Real Love

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you have enjoyed this day. Even if you don't have a 'significant other' you still have people you love and people who love you. I hope you are able to celebrate them today!

Here are some quotes from some pretty amazing people about love.

How do you show your love? President Monson gives some excellent advice here.

And one of my favorite Mormon Messages:

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important then a person to be loved."

And here's a song for all those like me today :)

Happy lover's day from me to you!

The Light of the World

I hope you all have an incredible Holiday! I'm grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the birth and life of my Savior. I hope you will remember the reason for the season. Take time to remember the Son of God, to serve your fellow man, and to spend time with those you love. I am so blessed. My heart is so full of gratitude and love at this time of year. The Savior of the World is who we celebrate. The Light of the world.

Merry Christmas!

The Most Wonderful Time

I love Christmas!

I'm going all out for the Christmas this year. I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping. And all my gifts are wrapped. I even have some gifts for my visiting teachees and companion! I made 24 Christmas cards. I've already watched 2 Christmas movies. I'm wearing my Christmas earrings. Etc., etc., etc. It's all so wonderful!!

Yesterday watching the First Presidency Christmas Devotional I was overcome with gratitude for my Savior, this season of celebrating his birth and life, and for the men who lead His church on the Earth.

If you didn't get a chance to watch it. Watch it here! It's marvelous.

No. Sleep.

I'm going shopping in 30 minutes! And I won't stop for a loooong time. I can't wait!

Black Friday is the best. And I love it.

Also, I love thanksgiving. I love my family. I love my Savior.

My life is good.

I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving!

And...GO UTES!!

Go Jazz!

The big game is this week. The rivalry. The Holy War. Utah v. BYU.

I would say this game has a lot more impact on my life than most. Especially this year. This year, as has happened in years past, the game falls two days before Thanksgiving. You're probably thinking so what? Well, you don't know my family. My family-we are Utes. My mom's sister's family-They are Cougars. So, this creates for some interesting Thanksgivings at my grandma's.

This year it is especially heated because this is the last year that BYU and Utah will be in the same conference. It is also heated because 3 weeks ago most would have said that this game was a sure win for Utah. But now it's gonna be a show down. Just like it is every year.

My family is....passionate. On both sides. We are loyal and true to our colors. Nothing could sway those who claim red to even consider that the team "down south" could win. And nothing could sway those who claim blue to even consider that the "beer throwers" could win. We love our teams and we love to show it.

So, as you can see, this will create for a very interesting Thanksgiving. Also, Although, I am red through and through, I do go to BYU. And therefore I get put in the middle. So I'm a little terrified for this Thanksgiving because I get roasted either way.

But, Kristen and I have come up with a plan! We tried to think of things that would distract our families from talking about the big game. We thought of showing up drunk. We thought of bringing boys with us. But ultimately we decided on something both our families can agree on-the Jazz! Kristen and I will be wearing Jazz jerseys to our Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday and talking all things Jazz.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Go Utes! Err. I mean Jazz!

Chrisgiving Music

I've never been an advocate for Christmas music before Thanksgiving. In fact I've been a pretty big advocate against.

I feel as though Thanksgiving gets overshadowed. I feel as though we don't give it its fair justice. I mean Thanksgiving is a pretty great holiday. Any holiday that involves the 3 great F's (Family, Football, and Food) is awesome in my book!

So like I said, I never listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving.

But, today I bought Alex Boye's Christmas CD!!

Today I listened to Christmas music before Thanksgiving! (Don't tell Christopher)

But I also came up with a nice thought. At Thanksgiving we are reminded of all that we have to be grateful for. And then comes Christmas where we give to others. It's like the hymn Because I Have Been Given Much. Because I have so much I can give to others. Thanksgiving and Christmas are so interrelated. So maybe I'll just call it ChrisGiving music.

But maybe I just made this connection so I wouldn't feel as guilty for listening to Christmas music before November 26th this year.

If you don't know who Alex Boye is you should be ashamed. He is only the coolest black motab member ever. He's so awesome! And I freakin' love him. I heard him perform tonight at the BYU bookstore. He is so funny. And he has one heck of a voice!

My Country

I'm grateful for:

Freedom.

To Speak.

To Choose.

To Worship.

To Be.

Those who pay the price for freedom.

Inspired Founding Fathers.

A country to be proud of.

A country to celebrate.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freeman shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I think we should have the 4th of July on Sunday every year!

21 Reasons

It was this girl's birthday yesterday!

I just love her.

In honor of her 21st birthday I give you 21 reasons why I love Kristen Ipson:

1. She cooks for me.

2. She makes me laugh.

3. She fixes my window.

4. She likes to eat.

5. She keeps me rational.

6. She calms me down.

7. She makes our apartment pretty and clean.

8. She loves sports.

9. She goes crazy with me when we watch sports.

10. She's like a little kid.

11. She lets me steal her food.

12. She lets me steal her soap when I run out.

13. She makes really good brownies.

14. She likes corndogs.

15. She's Jazzed!

16. She makes tasty tacos.

17. She's having an HSM birthday party.

18. She drives a sweet red truck with no power steering. I named him Rover.

19. She organizes EVERYTHING.

20. She believes in me.

21. She tells me I can do hard things.

I just love her!

True Love

Happy Valentine's Day!! I hope you all know you are loved!

True Love

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

What will you give Him this year?

Please watch this remarkable movie:

What Shall We Give?

I wish you all the very best Christmas. Keep the Spirit of Christ in your hearts! He came to save us all. It is Him that we celebrate at this time of year. Please remember that as you open your presents tomorrow. Don't forget to open at least one for Him. :) Merry Christmas!

-2 Degrees

I love the cold! I really do. It's so wonderful. I feel so comfortable bundled up tight to walk out the door into it. I love putting on so many layers until it feels like I might burst from the pressure.

This morning when I left for school it was -2 degrees outside! How wonderfully crisp it was as I walked to the bus stop.

Want to know my favorite part about it being so cold? It's kind of weird. And you'll probably think I'm crazy and you'll probably laugh at me. But I really do love it. It's when you walk outside and you take a big wiff of the cold air through your nose and your nose hairs FREEZE! I love it. I love that feeling. Call me crazy, but I just love it!

Welcome Winter! I hope you stay for awhile!

All I Want For Christmas

Dear Santa,

I've decided what I really want for Christmas. All I want is Jimmer! Thanks.

Courtney

P.S. I've been a good girl all year long!

Happy Easter!

I am reminded of Elder Holland's recent general conference address. We're he described the Atonement and resurrection of the Savior. He focused on the fact that none were with Him. But that He did it, so we would not have to do it alone. He did it for me and for you! "I stand all amazed!"

The First Presidency has released a great Easter message. And I highly recommend reading it.

And I love this video! Please watch.




He lives!

23 Flavors

Over a month ago on Ash Wednesday I blogged that I was observing Lent this year and that I would be going off of Dr. Pepper until Easter. Well today is Easter! And I made it. I had my first Dr. Pepper today in over a month. And it tasted delicious!! It feels good to have it back. :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

For a brief history of St. Patrick's Day go here! Apparently some cities even make their rivers green.

Happy Square Root Day!

It's 3/3/09! This only happens 9 times in a century. The next one won't be for 7 years on 4/4/16. So Happy Square Root Day! Celebrate by cutting root vegetables, such as radishes, into squares.

Goodbye My Lover, Goodbye My Friend

So I've decided to observe Lent this year by giving up Dr. Pepper. I'm very scared to do this. But I think it will be great. I will miss you Dr. Pepper, you are my one true love. But it is said that time apart makes the heart grow founder. I don't know if I can do it. But I will try, try, try. Here it goes....wish me luck!

Happy Ash Wednesday!

I noticed at work today when I was asking a patient her LMP that today is Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. It is 46 days before Easter, so it is a different day each year. Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. It is a day of repentance. So anyway, happy ash!


P.S. Here's how Ash Wednesday was celebrated in Salt Lake

Solid Milk Chocolate with a Crisp Sugar Shell

Cadbury Mini Eggs are my all time favorite candy!! I just love their hard candy exterior and their delicious milk chocolate center. I'm not sure when my obsession for them started. But I love them. And my mom always gets me a bag when they first come out in the stores for the Easter season. Whenever I eat one I fill instantly better! Even their shape is satisfying. Such a unique candy! I only wish they were sold year around.


P.S. Here's a history of Cadbury if you're interested.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Even if we don't have that "special someone", we all have someone to love and we are all loved, so we can all celebrate this holiday. It's a great day to celebrate love. We are taught, as latter-day saints, to have the pure love of Christ. I hope we can all develop this trait even more. His love is perfect and unconditional! I hope we can remember that today and always! So, Happy Valentine's Day!!

Love is the essence of human experience and emotion. It is at the root of all and everything we, as humans, do. Without love, what do we have to live for?