Current Events.

1. I went to my home ward this week and obviously this involved attending relief society, which is always… interesting. This week the lesson was on Sabbath day observance, normal enough, yet we mostly talked about cats and how cats can be related to many aspects of the gospel. This is false doctrine obviously and made me hate cats even more. I'd post a picture, but I just can't!

2. I still hate shopping at the mall, especially around Christmas time, but I did manage to have pure joy in the cologne department at Nordstrom. Clayton, mom, and I related all the smells to something familiar… most of them resembled some kind of food, one must have been carrot extract (which I don't even know if it exists) and another was for sure made from oranges. Some (most) had a somewhat Windexy smell, and we obviously contemplated buying Windex instead… It's cheaper and comes in a greater quantity, but whatever they are doing they're producing a multimillion dollar business, so I won't critique. :)

3. Borders needs to get more journals. I think I might own every single one of their journals that is halfway decent. Then again… I own and have filled so many journals, and I am a picky journal buyer.

4. Gingerbread houses are classic. I decided to make a Christmas gingerbread house after I discovered red-colored fondant. I think it was strawberry flavored, but I never actually tried it. Today my gingerbread house was given away to a little girl in our ward. I'll enjoy the pictures instead?…

Self-timer is the best.
Andrew and Leslie's house

Clayton's house

Mikelene?

Pookie's house

My Christmas house

In the process; obviously I had to wear an apron.

5. Just Dance is still the best wii game. ever. And I still have to change into exercise clothes in order to properly play. It's intense to say the least.

Home for the Holidays.

I finished my last final on Thursday at 12:45 PM and rushed back to my dorm to change into my Sunday-best to pick up Clayt from the airport. This was a process slash adventure of sorts?… One question: Since when did Utah have standstill traffic?! Kelsie told me to hurry when I got back to my dorm warning me that there would probably be traffic. I laughed… Later (about an hour later) that joke wasn't so funny.

Andrew and I both had our phones out and were checking the traffic update… constantly. We were discouraged as we watched the "time-to-distination" increase from thirty minutes to over an hour. We evaluated our options… Drive up the shoulder? logical. Have Leslie fake a full-term pregnancy to the nearby police officer for a direct route to the hospital/airport?… illogical. Pull out a fake siren for our car? illegal. (plus, we didn't have one… at the time). As we weighed our options we decided we'd try driving up the shoulder to hurry and exit, but the problem was that other cars decided they would take the law into their own hands and not let us by, but some cars followed our example, so I considered it a success.

We finally made it to the airport, after much delay… and even missed his entrance, but our awesome extended family was there to welcome him home, and he's home safely, and that's all that matters.

College is full of dating...

As it should be, but college is also full of college, so for two months out of the school year I don't date. These months have been nicknamed Dry December and Abstinence April, for obviously reason, of course. The nickname basically describes the restrictions in each month?… In all actuality I will have abstinence in April, and the rest of the eleven months in the year, whether or not I deem it an official nickname. These months have just been selected so I can study for finals, which are seemingly pretty real, and I am seemingly pretty terrified, but life is good.

I rediscovered my love for roller blading as a form of exercise and recreation. I now keep my rollerblades in my car for easy access. Unfortunately my excitement may be short lived until the spring, but skiing will surely take it's place, and snowshoeing, which I've done a total of once. It's slowly becoming a hobby of mine, you could say?… Winter activities are the best.

My brother is on a mission...

And he is one stellar missionary. We communicate via email, and it is the highlight of my week… Today, was one of those hilarious letters, that I read in my dorm… alone, and laughed out loud (lol?… no never okay) for a good five minutes. five minutes! Alone! I can't wait for this boy to get home, especially with all the turmoil in South Korea.

Best friend

I posted the letter… because it's funny, and everyone deserves a good laugh.

CLAYTON!!! (Three exclamation points may not be necessary)

I can't believe it's almost December! Mom has already started decorating for Christmas, and it will be the best Christmas ever… in terms of decorations and the company that will be here (you)! I can't wait for Christmas. :) but until then I will study, a lot. Clayton, I'm one of those weird girls that has started a blog. I always thought those people were so weird… (and sometimes still mostly do)… I feel like they are self-centered and emotional girls who think they are so important and their ideas are so respected that they should blog for the whole world to read… (nothing is holding them back… (say in a free ish voice--- kind of "Jack-I-feel-like-I-can-fly-tone" from the Titanic)) But I have a blog… and when you get back you can (WILL) follow it and love it. Mostly, I talk about funny experiences etc.. and don't tell anyone that I have a blog, besides mom and the family… In fact, dad just found out I had a blog last week.. and I've had one for a few months, but oh well.. hahaha It's a good way to journal, I guess.

So how is everything going in the mission?… I want to hear all about it! How is your companion and all of your investigators?… I can't wait to hear you speak in Korean and communicate with people. Anyways I love you and am so proud of you and your decision to serve a mission. Full-time missionaries are becoming more sparse, but thank you for being worthy and working so hard! I love you! Thanks for your example!

Love,

Megan

Clayton's Response:

Welcome to the day in the life of Elder Conley. This blog is dedicated to my sister Megan. I don't think I'd have the courage to start a blog if it weren't for her.

I woke up this morning to snow... It was a p-day just like any other. I went to the post-office, checked the e-mail and found a letter from my sister, Megan. I decided to take a moment to write her a short message as follows:



Dear Megan,

I'm glad to hear that my sister is now the star of her very own blog. I can't wait to be one of the main characters (do I need to audition? I've been practicing (see above)) haha. But seriously, that's a good way to keep a journal - you've got me thinking...

Glad to hear that the house is a winter-wonderland. I heard it snowed a lot! It snowed here last night (as you may have heard from my blog, you're a fan right?), but it's all melted now.

I have loved this last bit of my mission. It's been some of the most fun I've had my entire mission.

I coming home in a few weeks. Please be nice to me if I'm weird (I mean, I just did start a blog and everything. ) haha. But, seriously you're going to need to be my guide when I get home. We can be study-budies. Can't wait.

Love ya' lots

Clayton

I ended my letter thinking of the many wonderful memories that await him at home. I don't know, blog, sometimes I feel like you're the only one who understands me….

I feel like tacos.

He understands the blog world… right? :)

Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks...

and I have so much to be thankful for. Namely… my family, and christmas music, the scriptures (especially the Book of Mormon). I am also grateful for all the essentials in my life... like Bone Thug's Ghetto Cowboy and Ashton Kutcher and Michael Jackson and BYU and snow and ski lifts and hot chocolate with ice cream (a newfound love of sorts) and jcrew and gap and all of the other stores that are responsible for my sick obsession?…

But I am especially thankful for my parents. Yesterday my dad fixed my shower and let me fall asleep on his shoulder today after turkey dinner. My mom helps me plan my family home evening activities, which always seems to come as a surprise to me? And helps me quickly get treats for my visiting teachees. They are awesome people; I want to be just like them.

WHILE MY PARENTS WERE GONE….

We made our first fire of the season.

Ate multiple s'mores. (maybe that was just me?)
Lived a thug life.
Cooked… oh so much?…..

(Legends, La Jolla Groves, Macaroni Grill)
Took pictures of Andrew and Leslie.

Love them.

Christmas is just around the corner. I feel like I will be blogging a lot about Christmas in the next few weeks… because I love it so much. And today I found the orange juice in our fridge expires on the 25th of December. I think I will savor some of the juice to celebrate on Christmas day… that and the Martinelli's in my dorm fridge, there are about four of them, and I have about one a week… (I hope these never expire) Kelsie is an eyewitness of my addiction of sorts.

So, I volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club every Friday. Last week BYU planned a Halloween party for the children, and it was very successful. Bobbing for apples has never been so rigorous, and the every child somehow came up drenched, yet content. They even held a haunted house filled with ghosts and zombies and Barack Obama. I went through the haunted house three times and each time children most feared Mr. President. It's good to know that our President stands as an object of fear for small children in our nation.

Know what class I still hate?… American Heritage. It is omnipresent, and I will be so sad when I fail the class… but I have to admit the lectures are intriguing when my teacher dresses like a confederate soldier or when students attempt to sell their souls (or just a year's worth of savings) for a doughnut. I find other students occupy the lectures with facebook (thank goodness for wifi), writing each other notes (cute gesture?), and even applying makeup (midday touchups?). I will survive this class.

My dorm wall has been horribly plain and sterile-like (besides my stellar Christmas chain) until last night. I ripped up my J.crew magazines and randomly stuck them on my wall. For some reason I now feel more at home and will enjoy looking at the black male models before I slip to sleep.

So, my parents are out of town, so Andrew, Leslie, and I are spending quality time with Skyler. :)

The dorms have been so good to me...

except when…

1. I locked myself out of my room… (I act like it's only been once….=completely false).

2. my keys scratched my student ID card that is apparently needed to get in the building at two in the AM.

3. I confused Budge Hall (a boys' dormitory) to be my own.

4. a date picks you up.

5. strangers decide it's okay to hug you upon meeting.

but especially when…

1. We jazzercise.

3. the world's third place junior bagpiper also lives in the dorms.

4. girls embellish the urinals in our bathroom?.. It was inevitable.

5. we spend a night on the steps.

Dorms these days.

I've spent a lot of time doing… school

And when I think too much about it, it's horrible, but it's a necessary evil? (as is government? according to Thomas Paine… The things I learn in American Heritage?). I'm so grateful for the opportunity to go to school and learn. :) really. School is hard, but an easy education is a contradiction in terms. (someone wise…)

Today, I encountered my visit teachee (new word) and she was making her Halloween costume. It was then that I realized that Halloween is at the end of this month… yes, it's happening, and I have no idea what I want be. But really the only holiday I yearn for is Christmas. It may be the fact that Clayton will be getting home (December 16th), or that I will be done with stinky finals, or the sole fact that Christmas is the best holiday. ever. I already have a countdown paper chain, made of alternating colors of red and green, logically. I made my family home evening group have a "family" Christmas party including: Martinellis, gingerbread making, a gift exchange, and of course the classic family Christmas picture. I for sure am already listening to Christmas music and dream about a white Christmas.

I can't wait, but until then… I will study.

I enjoy being literate.

I like being stylish. Everyone wants somebody kissable. And I'm pretty quiet.