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!

Dreams

You know how from age ten you have your life totally planned out and everything is supposed to go according to that plan? Well folks, it doesn't. Ever since I was twelve, I dreamed of coming to BYU, playing on the BYU women's soccer team, dating some athlete, and getting married. I also dreamed that I would be this average height girl that had pretty long blond hair that all the guys would love. Welp, I think reality is just a little different than what I dreamt of as a kid. Right now, I'm 5' 1", I have weird curly/wavy/straight thin brown hair, and I can definitely attest that I'm not that popular among the guys. I haven't been on a date for six months. I have acne. I've never been kissed. Actually, I've never even held a guy's hand. The guy I do like isn't really interested. And I'm transferring to BYU-Idaho in the fall. There is no way I would have pictured my life as it is right now, even a year ago. But you know what? It's perfect. I wouldn't have it any other way. Well, there are things that I don't like and I wish I could change, but these trials and difficulties that I have today are going to make me so much better in the future. I know it. And I choose to look on the bright side. I'm 5' 1"? Well, that gives me a unique perspective. I have really awkward hair? Hey, at least I've got some. I've never kissed a guy? Well it's going to make it so worth it when it does happen. And I'm going to BYU-Idaho? The Lord must have something in store for me there. And even though I am giving up so much down here, I just gotta have faith.

But this in no means translates into me giving up my dreams. Because I have lived many of my dreams, and I wouldn't give those up for anything. I went to state with my soccer team junior year. I was captain senior of my team. I was MVP. I got to play with a wonderful group of friends.

 I made the Advanced Jazz Band. I learned how to play the alto saxophone.

I took AP English and Calculus. I passed both tests. I graduated as Salutatorian in my class. I got accepted with a scholarship to BYU.

I gained friends for life.

And most importantly, I gained a testimony of the gospel. That, most of all, is what I cherish most.

Dreams are important in life. Even the far-fetched crazy ones that we envision as a kid. And even if the way we plan out our life may not be how it turns out, we can always revise, rewrite, and reevaluate our dreams. If dreams didn't ever come true then there wouldn't be happy endings. If there doesn't seem to be a happily-ever-after in sight, there will be one--if we keep reaching and hoping and praying and doing. And after all, we'll come to understand hindsight is sometimes the best perspective on life because it's then we realize that those unexpected and different paths of life were in our dreams after all...

Books

I really love to read. Sometimes it's bad, because it distracts me from homework and school stuff, but I still enjoy it nonetheless! I love all sorts of books: dystopian, mystery, adventure, romance (not too mushy though), and comedies. I love me a good witty book. So,  I thought I would share some of my favorite books with all ya'll.

Ok, these are some of my all time favortites. The author is Lisa T. Bergren, and she does a wonderful job. She is very clean, and that's what I love best about these. She can incorporate a love story and an adventure without having to be yucky. I hate reading books where it has that one part that just ruins it for you, and you never pick it up again. Nope, not these. It's about two sisters who travel back to medieval Italy. Totally worth your time.

Also another of Lisa T. Bergren's is the Grand Tour Series. The first one is the only one published (second one comes out in March. AHHH!) and it is just fantabulous. This one is about a girl named Cora who is trying to find who she is, and the way she's going about that is taking the Grand Tour in Europe. She comes up on some unexpected adventures, all which keep you hooked into the story the whole time. It takes place in the 1920s (I think) and I highly recommend.





Alrighty, these next ones I have been reading since like tenth grade and there was no way I could just drop them. It's probably because I have always wanted to go to a school for genius spy girls. Yeah pretty intense.


Ally Carter is just hilarious. She so is. And she's totally relatable. Very clean and funny and full of adventure. There's only one more book left to complete the story, and although I will be sophomore in college, I'm totally looking forward to it.

And then there's the second series that Ally Carter is writing called Heist Society. This one is about teenage thieves who are stealing art work back for those who rightfully own them. Even more intense. There are two books so far:

They are about a girl named Kat who is pretty good at stealing stuff. She really wanted to get away from the family business, but got sucked back. And let me say, Ally Carter does pretty good with her male characters. You will love Hale ;) The next book comes out on Tuesday!! I am so excited.







Next one: one of my all time favorites. If you like Pride and Prejudice, then you will LLLOOOOVE Edenbrooke.

I never really saw myself liking this kind of genre, but this book has definitely changed my mind. Pretty much it's about a girl who inherits a large sum of money from her aunt and no one knows. At least she thinks no one knows. Really, I couldn't give a summary of this book without giving something away, and I definitely couldn't give it justice. Just read it. Just do it.









I really couldn't take the time to show every book I've read and loved. Here I'll just type a list:
Old Maid of Honor by Heather Horrocks
The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson
Divinely Designed by Rachel Anderson
The Princess of the Midnight Ball (and all other books she writes) by Jessica Day George
Percy Jackson and the Heroes series by Rick Riordan
Legend by Marie Lu

And really the list goes on. But let me just mention one more book. The best of all I've read and the one I've learned the most from. Read it, and I promise, it won't disappoint :)











Have a wonderful weekend!!! :)

50 questions

Well guys, it's Wednesday. Such a wonderful Wednesday. I have to keep telling myself that haha. And for this blog post, I'm gonna do a get to know you thing. Well, here goes nothing.

50 questions!!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No sir. No middle name either.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Uhhhh, last Friday I think.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Some days. I don't really care. Usually, I don't like taking the time to make it look nice.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Turkey...

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
No. And not for a while. Haha I haven't even been on a date for like six months.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Haha, um, yes??

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Never... Ok, yes.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yup. We're like best buds.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
I'd like to think I would. If I got the chance.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Cocoa puffs. Or Reeses Puffs. Or Marshmallow Mateys. Take your pick.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Nope! I usually don't wear too many things with laces...

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
For a little person? Yes. Yes I am.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Cake batter. We're in love.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Smile. I like a good smile :) and then their eyes.

15. RED OR PINK?
I guess I'd say red, definitely not pink. I'm more of a blue/gray person.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Eh, I'd say my hair. It's super thin.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My friend in Hawaii. And the one at Utah State. I don't get to see them as often as others.

18. WHAT IS THE PAUL MCKENNA TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?
I wouldn't know because I have no idea who that is. Haha!

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Brown combat boots.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A breakfast omlet: hashbrowns, eggs, cheese, and ketchup.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
I was listening to the life story of the girls down the hall. Very interesting.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Light Blue.

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
The post office. I used to walk in there just to get a wiff...

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
The stake president's secretary's answering machine...

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?
I'd say beach house. If I had the beach to myself, ha!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Basketball. Love watching basketball. They can come back really fast, and it makes things intense. Also, I wish I could actually play it besides a game of horse with my brother (I win of course.)

27. HAIR COLOR?
Carmel-ish, brown-ish, blondish. Will probably keep heading towards blond.

28. EYE COLOR?
Greenish blue. With some weird yellow around the middle.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes. I would be lost with out them. Literally, I wouldn't be able to see where I was going.

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Chinese. But I'm starting to lean towards Italian.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings! I hate scary.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. Extended version.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Blackish gray.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer. But I don't like really hot. It kills me. So let's say spring-ish summer or fallish summer.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Uh, seeing as I haven't ever been kissed, I wouldn't know.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Frozen yogurt. Cake batter. With brownies. And fudge.

37. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?
Cardio. Run, run, run.

38. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?
Um, I'd say computer. Not too much of a TV watcher. I only watch movies and sports on TV.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
I should be reading my nutrition textbook, but the last one I read was called Old Maid of Honor. Oh and the Book of Mormon. That's too important to forget :)

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Don't have one!

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
I love the sound of rain when going to sleep.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles. But I haven't listened much to either.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
I've been to Hawaii, and I've been to New York. I'm guessing Hawaii is farther haha.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Um... I'm a pretty good listener. And empathizer.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Rexburg, ID

47. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?
Provo, UT

48. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?
My apartment complex is made of brick.

49. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?
I don't have one now (haha see my second to last post) but it was red. But I miss by gray geo. It was the best. Stick shift baby!

50. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 50 QUESTIONS?

Wasn't too bad :)

Well I hope you got to know me a little better :) Have a wondrous Wednesday! Eat your friuts and veggies.

A day in the life of an introvert.

All right. Let’s clear some stuff up first. An introvert is not someone who doesn’t like being social. An introvert is not someone who doesn’t like to talk. AND in case you didn’t know, an introvert is not a hermit who hides in a cave and is afraid of light. Thought I’d just throw that last one in there.

So. Hi, my name is Kristina, and I am an introvert… Glad I could get that off my chest (Name that movie!). Now let me just say, introversion isn’t a bad thing. It’s just how I am. Dictionary.com defines introvert as someone who is shy. But what I learned in my Family Processes class was that introverts are people who like solitude (running, reading a book, taking a shower) instead of socializing to recharge. Most people think that introversion is not being social or never talking. Not true. But sometimes it means you keep some things to yourself that some people don’t. I still love to visit with others and get to know others like anyone else. So I thought I’d share some insight on how it feels for me (not necessarily others) to be an introvert.

Pros and cons of being an introvert (+being a girl):

-You don’t tell people your real feelings very often. You can talk to anyone, but putting yourself out there is kinda hard.

-For me, this makes me really loyal. As in, if I tell someone how I really feel, it shows you how much I trust them.

-You make friends easy enough. It’s just hard to make best friends easy enough.

-If you like a boy, you never tell him. Or anyone.

-Also, it’s hard to flirt. For some reason you don’t want him to know you like him. Act normal. Which really doesn’t make any sense once I think about it…

-It is so hard to talk to the boy face to face. It usually comes out as, “Hey, you did good.” “Thanks.” End of conversation.

-When you do actually say something or text him and he answers, you want to skip around and do laps around your house or something.

-When he doesn’t answer back, you think, “I’m an idiot. *echo* You’re an idiot.” Like from How the Grinch Stole Christmas

-You over analyze. A lot.

-If I smile at you, that’s a good sign. A really good sign.

-You know that one comment that totally would have made the conversation and everyone would have laughed and thought you were witty? Ya, you don’t say it. *Palm to the face*

-You are probably really hilarious. Just no one knows it.

-Boys usually go for the extroverted, friendly girls. And when a boy does like you, he usually stops cuz he thinks you’re indifferent.

-This can be nice when you’re trying to get rid of a guy…

-The center of attention is not the place for you.

-This means you’re pretty good at people watching.  

-And this makes you really good at reading into people’s emotions and actions.

-That makes people ask you for advice a lot. “You know how that feels?” Yeah…

-You’re a really nice, friendly person, but not everyone knows this. I promise I don’t think I’m too good to talk to you, it’s just cuz I’m a little bit shy.

Well I hope you enjoyed this little insight on what it feels for me to be an introvert! Some of it is being an introvert, some of it being a girl, and some of it just me. And even though sometimes it is hard, it is for anyone, and we just have to push through it. Everyone has their own challenges. We are all unique, and whoever you are, you are just perfect the way you are. Come back for more soon!

A broken car, a short night, and a train ride

First of all, let me start out by saying that I had a wonderful weekend. On Friday after getting home, I went and played soccer with some pretty awesome friends. Then, I woke up Saturday morning with my brother Stephen telling me to get up so we could go play in a futsol tournament at BYU-I. That was so much fun, even if we didn't get that far in the tournament. We played two games to determine our seeding in the tourney (we lost one, and then won one), and then after getting our seed, we played our first game and won! It was pretty exciting seeing that the team was thrown together the night before.There were some amazing players on the team, so I didn't feel like I did a lot, but it was great to be a part of. We lost our next game to the team that won it all, and we only lost by one! So that was pretty neat. The rest of Saturday was pretty chill, and on Sunday my brother and I went to our home ward to listen to a farewell of a good friend of ours. After church and an amazing dinner (homemade lasagna really hits the spot) we (Stephen, my roommate, and I) headed out. This is where stuff gets interesting.

So Stephen and I talked most of the time while Kacy napped in the back.

(Stephen in all his cool-ness. Aka, he has some sweet shades)

After passing Pocatello, our conversation kind of died. I decided to do some stuff on my laptop and Kacy... I have no idea what she was doing. Anyway, the farther we headed down the road, the worse the roads got. Stephen went to pass someone, and of course slush was kicked up all over the place from crossing over the dotted line, and a few minutes later Stephen noticed our once three-quarter full tank was now at empty. After Stephen vocalized this, we all kinda looked at each other and were like Oh crap. We debated for a bit, wondering whether to try and make it to Tremonton (we were just over the border), but the needle continued to drop lower. We pulled off the freeway into a middle of no where (literally, I don't think there was even a name for it) and Stephen hopped out to check under the car. At this point, the smell of gas was pretty strong, so we knew it wasn't just the gauge that was broken. We drove back on the freeway and were only going around 40 mph due to the road conditions, so we knew there was no way we would make it to Tremonton. We had to find a gas station as soon as possible. And we did. In Plymouth, Utah. We had just gone under the over pass on our way to the Sinclair just off the I-15 and the car just stopped. Great. So we attempted to push it. This was pretty much how it went:

For some reason, I found it quite hilarious. Either the fact that we were so close to the gas station and there was no way we were going to make it, or because Stephen wanted to wring my neck. Both were pretty comical. 

Any way, we eventually gave up because we kept losing our footing, and man it was cold. And snowing, which definitely didn't help. Stephen ran to the gas station and was able to borrow a 2 gallon gas container from a nice trucker guy, and we got enough gas in there to get it started and to the gas station. While Stephen called Mom, who was doing her duty and being extremely worried, I filled up the tank with about 4 more gallons. We were hoping to attempt to gas station hop our way back to Provo, but we soon found out that wasn't going to work. Stephen started the car and checked underneath and look what surprise we found!

I don't know if you can tell, but that is a very large puddle of gas. Bad news: Beula popped an artery. More bad news: no one around was a cardiologist, so we resorted to trying to find a ride back to Provo. Luckily, we had a cousin who lived in Logan who was oh-so-kind to come and pick us up. Meanwhile, we had to wait inside the gas station for about two hours. Let the waiting begin.

So that's my roommate. You see those shoes? Ya those are Stephen's. Kacy only had some flats and Stephen who had like three pairs of shoes (he's such a girl... haha) lent her his. They look pretty funny, but hey they worked. And I think Kacy became kinda partial to them. Second thing about this picture. What she's doing... she's looking at her phone, which is plugged into the wall by that pop machine. And the process to find that outlet, at least for me, was a little embarrassing. So we looked around Subway thinking that they would have an outlet that we could plug our phones into. Nope. Nothing that we could see at least. And then I got this brilliant idea to look behind that big cupboard thing and, wouldn't you know it, there was an outlet behind there. The problem was plugging it in. This definitely wasn't one of my finest moments, but I tried to squeeze behind that pop cupboard and plug it in. I was to determined to get that thing in the wall because I was so close. And the result was me almost getting my head stuck back there while my legs were flailing trying to get traction on the ground. This was when a wonderful employee came by and noticed my distress and allowed Kacy to use an outlet in the office. I got unstuck and to my distaste, Stephen had video taped all of that. Well that's just great. I guess if you really wanna see it, you can ask him. But we found an outlet a little later. Right on top of the cupboard. My attempt was in vain, but hey, I guess I provided for some good entertainment! :)

 It was starting to get pretty late, and the condition of the roads was pretty bad, so after making some calls we arranged to stay at my other cousin's house near Ogden. My first cousin finally got there and we headed out. At this point, I need to express my gratitude for my cousins. They were really wonderful to get us out of that bind and go out of their way to taxi us, feed us, and house us. We would still be at a little gas station in the middle of no where if it wasn't for them. 

That night we decided to take the Frontrunner from Salt Lake where my cousin-in-law worked to Orem where my cousin could pick us up. That would mean getting up at 5:30 in the morning. Ew. Definitely not a morning person. Anyway, after having a fun night with the cousins, we went to bed. We hitched a ride to Salt Lake, which took longer than expected because of the road conditions, and were dropped off at the UTA station. 

At this point I felt like a homeless person. We had our bags thrown on the bench, and we were all huddled around this tall, lamp-post-heater thing. It was like sitting around, having a causal conversation around a fire in a garbage can. Yup, definitely felt homeless. Anywho, we waited around for almost an hour (because our train was delayed. Of course.) and finally boarded around 8:20. The trip took about an hour because of all the stops on the way. Thankfully, we got picked up around 9:20 by another oh-so-wonderful cousin and were dropped off at our apartments. I then had to leave for class 40 minutes later, and, well, here I am! This over here --> is some cool drawing that was drawn on the glass of the canopy thingy. I thought it was pretty great and should be shared haha :)

Well, that was my adventure. I'm really tired, and kinda sore but hey, it could have been waaaay worse. And the experience really wasn't that bad. I never got anxious or worried; to be honest, I was pretty calm the entire time. Sometimes even laughing :) I feel so blessed. Really. The car could have stopped while on the freeway, and that would have been a whole different predicament. And the gas leak could have been elsewhere and started a fire, and I might not be here right now. So I am extremely grateful for the safety and protection God has granted me. I have amazing friends and family who love me, and were there every step of the way. And to look at the bright side, I got to ride a really fast train :)

Wanderlust

 Yeah. I'm one of those. I mean, who isn't right?? I really really really want to travel. Like more than I want some BYU creamery ice cream (that's saying a lot). I have always loved learning the history of other countries. Every country has their own unique story, and I just want to read all of them. Doing it of my own free will and not being tested on it would also be nice. There are so many places I want to go, and these are some of them on my bucket list:

The Thames and London Bridge

The cliffs of Ireland

Ride a Gondola in Venice

Visit the Parthenon in Greece

See the Tulips and Windmills of Holland

Go swimming in Spain

See the lights of Paris

And really, the list goes on. I would love to visit these places someday. Maybe with friends, maybe with my future husband, maybe just by myself. It's amazing how beautiful and diverse this world is. There is so much to see and so much to learn. But even after the many exotic and exciting places that I want to experience, it always feels good to be home, ya know? This is where I grew up. This is where my whole life has been up 'til this last year. And you know what? I miss it. A lot. And even though there are lots of more interesting place outside the little bubble of Sugar City, I will always cherish this as my home.

And the view's not too shabby :)

And look what Facebook led me to...

I got on Facebook today. Like usual. And while I was looking around (*cough* stalking) it made me realize how blessed I am. Really, I know I say that in like every post, but I am. I have these wonderful friends, awesome roommates, a warm apartment, an education, enough food to satisfy my ever hungry stomach... but most of all I have the Gospel. It is so wonderful. And what I am most grateful for is the comfort and knowledge that it brings into my life. Like the knowledge that no matter what happens, it's gonna work out. If I don't get that application done, it's gonna work out. If my laptop crashes and doesn't save that paper I've been working on for five hours, it's gonna work out.

If I trip and fall down these stairs on the way to class and break every bone in my body... hey, it's gonna work out. If that one guy doesn't ask me out... then he's stupid, but it's still gonna work out. If I lose my signature card while walking home, well it totally did work out. And if that one decision that could change my life is just nagging and hanging out in my head distracting me from all else, just keep praying and He's gonna help me work it out :)

I guess ya'll can see where I'm going with this. God has a plan for all of us... But we don't always understand that plan. We're kind of incapable of that, at least right now. I've always been a stubborn person, and I am not always willing to let go. We like to call it the Burg-Woman Syndrome in our family.

For example: If my brother tells me that I should wear shoes instead of slippers while it's snowing... then no, I'm going to keep on wearing those slippers cuz I want to, even if my toes are icicles and may have to be amputated later on. If I missed that PK during a soccer game, then I am going to practice for hours and hours to get it right even if I never get a chance to take one again. So as you can tell, I don't like being wrong and I don't like letting go. But I have to. That's what I've learned from this gospel, and especially what I've learned from being on my own. It's not all about me. What it's really about is doing the dishes for your roommate, babysitting your cousin's kitten, letting your brother use the washer first, being a listener, going easy on that one kid in soccer, giving up that one argument, listening to that still, small voice... Humility. Meekness. Charity. Forgiveness. Love. Trust.

 "Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask and ye shall recieve; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." 

Doctrine and Covenants 4:6

God loves us. He wants the best for us. All we have to do is look outside ourselves and be a little humble, and He will answer any prayer we send His way. It may not be the answer we want, but that's when we have to let go and just trust. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Even though I think I know a lot, well, he knows more. Infinitely more. He's there, always waiting, always there to help it "work out." All we have to do is just knock...

Crazy Weekend.

Can I just say, I love my family? They are the best. This weekend my parents and two brothers came down to visit me. Well, technically they came down to move my brother in to Grandma's and watch Phantom of the Opera. But I'd like to think it was for me :) 

And speaking of the Phantom of the Opera.... It was A-MAZING! This guy named Preston played the Phantom and his voice was gorgeous! I wouldn't mind having a man like that to sing to me. Like all the time. So we went in the auditorium, and don't get me wrong, I loved the whole thing, but when that organ started playing and the lights went all strobe-y and the fog machine started up I got the chills. Like majorly. It was SO cool. Definitely recommended, although it will be hard to get tickets, they are sold out until the show ends in February. Darn :/

So I have read some blogs and they do all these cutesy things like "letters on Friday" and "you know you live in..." stuff and well, I wanna jump on the bandwagon. But instead of every Friday, I'll do it every Wednesday. Just to spice things up. So here goes nothing!

Dear Kindle,

We've been seeing each other for a while and I think it's time to take have a DTR...

I wanna break up. 

Love,

Homework stricken 

Dear Lemon/Egg white Mask,

You're like using Botox. I can't show emotion for another hour and a half.

Thankfully,

My Clearer skin

Dear Snap chat,

You are the best thing ever invented. Thanks for not showing my face for more than five seconds.

Fondly,

Kristina

Dear Homeboy,

You're totally are stuck in my head. Get out! 

Questioning my preferences,

Kristina

Dear JFSB basement,
You are my dungeon. Not only because I get no cell phone service, I am also trapped down there for 5 hours. Without food. DEATH.
Thanks but no thanks,
My grumbling stomach

Dear Open Major,
I think I finally solved your mystery. Totally pulled a Sherlock Holmes on you.
Triumphantly, 
A future teacher

Dear Sugar City,
This long distance relationship isn't working out. Let's get together ya?
Lovingly,
I'll see you this weekend

And lastly

Dear Application Status,

Stop using red and saying required. It's stressing me out.

Sincerely,

Kristina

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Reminiscing.

Yesterday night after our 11 o'clock cleaning check (yes I was wrong) I sat around with my roommates messing around and surfing the internet (more like the usual Facebook stalking). I came upon some graduation pictures while looking on my laptop. So as a result, I went and looked at all my old pictures. And I came up with this conclusion: I am enormously lucky. I lived in a wonderful town with amazing friends and some fantastic memories.

From soccer and homecoming queen to graduation and dyeing my hair brown, I have some pretty stellar experiences. Now that I've been in college for over a semester and was forced to grow up, I look back with a new perspective. One that's grateful for all I've experienced, good and bad. Those high school times are past and gone--I've learned a lot from them. And now it's time for some new friends, a new place, and new memories. It's time to look towards others instead of me, time to mature and grow. And let me tell ya, I am grateful for this opportunity, even if it makes me uncomfortable. Like the quote from H. Stanley Judd, "Don't be afraid to fail. Don't waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It's okay to fail. If you're not failing, you're not growing." So let's go fail some more, shall we? :)

Happy-ness

Yesterday I got to talk to one of my best friends who is at BYU-H. I know right? She was sitting outside her dorm and it looked all sunny and what not... I was totally jealous, but in a good way. We talked for like 2 1/2 hours. Conversations with that girl never get old :) I was also snap chatting with my other friend all day yesterday (we can be pretty creative) and I just loved it. I think that's why I'm in such a good mood today.

Wow. I have got it so good. I am blessed like none other. I have beautiful friends who love me. I've got an awesome family who supports me. And even when we are all hundreds of miles apart, we still find out how to have bucket loads of fun. 

Days like today would normally be the epitome of ugh. Really. I have many assignments due over the weekend, a cleaning check at 8, and a soccer game at 9, so naturally at this point I would want to lay on the ground and moan. I can't do that because 1) I'm in the library so someone would probably think I'm dead and call an ambulance and 2) there's a really cute guy in the seat next to me. So that wouldn't have worked anyway, but today I'm really loving life so there's no use for a moaning-in-self-pity session. They're never really satisfactory in the end regardless.

So. I'll go to my family processes class, walk home, clean as fast as possible, hopefully pass the check, play some soccer, do some homework, and go to bed. Yup. Sounds like a plan. So here's to being happy! I would totally recommend it, along with using a credit card to get off hard water spots. Totally works.