My Simple, Happy, Beautiful Life

I have a new favorite dancing...well I guess I have loved it for a while. Country dancing is the funnest dance possible. I love the steps, the music, the movements, the line dances. Looking back at the beginning of my country dancing class, I have loved every moment of it. The cowboy cha cha, triple step, two step and country swing.  If you are ever looking for a good time, take country dancing because it will change your life. The good thing about it is that it is easy. Anyone can learn a line dance or the foundations of country dancing. Other dances you have strict posture and dance steps you have to follow. Country dancing allows a lot of freedom that you can do whatever you want. I am a firm believer that country dancing offers a little something for everyone!

I have 10 days left at BYU Idaho. Then I am off at BYU! It is making me sad seeing the campus and friends that I will miss. I keep telling myself that the change will be good for me. I know it will. I will always hold a special place for BYU Idaho. It has treated me well :) Except for the boys...but...thats okay! I will miss the campus, my teachers, my past roommates, the I center, devotional days, going to grandpas, my nice apartment, and the fact that everything is walking distance. Well...it is bed time, but I am going to enjoy my last 10 days at BYU Idaho!

For thanksgiving meal, we had pheasant and turkey. It wasn't that bad surprisingly. My uncle bought two pheasants and cooked them so we had two meats. Like every thanksgiving, we had a amazing meal. Sweet potatoes are my favorite with a brown sugar glaze along with homemade rolls. We had our collection of pies that weren't homemade this year but they were still delicious. My grandpa bought a mincemeat pie that I didn't try ( I don't really like raisins). We had the meal at my grandpa's with my Aunt Kristen and Uncle Matt, Uncle Mike and Aunt Cindy and their family, my roommate Sheila and then my family. It was really fun. We played some games, ate food, took pictures after I looked like I just created a food baby. I loved having a break from school where I could relax, sleep in and just play. I haven't played for a couple days straight. Of course, being in a family of all boys, we watched a lot of football and some basketball. I did see Breaking Dawn though. It

She has the most heavenly voice. Just listening to one song of hers can brighten my mood like no other! The older I get the more I appreciate Jazz. It just brightens up my day with the chords and lyrics. There is so much talent in jazz. You can't fake being a good jazz singer. Even if you tried, you would be a disgrace to Ella, Louis Armstrong and all of the classics. I just love Jazz music. a LOT! Listen to it. It will change your life. No joke :)

I found out that I am a perfectionist today. I received a 89 on my personality test. It isn't a bad score yet I really wanted a higher score. The thing is I never knew that I was a perfectionist until today. I guess I have always had the symptoms but I never recognized them. I need to learn how to not be a perfectionist. Getting a B+ on a test is NOT bad. It is good. All I can do is my best yet I have this expectation of myself to do better. I have this mentality that there is always a better score that I can get. The funny thing is that I am only a perfectionist when it comes to school work. I am not a perfectionist with art, with looking good or having the "right" friends. I really don't care about everything else. I bet everyone around me notices it except myself. At least I noticed it at one point in my life right?

I have to remind myself that even though I am 20 and not married that doesn't mean I am a failure. I feel like all of my friends are getting married, engaged or going on a mission. They have this hopeful future ahead of them and it is hard to not to realize that I am really young. BYU Idaho is a pressure cooker. There is so much pressure to get married that I feel like If I was going to graduate without a ring on my finger than I am a failure.This is total illogical thinking. In Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, they deal with illogical thoughts. I think BYU Idaho needs some REBT to reduce marriage expectations and fears. The rest of the world is different than us LDS young single adults. Education is very important. It is above marriage. The marriage ages are higher. If my neighbor came home from  college not married, nobody would judge or chastise her. It is perfectly normal for her. Why can't it be perfectly normal for me to be single with no prospects of marriage at age

Rexburg is a winter wonderland today! I walked home after running with hailing and then when I get out out of the shower with a blizzard! Yes, I like watching it though. I have been here long enough that you can tell when a blizzard is coming based on the wind. Anyways, I was thinking about we look at our life yesterday when I was hanging out with my bestie last night :) Life shouldn't be lived as a race or competition. There are so many precious moments we would miss out if we tried to live with a fast pace all the time. What if a couple lived with such a fast pace they missed their child's first laugh? I have seen this perfection movement with people all around me, and sadly myself as well. There is this competition to who can have the perfect image. You have to have a perfect house, perfect spouse, go to church weekly with your hair perfect and skirt ironed. You have to say the right things, be friends with the perfect people and look cool on your facebook. That is a sad

I have realized that many girls use this very common defense mechanism with dating. They deny the need for a man in their life. "I can be independent and be happy". I have too often developed this idea in my life. I push guys away from me because I feel like needing a guy is weakness. I feel like there is a healthy balance between needing a guy to function and needing someone because they make you happier and help you become better. After being heartbroken, you want to be alone because you don't ever want to be hurt again (or you seek for instant comfort with a rebound). I am the master of pushing people away and making myself not like guys. I come up with reasons why they are stupid and why I don't need them in my life. I have finally recognized this in my life. I have been too often joined the pity party club and "I hate guys club" with refreshments of ice cream. Here is the truth:  We need guys in our life. They make us happy and sad at the same time. T