I love you last. . .

Me and Grandma and Grandpa Swenson on Christmas morning. (I don't have a pic of Grandma Pete nearby :( . . . )

For my moral foundations class, we are currently doing a report/analysis on an autobiography or biography. At the very last second, I chose to do my maternal grandfather's autobiography. While I was around 6 years old, my family was blessed with a book my grandfather had written about his life. A few years later, my grandmother followed suit. At the time, I thought it was neat, but didn't really care too much to pay that much attention to it. Now I don't think I own a more treasured book than that of my grandparent's autobiographies, (excepting the BOM of course!).

I lost grandpa when I was 9 and grandma when I was 13 or 14. One death was 2 days before my birthday and one was 2 days after. A few years after that my paternal grandma died, leaving me with no living grandparents. Every once and a while, I go through these moods where I just miss them like crazy. I haven't had them in my life for a long time now, and at this point in my life, I've never needed them more. My grandpa especially, for he was my first best friend. Every time I hit that low point of missing them so much that it physically hurts, I pull out their books. Each time I read them, I am awed at just how amazing and strong these people are. Every time I read their books, I feel close to them. It makes me truly grateful to have the Gospel in my life and the knowledge that I WILL be with them again. Sometimes that is the only knowledge that propels me forward in life. I know that my grandparents are still with me and I know that they are my guardian angels. I just hope to one day be as strong and amazing as they are.

I am truly grateful for these books and for the heritage that they contain. I am grateful that my children will be able to read these books and learn about their ancestry and the sacrifices that were made so that they could grow up in the Gospel. I know this sounds like a testimony- but I guess that is because it is. Family and heritage are SO IMPORTANT. It is a big part of who we are- our identities. The BOM works the same way.

I can't wait to see them again.

Caskett

Castle.

AHHHHHH! I'm going to punch a wall! I'm so freaking frustrated with this continued Castle-Beckett almost-get-together-but-things-go-sideways dance. Just get together already!!!!

Seriously, I've been watching this show religiously since it first aired and I think I'm borderline obsessed, but I don't care. Ever since it started I've loved the Caskett chemistry and ever since day one, I've wanted them to get together. I don't mean to sound like one of those crazy bloggers out there who are so emotionally involved with TV relationships, but I mean, come on. It only took 2 seasons of Friends for Ross and Rachel to get together. GAHHHHH! This last episode was sooooooo frustrating! Soooooo good but sooooo frustrating!!!

May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

I know EVERYONE will be blogging about this, but oh well.
So I was a lucky girl and got to see the Hunger Games opening night. Well, I got to see it a few hours before the opening night, just because I have an awesome sister who scored me tickets with her work.

The movie was pretty epic. I didn't really appreciate the camera work in the beginning, (I don't think it is necessary for the camera to be shaking like it's an action scene when she is simply walking to go hunting). It was also pretty disturbing to see kids brutally killing each other. But the book is disturbing, right? I haven't read the book in about two years, but from what I remember, the movie stayed pretty true to the book. I also didn't appreciate that they casted Liam Hemsworth to play Gale. I like Gale better in the books (up until the very end) and I was hoping that I would like Peeta better in the movie since it ends in his favor, but they had to cast Gale as a better looking guy. Sigh... what is a girl to do...?

Overall I really liked the movie. I thought it was really intense. I don't know if I would necessarily buy it since I'm not obsessed with the books like everyone else, but it was a good flick. I would definitely recommend it.

Lyrics

Isn't it interesting how many song lyrics we have memorized? Seriously, think about it. How many songs can you actually sing along to, word for word? My friends and I were coming back from seeing the Lorax tonight and the whole way back we were singing every song at the top of our lungs, word for word. For me, it's pathetic that I can have songs clear from the 80s up till now perfectly memorized, but I can barely remember things for tests. Tell me how that is fair?

By the way, this is the perfect weekend to see any other movie than the Hunger Games. NO ONE is seeing the other movies. So if you want a theater to youself, go this weekend to something other than the Hunger Games!

Let Me Hold Your Crown Babe...

This is my current song obsession. I love Sara Bareilles. I think she's got a great voice and her songs are just awesome. This song in particular I think I can really identify with, which I probably why I like it so much.

Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table
While I look outside
So many things I'd say if only I were able
But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

You've got opinions, man
We're all entitled to 'em
But I never asked

So let me thank you for your time
And try not to waste any more of mine
Get out of here fast

I hate to break it to you babe
But I'm not drowning
There's no one here to save

Who cares if you disagree? You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So, you dare tell me who to be
Who died and made you king of anything?

You sound so innocent
All full of good intent
Swear you know best

But you expect me to
Jump up onboard with you
Ride off into your delusional sunset

I'm not the one who's lost
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/s/sara-bareilles-lyrics/king-of-anything-lyrics.html ]
With no direction, oh
But you'll never see

You're so busy making masks
With my name on it in all caps
You've got the talking down
Just not the listening

Who cares if you disagree? You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died and made you king of anything?

All my life I've tried
To make everybody happy while I just hurt and hide
Waiting for someone to tell me it's my turn
To decide

Who cares if you disagree? You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died and made you king of anything?

Who cares if you disagree? You are not me
Who made you king of anything?
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died and made you king of anything?

Let me hold your crown, babe

Chicken Run

This week was my mom's birthday so I came home for the weekend to celebrate with the family on St. Patrick's Day. When I got to the house Friday night, my sister-in-law told my nephew to show me a "surprise" out in the shed in the backyard. I was a little hesitant. I'll admit that my first thoughts was that there was some dead animal that they found or maybe there were some kittens nestled in a box of my old dance costumes. Boy, was I off. I opened the shed door only to find a huge box with 5 or so baby chicks chirping away. Much to my mother's dismay, my brother (who's family is currently living in my parents house) had decided to go ahead and buy some chicks from IFA. Why? Because he wants to have his own eggs of course! So now he's talking about building a chicken coop and shooting the chicks that might turn into roosters and the whole time I'm just thinking about Chicken Run and pies. Now I really want to watch that movie...

I need a "Pintervention"

I have always been a crafty person. I am left-handed after all :). But, ever since I've discovered Pinterest, my craft level has gone WAY up!
for Christmas, I made my mom a birthday calendar that looks like this:

I've made mason jar luminaries like this, only with black lace:

And my most recent proud accomplishment was this:

Which was inspired by:

Not to mention the many delicious recipes that I have found, including the Butterfinger Blondies that I just made last weekend:

They were sooo heavenly!

Pinterest is my most favorite form of media at the moment. Love it!

!!!Kony 2012!!!

I saw pins like this all over pinterest and videos about "Kony" all over my home feed. At first, I thought it was some underdog politician and since I hate pollitics and really don't understand them, I ignored the hits on my social net sites. Today, it was overloaded on facebook, and so I decided to take the 30 minutes to watch the video-whatever it was.

W.O.W.

Changed my life. I think I signed up for a newspaper last year that helped the invisible children, but I had no idea what that meant. I think this is an incredible movement and it is an awesome time for all of us to get involved. What an amazing way to use media!! Let's use it to catch the bad guys!!!! Woopwoop!

If you are ignorant of Kony like I was, take the time and watch the video: Kony 2012. Let's help save the invisible children!!!

Booooooks

This weekend, I took off to frigid Logan to spend a couple of days with my bestie Kels. Me and my friends are the type of people who can spend hours on end just talking. Talking or hanging out in a book store. :)

I think my dream job would be either a librarian or a sales associate at a bookstore. Bookstores = heaven. I've had to ban myself from them because I can easy justify spending all of my money on books. But, Kels had the brilliant idea to spend some time in the local Logan bookstore: The Book Table, a ghetto, back street book shop. It didn't have a great selection, but I didn't walk out empty handed.

I wanted Persuasion by Jane Austen, but there were no copies there. So, I resigned myself to Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and the Sword of Shanara by Terry Brooks. One a classic and the other a fantasy novel. My total bill: approximately $13. SCORE!