Who doesn't love Justin Bieber and frozen yogurt?

 Today I had some visitors at work!

 They were well behaved for the most part, 

but a picture was needed so we took a quick break from good behavior.

 They waited for me to get off work then we went out on the town!

 [Is it normal to love girls night with 12 year olds just as much as your roommates?]

 Well, we went and bought some Claire's accessories, naturally....

and ate frozen yogurt. And bought lipgloss and smelly-good stuff.

 

Then drove home to the beats of JB and 96.3 

[country...did you expect anything else?]

Sang at the top of our lungs with the windows down and music alll the way up..

Went to the housepad and explored in my heels from work. 

I let them crawl out the sunroof to exit the vehicle. 

This is what makes me a cool adult.

 If I was twelve I would hang out with them.

Oh wait, I already do.

rainy day whining.

Today started with torrential downpour.

The kind where you have your windshield wipers going full blast.

But it's coming down in sheets basically so you can't see anything anyways.

But let us remember, I was anticipating a normal summer. 

And packed only summer clothes.

Are. you. kidding. me.

So naturally, my stockingless legs were freezing and I stole my dad's portable heater.

[I just haven't reached that level of class where you wear nylons even in summer]

And let it be known that I ate soup for lunch

on this the twenty-ninth day of June.

But I have a corner office with waterfalls and trees outside.

With windows all the way to the ceiling on two walls.

I have no room to whine.

I'm a very lucky girl.

There's a blood pressure machine at Albertson's, soooo  I will share that little tidbit with you. 

Because it's interesting.

blood pressure: 99 over somethin. I'm almost dead, yeah?

also, apparently there was a picture mishap.
sorrrrrry.

the many faces....or outfits....

Since I've been home I have been caught in both of these outfits.

exhibit a- those are shoulder pads 

[and yes, the double chin is in full force but do be a dear and ignore that minor detail]

exhibit b- I am in Coarsegold, so give me a break.

so what if I had on a dare t-shirt and bandana

then needed presentable pants because the doorbell was ringing

reached in the drawer.

and vwala!

overalls :)

ok, so maybe you don't consider that presentable.

I don't seem to care.

Life is going swimmingly.

Taylor

Tidbits for today

I just read a little book called the Gospel According to Coco Chanel...

here are just a few quotes from said book.

"In our modern collective hysteria over celebrity-and the superpower we believe it confers- we completely forget that every single day every one of us still has to get up in the morning, get dressed, brush our teeth, and slay our particular dragons."

"Self-invention is an act of the imagination, the ongoing writing of an enormous never-ending novel in which you are the protagonist....It requires rugged determination...It means doing whatever it takes"

"Elegance is refusal"

Happy Sunday everyone :)

Good dates.

I really like having a plan.

Really really like it.

So yesterday night [I'm not used to this whole nothing's-happening-on-Friday-night thing yet...]

I suggested we have a picnic and a movie.

I define picnic as eating outdoors. No blanket or homemade food required.

So we went and got Mexican food, and ate it on balcony of the house.

[my parents are in the process of building a house for those of you who aren't aware]

And to make it even better, it was right around sunset.

Some picture explanation before I go...

(a.) No, none of the faces were planned. 

There was no "funny faces everyone!" cue.

Pictures around here just happen that way.

(b.) I think I am the newest obsessor of toms shoes.

How could I not? They're like slippers for summertime!

And we all know how much I love socially acceptable slippers....

[but if you don't you can feel free to look here]

My brother was so lucky to be on this date, no?

[Two fabulous women, sunset, free food, and no planning.... I mean....]

No if, ands, or butts.....or were there butts?

So remember how I said I was busy?
I wasn't kidding!
We got home Sunday morning.
And I left for the coast Monday morning with my dearest Gina.
If we're being honest here, it was rather like a couples getaway.

We split clam chowder and a bread bowl
while sitting on a bench overlooking the ocean....

[have you ever had splash cafe's clam chowder? It will change your life.]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it tastes a lot like butter....

Back to that couples getaway...

we stayed in an Inn with our own [metal] key and covered parking spot

And ate pizza in while we watched the Bachelorette.
[really, sweetheart? You're still into Bentley?]

And had breakfast at Linnea's on the outdoor patio.

a scone and white hot chocolate for me...

and an americano and a muffin for her.

mmmmmm. so good.

And to finish it off we took a stop by bubblegum alley.

so nasty. and smelly.

but worth it all the same.

and on the subject of butts...
our trip started by being mooned out of somebody's car window.
really boys? really?

I'm not dead.... only nearly dead.

I promise I'm still here!

Just busy, as always, I suppose. 

Sooo let me outline last week for you. 

My brother decided he wanted to go to e.f.y with my younger cousin....

[ps that's code for teenage summer church camp]

when they checked him in last Monday.

[mind you, he was supposed to run the "Ragnar" on Friday]

So my mom told him if I would take his place in the race, he could go.

Let me give you a run down of what exactly the Ragnar is.

It's a relay. But a distance relay. And not just any distance relay. 

a one-hundred-ninety-something mile long distance relay.

So I said yes. with no real training to speak of. or idea what was going on. or time. 

[duh. why wouldn't  I say yes.... right?]

so maybe I'm crazy, but it was so much fun!

Everyone runs three separate legs and there are markings for their levels of difficulty.

easy--moderate--hard--very hard

Mine were Very Hard, Hard, and Hard 

For a total of.... [drumroll please...]

18.8 miles. in the ballpark of 25 hours.

excuse me for being so excited about all of this. but I was.

but never fear!! I wore earrings and pigtails the entire time.

and got to see beautiful mountains and blue skies

and spend time with wonderful new [but not new?] friends in a van full of sweaty runners. 

mmmmm can you say quality bonding?

and see really....memorable.... outfits

 

and find out that other people use the term "hot mess" too.

and they are as big of Harry Potter fans as I am!

 and finished something I never could have by myself.

Just a few of the things I learned this weekend

1. When I'm nervous and it's 3AM, I have no filter.

2. Maybe I never have a filter.

3. I love the song Bebot by black eyed peas.

4. Sleep is great, but you don't need a whole lot to run 7 miles. Adrenaline is beautiful.

5. Most of the battle is in your head.

6. Age doesn't matter when it comes to friendship.

7. I have a really cool mom [I was the youngest on the team and she was the oldest]

8. JUST DO IT.

riding in cars with boys.

Story time....
the other night we had quite the college agenda.
Namely.....
a block party/outdoor concert
a dance/birthday party
& a ward bonfire.

The night didn't go exactly as planned, but they never do... do they?
Well as we were heading over to the dance party from the block party.....
there happened to be an open convertible full of boys next to my car.

KJ: "Would you pay me if I just jumped in that car right now?"
Me: "Heck yeah"
KJ: "How much? Five bucks?"
Me: "Yeah"
KJ: "Make it ten and I'll do it right now"
Me: "Are you serious?! Yeah I'll do ten" (... I really wasn't thinking she would do it)
KJ: "Alright" [runs off and jumps in the back seat of the convertible]

Meanwhile, I'm laughing my guts out leaning against my car.
They drive around the block.
I'm still laughing when they get back.
They get back. I hop in, we go to the carnival and watch fireworks with them.

pays to have a wild roommate.
life's more interesting.

Moral of the story.
if you live anywhere other than Provo, don't do that.
even if you do.... be careful? but that may be slightly hypocritical.

So now we come to the bittersweet reality that spring term is over.
And my social life will die... but come back to life with sibling time.
And my life will go from independent to dependent.
And I will have a lot less pavement and alot more trees.
And a lot less friends but a lot more family.
And good Sunday dinners as opposed to endless Sunday functions.
And more crickets and less traffic.
And less sidewalks and more weeds.
And more drive time and less homework.

And someday soon I'll tell you about this crazy thing that is my life.
And about packing and finals and running quite a few more miles than I bargained for this week.
But until then, it's late... really late. And I have just one or two things to do tomorrow...

Goodnight world
-Tay

vent.

Today I'm peeved a little bit.
If you say something, please mean it.
If you say you will do something, please do it.
If you make plans, keep them.

Those closest to me are aware of how much flaky behavior bugs.
Like, really bugs.

Consistency.
Dedication.
Dependability.

important things.
for good reason.

There's a reason why people loved Honest Abe.

Mostly I wrote this a few days ago
I decided not to post it in case it was a short lived anger

Then I decided I don't care.
It's true. Be a real person.

becoming who you want to be.

"... you have felt a tug, maybe many tugs, to be someone better. And what sets those yearnings apart from all your daydreams is that they were not about being richer, or smarter, or more attractive, but about being better. I am sure you have had such moments, not just from my experience....." Henry B. Eyring

"Man is a spiritual being, a soul, and at some period of his life everyone is possessed with an irresistable desire to know his relationship to the Infinite... There is something within him which urges him to rise above himself, to control his environment, to master the body and all things physical and live in a higher and more beautiful world" -David O. McKay

Just somethin I've been thinking about.

So some people think blogging is a fake world. 

Where people pretend like their life is perfect. 

In some cases, that may be true. 

But let me tell you about me. 

And why I blog. 

I blog to record. 

And to record the good things. 

Yeah, sometimes I mention my mini-meltdowns

But 1. who wants to read about my debbie-downer moments...

and 2. I don't want to focus on them.

Because what's the use in reliving them?

Oh, that's right. There's not.

 

And also I get to share the things I love. 

And the pictures I take. 

And the quotes and stories from my life.

And maybe someone reads. 

But if they don't, I don't care.

it's a good way for me to reset.

And take a little "me" time everyday. 

And listen to some good country. 

And remember what's important.

So moral of the story: I like blogging.

More all the time.

I'm not going anywhere.

Tay

she's country....

So yeah, we have a ranch back home.
And I own real cowboy boots and a belt buckle.
And I love the smell of cows, grass, and dirt all mixed in one.
But where I'm from, the men don't dance.
So I've never really done the country dance thing.

Last night I went country swing dancing.
Best.
Choice.
Ever.
You remember how much I love to dance....right?
And as long as the boy could lead, I was all smiles.

But here's the thing about dances.
At any dance, there are bound to be winners.
and... losers.
Ok, losers is harsh. Let's do this classification by reasoning behind attendance.
Some boys go to dance. They come in a group, typically know what they're doing, and have fun.
[Still there to meet girls more often than not, but pretty normal]
And some go because.... well, girls will dance with them.
Especially here. Boys don't get turned down much around these parts.
So... I got asked by that type 2. twice.

the first one was a creep.
I mean straight up.
pull me in close and do weird, abnormal moves and.... yucky.

but you know, another one asked and I wasn't super excited.
He was probably 5 foot and walked a little funny.
and I think he might have been a little off upstairs.
he didn't really talk much while we danced, but he knew how to dance well. [no creeper moves included]
he spun me around here and there, and like I said before... I was all smiles.
very sweetly, and avoiding eye contact he said, "you have a really pretty smile"
of course, then I was prone to smile bigger and said thank you.
he messed up a little then bashfully replied, "Sorry, I can't dance when you smile like that"

Literally made my night, precious boy.
I know a fake compliment when I hear one.... I've gotten enough.
This was not fake. It was the most sincere one I've had in a while.
Gosh, wish I would stop judging right away.
It really isn't fair...

On a different note. We have 5 wedding invitations on our fridge.
Life, hurry up and get me a boyfriend so I can go to wedding receptions.
It's only a little more than slightly awkward to bring a first date.
and when the roommates don't know them, they aren't super keen on being your date.
shoot.

haaaaappy birfday cinderelly!

First things first: Happy Birthday to my fabulous mother. 

 I feel like I rave about her on here all the time. 

Want proof?

Look here.

Or here.

Or here.

Or here.

...you get the general idea. 

I kind of think she's great.

So, I spent her birthday having as much fun as is possible the week before finals. 

[how could I pass up an opportunity to help her celebrate from afar?]

I did things like lay out and relive the good old days.

[aka work the pigtails]

And lay under a tree.

While studying floral design.

And aced my test (just for you, mom!)

I have something to post for her later, 

but you are all just going to have to wait.

It's a work in progress.

oh, the rapture

Meet Penelope.

I love her.

I don't know we've gone this long without her gloriousness gracing the blog.

Tay

pull the curlers from the drawer

Last night I decided to work the curlers.

I think the last time I had curlers in my hair I was 12 years old.

My mother put them in for me. 

Look how grown up I am now, mom!

I didn't think they turned out too badly.

(Although my hair was a wee bit large at first...)

Favorite compliments today:

"I feel like you belong in the 1940s"

"Well I don't know how you don't have a date every night!"

(Ok, so he is like a precious old man and he was with his wife... but let's count it)

"HAGS, Taylor!"

(Apparently that's 7th-grade language for have a great summer)

"i guess... we can blame it on the rain"

A few weeks ago I got to do something cool.

A CONCERT.

I have been to officially four concerts now in my whole 20 years of existence. 

The first?

Rascal Flatts. Taylor Swift opened for them. So sweet. SO good, but way far away, and with my family... which is not ideal for a concert. Why? Not that I don't adore my family, but it's a little less like going with girlfriends. Let's just say things aren't quite as exciting when you are the only one in  a twenty person radius that knows/sings all the words to every T-Swift song...

The second? 

A small concert here in Provo. On a date. I may have been half infatuated with the boy we were doubling with, who wasn't my date. So that was rough.

The third?
Backstreet Boys with Kelshead. So fabulous. We dragged her husband and brother along too. Mostly we just giggled because they tried to sing new songs and well... nobody sang along. They've lost the magic. Stick with Millennium, guys.

This one?

SWEET. That's what it was. Heard of He is We? If you haven't, you should. My friend Candace won tickets to a radio stations private concert, and she was great enough to take me, although I'm sure there were cooler people to go with. [seriously though Candace, you rock]

 

 Also, they're good. Weird... but good. 

Favorite Quote: "I know... weird right? We love grunge and heavy metal 

but we sing all this happy, fairy music"

Favorite... thing?: The people sitting behind us were at least 75. 

Question 1: Do they even know who He is We is?

Question 2: They know how to use the internet? (Crucial to entering the contest)

Question 3: ...they listen to MY99.5?

Yes. I was that close to them.

marriage, running, life.

Last night I went to institute
(for those of you not familiar...it's like a religion class that doesn't count for credit)
and it was so, so good. We talked about relationships, which happen to be a popular subject around these parts, but it wasn't overwhelming. It was refreshing, really. A while back I was asked to share my thoughts on the subject of marriage. Here. With all of you. I never did for some reason or another, I guess sometimes life gets in the way. But it's about time I at least tried. I won't claim to be an expert, oh no...that would be leading you astray in a big way. But I'm allowed to have thoughts, aren't I?
I sure hope so.

Then I ran. Does it ever happen to you where the plan was to be home at 8, exercise until 9, and be done with your paper at 12 and it turns into not getting home until 10, exercising until 11:30, not-being-able-to-write-your-paper-and-wanting-to-write-this-blog-post-instead, and finishing at who-knows-when?
Well that's what happened to me.
But anyways, I ran. It just felt so good outside. And I was connecting it all in my head. I think it is at least semi-acceptable to think of analogies on a consistent basis, yeah? So back to running.... I ran to the temple, which happens to be all uphill. So as I ran on this seemingly endless incline, I thought of something that was said tonight.
"I've learned one thing. Things done the easy way make life hard, and things done the hard way make life easy"
That may sound weird, and my quoting may be a little off, but it made perfect sense to me. And in relationships, I think that it's totally applicable. Putting off talking about potentially uncomfortable subjects, not waiting to do things the right way, those are the easy ways. In the end though they end up being harder. Saying things that need to be said, sticking to your guns, standing up for what is right even when it's hard, waiting for the better things, those things are hard. But just because they're hard doesn't mean you stop "running". It doesn't mean you quit. You put it in low gear and keep pushing through.

Tonight we had the greatest discussion on perspective. To be unhappy with someone or life in general can be so easy to do if we focus on the moment. Or the day. Or even the month. Step back. Look at things from another view. Preferably a view from a higher standpoint. You know, it's no surprise that that ships have a crow's nest, or that lighthouses are set above the crashing waves. A different perspective, particularly one from above, can make a world of difference.

I don't know a lot about this stuff but I know a few things for sure.

Things I know:
My husband will be absolutely wonderful.
It won't always be easy.
My problems don't all of a sudden go away when I get married (shocking, right?)
I will get married in the temple.
In relationships, you get out what you put in.
I will marry my best friend (dear family, don't read into that....because I know you already did). 

My favorite marriage analogy:
Let us compare two people to two colors of paint on an easel. When you get married, you can't just stay the same way you are. If you did, your life would go on just as it was.... but that's not why we get married now, is it? But we also don't change into a different person, right? (I mean that's why they always tell you not to go into relationships expecting to change people-you're still you) But now that you are married, let's say you are yellow and he is blue, you need to become one. Just as we can become "new creatures" through Christ, so with marriage we also become something new. We become green. So you both are still there, yes, you have to have blue and yellow to make green, but you've become something different than either of you could individually.

So this is just another rambling... from me to you :)

Some catch up... more to come!

So it's become a sudo-tradition around these parts to have what we fondly call a last supper.

Mostly it's only two years in the running because we've only been here two years....

but who's counting?

This year it was still freezing cold when the time came around to say our goodbyes, 

so we had an indoor picnic.

Here's a piece of the magic.

I miss my old roommates, and Fall semester, when everyone was here. 

But for life to move forward, some things have to be left behind I guess.

Hopefully just for a minute...sometimes longer.

If there's one thing I've learned in college..... 

you just have to make things work.

Prime example found above, and below (excuse the hair in the eyes please)...

frosting!

Part 1 of making it work: the bag. 

do I own fancy frosting piping? negative. 

But for simple things, bags do great! Did you ever know that?

I'm sure you did... but then again you all are probably more sophisticated than I....

and use better means to frost your cakes. 

Part 2: I didn't want to have to wash the mixing bowl four different times

(or dirty four different bowls for that matter).

So I mixed the food coloring in the bag!
It reminded me of those times in elementary school when you squish whatever is in the plastic bag in your lunch..... or were we the only children who did that?

and I will stop while I'm ahead. or behind. or where ever that last comment left me. 

Regardless, I am on my way out the door to take a quiz. 

What kind you ask? 

Floral Design!

Do I have to be able to identify a split-leaf philodendron?

(whose more fun name is swiss cheese plant)

and myrtle?

and throatwort?

and lobster-claw heliconia?

sure do :)

Someday soon I'll share with you my list of things I would like to blog about

and summer goals

and favorite moments from my trip home.

Until then!

Tay