6 Months

I guess you would think that because it's technically Christmas right now I would be writing a post about Christmas and how it snowed today and I was able to get all of my shopping done in 3 hours this afternoon, we were able to skype with my sister in Thailand for a couple hours, and I am now sitting here writing this in my new zebra print footie pajamas... but that's not what is on my mind right now.

I have been thinking recently about the past 6 months. You know, some people have a hard time living in the present because they are so busy looking forward to and planning for the future, I'm not like that. I have a hard time living in the present because I like to remember the past... it's one of the curses of having a ridiculously good memory. It's how I am able to see someone I met once and place where I met them and what we talked about, and how I was able to keep myself completely head over heels for a guy that I hadn't seen or talked to in 2 years. Anyway, these past 6 months I think it's safe to say have been the most life changing for me out of any other 6 month period so far in my life. Let me explain a little bit.

6 months ago I was living in London. I was immersed in a world that was unfamiliar but I loved so much. I was surrounded by amazing, fun people all the time. I was using foreign money and spent my time going to museums via the tube. I spent a couple of hours a day on skype and the rest of my down time dreaming of the next couple of months to come.

You know on 500 Days of Summer when there is the split screen of expectation and reality? Looking back on this 6 months feels a little bit like that.

I came home from London and went to Colorado and had a perfect week. I cannot think of a single thing that went wrong during that amazing week of four wheeling. Then I came back to Provo and things changed. In the past 6 months I have felt hurt and pain unlike anything I have ever felt before. My heart was completely crushed and I found myself having to work my way back up from what seemed like nothing. The pain has dulled now, that's something that I have found happens over time.

Good things happened too, amazing things actually. I applied for graduation, making this past semester my last full semester of school ever! I was blessed with the greatest roommates in the whole world, one of which is my kindred spirit and has been a life saver for me. I secured a job for next semester that will give me a set schedule.

 I have completely re-evaluated my life and straightened out my priorities. I have become the kind of person that I want to be and that I am proud of, all on my own (with help from a loving Heavenly Father, of course) but without the influence or motivation of another person. I have made changes in my life that I did not even realize that I needed to make before.

My best friend got engaged 5 months ago and was married this past weekend, and I was able to go! I turned 22, which is an age that I have been really excited about for a long time. I had a party and just gave people an open invitation to show up if they felt like it. I had 30 people who I love so much from all of the 4 years that I have been at BYU show up at my apartment to wish me happy birthday! I still can't believe that I have met so many incredible people here! I love them!



This past half year did not go at all the way that I planned, but sometimes God has a better plan for your life. That's what I've learned.

Sister Time

Hopefully no one is offended by this haha
Julie and I at EPCOT this summer

My big little sister Julie just came over. She was just going to come by to get a sweater I borrowed from her, but she ended up staying for a couple of hours and we just talked. We didn't talk about anything really important, just what's going on in our lives and catching up but it made me so happy! It made me think about how lucky I am having sisters so close in age to me. Erin is 15 months older than me and Julie is 21 months younger. (She my big little sister because she's 2 or 3 inches taller than me.) When we were growing up it wasn't always my favorite thing to have a sister in both the grade above and below me because we had to share the same group of friends and people compared us a lot. But now that we're living on our own, my sisters are some of my favorite people ever. We are so lucky to be going through the same kinds of things that come with being college aged together and we're especially lucky because we all get to be at BYU together. My sisters are the coolest and they're basically supermodels... just thought I'd add that on there. :)

My two amazing big sisters

Heard it Both Ways

Yesterday, I went with my friends to their ward talent show. The friends I'm talking about are Mitch, Michael, and Nich. They are quite possibly some of the funniest people I know and I love being able to see them perform and watching other people react to them. They love to sing so they created a band of sorts. They call themselves Heard it Both Ways or HB dubs... I've heard it both ways :)They completely stole the show! The people weren't exactly sure what to make of them at first but slowly they started to realize their brilliance. Want to see their performance? I guess it's a good thing I was there to record it!
"We rely more on performance than skill." -Nich

And here is their completely unplanned encore performance haha:

Pretty brilliant, isn't it? I love being with these guys, I laugh so hard every time I am with them.

True Blue 3

This week BYU had its annual True Blue event. This was the third time I have been to True Blue and I still loved it. For people who don't know what it is, basically they have a bunch of blue foam that you get to run around and play in. There's a foam water slide and everything! Then when you're done you are completely dyed blue!! but, thank goodness, it washes off everything really easily. This year it was beautiful weather, which is nice because last year it was FREEZING!

I love BYU :)



My boys :)

They insisted on walking back across campus without their shirts on... slightly embarrassing

sophomore year

Freshman year



Cabbage Patch Kids

Yesterday my crazy friends had a crazy idea. We were going to play dodgeball... with cabbage. Cabbage was on sale at the farmer's market, 6 Ibs for $1. So, obviously my friends bought $25 worth. If you do the math that's about 150 Ibs of cabbage! haha and of course it rained yesterday which just added to the excitement!

The Cabbage Patch Kids (it seemed like a fitting name)

On friday night I went to the Rascal Flatts concert! It was amazing. We bought lawn seats but when we got there and were trying to find a place to sit some crew guys came up to us and offered us tickets!! (I think it was because I looked so excited that Sara Evans was on stage and was dancing like a crazy person.) When we got to our seats we could not believe our luck, they were in the 8th row!! It was an incredible concert and Sara Evans only made it better.

RASCAL FLATTS!!

8th row baby!

our group in front of the stage

after we got home we called outr friends and went to Wendy's. haha aren't they cute all piled in the back?

Last Weekend at Lib^2

So this past weekend was the last weekend I'm going to spend living at Liberty Square because I'm going to Florida this week. WEIRD! It's funny to me to think that I'm finally moving. I have been at lib square for a year now. I cannot believe that it has been that long. Although I was not a huge fan of a lot of aspects of liberty, I have really loved living there. I have made so many amazing friends and had so many great experiences. I have never gone to the pool so much in my life, it's amazing what having friends who like it will do to you haha. I'm not gonna lie, I'm going to miss it. I also wen to my last hot dog friday... sad!

Roommates!!

they love me, obviously :)



I seriously love the girls in my ward.





Goodbye Liberty Square! I'm not going to miss your cleaning checks, fines, or horrible internet.

Friday.

Today was a typical Friday.

I went to the midnight showing of Cowboys and Aliens. It was pretty awesome, not gonna lie. They actually successfully mixed western and sci fi. I was impressed. it was very Star Wars-esque as well, which was kinda fun. Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford are believeable cowboys.

I got up just in time to go to hot dog friday (HDF) which is always great! I love my friends :) it was my last HDF I just realized.... that makes me a little bit sad. but not sad enough to make me want to keep living here. We stayed by the pool for quite a while, Tom and Taryn came to visit, it was very fun to see them.

I went back to my apartment and watched Friends with Chloe. I had forgotten how funny that show is!! oh my goodness.

I worked on my History of Creativity project which happens to be a self portrait because it was the easiest thing I could think of. AND GUESS WHAT!! someone I showed it to actually knew it was supposed to be me without me telling them! It made my day.

Then I watched some Psych with Nich. I learned that there is a pineapple in every episode, sometimes it's really hard to find. I was amazed. I guess I learn something new every day.

Then we tried to have a dance party in the parking lot but the dumb night guard came and got mad at us. I will not miss him when I move.

After our party was ruined, we watched some more Friends with more people.

And now I am here... writing a blog. yay. it's 3 in the morning. I'm going to bed. Goodnight! :)


http://youtu.be/kH5JhYsfNMA?t=7s

Still missing spring

These boys miss each other

I still have the greatest roommate ever!

Mitch was the party starter... and now he's in California. lame

Just reminiscing a little bit. Bear with me. I'll only do this a couple more times in the next week and then I'll be done, I just have quite a bit to reminisce about recently.

Cleaning Checks

So last night while everyone was out partying because finals were over, Michelle, Chloe, and I were cleaning our apartment. We had cleaning checks this morning and we were terrifed of failing. We cleaned for 4 hours! well guess what:

We all failed.

we're angry.

the end.

College friends-

a group of people that never would have hung out in high school.

I was thinking about the friends that I hang out with now and how it really does not really matter what we did high school. People for some reason think that high school is one of the most important parts of your life, but I've found the complete opposite. The only thing that mattered about high school was how I did in my classes because I was able to get into BYU and that's when my life really began. I did my own thing in high school, I was on my own, I didn't talk much, people didn't really know me and most of the time, I didn't really care. But now I'm having the time of my life and it doesn't matter. Last night I went to Sammy's with a group of my friends, as I was sitting there I looked down the line of people.

There was Kamree who is 2 years younger than me but is one of my best friends and is awesome.

Chloe is one of the cutest, best dressed people I know, which means she would have intimidated me.

Mitch who is super sporty and goofy. He was on lots of different teams and had lots of friends but I never would have talked to him.

Garrett would have intimidated me so much in high school, I hardly doubt that I would have had normal conversation with him... ever. but there I was doing that very thing.

Nich was a band geek. haha I probably wouldn't have given him the time of day just because of that... well I don't know that. But I wouldn't have been his friend and known that he's absolutely hilarious.

Michael is really smart and was the valedictorian of his school. He played lots of video games and focused on homework a lot.

and yet, despite all of that, there we all were sitting around a counter eating shakes together and having an amazing time. seriously, who needs high school when you've got college? :)

I don't want this semester to end

Lately, people have all of a sudden been thrown into my life and they have made it so much better. And as suddenly as they have become such a large part of my life, they're going to leave again because the semester's ending. But I'm thankful for the times I've been able to have with them recently. I've enjoyed myself in ways that I haven't in a very long time. I went from feeling like I didn't know anyone and not having anyone to hang out with to having an amazing group of friends that are having fun every night. Every day brings a new adventure. I have an absolutely AMAZING roommate that I am convinced is exactly what I needed, a great friend that is so perceptive and catches things that not even I can catch, I can talk to her for hours and I do. We have the clown that can always make us laugh and I will miss terribly when he moves out, a guy that will argue absolutely anything but for some reason it's fun, a guy that will make witty comments and tells the funniest stories ever. And this semester I've even developed a tiny crush... not that it'll go anywhere but it still makes things interesting. I'm sad that it's all coming to an end but it's ok, because I know that good things are still to come.

Come what may and love it!

Also, I've learned that I really like being a sports photographer. I just need to get a faster camera and I'll be set :)

Feeling Like a Freshman

This past Memorial Day weekend was SO. MUCH. FUN! I haven't had crazy fun like that since freshman year. It was basically the best weekend ever. This is what my weekend consisted of:

Friday:
Hot Dog Friday- Free food!! I don't even like hot dogs, but they have strawberries!
I went home and hung out with my little sisters who are nuts. We watched movies, played wii, and stayed up really late.

Andrea fell asleep before the party was over

Saturday:

I hung out at home all afternoon then went back to Provo in time to go see Bridget in the Miss Orem pageant to pass on the crown.

After the pageant was Matt Duffy's birthday party, it was a crazy dance party and so fun!

What a queen :)

Best friend

Sunday:

After church we had a bunch at our apartment. We had lots of waffles and it was amazing. Only our closest friends came, which obviously means our apartment was packed haha. Basically it was a ward activity and it was great!

We then went to our friend's apartment and played Settlers of Catan and Encore which was very competative.

After everyone left, a small group stayed and played True Colors. It was extremely enlightening :)

Monday:

Kickball in the morning

JDawgs for lunch. YES!!

BBQ at the park for dinner

Ultimate frisbee after it got dark

Sonic run after that... but it was closed so we had to settle for 7/11

This is very true right now

No Sonic run is complete without some good costumes! 

And that was my fabulous weekend! (There are a lot of links in this post, and there's about to be a few more)

My weekend could not have been nearly as good without a couple of people:

Kamree, Mitch, Nich, and my wonderful roommate Chloe

These guys are basically my favorite right now :)

I got so little sleep, got very little homework done, and it was totally worth it!

Best weekend ever!

Arrrg! A Pirate's Life for Me

I'm not a planner, I don't like being in charge because it's stressful. But I really wanted to go to the midnight showing of Pirates of the Caribbean with a group of friends so I made a plan and invited people to go and it actually worked out! We went all out and got dressed up and everything :)

 Pirate roommates

We had a pretty good turn out.

Mission accomplished :)

Also, he is so fine! Definitely made the movie more enjoyable

Filming Day 1 (for me)

So basically I have the coolest major ever. This week I've been able to help with a shoot of Jordan Peterson's capstone movie called Weighted. It's been so fun. This it us yesterday (I'm wearing a purple shirt and a white hat. I wanted to be like Courtney Russell because she's basically amazing.)



We were making it look like night inside the house so we had to completely cover the windows on the second story. It was quite a feat, but I had fun figuring out how to do it.

I'm tired. I've gotten up at 5:30 am for the past two days for my 6:00 am call time. It's been so worth it though! (That doesn't make me any less excited to sleep in tomorrow)

I'm on the grip/electric team so I help with lights. But I've been referring to myself as the "baby grip" because I have absolutely no idea what's going on so I kinda just stay out of the way of super important things. But I'm learning :) and I'm surrounded by awesome people all day. so I love it.

First Real Video

In my 185 class this semester we had to make a final fiction video and this is mine, starring some of my friends in my ward. I am pretty proud of it because it's the first thing that I've really directed. Check it out :)

Perfect

I feel like this today:



Today is perfect. Not in the sense of everything went perfectly, because it didn't. But it's one of those days where you just don't care that things are not perfect, thus making it a perfect day.
A couple of reasons why my day has been perfect:

• It's friday!
• It's GORGEOUS outside, you cannot be in a bad mood when it feels this great out
• I talked to my teacher and realized that I didn't do a project completely wrong, which has been stressing me out
• I met up with Bridget for lunch... except neither of us brought a lunch haha so we just hung out- I love that girl!
• I forgot about half of an assignment last week and my teacher lost the half I did so I had a big fat ZERO. but he let me turn it all in again, and I only have 30% off the part I forgot!
• tonight is my ward talent show, am I excited about seeing everyone in my ward sing and dance? No. I'm just excited because PANDA EXPRESS is catering!!! and I LOVE PANDA! I have been looking forward to this for like a week
• my life has been crazy and busy and, gosh, I love it!

I'm going to go check the mail now. Still checking for letters :)

"Perfectly" -Huckapoo
A good song I thought of while I was writing this
and another one
"Perfect Day" -Hoku
They're cheesy songs, "But I mean for a like driving-around-in-the-car-with-the-top-down-putting-on-your-lip-gloss-loving-life kinda thing, theyre good!" (name that movie!)


OH and BYU won their basketball game!! against NM!!! Jimmer got 52 points :)
DOMINATION

So close!!

I'm almost done with my media arts application!!! FINALLY! It's due on monday. I have been working on this thing all semester! I can't even imagine how great it's going to be to have it done and not have to think about it again until christmas break when I find out if I get in. 1 more analysis and editing a couple more analysis papers and I'm done! I want to turn it in friday so I kinda beat the rush. well, I'm gonna go to bed soon because I'm sleepy.

53 days til Christmas! (technically it's 52 not counting today but we wanted it to be 53)
actually it's past midnight so it's 51.

I got the GREATEST gift for Elder Rogers for Christmas!!! I'm SOOOO excited. I've never been so excited about giving someone a gift but I've never bought a presnet that's so perfect! I got him a wire head massager! and anyone who knows Cameron knows he's a major sucker for a good head scratch or massage but obviously since he's on a mission he's not going to have anyone to help him out with that so I bought him a head massager. It feels amazing! I'm going to hold on to it for a few weeks before I send it so I can enjoy it and then he'll get it for Christmas (in 53 days)

1 year

Today is October 20th which means that tonight, 1 year ago, Cameron asked if I would be his girlfriend and I said, "... ok" :)
the next thing he said was, "cool, well just to get this out there, if it lasts that long, you aren't waiting for me when I go on a mission."
"oh ok!" I said. haha , I thought, it's not going to last that long. No problem. I don't even know if I like him that much right now....
and now here I am a year later, not officially waiting but obsessively checking the mail every day for a letter that Elder Rogers sent me 2 weeks ago.

It's sure funny how things change isn't it?

chya

I finally moved into my new apartment at Liberty Square! It took me three days but I'm finally done unpacking, organizing, shopping, and decorating. It's quite an involved process. My roommate got here today but I have yet to meet her. I was asleep when she got here this morning haha and I was gone this afternoon when she started moving her stuff into the room. I want to meet her. It's funny to me that I'm going to live with this girl all year and I still haven't met her.

My room

My bathroom, I don't know how to rotate the picture

look how coordinated it is, it was completely on accident too!

Tonight I have a reunion with my DJ girls at California Pizza Kitchen for a girl's birthday. I'm so excited! I love those girls so much. Today I went to lunch with Eric and Bridget at J Dawgs. It's so yummy. Basically I'm her designated 3rd wheel because she's afraid to make it a date. I'm totally fine with that, I think Eric is awesome haha well so does she but not romantically, unfortunately.

Also, I lost my car keys last night. I'm not sure how that happened, I never lose my keys. I actually have my keys, it's just the one key and remote that I lost.

This is me right now.

One more thing, I'm so jealous of the freshmen this year. I loved my freshman year so much, easily the best year of my life. Bridget and I were creepers and went up to our old room the other day, it was sad that it's no longer ours. I'm so excited for Julie and the fun year she's about to have.