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Sunday, July 31, 2011

"To make you feel my love"

Today I was struck by a quote that was on the program in Sacrament Meeting. The quote is by Joseph B. Wirthlin and he said that “even though the tasks of life become heavy, and although sorrow thrusts a drooping burden upon us, the light that emanates from our Savior beckons us on, undismayed.”

I thought about how the definition of having faith in something is trusting in things that you cannot see. For me, I do not doubt that God is real. For me, that is an absolute. I do not even normally struggle with remembering that Heavenly Father loves me…even when I may be in the midst of trials. But, sure enough, lately I have been lacking faith in his wisdom and in his timing.

I hope that I am not the only stubborn one out there that wants my plans to come together all of the time. I think that of course I know what is best for myself….because the only good things in life are those that you plan and wish to happen. Right? WRONG.

Well, I have definitely started to realize that not everything in life goes as planned, but you know what, sometimes it goes even better than you could have imagined. All of the bad things that I have had to endure in my life have made me stronger, and have taught me life-altering lessons.

That quote was reassuring to me because it lets me know that no matter what, I am loved and looked after. When I can no longer bear the stress and worry, I need to turn it over to the Lord and let him work his magic. I also have to trust that even when I cannot see the path that I should take, he does. When I take a step into the darkness, I will be rewarded with more light and direction.
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I do not know about you, but I LOVE music. I love listening to a song that describes my mood, or that puts into words things that I want to say…but don’t know how.

Today, I was listening to the song “Make you feel my love” by Adele and I thought that instead of someone singing it to a boyfriend or girlfriend, it could be like having The Lord sing it to you.

When the evening shadows
And the stars appear
And there is no on
There to dry your tears
I could hold you
For a million years
To make you feel my love

or

I’d go hungry
I’d go black and blue
I’d go crawling
Down the avenue
No, there’s nothing
That I wouldn’t do
To make you feel my love



Isn’t that the best feeling ever? Knowing that there will always be someone that loves you no matter what. Someone that loves you at your weakest, in your imperfections. This Sunday I am grateful for knowing that. I am grateful for unconditional love.





Wow! Sorry for that tirade, I just had to get it all out!



Quote of the Day

missing out

I hope my post didn’t seem like a sermon! But how can I not talk about something that brings me sooo much joy?!

Who/What brings you peace?


Saturday, July 30, 2011

Let’s break the ice

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So, today I was thinking about how you all know my deepest, darkest secrets….but I know very little about YOU guys! I want to know what makes you tick….and yes, that means you too anonymous readers! :) So, I created a little questionnaire to learn more about you…In fact, I’ll even go first :)

The Nitty Gritty

1. Name 1 thing that you miss about being a kid.

-Just being about to run and play without any of the stress of real life.

2. What was your worst dating experience?

-Hmmm….surprisingly all of my dating experiences so far have been relatively normal. I guess I would have to say the worst thing was a time that I went home for the weekend with a roommate and I met her cousin. I was trying to get to know him….until talking progressed to him suddenly playing with my hair, grabbing my hand to hold it, and attempting to make-out with me, after I had known him for literally an hour! Talk about making a girl feel special…..NOT!

*Note to guys everywhere: Girls do not like to be treated like a piece of meat.

3. Do you have any hidden talents?

-I can unwrap a starburst with my tongue and tie a cherry stem….not sure that it constitutes a talent ;)

4. Do you have any phobias?

-SNAKES. I am suuuper terrified of them.

5. Name three exotic countries that you would love to visit.

-Greece, The Bahamas, Hawaii (ok…not a country…but definitely exotic)

6. If you had to change your name, what would you change it to?

-Ok for some reason I have always wanted to have the nickname Kat…so I guess Katherine :)

7. What is your current favorite song?

-Good Life: OneRepublic

8. What is you favorite color?

-I don’t have one! But I love bright colors like orange, yellow, green, coral, ect…


Ok, now it is your turn. I can’t wait to learn more about you :)


Quote of the Day

10 ways to love



Friday, July 29, 2011

My First Blog Swap!


Hi there cuties! 

Today I am doing my very first blog swap with my dear friend Amy. I first met Amy during my Freshman Year of College. She was one of my roommates and we have been close ever since...and we will be for the rest of our lives fo' sho! Amy is the girl behind the blog "Happily Ever Now". You guys are in for a treat because she is super funny and witty. I almost pee my pants from reading her blog! Now, without furthur ado, I present the amazingly awesome Amy :)


Helloooo... My name is Amy and I am here blog-swapping with Ashley today! My blog is called "Happily Ever Now," because I've always loved stories that begin with "once upon a time" and end with "and they lived happily ever after."

Except that most stories in real life don't go that way. In fact, most of my life is composed of awkward stories. And I mean, really awkward. So I write about them, and call it my happily ever NOW. Don't forget to head over there to read Ashley's post for the day! Now, please enjoy this story about Ashley and I and our freshman roomies. You may just be surprised at the shenanigans your favorite "hopeless romantic" can get into. ;)


We were 18 years old. It was a Saturday night. We were college freshman with nothing to do. Something crazy was bound to happen.

And it did.

Oh, did it ever.

Four of us new freshman roommates took off to explore the empty BYU campus late at night. It began with running around, taking funny pictures, and climbing on things like statues, light poles and library skylights. Straight hoodlums, I tell ya.

Eliza, Kirsi, Ashley and me... we thought we were the coolest.
Then, an idea unfolded. And it involved putting our beloved, hopelessly romantic Ashley.... in a recycling bin. So we did.



Don't worry. It was cleaner than a garbage can would have been. We assume.

Why Ashley? She was the shortest one of the group, duh! With some assistance from all of us and lots of laughter (and maybe even hysterical tears? I don't remember... but it's likely) we crammed cute little A-shizzle into that recycling bin and began to wheel her around.



It may sound dumb. But we laughed as if it was the funniest thing us freshman had ever done in our lives. Kirsi was the ringleader. She's the innocent on the surface, crazy prankster underneath type of person. And I was pretty nervous we were going to get in huge trouble from the BYU police and end up shamed in the Police Beat. Now that I think back, that would have been kind of awesome.

After wheeling Ashley around a bit and shrieking and laughing in the darkness of campus, the plot thickened.

We decided to leave her out in the middle of a courtyard. With the lid closed.


And then we decided to go a safe distance away, hide behind some trees, and wait....



When a random couple on a date began to approach, or a group of friends walking home came near, the anticipation would build. Those of us hiding behind the tree would giggle and squirm and grab each other.... and then we'd call Ashley's cell phone...

And then we would count down for her.

"RAWRRRRR!!!!" Ashley yelled each time, pouncing from under the lid of her cozy bin with the fierceness of a deranged bear/ homeless person. Screams echoed across campus as romantic couples ran for their lives, students had anxiety attacks and unfortunate passers-by jumped in terror. As one cute couple were attacked by Ashley, the man actually screamed out like a little girl in a haunted house, while his date stayed calm. Sometimes I wonder if that affected their relationship...

The madness continued, as Ashley kept popping back down in her recycling bin until just the right moment, screaming and "rawrr"-ing every time someone passed as shrieks filled the air and we laughed til our stomachs were sore. It went on until Ashley tipped herself over, and then we decided to head home.

So now you know the truth about Ashley: she's romantic, she's domestic, she's kind, and she's gorgeous. She bakes more than any other college student I know and she always cries at the cute parts in movies. But she's also more than a little crazy, and she enjoys scaring people from recycling bins late at night. And I feel like you should respect her even more for that. :)

I told you that she is awesome! I am so lucky to have such a great friend to be crazy with :) No go on over and show Amy some love and read my post of course :) 



Thursday, July 28, 2011

“I thought ya’ll was gay!”

Can you tell by the title that this is going to be an awkward story? Well just in case you couldn’t, it is, so be prepared.

After seeing a movie with my friend Holly, we decided to go to Rita’s (an amazing Italian ice/ custard place found along the East Coast) for a cool refreshment. After arriving there, we looked at the “Flavor Board” to see what options we had. I saw that Rita’s had a new flavor of Italian ice called juicy pear. They had me at the word juicy. I was intrigued, as was Holly, so we asked if we could sample it. The nice lady behind the counter (for this story, we will call her Mrs. Blunt or Mrs. B) was super friendly and chatty with us as she prepared our samples.

Mrs. Blunt handed me a pretty decent sized sample cup and a little spoon. She then handed Holly a little spoon. Holly and I looked at each other a little and were a little confused. We assumed that we would each get a sample to try. But, not wanting to be annoying and being the good friends that we are, we just shrugged and started tasting the ice. Mrs. Blunt watched us anxiously awaiting to see what our response would be. We told her that we loved it. Holly got a blended drink, and I got a Gelati ( custard on the bottom, flavored ice in the middle, more custard on top. YUM!)

Once we received our treats, it was time to pay. We both took out our wallets and waited to hear what our totals would be. I walked up to the counter and Mrs. B said, “Ok, that will be $13.25” or something like that….I looked at her kind of confused at why the amount was so much. She mentioned that she thought that we were together. I explained to her that we were paying separately. I paid for my ice-cream and went and sat on a bench while I waited for Holly to pay….but the wheels in my head started turning. 

When Holly sat down next to me, she was laughing hysterically. I turned to her and told her that I was pretty sure that Mrs. Blunt. thought we were a couple. Holly matter-a-factly responded that Mrs. B did think that.

Apparantly, Mrs. B flat-out told her. Holly explained that when I walked away, Mrs. Blunt exclaimed “Oh!. I thought ya’ll was gay!”
HAHA! When I pieced the events together, I can kinda see how she drew that conclusion. I guess sharing the sample cup looked a little sketch. In our defense, we did not think that she was going to give us another one and it's not like we were feeding each other or something! We just thought that she intended for us to share.


How Holly did not burst out laughing at the counter, I'll never know. I all but peed my pants when Holly told me the story! I also found it hilarious that Mrs. B just outright said that! But now you can see how she got her presh nickname. What if we were a couple?...which obviously we would never be since I prefer muscles, a deep voice, and oh...a MAN...but regardless, some people just need to learn how to bite their tongues sometimes……haha and yes, this is coming from the girl that could use some thought before her speaking as well…but oh well, that is a story for another day :)


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Moral of the story: Do not share food with a member of the same sex, or you will set off people’s gaydar….or maybe do it, then at least you have a funny story to look back on whenever you need a pick-me-up :)


Quote of the Day

girls ability
*This quote is sponsored by Mrs. Blunt, aka, Mrs. B*


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Paula Deen’s Gooey Butter Cake

Do you feel a heart attack coming on just reading this title? Or perhaps, your mouth watered in anticipation of the yumminess that is coming!

I found this recipe the other day on Pinterest and it looked delish! You know you wanna make it…don’t lie.

gooeycake

You will need:

For the cake part:
1 18 oz pkg of yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tbsp melted butter
Filling:

1 8 oz pkg of softened cream cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
8 tbsp of melted butter
1 16 oz box of powdered sugar


Ok let’s do this together.

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter, and mix well with an electric mixer.

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If you get something that kinda looks like icky play-dough….you did it right!

3. Press the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13x9 inch pan.

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4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

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5. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together.

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6. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix well.

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7. Pour and spread the filling over the cake batter pressed bottom.


8. Bake for 40-50 minutes.

* Be sure not to over-bake because you want the center to be a little gooey…after all, it is called “gooey butter cake”! :)

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It looks a little different than the original picture...but then again, I do not have a test kitchen and I have a lousy camera :)  It tastes delicious however, and my family is enjoying it!

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Quote of the Day

messyhair

I sure did today...it is good that my family loves me! I'm also excited to watch "So You Think You Can Dance"! 


Monday, July 25, 2011

Just call me Scarlett O’Hara…….

….because I recently discovered that I am just as prone to fainting spells as she and all of the other Southern Belles were.

One fateful day….aka Friday afternoon, my bestest friend Holly and I decided to get dolled up for a fun summer photoshoot. I took extra time doing my make-up and even went to the effort of picking out a pretty summery dress for the occasion.

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We went to a local garden and being the doe-eyed girls that we are, paid little attention to the sweltering temperature outside. We frolicked happily in the grass….really, we did…and took turns posing for the camera. Pretty soon massive amounts of sweat were dripping from every pore. It was not a pretty sight. We did not want to just turn around and go home…so we tried to make do with feeling like sweaty football players.

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Half-way into our adventures….I started to feel a familiar feeling…the feeling of getting ready to pass out.

Exhibit A
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I first experienced this lovely condition on vacation one year at Disney World. I was standing in line waiting to get on “The Tower of Terror” (my fave ride!) when all of a sudden, my vision started getting spotty. I kept trying to tell my dad that something wasn’t right..but the words would not come out. Finally, he got the message when I fell backward onto a man behind me! We made our way to an air-conditioned shop where Disney workers provided my dad with a WHEELCHAIR to wheel me out of the park in. I was soooo mortified…but a part of me didn’t even care. I was just happy to be getting out of the heat.

So…you can see why my heart filled with dread when I started to once again experience having the world spin around me. Holly was still taking pictures and I called out to her and informed her that I felt like I was about to faint. She I guess did not realize how serious I was, because she just continued taking pictures! I tried standing up. Bad idea. My legs buckled and I could feel myself drifting away. A million years  minutes later, Holly turned and realized that it was time to go. I did not even think that I was going to make it out on my own…I really felt that at any minute, I would collapse. Holly being the true friend that she is found a bottle of water and told me to drink. She then grabbed my purse, shoes, and other belongings and led me out of the park. I have never been soooo relieved to have air-conditioning or water in my life!

So, I guess the moral of the story is….do not attempt to be vain in 105 degree weather…but if you’re gonna do it, make sure you pick a friend that will be willing to do whatever it takes to save your life :)

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Oh….and where is my Rhett Butler?

Quote of the Day

gordonbsacrifice

I would love to hear about your summer adventures. What is something that you love most about summer?


Sunday, July 24, 2011

Do the creep

Ok, I’m about to tell you all what a freak I am. I love people-watching, like many of you probably do. You can really tell a lot about a person based on their habits and the way they carry themselves. While people watching is perfectly normal, I feel like I am sometimes guilty of taking it to a creepy extreme.

I wasn’t really made aware of my creepin’ skills until a boy that I had a crush on in Middle School asked me why I always stared at him. SO EMBARRASSING. I awkwardly made-up and excuse, but it got me thinking…..am I really that obvious? I thought that I was being clever with the stolen glances….apparently not.


That is why I love this SNL clip that a friend sent me….Just a warning..there are a few moments of bad language. Ok, now that I am done being mother hen....enjoy :)





So, maybe I should learn “the creep”…I’m sure it will make me a LOT less creepy :)

Quote of the Day

bradpittanjelina
HAHA!

Ok, I shared my creeptastic moment. What is something awkward/creepy that you are guilty of doing? Come on….don’t be shy! We can all do the creep together :)


Saturday, July 23, 2011

Let’s be friends

Any good friendship is based on honesty and knowing important facts about your friends. Best friends share their secrets, dreams, and fears. You trust them to be honest with you and they expect honesty from you in return.

Since I want us all to be friends, there are some things that you need to know about me before we can truly be bffs:

I HATE snakes. I am terrified of them. I do not know if it has to do with the slithering…..or the scales, but I seriously have panic attacks..Indiana Jones style (puh-leaze tell me that I am not nerdy for loving those movies?)

I am a shortie…about 5’2, but I love it! I’m fun-sized and can fit in pretty much any space :)

I love any movie that has Sandra Bullock in it.

sandra-bullock_0

Beauty essentials: Burt’s Bee’s chapstick, blush, lotion.

I love children and want a whole house full of them like the “little old woman that lived in a shoe”…except I would prefer not to be an old woman…or live in a shoe!

I am adopted.

I love breakfast food and could eat it for every meal.

frenchtoast

I have a pet peeve of open cabinet doors.

I love baking and come up with any excuse to do it. “You got an A on that test!….I’ll make cookies!”

When I am upset, I clean.

Bright colors make me happy.

rainbow

I hate scary movies, but if one is on t.v. I get sucked in and cannot look away.

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a Secretary….I just loved the idea of answering phones and taking messages.

I have crazy curly hair that I straighten the heck out of.

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I am horrible about doing my laundry, but surprisingly, I love folding clothes.

Quote of the Day

uglypersonality

Don’t you feel closer to me already? What are some things that I should know about you to get our friendship started?


Friday, July 22, 2011

The time I utterly failed at making a smoothie…and almost died in the process…

Once upon a time, my roommate Amy and I were in the middle of an intense study sesh. All of a sudden, we realized that we were both jonesing for a nice cool, refreshing strawberry smoothie. So we did what any responsible college student would do: ditched studying and got to work on that craving!

We scoured the tiny fridge in search of rations. Together, we were able to produce vanilla yogurt, milk, strawberries, and ice (well really the freezer produced that but same diff!). Next, we pulled out our trusty blender and got to work.

In went the strawberries, and the yogurt….next came the ice and some milk. Life seemed great. Fairy-tale like even….until Amy shrieked and I looked at the blender, only to see massive liquid draining onto the counter and splashing us in the process. We discovered that the bottom of the stupid blender wasn’t screwed on quite tight enough. Clearly not our fault......ahem.

Exhibit A:

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*please ignore my retainer and lack of make-up…it was past mid-night…and unfortunately, I need beauty sleep :)

We fixed the problem and keep pushing forward. Finally, our hard-work was about to pay off. We were practically drooling at the though of drinking our wonderful concoction. We clinkled classes and smiled at each other as we took a sip. Words cannot express how great  freakin’ nast that smoothie was! Can you guess what the problem was?………yep, the milk was spoiled!

Ok, I’m going to let ya’ll in on a little tidbit about me. I HATE milk. Like I cannot drink it without chocolate or something in it. I can occasionally deal if I am drinking it with cake or something…but if not, I gag and get the hebejebbes.

So couple that hate of milk with the fact that our smoothie had been CONTAMINATED with spoiled milk, and you can imagine that I was a very unhappy girl.

Being the strong, hungry girls that we were….we weren’t going to let that little roadblock get in our way! We tossed the vom-inducing smoothie down the sink and after thoroughly washing the blender, got started on round 2.

This time we played it safe and used just ice. We cautiously lifted the glass to our mouths and finally destroyed that craving.  

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While ideally it would have been nice not to have to go through these problems just to make a smoothie….I’m glad that it happened this way. I will always remember almost peeing my pants from laughing so hard. I am also happy that I did not die from spoiled milk poisoning (scientific huh?) Today, Amy is one of my closest friends and I am grateful for the fun that she adds to my life :)

Quote of the Day

telescope 
“cause we gon’ rock this club…we gon’ go all night….we gon’ light it up, like it’s dynamite!”…….

What is one of your favorite college memories?


Thursday, July 21, 2011

Thankful Thursday

So, I saw this idea on a cute blog that you guys can check out here. Rebecca does “Thankful Thursday” and I decided to do my first link-up.

I’m thankful that I got the job that I interviewed for today! It is only a part-time job, since I will be returning to school next month, but I’m suuuper excited. I will be babysitting a supa supa cute three-month-old little girl. She is a super happy, super smiley baby :)

I’m thankful that I am getting my financial issues for school resolved….at least I think I am..Utah here I come!

I’m thankful to have the friends and family that I do. They are awesome in so many different ways.

I’m thankful for the brave men and women that protect our country and the freedoms of the less fortunate.

Soldier Holds Baby
How cute is this picture of a solider holding an injured child? The answer: too freaking cute!

I’m thankful for humidity that lets me appreciate Utah weather….today it is 99 degrees and I feel like I’m going to die….but it will only make me appreciate Utah’s dryness even more :)

I LOVE Bridal Veil Falls!


Quote of a Day

audrey hepburn quotes

What are you thankful for?


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

That’s hot…..that’s not

Hot: Setting up a job interview for tomorrow that I should hopefully get. It is only part-time….but at this point, getting a job of any sort would be a mini-miracle.


Hot: Having extra time to craft and find creative outlets. I am discovering a huge passion for photography and design. Here are some Pinterest pictures that I am loving this week.


I am soooo attempting this one at my wedding

                                                                                        Source: etsy.com via Ashley on Pinterest


My child will definitely be a Wild Thing. This is adorable!


 Hot: Having super long hair that makes me feel like Pocahontas :)



Hot: The fact that I will be returning to school next month and that I'll get to see my friends soon!


Now with anything great….there are moments full of not-so-great things...........


Not hot: Having the missionaries stop by for a surprise visit to see if there is anything that can help us with…..only to have my grandmother inform them that I am normally more attractive when I am not still in my pjs. Wow, thanks gma! It's not like they can date me anyways...sheesh!


Not hot: Rat-tails. Seriously guys, what are you thinking?



Not hot: The suuuuper hot weather that causes my hair to be suuuuper frizzy.



Quote of the Day

fridge light
Seriously though?