Tis The Season..

I know this is going to sound cliche, but Christmas is definitely my favorite time of year. At this very moment I'm sitting in the living room next to the Christmas tree (which actually looks good for once unlike the Charlie Brown tree we had last year) and soaking up the delicious smells that only real Christmas trees can make. My mom is in the kitchen cooking gingerbread men and cussing them because their arms or legs or heads keep falling off and I'm the lucky one who gets to eat the ones that look more like sumo wrestlers or lumpy snowballs. 

So here I sit. Eating deformed gingerbread cookies while Becky is doing Tae Bo and trying to make me feel guilty because I chose to eat cookies instead of workout. I still think I chose the better way. But as I'm sitting here I can't help but think of my favorite Christmas memories.

Before I left Pocatello for my LONG holiday break my visiting teachers came and gave my roommate and I a Christmas lesson. When they were done they asked us if we had any favorite Christmas stories we wanted to share. My mom tells us the story of the Buttercup Christmas every Christmas Eve so I decided I would tell that story. But when I started to tell it I realized I don't have a clue how it goes! All I know is that there is a cow named Buttercup in it and two little boys. And that it's a true story from someone that used to live in Dayton when my mom was a little girl. 

So obviously I'm bad at paying attention, because I should really be able to tell that story by now, but my favorite stories aren't the ones that other people tell. My favorite stories are the ones from my own life. I remember one year my parents had NO money because my sister Emmalee was getting a major surgery two days after Christmas and it was going to cost a lot of money. My mom had already told me that there wouldn't be much money for any Christmas presents, and sadly I have to admit that I had a bad attitude about it. 

On Christmas morning I slept in longer than I ever had on Christmas, because if there weren't going to be any presents I wasn't going to get excited about anything. Then my sisters came and woke me up and we went down stairs and there were PRESENTS there! I was so surprised because my mom had specifically told me there wouldn't be any money for that sort of thing this year. But without really thinking twice about it I opened my presents and thanked my parents.

Later that day though, I got the best present of all. I was helping my mom with dinner and I mentioned something about how surprised I had been to see all of the presents that morning. She then got a serious look on her face and told me that she hadn't bought the presents. My sister had felt guilty that we weren't going to have any Christmas presents because of her surgery, so she had bought most of my presents. She didn't want me to know, but she taught me an important lesson that year.

We've never had a lot of money to spend on presents in my family. In fact most of my friends usually end up with at least one present out of the many they received that year that costs more than all of my presents combined. But that year I learned that presents aren't what matter on Christmas. The important thing is that I get to be with people that love me on the most special day of the year.  Emmalee didn't just give me presents that year, she gave me the gift of love-and you can't put a price on that.

One of my favorite Christmas stories is How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. After the Grinch has stolen all of the Whos presents and happy little Christmas things and is about to throw them off a cliff, he hears the Whos singing! The nerve of the Whos to sing when they don't have any presents!

"And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."

Christmas isn't about what we get. Christmas is about what we give. It's about the love that we share and the acts of service that are selflessly given. It's about the spirit that comes to all of us when for one day out of the year we spend more time thinking about others than ourselves. It's about the memories we make.  And the best presents I've ever received didn't come from a store. So Merry Christmas to everyone, and may we all remember what the Grinch learned on that Christmas morning in Whoville. "What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, MEANS A LITTLE BIT MORE." MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Back To Blogging...

So obviously I slacked on my 30 day blog challenge. Writing a blog ended up causing me way more drama than I had ever anticipated. There are some things I expected from writing a blog. Gratitude from those people who have been wondering what has been happening in my life and finally have a way of knowing? Yes. Admiration for my ability to write and express myself? Yes (and I realize that sounds a little shallow...but what everyone else needs to realize is I already know that. I like to call it sarcasm.) But did I ever expect drama over the things or the people that I do or don't talk about in my blog? No. I can't say I ever saw that one coming.

Well, after the first few weeks of blogging I decided it was causing me more stress than enjoyment and gave it up, but now I'm really just to the point that I don't care anymore. I started to notice that some people actually did care what I was doing, and they actually noticed when I stopped blogging. I have one friend who I guess you could say I've fallen out of touch with. Don't get me wrong I still love the girl to death but over the past couple years we haven't been very good at communicating. Anyways, the girl actually called me to make sure I was ok because she got worried when I hadn't blogged in a week!

I realize it sounds stupid, but that's what I needed to hear. I know there aren't a lot of people who read my blog, and I really don't care about that. What I do care about, is that there was somebody reading my blog who cared more about me than about what I was writing in it.

My brother started writing a blog a few weeks ago, and at the end of his first post he apologized to his family because "we don't really know him." That reminded me of the reason I started writing in the first place. There aren't a lot of people that I would say REALLY know me. Sure, there are lots of people who think they do, but the sad truth is I've become a way better actor over the years then you'd think.

Some people would say I'm conceited, because heaven forbid I like to talk about myself. But to be honest, most of the things I say that sound conceited are said by a girl who is just trying to convince herself that maybe some of those things are true.

Some people would tell you I'm over-the-top competitive, and I'll admit that I do like to compete, but what they don't know is that the reason I'm always pushing myself so hard is because if I push hard enough sometimes the physical pain it causes me is enough to take my mind off of the pain and the guilt I'm already feeling. Guilt over things I've done, guilt over the things I wasn't brave enough to do.

Anyways, you're probably wondering where I'm going with this, and I swear it does have a point. The point is that I wanted to thank those people who have taken the time and the effort to get to know me. I realize that sometimes the reason people don't get to know me is because I don't let them in, but most of the time the reason people don't know me is because they don't try very hard.

So thanks to those people who have made it a priority to get to know me. Thanks to the people who call, text, or talk to me because they are honestly interested in how I am and what I'm doing. Thanks to those people who will instigate a conversation, instead of waiting for me to do it all the time. Thanks to the people who notice when I'm down and who care enough to ask why. Christmas is the season of giving, and those people have given me more than I ever even wished for.

Blog Challenge Day 13

Day 13- A Letter To Someone Who Has Hurt You Recently

This isn't really easy for me to do, because I really don't get "hurt." I can get really annoyed sometimes, but as far as getting offended and holding grudges, that's really not me. So here goes my best try on this letter thing...

To the people who enjoy raining on my parade: I'm well aware that 90% of the things I talk about doing are not humanly possible. I also realize that most things that happen in movies and on TV shows, wouldn't really happen in real life. But is it wrong that I still enjoy watching a movie where everyone is happy and life goes right all of the time? Or that I like imagining how cool life could be if I could really pull off all of that stuff I think about doing? No. It's not wrong. It's not hurting any of you. So please, for your own sake, stop raining on my parade before I snap. Cuz that ain't pretty. 

To the people who have used me: Congratulations. You have successfully managed to fool me into trusting you. I'll admit that in the past I would easily trust people. I guess I just have a habit of believing in the best in people. But you were especially good. You we able to lure me into your little trap, and trick me into confiding in you and sharing times with you that I thought would end up being a special memory. And in the end all I was left with was emptiness. Time wasted with someone that I thought was special. Someone who I thought could be trusted. But it turns out that the trick is on you, because I don't trust people that easily anymore. And when it comes to you, you lost your chance. Sure I can forgive you, and to be honest I already have. But just because I've forgiven you, doesn't mean I will ever have to trust you again. 

To the people who have built themselves up by tearing me down: I bet you think you're pretty special. You managed to make yourself feel good by walking over me. You got the best of me and then left me there to deal with the what I was left with. Well, once again, the joke is on you. You may think that by walking over me you were getting yourself somewhere, but the truth is, every time you've tried to tear me down, all you've succeeded in doing is making me stronger. 

And last but definitely not least...

To the people who have pretended to be my friend:  You may think that because I'm only 20-that because I'm not as old as you or don't have as much "life experience" as you do that I don't know what a friend is. You may think that I don't notice the way you use me when it is most convenient for you, because I smile and agree with you and do whatever you ask me to do. You may think that I think you are a good friend. But the truth is, I notice it all. I notice when you use me. I notice when you talk about me behind my back but still act like you're the world's best friend to my face. I notice when you pick up your phone and look through your contacts, wishing you were spending time with somebody else. I notice when the only time you ever want to hang out, is when you can't find something better to do.

In all honesty, the prize goes to you, because out of everybody you're the one who has hurt me the most. You are the one I really cared about, and for awhile, I honestly believed that you cared too.  But I've got news for you. There are people that have taught me what a real friend is supposed to be. I've got people who honestly care about me, the things I do, and are more worried about my well being than they are about their own agenda. So I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasted so much time trying to turn you into the friend I hoped you would be. I'm sorry I spent so much time doing things for you even when I knew the only reason you asked is because you knew I was the only one who would do it. I'm sorry I let you use me and gave you so much trust. And I'm sorry I can't be there for you anymore. Because being your friend has been a mistake. I guess it's true though, you can't change people...and thank heavens for that, because I would have been devastated if you would've succeeded in your plot to change me.

Blog Challenge Day 12

Day 12- How You Found Out About Blogs and Why You Made One

I'm pretty sure I found out about blogs the same way everybody else does. I have a few friends and family members that have blogs and after reading theirs for awhile, I decided I would get one too.

I got a blog because I really like to write. I've always enjoyed writing-well, at least when I was writing about a topic of my choice (I can't say I ever liked being forced to write papers in English)-and I've also always enjoyed talking about myself, so this just seemed like a win-win situation for me.

Also, I used to be really good at calling people. I would call or text people at LEAST once a week and I would get all caught up on their lives and they would get caught up on mine, but this year I've really starting slacking on that. Keeping in touch with everyone I need to has become much more difficult than it used to be, so I made this blog so that if they wanted to know what I was doing, they could find out.

Blog Challenge Day 11

Day 11- Another Picture of You and Your Friends

Well, seeing as how day 3 of this blog challenge was ALSO a picture of me and my friends and I already went through and said how awesome they all are, I'll just let the pictures do the talking this time. I love all of you guys, and seeing as how Thanksgiving is around the corner, just know I am thankful for every single one of you in my life. Thanks for everything!

People wish they were this cool...

We graduated...surprisingly enough:)

 We go ice skating...

We go to HUGE bonfires (this picture doesn't give it much credit)...

 We go jeeping in 100 yr old vehicles without doors and cook man food in the wilderness (over fires we start by ourselves)...

We go to restaurants even when we look like butt...

 We go sledding in huge death tubes...

 We make our own clothing...

We float down icy rivers with scary rapids and waterfalls...

And we hang like monkeys from tractors at random tractor stores on Garret Drive.

Like I said...people WISH they were as cool as us.

What would you do for...a friend like that?

I know I already blogged today, but being the no-life-on-sundays kinda girl that I am I decided I would get back on blogspot and do a little blog stalking. What I found was that my best friend got in a car accident yesterday and could have been seriously injured or worse...

She wrote me something on facebook a little earlier that said something like, "I got in an accident so you should be grateful that I'm still alive and come hang out with me on Tuesday." And to be honest when I read that my first thought was, "Yeah, ok Kelsey. Sure you got in a car accident. Kinda like the time you high centered your car on the curb when we were spinning cookies in the school parking lot. Nice try on the guilt trip though."

That was my exact thought, so you can probably imagine what a jerk I felt like when I was reading her blog tonight and discovered that she actually was in a legitimate car wreck. Don't fret, she's ok. But as I was reading her post about what happened I couldn't help but imagine what COULD'VE happened....and it scared me to death.

I met Kelsey when I was 4 years old. She lived right across the street from me and she would stand in her front yard and yell at me until I would come over and play. We were together almost every single day until the horrible day when her family moved to Weston. I remember looking at her empty house after she moved and thinking my life was over.

Luckily though, life still went on, and I still got to spend quite a bit of time with her. We founded clubs together, pretended we were animals for almost a good year of our lives, thought we were going to create an animal shelter when we grew up, got banned from almost every game we played (even the ones we made up) because we played too rough, and so much more.

She taught me about the birds and the bees! She has a laugh that lights up a whole room. She's the kind of friend that I could tell anything to, but we could also spend three hours together and not say a word and still know that everything is ok. She has been there with me through the worst moments of my life, and she's been there through the best moments too.

Every single time I wanted to do something stupid or wreckless in high school, she was by my side. And when I was feeling lazy, she would hang out with me and eat cold cereal, even though she probably wished we could do something fun and exciting instead.

When my Grandma died on my 17th birthday, she let me cry into her shoulder while her and Shayla were TRYING to throw me a party. She has been more of an example to me than she will ever even know. She knows me better than I know myself, but she still loves me anyways! She is more like me than anyone else I know, and even though we've gone our separate ways, we have never grown apart.

She texted me the other night at like 11:00 and randomly asked me if I would come to her wedding if "she ever gets married." First off, Kelsey, don't be such a dummy. OF COURSE you will get married! You're a catch! Any guy would be lucky to have you. And secondly, just try and stop me from coming;)

As much as I hate to think about this, one day there will be a time when I will have to watch you marry someone who has become your NEW best friend, but I'll be happy on that day. I'll be happy that you're happy. I feel so blessed that when I was four years old I met someone who defined what a friend is supposed to be.

We promised when we were 4 that we would be best friends forever. And I just want you to know that I am so thankful for you in my life. I'm glad you're ok. And tell Brian I said thanks.  It takes a special guy to be able to calm you down in a crisis...especially one where you lose a favorite accessory:)

 

Blog Challenge Day 10

Day 10- Songs You Listen To When You Are Bored, Happy, Sad, Mad, Hyped...

First off, I love music! There is a quote I heard once that said, "My favorite song will tell you more about me that my mouth ever could," which for me would be a lie because my mouth will pretty much tell you exactly what I think and why, but I still like this quote anyways. Anyone who has been reading this blog would notice that pretty much every post I've written, besides the blog challenge days, have been inspired by a song. Music inspires me to do so many different things, and I've always been the kind of person that listens to music that compliments my current mood.

So here goes...

Songs I listen to when I'm BORED....

Linkin Park- What I've Done

Weather Girls- It's Raining Men

Blue October- Quiet Mind

Switchfoot- Twenty-four

Flyleaf- There For You

Rise Against- Swing Life Away

Beck- Loser

Johnny Preston- Running Bear

Wallflowers- One Headlight

Dynamite Hack- Boyz In The Hood

Songs I listen to when I'm HAPPY...

Five For Fighting- 100 Years

Beach Boys- Wouldn't It Be Nice

Tim McGraw- When The Stars Go Blue

Coldplay- Viva la Vida

Quietdrive- Time After Time

Keane- Somewhere Only We Know

Lady Antebellum- Perfect Day

Paramore- The Only Exception

Eric Clapton- More Than Words

New Found Glory- Kiss Me

The Darkness- I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Songs I listen to when I'm SAD...

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus- Your Guardian Angel

Jason Wade- You Belong To Me

Secondhand Serenade- Why

Taylor Swift- White Horse

Taylor Swift- Untouchable

Micheal Buble- Lost

Saliva- Rest in Pieces

Silverstein- Call in Karma

Senses Fail- The Priest and the Matador

My Chemical Romance- I Don't Love You

Coldplay- Fix You

Dashboard Confessional- The Best Deceptions

Songs I listen to when I'm MAD....

Breaking Benjamin- You Fight Me

Emery- Walls

Breaking Benjamin- Until The End

Timbaland- Time

Three Days Grace- I Hate Everything About You

Linkin Park- Hit The Floor

Avril Lavigne- Forgotten

All American Rejects- Night Drive

Chevelle- I Get It

Jimmy Eat World- Bleed American

Mayday Parade- Anywhere But Here

Songs I listen to when I'm HYPED...

Kesha- We R Who We R

Katy Perry- Teenage Dream

Blur- Song 2 (Woohoo)

Sean Kingston- Fire Burning

Lil Jon & LMFAO- Outta Your Mind

B.O.B- Magic

Far East Movement- Like A G6

Usher- Hot Tottie

Rihanna- Don't Stop The Music

Timbaland- Bounce

Flo Rida- Club Can't Handle Me

Ying Yang Twins- Drop (Edited-don't try to listen to the unedited version of this)

Blog Challenge Day 9

Day 9- Something You're Proud of in the Last Few Days

This is a tough topic. Why? Because to be honest all I ever do is homework and give plasma, and I can't say I'm especially proud of myself for sitting around with my nose in a book all day or for selling my body fluids. So let's see...what have I done lately that I should be proud of?

Well, I got 100% on my Music 101 test (which was open book/note, so that really wasn't too tricky). I got my highest score ever on an A&P test (also, not really that impressive because try as I might I STILL didn't get an A). I haven't used my debit card to buy anything since November 1st (this really is impressive, even I'm amazed by this). I somehow managed to have enough self control to keep myself from mouthing off to someone who was getting on my nerves (also, this is impressive for me, because normally I would NOT even bother trying to control this.) I've managed to go almost one whole month without breaking the law or a window, AND a few weeks ago I got my Dad to admit that I'm a better shot than he is with a gun. 

I realize this is a totally lame list of things I am proud of in the last few days, but like I said, school has pretty much been consuming my life so I really don't have much else to be proud of at the moment. I should probably do something to change this so next time I have to write about some moving subject (like things I'm proud of) I'll actually have something legitimate to talk about.

Blog Challenge Day 8

Day 8- Short Term Goals for this Month and Why?

Goals are fun. They are more fun in January, because you get to call them resolutions and that sounds way more official, but goals is fine too I suppose. Seeing as how November is pretty much already over, I will set some short term goals for December, and then when the New Year rolls around I'll be able to look back and see if I actually kept them!

1.) One of my New Years Resolutions for this year was to make somebody's day everyday. I really couldn't tell you if I've been able to do this or not, because most people won't just come out and let you know if you made their day or not, but for the next month I want to make this goal a reality. 

2.) Do at least one act of service for somebody every day. This can be for a complete stranger, a friend, or a family member, and needs to be something that you usually wouldn't do. I did this last December because I didn't feel like I was in the Christmas Spirit, and it really helped me out a lot so I think I'll do it again.

3.) Stop procrastinating. Procrastination is the devil. I always end up staying up all night the night before a test because I haven't studied yet. Seeing as how finals are coming up, this has got to stop.

Well, I don't want to get all goaled out before New Years, so I will only do three. The end. I am really not in the mood to be blogging right now.

Blog Challenge Day 7

So I know I've been a major slacker on this blog challenge thing lately, but I'm pretty sure I warned everybody that I wasn't going to be able to blog every day...my life is just SO busy:) But for now it's back to normal so hooray for the 6 people who actually read my blog, I'm back!

Day 7- A Picture of Someone/Something That Has The Biggest Impact on You

This is a really hard topic for me, because there are quite a few things/people that have had a really big impact on my life. Obviously something that has the biggest influence on my life is my religion. I've been taking a Book of Mormon institute class this year that is just amazing! Every single time I go to it I leave determined to be a better person, and it really is changing my whole life. My friends have a big influence on my life. Sports had a huge impact on my life. My family is another one of those obvious ones, because it would just be silly to say that they haven't had a bigger impact on my life than anybody else, but I think the person I'm going to talk about in this post is my mom.

Try to imagine the most loving, patient, wonderful, perfect woman you can...and that imaginary woman couldn't even come close to how awesome my mom is. I remember when I was in high school my friends would come to school sometimes and tell me about how they had been fighting with their moms and that just seemed so weird to me! I'm sure there were times when I disagreed with my mom (and I'm sure I made it known that i disagreed, because that's the kind of little turd I have always been) but I would feel SO guilty fighting with my mom.

My mom got to be a stay-at-home mom for most of my other siblings childhoods, but unfortunately she had to go back to work when I was about 4. She loved being a stay-at-home mom and I'm sure she was the best one ever when she got to do it! But even though she didn't get to be at home all the time, my mom has still had a bigger impact on my life than anybody else.

When I was younger my mom taught me how to do things for myself. She never made my bed or cleaned my room for me. Instead she would explain to me at least once a day why it was important for me to make my bed, and I would TRY to explain to her how pointless it was. She taught me how to do my own laundry and how to cook and sew. Yes, I realize I'm a total dork for taking cooking and sewing 4-H for like seven years, but if I needed to sew myself a parka or a dress or pretty much anything, I could do it. And I am better at making divinity and yams than anyone else in my whole family. She also taught me how to do my own laundry, and even though I hated it, I'm glad I already knew how to wash my clothes when I came to school.

When I was in high school, my mom would wake up at 5 in the morning when I had early morning practice to make sure I got something warm and healthy to eat. Then while I was eating my breakfast, she would put on some boots and walk outside with the broom and clean all of the snow off of my car in the freezing cold weather and turn it on so it would be warm when I was ready to leave. Then she would go to work all day, come home and make dinner, and then work on other things around the house until about 11 at night.

She would only sit down to watch the news each night because she wanted to watch the weather, but she was always so tired from the day that she could never stay awake long enough to actually see the weather forecast. But she never acted picked on or upset. She always had the best attitude of anyone and never let it show when she was stressed out or upset about something.

When I was playing sports she would try her very hardest to make it to my games, and I know she would've come to every single one if she could have. She could never come to my away games because of work, but one of my very favorite memories is from when I was in 8th grade and my Mom skipped a whole day of work to come to our district volleyball tournament and watch me play. This is extremely uncharacteristic of my mother. She pretty much has to be on her death bed to take a day off of work or miss a church meeting.

I will never forget how excited I was to see her there. She wanted to surprise me, and I'll never forget how happy I felt that she made that sacrifice for me.

My mom has never been the most popular person, and she's never tried to be. She doesn't try to be cool, because she is content serving people quietly from the background. But my mom is seriously the coolest person I know! She is the reason I try so hard to do what's right. She's the reason I get up in the morning and go to school and work hard at the things I do, because more than anything I want to make her proud.

She has sacrificed so much for me, and I feel like I could spend the rest of my life trying to pay her back and I'd never even come close. My sister Becky wrote something about my mom awhile ago, and it said, "She rarely bought clothes for herself as I was growing up.  If it was between a 3rd new pair of pants for me, or one new shirt for her, I would get the 3rd pair of pants." My mom hardly ever bought things for herself because she was always spending money on us instead.

 I could go on forever about how awesome my mom is and how much I love her, but to wrap this up I'll just say that I have the best mom in the world. I was so worried last year because I didn't know what I wanted to major in at school. Then one day I had an experience that I will never forget. I was sitting in my institute class one day and it occurred to me that it didn't matter what I am when I graduate from school, as long as I'm proud of the person I am when I do it. That day in the institute building I decided what I want to be when I grow up.

When I grow up, I want to be the kind of person that other people want to be like, not because of the things I do, but because of the things I refrain from doing. I want to be the kind of person that people admire not because of the things I have, but because of what I've given to others. I want to be the kind of person that people look up to not because of the life I live, but because of the lives I've helped changed. When I grow up, I want to be somebody's hero. When I grow up, I want to be just like my mom.

I LOVE YOU MOM! Thanks for everything:)

RaIsE YoUr GlAsS

So I know I'm a dork because when I'm not doing my blog challenge I'm always writing about songs. But to be honest, music moves me more than almost anything else. It can inspire me to be better, it can help me feel better (or at least wallow in a pit of despair) when I'm in a bad mood, it can pump me up to play a basketball game or push myself to new limits, or it can help me let my guard down and just let loose and have a good time (sometimes too good of a time) with friends or at a dance.

And sometimes, music inspires me to write about how I feel. The inspiration for tonight's post? Raise Your Glass by Pink. First off, I. love. Pink. Seriously, who else can get divorced, be heart broken about it, and then get their ex to appear in a music video where they get to call him a tool right to his face for all of America to see? That's what I thought, nobody else can do that.

The reason why I am loving this song so much tonight is because of the chorus. It says, "So raise your glass, if you are wrong in all the right ways!"

I know this sounds funny when you are just reading it, but I still LOVE this song. I have this friend that has always kind of marched to her own drum, and yesterday on her Facebook status it said, "You laugh because I'm different. I laugh because you are all the same." I love this quote, because for most of our lives (and actually this still applies), it described us perfectly.

This brings back memories of Senior year in high school when we would get AT LEAST 5 weird looks everyday for doing or saying something that everybody else thought was "weird." (At one point I actually considered carrying a camera around with me so I could take pictures of all the weird looks we got and make a scrapbook out of them!) I can honestly say that we really didn't care what anybody thought about us, so instead of thinking what people's reactions would be, all we were thinking about was how much fun we were having.

We were never your typical girls. I can count the times that we went shopping together in high school on one hand. Boys had more drama than we did! We were, and probably still are, the most laid back group of girls you will ever meet. We'd rather drive a jeep up a mountain, build a fire, and eat man food (even if it's the end of November) than sit around gossiping. To be honest I didn't know most of the school gossip until AFTER I had graduated and people just randomly started telling me one day.

It was always that way with us, and I feel sorry for the people that tried so hard to fit in, when it was SO much more fun sticking out. So raise your glass to being wrong in everybody else's opinion, because its the times when we were "wrong" that I'll remember the most.

Blog Challenge Day 6

Day 6- Favorite Super Hero and Why

I really don't think I have a favorite super hero. I was never really into the whole super hero thing when I was a little kid. Actually I remember me and Kelsey used to pretend like we were super heroes (not anyone in particular, we just pretended that WE were our own super heroes) and we would pretend like we were fighting against the Power Rangers. When we were in first grade the boys in our class would pretend like they were power rangers and beat us up. So naturally we hated the Power Rangers, and I think I just kind of lumped all super heroes into that same category. 

So probably my favorite super hero would have to be...myself. And Kelsey of course:) Why? Because who wants to hear about how super some made up person is, when you can be super yourself? We had so many adventures in our super hero world, and we managed to do it all without ever actually having to fight anything! And even though we don't ever get to play super heroes on the trampoline anymore, I think we're still pretty super!

Blog Challenge Day 5

Day 5- A Picture of Somewhere You've Been To

So as I was debating on what I wanted to write about today, I had a few options to choose from. When I was younger my family and I DROVE to Missouri and then to Illinois, which was definitely memorable. We've been to the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, and various other national parks. My favorite of these was Canyon Lands, which I went to with my sister Kristi, her husband Ski, and my sister Emmalee. This was definitely a fun trip, but its not what I'm going to talk about. 

I also went to New York, Baltimore, Washington DC, Intercourse, Gettysburg, and lots of other awesome historical places. I've been to San Diego, Hollywood, and Vegas too. But the place I want to talk about going to is....

THE Y!!!

At this point you are probably wondering why in the world I would want to write about somewhere so unexciting as the Y, so I will explain myself. 

This summer I got the opportunity to live with my sister Becky. It wasn't the first time we got to live together, I mean we grew up in the same house, but that wasn't the same. When you're growing up, a 5 year difference in age seems a lot bigger than it does when you're grown. When we were growing up, it seemed like Becky was always gone for some sporting event or off becoming Valedictorian. Everyone always laughs at Becky and gives her a hard time for being an "airhead", but there has never been a time in my life when I have been ashamed of my airheaded sister. In fact, I've spent a great deal of time trying to emulate her. She was always one of my biggest heroes growing up, and she still is.

So back to why I chose the Y. Well, one day this summer Becky and I both had a day off of work on the same day and we decided we wanted to hike the Y. So we packed up some water bottles and drove around Provo for like an hour trying to find our way up to the Y. Finally we found our way to where the trail began and started hiking.

I don't know if I had heat stroke, or if I was just dehydrated from laying out on the lawn for so long right before we started our hike, or if I was just in TERRIBLE shape, but I was struggling on that hike. I drank my whole water bottle before we were even half way up and I think I complained most of the way up. At one point Becky actually grabbed my hand and started pulling me up the trail after her. 

Finally we made it to the top of the Y, and when we got there we sat down and just talked. I like talking to Becky. She doesn't think I do because all she ever talks about is boys and I don't usually say much, but I like to listen and learn about what's going on in her life, because she teaches me more when I just listen than I could ever teach her by responding. 

I learned a lot about my big sister on that hike, both by talking to her and just by watching her determination to get to the top, and to get me there too. Someone, possibly Miley Cyrus, once said, "...It ain't about how fast I get there, it ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb." Heaven knows we didn't get to the top very fast, and even though I most likely would not hike the Y again, I'm glad I did it, because I will always remember that climb.

Becky has always been there to take my hand and pull me up when I'm falling behind, and I've always looked up to her. She is better than me in every way, but she is still willing to take on the extra burden of pulling me along with her because she loves me so much. So in all honesty, that hike was probably the most memorable thing that I did this summer. Thanks for everything Beck! It was a pleasure living with you this summer:)

Blog Challenge Day 4

Day 4- A HABIT YOU WISH YOU DIDN'T HAVE

Hmm. I don't like today's prompt, because there are so many habits that I wish I didn't have but for some reason they are still hanging around.  I wish I could say the one habit I wish I didn't have was biting my nails or eating when I'm depressed or something simple like that, but my bad habits aren't that typical. Mine go a little deeper.

I turn everything I do into a competition, whether it's against myself or somebody else. I can make a judgment about a person I don't even know with nothing more to go on than just the quick glance I take while I'm walking past them on the sidewalk.  I am way too critical of myself and nothing I do is ever good enough to please the voice in the back of my head. And the list could go on forever.

By now you're probably thinking what a terrible person I am, and I wouldn't blame you. I never said I was perfect, in fact I'm not even close, but if there was one thing I wish I could change about myself I think it would be my need for attention.

I have always had a love of attention. Even when I was just a tiny little kid I would ruin my family's talent show acts and while they were up singing happy little songs to the community, I would be running through the aisles, probably half-naked, screaming my lungs out and soaking up all of the attention I was getting. And even to this day, though I manage to keep my clothes on like 99% of the time, I am STILL an attention hog.

What's so bad about this? Let me tell you. I can't count the number of times that I have been talking with a group of friends and I can't help but open my mouth every five seconds to tell story after story after story....usually interrupting somebody right in the middle of their own story. I hate this about myself.

I have missed out on so many opportunities to learn about somebody else's day, or week, or life story because I was too busy making sure they knew mine first. I guess I can lump being selfish into this bad habit too, because in reality that's really what I'm being. Selfish.

I value somebody who is a good listener, in fact its one of my favorite qualities in a person, but even though I spend so much time thinking about how much I love it when people listen to me, I am terrible at doing that simple deed for somebody else. Somebody who probably needs a listening ear much more than I did in the first place.

I really don't know how people can stand to put up with me, because I'm sure this insatiable need for attention can really wear on people's nerves after awhile, but for some reason there are people that are still willing to hang out with me. So thanks to those people, my family and friends, that love me even though I am so imperfect and selfish. They could probably tell you my faults better than I can, but they would never do that because they are all better than me. Every single one of them is. So thanks for not giving up on me, and hopefully someday I'll be as good as the rest of you are!

Blog Challenge Day 3

Day 3- A Picture of You and Your Friends

So I wasn't all that thrilled about yesterday's topic, but I have been looking forward to this one since even before I started the challenge! Why was I so excited about today you ask? Because if there is one topic that I like talking about more than myself, it would be my friends. 

I always have a hard time when people ask me, "Who is your BEST friend?" Because in all honesty I can't say I have one best friend. 

Kelsey is the friend that I've had the longest. We used to spend almost every single day together when we were little kids, and we had too many adventures to name. From the doggy team, to eating dinner on the decorative bench in front of the court house in Preston, it seems like we were always doing something worth remembering, even if it was just sitting together in the school parking lot listening to music and eating reeses puffs. This girl is so special to me and has played a huge role in helping me become the person I am today. She knows me better than I know myself and has been such a strength and an example to me.

Shayla is another friend from my childhood and from the high school years. She always acted so innocent to everyone else but I always knew I was getting the real Shayla when she would call me a handicap and then laugh at how funny she was for like 15 minutes. She's always been one of those girls that you can't help but be jealous of, but at the same time you can't help but love her. It's like she's got it all figured out and she always seems to be on top of everything. I'm just glad that I can brag to everyone that she is one of my very best friends and then watch as the jealousy starts to creep up in their face. Yeah, you wish you had friends this cool.

Abbie. Abbie and I have had kind of a strange relationship. I hated her guts up until about the end of sophomore year in high school and then we just randomly started hanging out that summer. I can't even remember how that happened. But I think I know why it did. Junior year was one of the most fun, but also one of the most dysfunctional years of my life. It seemed like all of us in our little group of friends went through some hard times that year, and I'm pretty sure the only reason I got through it as well as I did was because of the good friends I had. Me and Abbie went through more together in a few years than I had ever been through with anyone in my whole life. All I can really say about Abbie is that it would be impossible for me to ever forget her and everything she's done for me. She's one of the best examples and friends I have ever had or will ever have again. 

Now for my other group of friends. After hearing about how amazing my friends from high school are it wouldn't be hard to imagine how difficult my first year of college was having to be away from them. I missed them so much sometimes that I had a seriously hard time focusing on my school work, and really just on life in general. 

 After my first semester of college I was sure that I would never meet a group of girls that could ever take their place, and I was right, but instead I found a group of girls that earned their own special place in my heart. My roommates this semester are so much more than just roommates, they are some of my very best friends. 

Every day I wake up excited to see them all. It's only been just a few short months that I've had the PRIVILEGE to live with them, but I already know that they are the type of friends that I'll still be talking to when I'm an old woman. Some of them are probably going to end up going their separate ways after this year, and even though it breaks my heart to think that I won't get to see them every day anymore, I really just have to count my blessings that I was lucky enough to live with them in the first place. 

College can be an extremely difficult time in your life, but lucky for me I get to live with five girls that strengthen me, push me to do better, and love me even when I don't love myself very much. I love all of them and would do anything for them, but today is Kimber's birthday, and since I'm kind of getting tired of blogging I'm just going to write a little bit about her right now. But all of the rest of you just know I love all of you too, and your time will come too I'm sure;)

Kimber is definitely one of my favorite roommates. Scratch that. Kimber Wagstaff is one of my favorite humans. I admire her so much. She is just a freshman this year but she is such an example to me. She is so selfless and kind. She is always doing nice things for everyone in the apartment and she has made my day so many different times by her simple acts of kindness. She is also one of the most real people I know. She doesn't change or filter herself to fit in with other people's expectations. She is always herself no matter who she's with, and there isn't a better person she could be! I love Kimber and I'm so glad that I got to hang out with her on her special day today, and every other day for that matter.

I have the world's best friends. They have given me so many good memories, they've been there to help me through the good times and the bad, and they have helped make me the person I am today. Thanks for everything you guys!

"The making of friends, who are true friends, is the best token we have of a man's success in life." 

-Edward Everett Hale

Blog Challenge Day 2

Day 2- The Meaning Behind Your Blog Name

Yesterday's blog challenge was fun because I got to talk all about myself, today's really isn't that exciting. Unlike most people there really isn't a big symbolic meaning behind my blog name. I did spend some time trying to figure out a good name, but creativity has never really been my strong point, so I chose a name that wasn't creative, but made sense.

My friends can vouch for me when I say that I have terrible luck. It seems like I am always getting the short end of the stick in things. For example, one time I was at a movie theater with my good friends Shayla and Abbie, and while we were waiting for the movie to start we decided we were going to buy some cool but useless gadgets out of those little quarter machines they have everywhere.

So like the over-eager little spirit I've always been, I put my quarter in the first machine that sparked some interest, and the dumb thing ate my quarter. So then I decided to wait and see what machines actually worked by letting Shayla and Abbie test them out. So Shayla puts a quarter in a machine full of funky rings and it worked. Ok. I'll try that machine because Shayla just got something and I know it will work. Well, it worked, but all I got was an EMPTY container with no ring in it. 

One more quarter to go and I am determined to get something this time. So I find a machine that is full of all kinds of awesome prizes and put my quarter in, and to my lasting shame, the machine was empty. 

At times like this it has always been my habit of throwing my arms up in disgust and saying, "Welcome to my life!" Normally this is said in an annoyed tone with just a smidgen of sarcasm to get the point across that my life is really not something that anybody would want to be welcomed to. So why would I name my blog this?

Well, one of my very best friends who I've always loved and admired once told me, "Cathy, you complain a lot." This is not something that I was proud of, but I'm glad she told me that because I have spent a great deal of time in the past few years trying to be a more positive person and cut the negative thoughts and comments out of my life.

When I created this blog, my intention was to write about GOOD experiences and things that make me happy, not things that I didn't like. I'm not saying that I don't ever have a bad day, and that I never complain about anything anymore, because heaven knows I still complain about things sometimes, but I'm starting to notice more and more every day how blessed I really am. 

I have so many things. I have food to eat, the chance to get an education, clothes to wear, people to catch me every time I fall and point me back in the right direction, a healthy body, and SO much more. I mean some people can't even walk! I pushed a girl in a wheelchair to her class the other day, and all I could think about the whole time was how ungrateful I felt for getting down about the simple, meaningless things in my life and feeling sorry for myself. I felt terrible for taking simple things like being able to walk to class for granted.

So, you are probably wondering where I am going with this. I named my blog "Welcome To My Life" for one reason. I wanted to take that phrase that has been used so many times to describe a negative experience of my life, and turn it into something positive. I wanted people to see what a positive experience my life really is and has been. So, welcome to my life. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!

30 Day Blog Challenge- Day 1

So from reading other people's blogs I came across what is called the 30 Day Blog Challenge. Pretty much this is 30 straight days where you talk all about yourself, which sounded fun to me:)  I can pretty much promise you that I won't make it every single day, because there are just some times when there are more important things to do than blogging, but I'm gonna give it my best shot anyways. So here goes nothing!

Day 1-A Recent Picture of Yourself and 15 Interesting Facts About Yourself

Yeah I know this is a weird picture, but it is one of the most recent ones I have, and it illustrates what an intellectual I am...so deal with it. 

1.My biggest pet peeve is when people I care about stop trying.

I hate seeing people who have the whole world in front of them give up on their dreams or their goals after making one or two mistakes. To them I say, stop settling! Go out and live your life like you always dreamed you would, because the only thing that's in your way is yourself.

2. I can talk to pretty much anybody. 

Doesn't matter what age or what their background or interests are. I'm a good talker.

3. Probably the smartest thing I've ever done in my entire life is go to Idaho State.

Last year I would not have agreed with this statement, but by taking myself completely out of my comfort zone, exposing myself to new experiences and people, and messing up over and over again, I grew more as a person in two semesters of college than I ever had before. I would have loved to go to school with some of my best friends from high school, but I wouldn't give up the struggles I've faced, the lessons I've learned, or the friends I've made for anything.

4. I am the same person no matter who I'm with or where I am. 

I really don't have a filter, which can be a bad thing at times, but the good thing is that you always know exactly what you're gonna get whenever it comes to me.

5. I have an EXTREMELY overly active conscience. 

I usually end up feeling guilty about things I say and apologizing even when the person I said it to didn't take any offense. I wish I was one of those people that can say whatever they want and not feel guilty about it later, or right after they say it...whatever.

6. My "love language" is 1) quality time, and 2) words of affirmation. 

For everyone that isn't in my institute class, this means that I get my "love tank" filled when people spend time with me and when they compliment me or write me notes and letters. So pretty much I feel especially loved when people spend time with me and tell me how great I am all at the same time!

7. I'm a good eater.

I know this sounds funny, but it's the truth. Given the choice between steak and a salad, I'll take the steak any day. My sister describes it as "you eat more like a man would than a girl would." This is true, I do, but it's not my fault that most girls eat so dumb!

8.  If any one of my family members or friends called me in the middle of the night, or really any time, and told me they needed me to be there for them, I would pick up my keys and walk out the door and be there as soon as I could.

9.  I am more like a boy than a girl in some ways.

This is another one of those things that sounds bad at first, but I would rather go shoot a gun, or play in the mud, or pretty much do anything outside than do the typical girl activities like shopping. Maybe it's because I'm a country girl, or maybe it's because my brother treated me like his little buddy while I was growing up, but either way, I'm pretty sure I still have more fun than most girls do.

10. I didn't have a name for the first couple months of my life, so my family started calling me Babe and it's stuck with me ever since. 

I would rather be called a nickname than Catherine. Nicknames make me feel more loved for some reason.

11. I love music. 

I'm really not that good at singing or playing any instruments, but I love singing, playing the guitar or the piano, and listening to music. It makes me happy and helps me think.

12. I'm very loyal.

A few dumb people in high school learned the hard way that talking trash on my friends or family when I was around was not a good idea. Or when somebody says something to one of them that is mean or hurtful, odds are that person is going to hear from me before they hear from the one they were actually insulting.

13. I'm very honest about what I think or what's on my mind. 

Some people love asking me for my opinion, because I'll tell them the truth. Some people hate asking me for my opinion, because I'll tell them the truth. Again with the filter, I don't really have one.

14. Making other people happy makes me happy.

I have always had a sense of humor and I love to make people laugh. I feel like you can learn a lot about someone from their laugh. Some laughs are loud, some are quiet, some are genuine, some are fake, some are contagious, some are unique, etc. Oddly enough the laugh always seems to fit the person's personality. Go figure.

15. I'm a fighter.

By saying that I'm a fighter, I don't mean that I like to argue or that I like to beat people up, because I'm actually the complete opposite of that. I'd rather get beat up than hurt somebody. But what I mean by this is that I will never give up on something, or somebody. I may throw my hands up and say that I quit, but in my head there has always been this stubborn voice telling me to keep going and pointing out all of the reasons why I can't quit.  There are battles that I have been trying to win for years now, but I have still never quit and I know I'll never actually be able to.