It's finally happened ladies and gentleman. I have done something that I have never, ever ventured out to do. I have vowed to give up all desserts for one week! I know, I know, one week, sounds like nothing right? Hear me out ok?
Sweets are everywhere up here. Everywhere! Especially since I'm involved in several different organizations in which we have meetings quite often. There are ALWAYS desserts at these meetings. Good ones too. Also, I live in an apartment complex with 300+ young adult women who are faithfully working on becoming the best future homemakers that they possibly can, especially when it comes to filling up the cookie jar. Sunday afternoons are the worst. EVERYONE bakes. My apartment is right in the exact center of the entire complex. Dead center. And I swear that every lovely aroma within one square mile of my apartment wafts it's way right into our apartment.
Just last week my neighbors (well my two-doors-down neighbors) baked up these lovelies and brought me some!
Also, this past Monday night we went to the Herbert's for FHE and Sister Herbert spoiled us with Jello Cake, Peach Torte, and a Chocolate Vanilla Pudding Deliciousness something. I had all three :) And was SO sick afterwards, but oh so happy. But that made me realize that I needed to exercise a bit more self control.
Anyways, Claire, Andrea, Kim and I are doing this together. No desserts for one week. Then I think I'm going to go get me a pie shake from Sammy's, cause I'm IN LOVE with those, and then start back up on our dessert free life for perhaps another two weeks. And then three weeks etc. etc.
This is my only exception. If I get offered one of these bad boys while on my dessert fast, there's no stopping me!
One day last semester, Claire brought home a little bottle of sparkling cider. She put it under her bed and told me that when we had something really good to celebrate, we would run back to our bedroom, grab the bottle, open it up and celebrate like crazy with our sparkling cider. This was at a time when we were both single and jobless, so at least in my mind, some possible celebratory moments would be that of acquiring a job, or a boyfriend .... something a long those lines. Well since that time, neither of us got a job. We both however were in steady relationships, yet even in that process we never once broke out the celebratory cider.
In that time, where we seemed to have had nothing great enough to celebrate, Claire came across a second bottle of cider. So now we had two, and we knew that when we did have something to celebrate, it had to be good. So the bottles sat in our room. And sat. And sat. And sat. For a really long time. Until....
Wahoo for sparkling cider and $1.50 D.I. MuMu's :)
Last Sunday, Claire and I celebrated. We broke out the bottles, opened them up, and each guzzled down our own as we laughed and cried and talked the night away on Claire's bed.
Probably not the most flattering pictures, but since I had them, I figured they should go up.
What did we finally decide was worth our celebration you ask? Well, we were both still jobless. Neither of us were still in a relationship, and nothing really new and exciting was going on in our lives. But we celebrated anyways.
At first it was kind of depressing as we thought about how we had nothing to celebrate. However, as I sat in my room with my Claire I felt so grateful to have such a fabulous girl for a roommate. That right there was worth celebrating, and things only went up from there. I realized how silly I was being for thinking that I had nothing to be happy about. I have SO much to be happy and grateful for. And SO much to celebrate. I once read This Post where I found the suggestion to make a list of ten things you're grateful for on days where things aren't going so well, or anyday for that matter.
So here's my ten for today. 1. The sun. I saw it today. I basked in it today. It made me happy today. 2. My aerobics class. I seriously can't get enough of it. 3. Brandon Michael Rust. He sent me a new battery for my laptop and now it can actually be portable, wahoo! 4. Daniel and Travis Rust. I'm really, really grateful to have brothers up here at school with me. REALLY grateful. 5. My health. I am blessed. 6. My calling. It has been the highlight of my semester. I love the things I have learned and experience because of it. 7. Water Bottles. I just bought one, and I totally wouldn't ever drink water if I didn't have it handy. It keeps me hydrated. 8. FAFSA. Enough said. 9. Tennis. My front yard consists of nothing but tennis courts. Gonzaga! 10. Push ups. I just think it's a fabulous exercise. And it's exciting when you can get your numbers up!
And pretty much life is just way too good to me, but I like it that way :)
I'm afraid I have never really appreciated this song until just recently. In my mind it was just that one hymn that had a bunch of funny one syllable words. Moor. Fen. Crag. What is this?
Recently, I have come to absolutely love this hymn and the message it contains. The third verse still kind of throws me off with it's funny words. One day I'll take the time to study those out and appreciate them. But not today, because today I am in love with the first two verses.
Lead, kindly Light, amid th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on;
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead Thou me on.
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on.
I loved the garish day, and spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will: Remember not past years.
I certainly am one who loves "to choose and see my path". I like to be in control,
I like to make the calls. However, I am learning more and more each day that all
I can do is keep moving forward one step and a time and trust that the Lord will
I was more interested in my homework, but the 80's ladies found me and attacked.
Kim Pett; hairstylist and proud of it!
Impressed?
All I can say, is that I am extremely grateful to be living in the decade that I do, fashion-wise at least. I couldn't have handled this EVERYDAY. Definite new-found respect for my elders. We did get half off at Twizl Berry for our efforts! It was worth it.
Winter 2011 was one of a kind. I was off-track and loved every minute of it. Here's why (:
We never got a roommate picture with all of us, but this comes close. I had fabulous roommates this semester! Pictured: Janessa, Leslie, Erica (Leslie's sister who was just visiting for the weekend) Me and Claire. Not pictured is Jen, whom we also love greatly!
This was my second date of the semester and my first with Michael. It was also my first group date with a sibling in the same group, Trav let me come :) Anyways, it was a success!
Sledding has absolutely become one of my passions. I LOVED it when we'd go as a group of friends. SO much fun.
This was towards the beginning of the semester. Travis and his roommates and a few other friends came over and discovered my mom's homemade hats and scarves. So we modeled them of course!
Homestead Adventures. These people have changed my life. There will be an entire blog post dedicated to each one of them in the future I'm sure. Here we have Doralie and Aldean.
The group with Ila wearing the new bow we gave her.
National Chili day! We became rather fond of celebrating silly national holidays.
Sign Language to Katy Perry's "Firework" Nothing Better.
National Potatoe Chip and National Pie day. Homemade Pistachio, yuuuuummm!
As an SBOD member, I got one of these plastic reusable to go boxes to test out for the semester. Many a wonderful picnics were brought to us via this lovely little box.
I gave my very first haircut. It turned out pretty well too!
Ma and Pops came up to visit.We all went to Savior of the World and then out to Craigo's
Needless to say, I was pretty satisfied with my semester. Wouldn't change a thing!
My senior year of high school was quite possibly one of the greatest times of my life. It seems like everyday I would come home from work or school or a friends house and just wonder how I got so lucky. I loved my teachers, I loved my friends, I loved my car, I loved my job, I loved my bedroom, I loved myself, I loved everything about everything. Reminds me of this girl. Life was good. I felt on top of the world.
It seemed like no matter where I was, what I was doing, or who I was with, I always felt like jumping for joy. So I did.
Again..
And Again...
And Again...
And Again...
Get the Picture? :)
It seemed like life couldn't get any better. High school was amazing.
BUT...
I can't even begin to explain how much greater life has been since that time. I love being in college. I love being at BYU-Idaho. I love my roommates. I love my friends. I love not having a car. I love everything about life. It seems like it couldn't possibly get better.
BUT...
I know it will :) So until then, and even then, I'll keep jumping for joy.
