sometimes i teach lessons on marriage.

So last night I wrote about marriage and family.

But really just marriage...

for what ended up being six pages...

don't you worry, I also had half hours

[scattered throughout the hours spent on the project] 

to think... while my internet connection did the same.

then I had to teach this beautiful lesson plan to my roommate.

[that part I loved]

so really, i mean I'm basically I marriage pro ;)

ha.

haha.

which means I'm a dating pro too, right?

[even funnier]

ha. hahahahahahahaha. 

well, it's sunny today. 

so go ahead and smile :)

study through the night.

So last night we had a study party. 

By party I mean we actually were pretty productive. 

On my tiny floor. As you can see us+2 computers hardly fits. 

then Lin fell asleep curled up next to me on the bed. 

while we talked about boys and life and i scratched her back. 

we're good at that game. 

I woke up with the lights on.

& my computer in my lap. 

& maybe a kink [...or 5] in my back.

But I don't care. 

These are the nights I'll miss when she's gone. 

gone to Jerusalem [cross your fingers everybody]

or living in a different apartment. 

or someday gone to her own little life. 

and I'll have mine. 

But let's never say forever. 

because that's much too long to go without nights like these. 

midweek. 

roommates. 

girltalk. 

late hours.

Have a good day. 

I'm feeling brave today. 

;)

-tay

why flowers and learning are great.

One time there was a man at the grocery store and the first time I saw him....

He was very blatantly telling his girlfriend she was wrong.

Then a minute or two later I could hear that same man explaining...

Why he does not buy her flowers. "I'm just not that kind of guy"

 

Dear future husband, be that kind of guy.

The sweet kind.

The kind that gives me flowers... even just wildflowers.

The kind who gives me kisses.

The kind that builds me up.

The good kind.

But regardless,

I spent some time with my sister this weekend.

[[mostly my entire Sunday]]

and I love being over there.

I love her.

She's great.

Any of you that follow her already know.

But we talked about things that matter.

And things that don't.

And moderation.

And love.

And loving yourself.

And husbands.

And I left feeling more balanced... and stable about my life than when I came.

I still have so much to learn in this short little lifetime.

But I'm loving to learn everyday .

I feel like new worlds are constantly being opened to me. 

I hope it never stops.

Sequin Stretchy Pants

Sometimes I feel like my life is not exciting enough to talk about.

But then sometimes I feel like it is.

Saturday night was one of those nights that only happen in college.

Sequin Stretchy Pants.....

4 matching roommates....

80's style headbands....

and a lot of dancing :)

These are the nights we aren't likely to forget. 

Everyone should have a few ;)

Penelope and life decisions

1. it's snowing today.

2. i have to be dressed up for a meeting....

3. i have to walk home. did I mention it's snowing?

4. it's very nearly April.  whaaaaat?

5. my mom reminded me i haven't had a blog post in a while... my bad.

 So yesterday was somewhat of a miracle. 

I was in what my roommate calls "Quarter-life crisis"

Which is like mid-life... only quarter! Is that normal?

But anyways I was trying to decide what I want to do with my life. 

Because I had chosen a direction... and let's face it.

It wasn't working out for me. 

I had a panic when I realized I was going to spend my education

kicking against the pricks and doing something that I was bad at, and didn't love.

Then a professor spoke these words of wisdom....

"you that don't know your major... you are the lucky ones"

[whaaaat? who ever said that in the classroom before?]

"passion is excellence"

[hello! i need to find some passion]

sometimes I think days are meant just for me :)

‎

"Everybody is a genius. 

But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, 

it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid."
— Albert Einstein

[moral of this quote... figure out what you were meant to do]

And just in case you wanted to know whether or not you should buy that movie I talked about...

you should.

penelope is darling :) 

in fact, I named my bike Penelope.

You can buy it here.

Amazon is a beautiful thing.

Do you ever need alone time?

i believe everyone needs alone time.
not that I don't love people....
but sometimes I love...
curling up on the couch
and watching Penelope.
by myself.

to be alone with my thoughts.
to clear away the haze of life.
being alone does that for me.
...to strip away the things that don't matter.
because sometimes we forget that not everything matters.
or at least they don't matter as much as we think.
to refocus.
spend a minute or two improving your emotional and mental health.
over the summer i loved taking baths.
or driving.

i miss driving.

at home, school was a solid 20 minutes.
work/church for me was 45.
and i thought.
alot.
about life.
about the future.
about who I want to be.

so read a book.
write in your journal.
take a drive.
watch a sunset.
improve your mental health :)

-tay


"Health is a state of complete physical, 
mental and social well-being,
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." 
~World Health Organization, 1948

mmmmm....

It started snowing today. 

So I embraced it. 

And put on a hat

and drank some hot chocolate.

cheers :)

-Taylor Ann

Dev 20 "isms"

So when any of us get home from a date, the question does not arise, "rate it:1-10"

Our rating scale is called the Real/Fake scale.. "How was it? 100% real? Totally fake?" 

Where are you between the two foot spread of my hands?

We say things like... well, "don't embarrass the family"

& "make good choices"

when anybody leaves with a date.

we do things like lay on the floor and giggle after too much pie.

or giggle uncontrollably for lots of reasons really.
we dress up like each other sometimes. 

some of us bake together...some of us don't ;)
we have a poster of Tony Horton in our living room.
and me. and a valentines tree, and fresh flowers.
mostly we love each other.

and I love us :)
the 20yearolds of Dev 20.

The "Hangout Boys"

So this is a rant I wrote a month or so ago and never posted.
I could never imagine why I didn't... ;)
haha, I found it entertaining.
Thought I would share it with you.

This one goes out to the
"Hangout Boys"

Get a clue.
Girls don't like you.
We don't want to just "hang out" all the time.
What does that even mean?
Plan something for crying out loud!
It does not have to be elaborate.
Invite us over to make dinner.
Or play a game.
Or anything really....
But, "we should hang out sometime"
Just isn't doing great things for your point tally in our boy books.

Please be real men.
Some of us are used to those, and we like them.
Why are there songs like "ladies love country boys"?
Because country boys know how to be gentlemen, sure.
but also men.
I mean, what are you, scared of us?
When confidence is the best thing a boy can have going for him,
the whole scared thing is not appealing.
or a valid excuse.
Or maybe you just don't understand
that "hangout" is this ambiguous, fake word.
And it kind of means a whole lot of nothing.

Acceptable options:
We should do something this week. [aka you will actually call her...and you've given a timeline]
Hey, would you want to [insert activity here]?

Thanks for reading my rant.

-Taylor

giving the best gifts.

gifts are hard sometimes.

but really, the "best" ones aren't always the best ones. 

this little puppy [found below] was one of my very favorite birthday gifts this year. 

and the corny reason I love it? because it's filled with love and care :) really though. it is.

some more of my favorite gifts of late:

1. flowers. they never get old and they make you feel great just having them in your hand. 

how? not sure. just trust me there. 

2. a bike! but not just because it's a bike, because my mom knew that's what I really wanted :)

[t-minus approx a week until it is here. in my loving arms]

3. cupcakes! ok, so my lovely Aspen had cupcakes from my favorite cupcake place [sweet tooth fairy]

sent to my house. could I make cupcakes? sure could. but that doesn't matter. i loved the thought. so much.

so....
flowers die, 
our "sisters" book is of no value to the outside world, 
cupcakes aren't a necessary food group, 
and i could walk instead of ride a bike... 
but that's not the point.
In the wise words of Pierre Corneille...  
"The manner of giving is worth more than the gift."

So give a gift today :)

I loved this weekend.I got to hang out with the absolute best sorts of people.
and stayed up talking about life until unreasonable hours of the morning.
I danced in BYU dancesport, and got to the top 6 couples for samba.
[There was about 120 couples... we even got a sweet ribbon!]
I watched an awesome basketball game. [goooo Jimmer!]
& Made a fabulous apple pie. 






Also this week I got to send a package!
I love packages. I love sending them,
I love receiving them.
I love everything about them.








 

If you ever have a friend in the MTC and need a same-day delivery/package making hookup in Provo...
I'm your girl ;)

Happy Sabbath!

willing spring to come.

 so i love every season, but lately I've been daydreaming of the two that are next 2 on the docket.

so thus, i've been willing them to come myself.

by doing things like.....wearing capris, purchasing a bike, and doing homework outdoors

here are some of my favorite memories of last years seasons,

 & things i'm looking forward to in the upcoming months....

sunshine&sand

green grass

blueskies.

beach days :)

and how could I forget the adventures?

the people? the experiences? the love?

i can feel it. it's going to be good.

do you feel like this?

one time I took my siblings to the temple.

at my normal time of course...five in the morning :)

they weren't quite expecting to do that on vacation.

I think these pictures  tell all.

thought you might enjoy them.

don't we all feel like this sometimes?

and just so you know, i'm back on board with blogging, so don't go anywhere.

have the greatest day ever :)

-taylor

the art of losing.

Do you ever not know where to start with a blog post?
Like nothing you write sounds like what you feel.
Well, that's been me lately. 

It's a funny thing, losing.
It hasn't happened to me a lot.
and I didn't expect to cry.
But I did.
Hard.
I was so embarrassed.
I hate crying.
I cried for alot of reasons.
Because I was overwhelmed.
By the support people showed...
Because I no longer had a plan....
Because I felt like I let people down....
Even though part of my brain knew that was irrational.
[but why can't that part speak up over my emotions?]
Putting yourself out there like that is...well, vulnerable.
And it's made me a little tougher.
And now it's time to find a new plan.
That's something I can do.

A good balance of winning and losing is important.
If you just win all the time, you won't get anything out of it; 
having some tough losses can be really important.
-Andrew Shue