The Great War

If you haven't seen any of the youtube channel The Great War, I think you should give it a whirl. It's a week-by-week analysis of what happened in WWI, and it. is. so. well. done. The research, the narrative, the perspectives, the depth - the creators are doing really great things. It's my new binge-watch thing.

visit ALL THE FRIENDS

The title of this post pretty much describes what happened. I had a long break between semesters, so I went galavanting all over the American West.

To kick it off, I went to UTAH and Shana, Calista, and I fulfilled our 8-year dream of going to Goblin Valley TOGETHER (they went without me once, those twerps). It was cloudy so I didn't get any good stargazing in (still bitter), but the rocks and the wind and the sky and sunshine sang at me and I wasn't mad. A piece of my heart will always long for the desert.

These girls are like, the coolest. duh. 

While in Utah, I got to visit a bunch of old college pals and some of my girls. (For the uninformed, I was an RA at BYU and for some reason the girls I watched over for a year are, in my heart, 'My Girls', even though we're obvs friends as well.) I always love catching up with them and seeing how their lives are playing out. They are so funny and adventurous and wise and inspiring. They make me a better person. 

NEXT UP I went to Dallas to see Shannon!! Someday I will tell the story of how her great(x2 or 3) grandfather tried to kill my great (x2 or 3) grandfather. It is actually pretty interesting, considering the fact that in our first encounter Shannon tried to kill me with poison, and a few years later I accidentally tried to kill her too. Keeping the traditions ALIVE!! 

She is so awesome. Like, seriously.

Last stop: TULSA! My heart positively cries for Tulsa, I have missed it so much. I felt like I never left and that my other life in DC was all a bad dream. Being with my friends in the place that I love made my heart so happy. 

This place and it's never-ending skies!! 

It is always great to be with people who know you and love you and understand you and support you and who make you laugh. My friends are definitely some of my greatest blessings.

Notable Quotables Part 2

Now that the semester is over, I present to you other noteworthy and funny comments my teachers have said. Remember, my classes are in intelligence, arms control theory, and international security.

"The appropriate answer is 'Senator, I do not recall'."

"It's not the offense that gets you, it's the cover-up."

Russian Joke about nuclear fallout:

"What do you do if you see a mushroom cloud?"

"Put on a blanket and crawl slowly to the graveyard."

"Why slowly?"

"So you don’t create panic!"

“We want to get in there and mess with people.”

 “We are never deceived. We deceive ourselves.” – Goethe.  

“Never assume conspiracy when simple incompetence will suffice.”  

"Russia always cheats." 

It was such a wonderful, difficult, challenging, mind-numbing, intellect-building semester. As it should be. And now I am looking forward to long break. Utah, here I come!! 

I heart visitors!

Kylie and Jess came to visit a couple weeks ago! I was Kylie's RA at BYU, so I know all the dirt and awkwardness. Our mutual love of John Krasinski and all things English really cemented the bond.

Kylie and Jess have been to DC before, so they had some great ideas of places to go that I have never visited. They are also big art nerds, but joke is on them cause I love art! I loved the museums they dragged me to.

This was the Renwick Gallery's 'Wonder' exhibit! It was stunning and I have been thinking about it a lot since we left. I even went back to see it again. Def one of my most fav modern art installations. 

This was at the FDR memorial! We walked all around the monuments at night (honestly the best time to see them!) and I had never been to this one before. There were a bunch of kids taking Prom pictures at the Lincoln Memorial. How adorable is that?! #PromGoals

Surprise surprise, I took visitors to the temple! I can't get enough pictures of this place. 

I love it when friends come to visit! They always show me a new side of DC, be it in actual places we visit or their different perspectives on the city. It's so great to see this place through fresh eyes.

Palmyra

In March I made a last second decision to run away from DC for a couple days. So I hopped in my car and drove north to Palmyra, NY. Finally got to see some church history sites!

It was a cold spring day, but walking around the grove was so special and sweet. I felt so happy and peaceful. 

I loved that the stained glass in the temple was all trees! And it was the same design as the OKC Temple, so it made me feel vaguely homesick.

The Smith Cabin!! Where they were living when Moroni came to Joseph. 

The whole weekend was so special. I walked around the farm and the grove and went to the temple and reveled in not being in DC. Spontaneous adventures are the best adventures.

Music ABCs

My sister Kelly is my usual go-to music suggester. But I managed to find these hot babies all on my own! Here's the ABC's of what I've been rockin' out to lately. Youtube playlist here 
I'm always on the hunt for new tunes. Send your recommendations my way! But only if you have good taste.
*Songs I particularly love.

Architects - Open Letter to Myself
Walk the Moon - Work this Body
*Breaking Laces - Astronomy is my Life, But I Love You
DNCE - Cake by the ocean
The Avett Brothers - Ballad of Love and Hate
*Walk Off the Earth - Rule the World (love those trumpets!!)
*Rossini - The Theiving Magpie
*Hamilton (AMAZING)(listen to the playlist!! you will not regret.)
MIA - Bad Girls
JR JR - Gone
The Killers - Shot at The Night
Spada and Ellen - Cool Enough
*Magic Man - Paris
Mika - Ordinary Man
Walk Off the Earth - Hold On
*One Republic - Preacher
Q
Adele - When we Were Young
The Struts - Could have been me
Sidney Bichet - Si Tu Vois me Mere (I want to fall in love to this song.)
Mumford and Sons - Hopeless Wanderer
Chvrches - Mother We Share
*Imagine Dragons - Warriors
X
Mika - Last Party
Z
Lady Antebellum - Compass
Demi Lovato - Stone Cold
Mumford and Sons - Ditmas

Sydney and Day Trippin'

Sydney came to visit!! We kicked off her first trip to DC with a day downtown, where I forced her to go look at the beautiful art in the National Gallery, and then to the Air and Space Museum WHERE WE TOUCHED THE MOON. BECAUSE I STILL FREAKIN LOVE THE MOON. Syd is the best for indulging me.

The National Gallery has some really lovely JMW Turners. And since he is my fav, I have to go see his stuff every time.

Next, we went on a couple day trips! We went to Monticello to see the legacy of Thomas Jefferson, and boy, it was worth it. The house, the grounds, the mountain top, even the creepy tunnel, were all wonderful and amazing. I love being in this area with such great history. Montpelier happened to be on the way, so we made a little detour and saw James and Dolly Madison's place as well. (Heart eyes emojii at Dolly M.)
We also traveled up to Antietam National Battlefield, the site of the bloodiest single-day battle in American History. I remember reading a lot about this place in High School, so it was kind of sobering and sad to be there. But it made me grateful for the people who fight for freedom.
Syd and I went into town a few times, but my favorite time is always at night. The monuments at night are glorious, and really beautiful to look at. Just a heads up for all those who come to visit me - we're going to go look around at night.