For those of you who haven't heard, the Provo Tabernacle started on fire a few nights ago and the inside is completely gone. So sad that such a beautiful and historical building was destroyed. Almost everything was destroyed, but this picture was pulled from the ashes. The painting is "The Second Coming" by Harry Anderson.

Perhaps we can all use this as a reminder to keep Christ at the center of our lives. Especially during this holiday season.

It's that time of year. The time of year where I should be studying for finals but would rather blog instead. I do have some biology I need to get back to, but first...

In the library today studying at a table with a random guy who has broken the ice by asking me a few questions randomly throughout the time we are sitting.

Him: So what year are you?
Me: Well, I'm working on my master's so I don't really know what that would classify as (sound familiar?)
Him: Wow, that's awesome. So what year did you graduate?
Me: '08.
Him: That's incredible! You graduated in '08 and you're already working on your master's?

Ohhhhhh, he meant what year did I graduate from high school. I forget not everyone around here is working on their second degree. I have got to get out of this place.

A few weeks ago at Break the Fast...

Nick to Collin: Collin, I feel like I need to tell you something because I've noticed we suffer from the same disorder.
Collin: Ummmm, okay...
N: See we are both follicularly challenged in this same area (he points out a spot on his sideburns where hair refuses to grow) so I'm gonna tell you a secret. Eyeliner pencil. I use Moroccan Coconut and it seems to hide it really well. I don't think you would be Moroccan Coconut though. You would probably be a lighter shade...
C: More like a toasted almond or something?
N: Yeah, and again the key is to make sure you blend it so it's not noticeable.

Yep, it happened. I heard every word.

There are no words...



I honestly think they scariest part is the way she breathes before she performs these "exercises." I hope you all did them along with her. No double chins for you!

Also, I think it's very important to note that it seems necessary to wear a leotard to perform all types of physical activity, even if it is from the neck up.

Halloween

Photos as promised.

Horror Story

My biology teacher showed us this video in class today. I thought it was very appropriate for the Halloween season although it really has nothing to do with the actual holiday. It still freaked me out. Watch it. I bet it will freak you out too. Oh how I love BBC.

I Would Really Enjoy This

I want this book.

Too bad there were only 1000 copies made. Too bad it's sold out. I mean, too bad it was 700 dollars. Sad day. 

You May Want to Watch this Over and Over Again

You know this is going to be my child.



But seriously, maybe BYU could learn a lesson here. I'm kinda tired of them touching the ball carrier and thinking he's just gonna fall down. Let's actually play some defense...

You Are Very Welcome Fall

I told my friends I was studying tonight and that's why I can't hang out. It's a good thing very few of them actually follow my blog. I would rather be doing this.

I really don't have anything profound to say, I just thought it was time to update my background from summer flowers to something a little bit more festive. I do love Halloween so. Remember last year's costume?

I hope you're all as excited as I am about this years costume. Maybe this year we won't wait until the day of to make our costumes, but I'm not keeping my fingers crossed. Pictures to come!

Sorry Mom...I Don't Know Why I Do It

A conversation I had yesterday with a boy sitting next to me in biology class...

Him: What year are you again?
Me: Well, I'm working on my master's degree so I dunno. I've been here too long.
Him: How have you managed to stay single?
Me: It's easy. I'm just really mean to all the boys.
Him: Oh.

I really don't know where that came from. Mom, dad, I know you want grandchildren from me one day, but I just can't seem to help myself. I don't know what it is. Oh well.

Not Sure Why...

     I may have done something really stupid. I signed up for a 7 a.m. lab every Tuesday. I had to. It was the only one that wasn't full and worked with my schedule. I woke up at 6:15 this morning. I am not happy when I have to wake up before 8, but seriously hate life when I have to wake up before 7. There were only six of us and the boy next to me is a self proclaimed morning person. He got up at 5:30 this morning. I know he's gonna end up in my group. Great.

     My only consolation is we have been promised we will be dissecting sharks.

PSYCH 342

1. My abnormal psychology class is two and a half hours long. I found several one way valves in my arms today in class.

2. I learned in class today that single, white, college-age females are the most depressed people in our society. Great. Fortunately the girl sitting in front of me reminded us that "it's not a bad thing to be single in college." She's married. I feel much better about things.

3. Today our teacher was summarizing the movie A Beautiful Mind for anyone in class who hadn't seen it. He summarized it like this...So, this guy is brilliant and going to some school, probably a really good one. Anyway, he's always in the library and is super stressed working on his thesis (sounds way too familiar these days). In his case, the stress causes him to go crazy and hallucinate. Also great. I may not want to spend so much time in the library working on my thesis.

This class is really starting to freak me out. 

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

I went on three vacations in April. Is that excessive? Now I feel like if I don't get on a plane every two weeks I'm going to go crazy. Anyway, since I'm trying to catch up on blogging, here's April...

It all started when Scott and Katie decided they missed me too much (wise people) so I got on a plane headed for Dallas. (Ok, maybe this trip was in February). Now, because Katie is way more caught up on her blog than I am, you can read the more detailed version on her blog here- Fun in Texas!- But really, we had tons of fun. There was lots of eating (Thanks again Katie for making my favorite raspberry bars) and lots of playing.

After I went to Fort Worth to see Scott, Katie and Sarah, my parents also decided they missed me too much. So, I went home for Easter weekend and had a blast! I don't have any pictures from this weekend because I didn't have time to steal them all from my mom's camera, but again, there was lots of eating and playing. Oh, and shopping. And the annual Easter Egg hunt in grandma's backyard. I made out quite well being the only grandchild at home this year. 

Two weeks after Easter, I went to California, because as one of my friends texted me when she found out I was there, "When are you not in San Diego?" In my defense, this trip had been planned for a long time. Last year I ran the Ragnar Relay in Arizona with some friends from SD. This year we decided to do the same in California. The race was 200 miles. Santa Barbara to Dana Point. It was such a good time! Of course when I got to SD the first thing I had to do was visit my old beach. I do miss Marine Street.

After I had gotten as much beach time as possible and seen my friends, we headed up to SB for the race. For those of you not familiar with Ragnar, a team of twelve runs 200 miles with each team member running three legs of varying lengths. My favorite run has always been number two- the night run. Last year it was me, my music, and the stars in the middle of some small town in Az. This year it was me, my music, and West Hollywood. Yep, I was running past all the popular bars and clubs on Friday night at about 10 in the pm. I got some strange looks, but it was fantastic. Here are some pics from the event...

before it all began

handing off the bracelet

waiting for the rest of the team at the beach

crossing the finish line all together

the end

My Program Is Better Than Yours

It has been over a month since my last post, so I apologize to all five (maybe) of you who actually think I'm entertaining. I have a ton to catch up on, but I will start with this. I cannot believe how fast my first year of grad school went! I still feel like I am applying to schools and praying that someone will decide to take me. I have loved everything about it so far. The people in my program are amazing and I actually get excited to study. So, some of my favorite times from the past year recapped...

Remember when we pretended like we were doctors and cut Paige's leg open to see what kind of muscle fibers she had? Well, I took a video of it as it was pretty amazing, but my blogger hates me so all you get is this picture... Maybe one day it will let me load it and I'll link it back to this post.

All of the crazy study parties we had in the RB conference room. I would not have survived ex. phys. without them. One of my favorite conversations...

 

Cheryl to Caisa and me about Patrick: He won't come. It's dark.

Me: Yeah, but boys aren't afraid of the dark.

Cheryl: Well, Patrick is.

 

Oh, and then there was the time Dr. Mack took our entire cardiopulmonary class to Einstein's for our last class and gave us the take home final.

Now, normally the end of a semester is a little bittersweet for me because I'll maybe miss the friends I've made. So grateful I'm gonna be stuck with these people for another year. Bring on round two.

 

Today is a holiday in my book, so happy first day of spring. Weather.com is promising sunny skies and a high of 50 degrees. I know that doesn't sound too exciting, but after the freak snow flurries we had yesterday, I'm not complaining. So go outside, enjoy the sun, and celebrate.

10 Things

This has already been a crazy week and it is only 10:20 am on Tuesday morning. I'm not altogether sure if I'm going to survive it or not. I am tired of studying, so I am taking a break from learning about the pathophysiology of anemia to re enter the world of blogging.

This is thanks to my friend Jessica who wrote about 10 things she loved and then passed the assignment on to 10 fellow bloggers. I accept the task to write about 10 things I love (although narrowing down that list will be hard), but I may or may not pass it on (only because I don't know if I can think of 10 friends...I may have to cut it to 5).

So, here we go, 10 things that I love...

1. Family
     I love my family. They are amazing. They have always supported me, wanted the best for me, and are quite entertaining when we all get together.

2. A Good Book

     There is almost nothing I love more than curling up with a good book. I love to read and am usually reading several books at one time. Right now for instance, I am reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, Persuasion, and The Continuous Atonement. I love libraries and hope to have one in my house one day.

3. BYU football
     I cannot even begin to describe how much I love my BYU football. Thank you to my parents for raising us on college ball. Win or lose, I am there to cheer my team on. I am counting down the days until the season starts again.

4. Shoes

     I'm not quite sure what it is about shoes, but they just make me happy. They're my favorite thing to shop for. They're unlike jeans or swimsuits. You can always find a pair of shoes that look good (usually several). I just can't get enough. I do hope to have a pair or two of these one day...

5.The Beach
     Now, maybe it's because I am in Provo right now and sincerely missing the warm weather of California, but I just want to be at the beach. I love the water and even got used to having sand all over everything I owned all the time...

6. Laughing
     Should be self explanatory. There is nothing like laughing so much that your stomach is sore the next day. If you want to be my friend, all you have to do is make me laugh. It's as simple as that.

7. Mint chocolate chip ice cream
     Just the most delightful dessert there is. Simple, delicious and refreshing. I could eat more of it in one sitting than I care to admit.

8. Spring
     When I lived in New Mexico, fall was my favorite season. I love the falling leaves and the cool nights. But here in Utah, fall lasts about two days and then winter sets in. So, here, I love spring. I love it when the days start getting longer and you can stay out late. I love all of the spring flowers, and I love soaking in the sunshine. It cannot come soon enough.

9. Paris
     I miss Paris almost every day. I loved everything about the two months I spent there. I loved the city, I loved the food, and I loved the people (believe it or not). Someone said it a lot better than I can in one of my favorite books about Paris...

     "What truly makes Paris beautiful is the intermingling of the monumental and the personal, the abstract and the footsore particular, it and you...I saw Paris out of the corner of my eye, on my way to the movies, and so a love for Paris came to be one of the strongest emotions I possess."

10. The Gospel
     I am truly grateful for the gospel in my life. The knowledge that I have of it changes my life every day, and I am so blessed to have it. 

And there you have it. 10 things that I love. Now, as previously mentioned, I wasn't sure if I was going to pass this along to another 10 friends or not. Well, I went back and counted, and as pathetic as this is, I only have about 7 friends I could pass this along to. I won't list them, but you should know who you are, and if you choose to accept the task of writing about 10 things you love, I will gladly read them. We all know reading blogs would have been my number 11. Have fun.

25, Really?

Yeah, I thought I was turning 25 too, and then tonight I was reminded of what a five year old I really am. So, Caisa and I were cleaning the apartment in preparation for cleaning checks tomorrow and had to get rid of the balloons we had leftover from our party this weekend. Caisa immediately sat on five of them, and gave me the other five to see who could pop their balloons first. We soon realized this was way too entertaining and we would rather watch someone else do it than do it ourselves...So, we ran down the hall to Candice and Shannan's.

Caisa: Candice! Shannan! Get into the hall now! You each have five balloons. First one to pop them all wins...

 

  

  

Candice was rockin' it so she decided to help Shannan...

  

Shouldn't have helped her Candice...

Thanks for the entertainment girls : )

Such A Nerd

So the other day in my cardiopulmonary class, Dr. Mack mentioned something about finding the one way valves in your veins. He said it was a great way to pass time when you were bored in church. Now, I had never found the one way valves in my veins before so I was super excited. All you have to do is press on a vein, push the blood in the vein back to your heart, and then let go and watch the vein refill.
Caisa and I found ourselves passing the time in our super exciting, eight o'clock in the morning, stats class on Thursday, by finding the valves in our veins. We started giggling as we realized what nerds we were. Then I glanced over and saw Jayson was doing it too. So glad we weren't the only ones. You should try it too.

Longest Month Ever

I hate January. No offense to those of you who were born this month ( I still love you), but January in Provo is one of my least favorite things. It is cold, and long and the inversion feels like it's never going to go away. I miss summer, I miss Pinkberry, and I miss walking down to the beach whenever I want to. So, I am posting a few pics from the good old days in San Diego, because I miss it, and I want to reminisce. Humor me will you?

I miss this Temple

I miss running alongside this everyday

I miss palm trees

I miss walking by the yellow house on the way to the beach and dreaming about living there

I miss bonfires and hanging out at the beach at night

I miss sunsets over the water

And I miss these people. A lot

Good thing the month is almost over. Birthday month is upon us and I can't wait. 

Last Day in London

   Yes, I knew it had to come to an end sometime, but I still wasn't happy about it. The night before my last full day in London I was gchatting with Brad and asked him what I should do on my last day. He mentioned the British Library. Genius! How had this not been on my list? I love libraries and this particular one has a gallery containing some amazing works. So, the morning of the 30th, Denise and I headed out to see the library.
   The library, by the way, is right by King's Cross Station. For you Harry Potter fans out there, yes, they do have a platform 9 and three quarters. We went by so Denise could take a picture. I had one from my previous visit, but it still makes me happy.

   After maneuvering our way around the station, we made it to the British Library. interesting fact- if you looked at five items in the library a day, it would take you over 80,000 years to view the entire collection.

 

Anyway here's a list of the highlights...

1. One of the four copies of the 1215 Magna Carta

2. The original manuscript of Lewis Caroll's Alice's Adventures Under Ground

 

3. The Gutenberg Bible

4. The original manuscript of Jane Austen's Persuasion as well as her writing desk. (loved this!)

5. Original lyrics on cards, envelopes...from the Beatles

And I'm done finding pictures, but I was also able to see the original score of Handel's Messiah, the original Beowulf, Notebooks from Leonardo da Vinci (so cool to see his mirrored writing), Charlotte Bronte's original Jane Eyre, and scores from Beethoven, Schubert, and Mozart. I could have spent forever in this library!

   But we had to move on, so we went to Harrods. Also amazing but in a completely different way. This place is out of control but so much fun! I did buy a new journal so I could have a green Harrods bag (and I really did need a new journal).

   After Harrods Denise and I went to meet her friends at the Tate Modern. Saw a few cool things, but we all know modern art isn't my favorite (sorry Brad).We had all worked up an appetite after the museum so we wandered around and finally found an Italian place for dinner.

So much fun! Denise, thank you for everything. Mom and dad, thank you for letting me go. Such a great Christmas present. I'm already planning an agenda for next time...