Labor Day with Brielle Zia

 miner's parade / dinosaurs / lipgloss / sliding and coasting / princess dancing / lots and lots of kissses
Oh how I miss my nieces every day.

Go Cougars

I'm forcing myself to blog.

Right now I'm watching the BYU versus Texas game with my Dad, thankfully away from the apocalyptic-like rain in Provo but rather in the safety of this cozy Park City home. And while, yes, I am  completely and totally focused on this game... I also have a lot to get done. Thus, blogging became the answer to kicking off my productivity... Also I may or may not be putting off the act of writing a talk for church tomorrow but that's neither here nor there, right? (haha ha ohhh she nervously laughs...)

Bye bye summer. But oh wasn't it so nice? I spent some time at the end there in Park City with my parents. Whilst hiking on the trails in my backyard I would go further and further until I was reaching trees where the leaves were finally beginning to show their reds and oranges. To say I was excited is a little bit of an understatement. I'm Team Fall, all the way. I've already seen visions of drives up the canyon, apple cider (let's all drink apple cider okay?), walking on campus in the brisk briskness, wearing big scarves and big sweaters, watching Hocus Pocus, baking too many part pumpkin part spice treats, etcetera etcetera etcetera. Basically a typical bloggers dream.

In other news, I changed a tire. Well, with Coby's direction I changed a tire. Which while we are on the subject, he continues to be the best person in this world. But it was a monumental moment for me, all about self-empowerment and yadda yadda yadda so yes it rocked. I also moved myself/mycrap into my new apartment! Hello to clean white walls and open space and the best sunlight that streams right on into my window. I've lived in pretty crummy (but totally livable) places during my time in Happy Valley so this is an even added happiness.

As far as summer goals go, I didn't meet my booklist goal but I did finish August with an all-nighter book binge reading Grace Coddington's book. I loved it, I loved it! Please, read it. It instilled a style revolution in me. And now for a new goal! Become a runner again. I'd like to train for a race of some sort, maybe the Halloween Half marathon? Bailey? Rachel? Riley? Join me?

But do you really want to keep reading a list of happenings? What if I told you that I found myself crying in the restroom on only the second day back to school? I am trying to "let the space between where I am and where I want to be inspire me rather than scare me". But sometimes I just feel so far from where I need to be in my education. And it's discouraging, really discouraging. But as the girl in the restroom told me (upon seeing red eyes and hearing sniffles and such) "hang in there girly"-- an angel from heaven I tell ya. So right now that "meh" up there equals "stuck". Happy, healthy and humble. But craving progress. In many aspects of my life.

And scene.

+ my new favorite song, On An On put on (ha!) the best show

+ watch this poetry slam and be inspired

+this is art, and i am so doing the same with my children 
+a video we should all watch on phone usage

+ inspiration for my talk on humility , we all have our stories
+another song to send you on your way

Beyonce Pad Thai

Last weekend was my cousin Sami's mission farewell, so it was the perfect opportunity for family time and a little post Park City hike-em-ups.  It's always nice to be around extended family.  And even though I don't see them much, it's so easy to just sink in and be comfortable.  Especially when the family room lounging and story time comes along.  I do wish I were better friends with my cousins though.  They lead the coolest lives.  But with too many years away from family for too long, it's probably time to make up for lost time and start rebuilding those friendships.  I'll work on it.

A bunch of eaten strawberries later and we made it to Park City with my oh so generous parents.  We spoke of Michael Jordan and bear encounters and ate PB&J.  And that mountain air!  Oh that mountain air.  Mmm.

Anyway.

These last couple of weeks I've been living the good life.  Complete with sleeping in on the reg, making some books (you heard me), and listening to Journey far too many times as I spin my legs silly.  I've been making it a point to take it slow before the long (but such fun!) days and weeks of a summer counselor takes over.  Tell me, why does doing so little feel so good?  Case in point: Panda Express at 10:14 at night.  So good.  Especially when your boyfriend is like "girl, lemme bring you food" and i'm like "boy, i'm not hungry."  But who isn't hungry when that msg laced goodness of chicken and noodles and broccoli and fried rice is in your face?  Ya know?  That and the cram session of The Office that ensues.  We're saving the finale for later though...  Erin is more and more my all time favorite, but do Kelly and Ryan come back for the wedding?  Because we all know I need more Mindy Kahling in my television life?!  If I had a spirit Kardashian, she would be it...  Think about it.

p.s. is fried rice made from brown rice or white rice I wonder?

Oh, Y'all Dancin?

It's alright that i'm posting iphone pictures, right?  Even though red eye is the worst and I can't fix it no matter how hard I try?  Anyway, MLK day!  We skied!  The last run of the day was the best run of the day.  Apparently little boys like to throw pocketknives at butterflies.  We all ate pizza and cheesecake.  Coby & I checked out the Sundance scene.  And awkwardly danced the night away at the blackhouse party...  {To one of my favorite songs no less!}  There was some cold but beautiful bench sitting.  And maybe some getting lost for a little bit-ing?  But hey, we have free drinks promised for us in Boston.

Blah Blah Blah

{random pictures that i think are raaaddd}

so. what's going on in my life. hmm. school. work. getting locked out of my apartment every other day. volleyball {whhaa? i thought i swore it off after high school? yeah apparently i didn't and it's so great}. acing tests. also failing tests so that's fun. sleeping. weekends with momma. six dollar tuesday movie nights. apartment renovations. and hopefully future enchilada making because that is all i can think about right now. etcetera etcetera etcetera.

go life.

that's all she wrote.

party party.

 i'm a blogging machine lately.

i don't know how to end this.

go toros.

p.s. in the picture where rachel & justin are cutting their cake, she is totally sporting a "rachel face" and it makes me happy.

p.p.s. i swear there is more to me than leaves and sandwiches... although, i guess that isn't a bad thing to begin with.

Cheers

I hope you never get tired of seeing nature pictures,

because I don't think I'll ever get tired of taking them...

A Series of Fortunate Events

After I blogged what I thought was a series of unfortunate events, right then a series of very fortunate events followed.  The funny thing is though, that these fortunate events would actually be very unfortunate events had I not had those extremely minor unfortunate events.  I was obviously being prepared for the weekend to come.  Confused yet?  Maybe I should stop explaining and just get on with it.

1. Right after I pushed "publish" on that blog post, my momma called and said that she and pappa would be right down to pick me up after all!  Yay!

2.  I took my test, and didn't do my best, BUT then I remembered that out of the 5 tests in that class {not including the midterm and final} the lowest grade is dropped!  Hallelujah!

3.  I got to Park City, eager to help out by babysitting my niece and facilitating the care of my broken kneed brother.  That night at around 4 in the morning {okay so morning} I was abruptly woken up to hear my sister in law Moranda on the phone with 911.  My brother was on a combination of some heavy pain pills, got up, the blood rushed to fast, had an anxiety attack, couldn't feel himself breath: a combination of things that sent him into uncontrollable convulsions.  Okay, so that is definitely not a good thing but it gets better.  While listening to Moranda describe the convulsions on the phone, my body went out of control.  That intense description put me in shock.  I was shaking, experiencing the most extreme vertigo ever  {I get migraines, so it wasn't the first time} and was literally on the floor because I couldn't handle it.  BUTTTT then I finally got control of myself and was able to manage to not pass out while they wheeled him away to the ER.  Mom and I were then able to stay up with Violet despite little sleep which is so fortunate.  Ultimately they were able to stabilize Clark and change his regimen before anything serious could take place.  Blessed!

4.  That night I was helping my Momma cook dinner.  Tasked to open all of the cans for the chili, I began on a can of beans.  Both ends of the lid somehow remained attached, so I began to pull it and BOOM sliced my ring finger.  A few expletives were uttered and my dad whisked me to the ER for stitches in a matter of 5 minutes, a record time for him.  Okay, so this isn't very fortunate either, BUT it gets better.  The entire ER visit was comical really.  I was expecting to just get it washed out and stitched up within the half hour.  Nope, I was there for four hours.  I had to get my Tetanus shot.  I had to get X-Rays.  I had to get it numbed.  I had to get it cleaned out.  Said vigorous cleaning out also cleaned out all of the anesthesia.  I felt every single stitch.  BUTTTT I was totally fine.  Even though I can't handle when other people get hurt {once I blacked out in seminary after hearing my teacher talk about donating blood...} I have a {and I'm not bragging here} very high pain tolerance.  I've had many an injury growing up: stitches in crazy places {you don't want to know}, broken appendages, head traumas, 10 sprained ankles, shin splints, too many ear infections, and of course my blasted migraines.  So even though I can't handle others, I can darn skippity handle myself.  Fantastic!

5.  Because of my "bad day" on Friday, I got the negativity out of my system and kept high spirits during the real traumas of the day.  More shiz went {and continues to go} down that is vey personal and not for the blog {what? she doesn't spill everything? it totally seems like she does? oh the humanity!}, but again I was able to forget about my "problems" and work through the arising situations that came.  Success!

6.  My lost iPod & student ID were found and returned to the ski resort!  Miracle!

7.  It stopped snowing just in time for Momma to drive me down the canyon in time for class tomorrow without scary-icy-windy-roads!  Hurrah!

8.  News flash, it's not about you.  I mean it's not about me!  It is about you...  Okay now this is confusing.  Essentially, let's not be selfish!  I definitely need to work at it, and this weekend was a complete learning experience for me.  I only hope that I can help out with everything that is still going on while finishing my finals the best that I can.  Stronger than yesterday!

P.S.  I'm totally typing with a stitched up finger right now.  Boo ya!

P.P.S.  2011, what a year, am I right?

P.P.P.S.  The dinner Saturday night was delicious, and there was no finger in it thank goodness.

P.P.P.P.S.  I tell ya, be grateful that you have functioning un-shattered and surgery ridden knees.  My poor poor Clark.  It really is so devastating.  I would post a picture, but that would be too heartbreaking.

P.P.P.P.P.S. Be so very grateful for your families.

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S.  Want to see me after the ER in a very haggard state?  Apparently Mommas iPhone believes in reduced hairlines and triangle noses...

You're welcome.

The Thanksgiving Photo Album of Sorts

I feel like I should write a general account of all that happened over the course of the break, but I kind of like leaving it this way.  It was so blissful, why complicate it with words?  Though I should add this, my brother Clark busted his knees afer going off an icy jump at the Canyons.  He just underwent surgery, and more operations are in the future.  He is in sooo much pain.  But he's making sure that everyone knows it's because he's "young and reckless" not because he's old.  Le sigh...

And on that note, I hope you appreciate your knees today!

I Love People

Friday morning= Park City

self-explanatory.