Lindzena

Our Fantastical Christmas

2012-01-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Grayson and I had a brilliant first Christmas together. It wasn't so much about the things we got, but about the time we both got to spend with our new extended families, as well as our thrown-together traditions of our own. It was kind of fun, decorating for Christmas last-minute in the middle of a half-torn-down apartment. Christmas in the middle of moving... wonderful indeed.

Just below this picture: Many boxes

Our beautiful tree was pre-lit, and we didn't have any ornaments so we decorated it with my scarves and jewelry. If that isn't the perfect first-Christmas memory I don't know what is.

Our stockings were nailed to the wall - and they consisted of awesome fuzzy socks that we bought for Christmas. The socks are definitely going to be a tradition for us now, every year, though we will probably try to get real stockings.

Though we are poor newlyweds, we were still able to give each other a magnificent Christmas. I hope yours was as epic as ours was!

Slinky Magic!

2011-12-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

The world is awesome. And so are old British people. I really want a slinky now.

{Magic and Wonder}

Do you love rain as much as I do?

2011-12-12T12:47:00.001-07:00

With finals week upon us, I felt I would share with you a website that I find absolutely wonderful for relaxing. It's called RainyMood.

{www.rainymood.com}

This website is nothing but a constant rain ambiance sound. It is the perfect de-stresser! I just want to wrap up in a blanket and grab a good book! What do you do to relax?

Anyway, back to my projects. BTW, what do you think of the new blog look? I put some good time into it. :)

Absentee

2011-10-26T11:54:00.000-06:00

Sorry I've been sort of out of the loop for a while! I have had things to post about... but I am actually working on a portfolio website that has been taking up most of my time. I will be back, I promise!

Darn college and work and life. Totally getting in the way of my blogging realm. Jeeze!

The Wedding Party

2011-09-28T16:33:00.000-06:00

One thing is for certain... Grayson and I? We have some pretty fantastic friends.

But... much like us, they are utterly insane. And those are the pictures that I will treasure most... the insane ones.

Possibly my favorite picture of all time.

Awesome friends and family who sent us off right.

A wedding for the ages, my friends. I'm glad it was a good one, because my hope is it's the only one I'll ever have.

Reception Details

2011-09-26T16:18:00.000-06:00

Our photographer did a great job at capturing a few of the cute things we had going on at our reception... and I am very glad for this because it went so dang fast I can hardly remember any of it.

The reception center looked like a fairy land when the sun went down.

Instead of a guest book, we did note cards and a mailbox - most of those messages turned out pretty cute and funny.

So many wonderful and thoughtful gifts.

The food, all done by my amazing mom.

The cake - complete with floral arrangements made by Grayson's mom. In fact, she did ALL of the florals for the wedding. They were fantastic!

Our DJ and Groomsman Nick #2

A tired couple nearing the end of the night... and the end of the blog post.

More pictures coming! That's right, at least one more photo post left.

Quick, everybody, stop driving... NOW

2011-09-24T15:44:00.000-06:00

Congrats to my little sister Alissa, who just got her driver's license!

Pictured above: Maturity

She is the last in my family to become mobile. Yikes. At least she hasn't graduated yet... when that happens I'm going to feel OLD.

Pictured above: Attractiveness

Love ya sis!

Lindsey & Grayson Wedding Shots - My Top Favorites

2011-09-22T15:58:00.000-06:00

There are so many pictures of Grayson and I from that day... as is fitting I suppose... but here are a few of my favorites:

The big ones are the ones most likely to end up on a wall in my house somewhere. :)

Thanks again to Kelly at Bella Day Photography! And... you guessed it... I'm not done with pictures yet. Stay tuned.

This might be an upcoming investment for me...

2011-09-20T11:48:00.000-06:00

So, I am a pretty avid photo taker, but I will admit... I am not an SLR kind of gal. I don't want to deal with expensive equipment, changing lenses, big old camera bags or substitute lighting. Maybe someday, but not this day. I like to be able to have my camera on me at all times, to capture those hilarious moments and those random beautiful things.

That being said, I will not settle for a sissy little point and shoot camera either. I would not be able to live with a colorful rectangle that has only a circle on the front, a button on the top, and nothing but automated features.

Since Fall of 2008, I've been carrying around this sweet little thing:

Nikon Coolpix P80

Yes I literally have it on my person almost 24/7. Yes, it takes up about half of my purse... and it is completely and totally worth it. This camera and I, we have had some fantastic times together. We've both been doused in flour together, we've been traveling all around the world (or the nearby west coast states, or whatever), we've taken literally thousands of pictures ranging from laughing EFY kids to some of my friends weddings. Beautiful nature shots, random excursions, and I'm really getting tired of posting old links now...

She's pretty from all angles - I give you permission to check her out. It's not creepy or anything.

But I shall be honest, the poor little thing is starting to act up lately. I guess that is what happens after 3 years of use and abuse. I'm still putting it through its paces on a regular basis, but today I started searching around for what is new in the non-SLR camera relm. I think found my camera's new sister...

Nikon Coolpix L120

They look similar, but the differences are subtle, and the power is far greater...

And she comes in different colors!

Far better megapixels and zoom, HD video rather than the pixel-ish video I currently have, more user friendly... plus, sometimes she gets to hang out with Ashton Kutcher. And it's SHINY!

She's staring into your soul.

Long story short... if I were to come up with about $250 dollars... I want this camera to be my best friend, and come with me on my adventures, and help me remember things and places and people. I think she wants to be my friend too.

Don't worry, little guys. If you keep trying, someday you can grow up to be awesome too.

Do you have any camera recommendations? I've also heard some good things about the Cooplix P500.

Family & Friends at the Temple

2011-09-18T15:41:00.000-06:00

The best part about taking all of these pictures, was the old nasty guy from another wedding party who kept yelling at the photographer to hurry things up, because his niece or something was coming out and they were next for pictures here. I was soooo tempted to make sure we went slower...

The Brogdon Family {Favorite Part - crying baby, stage left}

The Buck Family {Can you tell that I'm the first to get married in my fam, and Grayson is the last in his?}

The Bridal Party {Favorite Part - Groomsman face, top center}

All of Everyone {Including my favorite adopted Grandma [left in pink] and both of our extended families}

Look at all that joy!!! I love how much of everyone's personalities popped out in these shots.

Credit for these photos goes to Bella Day Photography. More to come!

Bear Lake - Sad Absense of Bears

2011-09-16T13:05:00.000-06:00

Yes, there was an absence of bears - unless you count my husband, who I think counts. I know he would be honored to be counted as a bear, so I don't feel bad making that comparison.

Anyway, as you might have guessed, we went to Bear Lake last weekend! It is apparently the off season, and so therefore it was completely devoid of life, including the swarming bears that the lake is renowned for. (Right?)

Shells [Devoid of Life]

Abandoned Tractor [Devoid of Life]

Local Wildlife [Devoid of Reason - photo taken in the early morning]

But in spite of the lack of anything happening there, we were able to find sustinance and entertainment during our day and a half of beach time.

I say 'Raspberry Shakes' and you say, BEAR LAKE. Because they are famous. Sign says so.

Husband stealing my fries while I took a picture of the Raspberry sign.

Me and Husband being devastatingly attractive.

Okay, now I'm done with the watermark. I'm just experimenting a little bit with that.

Be and Husband taking shelter from the ferocious elements.

Long story short, we had fun. The shakes were yummy, and later we rented ourselves a watercraft. Not for skiing or wakeboarding or anything like that, but just for riding around and being awesome.

Husband likes the boat.

Husband likes the wife.

Little Sister likes the curly haired boy.

Curly Hair and Little Sister like the boat too.

Littlest Sister dislikes gravity, apparently.

And soon after this, Lindsey's camera died. We lounged about, slept, did whatever we darn-well pleased, and then we went home and slept some more. The end.

Yay.

PS - Wedding pictures coming shortly! Sorry to leave you hanging; life is CRAZY.

Oh yeah, I forgot, look over here...

2011-09-14T12:06:00.000-06:00

Guess what finally came last week and I haven't gotten the chance to post yet until now?

Bella Day Photography

Yaaaayyyy!!

I just have a few tests to take, a few assignments to upload, a bit of a house to clean up, and a husband to feed and then I can show you more of them! More posts and pics to follow, stay tuned!

Distractions!

2011-09-12T12:02:00.001-06:00

My brain is being taken over. I am overwhelmed by awesome and adorable-ness. My social life and free time are being eaten by the epic.

What has happened to me?

I have discovered a new website.
It is called:

Pinterest.

I need more time in the day to do these cute crafts...

And these recipes...

And these fun Halloween decorations...

But I've got stupid responsibilities getting in my way.

Just to put things in perspective... it has taken me two hours to write this little post... BECAUSE I KEEP GETTING DISTRACTED.

Someone save me!

The Ultimate Feel Good Song

2011-09-07T08:43:00.000-06:00

I'd been having a pretty bad day - and then I came cross this song while I was reviewing a few of my favorite artists. This song made me tear up.

My only regret is that it isn't available for purchase yet!

The Fablehaven Series

2011-09-04T13:35:00.000-06:00

I just finished this series, and I absolutely loved it.

It was extremely creative, intriguing, clean, funny, and just overall fantastic. I'll probably buy this one and put it on my shelf someday, I highly recommend it.

Only problem is now I need a new book or series to read! Any suggestions?

I sent this video to Grayson

2011-09-03T09:22:00.000-06:00

... when we were about 2 months to the wedding. I thought it was funny. Now we are nearly one month married, and I think it is HILARIOUS, because it is so dang true! It is like I'm watching my own life. My boy and the one in the video even have the same haircut.

The Best Part So Far

2011-08-31T13:24:00.001-06:00

This whole moving process? It's a lot of work, a bit of a pain, and slightly overwhelming when you through in work and school and family and... most importantly... sleep. But it is worth every second of it, and last week, Grayson and I experienced the crowning moment of the work thusfar...

We combined all of our gift cards and returns at Target, one of the stores we had registered at, and went on the shopping spree of our lives.

We bought essentially everything we needed/wanted, from an entertainment center to a broom and dustpan and anything in between. And the best part? It was all a gift - a huge cumulative gift. The biggest shopping spree of my life, and not one penny of it was from our own hard earned paychecks.

We still have some more returns and gift cards to use. I'd better enjoy this while it lasts, as I'm sure we will never get to experience anything quite like this ever again.

I Was Pictured Out

2011-08-28T12:47:00.002-06:00

So I have had a few friends asking me about the honeymoon lately. Everyone who has come to me knows me very well, and as such all of them want to see photos of everything we went to do.

I have surprised them all by saying that... honestly? I only took a handful of not-great pictures.

Crazy, right? I am usually a photo guru with hundreds of pictures of almost any event or vacation I attend. But no, not this time. We went out an about, we saw stuff and did stuff... but my camera was hidden away most of the time.

My theory? After the wedding and all that it entailed, I was simply DONE with pictures.

Well, okay I do have a few...

But I don't have any pictures from Park City, or from half the fun things we saw in Vegas. I am a little bit disappointed in myself, but I will forgive myself - THIS TIME. In the future I'd better watch myself, or else.

Bridal Shots

2011-08-25T12:47:00.000-06:00

So I recently realized that I posted ONE of my bridal shots, but I have been yet to add any more.

Let me just say... taking these shots was an adventure. Rattle snakes, wasps nests, and even a proposal at the same location - a somewhat awkward one. But even more adventures came with the wedding day shots, which I will tell more about when I have some to show you.

I absolutely love these pictures, and they are doing just great appeasing me until the rest of the wedding shots come, so here they are! Well... at least a few of my favorites.

I have every intention of cherishing these for a long time, if only because I am sure that I will never spend that much money to look that good ever again.

Thanks again to Bella Day Photography, who has proven to be an EXCELLENT choice for our wedding photos! I plan on going back to her again when time comes for family photos, babies, any of that. Yay pictures!

I cannot wait...

2011-08-22T00:52:00.002-06:00

My favorite time of year is coming soon. The fresh and accomplished feeling of a school class structure, the cooler temperatures, the colors coming out of the leaves, the long sleeves and cute clothing...

via Google image search

There is nothing on earth that beats the fresh feeling of Autumn. I think it is one of the most beautiful things this earth has to offer. I honestly get a little bit bouncy thinking about it.

I've gone insane

2011-08-19T13:06:00.000-06:00

So, apparently it is a lot of work moving into a new home! Go figure. But hey, we finally have our internet up, and a dear friend of ours gave us an awesome computer for our wedding... so here I am. Did you miss me?

I've actually loved settling my own place. There is a lot of joy in things like doing the dishes, when they all belong to you - or sweeping the floor, when it is YOUR floor - or doing your laundry, when it is YOUR washing machine (or your paying rent on it anyway).

Yes, there is still a lot of work to be done. I am yet to make Grayson build a fort with me out of all of our boxes and gift bags, but I do believe that will come to pass, if I have the energy.

So, you ask, WHY has Miss Lindzena gone insane? (Or more insane, it depends on how well you know me.)

The anxiety behind waiting for my wedding pictures to be available to me is driving me NUTS! I am a total photo freako, and I know they are going to be awesome pictures, and it was probably the biggest photo day of my liiiifffeee... hence the insanity. I WANT TO SEE THEM.

But, in lieu of wedding photos, I shall supply one awesome one from the honeymoon:

Much love from my mad house. -Lindz

The Best Honeymoon Meals

2011-08-14T17:31:00.000-06:00

Sorry I haven't posted since I got back! We are still setting up internet at our apartment, so I can only be online occasionally right now. But it is almost back, I shall be in full flow again shortly!

In the meantime, however, I wanted to give a quick rundown of one of the most important things about vacations: the food! These were our favorite meals on the honeymoon...

Zoom - Park City

Holy crap, it was amazing. It was definitely not the cheapest of our meals on the Honeymoon, but it was worth every dang penny. This is a place we will definitely come back to on certain anniversaries and special occasions.

Oh, and just as a side note, second best place was:

House of Blues - Las Vegas

And the absolute worst was...

McDonald's - Las Vegas

Of course. Why did we even eat there? It was probably the pretty yellow lights. We should've gone for Panda Express, it was right next door...

Wordless Wednesday - Bridals Preview

2011-08-10T16:14:00.000-06:00

-Bella Day Photography-

My Number One Wedding Tip

2011-08-08T14:47:00.001-06:00

Another quick pre-scheduled post for all of you while I'm away on my honeymoon! I wanted to share with you the tip that absolutely saved my life throughout all of this wedding business.

I made a through To-Do List

and I got as much done early as I possibly could

Trust me when I say this; you have three days before you tie the knot?

You want to dedicate your mind more to the thought that you are about to be tied to a guy for the rest of your life more than you want to worry about how your bridesmaids hair is going to look or if you have the right kind of flowers.

I decided to make my own wedding video - I had it done and burned to DVD a week and a half before the wedding.

We had a bunch of frames and photos for table centerpieces - all of the pictures were printed and placed and the price tags were scraped off the frames two weeks before the wedding.

Everything happened early. Pens for the reception guest book, bought them three weeks early. Groom's ring - bought a month in advance. Brides jewelry - bought a month in advance. Marriage license - organized a week in advance. Cake and dress - organized two months in advance.

This saved my life in many different ways. An order takes a long time in shipping? No worries, we still have time for it to get here. Oh no, my dress for the wedding dinner looks awful? Take it back, and find something else. You have time.

And as a side note, three months was the PERFECT length for an engagement. Had it been any shorter, my family and I would've gone absolutely crazy with how much we had to do in such little time. Had it been any longer, Grayson and I would've gone crazy with how long it was taking to get here dangnabbit!

I hope all is well for you in the bloggy world! I will be back again in a few days, and then depending on how our move in the apartment goes, I will be back and swingin' again ASAP. Loves!

Goodbye Cruel [Single's] World!

2011-08-05T13:00:00.001-06:00

Today is my wedding day!! I'm sure I know what you are wondering, how on earth does she have time to post on her blog on her wedding day? Well here is the answer to that: I do not. Ha, I am very, very fond of the beauty of 'scheduled' posts. I am actually writing this out a few days before hand, but I didn't want to leave ya'll hangin on the big day.

So, these are pictures that I have had for a while... but I could not risk posting them online before! What if my fiance came across the pictures? He will be seeing me in the dress for the first time TODAY. And since, at this point, he will not have any chance of getting online before seeing me... it is safe.

So here are a few of the little details of my beautiful gown...

I have an absolutely beautiful dress, and I am RENTING it from Gowns By Pamela. Total, this dress and all needed with it (corset, petticoat, etc.) cost about $400 dollars. A few other details, like the veil, shoes, or jewelry, we bought so I can keep them as keepsakes. I think it was a wonderful choice.

Better pictures of the dress, professionally done, will be coming soon! I am excited to show you all. I'll see you all after my wedding! BYE!

Bachelorette Party

2011-08-03T18:36:00.003-06:00

Mormon bachelorette parties are an interesting place to be. They usually aren't the same kind of wild party as you find elsewhere, instead they are rather more like a themed girls night.

Mine wasn't a wild party, but a simple girls afternoon. It involved throwing shrimp, manicures, and lots of shared memories. I am glad to have so many wonderful girlfriends, even more than are present in these photos. I hope that those friendships don't fade after I am married, as it sometimes happens. But, the way I see it, even if only in these photos I will always have these wonderful girls in my life.

I'm so thankful to these ladies! May the parties never end!

My New & Growing Family

2011-08-01T18:13:00.004-06:00

Today, I have two parents, one adopted grandma, and two younger sisters.

In a few days I will have two more parents, two more grandparents, two older sisters, two older brothers, three nieces and one nephew.

Not to mention one wonderful husband. And I simply cannot wait.

Roadtrip Playlist

2011-07-30T18:06:00.000-06:00

So, for part of our honeymoon Grayson and I will be taking the trip down to Vegas and back, which is about 6 hours one way. I'm wanting to make a playlist of some awesome roadtrip music on the way, but I don't have a lot of time to sort through all of my music.

So I am coming to all of you for help! What are some songs that I need to add to my CD? What are your favorite roadtrip songs? Leave it in the comments, I can't wait to hear your feedback!

Making Shoes?

2011-07-28T11:57:00.000-06:00

So, I am totally a shoe girl. I don't want to admit exactly how many pairs I have - mostly because I really don't want to count how many pairs I have. As such, with the wedding looming closer and closer, I knew that I had to have the perfect shoes in order to have the perfect day.

Unfortunately, this proved itself not only difficult, but PRICEY. Luckily, my mother is awesome. She found a cute pair of white shoes on a clearance rack for nine dollars. We dyed them to a winter white so it would match the dress, and found the perfect appliques and embellishments. Now, they are finished. I can honestly say that I am IN LOVE with them.

Wonderful wedding shoes for under $15. And the best part? They are totally one of a kind.

Funny Story

2011-07-26T11:42:00.000-06:00

So Grayson and I went to Discovery Gateway with his nephew the other day. I didn't take very many pictures due to a dying battery, but I had to get one picture just for memory's sake...

Ha, we are/were such weirdos. PS, I'm getting married in ten days. AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!

Our Wedding Song

2011-07-23T13:18:00.004-06:00

It is decided, the song for our first dance at our reception shall be:

It is a pretty great song, a somewhat common one, but it is the one that has the most significance between the two of us. I think it is an excellent choice.

From Grayson, This Year

2011-07-22T11:38:00.000-06:00

I did a post about my birthday last year, so I figured I would detail the cute and wonderful things he did for me this year.

Right after work, he surprised me with dinner at Spaghetti Factory, one of my absolute favorite restaurants. While there, he handed me a present, and when I opened it I knew that he it he totally understands what a huge nerd I am.

After we returned to his house, running around doing wedding errands (to which there are no end), he went into his basement for a moment, and came up carrying something that just overjoyed me.

That is a picture print that I have had sitting in my room for three years, saving up for an opportunity to mat and frame it, but never coming up with the funds. It is now ready for us to hang in our new apartment home. I am simply obsessed with this gift.

Then, to end the day, he drove me up to a lookout point on South Mountain for the sunset so I could take some pictures. It was absolutely beautiful; he knows me so well.

So all in all, it was a wonderful day. I hope he stays this sweet to me in years to come.

So, are you sick of me being all talky and cutesy about my fiance yet?

From Grayson, Last Year

2011-07-21T13:25:00.000-06:00

So my birthday was last Tuesday, and as I was sitting at work and remembering, I came across a few pictures.

When I turned 21, I was in the middle of EFY and other such crazyness - and Grayson was still on his mission. But shortly after that birthday, I received a package and some pictures from New York.

The birthday cake he and his companion had made me, and 20 individual pictures taken and printed off for me to arrange. At this point, we had never before dated nor had we really discussed the idea. I never 'waited' for him, or called him my missionary or anything like that...

Yeah, it's all pretty awesome. I just thought I'd share that little memory.

The Five(ish) F's for the Perfect Bridal Shower

2011-07-19T10:42:00.004-06:00

I have been blessed with a lot of wonderful people who have thrown me some wonderful showers! When I got engaged, I thought two, three showers would happen, tops... but the grand total has turned out to be FIVE beautiful showers and one awesome upcoming bachelorette party!

Though I still have one shower left, I want to state how much of a BLAST I have had at these for the last two weeks, and show exactly what has made them so great...

More details on the friend shower,

by my lovely friend Naomi...

Yes, Grayson has made an appearance at almost every shower. The first one was his neighborhood, so his mother and I wanted him to attend the whole thing... and he had so much fun that he wanted to attend the others too.

I'm getting married in 17 days! AAAHHHH!!! Today is my birthday, I'm 22 years old now, so I guess I am old enough to be a Mrs...

A Piece of my Childhood

2011-07-14T10:48:00.003-06:00

Ends Tonight

I started reading these books when I was eleven years old, and I secretly wished for my own Hogwarts letter.

As every book came out, I grew along with the characters.

I went on the first day to every single movie starting with the first, and midnight premieres as soon as I was old enough to go.

A younger me would hang out with girlfriends and argue about how the stories would end, theorizing over little details and memorizing pieces of trivia, and of course debating which character was the cutest and which ones would get married.

You would think, with my wedding being in about three weeks, my childhood would've ended by now. No, not really. Childhood is sort of an illusion, as you grow up the only thing that changes is physical appearance and number of responsibilities. But tonight we officially close the series that was probably my number one geek-out for the last decade or more.

I have never been so excited for an ending, even though I already know how the story ends.

~ Mischief Managed ~

Engagements Update

2011-07-11T10:29:00.000-06:00

So I've recently come to learn that my previous post with my engagement pictures is not very visible by a lot of people. That is either an issue with flash or an issue with the program itself. So I thought I'd hurry and post this link right here, so you can view them if you wish to do so:

Lindsey & Grayson

~Engagement Pictures~

Dusty!!

2011-07-10T09:56:00.001-06:00

So Grayson and I went up to a family cabin last week. Some of the most fun parts of the trip involved some old 4-wheelers, getting them started by towing them behind a Subaru and then tackling some dusty trails.

But we were definitely a mess when it was all said and done.
Pretty sure I'm still getting dust out of my hair! I don't think Grayson has that problem.

Stephenie's Graduation Pics

2011-07-08T09:43:00.000-06:00

So I did my first 'professional' type photo-shoot ever the other day. It was actually super exciting and a lot of fun. I did them for my dear friend and one of my bridesmaids Stephenie, who recently graduated from the University of Utah.

I am debating doing this sort of thing on a regular basis. What do you think?

The Invitations

2011-07-06T11:58:00.000-06:00

They are finished!

I designed them myself, mostly because if I were to let anyone else do it... I just know it never would've been quite right. I'm insane like that.

We are getting them printed through a wonderful company called Beautiful Wedding Announcements. By far the best deal I found for printing - if you go anywhere else you are just asking to be robbed. We're getting 500 invites and 240 total inserts (two designs) for $250 dollars.

What do you think?

{PS - If you haven't seen the rest of our engagement photos, you can take a look HERE.}

Dinosaurs!

2011-07-04T11:34:00.006-06:00

If you haven't been out to the zoo yet this summer...

I highly recommend it.

Also, the real animals are pretty cool too.

Guest Book Ideas

2011-07-02T11:28:00.002-06:00

I really don't want to do the standard guest book, you know? I like the idea of something a little bit unique, something that doesn't clog traffic at the reception, something creative and cute. I found a few ideas online. What do you think?

Credit to Martha Stewart Weddings

I am especially fond of the notes in the mailbox idea, something that would be slipped into a photo album later. What are some other fun ideas?

Guns Kill

2011-06-30T11:11:00.003-06:00

But they are soooo much fun.

Yeah, I'm not a great shot with a gun, but I'm not bad with a camera.

Luckily, I ultimately prefer the camera.
People generally aren't harmed after I shoot them.
So it all works out.

Honeymoon

2011-06-28T10:21:00.022-06:00

So, Grayson and I have a few things lined up for the week after our wedding, but one of the things I am most excited for is this:

Has anyone else ever seen it? Am I right in being excited?

In the known universe...

2011-06-26T13:47:00.000-06:00

There are few things that bring more joy than lemon bars.

Engagement Photos

2011-06-23T10:08:00.002-06:00

Images taken by Debi Rae Photography

Bridesmaid Dresses

2011-06-09T13:47:00.000-06:00

I think they are beautiful and PERFECT! I am excited to see everyone in them!

Downeast Basics

Cake!

2011-06-06T13:39:00.005-06:00

We have ordered it. It is going to look something like this...

But that photo is altered to fit the general coloring, so ignore the bright blue flowers.

We got it at Granite Bakery, and it is going to be Almond Poppy Seed with Raspberry filling, three layers. My mom and I went to taste it, and I pretty much died. It is the best flavor ever. Excited to see the final product!

Fun at the Aquarium

2011-06-02T13:39:00.003-06:00

Grayson and I took his niece to the aquarium for her birthday the other day. She is so cute.

It was definitely a lot of fun. And of course, we are always collecting more and more to add to our ridiculous photos together...

Currently working on invitation printing! Anyone have any ideas or connections?

Wedding Colors

2011-05-24T23:43:00.000-06:00

After a few changes and alterations, much thought and consideration, I have finally decided on my color scheme for the wedding.

Thanks a bunch to The Perfect Palette, a site that was essential to me making that final decision. What do you think?

Also, I'm currently exploring my options for photographers. This aspect of the wedding is RIDICULOUSLY important to me, and it is also not cheap at all. I'm not wanting to break the bank. I'm a bit nervous to make this decision to be honest, and as a friend of mine told me, "No matter who you decied on using, just make sure you love the work, cuz photos are the only thing you have after the big day. That and a hubby."

Any connections / suggestions? I would appreciate it A LOT! Lindsey is stressing out over this.

We've Got Our Venue!

2011-05-20T10:19:00.001-06:00

It is gorgeous, and I am TOTALLY sold on it!

It is a beautiful greenhouse with a secret-garden type feel, needing very little decoration because of the greenery and flowers EVERYWHERE. I'm so excited to make this place all my own!

Le Jardin Weddings

What are some fun (and inexpensive) wedding decor ideas?

Yellowstone

2011-05-18T10:19:00.000-06:00

Last week, I went on my first vacation with his family. I've known their family for a while, but on this vacation I officially felt like I was part of it.

It was a blast, with some awesome photos, up-close-and-personal animal encounters, cute nieces & nephews, and sunburns all around.

A fantastic trip, and a fantastic family. I'm excited to be able to count myself as part of it. I'm getting two parents, two grandparents, two brother-in-laws, two sister-in-laws (one of whom has a blog), three nieces and a nephew. How good can life get?

So... it happened!

2011-05-03T18:31:00.001-06:00

I am getting married! And I am ECSTATIC about it!

Who is the guy, you might ask? Well, his name is Grayson, and he has been one of my closest friends for about 3 years. We've dated for the last 6 months, and everything just felt right. Yes, that's right, I finally found a prince to take me to the castle.

So now, after nearly 5 years of happy single postings, this blog is changing. I want to put updates on EVERYTHING as it comes, and I want to hopefully start with the proposal (it was adorable). I'm going to wait a little while, because I want to get all of the videos that were taken of it as well. If not, then I'll explain it all later.

For now, I will start with showing you the ring. (Since I'm pretty far into this post, something tells me you have already seen it.) It's probably my favorite thing ever. It catches light brilliantly. Obviously Grayson knows me well, and understands that I am very easily distracted by shiny things.

He and his brother had it custom made to a few of my specifications. It has only been a few days, but I already feel like this ring is part of my hand. I feel weird when I take it off. I'm pretty excited for the chance to show it off / stare at it for the coming months.

We have decided to get married on the 5th of August in the Salt Lake Temple... and that is pretty much every detail we have so far. We've got the temple reserved and the plans underway. Next week I will be going out of town with him and his family, and after that the big planning starts!

More on this story as it develops! Peace and blessings!

Mister Ant - Psapp (HAPPY VALENTINES)

2011-02-14T10:00:00.009-07:00

Best lines in this song:

"I see the mud you make, I see the mess we're in...
I want to end with a smile, cause that's how we begin."

This is a song that my current boyfriend found about a month ago, and knowing it would be exactly the kind of thing that I would love, he instantly called me to tell me about it. Long story short, an hour later I had purchased this song, and it is on my list of favorites.

So, in light of it being Valentines Day, I decided this would be a good one to feature, since he and I have a little bit of a history with it. Also, it's just fun to jam to. I like the term, "A powerful mess of sounds."

And for all you haters out there, sure... this holiday is too commercialized, and it is depressing and boring for people who don't have dates. But I like to look at things on the bright side. Tomorrow, discount candy.

What is your favorite song or artist right now?
Leave me a comment - let me know. If I love your music too, it might become a feature someday.

The Camel's Back
-PSAPP-

View album in iTunes

Winter - Joshua Radin

2011-02-07T10:00:00.003-07:00

Best lines in this song:

"I remember the sound of your November downtown,
And I remember the truth - A warm December with you."

This is another artist that I can't remember discovering, but I wouldn't be surprised if I feature him again. He has a very sweet voice. In this one he is altered and dubbed over, and it sounds beautiful and a little bit eerie - but without that he has a beautiful soft crooning voice.

A note to any and all guys who might be reading this... learn how to play any song by Joshua Radin on the guitar, and you will be able to get almost any girl you want. Just sayin'.

What is your favorite song or artist right now?
Leave me a comment - let me know. If I love your music too, it might become a feature someday.

We Were Here
-Joshua Radin-

View album in iTunes

Coin-Operated Age Limit?

2011-02-03T14:21:00.004-07:00

You know those little rides that are about $.50 at the mall for toddlers?

Age limits are for suckers.

You Will Love This Song - Amber Rubarth

2011-01-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Best lines in this song:

"You said you love it when all the words in a song move really fast and your ears have to choose just one little phrase to hold on to.
And you love it when all the chords are really simple so you can play it on the guitar, and then when it goes to a funny one at the end you like that too (insert funny chord here)."

I discovered this Indie artist through my very good friend Kenzie one day while we were apartment shopping in the Utah County area. It didn't take long before I had absolutely fallen in love with Amber Rubarth's music.

I haven't finished collecting all of my favorites from her yet... I'm sort of poor lately. :) But I am definitely getting there.

What is your favorite song or artist right now?
Leave me a comment - let me know. If I love your music too, it might become a feature someday.

Unfinished Art (Limited Edition)
-Amber Rubarth-

View album in iTunes

MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE

2011-01-27T11:40:00.006-07:00

So... apparently the earth has been rotating. Dang that freaking earth!

I have just learned that the astrological signs have officially shifted. (Article) Do I read horoscopes? No. Do I believe in all this zodiac mumbo-jumbo? Not even close. But still!!! That whole lame joke about, "I'm a cancer..." "Oh no, is it terminal?" NO LONGER APPLIES.

Argh. Stupid stars. Ruin my life. I guess I'm a Gemini now. THANKS A LOT.

UPDATE...

I have come to learn that actually this only applies to those who are born after 2011. Lame. I was enjoying my ridiculous comical freak out. Heh...

Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight - Amos Lee

2011-01-24T10:00:00.005-07:00

Best lines in this song:

"Sometimes we forget what we got,
Who we are - or who are are not.
I think we gotta chance to make it right."

Dang... this boy has the voice of an angel. Do not be surprised if I decide to feature him again someday. Something about his voice just brings me utter peace.

I won't lie... I can't remember how I found this music. It was probably listening to Pandora or something. All I know is I really can't get enough of him. When I listen to him it just paints a picture in my mind - and for me, that is how I choose my favorite artists.

What is your favorite song or artist right now?
Leave me a comment - let me know. If I love your music too, it might become a feature someday.

Amos Lee
-Amos Lee-

View album in iTunes

Fire alarm? We're all gonna die.

2011-01-21T13:11:00.013-07:00

What are you supposed to do when the fire alarm goes off in college?

I bring it up because, about 5 minutes ago, I was sitting outside on a bench with a coworker of mine, discussing the matter over the drone of irritating sirens. Every single student around me looked a bit confused, and so did most of the professors involved. Next time, when it's real, we're probably doomed.

(Dun dun duuunnnn...)

The thought that runs through my head the second the sirens start instantly brings me back to childhood years. It's probably about the same for almost everyone:

"Children, we are supposed to meet out at the park slide. I need you all to stand in alphabetical order, it's not recess. Jimmy, you are our counter. Make sure there are 33 of us. Samantha, you are our runner..."

The image of white buckets overflowing with granola bars, band aids, and Pac-Sun pouches in individualized plastic bags. Everyone always hoped that this fire drill was the real thing, because it's almost lunch time and I really want that granola bar that's been in there for 4 months...

And then suddenly, today, I find myself standing alone on a chilly cement staircase, 21 years of age, watching the concourse below me. I am completely boggled, without a granola bar or a Pac-Sun anywhere nearby. I'm not sure about anyone's last names down there, so how do I know where I am in alphabetical order? I had no teacher at which to yell, "I'm here!" I keep asking myself, is there something I need to do? I don't wanna get in trouble!

Pictured above: Not quite mass panic, but almost. It's there, I could sense it...

I have reached a point now in this post where I must ask myself... what is the point of this post? What am I hoping to achieve?

Simple. Survival.

My dear friends...

What do you do when the fire alarm goes off, and suddenly it's not elementary school anymore?

This whole adulthood thing is still pretty new to me.

This Is the New Year - Ian Axel

2011-01-19T10:15:00.030-07:00

Best lines in this song:

"Speak louder that the words before you, and give them meaning no one else has found."
"Say everything you’ve always wanted, be not afraid of who you really are."

I discovered this artist when I was at Utah State via my roommates... then forgot about it, then came across it by accident a few months ago. Then I bought the few songs available on iTunes by him, including this one, and they are some of my absolute FAVORITES lately.

Seeing as how it's still January, I figured a New Year themed song was appropriate. I just love this style of music. Enjoy!

PS - MY FACE HURTS. But I'm doing alright. Painkillers are a beautiful invention! Thank you, modern medicine. Peace and love!

What is your favorite song or artist right now?
Leave me a comment - let me know. If I love your music too, it might become a feature someday.

This is (Almost) The New Year
-Ian Axel-

View album in iTunes

Abbott and Costello

2011-01-15T13:06:00.007-07:00

Meet the new fishies! I've been hanging out with them a bit while I've been doing the whole wisdom teeth recovery thing. Can't open my mouth all that well, so fishies make good company. They don't make me talk much. I do anyway though, because I'm a tad bit insane.

I'm a bit nauseous when I stand, so I wasn't able to get a great picture of them. They have big googly eyes and they're pretty cute and weird lookin'. Here's a google pic of the same breed of fish. I'll probably go back to beta fish after this, I just wanted a break from that type for a while.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I totally named them after these guys. The first and original kings of stand up comedy.

Otherwise, I am totally doing alright with the recovery! Achy, but I am pretty free to relax until Tuesday thanks to MLK weekend. Good timing. :)

I should wrap up this post, because I'm totally dazed and ready to sleep haha. Have a great weekend, ya'll!

New Year, New Semester, New Look

2011-01-13T16:53:00.013-07:00

HOWDY YA'LL. Happy... uh... 13th day of 2011. Yes, I am so on top of things.

So how are you doing, audience? Doing well, I hope. I haven't really talked to you in a while. How was your Christmas? How are you liking the winter-ish-ness? What's new? Anything awesome to report? You should tell me, because you know how much I love awesome things.

Oh, what is new with me, you ask? Well, I am moving into an apartment soon, and that is rather epic-licious. I bought a new phone, the Samsung Gravity-T, and I love it. I have bought some new fishies, which I might have to introduce to you sometime soon. I'm getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, so that will be an awesome drug trip, eh? I've decided that I am going to make my favorite kind of music a focal point on this blog, as well as my life and pictures I take. It is something I am just as passionate about, and as such, why the heck not?

Um, also I have changed my favorite color to THIS, though I also am very fond of THIS and THIS, and sometimes THIS or THIS.

What else? I'm still the awesome fiery red head, still singing almost all the time, still getting odd looks from passers by in so doing. I'm still 5'8'', getting steadily more awesome in my Web Design major, and finding every excuse to be random and take pictures of stuff. I still seek adventure whilst riding upon my trusty steed, Mazda...

Also... dear audience... I HAVE MISSED YOUR FACE(s). I have missed the sweet sounds of my own voice reading your comments out loud. I have missed the random inspiration to spout junk onto the internet. I want to again throw my random brain thoughts into the empty spaces of the cyber world for the entertainment of others. In the incredible stress and frenzy of the college student life, I have lost touch with this world... this is a tragic loss.

So, in order to entertain you, I have found this awesome video. Please enjoy, and tell your friends.

OH MY GOODNESS. My brain just had an explosion of cuteness. DOES HE MAKE IT? Yes, he does.

Peace and love to all ya'll!

Provo Tabernacle

2010-12-20T10:41:00.019-07:00

FREEDOM!

The semester is over, the concerts are over, the finals are over, and guess what? I HAVE TIME AGAIN. For the first time since what feels like EFY, I actually have some time to blog. I hope this keeps up, because I really miss it!

Anyway... this year, outside of the stress of it all, has included the perfect Christmas. In order to have an amazing Christmas, I have recently decided that you simply HAVE TO sing, and you HAVE TO be of service to others. In LDC, I got to do both. We had our regular show, the poster for which, pictured left, I got to create - thanks to Liz Lemon Swindle for giving me permission to use her artwork...

Then we also got to do the Forgotten Carols (video of us at the show HERE), and a show by Lex De Azevedo called Gloria.

It was the Gloria show that had the chance to try and light up a community in light of a tragedy that occurred very early Friday morning, just before our Gloria show...

photo courtesy of KSL

It's been all over the news, at least around here. I can't tell you how surreal it is knowing that I was one of the last people to be inside that building when it went.

photo courtesy of Eric Torrie

That was such a beautiful building, especially with how much it had all been decorated for our Christmas show. It was supposed to be a big deal. BYU TV had millions of dollars of camera equipment in there that was lost, a beautiful harp, a $100,000 dollar grand piano, thousands of dollars of percussionist equipment that was personally owned, and so many other personal effects.

And that is not even mentioning the amazing legacy that building held. Created at great sacrifice by the settlers of the area and used for generations; full of beautiful craftsmanship in stained glass and woodwork, and a gorgeous old organ.

But I'm glad I was able to do something to help. We all felt a little bit helpless, but we were able to keep the music going, first in American Fork...

And then at the official benefit concert, last night, at UVU's event center.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

I have come to learn in being able to sing about the Savior, and being able to try and serve the community of American Fork with my friends, the true feeling and meaning of Christmas.

You can't convince me that there aren't miracles all around us today.

Merry Christmas to all of you. I hope that you remember the true meaning of it all, as I have been lucky enough to this year.

It sucks how much I have failed at blogging lately.

2010-11-19T12:00:00.007-07:00

Ok, so I am busy, yes. But does that mean I can't post pictures occasionally? NO! Even if I don't caption them, I love this blog. Even if I don't have time to read everyone's like I did before, it doesn't mean I can't still follow... BLAH.

Life is great. I love my choir, I love my major, I love my life and my friends and everything about everything that is happening right now. The one thing that sets this year apart from all of the others is how incredibly busy things have become. I guess that comes with growing up.

Here are just a few awesome pictures that have come to pass since I last updated this about a month ago...

I'll try to keep this updated in coming weeks! Much love!

Lindsey's Autumn Garden

2010-10-23T13:15:00.007-06:00

Rain is amazing, and autumn is the best season... I couldn't resist running out into my yard this morning to take these. It was chilly, and I was still in my PJ's, but in no way was I going to miss out on this perfection.

We have the best world EVER. Who agrees with me?

See all pictures HERE.

TEN!!

2010-10-10T22:10:00.000-06:00

/ /

:

Just sayin'... it's pretty cool to be alive at moments like this.

Busy, busy, busy...

2010-10-08T15:48:00.004-06:00

I miss the blogging thing! But I hardly have time to breathe anymore! Oh how I love being busy, though. It seems that my postings just will not be as long or intense as they were before. And that is fine. :)

For now, I would like to tell a story using only pictures. Please enjoy my story.

Moral of this story: be careful where you drop your phone. Hers worked again... but you might not be so lucky.

Aren't you so glad you read this blog? Extremely valuable life lessons. Awesome.

Also: Autumn is the best season ever invented.

Awesome

2010-09-23T11:09:00.002-06:00

Have you ever heard of or seen those random groups of people who decide to walk through the drive thru?

Due to interesting circumstances yesterday, I became one of those people.

We gathered, we ordered, and we successfully exited with shakes.

It was amazing.
I officially feel cool now.

The Weekend of Cabin

2010-09-20T13:13:00.012-06:00

EFC + LDC
[EFY Counselors] + [Latter Day Celebration Choir]
Equals many things.

1 - I am ridiculously blessed to know a lot of awesome people.
2 - There is so much power in music.
3 - Autumn is my FAVORITE time of year.
4 - Going to two separate cabins with two separate groups of friends in one little weekend makes you irretrievably TIRED.

EFC

LDC

I am so lucky to be apart of these amazing groups.
But I refuse to be part of another weekend this crazy busy EVER AGAIN.
I need a nap...

I'm Being Assassinated by Hiccups

2010-09-15T13:38:00.003-06:00

Ninja Hiccups

They look like that.
I imagine...

I'm not actually sure what they look like, because like most ninjas, they are invisible.

I really hope I don't die from this, because that would be a super pathetic way to die. But I have a tiny little man, clad in black, roundhouse kicking me in the heart/lungs/throat at random points. I think he just finds it funny to watch everyone stare at me.

Stop staring! I can't control it!

I wonder if it's possible, with practice, to embrace the power of the hiccups, and use them to my advantage in hand to hand combat. Random bursts of power from deep within, repelling down my muscles and coming at your face. Sounds terrifying to me. Unfortunately I rarely have to participate in hand to hand combat. And I'm really not all that terrifying to begin with.

I am doing all in my power to defeat these evil dark shadow hiccups of death and destruction... I have tried drowning them, ignoring them... and now I am trying complaining about it on my blog. Maybe that will work.

Someone should just try and scare me. That might work. Unfortunately I am quite attentive to my surroundings, and it is quite difficult to scare me. (BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... oh man that was funny. I'm funny.)

Yes, I'm quite attentive to the assortment of low hanging branches, poles, and obscure people that I run into all the time.

I truly do fear for those who jump out at me, though. Why? Have you ever seen that awesome video that I'm going to post right here right now?

Well now you have. That is what I do whenever I get startled. I will lash out at the thing that scared me, instantly and instinctively. People have bled before (probably).

I do not feel remorse, however... because I am just a wild animal. People know better than to try and put a saddle on a bear, or dive face first into a pool of piranhas, or steal a lion cub from it's mommy. They should also know better than to threaten me in any way, shape, or form. You never know what might happen.

Well I know what would probably happen

I'll probably hit you in the face/chest/arm/kidney (depending on how tall you are and how you are facing me) and then run backwards, either screaming or in stunned silence, with my fists raised. After that I'll probably fall over in a fit of laughter, and walk away with a light apology, singing Journey. That's just what I do. But I am getting more dangerous every day. That's why I don't go to haunted houses.

Just wait for that day when I harness the immeasurable power of the ninja hiccups of death.

I will take over the world.

And this is how Lindsey's thought process usually goes, ladies and gentlemen...
You're welcome.

For being back, I really suck at being back...

2010-09-05T18:42:00.007-06:00

Have I blogged since I got back from California? Not really. Why? School, changes at work, choral tryouts (which I totally made, by the way. WOOT!), new callings, homecomings and weddings, pure exhaustion. That's why!

I kind of miss the blogging scene, and hope I am able to jump into this again, like I did before EFY. Things are going to be busy. But I'll do my best to keep this up, if only in pictures. I just love ya'll too much.

Speaking of pictures! I went boating on Saturday, and this is what it looked like...

So much fun.

Am I sunburned? Totally yes. Spray on sunscreen is crap when you are covering more than just like... your forearms. Lesson learned. Suck it up and lotionize, or die.

In other news, I totally made the Orem Institute LDC Performance Choir! Am I excited? Yeeesh. Christmas is going to be amazing this year, AND we go on tour in the spring. Just like it was back in high school days, when I was in that choir way back when...

Except it will be way more awesome now, and like... college. High school compared to college is like moldy bread compared to raspberry turnovers from Haggerman's Bakery. (Mmmmmm...)

I tried out with this song from last June. Check out that link if you want to hear me sing.

Anyway... PEACE and BLESSINGS to you ALL!

PS - AUTUMN LEAVES ARE COMING!!
(That is bolded and enlarged because I am cyber screaming it in voluptuous excitement and joy. I even changed my blog background a few days ago to match. This is my favorite time of year by far, and yes, I'm even excited for snow. No, that isn't only because I'm sunburned.)

No, I didn't take that picture, but it's PRETTY, so get over it.

Especially For Counselors

2010-08-21T22:40:00.003-06:00

EFC 2010
California & Disneyland
An amazing trip with amazing people... and now my EFY experience is officially 100% over. I'm sad about this, but excited about what is coming for me next! Whatever that happens to be.

Full Album Here
What an amazing trip. I'm glad to be home and catching up on sleep before heading back to school and real life. Time to return to reality. Bring it on.

Drumroll please...

2010-08-10T15:39:00.002-06:00

I'm BACK!
*Cheers and riotous applause.*

Were the last three weeks absolutely FANTASTIC? Yes.

Have I learned SO MUCH? Yes.

Am I GLAD that I've been gone? Yes.

Am I glad that I am BACK? Yes.

Adventures and childhood memories galore, amazing people, and assorted random sleep-deprived comments. Priceless, my friends. Utterly priceless.

In my time at EFY I have learned many things. These things have been primarily of spiritual nature, but also include things such as the fact that my nose is amazing. There are lines of people who wait to touch it and marvel at the amazingness. Not kidding. -->

See? Photographic evidence.

Some fun totals...

Total number of weeks: 4

Total hours of sleep any given week (on a good week): 30

Total number of amazing youth who were under my jurisdiction: 112

Total pizzas ordered: 12

Total pizzas actually eaten: 8

Total blankets made: 12

Total dances rocked out: 8+ (spur of the moment dance parties)

Total number of uploaded Facebook photos: 469

Total number of hilarious or life-changing memories: Infinite

My Youth

Logan 1
Inseparably Connected
Item that will forever make me smile: Apples

Logan 2
Conquerors of Evil
Item that will forever make me smile: Shimmy Punch

Logan 3
Tangible Bones
Item that will forever make me smile: Paradise Bird

Logan 4
Until the End
Item that will forever make me smile: Jump Rope

My Amazing Fellow Counselors

x 1000 awesomeness

I would trade these experiences for nothing.

The Armies of Helaman have got nothin' on these goofy amazing kids.

Best summer ever invented... bar none. My life has been forever changed, and my faith in the future has never been brighter.

I love you all!

Conquerors of Evil (EFY Logan 2)

2010-07-25T10:40:00.003-06:00

A Week in Pictures

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday
And, in case you were curious, yes... EFY is still the best 'job' ever!!!

Much love!

Happy Birthday to Me

2010-07-19T12:00:00.001-06:00

I actually created this post on the 14th, since I knew that I would be gone and be unable to post anything for my birthday, and set it up to post automatically. But, I happened to find this, and it was just too perfect...

Thank you, Old Spice man! Happy drinking age to me! I shall proudly never use that ability.

Much love from the world of Especially For Youth!

The New Hair

2010-07-14T13:18:00.008-06:00

Forgive the slight blurriness, my sister is still getting used to her graduation present - a Sony SLR camera named Stella. She came with me to go get it done, and wanted to take some pictures afterward so that she could practice with it.

Sorry, don't have time to say much more! T-Minus 4 days until EFY and my 21st birthday! It's fun to have a new look with the new era of life... W00t!

Mission Calls and Ice Cream

2010-07-08T14:05:00.002-06:00

Hey look, three posts in three days. Ha if only I could promise that in the future!

I've reached a point in life where every single missionary is returning home, every girl friend is leaving, and everyone else is getting married. It is quite awesome, and there are changes abounding. Yesterday of of my favorite people got her mission call. I would like to congratulate Miss Natalie on her call to Ft. Lauderdale! Those people are SO lucky to be getting her! I know not what I'll do without her lovely face to gaze upon.

(PS - she's not that tall in real life. She is tall... but she decided for the picture's sake to put on boots that added like more than 1/2 foot.)

Afterwards we all went to institute, whereat Jon Bytheway was speaking. It was a blast, quite hilarious, and inspirational. I love the classes and opportunities I have in this area - there are quite literally not enough hours in the day for all of them.

Afterwards, about 15 of us 19-25 year olds hit up the Cold Stone Creamery for some adventuretime. We all crowded outside the front door until they had to close, at which time we all promptly got up to help the employees move the outdoor furniture inside. Yay for random acts of service! With 15 of us helping out with what would normally be a 2 person job, they didn't really have anything to do afterward.

Then we all parted ways, but not before documenting the epic evening with pictures.

I love my life. Look all all of those amazing friends I have. And that is only a small fraction. I'm the luckiest person on earth.

Assorted randoms:

I am cropping my pictures to 3x5 from now on. Don't ask me what brought on this change of heart - because I really don't know.

I think I'm going to change up my hair. I'm perming it into loose ringlet curls and dying it with some brighter red highlights. Please let me know what you think of the idea. I'm nervous - I've never dyed my hair before. But I want to accentuate the redness of my hair more, so I think I'll take the chance.

TTFN!

What's My Line?

2010-07-07T11:34:00.002-06:00

Throughout most of my life, I've been a huge fan of the old show Whose Line Is It Anyway. Looking at a few of those clips, I fell across these clips from a much older show. I think, after exploring, I might have to put this one on the same favorites list. I'd never heard of it until this afternoon. So many famous names!

They are all so proper and polite, and still so funny... I wish I was alive in a world like this. You don't find shows like this anymore. I have been a huge fan of the classics most of my life, from musicals to Andy Griffith to Lucille Ball... all of the TV Land personalities. I idolize so many of these people. I am so glad that I found this.

I'm sorry I put up so many... but I just couldn't pick and choose with these! And there were more, like the original Von Trapp Family children from Broadway, or the panel's husbands and wives...

Anyway, I just wanted to share what I had discovered.

Assorted Goings On

2010-07-06T12:49:00.008-06:00

Summer is crazyness mounted on more crazyness. I LOVE IT.

But it leaves me less blogging time than is normal for me during school. Or maybe it just leaves me with less patience for it, because I want to be on a swingset somewhere.

So, since EFY ended, here are some assorted events that have taken place in the insane life of Lindsey, as shown via pictures.

Manti Pageant, and random Twister (which I hadn't played since I was like... 11), the carnival at which I had my fortune told (I need to follow the next frog I come across until it reaches it's destination. Never seen a frog in the wild before...), and the guys trying to be taller, apparently.

A bit more than that has occurred... but there is no photographic evidence. I go back to EFY in 11 days, and turn 21 in 12. I'm old.

Upcoming events include weddings upon weddings upon weddings upon weddings upon missionary homecomings. I will be at EFY for most of them. This saddens me somewhat, but part of me is ok with it, because marriage is TERRIFYING.

Also, I recently realized that I now officially have 3 jobs. 4 if you count covering for the front desk - as I am currently doing. Do I feel awesomely accomplished? Yes.

Just wanted to update the blogging community! Love you all deeply, for reals.

PS - Mosquito bites are evil. I'm going to cut my leg off.

PPS - I hate hot weather. I'm already stoked for the leaves to start changing. Anytime now...

Preserved Us a Nation

2010-06-27T14:47:00.008-06:00

Never before have I publicized a piece of my personal journal on my public blog for the world to see... but I felt I needed to do so today. In light of the Independence Day festivities coming up, I want the world to know what I truly feel about my blessed country.

My apologies to those who do not share my faith, since most of what I feel for my nation is deeply rooted in my beliefs. I refuse to abridge that which I have written, so please, if you have questions or confusion I can do my best to answer them. (Please note that I will respond to nothing that might be hateful towards my faith.) I ask you, please, to still read on and recognize what you have in this nation. I ask you to read on and recognize the lives given to bring you all that you now have.

We had a wonderful lesson today from a member of the stake bishopric – he’s a funny man, a seminary teacher, and an American History scholar. He went into detail today about things relating to the upcoming 4th of July celebrations. He talked about when Wilford Woodruff was approached by the signers of the constitution, and many other significant American heroes (Christopher Columbus, early presidents, etc.) wanting to get their endowments and sealings taken care of. When that occurred, the SL temple was yet under construction, and there was a temporary endowment building set up where the North Visitors Center currently is on Temple Square.

The founders of our country went there, to speak to the prophet. They are all high priests now. They are all sealed to their wives. I wish I had the ability to go into more detail of how strongly I feel about that right now. I want to go there this Saturday… I want to sit in the North Visitor’s Center, and just think about what occurred there.

I’m amazed at what this country has. Most people in the world, even those in wonderful and secure areas, would trade places with me. The home I live in. The education I have access to. The freedom I possess and the opportunities that lie before me.

I adore my country. It is so easy to forget what we have, especially in the turmoil of the modern day. With president Obama, and problems in the economy, and bills and voting on schools and religion and gay marriage, and wars, and rumors of wars… it is so easy to forget what we are blessed with. Even as the country falls just as Rome of old, as I believe it will over time, I hold a respect and awe for this nation. I stand amazed at the constitution of this country. I am humbled and shaken to my core with the number of lives given for the establishment of this choice land.

So often forgotten is the final verse of the Star Spangled Banner, in this nation trying so desperately to renounce their God and His glory:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
My Savior established this constitution. He raised wise men for its purpose alone, and for the strength of this people. Never in the history of mankind have such men come together, and in relation to the population at that time – an obscure and minute fraction compared to what it is now – it was a truly divine miracle brought forth for the liberty of mankind. Through their work a nation came together in which the true and living gospel could be restored to the earth, even through the artillery and death that followed it, and to this day seeks its destruction.

I pray that I remember, with the following festivities and fireworks, what it symbolizes. It symbolizes the artillery of the enemy in 1814, over which Francis Scott Key saw the tattered but strong majesty of the stars and stripes billowing in the air in the light of the morning. It symbolizes the artillery we face in the modern day, from every angle thundering through this dark night. But just as that banner stood, and just as it still waves over this nation, I know that I will be standing strong and firm in the wind when the sun comes.

When the Son comes.

“In God We Trust” by Jon McNaughtonPicture discovered via Ordinary Miracles

Best Job in the World

2010-06-23T11:07:00.007-06:00

Think of the coolest job ever.

What are you thinking of? Professional ice cream taster? Video game designer? Professional shopper? Maybe even getting paid to do absolutely nothing? How about something made up, like giraffe rider or moon decorator?

Well I'm sure they are fascinating and all, but please step aside. I have found the best job in the whole entire world.

I present to you: The EFY Counselor.

Was it hard work? Yes. You don't get a lot of sleep, you walk constantly, you have to keep track of schedules, and you have to count people's heads a lot.

Was it amazing? VERY yes. I met some of the best kids in the world. I worked with them for a week. I watched them grow close and strong. I watched the light in their eyes grow brighter on a daily basis. I went to dances, had pizza parties, attended amazingly edifying classes and firesides and devotionals, and made great friends with a bunch of people who had the same taste in shirts as I did.

I got to sing on a stage in front of hundreds of people. I laughed constantly at the antics of goofy boys, involving everything from modeling walk-offs to vivacious apple-gifting. I watched these kids begin to share their amazing talents and stories; unique personalities and heartfelt feelings. I came to know and love a group of girls who had gathered together from all over the area, and I got to teach and bear testimony of the things that I know. I got to dedicate a week of my life to the edification of these youth, and I still pray for them, hoping that they have taken something with them.

I saw miracles happen in the lives of these youth. I couldn't contain my gratitude all week at my opportunity to be there. Not only was it fun, but it has helped define me as a person. It changed my life.

Can I wait to go back again? NO!

Lindsey's going somewhere...

2010-06-11T23:06:00.007-06:00

If you wonder where she has gone... well, here's the answer.

I'm off to work as an EFY counselor. I don't know if I've been this excited for anything in... years. Yeah, in years.

In case you don't know what EFY is, it's an abbreviation for 'Especially for Youth', it's a summer camp for 14-18 year olds with week long sessions, directed primarily by people 20-25. I went when I was a kid, and ever since going, I knew I had to work there someday. It was one of the most uplifting times of my young life. Here's the official description for it.

I can't wait to go help better these kids lives, in every way I possibly can. I want to bring these kids the confidence that I found there, while they grow into adulthood. I know I've been prepared for this, and I am literally giddy with excitement. I know that if I go in with high expectations and a willingness to work, these weeks I'll spend with these kids will change my life.

And beyond that, it's going to be a blast. I am a nerd, and did a bit of Google & YouTube searching. I found a video that just made me laugh.

Anyway... never fear oh blogging community! I shall return soon. Then I shall go again, for longer. Then I shall return again. And then school shall start. Wheee.

Peace and love!

Favorite Weather & Favorite Place

2010-06-08T09:29:00.013-06:00

Have you ever gone out of your way to find a perfect lookout point during a rain and thunder storm, only so that you can go dance in it?

If not, I highly recommend it. There are few more effective natural highs in the world. And of course, we were at my favorite place on planet earth. I mean, look at these pictures, and the beauty of this building alone is enough...

It is beautiful, the view is fantastic... and there is no greater peace found in any place on earth than there is inside or on the grounds of this building and others like it. Even when you're dancing like crazy and rolling around in gutters, with rain drops as big as ping pong balls and lightning flashing everywhere. Peaceful, safe, calm, and happy.

To say that we were soaking wet within five minutes would be an understatement.

It's surprising how many people you run into at the most random of times and places. We made new friends up there with other people doing the same thing, I ran into old high school friends... a lot of people are on the same wavelength when thunder starts rolling.

That is not a good picture of me, but it is a good representation of the dampness that occurred on that evening.

You guys, I love my life.

Draper Temple. I love it, I go every chance I get, and someday I will get married there. I watched it being built from the ground up, and consider it my second home. It is my own personal castle on the hill. If you've never been to one, I highly recommend it. If you don't live anywhere near me, find one by your house and just bask in the peace there. And then tell me all about it, because I love stories. :)

Ok, back to work again...

Singing Recital

2010-06-05T21:57:00.008-06:00

Sorry I haven't been around much this last week! Things have been a bit crazy. Prepping for an exciting new opportunity coming up. :)

But to make up for my absence, I thought maybe ya'll would want to see this. I had a recital last Friday, and I am really happy with how I did. So this is me singing Someone Like You from the musical Jekyll and Hyde.

Vocal Teacher Plug:

Amber Glissmeyer from AG Vocal Studios.
It was so much fun. Had some great friends and family there supporting me and got the chance to perform for the first time in a long time. And I wasn't even nervous. That's abnormal. Go figure.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! Ciao.

Have you ever had sugar in your ears?

2010-05-27T14:31:00.016-06:00

Because I sure have. Everything sounds sticky.

I ask this rather random question due to a rather random occurrence last Tuesday.

I could just explain it, but since I know cooking blogs are so very popular, I figure I can just give you directions. Maybe someday I will actually cook.

The recipe is as follows:

A few dozen young adults
An empty field
A few pounds of

flour
powdered sugar
chocolate powder

Place powdery elements into assorted bombs sewn together out of light cloth or napkins, and let the violence commence. It is wonderful to top it all off with a few water balloons and group photographs. You will not be sorry you did it.

Was it amazing? Yes. The air itself gave you a sugar rush. I started choking within the first five minutes. I pelted my bishop in the face with flour multiple times. Can it get any better than that? I submit that it cannot. And it was all just so colorful.

Oh, and in case you were wondering.

-------->
That's what I looked like when it was all said and done. I was very happy, covered in baking goods. For those who don't know me, the powder is not often there, but I pull that face quite a lot actually. I think it looks better than my regular face.

Since this activity, I have showered, changed, straightened my hair, played with my new laptop (YAY!!), and despite all of my efforts, my ears are still sticky. I think this might be permanent. I consider it an honorable battle wound, though. And I'm going to assume that I probably still taste really good. All is well that ends well.

Life Without Laptop

2010-05-25T09:07:00.005-06:00

The motherboard in my ol' Lappy is officially shot. This is a knowledge I have had for a few days now, but was unable to communicate it on the blog, due to the fact that the motherboard in my ol' Lappy was officially shot. I am now at work, and things are slow, so I am allowed to blog to my hearts content. I will not lie, at the moment I would rather sleep to my heart's content.

So that is why I haven't been around much in the online venue for a few days. In that time I have come to find how dependent I am on the little guy. Almost every single hobby and responsibility I have involves a computer in some essential way. My life has been put on hold without it.

Photos and videos can be taken - but not edited or uploaded
Music can be listened to - but not updated expanded or searched
Journal entries can be written - but I can't read my own handwriting and it takes FOREVER
Blog post ideas can be thought about - not acted upon. Who on earth will comment on my fanaticism with Hot Tamales?
No Google map, I have to rely on the directions in my brain. Wind up in Wisconsin.
Afraid to spend money because it's not possible to check online bank amounts.
Education comes to a halt - web design majors generally rely on computers
Most communication with friends slows down a lot - Facebook unattainable, withdrawals include hallucinating friend requests from passers by, and the haunting feeling that all of those people you stalk are right behind you. You would never know because you can't check their Facebook status.
Unable to check up on or update work hours, nor check paychecks
Wind up watching America's Funniest Home Videos way more than you did before. Also find yourself trapped in Cartoon Network, History Channel, and Home and Garden Network.
BORED ALL THE TIME. Unable to pop Bloons at will.

The computers replacement has been ordered and should get here next week. Until then, I shall be in mourning. Funeral services will be held on Saturday afternoon, unless I have something better to do. In lieu of flowers, please send moderate cash donation to Lindzena's Computer Foundation.

In happier news, I am getting a Dell Inspiron notebook. It's red. It's pretty. It's got everything I need. It wasn't that expensive. I am excited.

And just for reference, some fun things I might've blogged about:

New Haircut = Shiznit
Drive in Movie adventures (Letters to Juliet = Awesome. The Back-Up Plan = Awful.)
Bonfires are the best. Smelling like them, less so.
Rain is my favorite thing ever
Why I'm secretly obsessed with HGTV

But these post ideas are now lost in the ever-expanding cavities of my mind. I need a brain-dentist. Or a nap.

Lindz's Summer Bucket List

2010-05-20T09:19:00.012-06:00

Summer is here, and I am bored too much. As such, I'm going through some awesome activities that are coming up around here that I want to be part of. I'm making a list, not only for the blog, but for my own personal reference. PS, future Lindsey, you want to keep the $$ as low as possible here. Poor college student, remember?

So here goes!

Limited Time Events

June 4th
Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand
at Sandy Amphitheater

Price Tag: $9-12 per seat

I love these guys, and I hear they are a really fun concert. They've got a bit of a bluegrass influence, and I absolutely love that flavor. Favorite song by them: Dream Big. (Won't let me embed, so please click the link. Amazing song, has gotten me through some rough days.) I would adore this.

July 10th
Eclipse
at Sandy Amphitheater

Price Tag: $7-10 per seat

Can I tell you how much I love male A-Capella? If you read my post about guys that can sing, then you know it's a huge thing for me. I was obsessed with these guys when I lived in Logan. They have fast and fun stuff, and super mellow stuff. That would be ridiculously fun.

July 13th
Paul McCartney LIVE
at Rio Tinto Stadium

Price Tag: $46-250 per seat

Do I even have to say it? Really? OHMYGOSH. I would DIE to go to this concert! Is it out of my budget? Yes. Would I give my left pinky toe to go to this? Probably. But my friends... one of the Beatles is coming to my town! AAAHHH. I want to I want to I want to. I probably can't. But oh oh oh do I WANT TO.

August 6th-8th
Park City Arts Festival
at Kimball Art Center

Price Tag: $10-15 entrance fee?

This one is a must do for me this year! I don't remember the price tag for this, but I know it's right around there. (Price isn't online yet.) Last year I actually worked security for this event, and it was my first time in old-town Park City. I got to walk around a bit, and it was SO FUN. They have the coolest stuff there! I could spend hours at that place just browsing around. Seriously, like coffee tables that turn into xylophones, and huge murals and sidewalk chalk projects, really eccentric people. I want to go as a spectator this time. That would be a blast! Maybe spend the night and go two days in a row (it's only a one time fee.) There is definitely enough to see there that you could take up two days.

Anytime Events

Desert Star Theaters
at Desert Star Playhouse

Price Tag: $13-18 per seat

I have never been here before, but I've heard fantastic things from people who have been. I'm not sure if it's dinner theater or not, but I hear their shows are hilarious. I think that would be a really fun group activity.

Concerts in the Park
at Brigham Young Historic Park

Price Tag: Free

Free is a word that I like. I've been to these concerts before, and they can be really fun. My only warning is this: bring bug spray. Mosquitoes are sometimes an issue. Through June, July, and August they have shows on Tuesdays and Fridays starting at about 8:00. They have a full list of shows here. I'm sure I'll end up at a few - like the bluegrass bands and the Hawaiian dancers.

Hogle Zoo
at... uh... Hogle Zoo

Price Tag: $9 per person (adult)

I freaking love the zoo. If you go with the right people, it's the best place ever. Amazing pictures, and usually inside jokes to last you forever. I want to go sometime this summer.

Thanksgiving Point Gardens
at Thanksgiving Point

Price Tag: $10 per person (adult)

Another awesome picture opportunity. I've never been, and I wanted to go during the Tulip Festival, but it didn't work out. I think it's still worth going though. That would be a fun portrait-taking day if my friends were up for it. :) I know I am!

Gardner Village
at, you guessed it, Gardner Village

Price Tag: Free

I love Gardner Village, it's so classic. They have really unique shops and fantastic food. I'm always up for a trip down there... especially around Halloween. So if I have to wait for Halloween, so be it. But this would be really fun too.

Lagoon
at, yeah, Lagoon

Price Tag: $45 entrance fee

Yeah, the magic of this place died a bit when I went to Disneyland for the first time. But if you're with fun people, this place is the best! I even have a few friends who are debating getting season tickets. How cool would it be to say, "I'm bored. Hey, I know, let's go to Lagoon!" A bit overpriced, but season passes pay themselves off if you go twice. Yeah, still thinkin about it.

Drive-In Theater
at the Redwood Drive In

Price Tag: $7 per ticket

So old school, I usually end up going at least once a year. This is best if you have a truck with a Lovesac in the back. I love this, because it's cheaper than any other theater (other than dollar theater), and you get to see two movies. Sometimes it's hard to find the movie combos though, so you have to do some searching. If you do it right, you get a better set up, and you get to bring your own foodstuffs. I love the drive in.

Oh boy, I have a fun summer ahead of me! If I'm able to do even half of these things, that is. PS, all activities are subject to change on my list of priorities without notice.

AND, this doesn't include any of the planned road trips, or the 4th of July, or the spur-of-the-moment hiking and bonfires and blockbuster movies. Then things like Draper Days and other assorted festivals going on, and parties with friends who are home from college.

Sometimes life feels like nothing but work and weddings for me lately, but my friends, NOT IN THE SUMMER! So excited!! Let the good times roll!

Life Started Again Today

2010-05-18T08:47:00.015-06:00

Have you ever had one of those miserable mornings?
I have. Like today.

I was unable to sleep last night for a number of reasons, and then woke up an hour earlier than planned, unable to fall asleep again. I'm still recovering from illness, and have been afraid to eat much. Knowing I had a long shift ahead of me at work, I was very discouraged. Shaky and weak in almost every way. I just wanted to fall back and cry rather than stand up and go. We've all had mornings like that.

But worry not, my readers, for this post is not one of whining and grousing about how difficult life is. I do not do that, and it will get you nowhere. Rather, I want to come to you all and explain the miracle of the morning.

The trick is to think positively and take things one step at a time. I tried to smile. Since I had woken up early, I took my time getting ready and made sure to have as good a breakfast as I could come up with. I checked everything to make sure that I wouldn't forget anything, and wouldn't be left wanting later in the day. I tried to prepare as well as I could for the difficult day ahead.

Then I stepped outside. It was raining.

For some people this might be a distressing thing, but for me it is a small mercy. Rain is my favorite type of weather, bar none. Just think about it. Microscopic molecules are taken lifted individually from huge bodies of water miles away, oceans and lakes from all over. They are somehow transformed into disembodied shapeless forms miles in the air, traveling great distances on air currents, and finally falling in tiny droplets all around the world. Without it, we wouldn't have the mountains or the plants or the trees. We wouldn't have canyons or waterfalls or anything. Life would cease.

But beyond that, it is gorgeous. Everything is clean. Everything is fresh and alive. Colors are brighter, and life is sharper. How is that not miraculous?

In silence I took the drive to my bus stop. I refused to concern myself with traffic or construction, but instead made the conscious decision to hum some simple songs to myself and crack the window to let some of the rain in. I was able to make it to the bus in perfect time, and relaxed in silence, listening to mellow music until I reached campus.

While I sat, I started to take in the amazing innovations behind everything. The freeways, the cars, the reclining ability of the seats, the temperature control. How many hundreds or even thousands of brilliant minds were dedicated to the invention of these things? How many people take time every day to clean and upkeep them? How many people work with these things, doing jobs which I would be incapable of doing?

Stepping off the bus, the rain had mostly stopped.

The road from the bus stop to the main campus area is lined with thick ancient trees. There is a sense of security in roads like that. They are all lush and green now, no longer bare or covered in snow. I find peace walking that way every day. I'm so grateful for the well kept grounds on campus here. They're protective, shading you with a tunnel like effect, casting sunlight in different directions. Am I excited to see them in the autumn again? The answer is yes.

Surrounding the entrance to the school is my favorite part of spring.

Trees coated with blossoms. After the rain, the smell is incredible. Why are they even there? What is the point or function? Their existence does not sustain life. Sure they take care of themselves with pollination and such, but other trees seem to be able to get by without blossoms. They are not as essential to the world as the rain or the seasons. But they are there, if only to remind us that we are cared for even in the little things.

Soon, every little thing is a blessing in disguise.

I open my phone to look at the time, and in the folds of the case is a sample of my favorite cologne I grabbed while spending time with a friend yesterday. I'm suddenly full of gratitude and the friends I have and the memories I get to share with them, even in the little things. It is still in my pocket now, just waiting for my day to get stressful again so it can bring me some peace.

Walking through the Losee Center, on the digital school boards flashes an image of President Monson, and a quote from him, "Make Institute a Priority." For those who do not share my faith, President Monson is the leader of my church, and a man I admire greatly. I am so grateful that the time is coming close for Institute classes to start again. I'm so grateful at the opportunity I have to go and spend time there with my friends, learning about these things that make me a stronger and better person. I'm so grateful for that man and the other leaders of my faith, whose words bring me peace in even the most difficult of times.

Feeling ill and faced with the flights of stairs I usually dedicate myself to every day, I find solace in the fact that I don't have to take them. How silly is it that the fact that elevators exist made me so happy this morning? I knew that if I took the stairs as I normally do, it would leave me very weak when I was finished. But for the elevator, there was no waiting, and no one else even on them. What a fantastic invention.

I get to work, and there's a cool glass of water waiting on my desk. Before opening the doors, the advisers and I joke about just turning off the lights and sleeping the morning away. I'm not alone in being tired. Two of the advisers have even called in sick. I'm not alone in not feeling well.

That is my morning miracle, ladies and gentlemen. My efforts to turn my horrible morning into a tolerable morning were met with amazing assistance by everything around me. It is impossible for me to not smile today. Whether you are religious or not, it's impossible to deny how amazing this world is.

Am I exhausted? Yes. Am I weak? Yes. Do I still have a lot ahead of me today? Yes. Can I handle it? Heck yes. My toes are freshly painted, I've got my favorite cologne in my pocket, and I'm wearing a cute hat today. Bring it on.

Isn't it amazing, the little things do you take for granted every day?

My Shows

2010-05-16T13:47:00.008-06:00

I've been stuck at home sick and all blechy for about two days now, and as such have not had much to do other than watch my TV shows. I own many of them on DVD, and I'm a HUGE fan of Hulu. I adore having TV shows to follow; it's something to look forward to every week and something to collect and enjoy. I figured, since I'm well enough to type today, that I would do a little feature on my favorite shows and why I watch them. And since I can't pick and choose, I'll just put them in alphabetical order.

The Big Bang Theory
Holy crap, it's me. Except male, and times 12. Nothing makes me laugh quite like this show can, and it scares me how often I know exactly what they are talking about. I can rant about biology and stuff too, I just don't because my knowledge scares people.

Click Here to see how the Friendship Algorithm ends.

Bones
I came across this show casually a few years ago, and I always stopped at it because it was one of those mystery-types where you could guess whodunnit. I have had pride in myself in the past for always getting those right, having been able to guess the end to movies such as The Sixth Sense, The Others, etc before the twist at the end. With this show, I NEVER could get it right. I started watching it more and more, and eventually got sucked into the humor, storylines, characters, and the fantastic and frightening villains, such as the Grave Digger and Gormagon. Also, man candy.

Unfortunately, sometimes it gets a little gross with the dead people thing. I don't advise eating spaghetti while watching that until you're a bit more used to it. I know this from experience.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Video features gruesome stuff. It was all I could find. Just warning ya.

Chuck
It was a cool autumn day, and I was randomly in the little nowhere town of Ephraim UT for a weekend. My good friend Grayson took me there for a party, and during the down time, we watched season one of this show that I hadn't heard of previously. Since that time, I have purchased all available seasons, followed it religiously, gotten my whole family into it, and laughed hysterically the whole time. It's a great show, and I recommend it to anybody. Also, man candy.

Firefly
I discovered this show long after its one-season life. Even after the movie that came out later, "Serenity". My friends Keegan & Nick watched them late into the night during the cold Logan winter of '07-'08. I now own them all, love them, and think it is a sin that they were canceled. Shows such as Survivor came out at the same time, and the reality TV market bumped this show off the air. Now the great mysteries of Hal & Inara, River Tam, the history behind Shepard Book... lost to the ages. We will never know. Oh, and also, man candy, and a fantastic opening song.

Glee
When this show first came out, I was indifferent. Then, I became extremely fond of it as the music advanced and my old performance choir memories started budding up. Then, at last, I adored it. Now, everyone seems to be obsessed with this show, and it's up for some sort of award or something. All I care about is the music, and the fact that it can still make me laugh no matter what.

The Office
I've been with this show since season 3. I've followed it every week since. Did I jump for joy when Jim and Pam started dating? Yes. Have I been tempted to buy a Dwight bobblehead? Yes. Did I wait with baited breath during the strike? Yes. Have I done blog posts on The Office in the past? Yes. Also, man candy. (Though, since the wedding, less so.)

I will admit: this show seems to be losing its touch. I think it is coming to a close. I hope it becomes one of those shows where, when it ends, people say, "Dang, that was a great run," rather than, "FINALLY!" Either way, I'll be there until the final closing scene.

Robin Hood (BBC)
This show I came across the same way I came across Firefly, during late Logan winter nights. I think British accents are awesome, and I love how intense the relationships between these characters get. You are hard pressed to find a better villain than the Sheriff of Nottingham in this series; hilarious and horrible all at once. Also, man candy.

Maybe I like the man candy more than I say I do.

AM I A NERD?
Yes. And proud of it. This shall never change!

What are your favorite shows?

Defying the Elements

2010-05-13T09:05:00.024-06:00

Sorry I haven't been around for about a week! I was probably catching up on sleep from that last post, or something like that.

So I love being one of those young insane people. I definitely prefer insanity in comparison to logic and reason. As such, if I've sat at home and not done much for most of the day other than a few errands and necessities, I will start going out of my mind. Then, suddenly, something crazy happens. Something like what my friends and I did at about 11:00 on Monday night.

For those of you who live in the Salt Lake area, you know that it has been raining like no other lately. You also know that it tends to get dark when the sun goes down. Given the circumstances, the plans with my friends were originally to go to a movie. When the motivation behind that idea waned, we did what any other sane person would do, and decided to hike up a muddy mountain in the dark. It was quite possibly the best thing ever.

PS, for my new readers who don't know who I am, I'm the redhead girl with either the gray shirt or the white coat, depending on the pic. Did I in fact put on a white coat to hike a mountain in the rain? Yes, good sir, I did indeed do that.

It was surprisingly the perfect weather for hiking. It wasn't too hot, the rain was pretty light, and nature is always way more exciting in the darkness. Plus Steph had one of those flashlights you can strap onto your head. Fashion statement of the year, people.

Of course, we're Mormon, so we had to start taking feigned engagement shots. It goes without saying.

Then we just kinda started posing and taking candid shots. I love having friends that aren't camera shy.

Then, the guys wanted to show of how strong they were. These aren't fake at all.

Group shot! These are hard, because you have to set up an auto timer, and I had to prop my camera up on a tree branch. Since I love my camera more than life itself, and it falling and breaking would be a tragedy, this was quite a feat.

And then we walked back.

And then we saw deer, so we decided to attempt dwelling among them. It didn't work as well as we hoped.

I make a very, very convincing deer. Like even more convincing than actual deer. I could never pull that face on hunting grounds, or I would probably be killed and mounted on someone's wall.

Click on right image for a better look-see. -->

And then it was about midnight, so we went home, and I was very tired the next day. The end.

Hope ya'll liked the pictures, even though there are a freaking ton of them. I love them all, and really couldn't pick and choose. Not too bad for it being pitch black outside and relying completely on my flash and a few sparse flashlights.

I have multiple ideas for future crazy. Things like dressing up in formal ball gowns and having a tea party at the park, or buying weird clothes at the DI to go swimming in. These would both be wonderful. We'll see how much actually gets to happen. :)

PS: my last post, for the first time in my 4 year blogging life, reached in the double digits for comments. How awesome is this blogging thing you guys? Pretty dang awesome, I do declare.

Sleep Typing

2010-05-07T23:56:00.015-06:00

A friend of mine informed me the other day that when I am significantly tired I use a very different vocabulary, in in writing, word, and even texting. (Don't worry, that vocabulary does not include cussing. I could never pull that off, even drowsy.) Another friend at one point in my life (the days of sleepovers and ever-present giggling) informed me of the fact that I talk in my sleep. This has been recorded on a number of occasions, the most recent being when I held a conversation with my friend Shelayne in her Logan apartment at 3:00 in the morning last October. I do not know what we discussed, but it was probably quite awesome, as all conversations with me are.

I have been extremely tired all day, thanks to the fact that I stayed up very late last night watching Robert Downey Jr. kicking butt in a shiny red suit with guns on it. (Awesome way to stay up until all hours of the morning.) In this state of mind, I have debated how I talk in my sleep, why I do so, and what it must be like speaking with me. I have never actually been mentally present when this has occurred, but being lightly familiar with my own mental capacity, I imagine I am still just as witty and intelligent as I normally am. (In case you are wondering, I am extremely witty and intelligent.) (PS, when I am tired, I believe I am also exceptionally humble. Also, sarcastic.) In my sleep, however, I am far more prone to say exactly what is on my mind, including all tangents and thought processes. How have I come to this conclusion? Elementary, my dear Watson.

It is nearing midnight-thirty, and I am so tired I can hardly see straight. Why am I on the blog then, do you ask? Because I am an insane person. I am addicted to my computer in the same fashion that some are addicted to heroin, soap operas, and diet coke. (Not Pepsi though; no one is addicted to Pepsi, because it is nasty.) That is why this post is here. Because it is evidence to the general public that I am a coherent sleep-talker/sleep-typer. (It is also evidence for myself when I'm awake tomorrow. I can just see myself going, "Lindsey, you imbecile, why did you post this? You are henceforth not allowed to sleep-blog.")

Why do I talk in my sleep? Because I have a lot of crap to say. In some social situations, I often don't say much, especially when I am less familiar with the people I am with. Sometimes there are periods in life where you are in unfamiliar situations more often than usual. My theory is that eventually the extra weight of all of the excess words in my brain overflow into sleep conversations. This is alright, however, because I am a firm believer that everything that comes out of my brain is surely good to someone, including the incoherent dribble you're currently reading.

Do I know where I am going with this post anymore? Absolutely not, good sir. I have no reason at all to explain why I started typing this in the first place. Perhaps it is because I didn't say enough today. Perhaps it is because I thought at some point this post would be a good idea. Perhaps it is only to get in a little bit of late night typing practice. I have a very good WPM, by the way. The number itself escapes me, but I know it's a good one. I'd go do the test now but that is boring and I don't wanna. I'm too distracted by Robert Downey Jr. in my head. So just take my word for it. I type a lot, and have gotten really fast.

Are you following me? Because I'm not following me anymore. I've gotten lost somewhere.

I have a random urge to talk about giraffes right now. Something tells me I should ignore that urge. Maybe taking the randomness too far. So I will leave it at this: I am very glad I'm not a giraffe. I think that would suck. I'm already too tall to logically wear heels (don't care, wear them anyway), and popsicles or suckers that turn your tongue a different color, such as purple, really irritate me. I feel unclean when my tongue is green. (HA. Rhyming. Comedy brilliance for the sleeping brain.)

I should probably stop this kamikaze thought process before it careens completely out of control. (I think we've passed the point of no return when I started talking about giraffes.) So I will leave it at this...

Um.

Do I have a moral to this post? A punch line? A conclusion of any kind?

I do not think so.

So, I shall end awkwardly without any true conclusion, summary, or point. Yay me. Guten Nacht.

April 2010 Video

2010-05-07T18:22:00.005-06:00

I like making these. Here is my video for last month. Enjoy!

If you like it, please comment. I feed off of comments, in much the same way I feed off of pineapple or Cheetos (both of which have been on my food list today). They are all amazing and bring solace to my soul.
Shameless comment fishing? Yes that is what that was. But since when have I been known to have shame?

Bucks & Ducks

2010-05-06T14:33:00.009-06:00

The Buck girls, (better known as Lindz's family) went to the Farmers Market yesterday. My mom needed to purchase gardening shoes, and some fertilizer for our yard. (Turkey poop!! Does wonders for the dirt, apparently. Poop and dirt are good friends.) Though this errand could've been a momentary thing, we hit a distraction. They were small and yellow and fuzzy and AMAZING.

I think I took about 60 pictures of baby ducks. Pretty sure. Yeah, there were a few baby bunnies and chicks thrown in, which were also pretty great, but chicks are mean to each other and the bunnies were hard to see in their cage. Ducks ran around in circles and tumbled over each other clumsily and tried to fly with their little nubby wings. I think I might be obsessed with baby ducks. They are all now my friends.

Oh, and no, it didn't smell great. Also, despite what this post might imply, I do not wish to own a duck. Babies are cute, but adult ducks are less exciting. I'd rather have a puppy. Please send me a puppy.

Let the cute overdose begin!

SLEEPING. Ready-set-AWWWWW.

Two black ducks in a sea of yellow.

FUZZY. We weren't allowed to pick them up. This was devastating.

They have big feet, just like me. Mine are just paler and not webby, and definitely not very useful when swimming.

Also, a bunny. Heh, nose.

Also, chickens. Look, they're friends. When they aren't pecking at each other. Watch your fingers. We don't want any of these chickens to taste human blood and run rampant, creating a mass army of chicken-zombies.
(Dang, I'm more tired than I thought...)

Here, my sister tries to become one of them.

Here, she succeeds:

Ok, that video makes me cry laughing almost every time I watch it. This is what it is like being a member of the Buck family.
PS: There is a chance that I will be purchasing rubber duckies at my earliest possible convenience.

Also, does anyone else find this as hilarious as I do?
-------->

Irony & Coincidence = God's Sense of Humor

Oh how I love life.

Chicken-Fried Knowledge

2010-05-05T12:25:00.016-06:00

Finals has this thing about completely ruining your thought processing skills. It's time for me to jump back. But there is a problem: I have NO IDEA what to write about. My brain isn't working. I'm practically comatose, sitting in the corner and drooling while I watch everyone else and their 'existing', or whatever it's called. So, to jump start my brain, I am going to expound my post-finals knowledge. Read and learn.

Friend weddings make you feel simultaneously old and young.
Mandi, one of my best friends through middle school and early high school, got married on Friday. She was beautiful, her husband was sweet, and I ran into a ton of friends from back in the day. Though it has been years for us all, it felt like we were just as tight as we once were. We talked about stupid events and people from middle school, old activities from our youth programs, inside jokes from braceface days. The big difference? One was married, one was a graduate, and we are all 'adults' now. *Shutter*

Nice weather makes me want to go to the movies.
A few in particular I am excited for and really want to see:

Shaving is deadly.
Think about it. Man or woman, you're gliding multiple razor-sharp shards of metal against your vulnerable, damp skin. Women have more area to cover, but guys have to do it every day, so I think we are even. Reality about the extreme dangers of this activity struck me last week when I took a quarter size chunk of skin off of the back of my right leg. It took three days to stop bleeding. Still continues to open whenever I do anything less-than-graceful (so like 18 times a day). I've been walking in a gimp-like fashion ever since.
But ya know what? I like to live life on the edge. I'm an adrenaline junky, a risk taker. So I am going to continue shaving. I know... I can hear the gasps of shock and withering faints now. I'm a tough old broad. (I decided 20 is old enough to be a tough old broad.)

Fire will always be entertaining.
It's pretty. Monday, my family went out to eat at a restaurant with a fireplace. Yesterday, I went to a barbecue where the grill was totally out of control - singeing hair off of the arms of our skilled grill-master Alan. (My friend nearly choked on his hamburger when he saw this; apparently singed hair is funny.) We are reaching fire-pit/bonfire/forest fire season. I am convinced that if my house were on fire, I would probably die, because I would be gazing absent-minded at the dancing flames. Maybe this is just partially due to the fried-finals brain, but even so.

I don't want to play.
At said barbecue yesterday, there were multiple sports involved. These included volleyball, football, soccer, and ultimate frisbee. Most of these bring back memories of wearing awkward shorts and being forced to play against your peers in epic combat during grade school years for participation points. I don't know about you, but that description reminds me a great deal of gladiators being sent to their deaths in Ancient Rome (except they had metal skirts instead of awkward shorts girded about their loins).
Sometimes these sports can be fun if you have energy or anger you need to release, but most of the time, I just don't wanna. I'm kind of gracefully-clumsy, only doing the correct thing via epic accident. Only a large energy rush and significant peer-pressure will have me willingly playing these sports competitively. I'd rather be trying to get action shots with the camera. Is this because I'm out of shape or weak? No. I just really don't like it.
Exception: Tossing a frisbee casually, or a football, or shooting hoops, or kicking a soccer ball lightly... I like. Casual, no pressure, no point-keeping. That is fun. I guess I am really non-confrontational.

Green pants = joy.
I got green sweat pants on Monday. They are soft, and fuzzy, and oh-so green. There is little else to be said on the subject.

I cannot survive without my compy.
The fan is dying, and sounds like a lawn mower. The left mouse button is currently not responding because it is not correctly inserted in the motherboard, requiring the use of an external mouse. The battery no longer holds a charge, so if it is unplugged, it dies instantly. I still use it just as much as I ever did, in spite of all of this. Compy, I love you. I'm here for you until the day you die. Then I shall buy a new and better one, abandoning you without remorse. No offense. New shiny fast things... you understand.

Ok, enough mindless ranting now. Despite popular belief, I actually do have some things to do. Occasionally. Maybe I'll go do them.

Today's Video

2010-05-03T22:00:00.007-06:00

This video hit me pretty hard this evening. I needed it.

More from me soon. :) Summer and weddings and missionaries and the advancements of life. I love you all, thank you for reading.

Awkward Hugs: Defined

2010-04-29T20:08:00.006-06:00

This post is inspired primarily by awkward hugs seen often by the likes of me, and also by this web cartoon that made me giggle.

Pictured right: Normal Hug, featuring Jessica and Graeme. Normal is not the focus of this post. But still.

This event took place last night. The following images are dedicated to those who did not know at the time that I would feature them on the blog. Way to live the awkwardness, my friends.

"The Leg-Wrap"
Demonstrated by Graeme and Lynn

"The Unexpected Hoist"
Demonstrated by Aubrey and Jessica

"No-Balance Insanity"
Demonstrated by Lynn and Myself

"The Bend-And-Bind"
Demonstrated by Graeme and Aubrey

"Surprisingly Sultry for an Institute Activity"
Demonstrated by Aubrey and Myself

"Not a Hug, Just Awkward"
Demonstrated by Lynn

Hug definitions have been invented by me while editing these photos.

Names have not been changed.

If I have my way, there will be many more awkward hugs to come.

Peace Out.

DaiDream Believers

2010-04-29T12:58:00.005-06:00

Has anyone else recognized that these last two posts have referenced great sixties songs? This one is the Monkee's 'Daydream Believer', and the last one was The Lovin Spoonful's 'Daydream'. Is anyone else a classic song nerd like me? If not they should be.

Anyway - People went through my site and filled it out! I was surprised, I didn't know if anyone actually would, but I got three! I feel victorious. And they are thus featured:

"YOU ARE AMAZING LITTLE GIRL...I loved this I give you an A+++++++" - Aunt Sylvia

I didn't even know my aunt read this blog, HI AUNT SYLVIE!

"Hey Lindsey! Good Job! That is an awesome website! And the packages made me laugh." - Amber Glissmeyer

Me and Amber? We're tight. Tight like skater jeans.

[Package interest: Other] "And by other I mean all three." - Toddithan Wright

His name is Toddithan. I decided this probably a year and a half ago. And he didn't actually know that sending it in would actually email me. That made me laugh.

Oh how I love my major. Nothing is better than being a nerd. I defy anyone to find anything more fun.

As a reward, I would like to dedicate the following song to Aunt Sylvie, Amber, Todd, and all of my other loyal readers. You are the bestest!

I love Rhett & Link. :)

I'm lost in a DaiDream!

2010-04-28T10:41:00.010-06:00

Lindsey's final web design project for her web essentials class:

DaiDream
(Click the link now, cause I don't know how much longer UVU will host it.)
We had to create a vacation site. I could not choose a single destination. I want to go everywhere. Also, I have no money, and I'm not a very avid hitchhiker. So what should I do?

The solution to this is simple. I invented a company called DaiDream. Go ahead and explore it. It is my brainchild. (Note, it's all hand-coded, so it's not the epitome of webdom - but it's not half bad.)

A secret that only my blog friends will know: I originally designed the header for this blog. I tweaked it for my final project. I'm sneaky like that. Also, the video featured makes me smile. That song has been stuck in my head for a week now.

The contact-us page even works. If you fill it out and submit it, it will email me. Heck, maybe I'll feature you on the blog if you do that. Because you are awesome.

And now, Lindsey's summer begins. Praise Allah!

PS: (Note from the future) I just checked out my peer reviews. 5 stars is an extremely rare rating. Guess what? Lindsey got almost entirely 5 star ratings. Boo-YAH!! I bought a Dr. Pepper in celebration. It exploded with a mushroom cloud of force. I think that is because it was happy for me.

Bachelorettes

2010-04-27T14:20:00.016-06:00

I love bachelorette parties. You get to take ridiculous pictures of your girlfriends doing stupid things. Not only are they fun, but by the end of the night I usually come to realize how truly innocent I am.

Ya know, I didn't think I was that innocent, but not kidding, I was quite happy with myself about how clueless I was the entire time. Maybe that's not something to be proud of, but you know what, I don't care. I am pure as the fresh fallen snow! TAKE THAT WORLD.

I look forward to future bachelorette parties. I will probably still be clueless, and as such, still be happy with myself. Just smile and nod. Story of my life.

Anywhoo... the party this time was for my old friend Mandi. We were the bosomest of buddies back in the days of braces and dirty hair. We met in about 8th grade, and were tight up until mid high school, before choir groups consumed my social life. After graduation, some communication faltered, but we still kept up with each other as much as we could. And this, my friends, was the celebration of her wedding-ish-type-stuff.

Full Album Here
It was a grand ol' time. Congrats to her and her boy Micah; for they are getting married this Friday.

More weddings to come! Because I'm 20 and I live in Utah! Whee!

This post is short, because it is finals week. I am thusfar surviving, other than the desperate want for something fruity. Fruity as in flavor-taste, not man-style.

Adios mi amigos!

(You guys, I just realized I'm so good at Spanish just now!)

Men with Pipes (The Vocal Kind)

2010-04-22T12:13:00.011-06:00

Every girl has a little weakness. It can be style, smell, height, sense of humor... anything. Anyone who has listened in on any amount of girl talk knows this to be true. I will come out now and admit my own.

When a man can sing, he goes up about 30 fold on my holy-geeze-you're-amazing scale.

This is not because I sing, nor because I spent so many years in performance choirs and such. No. It is because I grew up on these.

You should definitely listen to every single one of them, because I know I will, over and over again...

Of course, classic... one of the first songs I ever learned.

Amazing bass, really cute song.

The main guy in the yellow shirt? Never heard a better tenor in my whole life. He's in chest voice the WHOLE FREAKING TIME!!
(I also love Gene Kelly!! He's in this one. I wanted to do the classic, Singin' in the Rain, but the YouTube copyright was all over it and I couldn't embed.)

This song gets stuck in my head on a weekly basis. I want to sing this with someone someday...

EVEN BETTER bass!! It's like an earthquake in his vocal chords!

One of my favorite shower songs.
Though this might not be an incredible belting song, the scene here is something I want in my future home.
Oh I suppose that is enough for now. Sigh...

THAT is why I cannot resist a man who can sing. And I mean really sing; a trained ambition to sing. Someone who knows how to do it right. Amazing.

These classic movies are clean, they're fun, they're addicting, and they're brilliant. For the rest of my life, I will ALWAYS have them in my movie collections.