Sunday, January 22, 2012

75 Random Things

Do you ever have those times in your life where you seem to have lost sight who you are? It seems as though there are those people who know everything about me, but sadly those people are now spread out across the world. To remind myself of who I really am, I made a list 75 of random facts about my life. Since I'm sure there isn't anyone reading this who knows all of these, I thought I'd share. Was it conceited of me to talk about myself this much? Probably, but this one is more for me. 

1.      I have to sleep on my stomach.
2.      I am terrified of dogs. Terrified. I was attacked as a child and have never been the same since.
3.      Missionary letters are my favorite things in the whole world.
4.      I lived in the same house my entire childhood. This year is its 102 birthday! 
5.      I used to pretend to be a pilgrim and make my own stew out of rotting vegetables in the garden. Don’t worry, I never ate it.
6.      I’ve never opened a single Harry Potter book.
7.      I have a secret love for bruises.
8.      I have probably seen 1% of the movies most people have seen, including Disney movies, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. 
9.      Once upon a time, I wanted to be a mortician.
10.  I believe rain boots are heaven sent.
11.  I have been to Nevada, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maryland, New York, Washington D.C., Nebraska, and Wyoming.  
12.  I have an extensive amount of nicknames: Becca, Becs, Bec, Bex, Becky, Rebecky, Rebexie, Scribbles, Sexy Bexy, Chelsea, Ches, Becfast, Bextreme,
13.  I secretly tolerate Justin Bieber. Working at a girl’s camp all summer will do that to you.
14.  I’ve never been north of Logan, UT.
15.  I used to have an intense fear of taxidermied animals. 
16.  Sometimes I fall asleep in the shower.
17.  I have only spent 4 or 5 Christmases at home.
18.  When I was still in a crib, I used to smooth out the wrinkles in my blankets.
19.  I was once taught a Sunday School lesson by Stephanie Meyers mother-in-law.
20.  I have an unhealthy obsession with John Allred.
21.  Painting fingers nails is a weekly occurrence for me. That’s after toning it down… it used to be three times a week.
22.  Planning events is one of my favorite past times. When I was in elementary school, I used to elaborately plan my sister’s birthday parties.
23.  Life would be completely satisfying for me if I could wear ponytails, t-shirts, flip flops, and hoodies every day.
24.  Sometimes I drool unconsciously…
25.  I don’t think I’ve ever burped around someone outside than my family.
26.  I was the type of child that practically sent herself to her room.
27.  I fall asleep within 10 minutes of getting in the car, without fail-unless I’m driving.
28.  Cherry cheesecake brings me to my knees.
29.  I once had a talent of balancing 10 Smarties on my nose.
30.  I used to check under my bed every night for the man who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart.
31.  Organizing the cupboards used to be a favorite pastime of mine.
32.  I have two webbed toes on my left foot.
33.  I wrote a dramatic monologue about my sister’s accident for region drama. Miraculously, I placed.
34.  My handwriting is similar to a 12 year old boys’.
35.  I’m still afraid of the dark.
36.  Shopping is one thing I’ve never grown to love.
37.  I actually enjoy wearing dresses.
38.  I chose to get braces… and waited til I was 18 years old. I was frequently mistaken for a high school freshman.
39.  I’ve never colored my hair.
40.  I used to help the scouts pass off the scout oath and law because I memorized it from tagging along with my dad a time or two.
41.  I graduated high school with a class of 74 students.
42.  My home town doesn’t have street lights, stop lights, sidewalks, or stores. And I LOVE IT!
43.  I live for Sundays.
44.  My favorite movie is Pride & Prejudice, with The Joseph Smith Movie, Elf and Sons of Provo following close behind.
45.  I’ve never broken a single bone in my body.
46.  I used to be TERRIFIED of needles. After watching my sister in the hospital, I somehow got over it. I’ve since given blood ten times!
47.  I was Prom Queen at my junior prom.
48.  In 5th grade, I stepped on a toothpick which broke off inside my foot. After a month I had to go to the doctor to have it removed.
49.  I spent 11 weeks in the mountains with hundreds of 7th and 8th grade girls teaching them the gospel, having dance parties, hiking, playing games, and building eternal friendships.
50.  My wisdom teeth starting coming in when I was 13. When I had them removed as a freshman in high school, two of them had completely grown in.
51.  I tend to be a bit of a creeper…I’m an expert facebook stalker, peephole watcher, people observer. Hence being a psychology major.
52.  Gagging used to be a bit of a problem for me… I once dropped an egg and started dry heaving.
53.  I’ve had shingles before.
54.  For being under 70, I have an abnormal love for family history.
55.  I lived with 9 girls for 8 months and never had drama.
56.  My favorite hymns are I Believe In Christ, Praise to the Man, The Spirit of God, Abide with Me; Tis Eventide, and I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go.
57.  I once witnessed a huge fight, called the police, went to my friends to tell them the story, and 10 minutes after getting there the fighters came to hide out from the police-shirts torn and covered in blood. That was probably the most culturing night of my life.
58.  I am obsessed with houses (especially Victorian) and interior design.
59.  Yes, I do prefer to watch documentaries over anything else.
60.  Peas and cooked green beans make me gag. But bottled green beans are my favorite thing in the world.
61.  It doesn’t take much to make feel awkward.
62.  I’ve shot an M16 before.
63.  I LOVE the smell of alfalfa.
64.  I've never killed an animal.
65.  I’ve performed in The Music Man, Beauty and the Best (Silly girl), High School Musical (Ms. Darbus), and Fiddler on the Roof (Grandma Tzeitel).
66.  Making lists is how I function.
67.  There is a mole on the bottom of my foot. I never noticed until my mom told me to clean the chocolate off my foot.
68.  The smell and texture of canned pumpkin pie filling makes me want to vomit. Hence my disgust toward pumpkin pie.
69.  Getting ready for bed is my favorite part of the day.
70.   In my childhood I tried to make a cross stitch that said “I am a child of God”, but I ran out of room. It reads, “I am a child”.
71.  I used to be obsessed with Hilary Duff.
72.  I spent two years at Snow College before transferring to BYU. Snow was the LAST place in the world I wanted to go to school, but it just felt right. It was the BEST two years of my life and I can’t think of anything that would have been more perfect.
73.  Palmyra, NY, Duck Creek, UT and Ouray, CO are three of my favorite places in the world.
74.  I clogged for 7 years, which is why every joint in my body cracks with the slightest movement.
75.  Rainy days are my favorite.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

21 DAYS!

February 7th, you cannot come fast enough!!! Until then, I may reach insanity...

Friday, January 13, 2012

No Sugar January

What was I thinking??? I'm one of those people that sets goals, makes lists, and obsessively uses motivational quotes. Usually my motivation lasts long enough to push me to the end. No sugar January, on the other hand, is an exception. It wouldn't be nearly as difficult if I didnt work at a job that constantly surrounds me with cakes, breads, muffins, cookies, and any thing else with sugar that you can possibly think of. I didn't realize how bad it was, until I had a dream that I practically inhaled all the sweets I could get my eyes on and then after wanting to vomit, I remembered that I wasn't supposed to eat any of them.
 Even though I had to seat across the table from my two roommates as they enjoyed their Denny's cheesecake (my favorite!), I must admit that the adventure in the challenge makes it worth it! I definitely feel better!


 13 days down, 18 more to go! Piece of cake, right? Well, minus the cake part...

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Another Christmas, Come and Gone!

I can hardly believe another Christmas has come and gone in the blink of an eye. This Christmas season passed far quicker than I hoped it would! I've been able to spend my break in Phoenix (as usual) with my dad's side of the family. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by people you love, even when you only get to see them once a year.

Through trials and changes, I've realized how much of my life I spent focusing on myself, instead of on the Savior. As I read the story of the Savior's birth, I realized just how little I understand. Christ was born in the most humble of circumstances. Yet, He was perfect in every way. Who am I to blame my imperfections on a situation or environment? So, this Christmas I've decided to recommit. I want to keep the spirit of this season with me throughout the year. As each day passes, I find more and more imperfections that I have, more that I can improve on, more that I can become. I am overwhelmed by the amount of footage I need to cover to become like the Savior. But I have an increased desire to know my Savior. Not just know about Him, but to KNOW Him and love Him. So as this wonderful day of peace and joy closes, I am humbled by the progress yet ahead of me to become like the Savior. But I am learning, as Mary did, that "with God nothing shall be impossible".

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Finals Week

  • 9 Hours of Statistics in one day
  • Two 7 page papers due in the middle of finals week with 14 sources each.
  • Eating only PB & J's so I don't have food left here over the break
  • Singing ridiculous camp songs out of insanity
  • Much internal conflict about next semester...

Christmas Break, please come soon!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Day 30: Gratitude

Welp, my thirty days gratitude are up! What a joyful thirty days it has been! I realized just how much more optimistic life seems to be when I think of what I'm grateful for. Reminds me of the song (from A White Christmas-my favorite movie!) Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep. Also, the hymn Count Your Blessings, of course! It really is true how surprising it is what the Lord has done for us. So, in conclusion I'm grateful for gratitude. It definitely brightens my day. When I sit and think about it, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Even on the worst days, I am still so blessed! I hope to be able to be at least a little more grateful in my daily life because of this.

Day 29: Oakcrest

Seriously, where would I be without Oakcrest. Also, why does no one understand!!! Working at Oakcrest was one of the single-most life changing events I've had. I'd like to think I'm a new person because of that camp. Who would have thought that 11 weeks in the mountains with a bunch of girls would do what it did. I miss absolutely everything about that place! Okay, maybe not the homesick girls, camper cards, or Monday mornings. I have a problem and cannot express my feelings without a list... AH! Oh well. So here it is. Things I miss/love about Oakcrest (brace yourself).

  • Receiving cards Monday morning and reading things like "doesn't work well with groups", "doesn't like having a schedule", or worse-the blank ones.
  • Trying to act as ridiculous as possible in Aspen Grove, even though we were all exhausted.
  • Teaching FHE about self esteem and the importance of the Savior.
  • The Monday Night Program, especially the video "Our True Identity" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiiadnMvm20
  • TEACHING UNIT PRAYER!!!! Favorite part of Oakcrest.
  • The sound of girls hitting the mat at the end of the zipline. Never gets old!
  • Staff meetings, where counselors show how tired they really are.
  • Making up count-offs.
  • Singing the theme song, "Stand With The Savior".
  • Broken down buses and lingering campers.
  • Coloring! We were the "Scribblets" after all....
  • Sitting in the bathroom just to have 2 minutes of peace.
  • Free time with the girls.
  • The smiling faces of the Kitchen Staff. 
  • Tuesday night party with costume (made of butcher paper) parade.
  • Craft time=nap time.
  • Painting finger nails, even if it meant my nailpolish never lived again.
  • Realizing on Friday that your girls really do love you! 
  • The staff mission statement. 
  • Hairy's chicken costume 
  • Blank stares from campers. Hourly.
  • Side ponytail Tuesdays. 
  • Dance parties to Hannah Montana (but the girls would only dance if JB came on). 
  • Walking outside to find girls lighting their hands on fire at 2 am. 
  • Waking up the first morning to snow.
  • Sunday nights with the staff.
  • Ticks. And campers thinking every bug in the world is one.
  • The attractive attire on hike day. 
  • Praying 20 times a day.
  • Hike. Mostly seeing girls who wouldn't sit in the dirt.
  • Chasing moose off the mountain without the girls noticing.
  • Roasting starbursts over the candle.
  • Dead mice in rolled up carpet.
  • Testimony meeting-even though it was the most nerve racking and most awkward by far.
  • Conveniently having the whiney girls clean the toilets during kapers.
  • Late night chats with roommates.
  • Rainboots. Period.
  • Scattering sunshine.
  • Girls guessing counselor names.
  • 3 page get-to-know you papers from campers when most girls wrote 3 sentences
  • Thinking we were cool for learning the Hoe Down Throw Down.
  • Salamanders in firepits (with Nesquik).
  • Bathroom quotes. 
  • The birthday song.
  • Painting rock friends.
  • Notes from campers (Probably my absolutely FAVORITE part!)
  • Jedi braids.
  • Tucking campers into bed.
  • Girls trying to take pictures of the north star. 
  • Successful testimony meetings when they're least expected.
  • Oakcrest miracles, where do I even begin???
  • Guhnat covering me in cake batter and powder sugar.
  • Girls collapsing at the sound of Justin Beiber.
  • Campers that tell me they're breaking up with their boyfriends after camp! YAH! 
  • Watching girls change their hearts in 5 days. 
  • Thursday night fireside from the Womens Committee.
  • Foam slide. Mostly because it meant shower time. 
  • Overflowing toilets.
  • Camper skits, especially the ones about counselors. But even more so, the ones that made no sense at all. 
  • Power outages
  • Spraying girls with water in the face during human foosball.
  • Cookouts! =Counselor bonding+fire+dutchoven-even when its raining.
  • Friday scripture study  (especially with Guhnat) and testifying of the Book of Mormon.
  • The sunsets at Oakcrest.
  • Gospel classes by the directorship. 
  • Not having a cell phone all week! 
  • Daisy and Aunt Polly in the Trading Post.
  • Guhnat wetting her pants weekly.
  • Flour fights.
  • Waka Waka.
  • Mail from the Womens Committee.
  • Receiving revelation on how to help campers.
  • Listening to the sound of a smile! (When 500 people smile at the same time, you really can hear it!)
  • Staff Serenade every week!!!
  • Eavesdropping on camper conversations.
  • Finding bear poop on the trail between the cabins and Dogwood (bathrooms)
  • Watching other counselors with their girls. 
  • Listening to the girls singing Lone Tree only on Stake Night so their leaders knew how cool they were
  • Alex, the camper who hated me.
  • The rivalry of love with Buttercup.
  • Cinnamon roll hugs.
  • Screaming "Best Friends FOREVER".
  • Singing the Beaver Song.
  • Singing to the girls are they leave camp.
  • Dino nuggets.
  • The directorship!
If you've never been to Oakcrest, I'm sorry. One, because none of that made any sense to you. Two, because you're missing out on the greatest opportunity of your life!!!! Oakcrest was definitely the HARDEST 11 weeks of my life. But they were even more so the great 11 weeks of my life. I know I'm still leaving out a million things! No list can be composed to demonstrate my whole summer. But aside from the laughter and fun, Oakcrest strengthened my testimony of faith, prayer, the atonement, and the power of love. As we say at camp, THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! I know this because over the summer, I saw miracles happen daily that would not have happened except through the Savior. I'm am incredibly grateful for the friendships, trials, laughs, and lessons that Oakcrest has brought into my life. I will never EVER forget those 11 weeks.