One Year Ago...

"though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." - ralph waldo emerson

One year ago today I said goodbye to my home, my parents, sisters, half my closet, my comfort zone and my fears and embraced the most beautiful of all things-my dreams.

I remember being a mix of scared and excited as I got ready the night before. Excited to go where I'd only ever dreamed of, excited to call the greatest city in the world home; sad to leave the friends and family, scared to truly on my own.

But, through this experience I learned more than I can ever express, even with the most beautiful of words. When I think how much my life has changed in this past year, I realize how much of it I owe to London. My friends. My increased love of literature, arts, and culture. My strengthened confidence. My wonderful roommates. My improved testimony and relationship with my Savior.

I am who I am today because I had that experience of London.

So, although this year will be spent in Provo, going about a regular, ordinary every day life it will be extraordinary, because I've lived dreams, learned more about myself, and given a large piece of my heard to that other home of mine.

And so London lives on here, even in Provo.

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"Landed in London at 8:30 this morning. First thought-disbelief that I'm here. Then-wow it is very beautiful here! I'm in love with this city and I've only been here 8 hours! I can't believe I'm living here." -Aug. 31 2010

"Sister Seeley says that when you go home you should ask yourself 'How has this journey changed me?' I'm not sure I'll fully understand that until I get home and back into real life... This journey has brought many new people into my life-friends that have changed and influenced me for the better and have taught me so much. These people will always have a place in my heart and I feel honored to have them in my life... I hope that I can always remember the things I've felt and learned while in London and use them to better myself now and throughout my life."-December 15 2010

Summer 2011...

was nothing like I expected it to be.

From where I lived to who I spent my free time with it was not what I'd originally expected, but it was what I needed. My days were spent working, and my evenings spent reading, hanging out with my friends, trips to Moon Lake, St. George and Las Vegas, parade of homes with my family, shopping, baking, relaxing, going to the movies and enjoying the rainy nights.

Jessica's wedding

Stacie's cabin

Moon Lake

Trying my luck at the slots

Disco Skating

Taggerts

H&M lovelies

Salt Lake temple

Diet Coke and a good book

my favorite book dedication (from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.) Other summer reads: the Hunger Game series, Jane Eyre, One Day, and 34 Charles street

The "UP" house

With Russell and Carl

Laughing with the sisters

It was a beautiful, quiet, peaceful, comfortable summer.

But I'm more than ready to start my senior year of college tomorrow. I love having my friends back, and seeing Provo all a buzz again. I'm excited to get involved, with school and my ward and my friends. I'm ready for a change in schedule, to work hard, and to play hard too.

So Blessed

Lately I've been overwhelmed with gratitude and love for the people I have in my life. Seriously, the past week especially I've just felt like the luckiest girl in the world and here is why:

-I have a cousin, who is also a masseuse (did I spell that right? who cares! however you spell it she rocks at it) and upon finding out that my back and right shoulder blade were all sorts of messed up she drove on over, set up her table and worked out all those nasty knots. And my back has felt much much better! But more than that I've felt much happier because being with her just does that to me.

-I have a friends who are currently scattered throughout the country but some days I spend hours on the phone just catching up. It's amazing to know that no matter how far away they are we are still good friends. (and they are all coming home to Utah so soon. I can not wait.)

-I have another friend took time away from the hubby and her home in Logan to go shopping with me, which was really just an excuse for girl time and Sbarro pizza. And I could not have been more excited.

-I have a boss who is so kind, and understanding and truly cares about me, my happiness, and my education. I've never worked for someone who really understood that education was number 1 before, and it's beautifully refreshing. At work I feel welcome, and cared for and I can honestly say I consider this job one of my very biggest blessings.

-I have a good, good friend who has looked past all my faults, past and present, and still likes hanging out with me even if all we do is get ice cream or grilled cheese at Sonic and browse the racks at Target.

-I have the greatest aunts, uncles and cousins in the world. I'm especially grateful for monthly meals, and the constant laughter and love that exists when we're all together.

-I have so many people who I consider to be friends. My high school buddies, my amazing roommates past and present, the London gang, and all those others who I feel honored to have in my life.

-And most importantly I have an amazing family. A father who loves and provides for us. Seriously I don't know what I'd do about cracked windshields, taxes, or planning for my future without him. I have a mother who spends endless amounts of time on the phone with me. She knows everything (don't tell her I admitted that) and I love that she is not only a great mother but a dear friend. And I have my two best of buds, my sisters who will drive to Provo on a whim just to visit.

See, I'm very, very blessed. But I'm guessing you all are too!

Sometimes God Gives Us Exactly What we Asked for,

rain

And then follows it with somethings we definetally didn't ask for

(corner of bed frame falling directly onto knee cap, smell of smoke enveloping the apartment, scratched DVD)

The trick is to remember the rain.

God is so good.

Summer Decisions...

Summer is full of difficult decisions. The one I'm currently debating:

Do I buy this lovely dress,

these wonderful Sperry's,

or this mustard cardigan?

As trivial as this question may seem, it's been a great internal debate (complete with pro/con list) in my head. PLEASE give your opinion, advise, counsel, etc. ASAP.

(Clothes and shoes make me smile... a little superficial, but also a little worth it)

England on My Mind...

Lately I've been thinking England. And stalking these 2 things:

1-The final Harry Potter world premier in London last week

2-My favorite British couple's North America tour

And I've been craving galexy bars and jelly snakes. A walk around Notthing Hill. A trip to Trafalgar. A ride on the train to Blackheath and a quiet, cloudy evening meeting in the sitting room of 27 Palace Court. (I'm not craving the meal that would follow such a meeting however)

But those things make me sad so lets focus on these....

(maybe they should have put dan rad on the step above the other two..)

Wow, my favorite spot in the city turned into a beautiful premiere.

Don't you just love all the umbrellas?

I am in a never-ending state of awe when it comes to her.

And I love it with the jacket as well... such class.

Tom.. so attractive

but Rupert has my heart

Did I ever tell you she was my neighbor in London... some of my friends ran into her a couple times... at the local pub, walking with her tesco bags and starbucks. yea lonodn was that awesome..

touching...

And now for my favorite photo...

It's crazy to think this is the end of the Harry Potter movies. I grew up with Potter. The first movie came out when I was 11-a would-be Hogwarts first year. And here it is, all done.

And now on to my very favorite (and the most fashionable) princess..

A good princess also looks stunning going casual. (Beauty and the Beast taught me this)

love the sleeves on this next one

Ok this next one was my favorite, until she got to California.

love the cut of this one, and she knows how to rock a hat a lot better than the cousins

Ah... this one is my very favorite. She looks absolutely magical.

So, it's decided. I need a pair of nude pumps. She pairs them with at least three of the outfits above! And can I also say that she has the most beautiful princess hair.

oh england, my love.

It's been awhile. I know.

But I've been busy. (by busy I mean working, reading, and watching tv)

I've been baking cookies, making french toast, and heating pasta. Plus there is all that time spent in the car driving to Sandy for the weekends.And lately my skin has been dry, so I've had to actually blow dry my hair completely. Do you have any idea how long it takes to blow dry all this hair?Also I've been on a Harry Potter kick. ABC Family Harry Potter marathon was just what I needed this weekend.

To top it all off, my computer got sick. Apparently it was just a virus, however for awhile we were thinking it was (gasp) it was the hard drive.

Well, now my computer is fixed (thanks to my amazing cousin) and I guess I'm out of excuses so here is a little update on my life.

.........(crickets chirping)

..................

(still chirping).........

Ok so nothing majorly exciting has happened (perhaps another reason I haven't posted lately) but that doesn't mean life isn't good.

In fact it has been just lovely and here is why:

Hunger Game series read in 6 days.Fireworks. 4 of July BBQ with our favorite family (and playing with the cutest kids).Stalking Kate's North American Tour Wardrobe. Midnight in Paris. Smores. Awesomely painted toe nails. Rainy summer days (ah my absolute favorite). Finally watching Roman Holiday (oh audrey, to have your class). Celebrating Dad's birthday! the Voice, although in my opinion Dia should have won. Harry Potter marathon on ABC family. L o n g phone calls with f a r away friends. Getting a Provo library card. Nights spent visiting my cousins.

See, just lovely.

Now I'm off to Moon Lake. I'll be battling the heat, mosquitoes and of course (shudder) the moths. Wish me luck with that.

I've got to admit though-I haven't been this excited to go since I was a child.