Halloween...ish

In my excitement for Thanksgiving, I totally overlooked Halloween {which isn't too surprising since I'm not doing anything really exciting...}

The one on the right is just plain awkward. It's half it's-Halloween-so-I-can-look-creepy and half man-I-wish-I-was-a-model. Oh well. But seriously, there's gotta be something in the water because I feel like I have become so much more awkward than I ever used to be. How did this happen?!

Unfortunate mishaps:
-Waving at someone who you know but they don't see you. Or hear you. Or pretend that they don't know you. Happens all the time these days.
-Thinking that someone is talking to you when they're actually talking to someone behind you.
-Realizing that you wore your shirt backwards allll day long.
-Saying something that sounded great in your head but in reality, no one else thinks so.
-Not knowing whether what someone is wearing is a Halloween costume or not...
-Doing the pee dance during class because you have to go so bad but don't want to get up and crawl over people, backpacks, and laptops.
-^Then getting odd looks from the people around you.
-Asking someone where they're from 2 minutes after they tell you..
-Drool of any kind. But especially the kind where it just drips out right before you take a bite of food. And then you nonchalantly play it off and pretend like it didn't happen.
-Anything about a wedgie. You know how it goes.

And here's the big, bad, awful one.
So to start the story, I'm a germophobe. So when I go to the bathroom in public, I put toilet paper on the seat. No big deal right? Well after doing my business, I washed my hands and left. I proceeded to walk across campus to my next class. I sat down to study for a bit before it started. Out of habit, I reached behind me to pull my shirt down. {insert look of mortification} I realized that I had walked across campus with toilet paper hanging out of my pants. Woohoo! Go Liz! 

At least it makes a great story.

But on the bright side, WalMart is a great place to hit up on Halloween.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall

Fall is so gorgeous. I've always liked this time of the year but it's kind of nice to be able to actually enjoy the leaves instead of them being blown away in a windstorm/rainstorm within weeks {Enumclaw, ahem}

We've had mulling spices on our stove for a couple weeks as well as Jessica's ah-mazing candles {Cinnabon and pumpkin mmm}. We also have Halloween decorations courtesy of Jess' mom, which is super fun. The trees in Provo have changed color and the air is crisp during the day. We have pumpkins on our front porch and we went to a corn maze. I've also been watching Halloween movies to add to the mood {I'm still not sure what I think of Alfred Hitchcock}.  I don't want to wear any other shoes but boots and I want to snuggle with any kind of scarf.

 But now that my birthday has come and gone and fall is slowly turning into winter, I've got my eye on Thanksgiving! Sadly, I'm not going home but I'm stoked to spend it with my roommate Carly and her family. Good food, friends, and no school? Count me in.

P.S. This is how I feel about winter coming...

thuper duper exthited.

Change is in the air

Change

It's the only constant thing in life

Well a lot has been happening in this apartment lately. But the most important one is that Jessica is engaged! I'm so excited for her and Kyle and the start of their new life together. They are so happy and in love. The majority of what I'm feeling is excitement and happiness for them. But if I am to be completely honest, there are also some serious mixed emotions.

Jess and I have been really close friends since sophomore year in high school. We have become even closer after coming to college and living with eachother. We've been through quite a bit. I consider her to be my other half, partner in crime, [insert another cliche name for a best friend].

But now she's gone and decided to get herself hitched and leave me.

This was bound to happen sometime. And I know it's supposed to be this way. But if I'm going to be completely honest again, it hurts wee bit. Not in a malicious why-are-you-doing-this-to-me kind of way but more of like a I-can't-believe-you're-leaving-meeeeeee-what-am-I-going-to-do kind of way. But I'm a big girl; I know I will be fine. Eventually. Jess sent me this the other day and it made me feel a little better {even if it was cheesy}.

So even though I get a little weepy sometimes just thinking about this big new change, I keep telling myself that this is the way things are supposed to be and that everything will work out. Although, I am a teensy bit nervous about my new roommate {and I'm willing to bet that she won't have as many cute clothes as Jess..} Goodbye to our pillowtalk, late night runs to 7/11 for Ben&Jerry's, coming home and going over our days together, insane laugh attacks, sleepovers, and our memorable quote book. And not only am I losing my roommate, I'm losing the wonderful Bath and Body Works soap she bought, the entire spice cupboard, the yummy smelling wallflowers, and the big tan belt that matches almost everything. {Buuuuut on the bright side, I get her foam mattress pad muahaha}.

I've never been a huge fan of change but I'm getting to the point where I can accept it. And to try to make this less of a pity party post, I'm going to give a shout out to one thing that isn't changing--I'm rooming with Carly again next semester! I'm so grateful that we are. I love that girl :) Our other roommate, Hillary, is also engaged so we might be getting two new roommates. Holy moly. But in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy all the talk of photography, dresses, centerpieces, invitations, colors, and rings. Happy Weekend! Enjoy the last bits of Fall {if it hasn't left already..}



There is so much that I don't know. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, I don't know what will happen next week,  I don't know my major, I don't know when I'll get married, I don't know a lot about the Gospel, I don't know what trials will come my way.

I just don't know.

Yes, I'll know some things eventually but I've realized that there are some things that I won't ever know. And you know, I'm kind of okay with that. Don't get me wrong, not knowing what will happen can be scary. One of my friends got into a car accident the other day and that has really put things into perspective. This life is a gift and it made me think: How well have I been using my gift? What have I done to help people? When was the last time I told my family that I loved them?

Sadly, I don't think I've done a lot of good. I've been so wrapped up in me me me. My homework, my plans for the weekend, my to-do list. College is important and a very high priority right now but I haven't really been taking advantage of this time in my life right now. I've been so caught up in where I'll end up rather than enjoying the ride of "right now."

I have so much to be grateful for. I'm glad to be alive, I'm extremely grateful my friend is alive, I love being able to study at a university where other people share the same beliefs, and I'm grateful for myself. My body is capable of so much and my mind is stretched on a daily basis.

I haven't really decided on what steps I'm going to take to help me appreciate my life in the "right now" but it's going to happen. Life is precious. That's all for now :)

Part 2

{I thought about cramming everything in my mind into one post but that would've ended up being a novel sooo I'm posting twice. In one day. WHOA.}

After listening to Conference, I felt like I could conquer to world and basically handle anything. There was so much on overcoming trials, having faith, and scripture reading, which were all things I really needed to hear. I'm not even sure if there was a specific talk on this but I left with the distinct feeling that I need to trust Heavenly Father. Completely. A couple weeks ago I was just having a really hard time knowing what I should do. After stewing in indecision for a while, I realized that I don't have all of the answers and never will. So I've decided that if I'm making the best choices that I can and being the best person I can be, then things will work out. I've learned that I need to trust in a higher power and to not rely on myself for everything. I've learned this but I'm still working on the application part. It's coming though.

I've also realized how blessed I am. I have an amazing family that loves me and sends me goodies in the mail, great friends, and fantastic roommates. One of my roommates, Hillary, is engaged and I'm so excited for her! She's getting married in December so we might have a new roommate next semester. But I'm so glad I've gotten to know her. She's so funny and silly. She makes me laugh on a daily basis. I'm so happy to be living with Jessica and Carly as well. I know that I can go to them if I need anything. It can be from needing advice or a hug to wanting to run to 7/11 for Ben&Jerry's Half Baked {I'm addicted..}

Look at how beautiful they are :) {Plus Jilly of course!}



Jessica: This girl is amazing. I can't even begin to express how much she's impressed me this year. She's my other half, my partner in crime, my cousin, and one of my best friends. We've had so many great conversations, runs to Redbox, and "what do I wear?!" moments. I'm glad we're roommates and that we've gotten closer. And...I love her closet.

Carly: She is one of the best listeners I have ever met. I've had some of the best conversations with her during the year I've known her. She's got some of the best one-liners I've ever heard. I'm so happy we're living together and I'm excited for everything that is to come.

I'm so lucky.

Man, I love college.

Especially BYU.

This will be the 3rd time I've started this post and I keep having to change it because new things keep happening! But to back up...

Yes, I'm alive!

 Life has gotten in the way of my blogging and I would apologize, but nothing too drastic has happened. And yet, new and exciting things have been going on.

Last weekend was General Conference and oh, how amazing that was. I watched the Saturday sessions in the apartment with the roomies and friends but on Saturday night, a group of us girls headed up to Midway to Carly's grandparents' house to watch conference there. It was so amazing to get away from school and normal life. Fall colors were just beginning to show and I got a couple pictures from the walk we went on between sessions. Being out in nature was so peaceful. It was great to be able to just walk around with these girls, appreciate God's creations, and talk about conference. I was so grateful for that weekend.

School is going really well. The semester is chugging along and the homework load is just getting bigger and bigger. But one really amazing thing that I love about this semester classes--World Civ and Asian Humanities overlap so I get to learn somethings twice, which is nice for my brain. My Doctrine and Covenants class and Joseph Smith and the Restoration class overlap too so I get another double whammy. Jazz is incredibly hard but I can feel myself get stronger with every class so that's nice. Japanese is same old same old but the workload is slightly heavier than previous classes. Last week I had 5 midterms and my poor brain was dying. Luckily, this week was a tad bit easier but I had to catch up on all of the homework I put off to study for my tests. But now it's the weekend and it's also my birthday! I got a couple things in the mail and I was so excited to open them :)

{I took this picture with my foot..hehe}

A chocolate cake mix from Sho. Soo excited to make it!

Today is my birthday but since it's on a Sunday, I celebrated it yesterday. I went to Chipotle with one of my best friends, and then we went to Thanksgiving Point and wandered through stores, and then we went to the BYU vs. San Jose football game! The game was freezing cold but we won so it made it worth it. Here are some snapshots from the day :)

Heaven wrapped in foil. What a beaut.

Who I spent my "birthday" with :)

Foooooootball

Cosmo doin his thing

We won!!

It's been a great weekend :) Now I'm 19  years old and of course much, much more mature than when I was 18. I'm another year closer to not being a teenager woohoo! But anyways, happy Fall! (Or if you're in Utah...happy Winter!)