I love summer

I think it's a newfound love, or maybe just a greater appreciation. I've always loved summer, but summer here in Provo is so different. It's full of friends, family, books, and sun. But I think this summer will be different because I don't have school looming in the future and I'm able to just relax and enjoy life.

The past couple days it has felt like summer is finally on its way, despite all of the crazy rain we've been having. And, this summer has the prospect of being EPIC. And these are the reasons why:

1. 7Peaks/Trafalga pass - I haven't bought it yet, but I will
2. Cruise in July with Brooke
3. No school in the fall
4. Provo City Library Summer Reading Program. It started today and I'm freaking excited about it.
5. We have recently discovered how many movies the library has and will be taking full advantage. Brooke, Jess, and I have already enjoyed Emma and Somewhere in Time and are looking forward to Nicholas Nickelby
6. I fully intend to get an awesome tan. Not lifeguarding and swimming status, but just enough to make me look alive through out the winter...
7. TacoTime. A new one just opened up down the street from work and I am obsessed with it. It is seriously my kind of place. They have mexifries (aka tattertots) and a Chicken BLT burrito. How can it get better than that?
8. Fourth of July in Provo. I don't know why, but Provo just knows how to do the Fourth of July.
9. Sandals
10. Shaved Ice stands on every corner
11. Light outside until 9:30
12. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART II.

Doesn't that have the makings of an awesome summer?

They've done it again

First, McDonald's came out with $1 double cheeseburgers.

Then it was $1 Dr. Pepper's.

But, now they have done it again.

Two words. Rolo. McFlurry.

Did you get that? McDonald's now has Rolo McFlurry's.

And they are amazing.

What is McDonald's trying to do to me!

When it feels like everything is wrong

I'm having one of those nights when all of a sudden life goes from being perfectly excellent to exceedingly crappy.

When it just feels like everything is wrong and you can't help but dwell on all of the little things that bug the crap out of you and you wish were different.

When you wish things would change, but know they won't.

When you feel frustrated because of things you can't control.

When you feel like crying because it just might help lift the weight pushing on your chest.

When all you want to do is talk to your sister and she helps remind you that everything will turn out OK but simultaneously joins in your unfair abusings and promises to check on you in the morning.

When you feel betrayed by life because it doesn't play by the rules and really isn't fair.

When you know you have to be the one to change, and work, and maintain positivity when the world is battling against you, because that is all you really can control.

Somewhere In Time

Have you ever seen or heard of this movie? It came out in 1980 and features Christopher Reeve (aka Superman) and Jane Seymour. And I must say Christopher is way more attractive that I ever assumed. But, anyways, this movie, Somewhere In Time, was amazing. It involves a guy, Richard, who goes back in time and madly falls in love with a famous stage actress, Elise, in 1912, then he is heartwrenchingly pulled back into the present and must cope with a broken heart.

Sounds exactly like my type of movie.

And it was my type of movie. I was able to predict a bunch of stuff that was going to happen. Which I love to do, just ask my roommates. I'm also very accurate, just ask my roommates.

This movie also reaffirmed my hatred of pennies. See, because in the movie the way Richard goes back in time is by disassociating himself with all things from the present and then hypnotizing himself that he's in 1912. (Really that's a stupid way to time travel, but, oh well, they didn't ask me to write the screenplay) As part of his preparations he went and got authentic money from the turn of the century and replaced his modern money with it. But, after Richard and Elise fall in love and are all happy, he goes to pull out some money and grabs and 1970s penny that he missed and it tragically pulls him back into the future. So, see, pennies really are the bane of our existence on earth.

Another reason this was my type of movie was because of all the plot holes. Movies and stories with plot holes allow me to explain them and make them better with legit and absurd reasons. It also just convinces me that I should be a writer because I would have satisfactorily filled in all the plot holes.

I also loved the fashion in this movie, it was just so romantic. And the hotel was gorgeous.

Now, if only I could forget about Christopher Reeve's heartbroken and love starved face, I would be able to completely focus on the precious love story that crosses time and space and deals with the pangs of disappointed love.

The King's Speech

This movie was fantastic! I saw it last night at the dollar theater with Kelsie. Originally we planned on going to Costco and the grocery store to buy food in general, but more specifically ingredients for tortilla soup (since its so gosh darn cold and rainy right now). But instead we ended up going out to dinner at Cafe Rio and then going to the mall and the movies. We apparently have the attention spans of 5 year old's. We can't even make it to the grocery store without getting distracted.

But, back to the movie. I can totally see why it won Best Picture. The story was intriguing and the acting was amazing. For biggest transformation I'm going with Helena Bonaham-Carter/Bellatrix Lestrange/Mrs. Tim Burton. She was actually normal and totally hilarious!

Now, a big problem for me when I go to movies, specifically historical movies, is that there are a lot of parts that I think are hilarious that for some reason other people don't. Usually it's when they say something historically witty that makes the history nerd in my come out. Like when the queen jokes about Logue being a Bolshevik. For some reason that was hilarious to me but no one else, and I was the only one laughing my head off like a fool.

So, if you haven't seen this movie, GO SEE IT. You'll be glad you did.

Also, today my little brother is swimming in his first Valley's meet. He's been sick all week and still doesn't feel good. But I have total confidence in him.

Good luck Brenbutt!!!!!

The Secret Garden

Bad news guys. I think I'm about to become as addicted to The Secret Garden as I was with Anne of Green Gables. Well maybe not quite as addicted, but close. 

I rented the DVD of The Secret Garden from the library and watched it last night. Growing up we always watched the 1987 Hallmark version that has Colin Firth as grown up Colin. (Did you realize Colin's name is Colin Craven, which is extremely close to Colin Creevey from Harry Potter? Quite the coincidence. But, I may also just be really weird and the only one who make connections like that.) Anyways, now I'm just itching to read the book again.

At the part in the movie when Mary finds the key to the garden, and sits on the bench as the wind serendipitously blows the vines away from the garden wall and reveals the locked door, I remembered something very important from my childhood.

One year for Christmas, Kelsie, got a copy of The Secret Garden from out grandparents. It came with an awesome key pendant necklace. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. I wanted a key pendant necklace soooo bad. I would always ask Kelsie if I could wear it, and she would always say no. Because Kelsie was a stingy child who wouldn't share her Barbie's and Polly Pockets. I just remember being so jealous of Kelsie's key pendant necklace and nice, new copy of The Secret Garden. Especially because I had to read my Mom's old, falling apart copy.

The tale of the lost retainer

So a few years ago I had a mouth full of metal, and believe me it looked gorgeous. Well, not really. But my teeth looked gorgeous when it was all taken off. And then, after one week of glorious freedom from orthodonture, I was given retainers. I am suppose to wear my retainers every night for the rest of forever, which totally stinks.

Now, to get to the good part. Sometimes when I'm wearing my retainers I take the bottom one out while I sleep and put it on my desk. I guess I just get tired of wearing it. I usually don't even remember taking it out, so it's kind of weird.

Well, the other day I was in the middle of my hour long wake up ritual and still VERY hazy. But in the midst of my sleepy haze I realized I wasn't wearing my bottom retainer any more, so I lifted my head and looked at my desk, and it WASN'T THERE! My first thought was Oh no! I swallowed my retainer! But then reason broke through my mind and I remembered it was too big and weird shaped to swallow and that I probably wouldn't be alive if I had managed to swallow it. I started looking on the floor, but didn't see it. So I decided that I would look for it more when I finally got out of bed.

It was at that moment when I gave up and started snuggling back in my bed that my hand touched something small and hard between my sheets, next to the wall.

Well wouldn't you know it! It was my retainer!

After moving it out of harms way I went back to sleep and my last thought before drifting off was,

I'm glad I didn't swallow it!

Summer Reading List

Since I have officially began an eternal summer and I will be finishing Lost tonight (I have ONE episode left!) I thought now would be a good time to compile my preliminary summer reading list. I just saw on Facebook that the theme for the Provo City Library summer reading program is "Up All Night" which I am a huge fan of. Possibly because I often stay up all night reading and then make my way through the next day like a zombie. I really can't be blamed for this behavior. It's all my Dad's fault. He would take my books away at 11:00 so I didn't learn to self-regulate my reading habits. At least that's the story I'm sticking with.

But anyways...here's my summer reading list:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I've gotta get ready for the final movie!
2. Sense and Sensibility
3. Work and the Glory. I haven't decided if I want to reread the whole series or not, but I figure I'll decide as I'm reading it.
4. Secret Garden
5. Goose Girl and accompanying books that I don't know the names of
6. Mockingjay. Maybe. I want to see if it gets any better the second time around.
7. Undaunted. Actually I just want to finish this one. I still have about 100 pages somewhere in the middle because I NEEDED to know who ended up together at the end and may have skipped ahead...
8. The Healer's Apprentice. I really want to read this book, but I swear its impossible to find. So I may just have to order it from Amazon
9. The FitzOsbournes in Exile. I just saw this one on a library reading list and want to read it really bad. 

And we'll just start with that because my lunch break is over and I could go on forever.

Sister

Today is Kelsie's 20th birthday.

So in honor of her annoying presence in my life I present a "The Pictorial Gems of Kelsie Alexandra-dating back to 2005 when pictures start on my computer."

Enjoy.

Kels does not look like a happy camper. She was probably mad at me. Or it could be because she was 13. Either one is a viable option.

Here, Kelsie is realizing how much fun it can be in the stands. Especially when you are attending a football game at a baseball stadium.

Kelsie is notorious for putting stuff under her bed. But, unlike Karlie, her stuff is fairly organized. Kelsie would also hide stuff under her bed. For example she would hide her clean, folded clothes under her bed because she didn't want to put them away and she didn't want Mom to find out they were still out.

Aww, another birthday. Complete with a pink bag too!

Not only does she pull off the hair, but also the black feather boa.

Believe me, I've seen even bigger piles of laundry since this was taken.

A typical skype picture

In her natural habitat.

You're weird.

A not-on-purpose weird face.

Nice hair...

I'm pretty sure she's trying to water bend or something. At this point in the card game she was doing anything to ensure a win.

Jumping for joy that I was graduating!

These pictures make her seem so domestic.

I made the pizza. Not Kelsie. Don't let her fool you. She just wanted to take a picture with my masterpiece.

Isn't she so pretty?

Happy Birthday Sister!