It's beginning to look a lot like...

Christmas!

Aside from getting all of my Christmas decorations up this weekend, I also enjoyed a 12 hour day of shopping on Black Friday with my BFF.

It was a huge success!

I love this time of year!

Mimi's Cafe

This morning Howie and I treated ourselves to a marvelous Mimi's Cafe breakfast.

You must try their Pumpkin Spice Muffin.

*Yum*

Have a Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

Compliments

Last Sunday, Howie and I attended a missionary homecoming for one of his cousins.  I had accidently set my alarm clock for 7pm instead of 7am that morning so, we ran a little late leaving the house to be there on time.  We sat through the entire meeting and when we were finally ready to get up and leave, a young girl (maybe 16 or 17?) jumped out of her seat, which was two rows behind us, just to come over and tell me "I love your hair!  I just had to tell you."  Because of running late that day, I didn't feel like my hair was really up to par.  Certainly not to a standard worthy of receiving compliments from random strangers.  I love receiving unexpected compliments like this, but I feel bad when I get them, too.  My whole entire life, I've always struggled with the small act of accepting a compliment.  I appear to accept it from the outside, but inside I always doubt them.  It's just part of my nature.

I remember once when I was around 15ish, I had complained to my Mom about what a bad hair day I was having.  Later that same day we went to a family Christmas party and one of my cousins came up to me and complimented me on my hair and said it was "Cute!".  I immediately turned around and said "Did my Mom tell you to say that to me??"  She looked at me all confused and said "No, I just wanted you to know I thought your hair looked cute today."

So, because of my insecurities and how I feel when I receive compliments, I find that I rarely ever give compliments.  It's sad, but true.  So, when this girl went so out of her way on Sunday to tell me she loved my curly red hair, I was taken back.  But, I've thought of it ever since!  I admire people that can go up to complete strangers and brighten their day with something as simple as a compliment.  I challenge you to compliment someone today.  They will appreciate it!

And just for fun, watch this video.  These two Purdue University students used to stand outside every Wednesday from 12:30 to 2pm and give out "Free Compliments" to people who walked by.  What an awesome idea!

I am a Ute.

I am very, very, proud and excited to finally announce that I have applied and been accepted into The David Eccles School of Business Program at the University of Utah!  It has been four years since I got my Associates degree and I am absolutely thrilled to be returning to school.  I'm also just a tad nervous.  I thought, for sure, I would be the oldest one in Orientation this past Tuesday, but I wasn't.  There were actually a number of people that seemed to be about my same age and older.  Of course, there were the younger kids there, too.  But I didn't feel out of place for one second.  I knew it's where I was supposed to be.  It was comforting to know that we were all there with one common goal in mind and that is to get an education.  I felt a sense of camaraderie with my fellow students even though we'd never met or spoken.  I'll be honest with you, I have struggled with this decision to return to school from the day I started to ponder it.  Is the timing right?  Is it wise to be starting such an endeavor when Howie and I are trying to start a family, too?  Can we afford it?  Can I keep my job AND go to school?  Will it take too long?  Which degree should I go for?  Or as my best friends Dad put it when he found out I was considering going back to school "Is it worth it?"  (I'm not quite sure if that was a jab at my age or just academics in general.  Either way, it got a confused reaction from me.)


This past Monday night, the night before Orientation, I laid awake in bed wondering if I was making the right decision.  It was then that I was prompted to go and read my Patriarchal Blessing.  When these types of promptings hit me, I act on them every single time because that's what my P.B. is for.  I'm continuously learning about it and it's meanings and in turn growing stronger in my faith in it.  It reconfirms my testimony every time.  I started to read it in it's entirety and I paused when I got to a section that said:

"Gain education that you may have the skills and the knowledge which will help you in your life to achieve and accomplish that work you shall be called to do."

I know that this is what my Father in Heaven wants me to be doing.  I know he will provide a way for it to happen if I just do my part and have faith in Him.

Bring on January 9th!