Self Portrait

Despite an optimistic post and new resolve to begin blogging more often...nothing much has happened blog-wise in over a month since promising to post more regularly.
Nothing at all, actually.

So naturally I turned to Pinterest for help. After a search for "blog challenge" and a quick glance through the results, I decided on one 30-day blogging challenge I like well enough. I'm not sure what the original source is, but I found it posted on Writer's Hub.

And now, without further ado - the beginning of my 30-day blogging challenge.

DAY ONE // a photo of yourself and a description of how your day was

This is definitely not a picture from today - but the prompt never said it had to be. This is a picture from a happier time of year, when the temperature wasn't in the triple-digits every day.

And now for a brief description of my day.

Thank goodness for afternoon church. I'm still adjusting to my new ward, but today was the first Sunday that I didn't feel totally awkward and out of place. We had an ice cream-themed "Linger Longer" after church, featuring all varieties of ice cream and popsicles, and I actually met several new people - and even carried on conversations with them. 

I also found out that being assigned to be the assistant organist doesn't just mean that they want me to play when the regular organist is out of town - it means they want me to regularly trade off playing organ with him. This gave me a mild heart attack, considering that I haven't actually played organ in over a year.

But hey - if I can manage to begin to make new friends, maybe I can pull off playing organ, too.

Finding Strength

Next week, I get to team teach a lesson to a bunch of kids ages 14-17 on "Faith in Challenging Times". We decided that the most important points we wanted the kids to get out of this topic were

1 // The gospel is the key to getting through anything,

2 // You have the gospel, therefore you CAN get through anything, and

3 // We can learn and be strengthened through our trials.

We were given the opportunity to experience mortality so that we could be tested - and often, that testing comes through trials. Everything we go through is meant to strengthen us, so that we can become more like our Heavenly Father. Leaning on Him and accepting His help is the only way we can get through our trials. The most important aspect of the trials is that we learn from them. If we can't do that, they're kind of wasted. 

I know that I need to work on developing the humility necessary to rely on God's help, and to learn whatever it is I'm meant to learn from the challenges in my life. That's the only way I'll get where I need to be. It's the only way I'll become the imperfectly perfect me I want to become.

Happy Monday, and here's to the amazing week ahead of us!

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Be sure to check out this Nautical Inspired Giveaway from The Daylee Journal, too!

Summer Is

...pancakes for breakfast. Real pancakes. Not these.

(speaking of which, I still cringe every time I eat a banana thanks to that experience)

...the things you never get too old for. Like blasting the radio, dressing up, and 

having a dance party while you're home alone. Which totally happened.

...sleeping in late. check.

(that sticker on the clock? Ei klokke. That's from back when I was teaching myself 

Norwegian. I don't remember any)

...Psych marathons. I've discovered that I laugh much harder and louder when I'm

watching them by myself. 

...BOOKS. Oh, how I have missed the books! 

Summer means I finally have time to READ. And that's pretty much the best part.

Also, this song:

It's kinda the opposite of what this post is about, but I'm obsessed with it. And Sara Bareilles in general.

The Morning I Didn't Make a Mess Getting Dressed

scarf: h&m, thrifted // cardi: ross  //  dress: thrifted //
belt: thrifted // tights: hand-me-down // shoes: twentyone, thrifted

Generally, I leave for church in the morning having emptied most of my closet onto my floor - but not today. This is the one and only outfit I tried on.
Which is definitely a miracle that may never happen again.

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Sometimes...I need to remember how much I have to be happy about.

Not today, per se - today's a happy day - but just in general.

Instead of how annoying this bipolar weather is {fuh-reeeezing in the morning, sweating by the afternoon} - how awesome it is that I can still wear all my favorite winter pieces, just in layers.

Instead of how strongly I dislike going to school {have I complained about that lately? I haaaaaate my classes...} - how blessed I am to have the opportunity to be educated, and the gift of being able to learn relatively quickly and retain that knowledge.

Instead of being annoyed by a certain person - being glad that apparently somehow I'm a good example to them? And then trying to be better.

Instead of wanting more - being grateful for enough.

Instead of dwelling on mistakes - accepting the Atonement and moving on.

Sunday Style at Plane Pretty

Style Showcase at MoMoMod

Watch What I'm Wearing at Watch Out for the Woestmans
My Style Monday at My Greatest Hits

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!

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?

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.

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.

Believing in Something

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I noticed a lot of these posts floating around the bloggy world a while ago, and
I've finally decided to make my own. Kudos to whoever did the original one!

I believe....

+ that socks are always a good gift

+ in second chances
+ in a loving Heavenly Father
+ that I am His daughter
+ in lots of whipped cream
+ that rolling down the windows and playing
 loud music makes a minivan cool
+ in working hard
+ in taking breaks
+ perfection is attainable...some day
+ my best is good enough until then
+ people are placed in my life for a reason
+ trials are blessings
+ chocolate and mint were a match made in heaven
+ in living prophets
+ baby hedgehogs are pretty much the cutest things ever
+ somewhere out there, I've got a Stripling Warrior waiting for me
+ in staying up all night to finish a good book
+ popcorn is better with cheese
+everything is better with cayenne pepper
+ in answered prayers
+ that no is still an answer
+ not yet is an answer, too
+ Christmas is amazing
+ Josh Groban was one of the lead singers in
the choir of angels in heaven...as was David Archuleta
+ in running
+ that I can share my testimony through music and the way I live my life
 better than I ever could with words
+ in singing and dancing around the house
+ that love can conquer all
+ in a Taylor Swift song for every situation
+sweet pickles are NASTAY
+ adding a scarf automatically makes any outfit super-cute
+ that people are innately good
+ in getting stuck on the Ellen DeGeneres channel on Youtube
+ hugs and kisses can fix anything
+ in dressing up
+in breakfast for dinner
+ that I can still be a princess and a ballerina...childhood
fantasies never really expire
+ in the Law of Compensation: tears of sorrow will be
 repaid a hundredfold with tears of joy in the end
+ in an infinite Atonement that will make all things
right and fair in the end

Happy Monday!
What do you believe in? If you write up one of these
posts {or have already done so}, let me know - I'd love to see it!

ME, MYSELF, & I ... numero quatre

It's that time of the month again...

the Me, Myself, & I Link-up!

#1) What are your top 5 favorite movies to watch during the Holidays?

The Miracle on 34th Street,
The Nativity Story,
The Santa Claus {gotta love Tim Allen!}
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town,
& Mr. Kreuger's Christmas {even though I cry every time...}

How to Live

#2) It's the month of giving thanks, what are you most thankful for?
Oh, gee.... at least half a million things! Just to name a few,
+ warm socks
+ technology / electricity
+ God's love
+ autumn leaves
+ my opportunities for education
+ the scriptures
+ prayer
+ a supportive, loving family
+ friends that put up with me
+ books ... and having time to read them
+ this here bloggy and all you wonderful readers :)
+ my church
 + warm food
+ the fact that I am healthy and well
+ my divine potential
+ the Atonement
+ love

How to Live

#3) If there was a quote or a verse to describe your like, what would it be?

"I myself am entirely made of flaws, stitched together with good intentions"

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#4) Who in your family are you most like?
I think I have my dad's work ethic {except for when I procrastinate...that's purely me}, but personality-wise, I guess I'm most like my mom. My friends who know my mom constantly tell me how something that I said is exactly what my mom would have said. We find the same types of things funny{making fun of each other being on that list}. She's way more outgoing than I am, but I've noticed that the way I talk to new people is pretty similar to the way that she does. Overall, she's a pretty cool person to be like :)

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#5) What is your favorite drink order at Starbucks?

As if you haven't been hearing this enough lately...white hot chocolate! When it's not cold, my go-to drink is the Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino, though.

Now go check out everybody else's posts here - and link up your own!

Today's the first day of Thanksgiving Break...finally!

P.S. I'm grateful for

+ Christmas music

+ pecan pie for lunch ... 

+ the opportunity to be grateful. Have you ever 

thought about what a blessing that truly is?

It's Here!

Here's my big news...but I need some background first.

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So by raise of hands, who has read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin?

Good, good...if you haven't, you really should. 

That was the first bit of background. The second is that it's my birthday month.

I read The Happiness Project back in July, and I immediately thought that I could use something like that. It's not that I'm unhappy, but couldn't we all be happier? I was crazy-excited to start - my only problem was, I didn't know when to start. Then I thought about how October wasn't too far away...
So I'm giving myself the best birthday present ever:
the happiest year of my life.

I've turned my happiness project into something that is going to help me make the most of myself, and make me the best me possible. It's going to be hard - I've planned the monthly goals around my weakest points. But that's the only way I'm going to improve, right? Every impossible moment is going to be worth it! I'm also aligning my monthly themes/goals with different Personal Progress experiences...it never hurts to do them again, and I don't think you're ever too old! I'll probably be posting about it pretty regularly during this coming year - it'll help keep me accountable.


I started off the year with a pretty easy theme. October is all about Vitality. I'll post more specifics later this week, but I've got to finish my school work for now - one of the goals has to do with time-management and monitoring my computer time...yikes!

High Five for SEPTEMBER!

It's crazy how fast September has gone by - tomorrow is the first day of October!

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My TOP FIVE from September have been:
#1) Running! I've gotten to run in a couple races. Unfortunately, I missed the Color Me Rad run when it came into town, but I've enjoyed the ones I did get to run!
#2) I love pregnant people...especially when they're related to me!
#3) Heavenly Father has been able to help me make some changes in my life that were definitely necessary.
#4) We got all the way down to the 90s - that's sweater weather in these parts! It's supposed to get back into the 100s this week, but I'm ignoring that...
#5) I have really awesome friends, and they make me happy. This is true all of the time, but I've been feeling it a lot lately.

As much as I have loved September, I've also spent pretty much the whole month looking forward to October. I've got something big coming tomorrow...something that's been a long time in the making, and I'm way super excited about it! You'll get to hear all about it tomorrow...and for a long time after that, too, I imagine.

I'm grateful for an amazing September, and I can't wait for an even better October to start!

High Five for FRIDAY!

#1) New shooooes! I had my new running shoes just sitting out in my room after I bought them, just so they could make me happy all over again when I saw them!

#2) I'm running another race today! Hopefully it'll be better than last week...

#3) I was sick , but now I'm not!

#4) I'm thankful for people who push me even when I don't.

#5) It was Stake Conference last Sunday - the speakers were great!

*sorry - pictures are coming soon, I promise!!

You Know Those Super-Crazy Life-Changing Moments?

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Those moments where you know you are totally okay with Heavenly Father taking you and turning you into whatever person He always intended you to be, no matter how far out of your comfort zone it is and how hard you have to work to get there?

Those moments when you forgive everyone who you've been holding things against because you realize how little any of it matters in the eternal scheme of things?

Those moments when you're willing to do anything it takes to have the light of Christ with you so strong that it pretty much lights up whatever room you're in?

Those moments when you love the entire world and everything and everyone in it?

I wish those could last forever. I had one of those last Sunday, and is was warm and fuzzy and soft and sweet and I wanted to cry and sing and never be the same!

The feeling only lasted a few days, but I've been able to make changes in myself since then, and I've gone out of my comfort zone for the better so many times this week! This is just another example of what I'm constantly being reminded of lately - the power of me. If I make a choice and have Heavenly Father backing me up on it, I can really accomplish anything.

This Autumn is definitely going to be a season of many changes, and I can't wait!

Have a fabulous weekend!

There Are No Words

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To be honest, I don't remember much. The one thing I really remember is that there was this song by Enya that they played during montages of the tragedy, and that song ("Only Time") made me cry every time I heard it for years afterward.

I may not remember, but I can never forget, and I will never stop being grateful for this country.

I Chose...and It Happened!

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So I woke up today, and I was like, "Hey - I'm going to have a great day today!"

And guess what?

I did! Choosing joy has such a huge impact on everything - and letting Christ light up my life makes that possible.

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On a side note, I'm on this "spiritual detox" right now, and it's doing wonders for me. It goes like this:

+ pretty much no popular music. Not that all popular music's bad or anything, it's just that I know that the Spirit is much better able to communicate with me when I don't have lyrics of popular songs running through my head all day. I do still listen to music, it's just more church-y stuff.

+every morning, right when I wake up, I do a Vinyasa. Yoga is really soothing for me, and a great way to start off my day.

+after that, I read from the New Testament.

+right when I get home from classes, I read from the Book of Mormon.

I've been doing this ever since this post last week. I guess it's my version of that vacation in the middle of nowhere that I wanted. 

Have you ever realized that you just really need to get back to basics? How did you do it?

I Don't Even Know...

....and that's why I need to learn to just turn things over to God. Some things, I can't control, and that's okay. What's not okay is holding on to them and letting it eat me up. I do that a lot - constantly wondering If I had done such-and-such differently, would it have turned out better? Could I have done anything? Why is this happening???!

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 I'm kinda just feeling guilty about life in general right now. And to make things even better, I started my homework without reading my scriptures. Blech. I'm going to go do it right now, so I won't just be half-reading it while I'm pretty much asleep, but still.

I need a vacation. Like, one of those spiritual ones, where you go to some cabin in the wilderness with nothing but food, your scriptures, and a yoga mat. That seriously sounds fabulous right now.

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Look at that picture...If God can make something as magnificent as that, He can help me through anything and everything, if I let him. I've just got to let him!

This week is going to be great, guys. It's a wonderful world, and we have a wonderful Father. 

Hello, Fall!

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Technically, fall starts this month! In my neck of the woods, it won't actually get fall-y outside until mid-October, but here's my "Good-bye Summer, Hello Fall!" post anyway!

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I'm missing...

+ my John Frieda shampoo. This doesn't have anything in particular to do with summer, but my poor hairs weep!
+ swimming

+ when I had time to read books for fun
+ when I had more free time than I knew what to do with
+ sleeping in until 7 a.m.
+ day trips

I'm not missing...

+ that 100+ degree weather we were having...even though it's supposed to come back this week

+ sweating through every outfit the second I stepped out the door
+ wasting my free time

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I can't wait for...

+ the leaves to change color!
+ wearing boots and long socks
+ breaking out my pea coat
+ rain! thunderstorms!
+ hot chocolate on chilly mornings
+ curling up with a book and a blanket (I will make time!)


Fall can't get here soon enough!