High FIVE for Friday!

It's Friday. Well, that came out of nowhere. 

My last weekday out of classes...sigh.

But don't worry - I'll be living it up {by window shopping at the mall}.

Meanwhile, here are my top 5 from this week!

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#1) I saw The Hobbit! I've never been a Lord of the Rings fan {I've only read the books...and to be honest, they bored me to death. Don't get me wrong, it's gorgeous writing, just...so much of it seemed arbitrary. The last book in the trilogy was the only one that I really enjoyed}, but I did like The Hobbit as a book, and I'd say they did pretty well making it into a movie.

#2) Strawberry lemon sorbet frozen yogurt topped with pineapple...I die.

#3) It's 2013! I spent New Year's Eve with some of my favorite people, and started off 2013 with an early breakfast of waffles topped with ice cream. 

#4) I finally got my new header {courtesy of Shaina from Shadylane - check her out!} up! I'll still be tweaking the rest of the design for a while, but it feels good to practically have one of 2013's goals crossed off already!

#5) I went to a super-exciting baptism that everybody's been waiting for forever on Tuesday! And then proceeded to get miserably lost on the way home...but that's just me. Perpetually lost.

And that is just a bit of my pretty darn awesome week. 

I definitely finished off my winter break well!

GOALS {because resolutions are made to be broken}

In 2012, I deliberately did not make any goals or resolutions at the 

beginning of the new year. It was nice to take a break...sometimes, the unrealistic goals 

we have a tendency to make can become a heavy load to carry. 

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I'm ready for goals this year, though. So with out further ado - 

In 2013, I will...

+ learn how to type - like, the right way. As in, not looking at the keyboard. 

I'm going to start from scratch, and I've got a few websites I can use to help. This is going to be tough...because I hate typing. But it's a necessary skill and I figure it'll end up 

saving me time, so it'll be worth it!

+ bear my testimony in Church 3 times - this terrifies me. I'm not sure why, but it does. I get up in front of everybody and I freeze and when I'm done I can't even remember anything I said. But this'll be good for me! I need to get more comfortable with it.

+ spend 30 minutes a week with Preach My Gospel - I've got a mission to prepare for, after all! But it'll help in my everyday life, too.

+ work my butt off to get a 25 minute race time next season - I can do it. But that means I can't just stop working out when I'm not doing races...I've kinda gotta start now. Working out is fun!

+ STUDY the Book of Mormon twice, cover to cover - hopefully using up the rest of my old scripture journal and moving into my fancy new one.

+ put more effort into creating friendships through my blog - part 1 of this goal is going to be commenting on at least 2 posts a day. Once I've got that down, I'll proceed from there.

+ find a way to make time for me on a regular basis - I've discovered it's rather important to have a life outside of school...something I've been lacking. As I manage my time more effectively, I'll have more time to relax - to have fun - to sharpen the saw.

+ pay attention to the little things - I need to learn to let things be and stop worrying constantly. It'd be much more worth my while to stop and think about how many things I have to be grateful for - or to look outside myself and see what little thing I might be able to do for someone else.

+ do a bit or reorganizing/redecorating/getting rid of a ton of stuff - self explanatory.

+ get the new blog design in place - I figured I might as well stick something easy to check off in there.


This year's mantra is

And the word is

This is going to be an amazing year.
Just you wait and see.

12 for '12

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1. In the races I ran, I proved that I could push myself to be better, and I had my best season yet.

2. I saw Hunter Hayes live {and free!} - my first ever concert! {post here}

3. I had fun - I've gone out to do stuff just because I could more this year than I ever have before.

4. I sewed some wearable items!

5. I started a blog.

6. I pushed myself musically - I played a piano/violin duet with my friend, a piano/organ duet (with me on organ!), and organ for Church twice, in addition to being the pianist for several baptisms and a funeral.

7. I started my Happiness Project...and have made significant progress in some areas

8. I survived the most brutal semester of my educational history - and came out with the highest
 GPA I could have gotten. 

9. I expanded my movie education - you know those movies that everybody's been in love with forever? Yeah...I just saw them this year. More accurately, I just saw them in the last 3 months.

10. I read Jesus the Christ.

11. I won a couple giveaways, and was a contributor in another one.

12. I discovered more about who I am and who I'm becoming...and I think I'm liking it. (:

Can you believe that 2012 is over??? Because I can't. 

What were the highlights of your year?

{2012} Year in Review

 2012 was quite the year...

I'm sure I'll be sharing more on that later, but for now-a year in blog posts! Well, not quite a year, because I haven't been a resident of blogland for a full year yet, but it's pretty close!


APRIL

The first picture of me on the blog...
Fancy, eh?

There are definitely some awkward posts in my first month of blogging! It's interesting to look back and see myself developing my own blogging style {in writing and in the look....I think I went through three or four different designs in this first month alone}and becoming more me on my blog.
So I'm choosing I Stand All Amazed for April. This is one of the least forced-sounding posts - it's just me talking about something I care deeply about.


MAY

The first collage I ever made for the blog...oi.

I participated in Mission: Put Together 2012 in May, and It's Over? Already? is my wrap-up post. I really did love that experience - I learned a lot about my personal style and being comfortable with what I wear. And it was nice that I was one of the winners, too....


JUNE

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LOVE is just me chatting about my most favoritest song in the entire world, Come Thou Font.


JULY

 July was a busy month! I took trips and made stuff and had tons of fun-enjoying the first full month of no school. I think this was the month that I really came into my blogging voice, too, and I started reaching out and joining linky parties and such.
I'm choosing my first Dear Boys post for July...because I think it's kind of hilarious.
Oh, and one more, because it was very momentous: my first {and probably last} tutorial!


AUGUST

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August was a good month for blogging. And I like a ton of the posts...so you get more than one again.
Sorry! {but not really (: }
I made myself have a good month despite the fact that I hated August.
Hating it: It is NOT
Deciding to love it: Paradigm Shift!
Actually loving it!: It is NOT, part 2
Being awarded my first Liebster Award.
Aaaand my Bloggy Goals - which I think I'm actually doing pretty well on, by the way.


SEPTEMBER

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I Chose...and It Happened!
Sometimes, I am disciplined enough to choose joy even when everything is going against it.


OCTOBER

I loved participating in Project Inspire!


NOVEMBER

I saw Hunter Hayes live!!!

I wrote a post about How to Post Regularly When Life is INSANE ... which I haven't been following very well as of late...

DECEMBER

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I'm still having a hard time grasping the fact that it's not December anymore...holy cannoli, it's 2013!
Posting was kinda sparse in December, but I really liked Believing in Something.

And there you have it - 2012 in blog posts. 

I've loved blogging, and the friendships I've made by doing it. Thank you to everyone who reads and comments on this stuff I keep spewing out - it means a lot to me!

There's going to be a change in my blog design coming soon! Remember when I won that giveaway where I got a free blog header? Well, the header's been ready for a while now, I've just been slacking with making my new tabs and buttons and such to match it. But now that I've told y'all about it, I'm accountable to get it done before my winter break is over {I'm back in classes on Monday...ugh}. I love how it's looking so far, and I can't wait to finish it up!

Unto You is Born This Day

I've been thinking....and I am one lucky girl.

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I hope you've all had an amazing day, whether or not you were celebrating Christmas.

I'm kinda loving everyone and everything right now - this is the Christmas spirit {the spirit of Christ} that I need to keep around me all year long!

P.S. And just when I thought life couldn't get any better...I'm going 

to be falling asleep to the sound of rain on my window tonight. Life is good.

Me, Myself, & I ... numero cinq

Merry Christmas Eve!
As an early present, you get to hear me talk about myself!

'Tis the season... (;

#1) What was your favorite gift given to you as a child?

Considering the amount of thought that must have gone into the gifts I received as a child, I should probably remember them better...but that was an awfully long time ago! One year my grandparents got me this huge toy horse. I immediately named it Vanilla. I was usually pretty ecstatic when I got books, too.

#2) Christmas is almost here, what is that one Christmas song you could listen to on repeat?
Josh Groban's O Holy Night.
Every day, at least once a day, since Thanksgiving.
Just a wee bit obsessed...

#3) What are a few of the items on your Christmas list this year?

I've gotten rather fond of clothing....
A mustard infinity scarf, boot socks, oxford pumps, an eyelash curler, and a
Norwegian sweater, just to name a few.

#4) Do you and your family have any special holiday traditions? Explain.
Each year we pick a sibling {drawn out of a hat} to be a secret Santa for...even though by Christmas we've usually figured out who everyone has. The gifts are lovingly handmade, with tons of thought put into them. They're always a joy to open on Christmas morning!

#5) Which do you prefer: wrapping paper or gift bags? Why?

Wrapping paper all the way! First of all, there are so many fun ways you can do it - a bag is always a bag. But wrapping paper can be the newspaper or a Trader Joe's bag or some stenciled butcher paper...
And second - who doesn't love tearing through wrapping paper?


Merry almost-Christmas, everyone! I hope you're all enjoying this time with loved ones.
Drink lots of cider for me!

Christmas is a necessity.
There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that 
we're here for something else besides ourselves.
ERIC SEVAREID

all images from my Pinterest boards

In the Midst of Celebration

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I know I'm a bit late with posting about this, but I wanted to say something.

Losing a small child is a pretty personal issue for me, but I still can't imagine what the families 

in Newtown are feeling right now.

I was caroling with my church group on Wednesday night, and we were singing 

"Away in a Manger" at an elderly couple's house. When we got to the third verse, I 

couldn't help but tear up, thinking of those children...

Be near me, Lord Jesus; 

I ask thee to stay

Close by me forever

And love me I pray!

Bless all the dear children

In Thy tender care,

And fit us for Heaven 

To live with Thee there.

I know they were welcomed with open arms. Those families are strong, incredible. 

They have felt every prayer, every wish for hope and peace sent their way.

I still believe in the innate goodness of people - if anything, this has strengthened that belief. One man hurt thousands, but those thousands have held each other up, helping one other heal.

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And I think that is what Christmas is about.