Third Semester...CHECK!

Well finals are behind us (thank heavens) and it sure is nice to be home in my very own bed. Here's to a couple weeks of relaxation before we're back hitting it hard at school. And please enjoy this unique *cough* music video. I'm fairly confident that it can make your entire day.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3874801926618&set=vb.1775809961&type=2&theater
Please refrain from any and all judgments.

FINALS FOR DAYS

Well this semester is O-V-E-R. Well after I take all my tests this week...but hey! No more classes! This week has been full of studying for finals, which let me tell you, is just a bucket full of fun. At this point, I'm just ready to take them all and be done so that I can go home. But honestly, this semester I have learned SOOO much. And it's all actually stuff that I care about and find interesting and can apply to real life. That is what makes all the difference! Despite popular opinion, Economics 110 was actually one of the best and most interesting classes I've ever taken. Now I'm not saying that it was easy or anything, but it just makes so much sense! It explains a lot about the world. Which is pretty legit if  I do say so myself.

This highlight of this week was our celebration of Taylor Swift's birthday on Friday night. We celebrated by having breakfast at midnight, dressing up like hipsters, going to Wendy's and eating frosties and fries, and listening to exclusively Taylor Swift all day. To say she's our favorite singer may be an understatement. But hey, you do what you can to have a good time. And I'd say we looked pretty hot doing it. So here's to killing my finals and finally going home!

Breakfast at midnight

Dress up like hipsters

Winter Wonderland

Well winter has finally hit here in the Happy Valley. The dang snow won't stop dumping! But it is really pretty, and it definitely does bring the Christmas spirit! So even though I complain about being cold a lot, I do actually enjoy the snow...a little bit. So to get in the Christmas spirit, this Friday we went to a hopping ugly sweater Christmas party. Please enjoy these photos:

On Saturday, we had a fine ward ice skating activity at Seven Peaks. Nothing says winter quite like ice skating, doughnuts, and hot chocolate. I'd say that it was quite a success. 

I finished out the day by playing some indoor soccer for a couple hours. It felt so good to play, even though I'm really quite rusty. And of course nothing says college Friday night like multiple episodes of your favorite show on Netflix. And caramel popcorn.

TOP 50

Soooo it's Thanksgiving. Which is super duper awesome and I am so ready for a break from school! I can't wait to get away from Provo for a few days and just relax and chill with my family. So here's to 50 things that I am thankful for this Thanksgiving:
1. BYU- the school of my dreams.
2. My family. I cannot wait to go home for Christmas. It's been a loooong semester and I've been real homesick. I can't wait to finally be with them.
3. Mi madre. I couldn't have survived this semester without her. I can't wait to go home and eat her food. And take naps in her bed. And have her introduce me to a certain cute boy... ;) but really, my mom is the best and I miss her like crazy.
4. Mi padre. I just miss joking around with him. We just have the same sense of humor and I can't wait to go home and be able to tease the old man.
5. Brady-my bestest buddy. Seriously ladies, when he gets home from the mish, date this fellow. Your life will never be dull.
6. Zach-this goofball can sure make you laugh. And sometimes if you're really nice to him, he'll make you food, like frozen burritos, eggs, or potstickers.
7. Aubrey-my homegirl. She is so sassy and I love it. Plus she is just so small and cute, who doesn't love that??
8. My dog. I miss Blitz more than anything. He's so fuzzy and cute. I just want to cuddle with him.
9. My grandparents. They are the bomb. And they are so cute. I want to be as cute as they are when I'm old. I can't wait to see them this thanksgiving.
10. All my missionary friends. Sometimes it's real hard having all of my friends gone, but I loooove their letters and seeing how much they have grown.
11. Sara-She just gets me, ya know? I can be a freak and she doesn't judge me. We have some pretty crazy times.
12. Bailey-my main country music, boy crazy girl! Good thing we have so much in common!
13. Laurie-the sweetest girl evvs. Plus she has a loud laugh which makes me feel like we have a kind of pact.
14. Rachel-She always gives me rides to school in her sexy pink jeep. And when she sings, that's cool too.
15.-Shanda-seriously the most thoughtful friend in the whole world. We have some good times, and she's always there for me.
16.-Kaytlyn-such a good example to me. She always knows what to say to help me out and she is the most selfless person I know.
17. My visiting teachers. Hana and Lindsay are seriously the cutest, sweetest girls in the world. Love them.
18.- My home teachers. Not only are they such great teachers, they are just plain hilarious. Rock on Blake and Nathaniel.
19. My apartment. I'm so blessed to have somewhere to live with running water, hot showers, and a fridge. And a bed. That's a bonus.
20. Warm clothes.
21. My healthy body. Seriously, I have never had medical problems. Isn't that something amazing?? Yes. Yes it is.
22. America. I could go on and on about this one. But suffice it to say that I am so blessed to live in the land of the free.
23. Funny movies. Nothing puts you in a good mood like a good laugh.
24. Country music. Haters gonna hate, but I loooove my country music.
25. Provo. Sometimes it's a bit like a bubble, but it's beautiful here. I love the mountains, I love BYU, and I love the amazing people here.
26. The freshman ward. I love those people. The day we are reunited will be the happiest day of my life, well maybe 2nd to my wedding day. Maybe.
27. Rachel to the Easter. Love that girl. And I can't wait for her to return to my loving arms, and dance like a fool.
28. Ashley-I miss her like crazy. But she is so sweet and I am so excited for her to have such amazing experiences on her mission.
29. Cafe Rio. Enough said.
30. Chocolate
31. Blankets.
32. Water. I'm always thirsty.
33. My ancestors. Like legit, I have some cool ones. And a lot of them who sacrificed everything for the gospel. What an example. Shout-out to William Bradford! That's right y'all, I'm RELATED to him!!
34. The temple. There is nothing like the peace that I feel every time I go there.
35. My job. I'm blessed to have a job where I have good co workers and it's low stress.
36. My fingers. Like I can type, play the piano and the guitar, and tie my shoes!!
37. The sunshine
38. Missionary mail
39. Technology and the internet
40. Sleep
41. Music.
42. Prophets. I can hear God's words through the prophet. How comforting is that!
43. The scriptures. I have found so much peace and direction through the scriptures, especially this semester.
44. The Holy Ghost. I would be totally lost without the Spirit in my life.
45. The gospel of Jesus Christ. The knowledge that I have about the Plan of Salvation is such a comfort to me.
46. Jesus Christ. He is the perfect example and His Atonement will allow me to return to live with Him and my Heavenly Father again. This knowledge is so powerful.
47. My testimony.
48. Church! Every week. It's great y'all.
49. General Conference! I look forward to it every 6 months. It's wonderful.
50. Life. It's so grand. I love it.

GIRLS NIGHT

Thug Swag

Last Friday, all my roommates and I went to Salt Lake City. We went shopping at the City Creek Mall. That mall just blows my mind. It is so pretty and the stores are so big and full of pretty things that I can't afford. BUT I did get an $8 scarf at H&M! And please enjoy these fine looking hats that Laurie and I found. ---->
And to top it off, we had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory! Mind. Blown. Seriously it was AMAZING! My life has been changed. Not to mention the fact that we had an awkwardly cute waiter. Don't you love those kind? To end the night off, we watched a wonderful chick flick and basked in the gorgeousness of Zac Efron.

Saturday was full of tests and studying, but we ended the night right by going to the BYU vs. Mesa basketball game. Oh, and wouldn't you know, another chick flick featuring Channing Tatum.

Today has been one of those days, you know the kind, where it seems like everyone's goal in life is to make you mad. And you know you shouldn't be mad, cuz most of it is just a bunch of little things that don't even matter, and normally wouldn't bug you. But I promised myself I'd never complain on this blog, so I'll just tell you the positive things. Today my academic adviser tried to talk me out of doing a political science minor and tried to get me to do a minor that involves teaching kids whose first language isn't English. Basically he just discouraged my idea because he didn't think I'd be very successful. I'm sorry, I will now do the political science minor. I will prove you wrong. I will be successful. I am going to be a great teacher. I am going to make a difference. I am going to fall in love one day. I am going to be a great wife and mother. (That was positive, even though somewhat sassy....right??) I've struggled a lot this semester with doubts and fear about my future, but even today when I was in a bad mood, and not necessarily in a spiritual mindset, Heavenly Father blessed me with reassurance. I know that everything is going to work out when I trust God. I will let Him take care of me, because I know that He knows exactly what I need when I need it. When I let Him into my life, I know that my life will become more that it ever can be without Him. I know that I don't need fear to govern my life, only faith in God.  I don't know how I would have survived this day without this scripture: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6 I know that this is true and it gives me so much comfort to know that my Heavenly Father will take care of me and that when I put my trust in God that I will be successful, no matter what happens in life.

Sorry for all the venting. Life is truly beautiful and I am incredibly blessed. I'm thankful for the minor struggles that I go through because they all bring me closer to God. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will now go listen to country music and drink hot chocolate.

Peace homies.

FAREWELLS FOR DAYZZZZ

This past weekend Sara's parents were in town and they were oh so nice to take us out to dinner at Brick Oven. Best dinner I've had for awhile!! And Cosmo was there--he even kissed my head. I haven't washed my hair since. Joking! But really, how cool is Cosmo? Then Bailey and I went to the BYU v. Weber State basketball game. It was pretty exciting, and after our win, we got 3 free oz. of frozen yogurt at Yogurtland. It was at Yogurtland that I discovered that Bailey and I are loud enough to make the whole packed place go completely silent and tell us to be quiet. My loudness is a talent ok? People just be jealous. On Saturday night I went back to Highland and stayed at Rachel Asay's house for Ashley's farewell the next day. I. Love. Rachel. She is seriously my fav. I don't know how I would have survived the 10th ward without her. We just get each other, ya know? I think God made sure we weren't the same age because then we would just cause too much trouble together. When I grow up, I want to be just like the lovely Rachel Asay.

Then Sunday was Ashley's farewell. It was soooo weird. We've been best friends for 12 years, since we were 8 years old and now we're all grown up and doing crazy things like going to college and on missions. Saying goodbye to her was the hardest goodbye of the many and many goodbyes I've already had to say. She's the person I always go to. I know that I can always tell her anything and everything. She knows everything about me. I miss the days when we literally spent every single day, all day, every day together. I miss the days when we were inseparable. Even though I miss her like crazy, and I want the next 18 months to go by really fast, I am so proud of the person she has grown to be. I know that she is going to have such a positive impact on the people of Omaha, Nebraska. 

Here's just a glimpse of our good times together:

Do Work Wilson.

THE CRAZIEST WEEK

So a couple weeks ago was a pretty fun time. My 20th birthday was on Monday. Bailey, Laurie, and Rachel and I went to JCWS for dinner. We got ENORMOUS milkshakes that were so delicious. Unfortunately, they didn't bring any boys to our yard. 

Then Halloween was on Thursday. Bailey, Sara, Mary, and I drove to Sandy to go to Chipotle because we got $3 burritos if we dressed up. The things we do for cheap food! And it was good food too! Then that night we went to a huge dance party on Center Street. It was fun for most of the time, but there were definitely some crazy people there. And it was real crowded. But we got to go a little crazy and dance so I was happy. 

On Friday, Sara and I went on cute little drive around Alpine and looked at all the pretty houses and vented about life. One day we will be married and have our own pretty houses to live in. Then we topped it off with some delicious Orange Leaf frozen yogurt. Sometimes drives and frozen yogurt are just good for the soul, ya know? 

Basically this week was kinda crappy. I was just feeling kinda down you know? BUT here is the happy part: God knows me. And he hears all of my prayers. And he knows how to take care of me better than anyone else. On Tuesday after having a kind of down day I came home to a note on my door that talked about how I'm nice and funny and make people around me happy because I am happy. That is how I know God cares about me and He will always take care of me. He know exactly what I need. So thank you to whoever listened to the Spirit and wrote me that note because it was the highlight of my week. 

On Wednesday, I went to Pizza Pie Cafe with Ashley. I can't believe that she is leaving on her mission next week! It was so good to catch up with her. I am going to miss her so much, she has been one of my best friends since I was 8 years old. I'm so glad to have her in my life and I do not look forward to saying goodbye to her. But I know she is going to do amazing things and I'm so proud of her. 

Basically, long story short, sometimes life is hard and doesn't go how I want it to, but GOD KNOWS ME AND LOVES ME. He will always take care of me. 

College

Sometimes life is real crazy in college. Like when you have 4 tests and 2 papers all due in the same week. That's a real fun time. But after weeks like that, you just have to party hard on the weekends. On Friday, my roommates and I all went to the BYU v. Boise State football game. And it pays to have connections, because dear Whitney Minnick's mother had wristbands that Sara was so kind to share, and these handy wristbands got us into an all-you-can-eat food tent! It was seriously like heaven on earth, I think I actually almost cried. Anytime I can get real food, I am one very happy person. Besides the fact that we had access to amazing food, the game was awesome! Thank goodness that we played well and actually beat Boise State. And what better way to end the night, then to listen to a little Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus and reminisce the past? All in all, it was a great night.
On Saturday, Rachel, Sara, and I went to Kendra and Phillip's Halloween party. It was good to see those kids again, it had been a long time! After that, we stopped by our ward Halloween party and saw a bunch of goofy costumes (favorite goes to Nathaniel and his girlfriend as the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts). After that Rachel and I were in the mood to do something real fun, so we went classic skating. It was definitely the highlight of the weekend (minus getting LITERALLY hit on by high school boys). I topped the night off by watching the end of World War Z. That movie is seriously CRAZY!
And today has just been a real good Sunday. I love the Sundays when church is just so spiritual and I really can feel the love that my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for me. I don't know what I would do without the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. His Atonement and the love that they show for me every day are what makes life amazing. Let me just share a little story about how "God loves me and I didn't even know it!": Once upon a time about a week ago, I was just having one of those down days, ya know? The ones where you're just overwhelmed with everything you have to do, and someone you're counting on let's you down and you are just feeling really sad. Well, I was feeling that way and said a little prayer that Heavenly Father would send someone to brighten my day and make me feel happy again. Well not 30 seconds after my prayer, I ran into the lovely Sara. I literally about cried. Just seeing her and being able to talk to her made me feel so happy again and I realized how many blessings that I have. And this experience just proves that God knows me and that He cares about me and He does answer prayers. And to top off this week, you just can't go wrong on a Sunday when you have a cute, bonding roommate dinner. :) Life is good.

(Please excuse my lack of pictures).

AUTUMN

My favorite things about fall:
1) The leaves. And the mountains. Beauty is everywhere!
3) Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate from Starbucks.
4) Rain.
5) Boots.
6) Sweaters.
7) General Conference Weekend. I am so blessed to be able to hear the word of God through His prophets and apostles. And so many of the questions you have about life are answered. And then you know that God lives and that He hears and answers my prayers. I know that God loves me and He will always be there for me. 

Last weekend my roommates and I went up to Sundance to take roommate pictures. It was so beautiful with all the fall leaves. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful girls in my life who teach me so much. 

Original 1103

My homegirls from Apt. 315

The remnants of the YSA 53rd Ward

When you see sights like this, there is no way that you can deny that there is a God.

Fall is just such a wonderful time of the year. And I'm so blessed to be surrounded by such beautiful things.

Why Life is Great

I'll be honest, the past couple weeks have been pretty rough with school and work and trying to fit everything into my schedule, and trying to figure out my life, but really, life is so good. And here is why:
1) I'm at freaking BYU. If that isn't a childhood dream come true, I don't know what is.
2) I have the hottest roommates on the planet. Seriously boys, get on it.
3) I have food, and clothes, and an apartment.
4) I can go running.
5) I live by the most gorgeous mountains in the whole world.
6) General Conference is this weekend. BEST WEEKEND IN THE WHOLE YEAR.
7) Music is awesome and it makes me happy.
8) Sometimes I feel really super lost in life. Like when you talk to your best friend on the phone at midnight and cry because she's leaving on a mission in a month. And at the same exact moment you both get the feeling that in 18 months things will never be the same. BUT you both know that everything is in the Lord's hands and when we trust Him everything will work out the way that it should. Maybe I'm still confused about my path going forward, but God isn't. He knows exactly where I need to be and when I let go of control, He will place me where I need to be.
9) I have the best friends in the whole world.
10) Boys are cute. Sometimes creepy, but mostly cute.

THE HOLY WAR

So, this week was pretty usual. BUT I did get a promotion at work! So now I'm a supervisor (I'm kind of a big deal.) So basically I just get to order a bunch of food EVERY DAY and I get an entire $.25 raise! I'm gonna be rich I tell you! Anyways, that's really not that exciting. This weekend, Rachel, Laurie, Bailey and I went to a dance that our apartment complex put on and we got CRAZY! That dance was seriously so fun, mostly thanks to Tate, Blake, and Nathaniel and their HILARIOUS dance moves. Those kids make my life. AAANNND Blake and Nathaniel are my home teachers, so basically, we're in for some good times this year. This Saturday was the HOLY WAR! The rivalry football game between BYU and the UofU. Sara and I sat in line outside the stadium, beginning at 11 am and the game didn't even start until 8 pm. It was a loooong day, but we were so pumped to play the team from up north. Well we finally got in the stadium and got super awesome seats, just to watch our team play horribly. The QB couldn't pass, the receivers couldn't catch, and no matter what, the refs were adamantly against us. Needless to say, we lost 20-13. Don't worry, it's only the 4th year in a row that we've lost the biggest game of the season and given the Utes a reason to brag. But it's fine. There's always next time. (Like we don't say that every year.) 

^Despite our crushing loss, we still looked hot.^

^Yeah, these games get intense. Rivalries will do that.^

CAMPFIRES

Ya know, school's pretty alright. Like my classes are good. Homework's good. Life is good. But obviously I'm not gonna tell you all about the economics homework I did all week. On Monday, we had a 53rd ward reunion at Bish Sybrowsky's house. Basically it was the greatest thing in the whole world to see all my besties from the freshman ward. I love them all so much! Although seeing everyone was definitely good, it also just made me miss everyone on missions sooooo much more. The day that the whole 53rd ward is reunited will be the best day of my life. That ward changed my life and I cannot ever picture life without my friends that I made. And Bishop Sybrowsky is just the most amazing bishop in the whole world! Thank so much for caring about me and how I'm doing!

85% girls, 15% guys. I can't believe that's all that's left of the 53rd ward!

This weekend Bailey, Laurie, Rachel, Josh, Cameron and I all went up AF Canyon to roast smore's and whatnot. First off, it was FREEZING riding in Josh's jeep because he took off the top and then drove really fast through the canyon. But I didn't get frostbite so it's all good. When we got to the campsite to start the fire, we put all the food out on the table. Literally, we had only been there for two minutes when some fat raccoon stole our whole freaking bag of marshmallows and took off through the forest with it! The bag of marshmallows was definitely just as big as the raccoon itself. Good thing we had strapping young men like Josh to chase it down and get it back. But legit, I have never seen any raccoon get so stinking close. But I just love campfires. I love the smell. I love watching the fire. I love looking up at the stars. I just love nature. Seriously, all I need to be happy are the mountains, and a fire, and the stars. And I wouldn't say no to an attractive man either. One day.

We <3 campfires! #ttdis

College Life

I've missed the good times here in college and it's dang good to be back in the land of Provo. These past couple weeks have been super fun and busy, and I've been able to do so many new things. I'm just loving life right now. When we first got back to Provo, we obviously had to go to a BYU women's soccer game. And we met Cosmo! Basically it just made my life complete!

^Hailey, Emily, Sara, Cosmo, Bailey and Me^

 Then Bailey, Emily, and I got to go off-roading with Bailey's friend Josh. Oh. My. Gosh. It was so fun! Especially when we got stuck in a huge mud pit and the jeep started filling up with water. I had a blast and I definitely would go again in a heartbeat!

^Bailey, Me, Emily, and Josh. I was obviously really excited.^

We also ventured to sliding rock in Alpine. It's a natural water slide that is TONS of fun! But the water is legit FREEZING!

Just a little sliding action.

^Me, Laurie, Brooklyn,Sara, Rachel, Bailey, and Emily^

On Labor Day, Laurie, Rachel and I went hiking in Little Cottonwood Canyon. We went to a lake called Cecret Lake. It was super pretty. The whole canyon was amazingly beautiful. I can't believe I had never been up there before! Sometimes the beauty of this world just amazes me.

Cecret Lake with the greatest--- Laurie

Cecret Lake with my girl Rachel

The night before school started, there was a rainstorm, so what better way to end summer than to go out and play in the rain and then jump in the swimming pool with all of your clothes on? It was so fun!  This weekend we went to the BYU v. U of U women's soccer game. It was so intense and so fun! And we won so that's just an added bonus. Then we went to a party at the "Glen-hood." Oh my goodness, I have never seen so many attractive guys in one place at one time. It was so fun! My favorite part had to be when Bailey, Josh, and I all jumped into the pool in our clothes...again. And then obviously we went to McDonald's because that is the natural thing to do.

Because we do crazy things like that.

On Saturday, Bailey, Laurie, Rachel, and I all went to the BYU v. Texas football game two hours early to get good seats. But while we were waiting a HUGE storm blew in out of no where. We were SOAKED!

Before and After the storm.

Legit, I have never seen it rain so much and so quickly. The streets were flooded and there were even evacuations throughout Utah County. Soooo....we bailed before the game even started and went to see "World War Z." Wow. That movie is super intense. Thankfully the football game was delayed so even after seeing the movie, we went back and watched the last half of the game. It was such a good game! We won 41-20 which was super exciting, especially since Texas is ranked #15. Anyways, that has been my life for the past couple weeks. And it's been a real blast, but I really would be perfectly happy if I don't get another outfit completely soaked for awhile. S/O to my roommates! They are the best in the world and I just know we are gonna have one AMAZING year! 

Back in the West

Ok, brace yourselves because this is gonna be one of those long posts. And in all honesty, you probably just want to skip this whole post. Last week I got back to Zion. And then I realized how much I'd gotten used to living in the Northwest. I was surprised to discover that some things that I've grown up with have become unusual since living in Washington and missing 2 Utah summers.
1. I can actually see farther than 10 feet in front of me. I guess I've gotten used to all the trees in Washington and literally not being able to see farther than a few feet in every direction. Today I hiked into the foothills of Cedar Hills above my grandma's house and I was amazed at the beauty of Utah Valley. I could see from Provo to the Point of the Mountain and everything in between. Of course the pinnacle was the Mt. Timpanogas Temple. The view just took my breath away and I remember how much I love the fact that I grew up in this valley.
2. Thunderstorms. I kinda forgot what they were like. In Washington, we rarely get thunder and lightning. But I've missed the huge thunderstorms that we sometimes get in Utah during the summer. In the past week that I have been here, we have had more thunderstorms than I've seen in 2 summers in Washington. I forgot how awesome they were and how much I love to just watch the lightning.
3. Sunsets. Nothing can beat a western sunset. And I've sure missed being able to actually see them, instead of having a bunch of trees blocking the view. I just love the West. Enough said.
4. I think the thing I've missed the most is the feeling of being in your hometown. Even though I now consider home to be in Puyallup since that is where my family is, my hometown and the place that I belong will always be Highland, Utah. My first night back here I just drove around all the old places I used to hang out in high school in Highland, Alpine, and Cedar Hills. I'm not going to lie, as I drove around, I really missed high school and all my friends. Yes, I did even shed a couple of tears. It's hard to go from having dozens of friends to as many as can be counted on one hand. But I'm so grateful for all the many wonderful friends I've had throughout my childhood and high school. I definitely wouldn't be who I am today without them. And I'm so grateful that the reason I miss all of them is because they are serving missions. I couldn't ask for better examples in my life. And haters gonna hate, but I loved high school and yes, I do miss it. But I'm so grateful that I've had the experiences I've had and that because of them I am a stronger person and can move forward into the future with a positive attitude. Here's to a blast from the past.

Senior year in a nutshell with these crazies.

Leilani, you make my life.

These folks. Couldn't have survived without them.

My bestie. Forever.

My twins, Michael and Johnny. The world better watch out for these two.

My main girls. Y'all changed my life.

Spring Fling with the best.

But now to the highlight of my summer: LAKE POWELL. Every year since I was 11 we have gone to Lake Powell with the Lofgreen family, and soon the Lasky family became a part of the tradition. And really, why must Lake Powell just be so beautiful and perfect? I love the canyons and the sunsets, and the stars and the warm water. It's basically my idea of heaven. We spent the week fishing, kayaking, riding waverunners, swimming, wakeboarding and wakesurfing, and just hanging out with some of my favorite people. I'm so glad I could go with my best friends since Kindergarten and 7th grade, Kaytlyn Ellis and Shanda Smith. I honestly don't know what I'd do without these two. These are the friends that have been with me through thick and thin. They pick me up when I'm down. They beat up the boys who are jerks. They know me better than I know myself. They make fun of me. They accept me for who I am. And they are the greatest examples of living the gospel I could ever ask for in a friend. My life is so much better because of these two. I can't wait for the next Lake Powell trip. See y'all next year, same time, same place.

It ain't Lake Powell without a sand castle.

My favorite tradition, washing my hair down the slide.

You better believe I'm a hecka good driver.

Sometimes I brush out my curly hair and get the nickname KyeL the Lion.

The best place to wakeboard in the world.

Surfing: my fav.

My best friends in the whole world Shanda and Kaytlyn.

The crew.

My handsome catfish. Caught with the lucky Barbie pole.

How can you say no to this??

Kayaking like a boss.

Last Week in the Great Northwest

Let me tell you about the grand last week I had in this Northwest part of town. 

1. Yesterday I went freaking BLACKBERRY PICKING. Yes, I did. And yes, it did fulfill a childhood dream for me! I have never seen so many berries or so many thorns in my life! And I would do it again in a heartbeat. It's the simple things folks. 
2. Today I went to Mt. Rainier. This place is incredible! And it has the most wonderful wildflowers I have ever seen in my life! Sometimes I just don't understand how this world can be so beautiful! I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has made such a beautiful world for us to enjoy! And I'm thankful for the wonderful people that He has put in my life, like Brady and good ole Trevor Robb. Brady, you're like my best bud in the whole world, and Trev, you're like a brother to me! Love you two! I'm gonna miss you guys when y'all head off to BYU-I and Liberia! But this world better watch out for y'all cuz you're gonna rock it. 

One of my favorite views in the world

My beaver friend, isn't he cute?

Isn't this view to die for?

Yes, we are the cutest.

These wildflowers.

So Washington, it's been real. Thanks for letting me hang here for the summer. I really do love you and I'll miss you a lot. I'll never complain about you again because you gave me one rocking summer. But now it's time to head back to the birthland of Utah. I'll see ya again real soon!