My Favorite Photos of all time ever.

Okay, so this is in no particular order really of how favorite it is exactly. And these are just the pictures I had on my laptop.. there are so many other FANTASTIC memories that I have stored elsewhere in photos. But here you go. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Alrighty, I thought I'd start off with my favorite picture of myself.. which is incredibly vain, I know. But I really think it just perfectly captures who I am... and I just feel so content in this picture. :)

This is my bestest friend ever and I love her dearly. And the week I spent with her in Boise was absolutely awesome!! So many memories and firsts and things that I love to remember!! This picture always makes me think of all those things. Thus, it is a favorite. :)

Okay I love this one, first and foremost because it shows all the craziness that Raegan Elmer and I get into!! love it!! hahaha And also it shows how freaking hot I would be as a boy I could even get babes that were taller than me.

Favorite because it is a picture of me and Andres Squire who I love so very very dearly and who basically saved my life while I was in Peoria. And also because it was here that I learned that it was Satan who was telling me to hate my pink cheeks that PERFECTLY matched my pink shirt.. and that I can say, "BACK OFF, SATAN! At least I HAVE a face! Booyah!"

One of my fondest memories of getting food poisoning for the first time. At least I didn't pay for it... haha. Also Ben Drake is a stud. All this together = favorite.

Hahahaha! This one always makes me laugh. Ready? So for winter formal we went on a picture scavenger hunt... this guy thought we were taking a picture of him because he had red hair.. NOPE. It was because we thought he looked like he could work at McDonalds. I know, terrible. But.. hilarious!!

Right before senior year choir trip. Most of my favorite memories from senior year come from choir and I LOVED finally being in Mr. Harris' choir! And I loved the people in choir!! Automatic favorite. :)

Me and Steph are so hot. and gangster. The whole composition of this photograph is just fabulous. Love it.

Self Explanatory. I had the best roommates ever.

I got to kiss Dustin Harper on the cheek. Enough said. BUT if that weren't enough my hair is absolutely luscious in this picture. Favorite.

Uhm yeah, I will never be able to do this with my face ever ever again. I'm glad it was caught on camera.

Favorite because NO ONE is looking at the camera... except maybe Kelene who's not supposed to be there. haha

Even though I look like a ho in this picture... it's still a favorite just because of the little curlies in my hair. Love them. The end.

Yeah, basically I love all of these people mucho grande. And we are all glowing in this picture.. that was a great family campout! :) FAVORITE.

These babies were the best pair of shoes I ever owned... I had to retire them up at BYU-Idaho though... the snow was the end of them. :( Stupid snow. Grrr.

Uhm. Yeah, this is pretty obvious why it's a favorite.

I couldn't decide which one I loved more.. so I just put both from this wonderful night with Lexi Jones. Bahaha we are so freaking funny.

This is a favorite mostly because of the extreme awkwardness created by the perfect angle on the old people legs behind us.. this was completely unintentional but our faces match the scenario perfectly. Awesome.

This is a really awful picture of both me and Kyli... however I still absolutely adore it. I think it sums us up pretty well.

Basically the reason this is a favorite is Jade's face. We all look like we're pretending to be scared except Jade.. she really look legitimately terrified, excellent work.

Okay, this one I love because... well look at it. That coat is a freaking sleeping bag with a hood. Coolest thing ever? Why, yes. Yes it is.

The end!!

And my words of wisdom for the day: fake it til you make it really does work most of the time! If you're having a TERRIBLE day.. but you fake like you're having a great one... chances are, it will turn into a great day just because. :)

Pictoors.

I learned how to put pictures and videos on my blog!! woohoo!! bahahaha. I know, it's super easy and I should have known how to do it already... don't judge. Jesus loves me. :) This is one of my favorite pictures, I took it myself. I know, I'm so cool. K that's it. The end.

Oldie but a goodie

So I kind of loved this thing that I wrote a while back while I was still at BYU Idaho.... it's just a bunch of stuff that I really learned and stuck with me while I was up there. It was a great semester and so I'm just copying and pasting here. Because I can. So there.

So basically I'm not going back to BYU I for the Spring semester. And I was trying to figure out why I had such strong impressions to come up here last spring. Then it hit me. I have learned SO many things just from being here and meeting the people I met! It's kind of amazing. :) And I thought I'd share. So here goes.


I learned what it's like to be on my own. I went grocery shopping and hit the sales but still splurged on ice cream a couple times. I learned that when a guy asks you out he really should pay and when you ask a guy out you really should pay. I learned that absence really does make the heart grow fonder. I learned that the only thing I really need to be happy is my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I learned that power naps are essential to life. I learned that I can try to plan my life out, but it probably won't turn out like I thought; I also learned that that is probably a good thing. I learned that getting crayons and a princess coloring book in the mail from your dad can make you wanna cry you're so homesick. I learned that holidays really are all about family. I learned that you don't miss your friends NEARLY as much as you miss your mom when you go away. I learned that I don't have to have a boy to succeed in life (as silly as that is haha). I learned that it's okay to turn off your phone in class. I learned that the Book of Mormon has something new every time you read it. I learned that scarves are fabulous. I learned that you can eat an orange with chicken crackers and it's delicious. I learned that it's okay to call your mom at 1:30 in the morning and just cry (she'll make you feel lots better!). I learned that EVERYONE k, maybe just me just wants to feel wanted by someone that they want back. I learned that music is not an easy major but is SO worth it and you feel ridiculously accomplished at the end of only one semester. I learned that dental hygiene is probably a better option for my life. I learned that being a good mommy and wife is more important to me than any other job I'll have to work for. I learned some patience. I learned that chocolate chips should always be in the cupboard and pudding packs make you feel better after a 13 hour day. I learned that patriarchal blessings make you happy. I learned that bearing testimony makes you want to do better than you have been doing. I learned that trying to love people as Christ does helps you see all the wonderful things about them. I learned that roommates can make or break ya, thankfully I had great ones. :) I learned that life is crazy and hard and interesting and complicated and stressful and beautiful and awkward and wonderful! I learned how to make casserole. I learned that as long as you're living the gospel everything works out for the best and you just have to keep learning and living and loving!

:)

My choir concert was tonight.. and lemme tell you we were awesome! I really did like all the songs and as the concert just kept flowing there was a certain feeling in the air... I almost felt Canadian. Awesome. And we have another concert tomorrow!! And I actually have family coming to that one, so that should be good.

It is raining outside. And thundering. Oh my goodness thunder has got to be the most amazing sound ever heard on this good, green earth. It makes my heart flutter. God is a genius. Just saying.

Okay that's all I want to write...

EXCEPT for my words of wisdom for the day. You never know what kind of difference you are going to make in someone's life. And it might not be anything big. It might just be making one night better. But if you ever get the feeling to do something nice for someone, write them a note, give them a call, even just shoot them a cute little text, DO IT! From personal experience, something so small can make such a big difference in how a whole day or even week goes. It helps me feel loved and so much better about myself and that really does make all the difference in the world. How much more can you accomplish when you're happy? Lots and lotsa! So be happy and don't be too busy to go out of your way a little to lift someone up as well. The end.

"Jogging"

So I have a running buddy as I mentioned in my last post. And he is just an absolute dear for putting up with my fattiness. Tonight we went "running" again... and I actually feel like I did a little better than before... as in I ran more instead of walking. But I still felt like a fattie because Jake had 5 lb weights this time and I was still the one always stopping. ... but I WILL get better. I must. I need to be hot so I can attract a husband. hahaha yes, that's right. A husband. I actually do expect to get married someday and make attractive little babies. This is going to sound terribly shallow and terrible of me, but I really am genuinely concerned that I will have unattractive babies. I mean, come on. Let's be honest, there are some children that you look at and just think... wow, I wish I thought she was cute... or... basically she's only cute because she's a little girl, but once she gets to those teeny bopper years she is DONE FOR. Yeah, I don't want children like that. Of course I'd still love them regardless.. and be extra nice even just because you know, I felt bad for giving them ugly genes.

For some reason whenever I blog I have the song lalelalelale get your adverbs here from school house rock. Those were the best videos, by the way. So informative and such great catchy tunes!!

Oh my heavens I am exhausted, I should probably go to bed... but then again I hate going to bed.. so I won't for a while I'm guessing.

Okay I really am too tired to think of anything else... I even took a break and played a game of Spider Solitaire... which I won! to try and think of something to write about.. but nothing came. My mind is shutting down.. oi. So goodnight... to no one in particular I guess.... I really wonder if people read this. haha :)

Oh I guess I have to do my word of wisdom for the day. Look for friends in places you weren't expecting. Never think you're too cool for someone or too mature or too young or old or far away even.... If you limit yourself and make up rules for who you can and can't be friends with you will miss out on some amazing experiences and learning so much from people that are different from you. Sorry if that had terrible grammar.. I can't tell because I'm so tired. haha The end.

ROAD TRIP!

Alrighty... So I have a wonderful new goal: get up to conference in April! I'm pretty excited about it, actually. :) I have never been to conference in person.. and I could see Kyli Larson's lovely face!! AND take an awesome road trip with (I'm sure) some awesome people!! .... I don't actually know who I'm going to go with... but so far I have some pretty good options. :)

Anywho. Why did I just say anywho? I think that's the weirdest when people say that.. what does that even mean? Anywho what? Who are you talking about. For heavens sake people. For heavens sake me! I'm an "anywho" person. Weird. This is going to end NOW! The end.

But not the end of this blog.. just the end of anywho.

I have a concert this weekend. Two concerts actually. I love choir concerts!! I really really do... especially when I'm in them and the group I'm singing with is really really good. We are singing songs from Canada.. and let me tell you, I never knew I liked Canada so much. For having socialism and forsaken wastelands of ice and cold they have some pretty good music! Way to go Canada. :)

ALSO I am trying to be healthier or something. It's terrible business, really. I decided to go jogging with Jacob Washburn every other day... we have a special time set up and everything. (By jogging I mean walking, then jogging for a few hundred feet... and then walking. Wash, rinse, repeat. You know?) So that went well.. it is also an opportunity for me to stay up with all the high school gossip and drama.. which I thoroughly enjoy of course because I am not involved. :) muahaha.

ALSO I am trying to get better at the piano. It's terrible business, really. haha I wish I could be better NOW! But I suppose that's not how it works, unfortunately. I did immensely enjoy my practice session today though. I just sight read a bunch of hymns.. and I didn't do too awful either... I mean people couldn't exactly sing to it... easily. But I managed.

ALSO I would love to have another job... but I cannot seem to find one. Poo.

And now for Annie's Words of Wisdom for the day! (I just made up this special segment in my blog... I can tell you're excited! I can see it in your eyes.) Wear deodorant. I know sometimes it can be inconvenient... but really now. No one wants to smell you.. unless you are Matthew McConaughey.. who doesn't wear deodorant for some reason. But yeah. You could get a nice kind like mine.. it's Secret I believe and it makes my armpits smell like springtime! If you have the means.. I highly recommend it. That is all.

Lalelalelale get your adverbs here!

Okay.. so I don't really have anything to blog about to be honest. Just the usual life stuff. Actually I'll tell a funny story. I'm probably telling it to no one... maybe Kyli will read it. haha Actually the person in the funny story will probably read it too... because he's a stalker like that. HI! bahaha. Okay, I digress.. back to the story. A few weeks ago I got this friend request from some guy that sort of looked familiar but I didn't know who he was. I went to his profile.. and we have no friends in common at all... he lives in Utah(blech) and he's an oldie. Weird? Yes. Attractive? also yes.. so I added him. BAHAHA. I'm so funny. Anyway, after I add him he pops up on chat asking how we know each other. "Uhm.. we don't. You're the one who added me." Weird? yes. Fate? Perhaps. So we have chatted every once in a while over the past few weeks and he's a generally nice fellow. WELL last night we chatted for a freaking 4 hours.. a bit excessive, you say? Why yes, yes it was. You know what, though? I enjoyed myself more than I have with my real friends in a couple weeks. Which is actually really sad if you think about it. And probably not healthy. But I seriously laughed out loud so much.. haha and I feel so incredibly silly, but hey that's life. I'd rather feel silly than bored. And you know what else? I woke up this morning with a big smile on my face for the first time in a long time. I still feel silly though. I always seem to fall for older men that are just out of my reach. Oh well, I'm sure someday the timing will be right. I just have to exercise patience... which I have none of.. haha.

I was thinking today... and I think most people think the same about a lot of things. It's kind of funny, whenever I receive this profound epiphany and I decide to write it down on facebook or whatever.. I always get comments saying people think that exact same thing. In a way it makes me feel connected to people and like I'm not such a weirdo.. even though I am really weird still. Which is fine because in general I like myself. I like being weird and I like being me. I think it's the silliest thing ever when people wish they were someone else. God put you in this body for a reason. And when He organized matter that became your spirit it was something unique and something so beautiful it's beyond description. And when you put the two together you get this perfect soul that has so much potential to do so much good and achieve so much happiness! I figure as long as I'm getting better everyday... if I can learn something new everyday that makes me happier or adds to my store of knowledge I'm doing great! And if people can get to that point they won't ever be jealous or wish they were someone else ever again. Oh my heavens, I'm so wise. :) bahahaha.

Let's see, what else? Oh yeah. It never ceases to amaze me how much I change and how often I change. I have to pay attention though or I don't notice it. Life is so amazing though. The reason I change is because I always learn so much from the things that happen in my life. I take a lot of things into account. And it's not just things that happen to me that influence me.. it can be a book.. or even just a line in a movie. For example: The Holiday starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz. There's a scene in that movie where Kate is talking to an old man, who is an old hollywood director/producer, about the problems and frustrations in her life. The old man tells her, "In the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend." Seriously, I had the same revelation as Kate's character when that line was said. Whenever I'm feeling inferior or boring or even sad... I just think, "I'm the leading lady in my own life for heaven's sake! I should stop feeling sorry for myself and make the plot better... because I can!" So there!

Happiness

So I am following Kyli Larson's lead and making a lovely list of things that make me happy/smile. :) This seriously always makes me happier and I believe you should try it. It's refreshing!

This is in no order and I'm basically just writing whatever comes to mind. Here it goes.

Singing. Playing with hair. Smiling. Making people laugh. Making someone's day. Finding the perfect scripture to make me feel better. Walking around the temple all by myself. Playing my cello. Playing the piano (even though I'm terrible). Wearing a pretty dress. Ice cream. Being sore. My incredibly, abnormally, awesomely soft, silky hair. The fact that I'm so humble.. bahahahaha. Writing something that I'm proud of. Reading a great book. Laughing. Puzzles. Romantic comedies. Audrey Hepburn. Feeling pretty. Praying. Mail. Cuddling. No make up days. Camping. Playing games. Sucking at sports. Flirting. Music so beautiful it makes me cry. Choir people. Drama people. Kissing. Swimming. Chlorine. Thunderstorms. Kyli Larson. My whole big crazy family. Boys who smell really good. Curly hair. Flossing. Painting my nails. Wearing my glasses. Getting A's. Breakfast. Sonic ice. Great conversation. Looking at the stars. A hot cup of tea when I'm feeling horrible. Fireplaces. Paisley ties. Long skirts. High heels. Making little kids giggle. Baby fingers and toes. Making people feel better about themselves. Daisies. Getting my teeth cleaned. Having super smooth legs. Singing with the spirit and making people cry... haha. Listening to my favorite song over and over again. Hiking. Biking. Cooking and baking. Giggle fits. Ben and Jerry's with While You Were Sleeping. Feeling smart. Mac and cheese. Purple. Sand in my toes. The ocean. Going tubing. Waffles. Going outside in the summertime and feeling my skin tighten because it's so HOT and DRY. Cookie dough ice cream. Cookie dough in general. Things that make my heart race. A blanket right out of the dryer. Learning about people. Trucks. Hot cars. Hot boys in hot cars. Velcro. My cat, Charlie. My lovely friends. Hand and Foot. Smelling all the shampoos at Walmart. Travel size things. Bargain shopping. Sunflowers. Light rooms. The sun on my skin. Do absolutely nothing all day with your best friend days. Flip flops. Wearing no shoes at all. Green grass. Having a crush.

and you know.. lots of other things. Perhaps I'll add more later on. :) La dee da!

On a happier note!

Alrighty, so here's the deal. I have recently become slightly anti-social. I don't hang out every night anymore by any means, and when I do hang out I usually come home early because I'm bored or I just really don't want to be with friends anymore. It's kind of weird. This has never happened to me before. It's okay though. I've actually been pretty happy just chillin at home with my mom and sister. Especially my mom. Seriously, she's the coolest person ever. She's definitely weird and really goofy sometimes but I love her. We laugh all the time. That's my favorite. :)

Bedtime Shmedtime!

Alrighty, so here's the deal. I hate going to bed. I always have... I probably always will. Even when I'm absolutely exhausted... I just don't want to go to bed. It's really quite terrible. It makes me into a total night owl... leaving me semi-useless during the day which is when normal people get things done. So I stay up late doing pointless things... and then don't want to do things that matter during the day because I'm ridiculously lazy and tired. Thus the vicious cycle continues.

So here I am, it's almost 1 AM and I have very little inclination to retire for the night (what's left of it anyway) and I decided the best waste of my time would be to post a blog. Let's see if I can whip out a revelation or two from my happenings as of late.

Okay, let's see. I engage in an astonishing amount of time dedicated to absolutely nothing. Like.... watching tv while having my laptop open to facebook and simultaneously playing spider solitaire on intermediate. Yes, that's right, INTERMEDIATE. That means there are black AND red cards. I know, sounds busy... but actually for a while there I started to get sore because I was sitting around NOT using my muscles so much. Yeah. I know.

HOWEVER. I really am getting better. For serious. haha. I'm exercising almost everyday. I have 5 appointments set up for this week with Primerica. I'm submitting an application for another very promising job tomorrow that I was referred to. I got to see Kyli Larson this weekend. :) That always helps. Seriously, having a best friend is pretty big in my happiness equation. And I am sort of coming to terms with the fact that I probably will not have a boy for the duration of my stay in Mesa. And it's Kelene's birthday tomorrow! :) Yaay for little sisters turning 16 and wanting homemade pizza.

But yeah, I guess that's about all I have for tonight. Or this morning, whatever. I'm actually really tired now so I suppose I'll go to bed. I should go to the temple. I'm sure that would help... too bad it's closed Mondays.. okay. Tuesday. Goal: go to the temple on Tuesday. Also go to bed by 1 AM. That's reasonable. Okay. Bye.

Well, this is awkward.

So, I'm beginning to think that my blogging skills are even worse than my journal keeping skills. However, I am slightly determined to start actually writing in my blog. That might be fun, yes? I really don't have a ton more to do. I mean, I don't have a REAL job... I have a commission job.. and everything is on me to set up appointments to sell stuff to people. It really is a great company and it does great things for people... I just don't know if I'm cut out as a saleswoman. You know? I WAS looking for a better job... but I'm so incredibly lazy and unmotivated right now. I am trying to get going again though. Not being in school doesn't help any. I feel so out of place and kind of an outsider.. like people are looking down on me because I'm not in school this semester. Maybe people should lay off... it really is my life, and I know I'm not going a very good job of utilizing all my talents and opportunities but it's my life. And I have the right to screw it up and make it awesome just as much as the next person.

This is turning a little bitter. I'm not a bitter person, I'm really not. Okay maybe I am sometimes. Like when I see these kind of weird couples getting together and I just think, why can't I find someone who matches me, but they can? Or when I'm interested in a guy and he ends up getting with some girl who's not as smart, pretty, or funny as me... I just honest to goodness don't get it. Guys that I'm NOT interested at all are interested in me.. but the one's that I'm interested in so rarely feel the same way. Sometimes I feel like settling... but I just can't. I feel like a lot of people do that. They just don't know anyone better... so they go for it, but I don't want to do that!

For heavens sake, I'm only 18 years old. Why am I in such a rush, huh? Probably because I've never actually been in love or had anyone in love with me. Isn't that what everyone wants? I've never even had a real relationship. Is that weird? That I'm 18 and never had anyone last more than a month? Or is it weird that I'll be interested in someone but as soon as they reciprocate the feeling I freak out and can't stand to be around them anymore? I know there's someone for me... I've just never met anyone who came close, or maybe I have but I just change so much all the time that by the time I meet someone who would have been perfect a year ago, he's not anymore because I'm not the same. And I change my ideas and philosophies on relationships and dating all the time but that doesn't make any sense because I really don't have a ton of experience in those areas. My best friend thinks I am this crazy attracter of men person. But it's not really true I don't think. I was watching TV with a bunch of friends and one of the characters was a total ditz that all the guys "loved" but she was just a big flirt. One of my guy friends told me I was just like her. Then later one of the character's girl friends told her that none of the boys actually liked her at all, they didn't care about her, she was just a tease. Is that really me? I'm kind of afraid it is. I always have guys interested... but never any that follow through. I think that's why I can't really settle for a guy. I want him to work for it. I want him to like me enough and care enough to chase me a little. I don't want to be easy for heavens sake. And I deserve someone who really WANTS me.

Okay. Well that was a fun little rant and just a little peek into the jumbled, crazy mess that is my brain.

Don't you wish people spoke the way the thought in their head. I always sound so much better in my head, or when I'm writing. But if I try to say anything out loud... I just draw a blank. I can have an entire speech recited perfectly in my head.. and I say it out loud and I get maybe maybe a mutter about the vague idea of the perfect words in my head. I like writing though. I can express things that I could never say out loud. Don't get me wrong, I have no problems talking with people. I am a very outgoing shy person. I love people and getting to know them and about them and why they are the way they are. It's just so much harder for me to talk about myself without someone carefully guiding me in what to talk about. I hate when people say, "So tell me about yourself." I like reading, my favorite color is purple, I have 15 people in my family now, I moved out of my parents house then moved back in, I can't decide if I'm a cynic or a hopeless romantic, I actually change a lot when I'm around different people but I wish I didn't, I love space and contemplating it's vastness, Jesus Christ means more to me than anyone or anything anywhere, I own approximately 30 pairs of shoes, I keep telling myself I quit BYU Idaho because I couldn't take the cold but I'm secretly afraid it might be because I am an incurable wuss and can't commit to anything, sometimes I feel fat and ugly (I'm a girl, it happens), I love singing and music but I'm not disciplined enough to pursue it, I'm scared out of my mind to try things and fail so I miss out on a lot of stuff. And I could go on... but 1. I could probably never say those things out loud to some random person that asked me and 2. The person asking probably didn't want to know any of that stuff, all they really wanted to know was what's my major and where do I work, you know, the basics, not stuff that actually matters and is ME. But since I don't have an acceptable answer to the questions they really wanted the answers to... I say something uninteresting and life goes on.

I think what I really need is someone who will completely sweep me off my feet and turn my world upside down and make me think in completely different ways and make me do things I'm not used to doing and just wake me up to something better than what I have now. I need a change. A change from my ordinary.

I suppose I can start that change on my own. Perhaps I can't have the type of man I want right now because I'm not the type of woman he wants yet. Yet. Meaning I can be. Meaning I have so much room to grow and improve and excel and achieve. And love. I should love more in general. Everyone deserves to be genuinely loved and cared about. Plus... karma baby.

Anyway, that was rather theraputic. To be honest I was having a pretty awful night. But there is hope, it's true. And I'm really not all that dramatic, honestly! Except in my own head and heart. But that's life. And I've got to live it. And it might as well be with a smile on my face and a little hope for better things. :)