thanksgiving 2013.

Have I told you that this is my favorite time of year?? Snow, christmas music, and a reminder of everything I have to be thankful for!

So... the picture aspect of the holiday is somewhat lacking, but just believe me when I say that there was so much food and so much laughing. I was so glad that Danielle and Jayson got to come for the holiday {and of course bring the cutest niece and nephew ever}!

I arranged the flowers... and complained the whole time because, well, floral arranging is harder than it looks!

our family thanksgiving tradition (:

Dessert on thanksgiving is THE BEST.

Such a great day! I'm so glad I've been able to spend the last few days in Colorado! Yesterday I was able to go to Coffee Trader to catch up with Kelsey, Sam, and Kelly. It's weird thinking that we don't live close anymore, but it felt just like any other time... like we hadn't been separated for months. Anyways, I'm so grateful for those girls! I'm not sure what I would do without best friends like them (:

On another note... SAM GOT HER MISSION CALL!!! But. she hasn't blogged about it yet, and I think that's something she should do before me. So... let me just tell you. I am so excited for her! Tomorrow I'll blog all about her opening her call and where she's going (:

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

catching fire times 3.

guess where I am?

I'm sitting on my bed. in my room. in my house. in colorado. I highly recommend it... so great.

Tuesday I got to spend the day with Kelsey, then do the traditional Qdoba dinner with Katie. I was so glad to catch up with them! I've facetimed/called Kelsey a few times... but it's not the same as laughing over our soft pretzels and caramel! Plus driving around town with Katie... she's been out to Utah a couple times, but I missed her more than I can say! The adventures we've head... I can't even explain. I missed these girls!

Then we all went to Catching Fire {yes, it was my third time seeing it} Also, since I'm planning on working at the theater I'm still considered an employee and get into movies for free (: You know what's better than watching a movie in a theater?? Watching it for free. I've decided that I really do just love the idea of theaters. Especially little theaters. Not like the huge, impersonal ones that they have in Utah {or I assume any bigger places}. I think the theater is one of the things I missed the most about Montrose.

Here's a throw back to last Saturday night's adventures with the lovely Cady and Hunter and Harrison! Everyone needs to go to the movies, laugh through 90% of the movie, then spend 45 minutes in a McDonald's drive-thru at 2 a.m.

I am so glad to be home with my parents! Danielle, Jayson, Evan, and Caitlin are all here too and everything is just wonderful! My mom's cooking. And the stars. and Colorado in general. I just love all of it.

Since it is thanksgiving I just thought I'd make a very shortened, unfinished list of what I'm grateful for right now...

my parents, my siblings, the gospel, best friends, homemade cookies, beautiful stars, hand-written cards, queen beds, soft sweatshirts, winter weather, good smelling candles, chapstick, inspiring quotes, good movies, Target, infinity scarfs, laughing until you cry, inside jokes, riding boots, washing machines, cell phones, music, snow, christmas music, hot chocolate in cute mugs, sewing machines, cameras, Joshua 1:9, Zach's good example, waterbottles, rain coats, new college friends, cute little puppies, blogs, praying and knowing someone is listening, BYU, new shoes, hairdryers, heaters

...and I feel like this list could go on for awhile. Long story short, I am so blessed!

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving {the second best holiday... next to Christmas of course!}

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

blogger craft fairs & the week in general.

this week has been crazy!

The last couple of days have flown by! First off, I'd like to say that I am so grateful for a sister that lives 45 minutes away! On thursday I drove up to Salt Lake and went to dinner and The Hunger Games with Danielle... sooo great (:

This week was also Kayla's birthday! I decorated the room, and a group of us went to breakfast on Wednesday! Then a huge group of kids from the ward surprised her with cake (: What would I do without an awesome roommate like her?!

Last night I went to sleep at 11. Do you hear that? ELEVEN P.M. Definitely a record. and Cady and I watched The Paradise {once again. so great}. Then I woke up super late. And let me tell you, sleeping is the greatest.

Today Sam and I went to the Bijou Craft sale! Everything was sooo cute. And now I'm pretty convinced that my life calling is to make cute printables... sadly I'm only kind of joking. everything just made me want to decorate a place of living that's larger than a dorm room. seriously.

{This is called a lack of pictures from the week...}

What am I going to do once this girl is on a mission?! Who will go to blogger meet-ups with me?! SHE GETS HER CALL THIS WEEK!!

On another note. shout out to the Montrose High School football team for winning semi-finals after a double overtime! Headed to state! So proud to be an MHS Indian! {ok, to have been a montrose indian} My facebook feed is blowing up with "congrats MHS football" statuses.

Also, 2 days until I'm home! Having everyone text me/snapchat me about when I'll be back is making me approximately 1234 times more excited! I'm ready for a girls day with kelsey/dinner with katie/coffee trader with sam/breakfast with all the girls. and I'm ready to be at home with my family. oh, how I'm ready for that. I'm about to start counting down the hours. {but actually.}

2 days left and counting! Now... off to spend the afternoon on homework..

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

one week, folks.

So here's a few things:

+ In ONE WEEK, I will wake up in Colorado, in my own room, in my wonderful queen bed. Did I mention in my own room? Because I'm really excited about that part. I may spend the first 10 minutes of being home just sitting in my room, doing absolutely nothing.

+ Next week will be the first time I've been home since I came to college.

+ I will get to eat food that my mom cooks. ummm... kind of ecstatic about that part.

+ I completely plan on cooking food. without having to rent the dishes. AND the oven will work. yes, yes indeed.

+ I'm going to do my homework at my very own real desk in my room.

+ I'll get to catch up with Kelly, Kelsey, Sam, and Katie. wonderful? Yes.

+ I'll have a coffee trader hot chocolate. {I've been wanting one for like a month now.}

+ I'm going to walk to the bathroom without flip flops on AND I won't have to take a room key everywhere I go.

+ I'm going to go to the theater and talk to all those wonderful people that I miss!

+ I'm going to look at the stars. Every. Single. Night.

+ I'm going to get to spend the week with my family eating tons of food. what more can I ask for?!

In one week, I get to go home. And I can't even tell you how exciting that is for me. It's a good thing that this week already seems to be flying by, because I cannot wait to be home!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

sushi and hang time.

this weekend was so eventful! Friday we celebrated Hunter and Liz's birthday by going to sushi then having cake! {yeah, I tried making jello poke cake... it didn't quite turn out, but we won't talk about that} First things first, sushi is gross. I went in with an open mind, I really did! I love seafood, but sushi was just awful. It was still such a great night though (:

these guys are studs! Hilarious I tell you.

So, remember Kayla and I's bucket list on this post? Eating sushi was on the list! One item crossed off (:

blowing out the candles! {let's not judge my phone's picture quality, shall we?}

Then Saturday was filled with playing pool, freezing at the football game, doing homework while Cady was at work, and then going to Hang Time and hot tubbing!

{last two pictures stolen from taylore}

Such a great weekend! And now Cady and I have found a new addiction hobby... it's a TV show called The Paradise, by the same company as Downtown Abbey so it's got to be great! Anyways, I'm off to FHE (:

Sincerely,

Erica Michelle

p.s. I forgot to tell you that after much twitter conversation... cady and michael and hunter and I {and dylan and zach} went on adventures to the rolled up cafe {still the best crepes ever}

We also turned styrofoam cups inside out... yes it's possible and we're kinda awesome sooo you know... 

happy friday!

Today is Friday and let me tell you, today is just wonderful (:

here is what's going on right now:

+I am beyond excited to go home for thanksgiving {hello sleeping in my own bed!} one week.
+This week was great... studying pays off, guys! that's what I tell myself at midnight in the library at least.
+I'm sitting at Sam's making a cake and blogging and watching videos. yes. fantastic afternoon. best friends for the win.
+I got to sleep in today... thank you classes that get cancelled! really, I just don't sleep often.
+Sam put in her mission papers and I am probably 100% as excited to find out where she's going as she is.
+I love finding new music! current obsessions:

+In humanities we're talking about visual art. aka, paintings and sculptures. but it also means architecture. which is my f a v o r i t e . buildings are cool, ok?!
+I made the greatest apple pie in my food prep class all by myself on wednesday. then we ate it at our science review. and let me tell you, not to brag, but it was delicious.

+I may or may not be addicted to spotify.
+I had my first j-dawgs this week! not too bad, I'd say.
+and now is a fun-filled friday night to celebrate Hunter and Liz's birthday! {more later}

this is going to be a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

i'm a mormon.

I finally made a Mormon.org profile a few days ago so I thought I'd share it with all of you (: As most of you know {if you've even read a couple of my blog posts} I'm a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!

Here is my profile:

http://mormon.org/me/DK2T

And here are some "mormon messages" that I absolutely love, and I think you will too! The church has a lot of these and they are all wonderful!

Create

Earthly Father, Heavenly Father

My New Life

Mountains To Climb

Last but not least, the picture at the beginning of this post is the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. It's basically my all-time favorite place ever. 

If you have any questions at all, I would love to help answer them! I hope you are all having a wonderful Thursday... I know I am (:

Sincerely,

Erica Michelle

 

girls night.

I'm sorry I've basically fallen off the social media planet {except, clearly, for twitter... twitter and I have become good friends in the last couple weeks. blame it on Kayla!} It's not that I haven't done anything worth blogging/instagraming/facebooking about- it's just that I've also done more homework in the last week then I did during my entire senior year of high school. Welcome to college, right?? I really shouldn't complain because I'm in easy classes compared to a couple years down the road, but I'm just going to keep the excuse for now (:

Well folks! College is amazing. yes. absolutely amazing. From Bonfires to Barbecues to Teaching Relief Society to Watching Ultimate Frisbee to Random Sing Alongs to... GIRLS NIGHTS! Everything is amazing. Even staying in the library until midnight isn't too bad, especially when you go with a friend {Cady... I'm glad we make deals with ourselves to get us to write our papers...}

You see, last week was long. and crazy, crazy busy. How many papers did I have to write?? So at the end of the week we decided to put together a girls night with the hall and it was most definitely a success (:

Nail painting, face masks, sparkling cider, crazy dance party/sing-a-longs, and of course a good romantic comedy {we are 18 year old teenage girls after all...}

College has taught me a few things... first and foremost, it's taught me that I really am awful at replying to texts. and social media is taking a back-burner. and on a more serious note, it's teaching me that friends are made where you least expect them. I came to college thinking I would never have friends as close as the girls from high school and I'm starting to realize that, even though it's different, these girls that I just met weeks ago are becoming amazing friends. It's unbelievable how fast you become good friends with someone. It's so fun to talk about where we're living next year, and what our life plans are, and our beliefs. I still miss my high school friends like crazy, and I can't wait to go home for Thanksgiving, but this place has becoming my home! Even if I have to shower with flip flops on, I can't think of anywhere that I'm more comfortable to be at. So, thank you for you girls that make BYU so special (:

I am just so grateful to be here! I knew I would love BYU, but not this much! The people that I've met have made me want to be better. They've strengthened my testimony, been great examples, and shown amazingly true friendship! Every person you meet is in your life for a reason, and boy can I tell you how much I love getting to know every person! Overall, I guess this long rant can be summed into me saying that I could not ask for anything better than the opportunity to attend a college where the standards are so high, the people are so awesome, and the classes and professors are so great!

In other news, this week marks Zach's 3/4th mark of his mission! He's been gone for 18 months and will be back in just 6 more! I can't even tell you how excited I am to be at college with him next year {seriously though!}

And lastly, can we talk about the fact that I'm writing my final paper in humanities on The Great Gatsby? {at least, that's the plan} So, I'm going to have to re-read my favorite book FOR A CLASS. bummer *sarcasm* And that's about it! ...more or less that is.

I have pictures from the last week, I really do! But I'd rather just go to bed, so adios! I'm sorry I've become a blogging slacker, it just hasn't been my top priority!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

halloween festivities.

yes. it's four a.m. Don't even ask why I'm awake, because I'm not exactly sure. I figured that since I have the energy, I might as well blog about this week, though!

Between midterms, registration for next semester's classes, humanities papers galore, and halloween stuff... this week has been c r a z y {to say the least!} However, Kayla and I still got to have some roommate adventures, dress up as birthday presents, and have a great week! Tuesday night was our ward Halloween party...

I mean, don't be jealous, but we were one of the costume contest winners. no big deal or anything (;

Then Wednesday night a group of kids all went to Cornbelly's//Insanity Point. WHY would anyone pay that much money to go through haunted houses and get scared... I DON'T KNOW. ok? But, despite it being about 100 times scarier than the Olathe Haunted Corn Maze, it was definitely a fantastic night (:

Auburn, Cady, Kayla and I! These girls have become some of the best friends!

Then actually on halloween? I spent my day in class, practicing violin, and doing homework. yeahhh, no trick-or-treating for me. Although, there were two different groups of reverse trick-or-treaters in the library {meaning they gave out candy} because they felt bad for any poor kid being there at midnight. So, that was pretty great (: 

Personally, I'm just hoping for next week to slow down just a bit! {oh, and to catch up on sleep this weekend!!}

Hope you all had a great week!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

p.s... now that halloween is over, guess what that means?? CHRISTMAS MUSIC!