widen your heart's scope

poor people adventure.

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

the day before i left gina drove me around and showed me some of the sights.

like foamhenge.

and merlin.

and the natural bridge that we didn't want to pay to hike to so we tried to see it from the top.

this is what it looks like. this is what we saw:

they put up a fence around it. they really do not want you to enjoy that bridge without paying for it.

i love my snister.

virginia is for lovers.

2012-01-24T16:39:00.000-07:00

here are a few instagrams from my virginia trip. a little late, i know, but it is still my favorite memory of 2012 thus far!

flying out of vegas. definitely listened to the killers. nbd.

i always feel like fergie when i board planes from outside. #glamorous

food lion. just as great as it sounds.

chillin' at the library on campus while gina worked.

i took some lovely evening walks in the woods while i was there. so pretty.

waffle house. one am. nuff said.

foamhenge. yes. foamhenge. i hope you are as amazed as i was.

currently.

2012-01-21T17:05:00.001-07:00

this is my kind of rainy saturday.

the universe is conspiring in your favor.

2012-01-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

the other morning i was reading the book of mormon and i came upon this scripture in alma 26:27.

Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go... and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

getting a job has been my number one concern for quite some time and, needless to say, is definitely the source of severe stress and a few emotional meltdowns. there have been more times than i am proud of when i get myself thinking that i am all alone and howcanthispossiblyworkoutandwhatonearthistobecomeofme. it is only human and natural. which also makes it foolish.

when these thoughts come up, i usually try talking it out with my friends and family. and sometimes strangers. and new acquaintances... what can i say, i get desperate. but nothing is ever quite as comforting as the reassurance i get from daily prayer and scripture study. it is only recently that i have realized the importance of these simple commandments. the lds folk are taught to make this a daily habit before we even learn to speak or read, and it is not all for nothing. there is truly a huge difference in my day to day life because of this simple habit. i find myself happier and more hopeful. i love every day. i have learned that every day can be great and be used for growth, learning, and serving others. i am so grateful to have a book and connection to my heavenly father that makes daily living not only endurable but enjoyable.

i know there are people out there of all ages who truly do not have the hope to face one more day. i am here to tell you that there is hope. someone does have you and your best interests in mind. we are given very limited vision of the future and because of that we just have to trust that as we do our best, as we strive to make each day a part of our growth and progression by helping those around us and improving ourselves in the now, everything will work out in a more beautiful way that we can possibly imagine.

so, with this mindset, i have decided that while i apply for jobs and do everything i can to achieve that goal, i have to let go and not worry about what i cannot control. this means enjoying the fact that i don't have to go to work everyday, i don't have to stress about being somewhere at a certain time. i can focus on doing things i love, like reading, showering at any time of day, and playing with friends without worrying about homework that needed to be done yesterday. i choose to prepare what i can, enjoy now and recognize the good in every day.

happy birthday sera!

2012-01-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

happy 22nd birthday to my very best friend, sarah maines [almost duke]!

there is little that i haven't said already, but know that your presence in my life is a blessing that could never be replaced, destroyed, or distanced. this college life has been an adventure and i am glad we could spend it together. there is so much in store for us, together and individually. i know there will be no bigger fans of gmail, twitter, texts, googledocs, vimeo, and facetime as us. no one rocks long distance friendships like we do.

exciting things are afoot for troy and abed, rachel and monica, the wolf pack.

the district sleeps alone tonight.

2012-01-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

while i was in virginia visiting gina, we took a day and went to dc. it was so fun and i loved every minute of it. everything was so classic and cool and perfect. i need to be there. new goal.

it was a beautiful day, so nice for january. we had lunch near dupont circle and then met up with my old roomie lindsay as we toured some of the monuments. after that we visited the holocaust museum, which was incredible. we said peace to the president, ate some east coast cafe rio, and then split.

the mlk memorial is brand new and so cool. happy martin luther king day!

'out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope'

'i was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness'

i deem this day a success. now i need to make my dream a reality.

sixty five.

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

it was so nice in st g over christmas break. at least sixty to sixty five degrees everyday. that is very high when you come from the frigid cold mountains and fear for snow and ice everyday. i will have to face actual winter this week, trying not to think about it...

anyway, my mom and i took advantage of the beautiful shining sun with a hike and some tennis watching.

david is the next roger federer.

insta break.

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

here is a collection of randoms from my time in st g. fun fun.

beautiful jade . gina joining in the conversation

tracky boy playing guitar with george . lego christmas train

favorite: a muppet's christmas carol . christmas treat tradition

my new earrings i am slightly in love with . david or 'obi-wan gay-nobi'. nice.

sherlock holmes . david loves hanging out with all girls

loving harrison right now . elephant shortcut rocked it in southern utah

my christmas craft . i caught david smiling in his sophisticated look

wrapped gina in plastic and left her . used my pedicure gift certificate. thanks santa!

new boots!!! my other ones were literally falling apart . scrabble knows.
ringing in the new year with some vintage dp . sunday tights and leah's pumps...

christmas day.

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

we had church at nine on christmas so we decided to do stockings and presents after sacrament meeting. it wasn't too hard of a wait [um...] because we are old and mature [ummm...]. we took some pics in our [matching] church clothes while santa set up the stockings and before we jumped back into our christmas pj's. basically i love my family.

i love my new books, movies, and iphone case. my family loves me. a lot.

resolute.

2012-01-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

how have your new year's resolutions been going? i know i am feeling super great about mine. yes, it has only been a week but i'm doing things i wasn't doing a week ago so i am just going to own that success.

one of my goals is to rediscover my love for reading. i have a lot to catch up on and i do not get to use the lame excuse of school anymore as to why i never read. i have compiled a list from gina's bookshelf and i have already started on it.

i just finished extremely loud and incredibly close by jonathan safran foer. it was really great, i loved the writing style and the honesty. now i am reading black dogs by ian mcewan, one of my favorite authors. i love his use of words and descriptions, i have never been in such awe by the writing instead of the story.

i will post what i am reading on my sidebar as i read each book on my list. if you have any suggestions, let me know. getting a library card is high on my list of 'things i need to do when i get back to provo.'

all your heart

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

via

collections.

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

here are some stragglers from my instagram from before the break:

i love catching the sunrise.

my freshman friend conlan. he is an incredible pianist, i was so excited to watch him.

i checked out the behive bazaar, there was some amazing stuff there.

my holiday party outfit. what up.

i am a recently massive fan of poms. get in mah bellay.

ice cream at fhe. delish.

things that really are that great.

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

colin firth as mr. darcy.
hiking.
the first pirates of the caribbean.
reading by a fire.
homemade chocolate chip cookie dough.
it's a wonderful life.
mothers.
long walks.
episodes four, five, and six of star wars.
harrison ford.
waking up without an alarm.
the king's speech.
comedy night on nbc.
this song and music video.

pj party

2012-01-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

christmas eve we had a pj party. and it was amazing.

from 'hottie' shirts to serious david pics to twinner sisters, i deem this year a win.

iphone camera + poor lighting = amazing photo quality

day one.

2012-01-01T20:59:00.001-07:00

2012 is gonna be siiick.

adios muchacho.

2011-12-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

well twentyeleven is ending and it's about time. honestly, craziest year of my life. and that is not an invitation for twentytwelve to yell out 'challenge accepted!' and prove me wrong. this year has been great but it is time to say goodbye.

it is crazy to see how much has changed from twentyten. here are some happenings, highlights, and discoveries from this year:

prison break . the office . parks and rec . vampire diaries . 30 rock . once upon a time . new girl

never say never . something borrowed . crazy stupid love . jane eyre . tangled

details in the fabric by jason mraz . u smile by justin bieber . even if it breaks your heart by will hoge

taxi cab by vampire weekend . time won't let you go by the bravery . what the hell by avril lavigne

somebody that i used to know by gotye . someone like you by adele . paradise by coldplay

pandora . twitter . tumblr . pinterest . words with friends . instagram . vimeo

be kind 2012. it's going to be a hellofa year.

#woot

christmas eve eve

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000-07:00

otherwise known as gina's birthday. we went to bear paw for brunch, walked about downtown st george and stopped in a bookstore and a cool vintage soda shop where gina got an old school dp. after we got home, gina and i went on the scooter ride of our lives. it was amazing and beautiful and fun.

one of gina's friend's brought over some cake balls so we used that for cake since we didn't get her one... before you start stoning me just know that gina doesn't like cake. what?! yeah, i know, right?

guess who's super excited for gina to be twenty?! hint: not gina.

crouching tiger, hidden dragon.

2011-12-28T00:18:00.000-07:00

right before finals, i went on a date with a friend to nickel city. it was so crazy fun and i checked it off my 'typical things to do in provo' list. we had a competition with the other couple to see who could get the most tickets. you better believe we won. then we cashed in our five hundred tickets for prizes, including, but not limited to super awesome mustaches, amazing and totally real tattoos, a drink umbrella, and a blue braid clip. basically we hit the jackpot and we now own provo.

we are so tough with our tattoos. what up. i may or may not have worn it to church the next day. and my roommate may or may not have freaked out a little when she saw it. #mybad

may the schwartz be with you.

2011-12-27T01:34:00.001-07:00

one of my goals for christmas break was to watch all the star wars movies. after much debate and counseling, i decided to watch them in order of episode one through six, so i could end on a good note. i have seen them all before multiple times but not for a while and never all sequentially. so this was very exciting for me and now i have all my own thoughts and feelings about the series. for example, R2-D2 is definitely one of the best characters of all time. and han solo and princess leia are hands down the greatest couple of all time. and the palpatine is cray cray and creepy. of course i documented my adventure:

episode one: really the only good things about this one is liam neeson, obi-wan kenobi, and darth maul.

episode two: enter my love for hayden christiansen's face.

episode three: darth vader's first appearance and some of the worst romantic lines ever.

episodes four through six: gold. just pure gold. and you bet i watched it vhs style.

right now i am on a bit of a harrison ford kick so i am thinking indiana jones is my next venture. or harry potter.

cue groans from my family. i ain't even mad.

the killers: boots

2011-12-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

probably my ultimate favorite killers christmas song.

merry christmas everyone.

twenty.

2011-12-23T00:00:00.000-07:00

today is gina's birthday. she is twenty years old.

yesterday we rode bikes, played tennis, realized we are horrible at tennis, then proceeded to jump in our clubhouse pool with our clothes on. ees for fun.

happy birthday snister.

things are about to get cray cray.

christmas crafting.

2011-12-22T22:52:00.002-07:00

well. still don't have my laptop. it's pretty awesome. hopefully niki will be bringing it tomorrow. in the meantime, i've been getting crafty...

booyah.

chicago: little drummer boy

2011-12-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

this whole album, 25 by chicago, is my favorite christmas album as a whole. i have a lot of memories with my dad and this album. and, let's just be honest, my children will also know every word to every chicago song ever recorded.
'little drummer boy' is the first song on the album so i just feel like christmas hasn't quite started until i hear it. and it is so good. leave it to chicago to make this song amazing and repeatable. here is the live version:

fin.

2011-12-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

well. i finished. and it was epically awesome. just kidding. not really. i went to cafe rio and yogurtland after i finished my last test to celebrate #duh. that part was epically awesome.
now i'm back in st george and i discovered i left both my laptop and scriptures in provo. what? how is that even possible? well it is. don't worry though. i didn't forget to bring my computer charger and scripture highlighter. awesome. this is called paying attention to detail.
so i probably won't get any solid posts in until saturday night. my friend is bringing my stuff down, bless his beautiful soul. until then then i will be reading, hanging out with my mother, and this guy:

have you guys been watching 'once upon a time'? if not, repent now, get on hulu, and let your soul soak in the amazingness that is fairy godmothers, princes slaying dragons, and true love's kiss. classic fairytales at their best.

things i'm going to buy when i'm a real adult.

2011-12-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

i often fantasize about what life would be like if i had my own apartment. one day i will have enough money to have my own place as well as cool adult stuff to put in it. i'm excited for that day, that day when i don't have to worry about someone's boyfriend being in the kitchen when i want to get a snack with no pants on. and when i can instill a no pants rule because, let's be honest, wearing pants is kind of the worst. or in a more positive and accurate approach, not wearing pants is pretty much the best.
anyway, when i have my super sweet digs to myself, these are the first items that will be bought:

treadmill - because going to the gym is the worst and watching netflix while i run is the best.
not twin bed - i feel like i won't be a true adult until i sleep in a bigger bed.
dog - because they are basically the best and they love you no matter what and running outside with a dog is kind of my dream.
or cat - cheaper, chiller, i could do a cat too.
apple tv - my computer will only be able to take all this netflix for so long.
knives - some sweet kitchen knives for my cooking needs.
also silverware - because i don't own any.
snuggie - yeah... that ish is definitely going down.
constant supply of cookie dough - tollhouse, obviously. because i don't make cookies.

i just want to be like the cool people in the movies and on tv with their own apartment where they can come home after work and kick it by themselves and don't have to worry about other people. the dishes are always their own and when they go to bed they don't have to worry about a group of guys showing up after midnight for no reason and being crazy loud.
i think i'm turning into an old cranky lady. oh well, might as well enjoy it while i can.

togetherness.

2011-12-12T00:33:00.001-07:00

i can't wait to hang out with my family again. and hang out in front of the christmas tree. only a couple days and i'm there...

dove knows what's up.

david archuleta: joy to the world

2011-12-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

remember last year when my awesome sister gave me tickets to the mormon tabernacle choir christmas concert with david archuleta? and remember when i went and heard his glorious voice in real life? and remember when he sounded like an angel and i begged him to take me now? that is why davie makes it on this list. i love his flawless voice in 'joy to the world' [slash every other song]. and then add the motab? pure gold.

yep.

2011-12-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

surefire ways to win ahlin's love and affection:

give her food.
discuss her tv shows.
ask about the killers slash brandon flowers.
listen to her talk about the killers slash brandon flowers for extensive amounts of time.
tell her you love her blog/tumblrs/twitter/pinterest.
buy her cafe rio.
take her to yogurtland on a regular [bi-weekly] basis.
laugh at her jokes.
offer her a job.
play with her hair.
let her chill in bed with netflix however long she wants.
snuggle the crap out of her.
be this man.

yep. it's that simple.

just about there...

2011-12-08T00:39:00.001-07:00

yesterday i had my last class ever. and it felt great.

this is me containing my excitement.

now only a few tests stand between me and life

consisting simply of sleep, netflix, and family time, all completely and totally guilt free.

eating with friends is always a good idea.

2011-12-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

a few weeks ago i got to have dinner with two of my favorite people ever, rachel and codi. we went to pizzeria 712 [their name always reminds me of entertainment 720] and it was amazing! seriously, some of the best pizza i've ever had and the whole place had a really cool feel to it.

love these girls.

next they introduced me to the pazookie at the chocolate. basically it is a huge chocolate chip cookie that is pulled out early, still hot and gooey, and topped with ice cream. it is ~~probably~~ definitely the most delicious food to have ever entered my mouth. seriously, new favorite dessert.

yeah... we cleaned it right up.

saturday i went to lunch with my sisters and cousins. we were there for a solid three hours just talking and eating and laughing. it was pretty great.

afterward we went to a couple bridal shops to check out the veils for my cousin.

sister pic! silly pose...? i really hope so.

the next day i got to hang out with even more of my favorite people. jeff and i went on a walk after church and took this cool pic. i love the mountains. can you spot us?

later i went to leah's for a delicious lunch and chatted with her for a while. after that i went to my friends' heather and todd's house for dinner. and then todd made us cookies while we sat and chatted, giving us a little dessert appetizer while we waited. have i mentioned that cookies slash cookie dough is my favorite ever?

i did some serious socializing and eating that weekend. and i am a fan of both. so i deem it a successful weekend indeed.

crap, now i really want some cookie dough.

andy williams: have yourself a merry little christmas

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

'tis the season for endless lights, candles that smell like trees, everyday excuses for treats, and amazing music. to celebrate, i am going to share some of my favorite christmas songs, or rather, specific versions of those songs. and you know the killers are going to show up more than once [six times, to be exact].

the first one is have yourself a merry little christmas by andy williams. we always listen to his christmas album with my dad. i can still picture the green cover with gold writing and andy's cute face on it. i just love his crooning voice.

i love frank sinatra's version too. close second.

the perfect lone island.

2011-12-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

one time i was thinking about how much i love life cereal and then i decided that if i was on an island and could only take one kind of cereal to have for the rest of forever, it would be life, hands down. then i started thinking of other things i love and would choose to never live without, besides the obvious, righteous things [book of mormon, temple, etc]. this is my worldly island:

restaurant: cafe rio
fast food: taco bell
baked goods: chocolate chip cookies slash cookie dough
type of food: thai
candy: chocolate covered cinnamon bears
book: the alchemist
breakfast: pumpkin pancakes
tv show: friends
sport to play: soccer
sport to watch: baseball
movie: penelope
music: the killers
ice cream: ben and jerry's half baked
fruit: raspberries
vegetable: red bell peppers
store: target
outfit: denim button up shirt, black jeggings, leather jacket, gray boots
beverage: barq's root beer
entertainment: netflix
electronic device: iphone
board game: scrabble
man to love: brandon flowers

i realize some of them are conflicting. but it is my hypothetical lonely island. which is called winning: the isle of awesome. go make your own lone island.

hanging out with the kids.

2011-12-04T15:43:00.001-07:00

a few weekends ago i went with dad and the children went to the provo beach resort in the riverwoods. cason and luci are so cute, i love being with them. and they know my name and tell me they love me so that's not too shabby either.

such good little posers.

luci was sooo excited for the merry go round, i don't even know how many times she went. i'm not going to lie, i kind of loved it too.

i love the riverwoods. it is one of my favorite places in provo.

grandpa reading the kiddles a bedtime story. so cute.

nieces and nephews are basically the best. especially mine.

good eats.

2011-12-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

what's going home without eating anything you want?

cookie dough for breakfast? check. my mom's idea. #bestmomever

peppermint ice cream oreo casserole? check. thank you jjcjj for the family recipe.

pazookie? check. inspired by the chocolate and dedicated to mah girls rachel and codi.

that's how we do.

merry christmas to all.

2011-12-01T14:08:00.001-07:00

it is the first day of december [what?! yes.] and what better way to kick it off than with the killers' brand new christmas single, 'the cowboy's christmas ball.' the video just came out today and i may or may not have just watched it without sound because i am in the library without headphones #truefan good thing i already listened to the song a couple days ago.

as usual, they are perfect.

thanksgiving

2011-11-30T08:35:00.001-07:00

it was just mom, dave, david, and me for thanksgiving which was super fun and chill. we ate a delicious breakfast complete with mom's delectable orange rolls and pumpkin pancakes, david's famous eggs and ham, dave's amazing ham, potato, and pepper jack concoction, and my crazy awesome eating skills.

after some naps, mom and i went for a walk. it was so beautiful and warm. thank you southern utah.

then we started with the dinner preparations. mom basically owned everything. it was amazing. i did put the turkey in the oven though #whatup. and i made the marshmallow brown sugar sweet potatoes which turned out pretty amazing, i'm not gonna lie.

another successful thanksgiving meal! so delicious, and i didn't even get a picture of my mom's homemade apple pie, which is probably my favorite pie ever [after pumpkin]. and it helped with my post thanksgiving morning tradition, pie for breakfast! every year. best self tradition ever.

slacker.

2011-11-27T22:56:00.001-07:00

so i know my blogging skills have been weak as of late... for the past few months. but i got some good pics and had some fun times in st george over thanksgiving break so there should be plenty of material for me to work with! school ends in a few weeks [for forever. just need to keep reminding people, including myself] and then i will be back in st g for some more good times!

here are a few pics to tide you over. it's off to bed for me. here's to decent bedtimes!

some yummy treats, a little painting, and extremely intense scrabble. more to come..

within me.

2011-11-26T00:54:00.001-07:00

one of my favorite quotes, first introduced to me by sarahmaines.

i just love the hope.

why i love my leather jacket.

2011-11-22T10:29:00.001-07:00

brandon wears leather jacket. ahlin loves brandon. ahlin loves leather jacket.

ahlin wants to have an hsm slash zac efron marathon. ahlin has a leather jacket wearing marathon instead.

everyone on vampire diaries wears a leather jacket. ere go, ahlin wears her leather jacket.

it is cold outside. leather jacket cures all.

and ahlin enjoys thinking she looks pretty bad a.
the end.

grateful.

2011-11-22T00:12:00.001-07:00

tomorrow... today... tuesday i get to go home to st george for thanksgiving break. i'm so excited i can't even start packing, i just want to be there already. i should have gone to to sleep a while ago but i'm already in vacation mode. so excited to spend some quality with the fam [aka david, mom, and dave].

for fhe we made gratitude hand turkeys. this is one of my favorite thanksgiving activities. i always like to have fun with it.

i am grateful for my family. netflix. cafe rio. working out. boots. my leather jacket. the internetz. my ward. answered prayers. transportation. lifelong friends. button up shirts. the book of mormon. my phone. sleeping in. water. strawberry chapstick. pretzel m&m's. opportunities. nice people. faith. root beer. going on walks. black leggings. the killers. mascara. tv shows. bagels and hot chocolate. naps. books. quiet sunsets. lotion. car rides. money. cologne. chocolate covered cinnamon bears. making new friends. mountains. new beginnings. super cool quotes. laughing really hard. peanut butter. 2010 list. 2009 list.

single digits.

2011-11-16T08:38:00.001-07:00

my lovely friend anna pointed out yesterday at lunch that the number of classes i have left are in the single digits.
for the rest of my life.
forever.
FOREVER.

i keep forgetting slash it's kind of hard to wrap my brain around. i've been going to school since 1995. that is sixteen years. SIXTEEN. YEARS. do you know what has happened since 1995?

- basically all ten seasons of friends
- the very first pixar movie
- 9/11
- all things harry potter
- dvds
- a royal divorce, a royal death, and a royal marriage
- the iPod
- the rise and fall and [debatable] rise again of britney spears
- netflix. netflix forever.

yeah. life isn't the same as it was in 1995. how will i know how to live without school in this changed world? i have been trying to tap into the memories of my five year old self but it's just not the same.

gone are the days of dress up and hanging out with gina all day every day. no more fairy house making and watching oklahoma every morning. no longer can i waste the day away playing hide-and-go-seek or dancing around all over the house in my underwear [actually... debatable]. i have traded it all in for job searching, paying the bills, going to the gym, and debating what i should and shouldn't eat. my newfound activities are going to weddings, grocery shopping, and making sure i'm being social instead of hanging out with me, myself, and netflix. i call things i like 'guilty pleasures' instead of just owning it.

adult life is sounding really lame. but it's not, right? no, it's pretty sweet. being an adult means progressing, growing, learning. i can make friends from all over the country, all over the world. i can choose who to be and how to be. being myself isn't any harder than it was when i was five, it just is if i make it that way.

so here's to the future. the changes are coming. and they are craaazy. but also awesome. and i'm super excited about it. i like who i am and where i am and where i'm going. wherever that is. this is real life.

eleven.

2011-11-12T12:50:00.001-07:00

i was a little stressed out about what to do for 11/11/11. at first i thought i shouldn't worry about it. just write it off as another day. then i thought, no! this day only happens once in a lifetime and i want to tell my kids the awesome stuff i did on that day [yes, they will care]. i even did all my homework on thursday so i would be completely free to do what i want. but i couldn't really get past the idea that this would be an ideal time to have a man to do these things with me. what cool stuff can i do by myself?

then, while i was at work on friday, it hit me. treat yo' self. i am single and free to do whatever i want! time to take complete advantage and treat myself. and for those who don't watch parks and recreation, first, repent, then, watch these:

so i came up with eleven things to do to treat myself. and of course it was awesome and i documented all of them.

one: buy chocolate covered cinnamon bears. because they are byu's greatest asset. and i love them. and if you love me you will buy them for me when i no longer have access to the byu bookstore. i ate eleven of them. but i may or may not have consumed the entire bag over the weekend...

two: go to the gym. for as little or as long as i want. because i like it. among other things, i ran for 11 minutes and 11 seconds, upon sarahmaines suggestion. she is so brilliant.

three: do a honey face mask. after i showered, i put honey on my face and it was awesome. it made my face feel so clean. the first and last time i did this was ten years ago in achievement days. teaching natural remedies at a young age. #ldsyouthprogramsftw

four: wear my favorite clothes. not like, wear five different shirts, i just wore an outfit that was awesome. a green shirt under my denim button up with black leggings, boots, peacock feather earrings, and my leather jacket. and i looked gooood. definitely sartorialist worthy. yeah, i went there.

five: watch the sun set from a high place. the clouds kind of botched my original plan, but i went up anyway, sat in the y mountain parking lot in the back of my car and drank hot chocolate. it was way nice and beautiful and quiet. and the back of the fit is incredibly huge. seriously, i could chill back there all day.

six: compile and listen to the perfect playlist. i did this while i was atop the mountain. and i very much succeeded. i was rocking out all night from avril to jay z to hsm 3 to iron & wine. i put songs on there that made me think of specific memories or had a certain emotion attached to it. it is truly an amazing playlist. here is just a taste:

seven: eat cafe rio for dinner! this gets an exclamation point because it is extremely important. i love cafe rio. lovvvve. i will base my future moving decisions on traveling distance to cafe rio. you think i kid.

eight: go to barnes & noble, look around, smell the books, and read. i can never justify going to bookstores for no reason [especially since there is always a strong pull on my wallet] so i decided to go and mosey around for fun, as well as read a few pages from my favorite book. and eat chocolate covered cinnamon bears.

nine: visit the nan. i only had eight items on the list when i started so when i got an email from my grandma while i was out, i thought, duh, how could i not go visit her? all she does is say how wonderful i am and offer me food. so i surprised her, rubbed her neck, looked at some pictures with her, and she gave me some cheese. win. win. win.

ten: watch vampire diaries without shame or guilt. what would my perfect day be if i didn't watch some tv, really though? i had one more episode in order to catch up so i decided to watch it and completely soak it in, without worrying about the homework i should be doing, sleep i should be getting, or what my roommates were thinking [which is definitely that i'm an obsessed crazy].

eleven: not get ready for bed. in a perfect world, i would never have to get ready for bed. it is honestly the bane of my existence. i still had to come up with one more way to treat myself and as i got home thinking how much i didn't want to get ready for bed, i thought, treat yo' self! so my toothbrush and face wash stayed in the drawer where they belong. that's right.

me at 11/11/11 11:11.

disclaimer: i know it looks like i gained a hundred pounds. really i'm just wearing a jacket. yeah.

it was pretty much the best day ever. can't wait til next year [12/12/12?]. i highly recommend that you

treat yo' self!

lately as of late.

2011-11-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

not registering for classes. for the first time in four years.

finding a job in provo. oh yeah, i'm staying in provo next semester. woot.

pinterest. forever pinterest. i just want to make food all the time. please.

listening to the prophet. i love byu.

there's been some snow. so that's fun.

went to yogurtland for the first time in a month. yum.

basically i wear boots and my leather jacket everyday. i'm hardcore.

i graduate in five weeks. what? yes.

lots and lots and lots of vampire diaries. because, well, hello.

that is all.

i was walking far from home.

2011-11-07T08:36:00.002-07:00

byu has this amazing path that goes half way around campus.

i think it's so pretty. i usually use it when i'm walking home. it takes a little longer but it's just so picturesque. i feel like i have a little piece of my ideal heaven with me. i usually see a couple deer too. and who doesn't love deer?

halloween.

2011-11-02T08:48:00.002-06:00

my 2011 halloween experience according to my iphone.

pumpkin smash jamba, get in my bellaaay.

my roommate's mom sent her [us] a treat coffin, so so cute.

i don't want to talk about how many of these pretzel sweets i made and subsequently consumed. i blame pinterest.

little track and laken. so freaking adorable. there's nothing much better than kids in costumes.

happy birthday leslie! the big 2 1. [yummy funfetti cake by danny and sarah]

halloween party at work with lots of soup and treats, yummm.

wingapo.

we asked siri about the meaning of life.

2011-10-30T00:00:00.000-06:00

not too bad for an inanimate object.

some insta.

2011-10-28T22:33:00.000-06:00

i found ron weasley! aka billy.

niki with her art piece in the salt lake gallery stroll! so proud.

does your dad send you justin bieber calenders just for fun? didn't think so. #bestdadeveraward

wishing sister time was all the time.

here i am. with a child. my new cousin to be exact.

big super important news that is life changing.

2011-10-25T08:45:00.001-06:00

this girl

[aka mine bestie/soulmate/bff/ec sarahmaines, you may have heard of her]

is going to marry this guy

[aka awesome/hilarious/new bff danny duke]

there are no words to express how excited and happy i am for these two. honestly, i could not hand pick anyone better for sarah. danny is so great and it has been so fun to see their relationship develop from the very start.

i remember the first time sarah talked about him: it was at yogurtland [of course] and he sounded so hilarious, i couldn't wait to meet him. since then we've had a lot of fun times together, from rsl to my birthday party to their california trip this summer.

here's to more good times and fun memories. we're glad to have you danny.

relevant.

2011-10-24T12:54:00.001-06:00

lately this has been my approach to... pretty much everything.

this and calling my mom every single day.

yay for big life decisions.

bless you steve.

2011-10-19T08:56:00.000-06:00

this is why facetime was invented.

i think calling it 'sistertime' would be a bit more appropriate.

my main mormon man.

2011-10-17T08:22:00.000-06:00

how i know i talk too much about brandon flowers slash how much i love him: when five or more people ask me if i've seen the brandon flowers 'i'm a mormon' video. these people are my true friends.

anna is the winner for getting to me first, texting me friday night with the glorious news and then subsequently emailing me the link and discussing it with me after i watched it and freaked out in someone's house who thought i was crazy weird for screaming in their kitchen.

i heard he was making one of these about a year ago from a solid source so i was not surprised when i heard about it, just extremely ecstatic it was finally out. now i don't have to convince people that he is in fact mormon and he is in fact active.

huzzah.

i've always been a believer, brandon. just keep that in mind when you're looking for your number one fan.

"my name is brandon flowers. i'm a father, i'm a husband, and i'm a mormon."

kill me now.

the canyon.

2011-10-14T08:38:00.001-06:00

the other day i went for a run up provo canyon for the first time. i don't know why i have never done that before, it was so beautiful and there are few things i love more than the mountains, especially when the leaves are changing.

i left a little later than i planned so by the end i was pretty cold but i got to see an amazing sunset [and capture it off the fit].

one thousand schrute bucks for mother nature.

true blue and breakfast food.

2011-10-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

last saturday, my blood was the bluest it has ever been.

go cougars.

i also ate a comical amount of breakfast food. these two incidents are only somewhat related.

saturday morning i met up with jen, sarah, and leslie for a birthday breakfast for jen [22! oh em gee!]. we ate at magleby's, only one of the best breakfast places around. everything they have is top notch. everything. i opted for the omelet myself but that did not keep me from stealing a few bites of leslie's pancakes. so good. honestly, anyone could win my heart if they suggested magleby's for breakfast. and do not get me started on their chocolate cake. easily my favorite cake ever. everrrr.

apparently we failed to get a picture of this occasion. oh well.

then sarah and i went to the byusa pancake breakfast at the creamery on ninth. for homecoming they always several stands making thousands of blue pancakes. tons of people came and ate before the parade started. which sarah and i watched and it was awesome. plus we got to see codi, rachel, and adam! #yayforfriends

don't exactly know who this guys is... but he wanted to be in the picture. cool!

adam!

medieval club. they are so cool.

llamas!!!

yum.

me, adam, and sarah.

after that fun time i went home, took a nap, then went to the awful waffle with matt. we had talked about trying it out and so we finally did! i got crepes with peanut butter, pumpkin sause, and syrup. go big or go home guys. btdub it was delicious. i would easily make a weekly trip if i had the funds and metabolism for it.

after that deliciousness i went over to sarah's and we watched jane eyre. that movie is amazing. i'm sure i will be expressing my love for it [and michael fassbender] in a post soon enough.

sarah and danny invited me to dinner so we went to noodles & co [also delicious]. and they invited me to the homecoming football game! thanks guys!
my second byu football game as a student! look at me now.

we met up with the group during halftime. love.
[apparently katie and brady left before we took this. oops!]

yay for byu and breakfast! and friends. and jane eyre. just a few of my favorite things.

less is more.

2011-10-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

i am quite sure we would be best friends in real life.

via

pinterest party, heyo!

2011-10-11T00:00:00.000-06:00

due to the love some girlfriends and i have for pinterest, we decided to throw a party during priesthood session of general conference. while the boys are away, the girls will play!

we each brought a food/dessert dish we found on pinterest and made a super cool bracelet i had pinned.

that's right. we got crafty.

my roommate jannae and me. #loveher

me and anna. homegirl is freaking amazing. she and leslie were the masterminds behind the epicness of this party.

it was so fun to meet new people and eat ridiculously delicious food. and we all left feeling a little more accomplished and awesome. i'm thinking this needs to be a monthly thing...

a little insta.

2011-10-10T09:07:00.001-06:00

made this bracelet during conference. #gettincrafty

pinterest party goodies! post to come...

my cute grandma watching conference. i love her.

it got crazy cold in like, point two seconds. but i love it. fall coats!

so many feather earrings at brass plum. i die.

tumblr all the way.

2011-10-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

so i made a new tumblr. cause i'm cool like that.

it's specifically for movies/music/television/celebrities.

and i totally love it.

here are some of my faves:

seriously, check it out. it's not even me trying to promote my own tumblr. just promoting the awesomeness of the internet.

credit: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

conference weekend.

2011-10-05T00:03:00.000-06:00

the lord is my light, then why should i fear?

this october's general conference was amazing, as per usual. i always love this weekend when time seems to stand still and everything seems in control for two seconds. listening to the leaders of the church inspires such hope and confidence in me every single time. it is always so incredible when i am able to pinpoint exact messages and quotes that i feel are meant specifically for me, right here right now. i got serious anxiety for a minute when it ended... how am i supposed to make it another six months without them? bless the internet slash november ensign for unlimited access to their messages.

my favorite was by elder carl b. cook, which you can watch here. seriously, best eight minutes of my life. i also loved elder alonso, elder anderson, president uchtdorf... holy cow, they were just all so great. they are all available here to read, watch, or listen to.

i'm so grateful for modern day revelation and the loving guidance of these incredible men and women. i know what they say is directly from our father in heaven. i know that my heavenly father knows me personally, better than anyone, and loves me with a love that is incomprehensible and yet completely evident in every minute of every day. i am who i am because of this gospel and because of the example of jesus christ, my perfect brother and savior.

october third.

2011-10-03T16:21:00.000-06:00

i thought this was pretty relevant.

today is the birthday of two extremely important people in my life.

jen kerr

one of my best friends since freshman year, we have lived together, laughed together, cried together, and done pretty much anything you can imagine together [really though]. jen and i became roommates by pure chance which, looking back, never seemed to be chance at all. she has blessed my life in countless ways. and by countless, i mean i literally cannot count them. but i shall name a few:

- teaching me how to be a good student

- giving me rides to places slash letting me borrow her car sophomore year

- going to cafe rio whenever i felt that particular need

- teaching me that it's ok to be positive about everything. and i mean everything.

- exposing me to the wonder of a true two minute shower [i still don't understand how she does it.]

- reading your scriptures everyday and praying morning & night is totally doable.

- running long distances is cool.

- lois & clark #nuffsaid

happy birthday jenkerr! i love you dearly my friend.

jade arrington

jade is my sister-in-law. and without even seeing her read this i know she is totally hating me right now for putting this picture on here. well jade, that's what happens when you don't let me take pictures of you. i have to turn to the professionals.

i've known jade since i was 12 and loved her the instant i met her. it's crazy how much closer we've become, especially over the last few years since she and my brother [plus the children] moved to st george. she is one of the funniest, strongest, most beautiful people i know and i feel so blessed to call her my sister. it's pretty much a one-sided relationship because i get to laugh and have so much fun with her and i offer nothing in return. one day when i'm rich i'll buy her lots of clothes and then feel worthy to be in her presence. here's just a taste of our fun times:

- one time she was making meringue for a pie while my parents were gone and she told me she was going to put it on gina's face. she called gina to the kitchen and then decided to wipe it all over my face. cue all out meringue war. the three of us got so crazy sticky and matt was super mad that we made a mess. then we washed off in the pool. good memory.

- jade introduced me to the straightening iron. when she first visited us, i woke her up at like 6 to straighten my hair before school. i'm sure she wanted to slap me for that multiple times and probably would if i tried it now. bahahaha.

- one time we were all in the car with her siblings and she asked if anyone wanted a surprise. duh i wanted a surprise. so i yelled 'i do!' and stuck out my hand which she proceeded to put a tampon in. nice. ps i was sitting next to her super cute brother [who is now married] and we were 15. thanks jade.

- one time we ran together in the mornings for like a week. then she got pregnant with laken. so that ended.

- jade has these glasses that are missing a lens but she still wears them when she drives or watches a movie. one time we were driving somewhere and talking about something semi important and then i looked over while she was talking, saw the glasses, kind of smiled but trying really hard to hide it, just kept nodding my head and listening. then she said 'you're looking at my glasses aren't you?' and i completely lost it. she totally called me out and we died laughing.

happy birthday jade! ohmygosh you're so old.

another married.

2011-10-03T14:48:00.000-06:00

one of my besties got married. but this time it was a dude.

jjcjj.

jeffery justin cody johnson junior.

otherwise known as jeff.

bearded jj.

check out that groom's cake. i've never seen anything like it.

he married becca. i love becca. almost as much as jeff.
she is amazing and beautiful and i can't think of anyone else better for my friend.

the whole crew back together [sans rob. who is also married. holy crap.]
iphone quality. nice.

i love my friends. and married people.

congrats jj. youda youda best.

lately.

2011-10-02T23:16:00.001-06:00

my roommate made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies #kryptonite #achillesheel #seriousaddiction

the end of this rainbow was seriously in my reach. i could practically smell the gold.

pumpkin einstein's bagel with pumpkin shmear? oh hi, reason for life.

i am so excited to have my tom's back. shout out to my mom for washing them for me.

free cafe rio day at work. #nuffsaid

inanimate objects that know me better than anyone.

2011-09-28T00:00:00.000-06:00

phone
laptop
penelope, becoming jane, and atonement dvds
makeup box
running shoes
softball sweatpants from high school
headphones
journal #duh
netflix watch instantly
infiniti

which is now gone.

i was surprised at how attached i was to it. how sad i was to see it go. we've been through a lot, me and the i.

i am now driving the fit. which i am excited about. here's to new friends, new adventures.

to the top.

2011-09-26T23:06:00.000-06:00

a couple weekends ago leslie, andy/taylor, and i hiked to the top of y mountain. like, past the y, to the top. it was amazing and so beautiful. it had just rained and everything was so green.

leaves are starting to change! #yayfall

our view from the top. thank you clouds.

yay for hiking and trees and mountains and friends.

the nan.

2011-09-21T07:18:00.000-06:00

it was my grandma's birthday last week. so we had a yummy birthday dinner for her sunday!

and i was in charge of the banana cream pie.

have i ever made a pie in my life? nope.

huge shout out and thank you to my sister lauren for walking me through each step of the process. it was delicious!

cooking: 0 ahlin: 1

she is so cute.

niki, nanny, my cousin chantel and her kids.

hanging out with family is always a huge win. #familiesareforever

because it made me lol.

2011-09-20T00:00:00.000-06:00

top ten ways barack obama can boost his popularity with younger voters:

10. refer to himself as the chillaxer-in-chief.

9. limit speech to 140 characters or less.

8. broadcast oval office addresses in 3D.

7. replace rahm emanuel with a hunky, brooding vampire.

6. trade in air force one for a rocket-powered obama-cycle.

5. answer tough questions with 'whatevs.'

4. change name to bajustin obieber.

3. refer to his abdominal muscles as 'the administration.'

2. check into rehab, go to prison, check back into rehab, go back to prison, check back into rehab.

1. join team coco.

word.

via

to tide you over.

2011-09-18T22:53:00.000-06:00

one day i'll get back to blogging real life. but for now. some instas.

150 calories? for a pint of ice cream? shut the front door.

saturday morning run past the temple #ibecool

my first h&m trip ever. in vegas. what what.

she's pretty.

what do you do when you want to make cookies and all your butter is frozen? stick outside in the desert heat of course.

part of me.

2011-09-12T00:00:00.000-06:00

i got to see gina this weekend. for .2 seconds. but it was worth the drive.

maybe i was holding back tears as we dropped her off at the airport. whatever.

remembering.

2011-09-11T23:11:00.000-06:00

i was 11 and lived in california at the time.
my step dad drove me to school that morning. i was wondering what he was listening to in the kitchen, what him and my mom were talking about over breakfast.
i had no idea what the world trade center was, what the twin towers were. but i realized that what had happened was a very big deal when i got to school and my friends rushed me asking if i'd heard.
in homeroom we watched the news as my teacher tried to reach her sister in new york. she was ok.
the rest of the day, the week was a blur. i remember many 'moments of silence' over the intercom, replays on tv, over and over, and seeing the huge '9/11' printed on TIME magazine.
what i remember most, though, is the strength. the strength of our country, our president, our people. it gave me chills to see the flags mounted on all the houses, to listen to everyone's patriotic side emerge, to realize that our country is incredible and how blessed i am to be a part of it.
god bless america and the lives of those severely affected by the events of 9/11.

resources.

2011-09-09T02:00:00.000-06:00

my friends gave these to me.

thanks guys.

adult things.

2011-09-07T11:05:00.000-06:00

so my blog friend jordyn [who i recently met and is awesome] does a series listing adult things she's done vs. kid things she's done. they are kind of brilliant. so i decided to come up with one of my own. [her's are way better though, trust me.]

recent adult things i've done:

moved all my things into my new apartment by myself.
started working again. yay for paychecks.
took my car to the dealership to get fixed and talked shop [kind of not really].
shopped at a health food store. look at me go.
went to fhe all by myself and met people.

recent kid things i've done:

i decide multiple times everyday it would be best to never leave the safety of provo.
then i call my mother for reassurance.
got nutella crepes at ihop, completely ignoring the 'fit and simple' menu options. #getinmybellay
freaked out like a little girl when i saw david archuleta.
watched 'tangled' three times in two weeks.

after the third time watching 'tangled' i found this gem on youtube. please note the wink at 2:00 and die with me.

what days will hold.

2011-09-06T01:30:00.000-06:00

moving in to a new place and starting a new semester at school is always a little craziness that takes me a few days to figure out and adjust to. i feel like last week was a whole kaleidoscope of ups and downs, from realizing i can only have half of my grant for tuition to realizing i have more free time then ever. every day was filled with weird, what the crap news and also discoveries that life really is a bit fantastic. friday was kind of like that.

i worked from 8 to 1, a new normal friday thing. then leslie took me to the car dealership to finally pick up my car. it was there for four days [which is a whole crazy weird story in and of itself] and i was definitely ready to have it back. after dealing with ricky [yeah, i'm on a casual first name basis with the nissan technician], i finally got out of there with my car and leslie and i headed up to the mountains for a hike.

we went to stewart falls in provo canyon and it was so beautiful and fun. i love spending time with my friends [and maybe getting lost on a long winding road] and talking about anything and everything. i can't believe i have never made this hike before. it was incredible, take a look:

after we made our way back down [and saw a snake... i only freaked out a lot] leslie went home to shower and i went and filled up my car with gas. oh and locked both my keys and my phone in my car. wow ahlin, really? really, did that just happen? yes it did. after staring at the keys sitting i asked the mini mart worker people if i could use their phone and i called my dad because he obviously has all the answers. he instructed me to call geico and i was out of there within half an hour. i was just laughing at myself because it was so unlike me to do that and i knew that at least three people were trying to get a hold of me. in fact, when i checked my phone, i felt more popular than i had been all week. why does that always happen? i don't know.

when i finally got back to my apartment, leslie came over and we made delicious veggie burgers, zucchini, and sweet potato fries. we be healthy. then we got our friend jared and went to the rooftop concert here in provo. imagine dragons was playing and there were tons of people there. i went last year to see benton paul and nik day but it looks like the word has gotten out on how cool they are.

fun story:

i checked twitter when i got there and saw this

obviously i freaked out and tweeted him

not two minutes later, he walks right by me.

did you catch that?

I CAN WILL DAVID ARCHULETA INTO MY PRESENCE.

it's a gift really. i freaked out a little [a lot] and grabbed leslie's arm until there was no circulation left [sorry lo]. he stopped about ten feet away and it looked like he was looking for something. me obviously. too bad he didn't see me staring at him shamelessly. a minute or so later he walked past me again the same way he had come.

um, why didn't you talk you him ahlin? i'm sure you're all asking. hi, have you ever seen david archuleta in the flesh and have to come up with something to say on the spot? it's a lot harder than you'd think. all i could think to say if i stopped him was 'um, you're david archuleta.' really, that is all that came to my mind. i held on to enough dignity to know i shouldn't say that to him. and it was too dark for a picture. so i just looked at him longingly and soaked it in, kind of like i did with zac-face.

yes i did make that big a deal out of it. i mean, look at him.

he is utah's gem.

new look.

2011-09-05T00:00:00.000-06:00

so. i'm sure you may have noticed by now. things have changed up a bit around here. i created some new pages at the top. here's a little taste of their contents:

it's just me - a little intro to me and the blog.
linked - other places you can find me on the internets.
slightly inspired - blogs i like to read because they are awesome.
words to keep sane - quotes i like.
in the limelight - things i'm liking at the moment.
ear candy - my playlist [it's back].
questions i am frequently asked - just some faqs. that may or may not be actual faqs.

i also simplified the sidebar as well as added some things about me.
oh and i changed the name. duh.

i'm going to be more interesting on here too, i promise. lots of myspace pics like this coming your way.
just kidding. i swear.

last first.

2011-09-04T12:06:00.000-06:00

oh hey.

so would you like to hear about the last week and a half of my life? ok cool.

- drove back to provo.
- moved into my new apartment.
- reunited with my beautiful friends.
- went to my new ward.
- started my last first day of school.
- started work again [yay for paychecks].

i'm taking seven credits this semester. because that's all i have left to do. craziness. now it's time to decide what i want to do with my life post grad, apply for graduation [it costs $15. what?! yes.], and live it up in p town before i leave for good. it's crazy thinking of a life without byu - i got just a taste of it this summer - but it is inevitable and i'm excited to take it head on. my professor showed this video in class this week and i almost cried because i felt like it was especially for me right now.
dr. suess knows what's up.

invested.

2011-08-28T00:02:00.002-06:00

via

last of st g.

2011-08-25T23:39:00.001-06:00

my favorite popcorn: marshmallow. i can neither confirm nor deny if i ate the entire thing...

rainbow!

i had a lot of homework to do while i was at home.

oh primary. blessed be the children, for they are crazy.

we do ihop like nobody's business.

my new kitchenware i got on sale at target. who's excited to eat off these beauties? #thisguy

little mermaid at tuacahn with mother. sooo amazing and fun.

i love st george.

i get to provo and the closest i can be to sarah without actually seeing her is sleeping in her bed. while i'm #homeless. thanks bestie!

an interview.

2011-08-23T00:01:00.000-06:00

so you might recall my many raves about my sister's band, elephant shortcut. while it's awesome they're coming out with an ep on itunes and everything, it is more awesome that i agreed to interview them.

fine, maybe not. but it will be super awesome when they are super famous.

georgina. you are answering the questions. mitchell is not. explain.
mitchell has spent the last two weeks diligently working on finishing up our ep in las vegas, while i have been in virginia promoting our music. we be a team. mitchell finally got back to va today, and is now fast asleep dreaming of beautiful lyrics that are going to make you laugh-cry in the near future. so i have taken the responsibility of responding to your questions. no worries though, mitchell said i could do this one without him.

well, welcome. elephant shortcut. that is your name. i need to know. where did it come from and what does it mean?
it’s really deep for us. one time, we were both riding these elephants, and we were lost in the jungle. so we decided we would take a shortcut to get the heck out of there. and who knew?! it led us right back to our friendly group of tourists, deep in the heart of africa.
oh wait. . .that was a dream i had. next question.

your ep album is called paper birds. hence the paper birds on your album art. did you fold those yourselves? if not, who did?
when mitchell came up with the brilliant idea of having paper cranes somewhere on our cover, i was ecstatic. the only problem was we needed 50 cranes to be in st. george that next day, and we were in las vegas, busy recording. so i called up my dear friend kylie and asked her to make us some birds. she said no. but she did note that our childhood friend was expert at making them. so one phone call later, kisha kwan was making 50 birds in under an hour. that’s impressive. all shapes and sizes too.
did you catch the answer in there? kisha kwan. kisha kwan made those paper birds.

go kisha kwan. so what inspires your lyrics?
this is a deep and intense question. answer?
love. every kind.

all you need is love. love is all you need. the beatles said that once.
what’s your favorite song from the ep? you have to choose. have. to.
what an odious question (please note reference to the best movie ever, the fall).
let’s be real for a second. if you go on youtube and watch our “mother’s day concert” series, you will find that before almost every song, mitchell says “this is my favourite song”.
we really love them all. and i don’t have to choose just one. because you are my sister. . . does that make this less legitimate? maybe. i don’t care.

i will let that non-answer slide. just this time though. never again.
if you could collaborate with any artist/band, who would it be?
i would choose my all-time favourite band, tegan & sara. i went through some serious phases with those twins. from my purple hair phase to my ‘i refuse to eat anything but burritos’ phase - they were there, quietly performing the soundtrack of my life.
i can pretty confidently say that mitchell would love to collaborate with the format. he loves them, and for good reason. you can hear a lot of their influence in the songs mitchell writes. truly a great group, lyrically and musically. sadly, the format no longer exists. . i mean they’re alive, but their music is not.

oh the format. may they hypothetically rest in peace. in not-so-melancholic news, the killers are alive and well. what is your favorite killers song? this is important.
jenny was a friend of mine. oh wait. i love all these things that i’ve done too. i remember listening to the (illegally) burnt cd of hot fuss in my (your) walkman (phillips) over and over when i was in grade school. but then you became really obsessed with them, and i thought to myself “girl, ahlin deserves them, let it go”. enter tegan & sara.

i am very sure that was your thought process and i appreciate that. the killers ftw.
describe band practice.
haha...ixnay.

again with avoiding the questions. such behavior is not ok.
anything you’d like to say to your super hot awesome fans?
yes.
the only reason mitchell and i are in the position we are in today, is because of the support we’ve had from the people around us. the first time we performed was really just a fluke, but it turned out to be the greatest thing of our lives. our families have backed us every step of the way, and our fans are unbelievable. we feel so much love from them, and have worked hard to make an ep that we feel everyone can enjoy. so even if you’re remotely fond of us, share the love. spread the word. tell everyone how great it is to take an elephant shortcut (i am aware you are all still unclear about what this means..sorry).

sweet. well thanks for answering my super important questions gina, i appreciate it and i know the fans do too. to help spread the love and learn more about elephant shortcut, be sure to

like them on facebook

follow them on twitter

check out their blog

watch them on youtube

good luck elephant shortcut. and fans, thanks for your love and support!

don't forget to check out their ep on itunes, available this week!

screen shot.

2011-08-22T00:10:00.000-06:00

i have really been into screen-shotting [yes, that's a verb] things on my phone as of late. here are just a few gems i've collected:

words with friends does not approve of my word choices.

gina sent this to me one morning. #goodonegina #sadbuttrue

i think this is the best text i've ever got from my dad.

i woke to this text one morning. this is my new standard for responses from boys to me.

word.

real.

2011-08-21T00:02:00.000-06:00

via

i wish i was a country girl. [sometimes.]

2011-08-19T00:01:00.000-06:00

we checked out the county fair last weekend. so so fun! we saw animals that i don't see on a regular basis, walked through some cool booths, watched little boys rope up some bulls, and there was even a hypnotist! i just have the strangest fascination with hypnotists, ever since i saw one at my high school's grad night. i freaking love that crap.

lil' sebastian!

hi i'd like to decorate my life in john deere paraphernalia. please and thank you.

super cool handmade leather wallets.

yes.

the chilluns checking out the goats slash sheep slash cows.

i'm so funny.

i lovvvve scones. LOVE SCONES. if there is one thing i should never learn how to make, it's scones. i love love love love love scones. with honey butter? i die a premature, fried batter instigated death of goodness. yummm.

i've decided doing things is fun. i never regret leaving the house to do something. new life rule: get up, get out.

fun in target.

2011-08-15T00:02:00.000-06:00

as much as i love st george, it is crazy hot. and as much as i love the crazy hotness, it's hard to find stuff to do. because as much as i love my clothes sticking to my body all day, it gets old after two seconds. so we make our own fun in nice air conditioned stores. like target.

singing justin bieber doll anyone? um, yes please.

question: how sketch is it that you have to press his abs to get him to sing? answer: pretty sketch. homeboy is seventeen.

anyone up for a 1000 piece puzzle? oh yeah, the picture is of jelly beans. have at it.

sweet talkin' ken. as in you record what you want him to say to you and he says it back. if this isn't the perfect boyfriend, i don't know what is. [note: that last sentence is false. i prefer i live boyfriend thanks].

what is target fun without some ballerina action? work it laken.

give me sass.

in what world should a five year old be tanner than me? this one apparently. no fair.

is it sad that out of all the aisles of toys we went through these super hero toys called to me the most? they are just SO COOL.

i went to target to exchange waterproof mascara for regular mascara [i hate when i accidentally buy waterproof! who buys waterproof?!] and i came out with new kitchenware as well. target has no mercy. pics to come.

a wish.

2011-08-14T01:05:00.000-06:00

i love everything about this. thanks sarah for sharing. seriously amazing and so inspirational.

st g thus far.

2011-08-13T17:57:00.000-06:00

watching parks and rec in bed with david.

piggy back rides galore with trackster.

fun in target with laken.

i heart county fairs.

pool. gym. mad men. the help.
just livin' the dream.

chopped.

2011-08-12T00:02:00.000-06:00

photo booth. for the lonely and narcissistic.

and for those who get hair cuts.

i am a super model.

not to be confused with supermodel.

antm here i come.

last of cali.

2011-08-11T01:03:00.000-06:00

just some last instas of my california adventure...

i love speed scrabble. still.

all soup should be served in a bread bowl. no exceptions.

say it: poo-ket. i know, i thought it too.

well hello best movie theater mural ever.

farmer's market strawberries. most amazing strawberries of my entire life.

california signs are extremely specific.

lots of coinage for hb off pch #californialingo #word

i printed, stickered, stamped, stuffed, and sealed over 300 of these bad boys. what up.

goodbye california.

2011-08-10T00:05:00.000-06:00

i got a lot more sad than i thought i would to leave my job. i met a ton of cool people and was just starting to feel settled in when it ended. i worked a lot with long beach animal care services so the guys took me out to lunch for one last hurrah. they were so nice and so fun to be around, i'm surprised i didn't cry when i said goodbye.

pictured: lt. david linn, richard cranston, me, john keisler. don't mind my arm, i just like being awkward in pictures, that's all.

after my last day [seriously, i was so sad] i drove down to carlsbad to hang out with daddy-o. he made me dinner and we watched the adjustment bureau [ps so good]. the next morning we went down to the beach and i went for one last beach run while he road his bike. then we had a late breakfast at this beautiful, super yummy cafe.

i had a little post run, pre breakfast snack while we were waiting to be seated.

then i showered, took the car to jiffy lube [thanks dad!] and headed up to huntington beach. after some super fun traffic, i got to pacific coast highway and it was crazy. with the surf open plus a free jimmy eat world concert [the reason i was going] it was incredibly peopled. check it out.

i decided it wasn't worth it to try and find a parking spot so i drove up to long beach and got myself one last authentic [delicious] fish taco.

then i went to my grandparents to say goodbye, went home, chatted with mike and amy for a bit, then went to bed. for the last time. in california. #dramamuch

saturday.

2011-08-06T18:42:00.001-06:00

my last saturday.

i had breakfast with my grandparents at schooner or later, a cool old place right by the marina in long beach. i love eating by the water. or doing anything by the water really.

how cute are they? please note my grandpa's hat.

then i went down to huntington and did some homework by the beach #perfection. after a while i met up with anna and her sister. we went over to the pier because it was the first day of the us surf open. they had a ton of cool stuff and watching the surfing was really neat. and we left our mark on this huge board: byu 4eva!

homeboy's arms are nice #surferboys

after i said bye to them, i laid out on the beach a bit and soaked up some sun [with sunscreen of course]. on my way home i stopped at this farmers market. i wish i could shop at farmers markets everyday!

after i got home and showered, i went up to pasadena to hang out with my friend brandon from byu. we went to king taco for some authentic mexican food and then saw cowboys and aliens [which i loved]. it was super fun! plus we drove on the rose parade route :)

i thought he was covering his face. nope, he was giving me a high five #hiimawkward

messy food is the best food.

elephant shortcut.

2011-08-04T00:00:00.002-06:00

sooo music is awesome.

i don't really play anything [you'd think two guitar classes would change that], but i'm super good at listening to it.

my sister gina, on the other hand. actually does play. and sing. she's pretty bomb. she has a band called elephant shortcut and they're coming out with an ep on itunes in a couple weeks. that's right. itunes. you might have heard of it. basically, they're kind of a big deal. and i shall always be there to dust the famous glitter off gina's shoulders.

so check out their website. like them on facebook. follow them on twitter. watch them on youtube.

basically i give you full permission to stalk them shamelessly.

concerts in the park.

2011-08-01T01:02:00.003-06:00

every thursday in july the long beach municipal band performs at marine stadium in long beach. my family has been going to it for years and this summer i got to participate in the festivities. it is so much fun and the music is so great. there are hundreds of people there that lay out blankets and have dinner in the park, and also a lot of boats in the marina where people listen to the music. my grandparents go two hours early every week and get a spot right up front. here is a compilation of some pics from the last few weeks we've gone.

uncle mike and aunt amy. they are super awesome.

aunt missy and her horse, taz.

the moon was so full and low that night.

my dad with his second grade teacher. so cute!

uncle mike and my brother blake. what cool cats.

the last concert was last week. it was such a perfect california night #ilivehere

and we go to yogurtland every week after the concert. my dad loves me.

i can't believe i'm leaving this week. it will be bittersweet but it's been so fun to spend time with my family at these concerts every week. yay for memories and love!

ahlin's perfect weekend part 2

2011-07-31T14:19:00.001-06:00

sunday i gave a talk in church while sarah, danny, and colby were partaking in some of this:

after church i drove down to the beach and sat on a bench for a bit. it was so beautiful. then, out of nowhere, there were like fifteen dolphins just swimming right by the shore, for at least twenty minutes. it was so cool, i decided to just watch them and take it all in rather than try to get a crappy picture. it was definitely an awesome 'i live in california' moment.

then i went home, watched some of 'the office' and then met up with sarah and danny at the boys' hotel. they told me all about their disneyland adventures and we were starving so we got some taco bell. pretty much eating taco bell, chillin with my besties, watching 'how i met your mother' is all i could really ask for.

it was so great to play with them for a couple days and make fun memories. especially getting to be with sarah on the anniversary of our friendship. thanks for the two years of being the best bffl ever. youda youda best.

ahlin's perfect weekend part 1

2011-07-28T01:02:00.005-06:00

um how do you describe the best weekend ever? i don't know.

sarah, danny, and colby came down for the weekend and we had such a blast. they got here friday evening and then we went over to the mcgrath's for a bbq (fun and delicious, as always). then we hit up yogurtland #duh and called it a night.

the next morning we cruised down pacific coast highway to huntington beach. it was perfectly sunny, not too crowded and i even got to see anna! huge plus. bless twitter for it's instant stalking abilities.

after we had lunch at cpk, we cleaned up and headed up to dodgers stadium. it was one dollar dodger dog night #awesome so we all had our first dodger dog! #epicnessinmymouth

mine bestie sm. please compare to the exact pic almost a year ago. #weheartbaseball

i don't know what's cooler, our super yummy frozen lemonade of my childhood...

or seeing bill nye the science guy sitting right by us. #forrealzzz

probably seeing bill. the man taught me everything i know.

and just like that...

2011-07-25T02:27:00.000-06:00

it's time for mine bestie to leave.

thanks for the best anniversary ever sm.

you are the troy to my abed. the rachel to my monica. the jon to my stephen. the seth to my ryan.

buckle up provo. the final hurrah of ahlin and sera is coming this fall...

guess who's coming to cali?

2011-07-21T01:02:00.000-06:00

mine bestie is coming [back!] tomorrow.

get here, friday...

covers.

2011-07-20T01:02:00.000-06:00

i am severely hearting these covers right now.

cali instas.

2011-07-18T01:02:00.000-06:00

my aunt gave me ray bans. i dub her awesome. as well as myself.

best purchase of my life.

this tortoise is obviously aesthetically pleasing and not random.

photo op for my feet. and the dead fish.

i think this is the rule for life. must post this everywhere.

rockin the stripes and florals. how do we like?

yogurtland just made it into my thank you speech for when i'm famous.

california haps.

2011-07-17T01:02:00.000-06:00

sometimes it seems like all i do is wake up, go to work, come home, eat dinner, and go to bed. but i do more, i swear! i watch jeopardy between dinner and bedtime. me and alex trebek be tight.

ok ok i do more than that. here are some haps over the past few weeks.

my dad took me to kobe, a really nice japanese restaurant. we had AMAZING food and watched one of his high school friends perform with his son. it was so fun! and they were fantastic.

my first time eating chipotle. delish. [i still miss cafe rio though...]

my uncle went biking in laguna beach. it was so fun! and hard. but it was really pretty and quite the adventure.

we made it! why yes there was an american flag at the very top #teamusa.

my friends heather and todd got married in la so i went to their reception in valencia. it was so beautiful and they were so cute and happy. yay for love and marriage!

so... yeah. my life is pretty happenin.

fourth.

2011-07-16T01:02:00.000-06:00

this fourth of july was kind of great. the night before i drove down to carlsbad and spent the night at my dad's house. the next morning we woke up early and i dropped him off at oceanside harbor for his annual kayak trip up the coast. he's so cool.

since i was up i went for a nice run along the beach and on the pier. best run ever.

then i went back to the house, took a nap, took my time getting ready and then drove down the to the beach.

after some relaxing time on la playa, i drove up to dana point to pick up daddy-o. it was so fun to see everyone having fun on their boats, everyone just happy to be outside enjoying each other.

seven hours later and he's still alive! insanity.

then we had lunch at harpoon henry's and i got some ice cream. and it was delish.

after i took dad back home and napped for a bit, i went up to san clemente to hang out with my cousin and his wife for the fireworks. this was our view, don't even worry about that gorgeous sunset.

we could see four different fireworks shows! #perfection

basically my fourth was bomb. god bless america. and holidays.

momma turns the big [blank blank].

2011-07-14T01:02:00.003-06:00

she's not even that old. psh. and she doesn't look a day over thirty.

happy birthday momma! yet another year goes by and i am not with you on your special day. lame. one day when i grow up and don't have to be a super responsible student i will be there. and it will be legendary.

here are some of my favorite momma memories:

- the last week of early morning driver's ed, she let me drive around a little bit. this is like at 5 in the morning people. and i was terrified of going over 30 mph. and my mother does not break rules. so it was kind of a big deal that i didn't have my permit yet. omg we're so bad.

- in elementary/middle school she used to blast this song every morning to wake us up. i'm pretty sure it was on one of my 'now' cd's. she's so hip.

- my junior year we were the only only two at home for thanksgiving so we just hung out in our pj's, watched movies [we got really into 'the work and the glory' movies...yeah], and made a delicious thanksgiving breakfast! seriously, best thanksgiving ever.

- last october she came up and stayed at snowbird for a week. it was so beautiful and so fun to be together. again, lounging around, talking, eating, shopping. what can i say, that's how we do.

- one time when i was in high school she put up a pictures of me around the school and wrote "you can do it!" and other motivational stuff like that. i'm pretty sure i thought that was hilarious. [she's always trying to embarrass me. doesn't work.]

- when i lived at home she would come in my room in the mornings on the weekend/holiday/summer, open the blinds and sing "good morning, how dooo you do? the sun is shining, the sky is bluuue...." it was awesome. now she lets me sleep. because she's nice.

- oh yeah, remember that one time she went to the brandon flowers concert with me in vegas? #bestmomever #nuffsaid

that one time my bestie came to visit me in socal. and it was awesome.

2011-07-10T23:26:00.000-06:00

so my bff sarah... she's awesome. and i love her. and she loves me. and we are a happy family. jk. but really. she's the best of the best. she is the troy to my abed, the rachel to my monica, the jon to my stephen.

her and her sister hannah came down and stayed with me for a couple days and played and ate and, oh yeah, saw the kooks.

and it was freaking bomb.

the la temple! so pretty, it totally caught us off guard.

the kooks... were amazing. and it was so fun to see them live and to see them with sarah. the kooks are to sarah as the killers/brandon flowers are to me. so... yeah. kind of a big deal.

i had work off the next day so we slept in, had a yummy breakfast courtesy of mike and amy, packed up and headed down to carlsbad to hang out with my dad and hit up the beach. it was a win on all accounts.

most massive fish taco of my life.

just iphonin' it up on the beach. #webecool

having sarah and hannah visit me was the perfect way to finish up my birthday and my first week out here. i honestly don't know what i would have done if they were there to balance out all the change. probably would have drown away my sorrows with root beer and peanut m&m's. good thing that didn't happen...

birthday day.

2011-07-06T01:02:00.000-06:00

on my twenty-first birthday.

i became an adult.

yep, i started my internship on my birthday. #superawesome

got my own office. heyo.

my first thought when i saw the room number? 'aw, sarah's birthday...' #besties

after a long day of work i came home, went for a run [gotta start the year off right, ya know?], then my dad, gina and kylie came over to pick me up for dinner. and my dad gave me a flower! i've never got flowers before!

we went to super mex for some authentic and delicious mexican food #duh

and kit came too! [kit, me, kylie and gina]

oh this is where i live.

of course yogurtland was across the street and of course it called to me.

i just don't think it would have been my birthday without some froyo.

and, can you believe it, the birthday celebrations did not end there...