Who am I?

I stole this post idea from Cristina and from Brianne. (Check out their blogs too!)

Probably for most of you, none of these answers will be much of a surprise to you, but I thought it would be a fun blog post to look back on later in life.

1. Student

I am currently a university student. I am officially starting my 5th semester up in Idaho in just a few days. 

I am thinking about changing my major to International Studies, but I am waiting to make sure that is really something I would be interested in.  

This picture basically sums up my life in college:

2. Shift Lead

I work for a really awesome company/retail store called DownEast Basics and I really love it. It is one of the best jobs a college girl could ask for. The only set back is my new shopping habit! (Oh no!) For the past couple of months I have basically been running my store down here in Utah while we were in between managers, but as I transfer up to the Idaho store, I am excited to go back to being a normal associate. I love the girls I work with so much and we are all really great friends. I am so lucky to have this job. 

3. Tiki

I have been a counselor at Retreat for Girls for 2 summers and it has literally changed my life. If you want to read more about my experience as a counselor read this. My counselor nick name is Tiki!

4. Disney Lover

I've always loved Disney Movies. 

ALWAYS.

I even got the chance to WORK at Disney World, and I thought I would get sick of Disney,

but I didn't.

In fact, my obsession became worse. 

5. Daughter

I have such great parents. 

Now that I am in college I appreciate them more than anything.

They are a great mixture of supportive and letting me be my own person. 

I also just want to put out there that I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father who loves me, and I love him.

This I believe

6. Favorite Niece/cousin/sister to all

I am the oldest sister, and cousin on both sides of my family. 

And they all adore me (THEY BETTER!)

I throw Harry Potter extravenanza's for my cousins, complete with HP food, banners, houses, house points, dressing up and a HOUSE CUP. 

Which brings me to..... 

7. Harry Potter Nerd

Obsessed. I am obsessed.

Probably more obsessed than you.

I listen to podcasts, 

read and re read each book,

read fan fiction,

listen to wizard rock

the whole nine yards. 

(Also, if you haven't seen a very potter musical, you should spend your next 2 hours doing that...)

p.s. We are all a day late to our term at Hogwarts

Well what did you guys think? Did you learn anything new? Tell me in the comments below!

Sometimes strangers make me believe in humanity again.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Sadly, today is one of those days :

Was at work until 3 a.m. 

Didn't fall asleep until almost four

Haven't washed my hair in 3 days (not cute)

Convinced I was going to stay in bed all day

oily face

feeling yucky

feeling weepy

all I wanted was my heat pad and a sleeve of coconut dreams

So I finally roll out of bed around 4 p.m. (not a good day) because I really have to go to the store and buy some necessities. I felt gross, probably smelled, but I knew it was going to be a fast run so I through on some clothes, a hat for my hair, and a scarf to distract from scary look. 

As I am walking down an aisle and contemplating which product to by, this lady stops in the isle and tells me 

"I just want to tell you that you look beautiful. I love the look you have and I wish I could pull it off"

At first I said nothing, partially because I was so stunned, and partially because I thought she was joking. But then as I was processing she continued,

"I really think you look great and I just thought you should know it."

I literally almost cried.

I told her I was so grateful she had told me that and how icky I had been feeling that day. She said that she always tried not to suppress compliments when she thinks them. The woman was just a tender mercy. As her and her daughter started to walk away and I  turned with a huge grin on my face back to my product choosing, she once again turned and said

 "Ya! My daughter is right, you are just rocking the 'I'm a movie star who is trying to go to the grocery store like a normal person', look!". 

Again I expressed my gratitude for such an awesome compliment. 

As I continued through my trip around the store, I felt like I was on cloud nine. I had felt so icky and gross all day and in a matter of a minute a complete stranger made me feel beautiful and capable again. 

Now I didn't want to blog about this story today because I wanted you guys to know that an amazing stranger made me feel much better about myself today. I'm blogging about it because I want you all to consider the difference you can make in a complete strangers life. That woman could have thought her compliment, but kept it to herself, but instead she was bold and shared her kind thoughts which was really exactly what I needed to hear. 

Sometimes people have bad days and they really  need to hear that they look good, so with all the bad, sad and maddening things going on in the world, why not try to make it a little brighter for those around us-

-even (and maybe especially) if they are complete strangers

Big Books

I have had a lot of desire to read books lately. But I have the usual excuses of "I am too busy" always hovering over my shoulder. (Although somehow I manage to be on pinterest for an hour... hm...... )

That's one of the reasons I loooove audio books. I know some people have issues with listening to books, but to me, it is all the same. I get to enjoy every single second of a book that I would have reading it, plus I can do it while I am riding in the car, doing the dishes, getting ready for the day. When I read, I sometimes find my head wandering and thinking about all the things I should be doing, so I close my book and go do what I "should" be doing.
I've recently decided to read/listen to the unabridged version of  Les Miserables. (*Insert your gasps and shudders of amazement here*) I can't WAIT for the movie to come out this December, and I thought it might be kind of cool to read the book before the movie comes out. I'm sure many of you are aware of this.... but the unabridged version is..... MASSIVE. I'm talking smaller print and bigger than HP7 if you can believe it. Daunting? Quite. But it makes me think of this, which makes me laugh:

I am also hoping to somehow manage to read/listen to the hobbit before I see the movie. That's a lot of book in a relatively small amount of time. Better get going...

Happiness is.... Pina Colada's

Watching the Vlog Brothers from oldest to newest

JCW's

Thanksgiving Point

FINALLY seeing Alee after her summer in India

Watching the 25 anniversary concert of Les Miserables

New shoes! :)
Family Pictures!
Spontaneous trips to Park City with some of my best friends
Finally eating really good food when you haven't eaten all day
Park City main street during the summer evenings
Bags with fringes/Buying new tires. (JK)
World Market
APPLE PIE CARAMEL APPLES
Google maps
Having lunch with old friends
Meeting your new (nice) roommate
Pretty yellow dresses that are long and can flow in the wind
Wearing flats so you can walk and dance all night
Pina colada's
Brianne coming for a surprise visit!
Dancing the night away
My cute Great-Grandpa:


Finally playing "Betrayal" again
COWBOY CAVIAR
This funny video.
And now for some nerdy humor:

Happiness is....pink baths

Spending all day with my baby sister

^and the fact that she is over the neon, sparkly clothes

Finally getting around to wearing my fedora

Fun birthday parties at the Munoz home,

the lightest cotton candy I've every eaten

The two biggest pinata's I've ever seen:

My new Happy Book
The perfect scenery for 7 Brides for 7 brothers
^Getting to the show SAFELY
^Getting to see my friend josh do some awesome tricks
Graham Cracker/ Marshmellow/ Chocolate krispies
Seeing two out door shows in two days
Open Letter's to Wizards:

Taking the time, spending the money and "wasting" the gas to go to education week after work for 3 days

A new great manager for the store

^The confidence I have that she will do a great job. 

Friends who want to spend as much time with you as you want to spend with them

Cheese-cake factory

Great big cups of Diet Coke

Cookies at work

Fancy stuff baths that turn PINK

Awesome Prophet and Apostles to lead us through their example:

^Pres. Monson at a Jazz game

Happiness Is.....quick trips to the DMV

Pretty Toenails

Free Yellow Lace Toms
^And the girl who pointed and whispered to her friend "I like those!"

A Bridal shower!

Again... Bright Pink Lipstick

Looking Cute for Church

(...And late someone recognizing me at work because of it.)

Leaving an hour early for no good reason

Finally getting errands done

My short trip to the DMV

Wandering around the mall with nothing to do but look at all the pretty things

Chili's with my best friends

^Meeting their boyfriends

^And approving

Mrs. Fields

Apartment decorating

Getting excited for fall semester

Late night "Temple talks" with Erin

Being famous!

One best friend home, one to go
Color Me Katie
Even though I am team Michael ,This makes me Happy:

                                 

New Pants

FINALLY getting paid! (wheew!)

Cafe Rio with my "supy awky" girls 

Re-listening to "A Fault in Our Stars" 

^and crying over it. 

Putting the NEWSIES soundtrack on my Ipod.

Happiness is.... rocking pink lipstick

Random Red Robin dates with my Seestow.

Seeing J.K. Rowling in the Opening Ceremonies

Surviving a double shift on a sickie-day

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

This conversation of Fbook:

(I miss these guys!)

Late night gourmet tuna melts

Girls day:

Rocking pink lipstick

Having a great hair day

Cheesecake

Reading my favorite blogs....

These fun pictures from the Olympics:

Kneaders with Rae and Aspen

Catching up with Ariana

Finishing the floorset at work before midnight! (WAHOO!)

(And Chelsea made us delicious cookies!)

Joshua Radin's New CD

Happiness is....fruit and whipped cream

The season finale of the Bachelorette:

This statement:

Fruit and whipped cream

Watching how to train your dragon with the cool kids.

Not having much responsibility

Rumbi

(Sweet potato fries)

Unexpected cupcakes as a gift 

Cute new purse

Watching an old Disney Channel favorite

Illustrated Tweets of the day:

The new Spiderman movie (Loved it!)

Happiness is....... Intro

At Retreat for Girls we talked about this quote a lot:

And finally, in all of living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.

We spent the entire week focusing on changing our perspectives and choosing to be happy. On Monday our  theme of the day was "Finding Joy in Life". For my devotional I showed them this video:

I made each of my girls little "Happiness is" journals and encouraged them to write a list of the small things in life that made them happy that day. (i.e. finding a pencil, tying  your shoe for the very first time...) 

I wanted to set a goal to starting doing something similar in my life. I wanted to start appreciating the small things in life that make my happy, but since every day might be excessive, each week I am going to make a list of things that week that made me happy. We shall call this new series "Happiness is....." and I am hoping that it will change the way I look at life. 

InJOY RFG recap

What an amazing, frustrating, tiring, awakening, inspiring, and JOYFUL two weeks I have had. I am so lucky to be a part of such an amazing program! Retreat for Girls changes lives you guys. It changes the counselors, the participants, and specifically it has changed me.

I attended 3 years of Retreat as a participant:

I returned two years ago as a counselor: 

And I was back this year for more! 

Over the weekend

For the weekend in between sessions we spent some time at Bo's house: 

The view from her yard: 

Monday

 By Monday it was time to head back to campus and start another week. 

We had registration:

 Lawn games:

 Closing Opening Banquet: 

Tuesday

was group bonding day.

We had a "Unbirthday Party" where we made "Mad hats"

I got a really sweet love note from Nomi and her girls, (the paper suitcase)

we made cute little picture holders as seen in the bottom left picture, 

and we had our fashion show! (Why yes, I am in fact dressed as the Sphinx and Freckles Lauren is dressed as the great wall of china)

Wednesday

was filled with lots of scripture reading, and classes with AWESOME speakers

We also had the Theme activity on Wednesday

We learned about the movie Pollyanna and how she would play the "Glad game"

We made prisms just like in the movie to remind us that when we choose happiness the light of Christ can be reflected through us. 

We also did my favorite craft that day, coloring RFG pillowcases

Thursday 

was our service project. We had so much fun and we were so busy that I didn't get any pictures!

But after words we took a couple of pictures for Team Kenton to help boost his spirits

Friday

was our last day. 

We had an amazing devotional and testimony meeting where the spirit was SO strong.

we had our closing banquet. 

I had an amazing two weeks and I had many prayers answered. 

I also set a goal to start appreciating the small things in life and to start living In Joy. 

I made some life longs friends and made amazing memories that will be with me forever.

Thank you to Katie, Anita, Miss Piggy, Bo and Origami for all of their hard work and all that they did for us. 

In joy week one.

Oh man. what a whirl wind week and a half this has been. I barely have time to sleep.

Last week was so busy that I literally only took one picture. One.

Here it is:

I feel so bad and I've promised myself to do a better job this week.

Last week I had such sweet girls and seriously gave me seriously zero issues.

I was so grateful because a lot of the other counselors had a hard week with disobedience and entitlement.

We had one week down of crafts, late nights, speakers, devotionals, and fun times, and joy. I  can't wait to see what this next well has to bring.

Retreat for girls

Hey kids!
It's been a crazy couple of weeks since I got back from Guatemala. I have had so much going on that I almost don't even know where to start!
School is almost over! We are about to find out if I pulled it off. I am feeling... fairly confident that I will manage. There are still a few loose ends to tie up, but I think I might make it!
Between school, working, and getting ready for Retreat for girls my plate has been quite full.

But today is finally the day! 

Retreat for girls is basically here! Today I pack up my car with massive amounts of stuff (way too much for two weeks... but that's how we roll at RFG) and drive up to Logan. 

It's going to be a good week.

Don't know what Retreat for girls is? 

Let me tell you.  Retreat for girls is basically the best two weeks of your summer. 

It is a church camp for girls ages 12-15 and a short explination is a mix between EFY and girls camp. 

I can't truthfully tell you as a past participant, and a 2nd year counselor, this program has changed my life. I would not be who I am with out it. Retreat for Girls taught me it was cool to be a member of the church and to have standards. They showed me how to live life to the fullest and how to be happy while gaining a testimony. It's is.... awesome. 

"In all of living have much of fun and laughter.  Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." - Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley,

This years theme is "In joy" and I could not be more excited. It is just what I have needed after this rough year. I am so excited to learn more, grow more, and help young women's testimonies blossom. 

Retreat is full of some of the best women, counselors, and girls in the entire world. Each one inspires me and motivates me to the fullest extent. 

This is part of the silliness... but at RFG each of the counselors have nicknames that we go by, and the girls have no idea what our real names are. (SO FUN!)

Mine is Tiki: 

Here are some of the blogs to other counselors

Rae:

BO:

Puddles

Plus, I am so excited that me and FRECKLES (my younger sister) get to be counselors together this year! 

Woot woot. 

WHY I LOVE RETREAT FOR GIRLS