Oh Rome, how I miss you

I've been really missing Italy this week. Especially this place:

 The Parthenon

 

If you ever want your breath taken away, come to the Pantheon. On the outside it doesn't look like much, but once you step inside you won't want to leave. The amazing colored marble alone will suck you, but the dome is what will get you in the end. The way the light trickles in through the hole in the roof, casting a beautiful ray on everything it touches. It will literally take your breath away. It took mine away the moment I walked through the door. I was mesmerized. I couldn't stop looking up. The coffered dome looked like a painting. It was an amazing experience, to say the least. I did not want to leave.

making brownies on a friday night

WOW has it really be two weeks since my last post?!? I have so much catch up to do. I still have written nothing about Valentine's Day (which was pretty perfect). Last weekend Jantz and I went to Apollo burger and got burgers, fries, AND onion rings. all with fry sauce of course. best. decision. ever. it was so good. We watched the All-Star game last weekend too. I may have enjoyed it.

We're watching the Nuggets vs Trail Blazers game right now (oh and I made brownies :). I'm almost ashamed that I now know so much about sports these days. But, today I found out that one of the guys Denver got in their trade of Carmelo is Italian. Yeah, I just got way more interested in this game. haha.

Not too many exciting things happen during the week since Jantz works til 10 and I do homework all night.

Here's the flowers Jantz got me for Valentine's Day:

Happy Weekend

I got a lot of homework done today, I just wanted to let everyone know that.

And I watched the History channel for a good two hours today...while doing homework. I felt like I was being extremely studious. Studying art history while watching something about art history. win win.

I also bought some brie cheese and a baguette because I've been having major Europe and Paris breakfast withdrawals. The cheese did not compare (and neither did the baguette really) but it was delicious anyways. As good as I can get with a limited selection and no moneys. (ps, i never liked baguettes until Paris. i like my bread soft, not hard. but by the end of the trip i couldn't get enough (we even smuggled it from our hotel breakfast for a snack later). Paris is also where i fell in love with brie - seriously amazing. there's nothing else like a baguette with french cheese.)

What are your plans for the weekend? Any big Valentine dates? Or is everyone waiting until Monday? We've got some fun plans for the weekend that include a group party and a date just the two of us, both of which I'm very excited for - we're dressing up and everything. As roommates we all bought new dresses, and they look great. Pray that we remember to take pictures!

Have a great weekend :)

Hello February

Just wanted to stop in and say a quick hello. Jantz and I are heading off to Sandy to have some Chipotle for lunch. Then hopefully some shopping for a cute dress and then lots of homework (oh the joys).

I made clam chowder this week (another meal, check). And I think it turned out pretty delicious....this coming from someone who can't actually eat clam chowder, haha. But I was told it was good, and it smelled good, so I'm going to count it as a success.

The most exciting part of the week would have to be that I've been getting body work done from my amazing friend Jessica. Basically she re-structures my body so that it looks how it's supposed to look (aka, correcting my bad posture and making my shoulders even. stuff like that). I'm not going to lie, it's the most pain i've experienced in long time (maybe ever). But i can already tell a difference, so it's all worth it.   She also does massages that feel amazing, so if you want one, you should get one from her :)

Oh AND, B and I bought light bulbs last night for our bathroom. We've been living with one light for way too long now, always fearing that it would go out while we were in the shower. But now all three work and we can actually see our faces.

I hope you're all having a great weekend! Hopefully I'll be back soon with some pictures

remember when pam and jim first got together? that was so cute

(I've been watching a lot of old Office episodes lately. The second and third seasons will always be my favorite)

Wow I have been terrible at blogging....my only excuse is that life has been so busy.

I have been doing homework almost non-stop. But I feel like the more I get done, the more I have to do (shouldn't it be the opposite?!). Even though it seems to never end, I'm pretty excited about all of my projects for this semester. Another annotated bibliography (much akin to last semesters but with more sources); a paper for my Women in France class, which will be about images of the holy family in France and how they differentiate between roles of motherhood and fatherhood (still working on a for sure idea with this one); and then a project for my Gender class, which I'm most excited for because I basically get to do mass research on my thesis. I have pages and pages of lists of books and articles that I need to find and read...which is daunting. But still exciting :)

Jantz has been here for two weeks. He's all settled and getting used to his new job. We've been having so much fun. Here's a few pictures of life this month...

New Years -

awkward picture....we didn't get a good one

My first homemade meal in who knows how long -

 yeah, it took Jantz moving here to make me realize that 

I don't really know how to cook anything (other than boxed pasta and cereal). 

hopefully it will only get better from here. any suggestions of meals to cook that are fast and delicious?

Jantz's birthday! (I always want to write Jantz', you know, like James'. but it just doesn't sound right...)

 his birthday cake i made from scratch. not to brag, but it was amazing :)

 naturally, i had to smear frosting all over his face. it's tradition!

I got him a visor beenie, the movie Batman Begins (he loves The Dark Knight), and a brown Rockies hat (he had been talking about it for months, but I told him it was too expensive, which of course means that I got it for him :) I think I may be breaking my life-long streak of "bad present-buying".

During his break at work he said he was hungry for a chalupa, in & out, and a red baron pizza. Since it was his birthday I made sure he got all of it. So after he got off work we went around to in & out, taco bell, target, and the gas station for drinks. And yes, he ate each thing (with a little help from me of course).

Wow, this has gotten lengthy. Before I go, here's a ridiculous video from the party. They bought mentos and diet coke and Derek had a "good idea"...

Oh AND i got my hair colored and cut today. I love it :)

is it really Saturday already?

Because that means it's the day that Jantz is moving here!!!!

So there's my big news. I hope none of you were disappointed. If you were.....well.....maybe next time ;)

He had an interview over New Years and we were really really hoping he would get it. It just seemed too perfect not to happen. After a week of being SO nervous, he got the call that they wanted to hire him.

That was Monday. They want him to start Wednesday (as in this coming Wednesday). He decided to move out here Saturday (which is today, hooray!), which gave him 5 days to pick up and move to Utah. from Colorado. to figure out how to get out here, where to live, etc etc. As excited as we were, it was stressful trying to put it all together over such a short period of time. It just seemed so surreal. Despite all the stress, things somehow all fell into place. He found a place to live, a car to drive, a way to get out here (and good weather the whole way!).

So....he's currently driving out to Utah. right now. whoa. I get to see him tonight. and every night.

Yep, I finally get to be a girlfriend who gets to see her boyfriend every day. I'll actually be able to say "I'll see you tomorrow". I feel so lucky. Which sounds silly, because that's how it should always be. But really, I feel like I'm getting the biggest blessing (on top of many others over the past couple months).

Even though I would never wish a year and a half of long distance on anyone (really people, it's not easy), I don't think I would take it any of it back. There are things you can learn about another person only by being long distance. We have learned so much about each other from talking so much. And now I get to find out all of the wonderful things that come from being in the same place with my very best friend who (whom?) I love to death.

In the words of a girl in my ward, it's going to be "epic awesome" (Jessica that was for you)

I'm going to try and be a good blogger even with Jantz around, so cross your fingers and forgive me if I'm a slacker for a bit. I promise I'll catch up!

i thought today was thursday pretty much all day...

I was just sitting here, in the midst of homework, when i thought, i wonder how my blog is doing....and then i realized that i have been pretty terrible at writing anything since school started and the new year happened. So many things have happened since then!

-Jantz and i finally got to have a new years kiss together (tmi?). the night also included a late night run to del taco, if that makes it better haha

-school started. and boy did it start! i can't believe a whole week has already passed. I have been busy since day one, which means that everything i was hoping to do last week (including grocery shopping, seeing friends, doing laundry, etc etc) got pushed to this week, and so far no progress on the personal to do list, but i'm working on it, promise.

-i realized i'm really bad at actually recording the happenings of my life on this blog, which makes me really sad and I want to do better in that area. and i mean, this is a blog about my life right? so from now on hopefully you'll actually be able to know how i'm really doing and feeling and all of the "fun" things i do everyday. it's riveting stuff.

-i fell in even more in love with my roommates (in a, "you are the most wonderful friends and roommates" kind of way). for real everyone, they are amazing and i love them to death.

-AND some very exciting stuff has been happening this week, but you'll have to wait for a full recap on that in the next couple days. it's big news people, and i'm so ecstatic about it!

alright, i must be off to read for my 9am class tomorrow (who starts a 2 1/2 hour class at 9?! it's madness i tell you)

and, in case any of you aren't feeling appreciated today, just know that I appreciate you :) thanks for reading my silly blog. if i was cool enough or popular enough to have giveaways, i would give each of you a big candy bar. so instead here's a big candy bar in the shape of a thank you. i think you're all great :)
(ria and b, i would definitely give you two each because i know you are starving ;)

want another video? this ones for the holidays

I'm pretty jealous of everyone in this eating area. (and now that i know how to put in videos, i might have to do it more often...)




And a late Merry Christmas and early Happy New Years! I hope everyone had so much fun and ate a ton of delicious food (I definitely did!).

Christmas with the family was so much fun. I have missed them so very much (especially my darling niece, she's the cutest. and i'm not even kidding, so adorable). We were all poor this year so presents were minimal and very creative, which actually was a lot of fun. It really is the thought and effort that makes the holidays special. We ate so many delicious home-cooked meals, mostly just hung out and relaxed. Exactly what I needed. Thanks fam for the presents and love :) and thanks roomies for the cute presents (you're basically my family too)


To top it all off, after the stress and frustration (remember the not-fun money issues?) somehow everything has sorted itself out in the past week. It's kind of funny how it was all taken away (enter: frantic ali), and then all given back again a short time later (enter: very happy and grateful ali). All I can say is, what a relief. And holy cow do I feel blessed. So grateful that things work out when I least expect it.

There's pretty slim chances I'll be posting again until after the new year since I've be traipsing around town with that silly boyfriend of mine. We got to do Christmas all over again because we weren't together for the real thing. He got me some really cute presents. He knows how to shop :) And I think he liked what I got him.

I'll be back next week, probably droning on about how hard school is. haha, but hopefully with some fun stories and pictures.

On a completely unrelated note...I need a haircut. bad.

Thought of You

Just wanted to share.

This video was made by two faculty members, one in animation and one in dance, at BYU. Amazing is all I have to say. love the music. love the animation.





Thought of You from Ryan J Woodward on Vimeo.

 

non mi piace snow

(or "i don't like snow", in case your Italian skills are rusty ;)   also, "snow doesn't please me" if you're being literal)

It snowed all day yesterday. and I was hoping for just rain today......but oh no. It snowed all night, leaving A LOT of freaking snow everywhere. Oh, and it's snowing right now. It may never stop.

I guess that wouldn't be so bad, only because it would mean Ria, B, and i (and Derek too) could finally make a sweet-awesome igloo/tunnel on our balcony. but that is the only good thing that can come from this snow business.

I took the bus today to escape having to drive myself on the terrifying roads. Now if only the good city of Orem would shovel their sidewalks so i wouldn't have to stomp through a foot of snow to get to the bus stop. enter: moon boots, which made the stomping somewhat entertaining.

I wrapped Christmas presents last night. I feel like I should apologize for the wrapping, and not just to those who receive gifts from me, but to anyone who values good wrapping. You see, I didn't have wrapping paper, and because of previously mentioned snow, there was no way i was going to go buy some. So i used what i had: pink tissue paper and a ton of bubble wrap. I'm not a very good wrapper anyway (not for the lack of much instruction by the parents), so this proved to be pretty exciting and I'm looking forward to watching people unwrap them.

If only the gifts inside made up for that, but i'm pretty terrible at buying gifts for people. I should also be apologizing to anyone who has ever received a present from me. No, your present doesn't mean i hate you, i just didn't know what to get you that adequately shows you how much you really mean to me (which is a lot). I'm trying to get better at this, promise :)

I forgot how much there is to do when school isn't taking up every crevice of my life. I reorganized my room, fixed up my closet and my desk, went through a bunch of old papers, did laundry, used super glue (yeah...that was a big mess), finally changed up this old blog (better? worse? did you even notice? fess up), and wrapped presents :)

Life is going to be so nice for the next two weeks. Christmas couldn't have come at a better time. I was seriously beginning to forget what the real world was like. I've been so consumed with school and doing well and working harder than ever and trying to please my teachers and worrying about money and time and on and on. My mind literally has not been able to breathe and think about things (kind of like being in a tornado for 4 months, and then finally being flung out. and you think, oh yeah, that's what it's like to be still. grad school=tornado); which I've sadly only realized was the case now that school has been out (but, better late than never i suppose). I'm not stressing or thinking about anything related to these things for the next two weeks. I'm just relaxing and remembering how great life is, and how much i love my roommates (and how much i miss hanging out with them), and how excited i am to be with my family for Christmas and with Jantz for New Years :)

grateful

welp, my first semester of grad school is officially over. I turned in my last project today (a 21 page paper, 30 with pictures and bibliography. my other projects included a museum exhibition critique and 30+ page annotated bibliography. oh and paper grading :) .

i am 1/4 of the way done. whoa.

so yes i want to celebrate. and yes i definitely want to get all those piles of books (along with anything resembling school) out of my room, so i can have two weeks of forgetting i even started grad school (because really, who does that?!). and yes i want to go home and lay on the couch and do absolutely nothing. and yes i want to be happy and smile all the while. 

but, instead i sit here, so frustrated i want to bop people on the head (ok maybe not, but that would be funny right?). i'm rarely a big money-stresser, but when i am, i am in a big way and it's not a pretty sight. and it doesn't help when decisions are involved (we're not very good friends either).
 
But details aren't the important part, this post titled grateful for a reason. and that reason is named jantz (aka the best boyfriend ever). he's the one who is always on the receiving end of my disgruntled-ness. he hears every bad thing i have to say about anything and anyone (which isn't a lot, promise). and he most especially is always the one who has to put up with my bad moods when any of these things occur. he's a good sport, to say the least. and today is no exception.

i'm grateful for his kind words. his assurance that everything is going to work out, not just because he can say it, but because he knows it's the truth. i'm so grateful for the unconditional love he somehow has for me. no matter how angry or sad i am, somehow he always calms me down. and he deserves a big thank you, for reminding me to smile, and to be grateful when i really don't want to :)

alright

first of all, remember when i started going through my Europe trip with pictures, but then i only got through Greece (the first place we went)??? yeah, i'm pretty ashamed. maybe i'll finally get around to do it after finals. mostly i just want to relive all the amazing places i went. i miss traveling around to museums everyday.

secondly, i may have bought a new bed yesterday. i've wanted a new one since i got home from europe. i finally saved enough to buy a really nice one for a really good price (really). after way too many years of sleeping on a twin, i think i deserved the upgrade to a queen. even if it does take up twice as much space. haha. i might just have to post pictures.

but really, SO excited.

and lastly, seriously people, i need to change up my blog. even i don't want to look at it anymore. no more posts until i start! (any ideas for a new title?)

Song-of-the-Week (almost forgot you existed): If I Die Young by The Band Perry. really like this song. the end.

Just a bit more dwelling on being one year older

I must admit I can't believe how fast time has gone. It seems like just yesterday I turned 21, which is when I think life became really exciting (well, exciting/scary/terrible/amazing). Really though, life has only gotten better, even if that has included many failures and wanting to give up on numerous occasions, the good definitely out-ways the bad.

I like that my birthday comes close to Thanksgiving because it gives me extra time to think of all that I'm grateful for. (when i was younger I hated having a fall birthday because it meant i could never go to Seven-Peaks for a party). I really am so grateful for my life right now. School is rough and takes up a lot of my time and energy, but it really is fulfilling. I have the best friends i could ever ask for, including the best roommates Ria and B (we live in the perfect apartment because you are the perfect roommates) and a boyfriend who makes me laugh every single day and who has kept me happier than i ever thought possible.

My year of 22 has been so full. Lots of changes and new things. I finished projects I never thought I could get through, I somehow made it to graduation (still weird to have a diploma), and I even went to Europe (seriously changed my life). Basically, 22 treated me very well and I can't wait to see how 23 turns out.


Is everyone ready for Christmas? for once I am haha

Thanksgiving in Jersey

Here are a few select pictures from the super fun Thanksgiving in
New Jersey with my mom's side of the family :)

making the big dinner :) i stuck with pies, as usual.

after waiting in line for an hour and a half, we finally made it into Carlo's Bakery. 

It was crazy packed, but so worth it.

   

spending a night in new york city. 

(being on the subway really made me miss europe...)

 

a personal fave. opening christmas presents while unaware of pictures being taken.

birthday cake

I turned the big 2-3 on Monday...but, I think I've been telling people I'm 23 for at least a month now. I normally don't approve of broadcasting an age that you are not, but I legitimately thought I was 23. And then my birthday came and I thought, oh yeah, I've been 22 this whole time. hmm. And funnily enough (yes funnily is a word), now that I'm actually 23, I keep forgetting. So, there you go.

Sunday I went out to my dad's. He cooked a huge pizza in his new smoker. I didn't even know that was possible. but it was delicious. We had turtle pie (seriously good) for dessert and i barely blew out the candles - every year my dad gets me trick candles (probably thinking i will have forgotten the past years, which, oddly enough, i usually do), and this time only a couple worked, but instead of lighting back up, they sparked, which caused for some good family laughs. then I got some cute cards from my sister and parents. It was a totally unexpected thing, but it made my birthday that much sweeter.

Then, after saying goodnight to Jantz around 11, I got a call at midnight wishing me my first happy birthday :) I'm still impressed he woke himself up to call me (that boy loves his sleep). he must like me or something...

Monday was one of the most stressful days of the semester (remember my hour-long presentation?). I got up early and prepared all morning (my 9:00 class was canceled) for class at 11. Then I went first (yes, very very first out of everyone) so it was nervous times 10. But of course I played it off totally cool and breezed through the hour (and actually went over a few minutes. yeah, how did that happen??).

After 2 1/2 hours of class, I met with a student who was in desperate need of help with her research paper, which happened to be due that day by 5pm (did I mention my morning was also full of answering frantic emails from what felt like the whole class about said research paper?). After an hour with such a sweet girl who was trying her hardest, I had to rush to work for a meeting. After a few meetings, I was finally able to leave campus.

I took the bus (oh the bus, that's a whole post in itself) to the mall, where I briskly walked to Texas Roadhouse (their opening day was on my birthday! Pretty sure they knew my love for them), where my awesome friends and my mom were waiting. I got to sit and breathe for a few minutes before we were seated and the feasting began. Dinner was soo good. I'm so glad I got to spend some time with all of them, just us, eating and talking and laughing, it was just what i needed after such a long day. And yes, I did have to sit on the saddle thing (in a skirt no less) while everyone made lots of noise. Pictures were taken (of the whole night actually), but i don't have any of them, probably for the best ;)

The party continued at my apartment where a bunch of friends were waiting (thank you everyone for coming!). We played games, ate candy and cake, and hung around and had lots of fun. The cake was soo good (Maria did a wonderful job). There was quite a bit cake-smearing-on-faces (I was so caught of guard, and maria got it all over my face, and in my eye. but i made sure to get her (and bethany) back. birthday tradition, check). which was made extra evident today when i found chocolate cake frosting on my cardigan....guess i failed on the "pretending i'm not wearing the same thing twice" gig, but a cardigan is totally allowed to be worn more than once. just maybe not this time. ha.

I was so exhausted by the end of the day, but I'm so grateful for all of my many friends and family who have been so loving and caring. I don't know if I deserved all the festivities, but thank you all so very much :)

Oh AND, my amazing dad helped me get a new laptop which came in the mail yesterday. I hope it can fill the shoes of my old lappy. I'll be getting used to it over my Thanksgiving in New Jersey (woot!), and hopefully making some changes on this old blog of mine (which I've been trying to do for ages, but never get around to).

ok bye!

updating my blog is totally the same as studying...

Homework has taken over this weekend. I have to give an hour-long presentation on Monday, which is both frightening and exciting. I just want to get it over with, but I think it will be fun to talk about all that I've researched. I'm tracking the scholarship done on Guido Reni, and if you guys don't think that's fascinating, I don't know what will convince you. haha.

Oh and my laptop died on Tuesday. It was pretty devastating. Thankfully (seriously thankfully) all my information survived. But being without a laptop (or moneys) in the midst of grad school is not so good. Good thing my birthday is on Monday...pretty sure I know what my present is going to be.

Last weekend with Jantz was so much fun. We didn't do anything too extravagant, except for a birthday dinner at Cheesecake Factory :) we mostly hung out, watched movies, played random games like War (i've always been really fast at this game, but that boy beats me 90% of the time), chess (my first official game. yeah, he creamed me), and checkers (which I also lost) - my ability to strategize has greatly decreased since high school. And for probably the first time, I didn't take any pictures. for shame.

So I have nothing to spice up this post with......except maybe for one of my many baby pictures that my mom posted on facebook....i think this is a pretty precious one of my dad and i

Hope you're all having a good weekend!

PS. if anyone knows of any job openings in the Utah county area, please let me know! :)

PPS. in the Jewish Bride painting (from my last post), i know it looks like that man is groping the woman, but it was actually a gesture of love and respect. So, it's really a precious couple :)

paintings i'd like to own someday...part 1?

I'm constantly seeing paintings that I fall in love with. But most of them aren't necessarily "hang in your house someday" paintings, they're more like, "stay in the church and come visit often" paintings. So leaving out some that I really love, here's a few that I would pretty much die to see in my house someday. You know, if the museums just decided to let me have them...

Rembrandt's The Jewish Bride

the impasto on this painting is incredible. 

it's what makes it a painting in every sense of the word. 

nothing can compare to seeing this painting in person. seriously. nothing.

Rembrandt's Supper at Emmaus 1629

Caravaggio's Fruit Basket

Vermeer's View of Delft

i also have to say that nothing can compare to seeing this in person. 

it has a luminosity that no one can describe.

it's literally like the painting is lighting up the whole room.

What do all of you decorate your houses with? Art? Pictures? Paint? If my house could be like a 19th century Salon, that would be really cool.

 

it's what day??

it's October 26th. didn't October just start?? the weeks are seriously flying by. but what can i say, time flies when you're busy studying. Is it scary that I've actually sort of enjoyed going to class and doing my homework? because it sort of scares me....I believe this week I even told someone grad school was fun (maybe even twice?!). yeah, whoa.

I'm not gonna lie, it's no walk in the park. I feel like i'm constantly doing homework. reading, writing, study study study. I miss out on a lot of fun, which makes me sad sometimes, but it's pretty much mandatory that I do homework every night, no exceptions (well except for Sundays, that's my "no homework allowed" day. I have to stay sane somehow!).

On a completely different note, I have taken no pictures for a couple weeks, tisk tisk. But, i have been looking at lots of art :) I'm probably going to be writing my thesis on this painting by Guido Reni:

St Joseph with the Infant Jesus, 1635

I actually wrote a little post about this painting (and others) a while ago. Funny how a few months later I found myself writing my senior thesis on it. And now....I may just continue that into my master's thesis. either way, this image will always hold a special place in my heart.

On another completely different note, I get to see the boyfriend next week, yay :)
(yes, he is back)

GNO

"Girls Night Out" for those not properly associated with The Office :)
(not to be confused with GAI, "Guys Afternoon In")

A few of my wonderful past roommates and I got together for a long overdue dinner. I was the "matriarch" of the apartment in our 9 months together a few years back. Seeing how far we've all gotten makes me feel like such a proud mother (...in a "we're still basically the same age but also not" sort of way). They are each doing such amazing things and I feel so lucky to call them friends.

We ate (a lot), talked (even more), and had a whole bunch of fun.

I'm not quite sure how to put in to words all that has happened this week.
Everything has changed. I feel like literally everything is up in the air.
Every day has been a roller coaster of emotions.
But, I'm beginning (only barely) to see a faint light at the end of the dark tunnel.
I don't really know how to talk about it yet, so I'll hold off until things settle a bit.