Fantastic!

Let me tell you, I love the Los Angeles temple. Thursday night is designated for non-appointment baptisms, and there's usually a group of us that go and more often than not, we get food somewhere in Westwood after. Last night we meant to get home early-ish. We really did. But we got to talking to another group of people and we all ended up going for Thai food. I got home at 12:30 this morning. When I got home, my dad looked at the time and said "Weren't you at the temple?" That made me laugh.

So far, I haven't done much today, either. But I'm cool with it. Jared's teacher said it was okay for him to play hooky today because yesterday was Open House and they're not doing anything today. So now we're having a Doctor Who marathon.

I tried posting this last night, but Blogger was down. Shame!

Tuesday was close to perfect. I got up more or less when I had wanted to, worked out (6 days into the 30 Day Shred!), finally replied to the letters I received in March, practiced for an hour, played Super Smash Brothers Brawl with my brothers, and had a dream of a shift at work.

Yesterday...not so much. My alarm didn't go off so I wasn't up until 11:30. I didn't do much of anything until two hours before it was time for work, when I finally got out of my pajamas and worked out. Work was still good tonight! I got to know my new co-worker (or am I her new co-worker?), and she's pretty cool.

Then when I got home, I picked Our Town by Thornton Wilder off the shelf and began to read out of curiosity. I loved it. I love reading plays. Theater is so much more intimate when it's just the script and your own imagination.

Well, I'm off to get ready for the day. I'm volunteering at my brothers' school book fair. After that, I'm going to hack post on the family blog. Peace out!

You Have An Adopted Liver, Honey.*

I went incognito today with some pink lipstick. I like how it looked. 

It's been a crazy, semi-nocturnal, but still somehow wonderful and productive week. 

And then it started raining tonight. Pouring down catch-a-cold, melt-the-snow, pretty-sounding rain. Did I start jumping up and down and screaming with joy? Did immediately look for an excuse to leave the apartment?

*This was actually said in a real conversation I had this week.

Chivalry is Alive...and Adorable.

Yesterday I needed groceries. Noelle and I walked to Broulim's together, but she had to take off for class before I had everything I needed (my list was a tad longer than hers). So I was left to carry three bags, two baguettes, and a gallon of milk by myself. The icing on this cake--I forgot my gloves. I felt really silly walking home in the cold. Partway down the street I hear someone clearing their throat. I step to the side and a kid in headphones zooms past me to get to campus. I guess I was walking kind of slow trying not to drop all my food in the dirty snow. My fingers hurt from the cold and the bag with my yogurt and steak sauce was starting to rip. At the top of my street, I ran into a gentleman who offered to help. I was too cold and flustered to say more than "yes. Thank you! What's your name?" I think his name was Tyler, but he saved me from dying and/or having a mental breakdown walking home from Broulim's, and I'm thankful that he did that for me.

Sweet is the Peace, Indeed.

Here it is. Finals week. Five days of frantic studying, project-doing, test-taking, cleaning--then it's time to go home. Both my roommates and many of my friends won't be returning. (Darn you, Fall-Spring track!) I was kind of panicking about it when I woke up Friday morning. I felt awful and busy and overwhelmed before I even got out of bed. My unworded prayer for direction was answered with an idea--you don't have class today--go to the temple before you study. I, for one, was down.

  (The only picture of the Rexburg Temple I've taken since I've gone to school here--what's wrong with me?)

 

One thing I know for sure I did wrong this semester was that I didn't go to the temple often enough. But returning first thing Friday morning set me straight. I ran into a friend from home (who has one of the sunniest smiles and cutest blogs I ever have seen). I was able to escape my normal distractions and just feel the peace that comes from slowing down and serving those who came before me.

"Mom? How do I make orange chicken?"

The reply:  

Brooke,

Hopefully mom can get back to you soon on the recipe, but if you are in a hurry, here’s a recipe I made up myself:

I package chicken nuggets from McDonald’s

1 can orange paint from Home Depot

Spread nuggets on cookie sheet.  Shake can and spray each nugget 2 seconds at 4-6 inches away.  Microwave 30 seconds on high.

Love, Dad

 This e-mail is just one example of why my day was awesome. Today I'm thankful for my families (biological, "adopted," and FHE), the fact that my oven works, and that the Lord's answered my prayers. 

In closing, this picture makes me smile.

 

"What if were agreed that 'proper' meant wearing a codfish on your head? Would you wear it?"

Yesterday was all about dresses. First I saw Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. 

I. Loved. Those. Dresses.

And the White Queen's hand gestures.

All this fabulous dressness reminded me that I'm running low in the Sunday clothes department. That was a CRAZY modesty quest.  And my intensely picky taste didn't help either.

 But it worked out.

Something Finally Gave.

Today was probably the most productive I've been in a long time. I feel like myself again--not like a zombie. The apartment is clean. I made dinner. I'm getting caught up on my homework. I let a stranger give me a hug and take a picture with me. All without makeup on. Huzzah.

Top Ten Reasons that This Week was the Best.

10. J'ai trouvé ma cloche!

I finally have the coolest hat in the world back. I lost it in my French class on the second day of class and didn't see until yesterday, when Sœur Passe-Carlus said she had it in her office.

9. Hair Color Fades!

My hair is a normal color! But I did turn the towels pink at the temple...

8. Nutella Cupcakes!

Found this recipe while stumbling around the internet on Thursday and couldn't help but trying them. And they are DELICIOUS. We ate them for breakfast. (Since they're self-frosting, you can totally pass them off as muffins.) I will definitely be making them again in the near future.

7. I've finally seen The Dark Knight all the way through!

When my family rented this when it first came out, no one ever told me when they were starting. So I always came in the middle. Then last semester I started it with the guys, but we only got halfway through before curfew. Then we watched it last night because their new roommate is just off his mission and hadn't seen it yet. Hurray for 1am curfew on Fridays!

6. I finally found a good place to study!

I have a hard time focusing on homework when Sven the Mac's 20-inch screen offers so many other options. And I don't like the library--too many people. But there is a lovely little secluded place in the Ricks Building (pictured above) perfect for reading and studying. This should increase my productivity by infinity.

5. The Hello Kitty Coloring Book

My mom sent a bunch of crayons up with me after Christmas Break and I had nothing to color! In my determination to remedy this, I bought a 288 page Hello Kitty coloring book. I almost got the Star Wars one, but it was part of that crap Clone Wars franchise. I am not ashamed of my new hobby. You're just jealous. 

4.Endless Jam Sessions.

My roommate Jenna the Music Ed Major brought an acoustic guitar up with her. Now we're both using it to teach ourselves to play. I remembered a few things from back when I actually practiced Francesca (my guitar that's been sitting lonely in my room for the past three years). My fingers are sore and covered in band-aids, and Jenna's thumb has turned funny colors from strumming with it. But it's way fun. Since Thursday, we've spent at least three hours a day taking turns playing. 

3. Getting things worked out.

Don't you worry your pretty little head about the details.

2. Hearing from two members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Elder Russel M. Nelson gave the devotional on Tuesday and Elder. M. Russell Ballard More will be on my Rexburg Blog.

1. Getting my family's temple work done.

Unless I'm completely mistaken, this is my great-grandmother,(my mother's mother's mother) Margot. I was baptized and confirmed for her and for my great-great-aunt, (my mother's father's mother's sister) Anna. I'm so excited to keep tracing my mom's family line and getting their work done, too!

Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall!

Today I'm grateful that there's one Germany.

20 years ago today, the Berlin Wall came down.

I wasn't around when the Wall came down, but I'm sure glad it did. Freedom is the best.

The church built a temple in Freiberg in 1985, before the Wall came down. What a miracle that was! I'm grateful to be a part of a worldwide church.

Click here to learn more about the church in Germany.

Gratitude Month

I'm behind, but I'm going to start posting about what I am grateful for.

Today I am grateful for trials, Joseph Smith, and the 121st, 122nd, and 123rd sections of Doctrine and Covenants.

Those topics were the focus of our Stake Conference this weekend, and it was good to be reminded of some simple truths designed to get us through tough times.

Everyone will face trials in their life. Even the Savior faced adversity. But because of Christ's Atonement, we can find comfort in that our "afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then if [we] endure it well, God shall exalt [us] on high; [we] shall triumph over all [our] foes" (D&C 121:7-8).

My difficulties in Rexburg are different than they were in Upland. But the solution and my solace still come from the same source - the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.

Sections 121-123 of the Doctrine and Covenants come from a letter Joseph Smith wrote to the Saints while incarcerated in Liberty Jail. The parts we now know as scripture are the parts that were most inspired, or where the Lord Himself spoke. You can read them here. They came as comfort to the Prophet, who lived in cramped quarters and foul conditions for four months. The same word God spoke to Joseph He speaks to us.

"Because of thy righteousness[...]thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever" (D&C 122:4)

How Vogue Saved My Life and Halloween Adventures

I bought the November 2009 Vogue tonight whist grocery shopping at Albertsons. I like Vogue. Their writers are fantastic and it's fun every now and again to see what the classy rich gals are wearing. (That's the difference between Cosmo and Vogue-class.)

Then we loaded up McKell's car with our groceries. She put hers into a cooler in the back-and something in there is going bad. Carolyn and I were about ready to die - until I opened up the magazine, flipped to the Trésor by Lancôme ad, and smelled the heavenly perfume sample.

Speaking of Vogue, I felt like I belonged in it on Halloween night. I had just dyed my hair red again (and I feel like myself!) and I loved how everything came together.

I was a 20s gangster.

It's been awhile since I've taken tons of pictures of myself. But tonight was a good night to do it.

I went to a few parties. It was fun, but nothing too memorable.

My favorite costumes of the night:

(If you're clueless about this, you're probably a good parent and don't let your kids watch Nickelodeon. But The Fairly Odd Parents is still an excellent show.)

The Anatomy of a Good Day.

Monday was a good day.

I got reacquainted with my old friend Jillian (Michaels).

(she says "hi," Mom.)


I looked really cute. I didn't take pictures of myself, but I should have. I'll just show you what I wore today instead because today was a good day too. 

(headband is from Ross, shirt from Kohls, cardigan from Costco, shoes were a gift from my friend Emma's grandparents, and the bag was made by the fabulous Sister Sant.)

I got a package from home.

 I was SO excited to get this!

 

 My mom made us a card!

 

 Bouncy balls- how cute!

 

Real adults wear socks like this. 




Incidentally, yesterday started out good too, for a very similar reason to the package-I got a letter. A REAL letter from my new pen pal Rachel. It made my otherwise stressful and neurotic day.

(Peanut Butter M&Ms helped with my Tuesday, too.)

Let me tell you, I have an awesome FHE group. Not everyone was able to make it on Monday, but we have a good time. We played Egyptian War for our activity and it got INTENSE. I had to take off my ring after I "injured" Ryan's hand slapping when we both slapped the deck. 

Laura never gave up trying to slap back into the game after she got out!

Brooke did though. She just played solitaire. Side note: There are two Brookes and two Johns in our FHE group.  Things can get confusing.

 What makes a good day for you?

School Prom

hair.


Dress.


Face.



Josh, Katy Mel, Jenny, Jess, Melissa, Me

What Has Two Thumbs and a Really Cool Prom Date?

This girl!

New York

THURSDAY: We met at the school at FIVE in the morning to catch our flight out of LAX at 8:00. We arrived at 5:00 pm in Newark, New Jersey. After getting into the city, we dropped everything off at the hotel and went to the Rockefeller Center for ice skating. I have little natural athletic ability, so David helped me out. We had a lovely time. The next day, I discovered that the skates had hated me...



FRIDAY: We went to the Actor's Temple and had a workshop with some of the cast from Phantom of the Opera. They taught us "Masquerade." They said that we were the best group they'd worked with in years. We were able to do the six part music and all the choreography correctly. We had so much fun!

That night we went to the Minskoff Theatre to see The Lion King, which was fantabutastic! My roomate Desiray and I love musicals and were very excited. And let me tell you. I have never seen so many hot black men in one place in my life. ;D


SATURDAY: After a four hour rehearsal in the morning, we went to Bubba Gump's for lunch. I hate seafood, but that was the best salad of my life. Lunch with Emma is always fun.




Then we went to Top of the Rock, where you take a big elevator up to the top of the Rockefeller Center. It was pretty much the only time I spent with my family the whole trip.

That night they let us loose in Times Square. That's when Emma, Kasey, Rachel, Katy Mel, Jen, Christina, Emily, and I got all our shopping done.




SUNDAY: After a two hour rehearsal, one of our chaperones took the four of us Mormon kids to church. We cut through Central Park. The cool thing is that this building is a regular stake center on some floors and the temple on others.






CARNEGIE HALL IS MIND BOGGLINGLY FANTASTIC. Just so you know. I'm front and center, just to the left of the really short girl. This ensemble was made up of a high school from Minnesota; a high school from Canada; the top two groups from Mount San Antonio College, a JC in Walnut; and UHS.

After the performance, all 150 or so of us went on a harbor cruise...but because of the blizzard, it ended up being just a dance on a boat. I had a good time because it was really the only thing we did with the other choirs. But it was kind of uncomfortable with some of the kids from MTSAC getting drunk out of their minds. Whose bright idea was it to open the bar??

MONDAY: We took the subway to Trinity Church, where we performed. The Chorale sang "City Called Heaven" from our fall set, but Ally, the soloist, didn't come to New York, so I took care of it for her. =]
We also went to Ground Zero and St. Paul's, which is the unofficial temporary 9/11 memorial. Estrada begged the people at the church to let us sing, so we sang The Star Spangled Banner and made everyone cry. Estrada kept getting us lost and it was soooooooo cold. This is the view from my hotel window that morning.


TUESDAY: We went home. =[