school

today was the first day this summer that i thought,

i miss being in school. i'm excited for fall to start.

thankfully that only lasted for about 2 seconds.

Let me be clear that I definitely do not want school to start again because I am so ready to be done. for it to be next summer. So I can have a masters, and find a great job. and so that Jantz and I can move to a different state and start another fun adventure.

Here's to no more silly thoughts about school starting....at least not until the end of August :)

a week of no blog reading equals so many new posts i can't even count

....so basically this week will be spent catching up on all i've missed :) 

Vacation

Friday morning Jantz and I made the 8 hour long drive to Colorado for his sister's graduation (from fashion school - if it wasn't for her I'd probably still be wearing baggy pants and t-shirts). And we're staying for 10 days! We are so excited for some nice time off to relax and hang out with his family. I've even been taking pictures! we'll see how long that lasts....haha.

Here's some fun things we've already done...

We went to Parker Days (which includes a parade and a fair that goes all day with booths and rides and everything) and hung out with Jantz's friends most of the day.

Jantz (finally) bought an iPhone (he's been talking about it for like a year!) and he's so excited about it. and as he should be. he works hard and he totally deserved it. (and we already worked it into our budget - yeah, we've become those people - so we didn't even have to stress about money).

We went to a really good (and spunky) skin doctor because Jantz has had a red spot on his forehead for way too long and we need to figure out how to get rid of it! They ended up having to do a biopsy and he was such a trooper. His mom and I tried to watch but it was rough. He got two stitches in his forehead. Everyone keeps making fun of him, but I think he looks cute and I still love him :)


Jantz keeps talking to me in a Russian accent telling me to go shower......so I better go

licorice

If you're thinking of buying me some licorice (or jelly beans), you will instantly be my favorite if you make sure it's black. Honestly, it is the only way to go. I only know a few people who will even touch black licorice, one being my father, who I actually blame for much of my food taste, at least when it comes to candy (anyone had horehound? yeah, we love it). A few years ago the parents didn't purchase Easter candy until way too late, which meant a lot of weird candy that no one else wanted. You would think I would be very disappointed, as I love robin eggs (which we had none of). But a lot of the candy no one wanted was black jelly beans. So.....pretty much one of my favorite Easters ever.

moral of the story is: black licorice is the best

wedding updates

So, we've been engaged for three weeks. It's seems so much longer. and yet so much shorter. haha

We finally set a wedding date: August 18th (yes, of this year & yes a Thursday).

Now, I've always wanted to be engaged for at least 6 months. but when it came down to it, it was either next April or this August (no winter weddings for me, and definitely no wedding planning during grad school!). So, three months it was. haha. I have no idea if I can get everything done by then, but knowing that we'll finally be married is all I can really think about. We're beyond excited!

Jantz has been the biggest help (which isn't surprising, but I still like to brag about him :). I was starting to stress out about getting everything done (enter: me trying to do everything on my own with no help because i can do it best). I never realized how much of a control freak I am until now. So I've been trying to correct this and trust other people to help out (and who better to trust than my trusty fiance?). Jantz swooped in and now has full control over some pretty important parts (ie, finding us a place to live). I must admit, it feels pretty great letting things go :)

On to other details...

We're getting married in Colorado in Jantz's parents' backyard (which is going to be beautiful, by the way) with the reception there as well. Then we're jetting off to a cabin in the mountains for our honeymoon. The next Saturday we're having an open house in Utah (the day after my big Comprehensive Art History Exam. fun).

So, things are slowly getting done...

Like, I bought my dress (which I am so in love with) and it is in the process of alterations. I have tons of pictures I want to share, but on the off chance that Jantz actually looks at this blog, I'll hold off :)

We picked up my ring on Friday. It is so much more amazing than I pictured it. I seriously can't stop looking at it (it's getting a bit pathetic...). Here are some pictures:

Yep, I love it

Movie Saturday

As soon as Jantz moved here he initiated Movie Saturday, where we go to a movie every Saturday morning. We've tried a few times to go at night, but we're cheapies (cheapos?) and always back out.
I must admit, at first I was skeptical, but now I look forward to it every weekend. Even though it means that I can't sleep in as long as I want to...

Which leads me to last weekend. We couldn't decide on what movie to see (I wanted to see Something Borrowed, he wanted to see Fast Five), so we ended up with Pirates (somehow it made sense at the time). But we made it to the theater just a few minutes too late to see the first showing (as in, a few minutes after the previews, so really we were like 15 minutes late haha), so we had to settle for the next showing. You see, we go to the first showing on Saturdays, no exceptions (1-it's 25 cents cheaper and 2-that's just how we role). So we were both a bit iffy about the whole thing. And we had to reason to be.

The movie was packed. I know it was opening weekend, but we're used to early morning movies, when there's like, 10 of us in the theater. Needless to say, all the noise was just weird. But the movie was good.

Then we walked around the mall a bit, then went home and....I have no idea what we did. probably sat around and watched tv or something.

But then, we went to the driving range. That's right people, golfing. And it was really fun. Jantz is really good (well, he's got distance down, not so much the whole shooting straight thing haha...but don't tell him i told you). I was surprised how much I fun we had. Definitely something that will happen again.

And I was seriously planning on taking pictures the whole weekend because I've been so bad about taking pictures of us, but also I forgot....maybe this weekend...maybe :)

Diet Coke catastrophe

Oh Friday night.

After Jantz got off work he picked me up and we went to get some Panda Express for dinner (brilliant idea on his part). Then we decided it would probably be a good idea to get some drinks, so we stopped at our favorite gas station (is it weird that we have one? apparently their Mountain Dew is amazing - and who am i to dispute that? i can barely tell a difference between Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi - although I DO know there is a difference, but i love both...anyway....). We got our drinks and looked across the way to the Walgreens Redbox and decided that we definitely needed to check for Harry Potter because I haven't seen it and I have been desperate to.

Now the story gets good. We were on our way home when Jantz had to break for a stoplight. It wasn't even a hard break, but I guess it was sudden enough that my Diet Coke sprang from it's cup holder and exploded all over the front of the car. On the dashboard. On the seat. On the floor. On the bag of food. On my precious leather bag from Florence. Even inside my shoes. It was everywhere. We were both so shocked we didn't even know what to do. I think we looked at each other, laughed for a second, and then freaked out.

As you can guess, the next hour was spent scrubbing Diet Coke out of the car. We got it all out (thankfully!) and even cleaned up my purse (which I was most grateful for). Jantz insisted that we get me another drink (because he just loves me like that). After we finally got home, we set our food out, put in the movie, and had a very pleasant night. Harry Potter is amazing (in case you didn't already know that) and I can't wait for the final movie.

The moral of the story is: don't trust your cup holders

Now that it's been a week....Guess What?!

 we're engaged! ! !

The story: Jantz was leaving to Colorado for the weekend (as in last weekend) so we wanted to do something fun on Friday before he left Saturday morning. He "casually" came up with the idea to go to Thanksgiving Point and walk around the gardens up there and then go to PF Changs afterward. Nothing too out of the ordinary. I didn't see anything fishy about the plans. So, we both got off work early. (enter sneaky Jantz, which is rare - that boy tells me everything. Turns out he made up that he had to go in early because they were changing the carpets, when in fact he just told his boss he was going to propose. AND he talked to my dad last week, which must have been pretty terrifying (I am his little girl, after all)).


When we both got to my apartment, we were starving! We sat at the table and tried to figure out what to do - eat here and then go to the gardens and then PF Changs, or go there first. While we were talking, Jantz kept staring off into space and not paying attention.

Finally, he said, "I can't take it anymore" and got down on one knee. I was so confused on what was going on. When I realized he was actually on one knee I was sure he was joking. I started tearing up anyway (and simultaneously thinking, he's gonna see that i'm crying and admit it was a joke). but it was no joke, my friends. He said some sweet words and asked if I would marry him. I immediately said yes and he put a ring on my finger. The cutest part was that, in the midst of it all, he ended up down on both knees. In the moment, in was precious. The runner up cutest part was after, when he told me he could do it over again if it wasn't good enough (he knew that I wanted a really great proposal). And I did want something meaningful and great, and you know what? it was simple, beautiful, and just the two of us in a place we spend most of our time together. It wasn't at all how he planned it, and it was so surreal when it happened, but I loved every second of it.

After all the hugs and kisses and tears of joy and pictures and calling of parents, we then went to eat (and boy did we eat) at PF Changs. Then we met up with my extremely excited roommates and played some baseball at the park. It was a day that was totally us and totally fun.

He got me a fake ring so that we could go ring shopping after we were engaged (which is exactly what I wanted :). We're hopefully going to get a real one soon!

We're so incredibly happy and excited for our future together!

So there's my big news :) Thanks for reading our quick story, I hope you all enjoyed it.

Whoa

I have SO much to post on.


things just keep getting in the way.


but I promise soon a lot of wonderfully good news!

My Wonderful Grandmas

Two of my grandmas passed away last weekend, both pretty suddenly. They were amazing women and they will really be missed.

My dad's mom passed away Saturday afternoon after a few of the kids and grandkids were able to say goodbye. It was a really sad but touching day. (she was an opera singer most of her life - she was in Cats for while. i loved listening to her sing.)

My step mom's mom then passed away Sunday morning. That was a big shock. We were all still recovering from Saturday. (christmas at her house was the best. A Christmas Story all day, so much candy and good food)

Needless to say, it was a very emotional weekend. I have dear memories of both of them and I'm very sad that they're gone, but at the same time I'm glad they're no longer in pain.

ps, aren't both of them gorgeous?

Bloch

Carl Bloch, The Daughter of Jairus, 1863

In case any of you live in Utah and love art, the BYU Museum of Art has an amazing exhibition going called Carl Bloch: The Master's Hand. And when I say amazing, that doesn't even begin to describe it. They were able to get some really great altar paintings from Denmark and Sweden. In case you don't know who this Carl Bloch character is, he lived during the 19th century in Denmark and painted many religious pieces as well as some secular ones (which I really love). You might think you've never seen his works, but you'll be surprised :) Here's the museum's site, but other great places to see some of his work are here, or here, or here, or here (this one is my favorite because you get to see the works in their actual locations and it's all 3D!).

It's been going since November and it ends on May 7th (you have to have a free ticket, but I heard they were all out and now you can go on stand by). I just couldn't not say anything, because I loved it. And, as I've said before, there is just nothing like seeing paintings in real life. You can just go and sit in front of the altarpieces or get up close and see the beautiful brushstrokes.

left handed toons

So, I used to get on this site (lefthandedtoons.com) almost every day. And then I totally forgot about it (I blame facebook, because it used to be a box on my profile page. and then one day it was gone. forever). But today I remembered it. And I found this gem:

Just a little something to get through the Mondays :)

life is good

Brancusi, The Kiss, 1916

in one of my art history classes a few years ago 

my teacher put this up as his first slide. 

i didn't think of it much then, but it has grown on me. 

he used it as a way to explain the intimacy of life - and of art. 

you don't usually kiss someone with your eyes open. 

it's too special to do with just anyone. 

because being that close, it's like they're looking into your soul. 

sometimes i feel like getting up close to a work of art 

is like being able to see into its soul - and vice versa. 

that's why art is so special, 

because it can reach into your soul and make you feel something.

I don't really have much to say, but I wanted to blog anyway. I like having a photo of some sort for every post, and since i'm terrible at taking pictures, i think i'll post art instead :)

I'm [ ] this close to finishing my big paper that I have to give a presentation on tomorrow. I'm so excited to be finished (not because I hated writing it, but because I liked writing it) I'm having a hard time focusing enough to proof-read and prepare a PowerPoint. Thus, blogging.

I made Jantz a sandwich when I got home from work and then brought it over to his work so we could eat dinner together. and because he never brings dinner food with him to work, so he eats a granola bar or mcdonalds. not acceptable in my book. He showed me around where he works and all the little rooms he does stuff in. it was cute. My dad used to work in that same building so it was weird walking around without him haha. I'm so proud of Jantz and all the hard work he does. He works crappy hours and his job stresses him out sometimes. But he sticks with it. I know how miserable it can be to work full time at a job you don't care for (as I'm sure we all do). At least it won't be that way forever :) he's such a trooper.

I've been so grateful this past week for all the things I have. As I've mentioned before, sometimes I get real stressed about money. But you know, it always works out. no matter what. I keep waiting for a time when it doesn't and I'm stuck with no money and no help. But so far, it just keeps working out. I found out I got some scholarship money to help me this next year in school, which was a total surprise. then tax filing came around and my gracious mother is letting me get some of the money I would have gotten if she hadn't claimed me (what a saint, let me tell you). and then today I found out about a raise at work that will help out big time (who knew having a degree would be so beneficial?). I'm definitely not rolling in money (not by a long shot), but at least now I can save more money, start paying off loans and stop worrying so much about paying for school. I'm just really grateful that, even when other parts of life aren't perfect (because, when are they ever??), there is something that I can feel sure about.

ok so not such a short blog haha. but.....life is good. things are good. i'm happy :) even more so because the semester is almost over!

papers and more papers

how precious is this sketch by Rembrandt of his first wife Saskia?

I can not believe it is Friday already. I have been switching off grading papers that will be given back at the final from 8-10 (yes PM) tomorrow and writing my own paper that is due on tuesday. Needless to say I can't wait to be done with papers. And I can't wait for thursday, when I get to turn in a big project and an outline of my thesis. Then I will be all done with school until August :)

For a little break last night I made chicken enchiladas with green chile sauce. Sometimes I'm sheepish about cooking because I don't want it to turn out bad. But, I did it anyway. And it was fun. Almost as fun as baking. And I think it turned out pretty good. And apparently Jantz did too because he had seconds. I should have taken a picture because when it came out of the oven it looked amazing. Now it just looks half eaten...

Summer is just around the corner and I'm so excited!

P.S. I had this funny conversation scribbled on a paper (from probably last summer) in my drawer and randomly found it today:

A: "if you're not scared off by now...well i don't know, you could still get scared off..."
J: "no....unless you send me an alpaca"

I guess here's to no alpacas in our future. haha. 

thinking about art

I've been thinking about art lately (surprise surprise) and about the amazing effects it can have on a persons life. Which got me thinking about art that has really left a mark on me. There have been quite a few, maybe more than I can think of. But one place for sure completely changed my life. Not in a "i changed the way i do things now" kind of change; more of a "the feelings i felt there left me in an awe that i will never forget" kind of change. Seeing art like that is something you will never forget. It changes you somehow.

The place is the Galleria Borghese. There are several Bernini statues in there, and I promise that you will never look at his works the same after you've seen them in person. There is literally no comparison between a photograph and real life (kind of like hearing about going on a rollercoaster and then actually riding one. i kid not.).  

Apollo and Daphne is set in a little room where light shines through onto the statue, and it literally glows. The light shines through the leaves. And the textures. they are incredible. the smooth skin against the rough wood and the leaves. And then theirs the drama. the drama itself makes it breathtaking. We sat in that room for so long, just looking at it. I think about that day a lot. I don't think I could make it through life without art. it's one of those loves of your life that will never leave you and that makes life that much more worth living. 

If you ever get the chance to make it to Rome, don't miss this place. I can't wait to go back.

just for fun here's three of us waiting to go inside

dear robin eggs

i love you because you are so delicious to eat

but

i hate you because you make me sick when i eat too many of you (which is always)

someday, in our own house...

...our freezer will always be stalked with

for me. caramel is a must (but sometimes fudge is good too)

&

for jantz. the banana flavor of course

and....just for good measure, i'm gonna say that these will probably be next to them

don't worry, we'll be sure our fridge is full of salad and chicken and good things like that :)

another friday post

Jantz is visiting home in CO for the weekend. Before he left I thought, sweet, time to do some major finishing of projects. and all the hills watching that i want (yeah....sort of have a slight addiction to the show that has ended and is thus no longer applicable to life. but i still find the first seasons way too entertaining). So, I was set when i dropped him off at the airport yesterday afternoon (making me soo late for class. oops).

But then I woke up this morning and remembered that Jantz is no longer in this state. and even though I don't usually see him until 10:00 every night, just the fact that he wasn't in the city made me really nervous. sad/desperate-nervous. and pathetic-feeling. I went over a year of seeing him maybe once a month....then he's here for two and a half (yes i'm counting) months, leaves for one weekend, and i am completely lost in how to go about my day.

pathetic, party of one.

but also maybe, crazy in love, party of one (or two if jantz gets to tag along)   (you can cue gagging now ;)



in other news, i have amazing roommates who let me tag along as they picked up some goldfish (count: 55). and i got to buy some more robin eggs (which i LOVE. but whoppers not so much. however, malt shakes are my favorite). getting out of the house with the girls always helps :)

in even more other news, I'm doing an internship at the museum at BYU over the summer. I get to work on a Warhol/Murakami exhibition. I'm no contemporary connoisseur, but it's going to be freaking awesome. look forward to more talk on this over the summer, because i am so going to be talking about it.

and now i'm sitting on the couch reading article after article (and book after book...you get the picture) so i can write a "magnificent" paper on widowhood in Paris in the 18th century, in relation to this painting by David (that's Daaaveed, as in hot, and weed). when i saw it in the Louvre i cried

p.s. do any of you watch csi:ny? one more thing i am totally obsessed with. just a quick comment on Mac's round sunglasses.

i think he looks like a creepy mad scientist when he wears them. he is way too cool for such glasses, even if he does have some of the cheesiest lines.

p.p.s. biannual fondue night is happening tomorrow night and I. can. not. WAIT. be jealous.

dear blog,

I miss you lots.

I promise as soon as school is over and summer begins I will write so much more. but the next four weeks are going to be madness. technically the madness started yesterday. and let me tell you blog, it was not good news. I had a big presentation that I thought I was totally ready for. and then I woke up yesterday morning and thought, I am so not ready. But by then it was way too late. I did the best I could, put on my "confident" face, and got the job done. Usually I do better than I expect (so not bragging here), and feel all good inside. It's a completely different feeling when it goes the other way around. I wasn't very proud of myself. at all. It was my favorite project of the semester and I was really excited about it - I thought I had it down.

But, it's not the end of the world (I hope) and I don't have to impress everyone all the time (even though I'd like to). I still have one more big presentation next week and then a paper (and presentation) in four weeks. Let's just say I'm going to try my hardest to be as prepared as possible for both. 

At the end of the day, I still love what I'm doing and all that I'm learning; reading for class has now become a pleasant pastime (I can hardly believe it myself). I wish I could tell you all of the cool new things (like learning about Derrida and then seeing it get mentioned in a movie - totally knew what they were talking about), and all of the really weird things (like that some feminists believe lesbianism is the way to go because it means you're not a "woman" - to each her own*), that we get to talk about. just know that everything I'm learning is freaking awesome.

Alright, I better go. lots to do. I hope all is well :)

*totally not slamming lesbians OR feminism. I personally think feminism is 

fascinating and I have oh so many opinions about the importance of women

and how to achieve an equality in society. so basically, feminism represent.

a break from reading

I'm still missing Europe.

And free time.

It's that time in the semester when project due dates are in reach. Which means my mind is going a million miles a minute, redoing and reorganizing presentations and papers. It's going to be a really fast month, I can tell. But that means that things are finally going to get finished, which I'm very excited for. Summer is beginning more and more to look like the biggest relief (even with an internship and another class...).

Along the ride for all the busy-ness these past two weeks has been a cold. I think I'm finally out of the worst of it. I was on Dayquil and Nyquil pretty much nonstop all last week. I forgot the feeling of being sick and laying on the couch all day. It made me really want a vacation. A spring break would be really nice about now haha. silly BYU.

Thankfully it hasn't been all tissues and homework. Jantz took me out to P.F. Chang's on Friday. It's one of our favorites. and for good reason :) Speaking of, does anyone know of a good mexican or take-out chinese place in orem (or anywhere close)? We have yet to find any keepers.

Ok, I have to go watch The Bachelor now.