The Beach

My family found this quaint little beach this afternoon. It isn't too big (actually very tiny) but it is friendly and fun. There was a boardwalk and I took a million pictures. There were crabs that we caught too. I just love my family!

My Hair

Since I cut and colored my hair, I have gotten both positive and negative feedback. My family didn't even recognize me when I got off the plane (bangs + glasses = Who is that crazy lady?). At first, my mom didn't like it on me. She said it looked cute but it was drastic and different. She likes it now, but liked my old hair better. My girl friends all said Oh my gosh it's hot! and all the older people (not like old, but like mothers and such) say It doesn't look like you...
SO...
I want your opinion. Cute or not?

What is coming?

Oh I know!

Christmas!

Book of the Week

The Mysterious Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart

This is a fantastic children's novel (of course, what else do I read?) that Dawna gave me for Christmas. I found it tucked away in the front pocket of my suitcase when I got home, which was a lovely surprise. I am not quite done reading it yet, but I like it so far! It is a bestseller that got a Newberry medal and was Editor's choice, so it was highly recommended! If you like kiddie books, then you will like this one.

While we are on the subject of children's books, let me tell you why I like them. I will quote Philip Pullman on this one, and he will adequately convert you.

"There are some themes, some subjects, too large for adult fiction; they can only be dealt with adequately in a children's book.

The reason for that is that in adult literary fiction, stories are there on sufferance. Other things are felt to be more important: technique, style, literary knowingness. Adult writers who deal in straightforward stories find themselves sidelined into a genre such as crime or science fiction, where no on expects literary craftsmanship."

And I am throwing in this one because I love it and I completely agree.

"Stories are the most important thing in the world. Without stories, we wouldn't be human beings at all."

The Lizard

A True Story from the lives of Packer People

Once there was a little girl who loved lizards. One day, she found a baby lizard in the house, so she picked it up and put it on the front of her shirt. The poor lizard was hanging on for dear life, and was quite afraid to move. So the little girl walked around for a couple hours. Then, it came time to take the doggie to the vet. The little girl did not want to put down her new friend the lizard, so her parents (being kind and understanding) let her keep him on her shirt as they strapped her into her carseat. When they arrived at the vet, the lizard was still hanging on, and her parents were amazed. They made it all the way to the waiting room, and then the lizard chose to make his escape. In all the confusion, the poor lizard got stepped on. His sudden lack of movement made it easy for the little girl to pick him up and put him back on her shirt. Unfortunately, the lizard wasn't able to hold on any longer (being dead and all). So the little girl did what little girls do. She pitched a fit. Her father, being a very creative man, asked the front desk for a piece of tape. So the little girl walked around the rest of the day with a dead lizard attached to the front of her shirt.
The end.

Chickens and Stickers and Mazda3's

What makes you fiesty? What is your sensitive subject? Is it politics? Or cheating lovers? Or is it something a little more complicated, like not being able to find where your wife put your BB gun in the garage, and you need it to protect your children's pet chicken from the raccoons that ate the last 3? (Rand, age 34) Or is it something simple, like not being able to figure out how to get those cute stickers onto your nails? (Mekena, age 4) Or is it when your friends throw you to the wolves when the girl you can't stand most in this world offers you a ride home from the Singles ward? (Me, ageless)

And what do you do about it? Do you get all spicy and keep calling your wife until she remembers? Or do you have a total meltdown because it is way past your bedtime? Or do you sit quietly in the back seat and make silent death threats to the driver? What do you do?

New Life Plan

1. Finish college (major in Humanities with an emphasis in English)

2. Go to the Midwife College of Utah

3. Move to Brisbane Australia for a year

4. Go to some fancy school. Maybe Cambridge or Oxford or Georgetown or something.

Poem-ables

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet,
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams

W.B. Yeats

Beautiful Things

I love this blog!!!! The photography is amazing! I spent hours looking at them all, just fascinated.

Fainting Goats

Oh my goodness this made me laugh so hard. I really want one of these now.
I keep wondering now, how have they survived? As soon as a predator comes along, bam! They are on the ground. It's like asking the thing that's going to eat you, "Would you like fries with me?"

Florida

Who is done with finals? Oh, that would be me. And who had a very stressful day yesterday? Oh that would be me.

1) Dawna texted me at six am telling me to leave early because there was snow. I am so thankful she did because I had an exam at 7 and was planning to get up at 5. But that text woke me up. I have never ever gotten ready so fast in my entire life. Hoo boy.

2) I slipped on the way up the stairs and dropped my notebook everywhere. Stupid snow.

3) We aren't going to talk about this one. I am still not quite sure what to do...

4) The plane from Cincinnati was delayed. Stupid snow.

5) Florida is hot! I usually love it, but hello! I've been used to the cold and the jump to 80 degrees is intense! I might come back with a tan though. Too bad I forgot my swimsuit. Suck!

SO there are 5 bad things. Here are 5 good things:

1) I AM HOME!!!!! I missed my family so much and I am so happy to be with them.

2) Tavi loves me. He thinks that I am amazing and he keeps bringing me all his toys.

3) It's so nice and warm here! I will never be cold again.

4) I get to see Packer people today! That's right, be jealous.

5) Christmas is in 8 days!!!!!!!

So Happy Christmakkuh to all!

Snow Fell Last Night.

Today when we got home from church, my home teacher threw some snow at the car. And then his roommate threw some too and it hit me as I got out of the car. I escaped but Dawna got caught in the mail room. I bribed the man away with a cupcake, and Dawna thanked me by throwing snow down my "cleavage". So I chased her and she wound up on the ground. I felt bad because I stepped on her and she was hurt. Happy Holidays everyone.

Etsy!!!

Ooo lovely! This is my new favorite! Now I lust after beautiful things like this ring.
Thank you Etsy!

A Place to Hide

Have you ever met Prince Charming? I have. Just once. Sure, there have been others who liked to pretend that they were, but they weren't. They were just weak imitations of what Prince Charming should be. What no one tells you though, is that Happily Ever After isn't all that real. Prince Charming doesn't always stick around. I think that would be ok, and I could get over it, except for that we go to the same school. Sure, with 36,000 students you would think that we would have a hard time running into each other. What are the odds that he would happen to have a class in room 445 of the MARB the hour before mine? I'm not sure, but every time that I saw him this semester, my heart hurt. Which was about 3 times a week. Did you know that mountains are great things to climb up and hurt and cry on? Because they are. They broaden your perspective and make everything seem smaller. That makes it easier to deal with. So my advice to those of you who have lost Prince Charming to another princess, Go find a mountain.

Book of the Week

Okie, His Dark Materials is actually a series, but I recommend it to all! You remember the movie, The Golden Compass? It was based off of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights, and it is actually way better if you read it. There is a great deal of controversy surrounding the books, but I find them to be rich in meaning and Pullman to be a masterful storyteller. I am constantly in awe, every time that I pick them up. For the more conservative of you, I would advise you to stick with the Chronicles of Narnia if it is an allegory that you are looking for. To the rest of you, those of you who can read and learn from it without making a fuss, I encourage you to read it with an open mind. It did not shake my faith, but reminded me of why I am so grateful for what I know. These books are full of truths and meanings, things that can be found everywhere if we are looking for them. The alethiometer is so similar to the liahona, and worlds without end are easier to understand when put in a children's book. Even though Pullman doesn't like C.S. Lewis or Tolkien, that is exactly who he is next to on my bookshelf.

p.s. I recommend the reader's guide to the series by Claire Squires if you get a little confused by all the jumping between worlds.

Coming up:
My favorite winter tale!

Llamas? At BYU?

Why yes. Just another great reason to go to school here.

Up close and personal with Oscar the Llama. He kept humming at me while I stroked his neck. He loves me you see.

This is our amazing Biology professor with his llamas. He raises them and we (meaning Davey and Moon, we all know I hate math) figured he is worth about 3 million. I had no idea that lamas were so expensive!

The Llama Parade! I wonder what the kids on campus thought when he was walking them across campus and up the stairs in the MARB. Ahhhhh! "It's a crazy llama man!" or "Time to transfer to Harvard..." or "I think he's crazy." Whatever it was, I wish I could have seen their faces.

Only at BYU...

...would a law student from the apartment complex next door have to do a service project for class that included taking out as many people's garbage as he could in ten hours. Welcome to Happy Valley.

Book of the Week

This was amazing! I always wanted to run off to sea, and so this was just my cup of tea. I was a little tense throughout it though because she is being chased by a bad guy (of course). But William was wonderful and it was full of swashbuckling adventures! 5 stars!

Thank you, C.S.Lewis

When Dawna and I watch movies, it is a very vocal affair. Especially if we have seen it before, as was the case with The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The most common phrase heard was "He is beautiful!" But we both aimed it at different characters.

Unless it was Edmund of course. So the real question is, Who is it? Prince Caspian the tenth?

Or High King Peter the Magnificent?

And how in the world am I going to watch the next movie, when Peter is replaced by Eustace Scrubb?