:)

So Josh and I bought our first car together! And I love it! :)

Also I'm going through my old CDs and listening to them. It's nice to see that I had good taste in music back in the day! :) Haha I found some CDs that I'd made when I first left and went to college. It was a little bit of a difficult time for me, and these CDs were labeled "Life Sucks vol. 1, 2, and 3." Haha! How dramatic...

But you know what?! Life is awesome! And I love it so much! Sometimes I can't believe how blessed I am. I wish I could just go back and tell my younger self not to worry so much. And then I remind myself that I can tell myself that right now too. I have a hard time just enjoying the moments that I'm in. I worry about the future, about my past, about what's happening today. But you know what? Life is meant to be enjoyed! Right now!

Bad things have happened in my life. And bad things will undoubtedly happen in my future. But there are also so many good things! And worrying so much takes away from the present.

Also I started a new job. And I think it's going pretty well. Sometimes I don't get to see my husband very much because of our differing schedules, but we're making it work. So life is great friends!

*Good Song: You're Not Alone by Saosin

I'm Allergic to My Favorite Animal!

Yep...

I haven't told the online world yet, because I was still somehow hoping that it wasn't true.

But I went to an allergist a little over a month ago because of having allergies. I expected to be allergic to all the trees and plants in the world due to the fact that I was constantly sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose, and trying to keep from ripping the insides of my ears out.

So they did the little test thing on my back.

The doctor came back in and told me, "Well it looks like your allergic to juniper/oak trees. But their pollen only lasts from March to May." Well why do I seem to have allergic reactions all year long?!

It turns out if you live in a place like Utah, you can have allergy symptoms without actually having allergies - something to do with climate and air and blah blah blah. No wonder my allergy pills didn't work...and I still don't really know what to do for it.

And then came the devastating news.

"Also you're allergic to dogs and cats."

Okay, the cat allergy thing was actually awesome. Because I don't like them. Now I have an excuse to never have to own one. Or be around one.

They test your allergies on a scale from 1 to 5 with 5 being the worst. My cat allergies are a 5 and my dog allergies are a 4.

And that ruins my life a little bit.

I LOVE dogs! LOVE them! I've always had dreams about owning a labrador or golden retriever. Well, there goes that dream...

But that explains why my allergies get so bad when I go to my parents' house. They have a yorkie. And why my throat felt like it was closing up when I drove my sister Addie and her dog back to her house from the hometown.

But it's still lame! Cuz I still want a dog!

I hear they have hypoallergenic dogs...but yorkies are supposed to be hypoallergenic...and I'm obviously allergic to them...

Oh well, looks like I will just have to live on antihistamines.

Because I need a dog. Obviously. :)

*Good Book: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

The Job Hunt and Married Life!

So quick update: I didn't need to have my tooth pulled, and all the work on it will be completely finished next week! :) So happy day!

Okay, so let's talk about looking for jobs. I have been actively looking and applying for jobs since before my internship ended. I have a bachelor's degree and a year of full-time work experience. But for some reason, it is super hard to even get interviews right now! I've been applying for secretary jobs, jobs that work with first-generation college students, museum jobs, and teaching jobs (to see if I could possibly get my teaching certification through the state). And I have had a total of two interviews! Two...

So what are my options?!

I could always go back to the jobs that I specifically went to college to avoid...cleaning, waitressing, customer service, sales...

But then I think to myself, "I am a college graduate, and I did not work my bum off for 4 years to go back to waiting tables!"

And then I feel like I'm being a little snobbish...

Because those aren't bad jobs...but they're just not what I want to do.

I love to read and think and write and learn! And I would love it if I could find a job where I could do those things. But oh well!

I'm loving the married life! Josh is just working away, and I am always looking for jobs, cleaning the house, and trying to decide what to do with my life! :)

So if anybody knows of any good jobs, let me know! Life is pretty great!

How Pizza Ruined My Life

Okay let's talk about how pizza destroyed my life for a second.

So my sister Hollie was over yesterday. We were having leftovers for dinner, and I decided to have a leftover piece of pizza. It was a slightly healthy pizza, with thin crust, chicken, spinach, and tomato. I was enjoying life when I bit down on my pizza. A shot of pain went through one of my upper teeth as I realized that I'd bitten something hard. I had to take a look at the damage, because it felt like I'd at least chipped my tooth.

To my horror, the back side of my tooth was wiggling and loose.

What?!

I broke my tooth on a piece of pizza?!

And of course this all happened at 6:30 p.m., after all dentists have gone home.

Josh still made a valiant effort for me, calling to see if there was any way to get me some help. The earliest we could get in was early this morning to see an oral surgeon.

Yep, I cracked my tooth almost down to the gum. The surgeon broke off the back part that turned out to be a cavity. He suggested I try and save it by going to a dentist.

So a dentist was nice enough to look at it for me today. Yep, a cavity was attacking between my two teeth and eating away my cracked tooth. The dentist told me I probably wouldn't have known about it until it cracked. So there's that. He said it's questionable whether they'll be able to save it or not. He'd have to do a root canal and if it's saveable, he'll put a post and a crown on it.

If not, they'll have to pull it and put in an implant.

No matter how I look at it, both options sound absolutely terrible! I'm only 25! I shouldn't have a fake tooth already!

So right now I have a temporary filling until my root canal on Monday. Let's hope it stays in.

My dear husband, having to put up with all my dramatic whining.

I pretty much hate going to the dentist. Probably more than most things. I brush and floss my teeth regularly I promise! :)

So there ya go! I broke my tooth eating pizza.

The moral of the story is to avoid pizza and never trust any food because it could seriously injure you

.....er.....maybe it should be "go to the dentist and make sure you don't have any soul-killing cavities to ruin your life." Or you might end up looking like a hillbilly with no teeth...or having to get dentures... :(

*Good Singer/Songwriter: Emily Hearn

Pre-Wedding Mishap

Okay so I only have approximately 4 1/2 more days until I marry my best friend Josh! And I can't even wait!!

But I had a slight mishap yesterday.

Yep. I did.

I asked Josh if we could go on a nice Sunday walk. I love being outside, and I love walking! So I thought it would be a good idea. Josh then suggested that we drive to a park and play catch and then walk around the park. So I agreed - anything to get outside in the nice weather.

So we go to the park, and we start tossing a ball back and forth.

We joked about how terrible it would be if one of us got a black eye or something since we only have a few days before the wedding.

I think we should've knocked on wood.

Josh throws me a pop fly (which I love!), and I go to get under it. I'm all lined up thinking that I'm going to make a great catch. I close my mitt and realize that I closed it too soon. The ball bounced off my mitt and right into my lip.

Yep...right into my face.

Josh came over to see if I was okay, all the while telling me that it didn't look that bad.

But my lip was bleeding, and all I could see were wedding pictures of me with a big fat lip.

I felt my lip and it didn't feel that big. So we played catch a little longer and went for a walk. When we finally got back to the apartment, I went to check on the damage.

Oh my gosh, my lip was huge! I had a little bit of a freakout! Poor Josh, just sitting there telling me that I was still beautiful while I was trying to cover my mouth with my hands.

"Just don't look at it! It's huge!" I kept saying. But we didn't have any ice. So I put some spoons in the freezer to make them cold. Josh was so wonderful and went and got me an ice pack (and some popsicles because they taste better than an ice pack! haha)

I woke up this morning, and my lip was much smaller. But there is a little bruise on my face by my lip. And you can still tell that my lip is swollen. Let's just hope that it's all better by Friday so I don't scar our future children for life every time they look at our wedding photos! :/

Note: Don't play catch the week before you get married.

But I still get to marry Josh this weekend! So even a fat lip can't put a damper on that fact! :)

*Good Song: Let It Be Me by Ray LaMontagne

2014 and What's Been Happenin'

Well it's been a little while since I've written!

Things have gotten pretty crazy!

Do you know how much work it is to plan a wedding in 3 months?!

And I'm not even doing anything fancy!!

We finally started sending the announcements out this week. I have the man, my dress, and the temple scheduled. We have an apartment, and we're ready to start this new adventure.

It's funny how life works out. One day you just wake up and everything changes, whether that's from falling in love, hearing terrible news, making a new friend, or making a big change in life. My big change right now is getting married.

I just have to say how incredible all of this has been. I never thought this would happen - I was too nerdy to ever have a man love me enough to want to marry me. I was going to be a historian, writing all about the lives of Civil War soldiers! Did I want to get married and have kids? Yes I did, but I just didn't think it would ever happen, what with my lack of dating and my obsession with warfare and people long gone.

But Josh decided to take a chance on me. And I'll be forever grateful that he did. Do I still love my Civil War soldiers?! Of course I do, and it's nice knowing that I won't have to give them up completely. I still plan on learning everything I can about the things that I'm passionate about. But I also plan on learning more about my soon-to-be husband; I'm excited to keep learning about and from him for the rest of my life.

I honestly feel like I have already accomplished so many of my childhood dreams. Here are the things I wanted to do when I was growing up:

Be a teacher
Be an archaeologist
Be a historian
Be a singer
Be loved
Be a mom

I was a teacher on my mission and while I was working as a mentor to elementary students. I was (kind of like) an archaeologist when I took an archaeology lab. I sorted through materials to be cataloged and analyzed. I've been a historian this past year as I've researched the history of the Church. And I've sung in front of large crowds of people, in choir and on my own. And now I have somebody who loves me.

I am 25 years old, and I have lived most of my childhood dreams! The mom thing is still in the future, but I feel so incredibly blessed!

Life is incredible friends! :)

*Good Song: Follow You by Jon McLaughlin

I'm Getting Married!!!!

Well, friends, it's official.

I'm getting married!

And I'm marrying the most wonderful man!

And I just love him!

Yep! I do!

So here's a little glimpse into how this all came about.

I first met Josh sometime around January 2012.  I had only been home from my mission a little over six months.  My MTC companion and good friend Beatrice was having a game night at her house.  I went and she had a bunch of people from her ward there.  I remember seeing Josh and thinking that he looked so happy because he was smiling the whole night.

I stayed the night at Beatrice's and went to church with her the next day.  Josh came and talked to us and got Beatrice's phone number, suggesting that we should all get together and do something.  But I lived a little over an hour away and got caught up in life and school.

Fast forward to January 2013.

Beatrice and I were talking on the phone one day when she asked me if I remembered her friend Josh.  I thought about it and asked what his last name was so I could Facebook stalk him.  (It had been a year! I needed a refresher! haha)  So I looked him up and I said, "Oh yeah! I remember him.  we talked to him at church!"

She said, "Well he saw your picture on my Facebook the other day and told me that he thought you were really cute."

I laughed as I usually did whenever there was any indication of men being interested in me. Beatrice told me that they were going to a rodeo that weekend and that I should definitely come so I could meet him again.  And seeing as how I am a sucker for rodeos, I agreed to go.  But I could only go on Saturday.  (They were going on both Friday and Saturday).

So I talked my best friend Brittany into going down with me.  We went and Josh was on a date with another girl.  So I hung out with Brittany, Beatrice, and their friend Doug.  I had so much fun!  Josh and I didn't really talk much that night. (He was on a date!)  But I did creepily watch him that night.  He sat in the row in front of us to the right a little ways so it made it easy to creep on him.  :)

He was attentive to his date and seemed to be having a good time.  I decided I really liked his smile.  And he was all dressed up in his cowboy clothes...so that's pretty good!

After that, Josh added me on Facebook and we spent some time messaging on there.  I decided that I wanted to get to know him so I gave him my phone number.  We dated for a couple of months before deciding that we didn't want to do the long distance thing any more.  So we broke up, but still remained friends.

I ended up getting the internship with the Church History Department in Salt Lake.  That put me a whole lot closer to Josh.  So we spent some more time together, decided to give it a second try, and now we're getting married!  And I'm super happy about it! :)  So the big day is March 15.  (Even the fact that somebody broke into my house on Christmas won't put a damper on my happiness!!)

And I can't wait to start the rest of my life with my best friend! :)


*Good Song: Come to Me by Goo Goo Dolls

Homesick

It is days like this that make me miss my small town in the mountains.

The air here is terrible.  Inversion has set in and my allergies are going crazy!  I never realized that bad air quality was a thing when I was growing up.  We always had blue skies and clean air.  I miss being able to walk up a dirt road by myself, without worrying about crazy people.

I miss climbing the mountains, soaking in the view, and pondering life.

I miss being able to see all the stars.  I miss sitting on my roof and looking at those stars.

I miss hearing nothing but the sound of the creek in my backyard.

I miss the smell of bonfires; watching the flames flicker was so soothing!

I can't complain too much.  I live in a great place.  But what I hear now are sirens and people and cars.  The city is beautiful, and I am coming to appreciate the lights of the city at night.  But sometimes I just miss the simple beauty of open space and silence.

When I would get upset in my teenage years, I could just hike one of the mountains near my home.  I knew some of those hills so well.  I'd been exploring them since I can remember.  The calm serenity of the wind blowing through the trees, the almost imperceptible sound of my feet hitting the dirt was always soothing.  Being above the town almost made me feel like I could tackle anything.  Breathing in clean, crisp air and feeling my legs burn from the climb always made me feel alive.  And I still miss that sometimes.

Good Song: "I'll Follow You" by Jon McLaughlin

Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.

And I learned at work the other day that Abraham Lincoln was the one who officially designated Thanksgiving as a national holiday 150 years ago.  So in honor of that, here is the transcript from his Thanksgiving Proclamation.



By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.  To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; which that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.  Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-filed; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things.  They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.  It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Promise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.  And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidable engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

Abraham Lincoln
By the President
William H. Seward
Secretary of State

(Transcribed from the National Archives Website -http://www.archives.gov/press/press-releases/2012/nr12-29.html)


So amid turkey and pie, let us all give thanks to the Lord for what He has done for us, whether in times of peace or in times of distress.

Have a good Thanksgiving everyone!

Good Song:  The Legend of the Rebel Soldier by Le Ann Womack

Ice Skating

My sister Hollie's been up here the last couple of days because she had a job interview.  We just hung out at my house yesterday, but decided to get out of the house tonight.  So we decided to go ice skating!!

I really love ice skating!  I took a figure skating class when I was a freshman at Utah State and I loved it!  We learned spins and small jumps and all kinds of fun things!  I was like the worst skater in the class, but it was fine because I loved it so much!

So Hollie and I went to an ice rink here in Salt Lake.  We paid our fee and got our little rental skates.  We walk into the ice rink and it looks like we've skated into a training session!  No joke, there were like 10 girls ranging from like 5 to probably 16 and they all looked professional!  They all had their nice skates, were wearing skating outfits, and were spinning and jumping like nobody's business!  Even the five year old! (Okay I don't know if she was really 5, but she looked like it!)

I just stood there for a minute and I was like, "Are we sure that it's public skating time?!"  About 5 other women were skating around with some of these girls coaching them and telling them how to be better.  And I'm over there trying to remember how to stay balanced on my skates!

So we start skating around the outside, just getting our feet under us.  And these girls are skating circles around us!  They were awesome!  When I was a little girl, I loved watching the figure skating during the Olympics.  I would even go in our kitchen and pretend like I was a figure skater, doing little jumps and spins across the kitchen floor....

But what I'm really trying to say is that I love ice skating!  I'm not very good at it and I'm sure I'll still get a few falls in there somewhere! But it's fun!  And I'm glad that other little girls get to learn how to do it if they love it too!  :)

Instead I get to look through old documents and write about them every day!!  :)  But that's pretty much my favorite!  So I reckon it's okay that my figure skating dreams didn't come true!

*Good Band: Daughter

Clumsiness...

I am clumsy.

Yes, I am.

So story time.

A little over a month ago, I was at Smith's in Farmington with my boyfriend Josh and our friend Doug.  Josh was being super nice and buying me chocolate covered cinnamon bears.  (I'm addicted...so if you haven't tried them before, you probably should!)  We were getting ready to check out when I realized I hadn't written the bulk candy code for the cinnamon bears on the bag.  So we trekked back over to the bin and got the code.

As we were walking back to check out, there was a clearance table full of these:
 

 Do you know what those are made of?!  GLASS!  They were all stacked up all cute like.  I accidentally bumped one of the little spigots and down came one of them.  I swear it was like slow motion!  And then CRASH!  Shattered all over the floor...Josh was all nice about it and went and told somebody for me since I was horrified!  Good thing they were on clearance I guess!  :/

Story #2:
This last week Josh and I were again at Smiths, but this time in Salt Lake.  We were just picking up some stuff for dinner.  We walked down the aisle that had the gallon water jugs.  Seriously, I was walking in the middle of the aisle when all of a sudden a water jug fell off the shelf and broke, spraying water everywhere!!  Josh laughed and said something about not being able to take me anywhere.  But I seriously did not even touch it!  I'm so clumsy, I just have to walk by something to make it fall!  Don't even have to touch it!  Crazy!!

And then yesterday at work I got asked to go over to the Beehive House while some people were filming a couple of scenes for a church film to make sure that they didn't break anything...I don't think they know me very well!!

Good thing I didn't bump into one of those 19th century vases!  :/

*Good Song:  Broken Wings by Flyleaf

Peach Days!

Brittany invited me to go to Peach Days in Brigham City for today.  And I've never been so I decided it might be a good idea! I went to bed dreaming of peaches - peach cobbler, peach ice cream, peach chapstick, peach candy, fresh peaches, peach pie, etc.

I woke up early this morning and drove to Brigham City for the parade.  The parade was awesome!!  We even got some candy!  And loads of flyers that we promptly threw away.  Oh, and we got some cereal...yep...cereal!

The parade ended and we decided to check out the booths and activities.  Brittany and I ate chicken BBQ and peach sandwiches.  I know it sounds weird, but it was actually pretty good.  My peach dreams seemed to be coming true.  But nope, I didn't see any other peaches!  A booth was selling peach cobbler, but I didn't see any fresh peaches anywhere...what?!  Where were all the peaches at Peach Days?!?!

There were so many people there that we didn't last very long.  At one point a man kept bumping the backs of my legs with his stroller trying to get me to move, but I couldn't because there was a wall of people!  He was kind of making me a little bit mad!  But I survived it.

The next trip was to the Brigham City Library because they were having a book sale!!  A bag of books for $1!  What?!  But like most library book sales, they ended up not having many books that I was interested in.  But I did end up with one on the American Revolution and a diary from the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, so I reckon it was all worth it!!  :)

Also there were two guys playing didgeridoos at Peach Days...awesome!

Even though Peach Days didn't have a plethora of peaches to meet my expectations, I reckon it still turned out to be pretty fun!  Even if I had to get a peanut butter shake instead of a peach one...  :)

*Good Song:  Wasting All These Tears by Cassadee Pope

Country Swing Dancing

Okay, so you all know that I love country swing dancing!  Well I have some wonderful stories from dancing last night! :)

So I haven't been dancing in the last couple of weeks due to a couple of reasons, but last night I wasn't doing anything so I went!

Experience #1: A tall lanky young-looking guy asked me to dance.  Sure!  So we go out and he doesn't really know how to do even the basic step...which is fine!  We all have to start learning somewhere!  He then told me it was his first time!  So that's great!  I am all for converting people to country swing!  And then came the question that I always dread, "Can you teach me something?!"  They always assume that I'm a teacher of country swing when I tell them I've been doing it for awhile.  But here's the thing...I'm terrible at teaching...anything!!  I can usually follow when a man is a good dancer and good at leading, but I don't know what the guy does!

So my teaching this guy last night went as it usually does...

Me: "Okay! So this is a simple one!" I guide him through a simple step. "Now try it!"
He spins me.  Well, close...except that there was no spin at all in what I just taught him...

Me: "Okay, that was close!  Let me show you a couple more times and then we'll try it again!"

He kind of does it, but not really.  Then we go back to the awkward basic step...but it's fine!  It's only his first time!  I really need to get better at teaching men how to dance!  :/

Experience #2:  There's always the guy that wants to chat it up on the dance floor.  This guy was definitely no exception.  We start dancing and he immediately starts spilling out every detail of his day, including how much time he and his roommates had spent watching a certain TV show that I've never heard of. 

"Do you watch that show?" 

Me: "No, but it sounds good!" (That's what I always say...even though I have no idea if it's good!) 

Him:  "What TV shows do you watch?" 

Me:  "I don't really watch TV shows..." (I would if I really wanted to...or if I had TV...)

Him:  "So what do you do?"

Me: "I'm an intern for the LDS Church History Department."

Him:  "I think they sometimes turn people into drones, ya know?  A lot of those people lack personality."

In my mind:  "What?! Everybody I work with is awesome!"

Thank you, stranger man, for bashing on people I work with!  But whatever, go back to spending hours watching lame TV shows while I work with educated people who are awesome!

Yeah...it's a good thing I really love country swing dancing...or the people that go there might have scared me away a long time ago...

*Good Song:  Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran

White Girl Probs and Appreciating First Responders!

Story time, friends!  This one is about how I am an awkward white girl!

Okay, so last Monday I was cooking dinner for my ward dinner group.  The doorbell rings and I went to answer the door.  A young African American man was standing on my doorstep.  He looked all snazzy in his slacks, vest, white shirt, and tie.  Turns out he's from Virginia and he's out here selling books.  He was telling me about this program that gets kids out of the hood and earning money for themselves, to get them off government aid.  We talked for a few minutes and I offered him a drink of water.  (It was hot outside okay?!)

He said no and he was telling me a little bit about Virginia and the Civil War sites.  He then asked, "Have you ever been to the hood before?"  I thought about it for a second, about times when I'd been in shady parts of New York City, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.  I also thought of some of the ghetto places I'd lived while on my mission in Australia.  So I answered, "Yeah, I've been to some hoods."  (Seriously, that's what I said!)  This kid starts laughing!  And I was like, "Oh my gosh...I'm so white!"  Which is fine, I reckon...sometimes I just say the dumbest things!  But I'm good at laughing at myself, so it was fine!  We became fast friends and I finally convinced him to come inside for a drink of water.

This next part actually has nothing to do with the above story.

I was driving back to Salt Lake last weekend from my family reunion in Arizona.  As I was driving on the freeway, I spotted a highway patrol car.  The officer was outside changing a tire for another vehicle.  I thought about all the first responders I've known, police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, etc.  All the ones I've known are incredible, spending long hours in training, working, and helping others.  They continually save lives, put their own on the line, and deal with incredibly stressful situations.  I don't think they get as much appreciation as they deserve.  So thank you first responders for all you do!  I think you're awesome!  :)

I Hate to See Your Heart Break

For all the air that's in your lungs
For all the joy that is to come
For all the things that you're alive to feel
Just let the pain remind you hearts can heal

-I Hate to See Your Heart Break by Paramore

Isn't life great?!  So this is one of my new favorite songs and I feel like this section is especially good!  I love poetry and this is pretty good.

I've been thinking too much about life lately. (I know right?!  Me?!  Think too much?! Haha!)  But I realize that I need to give life my 100%.  Holding back only leads to regrets.  Better to see what might happen instead of wondering what could have happened!

That's my little rant for today!  :)  Love y'all!

Lemonade Stands and Nostalgia

I was walking home from work today when I came across some little girls and a lemonade stand. 

They were set up by the sidewalk at the Capitol.  So of course I had to get a cup of lemonade!  I asked them how much they were selling their lemonade for.  They said, "It's free, but we take tips!"  I smiled and pulled out my wallet.  I only had change so I gave them that.  And being the awkward person I am, I ended up spilling half of my change on the sidewalk.  One of the little girls helped me pick it all up and I put it in their little tip jewelry box.

They were so cute and had little signs up on trees along the sidewalk advertising their free lemonade.  It brought me back to the good ol' days when I did the exact same thing.

My sisters and I would set up a little table outside my grandma's house.  Sometimes we sold lemonade and sometimes we sold little bracelets we'd made.  We would get so excited and sit outside for hours hoping that somebody would stop and buy something.  Of course, there was always a sweet old man or one of our aunts that would stop and give us five dollars or something.  We felt like the richest kids!

Those were some good times, my friends.  Being outside, the sun shining, chatting and playing with my sisters while hopefully waiting for somebody to stop.  Going to the store to buy a treat with our 5 dollars we'd earned.

It just made me happy to see other girls having those same experiences.

Life is so great!

*Good Book: Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl

Is This Real Life?!

Okay...funny story!

Actually, I think it was a little scary...but it's a good story nonetheless!

Okay, so my friend Brittney (this is a different Brittney from my best friend Brittany FYI! Notice the spelling differences haha!!  ;) moved to a new place and I went to her open house party.  It was super fun!  The house is the cutest little house I've ever seen, there were cookies, and tons of people!  I went on the grand tour, grabbed a cookie, and sat on a couch.  This skinny guy with glasses comes and sits by Brittney and I.  He immediately starts cracking blonde jokes.  You know the ones...the lame ones that we've all heard since we were like 5 that aren't even funny...nope, not even a little bit!

Well he is just cracking up like they're the funniest jokes he's ever heard.  Brittney was able to escape, leaving me alone to listen to the guy.  Then he starts telling me how much he loves Harry Potter.  Now that I think of it...he kind of looked like a skinnier version of Harry Potter...or maybe it was just his glasses.

Him: "Do you like Harry Potter?"

Me:  "I actually just saw the movies last year, because I'd never watched them before."

Him with mouth open:  "What?!  That means you probably haven't read the books."

Me:  "I got to the 4th one and didn't finish it because I got bored."

Him with an incredulous look:  "What?!  You need to go read them!  They're so good!"

At this point he starts quoting the movies.  "I can quote every single Harry Potter movie because I love them so much!"  I believe that he probably could.  He was even using different voices for the different characters.

I was so fascinated by this guy, because I couldn't believe that he was real.  I didn't know whether I was supposed to laugh or tell him how cool he was for having all the Harry Potter movies memorized!

Then he says, "I have a girlfriend and I'm going to propose to her in 6 months."

Cool story, bro.  Me:  "How long have you guys been dating?"  Him:  "2 months."  Nice, friend, way to plan ahead!

At which point, he starts quoting Harry Potter again in his little voices.  I just couldn't take it anymore so I had to go get some water.  But I don't think it really mattered that I got up and left because I could still hear him quoting Harry Potter to himself across the room.  I sure hope his girlfriend likes Harry Potter as much as he does!

I feel like that conversation was pretty much the highlight of my night.  Some people are just so funny!

And I will probably never be able to watch Harry Potter again...just sayin...

*Good Song:  C.S. Lewis Song by Brooke Fraser

Gettysburg

In true nerd fashion, I can't let this day pass without posting about what happened on this day 150 years ago.

150 years ago today, the Battle of Gettysburg came to an end.  After three bloody days, over 50,000 Americans lay dead, wounded, or were missing.  That's pretty close to the same amount of Americans who were killed or missing in the entire American Revolution - in 3 days!  It almost seems unfathomable!

But, my friends, it happened.  Why?!  It seems so senseless.

It happened because so many men and women had deep convictions about what freedom meant to them, so deep that they were willing to kill and die for those convictions.  And many did just that for four bloody years.  But the men lying on the battlefield weren't the only casualties.  Many women and children, mothers and fathers sat at home, sometimes starving and destitute, waiting for their husbands, fathers, sons, friends to come home.  And many of them never did.

So this 4th of July my friends, I want to remember those men who met on the fields of Gettysburg 150 years ago.  I want to remember their families.  But most of all, I want to remember what they fought for.  And never ever forget it!

Loving the City!

My weekend was great!

Brittany and my friend Ashley came to visit me on Friday night.  We went to Cheesecake Factory with our friend Matt and it was just glorious!  Our waiter was clearing our dishes when a little container filled with some kind of sauce fell off a plate and landed on the ground.  The sauce shot out of the container and landed on a man's arm at another table!  What?!  It was crazy!  The man was at least 5 feet away.  Haha!  The waiter felt so bad! 

So Brittany and I left him our numbers to make him feel better!  :)

Saturday was just as great!  Brittany and I went to a little deli called Toasters.  And it was delicious!  Such a cute little place!  I finally got a baseball mitt and Brittany and I played catch on the Capitol Building lawn for a little while.

Then Brit decided she wanted some frozen yogurt.  And I am always up for frozen yogurt my friend.  So I googled frozen yogurt places on my phone and found a place called ConeUcopia.  With a name like that, we knew we had to try it!

Well, as it turns out, ConeUcopia actually didn't have frozen yogurt.  But it was awesome!  The little shop was really small and the owner was the only one working.  It turns out that this man makes his own ice cream by hand, complete with the rock salt and ice and everything!  The only other customer and her child were talking to the owner and suggested we try the banana chocolate chip flavor.  So I did!  And it was amazing!  Everybody should probably go try it, cuz it's good!

After we finished there we realized there was another little joint just two doors down.  So Brittany and I decided to try that one too!  We got a raspberry lemonade cupcake shake to share.  It was also incredibly delicious!  We've made a goal to try a new place every time we hang out.

I really think that the best places are the small ones that not very many people know about.  Sure, you can google things to do in Salt Lake, but I feel like you'll always get the big tourist-y things that everybody does.  I think that the real heart of living in a place is getting to know the quirky little places.  So my friends, I am on a quest - to love living in a city! 

I know!  This is a huge step for me!  But if I'm going to be living in the big city, I might as well make the most of it!  So if you know of any awesome little places around Salt Lake, whether they're food places, little museum places, small parks, or anything else awesome, let me know!  Because I want to experience them all!!

*Good Song:  Somewhere There's A Mountain from Nashville Tribute to the Trek

Yes...I Do Have Blonde Hair

Okay, so I've had a couple of mishaps this week.

Yep, it's true.  I know that doesn't come as a surprise to most of you (the few people that actually read my blog! You know who you are!)

So let's start with mishap number one.

The Table

I know I've had my table for like a month now, but I finally got around to actually putting it together. I went to the store twice, buying pliers both times to see if I could get the nuts off the bolts.  Every time I tried, the whole bolt would spin with the nut and it wasn't coming off!  My brother-in-law kindly gave me a ratchet set, claiming it would get the job done.

So enter my trusty best friend Brittany.  She came to my house last weekend and kindly agreed to help me put together my table.  Even with the ratchet the whole bolt was still moving.  So Brittany used her strong muscles (and a pair of my pliers! Those trips to the store weren't useless after all!) to hold the bolt. And I used my strong muscles to use the ratchet and we finally got all the bolts and nuts unattached from each other.  I was so excited to be putting my table together!  I put the legs on and set the table up!

The next morning I awoke to an epiphany.

I had put the legs on wrong!

How did I do that?!  I put the bolts facing outward instead of inward.  I don't know why I thought it would be attractive to have the bolts all facing outward!  In fact, that's probably dangerous!  But yep! That's what I did...not only to one leg...but all four!  Wow...just wow...it's like I've never put anything together before!  That reminds me of the time I put a bookcase together when I was 20...but we won't talk about that!

So I tried desperately to fix it, but once again, I was alone!  And not strong enough to get the nuts and bolts separated.  Too bad I don't have a strong man to come help me!  But then he'd know how dumb I am sometimes...I just can't win with this one!  :)

Chapstick

So I'm pretty much addicted to Chapstick.  I always have a tube or two in my purse or my pocket.  Well last night I was in a hurry to get my laundry done because I had gone to the temple, it was like 9 and I needed to get ready for bed.  So I threw my skirt that I'd been wearing in with my laundry.  I was able to get it all in the dryer by the time I went to bed.  I was so proud of myself for getting everything accomplished that I'd needed to!

I woke up this morning and went to get my laundry out of the dryer.  I hear a small clatter.  I looked down and to my horror, I saw my Chapstick...in the dryer!  I pulled it out and took off the lid.  No more Chapstick in the tube.  I carefully started inspecting my clothes and found exactly where that Chapstick had ended up...all over half my clothes! 

The tube was almost gone anyway!  How did that little bit of Chapstick manage to get all over my clothes?!  Bah!  So I've been spending my time this afternoon trying to get stains out of my clothes. 

I guess if all else fails, it just means I get to go on a shopping spree to replace all my ruined clothes!

So now I have Chapstick stained clothes and a table that is put together all wrong.  Yep...it's been a good week!  At least I get to go country swing dancing tonight!!

Sometimes I worry about myself!  :)

*Good Song: Congratulations by Blue October