Happy Nevada Day!

Let me make one thing clear: Nevada Day is a big deal to me.

The Silver State was made a part of the Union on October 31st, 1864, and so, growing up, Halloween always had another dimension. It was also Nevada Day! Yes, I grew up getting Halloween off school because of this lovely fact. :)

Nevada is where my heart will always reside. Growing up in Las Vegas made me who I am, and I think it is the best place to live in the world! I love the people of my home state: so down-to-earth and warm-hearted. I love the spirit of the West which inspires the people there. I firmly believe the desert, with its cactus and sagebrush, bright blue mountains and rocky dirt, is so much prettier than anywhere green.



Whenever I get the chance to drive home for a visit (I'm going home for the first time in 3 months in 22 days!), my heart begins to swell as the green trees fade from view, and the landscape slowly turns to desert. And when I come around that corner and see the Las Vegas Valley unfold into view, I feel like my heart is at peace.

Confession: I always sing the Nevada State song when I cross the border as I drive. It is also my favorite singing-in-the-shower song. It's just so darn catchy! Fellow Nevadan peeps know what I'm talking about. Here's a rendition by the Killers (also Nevada natives):

(disregard the large Harry Reid emblazoned upon the video... he already won. although the awkward hug at the end is priceless. and awkward. so awkward.)

I am truly a Nevada girl.

My ancestors founded several towns in Nevada when there was literally NOTHING. My grandmas on both sides grew up in tiny desert Nevada towns back before very many people lived there.

My grandparents on one side met and fell in love in Las Vegas during the 1940s when it was nothing but a dusty little western town with a few hotels and lots of desert. She was a journalist at the only radio station. He was a gunnery instructor stationed there during the war. They fell in love. He proposed. She said no. But don't worry, he tried again later... ;)

Las Vegas is also where my parents fell in love back when she was a school teacher and he had just moved there because Rebel Basketball was doing really well at the time... I mean to get his masters from UNLV.


Thanks for indulging me in my love for my state. And maybe those of you from Nevada celebrated Nevada day with me! I, for one, hugged a cactus, petted a bighorn sheep, and played in some sagebrush for Nevada day.

Just kidding. I just sang the state song all day for everyone I saw. THEY LOVED IT. No one even made fun of me. (this is a lie)

It's just so darn catchy!

Ode to My Backpack.

I've had nightmares before, terrible nightmares. Nightmares about dying, falling from great heights and showing up somewhere naked. But no nightmare has been worse than the nightmares in which I've lost my backpack.

My backpack is my life.

meet my backpack. ain't it a beaut'?

As a college student, my backpack goes with me everywhere I go. It's on my back when I walk out my front door in the morning and it's on my back when I walk into my apartment at night. It goes with me all over campus, and all over town sometimes. It carries my most expensive possession (my computer) and my life-sustaining essentials (granola bars, fruit snacks, sack lunches, lotion, bandaids, advil, chapstick, and my planner, without which, I would be a goner).

It's my footrest when my back hurts in classes and I need to slouch in my chair and prop my feet up. I've used it many a time as a pillow for an emergency on campus sleep-off-a-headache nap. It's my favorite accessory, and sometimes I feel like an outfit is not complete without it.

BFFs

My backpack is one of my greatest friends, for I spend more waking hours with it than anything or anyone else. Sometimes I whisper secrets into the pockets of my backpack. Not really. But I might try it.

My backpack has the capability to hold amazing quantities of stuff without looking chubby. Sometimes I think it is a miracle backpack (hushed whisper).

My backpack has smelled funky for the last few weeks. Something about old peanut butter sandwiches being lost in its depths. It survived the great Gatorade spill of 2011 a few weeks ago, but since the great BYU chocolate milk spill of a few days ago, I figured it was time to give Mr. Backpack a spa treatment. Yep, my backpack is having a good ol' spin in the washing machine as I type. I found 18 pounds of half pieces of gum in the bottom when I cleaned it out (I always tear them in half). I also found my favorite pair of earrings, which I thought I lost in mid-July.

chocolate milk stains: the downside of owning a white backpack.

Dear Backpack,

From the moment I saw you the first week of freshman year at the bookstore sidewalk sale for only 25 dollars, I knew we were meant to be together. You have been with me through so many early morning classes, late nights walking home, campus naps, rainstorms (you were so brave), and library study sessions (thanks for holding so many snacks).

Backpack, even though it's I who have carried YOU through all these times, YOU have truly carried ME. And for that I thank you.

Love,
Amy...

..who should be doing her homework. but writing letters to inanimate objects is much more fun.

The Invention of Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The year was 1930, and Ruth Wakefield and her husband owned the Toll House Inn, a rest stop serving travelers along Route 18 in Massachusetts. The restaurant was fairly new, and she was very busy as the co-owner, manager and cook.

Ruth Wakefield

One day, Ruth was making some chocolate-butter drop cookies. The recipe called for melted chocolate mixed into the batter, but Ruth was in a hurry. She quickly broke some chocolate into chunks and stirred them into the dough, hoping the chocolate would melt evenly as the cookies baked. But they didn't. She pulled out a pan of butter cookies scattered with chunks of chocolate... they were ruined!

But were they? Ruth tasted them. Her customers tasted them. They were amazing!

And thus, the chocolate chip cookie was invented.

I am definitely making these tomorrow.

In no time at all, Ruth's chocolate chip cookies were famous in her area, and the Nestle candy company came out to see what all the fuss was about. They decided to make special chocolate chips especially for baking the cookies, and bought the rights to her recipe. To this day, Ruth Wakefield's recipe is printed on the back of each bag of Nestle chocolate chips for you and me to bake delicious cookies!

This is what I learned yesterday while reading the book "Girls Think of Everything," by Catherine Thimmesh. I've been reading children's books like crazy for my children's literature class, and it has completely changed my perspective. I absolutely can't wait to be an elementary school teacher, because it means always learning and being curious with my students.

Remember when you were a child, how you had questions about everything? You wondered how things came about and why things were the way they were? I know I did. But once you grow up, you stop wondering so much. You don't ask questions as often, and learning becomes boring instead of fun.

Maybe we should all awaken our curiosity about the world more often. Maybe its time to begin wondering again. Maybe its good to ask questions.

Its amazing to think of all the little things we don't know, and it really is fun to learn new things. Even if its just learning about chocolate chip cookies.

You know what I miss?

My Olympic spirit glasses.

you couldn't help but feel joy while wearing them.

Lovingly invented and constructed last year during the Winter Olympics and worn with pride for many an Olympics watching sesh.

my birthday plus Olympic spirit glasses? A winning combo.

Then brutally destroyed by an accidental sitting-upon. I am still in mourning.

London 2012 Summer Olympics... I am eagerly waiting for you to come so that I can construct a new pair of Olympic Spirit glasses... maybe even with a little British flair??

Construction paper has never been so beautiful.

The little things...

Just when I thought I would abandon the outside world forever and hibernate for the winter like a little anti-social babushka who cries at the sight of snow, HALLELUJAH IT WAS WARM TODAY!

Well... "warm"....

Like 50 degrees warm.

I wore shorts and flip flops to the park. And took a nap out on the grass with my roommates.

helloooo stranger..

It was probably actually too cold for that since our toes got a little numb.... But we did it anyways. Gotta live up the days that you can go outside and still feel your face.! Har har..

For me, its really the little things that make me happy. Like sunshine, chocolate milkshakes, and boys that treat you nice. And Sonic Limeades, BYU basketball games and sleeping in. They all make me incredibly happy.

It doesn't hurt that my birthday is this week. I'm a big birthday fan. BIG. I look forward to birthdays all year... not only my birthday, but everyone's birthday! Birthdays make me feel like this:




What a gem.

My birthday is in FOUR days. I am proud of myself for not starting a countdown after Christmas, because that is what I usually do. This year, I'm taking it as it comes. Even though I'm scared about not being a teenager anymore, birthdays are still awesome. A day just for you, with cake and presents and good friends? I'm so excited.

Although.. you know whats not cool?


Really weather? Sunshine all week and then snow on my birthday? You're killin' me.

Happy My-Pre-Birthday-Week everyone! Its a big deal.

Love Triangle

So much angst. And confusion within my soul. Who knew falling in love with two different men could be so painful?

Guys. Its like I'm living in a soap opera.

I have promised my love to my soul mate David Archuleta, but then I keep watching BYU basketball and Jimmer Fredette is slowly stealing my heart....

I've always had a crush on him... but now its something more...

His cut biceps.

His confidence on the court.

The way he can't stop laughing when his dunk goes awry.

His humility.

His adorable smile.

Not to mention the 47 points he scored in yesterdays game and this 40 foot shot on the buzzer:




I was planning to just be in love with them both, but my friend Kelsey informed me the other day that I need to make a decision between the two!!!

How could I possibly decide? They are both so irresistible in their own way!!

David rocks out righteously and has the soulful voice of 4,000 angels.

Jimmer can shoot 3 pointers from a different zipcode.

David has an adorable face and is an all-around cutie pie.

Jimmer is a BEAST ATHLETE.



David is kind of short....

Jimmer can jump like no ones biz...

Well, its just not fair to compare the two. They both have their own talents.

But right now, Jimmer definitely has my heart.

Sorry David.... I hate to say this but, we need to take a break. We need to have time to explore, and maybe see where we are in a little while, maybe after basketball season?? Its not you. Its me. And Jimmer.

Tune in next time to see what happens in the love triangle between Amy, Jimmer, and David on:

As the World Turns Boldly and Beautifully with the Young and Restlessly In Love who are Generally Hospitable...


I need to go to bed and stop eating sugar...

My Christmas Wasn't White and I liked it that way!

Sorry to leave you hanging on a depressed note there folks! My little sister said all week she's been opening my blog and it was depressing her to see the same, unhappy post. I feel bad. As if anyone else was checking my blog this week instead of hanging ornaments and sipping cocoa...

Ha. Ha. Ho Ho Ho.

But seriously, things have been going A-OK with me these days. Being home is the best. I think it takes being away for a long time to appreciate the little things:

Free food. And LOTs of it. Ohhhhhhh yeah, HAPPY Amy!!

Free laundry. Excellent. No quarters required. No dragging laundry baskets down icy steps.

No school. My brain appreciates this. It is still recuperating from the tragedy of finals week.

Old friends. Who knows you better than the people you grew up with? And you can make them help you wrap Christmas presents! Its a great arrangement.

NO SNOW. I think that says it all. No wait. Also: SHORT SLEEVES. Yup. Be jellz..

And most of all: FAMILY!!! Being around family is pretty entertaining because they have to love you no matter how many sugar cookies you eat and no matter how many giggling fits you get into once the sugar kicks in. Fantastic.

My mom decided to kick off an annual Christmas Eve nativity play this year with our family. Its gonna be really special years down the road when there are grandkids to dress up and a big family gathered together. This year, it was..... humble..

..And... we don't have enough men to pull off a nativity yet..

My dad already had a wise man costume he was pretty proud of from a nativity play at the church. He was set on wearing it.

My mom decided Jess would be the angel since shes the oldest.

Sarah was going to be Mary.

"Who do I get to be?" I asked innocently.

"Joseph."

I knew it.

The dog was the shepard. I'm not kidding.

Its okay, I know my family still loves me. Even though they didn't choose me to be a beautiful, glowing angel in a long white dress, I'm cool with it. Even though I didn't get to hold a doll wrapped in swaddling clothes and act as the holy virgin mother, I know I'm still appreciated. Even though I had to put my hair back and dress like a man, my feelings are not hurt.....


*sob*



I'm kidding. Who wouldn't want to cross-dress on Christmas Eve? It is hilarious! And so much more memorable.

Best Joseph EVER.

In short:

I love my hilarious family, and...

MERRY CHRISTMAS GANGSTAS!!!

Tonight's Gonna be a Good, Good Night!

Confession: I had a rotten week.

For reals guys, I am so glad this week is over. Usually finals don't phase me, but this week they slapped me in the face, and then kicked me in the butt and then pulled my hair and then drop-kicked me. And they won. I readily admit it. It was not pretty. But at least now they are just over!!!!

***cue hallelujah chorus****

And now instead of wallowing in my failure in life, its on to better days! Can I get a HOLLERRR???

Starting with today. Today is going to be a fantastic day because:

a. I am done with my finals!
b. My little sister is flying in tonight!
c. Tonight I am once again going to be in the presence of my future-hubby David Archuleta!!!

This picture is just too good to only be used once on this blog. So I treat you with it again. If it HAD been photo-shopped I'd have to give credit to my sister Jess. But that's totally hypothetical.

Thats right peeps, I'm chillin' with David tonight. Hopefully he will remember me from when I met him over the summer.

Oh heyyyyyy David!!

And when I say "chillin' with David", I really mean "being in the same room as David and 21,000 other people at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert..." But really that's a small detail to me.

Is there a better way to end a rotten week on a high note than:

Sister love + David Archuleta hotness + Motab + Christmas cheer?

I submit that there is not!

Once Upon a Weekend...

Once upon a time, a young college girl hadn't seen her family in over two months and she really missed them. So one weekend, her family embarked on a journey to the land of Provo to visit her and her sister! And Brooke came too because we like to pretend she is part of the ol' fam.

They wandered into the depths of the HBLL to uncover precious treasures in the periodicals....

Seventeen magazines all the way from the 1960s!? Oh heck yeah!

Oh, just brushing up on the latest fashions!

The girls explored the wonder that is BYU campus, and even got to go on a fantastic golf cart adventure! Then they climbed to great heights to see campus from the sky. (aka the JFSB balcony!)

The little adventurers expanded their minds by trying out scientific experiments like vortexes and whisper phones.


Then they ended up, somehow, stumbling their way into special collections and getting special permission to see ancient relics and historical treasures. Don't ask us how, it just happened.

first edition Book of Mormon baby.
read about the book of mormon here.

Oh, is that a real life OSCAR that we saw with our own eyes? Why yes it is!

Among many other things, we also saw a cuneiform tablet from 2000 BC. Yes. FOUR THOUSAND years ago. And also a Bible that was hand-written by monks. And many other super tight things.

Moral of the story: Even with ZERO connections, you can do cool stuff at BYU. If you just ask. Or if you get lost in the library and then start talking to the special collections secretary and she calls up her boss. Score.


ALSO: Turns out baby hands is the way to go to attract the boys. I take these two high school girls to a college dance and they get all the attention! Way to go ladies, way to go.

straight up hotties. actually I think the baby hands just freaked people out. but attention is attention riiiight? (mothers everywhere are frowning upon this statement)

oh hey thar.

do we look alike? Yes or no?

We went to temple square. It is always a beautiful place to be. Brooke liked it. She had never been before, probably because she just got baptized (yay!)... It was very exciting.

please stop growing up. thanks.

Brooke is excited about life!

And they ate delicious food, and played games of Apples to Apples, and laughed themselves silly and then lived...

HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

Especially since Thanksgiving break is only three weeks away! Huzzzahhh!

Aw Shucks... I've Been Tagged!

No, not with grafitti you sickos. BLOG TAGGED! Whee! I feel very honored. My beautiful, fashionable friend and former FHE sister Kailee tagged me on her blog today and now I am excited (and a little nervous?) to answer her questions. Lets go!

1. If you could only listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would it be?

The Beatles. (Say it with a British accent though.) My moods in music change daily... some days I am listening to Micheal Buble all day and some days I am jamming to Eminem and hardcore rap. But I am ALWAYS in the mood for the Beatles. Plus, it reminds me of my daddy.



2. Do you/ did you sleep with a stuffed animal and what is it?

Yes? I used to I think. I had a ton of stuffed animals. They were my pretend friends. I think I slept with all of them at one time or another. (Wow that sentence definitely sounds a little trashy... But keep it clean folks.) I remember this purple dragon I used to have that smelled really weird. I really liked it. Nowadays I ALWAYS sleep with this little red Squish pillow*. I cannot sleep unless my arms are wrapped around something.
*Ashley M. likes using this pillow for other purposes bahahahaha.

3. What is your favorite Disney movie?

Cinderella! I just really really love Cinderella stories in general. And I think the Disney classic Cinderella movie is just so beautiful.



4. What is one thing in your life you regret doing or not doing?

I guess I kind of regret not always being more myself because I wasn't sure if people would like me for it. But no one really likes a quiet girl who agrees with everyone anyways. I could have had many more fun times if I'd been my funny self. Truth is, I'm a straight-up gangsta and I'm really fun!

5. What is your favorite thing about blogging?

My favorite thing about blogging is definitely letting my true personality shine through. I love writing. And I am a fun-loving, sarcastic, gangsta person but sometimes I am shy and people don't even realize it. So I am glad more people are able to see me for who I am through this blog. A lot of people have told me they are surprised by my humor... guess they never knew the REAL me!

6. What is one of your most embarrassing moments?

Read this blog and you will find plenty. Grabbing a strange boy's thigh. Falling in a puddle of punch at a wedding reception. Wandering through campus with tears streaming down my face. Not to mention the time I fell into the organ pit up on the stand one time during seminary. And many, many more to come. I know its why you people read my blog! Don't act like you don't get pleasure from my pain!!! ;)

7. If you could change your name to something else, what would it be?

I would really like a gangsta name like A-mizzle Balla Holla Fershizzle so I could legitimately roam the streets of Provo and instill fear in others. Please check out this helpful (and extremely in depth) e-How article on how to create your gangster name. It is a superb resource.

8. What is one of your greatest accomplishments in life?

Hmm, I would have to say the one or two times I woke up early, ate breakfast, legitimately looked decent, and made it to class on time here at BYU over the last year. I have never been prouder. And it hasn't happened in a long, long while. And probably never will again! Holla!

Well, I hope you didn't have to grab your tissue box and hold hands and cry with your nearest friend as you read this post! Oh feelings....

I feel like I was just on Oprah...

Catching the Bouquet and the Fever

Last night I caught the bouquet at my friends wedding reception.

Today my mom started talking to me about planning my wedding.

I am scared.


But then I got in on it. I've always said I didn't really care about anything. But its kind of addicting to plan a dream wedding. And I've been working at a wedding chapel all summer, and talking to brides every day has kinda given me wedding fever. I mean, how can you see weddings every day and not think ahead to your own wedding?

Somehow I knew exactly what I want in ten minutes. I really want my colors to be baby blue with red accents. And the whole thing to have this 1940's vintage feel to it. With retro antiques as the centerpieces, like old type writers and rotary dial telephones and cool art from the 40's and 50's. And I want my bridesmaids to have blue dresses with red shoes and red flowers. And I want a blue sash around my wedding dress and blue flowers but red shoes. And I want an old fashioned veil.

I have it all figured out. I don't have a man yet, but that's okay because I do NOT want to get married until I am AT LEAST 24. (This is for you Ashley. Nanny nanny boo boo.)

Here are some pictures that I really like. Feel free to make fun of me all you want. Heck, if I were you I would definitely be mocking me right now for planning my wedding. In fact I'll be disappointed if no one tells me I'm too young to be looking at wedding stuff in the comments.






Me and David Archuleta are going to have to coolest wedding ever. *Sigh*

Well I better go, I can hear my dad's wallet crying.




When did YOU start planning your wedding? What will be/were your colors?

I just really like grass, ok?

So it turns out I don't hate Utah after all! I actually really like it when it’s not barren and covered in snow!!

This week I took a quick trip up to Provo to visit my roommate Kirsi (well actually former roommate, but somehow I feel like I'll be calling her my roommate until we are old ladies). Kirsi is leaving soon to spend a semester in China, so we wanted to spend a couple days together before she left.

It was such a relaxing two days. Kirsi and I talked and caught up on each other's lives and went to the temple like old times. We watched movies like When in Rome and Breakfast at Tiffany's (sketch!) all snuggled up and cooked delicious food (and ate raw cookie dough which gave us huge stomachaches!). It was fun going to the Creamery for some ice cream, where we used to stagger in at night hungry and throw a bunch of random food in a shopping cart, hoping it would nourish us. Except it was usually gallons of chocolate milk and spaghetti. Man, we were such clueless freshman when it came to feeding ourselves at first! We spent Friday afternoon in Salt Lake walking around Temple Square and the nearby area. It was so beautiful.

Provo temple is our favorite place...

pretty temple.....

Oh, and while I was shopping at the BYU Bookstore, I totally saw Nie Nie, from the famous nieniedialogues buying fudge. I smiled at her. She looked really cheerful and pretty, with a flower in her hair. What an awesome lady!

While she was in class in the mornings, I really enjoyed just wandering Provo and BYU Campus. There were rainstorms on and off, and one day I spent an hour just walking around campus after it had rained. I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. When I left in April, it was only just beginning to look like spring, but now everything is green! It feels like such a fresh start. I fell in love with campus all over again.

Growing up in the desert, I think of summertime as hot, dry and dusty. But summertime in Provo was cool and green. I am the kind of girl who is amazed by grass. I sat on grass every single chance I could get. I touched the grass. I walked to a park and lay on the grass for a while reading a book. And it blew my mind.

Grassssssss....

Seriously, all I needed to make this trip wonderful was a few days off work, Kirsi, and grass.

SUCCESS.

Smile!

Earlier this week at work, I was sitting at a desk in a reception area where a lot of other employees walk through all the time. Not everyone knows me that well and on a scale of importance I'm pretty much a -10 so I try not to bother people too much.

These two other employees came walking through past my desk. As they were approaching, I looked up, but they were in the middle of an important sounding conversation and I couldn't decide whether to say hi or not. I never really decided but I never looked away either, so it kinda turned into this awkward frozen stare.

Much like another frozen awkward stare we all know and love:

But hopefully I'm not that pale. Or creepy.

But back to the story:

One of the men completely stopped in front of my desk, looked right at me and said one word:

"SMILE!"

And then chuckled and continued walking out.

For a second I was kind of startled, but then I realized he was right. It NEVER hurts to smile. I'd rather smile too much than be a cranky, awkward person.

I learned my lesson: When in doubt.... just SMILE.