Christmas Eve

I love Christmas Traditions.

My family and I have a few.

Nothing too elaborate or out of the ordinary.

But nonetheless, so special to me...

Here are a few that we share:

-We order Chinese take-out on Christmas Eve.

-Each of us are given a distinct wrapping from the "Santa", on Christmas morning, we are told our wrapping.

-My dad always makes a fire Christmas morning.

-My siblings and I always go up during the night and see our stockings laid across the couches. Usually we would have a few gifts unwrapped next to them, like blankets, etc.

-We open one gift at a time, Youngest to Oldest. Usually.

-A BIG Breakfast on Christmas morning.

-We watch Mr. Krugers Christmas and watch the Nativity.

-We always read the birth of Christ with our family.

-Take a drive around the neighborhood, temple square, or other various light shows.

Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!

Missionaries.

 (Jake in Chile)

My good friend Charlie got his mission call tonight.
He's going to Portugal!!
I am so excited for him.

He will do so well.
I am so grateful for friends, family, siblings, anyone for that matter that choose to serve full time missions for our Savior.

I hope to one day serve a mission and help those find their way back.

Annual bingo with the Hillman side.
Farewell talk from Adam.
Great food.
Hot tub time with the sisters.
Giving gifts.
Receiving gifts.
Spending time with family.


Now, that's what I'm talking about.

Home

Finals are done.
Projects are completed.
Semester 3 is finished.
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees.

I got home last night and I can't be more grateful for the time off.

Today....
I got to sleep in my big bed. Gosh I miss that beaut.
I did whatever I wanted when I wanted.
I made cabbage salad.
I caught up on all my laundry.
I took my dog on a walk.
I watched too much LOST.

This is the life.

Freshman Vs. Sophomore.

With it being Finals Week, I reflected back to my Finals last year and my Freshman year, here are most of the things I could think of about Freshman Year....

Freshman Year Re-Cap:

Went to an 80's dance.
Went on an Area Govt. retreat at Bear Lake.
Aggie Basketball.
Cleaned the sink. Too much.
Made a birthday cake for Coonen.
Did a door decorating contest.
Did facials. Twice.
Went to Festival of Colors.
Built a temple out of snow for FHE.
Aggie Football.
Gave blood.
Trevor game me Henna.
Aggie Hockey.
Went to the HOWL.
Went Ice blocking.
Went to the Institute Ice Skating Social.
Went to Institute dances.
Went to a Jazz Game.
Went to John Shmidt, Kalai., Mindy Gledhill, Red Jumpsuit, Sean Kingston and We The Kings.
Went Mountain Biking.
Went to a piano concert.
Danced in the Rain.
Went sledding down old main.
Volunteered for Spec. Needs Institute.
Splatter Painted shirts.
Went to Cali for Spring Break.
Went to Towers of Terror (Home-style).
Went to a fireside with Elder Ballard speaking.
Wrote a pen-pal with a terminal disease.
Went to Temple Square.
Went to the Riverwoods.
Discovered Spoon Me.


Now onto Sophomore Year...

Volunteered at a carnival.
Went on a Night Hike.
Went to Temple Square.
Witnessed Pig Wrestling.
Carved an aggie in my pumpkin.
Went on a Pumpkin Walk,
Had Pupusa's.
Went to a bonfire.
Went Ice skating.

I know, its ridiculous.
My fun level needs to kick back into gear.

3rd Floor

I love...

going to the library and expecting it to be a long  boring night full of studying..

and going to my favorite spot. (3rd  floor)

but then end up seeing a cute guy in one of my classes & almost having the courage to talk to him. :)

That's what I like.

That place with sweaty people.

After not being able to work out for over a month, due to my shoulder and ankle....

I was able to do a short work out on the bike today at the fieldhouse.

It felt so good.
I miss working out and feeling good about my body.

My ankle hurt after, but it's healing.
Slowly.

Thank goodness for the power of the human body to heal itself.

 

One of the many reasons why respect Adele.

life is beautiful.

learning about other countries and cultures is awesome.

catching up with friends is wonderful.

loving where i'm at with people is great too.

tiny house open house

grateful that tiny house is over.
grateful for roommates & friends & cousin & brother & mamma that came to support me at my open house tonight.
grateful for uplifting compliments from my professors.
grateful for life, itself.


here are a few pictures from my exhibit tonight:

kenna, katie and hope

Update.

Great News.
Tiny House is DONE.
What a crazy adventure it was.
But, I learned I can do hard things, I can be pushed to my limits and I can be successful.


My brother, Jake returned from his LDS Mission in Chile last Wednesday.
The airport was full of joy.
I am so grateful he is home.

Jake

is coming home today.
T-2.5 hours.

27 hours

until..........


JAKE IS HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I may or may not be freaking out.
Leaning more towards freaking out...

Thanks

Thanks for Sunday Dinners at Nic's. Home cooked meals are amazing.

Thanks to my roommates who are so understanding and willing to help with anything.

Thanks for the Gospel that helps me so much every day.

Thanks for my mom for calling just when I needed to break down and cry.

Thanks for the friend who said he reads my blog and thinks I write well.

Thanks to the Holy Ghost who is there for me and helps me stay in tune with the Spirit.

Thanks to the girl that said she loved my Boots.

Thanks to you fellow blog readers, who care about what I say.

The Holy Ghost

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost in my life.

There are so many blessing that come from the companionship of the Holy Ghost in my life.
He has been a comforter, a decipher of what is right & wrong, a reminder and a friend.

He has been there for me for making difficult decisions, studying for exams, what to say to my friends, inspirations to do service and so many more.

I honestly don't know where I would be without the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

I'm currently reading a book called, "Whisperings of the Spirit," by Nancy Murphy.
I recommend it to all.
Especially those that want to better understand the Holy Ghost in your everyday life.
It outlines, personal promptings, living by the whisperings of the spirit and...
Who He is.
Why we need Him.
How we can hear Him.
How we must respond to Him.
How we must write his words.
How we must respond.
How He speaks to us.
His influence will bless us.

A few things that have stood out to me....

"Repentance, forgiveness, and sanctification would be impossible to achieve, without the Holy Ghost."

"The power of the Priesthood would not exist fro the power of God is communicated through the Holy Ghost."

"It is the Holy Ghost-that can touch us all simultaneously and inspire many hearts at once. We do not know just how He accomplishes such a task, but therein lies the manifestation of his Godhead."

catching up

i got to catch up with betsy and brianna tonight.
it was sooooooooooo needed.
i was able to get everything off my mind and get their opinions and views.
so great.
so helpful.

friends and laughing is by far the best medicine.
i'm glad i took the night off from tiny house and chilled.

Tiny House

Lately, life has been a little rough.
My confidence was lightly shattered.
But I also received a great compliment.

My mom is always one that reminds me of how great I am.
How much potential I have.
How far I have come.
How great of a daughter I am.
She seems to always be there when I need her most.

I'm feeling much better today.
I can do this.

baggy USU hoodie.
baggy sweats.
Pandora blazing.
Call from home.
Lots of Oreos.
Loads of Tiny House.


It's gonna be okay.
:)

Not the best week.

I'm sorry, but today's a little on the negative side..
Okay, a lot on the negative side.


I bombed my History Test. I've never felt so unprepared for a test in my life. Suck.

My Tiny House is driving my insane! I have so much to do.

Jake will be home in a week from tomorrow. I had planned on T-break being all about the fam and celebrating Jake being home...but I am afraid it might just be dedicated to Tiny House.

I never have time to do what I want anymore. I barely got a run in yesterday. I want to have time to sketch, watch t.v., hang out with friends and just relax.

I don't get enough sleep. I'm definitely feeling it too.

The right thing is sometimes the hardest thing to do.

The right thing is sometimes the hardest thing to do.
Sometimes my heart and mind don't line up.
Sometimes, I have to just suck it up and know it's better in the end.


“In dating, making a wrong choice early may limit making the right choice later.” -James E. Faust

To read more about the views of the LDS church on dating.....http://lds.org/new-era/2010/04/advice-to-young-women-on-dating?lang=eng

hello world

it's been about a week since i blogged.
my apologies.

it's a friday night in logan.
aggie vs byu basketball tonight.
no, i'm not there.
i'm at my apartment working on the biggest project of my life.
eating pasta.
nice, right?

also, jake will be home in 11 days.
but that also means i need my project done before that.

11 days til the airport.
11 days to be done with tiny house.

on a side note, i love love love taylor swift.
calling home makes me feel soo good.
roommate prayer is amazing.
going to institute is so uplifting and peaceful.

ta-ta.

Gotta love my Dad

I talked to Dad on the phone yesterday.
For a half hour.
One of the best phone conversations I've had with him.
We talked about everything....each of my classes, boys, my ward, church calling, roommates and life in general.
I love talking with him.
He is so level-headed and logical.

I miss him.
See you in a few weeks.
XOXO.

Seeing people in love takes my breath away.
Every time.

You have so much worth

In Institute today, I learned about the worth of souls.

God himself said, "WE are the reason he created the Universe."

Here are a few parts of Dieter F. Uchdorf''s October 2011 talk: 

The Lord uses a scale very different from the world's to weigh the worth of a soul.

The Lord doesn't care at all if we are to spend our days working in marble halls or stable stalls. He knows where we are, no matter our circumstances.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is so important that each of us know how important we are to our Heavenly Father.

He loves us so much He let his Son, Jesus Christ to sacrifice himself for all of our sins.

He loves us so much that we are able to repent of our sins and have Eternal life.

He loves us so much that he gave us this beautiful Earth to live on.

I can't help but feel my Savior's love as I just even walk around campus.

The gorgeous trees, leaves falling and cool crisp air are just a few of God's creations for us.

The friends He has put in my life--to help build me up and make me a better person.

The people He has put in my life--that tests my faith and teaches me to stay away from temptations and Evil.

The parents He has given me to teach me how to be the best person I can be.

The family He has given me to laugh with, go to for advice and have great memories with.

and most importantly, his son, Jesus Christ.

Picture Via The Osborne's Free art

The Bro

It's the little things that brighten my day.
I messaged with the Bro today. He is coming home from an LDS mission in less than 3 weeks.
It was such a surprise and little pick-me-up to have a short conversation with him.
I sure love that kid.
20 days and counting.

It's a bun kind of day.

I didn't feel like doing my hair today.
That's alright though.

I went to bed super early last night.
I was beat.

Today, I'll be spending all day on campus.
Wish me luck.

I'm blessed

Happy Sabbath!

Last night and this afternoon was stake conference. <3

What amazing opportunities they were. I just wanted to share a few things that stood out to me.

*Satan likes us to feel doubt. He can confuse us when we feel fear. 
I completely agree with this statement. Where there is fear, there is no faith. When I have been put in situations that make me doubt what I've been taught or feel fear, I have to remember that I need to have Faith that the things that I've been taught and the experiences that I have had are true. It think we also need to reach out to those that have had their Faith weaken and remember that they can come back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

*The Holy Ghost can help you speak beyond your natural ability.


*Don't go anywhere that would offend the Holy Ghost inside of you.

*Choose your love and love your choice.

*"People change, every day." -President Monson
I think as members of the church, we are often some of the most judgemental people. I am not meaning this to be a generalization though. But I think that each of us need to be accepting of everyone and understand where people are coming from.

Looking at a planet through a telescope is amazing.
Try it sometime.

Something to think about...

A great experience

A lot of the time, I pray to have experiences that humble me or let me serve others.
Today, I was able to have one.

This afternoon, I was working on homework when someone knocked at the door.
This girl, who had come by my apartment before, came for a visit.
I have met her twice and I don't even know her name.
I invited her in and we got talking.

I asked her to share her life with me.

She talked about her learning disabilites, her family situation and her trials.
It kinda broke my heart. To be honest.

Even though, I lost some time for my homework, she made my day.
She taught me.
She taught me to be grateful for where I am, who I am and what I've been blessed with.

Thanks to heaven above for blessing me with experiences that help me become better every day.
Thank you, dear friend for giving me a little 'pick-me-up.'

200th Post

2-0-0th

post.

Be excited.

I am.

I like.

I like...

to witness Pig wrestling.
homemade Mexican food.
Institute.
Doritos.
When Steve likes my house.
Sleep.
Talking to my mom.

I gotta admit...

I ate a brownie for breakfast.

I am so sick of school.

I love roommate prayer.

I miss Sunday walks in the canyon with my family.

I'm a big fan of dressing up.

I want to run a marathon.

Facebook Relationships are a joke.

I cannot wait to see my brother in 29 days.

I missed home, a lot.

Orem

is Home.
I'm thankful to be here.

Sometimes....

Sometimes...
I blog at 12:38 in the morning.

Sometimes...
I don't know what to do.
and all I can do is pray for the strength and courage that it'll work out.

Sometimes...
I'm thrown into situations that I didn't even know was 'dramatic' or 'bad."

Sometimes...
I just wanna do what I wanna do and not worry about what others feel.
but I don't want anyone upset or hurt.

Sometimes...
I feel like I want to break down and cry my eyes out.

Brianna

Brianna.
This post is dedicated to you.

I think you rank up with some of the most genuine, caring people I have ever met.
You care about others. Sincerely care.
You take time to talk with me.
You have trials, we all do, but you're strong during them and you always get through them.
You are a strong believer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and you're open about it.
You understand people and are always willing to help.
Thanks for being there for me.
You are one of my best friends.

Just thought you should know.

ten happy things

1. hot cocoa
2. comfy cardigans
3. clean apartment
4. scripture reading
5. taking chances
6. finger painting with roommates
7. talking to brianna <3
8. calling home
9. love
10. smiling

image via chocolate editor

good life.

oh hey.
it's been awhile.

here's a few updates on my past week.

finished my study model for my tiny house project! holla!
went on an awesome date and had a blast.

got to see bekka.
did some henna.
awesome ward conference.
helped out a friend.
had my first monster. first and last. haha.

 

hung out with my roommates.

called home.
got a hilarious text from my uncle.
took the love language test.
& lots of laughs.

Thoughts stirring inside my Soul

I haven't blogged in awhile.
I've thought about blogging quite a bit lately.
But I can't piece all my thoughts together.

I feel like there's always a lot on my mind.
Not necessarily distraught or bad things though.

I've thought a lot about...
My brother coming home. How unreal it seems. How much I've missed him. How proud I am of him.

Where I'm at in life right now. Up at USU. Majoring in Interior Design. Trying to be an example of my faith. The great relationships I have with people. How much I miss having my family close by.

How bad I need to get back into running. I went on an amazing 5-miler last week and I loved it. So painful but so great. 

Satan knows where I'm weak.

but so does God and I have begun to rely on him a lot more.

That I can be confident without having a boyfriend. I feel like so many girls' happiness relies on the male specimen. Haha.

So incredibly grateful for my roommates---Katie, Kailey and Hope. They are such amazing girls. I love spending time with them. I love my girls that live next door too, Aubree, Kenna, Lisha and Lauren--they are awesome.


I've set a few goals for myself this week.
Pray more.
Watch my words more carefully. Less sarcasm.
Run, a lot.
Make my scripture reading more meaningful.
Smile more.
Be more outgoing.

A little bit of scripture reading, goes a long way.

Tiny House has started.
I got realllllly frustrated last night.
My floor plan and sq. footage wasn't working out.
I stopped what I was doing and opened my scriptures and turned on some church music.
I jumped back into my assignment and things came together.
God knows when we're struggling and he is continually trying to talk with us.

I have realized I need to stay in tune with the Spirit as much as I can throughout the day.
Whether it's kicking up my scripture reading multiple times a day, doing some good ol service & prayin hard.
I need God to help and inspire me.
Putting God first, is essential.

Here's to a great project with some help from above!

Happy B. Katie

Here's a...

Shout out to my girl Katie Swain.

She turned a spankin' 19 years old today.

We kicked off her day by singing to her around 7 this morning. 

Kenna and Aubree made her this epic cake.

Is it me or is this not the cutest cake you've ever seen?

  and we took her to Olive Garden. As you can tell she was pretty surprised.

It was so great.

Lots of fun memories.

Making fools of ourselves.

Tons of laughs.

Awesome friends.

Good good times.

Some great things about this chicka:

She has awesome style. She wears whatever she wants and works it like a worker.

She is very spiritual. She loves God and is comfortable sharing her views and testimony.

She is beautiful.

She is super smart. 

She is a great listener. We have talks every night. Great advice always.

She has always been there for me. We've been through so many things together.

She is my roommate.

Be jealous.

Tender Mercies.

This past week, God has blessed me with tender mercies.
Today, I was able to be a tender mercy to another.

On my way back from class today, I came across a woman who was blind walking around campus.
As I passed by her, I heard her whisper, "Where is that bench? I thought it was close by?"
My immediate thought was, keep walking she'll find it.
Or she may feel embarrased if I ask if she needs help. You know those people that don't like to be helped?

Anyways.
I walked a little farther away and something inside of me  clicked and turned to her and said, "Can I help you find anything?"

She sounded surprised. I told her to take my hand and I would guide her to the closest bench.
She plopped down as soon as her guiding stick hit the bench.
She gave a sigh of relief. She said her legs had been really sore and she really needed to rest them.
She thanked me graciously.
A huge smile came across my face.
I responded, "Anytime, have a good day."

I didn't blog this as a "Go Lauren, you're so great!" or "Wow, brag much?"
I just wanted to share it because I was grateful for the opportunity.

If the Savior was here, he would have done the same. I hope to be blessed with more opportunities to give a tender mercy to someone in need.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Here we go!

In 8 weeks...

my Tiny House Project will be due
and
Jake will be home!

Bring it.

thank you.

God blesses us with tender mercies every day.
Often times he does it through people.
Here are a few...


to the girl that commented on the top i was wearing as i was walking home from class yesterday.
to the girl that cracked a joke with me while i was walking down the hill to my apartment.

for my roommate katie who cleaned our apartment today so we can feel the spirit better.
for mckenna for telling me that i'm beautiful.
for jordan driving me home, so i didn't have to walk home alone in the dark.
for my dad calling me to see how i was doing.

Happy Birthday, Jake!

Happy Birthday, brother!

 It's brother Jake's birthday today.

He is currently finishing up an LDS mission in the Chile.

He will be home in 59 days, roughly 8 and a half weeks.

I seriously cannot wait.

For those of you that have had siblings leave on missions, I'm sure you know how exciting this is.

I'd like to just share a few things that I love about him:

He has always been an example to me. In every way.

His love for the Lord is so powerful, that he was willing to leave his family to serve Him.

He is amazing with computers. No lie.

He is a great member of the LDS Faith, even before he chose to serve a mission. He has always taken his callings, church meetings, etc. very seriously.

He is a celebrity with all the old people in my ward. This is no joke. They all love him. Jake is amazing with elderly people and is constantly visiting them, serving them or just talking to them at church.

He has a way of being strong when it seems impossible.

He gives great advice, even though he is more than 5,750 miles away from me.

He reminds me of my dad, which is a huge honor. He is loyal, service oriented, kind and loving.

He is my brother. :)

Swimming

is my release.
I went today.
It made my day.
Best feeling ever.

Creeper Week, here's the deal

So if you have been Facebook stalking me lately,
you would know that it's Creeper Week this week.

First off, this is not a National Holiday or even a recognized holiday.
I made it up, last year.
As an excuse to talk to a guy I had been crushing on.
We got started talking about being creepy, stalking one another, etc.
I then created "Creeper Week," as an excuse to keep tabs on him, ish.
Quite ridiculous right?
Oh well.
We always do ridiculous things when it comes to love hormones.
Right?

Gratitude

  I am grateful for...

Church

My family

Trials

Fasting

Great roommates

Sweet notes from friends

&

Especially these girls...

Kailey & Katie

Aubree, Katie, Kailey & Lisha

Dad

Yesterday, was my Dad's birthday.

He's the kind of man, that I would love to marry someone just like him.
 
He loves my mom. He is always looking for ways to serve her, tell her he loves her and is a listening ear for her.

He loves his children and tells us that daily.

He loves our Savior and makes sure that as a family, we study the scriptures and pray together.

He is supportive of me in every way.

He honors his Priesthood and is always willing to give me Father's blessings.

He was, and still is there for me for every huge moment in my life. Starting from my baby blessing, my baptism, swim meets, high school graduation, seminary graduation, moving me up to college, and so many others.

He always sets time to talk with me. Anywhere from religious conversations, boy talk, homework questions or any other random conversation.

There are dozens more of things I could say about him, but here are just a few!

I love you so much, Dad! I cannot wait to see you in a few weeks.

Goodness

Gracious.
Life is going dandy.

Thank heavens.
For a while there, I needed a muzzle on it.
Hahaha.

Stay Strong.

I'm in a writing kind of mood.
This past week was really hard for me.

There were tears. A lot.
Late night phone-calls to home.
My classes were extremely stressful.
Feelings of insecurity and not knowing my place.
Debating on sticking with my major.
Frustrations, late nights and home-sickness.

It was rough.
I wanted to click the invisible 'pause button' in my life and not have to deal with anything.

But with the help of my family, loved ones and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I got through it.

I realized...

My Savior is my best friend.
I am extremely blessed.
I have to rely on my Savior more than I ever have before.
I need to pray more, read my scriptures more and share my Faith.
Music that is clean and uplifting really helps me stay on track.
My friends are always there for me.
I am confident in who I am.
My Faith is very important to me.
My parents are the most amazing individuals and I appreciate their love and support.
I was accepted into the USU Interior Design Program for a reason.
I am strong.

Thanks for listening.
Happy Sunday.

xoxo,
lauren

God will never put you through anything you can't handle.

life is challenging.
sometimes i feel like i can't be succesful.
sometimes i give up too easily.

i don't know what i would do without my religion in my life.
i have been so overwhelmed the past few days that listening to a prophet, going to church or saying a prayer...
makes me feel so blessed and helps me get through the day.
life is hard but you gotta just keep going.

i wonder sometimes how i got into my major.
my professors tell me day after day how honored we should feel to be accepted into the program.
20 got in.
50-60 applied.
very blessed i may say.
for some purpose, for some reason, this is where i'm supposed to be.

i get out of classes everyday wondering what just happened.
it's really overwhelming.
i went to go talk to one of my professors today, telling him i felt way over my head & i wasn't getting anything.
he told me it's like telling a fish how to swim after being thrown in water.
it takes time to get used to new material, new workload and a new major.
he said keep pushing through.

i really need to stop focusing on myself.
when we are in the service of others, our answers to our prayers will be answered.
let us all put trust in the Lord and remember everything works out.

It's a Saturday. A good one at that.

People in my aparment complex were up early this morning, for the USU/Auburn game.
And they yelled a lot.
That was at least 12 hours ago.

Now, it's 10:15 at night and they are still going nuts.
I must be missing a memo.

The 80's dance was insane last night.
Insane, in a good way.
Aubree, Kenna and I rocked it going back in time.
My hair will probably be plastered with hairspray for a few weeks. But it's all good.
We went on a Beto's run. That was so fantastic.

I woke up early this morning and got a ton of homework done.
A great mix of history, sketching and life science.

Jordan and I went to Cafe Rio today.
And I learned how to drive stick.
But, don't ask me to do it on the spot. Much more practice is needed.

Hi, I'm a Mormon

I'd like to share with you a tad of what I believe....
(What you see below, is my profile on mormon.org, on the bottom of my post, there is a link to it.)

Why I am a Mormon

I was raised in the LDS faith, but that is not WHY I am a Mormon. It was definitley a huge influence of my choice though. My parents are both LDS and raised me with LDS principles and lifestyles, but I was never forced. I chose it because there is a special power in this gospel. A power that is personal and touches each soul differently. It is a power that I cannot deny.

I am a believer of prayer. It keeps me connected to my Savior and Heavenly Father. Without the guidance that I have received through prayer, I would not be where I am today. I have experienced trials and hardships, but with my knowledge of this gospel, I have gotten through it. I can feel the love of my Savior and Heavenly Father and that alone makes me love this gospel.

Jesus Christ died for each of us, he died for all of OUR sins, so that we may live with him again. He gave up everything for each of us. With that knowledge, that is why I am a Mormon.

Personal Stories

Please explain the part prayer plays in your life?

Prayer is an essential and daily tool I use in my life. Prayer is a very powerful and personal connection I have between my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Prayer has become a very vital part of my life. I use prayer as a time to ask for help during hardships, to just pour out my gratitude for what I have been blessed with, to pray for those that need help or just to talk.

Prayer is how I gained my testimony of this gospel. During my youth, I had studied this gospel and I felt it was true, but it was not until I prayed to know if it was true, that I had received a powerful witness that this was indeed true. Prayer has been there for me to help assure me of the truth of the things I have taught.

How I live my faith

I live my faith by how I dress, what I say and what I do. I conduct myself appropriately and surround myself with those that build me up and I put myself in situations where I know that I am living the standards I am taught. I strive to pray daily, read my scriptures and serve those around me. It is the simple things we do, that develop us into who we want and need to be.

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Here we go, again.

Oh, hey.
It's been awhile. Sorry.

Things are good on this end.
My roommates are a lot of fun.
I've been cooking a lot.
I have strived to stay in tune with the Spirit and make good choices.
I've tried to keep a positive outlook.

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

I enrolled into Institute.
It's amazing.
I went through this phase the past few days that I haven't really been excited about institute.
I realized that when I have those feelings, it's when I need Institute the most.
There were great insights, comments and opinions from students today.
Excellent kids.

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

My major is a lot more challenging and 'intense' than I thought it would be.
I am learning difficult programs, introduced to huge projects and I'm feeling really overwhelmed.
It's tough.
I want to be successful, positive and have amazing projects...but I know it's going to be a ton of work.
Which is life, right?

In my classes, we have a couple Senior girls that sit in our classes and help us out.
Some comments from them....

"You need to make sure, this is something you really want. It's challenging and will take up a ton of your time. If you're not 100% dedicated to this program, you need to re-evaluate your major."

"On average, I slept 2 nights a week."

"Being in this program will make your brain feel like it's on crack."

Pretty discouraging right?
But,

One said, "But this has to be the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I love design, I dream design. I absolutely love it. The people in your classes will become your closest friends, you'll help each other out, pull all nighters and have a ton of fun."

I hope I'm up for this.

MMmmmmm it's here.

Change is here.
I move to Logan tomorrow...

When I had to leave for the Summer to move home, I couldn't wait to be back up there.
I didn't want to move back home. I wanted to 'party it up' all Summer in Logan.
But since I have been home, I have really enjoyed it, sure it's not always one-hundred percent fun, but whatever.
I have been able to help my mom prepare for her first year teaching, help my sisters get ready for school, help with house-work, spend time with loved ones and have family dinners.

But, I have to look at this logically....
I need to go back to Logan. I have an amazing semester ahead of me.
I'm just nervous...
Why?
Who knows..

Happy 21 months!

My brother Jake hit 21 months recently.

He will be home in 3 MONTHS!

I cannot wait.

I think school will be pretty distracting, so I won't have time to count down.

Haha.

Good 'Ol Health

Great News!
I've spent the past month or so going to a nutritionist, watching my weight and eating healthier.
It has been so wonderful.
I have finally taken control of my body and listened to my body.
This week, I had a "weigh-in" and I have lost 2.5 pounds since last week.
It's surprising how essential is it to be in tune with your body's huger, working out and eating healthy.

Pause button, please?

There's a lot on my mind.

Sometimes I wish that my life had a pause button.

There are so many things rushing at me that I feel like I can't handle it sometimes.

But then, I remember that through prayer, I can receive comfort & know that everything will work out.

I've been blessed.

I don't know where I'd be without the Gospel in my life.

Religion, to me is not just what I believe.

It is how I act, how I speak and what I do.

I sometimes think I am a therapist to myself.

Does that sound ridiculous?

Yeah...

It seems like whenever I blog, write, whatever...I do a lot of thinking.

I feel like there are 2 sides to everyone, their weak side and powerful side.

The weak side is full of worry with school, money, insecurities, trials and fears begin to pile up.

But then I have my powerful side, thoughts of joy, hope and knowing that things will pass by.

I need to have more Faith. I need to put more of my trust in God.

I know that this year is going to be full of....

New friends, roommates & ward

Difficult classes & long hours of homework.

Stress.

New challenges and insecurities.

But guess what?

There will be great new adventures with friends, family, my religion and school.

I'm in the program of my dreams, living with great friends, strong family and I love my religion.

I will get through the tough things with God, my friends and family at my side.

I'm sorry if my post was a downer. I've just been stressed out and needed to write things out.

Let us all continue to do our best and rely on our Savior.

marriage?

i teach swimming to a various range of children.....
mommy & me classes, young children, older children and those with disabilites.
it is always lovely to meet each of my "children" and better understand them.

i'd like to share one of many funny questions and conversations i had at work today.

student: "teacher, do your children like to watch PBS kids?"

me: "umm..no I don't have children..."

student: "oh, but do you have a husband?"

me: "mmm no."

student: "have you fallen in love with a boyfriend yet?"

me: "nope! i'm currently living the single life!"

student: "oh i see...i'm sorry, i hope you will get married soon!"

me: "i'm in no rush, i'm 19."

student: "well most people get married around 18 or 20."

me: *thinking to myself* "she must be raised in utah."

there is one of the many hilarious conversations i have with her on a normal basis.

okay, you get one more story!

don't worry, it last about 6 seconds.

time me.

me asking some of my students: "how old do you think i am?"

student 1: "37?"

*looks like you're not passing this level, just kidding. but i told him after that would make me as old as him mom and then he said, "okay, i'll guess again." hahaha.

student 2: "17?"

*kudos to being closer to my actual age. 

student 3: "21?"

*SCORE! favorite child and you will be moving on to level 2. ;)

there's a bit of my day so far.

Lo lo lo Logan!

This past weekend, Bri and I drove up to Logan to hang out with friends.

It was a much needed trip.

I absolutely love Cache Valley. I love everything about it.

I'm excited to head back and get back to the groove of going to school.

...................................

Not only was it full of great laughs, but also some much needed deep conversations with friends.

I'm blessed to have great friends that I can have serious conversations with and get insights from.

Thank you Betsy and Brianna, you two are some of my best friends.

......................

Ohhh...and I went cliff jumping for my first time yesterday! Can I just tell you how insane it feels to fall 20 feet? Haha. 

.....Without anything to buckle you down. It's sure an out of body experience.

But would I do it again?

Heck to the yes.

New Testament

I'm trying to complete the New Testament this Summer before I head back to school at the end of August.

I have a lot to go, but I've been reading a lot each day.

There is something so powerful about reading the scriptures.

I've started keeping a notebook next to me while I read and I love being able to jot down little insights or pick me ups as I read.

It's surprising that when you give some time to the Lord, things really open up.

Oh, hey.

Happy August!

It's been awhile. My apologies.


Updates...
I'm moving back to Logan at the end of this month.

I'm excited for...
being back with my friends
new adventures
starting into the Interior Design program
rooming with some amazing friends
cheaper housing
new friends
another amazing year at USU

I'll miss....
eating dinner with my family
going on trips
not having to pay for food, housing, clothes, etc.
running errands with my mom
staying up late watching movies with my sisters
sunday walks with my dad
seeing old high school/ junior high friends

and there is much more that I could ramble about for both of these, but these are what first came to mind.
It's bittersweet.

Oh and on a few sidenotes...


Why am I still diggin T-Swift?

I'm going to bed so early these days. I swear I'm getting reeeeaaallly old.

I was sucked into the Bachelorette, clearly, this is unhealthy. haha.

My grandma is slowly doing better. She suffered 2 strokes the week before last. Keep her in your prayers please.

Jake is approaching 21 months! HOLLA!

I'm addicted to "Don't you wanna stay?" with Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson.

Fa fa fa family.

The greatest blessing in my life is my family.

I love them more than words can say.

Not only do I love my immediate family, but my Aaaamaaaazing aunts, uncles and cousins. 

I love them all SO much!

They mean a lot to me.

The past weekend, was spent full of family time and my cousin Logan's homecoming talk.

He did great.

He's an amazing example to me and an all around great guy.

His love for the Savior and his gospel is very strong. I can feel it.

It made me miss Jake a little more than normal, but that's okay.

Jake will be home in 4 months.

That is IT!

I'm stocked.

I think these last few months will start going by fast when I'm back in school.

There is something about being with family that just makes me smile.

Even if we're not doing anything, I love just sitting and talking with everyone.

I'm very grateful that families can be together forever.

What a wonderful blessing.

Here are a few pictures from this past weekend...

Oh...

Could you do me a favor?

Pray for my Grandma, please.

She has suffered 2 strokes the past week and she could really use help from Heaven above.

Drop a line for her if you would.

We all are.

:)

Pinterest

Have you heard of Pinterest?

I'm an addict.

Hit up this page and get hooked.

Click Me

There's something about...

Seeing old people in love.

Watching rain.

Reading books to children.

Seeing improvement in others and yourself.

Music that takes your breath away.

Getting texts from people you haven't heard from in a long time.

All of these things I've been able to witness or experience the past few weeks. There is so many simple joys in life. We need to soak each one of them in.

Be Grateful

Tonight I was able to attend a fireside at BYU. The speaker was Kim Smith, the great-great granddaughter of Joseph Smith the prophet. She focused on the importance of families. She said that with the times that are coming, we will need to rely on our family ties. She talked about her conversion story when she turned 12 years old. Most of the JS line are those that have became part of the F-LDS sect or no religion at all. Her family line had many grudges with the prophet Brigham Young and understanding the LDS Faith. Their family was torn apart because of this.


Hold that thought. Rewind.

Lately, I have been really stressed with making sure I have enough money for school. The software I have to purchase for my program is extremely expensive, let alone my other supplies I have to buy for my classes. I talked to my mom about it and told her that I was worried about making sure I was set for school this coming year. My supplies, fees, housing, food, bills and tuition are going to be very expensive this year. I began complaining to her and telling her that I wish she and my dad would help me out with expenses more. In my teenage and immature mind, I got angry saying that they barely help me at all. 

They may not be sending me on Study Abroad or handing me cash for my tuition, but they help supply me with food, my daily needs and a place to live for the Summer. Mom and dad have helped me with the little things. I need to be more grateful for what I have.

After I said that, I realized what I said was terribly wrong. Even though I wasn't able to go on a study abroad this Summer like a lot of my friends, or have my parents pay in full for my tuition and housing, it has been a great experience for me to be humbled. Everything will work out. 

This fireside focused on the family and that we should not hold grudges or not forgive. I need to apologize, I need to be more grateful, I need to have more faith that things will work out. This fireside is just what I needed. Family is important and you should never take them for granted.


I have begun to realize when Satan can take control of me. He always gets me when I'm under pressure and stressed. I need to rely on Faith and my Savior. I was placed in this position as a college student and in the Interior Design program for a reason, He will make it all work out.

Happy Sabbath

Let us all remember our Savior today and the sacrifice He made for each of us.

My Bucket List

Do humanitarian work abroad.

Donate plasma.

Ride a donkey in Greece.

Design my own house.

Visit every state in the U.S.

Go on a study abroad.

Fly in a hot air balloon.

Catch a firefly in a jar.

Serve an LDS mission.

Ride a tandem bike.

Kiss in the rain.

Mud fight in a massive dress.

Go snorkeling.

Inspire someone.

Run a half.

Paint out of the country.

4 miles, say what?

I'm not a runner.
But I'm trying to be. Ha ha.
I went on a 4 mile run and it was great.

But what was even greater...when I got to work (after my run)
One of the little girls I teach said, "Wow teacher, you look so pretty today!"
....What? I thought to myself. I just ran 4 miles and you think I look pretty? Haha.
I told her that I just ran 4 miles, so I'm glad I look okay. :)
That made me laugh and realize how much I love little kids.
I know I say this a lot, but the little things in life, make life the greatness it is.

Living in the moment.

Summer is flying past...
Sometimes I catch myself wishing it away but then snap out of it and wonder why I would wish away a time like this? I've been able to earn money for school, live at home & save money!

I am very grateful to be home. It has been great to be with my family, I really missed them at school.
But, I also miss Logan a lot. I am excited to head back there the end of next month.

A bad habit of mine, is always looking what lies ahead.
Now this isn't necessarily 'bad' per say, but I realize I'm not living in the moment.
An example...Friday night I was making sure I had everything done before we went to my cousin Hayley's baptism, early afternoon Saturday. I was so busy cleaning my room, when my little sister Olivia asked if I would paint her nails for her. Snap! This is what I keep skipping out on. Soaking in the little unexpected moments in life. I ended up spending my night with my sister on my big bed..watching movies, painting her nails and talking with her.  This may seem small but I am going to try harder this week to soak in those little moments I have with others and not worry about what is coming the next week, day or even hour. We, especially me should never take the little things for granted. Especially time with your family.

It's true, it's the little things in life that make life what it is.
  

Hayley's Baptism

Yesterday, my cousin Hayley got baptized.

What a special day for her.

It was an awesome day; full of love, laughs, great food and family time. <3

Happy Fourth

((Balloon Fest in downtown Provo))

Remember all those that have gone before us to let us have the freedoms we are blessed with today.

Freedom Aint Free

A few days back, I was able to witness the swearing in of a group of 20 immigrants to receive their American Citizenship. It was such an awesome experience to be there! I loved hearing all of their stories of how important freedom is for them. One commented, "We just want to be apart of your country, I feel like a lot of Americans take it for granted."

I thought about that for a minute & I hate to say it, but I'm sure I have been one of those fellow Americans before. It's not something that we constantly notice, because it's just a way of life. I need to be noticing the little things in life. Being able to go to church every Sunday and worship how I like, attending college and so many other many freedoms that I don't always recognize.

Another one commented, "I've waited 20 years for this to happen! I'm excited to vote! Do not avoid voting. This country means more than anything to me and to be able to express my political views, it's amazing! The Lord has given me this opportunity."

Happy Fourth of July, everyone!

Freedom ain't Free.

    

My pal Jordan came to visit me from Logan

The good old fam. :) 

((Pictures from Stadium of Fire Fireworks last night))