No Restraint

So I have come to really appreciate people who don't hold back. This can be the man who throws his arms around you in utter adoration....or the server at the restaurant who tells our manager that he should stop telling us to get busy when all HE does is stand around and chat......or maybe the roommate who says "get out of our apartment!" Haha oh.....I love people like that. Probably because I hold back waaaayyyy too much.....I think I need a man like that in my life.. :) Thank goodness I have such great sisters.... :)

Re-Discovering Old Discoveries

1. Racquetball is one of those forgotten, yet incredibly fun sports. We had our ward activity on Saturday at Noah's. I thought it was great! It got me back into my racquetball swing. There was also wallyball, lots of pizza, pool, good music, great people....

2. Having dinner together nightly helps to re-kindle friendships. Kleresa made up this delicious stuff.....I don't even know what was in it, but man! It was soooo good! And we play the finger-on-the-nose game to figure out who is gonna pray. Camille lost..er..won.

3. Black and white makes anyone look better. Just some fun with my camera haha....sometimes I try to take the pictures that everyone else takes..you know, those classic poses....

4. Christmas trees should come down a lot sooner than January 24th...Yes, our Christmas tree is still up........for wayyyy too long. We decided we would just decorate it for each holiday--pretty soon it will be covered in hearts for Valentine's day.

5. Even though we have our differences, I believe all people can come to a point where they find common ground, and form great relationships.

6. After a year and a half of owning this camera, I finally figured out how to put it on black and white, sepia, and do other color options. It's like a whole new world has opened up to me!

Yoga is my new best friend

I have come to realize how much I LOVE yoga! I started it about a month ago, and my body feels so good after doing it! For anyone who gets stressed easily, or has difficulty with joint problems, or really anyone, it is a GREAT workout. Pilates is great too, but I feel like a lot of times it is overdone in the media and such. (though it is still great....they really are prettymuch the same, to be honest)

This is my favorite:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/38652/yoga-and-pilates-cardio-yoga

It's a twenty-minute cardio-yoga, so it gets your heart rate up while strengthening and lengthening your muscles--and its only 20 minutes! And it is easy on the body!

If you aren't feeling you get enough cardio, you can always jog for 15-20 minutes afterwards, if you have time.

GRE is DONE!

Tuesday was the big day for the GRE! It's overwith yay! I got a 540 on the verbal and a 610 on the math.....Im just praying I got at least high enough to get in, thats all that matters really.

Layten and I went together which was good because it made me a lot more diligent about studying and actually taking the test. I kept telling him how anxious I was, and he was like "Well, I am feeling surprisingly calm about it!" I don't know how guys can do that.

I think my brain was swimming all day afterwards, but we went out to Burger Supreme later with Layten's roommates and my roommates and then we had to leave really quick, but it was good to get out and do stuff with friends! And Burger Supreme is the BEST! :)

Boys Please Don't Do This....

Lately I have been watching some friends interact. Said friends are boys and girls. ;) Interacting with boys is very fun....especially when they open up to you and say great things to you that make you feel like they trust you and that they really enjoy being around you.

Boys, I will let you in on a little secret. Girls bond with each other...and by bonding I mean open up the feelings of love and care for each other....by confiding in one another, and having those kinds of conversations about their feelings and whats really going on inside that they only share with those they trust.

Girls, I will let you in on a little secret. Guys bond with each other by doing stuff together.

Ok, so can you see where this can get confusing? Boy opens up to girl, talks to her about his innermost secrets, wishes, and confides in her about things. He might tell her she is a great listener, that she is a great person, etc...each boy is different. The result: Girl starts to fall in love with boy. Boy doesn't really think about it because he isn't seeing this as a bonding experience. So boy never asks girl out, he just confides in her all the time, because boy does not find interest in this girl. Girl, however, thinks boy is totally wanting to start a relationship....so she hangs on for a long time and loves him more and more each day.

Boys, if you aren't interested in the girl, it might be good to not be confiding in her so much, because what will happen is she will feel like she is being led on. She will get hurt very deeply, because her emotions have been open up so much--she has opened up her heart to you a great deal, and because you are opening up your heart to her she will think you reciprocate her feelings. This is true at all times...and especially in marriage. "Cleave to your spouse and to none else"--that doesn't mean just physically, but cleave to her emotionally as well. Let the girl you LOVE be the one you confide in, please don't be a heartbreaker. And you will for sure break your wife's heart if you aren't confiding in her but in someone else. (And from what I have heard, it goes both ways--girls AND guys...so girls please be careful not to confide in the BOYS you aren't interested in...)

On the flip side, this is a great way to build the love and trust in a relationship with your spouse. I think that's why women are always wanting men to to share their feelings--it makes the woman feel closer to him, and makes her feel secure in the sense that he really loves her because he trusts her enough to open up to her. Think of how much more pleasant she will be if she has that assurance. And girls, go and DO things with your hubby (or boyfriend), that will make him feel more bonded to you. :) Like, curl up to him on the couch while he is watching his football. Or go fly fishing with him. Who knows. :)

New Year!

I am now going to follow the trend of blog postings and discuss the new year!

I do not usually make new year's resolutions, as they typically are broken AND I prefer continuously striving to become better. However, this new year's came in good time. To kick off the new year, I re-organized, redecorated my room, and then I went shopping. Yes! Not for clothes, though. As I am unable to afford such expenditures.....I bought PAPER! Yes, indeed. Pretty paper. This year I am going to remember people's birthdays and make and send them a card. Especially those in my family...actually that is my goal, it has to do with my family. Sorry. Gotta start small. Ha! (But who says family is small? Really, I'd rather make sure I am showing love to my family first and foremost, as they are the most important!) This goal is a part of my overarching goal to "become more diligent and concerned at home", as Elder Bednar spoke in October.

Numero dos: Eat vegetables. Who actually eats vegetables regularly? Not this girl. So far, so good. I'd rather grab a piece of hot fresh bread.....but, thats not the best thing, as it just makes me want to eat more, and then I get fat. Woohoo.

And on to three: Get into Grad School. At the moment I am writing a blog post. But, before that, I was taking a nap because I got bored studying for the GRE. BUT, before that, I was studying for the GRE which I am taking this coming week. Yes!

Finally, I want to get another job. I have 8 months left in Provo, anyone know where I can apply that is hiring that wouldn't mind me staying for just 8 months? I would go to California, too, it would save money and I would just stay with my family. :) Whom I love and miss very much.

That's it! Goals are great things to have, but if we have too many, we never get any of them done! What are YOUR goals for this coming year?? I would love to hear them!!!