life is beautiful.

who you are, is beautiful

2012-02-10T17:54:00.001-07:00

I've decided:

New Testament is my favorite class.

...And that's saying something, because I adore all my classes!

Not only do I learn wonderful facts about Jesus Christ and his life on earth, but I have never had a class (as far as I can remember) where I always leave feeling so uplifted and enlightened, determined to be a better person.

Just one example:

I was feeling really down today,

(it's because I haven't exercised in 2 days, I know it)

when I get an email from my New Testament professor that contained the following thought from Sister Patricia Holland, wife of apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland:

(I know it's long, but trust me, so worth it)

"Our Father in Heaven needs us as we are, as we are growing to become. He has intentionally made us different form one another so that even with our imperfections we can fulfill his purposes. My greatest misery comes when I feel I have to fit what others are doing, or what I think others expect of me. I am most happy when I am comfortable being me and trying to do what my Father in heaven and I expect me to be.

“For many years I tried to measure the oft times quiet, reflective, thoughtful Pat Holland against the robust, bubbly, talkative, and energetic Jeff Holland and others with like qualities. I have learned through several fatiguing failures that you can’t have joy in being bubbly if you are not a bubbly person. It is a contradiction of terms. I have given up seeing myself as a flawed person because my energy level is lower than Jeff’s, and I don’t talk as much as he does, nor as fast. Giving this up has freed me to embrace and rejoice in my own manner and personality in the measure of my creation. Ironically, that has allowed me to admire and enjoy Jeff’s ebullience even more.

“Somewhere, somehow the Lord ‘blipped the message unto my screen’ that my personality was created to fit precisely the mission and talents he gave me. For example, the quieter, calmer talent of playing the piano reveals much about the real Pat Holland. I would never have learned to play the piano if I hadn’t enjoyed the long hours of solitude required for its development. This same principle applies to my love of writing, reading, meditation, and especially teaching and talking with children. Miraculously, I have found that I have untold abundant sources of energy to be myself. But the moment I indulge in imitation of my neighbor, I feel fractured and fatigued and find myself forever swimming upstream. When we frustrate God’s plan for us, we deprive this world and God’s kingdom of our unique contributions, and a serious schism settles in our soul. God never gave us any task beyond our ability to accomplish it. We just have to be willing to do it our own way. We will always have enough resources for being who we are and what we can become.”

(Pat Holland, LDS Women’s Treasury: Insights and Inspiration for Today’s Woman, p. 104)

Just what I needed.

And I hope it helped you, too.

May you have peace.

beautiful music.

2012-01-16T14:10:00.000-07:00

yessssssssssssssssssssssss.

jon schmidt, you did it again.

oh, and did you know alex boye (the singer in this video) is a mormon?

the link above takes you to his mormon.org profile page. :)

peace.

I'm a Mormon

2012-01-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

who am i? why am i a Mormon? how do i live my faith?

check out my profile on Mormon.org.

finding joy

2011-12-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

beautiful thing #82:

{my life}

i love life.

life loves me.

find out how you can love life too, by reading this awesome article.

trust me, it's worth a couple minutes of your time.

[let's start this year with beautiful thoughts]

peace.

LDS Humanitarian Services, est. 1936

2011-12-24T10:51:00.001-07:00

Service.

That's what it's all about, isn't it?

I would like to introduce you to my favorite humanitarian organization:

the welfare program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...

{LDS Humanitarian Services}

100% of the donations made to LDS Humanitarian Services goes straight to the needy1

Compare that to the American Red Cross, which can only give 91 cents for every dollar. 2

In a $5,000 donation, that's a $450 difference!

Now don't get me wrong--I'm all for the Red Cross and the good that they do.

But honestly... you can't beat one-hundred percent!

So go check out the different parts of LDS Humanitarian Services. They do everything from teaching people self-reliance in Utah, to shipping emergency relief supplies around the world, to providing wheelchairs, clean water, and volunteer service... among many, many other things.

To find out more about what the program is and how you can help, go to mormon.org/humanitarian-aid.

For more information on the history and inspiration of the program, see H. David Burton's (presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) speech from the April 2011 General Conference.

beautiful thing:

LDS Humanitarian Services

helping people everywhere since 1936.

peace out.

a christmas message

2011-12-17T14:36:00.001-07:00

this time of year, it's so easy for me to lose sight of reality.

with the stress of finals, and the many daily distractions that so easily claim my thoughts and energy, i need to remind myself what's really important in life:

love.

in the end, our worth is not measured by grades, fitness, friends, or even happiness--although those are all great things.

in the end what really matters is how much we love God and our fellow men. and true love is more than just a feeling--it's a mindset, a lifestyle that requires the employment of our hands, heart, and mind. and sometimes our material resources.

my aim is to be so full of love that there is no more room for extra negative, or even neutral, thoughts, emotions, desires, etc.

Jesus Christ embodies this perfect love. His love for the Father and for us led Him to consummate the ultimate act of charity, in which He voluntarily suffered unbearable pain, bleeding from every pore, to atone for our sins, afterwards submitting Himself to mortal death (ironically by the hands of those for whom He'd just suffered). He then rose again in a perfect, resurrected body, making it possible for us too, to regain our bodies after death.

All as the natural, but no less difficult, result of His incredible love for us.

Because He loves us, our Savior did what was necessary for us to have the chance to be truly happy.

i, too, want to do what i can to make others happy. though my love is nowhere near as perfect as Christ's... i'm trying. and whatever love i'm lacking, He will make up for with His own.

if my imperfect words don't adequately convey the message i'm trying to get across, this video certainly will:

merry christmas to all.

peace

i know i'm bombarding you with all these songs...

2011-12-05T21:42:00.002-07:00

...but come on. you can't say no to Matisyahu.

as a christian, i don't celebrate Hanukkah.. but i find this song so, so beautiful.
this is the season of miracles.

Happy Holidays!

peace

bt#79

2011-12-05T21:14:00.001-07:00

who's good?

{gotta love byu}

peace

{i'm grateful for people who help others}

2011-11-26T18:36:00.001-07:00

This summer, I took a road trip with my parents to Denver, where we attended the farewell talk for my friend who left to serve an LDS mission. At a friends-and-family-get-together after the talk, I met an awesome girl my age, named
Ana Dodson.

She told me about her non-profit organization that she started when she was just 11 years old!

It's called Peruvian Hearts, and they work to bring nutrition, education, and health care to poor children in Peru.

Here's a quick blurb from the website:

[hint: click on 'website,' and it'll actually take you there]

thank you, ana!

because of you, and all others involved in your organization, these children enjoy better lives than they would have otherwise. it's people like you who make this world a better place!

you are a difference-maker,

and that's beautiful.

[#78]

...peace...

[and happy two-days-after-thanksgiving!]

yes. yes yes yes.

2011-11-20T00:09:00.004-07:00

beautiful thing: good music

so i'm a little obsessed with mat kearney right now.

his music hits me. right here [patting my heart].

check out my current favorite songs:

breathe in, breathe out

closer to love

and

where we gonna go from here

but this one... this one is beautiful, too. it's called won't back down.

one of my favorite lines:

"when all is lost, all is left to gain."

read his bio first, and you'll understand the lyrics.

amazing. just amazing.

[peace out]

bt#77

2011-11-17T16:58:00.002-07:00

reality
is beautiful.

peace out.

[it must be the name]

2011-10-27T20:35:00.000-06:00

beautiful, beautiful song.

[peace.]

why i'm beautiful

2011-10-20T06:47:00.001-06:00

ellie hasn't been very good at keeping up with her blog.

ellie apologizes.

instead, ellie has been studying her tail off so she can get a scholarship and learn valuable tools that she can use to help others now, and in the future, when she starts her career in the field of psychologyslashtherapyslashwomen'shealth...

[ellie's done talking in third person]

What prompted this post, you may ask?

well let me tell you....

it's the BYU Women's Service's 10 Day Body Image Challenge.

a.k.a. the Recapturing Beauty campaign.

you may remember me mentioning this last year. cause i did.

my girls and i at the closing ceremony last year

this campaign is all about looking beyond the surface, beyond the image in the mirror, and seeing ourselves for the divine women we really are. it's about recapturing the idea of true beauty that has been lost among the confusing smog of media influences and worldly expectations. beauty goes deeper than skin, than makeup, than clothes, than weight...

true beauty comes from the soul.

I am beautiful because my Savior, Jesus Christ, loves me.

He sees me not only for who I am now, but for who I can become. He loves me even with all my flaws.

He atoned for my sins so that I can live up to my true potential as a beautiful daughter of God.

and that's beautiful!

now i'm asking you:

what makes you beautiful?

peace out.

and pass it on.

only at BYU

2011-10-04T07:18:00.000-06:00

i'm grateful to be at BYU...

where my roommates blast the Mormon Tabernacle Choir every Sunday morning.

{[that's beautiful]}

peace out.

#73

2011-09-05T15:30:00.001-06:00

{happiness}

is giving yourself to the Lord.

your whole self,

heart and soul.

Vulnerability... is beauty

2011-09-04T19:23:00.001-06:00

This has penetrated my heart.

[confession: i struggle with vulnerability]

peace out.

[chuckle]

2011-08-17T11:02:00.000-06:00

i love the little moments that make me laugh.

i was working on my macbook on campus, and this lady comes up who looks like she's in her ...mid-40's?

lady: "Excuse me..."

me: "Yes?"

lady: "Is that a regular computer, or one of those notebooks?"

........................................

me: "It's a notebook."

lady: "What brand is that?"

me: "It's a mac."

lady: "Oh, it's cute. I like the white."

me: "Thanks!"

[and she walks away]

i guess technology hasn't taken over the whole world.

hehe.

peace out.

beautiful thing, #69

2011-08-09T21:50:00.000-06:00

i like to make friendship bracelets.

[for myself]

Don't miss this!!!!!

2011-08-01T14:46:00.002-06:00

my friends, I have an awesome opportunity for you!!

ever heard of Kiva?

[well. now you have.]

it's a great non-profit organization that allows regular people like you and me to lend $25 (or more) to hard-working entrepreneurs all over the world.

Here's how it works:

You make an account.

You loan $25 (or more) to the borrower of your choice.

{There's a list on the website}

They pay you back, a little bit at a time.

When you get at least $25 back, you can invest in someone else.

{or withdraw, if you really want to be like that}

by investing only $25, you can help lots of people fulfill their dreams and make an honest living.

the best part?

Here's your chance to do it...

FOR FREEEEEEEE!

...if you sign up by following this link:

http://kiva.org/invitedby/ellie8503

Kiva will pay your $25 for you.

So all you have to do is sign up.

Pick a borrower.

Make a difference.

At no cost to you.

But this offer is only available for the first 4,000 who sign up.

So what are you waiting around here for?????

I made my first investment in 2009 to a group of ladies running a grocery store in Peru.

They repaid, and I reinvested.

And so the virtuous cycle began. :)

do it.

{ummmm.. have i made my point?}

peace out.

for all you harry potter fans...

2011-07-16T07:54:00.001-06:00

[okay, so maybe i'm just bitter that i didn't go to the midnight showing.]

but you gotta watch this:

peace out, wizards

he's back... with a vengeance

2011-07-08T22:02:00.001-06:00

[yes, that is a quote from Yoga X, all you P90X fanatics you]

this kid:

is home, after serving a two-year religious mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

welcome home, brotha!

and ladies.... i know what you're thinking. he is single.

here's the beautiful thing:
Nick is such a good example to me of faith, diligence, love, integrity, purity, and passion for righteousness.
i want to be like him when i grow up.
...or now. now would be good. :)
i couldn't be prouder of him.

peace out.

this is my life right now

2011-07-02T23:24:00.001-06:00

job #1

study

job #2

essay

job #3

read

job #4

study

[repeat x208508502593020394820934]

it sure is a good thing i've got awesome friends like Mao Zedong, Okonkwo, Ferdinand Magellan, Ghandi, and Adam Smith to cheer me on!!

{needless to say, we party errday}

beautiful:

1) all the discipline i'm learning. i'mma be a mean, lean, studying machine by the time fall rolls around!

2) the Sabbath. day of rest :)

peace out, cub scout

a weekend getaway: cousins, colors, culture

2011-06-29T20:26:00.000-06:00

colorado:
{missing you already}

peace out.

63

2011-06-25T08:14:00.000-06:00

this video is

beautiful

bt#61

2011-06-09T23:13:00.000-06:00

today i went out in public with no make-up on.

and i didn't even care.

that's beautiful.

beautiful thing #60

2011-06-09T09:04:00.003-06:00

TOMS is about to start selling one-for-one sunglasses.
{buy some sunglasses, and someone in need gets real glasses.}

As will be Warby Parker.

And Invisible Children, through Warby Parker.

cute, huh??

beautiful thing:

people doing what they can to help those in need

you inspire me, you philanthropists. someday i will join your ranks.

also:

check out what this lady's doing to feed the hungry.

{hint: click on "this lady" for the link}

i admit, i did read about her in PEOPLE magazine.

so materialistic, i know.

everyone has something they can do to help those in need.

go out. discover your mission.

[i think i'm discovering mine.]

please.

let me know if you hear of any more people/companies doing things like this.

i'm definitely always interested.

peace out.

psychology of ellie

2011-06-05T20:43:00.001-06:00

on my mind:

i still cannot believe how short my hair is.

there's practically nothing left.

it's been two months since my big haircut, and i have yet to get used to it.

on my mind:

i want a camera.

real bad. mine's broken.

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

what's the best kind of camera for a goof like me?

you know. just so i can day dream about it.

on my mind:

i like neon. neon is nice.

[and hair ties are a runner's best friend.]

what's beautiful?

hmmm.

i'mma have to go with neon.

peace out.

Be Still, by Hilary Weeks

2011-06-03T15:56:00.001-06:00

So I know I've mentioned this song at least once.

But it's definitely worth mentioning again.

[okay, maybe devoting a whole post]

It's meant so much to me over the years, and I want to share.

{lyrics}

Another day
I'll try again
But can you tell me
Will the hurting ever end?

I've been taught
And I believe
But it's been awhile
Since I've been on my knees

But I need you by my side
I don't have the strength
To make it on my own
And Lord, do you hear my prayer
How soon will you answer me?

I know you're weary
I know you've had all you can bear
And now you ask of me on bended knee
I promise I'll be there

I've watched you struggle
Yet I can see how much you've grown
Child, could you feel my power in your darkest hour?
You were not alone

Be still and know that I am God
I'm by your side
Whom shall you fear
I'll give you strength my child
I am here
Be still and know that I am God
And there's no prayer
That I don't hear
Lift up your head
My child
I am here

I absolutely love Hilary Weeks.

My mom bought me her CD called The Collection a few years ago, when we were living in London.

I don't talk about my London years much, but I'll just say that they were very hard for me. Almost every day was like a 10k run, uphill, minus the endorphins. But I found that when I listened to inspiring, spiritual music ("church music," as I called it), I could feel the Holy Ghost bear witness of God's love for me, and I knew everything would be okay.

I first heard this song... my sophomore year, I believe? In high school. I'd taken a break from the school library and was just chillin in the bathroom, listening to my iPod, when "Be Still" came on. As I listened to the words, it was as if my heart was singing Hilary's piece, and God was singing the man's. I'm sure that is the intention of the song--and it worked, because soon I was bawling happy tears, full of peace, joy, hope, gratitude, love... with a healthy dose of mascara running down my cheeks.

It's very hard for me to listen to this without choking up, at least a little bit.

[and that's saying something, because i am definitely not the cry-at-anything-remotely-touching type. no, no. that's my mom]

But this song is so special to me.

I was listening to it while driving home from work yesterday and.. it just hit me. Again. Our Heavenly Father loves us, His children, so much. He knows and appreciates all the hard times we go through, no matter how "small," embarrassing, difficult, or unfair--even if they're a result of our own choices.

He waits for us to reach out to Him, so that He can show us just how much He loves us, and how He will do anything and everything to help us find eternal joy someday in His presence.
I just need to put all my trust in Him.

He allowed His first born Son to suffer and die for us. That's how much He loves us. He will never abandon you or me.
This I know, with all my heart.

Anyways, I just wanted to share that with you. With whoever reads my blog.

It has been such a help, strength, and reminder to me over the years.

I hope you find in it the treasures that I have found.

peace.

X ME!

2011-05-21T15:59:00.002-06:00

so my awesome friend hailey shared this little piece of hilarity with me.

i was laughing so hard my parents thought i was crying.

gotta love BYU comedy.

[and of course tony horton. tehe.]

beautiful thing:

wholesome comedy

with some truth in it hahahahaha

[except for the modified stuff, that's pretty exaggerated]

me and hailstorm, bringin it:

peace out

Enlightenment from the Enlightenment

2011-05-20T10:53:00.007-06:00

beautiful thing:

pleasant surprises

so i'm retaking this class online. it's called World Civilization from 1500, and i find it really interesting!
[can i say, i'm learning wayyy more than i did in the actual class. yep.]
but as a history class, you wouldn't think to find deep, meaningful insights into your own personal life.
THINK AGAIN.

i found this little gem in my lesson today. it was about the changes taking place in Europe from 1500-1750 AD:

"But at the core of any real transformation is a change in the way people think—the way they think about themselves, and in how they explain the physical world around them. Ideological changes are the deep and most enduring."

pretty neat, huh? it's so true--not just for a nation or a generation.

but for me.

and you.

peace out.

HOLLAAAAAAAAA!

2011-05-18T22:06:00.003-06:00

[[four words:]]

love

hunger games

peeeace out

President Thomas S. Monson

2011-05-18T07:52:00.001-06:00

to be, or not to be

2011-05-17T08:25:00.001-06:00

I just read this amazing talk given by Elder Lynn G. Robbins in the April 2011 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It's called "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be?"

At one point in the talk, Robbins quotes Carol Dweck who said:

"Never let failure progress from an action to an identity."

Robbins goes on to give some amazing parenting advice {definitely saving this article for when i'm a mom} about cultivating the be in children, not just the do. As I was reading this, I realized that it doesn't only apply to parents. I can be of some help to others by noticing and pointing out not just the good that they do, but the deeper characteristics that motivate their actions--who they are.

And about that quote--well, that's something I have a hard time with. I'm sure a lot of people do. But reading this talk reminded me that I am not my mistakes. Sure, we all mess up once in a while. No one's perfect. But God never meant for us to let our weaknesses bring us down. Just because I make one mistake, doesn't mean I'm a failure. It just means... I made one mistake! And I can forgive myself, move on, and learn from it... and diligently avoid making that mistake again.

Just by realizing the difference between to be and to do, we can all gain hope for the future and motivation to change. And change is important because what we do, over time, does inevitably determine who we become. And vice-versa--who we are is the driving force behind most of our actions. Moral of the story: do good, be good, and just keep swimming :)

Now that's beautiful.

peace.

Some sun, and some PacSun

2011-05-12T11:27:00.000-06:00

ya know what's truly beautiful?

THIS DAY.

It's sunny. and warmmmmm.

that means i can mow the lawn.

and sand & paint the door.

yes. yesyes.

...oh, and i'm working at PacSun now.

4 jobs, baby. [[i think it's a new record]]

college tuition, here i come!!

[peace out]

L-O-V-E

2011-05-04T18:27:00.001-06:00

some things i'm a-lovin right now:

this picture:

this song:

this video:

this food:

tell me: what are you lovin?

peace, dawg.

back from the dead

2011-05-01T23:14:00.010-06:00

finals are over.
freshman year is through.
and i am home again!

what was my first year like?
i made tons of mistakes.
i made tons of friends.
i did worse in school than ever before.
i worked harder for school than ever before.
i slacked off more than ever before.
i tried new sports.
i lost a lot of sleep.
i learned a lot about my strengths.
i learned a lot about my weaknesses.
i found new music.
i changed my major twice.

i found true friends.

i found untrue friends.
i gained horribly unhealthy habits.
i gained a new love of running.

basically: it was an entirely new experience. in good ways, and bad.
now i didn't do anything bad. my worst class grade was a B+. and none of my pranks ever went through ;)
but we make mistakes all the time, and we have trials all the time, so that we can learn from them.
we have experiences that help us grow, improve, appreciate the good times, and help other people.

I'm grateful for all the experiences i had.
Lots that i won't repeat, some that i will.
but all that i will learn from!

[peace out.]

bathe you in hope, wrap you in wholeness, feed you peace

2011-04-29T08:17:00.000-06:00

So this girl named Emily Pond Ricks came to my family's house a couple years ago to give a fireside. She sat down at the piano and sang gospel messages to us through songs that she'd written; they were beautiful!

~~Here's a lil' taste:~~ Nevermind, I can't find them on Youtube haha. But she is on iTunes!

[Sorry, you're gonna have to exert a little energy in your fingertips and do a couple extra clicks]

One of my favorite songs of hers is called If I Could. She has such a way with words--this song perfectly describes how I feel about someone. I'm sure a lot of you have someone this reminds you of, too. Read carefully... Man, I could never express these feelings as well as she does! It's so inspiring:

If I Could

Emily Pond Ricks

Well Hi

Oh hey I know it's really late

I said well yeah but

I'm here anytime

I'll always answer when it's you

And then you told me the unthinkable

My chest got choked and

I wished that none of it were true

Talk to you later

That's when I fell apart

Collapsed to my knees

And tried to breath

Crying

Pleading

I wish that I could give you

What you really need

And if I could

I'd bathe you in hope

I'd wrap you in wholeness and feed you peace

And if I could

I'd sweep away every doubt

And wipe up the confusion

And wring out disbelief

Oh, I'd run to you

Tonight

Make your demons cower in the light

If I could

Spinning

Searching through a thousand words

Just trying to find a way to catch you

Just in case you drop

Your whole life is bleeding

And all the world's bandaids

Can't seem to make it stop

And if I could

I'd bathe you in hope

I'd wrap you in wholeness and feed you peace

And if I could

I'd sweep away every doubt

And wipe up the confusion

And wring out disbelief

Oh, I'd run to you

Tonight

Make your demons cower in the light

If I could

But He can

He can bathe you in hope

He can wrap you in wholeness and feed you peace

I know He can

He can sweep away every doubt

And wipe up this confusion

And wring out disbelief

And I pray He'll run to you

Tonight

Make your demons cower

Cause He is the Light

If I could

a little spring to your step

2011-03-30T19:46:00.000-06:00

ya know what's beautiful?

SPRING.

[i love hearing birds chirp in the morning]

peace.

out.

winning here, winning there

2011-03-12T11:06:00.000-07:00

Joshua Radin was amaaaaaazing!

and by the way, he is super cool and sincere.

aaaaand his music rocks. :)

beautiful thing?

...all i can say is...

[52]

points

the whole world is getting Jimmered.

give money. save lives.

2011-03-02T16:41:00.003-07:00

I hope you watched the Invisible Children videos!!!!!!!! If not, here's the page.

{hint: click on the word page}

For those of you with short attention spans (like me), here's a disclaimer:

The videos are soo short. the longest one is 6 minutes, the others are like... 3. or something. so don't use that excuse!!!!

But it's official. I'm doing the 25 Campaign!

Which means i'm going silent for 25 hours in April. (April 24-25)

Which also means i'm collecting money for the building of:

1) Rehabilitation centers in the D.R. of Congo for escaped child soldiers

2) Radio networks in the D.R. of Congo so villages can communicate with each other to stop the LRA and get speedy medical help

Here's my fundraising page.

Click it.

Donate.

and spread the word... like lives depend on it!!

oh wait...

they do.

peace out.

you got growin up to do

2011-03-01T19:37:00.002-07:00

[oh.heyy]

Well... I didn't get the RA job. Oh well. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

but that means I have to find a job for next year.

and a place to live.

my plans so far: nonexistent

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

any ideas?

i know i've been pretty bad at this whole blogging thing. sorry. i'mma try to make up for it now by telling you about... myself. and african children (surprise, surprise!). and possibly my thoughts.

[my life right now]

applying for summer jobs

(so far: BYU sports camps, Aspen Grove)

looking for next-school-year jobs

(so far: uhhhhhh.....)

classes

(ya love em & ya hate em. but, mom & dad, of course i only love them ;) )

midterms

(yuck.)

trying to get more sleep

(8 hours last night. wooooooo!)

sunshine

(= happiness. hang in here with me, utah weather)

ma buds and me... studying :)

and guess what. i am soooo excited for tomorrow. wanna know why? two words:

JOSHUA. RADIN.

so FREAKIN excited!!!!!!

One of my favorite songs of his is called The Fear You Won't Fall.

If you listen to the words, it's so true. for real. and it's something i completely understand, ha.

It's cause of this that i hate having crushes on boys. it makes me feel so powerless. i never know whether he likes me back, and i'm never brave enough to find out. the fear he won't fall, the fear that you like someone more than they like you, is... not fun haha. this is why it's so hard for me to have an 'official crush.' And i don't think i'm the only one who feels this way. Right?

maybe i just need to find some guts. and take a risk.

or maybe... i just won't let myself have a crush on anyone :)

(Or at least i won't admit it.)

the second choice is definitely the easier.

BEAUTIFUL THING:

learning. i do it every day at a place called school.

peace out.

p.s. the african children topic is coming up... next post.
p.p.s. my camera's broken... sad day :(

what's up

2011-02-23T08:54:00.002-07:00

Ok, so one of these days i promise i'm going to do a real, personal, wordy post that tells you all about my life right now.

--but that day is not today.

I just need to share these two videos. They are on a subject very, very close to my heart.

The first:
we can help.

The second:
an expansion on the first.

VERY IMPORTANT.

Please, just watch.

The first:

And the second:

You guys... this is what i want to do with my life. There are so many people in the world who go through trauma, like these child soldiers, and who need psychological help. They need help to find peace. They need help to know that there is more to life than tragedy.

On the Invisible Children website, there's one more video about radio systems that would help communication in the D.R. of Congo, strengthening efforts against the LRA and allowing for swifter medical aid.
There, you can also sign up for The 25 Campaign. I'm going to. :)

God cares about all of His children. Our help could be the answer to someone's prayer.

Beautiful thing:

Media, when used for good.

peace out.

marchin on

2011-01-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Keep marching on.

((Sometimes it's all you can do.))

peace out.

wish me luckkk

2011-01-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

i have my RA interview tomorrow.

aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[[i can do hard things]]

beautiful thing: BYU Basketball {aka JIMMERRRRR}

peace

2011-01-17T22:18:00.002-07:00

"Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall they confidence wax strong in the presence of God." D&C 121:45

painting the town red

2011-01-06T13:58:00.002-07:00

Finally finished my ceiling tile!

this is gonna grace the ceiling of my high school's AP Art room. :)

also.

second semester has begun...

and the L-Dog is back in business.

beautiful thing?

GOING-TO-BED-BEFORE-MIDNIGHT

[i feel so well-rested]

peace out.

giving isn't just for Christmas!

2010-12-30T00:11:00.000-07:00

have you ever wondered,

"why can't there be a search engine that donates to charity every time i search something?"

i know, i know. it's a common question.

...and i have the answer!

www.GoodSearch.com

[powered by yahoo]

it's what i use.

and it's what you should use, too.

it's not as... extensive?... as google. but if you don't need in-depth results, it works great!

you just pick the charity you want to help out, and they donate some cents for every search. A little at a time adds up!

check it. my choice (LDS Philanthropies) has gotten $70 this year JUST from searches!

it's easy peasy.

so there's no reason not to.

peace.

screenshots

2010-12-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

so i'm a visual person...

[if you can't tell]

i love pictures.

and pretty things.

and things that make me laugh.

and things that make me think.

Below are several random pikchas i found on my computer.

some are pretty,

some are funny,

and some are just...

t r u e.

E N J O Y

{how fitting for this blog... heh. heh. heh.}

{cute, tragic, hilarious, beautiful... all in one crazy picture. of a donkey. what?}

{never. ever.}

{via sycamore street press}

{and what can you do about it?}

{truth}

{obviously whoever typed this is not a true fan. they butchered poor ralphy's middle name}

{bahahahhaahahahaha}

{my Book of Mormon teacher would beg to differ hahaha}

{run n tell that... to mr. president. uh, what?}

{go green?}

{the sad effect of Twilight on society...}

{well, yeah. of course..}

peace out.

first semester downnn

2010-12-19T20:06:00.002-07:00

life in general...

[it's beautiful.]

well, duh.

down goes my first semester.

as a college student.

at the one and only

B Y U

and i ~~survived~~ thrived.

what's so great about college, you ask?

besides the amazing classes, honor code, teachers, etc...

i have to say, it's mostly the people.

dorm life is just soo.... fun.

ya know?

{{sorry in advance about the bad quality of the pictures. i blame faaaaaceboooook.}}

we've got our crazy wind-blown photo shoots [~~slash spying on certain people in the lobby~~... what?]:

karen + me = simply fierce.

ward prayers [and games afterwards like the bachelor/ette, spaz, sing-alongs, guess-who-just-tapped-your-shoulder... uh, what?]:

first night of The Bachelor... Ryan and May got pretty into it, lemme tell ya.

late-night hall-chats:

left to right: chaychole, holly, sully, molly, jujubay, me

new friends:

annie & i trying to keep our balance on ice skates

jokes and pranks:

found this randomly taped to a door in another building... bahahahaha. loooove it

ward activities:

top: on the bus to temple square

bottom: enjoying the lights at temple square

"who-does-she-like" interrogations:

you'll never know... mwahahaha

...and last but definitely not least...

nightly basketball games:

this was the first night that began an unstoppable tradition

{P.S. If you ever see me...

...there's a 50% chance i'll be wearing this. gloves and all.}

say whaaaaat?

i had such a great first semester.

but next semester will be even better!

because, on top of all the fun,

i will take better care of my health.

i will work even harder in my classes.

and

i will try harder to always put the Savior first.

specifically:

here are my [main] goals:

- to bed by midnight

- keep up with the reading assignments

- read scriptures every morning, before breakfast

and i should be good!

some of the most beautiful things about life are:

learning from mistakes

progressing

growing

improving

and becoming the best we can be.

having fun is great, but it's all about a balance.

Now that is beautiful.

peace out.

just watch

2010-12-06T01:07:00.001-07:00

Invisible Children coming to BYU!

2010-11-14T18:31:00.001-07:00

INVISIBLE CHILDREN SCREENING

November 19, 2010

JKB 2107

7 p.m.

Come, and bring all your friends!

Face to Face - Fall Tour 2010 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

What is it?
click here.

peace out

Poetry is art. Its medium is language.

2010-11-02T20:55:00.000-06:00

Here's a quickie:

I found some of my old poems from senior year. Oh, sweet AP English.

[I miss being forced to write]

Blanket

A blanket

Draped across my shoulders.

Pull it closer.

Getting cold;

Pull it closer.

No such thing as too tight.

My Heart

My heart is a Golden Slate

Whereon your words are forever engraved.

I keep them with me

—Always.

And remember them each week,

Etched deep into my soul

—Too deep to wear away.

My Life is a Song

My life is a song.

A hymn, the notes are wound

And intertwined in Praise,

Written by the Great Composer of all songs.

At times my pitch is off or

I miss a note or two.

Sometimes I forget the words,

But I find them again in my book of music

And sing, sing, sing.

Rain

Fresh.

It wafts into

My awareness

Like an old friend

With a voice, soft and clear—

“Forgive and forget:

The world is clean again.”

peace out.

Love

2010-10-20T23:36:00.004-06:00

I finished my first American Heritage essay today, and this post is my reward. :) Woohoo!

why yes, my bed is really tall!

So. Here's what's up:

[[I have Taylor Swift's Back to December stuck in my head. Constantly... and i adore it.]]

I love college. I love the dorms, I love Helaman Halls, I love my ward, I love my FHE group, I love my hall.

I love Brigham Young University.

I love my classes, even though they kick my butt. Lovingly, of course.

I love writing papers about God's purpose in setting up the U.S. Constitution.

I love talking about Christ and His gospel with everyone and anyone.

I love calling my teachers "Brother" and "Sister," and I love how they quote scripture to back up points in their lectures.

--------------------------------------

I love seeing/hearing from my parents & little brother every week.

I love being able to major in Special Education [Severe] while double-minoring in Visual Arts and International Development. [only in America, baby!]

----------------------------------------

I love having good, clean fun with good, fun people:

Homecoming game

Power tumbling

Cosmooooooooooooo!

Yet another hall picture...

HumorU!

{with Stephen Jones, the "new spice" video guy! if you haven't seen it... youtube "new spice." NOW.}

{{and if you can't tell my the pictures.... I love my new gray hoodie. So goshdarn comfyyyy}}

beautiful thing:
BYU

peace out.

facebook fast!

2010-10-10T22:58:00.001-06:00

So there's a Facebook Fast at BYU. Oct. 11-15.

aaand I signed up. :)

Wish me luck!

beautiful thing: all the time i'll have this week with no Facebook!

peace out.

(mind-blowing title goes here)

2010-10-06T13:08:00.004-06:00

beautiful thing: swans

{I just drew one for art, so I'm going through a sort of swan phase ;)}

I wonder what went through God's mind when He created this beautiful creature?

I wonder how long it took to plan its intricate feathers and unique proportions....?

Amazing.

peace out.

Recapturing Beauty

2010-10-04T22:37:00.002-06:00

Beauty:

It's everywhere.

But sometimes we don't appreciate it when we see it. Especially when it comes to seeing the beauty in ourselves.

((I know I'm guilty of that))

Last Thursday, Stephanie Nielson spoke at BYU as a part of its new campaign called Recapturing Beauty. That woman is amazing!! And so beautiful. Her speech, life, example, etc... helped inspire me to sign up for the program's 10 Day Body Image Challenge. It starts October 11th, and you get an awesome free t-shirt for doing it. ;)

The Ten Day Challenge:

Every day for ten days you meet a scheduled challenge. Some examples:

Day 1: Don't weigh yourself & write positive things in your journal

Day 2: Study the definition of beauty in the scriptures

Day 3: Make a list of 20 things you like about yourself (10 non-physical, 10 appearance-related)

And possibly the hardest....

Day 8: No media - "Tune out media – no TV, movies, magazines and internet surfing. Instead tune in to nature. Notice a sunset, gaze at the stars,sit by a stream and listen to the water."

[there's more information and a full schedule in pdf form on the website]

I am so excited! A bunch of my friends are doing this, too, and it's going to be so fun & fulfilling. Anyone can get involved, young & old, zoobie & ute, Utahn & New Yorker--you won't regret it!! In fact.... it might even change your life.

beautiful thing: the true meaning of beauty. from the inside out.

peace out. (home dog)

Good people, doing great things.

2010-09-20T22:09:00.002-06:00

This is what i want to do with my life:

Help people in need!!!

Just watch.

STREET SNAPS PROVO in da house!

2010-09-18T16:56:00.004-06:00

Ever heard of The Sartorialist?

[if you just clicked, then that is now a yessssss ma'am]

Well.... I've started a Provo version.

boo-yah.

It's called Street Snaps Provo

[just click above and your computer will work its magic]

The shots are mainly shots on BYU campus, since that's where I hang out the most.

[Obvi]

.....buuuuuuut checkit checkit checkit out!

my camera may be inferior to that of The Sartorialist, but the fashion is still freaking awesome.

a little sampler:

At BYU??

Who'da thunk it!

peace out.

i'm alive!

2010-09-06T20:38:00.006-06:00

man.

i haven't blogged for a while, have i?

so much has happened!

they say a picture's worth a thousand words.

here are a looooooot of pictures:

last time seeing Granny & Papa before venturing into the college world.

gulp.

saying goodbye to our beautiful home gym.

helloooooo smelly dorm tv room! :)

showing off all the bracelets i made over the summer...

maybe all i'll make in my life?

BYU doesn't consider time for hobbies when they assign homework. ha.

camping with the fam my last night before college

{&& the night MOCKINGJAY came out}

my roommate, hailey, & i being legit college girls.

chyeah.

camden (the girl across the hall from us) and i dj'in it up with attikus (my old jeep)

study party in rachael's room...woot woot!

....aaaaand some shots from my room. :)

beautiful thing:

how close my family lives to BYU.

i loved spending labor day weekend with them!

zey r ze bezt.

AND SO IS BYU!

♥

peace out.

t-6

2010-08-18T11:16:00.006-06:00

t minus 6 days until i move my stuff to BYU.

7 days till i move in myself.

[oh...]

and 6 days till mockingjay comes out.

hoo-ta-thuh-rah.

so today i have a special treat for ya.

i don't know if you've noticed my music column [points to the right], but i update that according to my current favorite songs.

i looooove my music.

so we share what we love, right?

here are my current faves:

Be Still - Hilary Weeks

Hilary Weeks' album The Collection is one of my all-time favorites, if not the favorite. And Be Still is my favorite song on there. It has brought me through so many hard times; lifted me up when i've been down, strengthened my spirit when i've been weak. i can't help but cry every time i listen to it because i can feel my Heavenly Father's love so strong.

Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars

I am in love with Bruno Mars, just from this song. [okay, not really, but still.] This is what every girl dreams of hearing.

Lead Me (Acoustic) - Sanctus Real

Brings tears to my eyes.. which is not so great for driving haha. But this song is so good, and so beautiful. And it makes me happy to see that it's in the top 200 singles on itunes! (the non-acoustic version)

Wake Up - Arcade Fire

Thanks for the suggestion, Holly. ;) You da bestt.

We Own the Sky - M83

ah. may. zingg! ever tried running to this song? better start. ah. may. zing. allicansay.

For You - Matisyahu

I love all things Matisyahu. And this song is so energetic.. it just flows. Love.

--------------------------------------

kkkkkkk.

i know it's time to stop when my parents keep poking their heads through the door, whispering,

"don't stay up for too much longer, kaaaayyy?"

haha. love you guys. :) and mom don't have a heart attack. it's not 12:08 yet ;)

beautiful thing:

music.

duhhhhh.

peace out.

nostalgia

2010-08-11T20:35:00.006-06:00

This, my friends, is my contribution to falling whistles.

behold, in all it's glory.

[&& on a necklace i made a few weeks ago. it was simply meant to be.]

but alas.. i blogged about this fine company last week.

we'll take a break from tragedy, and have some fun!

beautiful thing #12: pictures

i looove old pictures!

and my dear friend sarah haderlie was brilliant enough to post this on facebook:

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

5th grade graduation.

good times, good times.

note my suuuper stylish outfit. hippie-slash-almostbellyshirt. attractivvve. and soooooo early-2000's.

also note sarah's princess garb. she looks like one of the two princesses of bamarre, for sure.

love you, sarah!

anyways, this picture inspired some nostalgia in me, and i went on an old-photo rampage! yessss.

me, somewhere between 3 and 5 years old. maybe 4? haha i dunno.

the classic "i'm a country girl" picture. laaaahhhve eeet.

End of 7th grade. This was me and ma bess frannn, jessi.

note the yearbooks. and the livestrong bracelet.

[these are the days when i would squat down in pictures because i was so self-conscious of my height haha]

this is 8th grade ellie. and her new london bff.

[my necklace looked like candy, i swear. i kept wanting to eat it!!]

freshmen.

fun people! and more london. mmm.

[puka shell necklace. wore it erryday that year.]

jess visits london, 2007.

supastarzz,

in hollister and a&f.

straight.

up.

ward trip to eurodisney =

fun.fun.fun.fun.fun.fun.fun.fun.fun.fun.

{sophomore year}

{insert picture from junior year}

ummm nope. not happening.

senyaa.

look how mature we got.

-ahem-

once again, with dear sarah.

whaaaaatt cuties, eh?

{rediscovering the macbook.}

well, enough entertainment for now.

:) goodnight, and faretheewell.

tell meee.

what awesome old pictures have you found lately?

peace out.

falling whistles

2010-08-08T00:08:00.009-06:00

for those of you who know and love

invisible children,

TOMS,

listen up.

the LRA isn't the only rebel group that kidnaps children to use as soldiers.

it happens all the time.

and in the Democratic Republic of Congo, rebels are kidnapping children too young to hold a gun.

they put them at the front lines.

with no defense -

just a whistle.

they blow their whistles to distract the enemy,

then serve as a "wall" to receive the first round of bullets.

and die,

as their whistles

down

the

ground.

--------------------------------

falling whistles

is an organization made to spread awareness.

get people talking.

demanding.

acting.

to save these children.

and help them,

their families,

and Congo,

find peace.

watch the video.

read the story.

spread the word.

peace out.

dress? yes.

2010-08-07T09:32:00.005-06:00

beautiful thing #11:

vintage stuff

my grandma bought this dress for my mom.

about 15 years ago.

from bangkok.

&& i just found it in the basement the other day.

score.

THANKS MOM!

love you. :)

peace out.

SPED

2010-07-31T11:28:00.005-06:00

thursday was the last day of the Special Ed Summer Preschool program i've been working with.

i'm so sad it's over, but i had a blast working with these kids!

i feel like they taught me more than i taught them...

i am so excited to go into this field!

and of course, i can't get away without mentioning my awesome fellow aids, and chrystal, the amazing teacher!

i was so blessed to have this experience.

beautiful thing: special needs kids.

they really are amazing, in all their innocence.

p.s. why is it that kids don't like smiling in pictures??

they smile all the time, but bring out a camera and... whoaa we're back in the 1800's.

peace out.

i know it's not swimsuit season...

2010-07-28T17:31:00.004-06:00

being a mormon, i dress differently than most of the fashion world.

for instance, i choose not to wear bikinis.

...which makes it reeeeally hard to find cute swimsuits come summer.

{or any time of year, at that}

for this reason, i often turn to our Good Friend The Internet for answers.

and here is what i've found on my most recent investigation:

{too bad they're wayyy over my budget}

1. MAGICSUIT at Bloomingdales, $140 2. MARC BY MARC JACOBS at Bloomingdales, $123 3. JEAN PAUL GAULTIER at Saks Fifth Avenue, discontinued 4. ROXY, $55.99 (actually found out this one's not so modest from the back... and it'd be way uncomfortable haha)

1. LOEFFLER RANDALL at loefflerrandall.com, $158 2. J.CREW at jcrew.com, $175 3. MARC BY MARC JACOBS at Bloomingdales, discontinued 4. DIANE von FURSTENBERG at Bloomingdales, $244

i thought these looked pretty modest on my screen... ha but you never know till you try it on (especially with the strapless ones). which stinnnnks.

oh. well. :)

let me know if you find affordable, modest swimsuits that are sold somewhere in utah?

kthanks.

p.s.

which one is your favorite?

i can't decide. they're all so beautiful!

peace out.

peace, love, happiness

2010-07-27T14:38:00.004-06:00

you know what's a really beautiful thing?

exercise.

I know, i know. to some of you, that word is probably synonymous with PAIN.

Pain... beautiful?

but it's true.

{the exercise part, i mean.}

for the past week or so i've been sick with some crazy cold that won't go away, so i've basically missed exercising for a whole week.

man, do i notice a difference.

when i don't exercise, i feel way more tired, foggy, depressed, etc.. and it's no fun. i'm not exactly sure what it is (i'll probably learn some scientific explanation some day), but exercise directly increases energy, happiness, and confidence.

i'm not talking about, "oh, well when you exercise you look good, so that brings confidence."

i'm talking about more than that. exercise transforms you inwardly, too. like i said, i don't know how it works, just that it does.

trust me, our bodies need exercise.

not only our bodies, but our minds, and spirits.

so...

go on a run, or something!

haha

peace out.

{salivating}

2010-07-23T14:11:00.003-06:00

from urban outfitters:

mmmmmmmmm.

i need a new wallet,

and you are what i want.

....

it's a shame you're $40... and i'm saving for college.

maybe, maybe some day.

beautiful thing:

self-control.

{and i'm practicing it.}

peace out.

turn around, bright eyes.

2010-07-16T23:23:00.008-06:00

umm k so this song really has nothing to do with my post.

it's just been stuck in my head all night,

so now it's stuck in yours. :)

here's a little sampling of my breadth work:

untitled

"the tree of life"

"day and night"

untitled

untitled - figure sketch

untitled

"chiswick bridge"

"crying africa"

untitled

...

and a sampling of my concentration {social commentary}.

did i offend anyone?

perhaps..

untitled

"vacancy"

"the maze of life"

untitled

"for the poor and oppressed"

"advocate for peace"

"fair game"

"the burden of things"

once again...

what do you think?

any questions... comments.. queries?

peace out.

AP - Part One

2010-07-16T00:01:00.003-06:00

{me happily pretending that the AP Art judges don't phase me}

they don't throw off my groove.

they don't make me question my abilities.

they don't make me wanna scream, then sleep.

oh, i really don't care what they think.

nope.

not at all.

i got my score back the other day:

3 out of 5.

which is good....

well, passing.

{my ego is hungry, and won't be satisfied}

and they don't even tell me why. how will i know what to improve?

hmmph.

beautiful thing: people who don't let random others' {cough, ap judges, cough} criticism upset them.

people with humility. and perspective... i truly admire them.

but i'll show you some of my pieces. and when i do, i want to know...

what do you think?

what can i improve on?

i promise i do more than just crayon ;)

{for instance... colored pencil. ha. ha}

on the bright side:

i got a 5 on my AP English Lit test. which was a HUGE surprise! but, of course, a delicious one.

peace out.

yesssss

2010-07-11T23:33:00.003-06:00

i now make && sell wicked sweet bracelets.

like the one above.

want one?

letters

2010-07-09T13:48:00.009-06:00

today i'm writing some letters. wanna see?

Dear Toms,

I love you. I know I tell you that a lot, but you see, you are perfect for me. Not only are you incredibly attractive, but you have a good heart. Because there is absolutely no way I would spend a minimum of $44 on you if you didn't use the money to make shoes for impoverished little kids. So thankyou.

Love,

p.s. I just splurged and bought two more of your kind... and i don't regret it. :)

p.p.s. I am also in love with your new perforated shoes. Mmmmmmmm.

Dear Cafe Rio,

Although I love your food, I am mad at you. Why did you have to move right next to Bajio's in Park City, of all places? You heartless Jerk with a capital J. Now they are out of business. And it's all your fault.

Inconsiderate. Unnecessary. A tragic loss.

Sincerely,

p.s. Honestly... your food tastes no better than theirs. Fact.

Dear Michaels,

Thank you for giving me a job.

And thank you for opening my eyes to how awesome you are and how careful I need to be not to spend all my school money on your art supplies.

Sincerely,

Dear Mount Timpanogos,

I want to climb you this summer. But I don't know how?

Wistfully,

p.s. I am also unsure whether it costs money....

Dear Fashion Blogs,

You waste my time. And I have stopped following you.

{NOT} Missing you,

Dear P90X,

You are today's beautiful thing. Congrats, and go celebrate!

Sincerely,

{below is an overly dramatic picture of me after plyometrics}

peace out.

what i did in preschool today!

2010-06-29T15:56:00.002-06:00

i'm still a kid at heart.

crayons entertain me.

BT4 and shiny things

2010-06-27T08:18:00.011-06:00

Beautiful Thing #4: smiles

this is a picture of my parents smiling. :) they are just so amazing. they fill every room they walk through with light. I aspire to be as cheerful, hopeful, loving, and inspired as they are!

okay, so i guess that's two beautiful things: smiles and parents. but hey... i'm pretty sure i'm allowed to write more than one. can't get too much of a ~~good~~ beautiful thing.

and now i'm gonna get a little more materialistic...

one more ~~beautiful~~ ~~pretty~~ ridiculously fun thing:

packages

does your heart go a-flutter when you see a ups/fedex truck drive by?

could you spend hours online searching for sweet deals?

when you order something, do you count the days in anticipation until the package arrives?

you may be a shopaholic.

...or you may just be like me. :)

{i'm not a shopaholic, i sweeeaar..!!}

i just got a package i ordered from urban outfi tters {a.k.a. best store everrrrr} the other day.

talk about sweet deals.. their online sales BURY the in-store ones.

there's something strangely satisfying about buying new stuff... especially when it's this cute for so cheap. ;)

{{i needed jewelry for college, okay?}}

peace out.

these are the days :)

2010-06-18T17:57:00.005-06:00

Today was a good day. :)

And i'll tell you why...

1) I got a job. well.. three, actually! But they were all finalized today.

- Michaels {the craft store} -- I am sooo excited. what can i say? ifreakingloveart.

- Special Ed Preschool Summer Program -- I'm gonna be an aid. :) wayy stoked, cause this is what i'm majoring in. Special Ed, severe. And i looove it. so much.

- Nanny -- Babysitting the sweetest kids two days a week.

2) I voted. i feel old. aaand... i sold my soul to the republican party. ouch. but i had to if i wanted to vote for utah's senator... haha both of the candidates were republican. so i guess i'm technically part of that party now... woot woot?

3) I found some sweet deals at a few yard sales. i. love. yard. sales.

but... ahhh! obviously the jobs are the best part of today. i am sooo blessed. God is so good to me. I know He's answering my prayers... always has, always will.

beautiful thing #3:

good days.

peace out.

2010-06-17T08:24:00.002-06:00

beautiful thing #2: answers to prayer

it's all coming together now.

{peace}

i wish i could fly.

2010-06-13T12:54:00.004-06:00

~~sometimes i'm weird.~~

i'm always weird. :)

i may be a weirdo... but i'm a graduated weirdo now.

that's right.

HELLO WORLD!!

....technically.

but it feels great!!

you know what else is great? from now on, i'm going to start every post with something beautiful. {not my picture, sillyyy goose. but i'll probably still do that too.}

no, i'mma name one beautiful thing every post.

excited?

i am! :)

so here's today's beautiful thing: SUMMER.

{{photo courtesy of dolly pinter; http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=303321&id=1683041843}}

that's an easy one.

but really... i love summer. gimme sum summa.

warm, sunny days all the time. time for bbqs, family, and the outdoors.

mmmm. so happy.

did i mention, warm and sunny?

peace out.

tangents

2010-05-31T10:57:00.007-06:00

HIGH SCHOOL: it's winding down down down down.

yessssssssssss.

tangents:

Collected money for Invisible Children on Friday. good times :) Then wrote a poem for my AP English class.. a parody about my school. hehehehe... here's a little sneak peak:

Dear [High School], we will miss you so.

Your PDA, and Yugio,

The Super Seniors, who like ghosts

Roam the halls while making toasts

Silently to their Golden Days

In High School--While on the way

To the rest of our lives,

We'll shout for joy and touch the skies--

Throwing our caps up in the air,

We'll shout "Good Riddance" ...if we dare.

Friday was also my last time volunteering at the National Ability Center in Park City... ahh i'm gonna cry. :( those kids are awesome and i'm gonna miss working with them, even if they are a little crazy sometimes.

speaking of crazy, i just noticed today that practically all my blog posts have been on thursdays.... weird? mm well i guess i'm rebelling against that trend today. too bad haha.

why am i doing this blog, anyways? well. it's fun.. and if no one ever reads this post, ever in my life... i honestly don't care. it's kind of satisfying this way. :)

i can't wait for college!!! ahh i'm so excitedd. ~~a little nervous~~ ..but i push those feelings away. because life is what you make it, and i'll make it good. :) yes, yes indeed.

p.s. HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

shout out to all those who died for our freedom and liberty!!

peace out.

i like bucked teeth and i cannot lie..

2010-05-27T15:43:00.004-06:00

{i ♥ photobooth.}

oh and by the way....

Obama said YES

:) :) :) :)

peace out.

listen up.

2010-05-20T21:27:00.004-06:00

Anyone familiar with Invisible Children?

It's an organization to help free the child soldiers under terrorist Joseph Kony's command in the Northern Uganda area (in Africa).

They have been fighting for years to stop this man, free the children, and help the affected families recover from over twenty years of abuse.

Finally, a bill to accomplish just this has passed Congress.

It is the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act... and now it's up to Obama to save these oppressed people.

Just sign, Mr. President. Have a heart.

peace out.

FIN-ISHED!

2010-05-06T20:16:00.008-06:00

GLORIOUS NEWS!

imma shout it from the roof tops: I AM DONE WITH AP TESTS!!!

FOR-EV-ER.

hallelujah!

US Government: CHECK

English Lit: CHECK

Studio Art-2d: ...almost check. :)

{i submit tomorrow. wish me luck!!! Come on 5, come on 5, come onnn pleeeeeaase}

~~So now I can relax~~. Now I can focus on real life.

Any job ideas? Ha. like anyone reads this anyways... who am I kidding? Might as well ask myself..? I've done that enough times already, lemme tell ya.

Okay so guess what. I have discovered my new love. And it's called Free People.

That's right, I couldn't come up with a better picture haha. So go easy on me! But trust me, this store rocks. the world. all over and again. loooove it.

i mean, how can you not love this?

seriously: best. store. ever.

too bad its so expensive. :(

oh well.. a girl can dream!

peace out.

Belated Introduction

2010-04-29T16:51:00.014-06:00

It has just occurred to me that i have never formally introduced myself!

My apologies.

As nacho libre would put it, "Let's get down to the nitty gritty... Who is this Ellie Warren?"

{quote somewhat altered... don't sue me.}

Well. where do i start?

my favorite color is light tan.

my favorite animal is puppies...

haha. but actually..

my favorite color is yellow/orange/blue/pink, depending on the day.

my favorite animal is a cat. erryday.

i DO love serving the Lord. i am a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. a.k.a. Mormons {no, we are not polygamists.}

my favorite things in life are:

sunny days

happy tears

family

warm summer nights

shopping

nature

cool water after a hard workout

hiking

laughing until i cry

swingsets

beauty of all kinds

driving with the top off my jeep

art

love

apples with cottage cheese

happiness

doodles

peace

bubblegum

smiles

helping people

warm showers on cold days

utah

movies

..and the list goes on and on. :)

{I may add to it as i go.}

peace out.

happy earth day!

2010-04-22T16:51:00.005-06:00

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

{let's be good to mother earth... kk? k.}

...so pretty much i only have 34 high school days left.

preeeetty stoked. :) :)

then i can work all summer!

but first i need to find a job.

problem??

yes.

well.. for now, at least. ;)

so last weekend was my birthday! I am now officially an adult. hooray! i feel different already..?

well. here is a picture of my favorite birthday present this year:

loooooove.

{i am salivating just looking at them! and they're all miiine. hehe.}

these little puppies are called TOMS.

with every pair you buy, TOMS will donate a pair to a needy child without shoes. One for One.

there are so many poor little children in developing countries who grow up without shoes.. it's so tragic! I even went one day without shoes in early April, to see what it was like, and to spread awareness... and it's hard! and i wasn't even running around on sharp rocks or broken pieces of glass like a lot of these little kids do.

sometimes.. i forget how blessed i am to live in America.

but i want to use my blessings to help those in greater need.

so in case you're more interested about TOMS, here's the website.

peace out.

sweet victory

2010-04-12T17:16:00.004-06:00

so lately, itunes has been bugging me about backing up my 826 songs.

kind of annoying.

but then again, when my first laptop crashed, i lost all my music... so itunes has a point!

i started backing up my music in february.. ran out of blank cds.. got more blank cds... and finished today!

..36 disks later.

here is the last one in all it's pride and glory:

talk about a victory!! HA

Hola, Bonjour, Konnichi wa, Guten tag, Ciao.. HOWDY!

2010-04-02T14:56:00.006-06:00

Umm ha okay. So this is my first post.

Awkwardd..

Still kinda trying to get used to this blog stuff.. but i love it already. :)

i mostly made this for when i go to college in the fall... but knowing me i'll probably get into it before then!

aaahh oh man i can't wait for college. BYU BABY!!!!

.....but i have stuff to focus on before then, aka AP ART, AP ENGLISH, AP US GOV'T... finding a job, ha... and actually PAYING for college.
but hey. i can do it!

peace out.

testing, testing

2010-03-31T22:09:00.001-06:00

calm down, it's just a test! :)