Girls Camp

Exactly one year ago today, I was with some of my best friends, dressed in fabulously bright tie-dye at Camp Zarahemla. We laughed, cried, stayed up way too late and had the time of our lives.

Not a day has gone by that hasn't been affected by that camp. My YCL buddies have become some of my closest friends. Every morning, I read the quote on my mirror, "I accept myself unconditionally right now!" I'm filled with an enormous amount of love every time I see one of those tie-dye t-shirts.

I learned so much that week. About myself, about my friends, about the gospel and about our Savior. That girls camp has had a huge impact on my life. Truly, all you need is love!

This Summer I Will...

My epic list of summer activities goes something like this:

*In no particular order but should all be accomplished before August 22nd, 2011*

--Go on at least one midnight picnic (in case that didn't make sense? A picnic at midnight. Food, blankets, all of that.)

--Go see the Spiral Jetty..."If it isn't covered in water."--My mother. Pessimism is always appreciated.

--Lots of hiking

--Acquire an excellent tan

--Read 10 books--recommendations are gladly accepted!

--Lose 10 pounds

--Go on at least one date

--Try a new recipe every week--again, recommendations accepted!

--Make a t-shirt blanket

--6 movies a week...is that too many? Way too much time? This may have to be adjusted...

--Scrapbook week

--Barbara Streisand, Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day and Mr. Bean marathons

--Go on a spontaneous road trip

--Bake with my pal Shelbi

--Run a 5K (check!)

--Gilmore Girls marathon (every day of my life?...check!)

--Golden Girls marathon (aka purchase seasons 2, 5, 6 and 7 then watch them all at once)

I know it sounds like I spend way too much time watching movies...because I do. But really, that's just what I do instead of sleeping. So it's fine.

All of this will be scheduled around working and such, but I'm pretty sure this has been set up to be one of the greatest summers ever. I'm stoked!

Sixteen Days...

Sixteen. The number of links left on my paper chain counting the days until graduation. Where did it all go?! I know I spent the majority of my high school career cursing everyone in the building and desperately waiting to get the heck outta there. What can I say? It was hard!

Even though we knew we’d hate it, I remember walking through the halls with Emily our sophomore year, talking about how sad we’d be once it was all over. And here we are. And it’s sad. Our last school assembly was today—last time rocking out to drumline, last time standing directly under the flag during the national anthem. Last time making fun of cheesy assembly scripts, last time singing the school song as a student at Davis High. Did I cry? You bet I did! All of the planning of the stuff that comes next has been so stressful, but now I’m getting to the point where I actually have to follow through and I’m terrified! No, I don’t want to stay in high school forever, but growing up is a big step. I’ve been ready for this for years, but now it’s here and I’m not sure I’m feelin in. I know it’s all inevitable, I know I’ll enjoy it, it just doesn’t stop me from being a little nervous.

Graduation. Growing up. Here it is. Well? Bring it on.

School is best when unattended

I am surrounded by some of the most amazing women on the planet. I know its true, so don't fight me on this one. Today, I was so blessed to have been able to attend Women's Conference down at BYU. My friends Liz Rose and Ruth Hill were speaking and there was no way I could miss it, even on the week before AP tests. Believe me, I was more than happy to rearrange my schedule to ditch school and head down there!

Amazing woman #1: my mom. She was kind enough to come play with me for the day (I think we were both afraid of something happening to me if I went alone...the buddy system. This is why my mom's nickname is Buddy. Okay, not really. Side note over...), which I was very grateful for. I'm so glad that we're good friends, things might be awkward if we weren't... Thanks Mom!

Amazing woman #2: Liz :) I've known her since I was in preschool, so we go way back. She gave an amazing talk on how important time is when it comes to our families, which was something I definitely needed to hear, as I spend the majority of my time at school, work and in my bed :) I learned just how important it is that I spend time with my family while I still can, before I go to college or get married or whatever may happen. She also had a fabulous little object lesson, involving an hourglass. While the time on the top of the hourglass is running out, it's only building what we'll have in eternity. It's such a great way to think of how you're spending your time with an eternal perspective. Thanks Liz!

Amazing woman #3: Ruth. Who else could be ma faux mere? She was first my seminary substitute, and since then I've spent many nights in her home and had many discussions at her kitchen counter. She spoke on scriptural heroines, which couldn't have been more perfect, since she's always quoting the book of Ruth :) I always forget about how important the women of the scriptures are until I talk to Ruth. I love the way she can pull the scriptures into any discussion, it always reminds me to keep my focus on the gospel. Thanks Ruth!

See? Just a small sampling of these amazing women. It probably isn't fair that I get a whole bunch of them, but I'm not giving them up! Dear fabulous women, thank you for shaping me to be who I am. I am eternally grateful.

Always a party!

Once upon a time, there was this little thing called Easter. Just one Sunday, once a year, and we have like 5 parties. And whole bunch of candy and junk food. I really don't see anything wrong with this, I was just observing.

Over the past few years, I've grown to learn what Easter is really about and it has become my favorite holiday. A couple years ago, I had the opportunity to sing in Lex de Azevedo's choir as they sang Hosanna, an opera about the final days of Christ's life. Nothing strengthens my testimony quite like music does, and each time we sang I was just overwhelmed by the spirit. I had the opportunity of watching it again on Sunday, and again, I was amazed by the power of not only the spirit, but of the Atonement and the resurrection and everything Christ did for us. I think this video sums it all up quite nicely: http://lds.org/pages/his-sacred-name-an-easter-declaration?lang=eng

Anyway, I'd just like to take a second to make a shout out to my SCBFFFEWC, aka my best friend...hey there pretty! It's good to know we take the time to blog-stalk one another occasionally...

Tonight, as our FHE activity, I forced my family to learn the cup game. Well, I'm pretty sure I'm still the only one that knows it, they just figured out how to move their cups to the rhythm. I'm pretty sure that was the greatest family activity we've had in quite some time. Nothing like throwing plastic cups and laughing together.

So, for the past couple weeks, I've forced myself to get up much too early and get over to the Sportsplex. And I absolutely hate to admit this, but I actually kind of enjoy running. I'm not sure what's wrong with me, I think it just came with the Richardson genes. You better believe I hate that I love it. Okay, love is the wrong word, since I generally curse the entire universe whilst on my treadmill, but still. I love the way I feel when I'm done. Now that I'm not sore all the time, I just feel happier, and I love the fact that I've accomplished something by 6 o'clock every morning.

Today, I broke a personal record. Last Thursday, I ran for 15 minutes straight, which I had never done before. Today, I ran for 20. Was I out of breath? Absolutely. Did I want to fall over? Most certainly. But mostly, I was just proud of myself. If you had asked me to do that 6 months ago, I think I might've died. Now it's totally normal. So, I'm setting a goal, or maybe adding an item to the bucket list, just something along those lines. I would like to run something more than a 5K. Like a 10K or something. Maybe someday I'll hit a half-marathon, but that seems much too lofty at this point. So we're starting small. I believe that's called the foot-in-the-door effect, which leads me to another issue. AP tests are next week, and I've been applying calculus and psychology to everything possible. It drives me CRAZY!!! 8 more days and I'll be done. Oh, and then I have to go to college. Psh, whatever. 39 days until graduation. Life is good.

Hilary Duff and my sunroof

When feeling nostalgic, which happens quite often, I go back to my H-Duff days. When I would clean my room on Saturdays, I would pull out my boom box and put in my CDs. I thought I was so cool, being 11 and listening to teenager music. I remember listening to it and envisioning myself driving around, singing along in my car. Well, years later, here I am. One of my favorite things to do is drive with the windows down, it just makes me feel cool. However, this became difficult when Rhonda's windows stopped working. And the singing along became difficult when the speakers starting going in and out. Needless to say, the fender-bender that sent Rhonda to her grave really was a blessing, for several other reasons than having working windows and speakers. Now, on a warm afternoon, I can open up my sunroof and reminisce as I drive "up-town," as some might say :) There's something about driving and singing at the top of your lungs that can be very cathartic. And tinted windows so no one can see you? Even better!

Does any of this make any sense? Of course not, I don't get enough sleep for that. I'm pretty sure that the point I'm trying to make is that I love being able to just take a minute to relax and remember the times when life was simple, when cleaning my room was probably the worst part of my week. Oh, and the second point: sunroofs make my life.

Creating Our Legacy

Rodgers Memorial Theatre is a building that will always have a special place in my heart, right next to Grandma Susan and PJ, my theatre-going buddies. It was in this building that I discovered the love I have for the theatre. It was our six years of season tickets that brought the three of us together as best friends. It was our laughing until we cried and Wizard-of-Oz skipping through the parking lot that made Grandma wish she hadn't ever started this tradition. It was the Twizzler Nibs and M&Ms that got us through a particularly long show. It was the amazing talent and passion of those on stage that made us fall in love with the art that is theatre.

2011 brought many new things, including the closing of Rodgers and the opening of the new CenterPoint Legacy Theatre. Of course it's amazing and gorgeous, but it's hard not to feel that things have changed. Rodgers is now nothing but a memory as we move to the other side of town.

How happy I am that nothing else about our tradition has changed. We still go out to dinner and drive around the temple before the show, we still sing all our favorite show tunes and joke about being late. And, of course, we still embarrass Grandma by skipping through the parking lot.

All of our traditions have turned into a legacy, and we even have a brick on the steps of the theatre to prove it! As much as I hate to say it, our traditions will someday end, but our legacy never will. The memories and the passion that have been created will carry on forever. I can't wait for the day that I sit with my children and grandchildren in a theatre, watching their passion grow as mine has. I'm so excited to watch our legacy grow into something so much greater. It has truly changed my life.