Summer Adventures

Well, I'm moving to BYU next week. Do you know how weird that is? Really weird. I'm super excited, but I'm a little sad too, because it means that summer is over!

 

The past three months have been absolutely fantastic. It's probably been my best summer yet. My friends and I had a lot of new adventures, from running races with Breanna to shopping for college stuff with Brianna to Institute with the Lunch Bunch. We also had to say goodbye to our friends that have chosen to serve LDS missions for the next two years. I'm super proud of them and I wish I could have made it to all of their farewells, but Nauvoo dictated otherwise...

 



Breanna and I after our first 5K of the summer!

 

Farewells with the Lunch Bunch

 

In June, my family headed off to Nauvoo, Illinois. This year we were blessed to participate in both the Nauvoo Pageant and the British Pageant. It was so cool to be able to represent the early members of the LDS church and my ancestors. We all learned so much and felt the Spirit.

 

One of the lessons I learned from Nauvoo was that I need to stop worrying so much. For months, I had stressed over college and dorms and scholarships and registration and other important things to the point that I was no longer excited to go. But in Nauvoo, that changed. During the first week we were there, we learned TWO full-length pageants, learned the music, figured out costumes, and had two dress rehearsals. In the drama world, this is unheard of. The directors should have made us work scenes over and over, stressing over every single little detail, but guess what? They didn't. They gave instruction, told us to do our best, let us run it a few times, assured us it was good, and moved on. I was amazed. Our wonderful directors took what we had to offer and made it work instead of stressing over what we didn't have. This made me realize that I spent WAY too much time stressing over what I thought I wasn't ready for. So now, I'm just doing what I can do, and not worrying about anything else. If it's outside of my control, why stress? Just do the best you can, and let the Lord do the rest. You are enough. 

 

The GORGEOUS Nauvoo Temple. Sorry the picture quality is awful... silly phone cameras...

 

After Nauvoo (or Britvoo, as it's been dubbed this summer), the fun only continued. There were more missionary farewells, another 5k (thanks Breanna, that was fun), more college prep, a craft day with Brianna for our apartment, a family reunion, a camping trip, Girl's Camp (I got to go as a leader this year! I was so happy!), and a bunch of pretty fantastic adventures with Tanner. A word of advice: If you're ever a Girl's Camp leader, never leave your phone where your girls might find it. I had sooo many selfies on my phone when I got home. Chicas, you have no idea how close I was to posting them here. ;)

We got to tour the beautiful, newly remodeled Ogden Temple! It's amazing.

 

Don't you just love our styling life jackets? ;)

 

It really was a great summer. Now my sisters are headed back to school, and get this, Emylee is starting high school. I took her on a tour of my old school a few days ago. It was so surreal. But the good news is that I am officially excited for college again! My friends are going in all different directions, which is a big, hard change, but I'm so grateful that Brianna, Breanna, and Rachel will be at BYU with me. I'm really looking forward to a great Freshman year. Plus, Brianna and I have found and made some great dorm stuff, so our apartment is going to be totally adorable. Who wouldn't be excited? ;)

 

Thanks for reading, and have a wonderful day!

Graduation

Well, summer is almost over, and I have posted nothing. The past three months have been insane, but what's new? ;) I have a lot to write about, but graduation and the end of my senior year deserves its own post. So look out for summer posts in the next couple of days, and enjoy the following on graduation and the end of the school year. :)

The last month of school was an absolute blast. Granted, it was incredibly stressful and I'm pretty sure I almost had the third A- of my high school career (gasp!) but I survived and had the best last month of high school possible--especially after AP tests were over.

We had our final choir concert, which was Disney themed and absolutely fantastic. Chamber sang "Under the Sea," "Trashing the Camp," and "We're All in This Together." It was fabulous. Meanwhile, we were also furiously learning graduation music plus the coolest arrangements of "In Flanders Field" and "America the Beautiful" for a Memorial Day service. Choir really ended with a bang! It was so hard to leave Mrs. Warby and Chamber--we've been through so much together this year, and we've had a ton of fun. I miss them all, and I'm so grateful I had the privilege to work with and learn from this amazing group of people.

There was a school activity every weekend in May, so my friends and I pretty much had a party all month. We had a fabulous Senior Dinner Dance, a fun day at Lagoon, Cavestock, and our all-night graduation party! Unfortunately, we only got a few pictures of these events, and this is the only one I have, so here it is. :)

Graduation, however, was well documented. :) That morning, three of my best friends and I had a photo shoot with the amazing Mandy Douglass, who is one of my favorite people ever! Here are some of my favorites:  

We had fun. :)

And then, we graduated! I got to sit up on the stand with a bunch of my friends and fellow Sterling Scholars and stare out at all the kids I have gone to school with for almost twelve years. It was a little sad to realize that our time together was over, but I'm so excited to see what the wonderful class of 2014 does. It's going to be great!

Funny story, though. I almost messed up my walk to get my diploma. I paused in front of the big AF sign to get a picture just like I was supposed to, but then I almost walked back to my seat. I corrected my path after a second or two, but the superintendent noticed and was laughing really hard by the time I got to him. I got my diploma and shook the principle's hand and then the superintendent's wife's hand. She whispered in my ear "I just love it when women are smart. Keep it up." I was choking. She apparently didn't see my major blond moment just seconds earlier. But my family did, and they have it on film, which I am just so thrilled about. ;)

Speaking of my family, I have to pause and talk about them for a minute. They are amazing. I love them so much, and I am so grateful for everything they have done for me over the past eighteen years. I am so blessed to have two amazing younger sisters and a hilarious younger brother and the most awesome parents ever. And then I have fabulous grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. Thanks for supporting me, y'all. :)

My favorite Emylee on the face of the planet... ;)

Lenny came and surprised us! We had a Justice reunion! :)

Some of the "Lunch Bunch"... sorry we missed half of you...



Afterwards, we stayed up all night playing Clue, eating junk food, and playing Mario Kart. It was pretty fantastic.

So there you go! The end of high school was a bit sad, but it was a ton of fun. I'm so grateful for the wonderful friends I had during the past three years. They are all heading off on LDS missions and to college, and I am so proud of them. They have been such marvelous examples of strength, faith, and hard work to me, and I know I wouldn't have survived high school without them. These people rock!

Well, thanks for reading this really long post. :) Have a wonderful day!