Holidays and Hawaii

You know those test questions that you are supposed to choose the best answer? So there are straight up incorrect answers, answers with partial truths, and then good answers, and great answers. I always hated those questions because maybe I think my "incorrect" answer is the best one. That's valid, right? Well, here's a test-like question, or rather it's a statement about me:

"Holidays are Maddi's favorite." True or false.

1) True, she gets to miss school and play all day. It doesn't matter where she is!

2) False, she hates missing school and loves studying every hour of her life

3) False, holidays are Maddi's favorite when spent in Hawaii.

I don't exactly know where I was going with that whole thing, but you get the point. I LOVE Hawaii. I mean who wouldn't, right? But Hawaii is more to me that paradise; it is my home and where I would choose to spend most of my life if I had the option. Luckily, since Alex will hopefully have a flexible job as most doctors do, we will get to choose where we live and that will be on O'ahu. But you never know, so we will just pray for the best!

To connect the two ideas of holidays and Hawaii, yesterday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, aka a day Alex and I didn't have to go to school. We didn't really do all that much--pretty much hung around the house and then had our friends Jaycee and Bill over for pizza, the Bachelor, and Just Dance on the kinect-- but a holiday is a holiday and they really are so great no matter where we are! What makes a holiday the best though, is one spent in Hawaii.

There are endless opportunities and things to do in Hawaii and that's why I love it there! Besides all the normal stuff that you can do on the mainland on a day off like going to the movies, shopping at a mall, hang out with friends, bowling blahblahblah (not that I don't like those thing, I love those things too, believe me!)... you can go to the beach, hike a mountain, climb down a valley, jump off a waterfall, see a rainbow, search through the tide pools, eat any kind of authentic ethnic food, go surfing or boogie boarding, rent a boat, barbeque on the beach and the list goes on and on and on. It really does. I mean, when people ask me if I ever got island fever when living over there for most of my life, I always say no. Never. Honestly, if you are an outdoorsy person, you will never get bored because there are so many things to do and see on that tiny island and I love it there.

Oh, how I long to go to Makapu'u beach and dive through the waves that come crashing down on the fine white sand that exfoliates your skin just being tossed and turned in the waves of the ocean. Oh, how I miss driving with the warm wind in my face and smell of flowers and salt water in my nose. Oh, how I wish I could hike Koko Head Crater--all 1500 steep stairs that kick my butt all the way to the top, where a magnificent view of the island awaits me. Oh, how I love the simplicity of slippers, shorts and a t-shirt, naturally highlighted hair, and a tan so great you don't need makeup to look beautiful. Oh, how I love the different cultures that populate the island from shore to shore. There are no two babies that look alike, yet with all of their diversity, they are all absolutely stunning. Oh, how I long to be back in Hawaii.

Take me back to da kine!

Park City with the Girls

Starbuck's Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate

This past weekend, my old roommates (and a few others) and I headed up to Park City for a weekend filled with memories, laughing, and tons of fun! Cami's family owns a condo right in the middle of Park City, just a few blocks from The Park City Ski Resort, and we have gone up the past three years and it is always an absolute blast.

I was telling my dad that I was going up with my friends for the weekend and he said, "But you're married...you can't do that kind of stuff anymore." Well, guess what? I just did. Alex is so chill and wants me to continue to have relationships with my good friends even though I'm married. I still do lots of fun things, both with Alex and with my friends, and I LOVE it and am so grateful for his loving and supportive attitude. He is just so great!

Well, I didn't take very many pictures up there because I was too busy catching up with everyone and the drama that's going on in their lives AND I didn't want to be too annoying with the constant camera out taking fairly boring pictures--eating pizza, watching movies...you get the picture.

Nonetheless, the weekend was great. It started out with pizza and candy (you're jealous already, right?) and watching a corny chick flick--Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. Have you seen it? It's pretty great for as corny and predictable as it is. After the movie, a few of us went upstairs to get ready for bed as it was already Midnight, but in the process of brushing our teeth and inching our way under the covers, we managed to all find ourselves in the same room talking about everything from killers and scary movies to watching ridiculous, yet hilarious youtube videos. You can't have a sleepover without a little pillowtalk, right? Even if we all are in our twenties and going to college... :) I still enjoy it.

The next day, most of the girls went skiing at Park City and the rest of us stayed in town to save some money since the snow has been lacking this year. Instead of going skiing, we stayed around the condo and went shopping at the Outlet Mall--but most of it was window shopping as we were poor, remember? I did purchase a pair or active/workout pants because I recently started doing some fitness classes (Zumba, Yoga, Cardio Boost etc) at BYU so I needed a few more outfits to inspire and motivate me! Super exciting purchase, eh?

Anywho, besides that we had lunch all together at the resort with Brooke Clason's dad, who was so generous to pay for all of our meals. (The nachos I got were the size of a small toddler!)

Then I came home to my wonderful husband who greeted me with a kiss and a relaxing evening at home watching Friday Night Lights and eating Coldstone Ice cream. It couldn't get any better than that!

A cover

A new cover: I hope you like it!

xoxo

Happy Birthday Dear Mother

Dear Mom,

I never wrote you a note/letter this year for your birthday and I don't exactly know why, but it is important so I am writing you one now. I am writing you one that hopefully you can keep and reread for many years to come--this one will never fade since it's online, you know? Well, Happy Birthday, Mom! You are now 42 and even wiser than last year--truly, you are. I mean you just finished another semester of college with a near perfect GPA. Good for you! You never cease to amaze me with how much you are able to accomplish. You may not do everything superbly and you might lose your cell phone occasionally by accident, but you are intelligent even if you can't remember how to do every math problem right now, you are still beautiful even if you have another wrinkle on your face, you are forever cheerful and fun to talk to on the phone even when you have had a more than chaotic day, you are full of the Spirit even though you get angry and swear on occasion (sorry for spilling the beans on that one haha), you are caring even when your children only call in need of something, you are courageous especially now while taking on school, motherhood, church callings, and "wifehood" among other things (I would definitely put you in the Griffindor house), and you are inspiring to me even as just a mother trying to go to school. You may not be a doctor or a lawyer who brings in lots of money and who can buy me whatever I want, but you are someone that I LOVE to talk to everyday. You are someone that I miss on a daily basis. And you are someone I look up to and want to be like someday because you are my dear mother--full of kindness, wisdom, laughter, patience, fun, optimism, beauty, the Spirit, and love. I love you Mom and I hope you had a Happy Birthday!

Love, Madison

(** I know this post is long overdue as your birthday was on December 22. My apologies. **)

It was Christmas and New Years and I was Married...

La Jolla, CA

It was my mom's 42nd birthday!

Point Loma, CA: tide pool

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Christmas morning

Alex and his stocking candy!

Balboa Park

The Hotel Del Coronado decorated for Christmas

Mom and Connor while eating on a pier near Coronado

We did a 20-mile bike ride from Coronado to Imperial Beach on the Silver Stand trail

Del Mar, CA on New Year's Day

Alex catching a wave...

Downtown San Diego on New Year's Eve...

Dinner at an Irish Pub in San Diego

I guess it's time to write about my perfectly wonderful Christmas break with my old family and with my new family--that's right, Alex and I spent our first Christmas together AND married this year and it was more than delightful.

For the past two years (can you believe Alex and I have been together for about two years now!), Alex has said anytime we have a break that's more than a long weekend, I up and leave him and go running home to my family. It's true--I always left early for Thanksgiving and Christmas and on occasion a few other holidays, leaving him to hang out all by his lonesome.

This year was different--my family came out to visit us for Thanksgiving since Alex's family was out visiting his brother and sister-in-law in Baltimore, and then we drove down to San Diego for a sunny Christmas with my family--even my grandparents were there!

It was just perfect. I got to spend the break with my family, but also with my husband--my new family. I didn't have to miss anyone and it was great to see everyone together on such a wonderful and special day.

Alex, of course, fit right in with our traditions and family outings. In fact, I truly believe that my little brothers miss Alex more than they miss me because he really was like a fun and older brother that played games with them, worked out at the gym with them, played football with them, teased them, and just had fun with them! Alex is so easy to talk and get along with, so it's no wonder that everyone loves and misses him! He really is the best, you know?

Christmas was on Sunday, so we had a nice and easy day, just spent with the family, enjoying each other's company, as well as our new things.

New Year's came and went, but instead of just sitting at home this year, we actually did something and it was so much fun! Now, before you get too excited, I want to warn you that we didn't do anything super extravagant, but it was a great night and plenty of fun for me!

For New Year's, my family (minus Reedo) went and spent the evening downtown in San Diego. There were plenty of people, plenty of short skirts, plenty of sparkly attire, and plenty of alcohol. We even got to see a drunk guy being kicked out of a restaurant, and as he was leaving he said, "I want my one call..." Haha, sorry bud, but you're not quite in jail yet...keep arguing and you might make your way down there though! :)

While down in San Diego, we found an Irish pub to eat at, which was the best part of the night! There was a band playing, lots of loud people, great Irish food (I got fish and chips), and lots of Irish accents to coo over! My little brothers were quite entertained by some of the crude lyrics the band was singing, laughing at every horrid line....they might have enjoyed it a little too much. ...Nah!... they were actually quite good!

After dinner, we went home and watched the ball in NYC drop at midnight. It was a simple, but great night!

I love being with my family, especially during holidays, and was so lucky to get to spend both Thanksgiving and Christmas break with my family my first year being married. BUT, I am also excited to get to know my in-laws better next year, as we will spend Christmas with them in Oregon.

This may be a bit late, but Happy New Year!

First Day of the Semester

While the first day of school isn't as fun as I remember it being in elementary school, there are still some similarities from back then and now that I'm a Junior in college. Since I was a little girl, the first day of school was always a big "fashion statement" day. Still is. I mean, first impressions are being made people! So I want to look my best, as I'm sure many girls do. I always try on a million different outfits and guess where all of those outfits end up? That's right, on the floor. But not this year! Thanks to my Be Clean resolution for this year, those clothes ended up stuffed in my drawers and closets. They may not be folded just yet, but it's a step, right? Right. The first day of school is always exciting (and nerve racking) because you get to see your friends, meet your new teachers, and enroll in new classes. While in college, I may not see all of my friends, the teachers don't exactly meet you, and the new classes will be just as hard as the previous semester's classes, it is still exciting and definitely a little be frightening. I am always worried I won't be able to find my classes, I will miss something important that the teacher said, or that I won't make any friends in my classes that I can study with or simply endure to the end with.

I'm looking forward to this new start and new classes and I know that this semester will go just as well as the last...hopefully even better!

Happy first day! Now, go kick some academic and first impression booty! ;)

xoxo

Resolutions 2012 (Serious Post)

It is a new year. A lot has happened and a lot has changed this year. Things have changed for the better and I am looking forward to working on myself this year. Last year, I didn't even make resolutions and I saw the negative consequences this past year, as I wasn't working towards anything. I want to change that this year. I want to be better in many aspects and even though I am positive I will mess up dozens of times, I know I will gradually be progressing and hopefully improving in several different areas.

So here are my resolutions for 2012:

Be healthy: work out at least three times a week for thirty minutes at a time. Cook three healthy meals a week, and drink diet coke only on Mondays and Fridays.

Be smart: read every page of my school reading assignments before they are due. Don't procrastinate.

Be wise: read one page of scriptures in the morning by myself and one page of scriptures at night with Alex. Do better on FHE. Don't study on Sundays when possible.

Be happy: happiness in a choice and it is one I need to choose everyday. Do not say "I don't want to go to school" and be optimistic about the day and its events.

Be productive: Spend only 15 minutes on fb, blogs, pinterest etc. on weekdays. Study on Saturday mornings when possible.

Be a historian: Turn my blog into more of a journal that I can print and give to my kids one day. Blog three times a week on important things like my thoughts or our experiences.

Be clean: clean up my clothes better so Alex doesn't have to throw my stuff into the closet when they are lying on the floor.

Be a performer: perform at least three times this semester at different events or venues. Improve my stage presence and go after my dream!

Happy New Year!

xoxo