Wednesday, around midnight.. I was just doing my usual middle of the night activity: watching Friends, eating a string cheese & crackers and browsing facebook/blogs/twitter (ya know, just livin the dream)...when I saw my friend (from Florida) Zach had "checked in" at Albuquerque, New Mexico. What the what?!?! I immediately commented and asked what in the world he was doing here, how long he was going to be here and if he needed a place to stay. He called me, and we talked for a while..you see, he had no idea I lived here. (I don't blame him though, since he thought I was at school in Idaho, and we aren't exactly the best of friends) He was already checked in and about to go to bed in his hotel room. I felt so bad, since he totallyyyy could have stayed at my house. The hotel was literally only 13 minutes away! But he asked if I wanted to go out to breakfast the next morning, and I immediately said yes and was so excited! I've been struggling lately, feeling really lonely and just wasting my life away doing nothing and getting nothing accomplished..therefore it was SO great to see a familiar face from home. Seriously, he probably will never know how much I needed to just be with someone that knows me and my past..and that I can just feel comfortable around and talk too. I picked him up from his hotel and we ate at Flying Star, where I ate a huuuuge helping of the most delicious french toast (and he treated me...such a gentleman!) It was a perfect morning, and words cannot describe how glad I was to see him! It sounds weird, but just being in the same presence as someone from home immediately put me at ease and made me happy. He's going on a mission soon, so it will be more than 2 years til I see him again..so I'm really glad we had the opportunity to catch up before he leaves. He is going to be such an AMAZING missionary!
I looked horribly, disgustingly bad (I was running on barely 5 hours of sleep), but I'll post pictures anyway...for journaling purposes, of course :) They say black & white always makes you look better, so what the heck?!
Sometimes things just work out the way they're supposed too. It's funny how Zach had been driving all day, and just happened to stop in Albuquerque and stay at a hotel down the street from my house. And if he would have never posted on facebook where he was, I never would have known. Like I said, for some reason, I NEEDED to see someone from home..and I'm happy it was Zach.
"It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen. Life will reveal answers at the pace life wishes to do so. You feel like running, but life is on a stroll. This is how God does things."---Now, I'm not saying having breakfast with Zach was life changing (I'm not that crazy), but it's definitely something that I needed right now. God works in mysterious ways.
Okay, I'll grace y'all with another (blurry) picture. Wish I would have snapped one at breakfast, but I completely forgot...so good ole' self-taken shots of us in the car will just have to do. And I suppose this one can be in color.
Words cannot describe how excited/thrilled/pumped I am that general conference is THIS WEEKEND! I have been looking forward to this Saturday & Sunday since April (when last conference was held). In case you don't know.. twice a year the leaders of my church all gather in Salt Lake City and address the members worldwide. There are four 2 hour sessions- two on Saturday, and two on Sunday..in which it is broadcasted on television and online to everyone across the entire world. General conference always seems to occur in my life, just when I need it most. I am ready to be inspired and uplifted, and I can't wait to hear the truth that our beloved leaders and precious prophet have prepared to share with us.
Anyway, this past Saturday was women's conference, which is an hour and a half broadcast directed specifically to the women of the church. President Uchtdorf's talk particularly stuck out, spoke to my soul and literally moved me to tears.
Five things we need to never forget:
Forget not to be patient with yourself
Everyone has strengths and witnesses. God is aware you are not perfect, and does not expect you to be.
Stop comparing yourself to others, and be thankful for all the successes in your life.
Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice
Sacrifice something good, for something far greater. Commit your time and energy to the things that matter most.
Forget not to be happy now.
Don't put your happiness on hold waiting for a future event to occur. Keep striving for the best that is within you, and never stop hoping for all the righteous desires of your heart. (LOVED this)
Forget not the "why" of the gospel
We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we go about doing it, but we tend to forget why. We must remember the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation, but a pathway that leads to happiness and peace.
Forget not that the Lord loves you
This particular message really touched me, and was exactly what I needed to hear. Sometimes when feeling lonely and discouraged, I forget that I have a loving and forgiving savior that truly loves ME. This brings me such comfort knowing that, and makes me want to strive to be a better person and have a stronger relationship with Christ.
In the words of President Uchtdorf: You are never forgotten. No matter what circumstances you're in, how dark your days are or how insignificant you may feel, Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. He loves you with an infinite love. You are closer to heaven than you suppose, and you are destined for more than you can possibly imagine.
Wow, so I ended up writing a few more key points than I intended. It's just..the whole talk was so good, it was too hard to summarize! Oh well..one day I'll look back at this post and be glad I took the time to do so. Here's a short snip-it of the talk.
**If you're interested, you can read the entire talk here or watch it here
***Sorry if this comes across like a preachy mc-preacher :) I consider this blog my journal, and I just want to record my notes/feelings somewhere..and this seems like the most logical place.
If you haven't seen it yet, go now! What are you waiting for?! It is seriously one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. (I may be bias though, since I read the book and it definitelyyyy made the top 5 list of best books EVER.) After reading it, I was skeptical the movie wouldn't be as good, but boy was I wrong! The movie is absolutely incredible. I first saw it in Rexburg with my friend Shana and then I went again the other night with my mom. It was even better the second time, and I didn't think that was possible! Emma Stone is officially one of my all time favorite actresses now. I may even go a third time before the dvd hits the shelf.
Also, I made this today:
Nutella Banana Bread...DELICIOUS! I have a feeling it's not going to last very long around here. View the recipe right here and make it for yourself, it's really easy! Mmmm..I'm gonna go have a piece with a large glass of milk right now. (I feel like this is turning into a food blog ?)
Lastly...I felt it was utterly necessary to post this picture. Kelsie would obviously rather ride her stationary bike then talk to me on skype. True friend she is... ;)
And no, I was not high. I promise.
Happy Tuesday Everyone!
**p.s. How do you like the new look? Did you like it better the way it was? Are the pictures now TOO big?? I'm still debating if I will keep it like this or not. Leave a comment and me know what you think. I would love to hear your opinions! :)
Yesterday was my first time ever going to a Renaissance festival, and to describe my experience in one word, it would definitely be interesting. My mom and I decided we would drive up to Santa Fe to check it out (since we had nothing better to do) and I'm really glad we did. We ended up having fun and enjoyed some delicious food too!
Reasons to go to a renaissance festival:
The entertainment. I tell ya, nothing beats belly dancers, the king's jesters playing music and doing tricks on a unicycle and a fire dancer. Okay, I can think of several forms of entertainment that beat those. But whatever.
The animals. Seriously, I think I'm a sheep whisperer. I have found my true calling in life. When I walked over to them, they were all huddled far away from the fence. Then, one by one, while making direct eye contact, they started walking toward me. So strange. I obviously was a shepherd in my previous life.
The tacky life size cardboard cutouts that were EVERYWHERE....who doesn't belong??
The costumes. I swear 80% of the peeps there were dressed in costume. Some get really, reallyyyy into the spirit. I guess that's fun...and also really hot.
The Food. By far the best (if not only) reason to go back to the festival next year. I love me a Greek gyro and a caramel apple! Bring on Fall!
Homemade chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut
Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies-SO good! I found the recipe here .. Also, why is it impossible to not lick the bowl/spoon clean when making cookie dough?? It's like I'm a little kid that just can't resist!
Whole wheat pizza with tomato/pesto sauce, topped w/ mozzarella, colby jack & feta cheese, grilled chicken and a mix of Italian spices
**Just realized I apparently only bake round/circular things--I should bake a pie, just to fit in.
Since being home, I've really been enjoying cooking dinner & baking yummy treats for me and my parents.
Me and Brooke like to wear aprons and pretend we're Betty Crocker, or Martha Stewart, or Molly Mormon ;)
-I also think this would be a fun project to do, butttt I don't really know what to do with it once it's done..take to school and just keep it in the fam room? Still deciding..
Anywho, I figured that since I'm going to be doing pretty much nothing for the next few months, I might as well make good use of my time and do some crafts so I can feel accomplished.
My first week in New Mexico was boring, to say the least. Life isn't all that exciting when you don't have a lot of friends have absolutely zero friends within 500 miles. And making friends isn't all that easy when you're not in school, and everyone else your age is. I didn't think I would say this, but I miss BYUI so so so much. For now though, I've just been living it up with me, myself & I. Oh, and occasionally my parents...and the cast of Friends as well.
Current thoughts running through my little mind:
-The New Mexico State Fair opened on the 9th and I'm dying to go! David Nail will be performing there next Thursday, so I need to make a friend before then to go with!
-I got a job! Yay! I am now a sales associate at Kohls and my manager is the bomb.com. Can't wait to start!
-I have a love affair with Fall. I know, weird. Summer used to be my season of choice, but without the beach, palm trees and friends, it's just not all that it's cracked up to be. I love that it's getting colder outside. All I can think about these days is changing leaves, cool & crisp air, pumpkin flavored anything, hot apple cider, football, wearing sweaters & boots, Thanksgiving and curling up with a blanket and a good book. Ahhh love it all!
-There's a singles ward activity tonight, and I'm going without knowing ANYONE. That's a first for me. I usually hate going to things by myself, especially in a new environment. But you gotta do what you gotta do, right?
-I don't know how I feel about Ben being the new Bachelor. This is going to be an awkward season to watch....
So a couple of weeks ago (when Taylor was moving into her dorm I think) she sent me the following picture that was taped up on her wall. I hadn't thought about that day in so long! So ya see, once upon a time, we had to make an 80's music video for a history class, and since we did SUCH a good job on it, I thought I would share it with all of you lucky souls. I'm kidding...it's not that great. But it is pretty entertaining and gives you a valid reason to make fun of us.
Without further adieu, I present "Let's get Physical" by Taylor and yours truly.....
I think we were supposed to resemble hardcore exercisers ? HA!
When looking on the family computer for this video, I came across several others that I haven't seen in forever. Some that I know y'all will really like! Well, I guess I can't say that, since I don't know exactly who is reading this. But, I know that Sam, Taylor, Niki, Hillary, Priya, Beth, Savannah and Josh will particularly enjoy a certain one. So be on the lookout for that!
I cannot believe it is already the tenth anniversary of September 11th. It feels like just yesterday America was belligerently attacked on our own soil. Everybody says that, but it honestly does not feel like ten years have gone by since that devastating day for our nation. It's funny how no matter who you talk to, whether they're old or young, everyone remembers exactly where they were, what they were doing and who they were with when they heard the news of the terrorist attacks. I remember I was in Mrs. Heath's 3rd grade class. My elementary school decided not to tell us anything about what had happened. I just remember several students being signed out and my teacher going in the hall numerous times to talk to other teachers..but I had no clue why. The day carried on pretty normal, however when I got home my brother was waiting at the bus stop to walk me home. I was confused because a. I'm pretty sure he should have still been at school and b. he had never done that before. When we walked through the garage, my parents' car was there, and I immediately became upset. You see, they were supposed to be headed back East somewhere (I think Vermont or Rhode Island?) that day on vacation and my grandparents were supposed to watch us for the week, and I was SO excited. Mainly because they would take us grocery shopping and let me pick out lunchables to take for lunch, they'd let me stay up late and we would always go get a swirl flavored ice cream cone at McDonalds after dinner. So anyway, when I saw the car in the garage, I knew they never left..which made me upset. I remember barging through the door angry, and seeing both my parents and grandparents in the family room, eyes glued on the TV screen as they repeatedly watched the planes collide into the twin towers. I sat down to stare at the painful images with them. The room was silent, except for the sound of the news anchor. I remember later listening as President Bush solemnly addressed his people. At the time, I didn't fully comprehend what was really happening before my eyes. All I knew was that I felt bad for the people who had died. I didn't understand and couldn't fathom how that much evil and hatred could even exist. I didn't realize it was possible that a group of people could kill thousands of innocent victims they had never even met. I didn't know what war was. But over the past ten years, I've become very aware of the long-term affects that our nation has had to deal with because of that one horrific day. My heart goes out to all those whose lives have been forever changed because of it.
I hope we can all remember those who died in the September 11th attacks. Not just today, but everyday. We need to remember the innocent lives that were brutally taken. We need to mourn with those who lost a spouse, parent or child. We need to honor the firefighters, police officers and EMT's who risked their lives in order to save someone else's. And we need to support our troops who are fighting and threatening their lives for us today to ensure another attack does not happen again.
I love this country, I'm grateful to live here and can truly say I am SO proud to be an American!
*If you want to cry, watch this video and this one too. Okay, well watch them even if you don't want to cry. I promise you won't regret it-they're both great. May we never forget....
1. Job apps galore...fun, fun, fun. Cross your fingers I get hired somewhere! (aka anywhere!)
2. My new favorite lacy shirt that I forgot I even owned
3. Homemade pizza and diet coke w/ fresh squeezed lime
4. Costco's swirl frozen yogurt = heaven on Earth
5. Fancy shmancy gold sparkly nails that I'm in love with
6. My room in it's current state. Embarrassing? Yes. I still haven't even unpacked anything I took to college. Trying to find the motivation to clean/organize/unpack today!
Pinterest has become my new addiction. As if I didn't need another distraction! But I often find myself thinking "that is so pinworthy" whenever I see something that I like, or find inspiring. I usually just search for quotes or recipes. Me and Rachel made a cake we found on it today and it was delicious! Below are some sayings that I have found to be helpful lately, and I'm debating printing out a few. I hope at least one of them will uplift you!
In other news, I have officially moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where I will live for the next four months. Yay? This week's agenda: get a job, clean/organize my room, get a pedicure with my mommy, get a gym membership and go workout with my dad, and make some friends. The latter probably being the most unlikely..looks like there's going to be a lottttt of Lindsey & parents bonding time. Well, the good news is that they'll pay for everything. Selfish?? Yes. I am. But no, I love them and I'm excited to explore this new city and visit new places with them.
