read all over

this is the countdown

2011-06-22T12:34:00.000-06:00

trying my hardest to not count down the days & hours.

but when it's less than a week away, i can't do much to make the minutes go by faster.

and even though there is still SO much to do, i could not be more ready for what i'm about to face.

5 days, 23 hours, 25 minutes, and 54 seconds.

little secrets

2011-06-16T13:33:00.000-06:00

besides stalking every wedding blog i've heard of on a daily basis, there are a few other things i am currently obsessed with.

and because i am so great at making a list in every blog post i thought i'd continue the tradition.

here are my summer obsessions:

maxi dresses

since my days of shorts and skirts above the knee are about to come to a swift end, i have invested in a collection of these beauties.

{i'd like to wear one all of the days of summer}

the clarisonic

because i work at a spa with skin care professionals i got quite a deal on this sucker. needless to say the four brush heads and four speeds clean my face like never before.

{six times cleaner and six times happier}

the high bun

who ever decided this effortless hairdo for the greasier days would be the newest craze is my hero. this was just be my bed time hair but now it's my day time up-do.

{hello instant face lift}

bentley williams

so proud of all my slc crazies on the bach these days. have to say i enjoy the show half as much without his antics.

{i love dramatic television}

travis wall

can't deal with how great this choreography is. always a masterpiece with that guy.

{sytycd season eight will delight}

one plus one

2011-06-15T14:24:00.000-06:00

in honor of one of my top two favorite celebrity couples i give you this:

video taken by mr. shawn corey carter himself

of his gorgeous and amazingly talented wife.

stolen from jay's own "blog" {of sorts} life + times

one of my most frequented sites.

{i'd recommend checking it out}

what a set of lungs.

we never change

2011-05-31T14:10:00.000-06:00

since the weather refuses to change, i thought i'd make a few of my own changes.

{namely a new blog layout}

because heaven knows all that yellow was a bit much.

------------------------------

but the change in weather isn't the only thing i am looking forward to.

you see this summer is bound to be one of the best.

but before the celebrations begin, there are a few items i need to check off my list.

#1: Reporting

Against my better judgement I enrolled in Spring Term.

Unfortunately, that is the tricky part of actually graduating... too many classes, so little time.

So here I am, spending all the rainy days of this Spring writing for the school newspaper.

Yep, thats right, two to three times a week you can see my byline in the Daily Universe.

But now I have a mere two and a half weeks and approximately four stories and two projects to complete.

counting down the minutes...

#2: The best day

{photography by the wonderful mikki platt}

Four weeks from today I will become one half of a whole lot of fun.

I will officially be a married woman and starting a new life with my favorite guy.

#3: No more miss wedding planner

I can't say the new last name is the only thing I am looking forward to...

on June 28th, wedding planning will be done forever.

between work and school i spend most moments avoiding the whole process until forced to do so.

don't get me wrong, it's been loads of fun, but definitely hard work.

#4: Moving

moving is hard enough, times that by two and all i have to say is yikes.

not to mention the fact that the only furniture we have is a dining room table.

never fear. this is one of the more exciting list items and i am more than ready to start moving in.

plus, there are a few more events i am fully ready for to kick off my summer...

the final harry potter

mixed emotions on this one. what will i do after my favorite wizard moves on with his life?

the fourth of july

although practically minutes from the blessed union, this fourth of july has plenty in store. can't wait to spend every waking minute with my family.

the baby

not mine guys, don't worry...

jack the cutest little texan cowboy that i have yet to meet.

it all begins in sixteen days.

baby.

2011-04-21T12:26:00.000-06:00

what a cutie.

congratulations to my bro and sister in law for their new arrival!

yay for a boy in the jenson family!

can't wait to meet the little bugger.... san antonio is WAY too far away.

my wish.

2011-04-05T11:32:00.001-06:00

sometimes i get pretty sad about the fact that i will never be gifted with teleportation.

times like when i am late to work and there are potholes on the freeway.

or when i am dying for something other than provo amidst the snow packed april weather.

or when a quick jaunt to campus becomes a two-hour escapade through various Y-lots and side streets.

or when i am desperate for a little diet coke and i am stuck at Caffeine Free University for 10 straight hours.

or when i don't get to see my nieces and nephews for months.

or when my legs are cramped and my butt is numb on a 12 hour car ride to the closest (warm) beach.

yeah. times like those.

change of plans.

2011-03-29T11:16:00.002-06:00

did I see this coming? maybe recently.

could I have predicted it two years ago? not a chance.

I vowed I’d be single till at least 25...

I wanted to travel the world.

I wanted to have fun and date loads of boys.

I wanted be single while I started a career.

Yeah well. I didn’t really know what I wanted.

Sure I've traveled the world

I've definitely had my share of fun and dating.

I've completed three years of college (almost), been accepted into a competitive nationally award winning public relations program and completed my associates degree (if BYU had one)

I’ve done a lot.

but I had a plan...A plan to do even more.

(and jeff wasn’t in any of those plans.)

See that’s the funny thing about life. You can’t predict anything.

Jeff may not have been my plan, but he was definitely someone else's.

Nothing about our relationship has been chance of coincidence. No surgery in Germany, no four-month stay in London, no previous relationship. nothing.

Jeff and I are absolutely 100% supposed to be together.

That’s why I have forgotten about all those silly plans. Yes I have plenty of life to live, plenty of time to face and plenty of experiences to encounter...

but why not do it all with my best friend?

That’s why on June 28, 2011 I will be married to the perfect boy

against everything I ever promised myself.

I’m glad I was wrong.

because as someone once told me...

new soul.

2011-03-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

i have a feeling this spring is going to be one of the best yet.

just as long as it includes a little bit of this:

and a lot of this:

and i don't care if all of this required a little school ditching.

totally worth it.

behind the clouds.

2011-02-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

this is where my head is today.

more specifically,

portobello road

cath kidston

convent garden

the west end

queensway

embankment

kensington gardens

all my favorite places.

looking back.

2010-12-14T10:19:00.001-07:00

Friday marked the one year anniversary of my arrival to America after an amazing semester in my favorite city.

That means, almost exactly one year ago I traded this:

for this:

but in exchange i got this:

so i guess i'll take it.

[but that doesn't mean i don't miss it every day.]

apologies.

2010-10-26T14:39:00.001-06:00

attention blogging world:

please excuse me for being the most absentee blogger... you see, recently my life has taken a turn for the busy and my poor blog has been neglected.

this is my life...

four days of the week I spend most of my waking hours working at the best job ever. with some of the sweetest girls I know and the greatest customers around. compromising about 30 hours of my week.

on top of all that goodness. i spend roughly 20 hours a week on campus studying my heart out. (keep in mind that this is only two days of the week)

i spend about 56 hours of my week sleeping. yet my left eye continues to twitch all day long.

i reserve one day of my week, a whole 24 hours, to relax and focus on the most important things.

my kitchen cupboards are full of on the go snacks, because i rarely, if ever, eat in my actual apartment. luckily, my parents (and jeff's parents for that matter) still let me depend on them for proper nutrition. all in all I spend about 14 hours eating a week.

plus i have to manage to make time for the people i like to be around. needless to say, they don't get much of my attention. probably only about 24 hours a week.

so you see, my blog just simply hasn't been worked into any of the 168 hours in my week.

and I could promise that this leave of absence will end. but even though my week of five miserable midterms has just come to a close, i don't have any more time on my hands than before.

but life is good and i am happy.
and for those of you who have been asking....i do promise this: one day, eventually, i will devote more time to this lovely blog and reassure you that i am not in fact dead, or miserable.

but until then....

enjoy the snow.

change your mind.

2010-09-05T20:31:00.000-06:00

i've never been a cat person. since i was a baby, i've been a true believer that dogs are absolutely mans best friend. my whole life i've been raised with the best dogs, and i've always hated cats.

that was until this cutie showed up in my backyard.

the other night my mom heard some small cries outside of her bedroom window. after a little bit of searching she found this baby kitty, lost and abandoned by its mother, almost starving to death in the cold.

see, i live right by a field that is the home to various stray cats. these felines often find refuge in my backyard...much to our dismay. but this time, they left something behind, the most adorable little kitten i have ever seen.

i promise you, my hatred of cats disappeared the minute i looked into her bright blue eyes.

unfortunately, since my mother is allergic to cats, we had to give the kitty to the animal shelter where hopefully it finds a good home.

i miss you baby kitty.

if only cats stayed this cute and tiny forever.

crossroads

2010-09-02T19:01:00.001-06:00

since summer is depressingly coming to a close, jeff and i decided to bring a great season to a close with a little celebration.

john mayer and owl city and usana amphitheater.

i saw john two years ago at the same place, and he may have been a little more wasted this year, but he was still as great.

here's to the end of a pretty great summer.

too far gone.

2010-08-30T15:28:00.000-06:00

have i ever told you about how i hate china?

no, i'm not a racist.

and no i'm not ungrateful for all the things i own that are made there.

really and truly honestly, the only reason i hate china is because that country has stolen my two best friends for four whole months and i can't seem to forgive it.

but i guess i am happy for cami and michelle who will be teaching little chinese kids english and having the time of their lives. i had my adventure, they can have theirs.

however, that doesn't mean i miss them any less.

lucky for me, i was able to spend lots of time with them before they left and stock up on all my favorite memories.

their last couple of days were filled with fun, friends, parties, lots of american food, a little bit of stress, goodbyes, saddness but also lots of excitement.

i'm counting down the days till they are back in the safety of america and right back where i like them.

life of clocks.

2010-08-29T15:20:00.000-06:00

i'm a big fan of birthdays. i love my friend's birthdays, family member's birthdays, stranger's birthdays and my own birthday. i believe that birthdays are special and are an important day. birthdays come every year, like clock work. but i think that makes them even more amazing. i believe in tradition, celebration and never ending fun. so every year, i try to live birthdays up for those other people and when the time comes, myself.

this year was a good birthday, i was lucky enough to celebrate my birthday with most of my favorite people.

it began with a little jaunt up to salt lake with my family. we had the traditional birthday dinner at cheesecake factory for my absolute favorite meal and birthday dessert.

afterwards, we shopped in salt lake for a while then spent the night at the Little America for a birthday getaway. the next morning as my sister Rondi and I were eating breakfast, two rockstars sat right next to us. literally. the band steel train was in town for the candlelight serenade festival and we were lucky enough to be graced by the presence of two of the band members. made rondi's morning...

after a nice day at the pool and time with the fam, i came back to provo to hang out with my friends. there was a bike ride in the blazing sun, pot painting at color me mine, lots of yummy food and finally a little bit of breakfast with my closest friends.

much much thanks to cami for arranging all the fun,

all my other friends who contributed,

jeff for keeping me occupied all day,

and my family for making sure it was a good time.

teenage love song.

2010-08-27T14:49:00.001-06:00

well, i have officially said goodbye to my childhood... i have passed up that oh so crucial and fun part of my life, onto real life now. a life full of decisions, change, and new experiences...

who am i kidding? i'm still a baby. and still just as reckless, fun and bad at making decisions as i've always been.

but i have grown one year older and said goodbye to those six amazing teenage years. last year i said after i turned 20 it was time to say goodbye to joe jonas and the disney channel. and sure maybe, i don't watch hannah montana anymore, and i don't lust after joe jonas like i used to, but i'm still a kid at heart.

i don't think that will ever change.

however, i'd like to think i have changed this past year, and maybe just maybe i am a little more of an adult than i was in 2009...

i've learned how to navigate my way through various foreign cities.

i've learned how to completely arrange and book a vacation by myself.

i've learned how to depend on myself.

i've learned more and more about how important family is.

i've grown in the gospel.

i've been changed by the good examples of others.

i've learned how to pay taxes.

i've almost applied to my major and started my real education.

i've learned how to take care of my body better.

i've figured out what i want to do with my life.

i've changed my perspective.

i've learned to make friends in the least expected people.

every year on my birthday, i like to look back at where i was the year before. i hope that each time i do this i see positive change and progress. this year i have.

you know what they say... "one year older and wiser too..."

i get around.

2010-08-13T14:49:00.000-06:00

when i was ten years old i sold candy to strangers on a corner near my house. it began when i stole the candy my brother was asked to morp with, and it slowly turned into an honest business, much thanks to the various bulk options offered at sam's club.

after a couple weeks of fairly successful amateur entrepreneurship, i had earned enough money to buy almost a whole bike. thankfully, my parents covered the remaining costs and I did in fact become the proud owner of an entire, fully functional, purple, sparkly, bicycle. needless to say it was my greatest treasure and i couldn't have been more proud.

the purple beauty, with matching purple helmet, lasted me a good long time. we had some nice rides together. whether it was down the street or on the river trail, the purple bicycle never failed to please me.

that is... until I outgrew it. then began the age of the scooter. oh how i loved my little blue JD BUG. i thought i was so classy and mobile.

however, soon i forgot about two wheeled objects all together and my desire for a car was born.

when i was sixteen, i became the proud driver of a purple honda accord. this four-wheeled dream boat has brought me many a joys and countless memories. overall, it has treated me pretty well and i love it with all my heart even through all the bumps and bruises.

despite all this, for a few years now, i have found my desires reverting back to the candy stand days. i've been dying for a new mode of transportation... a sleek, shiny, adorable, classic and comfortable beach cruiser. as you may recall from this post.

much to my delight, my dreams have finally been realized. i am now the thrilled possessor of a gorgeous, turquoise, seven speed, classic, beach cruiser. and i honestly couldn't be more satisfied.

many many thanks to my parents who decided to treat me to my birthday present a month early so i could enjoy a little summertime with the cutie. i think i've taken it for a ride every day since we first met. neglect is not a concern in this relationship.

throw together my number one most desired object, my favorite color, a darling basket, a lustrous bell, the warm summer weather, and an open road, and you find me one hundred percent happy.

i have to say, hands down, this is my absolute most favorite mode of transportation.

if you want to go for a bike ride. you know who to call.

thanks again mum and dad.

act naturally.

2010-07-29T14:51:00.000-06:00

there are some things you learn to expect come summer time. for example, you know the weather will be warm (most of the time at least). and you know that the rising temperature calls for various outside activities such as swimming, boating, walks, bike rides, outdoor movies, fires etc. you also can guarantee all sorts of carnivals, parades, and rodeos. and finally, with even more time on your hands, extended hours of daylight and an eagerness for adventure, you can be sure to always be searching for new and interesting activities.

as for my summer, i've had all the above.

i've had my share of bon fires and smores.

i've seen a plethora of great films.

i've listened to some live music.

i've celebrated birthdays.

i've ventured to a rodeo.

i've goofed around.

and i've loved every second of it.

just taking the expected and unexpected as they come.

charmer.

2010-07-28T11:39:00.002-06:00

my sister is obsessed with kings of leon. and i mean OBsessed. like she even knows more songs than just use somebody. she loved them way before you realized your sex was on fire. she knows their names, birthdays and social security numbers (practically). she knows their cousins, kids, aunts and brothers. she's seen them in two states, three times. basically she lives and breathes KOL and isn't afraid to admit it.

needless to say, I was extremely lucky when she decided she wanted me to accompany her on one of her various love affairs... the Kings of Leon concert at USANA amphitheater.

it was a good show and a good time.

lucky for me jared followill wasn't pigeon bombed while I was standing mere inches away from him.

**all photos belong to the fore mentioned sister.

hundred.

2010-07-26T13:58:00.001-06:00

one hundred can be a lot. or it can it a little.

for example, one hundred dollars vs. one hundred pennies. big difference. or how about one hundred days vs. one hundred seconds.... see what i mean?

but for me today, one hundred is a lot. one hundred is the number of blogs I have posted on this blog.

now i will be honest with you, i never though i could really get into blogging. my sister and i started a blog years ago and i think i posted twice. but i think i kind of like it by now. not only is it a way for my friends and family to figure out what is going on in my life (especially the ones that live far away) but it is a nice and easy way for my to remember my own happenings.

so here's to one hundred. maybe someday i'll get to one thousand. then it really will be a miracle.

freedom.

2010-07-13T15:03:00.000-06:00

july is probably my favorite month in the whole year.

the sun is out.

the mountains are green.

we celebrate our country's independence.

and my whole entire family comes to town.

yep, all twenty-five of us in one household for a week.

insane? yes.

loads of fun? absolutely.

this year my little niece Lindsey was baptized to make the annual family vacation even better.

there was a little camping.

a lot of rock band.

some ticket to ride.

some pool time, some shopping time.

lots of eating, parties and more.

and plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained.

lucky for us the fourth was on a sunday so we got to celebrate it for three days!

saturday we camped out on the grass and watched the fireworks from stadium of fire.

then sunday we celebrated officially with the traditional hamburgers, lemon jello cake, and fireworks.

and monday we finished it off with the parade, a family party and games.

now basically everyone is gone and we're back to a silent house.

it was fun while it lasted...

further to fall.

2010-07-11T19:02:00.000-06:00

well... rafael took the wimbledon championship like the hero i know he is.

plus his country killed the fifa world cup and took home a victory.

all i can say is spain is loving july.

i wish i were there. [i did love barcelona]

in other news... who ever said eminem could make a comeback? i can't turn on the radio without hearing him anymore. if only rihanna's chorus in love the way you lie wasn't so catchy.

confession... after a year of my sister in law trying to convince me to read The Hunger Games series, i finally gave in... and read both books in a day and a half. if you haven't read them, do. i promise you won't be disappointed. the third and final installation of the series comes out the end of august and i can barely wait. but mostly i really can't stand that there are only three books. i want it to last forever.

i don't know how i feel about the rumors that chuck bass' new beau is fleur delacour-weasley...aka clemence poesy. i guess i will just have to be relieved that the beloved charles is in fact alive and well despite awful the attack in prague.

you wouldn't hear me wishing for fall to begin...but i have to say, august and september will no doubt be very interesting.

diamonds and coal.

2010-07-06T13:12:00.000-06:00

as per tradition, us girls all headed up to the district in south jordan to see the midnight premiere of eclipse.

alisen and i made shirts, mostly last minute, even more so than usual and tried something totally different. but we felt pretty fine about it.

sure... the movie was cheesy, awkward at times, and lacking in make-up/hair design but you have to love it. i know i do.

taylor lautner aside, i've always been team jacob. but i have to say...

paul continues to please me.

and emmett is still sexy.

plus...the harry potter preview was more than i anticipated.

i will be anxiously waiting for that cold november night when the best saga of my life begins it's final chapter.

till then...

spanish eyes.

2010-06-29T14:17:00.000-06:00

i love this guy.

two years later, despite a knee injury, he is back and ready for another wimbledon championship.

let's go rafa.

wordplay.

2010-06-17T19:44:00.000-06:00

alright or all right?

that is the question.

see the dictionary on my dashboard says it's all right, and not alright.
merriam webster online says all right is most frequently used, however; alright is common in journalism, business and fictional writing.
someone on yahoo says alright is a contraction. similar to don't, can't, and won't.
dictionary.com says alright is becoming more accepted in British English, but still not accepted in American English.
some grammar police say alright is becoming more present in the english language. however, alright should be avoided and only all right should be used.
others believe alright is only becoming acceptable because people don't realize it isn't actually a word.

i don't know who to believe.

starts with one.

2010-06-13T15:57:00.000-06:00

one year.

one year is a long time. especially for a blog.

in the past year this blog has seen a lot of changes. and not just in design.

in the past year this blog read all over has been written all over.

in the past year this blog has seen me...

living in two countries.

visiting five european countries.

residing in three homes, three separate zip codes.

being a member of four completely different wards.

taking over 2,000 pictures.

adding 1030 songs to my music library. 2.6 days and 8.63 GB of listening pleasure.

watching over 160 new television episodes and over 275 old television episodes.

sending 463 emails.

traveling to three of the united states.

stepping foot in seven of the united states.

meeting hundreds of new people.

making many best friends.

learning new words from five languages.

gaining one new family member.

attending at least ten musical performances.

more importantly:

spending time with people i love.

being taught loads of useful information.

learning so much more about myself.

and having more fun than ever.

so here's to the past year. a good one. full of great times and the best people.

i know my blog can't wait to see what happens next...

then...

now...

i will be there.

2010-06-12T14:47:00.000-06:00

on may 6th 2008 i received an email from a stranger.

a stranger from a place in nevada i'd never heard of.

a stranger i wouldn't meet for three and a half months.

a stranger who liked to decorate and coordinate.

a stranger with tastes similar to mine.

a stranger i would come to share a 10" x 10" space with.

a stranger who would come to be one of my best friends.

alyssa lee smith.

(the best first roommate i could ever ask for.)

even though the first day we met, i was a crying mess.

even though my corner of the room was always a mess.

even though i did my homework into the late hours of the evening.

even though my alarm only work her up.

even though we sometimes didn't get along.

even though i hated on her home town.

even though i made her play with my hair at every given moment.

even though i forced her to tell me every detail of her life.

even though she knows every detail of my life.

she's still one of my absolute favorite people.

you see, there is something that happens when you share such a small place. you become like sisters.

and it is amazing to me that such different people could be put together, grow together and realize just how similar we really are.

although it has been over a year since we've lived together we're still the closest of friends and she is still saving my life.

on june 8th 2010 i received a package from a friend.

a package with a bowl full of muddy buddies, one of my favorite treats.

a package sent with love and support from 300 miles away.

you see even from a different state she knows how make my day.

on june 11th 2010 i received a visit from a best friend.

a lucky visit, a short visit, but a much needed visit.

on an errand for her work she was able to come to salt lake and share a little cheesecake factory lunch with me. see no matter if life is sometimes hard or the weather is sometimes dreary, we know how to have a good time.

so glad i got that email two years ago. heaven knows i wouldn't have been able to make it through freshman year without her. i know for sure i wouldn't be able to make it though life period without her.

love you alyss. thanks again.

pictures of success.

2010-06-10T17:49:00.000-06:00

when i got home from my london adventure i decided i needed to do something special with my almost 2,000 pictures. besides just put them on facebook.

so since january i've been working on a photo book at shutterfly containing all my favorite london pictures and memories.

let me tell you. it has been a pain and a half.

but now, after

500 pictures.

100 pages.

some money out of my pocket.

hours of effort and patience.

and a little bit of torture.

i have finished.

the book should be on its way to me by the 19th and i cannot wait.

here are the finished pages.

i can't wait till this beauty arrives at my door.

the truth.

2010-06-08T16:55:00.000-06:00

Friedrich Nietzsche once said

the greek philosopher Plato stated

"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."

nothing these scholars said has ever made more sense.

music = life

little girl.

2010-06-07T14:49:00.000-06:00

last week, as my sister in law was recovering from her c-section my sister and i were able to steal this cute thing

and bring her up to provo with us for a week of fun (and rest for her mother and baby brother.)

emma and i had a week full of sleepovers and early mornings. lots of jumping on the tramp. some water fights. mcdonald's (unfortunately). listening to lady gaga and beyonce (her favorite). and lots of laughter.

she's a doll.

i let her use my camera for a few minutes and she took some pretty great pics. including this ever so myspace shot. they learn young i guess.

we would ichat her parents every night so she wasn't so home sick. needless to say eventually photo booth was her new favorite activity.

it was fun being her mother for a week and i was sad when she went back home. but lucky for me, i got another visit just a few days later when my brother came up for his best friends wedding. emma and i spent the day playing on the tramp, in a little kiddie pool and in the sprinklers. after our day in the sun, i dressed her up for the ball with the pretty princess (aka the wedding).

then she left me once again.

love this girl. and i hate that none of my nieces/nephews live less than 4 hours away. less then a month till they all come back to me!

king of new york.

2010-05-19T01:07:00.000-06:00

long live chuck bass.

someone better save him.

he just can't leave us.

xoxo. saddest girl.

hey baby.

2010-05-16T19:53:00.000-06:00

nephew!!!

austin jenson was born this saturday and i must say, he is a doll. that makes nephew number five. which means i am an aunt for the thirteenth time. lucky me!

can't wait to meet the little guy.

change of time.

2010-05-15T19:21:00.000-06:00

have i mentioned how i have the best friends in the world? seriously.

the BEST part about summer is the expansion of available time to play with these great friends.

exhibit 1: the abney's.

it was kerri and alisen's birthday in april and and abney's know how to party so we had some good times. it was great to spend some time with my other mother, long lost sister and bestie. i can't believe my al is 21!

exhibit 2: camille bethany whitaker

(love this old picture from like 2006.)

camille bethany is home for the summer! i couldn't be more pleased to have this girl home for the summer.

exhibit 3: my fave five

(another old picture. at our traditional wingers dinner. senior year)

more time with my five high school best friends. karissa.rebekah. michelle. calli. and camille. the greatest girls i know. we got together a couple weeks ago for a hilarious, fun, reminiscent, laughter filled girls night. it was the first time all six of us have been together since calli left the single life for good.

i love to have more time for all my girls and can't wait for it to be actually warm outside so we can have even more fun.

xoxo.

wanna be a balla.

2010-05-14T18:21:00.000-06:00

when i was in elementary school we had Jazz days every friday. as in the utah jazz. of the NBA. we even had a couple real live Jazz players come read us books if we were good little readers.

i've been bread and read jazz. a necessity from living in provo, utah my entire life.

being so. i was pleased when alisen talked me into going to game four of the playoffs with her. i don't care that we lost. it was a blast and we cheered as loud as we could from that upper bowl.

after all, basketball is my favorite sport. i like the way the dribble up and down the court.

something's missing.

2010-05-14T00:35:00.000-06:00

you don't even understand.

that i want to cry every time i think about london.

every time i hear of someone in london.

every time i see a picture of london.

every time i see a picture of someone i know in london.

every time i hear a british accent.

every time i look at how much flights to london cost.

every time i look through my thousands of pictures from london.

every time i google maps london.
every time it rains.

every time i hear of someone going to london on study abroad and taking my place on 27 palace court.

every time i miss the 40 beautiful ladies and 4 great professors and their families.

every time the big ben on my dashboard rings.

every time i remember how fantastic, mesmerizing, and once in a life time time my perfect london vacation was.

seriously. every time. i want to cry.

you don't understand that i would give anything to be there right now or at any given moment in my life. you don't understand that there is nothing in the world like it. no place with transportation as good, queens as great, musicals as well performed, people as amazing, buildings as grand, shopping so extravagant, art as beautiful, and happiness as full.

you don't understand. unless you've been and feel the same way as i do.

my london obsession is bad. so bad that anyone who is in london gets deleted from my news feed because i can't bear to look at their pictures. so bad that i honestly talk about it at least once a day. so bad that i am full with complete jealousy whenever anyone speaks of going there or being there. so bad that i would jump on a plane today and never come back.

can't you see? this place is perfect.

take me back to the place where i belong.

five months later and i'm still a homesick mess.

london: i just don't think i'll ever get over you.

seriously?

2010-05-11T13:54:00.000-06:00

you gotta go there to come back.

2010-05-10T14:51:00.000-06:00

school is out and so am i.

the second finals ended i packed up my things, got my in car, left all my stress behind and took off for a while.

FIRST: st. george welcomed me with cold weather but lots of fun. i visited my brother and his wife and their little girl plus my soon-to-be-little nephew. it was the perfect relaxing weekend and just what i needed.

there was lots of yummy food. hugh grant. myth-busters. sleeping and playing. it was great.

THEN: i came home just in time to unpack, repack and take off to Dallas, Texas to see my oldest sister and her family. my little nephew was to be baptized and we were lucky enough to even have my oldest brother and his family. perfect mini family reunion.

there was lots of laughs. brothers bloom. games. frozen yogurt. and the best times.

i just can't wait till the 4th when ALL my family will be in Provo playing with me.

still... i think i need another vacay.

(p.s. thank goodness my lovely sisters take pictures. because i don't.)

my favourite book.

2010-05-04T14:26:00.000-06:00

i found something perfect the other day. three of my most favorite things all together in one.

england.
red phone booth.
books.

check check and check.

take a look into this mini library where residents of somerset, england, trade in their previously read books in exchange for a new one placed there by someone else in the community. this library houses over 100 books and is open 24/7 including a little light in the ceiling for constant perusing.

seriously people. in a world where a love of reading is becoming slimmer and slimmer. this is a little gleam of hope.

all i know is that I want to get myself a red phone booth and fill it up with all my favorite books.

this. is truly read all over.

sun drenched world.

2010-04-29T03:31:00.000-06:00

a few weeks ago the boy and I went to the tulip festival at thanksgiving point with his brother and sister in law. it was the perfect little introduction to spring and we soaked up the sun and loved all the gorgeous flowers.
unfortunately, these days, mother nature is pointing her little finger and laughing at provo right now because it just can't seem to stay warm for more than two days at a time.

nevertheless, the tulip festival was a great little tease and i can't wait till the weather stops playing these games.

here are some pics to brighten your day.

at least i am DONE with school for the next four months of my life.

can't say that doesn't please me 100%.

real as it gets.

2010-04-19T11:16:00.000-06:00

i have this infatuation... some people don't understand it, my mom hates it, but i embrace it.

i am totally into shawn corey carter aka jay-z.

i've always thought he was great, you know a little dirt off my shoulder, 99 problems, encore. you get it.

BUT THEN! 19 september 2009 when i walked into wembley arena to see my favorite british band coldplay perform in their hometown, i was graced by an opening act i will never forget, the very same jay-z rapping his heart out and stealing mine along the way. after this concert i knew it was true love.

and so I present to you this video from this weekend's Coachella Festival, an event I am deeply sad to have missed.

jay-z and his one true love beyonce performing young forever. i think it's pretty great.

end of an era.

2010-04-13T15:14:00.000-06:00

for most of my life i was in insignificant nobody.

then one day... BAM... my body appeared as a tiny, almost-unrecognizable fleck on a billboard that graced Provo commuters and visitors alike for many years.

until recently.

the billboard barely featured in this picture...

containing a very small, unnoticeable version of this picture...

is no longer present along the I-15 drag.

my 15 minutes of fame are now long past and i have gone back to being insignificant.

but i can't say that i mind.
i don't recognize the girl in that picture anyway.

mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix.

2010-04-08T16:10:00.000-06:00

muse.

could you be more perfect?

i don't think so.

their concert monday at the E-Center was absolutely spectacular.

i loved muse when i saw them live in 2007, and i love them just as much in 2010.

i don't mind that i had to race through sleet tearing my eyeballs and face apart and soaking every part of my body to get to the show. i don't mind that i had to sit in a parking lot for 1.5 hours waiting to go home. i don't even mind that the guy next me to caught the bassists harmonica and i didn't.

the concert was amazing. and i have no complaints.

not to mention a great opening performance by silversun pickups.

it was a great night.

thank you muse for satisfying all the undisclosed desires of my heart.

when it rains.

2010-04-05T15:41:00.000-06:00

it's been a long week.

first. my parents house flooded. twice. poor guys. there have been vacuums, hoses, chords, and fans all over my house for the past two weeks. my mom said she felt like she was in the movie ET.

never mind the fact that if you wanted to be heard it was necessary that you speak no softer than a yell.

the day after flood number 2, my sister, my dad and i took a little vacation from life and saw the movie The Last Song. not a good idea. sad movie to see with your dad.

but then, my sister and her little family came to town and we had a blast!

i love conference weekend and easter.

good news is... only two and a half more weeks of school.

i can't help myself.

2010-03-28T12:49:00.000-06:00

zone perfect fudge graham bars are the most delicious nutritional treats ever made.

i promise.

i eat those suckers like candy. they are the prefect snack. especially when i spend all my time not at my apartment where i have ready access to food. i don't know what it is about them, but they taste absolutely heavenly and i just can't get enough.

good thing they are pretty healthy or i might be in trouble.

many thanks to my sister who introduced these perfect little bars.

paint pastel princess.

2010-03-24T16:38:00.000-06:00

For one of my classes i have to write an ad campaign for a product i am passionate about. want to know what i chose? OPI Nail Lacquer. my choice nail polish.

i mentioned before that i like painted fingernails. well i was telling the truth. i really really do. right now my fingernails are light purple. but that changes about every week.

fact: i like to paint my nails myself. i think i do a better job than most manicurists. or maybe when i mess up, i feel better about blaming myself.

anyway, did you know OPI stands for Odontorium Products, Inc.?? Odontorium Products, Inc. is the dental supply company that George Schaeffer inherited in 1981 that inspired him to make an acrylic nail lacquer. did you also know that OPI has been a family run company ever since? a company that is dedicated to quality products and customer safety?

not only do they have the perfect colors with creative names but they don't chip, they apply well and they stick around for a while. plus my nails like the way OPI treats them.

so that is why i choose OPI.

wish me luck on my campaign.

whatever you like.

2010-03-23T18:26:00.000-06:00

i like to like.

really.

have you heard the miller lite radio commercials about the difference between like and love??? well they are great. if you haven't received the pleasure of hearing one of the beauties, click on this and then on the radio spot, to hear one of the less funny but still great radio commercials.

after hearing one of the greatest miller lite radio spots, i have been inspired to talk a little about things i like.

i like the ampersand.

i like journals. not writing in them, just collecting them.

i like floral prints.

i like belts.

i like bulletin boards.

i like books. all sorts of books.

i like painted finger nails.

i also like this song about like.

you know you like me. xoxo.

next best thing.

2010-03-21T15:00:00.000-06:00

sure, BYU doesn't get a spring break but when you can't get what you want, you just have to improvise. so much to my delight, last week one of my favorite people on the planet came to spend her spring break with me!

i love this girl.

cami was here for a week and we partied.

we began our week with a little music from our two favorite brothers ben and chad.
we had some girl time and reunited with our favorite high school besties.
we loved watching gossip girl, one tree hill and a bunch of movies.
we were the biggest sports fans going to 1 baseball game, 1 soccer game and 4 basketball games and watching 4 basketball games on tv.
we drank a lot of caffeine and ate some yummy food.
we pampered ourselves and got pedicures.
we danced the night away and rocked the night away.
but mostly we spent lots of much needed quality time together.
sadly our 3rd part (michelle) was missing most of the time but when she was here we had our best time together.

so YES my "spring break" was good. even if i was at school for half of it.

reunion.

2010-03-20T17:00:00.000-06:00

truth: i only take pictures when i'm with my london girls. force of habit? i think so.

my point is, i had another london reunion last week and it was glorious. can i brag and tell you that i know 40 of the most awesome girls and 3 of the greatest professors plus 3 of the sweetest families ever? because i do. and i love each and every one of them.

needless to say when we all get together we have a good time. we love to reminisce and we love to catch up but mostly we just love to be together. so last friday we gathered at the evans perfect-little-straight-out-of-a-catalog house to do all the above.

we ate, we chatted, and we missed london. good times all around.

lauren & kristin

the girls and jenny-our favorite london resident

my fellow room 3-ers. Jess and Shannon. we totally miss sleeping next to each other.

the party was great and it made me miss london a whole lot. can't wait for our next get together!

i'd rather be with you.

2010-03-16T15:59:00.000-06:00

joshua radin is definitely on my top ten favorite artists. maybe even top five.

i love this song.

and i really love this video.

I also stumbled across this dramatic beauty.... i've recently been re-living the grey's anatomy seasons and meredith grey and derek shepherd are all i think about. i'm just about done with season two and i can't wait till i finish season three and addison leaves to start her own private practice.

thank you joshua radin for helping me procrastinate studying for my
public relations test.

carpe diem.

2010-03-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

the buried life is the best thing to happen to mtv since carson daly was on trl.

the buried life is a show about four boys who made a list of things they want to do before they die. so they travel across america in a purple van called penelope checking off parts of their list one by one. for every item they cross off their list they help a stranger cross one off theirs.

inspirational right?

so. here is my list of things i want to do before i die. including the ones i've already checked off.. (in no order)

1. Eat dinner on top of the Space Needle.

2. Live in a foreign country.

3. Ride the London Eye.

4. Visit the Egyptian Pyramids.

5. Stay in the city called Emilia in Italy.

6. Become good a skiing.

7. Go skydiving.

8. Bungee jump in New Zealand.

9. Go to the Rome Temple.

10. Visit Platform 9 and 3/4.

11. Be an extra in a movie/tv show.

12. Be in a Parade.

13. Work with orphans/underprivileged children in a 3rd world country.

14. Make out with Joe Jonas.

15. Save someones life.

16. Graduate from college.

17. Visit Pearl Harbor.

18. Go to culinary school.

19. Graffiti with spray paint. on a wall/train. somewhere.

20. Be on a game show.

and a whole lot more...

the question is... what do you want to do before you die?

break your heart.

2010-03-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

just give me a second to brag.

maybe you've read the books go ask alice/jays journal/it happened to nancy.
and maybe you know beatrice sparks is a very deep/depressing youth counselor that also published journals.

maybe you know that beatrice is now a 92 year old woman with dementia.

or maybe you don't.

but if you do, or even if you don't. you can appreciate the fact that this past sunday i was able to visit with beatrice. a couple friends and i visited a rest home in the area and to my delight, beatrice was one of the lovely people we worked with. she was a doll and she touched my heart. the people in the dementia ward of this rest home are such great people and i loved visiting them.

on a lighter note... the current top selling single on itunes right now is a song that i heard live the beginning of november. the first time we heard it, we sang along mockingly. it's so british we said. well lookie here. america has caught on to the taio cruz craze britain accepted many months ago. congratulations for keeping up with the times america.

happiness is a warm gun.

2010-03-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

remember when i said NOT to do i rain dance??

top reason provo weather sucks: it is gorgeous one minute and absolutely miserable the next. what is this snow?? bring back the warmth.

anyway. my life is considerably less interesting this semester seeing as i don't attend a broadway musical every week or visit castles or see famous people or travel to various countries.

nevertheless... here are the top things i have been doing.

a few weeks ago we had a london reunion. it is always good to be back with my london girls. i can't believe that over 6 months ago i left for london and i have been home almost 3 months!

over presidents day weekend, my parents and i took of to san antonio to visit my brother and his fam. ever since they moved from nearby vegas to texas, my life has not been the same! it was a good week fun of olympics, shopping and hanging out with the family. i already miss them SO much!

i added to my list of winter activities and went ice skating. i impersonated a uvu institute student for the night and i felt okay about it.

other than that there have been some dances, parties, basketball games, movies, and lots of olympics.

umm also. i never liked bachelor jake on jillian's season. and i liked him a little bit more on his season. but VIENNA? sick. wrong. you two white trash horny kids belong together.

but i LOVE that ali is the next bachelorette. yesss. i can't wait for may.

life's good.

got me going.

2010-03-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

well the good news is Bronson is live and well! Nine days after he was rushed to Primary Children's Medical Center he was home and back to normal. his recovery story is amazing. and the family of four boys is back in action. read all about it on sara's blog.

the bad news is i totally suck a blogging. but whatever.

the other good news is BYU beat Utah last night which means everyone is happy but i also get extra credit in my business writing class. thank you cougars.

some more good news: spring is poking its lil head out. byu campus is the BEST in spring. all the students come out to play. no longer do i have to rush around freezing my arse off in misery. now i can slowly stroll between my classes and come across happy, sunlight absorbing zoobies. even if the warmth does bring out the weirdness in some byu students.

also, i'm listening to this really great playlist on itunes right now. whoever invented "genius" should be sent to heaven immediately. i love "genius" with all my might.

can i tell you how often i get sick of my blog background/layout. in all honesty it takes about a day. i like it for a good 24 hours. and then BAM! i am tired of everything i see.

is it bad that i often spend vast amounts of time on google earth wandering around london? i miss it okay. i've already made my mom promise we will be back for the 2012 summer olympics.

which, by the way... Vancouver. okay, they totally struggled all around. but the games are the games, and i LOVED this years winter olympics. SLC 2002 was probably the best thing that every happened to me and i'll always hold the winter olympics very dear. petition for slc winter olympics 2018????

till then, pray for sunlight. no raindances PLEASE! just praises to mister golden sun.

prayers for the staker family.

2010-02-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

this week I have had a special little prayer in my heart for one of my neighbors.

last saturday, a little sixteen month old baby drowned in a bathtub. he was in the tub with his older brother and his mom had stepped out for just a minute... in that minute all their lives changed. luckily the paramedics were able to arrive in time to resuscitate him. he is currently at primary children's hospital and slowly making progress. you can read the entire, heart wrenching story here.

I can't imagine an experience more painful and difficult and i feel so horribly for the Staker family. however if there is anything positive to be said about this situation, it is the support they have been receiving. people all over the world are praying for them. and if you feel inclined, i would ask you to as well.

Sara (the mom) has been documenting baby Bronson's progress on her family blog. and if you care to follow her and Bronson's story, here is a link for the Staker Blog.

Sara is an amazing woman and a detailed blogger. Her posts are very thorough and she doesn't miss a thing. Her posts make the whole process very real. I can't imagine what she is going through right now but I admire her strength at this awful time.

so here's to sara, baby bronson and the entire staker family. let's all pray for some more good news and to be able to see this little boy smiling again.

let it snow.

2010-01-27T20:03:00.000-07:00

I hate the cold. I hate being wet and outside in the winter. I hate driving in the snow. I hate ice. I hate slush. GROSS.

all that hate aside... i LOVE the snow. really. it's so white and fluffy and soft and fun and how can you help but be happy when you are playing in it? (as long as you can immediately go inside and sit by the fire right?)

soo since provo was finally cured of its terrible air and inversion this past weekend with mounds of snow, I fully took advantage of some of snow's greatest wonders.

On Friday, Michelle and I (and scott k and scott f) went skiing at the Canyons Resort in Park City and it was SO fun! Okay, disclaimer, I haven't been skiing in YEARS! For a while I was way too hardcore for skiing and became a snowboarder. and then i repented and remembered that skiing is way better. Unfortunately, just because I can admit it doesn't mean I am good at the actually sport of it. So, the day didn't start off all that great and I was on the ground most of the time. But I got better and even with fogged goggles I had a BLAST and can't wait to go again. After all, I promised Greg I would be good at skiing by the time he got home from his mission (don't worry I have until summer of 2011).

After our little skiing adventure, Mich and I had just enough time to get into warm clothes and relax a little before our friends decided we should go sledding. So we bundled BACK up in our snow gear and headed up to rock canyon, sore and exhausted, to sled down the hill, run back up and repeat. I LOVED IT! Freshman year, we went sledding every day for weeks, I swear. So it was good to be back up there ready for action.

i also loved the fact that scott k and jeff were our chauffers for the day so mich and i didn't have to brave the snow.

and i totally didn't take that picture. thank you google image. i just thought it was a good little visual aid for all you who have forgotten what snow looks like.

so yes. let it snow. just for one more month. and then bring me SPRING!

if we were a movie.

2010-01-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

you know those people who say "i've been there" as movie scenes flash before them on the screen? the people you secretly want to hit because you really don't care where they have been, you just want to enjoy the movie? yeah... i've so become one of those. BUT i swear this one is cool.

remember this picture:

well that very same image (minus me) can be seen in the new movie Leap Year. as Anna and Declan wait for that final bus to take them to Dublin, you get to experience the city Enniskerry. and i get to love the fact that i have sat on that same bench waiting for that same bus once in my life. and i know, like i said before, this whole concept is mostly annoying. but i can't help but brag. i miss that place.

so go ahead and hit me.

father of mine.

2010-01-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

how about a shout out to this guy:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

He's the greatest 63 year old I know.

country grammar.

2010-01-17T16:35:00.000-07:00

like i mentioned in number four of my previous post, i am currently in two writing classes.

one is Media Writing, and a prerequisite for any Pre-Communications major at BYU.
and the other is Business Communication, which fulfills yet another awful GE.

want to know what i've learned? well for one, that "which" in the sentence above makes the words after it less important. yep. apparently "which" is a de-emphasizer.

want to know what else i've learned? besides that I hate commas? grammar and writing rules are hard. i honestly feel bad for anyone that has to learn our language because frankly it is ridiculous.

and really, i think i generally speak and write well. (look there! i even know when to use well as opposed to good.) but unfortunately, this blog has never received any good grammar from me. and now that i know millions of more grammar rules, i second guess every sentence i write. but unless i am writing a paper, i really don't care.

so from the bottom of my illiterate heart i sincerely apologize for the improper grammar, comma splices, run ons, fragments, dangling modifiers, spelling errors, and all my other poor writing habits.

i hope it isn't too painful.

i know i know i know.

2010-01-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

i've already learned a million things since i've been back at real school ... here are a few of my favorites:

#1. the reason BYU is said to have a generally highly attractive student body is because they make us climb so many dang stairs every day.

#2. FACT. dwight schrute IS in my american government class.

#3. it takes about a week to learn how to properly parallel park, and about 10 minutes to get to your apartment from wherever you found a spot.

#4. i hate commas. i don't like to use them. i don't know where to put them. and i really don't care. i have two writing classes this semester that are trying to kill me with all their dang comma rules.

#5. the walk home from campus is the perfect time for a phone call.

#6. used really does save.

#7. you don't realize how easy it is to spot the freshmen until you aren't one any more.

#8. i really suck at texting people back.

#9. people really will never learn that just because it is sunny outside, it doesn't mean you can wear shorts.

#10. cooking for yourself is the worst.

so thank you 2010 for already teaching me such valuable lessons.

don't call it a comeback.

2010-01-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

the arrival of 2010 has already brought many new things.

first of all... i have moved out yet again. i am now a resident of Liberty Square and now walk to school in all my zoobie glory. I am rooming with Amy. my friend from freshman year and it is already a blast!

and i am also back at BYU. it is definitely an adjustment being back on campus and i have to say i miss walking down the stairs in my pajamas to go to class. but i will get used to it somehow. as much as i hate to admit it, it feels good to be back on campus. its is an added bonus that i get to see all my long lost friends again.

so here is to another semester. one hopefully full of good friends.

hello byu. remember how much you love me?

this is the new year.

2010-01-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

2009 was a good year.

there was the end of my freshman year... camping, basketball games, all nighters, dances, new friends and some of the greatest people around. unfortunately this came with a lot of goodbyes, but mostly see you soons.

there was the reuniting of three of the best friends there ever was. needless to say MEC's comeback was one of the greatest.

there was long summer nights and cold winter ones.

there was a lot of good music and television.

there were homecomings and farewells and a lot of rights and wrongs.

there were lessons learned and things remembered.

then there was london and the best three and a half months ever. plus 40 new best friends and a new found love for a distant city.

and finally the best christmas break ever.

so here's to 2009. a good year... a great year even.

but now it's on to the next one.

hello 2010...i know you are bound to be successful. and i look forward to the surprises ahead.

and even more, here's to another decade. one that will surely bring even more change and good times. the 00's were great but i have high hopes for the 10's.

xoxo.

i'll be home for christmas.

2009-12-29T18:58:00.000-07:00

there could not have been a better time to come home from london. landing straight in the middle of all the christmas festivities was the best thing i could have asked for. even though the snow and christmas spirit made me feel like i had time traveled it still stands to be true, christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.

it was great to reunite with my friends and family that i have missed SO much. and i guess i missed provo a little too. the rest of december was spent having the most fun and living up every second of the break.

there were parties and celebrations

pampering and girl talk

ugly sweaters and egg nog

family and food

but most of all a lot of really great times.

i love being home. and i love my friends and family.

happy holidays.

love and memories.

2009-12-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

well, it's official... my girl callista lauren priest is now officially Callista Lauren Welling. On December 19th Calli and Ben were wed forever and ever and I couldn't be more pleased about it.

We began the wedding festivities with a little bachelorette party. Karissa, Rebekah, Cami, Michelle, Calli and I gathered together for the last time as singles ladies and had the time of our life. Even if the bride to be fell asleep before the clock struck midnight.

A few days later we toasted the almost new Mr. and Mrs. Welling at a beautiful wedding dinner. We all held back tears and it finally felt real that our little Cal was about to be a wife. That night we had one final girls chat before we let Calli rest for her big day. We'll always be the best of friends and marriage can't change that...too much.

The next day was one we will all always remember. We all drove up to the Mt. Timpanogos temple to see the beautiful new couple come through those brass temple doors. The weather was perfect and the sky was a gorgeous shade of blue, it was have been freezing but it made for gorgeous pictures.

The reception was a night full of reminiscing and catching up. As us girls set up camp at a table and watched the new couple greet their friends and family we were grateful that Calli found the perfect man to share this perfect day with.

I still can't believe she is married but I am glad to see her with the man of her dreams, and no matter what she will always be our girl.

set adrift on memory bliss.

2009-12-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

since I've been home from London I have been on a ever-constant memory lane. here's a list of my motherland favorites...

1. 27 Palace Court: the mice and Ms. Shepherd could never scare me away. even with all its victorian flaws this place will always be home and i have to say, my bottom bunk and shoe box sized closet will always have a space in my heart.

2. Queensway: two tube stops, two tescos, boots, whitley's, tuk tuk, bella italia, cheap scarves, the post office, frog frozen yogurt, ryman stationer, mcdonalds free wifi, waffles, and everything in between. this is my most frequented street.

3. Nandos: grilled chicken pitta with lemon and herb sauce, chips on the side with a bottomless diet coke. yes please. the best place in town to find unlimited supplies of soda, an amazing meal and a perfectly good time.

4. Lush: this place has the best beauty products and emanates an even more glorious smell. mmmm yummy.

5. Queen Elizabeth II: I hope she reigns forever. long live the queen.

6. Megavideo: this site stole so much of my rare "the-internet-is-actually-working" moments. and okay, i know this is available in the states but nevertheless, thanks to it i never missed an episode of any of my favorite shows. even with its bogus 72 minute rule.

7. The Ladies: i never thought i would survive living with 40 girls but it wasn't so bad. i grew to know and love each and every one of them and we became such a family. sure, we all had our times, but i already miss all of them and can't wait till we are reunited in Provo in January!

8. The Wandsworth Common Ward: Never have I met such amazing people in my life. I will never forget my time spent serving as a youth sunday school teacher and working with the kids in the ward. From day one they all welcomed me in as one of their own and I will honestly miss them and their amazing spirits. The hour and a half trek to church each sunday was worth it every time.

9. The Tube: i owe my life to my student oyster card that got me everywhere I needed to go. london transportation is like a gift from the gods.

10. Londoners: with their immaculate sense of style and absolute poise these people are unlike any I have ever known. They come from everywhere but share the same love for the greatest city on earth. and being so, i love them. even if it takes a little refresher in a pub for them to lighten up a bit.

and even though i promised myself i would limit the list to ten things I love so much more about the city. since i've been home people have asked me what my favorite thing is about london, and the truth is that is an impossible question. sure, i don't love every single thing about london, it isn't perfect after all. but i love it will all my heart and it will always be home.

nothing lasts forever.

2009-12-11T17:49:00.000-07:00

well my time in London has quickly come to a close and I can't hardly believe it. When I first arrived in this city, I thought my time here would last forever. I couldn't quite comprehend three and a half months but now that it's over I realize how quickly time has flown and I am sad to see it go.

The past couple weeks in London have been a whirlwind. I arrived home from Provo just in time to begin studying for finals. Although jet lag and the flu got the best of me for a while I made it through and tried to enjoy the last of London as much as possible.

In between completing assignments and preparing for tests I found time to do all the last minute shopping my wallet could afford. I stormed down Oxford Street, fought the crowds at Portobello Market, laughed at the neon outfitted limbo man in Covent Garden, smelled the incandescent aromas of Lush Cosmetics, braved the Primark line, walked the halls of Hitler's beloved Whitley's, drooled over the stationary in paperchase and all the clothes in my favorite clothing stores and spent almost every last pence i had.

I also rocked out to Queen in the West End musical We Will Rock You, went Ice Skating in Sommerset House underneath the Tiffany's decorated christmas tree, ate at Nando's as much as possible, indulged in my favorite treats also as much as possible, and walked down all my favorite streets for some final memories.

My last day in London was full of final tourist activities around the city. We sat on top of a royal red double decker for the last time, watched the changing of the guards for my favorite lady queen elizabeth, said loving farewells to my architectural boyfriend big ben, climbed the lions in trafalgar square, enjoyed the Norwegian's evergreen gift to London, and many other london-exclusive events.

After a packing frenzy and a tornado like mess all over the centre, a sleepless night, and a long day full of travel I made it back to the states safe and sound. I'm absolutely exhausted and extremely crazy but it feels good to be home.

i love you london and i will miss you forever. but after all, there's no place like home.

thank you for the music.

2009-11-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

while I was in Barcelona I received a call from my mother informing me that my dear grandfather, Tom, had passed away peacefully in his sleep. This year on Thanksgiving I am grateful for him, the time I have been able to spend with him, all the great things he did in his life and the impact he has had on my life.

Another thing I am grateful for is the opportunity I had to come home from London for his funeral. Although it was a wild trip and a whirlwind couple days it was worth it. I was grateful to be able to spend time with my family in this hard time and it felt good to be home. I kept my homecoming a secret... so SURPRISE! if you didn't know. Don't worry, i didn't see any friends and barely left the house. Plus I was gone again before I knew it.

The funeral was very nice and it was great to be with all my cousins. and it is good to be back in london for the last couple weeks of my trip. don't worry, i'll be home soon.

happy thanksgiving.

livin' la vida loca.

2009-11-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

from paris megan and I jetted off to Barcelona for the weekend. It began with a long shuttle ride and a completely sketchy airport where megan and i almost died of sugar overdose, exhaustion, and absolutely craziness. But never the less we made it to Barcelona, with only minor ATM drama.

From the airport we took another bus ride into the city and a mostly wild taxi ride through Barcelona. We arrived at our "hotel" just in time for the police to relocate some drunken homeless men. Although we couldn't quite figure out which unmarked door we should enter or what the scratchy spanish voice on the intercom was saying, we eventually made it upstairs and into our checker-floored hotel room for a much needed restful nights sleep.

We woke up in the morning to walk to streets of Barcelona in truly perfect weather. After the cold in London and Paris, the warmth of the Mediterranean sun was welcomed in with gratitude. We did a little shopping and grabbed ourselves a map then ventured into a whole new world at Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It is a street packed full of people, shops, restaurants, and really creepy street performers.

Soon we found ourselves at the docks surrounded by bright blue water and street vendors of all kinds. Meg and I picked up ourselves some stunna shades and maybe a bootleg copy of Michael Jackson's blockbuster. We then decided the best way to spend the rest of our day was on bikes so we rented some two wheelers and headed to beach. We rode around for five hours, stopping only to enjoy some Pina Coladas on the beach, dip our toes in the chilly Mediterranean, and watch the local surfers take advantage of the waves. Major bonus: we only saw a FEW naked men in the process. great.

The night ended with dinner, more shopping and an attempted viewing of "Luna Nueva" or as us American vampire obsessed kids call it "New Moon." However, it was only offered in Spanish and although Jacob is sexy in any language, we decided to save our euros. The streets of Barcelona were packed at all times of the day and it was insane to make our way through the crowds. We retired once more to our almost-sketchy hotel room to prepare for another big day.

We rose early the next day to enjoy the sights of Barcelona as much as possible. We ate some pastries and viewed the Arc de Triomf. Then we visited shrine of Barcelona's most beloved painter Pablo Picasso. We were able to see some original works from his childhood all the way through his blue period and even some photography.

We then walked halfway across the city to the Sagrada Familia, which is a 100 year old cathedral that is still under construction. Apparently we won't see it's completion until 2030. Megan and I have already planned a reunion trip. Then we walked the rest of the way across the city to Parc Guell, another Gaudi project. Barcelona is a gorgeous city and Antoni Guadi's works only make it more amazing. His architecture is unlike anything I have ever seen before and I loved it!

We walked back to the center of town and back to the bus stop. After a slight panic and time change confusion we made it on our shuttle and back to the airport for yet another plane ride. We were more than pleased to spend every last euro cent on our dinner and some absolutely Gaudi-esque earrings.

Megan and I fared quite well in Barcelona and our trip was absolutely successful. But we definitely were glad to be back in London and with all the girls.

viva la barcelona.

paris holds the key.

2009-11-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago I went to the most gorgeous city i've ever seen...paris france.

here are a few highlights...

court and i loved our eurostar ride through the chunnel so much. especially when accompanied with a little bit of jay-z and some shut eye. only after i accidentally washed my hands in the mens toilets. oops.

our first real sight of the eiffel tower was from the sacre couer and what can i say? adoration at first sight.

we did a little shopping on my favorite street. and even got ourselves a few great parisian clothes.

day two began with a little bit of an industrial hike through the outskirts of the city and an arrival at the palace of versailles. Marie Antoinette was one luck woman.

and we got our hunchback on at the notre dame cathedral.

i loved the true to life gargoyles, i don't blame quasi-modo for hanging out there all day long.

we also visited the moulin rouge to fulfill a drewm of mine ever since i first fell in love with ewan mcgregor and nicole kidman in my favorite movie.

other highlights include a ride to the top of the eiffel tower along with a light show that rivaled disneyland, the louvre and my favorite museum the orsay, delicious pastries and baguettes, plenty of art and amazing clothes and about 5000 too many stairs to climb.

j'adore paris. ♥ ♥ ♥

its all coming back to me.

2009-11-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

i know okay. its been almost one month since i last posted. a month? seriously? its gone by SO fast. i can't stand it really. london is almost over and i think i might cry. i love this whole situation way too much to be almost done. here's a little update of this life i've grown so fond of. bear with me, a lot can happen in a month.

time after time.

2009-11-25T22:21:00.000-07:00

we recently visited Greenwich for a little timely adventure. we began the day with dr. pepper zero. first dr. pepper i've had in a long time and it was sure yummy.

We went to a Maritime Museum which was really cool. We saw all sorts of ships and eskimo suits. We reminisced about a little Transformers.

It was a REALLY rainy day and we were immediately soaked the minute we walked outside. But we walked up a big hill to the Royal Observatory with umbrellas in hand (except for court who was drenched).

We walked through the Observatory and over to the Prime Meridian of the world. Right there we were exactly at zero degrees longitude. special right?

we ended the day wit some delicious food at gourmet burger kitchen. i've never tasted better onion rings in my life. yummy. that night we went to a little baroque concert at a local church.

and time was really flying.

maybe i'm amazed.

2009-11-25T22:19:00.000-07:00

other recent events include shopping our hearts out all over the markets in camden.

falling in love with harrods

realizing our personal likeness with king henry IV. and dressing up for court at hampton court palace.

and remembering all the veterans who died for Britain by supporting the poppy appeal and flashing a poppy on my coat all month.

christmas with you is the best.

2009-11-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about London is since there is no Thanksgiving, Christmas season begins a lot earlier here. The start of November brought a whole lot of Christmas cheer and I couldn't be more pleased about it. good thing about london part two: movie premieres. lucky for me, the beginning of november combined both these treats into one and placed them right on our doorstep. It was the Christmas Carol premiere and it was fantast.

On the night of the premiere the girls and I headed over to Regent Street and Oxford Street to experience all the festivities. As we stood in a Times-Square-on-New-Years-Eve type crowd we were serenaded by the likes of Pete Andre (our favorite british pop star) and a few other british acts. then much to our american liking, jim carrey graced us with his presence. along with british heartthrob collin firth. they then carried out a very ceremonious turning on of christmas lights and then we broke a world record for largest singing of christmas carols. it was lovely.

we then fought the vicious crowd and made our way over to Leicester Square to see the red carpet. we watched our boy Jim walk across and into the theater and felt pretty pleased. we finished the night off with some chinese food and went to bed loving everything about the christmas spirit.

cemeteries of london.

2009-11-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

i'll admit, i was a bit skeptical about halloween in london. halloween is most positively my third favorite holiday (right after christmas and the fourth of july of course) and i just didn't know if this city could live up to my expectations. i was wrong. halloween in londy was pretty great all around and i was not let down.

we started off the holiday a little early with a house party on the thursday before. thanks to our favorite set of "moms" we had fun decorations and yummy treats. we carved pumpkins, made carmel apples and played around. we were lucky enough to have our favorite tour guide peter fagg drop off his adorable kids for our party so we got to play with kids too!

the actually day of halloween was even better than our party. we started out the morning attempting to visit a place called the London Dungeons, but it was a 3 hour wait so we walked over to Borough Market where we ate all sorts of yummy food. then we came back to the center and changed into costumes.

finding things to wear was tricky with our limited supply of clothes but we managed. i wore a very sequined and outrageous dress that i found on a nearby street. one of the other girls and i decided we were kit deluca and vivian from little woman. yes we are aware of the negative connotations of that. but you know? whatever.

we hurried over to the london eye. and by hurried, i mean sprinted. make that bridge two i've ran across. check the london eye was great and i don't care what anyone says, it was not overrated at all. i love london. right after the ride we indulged in some AMAZING donuts that tasted like heaven. literally.

then we took our party back across the river to Hard Rock Cafe. the very first hard rock cafe ever in fact. it was pretty great. all the waiters were dressed up and scared us continuously. we played the rest of the night. it was full of laughter, dancing and lots of fun.

this is halloween. and this is the best.

country road

2009-11-25T22:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, so right after Rondi left we coached (rode on a coach for many hours) our way to Wales-as in the country just right next to england. we're still not really clear on why we actually went to wales but it was random and fun and you know what? another country on the list. We went to some museum but courtney, catherine, megan and i just ended up making halloween crafts. i'm not disappointed. That night Megan and I went shopping and to dinner and we saw a semi weird but funny production of The BFG in honor of my second favorite Wales born, Roald Dahl. (my first favorite shall be discussed on a later note.)

The next day we came back to England and visited a few church history sites. We started out at Hall Farm aka Benbow Farm where Willford Woodruff baptized a whole bunch of people. We visited a few churches and small towns. We took a slightly exhausting hike up a hill that made us realize just how out of shape we have become. However, only after our lovely coach drive Tony completely bashed in a car. Thats what he gets for yelling at us for sleeping while making us carsick. I'm just saying. But the view from the top of the hill was gorgeous. No wonder two past lds prophets frequented this place. Lastly we visited Gadfield Elm Chapel.This is the oldest LDS chapel in existence and it was pretty cool. To get in you had to figure out a code by answering a set of questions about the LDS church. super espionage like and all.

the best part of the trip could possibly be the fact that megan thinks wales used to be called jwales. yeah, with a j.

love you meg.

city traffic puzzle.

2009-10-30T18:05:00.000-06:00

last week i got a little visitor called rondi. aka my sister. i had a week off school and she decided to come hang out!

We had a blast. I played tour guide barbie and tried to show her all the good sights of London. We walked through every room of the national gallery, went to the imperial war museum and tate modern. we saw jersey boys and les mis. we went to paris. we ate lots of yummy food. we dealt with a series of internet issues. we stayed in a small but comfortable hotel room. and just had a good time!

it was fun to have some family over here but i definitely missed everyone else!

peace.love.london.

cross me off your list.

2009-10-30T09:35:00.001-06:00

today i was going through my blog and found a few old posts that i had composed but never published. see my problem is this: i love lists. i make lists every day about any sort of thing. lists are my thing. my issue with lists is that they are never finished. they are always open for more thing to be added to them. so i write these blogs but can't seem to post them because i feel like i could add more.

but enough with that. here are some old random list blogs. and a little part of my brain.

enjoy.

the hardest part.

2009-10-30T09:35:00.000-06:00

i saw this snail the other day and it reminded me of home. ((i promise thats not weird if you've ever walked up my front steps.)) so i thought i would take some time to talk about the things i miss from home. even though i live in a dream land, provo just has something nowhere else has. and it isn't just a bunch of mormons.

diet dew. the barely carbonated diet coke here just doesn't quite quench my thirst. somebody send me a big gulp.

making treats. chocolate chip cookies, raspberry cakemix bars, no bakes, hash, muddy buddies...i haven't used an oven or stove in months.

provo canyon in the fall. hikes up bridal view, bon fires, drives to park city. anything and everything dealing with the colorful, crunchy leaves of my hometown.

a good provo dance. i know right? when you have at least three of these every weekend they get old, but when you live thousands of miles away you crave a little 80's or neon or any other random bash they usually put on. shake it.

couches. we just don't have any couches here and you know, you need a little couch time every now and then. call me a couch potato.

television. okay i know, call me a couch potato again, but i love my shows. gossip girl, one tree hill, desperate housewives and grey's anatomy are the best things. waiting them to stream on the internet for hours just doesn't cut it for me. i love sunday, monday and thursday night rituals. and i don't care how pathetic that makes me sound.

a desk. unfortunately my bed just doesn't quite cut it for a studying space. i could use some drawers, i don't know, maybe a hard surface to do my homework on.

i love ptown. and i love london town. good thing i get to live both places.

uppers aren't necessary.

2009-10-30T09:14:00.000-06:00

i love this picture of my sister, niece and I. i was looking at the the other day and noticed how happy we all look. it got me thinking about what makes me happy. so here is a little list. sure, i'm a little list obsessive. but it happens. so deal.

I LOVE....
my nieces and nephews. nothing beats a good squeeze and snuggle from those little kids. and i really mean nothing. i miss them more than anything when they are far away.

hugs. someone once told me you need to be hugged 7 times a day to be healthy. pretty sure i need 70.

clean laundry. when i look around my room and realize that the only dirty clothes i own are the ones on my back. even if it takes me a few days to do all the loads.

long talks on long drives or long walks. if you are interesting i could talk to you and listen all day if we had the time.

reunions. goodbyes are my greatest weakness, nothing like its counter part to light up my days.

letters. nothing like that little envelope with your name on it to make your day. especially if it is someone far away.

fall. crunchy leaves beneath your feet, sweaters, boots, scarves, fires, halloween, provo canyon and all the colors. i love fall.

the feeling right after you get done brushing your teeth. super clean and minty fresh. yummy.

singing and dancing around my house with my sisters. completely obnoxious but absolutely entertaining.

that point late at night when you can't stop laughing and you don't know why.

hope you enjoyed this cheese fest.

my favorite's gouda.
:)

long ago and far away.

2009-10-30T09:04:00.000-06:00

top ten semi-embarrassing facts about my childhood.

1. i used to have a pet taquito. aka an old wrapping paper roll tied to a string. and sometimes it even had kids (toilet paper rolls obviously)

2. ella bella and kuja were my imaginary friends. kuja lived in the orthodontists office and ella bella was killed by playing tackle volleyball. they had a good life and they were the best friends around.

3. sometimes when i was really mad at my brother or parents i would climb out my window and run away to the gazebo in my backyard. i always liked the idea of running away but never had anywhere else to go.

4. i was a total collector of all things girly. ty pets, melanie's mall, polly pockets (the old really small kind), barbies, the american girl doll molly, and all the accessories to go with each of these things. however, i totally loved my brothers G.I. Joe men and toy cars. and i always wanted one of those nascar tracks.

5. i sometimes faked sick because i was afraid the school would catch on fire.

6. at one time i was completely and utterly in love with justin timberlake, jc chazez, nick carter, and brian littrell. okay, lets be real...i still am.

7. i loved watching disney channel cartoons in the mornings even when i was much older than socially acceptable. and you know, i still enjoy me some wizards, hannah, and suite life on deck. don't judge me.

8. my one true dream was the build a snow fort and play in it like the one on the movie snow day. it never seemed to snow enough to quite fulfill my wish.

9. i could have played crash bandicoot all night every night and been happy about it. and okay, sometimes i did.

10. i used to climb up the sides of my hallway so much the walls were dirty. oh to be that small and flexible again.

holiday from real.

2009-10-30T08:34:00.000-06:00

It's been one year since i've seen most of these handsome faces.

Here's a shout out to the best guy friends us girls could ask for. How many people can say their best friends are in Long Beach, Zimbabwe, the Marshall Islands, Kenya and Colombia? Okay fine, i guess a lot of mormons can...but whatever.

love these boys. miss them.

one more year!