Friday, December 12, 2014

Angus & Julia Stone

| October |

How do I begin with these two?

I have had a love for these siblings and their music for years. Julia is just an adorable, rock star that you want to be or be best friends with. Angus is just... beautiful, sexy, manly... I have loved him for so long. Besides being beautiful people, they make the most beautiful music. Seriously, just perfect. It fills your soul.

Anyway, being the horrible planner that I am, I bought my ticket and failed to see if anyone else wanted to go. So, come the week of the concert, they sold out and I had no one else to go with. But fear not! I still went. It was my first concert alone, but it was still absolutely amazing. I do wish I was able to share the perfection with another person, but I have no complaints. They killed it. And I was the closest to Angus Stone I'll ever get in my life.





Angus & Julia Stone






oh, hi blog.

blog
noun1.
a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal or conversational style.

regularly updated. HA. 

After 4 months I remembered this little blog existed. How do I update?
Well, I moved. Adri moved. To another state.Another school year started. It's actually been alright so far. After last year, it will be great.
I also became an aunt. Let me tell you, it's the best. I have never loved a little human as much as I love this little niece of mine. 

October 23, 2014

Sawyer Allison Lea








Monday, August 4, 2014

moments

Sometimes in life there are moments that just stick with you. Where you forget all the other crap in the world and you fully enjoy a moment. They are rare, and they are special.
For some strange reason Adri and I both happened to be staying at our parents house in Spanish Fork. We had other things going on, so we made some plans to hang out while we were here... Adri and I haven't "made plans" in like 2 years since we live together; so with that and the fact that we were back in Spanish made it a little nostalgic.
We were just driving around the river bottoms like we used to and saw a huge storm coming so we decided to go chase it. There's really nothing better than a summer rainstorm. I don't really know at what point we decided to run around in the rain, but it seemed like a good idea. It was like a get-drenched-in-30-seconds rainstorm. Of course we then had to sit in wet clothes, but the discomfort was worth it.

Maybe it was us being in our hometown and the drive and the rain and how the perfect songs were playing in the car the whole time or maybe it was because we only have 2 weeks left before we move out of our apartment and we won't be living together anymore that made it super awesome. Either way, I'm grateful for rainy afternoons with my bestest friend.

pure joy



snowcones=happiness

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

24 before 25

We all have things we want to do in our lives. I have a grand bucket list written down somewhere in a journal somewhere (that I actually might not have any more). 
I decided to narrow some things down to accomplish in the next year. I want to do 24 specific things before I turn 25 (ew).  I turned 24 two months ago and have so far accomplished... nothing.
It's okay I still have 10 months.

My Birthday Bucket List
some are silly some are serious


1. Get my passport
2. Go somewhere I've never been before
3. Go visit Adri when she moves to Cali
4. Get in shape
5. Update my wardrobe
6. Start planning a trip to Europe
7. Get another tattoo
8. Get another ear piercing
9. Buy the Urban Decay Naked eye pallet
10. Take a make up artistry class.
11. Read 5 new books.
12. Have some money in savings.
13. Get a massage.
14. Expand my record collection
15. See a band I've never seen before
16. Spend more time downtown SLC
17. Watch a documentary
18. Exercise more than once a week.
19. Spend more time with my Grandma
20. Find a yoga and/or pilates class
21. Blog more/better
22. Cook more & eat out less
23. Go hiking somewhere new
24. Go to a movie alone

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Haim

5/22/2014

The long awaited day finally arrived...

But really, those concert tickets were on our fridge for months. It was well worth it because the original venue that these rock stars were playing at sold out. Then once they changed the venue they sold out pretty quickly again, but we were lucky.
What can I say about Haim? These 3 sisters had me hooked from the first time I heard them. Their music is catchy and so GOOD. They have a unique sound and they rock hard. They have choreographed dancing in their music videos which is a good enough reason alone to love them.

Anyway, this was probably one of the best concerts I'd been to in a while. The lovely Tennis opened for them, who I hadn't really listened to before but who Kristen loves. Needless to say, they gained a new fan.

| Tennis |
She is so adorable & talented

Then these girls stepped out onto the stage and they freakin' rocked it. I had heard from a few people that they weren't the best live, but I was really impressed. I thought they sounded great. They played hard and I love that they just don't care. They get up there and do their thing. 
Basically, they are cooler than I will ever be.






"Running If You Call My Name"




"The Wire"

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

twenty-four

May 7

So I had my birthday at the beginning of May. I don't know that it was particularly eventful, but it was nice. It wasn't a big deal, and I was able to spend it with people I really care about.

I got this little cutie guy. I've been wanting a record player forever and I finally got one :)



I went out to eat with these loves. They are the best, for real.

Kris (the group-selfie queen), Cait, Kristen, & Adri

BFF Adri- who just knows me too well- got me this hilarious shirt. Really though, I do love me some Dylan O'Brien (#teenwolfforever #teamstiles).  My one and only fan girl shirt.




Since Adri's birthday is just 2 days after mine, we threw each other a Birthday part together and had some friends over to celebrate. Seriously, we have such great friends that we truly love and appreciate.  We felt so much love from all of them. As per usual, our party was a great time.


tbh I don't remember taking this
but these girls are the best





I like to reflect back on the year before on my birthday. Twenty three was a pretty big year for me and I really feel like I grew up a lot. I finished college and started my career. I moved away from where I grew up. It's weird being more than 15 min. away from your family.
I actually started feeling like an adult (as much as I possibly can feel like an adult, anyway).
I've realized that sometimes it's for the best if people leave your life and to get rid of toxic people who don't make you feel good about yourself, as hard as it may be.
I realized I shouldn't compromise what I know and believe about myself and other things just to make others happy or just to make people like me.
I learned that I am tough. I can do hard things. I made it through my first year of teaching and it was pure hell at times.

I've also realized that I may be a bit too cynical. This year I want to be a more positive person and spend more time doing things that I love and that I know will make me happy. I want to work towards my goals and not have any "what-ifs."

Because, let's be honest, my 25th birthday isn't something I'm looking forward to ;) .




Monday, May 12, 2014

Spring Break Forever

Hello, my poor, neglected blog.
After a month or so I decided to catch up on all the blogs I follow. That took like an hour. Everyone is so good at this bloggin' thing. Let's be honest though, I could never keep a diary. There'd be like two entries per year. And it would always be about some guy I liked at the moment.
But I feel that it's time for a post, since I've gone on vacation and have something to actually post about.

So, I FINALLY made it to Spring Break.
February and March are brutal. Throw in constant snow, cold, gloomy days, some seasonal effective disorder and you get sick of everyone reeeeaaallly fast. But after a couple months of counting down, it finally arrived. Spring Break. A whole 5 days of freedom. So, Adri and I hit the road.
We took off towards Vegas as soon as I got home from work and spent the night. Too tired to hit up the Vegas scene, we went to bed for an early start towards the west coast.

Let's not bring up all the "Coachella or Bust" cars we saw on the way. Next year we will be prepared. Next year we will be there.

We stayed in cute little Riverside, CA and ventured out each day in the wretched California traffic.


| Venice Beach, CA. 4/18/2014 |


| Santa Monica, CA. 4/18/2014 |

sunsets from the pier








terrifying Ferris wheel rides




| Long Beach. 4/19/2014 |





| Newport Beach, CA. 4/20/2014 |

pictures are a joke


                                             

Friday, April 4, 2014

"...but choosing one meant losing all the rest"

"I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor,... and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America,... and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn't quite make out. I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."      -Sylvia Plath 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

| february & march |

Making decisions about the future is absolutely terrifying. Well, for me it is, anyway.  There's always so much to consider.
I was debating on how long I wanted to teach, if it's what I really wanted to do for the rest of my life, if I was going to be stuck here in Utah forever, if I should move.... and the list goes on and on. If any of you have dealt with anxiety or depression you know that these are normal thoughts about life that everyone has and deals with, but the anxiety and depression spins it out of control in your mind and consumes you.  You feel like your drowning; you're almost to the surface, you can see the light break through the water and you're trying so hard to reach it.  You'll get close, but something is pulling you back down.
We really don't need to get that deep into it, but after a few weeks of that torture I was just done with it. I had some good friends to talk to, and I just really had to figure some stuff out.
I have to do what makes me happy, but then I always consider what other people want me to do, what people I might leave behind, will I be missing out on something else that's better? What if I make a huge mistake and regret my decisions?  There's so many branches to consider in life. So many paths. One decision can alter everything. And quite honestly, I don't really know what I want.  
I know I want to travel and possibly get out of Utah for a little bit.
I want to take full advantage of my twenties, and I forget to do that A LOT.
I don't know if I want to get married. I know I don't want to any time soon (I'm only 24), but I wonder if I'll really care that much if it doesn't happen.
I even consider whether I want to have children or not one day.  It's not something I'm even close to thinking about right now, but sometimes I think about where I'll be in ten years and I'm not sure I see kids there.
Does that make me selfish? I don't think so, but other people- family- might.
Should I find somewhere to live permanently? Some people think I should, but I'm just too restless. I'm not ready to settle yet. 
But that's okay, I think.
I grew up in a place where it was the norm and almost expected to get married young, have children young, and settle down young. Having a family was considered to be at the top of the priority list. I'm not saying it's wrong if you get married young, it works for some people, but not every person. It doesn't work for me.

See what I mean? Crazy.  Stressful.  A quarter-life crisis is real, you guys. That is just a snippet of what goes through my mind. It's gotten much better, though. I've started figuring some stuff out. The rest will come later.


-C



for more info/stories/advice about anxiety & depression:
Surviving Anxiety  (article)


Saturday, February 8, 2014

bloggity blog

I am probably the world's worst blogger.  Like, let's be honest, this blog has no real point. But, I have friends who are pretty awesome at blogging. I mean, they blog about everything. Which makes their blogs actually worth reading. Anyway, because of this, my friend Kris and I decided to have a "blog & wine" night. Basically, she could catch up on her blogging and I could drink wine and blog about something.
This just happens to be that something.


Let's just make this post about the last month or so.  Here's the last month of my life. January flew by and February seems to be going just as fast.  I'm kind of excited to load up on treats from my students this Valentine's Day. Because quite frankly, Valentine's Day sucks really bad.

January & some February in photos.

January 18th// Joshua James at Urban Lounge





Drawings from students // it looks just like me



Park City adventures with the sister
unfortunately we didn't find any famous people at Sundance



 My kitty cat. 
Lucy is adorable when she's not being crazy.



Tonight
wine & blogging with Kris





Friday, January 3, 2014

hello twenty fourteen

Happy New Year, everyone! You made it through another year, congratulations.
Looking back on the last year, I've realized it's definitely been a pretty big one. I made some really big changes, and have done some growing up.

| highlights of 2013 // (i like lists) |
>> student teaching
>> graduation
>> moving to SLC
>> getting a teaching job.. an actual CAREER
>> buying a new car

....damn, I'm such an adult.


I brought in the New Year with some really great friends. The three of us wandered about downtown SLC and brought in the new year at EVE at the Salt Palace. Coming from someone who has a history of pretty bad New Year's Eves, this one was actually quite spectacular. We had a few drinks, wandered around downtown, and made it just in time for the countdown--complete with fireworks.  I'd say it was one of the best New Year's Eves I've had. Thanks, ladies :)

>> all pictures taken from Kristina's phone<<

Kris & Kristen 



oh, photobombers... you suck.

Right after the countdown. Welcome to twenty fourteen





I'm really no good at keeping New Year's resolutions, but I have made some goals to {hopefully} better myself.

| goals for 2014 |
>> TRAVEL.... go to at least one place I've never been before.
>> Be more organized
>> try to find a balance between work & play
>> Exercise 3-4 times a week
>> Cook more


They seem doable enough. We shall see though. 
I wish a happy & healthy new year to you all!