Day 23 - My Favorite Book

This was an easy one.

My mom gave this book to my dad a long time ago and I'm pretty sure I immediately fell in love with it. I was always asking to "borrow" it and I'd keep it as long as I could. Finally, a few years ago, my dad bought me my own copy and wrote the sweetest note to me inside the front cover. So many of the things I try to live by I learned from poems inside this book.

Just to prove my love, haha, I corner all of my favorites.

Day 22 - Something I Wish I Was Better At

I wish I was better at
telling stories.
I get distracted so easily. :(

Day 21 - Something I Want

I want...

to read this entire blog
http://cherishinghopesanddreams.blogspot.com/
(and basically become this woman)

and answer these 30 questions in my journal. :)

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.

2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.

3. Describe your relationship with your parents.

4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.

5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?

6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

7. What is your dream job, and why?

8. What are 5 passions you have?

9. List 10 people who have influenced you and describe how.

10. Describe your most embarrasing moment.

11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.

12. Describe a typical day in your current life.

13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.

14. Describe 5 strengths you have.

15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

16. What are your 5 greatest accomplishments?

17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with it first?

22. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.

24. Describe your family dynamic of your childhood vs. your family dynamic now.

25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

26. What popular notion do you think the world has most wrong?

27. What is your favorite part of your body and why?

28. What is your love language?

29. What do you think people misundertand most about you?

30. List 10 things you would hope to be remembered for.

Day 20 - Somewhere I'd Love To Travel

Where DON'T I want to travel...
that'd be a shorter list.

But these are my top three.

Italy

Africa

and a rainforest.

Day 19 - Someone I Do Not Like

Poor Reba...
but I figure if I'm gonna be talking smack about her I might as well post her best picture. ;)

Day 18 - The College I Went To

Utah State University :)

I loved every. single. second.

Even when it snowed.

Which is really saying something!! :)

Day 17 - Something That Has Made A Huge Impact On My Life Recently

For many reasons, this is what I chose:

It wasn't necessarily the state that made the huge impact on my life (although I fell in LOVE with the state of Texas), but all of my experiences while I was there. 

I had to work to overcome a lot of hard things, but I was blessed with some of the greatest blessings. Isn't that how it always happens?? When it rains, it pours... with trials and blessings.

It was easily the hardest four months and the most rewarding four months of my life. :)

Day 16 - Someone Who Inspires Me

I don't think we're supposed to have favorite apostles, but I do. Elder Bednar is my favorite and just about everything he says inspires me to become a better disciple and follower of Jesus Christ.

Day 15 - Something I Want To Do Before I Die

 

Day 14 - Someone I Couldn't Imagine My Life Without

My Brother

(aka Broseph)
My buddy & one of my best friends.

I love my sisters!! But Jon was the first person I thought of because one day a couple years ago I thought that I might have to live without him and I don't think I'll ever forget how scared I was that day.

He is the funniest...

and the cutest...

 and the smile he has when he's 

laughing melts my heart.

He sleeps really weird...
(Not kidding. This is normal for him.)

and is such a goof ball...

but I look up to him. I'm so proud of him.
(I can't believe how much he reminds me of my dad!!)

And I think we all know that I'm gonna have a hard time when he leaves on his mission in December, but I couldn't be happier for him. I'm so proud of his decision to serve a mission and I'm excited for the lessons he will learn while serving the Lord for two years in Mexico.

Love you, Jon!!

Day 13 - My Favorite Band/Artist

This is a tough one...

Anberlin

Josh Gracin

RED
Jonathan Jones

Priscilla Ahn

Cartel
Band of Horses

Josh Groban

Flyleaf

The Canadian Tenors

Taylor Swift

Barlowgirl

Ingrid Michealson
Lindsay Ferrin

Carrie Underwood

Skillet

Citizen Cope 

James Taylor

Kate Voegele

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Parachute

A Fine Frenzy

Something Corporate

Keith Urban

Alanis Morissette

Paramore 

Secondhand Serenade

Maria Mena
Joshua Radin

Coldplay

Leah Wilson

Elton John

Justin Nozuka

Lights 

Jason Reeves
Steven Sharp Nelson

Missy Higgins

Daughtry

Ace of Base

Eminem

Brandi Carlile

Katy Perry

Lady Antebellum
and ALLRED.

Day 12 - My Favorite Memory

How does someone choose a favorite memory??

I went through all of my pictures looking for a favorite memory, but instead I found a billion pictures of favorite memories.

The question now is do I post all of them?!! haha

Here are SOME of them (in no particular order)

Taking Megan Midget rappelling for the first time.

Going dancing with KD sisters.

Volleyball trips!!

The Trek...
and pretty much any other time me, Justin and a guitar were in the same place.

Wicked with Tierra. Also, the rest of our NYC trip.

Family vacations... especially those that included water. :)

The Canadian Tenors with my Canadian friend.

or basically ANY time with my Canadian friend. :)

Disneyland with Lanae

Disneyland with a bunch of friends for my 21st.

Cruise to Mexico with Dallas.

Sisters. :)

Ditching work to play with Dally Doodle.

Exploring Southern Utah

Haha, ice skating with this crew.

Hanging out with my siblings.

The friends I made freshman year of college.

First trip to Texas!!

Anytime us three crazies got together!! Especially this trip!!

And pretty much anytime I was with my girlfriends from high school.

So yeah, there are some of my favorite memories. :)

Day 11 - Something I Hate

Wounds... suck.

This was from the motorcycle accident I got in a few summers ago. And look!! You can see the scar on my left leg from the huge gaping wound I got from the car accident I was in in high school. haha

But really, wounds are so sucky!!! I hate how high maintenance they are. You have to keep them clean and moist and constantly take care not to bump them. I remember laying in my bed at night, not being able to sleep because my foot would throb and ache. Same with my leg after the car accident. I've had my fair share of open wounds. Glad that I haven't had any lately. Knock on wood!!

Day 10 - My Most Treasured Item

My journals.

I would run into a burning house to save these. Fact.

I don't know how or why I started writing in a journal regularly, but I am so glad that I did!! It has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. I started writing half way through my freshman year of high school and have written at LEAST once a month since (most of the time I write 2-3 times a week.) I love going back and reading through my journals. What I love most about my journals is that it's in my own words. Just yesterday I was talking to my cousin about high school and I remembered that I wrote about this certain experience in my journal so I grabbed my journal from high school and read through it until I found that entry. It was so much fun to read!! I spent the rest of my night flipping through it. There were memories written in there that I had forgotten about. It's moments like that that make me so happy that I keep a journal.

My advice to anyone who is trying to start writing in a journal is just to keep it close and convenient, in your purse, on your nightstand, wherever. And don't feel dumb if all you write is a little sentence here or there once every couple months. Something is better than nothing. Some of my favorite entries are my "cheater entries." The cheaters usually look like this:

Tuesday May 1, 2012

Wow. It's been a while. Here's what's happened in the last month:

-I moved to Houston, TX to sell security systems door to door with Pinnacle Security. It's harder than I thought it would be.

-There are lots of hot guys in my office. :) Most of them are d-bags, though. :/

-I'm reading a book called As A Man Thinketh.

-I miss Lindsay and my family, especially my nephews.

-I'm addicted to Grey's Anatomy. I've watched just about all of the seasons in the last two months.

-My roommate, Dallas, is weird. (jk, Dally.)

That's all for tonight.

xoxo lauren

See!! Super easy. Anyone can do it. :)

Day 9 - The Person Who Has Gotten Me Through The Most

This one was easy...

My mom is always there for me when I need her help. Whether it's with boys or friends or church or money, my Mom is there to help me. I get so much of my strength from her and I love her so much for it!!

Day 8 - A Picture Of My Night

Tonight I went horseback riding with some girls from hair school. I haven't been on a horse in FOREVER and was seriously so excited when Bobbie told us we could come over and ride her horses. She is the sweetest and made us dinner, too!! 

This is my horse, Knee Pad. He was pretty good to me. 

Kiersten, Nati, me, and Bobbie. Normal faces. ;)

I'm funny sometimes. :)

Nati was a little bit scared at first, but her horse was super calm and took real good care of her.

Kiersten's horse was a maniac. It wanted to run the whole time. Luckily, Kiersten is a quick learner. She was a pro by the end of the night.

See what I mean!! No hands, she's amazing. ;)

Here are the four of us again.

Thank you so much, Bobbie, for letting us come over!!! We missed the girls that couldn't come tonight. Hopefully everyone will be able to make it next time!!