New Post...New Layout

It's been almost a month since the last time I've posted. January and the first part of February were very busy for me. But hopefully the next few weeks will be a little less busy. To celebrate a new month and a new attitude I've updated the layout of my blog. I think it's pretty and I hope everyone likes it.

Last week was super busy. I had two midterms, some papers, a class presentation, and lots of reading on top of all of that. I thought I was gonna go crazy because I really thought that I was going to fail my Sociology 310 midterm. Which would not have been good because I really need to do well in that class. I was super stressed about it because I hadn't been doing well on my quizzes and a lot of the time in class I have no idea what he's talking about and the reading is sometimes confusing. So let's just so I was starting to panic a little bit. Not good. So I ended up going to 2 study groups, a TA review session, and studying for 5+ hours on my own. After the TA review session and 1 study group I was starting to feel better about it. By Saturday afternoon when I went to take it I felt pretty good about it. I'm pretty sure I rocked that thing. Now I just have to wait for it to be graded and I'll see. Oh, and I got full points on my class presentation :) Happy Day!!

Something that I have been thinking about lately is optimism. Over the past for weeks I haven't been very optomistic about life. So a little bit ago I decided that I should stop being such a pessimist and just be a happier with life. Being optomistic is just better :) So I am trying really, really hard to make the difficult things into opportunities and not the other way around :)



Last year a good friend told me that one of the things that she liked about me was that I was always optomistic. It got me thinking about why I haven't been like that lately. The truth is simple: the adversary likes to get you were it hurts the most. For me right now that happens to be my attitude and thinking about my future. A wise person once told me that the times when we are having the most difficulties in life and feeling down and sad are usually times right before something good is going to happen to you or you are going to do something good. After hearing that I decided to just change my attitude and so far life has been better because of it. I love it when I'm a happy girl and life is just so much more beautiful :)



Along with my optomistic attitude I'm going to attempt something that is really hard that I have never done before. I'm going to run a 5k on March 13th!! I've never attempted anything like that at all. I am by no stretch of the imagination a runner. I've been going running on the track here at BYU the last month or so but I can hardly do a mile without getting tired. I can't even run a mile without stopping to walk. So that's a new goal. On March 14th you'll have to ask me how it went. Wish me luck!!

Well, those are all my thoughts and goals for right now. Life is going pretty well and I can't complain. I just have to remember to keep persepctive about life and know that things happen for the right reason and in the right time.

President Hinckley said: "We have every reason to be optimistic in this world. Tragedy is around, yes. Problems everywhere, yes. … You can’t, you don’t, build out of pessimism or cynicism. You look with optimism, work with faith, and things happen."

"Let us go forward in this glorious work. How exciting and wonderful it is. I do not know how anybody can feel gloomy for very long who is a member of this Church. Do you feel gloomy? Lift your eyes. Stand on your feet. Say a few words of appreciation and love to the Lord. Be positive. Think of what great things are occurring as the Lord brings to pass His eternal purposes. This is a day of prophecy fulfilled, … this great day in the history of this Church. This is the day which has been spoken of by those who have gone before us. Let us live worthy of our birthright. Keep the faith. Nurture your testimonies. Walk in righteousness, and the Lord will bless you and prosper you, and you will be a happy and wonderful people" (New Era, July 2001).

Christmas and a New Year

It's been a long time since I last posted! A lot has happened since then. I had my birthday so I am no officially 22. On my birthday my dad called me to tell that I'm old now. While I never thought 22 was old now I know that it is. It was almost like a normal day other then lots of people told me happy birthday. I went to see the lights on temple square with my ward. That was lots of fun but it was freezing! The day after my birthday my roommates threw me a birthday party. It was lots of fun and lots of friends came to spend some time with me. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped me celebrate my birthday. I love you all and I love that you think I'm cool enough to be your friend :)

Finals came and went. Ick. Most dreaded time ever. They didn't go as well as I thought they would have but I passed all of my classes. And now I'm in my last semester of college. Scary!

For Christmas I spent it in sunny Ridgecrest, California with my family. I didn't do much of anything exciting. Just hung out with the family a lot and played games. It was nice to get away from the snow but after two weeks I was ready to come back to my friends and good ol' Provo.

A new year brings new challenges and new goals. I didn't do much for New Years Eve but I did make some resolutions that I am going to try very, very hard to stick to.

• Attend the temple at least once a month
• Read my scriptures more regularly
• Eat healthier
• Exercise at least two times a week

Those are my goals and I have been pretty good so far but it's only two weeks into January. You should ask me about it in a couple of months and we'll see where I'm at. A new year also brings new classes. I'm taking 5 classes this semester for a total of 15 credit hours. I wish I had less for my last semester but the only way to do that would be if I dropped my minor which I'm not going to do. I love my major classes that I'm taking. My minor ones are okay nothing too exciting. I'm taking SFL 334, 480, 490, Soc 310, & Soc 345. Which translates to: Adult Development and Aging, Foundations of Morals in Family Life, Advanced Human Development, Social Inquiry, & World Populations. I am learn so much in my Adult Development class and my human development class. They are so much fun and I love my teachers a lot.

My application to the Social Work program at BYU is officially finished. Now I just have to wait to see if they want me in their program. I'm pretty sure that I'll hear back from them by March. Until then I am just going to keep up on my school work and go to work. And spend time with friends and family.

I just wanted to give a little shout out to my big brother. He's probably one of the best big brothers a girl could ask for. His birthday is on Monday so I just wanted to say happy birthday. Happy Birthday, Jacob. I hope this year it's great for you :) Try not to work too hard :)

I don't have the pics from Christmas on my computer yet otherwise I'd put some here for you to see. You'll just have to enjoy the words without the pics. Have an amazing holiday weekend everyone :)

P.S. I recently got my hair cut and I love it!! It was time to chop it all off. Life is just so much better when your hair is shorter. At least in my world it is :)

...

I should make a new entry since I haven't posted in a while put I'm doing this instead...


1. Do you like blue cheese? Not really
2. Have you ever smoked? nope!
3. Do you own a gun? Nope
4. What flavor of Kool-Aid was your favorite? I love strawberry
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointment? Pretty much yeah
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Okay every once in a while
7. Favorite Holiday Movie? A Boyfriend for Christmas :)
8. Favorite thing to drink in the morning? Water
9. Can you do push ups? Not really
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I'm never without a watch but I also always love to wear earrings :)
11. What's your favorite hobby? Babysitting Samantha
12. Do you have A.D.D? No
13. What trait do you hate about yourself? Sometimes I make goals and don't keep them
14. Middle Name? Marie
15. Name 3 thoughts this exact moment: Tired, hungry, bored
16. What do you read in the bathroom? Nothing.
17. Current Worry? If I can make it through this semester...
18. Current hate right now? The anxious feeling of the first week of school
19. Favorite place to be? Under a blanket with a good book
20. How did you bring in the New Year? Playing games with the family
21. Where would you like to go? Someplace warm but not hot
22 . Name three people who will complete this? Nicole already did but probably no one else, maybe Kellie...
23. Do you own slippers? No
24. What shirt are you wearing? I'm actually wearing a dress today
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No thank you
26. Can you whistle? Sadly no
27. Favorite color? Purple!!!
28. Would you be a pirate? No. I would probably get sea sick :P
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? None
30. What is your favorite girl name? Natalie
31. Favorite boy's name? James
32. What's in your pocket right now? No pockets to speak of
33. Last thing that made you laugh? The plastic thing to cover a bulletin board almost fell on me. That was kinda funny
34. What vehicle do you drive? Hyundai Sonata
35. Worst injury you've ever had? I've never really had any injuries
36. How many TVs are in your house? Zero
37. What is the best memory as a child? Family Activities and Vacations
38. Do you have any pets?Nope
39. Does someone have a crush on you? Probably not
40.Your favorite books? The Host was way good. Right now I'm reading the Hunger Games and I really like it. Alot!
42. Do you collect anything? Charms for my bracelet
43. Favorite sports team? BYU cougs!
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? I haven't really thought about it
45. Who do you tag? I tag...Kellie, Amy KNOWLTON, & Aimee Garrett

Insert Title Here

For lack of thinking of a more creative title you can make one up on your own if you are so inclined.

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. It's amazing how fast the year goes by when you keep busy doing things. With school, work, family, and friends time sure does fly. This year for Thanksgiving I spent the holiday with Jacob and Nicole at Nicole's aunt's house. So kind of my relatives but not really. There was good food and they were nice. We played some games and I learned that I am NOT smarter than a 5th grader. Sad day. Hopefully BYU doesn't find out otherwise they might kick me out :)

Thanksgiving night I stayed the night with Jacob and Nicole at their apartment so I wouldn't have to be alone at mine again. It was fun because Nicole and I spent a few hours going over black Friday ads. We got up early on Friday morning and did some Christmas shopping. I am proud to say it's almost December 1st and I am almost done with my Christmas shopping. Hooray! Now that Thanksgiving is over I decided it's time for a Christmas-themed background. :)

BYU had their final game of the season. Against Utah of course. We ended up winning 26-23 in over time. It was probably the most intense sporting event I've ever watched. Ever. It was a pretty exciting game and I'm glad I stuck around here to see it. The funny thing is normally I like the color red. I look good in the color red but there's just something about game day that makes red the most repulsive color. That just goes to show that I'm truly a cougar at heart. Go Cougars!

I'm really glad that I got to have a break from school. It was nice but I really don't want to go to class tomorrow. :/ Gotta do it though. Only a few more weeks until I can have a bigger break from school. And then on to final semester as an undergrad. Scary...

On a happier note...last Thursday marked two weeks until it's my birthday. Yay! I just need to get through the last of my assignments and then I can enjoy my birthday and then get ready for the dreaded finals.

President Thomas S. Monson said: I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now. (Ensign November 2008)

Good luck to everyone these last few weeks of classes and getting ready for Christmas. But always remember to "Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family."

Questions

Becky put this up earlier today. So I thought I'd repost it too.

1. Were you named after anyone? I have my mom's middle name but that's about it

2. When was the last time you cried? I was going to say last week but I just started to for almost no reason at all...I hate being a girl sometimes

3. Do you like your handwriting? Most of the time.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Turkey, hands down

5. Do you have kids? No

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? Of course

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Haha, funny question.

8. Do you still have your tonsils? Most definitely.

9. Would you bungee jump? Heck no!

10. What is your favorite cereal? Honey Bunches of Oats

11. Do you untie your shoes? Rarely.

12. Do you think your strong? No, not really

13. What is your favorite ice cream? Cookies 'n cream.

14. First thing you notice about people? Usually their smile or eyes

15. Red or Pink? Pink

16. Least favorite thing about yourself? I'm way too emotional.

17. Who do you miss the most? I miss Kellie a lot as of recently. I miss the talk we used to have.

18. What color shoes are you wearing? None. Just socks.

19. What was the last thing you ate? A strawberry

20. What are you listening to right now? Forever and Always by Taylor Swift

21. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Purple! Duh!!

22. Favorite smells? Freshly baked bread, clean clothes, my niece.

23. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? Nicole

24. Favorite sports to watch? Probably BYU football

25. Hair Color and Eye Color? Brown and Hazel.

26. Favorite Food? Enchiladas.

27. Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings

28. What color of shirt are you wearing? Salmon

29. Last movie you watched? A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

30. Hugs or kisses? Hugs!! I could use one right now too

31. What book are you reading right now? Just books for school

32. What'd you watch on TV last night? Nothing. No TV in my apartment

33. Farthest you've been from home? Mexico

34. Are you bored at work? Depends. Sometimes

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so ready for Thanksgiving to come around the corner. It's only a week and a day away. Actually, I'm more excited for my Thanksgiving break from school than the actual holiday. I'm not going home again this year so I won't be with a lot of family for the holiday plus all of my roommates are going to be gone and I will miss them so much. On the bright side, after Thanksgiving there's only a few weeks or so until my birthday, I get to go home, and Christmas!!! I'm so excited for Christmas this year because my whole family will be together including Jacob, Nicole, and Samantha.

One of the reasons I'm excited for Thanksgiving is that I get to sleep past 7:00 am. I never get to do that during the week. It will be a nice treat for me. I'm still not sure what I'll be doing on the actual day of Thanksgiving but I'm sure I'll figure it out this weekend. Hopefully. I just have to make it through a few classes next Monday and Tuesday (which has been magically transformed into Friday by the power of BYU). It shouldn't be too bad though.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all. Try to be thinking about the things you are grateful for in the coming days as the holiday approaches. I love you all and enjoy your holiday wherever you may be :)

Halloween

This year for Halloween I dressed up with my roommates. We were the peanuts characters: Ashley was Charlie Brown, Mary was Snoopy, Shauna
was the Little Red-Headed Girl, and I was Lucy van Pelt. It was so much fun. We had a ward party the day before Halloween and then on Halloween we went to a stake activity and watched a movie with our neighbors.

Me as Sally :)

We ran into our good friend, Jane, at the stake activity. I love you, Jane!

This picture is a little dark. Sorry! But it's a group shot

The 3 of us at the ward party

Doughnuts on a string. Go, Ashley!

I love my roommates so much and I'm glad that we could dress up together and have such a good time this year. Last year I didn't do much for Halloween so I'm glad that we had a fun time this year. :)