Brainstorming and listing.

Well snap. I got on my computer this lovely afternoon and decided to blog. This wouldn't be that odd of an idea except for the fact that I have no inclination to write about anything. Which leads me to a ten second brainstorm.

Wait for it... wait for it.... wait for it... Nope, I still got nothing. I haven't been up to much and there isn't too much on my mind. Oh, and I hate being the whole cliche blogger that is like "Fashion! My love life! What I did this week!" Cuz number one, I want all y'all out there to read something that will stick with you. I want to make a difference. And number two, each of those categories are as empty as that bag of french bread I bought yesterday. I have no love life (although I might secretly wish I did) and all I did this week was work. Big whoop. And let's not even talk about my lacking sense of fashion (or maybe money to buy fashionable stuff). So I guess I don't have much to say....

Timeout for sports! How about I list my accomplishments this summer, eh? That list should be about the size of my pinky, but it's worth a try. Let the creative juices flow!!

1. I have made new friends. My work buddies are the best. I can now say that I am friends with a liberal democratic feminist (didn't think friends and all three of those would be included in a sentence haha.)

2. I understand and know myself better. Let's face it. I will never be a super outgoing extroverted individual. I like my space waaayyy too much. Not to mention my books.

3. I learned how to get over a guy I have been stuck on for almost a year. That's right. I did it. Time to make a trip to the frozen yogurt store and buy a pound of cake batter flavor. Wanna know the secret?? I told myself to let go. If it's going to happen it will. If it doesn't, it's not supposed to. God knows what's up. He probably has some superman-of-a-guy for me. Definitely wouldn't mind if he looked like superman...

4. I'm more like a guy than I thought. Sure I'm still totally a girl. But the more I hang with my brothers, the more I realize how similar we are. I like paintballing with sling shots while the other girls say "I don't do this sort of thing" Well you know what? I totes do. I'd much rather sling around paintballs in the rain than sit in a salon and do my toe nails. Running through the sage brush and shooting people is much more satisfying than it should be...

Well that's it for now folks. Have a week that's as great as homemade root beer tastes.

The World's Perception is the Wrong Perscription

First off, I must apologize for being MIA. Summer is crazy, but great :) A quick update. I am still staying busy with work, but also, the intramural soccer team I play on made it to the championship game in the advanced league! We play tomorrow and I am a little excited. Which means nothing in comparison to how nervous I am, but this happens every game. I just am afraid to let my team down, so I practically hyperventilate when I have to guard this super good guy from the other team. But I survive, so I am sure I will this next game. But I won't guarantee that I will come out in one piece. I will gladly take one for the team. But I digress....

What I really wanted to talk about is something that has been on my mind for a while. I think my mom has heard this monologue from me about ten times, so I figure I should finally organize my brain resulting in a profound speech that will inspire millions. Not really. But what's really inspirational is how I can type with a bandaid on my pointer finger. It's a lot harder than you think. Again, I'm tangent-ing. All right, here it goes.


Let's talk about Beauty. Almost everyday I get on the most wonderful creation of Pinterest to see what's new. And almost every day I see pictures on there for getting in shape that are supposed to be motivational.
Now I would show you one, but I really don't want a picture like that on my blog. But here is the honest truth. Those girls you see with those glorious toned body are models. They do that for a living. They look that good because that's what they live for. I don't know about you, but I think that for the most part, that is not what most people live for. Most of us have jobs or things that preoccupy us, and we don't have time to look like that. So please ladies, do not compare yourself to an unrealistic picture of a model that has been photoshopped to look good. It's not worth the worry and insecurity.

I love this video that I watched on youtube. The woman's name is Cameron Russell. She is a model. She says herself that the reason she is a beautiful model is because she won the genetic lottery. She compares it to winning the powerball. Let me tell ya, my luck is bad, and I definitely did not win the genetic lottery. Most of us did not. We all are different. Comparing ourselves to a model is not the way to go. It's like being a square and looking at the circle and thinking "hey, that circle has nice curves. I want some!" Try as you might, you're little ninety degree angles aren't going to behave like a circle's smooth edges. But if you were to stop trying to compare, and took a step back to look at yourself, you'd find you are a mighty fine square.

We are different shapes and sizes: some squares, some circles, some decagons. We are all beautiful and unique the way we are. We are God's creations. He doesn't mess up. Look at all the beauty and complexity of this earth. From the complexity of an atom to the expanse of the Grand Canyon, I will repeat myself--God  doesn't make mistakes. He loves all of us for who we are, big and small. This isn't to say that we can't try to improve ourselves and be more fit. It's important that we do. But let's not compare squares and circles shall we?

I will leave you with this wonderful quote by President Uchtdorf of the Mormon faith.

Let's remember all of our good qualities and make them stronger. The Church is true!

Summa!!

Hey y'all! So I am soo sorry I haven't blogged for a while. Life has been terrible crazy, and working everyday until I am bone tired doesn't help. But I am so grateful for a job. I love it, and it really makes me a better person.

I really don't have much to say... I haven't done much besides work, soccer, and failing at a dating life. You know, the usual. But I do have to say this: Life sometimes sucks. It's like climbing a mountain. It is heck trying to get up it, but once you make it to the top, it is soo worth it. Don't dwell on how hard the climb is... think about how the climb made you better. And how it made the top that much more special. Love you all!

What you learn from working in a swamp

Apparently my last post about bananas and hair was a hit... and I am happy to report that my head didn't sustain heavy losses and is on the road to recovery from the minor ordeal. But in actuality, my hair is very little tended to lately due to one minor (ahem, more like gigantic) part of my life... 

I am working at the swamp again.

Don't get me wrong. Working at the swamp (aka North Fork) is a wonderful blessing. I get paid well and the people are wonderful. I love the environment and the people I work with, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. I am a greenhouse worker, which means I get to learn all about the wonderful species of native plants to climates like Idaho. Super DUPER interesting, huh? (I'm actually being serious here on that one.)  But while working out there, I have added a few more bits of learning to the vast expanse extremely small amount space in my memory. Here are a few things I have learned:

1. Greenhouse work isn't all frolicking in beautiful flowers and basking in the glow of the sun through the greenhouse walls. No. No no no. Green house work is lifting stuff. A lot. What lots of people don't realize is that when plants grow up, you need to replant them. And then replant again. And you know that space it left behind? You have to move everything around the greenhouse to fill it in. Sometimes that's all I do most of the day and it's real tiring. But I won't say no to buff arms will I?

2. Once upon a time I played soccer. And I would get really stiff and sore from playing soccer and doing workouts. But then I worked at North Fork, and it was then I realized that I didn't know what sore was. Sometimes you bend over to pick things up quite frequently, and you become apparent of things that get sore that you didn't know could. Like finger joints and your whole flippin' back. But you get used to it, and I'm pretty sure my back is practically a steel plate by the end of the summer. 

3. I used to think soccer tans were bad/good. Bad in that I get weird lines from socks and good that I get tan. WRONG. Working for 8 hours everyday makes you realize how utterly wrong that is. It's like the difference between watching Bambi vs Psycho. One is light and fluffy and about baby animals and the other is dark, scary, and intense. Didn't know tans could be scary? Well peeps, if you see the picture of my tan line from last summer, you would most likely scream due to the odd things blinding white and dark brown do to your eyes when seen at the same time. I'm sure it burns. But that also means you're tanner than most other people. Totes worth it. 

4. Grass is grass, right? WRONG AGAIN. If you were to walk into greenhouse 2 at work, you would encounter a sea of grass. And it is all different. There are probably 10 different kinds in there. Now take some tweezers and go weed them of invading grasses. Your eyes feel like they might go cross eyed and stay that way due to straining your little gray cells to determine if that blade of grass is really the right species. It makes me more grateful that I can actually see stuff.

5. But most importantly, I have learned that hard work is always worth it. It makes the time go faster. You feel more satisfied with what you do. Even when there seems like an endless amount of 5 gallon buckets to carry, there's always someone to talk to. 

P.S. If you want to learn more about North Fork Native Plants, look it up. These are all pictures from the website.

So, I will add my moral of the story like I usually do. Life is hard work. Some days are harder than others, but there is always someone there to help lift that DR 14 container to the next spot. There is always hope. Keep your head up. Push through it. Life isn't a punishment--it's meant to be enjoyed. It's not going to by a joy ride, but let's take time to relish in those happy moment, because that's what's most memorable. That's why life is worth it.

The banana mask of almost no return

Last night I decided that I wanted to try some sort of natural concoction on my hair to try to help it out. It's kind of brittle from all the dyeing and highlighting, so I wanted to find a natural remedy to give it some relief. I'd seen these natural "hair masks" all over Pinterest, so I as like "eh, what the heck."

 After riding the exercise bike (because I figured I as going to take a shower anyway) I found a recipe that called for one ripe banana, some honey and some olive oil.

I mashed up the banana and added the other ingredients until it was a somewhat chunky paste. I went to the bathroom and added the goop to my hair. I put a towel on it and went downstairs to finish the movie the rest of my family was watching. 

Fifty minutes later (twenty minutes longer than it was supposed to be in) I pulled off my towel and attempted to wash the banana mess out of my hair. I found quickly that this definitely was not going to be an easy task because the banana pieces were stuck in my hair and no matter how I tried to wash it out, the pieces would not leave the entanglement of my hair. Cold water, warm water, hot water (ouch), shampoo, and conditioner--none of these aided me in getting that stupid mixture out of my hair. Finally, I decided to stop washing, get out, and try to comb though it. One look at my hair after trying to dry it off a bit and I knew that unless I could get a head transplant,the only way  I was going to get rid of the pieces of banana was to shave my head and wear a wig for the rest of my life. So naturally I used the only option I had left. I called for Mom. She walked into the bathroom and took one look at my hair and just laughed. The distraught/frustrated/hopeless look on my face and my chunky hair was apparently just too much. She walked out and came back in with this bottle of conditioner and told me to put a lot on my hair and brush through it with the conditioner in and get all those wretched pieces of banana out. So I did. And it worked. No more banana and I still have 80% of my hair.

 As I was sitting in bed, I wondered what I could have learned from this, other than the obvious--don't EVER put banana in your hair, don't EVER trust the internet again (the person who posted that should have their internet privileges revoked) and Mom ALWAYS knows the answer. Then I started looking at it from a gospel standpoint. What if those chunks of banana in your hair are like your burdens and sins. No matter how you try get rid of them whether it's trying to ignore them, distract yourself from them, or forget about them, they will still be there. After trying to find multiple ways of coping on our own, we finally give up our pride and ask for some help. That help is Jesus Christ and his atonement. He is always there just waiting for us to humble ourselves and be willing to accept his sacrifice. He knows how we feel, and he is willing to lend a helping hand to "wash" away our mistakes. He loves us. Always. He will constantly be with us to "rid our hair of banana chunks" if we except him as our Savior. I know these things are true with all my heart. Jesus loves every single person out there. No matter what you've done or what "red you have in your ledger" (name that movie), He still loves you. ALWAYS.

C'est La Vie

Ah man... I haven't blogged in a while, and I don't think many read my blog anyway, but it's nice to have something to write in and pour out the secrets of your heart... Jk, but really. I haven't written forever. I got a little busy with friends and some major life changes and well, here I am.

Woah, yeah I know. I'm blond again! Yes!! Honestly, I liked my long brown hair, but deep, deep down inside I knew I was a blond at heart, and that I need to stay that way... And about the length. See, I was on Pinterest this one day and saw this picture, and I was like 'yes'.

Number one, Julianne Hough is gorgeous, so that automatically makes that hair style look good, and number two, my hair was really fried after all the dying and highlighting I had done. So that was that. I cut it all off and had it re-blonded and here I am! I love it. I really do. It's sooo easy to do and I don't have to worry about it looking scraggly or anything. Double plus.

Second of all, I was planning on going to BYU-I. Then, lo and behold, the day before my birthday as I was reading my scriptures the thought that I should stay in Provo kept popping into my head. I sat there trying to rationalize it and be like 'you are making the right decision. You already have housing in Rexburg and you should just stick with the plan', but I felt almost sick with it, and I was like, 'well, I'm pretty sure that's the spirit.' and that was that. As I was praying about BYU-I, I never felt any answer, so I thought that was my cue to make the decision. And I did. And the spirit eventually got to to me (I was probably pushing him away because I wanted to do what I wanted to do) and I changed my mind. And I feel at peace. It's amazing. I'm so excited for next year, and even though I wasted a 150 dollar deposit in Rexburg I don't regret it at all. I'm just gonna trust the Lord. 

And that's why my new motto is 'C'est la vie.' First of all it's French and I learned some in High School, and second of all, well, such is life. It's so true. I, for one am learning to let go. I thought I knew what I was doing and letting go before, but all I was doing was holding on to what was comfortable and safe. Nope. Now I am just going with the flow. I don't know how my finances will work out (I missed the application deadline due to my stupidity) but I am going to let what happen happen and do my best to work with it. It will be an adventure :)

Oh for the love of old things...

It's Monday... Oh such a fabulous Monday. Not really, but that means I'm 11 days from heading home again! Yay for Presidents' weekend. Also, I'm really excited because....

WE GOT A PICKUP TRUCK!!!

Well technically my parents got a pickup truck. But we deprived Thurston children in Provo have a Buick that is very unreliable (Poor ol' Beula...) and we needed something that can get us from Provo to Sugar City. 

And so we got a pickup truck. 

It's red. It's little. It's old. And it's stick shift. TOTES my type of car. I'm already thinking up names for him.So far I've got Benji, Calvin, Franklin, Wlibur, Gilbert, Humphrey, Percy, Louie, Walter... as you can tell I like the old fashion names. Cuz, well, he's pretty old.

Now some people may ask, why the love for old cars? I think that answer lies with my previous car. No, not our big have-a-whole-couch-to-yourself buick, 

Our (ahem, I call him mine... I loved him most) little Geo Prisim.

I got this image off of google, so ours was actually gray. But that little guy has a real story. And SO much personality. His name is Geoffrey.

Now Geoffrey is like 20 years old... And he is still going strong. Well somewhat. He shakes a little when you get above 50. Understatement. He shakes A LOT when you get above 50. He's also a manual transmission. Some of my best car memories with him are stalling in the middle of an intersection with a cement truck right behind us... Good times. Also, I think it's safe to say that he might need some plastic surgery. And some skin grafts. Oh and maybe a new eye or two. The guy has broken handles, broken cruise control, no muffler, a slipping belt, sagging ceiling, shattered overhead light, a dent and chipped paint where we hit a Saint Bernard on the Highway (long story...), missing carpet, windows that don't roll up straight, stained seats, broken air conditioning, chipping dashboard,  and missing arm rests. But the engine never stopped running. Pretty much, this car was bomb. Only worth like 50 bucks, but totally bomb. 

What happened to squealing, muffler-missing, vibrating Geoffrey? We sold him to a family that needed a car after a wreck. So he's in a good place with people who need him. I miss him terribly, and he--and all old cars--will always have a place in my heart. 

But apparently he's enjoying himself because the last I saw him was a picture of him being used as an obstacle to jump over. With skis. Definitely living life on the edge. Like usual.

So here's to another vehicle and some more adventures!