niki and corinne in texas: part one.

my mom and niki came to visit me for a couple days and it was practically perfect in every way.

i picked them up from the airport and we went straight to velvet taco of course. then after a couple hours of late night chat we went bed, so excited for our plans.

thursday morning we took our time getting ready (in true griffith arrington rodriguez style) and went straight to northpark, our amazing mall that holds every store you can imagine. we got through about half of it before we were too famished to continue. (it's a hard life). we then went to central market for some food and to explore the amazingness of that fresh store. i will miss central market dearly.

we then came home and i got my hair cut by my beautiful friend ronnie (as seen here). then we waited for david to call us so we could hangout via google while he opened his mission call. i'm so grateful i could be with my mom and niki when we found it, it was so exciting!

anyway, baby bro opened the call and he's going to omaha, nebraska! he reports to the mtc one week after graduation. wow. i am so inexpressably excited for him. i think about it all the time. the next time i see him will be the last time i see him for two years!

more to come from niki and corinne in texas...

insta + killers.

basically nothing new but everything great.

a bunch of mormons hanging out at yogurtland

this is what sunday school looks like.

thought i had a cookie sheet. nope. just a pie pan. #makingdo

it is definitely possible to eat entirely too many dried mangos and it still not be enough.

pretty stained glass at a favorite local mexican restaurant.

and remember that time i posted way too many killers videos?

neither do i.

their album is coming out next week and when i saw this i may have yelped and i love brandon and he talks a lot more than usual so i watched this a few times and it's fine.

you know i will be live streaming that allllll night.

this one time.

i stood on a frozen lake.

 and played hanging with friends with matt schinn.

and warned mark to not walk to the light.

 and went to ward temple night.

 but it was too busy so we went to jordan river instead.

 and i got mexican hot chocolate. it was delish.

the end.

therapy by crafting. and netflix.

this weekend, anna helped me overcome my ocd slash fear of using pretty paper. i have had this issue for years and this was the first time i was able to face it head on and win. after much debate and driving around, anna helped me see the ridiculousness that was me buying new paper instead of using the cute paper i already had [and have had for over a year]. thanks anna!

then i dedicated my saturday to making awesome invites and watching downton abbey. maybe the entire first season. idk.

that night, leslie finished up the invites while i wrote my lesson for relief society. and made super cute handouts [with the same paper]. and listened to the most amazing valentine's playlist ever. i'd say it was a successful saturday.

aren't these stamps amazing? they matched the invites perfectly.

the universe is conspiring in your favor.

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.

lately as of late.

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.

my main mormon man.

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.

conference weekend.

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.

to tide you over.

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.

last first.

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.