a very arizona summer

so its been a bit since i have blogged, but i do have an excuse... i've been realll busy.
busy doing... arizona kinds of things.
liiiiike:
floating the river... x3

playing with friends from utah:

rappelling:

(backwards and forwards)

oh... and playing wayyy too many games of mafia and signs:

...and working.

also.

i start school again.

in two weeks from today.

i am sooo not ready for school to start.

because i am in full-on summer mode.

as you can probably tell.

gosh dang.

working girl status

so i got my first paychecks at work today.
you know what that means?
i'm officially a working girl!

needless to say, the first couple days may have kicked my butt a little.
so, without further ado:


the top ten things i've learned at work
10. it is so. much. more. complicated. than. you. think.
9. don't get in the habit of checking your watch often
8. i'm excellent at "blending" (aka: putting things where they don't necessarily belong, but look like they might)
7. the security tag remover eats metal things...
6. spaghetti straps + hangers = bad news
5. dont wear dangly earrings, but do wear comfortable shoes
4. just because shoes are flat does not mean they are comfortable
3. thinking about gas prices is never a good idea
2. the mall is much more fun if you're shopping!
and...
1. i need to be paid more! (but really, who doesn't?)



still... i'd say its going really well!
let's just say i'm happy to have a job:]
although i do sometimes feel a little like this...

ending: unplanned

i seriously, seriously want to go on a roadtrip without any plans or destination.
it just seems so... simplefunadventurouscrazyspontaneousamazing.

anyone in?

falling through the SKY

{this song was stuck in my head the whole day. please, for the sake of fully enjoying these pictures, appreciating my experience, and utilizing as many senses as possible, play it as you read.}

so for my 19th birthday, my family, angela, and i journeyed to eloy, arizona and went skydiving at skydive arizona.
{take 2}

you guys...  it was amazing.

it was the first thing on my bucket list, i've wanted to go since i can remember, and it totally lived up to my expectations!
watching the people fall out of the plane, seeing them instantly disappear, standing on the edge of the door, jumping away from the plane, free falling through the sky... all of it was incredible.

after the day was over and all was done, i had just one thing left to say:


when can i go again?!

one year older and one year...

so yesterday was my birthday.
woo hoo!
19 feels so old.



but.
if i had to sum up my bday in 2 words, it would be
nothing worked.

i couldnt skydive because it was too windy,
nothing was planned,
we got lost in the desert,
i missed every shooting star,
i spent about 50% of the day in the car,
and the waitress didnt even bring a candle.



but.
i am skydiving tomorrow.
(and now more people are joining me!)
the car rides were spent with family and close friends.
i took a lovely nap.
dinner was delicious.
dessert was even better.
i am one year older,
with a fantastic year ahead of me.
and i still had a happy birthday.


in the wise words of all time low,
maybe its not my weekend, but its gonna be my year.


here's to a new {birthday} year, and all new adventures.
i cant wait.

a movie review (but not really.)

**disclaimer: please excuse the following post.  it'll probably be rather embarrassing, but i firmly believe that everyone should be entitled to a fangirl post occasionally. jussayin.




you know what can make something already good even better?

when its a surprise!! whether its a surprise gift, surprise party, or just a random act of kindness, surprises are the best.

last night, i waited for several hours (i won't mention how many...) to see the 4th pirates of the caribbean at midnight. don't judge. well, imagine my surprise and happiness when a super hottie unexpectedly appeared on screen! needless to say, we spent the whole movie swooning over this guy.

meet sam claflin:  24 year-old, british import, & super hottie... with an apparent fondness for newsboy caps.

seriously?  best. surprise. ever.
who could resist those dimples & perfectly tousled hair?!
(not to mention the accent.)
oh, and dont worry. his next role is as prince charming.

no, i'm not kidding.

see the movie. i guess its pretty good.
if for no other reason than this, you wont regret it :]

im cheesy. its fine.

you know who is superfantastic?
this guy right hurrrr.
(my brother spencer)

now, tell me that isn't the cutest picture you've ever seen?!


{on a related note...}
the other day, a good friend posed the question, "when are you happiest?"

this is about to get super corny, but the truth is:
its times like these...

times when i'm with my family.
we laugh about how we are the same, or something that happened, or nothing at all.
we act silly, and we can never take a picture without at least one person pulling a face.
(seriously... check out everyone's faces in the photos above!)
whether it be on vacation or just sitting around the dinner table or doing nothing at all, its da best.



thats all.

p.s. sorry family for posting potentially embarrassing photos! it had to be done.

bored?! i can help.

some totally cool & funny & awesome things that i have found on the internet and bookmarked over the past several months...
{read: time wasters}

i could spend sooo much time reading these.

"Dear Noah, we could have sworn you said the ark wasn't leaving till 5. Sincerely, Unicorns."

"Dear Twilight fans, thank you for making us look sane and well-adjusted.  Sincerely, Trekkies." 

they go on & on...

i am pretty sure this is the coolest wedding i have ever seen... ever.

did you ever see this video? someone made some pretty funny "posters" about it here...
its always good to poke a little fun at yourself, right?

this person makes awesome pictures out of cassette tape! see them all here

spy on awesome street fashion from all over the world here

and, last but not least, if you haven't checked out this website yet, i highly recommend it.
it seriously kept me up for at least 2 hours the night i discovered it.
{awkwardfamilyphotos.com}
be sure to read the captions.

that just happened

yes, i did just rename my blog.

why?
because i was bored of the other one.

that kind of thing happens a lot.

anyway... its sorta sassy & i like it, so i hope you do too.

plans

"when one door closes, another door opens..."
  
there have been so many closed doors lately.  many i have closed myself, but others have slid closed without any warning.

i'm leaving BYU.  i dont think ive ever actually written that on here-- i'm not going back there next year.
...maybe its just the "freshman year experience."  maybe its just the dorms and the huge, beautiful campus.  i think it could be the extreme school spirit- that feeling at the basketball, football, and volleyball games.  its definitely the people i met, and even the people i didn't meet.  it might be the seasons (winter sucked, but spring was cool), or the college-town feeling, or even the professors.
whatever it is about BYU, im really going to miss it.

for a long time, i didn't know where i was going.  more doors closed.
but now, some have opened.

i'm going to an ultrasound school in phoenix- back in the valley of the sun.
back where i can watch my little nephew weston grow up, where i can visit my parents, where i can stay tan and blonde, where the drivers dont annoy the heck out of me, where it doesn't snow, (where it doesnt even get cold,) where i am familiar with my surroundings, where i am home.

huzzah!
(ive been saying this lately. i dont know why... and yes, i know its weird.)

so here's to new beginnings, open doors, and the unknown.

new town.
new school.
new friends.
new scene.
new boys.
new life.