Valentine's Day. Of course.

Fact: I hate Valentine's Day.

I want nothing to do with it.
Unless the man of my dreams shows up on my doorstep with flowers...
And, let's face it, he's really bad at taking hints and/or just doesn't like me.
So I am resorting back to my original plan of hating on this holiday for lovers.

All you lover-less people, let's get ice cream and chick flicks and fantasize about the perfect man who will sweep us off our feet and carry us off into the sunset.

And while talking of love...
Isn't this the best picture?
I don't really want to get old, but I know that I will have to.
So, more than anything, I want a lover who will hold my hand when we're old.
And I will also be rocking a red coat.

The Death of All Things Floaty

What the what?!

Guys, helium is running out! How is this possible? Is anyone else like me and had no idea where helium came from but never thought it would run out? This is so weird! We have got to fund a solution to this problem. (That means, some kind of smart scientist needs to find out where to get more helium or some kind of alternative floaty gas.) My kids will never know floaty balloons if it keeps going like this! I am seriously so depressed.

You can google this to find out that I am not, in fact, lying to you. NPR and News Week both have articles on it.

Prettiness

Because I like pretty things, I want you to have something to look at besides that grumpy cat. So here are some photographs from Lauren Withrow. Mindy was so kind to share her talent with us all. Enjoy.

Soggy

Guys, I am doubting myself.

It began when I got into a swimming pool and tried to swim for speed/exercise instead of fun in the summertime. It was so bad. I thought I was going to die. What is my problem? I'm so comfortable in water. Why must we assign strokes? Do you think that they will let me swim however I want at the triathlon? Probably not.

Seriously, I'm so grumpy. I don't know if I can do this now. Ugh.

Rainstorms

Remember this. It's important.

Sorry

Tiffany is complaining that I haven't blogged in a week.

But I haven't really thought of anything to blog about. I know, weird! I'm normally insane for blogging. So please forgive me while I try to get out of this little funk. I will start toting around my camera, and hopefully that will give me some inspiration for blogging it up.

For now, I will tell you that this was an exciting week, full of bowling, snowshoeing, and mountains. February is treating me well. So far. Valentine's Day is coming up, that most dreaded of all holidays in my book. Mostly because I'm bitter, but oh well! Maybe this year it will be good.

The End of the Week

Ees Friday night.

And I'm home, making pilaf and doing homework (that's code for "watching Hannah Montana reruns").

Boring? Maybe. Awesome? Yes.

I've been run run running. Maybe that's why Tuesday was such a bad day. I have no time to do anything but school and work and when I take some extra time to do something like go to the gym, I'm completely thrown off. Ugh.

So tonight I stay home. And maybe head to Jody's to watch a movie and do some quilting. And tomorrow I'm going to go to the library before my date (yes! I know! I got a date! Exciting!)

Have a relaxing weekend, little ones.

Cupcakes and Parties

So I have this weird thing...

I love sweets (this isn't the weird part). I love eating sweet, gooey, chocolatey things with sprinkles and such. I eat chocolate frosting straight from the container. I eat whole batches of cookies in a matter of hours. I carry around of giant Symphony bar in my purse/backpack (in case of dementors). But...

I hate cupcakes.

I mean, I like looking at them. They're cute and sweet and innocent. But there is something about them. I hate to eat them. Ick. I gag just thinking about it.

This is dumb and irrational.

So I have a plan. We are going to have a Cupcake Party. Everyone is going to bring a cupcake (or three) and we'll try them and decide which is the best. So pull out your best recipes. Pull out your decorating skills. We'll decorate some and have a contest. Let's be creative.

And there will be alternate desserts provided by me in case I really don't like cupcakes.

Sunday. My place. In lieu of game night. Everyone is invited. Email me if you don't know me but you still want to come and be my friend (no creepers, please.)

Guys! Emma!

Aren't you excited? PBS does such a good job at Jane Austen. I am so in love with the Northanger Abbey that they did (sweetest kiss ever!) And because I love Romola Garai, Emma promises to be blissful! Wheee!!!

The Day

Every so often I have a day. You know the one I'm talking about. The one where it's too tough to get out of bed. The one where you don't get dressed. The one where you think about all the things you have to accomplish, and yet you still sit there and do nothing. The day where you can't find anything wrong with your life, yet nothing fits and everything seems terrible.

Maybe it's the weather causing you to feel this way. Maybe it isn't anything.

Whatever it is, I hate those days. And Tuesday happened to be one of them. Everything seemed wrong, yet it was all right on paper. Confusing. So I didn't do anything. I didn't get dressed. I didn't leave the house.

I'm looking for a cure. Maybe a bottled up dream or a cute boy to curl up and watch Disney movies with or Joshua Radin and cinnamon rolls.

Uncomfortable

Do one thing every day that scares you.
~Eleanor Roosevelt

Everyday last week, I ran into this quote somewhere or another.
It started to get annoying.
And then I started to think about it.

What do I do that makes me uncomfortable? What do I do that scares me?

The answer is nothing.
I like my comfort zone.
I stay in it perpetually.

Time for a new me.
Time to be someone that is not afraid of adventures or exciting things or new things.
Time to widen my horizons.

I started on Saturday with a ponytail. I hated ponytails. I was afraid of how they would look on me. I was afraid of them because I had never tried one. So I wore one to pilates class on Saturday. And what do you know? It was very good and very convenient. So when my hair is straight, I will be wearing more ponytails.

On Sunday, I studied with someone. I have never studied with someone before. I'm the kind of person who does a lot better learning alone. Or so I thought. But when a cute boy wants to study for religion class, you don't say no. And I loved it. I remember everything we went over, which is a first for me. I will studying with people more. Or just with cute boys more.

Monday I went to a 6:00 am spinning class. Need I say more? It hurt SO BAD! But it was worth it. I felt so good the rest of the day.
I will be spinning again.

Today I haven't decided what to do, but I promise to keep it up.
Pretty soon, I won't be scared of anything.


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Wild Nights Are My Glory

This past Thursday, I went to see Moliere's Tartuffe for an English class assignment. (Which was awesome by the way, and you should go see it while it's still playing. Very Tim Burton-esque and very funny. Click here for tickets.) Coming out of the theatre, I was going to take a bus home. But then I noticed the wind. Oh, the wind! It was stunning, and large, and more beautiful than anything I've imagined! I felt as if something big was coming, something big and magical and stunning. The sound, the feeling, the everything! So good! So I walked the streets for hours that night (literally. Two hours.) And listened to all the big music on my ipod (I'm needing some more suggestions. I exhausted my supply of Narnia, Peter Pan, and Lord of the Rings soundtracks. Know any other big music?) Best. Night. Ever.

Two days later came the snow. And you guys know me. I hate the snow.

But not this time.

This time it was magical. This time it won my heart. This time I realized why so many people love winter. The hush, the swirling white that covers the world in beauty. Love. Love love love. Now I know another reason why I am in Utah. I needed to learn that this world is beautiful in all of its clothing. And I love it.

Today it is snowing again.