Diet Heaven

So. As the semester progresses and tests begin to pile up, projects become due, homework is an infinite object, and a social life seems like a distant ungraspable thought... I find myself at my favorite gas station in Rexburg, filling up my 44 oz refillable cup at about 11:52 PM every other night with the fuel I would like to refer to as Liquid Heaven. Some may call it Diet Coke, DC, Diet lite... it goes by many names. But all connotate wonderful and happy thoughts. You may be wondering why such a reaction to a simple drink. Why do I go out of my way to pay 60 cents so often when there is tap water, skim milk, and my roommate's orange juice I can steal just in the other room??

I will tell you why...

1) Liquid Heaven (will be referred to as LH hereafter) is very tasty. Not too sweet, and not too thick as regular Coke or Pepsi or (ew) Dr. Pepper.

2) The carbonation awakens one's taste buds and shocks them back to life.

3) If you get LH with caffeine you can naturally understand my desperate need for it for my all-nighters tapping away at Excel and balancing income statements

4) Guys hate it, so I can keep it all to myself. No girl has to worry about guy friends (or boy friends if you like that sort of commitment) stealing a sip every 5 seconds or gulping down your 12 ounce when you go in the next room.

5) It is a nice treat. In the world of cheap college students, one has to find some type of reward for good behavior or solace for a crappy day... and what better choice than a tasty, refreshing drink that will quench your thirst, satisfy your tastebuds, AND is affordable?!

I rest my case.

Enjoy the Journey!

So this weekend was General Conference (This means that every 6 months there are 4 different meetings over 2 days where those with authority, or callings, in the church speak on various spiritual subjects... all for the benefit of members and non members alike) and is one of my favorite weekends in each semester. The girls and I make breakfast Saturday and Sunday together... on Saturday we had pancakes in the shape of high heels!!! :) ... but this year we added another adventure to the list.. We went to the Idaho Falls Temple Visitors Center.. and while some of you might not see this as an adventure, or any kind of fun, this is something I have been looking forward to for awhile. It was renovated this summer while I was back home and so I knew there were changes, but I didn't know what they were. And also, I always feel a sense of peace and comfort as I am near the temple, and this visit was heightened as I was able to go inside the Visitor's Center and there was a Christos statue as one of the new additions. There were also separate rooms with various videos and scriptures "activities" and I enjoyed them also, but the grandeur of the presence of a statue of Christ always brings me to my knees... well figuratively of course. It was made of fiberglass also so we were able to touch it! (other statues are made of marble and highly elevated) All in all it was a great weekend with great food, great insights, and definitely great feelings.... I have been so blessed to be in the place I am and with the people I have met in this part of my life.

Why its really OK to be 21 and unmarried....

So one of my best friends Ashley is (about to be) engaged... and recently I had the amazing opportunity to join her in wedding dress shopping! Now, seeing as how I myself am unmarried, along with the majority of my close friends, I have not actually gone wedding dress shopping before... and boy, was it an adventure.

Please, let me just preclude my story by giving those of you who do not know the background of Mormom Utah/Idaho culture... We are commanded to multiply and replenish the earth, correct?... well there are many young people that reside here in Utah and Idaho.. particularly ages 18-21 for girls and 21-24 for guys... that take that commandment quite literally and straight to the heart. Usually within a few months, give or take a few weeks, of meeting each other. (I will note that my friend Ashley is not in this boat and I am very happy for her and her fiance) And thus are thrust into planning a wedding in between classes, scheduling honeymoons on school holidays, and having babies during finals.

So, now that we are all up to speed, this is where my story takes place. Right smack dab in the middle of Utah Mormonville (specifically Sandy, UT) and in one of those wedding dress shops that brings all the youngsters together in anticipation for that happy day...

So the place we went to was actually a very quaint boutique with amazingly beautiful (along with hideous) dresses. While we were there 2 other brides-to-be also showed up to try on and/or alter dresses. And all I can say is... BRIDE-ZILLAS. to the max. I have never heard the craziest, most absurd comments or conversations protrude from anyone's mouths before... I will give you a sampling:

"Yeah, but if I don't eat the few days before the wedding, I am sure it will zip up"

"I want to wear the slip, I like looking like Cinderella, I just don't think I will be able to sit down all day"

"I can't breathe very well after a couple of minutes, but I dont worry, I'll deal"

"I don't think I will be eating that day anyways..."

After hearing this over and over and over (I dont even want to know what planning the rest of their wedding was like... like the food decisions) ... and witnessing their mothers just fuel the fire.... that is when I decided.. it is so OK not to be married at 21, contrary to the mormon pop culture belief... and don't get me wrong, I know many a happy couple that were married quite young and knew each other for quite a long time and yadda yadda yadda... I'm not talking about those folks, there are always exceptions to an opinion...

But, personally, I like to eat.. every day. and I like to sit too... and I definitely like to breathe. So yes while I do plan on getting married one day... I hope its at a time when I can remember whats really important about that day, the real meaning of it... and not so much worry about "tradition" or having a size 2 dress...

So as a disclaimer, I dont mean to offend anybody or anyone that has ever been married before 21, or was ever a bridezilla... :)