red Mango (dessert places count, right?)
8. Magleby's Grill

8 Things I Look Forward To...
1. Seeing Clay when I get home from work
2. Getting done with work everyday :)
3. Birthdays
4. Having babies (one at a time!)
5. Summertime
6. Vacations and weekend getaways
7. Writing a book
8. Going on a mission with Clay

8 Things I've learned from my past...
1. To find positive things about everyone I meet
2. To live in the present and not only dwell in the past or hope for the future
3. Work to live, don't live to work!
4. Moms are really great and I wish I always appreciated mine--especially when I was a teenager!
5. Change is good
6. Boys are really different from girls
7. Life gets better as time goes by

8 Places I'd love to visit...
1. Ireland
2. France (more of the country this time)
3. Boston
4. Washington D.C.
5. Rhode Island
6. The Greek Isles
7. Italy
8. Tonga
and Iceland and space!

8 people I tag...
1. Karlee
2. Buffy
3. Jason (Hass)--this will be funny!!
4. Tara
5. Holly
6. Casey & Jeff
7. Emily
8. Haley

ODE TO LAUGHING GAS

I had been dreading my dentist appointment for awhile. The thought of those long silver needles going into my mouth, the unsympathetic dentist drilling away at my teeth, the drool-causing numbness, and the metallic, bloody taste in my mouth was not my idea of a good day.

Resigned to my fate, I walked into the dentist's office, signed in, sat down, and waited for the dreaded cavity-filling to begin. The dental assistant called my name and sat me down in the chair. And then she asked the golden question: "Would you like your laughing gas to smell like vanilla or mint?" she placed the elephant-like nozzle over my nose and I started breathing in the vanilla magic. Once the nitrous oxide started working--I was taken to a euphoric la la land and all thoughts of dreading the dentist vanished and it turned into the best day of my whole year! (that is, until the laughing gas and numbness wore off.)

Okay I'm not a psycho druggie wannabe or anything, but MAN that stuff is good! Did you know laughing gas comes from the bacteria in soils and oceans? Crazy!

Bloom Where You’re Planted

I have always been a huge advocate of this phrase. When I was fifteen years old and moved with my family to Australia, it just seemed like a fun vacation. But once reality set in, it was actually quite a challenge. We were in a new country, culture, school, and we were surrounded by strangers. I almost moved back home to Utah to live with my dad. But once I decided to put both feet where I was and enjoy the experience, I came to love Australia more than I ever imagined I could. I had the most amazing experiences there and my time there had a huge part in making me who I am today. I can’t imagine what life would be like and what I would be like if I had decided to give up that wonderful opportunity Heavenly Father offered to me!

That was not the only time I’ve had a chance to bloom where I was planted. I told myself years ago that once I was done with college, I would get the heck outta Provo. Well, I’ve been living here for six years and although it’s not what I expected or wanted, it has also offered me such wonderful experiences and friendships that I wouldn’t trade for the world, and now I can actually swallow my pride and say I love Provo!

I think we all have times in our lives where things aren’t going exactly how we planned or wanted, but I know that Heavenly Father is acutely aware of us and puts us in the places and circumstances that will be of the most benefit to us and our happiness. Amazing things can happen when we decide to embrace our circumstances and surroundings and make the most out of them!

I really like this quote from Elder Tom Perry's talk last conference: "One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us--to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic."

Halloween Spooktacular

We love HALLOWEEN! This year we combined with our good friends Ben and Mollie to throw a Halloween Spooktacular at our house. It was so much fun to see everyone who came--thanks so much for coming. (Especially the people who drove down from Salt Lake!)


As you can see, Clay dressed up as Indiana Jones, complete with the theme music on a recorder in his pocket that he liked to turn on sporadically throughout the evening. I was Dr. Irina Spalko, the villain from the newest Indiana Jones movie. Between our closets, Savers, my mom's closet, and Partyland, we pieced the costumes together.