remembering

I recently had a conversation with a good friend about being single again. It's an interesting process, breaking up with someone. You forget how to be single. Even though the majority of life has been spent not in a relationship, when you are in one you forget how to live as a single person. Thus the difficult post-break up period. It's been interesting remembering how to be single again and remembering all the things you used to do. I find myself doing more of the things I enjoy as I remember my routine as a single girl. I love and hate it.

smile...

Smile though your heart is aching;

Smile even though it's breaking.

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by.

If you smile through your fear and sorrow,

Smile and maybe tomorrow,

You'll see the sun come shining through for you.

Light up your face with gladness,

Hide every trace of sadness.

Although a tear may be ever so near,

That's the time you must keep on trying,

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile,

If you just smile.

That's the time you must keep on trying,

Smile, what's the use of crying?

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile.

lucky girl

I had a bad day yesterday and, naturally, Boyfriend got to hear all about it. He came over last night and we talked and he (being the amazing person he is) made me feel a lot better. Then I get home from work today and find these waiting for me! Best. Boyfriend. Ever.

I am one lucky girl.

:)

Sick Day

I am sick today. No- I'm not faking. I have a million things to do but instead my body decided to hold a fiesta in my throat. Thanks a lot... now I remember why I hate parties.

So in lieu of doing those million important things, I am going to do the million other things I need to do that are, for the majority, completely superfluous i.e. this blog post.

I moved back to Provo in August and started school again. It has been.... an adventure. School is a lot harder when you've already been out of it and gotten used to doing whatever you want whenever you want. Now I have to do things when other people want them done. I hate that.

We will use numbers to illustrate my time in Provo:

6- Roommates. They are all amazing girls and I'm so happy to live with them. We have a lot of fun.
12- Credit hours. Too much? Usually not, but when considering the next number, WAY too much.
36- Hours I work per week. Ridiculous. How am I still alive?
3- Members of the Relief Society Presidency. Of which I am one. Amazing! I'm so grateful for my calling- I absolutely love it.
0- Amount of free time. At least that's what it feels like.
5-6- Number of hours I sleep a night. Enough? No. But enough to survive on.
1- Boyfriend. He's pretty amazing. I lucked out on that one.
4- Nerf guns. These are sketchy parts- one can't go around unprotected.
Eleventy Billion- Bruises. No joke. I have no idea why I have so many bruises all the time. I'm guessing it's a combination of Nerf Wars, a slightly abusive roommate, practicing self-defense moves, general clumsiness, and Boyfriend hitting me in the arm with a baseball. Rude.

In short, I'm having a ridiculous amount of fun.

Opposites...

...sometimes they just attract.

Life

Ah life. It changes so quickly and so unexpectedly.

One down...

One paper down...eleventy billion to go.

i am lazy

I haven't blogged in two weeks. Chalk it up to initial laziness then insane busyness. If I ever get a moment to breathe I'll have to tell you about my last few weeks moving to Provo and starting school. For now, you will just have to accept my deepest apologies.

beautiful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7zwQ_7q-fU


Makes me cry every time.

i like infomercials

true story. i like to watch them and listen to all the crazy spokespeople. the Jack Lalanne Juicer and GT Xpress 101 are among my favorites.

Because I've Been Asked So Many Times

http://www.cleanplaydvds.com/

This is where I get my edited DVDs. Have I already written about why I don't watch rated R movies? I can't remember... Maybe I will soon. But anyway- I have a bunch of edited movies and everyone asks where I get them from. Well, this is it.

Go. Search. Buy.

A Wise Man Once Said...

"With pain, there's not always gain. Because if you get your face punched really hard you might have a broken face."

- Daniel Evans Wallingford

(my cousin-in-law)*

*Or whatever he is. He's married to my cousin so I'm going to call him my cousin-in-law.

nana banana

I love my cousin Anna! She's the best. We grew up together and have been close our entire lives. It's been a pretty awesome ride. We've played, traveled, laughed, cried, and always supported each other. It's been so much fun to see how we've grown. I love talking with her and knowing that we'll always be there for each other. She also lets me stay at her house whenever I'm temporarily homeless. She's the best!

Drinking Postum- it's a tradition.

Guatemala 2009

Anna, Amie, me- I have amazing cousins.

I heart Nana!

Rehovot!

While in Israel/Palestine we had a few free days to do whatever and travel around the country to see different cities. On one such day, a few of us traveled to Rehovot- a little city not far from Tel Aviv. Rehovot is home to the Weizmann Institute of Science- a really incredible complex with museums, monuments, and an awesome playground. And by playground I really mean small amusement park where every attraction either teaches you about science or is powered by various scientific means. It's actually very neat.

Rehovot also has amazing orange groves. We took a tour and got to pick our own oranges and squeeze them to make orange juice. Soooo good!

In short, I loved Rehovot!

on the road again

I feel like I'm always moving. I suppose it's my own fault since I seem to have a hard time staying in one place for more than a few months. I am determined, however, to make this new move my last for at least a year. I left Colorado this morning and arrived in Salt Lake around 5:30pm. I'm really glad to be back and see everyone but saying goodbye to Tom and Jenn and the kids was one of the hardest things I've had to do. I'm going to miss those little rascals so much. This last summer has been amazing.

But here's to the next adventure- school part 2!

goodbyes

I hate them. In the last year I've had to say goodbye to way too many people and tomorrow I have to do it again. I always knew I'd only be here for the summer but it hasn't made it any easier to pack up and leave. I'm going to miss Colorado a lot- especially the three little kiddos I've spent most of my time with. I'm really sad to go but I know I'll be back visiting soon.

Pied Piper

I am the Pied Piper of children. Except not in the sense of how the actual tale goes- because that's kind of creepy. More in the sense of wherever I go, children follow. And honestly, I love it. Most of the kids I know here in Colorado call me Aunt Susie. The preschool kids, Tom and Jenn's friend's kids, church kids. Everyone. It's the best. Whenever kids need something they come ask me, whenever they need someone to play with they come ask me. It's awesome and I wouldn't have it any other way.

j'adore le film

Amelie. C'est incroyable! Un de mes favoris.

Note: It's rated R so I watch the edited version. Still amazing. I'll write more on why I don't watch R movies later.

wanderlust

I have it. Bad.

Little Boy

I met this little guy in Antigua and he was the cutest Guatemalan kid ever.

McDonald's in the Holy Land

About three years ago I was in Jerusalem during the Passover. While it was an incredible experience to be in the Holy Land during this holiday, it was also one of the most frustrating. Why? Because there was nothing to eat. Correction- there were things to eat- just not good things. During this week-long observance I had the opportunity to eat matzo crackers, random things baked with matzo crackers (the favorite of which was matzanga- lasagna made with matzo crackers), and more matzo crackers. Awesome. Thus enter McDonald's*.

Jake, Sean, Spencer, Tanner and I decided to go to the McDonald's on Ben Yehuda Street because we were starving and had matzo coming out of our ears. We thought- hey, McDonald's wouldn't observe the Passover, right? Wrong. They did. For the most part at least. Which means our meals consisted of matzo-fried chicken nuggets and hamburgers with pancake buns. Kind of disgusting. We walked to a table, thoroughly disappointed, when we realized that there was some commotion happening outside. We walked onto the upstairs balcony (it was a nice McDonald's) and saw a group of Jewish men across the street undulating and praying (at least I think that's what they were doing- I don't speak Hebrew...). We asked around and found out that they were protesting the McDonald's because they were serving chick peas.** Being boys and therefore ridiculous, Sean, Jake, Spencer and Tanner wanted to eat outside on the balcony and watch. And thus were born the following:

*Side note: I never eat at McDonald's in America because I think it's gross. For some reason, however, it's perfectly acceptable to eat there while in a foreign country. I have two theories to explain this discrepancy: 1- in other countries, McDonald's is a pretty nice place to eat (and often pretty expensive) so the quality of food is a little better; 2- eating American food once in a while is a nice reminder of home.

**Seriously, McDonald's? What's the point in half observing the Passover? Just give me a normal hamburger bun!

Slip 'n' Slide!!

I LOVE Slip 'n' Slides! I bought one for the kids a couple days ago and we finally pulled it out. So much fun!


Yep- I went down the Slip 'n' Slide. Even have the bruises to prove it (its a little different experience when you're not 5 years old). Worth it? Definitely.

10%

I love my religion. I definitely wouldn't be the person I am without it. Today in church we discussed tithing. Tithing is described as follows on the church's website, lds.org: The Bible indicates that God’s people followed the law of tithing anciently; through modern prophets, God restored this law once again to bless His children. To fulfill this commandment, Church members give one-tenth of their income to the Lord through His Church. These funds are used to build up the Church and further the work of the Lord throughout the world.

While tithing may seem like a huge sacrifice, I've always loved doing it. I know that so many incredible blessings are given by following this simple commandment. I've seen it in my life numerous times. I've always been blessed to have a good job, to be financially secure, and make ends meet even when it seems impossible. I admit that its hard at times- especially when funds may be a little tight- but the blessings I've received through paying tithing have always exceeded the sacrifice.

Camping

Here's a tidbit about me: I love camping. Being outside, legitimately dirty, sleeping in a tent. Love it. Now could I do it more than a few times a year? Probably not, but I enjoy it every time I go. This was the only picture I have of our latest camping adventure:

Owen and Liz decided they wanted to sleep next to me. In true fashion, Owen woke up around 6:30am so I gave him my iPod to listen to so he wouldn't wake up everyone else. Didn't really work but he sure loved it!

In completely unrelated news: I decided that I hate the way I title my posts. I started doing it just because it made sense with the title of my blog but now it annoys me. But because I'm slightly OCD (see previous post) I kept doing it. I have decided, however, to rebel against myself and do whatever the heck I want. So there.

...I Discovered Fresh Produce

The store- not the food.

I found this store while wandering around Boulder, CO. The clothes were more things my mother would wear (not that that's bad) but I loved the jewelry. The colors were amazing.

... I Waited

And this was my thought: good things come to those who wait.

....I Would Like to Thank

One Mr. R. Kirk Strong and the Brigham Young University Admissions Committee. Tonight I received a wonderful e-mail which enclosed my acceptance to BYU...again. So needless to say, these people are my favorite right now.

Confused? Thought you might be. So here's a little explanation: I graduated a year ago from BYU with a bachelors degree in Political Science. After graduation I moved to Salt Lake City and worked, played, and just enjoyed being done with school. I explored some different career options and found myself really wanting to teach. I always thought that I would teach elementary school, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that I wanted to go into secondary education. Just one little hitch- my lack of a teaching license. After more research into obtaining said license, I decided to go back to school at BYU and complete the social science secondary education teaching program. It took some work and a lot of stress, but I met with all the appropriate people, submitted my application, and prayed. I was a bit nervous because I had heard that BYU didn't admit post-bacc students often, but because I'm incredibly awesome I totally got back in. Ha! Yay for me.

... I Went to Mt. Arbel

This is one of the most incredible places I've ever been. It's a mountain overlooking the Sea of Galilee and it's the most peaceful, beautiful, and breathtaking place. We only stayed there for an hour or so but I could have spent the whole afternoon on top of that mountain. It is still one of the highlights of my trip to the Galilee.

...I Had a Birthday

Shout hooray! About a month ago I turned 23 and had a fantastic birthday weekend.

The festivities began with an amazing double date to an Indian restaurant my brother and sister-in-law took me to.

My date was pretty awesome and such a gentleman- he only sat on my lap and ate my food three times. I forgave him though when sang "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" to me and kissed me good night (which is more than I can say for some guys I've been out with).

Then my parents came into town and we celebrated my mom's birthday, my birthday, and Father's Day. We spent one afternoon in Boulder exploring Pearl Street, one of my favorite places. It's full of random, quirky shops and even more random, quirky people including this fun little trio whom I lovingly called "the Bluegrass Jonas Brothers"

The kids ended up having a blast after we found them a train ride to go on and a candy store full of every candy you can think of (candy buttons! wax lips! bubblegum cigarettes! don't worry- I didn't give those to the kids). We then had a big party for everyone complete with presents, cake, a delectable strawberry pie that I made because I'm awesome, jokes, barbecuing, insults, and face painting. You know- the usual. Please note my mother in the following picture. She is eating frosting with a spoon. Love it.

Best. Dad. Ever.

Don't be jealous that my mom is cooler than your mom.

Oh- and we taught my dad how to play Wii MarioKart. After teaching him, I promptly kicked his trash.

...I Live By These Words

"I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."
- Thomas S. Monson

...I have OCD

And I am also a minor germophobe. True story. I'm not terribly bad, but there are some things that I am totally OCD over. For example: when I wash my hands in a public restroom, I always take three paper towels to dry them off. I don't know- I just have to take three. Once I start a project, I have a hard time stopping it. Once I start a book, I have a hard time not finishing it- even if I don't particularly like it. I also can't stand dirtiness. I can handle things being a little messy- but downright dirty is awful. Things have to be cleaned frequently and effectively. I'm a bit of a snob about that but hey, if there's anything to be snobby about, cleanliness is good right?

...I Found Ten Thousand Villages

I love going to this store. Ten Thousand Villages is an amazing place and loads of fun. Here's a little tidbit about them that I stole from their website: "At Ten Thousand Villages, we work with over 130 artisan groups in more than 38 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East to bring you fair trade jewelry, home decor, gifts and more. As one of the world's oldest and largest fair trade organizations, we build long-term relationships with artisans that are based on mutual understanding and respect. Fair trade enables artisans to earn a fair wage and provides the opportunity for a better quality of life."

Love it.

...I Had a Friend

And this friend made me realize this:

Life is precious- don't waste your time being bitter or jealous or offended. Be as kind as you can as frequently as you can. Remember that every person is amazing and deserves to be treated with respect. This friend taught me how to care about people, that kindness isn’t prejudiced, and that life is meant to be enjoyed and lived to its fullest.


Thanks Blake. Miss you.

...I Had a Red Head as a Sister-in-Law

Which makes for some pretty fun times. Like when we went to the midnight showing of Eclipse:

Jenn is pretty awesome and I'm so glad to have her as my sister-in-law. We've had a lot of fun together and she's always been very patient with me when I have a hard time understanding girl things (I don't have any sisters, ok!!). She's a great mother, wife, friend, and sister. I love her to death and am so happy to have her!

P.S.- It was also her birthday yesterday! Happy Birthday Jenn!!

...I Went to the Elah Valley

Syke! Didn't go- almost did, but didn't. The Elah Valley is the location in Israel/Palestine where David faced Goliath and it would have been awesome if I could have seen it. I, however, was doing this:


Story: I get car sick sometimes. Ok, most of the time. Especially during long, windy bus rides- and that is exactly what happened on this particular day. Jake, Manda, and I all got incredibly car sick on the bus ride to the Elah Valley so we had to take a van back to the Jerusalem Center. This was meant to be a day-long field trip so we pretty much had the center all to ourselves. We ordered pizza (which was actually pretty good), watched movies, and ran amok all afternoon until the rest of the group got back. While I'm still a little sad I didn't get to see the Elah Valley, I'm glad I got to have a fun afternoon with Jake and Manda.

...I Gardened

This summer began with lots of gardening. It was great!

First we planted a garden in Tom and Jenn's backyard and later in the month we went the the Denver Temple to plant flowers.

They didn't have enough flowers for everyone to plant so Liz, Owen and I went around and picked up pine cones.

...I've Been Thinking About This

"We can know that we are forgiven when guilt is replaced by wisdom."

I recently read this quote and it gave me a lot to think about. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it is very true. At least it has been in my life.

... I Liked These Movies

I like zombie/monster/alien movies. Go ahead, judge me. I don't even care. In the last couple weeks I've watched the following:

28 Days Later
28 Weeks Later
I Am Legend
Cloverfield
District 9

And I liked them all. No shame.


* The rated R ones were all edited though- I don't do so well with bucketloads of gore. And yet I still love these types of movies... huh.

...I Found This Book

My sister-in-law, Jenn, recommended this book to me about a month or so ago. Since then I've bought it and read it three times. Seriously. It has the perfect combination of humor, love, and grief all mixed in with a little history. It takes place a year or two right after WWII and follows the story of an author who makes friends with people in Guernsey- a little island in the English Channel. Its a fascinating tale and a lot of fun to read. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- go get it.

...I Had Thought #2

And #2 is this: life is too short to be afraid of things.

...I Lived with a Boy

A two year old boy to be specific. His name is Owen and I'm in love with him. Seriously though- I really do love this kid like crazy. Living in Colorado this summer has been really fun and Owen makes it better and better every day. He's hilarious, smart, fun, and sweet. He lets me squish and kiss him all I want and he is constantly making me laugh. Here's a little sampling of the funny things he does:

Dresses himself,

He rolls around in dirtiness,

Acts silly,

Gets stuck in weird places,

Wears my shoes,

Is always sticky,

Sleeps in the middle of eating,

Decides to eat cupcakes without using his hands,

Goes pantsless,

And gives me lots of loves!


I love my little guy! He's the best and makes me sooo happy!