Christmas is just around the corner...

Kid History - Episode 7 (Christmas) - by BoredShortsTV

I am not sure how popular Kid History is, but I thought I would share. "Christmas is a magical time of joy and wonder...Like you wonder when you are gonna get to open presents." This has so much truth to the thoughts that kids have I just love it!

Final Stretch

Hopefully this is really all that I have up until finals...but there always seems to be something that I forget to write down. I am literally stretching myself! I am running on three hours of sleep for the second day in a row. Hopefully I can get a few things done at the library today so that I can get to bed at a decent time and really enjoy my Sabbath tomorrow. Tomorrow at 6pm Mountain standard time(Utah time)is the Christmas Devotional given by the First Presidency (President Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf). My roommates and I are planning on going up to Salt Lake to Temple square to look at the lights and watch it. I cannot wait! Hopefully the weather doesn't try to stop those plans.

Time Out

(Cindy Pennington, Natalie Pennington, Sheri Dew, Karee Brown, Hannah Rackham, Emily Baer, Breanne Anderson)

Life is busy! Life as a college student, life as a friend, life as a daughter. Though some of my roles are not quite as pressing at this point in my life, I still need to take some time out and to be still. Time Out for Women, is one of these such opportunities. This year the theme was "Choose to Become: Discover your possibilities." This amazing weekend of learning, music and fun is put on by Deseret Book. For those of you who do not know about Deseret Book, it is a LDS (Latter-day Saint) owned and operated book company that I hope to someday write for. This weekend I was able to hear a few really inspiring talks about happiness, beauty, love, friendship and more. All of the lessons that I learned were things I really want to apply to my life and am going to share within the next few weeks.

What Mom should know

( I just love the trees in the background!!)

I am now almost finished with my first semester of my sophomore year, it's hard to be believe how fast it has flown by. I normally talk to my mom at least twice a day (depending on the day, but sometimes more). But I was thinking that it would be nice to share with all of you who I don't talk with quite as much, a little about what I have been up to.

10. Don't worry!!! I don't have a boyfriend...not that that is really bothering me, that's just one of those things that Mom (and Dad) would be concerned about, right?


(Mike Davis, who took me to this beautiful scene. We went rode four-wheelers, hiked, rode paddle boats, skipped rocks, and had a picnic. He let me drive a couple of times and I have to say it was kind of scary at first, but he thought I was pretty good.)

9. I have been keeping really busy with 16 credits and 20 hours of work. I am enjoying my new job as an assistant accountant. It has been nice to switch to an indoor job right as it was getting cold. I really enjoy the people that I work with and sitting in front of a computer hasn't been too bad. I am learning so much about how to run different programs (call me a nerd) and I actually like it.

8. I am not so sure about my major... I really enjoy writing, but not so sure I like literature.


(Halloween party...Yeah I am with Lady Gaga!)

7. I am wanting to write books or even be an editor. I am planning on interviewing the CEO of prestigious company called Deseret Book to see if I would like to work in that field.



6. I am keeping my grades up for the most part.

5. I am trying to not stay up too late. OK so maybe I am not trying too hard because I am planning on staying here in the second floor of the library til midnight.


(Thank you Hannah and Natalie!!)

4. I have wonderful friends who are looking after me. Two of which surprised me on my birthday with a sign and breakfast! Later my roommates throw me a "surprise" birthday party. They are so great! I am trying pretty hard to keep branching out and making new friends.



3. I am currently serving on the Compassionate Service Committee at church. This isn't as time consuming as my last calling as second counselor in the Relief Society, but it is what I make of it. For those of you who aren't quite as familiar with the Relief Society (I really didn't know much about the Compassionate Service Committee myself) I work with a group of four other girls to plan different activities for the girls in my ward. I have been put in charge of the different challenges each week. This week the challenge was to write a missionary, of which I need to do myself. We are also designing a system of "Tattle telling" that if someone knows of a need of a girl we are going to anonymously leave a note. So if there is a girl who is sick (but wouldn't tell anyone) her roommate would leave a note telling us and we would arrange for someone to take her soup or something.

2. I have had so many homesick moments and am looking forward to Christmas break. It is hard to think that the kids are growing up without me. And I often feel left out because I keep hearing about all the fun things that you are doing without me. BUT I like it! So don't stop.

1. I am going to Arizona for Thanksgiving!!! Why? A boy! Well I do have family there, in fact, that aunt is my only connection to this boy, well young man, she is setting me up. I don't know much about him... not even his name, but I know he is tall, blonde, and smart. He will be heading off to dental school in the Spring. I guess we will just have to see how it goes. I will have three or four days to go on dates and get to know him, not to mention Thanksgiving dinner which my aunt has so conveniently set up for me. (She is so nice!)

Mom and Dad, I hope that you are proud of me. Proud of what I have done and where I am right now. I am trying my best! I love you!

Gabbi Gator

Meet Gabbie the Gator, my new co-worker. I have worked for BYU landscaping for a week and a day and already this Gator and I have a history. We have developed a love-hate relationship.



It goes a little like this: Gabbi is kind enough to let other workers, such as myself, ride speedily along within the stadium and the practice fields. Sometimes she likes to buck her passengers around, especially the person sitting in the back on her flatbed. To me she likes to bounce me back and forth and bruise my back. One day she ran over my foot and I got right back at her by running her side into a gate...later that day she proved that she had the upper hand by "running out of battery" as I was spreading seed. But we made up with some quality driving time making me feel quite confident in my newly developed ability to drive stick.

So far work is going great. I am finally as tan as I should have been on the second day of summer! Just in time for the winter to set in right? Ok, I still have about a month before the first snow. And hopefully, because I have to shovel snow, it won't be a very cold and snowy fall. As for now, I have the simple duties of: pulling weeds, sweeping under the cement around the stadium field, spreading seeds, patching up torn up grass on the practice fields, spreading sand on uneven parts of the field, and my personal favorite... stomping on all the stadium seats to scare away bees so that I could spray them. Overall a very exciting job.

Morning Ramblings

Is it normal for food to be the first thing on my mind when I wake up? I always hear how guys love food, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." So why do I, a girl, think about food so much?

Breakfast. First and most important meal of the day, so choose wisely! Growing up I would have my option mostly made for me. Sometimes it was hot cereal (oatmeal, Malt O'Meal, cracked wheat etc.), or cold cereal (non-sugary only. Cheerios, Rice Chex, Bran Flakes, Rice Krispies, and occasionally Honey Bunches of Oats). Some days my mom would make pancakes or waffles served with warm syrup. She might make eggs, cooked to each of her seven children and husband's desires. I liked it when she made egg burritos. There is something about tortillas that I just love. And then there were the "I am too late for anything days" in which case we would grab a bagel and go. These days were not my favorite because bagels never seem to satisfy my morning hungers.

I guess it's a good thing to have so many options, I mean it is the most important meal, right? But even for an avid "Breakfast Lover" I find the options to be a little overwhelming at times. Have you seen how many different kinds of cold cereal there is to choose from now? And most of them are just sugar and not very filling. I like to stick to the basic oatmeal on weekdays. A friend showed me how to make it in a cup so that I can take my breakfast with me in the morning and eat on my way to school. It's a great way to start the morning because it keeps me satisfied til lunch. I can add as much or as little sugar as I want. It's perfect! Just for me!

A common trend coming up short

The Brigham Young University Campus is beautiful and full of people from places all over the world. As I walk around I pass so many people who's stories are mysteries to me and sometimes I am curious and want to know those people behind the faces. Know where they are from, what kind of family they come from, and what they like to do. I want to get to know them and at least reach the "friend" status on Facebook. Of course there are a few guys that catch my eye and make me wish that I was brave enough to ask their name or "accidentally" run into them. But in my surveying of the different people on campus, I have noticed a common trend... There are a lot of shorter guys.


For some this is not a problem, especially those girls of average height, and really height shouldn't be an incredibly important factor. However, ask any girl taller than 5'6" or so, and she will tell you that being taller than the guy is a little weird. I am 5' 8", and when I can see over a guys head I find it a little odd. Not that I don't want to get to know that guy or be his friend, because I am always looking for more friends, but as far as going a beyond the friend status... well let's just say that it is hard for me to see myself with a guy who's shoulders are lower than mine or worse...at my elbows!

I am pretty sure I am not the only girl that has this opinion. And for some the natural response might be to slouch a little. In fact, I recently read an article written by Sheri Dew, by the age of 12, had reached the height of 5' 10". She recounts her twelve year old self as a "social disaster." Though she wanted to slouch so as to not stand out as much, her mom counseled and urged her to "Stand up straight." She then goes on to encourage women to stand up for their beliefs even if it is not common or even popular. I really enjoyed this article and learned so much from her insights. I know that not ever girl has to worry about being taller than the next guy, but this article has something for everyone and I encourage you to read it. (Stand Tall and Stand Together)



"No woman is a more vibrant instrument in the hands of the Lord than a woman of God who is thrilled to be who she is." ~Sheri Dew