Provo Skate Day

I was very proud of myself this morning. I woke up, put in some laundry, took a shower, grabbed breakfast, and got ready for class on time. I even dried and straightened my hair which is a big deal. I grabbed my breakfast shake and headed out the door. 

BOOM. I slide down my driveway. I continue. BOOM. Fell down on the side walk. I thought it would get better but nope, I didn't make it past my neighbor's house. I turned around. Shuffled back up my driveway and missed my first class. 

Boo Utah winter. 

Faith in Change

"As a new year begins and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives."

-Jeffry R. Holland

2012

adventure

hope

challenges

fun

understanding

friends

frustration

growth

What will 2013 bring? It can be safe to assume that many of the same feelings I felt in 2012 will be repeated. Year by year locations may change, situations may change, even people change but you really get out of life what you put it. So here is what I'm putting into 2013. 

faith

hope

love

passion

determination

smart choices

& a little luck

It is only 5 days in and I can already forecast the weather. With one big girl job application in, three highly anticipated weddings for people I love, and a long awaited undergrad graduation the next few months will be a doozy. 

Shout Out to My Main Man

Any man can be a father, it takes someone special to be a dad. 

I always gush about my family because frankly I find them to be the best that I have ever hard. I especially consider my dad to be one of the biggest rock-stars that I know. Here is why.

• He is absolutely selfless. He puts his needs last and never considers his wants. He provides so much service for others. From mowing lawns, to fixing cars, to mending roofs, he helps others in need with without them asking. 
• He is hardworking. Hardworking is an understatement. He does not haven off button. 
• He is a leader. He can naturally guide people in an amazing way. He is able to teach and guide while providing an example. 
• He is cheesy. From song lyrics to awful jokes. It never stops. 
• He is supportive. There has never been one thing in my life that I have had to do alone. I can always count on the support of my dad if it's a play that I'm in to a paper that I am writing. He cares what my hopes are, knows what my dreams are, and cheers me on when I don't think I can do either. 

Today is his birthday. I would have bought him a present but I probably would have needed to borrow his own money to do so. So this is my present to you dad! A public announcement! I'll be home soon and we will celebrate then by going to sonic for happy hour but until then know that I miss you but love you that much more! 

ABC Christmas Movies

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas."

 -Calvin Coolidge

Christmas is such a big deal that the world changes just because of it. People break out specific decorations, radio stations play specific music, there are even specific movies for this holiday. I particularly love watching the horrible, cheesy, ridiculous Hallmark/ABC Family movies that air the entire month. Anyone else with me? 

Sunday I found a great one on Netflix and started watching it. It was SOOOO good that a couple of my roommates watched it with me. At the end when Michelle found out that it wasn't on TV, but chosen from the plethora of Netflix movies she wasn't a happy camper. "You mean, we watched this on our own free will?"

This statement made me laugh, especially because we've been taught to be such smart consumers of the media lately. I watched the movie because of personal preference (as horrible as my preference may have been). Michelle would have watched the movie because it was on a television station. Do we let what is offered to us control what we watch? We always have free will to turn it off or even find something else but how often do we get trapt into watching something because it happens to be on?

Dang it.

So I have around 6 unpublished post. Whoops. I'm working on figuring out when I wrote them to get them right.

In the mean time, enjoy this clip.

Christmas Music

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

-Buddy the Elf

Growing up I was always against my mother breaking out her Christmas music until AFTER Thanksgiving. Always. But it is becoming more apparent as I get older how much like my mother that I am. I may or may not have busted out of my Spotify Christmas playlist last week and don't even regret it. The snow was falling and hot chocolate was made, of course it was appropriate to listen to Christmas music. 

Plus I'll be honest this Christmas is going to mean I'll be home for three weeks with family and friends, one semester away from graduating, and so many other good things. Hurry Christmas, hurry fast. 

Blogging

"Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia."

-E.L. Doctorow

We had a quest speaker this week that is the ideal of a "Mormon Mommy Blogger." This term cracks me up because it is so true. When this concept blew up in the news awhile back it made me laugh. My non-member sister-in-law even brought it up to me. She finds our LDS culture of house wives fascinating. I guess the concept of living a iconic life at home raising kids, making dinner, and cleaning house is somewhat of a fascinating concept. I've had a blog for a few years now. I even had a Xanga back in the day. There is just something rewarding about posting your personal thoughts on the internet for millions of people to potentially read them. (Hm. Let me think on that.) So why do we blog? I have no idea. I have the excuse that I need to do it for points for Dr. Coyne's class but what about when I'm doing it for fun?

Regardless of my hesitation or my lack of understanding here are a few of my favorite blogs to read. From people, to crafts, to movements, there is a whole world of literature out there for us to read.

Roommates 

Post Secret

Kelle Hampton

Wedding Ideas

Tanner

Derick

Rachel

And I just today found this guy's. I have no idea who he is but the fact that he posted all those pictures of my beautiful home state and talked about how wonderful it makes me so glad that it is only 16 days until I come home.