rachel holmes.

pics from jerusalem

2011-11-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

the holy land.

2011-10-06T11:04:00.001-07:00

so jerusalem has been unbelievable. i cant even begin to describe everything i have done and experienced up to this point and i am not even half way done. in the time since i have been here i have been all over israel and even to turkey. i didnt bring my computer here and it is the biggest mistake ever. so it has been a challenge to keep up the blog. but from now on i am going to keep updating sharing my experiences. this has been a irreplaceable amazing experience and i want to let you all in on it. i will try to post pics soon. im just letting you all know i am safe and having the time of my life!

2011-06-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

in the library dreaming about home and summer. t-minus 4 days.

truth restored

2011-06-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

In my media writing class we learned about the LDS truth restored campaign. They had a series of ads that addressed a few of life's greatest questions and converts stories of how they came to the church. I loved them, they are so inspiring and uplifting. I cannot imagine life without knowing about this true gospel. Here are a few of the ads...

We believe that after death we return to our Heavenly Father. We believe that we can be sealed to our families and be with them forever. This is something that is so special to me. I have the best family in the world and I will be with them forever, I could never imagine not knowing what will happen after our life here on earth. Having this knowledge brings me so much comfort and a feeling of greater purpose. When a loved one dies I know that I will be reunited with them again.

Heavenly Father is waiting to hear our prayers. He wants to help us. I can promise you that if you pray to him you will find greater joy and comfort.

I hope that if you are searching for the answer to these questions you will visit the site and find what you are looking for. Many people turn to the things of the world for healing from every day burdens. But I can promise you that if you turn to our Savior Jesus Christ he will heal you in a way that is not temporary and you will feel such a happiness and peace that you cannot find elsewhere.

busy bee

2011-06-07T13:52:00.001-07:00

i have been so busy lately. its a good thing i have always been one that loves to constantly be doing things. i just finished a campaign for my public relations class. it took 3 weeks of work everyday including saturdays. it is 80 pages and i am very proud of it.

sad story. i love group projects but really struggle with patience when someone doesn't pull their weight. i cant put my trust in irresponsible people to get something so important to my grade done. so i took alot of the reins on this project and resulting in very high emotions on my part.

yesterday i had everything done and felt so great. but when i went to print it out at kinkos everything went wrong. the workers were saints and tried for 2 whole hours (not an exaggeration) to get it to properly print in the correct format. i even shed a few tears from stress (which has never happened to me). but it finally turned out and after a few hugs from the kinkos staff i feel so accomplished and relieved.

random thoughts.

2011-05-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

my recent obsessions

1. homes with vines. there is something so enchanting about them.

2. ellie goulding. her voice is so unique and i havent heard one song by her that i dont like. she even did a cover by one of my favorite songs.

jerusalem.

2011-05-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

this fall i will be attending the byu jerusalem center! i have been on the waiting list for a month now and finally got the good news this morning! i could not be more excited! 3 1/2 months living and traveling throughout israel. this is an amazing opportunity that byu offers and i cant believe that i get to experience it! im beaming!

come what may & love it.

2011-03-27T23:38:00.000-07:00

g-ma.

2011-03-15T15:41:00.000-07:00

(with gpa)

(with most of the grandkids)

sat night my grandma lorene passed away. i do not have words to express the heart break that this news has brought but within my heart i know that my grandma is reunited with all of her loved ones that have passed and she is watching over those she left behind.

gma (her nickname) was the BEST grandma. not only was she classy and poised but she was one of the most fun-loving, happy people i know.

gma would never EVER miss out on any fun activity that any family member was doing. she would be a part of our cso's (cousin-sleep-overs) she would stay up till 2 am playing board games with the grandkids. she would dance harder than any of the cousins at our dance parties. gma would lay out and read gossip magazines with the girls and go to the races with the boys.

she is one of my ultimate examples. i cannot thank her enough for the lessons she has taught me and the amazing example she has been. there are not enough positive words to define her.

i love her more than i can ever express and i have her to thank for my amazing mother and the amazing family that i am so lucky to be a part of. although this is an unfavorable circumstance it has proven to me how wonderful my family is, my cousins, aunts, uncles, parents, etc. the love between us has been so evident during this experience and i feel so grateful now more than ever for them.

eventful weekends.

2011-02-28T13:11:00.000-08:00

for presidents day i got to go home! i was getting pretty homesick for the warmth and sun and my amazing fam so on fri whitney and i left provo at 4 am and flew into long beach to meet up with the kids there and go to disneyland. i got to see all of dylans fam so that was way fun. i love them all. warning: never go on the the california adventure ferris wheel. it is terrfiying and makes you so sick, we were all dieing after.

i got food poisoning from "fiesta grill" the masons favorite place in huntington. it wasnt too fun. and then my mom picked up whit and i and we headed to my home, encinitas. on sat we went to swamis cafe and shopped around the 101. hung out with gma and relaxed. sunday we went to church and watched the sunset at beacons.

monday we hiked torrey pines and went back to swamis cafe. then chase and

his friend stephen came down and we went to la jolla and downtown. i forgot how great downtown is. san diego is such a beautiful and clean city! i have alot of pride in it! monday night whitney flew back to provo and i went with the fam to sammy's. my bro ty and i were ecstatic to find that you can get a mountain of cotton candy for dessert! we went overboard and felt alittle ill.

tuesday my mom and i hung out with my gma and we ran last minute errands before i needed to head back to provo that night. when i got to the airport at 5 my flight got delayed and delayed and delayed until finally around 10 my mom picked me up and i changed my flight to the next morning

it was such a nice getaway, every time i go home i feel luckier for having such an opportunity to grow up in such an amazing place!

some more news.... oh the life of a college kid. this past fri morning my friends spend an hour telling me why i should join them for 2 days in vegas. let me tell you it took some convincing but it was such a great time. we saw the cirque de soleil show O and it was unbelievable. we also saw the EC twins mix for free, went to the opening day of the sugar factory and we met Mitchell from my absolute favorite show modern family! sometimes unplanned last second things end up the funnest!

2011-02-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

i owe so much to so many people. today in church we discussed the importance of service and love.

we listened to a few words from one of my favorite speakers Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, he talked about the importance of not getting caught up in the "thick of thin things". this particular talk has always been one of my favorites. he reminded us to evaluate ourselves at the end of each day and ask ourselves if we "have done any good in the world today?" even the smallest services or gestures can make the biggest difference to someone else.

i loved being reminded of this today.

even though it is february i am making a resolution for this new year to each night evaluate my day and make sure that i am not wasting my time with the "thick of thin things" and do at LEAST one thing a day that brightens someone else's day. as a result i think that my life will become more fulfilled and i will have a greater perspective and see clearer the beautiful things in life.

my best friend.

2011-02-06T11:17:00.001-08:00

this is my best friend allie capener. we have been best friends since we were born. we played with barbies together, we danced to the spice girls together, we purchased butterfly clips together, we went through our awkward stages together. we were there to hear about each others first loves, our first broken hearts. no matter what it was we were there for each other. this seems strange considering she moved to boston when we were like 4. and i lived in san diego. but somehow we stayed best friends. when college came around we were roommates. and now she is my missionary. i can go to her with anything. ANYTHING. there is no one that i trust more than her and she is one of my biggest examples. she is one of the most christ-like people i will ever know and everyday i count my blessings of having her in my life.

the time has finally come.

2011-01-31T18:07:00.000-08:00

i am going to be an aunt!!! my sister brooke and her husband trent are going to have a baby boy in june! i am so beyond excited for them! i love them both so much, they are going to be the most amazing parents! i am going to spoil the little one so much!

feeling blessed.

2011-01-27T22:20:00.000-08:00

so as most of you know my 3 very best friends are serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. although i miss each them so much, they constantly are blessing my life. i have recently learned through experience that the sacrifices of missionaries don't only bless their families but all those that love them. i can actually see the difference in my own life because of their examples. each of them send me letters that leave me so inspired and uplifted. Allie sent a quote in her latest email that i am obsessed with, it is from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland,

"God expects you to have enough faith, determination and trust in Him to keep moving, keep living, keep rejoicing. He expects you not to simply face the future, he expects you to embrace and shape the future - to love it, rejoice in it and delight in your opportunities. God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams just as He always has. But He can't if you don't pray and He can't if you don't dream. In short, he can't if you don't believe."

it is interesting this past week i have received personal letters from both Allie and Dylan reminding me of the importance and power of prayer. sometimes i get caught up in every life and i forget to remember that i owe everything to the Lord. he has given me all i could ever ask for and i never thank him enough. even if feeling sad or discouraged prayer can bring you an incomparable peace that you cannot receive anywhere else. the Lord knows every pain that we have experienced and he can give you a comfort that you cannot find anywhere else.

i cannot imagine living life without this knowledge. if any of you have never tried to pray to our Heavenly Father, please take just a minute to express any feelings that you have. you can receive a peace that will make your life more beautiful. we are blessed with so much! look at the world we live in and the things that we are blessed with whether it be a beautiful view or the love we feel for those we care about, these things are created by God. our happiness is possible because of God and Jesus Christ.

one last quote that i love and that i hope brightens your day is from the former president of the church, President Gordon B. Hinckley,

"...go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great purpose in your heart."

this week i feel that a purpose in my heart is to try and help those around me to feel the same love and appreciation for life that i am overflowing with right now.

i am not even sure if people read this blog but if you do i hope that you are uplifted and inspired! our life and world is beautiful and we have so much to celebrate!

concentration.

2011-01-26T10:01:00.000-08:00

my friend took this picture of me studying in the business building. the fact that i did not even notice him taking this picture proves i need a little break this week. who gives exams the 3rd week of school???

lately.

2011-01-24T14:20:00.000-08:00

i am awful at keeping this blog updated. i started this blog because i have the hardest time writing in my journal. i thought that this would be a great medium to express my daily thoughts.

so with this in mind and my recent new years resolution to jot down memories, here is a little summary of my recent life events...

(in no significant order because posting pictures on this thing is difficult for me...)

for christmas my parents helped me with the funds to sponsor Blanca- an orphan that touched my heart in Guatemala. my friend shelby was able to return to the orphanage over christmas break and she brought back a necklace that blanca had asked her to give to me. i love this little girl so much and this necklace meant the world to me..

my amazing friend and old roommate jenn (middle) got a mission call to paris, france! she leaves next month and man i will miss her like crazy!

my "cousin" doug entered the mtc a few weeks ago! he is going to san fernando, ca!

canyons... the only advantage to the cold weather!

over christmas break i had a little reunion with my friends from good ole lcchs. i love these girls so much and it was so good to catch up and see all the great things everyone is doing.

my friends surprised me on my bday with a girls night at meagans cabin in park city.

since i turned the big 21 we celebrated with some drinks..martinellis of course.

2011-01-18T10:25:00.000-08:00

everyday when i do my homework i listen to classical music. it makes me feel sophisticated.

Justin Bieber - Heartless / Successful

2011-01-16T13:12:00.000-08:00

back to reality.

2011-01-02T22:45:00.000-08:00

break has been heavenly but now it is time to get back to the snow. im headed back to provo in the morning.

the holidays were full of food and fun. from 2 trips to the wavehouse, a high school friend reunion and some quality family bonding i am feeling rejuvenated enough to get my tush back to the good old pilgrim table in the library. ive missed my right hand women at alpine and "da party kr3w" as my friends embarrassingly refer to themselves as.

encinitas really is a taste of heaven and being blessed with 2 weeks off has given me a much needed breath of fresh air! as they say back to reality...

2011-01-02T14:06:00.000-08:00

i miss guate.

2010-12-15T15:23:00.000-08:00

here is an awesome video that jami made of a few highlights of our trip this past summer! with the stress of finals looming over all our our shoulders watching this quick clip helped me to get my mind back in order! enjoy!

one love..

2010-12-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

there is a youtube channel called playing for a change. there are covers of some of my favorite songs from people from all over the world. check it out!

hopefully in my future....

2010-12-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

i have been obsessed with interior design since i can remember. i am always so enthralled in the way things are placed, colors, patterns, fabrics, decorating, etc. i swear i rearrange my room 3 times a month.

since i am now focused on public relations and not interior design, i look forward to decorating my own home someday. i really do think about this on a daily basis. i browse home magazines and window shop at home stores, creating an image of the different rooms of my future home. i am a nerd, i know but this is a true passion of mine.

i like to save pictures of rooms i like and right now i am very into the fresh, simple look. majority of the room white, with some accent colors.

here are a few of the rooms i am dreaming of now...

i am obsessed with this entire room/wall...

i love that everything is not perfectly centered in this room....

i love the idea of patterned wallpaper...

i would die if i had a closet like this....

i want a dining room like this outdoor set up.

i would love to have these outdoor lights inside...

i think that this bookshelf is awesome, and i also like the deep greens and pinks....

i have always dreamed of a having a tub like this one.

i am also obsessed with chandeliers if you haven't noticed....

i cant wait to make my visions a reality someday. i am so weird i know...

cozy.

2010-12-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

i am obsessed with Christmas time, it is just so cozy and beautiful! the twinkle lights, the candles, there seems to be a different feeling at this time of year... everyone seems happy, they are focused on giving and others. meags and i decorated our apartment yesterday and it feels cozier than ever! i absolutely love it! i will take some pictures and post them! i look forward to this time of year all of fall and it is finally here! i couldn't be happier!

2010-11-29T21:17:00.001-08:00

hb

2010-11-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

so i spent this past weekend in huntington beach....

on thurs evening matt, scott, whitney, chase and i headed on the road, our intended destination las vegas but after getting sushi in literally the randomest, tiniest restaurant in the literal ghetto we deciding to go all the way. whitney and i stayed with the masons. they were so generous and kind to let us stay with them. i just love that dylan grew up with so many cousins who all live within blocks of each other. they are so loving and welcoming. they make you feel like a part of the family everytime you are around them.

on fri we basked in the warm weather and went to the beach. it was so nice

outside, it was heavenly. in the evening dylan and i played tennis and hung out with his fam. then we all went to the greatest mexican restaurant. el torito grill. it was delicious, except that somehow i had the spiciest bite of guacamole i have ever experienced. many people know that i am the biggest wimp when it comes to spicy foods. well this was actually painful, my mouth was on fire. i was crying, literally.

sat we went to disneyland. it was magical and already decorated for christmas.

sun was dylans farewell, he has always been such a wonderful speaker and gave a great talk. after he had a little party at his house and i got to meet many of his loved ones. and then i had to say goodbye..... it was tough but i am so excited for what he is about to experience.

dylan has really been such a blessing in my life these last 8 months. he has the ability to brighten a room and i will always look up to him for that. i will miss him like crazy but he is going to influence so many lives in mexico.

2010-11-16T12:16:00.000-08:00

it was a great weekend. i will miss this boy so much. more photos to come soon.

a little break...

2010-11-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

im in need of a little break and this weekends road trip could not come at a better time. i have never been so devoted and focused on school and i feel that my days are becoming very redundant.

so tomorrow a few friends and i are heading to huntington beach for the weekend to say goodbye to dylan before he leaves for his mission to mexico for 2 years. it should be 75 degrees which will be a breath of fresh air considering it is currently snowing.

2010-11-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

sometimes i have those days when i really miss all the kids i grew to love so much in guatemala. i am really feeling it today.

lovely quote

2010-10-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

i loved this quote that my teacher presented yesterday in class.

“If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, I plead with you to ask the Lord for strength to forgive. This expression of desire will be of the very substance of your repentance. It may not be easy, and it may not come quickly. But if you will seek it with sincerity and cultivate it, it will come.… There will come into your heart a peace otherwise unattainable.”

-President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, June 1991

2010-10-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

nerd alert. ok so i have turned into the ultimate nerd. my friends and i thought it was bad when we spent the last 3 saturdays at our usual harold b. lee 4th floor "pilgrim" table. but last night jen and i out did ourselves.

so the library closes every night at the strike of midnight. at 11:45 they start playing extremely loud obnoxious music to clear the stragglers. i hate this time of the library. picture this (me last week): i has been at the library for 8 hours (same place, same chair) i was studying for my third test of the week and was going through my last powerpoint review-the kind where if you accidently press esc or the x in the top corner the whole thing disappears and you have to re-download and start over.... ya a bummer.... so there i was, after about 30 min of going through this powerpoint, and..... "Sweet Home Alabama" blasts through the library. i dont know how many more slides are left, but i have to finish before i leave or else i will have to do the whole thing over... my heart is racing, i literally am sweating, as i frantically am writing down notes, then "Beat It" by MJ starts to play..... i was so stressed. moral of story: i get very nervous when 11:45 begins to approach.

anyway... me and jen last night... we were at the pilgrim table and the music started to play, this time not such heart racing music, just some coldplay. but we were far from done with our work. we again had been there for way too many hours (6, ya college life has become so eventful).

so we didnt want to go home yet and our friend brady informed us that the clyde science building on campus stays open all night. so we walked over there at 12 am and it was locked, so brady came down and opened the door. it was dark inside as we followed him up 3 flights of stairs and into a room that only opened with a code. we both laughed and quietly joined the secret society of study obsessors.

it was great.

oh and i just found out the test i spent all night studying for isn't until next week. bittersweet.

finally after a month of social seclusion, this weekends festivities include:

-girl trip to ogden for whitney's miss utah pageant. she will win.

-murder mystery dinner/party.

2010-10-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

stephanie nielsen the author of the nienie dialogues blog came to byu yesterday and spoke about her amazing story. she and her husband got into a horrible airplane accident in 2008. she was in a coma for 3 months and didnt see her own children for 5. her body is covered in burns and she has undergone many reconstructing surgeries in hopes to one day resemble the body she had prior to the accident. she spoke about the meaning of beauty. this women is an angel.

it is natural for a women to obsess over physical looks, i am the first to admit to being guilty of this. but physical looks are very temporal. it is so important to keep your spirit beautiful.

stephanie also made me realize that life can end in a second. everyday counts. i always hear the quote "live everyday like its your last", i am not sure who said this quote or even if those are the right words, but it makes alot more sense to me today. embrace the life you are given and do all the good you can each day. i have never been well-spoken, i usually have a hard time getting my point across but i need to remind everyone that every single person around us is a child of our heavenly father we are all beautiful and we need to make sure that we have a positive influence on all those that we come into contact with.

sometimes i have those days when i hear something or see something that makes me reflect on my life. listening to stephanie was one of these experiences. i feel so blessed to be given the opportunity to be on this earth. how did i get so lucky to be a part of my family? to have the friends i have? how did i get so lucky to grow up in san diego instead of an orphanage in guatemala? why is it that i am safe every time i get in an airplane? these questions will not be answered in mortality but i need to remember how lucky i am and try to do all the good i can to show my appreciation for my station in life. there is a reason that each of us is where we are today and i am just so grateful for everything right now, even my trials! my trials are so tiny.

such a long reflection, but i need to remember these feelings. i hope i helped someone reflect on and appreciate their own life today! because i appreciate that your life is associated with mine! i love you all!

2010-09-22T09:02:00.001-07:00

oh and also i want this puppy more than anything.

2010-09-22T08:45:00.000-07:00

i woke up to thunder this morning. my whole life i have had 4 greatest fears... rats, stingrays, getting kidnapped, and thunder/lightning. usually when hearing thunder i duck and cover or try to act casual but secretly start sweating. but this morning for some unanswered reason i heard this thunder and i felt excited. it has been so burning hot here lately and i feel that these sounds are the sounds of fall rolling in! fall is my favorite time of year in provo. the leaves change, the weather is perfect, the boots, dresses, and sweaters come out. and things finally start to feel settled.

i am obsessed with my classes. i recently switched my major from international relations to communications - public relations and man i have never been happier with my education. everyday i am literally in awe at something i learned.

in other news. my sister elle is going on a mission to russia. she has always been the example to me. she is patient, kind, smart, fun, beautiful, everything you could ever want in a sister and friend. her willingness to give up a year and a half of her life to serve the lord and spread the gospel is amazing. the people of russia are going to find so much light and happiness in her presence and message.

everything else is amazing. my apartment is so great. my roommates never cease to make me smile and laugh. (on sunday i came home to jessi and 20 of her korean friends in my apartment having a pot luck!) i love them. i love life. i love you all!

2010-09-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

"Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."

-Jeffrey R. Holland

guatemala.

2010-08-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

this was a life changing trip. to express my experience in words is impossible. i have gained the deepest love for every child at casa aleluya. my last post talked about the hiv clinic but after my parents read it, they felt uncomforatable because of the health risks involved and i got reassigned to casa aleluya. this is a home for abandoned orphans and abused children. these kids have literally changed my life. i think about them everyday. not only did i love them immesely but i wanted more than anything to bring them home with me. they closed adoption in guatemala a few years ago and i think this is tragic. there were 450 children at this orphanage alone. they are some of the most geniune, kind, precious people i have ever come across. this trip is a experience i will forever be grateful for. my 8 friends i went with and i will forever be in dept to this people and the lessons they have taught us. since i cannot express the trip in words i will in photos. sorry that there are a ton!

this is pablo. he is 3 years old. although i loved all of the kids, i had a special bond with him. he was very quiet and shy, and all he wanted was to be hugged and held. he would nuzzle his head on my shoulder and be completely content. i love him so much.

this is carlos. i called him chanco. he reminded me exactly of chanco in nacho libre, he has the cutest little personality.

this is brando and antoni. they were so much fun and total characters. a little wild but great!

this is vicki. we met her and her family in central park. she was so cute. you can tell by her smile that she was the happiest kid. we bonded alot with her family, her mother maria did hari wraps and we loved her and would hang out everyday in the park with her and her fam. along with some of the kids that worked in the park shining shoes and selling gum. they would just run into our arms everyday when we would walk into the park. the last sunday we were there we wanted to give maria something to show her how much we loved her. my friend jami who is about to go to argentina on her mission was such an example to me and came up with the thought to bring maria and her fam to church. this was the perfect gift we could ever share with her and her family.

marias 2 months old baby tatiana. she was precious, she had little seal eyes and never cried. i could hold her forever and be perfectly content. ( please excuse my looks in this one... on this day i was veryyy ill)

these are the park kids we loved so much! the last day we also wanted to do something for them. we brought them to mcdonalds and i have never seen so much excitement in kids before! it was one of the most rewarding experiences of the trip.

the church was right down the street from the home we were staying in. it was awesome, even though i only understood small parts of it, it was amazing to see the church is strong all around the world.

the organization we went through was called maximo nivel. they offered weekend trips and we signed up for a trip to semuc champey. it was the biggest adventure i have ever been on. we got picked up on fri afternoon by antonio. he didnt speak a word of english. we drove 9 hours and got to this village. there we were told to get in the bed of a truck. it was pouring rain, we all were a little scared thinking we could be getting kidnapped but we were not going to be left in this village in the middle of the jungle by ourselves. we got in the bed of the truck and drove another hour into the jungle. we got to our "hotel" and it was 4 huts. we slept in a tree house type of shelter. no window or door, just a curtain blocking us from the jungle, bugs, rain, everything. it was so funny looking back at it. but we were definitly scared at the time. regardless it was the greenest prettiest place i have ever been. we hiked to the teal waters...

and went river rafting. which was sooooo scary. we signed up to go river rafting and this was what we got. little tubes. no guide, no life jacket. rapids, rocks. it was so funny and fun.

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this is blanca. i loved her so much. she really touched my heart. she would cling on to me everyday. she would always be near me. it didnt matter if i was playing with another kid she would just be close.

this is queque. he is 2 years old. he is tiny, he hasnt developed correctly and he looks like he is a little baby.

this was the school that was part of the orphanage. all the kids in there cute school uniforms.

this is jon jon. he tricked us for so long telling us his name was carlos. he was the cutest little guy. he had a deformation in his back and so his legs went outward but he had so much energy and was so happy. he and meagan were great friends. i loved watching them interact. just look at him he is such a cutie!

this is andrea and marabelle. i loved to make them dance with me.

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for our 3rd week we travled around guatemala.

first we went to lake atitlan...

this has been pronounced as the waters of mormon. it was so awesome to be where alma brought his followers and fled from king noah. i felt a peace here and i thought it was so pretty.

there was some fun zipling in lake atitlan and a few of us went. it was the longest zipline in south america so we felt pretty adventurous!

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after lake atitlan we went to tikal...

it was literally the most humid place i have ever been. the second i turned on my camera it broke from the moisture. these pics are from my friends. as you can see we were a little sweaty.

after hiking for about 5 hours we got to the last temple. this was the view. it was so unbelievable. all you could see for hundreds of miles was trees. not any buildings or anything. you could only see the tips of the other ancient temples. it was an incredible experience. we felt like we were back in lamanite times.

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we spent our last day in guatemala city...

this is the guatemala city temple. it was so pretty! it was awesome that we got a chance to see it.

i learned so much and gained so much love on this trip. i would recommend it to anyone in a second. the architecture, the jungles, the people, everything was amazing! i will never forget this experience!

2010-07-06T07:55:00.000-07:00

wow. never before have i appreciated my position in life as i do right now. i have been given many opportunities in my life to experience third world countries but this is a whole different level. this is my second day in guatemala. i am with 8 of my girlfriends and we are working at several orphanages. we have all been assigned to different places. i was assigned to an HIV clinic. also a home to abandoned infected children. in some cases these kids have come to the clinic with their parents, and the parents never came back to pick them up. and in other cases these children were found homeless on the streets. i dont know what is so different about this experience than past but there is something this time around that is hitting my heart much deeper. i feel like i am on a mission of sorts. the accomadations are pretty rough, our dinner was beans and rice. our hosts dont speak english. it is a whole new adventure. it may be because it was the 4th of july a couple days ago but i have overflowing gratitude for being an american citizen. i was originally bummed that the 4th was on sunday because there was no swimming beach or tahoe, but it was testimony meeting. many of the men in our ward spoke about how their missions made them understand what a luxury it is to live in america. i now understand. i frequently forget about the freedoms we possess and the men that have made that possible. i feel like crying when i think about these men, they have given us so much. everything that we take for granted. you dont see it until you dont have it. even a clean cushy bed is something that we need to be thankful for. carpet. etc. so many small things along with the big.
i feel so lucky that i get to have these moments where i can step back and realize that i have everything that i could ever need and more. being here i have needed to do this a few times, remind myself that i will be home in 3 weeks. i am so lucky to be able to have this understanding and appreciation for life. my parents have instilled this in me since before i can remember. and they have given me the ultimate opportunity to really get it on my own, right now.
i love you all. know that i am safe and happy. and grateful.
loves.

bliss.

2010-06-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

life has been complete bliss since i got home.
thurs.... i woke up at 6 am to caravan with emma and dr. t. i got to encinitas around 3 and went straight to the beach. then reunited with johanna and hannah, we went to golden spoon, watched the lakers win the championships and had a sleepover.
friday..... i went to the fair with the t's, johanna, taylor, and my fam, we watched pigs races, hypnotists, ate fried butter, got our hair done by some israelis that emma had crushes on, and spent a ton of money on worthless fun stuff.
sat.....we went shopping in la jolla, got the mexican food i have been craving for months and had the annual pizza party at the t's with all the fams. and another bbq to reunite with some friends.
sun....... was fathers day, we had a great church meeting followed by the best food ever (kudos mother) and i took a nap that ended up being a nights sleep. i woke up on monday morning.
mon..... woke up, dropped little bro off at the trek (hahaha) went shopping and to lunch with madre. layed out. and had a bbq/pool party at my casa. and reunited with dylan!!
tues....... i went to get my smog checked on my car. this sounds uneventful and awful but it was at the garage on G street. i walked the 101 got a smoothie at st. germains and basked in the lovely encinitas sun. then i met some friends at the beach. and then johanna, hannah and i went to souplantation, our tradition and watched hairspray.
today.... i woke up and went to the usa surf championship competition at trestles. i got payed to promote bony acai. the best drink ever. i got to talk to hot surfers, hand out great drinks, and sit on the beach. then we had to drop off some product at a resturant in san clemente, where we got a ton of free amazing food.
sometimes i think i live in paradise.

2010-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

i was really nervous about staying for spring when i realized that the "crew"- dylan, matt, scott, ej, grant, meagan, jami, jenny, allie, hannah, and more, weren't staying and all my roommates were going to be in and out all month (i have been living solo for 3 weeks now). but i have branched out and have been having alot of fun!
sat was a dreamy day, i started the day acing a test i prepared so hard for, then i came home to everyone laying at the pool, i joined them and we rode our bikes to get lunch, after feeling crispy from the sun we went to the salt lake bees game....

even though i have school from 10-4 everyday. my friends manage to make me have fun when i get home ready to get in bed. we hiked bridal veil falls on mon and once we got to the top we decided to just go straight down the mountain thinking it would be faster.... it was scary and took forever. i even slid down part of the mountain on my back, which was not on purpose. it was quite an adventure..

the morning after our hike i woke up to this.......

excuse the up the nose shot. my lip was completely numb and large. this photo does not even show the extreme stage. i even had a friend in all seriousness ask me if i got lip injections. i am not sure what happened but i predict that it was a reaction to a bug bite. it has been a few days and i am still swollen. my dream of having angelina lips is coming true i guess... if only mine were proportional and had feeling... drooling when trying to drink is not angelina hot.

home

2010-05-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

i went home for the weekend to surprise my madre. she was shocked! it was so fun. dylan came with me and met the fam. to my surprise my cousin and aunt were in town too, for mothers day and for zachs sweet 16. we went to the beach, four seasons, wandered the 101, and just soaked in the sun. dylan is obsessed with mcdonalds and i showed him the fancy mcdonalds bistro in del mar, which he is still talking about. on tues we spent the day in huntington beach. on wed i flew back to good old utah for just $10!!! jet blue was having some sort of special it was so great! i cant wait to go home for the summer, when i have short opportunities to go home, i realize how lucky i am to have grown up near the ocean. i thought i was happy out here in provo, but everytime i go home, with the sun and beauty, i realize my full potential of happiness! and to make things even better the next time i go home, johanna will be there!

i just love the embarassment...

2010-04-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

anyone that knows me well will agree that i have really embarassing things happen to me. on a frequent basis.
here is a short story of a recent happening that would make anyone want to run for cover. but it me guys... this was just a typical day.
so yesterday was my second day of human development. i was rushing to class and needed to go to the bathroom really quick before. so i rushed through the bathroom activities and walked into my class....about 15 min into the lecture the girl behind me taps me on the shoulder with a note in hand. she points to the girl 2 rows behind her. who awkardly smiles at me. i was pretty confused and wasnt sure if it was for me. except i was in the front row and didnt have anyone to pass it on to. so i opened the note...

"i would want someone to tell me so i thought i should let you know part of your skirt is tucked into your tights. im sorry!"

i tried so hard not to laugh out loud. i had just walked to the front of the room with my dress tucked into leggings.... i looked back and thankfully smiled at the nice girl. i was embarassed dont get me wrong....but i wasnt surprised. this is a normal day in my life.

all i can do is laugh i suppose.

2010-04-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

the past few weeks...

we crashed mapleton high schools senior prom.

had to say goodbye to the next batch of missionaries. and was not happy about it.

celebrated the new warm weather. (which left with the friends when they went to mex)

went to our favorite place more than once.

nice break after finals but now it is back to work. and waiting for the friends to return to me. i miss them and it has been one day!

inspiring and amazing

2010-03-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

this is fairly delayed but my friend robert carroll is on a mission in chile. i was really worried when i heard that there was a earthquake there this past month. his wonderful mother keeps up a blog that includes some of his emails and other updates from his mission president and what not. recently she included a letter from the mission presidents wife. she was inspired before the quake and knew that it was coming. she prepared all the missionaries and this is her letter to all of the missionaries families after the quake. it is absoluetly amazing.
http://robertgcarroll.blogspot.com/2010/03/amazing-letter-from-mission-president.html

2010-03-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

we are going to go shooting with meags brothers tonight im a little nervous!

2010-03-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

ive said this more than once and i will say it again.... i basically forgot about the sun and how great it is. the sun couldnt be making me happier lately, its funny how little things like this can make such a difference in everyones attitudes. and to make today even better all my friends are returning from california! i am so excited!

2010-03-20T15:49:00.000-07:00

considering almost every single friend that i have in provo went to southern california this weekend i was expecting a very depressing weekend. it didnt help when they video chatted us all tan.

.... thank goodness that meagan stuck around---- very unexpectedly we have turned this into the greatest most relaxing weekend.

we have gotten all of our errands done, eaten cupcakes, rode our bikes all around town, layed in the sun, worked out, washed our cars, and i even got my hair cut. last night we went to park city and used every beauty product in reach. it has been so nice and relaxing. of course i would rather be at the beach but this hasnt been too bad either.

its been one of those sun dress wearing, smiling sun kinda weekends (even though it weirdly snowed for a little yesterday while it was sunny...bizarre). spring is defintly right around the corner and this little taste of it has lifted my spirits!

(sorry for the lack of pics lately, i never bring my camera anywhere i am going to work on documenting life)

2010-03-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

its amazing what sun can do for the soul!

2010-03-09T14:45:00.001-08:00

i consider myself a positive fun person- but my friends even shock me sometimes with their ability to make fun out of any situation, literally wherever and whenever we are they make me laugh or smile. i find myself admiring them daily. it can be hard being away from family especially when you have a family as amazing as mine. the family unit that my friends have formed is indescribable. i love them and love that they contribute to my love of life! having these positive happy influences around me has really made me appreciate so much in life. my love is just overflowing right now!

2010-02-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

last night i opened my cupboard to make some dinner and from the top shelf falls a large can of beans right on my head.... that bruise that was on my forehead has faded to make room for a new one on my cheekbone

what a week...

2010-02-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

i am one of those people who has constant bad luck (all my friends will agree with this one). when i have a bad day it really is baddd. one thing after another... it usually will never turn around until i wake up the next day. last week it didnt turn around for the whole week... just a tidbit of what went on- i ran into a door creating a gross black and blue bruise on my forehead (each day it actually got bigger which i didnt understad), my car got towed ($150), my ride back from the salt lake center didnt show up and i got a ride in a car thats back windows were stuck down (i was blasted with snowy air for 1 hour), i ripped a hole in favorite tights and then one in my favorite shirt... i could go on and on, seriously i could.
but last week i had a serious wake up call about self-pity.... i sometimes have a problem with this due to all the slightly humorous bad things that happen to me.... my friend meagan and i were watching this show called "born different: unbelievable medical conditions". it was really unbelievable. the people that were featured were coping with things that i could never handle. i saw these amazing, positive, upbeat, happy people going on with their lives acheiving great things. i felt like i was the lamest baby for complaining about small things or feeling sorry for myself. i cant believe that i am lucky enough to have the countless blessings that i do. just the fact that i can walk is amazing. meagan and i now joke when something bad happens to us we say "at least i have legs right!!". sometimes i get caught up in the negative but i really have sooo much positive to lean back on.

2010-01-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

the weather here in utah has been pretty wild. last friday my sister el and i went snowboarding at sundance. at the end of the day we got stranded at the resort because the canyon home was closed. we were stuck for 3 hours! on saturday some friends and i went to the sundance film festival in park city and got stuck in the canyon for about an hour due to an avalance. we made the best of our sitch and started a dance party outside of our car. it was pretty awesome being able to run across the whole highway! i love my friends and how they have the ability to make fun out of any situation.

simple happiness

2010-01-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

10 things that have made me smile today:

1. photos of my childhood with allie
2. drews music emails
3. cocoa bean cupcakes with meags and hannah
4. clean room and apt
5. random text from friend thanking me for friendship
6. the sun reflecting off the new snow
7. a little note from brooke and trenton
8. reading about ali's adventures in new zealand
9. after reading about ali's adventures remembering our families bond over holiday in the sun
10. finding a forgotten dress in the closet

2010-01-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

we celebrated our friend jillians 21st bday last night and it was pretty glamourous there were even "mock"tails (we do live in provo) which made me laugh it was cute.

2010-01-13T12:48:00.001-08:00

my roomate hannah and i have had our "sister" johanna on our minds lately. she moved to san diego my senior year of high school as a foriegn exchange student from stockholm, sweden. we miss her more than anything. she lived with hannahs family and quickly became my best friend. i owe alot to her and our very special friendship and she means the world to me. she is one of those friends that makes you feel every emotion she feels, when she is sad i feel sad to, when she is happy about something i feel as happy as if it happened to me. i love her as i love my own sisters. its been 3 years and it feels like i have known her a lifetime, even though we were only physically around each other for one and a short week this past summer when i visited her in sweden, she is my closest friend. she turns twenty on sun!!

2010-01-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

thoughts of independence and adventure have frequently been on my mind. i guess my imagination got ahead of me when i thought of what a twenty year old should experience. i know someday i will get to that point in my life, no longer depending on my parents to help me pay for things, no more long hours on campus, the list could go on.... i just need to remember that all my work now will allow these dreams i have to be a reality...

2010-01-01T19:58:00.000-08:00

only one more day in the sun... gotta live it up

2009-12-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

so i am here in the lib, i have uno mas final and a paper... its been pretty tough but rewarding. we went to park city on sat night, a friend had a party for toys for tots, so we all got to take a break from intense school and dress up... there was a pretty large snowfall coming down and we decided to sleep at the foulgers cabin (which by the way have the most comfortable sheets on the planet, there called comphy sheets.. pure heaven i am not even kidding). anyway we woke up to this...

we had to wait till 4 pm till the plow came up the road so we could get out! it was pretty exciting.

just as an update, i turned 20 years old on wed (im no longer a teen, kinda scary) and was alittle bummed, i had class till 10 pm in salt lake, and a large paper due that night. i had come to terms that i was now old and needed to be responsible and mature and not do anything big to celebrate my birthday. my friend alex bertha's birthday was on thurs and after my salt lake class we were both told we were going to go sledding (which i was so excited about- it defnintly is one of my favorite things to do in the winter) and so we both went to my apt to get ready and there was a surprise party for both of us!! we were both pretty scared out of our minds....im not the smoothest person to scare, alex jumped into the wall and i screamed and was terrified! it was so nice though and made us both feel loved and not as stressed considering both of us have bdays during finals week!

(i know not the most flattering pic, but it was the onlyone taken!)

2009-12-07T17:16:00.000-08:00

"the future is as bright as your faith" - President Thomas S. Monson
today in my living prophets class we discussed a few talks. this quote really stuck out.

dc

2009-11-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

dc was so amazing! kim and craig were so happy and beautiful! the city was a blast. i loved the whole weekend!! here are some pics....

georgetown, such a gorgeous campus!!

sightseeing..

sweet street i want to live one, with beautiful colorful trees..

funny kinda scary guy who wanted us to take his flyers...

georgetown cupcakes....delicious!

i was totally obsessed with seeing all the monuments and made everyone go back at night.... it was so amazing!

proud utah residents....

at the temple!

kim and craig coming out of the temple!!!

the most glamourous wedding reception ever!

one last monument trip..

2009-11-17T10:19:00.000-08:00

on thurs i am heading to washington dc to see these beautiful friends get hitched!

then on sunday i am going to nashville, tennessee to see brooke and trenton for thanksgiving!

beautiful!

2009-11-12T23:49:00.000-08:00

even though the air is chilly, i have recently come to a new appreciation for the beauty of fall! this week i have found myself (more than a couple times) stopping in awe at all the sweet colored leaves lying around everywhere. growing up on the beach didnt really give me opportunities like these. isn't it great that there are different kinds of beauty everywhere!

2009-11-09T16:54:00.000-08:00

for some reason, lately i have been wishing i live in a city. i want to walk outside and wave down a cab. i want to dress up all the time and not feel out of place. i want to feel the excitement and busyness that a city brings. i want that crazy city life. i would die to live in nyc someday, and im hoping that time may need to come sooner rather than later.... first i need to think of a reason or or find an opportunity to get myself there...

stand by me

2009-11-03T10:03:00.001-08:00

no matter what this video makes me appreciate life and smile! this video is inspiring and heartwarming. we live in such a wonderful world, full of wonderful people!
http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

i just love my gma and gpa so much

2009-11-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

(gma and gpa with most of the grandkids this summer)

this weekend elle, james, josh, and i went to gma and gpas house in midway and spent halloween evening hanging out with them. i really cannot express how much i love my family. i love that we can just sit around and laugh for hours. this is exactly what we did on sat. i love the bond that we all share, i am so lucky that i have cousins that are all around my age. we all get along so well and all just make fun of each other (not in a mean way). moments with my family are always treasured and i am so lucky to be able to have so many of them. and i am so lucky that i have such fun grandparents. i cannot even express how much love i have for gma and gpa they are exactly the way i want to be when i am old. there is so much love in our extended family and i thank my grandparents for that! i just cant wait for the last 3 cousins to come join us in college, just 2 1/2 more years!

recovered!!

2009-10-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

my last post claimed i was nervous about feeling sick.... well the nerves were right and i got the plague. i am finally human again and got out of the apartment! while i wont lie one full week of not moving and watching full seasons of the oc with my fellow sick roomates was great, i am so happy to get fresh air and move around. it is snowing today in provo, i woke up excited to finally go to school, i got in my car and my battery was dead, so i walked in a blizzard. even though it is blustery cold it felt great to be in the fresh air.. finally!

swine?

2009-10-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

it looks like there is a swine outbreak in provo, today i am sick and worried. tay is leaving for brazil on wed and everyone went to danville this weekend to bid him farewell, i stayed in provo and wasnt as lonely as i thought i would be, some off us hit up the masquerade and it ended up being really fun. school is still insane but i am surviving. i am ready for thanksgiving, kim and craigs wedding in dc and nashville with my favorite married couple in the world! i cant wait to hang out with trenton and b!

2009-10-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

i have not left this place (the lib) in 3 full days... 1 exam, a 10 page paper, and 2 essays later... i am ready for what awaits me for the next 2 days....1 more exam and 2 more essays! oh the joys of being a college student!

2009-09-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

heres some pics from fall which has been a blast! i moved into a new apartment with jenny allie and hannah. it is great. ive decided on a life plan. i am going to minor in business and major in international relations, then after i graduate i am planning on going to the u of u to get my RN license and i can work in international healthcare. that is the plan for now, i feel really great about it. fall has been full of great times and alot of hard work in school.

also i lost my phone in the airport when i went home for the weekend and will not have a phone for like a week. but i will still have the same number.

the friends came down!

2009-07-11T23:32:00.000-07:00

such an amazing time... even though i only got to spend one night and a day because of work and my study abroad paper (which i am proudly done with 61 pages yep!) it was a blast! i miss them all already!

beyond amazing!!

2009-06-04T22:57:00.000-07:00

we are back in the states after one month of travels! it was the best experience of my life so far!! i even got to make a side trip and visit my very best friend johanna in stockholm. sweden. everything we saw tasted and heard was so much better bigger and prettier than i had ever imagined!!! i took about 600 pics so here are a few!!!

when i got home from europe i spent a day in utah before i had to drive home to sd and my girls decided to come with me. since we tried the beach and it rained we went up to irvine for ajs farewell and stayed there for the weekend and hit up disneyland.

lately..

2009-04-22T16:53:00.000-07:00

finished my freshman year! now in idaho getting through one more week of classes before heading of to Rome! i miss my friends so much! i never thought that i would ever be homesick for provo but i really am. today all my friends head to Rocky Point Mexico and i am so jealous. i get to be here in Rexburg going to classes from 8am to 5pm everyday. i just need to remember that i will be traveling soon! haha i have the best friends in the world. here are some pics of our recent adventures...

we love to make up themes for everyday activities... this night we decided indie....

my roomies for next year and i threw an 80's prom party....

we started a band.... (we wish)

and we love to play with katies mac while she showers.... (my dorm girls who i will miss next year)

I love these guys!!!! (even though they are going to mexico without me)

hare krishna

2009-04-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

we celebrated the indian holiday on sat. who wouldve known there is an indian temple in spanish fork utah. i was really sweet, colors and chalk everywhere. the only problem is all of us blondes still have pink and purple hair.

2009-03-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

1 month and 1 day till i head out of provo!!! bittersweet!

2009-03-11T16:47:00.000-07:00

Ill be seeing this girl soon!!!!!!

My sister Elle and I are going to Europe for spring semester! I have been on the waiting list for awhile and was stressing. I found out on Mon night and couldnt be more excited. It is a religious history tour and we will be traveling through England, Denmark, Italy, Germany, and France. And after the tour ends my sister and I are going to stay with my best friend Johanna in Sweden! This is going to be the trip of a lifetime and I am so excited!

emergency room....

2009-03-04T22:29:00.000-08:00

i took a short trip to the emergency room last night. here's the story.... so i was watching the bachelor after the final rose part 2 and was feeling like i have for the past 2 weeks sore throat and cough but nothing out of the ordinary. all of a sudden i felt my body convulse and blacked out i regained consciousness and saw the room literally spinning in circles around me. i felt confused and told my friend jenny that something was very wrong. ( she didnt notice that i was passed out, she claims she thought i was chokeing??? haha) i tried to get up to go back to my room and feel over, jenny helped me walk back to my room because i couldnt see clearly everything was sideways and i felt so nauseous and dizzy. so i go back to my room and allie asks if i am ok i say, " i feel weird" and lay on my bed, allie told me that i was shaking alot, and i realized that my whole body was shaking ALOT and started to cry because i was really scared and could not control anything that was happening. so i called my mom and she told me to go straight to the doctors. allie took me to the ER and there was a 2 hour wait. i wanted to die. while waiting i threw up and so we got to cut the whole wait and go straight to the back. when i got to "my bed" there were 3 other people near me. a cop who was shot in the arm, a man who was shot in the leg, and a criminal in handcuffs with a fractured nose!! it was insane!
well it turns out that i had a partial seizure and pnemonia. today i had to wake up early after spending alot of the night in the ER and take my child development test, turns out i did terrible. that is how my last couple days have been! but i now have a prescription to make me better!

2009-02-26T21:55:00.000-08:00

Next weekend we'll be packing up our cute clothes, and heading to Hollywood for a taping of American Idol!

HSM 3!!!!

2009-02-26T21:49:00.000-08:00

High School Musical 3 came out on DVD last week!!! I am obsessed.. i saw it 3 times in theatres, the first on opening day, and the next 2 in the dollar theatre! I absolutely love this movie!! The prom scene is great! And i have to be honest the ending graduation scene made me tear up a tiny bit! I am not a loser... i did just graduate from high school. it was reminisent! Oh and p.s. the cast is HOT!

2009-02-12T13:13:00.001-08:00

Face in the hole is hilarious, you can post your picture with celebrities, as models or in ads. It is so much fun!

2009-02-11T15:38:00.001-08:00

I love the snow! I was nervous coming to school out in utah. I have always been a sunshine kind of girl. Yesterday was my first time of the season snowboarding and I had so much fun. BUT I am sooo sore. Wow I forgot how bad it hurts to fall onto icy snow, today I can barely move. After a few faceplants I was ready for the day to end, but I still had a blast. It is amazzing how snow can make everything so beautiful, the views from the canyons ski resort are incredible.

2008-12-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

I just got back from Costa Rica and it was AMAZING. We went surfing, went to a rodeo, glided over the rainforests on zip lines, went on a jungle cruise, got beachfront massages, and got tans. It was heaven, and jam packed with amzing activites.

Costa Rica...14 days!!

2008-12-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

For Christmas this year my family and our friends the Wilcox's are going on a surf expedition to Costa Rica!! We are staying in Tamarindo, and saying for a little more than a week. I am very excited!! It has been one of my lifelong dreams to go on the canopy tours, where you are connected to a zipline and ride over the rainforests. I can't wait. We are going to spend most of our time there surfing!! Which I have absolutely no problem with! Goodbye freezing temperatures of Provo!!!! Just 14 more days!!!

Rhetoric in Lunesta Ad

2008-12-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

Lunesta, a sleeping pill, uses rhetoric in its ads also. In "LUCKY" magazine, Lunesta has an ad that bashes other companies. This is Lunesta's way of using rhetoric to get consumer's attention. In the ad it shows a lady trying to sleep, she is restless and looks angry, there is a caption above this picture that reads, "If you are not getting a full night's sleep with Ambien", next to this picture is a picture of the same lady sleeping looking peaceful and perfect with the caption, "Try Lunesta to help you sleep through the night". Lunesta uses rhetoric to make there produt look better than its competitors.

LIVESTRONG rhetoric

2008-12-02T14:25:00.000-08:00

Lance Armstrong's LIVESTRONG Collection and Nike together used rhetoric in a recent ad. In this month's edition of "Lucky" magazine there is a LIVESTRONG ad. In it are 13 celebrities wearing live strong clothing, next to the picture of these famous men and women is an explanation. It states that absolutely 100% of Nike's profits from the entire LIVESTRONG Collection go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. This is a very smart move for Nike, it emotionally affects the consumer (the charity that it benefitted if you buy this product), and the presence of the celebrities adds (many people want to look and act like the famous), everything about this ad appeals to the consumer!

the holidays

2008-12-02T08:22:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving has past.. bring on the holiday season! To celebrate the season we traveled to temple square to check out the twinkle lights. It was beautiful! I have never seen something so magical!! I loved it and recomend it to all...here are some pics of the night!

Pepsi Supports Homosexuals Through Rhetoric

2008-11-20T00:12:00.000-08:00

Today in my current events class we discussed the whole issue of gay marriage and all of the commotion that is happening in California. My teacher Cindy Kern showed us examples of how the media has been a major factor in "normalizing" the gay community. I felt that this wass rhetoric. My teacher showed us examples of advertisements that showed gays and portrayed it as something completely normal. There were a couple but I will go into specifics about one. It was a comercial for Pepsi, I had seen the advertisement before and it had never crossed my mind that it was supporting homosexual behavior. This shows that Pepsi was succesful in it's attempt to make homosexual behavior seem common and normal. The ad had an attractive young man walking down the street and holding a Pepsi, all the ladies were checking him out and at the end of the comercial there was a man checking him out. The media is using rhetoric to normalize homosexual behavior and make it seem like a lot of people support it and it is just a normal thing. Which is false.

this girl is bigger than disney channel

2008-11-18T00:22:00.000-08:00

Jordan Pruitt's voice amazes me! First of all she is adorable! Second she is so young and her voice is beautiful!! She deserves much more than Disney Channel! She is better than Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan and those other actresses turned singers! Listen to/watch this......

This is her cover of Love Like This by Natasha Bedingfield

http://www.imeem.com/people/aF2UPg4/music/Yc6Ly8lb/jordan_pruitt_love_like_thiscoveraif/

And this is her cover of At Last by Etta James

http://www.imeem.com/people/aF2UPg4/music/VED1E5Uc/jordan_pruitt_at_lastcoveraif/

They arent the best quality but I think she is better than Disney Channel and deserves more publicity!

The Science Curse

2008-11-18T00:11:00.000-08:00

Why is it that i will never thrive in science? No wrong use of words... why is it I always barely pass my science classes?? I have always srtuggled with science. This is a fact even in my elementary school years i hated science. Nothing came naturally to me, and it seems that everytime I try hard or study hard I confuse myself more and fail more. I am sad to announe that the curse of science in my life has not in any way become better. I feel like the one class that I put in the most effort is my Physical Science class, and guess what.. it is not pating off. I feel like the grades I have been getting are not reflecting my hard work and it is making me very frustrated! Sorry for complaining but I need help!! Science is hurting me and my future.. dramatic I know but it is the way I feel at the moment! BYU and all other schools out there it is time to stop the requirement of science courses!!Please.... I am in over my head with studying and it is not paying off at all!!

Halloween!!!

2008-11-09T22:39:00.001-08:00

Happy Halloween .... even though it has been like a week! I had a great Halloween weekend! Well actually I was deathly sickand my friends dragged me to "The Howl" party at Utah State, which is about a 2 hour car ride. I used about a whole box of tissues just for the ride there. But I am glad they made me go, I had a blast. My friend Jenny and I were twins... flapper girls!!! Not to brag but our outfits were pretty cute!!

I wish I took more pictures, and gotten some of the whole group... but i just got some of me and jenny!!

SNOW!!!

2008-11-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

My roomate Allie woke me up this morning with "Ray look out the window!"..... Well I put on my glasses ( haha lame i know i am blind though) and what did I see.... SNOW!!! The ground was white and the cars were frosty!!! I could not have been more excited!! My first experience of living in the snow has officially begun! And I am NOT tired of it like everyone bet me i would be! I still feel magical and cozy.... thank heaven for mittens though!! Ive got alot of "magical" mornings ahead of me!

Tag Game.... thanks Ahlin

2008-11-02T18:38:00.000-08:00

So Ahlin tagged me, and since she turned my frown upside down last week I am going to go along with it.
6 random things:
1. I am a little kid at heart. I love building sand castles at the beach while all of my "mature" friends lay out. I love high school musical!! (I know every song from the first 2 movies) I still love playing dress up, hide and seek, and all those other games from when we were young.
2. I love buffets. (Very random I know) I get so excited trying out everything, just because I can. Although since living in the dorms my love has gone down just alittle.
3. I LOVE babies. Enough said..
4. I am obsessed with decorating. Whether it is my room, a birthday party, Christmas, or anything I have a blast decorating things.
5. Right now I am mad at Chase. This week I have been sick and Jenny, Michael and Chase brought me to the health center.. because my mom told me too go.... and on the way Chase says he wants medicine and asks what his symptoms should be. Well I go to talk to the doctor, and she tells me I have a cold and nothing will help me, while Chase goes in with a different doctor and comes out with a prescription and a note that excuses him from classses and exams. AGHHH haha how did this happen!!!
6. And finally.... I have a weakness of trusting everyone, which recently back fired in my face but that is a different story.

8 shows I love to watch:
Gossip Girl (my new addiction.. sorry to anyone who i used to make fun of for watching this I now understand)
90210 ( Discovered it from my lack of tv in the dorms and it being on the cw home page right next to gossip girl)
The Hills
Ellen
House
The Office
Full House (I own like 3 seasons)
Project Runway

8 favorite restaurants:
Souplantation
Juanitas
Pei Wei
CPK
Juice Stop (not really a restaurant but whatever)
Jake's
Panera Bread (i miss it SOO much)
Sammy's

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. roadtrip home from the howl
2. woke up on the hard ground without blanket or pillow after falling off the love sack
3. surprised jess for her bday!!
4. ate at a tiny bakery in logan
5. watched planet earth
6. partied it up at utah state
7. helped to bail someone i didnt know out of jail (not a joke)
8. danced with a black guy

8 things I am looking forward too:
1. Going home for Thanksgiving
2. Christmas in Costa Rica
3. Seeing my family
4. Feeling confident enougth to pick a major
5. Never having to take a science class again
6. Having my own home to decorate
7. Having babies
8. Falling in Love

One word response:
1. Where is your cell phone? Charging on my desk.... due to water damage it needs to be charged any spare min i have.
2. Where is your significant other? not sure
3. Your hair color? Blond
4. Your Mother? The best
5. Your Father? Daring, brave, strong, loving, funny
6. Your favorite thing? family/cousins, friends
7. Your dream last night? Not sure.. I took NyQuil because I am sick so I slept like a dead log.
8. Your dream/goal? I hope to travel the world and help as many people as I can, also have a happy big family.
9. The room your in? My dorm
10. Your hobby? beach, riding my bike, making people smile (cheesy but true)
11. Your fear? right now... not passing physical science.. normally sting rays and getting kidnapped
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy, well traveled, and settled.
13.Where were you last night? at Spark for jess's bday even though i should have been in bed getting heathy
14. What your not? sometimes self disciplined
15. One of your wish list items? having a big family
16. Where you grew up? San Diego
17. The last thing you did? Tried doing some homework
18. What are you wearing? A shirt and leggings
19. Your tv? non existent
20. Your pet? I wish
21. Your computer? pink
22. Your mood? stressed.. bofm test this week
23. Missing someone? my sister, my brother, my parents, and JOHANNA
24. Your car? in San Diego :( forever
25. Something your not wearing? makeup... i just woke up from a nap.. and im sick
26. Favorote store? Forever 21
27. Your summer? alot of work
28. Favorite color? pink, and yellow
29. Love someone? friends
30. When is the last time you laughed? 10 seconds ago
31. When is the last time you cryed? today..... missing my friend Brooke Hanson

Well that was alot. Thanks Ahlin for tagging me!! I actually learned stuff about myself!

Political Comercials

2008-10-19T18:47:00.000-07:00

The presidential comercials have always bugged me. I am taking a poli sci class on current events, and last week we talked about the effects of these comercials. We discussed the way they advertise. If a candidate is being bashed the comercial is usually black and white and there is dark music and an angry voice listing all the faults, or mistakes of this certain running mate. If it is endorsing a candidate the colors are bright and the music is patriotic or light and happy. These comercials can be effective, I have felt scared by the negative comercials and have felt emotions that go along with the positive campaining also. This type of adverrtising is dirty but appeals to who ever is the audience, bringing their points to the table. The negative part of this is that I dont know what to believe and sometimes it can confuse me.

A Tribute to Allie and Tash!!!

2008-10-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

My roomate Allie Capener is the best roomate ever. I have known Allie since we were 1 year olds. According to my mom we were the best of friends, sadly when we were 3 Allie moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Her father stayed in San Diego, therefore Allie came to visit 1-2 times a year, we would ALWAYS pick up right where we left off. Throughout our middle school years we talked on the phone for hours, just like the typical 13 or 14 year old girl. Throughout high school we still stayed great friends, all my friends knew about her, she was and still is one of my best friends. Last year (our senior year of high school), we confirmed that we we wanted to be roomates (we have been talking about it for as long as I can remember). I came into our decision a little nervous because I knew that I knew Allie, but we had never been around each other for longer than a week. Well, picking Allie as my roomate was the best decision!! We get along so well. She is nice, mellow, clean, beautiful, and fun! I am so lucky to have her as a roomate, and she has already helped me with so many things! I love her!!

I met Natasha Nord in the provo WalMart. I was browsing the shampoo and i noticed this girl with really cute style, "cute scarf" i thought to myself, and moved on with my shopping. But about 5 min later I found my mom talking to a man, she introduced us and they had been best friends throughout high school and college. When I met him he said that I had to meet his daughter he went and found her and we smmiled and felt a little uncomfortable, feeling forced to talk by our parents. We started with the normal first questions. And I realized that we had alot in common, both a little nervous about the culture shock of moving from California to Provo, Utah. Well I got her number and later that day I called her (this is not normal for me but we both had no friends). We got along great. A couple days later we were walking and some girls from Tash's home stake drove by and invited us to sleepover, surprisingly I went with them, and since that night Tash has been one of my best friends (we had a deep heart to heart)!! I love her too!! This is my tribute to my 2 best friends in Provo!!

Axe Products

2008-10-12T22:36:00.000-07:00

I think that the Axe product comercials are really funny. They always show a sort of nerdy boy put on axe cologne, or deodorant and then they walk outside and get attacked by good looking girls. This appeals to the audience by humor, and showing them what they could have if they used this certain product. Axe's claim is they drive women crazy. This may not be the case with all boys that wear axe, but I think that they are smart to appeal to hormone crazy boys that want the girls to like them. These comercials always make me laugh inside. And they use emotional appeal.

Seasons!!

2008-10-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

I am from San Diego where it is constantly around 70 degrees, and rains 1-2 days a year. Seeing the leaves change color, the air get chilly, and smell fresh rain it so much fun. I have never really thought of Utah as a pretty place, I thought of it as barren, hot or freezing, and dry. But I have come to appreciate its beauty. Provo no longerr seems "ugly" to me, I enjoy the beautiful orang, red, and yellow trees, and the fresh smells after the rain cleans everything. I have never been in snow longer than 4 days, and I am so excited for the snow!!! I want to make snowmen, go sledding, and cuddle. The seasons of Provo arr beautiful, and I am excited for what is coming.

Travels

2008-10-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite thing to do is travel. I LOVE seeing new cultures, speaking to different people, and seeing beautiful new places. I have been blessed to have had many opportunities in my life to see the world. I have been to France, England, South America, Mexico, Canada, and all across the US. I could spend all my time traveling!! I will elaborate on one of my favorites. I went to the high Andes of Peru about 3 years ago. I traveled there with a humanitarian aid group called "Simon Says". We helped out desolate villages and I learned so much, it was a different knowledge than what I gained from other travels, I learned more about myself, than I think I taught to the villagers. That trip opened my eyes to how lucky I am to live in the circumstances that I am blessed to live in. I have everything at my fingertips but these people have absolutely the bare necesities, they live like indians. Since that trip I have strived to keep a positive outlook on everything I experience. I am so lucky and I feel so guilty when I complain or feel sorry for myself in any way. I will remember my goal this year and keep it up!

Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty"

2008-09-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Dove Products Company is very smart. There motto is "campaign for real beauty". Their models are normal women, grandmothers, mothers, and women of all sizes. This is the way that all products should be advertised. I feel that their advertising is honest and refreshing. They appeal to everyone and their products are well-known, good products. Dove appeals to the customer by appealing to their emotions, their portrayal of women makes the customer feel comfortble with the company and its products. When I think of Dove products I feel relaxed and clean. I personally love all Dove products so I may be supporting their advertising alot. The advertising of the natural woman, is so great and something that I have hoped for along time. I wrote my opinion editorial on how the media should portray woman as they really should be, which is comfortable with themselves. Dove does just this in their advertising, and I thank them for it! Thank you Dove for helping out women across America!!

Alcohol Ads

2008-09-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

It is funny that my teacher assigned my class to talk about emotional appeals in ads and media, because my roomate and I talked about this just last week. My roomate was teaching the gospel doctrine class about how satan can use ads etc. to influence us. We focused on alcohol ads. Don't get me wrong emotional appeal in the media is usually a good thing, but i feel that the emotional appeals that alcohol companies use are dishonest and misleading. We found one ad that showed a girl who was nerdy and an outcast, then it showed her with a particular brand of alcohol beautiful and carefree. This tells the audience that if you drink this alcohol then you will be like the girl in the ad. Alcohol companies also like to associate romance with consumption of alcohol. They put a beautiful girl and a hot guy and have them advertise their product. I dont like these types of ads because they let people see that drinking will make you hot or guys like you. I feel that with something that can cause you harm like alcohol, the ads should not portray something false.

my family

2008-09-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

I have the best family in the world. I have two older sisters, Brooke and Elle, they are really cool. Brooke just got married to my new brother-in-law, Trent, this summer. They are so cute together. I have a younger brother, Ty, he is a freshman in high school. I miss him so much, he is hilarious. One example, we have never had a pet in my family and my brother has always wanted one. Well to replace me when I left for college my parents got a bunny (haha) and my brother takes it for walks on a leash!! He is compensating for never having a pet. I thought that idea is really funny. My parents are wonderful people. My mom's name is Melanie, and my dad's John. My dad is really cool, he races in SCORE races, the off road races like the Baja 1000. My mom is a wondeful mom who really cares about everyone. I love them and they are the best!!

The Election

2008-09-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

I feel that Sarah Palin is being unfairly judged. Honestly I have not been following the elections as closely as I should being a new voter. I just dont have much time, and not having a tv for the news makes things tricky. Sarah Palin's family life should not be involved in the elections. I feel that this is a personal issue that is her families, not America's. Every family has problems whether it is a young pregnant daughter or something smaller. Parents should not be judged for their childrens mistakes. Every person needs to make their own mistakes to learn from them, and it is not the parents faults. I have known parents who are trying their hardest to keep their children on the right path and it just doesnt work out. The problems that Sarah Palin is having in her personal life should not affect the way people vote. It should be about what is best for America,not how her family runs.

My Big Decision

2008-09-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

So this week I finally figured out what i want to do with my life. I decided that I want to be a social worker. I have always enjoyed helping my friends with their problems, and people have always seemed to be drawn to me, sharing their feelings about things and asking for my advice. I really want to work in a teenage correctional facility maybe as a counselor of some sort. I have alot of experience with troubled teens, seeing as about half my high school friends were "troubled". I feel that this occupation will be rewarding. I love to help others lift themselves and in the process I am always feeling better myself. So I decided that I want to major in social work. The only problem is there is no longer the social work major at BYU. So I need to figure that out. Until I do I am just going to fulfill my GEs and wait it out. I am very excited for my future, and feel much more at peace then before.