A Huge Heart of Gratitude Nov 13-18

Monday for FHE we made a gratitude tree in my house. So much love and gratitude for so many things!

I love when you get extra credit on a test by drawing cartoons of the psychologists we've studied.

I turned my senior paper in on Tuesday. It felt AMAZING! I think it took a full day for my body to relax, but when it did it was the best thing ever!

I love Chalae! I dressed in orange just for her :) Whether it's chats in the car, on the couch, or Taco Bell, and we are blasting music, laughing till we can't breathe, or just talking about life, i'm very grateful for her! She has an amazing ability to see Christlike attributes in others and share her testimony of the Savior. So grateful our friendship has grown this semester!

I have discovered what I want for Christmas. These magnet tile design thing is the greatest form of stress relief! I sit and try and make my kids do them with me everyday... and even if they don't I still do one!

 

True friendship right there. Thanks Alley for going back and liking my pictures haha

Wednesday I met with my professor about my senior paper. It went well! Now just time to edit! Wish me luck!

I ate lunch in the dinning hall Wednesday and I cannot express to you how much I missed the raspberry moose track ice cream. 

Thursday night there was a Men's Volleyball scrimmage. They split our team in two and they played against each other. This caused me to be split. Who was I suppose to cheer for? I love the Men's Volleyball team! They watch out for me and make me laugh. I was getting some serious anxiety at their game though because I was wanting them all to do well and sometimes they weren't... haha I was real frustrated. But it was fun! We then watched a Shenanigans show afterwords.

Grateful for my sweet children :)

I think being with those children effects my cravings for food! My lunch was a very fitting lunch for one of my two year olds.

Friday night did not go how I thought it was going to, it turned out 100 million times better haha! I was sitting and cleaning my room when Sarah Foster showed up. We got talking and determined that we both needed food because it was 9pm and neither of us had had dinner. But Sarah really wanted a blessing, but there was this date night activity that a lot of our friends were helping with. We weren't sure if they would be sitting in the kitchen or busy so we went up there and found out. 

The date night was a hypnotist show. We ended up sitting in the back and watching it. It was hilarious!! We stayed and helped clean everything up when it was over and then we really needed food. So Colby and Sarah and I went to Cookout and were met by Emma, Rachel, and Spencer. We just laughed and laughed and laughed! We then ran to Walmart at midnight to buy things for Friendsgiving the next day!

Saturday morning we had a bridal shower for Julia, one of my housemates. It was so fun to sit there with a whole bunch of wonderful women and celebrate Julia and Clay.

Friendsgiving has become one of my new favorite things! We all made a dish and went over to Mikayla's and Chalae's house. Mikayla had everything set up and decorated perfect! We had more food than you could possibly imagine and at least 25 people. We ate, played a game, and sat and watched movies the whole day! I left to go to the choir concert but then returned to keep eating and watching movies. I am beyond grateful for my friends this semester and the laughing (and napping) that always ensues!

 

 

The Big Week! Nov 6-12

(I took a lot more videos this week than I did pictures. Sorry about that!)

Sunday night I knew I had a big week ahead! I had my senior paper to finish and the release of Taylor Swifts new album. 

Sunday night I made a promise with my Heavenly Father. I told him that I would study the scriptures and his words before I studied if he would please help me have clarity of mind to help me accomplish all that I needed to do.

So I woke up at 5:30am Monday morning, read my scriptures, and then buckled down and started studying for a Biology test that I had that day. I studied hard and felt good! And I aced my test! YAY!

Then another tender mercy, I had a paper for a class to write that I hate and didn't have time to do. The class ended up getting canceled and I was able to sit and write a ton of the essay!

We have been preparing for the release of Taylor Swifts new album, Reputation, for months. Colby informed me that it works perfect to listen to an album a day before the release. So thats what we did!

Tuesday through the rest of the week was filled with lots of buckling down and writing. My mind was so clear. Every night I would set up camp with my computer, books, hot chocolate, goldfish, and Taylor Swift music. I wrote and wrote and wrote and I was so proud of the work I was doing! 

I am so grateful for good friends and so many encouraging words all the time and throughout this week.

Friday was the big day! I was so ready after work to go and buy the new album! 5:30pm came, I jetted off to Walmart, bought groceries, and the album and then drove around blasting all the new songs! Im obsessed!!

I came home and knew I should keep working on my paper. But I texted Chalae and she told me to come meet her in Jonzzeys. Well that ended with a big group of us going to Walmart, buying oranges and tomatoes, grabbing a tennis racket, and going up to the parkway to let off some stress. We blasted music and although I think I got slightly more stressed because I knew I should be working, I am so grateful for goofy people that are my friends.

Saturday I woke up with a determination to work! I wrote my paper, got ready for the day, deep cleaned my room, and wrote some more. Finally about 5:30pm Alayna and I knew we needed to get out of the house. We took food to a friend who needed it at work and then we went to the Palms to eat dinner. So yummy!

I can't remember exactly what happened.. I got back and I somehow was with Chalae and then we all ended up at my house and decided to cuddle in Alayna's bed. I love these girls. And we are all living with each other next semester!

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who helps us. I could not have gotten so much done without his help of clearing my mind and helping me stay focused. It was a week full of tender mercies and blessings!

High Fashion, Photos, and Family October 30- November 5

Monday was the ward Halloween Party! They served chili and we had games and a costume contest. Lets just talk about this adorable costume!!



In Lab on Tuesday we played with Mr. Potato Heads!


For Halloween I went to the Women's Volleyball game and then watched Hocus Pocus with Amy, Clairanne, Sarah, and Andrew. It was really fun! And It can't be Halloween until you watch that movie right?

Monday and Wednesday's I have an hour after Institute and before my first class. I go to Jonzzeys get a smoothie or hot chocolate and sit and talk or do homework... mostly talk haha! Here was a conversation from Wednesday.


I am SO happy its November. I am going to be honest, I really don't like October.. but November :)


Thursday Morning I went to Lexington with Sarah who was taking some senior pictures for me! We got breakfast and took cafe and town pictures. I haven't seen them yet but I'm excited!
 

Thursday night I went to the performance of Tuck Everlasting again. Its just so beautiful! New obsession!

Friday night I decided to drive up to DC to go visit Grandma Lambert and the Garfields. It was a super quick trip complete with card games (Which I failed at), soccer games, rain, shopping with Isaac, and a ward party. Im grateful for family that lives so close!
 

Can we just talk about how pretty VA is? I can't handle it!!!
 

Saturday night I wasn't doing so hot. My brain was not being very kind to me. I was filled with lots of thoughts of inadequacies and frustrations. I am so grateful for Chalae who comforted me and turns me back to my Savior.


Sunday night I wasn't feeling too well after a fireside, so I decided to go sit and on my porch and listen to hymns on a hill. My house is perfectly situated to just hear all the singing from up on the hill. It is magical!

Happy Fall! October 23-29

Its real. My senior paper. I can't hide or pretend it isn't anymore... AH!

This week was a lot of just going through the motions. I went to the women's volleyball game (shocker I know. HAHA!) and I went to this new series our school is doing called Wellness Wednesdays. They have different events or speakers on different areas of life. This week was friendship. It was interesting to look at and talk about trust and believing people are your friends. This is something that I realize I struggle with. Its sometimes hard for me to believe people are my friends. Which I know is silly! And its funny that I was thinking about it this week because I remember saying something to my friend freshman year about not believing they were my friend. Its funny how somethings go full circle. 

I sat by Chalae for the Wellness Wednesday and we were both out of it! I took her to her house and got her ready for bed...but then all chaos ensued! She was super loopy, and then called someone to go play with her, and then Sarah Foster appeared, Chalae left, and Sarah and I just sat outside talking about life and laughing. It was good :)

I have been having the randomest cravings all the time! I was sitting downstairs with Alayna and I announced that all I wanted was Oreos. This is what she offered... yeah. Not the same.

But don't worry! Sarah Foster came in clutch!

I think I have taken a similar picture every year! I just LOVE leaves!

I drove a different way home on Friday and look how pretty!!! This is the best the fall leaves have been since I have been in VA. The last two years the weather has destroyed the leaves before they could fully change, but this year they are not disappointing!

 

It was our last home football game and we won! It was also freezing! I stood for most of the game by Colby, Anna Bowers, and ----. The Men's Volleyball team has been selling concessions to raise money. I went over to their table at one point and sat in a chair because it was warm haha! I was then grateful that Colby drove me home, its finally getting cold.

Saturday was adventure time! I have a list of things I need to do before I leave and one of those was go to the cornmaze and pumpkin patch that is on the road as you drive into BV. Alayna and I gathered some friends and off we went. It was so fun! This cornmaze too the entire side of a mountain! 

 

We successfully went through the whole thing and then climbed on hay bails, went sliding down the hill laughing our heads off, went on a see-saw, and looked at pumpkins. It was the perfect fall activity!

We tried... haha

We of course finished with a trip to Cook-Out.

That night I went to the school's production of Tuck Everlasting. It was beautiful!!! I ADORE the music! I ADORED the set. I ADORED the people. It was magical. 

I have been thinking a lot about time. The time it takes to establish a friendship. The time it takes to heal. The timing of every situation and how key it is. I was thinking about Hamilton and this idea of running out of time and wanting more of it. Tuck Everlasting is also about time, but the idea of what if you could have more time. Would you take it? Sometimes when I think of clocks they overwhelm me. We are dictated by numbers with having to be certain places at certain times. But I think the time without a number is what scares me the most. When someone says something will take time, that can be scary. But it can also be something exciting. We need to keep trusting and moving forward with faith and trusting the Lords timing and praying to learn what we are suppose to be doing while we are "waiting".

My amazing housemate Tara announced on Sunday that she really wanted to make food for people. Well I wasn't objecting! She made me a delicious panini!