'twas the night before christmas

It's Christmas tomorrow. Thinking about this made me think about all the times growing up that I had such a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep for that matter. I think this routine lasted far too long into my teen years but a happy camper I certainly was. You see unlike some friends of mine, us kids from Timpview got EVERYTHING we wanted on Christmas. (kidding, not ALL of us always got everything we wanted, but some friends that didn't go to Timpview like to think that we did). Anyway, at some point in my life growing up happened like it always seems to do and this can't-fall-asleep-or-even-stay-asleep christmas routine slowly died out. It's not that I am not excited about Christmas, because I definitely am, but a good night's rest and sleeping in is just about at the top of my list on what I want for Christmas. So now that it is getting late and midnight has passed (which means it will probably say I posted this on Christmas day but really it's still the eve) It's time to retire Christmas Eve and get some sleep in before the big day. I hope you all have wonderful Christmas' and most importantly remember the reason we really celebrate this holiday. Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

p.s. I know, I know- it's been awhile since I've posted. I'll do better. promise. new year's resolution? maybe.

shout out to the king of pop.

I know, I know- you're sick of hearing about Michael Jackson and his death, but I couldn't help it after seeing the new Michael Jackson movie, This is it. Let's just say the film was ah-mazing. I know the guy was bit of a creep but he can dance and sing like no one I've ever seen before. I don't know if the movie is still out to see but if you have the chance go see it. It's almost as good as seeing him in concert. almost... wait, who are we kidding?? It's not even close!

Well after seeing the movie I looked up some of his music videos. There's just nothing quite like Michael is there? Amongst my youtube searches I stumbled across this little video and was dying. Who decided on his outfit and can I get one in my size? Seriously though only Michael could ever pull off something so... sparkly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

It just doesn't get better than glitter, flashing lights, and MJ.

RIP Michael Jackson

the {fall} update

I know, I know- I haven't blogged in awhile. but life just got busy and blogging got sent to the bottom of my to-do list. But now that I am a little sick I actually have time to sit down and write a post. So an update post is what this will be.

The fall has been beautiful this time around. The colorful leaves were absolutely exquisite and the weather has been mostly pleasant. I still can't believe it has been this warm in November-but I am not complaining! This fall has not only been beautiful but has also been filled with a bunch of fun activities with my favorite people.

Going back to around Halloween, I went and saw Thriller, the dance show put on by Odyssey. It was my first time and I loved it. Great dancing and theatrics. Definitely recommend going next year it comes around. It was up in Salt Lake and right next to the Pie so of course we couldn't resist stopping by for some of their cheese pull-aparts. yum.

A few days later Halloween came and all 6 of the candy shoppe girls wanted to do a costume together so after much thinking and debating we ended up being.... polygamist wives! a bit controversial, we know, but we had a guy friend of ours being warren jeffs and it turned out to be quite a funny night. As a fellow wife (rebbles) said, "when your halloween costume is homely, you have %60 more fun but meet %80 less men." This is all too true but we had a great night doing karaoke and dancing to girls just wanna have fun at Alex + Annie's great Halloween bash and of course attending at least one college halloween party, which really consisted of us standing outside of the dance because we didn't want to pay the money to get in and unfortunately our costumes weren't sexy enough to sweet talk our way in.. We did however get to go to a little haunted house put on by some college kids in their small house- let's just say it was really well done and I was legitimately scared and screamed at least 3 times. So overall a really great Halloween. I'd have to say it was one of the best- right up there with our Halloween in London. (It's just tough to beat anything that happens in London eh?)

***The picture is not the greatest but I just had to pull this from facebook since I didn't take any pictures. But Rebbie's bangs and my poof is looking pretty good..

So You still with me? good.

Next adventure was just last weekend when my mates and I went up to see the Regina Spektor concert. Can i just say she is AMAZING. I feel like I have been spoiled now and always want to hear her live. She has flawless talent and performed my favorite songs. At one point she was drumming a chair with one hand (using a drumstick) playing the piano with the other, and singing! I can't even do one of those things at a time well! Some people just get it all i guess. Oh and did I mention she's so charming on stage and has a cute style. I've figured it out parents.. when I grow up I want to be Regina. cool? ok.

Well in that same weekend i also got to go to the So You Think You Can Dance concert with my mom, sister, and other girl relatives. It was a great little girls night out and of course the dancing was amazing. Again they performed all my favorite pieces and put on a great show. Back-to-back concerts- what a fun weekend.

The last thing that has really kept me most busy and not nearly as fun as all this stuff is 2 books that I do. While I do love my major and how we never have to take tests- sometimes creating books and projects can take even more time than studying. Basically I had to create an entire media plan book (and anything that you turn in advertising has to look and feel creative) and my portfolio book to apply to the internship program.. which means if I get into that I will be spending my summer in either New York or Chicago! Cross your fingers..

whew, you made it... Well there's quite the update for you blog followers of mine. Sorry for the basic lack of pictures. My friends took the pictures and I just haven't gotten them yet. But I hope you all enjoyed the fall happenings of my life as I did..

over and out.

winner winner chicken dinner.

kellee the cook.  That is what I expect to be called now after I realized that my last name had a much more literal meaning- ya, I can cook.  Okay so I might be sounding a little pretentious by saying this and I realize that after one successful home-cooked meal made by yours truly does not in fact make me a chef, however, I was quite excited to make a meal from scratch and have it turn out- and turn out yummy.  

This new excitement for cooking came from after too many days of really bad eating habits.  After feeling malnutritioned and my body lacking in some serious essential vitamins, I decided I was going to change this.  So I turned to the dear martha stewart for some good chicken recipes, since I had a bag full of frozen chicken breasts, and of course she pulled through.  I picked a few I liked and Monday night I made a cayenne-rubbed chicken with avocado salsa.  Yes, it's as good as the name sounds.  I'm a sucker for anything with avocado in it.  Anyways the recipe really wasn't that hard and didn't take too long to make either.  

So if anyone is looking for a yummy chicken recipe here is the link:

chicken recipe

*for the salsa I recommend a small red onion and 2 avocados. but that's just me. 

Overall the dinner was yummy, healthy (mostly), and easy.  So to all those malnutritioned, lacking-in-vitamins, unhealthy, or just wanting to eat some yummy food individuals, I recommend this recipe.  enjoy!

bad habit.

Today I asked a kid in my class to borrow a pen and like any good fellow classmate, he lent me one of his pens.  It was just a typical bic pen (with lid)- you know the kind that are cheap and always on sale during the back to school rush, but I was grateful nonetheless.  Turns out, however, that my bad habit got the best of me and my gratitude was soon covered up by all the spit I put on the lid of his pen.  Yes, I started to chew on his pen- so much that it cracked the lid in multiple places.  

At the first crack I looked over next to me to see if he noticed, luckily he didn't but the girl behind him did and she laughed.  So I told myself to stop chewing and maybe he won't notice.  Well no more than a minute later I was chewing that pen again like a dog with a chew toy.  I hadn't even noticed that I brought the pen up to my mouth again.  It's so much a habit that I don't even notice until the lid has been destroyed and spit is everywhere.  sounds gross, I know.  If only I could be one of those sexy girls who chew on their pens ever so lightly with their sultry lips.  Well anyways, after I proceeded to gnaw on his pen, I again realized what I was doing. crap. He's going to be so disgusted.  I slyly looked over again and he wasn't paying attention to me or the mutilated pen. phew.  Looking at the pen I knew he'd probably not want it back, so as class got out I quickly put the pen in my backpack and left before he had a chance to remember that he lent me the pen.  Sounds awful that I would steal a pen from someone who so graciously lent me theirs but I think I was doing him a favor in this case.  However, if he does come asking for it again, I think I can splurge the 2.49 and buy him an entire pack.

Either way I really need to stop this bad habit.  It's gross and it forces me to steal pens.  Sorry classmate. 

(this girls got the sultry pen look down)

p.s. anyone have any good tips on stopping bad habits?

sasha fierce

I just wanted to give a little shout out to one of my very favorite divas- my girl beyonce. Let's just talk about how great she is for a second.

a. Her voice is amazing. Have you listened to "halo" and the part where her voice goes down low.. uhh I am obsessed with that part.

b. She gets her audience. "all the single ladies.."

c. She can dance- one minute of the single ladies music video will have you convinced.

d. She's classy- anyone else see what she did for Taylor Swift at the VMA's?

e. Last but certainly not least, she's like one of the prettiest people ever.

Jay-Z you're sooo lucky.

Is it embarrassing that I am so obsessed with her?? probably, but I don't care.

These streets will make you feel brand new..

I'm back from this wonderful place:

NEW YORK CITY.

Obviously I had a good time.  Between spending time at Advertising Week and visiting 9 different advertising agencies, all day and every day was devoted to advertising.  It was great t to learn some interesting things and get a real insight to what the industry is like and what working in an agency is really like.  

Basically:

Modern, hip work place + art school/fashionable/hipster-indie dressed kids + late start in the mornings +  really late nights + everything and everyone brimming with creativity = ad agency

..now throw all that in with a big city like New York and you have got a glimpse of my future.

So besides all the advertising mumbo jumbo, I loved walking (basically running) through the city and soaking in the New York vibe and city life.  The theme song of our trip which is my recent favorite song describes it best:

"In New York,

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

There's nothing you can't do,

Now you're in New York,

These streets will make you feel brand new,

big lights will inspire you,

let's here it for New York, New York, New York"

I couldn't of said it better myself Jay-Z and Alicia.  (which is why I copied and pasted your lyrics) 

Let's here it for New York. 

THE GIRL EFFECT.

So I a came across this amazing video in one of my advertising classes. It is so well done and I really want try and help somehow.  It's not that long and seriously worth watching. 

for more information click here to go to their website.

girl power.

The final {college} countdown.

senior year has begun..

>major that I love.. check

>5 best friends for housemates.. check

>living in a really cute house (candy shoppe).. check

>5 new wardrobes (thanks ladies).. check

>byu football. check (beating Oklahoma.. check)

>going on a double date and finding out that the other girl is just a freshman. as in she just graduated from high school less than 4 months ago. As in she doesn't have a major picked, waiting for a missionary with a long road ahead, and has that blessed meal card where the money comes and leaves so easy.. check

the candy shoppe and its occupants

(photo courtesy of Kylie NIxon)

This encounter with the young freshman girl got me thinking . It was not too long ago that I was her, unsure of what the next 4 years at college was going to bring me, but excited and ready to take it on. Now years have passed, relationships have come and gone, variety of jobs taken, a major finally chosen, and a study abroad later do I end up here. My senior year of college. While I am looking forward to this 09-10 school year and my senior status, I do have to say that it does feel a bit different this time around. No longer is college the end-all. Turns out there's life after college, the real life so I'm told, and it's out there ready for the taking. Am I ready for that? Ready to have a real job, or even, dare I say it, a career? Back as the meal-card-fresh-out-of-high-school freshman, finishing college seemed so far away, almost impossible-- almost. Now graduation is just around the corner and I am sure that day will come sooner than expected or even wanted. It's a weird feeling thinking that I will soon have a college degree under my belt and a resume in hand to give to whoever will take me.

So here I am ready to take this last year in. Ready to treasure each moment here, because before I know it, life will be different again. I could be moved away to some big city where I no longer know it, like I do Provo. And instead of 5 roommates, probably just one. And instead of a cute, roomy house, a tiny hole of an apartment will have to do. And instead of late night study sessions with DP and cocoamotion, it will be late nights at the office.

I'm sure that new phase of life will be a great new adventure, but as for now I'm still enjoying my college life, ready for the last and final year.

here's to the last year.

the end of summer, the welcoming of fall.

This past weekend I went to the Twilight Concert series again and saw Iron & Wine and Okerville river play this time. I though Okerville was okay but I got tired of them pretty quick. It probably didn't help either that I was really tired and very hot. But then again, who can complain when it is a free concert? Luckily, I caught a quick breather, cooled down, and enjoyed iron & wine. He is a grizzly man and plays and sings beautiful stuff. I only wish that he would've told everyone to sit down, close their eyes if they were so inclined ,and just enjoy the music. You don't exactly rock out to iron & wine- you just become entranced by the music. I think the perfect setting to listen to him would be a small crowd around a campfire or him playing next to your bed as you fall asleep. But I guess an outdoor amplitheater with a thousand other hipster kids squished right next to you will have to do. He did do a good job and played some good songs. He didn't play one of my favorites- Promising Light, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. Overall, though, I enjoyed the concert.

The concert seemed to mark the end of summer. The days of a new school year, fall weather and fashion, football season, and a student-crowded Provo seem to almost be here. As always, I am excited. Excited for what this new and last year at college holds for me. Excited to live in the Candy Shoppe with 5 best friends. Excited for the new friends I'll meet and the memories I'll make with the old ones. Excited for fall boots and sweaters. Excited for the colorful leaves and drives up the Provo Canyon. Excited for a cougar football season (let's hope they're good this year). Excited for group study sessions in the harold where hardly any work actually gets done and late night finishing of projects, with runs to 7-11 for a Dr. Pepper and a chocolate donut to keep me awake. Excited for this 09-10 school year- it's my last at BYU and I intend to go out with a bang.

Summer, you've been good to me. but fall, I welcome you with open arms.

my first niece:

miss AVA GRACE COOK

Well I finally have a niece and while she may still be very tiny, she is absolutely precious and perfect in every way. Little miss ava was born on August 13, 2009, about 6 weeks early. She is very small- weighing a mere 3 lbs and 6 oz. and has a skinny, delicate little body. Her arms and legs are quite long but very skinny. Even at her young age she is breathing by herself which is really good news. She will have to be in the hospital for a bit longer so the incubator can help her tiny body grow to its normal newborn size but is doing well with all the tubes and lights. I have not been able to hold her yet but even just looking at her I can tell that she is beautiful and precious in every way. I can't wait to spoil her with candy and bows and anything that will make me the favorite aunt.

This is right after she was born- and apparently coming out with lipstick on. Look at those darling little red lips!

This will help show how tiny she really is. Grandpa's hand right next to her teensy body.

Again, grandpa's finger showing how small her little foot is.

I am so happy to see this new little girl come and finally have a niece. Congratulations to my brother and sister in law for having such a beautiful baby girl.

book reviews

I have recently finished 2 books and would like to recommend them to anyone looking for a good book to read. I enjoyed them both and will give a brief synopsis of the book to see if anyone might be interested. The books are:

1. "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver:

This book is a long one and at times can get a little slow but it is worth the read, especially if you like reading and learning more about Africa. It is a story of a family of a preacher, his wife, and 4 daughters who move to Africa. It is told from the perspective of each of the 4 daughters and the mom every once in awhile. It is interesting to hear each of their perspectives on their situation down in Africa. The last 200 pages or so make the book entirely worth it. The writing is incredible, along with the great symbolism and themes that are strewn throughout the book. This book changed my perspective somewhat on Europeans conquering Africa and American trying to "help" Africa. There is a lot of good and interesting insight about religion, human natue, individuality, and geography. I really liked it and if anyone reads it I'd love to discuss it! (it's a great book to discuss.. I need a book group)

2. "The Guernsey Literary and the Potato Peel Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

This is such a cute read. It only took me a couple days to finish it- partially because I loved reading it and also because it is not very long. It is a sweet little book sent in London, England and the time period is right after World War 2. I knew I would love it from the start when it mentioned London and places like Covent Garden that I recognized. The book is about a female witty journalist/writer who gets in touch with a literary society (book group) who is from the Guernsey Islands. I had no idea these islands existed before, but they are south of England and technically apart of the U.K. There is a bit of history involved in the story- the island was invaded and taken over by the Germans during WW2. The witty writer seeks to know more about the people that live there, thost that are apart of the literary society, and what life was like during the war. This is a charming and amusing book filled with humor, love, a bit of sadness and a touch of history- all of which made me wish I was apart of the Potato Peel Society. I definitely recommend it.

growing up with harry potter.

I recently saw the 6th Harry Potter movie (midnight showing of course) and the best part about watching the movie is not the movie itself, but the environment and magical vibe. Midnight showings are always filled with adults and kids alike who love Harry Potter and are there to show their support and loyalty to the world of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Many people dress up (including myself), perhaps in hopes that we'll feel like we too can fit in at Hogwart's. Being amongst fellow zealous Harry fans makes me feel normal for constantly hoping for an acceptance letter from Hogwart's or that I consider myself to be apart of the DA (Dumbledore's Army), or that I refer to Harry, Ron, and Hermione as if they were long time friends. Now some of you who most unfortunately didn't read the books or never felt that magic may think I am completely crazy, but for those friends- and I know you are out there, know exactly what I am talking about. We grew up with Harry. We opened and turned those pages for the first time with excitement and wonder-like the first time Harry found out he was a wizard and not some ordinary boy living underneath the stairs. Reading the books, we too became no ordinary young readers, but were swept up in the magic, right along with Harry.

These books were much more than a simple story written on a napkin, but the creation of a whole new world- one that felt so real, that even now some of us wonder if we are just merely muggles unable to tap into the magical world we so wish to be apart of. Luckily for us, Orlando Studios is building a Harry Potter theme park. If Harry Potter theme park lives up to all that I think it can be, Disneyland may be replaced as the happiest place on earth. I have many ideas on what they could do for the theme park and I have discussed many of these with fellow fans. Now clearly it will be no Hogwart's but anything closely related to the magical world is alright by me. Maybe i'll be able to find a portkey that will take me to the real deal- one can only hope.

I didn't just read Harry Potter, I grew up with him. When I wasn't reading or re-reading one of the books I was counting down the days til the next one came and the fight against voldemort would press on. Very sadly those days are over. Sure I have some movies to look forward to which is fun, but it is nothing like the anticipation that comes from waiting for the newest book. My fellow fans can agree that finishing the last book was a bittersweet day. It marked the end of an era. a very good era. Sure we can go back and read the books, read them to our future kids, go to HP theme parks, and attend midnight showing, but never will we again open up the books for the first time and faithfully yet greedily pry through each page in search for the next magical adventure we hope to be absorbed into.

So for those who are reading this and haven't read or finished the HP series I hope this encourages you to read them. You are lucky to have the books ahead of you for the first time so sieze up your fortunate opportunity. As for my fellow fans and I, I think JK Rowling said it best in her 7th book dedication:

"The dedication of this book is split seven ways: to Neil, to Jessica, to David, to Kenzie, to Di, to Anne, and to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end."

We grew up with Harry and and being the loyal fans that we are, stood by him until the bitter end. This is my praise and adoration for the 7 books and the characters and stories within them that I came to love. Here's to you, Harry Potter.

back seat.

So my blog writing has taken a back seat lately in the busy life of kellee marie. Okay so I'm not that busy but sometimes I just don't want to put forth the effort to type something up. This is what has been happening for the past couple months. I still read other people's blogs and write comments, but when it comes to my own blog, I become commentless. I do however feel like I am going to become a bit more consistent. I wrote up a Harry Potter blog just last week that I have yet to post but it's just about finished and my fellow harry potter fans will hopefully appreciate it. I also have a couple book reviews I am thinking about posting. Be excited.

p.s. I went camping like a week ago..

(Havasu falls)

So I failed to mention that I went camping to Havasupai a little over a week ago. I figure if I am going to blog about animated movies and going to random art pieces in the middle of nowhere, than going on a little vay-cay camping should be noted. I was desperate for a trip, however my pockets weren't exactly carrying the benjamins. So when I heard about this little camping trip I figured my weary pockets could handle a cheap camping trip. I mean when it comes to camping you are sleeping outside, eating top ramen and oatmeal, and hiking around for fun.. how expensive can that be? Not very, except the Havasu indians pocket a good chunk of change when they make you pay for a permit to stay in their reservation- but I suppose it is the least we can do for kicking them off their land and forcing them into small little reservations.

Anyways we had to hike ten miles in to get to our camping spot and we carried whatever we wanted to take in on our backs. Carrying a large pack while hiking was a first for me but went better than I thought it would. Turns out I packed more food than anything (I was really worried about being hungry- more so than about being sanitary/clean) because on our way out my pack felt ten times lighter because all the food was eaten. We didn't bring a tent so we just slept under the stars which was great. Stars are about ten billion times better in the middle of nature. During our camping adventure we played at havasu falls which are really pretty but the water is pretty cold.. then again it feels great after being so hot. We also hiked through the grand canyon and made it to the colorado river. That was a long hike and probably ended up being 20 miles roundtrip- at least this time we didn't have to bring packs! We also played at mooney falls and while we were making our way to this rope swing that is like a mile down from mooney, we totally got caught in a intense rain storm.. so since we were worried that the small river could rise and how they've had flash floods before we started to run back. Luckily we made it back up to the top and the rain stopped. It was way fun though to be running through the canyon and have it be raining way hard. We all felt pretty adventurous.

Overall the trip was really fun. I hadn't been camping in a long time but I had a lot of fun doing it. It feels great to get out in nature with no technology or cell phones to be bothered by. It was a great break from real life- especially since I went right after spring term ended. It was a really cool place and if you are ever considering going I would definitely recommend it.

"up"standing.

If you have not seen the movie "UP" go see it right now because it is absolutely fabulous. Pixar is ten for ten on creating amazing animated feature films and I have to say UP is probably now one of my favorites. It is quirky, cute, and has, of course, great animation. It may not be as funny as some of the past ones but the message is the most precious yet. During the film I cried at least 3 times. (mind you I saw it alone and just got so wrapped in the emotion and sweetness of the message) For any of those who love the idea of growing old together with the person you love than this is the movie for you. Anyways I don't want to spoil much else but if you are looking for a sweet, feel-good, remember-why-life-is-good type movie than this is the film for you.

I highly recommend it.

p.s. see it in 3D- it's fun and you get to wear these cool glasses.

I went to the spiral jetty on my day off.. go ahead, call me art school.

This memorial day I drove almost 3 hours to the middle of nowhere on a very bumpy, rocky road to a little thing I liked to call the spiral jetty- and for the record I absolutely loved it.  It was the highlight to my weekend and one of the coolest things I've done in awhile.  Now some of you may be asking what the spiral jetty is, so let me tell you. Robert Smithson, an artist created a piece of installation art in 1970 called the spiral jetty. As the pictures show it is a giant spiral made out of rocks on the salt flats in seriously the middle of nowhere, which really adds to the whole surreal experience.  I felt so small compared to the endless sky and land that surrounded me and the lack of civilization anywhere near.  If my car broke down we would have been goners.  My friends and I wished there was some abandoned, rusty car on the dirt road there that said 'drivers beware'- I think it would've added to the fact that we felt so adventurous on our very bumpy, rocky road we were traveling on (think indiana jones ride, real life).  If you and your car made it there in one piece, you ended up right next to the salt flats and this giant piece of artwork.  The salt flat themselves are pretty cool and since the water was lower, we could walk out pretty far on them and see the remains of what used to be covered by water.  The spiral jetty wasn't covered by water either so we could walk on the rock path and circle the rocks to get to the middle of the spiral.  It's like dorothy and her yellow brick road, but art school style.  My man Robert would've been so proud.  

So while I didn't spend my long weekend in california, vegas, or moab, I did enjoy getting in touch with my artsy-utah pride side.  Utah may not have the moma or a national gallery but we do have the spiral jetty- so take that big cities!  All in all, the trip was a huge success and if you ever feel the need to be more art school or feelin the utah pride- I'd highly recommend the spiral jetty- and just make sure you take a 4wd car.

  (the artist himself, robert smithson)

wii fit.

(Photo courtesy of Kylie Nixon)

I'm sure you've all heard of the amazing piece of technology that is called the nintendo wii. man technology has sure come far since the sega genesis. No diss on sega- I think I loved playing sonic more than most any other game- but have you played the wii? They take nintendo gaming to a whole new level. The wii is a whole interactive experience. For all those who played mariokart on the N64 and turned the controller as you tried to turn your car on the game- the wii is fit for you. In mariokart wii you actually have a little steering wheel and the car moves as you turn your wheel. The wii sports are the same. Baseball: swing the controller like a bat. Tennis: swing it like a racket, etc. Well there is a lot more the wii can do and other cool games but I wanted to touch on one that I have found quite amazing. The wii fit.

Now most might think that it is an oxymoron to play a video game and get exercise at the same time, however, the wii fit has overcome this paradox. They laugh at all the other games that make kids (and adults) fat and lazy. Rather they caught on to the fitness craze that America is obsessed with. (next thing you know they'll sell recyclable-"go green"-games and gear) The wii fit is an exercise program in which you set goals, have a trainer, get fitness tips, and so on. It first starts out with you standing on the fitness board. The fitness board is amazing technology. It reminds me of when I rode a segway for the first time and being so impressed with the technology. This little plastic board can measure your weight, tell you your BMI (body mass index)- and then go onto tell you if you are underweight, normal, or overweight. It can also tell you how good your posture is by seeing how much weight you put on both both legs.  After doing the body test and find out all this information, it suggests areas in which you should work on.  There are 4 categories and in each one there is multiple different fitness activities you can do.  As you do them you gain points and as you gain points it unlocks more activities.  Motivation to keep working out!  The personal trainer feature is great too.  He or she shows you how to do everything, gives you good tips, and great encouragement.  

There are many other cool features the wii fit has but basically it is amazing and I have been sold on it.  Hopefully this is not like other goals that I initially was excited about and then slowly lost focus (ahem lent).  But so far so good.  I have set some goals, have a trainer, and have already started working out.  I even woke up the next day with sore abs after my first set of workouts with the fit.  I even plan to do some yoga on it this week..  So if you see me in a month or so with a super toned bod- we'll all know who to thank.

alive.

So I have realized I have been slacking on my blog lately and I just wanted to let you all know I am still alive. (I am sure you were all very worried) I guess I've been a bit busy with stuff but mostly just lazy when it comes to blogging. So maybe I'll try to do better..

Well recently I have started spring term and woah does it go by fast. Reading like 60 pages of my textbook before one class period is normal. So is sitting in a class for 2.5 hours. But luckily I am finally taking classes that are applicable to my major and what I want to do. It is all relevant. I'm enjoying the things I'm learning and I find it easy to understand. It's no biology 100 or stats 221. (thank goodness) It's also weird to think that after this term I will have only 2 more semesters of classes and then I am a college graduate! I know I'm getting ahead of myself but it's still nice to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.. (then comes looking for a job.. the light dims a little..)

So this is just a post to let you know I'm alive and well. I'm still spending most of my time with Brigham Young and Harold. I'm still loving the earth. I'm still a sweet fiend. I'm still watching movies instead of going to Belmont parties. I'm still not married or engaged. I'm still me.

(..and I'm still dancing (and singing) at other friend's receptions)

every day is earth day.

So I sort of forgot to celebrate earth day. I realized the day after, april 23, that the day prior was earth day. dangit. I am really bad at remember things and dates (unless it's my birthday). Disney and BBC even collaborated and made a movie called earth (basically a glorified episode of planet earth) and released it on earth day. There you go again disney, always being politically correct and showing us that you care about our kids and the world we live in. the world is happier because of you. hats off to you, walt. Anyways, I haven't seen the movie yet but plan too.

I've realized, However, that missing earth day is not too big a deal if you treat every day like earth day. There's always a plastic bottle you can recycle instead of throwing it away in the garbage. or riding your bike instead of driving. or playing outside and enjoying the earth instead of staying inside.. on the computer.. blogging. (crap. )

If we don't start treating mother earth with a little more respect we're going to melt and then the u.s. will partially submerge under water and the polar bears will die and global warming will have won! okay, a bit dramatic- I'm not even a huge fighter against global warming. Rather, I'm on mother earth's team. Sure, let's help the enviroment, but let's not get crazy with all the drama you environmentalist like to bring with the whole global warming thing. just take it easy guys, especially you al gore. The only inconvenient truth you have to share is the fact that you did not actually invent the internet.

But seriously, let's give mother earth a helping hand. Perhaps if we were a bit more considerate and acknowledged her beauty, she wouldn't hit us with a snowstorm in the middle of april. let's take time to not only help the environment but notice it too. some examples of things we might take notice of.. flowers: you're not pointless. even if some boys like to think you serve no actual purpose- I sure do. I love you, so please stick around. mountains: your ruggedness is a breath of fresh air. (seriously- a breath of really unpolluted, fresh air). beach: you've created the perfect getaway and pure bliss and although your water may be salty I appreciate the fact that it cleans up and heals my open wounds and scrapes. sun: you warm my body and tan my skin- i'm eternally grateful for you. the list could go on but you get the gist. basically we could all list a billion reasons why we love mother earth and therefore we should show our love. recycle, ride bikes, play outside, swim, hike, dress up as mother earth for halloween to really show you care, drive less, plant a tree, etc.

here's to earth and making every day earth day.

some people get married and have babies..

...and some take finals.

    

Finals week has begun, but to keep myself sane I grant myself little breaks to facebook, blog stalk, g-chat, and other such virtual distractions.  While I was taking a little break I was going through a lot of friends blogs and not only does it seem that most of my friends are married and I get to hear all about how great their husbands are and the fun things they are doing with their buddies, they are now having babies too.  Now mind you there's only a few that are prego but I feel this is a new wave coming in and will soon bring others on it.  The marriage wave came and while most of my friends got on, I didn't.  But that's okay because for now I can just read your blogs and get tips on marriage and throw you bridal showers and baby showers soon and be happy for you because you found your buddy.  

As for now, I'm gonna kick it with Harold (BYU's library) riding the finals wave.   

p.s. the picture above is of a baby (obvi) and the good man, harold b. lee himself. 

sweet tooth.

I have a problem. I am obsessed with sweets.

Yesterday, (happy easter) I ate so many treats that I got a canker sore. This is not the first time I have gotten a canker sore from consuming too much sugar. Even now as I am typing I am chewing on some candy, even with my not-all-the-way healed canker sore. At this rate I'll have it for awhile.  

I don't know what it is but I am constantly craving sweets. After every meal I feel that I deserve a treat.  This mentality really started in London where I devoured treats constantly.  (Mind you this was after I ate the 3 baguettes for dinner, now you know why everyone gains weight in London)  In London there were so many new places to try and all new sweets to taste.  Let's just say they make our chocolate seem like tasteless wax compared to their creamy delights. Between Hummingbird cupcakes, galaxy chocolate bars, M & S percy pigs, and waffles at the waffle stand I turned into a sweet-a-holic.  Each day was a new day to eat treats and to find new places that had treats for me to try. treats treats treats. I loved (and still do) treats.

I recently tried to lessen my consumption by making it a lent decision.  No, I wasn't like most people who gave up sugar completely for lent, I was just giving up multiple amounts of sugar each day.  My goal was committed to just eating one treat a day.  That lasted about a week.  (I also tried doing that in london- joke was on me cuz it lasted a day)  I'm not the best at self control when it involves sugar, or the lack thereof.

It's obvious that I have an addiction. Some girls are addicted to diet coke, and some, such as myself, are addicted to sweets.  Not sure what I can do to help this addiction, but quite frankly not sure if I even want to. 

I'm a sugary fiend.

tired of studying..

..so I'm blogging instead.

I am sitting here trying to do anything but more school work.  I don't know what it is, but I get in certain moods where I am tired of doing school work and have absolutely no motivation to do any work.  I can't focus at all.  While letting my mind wander and thinking how I procrastinate and avoid doing a lot of homework and studying unless I am under pressure, I was reminded of my ceramics class in high school and the inspiring and somewhat crazy words of Mr. Watson, the eclectic ceramics teacher. Each day he had a quote or thought of the day.  Much of those words have left my memory, however, some have stayed.  One idea that we talked about I have thought about frequently, and my memory reminded me again about it tonight.  It is the idea that students are like a boiling pot of water.  We don't move or do anything until heat is applied.  Now I don't remember the exact quote but that is the gist of the idea and how true it is.  So many times I wont do work unless it is due the next day, or even in the next couple hours.  Rather than being on top of things and spreading things out over a few days, I tend to wait til the last possible time that I can to start working and still have enough time (hopefully) to finish.  

me = stagnant pot of water. 

Perhaps some day I'll be a little bit better about not procrastinating all my homework until the last minute, but as for now, I don't see it happening anytime soon.  But hey, thanks for the inspiring words Mr. Watson, maybe one day I'll turn these thoughts into actions.

howl he ever be cured?

(pun intended)

I came across this wolf boy/man when I was looking up weird and random diseases and syndromes with my friend. (don't ask questions) The caption read, "howl he ever be cured?" A pun at its finest. I don't know if anyone else agrees but I find puns to be quite humorous. Sadly, I am laughing at this poor mans expense because his facial hair grows far too fast. But perhaps he'd think it was funny too. Because let's be honest, it is. Anyways I don't know how[l] he'll actually be cured, he's in a bit of a "hairy" situation, but the best I can offer him is a a good razor.
best of luck, wolf man boy.

I say hare, you say krishna.

This past Saturday I participated in the Festival of Colors up at the Hare Krishna temple. It is a big chalk throwing even and by the end of it, everyone is covered with every sort of bright color imaginable.. and if you can't picture what that looks like, hop on to facebook and I can guarantee you will find at least 9 photo albums that have an albumful of colorful people. But save yourself the time by only looking through one album, because trust me- they all look the same. Everyone is covered in colored chalk and you can hardly recognize the people anyways.


Now I am well aware that this idea was not "original" or "different" as there were thousands of people there. As much as we all sometimes want to be authentic and "colorful" (pun intended) in happy valley, there's a good chance a lot of other people are thinking the same thing. None of us were original, but who cares if were not? What's so wrong about being the same sometimes? we can all throw chalk and have fun doing it. we all can't breathe or see when chalk is thrown at our face. we all need friends to throw chalk at. we all laugh at each other when our boogers turn purple because of chalk. we all have things that makes us the same. So while we all have our quirks and some of us might prefer to throw yellow chalk and others may choose red, we're all throwing it into the same atmosphere. So let's delight in all the colors but not be reluctant when we're aiming for the same sky. Just as Mother Theresa said, "When we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." Let's not forget that we belong to each other, especially when throwing chalk.

p.s. the chalk turned my hair pink. I've already tried washing it like 10 times.

laser tagging is not only for 13 year old boys.

HAPPY: fun weekends. So Saturday night after going to the TAP benefit concert, some friends and I went laser tagging at none other than the classy laser assault. Okay, that's a lie. If you've ever been to Laser Assault you'll know that classy is probably the last word in Webster's dictionary that would describe that place. Think the opposite of the word and you have Laser Assault- which is why laser tagging there is so great.

So when was the last time you went laser tagging? For the veterans, it was probably just last week or last month. For others, like myself, it was last year. And for some it has probably been a long time- far too long actually. It was so fun. Picture this: dark room, fluorescent lights, laser tag gear, mission impossible music playing, and a group of friends running around trying to shoot at each other. Oh and let's not forget the sweat each of us accumulated while running around in that very warm room. I tried to turn all james bond/jack bauer while playing but unfortunately I usually laugh or scream a little every time I shoot someone. I may not be completely up to date on all the bond movies and episodes of 24, but i am pretty sure neither of them squeal when they shoot someone. Not very manly. Either way, I enjoyed myself and thought I was a hard a anytime I shot someone. To say the very least, it was a very fun saturday night activity and I hope to do it again in the near future.

happy st. patrick's day.

HAPPY st. patrick's day.

I hope you are wearing green so you don't get pinched.  

*The picture above is in Chicago- they turned the water green! I love festive. Maybe after that's all gone they can turn the water blue.. 

p.s. I stumbled across this quote today and I heart it. Quick insight for the day:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most.  We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God.  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some us; it's in all of us.  And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Maryanne Williamson

spring dress.

Grosgrain: Sunday Laundry Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!

this dress + spring = love

here's to life.

Utah Tap TV Spot from Mike Morris on Vimeo.

My friend Mike Morris, a legend in BYU's advertising program, created this TV spot for TAP water week which is March 22nd - 28th. Basically when you go to participating restaurants and instead of getting water for free, you can pay $1 for it, which will provide one child with 40 days of drinking water. An article about this project was mentioned in the New York Times, mentioning BYU and featuring one of their own ads for the project.
Spread the word. Spread life.

"stuff white people like"

HAPPY: the book, "stuff white people like." My friend Mandi gave me this book for my birthday and I love it. So funny because it is so true. The author also has a website which is really funny too. Here is part of a recent post:

#122 Moleskin notebooks:

Since all white people consider themselves to be “creative,” they are constantly in need of products and accessories that will allow them to capture their thoughts. One of the more popular products in recent years has been the Moleskine notebook.

This particular type of notebook is very expensive and was quite popular with writers and artists in the olden days. Needless to say, these are two properties that are highly coveted in the white community. In fact, it’s a good rule of thumb to know that white people like anything that old writers and artists liked: typewriters, journals, suicide, heroin, and trains are just a few examples.

click here to read on..

p is for polaroid.

HAPPY: polaroid pictures. So I found this cool website from my friend Rachel's blog. You can take digital pictures that you have on your computer and put them in this little poladroid thing and make your new pictures look like old, polaroid ones. It is fun and I have done it to some of my photos. Here is just a few examples...

nostalgic.

MERRY: my memories from London. So I got talking with my friend Annie about London last night and I really miss it- (not that the feeling of missing London has ever gone away but the feelings especially surfaced as we talked about it). I miss runs (or walks) through hyde park, art museums, getting a candy bar at the food & wine every single day, portobello road and their vintage jewelry, extended trips with hours spent on coach rides, hummingbird cupcakes, tesco grocery store, marks and spencer's percy pigs, plays at night, the tourist sites of London, the tube- (minus the circle line), cheesy chips at the Ringer's flat, Nando's, the waffle stand, late nights at the center, english accents, my london mates, and I especially miss walking home to this place every night:

27 Palace Court- my home away from home.

sigh.

FRANKENSTEIN.

MERRY: finishing a book. So i just finished the book Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Very interesting read and I would definitely recommend it. I was pleasantly surprised by the book and turns out the monster is not exactly like the commercialized, green-skinned, stitched-head monster that a lot of us probably assume. Read the book to find out the REAL story of Frankenstein.

p.s. quick art lesson of the day: the painting on this book cover is called An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump done by Joseph Wright of Derby. The painting is held in the National Gallery of London and I have seen it in real life- (which is why I chose this book cover).

coming soon: spring.

HAPPY: spring is just around the corner! The past couple days were sunny and it got me really excited for spring and warm weather. Bring on the sun and fresh flowers.

p.s. i got accepted..

MERRY: getting an ACCEPTANCE letter from BYU's advertising program! That's right, I got into the advertising program at BYU. I had turned in all my application stuff about a month ago and found out just a couple of days ago that I got accepted. I am seriously sooo excited to be in the program and can't wait to start classes and working in the ad lab. BYU has an awesome program and I am lucky to be apart of it. The program is not too long either so graduation is not too far around the corner.. there really is a light at the end of the tunnel!

Below is an amazing project that the ad lab is currently working on and my friend kylie is heavily involved in. It's called the TAP project and it is a foundation working on getting clean drinking water to children who desperately need it. Go check out the website- the ad lab did an awesome video for it. I really hope to get involved with this project.

introducing: preston forbes cook

HAPPY: baby Preston is born!  This is my new nephew Preston Forbes Cook.  He was born on Friday, February 13th, weighing 8 lbs and 2 oz. Everything went smoothly and Ashley seems to be doing great as well. He is a beautiful, healthy baby boy and I love him so much.  I can't wait to spoil him and be his favorite aunt!

new face.

MERRY HAPPY: my blog. So I have just been playing around with my blog and its title part a lot recently. Sorry if you are overwhelmed with the constant change but I find it fun to mess around with the layout. I actually think one of the biggest reasons I got a blog was to design it. Not that I have any design skills (I have used the accessory "paint" on the computer to do a lot of the stuff- need to learn photoshop)

Also, I am not married, nor am I photographer/crafter/writer (although I do sort of wish I were all those things) so I don't have much to show for myself except the hum drum of my daily life. Which is why I probably change this layout more than I actually post on it. It is sort of like that computer game "Sims." I only really liked designing the house and what not. Once the game actually began I got bored with them, usually killed them off or something (cruel game- no wonder my mom took it away) and created a new house. So not sure how long this face will last, nor the color pallete, but I hope you like it and perhaps now understand why I change it so much.

21.

HAPPY: 21 years old.

yep, my birthday finally came. I am 21. I had an amazing 21st birthday; thanks to all the texts, facebook & blog posts, phone calls, birthday songs & shout outs, hugs, spankings, packages, presents, and lots of love. It was the best 21st birthday ever. Thanks for making it great everyone.
love you all.

last day as a baby.

HAPPY: birthday (tomorrow). today is my last day as a baby.
tomorrow I will be a real adult. (or so they say)

the big 2-1.

san francisco road trip - 2009.

Palestine Protest.

The Beach.

Art Exhibit.

Yummy Crepes on Haight Ashbury.

Walking on Golden Gate Bridge.

At the pier.. with the seals.

These are just a few of the pictures from our trip.  We had a great trip and if you want to know more about it, read below!

peace. love. san francisco.

MERRY: spending a weekend in San Francisco with my girl friends. Well I think it is safe to say that going to San Fran for the weekend was the best idea/road trip ever. A little strong you might think to make such a bold statement but we were speaking in hyperboles all weekend so it works.

The trip started off with the 11+ hour drive, which went over surprisingly well. We almost got pulled over by a cop, he flashed his lights right behind us, but then kindly passed us and did nothing. We then later ran over a bucket that flew out of someones car-Jenny handled the car well and no damage done. We made it through the crazy, hilly streets and found Jimmy's house with ease. '09 is obviously our year.

Well the next few days went great. Here's a quick synopsis of what we did:
Haight & Ashbury street: hippies. tie-die. peace. I also found some cute clothes at a little boutique for my birthday.
Drove, drove, drove: I could spend hours just driving around the city looking at all the amazing houses and architecture.
Art exhibit: monsters eating kids... guess you had to be there.
Union square: palestine protest. H&M. DSW's.
The stinking rose restaurant: garlic anyone? free meal.
Walking around the city at night: canoli's. chinatown. falling in love with the city every step of the way.
Lookout point: can't remember the specific name but highest overlook in S.F.
Presidio: yummy breakfast. beautiful scenery. wish I were riding a bike.
Golden Gate Bridge: a must. very windy.
Church: great ward. showed up late. talk was on how we shouldn't be late. dangit.
Pier 39: SEALS!!! break dancers. seafood (bbq chicken sandwich for me). lame-o fire dancer guy. jenny loses phone.
Best park ever: jenny realizes her phone was in her sleeve the whole time. played at the most amazing park ever. (another true hyperbole)
Beach: beautiful. cold water. walking on smooth sand. never want to leave.

Once again, '09 is our year.

Well that was a basic overview of our trip. It was an amazing time. Thanks to the wonderful city of San Francisco, the hospitality of Jimmy and his roommates for letting us stay at their place and show us around, the great jokes (even if I was the butt of them), the SUNNY, warm weather, and the memories. There is a chance I could do my advertising internship here in SF and after this trip I am seriously considering it. I loved it so much.