Learning From Yesterday. Living for Today.

My Strengthsfinder Results are in & Spot on!

2012-01-26T12:08:00.012-07:00

For my Leadership class at the U, we had to read "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Buckingham & Clifton. After we read the book, we had to take the strengthsfinder test from the Gallup Organization. I was curious to see if this multiple choice test could really tell the person I was - it claimed to be able to identify your top 5 "themes" in a matter of 30 minutes. It's taken me 22 years to figure out who I am and they were claiming they could do it in 30 minutes?! I wasn't a believer. I was shocked by my results - Gallup lived up to it's claims. It was as if this company knew who I was better than I knew myself. My five strongest "themes" - they literally described the exact person I was.

Futuristic - loves to have a vision

The future fascinates you. It inspires you.
When the present proves too frustrating and the people around you too pragmatic, you conjure up your visions of the future & they energize you
Your mind allows you to venture beyond the commonplace, the familiar, or the obvious - you are a dreamer of visions & cherish these visions
Bringing your ideas to life is an exciting proposition for you - you sense you have the power to transform whatever you think is possible into tangible outcomes
You enjoy freeing from traditional and creating a new future
You make your solutions for the future so real and vivid to others they have no choice but to believe you

Focus - loves to reach destination

You need a clear destination - lacking one will make you frustrated
Each year, month, and week you set goals which help you determine priorities
You use "To Do" lists and planners almost daily
You instinctively evaluate whether or not a particular action will move you toward a goal - those that don't, you ignore
You are impatient with delays, obstacles, even tangents, no matter how intriguing they are
Your focus reminds a group that if something is not helping you move toward your destination, it's not important - if it's not important, it's a waste of time

Achiever - loves to be challenged

Constant need for achievement
By the end of each day, you need to accomplish something tangible in order to feel good about yourself
You have an internal fire within you - to do more, to achieve more. After each accomplishment is reached, the fire dies for only a moment before it rekindles and pushes you toward the next achievement
You enjoy being busy
Your constant need for achievement may not be logical or focused - but it will always be with you
It enables you to work on a project for long hours without getting burned out
It can make you feel as though you've never reached your goal. It can keep you running uphill at 70 miles an hour for your whole life - there's always something more to do

Maximizer - loves strength & excellence

Transforming something average to superb, although requiring a great deal of effort, is thrilling and rewarding
You reject using a one-size-fits all approach when influencing people - instead you discover each person's special talents, skills, and strengths
You are more upbeat when you spend time on your talents rather than your limitations
You tend to avoid those who want to fix you and make you well rounded. You don't want to spend your life dwelling on the things you lack. You would much rather capitalize on the gifts you are blessed with
You help people focus on attributes they like about themselves and develop these strengths

Significance - loves to make a difference

You want to stand out. You want to be heard. You want to be known. You refuse to live a meaningless existence
You feel the need to be seen as credible, professional, and successful & you want to associate with others who are seen as credible, professional and successful
You want your work to be a way of life rather than just a job
You aspire to leadership roles & realize the importance of backing loyal individuals
Your life is filled with goals, achievements, and qualifications that you crave

It's so me...

I spend more time thinking "five years from now" than I think about the present.
I make AT LEAST 2 "To Do" lists every day...and I have 2 different planners
I hate wasting group discussion time on "small talk." If we aren't working to achieve the ultimate goal, I'll probably cut you off....
I ALWAYS need to be working on a goal. Once I achieve it, I'm satisfied for maybe an hour before I begin to look for another goal
My life has always been hectic and busy - I hate not having anything to do or think about...and tend to have way more to do than hours to do them
I really do avoid people who try to "fix" me!! Sure I may have my flaws and weaknesses, but why focus on them? It's such a downer! I couldn't help but laugh out loud - this is SO true!
I enjoy transforming things from average to awesome - it's like a game for me....
Finding out people's talents & strengths intrigues me. It enables me to connect with them on a different level - I know what words to say, what will persuade them, and the best way to get through to people. I hate having "one way" to talk to everyone

Has anyone else taken the strengthsfinder test? What were your top themes? Do you agree or disagree?

Thanks for the Life Lessons, Dad

2011-06-20T22:38:00.010-06:00

In spirit of Father's Day, I dedicate this to the man who currently holds my whole heart-my dad. I honestly have no idea where I'd be without him. Daddy advice is honest, straight to the point, and filled with genuine love & kindness. Dads give those little pieces of advice that just stick with you.

So here's a short list of the most important things my wonderful, awesome father has taught me:

1.Never say anything negative or hateful in writing

I have to say, this is probably one of the best life lessons anyone can learn. Now, I'm not saying that I talk badly about people or am a negative person. But, everyone will have at least one moment in their life they want to lash out via text. My dad always said if you want to have a fight or say something mean to someone - do it in person. No texting. No e-mails. No FB/Twitter/Whatevs. Whether it's personal or work-related...just don't do it. Then I got to thinking...when someone writes me something rude, you know I'm going to show my BFF to get her thoughts on the situation. Duh!

I learned this lesson one day when I received a rude text message. I immediately called my dad and told him the situation-angry and probably near tears. All I wanted to do at the moment was shoot back with some smart a**, rude reply. That's when my dad taught me lesson #1 of this list. Thank you, dad, for saving me from a pretty bad situation...

2. No man will ever measure up.

My dad has never said these words...but I have. I swear when I confide in my dad about the random guys in my life, at one point or another, I will whine about how they just don't have every awesome quality he does. My dad and I have a great relationship - he's funny, listens to me, makes me laugh, he's hardworking & driven, takes me shopping, fixes my car - (Who wouldn't want a dad like that?!) and we talk like we're best friends.

My father taught me to raise the bar and find someone who cares about me as much as he does. And that I shouldn't settle for anything less than that.

3. A car crash isn't always as bad as you think it is

Every time I get in a car crash (I just realized how SAD it is that I can write that sentence haha) I call my dad sobbing. Car crashes are the WORST. I'm shaken up, scared, angry, and usually crying. I dial my dad immediately - over and over until he answers. He handles it the best way - calms me down, tells me which steps to take, calls the insurance, etc.

I would be a wreck if he wasn't on the phone the moment this happens. He always reminds me it's not that bad- and in the end, it never is. Pretty sure all my hair would be pulled out without him in my life when this happens. (thanks for putting up with my terrible driving skills dad!)

4. Working hard will pay off

If I had to describe my father in three words it would be: HARDWORKING, funny, and genuine. A perfect combo right? Gosh, I'm so darn lucky :) But back to the point, my father has always been very hardworking. Not only does he excel at his own job, but around the house, with my horses-really anyway he can. I rarely see him sitting around doing nothing. He claims he hates "sitting around doing nothing" (Although I've learned to be pretty good at it over the years...)

His example (combined with my mom's) is a HUGE reason I've been so successful and hardworking since high school. It really does pay off. He always told me to make friends with my co-workers/boss and always go the extra mile.

5. Prolong your youth

My dad's favorite saying is "In my next life, I want to come back as you." It makes me laugh every single time and I know he loves that I'm prolonging my youth (yes..that includes picking up another major so I didn't have to graduate yet...). He always tells me not to rush marriage or "growing up" (THANK YOU DAD!) and to just enjoy my time being young. I don't think he realizes how much this lesson has meant to me. I have had unbelievable experiences and more fun than I ever thought I could have in my youth. I wouldn't have had these experiences if I had rushed growing up, like the Utah ways often pressure you to do. I'm so, so grateful he has continued to remind me that I'm YOUNG and I should hold on to that as tightly as I can.

6. Do what makes you happy, no matter what anyone says

Lastly, my dad always reminded me that people are always going to judge and talk, but who cares? As long as what I'm doing makes me happy, it's the right thing. I love that I can tell my dad any and everything and all he cares is that it makes me happy. & I am so, so happy with where I am in life today. Thanks for the life lessons dad, you're the best.

Other random/great advice from my dad:

-You will always lose if you gamble (Why does this continue to prove true for me?)

-Always get your oil changed every 3 months

-SPF 70 should always be used (sorry for my lack of belief in this one, dad...)

-Always make time to snow ski and waterski (two thumbs up for this one dad!)

The Worst Things About Moving

2011-05-19T12:01:00.003-06:00

I feel like I can call myself a "Pro Mover" I move about every 3 months, give or take. Pi Phi closes in the summer which resulted in yet another moving day. I've done this so many times. I swear it's not normal to have a routine down for packing up all your stuff. I moved into an apartment with Yassie....a GHETTO apartment...but it's still an apartment. I'm just counting down the days until we can move back into Pi Phi. I already miss our cook, our house mom, our house boys, and our maid. Living on my own isn't all it's cracked up to be.

I'm getting off track here. Let's cut to the chase....these are the most ANNOYING things about moving from a Pro...

1. The clutter. Why do I have a stuffed panda on my floor? Or this racket? And how long has this POG been here? Why did I think it was a good idea to buy/keep these things? Seriously. They hold no purpose. The clutter is all the junk that's still on your floor after you've packed everything. You don't want to take it....but you feel weird throwing it away. I mean, who wants to throw away a panda stuffed animal? Or a POG you've had since elementary school? That just seems...wrong. So, you end up packing it. The next time you touch/see it is the next move in day....

2. The 32098734985743 papers you find. Then you have to go through every single one and decide if you should keep it, what the heck it's purpose is, and make "piles" (homework, mail, sorority stuff, trash). It's so time consuming you want to rip your hair out. But what if something really important is in the middle of the pile? (it never is) So you sit through it, turn on "Hitch" and work through an hour of papers.

3. Socks. I thought socks only disappeared in the dryer? Yet whenever move in day rolls around, I find socks EVERYWHERE.

4. Hangers. How are you supposed to pack hangers? SERIOUSLY? And how do they take up so much space? I never have enough hangers....so where did ALL these come from? SO.MANY.HANGERS.

5. Stairs. I swear on move in day staircases feel triple their size. Carrying heavy boxes up and down stairs is the WORST. & all I do is repeat the same phrase over and over - "I'm almost there...I'm ALMOST THERE!"

6. Did my car shrink? It always seems so much bigger every other day of the year...

Mountain West Men's Bball Championship in Vegas: How to Get There

2011-02-25T13:23:00.011-07:00

Like many, I have a special place in my heart for Las Vegas (as you can tell by my previous blog posts...) Disneyland claims to be the "happiest place on earth" but in my opinion, it doesn't hold a candle to Vegas! Their coined phrase alone is it's own selling point, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Add college basketball (and college basketball players) to the equation and it's an amazing weekend! Which is why it is absolutely perfect that the Conoco Mountain West Men's Basketball Championship is held there.

The problem is, may of us are poor college students (I'll be the first to admit that I consider Cup of Noodles a major food group and save my 7-11 cups for cheaper Diet Coke refills). I can't afford to cruise to Vegas whenever the mood strikes (which is...EVERY weekend...)

However, I finally have the perfect solution to this problem. Enter the CBS College Sports $1000 Tourney Tix Sweepstakes! Not only will you win tickets to the game, but also $1000!

This Sweepstakes ends March 2nd and currently only a little over 8,000 people are registered. EIGHT THOUSAND. For an online contest those are AMAZING odds.

You have nothing to lose and a whole LOT to gain!

Enter this link into your browser and find yourself at the true HAPPIEST place on earth (VEGAS BABY!)

http://apps.facebook.com/tourneytixsweeps/contests/91556?wfrefid=f18a24dbecbd

The happiest place on earth....VEGAS (yes...I won a nickel. WHOO HOO)

Gym Time: Pet Peeves

2011-02-24T15:28:00.004-07:00

Yesterday I was at the gym when I noticed about a bajillion things people were doing that annoyed me. At the gym, the "annoyed" feeling is quite the energy booster. Ever notice how when you're angry you run faster & longer? Well, I experienced that same thing for being annoyed. At least it did SOMETHING good for me. After I left the gym all I could think about was how I absolutely HAD to blog about my gym pet peeves.

So, here it is. My list of things people do at the gym that I cannot STAND!

1. Not wearing a bra. I never noticed before yesterday just how many nipples I literally see at the fieldhouse. First of all, OUCH...I would not want my "goodies" to be bouncing around with nothing holding them down. Second of all, when you're sweaty and have RT, I can't look at your face. All I look at is your chest...and I'm female! Ladies....protect your "goodies" AND my eyes...PLEASE...invest in a sports bra! It is not flattering. Not one bit.

2. Cut-off shirts. Dear boy, I'm sure you're hot lifting all those weights. So hot that you cannot wear a real shirt (I'm SURE that's the reason you're wearing that "shirt" right?...yeah...you're right..of course that's not the reason.) Gosh! Wearing a cut-off shirt just screams "tool" and I cannot take them seriously. These guys remind me of the girls that show up at the gym...hair & make up done, wearing tight spandex and a sports bra...barely jogging on the treadmill so they can look "hot." It's very clear that these girls come to the gym for one reason - to pick up guys. Yes cut-off shirt boy...it is the equivalent (bet you feel like a tool now...eh?). It is especially hilarious when they lift their shirt to "wipe off their sweat". We all know you're trying to show off them abs. And even if your abs DO look good...you lose points for being a tool.

3. Asking to join my rotation. Seriously? You can't wait 5 minutes for me to finish my last rep on the power tower? This is extremely annoying when you're using a machine that adjusts for height and low and behold some 6'3" guy wants to join the rotation. Waiting would save us both some time, Mr. Tall.

4. Introducing yourself in the middle of my weight lifting routine. "So what year are you?" "(deep breath) I'm a...(deep breath) (lifting of weight) junior. What (deep breath)(lifting weight) about you (deep breath)?" Not cool. I don't care about the questions you are asking me. All I'm thinking about is how I'm going to get this 20 weight up and finish my rep! Can a person look ANY busier?

There are the obvious things that annoy me -taking too long on the treadmill, wearing 10 sweatshirts and 2 pairs of sweatpants to sweat more, guys who obviously cannot lift the amount of weight they are trying too, not wiping down the machine, etc.

I feel like everything in this post are things that should be common sense. Right?

The Dating Game: Types of Guys

2011-02-01T12:00:00.001-07:00

The dating game...something we can ALL relate to. College is the greatest dating scene of all time...mainly because there are single males everywhere you look. Now, I've been the single girl for awhile...aren't you proud? In "Ending the Cycle" I described breaking the cycle of ALWAYS having a boyfriend. & here I am! Sure, I've met boys here and there but the inevitable always drives me away: I get bored. I don't know why this happens. But, it does. Perhaps my expectations are too high, but after 6 years of dating, I think they should be. I just need to find the type of guy that is for ME. It's not that I've stuck to one type of boy either. I've dabbled in all types, which is why I decided to put my experiences on paper (or on post rather)...

The Frat Boy:

Let me make a confession- I don't know one single person who I hang out on the regular who isn't Greek. Which in turn means, I've dated my fair share of frat boys.

Pros:

The Frat Boy knows how to have a good time and dull moments will be rare

All his friends are your friends

Double the formals & Date-nights

Frat parties are pretty fun.. especially if you have a fratslam

They love to be Greek just as much as I do & understand Greek Life

Cons:

Boys. That's exactly what they are. Men? Not even close

They believe they deserve more than one woman at all times (Dear Frat Boy, you're cool, but you aren't THAT freakin' cool)

Dates consist of hanging with his bros (can I call that a date?)

Their life revolves around three things: themselves, parties, their "bros"

The Hippie:

I wish I understood my attraction to hippie guys. Perhaps it's the way they go with the flow? For whatever reason, I have had my fair share of hippie phases (which my dad absolutely HATED)

Pros:

Great music, concerts, and dinner dates

Fights? Never. A hippie guy doesn't want to fight. It's all about the love.

All the hippies I have dated shower me with compliments...all.the.time.

Cons:

Those dreds have to go (ugh.)

The ponchos need to go also (if the hippie had a fashion sense, I'd be all over that)

So.Many.DRUGS. (seriously? Can you be sober for like....ten seconds?)

The Mormon:

The University of Utah has three types of guys: RMs (50%), Married (35%), Other (15%)...which means...the Mormon guy is EVERYWHERE...

Pros:

They won't be dating a million girls...only you (cough...frat boy)

These boys are so sweet & nice

Many are Returned Missionaries..which means they have learned to live on their own & have tons of stories to tell

The best kind to take home to mom!

Cons:

Three months and you want to talk marriage? (See ya later...)

If I hear ONE more mission story....(10 stories in 30 minutes is a BIT much)

Favorite topic: The future!

The questions they ask on the first date: "how many kids do you want?" "where do you see yourself in 5 years?" "Why did you and your last bf break up?" (SERIOUSLY?)

They are pretty behind in their education (they did serve a mission for 2 years)

The Athlete:

I'm a sucker for a good bod and a passion for working out. Who isn't?

Pros:

Did I mention their amazing bodies?

Active fun dates: running, batting cages, soccer, going to the gym

They aren't texting you every second of everyday (hello..they have practice, games, & working out to do)

Watching your man play a professional sport? HOT.AS.HELL.

Cons:

The Athlete is gone A LOT during the season (although I would count this as a pro as well...)

Groupies? MANY.

He expects you to understand the game, rules, standings, etc. (No...I didn't see the game. Gossip Girl was on...sorry!)

Location. They move around a lot which means you aren't driving distance away (again, I could use this as a pro)

You won't be his top priority. (yet, this passion for the game is a turn on for me...)

The Law/Med School Student:

I've only dated two of these in my life...so this description may not be accurate. I'll go from personal experience..

Pro:

He's smart which means he has a bright future

Need help with your homework? BINGO

He doesn't have too much time, so when he does it makes it count (awesome dates/conversation)

Cons:

Busy, Busy, Busy

Some of these guys think they are smarter than you...hey I don't care what salt is made of?! k?

They are stressed out a lot

The guys I have dated lack humor (DEAL BREAKER)

The Older Guy:

I've only dated one guy younger than me (he was a hippie...sigh) other than that I date guys older than me. I dated one guy 13 years older than me (I was 18, he was 30), which even now I cannot believe I did. Since John (name has been changed) I've dated a few guys 5-10 years older than me. But I'm a huge fan. Here's why...

Pros:

This guy has an established career, home, etc. and knows what he wants in life.

BEST DATES EVER (I'm not even kidding. This guy knows where to take you to have a good time)

The conversation is intelligent, interesting, and REAL (the other guys have yet to develop this quality)

They are gentlemen (generous, courteous, caring...heck they even open doors!) Chivalry is not dead for this type

Cons:

When you were in middle school...he was in college...weird (I just don't think about it)

The generation gap can get you a bit (What do you mean you don't know what Twitter is?)

They get serious pretty fast (Not as bad as the Mormon Guy however..)

You may feel a bit unsuccessful compared to them (hello! you are!) which can be a bit disheartening (I'm used to being way more successful than the boys I date)

The Metro Guy:

He takes 30 minutes longer than you to get ready. And those shoes? Fabulous! I don't have too many Pros about this type...but I'll try to squeeze some out...

Pros:

Their sense of humor is pretty girly also (which is fun because it's like that of your girlfrineds!)

Shopping with the boyfriend just got a whole lot better!

Cons:

Seriously...your outfit is better than mine. Ew.

I don't even pluck my eyebrows....and he does.....

I like manly men. I hate feeling like I'm dating a chick

Tanning (SERIOUSLY?) tanning???

You can't wear sweats with no make-up when you run to the store with him. When is it ever okay for the guy to look better than me? NEVER.

Please see description above in picture!!! (hahahaha)

What I've learned from these many, many failed "relationships" is that my perfect guy is a bit of all of the above (okay the metro can be thrown out. I like my men manly....). Thank goodness I have many years to continue the search (Hey! I'm only 21!!)

What do you think? I know I missed a few...fill me in!

I'm Craving a NeuroBliss

2011-01-25T22:42:00.008-07:00

Spring break is only two months away. Which means what? I’m a regular at the gym again. I wish it didn’t take a future Cabo trip to motivate me…but…it does. Hey, at least something is motivating me…right? I finished my cardio and weight lifting routine (in my brand new pink Nikes...Thank you mom!) and was heading home when a friend of mine gave me a new drink to try. I hadn’t heard of it and was a bit hesitant (I’m a very picky eater…and drinker). Then I looked at the bottle. It was called NeuroBliss and it said "happiness in every bottle." Who wouldn't want to try it? Seriously....how great is that tagline? I was genuinely surprised. And well…turns out I’m instantly addicted. With only 35 Calories, this drink is wonderfulness in my mouth. NeuroBliss is all NATURAL (swimsuit season..remember?) and enhances your mood, reduces stress, and helps the immune system. Since I'm basically always stressed...I feel like this drink is PERFECT for me. I feel the urge to drink it at every occasion...in my 3 hour International Management class (don't even get me started on how boring that class is..), at work, after the gym...basically I crave it always. Bye-Bye Diet Coke addiction...HELLO Neuro!

Apparently Neuro has a variety of different types that help you in different ways. My sorority sister (honestly..did you think I could write a post without including my sorority in some way? Haha..) Kiley SWEARS by the NeuroSleep. She claims she cannot sleep without drinking one. I was drinking a NeruoBliss at Pi Phi last night (I told you I’m addicted..) and I was talking to Yassie about this..

“Kiley says she can’t sleep without a NeuroSleep. I don’t know if I believe that” –me

“No it totally works. Christian has trouble sleeping and I gave him one and he was out within 30 minutes.” –Yassie

I guess I can be grateful for trying something new. Turns out I’m a fan. A huge fan. I actually haven’t gone a day without one. Not only do I LOVE the taste…but I LOVE the fact that it’s only 35 calories (again, remember how close swimsuit season is?) I also like the fact that it helps the immune system. The way Utah has been lately (TONS OF SNOW) I could use all the immune boosting I can get.

I'm determined to try every flavor. I'll keep you posted. But I doubt any of them will beat Bliss...

The Flight to Paris. Europe: Day Five

2010-11-26T18:03:00.001-07:00

Our flight to Paris was scheduled for 1PM. It takes about an hour on the metro to get to the airport (and we were NOT about to pay for a 35 euro cab ride there) so we left around 10AM. Being the twenty-one year olds that we are, we woke up too late to shower and decided hats would have to do for the day.

We got on the metro and headed to the airport. I couldn't believe that we were about to be in Paris, France. How exciting! Before boarding we were both hungry and decided to stop at McDonalds (surprise, surprise) before boarding. I have literally been to McDonalds everyday in Europe. On one hand it's kind of sad-I am so American! But on the other-it's not really! The McDonalds in Europe is not the exact same as America. They offer different things (yes, this is me...justifying all my trips to McDonalds)

We boarded the plane and both of us immediately fell asleep. Waking up just as the plane landed. We got our bags and headed for the metro to our hostel. Jessica had printed out directions so we wouldn't have to pay for an expensive cab ride. The airport in Paris is ENORMOUS. People are everywhere. I kind of compare it to NYC. Everyone is in a hurry and there are SO many people. I kept running into people and once accidentally ran over someone's foot with my bag. I say "sorry" but of course they don't exactly understand me.

In the airport were three men from the army. They were fully dressed in their army gear and carrying MACHINE GUNS. Just casually walking...looking extremely scary...caring machine guns. It was nuts! I said to Jessica "wow, let's not do ANYTHING that would draw attention to us."

We tried to figure out which train to take...it took us a good 10 minutes to decide which ticket to purchase. We asked people-but like us many of them were tourists and had no idea which ticket they were going to buy either.

We ended up meeting a VERY nice guy who told us which train ticket to buy. He even carried my 50 pound suitcase down the stairs and into the train. He was so sweet. Of course, Jessica and I were a bit hesitant. The only thing we knew about Paris was from the movie "Taken" and both of us were a bit scared to be in France alone.

The nice man gave us directions after we got off the train. I almost feel bad for not being nicer to him. We both had our guard up. But we didn't want to get stolen! He spoke great English and I don't know how we would have gotten to the hostel without his help.

We got off the metro and began wondering outside. The directions the hostel gave us didn't tell us what to do once we got off the metro. It was freezing outside, but we were awe struck by the beauty of Paris. Every single building we saw was cute! It was amazing.

We went inside a restaurant to ask where St. Christopher's was (our hostel was right near it). The man spoke little English but gave us directions non the less. We followed what he said and still weren't at the hostel. Attempting again to get directions, Jessica went into a bar to ask. Luckily one of the men spoke Spanish and Jessica was able to get correct directions (I'm SO glad by best friend is fluent in Spanish! It saved the day!)

By this time we had been walking around for a good 20 minutes. We finally arrived at our hostel. It was such a cute hotel! It tried so hard to be hip, but was very clean and exciting. I had never stayed at a hostel...there were 8 girls total in our room.

Jessica knew a friend from Berthod who was meeting his 2 girlfriends in Paris for the weekend. We met up with him and had a DELICIOUS, very french, dinner. Complete with duck (french delicacy?) that tasted soft and more like tuna (I admit I wasn't too big of a fan), french onion soup (WOW! The best soup I have EVER had), and a lasagna dish.

After dinner we walked to the Sacre-Coeur Basilica. Now, let me remind you, we are all tourists who speak zero french. Which means we took the longest route possible to get to the Sacre-Coeur. It was absolutely freezing outside and we kept stopping inside small cafes to warm up.

The walk was 100% worth it. Leading to the Sacre-Coeur are about a million steps, so to keep warm we all decided to run the stairs.

WOW. The Sacre-Coeur is amazing. It is huge, white, and has indescribable beauty. From the stairs of the Sacre-Coeur you can see the entire city of Paris. Since it was late at night, the city was all lit up and the city looked stunning.

I wish pictures of the Sacre-Coeur did the building justice. Truth is, no picture could ever capture the beauty.

Thanksgiving Dinner at Hard Rock. Madrid: Day Four

2010-11-25T17:07:00.000-07:00

Since we got back so late (or early?) the next morning. I slept in until 1PM. Jessica had class at 2PM so I showered and left after she did. I tried to take the metro but couldn't fine the right entrance so I opted for a taxi (so much for saving the extra euros). I just figured it was worth it in the end. There was no way I was wasting my day wondering around metro stations trying to figure out how to get around.

Jessica had told me that I should spend my day at Parque del Retiro-an enormous park in the middle of the city. She assured me that I would spend hours walking around, taking it all in. The park was made for the royal family-but now could be enjoyed by us common folk.

I hailed a taxi and showed him on the map where I wanted to go. This taxi driver was by far my favorite. He didn't speak any English but tried so hard to communicate with me. Another taxi driver cut him off and he made vomiting sounds and pointed at the car. It was really hilarious. He used all sorts of made up sign language to communicate with me. Telling me which cars were expensive, cheap, etc. Overall it was the most enjoyable ride I've had in Europe.

I got out of the cab and entered the park. IT.WAS.BREATHTAKING. Right when you walk in you know more beauty is to follow. The park was SO green & beautiful. Which was a bit odd, remember how I told you there is no greenery in Madrid? Boy, was I wrong! I was just looking in all the wrong places.

It was the largest park I have ever seen. In the middle is a small lake/pond/body of water that people rent row boats on and circle. Overlooking that are stars and statues and gorgeous greenery. It looked so romantic-the small row boats. How fun would it be to take a boyf there?

I asked an older lady to take a picture of me in front of the statues that overlook the lake. I always was careful to ask to take pictures of me. Jessica had warned me of the many pick pocket-ers and I was not about to get my camera stolen. After she took the picture, I looked to see how it turned out....this is what it was...

So I decided to ask another person. Take two worked a little better (haha!)

I strolled the park for a good three hours. It was very difficult to leave. There was so much to look at-and I didn't even cover all of the park. There were people running, walking, eating, etc. It was very relaxing. I sat down at one of the small cafes and ordered a Sprite. It was a great time to watch nature and ponder my life.

As I was leaving the park I saw an entrance to a garden. I had never seen anything so colorful and green. there were gorgeous roses of all colors and fountains. To the left, a couple was getting married. What a gorgeous place for a wedding! Spanish wedding dresses are GORGEOUS and this bride had an amazing one. I didn't know the couple, but I couldn't help but be extremely happy for them.

I left the park and hailed a taxi to Plaza Mayor. I wanted to visit it once more before I left for France the next day. I wondered around the plaza, shopping and enjoying the view of Madrid. I found it funny that so many people approached me today speaking Spanish. I would tell them "I have no idea what you're saying" and some of them would just speak slower. This happened like 3 times today. No, just because you speak slower doesn't mean I can understand you! The Christmas market was being set up at Plaza Mayor and I was delighted to look around. I LOVE Christmas!

We were having Thanksgiving dinner at the Hard Rock cafe (they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Spain...obviously. Hard Rock, however, had a Thanksgiving dinner for all the Americans) at 10PM. I was a bit hungry and decided to stop off at McDonalds (I'm SO American) for some fries to tie me over until dinner.

After eating I walked to Sol Plaza and met Jessica. We were told that dinner would be moved up to 8PM (dangit! Why did I eat those fries?)

We went back to the house and got ready for dinner. We were going with Jessica's roommates and some other college friends. There were 11 of us. For dinner they served us turkey, mashed potatos, broccoli, cranberry sauce, apple crisp...the works! It was the best dinner ever! I am so happy that we decided to do the whole Thanksgiving dinner thing. Me and Jessica had debated going, but after dinner we couldn't stop talking about how delicious it was. It truly did feel like Thanksgiving.

I called my mom and dad and wished them both a Happy Thanksgiving. It was good to hear from them!

Afterward we went back to Jessica's house and got ready to go out for the night.

Art Museums, Cathedrals, and Jason Derulo? Madrid: Day Three

2010-11-24T13:20:00.008-07:00

I've had a cold and sore throat since Thursday. I figured this little virus would be gone by now...no such luck. So I slept in today until 1PM. It felt good to get extra sleep. I wondered into Jessica's room where she was doing homework and we planned out what I would do while she was in school.

I decided to save money and take the Metro instead of paying for taxis. I was a bit hesitant to do this, but since we leave for Paris on Friday it is a necessity. Jessica had class at 2:30 so we walked to the Metro together. She was going one way and I had to go the other. We said our goodbyes and I boarded the Metro. Jessica had written down three musums I should see. She gave me her "10 Best of Madrid" tourist book and written instructions. All three musums are on the same street, so I wasn't nervous about finding them.

I should have been.

I got off the Metro and tried to read the map that was located inside the book Jessica had given me. I just need to interject here...I speak NO Spanish and I am directionally challanged. I STILL use a GPS when I go back home to Colorado...I use one in Utah too. I just can never seem to find my way around...no matter how many times I've been somewhere. Okay, back to the story. So I start walking in one direction, thinking one plaza was another and that I was going the right way. After walking for about ten minutes, I realize I'm lost. So I head back to where I came from. Then, I second guess myself...maybe I was going the right way and just hadn't walked far enough. So I turn around and go back. I think I passed the same group of people about 5 times. I was the ultimate tourist. I was looking down at my map and at all the street signs with a camera in my hand...looking SO confused. (later that night I reenacted it for Jessica so she could snap a pic)

Long, long, LONG story short, I found the street the museum was on thirty minutes later. I took a picture just because I was so happy to find it! Don't think that just because I found the street means I found the museum I was looking for...that took another thirty minutes. But, eventually, I made it to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Thank freakin' goodness! Although, I must admit, I didn't mind getting lost in the slightest. The buildings are all so breathtaking and there is always something to see. Walking along Madrid is an experience in itself.

I didn't really know what to expect at this museum. The museums that I have been to prior to this all had historical objects and such. When I entered I realized the entire building was filled with artwork. I have never been to an art museum. I saw paintings from the 13th centery and famous painters like Raphael, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rembrant. I spent two hours looking at the 1,000 paintings housed in the museum. It was an experience. I can hardly believe some of the art I saw. The paintings looked so real and vivid. Some of my favorite pieces were the pictures that showed bible stores, like David and Goliath, etc. The paintings were beautiful and it was interesting to see how the artists interprated the stories. I must say, there are SO many paintings of naked women. It's weird too-the girls will have clothes on but randomly a boob will just be showing...typical male painters?

I left the museum and headed down the street to find something to eat. I grabbed chips and a Sprite (such a great lunch..eh?) I got a call from Jessica. She was finished with class and wanted me to meet her at the Metro so we could go see an old Egyptian church. I was so impressed with myself, I walked straight to the Metro! I didn't even get lost once!!

As I waited for Jessica to arrive, I got approached by three or four different groups of people who were asking me questions in Spanish. I was so confused, I was dressed so American and looked like such a tourist, why would they think to ask me? I would simply shrug my shoulders and say "English" haha.

Jessica finally found me, but it was too late to go to the Egyptian church since it was closing twenty minutes later. We wondered to another musem, The Museo del Prado. Jessica had raved about the famous museum and the gorgeous paintings and tapastrys that it contains. We went intside and walked around. There were gorgeous paintings and we tried to locate all the masterpieces. We walked into the part of the museum that was all statues, which were gorgeous. It was my favorite! Jessica and I are not as cultured as we should be and instead of admiring the gorgeous artwork, we started to rank the statues by hottness. Some of those statues certinatly put real men to shame! haha. It was fun and interesting.

Jessica had been talking endlessly about a cathedral I didn't see when I went to the Palacio Real (it's directly accross the street) and we decided to take the Metro to see it. On our way to the Metro we passed a McDonalds. Being the true Americans that we are, we decided to go in and get some french fries. Jessica hadn't even been to McDonalds since she's lived here! Jessica said, "These are the best fries I've ever had...ever" After four months I'm sure I wouldn't remember the deliciousness of the food either. I'm glad I reminded her of the taste of America.

We got on the Metro and walked to the Almudena Cathedral. I cannot express the beauty that I saw when I entered the building. I had never in my life seen a building that marvelous. The enormous pillers, the stained glass, the high ceilings. Describing it doesn't give it justice nor could any photo. My jaw literally dropped when we entered. You can't use flash inside a cathedral, pictures are a bit blurry-so I took a video! I'll post it on YouTube one of these days.

After spending twenty minutes admiring the divine beauty, we headed home on the Metro. It was dinner time! Jessica's host mother made us salad, paella, and ice cream. Paella is a Spanish rice dish that is absolutely AMAZING! I'm a fan.

Jessica and I made our itinerary for paris (we will only be there Friday night-Monday morning) so we could see as much as we could and have a firm plan. I am SO excited! Afterward we got ready to go out. Spain has an incredible night life. People don't go out until around midnight-which is so odd! We decided to go to a club called Orange. It was "hippy flippy" night and if you dressed up you got in for free. Any excuse to dress up is fine by us, so we raided Jessica's closet and transformed ourselves into hippies.

It was rumored that Jason Derulo would be there, so we tried to look our best. We headed to the club on the Metro and stood in line. We got to Orange at 12:30. As we were waiting in line, who passes us? JASON DERULO. I didn't even say anything. I simply hit Jessica and let out an awkward sigh/exhale. Jason Derulo had just passed us.

We got into the club and a guy Jessica knew invited us into VIP. Twenty minutes later...who appears in VIP? Jason Derulo. VIP was filled with girls and as soon as he sat at his table they began swarming to him. We stayed in the back and just talked. About ten minutes later the swarm of girls had dwindled and we decided to go up and start talking to him. Jessica, Stephanie (her friend), and I talked to him for about 15 minutes. He told us he was off to another country in the morning.

"So, you just get to fly around the world and hang out?" I asked.

"You think that's what my life is like?"

"I would like to think so."

"I get up at 8am and do interviews until 9PM or 10PM"

I admit, not even I wake up at 8AM. But, sorry Jason Derulo, I still don't feel bad for you. haha. It was interesting to talk to him. People all over the club were snapping photos of him. I'm pretty sure that my face is in a bunch of random people's cameras...

It was awesome to meet an American celebrity in Spain! So random!! He doesn't speak any Spanish either and we talked about the whole not understanding anyone thing. It's seriously the worst thing EVER! Jessica and I got bored of standing there talking and decided to leave and go dance..which was so much fun! Jessica and I always have the BEST time when we go out. The night was fantastic. We got home at 4:30AM...4:30AM!! Madrid night life is insane. When does anyone ever sleep? It was only a Wednesday night!

My feet are absolutely killing me from all the walking I've done. People here walk EVERYWHERE. I'm guessing that is why everyone is so dang skinny. I literally have not seen one person who is overweight.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Jessica and I are joining some of her college friends and going to Hard Rock for a Thanksgiving meal. I am a bit sad I won't be with my family, but I am here with Jessica-who is just like family to me :)

I understand the music....Britney Spears? Madrid: Day Two

2010-11-23T13:03:00.017-07:00

Today went by so fast I can hardly believe it. Jessica had class this morning until noon so I slept in, took a shower, and got ready. When she got back we went to a small resturant and split a sandwhich, which was delicious.

Our plan was to shop and sight-see a few churchs Jessica had to see for her class to write a paper. Luckily Jessica is just as obsessed with shopping as I am and we spent hours wondering the streets of Madrid stopping in all the cute shops. Shopping in Madrid is insane. There are stores EVERYWHERE and more resturants than I could ever count. I have NO idea how they all stay in business. Isn't the competition tough?

We tried on clothes, bought clothes, and browsed through dozens of stores. The shopping is absolutely fabulous. (I would be 100% broke if I lived in Madrid...that is a fact!!) It's funny-in every store they blast American Pop Music-Britney Spears, Avril Lavinge, Black Eyed Pea, Rap-even some Jack Johnson. Every single store played English music. Since I've been here I haven't even heard Spanish music. I literally have no idea what it sounds like. I decided that next time I need to ask someone a question (and I obviously can't say it in Spanish) I just need to think of an American song that has the words. Like, if I want more of something, I'll simply start singing Brittany Spears' "gimme more" Perhaps then they will understand me.

It's absolutely hilarious when they have signs translated from Spanish to English. One sign in the store said "50% The last one will be the cheapest" which I think was supposed to mean that you buy one item and you get the second (cheaper) item for 50% off. Another sign said "Please, take care of your things. Thank you" I have no idea what that was supposed to mean...perhaps don't leave your items unattended? It's really funny! So many of the T-shirts sold here have American sayings on them...there are no shirts with Spanish words or sayings...only English. And usually they make zero sense...They just say "happy" or "funny" so random. And some fashions are absolutely ridiculous. Things that would NEVER sell in the states...like these coats (Only 14 Euros!)

We stopped and toured inside the Basiilica Pontificia De San Miguel chapel. WOW! I have never seen a church so beautiful. The stained glass, statues, and paintings are absolutely amazing. Cathedrals are all over Madrid...and every single one is decorated more incredible than the last one.

Jessica needed to see another chapel (which I can't remember the name of) so we walked down the street to find it. When we got to the cross roads, we asked some police where the chapel was. They had never heard of it. One policeman took out his iPhone and searched it...turns out we were right infront of it. We pushed the door open and walked inside. It was by far the creepiest moment I've had in Madrid (and I was here alone..with no friends, phone, or language translator). The church was empty and dark. I thought at any moment someone would jump out and scare us. There were statues of the Virgin Mary and random paintings but the church seemed to be completely deserted. Every other enternce door we tried was locked. Too bad for Jess-we couldn't even tour the chapel she had to write about for her paper. Good thing the internet exists so she can research it there.

Remember how I wrote that during my flight I thought Spain had so much open land and greenery? The exact opposite is true for Madrid. Buildings are EVERYWHERE and they are so close together. The streets are extremely narrow...I highly doubt a bus or semi could get through most of them. There are no patches of grass and there are very little trees. The entire city is cemete, rocks, and buildings. Although, I must say, the sight is far more beautiful than any greenery. The architecture is mind blowing.

We went to the Plaza Mayor, a plaza completely surrounded by buildings built in the 17th century. We sat down and had a quick snack and talked about how surreal it was that we were both in Spain. All around the plaza were artists painting beautiful paintings of Spain, Spanish dancers, and bull fights. It was fun to watch them and sift through all the gorgeous artwork.

Jessica had talked about seeing the oldest restaurant in the world, Botin Mediterranean, which started in 1725. We traveled down the street to find it. The restaurant was a cute little thing. We entered and got to take a tour of the bottom level. Inside they showed us where the oldest oven in the world was. INSANE! They even had a certificate from the Gennis Book of World Records stating it was the oldest restaurant in the world.

We continued shopping and walking around. I swear we walked more than 8 miles today. Luckily I wore comfortable boots! Jessica wanted to take me to another resturant before we headed home but couldn't remember the name. We walked up to a group of police and she asked about it. The first guy didn't know the answer so he asked his partner. When his partner didn't know the answer he asked another policeman. That guy didn't know what Jessica was talking about either, so they got on the police radio and asked the entire force! They kept saying to Jessica (in Spanish of course) "we're the best police...aren't we? We'll get you directions!" haha. So nice! We ended up finding the resturant...and it was closed. such luck.

There are two odd things about Madrid that I am going to rant about for a moment. First of all, EVERYONE smokes. The young, the old, the rich, the poor. Absolutely everyone. They also smoke everywhere they go! On the streets-even in the restaurants. We were talking to one waiter and he said that people can no longer smoke inside starting January1st (too bad both me and Jessica will be gone). But seriously, everywhere you go you are surrounded by smoke. It's a bit annoying when you are trying to finish a meal and someone is smoking at the table next to you. They don't have "smoking" and "non-smoking" sections either. ew. The other thing...Madrid is obsessed with ham. I'm not talking about the type you find in a deli..sliced and packaged...they hang their ham. There are just ham legs EVERYWHERE. it is absolutely disgusting. I am deeply scared from seeing ham being hung all over. We were having a snack at one small restaurant and surrounding us were ham legs! Over dinner one of Jessica's roomates told us that the reason they started doing it was to annoy/offend the Jews. That is such a Spanish thing to do. GROSS! I told Jessica I wouldn't be having ham this entire trip. How is that sanitary? The meat is just like...hanging there!

We walked back to the apartment and the house mother cooked soup, meatballs, and potatos, and Flann. It was another delicious dinner. I do feel a bit odd though, they have the entire dinner conversation in Spanish. I am left sitting and wondering what the heck is going on.

After dinner Jessica and I decided to walk around. It was another gorgeous night in Madrid. It's true that this city comes alive at night. There are so many people EVERYWHERE. If you've ever been to Canal Street in NYC...you know what I'm talking about. People shoulder to shoulder walking the streets after 8PM. It's so much fun! I have no idea how I'm ever going to leave here.

Am I the only one who doesn't speak Spanish? Madrid: Day One

2010-11-22T16:05:00.007-07:00

Day One in Madrid.

I finally had landed in Madrid. The final decent of the plane showed the long stretches of open land and greenery. There were no mountains, but I wouldn’t call the land flat either. A bit hilly. Gorgeous none the less...

Once I landed I immediately turned on my cell phone-I had promised my mom and dad a text the moment the plane hit the ground-only to find out that it didn’t work. It “couldn’t connect to a network”, which was extremely frustrating because I had talked to T-mobile and told them I was going to be in Europe and they said nothing further needed to be done-except that I should disable the internet from my phone.

I got my passport stamped and waited for my bags. All around me people were speaking Spanish-I didn’t understand anything. I figured my mom was having a bit of a panic attack since I had yet to contact her. So I hopped on a pay phone (which will probably cost me a fortune when I get my credit card statement) and called her. Sure enough, she had already worried enough that she called Jessica. I assured her that I was fine and my plane had landed…then she hit me with a bit of bad news. Jessica had gotten food poisoning in Ireland and had not made her flight….which meant she would not be at the airport to meet me. Remember how that was the ONE thing I was worried about? Of course it couldn’t go right. I called Jessica and she gave me the address of her apartment and assured me her roommate would meet me outside. She then gave me names of places to visit until she arrived…which would be 10 hours after I had been in Madrid.

I admit…I freaked out. I immediately called my mom again. No phone. No friends. No Spanish. I was scared out of my mind. My mom was just as scared for me-if not more. I hung up the pay phone and went out to catch a taxi. The only sentence the taxi driver knew in English was “first time in Madrid?” I tried to make conversation about how there were so many motorcycles in Madrid and about the tall, beautiful buildings…but he couldn’t understand me and kept rambling in Spanish.

Jessica had told me that her roommate would meet me in front of the apartment, near a waterfall. I got out of the taxi and looked around…no waterfall. I had already been in panic mode and drug my suitcase along the way for awhile, praying some waterfall would appear. Turns out, the waterfall had not been turned on…but there was an American girl. “Are you Jessica’s friend?” “Yeah!” finally. I had found someone who spoke some English and a friendly face.

I dropped off my luggage and went back down to the street with Lindsey, Jessica’s roommate. She was going for a run and I was going to grab a taxi and head to Palacio Real de Madrid. Again, my taxi driver didn’t speak English but took me to the Palacio.

I cannot even put into words how magnificent the Palacio Real is. The entire experience was breathtaking. From the outside, it was pretty and I was excited, but once I entered the building I was in complete awe. Every room is decorated so exquisitely. Every room is different. Each ceiling is painted beautifully and every inch of the walls are covered in bronze, porcelain, and other decorations. I took the tour with the audio guide and learned so many unique facts about each room. The Salon del Trono, or Throne Room was incredible and complete with chairs for the King and Queen. There was one room, the Gabinete de Porcelana y Saleta Amarilla, which was completely covered in porcelain decoration. It was the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen. I cannot believe people LIVED here! To have that much beauty surround you every day, I cannot even imagine. You are not allowed to take pictures inside the Palacio..which made me extremely sad! All I have is memories...I wish I could have captured it all!

I was minding my own business, touring the Palacio with my audio guide when a group of second or third graders passed in a group. One boy said “hi” and I replied “hello!” he then proceeded to tell me that the boy next to him was his brother. I was like, “oh…he’s your brother” the two boys snickered and started speaking in Spanish and pointing at me. I wished so badly that I knew Spanish at that moment. Those little elementary children laughing at an American…who clearly knew nothing about Spain or any Spanish. It was funny…but kind of sad. Haha

I had to ask random people to take pictures of me next to the Palacio. It was awkward. Who wants to be in a picture by themselves? But at the same time, there was no way I was only taking pictures of buildings without me in them! It was hard to leave the Palacio. I stayed there for 3 hours. I wanted to keep looking and taking in the beauty. I literally had to force myself to leave. It is so gorgeous.

After the Palacio I took a taxi to a museum Jessica had suggested. 12 Euros later I was at the museum and excited for another adventure. I was extremely depressed when I saw that the museum is closed every Monday! 12 Euros wasted! I started to wonder down the street toward Downtown when I saw a payphone. I figured my mom was extremely worried and gave her a call…I was right. She hadn’t even slept she was so worried. I feel a bit bad now; I was enjoying the beautiful Palacio while she was worried sick for my safety. I assured her I was fine (and that I had my pepper spray with me) and filled her in on the adventure I had just taken. She was glad I was safe and sound.

I walked Downtown and decided it was time for some lunch, by then it was 3:00pm and I hadn’t eaten since my plane ride. It was far more difficult to find somewhere to eat than I thought! It doesn’t help that I’m a picky eater and was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to find something I liked. Twenty minutes later, with an angry tummy, I found a restaurant that said Pizza & Pasta! Perfect…America food and English words! I was stoked.

I sat down and ordered a cheese pizza…the host spoke great English and I felt extremely happy and welcome. The cheese pizza didn’t taste like the pizza here, but I had two pieces and enjoyed the American music videos that were playing on the TVs in the restaurant.

Suddenly, I felt extremely tired. So tired I thought I would pass out in the restaurant. I had traveled for 13 hours and the jet lag had finally hit me. I hailed a taxi and went back to Jessica’s apartment. I rang the bell (she lives with four other American girls), praying one of them was home. In my mind I had decided that if they weren’t home, I was going to a hotel. I was THAT exhausted. At one point in the taxi I dosed off, I had to get into a bed somewhere! Just my luck, no one was home. I found a payphone and got out my cell to look up Jessica’s number, when I realized my cell was FINALLY working! Whoo hoo! My dad had called T-Mobile at 6AM and gotten everything figured out. I could officially call out and take incoming calls. No texts, but I felt so much safer with a cell that works! Thanks dad!

I called Jessica and she told me to go upstairs to her host mother’s room. She said, “Ring the door bell. When she opens it and says hello say ‘Jill’ and hand her the phone.” Such a great friend…she knows I don’t understand anything anyone says! I did just that and the house mother showed me to my room. I was extremely excited. I slept for four hours.

At 8PM Jessica finally arrived. She had just started to feel better. It was amazing to see her! We went upstairs and ate Pumpkin Soup (surprisingly it was extremely good), tortillas, and fruit. We ate with her other roommates (One of them is a Pi Phi!!!) and talked to the house mother. Thankfully the girls translated everything; the house mother speaks no English.

After dinner we went down to Sol Plaza and walked around. We stopped at Starbucks and got hot drinks and wandered the city, catching up on the past 3 months of life. Everywhere you look there is an amazing statue or waterfall. There isn’t an inch of the city that isn’t decorated…it’s absolutely gorgeous. I can’t believe Jessica lives here. After an hour or so of wondering, we took the Metro back home and decided to turn in early and get a good night’s rest (especially since Jessica was so sick yesterday/this morning).

The first day was a bit rough, but it was also great. I learned that in a tough situation I can still manage to be okay. I didn’t talk to anyone, unless I was asking them to take a picture (haha), it was weird feeling so isolated but it was also nice to have some time to ponder the beauty I was looking at and have some “me time”. I felt safe here. There are people ALL over and police are everywhere, on horses of course! I was extremely worried and anxious that I would be scared the entire time, but I was calm (although I did be sure to hold my purse tight, be aware of my surroundings, and act like I knew where I was going)—and I’m not just saying that to calm the nerves of my mom & dad who are reading this J This city is far more beautiful than I expected. I am so excited for the days to come.

It’s midnight and I am extremely exhausted. I’m going to turn in….I’ll update the blog again tomorrow!

En Route to Madrid

2010-11-21T13:37:00.003-07:00

I'm currently en route to Madrid--Literally as we speak I'm on the plane. I've never been on an airplane that had WiFi. I had no idea what I was missing! Internet + flight = bliss!

I can't believe that I'm actually going to Madrid to visit Jessica! I don't think it will sink in until I land. I've never been to Europe. I admit that I'm a bit scared...it's so foreign...I don't even know what to expect. My nerves get the best of me when I think about meeting up with Jessica at the airport (she's flying in from Ireland the same day). I know I can call her...but right now I just think of my lack of knowledge and the fact that I don't know ANY Spanish (besides..Me llama Jill..which is extremely unhelpful) Those three years in high school Spanish class did absolutely nothing for me...

Once I see Jessica's face these worries will fade. Europe with my best friend...this really is the experience of a life time. I land in Madrid at 9AM on Monday and on Friday we fly to Paris until the following Monday. Jessica booked a all girl's hostel for Paris. ahhh PARIS! I have wanted to go there for years...I can't believe it's finally time for me to go!

My parents are nervous...to say the least. The movie "Taken" is to blame. My mom bought me a black winter hat and scarf and insisted that when I am without Jessica I tuck all my blonde hair into the hat so that I don't stick out as much. Which, actually, is a far better idea than her first-to wear a black wig. hahaha!

I'm going to blog everyday so I can preserve every memory of this trip. It's going to be amazing.

ESPN College Game Day Comes to Utah!

2010-11-09T15:42:00.007-07:00

I was hesitant to write a post about ESPN College Game Day being held at the U of U...for obvious reasons (we got killed...for lack of better words)

However, despite the outcome of the game, it was pretty big deal to have ESPN film College Game Day in Salt Lake City. And again, despite the loss, it was a very eventful day. I should insert the word "long" as well...because the festivities began at 5:45AM.

Let the record show that I am not a morning person, not even a little bit. It's extremely hard for me to make my 9:10AM marketing research class...9:10! I, however, was committed to joining the rest of my college peers and arriving at the stadium at an hour I hadn't seen since my high school years.

The pain and suffering of opening my eyes at 5:30 was well worth it. There were so many students! And ESPN! It really was an event I will cherish from my college years (and hopefully the memory of the awful loss will fade...)

5:45AM at the Rice Eccles Stadium....with my bestie of course!

Tailgating with my Pi Phi Lovers.

BLACKOUT GAME!

21 and Invincible

2010-10-28T14:40:00.007-06:00

I'm officially 21. I admit I had been counting down the days for months. 21 seemed so exciting...so different than my young 20 year old self.

I've been 21 for a little over a week. It's a bit odd...I was so excited for this age and now that I can finally claim 21...i just feel old. What age is exciting after 21? None! Dangit!

For my birthday a couple friends and I went to Vegas. It was a BLAST. I even won $60 on the roulette table! (my secret? always bet even....always!)

With the 21 and one week blues, I wanted to reflect a bit on the past year of my life.

One thing I learned...

Life doesn't always go as planned. You can't expect your five year plan to work out exactly as you see it in your mind. People change, you change. It's all for the best though. If it doesn't work out it wasn't meant to be and there is a much better option for you out there. I learned that I have to have faith in destiny. The only thing you can do is be YOURSELF and not change for anyone. That's the only way you'll be happy in life.

Favorite Memory...

My niece Emilee was born. She is such a light in my life. The little thing is so darn cute! I am so glad I have been able to be with her from birth. My sister is such a great mother & amazing role model!

Greatest Accomplishment...

Becoming president of my sorority, Pi Beta Phi. The organization means more to me than I could explain. It has molded me into a woman I am proud of. It has brought the most intelligent, fun, and loyal women into my life. It is an organization that will always be there-through the thick and thin-even after college life.

This is going to be a great year! I am, after all, 21 and invincible.

Thank You, Life

2010-10-13T23:39:00.009-06:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. Things get a little crazy and hectic and the little blogspot is the first to be neglected.

At the moment, I kind of need a pick me up...or ten of them...so I decided to take a second to count my blessings. Here we go....

1. My education. The U is awesome. I'm thankful that I have the resources to go to school

2. My sorority sisters...the family away from home. Each of these women have impacted my life for the better. I owe a great deal of my happiness to them-those random hilarious nights, the inside jokes, the sisterly bonds...

3. My niece/nephew who will arrive in March! My sister in law is getting so big! I just ADORE children. I can't waiiiiit (I wish I had a picture for this one)

4. My family. What would I do without them?

5. Jessica Foreman...my best friend. Whenever I'm down & need advice she knows exactly what to say. Her words of wisdom for my current dilemma? "Who gives a damn? In three months you won't care about any of these people or the situation that is going on. So, seriously Jill, who gives a damn?" Oh man...I love her. I'm SO excited to be in Europe with her for 9 days! Only 40 days...

6. Movies. Thank you, for taking me away from reality.

The best advice I ever got: "Travel Often"

2010-09-21T13:11:00.020-06:00

I have a new found love for traveling. I think it began in April when I went to Cabo, Mexico with some friends for Spring Break. I had the time of my life. I literally never wanted to leave. The sun, the sand, the food, the people. I loved it all. (My pictures show it all...)

Since then I have taken every opportunity I can to travel. Which is why when my best friend from high school asked me to come to Madrid to visit her (she's studying abroad) I immediately said yes. I literally didn't even think about it. Why not? What on earth would hold me back from a week in Europe with my best friend? One day later I was booking my flight and making plans. I was a bit hesitant to ask my mom, for fear that she would reject the idea right away. However, when I casually mentioned the convo me and Jess had, she immediately said "You HAVE to go!" Oh my...I love my mom. She has always told me to travel often. Perhaps this is due to the fact that at age 18 she was in Europe for 3 weeks...and her stories are amazing. I'm so excited to make my own memories in Europe.

Madrid for Thanksgiving. How WONDERFUL! I'm staying for 7 days. Over the weekend we're going to fly to Paris. PARIS. You have no idea how long I've wanted to go there.

Oh my! I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. Europe with my BFF...is there anything more exciting? (Here's a pic of me and Jess this summer before she left for Madrid)

On top of that, I'm planning my 21st birthday (Oct. 19th) with my Pi Phi sisters. Vegas, here we come! Me and Molly took a little trip there during the summer to see Tosh.0 and had a BLAST. To be honest, I don't think we stopped smiling during that entire vacation. I can't wait to go back in a few weeks! (I can't remember which hotel this picture is in front of...but it was GORGEOUS!)

Planning these trips is so much fun! It gives me something to look forward to in the midst of my crazy busy life.

I'm so glad I discovered my love for traveling....I want to see EVERYTHING!

Happy 25th Birthday Drew!

2010-09-16T14:23:00.003-06:00

Today I'm thankful for this guy...

Don't mind the old picture (Drew's wedding in fact...2 years ago!)...I can't seem to find one of us earlier than this (how sad!)

Drew (my brother...obvious..) turns 25 today! So, happy birthday bro! One of my many bday presents to you is a spot on my blog (best present ever? I would SAY so!)

Drew is literally the male version of me. We have SO much fun together, especially when we make up random/hilarious songs. Thank goodness we both moved to Utah. I think any amount of distance would just about kill me!

All jokes aside, I have an amazing brother. The best in fact. I don't know anyone who is more understanding, supportive, loving, and hilarious. No matter what happens, he's always on my side. Drew is more than just my big brother. He truly is my best friend. I have no idea where I would be without him.

Love you bro! Hope today is just fabulous!

Ending the Cycle

2010-09-14T12:07:00.008-06:00

I expected my life to calm down a little bit after Greek Recruitment....

it didn't.

Don't get me wrong. My life is crazy busy, but I like it that way. I feel accomplished. This life of mine is quite rewarding. But I can't dismiss the fact that I don't have time to spend hours upon hours with my friends, to hit the gym daily, or to be on the look out for a new man.

But perhaps the latter is a good thing. It's been quite awhile since I've been single. Like, years....YEARS. I swear I've had a boyfriend since I was 15. I'm one of THOSE girls...you know...the type that once she breaks up with one boy is dating another within weeks.

&& it's time to break that cycle.

As tempting as it is to fall into the arms of some boy as desperate as I for a relationship, I need to learn to be alone. Live life for me and not to please another. This concept is one that I obviously don't understand.

Which makes me wonder...why am I one of those girls who always has to be dating someone? Now that I think about it, I almost feel pathetic. I don't need some boy to make me happy.

So, here goes...it's only week 2 of being single. Let's see how long I can hold out. I think the longer I do, the happier I will be. It will give me time to discover myself. To focus on my goals, aspirations, and what I want in my future. I'm done dating randoms just because I want a boyf. So here's to new beginnings-the beginning of being completely independent & the end of the "I always have to have a boyfriend" cycle.

Wow, that was a random tangent. When I started this post that's not where I was going at all. That's what blogging does to me-it brings out the things most on my mind, so deeply embedded I hardly know they are there. Which is exactly why I love blogging so very much.

Side Note: I'm Single

2010-09-05T10:58:00.015-06:00

I blog to get my feelings out. I blog to understand myself. My emotions can get a little crazy and confusing and at times-I'm unsure if I want to share them with the world. Then I remember why I started this blog-to figure out who I was & more importantly, who I wanted to become.

Isn't it funny that you plan out your future in your mind-a perfectly painted picture of what will happen in the next few years-then all the sudden, that picture is destroyed-in a matter of seconds?

I guess I should explain where I'm coming from. Remember that boy I was dating? James, yeah that was his name. I went to Baltimore to visit James & counted down the hours until his return to Utah.

Well, James did return. Things, however, just weren't the same. The sad part is there is no one to blame for our break up. I can't blame myself and I can't blame him. We just didn't "click" after he got back. We are such different people and tried to force something that clearly would never work.

I am actually relieved for things to be over. It was a lot of unnecessary pressure trying to make things click with us. I've had to devote a lot of my time to Pi Phi, work, and school and to be honest-I realized I don't have time for a boy. I had to re-evaluate my priority list and sadly, the boyf wasn't anywhere near the top of that list.

One thing that remains true with all guys I break up with is my list of qualities I need in a guy grows. With each relationship I discover the traits that I absolutely must have in the future Mister. I'm not one to settle, especially at my young age, so the creation and addition to this list is a must! With this relationship I recognized my need for support and understanding. I like to think of myself as an ambitious woman. I have a great deal of goals for myself and work hard to accomplish them. My job, my presidency within Pi Phi, my senior status at the university of utah in three years- All are things that I have dreamed for & worked towards for a long time. I need someone who will support me, especially in areas named above. I am busy-I won't deny that-but I am busy doing things I love, believe in, and have worked for. I need someone who understands that. Support & understanding...now added to the list of "musts" (I would show you this so called list, but a girl has to have some mystery...)

In addition to not "clicking" I realized that there are so many things I want to do and accomplish before I actually settle down. So, I sat down and made another list-

The To Do List Before I get my "Mrs. Degree":

1. Finish this term of presidency in Pi Beta Phi and perhaps run for another

2. Go study abroad in the summer of 2011-I'm thinking Italy or Germany

3. Get my degree in business marketing & pick up a minor (leadership? psychology? stats?)

4. Spend the rest of my college years with my friends-doing ridiculous and spontaneous things, because after college, those opportunities will be few

5. Figure out exactly who I am and what I want out of this life

6. Intern at an international marketing agency

7. Study for the GMAT & apply to graduate school somewhere awesome (East Coast perhaps?)

8. Attend a function for every sport at the U before I graduate (softball, soccer, hockey, etc.)

9. Learn to cook

10. Read the entire BOM

11. Go to an away football game for the U of U

12. Visit Vegas for my 21st and many more times after that

13. Take a photography class

14. Learn to save/budget money better

15. Get certified in scuba diving & travel somewhere I can use it

16. travel, travel, travel-take every opportunity to go somewhere new

In a way, everything worked out for the best. I'm only 20 years old. I have a lot of life to live and experience before marriage & a family. I want to have fun. I want to grow up. I want to have every college experience I can. & I don't want to miss out on opportunities that will uncover who I am and what I'm meant to do in this crazy, confusing world.

If you enjoyed this post check out "What's the Rush?"

Baby Angels

2010-09-05T10:09:00.006-06:00

This past week was recruitment week for the Greeks at the University of Utah. For 5 days we got to know over 250 women who were interested in becoming part of a sisterhood.

It was a long 5 days, let me tell you. I was up until 3am everyday ensuring we got the girls we all loved and admired. Between school and work-it was a week of no sleeping, eating, or as I stated in my previous post-working out. Our house would be open each day for around 5 hours-devoted solely to the potential new members to come check us out. It was hard work.

For those of you who don't know, recruitment is a matching process. There are 5 sorority houses at the University of Utah. On the first day of recruitment, the new women go to each house. At the end of the night-they must drop one house. The second day, they go to the remaining 4 houses and at the end of the night, must narrow it down to 3 houses. This process goes on and on until one house is remaining. Each day every sorority has a certain number of invitations they are allowed to extend to the women going through recruitment. This process allows the houses and the individual to choose each other-to match up.

The last night of recruitment is "Preference Night." This night everyone gets all dressed up. Each woman goes to 2 houses-one house for dinner and the other for dessert. This night is important because it is formal and the last night for girls and the house to decide who will be the new sisters. Each day before Preference Night is casual & laid back.

Preference Night

2010

Pref Night with my family within Pi Phi

The dessert we served on Pref night- DELICIOUS Cheesecake!

Bid Day finally arrived & the long days and endless nights paid off. We gave bids to 36 amazing women who now form PC '10 (Pledge Class 2010)!

Waiting for the new members to open their invitations and see which house they were invited to

BABY ANGELS OF PI BETA PHI UTAH ALPHA 2010

Bid day was also the very first Utah football game (Utah won, of course) So we took our baby angels and went to support the boys (in matching shirts of course)!

Pi Beta Phi just got 36x better...

Hooky

2010-09-01T09:41:00.000-06:00

One can always tell when my life gets too hectic to handle: i don't blog.

My life these past two weeks has been crazy. I literally don't have time to eat, sleep, or breathe. Ok, so the breathing part might have been a bit of an exaggeration.

I knew this semester was going to be difficult. I'm a full-time student in upper division classes, I work part-time, and I'm Pi Beta Phi President. I didn't realize, however, that my "me time" would be non existent.

My "me time" usually occurs in the student field house. Working out is truly the only time my mind isn't racing with the 100 things I have to do, 100 things I'm worrying about, and 100 things I should be worrying about. The treadmill absorbs all worries-leaving my mind blank. Enabling me to have peace-complete peace.

So, Today I decided to play hooky. I decided to skip classes and relax a bit, contemplate the important things in life, blog, and go running.

It's only 10am and I already know this is the best decision I've made in months.

Moving (again)!

2010-08-12T13:06:00.012-06:00

If there is one thing I hate about being 20-it's all the moving around I do.

I miss the days when I had one home (well, I had two since my parents were divorced-but you get the point) I miss the stability. The knowledge that home was....home.

Life isn't like that anymore. Since graduating high school I have moved 10 times....TEN TIMES! Just 4 months ago I moved into the apartment with Molly & come Monday I move back into the Pi Beta Phi house (ahh I'm so excited to be back!! Pi Phi is the BEST place to live...EVER).

But the whole process of moving is awful! Packing, loading, driving, unloading, unpacking. It's just a lot of work that I would rather not do.

I wish I was Sabrina the Teenage Witch and with a pointed finger it could all be done.

Warped Tour 2010: Denver, CO

2010-08-11T23:06:00.000-06:00

I've been in Loveland, Colorado since Friday. Colorado makes me...happy. I love the feeling of familiarity. I love spending time with my dad. And doing random things with my friends from high school. I love that even though we haven't seen each other in months, we never miss a beat. It's like none of us ever left. I love knowing I am blessed with friends like them. Oh 970, you are so, so good to me.

While in Colorado, I went to Warped Tour with some friends. It was amazing. For those of you who don't know, I have a weird obsession with Mike Posner. I love his lyrics. I love his beat. I love everything about him. literally.

When I saw he was going to be at Warped Tour I wasted NO time & bought tickets right away. Me and Jessica pushed our way and before we knew it-we were front row!

Troy, Jessica, Me, & Brittany

He claimed to be in some band....haha?

We got some random band to autograph this!

Oh Jessica, what would I do without you in my life?

Mike Posner, I love you. I LOVE YOU.

Summer Regrets

2010-08-05T22:06:00.011-06:00

I'm currently annoyed. I'm annoyed that I spent my summer studying, writing papers, and waking up at 8:30 for classes every morning. I'm annoyed that I didn't get the memo...you know...the memo that says summer is for vacations, RELAXATION, friends, and the pool? The one every other college student seemed to get.

For some reason the thought of getting some classes out of the way appealed to me more than the thought of a real summer. I have no idea why. I mean, this is the only point in my life where I get a three month break. In the real world, those don't happen for marketing executives (which, watch out world, is what I plan on being one day)

I'm regretting it, to say the least. Regretting the class time & mental stimulation. I wish I would have relaxed, traveled, and been more spontaneous.

I'm not saying I didn't have a good summer. I went to DC to see the boyfriend (he is so dang cute/amazing/hilarious), Vegas with my BFF (fun doesn't even begin to describe that trip), spent a crazy amount of time with my girls, went to Colorado to see the fam, and went to too many concerts to count.

Vegas with Molly

Modest Mouse Concert

Visiting the boyfriend in DC

My loves.

Enjoyed time with Chocolate in Colorado

Went skiing with the fam

School starts in exactly two weeks. Looks like I'll have to make up for lost time.

I'm going to make these two weeks count. Like you wouldn't even imagine.

The Do's & Don'ts of Finals Week

2010-08-04T19:07:00.009-06:00

I find it fitting to blog about finals week. Right now, at this moment, is my summer 2010 finals week. Instead of studying and killing myself trying to memorize formulas and vocabulary words, I'm going to blog about it. A little procrastination never hurt anyone....right?

DO wake up an hour before the test-for that extra cram session.

DON'T get on Facebook. You will end up stalking all 1,000 friends.

DON'T try and study in bed. Trust me, study time will turn into nap time REAL quick.

DON'T try and study with the TV on. I hate the Food Network...but for some reason even that station is more appealing than Operations Management...

DO invest in lots of caffeine. Diet Coke, RedBull, Rockstar...whichever you prefer. I read once that if you study on caffeine, you have to take the test on caffeine. Some psychology

B.S. I'm sure...but hey...I'm not one to risk it.

DO remember to make sure that calculator works (Trust me on this one. A Calc final with a dead calculator is near impossible to pass)

DON'T waste time showering or getting ready in the morning. You'll make everyone else look bad. It's FINALS week. who cares what you look like? honestly.

DO eat before you take your final. Don't be THAT girl in the room who's stomach is growling so loud everyone can hear it.

DO pee before the test. That leg tapping will make you want to Christmas Tree the whole thing

DO Bring two pencils. I get so anxious and scared when I only have one...

DON'T try to hang out with friends/stay out late the night before. Well I guess I should reword this...DON'T do it more than once. Every college student should try it. It's a rush of adrenaline knowing you got two hours of sleep the night before...and even more of a rush when you ace that shiz. DO it Freshmen year...when nothing really matters. But be sure to take a double dose of caffeine in the morn.

DON'T smile. not once. I'm afraid if anyone from the business school catches a student smiling during finals week they will make sure it never happens again.

Now, I'm off to study for my Operations Management final... which commences tomorrow at 7:30AM.

Which makes me wonder, who ARE these people? The ones who make up the final schedule? 7:30AM? Really? I don't think I've woken up at 7:30AM since high school. And even then I would usually sluff first hour. 7:30? SEVEN THIRTY?? IN THE MORNING?? See...no smiles for me. Not even a small grin.

A wise woman once said...

2010-08-04T10:44:00.003-06:00

"I'm looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love"

-Carrie Bradshaw

Pi Beta Phi @ The U of U

2010-08-03T13:23:00.002-06:00

Check out Pi Beta Phi's blog. It is the cutest little blog I've ever seen.

http://piphilove.blogspot.com/

Fabulous job Molly!!!

News, News, News!

2010-07-30T22:24:00.004-06:00

Today at work I got a raise. I'm so happy/giddy/excited.

It was totally unexpected. A 25% increase is a big deal! I really do love my job. I've worked there for about 9 months. It's interesting & it teaches me so much about running a business. I've learned an indescribable amount in all fields of business-accounting, grant writing, management, etc. Best of all, my co-workers are amazing. Most all of them have their PhDs in some sort of pharmacy field-super smart. I literally learn something new everyday. It really does feel like another family to me.

I feel so lucky.

And so happy!

What's the rush?

2010-07-29T16:16:00.014-06:00

I wish I had something more to blog about than my future. Honestly, why do I always come back to this topic? I'm continually worried about life after college.

However, I did realize something the other day...

I should be enjoying every second of my current life. My roommate Molly and I came to a serious realization. After college...what is there? Work? Responsibility? ew.

No longer will my sole focus be me. Currently, I'm surrounded by my best friends. My days don't even begin until 11am. I have no one to answer to. I have a cook & maids. My biggest responsibility is getting my homework done. If I want to travel, I can. (Vegas, Cabo, etc) If I want to sit on the couch all day, I can. I don't pay for my gas. or my phone. I don't have a mortgage or student loans. Now is really the only time I can be selfish and direct my energy to my own passions. Pi Phi, skiing, golfing, learning, whatever I want.

Why do I feel so rushed to grow up? Why all this anxiety about the rest of my life?

I think starting now, I'm going to stop rushing and just start enjoying.

I don't mean this in a sense that I'm going to give up on my ambitions or what I want out of life. What I really mean is I'm going to stop worrying. I'm going to stop planning so much. I'm going to enjoy the ride and see where life takes me.

After all, I'm not going to get any younger. and life isn't ever going to be this fun.

If you need anymore proof of the statements above, ask me about my trip to Vegas last weekend. I saw Daniel Tosh from Tosh.0. I went to the clubs. I ate out. I was even invited to LeBron James' VIP lounge at the nightclub TAO. I honestly, truly do not think one person should have as much fun as I did.

I need to embrace my 20's & stop rushing into adulthood.

Because I can tell already that being "grown up" is overrated.

Where I belong.

2010-07-20T14:21:00.005-06:00

In THREE WEEKS I will be back where I belong: Pi Beta Phi!

I seriously cannot wait to move back into the sorority house. Living in my own apartment has made me realize just how good I have it in Pi Phi. We have a house mom who shops for us (all those late night runs for milk...no more!), a cook (I cannot wait to eat amazing food!!), and maids (cleaning the bathroom/shower/living area is not fun). Plus I am constantly surrounded by my best friends!! There is ALWAYS something to do/someone to talk to/do random-ness with.

I can't imagine living anywhere else during my college years. Living in Pi Phi is like a constant party/sleepover. Who wouldn't want to live with 20 of their closest friends?

The perks I am most looking forward to:

-Not shopping (weekly...ugh! And I always seem to forget something. Like paper towels or butter)

-Having a maintenance man who will fix things when they don't work (at the moment our shower isn't draining. If we lived in Pi Phi, this would have been fixed days ago!)

-Living on campus (no more U of U parking chaos)

-Entering the TV room and seeing 10 girls watching Snapped (why were we so into that show last semester? ew)

-Food..amazing food!!!

-Not having to vacuum, sweep, or pull out the 409 again!

Ahhh....Three weeks is TOO far away!! I may never leave Pi Phi again!!

Although I am a little worried for my future self. When I graduate from the U what is there for me? Certainly no house mom, cook, or maids.

I guess I'll worry about that when the time comes...and enjoy every second I have in the house!

Love or Obsession?

2010-07-19T16:55:00.003-06:00

Props to Molly Daines. You creative cat you.

Daniel. Tosh.

2010-07-09T21:47:00.009-06:00

I'm in love...with Daniel Tosh that is. His show Tosh.o is HILARIOUS, which is why I'm going to see it live in Vegas on July 24th. I'm road tripping with the girls. Ahhh...SO STOKED.

Tosh.0

He's 50 Tyson

www.comedycentral.com

Web Redemption

2 Girls, 1 Cup Reaction

Demi Moore Picture

Graduation Speech from Eclipse

2010-07-06T12:25:00.003-06:00

“When we were five, they asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Our things were answers like astronaut, president, or in my case, princess… When we were ten, they asked us again. We answered - rock star, cowboy, or in my case, gold medalist… But now that we’ve grown up, they want a more serious answer. Well, how about this… Who the hell knows? This isn’t a time to make hard and fast decisions. This is the time to make mistakes. Take the wrong train and get stuck somewhere chill. Fall in love - a lot. Major in philosophy because there’s no way to make a career out of that. Change your mind. Then change it again because nothing is permanent. So make as many mistakes as you can. That way, someday, when they ask again what we want to be… We won’t have to guess. We’ll know.”

I love this. It couldn't have been said any better.

Childhood in the 90s.

2010-07-02T14:25:00.008-06:00

I tend to dwell on the days of simplicity. The days when I spent all day at the pool, eating otter pops, and riding my bike around the neighborhood. The days I didn't have to worry about tomorrow...next month...or next year. I loved my childhood. And boy, do I miss it! I don't know why growing up seems so appealing...it really is overrated. I have many things to thank because of my awesome childhood...Ten toys/games come to mind when I reminisce on those good ol' days.

The Furby. Me and my sister both had one. We loved them! We took them everywhere-and I mean everywhere. I really do admire our parents for putting up with us-especially on road trips. Our Furbies would talk to each other and everything. I'm sure they got annoying. You would push their tongue to feed them. Sometimes late at night, our Furbies would randomly start chatting away. I'm surprised it didn't creep me out!

Ahhh. Giga Pets. In third grade I had about 5 of them. Someones would always go off in class...their pet would be hungry or need to be walked. Pretty soon the school banned us from having giga pets in the classrooms. Fun Ruin-ers.

My iPhone has about 15 games loaded onto it. Complete with color and touch screen. I even have The Sims 3 on it...but remember the days of snake? I could play this game for hours! Then Snake 2 came out and you could go through the walls. I still think this game is one of the ultimate best. I wonder if they have an app for that...

Napster. Enough said.

Polly Pocket! I'm sure I lost these little dolls all the time. They are so small! What a great idea tho...A house and dolls that fit in the palm of your hand. Oh I loved my pink Polly Pocket

BEENIE BABIES. Any store we went to i BEGGED my mom to buy me one. And of course they were sold in EVERY store imaginable. I had countless beenie babies...and was always sure they would be worth thousands one day. The bears were the best. I don't know where my collection went....but I sure am glad that obsession is over.

Please tell me you had the shoes with roller skates in them? Haha. Thinking back, this invention is hilarious. I remember kids skating down the hallways because they didn't want to walk. I loved my roller skate shoes. They were blue. When this obsession started, I despised anything with carpet! It ruined my style!

Jellies. So comfy. And they went with EVERYTHING. Too bad they broke so easily. And you could feel EVERYTHING you walked on. The rocks in my driveway? OUCH!

POGS. POGS. POGS. Me, my brothers, and my friends spent countless hours with Pogs. Playing them, trading them, buying them. I always liked when you played "for keeps" and got to keep the Pogs that flipped over. Then there were the Smashers. I had a black butterfly smasher and it lit up when it "smashed". It was awesome. I wish Pogs were still cool. I would def be playing. This game is timeless...

Paperboy! I loved playing this on my dad's computer. Recently, I got the game for my iPhone, but it isn't nearly as cool. You had to deliver papers and if you threw it at the wrong time you would break a window. Plus you had to dodge oncoming traffic!

Baltimore

2010-06-29T15:31:00.010-06:00

Visiting James this weekend in Baltimore was Amazing! I had so much fun! On Sunday we went to Washington, D.C. to see all the sights! As promised, here are pictures from my trip!

Our drive in...

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier! It was so cool! Every move was down to a Tee. As you can see, they have walked it so many times that the concrete is worn where they step. They do a solute every 30 minutes for an unknown soldier. We saw pictures of them doing this same ceremony in the 1950's...and they are still going strong!

This was my favorite! Abe was WAY bigger then I thought he would be!

Arlington Cemetery. It was sad to see how many people died at war. So many lost there lives for our freedom. It really makes you appreciate just what we have...

Washington Memorial. it was awesome! I just wonder WHY? why build it? It looks like it took FOREVER. and really, what's the point? I guess it looks cool...

Abe!

JFK Grave @ Arlington Cemetery

Last we went to the Holocaust Museum. It was so sad. I was literally depressed. The Jews went through so much! I can't believe some of the things they did to those people. Especially the medical experiments. Those were the worst! It was interesting to see how Hitler rose to power. After we left I told James we had to do something happy....so we got Molten Chocolate Cake at Chilis! :)

I am the saddest girl to be back in Utah. It was so nice to get away, relax, see the sights, and hang out with the boy. I couldn't have asked for a better weekend. It was absolutely perfect.

& I'm ready to be in Baltimore again. It's only been one day. boo!

The Perfect Saturday

2010-06-26T18:50:00.003-06:00

I've literally been relaxing all day. I'm currently in Baltimore, MD visiting James. During the day, he sells APX and I get the whole day to myself. It's been quite wonderful actually. My day went as follows:

8:00am Woke up & made pancakes
9:00am Went back to bed
1:00pm Woke up
1:15pm Met Kayli (James' sister-in-law) at the pool
4:00pm Left the pool
4:30pm Took a nap
6:00pm Woke up and took my online accounting test.

Pure perfection. After the stressful summer, this trip is just what I needed. I may never go back!

Tomorrow we are going to D.C. to see all of the museums/monuments/awesome-ness.

Pictures to come!

It's called obsession.

2010-06-22T12:56:00.009-06:00

Recent obsessions:

RedBull Sugarfree

Eyelash Extensions

The iPhone4. It is beautiful.

Words With Friends (add me! JillConrad)

Skype

Wedges

Cake Boss on TLC
Say Yes to the Dress on TLC

Zagg Skins for my iPhone

Lifting weights

Rethink Possible.

2010-06-20T12:36:00.004-06:00

I love this.

RIP Travis McPherson

2010-06-18T14:19:00.009-06:00

This is going to be hard for me to write, I know it already. Recently, a high school friend of mine passed away. He was in a car accident. He wasn't drunk. He wasn't texting. It was an accident-plain and simple. I've known Travis for awhile. My most distinct memories are the football and basketball games. Travis would always be out there with me-waving the TVHS flag while I held the spirit stick-or visa verse. He was filled with love, crazyness, and fun. There was never a dull moment when Travis was around. You know that class clown in school-the guy with all the smart ass remarks-that was Travis. He was always trying to make others laugh.

Twenty is so young. Travis didn't get to experience college graduation, buying a house, finding "the one", having kids, a career....life in general. I can't wrap my mind around this-and weeks have already passed. Why him? He was so full of life-had so much to offer-and he was twenty. This isn't how it's supposed to be. Dying is for the 70s and 80s. Dying happens after you've retired from work-living the carefree life of travel and bliss. It happens after you've seen your grandchildren graduate.

This is the second friend of mine to pass. It's hard to deal with. I had only seen Travis a handful of times since high school graduation. Since I go to school out of state, I hardly see anyone from Loveland. Yet, my mind is filled with distinct memories of random times with Travis-going to his house during lunch, spending class time laughing at his ridiculous jokes, a random party, and most of all-TVHS sports games.

I went through my old high school yearbooks-just to see his writing. Sure enough, there it was. Screaming out to me-filling my mind with memories and visions of Travis...It just doesn't feel real. It can't be real-he was so young.

Life is precious. At any moment, it can be taken from us. That's why I've come to realize- we must live everyday like it's our last. Spend time on things your passionate about-with those you truly care about. Live passionately, greatly, perfectly-every single day. Every day wasted is one we won't be able to have back. I'm determined to live my life to the fullest. Travis taught me many things-this is one of them.

RIP Travis. Look after all of us. Soon, we will meet again.

Travis W.McPHERSON , 20, of Loveland died June 3, 2010, due to an automobile accident in Berthoud.

He was born Feb. 15, 1990, in Longmont to William and Sandra (Wacker) McPherson. Travis graduated from Thompson Valley High School in 2008 and attended one year at Western State University.

He worked for Paratex Colo Inc. for three months doing industrial weed control. He liked spending time with his friends and family, going to drive-in theaters, camping, softball and all sports in general. Especially going to the Colorado Rockies games.

He is survived by his parents, Sandy McPherson of Loveland and Bill McPherson of Loveland; grandparents Weldon McPherson, Jacksonville, Ill., and Fred Wacker, Longmont; brothers, Justin Wacker, Loveland, and Jared Wacker, Longmont; many cousins, aunts, uncles; and all his special friends.

He was preceded in death by grandmothers Goldie McPherson and Betty Wacker.

Simple. Honest.

2010-06-17T14:46:00.007-06:00

Props to Le Love.

Believing Christ

2010-06-09T00:15:00.000-06:00

For those of you who don't know, I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (yes, I'm Mormon). I don't usually blog about spiritual matters. I find it to be difficult because it can be so controversial. However, today I'm going to overcome that fear. Most of this is due a girl I recently met on 20SB, Jamie. Her blog is called Spread Your Wings & Fly (check it out. you won't regret it) She blogs about her life but includes a variety of spiritual matters. To be honest, I was inspired. Her posts gave me courage. So before I chicken out, I'm going to blog about my current feelings.

On the plane ride home from Colorado I finished a book my bishop had given me to read. When he passed it on to me, I figured I would skim through to get the general idea of the book and report back. I certainly didn't think I would get captivated and read the book word for word.

The book he gave me was Believing Christ by Stephen Robinson. Not only was it enlightening, thought provoking, and encouraging, but I actually enjoyed reading it.

There are so many wonderful concepts in this book, I don't even know where to start. The main topic was grace/being saved by grace. It was about the atonement and repentance- something that I recently have dealt with a great deal. I could relate. Stephen does a wonderful job of making sense & getting his point across. His stories are ones that I could relate too. He knew his audience & spoke right to their hearts (well mine at least)

I'll stop rambling about how amazing this book was and give you a sneak peak of what the content was like:

"However the Lord does say to us, 'Given your present circumstances and your present level of maturity, you're doing a decent job. Of course it's not perfect, but your efforts are acceptable for the time being. I am pleased with what you've done."

"God knows our circumstances, and he judges us accordingly. He knows who is standing in a hole and who is standing on a chair, and he does not just measure height-he measures growth"

"According to the scriptures [Jesus] knows more of the dark side than any of us. In fact, he knows more about pain, grief, loneliness, contradiction, shame, rejection, betrayal, anguish, depression, and guilt than all of us combined"

These are random, I know, but for some reason each one of these passages stuck out to me. I'm certainly not perfect. I have had my struggles with the commandants and staying on the right path. I was inactive for my first year and a half of college to experience "normal life," so I told myself. I felt held back by the LDS church. I wanted to be free of expectations. I wanted to be rebellious. I wanted to make decisions based on what I wanted at the time-what do they call it? instant gratification? Yeah, I wanted that. I'm not mad at myself for this decision. I would never take back the experiences I had or the mistakes I made. In a way, they made me who I am today. Now I KNOW what I want. I KNOW who I want to be. I've learned for myself that the church is true-for that I am grateful. My testimony of the church is mine and mine alone. I've been on both sides of the spectrum. & I have no regrets. I've lived and experienced so much-all which have lead me to the conclusion that life with Christ, the gospel, and the LDS church makes me happier. Happy-there isn't another word. I feel peaceful & happy when I think of the life I'm living now.

Ok, back to the book...

What I love about this book is the reassurance that I'm not alone. Christ is there and knows everything I am going through, all the time. The book stresses the unconditional love the Savior has for us. No matter what we do- no matter how far we stray or how much we neglect him- he is always there with open arms.

I am so thankful for Him. I am so thankful for the atonement.

Trapped

2010-06-08T16:39:00.008-06:00

Trapped. The perfect way to describe my thoughts. All i seem to think about is my future. To a fault I analyze the things I am doing and how my future will play out.

I'm stressed.

What if I'm studying the wrong major? Instead of marketing, what if I'm supposed to be a doctor, reporter, or teacher? How do I know I will LOVE the marketing industry? What if I'm dating all the wrong boys? Should I study abroud? Intern at a firm? Double major? Grad school?

I think that I'm so preoccupied with these thoughts because everyone around me is getting married & finding a career-growing up. I graduate in one year. Twelve months. It seems so surreal that my college experience is almost over. Did I learn all I was supposed to? Did I take every opportunity I could to better myself-to learn about myself?
One of my favorite quotes is "Sometimes we need to stop analyzing the past, stop planning the future, stop figuring out precisely how we feel, stop deciding exactly what we want, and just see what happens"

Yet, this thinking is one I can't seem to grasp. I need to learn to just see what happens. Quit worrying about the future.

To a fault, I like to plan things. I have endless "To Do" lists, calendars, task lists, etc. But I can't plan for what I don't know. Truth is, I don't know how I'll feel in 3, 5, 10 years. There is NO way to know what will happen. I know in the end, everything will work out how it's supposed to. I just have to have faith that it will.

The Past Three Months.

2010-06-06T21:22:00.011-06:00

I really have no idea where to start. I haven't blogged in forever. Normally, I would have nothing to report-my life is pretty repetitive...school, work, pi phi...end of story. But for some reason these last three months have been dramatic. Dramatic in the sense that my life has done a complete 180. I doubt any truth still holds to my previous posts.

So, where to start?

I guess I'll start at the beginning...the beginning of it all.

I went to Cabo with friends for Spring Break...which feels like FOREVER ago..probably because it was. It was literally the BEST vacation I have ever been on. I am OBSESSED with Cabo. I plan on going back every year until I die...it was THAT fun. I even met Pi Phis from CU!

Vacation ended and sadly, I was back to reality. At this time, so many huge events occurred at once...

I broke up with Scott

I became Chapter President of Pi Beta Phi

I took my finals & passed my classes

I realized what I wanted out of life

I started summer school

I moved out of Pi Phi and into an apartment with Molly

Ok, so I guess a few things did stay the same. I'm still in school, still working, and still obsessed with Pi Phi. But, a lot of major events have occurred.

It's shocking to me how insanely happy I am. I've changed a great deal in these past few months. I feel like a whole different person. I promise to keep you up to date, little blog. Just know that I'm happier now than I have ever been. I can't wait to see what life has in store for me.

Here's a look at what else I've been up to (in no order...)

My boss hooked me up with Jazz tickets. Me & Molly enjoyed seeing the Lakers! We even met up with Ali (Pi Phi Alum).

We played powderpuff for a sisterhood! I was on the winning team...no big deal..

I went to Colorado && saw my BFF Jessica! Had the BEST weekend! I really do love & adore Jessica. She's more a soul mate than a best friend. We are SO alike it's insane. Our lives are parallel. I love having someone like her who seems to ALWAYS be going through the exact same things I am.

AJ got MARRIED!!! I'm so happy for her! She was a GORGEOUS bride <3

I went to Colo and waterskiied....in a wetsuit...in JUNE!

We had Greek Week at the U...and Pi Phi took SECOND! :D

Pi Phi Formal was insane & so much fun!! It was at the Raddison Hotel. I love seeing everyone dressed up. It was such a fun night! Leia did SUCH a good job planning it!

Aj had her bridal shower...where we made her a dress from tissue paper! Impressive..eh?

My besties!!!

Dad came into town for Parent's Weekend at Pi Phi! We played Poker & Blackjack & Roulette. It was so much fun!

Mom came to Pi Phi for Parent's Weekend. We had a delicious brunch!

Dad & me @ Pi Phi. I have the best dad in the whole world!

I met a boy named James...&& we went to some Jazz games! (thanks again to the boss!!)

My life, in short, has taken quite the turn. I'm excited to see what life brings next. Although, with all the good news and wonderful things that have happened, something bad is bound to happen. Let's just hope it's not for a long, long time!

Change

2010-03-09T17:11:00.002-07:00

"The key to change is to let go of fear"

Crossroad

2010-03-07T22:10:00.004-07:00

Have you ever had a decision to make? A really hard one. A decision you knew would impact not only yourself but those around you. A decision that would alter the world as you know it?

I'm having one of those.

My decision isn't the most life altering I will have in my life. It's not even that big of a decision. In fact, if I look at the big picture, this decision is so miniscule I feel weird bringing it up. At the same time it seems huge right now. If this decision didn't impact people around me, it would be so much easier.

I hate these kinds of decisions. The ones where you weigh the pros and cons and still have no idea what to do.

I just hope I figure it out soon.

I wish it was...

2010-03-02T16:48:00.002-07:00

Truth

2010-03-02T12:21:00.006-07:00

"I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing; kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

-Audrey Hepburn

24 Hours

2010-03-01T12:34:00.004-07:00

24 hours.

That's all it took for my life to completely change. 1440 minutes and my life is so different I can't even explain it.

They are good changes though. Everything that is going on with me right now, in a heart beat, could make me so depressed that I could stay in bed for months, but for some reason I'm seeing it all as positive. I don't know why this is happening. I don't know why at this moment, I decide to be strong and in control. But, I guess your mind does things it has to to survive. I think I like this side of me, the side that turns a blind eye to the sad, negative side and focuses on the good. All my mind is thinking about is the amazing things this change could bring.

Although many posts have been written about my feelings of not wanting to grow up, I realize it is something that must happen. I am 20 years old. I guess I should start being mature? I should start being a real adult and stop acting like a teenager. Just a thought...

I feel like my life all the sudden decided to spring clean. It got rid of things that for some reason, I no longer need. The weird part is, I don't even feel like anything is missing. I look at the future and realize that at one point or another, this would have happened, why not now?

I feel anxious and excited. There are a lot of things changing and I know that it will not only enable me to grow up, but also become someone better. I'm actually relieved that all of this happened at once.

I'm seeing everything so clearly. My life can be so much better then it was before.

She's here!

2010-02-25T14:31:00.004-07:00

Oh my! I must share with you my precious niece Emilee Ayn Jones! She was born Feb. 10, 2010 6lbs 9 oz and 19 inches long! I even got to be at the hospital when Cassie finally popped! I'm so proud of my sister! She's going to be an amazing mother. Emilee is the cutest baby I have EVER laid eyes on...I'm sure you'll agree. How could you not?

She's so adorable I can hardly stand it!

My crazy life.

2010-02-25T11:35:00.006-07:00

I almost forgot you existed little blogspot. Life has been so crazy lately, I haven't had time to breathe-let alone blog! I didn't think my life could get any crazier. Boy, was I was wrong!

School is more demanding then ever right now, it's hard to believe it's going to get worse. The business school is much harder then I imagined. When you enter the business school at the University of Utah, you don't just learn about your field of interest (in my case accounting and marketing), but you learn about all aspects of business. I'm taking management, IT, accounting, etc. My degree doesn't just cover accounting and marketing-it covers everything involved in the business world. I'm not sure why I have to take IT classes or entrepreneur classes. I don't really care about RAM, cashe, or database design. I didn't know fully what I was getting into. A business major is tough.

I do love my accounting class. The rules and organization are interesting to me. The concepts are hard and I have to study a lot, but I feel like I picked the right major.

Work is good, but crazy. Not only do I do the bookkeeping, QuickBooks, and pay bills for the company, but I also do ordering for the lab, write press releases, and schedule our consultant's trips. This job has enabled me to grow so much in business already. I actually learned how to set up an Ethernet system and how to reconcile bank statements. This job is a little like the business school. I do the IT stuff, the marketing, and the accounting. I get a little bit of each aspect of business everyday I come into the office. I can't believe how lucky I've been.

Recently, I became Vice President of Finance in Pi Phi, which in reality is treasurer. This job is another that surprised me. I wanted to be VPF so that I would be free of the planning, of getting people to realize the importance of attendance, and so I would have less responsibility. Again, I was wrong on that part. VPF is a constant job. Unlike the other positions I have had, I constantly have things to do as VPF. I pay the bills, track the budget, ensure girl's are paying on time, and do reimbursements. On the bright side, this position is great experience for my major and I am understanding finances much more. Plus, it will be great for my resume. I can't imagine not being on exec in Pi Phi. I have such a love for the organization. Plus, this position has given me the ability to understand how Pi Phi works on the business side, which is extremely interesting!

My days are packed full. I go to morning classes, work, then night classes. I hardly have time for anything. Then again, I have always been one who likes a busy life. I never thought life could get too busy for me and as of now, I don't think it is. But add one more thing on my plate and I will be getting NO sleep!

On a positive note- my New Year's Resolutions are going great! I'm working out at least 3x a week I've even lost 7 pounds!!, I'm studying more, and I'm hanging out with the girls more (with the little time that I have!)

Emilee

2010-01-19T16:44:00.007-07:00

I love her and I've never even met her. She makes me happy, giddy, and joyful all at once. I've never seen her, but I know she's gorgeous. She's tiny, that much I know. I don't know what she likes to do, but I know she's smart and special.

Little Emilee.

I am so excited for her arrival. The thought makes my heart race and my smile so big my cheeks hurt. It's so close I can almost taste it...

My sister is due on Feb. 14th. Less then one month away. She's going to be such a great mom (&& defiantly a hot one!) Cassie is the cutest little pregnant woman ever! Not for long though...Emilee is almost here!

I can't wait to see the lil thing! The anticipation is killing me! But soon enough I will be playing with her any chance I get

&& She's going to be the most beautiful little girl that has even been on this earth.

Did I mention that I was going to spoil lil Emilee? Yeah, I'm going to spoil that little girl rotten.

Tumblr Try

2010-01-09T16:12:00.002-07:00

I'm giving Tumblr a try. Will it replace itsjillianbconrad.blogspot.com? Most likely not. It is very different from Blogspot. It's more like a facebook blog, the live newsfeed present and all. But it does use social media like no domain I have ever seen. All of the best aspects of twitter, facebook, blogging, etc. are used. You can even record a post on your phone and send it to Tumblr as a voice post, pretty awesome. We'll see how the trial goes....

I named it The Glisten. I want to focus on the happy, shinning moments of life. Fill it with happiness and discovery; peace and enjoyment. & it's perfect because as of 2010, that's what my life will consist of.

....let me know what you think...

http://theglisten.tumblr.com/

Age

2010-01-09T14:35:00.002-07:00

Sixteen.

One-six.

The age that people seem to think I am. Seriously, everywhere I go people are in disbelief when I tell them I am 20.

I even got carded trying to buy my brother a video game at GameStop.

And just today my nail technician told me she wouldn't have guessed me to be any older then 16.

At this moment in time, I take it a bit harshly. I want to look older. Like an ADULT at least...

I guess I have the future to look forward too...perhaps when I'm 40 I'll look 30.

Goodbye 09, Hello 10!

2010-01-01T14:35:00.008-07:00

&& 2010 began the right way.

With the most gorgeous girls

Pi Phi Pledge Class 2008. These girls are my family <333

&& the bff Brie. What's a party without her?

So far, it looks like 2010 is going to be a great year. I can't wait to see what happens in these next 365 days.

Memories of 2009

2009-12-29T12:16:00.031-07:00

2010 is so close I can taste it. I feel now is the best time to reminisce on 2009. 2009 was a good year for me, a great year actually. It was truly one of the most successful. Maybe after all this, you'll see why.

New years, 2009. I spent it with my Pi Phi sisters...

I was the Maid of Honor at my sister's wedding. ((gorgeous bride))

Me, Aj, and Molly went and saw Lily Allen...best concert of my LIFE!

We had spring rush at Pi Phi...

And PC08 grew!

I went to Beta Formal

We made over $1400 for our philanthropy in Pi Phi ((Literacy))

We had Pi Phi's Date Night. We dressed 80's..

Went roller skating..

And lazer tagging...

I ran for Student Government at the University of Utah...and made it!!! ((Assembly))

I got to see my BEST FRIEND numerous times...even though she's at school in TX and I'm in UT.

I went to Huntington Beach for the 4th of July with AJ

The Betas went to the Zoo

Oh...and the Pi Phi's tagged along :)
(see the cute giraffe?)

I spent the summer with my sisters..

And the Beta brothers...

I went to Bear Lake with my awesome family

Got to chill with my daddy

PC09 was born. 28 New Pi Phi Angels! I love them all!

I got a lil sis, Abby (to the left of me) and our Pi Phi Family CR grew! **This is our whole CR family...i love these women**

We went to some frat parties...

I moved into Pi Phi and did everything with these girls ((Including root for the UTES!))

I went to Sigma Chi Bid Day Party && danced the night away with the best girls

Me and Molly lived together in the summer && in the fall. We became besties :)

I learned self defense with the Pi Phis ((Don't mess with us))

I had an amazing bday....thanks to my sisters

We had Abduction!

Scott was a Dr. & I was a nurse

Scott & I went Beta Formal &&

I had a great time with my hot bf && gorgeous sisters...

I became good friends with these girls....
(&& we're from 3 different sororities)

GFC!!!!

I went to some holiday parties...

I went to Loveland for Christmas Break

Did I mention I got to see my BFF? ...yeah...I got to see her..

I got a 3.95 for Fall 2009 && made the Dean's List again!!!!

Successful? I sure think so...

Winter Break. Hallelujah.

2009-12-15T15:04:00.007-07:00

finals are over. winter break is here. i'm celebrating

skiing

late nights

snow angels

no homework

waking up at noon

singing christmas songs

opening presents

driving around looking @ the lights

christmas stories

cuddling by the fire with my boyfriend

making snowmen

sledding

ringing in the new year

board games

spending time with my family

sugar cookies

hanging with the girls

christmas movies

ginger bread houses

kissing my boyfriend in the cold

reading

hot coca

shopping

nights spent watching movies

no cares

no worries

just lots and lots of fun & relaxation

The Truth About Girls

2009-12-13T16:41:00.006-07:00

So...I found this online and thought I'd share. It is hilarious/so true :)

The Truth About Girls....<3

-Midol is like crack. end of story.

-We love Ben & Jerry's more than you.

-We're always right even when we're wrong.

-It takes at least an hour to look this good.

-We'll never be too old for sleepovers.

-We must go to the bathroom in groups.

-We should never be used as objects.

-Sometimes is just quite never enough.

-"fine" never means anything good.

-We are not ashamed of crying.

-We wish boys still had cooties.

-Gossip isn't a sin. It is an art.

-Being "beautiful" is way better then being "hot"

-We have this thing called feelings - don't hurt them

-Behind EVERY b**ch there's a guy who made her that way

-Hoes over bros. no questions asked.

- we don't wake up looking pretty..it takes time and effort. for most.

- we need girls nights OFTEN...

- we hold grudges and we never forget things you say to us that hurt

-It doesn't matter who dumped who or why...whenever we see an ex with another girl , it will always bother us. not because we're not over you but just because we know we used to be that girl

- Makeup can hide so many things from puffy eyes from crying to huge scars from a broken heart

- no guy wants to marry a whore... well no good girl wants to marry a manwhore either.

- never ever ask a girl what she weighs, or imply anything about our weight being too much or too little, just don't do it.

- our eyes are located in our heads, not our chest

-Our three favorite words: Let's go shopping.

-We win the arguments.

-We love our best friends more than our boyfriends.

-We create drama.

-We forgive but don't forget.

-"Luv ya" isn't the same as "love you".

-We love to cuddle.

-If you take our chocolate, we will get ugly.

-Never mess with us while we're PMSing.

-We love the little things.

-We love to sing in the shower.

-We travel in packs.

-My heels may look hot but they hurt like crap.

-We are never to old to play "dress up".

Recently...

2009-12-11T00:28:00.008-07:00

My smile has faded. Dark circles are beginning to find a home under my eyes. I haven't worn jeans in days. My breakfast, lunch, and dinner consist of extreme amounts of caffeine. I twitter about fiscal policy and deficits. I can't remember the last time I washed my hair. Suddenly WebCT is the new Facebook. Graphs and vocab words are bouncing around in my head.

Must be finals week.

2010.

2009-12-06T17:37:00.006-07:00

I know that New Years is still pretty far away but I've begun to brainstorm some New Year's Resolutions. Surly I will have a more concrete list when the day finally comes. But I figured I might as well write them now while I'm thinking of it. In the year 2010 I will..

Work out. I wonder just how many people write this for their New Years resolution. I'm guessing it's probably one of the most popular. Am I jumping that bandwagon? eh, I wouldn't say so. I do feel better when I finally do make it to the gym, it's getting there that's the hard part. I just need motivation, which actually shouldn't be that difficult for me, considering the boyf goes 5x a week. But my motivation is myself, not him. I'd like to look good, feel good, and increase my health...for me.

Volunteer. In high school, I was at the hospital for 4 hours every week, I organized blood drives, and spent a great deal of my time volunteering. In the transition from Colorado to Utah, high school to college, the time I spent volunteering disappeared. I'm going to find that time and volunteer again. I truly miss it.

Study. Even when I don't have to.

Disregard first impressions. They are usually wrong anyways. I feel like there are amazing people out there that I never really gave a chance to. Who knows what kind of friends I could have had if I hadn't been so quick to judge.

Family. I should give more time to my family. Drew is about to graduate and who knows how long him or Dayne will be in Utah. I shouldn't take that time for granted. When they move, I know my heart will break. All I can do is make the most of the time now, when we are all in the same state. Same goes for my cousins!

Grudges. I want to let go of every grudge I've ever had. Start new. I don't want to waste my time hating and disliking. There are too many wonderful and lovely things in my life.

Those three words. I should say "I love you" more to the people who I care about. My family, sorority sisters, and friends, because they should always know just how much they mean to me.

These are just a couple of ideas :)

Living the Dream

2009-12-02T20:55:00.007-07:00

I don't know how it is possible. Somehow it just happened. My life, at this moment, is exactly how I imagined it. I must have hit some sort of lucky streak, because everything is perfect. I guess I'm just grateful for how everything is coming along. Growing up, I never really knew what to expect at college, but I don't think I could have dreamed up something better then my reality.

I love my sorority. (ok, I've told you that a million times) But really, those girls mean the world to me. I recently became VP Fiance of the house, meaning I am in charge of all the bills, dues, and well...finance stuff :) This is the position I really wanted. It will be amazing experience and a great addition to my resume!

I recently got a new job as an Executive Assistant for a biomedical engineering company. This job has been an extraordinary addition to my life. I do the bookkeeping, scheduling, press releases, errands, etc. I have even learned how to run QuickBooks! I am so lucky to have this job. It's only 20 hours a week and the pay is amazing, I'm even on salary :) I have already learned so much about running a small company and I know that I have so much more to learn, which I am so eager to do. It's such a great change of pace to be working somewhere where I learn in the field I want to go into, where everyday is different, and where I am constantly challenged.

My boyfriend, Mr. Scott Eaton recently turned 20. I am no longer dating a teenager :) We went to Beta Formal about a week ago. Here are some pics to enjoy...

School is almost outttt!!! Only two week of term and then it's winter break!! My classes are going really well. I think I'll finish out with a 3.8 or higher. Which gives me a bigger reason to LOVE my life. Me and Scott are going to Colorado for 5 days to see the fam. I'm so excited to show him the places that I grow up, show him Chocolate (my horse!), and go skiing with my dad.

Basically, I'm living the dream. And I hope this lasts for a long, long time :)

Marketing. It's what I want to do.

2009-11-16T20:56:00.005-07:00

Oh how I wish it was this easy.

I'm only a sophomore, true. But knowing what I want to do with my life hangs over me everyday. Everywhere I go I feel like I need to figure out what my future holds. I get asked everyday what I want to do with my life. My professors ramble on about the best careers to have in this economy. I even dream about what my future will hold after college. These two years have gone by so fast, it almost frightens me. Life after college? Not a fun thought!

Today at Pi Phi we had a lady come from the Career Services Center to talk to us about what they offer, which is amazing by the way. Resume writing, interview training, mentors, they have it all! But this whole presentation got me thinking...I have two years until I graduate. Which means I need to have set in stone what I want to do...like...now. I mean, if I change my mind on my major I think I'll add at least another year and a half on to schooling. I've concentrated so much on the business school requirements that it left me no room for classes outside the assigned pre-business plan. And I'm just now realizing that I better be sure this is the path I want to take.

In high school I was more then obsessed with being involved in school. I think I was a member of almost every club offered at TVHS. In the end, it proved to pay off. DECA, an association of marketing students, became a major passion of mine and drove me to study marketing in college. It's funny that I joined the club for the free trip to New York, where we got to tour the most amazing marketing companies in the city. I never would have guessed that DECA would do to me what it did. I even became a Colorado State Officer where I was given the opportunity to work with over 6,000 DECA students across the state. DECA enabled me to grow and learn something I loved. Learning the principals of marketing and competing in marketing competitions became a passion. Better yet, it became my future. I couldn't study marketing enough. Time would fly by as I learned concepts and studied people, what would sell to who. Marketing enabled me to be organized and imaginative at the same time. I could express my thinking and creativity skills. I could sell products without having to talk to a single person. Advertising instantly became my goal. It's funny how much a club in high school can mold you. Without DECA, I doubt the marketing field would have ever entered my mind. I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow with DECA. Looking back, it shaped my entire life into what it is today. What I aim for in college.

The Colorado State DECA Officers

I love the business classes. Foundations of Business Thought, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, IS, etc. I love them all. I really do think this is the field I want to go into. And what helped most? I took a survey online from the Career Services Center that is supposed to tell you what you would do best in with your personality. Guess what the answer came to be? Marketing. It may sound silly, but I was just looking for reassurance that this is the right thing to do. Then again, I can't see myself doing anything but this for the rest of my life. I want a career I'm proud of. A career I enjoy and believe in. For me, it's marketing.

I'm feeling a lot better about this whole figuring out my life thing. Which is such a relief. I can finally breathe and enjoy the adventure of learning all I can about marketing. Hopefully one day, I'll have a big office in an advertising agency. I guess I have awhile until that day comes. :)

<3

2009-10-31T16:53:00.002-06:00

I found this...so cute <3

Pi Phi Love

2009-10-21T21:13:00.009-06:00

I realize that I ramble on and on about my sorority, but it is SO amazing & it's kind of hard not to. I never imagined being part of an organization that would become as close as family to me. It's the staying up all night talking, the random movie nights, the boy drama, & the study sessions. These girls aren't just my friends, they really are family. I can honestly say that I made the most important and life altering choice when I pledged Pi Phi. I have told people numerous times that the best decision I ever made was pledging Pi Beta Phi. I stand by that statement. These girls aren't fake. They aren't the type who talk behind my back or want to see me fall. They are girls that want the best for me, that encourage me, support me, and enjoy my company. Living in the house has been another decision that I am patting myself on the back for. I LOVE having daily girl's nights, eating lunch with my sisters, and getting ready for parties together. I love living with these girls. I cannot imagine living with anyone but my sisters. It's like a constant reminder of how lucky I am for the friends & family I have.

People often speak badly upon sororities. These people do not grasp the concept of sororities. They don't understand us or our bond. Pi Phi was the first sorority & originated in 1867. The rituals we do and the secrets we keep have been kept for over a hundred years. I am so proud to be part of an organization that is so strong and focused on supporting & empowering women. It's comforting to know that I have sisters all over the country!!

These girls will be there for me through anything. No matter what is going on, I know that I always have someone to count on. Pi Phi is an organization based on sincere friendship, community service, integrity, honor & respect, intellectual & personal development, and lifelong commitment. It is an organization that pushes me to be a better woman and enables me to meet the most amazing women at the U while doing so.

Pi Phi is the biggest part of my college life. These girls have changed my life. They are the girls who will be at my wedding, who I talk to when life is going rough, and who understand my actions-whether they are admirable or not. It's amazing to have such a support system.

I wish I could explain how much I adore the women in my sorority. I have never gotten in a huge fight with a Pi Phi. I have never felt intimidated, sad, or upset because of something one of my sisters has done. This is because we are all here for the same reasons- to bond as sisters, to protect the heritage of Pi Beta Phi, to graduate college, & to live life to its fullest. We have been through so much together--why would we fight? The future is bright for Utah Alpha Pi Phis. We are bonded together forever. What an amazing thought! My pledge class contains the girls who I am closest to in life. PC08 is more then family to me, a word does not even exist that explains my love for them. ((Remember the Christmas party, our sleepover before initiation, I-week, initiation, beta ski trip, pledge meetings, movie nights, date night, jerk boyfriends and bee-yatches that betrayed us, beta formal, & our first abduction--those memories brought us close, made us family. PC08 I Love You!))

If you have the opportunity to rush, do it. I have nothing bad to say about my house. My little girl, when I have one, will be a Pi Phi for sure. I can't wait to continue the legacy of a Pi Phi angel. College without Pi Phi would be like life without love. And who would ever want to go through life like that?