stop: checker time

After a wonderful night at Institute, Kendrick and I decided to continue our not-doing-homework streak and instead, we played a nice game of Checkers.

It was great!

Life has been so busy and wild lately - I loved taking some time out of the day to have a bit of fun

count those blessings

Today, more than a lot of day, I felt a need to count my blessings.

I am blessed to be living

I have a beautiful, wonderful, loving family

I am a member of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints

I know that my Savior knows and loves me

I attended one of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation

I have incredible close friends

I have food, water, and shelter

I recently got a car

I can see, hear, speak and walk

I have been given certain talents and gifts

Life.

Veggie Tales

This year one of the classes I am taking is entitled "English 281: American Drama and the Musical". In this class, our Professor (Professor Rosenwald) lectures the class on things pertaining to said title of the course. So far this class has been quite interesting - especially this past Monday.

While observing the class and consequently not listening to the lecture, I noticed something interesting about a certain girl's bottle of water. There was a cucumber in it. Now, some may not think that this is strange -- but I certainly do.

I just, for the life of me, could not understand why someone would take a single cucumber from one of the dining halls and put in their water bottle so that everyone could see it. I turned to my friend Gina, made her aware of the situation and then our conversation (on paper) went a little like this.

Gina: Maybe she thinks that's classy

Grace: Do you like the taste of vegetables in your water, gurl?

Grace: You could call that "Cuwater"

.......

Gina: "HCuO"

For some reason that chemistry/vegetable pun made me laugh incredibly hard and I was forced to suppress my fit because we were sitting in class. For the rest of the day I kept thinking back to that and periodically laughing

"HCuO"

saturday is a special day -- it's the day we get ready for sunday

I had a super cool Saturday that I thought I'd blog about. And seeing as though I have not blogged in ages, this must have been a really rad Saturday to make me want to blog about it!

Early Saturday morning, (early meaning 7 o'clock) the Wellesley LDSSA and I went to the Greater Boston Food Bank to participate in Wellesley's Day of Service. At the Food Bank, each of us stood in front of a long , circular conveyor belt and sorted lots of products that came by. I was in charge of sorting meals, like ravioli and ramen, and coffee/tea. It was an awesome feeling to have done meaningful service on a Saturday. I know that so many people and families will benefit from our work. Doing service always makes me think of the "Golden Rule" -- do unto others as you would have done unto you. I would certainly want and need others to help me when I am in need, and by me serving others now, I receive blessings and comfort from our Heavenly Father as I serve my Boston community while simultaneously serving Him.

After the Food Bank, we went back to Wellesley and I took a nap. It was divine. Something about taking a little break on the weekend just to sleep, makes everything so much better.

--And this is where I begin making bad, not horrible, decisions.

For the entire previous week, I had wanted to go to a craft store so I could buy things to put my pictures up on my dorm room walls. Now, even though I had a TON of homework to do, Stubborn Grace just could not think about anything else besides this picture wall. I tried to read, and I just couldn't. All I could think about were my pictures. So, it being impossible for me to read, I called up my friend and fellow Tupelo Lizzy, and we were off to Michael's Craft Store. I bought ribbon, craft glue dots, and even Halloween Peeps and was ready to go back to Wellesley and start homework.

Let me explain HOW MUCH homework I had, pity me for at least a milli-second.

(2) 2 hour movies to watch and analyze

65 + pages of a variety of readings

A take home Italian test to complete

and a 3 page response paper on Jeffersonian ideals of freedom

--Now, you may say that doesn't sound like an absolute ton, but with only really Saturday night and late Sunday night to do work, it was.

And then after Michael's, our friend Sarah called and told us to come out to dinner with her. This is where I should have said "No, I'm going back to Wellesley" and instead, me being the party animal that I am, went to dinner. Then after dinner. Did I do hw? A little. Should I have done more? Yes. I read a little but then the craft supplies were just begging me to use them! So I completed my picture wall - not my homework.

As you can guess, my Sunday night then consisted of reading, writing, crying, and wishing that I would have not left all of this work for one night. I truly learned a lesson this past Sunday night. I need to figure out all that is due and expected of me, before it is Monday. Sunday should really be a day of pondering and rest. I have always managed my work load well enough to never have experienced this. And now, I am trying to become more organized and know I will manage my time in a better way.

Sundays are wonderful. So are Saturdays. and so is Service.

This life is a great one, if we try our best and live with a pure love for others

I'm trying to do that, in many little ways.

bottoms up

Sometimes I wonder how much the scandalous and vulgar music on the radio gets through to my three little sisters.

Today, at our Memorial Day Family BBQ, the song "Bottoms Up" by Trey Songz shuffled onto the stereo. At first I was worried to think that my sisters were dancing to a song that obviously promotes heavy drinking. To my surprise, as the chorus started, my sisters all stuck their own 'bottoms' up in the air, showcasing their absolute innocence. It was incredibly comical and entertaining. I don't really know what to think of the situation, since I actually enjoy the song.

But my sisters are the greatest.

Tell security we 'bout to tear this club up.

heyo from the library

My friend Hayley and I are just sitting in the library, getting ready for finals.

Hayley goes to BYU and I will be very sad when she goes back to Provo next year

So this is a shout-out to one of the coolest girls I know - Love you, Hayley!

made me smile

Tonight was a great night.

After a wild and crazy nighy with the Tupelos, I went back to my room to finish my gifts I am making for our Wellesley LDSSA Retreat ( it's tomorrow night!). They are little gifts that I am so excited to give, but sshh it's a secret so I can't say anything specific yet! Anyway, one of SooIn's friends came into the room while I was working on them and after she had talked with SooIn she looked down at me, I was sitting on the ground, and began admiring the gifts! She said they looked amazing and then gave me one of the greatest compliments I have ever received:

"Grace, you're going to be one of those moms who makes really cool crafts and projects someday"

That made me so happy! I am so excited to be a mom some day and be able to use my crafty skills.

Thank you for that compliment, Charlene!

dear world

you should always ask a person how their day was and/or how they are doing.

it will make the world a better and happier place

the end.

a language lesson

The other night I was sitting on the couch with my eight year-old sister Mollie

I turned to her and said: "Yo quiero Taco Bell. That means 'I want Taco Bell' in Spanish"

She replied "So do I. That means 'So do I' in English"

I'd say she's wise beyond her years

golden dumpsters

Just a typical Friday night.

Gina picks me up from Wellesley Middle School where I was performing with the Tupelos at AcaStock. We pull into the driveway behind Pomeroy residence hall, waiting for our friend Cosmo to finish babysitting. We sit in the car chatting and laughing, and after some time I plug in her iPod and turn on the song "Golden Slumbers" by the Beatles. Mind you, it is not the happiest of tunes.

We sit there in the dark, in car, behind a dumpster, waiting for Cosmo and singing along to the woeful/hopeful melody of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. During the second verse, Gina pulls out her plastic bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper, takes a sip and asks "want some?". I smirk and refuse the offer. Then, as if on cue, Gina and I break into hysterics realizing the situation we are actually in.

Picture this: two college aged girls, parked in a White Sedan, in a handicapped parking spot, next to a huge navy blue dumpster, with only the faint light of a single lightbulb illuminating the scene. Not your typical "big party" Friday Night.

We then turn on the Into the Woods soundtrack. (Yes, we were waiting for quite some time)

We sing through 'Agony', 'Goodbye Old Friend', and 'It Takes Two' and eventually decide that we should look for somewhere to eat. Driving down Central, we come upon a police roadblock. Consequently, we are forced to turn down a dark, foggy, wooded lane. With trees on either side of us, we drive down the road, listening to "No One Is Alone" - also from Into the Woods

Ironically, we are very much alone. In the woods.

We then decided not to go out to Brother Austin's house and instead, we come home and order Dominos Pizza. Cosmo finally gets home and returns to Munger and we collectively decided to watch my high school production of Into the Woods. While the Opening Number was playing, a deep Hispanic voice (think Fabio) bellowed "We're on our way my love, your delivery will be there shortly" -- Our Dominos tracker had dubbed over the musical. So hilarious

Love my life.

oops. he did it again

Today during Music Theory, our substitute professor was showing us samples of tonal music.

After Bach and Monteverdi, he pressed play on a 3rd CD.

Deep bass of Britney Spear's "Oops, I Did It Again" came blaring out of the speakers.

Me, sitting in the back row, started a dance party with my fellow classmates.

What a wild class that was.

three hours later

The other day I walked into Abby and Leah's room just to say 'hi' and check-in on two of my best friends. Leah wasn't there, so I just sat on the floor and started talking with Abby about life (literally, just people, events, the day-to-day things)

We soon talked past the trivial things and then began talking about really personal life experiences and just our honest feelings about certain situations. At different points during the conversation we smiled, cried, laughed, and felt such a wide array of emotions it was truly indescribable. Long story short, I ended up sitting on the ground for THREE HOURS talking to my good friend Abby. Where did the time go? You tell me. There were so many precious life lessons that I learned from that discussion. Talking to Abby was so calming and uplifting and I was able to walk out of the room so inspired - above of the trees, surveying the beautiful forest.

Little Life Lessons:

1. Everything happens for a specific reason

a. You might not find out those reasons for a long while

2. There is not enough time to worry or care about things that are insignificant

3. Each person you meet will teach you something

a. every.single.person

4. You are never alone

a. Crowds of angels and loved ones watch and protect you

5. Make decisions so that One Sweet Day, you can say "I tried my absolute best and lived a life well lived"

6. Always do what makes you the happiest

Mind you, this conversation was so deep that I don't even know where our trains of thought went. All I know is that I really needed that talk.

True friends are those that make you happy and bring you closer to the person you are trying to become. When you find a friend, or friends, like that realize that they are an enormous blessing and be so incredibly grateful.

stating the obvious

It's March 3rd.

There are only 2 months left of 2nd semester.

When Spring Break is over, there will only be 44 days until I fly home for Summer.

(But who's counting?)

Simply put: Time goes by extremely fast.

Thanks for stating it,

Captain Obvious

great minds think, dress, and exercise alike

Yesterday I was sitting on my bed doing some homework and my roommate SooIn asked if I wanted to go exercise on the ellipticals in our residence hall's basement. I said "sure" and then got ready - putting on my clothes, running shoes, etc.

When SooIn and I were ready to go we started walking down the stairs and after a few steps I stopped.

I looked at SooIn, and then myself, and realized that we were not only wearing virtually the same outfit: workout shorts, tshirts, and shoes but we specifically had:

1. the same brand of running shoe

2. tshirts from our respective high schools (Newport and Poly)

3. and the same length shorts

also:

4. We both brought down our MacBook Laptops to watch Modern Family while we ran

5. and we both had different colored Wellesley College CamelBak Water Bottles

After noticing this we could not help but be a little creeped out (I mean, there were multiple strange coincidences) Still, we went and exercised together and it was productive!

imma tupelo

I am currently sitting in a cappella rehearsal.

I am a Wellesley College Tupelo

and I love it!

Tupie Love, Forever.

We are going to OWN at ICCA this Saturday

the end.