School

I contemplate dropping out on a daily basis, and then I remind myself I only have a year and a half left. It's a love hate relationship.

Because I physically can't study, this is what I do in the library.

I'm just keeping my head above water at this point.

Gratitude For The Season

"I am grateful for Christmas. I am grateful for the spirit of the day and grateful for the outreach that comes into our hearts at this season of the year when we think a little more kindly of one another, when there is a little less bitterness, when there is a little less of hate, when there is more of love and more of a reaching out to those in trouble and need and distress. I thank the Lord for Christmas." 

-Gordon B Hinckley

I couldn't agree more with that statement. All I have left is finals, and then bring on CHRISTMAS. The best holiday ever.

Tis the season

ABC Family's 25 days of Christmas has officially begun. Tis the season! I LOVE Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nothing screams fun like eating turkey with my parents and the missionaries. In all honesty I'd rather be eating Chinese takeout and watching the OC by myself. But I'm GRATEFUL my parents are kind souls and are willing to feed the missionaries, because I hope someone is feeding this girl. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and try not to feel too bad for me. I promise I have a LOT to be grateful for.

writers block

I have hit a writers block. I don't know what to write about anymore, hence I haven't blogged. This blog has been a blog of my adventures over the last 10 months, and now I'm in a routine: school and work. No one wants to hear that I double dipped on a project at work (that one is for you Ryan) and no one wants to hear about my failures at school. I frankly am just not fun anymore. My free-spirited self has a normal routine. Should I quit boring life and go on an adventure again? Why can't I settle down? Is something wrong with me? Okay I'm done, but if I'm MIA for a while you'll know it's because I've become boring.

The best time of year...

Goodbye October, you will always be my second favorite month, I love the fall colors, the walks up the canyon, the Halloween festivities. I love everything about you (except midterms, and yes I got a solid F on one yesterday...lowest grade I've ever got in the testing center; oh well there is a first for everything I suppose). But now it's time to celebrate the best time of year, and no I'm not referring to winter. CHRISTMAS and THANKSGIVING, two of the best holidays of the year. I seriously cannot wait. I'm crying tears of joy that it's this time of year again. And there is no better way to start the holiday festivities then with this guy.

Sure do love him.

While everyone else was on Fall Break...

• I went to class.
• I went to work.
• I finished watching Drop Dead Diva.

I feel like I accomplished a lot (joke). Oh and I'm still alive. I'll start blogging again. I just need something interesting to blog about. I'll work on that this week.

Drop Dead Diva

It consumes my life. Well school, work, and drop dead diva all currently consume my life. Really. You should watch it. Thank goodness for netflix.
Happy Wednesday.
Also my first class on Friday got canceled. Holla!

True Cougar

I hiked the Y. For the first time in my life. Does that make me a true cougar?? I think it does. This lovely lady showed me the ropes. She's basically a pro; she hikes it like every weekend.

Steve Holt

The top

Let me leave 'you' with these inspirational words:

"I can almost see it.
That dream I'm dreaming, but
There's a voice inside my head saying
You'll never reach it
Every step I'm takin'
Every move I make
Feels lost with no direction,
My faith is shakin'
But I gotta keep tryin'
Gotta keep my head held high

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb

The struggles I'm facing
The chances I'm taking
Sometimes might knock me down, but
No I'm not breaking
I may not know it, but
These are the moments that
I'm gonna remember most
I've just gotta keep goin', and
I gotta be strong
Just keep pushing on, cause

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb

There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb

Keep on movin'
Keep climbin'
Keep the faith baby
It's all about, it's all about
The climb
Keep the faith, keep your faith, woah"

-Miley Cyrus

New Car!

Okay it's not really a new car, but it's new to me. I don't know if anyone remembers the car I sported in high school. If not let me refresh your memory.

Green car, blue hood...it's pretty classy right? Granted that was my fault, I just can't help but dance to music (don't dance and drive).

Anyway, I'd have to say this car is a step up: one color, automatic locks, AND a cd player. OH YAAAA.

This a picture I found online of the same car I have (my car is really missing the front hub cap on this side). Still an improvement and I'm thrilled.

Grandpa Maeser

Live from the Maeser Building. Chaz and I got locked out of the balcony today (we normally have a perfect view of Gramps)

Gpa Maeser

Sign Lady (this was obviously a blurry creep shot)

Just learning.

Australia in pictures

Pictures are better than words. Seriously, there are a lot of pictures; I promise I only choose the highlights:

 

Goodbye Summer, you're great. You will always be my favorite season. Hello Fall, you're my second favorite and I'm ready for you. BYU is looking good this year. I actually like ALL of my classes. Here's to a good semester!

???

Please excuse the way I look, I just woke up.

Are you as confused/amazed as I am? I will have you know that the toothpaste on the bottom is my travel sized toothpaste. When my mom asked the concierge for toothpaste he gave her the one on top. I didn't even know that size of toothpaste existed. It seems utterly useless. Good thing we only stayed one night, otherwise she'd run out of toothpaste.

P.S. The outback spectacular = pretty darn spectacular

You can do anything you want, but not everything you want

As I've thought about the last year, I've thought about all the things I've done. It got me to thinking that there is still so much more I want to do. Some things are minor, and others major. I came across a quote on another blog I read. I remembered it because I've been feeling overwhelmed with all these things I want/have to do in my life, and I'm afraid I won't have time. Life is too short. It said, "You can do anything you want, but not everything you want." It got me to thinking I've done a lot (at least in the last year) and that I should be grateful for what I have done.

18 things I accomplished while I was 18:

1. Attended college.
2. Moved away from home and became more independent.
3. Went on a Study Abroad.
4. Fulfilled my church callings.
5. Learned to live with other people (if 13 girls in the same room doesn't scream fun, I don't know what does).
6. Strengthened my testimony.
7. Kept a Journal.
8. Built new friendships.
9. Applied for my major.
10. Learned how to hang up blinds.
11. Organized my stuff (quite a few times).
12. Learned more about family history.
13. Visited relatives in Australia.
14. Lived out of a back pack for 2 weeks.
15. Read a whole textbook (seriously, that's an accomplishment for me).
16. Appreciated other cultures, and learned about a few.
17. Gained a tolerance, and even a love for hiking.
18. Decided I want to be teacher.

Some of those things may seem dumb, but I feel like they are important accomplishments to further who I ultimately want to become. It's a work and progress, and I'm no where near the person I want to be, but I can say I'm proud of what I've done, and who I'm becoming. So naturally now that I'm 19 another list will be made.

19 things I want to accomplish while I'm 19:

1. Read at least 5 church books (I wanted to last year, but never got around to it...it will happen).
2. Learn how to french braid hair (It's pathetic that I've gone 19 years relying on others to french braid my hair for me).
3. Learn how to cook balanced meals, and then actually make them. I'll start by making at least one meal a week (mac & cheese isn't going to cut it for the rest of my life).
4. Go on a humanitarian trip.
5. Learn how to paint my nails good (I've never been very good at this...ask my sisters)
6. Continue schooling, and try my hardest (the second part is a bit harder for me).
7. Continue keeping a journal, fulfilling church callings, and strengthening my testimony.
8. See the Grand Canyon.
9. Build new relationships, and strengthen the ones I have.
10. Volunteer to help people (I really need to work on that).
11. Buy a car.
12. Attend all BYU home football games, and as many other home sporting events as I can (my sports pass won't go to waste this year).
13. Learn how to drive a stick shift.
14. Build a fire.
15. Manage my time better (I spend way too much time on facebook).
16. Get into my program.
17. Read some more family life stories.
18. Sew an article of clothing or a blanket or something.
19. Be more patient.

I'm going to accomplish those things in the next year...I hope. Procrastination is something else I need to work on, but I'll do that later (I think I'm funny).  So here's to doing anything I want...one step at time.

19

I'm in my last year of teenagehood. We celebrated my birthday Steve Irwin style. I fed an elephant, held a koala, pet a kangaroo, and watched a croc show. CRIKEY! It was great. Unfortunately we left the camera cord at home and I won't be able to post pictures until I'm back in the states. But I took a picture of a picture, and it's kinda bad. Here's to hoping 19 will be as good as 18 was for me!

Feeling Good

It's feels oh so good to be on the left side of the road again. As I type I'm sitting at the McDonald's (in the largest mall in the Southern Hemisphere), just like I did for so many months. I love it, I love being phoneless. I feel free and not tied down. Yesterday was picture perfect. We got into Brisbane and went to Auntie Val's for afternoon tea and treats on the terrace. We ate some delicious chocolate cake, and passion fruit cake. We then walked the dogs along the Brisbane river, and it's just as beautiful as I remember it. I love spending time with my favorite old people. They're deaf, but it doesn't matter because we all seem very content. Then we pulled up to 20 Luke street. I haven't seen Grandad's house since I was 11, but it hasn't changed a bit. It was just as it was when I spent my summers here as a kid. I'm loving the food, the people, and the winter warm weather. We have yet to take pictures, but don't worry I know my mother, and there will be plenty of pictures soon. I'm feeling good.

It's Official

I received my Australian passport in the mail earlier this week. Happy Birthday to me; I'm going to the land down under next month!!!

The Happiest Place on Earth

It's true, I went to the happiest place on earth. It was a blast and the first time I've ever been to Disneyland with friends. Kirsten, Andrea, and I went to down to LA last week to visit Annika and have some fun. We stopped in Vegas for a night on the way down and stayed with Ryan and Megan. (Thanks again!) Cali was filled with the beach, 500 days of summer park, Hollywood, airplane watching, Venice boardwalk, Santa Monica pier (where the bangles were playing), and Disneyland.

Bellagio Fountains

Eiffel Tower

Bellagio Gardens

Airplane Watching

The Beach

Santa Monica Pier

Hollywood

The sign is way in the background...

500 Days of Summer

Venice Beach

Disneyland

The Wonderful World of Color. Amazing.

It was a fun week!

The Vegas, The 4th, and Other Shenanigans

I realize my blogging frequency is sub par, but in my defense I knew before I started a blog that I'm not the blogging type. I've never been good at keeping a journal, and in all honesty this blog is the best journal I have ever kept. It's pathetic, since I have only been blogging for like 6 months, but I still haven't even filled half of my journal that I've been keeping since I was 13. And that journal is the only "journal" I've ever had. Embarrassing I know. Anyway, the point is I'm quite proud of this online blog/journal of mine. I'll try my best to keep it up (for everyones sake. Yours, mine, posterity's, etc etc). Now that I've pledged to blog more, here is my life as of late (the interesting parts at least):

The Vegas:

A couple of weeks ago I took a road trip down to Vegas with Amanda and Mike. We went to visit Natalie, and I also went to visit Ryan and Megan. We had a lot of fun reenacting our Europe days and catching up. The weekend consisted of eating, lounging by the pool, shopping, talking, and laughing. It was everything a good weekend should include. Mike mainly photographed the weekend, so unfortunately I don't have many pictures.

Megan, Ryan, and I lounging by the pool.

We snuck on to the roof.

Natalie, Amanda, and Mike

Ryan and Megan

Thanks Natalie, and Megan and Ryan for letting me stay with you guys!

The 4th:

The fourth was filled will all the usual traditions. I went to stadium of fire with my family, I camped out at the parade route with the Gauchay's and then watched the parade, and I attended the cul-de-sac of fire. It was a great 4th of July weekend. Happy late birthday America.

The fam at the stadium of fire.

Andy and I

Kel, Me, and Andy creepin on David.

The Fireworks

Going to the parade route

Scooter ride at the parade route

Kelley, and I at the cul-de-sac of fire.

On Tuesday I'm road tripping it again, but this time to Southern Cali, with Kirsten and Andrea to see Annika. Holla!