#17 THAT FEELING WHEN YOU FINISH SOMETHING YOU REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO BE DOING
(I don't have a fitting picture, so just enjoy cute, li'l me...perhaps we can say I was happy to finish those raisins?)
Whew. That was a long description/title. I realize I've missed quite a few days of this (but to be fair to me, you should know that my laptop is getting fixed so it's only semi my fault), so I am going to have to extend it quite a ways into December. Possibly until Christmas? We will see. But right now I am really just loving the fact that I finished my last mandatory Econ assignment. Moment of silence to appreciate this awesomeness. Okay, that was great.
Laughter makes everything better and heals all wounds. And when there aren't any wounds to heal, it's just really, really great. I feel like I have laughed harder the past two days than I have in awhile, and it has made me remember how great laughter is. Particularly when you are laughing so hard that you are crying. Funny, funny.
There's kind of just nothing like them. They make you smile, they make you laugh. You can trust them with your secrets, and you can trust that they won't judge you (too much at least :)). You care about them and know they care about you. You can be yourself with them, and you can become a better person because of them. I just love them. They are the best.
Sometimes they are just really powerful. They can be so amazing and so uplifting. My teacher showed us this video in class on Wednesday and I loved it. I thought today was a good time to share it with you all.
The only thing more exciting to wear than fantastic boots is a cute dress! I don't know what it is, but there's just something about it that I love. In addition to wearing cute dresses, I love just looking for and finding cute dresses. I fantasize about having them. The dresses I do this with the most are Shabby Apple dresses. They had a trunk show yesterday and I got not one but TWO amazing dresses! Love them. One of them is the cute one above! Like it?
And since I forgot to post yesterday...
#13 MY NEPHEWS
Both my nephews are so cute and I love them! They are pretty much my favorite people ever and my life would be so much less amazing without them. They are both hilarious and crack me up. I got to watch my one nephew, Will, tonight while his parents went out to dinner with my parents, and he was SO funny! I hope you like this video.
I could easily just include HP in books, or even movies, but I think it deserves its own post. I really love the books and always have. They are some of my favorites and I have read them so many times I've lost track. I love them enough that I really am grateful for them and not just a fan. They are just amazing and I enjoy them thoroughly every single time I read them. The movies are great too--but not as great as the books. I loved the first part of the last movie though! I saw it tonight and it was great! Yay HP!
P.S. I'm a big fan of Daniel Radcliffe too, even if he isn't really Harry. Bummer though.
I'm taking two amazing religion classes this semester. One is Mission Prep and the other is LDS Marriage and Family (as mentioned yesterday). I cannot even say how much I love the classes. The Marriage and Family one quite a bit more than the Mission Prep one, but I really am so grateful to be taking both. Tonight I am especially grateful. I just got back from class, where I was told so many things that I have just been needing to hear. We talked about education, futures, and Motherhood. I felt like it was totally an answer to my prayers. I'm feeling a little better about making the decision. At least, I remember my goals and my priorities. And I am so grateful for that.
We are so blessed to have modern revelation today. I love General Conference and how there are always so many talks that I feel like are addressed RIGHT to me. It's wonderful. And I love all the words we have from past latter-day prophets and apostles. I am in an LDS Marriage and Family class this semester, and it's incredible. Half of what makes it so incredible is our textbook. I read probably about thirty pages tonight for class tomorrow, and it was all SO great. Half of it was on Fatherhood, but even that was so enlightening! I was having a crappy day and I wasn't looking forward to having to read so many pages (even though I always enjoy the reading), but then without me even realizing it my mood completely changed within the first five or six pages. Nothing like amazing counsel that comes from God to turn your day around!
#8 NEW CDs I FINALLY got the Kris Allen CD that I have been dying to have for like forever! And falling in love with it was just so great.
And then I got the new Taylor Swift album, which I was also dying to have. I am still a little embarrassed by how much I love her music, but I have to say that this CD is just so incredible. She is an incredible song writer and pretty much falling in love with this CD was like . . . life changing practically. Kidding. Slightly. :)
And the CD I have been looking forward to for MONTHS comes out tomorrow! Hello Lee Dewyze!
It's been quite awhile since we've had a Sunday dinner with everyone there - that is, all the siblings and the parents. It was great fun having one tonight. The raclette was delicious, but the really great thing was just how great it was spending time together. I love my family and am so glad I get to have dinner with most of them at least every other Sunday. I'm so blessed. And who would have thought we could get SO much enjoyment out of a race track we bought at the Christmas Expo thing on Friday! Good times.
I love discovering new blogs - particularly wedding ones. But I love so many other types too. This morning I discovered the blog Paris vs New York, a tally of two cities via Shabby Apple on Facebook. Paris and New York are probably my favorite two cities ever, so I am completely in love with this blog. Saturday always brings about new blog finds, particularly due to Snippet & Ink's Happy Weekend Posts. Do you have any favorite blogs you'd like to introduce me to? :)
One of my favorite things ever. Too cheesy movie can definitely by a no-no, but as long as they don't cross that line (Alavon High was straddling it), I absolutely adore them. There's just something about them that makes my day. I find them hilarious. Often not even in a mocking way, to be quite honest. They are just so great.
This one may confuse a lot of you, but I am totally serious. There is just something extremely wonderful and even relaxing about getting your eyebrows waxed. Not only do your eyebrows look so much better, but the process is really just one of my favorite things ever. I highly recommend it to all.
Funny people can completely turn your day around. Laughter is one of the greatest things EVER and I always welcome opportunities to enjoy it. Fortunately, people everywhere give me those opportunities all the time. Example: In my accounting class today, we did this activity where we produced paper airplanes. Our test pilot got up to try out the plane, and when the teacher reminded us of the importance of the wrist flick, someone said, "Swish and flick." My mind instantly went to Harry Potter. You can imagine my delight when the test pilot said, "Wingardium Leviosa!" I laughed a lot. Thank goodness random people can make my day. So long as they are funny. :)
Both the ones you have at night and the kind you have for the future. I absolutely love my dreams I have when I sleep. I think they are actually the coolest dreams ever - completely insane, but wonderful. And the dreams I have when I'm awake are almost as amazing. What would life be like if you couldn't dream . . . at least a little bit? Sometimes you need to believe for a few minutes that everything you want can/will happen. Even though you know it won't all turn out as perfectly as your heart and mind tell you it will, dreams are fun to divulge in even if it's just for a few minutes. Or days. :)
P.S. Don't ask how this picture relates. It just felt like it did for some reason.
One of the coolest people I know decided to blog every day for the next month about what she is grateful for. Since I think she is amazing and pretty much want to be just like her, and it's a great idea, I am going to copy her. Hopefully she doesn't mind! I'm thankful for . . .
#1 PHOTOS
Since I never blog anymore, I haven't looked around my blog in ages. At least, until about twenty minutes ago! Seeing all the pictures in my past posts made me SO happy. (Most the Paris ones made me want to cry a little, but in a good way mostly). Sometimes you just need to bask in the memories rather than study for a big test. I definitely needed that tonight. Good thing I've got photos to help me do that!
School is crazy this semester. I hardly have time to even think about my personal life it seems. I have never had such a busy semester and I want to shout for joy I am so overjoyed that it's more than half way over. But recently my mind suddenly decided to allow personal thoughts to intrude. Unfortunately, these thoughts weren't particularly welcome.
I miss my best friends.
They are both lame (and amazing) and left me to serve missions (which I am so proud of them for doing). Despite the fact that I am SO happy that they are doing what they are supposed to, and are AMAZING missionaries, I want them back here with me!
At least, in theory, I selfishly do.
My Bestest Friend Ever (yes, I AM 20)
His weekly emails are incredible and he sounds like such an outstanding missionary. I always knew he would be amazing, because that's just how he is, but I am still blown away by his faith and love for the work he is doing and the people of Lithuania. He is pretty much the most amazing guy I've ever known. He always made me want to be better, and he still does, all the way from Lithuania.
My Other Best Male Friend Ever
This picture is just so him. His emails are also wonderful to read. He has grown so much and has become such a strong, amazing missionary. He is one of the nicest, funniest people I have ever met. He was ALWAYS there for me and in an odd way, I still feel like he is. Maybe he has been gone for almost 18 months, and has about 7 left, but it kind of doesn't feel like a big deal. That probably doesn't make sense. I miss him like crazy, but he is still my Jonny. I am so proud of him for serving his mission!
Pretty much I was blessed with the BEST friends ever in junior high/high school. These two have both always been such UNBELIEVABLE examples for me. I know that I am who I am today because of the influences they've had on me over the years. I miss these two like crazy, but I really am so happy they are on their missions. Neither of them would be the amazing guys I know if they weren't. It's just a part of them. I don't think I ever even wondered if they were going to serve missions.
I just can't wait for about seven months from now when my wonderful Jonny comes home. Or for like five months after that when my bestie comes back!
Until then . . . I guess I'm just going to have to go back to those all-consuming school thoughts . . . ? :)
If you haven't heard of Shabby Apple Dresses, it's high time you did. And here is the perfect opportunity! A garden party dress sale. Shabby Apple's whole purpose is to design and sell fashionable dresses that are MODEST. They don't want you to have to add anything - no tank top or cardigan or anything.
So all their dresses are modest and pretty much ALL their dresses are amazing. I have my eyes on quite a few of them. Unfortunately, as a poor college student I don't exactly have the funds to buy them. Hence my excitement about this sale. It's going to be this Saturday,August 28th, in Salt Lake City. The deals will be great and it sounds like a fun little party too.
For more details about the sale, click here. If you just want to understand what all the fuss is about, visit their site and see for yourself how amazing their dresses are.
I hope you decide to take advantage of the sale! :) I know I'm planning on it!
Oh my goodness. I know I already blogged in February about how much I love Disney channel and Disney channel stars – particularly Sterling Knight and David Henrie – but I just have to blog about it again. Because tonight . . . all my Sonny With a Chance dreams came true.
Back in January, I was feeling very upset that there hadn’t been any new Sonny With a Chance episodes in like FOREVER, so I tried to find some information online about when the new season would start. On one site, I found something that said the season would start on February 14th with an episode called “Falling for the Falls.” I read the description and FLIPPED OUT. I was so excited it was really quite embarrassing. But the season started . . . and it wasn’t with that episode. So I was feeling worried that maybe the episode was made up. But I didn’t give up hope. Then, this week, I was looking through the DVR listing and saw that there was a new Sonny on Sunday. I read the title and OH MY GOODNESS, it was “Falling for the Falls, Part 1.” Needless to say, I completely freaked out. And I have been freaking out all week. Tonight, I watched this episode. And it was SOOO incredible. Best. Episode. Ever. It was hilarious and so perfect. Sonny and Chad . . . I love you. And it’s official. I love Sterling Knight. Even more than David Henrie. Which is saying an awful lot.
I've been a bit busy so it's been awhile since I should have done this post. For one thing, I went to Zion's for Memorial Day weekend with my fabulous friend Rebecca and her awesome family. I'd never been and it was wonderful. I'm an official fan. Now I'm so excited to go to Bryce later in the summer with my parents and Emily.
Now the stuff that actually goes with the title...
So last week (ha) I went to Emily's last clogging performance. She was on a team at Edgemont Elementary School that was like an after school extracurricular activity thing. She doesn't actually go to Edgemont, but Amber teaches the team. So it was the end of the year performance and I went. I ended up doing the music. I was pretty good at pressing play, if I do say so myself.
During the first dance, I was reminded just how much I adore clogging. It's crazy - there's very few things in this world that I love to hear more than clogging steps that are done on the beat. It just sounds so right. It's like instant satisfaction for me. It doesn't matter what level of clogging it is; when it happens, it's always just like magic to me. Yes, I realize this sounds weird. But unfortunately, that's just how it is.
Every time I go to a clogging performance or competition or anything, I remember just how much I really, truly love clogging. I always miss it and find myself wishing I hadn't quit. Most the time reason works its way in and I remember that I needed to at that point, but sometimes it doesn't. In either case, I still miss it.
Clogging is so wonderful and I find myself thinking more and more lately that I want to start again. Not necessarily for real, like with a team, but at least just for myself somehow. I guess we'll see how that goes...
I saw this video and just had to share it. It's a baby hearing his mother's voice for the first time - made possible by a cochlear implant. It's beautiful. I maybe cried a little.
I used to think a lot about when to do what's right for someone else rather than what's right for yourself. Because sometimes the things that you need to do or change or say or choose are ideal for you but not for the other people involved. Sometimes, in order to do what's right for the other person, you must sacrifice what you need. But should you always do that?
All my life I've learned that it's more than just important to put others before yourself, it is basically essential to a truly happy life. Loving and serving others, no matter who they are, what they've done to you, or how busy you are, is a way to find peace and joy in your life. Being selfless is a good thing. But is there a point where selflessness can be distorted and changed to something less virtuous?
When is it not okay to do what's right for someone else instead of for yourself? When should you put yourself first? Or is there really no line to cross at all? Is there no such thing as being too selfless? Every single person is important and worthy of happiness. And everyone should feel that way about themself. They should believe that they have the right to be happy. They should know that they aren't inferior to everyone else. So where is the line that separates being humble and selfless from having low self-esteem and letting yourself be taken advantage of or used or broken at the expense of another's happiness? How can one really tell?
So I ask myself again, do I do what's right for me? Or do I do what's right for them and wrong for me? How much am I supposed to sacrifice? Everything? It doesn't seem right to be selfish but it doesn't seem right to sell myself short. Or am I missing the point altogether of selflessness? It seems as though one could never be too selfless.
Summer is a funny thing. All throughout the snowy, yucky Utah winters, I yearn for sunshine and swimming pools. Then May comes around and it starts to warm up a little. And by about the middle of May (unless it’s still snowing haha), it reaches temperatures that are just too hot for me. I’m a heat wuss. It’s true. I admit it.
However, that is going to change. Well, not really. I will still be a heat wuss. But I will appreciate the heat more instead of being so fickle. Because this year I got to be nudged into the heat by wonderful, sunny California and the happiest place on earth. So maybe the happy summer feelings will stay this year! Plus, I am going to get to go to Seven Peaks like every day . . . which is going to be so fun. So the yay summer feelings have got to stay with me, right? J
I love books. So very, very much. I can't even remember a time when I didn't love them. I have so many strong memories of books in my childhood. Stuffing blankets at the bottom of the door so my parents wouldn't see the light of my book light in the late hours of the night. Discovering a new series. That exciting feeling when you check out a book from the library. I went through books and series like there was no tomorrow. Series like Boxcar children, Babysitter's Club, Babysitter's Little Sister, Wizard of Oz . . . the list could go on and on. Some of them are worthy of remembering - some not so much. I can even remember the day I was introduced to Harry Potter. My teacher announced that there was a new book that was virtually unknown that we were going to read as a class. I'm so grateful that she introduced me to them before anyone knew about them. There's nothing that turns me off a book like it becoming popular.
My love for books hasn't diminished in the least. In fact, it's gotten so much stronger. Books are my absolute weak spot. Even more so than chocolate cake and Granny B pink cookies. Now I consume them like air. It's really quite ridiculous. Let's not even talk about how many books I've read just in the last month (okay, so maybe it was around eight) or how obsessive I get once I start one (I can't stop - literally; I have zero self-control).
Recently, I have read some especially amazing books. I cannot even begin to describe how much I loved them. And they have gotten me on a massive reading kick. I've had to lay off a little over the past few months/years, since I'm, you know, a full-time student with no time on my hands. But then someone (often Amber) will recommend a book to me . . . and I have no hope. I read it in one day and then can't stop thinking about it. So to get my mind off it, I have to read another. It's a vicious cycle. Good thing I really don't mind.
There have been definite benefits. For example, my reading habits have improved my reading skills and ability to absorb and remember information fast (my textbook studying needs appreciate it very much). And I guess there are some not so great things too . . . Like maybe they give me unrealistic expectations of love - I really can't imagine anything less than a dangerous vampire (not sparkly) from Scotland who owns a ranch with beautiful horses and is a nerdy high school English professor who I happen to meet while I am running a bridal business with my absolute best friends, and who may or may not be a leader of his vampire coven, a secret prince, a New York socialite, or a viscount. Totally realistic, right? :) But I'm okay with it. I will face reality someday. But for now, I'd rather not. I'd rather just read more books.
Because reading is amazing. And I highly recommend it. To everyone.
Seriously. Go pick up a book now. If you'd like, you can pick one from my list below!
Some current (or not so current) book obsessions
Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts (latest in Bridal Quartet series)
Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz
Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast (latest in Marker series)
So I’m in a writing class this term, and for this class, we have to do a blog post every week. Therefore, by default I am going to be a better blogger starting now!
Yesterday I was trying to decide what to write/blog about. And, of course, while I was debating that, I had to look at all the blogs I love. Needless to say . . .I ended up going from link to link and spending hours looking at blogs instead of writing my post. But it wasn’t completely unproductive! I came across a lot of awesome things. On Snippet & Ink, there was this awesome link to a breakdown of beard trustworthiness. I laughed extremely hard and considered doing a blog post on that. But then I saw an even better link on Snippet & Ink. And that’s what I want to write about today.
It’s this giveaway fundraiser for a little six year old boy. His name’s Liam and he has a neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. His parents are having this giveaway to raise money to remodel a bathroom for him this summer that he can actually use on his own and that’s accessible for him. This little boy is ridiculously cute and I think this fundraiser is a wonderful thing. And the giveaway prizes are quite impressive. I am pretty much floored by the generosity of all of the people who are donating prizes. As I went through the list, which you can see here, I was surprised to see quite a few things from blogs/businesses/people that I am a big fan of and follow. Even if it wasn’t for a good cause, I’d want in on this. The fact that it’s for a good cause is just like a MAJOR plus! Actually, it makes it completely worth it.
After reading about the giveaway, I looked around the blog. The most recent post was amazing. I absolutely loved reading it. Please read it. This woman, Lynn (Liam’s mom), is incredible. I am so impressed by her, and she makes me want to be a better person. It was interesting though, because she talks about how people email her to tell her what an inspiration she is. Then she says, “honestly, I think – without meaning to disregard the goodwill meant by it – that I am doing what so many parents do all the time. Yes, different circumstances – ones I never imagined would be mine – but in the end, I love Liam and I am doing my best to advocate for him . . . This is what parents should do, when they are able, however they are able. I think that’s the best we can do, really.” The funny thing is . . . this is what really impressed me.
Yes, what she says is true. She is doing what so many parents do all the time and it is what parents should do, but that isn’t the most important part. The important part is that she is doing it. Just because there are other parents out there who do stuff just like her, it doesn’t make her any less inspiring for doing it. There are plenty of people in the world who wouldn’t handle the situation the same as her. More importantly, not everyone would have the same attitude that she has about it. She doesn’t pretend like it’s not hard, but she does show what she has learned from it and how it has changed her for the better. Maybe I don’t know her enough to be assuming some of this, but from what she wrote, she is letting this whole thing be a crucible for her. And that’s incredibly inspiring to me.
Now I don’t want this post to just be about Liam and his mom. (Although I do think you all should hop on over to the blog and donate if you feel so inclined.)I want it to be about more than just them. We all have struggles in our lives. Actually, a life wouldn’t be a life at all if there weren’t problems. If there was nothing bad, would we ever appreciate the good? No, we wouldn’t. We wouldn’t be able to. And if we never had struggles, we would never be able to grow like we can. These truths don’t necessarily make the struggles any more desirable, but sometimes it can help us have the strength we need to deal with them. So yes, we all have struggles. We will each have our own set of trials. Some of us might have a child that is really sick. Some of us might have to suffer through the death of a child. Some of us might never become a parent. Maybe you will never get married. Maybe you will lose your job . . . over and over and over. No matter what, the trials are hard. But at the same time, they are always for our benefit. It’s hard to remember this while we are going through them, but it’s true. We can learn so much from them. We can either let the trials break us or we can let them strengthen us. We always have the choice of being bitter or being grateful. We can all have a good attitude and do “the best we can do.”
A bacon flavored spread. Could anything be cooler? I think not. The creators' motto is that everything should taste like bacon. Genius. My kind of motto!
When I went to Paris last Fall, I expected a lot of things. I expected to improve my French. I expected to experience Parisian culture and love it. I expected to just love Paris in general. All of these did happen. But there were definitely some things that happened that I didn't expect. Some bad (thanks so much for that, bed bugs), but mainly all just great. One of these was that I developed a love for Photography that I never really had before. I mean, I liked it . . . but it was never that passion-inspiring? In my photography class, I had the hardest time and I felt like every week the assignment was impossible and was the hardest thing I would ever have to do. But every week a moment would happen when I would get the picture. The perfect picture(s) that were exactly what I wanted for the theme. There was nothing like getting a picture and knowing instantly that it was the one. Or going through my pictures at the end of the day and being surprised that some of them were actually rather good. And I am not even very good at photography. But I still loved it. Even though my photos weren't the best, I loved taking them and I was proud of them.
(Like this one. I don't know why, but I love it.)
However, my love for photography grew even moreso with other people's work. Do you remember my post about Michael Kenna? Still love him. And still want a book of his work. But he is definitely not the only photographer I love. I just appreciate photography so much more as a whole now. And now, my latest photography want . . .
My French teacher, who also happened to be the Director of my study abroad program and the teacher of the Photography class that so changed my opinion about Photography, does photography. And he has a photo blog. And he has recently finished a project he has been working on for years. It's incredible. It's the ABC's. They're pictures of things that look like letters in France. Could that concept be any cooler? Not really. But it gets better. Because the pictures are AMAZING. I am thoroughly wanting one. Or seven.
So now it's time for you to go check it out. Because I am sure you will love it too. They really are stunning. My favorite is . . . well, that's hard to say. But if/when I buy something, I'm kind of leaning towards the A or C in the 11x14 quote ones.
And after you check out these amazing galleries, look over the rest of his blog. He has great photography tips and whatnot. And comment! I'm sure he'd love that!
It's official. I am now out of my teens. And it feels crazy. Very exciting but very weird. I kind of don't really believe it. Also . . . it's a bit sad. My teenage years were very good to me. But I have high hope's for my 20's! And no matter what . . . yay! It's my birthday and I am a twenty year old now! How cool is that? To commemorate this occasion of leaving the first 2o years of my life, here's the practically obligatory 20 Things list. :)
20 Things I want to do in my next 20 Years (or the 20 after that) (in no particular order)
1. Work at Disneyland/Disneyworld 2. Graduate with my Masters in Accounting from BYU 3. Fall in love 4. Get married in the Salt Lake, San Diego, Rome, or Manhattan Temple 5. Wear a killer wedding dress :) 6. Become a mother 7. Have lots of kids 8. Live in New York 9. Learn how to make serious French pastries 10. Open my own bakery 11. See all my children married in the temple 12. Go to Greece 13. Open a reception house 14. Change people's lives - for the better 15. Serve a mission with my husband 16. Become a grandma 17. Meet David Henrie . . . bahaha 18. Go back to Paris, Italy, Bruges, and England 19. Publish a book 20. Live life to its fullest
For those of you unfortunate enough to not know what came out on Sunday . . . I shall enlighten you. Disney made my Valentine's Day by premiering their newest Disney Channel Original Movie . . . Starstruck. And after watching it (three times), I am indeed Starstruck.
It really isn't even that great; the main girl is overly dramatic and her sister is pretty annoying and silly - even for Disney's standards. And yet . . . I LOVE it. I watched it twice on V-day (really more like 1.76 times) and once the next day. And I have been dying to watch it again ever since. My time since that night has been spent listening to my favorite songs from the movie on Youtube. Over and over. I am still not sick of them and just continue to love them more and more. Don't worry, I am going to get the soundtrack. It has come to the point where I must.
There are two songs on it that I just absolutely adore. One's Hero and the other is What You Mean to Me. They are both splendid and make me fall in love with Sterling Knight every time I hear them pretty much. Even though he isn't actually the one singing. But meh. Minor detail. Still love him. Which brings me to my problem.
Here I am, almost 20, and I still have an irrational weakness for Disney Channel stars. I love them. Mainly two, to be exact.
My newfound love, Sterling Knight
and my longtime love, David Henrie.
Now, mind you, Sterling Knight will never come anywhere near David Henrie status in my life, but he still is an option in my wishful love life thoughts. Not to be creepy at all or anything . . .
Does anyone else think it's completely ridiculous that I am old and supposed to be mature and yet I am still starstruck? With Disney stars nonetheless. I most definitely do. But oh well, I guess. Because I like it. And I don't think it's going to be changing anytime soon. At all. Yay Disney!
P.S. At least they are both my age. Better than me crushing on some 40 year old actor, right? Right?
(I don't have a fitting picture, so just enjoy cute, li'l me...perhaps
