Tricks and Treats!

Ok, this post is long overdue. But I just got all the pictures up and such, and it's still good enough to talk about. Every Halloween, the Bookstore holds a competition to see which department can come up with the best costumes. This year we decided to be "Ganstas" and Flapper Girls from the 20's. It was awesome. Mom made me this AMAZING dress (which is hard to see fully in the pictures...it has red fringe on it that gets hidden in the pictures) and my friend who is graduating from Paul Mitchell next month did my hair. I also failed to get pictures of the whole effect. I also had black gloves and a headband with a red feather in it.





Pretty awesome, right? We came in second place. First place went to Gifts, who dressed up as the Willow Tree figurines. I didn't see them, but I heard they looked pretty cool.
And, just because I thought they were so uniquely fun, I'm putting up a couple of pictures of two of my friends. They wanted to be princesses. They have the dresses and the masquerade masks, but they needed that extra touch, so this is what they came up with:




Yes, those are sombreros. All in all, it was a fun Halloween.

Here To Stay

More and more lately I have found myself growing steadily more lonely. I have many wonderful friends, fabulous roommates, and an amazing family. But for some reason (and it could have something to do with the mass amounts of homework I find myself buried under so often) I find that my interaction with people has been diminishing recently. The good friends I used to see so often are around less. We all seem to be too busy to spend much time together.

There are, of course, those people whose presence always makes the loneliness ebb away. My mom's loving smile can chase away any invisible boogey-men I may be battling. My best friend (who I have fondly addressed as Elder Studly for the past fourteen months, and who is currently serving his mission in England) can make me forget myself for a few moments in the powerful letters and emails he sends when he has enough time. And my siblings always brighten my day when they call just because.

But my mother has a life outside of cheering up my lonely days, Elder Studly is a busy missionary who lives in a place that is currently experiencing a postal service strike (curses!) and my siblings have children and jobs that take up most of their time.

It is in these times when even the most dependable are too strung out in their own busy lives that I remember most clearly who is there for me whenever I need someone to turn to. I know that my Heavenly Father is listening whenever I need to ramble, even when I don't really have anything to say. As I was reminded of yesterday here, He knows me. He sees me. And He is never too busy to lend me His company when I need someone around. He isn't going anywhere; He is here to stay.

And for that I am grateful.

Today's Proof That God Loves Me

Oh, yeah. I'm loved.

Smile

We all have our moments of pathetic-ness. We can admit to them or deny them, share them with others or keep them to ourselves, but whether we want them or not, they come. I just experienced one myself. I walked into our living room where three of my roommates sat talking and listening to music. SJ put on a song and told us to be quiet and listen. The song is "Smile" by Uncle Kracker (who thought of that name?). It has a fairly upbeat tone and a hint of that contented "I'm completely in love with you and happy to admit it" feeling. The words of the chorus, though, made us all stop and "awww" appreciatively. They go like this:

You make me smile like the sun
Fall out of bed, sing like a bird
Dizzy in my head, spin like a record
Crazy on a Sunday night
You make me dance like a fool
Forget how to breathe
Shine like gold, buzz like a bee
Just the thought of you can drive me wild
Ohh, you make me smile

Now, I want it to be known that I am completely satisfied with my "single" status. I don't want or need anything more, and I love the independence that I have and continue to learn. But for just a moment, I felt the small twinge of "Ooh...wouldn't it be nice to have that?" The moment will pass - it's on it's way now - but sometimes it's nice to see the possibility for the future.

I know several people that feel this way about someone. My parents, siblings, neighbors, friends; examples of this kind of love and devotion surround me everyday. And while I know that I'm not ready to give up my wild freedom, it's nice to see that such relationships exist, and to know that someday, when the timing is right, I'll find that person who makes me smile.

That may be my pathetic moment for the day...but it was one I will willingly admit to having.

Nablopomo!

It is officially November (plus a few days) and it is National Blog Posting Month! Millions of bloggers are committing to post an entry on their blog once a day for the entire month. Though I am a few days late in starting, I have decided to join in the fun.

It's weird to me that November has come already. I spent so much time trying to pass all of my classes and get everything done that I slowly missed my favorite month slipping by. But the leaves are still beautiful, the air is still brisk and walking to campus in the morning underneath the blue sky while tucked warmly in a fleece jacket.

On the other hand, the semester is almost over, I have some amazing classes lined up for next semester, and I have some fabulous winter boots.



So it's ok that it's November, because let's face it: as long as you have fabulous shoes, any month is a good one!

Optimism

It's said that there is good in all things. So as I lay on my couch with the flu this week, I wondered what the bright side of it was, and here's what I realized:

You can eat anything you want for a whole week and the calories won't count!

WHOOT!

Now THAT is looking on the bright side!

Fall-Fest!

I love, love, LOVE the fall. It is the time when the air becomes a little more crisp and brisk, the trees begin to change from various shades of green to reds and golds, making the already beautiful mountains look as though they are on fire. It's the back-to-school time, which most people dread, and I relish. It's the Sunday afternoon walk time, the light jacket and sneaker time, the lazy naps in the sun (with a blanket, of course) time. It's the burnt-orange and gold time.

Last week my good friend K~ and I went for a drive up the Alpine Loop to see the changing colors. I haven't felt as peaceful and content as I did sitting amidst the beautiful nature of the mountains in a long time.







Then we went up again a few days later, when the weather took a cold turn. The contrast between the snowy pines and the vibrant aspens was breathtaking.





I think that Tom Hanks says it best. "Don't you just love New York (or Utah, in my case) in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

So this is my tribute to the beautiful season of autumn...may it last longer than winter!