oh what a day [or week]

One could say that this was an emotionally draining week before it even started and just proceeded to get worse as it went on. I am glad to say that even though Sunday was a rough day, I'm really glad I was able to go to the fireside given by Elder D. Todd Christofferson. He gave an amazing talk on "Living Well Day by Day" and it was exactly what I needed. Some things that stuck out to me:

• Live each individual day fully and well.
• Carefully consider the goals we make--remind ourselves at the beginning of each day to keep that resolution just for that day; then it will become a habit.
• Be careful to not be discouraged and lose hope as we strive to become more like Christ.
• Hope is an anchor to the souls of men.
• Don't lose hope.
• The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones as we strive to become more like Him.
• "Rejoice in one more day, one more step towards eternal life".
• Seek God daily.

Maura and my mom came to Provo on Tuesday and I was so glad I got to spend so much time with them. Maura got to say bye to all of her friends and it was so sweet to see how many people would miss her while she was gone on her mission. Tuesday night, all of the siblings here and Mom went to dinner and just hung out at Ian and Katie's for a while which was nice to just be together. 

After work Wednesday morning, we went to Cafe Rio for lunch before dropping Maura off at the MTC to go off to RUSSIA and as good as it was, I don't think anyone was really that hungry, especially Maura. We said our tearful goodbyes to Maura and sent her off into the building. It was so weird to watch her go, knowing I won't see her for a year and a half, but I am so excited for her! The people of Russia aren't going to know what hit them, in a really good way. The hardest part for me is that Maura has been my best friend here at school and so it seems like there is this big, gaping hole in my life. Before we were even out of the MTC parking lot, I was already reaching for my phone to text her something funny that had just happened. That's going to be a huge struggle, not having her right there with me in the library, or at her townhouse, or eating with me. So thank you Dear Elder for being so readily available for me. Everyone write Mojay! Her mailbox number is 170. 

"where you invest your love, you invest your life"

--mumford & sons

h@ppee ~n~ew yeeeer

2010 has been good to  me. it started out halfway through my senior year of high school and having just finished the christmas chamber season with my besties "co-cop". 

i went to sno daze with jamie

i went to utah twice to hang out at byu

i went to prom with colin

we won the state championship game for rugby after getting second two years in a row

i graduated from high school with my very best friends

i had an amazing summer at home with the entire family there

i also made the most of hanging out with my friends before we all separated for college

i got to go and see my two favorite artists this summer: ingrid michaelson at basilica block party

and JUSTIN BIEBER with erin, caroline and her friend

after months (literally) of crying my eyes out, i came to byu in provo, utah and met my soulmate roommate melissa

i hiked the y, discovered tall tee nightgowns, learned to do a back flip, added a third bed to our room, didnt study when i went to the lib with maura, met new friends, and tried to manage being a college freshman and still have fun at the same time

and to bring in the new year, i hung out with my friends at jonny's, then proceeded to come home and ring in the new year with mojay and mama sporting mama ji's nightgowns

H@PPEEE ~N~EW YEEEER ERRRYYYONNNEE

and i brush and brush and brush...

i just want to start out by saying that if you haven't seen the movie "tangled" yet, you need to. i am obsessed with it and it must be seen by all. 

next. im just continuing to love winter break and i just checked some of my grades and THANK GOODNESS I PASSED PHYSICAL SCIENCE WITH A PRETTY GOOD GRADE! who would have thought i could do it?

so i've just been hanging out with mah fraynds here at home and the other night some of us went to em's and zach was wearing this multi-purpose "thing". i don't even know what to call it. it can be a scarf, a dress, a turban, who knows. haley and i decided to fit two people in it and call it good. it definitely grabs at your curves or "child-bearing hips", ha. 

 yesterday our family went to roller gardens with the peniatas which brought back some classic memories from sixth grade. stu was showing off all his skills, being a sk8r and all...sk8 or diieeeee 

also, for all you single ladies out there, here's a glimpse at one of the stages of stuart's "christmas goatee". woof

i can't stop smiling

i am definitely one of the happiest people in the world right now. i've been able to come home to plymouth, minnesota, sleep in my own bed, see my family and friends, my pup rufio, eat way too much food, and just relax. 

let me just start with arriving home. i got home not this past thursday, but the thursday before in the afternoon. the plane ride was great, it felt super short, i sat next to this super cute lady from south carolina who was a hoot, and slept the whole time. i got off the plane, had two giant suitcases, one filled with my clothes and the other with a bunch of maura's stuff, saw my mom and the smiles didn't stop from that point on. i went to the armstrong winter choir concert that night with teresa and dub-face and i just beamed the whole time. it was so good to be back with my friends from choir. i was able to go to lunch with trump, our choir director, the next day and as usual i gained a lot of insight into my life and what i need to be thinking about concerning school and relationships and life in general. love her.

i went to a chamber gig on saturday and got to see ZACH ENQUIST for the first time in four months. zach is muh bff and as soon as i saw him i was up in his arms and was not planning on letting go. we obviously practiced our lifts even though lynn and ed (his parentals) told him because of a shoulder injury, perhaps he shouldn't be lifting things...like eleanor. my b.

the next couple of days were filled with seeing every possible friend that i could, trying my best to divide my time evenly between family and friends. i went caroling the other night with some old chambers around jonny's neighborhood in golden valley and it was so good to be singing our old christmas songs again with the people i sing with best. then we went and sang at trump's house, and brought her almost to tears because class of 2010 is the best there ever was. 

i went shopping with maura and my mom a couple of times and i got soooooooo bored because they seriously took about 45 minutes to choose between two suitcases for maura's mission. so i decided to take some funny videos of mom on her new fancy phone, sing the christmas songs in the store extra loud and obnoxious, and try on a 3XL fur coat to show maura what she'll need to survive in russia. i look fab, i know.

we also saw this little beauty walking around the store. check out that leather/fur combo

for papa ji's birfday we went to pf changs. ohhhhmyygoodnesssss. delicious. i think that's all that needs to be said, except for the fact that since then, i have not stopped eating. i am surprised at how much of an appetite i have gained back being at home. at college you don't feel like you need to eat a ton because you don't just have a plethora of food around you at all times. whereas at home, i just can't turn any of it down so it looks like i'll be needing to hit the gym this semester after being home for only two weeks. 

christmas eve we had the flake family over for dinner as we do every year, which i always love. i love catching up with their family and seeing what new and fun things they're up to, since i think they lead very creative lives. we loved making fun of this hand model lady the entire night and christmas morning we took a hand model pic on the stairs. tradition from now on probably. 

christmas eve, the sibs and i decided to have a sleepover in caroliney's room, so we moved two mattresses in to be on the floor, so i slept on the crack between quinn and maura. we watched mighty ducks, which is such a classic and i haven't seen it for forever. we awoke in the morning, opened presents, and i'm grateful this year that it didn't feel so much like a "want-fest". there wasn't an overwhelming amount of presents, it was what everyone wanted/needed but not this huge pile of presents taking up the room. it helped me focus a little more on what christmas is really about, how i really don't need a whole lot anyway and just to be grateful for what i do have. 

i just want to give a shout-out to my main man rufio as well. i honestly think we have one of the strangest dogs, but i love his personality. he's found a new way to sit since i've been away at college and it's not very modest...but he seems to like it. 

santa are you there?

quinn will probably be really mad at me for posting this but it's just something that you all need to see. this was made like, two years ago and shows quinny's creative genius. enjoy.