Prodigal blogging daughter.

How does one come back from a long hiatus?

That has been the question I've been asking myself for MONTHS. I've been taking notes from Tia & Tamera on their E! reality tv show...and I figure if they can do it, so can I. (Can anyone else believe they pulled that one off?)

Anyhow, it was my senior year and it was nothing short of fast, stressful, and amazing.

The highlights:

• Parachute at the state fair
• Many nights' helpings of pazookie
• Bundled football games with FRONT ROW seats
• Knowing the true identity of Cosmo our beloved Cougar ;) 
• Election-year political rally
• Kenzie's 90's-themed surprise birthday party
• Dating my best friend of five years
• Falling (a lot) at disco skating
• Meeting lions, tigers, and bears at Utah's Hogle Zoo
• Getting back on my snowboarding horse - also falling (a lot)
• Spending time with my family peeps
• School projects with my BSBF's (business school best friends)
• Going to my last class---EVER. 
• Babysitting my little loves
• Living with my little sister for the last time
• Walking in commencement

**You know he's a winner when he'll take a pole picture with you.



Thanks to everyone who loved, helped, and supported me through the journey. I can't believe it's already over!

It's been so long since I've last looked at this thing that 1. I've forgotten my password 2. I'm having difficulties navigating through blogger's new look and 3. Mom has decided she's mad at me. Yikes.

I'm in Nashville having the absolute time of my life as an intern at the Country Music Association. It's a non-profit that fundraises money for Nashville's metro school music programs with the summer CMA Fest....and then they throw the CMA Awards in their downtime during the Fall/Winter. (No big deal, right?) It's a pretty humble company considering their magnitude in the industry, but then again, so is Nash in general.

It's hands-down, the best place ever to me. People here are real life Hannah Montanas. They live double lives and it's so incredibly refreshing. During the weekends they bale hay and build barns on their farms and then they turn into kick-A music executives during the week.  To the people that say you can't have it all....I beg to differ.

Anyways, I've been pining to "be" here ever since I visited my brother Trent a few years back. I know it probably sounds so hokey but I liken the feeling I had then to stomach butterflies intermingled with the sound of an angelic choir calling my name....it also was suddenly a very bright day. Not really...but kinda. It was weird.

I applied as a transfer student to a university here but decided I couldn't afford it. So a summer internship was my plan B. And the event that transpired next went something like this:

(On the phone with Cami)

Me: "Ya, I'm so glad you're loving that event design class you are in, Cam! It's so rad that it's networked you with all these great planners and that at this rate you'll totally be doing what you want to do in like, four months. So like...do you want to just drop it all and come with me to Nashville?"


Cami: "Nashville? Yup. When are we leaving??"


And just like that, I had my best (and longest) college friend and role model as my Nash partner in crime. She dropped her entire life, just for me!


                                                ...... I hope you are ready now for a bomb of photos....








It's the perfect combination of big city and small town feel...no?



Any Nashville tour wouldn't be complete without a Southern plantation. This one happens to be the Belle Meade Mansion. Almost all of the horses that compete in the Kentucky Derby have bloodlines that trace back here (even Seabiscuit and The Secretariat)!



Tennessee is also home to the South's largest Amish community. Obviously Cami and I had to appease our curiosity and visit.  I found it all so fascinating and it was one of my favorite adventures to date. We visited lots of their home-shops and almost bought a puppy. Instead we bought goldfish and named them after our two Amish friends we made that day, Anna and Enos Gingrich.

Sadly, Enos Gingrich was only with us two days...





Also extremely exciting was the day we got to attend Luke Bryan's Platinum party for Tailgates and Tanlines. In attendance were his publicists, managers, songwriters, family....and then us. Hahaha.  It's no secret that Luke is probably one of the sexiest men to walk this earth....but really. The boy can shake it like a Country Girl. Ow ow! CMT wrote an article about it that summed it up perfectly here.



This was the morning I bought Justin Bieber tickets at 10 am PST exactly. It was so exhilarating! I thought they went on sale the day before and called my mom in a panic....it was oddly familiar to the night I made my entire family stay up until midnight because I thought High School Musical 3 went on sale at Walmart.

.....But if JB's Never Say Never movie taught me anything, it was that his concerts sell out in like 21 minutes!



Let's jump a state: Atlanta, Georgia. I've wanted to visit there for soooo long. Cami and I went on a walk and realized that the next day was the start of Memorial Day weekend. We jumped in a car the next morning and were on our way. We were fairly proud of our spontaneity.



Our first stop in ATL (I feel like a local saying that) was a tour of the Braves Stadium. It was perfect timing because there was a game that afternoon so Scotty McCreery was doing a soundcheck. We got a free concert, though we would have gladly bought tickets for the game if we could have. ;)

We found that my mom's friend Dale Murphy was EVERYWHERE. 

The CNN tour was insane. We couldn't take pictures in all of the really cool, interactive parts (like seeing Soledad O'Brien filming on set)....but by the end I was feeling and using news industry lingo like Rachel McAdams on the movie Morning Glory. (That's my favorite girl empowerment movie, btw.)



Did you know Atlanta is home to Coca Cola? I didn't either. We visited the World of Coke Museum and got to taste Coca Cola products from every country in the world. I had an EXTREME sugar crash about thirty minutes after.... I only semi-regretted it all in the 2573% humidity outside walking to the car.

It's like feeling engulfed in an oven.

And I can still feel the sweat collecting on my forehead.

Maybe bangs weren't the best idea?





Let's jump to another state: Huntsville, Alabama. We made the trek down with my cousin Benji to visit my second cousins. They are the most welcoming and kind people I've ever met....and I can't wait to go back to visit! Next time it will be a longer stay where we actually have time to go in the NASA space museum, too.



I know you are probably getting sick of this post...I am too. I just have to close with the best week of my life thus far. It started with the CMT Awards. We were seat fillers...which could have been semi-cool or reallyyy cool depending on where you got placed. I got placed in Section 115, the section above where all the Country royalty sat. I got to watch up close their expressions when they were announced a winner....I got to watch how sweet Mike Fisher treated his babe of a wife - Carrie Underwood....I got to watch how every artist made a point to chat with Luke Bryan (I guess he's their favorite too)...I even got to experience how they all spend the entire show standing and talking to each other, but then make sure to sit down in their seats five seconds before the camera is scheduled to film them clapping. So in my case, being a seat filler was reallyyy cool...and I felt for the seat fillers put in the nosebleeds.



The next day was the start of the FESTivities. Four days of utter exhaustion and excitement. I would like to divulge more...but I have a scene from The Hills where an intern prospect gets fired for tweeting about her interview replaying through my head. So ya. Like I said, best week of my life!






.....


Oh ya, Jessica and I (another intern) are obsessed with this App. FACE JUGGLER. Soooo funny.



And that was my post encore, friends. Goodnight!

The truth about this culture.

There's something different about Provo....

For so long I thought it was the result of the honor code and obvious sexual tension of the campus, but I was wrong. I mean they explain the surface difference, but there's something more. There's more to it.

It's perfectionism. Girls have to be Betty Crocker, Twiggy, Hermione Granger, and Taylor Swift in the same moment. It's nuts! I can't stay Twig skinny (Twig. Twiggy. Get it?) while I'm trying to win over someone's stomach. And I most definitely can't be a know-it-all in my classes if I'm staying up all night writing cute and articulate melodies with my crush's first name.

Note my second epiphany: GIRLS, WE DO IT TO OURSELVES.

(And if you are reading this saying,  "Duh, I figured this out a lifetime ago"  .....well then, I feel a little awkward and embarrassed, or rather awkwardly embarrassed. Evidence that I've been far too caught up into this worse-than-reality-tv nightmare.)

Why else do I put up arms every time another girl walks into the room? And why is it that I'll proceed to pull out my imaginary shotgun and vicious eyes of death if she doesn't comfortably fall behind me on my perceived perfect-girl criteria rating?

I probably shouldn't even be admitting this...but maybe doing so is a step in the right direction?




Since I already did my homework AND made a delicious chicken entree for dinner, I guess I'll go back to my library of self-produced lyrics now....ha.

It's a new year and I want to start it all caught up.

Aside from my many adventures in Europe that tripled (or possibly even quadrupled) my total post count, a lot has happened. But for unabridged record keeping's sake, a little re-cap:
         
             -TEN countries in FOUR months:
                      Scotland, Wales, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Holland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Italy
             -SIX musicals
               Billy Elliot (twice), Mama Mia, Les Miserables, Wicked, Legally Blonde, Dreamboats & Petticoats
             -SWAN LAKE ballet
             -MADAME BUTTERFLY opera
             -COUNTLESS museums
             -ADVENTURE with my mama
             -NEW YEAR'S in HOLLAND, ST. PATRICK'S DAY in IRELAND, and GOOD FRIDAY in ROME

You would think life just couldn't get much better than that......only it does.

1. Became an officer in BYUSA. (BYU's equivalent of a student government.) This has meant an unbelievable amount of hours, but rewards in the form of great friendships, superb leadership training, fun retreat adventures, and parade inclusion.



2. Sat in the President's Box at a BYU football game. This was truly momentous; I met Elder L. Tom Perry and conversed with President Samuelson, among others, whilst enjoying fine dining.



3. Attended my very first Parachute concert. They are my absolute favorite band and after the misfortune of missing them earlier in the summer, I relished every moment.



They did a post-show jam session. Though it was great, it didn't quite make up for the fact that my sister betrayed me by getting a picture kissing Will on the cheek at the earlier concert I missed. She deserved coal in her stocking for that one.

4. Was a counselor to a group of freshmen at a leadership conference. The "Sunny Buttahs" had it going on.




5. Enjoyed a brief stint living with my sister. She thinks she's too cool for me now because she landed herself a boyfriend and is now practically Martha Stewart when it comes to cooking. I only publicly announce this in the hopes that it will win me points for another sushi night.



6. Went to a RASCAL FLATTS concert. We got there late and were frustrated with our lawn seats when a member of the crew gave us EIGHTH ROW seats. It was a total Justin Bieber movie moment, only better because it was real life and was happening to yours truly. In another life I'll thank him, and my roommate who gave her ticket to me. (She now regrets it.)



7. Went to many football games with family and friends. In fear of an uprising from the common football folk, it was as enjoyable as inside the President's Box.



8. Received tickets to General Conference in SLC.....enlightening to the core, as always. And I ran into this guy, in the flesh!



9. Attended my very own surprise party. (Thanks Brandon and Jen.)



10. Boogied in my seat at the So You Think You Can Dance 2011 tour. (The highlight of every year.) They changed it up a little this year to be even more of a production....and I'm not complaining!

Note: As always, tears were shed. Also, Jess is sublime in person.



11. Saw Parachute A SECOND TIME, but with VIP passes this time around. Well worth the $$. These guys are the greatest thing since Animal Crackers.



12. Spent the holidays at home with the people that matter most--family.



PS. I promise I don't wear that shirt every day....














And the holiday's best picture:

                                                    .....Classic.

D4K

I haven't blogged in months. This time instead of having nothing to say or feeling too overwhelmed with backlogging, it's that I just haven't had time. No time to shower, no time to socialize, no time to study, nada. Life has turned absolutely crazy, and I don't even know how it happened.

Basically, I came back up to Utah and something happened:


DoForKids: I more or less started a non-profit with four of my girlfriends.

  Wait.....what??

I still can't believe it's all happening. It's our version of education reform, which we think is pretty innovative and....do I dare say it.....genius. (I said it.) We just rocked a presentation to Teen Mobile so I feel so inclined as to not be modest... 

In a few words, kids utilize their networks (both tangible and in the social media world) to fill out surveys for interest in our sponsors' services they use everyday (internet, cable, cellular networks, etc). They are required to pick up the call with a price estimate and the kid gets $5.....which obviously translates into a lot more money with a bigger network. That doesn't include the donation and other incentives to the school or organization, either. No obligations, just a lead call.

I spent way too much time fussing over tired products I had to fundraise for my cheer teams....and in which my mom was forced to buy entirely to meet the set quota.

I'm really proud of it. Check it out here.

Utah introductions.

This little lady just graduated....and is officially all moved in.
With me. In Provo. For the summer. Oh blessed summer classes.

It's been quite fun. Everyone and their hamster asks if we are twins....and if she's older. But I'm not quite at the stage of life where that's a compliment, at least not yet. You see the problem..

She has honestly been having the time of her life. And I'm not even remotely exaggerating by saying she has gotten a surplus of attention.

Tonight one of her dates came by to see her. I was in the process of cutting a watermelon. He politely introduced himself upon hearing I was the (currently) not-so-famed older sister. So I offered my hand forward for a friendly handshake. Only I was still holding the large knife.


It was totally and completely unintentional. Of course.

All about Dad.

*In a puffy black vest, jeans, ultra-durable tennis shoes, and 2+ headlamps attached to his forehead.

*In a white robe on the couch eating fancy, protein-ambushed eggs while watching the morning news.

*In pristine, ironed golfing attire and an obnoxiously big golfing club as an accessory, practicing his swing in the family room with the professionals (boringly) doing what they do on the tv screen.

*In a white lab coat and freaky magnifying glasses peering into my mouth with an odd instrument at his office.

*In my high school stadium wearing red attire and a paparazzi-status camera lens...taking flip-book like pictures while cheering/graduating.

These are the images that flood my mind regarding my dad. My sweet, can-talk-to-anyone-in-the-elevator, athlete obsessive, too-kind-to-yell-at-a-fly, and tells-his-patients-more-about-me-than-I-know-myself father. He's the absolute best. And I want to celebrate him on this Father's Day. Because he is extra special to me....and he deserves to know that.


 




 



Dad, thanks for being so supportive, loving, and generous. Thank you for specially ordering my personalized license plate HAYBAY, that I now get teased for as an aspiring young professional in the university world. Thank you for only getting truly mad at me once, that being when I destroyed my front bumper after accidentally driving into a center divider. Oops. Thank you for selflessly financing all of my worldly adventures. Thank you for shedding a tear (I can almost swear you did) at my graduation...adding to the only other two times you've cried on record in your life (while watching the movie Field of Dreams and when Magic Johnson announced he had AIDS). I guess mostly, thanks for being you. I love and adore you more than High School Musical, more than So You Think You Can Dance, and more than my mascara--which really means a lot because there are very few things in life that can compete with the three.

I love you, Dad.

And I hope you've had a wonderful, stupendous, LOVE-filled Father's Day.

xoxo.