He's done it again

John Mayer just came out with his new album Born and Raised. It's different than his other stuff but hey, it's John Mayer. He'll never let you down. He's done it again.

Shadow Days

Something Like Olivia

Playing catch up

So I'm going to play a little catch up on all the things that have happened in the last 2 months. Not just the little fun things, but the big stuff!

Becky got her mission call!! She was called to Carlsbad, California and reports to the MTC on June 6. I'm so incredibly happy and proud of her. But man I'll miss her!

We had an interesting situation this year with Nationals being a week later than normal. As it turned out we had to have our year end banquet before we left because we would be coming back to finals and craziness. Especially for the 3 girls getting married! We ate at La Jolla Groves and seriously had a blast. 

My number one fan. I don't think I would be where I am now if it were not for her support and always being willing to help with WHATEVER I needed. Not just as my mother but as my friend.

Russ and Steve. Not just passing down wisdom, but skills as well.

2012 National Champs

My last night in Daytona I got a phone call at midnight from the front desk. Cheryl told me that I needed to come down and pick up a special "surprise". These flowers were my special surprise. Sent to me from Loren Hawks, Abe Hegewald, and Shae Hunsaker congratulating me on making Young Ambassadors and doing well at Nationals. I love them and I'm so excited for next year!

Practicing our skills for next year. I'm excited to perform with this kid again!

Sam's bachelorette party! Starting at Malawi's...

Going where she never would have expected. It was such a fun time eating, dancing, laughing, opening presents and making the night about our dear Sami Jo

April 29 was Mel's birthday and we took her to Color Me Mine. Don't worry she turned 21... not 12

Jesse and Sam had a dinner the night before their wedding. It was so much fun to be with close friends and celebrate what was to come the next day. Also Haylee came in from LA!! Nothing like a wedding to bring friends and family together right?

It has become a tradition to make a video and show it at the luncheon or dinner of our friends weddings. This was the creation for Jesse and Sam :) 

I could not be happier for them.

May 1, 2012

Ladies

and Gentlemen

She was a beautiful bride.

Spring classes started and this has become my main form of transportation. If it isn't raining or I'm not running late of course! I'm taking Dance 340 and I'm still loving being a dance major. Spring term is so fun because everyone is laid back, the sun is shining and campus is gorgeous!

Reading outside on campus one day

I really do enjoy school. But when these hooligans come in to town I think it is a perfectly acceptable reason to miss 2 days of class. Sure, I've used all my absences up on them. But they're worth it :)

So totally worth it.

Along with teaching dance privates my dad has enlisted me to help rebuild the deck and do some much needed yard work. It's kind of scary that I'm using power tools but really, this one is baby sized. I'm not that cool yet.

I had to get some proof that I was actually doing something. Although I am what you would call a "poser" for this picture, I really did this all across the deck.

When Sam and Jess got back from their honeymoon we decided to have a BBQ up the canyon before they left to go install in San Diego for the summer. Nights like these are one of the many reasons that I love summer. Sam also got us a little prize from Hawaii, these cute head wraps.

One of the many things I love about Emily Barkdull is that even if we are doing absolutely nothing at all, bored out of our minds, it is still so much fun. I haven't laughed so hard about absolutely nothing in a really long time and this night I cried laughing.

Well, there you have it. I'm all caught up and just in time for summer to start. It's time for the windows to be rolled down, swimming, reading, parks, playing, movies, country music, concerts, snow cones, sunburns, craziness and whatever else summer will bring. 

ants in my pants

I was feeling really uneasy today. I mean REALLY antsy. Ants-all-up-in-my-pants kind of uneasy. 

Solution: Dance class. obviously. 

Jessie James you kicked my booty today but I needed it. AND the song you used I needed it! 

Ed Sheeran - Give me love

Being a finisher

The other night I played get-to-know-you Jenga. I didn't know there was such a game until the moment that we were brainstorming questions and writing them on the blank squares. But I have to say, it was actually a very fun way to get to know new friends. Basically whatever question was on the piece that you cautiously, or in my case shakily, pulled out you had to answer it. In the event that it was blank, you had to answer the question the person before you picked. Needless to say it was VERY entertaining, but one question and the short answer that followed has been on my mind this entire week.

The question was "Personality Trait". Meaning what is a personality trait that you look for in your future someone. Everyone who had answered so far gave very impressive answers but the last person to answer said that they want to be with someone who is driven. Who doesn't necessarily have to be good at everything, but is excited and passionate about what they will pursue in life. Then another chimed in and said, "you want a finisher". Immediately my mind thought of Hebrews 12:1-2 (An Orem High Seminary theme scripture actually :) Message within the message - go to seminary okay?) which says,

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I was so into this thought of being a finisher and what it means that I wrote it on my hand in blue sharpie. This turned out to be somewhat of a mistake seeing as on Sunday I went to church with finisher spelled backwards on the side of my face. (If you've ever seen Never Been Kissed it wasn't as bad has having LOSER on my forehead, I was just surprised I didn't catch it!) Anyway I loved the thought of being a finisher and started thinking of ways I could become one. The list all the things I want to 'be a finisher' for began: 


I want to finish my education
I want to finish the 50 projects I've started
I want to finish my Jane Austen novels 
I want to finish a hard week without crying 
I want to finish the day off in prayer 
I want to finish my time as a BYU Cougarette with no regrets 
I want to finish being nervous to be a Young Ambassador
I want to finish getting ready in the morning, instead of calling it quits early on. most days anyway :)
I want to finish hiking the Y without hating life
I want to finish a whole box of banana creamies by myself
I want to find my man and finish dating! :)
but more than anything I want to finish this life with my heart and my mind fixed on my Savior Jesus Christ who, like the scripture says, is the author and finisher of our faith. Who knows that these things and so many more are the desires of my heart. 


President Monson gave a talk in October 2008's General Conference called, To Learn, to Do, to Be. It was given in the Priesthood session and so a lot of it is directed towards the men of the church but is definitely applicable to women as well. He said that there were three things for us to consider to qualify for the blessings the Lord has in store for us. They are: 

Learn what we should learn, Do what we should do, and Be what we should be. 


He wasn't talking explicitly about being a finisher at all but he mentions Hebrews 12:1-2 to show that the way to live and serve is set before us by our loving Savior. By learning what we should learn, doing it and then becoming the work, we are essentially being finishers. So whether it is being a finisher in something small that may not affect a person but yourself or something huge that will influence your entire future family, finishing what we start and finishing it well is an important characteristic to try and obtain and a big part of God's plan for us. 


So a new personality trait I'm going to try and look for, in myself as well, being a finisher.

Happy Birthday MJ!

No its not Michael Jackson's birthday, I'm talking about a different MJ. My personal favorite actually, 

Marilee Jean

Mare you've been a lifesaver in every sense of the word, I hope you have the best birthday yet.

I love you!

Merry ol' Brugge

Ice Skating in Belgium

Cougs in Concert 2012

11 Questions - Tagging Marilee and Becky!

I've been tagged, I must follow through! Thanks Sam :)

The Rules:

-post these rules

-post a photo and eleven random things about yourself 

-answer the questions provided by the one who tagged you 

-create eleven new questions you tag

-contact those you choose and let them know they've been tagged

11 Random Things about Sarah:

- I love Maddox turkey burgers

- Reeses will always be my favorite candy bar of all time, but I am loving Caramello's right now

- I only sing one song anytime I do karaoke, Total Eclipse of the Heart

- I love bike rides with all of my heart 

- The first time I mowed a lawn was 11 days ago

- I am a hopeless romantic, I'm always pulling for a happy romantic ending

- I sometimes really like sleeping on the floor, all snuggled up in a blanket. It's the best when a movie is playing too

- I want to learn how to speak Italian really bad

- I don't like Diet Coke. Sorry world, I just don't crave it

- Strawberry Cheesecake? Yes please! 

- My friends and I made a music video one time to a bunch of songs and my section of it was to the song, "Don't ya wish your girlfriend was hot like me". Yikes. #blackmail

Sam's Questions for me:

1. If you could travel to any place in the world, where would it be? Italy. I would go to Italy. 

2. What is your go-to Outfit? My gray sweats that I accidentally stole from Jesse Williams, some type of weird Harry Potter shirt and my ugg boots or high tops. Maybe I should get ready more often...

3. Guys will be guys but what are you most attracted to in them? This is a tough one and my answer is cliche, but their smile. Few things are better than a guy genuinely smiling at you.

4. If you had to pick one thing to grab out of your burning house what would it be? Well my kids if I had them, other than that my journal

5. Favorite Movie, and Favorite Book. My Girl and Pride and Prejudice. East of Eden is a very close second though

6. Describe your Perfect Day! It's summertime and I sleep in to about 8:30. Because I don't want to waste too much time on my perfect day and I like morning time :) I get up and have a marvelous waffle breakfast with all the people in my life that I LOVE. Then I make a sack lunch, pack up my current read, put on my sun hat, grab a blanket and go for a bike ride to a park where I can get lost in a book and revel in the sunlight and good weather. Then I go and dance somewhere. And Celine Dion is playing and other great songs and I don't have a care in the world. Then I meet up with my smiling guy and we somehow find a sweet amusement park in Orem and ride awesome rollercoasters. No, Summerfest doesn't count. We spend the rest of the day together and as the sun goes down we eat creamies on the roof. 

7.  What is your favorite thing about yourself? That I feel comfortable being my natural self. I don't necessarily like to wear make up and do my hair all the time and frankly sweats are so comfy!

8. What is your favorite season, and why? This is a hard question because there are great things about each one! But I would probably say Summer. There's nothing like last minute road trips and camp outs, SUNDRESSES, outdoor movies and barbeque's.

9. If you could change something about you, what would it be? My skin

10. What is your most treasured thing about being a girl? ha great questions Sam! I have no idea, I'm going to have to come back to this one.

11. Dream Job, or Life. I want to own a flower shop and be a wedding planner! How fun would that be?? 

11 New Questions:

1. If you were in distress, which super hero would you want to come save you and why? 

2. What is one of your greatest fears? 

3. If you were having a baby girl tomorrow what would you name her?

4. What is your favorite song to listen to in the car? 

5. If you could have skin that was any color in the rainbow what color would you choose? 

6. If life was a musical, what would be your theme song when you entered a room? 

7. Would you rather be happy or in love?

8.  What is your favorite wintertime activity? 

9. What is your favorite holiday? 

10. If you could be amazingly good, like no one in the universe is better than you, at one thing what would it be?
11. You go to the pet store, there is only hamsters left. Do you buy one? 

Sorry these questions are so weird, it's kind of late :) Happy Blogging Mare and Beck

Midnight Movies

Midnight movies what a treat.

Harry Potter 6 - Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione and Ron

This midnight showing was just before we were going to go into our Freshman year of college

Kung Fu Panda 2

Our best ninja moves

Transformers:2

It was a terrible movie but we had a great time. Obviously

Harry Potter 7

We couldn't believe it was all over

yep, there was a golden snitch

Luckily we snapped a photo with him before we flew away again

The Vow with the ladies

Breaking Dawn

Hunger Games

All ready to go in our sweet shirts from Rue 21

I don't have a picture of my memory of going to Eclipse, the third movie in the Twilight saga for those of you who don't know, but it was so funny. Jill and I didn't have tickets for the 12 o'clock showing so we bought some for 3:15. We had 7 am practice with the Cougs later that same morning but went anyway. We took a cat nap (the BEST thing I've ever discovered in regards to staying up for movies) and then woke up and left. When the movie got out at 6 we just headed on over to Magleby's fresh and got ourselves some omelets. The after affects were terrible, but we had a great time.

There is a popular phrase, roughly put, "memories are made around the dinner table". Okay maybe I made that up slightly but I really feel like I've heard that before. Anyway. My personal philosophy is that some of the best memories are made at midnight movies.