Today I Am Grateful For...

friends who always know what to say when I need it.

the scriptures & words of the prophets, that guide me to

the right paths, even when i try to resist.

my comfy bed that takes care of me when i feel icky.

& i am especially grateful for the fact that

I was smart enough to keep journals over the past few years.

It's so interesting to go back a few years to read

& to see what I was like 

& how much I've changed.

I've been keeping journals since fifth grade,

with a few years missing, here & there.

Sixth grade me was especially hilarious.

I was always a very imaginitive kid,

but i'm pretty sure I was borderline crazy in sixth grade.

Seriously.

I thought I was going to marry Harry Potter.

Or at least the dude from Dream Street,

do you even remember them?

Yeah, Jesse McCartney was in Dream Street.
He's the cute blonde one in the grey shirt.

I was going to marry him (I still can, technically...)

The entries changed very little as I grew up.

I mention marrying someone in every journal I own.
Of course, the people have changed over the years.

But it hasn't changed much since 2009 to now.

Which means that I've liked

(or loved, whatever.)

the elder dude for three years now.

WOW. I just realized that. 

Crazy Stuff.

Anyway, as much as I have changed

from the time I was in sixth grade til now,

an almost 21 year old (wow, again)

I've essentially stayed the same person. 

I still believe in love.

I still have the need to be loved

& to love in return.

It's amazing how things can change so much,

but still remain the same.

I'm thankful that through all the changes that have happened in my life,

I've still remained true to who I am.

I still know who I am & what I want,

I'm still me!

(and me is way hilarious. old me, new me. whatever, i am hilarious!)

P.S. Did you keep a journal when you were younger? Do you ever look back at them now and laugh at how silly you were as a kid or are you shocked at how much you've changed since then? Feel free to comment and let me know!

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....