The art of discovery. Does anyone have it figured out?

I can't help but feel overwhelmed at the shear number of things yet to be discovered out there. I love discovering beautiful and inspiring people with all my little might and I can't help but wonder if I can ever be the kind of person I aspire to. I know that we are all different and we all have something to share with the world, and for the first time I think I'm starting to discover what mine is. I'm learning to do things for me, not because they are or aren't cool, but rather because I love them. It's kind of like the thing that everybody talks about disliking just because everyone else dislikes it, but yet you actually kind of like it. I used to be embarrassed about things like that but now it brings me a bit of little pleasure inside.  To tell you the truth I have always had a persistent curiosity about people- how they work and how they think, and how and why they do the things they love. I guess that's why I love finding people that think outside the box and go and live life the way they want. I'm learning to take a bad stereotype that I don't necessarily like and make it my own. The way we grow up just about fixes our whole outlook on life but then you discover something totally outside of what you've ever known and a whole new world is opened up right in front f your eyes. I that the world could always use a bit more originality.

Is there anything more lovely?

 (From a couple of months ago)
I think flowers just might be my most favorite thing in the whole wide world. Picking, arranging, freezing, and drying have taken just about every minute of my down time lately. I just love it so much and I don’t think there’s any other way to say it.  The colors, the smells-everything! A couple of months ago I discovered that you can freeze edible flowers in ice cube trays and put them in water to add a little shebang. I don’t think my smile left my face the whole time I was making them. There’s just something about going out to the garden and making a little bouquet just because it makes you happy. I decided a long time ago that when I’m older I would go to the flower shop every week and pick out a cute bouquet for myself. Ever since I can remember, every time I went on a hike or something I would always pick a bouquet along the way. Flower crowns seem to be my favorite lately but whenever I walk anywhere I love to pick a few along the way and stick them in my braid.
   I like to think that God made them just for me sometimes.And without a doubt, they are one of His best gifts yet.  Having my own garden has been a lifelong dream of mine and I plan with all my little might to carry out that dream. I move around so much that I never quite get the chance, but I know that one day my time will come. All I need is a sunny day, music, and an occasional butterfly spotting, and I’m all good. There’s just something about being surrounded by it that’s just so indescribable and peaceful. Most of my favorite memories are all surrounded by nature. I mean what kid doesn't love being outside 24/7? Walking through fields is my all time favorite though. Just thinking about it gives me fuzzies. I guess all in all the world, and especially flowers, are just so....awesome.


Flowers are a proud assertion that beauty outvalues the utilities of the world - Emerson

A drive through the fields.

(Written a couple of weeks ago) Well, today marks two weeks since arriving in good old Rexburg ID. I know, right? So exciting haha. I freely admit I wasn't too terribly excited to come back. I guess it's because of some bad past experiences with the winter blues and all, but I'm discovering it's more about my attitude than anything. I mean all you hear about Rexburg is how crappy and cold it is, but really I think it's quit beautiful and really and truly the cold can be bad ...but it's not THAT bad. I actually really like it when it snows.  I remember my first semester my room mates and I drove out to the fields after it had snowed. I think it was one of the prettiest sights i had ever layed eyes on. Sure the weather sucks when it's just dead and icy, but when it snows at least it's pretty.
Last week we headed out towards the Tetons to do a bit of camping and rock climbing before classes started. I absolutely loved every minute(except for when I had to drive in the road construction traffic which was very scary since it was my first time driving=). We didn't realize it when we left, but we where headed into a big rainstorm. We were originally headed somewhere totally difference then we ended up but it turned out to be the pretties detour I've ever been on. Driving North you could see the sun across the golden wheat fields before being swallowed up by clouds. It was so beautiful I don't even know how to describe it. It started to rain by the time we got into the forested areas but no matter, I still kept my windows down as we drove. It was just too great of a scene not to.

.- i was quit proud of this one to say the least ;)-.

It was almost dark when we arrived so we started a fire and attempted to cook our tinfoil dinners. It was interesting to say the least hehe. Lets just say it was tasty with a hint of charcoal. It was kind of a pathetic sight once it started raining. I grabbed a sleeping pad and used it for cover while I ate my food with my fingers seeing we only brought two forks...oops.
The rain wasn't very kind that night but I think we all slept pretty good. Jess and joey braved it out on the uncovered hammock outside while me and Sam huddled in our one person tent. I have no idea how they survived actually. I woke up to a lovely bowl of oatmeal that Joey was so kind enough to make for me. A chill ran down my spine as I stepped out of the tent to see the last gimps of the sunset over horse shoe lake. The rain had all but ruined any chance of building a fire so we just stuck it out and bundled up all cozy in whatever we could find. After a quick bite we packed our things, put them in the car and headed out for a wee walk around the lake. It wasn't as wee as we thought but it was way fun. We would pretend the mud was lava and jump from one rock to the other, and whoever fell in lost. We also had berry wars, stick throwing contests to kill the "evil lake monsters", we rode on the "dragons back" and even found a couple of bones along the way. I know, it sounds like something you would do with a five year old, but I think all of us have a little bit of kid spirit left in them.

10 awesome things I discovered this month C=

1. The lovely and not to mention talented Oana Befort. Last night I stumbled upon her awesomeness while....well to tell you the truth I can't remember hehe, but she is super great. She is really big on Instagram and it's no wonder why. Her watercolor floral paintings are some of the loveliest I've ever seen and she takes some of the cutest dang pics you'll ever see. She also has a cute blog, etsy store and Pinterst that you should check out too.

2. Bluebirdblog! She is definitely on my top ten favorite of all time. She is the queen of thrift shopping and all things Vintage. I fell in love with her photography the first time I clicked on her blog.

3. Lovetaza. Number one of all time..at least so far. She was my first and still favorite blog discovery. Before she strolled into my life I thought blogging could never be very interesting but she proved me wrong She is a cute LDS girl living in NYC with her husband and two tater tots. I have yet to discover why I feel the way I do whenever I read it. Maybe it's her cute personality, her style, her photographs or maybe she's just plain awesome. I think it's the later.

4. You are my wild is next. I am a big fan of kids fashion as silly as that seems, and while wandering through Pinterest one of their photos really caught my eye. I promptly clicked on the website link and and the rest is history(aka spent way too much time going through each post. The blog is made up 14 photographers who post one picture each week of how they see their kids. I just love how inspired they make me feel.

5. Pixler. Now I know that there is tons of photo editing software out there right now but this one is great for if you have a couple of pics on your computer that need a little somum sumem. There are three levels of difficulty to choose from. It's a good for getting Instagram type affects on photos.

6. A beautiful mess is a  blog with just about everything cute. They have tons of just about anything you can think of-tutorials, fashion, recipes, photography, and decor. Definetely one to check out.

7. This picture

8. I love life.

9. Kinfolk Magazine-Super cute everything.

10. You can freeze flowers in ice cubes and it looks really cool.
Bonus: This song C=

Enjoy!

Life is a beautiful thing

 This morning marked the end of my time in Victoria and I couldn't help but feel like I was loosing a bit of myself as I said goodbye and boarded the ferry this morning. It was a foggy early morning which only added to the emotions of the moment. My friends got together and said a prayer for me before I left, wishing me good which made for a bit of an emotional parting. Feelings of how blessed and happy I was seemed to take over as I sat on the ferry watching the tips of the mountains peek out of the fog to get a look at the sunrise .
I have been so blessed lately it sometimes feels unreal or that I'll wake up tomorrow and it will all be over, but even if it did I would be grateful for all my wonderful memories and feelings. As crazy as it sounds, I'm learning that I can be happy without feeling it all the time. Life will never be perfect and neither will people but it's about making the best of what you have. I still have fears about the future because uncertainty is scary sometimes, but I hope that I will be strong enough to take whatever God sees fit to give me. I know that this life isn't the end and I have all eternity ahead of me. Life is hard sometimes but its the simple moments that make it all bearable. Life is wonderful and beautiful, we just need a reminder and a bit of hope to remember it sometimes.

Kayaking, dumpling, and an outdoor movie

 Well, I'm still on Vancouver Island with my buds the Carters. I have been here for a couple of weeks now and I have loved every minute. My heart was stolen my first ferry ride over here. It was sunset during the fall and everything about it was pure perfection. I love the weather, the mountains, the beach, the farms-EVERYTHING. I think downtown is just about my favorite place on earth. I have always loved this place and I don't think that will ever change. Well, this summer has not disappointed. Last night I slept over with a couple of friends for a yw activity and this morning we all kayaked to a little Island in Brentwood Bay. I didn't know any of the girls that well but it was fun to get to know each of their personalities.
We all enjoyed yummy pancakes in the morning before packing up and heading to the marina. With gear on and our paddles in hand we set off for the island. I personally love kayaking so much so it was a blast for me. Teesh and I paddled ahead and found a couple of small beaches to park the kayaks. We all ate our sandwiches and then explored a bit. I mostly just sat and listened to the adults talk but I liked it. I found a weird piece of drift wood and stuck lots of shells in it too make a statue but that's about it. Later that night we met a couple of friends in downtown Victoria for dumplings in Chinatown and upon finding out there was a movie playing in Beacon Hill Park we headed over to check it out. I loved it, cold and all, but we had to leave a bit early.
 Each night I like to think and evaluate the day-what I did wrong, what I love or didn't love, goals for the next day, ya know that sort of thing. I just thanked Heavenly Father for wonderful days like it. I was going through a hard time earlier this year but I just felt an overwhelming happiness and more importantly a thankfulness for all the wonderful things that have been happening. I got so used to feeling nothing that I forgot how much more wonderful life can be. I think we all seem to forget that sometimes. What with all the hustle and bustle of life and all. I don't really know how to explain it right now but I know that in the future when my writing skills are a bit better I will. I just have to keep reminding myself that I don't need to be worried about grammar on my own blog especially when it's just for me. I love my blog and I don't want to change that.

Toodles World!!!

                                     

Tofino!

Well, I'm still on Vancouver island. It's only the most beautiful place ever! A couple of friends and I decided to head up North and spend a couple of days surfing. Even though Ive lived by the water my whole life, Ive still never been so it turned out to be quite exciting for me. It was about a seven hour long drive but we managed to entertain ourselves with some Mumford and Sons while we stared out the window at the beautiful scenery. We got an early start so we managed to get there by noon. We drove straight to our camp sight where we picked up couple of surf boards and unloaded. As we were driving down to the beach the sun slowly vanished into the fog. Apparently that's the norm around there, but we didn't let it dampen our fun. It was actually pretty awesome being on a foggy beach. I loved watching all the other surfers disappear into the grey mist as they walked along the beach. I kept telling Tanisha how much I loved being there. It was literally one of my favorite moments. I've been all over the world, been to hundreds of cities, and seen thousands of people, and through all that I have found that each little place seems to have it's own little feel or moment to it-some good and some maybe not so great. I guess for me out was just one of those times when I really felt truly comfortable. I was nervous before going that I would stick out being that it was my first time surfing but I never felt judged whatsoever. I quickly found out that there were others in my shoes and that those who were further along had at one point been. I just loved everything about it I guess-the fog, the surfers, the chill-everything.
 I managed to legitimately get up a couple of times my first day. Once I got the hang of it it was more a matter of getting a good wave. We each went out in pairs taking turns. While I was sitting on the beach enjoying my snacks a huge wave washed up and got all our stuff wet. It was pretty funny seeing as there was a wedding going on about a hundred feet away. I can only imagine when they look back at their wedding video,saying their vows and in the background you see two girls screaming and picking up anything they possibly;y can before it gets washed out to sea.
After exhaustion finally set in we grabbed lunch at tacofino. It was by far the best boritto I had ever layed my grubby little paws on. With tummies filled and spirits high we headed back to camp to return our surf boards. Before it got to dark we headed into town for awhile to check everything out before it got to dark. We found a rally cool little fishing village type area where we hung out for a bit. It was still foggy so i made for quite a scenery. We even found a cool starfish on the rocks.
The rest of the night was filled with fire building and shadow puppets. I wanted to go hang out with the neighbors but I was too much of a sissy to go over and talk to them so I just listened to their awesome surfing adventures from afar.

POW WOW!

 So I kind of got to go to the coolest thing ever today. It's called a pow wow! I know, sounds awesome right? Basically, it's a First Nations festival on steroids. Actually it's just an awesome Aboriginal party where everybody puts on their native dress and dances around in a big circle while different people take turns singing and playing the drums. I was kind of jealous of their dancing skills. I wanted to dance too but you have to awesome/aboriginal. That plus I think a white chick dancing in the middle of a bunch of Indians would look kinda funny. But I am 1/16 Cherokee so technically I could have but I wasn't brave enough. I'm in Victoria on Vancouver island visiting some friends who happen to be 25% Cree which is pretty awesome if I do say so myself, even though they have blond curly hair and pail skin I still take pride in them anyway.

.-the dude on the far left is my personal favorite-.

50 things I love C=

-Notebooks with cute sketches on every page.
-How sunlight reflects off a lake just before the sun goes down.
-Knowing  you're the only one who saw something magical.
-Presents in the mail.
-Star gazing on the trampoline all snug in blankets.
-Art that makes you feel something.
-Lying on the soft grass an looking up at the sky.
-When my cat falls asleep on me.
-When something turns out to be even better then you had ever thought.
-Seeing a shooting star.
-When others are willing to share their passions and dreams with me.
-Discovering a new artist that you absolutely adore.
-Unexpected kindness.
-Old people holding hands.
-Dreaming about my future.
-Farmers markets.
-Watching the lights of the city from afar.
-Fireworks on the beach.
-Night swims.
-Sand castles.
-Rooftop gardens.
-Vintage door knobs.
-Old houses with character.
-Making a meal with ingredients you grew yourself.
-Looking behind you on an airplane to find everyone asleep.
-Baby toes.
-Waking up before anyone else to watch the sunrise.
-Catching snowflakes in my mouth.
-Walking home in the rain.
-Peaceful moments.
-Realizing the cute mannerisms of others.
-Beautiful coins and imagining who has held them.
-Knowing you accomplished something hard.
-Walking around in Anthropology stores.
-Them smell of fresh cut grass.
-Sleeping under the Christmas tree.
-Printing out a photograph you took.
-When people notice something special about you.
-Kisses on the cheek.
-Dreaming that I can fly.
-Climbing up the mast at sunset.
-Picking wild flowers on a hike.
-Seeing the seasons change.
-Vintage postcards with love letters written on the back.
-Being underwater.
-Feeding the ducks at my favorite park.
-Watching sunbeams come though windows.
-Little details.
-Doing something for the first time and loving it.
-Spiral staircases.
-Smiley faces.