October 27 (Day 16)

A Photo that makes you proud.

I love this picture. It reminds me of several important things.

1. That I come from a great family of brave men and women that sacrificed a lot to help us get to where we are today.

2. That I live in a good country that provides me the freedoms to pursue my interests and goals.

and 3. That the rights that I have today are not free and that we will have to continue to fight for those rights and freedoms in order to retain them.

October 26 (Day 15)

Ok. So I've been slacking off. I've had a lot to do!! I'm a busy person. I don't have a prompt for today so I'll just do an update. I've started ANOTHER job at a place in PG that designs, constructs, and distributes girl's clothes (mostly dress up type). It's so much fun! I love it so far, but this does make 3 jobs that I work now, plus ballroom, plus school, plus sleep..... Where did all that free time go?

This past Thursday was Dancing With The Athletes, and before anyone is offended, if you weren't invited, it was probably because I wasn't dancing. Because I did it last year, they decided to give the opportunity to someone who hasn't yet had a chance. It's fair. I was still able to participate by choreographing a few numbers for a few of the partnerships and I was very very proud when one of those partnerships (Derek and Tia) WON!!! They did a fantastic job. And so did all of the other couples that performed. Every year is such a fun experience to see these athletes "step up to the plate" and learn something that is new and foreign and strange to them, and they always do so so so well. So congrats to ALL of them!

The end of term was Friday. Thank heavens. I have a life again!!!

That's pretty much it for now, I'll do my best to catch up!

October 25 (Day 14)

So I've been slackin' off lately, but in my defense, I've been making good use of my time. If you count homework.....

Today is "What are your plans for the future?"

How appropriate, today was college day. I spent the better half of my morning sitting through presentations about why I need to go to this college or that university. What surprised me was the lack of talk about how well their academic programs are, and how well their students transition into a career world. Instead there was a lot of talk about sororities, how far the drive to Vegas was, and what kind of activities they have going on all the time. Oh well.

I want to go into Fashion Design, but as "one" would discover by going to "college day", there are zero colleges or universities that offer a four year bachelors degree or even an associates in the state of UT. So do I go out of state? Do I give up my career goals? Do I even go to school? Who knows? Certainly not me.

October 24 (Day 13)

Something you learned today.

How appropriate. Today I went to church and had the great opportunity to listen and watch this year's primary program. I realized how under appreciated it is. I listened to the beautiful testimonies of these children. So pure and so young, and so very sure that what they have been taught is true. It puts me in my place. I know I take for granted the blessing that I have received because of my active participation in my church, but today helped me to regain a sense of what I need to be doing. I also was able to listen to a beautiful talk given by a beautiful woman in my YW class. She taught us a lesson that we've all heard before. That our heavenly father loves us, is aware of us, and is always with us as long as we are worthy. We've all heard this lesson before, but she gave a wonderful and different perspective than I've ever seen before. So today, I relearned several lessons. That I have a testimony and need to do more to show it. That my heavenly father loves all of his children despite age, despite choices, or despite appearances.

October 23 (Day 12)

A photograph of the town you live in.

Well Almost. This picture must have been taken many years ago. Because the reeds in this picture across the street from the Mills have been replaced by a McDonald's and an always crowded intersection. I guess that really sums up my home town, though. Thirty years ago, it was a slow moving, laid back, small town situated on the swampy north shore of UT Lake. Today, it still sits on that same shore but it reaches all the way up to the benches of the mountain. But that's probably all that has stayed the same. Since then it's become a bustling place great for businesses and new homes. I'm also sure that since then the population has quadrupled if not more. However, even if traces of that swampy, little city are rare to be seen, it still emanates that small town feeling. The old buildings reek with the heritage of a people who built the first houses out of nothing, who broke their backs to make this place inhabitable for others, and who marked the territory for what has become one of the most ideal places in the county to live. Lehi might not be as busy or exciting as it's neighbors, but it's a good place to live and to have grown up in. And I love it.

October 22 (Day 11)

You're Favorite Quote:

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

-Audrey Hepburn

October 21 (Day 10)

I can't believe it. I'm already a third of the way through my 30 day challenge!!

Anyways, today's prompt is "A Photo of you on your last vacation"

Here you go. This was on "Jarom's Trail" that leads off from Granite Flats. We decided to go with Matt and his girls for a walk with Daisy (their new puppy) and Jarom adopted this trail as his own. Here's me and dad. Smile Daddy.

October 20 (Day 9)

What's your favorite movie?

Ha ha. I'll give you the line and you guess....

Just kidding about the line. I love White Christmas. Something about the cheesy lines, the bad hair, and the cheesy lines gets to me. I love the big band music, the funny and cliche lyrics, the "angles". It's just a great film. If you're looking for a laugh and a good movie, call me. We'll watch this.

October 19 (Day 8)

What's a book or series you've read recently and loved?

Easy. I stole Kati's copy of the hunger games two weeks ago and finished it in 2 days. I couldn't put the dang thing down. Unfortunately, a call to the library told me that the waiting list for books 2 and 3 were 20 people long each.... That wouldn't do. Luckily, my young women's leader saw me reading the first one and said that she had all 3 for me to read but that I'd have to wait for her daughter to finish. I figured a one person wait was better than 20. So I read them.... and loved them all. I was a little bit disappointed by something about the ending, but I can live with it.

And for all or anyone who is wondering, The Hunger Games Movie is supposedly coming out in 2013 (thank you imdb) only a 3 year wait!!! Read them. Find a comfortable chair, some snack foods, and a few hours. You'll love them too.

October 18 (Day 7)

Day 7

Put your iPod on shuffle. What are the first 10 songs?

First of all.... I LOVE MY IPOD. I use it at home and in the car and at ballroom. I use it to schedule, to look up cool vids, and hold my best pics. Love it. Couldn't live without it.

1. Quickstep 4- Standard Mix (don't laugh. I did tell you I used it at/for ballroom)
2. Landslide- Dixie Chicks
3. Guilty- Marina and the Diamonds
4. I only See You- Benton Paul
5. My Old Friend- Tim Mcgraw
6. Get Ready- The Temptations
7. Run- Leona Lewis
8. Alejandro- Lady Gaga
9. It Passed- Kalai
10. Gravity- John Mayer

My ideal top 10 (at least for the mood I’m in right now) would be a mix of

1. Norah Jones
2. John Mayer (he’s great)
3. Marina and the Diamonds
4. James Taylor (also on the list of greats)
5. Lady Gaga
6. Glee Cast
7. Dean Martin (mambo italiano… enough said)
8. Rascal Flatts
9. Duffy
10. Miles Davis (don’t make fun. It came up as number 11 on my shuffle and had to listen to it. So mellow...)

October 17 (Day 6)

Your favorite photograph of your best friend...

I have too many best friends. So I'll just give a shout out to everybody! (partly cause blogger only lets you upload 5 images and our internet is being weird right now)

First of all my mother. She is my best friend and always will be. She's the only one that I can and do tell EVERYTHING to. She knows me better than anyone else in the world.

All of my sisters and sisters in law. You have and always will be the girls I look up to.

Susannah my free spirited cousin who knows who she is and helps me to see myself.

Natalie, Jaisha, Tiana, Emily, Sabrina, Catalina, Anna, Rachel, Kelsey, Missy, Shalee, and JaCee, my ballroom girls who've been with me through thick and thin. Slicking hair, slathering make-up, helping with costumes, and high emotions. I love you girls.

Brooke, Alisha, and Anapaula. My right hand girls in the world of senior year. What would I do without you?

I love you guys! :)

October 16 (Day 5)

A letter to the person who hurt you the most...

Dear Sam,

Where do I start? It would be a waste of my time to sit here and tell you what you did wrong. Because you already know. It would be a waste of my time to say sorry for how I reacted. Because you already know that too. I felt justified in hating you and making sure you knew it because of how small and pitiful and insufficient you made me feel. You probably didn't realize at the time how your actions toward her would make me feel. You probably still don't know to the fullest extent the damage you caused. You broke my heart. You made me feel like I wasn't good enough, and that because of my personal standards I became boring and drab to you. I can't even count all the hours I spent crying and thinking of you and wishing that you would change your mind. But that has ended.

I know now just how hard it was to stick to my guns. And I'm glad that I did because I know that if I hadn't that it would have made the hurt a lot worse.

I swear to you that no matter how many times you come back, call, or try to win me over, that I am done. I won't waste another second of my life missing you or crying over you. So you shouldn't waste your time pursuing something.

I am done.

I want you to know that I forgive you, Sam and I sincerely hope that things work out with you and her. And I hope you never have to learn your lesson again, however, if you choose to make that mistake again I hope she gives you hell for it. I did. And if you're stupid enough to do it again then you deserve it.

And I'm just going to end there on that happy note. I wish this was a final goodbye, but it's just not. I wish I never had to see you again, but I will. I just hope you have the sense to back off when you come back. I won't fall for it again.

Love,

Sarah

October 15 (Day 4)

Favorite TV show...
Do up even need to ask? IT'S GLEE!!!! I'm addicted. Finn, Puck and Sam... SO GREAT! Great music, great cast, great times. Sometimes I forget my middle name.

October 14 (Day 3)

Again... Not really day 3. Sorry.

So today's post is "A picture of you now and a picture of you two years ago. What has changed?"

Well for one, I no longer look like I'm ten (yes I was 15 in that picture). The second picture was taken over the spring break vacation of my 9^th grade year. The first was just a few months ago. Not much in the ways of appearance have changed. I still have blue eyes. I still have that long dirty blonde hair. Still have freckles, and that squinty grin going on. It's the things you can't see that have really changed, my interests, responsibilities, and priorities being some of the most prominent. Back then the biggest of my worries were the ever approaching start of high school, fitting in, and getting my learners permit. Today I wish that were all I had to worry about. I never dreamed that such things as “the ballroom team”, “the boyfriend”, and “the drama” would take me on the high school crash course of a lifetime. However strenuous and confusing that path was, I did conquer the fears of my 15 year old self. I did in fact live through my sophomore (and junior) years. I don’t really care about pleasing most of my peers, because often times we have very different priorities and standards. And yes, I did get my learners permit and driver’s license. Today I worry about college. Today I think about a career. Today I’m a totally different girl. A part of me will always be the timid teenager in that photo. And a part of me will continue to learn and grow with the ever quickening pace of my life, wherever it may take me.

October 13 (Day 2)

OK so it's not really day two, but my fall break plans did interrupt my access to an internet connection. So a few days late. Sorry. I'll catch up I promise.

My dream date:
I did warn you.
Every girl has their fantasy of the candle lit dinner on the beach. That sounds more like honeymoon to me than date. I mean, it seems like a little too much to hope for with any teenage boy to be perfectly honest. So I'll attempt to stick to some sense of reality.
I've been on enough awkward dates to last me a lifetime. The first aspect of my date is the guy. Easy to talk to, funny, respectful and appropriate.
The date would definitely include a meal (I do love food). And besides that, I don't really think about it that much. Great guy, good food. I'm set.

October 12 (Day 1)

OK. So one of my good friends told me about the teenage blogger's "THE 30 DAY CHALLENGE". I'm going to do it. Consider this day 1. I apologize to the "already-out-of-high-school-readers" This will be extremely cliche and cheesy. For the rest of you... Enjoy :)

***Disclaimer. I will post tomorrow, however I'll be out of town and internet connection for fall break and days/posts 3 and 4 could quite possibly be delayed. But don't fret, I'll be scribbling away in my notebook all the while I'm camping. I'll take pictures.

Don't You Miss High School?

A picture is worth a thousand words. So I'll just leave it at that.