Heeeeey Bungalow Bill!!!

While exploring on Threadless.com, I found a really awesome shirt, I think it's pretty amazing. Definitely getting it. Here's what it had on it:

Also, if you didn't already know, The Seminoles are BEASTLY this season! We're thinking reaaaaal big with the great starters and excellent coaches this year. We got sackmaster Brandon Jenkins on the defensive line, a very promising QB EJ Manuel, the top kicking recruit in the country in '09 and one of the greatest Dustin Hopkins [remember that 55 yard field goal in the last 3 seconds of the Clemson game? Yeah, that was the longest game-winning kick in ACC history]. If you didn't see the spring game, it was pretty awesome and set very high hopes. Just watch and see how they dominate this season. Just wait. And since Florida's looking pretty sorry this year [work on recruiting!], we're kicking your patooty right there in the Swamp.

Ever wondered why so many popular songs sound the same? Ever wonder why the heck people like them if they're not even original? Here's something funny made by people who are wandering the same thing. Please disregard the f bomb at the beginning and close to the end [so you can turn it waaaay down].

Las Flores son Bonitas

Recently, I picked a bunch of flowers around in my yard, and an orchid from my plant in my room, and pressed all the flowers under a bunch of books for a few days. Not many of them worked out, but I love the vintage look when they're paper-thin. Orchids are especially beautiful when they're pressed, but I cut off the very last bloom so I'll have to wait for a long time until it blooms again. When a white orchid is pressed, it becomes like transparent. Very cool indeed.

This is all of them.

I picked the few good ones and put them in a frame I had, on top of the letter I got from the maker of TOMS, that I thought would look cool behind the flowers. It's very easy and takes no time at all.

Being An Aunt

Ever since my sisters have had kids, my life has been the cooliest ever. It's a very exciting life and you're not ever bored around these crazy kids. It's great to have Randi and Rhett very close by, to be part of their childhood. Eden is simply the cutest baby ever, and I'm quite depressed that I can't see her all the time. But I'm excited about seeing them in several days! Woo! Here's some recent photos of Randi and Rhett playing around with me during the beautiful Florida summer.

This is what I get when I ask desperately for a real smile.

I put them up in my favorite climbing tree and they acted like monkeys [complete with the sounds and all].

Such an insightful little boy...

Taken from the very tip top on my favorite tree.

I think is the best ever. Her vicious smile, plus she's in the process of getting everything situated. I feel very accomplished as a rookie photographer.

Rhett the gator. Oh yeah, this is in our new cheapo pool while it was filling up.

Have a lovely weekend!

Mirror of Herself

Well I have this super awesome friend named Alyssa. And while talking with her a few nights ago, I heard her say "well I don't really see why anyone would like me" or something along those lines. After hearing this, I was so frustrated with her and how low a statement that was, so I decided to write this post strictly about every wonderful thing about Alyssa. This is what I like about her:

• Alyssa is the most intellectual person I know Alyssa is a really good soccer player 
• Alyssa wants to help me get out of bad situations 
• Alyssa appreciates nature as much as I do 
• Alyssa stayed up and looked at the moon with me 
• Alyssa wants to go on a mission 
• Alyssa shares incredibly deep thoughts with me aaaaall the time 
• Alyssa loves her grandpa and has always learned from him 
• Alyssa writes better and more beautifully than any author
• Alyssa has never ever hurt me emotionally 
• Alyssa reads to me parts of her beautiful masterpiece of a journal [p.s. It makes me cry every time] 
• Alyssa's best friend is her grandma 
• Alyssa can really cook good 
• Alyssa takes every tribulation and grows so much from it 
• Alyssa wants to help people 
• Alyssa is the funnest person I know, you can NEVER get bored with her 
• Alyssa has great morals 
• Alyssa knows how to rise from the ashes 
• Alyssa tells me when I'm doing something wrong, stupid, gross, or degrading 
• Alyssa is passionate about mustaches 
• Alyssa has an amazing blog 
• Alyssa is the best painter/artist I know; her paintings are GORGEOUS 
• Alyssa loves the gospel with all of her heart 
• Alyssa knows not to have bad influences Alyssa knows the scriptures well, and loves them 
• Alyssa gets clothes and pretty much everything at really good deals; a skill that I covet 
• Alyssa knows how to handle pretty much every situation 
• Alyssa has an awesome fashion sense 
• Alyssa does very cool stuff for me [awesome handmade hair piece, beautiful ostrich shirt, cool bracelets, among many other things] 
• Alyssa wrote me a note every morning of Youth Conference 
• Alyssa is beautiful 
• Alyssa taught me how to booty dance like a black girl, a skill both of us never use 
• Alyssa listens to great music 
• Alyssa and I share a love for a lot of the same bands, and has introduced some of my favorites to me [Biffy Clyro, Paper Route, City & Colour, among many others] 
• Alyssa is not normal 
• Alyssa shares her words of wisdom with me on a daily basis
• Alyssa tells me everything and says I'm one of the only who she does that to 
• Alyssa has taught me a lot, things that my parents can't or wont teach me 
• Alyssa knows where I've been and has felt the same things 
• Alyssa accepts me for who I am [and pretty much everyone else for that matter] 
• Alyssa sits up at one in the morning and talks to me about stuff 
• Alyssa has made my brother an overall better, cooler person 
• Alyssa appreciates simple, lovely things 
• Alyssa introduced me to Demetri Martin, the coolest guy I've ever heard of 
• Alyssa is going to be the best mother 
• Alyssa puts up with a lot of crap I put her through and a lot if uncomfortable situations I put her in 
• Alyssa is a great person and there are so many other things I can list, but I don't have the time or energy

Beefcake Pantyhose

I have a brother named Kacey

 He is pretty cool

Today is his birthday. Here's some things I like about him:

• Kacey is a worthy priesthood holder
• Kacey is a really good photographer
• Kacey can play the guitar very well
• Kacey can play the ukulele very well
• Kacey can play the harmonica very well
• Kacey can play the dulcimer very well
• Kacey can play the piano very well
• Kacey can play the bongos very well
• Kacey can play the trombone very well
• Kacey can compose techno songs and amazes me very easily
• Kacey can sing pretty good
• Kacey is very smart
• Kacey is nice to me
• Kacey listens to great music, and saved me several years ago when I was turning down the horrible path of mainstream music
• Kacey has never done anything immoral
• Kacey respects women
• Kacey likes kids
• Kacey doesn't want to steady date before his mission
• Kacey is going to serve the Lord for 2 years when he reaches the right age
• Kacey played me my very favorite song on my birthday ("Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros)
• Kacey intensely dances to techno songs with me in his room
• Kacey tells me when I'm about to do something stupid
• Kacey dresses coolly
• Kacey makes his hair look super awesome
• Kacey is one of the best cooks I know, and lets me eat his food every now and then
• Kacey can run fast
• Kacey doesn't get mad when I play my drums
• Kacey is not one of those really really weird hardcore bandies
• Kacey lets me borrow his iPod aaaaaaaall the time
• Kacey teaches me how to be better at soccer
• Kacey will not be one of those people who goes out and buys as much tobacco as they can on their 18th birthday
• Kacey sings with me in the car
• Kacey tells me about things that my parents wont tell me about
• Kacey is a peacemaker
• Kacey puts up with me walking around without pants sometimes
• Kacey comes to me for input on his outfit
• Kacey is very handsome
• Kacey shops at Urban Outfitters
• Kacey realized his friends weren't the best to be around, and found new, more Christian-like friends
• Kacey does not cuss
• Kacey is not a pervert
• Kacey understands everything about women
• Kacey is not normal
• Kacey makes me laugh on a daily basis
• Kacey and I have so much fun together at dances
• Kacey will hug me when I'm crying in church
• Kacey introduces me to really good music
• Kacey lets me use his awesome telescope
• Kacey takes me swimming with friends
• Kacey was with me at one of the greatest moments of my life, when we both performed "Daylight" by Matt & Kim
• Kacey has an awesome lady friend, Alyssa
• Kacey has a man purse
• Kacey dances with girls standing against the wall at dances
• Kacey prevented my father from getting me a crappy longboard, and instead convinced him to get me a really nice one
• Kacey bought me my beloved stuffed panda bear at the National Zoo
• Kacey is my friend when I can't find anyone else
• Kacey reads his scriptures and prays everyday
• Kacey's wardrobe isn't strictly Under Armour
• Kacey tells me many pointless things that I enjoy
• Kacey likes flowers
• Kacey is like the cooooooooooliest brother ever, and I will never be able to list every single thing I like about him

Happy 18th Birthday Kacey!

Also, everyone needs to check out Alyssa's blog. It has the most beautifully written words of wisdom, and I'm honored just to even be friends with her. 

Youth Conference was a great experience. Once again, it's just wonderful to be around so many Mormon kids and to feel the spirit everywhere you go is just lovely. We had many good speakers, and I learned a lot. 

Not to bore anyone with my passion for music, but I discovered a whole bunch of new music I just love so much. Beck has become really cool to me; and thanks to a cute guy at EFY, I was introduced to Radiohead, "Kid A" is just amazing; and Biffy Clyro is the best punk out there. This is such an odd video, but a GREAT song by Beck. [Hint: this is where the title of my post cam from].

In the daylight, we can hitch-hike to Maine....

Also, Kacey and I preformed "Daylight" by Matt & Kim in the Variety Show at EFY. It was one of the most amazing feelings to be up there playing a glockenspiel, yell-singing, and dancing to one of your favorite songs in front of 450 teenagers. We had such a good time.
And I got a bunch of guys wanting to dance with me because of it...haha. I don't have the video yet, but I'm working on it.

Especially For Youth 2011

This is the beautiful "Day & Night". I spent the best week of my life with these people. My testimony grew dramatically with these people. I laughed and cried with these people. I feasted upon the scriptures with these people. I talked about Wyatt's butt with these people. But most importantly, I always felt the spirit with these people. And my heart and soul with always stay with the all-mighty Day & Night.

I recently got back from the most amazing spiritual experience one can have as a youth in the church. My testimony grew so much in such a small amount of time. So many incredible devotionals and classes that moved everyone. One thing my testimony grew on was the Atonement, and how much our Savior really does love us. I know that my Redeemer lives and wants us to live with Him again, and I look forward to that day when we will see Him.

One of my favorite parts was gospel study every morning. We would spread out on the campus lawns and study the scriptures a half hour. This is where I got a lot of personal revelation from the Holy Ghost. I always wrote a page in my notebook during this time, just revelation and my thoughts on what I was reading. 

And I learned so much from the classes and the great speakers/teachers. Like: there is no salvation without prayer, it is essential; we need to live our religion everyday, and obey with exactness; successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, and work; it takes no effort to cut someone down, but it takes a genius to bring them up; fences that keep you in may have been built to keep things out; Satan and the rest of the world spends all of its time and energy trying to pollute everything sacred [like procreation]; Satan tries to focus all our attention on a few things that are forbidden rather than all the things we can have; don't sacrifice what you want most for what you want in the moment. I think the last 3 are cool. There was just a very small portion of notes I took.