ezpz

so, i just made a new blog on wordpress for an assignment.  i gotta say, it was draining.  i appreciate blogger and all it's google related simplicity.  thank you google for being true and best. 

birthday

i woke up to my dear friend's voice.  asking if she woke me up.  to my confirmation she giggled and rejoiced that she could be the first to wish me a happy birthday.  then she promptly told me to sleep once again.  so i did.

then i woke up in plenty of time to get ready.  i had a lot of time to get ready.  which is good, my hair needed attention.  but it worked itself out quickly.  and i wore my prettiest dress.  and the hardest decision i made today was which shoes to wear.  turns out my grey flats aren't so versatile. 

church is in the wilk.  a mere 7 minute walk from my house.  glory. 

sacrament meeting was great.  fast sunday.  i was able to bear my testimony of the Gospel, it's truth and the ability we have to prove our knowledge and religion through the Book of Mormon.  Jesus Christ is real and living.  He is my Savior. 

instead of sunday school, i jetted to the provo temple and saw my deariest of dears for one half hour.  it was wonderful.

i love her. 

then back for relief society.  then home to change clothes.  i talked to the fam for a bit on the phone.  and then it was off to "second sunday" dinner.  lovely pasta with cousins and friends. 

talked to the older bro on the way out of there.  and headed right to my little birthday get together.  which turned out not to be so little.  the place was packed.  and i felt so so so loved.  so many of my provo friends.  and just so many hugs.  after the party died, my brilliant friend started a compliment circle.  a compilation of 10 friends each took a turn saying what they liked about me and some stated their favorite memories.  it was...maybe the best gift i've gotten.  it was really so lovely. 

thank you to all who contributed to this birthday.  here i come 2012.  no regrets.  the year of spiritual progression and dental hygiene. 24 is going to be a great age.

bones!

i just watched two episodes of bones.  on my bed.  with my laptop.  i couldn't be more content. 

19 december 2011

those are my parents, and my oldest brother. 
today, my parents have been married 33 years.  this is a post in honor of their honor and their trust and love.  they are so open and so loving to their children and everyone their children know.  they open their arms to those in need and i love that about them. 

also, my brother will be a father in a matter of weeks.  i felt the little one kick yesterday.  so crazy alien and so crazy cool.  props to the sister-in-law who's making that baby.  she is doing well and looking so cute. 

pics of europe when i can.  stupid laptop is still broken. 

home is here

you know that song? by edward sharp and the magnetic zeros? well, i don't have one of those people in my life, where home is with them. so, home is here. in california. and provo. and now london. my home is lots of places. i feel like sometimes i throw the word around. but really. home, as in america, is great. i love it here. the toilets are normal, the sinks have one faucet(it's called a faucet), my fam is here and my bed has missed me.

there is a lot of evidence on facebook right now that all my london friends miss it there. all the ridiculous sleepovers and the readings and the nights in south bank. i miss those too. but right now, i feel totally and completely content where i am. california. it's a wonderful place.

soon to be at this girl's wedding and i am ecstatic at seeing her home town and being with her family again. it's gonna be great.

dublin

yesterday ashley and i walked around, saw the book of kells(way cool) and fell asleep in the student center at trinity college. ate at busy bean cafe and shopped. had dinner at a lovely little restaurant. early this morning, she left.

i found the church building on my own this morning and i am SO PROUD of myself. guidance and answers to prayer come when you really need them. wowza. i got a tad lost, but found my way shortly. church was excellent. and after, i was invited to stay for a minor feast of manna. and tonight, there is a broadcast of the Christmas devo i'm sure you all saw last week.

i am loving this. two days of traveling, here i come. i leave tomorrow night.

glasgow

when i get home, i can post photos. but hanging out here with jade and bethany and ashley is so much fun.

we got indian food, and we went to kelvingrove art gallery and museum. also, we went to the people's palace. we stopped by the glasgow school of art, as well. a fun day.

to dublin early tomorrow.

see yous.

leaving london

today i left london.
today i rode on a coach for over 5 hours.
today i walked down bayswater and went into waterstone's for the last time in a long while.
today i felt sad.
today i felt glad.
today i almost cried.
today i am finally sitting on a couch and relaxing with only two people in my company.
today is an okay day.

update

last week we went to stratford-upon-avon and then to oxford. i really should write more about it. i will. but the sad news is my computer got stepped on. the screen is broke. so, no more pics. maybe i can find some way to get them on here, but don't expect anything from me. i'm still grieving.

seriously?

this is my view of hyde park walking home from the v&a after a few hours spent on the 6th floor[full of ceramics] and a little stop by the science museum.

is this really my life? seriously? i love it.

pictures of brighton

these pictures are the only ones i have of brighton. this day we went to greyhound stadium and watched 12 or 13 races. oh it was only about 4 hours. it was a great 4 hours. so relaxing. why didn't i take pictures of the dogs? don't ask me. i'm a fool.

that's hot cocoa in my hand. i think laura has candy.

our books. baha. even though bryn was trying really hard, the dog she picked to win lost. every time. literally. came in last place. it was hilarious. natalie thought so.

gummy lips.

gummy gums.

just really funny to me. these signs were at every entrance to the beach. had to snap a pic.

brighton

i just came back from brighton. it was wonderful.

i read a book in waterstone's bookstore. the whole book. in 3 hours. it felt so good.

our hostel was a little gross. and there were soooooo many people in that room. it was muggy.

the beach was beautiful. i ate a burger and chips and a soft drink for 4 pounds. brilliant. also, i saw the adventures of tin tin in 3-d and it was so good!

great weekend.

pictures maybe?

real feelings

today we went to see the gerhard richter show at the tate modern. i wasn't expecting to enjoy it, to be honest. the only work i had seen of his was stuff i wasn't really impressed with. so, i just wasn't expecting to love it.

it was prefaced by a really enjoyable walk with brooklynn. we talked about real things and shared real friend details about our lives. boys and families and future and problem solving and decision making. it was just real. and lovely.

so, we arrived at the tate and got tickets for the exhibition and went in. he is still alive and still painting. there were 13 different rooms with paintings and installations. there were two abstractions of lions that began the effect. the next room had richter's first attempts at using a squeegee to paint and i was in awe. i stared and i thought. for the very first time in my life, i was inspired to paint. i feel empowered by these paintings. and i can truthfully say that i have not been affected by paintings this way before. i'm not even sure i really love all of richter's work, but the idea of his lifetime of work, his continuation of work, his exploration and his dedication to art and painting and life, is inspiring to me. so inspiring that i will paint tonight. paint and use a lot of paint, and take risks and use colors i may or may not be comfortable with. i feel hopeful about finding a niche and living with a passion for the rest of my life. this may not make a ton of sense to someone not engaged with art every day, but this is a breakthrough for me.

i feel so good.

i've got just over a month left in europe and i am doing my best to continue this fake dream life i'm living. i have so much to see and do. i am so happy here. and i know that i will come back to europe. i feel the fire for seeing the world and i feel very hopeful about loving every inch of it. i can't wait.

back to real life in january. not going to think about it.

another note: i think it's really the fall leaves that make thanksgiving so full of gratitude and love. the colors of thanksgiving are the best of all the colors. and i am grateful for color, and for the season that has claim over the best ones.

paris

i went to the: tour eiffel.

arc de triomphe.

champs e'lysee.

sacre coeur

saw a man do impossible things with a soccer ball.

found the moulin rouge, well, laurie found it, actually.

visited oscar wilde's grave. and was devastated to find it wrapped up to be cleaned... i was very upset.

but got over it slightly when i saw chopin's grave.

ate a creme broulee flavored macaron and it was INSANE. got it at the galeries de lafayette.

saw the round about of round abouts. this is the top of the arc de triomphe.

went to the louvre.

saw notre dame.

sat by the seine on the most beautiful fall day with brooklynn and ashley and laurie.

not pictured: visiting the musee rodin, musee d'orsay, the orangerie, the quai branly museum, the pompidou, the boat tour, and my entire trip to versaille. oh, and the 7 crepes i ate. 5 days? yeah... yeah.

back from paris

paris is where it's at. i have really really enjoyed my time in london so far, but paris.... that is a real place. wow. a furious 5 days and i feel exhausted but fine. i did so much. i'll post pictures real soon.

just sittin by the seine, watching the leaves fall. it was a beautiful week.