Su-Su-Su-Summertime

It's been my favorite summer;

full of family,

full of friends,
and full of musicals.

( ...plus there was a little Texas in there too.)

  

Although, it has also definitely been 

the summer of me admitting how gorgeous Utah really is.

And it really was the summer of musicals;

Cinderella...

Les Miserables...

(they were both at the outdoor theater in Orem)

And Fiddler on the Roof at Sundance 

with my most favorite aunt Angie

(and sweet Grandpa Merlin too!)...

for which I clearly felt I had to dress up as Yenta the match maker.

And it was seriously so great, I saw this one twice.

Hey, and just in case no one has told you--

Utah is the best place to experience the 4th of July.

Especially if your friends can cook

your 4th of July food on a grill.

#merica

Plus, any holiday is enhanced by spending it with sweet kids.

My cousins' kids are the cuuuutest.

Also, speaking of cute sweet kids,

my students are actually, literally the best students in the world.

And they drew/brought me treats all summer long.

And then I got to "fill the canteen"

with tons of family time.

A little in Utah....

(my ridiculously good-looking, duface brother)

A little in TEXAS...

(When Sister Robinson came home!!!)

(We were a little cramped for space to take naps when we were all at home...)

#MaxtheModel

#LoveLoveLoveLove

And then a some more in Utah again...

Aaaand, Logan brought us each our own hat 

from his accounting adventure at Disney World.

I mean, really,

just so good.
#blessed
#UtahLove
#TexasLove
#friends
#family
#summer
#sunshine
#grateful

A Year in Review; Lessons Learned

Almost exactly a year ago, I made the decision to move here to Utah.  I did not  want to leave my family.  I did not  want to leave the friends I'd made over the three and a half years I'd lived in Austin.  I cried all the way home from my last day of work there... but now looking back (even though I still miss all those Texans sooo much), I would do the whole dang thing over again.

'Cause I've learned some pretty impactful lessons in the last year;

1. An upheaval of your entire life can actually be the best decision you ever make.  Sometimes following impressions to make even what seems like the least logical decision (like moving to Provo, Utah as an unemployed, single, 25 year old...) can be the greatest thing you've ever done.

2. The best way to take a road trip (for example, one from Texas to Utah), is to listen to the Harry Potter books on CD.  I was so engrossed in them, that even after my 20 hour road trip, I was not ready to stop driving; I wanted to keep listening so bad!

3. People in Utah are pretty darn awesome.  Well, shoot. #mythBUSTED

4. Dating in Utah is practically an Olympic sport.

5. I absolutely love  to love people.  There is no better feeling.  Human beings are decidedly fantastic, and it is glorious to acknowledge their substance, magnificence, and brilliance.

6. Kids are the most superior version of people.  I've met a whole bunch of kids this last year, and they're just the best.  No matter what physical, mental, emotional, or circumstantial obstacles are put in their way, they refuse to let it get the best of them.

7. I have embarrassingly wimpy upper body strength.  I did like 7 assisted pull ups at the gym once, and honestly could not straighten my arms for the rest of the week.  I've gone back to my yoga poses on strength training days for the time being...

8. The best type of patience is a proactive one.  It's surprising how having to wait for something, starts a fire under your butt to be exceptionally enthusiastic about what you are currently involved in.

10. I hate the snow, but spring and summer up north are breathtaking and inspiring!

11. No matter how old I get, or how old they get, or if we live thousands of miles apart, I will always take the role of "oldest sister" very seriously with my siblings.  Sorry cute brothers and sisters; I will keep telling you how cute you are and giving you embarrassing hugs and smooches... or  telling you when you're being dumb when you need to hear it... probably for the rest of my life.  Love ya!

13. Watching "What's Up Doc?" can turn my worst days right around.  Also, I'm not sure I'll ever lose my aspirations to be Barbara Streisand.

14. I am addicted to sticky notes, note cards, and my planner.

15. Giving in to joining Pinterest was simultaneously one of the best, and worst decisions I've ever made.



Grateful for:  Decisions to make!

Little Women

An interesting thing happened last night.

I was in a movie-watching mood.

(this is hardly interesting; this is a very regular occurrence.)

But, what I decided was that I was in the mood for "Little Women".

Usually, when this thought occurs to me,

I feel guilty, and feel the need to wait to watch it

until the next time I see my favorite Sophie.

Wellll, I won't get a chance to watch it with her for a while

so I decided I could watch it by myself.

Now, I have absolutely no problem watching a movie alone.

In fact, I quite enjoy even going to the movie theater alone.

(That might be a problem,

but I'll worry about that tomorrow

as Miss Scarlett O'Hara would say.)

But Little Women, I've never watched by myself.

It's always been with my mom

and then my mom and Sophie,

and recently my mom, Sophie, and Emma Gracie.

We love it a little bit.

We also have a tendency to make parallels between our lives

and the lives of the March Sisters.

My mom is very clearly a "Marmee" figure.

I always think of her when Marmee tells Jo:

"You have so many extraordinary gifts; 

how can you expect to lead an ordinary life?  

You're ready to go out and find a good use for your talent.  

Go, and embrace your liberty.  

And see what wonderful things come of it."

or especially when Jo and Amy are fighting and she says:

"It is a very great loss and you have every right to be put out.

But don't let the sun go down on your anger.

Forgive each other, and begin again tomorrow."

That's my mama.

Emma is undoubtedly Amy;

the cute, sweet, unabashedly quirky one,

who would make up a word like "expectuating" or "degratitated"

or say something like "Jo! How could you? Your one beauty!"

in reference to a bad haircut.

And Sophie and I can't ever decide which of us is Jo, and which is Meg.

It completely depends on the day,

and the situation,

who ends up being more of a non-conformist,

and who ends up being the polite one

who gets invited to things like "Belle Gardner's 'coming out' party".

We go back and forth.

I don't think this quandary will be settled until we get married;

We'll have to wait and see who marries a Mr. Brooke,

and who marries a Professor Bhaer.

Here's a little example;

I giggle the whole way through this part,

it reminds me so much of my sisters.

And that pretty much sums us up as kids (and also adults in some ways);

playing some imaginary game that involves dress up clothes,

creating elaborate projects that we all were required to contribute to,

one of us keeping the others in line ("don't say awful, it's slang")

discussing boys; 

their "noble brows", and if they have secrets,

and we usually end with some words of wisdom from Emma.

Ahhh I love that movie.

And I usually cry when I watch it,

but I bawled a little bit last night; I'll admit it.

I'm a lucky lucky girl 

to have had such a March-sister-esque childhood with my sisters.

It has been quite full  of

imagination and laughing and loving 

...and more laughing.

Favorite Little Women quotes:

"Butter! Oh isn't butter divinity?" --Amy

"You don't need scores of suitors, you only need one, if he's the right one." --Amy

"You can't even propose without quarreling." --Jo

"I go around throwing away perfectly good marriage proposals..." --Jo

"I don't want to die, I've waited my whole life to be kissed, and what if I miss it?" --Amy

"Marmee, must you speak to everyone about corsets?" --Meg

"In token of my gratitude and as a means of promoting communication between adjoining nations, shouting from windows being forbidden, I shall provide a post office in our hedge, to further encourage the bearing of our souls, and the telling of our most appalling secrets." --Laurie

"Your heart understood mine " --Professor Bhaer

"And so I stepped over the divide between childhood and all that lay beyond." --Jo

Updates... including the first time I've EVER dyed my hair...

Recently,

I added some new editions to my room decor.
They were lovely little Christmas presents from my mom.

I also gave up ice cream...

and I started eating substantially more vegetables than I ever have.
My entire life.
I have a whole cup of spinach
(or kale if I'm feeling crazy)
every morning in my breakfast smoothie.

I have been getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night as well.
I even leave things a little early
just so I can get to bed on time!
(this is probably the nuttiest thing I've ever done)


Also, I gave in and went trendy;
I did the paint-one-nail-a-different-color thing...

And...
I did it!!
I dyed my hair!!!
I was terrified, but I did it!

I had a great hairdresser,
and let's be honest, it's not too crazy different;
just a bit darker on the top, and a bit lighter on the bottom....

But now that I've done it, I'm not sure I'll ever go back...
And next time I think I may even go darker,
or redder...
We'll see...


And this hasn't changed;
I'm still grateful for old movies.
Preferably ones from the 50's to mid 60's.
I could watch Cary Grant and Grace Kelly
or Humphry Bogart and Audrey Hepburn
just about any day.
I'm also grateful for faithful MTC teachers
like the awesome Tasha Marie,
that can miraculously run into Sister Robinson on her birthday!!

...and also the world's best parents
who are exceptional examples of fulfilling their callings,
and being in a relief society with wonderful sisters,
and CES firesides.

Quote of the Day:
"The thing about truth is that it exists beyond belief.  It is true even if nobody believes it... There is indeed such a thing as absolute truth--unassailable, unchangeable truth."
--President Uchtdorf

NYC Take Two.

One day,

I will live in New York City.

I will live in a tiny (yet charming) apartment.

I will know the subway system well enough

to tell tourists the wisest way to get where they're going.

I'll buy my produce in Chinatown,

my meat from a real butcher,

and my cupcakes and such from Babycake's vegan (aka gluten free) bakery.

I'll meet up with friends for lunch at places like "House of Sandwich",

or I'll  grab a hot chocolate from somewhere like "the Chocolate Room",

(and since we're living in my dream world,

I'll be an accomplished runner 

who runs in Central Park every day)

I'll go on dates to places like the Guggenheim,

or the Met, or catch a show on Broadway.

I'll watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade 

live,

every year.

I'll be a regular at the "brooklyn flea",

And get lost in stores like "Books of Wonder"

(kind of a real-life 'Shop Around the Corner' from You've Got Mail...).

My children will be cool New Yorker's

who wear bow ties and oxfords, 

or stripe-y leggings with peter pan collar dresses to church.

My family will of course be in the Manhattan ward,

and go to the church on the bottom floor of the Manhattan temple building.

Yup. Right there.

But for now, since I love Austin so much,

it is sufficient to simply visit NYC every once in a while.

Or maybe more often than "a while"...

Seeing as I went in May, and just got back from another trip with my family...

And it was as wonderful an adventure as the last.

First of all, I seriously think one of my favorite parts of this trip

was the ordeal of my entire family getting on and off the Subway--

we never lost anyone ; it's a Christmas miracle!

And these handsome dudes were always gentlemen

and let us ladies take the seats first.

There was a lot of family bonding/huddling for warmth.

And plenty of hood/hat/scarf wearing;

it was a foreign concept to those youngins who haven't ever lived in a cold climate.

And our family's suggestion for when you visit NYC, 

is DO NOT take the "fast pass" option to the top of the empire state building;

it's code for twice as much money and an extra 2 hours of waiting...

it's not like a fast pass at Disney World... hahaha

We LOVED the Plaza though!

We even prepped for our trip by watching Home Alone 2: Lost in NY

just the night before we left

It also made me want to read the Great Gatsby again...

And mine and my mom's little hearts flipped when we saw this portrait of Eloise.

(with her pets Weenie and Skipperdee of course)

We were suuuper excited to see this on Time Square!

We felt like celebrities.

And it turns out that 'Annie' on Broadway is FANTASTIC.

Not quite as life-changing as 'Newsies', but even Dylan liked 'Annie'.

(although, Sophie and I haven't decided yet if it was quite as good as the renditions

we put on in our game room growing up...)

We ate lots of yummy food.

And clearly enjoyed each other's company.

The girls loved the SHOPPIN.

(aka window shoppin...)

Aaand the boys did not.

This picture sums up the Robinsons in NYC; 

we took up that entire ice cream store.

We saw the beautiful Grand Central Station.

Where Jesse's head pretty much scraped the ceiling...

he just won't stop growing!!

We went to church...

in my future ward.

And got to visit the breath-taking 9/11 memorial.

And walked across the Brooklyn Bridge!!! It was beautiful!

It was also freezing...

But don't worry, Emma and Logan had the appropriate head gear.

And I got to go to the Guggenheim with my mom.

She's so wonderful.

Goodness Gracious I'm in love with that city.

Grateful for:

my hippie Mom,

my cowboy Dad,

and Logan, Sophie,

Jesse, Max, Dylan,

and Emmacita,

and for the blessing to be sealed to my whoooole family

forever.