ugly tree.

So, after Thanksgiving my parents and I went to cut our Christmas tree, just like we do every year. I didn't want to have to drive all the way to Cedar (especially since the short way was blocked by a landslide) and trudge through the snow to find a tree. So, I suggested we go to Pine Valley where there is no snow. In Pine Valley you can only cut Pinions and Junipers. My mom hates Juniper trees, so we were on the hunt for a Pinion. We found one that looked decent, and brought it home. (Well, my dad had to dig a lot to be able to cut it first) We got it in the house, and oh boy...it is UGLY. It is a round, flat topped tree:

So, we put an entire nativity on the top...

My dad had the tree undecorated by 2:00 Christmas day and outside our house by 5. It left sap ALL over the floor and was just a terrible mess. Lesson learned: never get a pinion pine for a Christmas tree. 

On Christmas Eve, dad rode his bike out to Zion so mom and I went to pick him up; we had to walk up to weeping rock and see if it was frozen. It wasn't as frozen as it has been in other years but it was still really pretty. 

Me and the parents:

It was really fun to talk to Ames and Kyle on Christmas. They are doing awesome and loving their missions!! If you want to read their emails you can HERE.

lazy.

I'm really lazy.

Here are some pictures from Japan. Go HERE. When I get my dad's pictures I'll post some of his that I like.

my generation

I can't believe it's already almost Thanksgiving. Time seriously FLIES. Scary. I submitted all my grad school applications so now it's just time to play the waiting game.

Something has been on my mind lately, and forgive me for getting on a soap box about it. I think everyone in my generation needs one of these at their house:

I don't know if there is anything that drives me more crazy than someone texting while I am talking to them. I'm not talking about an occasional text during a conversation, that I can deal with. It's when every time someone talks, they whip out their phone and text through the entire conversation. Granted, I sometimes do this, but it is something I am trying to do less. So, to all of you faithful readers, feel free to slap me if I ever start texting while you are talking to me.
   I think my generation has a serious problem with communication. Technology has become such a huge part of everyone's lives that we are not able to communicate face to face with people as well as older generations. It's a skill that has always taken work to develop, but we don't take the time to learn because it's easier to use technology. It's quite sad, really. Anyway, sorry about my soap box.

Japan was awesome; I will upload pictures after I get the other half from my dad's camera. :)

lately.

Fall is fun. Except, I really don't enjoy Halloween. I don't like being scared, so most activities are generally not my favorite. But, it's been fun anyway. Here's life as of late in some pictures, in no order whatsoever:

At the Cornbelly's haunted corn maze. I'm on Casey's back, don't think I'm freakishly tall. 

Awhile ago, we had a pinewood derby for a church activity. Our pencil car got 2nd place and best design!

We took fun fall pictures :)

Also at cornbelly's, on the giant jumping pillow. Possibly my favorite picture from that night.

We went sailing for outdoor rec! This boat's name is Maren. We have also gone hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, and will go rock climbing in a couple weeks. 

Other than that, I have been working on my paper at work, going to school, and working on grad school applications. I'm hoping to have my applications finished by the time I go to Japan in a few weeks. We'll see if that happens. Fingers crossed.

fall!

So basically, I'm a terrible blogger. And a terrible procrastinator. I have had the hardest time getting back into school this semester! It's my last year at BYU and I do not want to study! Forget about the 4 tests I have this week, the 10 grad school applications I should be working on, and the paper I should be writing at work. I don't want to do any of it! How do I motivate myself?

This semester I am taking an outdoor recreation class and it is AWESOME! We went on a campout a couple weeks ago and did some awesome slot canyons. We went sailing last week and will be going hiking this week. It is pretty fantastic! One of the boats was even named Maren!

Maybe the reason I'm such a terrible blogger is because I really have nothing to blog about...

future...

Did you know that growing up is kind of scary? Why in the world did I want to get out of high school so bad? Life was so much simpler back then. Not that I'd want to go back, but sometimes, it'd be nice to have a day without worrying about the future.

Oh, the future. How can so much stress be packed into one little 6-letter word? It's amazing how just the thought of it makes my head start spinning. The thing is, you plan and plan for the future and it NEVER turns out how you planned. Take this summer for example, I had ZERO intentions of being in Provo all summer. And yet, here I am, still unsure why I'm here, working instead of at an internship anywhere else.

Tonight, I was researching grad schools and making a list of which ones I will apply to. And what I need to do for each application. That's what created this slight stress freak-out. But, it will all work out. I hope.

done!

I took the GRE! I'm SO glad it's over! WOohoo! I can't believe school starts in a month and a half. That is crazy. Only two more semesters at BYU, scary!

Here's my favorite picture from our trip to St. George to see the Little Mermaid at Tuacahn. It got rained out twenty minutes into the show :(

Look at my hair! It was CRAZY windy and pelting us with huge rain drops! But, we definitely made some memories. :)