Date for One.

Growing up, the goal is to just be 'in'.  Have a group of friends that you are with at lunch or in the hallways.

The people that you sit with when you have classes together and you definitely need a group for the weekends.

And when you DON'T have this group...a figurative spotlight is on you and you find anyway to act as if your friends are coming or to get out of 'the spotlight', which in most cases is the lunchroom. I know you know what I'm talking about. We all do it.

Even now that everyone is graduated and supposedly 'grown up', people do not like to go and do things alone.

Examples: How many times have you gone to a movie by yourself?

How many times have you been in an elevator, hallway, etc. and pulled your phone out to look as if you were busy with something instead of striking up a conversation or making eye contact with someone you don't know?

Point proven.

It happens everyday.

Everyone does it.

It's not like we're not friendly people, its just how society has raised us.

One of my good friends will go out by himself every once in a while.  Literally go out to dinner and a movie all by himself.

First thought: What a loser. Why wouldn't you want to bring friends? And how embarrassing would it be to show up to a restaurant and ask for a table for one??

Second thought: WHY NOT?? Why can't people go out by themselves? Get over yourself, Marlisa.

So I did it.

Welllllll, I did it halfway.

I went to a baseball game....all by myself!

Everyone...well, most everyone, has those days that you just feel like being alone.  Not necessarily to sulk or feel sorry.  But just because you don't feel like going out and socializing.

This was one of those days. I couldn't seem to find someone to go with me and so as I was thinking of other alternatives a thought came to mind.

"Why does everyone else have to decide whether you go or not?"

Psh.

So I went. Me, myself, and I in all my glory got in the car, bought some seeds and went to the ballpark.

I like to think that some people were looking at me because I'm oh so beautiful....haha jk. I know people wondered what I was doing there all alone and I bet people were even making excuses for me because going out by yourself is just not kosher. They were probably thinking that I had a brother or boyfriend on the team and that I would talk to him after and I was there to support.

False.

I enjoyed it so much.

Next step is going to a movie by myself.

I don't think I'll go to restaurants by myself...thats a little far.

But I'm proud of the big step I made outside the box as small as the outting was, I'm glad to have seemingly broken a society trend. And before people start thinking that I'm going gothic or 'unique' on everyone...I'm still Marlisa :)

Remember this post?

Well it relates. I dare you all to spend time with yourself this week. Find what it is that makes you, you. If you can't hang out with yourself, like love yourself, how do you expect anyone else to? To clarify, I'm not talking about being full of yourself. I'm talking about being confident and rocking YOU.

"If your trying to be like someone else, who's going to be you?"

Happy General Conference Weekend!

Megan's Baptism

Ok, my sisters are seriously the most beautiful girls I know!

I love them so so much!

Megan is the second youngest in our family and quite the tomboy.

She is also the indian of the family, she is literally tan all year round.

Yes, I'm jealous...so what?

She is also the sweetest girl.

She is always including everyone when she plays with friends, she is careful not to leave anyone out.

She also has a very big soft spot for animals.

We have to be careful what we watch around her because if an animal dies..she is going to be in tears.

Anyway, that little girl is getting baptized next week!!

Not only that but my oldest brother is baptizing her!

I'm also jealous of that because I wish I had an older brother, especially Sean.

We went out and took some pictures yesterday and I think they turned out pretty good!

I couldn't decide which jumping one I liked!

Yup thats Megan haha.

Love this girl!

It's funny because we had to keep telling her "no don't run, don't play ball, etc" while she was in her dress haha what a girl.

My parents are the best :)



New Years Resolution #2

Ok so I had like 5 goals for this year total

I have reached goal #2 and am so happy about it!

Click here to see my first resolution

(which I've slacked off on but still doing good)

So I had two goals for the physical part of my goal setting

the first was to take better care of myself.

Not in a 'go on a diet' way but better hair care, skin care, and eating better all around kind of a goal.

Ok so skin care.

I haven't necessarily struggled with acne but any of you that see me often

know that I always get a few zits here and there..especially on my chin.

Every face wash I've ever tried has made it worse.

Dried my skin out, made me break out, etc.

So I had given up on everything and just washed my face off with water.

2012-that was going to change.

TA-DA!

I am wearing no base, concealor, blush, or any other face makeup (just eye makeup)

and I am absolutely loving it!

my face just feels so much healthier without clogging everything up with a gross base.

All thanks to this little guy...

Mcloving it!

Also using..

because I have dry skin.

Hair care:

I found a GREAT oil.

It's called Amika Hair Oil (I couldn't get a picture to upload of it)

It has worked wonders!! I absolutely love it!

It gives you a Herbal Essences hair without the hebal essence {because I think its a pretty awful product}

As for the taking care of my body..I'm not posting pictures because that's awkward.

But project six pack is well underway..thats all i have to say :)

My first 5k is in a month

and then my first Half Marathon is in september!

Life is good.

P.S.

I found all these products through Birchbox.com

they give you a ton of samples to try each month all for $10!

And because I like these few, I ordered the full product.

I highly suggest it!

Disney On Ice: Toy Story 3

This was the best part of my week!

I got a really good deal on some Disney On Ice tickets so I bought 3 seats on the 11th row.

Last time I sat on the 11th row, I watch Yao Ming.

Ya, he's as big as he sounds.

So who were the lucky 2 people I got to bring?

It was a blast!

My sisters have been talking about it ever since,

Megan even wore her Jessie hat to breakfast the next morning haha

I wish they would've had a tshirt my size haha

oh well, it still was so much fun,

I love my little sisters!

I made a video but I'm currently trying to find a good program to edit them.

I love the Toy Story movies

and even though the skating was a little cheesy

I was still entertained haha.

Best Big Sister award for the week.



Eleven

My good friend, Beka (you should follow her) did a cute post and guess what?

Yours truly got tagged to play this game!

So much fun, pretty dang excited! So here it goes:

11 Things.

1) I am a mild germ-a-phobe. I will not eat, touch, and sometimes breath around people who are sneezing and coughing and not covering their mouth and washing their hands after. Drives me nuts. But I do play in dirt, sit down on a public toilet, and sometimes touch door knobs. Go figure.

2) My greatest fear is natural disasters because I have no control and no escaping. True story: we were on a family trip to nauvoo and were staying in Nebraska. Storm clouds were swirling=Marlisa is thinking of driving the family van with the family inside the trailer hooked onto the van back to Utah asap. I ended up sleeping at the bottom of my sleeping bag because my dad was going to allow no such thing.

3) I don't like Halloween. I don't like scary movies. I don't like dressing up. I only like 2 things: candy and Hocus Pocus.

4) I think green is the ugliest color. I have one article of clothing that is green and it is because I was trying to be 'out of the box'. It has sat in my closet ever since.

5) People fascinate me. I love listening to stories and backgrounds and how they have affected the individuals current state.

6) My left sock and left shoe always go on before my right.

7) I am ambidextrous. Left hand=writing and eating. Right hand=sports(ie throwing, batting, shooting). Left foot=favor it in dance(ie my best splits were with my left). Right foot=kicking.

True story: I once told my basketball coach that I was anorexic (meant to say ambidextrous). I never outlived that story.

8) I want the most random animals for pets. Fish, whales, eagles, penguins, etc. But for now I will be able to swim/hold/be around those animals until laws are lifted prohibiting me keeping them.

9) My family means the world to me. I would die for any of them. Sometimes I'll get an anxiety thinking of all the bad things that could happen to them. I actually used to check my sister in the middle of the night to make sure she was ok and still breathing (finger under her nose and everything) because I pysched myself out thinking that she could die in the middle of the night.

10) I am one of the most competitive people you'll ever meet. I love being underestimated just so that I can show people up. Its a strong point of mine but also can be a weakness.

11) Beets are the scum of the earth. There is a very short list of things that I can put the word 'Hate' to and beets is at the top.

Questions from Beka:

1. If you could live in any part of Disneyland (Disney World) where would it be?

          Never been to Disney World. For one, who wouldn't pick the castle?? Duh. But I've heard there is a basketball court inside the Matterhorn so that's a no brainer.
2. What do you think is the one thing that, if changed, would change the whole world (i.e. what is the biggest problem in the world today)?

        I think people are way too selfish. If people would think about others before themselves and be more giving I think a lot of the other problems would be lessened if not taken care of.
3. What is your favorite flavor of frozen yogurt?

         Honesty check: haven't had frozen yogurt. I don't understand why you would want that when there is Ice cream. Hello. But I do need to try it.
4. What is your typical Friday (weekend) night?

           Hmm..lately it's been watching tv/movies with the roomies and then going to bed because I have work in the morning. Provo is a zoo on weekend nights.
5. Who was your first celebrity crush?

           The earliest I can remember is Junior Floyd in Little Giants. Dreamy right?
6. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you "grew up"?

            I actually wanted to be a teacher (imagine that). I wanted to play basketball but not in the WNBA. Never had a desire to play at that level for different reasons.
7. What is your "secret" to success in life?

           Love people until they give you a reason not to and then you just respect them.
8. What do you want to name your first-born child?

            Why don't you stay tuned and find out :) (it'll be years...sorry)
9. What is the most spontaneous thing you have ever done?

           Decided to go snow shoeing with some friends at 10 o'clock at night up af canyon. SO MUCH FUN!!!
10. When was your "awkward" stage? 

             Definitely 8th grade in jr high. Hated that year! Unfortunately (and fortunately) I don't have a picture of that with me but maybe I'll think about getting that for comedy sake :)11. What is the one household chore that you absolutely hate doing?
              I actually love to clean! It is my favorite destressor besides working out.

Ok so here are the new questions for those who I tag to answer:
1. What is something people would be suprised to know about you?
2. If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what would it be?
3. If you could save 5 things in a house fire what would they be?
4. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
5. What is a talent/hobby that you currently don't have that you would like to acquire?
6. What is one physical trait that you are grateful to have?
7. What is your worst habit?
8. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
9. If people could learn one thing from you what would it be?
10. Worst date?
11. What is your greatest dream, with money aside, that you would like to accomplish?

Alright, I am tagging:

Megan, Marlisa, Leann, and Jennie

But even if I didn't tag you..do it!

I'm interested to see what everyone does with it!

Happy Sunday!

New Do.

So as per popular demand

....

ok really, just because I already wanted them and NEEDED a haircut

The bangs are bangin again.

Step 1:

Find inspiration.

Step 2:

Find 'the one' aka a good hair stylist

click here for their website.

(I also occasionally get massages here)

Step 3:

Do the do.

Ta-Da.

What do you think?

Well I love it!

And I love the girl that did it!

Me being the undecisive type and always questioning myself usually a haircut situation sends the stress levels out of whack.

But this girl asked what I wanted, I showed her the picture,

and off she went.

She didn't ask all the little stupid questions, she decided for me.

And I like that.

I like it a lot (movie line)

So yes, she has my business and I recommend them to anyone!

Boom.

To my twin,

Where do I even start?

I met you sophomore year, playing basketball.

Instant best friends.

We just seemed to go together.

It's so funny how differently-similar we are...yes I just made that word up.

There are countless memories and laughs I have with you.

Going to EFY and rocking it.

I LOVE this picture!

Remember how we didn't want to go to bed but because they check if your light is on

we stuffed a towel underneath our door?

Brilliant.

Until Ali ripped it out and caught us.

Dang it.

 We are a pretty big hit everywhere we go haha

There has been times when we haven't talked much

I guess you could say it was a little bit of a falling out

but really I think we'll always be friends.

No matter how long we are apart we still click the same way we did as sophomores in high school.

Not very many people can say that they can finish another persons sentences.

Not very many people can just sit and talk like we do.

*over-your-head sign* haha :)

In basketball, we had the same drive and passion.
We wanted to win and we were going to do anything to do that.
It is the best playing with someone that you just flow with,
you know where they are going, what moves they are about to do, and just click with
(can I say click any more times than I already have?? haha)

So no matter what,

you'll always be someone I look up to.

You've always stood up for what you believe and didn't care if everyone else disagreed.

You have always been someone that stays close to the spirit and someone that people just like being around.

Your awesome.

Don't ever forget that.

Just like your brothers, no one is REALLY good enough for you

but I know you'll find someone pretty close :)

Love you!



A Man from Georgia

A man from Georgia had a special impact on me today.

He had flown out here trying to look for somewhere to live so he could be closer to his son.

Somewhere along the way he found good ole' Pleasant Grove and met a family that is in my neighborhood.

Somewhere along those lines, he ended up at church today with them.

Of course, like every first sunday, today was fast sunday = fast & testimony meeting.

For some reason today the spirit was particularly strong.

There were great testimonies about the love our Savior has for us, a father thanking people for meals, a mother expressing her love of the gospel to her son, her son telling her how much he loved her, etc.

And then the man from Georgia stood up.

He is not a member of our church but felt like he needed to get up and man am I glad he did.

Testimonies aren't supposed to be a rehearsed speech, an awkward game, or even an embarrassing checkoff

Its supposed to be from the heart. A public way of expressing your gratitude.

He said some things that really just made me think

"Wow, he is so ready for the gospel"

He believed that God took people where they were supposed to go, when they were supposed to go, etc.

He had such great faith in God that if you just keep doing the right things he will be there and you'll be blessed.

I know this all sounds like a routine thing to believe and maybe even universal

but I thought it was unique and amazing.

For someone not of our faith to have such a calm, peacefulness about him.

Without knowing some of the truths that other denominations don't have, he still had a sense of direction.

To me, that is powerful and special.

It seems like at some point each of us feel a little lost at any level.

Whether it be finding out who your supposed to be, where your supposed to be, or maybe even falling away from your standards.

And for this man that had somehow found himself in a LDS churchouse in little Pleasant Grove, UT and got himself up to shared the things he believed in front of complete strangers, that is the mark of child of God.

I wish I would've met him

I could've listened to him all day.

On this day

I decided to go to my family ward

and also on this day

a man from Georgia found himself there as well.

I might never see him again but I'll always remember the impact he had on me.

How great our Heavenly Father is.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is a plan and that even me,

a girl from Pleasant Grove, Ut, is part of that.

Good night everyone :)