a first

Yesterday was the first first-day-of-school I didn't have.

It was weird thinking that Emily and so many of my friends in Provo were heading to class, receiving syllabi, and buying textbooks. It was even more weird thinking of the incoming freshmen, who just started their first day of college ever, who don't know their way around campus, and who are in awe about everything to do with BYU. And here I am, a BYU grad who knows all the routes through campus and all the tricks to buying textbooks moving on to the next stage in her life.

Nostalgia pulled at my heart a little bit, but then I looked around me. It's a cold, rainy day, and I spent all morning starting to unpack my kitchen--my kitchen--with so many wedding/bridal shower additions. I washed my new, soft, luxurious towels in the washer and dryer, which are in the apartment--my apartment (well, Josh's too, eventually). I sipped on cocoa in the middle of unpacking mess, listening to HP on my iPod dock. I had the windows open and smelled the fresh, rainy air. I even smiled a bit as I paid our first utility bills (though I can't promise I'll smile about that for long).

I'm a college grad who just had her first not-first-day-of-school and who, while she looks back on BYU with fond memories, wouldn't trade her place in life right now for anything.

officially moving in

I'm officially moving into the apartment tonight. Really all that means is that I'm moving my suitcase and box that I brought from Colorado into the apartment, because all of my other stuff is there already.

So today I drove Josh to work so I could use the car, and I made a huge Target run. Like, huge. Whenever I moved into student apartments there would already be a trash can, vacuum, and broom. But here, in a real apartment? I needed to go and buy all those things.

The game plan from here? Unpack my clothes (finally--I've been living on the clothes from just one suitcase for the past three weeks). Unpack the kitchen. Unpack whatever else I can given that we have no furniture in the apartment aside from a hand-me-down couch and two chairs courtesy of Josh's parents.

And then I'll have to vacuum. With the new vacuum.

PS--My camera is still hiding. . . . I'm getting a pit in my stomach here. Like, really.

real people weekend

Yesterday we bought a bed.
And a mattress.
And a {small} dining room set.
Like, real furniture.
It's really pretty.
It'll be here in a few weeks.
I cut my hair.
Nothing crazy, though.
Just straight-across bangs.
I'd post a picture.
But my camera's hiding.
Don't worry.
I'll find it.
I was almost offered a job.
At the LOFT.
40- or 50-percent employee discount.
I know.
But then I was rejected.
Oh well.
Back to the resumes.
I went to church today.
My new ward.
I'll like it here.
But I'll be glad to get a routine.
I haven't looked at the new countdown in a while.
I think it'll be in the forties again this week.
(The countdown.
Not the weather.)

Operation Superhuman Reader: hungry for The Hunger Games

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I didn't know quite how to feel at the end of this book--it definitely didn't go as I expected. Collins takes a different turn with this book from what most readers would expect; I would go as far as to characterize this book as bleak. The emotion was deeper and the themes more serious. It's a sad book, but still hopeful. I feel that Collins made Katniss a more real character than she's been in the first two books. Despite the futuristic setting of The Hunger Games, books this installment brought everything closer to home in the end. I'm looking forward to going back and reading them all through again!



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an immigration

I'm immigrating to Oregon tonight. I'm a little scared. And a lot excited.

It's not like I'm moving to a place where I don't know anybody--I mean, hello, I get to see Josh everyday now. Plus my in-laws will be there, and they're more than great. Plus I already know a handful of people in Wilsonville.

But it's still a new town. New streets. A new ward. New people. A new job (once I find one). A new life.

I'm a little nervous. But like I said, I'm a lot excited.

I'll keep you posted.

Operation Superhuman Reader: last summer book

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book was thoroughly delightful. Cassandra was an engaging and intelligent narrator. Sometimes in first-person narrative I feel a little disconnected from the bigger story, but I didn't with this story. One of the things I particularly liked was how surprisingly unpredictable the story was. Going into the book I thought it would be fairly formulaic (though still enjoyable), but I was wrong. The plot didn't go as I expected, and I liked that. The story was more entertaining that way. I would recommend this book to anyone!



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home for a spell

I've been busy since I came home.

Clam bake.

Cream pies.

Grandma's grave.

RMs (returned missionaries). Them, not me.

Canadians. Family. Fun.

Number 1.

Donuts. And donut holes. Homemade.

Mom.

Baking.

SPs. Lots.

Both grandpas.

Mountains. Cookout.

Reading.

Early birthday.

Lots of episodes.

It's been a wonderful two weeks. Really. I have the best family in the world.

simple pleasures

Peanut butter toast may be one of my favorite things.

dignified

Today I visited Grandma's grave for the first time. I went with Mom and Grandpa, and we took some pretty, happy flowers.

At the Fort Logan Cemetery all of the headstones are the same, and looking at the countless rows of uniform headstones elicited a sense of dignity and reverence.

A lady came by a little after we arrived with flowers for a grave close by. She was having a hard time. I was struck with how intimate a cemetery really is. There you find people at their most emotional and sorrowful moments. It's humbling.

I miss my grandma, and I'm glad I could go to her graveside. I'm glad I could see and feel the dignity of the cemetery. I'm glad I could share that moment with my mom and grandpa. I'm glad to know that because of the gospel I'll see her again.

in love

All photos from Kate and Jess Photography.

I love him. A lot.

I'm really excited to be his wife.

12 on 12: home sweet home

01. Leggo my Eggo, please
02. Bones with breakfast (I know that does sound a little morbid. . . .)
03. Scheduling Provo utilities cancellation
04. Clipping coupons for Mom
05. The only decent picture I could get of Moosey--she's camera shy
06. Pedicure
07. Surprisingly cute accessories from Forever 21
08 .Mini DQ Blizzards with Rachelle
09. Happy to hang with Rachelle
10. Cool fish at Namiko's, the Japanese restaurant where we ate tonight
11. Emily mixing up banana chip bars
12. YouTube videos with John and Emily

moving out: 33 hours

Dad and I spent all day Saturday driving to Oregon. I was so excited. Obviously. I don't have to tell you that.

We drove through Idaho, which looked like this most of the time.

This ride wasn't too comfortable, because everything was crammed in to the breaking point, leaving me with little foot room.

I don't think the above picture accurately conveys just how packed the car was. Like, really.

I was excited when I started seeing signs for Portland.

And then, when we came into eastern Oregon, I loved the green. Green, green, green.

{13 hours}

We spent Saturday night and Sunday in Oregon with Josh and his family. I don't even need to tell you that it was wonderful. We moved all my stuff into the apartment and napped and ate homemade ice cream. Then Dad and I left at 5:00 a.m. Monday morning.

While it was a very early morning, at least the car was about 10 times emptier than before--that makes for a much more comfortable ride, in case you were wondering.

For breakfast that morning the gas stations didn't offer much, so I went for Saltines, chocolate-covered pretzels, and Diet Pepsi.

I could have chosen better.

Dad and I listened to audiobooks primarily. We got all the way through The Magician's Nephew and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and listened to parts of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, All the Pretty Horses, Seldom Disappointed (Tony Hillerman's memoir), and another Tony Hillerman book. Listening to the Chronicles of Narnia was pure delight all the way.

We made it into Wyoming and stayed in Rock Springs for the night.

{15 hours}

Then we got back on the road bright and early to make it into Colorado.

And yes, in that photo I am wearing stretchy pants. I'd been wearing real clothes for the entire time up until yesterday morning.

As we drove down I-25 and saw the Denver skyline, I felt at home.

{5 hours}

I'll be here for a two weeks, and then I'm going back to Oregon.

And I have the feeling that when the plane lands at the Portland airport, I'll still feel at home.

moving out: the packing

I'm moved out of Provo and Utah forever. It started with something like this

and this.

So naturally I had to take breaks for things like this

and this.

I often felt like this (i.e. completely exasperated).

But, after everything (well, almost everything--I was forced to give away to friends and/or take to DI several items) was shoe-horned into the Trailblazer, I was left with this

And when I left Provo, Utah, at 5:00 on Saturday morning, I wasn't really.that sad. I was relieved, excited, and very slightly nostalgic. I saw the first hints of the sunrise over the tips of the mountains and smiled. I was leaving to start the rest of my life.

the plan

With the new wedding date, here's my new plan.

I just moved all my stuff to Oregon.

Then Dad and I drove to Colorado.

Now I'm home for a couple of weeks.

Then I'm going back to Oregon to live there until the wedding. You know what that means? I'll get to see Josh every day. I pretty much love it that this long-distance engagement is coming to a close and that Josh and I will be able to be like a normal engaged couple for a little while.

PS--Where did all the commenters go??

change the date!

Josh and I are still getting married! We ran into a scheduling glitch, and so the new wedding date is October 22, 2010, in the Denver Colorado Temple. Yes, I am disappointed to have to wait a little longer, but everything with Josh is great, and we're still so excited to be married! And really, what's two more months when we'll have eternity together?

So. New countdown.

78 days.

last week festivities

It's my last week in Provo. Ever. And while I haven't been feeling all that nostalgic, I do have friends I've been wanting to spend some time with before I skip town.

Monday I left work with Emily McB (who works as an editorial intern with the welfare department), and we went to Zupas for dinner and caught Letters to Juliet at the dollar theater. The movie was mindlessly enjoyable, and the male lead was a dream boat. I don't think I would have paid full price for it, but for $1.25 it was perfect. Emily and I managed to sneak in Cold Stone ice cream (though I was more full from my ultimate grilled cheese than I realized and could eat only a few bites of the ice cream).

We left wondering why we hadn't been doing stuff like this for the past three years. We have long-term plans for her to move to Washington, where we'd be only an hour and a half apart. Let's hope that pans out.

Last night I went to Cafe Rio with Brooke, Laura, and Kat. Brooke has been wonderful all summer in letting me use her car almost whenever I need to, and so I wanted to take her out in appreciation.

Afterward we went back to the apartment and played a few rounds of Bananagrams.

Tonight we might pop in a scary movie in continuation of our scary movie night last week when we watched When a Stranger Calls (ridiculous and simultaneously terrifying).

Yes, I'm 100-percent ready to leave Provo for a long, long time, but I will miss my friends. I'm so glad my last week has been full of fun (and delicious food)!

my favorite part

I listed many good things I love about my internship, and I feel the need to expand on my favorite good part: the other interns.

From day one we were friends. We have a standing lunch appointment every day for anyone who wants to come and we have inside jokes and laugh about the magazines' idiosyncrasies. Many of us also ride the bus together. I often ask them to read over pieces I've written for input and editing. We have a camaraderie that makes work more fun.

Within the first month or so of the internship we discovered a mutual love(infatuation) for Harry Potter (I know--you're thinking I've found my soul mates). So in celebration of Harry's birthday (last Saturday), we dubbed today Harry Potter day at work and all subtly dressed up as various HP characters.

From left to right: Rachel (Madam Hooch), me (Bellatrix), Breanna (Hermione, though she had another obligation today that trumped dressing up for HP day), Diane (Professor Trelawny), Holly (Professor Umbridge), and Tom (Harry--obviously). Not pictured: Whitney (Lavender Brown).

We just have a lot of fun. I think I'm going to miss them a lot.