Whatta Week

So let me tell ya'll a little story.  It begins with our tortured teenage girl hero person lady thing, Miss Natalie {me}, on Tuesday night.  Laying in that barely comfortable enough to make it uncomfortable dorm room bed.  Tirelessly moving her legs from flamingo to pencil position over and over again while thinking about schooling over the past week.  Missing class.  Failing Physical Science tests...  Sleeping all day and not putting her best shoe forward.  And wearing them without socks mind you, not a good combination.  Finally she looked toward the future as she so often does.  The end of the week looked to be hell.  With a physical science midterm and book of mormon midterm to take, stained glass project to finalize, visiting teaching to do, relief society lesson to teach, ward prayer to organize and buy treats for, on top of mandatory social events including the Harry Potter Premiere, a blasted blind date i was asked on, most likely out of pity, to our housing dance {much like the one put on for Heritage Halls last semester}, and a home cooked Sunday dinner.   The dinner wasn't so much as a chore as it was just another thing on the list to do.  All in three or so short days.  Guys.  I was so incredibly stressed at that moment.  Reading back on this list now seems like nothing.  Nothing hard at least.  Buuuttt being the dramatic {at times} soul that I am I texted my mom, and I quote "I am dropping my classes.  School hates me and I hate it."  Droppin' it like it's hot.  So over it I was!  So finally after muffled curses at the world, as not to wake my dearest Lindsay, I turned around on that bed and said the longest prayer ever to have been uttered from mankind's lips, probably.  The next morning I woke up an hour before my class.  Then I got all my work done, and on it went, finishing task after task until the week was through!  I did it I did it!  Well I didn't do it alone of course.  What appeared to be one of the most dreaded weeks of the semester turned out to be one of the most absolutely fun and incredibly rewarding weeks of the semester!  Funny how life works out, isn't it?

So it began with Harry Potter.

 Over all I was completely overwhelmed.  In love.  I feel like everyone has given their two-cents about their Harry Potter experience, and rightly so, but I will just leave mine with overwhelmed.  In the best of ways of course.

On Friday after taking that wretched Physical Science exam, and slightly improving hallelujah, Linds and I decided to dine at Kneaders.  Home of the best cupcake on earth.  I am dead serious.  People, it is dipped in white chocolate.  Heaven in a mini cake of strawberry goodness!  Now on our walk over to kneaders, we passed some people filming what looked to be a music video.  We smiled, laughed, and it wasn't soon after that thecameraman whose name I still don't know and the star of the show, Phaya himself, invited us over to be in it.  Uhhh what?  Yep, we danced in front of four talented girls for three minutes in broad daylight.  Most.  Awkward.  Thing.  Of.  My.  Life.  White girls we are.  We soon made friends with Phaya, exchanged numbers, and went on our way.  That night, he text us and invited us to be in the other shoots for the video at the bowling alley.  So back we went!  And it seriously was so fun.  We met so many people, I got to stare at the cameraman that much longer, and I learned some ghetto girl dance moves.  That I wish I could perfect...  Blast this white blood in me.

{Linds and I with our new friend Barima [from Ghana!], Phaya [from the Caribbean!] and others.}

After the video shoot we changed from dancing for five + hours and joined our friends up at Squaw Peak.  So beautiful.  Guitar playin', laughing, all that good stuff.

Now time for the dance.  Exceeded all of my expectations!  Made new friends and loved every minute of it, even if the boys didn't pick us up...  I met my date Morgen {who Lauren taught how to surf? wth?}, we ate at Red Robin, shared some lol's, danced the night away, learned about Brad's moves and faces, Scott & Morgan's bromance/LOTR obsession, and even recreated Harry Potter's Puppet Palls while we were at it.

On Sunday Lindsay & I rocked the relief society lesson and looked good doing it.  I got an 82% on my Book of Mormon midterm.  Finally finished my stained glass pattern.  Got treats in time for Ward Prayer.   And got all the other little things done.  Success!!!  Other events include a ferrett, tunnel singing, and lots of rain!  Shout out to mi momma who wouldn't let me drop my classes.

 And Lindsay for helping me wake up every morning.

Now if only the anticipation of easily viewed black mail wasn't to surface youtube within the week...  Oh please oh please mr. film man, spare me from awkward dancing shots!

I'm Blue

Remember when I said how funny Lindsay is?

Proof.

oh and now here's pictures and stuff...

Ohhh Summer.

Birthday!

{8th birthday? in Utah, surrounded by cousins, sister, aunt & uncle}

Eighteen years old.  When did this happen?  Last time I checked I was just in my backyard at the old house, fighting with Lauren or swimming for hours on end.  Jumping on the tramp and coloring all day long.  Playing in the street and trying to stay up past my bedtime.  I guess eight became eighteen without me even realizing it.  Never would I have thought I would be at college, one semester under my belt with plenty more to come.  With three nieces and five new best friends.  Knowing what I do now, about the world, about my family, myself, and the way life works in general.  Hopefully too, a little more mature.  I'm happy with what I've done thus far in my life, even if it wasn't what I expected.  In fact, I think I am so happy because it isn't what I expected.  One year older and wiser too!  Cheers to that!  Instead of buying dry ice, voting, streaking, or any of the typical "eighteeners", Lindsay and I decided to cross one thing off our to do list: disco skating!  So on Saturday after Grandpa's viewing, funeral, and luncheon, I broke away from my lovely family :( and headed down to Provo for the festivities.

Once we did get to the Classic Skating Center, I seriously questioned choosing skating as my celebratory activity of choice.  It is one of the hardest and most awkward things I have ever done.  Contrary to rollerblading, classic skating tests your balance in ways I would have never imagined!  Let me put it a bit clearer, I have bruises on my hands and butt people.  What better way to humble yourself, especially on your eighteenth, than crawling off the rink?  At least we got out and invited some people to join in the painful fun with us, even if it did take a while for them to show up.

{Please note Kimee on the floor in hysterics...}

{ Dontcha love how I had to have hightop skates due to my small feet?  Awesome.  Oh I love red eye too...}

{BYU BASKETBALL.  No, I am not kidding!}

Next thing on our to do list? Prank Rach and Sky, with "these".

As We Go Onnnn

I got out of bed long enough to graduate this past weekend.  First came Seminary graduation, or in my case Seminary certification.  I leave for a semester and don't get to graduate?!  Outrage!  Ahh welllll.  After graduation with the stake, our ward had a little ice cream social thingymajig.  This isn't all of us, but some!

The next day came around, and I officially graduated from high school!  Pomp and circumstance my friends.  Too bad I was feeling sick to my stomach, though i believe it was spurred by a sickness in my head.  I mentally could not push out of my mind how bad I looked.  And I wanted to cry.  And then I had a bad attitude, took little to no pictures on the field after the ceremony, booked it to my car, and sat in an empty parking lot and cried my eyes out.  Oh what fun!  And then instead of participating in all of the graduation parties and sunrise watchings I went to bed.  At eleven.  If only things could've been different...  Eh, I do it to myself. 

These are the announcements I sent out, this one to my new roommate Lindsay!

 Brielle greeted me with a kiss

 ohh, just caressing my rose

 the parentals

 the babe finally graduated!

 happiest baby known to mankind

bike ridin' Blake

 My dear Tanner!!! {and Sydnee and Tait in the background}

 Skyler

 Erin caught me on my way out, thank goodness

Even though I wasn't too physiqued to come back and walk, I really am glad that I did.  Despite being an emotional mess.  I blasted Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People on the last drive over to Mountain View.  One of my high school crushes walked in my line {cough, Parker, cough}.  I finally became friends with Melanie who I blogstalk all the time.  I passed the time sharing funny comments throughout the ceremony with Ashley.  The speakers gave great talks, and all was well!  I even got to wear the NHS stole and the gold honor tassle for a high gpa.  {Oh yeah, and when I graduated in December, I was top 8% of my class!  Just throwin' that out there}.  Oh the perks of being smart again...  Get to college and it's ripped out from under ya!  Gotta love it.

And that my dears, was graduation.  Again.

All Grown Up

Hello.  This is the big girl here!  Natalie Grace Freshman College Girl.  Yes, don't worry, it actually did happen and I didn't hide under my bed and hold onto the bottom of the frame {reverse Matilda style} when the car was loaded up and ready to leave.  The drive went by extremely fast. Just pops and me.  I got sick which was no bueno, but the scenery was beautiful so 'twas a plus when trying to keep myself oriented to prevent any further sickness.

Upon pit-stopping in Sedona so dad could check on his shopping center {where btw he is lending a movie theater for the Smashing Pumpkins to rehearse in, top secret, omgoodness!, and I saw all their equipment ahhh}, I "loled" at the top wi-fi name.

<3 the grand can.

Upon arriving we drove straight to BYU.  This is when I started freaking out.  "I can't do this!!! icantdothisicantdothisicantdothisicantdothis." Over and over again.  But what a welcome I received!  The moment we arrived at my dorm, Tingey woot woot, all my girlmates were standing there and so excited!  And boys even helped me unload all my things.  It is sooo relieving that these girls are better than I imagined!  We hung around in my room and I was introduced to people, Rachel even made me a welcome sign.  The whole nine yards.  We had roomie prayer and a mini scripture for the day.  One was to become perfect as Christ, synonymous for complete, and they said with me here they were now complete.  Oh. my. goodness.  I just about died.  Basically I could not have lucked out more.  Brief description of the girls shall we?  Bailey: she's my actual roommate, tiny, so pretty, hilarious, quotes every movie on the planet, so fun, and easy to talk to which is exactly what I need as the newbie.  Rachel: half-japanese, speaks japanese, super creative, even tinier, her voice is adorable, goes on a lotso dates, so including, nice.  Riley: relief society president, speaks french, all the boys love her, super fun and spunky, amazing long lean legs, and a dancer.  Shayn: ohhh sweetest thing, "scandy", my twin {both early grads, and other things i cannot remember for the life of me}, speaks chinese, outgoing, hilar.  And last but not least, Haley: seriously the kindest girl in the world, sweet, cute hair, the longest eyelashes, our mother.

 My bed!  And pillow pet.

 Rach's welcome!  And I adddoooree the chainlinks above my corner.

Boot from Stacie and notes from the Laurels!  Frame from Erin.

The next morning, disgusting, but ready to go!  P.S.  Rach made me that cheetah bracelet too.

My first day of school really wasn't my first day of school.  I don't have class Tuesday or Thursday.  How'd I swing that?  For this glorious day I finished putting my things together then got ready and got groceries with my dad.  While getting groceries I basically got a job.  There was this cute girl with her adorable twin daughters that we helped getting her groceries to her car, annnd i'm her new babysitter.  Or so I hope.  Maybe even nanny?  We'll see.  But I'm stoked because her two year old daughters were already pointing out all the colors to me because they love me.  I met up with Tantor and David, met lots of people, including Wess, {and yes Skyler, even Jamison}.  They helped me get my ID, books, and even gave me a mini tour.  Then David made us panini's and tomato basil soup for lunch.  Wow.  I'm being super detailed, but all of these little acts of kindness mean the world to me!  Then for Haley's late birthday the roomies went out to Brick Oven Pizza!  Learned about Shayn's "scandy side".  I skpyed Erin too!!!  Man am I gonna miss that girl.  Then saw a bit of Despicable Me.  Now I am back on my little, yet surprisingly comfy, dorm room bed.  And I'm freaking out about tomorrow.  5 classes.  In buildings I most likely WILL NOT be able to find among the mass of people in coats with their earbuds in.  Seriously.  That's campus for ya.  

 Spencer was there to Skype too.  He leaves for his mission in Munich in 2 weeks!

She even saved a little paper I doodled on.  Unintentionally, but saved all the same.

And we did a mustache/Mr.StealYourGirl tribute to Tyler.  Had to.

New Years Resolutions have been readjusted to my new life: Do my homework stat.  Babysit whenever I can {most likely Tuesdays & Thursdays}.  Run after my Interior Design class MWF. Be outgoing/comfortable around my roommates.  Don't freak out.  Snowboard once.  Hike the Y.  Eat healthy {got muh soup, salad, and gluten-free cereal!}.  Get stellar grades.  Get a scholarship.

Wish me luck tomorrow?