Time flies when your having fun and saying super weird things...

I took my last final this morning, had a clean check this afternoon, and just packed up all of my stuff.  And that's it.  It's over.  This semester flew by so fast! I seriously don't know where it went! The past couple of months we have been keeping a quote board.  So for kicks and giggles and to record some great memories...enjoy :

"Ashley, Both your up and downs today were about your vagina..."--Robyn

"I'm turning into a monkey!"--Emily

"Mr. Lightyear needs more tape."--Buzz Lightyear via Rachel

"Leave it to me to know obscene quotes...& by obscene I mean obscure..."--Rachel

(On November 11, 2012) "Guys!!!! It's 9-11!"--Ashley; "uh...no it's not."--Emily & Rachel simultaneously

"Brazilian Butt lift my BUTT!!!"--Jessica & Emily simultaneously

"YOLO! Deuces!"--Kyle, Robyn, Chandler

"You look like a sex offender!"--Rachel

"I know! I'll tell him to take me to to Taco Bell!"--Ashley; "Classy Ashley, Classy."--Emily

"Yeah Ashley, you're easy."--Robyn

"Emily! I like your rack!"--Robyn

"Maybe it's in my womb, by my ovaries."--Robyn

Good times...but I am so glad it is all over.  It is going to be wonderful to have a whole three and half months off! Oh and to see my family in like...14 hours. AHHHHH!!!!!

Closing the Curtains

Well, it is the final week of my first semester of college. It seriously went by so fast! So this week is going to be so very stressful but pinterest always has a tendency to make me feel better and laugh really hard...so!! Here are some funny finals memes  to help relieve everyone's stress for a few minutes.  

Child Development: CHECK 

English: CHECK
Math: TERRIFIED TO TAKE
Anatomy: KILLING MYSELF OVER
AND!!! I officially have an apartment for Spring Semester. It is going to be awesome!

3 more days til I go home for my off-track! Hopefully it will seem more like Christmas at home, because no matter how much I listen to Christmas music, it's like it refuses to feel like Christmas here.  probably for a number of reasons. 1. no Christmas decorations, 2. No family, 3. No snow, 4. Stress of School interferes, and 5. No Hallmark Christmas Movies.

This semester has been a difficult change, but totally worth it. Tuesday night, my last day of finals, I will take my final bow, and the curtains will close. And then the semester will be over.
  

A Spirit of Thanksgiving

So November has come and gone, very quickly might I add.  This time of year is the time to count your blessings (which should be done all year, but you know what I mean), reflect over the year, prepare for finals, listen to Christmas music, and .....check "No Shave November" off of your bucket list--what!? ....yes. But most importantly--Count your many blessings.
There is much to be thankful for especially here in the United States.  We have life so good and I know that a lot of the time I take it for granted, but it is time to do some serious pondering about our blessings that Heavenly Father has given us and to thank Him daily for what we have.  I don't remember who said this but it goes like this.  What if you woke up one morning with only the things you had thanked Heavenly Father for the day before?  Be grateful.
An inspiring video from Oprah:

This passed Thanksgiving I was able to go down to Salt Lake to visit my immediate and extended family. It was so so so great to see all of them! And Ill get to go home in just a few days to see them all again! But for a long time YAY :)
While visiting family, I was able to spend some time talking to my mom and dad about future plans like...serving a mission! I want to start my papers NOW! But I can't until Februaryish. I guess it is good for me to wait.  It will make me want it even more.
My dad took us all to Walmart on Thursday night when Black Friday started and holy cow!!! It was ridiculous the crazy amount of people there.  That is definitely NOT my scene.  Way too overwhelming for me.                
My grandma got to talk to me a lot about genealogy and she gave me some names to do, but I think I am going to wait and do them in the Mesa Temple when I get back.  She shared with me some very spiritual and touching experiences.  I love my grandparents very much and I am so thankful for their great hospitality. I do wish I was able to see my grandparents on my mom's side though, because I don't know when the next time I will see them will be.  Probably after my mission, unless they come to the farewell.
I also got to chitchat with Megan which was good.  I hope when I go home we won't fight so much like in high school.  Bryson, Camilla, and Caleb are growing up so fast! It is just so crazy what 3ish months will do during childhood.  I never noticed when I was there, but because I never see them, it's crazy!
I also got to see my friend Allison in Provo!!! I miss that girl.
Oh My Goodness! We all went to the opening night of the lighting of Temple Square.  Gorgeous.  My mom's cousin and her husband are serving their mission there right now so we got to go with them and they showed us around.
Oh! Oh! Oh! I get to go to Colorado over Christmas break with Megan and Bryson! Super excited about that.  It will be so awesome to see my best friends again.  Stacey was definitely the best housemate I have ever had (aside from family of course) and I miss her a whole heap! And Matt! I miss him so much too.  It is going to be so weird but awesome to see them again.  I probably wont be able to contain myself! I miss everything about Colorado, probably even more so because I know that i am not going there to go home anymore. I am even excited to drive on the new Powers!!! I'm pathetic...  
I know it is late, but I hope everyone had a glorious Thanksgiving and is doing well and keeping safe and warm during the Holidays. 

God's Masterpieces

This weekend I finally got to see my family! Well, some of them.  My mommy, and little sister and brother, Camilla and Caleb, along with some cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.

They all came to the Opening Ceremony for the International Art Competition for Youth at the Assembly Hall in Temple square to support me in receiving the Humanitarian's Youth Juror's Choice Award for my piece, "Cutting Worldly Ties."

There were about 100 pieces on display, and about 20 awarded. Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the Young Women General President attended and I was able to get a picture with her and talk to her about my piece. She said she loved it and asked how I came up with the idea. It was such an amazing experience to meet her and especially to speak with her! AND to have her know my piece! 

After the ceremony we all made our way to the Church History Museum to see our gallery.  The gallery was set up so beautifully and categorized by different themes within the common theme, Arise and Shine Forth, and different mediums.  There are so many incredible youth artists around the world.  Japan, Taiwan, Philippians, all over the USA, Austria and many more. It was truly remarkable to see so much talent. And even more amazing to see so  many of God's Masterpieces using their talents to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.   

Here are some of my very favorites:

I love my family :) 

    

I am so thankful for talents and for the willingness of others to share what God has given them.        

David O. McKay once said that at the judgment day we will have a person interview with Christ.  In that interview, among other things, he will ask us how we developed and shared our talents with others.  The Lord loves to see how we use the talents that he has given us.  I had a wonderful time catching up with mom about the family and friends and what everyone has been up to. and venting about school stuff.  Sometimes I just really need my mommy.  Okay a lot of the time! I cant wait to see the rest of my family on Wednesday! :) 

A Little Home

As the weeks are quickly passing and Fall Semester is already half way over, I am getting more and more homesick and family sick.  I am homesick for Colorado Springs and I'm family sick, obviously for my family. I miss them a lot and I cant wait to see my mom and possibly Caleb and Camilla in Salt Lake City in 2 weeks.  This afternoon I skyped with them and my mom told me that this morning my little brother Caleb asked, "Is Emily ever coming home?"  ***tears...anyways!  To Caleb I say, "Yes! I am coming home to see you in about 6 weeks!" It was so good to talk with my parents about what is going on and about future plans with school, missions, and dating, and to say hi to Camilla, watch Caleb try to talk with his mouth full of Halloween candy, see Megan's new iPhone, and watch Bryson do sweet tricks on the trampoline.  Sometimes we just need a little home...

This song makes me cry a little every time! 

I love these guys!

The holidays are just around the corner and it is making me miss them even more! It was so weird for me to not think much of Halloween this year.  We dressed up and went to a dance, but it wasn't the traditional dressing up and seeing your family all dressed up and trick-or-treating, or going to trunk-or-treat like all of the previous years.  However, it was still a good time. (once again, thanks to Robyn for her pictures).

Also! 'Tis the season already for Christmas Decorations?? I  LOVE this time of year!

ALSO ALSO!!! I VOTED!!! And my whole life I was always jealous that my parents got to wear an "I voted" sticker after they voted, so I was hoping that they would mail me a sticker or something because I voted by mail. They didn't. And I was sad.  I wanted a sticker! 

My mommy and daddy sent me a "what you can do with beef" cook book so I made  cheeseburger macaroni and it was mmm mm good!! :) I love home cooked meals, but they just aren't the same as Mom's.

 
Love you guys! and can't wait to see you all soon <3

The Homebodies

School Work + Freezing Cold = Homebodies
Most of our apartment isn't really up to going out on the town anymore... Robyn still parties, but it's like, we work so hard with homework and studying and cramming that when we aren't, all we want to do is relax.   At least, all I want to do is relax. (That and it is just so cold that no one wants to go outside unless absolutely necessary) Wake up, study/homework, go to class for an hour, come home, eat, study/homework, eat, sleep, and so on...Oh! and "Once Upon a Time."

Jessica introduced us to "Once Upon a Time" and I LOVE it! AND it is family appropriate! What the heck?! I feel like it pretty hard to come by. So..relaxing time="Once Upon a Time"

The first snow of the season came last week and boy was it gorgeous.  I'm not a fan of playing in the snow but I think it's the most beautiful thing to watch.

You can't really see that it is snowing here... just a flurry

There we go!

Fall+Winter=Incredibly Beautiful

Just for the record, we have the bestest neighbor friends ever! They snuck into our apartment one morning and made us pancakes!

Thank you Rachel and Morgan! We love you guys :) 

I am actually experimenting with cooking a little more too!

I made grilled cheese and tomato soup (Dad will appreciate this :) 

For dinner one night I also made Chick Pea Pasta Soup.  Pinterest Success!

AND!! I made myself a salted caramel Hot Chocolate the other day.  Not as good as Starbucks, but still delicious!

For FHE one night we went to the Straw Maze--super fun, but super hard! There was a guy walking along the top of the maze and after an hour of watching us walk in  circles he said we had been walking 1/4 of the maze the whole time! and he helped us out.  Our FHE Family is finally bonding! took us long enough...

School is getting harder. Although Book of Mormon is over.  SAD DAY! I loved that class.  My Testimony has never been so strong. But anatomy is kicking my Gluteus Maximus so....yikes. That's tough.  Hopefully I can look back on this and it will be worth it.  

Spiritual Side Note: I miss Family Wards.  Even though there are kids, crayons, and cheerios, they are more respectful and reverent than Young Single Adult Wards. Today during sacrament meeting, from where I was sitting, I counted 24 phones out.  And our ward isn't even big! 24! Ten Bucks says they weren't reading scriptures or talks either.  Really people? Are texting, facebooking, and instagramming more important than the Savior? NO.  Would you be playing on your phones if Christ was literally in that meeting? I sure hope not.  But he was there.  The sacrament represents the blood and body of Christ.  His body is laying on the table.  Figuratively, but still.  Sorry if this comes across as chastising, but I feel very strongly about this. It breaks my heart to look around the chapel and see so many adults putting social networking before Christ.  It is not enough to just show up to church. If you can't leave your phone at home, in your car, or in your purse for 3 hours, or at least for meetings, that is sad.    

On a more exciting note...being a homebody isn't so bad! We watch Once Upon a Time and take naps because we stay up so late, and Im getting good grades! Which is good...haha now I just sound like I am trying to justify staying home. Oh well, it's probably not going to change! :P