#happinessathome

Ive been using that hash tag ^^^ too often while ive been at home.  I feel it is the perfect phrase to sum up my feeling. Im currently on my flight back to provo, sitting next to a large football player that wont stop farting but that’s beside the point.  Point of this post is to collectively document my lovely weekend at home.

            I bought my plane ticket a month ago for multiple reasons.  It was Blake’s senior year homecoming weekend (and we all know my obsession with Tesoro), it was a dear friend’s farewell, the Hurley Pro at Trestles, and other fun reasons that I just couldn’t have missed this weekend.  And I desperately needed a break from my ever so hectic responsibilities in Provo.  School Monday through Friday and work Monday through Saturday takes a toll on you.  So home was exactly what I longed for; I needed to be recharged.

            And what better was to recharge than the beach and your family? …cause that was practically my weekend. Vivs picked me up and straight to the beach we went to catch the last few minutes of the Californian sun! Huntington was nearest to the airport so we headed over to the pier for a sunset surf sesh! The air was perfect, the water was ward and my heart was oh so happy.

            I love my home.  Throughout my life we’ve moved, constructed, redesigned and added onto our house.  It was a never-ending process that ended! And thank heavens for that because I couldn’t love my home any more.  It is warm and inviting, clean and organized, full of comfy couches and beds! I have, arguably the most comfortable bed ever.  My walls are pink and orange and painted upon and my ceiling spins with a disco ball.  All in all, my home is my haven.

            On Friday we went to the homecoming pep rally and half time show.  I was so proud of my little friends who blew the minds of Tesoro, yet again.  I was so impressed by the creativity and new innovative ideas that came this year.  Some of you who don’t know Tesoro’s reputation might be reading this in complete confusion but youtube “Tesoro high school homecoming” and you’ll get me.  Our $50, 000 budget allows a pretty spectacular show. I was so proud of my brother’s fun friends who planned it all!  Tesoro ASB breeds legacies, year after year!

 

 

            Friday was spent at the beach with my family! I love talking to my Dad; he is the smartest man I know.  I gotta find a husband exactly like him. Me and my mom split a banzi bowl and the day was flawless. My hot mother of mine really is a best friend and I couldn’t value my time with her any more.  Saturday we baked at sammy's flag football game and ran errands.  It was a beautifully HOT day! Oh ya me and my mom has a sleepover Saturday night and it was so fun, Dad went out of town for a day so we got to hang out and chit chat about life.  Anyways! We took dance pictures of the boys that night, who got their outfits from Goodwill 30 minutes before pictures, love them.  And ate a yummy dinner at Wood Ranch after.  That BBQ chopped salad, mac and cheese, bread rolls and pomegranate lemonade is seriously heaven on earth.
 

 

            After dinner I ran over to the Taylor’s to hang out with Austin and Ryan.  Austin just got home from his mission in Canada and Ryan leaves this week for Cape Verde, Africa! I adore these boys and I’m so grateful for our 19 years of friendship.  They’ve matured and grown so much, it’s inspiring! Then Jake had a get together at his house cause he leaves for Peru tomorrow and I just loved the time I had chatting away with my friends there.  What great LDS youth we have in my area! I am always so impressed by them.  

            Today (Sunday) I woke up next to my mom in her California kind sized cloud in the heaven kind of bed and made some waffles with the fam.  Olivia came over and we just hung out with the fam and relished in each other’s presence.  I’m obsessed with my family.  They’re the best in every way and I couldn’t be more grateful to be blessed to be apart of it all! SJ and Erika picked me up and off we were to LGB airport.  The goodbyes were sad but thanksgiving is right around the corner!...right? Oh ya, we picked up some lemonades...thanks SJ! You're the coolest!

           

As the plane descends,  and the SBDs keep coming from the big guy next to me, I have to accept the reality that real life is back in play.  My huge M COMM test is haunting me and my every day work schedule is a stress but you know what, I am recharged! Revamped! Refreshed for the tasks that await me! Home is the perfect medication for the stress of life! Hope you all had a supa fab weekend as well! xoxo

p.s. this is the gassy man!! 

color run!

I got a text from Brittany three days before the run telling me to sign up.  It was so unlike my sweet sister to ask me to run a race with her and I was ever so eager to register.  Only being a 5K, I wasn’t stressed over my endurance and knew this would be strictly for fun and strictly for fun it was! We dressed in head to toe white, ready to be colorfied (?)!! 

            At each “K” we were obliterated by a different color so by the finish line you are completely covered in 5 vibrant colors.  I learned at the first K, that it isn’t the smartest idea to stand in front of the color throwers with your arms up and mouth open.  My mouth/throat/nose was coated in bright blue chalk. Needless to say, my spit for the rest of the day was a deep blue.  

            We laughed and ran and laughed and walked and laughed some more.  Megan Allen, our hilarious friend from home ran it with us so there was never a dull moment.  Brittany ran so good! I was so proud! It was so fun doing it with her and I am so glad she had the idea! My hair didn’t run clear water for a good week but you know what? Im completely okay with that! Because it was so worth it to run such a fun race with my sister by my side! 

fun at the fair!

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Ive always been a big fan of the fair.

The sketchy roller coasters, the sugar and grease mayhem,

the prime people watching, you know, the usual.

And my first time at the Utah state fair was nothing short of those expectations.

However, I must admit.  It was no OC fair.

The OC fair is magical.

Maybe im biased because ive been attending every summer of my life

But maddy and I were thrilled to experience the Utah state fair

We kicked off out night by paying 4 buckeros to park in some scary dirt

road alley way of some families farm.

Mind you, it was a good 10 blocks from the fair.

We giggles and were on our way

Firstly we bought the biggest cotton candy you’ve ever seen (reason I love the fair!)

and promptly scoped out the place.

We were surprised but out lack of style jealousy.

You know when you go somewhere and in your head you see those with cute styles and secretly plan to find their exact outfit and try to rock it like they are?

Well, no style envy was observed, none! Sad day.

So, on we were to find the one ride we were going to splurge on.

The riddler it was!

Feel free to watch this video, it is kinda long but it sums up

our experience quite well

We ate a caramel apple, sang and danced to some classic cover songs and walked through the art exhibit and the reptile house (creepy).

We chatted and laughed a lot.

We wondered around and were entertained by the crazeies there.

Over all we had a mighty fine experience at the Utah state fair.

I couldn’t have had more fun on our little roommate date!

now and forever my go to "most embarressing story" story

When signing up for classes last march(ish?), my fun friend on the football team recommended I take a certain section of M COM 320 (advanced business writing).  He told me stuff life, “All the athletes take it,” “the professor does the stats for the football team so he is (unfairly) forgiving…”  yadda yadda yadda…SOLD! I registered for that class with out looking back!

Fast forward a few months and it’s the first day of class.  It is a night class, only one day a week! I had coaching and ran on my own right before class so I only had time to throw on my outfit I was wearing earlier and had to disregard my oh so greasy appearance.

I walk into class and sure enough, nothing but football players.  The energy in the room was through the roof with all their comments, “it’s a team meeting!” “this is going to be the best class ever!” “all my bros!” So, obviously I was working off those hyped vibes too!  I was chatting away with all these gorg muscley men, just loving the fact I was one of 2 girls in the class.  After meeting most of the players around me, and giving the sexy man behind me my pen, class begun.

Being a once a week class, it goes rather long so a stretch break is more than necessary.  This 5-minute break came and boy I had to pee! I had a 2 second decision to make, stay and mingle or relieve myself.  I chose to mingle.  And mingle I did!

With a minute left of our break, my bladder was about ready to explode. I ran out to the bathroom, quickly got the job done, took a quick look in the mirrors above the sink and ran back to class.

The class had already begun so I had to silently shuffle across the class, up the stairs, then squeezed behind the other chairs in my row to get back to my seat.  Darn it all that I choose the seat the farthest from the door and way up some stairs in the top right corner (the door is on the bottom left). I sat down and felt something unusual.

I felt my bare bum on my seat and my skirt completely and totally bundled up on my right hip.  With a quick butt graze via my hand, I felt nothing but butt check.

I flashed the football team.

“Do I laugh loudly, showing I can laugh things off?”

“Do I pull my skirt out and look oh so guilty?”

Do I pull the oblivious card and pretend I’m not aware what just happened?

“Will the cute boy behind me never give me my pen back/ not talk to me

I sat there half humiliated, half in hysterics.

And how does this story end?

The cute football player behind me asked me for my number.

a little lake lovin

i grew up on the lake
lake powell, lake mead, lake mohave, you name it!
our family is a boating family
our houseboat, wake boarding boat & wave runners
has been a summer highlight my entire life.

however, sadly this hasnt been the case for the last two years
ive missed out on multiple lake trips for multiple reasons:
summer semester at BYU, europe trip & study abroad.
ive been missing out and its sorta really stunk but
i finally got my day at the lake!!

madeline, erika, michael, me and my family headed to silverwood lake,
it was a perfect day
perfect weather
perfect company
& perfect snacks (thanks mama!)

we started out wake boarding and i was assuming i was going to struggle...
due to my two year lake leave.
i was a little rough on the edges but i was able to get a feel for it again
i was so happy! i loved it, so so much.
erika & mad got up their first time!
they did awesome!
then michael was totally a natural!
it was so funny watching everyone board!

we took a break and lounged on the beach
talking politics and eating our weight in snacks
the sun was shinning and our skin was taking the effects

tubing time!!
erika was hysterically afraid,
and we were all being so entertained by her.
she made our tubing experience.
we went crazy! papa goes nutso and we were all laughing so hard
i cant even begin to explain the severity of my soreness!

we ate cute sandwiches on the beach
and some of my jichan's (my grandpa's) home grown fruit!
we enjoyed each others company and basked in the beaming sun!

i had the most wonderful day at the lake!
i love my family so much and i had the
best time with my friends too!
i was so happy to finally get out on the lake again,
i was back where my roots are and loved every second of it!
thanks fam for being the coolest family ever
i love you

 

wedding wonderland!

spark note version of the week... (mind you my family is at Lake Powell)...
Tuesday-i flew from Fiji to LAX and arrived in the afternoon, olivia and madeline picked me up (bless them!), an hour later lily and rach arrived at my house and we settled in.
Wednesday- 10 other girls arrive at my house, move into my family's vacant bedrooms and prepare for the bachelorette party (rach &lily planned the kinkiest but classy party!). more people come over and we played games, ate, swam and died of laughter all night long.
Thursday- last minute shopping and preparation for the wedding, bake 180 cupcakes (thanks to morgies!), and made it to a BBQ ("rehearsal dinner") at the Stapleton's! I think i rode down their massive slide one to many times with B's little sister kenzie...i have scabs on my hip bones! whoops! it was so much fun!
Friday-WEDDING DAY! early rise to prepare for the day, get all fancy, go to the temple, cry, take pictures, cry, decorate their hotel room they would be staying at the night, cry, head to reception and eat, cry a little more, give my maid of honor speech thingy, cry, dance like cray cray and eat my weight in funnel cakes, say goodbye to my soon to be deflowered best friends, head home to have another massive sorority house like sleepover at my house.

I've had quite the week to say the least! adjusting back to life not on an uninhabited island would be one thing but hosting 13 girls at my house, having all the duties as brooke's right hand woman and doing it all with out the help from my mama was a rather intimidating task to come home to.  but it was perfect. everything was perfect! This week was about my sweet Brooke.

Brooke looked like an angel from the heavens on her wedding day.  Seeing hers and Jeffers glowing smiles made as all emotional.  They were honestly just flawless and flawlessly meant for each other.  The entire week was so stress free and Brooke had to be the most calm relax bride there ever was! My slight anxiety I felt on the plane ride home for the week to come was silly! I had nothing to worry about! I was dealing with Brooke (Stapleton) for heavens sake...the most easy going girl ever.

Friday was a beautiful day! The sun was out and the skies were clear and the heavens were cheering for the sealing of Brooke and Jeff! In our church, we believe that if you are worthy, you can enter into the temple and be sealed to your spouse for time and all eternity.  none of "till death do us part crap." We believe in forever families...and those are created by the power of sealing ordinances that Brooke and Jeff made inside the temple.  There was so much happiness being felt on Friday!...Whether it was seeing their faces when they came out of the temple, taking goofy pictures or watching Brooke dance with Jeff and her father, we all felt it.

To my dearest friends, Brooke & Jeff Stapleton, i am in awe by you two.  The way you see each other-your strengths & weakness, funny quirks and the respect you have for each other is undesirable.  We all can see the selfless care and concern you have for each other and its inspiring! I look up to you two more than you'll ever know and look forward to the day that your kids will know me by "aunty avery." I cant wait to continue watching your love grow! Thanks for a perfect week and a perfect friendship!

SHOUT OUT:
to the girls that stayed at my house, i had such a blast with you! the house just isnt the same without all your energy! thank you so so much for those who helped me clean as well!
to kim mosman for being (hot) super mom and showing me a perfect example of motherhood
to the mosmans and stapletons for putting on a stellar wedding experience
to rach and lily for doing the bach party and being such wonderful friends 
to the hired dancers at the reception for that comedic relief my emotions needed!

cheers to the freaking weekend & mr. and mrs. jeff stapleton!

advice ill never forget

I feel as though I've grown leaps and bounds within the past few months of traveling.  Not that I've magically transformed into a mature adult or my personality has been altered...its the way i think and see things that have changed.  You always hear people saying "i want to travel the world and find myself." I guess that statement is accurate but its so much more than that. I believe that I "found myself" these past 3 months by not thinking about myself.

I learned a great deal of valuable life lessons while backpacking Europe and i already attempted to post about it in a previous post so this one about my "lessons learned" while on study abroad in the south pacific. 

one the first day of our trip, our instructor was briefing us on the trip, his expectations, yadayadayada...until he wrapped it up with something i needed to hear, something that kinda shook me.  Dr. T, the wise man he is, said something along the lines of, "this trip isnt about you.  sure you paid 8 grand to be here but this isnt about you.  God wont care what you checked off your bucket list but he will care how you effected the people and influenced others while on your journey to check things off.  so, this trip is about others, not you.  serve your fellow friends on the trip, serve the people you meet, be someone who will be remembered...and then you will find yourself more changed than you could have ever imagined." 

This study abroad has been on my "bucket list" for 4 years, since sophomore year in high school! That advice spoke right to me. I believed what he said and sure i was in those efforts already this summer but to have it put into words so perfectly struck me. so, i was to try, day in and day out, my hardest to put aside my needs and look for the needs in others.

With this mentality, my days were the happiest & i genuinely grew to love the people i was associating with.  This allowed me to see people with the kind of love that God does and see them as my heavenly brothers and sisters.  I totally believe that the people I traveled with and the people we met along the way are my brothers and sisters and we all have a Father in Heaven who has created a perfect plan for all His children to return to him one day.  The villagers in Fiji, the Maori people in New Zealand and the aboriginals in Australia, we will meet again.  These people were a tangible example to me of living a Christlike life.  I feel like I was blessed with a small sense of our Savior's love for them by serving them.  Their loud laughter, humility and faith they abundantly possessed have made me sure of a few things: people are innately good, the Church of Jesus Christ of  Latter day Saints is the only gospel on the face of the universe that is 100% correct in every little way and that selflessness is the key to happiness.