live to love and love to live

soundtrack: sahhh indie playlist :)

So I'm running into this funny little problem. People actually read my blog. ha. 

Any who. These past few days have been wonderful! The first day off for break was officially wednesday, but I got done with class and work by 11 am tuesday and decided that my research paper could wait till after break and got to playing. 

we made some duct tape roses and went to extreme air sports. I still have yet to do a backflip.

I also slept over at Mckann's house with Suzane and Cassie. Played Just dance till wayyy to late and lauged my bumb off. Love those girls.

Wednesday after work I headed up to Park City.  I really miss it there. The beauty. Everything about it it's also really the only place I know. But I had Ben and Audri with me so I took them to some of my favorite places. 

I really miss this roof. It was my quiet place. I would go sit, watch, and think about everything. I like places that are up high, they're so peaceful, they clear my head. It was so great to go back. 

Olympic park from the roof. At sunset. Simply lovely 

Thanksgiving consisted of me doing my own turkey trot - I saw three deer while I was running. It felt so good to trail run again too. You can't do that here... 

We also went to Ogden for dinner with my whole crazy family. I wish I had pictures, but it was delicious. And like any other day I was so very thankful for all the people around me that love and care for me :) I'm crazy blessed. 

So then we went black friday shopping.... we're so cool that we didn't take a car to the outlet malls... we  rode our scooters from the olympic park round about. Reaked havoc and didn't buy anything... except the adventures of tin tin and some cheap pizza. stood in line for an hour at walmart to buy something we could have at the grocery store, sang songs, and laughed about it. Let me just say the people watching was superb. After which we enjoyed our pizzas, watched 2 hours of tin tin over at Roybin's and then fell asleep at about 4 am. 

Later we woke up played an epic game of monopoly. Ben SWEPT. Literally. He owned almost everything and dang. Let me just say that kid is good at games. He also won apples to apples and had THE best hand of green cards. 

I'd say it's a pretty accurate description. 

(if you can't see they say: sexy, smooth, pure, zany, scary, patriotic, unforgettable)

We also went to Temple Square to see the lights turn on.

and the lighting was so perfect in so many ways for so many pictures.

Check out these.

It might look like stock from the internet. But I am proud to say I took that picture! 

It was cold, but so magical to see all the lights turn on!

Then we decorated the tree

This guy is about to get jumped....

I love the holidays. I love life. I love love. I love everyone in my life. 

I'm happy. Even when it's hard. 

The world is kind. 

take it in

first off.

reader: you shine. never doubt yourself. ever. please.

 this is ben.

we're best friends.

seriously though. love this kid.

we can talk for hours about anything. laugh. be silly. go on adventures. explore.

i'm still figuring him out. but  i'm so so so so so blessed to have a friend genuine as him.

also. this weekend was just wonderful. I spent the majority of it with people I love very very much. I've missed the lib square crew. pieces of the CC crew. and the new heritage crew. I finally feel like I have a solid base of friends. something I've missed and I'm so excited to have again. 

and even when things are crazy. like growing up is... all i think to myself is hey this has gotta be good life, so please tell me what's there to complain about. good. good. life.

2 days of hard work till break. i can hardly wait. 

How Diamonds Are Made

over. and over. and over. and over.

just listen to these lyrics. They're beautiful. 

"your soul you must keep totally free"

I walked into the room and this was playing right after someone I adore and like told me they wanted to stay just friends. I'm okay with that. It's like I needed to hear these lyrics right after he told me that. "Where you invest your love you invest your life" Right now... Our lives need to have different investment's. If that makes sense... he's going on a mission right after winter semester, and I need to figure out what I'm doing with my major - focus on different things. I feel being his friend is the best way to help him prepare. I really adore this kid. I truly do. And for now, I'm okay with everything. I say that and feel peaceful. Really I do.

pressure, heat and circumstance. Situations can make all the difference of turing a chunk of carbon into a beautiful flawless stone or a piece of cole. I think we are both putting ourselves in the best place to become diamonds. Life will work out.

It always does. 

keep being a gem - you're one of a kind. 

Truthfully you are.

hear that? it's your heart. follow it.

I'm sitting here.

Wondering why I'm awake. It's only 11:32.... early by college standards. But last night I was dumb and slept on a couch in the lobby knowing that would be the only thing to make me get up early.

after 2 hours of glorious sleep, I learned my lesson.

note to self: never do that again.

terrifying.

any who.

life is. getting better. 

really this semester has taken a 180 degree turn.

I am finding people I want to be friends with for a long time. It's nice. Refreshing. Just to be able to talk. to someone about something and just have them listen first and then really understand where you are coming from. 

also. today I had THE coolest opportunity.

The CEO of ASCEND was speaking in the Clark Building

she had a lot of good things to say. but if I just had to pick one it would be this:

Passion: love it or leave it.

whatever you do. follow your passion. do what you love because you'll be so much happier. Don't be afraid, it will take you further than you can even imagine because you're fueled by something so pure. so needed in the human existence. 

so next semester I think I might just take a photography class. Go on a trip. Influence someone's life.

Living the dream.

Always.