A New Year

Seriously?! 2012 is already OVER? Crazy crazy craziness. Like where did the time even go? My 2012 consisted of :
 an 18 credit winter semester
late-night LOST marathons
a 4 credit Italian class
saying goodbye to my precious freshman year
relationship ends and beginnings
a dreamy vacation to Southern California
the annual camping trip to Pine Valley
summer afternoons working at the dry cleaners, plus..
 summer nights working at Pancho and Lefty's
moving into my new apartment at Liberty Square
changing my major like four times
my first experience disco skating (yeah, wasn't pretty)
BYU football games
thug Thursdays
being diagnosed with Celiac Disease
tears after Mitt the man was defeated
spinning around I-15 during a snowstorm
volunteering at an elementary school in Provo
post-test Cafe Rio celebrations
having the best roommates in the world
a huge obsession with Duck Dynasty
lots and lots of burnt meals

etc. etc. etc.
Simply put, it's been a wonderful year.

A side note:
You probably haven't heard about this movie or been bombarded with Facebook statuses of how beautiful it is or viewed like two hundred Instagram fanatics posting model shots of  Marius or sung "Do You Hear the People Sing" in the shower everyday, so let me fill you in. Okay, but really. I will join in with my social media peeps and say that this was the most incredible movie ever.

That's all I've got. Happy 2013.

Some webcam gems from twenty-twelve:

I love my Hayden, but I don't love my hair

I can't believe I'm allowing this to go viral.

Hope ya like my neck.

Hold onto your seats, folks

I'm back, ladies and gents. Here's what I've been up to lately:

I love my roommates, Halloween, and caramel apples.

Matchy matchy roomies before the ward Halloween party! Don't worry, Lindsey and I totally won the 'Best Nerds' award. 

Okay, so we took this picture right after the dedication of the Brigham City Temple. These twelve girls are amazing! We were in the same ward together last year, and now we are all next door neighbors. Let's just say it's always a party! Totally love them!

My favorite Sunday afternoon spot. I am such a lucky girl to have this right down the street.

It doesn't get any better than a good BYU football game.

My cute friend Dacy came down to Provo, and we all went to a haunted house together. Holy cow, I haven't screamed/laughed that hard in a looooong time. 

So, there's a little bit about what's been going on around these parts. 

School is wonderful. It really blows my mind everyday that I have the opportunity to attend BYU. I love this place. 

But, I'm not gonna lie, we are right in the middle of the semester, and amid all of the tests and study groups and papers and presentations I sometimes want to quit.

Yeah, I'm a little melodramatic probably.

But there are some dang tough, discouraging days. 

You would think I would've figured this out permanently by now, but every single day Heavenly Father reminds me that I really can do hard things with His help. 

I'm such a weak girl, but because Heavenly Father sacrificed His Son for me, the difference can be made up. 

And that makes a world of difference to me. 

Don't mistake me for your babushka

 

Look at what college is doing to me!

Check out those bags under my eyes and those wrinkles on my forehead.

Uh oh, talk about premature aging.

Next week I'll probably sprout a patch of gray hair and kids on campus will accidentally call me grandma.

 

Today was a long day.

 

But everything is so good.

SO stinking good.

 

 

 

 

 



I love summertime

I always feel a little ounce of melancholy when I realize that I have one more week of summer left.

I will miss a wallet that is currently full of quarters (hello, college laundromat).

I will miss driving with my mom to drop my siblings off at school. They really love it when I yell "remember who you are" out the window as they walk away.

I will miss being attacked by bats on our nightly walks.

I will miss the 110 degree weather (haha!)

I will miss seeing the St. George temple everytime I drive into town.

Basically, I will just miss home.

BUT.. I decided to be a die-hard fan yesterday and jam out to this...

and I think I started crying.

Honestly, I love being a BYU student, and I'm excited to go back.

Time for today's random fact:

Last week after having some blood work done, it was discovered that I probably have Celiac Disease. This means that I am now on a gluten-free diet.

Is it sad that when the nurse called to tell me what they found I immediately thought about the fact that I can't eat my mom's mint brownies anymore? Seriously, if you haven't ever had those brownies before then you must live a very sad life.

Happy last week of summer!

Also, watch this Mormon message. I loved it! It's so powerful.



Comeback Team

Aren't they awesome?

Goodbye, Obama, Biden and total delirium.

Hello, Romney, Ryan and sanity.



Happy happy happy

Tonight was my last Tuesday working at Pancho and Lefty's, a popular mexican restaurant here in St. George.

As I was walking past a certain table this fella (who, I'm not gonna lie, was a little tipsy) motioned me over to talk to him.

He said to me, "Girl, could you do something for me?"

"Okay."

"Could you just smile, please? Are you sad?"

"No, I'm actually really happy."

"Then smile."

I smiled, but in my head I was thinking that that son of a gun was probably delusional and I was certain that I had been smiling all along.

Yeah, I was probably wrong.

In the midst of daily routines and monotonous tasks, I think I oftentimes forget that I have an awful lot to smile about.

My mom made my favorite mint brownies last night.

My dad danced around to the Beatles on Saturday morning while he cooked pancakes.

I am a BYU student.

I have the greatest friends in all the world.

I was able to work a lot this summer.

All such sweet things that make me oh, so happy.

But most importantly, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I know that there is a living prophet.

I know that I can pray to my Heavenly Father and that He will hear me.

I know that Jesus Christ suffered for my sins-- He knows exactly what I experience everyday.

I know that families are forever, and I know that someday I can be married in the temple to begin my own eternal family.

I know that I can find strength, support and answers in the scriptures everyday.

And I know that the Father of us all knows my name and loves me on a deep, individual level.

I belong to the true Church of Jesus Christ.

What more could a girl need to be completely happy?

So thank you, sir, for reminding me to smile and for reminding me that I have so much to be happy about.



Don't mind me

There's been lots on my mind lately...

Since when does back-to-school shopping look like this?

Oh baby. 

I love missionaries.

Please do your best to disregard the fact that I look like a blind woman in this photo, but this kid is one of my very best friends, and he left for his mission today. I guess it's because I'm getting older, but the whole missionary leaving and coming home thing is really affecting me.

I'm such a lucky girl to have such stalwart young men as my friends.

Also, I think I'm changing my major to Human Development.

Journalism to Human Development?

Yeah, doesn't make sense to me either, but it sure feels right.

More about that later.

I'm crazy crazy crazy about this song! Seriously, I think I listen to it like twenty times a day.

The band originated in Provo. Yes, Provo! So... I feel like I have a connection? Okay, not really... but really. You're going to like this song. I promise.