I'm so cool...

so I go to school.

Not the other way around.."too cool for school".

Did you know I really like school?

Yup.

Guilty.

Nerd here.

Not embarrassed one bit.

I like a challenge and one presented itself right before the semester started.

Counselor: "How many credits are you taking?"

Me: "18"

Counselor: "Oh my gosh. You should not be doing that, nobody can work full time and do 18 credits! I HIGHLY recommend you reconsider your schedule and maybe take it down a little bit. Unless your superwoman, it's not going to happen."

Me: "Um..ok. I'll look at it again."

Counselor: "I would start by looking at doing either Math or Biology and not both in the same semester. That is suicide."

Me: "Ok, I'll look at it when I get home."

Ya I was a little peeved.

If you know me, you know how competitive I am.

So saying anything to the affect of "You can't" hits a nerve in my body that says

"Oh really? Well just watch this then."

So that's exactly what was going through my mind

"I'll not only work full-time and take 18 credits..I'll get a 4.0!!!!"

haha

ok ya

instead I decided to suppress that a little and follow what she said

except a little twist.

I took it down to 12 credits but I kept both Math and Biology in the same semester.

I'm going to get a 4.0

and I'm going to put it on her desk and just smile.

Because that's just me.

Here's to being competitive.

It's an awesome game

quite rewarding...most of the time.

Family Pictures!

 We recently got family pictures done.

I've had this idea of taking them at the ballpark since that is where we spend most of our time

so we all got in our different jerseys,

and got the best photographer,

and this is what happened:

aren't my parents so cute? :)

I love them!!

You can check out more on my facebook...here.

or better yet go check out my neighbor who is responsible for this wonderfulness.

Stephanie McBride Photography



Assumptions

I live in this great place called Utah

really...no sarcasm. It really is great!

But there is this unspoken code/rule/mold/thing that exists amongst us.

It's called get married.

and I am not.

and I'm 21.

I always take my two little sisters (6 and 4) shopping or do different things with them.
EVERYTIME without fail...somebody makes a comment or gives the 'look'
"Are you out shopping with your mom?" - random person
"That's my sister." - Sister
"Oh...I hope she didn't hear that." - random person

Um. Yes. Actually I did.

Well yesterday I took them to walmart and again. Here come the looks of
'there's no ring on her finger and look how young she is....she must've been messing around in high school"
Ok granted, I'm not mad at all that people think this because it's not like it's uncommon.
But it is kind of annoying.

Well FINALLY one guy had the nerve to ask me the question everyone has been saying with their eyes:

"Are those your daughters or your sisters?"

 

(with a smile on my face) "Oh no, they are my sisters."

"Oh I was gonna say, you look way too young for them to be yours." - guy

"Ya everyone just gives me weird looks so thanks for asking!" - totally meant that.

and yes, I really did say that.

So cool that someone took a step out and actually asked instead of just judging.
I smiled pretty big.

All of us have assumptions
it's natural
it's not a bad thing

But it's when it goes from assumption to judgement-without-investigation
that's the problem.

Definitely makes me think twice.



Before and After

Ok so you know how I made that goal?

Read here.

Well I couldn't find the picture that I was looking for but I found one from right out of high school

Ok so OBVIOUSLY I look like a retard..

..but look a little bit lower..lower...

there. See it?

My guns.

Or should I say former guns?

They are no longer :(

Proof is in this picture below where I looked pissed.

So what if I can't take a good picture!

Straight arms.

And a little secret....I can feel the relief society arms coming on.

GAHHH!!

I refuse.

(if you don't know what Relief Society arms are...read this..it explains)

There is the goal.

The before picture.

And hopefully in a few months I'll have my after picture :)

Good Luck to Me.

Shopping Spree

So I have done so good at saving and cutting back on spending

that sometimes I justify buying things.

They aren't bad things by all means.

Just not entirely necessary.

The other night at work I was so bored that I went on an online shopping spree.

Result:

BASKETBALL SHOES!!!

Office Season 1

Office Season 2

Transformers 1

All for under $70.

Yes, you read that right.

Thank you Proform and Amazon :)

Absolutely cannot wait for my packages to start arriving!



New Goal

So I have been thinking

I have lost all that muscle I used to have in high school when I played 3 sports

I was toned and I was proud of it.

My six pack is now a 2 maybe 4 pack and I have NO upper body strength

I hate that.

So today, I, Marlisa Anne Hardman, vow to whip myself back into shape and become cut again.

First, I pump myself up by watching this.

Second, I look at the evidence.

.....

except I can't find the picture..whoops.

sorry.

I'll work on getting that one.

But anyways there it is.

Out for all to see

so if I don't keep up on it everyone can call me out.

and

here

we

go

Jen & Heidi

So I already posted some pictures of these two but I finally got my computer working

so here is the rest.

This is probably top 5 favorite pictures I've ever taken! Heidi is so beautiful!

a little different variation

This shoot was a blast!

I live in such a beautiful place and the lighting was brilliant

not to mention two gorgeous girls :)

Love you two!

to see the rest click here.

Adventure is a good way to describe it

Yesterday I did my annual Mt. Timpanogos hike.

Oh boy.

It was the hardest hike I've done yet.

And it's not like it's my first time doing it, I've hiked Timp before but for this year was insane.

We left about midnight and didn't start on the trail until 12:45.

We were making good time and hiked the crap out of it until we hit the part of the trail where the river crosses it normally but this year it was more like a wipeout than a crossing.

I couldn't tell where the path picked up on the other side

It was tough finding rocks to stand on to not step totally in the river

the water was as high as my ankle (and yes, I did experience and measure that accidently)

In all we probably back-tracked about an hour because not only was water covering the trails.

There was so much SNOW!

It was crazy, we probably crossed 5 glaciers and they just kept getting more and more sketchy.

I really wish I could've taken pictures but my phone wasn't working :(

But one of them looking something like this..

the trail usually runs from the right to the left about 3/4 of the way up but most people just climbed straight up it and went to the left.

This hike is already pretty intense and will make you sore but add in ice climbing and we are taking a whole new level of sore.

My body hates me right now.

But it was so amazing to watch the sunrise over the Wasatch mountains.

Absolutely breathtaking and rejuvinating to watch the new day break.

It made the hike going down a lot more pleasant.

I'll definitely do it next year but be a little more prepared than crossing ice in tennis shoes haha.

What an adventure.

I recommend it but be warned that if your scared of heights..

I would wait until next year when the ice is melted.

One of the glaciers you are literally putting one foot in front of the other because that's how wide the "pathway" is. It's pretty steep.

Anywho.

Check that off my summer bucket list.

Yes, I still have a lot more things to do.

Read it here.

Going against the tide

You know how in elementary and jr. high your just trying to fit in because

well..it's awkward and really just a terrible time.

So whatever the popular vote is also your vote.

Well I stopped doing that years ago because I found out people still like you if you go against the popular vote.

WEIRD.

 But it's still funny how people still go along lines of opinoin.

So I'm here to set some records straight and maybe even say what some people are too scared to.

Here we go.

1) I don't like Taylor Swift.
I didn't say I hated her.
I think she sounds awful live and her songs get super annoying.
They are good at first only on cd when a lot of editing has been applied
but that only lasts about a week.

2) McDonalds is a good artery clogger
I think it tastes good.
Always have.
Especially their fries!
But it doesn't feel very good later on so I only eat it once or twice a month and obviously it's not healthy.

3) Ute for life.
I have only lived out of my house in one place...Provo.
Or as we Ute fans call it 'down south'
No I do not like BYU, I think it's a good school and I have nothing against it.
I absolutely do not like BYU fans though...OH. BOY.
Actually I've never been embarrassed or followed the crowd with this one and it's actually pretty obvious I'm a huge Ute fan but I just wanted to restate just in case :)


Also...

this girl left for college.

I MISS HER.

Rocks

I just got home from church and wow was it good today!

I love my new ward :)

I was sitting there enjoying being there and loving that for once it wasn't freezing

when I had a thought come to my head

(not a new one)

but a reminder of something to be very grateful for.

People are so weird, have different ideas, do odd things, and even disappoint us sometimes.

Have you ever fallen out of a friendship, had a parent disappoint you, or an idol get busted for drugs/scandals?

Bet we all have.

But I'm grateful that out of all the wavering and the confusing world we live in

something stays firm, strong, unwavering and true.

Our Savior.

I'm not saying don't trust anyone or screw people and relationships.

I'm saying that no matter what happens life is going to be ok and we'll make it through

because he is a rock.

We may waver and have trials

but through it all he's still there the same

yesterday, today, and forever.

Saying I'm grateful is an understatement.

It's always nice to have a perspective check :)

Love life,

love you,

Happy Sabbath everyone!