Fortune Cookies

are scary good.

Seriously every fortune cookie I ever get is perfect for me and what's going on in my life right then.

Right at the beginning of this break I went to Panda Express with a good friend and I was super excited to open up my fortune cookie and read:

"Allow yourself time. You will reach success." 


I've had a crazy semester and I have needed this Christmas break to clear my head, make some decisions, and just relax a bit. So it was very nice to hear from my fortune cookie that everything will work out if I just give myself some time.

I also happened to get another fortune cookie the other night when some of our neighbors dropped by a box of them for Christmas. Mine said:

"You income will increase." 

Sweet.
(and yes i know that should be YOUR, but that's how the cookie said it!)

And boy did I need to hear this as I had just spent the night ordering new books for the semester, posting my books to be sold online, praying for my pell grant to kick in as tuition is due, and crunching numbers from my bank account to see how I will be able to pay for rent as soon as I'm back at school.

I guess sometimes I just need a little piece of paper to tell me to stop worrying :)

"we're ADULTS!!"

haha yeah. mostly.

Last weekend Holly and I decided to make a quick trip down to Cedar City to see her sister who was driving across the country and had a stop in Cedar on Friday night. So Holly and I went to class and to work, came home, packed up our stuff and headed out!

We listened to our favorite music, sang songs, talked about life, and came to the conclusion that we are ADULTS. And surprisingly, that doesn't scare me at all :)

The drive was gorgeous.

We went out to dinner.

We swam in the hotel pool.

We watched Toy Story 3 while eating Ben and Jerry's ice Cream :)

And then we went to bed at 10:30. Like any other adult :) haha

I had to post this picture just because it makes me laugh. Any poor/hungry college student could understand that you don't just throw away un-eaten Ben and Jerrys ice cream even if you don't have a freezer. And if keeping that ice cream cold in bags full of ice is what it takes to preserve their goodness, so be it :)

The next morning we ate the free hotel breakfast and then went back to our room after her sister left. We spent the morning hanging out in our pajamas laying on the giant hotel beds, and cuddling with soft pillows as we talked... and we had a GOOD talk. The kind where you laugh over the past, tell secrets, dream about the future, and make plans. All sorts of amazing plans. :)

We left the hotel around noon and headed back to Provo. Driving in a car with my best friend Holly, random ipod music, and yogurt pretzels. What more could you need?

So... Do you ever listen to a song and it instantly brings memories back to you? "Why Georgia" by John Mayer will forever remind me of this trip. Just because :)

More than I realize sometimes, Holly and I have done a lot of growing up in these last 3 years of college. And I love when I can look back on the past and see the beauty in it- how my experiences have shaped me into who I am. Our talk on Saturday reminded me that I have a lot to look forward to.

I'm not scared to be an Adult. I'm excited :)

I'm a little obsessed.

This summer I went to 4 concerts :) how lucky am I? And as a result, I am a little obsessed...

Owl City during Finals Week 

He is We in a scary part of Salt Lake

Justin Bieber with my little sisters

John Mayer and Owl City in August- two for the price of one :)

Growing up I never understood how it would be any fun to pay more money to see someone in person when you could just buy their CD and listen to it whenever you wanted! That's my stingy side showing :) But experiencing concerts for myself has truly opened my eyes. There is just something incredible about being in a huge crowd waiting to hear a voice that is on your ipod, a song that brings back great memories, and lyrics that have made you smile, cry and do everything in between. 

I'm obsessed. And no, I do not enjoy paying so much money to go see some of my favorite singers in person, but sometimes I just can't help myself. 

It's been about two months since my last concert... And I'm thinking I'm overdue for another one :)

I could explode

with happiness :) life is so good. It's been so long since I've posted because I'm back down at BYU for my junior year! SO crazy. New apartment. New roommates. New ward. New friends. New classes. Good stuff.
I am SO busy, and I couldn't be happier. I love having things to do, people to meet, places to go. I'll be honest, summer got very lonely in Kaysville, so I'm loving everything I'm doing here at school :)

It would take too long to give you details about everything that I've done here so far, so pictures will have to do :)

I missed my roommate.

John Mayer/Owl City concert

Me and my little sisters!!

look at that smile :)

Super early in the morning before hiking Timpanogos. 

Made a trip to IKEA to get cute things for our place 

The first picture of all 4 of us together. The HACK Pack

Ice blocking!

Making Sunday dinner!

Things I already LOVE about this year:

• Having my little sister down at school with me
• How lucky I am to have such great roommates
• Our Sunday dinners
• The crazy things my roommates get me saying :)
• Temple Trips on Thursday mornings
• How confident I feel- I'm so much more outgoing this year
• Sharing a room with Holly
• Our ward
• Having friends that randomly stop by just because they want to see us
• My job at the Math Lab- I meet so many people and I have so much fun with the girls I work with
• Being able to visit home more often- yay for having a car!
• My classes- I love having all of my classes focused on what I'm doing with my future- no more GE's!
• Studying late at the library again- yes I have missed this
• My calling as FHE mom :)
• I'm just plain happy- ALL the time :)

24 years ago

my parents were married in the Los Angeles, California temple. And since that time they have raised 5 very happy and blessed kids.

Happy and blessed because we have them as our parents and our best friends.

There are some nights when we are all sitting around joking with each other, sharing stories from our day, laughing together and simply being a family- and it's those times I realize how much love my parents have created in our home.

I am so thankful for the choices they made in their lives that brought them together and made us a family :)

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

2:06:44

of running my heart out to finish my first half marathon :)

Here's a little glimpse of what was going through my head all that time:

"Keep going karina, you're not tired. Man this canyon is pretty!! Don't I have any more upbeat songs? You do not have to pee karina. Is that girl passing me again? ooh that's a blister... I love you john mayer, it's just hard to listen to you when i'm trying to run fast. yay! a water station!! Well, I can't feel my feet anymore. oh yeah karina, you are doing this and you feel great!! "we gonna light it up, like it's dynamite" Ok that was the longest mile of my life. Thank you downhill!! I cannot believe where I am right now."

I don't know what worked better, listening to my self-encouragement or simply ignoring myself to push through it :)

After Brynn and I finished the half-marathon (btw Brynn finished under 2 hours!! isn't she amazing??) we went back and sprinted with my mom as she came in which I loved.

I did way better than I could have ever hoped for and that makes me SO happy :) this whole week I've been feeling so strong and just plain confident after running a half marathon. I've proven to myself again that I can do hard things :)

It was one awesome experience which I will be sure to do again :)

summer night

nothing like a long bike ride late at night to one of my favorite places with my sister. we played for way too long on the swings making ourselves sick and taking more pictures than were necessary :)

and man we had some good faces :) haha

then we were big babies who were too scared to ride home in the dark and had our mom pick us and our bikes up.

good night :)

Freckle Season

yep it's summer!! And I've been neglecting this blog... so I will just post some pictures of random happenings this summer to make up for lost time :)

It's my third summer working at the Pioneer Village Photoshop in Lagoon and my first year as one of the managers there. It's almost like a whole new job this summer with the different responsibilities I have there now, but this should be my last summer working there... ready for a change :)

Even though I do have fun with the girls I work with :)

My little sister Brynn is now graduated from high school! Which means she will be down with me at BYU in the fall!! I'm glad I'm here at home this summer to help her make the transition of moving away from home. We have already made plans for when we are down at school to go running together, go grocery shopping, share clothes, and have late nights studying together in the library :) it's gonna be good.

I've had the chance to go up to Heber a couple of times to watch my little cousins. I even was able to watch the kids overnight and play mommy the next morning getting them ready for school, making breakfast, and cleaning the house. I loved it :)

On the Fourth of July weekend, my little brother Landon ran a 5K in Salt Lake and we all came out to support him! We spent that morning walking around the Capital Building, and seeing a few places in Salt Lake.

good times. I will post more later!

falling asleep...

is a lot easier to do when I'm down at school. I am completely exhauseted by the end of the day that it takes no time at all for me to fall asleep. But here at home it's a little different. Because I'm not completely exhuasted I have energy to read before I sleep, watch movies with my siblings, and I now have dreams almost every night, and boy there have been some weird ones. haha

Last night I fell asleep listening to my little brother talking in his sleep :) I love that boy.

My favorite ways to fall asleep:

• after a head scratch
• reading children's books
• listening to my dad play "If You Could Hie to Kolob" on the piano in the other room

bliss.

Organizing

I've loved to do it ever since I was little :) Last week I decided I wanted to clean out a closet in our house. The boxes in this closet haven't been touched since we've moved in, so after some time working on this.....

TA-DA!! :)

sorry the pictures aren't rotated.... they are on my computer but they keep loading this way

I got to go through old music my parent's loved, books we read as kids, and disney movies we grew up with :) After I found a few home videos of us, we all watched them as a family and laughed over our little selves :)

and this is my get-up as I cleaned the closet :) haha I found all of this costume while I was cleaning and I couldn't help myself :)

I love organizing. :)

Road Trip :)

The other week Holly flew up to Utah so the two of us could take a road trip up to Idaho for our good friend Dani's wedding :) The drive was beautiful and Holly and I sang songs the entire way :)

The start of our trip :)

"Welcome to Idaho!!"

Holly and I were able to stay at her cousins house in Kuna which allowed us to be close to Meridian where Dani lived. It was so sweet of her cousin to let us stay in their home and their four daughters were some of the sweetest and funniest little girls I've ever been around. :) We read stories with them, played with them, stayed up late talking to them, and they taught us how to make button jewelry!!

While we were in Idaho, we were able to see a lot of Holly's family and the small towns they live in. Her cousins had some little chicks that we were able to hold :) You can also see our button jewelry!!

We are Bridesmaids!! :) I loved being there for Dani's wedding to help out, get to know her family better, and celebrate her wedding :)

Dani and David walking out of the temple as Husband and Wife :) She was GORGEOUS :) It was unreal to see her married- I'm so happy for her!!!

In between the wedding luncheon and the reception, Holly and I went back to Kuna and we got a tour of the small town from Holly's cousin and her family. Their family comes to play at this river during the summer- doesn't that sound fun!!

Dani had a "candy bar" set up at her reception stocked with blue and green candies to match her colors :) she even made that sign that says "Love is the 'sweetest' thing" :) how cute is that!!

It was really fun to carry around a bridesmaid bouquet :) We even made button rings to match Dani's colors!!

David and Dani's first dance to "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson :) When it was time for Dani to dance with her dad, Holly and I started bawling!! We were just so happy for her!! And it was so sweet to see her share that experience with her dad.

Once faster music started playing, Holly and I also got on the dance floor :) My favorite part of the entire night was when Dani danced with all of us bridesmaids- we all just went crazy and had a great time :)

Holly and I decorated their car :) We were very nice though and didn't make it too messy!

Drive home from Idaho!

We stopped in Burley to stretch and look for Burley men :)

It was such a fun road trip and I hope Holly and I get the chance to go on another one!!

On the Brightside...

Awhile ago I was reading through my journal I kept in high school, and I couldn't help but be really impressed with myself. My family and I moved from Hesperia, California to Kaysville, Utah before my junior year of high school. SO HARD. But as I would write in my journal each week I would remain positive. I might have mentioned how one week was especially hard or disappointing, but I would always end by saying, "I hope this next week is better!" or "maybe I should work harder on this" or "but I'm really thankful for this"

I never mentioned in my journal the days I sat alone in my car, or the library, or the hall with nowhere to go during lunchtime, the days I don't think I said a word at school, the times where group projects were assigned and I was always by myself, or the nights I couldn't do anything but cry. With the number of times I had these experiences, that would be a very depressing journal to read.

I found ways to keep myself busy and happy during those two rough years of high school, I had to keep going. I mentioned a lot in my journal the craft projects I worked on, walking my dog around the neighborhood, the time I spent with my family, and the people in my life who were sweet to me. There was always something to be thankful for to keep me positive and happy.

Four years ago today my family and I moved here to Kaysville. There has been countless times since that day that I have recognized what a blessing moving has been in my life. I'm am SO thankful for this trial in my life as I recognize the lessons I have learned, the strong relationships I have formed with my family members, and strong person I am today. The Lord knew what he was doing when he sent our family to Kaysville, and I am thankful for his hand in my life :)

Best Shopping Trip of My Life

... so far :) last night my little sister and I went shopping at Rue 21. I still have birthday money I've been needing to spend so I was hoping to find some cute clothes, little did I know I would have such good luck!! The store was having a HUGE sale and I found such great stuff that I absolutely love!!

shoes: $10
shirt: $6
shirt: $6
shirt: $3 scarf: $6

shirt: $3 (and the same scarf from the picture above)

getting good deals: priceless

(betcha didn't see that one coming) haha

I also got some gray leggings for running for $5, but I used them already so I didn't take a picture :)

I LOVE saving money!! There's something just so exciting about getting things you want for such a small price! Usually when I go shopping I come back empty-handed. I'm very good at talking myself out of things that I want if they are too expensive. It's hardly ever worth it to pay full price, and I can be patient and wait for them to go on sale. Plus, I am SO happy when my patience finally pays off :) I got such great stuff for so cheap!!

Yes there are some times when I'm too cheap for my own good and I miss out on some cool stuff. But there's always something better out there, maybe even cheaper! So there's no reason to get discouraged :)

Woah, I think that just turned into a metaphor for my life. Sometimes I feel like there are things I've missed out on in life, yet I'm thankful I have not been willing to settle. There are some things are just worth waiting for :) and here I was thinking I was just bragging about my good shopping trip! haha