You know you're gold. You don't gotta worry none.

*post title lyrics stolen from this song. obsessed. 

Do you know Amanda Jane Johnson? She's only one of my very best friends in the entire world. She turned 25 over the holiday break and we wanted to throw her a surprise party to celebrate her surviving a quarter of a century. So her roommates and I (I'm practically their 4th roommate but I sleep upstairs) decided to make it happen at Nickel City with all of our super awesome friends. In doing so, I already met a few of my 2012 goals! See for yourselves, people that think I am incapable of baking anything. 

Yes, I just linked to my grandmother's blog. Yes, she has a blog...welcome to the 21st century! Yes, she has no faith in my cooking skills. I'll prove her wrong this year, don't you even worry. 

The before shot. 

Amanda's brother, Trevor, being a huge help in every way possible while Bex and I baked our hearts out. 

Amanda saw Bekah's car parked out front, but found no Bex anywhere in the house! We had to send a few fib texts to cover up where she really was (upstairs baking with me!) Then we had to confess all of the little lies we told that week after the party... so worth it!

I realize I should have probably taken a picture of me actually mixing ingredients more than me pulling them out of the oven to prove I really did make them myself. Live and learn. But I sure am adorable, no? 

Found this recipe on Pinterest, duh. Self-frosting Nutella cupcakes. Yummy yum yums! Try at least one new recipe a month... check!

Us and our final products left to right: German Chocolate cupcakes, Carrot and Cream Cheese frosting cupcakes, and my cutie Nutella creations. 

How did you even get her to the party without her knowing what was going on?! Guys! We had it so under control! I drove us to Institute (go to Institute once a week... check!) at 7 and when it was over we got in the car at 8:15 and I told her to put on a blindfold. She obeyed.  (We've been doing 25 little daily birthday treats, so I just explained it was part of Day 3. She totally fell for it. Sucker!)

She's so cute! We totally surprised her! This is an action shot after everyone yelled "Surprise!"

Taking a group picture was an afterthought, so this was only part of the fantastic group of people that showed up. Probs like 20-25 people came overall. Great turn out! Mingle my heart out with people from the ward.... check!

Everyone gave Amanda their tickets (I kept like 500 for myself... oopsies. I  love prizes, too!) and she ended up with over 3000 tix! How often do you walk away from an arcade like that with a board game for a prize?! What a treat!

What can we all learn from this post? 

1) I know I'm gold in so many ways (especially at surprises and parties) even if I not the best baker yet. I will learn to bake slowly but surely, no matter what ye non-believers say! 2) I have the best bestest friends in the entire world and I love them so much. 3) Sarah (very left in the pic above) is so cute and even though she couldn't help with cupcake baking due to her life as a student, we love her anyway 4) Nutella in cupcake form is heaven. OMGHEAVEN. 

I ain't cuttin my hair till the good Lord comes

*Post title refers to this song by Joshua James. Thanks to Em Norling for always making me such great mix CD with new songs to enjoy!

4 days before the chop at the cutest baby shower for Caroline Calkins and Baby Boy Asher. Notice the length just resting a little below  that chest of mine. 

Apparently the Good Lord has come to my life in the form of me wanting to be a better, more Christlike person in 2012, and cutting my hair to a healthy length is just a bonus to that endeavor.

After the chop just resting right above that chest of mine. 

New year, new me!

Here are my resolutions and goals for 2012. Enjoy!

Spiritual 

Read the Book of Mormon in 100 days

Go to the Temple once a week 

Be on time to Sacrament meeting at 9 AM on Sundays

Index once a week (basically actually do my calling this semester. Yep, it's a real calling here in Provo.)

Go to institute once a week

Read a conference talk a day (most likely once a week because sometimes life is just so busy!)

Pay a full tithe every month

Physical Health

Only eat out on the weekends (Thanks for the motivation, Em Nor!)

No more soda (but if I have to give in, only one on the weekends!)

Get 8 hours of sleep 

Be in bed before midnight

Do cardio workouts at least 5 days a week and strength training 2 days a week

Drink more water, eat more veggies and fruits, cut down on snacks, etc. etc. etc. 

Incorporate more feta cheese into my everyday diet

Financial

Actually stick to my budget tightly this year and stop overspending on things I need want like clothing

Save for grad school, a Wii, an iPad, new car, etc. The list goes on and on. (Is it bad that I actually made a task list on gmail with "things I want when I get rich"? Probs not.)

Pay off my credit card and school loans ASAP by selling my body  giving plasma and getting paid for it

Educational

Get into at least one grad school! Please, oh please! (6 applications: 5 in Texas and 1 in Utah. I have a huge fear of rejection so I'd rather not list the schools until I know for sure where I've been accepted)

Start a Master's program

Don't drop out of a Master's program

Develop better study habits other than the ones I had in my undergrad

Prepare for my speech therapy sessions better so my students can benefit more

Personal/Self-Improvement 

Blog at least once a week (you get more than one post this week since I failed last week)

Write what I'm thankful for each day in a personal journal

Read 10 new books this year/ Go to the public library more often

Run a 5K (hopefully the Rex Lee Run in March)

Keep my room clean.. for realz!

Be nicer in general to everyone. We're all in this together. 

Learn to braid my hair and other necessary skills that come with having future daughters...Tough one!

Make more crafts... once a month mabes? 

Try a new recipe once a month 

Get a boyfriend. Kiss more boys than I did in 2011 wouldntyouliketoknowthenumber. Get a husband.  Be more involved in social activities with my ward including mingling with more people of the male variety

There you have it, in set in stone for all the world to see. Now I have to stick to these goals cuz all you people will hold me to them, right?! 

Name them one by one.

Hi! Hey! Hello! Remember me?

It's only proper that I write my one and only post for November about the things I'm grateful for, right? It's not like every other blogger and their mother's are doing it too.

So here we go!

I am so very thankful for:

My parents, grandparents, and heck the whole fam damily! Seriously, guys. These people are my world and they offer the perfect kind of love and support I need to make it through the rough times (like maybe that one time when I was sad for the whole month of October in 2011 and therefore neglected my blog).

Airplanes! I can go home for Christmas and not worry about driving through snowy mountains and stuff like that.

Modern medicine! Way too many family members and friends are having problems with that cancer stuff and other terrible illnesses and thankfully there's a lot of medicine that can heal or slow down the spread of it.

Technology! Skyping with mi familia all the time is always a highlight of my week. And would you look at that! The whole fam damily is upgrading/has upgraded to smart phones so we'll all be having Skype chats anywhere we please. (I may be slightly in love/obsessed with my new iPhone 4s/Siri... is that bad?)

My old job as a personal assistant! Surprise! I don't work at my dream job anymore because I needed full time hours and he could only give me part time hours. I was pretty upset about it all when it happened, but without that job (even for the short time I was there) I wouldn't have been able to pay the rent! And if I would have stayed with it then I wouldn't be at...

My new job as a Speech Language Technician! With a lot of help from my Heavenly Father I saw the opening at just the right time and it all fell into place quite perfectly. This is an experience of a lifetime and just what I need to feel more prepared and confident for grad school in 8 months.  I'm a very lucky girl with a very nice paycheck to prove it. But it's only 2 days a week so I'm looking for something else to supplement my income and for the moment I think I may be doing market research calls (just a means to an end!). If you know of anything else I should be applying to, please hook this girl up!

My education! I am so very fortunate and blessed to have attended such a wonderful school and to have been taught by such amazing people. Without my opportunity to attend college, I wouldn't have earned a degree that landed me this great job. There are so many people in this world who do not have the chance to go to college, so I've got a lot to be thankful for. (But that certainly doesn't mean I'm gonna start liking homework anytime soon, do you hear me?)

My taste buds and senses! Slab pizza and Blue Bell Ice cream. Need I say more?

My country! Living abroad this summer definitely made me appreciate America so much more. It's the land that I love and I am so thankful for all the men and women who serve for my freedom.

The gospel! I have the "good news" in my life and I'm so blessed. Jesus Christ is my Savior and I love Him with my whole heart!

Exercise! Wait... what?!? Sometimes I may have to drag myself there, but most of the time I am obsessed with Zumba and Kickboxing classes at Gold's gym and the way I feel afterwards.

This awesome new Christmas Lower Lights album! Especially Brooke White's voice in "I saw Three Ships"!

Exclamation points! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

My health! My body! It's definitely not perfect, but I am so lucky to have all my limbs and a healthy immune system that allows me to do all the things I want to do.

My car! My new dream job is all the way in Alpine so I'm pretty lucky I have my own vehicle to get me where I need to go. (I know I already mentioned them, but I'll say it again! My grandparents are seriously the best and let me stay at their house 2 nights a week to make my early morning commute a lot shorter and my time in a warm bed a little longer. Sure love ya'll, Nan and Papa!)

My warm bed! My clothes! My hair! (That one may sound vain, but seriously, folks. Some people have  diseases where their hair falls out, so I'll just keep counting my blessings for my long & luscious locks!) My fantastic friends! Wedding receptions with delicious food and beautiful people who inspire me to look forward to an eternal marriage instead of having a jaded attitude towards the young adult dating scene! My talents! My music! My apartment! Hulu! Hot chocolate!

The list goes on and on. The point is, I need to take the time to count my blessings more often. I probably wouldn't have very many sad Octobers if I just realized that I have a lot to be thankful for despite the things that aren't turning out quite right.

One of my favorite pins on Pinterest!

Another favorite pin!

I threw this one in here for kicks and giggles. And really, how often do you get to see me looking like an Asian or even a Harajuku girl for that matter? More Halloween pictures can be found on the FB. If you're not living under some rock you've probs already seen them.

Peace and blessings.

P.S. I'm not that thankful to be writing personal statements for grad school apps at the current moment, so if someone would like to volunteer and do that for me I'd be fine with it. In exchange, I'll feed you a yummy spinach salad with feta cheese and maybe a Fresca too... if you're lucky.