I Try Really Hard to be Feminine

I thought about wearing a skirt today and then looked down...

It looks like someone caned me right in the knees. Parker and I have been working on our climbing form so I try to keep my hips as close to the wall as possible and this is what results! I pull my leg up and it goes right into a rock. And yeah I'm excited to get up the wall so I don't really look for it as well as I should... But I sure look good while I'm doing it! Right? I'll just never be able to wear anything that goes to the knee again...

So, I'm Very White...

Latin Dancing!

Nadine's a PRO!
Which makes sense as she is a 

Sultry Mexican Woman.

(as we appropriately appointed her)

It was really fun but I had no idea what I was doing!

Whenever someone asked me to dance I was like
"Ok! I can't dance..."

But they took over so it turned out!

It took awhile to get my hips and shoulders to loosen up but then I like to think there was a fire burning on the dance floor right around where I was located. 

Study Break! -Tumbling Gym Edition

So my friend Joe invited me to the tumbling gym last 

night and in the past my experiences with the tumbling 

gym have not been great so I was a little hesitant but went

 just crazy enough studying that I decided to go.

I enlisted my friend Nadine to come with me.
Being intense is kind of just what we do.

My favorite part was probably the climbing wall 

Me and Joe taking over.

I enjoyed the feeling of freedom.

As well as just going crazy from finals!

This is probably my favorite one!

But Nadine is UNMATCHED in awesomness!

POW!

Hahaha I just love this one!

Then we decided to give the trapeze a try

Haha and here's the result: two hands and two feet in perfect form!

 It was really fun! Joe gave us some pointers and toned it down a little so we didn't feel lame and with that combination I ended up doing a double front flip. Maybe it was on purpose... maybe it was just me jumping and giving it all the forward thrust I could. 

Whatever!

It was so fun!

Footprints in the Sand

I have to post this because it made me laugh for a solid 5 minutes.

1) because I hate the footprint story... it never really happened... and people quote it more than what Christ ACTUALLY said... and they quote it like doctrine.

2) the illustration is done about as well as the story.

3) If this was really how it worked then yes, there would be a lot of grooves on my beach.

Enjoy!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

is not where I live! I live in Provo. And Provo can be pretty... not pretty...

But I moved far away (like 10 minutes from campus... 

some people think that's unbelievably  far)

And found this beautiful place to live. 

the fog is soooo beautiful,
you feel like the mountain is about to float away.

A nice B&W

We were both supposed to be on top of the log but
someone doesn't  move fast enough.
It's obviously not me because I move at lightening speed.

I was holding myself up just using the log.

A really nice stream with a path next to it.

For some reason my "pensive" just ends up looking "emo".

This tree didn't stand a chance.
          Getting down in boots with no traction gave it a small victory...

Shadows!

Some really pretty horses. They let me pet them.

All in a days' work.

Reunion!

Nothing will slap you in the face more than having 

an old roommate visit you with her BABY!

Michelle, Sydnee, Me, Kaylene, Joseph, Andrew, Alexis, Evelyn and Nadine!

Here are a bunch of the old roommates with 

the addition 2 husbands and a baby!

It was so fun to visit and play with Evelyn, she was such a sweet and calm little baby! Everything around her went right into her mouth so that was adorable.

It had been about 2 and a half years since I had seen Alexis other than on Skype and it was so great to catch up, they are making their way across the country so it was lucky that they stopped in!

Wikka Wikka Boots Cats

Ok, so first an explanation of the title of this post.

So I turned to Ben and said 

"We should learn to beatbox"

And he was all
"I already gotz that"
And then proceeded to do a little beat boxing:

And then I asked
"How did you do that?"

And without hesitating he said
"You say BOOTS CATS"

And for some reason I thought that was so funny I was laughing for like five minutes

I mean listen to it:

So moving on

We also went out to the canyon and did a little picture taking with Ben's new camera!

So Ben's just getting used to this new camera and we went a little late so there was no light but we got a few good ones!

Contemplating Life

Some Scenery

Everyone Likes Pictures of Railroad Tracks!

I'm Full of Tickets and Information!

Train!

Making This My Profile Picture. Like Right Now.

P.S. It's Ben's fricken' birthday (even though he didn't tell me) 

so if you haven't had a chance, tell him:

Happy Birthday!

So I blogged about S'mores like 5 minutes ago

And now something a little more spiritual because it is Sunday after all...

I was in sacrament meeting today and people were sharing their testimonies and there was a girl who talked about how she got back last year on Thanksgiving from her mission and then I was like "hey, me too" and then she said "and now I work at the MTC" and I thought "I work at a juvy center (which is sometimes like the same thing...)" and then she started talking about teaching her missionaries about the gospel and I thought "I do not do that at work" but then was looking back on this group discussion I led with the girls' unit the other day and was glad that this girl got up because it got me thinking about this:

The group I led was about being the change in your life that you need. We talked about Glenn Cunningham (click here to get to his wiki page, he's incredible) and how he took a horrible situation and made it incredible. I showed it to them like this:

1+2=3

If that's true then it's fairly simple to figure out what goes in the blank in an equation that looks like this:

1+___=3

They all got it right by the way...

Now let's change the equation to this:

Bad Situation + ___________ = Amazing Result

But what goes in the blank here?

We talked about courage, determination, having a goal 

in mind and above all else believing in yourself enough to 

know that you can make the change you need. Those were things that made it possible for Glenn Cunningham not only to walk again but to run at Olympic speed.

And here is where I realized that I DO talk to my girls about the gospel, we just call it "change" instead of repentance. 

In the words of the beautiful and kind of crazy Florence 

(of Florence and the Machine):

I am done with my graceless heart
So tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart
Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

Anyone who has ever changed can tell you what it feels like to cut out your heart and then restart. Unfortunately, the entire quote is true and often the change happens just AFTER your very weakest moment. 

As someone who's experienced weakness I can vividly remember myself at my weakest and recall the exact words that came out of my mouth when I admitted defeat. 

As it turns out though, I was admitting humility because the next morning when I woke up and for the weeks following I felt myself progress dramatically. I always thought "it's always darkest" meant scariest or most heartbreaking but it also means deceiving because we can't see clearly in the dark. It's not until dawn that we can see what happened with the light that finally comes. 

Talking to the girls was really incredible, trying to motivate them to realize the responsibility they have over their lives and how to prevent any action that will bring them back to the facility.

And what was more incredible was realizing that I can't preach to these girls about how Jesus Christ can change them but knowing that He will do it anyway.  So for them He will be Courage, Determination or a Goal but I will know that He is Someone who believes in them enough to know that they can make the difference in their lives. 

At the end of the day the equation will always be:

Bad Situation + Jesus Christ = Amazing Result

S'MORES!!

This is how this happened:

Ben and I were going to bake a cake. 

We were limited on time.

We spotted these GIANT marshmallows 

(at the exact same time and had the same GASP reaction)

We suddenly new the answer to our predicament:

S'MORES 

Giant Roasters

The Awesomeness

Trying Hard to Successfully Eat the Awesomeness

And then we thought "If they're already huge 

I wonder how big they really get in the microwave."

For science!

Acca-xuse me.

So the movie Pitch Perfect is hilarious.

Me and Schwieg went to see it a few days ago and it was SO FUNNY

A Favorite Moment of Mine

 But we had a little time before the movie so we did a little window shopping:

I didn't even tell him to pose. This just happened.

And then there were suddenly little hats

Notice the height difference

And now suddenly it's smaller

Thanks to these. Which I almost died in after about 2 seconds.

Yay for new things!

So I got a new hair cut and Ben got a new camera (super nice camera)! Put those together and that means that I have a few pictures of the new hair cut!

Here's a nice one!

 here's an artsy one. 

And here's the yummy Cranberry Bliss Blast 

(or something like that) and tea we were munching on

And this one kind of just happened... 

This next one was super funny because Ben came back from the break and was like 

"I have a surprise for you" 

And I'm freakin' out cuz I love surprises.

When I go over to his place he says 

"So, I know you're afraid of whales"

And I said "Yes"

And he said "Well... I found the smallest whale ever and thought you could start with this one and work your way up a little bit every week until you have a full sized whale and you're not afraid of it"

And then gave me this:

We immediately named him Steve

I was able to hold back for a little bit about the fact that he's 

a killer whale because seriously, 

look at him, 

he's the cutest thing I've ever seen. 

So apparently we're working our way up here... 

but secretly I think I'll just stick with Steve!

Somewhere Only We Know

Ok, Ben showed this to me and I keep having to search for it whenever I want to listen to it and then I thought "Why don't I just put it on the blog... then I never have to look for it..." So here it is! For me and the 4ish people who read this blog... isn't it beautiful?!

The Alchemist on Realization

I was so excited to find this because this is exactly why I changed the name of my blog from "A Day Without Laughter is a Day Wasted" to "A Day Without Realization is a Day Wasted" The word Realization is fascinating in its different meanings, the two I play around with are so deeply meaningful. 

To stumble across or accept some new bit of knowledge or to make something happen. 

A conversation between a boy who dreams of going to the pyramids and a man who dreamed of going to Mecca:

 “Well, why don’t you go to Mecca now?” asked the boy. 

“Because it’s the thought of Mecca that keeps me alive. That’s what helps me face these days that are all the same, these mute crystals on the shelves, and lunch and dinner at that same horrible café. I’m afraid that if my dream is realized, I’ll have no reason to go on living. 

You dream about your sheep and the Pyramids, but you’re different from me, because you want to realize your dreams. I just want to dream about Mecca. I’ve already imagined a thousand times crossing the desert, arriving at the Plaza of the Sacred Stone, the seven times I walk around it before allowing myself to touch it. I’ve already imagined the people who would be at my side, and those in front of me, and the conversations and prayers we would share. But I’m afraid that it would all be a disappointment, so I prefer just to dream about it.” 

-The Alchemist

One of Pi's Many Prayers

“I will not die. I refuse it. I will make it through this nightmare. I will beat the odds, as great as they are. I have survived so far, miraculously. Now I will turn miracle into routine. The amazing will be seen every day. I will put in all the hard work necessary. Yes, so long as God is with me, I will not die. Amen.”

-Life of Pi Chapter 53

Pi's Discoveries about Fear

Over the next little bit I think I'll put quotes I find in books I'm reading, just as I think of and find them. Here's the 56th chapter from 'Life of Pi' about fear that I thought was particularly interesting:

I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unerring ease. It begins in your mind, always. One moment you are feeling calm, self-possessed, happy. Then fear, disguised in the garb of mild-mannered doubt, slips into your mind like a spy. Doubt meets disbelief and disbelief tries to push it out. But disbelief is a poorly armed foot soldier. Doubt does away with it with little trouble. You become anxious. Reason comes to do battle for you. You are reassured. Reason is fully equipped with the latest weapons technology. But, to your amazement, despite superior tactics and a number of undeniable victories, reason is laid low. You feel yourself weakening, wavering. Your anxiety becomes dread.

Fear next turns fully to your body, which is already aware that something terribly wrong is going on. Already your lungs have flown away like a bird and your guts have slithered away like a snake. Now your tongue drops dead like an opossum, while your jaw begins to gallop on the spot. Your ears go deaf. Your muscles begin to shiver as if they had malaria and your knees to shake as though they were dancing. Your heart strains too hard, while your sphincter relaxes too much. And so with the rest of your body. Every part of you, in the manner most suited to it, falls apart. Only your eyes work well. They always pay proper attention to fear.

Quickly you make rash decisions. You dismiss your last allies: hope and trust. There, you've defeated yourself. Fear, which is but an impression, has triumphed over you.

The matter is difficult to put into words. For fear, real fear, such as shakes you to your foundation, such as you feel when you are brought face to face with your mortal end, nestles in your memory like a gangrene: it seeks to rot everything, even the words with which to speak of it. So you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you.

Thanksgiving

As it is Thanksgiving it's of course appropriate that I post something on my blog about the holiday!

A short and not comprehensive list of some things I am grateful for, in no particular order:

• That yesterday my blog had no pageviews but for some reason today I have 47. Apparently all I really needed was to post a video of a car dance.
• That today when I was talking to my brother about Thanksgiving he said that it just felt like Sunday because it was pretty much the same thing. A big meal and spending time with family. 
• That one year ago I got home from my mission in Hungary to find myself shell-shocked and scared out of my mind. I actually had a dream last night that I was back there and while it was a little different because a bad guy was chasing after me it was still great to see the bridges again.
• That I have a family that makes me laugh and learn constantly. We're a group of very sarcastic people and it just never gets old. That makes it all the more meaningful when we also look out for each other and love each other. 
• That I have incredible friends that always know what to say. I can't tell you how many times I've needed to hear something or just needed specific company and just the right person pops up. Sometimes I wonder where these people come from. You know who you are. :)
• I'm grateful for good books that make you realize that the mind is limitless (Can you tell I just finished a great book today? "Life of Pi" is incredible).
• Good music that expresses exactly what you're feeling or what you would feel if you were a shameless celebrity.
• I'm grateful for prayers answered and prayers given. 
• And especially for this adorable fool who thinks she can ingest mashed potatoes through her nose (which, yes, technically she can):

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sometimes You Just Need to Get In the Car...

and dance.

And that's exactly what Caitlan and I did.

There's another one but it's apparently too hot for 

blogger because it won't upload... which is a serious 

shame because it was a recreation of a song we did about 

5 years ago. I would just give up but it's Billy Ocean's

"Lover Boy"

I'll keep working on it.

P!nk. Hot Dang.

Ummmmm this is just incredible... how are stupid and not talented artists winning things when P!nk can fly around the stage and sing at the same time?

Was that Carly Jeppson at the end? What a contrast... 

Brandi Freakin' Carlile

Going to a Brandi Carlile concert on the 13th of December! 

SO EXCITED

!!!!!!!!!!!

We All Need A Good Finger Painting Sesh From Time To Time

As I was frantically finishing research papers and putting together a portfolio that I thought was due after Thanksgiving (turns out it's due right before... which is next week) Ben thought it would be a good idea to finger paint. 

And he was right.

The top row is my work. By way of clarification:

1) the first one came about when Ben said "I'll make one to celebrate our friendship" and I said "ok, me too!"

It's the "FUN" song from Sponge Bob captured in a picture. So no, it's doesn't say:

Friends

utme

NY thing

 It says: 

Friends
U+Me
NYTHING

2) The second picture was when Ben's sister said "You should draw a dinosaur, a pirate ship and a ninja army" but I'm sure you could tell that that's what it was anyway.

3) The third is when we decided to paint each other. I promised Ben amazing cheekbones and I think I delivered.

The bottom row belongs to Ben.

1) Remember that the first came from when he said "I'll make one to celebrate our friendship" It says:

Friends ~ Sort of

I like to think that's his way of telling me we'll be Best Friends Forever. A simple BFF would have sufficed, Ben.

2) The second was a potato, then a yam, then a mushroom, then a tree. He gave it everything he had.

3) And the third is me, of course. I don't know why it looks like my dog just died but he said it was a "Mona Lisa" smile. He also accidentally made parts of my hair green.

So if anyone is looking for an activity to do when you really need to

 be doing other things I strongly suggest finger painting!

Or blogging...

 I gotta go...