Blogging Sunday.

Life is pretty great. Today was just one of those sundays where you get so much out of church and everything is super relatable and your prayers get answered. In relief society we had a really great lesson that followed this amazing talk by President Uchtdorf. One thing that really stuck out to me was the forget not to be happy now. We can always find reasons to not be happy, and often people dwell on the bad things that are going on in their lives, but there are so many wonderful things in life to be happy about! Life is awesome and although there are some dumb things that happen, there are far too many great things to let the bad get in the way. I found a quote on pinterest a few weeks ago that has really been coming up in my thoughts lately, it's, "We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. (Joseph Campbell)" I think a lot of people, such as myself, have their lives planned out in their head and get disappointed when things don't work out, or don't do certain things because they don't think it's part of what they've planned. I know I've always had a very clear picture of how I want my life to be and I've started realizing how superficial and selfish it all is. You don't need a rockin' body, calvin klein model as a husband, perfect children, fancy cars and a huge house to be happy, all of those things would certainly be nice, but in reality life doesn't work out that way. It isn't the things that we have that make us happy, it's the experiences that we go through, the memories we make.

So far my summer has been pretty chill. I basically just work every week day and try not to die of boredom. I started answering phones at work and it scared me to death the first few days! Mostly I'm just terrible at talking to people. Work is fun though we joke around a lot and hid the cardboard cut out of Flow that we have in the office to try to scare people. Also, one of the girls I work with is pregnant, I'm so excited for her, except the fact that she has terrible not-just-morning-but-all-day sickness that I get to hear, yay.

I've had the opportunity of being able to babysit a lot this summer, whether it be the schaefer kids or my nephew and nieces. Kids are seriously the cutest! They say the most adorable things and are so carefree and fun!

Logan, Kaylee, and I.

Zeke Schaefer and I. He made me paint his nails.

Pageant starts in just under 2 weeks, I'm so excited! I'll be in cast team S4, so basically 19 year old girls and 18 year old, pre-mission guys. Mostly I'm just psyched to be able to take two weeks off of work and be able to be around a bunch of mormons again and all that fun stuff, because pageant is the best. 

This weekend, there was a YSA dance in Buffalo that Johanna, Katie and I went to. We met up with our Canadian friends that we met at Gathering in the Grove and they came home to good ol' bloomfield with us and we spent all of saturday together. There weren't many people at the dance, but we still made it a good time. After the dance we went to this huge playground and played grounders, so fun! On saturday, we made breakfast, played tennis, went swimming, watched I Am Legend, and just messed around, it was a lot of fun! They're the champ kind of friends. Too bad they live all the way in freaking Canada, what is with people. 

Emilio, Katie, JM, Jo, Me, Jesse.
6 people, 1 couch. 

Mostly life has just been pretty rad. I have about 2 months left before fall semester starts at BYU, I'm pretty excited to go back, but also enjoying the whole not having to take chemistry yet thing; and the whole no homework over the summer thing. 


Also loving this song lately.

It's Been Awhile...

Oh goodness I am terrible at keeping up this thing. SO much has happened in the past few months! Here's a little run-down:

I finished my second semester at BYU and am officially a sophomore, ahh yeah. It was a pretty rad semester that went by SO fast. Some of my classes were a little tough, but that's what I get for being an engineering major. Next year is going to be even more rough though, I'm taking chem 105, engineering graphics, material removal, statics, and marriage prep. Super excited, but super nervous as well because who actually ever wants to take a chem class? Not anyone, ever. Luckily I have a good friend from my physics class that's taking chem (and statics and graphics) with me so we're gonna rock it.

Let's be honest, it was so so so hard to say goodbye to my friends and move back home for the summer. I was extremely blessed with an amazing roommate that I miss more than anything! I have honestly started talking in my bedroom expecting someone to be there and talk back, so rough! I can't wait to be back in Provo! Here's some lovely pictures of my this past semester:

For Easter, Rem, Jon, and I went up to Rigby, Idaho
to visit the Paige family, it was so much fun!

Johanna and I got bangs!

Festival of Colors, SO MUCH FUN!

Most of my FHE family, such a fun group!

117th ward.

My lovely roommate Lauren and I.

On one of the last nights of the semester a few friends
and I decided to hike the Y at like 1 in the morning,
such a rough hike!

~

Rem, errr Elder Steele, my womb buddy, left for his mission! I'm so excited for him! It was a hard time saying goodbye, but luckily I have amazing sisters, and two of them took me to the mall and hung out with me for the day, while my dad let me take the rest of the day off of work. My family is the best!

Seriously the worst picture of us ever, but this is like two
seconds before he left for two whole years.
Love my womb buddy!

~

This last weekend, my brother Jon and I went to a regional YSA conference called Gathering in the Grove. Honestly, I was less than thrilled to go because the ysa in our area are all either too old for me, related to me, or... not my type. It was such a good time though! It really taught me that you can't judge people if you don't know them. Johanna, Katie Jacobson and I shared a tent and camped out in Zion's camp at the Hill Cumorah along with most of the other YSA. On the second day we met these crazy fun Canadians and hung out with them for the rest of the time. We made abc books for the soldiers to give out, played some ultimate, ate some good food, danced our little hearts out, and just had a good time, even though we were hanging out with canadians! Funny story though, after GIG was over I was sitting at home reading/texting on the couch and my dad (who is watching some show with my brother) tells me to be more "social" with my family and asks me who I'd been texting "nonstop" (as he put it, which actually means once every 10 minutes or so). I told him I was texting some canadian guys I had met at the YSA conference, and he told me not to talk to them because all they want is a green card... all I could do was laugh. Another funny story: right before Jon and I left to go to GIG, my dad told my brother to watch out for all the predators (single guys) trying to prey on me. Someone doesn't want their daughter to ever get married.

Love these guys! 

Such an uncomfortable way to take a picture.

Ahhh yeah! (disclaimer: not actually engaged, haha)

We got to hear from Alex Boye, the most amazing guy ever! He was seriously so inspiring and insightful, I really got a lot out of his address!

~

My amazing older sister got married to a fab ginger named Brandon Steele! She didn't have to change her name or anything, super lucky! She looked gorgeous and his hair was a gleaming, fiery red as always. Everyone kept telling me, "you're next," haha, right... I love weddings though, so tender! (Photo cred goes to Lisa Ruth photography, she did an amazing job!) 

Top: Savs and Grams and Jerry.
Bottom: The whole fam-bam.

Yeah, I have cute nieces and an handsome nephew.

~

I started working at my dad's insurance agency, Stan Steele Insurance Agency. It's weird to be working full time like an adult. The ladies I work with are hilarious. I literally laugh the whole time I'm working. Mostly I can't wait to get back to Provo where there's always some clean, fun thing to be doing. 

~

One of the first weeks I was back, my friend Hannah and I went to visit a good friend at Cornell (ahh yeah, my friend's are smart!) for their end of the year campus wide party, called Slope Day. It was a lot of fun! So weird being on a different college campus and not be surrounded by mormons though! We got to see Neon Trees and Taio Cruz live, it was so amazing!

Hannah and I on the slope.

Neon Trees! We were so close!

After the concert, SO fun!

~

All in all, life has been pretty rad lately. Tonight I watched the vow, so naturally I was crying like a two year old. Here's a pretty sweet cover of a pretty sweet song though: 

Also watch this please:

My Life Thus Far.

Well, it's been a good 4+ months since I've written, so...

1: I survived my first semester of college. WOOOO! Finals were rough, but they're over. I did well in all of my classes... except American Heritage, which is the devil's class. I did pass it though! Best day ever when I walked out from taking that test.

2: Last semester I went to Idaho a few times and Vegas once. SO fun. Love visiting my family and getting out of Provo!

3: Went home for Christmas. SO fun. Wish I could go more often. It was a short two and a half weeks, but SO good to be in New York again. Savannah brought Brandon home for Christmas, so that was fun. Grandma and Grandpa went to St. George for the winter, so I only got to see them for like 2 days. It was just so good to be around little people and the elderly again. I love my family! I also spent a lot of time with my friends, it was so good to see everyone!

Ella, Delainey and I

Kaylee and I

4: I signed my contract for next year! I'll be living at Sparks II apartments with Johanna Hardy, Marissa Jay, Amy Daines, Ashley Rowe, and Shawnie Jones. I'm so excited! We'll be living in a two story apartment, kind of far from campus but we'll be getting exercise so life's good. They are the cutest apartments, I can't wait to move in!!

5: JON CAME HOME. In November. He's out at BYU now, it's so good to have him around! We have a class together and I, being the most amazing sister that I am, buy him lunch like everyday.... literally.

6: Classes this semester: Physics 121 (this is where all the handsome men have been hiding... and the nerds, be careful...), Stats 201 (worst teacher at BYU), First Year Writing (not too bad), Moral Leadership (the definition of busywork), and Book of Mormon (most inspiring class). Love my schedule, hate my homework (except when it gives me an excuse to talk to cute guys about the hard problems...).

7: My roommate (Lauren) and I wrote a book. It's about how dumb guys are. Mostly though it is advice for them to not be stupid. It says stuff in it like, "Just ask her on a freakin' date already," "Whisper sweet nothings in her ear," and "Wear cologne, for reals." Key advice. Mostly though, we were just frustrated at the male specimen at BYU because sometimes they are straight up dumb.

8: Savannah, Brandon, Jon, Remington and I took a trip to St. George to visit Grams! Cousin Kate and her kids were there as well (oh, and Pam and Mike!)! It was so fun! Rem, Jon and I jumped into a pool outside (in january!) there was ice on the top. It was oh so much fun!

9: Remington got his mission call!!! He is going to the Anaheim California Mission and will be speaking Vietnamese! He leaves May 23. So excited and proud of him! It was a hard hard hard day when he opened it. It's possible that I started crying in the middle of the JKB and the Cannon Center and the Budge hall lobby. Whoops. 

10: Remington and I turned 19! So much fun! Hard not being back in New York, but my roommate and friends helped make it such a special day! At midnight Lauren, her boyfriend Justin, and his roommate/my friend Bret went to Denny's! So fun! For dinner a bunch of us went to the Brick Oven. SO yummy. I love my friends and I love sharing this day with my best friend!

11: Hung out with my old cast team Y6! A bunch of us went to the Hazens for a sunday and went to Ethan's farewell! SO fun! Love these people with my whole heart.

12: Probably the most important thing that has happened in my life thus far is that my roommate has gotten me hooked on the bachelor. What a great show. Terrible show, but so addictive, and I love it.



So that's my life to this point. I'm sure that I forgot some significant things.... can't really think of anything though. Things are going pretty well, this semester is FLYING by. Seriously.


Oh... and watch this, it will make your life:

Also this:

Life is great, life is hard, life is worth it.

I LOVE COLLEGE.

So not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty sure I have the best roommate ever. Not even joking, Lauren Cottle is so great. Sometimes she forgets to make her bed, but I forgive her, because, you know, I am not the cleanest person... Having a roommate has forced me to stay organized and go to bed on time. It's really nice. She even puts up with my weirdness too. Sometimes I just start singing and quoting the greatest youtube video of all time, I am your grandma. 

Watch it. Love it. Share it.

So I love college for many reasons.
(in no particular order...)

1: The food. Oh gosh is it good! I didn't know food could be so good till I came here. I usually skip breakfast or just have some granola or something that I keep in my room. For lunch I usually eat in the CougarEat, it's full of restaurants and stuff. Usually I get the Kailua Pork from Teriyaki Stix. It is SO GOOD. Another favorite is the BBQ Chicken wrap from the salad and wrap place. I have yet to eat at taco bell. For dinner I usually go to the Cannon Center, the cafeteria for the dorms. It is so good. They always have really yummy desserts and they almost always have poppyseed dressing for my salad. Life is good.

2: My roommate, who I already mentioned, its seriously amazing.

3: My RA is pretty awesome. Her name is Emma. She is so fun and nice and caring.

4: All the handsome men here. Need I say more? I've been on a few dates with some hotties.

5: Classes. While they are always overwhelming, I love school. My favorite class is my Manufacturing Engineering class. We have lecture monday and wednesday and my lab is on tuesdays. Last week in lab we were given  a single piece of paper and 30 minutes to construct some type of structure that would hold up some hymnals 4 inches off of the table. My group was pretty awesome, we were able to stack 25 hymn books. One group got to 39 or something, but I think we did pretty well.

6: Football games! WOOOO. Ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra ra, GO COUGARS!

 7: The fun stuff to do here. Last weekend we went and broke a world record. No big deal right? It was awesome. It was a HUGE dodgeball game. SO MUCH FUN.

8: Church. So fun. I absolutely love my ward. I am FHE Mom so I get to teach tonight. We are going to go to Kiwanis Park and have a picnic. It's gonna be great. Here is a picture of my FHE group, well most of them anyways.

So obviously I'm having a seriously good time. But I also miss my family. My brother Jon gets home from his mission in Brazil in 6 weeks! I can't wait to see him :) It's been fun having my twin Remington out here. Today he slid down a pole thing that helps old people walk down/up stairs and he ripped his pants. One of the most hilarious things I've seen.

Goodbye New York, Hello Utah!

So I decided I should probably start a blog since I'm all grown up and moving to college TOMORROW.  I'm going to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I am either majoring in mechanical engineering or manufacturing engineering technology. I am SO excited. But I am also SO sad and SO nervous. I've met my roommate on facebook. Her name is Lauren, and she seems super fun and sweet. I am really excited to meet her. I am staying in Taylor Hall at Helaman Halls. The dorm is probably itty bitty and I have 6 bags full of stuff and then some. It's crazy all the stuff I have accumulated over the years. I am so sad to be leaving Bloomfield and all of my friends. I will really miss my family and other people I love here. I am really excited to start living on my own and meeting new people and going on lots of dates with some cute mormon guys :) On the way to Utah we are probably going to stop in Boystown, Nebraska to visit my aunt and uncle and cousins and in Granby, Colorado to visit the Paige family. We are also going to go to Idaho to visit our cousins the Alvarezs' and the Ganoes. I'm really excited to see all of them :)