what motivates you?

everyone needs a little motivation to get stuff done, here's mine!

this is what is motivating me to work and make money money money. Yes, that's right, these pictures are of Hawaii! My friend sarah from college and I are planning a trip. Cannot wait. All these crazy early and late hours of working will surely pay off!

Next. This is what motivates me to do well in school and particularly make my portfolio amazing, so I can get a job and move to New York! I'm really excited for this and plan to move in the fall of this year. I have a friend who wants to move out there and a friend already there (yaaaay LAURA!). 2 whole friends already! ;-) Anyway, I guess I've always wanted to live in New York at least once and have also always wanted to just get up and move somewhere random. I don't have any reason not to go and the fashion industry is waaay better out there. The only thing I'm nervous about it the cold winter, but after going to school in Rexburg, Idaho I'm pretty sure I can handle it!

Last, but not least, this is what motivates me to move to Utah for the summer!

cute little wesley--and of course kim and shawn too, but look how cute he is?!

7 peaks water slides. i spontaneously purchased an unlimited access pass through a deal on groupon a few weeks ago. 39 bones for unlimited water slides for the summer AND a year long pass to some sporting events. what a deal! I debated about it at first because I wasn't 100% sold on moving to utah, but then I realized that even if I don't end up moving there I can just go visit for a week and go to the water slides everyday to make it worth my money. Cannot wait. My friend Stevie and I will probably end up there everyday as we will be unemployed. tan, unemployed water slide junkies. dream come true.

random....what?

SO, I've been really trying hard not to buy so many clothes lately! Mostly for 2 reasons: (1) the fact that I am graduating soon and will have to start paying back loans so I should save my money and (2) I may have "too" many clothes (according to mom ;-)...I wouldn't mind more, I just need a bigger closet.)

Most of you who know me well would be way proud of me and my efforts. I have to find ways to release the deep desire within me to shop! First, I started making/redesigning clothes and that was getting rid of my want for new clothes. However, I think shopping is more than just wanting new clothes. It can be therapeutic (maybe a girl thing?) and it is a fun recreational activity of course! And I must say, it's educational. For me anyways. So, this has been hard for me because I do best with no contact in the stores...if I go in I may not be able to resist buying something, so for the most part I've avoided going to the mall.

As a result I've been sewing more--like I said, redoing clothes, etc. I've also been reading waaaay too many fashion blogs to make sure I stay up to date. Seriously, it may be an addiction. One second I'm researching something for homework, then 3 hours later, I'm in the same place I left off in my homework, and I'm following 5 more blogs.

Luckily I don't have children because I was way tempted to buy some kids clothes after researching different children's clothing brands for my portfolio. I decided to create a line for little girls for J. Crew's children's line CrewCuts.

But seriously look at how cute some of these clothes are?!

p.s. seriously, who are these kids and how did they get so good at modeling and pretending to be adults?!

Anyways, this post is really random and just yet another distraction from my homework! gooodbyeeeee attention span!

Inspirational Quote of the Day

“Opposition turns up almost anyplace something good has happened. It can happen when you are trying to get an education. It can hit you after your first month in your new mission field. It certainly happens in matters of love and marriage. … There are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. … Face your doubts. Master your fears. ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence.’ Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you.” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence,” Brigham Young University devotional address, March 2, 1999.)

I came across this quote from Jeffrey R. Holland today and I liked it. I really believe this is true--there is opposition in all things--especially when something good has happened--but if we go forward with faith and what we know is right and true, we can find confidence in the direction of the Holy Ghost and in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They have great and wonderful things in store for each of us as we faithfully endure the trials and opposition we encounter in this life.

It makes me think of the first week of my mission in the MTC. At one point I really felt discouraged and thought that maybe I shouldn't be serving a mission and wasn't fit to be a missionary. However, I had already made countless prayers before leaving and received a confirmation that this was what I should be doing. I realized that I had already received my answer that I should be a on a mission and that I needed to go forward with greater faith. I'm so grateful I did. So many great things happened because I stayed. Looking back I can see all the blessings I received because I didn't let fear overtake me and give up. I know that opposition will turn up throughout our lives but as we follow the Spirit we can overcome anything.