Happy Christmas

Christmas has always had a very special place in my heart. I'm sure I'm not the only one. I love the Christmas season. Most everyone is happy and Christmas music is playing everywhere. I love it. Also, there seems to be a lot of love this time of year too.

For some reason, this year seemed especially memorable. It could just be because I'm getting older or it could just be because I really want to cherish these precious moments with my family.

This morning, my family and I woke up early and we opened our stockings to see the gifts that Santa brought us. After that, we quickly got ready to go to listen to a great Christmas program and to be reminded and refocused on our Savior Jesus Christ. It was very touching for me this year. After church, I honestly didn't feel the need to open our gifts under the Christmas tree. I felt that it really isn't important. With my whole family I knew that we still had to open the presents because of the little ones waiting impatiently.

I will have to admit that I got some awesome gifts. Some may call them nerdy, but I think that they are awesome. Santa gave me a Harry Potter Trunk/Chest and inside is the complete

set of the Harry Potter series. I was practically leaping for joy. I say practically only figuratively because if I really was leaping for joy, I probably would have knocked down the Christmas tree.

Another awesome thing: Severus Snape's wand (be jealous)!! and a Writer's Quill. I'm going to have to learn some calligraphy. So cool!

Besides all of the presents, this has been an incredible Christmas day. My family and I spent our Christmas dinner at my grandparents. It was such a great time to spend together with all of the family. I am so grateful for the close relationships that we have with one another. It makes this Christmas season a wonderful and memorable day.

Merry Christmas! XOXO

Goodbye Fall Semester 2011

I really do love winter. I love the snow. I know I don't live in the coldest state (Arizona), but I still love it. It could also just be the pictures of winter that I love. Maybe.

Hallelujah! It's Christmas break. This means no more classes for a few weeks, I can sleep in (mostly), and I can sort of do what I want. Sort of.

I know for a fact that I have achieved one of my goals: I did not get hit by a bicycle, a skateboard, and not even a longboard. I am so happy! I am super grateful. It's those little things, right?? Hopefully next semester will be the same.

If any of you were wondering about my Travel Writing story, I did do pretty good on it, but I just don't want to post it. If you wanna know about The Musical Instrument Museum, just know this: It is super awesome and definitely worth going to visit.

My Nutcracker performance was this past weekend. Stressful, but it was very good. Great experiences. I had the wonderful opportunity to dance as Arabian and in Waltz of the Flowers. Arabian is supposed to be danced with a bit of a seductive flair. I will tell you this: I felt very awkward and struggled with it. Nevertheless, I think I finally gained some confidence by the time we performed it. It also might have helped being on stage and in costume.

I did have a bit of a trial these past few weeks. Exactly three weeks before the Nutcracker performance, my knee was giving me problems enough that I couldn't dance. Such a freakin' bummer, and it was so timely right??? With a lot of physical therapy and prayers, my knee felt better and I was able to dance without any pain in the performance. I feel so blessed!

XOXO

November Came and Went

I was planning on blogging sometime in November, like during Thanksgiving break, but obviously that didn't happen.

Here's a few things since my last post:

One of my friends since 1st grade was married on 11/11/11 - awesome! She looked absolutely gorgeous. It was wonderful seeing her since I practically haven't seen her since high school graduation, I think.

For my travel writing class this semester, I had to pick a destination (in Arizona preferably), go there, find a unique angle about the place, write it, and take pictures, and interview people. I chose the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. I've never heard about it, but it seemed interesting. I didn't really want to go anywhere out of the valley because I just can't with school and ballet. I just don't have time.

So I went there, and it is seriously a really awesome place. Most people hear museum and think, "Ugh, BORING!!" In all honesty, it is not boring at all. There are musical instruments displayed there from all over the world and it is so awesome! Like I said, I wrote a travel story on it for my final story in that class. Maybe I will post it if I get a good grade on it. Maybe.

THANKSGIVING. It was great. I helped my mom cook food. I made the most glorious cheese ball (I wish I took a picture of it because it is the biggest hit every year). This year my dad and my brother deep-fried the turkey. Pretty cool and delicious.

My family and I went over to my Lamb grandparents' home for a big family feast. Some of us played whiffle ball, and some of us worked on and finished a puzzle. So fun! I love Thanksgiving.

My wonderful Grandma Lamb and me (my grandpa is behind us)

I am once again dancing in The Nutcracker! Woo! Another year. Great memories. This year I am dancing the roles of Snow Soloist, Arabian, and Waltz of the Flowers Soloist. It's great!!

Shoot, life is busy. I am really looking forward for this semester to end in hopes that it might slow down just for a little bit.

xoxo

Escuela!!

I probably should have posted this a long while ago.

This semester is a beast. A big, huge one. So I have set some goals for myself to keep and do to help me get through this semester.

Goals:

1. Don't get hit by bicyclists this semester. (I did last semester and she wasn't even sorry... lame!)

2. Don't procrastinate - I'm doing so much better at this!

3. Breathe and Smile.

4. Don't give up - oh boy, sometimes it's tempting.

5. Do not let your guard down.

6. Sometimes drinking Mountain Dew and eating Skittles and Starbursts is okay to do to stay up to write a paper.

7. Stay hydrated (drink water).

8. Exercise - free the mind.

9. Have some me time.

10. Sleep.

Red. Orange. Gold. Pumpkin Spice.

I don't know about anyone else, but I am really looking forward to the fall season - especially in Arizona, although I think it gets skipped over and goes straight on to winter. Or maybe it never really reaches winter...

I love Bath and Body Works scents!!

These are just some outfit ideas for the fall/winter

Anyways, I absolutely love the fall scents like pumpkin spice and everything that smells nice. I love the colors changing - although that doesn't happen here too. I can't wait for it to be cold. I can't wait to start wearing coats and boots and scarves. I can't wait to bundle up and sit next to a fire. There are so many things I'm looking forward to in the fall that I hope that it will come quickly.

Footsteps

Throughout my study abroad trip this summer, I made it a goal to take pictures of where my feet have been so that I don't have to keep pinching myself to remember that I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the United Kingdom. Most of the pictures probably look very similar, but the UK is just absolutely beautiful. I will always remember the wonderful times that were spent there.

Ireland

Wales

England

Scotland

This entire trip will always have a place in my heart, especially all of the places that I have visited. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I had to be able to experience all of this.

You Know You're In Scotland When...

It's cool for guys to wear skirts (kilts).

Visiting England was incredible. Too bad I had to leave it, but the study abroad group and I carried on towards Scotland. On our way to Scotland, we stopped at Hadrian's Wall. It is a wall like the China Wall, but not really. The wall is a 72 miles long boundary that was built around AD 122. Its purpose was to keep the empire from falling into the hands of the enemy.

Finally, after a long 5-6 hour bus ride, we arrived in Scotland. It is absolutely beautiful and breathtaking and green; just like the rest of the UK. We were able to travel around the country for a bit and see the wonderful countryside. Cheesy moment: as we were driving through mountainous scenery, some of the girls and I listened to part of the Lord of the Rings soundtrack because we felt it was the perfect moment for it. (*nerd alert!*)

We visited Culloden and the known Culloden Battlefield where the Jacobites and the British government fought at the Battle of Culloden. It was a battle that the Scottish Highlanders tried to overthrow the House of Hanover and restore the House of Stuart. It wasn't a very long battle, but it was definitely a very bloody one that is in the history books of Scotland.

Staying in the Highlands, we traveled to Inverness and visited Lochness. It is the largest fresh water lake in the British Isles. You may be thinking along the lines of the Lochness monster right? That is exactly where dear Nessie has been known. I think I may have been lucky and caught a picture of her with my fast camera-capturing skills.

("It's only a model")

The next place we visited was Stirling Castle. It is the castle where many royalties such as Mary of Guise and her daughter Mary Queen of Scots lived; Kings lived there too.

On our way back to Edinburgh, we also visited William Wallace's monument. You know, the main guy in the film Braveheart. It was a very impressive and huge monument.

Scotland is one of the most beautiful places in the UK. I feel very impressed and fulfilled that it has exceeded my expectations. Not only do I hear bagpipes playing, but I also see men wearing kilts frequently.

A Castle and Cottages

After we left London, we definitely didn't stop there. We traveled on to more northern parts of England. We first traveled to Warwick Castle. If you guys have ever been to a Renaissance Festival or something like that, Warwick Castle puts it to shame. For one thing, it is actually a castle and another thing, their events and everything is family friendly, but their reenacting performances are the best! They had a Trebuchet launch, Flight of the Eagles, and their very own Jousting. It was awesome and for a moment I thought that I was back in those days of Trebuchets and Joustings.

There are also some beautiful cottages that we visited. They each had such beautiful English gardens that I hope one day, maybe, that I get to grow a garden almost like their's too.

Anne Hathaway's Cottage (William Shakespeare's wife's home where she grew up)

The Birthplace of Shakespeare

Beatrix Potter's Home (Author of the Peter Rabbit stories)

Even Peter Rabbit was there!

London Love

I love London. I really do, especially living across the street from Kensington Gardens in Hyde Park for three weeks and very close to Kensington Palace as well. I wish I could explain everything that went on in London and all the things that I did, but there is just so many that hopefully these pictures will be worth those thousand words.

Cambridge University - Punting

Country Walk - Pouring Rain at first, but beautiful!

Trafalgar Square

William Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well at the Globe Theatre

The Royal Ballet School

My letter I wrote to principal dancer in The Royal Ballet: Sarah Lamb (short story: we both are ballet dancers and we both share (almost) the same name although mine is without an "h". So I wanted to meet her while I was there in London, but she wasn't there, so a lady suggested that I write a letter to her - and so I did.)

King's Cross Station: Platform 9 3/4 (Harry Potter!!)

British Museum

William Shakespeare's Richard III (Kevin Spacey played Richard III - no big deal...)

Portobello Market

Abbey Road (The Beatles)

Buckingham Palace

Kensington Palace

London has been one of my favorite places. I had such a wonderful time exploring it and having these wonderful adventures.