I LOVE YOU, L.A.

southern california, born and raised. part of the fun of being a "cali girl" please never refer to california as "cali" around me or prepare to die is to go to l.a. on the weekends and get into random, slightly scandalous and glamorous fun. for those of you who aren't lucky enough to be close enough to l.a., i'm sorry... but here are 14 famous quotes that exemplify the city of angels.

my heart and skin will always be golden, thanks to my sweet southern california upbringing.

Since I've Been Home...

I have:

Reunited with my best friends :)

Got the trips hooked on unsafe games. Prime example: running around the house whilst sliding on a blanket. (I'm the cool older sister, btw)

Experienced rejection from my own blood. It stings...

Accepted a fault of mine.

OFFICIALLY SUBMITTED MY MISSION PAPERS!!!!!!!!!!

Met JB at the local Barnes & Noble.

..........kind of......

Actively began to live this motto.

Became a model with my Ken Doll. Just humor us, please.

Rocked the hair clip like nobodies' business  (If you know me, you know I rock this clip when I am home to keep my hair out of my face. #shorthairproblems)

And danced to this song too many times to count. The triplets love dancing to this tune, I oblige because I am a sucker for anything 90's and am super cool. AM I RIGHT?! OR AM I RIGHT?! Hello? Anyone?

Go on, dance all light to that DJ with me!!!!!!

infinite

the other night i saw twelve shooting stars.

you know what that does to a person?

it humbles you beyond belief.

it reminds you just how artistic He is.

it triggers that part of the human soul,

the part that is inseparably connected with mother nature.

that part that becomes swollen with happiness when you finish a long hike.

it's like you have broken some planetary law and feel infinite.

i always remember this line of my favorite book:

"...where all you need is that perfect song on that perfect drive to make you feel infinite."

and it's true.

if you've been lucky enough to ride in the back of a truck on a summer night,

with the warm wind playing with you hair,

a song playing that has heartfelt sentiment

and not a care in the world in that moment,

then you know what it feels like to be infinite.

there aren't many things that can make you feel that way but this i know is true,

the simple, often overlooked things are the ones that can.

i hope you enjoy this.
almost as much as much as i did while making it.
but most of all,
i hope this makes you want to dance.

adventure awaits!

Want to know what I did? Even if you say no I am still telling you whether you like it or not... I went to my dad's house in central California all the way from my mom's quaint home in southern California.
Here's the kicker: I got there on a bus/train!!!! I know what you are thinking, "Why in the world would she get there in such ways of transportation?!" My response to you nay-sayers is,  "WHY NOT?!"

When I have children of my own I want them to look at their mother (ehem, me for those of you who cannot keep up...) and see that I actively sought out adventure, that I continued to partake in experiences that a refreshing and teach me new things, even if that means I was slighty pushed from my comfort zone.

So that's what I did, folks! And hey, why not?! Before my little adventure I was sitting at home, eating Magnum ice cream bars and cathing up on The Real Housewives of Orange County (scandalous, might I add!)

Don't even try to act like you've never done that before. I see right through you!

Here's how it went down:
-5 hour bus ride
-1 hour train ride
-1 new book
-1 long letter to be written to Elder Sagers
-1 ipod full of amazing music
-And a bunch of snacks, healthy of course. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Onward, Amtrak! We ride until dawn! .....Or until we get to our destination....

Two hours in and I got a little bored:

Two hours and three minutes in I got a little more bored:

Two hours and seventeen minutes in I got wayyyy bored:

And by two hours and twenty-eight minutes I had fallen asleep, with goldfish on my face...

Funny what can happen in a matter of twent-eight minutes, eh?

We drove through parts of California that I didn't even knew exsisted! It was a pretty ride, that's for sure.

Didn't think the Golden State had rolling green hills, eh?!
We don't only have the beach kiddos!

And the beauty was rudely interrupted and we drove through here:

I add this picture to prove that the Zombie Apocalypse is real and happening before our eyes.... They have been to this down and left it deserted... RUN, AND RUN FAST!

Current read, it's fabulous, I promise.

One, eight page letter, seven chapters, an entire goldfish bag and three playlists later I was reunited with my beautiful sisters.

Go and do something that pushes your comfort zone! Take a trip, even if that means you get there in an obscure way!

To the fellow passengers I encountered: Sorry for dancing and fanitly singing under my breath Whitney Houston, Santana, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Hall & Oates. I bet I must have looked slightly alarming.

......and when I say sorry I mean sorry for not being sorry.... You know you liked it.

utah to california.

I didn't even need to see this sign to know I was home. 

The sun was brighter.

It was warm hot. It felt good.

After a long car ride home where my mother didn't shut her eyes once due to the fact that I am a "reckless driver" (what is she talking about?! I've only hit 6 people, no biggy.) we made it!

Not much has changed around here since my leaving for BYU last fall.

California is still it's awesome self, as expected!

and me on the other hand? I am even more awesome, cooler, taller, wiser, more mature (my California friends are shaking their heads, shut up guys!) smarter and maybe, juuuuuust maybe more attractive than before college.**

thanks, BYU!

So let's go to the beach. I need stuff to keep me distracted before I start crying and begging to go back to Utah- my new home.

Watch this video, sing along and bask in the glory that is California. (Just a warning, if you are not a native you just might get a little jealous.)

**i am not serious about the improvements that are stated above. they are up to your interpretation, not mine. i mean i am not that narcissistic. c'mon now guys.

Dreaming of the Osaka Sun

I was born and raised in this:

Southern California.

The land of endless beaches and a thousand suns. Where Jack Johnson and reggae is not only the soundtrack of our summers, but throughout the entire year.  The place that people all around the world flock to- and for a good reason. Seriously, look at that picture!

And I moved here:

Utah.

Wait, wait, wait. Before I get hate mail from my native 
Utahans let me explain myself! Utah is beautiful. Just not the kind of beautiful I am used to. The rocky mountains that stretch for miles leave me mystified and left in wonderment and awe.

But once again, I wasn't used to it! 

I guess what I am trying to say is that I miss my California Sun. The sun that penetrates not only your epidermis, but your soul.

I have been in a shortage of sun for the past eight months due to me being at BYU for school. Some of you are shaking your heads saying, "silllllly girl! the sun still shines in Utah!" I'm talking about real sun.

 This sun-drought is taking a physical toll on me. Eighteen years of genuine, bright and never-ending sunshine to this?


 ***My body is flipping out.
-Random twichings.
-Foaming at the mouth at the sight of a non-sunny day.
-Mental whiplash due to the bi-polar weather (seriously Utah, make up your mind.)
And:
-Emotional distress that has caused me to stand on the top of my building, shouting at the skies "WHY ARE YOU ACTING LIKE THIS, YOU DIVA SKY?!?!?!?"
***I actually exaggerated about what it is making me do.... The only side-effect is depression. Sowwwwy for lying!

Now it all makes sense how most people in cloud-ridden states are more susceptible to depression!

Get me the real stuff and fast.