Firsts

It's been a week of firsts.

First time to drive down to Provo! It was bittersweet not to be boarding American at DFW but it was nice to be able to pack liquids and my pocket knife. That's not actually a joke.

First time to pay $20 to get my lock cut off my storage unit........ 

I'm just so glad that back in April the sweet employee thought that Scott and I were a poor newly married couple so she gave me the lock for free. 

First time I've ever had a messy room... ever.... LAWLZ jk jk but gosh y'all moving in is so awful.

First time going through a temple open house! So fun to spend time with my cousin Kim and Aunt Debbie and Grandma! Sometimes its really hard going to school so far away from my family but I'm blessed to have lots of extended family so close by.

First meal!! Panini and apples and milk. It was great. I already miss dining plus. And Mom's cooking.

Let me tell you. Spending so much time with my family this summer has been wonderful. But it's really fantastic to have a social life again. Reeeeaaallly great.

ALSO THE MOST EXCITING NEWS!

I'm officially declared as an Elementary Education major. I'm so happy. I feel so good about it and that is a beautiful thing!

Good Thoughts

You know, this is something that's been on my mind quite a bit lately. It's not fun to be around girls that are negative all the time! There is a TON of wonderful happy things going on all around me right now so why the heck would I focus on the teensy bad things? 

Also this totally has nothing to do with this post but recently I stumbled upon an Anti-Mormon website which I generally tend to avoid, but it mentioned how once this girl finally found the Bible, she realized that the LDS church wasn't true, etc. I just want to clarify that we in my church believe that the Bible is the word of God and we completely live by it's teachings. That is all!

Should I Text Him?

Maybe y'all won't find this quite as amusing as I do but I think it's hysterical. Cheers to a new semester of frantic calls to the roommate, sister and/or mom on what to respond to a text from HIM. 

(however, if you are a boy and are reading this and I have texted you something witty or clever, assume it was original material)

How weird is it that I'm a sophomore???!?! In college?!?! I'm all moved into my new apartment and only forgot about a trillion things at home. It's been an incredibly stressful move-in. But aren't they always? Actually, moving out is so much more awful because you're also taking finals and saying goodbyes and stuff. So, counting my blessings!

Tata Summer!

To be completely honest I'm surprised at how sad I am to leave and head back to Provo! Well, let me rephrase that. I'm thrilled to get back to Provo. I like my freedom and independence. But I'm very sad to be leaving my family and this new place that I kinda sorta consider home, for now. Life has settled into a happy, normal pattern. My life lately has consisted of-

Going to get our Washington drivers licenses... weird but fine!

Practically acquiring carpal tunnel syndrome from writing so many of my favorite boys who are out serving missions. Gosh I miss my friends. Oh hey if you are not LDS and do not know what I'm talking about, this explains what they do better than I can!

Going to fun parks like Newcastle Beach Park and Meydenbauer Park that are on Lake Washington

Seriously. Could not be any more charming. Also it was nice to be in a swimsuit as opposed to the rain jackets and jeans and fleeces worn earlier in the "summer."

Personally, summer = ice cream.

Especially really really great chic hipster too cool ice cream boutiques like Molly Moon's.

Getting toilet papered. This picture cracks me up but I will not give the young men who participated in the defacing of my front yard the satisfaction of putting this on any other social networking site.

Getting over the weirdness/lump in your throat when your pals from home send you pictures like this- someone else's van in our old driveway.

Getting over my mega huge massive crush on Ryan Lochte. Yikes!

Goodbye Seattle! Surprisingly, I'll miss you.

Seattle Happenings

This summer has been a great one! Once we finally settled in to our house here in Seattle and stopped unpacking long enough to play tourist its been so much fun! 

Contributing to the famous Gum Wall

Visiting the famous Pikes Place Market

Enjoying some of the best berries I've ever tasted

Some of the best fresh produce period actually!

Baptisms at the Seattle temple with Chris

Whale watching in the San Juan Islands

 

Which is basically Canada (read: it was freezing) but very fun!

 

Lots of hikes for the whole fam!

We have really grown to love the culture here. It may not be Southern Hospitality, per se, but we have felt warmly welcomed by the kind strangers we've encountered and interacted with. Thanks Mom & Dad for planning lots of fun day trips that not all of which have been properly documented! 

Brookie's California Wedding

I love flying solo. It makes me feel incredibly independent. I love having to climb up into the plane as opposed to taking the gate all the way to the door because it just totally makes me feel like I'm movie star. This is me discretely taking a picture to show how movie star-esque I felt.

This trip was so much fun! Some of my most favorite girls from byu were there so it was such a blast to play and play and play with them. Riding around in the convertible and meeting new people and seeing our future missionary pals and eating way too much food and attending the most risque but also adorable bachelorette party I've ever been to thrown by Rachael and Lily were among the highlights!

I'm in love with the Newport Beach Temple. Eternal marraige is a beautiful thing!

The reception was so perfect I seriously want to copy/paste to my own reception one day...

Ahhh the most adorabale couple ever. Here's the video her cousin made!

https://vimeo.com/46951682

So happy for this pal of mine.

Selfies Pt III

Ohh girly girls. When will you learn that I only find it slightly amusing to find pictures on my phone left like footprints? And that I will have zero qualms about posting them on the internet for the world to see?

Those aren't even all of them. I just got sick of making mini-collages.

But really... its like they want to get caught.