This is Halloween.

I didn't throw any parties this year. I barely even had a costume. But I made like a million Halloween treats.

And something very traumatic happened to me.

Everyone, vote for the SCARIEST smell in the whole world. What is the last thing you ever want to smell?

The smell that haunts my nightmares; nay, my waking hours, is the smell of BURNT HAIR.

And on Halloween, I smelled it. I was curling my hair for the Institute party, WHAT THE. The stupid curling iron burnt my hair. I saw the patch of burnt brown and shrivelly hair first... and then the smell wafted up to my nose. I started screaming. And then I screamed all the way up the stairs to the other bathroom so show my roommates what had happened. I showed them the burn, and then the unthinkable happened. The burnt hair came off in a clump IN MY HAND. I stood there, in the bathroom, staring (mouth agape) at my handful of luscious, golden locks, and two tears escaped my eyes right before I collapsed onto the sink and counter. A few words were unconsciously whispered... "my crowning glory..." My roommate guided me to a chair in the kitchen and brought me a glass of water.

And so begins the struggle to keep the short and stubby (probs about 2 inches long) chunk of hair tucked into my pony tail. It's going to take MONTHS to grow this one out.

But other than that, Halloween was splendid. I literally went to 2 dances at the institute-- One on Monday the 29th for FHE, and then one on Halloween. And I can just say this: those institute people/the people in slc, throw GOOD parties. There were bounce houses and fog machines and mechanical bulls and good music (namely, Spice Girls, NSYNC, and BSB--- and bieber too) and millions of people galore. I dressed as a hi-liter for Monday's party--

Exhibit A:

And then as a person wearing a batman cape for Wednesday's (I had no creativity. Too many of my Halloween costume ideas just didn't work out... and a small part of me just looks for every and all opportunities to wear that cape. because it's just so dang awesome).

Exhibit B:


And I danced like a crazy person and flirted with boys and sweated a lot (okay that dance on Wed was like the hottest thing I've ever experienced. I'm pretty good at dealing with heat, but I couldn't make it through more than like 3 songs. It was miserable).

And now that Halloween is over, I just want to come up with excuses to dress up some more. Because it rocks. And all you people out there who don't dress up because you think it's lame or you are just boring people, you are REALLY MISSING OUT. Dressing up is nothing but an opportunity for a super fun time where you get to be yourself in somebody else's clothes.

The end.

but also. I have cool roommates.

Pop Perfection.

Chris Wallace.



I bought the whole album.

I really am one of those people who actually just really loves pop. I really, really do.

Plus, the man is a little Freddie Mercury-ish. Voice-wise, I mean. No complaints there.

How does Taylor Swift know the story of my life?? It's getting weird.

Freedom

Staying up late and sleeping in make you feel crappy. You are more tired in general AND psychologically, it just makes you feel like a lazy person that accomplishes less in her life. These are facts.

But staying up late and sleeping in are seriously the definition of Freedom.

There is something so amazing about being able to control, completely, when you can sleep and when you can't. It's amazing to stay up later and later just because you want to. Nobody tells you when to go to bed. Nobody hides your computer or the TV remote so that you can't watch TV.

And sleeping in!!! Oh the heaven that is sleeping in!! You wake up, and there is absolutely no reason to get out of bed. You can read or eat or fall back asleep or really anything else you want to do... but you're just all cozy and warm and comfortable and there is nothing better.

Maybe it has something to do with conquering one of those things that is a basic human need---you know, adding your own control to it or something. Or maybe it just has to do with all the years of being coerced into going to bed when it's still light outside because it's summer, and then being woken up way too early because your dad is singing songs with all the words wrong.

But either way... I'm just excited that I'm awake right now and that it doesn't matter. And I'm even more excited that in the morning, I will wake up, and then fall back to sleep. And then maybe I'll just lay there for a while. Who knows?

:)

4 possibilties

Today there was an unusual occurrence. I drove to work today, went into the Conference Center parking garage, pulled into the usual parking spot, and then BLACKNESS. The lights went out in the whole parking garage. with no windows. it was very dark. Four thoughts immediately popped into my head:

1. Is this the part where they kill me?
2. It must be Dumbledore with his Put-Outer.
3. BATMAN!!! (you know the part when the lights go out in dark knight rises?)

And last:

4. maybe the power just went out.

And then I got out of my car. The emergency lights came on, I was able to get to the elevator, and I went to work.

Thoughts of a Monday

1. I lost my first week of fantasy football.
2. You know why I like my new big bed? Because I can leave all sorts of books and clothes and craps on it and I still have PLENTY of room.
3. Because I have no friends in Salt Lake and I'm suddenly afraid of all single adults except for the ones I already know, I feel like I am decreasing in coolness by the day.
4. Cher Lloyd is bomb. And so is the new Matchbox Twenty ballad, "Overjoyed." I have always loved me some Rob Thomas. And Phillip Phillips is very yummy this time of year (post-American Idol, I mean). And last but not least, Ryan Tedder and my OneRepublic. You did it again. "Feel Again" is a mood-brightener if I ever heard one. And I CAN'T WAIT for the new album.
5. I'm going to be Smurfette for Halloween. nobody who reads this is allowed to steal that idea. I'm serious.
6. It's rainy today.
7. I need some new hobbies.... so any ideas? And don't say cooking. That still doesn't appeal, even though I now have plenty of time for it. Why am I such a lame-o?? I'm supposed to work on my housewife skills.... but cooking just takes SO DANG LONG. I want my food NOW.
8. I'm reading Harry Potter 5 again. Because it is my favorite.
9. I wore purple corduroy pants to FHE tonight. And Dawna said I looked like a rockstar. I felt like Willy Wonka. We'll try again next week, I suppose.
10. I talked to my brother on the phone for an hour last night. He has got to be the best brother in the world.
11. I'M GOING TO ST. GEORGE THIS WEEKEND!!!!!! I just love that place so much. so so so so so so so much.

yep. I think that's it!

So you know what happens?

Summer ends.

And your whole life gets flip-turned up-side-down. Like, wth, Fresh Prince, stop trying to give me your life.

Also, you know what it means when I don't blog, like, ever? It means there's a boy. And I don't ever want to record happenings with said boy on this here blog (you know, because you never know what's going to happen), and then that usually leaves like NOTHING else to talk about. But now there is no boy, so back to blogging. But I will give you this gem from the past 3 months of glee:

Here's the teaser that will never turn into a full-length film. :)

No, I purposefully used a picture where you can't see his face. So there.

But now that the cat's out of the bag, I can give you a summer recap, including some things that I have already mentioned, you know, to give the full picture.

1. YAY trip to Loomis, Sacramento, and San Fran, California. A heavenly vacation with my favorite people, Mike and Drake.

2. In case you didn't remember,  I saw Titanic in 3D for my birthday and it changed my life. Movie ended and Stephanie said, "this movie should win 'best picture' every year since it came out. Because there has not been a better movie."

3. One Direction stole my heart, you know, at the concert.

4. Family vacation to the motherland...aka Lompoc, California. (see another post for pictures)

5. A 4th of July spent with boy, complete with late night parade spot guarding, hot air balloon festival, best parade in America, a lovely nap, ward BBQ, and, of course, watching the fireworks from Squaw Peak (you can see the whole valley from up there! There were magical little poofs of fireworks all over the place!)

6. A haze of tiredness that resulted from late late late nights and early early early mornings. I think my whole summer passed by me in a dim, fuzzy flash---I was having a blast---but I don't remember too much of it, because I was just so tired all the time. But the late nights just somehow kept being worth it. Funny how that works out. :) 

7. Some 7 Peaks. Some hikes. Some hammock time. Some puzzle do-ing. A lottta Bachelorette and nail painting with the one and only Laura Thomas. 

8. Apartment hunting. Oh yes, the ALL-TIME WORST part of my summer. I hate moving and I hate looking for a place to move to, especially when I don't want to move all that much. But I felt like it was time to part ways with my beloved Provo. And now I live in a cute little house with 3 cute girls. They are great. But I really miss all my friends. I really miss my Provo. But Salt Lake will be a good place for me. I signed up for 2 institute classes today... I don't know if I'll keep both of them... but I signed up. I want to make friends. And I want to use all the new-found time that I have (because my commute is OVER) for productive things--- you know, like watching Friends and going to institute and working out and such.

9. Lene came to visit. She was here for 3 weeks, and it was just so great. She was so very kind to help me move, and honestly, I don't know that I would have been able to do it without her. It was amazing. She helped me pack and clean and transport everything, and I was so glad to have her here. And also, me and Lene just got to hang out. And giggle. And talk about boys. And visit boys. Such as Geoff and Kevin. haha we made Geoff and Kevin have the longest group hug with us. It was so so hilarious I was gonna die. And we had a mini picnic awesome with the lovely Amy McDonald (who is one of my favorite darlings, btw), and a trip to Pizza Pie Cafe with Kevin and my favorite Mike. And we shopped a little and got stressful manicures.

10. My Meghan and my Joey got married. To each other. And I was a bridesmaid, and the wedding was lovely and so fun and so wonderful, and I wish I could just live that whole day over again, because it was so fun. 

all the pretty ladies. but mostly meghan, of course.

all the cute boys. edward and ben are my fave.

11. Sara Sara got married too. To handsome Jacob McKell. And they were darling. And I was so happy to be a part of her day. :)

12. Me and Lene went to St. George this last weekend. To visit. And I loved being home. I don't think I can ever express what happiness there is in my little town. I got to hang out with my Moe and Jen and their little babies, who are so so so darling, btw. And me, Lene, my mother, Moriah (who is 17 now, HOLY), and Elise, went to Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days and it was like the funniest movie of my whole life. RECOMMEND STAMP. 

So now you're pretty well caught up. I live in Salt Lake. And all my friends are either married, live with me, live in Provo, or live in Norway or Jerusalem (woohoo Lorina!). And things are great--- just different. I'm just excited for FOOOOOOTBALLLLLL SEASSSSSOONNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!