neVer forgeT

Four years ago today one of the worst massacres that I can remember shook me. My dad and I were in NYC for my first time and living the life. We did everything you could ever imagine...broadway, shopping, eating, the works. The day we were supposed to fly home there was a huge storm with lots of wind so we decided to take a train home to Richmond. Since my dad had to work in DC that day we were going to take a train to DC stop and I would get on another train to Richmond without my dad. I was nervous because it was my first time traveling alone, so my dad put me in the business class waiting room. It was there that I saw the numbers start rolling in. At first it didn't register that it was real. They were unsure of how many were injured. Virginia Tech, a school I had hated my whole life was under attack. 3 confirmed dead. I knew people there. 9 confirmed dead. I knew people who were supposed to be in that building. 20 confirmed dead. This is my state. 27 confirmed dead. I was alone and didn't know if anyone I knew was safe. 32 dead. the number stopped growing. They said it was over. But it still isn't over. we will always remember the 32...and neVer forgeT

Cracking a Spine...but not mine

I have currently been in the library for 3 hours and have accomplished little more than planning my every waking moment for the next 10 days until I'm a senior. I still remember being a senior and high school and all of the perk we'd get... tons of parties, celebrations, awards, the WORKS. but it seems like in college its just another year closer to working my life away and being a grown up...doesn't sound fun to me! As I was writing a paper for some research i've been finishing up, I accomplished a first on my list of college to do's. Today I had to go find a journal in the library. For some reason it wasn't online and my only option was to go and search the shelves for this one book in a series of 50 of the same journal out of the thousands of book shelves all over the library. Once I finally found the journal I opened it and it had never been opened before. i felt like I cracked the spine it was so fresh. I thought about how unfair it was that I have all of these books at my disposal and have never used them. out of the 120,000 people who have been students at this university since this was published, no one had bothered to read this book...granted its boring and originally published in German...but still. Here's to cracking open a new book as often as possible...even if it's only to read a few pages

Life Is Great

Life is SO great.

in the last 2 months since I last blogged SO much has happened.

First let's start with Jeff's birthday. Along with packages from the moms, he got the present he's been waiting FOREVER for.

A Remington 870 express 12 gauge shotgun.

He also got some of the accessories that go with it like a case, a home defense pack (since our house is big enough to hold a gun to an intruder...yeah right!), and some shells. It was like he was 5 1/2 again...well 5 3/4 actually since he's a leap year baby :)

About a week later, Courtney was out of town and we were all in the pranking mood. 5 of us decided to break into her apartment and fill it to the top with crumpled up newspaper (ironically enough she did the same prank 2 years ago...payback?) It was INSANE...and took FOREVER. her reaction was priceless and 100% worth it.

March 24th we got the BEST news ever. Jeff and I have been living in a dungeon basement apartment since we got married. Even before we were engaged, we put our names on a waiting list at an apartment 3 times bigger and a million times nicer...and as an added perk it is above ground. At 10:24 am I got the phone call saying that it was finally our turn to move in. I was ECSTATIC.

Once we got this news we decided we were selling all our furniture (including our 8ft luvsac) to make room for our "sophisticated?" new life above ground. We've already picked out our

new couch

new wallpaper

New bed

Jeff wanted to further his right to practice the 2nd amendment. By amusing me that it would be my gun...we bought our second gun...a Ruger .22 Rifle complete with scope, case, etc. We went shooting and had a BLAST

This week is the beginning of finals week. Good luck and hopefully here's to blogging more!

P.S.- I made this

As I was stumbling the other day (toolbar from stumbleupon.com on one hand I say you have to get it. on the other you WILL waste all day on it). I came across this website www.psimadethis.com I immediately bought the book and am in love with everything on the website and in the book. As soon as we move and get that second bedroom (aka my craft room) I will be in heaven.

once I actually make any of this i will have to post some pictures

Family in town

Jeff and I have been so spoiled this past weekend because MY FAMILY is here in UTAH!
They got in town Wednesday night late.
Thursday we went skiing (and of course invited colton brockbank a missionary that served in richmond to come with us). I'm still not a pro skier (And probably never will be) but at least I spent more time upright than on my butt. Jeff snowboarded all day and had a blast.
Friday we were busy with school and went out to dinner with the family at cafe rio and all my dad kept talking about was if cafe rio would be a good franchise in VA (PLEASE SAY YES)
Saturday (the whole reason the family was here) we went with clark to the Oquirrh Mountain temple for his first time. We played some games and just chilled.
Today Jeff and I woke up and went to our friends Austin and Ciara's ward (since we had stake conference) and when we got home our toilet was backed up into our tub...we tried to fix it and nothing helped. Our neighbors that live in the other side of the basement were having the same problem (except they just have a shower so all their carpet was wet and gross) so we called the landlord to see if he could fix it (he says this stuff ALWAYS happens to happen on sunday) He finally fixed it citing the problem and someone putting baby wipes in the toilet and since the people upstairs have the only baby....cool guys...we went to a family friend's house for dinner and it was delish. I've just been spending the rest of the evening studying and studying because tomorrow is going to be CRAZY
Wake up at 545. take family to the airport at 630. get home at 830. finish homework until 930. go to school/study until 2. go with best friend to be a haircut model for her salon interview!! study more and take my first test of the semester. Crazy day but worth a totally relaxed weekend with the family :)

Still in VA

For Christmas, Jeff and I got to go back to the good ole south.

VIRGINIA.
We have had SO SO much fun and are even staying a few extra unexpected days.
We got here on the 19th after being in AZ for the Mcneil wedding!
Sunday we had a fun family dinner and started getting used to being back home. We all decorated the Christmas tree the usual way...with every home made ornament we have ever brought home and the ones we got as presents every year. When the tree wouldn't stand up just right we thought the branches were too low...so we trimmed them up...well they weren't and we were left with an UGLY tree...We decided that we would have to go buy another tree in the morning.
Monday we went to go find a new tree...first time that it was just the kids... we drove around forever just to find a lot (since everywhere was closed since there was only a few days til christmas). We ended up picking the first tree we saw and even had to use the chainsaw ourselves to made it perfect before we left. Then we visited my dad's parents.
Tuesday we went shopping ALL day for Christmas presents...and redecorated tree number 2
Wednesday we went to visit my mom's mom.
Thursday was Sterling's 19th birthday
jeff trying to impersonate the infamous sterling's picture face
Friday was Christmas eve and we were so excited....I had to take some pictures of the tree with my AMAZING new camera my handsome husband bought for me...i had fun remembering how to use all the fun parts of a DSLR from high school
Saturday was finally Christmas! The busiest day of the year! First we all wake up and have to wait till 730 when grandma, aunt anne, and the missionaries all come over (this year there were 5 missionaries over). We all open presents (this year the missionaries presents were HILARIOUS thanks to sterling...for example they would say wrapped with love by ____ then from ____ ...some of the highlights were love by Gorbachev from "the wall"....wrapped with love by abe lincoln from john wilkes booth... and on and on). This year, as we were opening presents we noticed something that I had NEVER seen before...SNOW on CHRISTMAS... too bad it was only a little flurrying. After we're done opening all our loot we eat a delish breakfast courtesy of the mom. After breakfast we play games all morning with the missionaries until about noon we we have to start getting ready for the rest of the day. We leave our house and go to my dad's parents where we have lunch and christmas round two with that side of the family. After a few hours of fun with those cousins we head over to grandmas for traditional christmas dinner with that side of the family and christmas part 3. This is when the snow started coming down SUPER hard. By the time we got home there was already an inch (in virginia that is a huge deal) and all the boys wanted to play football since jeff and I had to leave sunday evening.
long story short we did NOT leave on sunday...all the airports all over were closed and we got to stay here til the next open flight out...wednesday :)
Sunday we went sledding! sadly I was more afraid of wrecking the new camera than wanted to get pictures of the action
today was full of returning ill-fitting gifts and relaxing. We even went and had family bowling night and had a blast. needless to say... although we hadn't planned to stay so long it has already been SO fun to stay out with the family :)

CIara Burningham is MARRIED

Jeff and I had the opportunity to go to our best friends' (Austin and Ciara) wedding on Saturday.

SO SO SO fun. and she looked gorgeous


the DREWS and the McNEILS