Prezzy Day

This weekend I headed down with some pals to Zion National Park for some well deserving needed sunshine. We stayed in a weird motel, painted the tiny tiny tiny town, hit up the continental breakfast and spent the beautiful afternoon hiking! We came back late Saturday night, then oh a whim headed up to Logan first thing Monday morning for some snowmobiling. Fun to stay with Michael and Neal's gracious family, and always great to get out of Provo. Didn't even mind the appx 15 hours spent in the car. Srsly though.

Happy Valley Indeed

I lalalalove being home. Christmas break is just long enough to make me settle into a comfortable rhythm of lounging and playing around-- aka make me frown upon the idea of returning to Provo. Tears were shed at the SeaTac airport but by the time we arrived at Salt Lake International I was giddy at the thought of another two months in the Happy Valley of Provo. When I first found out I wouldn't be going on my mission until the end of March, I was a little disappointed that I'd have this weird limbo time. BUT BUT BUT. Provo never disappoints and it's been a fun past nine days! Missin' some of my main girls as we begin to scatter! London, Spain, Georgia, Chile; it's definitely a new chapter. I feel like I have nothing to blog about but I also feel like I'm checking off something on my to-do list when I blog so, thank you for helping me feel productive when I've just played around all day today.

Exploring Seattle Part I

So Seattle is nicknamed the Emerald City because it's so green. My fam has found this to be weirdly true... all the trees are either still alive and kicking, or the leaves have fallen off but the branches are now covered moss. Aka they're green too. As much as I'd love to be in Texas for Christmas, it's been a blast to be able to explore this new city. Jen and I are lucky to have pals from BYU who live nearby here in Washington so we totally have friends to hang out with and plans for New Years, so you can stop losing sleep over it! Haha. Last night we took the ferry over to Bainbridge Island. It wasn't raining, wasn't too cold, and the company was great.

 

All pictures by our friend Andrew, who is apparently a professional photographer! Literally!

Temple Square + Devo

On Sunday I had the terrific opportunity to head up to Salt Lake with some of my lady friends and attend the First Presidency Devotional (here's the play by play).

Next semester Avery will be serving a mission in Atlanta, Sydney will be in London, and by the end of April both Lindsay and I will be in Brazil. I'm incredibly grateful for each of these girls and the example that they individually and collectively have set for me. PS four of us are single so in 1.5 years feel free to hit us up? Wait what?

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!

Southlake w/CC

On Friday my best friends walked into my room dressed all cutesy and pretty and shocked me... Hahahahahha ugh I wish my candid surprised face was a little more flattering. 

and I quickly got dressed up and we went down to Southlake! 

Seriously love these girls so much.

And once we were back at Hannah's they gave me these little giftys!

We've all changed this past year but as soon as we're back together things are always just the way they were last time we were together. Yay for modern day technology that enabled us to be able to keep in touch and talk literally every day! Truly grateful for the past 10+ years of friendship with these beautiful, kind, hysterical girls. xoxo

finals week

Contrary to apparently all of my friends, I have actually loved finals week. Perhaps it's because I don't get stressed out about school? This past weekend and the past few days have actually been perfect. 

Fancy schmancy lunch in the Skyroom, (dining plus is possibly the best thing to ever happen to me) on Brooke's birthday! Buffets are a beautiful thing.

I love these people.

Double header sleepover girls nights with Lindsay and Annabel, two of my FAVORITES! They're a lot prettier in real life... 

On Saturday we pushed our beds together. More room for activities, we can be geographically even closer, this helps with our study habits, the list goes on and on.

 Happy dinner a la Sam with old Texas friends. So fun to be together.

Cliff and Brooke came with Sydney and me to our ward talent show. I don't know what it is about Mormons but eevveryyone has to be talented. I felt great about being an audience member. 

Studying for my Book of Mormon final on our ginormo bed is bliss. Look at Sydney working so hard in the back there. She is a much better student than I'll ever be.

Utah really is beautiful. As much as I hate the cold, I really like snow. I feel that it makes the cold justified. Today was my last walk to the Maeser Building. It was bittersweet. I think it's the coolest building on campus but it also signifies the end of Political Science. THANK GOODNESS. I am so happy I switched majors. I would have been miserable.

I love Rancherito's, and I love love love these people. Brighton is headed to Brazil, Landon to Bolivia, and Josh to Russia. I will miss them very much.

So close.

Tucanos with Brik

Tonight was the Heleman Halls Christmas Invitational that (unfortch for all the freshman boys), Brookie, Syd and I had to miss. Landon's dad was in town so he offered to take us all out to eat. I'd never been to Tucano's before, only heard the stories of people throwing up after eating too much meat. Yipes. I'm really not much of a meat eater in the first place so needless to say I was a little concerned. I'm also a very picky eater. I know, I'm working on it. If I end up going on a mission for my church I'm sure the Lord would find it very funny to send  me to somewhere with food I just couldn't handle. I digress. The food was actually very tasty, the weather freezing and the company wonderful. I'm really gonna miss those boys.

Happy birthday to Brooke, tomorrow!! Isn't she the cutest?

Action shot with the server bringing the meat around. Landon and Brighton love when I take pictures of them. I'd also like to point out Brik's hand. I was too scared to take a full on picture of him.

Who has two thumbs and has the perfect roommate? Sydney.

Please enjoy this gem. This is a great representation of the night. Landon's a little camera shy, while Syd clearly is not.

                     

cowards

Today in particular, I am especially thankful for my friendy friends.

There is nothing better than seeing girls that you have been close as sisters with for over fifteen years. I hadn't been physically with some of them since June, and it was like I had never left. They go to University of North Texas, University of Arkansas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State University. And they are the BEST! I was lucky enough to have friends that respected my morals and subsequent decisions and never made me feel left out or excluded. They also happen to be the funniest, happiest, most immature, most loving group of girls I have ever met. I miss them! I have made such wonderful friends up at BYU that I adore and am looking forward to seeing in a few days but I will be forever grateful for Hannah, Olivia, Rachel, Paulina, Emily, Lexi and Morgan for making grades Pre-K through 12 just so dang enjoyable. Xoxo

And I already can't wait to see them over Christmas Break :)