I wanted to be them.

These girls rocked. I remember putting on frequent shows in Linsey Daluga's basement performing their top songs for…. our family, and anyone else that would listen. We researched the proper Spice Girl attire, and set up the stage oh so perfectly; I know they would have been proud! We made tickets for everyone. They were free of course. Clayton and Derek were on lights and stage management, so Cailey, Linsey, and I just had to worry about choreography and singing. I adored posh spice and loved scary spice's intimidating nature. I tried to sing with a raspy voice, because that surely was how she sang?… They hit an all-time high, in my opinion, when they came out with Spice World in 1997. I would ask where they went, but I still listen to them quite often, and sing one of their songs every time I go skiing.

So why the Spice Girls?.. Because I'm going to London with the London Study Abroad Fall 2011 and maybe I'll form a rockin' girl band during my visit. :)

PdBio 120= Chemistry.

PdBio 120 is my first real exposure to biology; I took human biology my freshman year in high school, but I would hardly call that "real". So far I've learned a lot about… Chemistry. My book titled: Biological Science reads, "Chemists had worked out the structure of nucleotides and knew that DNA polymerized through the formation of phosphodiester linkages" (62). I also learned Chemists, Sidney Altman and Thomas Cech shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry for showing that ribozymes exist in organisms. These are just two specific examples out of the many I have read about in my biology book. Chemists created biology, I think. I think it's the master science… I think this is why I'm majoring in chemistry.

Skyler Daniel Conley.

When I was little I prayed and prayed and prayed for my mom to have a little girl, so I could have a sister. When I was seven my mom had Skyler. He wasn't the little girl I wanted, but he has been much better company than anything I could have imagined. He's my best buddy. Here are a few memories:

At 11:11 Skyler made a wish; he wished he "had a monkey bike and [his] mom loved [him]." He has the best wishes. As we drove by a couple walking on the road, Skyler told me to roll down the window, because he was going to yell, "get some." I didn't roll down the window, but I'm pretty sure they still "got some." One time Skyler took my journal from me while we were reading our scriptures together outside on the grass… I got my journal back only to be greeted by a picture of the Book of Mormon and an atheist person on fire. classic.

When Skyler was asked if he had kissed a girl he quickly responded, "I still wear pull ups, and you think I kiss girls?" One time we were watching a movie together and Skyler told me one of the girls looked like "Anne Hathaway…. well definitely NOT her body." He's so observant and has taught me so much about movie stars and music… Apparently Taylor Swift's voice is so annoying, and it gives you indigestion.

Life with Skyler is pretty good.

*Disclaimer: I still win when we arm wrestle :)

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? :)