happy birthday mommy.

54 reasons why you really are the best mom in the entire world.

1. You are my best friend.
2. You always answer the phone when I call.
3. You answer my skype call, even when you're already skyping one of the other sisters.
4. You taught me how to bake (which my friends love you for too.)
5. And how to see the positive in everyone.
6. You made over 100 sugar cookies, carried them onto the plane, and dragged them through Israel for me.
7. You raised me on chocolate pancakes.
8. You love me so much that you take me shopping whenever we're together, even when you don't want to.
9. You let me eat cookie dough straight from the bowl.
10. You make the world's best chocolate chip cookies.
11. Actually, you make the world's best everything.
12. I can't ever once remember you yelling at me.
13. You play with my hair until I fall asleep.
14. You want to see me as badly as I want to see you.
15. You put Diet Coke in my sippy cup.
16. You worship the sun and you passed that love on to me. (Amman Ra)
17. You put chocolate chips in everything.
18. You watched every episode of Gilmore Girls with me, every monday night, for seven seasons.
19. That goes for Vampire Diaries as well (and you saved it on DVR after I left you, so we could watch it together over Thanksgiving and Christmas Break.)
20. You told me to go to QuikTrip after my run, so I could rehydrate with a 44oz DC.
21. You don't get mad at me when I come home and want to bake at midnight. Rather, you encourage it.
22. You gave me your great hair.
23. And blue eyes.
24. You are the most beautiful woman in the world.
25. You have taught me to be kind and caring and selfless.
26. You always do what will make me happy, even if it means you don't get what you need to do done.
27. You just told me you are going to bring me sugar cookies when you visit next week, (!!!) and I didn't even ask.
28. You always encourage me to be better and do more than I think I can.
29. You attended every single one of my 81987372 gymnastics meets growing up without ever complaining.
30. You empathize with me when I go on bad dates.
31. You taught me right from wrong.
32. And how to stick to what I believe.
33. You drove me back and forth to school everyday, so I didn't have to ride the bus.
34. You typed my papers for me when "I didn't have time." (seriously, I was like 10, what was I doing?)
35. You have always been supportive of every decision I make.
36. When I left for college, you couldn't walk past my room without crying.
37. You made my lunch every day for...my whole entire life.
38. You are the laundry fairy.
39. And Consuela.
40. You always helped me realize family is what's most important.
41. You have more patience than anyone I know.
42. And you are the most generous and loving person in the world.
43. Without fail, every time we come home, there is a nail appointment waiting for us the very next morning.
44. And cookies are sitting on the counter the moment we walk in the door.
45. You help me always look on the bright side.
46. You listen to everything I have to say (even the nonsense).
47. You think I'm funny and laugh at my ridiculousness.
48. You are loved by my friends almost as much as you are by me.
49. And on that note, you love my friends so much you named a type of cookies "Annalise cookies," and packed both one for me and one for her every single day.
50. You let me sleep in forever and ever.
51. You let me skip school every once in a while (or maybe more than that :)).
52. You have visited me every single semester since I have been at school.
53. You've made it so that I want to be exactly like you when I grow up.
54. You love me unconditionally, and you have made sure I know it.

This list doesn't even begin to really capture how great you really are, but I hope you know I love you. And I am so grateful you're my mom. Happy birthday! I hope it was the greatest.

junior year.

 

 

 

Turns out people aren't kidding when they say junior year consists of spending your weekends going to your friend's wedding receptions. I can't complain though. I mean, there's free cake. And we all know how I feel about cake.

After a fun and ridiculously relaxing summer, I'm back at it. School's in full swing--I'm trying to learn the Spanish language, and read American literature from the dark ages, and become a creative writer all at the same time. But I'm a nerd, so I love it. There's something about walking into the library everyday that just warms my heart. (Granted, I never really get anything done, because I have people ADD, and I swear I see someone I know every five seconds. But still, just walking in the library feels like an accomplishment.) It's exhilarating to be back on the bustling campus and embracing the cool fall air and changing leaves. I also got involved with BYU/SA this year, and it's opened me up to a whole new group of friends and experiences already. I'm really excited to continue to learn and grow and become a better leader. BYU is so great. I am so blessed. Seriously, I think I go to the best school in the world.

So between the weddings, Jerusalem Reunions, football games, church activities, and schoolwork, you have it all--that's my life.

my best friend is actually perfect.

I feel like this is shameless promoting, except that I actually have no reason to be putting this up here. I just watched this past week's episode of So You Think You Can Dance and was blown away by how amazing she is. Seriously, every. time. She's going places. In middle school, we used to talk about how she was going to be on tv, and now, it's real. But actually. She is so talented. And driven. And she works hard. She deserves every thing she has received. And more. Love you shmi smel. 

charity never faileth.

"Rather than being judgmental and critical of each other, may we have the pure love of Christ for our fellow travelers in this journey through life."

-President Thomas S. Monson