Back into the Fray

This summer has been a marvelous experience for me. I took Spring and Summer terms at BYU which kept me delightfully busy. I now have a Latin Ballroom competition partner, and we've been having fun practicing, competing, and having various adventures (like breaking down in Vegas). My family got to visit Utah last week, and it was so wonderful to see and be with them! We went to Bear Lake and went tubing and soaked up some sunshine. I also got to go to several fantastic concerts this summer (Owl City, We the Kings, Ludo among others). Lots of my friends from freshman year just got back from their missions. Just so much awesome packed in to four months.

I have made some rather exciting personal discoveries. My mom brought me my copy of 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens from when I was in high school. I love that book. Maybe someday I'll read the grown-up version that Sean Covey's dad wrote. But it has so much good advice and uplifting, motivational stories. The friends that I have surrounded myself with this summer have been amazing; just being with them and watching them live their lives encourages me to be more than I am, that I can be more.I am living for the pure joy of life. It's hard work, but that makes it better. I have more confidence in myself and my ability to accomplish what I set out to do. It is such an empowering feeling.

First day of classes at BYU went well. I'm a Microbiology major for good. I had my first MMBio class today and Pearl of Great Price, as well as plenty of ballroom class auditions. I'll know tomorrow at 4 which ones I got into (crosses fingers). Probably doing Betsy's team again this year. Can't wait for homecoming! The Lindy Hop routine we do around campus is so much fun.

And here's a crazy, beautiful song by Imogen Heap that just makes me want to skip around

Propeller Seeds by imogenheap

Blessings

Church on Sunday was one of those really amazing, uplifting meetings that helps you float through the rest of the week. It was Fast Sunday (since we had General Conference last week) and therefore testimony meeting instead of talks. A lot of people talked about the blessings they have received from keeping commandments. Which makes sense, given the Prophet's talk last week about gratitude. But some of their stories were really amazing. One guy had a very interesting story. Last month, he shared in sacrament that he had been praying for a challenge. About a week later, his knee got completely busted playing basketball - his patella detached from his knee. He has a brace that he has to wear for three months. But he told us that since then, he's noticed nothing but blessings and the kindness people show him. He's noticed people who take the time to stop and talk to him, ask him how he is, help him out. Friends who stop by just because, or strangers who see him and ask if there's anything they can do. He also said something I really liked:

"If we're doing the right thing, the wrong thing never happens; good and bad things might happen, but never the wrong thing."

Personally, I'm trying a few things myself as an experiment on faith, if you will. My Chemistry 106 teacher gave us a challenge to not do homework on Sunday. He said that when he was in college, he took the same challenge and saw many blessings in his life, both spiritual and secular. Sometimes, a homework assignment he didn't have time to do on Saturday would be cancelled or postponed. And he felt his Sundays were more spiritual and he had more time to devote to his church duties. I've been doing this for a few weeks now, and I'm beginning to see the results. Sundays are certainly better. I'm using the time I would have been studying to talk to my family in Boston, talking to friends that had a rough week or were sick, reading scriptures, and reviewing my conference notes. Having such a peaceful Sunday seems to make the rest of my week go so much better.

PS This is a picture of me and Kaylee the night we found her. I miss her dearly, but I was told she was adopted into a wonderful home :3

A Day of More Cooking!

When will the foodings stop??

I swear I talk about and do other things than cook and bake. But I have more to share.

So, another thing on the Frister List was a summer meal I like to make called the Tomato Steak and Baked Goat Cheese Salad. I was finally able to make it today since everyone was home for once.

The delectable salad. Everyone saves the cheese for last.

Then I did another baking experiment. We already know I love red velvet cupcakes. But we found that Bread and Chocolate had another cupcake recipe video. Theirs had a bit more cocoa, and added cinnamon and balsamic vinegar. It was simply delightful.

I made a dozen of these enormous delights and gave them to friends