Don't Mind Me...

I am so friggen exhausted, it's crazy. I've literally been up since like 1:30am. Worrying about all those last minute details that go into a trip. Wondering if I packed everything. Packing for other people. It's just been tiring. But, I can now relax and just enjoy myself. Kind of! Haha, there's gonna be more craziness when we get to the airport. Hopefully I'll at least get to sleep on the plane!


Well, here's my Wee Bit Wednesday via Leigh Ashley. It'll probably be my last one for three weeks, so enjoy!


{one} what kind of camera do you have? i have a sony...something. haha. just know that it's a sony :) I'm dying for a DSLR, though.
{two} you just won $1000 and you have to spend it on yourself on one item. what do you buy? An iPad, for sure! Or maybe a Canon DSLR. Why can't I have both?
{three} if you had to choose, would you rather live with your parents in the same house forever or 5000 miles away? In the same house forever. Just because, I don't know how I could cope being THAT far away from my family.
{four} is your christmas tree up yet? No. I'm not even sure if we're doing one this year since we'll be gone for the next three weeks. Maybe one'll be up when we get back!
{five} do you bring reusable bags to the grocery store? No, but I do HAVE reusable bags. Maybe I should actually use them...
{six} which would be worse: listening to the same song on replay for the rest of your life or having to eat the same meal everyday for the rest of your life? The same meal everyday. I mean, I'm a really picky and I prefer eating the same things anyway, but I do end up getting sick of food way more often than I get sick of music.
{seven} name 3 things you are thankful for this season. my family, the gospel in my life, and my education.
{eight} do you dye/highlight your hair? if so, do you do it yourself or have it done at the salon? I have, but I don't anymore. I actually have natural highlights from being in the sun
{nine} would you rather watch a movie at home or at the theater? Home. So I can make as much noise as I want! LOL.
{ten} would you rather win $1000/week for life or $5 million all at once? $1000 a week. That's actually a lot for a week, so you know, it's all good.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving guys! I'll be thinking about y'all eating your yummy food as I'm on the airplane eating airplane food (:
XOXO,

Tay Tuesday!

Is it really that time again already?! Time for some Q&A today. And since I like to combine all my linky par-tays (haha, see what i did there? no? ...okay...) into one gigantic post, I've decided to call this section on Tuesdays "Tay Tuesdays!" 'Cause, my name is Tay...and it's Tuesday...and I'm answering questions about myself. ya'know? OK, well anyways...here we go!


First up this Tuesday is Ten on Tuesdays by Roots and Rings!

1. What are your plans for the holidays? Do you travel at Thanksgiving? If you celebrate Christmas, do you travel then, too?
This Thanksgiving I will be celebrating in Florida with my family! I don't actually have family in Florida, but we're going on a 7-day Disney Cruise right after Thanksgiving, so we're going up a bit early. We'll be in Florida/Disney World on the actual Thanksgiving day!

2. How do you make the plans for the holiday? If you have a significant other, how do you decide which family to visit?
Well, we don't really have actual plans. Usually, we spend it all together. When I was younger, we used to go to Thanksgiving Dinner at my Tutu's house, that's my mom's grandma, but not anymore.

3. Do you have your Thanksgiving meal at lunch or later in the day?
Lunch, and then of course, the left overs for dinner!

4. Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
Going to my Tutu's house use to be my favorite tradition, but we don't do that anymore :(

5. After a big meal do you lounge around or get up and take a walk?
Lounge, of course!

6. Do you shop on “Black Friday” or do you avoid it?
I haven't ever been Black Friday shopping, but I would so do it! Maybe later on in life though, when I have my own family, and a husband, and my own income, ya know?

7. When do you usually finish your Christmas shopping?
We got our Christmas shopping for everyone done this year!

8. Do you and your significant other exchange gifts? Is there a budget?
No S.O. so no gift exchange! haha.

9. When do you decorate for the holidays?
After thanksgiving.

10. Do you go “all out” with the decor or do you keep it simple?
SImple. But one day, when I have my own house, I'd like to do more! We use to go all out when I was younger, like huge tree, cute christmas village figurines, the whole 9 yards, but we haven't done that in a while....

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Next up is Hoo Are You? Tuesdays via Leslie at Night Owl Crafting.

1. Name 5 things you are grateful for!

Family, the gospel in my life, a good education, the fact that I have a house to live in and food on the table, & friends.

2. What is you favorite dish at Thanksgiving dinner?

Stuffing! I looooveeee stuffing. And mashed potatoes, especially the lumpy kind!

3. Do you have any family traditions for Thanksgiving?

We use to go to my Tutu's house for thanksgiving every year, but that kinda stopped after she passed away. Kinda makes me sad :(

4. Are you staying home or traveling for Thanksgiving?

This year, we're traveling. Actually, we'll be in Florida on Thanksgiving Day! My family is spending a few weeks on the mainland (Florida--Disney Cruise, Disney World, and Wizarding World! & Vegas!)

5. What else do you do on Thanksgiving day besides eat?

Watch movies, sleep, watch football, sleep. Yeah, mostly sleep!

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If you want to play along, just go ahead and click and link up!


In other news, we leave for Florida TOMORROW! I am so excited it's crazy. This is my first time going to Florida and we get to go to Disney World AND Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I'm way excited about both, but of course I know I'm gonna go absolutely nutso in HP World. Especially since I just saw Deathly Hallows. After Florida, we're going to Las Vegas. It's my first time going there too, which is just crazy since pretty much every Hawaii person considers Vegas the "9th Island." I'm pretty stoked! We're gonna be gone for three weeks, but I'll try updating as much as possible.


Today, it's all about finishing up some homework, washing and putting away all my bedding, and packing those last minute items. So, I'm off for the day!

XOXO,

A Giveaway After My Own Heart

I adore reading. I honestly don't think there is anything better than reading. I'll read pretty much any and every thing. Which is why I would be immediately to this giveaway from Chronicle Books!

It's really simple actually. All you have to do is mosey on over to the Chronicle Books Website, and select a list of books worth up to $500. Post your list on your blog, then submit your post to this site, and you'll be automatically entered to win your entire selection! The cool thing is that if you win, one of your readers-who commented on your book list post-will have the chance to win their selection too! Now that's what I call an awesome Self Christmas present. 


If you decide to enter, let me know on this post. That way, you'll have a better chance of winning, and I will too! 


Here are my book picks, and let me tell ya, it wasn't easy to decide!:

1. Every Day's a Holiday by Heidi Kenney

2. Artful Accessories by Sarah Parvis and Janet Southwick

3. Dorm Decor by Theresa Gonzalez and Nicole Smith

4. Girl's World by Jennifer Paganelli

5. Secrets of Simplicity by Mary Carlomagno

6. 1,001 Ways to Live in the Moment by Barbara Kipfer 

7. One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Book 

8. The Baby Bump: 100s of Secrets for Surviving those 9 Long Months by Carley Roney

9. The Newlyweds Instruction Manual by Caroline Tiger

10. Baby's First Year Journal by A. Christine Harris, Ph.D

11. The Pregnancy Journal by A. Christine Harris, Ph.D

12. The Bride's Instruction Manual by Carrie Denny

13. The Pregnancy Instruction Manual by Sarah Jordan with David Ufberg, MD.

14. The Deluxe Wedding Planner and Organizer by Genevieve Morgan and Ariella Chezar

15. Disneystrology by Lisa Finander

16. Field Guide to Dreams by Kelly Regan

17. See Jane Write by Sarah Mlynowski and Farrin Jacobs

18. Cake Pops by Angie Dudley

19. Stuff Every Woman Should Know by Alanna Kalb

20. Day and Night by Teddy Newton

21. Emily and Alex: Naughty and Nice by Barroux

22. Just Like A Baby by Juanita Havill

23. Hurry! Hurry! Have You Heard? by Laura Krauss Melmed

24. I'll See You In The Morning by Mike Jolley

25. Just One More by Nancy Markham Alberts

26. I Can Do It Too! by Karen Baicker

27. What Sisters Do Best/What Brothers Do Best by Laura Numeroff

28. Spill Your Guts Journal

29. Memento by Michael McQueen

30. Pocket Plain Moleskin Notebook

30 books valued at $498.42 all for free? I could dig that!

December 10th is the last day to enter, so hurry folks! Go compose your wonderful list of books, and don't forget to comment here and let me know if you make one so I can comment on yours too!

XOXO,

P.S. Don't worry, the books about pregnancy and marriage aren't for me! I'd give those away to my friends. Haha. Obviously, marriage and pregnancy isn't even on my mind right now...as you could probably tell from my last post....

I Know, I Know...

I promised that I would never write this post. A post about the male species. Boys. Guys. Dudes. Human beings with dangly things between their legs. Whatever you wanna call them, I promised I wouldn't complain/write about them. But I believe I have had an epiphany, so for the first (and possibly only) time (well...at least only for a while...) in the history of TayIRL, I am going to talk to you about boys. But to talk about boys means to give you a little background about me...

Oh hey! That would be me. I'm Tasia. I have an obsession with headbands, Tinker Bell, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, and doing the Tyra Banks over the shoulder-sultry look pose (as you can see). Basically, I have an obsessive personality, I've always been that way, it's just the way I am. On top of the obsessive personality thing, I am also prone to Anxiety attacks and I have a slight case of OCD. That being said, I am comfortable with saying that my entire life my "dream guy" was subject to what I like to call The List.

Ladies, you know the List that I'm talking about. The one that basically describes every little bit of your Prince Charming. Yeah, I see y'all nodding your heads, you know what I'm talking about. I've had my ideal guy "listed" since I was three. Yep. Three Years Old, people. In case you're wondering, it was the dude from Barney. You know, Michael? The blonde haired kid? In case you don't remember, here's a picture to jog your memory:

Isn't he dreamy? Haha, yep. He was my very first dream guy. And I was obsessed with him. He was even my imaginary friend. That's how crazy I was about him.

Of course, The List has changed throughout the years. As guys have come and gone, as crushes have built and then literally crushed me, my list has changed. Of course, no guy has ever fit the list perfectly, but there have been some who got mighty close to it. (Excuse my country accent, that you can't actually hear since we're on the interwebs. I've been reading Miley Cyrus' book Miles to Go, and her Tennessee accent has somehow jumped onto me. I'm taking it as a sign that I've got to find me a smokin' country boy and move out to a big farm).

Lately, though, I've been thinking about The List and the whole boy thing in general. And I've decided that I'm really just over it. I mean, I've decided to crumple that ol' list up and throw it out the window. I'm not looking anymore. While I would love to be married within the next two years, with a baby in three, I'm just sick of looking for that. 

Maybe I'm just looking in all the wrong places. Or maybe I'm trying too hard. I mean, I know that I'm not finding a man because I'm ugly. Cause I'm definitely NOT ugly (yeah, my self esteem is pretty ok today). I'm a great person, I'm a good friend, and one day I'm gonna make an excellant wifey and Mama one day. I know that, but maybe one day is just not today, like I want it to be. I'm working on remembering that. Remembering that God has the perfect plan for me, and that whatever he has planned for me, he will reveal it in His time.

I also have to remember that God also gives us our choices. Let me tell you, I've had amazing choices in this race for Mr. Perfect. Two of whom are currently serving missions (RM, it's on my list!), and another two who have already served missions. All of whom have amazing life goals set for themselves. Maybe I'll tell y'all a bit more about them later...

Right now, though, I just give up. I know that one day I will have an amazing guy in my life. And I know that he'll come when he's ready and also when Heavenly Father knows that I'm truly ready. Right now, I just want to focus on my own dance with God, and when my song is over, I know He'll let the perfect man cut in!

XOXO,

P.S. Since most of my readers are either engaged or already married, I want to hear your pre-love story. Did you go through the same things that I did in your early stages of dating? How and when did you meet your love? I'd really love to hear your stories!

I Want to Propose a Toast...

(ATTN: These are NOT Harry Potter movie spoilers, so please don't worry. I'm not even really going to include any spoilers from the books. But I did want to acknowledge the ways that the wonderful characters of the magical world of Harry Potter has shaped my life and ultimately have shaped me. I've been a part of this fandom for as long as I can remember. I honestly cannot remember a time in my life without Harry Potter or something that has played such a significant role in my life. As I have stuck with Harry til the end, he has also stuck with me. I shaped him just as much as he shaped me, and through this post, I'd like to honor them. Also, sorry it's so long!)


To Mr. Vernon Dursley,
for teaching me that just because we ignore it and wished it wasn't around, it doesn't mean that magic doesn't exist. 


To Mrs. Petunia Dursley,
for teaching me to love the differences between me and my sister.


To Mr. Dudley Dursley,
for teaching me that families will always love each other, even if they don't show it.


To Mr. Rubues Hagrid,
for teaching me that love comes in many different shapes and forms. Even in the shape of a fierce little dragon!

(Via)

To Peeves,
for teaching me to laugh.


To Professor Flitwick,
for teaching me that short people do, in fact, rule.


To Professor Slughorn,
for teaching me to be on my guard at all times, but also not to be afraid.

(via)

To Mr. Oliver Wood,
for teaching me that the golden snitch is just beyond my reach, but highly attainable.


To Miss Cho Chang,
for teaching me that moving on takes time.


To Mr. Cedric Diggory,
for teaching me what it means to be a true Hufflepuff.

(Via)

To Mr. Percy Weasley,
for teaching me that those in authority aren't always correct, but it's important to respect them anyway.


To Mr. Charlie Weasley,
for teaching me to be brave in the face of the biggest dragons.


To Mr. Bill Weasley and Mrs. Fleur Weasley,
for teaching me to love against all odds.


To Mr. Gred and Forge (I mean Fred and George) Weasley,
for teaching me that the bonds of a family stretches across all time.

(Via)

To Mr. Regulus Black,
for teaching me that it's ok to admit it when I'm wrong. 


To Mr. Remus Lupin,
for teaching me that the things I hate most about myself may be the things the strengthen me most.


To Ms. Nymphadora Tonks (Lupin),
for teaching me that even clumsy women can be fierce fighters.


To Mrs. Molly Weasley,
for teaching me that family is always the best thing to fight for.


To Mr. Arthur Weasley,
for teaching me that my odd little interests are what makes me who I am.

(Via)

To Mr. Sirius Black,
for teaching me not to judge others by the judgement of their enemies.


To Mr. Draco Malfoy,
for teaching me that fear is greater.


To Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy,
for teaching me that a mother's love is greater than any kind of fear.


To Mr. Tom Riddle,
for teaching me that there are always multiple options and the path you choose is the path that you're stuck with.

To Mr. James Potter,
for teaching me that the bonds of love and friendship can never be broken.

(Via)

To Mrs. Lily Potter,
for teaching me what true sacrifice is.


To Professor Severus Snape,
for teaching me that love is the greatest connector.


To Professor Albus Dumbledore,
for teaching me that the things I learn myself will be more important to me than the things that people tell me. And for teaching me how to learn


And finally,


To Mr. Neville Longbottom,
for teaching me that a brave heart is much more important than a strong body.


To Ms. Luna Lovegood,
for teaching me that the things that make me different are the things that make me brave.

To Ms. Ginny Weasley,
for teaching me how to transform into an awkward little girl into a beautiful, brave woman.

(via)

To Ms. Hermione Granger,
for teaching me that it's ok to be brainy, smart girls never finish last.

(Via)

To Mr. Ronald Weasley,
for teaching me that it's ok to come back. Always.

(Via)

To Mr. Harry Potter,
for teaching me that I can conquer anything.

To Ms. JK Rowling,
for showing me that magic exists in the world. And for cultivating my love for reading. And for allowing me to grow up with these characters. And for teaching me more than any class in school ever could about life.


 To all of you, thank you for being with me til the end.


XOXO,

Aloha Po'alima!

Happy Friday, friends! While friday isn't really my favorite day of the week, I always look forward to it because of the possibilities it holds. Not only do I get a break from work and school (well...not this weekend) for a few days, but it now means fun linky parties. Sooo, here are some for today!

My fun for this weekend comes in the form of three beautiful girls and one handsome little boy. I'm going to be spending the weekend at my Aunty and Uncle's house helping them pack and watch the kiddies for a bit. I plan on helping them get their stuff packed, while finishing packing my own bag. Also, we're going to bake! Hopefully...

Tonight, I'm going to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows! I am so stoked it's crazy. I've been a Harry Potter fan for as long as I can remember so this moment is actually very surreal for me.

Deathly Hallows in honor of Deathly Hallows!

Also on the agenda for this weekend is homework (still in overtime with that).

AND...The La'ie Hawaii temple Rededication!

please don't steal this picture. i know, it's gaawwgouuss. but it's mine.

Even though I don't get to go, it's still an amazing celebration. Plus, that means that the prophet is here in Hawaii! How cool is that?!

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Now time for the linky partiess! First up is Five Question Friday hosted by Mama M over at Five Crooked Halos!

1. What Christmas song do you loathe?

I don't think I loathe any Christmas songs. Like, I genuinely like pretty much anything. Oh wait, never mind. I don't really like Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer. Not sure why, it just freaks me out. Must be some suppressed childhood thing.

2. Do you and your significant other cuddle at night or sleep on opposite sides of the bed?

One day, when I'm married and actually have a S.O. I'm sure that I will love cuddling at night. I'm really big on cuddling.

3. Have you ever had surgery?

Nope. I guess I've just been blessed like that.

4. When do you typically have your holiday shopping done?

Whenever there are awesome sales! This year, we had all our shopping done by September.

5. If money were not an issue (and you HAD to pick something), what would your ultimate luxury item be?

My own house, for sure. That would be the ultimate luxury.

And now, Fill in the Blank Fridays with Lauren!

1.   My Thanksgiving plans this year will include       Landing in Florida for vacation! Possibly dinner at Denny's with my family. Well, technically my Aunty's family, but I consider them my own family now too. Hey, this will be my second year spending Thanksgiving with them!   .

2.  My favorite Thanksgiving was   all of the the thanksgivings of my youth. We used to go to my Tutu's house with pretty much my entire family and have a huge feast. We stopped that after my Tutu passed away. So sad :(  .

3.  My signature Thanksgiving dish is       I'm gonna go with Cream Cheese Pumpkin crunch. I've never made it, but in my mind they're delicious.     .

4.  My favorite Thanksgiving food is   Stuffing and mashed potatoes. I adore stuffing and mashed potatoes!  .

5.  Thanksgiving free association!      family, fun, love, fooooodd!!! .

6.  Thansgiving is        the best time of year. It's my favorite holiday. It's a reminder of all the good things that we have in our lives.    .

7.  I am thankful for       my wonderful family, the church and awesome church leaders, growth throughout the year, change, being able to do things that are fun     .

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Have a wonderful weekend everyone! If I'm not around for the next few days, just remember that's a good thing, cuz I gotta get my homework on!

XOXO,