the bums

yeah yeah it's been almost a week since my last post, and i know you've all been waiting with baited breath to see how i am doing and what i decided about the race. i know you just live to read my blog and hear about my life, because it's so stinking exciting. so, sorry for my absence.

about el marathono (that's spanish for marathon didn't you know?) i've decided not to do a full. every training program i found was between 16-20 weeks and since i haven't been running consistently i didn't feel like i'd be adequately ready in 12 weeks. a lot of people seem to think i'm like this pro runner, well news flash, i'm not. if i was then i'd be sponsored by nike and only wear nike clothes and be totally legit. and i'd probably be black (not racist, just all the best runners seem to be black). so i'm doing a half marathon, maybe two, before i leave for the mish.

sometimes how i feel when i watch Biggest Loser

in reference to the title of this post, no this isn't a post about bums. although that could be quite entertaining. get your mind outta the gutter! ok. moving on. see i done got sick. it all started after sushi last thursday. a titch of the sore throat. i didn't think much of it. but by the time i got home from work friday i knew i was coming down with something nast. but did that stop me from staying up until 2 am? nope. it was totes worth it too by the way. anyways i've been sick. and that my friends, is the bums. i literally do nothing but sleep, study, go to work, and um yes, sleep.
last night the nurse at work gave me some tylenol pm and, friends, if i was gonna go be a druggie i think that would be my drug of choice. is this legal stuff to write? stuff knocked me right out and i slept until 9 am. beautiful beautiful. i did kinda have a tylenol pm hangover. i went to buy some so i didn't have to keep getting the nurse at work to give it to me (because that just sounds too much like a drug dealer right?) but they don't sell the stuff at Smith's. what the bum? i was pretty upset. now please don't go thinking i'm gonna be all addicted to over the counter drugs (although i did have to show my id when i bought my knock-off nyquil), i just found my experience with tylenol pm worth noting.

and this is what i'm like when i'm sick. if you thought i took a lot of naps before i was sick, well now i don't even set my alarm to wake up from my nap! heck, i gotta get better! i've got tests to take, friends to hang out with, and adventures to have!  and of course my body chooses the warmest week of the year thus far to get sick. it's perfect running weather and i'm in here chugging water and sniffling away. boo.

now just because i'm sure you are fascinated by my storied of phlegm and cold medications, i'm going throw this picture down because i desperately need to watch Harry Potter again, i want to go thrift shopping every time i hear this song, and because i died laughing when i saw this.

be nice. remember this was written by a sick girl :)

march: goals

it's time to report on my goals for february and make goals for march. i can't believe it's finally starting to warm up! i'm super excited!
sign up for a half marathon: not completed. i've decided to do a FULL marathon and i'll be signing up this month!
go to aerobics classes 2x a week: i feel like i did pretty good at this.
save $100: check.
celebrate birthday month: birthday month was a wild success! boom! 
read from The Infinite Atonement/ The Holy Temple each Sunday: i think there was one Sunday where i didn't read out of one of the books, but i did do pretty good.
go to temple three times: done.
go to ward activites: i even got work off so that i could go to the activity that my council planned! i've definitely been more social in my ward this last month.
serve someone daily: i didn't keep record of this, but i did pray for opportunities to serve. mostly i served my roommates (doing their dishes etc.) but i could have had a better attitude about it.

i've got some pretty great goals for march. i also have a lot of fun plans for this month! i just hope it keeps being warm and everything. i am ready for spring!

do you have any goals for March?

Passover

My family celebrates Passover every year around Easter. This year, despite their travels to Texas over Easter, we still did it, just a week early! We used to complain about how long the program took and how boring it was (ok, some of us still do complain about it) but it is really quite short and gives me something to think about!
this year i especially was touched by the "dayenu" or "it would have been enough. we go through a list of things that we are blessed with and conclude that if that blessing was the only thing we had, that it would be enough. it made me think that i have been given so much that i really should not complain about the things i don't have!
here are some (obligatory) pictures from the event:

the plate with all the symbolic foods

the family- minus mom (she took the picture)

i am so glad that mom took the time to do Passover this year! i was pretty bummed that they were all going to be gone for Easter and i wouldn't get to celebrate with them at all. hooray for Passover!

a weekend of color

this weekend turned out nothing like i planned. but in a good way. when i left work on Friday i fully expected that i would be going camping in a few hours and then on saturday i would just study all day and watch a movie by myself that night. but sometimes spontaneity happens. and it's a good thing. i ended up going to a movie night with Adam and Jake and their Oregon friends who were visiting. i truly enjoyed it because (a) we watched Invictus- a movie about South Africa, Nelson Mandela, and rugby- which made me miss Africa and feel like i was watching my home on TV; and (b) because those people are all really stellar people! they are a group of individuals who know how to have fun without being dumb or crude (etc). it's good clean fun and i am so grateful that Adam and Jake are my friends! They are such great examples to me and i look up to them.
on saturday i went to the Festival of Colors! my first time ever! but i figured that since it is my last year in Provo and i have wanted to go for a few years now, that i should just go! it was a blast. i went with Jake and Adam's group and loved it. here are some pictures (although i'm sure like every single person in the blogging world is posting pictures.

i was covered in color. which is great because i think i'm a pretty colorful person! it took me forever to get clean. meh. it was so worth it!

later saturday night i went to Hunger Games again. don't be jealous. i'm just super cool (aka i know super cool people). it was great the second time around too! 

guys, sometimes life is good and then something comes along and it gets better. it's crazy. it's like a bolt from the blue- but good. my weekend was totally not what i was planning on, but God loves us and He loves to bless us! He wants us to be happy and when we are doing things right and trying to follow His will, he will send us experiences, things and people that make us even happier.

finally, i went to a fireside for Vocal Point tonight. it was amazing! they sang one of my most favorite songs. it is a prayer. it is my prayer. enjoy!

you know it's spring when...

- the line at Sammy's goes outside. but waiting outside (and then eating outside) is pleasant. and you don't feel the need to crawl into a furry spacesuit in order to stay warm whilst eating a delicious pie shake.

- bright pops of pastels are filling campus. coral pants. mint green blouses. khaki capris. floral skirts. pink nail polish.  it's intoxicating.

- you can run outside without wearing layers. shorts and a tshirt. splendid.

- you have the insane desire to run around campus hugging people and giving them flowers or candy or something. simply because the sun in shining and it's warm.

- i'm feeling slightly lost because last year at this time i was busily getting ready for my trip to Africa. i miss uganda.

- the need for a road trip has worked it's way to the surface of my being and it's all i can think about (when i'm not thinking about physics, anatomy, biomechanics, family, running, etc.)

- the mailboxes start filling up with wedding invitations. this girl is getting married today!

- you can wear a skirt with no tights and you don't freeze your buns off. (shaving your legs is back in demand.)

- cadbury eggs. jelly beans. and all other delightful Easter candies call temptingly at the grocery store.

- i realize i desperately need a new swimsuit. ideas???



what's your favorite part of spring?

{happy} tuesday thoughts

since i'm working on being happier this week, all my thoughts are focusing on good happy things.

knowledge of the plan of salvation. and that families can be together forever. it makes life so much happier and more peaceful! i am grateful my friends, who are going through a really tough time right now, also know it.

BABIES. i got to see and hold this little cherub yesterday and i am completely smitten. i've never really been that girl- the one who hogs the babies. but i'm turning in to her. these tiny people come straight from heaven and i smile just thinking about little Chris!

it's getting warmer! the snowstorm this weekend was just a fluke! it's supposed to be 70 by friday! this weekend is going to be gorgeous!

no cavities. yes folks, after 22 years i am still cavity free. plus, getting your teeth cleaned is like a supersonic car wash for your mouth.

forgiveness. i'm working on not being bitter, holding grudges, or with holding forgiveness. sometimes even when i think i have forgiven or "gotten over" something someone did, i find out that i'm really not. so i'm working on mending friendships and my own frail heart.

via spirituallythinking.blogspot.com

the theory of relativity isn't quite as mind boggling when you have a good friend like Erin to help you with the homework.

miss hilary norton leaves on her mission in a short time. this is not the happy part (i will miss her and her cheery presence). but, since i am borrowing Gilmore Girls from her, a deadline has appeared by which i need to have finished all 7 seasons. i'm on season 5. this makes a wonderful excuse to inundate myself in Gilmore Girls before she leaves so i can get all of it finished! i'm thinking 2 episodes a day.

dyeing Easter eggs. yes, Easter is 3 weeks away. yes, it snowed yesterday. but did that stop our indubitable FHE group from dyeing some spectacular eggs last night? no way. it was a blast!

it's the first day of spring! i'm celebrating so hard that i decided to be excited about having class until 7:30!  it will still be light out when i walk home.

i'm realizing that happiness isn't something that just comes. you have to work to be happy. already this week has thrown trials at me and i have had to choose to see the good in them. you can't ignore the bad, but you can't dwell on it either.

make time to laugh. in fact, don't "make time." laugh all the time! there is always something to smile about. this kid has the right attitude (or he really has to use the toilet...)