Him

The day before I flew out of the country, I stopped in at a Cinco De Mayo party to say goodbye to a few close friends that I knew I wouldn't see in a long time.  I had my roommate, Sadie, go with me. It was a big party and I was nervous about who I'd run into. I was obviously trying to avoid any sort of awkward confrontation with a few nutcase guys & I knew she could help me get out of a weird situation fast. We walked in the door of the club house, heard our names and walked over to the group of guys I came to say goodbye to...Except something was different this time; There was a new boy. A boy that I knew, from the moment we met, would change my life forever.
I didn't run into any nutcases that night and I didn't spend much time with anyone I actually came to see. But time was spent with that new boy.  12 hours later I was boarding a plane to live 5,613 miles away.
That Cinco De Mayo became the beginning of our story.

February

Happy February! It's been a long month, but I made it through and now can think about all of the exciting things coming my way!

1. I'll be fiddling my in first PAID concert! About a year ago I took a job at a local violin/fiddle shoppe teaching lots of little kids how to fiddle. And boy-it has brought more opportunities to me then I ever thought would have come my way!

2. My friend and I are opening our own fiddle studio. It's been a lot of work, but we are excited to get things going in the Spring. Come visit us when we open!

3. I'm moving to Ukraine for 3.5 months! I applied for a graphic design internship and found out a few weeks after the New Year that I had been accepted! I can't wait for this new adventure in particular. It's going to be a lot of hard work getting there; learning Russian, packing, figuring out flights, money etc.  I've been assigned to work with a company that designs calendars, business cards, logos, and works closely with the design work for the Ukraine Temple.  I'll also get to travel to 15 other countries while I'm there. HOORAY! I can't wait to go back to Europe.

4. I've been on so many dates recently that my head is spinning... Maybe ONE of them will work out ;)

5. Being outdoors has been my saving grace. If you know me, you'll be surprised to hear that I wish winter was over (maybe I should have spent more time skiing) .. I am looking forward to summer :) It's been a cold long winter

Image via

It is dang cold here in Rexburg! And when I say cold, I mean "It feels like -30 outside, folks. You better dress warm!" My toes are cold, my nose hairs are freezing, and sometimes my car wont start. I wish I could stay snuggled in bed all day and sip hot cocoa, but I can't, so I'll look at these cute pictures that my sister sent of herself enjoying the warm sunny weather in Hawaii. Lucky duck. Maybe I should consider moving?

Hope you're staying warm, wherever you might be!

I'm glad we're completely ourselves in this photo :)

You're Invited.

The worst of luck.

If this isn't the truth about Rexburg. Haha!

To Infinity and Beyond!

On August 20th-23rd, a climbing guide will take 2 friends and I to the top of the world, almost 14,000 feet, to the summit of the Grand Teton. My hands are sweating as I write this. It's going to be the hardest physical test I've put my body through, but I try not to think about it too often (which is impossible because I'm so excited!!).  I work hard every day to keep an optimal climbing/walking strong body.  Lots of running, stairs, lunges, pushups, weight training, rock climbing, you name it-I've done it, or am doing it :)

I'll first visit the Middle Teton in just 2 short weeks in preparation for the climb of the Grand Teton. I'm giddy with excitement for these adventures! Some people are worried about all the risks (ahhem, mom...) But, it will be a goal completed and a dream come true. Something that I'll never forget.

Any Mountain climbers out there? Tips and suggestions are VERY welcome. I've only climbed a few mountains in my life..

I'll probably pose like this at the top of the mountain...

If you're wondering what this adventure looks like, there is a great blog written by a man who climbed with 3 other men. It has great pictures and maps to help anyone understand what it's really like up there. Read about it HERE

The Good Old Days

Sometimes I do ridiculous things for school. Take this photography assignment for example....We were assigned to recreate old photos.  HAHA This is possibly the craziest thing I've done all semester. I clearly can't fit in the bathtub like I could 19 years ago :)

I Love My Mom

Thanks to my Mom, I know exactly who I want to be like, and that is her. She is selfless in everyway and I couldn't be more proud to be her daughter. I know if I become more like her, I'll become more like Christ. She has made me who I am today. I love you, Mom! Happy Mother's Day!

Cousins

I wish we lived closer to these great cousins. 

Congrats to Erin for graduating! And congrats to Breanne for getting engaged!

Life

Sometimes life is hard and stressful and not fun. Getting older means more responsibilities and more expectations. Sometimes thinking about all those things boggs me down... Today is one of those days. So, to counteract this mood, I've been thinking about traveling to somewhere warm and sunny, where I don't know anybody. (Sounds wonderful, ya?)  I can wander the streets or be in the great outdoors, discover new things about the world I live in and not worry about a thing. That would be bliss.

A little bit of Jazz

Last night I was more than excited to attend the winter Jazz concert at BYU-Idaho.   Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Jazz music?! Well, I do and I was very excited to be there because: 

1. Jazz music makes my heart skip a beat, and 2. Our good friends Jason and Jon were singing! The next Michael Buble {Aka, Jason Lucas} sings in this video. Pretty fantastic if I do say so myself! You'll want to sway during this and then want Jason's phone number...

Spring has sprung...err not really.

Happy first day of Spring! Too bad it doesn't feel like it here in Idaho. In fact, I still need a parka and snow boots. Brr. I'm wishing I was at any of these locations right now. Please hurry summer.
Pictures via Outdoor Living

My blonde hair...

will be back on Thursday! :) I'm thrilled. In other news, I bought THIS in grappa punch today. So cute! I couldn't be more excited for summer.