Just a Normal Wednesday
Here’s our video from last year. Finn sure has changed!
Here’s our video from last year. Finn sure has changed!
My friend threw such a cute Gilmore Girls viewing party! Even the invites were adorable. It was fun to watch the first episode together, even though I probably commented way too much… sorry, guys! Sometimes I just can’t control my commentary! Thanks for hosting, Kelsie! And just in case you missed my thoughts on the new episodes, you can find them here!
My good friend Danica has a Harry Potter club and decided to rent out a theater for the club and her family + friends to see Fantastic Beasts. It was such a fun evening to watch that amazing movie with friends!
I grew up watching Gilmore Girls. Rory graduated from college the year I graduated from high school, which was pretty emotional for me at the time. She was getting ready to move into a new world just like I was. I loved the fast moving pace of the show, the quick dialogue and the whit of Lorelei. I loved the special bond of Rory and Lorelei, how they seemed to be best friends. I loved Emily and Richard. They obviously had their issues with Lorelei at times, but there was always something so special about them as grandparents, especially Richard.
There were things that, of course, I didn’t love about the original series. I feel like I need to share this with you as well so you know that I don’t hold the show on a crazy high pedestal. Although I didn’t mind the character Christopher, I didn’t love that they had them get married in the 7th season. I didn’t love that it took so many years for L&L to get together but then they threw it away over stupid stuff. I hated how Rory lost her virginity (and who she lost it to). I hated how the show sometimes made us love Logan and how sometimes they made us hate him. Sometimes the writing was poor, the show was a little crazy and loud. But overall, I love it. It’s up there with The Office for me. Whenever I need a show on in the background (and TJ’s not around-he can’t stand how much they talk in the show), I turn it on. I’ve literally watched it countless times and feel like I know the show inside and out.
So, all that being said. I clearly was ECSTATIC about the return of the series. I knew its couldn’t live up to the original series, but I couldn’t wait to get immersed back into that world again. I have SO many thoughts about it all, so for my fellow fans, please comment so we can discuss!
Those are my crazy thoughts. I haven’t even read through this guys, I’ve got to get wrap this up and head out for a bit but I’m too eager, I just want to share and discuss, so please ignore all my grammar mistakes! Comment comment comment, please! But not on Facebook, I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone!
We turned on photobooth tonight and had a little too much fun! I know this is an embarrassing video (plus terrible background noise and image quality), but I don’t really care. I’m just so grateful for a family with whom I can be completely goofy! PS-TJ said I could publish this, don’t worry! #relationshipgoals right here, guys. Not to sound like the girls on The Bachelor, but I love this man!
I’ve been really enjoying going to High Fitness classes recently. I’ve been going to them about three times a week, one week I went four times because there was an extra class to raise money for our friend’s daughter who is fighting cancer. It was so amazing to see how many people showed up to support this sweet girl. There was also a special class the Thursday before Halloween where we all dressed up in costume. It was my kind of Halloween party! Come with me next class!
A couple months ago, I invited some ladies over in my church congregation to come over for a craft exchange. I had done this in the past around Christmas, but wanted an excuse to get together with people from church, so I bumped it up to Halloween time. Everyone brings a craft that they made, wrapped, and then we go around and pick one from the pile to take home and the person who made the craft tells how they made it. There are some serious crafty people in my neighborhood! That being said, I’m going to do another one in December, so if you’d like to be a part, let me know!
The craft I made was the Christmas bulb wreath. It was so easy to make and cost about ten dollars! I strung 50 large ornaments and about 20 small ones onto a wire hanger, tied it to together, then put a little greenery on the top.
When we got back from Disneyland, Eva really needed a haircut and I threw out the idea of getting a bob to Eva, showing her some pictures. Some of her friends and cousins have cute bobs so she decided she wanted to do it! It turned out so cute! In fact, I loved it so much, I decided to chop my hair too! Here are our before and afters!
It’s that time of year. Kids are going back to school. A new set of kids are heading to BYU to start their journey as a cougar. It’s almost been a decade since you started. 9 freaking years. Insane. Now that I have the bigger picture, I’m going to give you some words of wisdom. Your bff Danica has done blog posts like this in the past and they’ve been awesome. Don’t worry, you’ll meet her in a year. Give her a chance, for goodness sake… take out your headphones and talk to her at work!
Numero uno. Don’t get a boyfriend. Yup. I said it. It’ll be a complete waste of your time and efforts. I’m not saying don’t go on dates. Oh yeah. Go on tons of dates. That’s what BYU is best for. Cheesy, corny, scavenger-hunt, typical dates. Go on those. Have fun, don’t take yourself too seriously or think you’re too cool. Go on double dates, group dates, dates to the creamery, dates to the bowling alley on campus. But don’t get a serious boyfriend. Just don’t. And while we’re at it. There’s a curfew for a reason. You signed the honor code, so learn that lesson early and follow it. You’re 18 and think you know so much but you’re dumb.
Number two. Go to as many on campus activities, devotionals, and games as possible! The all-sports pass is your best friend. Do you need to do this sophomore year? No. But freshman year? Yes. It will help you fall in love with your school. Become a real cougar. It will help you meet people, develop true friendships, and make incredible memories. You will get to see a college student wear a pumpkin on his head for an entire football game. You will get to see Jimmer make so many 3-pointers (okay, not your freshman year but I promise it will happen). You will get to see the prophet speak on just a regular Tuesday morning. You will get to hear Mark Zuckerburg and Condaleeza Rice speak. You will get to dance your heart out at homecoming in 80s clothes. So get out and get out often! You did pretty well with this, so I’m not too concerned here.
Three. Don’t be weird with your roommates. And I say weird because I really don’t know what other word to use. Yes, it’s hard to live with five other girls. Yes, it’s also hard to be in classes with them and go to church with them. Realize you don’t have to best friends with them but you can still be their friends. Talk nicely to them, don’t talk behind their backs, if there’s some problem going on, find a cordial way to deal with it or you know what, just suck it up. It will pass. They’re all great girls and you’re not that easy to live with anyway, so just be nice. Oh and don’t write passive aggressive notes to roommates asking them to clean up or do their dishes. That’s SO obnoxious and I’m extremely embarrassed that you might even consider doing that.
Four. School… listen to what your brother says, first of all, and do not take American Heritage yet. It’s too hard for you. You don’t really know how to study yet, gosh… you haven’t even found your spot in the library yet! Plus, you’re going to be out having a great time enjoying being a cougar, remember? So, you don’t need to weighed down your first year by crazy hard classes. Take a light load in a variety of subjects. Going along with this, don’t take any classes before 9. If possible, don’t take any before 10. You will think you can do an 8 AM class because you went to 6 AM seminary all during high school. Yeah, that was because your mom dragged you out of bed every night and you went to bed at a reasonable hour. Things were different then, you didn’t even have a cell phone. You cannot get to a class at 8 AM and you NEVER WILL. I repeat, DO NOT EVER sign up for an 8 am class!
Five. Get an on-campus job. Don’t make it hard on yourself and find one off campus. You will have to take a bus and sit next to sketchy people or trade a ride for a date… yeah… don’t ask. So, just don’t do it. There are TONS of jobs on campus that are great opportunities for you and will start long lasting friendships. Not only will it be good to make a little extra cash, it’ll be good for you to learn how to balance school and work a bit!
I should wrap it up here so I’m just going to give you a couple more pointers for the rest of your time at BYU. Hang out with your brother. You will regret this for the rest of your life if you don’t. Go to conference at the conference center. Buy that red plaid coat. It will still be classy in nine years even though you bought it from Buckle. Hike the Y and hike it again at homecoming when they light it up. Go to as many football and basketball games as possible. There’s nothing so collegiate as singing the fight song on an October night. Don’t dye your hair. Nope. Bad bad idea. Go to the temple and go often. Eat chocolate covered cinnamon gummy bears in the library while studying. They will be your study food. Watch LOST with Hannah Judd, a cute little mexican girl who’s in your freshman ward. Work hard once you get into your major. Don’t keep dating that guy who talks Spanish to his buddy the whole time on your double date. He’s a complete d-bag. While we’re at it, don’t date that other guy who you were smitten with just because he was going to be a doctor. There’s a guy wearing an aeropostle shirt who you’ll meet at a dessert party who you should date though, and don’t worry… his clothing style changes. Go to all your church meetings, do your visiting teaching (those people will become some more of your good friends), and be active in your callings. You’re an adult so start acting like it. But you’re also a college kid so have fun. And last of all. You’re a cougar now and forever so be loyal, strong, and true!
xoxo,
The 2016 Version of You
Growing up we always listened to tapes in the car, and we had a couple family favorites. There was one in particular we still sing parts from. It’s called Standin’ Tall with Gratitude. I looked it up on Youtube and I found it! It’s pretty long but it was so fun sharing it with Eva today! Of course, the video won’t allow embeds, so just go to YouTube to watch it!