ciao Roma!

For Thanksgiving break Hannah, Claire, Lisa, Lauren, Jess, and I went to ROME, ITALY! {plus Nick was there too!}

Prepare yourself for a lot of pictures.... On Thursday we went to the Vatican for most of the day. The Sistine Chapel is just as amazing as you think it would be! Overall, the entire day was great!

HANNAH PURCHASED A SELFIE STICK!

Thanksgiving Dinner!

Friday we went to the Coluseum, Forum, Pantheon, and several Piazzas. I LOVE ROME.

so much gelato...

We rented a flat called "The Vatican Palace"... look at that place!

My favorite building in the entire world! It's called the San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane. Yes, we made a special trip just to go here. Still incredible.

The Trevi Fountain was under construction. But we still threw in our pence coins for everlasting love, so we're covered!

And Saturday we wandered around and celebrated Jess's 22 birthday!

Well... that post was basically all pictures. But I LOVED Rome! The girls were tons of fun... so many laughs. {OH MY HEAVENS, LET'S MOZY!}

And that was how I spent Thanksgiving. and it was great.

summer update.

hello!

So I'm currently telling myself that the reason I have become so bad at blogging lately is actually because I'm saving all my superior blogging skills for L O N D O N {34 days my friends!} Good enough excuse, am I right? But because I've learned how much I love looking back at my blog, I'll do a quick update on this summer {because, memories.}

***The only thing that stands between me and turning in my mission papers is a couple blood tests, 2 interviews, and EXACTLY ONE MONTH. I can't even tell you how much I want to turn them in. It's a weird feeling knowing that I didn't even consider a mission for almost 19 years of my life, and now I can't think of my life without it. 

***I went to the valley for the 24th {remember last year?} Which also included horseback riding, family meals galore, and riding the Cumbres and Toltec Railraod! It's the highest, longest narrow-gage railroad in the world! It took us through the prettiest places... I didn't take my good camera so yay for phones.

this was post family ping pong tournament. zach beat me {BARELY} in quarter finals. That bracket should have been mine and Amanda's.

back of the cabin!!^^

sorry, that was quite the set of random pictures. but it's late and I think I forgot how to blog.

***YSA activites...

***saying goodbye to Kayla. SHE'S OFFICIALLY IN THE PHILIPPINES. I will admit that I did my fair share of crying, it's been hard not being able to send her a random text, or call about stupid things, or snapchat something weird. But she's doing what she's supposed to and I am so happy for her! Here's her blog: http://sisterkaylalockwood.blogspot.com/

the last picture with all three mileys before we reunite #byu2016

***this is what the other {non-working} part of my summer looks like:

saying goodbye to lloyd^^

I miss these people. Most of them are on missions {seriously though. all my friends are on missions. Kayla, Dylan, Michael, Sam, Lloyd... and quite a few other's have their calls. it makes checking my email about 100 times better}

*** HUNTER WAS CALLED TO KOBE JAPAN!!!!! {yes, that many exclamation points were necessary.} It's the same mission as Dylan. Seriously, of all the missions in the world, 2 of my greatest friends get to be together!

Well. there was your series of low-quality photos from Erica. you're welcome. I hope you guys are all having a wonderful summer! I sure am {in a weird sort of way.} It feels like it's dragged by, but I just tell myself that this is my last summer home... I'm on to bigger and better things, folks! But it's not all bad. I've loved getting to know the Montrose kids a little bit better and I've loved rewatching The Paradise with my mom {the ending is just a heart wrenching the second time through, I promise} and going to dairy queen with Zach.

Alright. I'm gonna get all sappy on you now, this is my blog: I miss BYU and my friends there more than I can even describe. I know it's corny and I know that it's all I seem to talk about. But listen, I had the best 8 months. ever. It's not the situation where I look back at it and make it seem better than it really was... every moment truly was great. I miss the HBLL {is it weird to miss a library?} I miss homework {I really, really do. my life honestly feels somewhat pointless when I come home after work with nothing left to do. I've taken to reading real books. I'll post a picture of my amazon purchases sometime, it's actually really weird. but I love it? i know.} I miss late night talks with Cady and Kayla. I miss CANC dinners with half my ward. I miss weekly devotionals. I miss crazy three a.m. adventures to the crepe place or dennys. I miss tunnel singing and vendy runs before church. everything. it's not that I hated high school, I actually really liked it. but college was the first time I felt like I really had somewhere to be {wow. that was corny. I shouldn't blog past midnight} Oh, BYU I love you so much.

But I'm trying to not think about it as much. I have so much ahead of me. I have a study abroad, a mission, and three more years at byu.  I have stacks of missionaries to write. I have packing lists to write. but I have a feeling the future is going to be just dandy {different, definitely. but still great.} Bring it.

Kay, sappy I-miss-byu moment over. I'm going to try to post more, for my own sake. sheesh. blogging isn't that time-consuming, I don't know why I've slacked!

-Erica

Christmas break.

Christmas break was the best!

1. I got to see my siblings and sibling-in-laws and niece and nephew! {and I got to talk to Zach on Christmas!}

Look at these cute little kids! My dad built them a rocking horse {yep, my dad is awesome} that he gave to them for Christmas.

2. I got to work at the theater... have I told you how much I love that job? I'm thinking about just dropping out of college and moving back in with my parents {that was sarcasm, don't worry! Although I really do love that job}

3. I got to hang out with Kelsey and her ADORABLE new Maltipoo puppy quite a bit over the two weeks. I am going to state this right now: I will own an adorable dog in my future life. No joke.

4. I watched Frozen 4 times, yes it was that good. And I also saw The Book Thief {I highly recommend}, The Hobbit, and Anchorman 2 {which I don't highly recommend whatsoever}. And I also realized that I have an absolute LOVE for theaters. And they're a million times better when you get in free (:

5. I spent New Years Eve with these hilarious kids:

{we attempted a photo booth that didn't exactly work out...}

sparkling cider, of course!

The 2 weeks off were exactly what I needed, but I'm definitely ready for a new semester at BYU!

Happy new year!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle