words from mama kay...

So yes I have been posting a lot lately. You can always tell when things like my blog, or my itunes playlists get updated cuz it ALWAYS means I had a test recently. Those are the main things I do when I procrastinate. So lucky you, I'm writing again.

I'm gonna be honest...this past weekend and even the beginning of this week have been a little rough. Just some different things going on in life and trying to plan for the future have just been weighing me down! I'm definitely the type of person that bottles things up, pretends everything is ok, puts on a smile, and then one day has a complete BREAKDOWN! I may or may not have experienced this lately (I promise there's a point to this).

But as usual, the hard moments in life always bring you closer to the Lord, family, friends, and allow you to reconnect with what truly is most important in life. Which is always good for me to remember what my focus should be on.

I swear I have the most amazing people in my life who time after time say things to me that are exactly what I need to hear (my mom being one of them). But this morning I woke up to a short & sweet little facebook message from cute mama kay from Belize. She said something that really touched me:

"...my baby girl the things we want in life that are good for us require effort, dedication and sacrifice, I know you can make it." 

Effort. Dedication. Sacrifice. Those aren't the usual words you hear when going through a hard time. Usually its words like faith, patience, hope, etc. But I loved this new outlook. In order for things to change for the better, especially things we want, we have to be doing something. We have to be "moving"...putting forth more effort, making more sacrifices, doing 100% in all we do and being dedicated to it.

So despite what life throws at us, this can be our new motto. We can all be a little better. There is so much more I can be doing to achieve my goals in life. And when my life is aligned with the Lord's will, everything will work out how it should. I truly believe that and know he cares about us more than we can imagine. He knows what we're going through and will always be there for us when we need him.

Life is the ultimate test. Yes God has to be a good teacher and not give us answers to the test when we want them SO BAD, but it is how we learn and become better. Things will work out they always will and we all be ok.

There's my little pick me up for the day.
And don't worry...I totally got to play my FIRST BUNCO GAME EVER tonight. It was life changing. I feel I have become addicted :)

PEACE and love.

true confessions...

I want a dog.
not down the road.
not in 5 years.
not once I have a house and am married.
RIGHT NOW.

Dogs make me happier than I can even explain.
I love them.
A lot.
And I need one...
ASAP.

Graduation Present?
April's coming soon right?!

Someone PLEASE back me up with this decision...
And don't worry mom and dad, I totally have a friend who's a dog trainer...
training would be a breeze! :)
PEACE and love

sundance 2012

Fact: I hadn't been up snowboarding this ENTIRE winter until yesterday...embarrassing.
Fact: Although the snow looks perfect and beautiful in the picture, it was definitely PURE ICE.
Fact: I may or may not have fallen on my knees a lot (because it was really slippery obviously) and they are now swollen and black and blue. Its pretty cute.
Fact: I definitely need to perfect my toe-side a little more.
Fact: Utah mountains with snow really are beautiful...i have to admit.
Fact: I really enjoy snowboarding and had a lot of fun (despite the icy conditions) but I am definitely a summer girl. Boating, biking, hiking, sun-tanning, watermelon, running outside, sunshine....it is time.

SUMMER please come soon...

I really miss you.

PEACE and love

down the road...

So it has been a while I know. I am still living and breathing. Life just gets a little crazy! Lets just say with school, 3 internships, and graduation coming up...my brain has been goin 800 miles an hour. Not Normal.

I have a lot of decisions to make in these next couple months and it is literally FREAKING me out!!! Where will I live? Where will I work? What will I be doing? How will I pay for that? Can I quit school already? Is stats lecture REALLY that important? These are questions I think about almost on an hourly basis. 

Because let's be real. I've pretty much made up my mind that all I really want to do is pursue photography and maybe go to hair school. Papa James is not the biggest fan of this, especially considering he has been helping with my college tuition for the past five years, but I know I would love it. And I want to be doing something I love for the rest of my life. So...here are my options:

1. WORK all summer, save up some cash cash, and MOVE to any of the below to work some more!!

 
 WASHINGTON D.C. 




 
 SAN DIEGO, CA
And yes. 
I would be HERE everyday.


 
NYC

2. WORK all summer, start hair school in the fall (where?? not quite sure yet.)

3. WORK all summer, work all fall/move to slc, start hair school in the winter**All of these options include starting some photography on the side...yes, i'm aiming high.

SO that's what we're lookin at folks. Those are just some of the ideas that my brain has been thinking up lately. Have I mentioned I am SOOOOO READY to be a college graduate!!!! Provo has been good to me but its time for a new adventure.

Song of the day....Dave Barnes new single: White Flag. Obsessed. already...

PEACE and love...

So I am going to start something new on here. Everyone knows how much I love music...I am a little obsessed. So I wanna start posting not only the youtube video but also the lyrics of the song I am feelin for that particular day. I know for me I understand songs so much better after reading the lyrics...so that is my goal. To just really truly appreciate music for all that it is! Cheesy? maybe. But do I care? Not at all.

Song of the day/my week/my life: JASON MRAZ, "I Won't Give Up"

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up.

OBSESSED. I want to marry him maybe? yes. I LOVE this song so much... 

its a new year baby...

So I am graduating in April. SO WEIRD. I never thought this day would come. I can't believe my time is almost done in this place! But this semester is gonna be a little different. I am only taking one class...ONE. And its stats 121. WHY did I wait til my last semester to complete this class? I have no idea. And then I have my internship I have to complete for graduation as well as my photography one too. But they all start next week so I have had a lot of time on my hands at the moment.

So as always I find new music in my spare time. My current fave...Trevor Hall. Thanks to Dean from 3B yoga for introducing me to this man. I have been obsessed today.

I promise I'll have better blog posts once my life gets more busy and interesting! Peace and Love...

songs like these are the reason i get through finals....

I know my sister hates me when I find a new song that I love because I can't help but play it OVER and OVER. This one in particular I just can't get enough of. SO GOOD!!

On a sidenote...hope everyone is surviving the pre-Christmas rush. But may we be focusing on what really matters at this time of year. This quote from our tender prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really touched me today...

“Because He came to earth, we have a perfect example to follow. As we strive to become more like Him, we will have joy and happiness in our lives and peace each day of the year. It is His example, which if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.

Because He came, there is meaning to our mortal existence.

Because He came, we know how to reach out to those in trouble or in distress, wherever they may be.

Because He came, death has lost its sting, the grave its victory. We will live again because He came.

Because He came and paid for our sins, we have the opportunity to gain eternal life.

May His precious Spirit be with us, and may He ever be the center of our celebrations and indeed of our very lives.”

-President Thomas S. Monson

Remember the REASON for the SEASON! I am so grateful for my Savior.

peace and LOVE to all <3

best. night. EVER!!!!

sometimes i forget.
JUST how much i am in LOVE with music.
tonight was seriously INCREDIBLE!
I took a guitar class this past semester and my teacher had us play in a recital tonight. At first I was thinking it was going to be just like any other recital...but i was wrong.

We pull up to this house in provo...looks like any other ordinary house. But don't worry this family just built a full on freaking RECORDING STUDIO in the back of their garage!! With a stage, recording equipment, spotlights....it was seriously the coolest thing I had ever seen. How do people live like this?? I need to find out their secrets.

So this recital turns into a concert!
Was I peeing my pants with nervousness? yes.
But was it so worth it? ABSOLUTELY.

I haven't sung on stage like that in such a long time.
Playing guitar, with a band is probably one of the coolest things you could ever do in life.
There is no feeling that can replace what being on stage feels like.
It's invigorating.
It feels like a dream.
It's magical.
It makes me feel ALIVE.

I love singing.
end of story.
and I don't do it enough.

something has got to change.
I miss it too much.

I normally HATE doing stuff like this but here's the video of me performing. I had to do it for my mother at least! Let me know what you think! :)
Happy Wednesday!

PEACE and love

namaste

 
breathe. bend. be. 
sounds like a pretty good motto for my life right about now.
Unfortunately its taken by the yoga studio in provo (3B) and YES me and my sister just recently joined. And YES I am loving my life! I honestly have LOVED the two classes I have been to so far.

I have a super long way to go and so much to learn but I feel really great about it. I need more positive energy in my life. Lets just hope there won't be any torn muscles from stretching a little too far or broken necks from falling on my head while trying a head stand any time soon. It really has been exactly what I need in my life right now and I am looking forward to becoming a true "yogini" as they are called. Our instructor isn't too bad looking either :) namaste...

PEACE and love

open your eyes. open your heart. open your arms.

Yes it has been a while. Life has been crazy! Have I mentioned I am so soo SOOOO glad to be graduating?!? April is can't come sooner!

So I know Thanksgiving was a couple days ago but I just have to express some things I'm grateful for. After reading this talk by Elder Wirthlin, I realized a lot of things I am especially grateful for and are in need of improvement in my life. Wirthlin mentions three ways to live in Thanksgiving daily: opening your eyes, opening your heart, and opening your arms.

He further explains that when we open our eyes we appreciate the things we take for granted every day...family members, being able to breathe, nature....there are so many things that we fail to appreciate just because we see them everyday or we think they'll always be around. We need to be better and appreciating the little things that make life so great.

When we open our hearts we let go of hurtful feelings that weigh us down and keep us from reaching our full potential. Our hearts should be used to love others, ourselves, and most importantly our Heavenly Father.

And lastly when we open our arms we are using our time to love and serve others. Life is about the people in our lives and how we treat them. We must appreciate those in our lives and treat everyone as teachers who are teaching us ways to be better. We need to try our best to give our time to serve those in need as well...it is so easy to fall into our busy lives and forget about those who are in need but we MUST do everything we can to serve those around us. Wirthlin said: "Every time we cheer another’s heart, every time we ease another’s burden, every time we lift a weary hand, we show our gratitude to that God to whom we owe all that we have and all that we are." Oh I just miss this man.

I am grateful. I am so blessed in my life and know I have so many things I take for granted every DAY but I hope I can do more to show my gratitude. I love this gospel, I love my family, I love my friends...I am grateful I am able to get an education and live in a country where we are able to have so many freedoms...I am grateful for good people who I am able to learn from and pattern my life after...I am grateful for my dogs I really REALLY love them a lot. I'm grateful for a home, food, so many necessities of life that I am so lucky to have. Most importantly I am grateful for a Savior who died for me and everyone...who truly is my best friend. He loves us more than we can comprehend and I feel so blessed to know of his life and his teachings so I can try the best I can to become like Him. I know he lives and loves us and can provide the comfort we need in our world full of evil.

One last quote that I really loved was: "As we strive to open our eyes, hearts, and arms, our step will become a little lighter, our smile will become a little brighter, and the darkness that sometimes broods over our lives will become a little lighter...Be grateful. Every day is a new canvas—a new opportunity. Don’t wait to start. Open your eyes, open your hearts, and open your arms."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

this almost made me cry...

i LOVE this....

such a GREAT day...

i like to dream.
always have.
always will.



I like to dream about the future...
jobs i would like,
places I want to travel to,
people I want to meet,
dogs I want to have,
my future family...
I could go on FOREVER.

As of late, my thoughts have been directed toward careers.
AKA
"Post Graduation Life".
What am I going to do?
Where am I going to live?
Do I want to go to grad school?
How will I make money?
Will I ever get married?

As I'm pondering these questions of life...
Another thought hits me.
What do I want to do?

and then the dreaming starts...
i want to:
write music
do hair
work at a gym
start PHOTOGRAPHY


the more I think about it
the more I can see myself doing
photography.
YES.
i love this idea...


So I did something a little crazy--
I started emailing EVERY photographer in the Utah county, in hopes to get some response...a job-shadow, small internship, an opportunity to email some questions, or to have someone give me advice on what I should do next. I knew I was aiming high but i figured WHY NOT right?!? 

Within the week I actually got a response from...duh duh duh
REBEKAH WESTOVER.
I kind of died.


This woman is truly incredible and has such an amazing talent at photography. She emailed me back asking if I would want to come help with a couple photo shoots to see how she runs things and to ask whatever questions I had. Ummm YES I believe I can totally make room to do that in my schedule!

It was AMAZING! I had such a fun time with Rebekah and the cute family she had a session with. It hit me right then and there that I HAVE to do something like this with me life. I HAVE to do something I love. I know it might not make the most money, I know that it may not seem "realistic" with a graduate degree, but it is where my heart is. It felt so good to see someone who followed their dreams and made their life happen they way they wanted it to. I left feeling so inspired and wanting to make my dreams really happen.


So to all those who are borderline nursing school or medical school but have had a deep desire to do photography or hair school or whatever....join forces with me in following our dreams and making life happen the way we want it to. I am determined to make it happen.


Such a good day....

Peace and Love <3