I shall call him squishy and he shall be mine, he shall be my squishy.

Once upon a time I went to an aquarium for the first time.
Dude.
If I could live in the ocean, I totally would.
I LOVE IT!!!
Fish are super cool.
And so are other things like the plants.. and stuff.
Shawna and I took super pretty pictures.


I love the pokey ones!!
They're so pretty!



I LOVE SEA CREATURES!!



...I even love the ugly ones.
:)
Poor guys.


BUT I love these guys the best :)
Thanks again Shawna and Jim, you are so awesome. :)





P.S. I also saw buffalo. It was basically bomb.
Seriously, Oklahoma is soooo pretty! I'll have to come back sometime in the summer or fall. :)

marshmallow

Cool story:
I love marshmallows.



Oh, and so does Shawna.



See, we wanted to roast marshmallows...
But we didn't have any roasters..



SO WE USED KNIVES!!!



...no seriously.
We LOVE marshmallows.



Isn't this the most beautiful roasted marshmallow you've ever seen?



Cookies and creme smores anyone??
Yes please!!



I love my Auntie Shawna!!
:)

World's Most Awkward Kiss

(Chelsea, I don't know if you still read my blog.... but if you do, I dedicate this post to you!)

Blane Asks Andie
Pretty in Pink at MOVIECLIPS.com

Christmas!!

Yes.
I KNOW I am forever late in posting about Christmas.
But it was so lovely I just HAVE to tell you about it.
:)

#1 Favorite Present:
I get to be an aunt AGAIN!!! Jade is pregnant. :) We are all so so so excited for her. And we can't wait for that baby!


#2 Favorite Present:
My guitar. Obvi. I do love my Penelope!! (PS don't think Pig Penelope.. think Penelope Cruz! My Penelope is a FIESTY LATINA!)


#3 Favorite Present:

"Nachoooooooooooooooooooooooo...."
"Getdatcornouttamahface!"
"They think I don't know a buttload about the gospel.. but I DO!"
"Hey, let go my blouse."
"They give me no eagle powers!! They give me no nutrients!"
"Incarnacio-one doodaloodleloodaloooo!"
I love it.

AAANNNND of course I loved getting to see my family and spend time with them! :)











Merry Christmas!
(...even if it is a little late!)

RHONE!

So...
I hold the firm belief that my nephew Rhone is the cutest thing on the planet.
Need proof?
okay!!











I love him!!

Good Enough

In the past... boys who said they love me.. or even liked me... took it back.

One boy said he loved me and then ignored me for weeks. It wasn't until 3 weeks later that he told me he'd found out his ex girlfriend was getting engaged and he realized he was still in love with her.

[Under your spell again.
I can't say no to you.
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand.
I can't say no to you.]

One boy said he loved me... and then a couple days later said he loved the idea of me more than the actual me.

[Drink up sweet decadence.
I can't say no to you,
And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind.
I can't say no to you.]

One boy decided he loved me only after months and months of rejecting me.

[And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall.
Pour real life down on me.
'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good.]

So... with that pitiful background... you might be able to understand why I might be a bit insecure and scared to give away parts of myself...

You might understand why I have had a hard time feeling good enough.
For... anyone.
Anyone worthwhile, at least.

[Can't believe that I feel...
Good enough,
I feel good enough.
It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good.]

To feel Inadequate is a hard thing to live with.
However,
Now
I
feel
Good
Enough.

And I like it.

[So take care what you ask of me,
'cause I can't say no.]

Institute!

BAHAHA this video made me laugh!
BUT it's so true.


And heck! I met Richard at institute!!

New Years Eve!!

New Years Eve basically rocked my world.
Let's be honest.
:)
I got homework done in the morning.
... and all afternoon...
Then I got ready for the night of partying!!
Our whole group was going to a party thrown by the church at Gameworks!!

I'd never been there before and it was awesome!
I never knew I liked video games so much.
I pretty much rocked the driving games.

Especially snowmobiling.
.... I hear that's the funnest thing EVER in real life too!
I'll have to try it someday. :)
Richard rocked everything else, of course.

We got to see a lot of friends and it was basically a blast.
Most of the games were just two player though.. so Richard and I kinda just stuck with each other.
I was totally fine with that!
Considering he's my favorite.
You know.

As the new year was approaching we all went upstairs to the DANCE FLOOR!
Have I ever told you how much I love dancing?

..I think it's just kind of a universal thing to love.

They stopped the music at about 30 seconds to midnight and switched over to the ball dropping in NY.

At ten seconds of course everyone started counting down!

Except Richard.

He leaned in so close and put his lips right to my ear.
"Annie."
He pulled away and looked at me.
Then leaned back in.
"I love you."

Everyone was screaming and shouting and jumping up and down.


Happy new year, indeed.
:)
Richard then proceeded to give me my very first New Years Kiss.

And I may or may not have almost cried.
BUT I didn't.
Phew!

Everything after that for the rest of the night was just pure bliss.
And it still is.
I surprise myself sometimes by how HAPPY I am.

It's gonna be a good year.
I can tell.

Racquetball Adventures!!

While I was in Thatcher... I got bored.
And so did Kelene!!
Plus we felt like super duper fatties for all the food and sweets we'd eaten over Christmas.

SO we decided to play racquetball!!!!



...we were excited to play.
... I may have been more excited than she was...


.... but then we couldn't see the ball... because the lights hadn't turned on yet... and it was dark!

... so here's what we decided to do! bahahaha







Basically we're hilarious.
And it didn't work...
BUT WE'RE AWESOME!

(Our game faces)


And then we played.
... and the first game Kelene DOMINATED!
No joke.
It was bad.

And then the second game... I WAS MAKING A COMEBACK!!
Oh, so close.
So close to winning.
....

...

but then she beat me again.



And then I was really sore the next day.
Also, we had fun.
:)
The End.

I love my family.

I'm in Thatcher.
I've eaten so much.
So much deliciousness.
I've laughed so much.
My family is awesome.
Richard came too, of course.
I like him.
He basically rocks my world.
He's so good.
And so good to me.
But he had to go home tonight.
:(
Tragic.
But I'm going to have a lovely Christmas, I can tell.
Well, that's about it.
Just thought I'd check in.
Hope you're all having a wonderful Christmas!

Yes, I'm posting again.

Sorry! for all the posts! I'm probably clogging your blogger dashboard. BUT.
I had tithing settlement tonight.
And my bishop rocks.
Seriously.
He is truly inspired.
After he checked if I had a full tithe he asked for a goal I want to work on for the coming year.
One of them was to read a conference talk at least once a week.
And he said he sometimes has a hard time reading them so he just downloads them and listens to them on CD in his car!
Brilliant!
And he had some old conference CDs that he just gave me.
I was so happy.
I got the October 2007 sessions.
I popped the first one in as soon as I got in my car
and the first thing I heard was President Gordon B. Hinckley's voice.
I was surprised by the instant tears that welled up in my eyes.
I had to blink them away so I could see to drive.
I had somehow forgotten how much I love the prophet that I grew up with.
He truly was a great man.



The night my family found out President Hinckley died is very vivid in my mind.
We got the news from a friend on the phone.
I was on the computer when Dad came in and told me.
I was sad.
It was surreal.
Gordon B. Hinckley had been the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints since I was 3.
He was the only prophet I knew.
I didn't cry though.
I wasn't even very sad, only because he was so old and he'd lived such an amazing life.
We gathered our little family together.
Dad, Mom, Kelene, and I sat around the table for our own little memorial service of sorts.
We started off singing
"We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet"
but we didn't finish.
Within the first few bars we all had tears in our eyes.
We sat around the table.
Tears streaming down.
Loving our prophet.



He was a good man.
He was a jokester.
He had a crack in his old man voice which was one of my favorite things about him.
He always had the best stories.
He accomplished so much for the Church.
He loved his wife dearly.
He was truly a prophet of God.

Although I miss President Hinckley, I also very firmly sustain the new Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. I have a personal testimony that he is the Lord's prophet on the earth today and he loves us and gives us guidance directly from our Father in heaven.

I am so thankful to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
I am thankful for my Savior and His example.
I am thankful for a loving, caring Heavenly Father.
And I am thankful for living prophets to point us in the way Christ would have us go.

The end.
:)

Rainbows...

...might be the only thing that I really regret about Arizona.
You see, Arizona is a desert.
Meaning we only get a few inches of rain a year.
Meaning we only get rainbows a few times a year.

So instead I must borrow rainbows from other places.

Like here:


and here:


:)


Don't they just make you happy?


Yeah... they're kind of amazing.


Hey thanks, Heavenly Father.

Wonderful

Please listen to this song as you read my post. It makes it so much more magical. Do you ever wake up and just feel magical? :)




Yesterday was a fabulous day.
You all must be getting so bored with how happy I am all the time.
Sorry to disappoint.
I could make up some drama for you.
Something exciting to read.
But I'm too busy being absolutely content that I just don't want to waste the time.

Not that I don't waste time.
I'm just lying in bed because it's warm here.
And soft and lovely.
I've finished my facebook and blog stalking for the day.
And now I'm just lying here.
Being happy.

Do you ever take the time to just
BE
happy?
Just lay on your back and look at the ceiling,
or the sky,
or a tree,
(take your pick, really, God's given us many choices).
And just think about all the things that make your life wonderful,
and beautiful,
and happy,
and worth living.

It's easy.
And perfect.
I'll show you.

I get to feel the sun almost every single day.
On the days that have wind I feel like I could fly.
I think that's maybe why God made windy days... just so we could taste a little what it is to be a bird with the air all around us moving.
I even like those embarrassing Marilyn Monroe moments when my skirt flies up because I feel like a movie, even when no one else is around.
It's Christmas time. Everyone's jolly and everything's festive.
The twinkle lights are my favorite.
And Richard loves them too.
Richard.
I get to go to church today.
I need it. I always need church.
I love that I can feel my Savior's love whenever I need it.
Especially when I need it.
Even when I feel I don't need it right then.
Or I forget about it.
He reminds me in the little things.
I bet the Savior makes the best husband.
Because he's so into the details! :)
Hot cocoa and scarves are wonderful inventions, aren't they?
One makes you warm on the inside and the other the outside.
And now I have to get ready for church.
I love getting dressed up and pretty.
It's like I'm telling life,
"Alright, I'm ready for you today, let's be lovely together."
:)


See?
Now you try!

Mailbagggg

Dear life,
You seriously rock my socks.
Love, Your Favorite

Dear institute formal,
Thank you for such a lovely time last night! Your food was delish and your decorations and music combined with Richard's and my cheesiness made me feel like I was in an 80's movie. A super duper awesome 80's movie. Which is something I love. So thanks.
Love, Me

Dear Richard,
Your dance moves simply slay me, darling. And so does that vest. And your bowtie. Oh yeah, and your face.
Love, Me

Dear pretty purple dress,
Thank you for looking lovely on me last night! ... unlike a certain PROM DRESS that wouldn't fit and will go unnamed. People liked you. Even other girls dates liked you. That made me laugh and then feel bad. But also pretty. What I'm trying to say is you rocked it, pretty purple dress!
Love, Me

Dear room,
I promise I will clean you today. Nasty dishes pile and all. Although, quite franky, I'm a little scared to open those tupperware containers...
Love, Me

Dear Goodwill,
I hope to visit you and find some deals that will make me say, "Hot dog!"
Love, Me

Dear Christmas,
Thank you for making December so very happy.
:)
Love, Me

Dear Me,
That fact that you're so happy makes me so happy. Just keep it up.
Love, Me

Also I learned another song.

I posted it on facebook already.. but for those of you nonfacebookers.. here you go! :)



I may or may not have been inspired by my last post with this song at the end.
It's just so good!

Yesterday was a funny day.

And by funny I mean awesome.
I woke up NOT wanting to be awake, but what can ya do when you have school?
Wake up.
That's what you do!
So there I was at school.
Sleepy and bored.
I wish I was better at public speaking.
Something to put on my to do list.
Then I wrote a missionary letter to my favorite brother in South Africa!
Which I still need to send off.. along with the ones to Nebraska and Romania.
Good heavens.
Then I got to see my lovely.
:)
That's always happy.
I went to Sweet Cakes with Addi, dear.
That was lovely until they didn't have any soup.
I've never been so disappointed at mealtime.
But I got a cookie to make up for it.
They really do have the best cookies!
Shopping on Main Street is always splendid!
And so is finding great jeans that the boyfriend loves for only 20 dolla.
Addi time is always fun.
:)
Then Richard taught me how to not suck at pool so badly.
And it's hard to see where the ball is when your glasses are in the way.
Good gracious.
And happiness.
Then a nap.
Any fabulous day needs a nap.
In my opinion.
Then I ran out of gas on the freeway.
Thank you Andrea for saving me.
I really should feed my car more, let's be honest.
Also I'm a doofus but at least I know it!
Then Skyline with Richard.
That movie was silly.
But he liked it and I like him.
:)
Then conspiracies about the White House and Masons on TV
and snuggles.
And kisses.
And falling asleep.
And waking up to be happy to see each other.



P.S. I adore her hair.
Think I could pull it off?
HA! Just kidding.
:)

I seriously love this.

I'm obsessed!
It will probably wear off in a while.
But the guitar is so fun!
:)

Thank you Michael for having guitars around the house.
Thank you internet for having easy songs to learn.
Thank you fingers for not falling off yet even though I've been abusing you.

Here's my latest!

I might be falling in love...

.... with the guitar.
It's true.
I've always wanted one.
So I could learn.
Because I heard it was easy.
And it would seriously up my hot points. (obvi)
But I just never got one.
Mostly because of how poor I am.

SO

You can imagine my joy at finding my Uncle Michael has one!!
I was going to start learning over Christmas break...
But I had nothing to do tonight so I decided to start!

And it's lovely.
And this guitar and I are going to get along splendidly, I can tell.
:)

First song I'm learning?
You and I by Ingrid Michaelson.
Super generic and everyone knows it, I know.
BUT it's pretty easy and I'm just a beginner for heavens sake! Don't be judging.
Plus it's a darling song and I like it.
The end.

P.S. I decided to record it for you guys!
I know, I know. It's all choppy and disconnected.
What else is new when I record songs for you, huh?
ANYWAY.
Forgive me.
And here you go.
:)

I'M SO HAPPY!

Wanna know why?

:D

I'll tell you.

I was doing stinky math homework.
And hating it, duh.
Because it was due tonight.
Poo.
Just like EVERY OTHER Tuesday ever.



And then I saw THIS!!


MY HOMEWORK'S NOT DUE TIL NEXT WEEK!
So happy.
I felt like crying.
But I just freaked out and did a happy dance instead.

To celebrate further... I broke out the best thing in the world.


Pure bliss in a cup:


No kidding.

I'm so happy.

And I rocked my China presentation today.
Mostly because I made food.
Fried rice and egg drop soup make people happy on a super cold AZ morning, did you know that?

I should have taken pictures.
But Richard was over last night... so I got distracted.
He helped me cook and then we cuddled by the fire.
It was heaven.
I like him.

How was your day, dearies?
:)

Thanksgiving!

I got to go to Thatcher to be with my family for Thanksgiving!
The food was amazing.
My family is awesome and hilarious.
Black Friday at Walmart at midnight was ... interesting. And also hilarious... and slightly terrifying.
And I got some serious, much needed girl time in with Mom, Jade, and Kelene.
Basically it was lovely.
:)

And we did a really super fast photo shoot!

Aren't my sisters BABES?


This picture cracks me up and I look like a tard. But I still love it!
Plus Jade and Kelene look super good. haha








And thank you Nanny for being our photographer!

So since I didn't do a Thanksgiving post ON Thanksgiving... I'll do one now.

I'm thankful for my beautiful sisters and the closeness we share and the laughter that inevitably follows us wherever we go. I'm thankful for all of my family, immediate and extended, for all they do to support each other and show their love. I'm thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge I've been blessed with. I'm thankful for my Savior and His Atonement and repentance. I'm thankful for a loving Heavenly Father. I'm thankful for eternal families made possible by our beautiful temples and the Priesthood. I'm thankful for living prophets and apostles who give us guidance to help us along the way. I'm thankful for all the little joys in life and the tender mercies. I'm thankful for the warm fuzzies. I'm thankful for this blog and the outlet it's been. I'm thankful for all of my readers! ;) ...I'm thankful for Richard. I'm thankful for all my friends who make me smile and laugh and just make me happy! I'm thankful for education.
Life is wonderful, isn't it?