Thursday, January 22

Book of the Week


I'm reading The Scarlett Letter again, and it is marvelous as always. If you haven't read it, this is a must. Sin, repentance, and redemption are themes that only a master like Hawthorne could possibly weave into such a mesmerizing tale. It is a powerful reminder of the destroying authority that sin can have in our lives when we let it take hold of us, yet I am always left with such a strong reminder of the power of the atonement.

The Adventure of a Lifetime

Last night Tyler and Jessica came over and after we were finished leg wrestling, Tyler told us about the trip he is planning for this coming December that will take him back to his mission in Cape Verde. He wants us to come with him, and I think I am going to.


Who could resist these beautiful beaches? And a mountain that you can bounce down on aloe plants? (Yes, just like Mario.) And the beautiful, beautiful people? I am there. I don't think this is something that I want to miss.

Tuesday, January 20

qUoTAbleS

"We write to taste life twice,
once in the moment and in retrospection."
~Anaias Nin

Monday, January 19

Nienie is BACK!!!!!

Who else is as excited as I am? Stephanie is probably one of the coolest people ever. In case you don't know her story, she is a mormon momma who has 4 beautiful children. She has such a fun blog that I have enjoyed reading for quite awhile now. Just last August, Nienie and her husband were in a plane crash. They survived, but Nie was in a coma for quite awhile, and they both sustained pretty serious burns. But thanks to much prayer, Nienie is ok. She is home with her children and she is blogging again. Hooray!


The Nienie Dialogues

Spiders and Plumbing Monsters

You know how I like The X-Files? Well, we were watching them Saturday night, and it was really late. Heather fell asleep, and when it was over and I went to bed, I tried to get her to come to. I don't like sleeping alone. But she wouldn't come because of the sea monster in the plumbing. At least, that's what she said. But that was like, 3 episodes back. And it's not like we have a bathtub in our room. So she stayed on the living room floor all night and I wound up sleeping with the light on and the door open. Not because I'm scared of the monsters in sexfiles (our name for X-Files, not porn or a human sexuality movie) but because I would rather sleep in a room with a million spiders than sleep in a dark room alone. Yes, a million.

Sunday, January 18

P.S.


I love Mulder.

Friday, January 16

Northern Lights

Have I told you of my current fascination?

The Northern Lights



What are they? What causes them? Is it just a natural occurrence, for which there is no explanation? Or is it something more? Something bigger, more real than anything we have answers to. Philip Pullman likes to think of them as gateways to Other Worlds. What worlds? One's we can only imagine. I don't have a theory yet, but I will let you know when I do. In the meantime, isn't this a powerful image?

Wednesday, January 14

New People

We got another new roommate today. I hope she isn't crazy.








Well, more crazy than us, I mean.

Monday, January 12

To my future boyfriends (yes, there will be more than one of you...)

Dear Future Boyfriend,

I can't wait to meet you, for you to be a part of my life. However, there are a few things you should know about me before we start dating.

1. If you want to date me, you are going to have to chase me
I am not so good with going first. I need you to express interest, and then I will be all yours! Depending on if I like you too, of course...

2. I am Miss Independent
Don't call me every day, don't text me a million times, NEVER call after 10:00 pm or expect to see me every day. Also, the only person who can call twice in a row, unless it is an emergency, is my mom, Dawna, and Talana. After a couple months, you might get that special privilege too.

3. Don't touch me in public
You can hold my hand, and kiss me good-bye on the cheek, but anything more is embarrassing to those around us.

4. I am not an arm rest.

5. Let's try not to make our roommates uncomfortable
We don't have to be together every minute of every day, so lets not bother every one around us.

That's all I can think of for now, but I might add a p.s. later.

Lots of love,
Reyna

p.s. Can we go pair-a-sailing?

Wednesday, January 7

2008 at a glance


January
Leaving home. Tears. Ice and snow. New friends and new adventures.



February
Valentines. Lots of cookies. A perfect night. A perfect person. More snow and ice.



March

Heartbreak. Tears. Creepy Produce Man. Early mornings in the library with wonderful friends.


April
Finals. Painting. Forts made of mattresses. All nighters and The O.C. Moving a truckload of stuff to the basement. A 2 1/2 day drive back home. Screams of excitement.



May
Mariposa.



June
Mariposa. Beaches with beautiful friends. Birthday!



July
Fireworks. Cheating lovers. Tears. Hate.


August
An engaged ex-lover. Tears. A beautiful baby Reefy. Tears. Airplanes. More tears. Back to school!



September
New roommates. Old roommates. Roman Ruins. Little eff heads.



October
Boise, Idaho! The Pumpkin Patch! Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus. Dance party!


November
Gropey McGee. Rexburg, Idaho. Milking a cow. Rhubarb pie. Funny faces. Holiday tea. Mission call to Scotland!


December
Las Vegas. Hot hair. Finals. Snow and ice. Slippery car! Knocked off hubcap. Airplane. Christmas!!!! Missionary phone call. Beaches.



Good-bye 2008!

Tuesday, January 6

P.S.


I want to live here. Click on it.

New Year's Resolutions

I'm a little late on this one, but I feel like it is worth writing about. I always make goals at the beginning of the year, but I am never very good at keeping them. But this year I am determined to be different. So I came up with 3 things that need improvement.

1 Read my scriptures and pray every day.
I will admit, I forget to do this. I love my religion classes, because they remind me what I need to be doing, and I am determined to make my relationship with my Heavenly Father closer than it is.

2 Get straight A's.
Tyler and I were talking today about how horrible our low GPA's are right now. We were always 4.0 students, and yet here we are with 3.1's. I blame my modern dance class (which I failed because I got sick half way through the semester and couldn't make it to 3 classes). But I have no excuse not to do wonderfully this semester, for all my classes are wonderful.

3 Be healthy
This means not skipping meals, drinking 70 oz of water, getting all my fruits and veggies, and EXERCISING! The dreaded word! I feel I am very skinny for one who likes to lay around reading and avoiding any sort of physical activity. But that's not the point. I may not be overweight, but I am certainly not healthy. So I am going to spend the summer doing this.

Sunday, January 4

Hippie Stuff (Part 1)

Heathen called me a hippie the other night. She said she was surprised that I shaved my legs with all the stuff that I believe in. (P.S. the spelling was not a mistake little roommate)
You see, there have been a couple things on my mind lately. Most of you know that I intend to go to the MCU for grad school and become a midwife. Some of you have not been keeping up on current events and might be thinking, "A midwife? Like in pioneer days?" My little friends, midwives are not dead. Nor are they backwards, backwoods old grannies who have little or no medical knowledge. Midwives have been around for centuries. They have helped women through childbirth when there were no hospitals to go to (by the way, women only started to go to hospitals to have babies around the 1930's). Midwives are regaining popularity and many women are choosing a more natural route as they bring their little ones into the world.
So there are a few things related to natural birth and parenting that have been on the news and have been on my mind.

1. Breastfeeding
My mother has been involved with La Leche League, her two best friends are leaders, and she has breasfed each of us to past two years old. Some of us to three, four, and five. This is a new idea for some. It takes some getting used to. I am not trying to convert you to my ways of thought or belief. However, I have a very large problem with those people who choose to tell a nursing mother that she is disgusting and should only breastfeed in the bathroom. (Excuse me? You go eat in the bathroom! Gross!) I have a problem with Facebook, which has chosen to delete photos and cancel the accounts of proud breastfeeding mothers on the grounds that a picture of a nursing child is obscene, perverse, and pornographic.

2. Home birth
The AMA (American Medical Association) has put forth a statement proclaiming that “the safest setting for labor, delivery, and the immediate post-partum period is in the hospital, or a birthing center within a hospital complex, that meets standards jointly outlined by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and ACOG, or in a freestanding birthing center that meets the standards of the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, The Joint Commission, or the American Association of Birth Centers" (find this here)
I am not okay with this. It is a woman's right to have her child wherever she may please. I certainly believe that hospitals are a wonderful place, and that any birth with complications needs to be there. But don't try to take away my right to a home birth. I love this statement by Laura Shanely: "I felt like I'd touched the eternal, when you look back at your baby and your hands are the first to touch her." I got the chills when I heard her say this here (not the greatest video, but what do you expect from ABC? I reccommend The Business of Being Born for a btter outlook). Haven't you touched the eternal? Because that first time, your child is eternal. There is nothing more holy, sacred, or so close to heaven than a baby that has just been born.

Okay, this has turned into a super long post, so I will continue some other time.

I just don't know how well this plan was thought out... I like warm weather, and it is 9 degrees!

It is days like today that make me wonder what the heck I think I am doing. It is 9 degrees out. 9! That is incredible to me! I have never felt anything so bitter in my entire life. If it keeps this up, I might just transfer to somewhere a bit warmer.

P.S. Snow is only pretty the first day it falls. For all you lucky Florida people who don't really know this, they shove it up in piles that get dirty and yucky and it is ugly. Just thought you ought to know, just so you can shove all those romantic ideals concerning snow right out of your head.
I'm going to look like this poor beech tree before the week is out. Thank you global warming for the pretty picture.

Saturday, January 3

Book of the Week

My Cousin Rachel
by Daphne Du Maurier

Have you read Rebecca? If not, get going! One of the best books ever. So when I saw My Cousin Rachel sitting on the bargain bookshelves of Barnes and Noble, of course I couldn't leave the poor book there! It promised mystery and romance--two things which I cannot live without--and it certainly delivered both and so much more! My lust for beauty was successfully fulfilled in the writings of Daphne Du Maurier. The best part? She never really fully unravels the mystery, but leaves it to the reader to decide. I thought that might drive me crazy, but I found that not ever knowing the name of the narrarator of Rebecca upset me more.

Thursday, January 1

Excuses Excuses

What excuses do you make for yourself when you don't want to do something?

You know, some people don't have excuses, and they agree to all that is asked of them. Others of us are just full of them. I realized the other day just how young we are when we realize that if we come up with something else we have to do, we can get out of just about anything.

Tavi is 2 1/2 years old. He began taking swimming lessons this year, but he dislikes the part where he has to go underwater. So, he comes up with every excuse he can muster. It sounds something like this:
Oh no! Tito [what he calls himself] mimi's! [Short for dormir, which means sleep in Spanish] Ummm...Tito poopoo! Tito agua! Tito chi chis! [This means he wants to be breastfed] Cheese! [His favorite food]
These are his main excuses that he uses for everything. (Yesterday though, he ran away from me at the beach, and his excuse was "Poppy!" He ran to my dad to try and escape punishment, but it didn't work.)

And it made me think, What excuses do I make to not have to do something?
I use the homework excuse a lot on poor boys who wish to monopolize my time. And I always tell myself that I am too sleepy to do my dishes, or write that paper, or wash my face. Hmmm.... How can I fix this? No more excuses!

Tavi about to run at the beach

Tuesday, December 30

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!

Saturday, December 27

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?

Wednesday, December 24

What is coming?

Oh I know!


Christmas!


Tuesday, December 23

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."

Sunday, December 21

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?


Friday, December 19

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.

Thursday, December 18

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?"

Wednesday, December 17

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!

Sunday, December 14

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.

Saturday, December 13

Etsy!!!


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

Thursday, December 11

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.

Wednesday, December 10

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.

Saturday, December 6

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.

Friday, December 5

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!

Thursday, December 4

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?