!!!

We're putting a stamp on this semester and calling it "DONE".

Now on to the next thing... stay tuned.

Finals Week: Winter Semester 2012

Finals Week starts this Saturday. 

Tomorrow I have a research paper to turn in. 

Saturday at 8 pm I have my first final. 

By Tuesday evening, the 17th, I will be DONE with this semester. 

You know what that means...

Sweat pants

Diet Coke

Post-it Notes

Flashcards

Dog the Bounty Hunter

Late Nights

Eraser shreddings

And (hopefully) some good grades! 

Oh, and after all of that...

Spring Term starts on the 24th. 

---

Dear Finals Week, 

I will take you down.

Regards, 

Me

You Must Be 'This Tall' to Ride

I always have such good blogging intentions. Then I log on and see that my last draft is from February! Goodness gracious.

It is spring time finally and the time has flown.

One again, its that time during the semester where everything seems to be happening at once. Here we go.  I'm glad to report that it is among the last in a long list of "end of the semester" pushes. I'm almost done! There truly is a light at the end of the undergraduate tunnel. Hopefully it is the shining sun of a lovely tropical paradise rather than an oncoming freight train. We'll see.

Aside from school, things are, well... pretty perfect. Here's my challenge: find someone more blessed than I am. I suggest just giving up now, because I'm not sure it is going to happen.

I have wonderful people in my life.

I have a wonderful place to live.

I live in the midst of beautiful mountains.

I have a wonderful job.

I go to a wonderful university.

It takes me less than five minutes to drive to Office Max and Staples (I love office supplies/organization).

Sue makes cupcakes all the time.

This morning I had Cocoa Puffs for breakfast while watching The Office.



What more could I ask for, really? I can't think of anything.

Now I find myself in the midst of another Utah spring, which can prove to be a pretty crazy coaster. No crazier, I'm sure, than the ride I'm creating for myself. I wouldn't have it any other way. Excuse me while I strap in, stow all belongings not attached to my person, and keep these hands, arms, and other objects inside of my ride. Its only about to begin.

One Year Older and Wiser, Too

A YEAR.

52 Weeks

12 months

365 days

A YEAR

YAAAYYY!

Congratulations on this milestone, Elder Smart. I am so proud of you. Watching you grow over this past year has been such a blessing and so much fun.

Here's just a few things that have happened in the year that you've been gone:

-I've been back to Germany twice.

-I've moved once.

-Britney Spears is getting married again.

-My mom has graduated and is working on her dissertation. Go girl!!

-Stanley died. RIP noble chariot.

-My grandpa has a girlfriend.

-Macall married a wonderful guy.

-I chopped off my hair (Its growing out nicely, I can't wait for it to be long again).

-Flower got TALL and turned 16...oh, the boys... ( ;

-Kaeley got TALL and turned 16...oh, the boys... ( ;

-The NBA went in and out of lockout.

-I got to level 3 in my Sudoku book.

-Joe grew out (and chopped) his hair for locks of love. What a guy!

-My pops has grown out his hair. I'm so jealous of how pretty it is!

-Raquel is still as lovely and driven and big-hearted as ever.

-I learned that lemon bars can't be warm when you cut them...doesn't work so well...

-We got two new kitties!! They're SO FUN.

-Brother Gough has had some tough surgeries.

-Glue stick is not Chapstick. Not even close.

-Papa Smart broke some bones.

-And so many other things!

So much has happened, and so much has stayed the same. The gospel is true. Jesus Christ is our Savior. The Word and Spirit of the Lord are on the earth. Those things will never change. Keep up the good work!! The people of Arcadia need you to do the very best you can. So does the Lord.

Again, I'm so proud of you. Here's to another rockin' year...go get to work! ( ;

Marie

Birthdays, Bluejeans, Bare feet, and Diet Coke

Oh man! It is DECEMBER, y'all. Can you believe it? I feel like I just finished taking all the links off of last year's count-down-to-Christmas paper chain. This year's is looking pretty scant already.

Here's how December has gone so far...

It started off with my birthday.

Well, not just my birthday, but mine and my sister's. I love sharing a birthday with her. She was born on December 1, 1995 and is the very best birthday gift I have ever received. She is so funny, smart, and full of life. She takes everything on with so much passion. I can't imagine a better birthday treasure than sharing the day with her.

That morning (her time) I called and wished her (us) a happy birthday. On her way out the door to work Beverly handed me some trash reading and fuzzy socks to stay curled up in bed with. I am a professional curl-up-and-get-cozy-er. When I finally emerged Sue made me breakfast burritos. It is one of my favorite meals of all time and the perfect way to start the day.

I basically lounged around for a little while, took a nice shower, got dressed, and enjoyed the slow pace of the morning. For lunch, Sue's sister Laura came over and Sue got us Kneaders sandwiches. Laura is another December 1st birthday and I enjoyed lunchtime with this fun crowd. My day was then fragrantly interrupted by the most wonderful delivery of flowers from my parents. I loved them!

A little while after lunch Beverly came home from work. She gave me a pair of beautiful earrings and a Fendi perfume, lotion, body wash set. It was heavenly! I was huffing myself all day long.

For dinner Sue made me spaghetti and a chocolate cake. I'm not sure many things can top a chorus of kids belting out "Happy Birthday" and encouraging you to take a fatty bite of cake.

After cake, Brandon was done with class. We curled up and watched a movie. A perfect chiller night to close out a perfect chiller day. I wasn't planning on getting to see him because of his busy schedule, and it was such a treat. The night before he took me out for a birthday dinner and gave me a beautiful necklace with a turquoise pendant. I'm pretty much the luckiest gal around.

I have so much to be grateful for. It was a great way to spend my birthday.

Now, pock-marking the rest of this December week are bluejeans and bare feet. Nothing feels better than throwing on some comfy Levi's and fixing a cup of hot chocolate. It is getting so chilly now! Friday is the perfect example. I got to play with some of my favorite guys on the planet. Brandon and I played with Ty, Danny, and sleeping Jimmer for the evening. I adore (all four of) them! They all crack me up. The freezing temperatures can't penetrate the wall of resounding laughter that they are so masterful at building.

Diet Coke will be the definition of the next part of December. We are going into finals week. That means dirty clothes, greasy hair, a constant presence of ibuprofen, and a few dozen pages of dribble to write. Then its visions of sugar plums and I'm Euro-bound. I sure do love December.

That Moment When...

You've taken a long shower.

You've cleaned your room.

You've made it to campus.

You've switched computer labs.

You've gotten ice cream.

You've checked your e-mail.

You've found a Dilbert strip that defines what you're doing.

You've checked your facebook.

You've read the requirements and opened the CodeCompiler.

You've googled more jokes about it.

You've checked your facebook again to see whether anyone has 'liked' your post about it.

You've re-opened the class website.

And now you've blogged about it.

Its that moment when there is nothing left to do except do it. That stupid, stupid lab...

It's A Time Thing

"Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can--working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hears are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf