Cheers!

Hello lovely people!

So sorry I suck at keeping up with this blog but seriously it's been
non stop go all the time! Anyway!

I just spent 6 days in London!! And can I tell you I loved it so much!
English is spoken and people are pretty nice. So basically we went to
an eight museums. Yeah eight and let me tell you awesome but tiring
haha. Oh and I went to two shows: phantom and les miserables.
AMAZING!!!!! I went to Stonehenge, Salisbury, Bath and Stourhead
(which is in the raining scene of pride and prejudice when mr. Darcy
proposes) that place was beautiful...I'm going back!

The best part of the trip...seeing JOHNNY DEPP. :)

Cheers darlings!

Buon giorno!

Welp I'm getting around to finally updating (thanks to cath) I LOVE
ITALY! so far I've been to Roma, Napoli, Pompeii, Firenze, Siena and
Venezia! Tomorrow I leave for Milan then off to London! :)

Seeing the art I've studied in person is beyond words! I've loved
everything but my favorites were the colosseum, the David (which is
just specstacular like serisouly almost got teary eyed hah) and then
the entombment by Caravaggio. So much more to see...I love the older
things but super excited to get to Paris to see some 19th century art:)
Okay I'll try and update soon!!! Meanwhile here's some pictures :)

Lucky

I remember one day while walking with my Dad somewhere, can't really remember where or what we were doing, but I do remember what he said. It was something that I will always remember and definitely hit me hard that day. We saw a man, I can't completely remember what infirmity or disease or handicap he had, but my Dad just said, "When you think you are having a hard time in life, just remember that man." It reminded me also of a man I saw once in Ukraine. Very skinny, hunched over and could barely walk. He carried his groceries across the street and I'm sure he had to walk for miles. Then just the other day I saw a young boy in the mall with burns all over his face and arms. I remembered what my dad said. All of these people seemed content, humble and happy with their lives. I realized how LUCKY I really am. I can walk, I can see, I can hear, I am healthy, my parents are Healthy and both here. The list could go on. I will never forget that and I hope I can see more outside myself and not worry about one bad day.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my Mom!!! Love you. Thanks for all you do. You've made me who I am today and I couldn't be happier to have you in my life!

Home Sweet Home

Two weeks ago I was able to go home to California! Ahh I could not wait to get away from Utah for a little while. Even better, my grandparents were there and my sister with the girls! I didn't realize how much I needed this trip until I had to leave. We had so much fun, just hanging out, shopping, eating out (especially at our favorite, Sandovals!), going to the Sharks game, Easter dinner and egg hunts! 

 Addison!

 Carrigan at the game!

 Happy Easter!

 Mom and Dad with the girls!

 Carrigan made this poster for our dinner..haha cutest thing ever!

My sis!

I had the best time with her this trip. I miss her so much. My favorite thing is how much we laugh at each other. Its always non-stop. Love ya sis!

 

Welp, now its exactly ONE week until I head to Europe. I'll be in Rome first, I cannot wait! I have been doing some research of that city for our class, and wow I must say it looks AMAZING. I can't wait for all the other places I get to see.

Change

This semester, thankfully, is coming to an end. I almost want to say, "Wow, that has gone by so fast!." Yet, in a lot of ways it seems like it has been going on forever. I cannot wait to have a little break and head back to the Bay for a few days to see them:

yeah, even my brother :)

But part of me is nervous to come back. I usually feel like I okay with change but lately I have had my doubts. My best friend is leaving to start her new adventure in her life. I am SO happy about that and I know that we will always be friends. I feel like so many people are leaving, but welp, I'll still be here. Things will be different, but time to embrace the change and make the best of it. I get to start an adventure of my own in a month and head to Europe for 5 weeks. When I get back things will change, but I know things happen for a reason and all we have to think is "Come what May and Love it."

Biiiiirfday

Yesterday was my Birthday. And let me tell you it was probably the best birthday I have had yet! I am so blessed to have an amazing family and so many amazing friends! 

On Thursday, my brother took me to dinner and on Friday my roommates took me to lunch. Then Friday night,a bunch of girlfriends (about 27 ha) and I got dressed up cute and went to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner and then came back to my apartment for cake! It was a BLAST :) Some came from kinda far just to celebrate with me, Lauren, Emily and Paige. So glad they could come!

And Cath made two AMAZING cakes, double layer funfetti, for the after-party :) So good.

Thanks again to all my family and friends! <3

Fight for Freedom

Well, for those of you who know me, you know that I can be very passionate about things, especially when I have a strong opinion about something. That part of me was a lot more prominent in High School when I felt that I had to stand up for myself and for what I believe in. But as I have come out here, I feel a little more out of the loop with the news and politics. However, lately as I have started working, I have found myself on different news websites. One story I found a couple weeks ago just made me so mad. I couldn't believe it. A church was protesting at a soldiers funeral. The Supreme Court ruled that it was okay because it was their freedom of speech. I agree with our freedoms of course, especially freedom of speech, but that to me was so morally wrong. People have died for us to have our freedoms. This was very ironic and sad. My condolences go out to the family who had to deal with not only the death of their son, but also these protests.

Anyways, I won't go on about how mad it made me. There's too much bad and sad things going on in the world right now. I am grateful to be who I am...an American, a Latter-day Saint, a daughter, a sister and a friend. I am grateful to have those freedoms we all enjoy and for those who fight to keep it that way.

Norman Rockwell's famous Four Freedoms

Jasper John's Flag

go check out those four paintings at the MOA. They have a great exhibit called At War!