Another Fun Weekend!

Feelin' Loved

As you all know, my recent posts have been all about lovin' life and not having a worry in the world. Well, it caught up to me and all of a sudden in the past couple days, I got super stressed. No biggie though, we're just taking it one step at a time and trying to get it all done while still having a little bit of fun :)

Yesterday, I got my birthday package from my mom. And yes, I cheated and opened it already! (She said I was allowed to) I was so excited! It was everything I could have wanted and more and now I can't wait for the birthday week to begin! There is going to be some serious celebrating going on!

After a late night of work and studying, I had to get up this morning and take two tests. As many of you know, there is a window sill right down the stairs as you're leaving the testing center where people write encouraging notes, leave candy, say good luck, ya know just nice things. I was leaving after the first test and was surprised to see an envelope with my name on it. Inside....

My favorite candy bar and a note! Seriously, so thoughtful! It definitely made my day and I was so ready for round 2 haha! In fact, I definitely did better on the second one.

And then...I arrived home to find a lovely poppy seed muffin with a lemon glaze on my counter and this note from a girl on my floor.

I'm overwhelmed with gratefulness for these wonderful people in my life and the time they take to do things for others. It really is the simple things that add up and mean the most. And it really got me thinking about how I can better serve others and make them feel appreciated. Being here on earth is all about looking outside ourselves and developing Christ-like qualities. I have so many great examples of this in my life and I'm going to do better at following in their footsteps. What are your ideas on serving others?

New I.D. Card!

After a year and a half my I.D. had been well used. Especially being an R.A. and living in New Heritage...we use it for everything!!! Plus I had this bad habit of playing with it whenever it was in my hand, which didn't help the cause. Today I looked pretty good, so I decided to go get a new one haha! I didn't take a picture of the old one, but I sure wish I would have! It was a mess!

old

new

Do I look different? Who knew you could change so much in a year and a half haha!

Fall is definitely upon us. It came quick and I was looking forward to days filled with sweaters, crisp air, changing leaves, hot cider, blankets, and football games, but now I'm reminiscing on summer and wanting those warm, care free days to be back. School is setting in with mid-terms coming up and just the day to day life of a college student. Life is still good and I'm loving every minute of it, but things are just changing.

Last night, there was a wonderful rainstorm. It reminded me of the Washington rain and I embraced every minute of it by going puddle jumping :) Seriously so much fun! There's nothing like being completely soaked to the bone and then coming inside and taking a nice, warm shower. Ahh, it was so great! I love being spontaneous and going on random adventures. It makes me forget the cares of the world and allows me to take a step back and just enjoy the simple things of life. adventure is out there and I know there will be many more to come!

In just 8 short days, I will be turning twenty years old. Officially not a teenager anymore. I can't believe it!

My Weekend In Pictures

This girl turned 20! Love you Em :) 

I love being in Rock Canyon

Such a fun climb!

Representing UVUSA

Spencer showing off haha!

Look at this cutie!

Twinsies!

We love babysitting! Such a fun time :)

Sisters <3

I also had to work on Saturday night and had the opportunity to go to the Brigham City Temple Dedication. We haven't had real church for 3 weeks! It was busy, but super fun! There truly is nothing better than the gospel, family, and friends.

Deep in Thought

Last week I was driving home with one of my friends and he asked me about my parents. He always asks me very thought provoking questions which is kind of fun because it allows me to reflect on my life, opinions, and experiences I've had. First of all, I'm pretty convinced I have the best parents in the world and I don't know what I would do without them. He asked me what qualities my dad has that I want in my husband. What a deep question haha! I had to think about it for a minute but after I started, it came pretty easy.
-i love that he's always willing to serve other people
-he's a hard worker and provides for our family
-he's really helpful and handy, especially with homework and things around the house
-he's a good chef and knows about food
-he's very social and enjoys talking to other people, we're always the last ones out of an event haha
-he honors his priesthood and always magnifies his callings
-he's a great leader and works well with people
-he always finds opportunities to teach us and help us learn
-he's really close to his siblings and parents
-he's approachable
-he knows how to have fun and enjoys doing fun things for our family
-he's an athlete and loves sports
-he supports us in the decisions we make
-he thinks he's pretty good lookin haha!

I'm really grateful for my parents and for the good examples they are to me. I love how much closer I've gotten to them as I've been away at school and really started to understand and appreciate them. They are amazing and talented and I miss them when we're not together! It's so important to have good relationships with your parents and I'm grateful for all I've learned from them :)

What a wonderful weekend! Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to the Brigham City temple open house. It is absolutely gorgeous! I loved every minute of it. The only other open house I've been to was the Columbia River temple and I was little so I don't remember it very much. Anyways, this temple has beautiful artwork, chandeliers, and mirrors. The spirit is so strong and there is no way that you can go to a place like that and deny that it is of God. I look forward to the day when I will have the opportunity to be sealed in the temple and return to it frequently. I absolutely love temples and the peace that they bring in a world that is so full of noise and confusion.

I love all the friends I've made in my new ward and this was a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better. We spent 4 hours going there and back on a school bus and we passed the time by playing mind games, I have never, planning fhe activities, talking about dating, school, and about the wonderful church we belong to.

Today we had a regional conference that was broadcast to 149 stakes in Utah County, 15 of which were actually in the Marriott Center. We had the pleasure of hearing from two members of the seventy, the General Primary President, the matron of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple, and Elder and Sister Oaks. They spoke about so many great topics that hit home. Remember who you are, temple work, having the spirit in our homes, trusting in God's timing and having faith, don't get discouraged when you're doing what's right. I also had a confirmation that our Prophet is called of God and about so many of his attributes as he leads a Christlike life. I've been reading his biography and it is fabulous! I highly recommend it. I'm still amazed at all the wonderful opportunities that I have been given while studying here at BYU and I am grateful for each one of them!

Looking on the Bright Side of Life

I think I've mentioned before that I like to embrace every moment of life and laugh at myself, even when I do the most ridiculous things. This week I have really been struggling because I keep running into walls. Seriously. I miss the corners and the next thing I know my shoulder hits something. It's so embarrassing! And sometimes it hurts but I can't help but laughing at myself because it has definitely happened more than once. Oh boy.

Now here's for the funny story. A couple weeks ago I went with my cousin to go pick up his new car. We walked in, I was kind of checking out the office, and the salesman shook my cousin's hand. He then asked me if I had a thing against people touching me. I didn't really know what to think but I said no. It was an awkward situation. Later that day, my cousin has a voicemail on his phone from the salesman. He was specifically calling to apologize for offending my cousin's "girlfriend" and was really worried that he had freaked me out. He said that he felt like it was pretty normal to shake people's hands, but obviously I was opposed to that. Oh my goodness, we could not stop laughing! First of all, the guy never even put his hand out to me and second of all, I'm definitely not dating my cousin haha! I was not offended at all and it was just hilarious that he made the effort to call and apologize. What a day, I guess Ben and I can't hang out anymore or else people will think we're dating.

I love my life

Everyone's a Little Bit Racist

I'm supposed to post this video on social networking sites for my Multicultural Education Class. Please watch the video and then post a comment about your thoughts. Thanks so much :)

Pacific Northwest Princess

A Mayan Glyph

This necklace is from Guatemala. The glyph means "it came to pass", as used in the Book of Mormon. I love learning about other cultures and understanding history better. The world has so much to offer and I believe it would be a waste if we didn't take the time to find out as much as we can and experience new things, to really take it all in. I have had the opportunity to travel not only across the country, but also to Europe and hope to someday do a lot more traveling. It is fascinating to me to study different people and their traditions, to take in the architecture, religion, art, music, and language. I am thinking about serving a mission and love the idea of becoming immersed in another culture and being able to share my beliefs. I've lived in a relatively small town with a lot of family around my whole life so I enjoy broadening my world and becoming accustomed to new ideas and ways of life. Since I don't travel as much as I would like, I have established a love for books throughout my life. There is so much truth that can be found in good books and in addition to educating about places around the world, they allow your imagination to take you to places you've never been before and vicariously go through a life-changing experience. It's an amazing feeling to get lost in the pages of a book. I also love that we are never done learning. There is always more knowledge that we can obtain and it's so fun to make a connection or really understand something you haven't heard before.

Three Strikes...You're Out!

Safeco Field, along with Century Link Field, and Key Arena are just a short 45 min. from my hometown. Sports have been a huge part of my life and have been something that each member of my family has participated in. I have so many memories of summer nights at the baseball field, crowded gymnasiums at a basketball game, and soccer games in the pouring rain. The best part is that we watch together. It wasn't an option to sit at home because we all supported one another. There was rarely a game when a parent wasn't in the stands cheering you on and being your number one fan no matter what. In addition to our own participation, we try to take in as many other games as we can. High school, college, professional, you name it. I love sitting on a couch and enjoying time with friends or family in the home as well as the atmosphere of being there live. I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had to appreciate sports and how it has allowed my family to grow together and enjoy countless memories. I love watching the rivalries, the tie breakers, the amazing slam dunks, the 40 yard touchdowns, the out of the park homeruns, the goals that just barely got in. But what I really love about sports is what it teaches you about life. You learn that it's not all about you. You learn how to be teachable and to have a good attitude. You learn how to have good sportsmanship and to play as team whether you're winning or losing. You learn to appreciate those with natural talent, as well as those who work so hard to make other contributions to the team. You learn  that it takes practice of the little things over and over again to really see success in the big things. I love the inspirational stories of athletes. I love the Olympics and watching the world come together and to embrace the patriotism and the dedication. I've seen everything from the Seahawks in the Superbowl, to Jimmer Fredette, to March Madness, to the Yankees being in the World Series once again, to Michael Phelps earning another gold. I've been at the top of a mountain and I've been at the bottom of a pool. I've had moments up in the air and moments when I've been knocked to the ground. But here's the biggest thing I've learned; you keep trying. You never give up and you take what you learn and apply it to your life. Because at the end of the day, it's just a game.

Playing On Heartstrings

Music is my passion in life. I play the piano and the violin, but I've also learned how to play the organ and I do a little bit of singing. I feel so blessed to have music as one of my talents and am grateful for all the opportunities I've had to share it with others. I always try to do my best and to have a positive attitude when I'm performing because I was taught once that you never know who you're impacting. You don't know who might need to hear what you have to offer and how it can change them. I wouldn't be who I am today without music. It is the motive for a lot that I do and is my outlet. Whenever I am stressed or can't get my mind off of something, I can resort to my music and get lost in a whole new world. I have had opportunities to play at countless church events, funerals, concerts, recitals, and receptions. I've traveled to Disney World twice and participated in other national competitions.  I've been an accompanist at Solo/Ensemble contests as well as for studio recitals. I've been in musical theater and have been with both large and small groups. I also enjoy watching the talents of others. I've seen great country artists such as Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, and Rascal Flatts, I've seen Wicked, Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, and Phantom of the Opera. I listened to Joshua Bell play in Carnegie Hall and heard David Archuleta sing on the American Idol tour. On a smaller scale, I love all kinds of music. Classical, pop, country, instrumental, soundtracks, and religious music. We are surrounded by music on a daily basis whether it be on the radio, computer, in a class, in movies, dances, and so much more. Music is a huge part of many cultures and that has allowed me to share something in common with many other people around the world. Music is also a huge part of my testimony because I can feel the Spirit so strongly whenever music is present. Songs that testify of Christ and the truthfulness of the gospel have amazing power. I think the greatest aspect of music is that evokes emotion. Everyone can relate to a song and feel something inside. I love that I have the power to share something so powerful and in the process better myself and my talents.

I just this video on another blog. Her comment was "still caught on the Olympics" and I think I agree. It stirs up something inside of me and I just love it! If it doesn't let you watch it, look it up on youtube.

One Word

Yesterday in RA class, our teacher had us fill out an information sheet. One of the questions was "describe yourself in one word". I had no clue where to even begin. There are several things I'm interested in or personality traits I have, but how do you combine all of that into one word? I asked the two guys I was sitting by...the first two words out of their mouths were awesome and amazing. That was nice of them but I wanted to write something more...something that was really me. Then one of them started throwing out more words...honest, creative. I ended up putting well-rounded, but it got me thinking. It's interesting to consider all of yourself in just one word.  And also to think about how other people would describe you. Would they be accurate? Would they choose a word that is admirable? Just something to get your mind going. How would you describe yourself in one word?

Every Day is Game Day

I can't believe it's football season already! Fall is coming fast and I'm getting back in the swing of things. I had a blast at the football game last Thursday. All the family was in town for Tim's wedding and got to come too! We enjoyed some J Dawgs before the game...definitely one of my favorites.It was a beautiful day until some intense storm clouds came in and it poured! Luckily that was right before the game so we didn't have to be soaked throughout the game. I absolutely love BYU and I absolutely love football...put 'em together and you get one entertaining night! Seriously, there's nothing like that atmosphere and the pride you have for your school. I love being a blue and white cougar. It was a great start to the season and we crushed Washington State. I texted my friend Zac before the game and said, "may the best cougar win :)" and I'm glad our team pulled through!

matching sisters :)

cousins!

In addition to sitting with my family, I also said hi to all the girls in my seating group and then went to stand by Alli and Emily. The weirdest thing about the game was that none of my boys were there! Last season, I was in a seating group with 6 boys and all of them are on their missions! I am so used to crazy cheering and intense watching of the game, along with jokes and lots of laughter. It definitely wasn't the same being their without them, but I'm so proud of their decisions to serve missions and I know they are where they need to be!

We hung out for a while after the game and saw some of the WSU players come out and waved to families of guys I went to high school with. Matt then led us down to the field to take a family picture and we got to shake hands with President Samuelson! I was pretty excited about meeting the president of my school. He looks a lot different in person though.

I can't wait for the rest of the season! Go Cougs :)

Rock On!

This morning I was able to go rock climbing up Rock Canyon. I've only been climbing 3 times in my entire life and they were all indoors at climbing gyms. But this time I went outside in a real mountain! It was awesome and I was with some really experienced climbers so I felt totally safe. It was a blast and the guys I went with are way cool. It's always fun to meet new people and to find things that you can all do together. They are so athletic and always looking for an adventure and I'm officially adopted into their "family" so it looks like it's gonna be a fun year and hopefully I'll be able to get out of Heritage a little bit more!

There are so many gospel analogies you can make with climbing and it was fun to brainstorm. The thing I like about it the most is that you don't have to be extremely in shape or strong. You just have to be smart and put your trust in the person who is belaying. It's a lot of problem solving and thinking things through. Each time I felt like I was on the wall forever but they said that I made it up in pretty good time. It allows you to kind of take a step back and just forget the world. Plus the view at the top is amazing!

Hopefully I'll be able to go up a couple more times before it gets cold down here! It was a great morning :)

It's Gonna Be A Great Semester!

Seriously!

I have such a fabulous schedule and I am just really excited about it.

And here's the best part...
I'm in classes that I actually enjoy! I'm so done with all those general classes that are a review and difficult and that I'm just not a fan of haha!

I am officially in the elementary ed program and my classes are fabulous! They are so interesting and I actually enjoy listening to the lectures and participating in the discussions. And the homework isn't that bad either :) I definitely picked the right profession and that has been confirmed to me over and over the past couple months. I love having a plan and knowing which direction I want my life to go. And even though I don't know exactly what's going to happen, I know that with any righteous desire Heavenly Father will give me the direction I need.

I sure am lovin' life!