Friday, October 28, 2011

Forever and Almost Always


there is nothing like back posting. so here I go a week later... it tends to happen in my life where everything happens on the same night. March 12, 2011 was probably the worst day ever for overbooking. I think I had three things I HADE to be at all at the same time. It was a great lesson on priorities. EFY training beat out the rest. So this lovely friday evening consisted of a lovely work party that I helped plan, watching the football game with a friend, or a Parachute concert in SLC. The concert won, hands down. Rachel texted me earlier this week to invite me, and after much deliberation i decided a night out of Provo and away from the normal things of my life was much needed.

I rode up to the concert with Whitney, Rachel's sister. It was wonderful! I had met her a few times while over at Rachel's but I had never really gotten to know her. It was great to have one on one time with her to make our friendship more than "Oh she is the sister of my friend." With the lovely utah construction we had even more time to talk as we were stuck in traffic. We got to the concert and much to my surprise I saw Kate Voegele's name on the sign as well. I went from being kind of excited to very VERY excited.


The concert itself was wonderful, the music was great, and the performance was captivating. The only thing that would have made it better is if parachute had played forever and always. but alas they did not. I also learned that I am a midget. one of the many times i wished i was taller was at the concert and i craned my neck left and right to try to see the stage. oh to be tall.


the ride back down was wonderful and gave me a chance to talk to rachel, which is always a pleasure. She is such an example to me of having a positive attitude during hard times and keeping the faith. She is an amazing friend to have, and i was reminded of that as we drove back to provo. overall the night was a winner.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

quiet


A happy life must be to a great extent a quiet life, for it is only in an atmosphere of quiet that true joy dare live.
Bertrand Russell


i am one of those people who hates a quiet house. it makes me feel alone. I will have music playing, or a show in the background just to have human voices. but at times the quiet can be nice.

last night i came home from errands to find a dark, quiet house. I flicked on the lamps which gave our apartment a nice glow. It was one of those nights that it felt like it should be snowing to add to the magic.our apartment was silent. It was just me, no music, no noise. The only sound was the sound I made as I made dinner, or worked on creating decorations for our work halloween party. I was able to just think. And for once I was completely fine being alone. it was refreshing.

there is also something refreshing about taking control of your life. i talked about acting vs reacting the other day, and its so true. i love using my agency and acting versus letting my world control me.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

the simple joy of a letter.

there are a few things that without fail bring joy into my life. letters definitely make the cut. getting a piece of mail that isn't a bill, or junk mail, takes me back to the days where that was the only way of communication. Ah its just magical. I got a letter today from an EFY participant, and it made my day. She was one of the sweetest girls ever, full of spunk and attitude. She was one person who made me feel very tall, as she was only about three feet tall, but also made me feel very loved as she would smile and run up and hug me. There are times I miss the summer, miss the feeling of being someone important. Oh what this next summer will hold...


... as for now I have a letter to write.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

oh irony.

relationships are like teeter totters. one side up, the other down. perfection comes when both are equal.

do you remember that song by Alanis Morissette back in the day called ironic. meet my life. 

yep. thats it. 

oh yes, and im in love with the song maybe by ingrid michaelson. listen to it. love it.

Friday, October 14, 2011

its the most wonderful time of the year.


christmas is just around the corner, but after yesterday i might have to disagree that christmas is the best time of the year. Dont get me wrong, I am a Christmas enthusiast. I love the snow, the lights, the decorations, the magic. But fall with its crisp air, changing leaves, golden skies, and "jacket weather" might win out.


An old friend and I drove the Alpine Loop today. It was perfection. It is a road that winds up the mountains, showing the autumn leaves in all their splendor. The windows were rolled down and the air smelled so fresh. We made our way up to Cascade Springs which might be one of my favorite places on this earth. I showed him my "thinking bridge" and made him sit with me as we watched the water rush underneath us. Rascal Flatts serenaded us on the way home. I couldnt stop smiling. My cheeks started to hurt because of it. I was amazed how perfect life was, even if just for a moment.

fooooooooooooooooooooooooood.

I am constantly shocked i am not 500 pounds because I LOVE food. Especially good food. However being in college, poor, and extremely busy means my meals normally consist of "rice sides" or cold cereal. Very nutritious. Recently on pinterest (yes, I have become addicted with the rest of the female population) I see delicious looking thing after delicious looking thing. I have these moments where I forget I dont have time to cook and think of all the yummy things I am going to make. Reality quickly sets in when another night of rice comes to pass.

But exciting things of this week. It has been the week of delicious lunches. On tuesday a friend from freshman year and I went to the moa for lunch. The turkey harvest croissant made its way onto my plate. I could eat that every day and it would never get old. Who knew apples on a sandwich could be so good. Wednesday Megan and I went to the pendulum court for lunch. Neither of us had ever been, and she was writing a story on the theme day they were having. It was Rock n' Roll. I had the "I wanna hold your hamburger"  a gourmet hamburger that was absolutely amazing! Thursday was the moa again. We didnt have staff meeting so Megan and I decided to go to lunch to fill the extra hour. I branched out and got a chicken pot pie. It was the perfect choice for a fall day.

Moral of the story. I have spent too much money on food this week, but it  has been well worth it!

Here is megans article from the daily universe. She is amazing!


Pendulum Court holds Rock ‘n’ Roll Day

It's both the rotation of the earth and the bass beat that make this pendulum swing

Oct 12, 2011 by
Pendulum Court, the restaurant in the Eyring Science Center run by dietetics students, held a rock ‘n’ roll themed lunch on Wednesday as a way to attract more customers.
The restaurant featured “I Wanna Hold Your Handburger,” a gourmet burger stuffed with feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, and topped with mozzarella cheese, as its main dish. Sides such as “Jimi Hendrix’s Bleeding Heart,” a chilled fruity soup, and “Carry On My Wayward Scone,” a cinnamon and chocolate chip scone, were available as well.

'Sweet Dreams Are Made of This Cookie' and other rock-n-roll themed foods were on the menu at Pendulum Court on Wednesday.

Katie Aston, a post-graduate dietetics intern from Salt Lake City, was one of the interns in charge of the theme day. She said the restaurant likes to hold theme days twice a semester to have fun and attract new customers. To choose the theme, the interns started with the idea of a gourmet burger.
“We’ve seen a lot of trends toward gourmet burgers,” Aston said. “We wanted to do a burger, and thought the rock ‘n’ roll theme would fit that really well, and everything just kind of fell into place after that.”
All items on the menu were prepared from scratch, and recipes were developed specifically for the event. To begin, the interns came up with two different burgers, then had a taste panel decide which was better. After that, they had to rework the recipe, which was originally made in a small batch, to make enough for 150 burgers. A similar process occurred for all menu items.
Madeline Lindberg, a junior from Valencia, Calif., in the dietetics program, was managing Pendulum Court. She said although the atmosphere in a preparation meeting was more stressful than usual due to the high number of reservations, the kitchen atmosphere was more fun because they played music, and workers were allowed to wear a band T-shirt.
“Coming into the day I was a little stressed because I was thinking that this was a theme day, and it has to be good,” Lindberg said. “But really everything was so well prepared … it was actually fun today.”
Students attending Pendulum Court agreed it was a fun way to spend lunch. Ellie Hall, a senior from Chicago majoring in family life, said she had never been there before, but loved it.
“The food was delicious,” Hall said. “It might win out for my favorite place to eat on campus … I loved having the Beatles serenade me while I read trivia facts about different rock ‘n’ roll icons.”
Although Pendulum Court is less known on campus, many students agree it is a place that should not be missed, no matter if it is a theme day or not.
“I can’t believe I waited four years to go to Pendulum Court,” Hall said.

Living the Life of a Seven-Year-Old

I have a wonderful life.I might be a little biased but its true.

Tonight for Family Home Evening we had a childhood theme. It started with "Welcooome to Faaaamillyyy Hooome Evening" which always brings significant joy to my heart. Then Alison took us away with amazing lesson on President Uctdorf's talk from the Relief Society Broadcast. She recounted the analogy of looking for the golden ticket in life. There are times we are so preoccupied with the things we want that we forget what we have. We are so looking forward to getting married, or graduating college, that we wish our life away. Like in Willy Wonka, they stopped enjoying the chocolate because they were so focused on the golden ticket.

We then finger painted. So fun. Except I never know what to draw or paint. So i went with the typical tulip that covers the corners of all my notes as I doodle in class.

What made the night go from good to great were the treats! The girls in charge went way above and beyond the call of duty. They brought dirt cups, tatter tots, chicken nuggets, gushers, fruit roll ups, and fruit snacks.

Our FHE group is so wonderful, and everyone is so fun. We stood around and talked for a bit before people started to realize they had homework waiting for them. Even though responsibility still called, it was nice to escape adulthood even if just for a few hours.

Monday, October 10, 2011

the feeling of being loved.


I dont know if anything can beat the feeling of being loved.

The feeling you get when you are with your family. When you are sick and your mom will let you lay with your head on her lap as she plays with your hair. Kisses you forehead. A random text from a friend saying they miss you. Someone who will listen. A kind note. Someone yelling your name across campus. A father complimenting you. A brother telling you you are wonderful.

It is wonderful.

Today I went to church with a friend. She is trying to convince me to move into her apartment, and told me to see how her ward was. The whole time I was there I kept thinking about what I was missing in my ward. I thought of the people I wasn't seeing, the announcements I wasn't hearing, and the roommates I was deserting. I couldn't help but wonder if anyone who notice I wasn't there. Had I made a mark in the ward? would I be missed?

I went to our "break the fast" and was shocked when the first person I saw asked where I had been. Person after person noticed I hadn't been at church. Remember that feeling of being loved. check. I went from liking my ward to loving my ward in a matter of seconds. It ended up being a perfect Sunday. and it was a perfect fall day. perfection.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

under appreciated.

have you ever felt under appreciated? im not saying i am the bees knees, or that i am the best thing since sliced bread... but i hate not getting recognition when i feel it is deserved. today was that day at work.

Yesterday we (megan, brynn, and I) went to the new bluebell ice cream parlor to celebrate two years of working at student services. It has been a great two year, and I have made lasting friendships, but I cant help but feel that I am stagnant. Two years, and I am in the exact same position as when I was hired. I cant help but contrast it with EFY where I was constantly progressing and moving up.

True, I did leave for Spring and Summer this last year- but I still feel like I am not progressing, and being given the opportunity to progress.

A lot things added together made today my breaking point. I left work feeling frustrated, and done. So I did something crazy. I considered applying for a new job.

I feel like I have no idea where my life is headed, but I just keep moving forward. I applied for a new job, not sure if I will get hired, and not sure if I will take it. For the summer, I applied to work for EFY again this summer, but I am also applying to the Jerusalem center. I figure I might as well apply so I have options.

Funny story of the day: My roommate, Anne, and I are "off" sugar. Im not doing such a great job, but when I am around her I make sure to be strong so I can be a good support system. Yesterday, I got home, feeling as frustrated as could be and just wanted a few M&M's...yes, i have no self control. But Anne, and I were both making lunch in the kitchen, and i couldn't negate our "no sugar" by eating it in front of her. She left to borrow something from our neighbors and i used it as an opportunity for the much needed sugar. I grabbed a hand full, heard one drop, looked for the evidence, couldnt find it, figured it had rolled under the dishwasher I went on my merry way. I came back a few minutes later to check on my noodles, and they were turning blue! I had a brief moment of panic before I remembered the dropped m&m. It had landed right in the pot. I quickly fished out the now white m&m, drained the water, and replaced it with a new 4 cups. However, the moment was too funny, I had to share it with Anne. She laughed and laughed as I explained my weakness and the karma i had experienced. I am happy to say that my noodles did not taste like candy coating. but it made a frustrating day much better.

The night was filled with the gym, and then a singer/songwriter competition at the muse with megan. Her  editor, Court, was performing. Jesse was supposed to come along, but a message saying he was in the hospital with a dislocated shoulder explained his absence.

While my future is up in the air, the day ended wonderfully.

*Shout out to Michael and Rachel who have been married 6 years today!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Locked Out of Conference

I have failed at blogging this week. I sincerely apologize because I know you are all just dying to know every last detail and funny story of my life.

Last weekend was General Conference. It was splendid. Speaker after speaker brought the Spirit and spoke precious truths.

Friday, after the game, Cami and I went up to her house in Riverton. There is something about being in a home that is so comforting. We both were exhausted and feel right asleep, and then woke up for the first session of conference in the morning. Nothing beats being curled up with a blanket on the couch watching conference.

After the first session, we quickly got ready, and headed up to Salt Lake to see if we could get tickets to get in. I had never held up fingers for tickets so I didnt think it would work. As we were standing on the corner I saw the lovely Sister Kimberly Mullen. I must have scared those around me as i yelled and ran and hugged her! Oh how I miss that girl! She is so wonderful, and such a great missionary. We stood on the corner, fingers raised, talking to Sister Mullen and her companion- when miracle of miracles a kind woman came up and gave us two tickets.

We hurried and tried to find the end of the line in the midst of thousands of people, but to little avail. Eventually, we made it in line- and waited as we inched towards the doors. Finally, we made it inside. is 2:06. Conference had started. We ran to where our seats were, but it was full. They told us to try the terrace. We ran up the stairs. full. balcony. full. We were locked out. I couldn't help but think of the story of the 10 virgins. We were late, and because of that we werent going to be able to see the prophet. We made out way quickly across temple square and into the tabernacle to watch the broadcast, feeling slightly downtrodden.

Even though we didn't get in, it was still wonderful to be on temple square.

The rest of saturday was filled with a roommate night. Cafe Rio for the fourth time in two weeks. I have a problem. and rock canyon park. it was wonderful. We had a photo shoot with the sun making us silhouettes, and threw rocks at the metal container (it sounds like star wars). it was a party to say the least.

After our roommate bonding time, I got a text from an old friend from work, asking if I was up for an adventure. My answer: "of course!" Our adventure. Cornbellys with his two neices. It was a wonderful night- it felt like we were playing house. They laughed as I freaked out in the haunted house, and I was amazed by their speed on the bikes. The night ended with Allison getting hurt on the tractor ride. Her leg got stuck between the tire and the step while she was trying to jump on while it was moving. She was the bravest 11 year old ever. I dont think I would have been as brave as her.

Sunday was filled with another great day of conference at Matt and Keri's. It was fun to watch conference with family, and come up with ways to entertain the kids. I can remember the days of being little and hating having to sit through hours and hours of conference. I dont know when it changed, but i now love it more than anything.

It is amazing how fast the weekend flies with conference, but it was wonderful!

*pictures to come*