"If happiness truly consisted in physical ease and freedom from care, then the happiest individual would not be either a man or a woman; it would be, I think, an American cow."
~William Lyon Phelps

Note to Self:

I've been working on some things in my life book.
This is my latest thought:

Have A Dream.

Keep a Diary.

Face Adversity.

change the world.

Moose Tracks.

This is me and my best friend Max.

Today is his birthday, and although he constantly teases my love for blogging, (or as he would say, "the need to exploit my own thoughts on cyberspace") - he still deserves a shout out.

Here is why:
-He is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. Honestly.
-He's genius.
-He plans some of the worlds best dates. Latest one: We had a "monsters vs. aliens" theme night.
First stop: We got to go see the cute Disney/Pixar movie in 3-D, (Not a Finding Nemo or Wall-E... but...I liked it)
Afterward, we went to look for 'aliens' with his telescope at Squaw Peak (unfortunately, no alien sightings to report...Max blames it on the cloudy skies) And after that he surprised me with dinner in his backyard inside of a tent! "That way we can read monster stories by flashlight," he explained, (which, to his credit, truly has a spooky effect...) But I'd have to say that the best part of the night was when he built a miniature fire with the use of a few candles, just so we could roast some s'mores.
-Another great thing: He has the nicest forearms. (this is not a joke.)
But my most favorite thing about Max?
He can do the Donald Duck sneeze.

Feliz cumpleanos.

Way Back When...

Way back when I woke up at six thirty every morning - don't know HOW I managed doing that.
Way back when I had to be home by midnight (again, I don't know how I did that either).
Way back when I had detention.
Way back when I didn't worry too much about my future.
Way back when I probably worried too much about what others thought of me.
Way back when we did the high school talent show.

*When I got my hands on this priceless footage I just had to put it online for the world to see (and fb just wouldn't do it for me), so here we go. Party.

No Good, Very Bad Day.

I had one of those days this past week.
Things couldn't have gotten any worse.
But then I read this.
It is beautiful.
I absolutely love Elder Wirthlin and his messages; he always has some of the most uplifting talks, and this is one that is just too good not to share.
So for those of you who may be having a hard time, or would just like to hear something inspiring (because sometimes the news can make this world we live in look more bleak and dark day by day) please read this. It is truly inspirational.

“Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.
“But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.
“No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.”
--Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Sunday Will Come”, Ensign, Nov. 2007

Blogs of Note.

Every now and then, I come across an absolutely adorable blog and deep down wish that everybody I know could read it...
So today I'd like to dedicate my blog to lovely blog-mates and the lovely thoughts of other girls next door - (and a fellow too...)
I couldn't emphasize enough how charming, witty and endearing some of these really are, so please treat yourself :)

Is it better? - Mi Familia Loca
*this one almost made me cry. simply beautiful.

O.C.D. = Our Courtly Desires - FAMOUS
*Side note: Need a good book to read? Please ask her. She has incredible taste in literature.

Anything and Everything... - rockstar diaries
*because everything is absolutely adorable, and I can probably guess most of you have stumbled onto this exceptional blog before :)

Payson High School Homecoming '08 - the life and times of mr. andrew t. wright*He's even funnier in person.

[Title Here] - The Secret Life of B

hey, Abbs!!! - (NO) sex and the city

a few items of non-note*, basically a drastic lowering of all and any standards. - The Mormon Child Bride
* this is my old roommates sister who I wish I could have roomed with too.

Remember to share the wealth, because there are far too many out there for me to list (and trust me, the list could go on)
If you have some favorite blogs, pass it along to little old me.

Happy day.

Why I'd Rather...Still Dance With Mattresses.

I wish I could return to the days of dancing with mattresses.
You may wonder what exactly that entails, so let me explain:
We danced with mattresses. Literally.
They were pretty small, and rather light. Light enough to dance with, but big enough to become a prince charming.
So one day as a seventh grader, our little group of friends decided that's what we'd do. Dance with a mattress.
We then named them after our favorite member in Dream Street, and we'd begin to dance the night away as we imagined our very own fairy tales.
Fairy tales that never went wrong.
"He'd" be handsome, he'd be charming - he'd be madly in love, madly in love with only us...there was never another "her..."
He would tell us we were gorgeous, that we were brilliant and perfect.
We never heard the words, "Lets take a break," or, "I don't see this going anywhere..."
Never, "There's something I need to tell you," or "I met someone else..."
What we had with these mattresses was love.
Long lasting love.
(According to a twelve year old)
And all we had to do was get out those mattresses and dance the night away...

Unfortunately, (and let me stress: unfortunately) I was twelve at the time, and now I'm 20. I can't, for the life of me, somehow imagine a styrofoam mattress as a prince charming, and I'll be the first to admit, I have tried since then. But it doesn't work anymore, even though I wish it could. I can't turn off the lights and close my eyes and make believe.
It's growing up I tell you, and sometimes it's not as great as we once thought it would be.

The reason I am writing about this today, is because my one and only (and naturally, my most favorite) kid sister just broke up with her boyfriend last night, and since their "calling it quits" phone call, has been in a perpetual state of tears.
As she sits next to me explaining whats left of her broken heart, I try and find the right words to say. The right stories to relate. The right quotes. The right "break up" songs. The right way to comfort her...
And all I managed to come up with (despite the infinite amount of wisdom I've gained living 23 months longer than she) all came down to this: "I wish we could still dance with mattresses."

I know it sounds crazy.
I know it's probably even crazier to imagine.
But while those four mattresses swayed back and forth in the play room, and while those four brace faces began to be swept away while being in love with love...
It really was a lovely thing, to be in love with a mattress once upon a time.

Summer Lovin.

Summer is on its way which means several things:
I will jump on beds every morning because I can.
I will be tan again.
I will be reading a LOT (and NOT out of textbooks!).
I will be riding a bike.
Which means I will be buying a bike.
I will watch movies at the park on Wednesday nights.
I will make pink lemonade every other day.
I will lay out underneath the stars.
I will fly a Little Mermaid kite.
I will go on strawberry shortcake cupcake picnics.
I will be writing love letters to all my friends who have gone away.
I will plan a road trip.
And if that doesn't work out, I will build little forts in my living room and travel to France, Africa and New Zealand (if I really like you, I will take you with me).

*Tips for anyone else thinking of their own summer plans:
Bern Williams once said, "If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance."
Go to Maple Lake and see for yourself.
Summer clearly invented romance.

(Another tip I can't go without sharing: A perfect song to jump on the bed to is "Take it Home" by the White Tie Affair. The picture above was captured while jumping to that great song. I seriously recommend it - and jumping, it works those legs out like no other).

*Any other great summer tips? Let me know your ideas :)

...I think I want to go buy a popsicle...
Ta ta for now.

Inner Beauty.

"The absence of flaw in beauty is itself a flaw."
- Havelock Ellis, 1914

How clever, how true.

Several years ago, I remember getting ready for a high school dance with one of my close friends; unable to contain our excitement for the event, we went all out and bought the prettiest eye shadow and the shiniest lip gloss, the rosiest blush and darkest mascara...however, right before we began to get ready, something caught the corner of my eye and I noticed a post-it note her dad must have taped onto the mirror, which read: "A father watching his daughter use makeup is like Picasso watching his masterpiece get a makeover..."
I have never forgotten it.

I stumbled onto this video the other day, and (capitalized): L-O-V-E-D it and couldn't help but share, enjoy.

Dove -Onslaught
Uploaded by firat

How clever, how true.