The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling & Brooke S. Passey

I recently stole my roommate's copy of Lindsey Stirling's Autobiography, because I have yet to unpack my books out of their boxes...because I don't have anywhere to put them...I really need to buy furniture.
But I was also really curious to read it for many reasons. She has been through a lot in her life, and a lot of that is really relatable to both me and my roommate. For some reason, being relatable to a celebrity is way more comforting than being relatable to some one else. Go figure. I guess if you think that 'if this famous person can go though that and still be awesome, then so can I'. Or at least that's what I try and tell myself.
So I read through her book and loved every minute of it! She has such a unique voice. It's very much how a normal person would talk, and I think that's what drew me to the book in the first place. Most people, in my opinion, will write formally, with correct diction and grammar and it comes out sounding like a speech written for the president. Which is great and all, but it can make for a boring read! When I read a book I want to read it like that person is sitting across from me, having a norma conversation. And that's the feeling you get when you read Lindsey's book: like your having a conversation with her. It's full of lifelike quality that makes it easy to just sit down and lose yourself for an hour or two, learning about someone else's life.
Her book follows her life as a kid, growing up, her life struggles, and how she got to be where she is today. Typical auto-biography stuff really. But I think it's the struggles that she endured and slowly overcame that was really what made it relatable for me. She doesn't just gloss over it with a basic 'I suffered from this and now I'm better. Moving on..' type of chapter. Her struggles are what helped define her as a person, and they made her who she is today. And like any person who struggles with something, it wasn't just solved with an easy answer and everything was magically better. She still has battles with it from time to time, and it will always be an ongoing struggle. I think that was the main message of the book. That life is hard and there will always be struggles in it, but if you look hard enough there will be bright spots, and it can be totally worth living. Especially with the right people in your close circle.
And I think that's really all that's needed in life. No matter what you are going through, even if you cannot find hope no matter where you look, if you have the right people in your life, then someday, somehow, it will get better. Weather or not you believe it. Those people who are there supporting you, will continue to love you and take care of you. If you believe in nothing else, believe in that.
And that is what I loved about her book. Her unique way of telling her story and that she is just like you and I, which gives me a small ray of hope, that we are not the only ones and that people really do care about me.

Breathe by Abbi Glines

Something you will learn about me: I happen to love cheesy romance novels. I know, I know, I'm a typical, cliche girl.  But that means there are others out there with the same opinion as me!

UNITE!

So this book totally fits in to the cheesy romance category, and here's why:
Sadie and her pregnant mom have just moved to Alabama. Her mom is kind of lazy, and is constantly using her pregnancy as an excuse. So of course, Sadie has to step up and be the grown up in this relationship. As soon as school is out Sadie's mom just happens to be too pregnant to work, so she sends Sadie in her place, to go work in the rich part of town as a servant.

Eventually Sadie's mom has the baby (it's a boy, Sam), and then, predictably, Sadie has to take care of Sam as well as her mom. School starts up again leaving Sadie with a huge workload: school, work, a depressed mom, and a crying baby. Yuck..

Turns out, she works in the house of THE hot teen rocker Jax Stone, who just HAPPENS to be home for the summer and just HAPPENS to run into Sadie while she is working there. Of course, he totally falls head over heels for her and pursues her, and she totally falls for him. But no teen romance would be complete without a love triangle of sorts. Who else but the super cute college boy Marcus who ALSO works in the house with Sadie, and ALSO has the hots for her. Begin the battle for Sadie's heart: Jax vs. Marcus! Who will win? The cute college boy who works with Sadie all day every day, or the hot and famous rock star who's entire life is in the spotlight and will do anything to protect Sadie from the media?

I gotta tell you, even with the cheesy lines that come out of Jax's mouth every other page, I STILL love this book. Who doesn't love the idea of dating a famous rock star with a heart of gold? If you say you don't you are a TOTAL liar! Admit it, rock stars have always been hot. The voice, the good looks, the MONEY, the spotlight, everything a girl could ever want or need! This book totally has everything I love in it: the hot boys, the romance, the nice cars, the romantic scenes on the beach (LOVE the beach!), and even a little damsel in distress thrown in!

READ IT!

I dare you

Quote of the 'Whenever I feel Like it'

"Make a wish and place it in your heart.

Anything you want, everything you want.

Do you have it?

Good. Now believe it can come true.

You never know where the next miracle is gonna come from, the next smile, the next wish come true.

But if you believe that it's right around the corner, and you open your heart and mind to the possibility of it, to the certainty of it, you might just get the thing you're wishing for.

The world is full of magic.

You just have to believe in it.

So make your wish.

Do you have it?

Good.

Now believe in it...with all your heart."

-One Tree Hill 5x13

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

I am jealous of Madeline. She has such a way with words and can make the best of any situation. I guess when you have lived in a bubble your whole life, you tend to read a lot of books. 

This book is fabulous. It is about a girl who was diagnosed with a rare disorder known as SCID, when she was just a few months old. She was diagnosed right after her dad and brother were killed in a car crash. So it's just been her mom and her. She's never left their house, like, ever. Fast forward to Madeline, 18 years old, and the new neighbors have just moved in. A family of four with their own problems. Madeline is a very observant person, which I guess you would have to be, having known nothing else but the inside of your own house. So she begins to observe the family next door, specifically the cute boy named Olly. Turns out Olly's dad is totally abusive. Eventually Olly and Madeline soon begin an online relationship, and that's when it became impossible for me to put down the book until the end.

This book is a bit of a mystery at times. The author hints at a darker time when Madeline had new neighbors before and it didn’t go so well, but we never really find out what happened. But this Olly kid is also mystery. I mean, he gives playing with your food a WHOLE new meaning! This Bundt cake that the neighbors brought over is constantly trying to commit suicide. (The bundt cake was made by their mom, and they insisted it tastes gross, and so Madeline's mom refuses it, because of Madeline's strict diet). It has a crazier story in just a few pages than any other book I’ve read. And yet, as the life and times of this Bunt cake is laid out and dramatically lived, Olly is no where to be seen. I mean, WHAT is this kid trying to accomplish? I think the life and times of the Bundt Cake would be a best seller. It’s definitely MY favorite part of the book. I love the creativity of Olly. He is insanely clever!

The Life and Times of the Bundt Cake excerpt:

"Night 4: The bundt is sitting on the sill, Band-Aids and bandages covering half its body. Night 5: The Bundt is sitting on a table next to the window. There’s a martini glass filled with green liquid, a pack of cigarettes, and a pill bottle with a skull and crossbones label. Another suicide attempt? Night 6: The Bundt is lying on a white sheet. An upside-down plastic water bottle is attached to what looks like a coat hanger and is hanging above the cake. A string hangs from the bottle to the Bundt like an IV."

I love the way the author describes the first time they touch, with such detail. It makes me feel like I am experiencing someone touching ME for the first time. Touching is something that we totally take for granted. We do it all the time. We shale hands, high five, hug, kiss, catch someone when they fall, pat their head..we touch a lot. But when you take it from the perspective of someone who isn’t allowed to touch anyone, ever, it forces you to take your own perspective and shift it. Touch is something we take for granted. But that is impossible to do and after reading this book. It is amazing how much you feel, when you're not allowed to feel at all.

The color contrast of Madeline and Olly is something that you may not notice at first. She only wears white, he only wears black. But then she starts adding some color into her life, both metaphorically and physically. Olly is in her life and he is a vibrant person. She starts to absorb some of that vibrancy into her own life, and it shows in her clothes. She buys clothes of all different colors and beings to change, little by little. Olly also begins to change as well; He isn’t as shifty, doesn't have to move his body every second. It's like he is more calm and relaxed in Madeline's presence.

Carla is Madeline's nurse. She spends all day, every day, with Madeline. Since she is the only person Madeline gets to see, besides her mom, Carla quickly became Madeline's best/only friend. She id constantly telling Madeline to life her life, enjoy it. She had the right idea. Life isn’t worth living if you can’t really live it. Her mom, while trying to protect her, is instead slowly stifling the life right out of her, and she doesn’t even realize it. Maddy HAS no life. She can't be around people, can't leave the house and at one point, even has all of her privileges taken away, including Carla, when her mom finds out that Olly was in the house. Carla understood that life should be lived, and live isn’t life without a few risks involved. But it's still so hard to stay mad at her mom. Her mom has lost everything in a sense. She lost her husband and son in a car crash, and then her daughter has this disease that required CONSTANT attention and more careful care than anyone should ever have. She has had to change her whole life around and she appears completely selfish, always putting Madeline first. So while she is a character that you hate for a while, you still have to love her, because of her constant effort to keep Madeline safe.

This book takes a sudden pivot in direction though. Major changes happen about half way through, that set a chain of events in motion and secrets to be suddenly revealed, changing everything Madeline has known. It was impossible to put the book down, and I ended up reading the whole book in two nights because I just HAD to find out what happened in the end, and what happens to each of the characters. I do like how the author ended the book though. The writing was very well done, captivating and descriptive and shines a fresh light on the human emotion.

I think Madeline sums up the book pretty well, while she is contemplating how her life has changed and wha caused it to do so:

"I was trying so hard to find the single pivotal moment that set my life on its path. The moment that answered the question, How did I get here?But it’s never just one moment. It’s a series of them. And your life can branch out from each one in a thousand different ways. Maybe there’s a version of your life for all the choices you make and all the choices you don’t."

Lost Then Found

I have been listening to this song over and over for days. I love the words in this song, and I always grow attached to songs that I feel explain my live, or a part of it, in a way that I cannot. Sure, it's kind of a sad song but I feel it expresses what my heart isn't ready to say or feel yet. There are even still, some messages in here that arn't about heartbreak. My favorite line in the song is "why do we say things we can't take back? And why do we miss what we never had?"

While I do wish I could turn back time, and make some different decisions in my life, I know that God has a plan somewhere out there for me. My issue is trusting that that plan will work out for my best interest. I may think that I want something or someone so badly that I cry myself to sleep at night sometimes, but no matter how much I want it or how I try to work for it, it won't work! It's not going to just happen, the fairy tale is just a fairy tale, reality has a bitter taste. But my lesson from all of it is this: Life is full of lessons we need to learn. All this heartbreak is there for me to learn something from. I moved to Idaho to learn something. I may not know what those somethings are yet, but one day I will, and when I look back on these days, I will think of what a total idiot I was being for wanting them. But I feel that it is human nature to indulge our sorrows, if only for a minute. Some pain is welcomed, because it is bearable, and something that we may not want to give up just yet.

The lesson is to learn how to let go. Or hold on. 

But the choice is mine.

I need to choose.

Staring at tears on the pages
Of letters that I never could write
I know love isnt painless but it's worth the risk it's worth the fight
Playing it over and over I wish that I could turn back time
Baby we're wrong but we could be right

Why do we say things we can't take back and why do we miss
what we never had both of us fell to the ground and love was so lost
it could'nt be found what would it take to forget who's blame
I'm tired of crying at the sound of your name
why don't we turn this around love ain't the enemy don't you wanna be lost then found

Lost then found...
Lost then found...
Love ain't the enemy we could be lost then found

Empty glasses and tables
Echo's through these walls
The memories go were we go there like the suitcase that you never lose
If the good lords eye is upon me I swear to make things right
What ever we've lost I know we can find

Why do we say things we can't take back and why do we miss
what we never had both of us fell to the ground and love was so lost
it could'nt be found what would it take to forget who's blame
I'm tired of crying at the sound of your name
why don't we turn this around love ain't the enemy don't you wanna be lost then found

The winds are calling up we can't stop the rain wish that you could take it back but it's too late it's too late...

Why do we say things we can't take back and why do we miss
what we never had both of us fell to the ground and love was so lost
it couldn't be found what would it take to forget who's blame
I'm tired of crying at the sound of your name
why don't we turn this around love ain't the enemy don't you wanna be lost then found

Lost then found...
Lost then found...
Love ain't the enemy we could be lost then found

The winds are calling up we can't stop the rain wish that you could take it back but it's too late it's too late...

We could be lost then found.

It's a New Day

NEW BLOG OF THE SEMESTER!
OK, so far this semester, I have had all new classes, new faces to learn and know, new roommates, a new class with old friends, new boyfriends, new movies, and a new job! That's a lot of NEW!
Oh! There are also a lot of new songs, but we haven't found a roommate song yet. We thought about dubbing it Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, but Nadya HATES that song, so we listen to it all the time :P
I feel like I must address some of this new stuff, to help clarify and, well, tell the story!
New semester. DUH.
New classes. HARD! I am dropping the ball on my homework at least once or twice a week! I'm drowning on dry land, so to speak.
New faces to learn. Well yeah there are all first semester social work majors, and I'm a second semester, who had classes with third semester kids, last semester! haha. That's a lot of semesters :) But I'm liking this new group. Not as much as the new people, but probably because I had group class with the people last semester so I got to know them really well last semester.
New roommates. I love them! They are way better than the roommates I had last semester. Lets face it, last semester was terrible. I had one roommate I liked and I still see her this semester so thats good. But the roommates this semester are so interesting! Jet is a horticulture major so she likes to point out plants a lot, but she studies all the time to keep her grades up. These classes are hard, and I'm not even in them! Nadya is on her last semester as an english major, and is in love with this guy named  Keith Harkin. He is an Irish singer who looks kind of cute. She is determined to marry him because she has already met him twice and has an in with the family. I say, GO for it girl! She like to watch tv with me and I am trying to help her get caught up on Grey's Anatomy, my favorite show, but its not going so well. She is also swamped with tons of homework in a class she is convinced she might fail.
The new class with old friends is my Research method class, my hardest one. But I have it with my friend Hailee so she makes up for it. Plus there is this new class review group that Hailee and Cameron and I are in so we get together over lunch and talk about how to make the class better for everyone. Its nice to have a bit of  last semester, this semester.
New boyfriends really just applies to Jet. Her missionary got off a few weeks ago and they are practically inseparable :) It's cute.
New movies. Ok I am a movie lover and I have a huge movie selection, and my roommates' small collections, and the whole selection from Netflix. That's a lot of movies! they give me incentive to get my hw done..most of the time. Sometimes I just want to watch tv instead of hw but I'm working on it!
New job. I HAVE A JOB! I just felt like I had to shout that because I have been trying so hard to get a job and now I have one! It's my teacher's old job, at a gas station down in Idaho Falls, but it's a job! I love the guys I work with, but the girls I work with are mean and I don't like working with them. But there are so many interesting people there that it makes up for it. and, it's money that I need! there shall be no complaining from me :)
So that is about as interesting as my life has been this semester! Nothing too special but I have been busy with work and the homework so I haven't had much time for anything else, like, blogging for example!

Marilyn Monroe.

So I have decided to make a new goal for my self. Amanda and I were talking the other day, while we were watching a Marilyn Monroe movie. I think it was called Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And it occurred to me. Marilyn was a huge icon for a reason. Yeah, she had sex appeal, but it went so much deeper. She was a woman, who was beautiful, comfortable in her own skin, had a power within her, and knew how to use it. But underneath it all, she was just a pretty girl, who was inexperienced and vulnerable. She hid it well, because she knew how to use what she had to her advantage, and to get what she wanted. She was a woman, elegant, pretty, confident, and worked to make her life how she wanted it. And I thought, I want to be like Marilyn! So my goal for next semester, to be like Marilyn Monroe, hopefully by the end of spring semester. No, I don't want to be a big sex icon that all the boys chase, heaven knows there is no way I can accomplish that. But I want to be more lady-like, graceful, and maybe learn how to use what I got (however little that may be) to my own advantage. Hey, a girl can try right?

At the moment, I'm a klutz, no coordination, tom-boy, walk like a duck, not graceful or lady-like in any way, I say whats on my mind, I have no tact, and definitely no sex appeal. It can't hurt to throw that in just a little bit right? So I want to refine myself and become more like her! It is a good project I think.

Trying to turn me into THIS...

...from THIS

I CLEARLY have my work cut out for me...GOOD LUCK I say. Well, all hope is not lost (most, but not all), because I have my own personal Queen Clarice Renaldi. You know, from the princess diaries, how the grandma (Queen Clarice) comes into town saying this frumpy and unkempt girl is the next in line for the throne so she takes her and gives her a total make over and princess lessons and she is suddenly a princess? yeah, I have one of those, sort of. I just call her Yoda, because Queen Clarice Renaldi is just too long, and she didn't take too kindly to me calling her grandma. So our next mentor we picked was Yoda! And Amanda has agreed to be called Yoda, and she has agreed to call me Marilyn! We have A LOT of work ahead of us, but I'm working on one thing at a time, baby steps you know? We are starting with the basic research of course, the Marilyn Monroe movies! Great research, let me tell you. Also, to become more relaxed, and graceful, and..well..flexible, I am going to do yoga next semester! Amanda talked me into doing yoga with her last week and let me tell you: I never thought much of yoga, didn't think it did much for you, not a great work out. But, oh my goodness, it was amazing! I stretched out, worked on my balance, and became SO relaxed that I was half asleep on the way home. best sleep I had gotten all semester. So yoga is so going on my weekly list of things to do to be more like Marilyn Monroe.

I think it worked too well though. I was so relaxed after yoga and this guy friend came over after, and I guess the more relaxed I am the easier it is for me to subconsciously play Marilyn, or be more like her. He didn't want to leave with out a kiss! I have a new creeper, P.S. So I think maybe being Marilyn won't be as hard as I thought, but maybe controlling it and learning how to use it. Oh well, that is what my Yoda is for!

Ok, lets back off of Marilyn for now. I have some fun side note I thought I would pop it. We have discovered a new song in our apartment, and we love to belt it out at the top of our lungs, and I can't sing this song with them, without laughing at least once during our "singing". It has become a happy song, and we like to play it when we want to rock out, and when we are feeling a little down.

Here it is!

Okay I personally love the acoustic version better than the original version, because you can watch him singing it. I love to watch him singing it because he gets so into it, and you can tell that he loves this song and is passionate about it. He smiles during some parts and it make the song so much more enjoyable to me.

Also, I have a happy song that I personally like to listen to, especially with all the stress of papers, projects, and finals for the next two weeks.

Here is that one as well

Jokes on YOU

So Cailtin and I are having a little too much fun this weekend. We have decided to prank her friend Jake while he is out of town this weekend. It is the long weekend so we got REALLY into this! They have this little war going that that Jake (stupidly) started, and when you start a war with Cailtin, YOU ARE GONNA GET IT! She means business. Which is more fun for me! We have decided to "decorate" his room Caitlin-style. We are going to go to the store tomorrow to get:
SaranWrap
Balloons
SaranWrap
and
SARANWRAP!
Tee hee :)
We started with signs, and tomorrow we shall go DECORATE! I'll dish more tomorrow. But here are some of the pictures that Cailtin took of the signs she got really into making.

Ok the last one is kind of sideways. Just go with it!

Valentines Day

Here is a little input from me on the "holiday".
Valentines Day is overrated. It is a simple hallmark day, wherein men are supposed to show their devotion to women. Women expect flowers, cards, chocolate, dates, or whatever else they can think of. Now me, I don't hate the holiday. I simply pretend it does not exist. The only good thing about February 14, is the day after when all that candy goes on sale :) Now I know I sound like a cynic who hates Valentines Day and you've heard it all before from all of the single people. It seems that they all just swing back a forth; it's a love/hate relationship with them. They are single and hate it, or in a relationship and love it. But I have never liked the day, even when I did have a boyfriend. My view on Valentines Day is this:
Guys. If you have a girlfriend/fiance/wife/best friend/regular friend, than you should let her know that, Hey, you like being around her/love her/what have you. Just tell her! It's the best thing a girl could have, someone telling her that they care about her. She doesn't need an all out bank breaking gesture one day of the year. Sure, a little something extra never hurt, but going all out is too much. If there is a girl in your life that you care about, you should let her know somehow every day! EVERY DAY. Text her, tell her, send her a gift on her birthday, take her out on dates, what ever works for you! But I'm telling you, letting a girl know that she is special and cared for is the best thing you can ever do for her. I promise. Just TELL HER.
Girls. You shouldn't expect some grand gesture, extra gifts, food, flowers, what ever. Sure, they are nice and we all love getting them! Don't get me wrong. But if you guy only does something to make you feel special one day out of the year, than it is probably a safe bet that he really doesn't care as much as you deserve! I hate to say it, but maybe you should find someone else. Someone who takes the time to tell you things and treat you special, every single day! Also, a word of advice if you are single. You are not the only one hating on Valentines Day! you and EVERY other single person on the planet. And you know what? It just gets plain annoying after a while, walking around hearing everyone hating on some random holiday because they don't have someone to dote on them. Can I make a suggestion? Next year, when you are single and hating on Valentines Day, try getting your girlfriends together (the other single ones with no plans) and go out! Have a girls night! When was the last time you had a girls night on a holiday, and just had fun! Forget about not having a guy, girls nights can be way better! Celebrate how ever you want. Watch sappy love movies, eat junk food, tell man-hating stories, go out clubbing, go to a restaurant, just do something! Besides complaining.
Ok, harsh ranting complete! But seriously. Next time? Don't make such a big deal over a holiday that is only there to fill the gap between New Years and Easter. Just have fun and go with it :)

January, In a Nutshell

So for my birthday last month, my roomates decided to do everything opposite of what I said and celebrate it. They bought me flowers! (I have NEVER gotten flowers before) They even bought some cute gag gifts for presents. They hung cute banners and even went so far as to get me a CAKE! With 21 candles...but hey I guess for the golden year you are supposed to celebrate. I left the apartment for a few seconds and they locked me out for like 5 minutes! Turns out they were trying to pull out the cake and light the candles. So they got it right. :) They got me a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake!! I love ice cream and cake, perfect combination!
I think my favorite part of the night though was when we went out to play fugitive! It started out raining which was awesome, but than it turned to snow which was not so cool.. It made us feel real dumb for wearing dark clothes to blend in..white would have been a better call. And better footwear. By the end of the night, we had played two rounds of fugitive, our feet were numb and wet from the snow, and so were our clothes. But it was totally worth it because I got to see some friends I haven't seen in a while and we all got to play together. It was just a fun big game, made us feel like we were kids again. Something we all need now and again!
I suggest you try it some time :)

Who You Are

Ok. So I just finished watching Beastly. I hadn't watched it before because, lets be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of Vanessa. But I gotta say, it was a really cute movie! Nothing too dramatic you know, but you can't watch a Beauty and the Beast movie without one rescue scene. And it had a really good message too, not too profound for us blonds to understand. It's the typical theme, beaut isn't everything and you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. They really show how it is important to be a friend to everyone and to learn that caring about other people is what really matters. But another theme they throw in there under the major ones it that you should really appreciate the small things in life and take time to enjoy them because they are few and far between. So I though I would list some of the small things that I really love and appreciate.
1. I love these high ceilings in my new apartment. They make me happy and feel a little less taller.
2. I love the rain. It has always been a great love of mine because you can dance in it and sing in it and kiss in it and cry in it without people catching on. Rain just makes me feel JOY no matter what and I don't understand why people hate it so much.
3. I love hugs. They are the best medicine a person could ever have, and they will always make someone feel just a little bit better. In my opinion, hugs are just a little bit better than kisses.
4. I love reading a good book. I love to just sit for a few hours and cuddle up with one because they always have the ability to pull you into the story and take you on this adventure, right in the safety and comfort of your own home.
5. I love music. It ALWAYS has the ability to say things that I can't. I am not good with words and I can't express things as well as I would like. But music has this way of saying things so perfectly. It can express a piece of your heart for you, and can make you feel a certain way. It's just beautiful.
6. I love the shower. It has always been a secret pleasure of mine. I believe that if I am behind a closed door and if there is running water in the background, then no one can hear me and I am free to sing to my hearts content. It is also a place where I can enjoy a few moments of peace because the water just kind of tunes everything else out.
7. I love the sound of the ocean. It has this calming sound to it and the pulsing of the waves is almost calming of you just concentrate on it.
8. I love the way a single rose looks. I've never gotten flowers before but if you just look at a single rose, it has this beauty all on its own. It can stand alone and still be beautiful in its own way, and it's almost like it has the confidence and pleasure of doing so. It gives you the ability to appreciate all of the flower and not just its smell.
9. I love having a stuffed animal. This makes me a 5 year old at heart but just having something there to hug and talk to when there is no one else, is just a nice and comforting feeling.
10. I love the stars. I love looking at them for hours and I love being able to just look up and see them. There is something comforting about them. They make you think and contemplate life and things. They force you to think outside of yourself and your life and appreciate them and the world and their simple beauty. Whatever you believe stars are, they are always there. To me, they are every Ray's Evangeline.

So next time you are walking/driving down the street or doing whatever, stop and thing about what you like in that moment, right there. It may be a small, in the moment list like mine, or it may be a ten page paper. Just appreciate them before they are gone, lost to you for an unknown amount of time.

The Best is Yet to Come

I'd like to just skip over the whole blogging about Christmas break bit because not much happened. I can sum it up in about one sentence: I went home, made cookies, ate a big dinner, got most everything that I wanted for Christmas, got to see almost everyone again, made some money, and got to hang out with Kiah for a few hours and catch up on life with her. There! 2 week in one sentence.
Coming back was probably the best part BECAUSE I got to move into my new hotel room! Ok, it's an apartment but it FEELS like a hotel! The lobby is amazing, the TWO lounges are decked out with a kitchen and lots of comfy sofas and a BIG A@@ TV! There is a work out room and a dance studio and a practice room and a lot of study rooms too. The apartment itself is very cute. You walk into thew kitchen (big kitchen) which has a lot of storage for food a pantry too. The living room is an open space with (soon to be comfy) couches and a 42" wall mount TV. Add my super cool blue ray DVD player with Netflix on it, and our living room is pretty much the bomb! Then there is a long hallway off the kitchen (with a door to cut it off from the rest of the apartment so we can pretty much blare our music and walk around in our underwear :P) My favorite part is we have our own laundry room! With shelves! Tee Hee :)  There are 2 bathrooms and so we have 2 vanities too! Caitlin, Melissa, and I share our own bathroom and the other 2 roomies we haven't met yet share the other one. We only have 5 people in our apartment this year instead of 6 which is nicer! Caitlin has her own room, Melissa and I share the middle one, and the 2 strange roomies share the back room.
Yesterday Melissa and I got most of our stuff unpacked and set up! Except our clothes..We will get around to them eventually..Maybe.  So today, that will be our goal. And to go to the store and get some stuff for classes.
Best part? We just decorated our bathroom mirror with a bunch of stuff we love about Caitlin to surprise her! I think this is going to be the best semester ever!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We decorated our apartment last night to make it feel more and more like home! And to top off that homey feeling, plenty of repairs have been needed. I guess at this point I should become a plummer because that is all I seem to do these days! I should at least get paid to do it anyway.
Let me start with the decorating: we have hung Christmas lights on our wall that create this really warm glow in the apartment. Kind of like a fire-like glow at night, which goes nicely with our glowing fireplace. We used our old Halloween costumes and arranged them to look somewhat like a fireplace, then stuck red and orange and yellow construction paper in the middle to represent the fire. And to create that glow? We used these flashing snowflakes (it looks really close to a fire). There are paper snowflakes all over the walls and on the wall opposite the fireplace, we have a paper Christmas tree! Complete with paper decorations and paper presents under it. It looks simply magical at night! It really feels like home.
As far as the repairs go?The toilet has been fixed 4 times since the semester started, all by me, and the sink is now totally leaking. It's a mixture of the dishwasher and the clogged disposal. Needless to say, some of our pots and pans are being put to good use as water catchers!

It look something like these:

Back to December

It has been waaayy too long since I have blogged and I told myself I would try and blog at least once a month..FAIL! But, in my defense, I have been told that I need to write in my journal at least once a week; to share my feelings and all that jazz. If you knew me you would know how hard that is for me. So blogging and jornaling at the same time is a bit of a challenge. But nevertheless, I have come to tell all about my awesome weekend. It was jam-packed with all kinds of adventures and playing with family and friends.
It all started on Thursday. I trusted Melissa to bring my car up to me on campus so that we could hurry into Idaho Falls and do some shopping! And to top it off, Caitlin decided to skip class to come with us! A girl's day of shopping in Idaho Falls: AMAZING! The reason we picked this day for our shopping trip was because we had to pick up Melissa's brother from the airport because we was visiting for the weekend! It was really exciting to finally meet the brother that Melissa kept talking about and it was great to get to see the two of them together. You could tell how much they had missed each other and how much love in their family they had. That was part of the whole reason this weekend was so spectacular. Also because we got to go to Big Judd's for dinner too :) The 6 of us, Matt, Tyler, Brock, Melissa, Caitlin, and me, ended up becoming better friends than we were before because we spent the entire weekend together. We went to Big Judd's for dinner on Thursday, Craigo's for lunch on Friday, Ice Caves, and shooting as well. You can imagine how crazy the 6 of us would be together because of how crazy we are individually :) Yeah, that craziness got us into a bit of trouble this weekend too. We got 'repremended' at Craigo's for being a bit loud (something in our nature and entirely unable to avoid most of the time). Also on the drive from Matt's to Caitlin's apartment we got pulled over by a cop because we were sitting on Matt's toolbox and not in the bed of the truck. Big no no! Twice in one hour has got to be some kind of record or something! the third time (in one weekend? really?) was when we were driving home from the Ice caves and totally didn't know the speed limit was reduced so we were going 50 in a 35...But the cop only flashed his lights as a warning. LUCK!
The ice caves were probably the biggest adventure we went on. It was caves full of ice all year round. And you crawl through tight spaces and big caverns and long thin sections to get to the end where it is a big hill of ice that we slid down for a bit. Aside from my fear because of claustrophobia and the 'rat' that I saw crawling on our way back (it was just a muskrat they told me later but it still made me scream like a girl), it was a great adventure and (for the most part) I was glad I went :)
Finally, we went shooting on Saturday night, in the dark, by truck headlights. But it was still a fun adventure because, lets face it, when it shooting not a fun thing to do? :) After shooting Melissa decides she wants Kiwi Loco! Crazy girl always wants ice cream when it's cold out. Go figure :)
All in all, it was a crazy weekend, and we all have the bruises and scrapes to prove it. And of course, PHOTOS! To be added once I steal them from Caitlin's camera later :) The only damper that was put on our weekend was the Crazy snowfall we got on Friday! I hate snow and so of course this didn't make the weekend better, but it was still a great weekend. Despite the snow making it feel like mid-December instead of November.

The Lost Get Found

We decided to go to the straw maze for family home evening tonight and it turned out to be tons of fun! It started off as a crazy group of 13 of us all wandering around. We split up into apartments and headed our own separate ways and that was where we all got lost. I'm pretty sure we ran around in circles several times because everything started to blur together. We probably got to know a good section of that maze.
Over.
And over.
And over again :)
But there was a giant tire kind of in the middle of the maze and so that was fun! Jen was smart enough to bring her camera and document our attempts. But we loved that giant tire because we futilely tried to stand on top of to try and see our way out. The yummy guy that was in the army camo-pants running on top of the hay bales didn't help much either. So we got to know about half of that maze really well, and then just when we were beginning to get frustrated with the circles we were walking over and over, we split up. Mindi, Dominic, and me went one way and Jen and Kelly went another. by this time, everyone else had already found the way out of the the maze...half an hour before we did. but Mindi and Dominic and I found these totally awesome tunnels! Well, there were mostly cool except for the fact that I'm slightly claustrophobic. But once the three of us went through these tunnels it was like a whole new world! A whole new maze! There were places we had never been before because, well, we hadn't! Once we went through the tunnels it only took us 10 minutes to find the exit, where everyone else already was. Except for Jen and Kelly! So while the rest of the FHE group left in their cars, Mindi and I, being the awesome roomates we are (ok, exaggeration on my part), we went pack in for our roomies! NO ROOMIE LEFT BEHIND!! Turns out they had just gone through the tunnels and so they were close to the end anyway but the point is we went back in for them!! :D
Kelly said something while we were in there and it was just as a joke but it got me to thinking later.
OKAY Let me just start of by saying that KELLY IS NOT THE DEVIL!! I LOVE YOU KELLY <3
But Kelly kept leading us the wrong way around and said "the spirit lead me the wrong way!" I'm relating this to the devil, how is we follow him blindly then we will get so lost and will not be able to find the cool tunnels of life. (What ever they may be). But the cool/yummy army guy on top of the hay bales (the spirit) knows the way and can see where the end is and how to get there! but the yummy army guy on top of the hay bales wasn't gonna help out unless we asked him to. Neither is the spirit. If we don't ask for direction from God and follow his hints and guidance, then we will remain lost in the maze of life. God also isn't going to lay out the entire map for us, just like the yummy army man didn't tell us every turn to take. God will give us help a little at a time. Line upon line and all that jazz. But eventually he will lead you in the right direction and we can begin to find our way on our own, with his help!
Ok, that was my amazing spiritual revelation that I had to share with y'all :)

These are the cool tunnels we found that led to a whole new world!

Yeah we had been lost for a while at this point...

When we got separated from them towards the end! It was despairing!

We tried climbing the walls to escape :P

The giant tire we found!!

Our entire FHE group together in the middle of the maze! We are awesome 

LOOK! We FINALLY found the end!!!

Also! Random accomplishment for me! I finally wrote my 2 page autobiography (which was really hard for me to accomplish) and I finally mailed in my Social Work application! So wish me luck and I hope I get in!

Mr. Saxobeat

It is a BRAND NEW SEMESTER! And to top things off, I'm off track so that means I don't have to worry about homework or classes, AND I get to sleep in almost every day! This is dangerous territory here though...because I could potentially turn into a bit, fat, lazy, bump on a log. But, to avoid this tragic event from occurring, I have decided to throw myself into as much as I can. And to avoid boredom. There is one big wrench that has been thrown into my fool proof plan: I love watching TV. Particularly the TV shows that I keep up with on a yearly basis, and then there are the new shows that come out that look super cool! Then I have friends like Zack who I talk to about some shows and there always seems to be a new show each year that he hooks me into! First it was Burn Notice, then White Collar, and now Suits! (and I recommend that y'all check out each and every one of them, you will thank me....and Zack)
So to list off my insanely anti-social TV addiction: Monday nights are Dancing with the Stars (and I'm happy to say that Derek Hough is BACK!)  followed by Castle, and Hawaii 5-0. Tuesday nights are New Girl (which I am determined to make my life after college, because the main character reminds me a lot of myself!) and Body of Proof which is about this medical examiner, its cool. I promise. Wednesday night is the new ABC show Revenge and I'm super excited for it to come on tonight! This girl comes back 20 years later and no one remembers her so she can exact revenge on the people who hurt her and her father when she was a little girl. Thursday nights are Vampire Diaries (go ahead, make fun, but both of those boys are YUMMY. Just saying), and Grey's Anatomy (I have been with this show since the first season and it is EPIC), and the new Charlie's Angels (and you can never go wrong with angels) :P Friday nights are all about Nikita, who is this awesome chic who breaks from a rogue secret assassin agency and is now exacting revenge on them and slowly ruining the company. There is a lot of butt kicking in high heels. Role model? I think yes!
Now I know, this is a lot of TV, but in my defense, they are only on for an hour each and only at night! This leaves me with all day to play and work and be social! I call it my me time. And sometimes, I'll even skip the TV for some more social time, because I can always catch up on them on line when everyone is doing homework!
Ok, so now that you officially think I'm lame and addicted, I'd like to try and redeem myself! I have done fun things since school has started! The first 2 weekends of school Melissa and I went to Utah! Twice! the first weekend, she and I kind of did our own thing. She went her way and I went to my friend Krys's and my sister Chantel's. the second weekend she and I spent the whole weekend together! We went long boarding (for my first real time) and I got some serious tennis ball-sized bruises on BOTH of my knees, but I managed to NOT break any bones, unlike my brother (who I love to death, but sometimes I wonder..). It was fun long boarding with my awesome friends Melissa and Mattchew, and their friend Joel so despite the bruises I had a blast :) And I got to visit my aunt and my grandparents too! I consider this a weekend well accomplished :) Also, Melissa and I have this weekly bonding that we do, and it has really helped us individually but brought us closer than ever! I think I might have a new sister in the making :) We also have this goal to go dancing every week, and we call it our girl's night :) It gives us this opportunity to be social, dance, get all dressed up, burn fat, and meet cute boys! what more could you ask from a girl's night?
Next on my list of fun-ness: we have a new FHE family! Now, I love them to death and they are awesome and we are going to have so much fun this semester, but the guys in our FHE group are...how can I put this delecately...LAME! There are 12 girls in our FHE group this semester and only 7 guys...you would think the guys would want to come every week right? Wrong! There were only TWO GUYS that showed up last Monday! Talk about slim pickings for us girls right...? But the 2 guys that do come are tons of fun so it wont be all bad. We are after all, going to the straw maze as a family this next Monday so I'm way excited! Except for the part where I somehow because appointed FHE mom...but oh well! It's all good :) Also the FHE dad wants to make dinner tomorrow so I say bring on the free food! Haha
I think my favorite part of the semester was that today, I got to get together with an old friend from Colorado and we went and got dinner today! Shari and I went to Costa Vida and I haven't seen her in, a year I think! We kind of hooked up and decided that we need to hang out more often, which I totally agree! I have missed Shari and it is always good to catch up with an old friend! She and I got to talk about all some of the drama in our lives and all of the people that have gone and gotten ENGAGED! (Hint, you cannot count them all on both of our hands, combined).
Did I mention my sweet new roomates? Well, this semester could possibly be the BEST as far as roomates goes :) Kelly is probably, the sweetest person I have ever known and she is like a ray of sunshine every day! I am so excited to come home and see her and her smiles :) She is so cute! Then there is Jen, who is so down to earth and keeps it real, but is still so much fun to be around all the time. And finally, Mindi! She was my first roomate when I moved up here to Rexburg, and she is so much fun! Hidden craziness, I tell you. You ust have to get her out of her bubble. and the best part? SHE'S ENGAGED! To this totally awesome guy, Austin, who is PERFECT for her! They are so cute together and I'm going to miss her when they get married! But I'm even more happy for her :D
So far its only been 2 weeks and already I am having so much fun! I cannot wait to see what the rest of the semester has in store for us!
Oh! We have a new roomate song! So I discovered this song on the radio the other week and I play it in our apartment all the time. It's such a catchy song and we dance to it and some of us even wake up with it stuck in our heads in the morning! It is a totally awesome and catchy song, and I'm officially dubbing it, our ROOMATE SONG!

Play it again, and again, and again, and again.... :)

The More Boys I Meet, The More I Love My Dog

This weekend was a crazy fun weekend with my girl Melissa. We can get a little crazy when we are together so it's always a good time when we are together! We went Latin dancing on Friday and I ended up leaving my phone in my car, here in Rexburg all weekend while we were partying it up in Idaho Falls all weekend! Can I just say that everyone should try living without their phones for a couple of days? It is such a nice refresher! I don't think everyone needs to be so attached to their phones, they should try living without their right-hand-piece of technology for a day or two. You would be surprised how good it feels, after the initial freak out :) So anyway, back to my weekend story: Saturday rolls around, and we of course sleep in, go to the temple and then decide that we need to go grab some pizza, ice cream, and donuts and take then back to Melissa's place and pig out while watching National Treasure. Pretty chill for crazy people right? Well afterwards, we of course are bored. Coincidentally Matt calls up and says he's bored too and wants to go swimming at Rigby lake! at 9 o'clock at night :) Oh yeah, it was really freaking cold and really really fun! I recommend that everyone try that one as well :) Live a little! Take my advice. You will thank me later.
Sunday! Pretty chill cause it's Sunday and all. Just church at a singles ward that we didn't know anyone, or so we thought. Until our friend Zach, who also happens to be in that ward, shows up and totally made our sunday better. (side note, he's ENGAGED!! congrats Zach!) The talks at church were also really good and needed by both me and Melissa. Those talks, with a sunday afternoon nap and a seriously yummy dinner made for a great sunday! After dinner we head over to Matt's to watch a movie, the ever awesome Italian Job, in his very hot apartment. So to fix that problem, we grabbed some lawn chairs and stuck them outside in front of his door. We rolled the TV in front of the door way, plugged it in, and watch Dark Night outside! Here is the sweet pic that Melissa took of our genius :)

That's right! TV+3 awesome people= Coolest Sunday night ever :)


I get back late Sunday night and just rolled into bed and slept until really late this morning. Sunday night I finally pulled my phone outta my car to find that someone blew up my phone more than my mother! That has to be a new record or something because no one has ever done that! I'll just say that it was a guy, that deciced because I didn't answer my phone all weekend, thought that I was mad at him and ignoring him. So he decided to try blowing up Melissa's phone all weekend, putting a bit of a damper on this totally awesome weekend! But we didn't let it ruin it too much :) But I called my sister Chantel and we talked about it. Come to find out that she has been having her own share of problems with a guy, who decides that he is not going to talk to her at all, and purposely ignore her texts and calls, because he was too busy playing Star Craft! What is it with guys, that if you don't text then back within the hour they freak out and go through a roller coaster of emotions, ending the friendship completely, or they completely ignore you because Star Craft is more important?
Listen up guys: A piece of advice. sometimes we just need a weekend to ourselves, and if we don't text you back, give it a few days! We can have fun with just the girls every now and then. It's not the end of thew world. Also, if we are trying to get a hold of you for two weeks straight, we aren't just wasting our time because we have nothing to do. It's because we are trying to talk to you and we have something important to say! So put a pause on the Star craft and pick up your phone! Because last time we checked, you had working thumbs, and girls have lives outside of guys. Just because we love you, doesn't mean we need you every moment of the day!

Ok, crazy ranting aside, if you still feel like taking my advice, and if you don't do any of the above stuff I told you too, at least do this! Pull up youtube and listen to these guys. They are sooo freaking amazing! They do covers of awesome songs. Their harmonies are so beautiful and their piano playing is exceptional! they also have something random and funny in each of their videos. They are called Michael & Justin
This one if Melissa's favorite video:

And this one is MY favorite video because of the AMAZING piano skills in it! And also it happens to be my theme song which makes it ten times cooler :)

Rigby Lake

So my roomates and I have decided that every weekend we are going to go to Rigby lake and do some serious tanning for the summer. We want to be all golden and tan and pretty before it all dies in the winter. And it's also some good relaxation from a stress filled week of work and homework. So each Saturday afternoon we head to the lake, shell out a couple bucks and get our tan on!
Each Saturday we spend about 2 hours in the beach then head home to inspect our hard work :) Last week we discovered that Mary looked like Neapolitan Ice Cream (yummy!! She was brown, white, and very pink). Kristina looked like a "gorgeous goddess!" She was nice and tan with a hint of redness, but no biggie! It blended well. And I was of course the smart one who shouted "I'm golden!!" and ran around the apartment in my happiness :)
Well, if that wasn't funny enough, this week was even better! We spent 2 hours, same as always, only this week it was hotter and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Perfect right? WELL....The quotes from our adventure today are:

"I'm a CANDY CANE!!!" ~Kristina. "Oh my gosh Mary! Your back!!" "At least your tan line is gone!" ~Me.  "I'm ruined!!" ~Also me. "I've never seen someone so red!!" ~Me "I have!!! My sister." ~Kristina.

It goes on....including some squeaking from the shower from Kristina because the shower water was "REALLY COLD!!"  Cold showers did the trick though! (for some of us anyway) all in all, Kristina and Mary are in a lot of pain from the massive sunburns over random parts of their entire body. Oh, did I mention that Kristina has the coolest sunburn of us all, because on her shoulder we found some random white spot among the redness. So I come over to inspect it, and do you know what it looked like? Fingers! That's right, she fell asleep with her back to the sun, laying on her hand and her fingers left a lovely finger-print on her otherwise very red shoulder :)
I can't wait to see what next Saturday's adventures brings!! Well, I can't wait to hear about it since I will be in UTAH visiting my 'sister' Chantel!! And other friends too :)

Oh Oh! New update!!
SO
We were chilling in our living room and a couple of guys came over to hang. So we chatted and Mary and Kristina were down on the couch enduring their awful sunburns. So after the guys left, this is the conversation that went down.
Mary: I think I'm gonna go take my bra off (cause it was rubbin' in the burn) And my shirt too :)
Me: Take it off Mary! Just take it off! (cause these are the crazies that come out of our mouths when we banter!)
Kristina: I'm gonna close the blinds!
Some random guy out thew window that was either one of the guys that came over and just left, or one of the construction workers: Yes. Please!
Tons of ab ripping laughter for 5 min after from us :)
That's right! We strip down to make the burn feel better! Haha Wait...I didn't get burned...But I can still join in the fun right?
song for the night: Hot in Herre by Nelly :)

Umm...wow! It has been WAAAYY too long since I blogged last! SOOOOO much has happened in the last month that I don't even know where to begin.
WELL! MY excuse for all this lack of communication is finals and moving. We had finals and the last month of school leading up to them is like way too crazy to even begin. No one really is doing crazy fun things and we are all kind of just doing our own thing, you know? Finals came and went and we all breathed a huge sign of relief. I think the reason it has been so crazy is because I left on the day of my last final, which was Wednesday, and everyone else had finals until Friday. So among all of my crazy studying O have been packing and moving most of my things to Idaho Falls for the week because I was leaving for MONTANA for a week! My family really just wanted to keep it as just a FAMILY trip, which turned out to be kind of nice, even though I wanted to bring my best friend/sister along, because she and I are closer that my actual family is. But it still turned out to be an awesome trip, with a couple of mishaps here and there.
Ok, STORY TIME!! This is majorly embarrassing for me, but it was still a really funny story, despite the fact that my family will NEVER let me live this down..SO..We went horseback riding almost every day up there, which just happens to be my favorite pastime :) Well, on day 2 of our horseback riding trips was the long one. We were going to ride all the way up to Shambo and back, which is about a 3.5 hour ride. Well we were saddling up all our horses (well, my aunts and I were saddling up all of the horses) and we were just about to head out. So I hop onto my saddle to check the stirrup length to make sure I don't bounce out when we go trotting down the hills. When I hop up I sit down, and the saddle fells kind of cold in one spot so I'm thinking 'Oh no, is it wet??' Nope....I stood up in the stirrups to check the saddle when my cousin Erin says "Talia!! Sit your butt down!" So I sit and turn to her with a confused look on my face, when she tells me "You have a BIG hole in your jeans!" Yes..I had RIPPED my jeans getting onto my horse! Cue the laughter from everyone with in hearing range of Erin. Yep, I was laughing just as hard as everyone else. But needless to say, I did NOT get off my saddle until we got up to Shambo to eat our lunch. My very smart mother told me to pack a sweatshirt and I was VERY glad I listened to her! So the trip continued and we got back without any other 'problems'. I hurried back to the house to change my pants, and let me tell you....the hole was a whole heck if a lot bigger than I thought! It covered almost my whole right butt cheek and went down about half way down my thigh! It was a good one :P Of course, there is documentation that will never leave that house, but it is still there to remember the awesome trip :)
So, after Montana, I came back to pack up my car again with some of my things and I moved back into my apartment with my super awesome old roomates Kristina and Mary. We also have a new roomate Becca who will come live with us for a few weeks, but she won't get here until August 9th. So until then, I have my own room! But the unpacking...well..thats not coming along as much as I thought in my head. But we have got new wood floors in our apartment and I really just like rearranging the apartment so that it looks more open :) I still have a few days of not having to work so I can put it off till later right? After all, I'm not taking classes like Kristina and Mary so I have some free time :)

All My Girlfriends Are Getting Married!

That's right, Caitlyn is....

ENGAGED!!!!!

Heck yes she is! Nate took her up to the temple and proposed to her and she said "YES!" Of course :)They are getting married September 3, right here in Rexburg, so y'all had better come and see here and say CONGRATU-freaking-LATIONS!!!! Haha, cann you tell that we are all SUPER excited in here?
Oh, by the way, you know what that means for each of us....
STEAK DINNER!! (but first she has to pay up on everything else :P)
We love Caitlyn and will miss her tons, but she will still be here in Rexburg, just not living with us anymore. Som there will be an opening for another roomie, any takers?
:P