Saturday, September 28, 2013

Autumn Is In The Air


So I woke up this morning and it was cold out.
Is this for reals?
Out here in Vegas the weather "cool-down" is a pretty big thing cause you know, it's like finally cool enough for us to go outside.
Anyways, I opened all the windows and doors and let that cool air blow right in,
and I have been in the fall mood ever since.
 
So during the summer I made a "Summer Bucketlist"
and it was SO MUCH FUN.
Whenever friends were bored they would call me up and asked what needed to be done on my list so we always had something to do.
It made me way more productive at accomplishing things, and I almost got all of it done!
So I thought, "Why not make a fall list?"
So I did.
 
Ya ya ya, I'm super cliché I know, but this is a Autumn Bucketlist after all, isn't it?
 
 
 
 
  Autumn  Bucketlist
Go to a pumpkin patch

Go to the orchard
Farmers Market
Carve pumpkins
Eat Smores
Bonfire
Fall Photoshoot
Haunted Houses
Make Chili
Have a Bonfire
Go shooting
Make a Fall craft
Picnic
Go on a nature walk/hike
Go to a football game
Bake pies and other fall goodies
Attend a fall festival
Go to Bonnie Springs/Petting zoo
Spend a day in the library
Scavenger Hunt
Harry Potter movie marathon
Make a pumpkin recipe
Go on a day trip
Service Project
Make bird food pinecones
Make a banner of things family is grateful for
Spring Autumn Cleaning
Scary stories
Feed ducks
Knit/Sew something
Paint something Fall inspired
Fall/Winter Garden

Make homemade Butter Beer
 
 
 
 
Feel free to use any ideas :)
Tis' the season!
All my love, Lauren.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

A Letter, A Cupcake, And A Random Question

Sooooo I have been feeling pretty guilty about this blog thing lately haha.
I've neglected blogging for the past couple weeks for y'all's sake because nothing has really happened since that super embarrassing rainbow post... and I haven't had anything in particular to rant about, but THEN today I realized I actually do have something to say.
So..
I will start off with the best news. Joseph!
Guess who got herself a letter!?
THIS GIRL
And I have read it about 10x and I'm just happy he is safe and doing well!
He's in CO and hasn't been effected by the flooding which is good news!
And he set 2 dates to met with investigators!
I'm really proud of him and so excited for him because well he's excited and has been waiting to be a missionary for-everrrrrrrr.
So I'm feeling pretty happy about that.
Plus I just love to hear from him!
Every letter or email cheers up me week.
 
 
I made 2 dozen cupcakes for my stake's fair this weekend and it was so fun!
a)I love to bake
b)I love my stake
c)I was in charge of (cup)cake walk
It was a good time.
Seriously working the cake walk was so much fun.
I had 3 of my favorite things, kidos, Disney music, and cupcakes and it was a blast.
I was going to post the cupcake recipe on here for some people asking... but it isn't even my recipie so just use good ol' google and type in heath bar cupcakes if you want to make them haha.
I'm so lazy.

 
Look how pretty they were though!
 
 
 
RaNdOm ThOuGhT
If red, yellow, and blue are primary colors..... How do they make things those colors.....?
 
Feel free to answer if you know the answer
And that's about it!
Until we meet again,
All my love, Lauren.

PS. Oh and a good quote by Neal A. Maxwell "Beware not to get caught in the thick of the thin things.." I thought those were incrediblely wise words.


Monday, September 9, 2013

A Super Duper Trippy Hippie Post

So ya know all that rain I was telling you we were getting?
Well today it produced the most insanely amazing full double rainbow and sunset.
I think I had a trippy hippie double rainbow moment, but that's ok because I think just about everyone did.
And it was totally trippy hippie moment worthy.
I don't think I have ever seen ANYTHING so beautiful in my entire life it was just incredible.
Let me explain for a moment.
Full on double rainbow that stretched from end to end in the sky.
AND IT WAS SO VIVID MY GOSH.
Ok haha now I'm sounding a little trippy hippie.
I will just show you some pictures because they will be able to show you way better then I could ever tell you.
 




 
 
 
It was beautiful.
I just laid in the grass during my run and marveled.
I may have even cried a little.
Oh my gosh this is all too embarrassing, but really guys I couldn't have been the only one.
It was a truly spiritual experience.
I am so grateful for this beautiful world God has created for me.
 
All my love, Lauren.
 
ps. Oh and btw if you don't get my "trippy hippie" reference go onto YouTube NOW, don't walk, run and go look up double rainbow hippie. Hilarious.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Playing Catch Up

I know, I know, this post is sooooo over due.
But, life is busy, and that's a good thing.
 
Anyways, I am a Junior now!
As lame as it sounds, I really do feel a ton older.
Although I am as positive as positive can be I want to go to BYUI filling out all the college recruit letters is really fun haha!
Makes me feel official ;)
The first 2 weeks of school were crazzzzzyyy.
It never fails, I always get "those" teachers.
The unorganized ones who are mean and scary that everyone in the school avoids at all possible costs.
Yup. Without fail, I always get um.
Buuuuuut, I got a couple *cough* 5 *cough* schedule changes and not things are looking pretty good.
I'm happy with it.
And the really great thing is now that all my friends are driving we go every Friday to get food after school
Haha. We call it Food Friday. I'm so clever.
So there's that. This year really is going to be a bundle of fun:)
 
 
 
And........ Joseph hit his 1 month mark!
Yayyyyy.
Here's a pre mish picture to commemorate.
But mostly because I am sad and miss my bestfriend and look at old photos way too much.
Enjoy!
 
This one is sooooo awkward haha I love it
 
 
 
 
Today in church they had the Laurels teach and the topic was virtue.
You know when you feel like you know what you want to say but then you get all emotional and flustered and it comes out all wrong?
Yea, hi. You are my people.
Trust me, I even had it all written down but between my messy hand writing and teary blurred vision I lost it all.
But, I've been periodically sobbing all day and think I have finally got my thoughts together,
hopefully I will get this out a little better.
And if not, well, I'll just delete it ;)
Ok. Virtue.
By definition it means behavior showing high moral standards.
But broken down and with lots of thought it means sooooo much more.
I feel like it's a constant topic in Young Women's class of you have to be prepared for your future husband which yayaya is great but honestly I am soooo sick of hearing.
Literally every time it is brought up I cringe a little, especially with the topic of virtue.
Maybe that's why I got flustered, because this lesson I prepared on virtue got tuned into a "Ladies, you have to be virtuous so you can find a virtuous guy" Then I look around and see all the mortified Beehive's faces.
To me, virtue is the ultimate quality of Christ.
Yes, you need to marry someone good. It is one of the (if not the) most important decisions in this Earthly life.
But so many people never get married, or like my Mom, you marry a good guy and he goes astray.
I could probably ask any woman, "Do you love your husband?" ... yes
"Is he the most perfect love for you?" .... yes
"When you married him did all the world become perfect, did every temptation go away, was there no more trial or suffering ever because you married the man of your dreams?" ...
HEEYYCK TO THE NO.
You could marry the prophet and still have struggles!
Look at Lehi and Sariah, he was the prophet! And did she still murmur? Yes.
Struggles and trials do not just go away because you are married to a great man.
This is where virtue comes in.
The MOST important relationship in your life should be the one you have with Heavenly Father and Christ.
And know this is all my opinion.
But I have shared with you guys multiple times how terrified I was that when Joseph left I felt like standing on my own would be hard.
-And it has been, but it has been the GREATEST blessing I do not think I am capable of explaining.
My testimony of The Atonement, Prophets, Book of Mormon, My Savior, God, has been elevated so much.
Through study of The Book of Mormon I have determined political views, and morals which will help me stand when the going gets rough.
It's The Book of Mormon that will help you become like Christ and obtain virtue, not a husband.
This topic was obviously for me because I learned so much.
 
 
 
 
I feel bad ending this post on such a heavy note so it's been really rainy and wet here and I enjoy that.
I stopped running for about a month, then started back up to train with a friend for a race, and phew it's hard getting back into it haha, but I love running!
I went out early Saturday morning and ran up a mountain to see the sunrise, then I laid in the grass for a while pondering.
I know it totally sounds like I wasn't running much, but I ran a lot haha.
I just took advantage of the super peaceful moment and took a break.
Here are some photos I took while running!
 



 
Yes, Las Vegas really is just 1 big ol' dust hole.
But I kinda secretly love it.
 
 
All my love, Lauren.