12 on 12.12.12

12. i didn't die. it's simply finals. oh wait, those are pretty much the same thing. finals=death. so yes, i died. i'll be back soon though.
11.  when asked if i enjoy my spare time i wonder, "what if i spend all my spare time sleeping???"
10. i am actually enjoying the snow. because not having a white christmas is the epitomy of lame. however, the snow really puts a damper on late night adventures.
9. i have decided i want to learn another language. partially because it is really good cognitive practice. but mostly because then i will feel like a spy or something when i speak it and no one else can understand. Portuguese maybe?
8. i just took my last final!!! booyah! am i ecstatic? yes. did i have a celebratory dance party? yes.
7. apparently people are going around saying that the mayan calendar ended today. just so you know, it ends on the 21.
6. now that finals are over i really don't know what i'm going to do with all the free time i'll have. does this mean i have to get a real life with real friends for the next three and a half weeks??
5. i never eat christmas candy that's given to me before christmas. always after. there is 13 days until christmas. and i'm feeling great about the amount of candy i've accumulated.
4. my day has been filled with so much studying that i really don't have anything cool to say. are you bored yet? on a more exciting note- i had costa vida for dinner.
3. some saints were giving out hot chocolate to people as they left the testing center tonight. i'm pretty sure those people are going to be saved
2. speaking of the Testing Center and finals. . . i think it would be just beautiful if we were all given complimentary back massages at the end of finals.
1. anyone who wants to buy me mistletoe?

and for those of you who still have finals left to take, just do the following:

a slice of reality pie

this is not the kind of pie you eat at Thanksgiving. although my Thanksgiving Break didn't involve anything hugely monumental, it was a terrific break from school. this morning i woke up and reality hit me hard- like a bad hangover. (note: i don't know what a hangover feels like, but i had a horrible migraine and i figure a hangover can't be much worse.)

our toilet was clogged and overflowing. when i woke up i found that my roommates had used every paper towel in the house to clean up the water (next time let's use a mop or rags ok?) and our manager was in DC, unable to assist us as our bathroom flooded with sewer water. yum. we don't have a plunger so i borrowed one from my brother and tried to fix the toilet. nope it didn't work. it stopped overflowing, but the water is like a centimeter below the top of the toilet. . .  thank goodness for will smith! he came over and fixed the toilet! i guess it just needed a man's plunging!

i have a huge pathophysiology test this week. i didn't study nearly enough over the break. granted, spending time with family and helping my parents is 100% more important, but that doesn't mean i'm not stressed. i have a test next week too. who has tests the week before finals? oh yes, my professors. it's so great. (not.) can i just live in the library for the next three weeks until finals are over?

this week is the Festival of Trees. i haven't missed it in the last three years. and i can't go this year. so bummed about that. any kind soul want to take me?

but on the bright side, here is a quick recap of Thanksgiving break. . .

at the women's volleyball game. there's a sock in my hair. don't worry about it.

we made seven pies! my favorite- pecan pie

ran my fourth half marathon. . .

with these two Africa girls! it was freeeeeezing!

i also:
worked almost 20 hours
started reading Harry Potter again
sang Christmas songs
watched a BYU basketball game
put up Christmas decorations

antisocial?

*don't worry , there is a picture in this post! keep reading!

you know when you get done with your studying faster than you planned on? and it's friday night and so you really don't feel like studying anymore? and it's snowing out so you can't go running or you will freeeeeze? but, you are avoiding going home because then you have be social, and be around treats and unhealthy food, and possibly not sleep, and probably talk about boys. and you just don't feel up to it.

that's me tonight. i got done with group therapy and then did the homework i needed to do, and even some extras! but i'm still in the library, in my little cave called the first floor. listening to He is We, Joshua Radin, Alicia Keys, and Blake Shelton.

i caught up reading all my blogs today. (and by "caught up" i mean that i read the posts that looked interesting slash funny.) yeah, i'm a major slacker and i don't expect it to get better anytime soon. i mean what do you want me to post about? how we learned about the renal system in pathophysiology this week and Brock and i decided that although the kidney is very important it's definitely the most boring organ to talk about. or i complain about the snow and how i hate the cold and how my feet got wet because boots are already leaky. or i could tell you about how i pretty much would live off goldfish crackers if that were possible. i guess you knew that already. . .

i've been working on overcoming fears and facing scary situations this week. it wasn't actually intentional. but it's turned out that way. it's been. . . good. they say that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger. i'm not dead yet. and i want so badly to be fearless.

sometimes i wish things could just go back to the way they were. like the perfect day, if i could go back to it, would be september 28. or october 4. but you can't go back. you just keep moving forward. 

i've been delaying posting about this, buuuut (duh duh duh) i'm doing the 21 Day No Junk Food Challenge again! i didn't post about it when i started last thursday because if i totally failed i didn't want ya'll to know and secretly judge me. but i'm more than a week in and i have not caved- even though i have been sorely tempted! this is a big reason i don't want to go home tonight because there is going to be mountains of delicious treats, found on pinterest, made by girls in my ward, and i don't know if i can control myself. i guess i should go and prove to myself that i can. i will post more about this after it's ended (it ends on Thanksgiving).

this week has been so emotional. what with family health problems, heavy tests, and the usual dating stuff. you know.... and if you don't. well you can ask. i'd rather not talk about it on my blog. but yesterday i was so worn down and stressed. i couldn't concentrate on anything. i was worried. i was lonely. i wished for things to change. i just wanted a quick fix. but i didn't get that. i just had to go face stuff. buck up. and i did. and i'm proud of that.

i really can't delay going home for much longer. i've run out of things to look at on pinterest. and facebook is a bore. so please, if you made it to the end of this post and actually read all of it, comment below, and then go get yourself some ice cream, oreos, pizza, brownies, or french fries. and eat them for me. kthanks bye.

*basically i also miss this. and these kiddos. and also because i think posts without pictures are very boring.

ps. if you have noticed i have mentioned therapy a couple times in a few posts recently. don't worry guys, i will tell you the story behind that. just not now.

reason i'm awesome #692

not to toot my own horn but i found out today that i have "ideal" posture. (thank you orthopedic impairments and therapeutic exercise.)

now if that ain't attractive, then i don't know what is. (yet another reason boys should be lookin' to date me. i mean.... come on, that is hard to resist. right?!)

on to a more serious note, i noticed that i stink at posting lately. mostly because school is cray cray. i worked almost 30 hours last week and studied like a maniac in order to stay caught up in all my classes and get ready for my first pathophysiology test!

wow how boring can my life get? well let me tell you. i go to school around 8:30 and get home between 5 and 7. i eat dinner and then study more- i usually try to go up to campus again. so if you really want to find me, i'll be on the first floor of the HBLL. because it's much more peaceful down here.

except when they are vacuuming. cough cough

please excuse how terribly exciting my life is right now.

ps. i'd really love a good back massage right now.

because i've been a bit of a slacker

i thought i would post this music video which has been stuck in my head since tuesday.

my pathophysiology study buddy showed it to me. watch it once. and then watch it again. because it gets funnier every time.



in other news....
i saw a picture of an 8 week old fetus today. it looked like a snake. i feel really great knowing that once upon a time my 8 week old fetus looked like the snake from Jungle Book.

i'm feeling guilty about the lack of posting. but i honestly have zero time. fact: i should be studying for my nutrition and chronic disease prevention test that i'm taking tomorrow.
fact: i had ice cream for dinner tonight. it was free and i'm a poor college student. i'll take what i can get.
fact: i'm going to bed now.

on top of the world

loving this song today. because i found out that i got an A on my music theory test which means. . . i get an A in the class for the semester and don't have to go to class ever again! here's to two more hours for studying or working out!
and i just feel like life is good.
i started my final year of school. finally. i feel like this has been years in coming! i guess it has. these two stud-muffins started their first year at BYU with me. it's been great/weird to have younger siblings here with me. i suddenly feel like i have huuuuuge shoes to feel to be an awesome older sister.

football season has also started! byu has not lost a game yet and i am loving watching them play- as usual. we've got an awesome group for football too. it's so fun to go to the game with "my boys"- Jake, Spencer, and Hyrum. it's never boring where we are.

i feel so blessed this semester. i know there are trials ahead, but at the same time i am happy. thursday was institute kick off and we had a wonderful speaker come talk about scripture study. i know that i this semester i want to improve and strengthen my relationship with Christ as i try to figure out what i'm doing after i graduate. i know that as i diligently study my scripture i will be able to fulfill my goals. i went to the temple on friday and was able to study and ponder the scriptures and my patriarchal blessing for almost two hours. it was wonderful!
so far this semester i've already been able to meet some wonderful people. there are a lot of new girls in the ward and my calling is allowing me to get to know them. i hope that i can be the best 1st counselor in the RS that i can be! i've met other great people through friends and i hope i can get to know them better as well.
i've made changes in my life too. good changes. things that i had been praying about for a long time. some of them were hard changes but i have felt so at peace about the decisions i have made.

Sunday dinner with the bros

i don't know what the semester holds in store for me! i won't be the richest girl ever. but can still be happy and succeed in my classes. it may not be the best semester in my life, but it will be the best semester for my life!

good news

guys i'm done done done with CNA class! i have officially spent 80 hours of training to become a CNA- 16 of those hours in clinicals. i also worked a little more than 20 hours a week while doing that. i am exhausted and have a lot to say about my class. i learn so much! but for tonight i'm going out on the town, i.e. to the dollar theater, with Allison and Jillian. Allison is moving back home tomorrow and i am super sad! she has been a wonderful roommate and friend!
on to other good news.
i received my financial aid notifications this morning. you may or may not know that i have been really stressed about getting the money to pay for school in the fall. i was so nervous to check if i had been awarded anything. blessing! i got more than enough money to pay for tuition and what else i need. i felt tears pushing out and i instantly said "thank you heavenly father for this gift." then i called my mom and we rejoiced. god is merciful. and he cares about what i care about. if there is anything i have learned in college it is that my education is important. and i am willing to work as hard as i need to in order to continue to receive this quality education.
i'll try tomorrow to post about every thing that happened this week as well as the posts i've been thinking about since starting the CNA class. but while you wait for that please enjoy some of my latest harry potter loves.

lately

you see, i had a CNA class last week. hence the odd absence. i was in class from 9-5 every day (literally in the same classroom for 8 hours) and then went straight to work until 9 pm. usually after work i have a little homework or studying to do. it's. . . great. it has been hard going from no school to full on insanity. but i have somehow survived and even enjoyed the class (a little). i will do a full report on the class when i am done with it- in one week! be excited! here is what i've been up to in the last week. sorry if it's not terribly exciting, it's not like i went out and partied every night after being in class and work for 12 hours.

i saw this beautiful sunset on wednesday (?) when i walked out of work. after a long hard day it was amazing to be reminded of the small and yet important things in life. sorry about the bad picture quality- i took it on my unsmart camera phone. no instagram for me people.

driving home from class on thursday i saw this double decker bus. i literally screamed. then i took this picture. then i said, "take me back to london!" it was quite emotional. come to find out that some guy running for state representative bought the bus to campaign! kind sir can i buy from you when you are done?? kthanksbye.

also on thursday i went to Aubrey Olsen's wedding reception. yes she got married! i was so grateful i got work off to be able to be there. i mean, she is practically like a sister to me. the reception was beautiful and it was so fun to see some Africa peeps. i got to drive up with Andy, Paul, and Sarah. Andy and Paul are starting med school in the fall! what smart guys.  and you may remember that Sarah and Paul got married on a blizzardy day in January. we counted that 7 people from our Africa group have gotten married! i am kinda starting to feel like i am slacking off. so i tried to catch the bouquet (i never ever do that). obviously i need to work on my bouquet catching skills...

have you ever heard of the Gravitron? i hadn't until saturday. i went to Orem's Summerfest with Alex and we both rode the Gravitron for the first time. basically you stand in this UFO-looking thing and it spins around really fast so you are pinned against the wall. it reaches G forces so there is no gravity (or very small amounts) and you can go upside down or anything! really cool slash weird. after riding the Gravitron we grabbed blankets for the fireworks show. if you live in utah valley you know that Saturday was like the windiest day ever, so i was freezing. but the show was so cool! we even got showered in debris from the fireworks. and we saw the double decker bus. after the fireworks we were all way cold, so we went to IHOP for their infinite hot chocolate and some late night sustenance. have you heard that chicken and waffles is amazing? apparently they eat them in the south. anyways, i got some! sadly by the time they came i wasn't hungry anymore, but i did have some delicious waffles and chicken for breakfast and dinner today. i don't think the combo is weird at all. the night was so fun! i am glad i got to go out!
so yes that is my life. tomorrow i start all over again with CNA classes and work. i have clinicals Wednedsay and Thursday and i am praying i don't die, or worse get expelled (i mean, throw up). ah! so nervous! but i'm off for now- gotta go take more vital signs! i'll try to check in before next sunday though! have a great week!

words on wednesday

i have stuff to say, so i'm not doing wordless wednesday. and because i didn't have my tuesdays thoughts this week, there are pretty much a bajillion thoughts flying around in my head, and they need to be put out on paper [ahem, cyperspace "paper"]. words + pictures today? ok.

- i finally got scholarship notifications for fall today. when they say "mid-April" they really mean "we're-going-to-wait-until-the-very-tail-end-of-the-month-so-you-are-freaking-out." i got a half tuition scholarship for fall, for which i feel very blessed. i hope i will get grant money from FAFSA, but i'm not planning on it. so, i'm in the market for a job. right now i'm working almost 30 hours a week at the Bean, which closes July 1. so i'm looking for a job which i can work at part time now and then full time from July-August. Or a full time, well paying job, where i can work full time after July 1. any ideas?
- speaking of school, i talked to an adviser today about graduation. say what? yeah that's right. this girl is graduating in december. just gotta get the music to send over my music minor form and then apply. right now, i'm planning on walking in August.
- guys, i'm pretty sure i have issues with knives. in the past three days i have cut myself twice. first time while slicing cheese [cheese slicing is my nemesis] and then this morning while slicing an avocado. thankfully, no major arteries or veins have been hit. . . yet. but i'm getting worried.
- my new roommate is the bomb.com. i am excited for the many adventures to come!
- i saw The Notebook yesterday. for the first time. ever. i have this thing against hyped up movies, well mostly against hyped up chick flicks. also, every girl i talk to say that they cry during it, and i hate crying. well people, i didn't cry [my friend says this means i'm heartless. does it? i don't think so. i think it means i contain emotion verrrrry well]. i did love the story. and it make me heart-sick for a man like that in my life. someone who will never give up on me. but how did Noah know to not give up? i'm all for peacing out at the first sign of a lack of commitment. or i'm too scared to say how i feel. how could Noah trust that Allie would come back? but, it was a good movie. i'm pretty much convinced that if i go to the South i will me myself a real man- because in the movies all the true romantic men are either from the South or from England.
- who else is psyched for the Biggest Loser finale? i want to have a party, but that would involve unhealthy food, and you really cannot watch the Biggest Loser while eating junk food. who do you want to win?
- today i took a nap. i know.  a nap, on a weekday, in the middle of the afternoon, for an hour and 15 minutes! it was the perfect napping day too. the only bad part about the nap was that i had a dream about that Oregon boy. he was being a total tool in the dream though so i was not missing him when i woke up (ok maybe i was a tiny bit, but let's not talk about it).
- at Macey's yesterday, Allison and I bought a package of peanut butter chocolate bars that were on clearance. yes. i love roommate shopping time! i'm secretly jealous of Allison because she can't eat gluten so obviously she will be eating way less sweets than me. should i give up gluten for a while??  what do you think?

ok enough words. here are some pictures worth 1000 words.

finals wrap up

i promise that although i have been having a rough time lately, and i've been busy with finals, i have been social too! i've really been trying after finals finished too.

Mountain West Burrito

wednesday: i got news that daniel was back in the good ol' USA right before i took my last final. if my score is compromised because i was so excited, then i will just have to live with it. i called him after i was done and it was glorious. i mean, there are some things that never change. awesome. that night i went to dinner with Heather that night. she had texted me earlier in the week, after finding out what was going on, and suggested we go. we went to Mountain West Burrito. it was my first time there and i was excited to try it out because i've been hearing about it for a year! i got a half and half (steak and carnitas) chimichunga and we also got a side of chips and salsa. ok people, you know how i love costa vida, but this place is delicious!!!! all their food is fresh made and organic! i loved it. after dinner, Heather, Chris (her super adorable baby), and I went back to my place to chill for the night. a girls night was so greatly needed! we watched The Biggest Loser, made homemade oreos and talked. Heather is terrific because she listens to me and also gives good advice. i can vent to her, but she won't let me flop and give up on something important. she is also really great at seeing the good side of a situation i might see as bad. we stayed up until midnight but it was so worth it. i'm looking forward to a summer full of Just Dance, working out and more fun times with Heather!

so excited school is over

thursday: i planned on sleeping in, but i got a text from my coworker at 8 asking if i could work for her at 10. boo. work was fine, but after work was even better. i went to lunch at costa (where else?) with daniel! guys, it was the best. again, i will say that some things never change and i am so grateful for that. i mean he teases me to know end and sometimes i just want to throw water in his face, but he always listens, always brightens my day, always manages to made me laugh, and he is a loyal friend. anywho lunch was great! i worked again that night (i'm thinking about just setting up camp for the summer in the Bean Museum) and it was super slow. i wanted to die. after work i went and saw my apartment for spring/summer! it's stinkin cute and i'm psyched to live there with Allison!

friday: in the am i had a job interview (for a secretarial position at the Bean), said good bye to some friends, and cleaned a little bit. i went to lunch at Zupas with shaunzi which was fabulous. i have a secret goal to try everything on their menu. we ran by shopko where low and behold we found 2 copies of "While you were sleeping" for $7 each! what a steal! i love this movie, but i don't think i'll watch it for a while because i would probably cry. once again i was at the Bean all afternoon (welcome to my summer). friday night i hung out with my good friend sam crossley. we were best friends in high school apparently. the night was hilarious. folks this only the second time sam and i have hung out and its like we were meant to be friends. i exchange sarcasm with the best of them. we went to Macy's (yes the department store) to use a gift card sam had. he bought me a yellow teapot (perfection!) and i helped him pick out a very attractive sweater. we do make good shopping buddies. then we went and saw Mirror Mirror. have you seen this movie? i was a little wary since it is a fairytale remake. . . but, it was awesomespice! funny. romantic. and full of girl power. i say- go see it! the night was fantastic. my two favorite moments: 1. when the cashier at Macy's asked if we were having a boy or a girl. ummmm neither. i do not look pregnant! it was the gift card that said "baby" on it that threw her off. 2. when the older gentleman at the theater said he could either sit right next to me and make sam and i feel very awkward, or he could leave a one seat distance between us so that no awkwardness ensued. he was hilarious. i gotta marry someone like him. later that night (after i had a late dinner of Costa leftovers and oreos) kevin brought me a chocolate fudge cake from him and claire! it was so nice and even though it was 2 am i wanted to hug him. i'm so lucky i get to be claire's roommate this fall!

saturday: woke up early to do cleaning checks. i like cleaning, but i like having peace while i clean. there was no peace and so i got irritated. whatevs. out apartment is spotless- and we passed! i didn't really eat lunch. it was one of those rough moments. i tried to make a quesadilla but it burnt. so then i was super mad and just cut up a tomato for lunch. and i ate like 5 homemade oreos. healthy real healthy. i also talked to adam and said good bye for the rest of 2012 (he's going to china for fall semester!) and now i'm at work. booyah. please bless that tonight is good and i don't sit at home being the loner i am destined to be.

for my friends just getting into finals season, hang in there. we will play when you are done!

wordless wednesday

awe hail

i thought of the title to this post around 1 pm today when a museum patron informed me it was hailing. it was then that i also decided that today was going to be a loooong day. and i would probably eat cookies for dinner- providing i have the energy to make them once i get home. unlikely.
it's day two of reading days and guys, i'm freaking exhausted. i know there are people out there who think "reading days"= "vacation/sleep-in/party-all-night days." i actually study. weird. i know.
i am in the middle (nearing the end) of a 6 hour shift. normally this wouldn't be so bad. but when you take spring break and add the thousands of Happy Valley families who didn't go to Disneyland with the rest of UV's inhabitants, you get complete insanity at the Bean Museum. i am extremely jealous of the educators and secretaries who can hide in their offices away from the utter madness. chances of me being admitted to an insane asylum are at about 78.3%
and-- i have a migraine.
the thought of going home to even more studying makes me want to crawl under this desk and die. i just keep telling myself: one more week and you will be free. and then one more semester and you are done-skee! . . . until nursing school. . . and then 2 years of MPA program. if you get in. and thus ends the pep talk.
i'm scheduled to work 23 hours a week at the museum during spring semester. happy and sad about that. happy that i have a job already. sad that i would like to be working more like 50 hours a week. happy that the museum is a pretty chill job. sad that i might go crazy because i have to stay in the gift shop pretty much at all times. happy because job=money. sad because i don't want to be in utah. yeah that's pretty much it.

i want:
- a plane ticket to oregon/disneyland (yes, i know there is no airport at Disneyland, so obviously i would hire out a helicoptor)/london/uganda
- dark chocolate
- a quart of BYU Creamery Cookies n Cream ice cream
- all A's on my finals
- a chef to make me a delicious meal when i get home from school/work
- sleep!
- harry potter marathon
- the beach
- the perfect summer wardrobe
- food in any form, but preferably something unhealthy (ie. JCW's, Panda Express, or Cafe Rio)
- or a BIG bowl of Lucky Charms (i'm talking about a giant sized bowl)
- the ability to apparate (walking home looks too daunting)
- mint chocolate chip ice cream with goldfish crackers
- sleep next to a lake
- a shot of dr. pepper

yeah.... that's kind of it. ps people i like what you think (unless it's mean in which case if you comment and i hate it then i will release the troll that i've been hiding in the dungeon). also, if i got paid on commission at the Bean, i would be making bank today.

ps. i used to be the girl who hung out with tons of guys and they would come over and bring me ice cream and we would just chill. but since i decided that i'm worth more than "hanging out" (ie. when i realized i graduate in 8 months and am not even close to putting a ring on it) i seem to have lost my guy friends. this is bad mostly when i just need ice cream/chocolate/costa vida and don't want to spend money on it. i expect daniel to pay me back for this slacking when he gets back from russia next week.

{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...)

spring fever

winter has got me down in the dumps. february, a month which should have been filled with celebrations and accomplishment, instead became the slacking off month. i let winter get the best of me. i let all my good habits fall by the wayside and i became lazy, a procrastinator, unhealthy, and a little bitter. sometimes it just seemed like i was staying in the same place and i wondered why i wasn't progressing and why i didn't feel better about my life. i think that melissa and i have kind of been on the same brain waves or something because we have been thinking the exact same things! i need to get back into my usually sunshiney attitude and do some spring cleaning in my life. then i can get on to the real spring fever :)
1) starting March 1st I am again doing the 21 Day No Junk Food Challenge. i just have not been eating healthy since Christmas. i eat pretty healthy meals, but i snack almost constantly in between and they are not healthy snacks. i was doing the challenge in January (if you remember) but i stopped because i realized i was not doing it for me and that i ended up just comparing myself to others and feeling bad about myself. i am excited to do the challenge this time! the only exception to my following the challenge 100% will be if i am on a date (i don't want to make any guy feel bad).
2) starting tomorrow, until next Sunday (March 4th) i will not be watching at TV shows. i usually start one while i'm eating and then end up watching more and more. it's bad and it is causing my studying to be much less effective. it's going to be hard this week not to watch any of my shows! but i know if i can go cold turkey for a week then i can find a way to still watch the shows i like and still get studying done. this week, if my studying is done, i will work on projects around my apartment, or read Harry Potter!
3) this week i am going to get to bed by 11 pm every night. while studying for midterms i got in the habit of going to bed late (because i needed to stay up and study). however since midterms are over i just stay up late, wasting my time, and then i wake up late and my whole day is off to a horrible start. so i promise to get more sleep (hopefully it will also prevent me from getting sick.
4) remember Fab Ab February? well i haven't been doing so great. it's not horrible but i usually only get in 3-4 days out of the week. needless to say, my abs are not fab. so i am going to do better at working out. i decided to do my first marathon this fall so i am going to start training for that ASAP and i am going to start weight training again. this week my goal is to run 1x, spin 2x, and do the 1000 rep workout 1x. can i do it? i hope so! i gotta get back in to shape!

are you ready for this? i sure am. i've been sitting around on my butt for long enough. it's time i took control and made 2012 the best year yet.

birthday week: day 3.

is it bad that i have to get out my planner to remember what i did this day? that's the kind of week it's been.

wednesday was a two-test day. what little celebrating i did, took place after taking two music 202 tests. [let it be known that i did not start studying for these tests until tuesday night. and, i hadn't done any of the reading for the entire semester. not the best idea.]
i finally got home from campus around 7 and found dinner on my doorstep from my visiting teacher. best. visiting teacher. ever. she is getting exalted for sure. [confession: i was so tired and hangry that i nearly cried when i saw this food. and i may have said "bless her soul" or something cheesy like that. sometimes, food makes me emotional.]

so happy to have a home cooked meal

my dad came down and took me shopping [because you may recall my diet was getting a little sketchy- too many starches, not enough fruits and veggies. yuck.]. he also brought down valentine's from my brothers. girls, if any of you should be so lucky to marry one of my brothers you should know that they know how to do valentine's! my 13 year old brother got me Toblerone and my 15 year old brother got me Ghiradellis . who needs a boyfriend to kiss when they have succulent chocolate from amazing brothers?! these gestures of love warmed my hangry soul. well, the chicken cordon bleu helped too.
after i shopped and scarfed down my dinner, miss jane elizabeth ostergar came over for dessert night. we made waffles with lemon poppy seed muffin mix. topped with butter and powdered sugar they are a delightful treat! we talked about... boys, obviously. jane and i are in somewhat similar situations, except not really.  i love her. she is hilarious. [and her hair is so beautiful i just want it for my own. caramel blond, thick and perfectly wavy.]  i can't wait for dessert night next week! [we should probably start doing something beside's dessert- aka something healthy- because we both love dessert way too much and would probably only eat dessert if we could get away with it.]
at midnight [my birthday!!!!] adam came over, with ulterior motives to get extra waffles, but purposefully to wish me a happy birthday. pretty sure my whole complex heard him wishing me a happy birthday but i am quite all right with that. i truly enjoyed him being the first birthday wisher. he does birthday wishing well.

poop.

guys, i'm pooped. this week has been utter insanity. emotional, mentally and physically taxing and draining. between studying for and taking 4 tough midterms, working, and trying to celebrate birthday week and Valentine's day i am exhausted. [it's a freaking good thing i don't have a boy friend because this girl had zero time for boys this week.] i stayed up until at least midnight every night this week. studied my butt off in all my spare time, and, well i feel like i have nothing to show for it. . . except maybe the 10 pounds i feel like i've gained, since i had no time to workout.

people keep asking me what i did for my birthday, and i have to break the news to them that i was at school from 9-5:30 and didn't exactly "party it up" all night either. unless you count studying functional anatomy as "partying." i didn't think so. secretly i think people are disappointed in me for not doing something amazing on my birthday or having a huge party, but i'm scrimping and saving college student and if i don't want to flip burgers my whole life, studying is way more important than partying. [did i just say that? yes, i did. i'm getting old.]

don't worry though! celebrations still occurred- although they were smallish events. i will be posting [tonight hopefully] about wednesday and thursday of birthday week. i don't think i will be going out tonight. i've kinda run out of people to beg to hang out with me. so i am seriously considering putting on sweats and watching all my tv shows that i didn't watch this week because i was too busy studying.

or just my comfy leggings and t-shirt that i laze around in.
this will be me tonight.
attractive.

if anyone wants to join me please bring ice cream and a diet dr. pepper. i will love you forever.

how-to-be-a-physics-nerd 101

light a light bulb using:

a paper clip

a 1.5-V battery

do this while talking on the phone to your brother and sister in law and you get extra credit.

[i got so excited it was a little weird. adam and sarah laughed a little but congratulated me. well, sarah congratulated me, adam questioned me about my materials. typical scientist. but i love them both anyways.]

happy thursday!

i have 3 classes,

2 hours of work,

1 bridal shower,

1 institute class,

and 1 workout today.

what are you doing this thursday?

hump day

I’m sick.

It’s one week into the semester and I’m already feeling a nasty cold coming on.

I think I got it from my roommate. [She was snoring the other night.] Or it could be the stress from memorizing the entire skeleton and trying to figure out electric fields and Coulomb’s law.

Either way, I’m [getting] sick.

I rolled out of bed at 7:03, after being unceremoniously awakened at 4:40 am by my roommate ferociously ringing the doorbell. [question: why were you up at 4:40 in the am? And why would you ever want to wake me up like that?] my ears are clogged, head aching, nose running, and throat sore.

Breakfast consisted of frozen strawberries and oj. I don’t really get hungry when I am sick.  I even did one physics homework problem before my 9 o’clock class. [this is a feat on a regular day. I hate studying before 9 am.]

My first class was thankfully interesting [mostly because we were on the indoor track so I could watch the women’s track team practice while simultaneously laughing at the volunteer from our class run.]

I was looking forward to work, hoping it would be slow. I could relax a little, eat my apple and celery, and maybe even work on a physics problem or two.  Not happening. We are stinkin’ busy. So I sit here, nibbling at my tasteless, dry apple slices [you know the kind where you can barely tell it’s a fruit?] and wonder if I can allow myself a small nap between work and my 5 o’clock class. Probs not.

But they say attitude heals the cold. Or something like that. Good things about today [hump day I might add]: only having two classes. I have a three hour break between work and class. Father is bringing me out drugs this evening. Today is the “eve” of a very exciting day [Thursday obvi. . .] I even have a countdown chain made. I finally got Gilmore Girls season 3 (thanks Hil!).

Ps. I know people read this blog [maybe] but comments are allowed and encouraged. If you think my blog is boring, how can I make it more exciting?

clubs

did you know that on the by clubs website you can fill out a short survey on your interests and they will give you a selection of on- campus clubs that they think fit your interests. in an effort to be more involved [and because i was dying of boredom a la the Bean] i took said survey. here are the results [aka the clubs i should join, because they fit my interests]:
- BYU Pre-Vet club [apparently i want to be a veterinarian. uh no thanks]
- Black Student Union [how did they know i'm black?! in all serious i might join so i can be around black people again.]
- Genetics and Biotechnology Club [i wish i were smart enough to be in this club]
- Rotaract [a Rotary Club. i usually associate this with old men.]
- Finnish Club [creepy/cool. how did they know that spencer is on his mission there? i might actually join this]
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu [like karate, but in Portuguese?]
- BYU Environmental Science Club [i do like the environment, but not this much. sorry earth.]
- BYU Circle K [another service club. would be nice but i need a club that is free.]
- Audio Engineering Society [audio makes me think of the stage hands at high school. weird. then engineers. also weird.]
- Mexican Student Association [i am in fact one of the top ten whitest people who attended my high school in 07-08, i am not even close to being mexican. but if they serve mexican food i am so there!]

want to get more involved at byu? feeling like your interests lack stimulation? head over here and get a free interest evaluation like i did! you might just find the perfect fit for you :)

NYR: an abundant life

i'm not going to post my new years resolutions because (1) they are pretty random and (2) they are fairly personal. but you better believe that they are good. 


sneak peak: get excited for my 22nd birthday because i will be posting resolutions, of a sort. 


however, i did come across this great article on lds.org which just so happens to be the First Presidency Message for this month. i highly suggest you read it. in it, Pres. Monson outlines the ABC's of how to live abundantly in 2012. as i read i thought about my life and realized that living abundantly is exactly what i want to do this year! 


A: Attitude. i love this quote: "The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives" (William James).  having an optimistic and happy attitude is a constant goal i have. one of my NYR is to greet every day with optimism, to see the good in the world, and to smile more. they say attitude determines altitude and heaven knows we could all use a little lift! my grandpa sent me a quote that said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." so, 2012, you may seem a little dreary and (frankly) boring, but i am deciding now to face you with enthusiasm! let's see what great things i can accomplish!


B: Believe- in yourself,  in others, in principles. "[She] does not believe who does not live according to [her] belief." there is nothing stopping me but me. this year, I resolve to not let myself, others, or circumstances prevent me from doing what i know i can do. i also want to be better at seeing the best in others and not talking bad about others. finally, i will stay strong in my belief of the Atonement, Christ's love, and eternal families (along with other dear principles). i know keeping my faith strong will also keep me strong.


C: Courage. All the lion wanted, in The Wizard of Oz, was courage. he discovered, as Pres. Monson said, that courage doesn't come from being willing to die manfully, but from the "determination to live decently." i always start off the new year with big plans and great expectations (usually), and then as the year goes on my plans get beaten down and sometimes, i do too. but courage is more than the initial effort, it is being willing to give it a second try even when facing challenges. in 2012, i am not going to give up. i am going to keep trying to make dreams and plans come true, even though huge challenges face me!

what are you going to do with the ABC's of an abundant life?

oh and here is a random picture of me i took this morning. i think it's quite hilarious i have a plaid shirt. i'm so excited for the weekend. i'll probably be studying saturday morning- already. i know. gross. what are your weekend plans?  now, if you'll excuse me, i'm gonna go study functional anatomy.