thank you, thank you, thank you

It's almost Thanksgiving. Two days and counting. Is it really already Thanksgiving again? This year has gone so fast! I remember last years holiday feast so vividly. I remember my almost fiance coming over and us taking a million random pictures with pumpkin pie in the background. Unfortunatley for me, some of those amazing pictures ended up on our wedding video. Thanks dad!! But most importantly I remember spending time with my 'boyfriend' and family. It was a magical day.

This year I am in awe of how many things I have to be thankful for.

As I was driving down the street the other day I saw a lady standing on the side of the road dancing around with a Little Ceasars Pizza sign. She has had that exact same job for longer than I can remember. And do you know what? She looks absolutley happy doing it. I am thankful for her, I am thankful that she can be an example in my life of someone who is perfectly content and happy doing something that is under appreciated. She has a zest for life and I admire that. And I also admire the fact that I can know all of this about her without ever talking to her.

Ambulances zoomed passed me the other day on their way to an accident. As they went screeching through the intersection I quickly said a prayer for whomever needed their assistance. And then I thanked the Lord that there were people like EMT's, ambulance drivers, doctors, nurses and hospital staff who are there to help others. My husband is a senior working on a biology major and I see how hard his classes are. I know that it isn't easy becoming a doctor and I am so grateful for those that do. They save so many lives everyday. It's a hard job with long hours and a lot of stress. Thank you for enduring that.

One of my favorite things to do is to sit down with a good book. I know that writing comes so naturally to some people and I also know that some people it doesn't. There are words every where! All around us! I am so thankful for the written word. I am thankful for the knowledge that we, as a human race, have to be able to read and formulate thoughts onto papers for others to read.

I am so blessed to have a stable job. In this economy it's a real blessing and I work with my sister everyday! What could be better?

I am grateful for laughter. Every single one of my days is full of it. I know that without laughter I would go crazy!

I love love my tiny, perfect, homey apartment.

Can I just tell you, my little blogging community, how grateful I am for life?! I'm so grateful for everything and everyone that I have contact with! I know that I sound like a broken record everytime that I tell you how amazing my husband is, but it's true. And he deserves to hear it all the time. I couldn't ask for a better family. I thank God every day for sending me to them. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that I can turn to anyone of them for anything!
Oh goodness, life is wonderful! Don't EVER let anyone tell you differently!

... and thank you Mod Cloth for giving me an incentive to write this post. I almost feel sheepish that I didn't think of it on my own. :)

who I am today.

... i really want to start decorating for Christmas.

... unfortunatley lost a lot of hair yesterday thanks to a pair of scissors in the hands of a stylist. it will grow again, hopefully more healthy.

... i am currently obsessed with anything girly and unique.

... i have the most wonderful husband in the world. period. don't even argue this point.

... family means everything to me.

... give me a good book and you won't see me for hours.

... twilight? how about not...

... i wish i knew where school was taking me. sometimes I feel that i will be there forever.

... i covet peoples clothes. i know it's a sin, but i can't help it. i saw a girl in a flowery skirt at school today, i loved it, i wanted it.

... those ten pounds i gained in the last few months will NOT go away no matter how many salads i eat.

... yes i have a zit on my chin.

... but most importantly, i know life is all kinds of wonderful!

music warms my soul...

A little sampling of what I've been listening to as of late:

1. Miley Cyrus - When I Look at You (Not on I Tunes yet. Go to You Tube and look up the music video.)

2. Joshua Radin - I'd Rather Be With You

3. Regina Spektor - anything by this lovely lady

4. Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek

5. Coldplay - Fix You

6. Josh Groban - You are Loved

7. Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life

8. Your Ex Lover is Dead - Stars

9. Sufjan Stevens - To Be Alone With You

10. Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark

You can't go wrong with any of these gems.

23 Truths

23 because I am 23

1. I detest running more than anyone I know. Except for, maybe, Taren. But she doesn't hate it more than I do. We would just be equal in our hate for running. 

2. I know the blind industry inside and out. 

3. My chilli has to have lots and lots and lots of sugar in it. It's almost candied Chilli. I love it. 

4. Brian Littrel from The Backstreet Boys is my all time favorite celebrity. 

5. I love Disney Channel more than your 5 year old daughter. In my eyes, everything that Disney touches turns to gold. 

6. I am the worst letter writer in the world. Don't move somewhere far away and expect me to send you letters. I'll write them but I'll never send them. (Sorry Drew and Ciara)

7. All time favorite TV show: The OC. (Still!!!)

8.  I think that Devin has the best smile in the world! Seriously!

9. I have really small fingers. Most of my rings have to be bought in the kids section of jewelery stores. 

10. I sobbed loudly during Million Dollar Baby. People in rows in front of me in the theater were looking back to make sure I was okay. 

11. I'm going to marry my home teacher on June 19th, 2009

12. I hate being warm/hot at night. I can't sleep if the temperature is above 72 degrees. This stinks because my roommates refuse to turn on the AC ever!

13. I really liked Jr. High

14. My third grade teacher, Miss Meservey, was my favorite teacher. But she was also the only teacher who ever gave me detention! (twice!!)

15. I was a the manager of our school store when I was in 6th grade! I began the "Troll Sensation" at Highland Elementary. 

16. I love pomegranites. 

17. I have an amazing talent for the mario games on the regular nintendo! Old school!

18. Little Women is one of my favorite books. This list also includes: Enders Game and Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, The Book of Mormom by various Prophets, any books about the Tudor era and Henry VIII and The Only Road North by Erik Mirandette. I love so many books I can't even begin to list all of my favorites! 

19. I hate popular music (for the most part). There are a few exceptions to this though: Hannah Montana, High School Musical and The Jonas Brothers. 

20.  I hate winter and I am obsessed with summer. 

21. I don't like girly nail polish. When I paint my nails I like them to be either black, dark blue or dark purple. 

22. Marissa Cooper (The O.C.) is my fashion icon.

23. I am soooo happy!!!

 

2008 Recapped :)

Two days until 2009! I am feeling the need to recap my life for the last year. Be excited!

January - Blah
February - More of Blah
March - Ew
April - Skipping finals week to go to Zions with my family. Not something I would recommend for most serious students but I just had to get away.

Angels Landing. Scariest hike I have ever been on. Having a 3,000 foot cliff be right next to you while holding onto a chain, climbing and making sure that my 9 year old sister and 12 year old brother were safe... so much fun!!



May - Long boarding and more long boarding. Granted my board was the slowest thing to ever grace Provo Canyon but I still loved it. Also, being an extra on HSM 3 and getting to see Zac Efron in person. Wowzers.

Taren and I on the set of HSM 3. Yes that is Corbin and Zac in the background.

June - New York, Boston, Salem, Wicked, awesome outfits (pink and purple tights, crazy tube socks and bright colors), Times Square, Haunting Tour in a thunder storm, Empire State Building, Shopping in China Town, back rooms and Maine.



Casco ME, CLS, Animal Game, Ha, Bob the Weasel, "How to Live a Better Life", Whippoorwills, Wal Mart, Thatchers, sleeping in a hotel while while the rest of the counselors slept in a field and got drunk, Hannah Montana Superhero at a slumber party, accidentally kissing Mush, The Hole and my first session campers :)



July - Spirit Day, Blue Sharks, Bye Bye Birdie, The Spot, sleeping in Jo's car (every twenty minutes... "Why are we here????" in a whiny voice), Old Orchard Beach, knock off Louise Vuitton watch, S'mores, Pontoon Boats, Departure Day, Doves, EED, CCP, Twilight (not the book!), Kaylie and Kaitlin and rain!



August- Boston Red Socks, wandering around Boston by myself, first time on a subway by myself, being ready to go home, being sick for a week straight, Thanksgiving dinner... again, syrup on everything, Booth Bay Harbor, whale watching, a little unknown beach, almost getting stranded a half a mile out in the Atlantic Ocean, Chinese Restaurant, second session campers, more rain and finally going home!


September - My first month back in 'real life', working in the Sandy Office, my 23rd birthday, Taren leaving for Russia, Scott, guitar lessons, floating down the Provo River, BYU football, moving into Glenwood with Steph, making a Hannah Montana music video, tumbling at All American, the big 'dance party' in Reams parking lot with Sarah, Sarah and I trying to go on a 'diet' and failing miserably and Devin kissing me.

My family at the Cheesecake Factory on my birthday

October - Me trying to convince myself and others that I didn't want a boyfriend, more BYU football, working in the Orem Office with Steph, HSM 3, Going to Logan and seeing Heather, getting a flu shot, Disney Land, riding around Disney Land in a wheel chair, texting Devin, watching Sleeping Beauty and Mulan, finally telling Devin that we could date and being an awesome vampire for Halloween.



November - Mooooore BYU football, being really happy, babysitting my siblings for ten days while my parents were in Hawaii, swimming at the AF Rec, Frosty's, Nancy Drew, a real Thanksgiving dinner, going to Salina and meeting Devins' grandparents and Twilight coming out into theaters and sucking bad.


December - Making sugar cookies and macaroni and cheese, Vegas Bowl, going to Temple Square twice, Spaghetti Factory (also twice), Blindman Christmas Party, snow, going to the gym with Sarah and Steph, working... lots, signing up for 2009 classes, reading HP 1 again, Christmas, being sick on Christmas, getting the best gifts ever, going to see Marley and Me (so good), Uncle DeVere coming up from CA, being a Shepard in our family nativity, Brick Oven and being excited for 2009!

Memories!

High School Tag:

1. Did you date someone from your school? Jason??
2. What kind of car did you drive? My first car was a Nissan Stanza and then I had my first Honda Civic
3. What was the most embarrassing moment of high school? Haha, I'm sure I had many :o) Doing embarrassing things is the story of my life.
4. Were you a party animal? Nope not at all.
5. Were you considered a flirt? Not when I had a boyfriend... which was about 75% of high school.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Choir
7. Were you a nerd? Soooo wasn't. Even though looking back I wish I had been.
8. Did you get suspended/ expelled? No...I may have been close though
9. Can you still sing the fight song? "Charge on into the fight, brave valiant Lone Peak Knights..." If I really thought about it I could probably still do the cheer with it too.
10. Who were your favorite teachers? Brems and Phillips
11. Where did you sit during lunch? Usually left for lunch
12. What was your school's full name? Lone Peak High School
13. School mascot? a Knight
14. Did you go to Homecoming and who with? which year? Sophomore year: Todd. Junior year: Andrew. Senior year: Jason.
15. If you could go back and do it again, would you? Some days I totally think I would
16. What do you remember most about graduation? Trying not to trip as I walked across the Marriott Center... I was in high heels (gasp, I know, I never wear those things.) And how freaking long it was.
17. Where did you go senior skip day? Lagoon. That's where we all went.
18. Were you in a club? Um, I think I may have signed up for the Harry Potter club because my friend was doing it... but that's all I ever did with it was sign up. Haha
19. Have you gained some weight since then? Yep :(
20. Who was your prom date? Sophomore year: Daniel. Junior and Senior year: Jason.
21. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? Probably.. because my friend will be planning it.
22. Looking back, what advice would you give yourself? Boys stink!

8 is my favorite number... really.

8 Things I Am Passionate About

1. My family. They mean the world to me.
2. The Gospel
3. Traveling
4. The beach
5. Books
6. Sleeping
7. Disney
8. Clothes

It's not embarrassing to be 23 and still loving Disney. Promise.

8 Words or Phrases I say often
1. Amazing
2. Perfect
3. Oh my heck!
4. Holy Hannah Montana
5. What's that? A hat? A crazy funky junky hat.... Okay I don't say that but Alex Russo does on Wizards of Waverly place and so sometimes I think about saying it.
6. I wish I were in Hawaii
That's six... I can't think of 2 more.


8 Things I want to do before I die
1. Get married in the Temple
2. Have beautiful kids!!!
3. Live happily ever after
4. Travel the world (Europe, Australia and my favorite place ever... Hawaii.)
5. Finish school
6. Meet Zac Efron and Adam Brody... wait! Already did both!
7. Go bungee jumping
8. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef

The Temple I want to be married in :0)

8 Things I have learned
1. That everything happens for a reason.
2. God has a plan for me and that things will happen when he is ready for them to :o)
3. That sometimes you need to completely take yourself out of your comfort zone to find yourself.
4. That to make friends you have to be a friend to begin with.
5. No matter how many clothes (I) you buy you (I) always want more.
6. Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution are better then any dance, guitar or singing lessons I ever took.
7. " I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return," :o) - "For Good" from Wicked
8. You can never watch High School Musical too many times

Elfaba and Galinda singing "For Good."

Two Pirates and a green Fairy

So my family was in California the other day and we just so happened to make it to Disneyland. (Basically my second favorite place on the earth. The beach being the first.) We were standing in line for one of my favorite rides, *Space Mountain, when my dad said to me “Megan you should start a blog. I think you would be a good blogger.” I laughed and proceeded to tell him that I actually have my own blog… and have had it for about a year now. I think he felt a little sheepish. But I guess it really is my own fault because I don’t tell too many people about my blog. Woops.

California was amazing but also a little weird without my brother Andrew. Thankfully next year when we go Andrew will be with us. Actually next year when we go on a Disney Cruise Andrew will be with us (hint hint cough mom cough cough.)

Some of my favorite things at Disney Land this year were:

1. The hot chocolate that we got every night that burned my tongue… every time.
2. Riding around in a wheel chair one day because I had hurt my ankle.
3. The Parade of Dreams
4. Peter Pan by myself
5. How they have incorporated Johnny Depp into the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
6. How we went over UEA which has been coined “Utah’s Exodus to Anneheim.” That means that Disneyland was packed with a bunch of Utahns. Everywhere I looked there was either a BYU shirt, UVU shirt or Utah shirt.
7. The firework show… Seriously Disneyland has the best fireworks EVER!
8. Not looking into ‘the eyes’ on Indiana Jones.
9. Captain Jack Sparrow actually passed me.
10. Sleeping in a wheel chair while my family waited in line for Splash Mountain. Awesome.

Here are some pictures to show you how awesome the trip was!

My dad photoshopped my brother into a few pictures. When I saw these I laughed hysterically. It is amazing!! He was totally there with us in spirit!!

Me in a wheel chair. I really did hurt my foot! I wasn't faking it! And walking was really really hard! And since thats what you do 99.999% of the time at Disneyland I needed a wheelchair. Yes it was a must!!

Us on the Matterhorn roller coaster. I had to make sure that I made it into the picture :) And my brother is again photo shopped in. I love it, his head is sticking out from no where. Amazing.

Space Mountain. Me doing Peace Signs. Need I say more?

* Space Mountain is not my only favorite ride at Disneyland. I have many. Indiana Jones, Tower of Terror, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Jungle Cruise (They have really lame jokes that have never changed.) etc.

Bug Glasses and Orange Rainboots

East Coast Top Ten

#10. Dressing like a Hannah Montana superhero going to a slumber party is in fact the best social outfit ever! Yes that’s right, HM shirt with HM pillow case wrapped around my neck. Everyone was jealous of my ingenuity!

#9. Awesome tan lines!! I.E. flip flop tan lines on my feet!

#8. My bug glasses and bright orange rainboots. I figured they needed to make it somewhere into the post considering this post was named after them. (But I have been known to name certain posts about absolutely nothing that related to the actual post.) These were my staple ‘look’ for the summer. Yes I had a ‘look’ and it was quite… er… ferocious? My glasses, which take up half of my face, were purchased for $8.00 in china town and my awesome rainboots (which saved my life many times) were purchased for $20.00 from Target.com. (I believe they have already made an appearance in my blog. Oh well.)

So basically everyday I looked wicked hot! No really. Nooooo Reeeeaaaalllllyyyy!

#7. This summer was the first time that I have actually been skinny dipping. Scandalous I know! But before you judge me let me explain myself… It was the middle of the night, pitch black (you seriously couldn’t see anything), four girls and we were only there for TOPS twenty minutes. So it really wasn’t too scandalous. But now every Myspace survey that I fill out that asks the question “Have you ever been skinny dipping,” I will be able to answer “Yes.” Profound experience… I know.

#6. Critter shorts, critter shoes, staff t shirts, spandex, bright colors, crocs, crazy awesome earrings from Wal Mart, Wal Mart clothes in general, millions of bracelets on one arm, no make-up, and dressing up as anything under the sun NEVER goes out of style.

#5. Hot Australians

#4. The art of perfect s’more and pizza bagel making.

#3. I am a pretty darn good whale watcher... which is interesting because I have the worst eyes in the world! But I did see many whales out in the middle of the Atlantic…

Which brings me to another point (That doesn’t get another number because it was on the same day) When you walk about halfway out into the ocean to a sand bar that takes you out to an island make sure that the tide doesn’t start coming in because the sand bar that got you there will start disappearing.

#2. We’re all in this together. (Yes, that is from High School Musical.)

#1. You can learn a lot about yourself and others by taking yourself out of your comfort zone and doing something completely foreign to you. (Like being a camp counselor… definitely something foreign.)