"I Loved To Choose And See My Path, But Now Lead Thou Me On."

Wanna see what we did this weekend? Yeah you do.

(His name is Francis. He's very handsome. He's living on our fridge now.)

And you thought we'd mature in college. Psh. What rock are you living under. What with the hand turkey and Christmas lights up, our dorm kind looks amazing. No big thing.

So, let's see. This week I got registered for classes - go me! I'm signed up to take a Book of Mormon class, Live and Carcass Evaluation (farm stuff yo), possibly Animal Handling and Behavior (I'm still on the wait list for that one), and Overall Exercise Physiology (I couldn't help it. I still can't decide where my loyalties lie.) Tomorrow I'll get my math and English classes added then boom, I'll be ready for next semester..

Already got tuition paid for out of my market check (sheep are good for something after all) - by some twist of fate I got my room switched so I don't have to move all of my crap over Christmas break - things are just really falling into place.

Nothing extremely exciting happened this week. Classes were super chill, probs because Thanksgiving break is coming up and even the professors are looking forward to that. I didn't get to fulfill my dream of AIing a cow this week due to the fact that the dang cows decided to mess with their heat cycles, but I'm holding out on said dream. It will happen soon enough.

I started squatting this week. Yesterday, to be precise. And let's just say I'm a little sore back there. Walking to church was an adventure, to be sure. Speaking of church, it was my turn to teach Gospel Doctrine today and bro, turns out I'm kinda loving my calling. Who woulda thought teaching could be so much fun? Plus, it's an opportunity to show off my amazingly artistic stick figure drawing skills on the white board. Perks, I tell you, perks.

Thanksgiving break starts on Tuesday - my last class ends at like two and then I'm free to lounge about and mess around in the gym for a whole five and a half days. BOOYA. Also, I get to try out my possibly awesome pie-making talents. We'll just see how that one goes.

Not much else to say about this week, but since it's Sunday I'll add just a little spiritual thought. So, for a couple months now I'd been praying for something that I really, really wanted. Like bro, it was all I could think about. And I thought it was a good thing, I really did. I got my answer this week (finally) and I'm just gonna be honest, it was exactly the opposite of what I'd asked for. I was a little shocked and unhappy, to say the very least. But after thinking it through (alot), I realized that what I had originally wanted would not have been the best thing for me. The Lord knew that and honestly I think he was waiting for me to figure it out myself and when I didn't he was like, "Okay, seriously hun, here's the thing..." I am so incredibly grateful I have Him to look out for me. He knows me better than I do and he loves me so much he's willing to tell me "No" on something I want in the moment, in order to cause me to wait for something much, much better. I'm pretty gosh darn lucky.

A'ight. That's a wrap. Love you all - Happy Thanksgiving!

(Saw this on Pinterest of course and it struck home. Just change "Life" to "God" and boom, you got it.)

"It's a Holiday When We're Together."

Okay. I have a story. It's titled, "My professor changed my big semester project last minute, basically throwing away all of the time I spent studying for it and gave me a lame one on golf instead."

And that's about it. I'm really not much of a story teller, so that sucks. But you get the gist. So, I've got to give an hour long presentation on golf now, instead of rugby (which I had actually come to enjoy, thank you very much). Wow. Go figure.

In other news, this week was actually pretty chill. Minimal homework now that midterms are basically over and no parties until next weekend. Soooo, yeah.

I did take the military physical fitness test again for my class and I took just over a minute off of my run. I was so freaking excited. Put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. I'm only at an 8 minute mile these days, but bro, that's spectacular for this person.

So on Friday Kenzie and I decided to attempt the impossible and make a cheesecake. Yeah, really. Things didn't start out promising... pretty much right off the bat I put salt in the crust instead of sugar. But we saw it through man, and guess what. It flipping worked.

Whoop, there it is. Our glorious cheesecake. 

I am still extremely proud of this dessert. Get over it.

Saturday it snowed. And it actually stuck! Like, it's currently still out there! People were making snowmen for gosh sakes. It just put me in such the Christmas mood - bring on them holidays. 

  The view from my front door is spectacular! Also Christmas break is in like a month. Whaaaat.

So, since it snowed and Christmas is basically here, we decided to go on an adventure for decorations. We braved the cold and the wind and all of the boys who honk when they drive by... and we were in fact victorious. 

  It's like Christmas all up in here.

Our ghetto decorating skills still amuse me. We got three strings and hung them in random places around our apartment. I'm telling you, I'm pretty sure we should all go into interior decorating because obviously we have natural talent. 

And we also got Christmas mugs because it would have been ridiculous not to. 

Today was church, did mah visiting teaching like the good little Mormon girl I am, and now we're all on the living room floor watching Parkland and waiting for Kenzie's crockpot dinner to finish. This is the life I tell ya. 

On Saturdays we wear plaid. Rock on, my friends, rock on.

Perspective

The last couple days have been kinda tough. You know when all those little things just kinda get to you? Yeah, that's how it was for me. It seemed like every time I turned around, something even worse would happen.

For example, at one point during these last few days, I was deep in the "doldrums" so to speak, driving home, and I was seriously doubting things could get much more miserable... then I hit a cat.

So all in all, I was a mess.

Well, this morning I woke up to General Conference and I got a chance to listen to our prophet, Thomas S. Monson speak. And that was exactly what I needed. He spoke about how easy it is to, in our world today, see all of the negative things around us. Because there's a boat-load of them. (I'm paraphrasing.) However, we need to flip that around and take a look at all of our blessings. Because there's even more of those. President Monson said to be sure not to discount even the small, seemingly trivial blessings. And by doing this, we can find even greater happiness.

Well, after hearing that, obviously I couldn't continue being a downer and decided that today I would make a list of my blessings. And since I type better than I can write, I'm going to do that here. Now, this list might turn out to be quite extensive, or maybe not, I don't know, but there's no reason for you to feel obligated to read it if it does. This for me more than for you. Sorry.

Alright, I'll get started now.

Blessings:
 "I am thankful for..."

1. My whole physical body.
2. My health.
3. My family... each and every member of it.
4. My home.
5. My close, best friends.
6. My other friends, that sometimes I might not appreciate as much...
7. My education.
8. The 4-H program. (Don't know where I'd be without it.)
9. My teachers/leaders through the church, youth court, 4-H, and all the other programs I'm in.
10. The Young Women's program.
11. Technology.
12. Christ's atonement.
13. Our prophet and his apostles.
14. And all other church leaders and those who make it all possible.
15. Missionaries.
16. This country that I live in.
17. The freedoms and privileges that I have.
18. Music.
19. The ability to drive;vehicles to drive.
20. My teeth.
21. Safety and security.
22. My horse.
23. My reindeer.
24. The opportunity I have to hold a job.
25. My camera and photography.
26. Our military.
27. My older brother Donny who serves in the military.
28. My older sister Stacy who's my example and friend.
29. The ability to feel sadness sometimes so I can appreciate happiness.
30. The opportunity I'll have to go to college.
31. The opportunity I had to be born into this church.
32. The scriptures.
33. The hours of practice that helped me to learn piano.
34. Alaska.
35. The mountains.
36. Books.
37. Jessie.
38. Running water.
39. Electricity.
40. Warmth.
41. The fact that I never have to go hungry.
42. The fact that I always have clothes to wear.
43. Both my parents - even if I might sometimes think otherwise.
44. The ability to communicate to people I love who are far away.
45. Prayer.
46. My Heavenly Father.
47. This opportunity to be here on earth.
48. Good humor and laughter.
49. My cowboy boots.
50. The knowledge I have of right and wrong.
51. The Holy Ghost.
52. The time I have to spend with the people I love.
53. Memories.
54. My patriarchal blessing.
55. The priesthood.
56. Callings in the church that I've held.
57. Girls Camp and the lessons I've learned there.
58. My free agency.
59. The mistakes I've made, so now I know better.
60. The chance I have to work towards Eternal Salvation.
61. The temple.
62. The opportunities to do service.
63. The times I've been served by others.
64. My decision to be baptized.
65. Comfort.
66. The knowledge that I have a brother, Jesus, who loved me so much he allowed himself to suffer and then be crucified for my faults.
67. Children.
68. The chance I'll have to be a mother, whether here or after.
69. Sunshine.
70. Being able to reach many of my goals.
71. Doctors, firefighters, police officers, and others who keep us safe.
72. The fall season.
73. Peanut butter.
74. General Conference and what I can learn from it.

I'm going to stop there for now. Looking at the list, my thoughts definitely aren't in any order, so you'll have to forgive me for that. Or just deal with it. I was just trying to get all of those little things that I sometimes don't think of.

Well, I think I'm done here for today. I'm going to go listen to the next session of Conference...

___________________

Song of the Day: For the First Time- Boyce Avenue

Just Embrace Who You Are!

I'm tired so I'm gonna make this quick.

1. Sometimes I wish we had TV. Like with actual channels and fun stuff like that.
2. Seminary tomorrow morning. I really need to get to bed.
3. I wish I could sing. But I can't. Oh well!
4. Read-a-thon tomorrow for mutual. That'll be fun!
5. My mom makes the best Italian herb and cheese bread. No joke.
6. I am grateful for: warmth, dances, and socks. I love socks. Best invention ever.
7. I didn't get up my picture today for the photo challenge I'm trying to do. I'll do it tomorrow.
8. Running on a treadmill is a cruel form of torture. I would much rather run outside.
9. Looked into more college stuff today, like cost wise. I'm gonna have to win the lottery or something.
10. I can't think of anything else to write.

Goodnight world!

Twenty-Twelve? What have you got for me?

Well, it's a new year... six days into a new year to be exact. And of course, each new year comes with new plans. I haven't gotten around to writing out my New Years resolution yet, so I figured I'd do that here. So... here goes.

What I want to accomplish this year:

1. Finish my Junior Year with all A's.
2. Apply for as many scholarships as are available (and maybe win a few?).
3. Send a photo in to National Geographic.
4. Finish Borie's leg-cue training.
5. Begin teaching Benjamin how to drive. Maybe Henry as well. (Yes, big goal, but I at least want to get a start on it!)
6. Lose 15 lbs.
7. Read all of the books on my "To Read" list.
8. Make at least one new friend.
9. Take a road trip somewhere. Even if it's just Fairbanks or Seward. (I'd love to get some photos in Seward...)
10. Have AT LEAST $2,000 saved up for college. That should pay for my entrance fee.

I decided to just make ten. That way, I don't go TOO overboard! Because believe me, there's so many things I want to get done that if I wrote them all down, I'd just feel inadequate by the end of 2012. So 10. And that's all. For now. Until I manage to squeeze some more in there.

Anywho. So. That "To Read" list I mentioned above? Well, basically, whenever summer comes around I make a list of classics that I've always wanted to read. However, I've never ACTUALLY made it all the way through said list. This year that's gonna change! Here's what I am going to read this year...

-Dante's Inferno. All three levels. Yes. Will do.

-The Odyssey. Kill me now. Not looking forward to this one. BUT I lived through the Illiad so this shouldn't be too difficult.

-Animal Farm. Haven't read it yet, but I really ought to. Apparently it has good parallels to today's society?

-The Alloy of the Law. Haha, now this one, I'm excited for. Absolutely LOVED the previous three by Brandon Sanderson.

-Anna Karenina. Eh, just one I put on the list.

-Jane Eyre. Watched the movie. Loved it. Read Wuthering Heights. Loved it. So now I'm finally going to read the book.

There may be more... but I can't think of them at the moment.

Anyway... you know those movies like The Perfect Man and Lizzy McGuire? So cheesy, but also so adorable and happy. I kinda miss stories like that. You NEVER see them any more. I swear, all the TV shows/movies recently portray teenagers as sluts, drug addicts, alcoholics, or socially backwards people and it's just... frustrating! I mean, come on. Random thought, but it's been bugging me lately.

Something else that's been bugging me is the drama with a majority of the high school girls I know. It is so incredibly stupid. I can't even stress how immature they all look and act, when they think they're just living up to their rolls as teenage girls. No wonder half the LDS boys I know are not interested in asking anyone out on just dates. Because it just gets twisted all out of proportion. So ridiculous. And what's with the whole age segregation thing now?! Like the rest of the sixteen and up year old girls are apparently way to mature to be seen with the younger fourteen year old girls? What the heck? Really? And now they shun the younger girls who hang out with the sixteen year old guys? I honestly do not get it.

And it does not help being a sixteen year old girl living in a place where all the half-way decent looking Mormon guys are headed in the wrong direction. Oh well. Whatever.

But to end it on a good note... My official summed-up New Years Resolution: "We gonna party like, like it's 2012!" Haha, just kidding. Well, actually, why not? Bring it, twenty-twelve!

Peace out y'all! Let's make this year count!