"What Happened To You?"

I'm pretty sure I have already confessed how much I LOVE my Interpersonal Communications class. Truly. I'm going to be bold & daring and say that it maaay be my most favorite class I have taken to date. (But! Obviously that doesn't include all the classes where I had crushes on my teachers. That's just a losing battle)

Anyway, we have this small prompt we were given and I decided that since I am terrible at keeping a journal, I'll post it to my blog where I write everything down anyway. We have to write it somewhere; why not write it somewhere where everyone can see something totally personal right? Haha

Okay. Today in class, we discussed how we are in the first grade. If you got a group of six-year olds together and said "Raise your hand if you are good singer," eeevery single one of those cuties would raise their hand and be like "You want me to sing!? I can sing right here in front of the class! What do you want me to sing!?" and everyone would want to participate. But nowadays, no one ever pipes up about anything! So my teacher asked, "What happened to you?" Here's my response:

Everyone has different experiences that make them question their talents, their abilities, even their habits. In first grade, no one really cares about any of it though! Every one is the same and social cues, norms, and words like "humble" or "conceit" or "brag" don't exist. However, once we enter into kindergarten, we suddenly need the acceptance of our peers and that becomes the number one priority over just expressing who we really are and what makes us happy. We start to care about what people think of us. For me, it was all about competition once "Dropping Your Apple" came into play. My first grade teacher would always make us "drop our apples" [which were just these little laminated cut outs of apples with our names of them velcroed(?) on a giant paper tree] whenever we were bad. That was my worst fear. So I always tried to be a really great kid. That would be my worst nightmare. But I remember perfectly the day that was all shattered...thanks to Charisma.

She was this girl in my class, and even when I was little, I was like "Oh boy, I have to stay away from that girl. She's trouble." because she was aaalways having to drop her apple. I don't think she ever got it to the ground, but...I just was nervous. One day when we had to line up outside the classroom door, who should come up next to me but Charisma. And she started talking...and kept talking..aaaand kept talking. Our teacher (Mrs. D) told us to hush so she could count us or something and I shut my mouth. But Charisma just kept talking! I was getting so frustrated so I was trying to tell her to be quiet already and that got us both to talking...and that's when the worst words I'd heard yet came from Mrs. D's mouth. "Alright girls, that's it. Drop your apples." I was MORTIFIED. Apparently, she'd told us to be quiet like 3 times and we just ignored her. Ninety percent sure that's when I became nervous to talk too much. I mean, obviously I wasn't some hermit or anything by any means. But I definitely didn't really participate as much in class (because I was so embarrassed that I made my teacher mad and thought she didn't like me anymore) and I really was only outgoing on the playground when I would play "Penguins" or kickball with my friends. And that's also when I started comparing myself with the kids around me. If someone had ever dropped their apple any further than how far mine fell that day, I steered VERY clear of them. But I always knew there were kids in our class who had never dropped their apples and I WISHED I could be like them again. I know it sounds crazy now, but in first grade, you just want to make your teacher love you and have lots of friends so they'll invite you to their birthdays and sleepovers. That never left me, even up until high school. I wasn't going to be the one who made a dumb comment or asked a dumb question or got in trouble with my teacher. First grade turned me a bit shy and it was only in 9th grade that I made friends who were much more outgoing and confident and I decided to mimic them. I'm definitely not that shy anymore when it comes to friends. But when I am meeting new people, or have a new class, I try to ALWAYS make a good impression. I don't want their first perception of me to be something like "That girl is weird" or "She isn't paying attention. She'll probably fail."

It's amazing to me that somehow, every single person on this earth becomes self conscience at one point in their life. We don't shoot our hands up when asked to sing in front of people. Who exactly decides what is socially acceptable and decides who is "great" or "bad" and fixes standards?

We need to make sure as well that we are not putting others in that position of being uncomfortable with themselves. "Do not criticize, condemn, or complain." How we percieve ourselves has largely to do with how we act. If we're told we're terrible students, there would be far less colleges than there are today, right? I like what Brother Embree said today in class. He said "Don't forget that as others shape you, you also shape others." If we have a good self image of ourselves, that will allow us to push through and ignore all the harsh criticisms that are coming our way. We all should embrace the little kid in us and try to grow back out of what people think of us and needing everyone's approval. Just appreciate those around who appreciate you! Happiness doesn't have to be hard. Just embrace who you are and be happy with it! Live a little! As Disney says, "Express yourself!" I think people will find that that little first grader is still somewhere in there.

Hauntingly Beautiful

Give it up for the SPICE GIRRRRRLS!!!

Haha. Ok, I should explain. Last week, Heidi and Andrea came back and were telling us all about their karaoke escapades during Karaoke Night at Sammy's! You go and sign up and then they play the lyrics on a youtube version, you know the drill. Well, obviously, Alex and I have ALWAYS wanted to do that (although I think she already has before?) so we made a pact that we would all go the next Wednesday. So...we did! And we invited our FHE brothers to go with us and all of them came!! (Well, minus the engaged one of course. Understandable) But it was SO much fun!! We decided on Wannabe by the Spice Girls (yeah, you know the one), we came up with some common moves, and got ready to belt our little hearts out! It was so much fun to dance around with my friends and sing and have people singing along and cheering for us! Soooo much fun. I can't stop saying that. We had a fun time all just hanging out together too. I have the best roommates and we just can't wait to get to know our bros even more. :) I just love it.

Sorry this is kind of a short post, but. The last couple have been sooo long...So you're welcome. We all went and had a great time!! The boys (Spencer, Bronson, and their friend Cameron) all sang Let's Get It On and I almost died laughing!!! I did not see that song coming. And I finally got a picture! So great. If you haven't done it by now, you definitely should come and check it out. We'll be there every single week from now on! (That's our new goal!) Wish us luck!

Hoppy Easter!

I have had SUCH an incredible weekend!!! Truly. Want to hear all about it? Okay!

Friday: Well, Friday night all of our roommates had other plans (dates, homework, etc) so Alex and I decided to have a date all our own. We went to Sammy's and got DELICIOUS burgers (well, Alex got grilled cheese) and their bomb-diggity sweet potato fries that I have been CRAVING!! For dessert, we went to the Cocoa Bean, where we both got SUCH yummy cupcakes!!!! Well, and they had a special so we got drinks too. We were feeling SO fat and full, so we went home and got into our pj's and snuggled up to watch Selena and were interrupted a couple times by people coming in. So we didn't finish up. But fiiinally all my WONDERFUL roommates came home and we were all talking until finally it was just Heidi and I and we talked until 3 in the morning. Haha I'd say quite a great night.

Alex has the Party In Your Mouth cupcake. Mine is the Dirty Turtle cupcake. SO amazing!

Then on Saturday, Alex and I woke up and I talked to my grandma for a bit and then we went to the gym and worked off everything we ate the day before. Haha Ps-We have been working out every single day for at least an hour and a half. I expect you to be shocked with the results soon enough! Anyway, then we came home and decided to make banana pancakes...even though it was like 1:30 in the afternoon. Great choice. Wait, back up. A long time ago, we decided that we were going to do Easter baskets for each other. So after breakfast, we all drew names! Well, then we were invited to an Easter egg hunt a couple apartments down at 107 at 6 so we showered and everything and at 6:30, we headed over there. Granted, we seemed late, but like 10 minutes before that, we saw people heading over there so we assumed we were okay! But. We weren't. So we scrambled up to campus and saw a group walking down from campus and they said it was on campus, so we started to run up there, until they said you had to be on a team and we didn't have any of the clues. Clues? Yep. It was a scavenger hunt. Definitely missed a giant chunk of the rules. Haha But they let us join their team. (Team Katie, Jared, Ben, Jeff, me, Alex, and Heidi) So we ran around campus like a chicken with our heads cut off until we finally got to a clue and got stuck. For a good 45 minutes. After that, it wasn't fun anymore and we called for directions, which ended up being to "just head back to 107." Then! When we got there, apparently we'd lost. Well they let us know: this guy kept pushing a box of Drumsticks towards us so finally, I was like "Don't mind if I do!" and Alex & I both took one. Well, then the head girl mumbled something, but neither of us heard her. It took everyone looking at the two of us and a couple seconds for me to realize she said "Oooh. The Drumsticks are for the winners." and they made us hand them back over!! They ended up giving us a bag of Hershey kisses, which we used later. We decided after getting lost AND losing that we would just do our own on Sunday and set the plans! Anyway, then Heidi, Alex, and I all went over to the Dollar Store and K-Mart to get things to make our Easter baskets! When we got back, it was time to eat and head off to the "Dance In the Hart!" I think we looked rather cute, wouldn't you say?

Well, we must have because we were dancing our brains out and having soooo much fun, and people just kept coming over to join our little threesome group and before we know it, we literally had 15 or 16 people all dancing with us! It was pretty awesome. :) We didn't stay for the whole thing, we ended up leaving about an hour into it, because Alex and some of our other friends were all waiting for us to head over to Alex Young's house to go swim!!

I couldn't get a picture of us until we were all wet and in the bathroom. I know, depressing. And Holli Harris is in the shower to our left. Haha But she was there! Along with Chase, Logan, Derek, Matt (Logan's new roommate), and one other guy. But we played in the pool until the lights got shut off on us at 11:00. SO funny too because literally as Chase JUST finished saying "Hey guys, the pool closes at 11," the lights shut off. So we jumped out. But after that, we were nowhere near tired, so we got home, snacked, and then Heidi, Alex and I went about stuffing our eggs we bought to do our own egg hunt on Sunday!

Sunday morning (EASTER! Hoppy Easter everyone!!!) we all were getting ready and took a couple minutes in the morning to get these cute little guys:

Mine is the second from the right from Alex and I made the very left one for Andrea. It was SO great to do a cute little thing as an apartment. We're already so close, I can't even believe it. I feel like I've known these girls my whole life. We can all be our goofy selves and we just laugh ALL the time. We love hanging out together and I cannot believe how well we all get along. I'm so so so blessed to have such amazing girls as my roommates. I truly can't say enough nice things about them. I love them to death.

Okay okay, enough mush. I get it. But today, we all went to church and had such a great day! The bishopric gave introductory talks and all were so great. I love those guys. I've missed them. Then Alex taught Sunday school and did SUCH a great job! She was such a natural. Owned that lesson about how Christ is the Light of the World like a pro. And Katelyn did a great job teaching about friendship in Relief Society. I feel like we are going to be quite a tight-knit ward. I can't wait!!! After church, cute little apartment 15 in Bunkhouse invited us over for dinner (we had chicken alfredo-AMAZING. Best I've had in a while) and we all got to know each other a little better, which was nice because I only knew like 2 of them. [ps-their names are James (er "Jimmer") Jacob, Jeff, Jared, Brad and Bryce. So. The J's took some remembering. Haha] Fast forward to when Heidi, Alex, and I all headed over to Porter Park and split up the eggs to hide them and then Jeff and Cami came and joined us. Just about when we were running out of eggs, the rest of apartment 15 cames scampering up. We gathered around and were waiting for Andrea when these little kids (who had already "found" two eggs) came over and Jared invited them to join us. They were BEYOND excited.

Before...

After...And of course, when we got back to our apartment, we found this...again.

Finances Vs. Final Cut Pro

You know what makes me feel super creepy? Sitting in the library, looking at everyone else's computer screens. I'm actually fascinated by what everyone else is learning! One guy over here (yes I am doing this as we speak) is just sittin back, relaxing, while reviewing this intense looking PowerPoint about finances! Uh, I took the easiest finance class and you better believe I was not sitting back, relaxing. More like sitting three inches from the screen, reading the same paragraphs over and over, flipping through page after page, and getting bald spots all over my head. So. I should give him a high five right this second. But…obviously, I’m not that weird….most of the time. There’s other people who are writing long papers, watching required videos (it looks like a war documentary! Nice.) or writing lengthy responses to class blogs. But all of it looks so cool! It’s so crazy to think we are all here at the same school, but we are learning all kinds of different things based on what we like or are good at. We all start out kiiind of the same, but by the second semester here, everyone is at completely different points in their life! Finance guy liked that stuff that made me want to shoot myself. I personally like people watching and learning how to approach them and give them information about what’s going all around. Federal loans vs. Final Cut Pro. It’s just crazy.

I’m such a people watcher though. I definitely picked the BEST major/minor for myself and I can’t even describe how excited I am about my classes. In fact, in like 30 minutes, I get to go to my most favorite class of the semester I think: Interpersonal Communications. The first day, we all sat in a circle and took turns going around the room learning interesting facts about each other! Well, you know, after going through the syllabus. Which, by the way, was hilarious! And he gave us this lesson that I cannot WAIT to share if I ever get to be a gospel doctrine teacher again. But it seemed to go by so fast and I learned a lot about everybody. One girl told how she was “so happy to have hair again” because she had cancer and a couple semesters before, she would go to school one day as a blonde, and another day as a red head! So that made me really think. Another guy shared that he organized a play and donated every single cent made to a charity he and his friend started after their friend was murdered. Whoa, right?! And I get selfish about making sure my money stays mine. I’m already learning so much and I can’t WAIT to see what else this class has in store for me.

I also love having a sociology minor. Because I feel like once I learn about minorities and poverty in my Soc classes, I can better communicate with numerous types of people from multiple backgrounds. I can’t wait. I have a VERY good feeling about this semester. Best yet? It’s definitely shaping up to look that way….

Surfs Up!

Oh my gosh, today was AWESOME!! What an awesome last day in my love, California.

So today, Erin, Mike, and I are all sitting around talking and eating pancakes for breakfast (because there was literally NOTHING else-no milk, no bread, nothin) and we were talking about seeing the Martins, who are visiting and going to Huntington Beach today. Well, Erin and Mike didn't want to drive aaall the way over there (2 hours I'm pretty sure). So I'm sitting there, texting, and Erin says "Poor Ash. She's wanted to go to the beach so bad before she left for school." And Mike says "Well let's go!" Now, you know the Thompsons. Spontaneity is not exactly what they are known for. So you better believe I was SO excited when we actually got going and ready to leave! BEST part was that Alex and her cute mom came!!! The weather was soo warm and nice! Everyone was in a good mood, the water was FREEZING, but fun, and Alex and I even went to Ruby's on the end of the pier to get shakes! Just like the old days. Love it. [Although we literally BURNED the crap out of our feet (in addition to my INSANELY painful sunburn!!) Seriously. It really hurts to walk barefoot. I'm dumb and forgot shoes and Alex, being the best friend in the world, decided she wouldn't wear them either-lesson learned.]

Anyway, I am just so blessed to have such awesome people in my life and to live in SUCH a BEAUTIFUL place! We had so much fun just playing in the water, talking with each other, gabbing to and fro the whole way there and back. It was just so so so much fun. I'm SO glad we all went together. What an awesome way to end my time here.

Yes, I know, this is sounding repetitive. But short story-Mason was HILARIOUS in the water. Through his four year old shivers, he was standing right in front of me so that I could lift him to jump the waves, and he would say things like "1, 2, 3, 4, SANTAAA!! That means 'jump' in Spanish Aunt Ashwee." (which is actually close; it's salto! He's a genius!) and "I CAN'T DO THIS BY MYSELF!" and "I think I am going to jump on fishies..." I loooove being an auntie. Goodness gracious do I love my life. :)

Take me out to the ball game..

FINALLY!!! I have officially been to an official game of sporting manner. Yes, it was only a Storm game, but who cares?! I'm easing into it. Haha

Qiarra was supposed to perform with her school's band at the game, but since it was raining and FREEZING, they cancelled it...maybe just postponed. Either way, we still bought three tickets so we still were going to go. My mom was sweet enough to give up her ticket to me since I have never been to any sort of game (not baseball, football, basketball, soccer...I mean with pros playing. High school games definitely do not count) and REALLY REALLY wanted to go. A Storm game sufficed! It was SO much fun!!! I kept telling them "Oh my gosh, you guys! This is SO much fun!" every four minutes and baseball is actually one game that I know a lot about (whereas sometimes watching football...I say some pretty crazy things. I'll admit it. I'm trying!) [And actually, no comments about halftime in baseball. Just drop it. I've definitely learned my lesson] But I was also excited because I haven't really had a daddy/daughter date in quite a while. Probably since the dance in 5th grade. But not just that, but the people all around us were super into the game, so it helped us get into the game even more! I was yelling "Charge" with everyone, stood proudly to sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and my cute little daddy even bought us all the fixins-a pretzel (WITH cheese), hot chocolate to keep our innerds warm, and even a carton of cotton candy. It was so awesome. I loved every single minute. The ONLY rain on my parade (yes, pun intended) was seriously how FREEZING cold it was since it had JUST rained. By the 4th inning, I lost feeling in every single toe. By the 7th inning stretch, it was actually getting really painful for Qiarra and I (Dad was such a trooper and tried to keep us from shivering by tucking us totally into our seats) and we ended up leaving. AND! Unfortunately, they came and picked me up from work so I hadn't changed or anything, including bringing a camera. :( That was such a mistake. This is the only picture we took-from Qiarra's cell. The other two, my cute little dad took on his cell phone and sent them to mine, but that's as far as they'll get sadly. Watching him take them was seriously adorable, especially when he turned to me and said "Now you can remember your first game." I love my daddy. It meant a lot to me that he realized that it was a big deal to me, even if it may not have been for others. We drove home listening to the game-don't worry, they won! But it was seriously a night I will never forget. My first game with my dad and talented little sis. :) (Que the "Awww")

R.I.P. Farley

So I never blogged about the funniest thing EVER. Once upon a time, there was a little frog. Two little cute boys found this frog and Mom & Dad decided to put him in a little cage by the fireplace so he would be nice and warm. The next morning...he was GONE!!! Fast forward a few days when I move in. They are telling me this story about the frog and how it is somewhere around this house, but no one knows where! We have a good laugh and move on. The next night comes around and we are all hanging out in Rachel's room when the 3 words NO ONE wants to hear come out: "What is that?!" We all take a look behind Rachel's heater in her room and what do we find? Poor Farley the Frog all shriveled up...and dead. [Which was weird by the way. He just look mumified. Like he was hard as a rock, but still totally looked like a normal frog! So weird] Anyway, Rachel FREAKS out and jolts out of the room as fast as she can. Well of course, Erin and I were pretty grossed out, but Mike came up with a plan and fast. He said "Watch this" and slipped little Farley into Rachel's make up bag, making Erin and I almost pass out with laughter. Rachel hears us and pokes her head into the room and says "Wherever you put him, get him OUT!!!" and Mike leaves the room. Well eventually, Erin must have felt bad enough because she went to help Rachel by getting him out. This is what followed....
**Caution: My laugh in this video is extremely manly. Yikes.


But we weren't done yet. Oooh no no no. Mike decided it would be funny to nail him to the wall because then she'd have to touch him to take him down (yes, we're cruel, but had you been here and saw Rachel's reactions, you would've brought him a hammer) and after she was freaking out, Erin once again came to the rescue but it wasn't what Rachel was expecting...



I love my family. Haha We're funny.

"Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable"

I CAN'T FIND MY CAMERA!!!!

Guys. This is bad. I take pictures of every living thing and now, it's GONE!!! Siiiiiiiiigh. Well. Alas. There will be hardly ANY pictures on this post. My sincerest apologies since I know that's the only way I can get someone to last a whole post.

So who else LOVES Conference?! *raises hand* Oh man. It's the most wonderful time of the year!! (Oh.....that's Christmas?....Whoops) I love it. Yes, of course it is AWESOME to stay in my pj's and get to still "go to church" but that's not the reason I adore it so much. It's because there's ALWAYS (yes, this is a tried and true fact) a talk that is tailored to me. One talk that is written with my name blurred in the author's mind. In fact, sometimes I get a little embarrassed. It's like I'm being publicly called out by Heavenly Father...but in secret. You can spot them-just watch for when I'm taking notes like a freakin stenographer*. You can't miss it.

*(By the way, Alex, the beginning of this this totally reminds me of that time in Cult Anthro when that girl was SUPER annoyed by your typing. Hahaha)

Anyway, the whole day was really great. Rachel and I woke up and smelled breakfast being started and were asked to help finish it up-my job was the cinnamon (YES, we had not only normal warm, perfectly NOT burned cinnamon rolls, BUT also orange rolls. Yeah. That's right) rolls and then we had the partial Welchs come over (3/6) and we all sat and watched conference together.

It was so cute. We all sat and watched, Rachel and I took notes, and the kids colored (Carter showed me his masterpiece-a book they got in primary and he'd drew a picture of every single speaker on a page. It was SO cute) and then Paul & Makayla went home. So we all did separate things until the next session came along. Then we all sat down together once again. I could not take notes fast enough this conference. I love it. There is no better feeling than knowing that the men who are on the watchtower for us are giving me advice that they came up with, on their own, after talking to our Father in Heaven. I am so blessed to have the gospel not just as a part of my life, but as my lifestyle. "It's not easy to be a Latter-Day Saint. But in the long run, it is the only course." I can't imagine how people get through their tough times while questioning if there is a God. It's all around. I can't deny it, not one bit. If you've never been invited to attend a conference viewing or missed it this time, this is what you missed out on.

I hope that when I have a family, I can instill the same love for Conference as I have. It really is a treasure to me to be able to be renewed through these men. To have someone tell me I'm doing well, that sure there are things I can improve on, but nothing is hard when you have the Lord and a desire. I just feel so so blessed. I absolutely love this gospel. It's that simple for me.