Places

       Places I have been: Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, San Fran, Idaho, Las Vegas, Washington, San Diego, Los Angeles, St. George, Moab, all the State parks in Utah, and Hawaii. So I am definitely not deprived of traveling...I just have never left the United States! 

       If you could travel anywhere in the world…where would you go? There is no way I can choose just one place, so I am going to list a few of the places I would LOVE to go and why.

-New Zealand. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I love looking at pictures of the mountains and oceans, and I want to see it all in person! Not to mention that Lord of the Rings was filmed there (:

-Scotland. Is super pretty and would be incredible to see, as well as hear the accents of the people.

-Sweden/Canary Islands. These two places mainly because this is where my dad and mom served their missions. They both loved their missions and loved where they served.  I would really like to see what their life was like during those 18-24 months.

-Jamaica/Caribbean. Wow these places are gorgeous. The ocean and the trees and the weather are just perfect. Living there would be like being on vacation every day!

-Egypt. Pyramids. Mummies. Sphinx. The end.

-China. Watching Mulan just makes me want to visit this place! To see the amazing architecture and the Great Wall of China and the crazy tightly spaced cities. I mean come on….this is where everything is made! I want to see this place!

-England. This place is so beautiful, especially the country side! Just like out of Pride and Prejudice (: To be able to see London with the red telephone booths and double decker buses would be such an amazing experience.

Canada. Niagra Falls! And to see what the big deal was about Hockey!

My Most Memorable Moment

What is your most memorable moment? 

       My brother has a lung disease called Cystic Fibrosis. Because he has this disease he is a part of a program called: The Make a Wish Foundation. This company makes kids dreams and wishes come true. Whether it's going to Disneyland, or Hawaii, or spending the day with a celebrity, or becoming a firefighter for a day, or getting a makeover for your room. 

       My brother's wish was to meet the basketball player Rajon Rondo who plays for the Boston Celtics. His wish came true. The Make a Wish Foundation flew our family out to Boston, Massachusetts February of 2011. Not only did my brother meet Rajon Rondo, but he also got to meet the rest of the team! There was a group of about 10 kids who had a similar wish to that of my brother; they all wanted to meet someone from the Celtics. None of the other kids had Cystic Fibrosis but they were all struggling with something in their lives whether it was leukemia, autism or a heart disease. Some of the boys and girls wanted to meet Paul Pierce, others Ray Allen and other Kevin Garnet. Where this took place where the Celtics work out and have practice. All of the kids got to talk with the players, shake their hands, get a bunch of gear signed, etc. My brother was lucky enough to play one on one with Rajon Rondo on the court. 

       I will never forget that week when my family got to go to Boston and make my brother's wish come true. When my brother got back from meeting Rajon Rondo he was absolutely stunned and so happy. I have treasured this moment always because it helped me learned that there is hope in this world no matter how much turmoil. There are good solid people out there that believe in helping and serving others. The basketball team was absolutely amazing with the kids and I will forever be a Celtics fan because of this experience. 

Bucket List

Bucket List: 
Well this is officially my first written down bucket list. I mean I have ideas in my head about what I want to do before I die...but I never put those ideas on paper.  

-Eat a box of Krispy Kream doughnuts all by myself
-Eat a whole container of ice cream all by myself
-Be in a bike race that is 100 miles
-Graduate from college
-Get married in the temple
-Run a 5K....maybe!
-Watch all 7 Harry Potter movies in 48 hours
-Buy floss that says 100yds and then go to a football field and see if it really is that long
-Travel out of the country! Get a passport!
-Go to Hawaii....again (: 
-Go to Disneyworld
-Go on a mission
-Have a family, and be the best mom EVA!
-Learn how to sew
-Learn how to cook
-Become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant)
-Learn a few songs on the piano
-Pursue my passion and turn it into a career
-See fireflies
-Horseback riding
-Eiffel Tower
-Swim with dolphins
-Learn how to skip rocks
-Sleep in a hammock
-See the northern lights
-Be a vegetarian/vegan for 2 weeks
-Go on a cruise
-Visit a volcano
-Hike the narrows
-Go to New Zealand, 
-Go to Scotland
-Got to Holland
-Got to Jamaica
-See Chichen Itza in Mexico
-Visit the Great Wall of Chine
-See Niagra Falls in person
-See the pyramids in Egypt
-Hold a baby monkey

Called to Serve

       Ever since the October 2012 General Conference there has been an exciting feeling in the air due to the mission age change. WOW! Boys from 19 to 18, and girls from 21 to 19. I know this was an answer to many Latter Day Saints prayers including my own. I was filled with so many questions on where I was going in the next year...another semester of college? work? study abroad? etc. When President Monson got up and spoke of this change, none of my questions mattered anymore because I was GOING on a mission! 

       It has been so exciting the past few months because a lot of my friends have left on their missions, are filling out their mission papers, or recently got their mission call! It is insane and I L-O-V-E it! The Lord knows exactly where his children should serve, and exactly where they will feel comfortable. My cousin got called to Mozambique and of all the people that I know who could live in a hut, and eat bugs, my cousin is the first person I would choose. The Lord knows each of us personally and knows where the perfect place is for us. I am extremely excited to turn my papers in at the end of May! I can't wait to open my big white envelope and see where the Lord is going to have me serve for 18 months!

Olympics

If you could participate in an Olympic event, which one would you choose and why? 

For the Summer Olympics I would want to compete in BADMINTON. That would be so fun! Back at home we have a badminton net across our backyard, but you see our backyard is a looooong rectangle so the net was touching the house and the fence. This however made the event that much harder because if you did not hit the birdie straight, or if you did not compensate your swing with the wind...then your birdie went on the roof or over the fence with two dogs who have a passion for chewing things up. I am the champion at hitting the birdies over the fence, but with practice I would get better! This would be a fun event to compete in because it is something I have always enjoyed doing growing up and  it would remind me of the good old days.

For the Winter Olympics I would hands down compete in FIGURE SKATING. This is probably an answer a lot of girls would pick, but why not? It is an amazing talent-it is dancing on ice. I have always admired both the boys and the girls with their confidence on the ice.  You have to be very open to trying new things and not being afraid to fall. If you fall, just get back up and try again. This is a beautiful sport and even though I have no talent on the ice, if i did...this is where it would go. 

Love @ First Sight??

Do I believe in love at first sight? That is a good question. That is also a HARD question. Well when someone says love at first sight, it’s the movie moment where you see some gorgeous human being and you just know that you are going to be with them forever and you instantly love them. I personally have never experienced this feeling. When I see some beautiful boy I have more of a sick, achy, nauseous feeling rather than the wonderful exciting sensation of butterflies in my stomach. I do not believe in love at first sight. I think it’s a nice idea, but it is also a ridiculous idea. Sure you can have an instant crush on someone, or think someone is attractive…but LOVE?? No way José! Love is such a strong, powerful, penetrating feeling that comes from spending time with one another, laughing together, going through embarrassing moments together, etc etc! Love at first sight may happen in movies, but my life is not a movie-and I’m glad it’s not. I love my life just how it is. I would not change anything about it. Even the mistakes I have made in the past have led me to where I am now. I like where I am, and I have learned so much from my mistakes. But….love at third sight, now that’s another story!

Valentine's Day

It seems that a lot of people seem to count down to Valentine’s Day. Some plan on having a romantic date, BUT most people plan on being miserable that day. The miserable people who I am talking about are those who throw a “girl’s/guy’s night” aka: the self-pity party. Reflecting on their non-existent love life feeling bad for themselves. But it doesn't seem like they are doing this because they try to laugh it off and say, “Who needs relationships?” Or… “Relationships aren’t worth the trouble.” When inside REALLY they are thinking, “Am I not good enough for someone?” “Why doesn't anyone want me to be their Valentine?” People! Get over it! Valentine’s Day is NOT specifically for two people who are in love to have a perfectly romantic date. It’s about LOVE. Love doesn’t have to be mushy gushy. It can be serving a roommate, smiling at other people, calling up your parents and telling them you love them, sending a text to your friends letting them know that you care about them.  

You can still celebrate Valentine’s Day even if you don’t have a special someone. Make it a day of kindness and nice words. Make it a day of service and giving. Make it a day of selflessness instead of focusing on what you do or do not have. Be grateful for what you have and know that it’s just a holiday. No pressure. 

Magic Wand

Okay so for my writing class we have something called a special project. It is a project we work on weekly all throughout the semester and at the end, we present it to the class. My project is writing in my journal by picking out a slip of paper from a glass jar I filled with questions and topics. I am going to start posting some of these random entries on my blog. Two birds, one stone.  

The question I pulled today was: What would you do if you found a magic wand? Well obviously I would go to Hogwarts and get trained as an official witch. I need my credentials if I'm going to help the wizarding world against Voldemort. Okay but seriously, I would probably use my wand all the time in the following...

-Peel oranges 

-have my laptop type whatever I say aloud

-make my bed in the morning

-braid my hair

-get rid of split ends

-turn pages in my book while I read 

-do my makeup

-make PB&Js 

-make my backpack lighter

-make my shoes tie themselves

-paint my nails

-make inanimate objects alive

-make the trash take out itself

-making dishes constantly clean, unable to get dirty

-do laundry

……stuff like that.

Some people may say that they want to wish away their sorrows or be able to fly or slow down or speed up time. But we can’t mess around with how things naturally go. That would be like saying you wish that North America and Australia could switch spots but keep their original name…it’s just something you don’t mess with.

Living in the shadow of a fictional character

So as you may know I have curly red hair. I got it from my grandma on my dad's side of the family. In the past I will admit that during middle school I was embarrassed of my hair color. Sometimes I just wanted to blend in with everyone else and not stick out with my head of flaming hair. I got over that stage when I started high school. I was on Dance company...the first year there were 3 of us. The next year...there were 2 and the last year there were 4 red heads!! Dance company was known that year for having a high density of red heads...we even got our own dance in the end of year concert! Anyways...as I came to college I have loved my hair because I decided I was blessed to have part of my grandma with me all the time. BUT...when that Disney movie Brave came out...that's all I ever hear anymore. "Oh you're the girl from Brave!" "You are like the princess from that one Disney movie." "Did you know you look like Merida from Brave?" And of course all of these people were so nice to even come up to me in the first place and say that they liked my hair...but I'm living in the shadow of a fictional Scottish character who likes to shoot bow and arrows. If we are going to get technical, I was born first and so if anything I don't look like the girl from Brave, but she looks like mua!

Quote Day

I don't really feel like writing today....so...I'm just going to post some of my favorite quotes. 

-Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you've imagined!
-Turn can'ts into cans and your dreams into plans.
-Dance as though no one is watching.
-Believe.
-Don't think about what you're missing.
-Experiences like these can teach and toughen, or weaken and destroy.
-No matter how good you get, you can always get better, and that's the exciting part. 
-Learn to accept "good enough".
-Encourage WILD ideas.
-Be excited and interested on everyday ordinary things.
-The journey to perfection is started by taking that first imperfect step forward.
-When I do good I feel good; when I do bad I feel bad.
-God has a lot more to give than the world does. 
-Happiness can be found in even the darkest of times, but only to those who remember to turn on the light.
-I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying.
-Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.
-I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom.
-Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.

That's all folks...

What in the crap is the purpose of all this hair on our body?!

So I’m just going to put this out there….I’m a weirdo. Let me tell you why…

I was sitting at my desk and I was supposed to be doing homework, but instead I was staring at the hairs on my arm. I thought, “What in the crap is the purpose of all this hair on our body?!” I mean it’s seriously EVERYWHERE (Legs, face, stomach, arms!) So I googled it. Yes…I googled what the purpose of hair was. So if you are interested in why, continue reading.

-Hair on our head: protects our scalp from getting sunburned, and it looks good.

-Hair above our eyes (Eyebrows): to keep sweat and fallen particles away from our eyes.

-Hair on our eye (Eyelashes): catch small particles so that they don’t get into our eyes.

-Hair in our nose: catches particles such as dust and small bugs from entering our lungs.  

-Hair in our ears: filters and traps foreign objects (bugs) and keeps infections out.

-Hair on our arms, legs and torso: keep us warm, sort of like an insulator.

-Hair in our pits: traps bacteria and “lessens friction”.

So as you can see hair is pretty awesome! The only place that hair is absent is on the soles of our feet, the palms of our hands and our lips. Interesting…

Ellie Goulding

I have grown going to multiple concerts every year. It’s something my family has always done and I am so privileged and blessed to be so cultured in the “field” of music. Last night I went to my 14^th concert! Ellie Goulding! The concert was held in the Saltair up in Magna, Utah and wow was it amazing! The warm up band was St. Lucia. I had never heard of them before, but they were awesome! They had such good songs, with amazing beats and fun lyrics to sing along to. At about 10pm was when Ellie finally came on stage! She was absolutely incredible. Her voice sounded exactly like it did on her CDs, her stage presence was so professional, she was involved with the crowd, and you could tell that she was a very down to earth person.

Even though there is usually drinking, smoking, crazy nutso people and drunks at concerts….I love the atmosphere and the environment. I love the loudness of the music. I love that everybody is jumping, dancing, singing along and laughing. And I love how happy I feel at concerts. Last night I made sure to live in the moment and remember the people I was with, and the music and what a great time we had together because you only live once! YOLO!