the final finals.

Seeing as these are my final finals (at least at BYU.. grad school could definitely be in the cards fall 2013) I had to go about business as usual-- i.e. procrastination. Examples of this procrastination are as follows:

I bought these pretty little flowers to keep things happy around these parts despite the mass amounts of studying.

I made this cake because sugar consumption must triple during finals week. 

Side note: this sugar consumption also includes fake sugar because we all know my diet coke consumption quadruples during finals. 

I recently came up with the genius idea of filling a camel back full of diet coke to take with me on campus. Haven't tried it out yet.

My roommates and I built a sweet fort that we've been hanging out in all day everyday. We have three mattresses in this baby and tonight is night 4 of girl-party-sleepover under the fort. 

Also, during finals I try to think about anything I possibly can that doesn't have to do with school, like this penny. When I first saw it I thought it was some weird Utah/Mormon penny trying to sneak a little CTR reminder into our mint. Then I realized it's a national penny. Why? I like all things Abe Lincoln so much better. 

Although finals aren't the best time of the semester, they do mean summer is near! For me, that means graduation and a kind of really big event later in the season. 

And, hey, even if my finals don't go as well as I'd hope. The lady I bought my diet coke from today told me I was so smart because I paid for my 99 cent drink with $1.04 to get rid of some pennies and get a nickel back. She told me she'd never seen anyone do that before. 

If nothing else, my college education has given me the math skills to get rid of pennies. 

(that was probably 3rd grade but shhh.)

Emotional.

I have been an emotional mess lately. For good reason, but still, it is getting a little ridiculous; I'm most always on the verge of tears.
       1. My fiance moved to Boston Easter Sunday-night.
       2. My sister left Provo the next morning.
       3. I am graduating from BYU in a week.
        Even this made me cry:

Yes, using the second to last trash bag of this roll made me cry. In my defense, this roll of trash bags has some sentiment, but still, its significance is only minor at best. Go ahead: laugh. I'll be laughing with you. 

As I've been reflecting on what seems to be a horrible week, I realized that although these things are hard (finishing off a trash bag roll -- where's a girl to go from there?!), they are each wrought with hidden blessings.

        1. I have a fiance.

      2. This fiance, Mike, will actually have me. 

              **If you know anything about our relationship, you know that this is somewhat of a 

                  miracle itself. 

      3. Mike has a really great opportunity that has taken him to Boston.

      4. I get to go out to Boston in May! (second time in 3 months - party!)

      5. I was able to hang out with my baby-girl, my little sister Carly, for a week.

      6. We got to gross her out at my Bridal shower.

      7. I was able to get a college education.

      8. I had so many great experiences and made such incredible friends at BYU that it's hard to 

           leave.

So amidst the tears, I am still feeling quite blessed. Thanks to you all who have helped make Provo my home the past four years. Love to you all!

Will you be my bridesmaid?

Noting the post before (I have awesome friends), I knew I wanted to ask my friends to be my Bridesmaids in a special way.

Since getting flowers is quite possibly my favorite thing in the world, and the quickest way to my heart, I decided to give them flowers and came up with this little saying to go along with it. 

**P.S. We're getting married on July 20th, 2012 

The wedding planning has begun!
I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a good portion of it done already. Nothing wrong with being excited, right?

I have awesome friends.

I have such great friends. They sure know how to make a girl feel special.

Like throwing a quint-engagement celebration (5 girls from London got engaged within 3 weeks!).

some of the London girls. 

Four of us that got engaged, Devri couldn't make it. 

photos via: Grace

And like giving you the following presents as a congratulations on your engagement. 

An engagement party with french toast, diet coke, and cracker barrel? My friends know me too well. 

Finally!

Last Thursday, March 15th, Mike and I got engaged!! 

Since the weather was perfect, I ditched my last two classes and we headed up to Rock Canyon Park. We hiked through the canyon until we "found" (Mike had been there the day before and made a trail to climb up) a beautiful spot off the trail on the side of the mountain.

It happened to be 2 years and 8 months from the day we went on our first date, which also happened to be hiking. Mike laid down a tarp and a blanket so we could sit on the snow, and we ate lunch: Subway and Teddy grahams, the lunch we had on our first date. 

When I stood up to take a couple pictures, Mike started telling me all those pretty little things every girl hopes to hear when she's about to get engaged. 

After telling me how he felt about me on our first date to now he said, "There's actually a reason I brought you up here today." "There is??" I said and then came the waterworks.

They started as tears in my eyes but by the time he finished saying more pretty little things and was down on his knee, I was in all out sobs.

I never thought I would be a crier, but there I was sobbing on his chest.. so much so that I forgot to say yes! He had to ask, "Does this mean a yes?" 

The rest of the day was spent calling family and friends and experiencing moments of complete bliss and extreme hyper-ness and then moments of exhaustion from an overload of emotion. It was perfect.

Since we spent the afternoon hiking, which is Mike's thing, Mike made dinner reservations at The Roof, so we dressed up all fancy, which is my thing. 

I may or may not have stumbled about 15 times on our hike down the canyon because that shiny thing was distracting me! I love it :) 

As I mentioned above, Mike and I got engaged 2 years and 8 months after our first date. Although it was a long process with lots of bumps along the way, it couldn't have been more perfect for us.

Mike let me grow up.

Mike grew up.

We learned invaluable lessons about each other. 

And now we couldn't be happier. 

As cliche as this may be, I can truly say I am marrying my best friend. Through all of the fun times, the loving times, my many, many freak outs, and the "experiences" I have wanted to have, he has been there for me, even when he probably shouldn't have been. 

We are so excited to finally announce that we are engaged and couldn't be more thrilled to start our lives together. 

The Date: Friday, July 20th in the Newport Beach Temple 

I'm a pretty lucky girl marrying this guy. I am so so so so so happy :) 

Here's a little video we took just after we got engaged. It's stupid and cheesy, but I kind of love it. Mike's not too sure, but he was a gem and let me put it up.

Commas.

DISCLAIMER: I have a horrible comma problem. I almost always put them in the wrong spot.
                         Semicolons? forget about them. I don't even try.
My English teacher recently cleared up a comma rule that I had always been confused about so I thought I'd share.
             
When making a list, it is always debated if you put a comma before that last and. Is it:
    1. Today I need to go to class, watch the Bachelor, grade some papers, and teach my lab OR
    2. Today I need to go to class, watch the Bachelor, grade some papers and teach my lab?

According to the new APA style guide #1 is correct! At least I will now have one comma rule down. If you want to know the reasoning I can tell you, but I didn't want to bore you. Happy Tuesday!

Quarter of a Century

In case you aren't aware, I have one of the best brothers around. Seriously, he is awesome.
Not only is Brad one of the most insanely accomplished people you'll ever meet:

Won BYU's Model UN competition 2 years in a row,

Was selectively invited and participated in a global Model UN competition in Switzerland,

Was asked to work with every professor he took classes from in his undergrad department, 

Hasn't had to pay a dime of college tuition and he is in Law School (holy scholarships!), 

Just took first place in a Mock-Litigation competition against 2nd and 3rd year law students - he's a 1st year, 

And just picked up a rad clerkship for the summer...

He is incredibly kind, thoughtful, and insightful,
is insanely brilliant and driven,
has a hilarious sense of humor,
has an uncanny ability to make friends,
has an amazing testimony with great depth,
makes every situation more fun,
cares deeply about the people he loves,
is an incredible and loyal friend - he will be there fighting for you til the end,
makes every person he meets and interacts with feel better about themselves....

and on top of ALL that, even thought he has every reason not to be, he is incredibly humble.
     *he is probably going to die after he reads this post... and after I post it on his facebook wall for       all of his friends to see ;)

He is just one of those people we all try so badly to hate because they are so amazing that they suck.

But no matter how hard we try to hate them, we can't because they are just so awesome and nice and kind.

but then that sort of makes us sick... so the cycle starts all over again.

I am so beyond blessed to have him as a brother. Although his example is something I can never live up to (I gave up trying years ago, friends!), I am so grateful I get to watch his life. He is a man of such strong character; he is going places. He inspires me more than anyone else has. I feel so lucky to have him as my brother and just love him so much.

Happy 25th Birthday, Brad!
Love, your little sister.

Texas Roadhouse birthday dinner before his surprise party.

(I have a green, glow in the dark case on my phone so it sometimes gives pictures this hue - don't worry, green haze isn't the look I'm going for)