It was less than a month ago Chris and I were at a Real Salt Lake game and it was snowing. Now it's averaging 80 degrees every day. Utah weather is so weird.
But summer is here and I'm so grateful that it's finally warm outside! I get to spend this summer pregnant with my twin girls. I'm so happy that I get to start my family that it's easy to ignore the fact that my summer plans aren't what they normally would be.
Here is a list of my summer plans. If you're not pregnant, I'm sure there are a lot more adventures you'll be going on, but if you are pregnant, maybe my list will give you some extra ideas on how to have a little bit more fun when you're uncomfortable and dying of heat.
I was raised in the Salt Lake Valley (not born, I was born in California, that's something special about me!). My husband Chris was raised in Davis County (and also born in California, how weird is that?). Together, we are stuck living in Cache Valley. It's not that we hate Cache Valley... it's just that we would never want to live here permanently. No offense, but all the Loganites (what I call people born and raised in Cache Valley) are strangely proud of this little valley and think their high schools are the best and are very adamant about exactly which city in Cache Valley they live in and if you get it wrong, they get angry. Loganites tend to never really leave Cache Valley. We don't want that.
We are not Loganites. I am a Salt Laker, Chris is a Kaysville Man... but want us to be Scottish... Regardless of what we are, we're currently renting an apartment here, I'm changing my major so I'll be in school longer, so we'll be posing as Loganites for a few more years until we both are graduated. So while we're here, there is a list of things I want to do in Cache Valley, AKA, the Cache Valley Checklist! I'm making a list of 100 things to do in (and around) Cache Valley before we move away. I would love it if all you USU students and even true Loganites would join me in these things during your stay as Loganites!
This list is not in order, some are specific events and special occasions while others are things to do at anytime. When I complete an item on this list I will cross it off and write a post about it that will be linked beside it. Don't forget to read my thoughts on the activity by clicking the links! The farthest I got from the actually Cache County was Brigham City and Bear Lake, but I'm counting it because all Cache Valley tourism sites count it as well. (A very few of these things I have already done, but for the purposes of this post they don't count yet)
Here we go:
Black & White Days (Richmond)
That Famous Preston Night Rodeo (Preston, ID)
Crystal Hot Springs (Honeyville)
Bear Lake Trip (Bear Lake)
Aggie Ice Cream & True Blue Aggie Cheese factory tour (Logan/USU)
Cox Honeyland (Providence)
Logan Tabernacle Concert (Logan)
Crumb Brother's tour (Logan)
Rockhill Creamery (Richmond)
Casper's Ice Cream Factory & Malt Shop (Richmond)
Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theater performance (Logan)
Find the Perfect Cache Valley Sunset Spot (Cache Valley)
(These next ones are added from comments people left me!) Go to a high school football game (Cache Valley)
Make boats and float them down the canals (Logan)POST
Float down the Oneida Narrows (Preston, ID)
Get an O'Aggie Bar at Bluebird Candy Shop (Logan)
Buy raspberries from a cart vendor (Cache Valley)
Pepperidge Farm Factory (Richmond)
County Fair (Logan)
Eat at Maddox (Brigham City)
Gosner's Factory (Logan)
Baby Animal Days at American West Heritage Center (Wellsville)
Hike to the top of Mount Logan and look out over the whole valley (Logan)
Demolition Derby (anywhere)
Cache Valley Ballroom Fest (Logan)
Whew! That was long and difficult! Thank you to Lisa Loves Logan, Cache Valley Visitors Bureau, and Nothing to Do in Logan for helping me out with this list. For anyone interested, Nothing To Do in Logan is a fantastic website that keeps up with all events going on in Logan and the surrounding Cache Valley. It's a great resource for Loganites! PS, if you like this post, you might also want to check out My American Journey, which is all (well most) the things I want to do in every state in the USA.
If you think I'm missing anything from this list, please leave a comment below! I'm willing to add more if it's something special! Also, don't forget to comment if you join in on The Cache Valley Checklist as well! I'd love to hear about your adventures!
In honor of the one year anniversary of my blog (which was technically last week), I'm going to share my top ten favorite posts I've written on this blog (from oldest to newest)! Enjoy!!
I love Demi Lovato and in this post I really started to let you all into my personal life and my past so I've always loved this post. (I apologize that some of the pictures don't show up correctly)
This one makes me laugh because I was so excited to reach 1000 page views. Now I'm at 18,456 page views and I just keep getting more every day. I'm so thankful for this blog and it's humbling to look back at where it all started and how I got to this point.
I absolutely loved working in the daycare. It was my favorite think in the world and my most favorite job I've ever had. We had crazy moments and hectic days, but it didn't matter. I loved that job because it was so much fun working with those kids. (I'm currently stressing out and considering switching my major so I can teach kindergarten, and writing this only makes me want to change my major more...) I also really like this post HERE or HERE, they are both related and I would love for you to check them out, but they don't need to be included in this list.
Best post ever. Being engaged was so much fun! Getting proposed to was the greatest thing ever! It's so great to look back at a post like this and remember how I felt and how excited I was. (PS, being married is better than all of that, I love my husband!!)
I wanted to start branching out my viewership and posting things about different topics that more and more people would enjoy. Everything has changed now, but this was the start.
I wrote this today actually, but I love it because it explains everything. This blog is my journal, I leave out the most personal stuff, but I share a lot with all my readers, and I love doing it! I love writing on this blog! It's weird, it's not the best blog in the world, but I love it and I will never stop writing because this is what makes me happy.
I'm so grateful for this blog, I can't believe it's been a year already!! I absolutely love writing on this blog and I promise you, this is just the beginning of something great. There are always changes and additions to this blog, because I want to keep my readers entertained.
If there is anything you want me to write about, let me know! If you want me to review a product for you: email me, I'd be happy to! If you want to be a guest blogger, I'd absolutely love to have you do it! If you want to be featured on my blog (through Web Video Wednesday, Song of the Week Saturday, or other posts), please contact me and I'll gladly write about you on my blog!
Don't forget to join my book club, #dancingcowbookclub. Don't forget to leave comments and send emails! I respond to each and every one so please don't hesitate to ask questions or tell me a story, I'll love to hear it!
So I'm 22 years old and getting married in about three weeks. I feel I'm stepping into a new stage of my life, where I have to 'act' like an adult more and work harder in school and work. I can't depend on my parents anymore. I have to be independent. But most importantly, I want to make goals for myself.
I'm currently watching the episode of Friends where it's Rachel's 30th birthday and it flashbacks to everyone else's 30th birthdays. Phoebe on her 30th has a list of things she wanted to do before she was 30. So here's my list of things I want to do before I'm 30.
I'd like to graduate. It's been a long (slightly painful) journey so far and I sadly have a few more years left, but I know I can graduate if I really set my mind to it. I'm going to graduate as soon as I can, definitely before I'm thirty.
I want to start having kids before I'm 30. I'd like to start having kids after I graduate. I kind of want them now... but I know myself, and if I had kids now I would never graduate. So in this case, these goals are in order.
I want to teach high school. Again, this is sort of in order. I obviously can't start teaching until after I graduate, but teaching is something I really want to do and I really think I could be a great teacher and really make a difference in my student's lives. I want to help high school students. I want to be a teacher.
I want to become a good cook. I'm not saying I want to be a great cook. Good is fine enough for me. I just don't want Chris to continually be expected to be the cook in our relationship (because he currently is).
I want to throw a party. Like a Superbowl party, or a surprise party, or a bridal shower, or a soccer party (for my soccer loving fiance). I just want to throw a party that people enjoy.
I want to learn to sew. I know how to sew on buttons, use a sewing machine and mend things, but I want to be able to sew the things I've pinned on my Pinterest page.
I want to travel outside the United States. Preferably to Scotland with Christopher because he is so in love with that place. But I just want to experience a new place. I've never been outside the US before and it's just something I'd really like to accomplish before I'm thirty.
I want to run a 5k. Maybe. I just want to be able to do it with Chris, who told me he wants to run a marathon. There is no way I'm running a marathon, but I 5k I'll maybe do.
I'd like to have a fit and healthy body. This is a life-long goal. I want a healthy body at all times. I want to always be at my ideal weight because it makes me feel good and healthy.
I want to choreograph as much as I can. Teaching dance is something I'm incredibly passionate about. It feels as if it's a need. I need to teach dance. It's a necessity to keep me happy. I know I can do it. I know that I would love it. I will teach dance and I will choreograph as many dances as I can.
I'm obsessed with this show! Truly obsessed! Every night I watch Avatar. Why? Well let's see...
After writing this post I became sad. Because it's not enough. It doesn't accurately portray why I love this show. :(
1. The BoomerAANG Squad
Team Avatar is the best! They can do anything and I love them!!
2. Appa
I want Appa. I really do. I want a pillow pet of Appa but when I looked online for one they were like $70! That's an expensive stuffed animal!! Too expensive for my liking (I'd like donations so I can buy one. Ha ha.)
3. Sokka and Katara
They're in basically every episode and they are fantastic! They are great sidekicks to the Avatar and Sokka is the greatest at comic relief. I love Sokka. He's so great and always makes me smile no matter how many times I've seen the episodes.
4. Toph
Toph is the coolest person ever!! A blind earthbender who learns who to bend metal?? Seriously how could she get any cooler? She's amazing and so powerful!
5. It's a real story
I love the fact that each episode connects. It's all like a book, a beautifully written book. It is a great story and a wonderful show. I'm in love.
6. Uncle Iroh
Uncle is the best! He makes the show fantastic! He's so smart and funny and just fantastic! Also, one of the greatest firebenders! He's just so amazing!
7. Zuko
Zuko really is a great person. On Pinterest I keep finding this things "Zuko taught me". Zuko teaches you that you can become great, you can choose a good path no matter where you're from and what your circumstances are. And for a cartoon, he's pretty attractive. :)
8. Aang
Aang is the cutest!! I just love him! He's very smart and wise and a great little 112 year old! He is incredibly powerful and he just amazes me every episode! One of my favorite moments in the The Matchmaker episode after Aang battles a volcano and wins!! Sokka says "Sometimes I forget how powerful of a bender that kid is." (or something like that) Aang is just the greatest and the greatest lead character for a cartoon show.
9. Airbending
I wish I could airbend. I think it's the coolest thing ever! Aang is just so awesomely cool and talented and I really wish I could do it too.
I just bought a HUGE jar thing of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly because I use it for so many things! And I had this little jar thing of it that fits in small places because it's cute and little and it lasted me over a year despite its small size.
So my little one was running out so I decided today to put some from my huge jar into my little one, because I love how the cute little one is much more portable. So instead of being delicate about the process and melting it so it's easier to transfer the jelly... I just stuck my finger right in the big jar and started scooping it out.
IT WAS THE MOST FUN EVER!!!
I know that makes me sound slightly crazy, but it really was so much fun!!! Apparently I just get easily excited and little things are my favorite... like moon sand! I found my moon sand today whilst cleaning some drawers out. Moon sand rocks.
So because of this experience I'd like to share my favorite uses for petroleum jelly!
1. Chapped lips.
This is why I started using Vaseline in the first place! Every night I put Vaseline on my lips to help keep them very soft. Chris makes fun of me for the large amount of Vaseline I put on them, but it helps, so he really shouldn't complain.
2. Cuts and burns
I love this because it's a cheap way to help heal your smaller injuries. It really has helped some cuts that I've had. It helps them heal faster and keeps it protected.
3. Dry skin
Like with your lips, Vaseline helps a lot with dryness. I particularly use it for the back of my hands, but then I end up washing it off too soon sometimes. But it creates very smooth skin. It also does not clog pores, so don't worry about spreading it all over your face.
4. Thicker eyelashes
I recently learned this trick, so now every night when I'm putting Vaseline on my lips, I also put some on my eye lids, and it really has made a difference in the way my eyelashes look. Sometimes if I want my mascara to really stand out, I'll put a little Vaseline on before applying mascara. It make a great difference.
5. Keeping in the lines when applying nail polish
A lot of members of my dad's side of the family have these tremors things which make our hands shake a lot. I don't have it as badly as some other people in my family, but my hands still get pretty shaky. Especially when I'm concentrating on doing something delicate with my hands (which kind of really sucks). So when I try to paint my nails, it gets all over my skin! But I learned to put some Vaseline around your nail before painting them so when it gets on your skin, it's so much easier to get off. Just don't get it on your nail because then it doesn't stay as well.
6. Scent sticking
If you put on a little Vaseline in the areas you spray your perfume, it helps your scent to stick around longer. Which can be a very good thing. Keep in mind though that Vaseline makes your skin very shiny, so don't use a ton or it could look weird. Unless you want shiny skin.
7. Makeup removal
This trick is fantastic because some makeup removal products seem to dry out my skin, but Vaseline specifically helps smooth your skin! It works really well in makeup removal, but I don't use it for that trick very much.
8. Pumpkin carving
After your carve your Halloween pumpkins, rub some Vaseline around the edges, it helps keep it from rotting or getting dry.
The above list is all things that I have tried before. But it has more uses found here. I am particularly interest in the "removal of eyelash glue" because in ballroom I wear fake eyelashes much too often and I hate taking them off.
I hope this helps you! Vaseline always helps me in many ways. And as a fun tip, just sticking your finger in a big jar of it feels really cool. :)
I was bored and searching my Facebook and up comes a blog post of the 8 Most Annoying Taylor Swift Lyrics. Now I agree that the ones listed are pretty dumb and kind of annoying (except the Tuesday one, because I love Tuesdays) but I think it should really be called the 8 Most Annoying and Rude Comments About Taylor Swift's Annoying Song Lyrics. Seriously, I was sad for Taylor because that was just rude.
So, as my rebuttal, I'm making the list of my 8 favorite Taylor Swift Lyrics!! Because she needs some support somewhere, and I'm happy to give her some. (even if RED disappointed me)
SO HERE'S TO EVERYTHING COMING DOWN TO NOTHING. HERE'S TO SILENCE THAT CUTS ME TO THE CORE. WHERE IS THIS GOING? I THOUGHT I KNEW FOR A MINUTE BUT I DON'T ANYMORE.
Okay, I only really love these lyrics the way I do in the piano version. So here it is for your enjoyment:
See? Isn't that version so much better? I love it so much more than the real version because piano is my favorite instrument and it "cuts me to the core". When I was having major boy issues, I listened to this song/version constantly, and the line above is exactly how I felt. I thought I knew what was going on, and in a minute everything changed. I also love in this version the way she sings "Back up, baby back up, please back up!" Because it's so sadly-hauntingly beautiful.
DID SOME THINGS YOU CAN'T SPEAK OF, BUT AT NIGHT YOU LIVE IT ALL AGAIN. YOU WOULDN'T BE SHATTERED ON THE FLOOR NOW IF ONLY YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN WHAT YOU KNOW NOW THEN... WHO YOU ARE IS NOT WHAT YOU DID, YOU'RE STILL AN INNOCENT.
This song was also criticized in the other article and I actually love this song. It's probably one of her most mature songs. It talks about how the mistakes you've made before do not make you who you are. This song was fantastic for me for some things that I went through and the above lines hit me pretty hard. "Who you are is not what you did." Just because I made mistakes, I am not my mistakes. I can be a better person regardless.
I KNOW, I KNOW, I JUST KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONE. YOU CAN'T BE GONE, NO.
This is another one where I only love the lyrics with a certain version of the song. Found here:
Yep... The way she sings the above lyrics in this version of the song gives me chills! This is actually my favorite Taylor Swift song, this version particularly. I like all the lyrics personally. Because I've been there. I've been in that relationship before and it's terrible and they really do haunt you forever.
YOU HAD ME CRAWLING FOR YOU HONEY AND IT NEVER WOULD HAVE GONE AWAY, NO. YOU USED TO SHINE SO BRIGHT BUT I WATCHED ALL OF IT FADE.
So... anyone who really knows me, knows that I am IN LOVE with sad and depressing song. Much like all the ones I've listed above. You're Not Sorry is a beautiful sad song and the lyrics are wonderful. I don't care what anyone else has to say.
DON'T YOU DARE LOOK OUT YOUR WINDOW, DARLING EVERYTHING'S ON FIRE. THE WAR OUTSIDE OUR DOOR KEEPS RAGING ON. HOLD ON TO THIS LULLABY, EVEN WHEN THE MUSIC'S GONE.
Ah! I love Hunger Games! This song (even though I got sick of it for a while) is a very hauntingly beautiful song. It was perfect for the movie (I personally am in love with the whole Hunger Games soundtrack). The above lyrics portray Katniss's fear and protection for her sister. I love it so much!
WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BREAK UP, FIX MY HEART, PUT ON MY MAKEUP, ANOTHER MESS I DIDN'T PLAN. AND I BET YOU THOUGHT YOU BEAT ME, WISH YOU COULD ONLY SEE I'VE GOT AN I HEART QUESTION MARK WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF MY HAND.
Okay, some of you may not know this song, I don't have a copy of this song, I've just heard it on Youtube. So if you haven't heard it, here it is:
This song is funny and cheesy, but I love cheesy. And the above lyrics aren't bad or annoying. They are just like "Hey, you can't beat me, I'll be fine, there's always another one." It's funny. Not annoying. And not depressing like all the other songs I listed. :)
THIS IS A STATE OF GRACE. THIS IS THE WORTHWHILE FIGHT. LOVE IS A RUTHLESS GAME UNLESS YOU PLAY IT GOOD AND RIGHT. THESE ARE THE HANDS OF FATE, YOU'RE MY ACHILLES HEEL. THIS IS THE GOLDEN AGE OF SOMETHING GOOD AND RIGHT AND REAL.
This is my favorite song off Taylor's new album. And I like the acoustic version too, but it's really slow. The above lyrics, I think, are beautiful and true. They are filled with wisdom of what love really is. It is a "worthwhile fight". Everything I went through was worth it to find Chris. :)
AND WHEN YOUR FIFTEEN DON'T FORGET TO LOOK BEFORE YOU FALL. I FOUND TIME CAN HEAL MOST ANYTHING. YOU MIGHT JUST FIND WHO YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHO I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AT FIFTEEN.
I think that this song gives excellent advice to fifteen year-olds. Teenagers take everything way too seriously and make things more dramatic than it really is. They want to be popular and date all the cool boys, but that's not what's important in life. Just take in each moment and make it wonderful. You'll move on from your silly crushes and the stresses of high school. Life goes on. This song is wonderful.
Well, there you have it. A few of Taylor Swifts redeeming lyrics. But trust me, she has more. Yes she writes immature lyrics sometimes (We are never, ever, ever...) but really it's a joke. I don't think she's really serious about them. Watch an interview of her, she is sort of a ditzy blonde, but she's still pretty smart too. And very elegant. I have a special place in my heart for Taylor Swift because we're close to the same age, her lyrics relate to her growing up and I'm growing up right along with her. She does have weird and sometimes annoying lyrics, but it really bugged me that the other article had to be so mean about it.
So to the author of the article 8 Most Annoying Taylor Swift Lyrics, please don't be rude. I agree that the lyrics you posted are pretty annoying, but you don't have to be mean about it.
This post is brought to you by LAZINESS! It gets you far in life... not.
1. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Yes, I seriously didn't even get on my blog long enough to write Merry Christmas. That's pure laziness right there. Yes, I did work 24 hours this week, which isn't too far off from my normal week, but seriously, I can't even write Merry Christmas? I'm pathetic. Anyways, I hope you all had a very merry Christmas! Mine was FANTASTIC!!
2. I made a Star Wars Clone Trooper Snowflake!!!
It was pretty awesome if I do say so myself. I found how to do it here and the example snowflake looks like this:
And I say I did pretty darn well. We looked at the other ones but seriously I don't think anyone could make this:
I love you Princess Leia, but that's not happening.
3. I didn't divulge in the extended version of my shopping trip with my brother. I will now share just a few things with you.
This book... what? Okay sure I want a "low stress, high success, LDS wedding" but do I really want a wedding planner book with a slightly creepy winking bride on it? No, no I do not. Thank you, but I'll find something else. Like THIS!!
A South Pole Water Tribe nativity scene!! With an adorable penguin and seal!! I love it! I wanted to buy it. I apologize for the horrible quality photo, it was taken with my phone. My phone camera shouldn't really deserve to be called a camera. But doesn't the above picture look like this:
Same outfits, same dog, I NEED THIS NATIVITY SCENE!! PS, I've been watching way too much Avatar lately, but I'm not ashamed about it. In fact, I'm proud of it. It makes me happy. :)
Also while shopping I found something out. If the fire alarm starts going off in the Hallmark store at the mall, what do people do??? Complain. Not try to evacuate the store, don't even think about asking the store workers on what to do, no, just complain. "That's loud!" "Turn that off!" You know if it was going off because of a real fire I wonder if people would still react the same way "Curse you fire for ruining my Christmas shopping!!"
4. I'm the best girlfriend/fiance in the world. Yep. Because only I would spend $80+ on my fiance's fishing related gift on this:
And this:
And a $50 gift card to Cabela's for fishing related gifts. Granted, this gift could have been much cooler (if I had gotten to the store an hour earlier John Bytheway would have been there to sign the book and the gummy worms in the candy fish tackle box were like rocks) but he loved it anyways.
5. K-Mart already started selling Valentines. Before Christmas.
So I guess the real question is why; Why do K-Mart employees want to cause husband/boyfriends searching for the perfect Christmas gift to start stressing out over Valentines Day??? I believe that if this gets kept up, the divorce rate will keep going up as well. Too much holiday gift stress isn't good for relationships.
6. I had a lovely ward-y girls dinner on Saturday! They were girls I had grown up with and we haven't seen each other in forever! It was so much fun eating, catching up, and sharing Christmas gifts! I love you Kelsey for setting that up! And I miss all my E3 girls!!
7. I bought some really great gifts this year!!
My dad received a jar full of Peanut M&M's with a tag saying "To my nutty but sweet dad". (I did not come up with this myself, see HERE) I also got him a Utah State hat! It's about time he started to support my school more!! :)
My mom received a box of hand and feet warmers (the little pack things), a silver shimmery scarf, and two sets of earrings.
My sister's was my favorite!! I bought her Harry Potter Kindle Fire covers!! Found on Etsy HERE!! I also got her a Ron one. They are super cute and so perfect for my sister!! :)
I went to six different store just to find Lego Pirates of the Carribean Video Game for Wii for my brother. I'm glad I did too because I was playing it last night and I love it!!! :)
8. (and the last one) My parent know their kids so very very well...
1. When we're driving in the car he takes my hand and kisses it. It's just adorable.
2. He goes along with things to humor my weird ideas or quirks.
3. He's willing to help when planning our wedding.
4. He stopped chewing gum for me. Because I just really hate gum and the smell makes me nauseous.
5. When we go to movies together he turns to look at me and whispers "I love you".
6. He opens my car door for me.
7. Our love for each other has never faltered, only grown stronger, even through arguments and trials.
8. He consults me before shaving or cutting his hair. Which is just kind of funny, but it makes me happy that he cares what I think. (and he knows he can't do anything drastic since we're getting engagement photos soon)
9. He takes care of me when I'm sick. Even when we're not near each other, he tries to make me feel better.
10. He drove 2 hours to pick me up to drive back to Logan so we could spend the weekend together. And what a wonderful weekend it is. :)
1. She has a song called Penguin. Penguins are adorable!
See? Adorable!
2. Her song was featured on So You Think You Can Dance and it helped her become famous!
3. This song is just fantastic! The lyrics are incredible and I'm in love with the fact this this is a home recorded video.
4. Related to number 3, I love that Christina Perri has her Youtube channel that helped boost her career. I'll be honest, I'm not one of the lucky ones that found her on Youtube before Jar of Hearts, but when I found Jar of Hearts, I could not stop listening to her!
6. As the pictures above show, she's just... normal. She's not some crazy famous person. She takes photos with so many of her fans and posts them on Facebook. For example:
Gosh... I wish I had been there...
7. She wrote A Thousand Years for Twilight: Breaking Dawn (boo) and it's the most incredible song! I had my heart set on it being my wedding song... you know... until I learned a dance to it and listened to it way too many times. But I'll still be playing the song at my wedding. Because that song describes me in every way. For example:
"I have died everyday waiting for you, darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more. All along I believed I would find you. Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand more."
8. Jar of Hearts hit me in a way that no song ever has. I can, to this day, still say it's my favorite song. Why? Because it describe my life and situation 100% and it made me cry that she would write a song about me (while I know that's not true, that's how it felt).
I am forever grateful for my mom for showing me this song. She showed me because of the music video. Because it has dancers in it, and she said it reminded her of me. But when I really listened to the words, I realized just how much this song was about me.
"It took so long just to feel all alright. Remember how to put back the light in my eyes. I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed cause you broke all your promises. And now you're back. You don't get to get me back!"
A friend of mine has a video of me from one late night after driving from San Diego to Utah, and very much hyped up on Mountain Dew (my alcohol), singing this song. Screaming the line above at a broken drive-thru window, because that's EXACTLY how I felt at the time.
Luckily, the guy left my life, I met Chris, and now I'm getting married to the most perfect man in the world. Win for me!
9. Arms. So similar to my connection with Jar of Hearts. I don't know how Christina Perri is stalking me to write songs about me, but I love it.
"I hope that you see right through my walls. I hope that you catch me cause I'm already falling. I'll never let a love get so close. You put your arms around me and I'm home... I tried my best to never let you in to see the truth. And I've never opened up, I've never truly loved till you put your arms around me and I believe that it's easier for you to let me go.... You put your arms around me and I'm home."
When I first started dated Chris I was in a very depressed and vulnerable state of mind. And this song described me and how nervous and scared I was to open up to my Christopher. I truly have a difficult time opening up and sharing my true feelings with anyone. But with Christopher, I'm home.
10. I know this sounds crazy, but I feel I have a very deep personal connection to Christina Perri. We're like sisters... that have never met. But seriously, how else could all the lyrics to every one of her songs describe me, and hit my heart in a way that no other music does? Her voice is incredible. Her lyrics are incredible. She's beautiful. And someday, I want to meet her, because she is like a part of me. Her songs are written for me. I love her and I will always love her and her music.
BONUS! If you're wanting to get in the Christmas spirit, she has a new album out, A Very Merry Perri Christmas! Check out one special song here:
I'm starting an October segment, every post this month will have something to do with creepy, scary, Halloween type things. I love Halloween, so enjoy!
Okay this blog post may turn away my readers. You may feel that I'm a big wimp and that I need to stop being so afraid of everything, but even though I have tons of fears (as you soon will see) I usually still do things that involve them anyways. So in honor of Halloween coming up, here are my biggest fears; judge me if you want, but this is just the way I am. (this is not a Top Ten list, it's just a random list of my fears in no particular order)
1. Animals
Let my clarify this one a bit. I'm not afraid of all animals. I love aquariums and zoos and as you should already know, I love cows. But my fear of animals is more a fear of animals touching me... except cows... actually that's not true. I am probably afraid of all animals that touch me. I think it has to do with the fact that I can't communicate with them, I don't know what they're thinking or what they might do next and that scares me. My own dog scares me.
This above picture is of my family's dog, Molly. My family never planned on having a dog, my mom didn't really want one. But one day my dad and brother came home from a camping trip with Molly. She mostly just stays in our backyard, she's an outdoor dog. She comes in sometimes in the winter though (Utah winters are brutal). Molly, while adorable, terrifies me. I go out in the backyard and play catch with her sometimes, because it's her favorite thing to do. But when she gets close to me, tries to lick me, or jumps up on me, I almost want to run away screaming. I hate when she does that! I hate when dogs do that! And unfortunately, that's just what dogs do! Dogs are adorable, I like them much better than cat and most other animals, but I'm still afraid of them. I'm getting better though! Christopher's dog Max, is the sweetest dog I have ever met, and I really like him. He's very gentle and will just fall asleep on your lap. He's the best dog I've ever met, and the only dog I've really liked (sorry Molly). So when we get married Chris wants a dog, and I said that we could have one as long as I don't have to take care of it, and it's trained to be a mellow dog like Max.
Anyways, very long tangent there, animals scare me. Particularly the big ones, the fast ones, the little quick ones, and the slithering ones.
2. Birds
I'm separating birds from animals because there are some animals I like, I'm pretty sure there are no birds I like. Birds are terrifying!!! Yes, penguins are birds and they're adorable... to look at. I don't really ever want to go near a penguin. I also think that owls are amazing, but that doesn't mean I want a pet owl like Harry Potter, even if Hedwig was always one of my favorite characters. I think my fear of birds has to do with beaks and the fact that they can fly at any moment right at your face. Ducks and seagulls are my least favorite and in Utah, I see them all the time! They aren't even pretty! At least peacocks are pretty, and most of the little songbirds, they're pretty, but I still don't like them. Ostriches are probably the scariest of all birds, they're huge! But I don't see them that often. I hate ostriches though. In elementary school kids used to tease me about my last name and call me "Ostrich" instead. I hated it. I actually think birds are my worst fear. I'm terrified of birds.
3. Bugs
I might as well just go over all the animal type things that scare me right? So lots of people are afraid of spiders like me. Which sounds irrational because they're tiny, but the minute I see a spider my brain goes into overdrive thinking of everywhere that spider could sneak into and pop out later. Spiders are terrifying. But my bug fears don't stop there. I'm afraid of every bug. Every last one. Even butterflies. Yes they are beautiful creatures and I like to color them at the daycare I work at, but similar to birds, they just fly wherever they want and they try to attack you and I hate it! I hate bugs! I'm not just afraid of them, I hate them.
4. Closed In,Tight Spaces
More commonly known as claustrophobia, this is probably my most normal fear. I don't like feeling trapped in a small space. Occasionally it will effect me in a car, usually only if I've been in the car a very long time or we're in a parking garage. I get very claustrophobic in planes. But I still ride in planes, I just fall asleep for as much of the ride as I can, and then I'm usually okay. In high school I told my friends that I was claustrophobic and they locked me in a closet (we aren't friends anymore). I started hyperventilating and ate the peanut butter that was in the closet.
5. Bridges
If I'm in a car and it goes over a bridge, I hold my breath and I'm fine. If I'm driving the car, I have a hard time going over the bridge, it makes my body tense up. If I'm walking over a bridge, I have to hold someone's hand for support. And some bridges, I won't go over at all. My mom told me that once at Disneyland a bridge broke and we all fell in the water. It was just a little bit of water, but I was a little kid and my mom and to pull me up to keep my head out of the water. I don't remember that happening, but maybe my fear of bridges stems from that.
6. Clowns
Lots of people I know are scared of clowns, so don't judge me too harshly on this one. Clowns are creepy! Even the ones trying to be all happy and make children laugh, they're still creepy! At a parade a clown poked me with his cane. Why? I don't know! But I didn't like it. And it didn't help my like clowns. Also at the same parade a few years earlier, my best friend and I were playing catch in the street (it was closed off for the parade and the parade hadn't started yet) and a golf cart full of clowns tried to run her over! Seriously, they could have gone around easily, but they didn't even try, just headed straight for her. She's more afraid of clowns than I am, so that experience really wasn't good for her. (I also want to add that while looking for an image of a clown on Google, I found this quote: "If nobody likes clowns why do they even exist?" Yes! Thank you!)
7. The Monster in the Closet
Okay, this one's kind of a joke. But I can't sleep with my closet doors open. I don't know why. I think it has to do with the fact that in the dark, the inside of my closet looks even darker, and it's just creepy. But lets just go with the monster in the closet thing.
8. Heights
I don't know if this is true. I love hiking and rock climbing (indoors, I've never done real rock climbing) so I've dealt with heights before. I think it's more edges. I don't really like looking over the edge. That sort of applies to my fear of bridges as well. If you can find it (I couldn't, but I didn't look very hard) you should listen to the Barenaked Ladies song "I Don't Like" because it talks about being afraid of edges just like me.
9. Ladders
I hate ladders. I don't even like step ladders. I don't like being on the first step of a tall ladder. I don't trust ladders. I feel a lot of my fears stem from my massive trust issues. I don't trust animals because I can't understand them, I don't trust bridges to keep me safe, I don't trust clowns to... not be creepy, and I really just don't trust ladders. (Ironically, my dad put a ladder in my room and it's sitting right across from me, in plain sight while I type)
10. Falling
This kind of goes back to my fear of bridges, and heights, and ladders. I am scared of falling. I'm a ballroom dancer and the guys are supposed to lift us into crazy tricks, but I'm scared of it because of my fear of falling and my severe trust issues. My ballroom coach always makes fun of me for it. There's only one person on my team I would do lifts with, because he's big, a cute kindergarten class called him "The Beast". But even when he lifted me, my hands got all shaky. It's definitely one of my biggest fears because it holds me back from doing lots of things.
So there you have it, 10 of my fears. Sadly, I think that there are more. I just can't think of them right now. Actually I can think of a few more, I won't go into details, but here they are:
Slipping on ice
Hurting other people
Being laughed at
Haunted houses
Horror movies (since it's almost Halloween I'll be writing a blog post about my opinion on haunted and/or scary things)
Old people
Injuries
Stepping on gum (oh boy, I have lots to say about this...)
