Nights with Shlyn

My nights with Shlyn have been a regular occurrence thus far this break.  We just have too much fun together, I could never pass up spending a night with my best friend.

Park City

City Creek

Salt Lake City Temple 

A too-late night (morning?) at Denny's

Already??

Wow, Thanksgiving break came and went in the blink of an eye to rejuvenate us all for finals.  The next two weeks consisted of endless studying, homework, and multiple libraries.  Thank goodness for Postmates, mango sorbet, and constructive (short) Friends breaks to get me through finals.  Plus the excitement of coming home pushed me through to the end.  Finals went fairly well actually, which I am pleasantly surprised to be saying!

So now I am home.  And there may not be snow (which is a bit odd...) but being home for the holidays is just about the best present I could ever ask for!

And my first weekend back, my best friend, Tessa, gave a beautiful farewell talk about hope.  She is truly amazing.  Tess leaves on her mission on December 30 and I cannot believe how fast it is coming!  She is going to be such a wonderful missionary -- the people of Peru are just going to fall in love with her!

My "trues," as Tessa would say {missing Hermana Matesen!}

I love you Sister Gardner! Now go do great things.

Thanksgiving at Rosemary Beach.

Rosemary Beach is a super cute town just outside of Panama City, Florida.  About every ten blocks (maybe even less) there is another cute little beach town.  Everyone rides their beach cruisers and longboards everywhere.  All the houses are about 60 seconds away from the ocean.  The sun was out and the weather was beautiful.  We relaxed at the beach, walked around the town, played games in the yard, ate delicious food, watched movies, and enjoyed the company of the Wickhams and the Andersons!  It was the perfect break from school to see my family and recover from the quarter before finals begin.  I would definitely be okay with it if we came here every year :)

The view from our balcony.

Girls vs. boys sandcastle competition. The moms were the judges and decided that "both were so unique, they couldn't
be compared." #typicalmom

Traditional pre-Thanksgiving feast Turkey Bowl!

The whole crew (minus Mom who is taking the picture!)

Dangela.

thankful for people

I'm thankful for my home, for my school, for my camera, for Seattle, for Utah, for my apartment, for lacrosse, for skiing, for piano, for yummy Thanksgiving feasts, and for so much more.  But none of this really matters if it weren't for the amazing family and friends I have in my life to share it all with.

I am grateful to have had Ruby in that awkward 7th grade P.E. class, that Zoe and I helped save the world together with No Car Day, that Ashlyn spilled hot chocolate in my microwave that one Friday afternoon, that Tessa moved to Utah and I was lucky enough to be the new girl's friend, that Taylor and I are pretty much the same person and we simply get each other, that Carly spontaneously spent that weekend in Deer Valley with my family and me, that my next door neighbor happened to be Emma, that Sara and I happened to be in the same orientation group, and that I was born into my family with cousins as my best friends, with my brothers as the sweetest and studliest boys ever, and with my parents being just about the best and most loving people on this planet.

I am thankful for the people.

Random roommate photoshoot

Happy Fall from the girls in La CoSa.

"Sara catch me!" was maybe not the best idea... 

Attempting the classic fall photo... Apparently, I haven't quite perfected the art of leaf throwing. 

I love to see the temple.

After General Conference in October, I made a goal to go the temple every week, and so far I have been able to keep that goal!  My morning temple trips with Danielle are definitely a highlight of my week.  When I am at the temple, I feel the love of God so strongly.  I know that He is so aware of me and watching over me.  He is there to help in every aspect of my life, all I need to do is simply ask Him and talk to Him.  Talking to Heavenly Father does not always need to be formal prayer, but can be just like talking to your best friend -- I've come to realize that he cares about us so much that even when it may seem like our questions are silly or insignificant, He gives still gives his full attention.
Some quotes I loved and thoughts I had from Conference:

• "Make time every day for prayer... Tell Him every concern... He is interested in the most fascinating and most mundane things of your life." -Richard G. Scott
• "Heavenly Father hears your prayers. He loves you. He knows your name." -Henry B. Eyring
• "Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us individually and personally.  And therefore, they know what we need." -Hugo E. Martinez
• "God cares about you.  He will listen.  He will answer your personal questions.  He will answer in His own way in His own time, and therefore, you need to learn to listen to his voice." -Dieter F. Uchtorf
• "Don't we all cry out? Don't we all beg for forgiveness? Don't we all plead...implore...?" -Jeffrey R. Holland
• Do not wait to form a close relationship with God until the trials come.  Form that tight bond now, so that when those times do come, you know His voice and can understand the plans He has for you.
• "I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the bonds of love, to walk in all the commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen." -Doctrine and Covenants 88:133
• This Earth is beautiful. He created all this beauty for us, to make us happy.  He wants us to smile.

I loved spending this evening with Cynthia and Tina, and going to the temple was the perfect study break.  It is so beautiful and I feel such peace and love even just walking around the grounds like we did tonight.

"The daytime is so busy.  The night is for thinking." -Cynthia

And what a better place to go than the temple?

{Insert title here}

{Insert quote about looking through another kind of lens.}

{Insert quote about pondering the future and all that it has in store for you.}

{Insert quote about recognizing the beauty all around us.}