Friends and family

January 5, 2014 — Leave a comment

Today, one of my best friends bore his testimony in Church about friendships. He talked about the friends he was seeing for the first time in years, the ones he left when coming to Utah, and the new friends he’s made here. He talked about how they are like family to him. I, being the cry baby I am, started bawling.

I love my family and I miss them when I’m gone.

But it is so nice to have a Provo family here. People I can rely on to be there for me, to listen to me when I’m upset, to help me whenever I need it, to laugh with me and cry with me, everything. I love where I live and I am so lucky that I decided to move in here. I’m so lucky that I took the classes that I did, that I’ve made the friends that I have, and that those friends have become my family.

If you aren’t pictured above, don’t fret. You are still my friend turned family member. I just don’t want to rummage through every picture;) 
So thanks 2013 for bringing me these great friends, and here’s hoping 2014 keeps the old and brings in some new friends too.
Happy Sunday everyone!
PS–you CAN be friends with an ex. It’s possibly the best thing ever.
PSS–Elder Low gets home in 368 days. Not like I’m counting or anything.

Vague prose

January 4, 2014 — Leave a comment

Hello there friends!

I haven’t posted in a few days, because I have done nothing. Haha it’s true! I’ve been at home and then back to Provo, reading and baking and letter writing my days away. It’s been a blast, let me tell you!
But I have to say a few things.
Sometimes people do things to deliberately hurt you. I don’t understand it, maybe they think they’re doing those around you a favor. Maybe they think they’re doing you a favor. Either way, it’s not right. And it’s not helpful. 
So I’m working on forgiving and forgetting. But I’m also not going to be naive. 
Ok enough of the morbid, vague prose. 
On a happy note, I still have two whole days of relaxation before school starts. Count your blessings, am I right? 
Anyway, happy Friday everyone!

2k14

January 1, 2014 — Leave a comment

It’s 2014. How weird is that?? I remember last New Year’s perfectly. It doesn’t feel like it was that long ago.

So to celebrate the new year, here is a moment from each month of 2013. These will be good, promise:)

January I said goodbye to my best friend. It was a really hard month, but getting those first few letters was the best!

February was filled with school and an awesome Valentine’s Day. The Robed Five made us girls feel so special!

March was filled with trips to the cabin, laughing, studying, and becoming best friends.
April was crazy with finals, saying goodbye to roommates and wardies, and finishing my first year of college!!

May had the best vacation ever with my girls, and moving back home, spending time with my family!
June was full of working, ballet recitals, and a flying trip to Idaho which was way too fun!

July was full of partying, working, and lots of mission farewells!
August I said goodbye to Cherry Hill, and Randy and I hit two years of dating!

September I started my second year at BYU, celebrated my 20th birthday, and said goodbye to Al.

October I made some amazing friends, said goodbye to Lau, got into my major, and worked on Student Alumni, plus got a job for BYU Radio.

November found me busy, busy, busy, with a little time at the end of the month for family and The Nutcracker!

And December was full of finals, Christmas, goodbyes and hellos, missing Randy, and lots of love. 

Yeah it’s safe to say that 2013 was really good to me. It was hard, stressful, and there were lots of tears. But there was also lots of fun, laughter, late night talks, and adventures. I wouldn’t change a thing that happened this year. And I can’t wait for the adventures 2014 will bring. 
All I can say is…
Happy 2014 everyone!

Cards and candy bets

December 29, 2013 — Leave a comment

Family time rocks. As you can see.

This break has been so fun and full of games and food and movies and more fun. Now I have a few more days of relaxing and then back to reality.

Cousin game night? Heck yeah

Also, Chinese night? It’s almost more popular than Christmas dinner with our family.
Friends, sometimes things happen. Things change. People realize things and learn about themselves. And that’s ok. It’s good. It’s hard, but it’s good. The best thing to do is embrace it and move forward. On the same page, happy, and content with the fact that the future will happen and that’s ok. 
Anyway enough of my vague ranting. 
Happy Sunday everyone!
Also: Randy Low has been out for one year, in two weeks. I KNOW RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!

So this is Christmas, I hope you had fun…

December 27, 2013 — Leave a comment

I didn’t take enough pictures this Christmas. I think I was just trying to live in the moment instead of snap a million photos. Which is ok too, I think. Luckily I have just a few to show you what Christmas in my house is like!

We ❤ the snow

First of all, there was Christmas Eve. Which was full of games and movies with Drew, food and family, singing Christmas carols in candle light, opening a wonderful new book, an email from my favorite missionary full of the sweetest things, and a package from him too (he still knows how to shop for me!) and finally, having a good spiritual moment with my family before Santa came.

Then Christmas morning was full of tears as my dad read his favorite Christmas book, matching Nativity sets, laughing and yelling as presents were opened, hot chocolate and candy, and of course the Stocking Exchange. Basically I love my family and this time of year, and the chance we get to spend it together.

My cute sister got me a blazer that I’ve been DYING to have. My sisters are the best!

Next T-Swift right here

Merry Christmas!

And happy Friday everyone!

Eve of the Eve

December 23, 2013 — 2 Comments

It’s Christmas Eve Eve. I try to be funny sometimes.

Basically the weekend has been a whirlwind. I’ve shopped FAR too much, ate a lot, spent time with Drew’s awesome family, saw a movie with mine, made a sassy snowman with my sisters (his name is Pauool. He’s great) and a million other things I can’t even remember now.
Basically being home from school is the best. Now all I have to do is bake cookies and wrap presents and figure out my schedule for next semester. Nothing big;)
With Christmas coming on so fast, I just wanted to share some thoughts I had on the season. We hear all the time that we need to put the Christ back in Christmas. This year, Drew really helped me do that. He wanted to give service to someone else every Monday in December. We had so much fun serving others. And it was even more fun to look forward to the next service experience. It made me realize how important it is to do things for others, and not just this time of the year. So maybe one of my New Year’s Resolutions will be about serving others so I don’t lose this awesome feeling. 
On another note, Christmas Eve at my house means one of my favorite holiday traditions, which you can read about over at Hannah’s blog, Words as Palindromes. BUT also, books. I love  that we get a book every Christmas Eve. It’s something exciting that I love and my mom is brilliant for starting this tradition.
So the tree is trimmed, family’s are gathering together, and life is good. 
Happy Christmas Eve Eve, and happy Monday!
P.S. In two weeks, Randy will have been gone for a year. GET READY FOLKS.

VICTORY

December 19, 2013 — Leave a comment

I have conquered finals.

You heard me.

They’re done, over, finished. And I think I did ok to be quite honest.

Finals are hard. There are projects to be turned in after hours spent in the multi-media lab, trying to remember how to use a video program I haven’t used in years. (Thanks Terri, I owe my final project grades to you!)

There are hours spent studying or complaining about studying.

There are hours spent in the testing center or the Wilk or the JSB, crammed next to a bunch of other people.

There are the blessed religion finals that you know you should ace, but they’re still more difficult than you could’ve anticipated.

There are presentations with food and awards and clapping at the end.

But it’s not all bad.

There are mega-beds in the living room with fans running all night, there are Frozen Hot Chocolate runs and surprise french toast breakfasts, there’s a sweet boy who puts up with tears and loud music and yelling, there’s homemade fudge and Oreo balls at work, there’s encouraging words from my family, especially my mama, and there’s always Priesthood blessings and prayer.

So finals week wasn’t all bad. Now I just have to erase all the footage I don’t need, figure out my minor/classes for next semester, pack, help Dubes through his last finals, figure out how to live without my roomies for two weeks, and wrap a million Christmas presents.

Also I don’t have any pictures. So enjoy this song instead?

http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/dlFEJ-Ctpjc&source=uds

Happy Thursday everyone!

In which I win an award

December 17, 2013 — Leave a comment

In my English 311 class there are only about 20 people. Which is incredibly small for a BYU class. This class fulfill a general requirement for advanced writing, and most of the students are juniors and seniors. We grew close as a class, and I really enjoyed my time learning and laughing there.

Yesterday we did final presentations, ate food, and got class awards. The awards part was probably my favorite.

I am incredibly proud. I never thought this day would come. But it came. I texted my mom immediately after to tell her the good news. What a day.
Also, one final and one final project down, one final project and two tests left to go. That was very long winded but you get the idea.
Currently indulging in:
Frozen hot chocolate. Ok it was last night but whatever.
Us. Best band ever.
My Snuggie.
Happy Tuesday everyone!

Guest Post!

December 16, 2013 — Leave a comment
Hello everyone!  It’s Hannah again over at Words as Palindromes!  Maddy is super busy with exams and presentations this week, as I was last week, so we decided it would be fun to guest post on each other’s blogs.  So here it goes!
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Hannah and I blog over at Words as Palindromes.  I am a senior in college and attend school in MN.  I am studying to be a Speech-Language Pathologist. I blog about everything and anything that happens in my life, sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it’s lame, and sometimes it’s just great!  But you should definitely check it out!  


Christmas is coming up sooner than any of us can imagine, right?  I mean I still have to wrap all my presents and find a few yet, but I don’t want to go to any of the stores because they are SOO CRAZY. So today we are going to talk about some of my favorite Christmas traditions. 
1. Decorating Christmas cookies
Usually, my mom would always bake the cookies and would always have all my siblings frost them when I was at school or at work…but last year it was a day when I was off!  I was so excited! My siblings and I listened to Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas music while attempting (attempting is the key word) to decorate the cookies professionally.

2. Christmas Trees
I guess this really isn’t a tradition, but no matter where I am, whether on campus, at home, at my grandma’s or at a coffee shop, you will always find me by the Christmas tree.  There is just something so peaceful about the bright lights and looking at how each and every person decorates the tree so beautifully and differently.

3. Christmas Lights
In my town in WI there is a large park at the end of a big lake in WI.  Every year they completely deck the whole park out with lights and it is so beautiful!  Within the past couple of years they have a light show.  Every year after the Children’s Christmas Eve service at my church, my family and I get in my car, still in our dresses and ties, and drive to the park, despite the craziness and enjoy the light show.
4. Christmas at Granny J’s
Let’s preface this and say my dad is the 9th of 11 children.  Yup, I did just say 11 kids.  That means Christmas is crazy.  Every year since I was born we have gone to Christmas at her house on Christmas Day.  There have been some years when there have been over 70+ people at her house between all the aunts, uncles, grandchildren, their children, boyfriends & girlfriends, and more.  It is a blast.  Usually we don’t eat until almost 7:00PM at night.  Then we open presents.  Recently, Santa has been coming. 🙂  Then the best part of the night.  We all sit down in the living room and sing Christmas carols for over an hour with my uncle playing them on the piano.  Nothing gets better than that. 

5. The awkward Christmas Family Photo
This one is not actually too awkward, but every Christmas Eve before we open presents we attempt to take pictures in front of the Christmas tree.  It really has not worked too well in the past few years due to the fact that Josh is about 8 million feet tall now and we are all too big to fit in a picture. 

Sure there are more traditions like my favorite peanut butter cookies with the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, the ranch oyster crackers, seeing my cousins who I like to call my best friends, and hoping that even though I live in WI, the weather is not too cold.

I hope all of you have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and remember to stop over at my blog, Words as Palindromes.