Happy Birthday Babe!

This is totally two days late but Saturday was Erik's b-day.  The big 2-2 for my sweet boyfriend.  He had to work in the am but afterwards I took him out to see "The Source Code" (which we loved) and for a huge bucket o' movie popcorn (we LOVE movie popcorn and definitely ate a large bucket before the movie was even half-way over...then I got a refill to take home because the only thing I love more than movie popcorn is day old movie popcorn. yum.) and some black gold (1/2 coke + 1/2 mr. pib = crazy delicious).  Then it was up to Heber for the RSL game (they won!!  yay!!) and some amazing dinner cooked by Erik's even more amazing mom (ribs, green salad, and my new favorite potato salad ever...I think the Nystul's might have a conspiracy to make me gain a lot of weight, because talk about delicious food....my mouth is watering just thinking about all the yummy dinners I've had at their house).  

In honor of my sweetie's birthday I would like to share with you the present I gave him for the first birthday I knew him.  For those of you who don't know, Erik and I met as LDS missionaries in South Carolina.  But don't worry...we were just friends on the mish.  I mean look how far apart we are in this picture:

My last day in the mission...don't mind my seriously shiny face.   

The way epic Marion District: Elder Nystul, Elder Shackleton, Sister Tanner, and me

We were in the same district for 6 months and he had a birthday when we were first serving around each other.  So my adorable companion Sister Tanner and I wrote our dear Elder Nystul an awesome birthday rap and performed it for him on his birthday.  So without further ado, I present to you three very white, rapping missionaries:

That was me rapping, Sister Tanner on back-up vocals, and Elder Harmon beat boxing.  We gained some serious street cred that day.  A few weeks later Sister Tanner went home and Erik's companion, Elder Shackleton, was transferred to another area. 

Elder Shackleton and Elder Nystul with Herbert the duck.  

Our district at transfers.

But before we all got separated those two cute boys wrote Sister Tanner and I a rap.  And I'm sure they will kill me for posting this but it's just two great not to share:

Who would have thought then that I would end up in love with that tall, dorky, rapper...but I'm sure glad I did.  I guess it goes to show you never know where life will take you.  I've said it before on this blog and I'll say it again...Erik really is the best.  He puts up with my craziness, he makes me laugh everyday, and he is basically the most loving, wonderful guy a girl could ask for.  I love you babe and I hope your 22nd year is a great one!   

Called to Serve

Look at me getting all ambitious and posting twice in one day!!

I'm really just avoiding doing homework...

So as most of you know I've been called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the South Carolina, Columbia Mission. I am soooo excited!! I go into the MTC on January 14th and I can't wait!
I'll admit when I first read my call I was a little disappointed. I was really stuck on wanting to go to Europe, specifically London. I told myself I would be happy where ever I was called (as long as it wasn't Provo) but there was still that initial disappointment when I didn't get called where I wanted to go. But the Lord calls you where you NEED to go not necessarily where you WANT to go. I just needed to remind myself of that. And here is the really cool thing -- my mission president was the bishop of my ward when I was born! How crazy is that! And my Mom told me that I have a whole bunch of ancestors from her side of the family that were from South Carolina and she still has non-member family living there! Soooo cool!

Regardless to say, I'm totally stoked about serving the people of South Carolina. The day after I got my call I started Googleing info about South Carolina and I found out all kinds of cool facts. I would now like to share a few of my favorites with you:

-South Carolina has the 24th largest population in the United States.

-One of my all-time favorite movies, The Patriot (R.I.P Heath Ledger), was filmed entirely in South Carolina!
-The average high temperature in the winter is 55 degrees and the low is around 35 degrees; in the summer highs are in the 80's and lows are in the high 60's to low 70's.
-Nowhere in the state averages more than 6 inches of snow a year! Woohoo!
-The largest city is Columbia.
-The last time South Carolina voted for a democratic president was Jimmy Carter.
-James Brown, Stephen Colbert, Andrew Jackson, Jesse Jackson, and 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson are all from South Carolina.
-The first time a British flag was taken down and replaced by an American flag was in Charleston in 1775.
-Golf was first played in the city limits of Charleston.
-South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20, 1860. Ohhh the south...
-There is a temple in Columbia! Isn't it pretty?And my personal favorite...
-South Carolina is freakin' gorgeous! Ok, so I know that's not exactly a fact but after looking at a tons of pictures of the state I came to that conclusion. Just check out this plantation!! Gorgeous!!

And you can check out the rockin' state song here.

I also happened upon the South Carolina tourism website and ordered myself a visitor's guide which came in the mail this past week. It came complete with a full color guide to the state with amazingly gorgeous photos and a map of South Carolina which will soon be on my wall!

And finally, just for kicks and giggles, I bring you, Miss Teen South Carolina herself, Lauren Caitlin Upton.



Mario Lopez's face is priceless! I think we should help THE Iraq and the U.S. Americans too Lauren! Ohhh I never get sick of watching that video.