best of 2014

Tis the season for end-of-year lists! After finishing the fall 2k14 semester of hell, I was looking forward to spending two weeks at home full of sleeping far too much, reading for fun, and having the compilation of this list be the only stressor throughout my entire trip. It has been absolutely glorious. So without further ado, here is the best music of 2014, according to me: 

Top 20 Tracks of 2014:

(in no particular order because having to rank these proved to be impossible)

20. Beating Heart- Ellie Goulding

Would this list even be a list by me if I didn't start off with my #1 girl crush? The answer is no. I love Ellie and everything she releases is glorious. Remember when I saw her in May from the front row and we made eye contact and I died a little? Me too. 

19. Halmstad- Linnea Henriksson

I first discovered this Swedish pop star two years ago when she released "Lyckligare Nu" and I listened to it on repeat for a solid two weeks. Her music has an addicting quality to it that I just can't quit. I reacted about the same to "Halmstad" and listened to it until I had all the wrong Swedish lyrics memorized.

18. Somethin- Waterbed

Previously known as MVSCLES, Waterbed came out with a couple of truly great singles this past year. I first discovered them on Facebook a few months ago and I'm anxiously awaiting a full length album! 

17. Get Away- CHVRCHES

I was scratching my head when I heard about the re-release of the "Drive" soundtrack, because 1, that movie is only three years old and 2, it already has an awesome soundtrack. But when I learned it meant the making of this synthpop track from one of my favorite bands, I didn't complain. Fun fact: the CHVRCHES concert in April was the first show Drew and I attended together. Awww :)

16. Love Never Felt So Good- Michael Jackson ft. Justin Timberlake

The release of XSCAPE was such a happy surprise to the fans who are still mourning the loss of the King of Pop. Classic MJ, always making you envious of his dance moves when you try to sing and dance along. I personally like to pretend I'm one of Justin's back-up dancers on tour whenever I listen to it.

15. From The Night- Stars

This groovy jam warranted a written post from me on Provo Yacht Club a few months back. This is my shameless plug about the music blog Provo Yacht Club, created by Drew and Andy. I frequently contribute to the writing, and new music is released on the daily. Check it out so you can read more about not only this track, but oodles of other fresh tunes.

14. Stay With Me- Sam Smith

If this breakout star of 2014 didn't make your list, check yourself. I had a difficult time choosing just one of his many beautiful ballads, but I had to go with his most famous single. From the first three notes he just reels you in and gives you all the feels. So much heart and so much talent. Thank you Sam, you have the voice of an angel. Now pretty please come to Salt Lake City in the near future.

13. Let Go- RAC

Strangers Part 1 by RAC was full of some of the best remixes of the year. This track was no exception. It gives you a spring in your step and you can't help but bop your head to the beat.

12. Oh Sailor- Mr. Little Jeans ft. The Silverlake Conservatory of Music Youth Chorale

I'm a sucker for anything that features a children's choir in it. I think it adds such a beautiful and innocent touch to any song. This one was even more upbeat than what children's choirs normally contribute to, which made it that much more fun. 

11. Say You Love Me- Jessie Ware

This song spoke to the contemporary dancer in me. I just pictured a duo between a boy and girl with lots of lifts, lots of emotion, and lots of sexy chill vibes. 

10. Rollercoaster- Bleachers

I've always been a huge fan of FUN., so when I heard about Jack Antonoff's new side project, I was eager for some more happy-go-lucky beats. Bleachers did not disappoint and all of the tracks on the album were definitely tons of FUN. (sorry)

9. In the Future- Architecture in Helsinki

If I can dance to a song, no matter how dumb or poppy it may be, I will like it. People always make fun of the breathy quality of the voices in Architecture in Helsinki, but I love them and I love this song. So much spunk and sass. 

8. Beggin For Thread- Banks

Speaking of sexy chill vibes, this right here is the queen of them. I looove this chick and her concert in Salt Lake this past October was amazing. She's gorgeous, impossibly cool, and just the right amount of #dark.

7. New Romantics- Taylor Swift

I'm pretty sure my white girl card would be revoked if I didn't mention my girl Tay. Once she finally came to terms with the fact that she has actually been a pop singer for the majority of her career, she exploded even more than you thought she could. Taylor just knows what sells and how to sell it. As I've once heard, "life's too short to pretend you don't like catchy Taylor Swift songs." WHY this song is only on her deluxe edition still remains a mystery because it's my favorite on 1989. You can bet I'll be in the crowd screaming along with preteen girls when she takes this baby on tour. 

6. Shattered & Hollow- First Aid Kit

Oh where do I even begin with these soulful, sisterly, Swedish songbirds? Stay Gold was pure genius and these two are some of the best folk singers out there. Their concert this past November was definitely my favorite show I attended in 2014. It was a religious experience. Also they were so glam and I would kill for their tour wardrobe.

5. How Did It Get Dark So Fast?- Tall Tall Trees

I love me a talented banjo player. Mike Savino played for Kishi Bashi on his tour this past summer when I saw them in LA, and his banjo solos were spectacular. Just when I thought I had this list finalized, he dropped this phenomenal EP a few weeks ago. Thanks Mike, keep it up.

4. Chasing Kites- iamiamwhoami

I know I said these aren't in any particular ranking, but starting with this song (thus indicating my Top 4), they are. Despite the 40 second long intro, this song is perfect. This Scandinavian goddess's album Blue is all around amazing, but this song is by the far the best track. If you haven't noticed, this list is composed of a lot of synth-pop...sorry but Iamwhatiam (see what I did there?)

3. To The Top- Twin Shadow

Oh man. This song. I give Drew full credit for making me fall so hard for this song. It sounds so powerful it could be an anthem for a generation. I can't help but feel triumphant and joyous whenever I listen to it. Both Drew and I can't help but to belt out the lyrics any time it comes on either. Sadly, Drew was in London when Twin Shadow opened at the Twilight Concert Series in July, but I think I sang loud enough for us both.

2. Jealous (I Ain't With It) and Come Alive- Chromeo

Ok ok I know I broke the rules. But it was literally impossible to choose between these two fantastically fun tracks from Chromeo's White Women. I am all for the nüdisco craze that has recently swept the music scene. Many other songs of this genre receive honorable mentions from me. Both of these have been my go-to dance party songs this year, and I don't think I could ever tire of them.

1. The Battle of Mr. Steak- Kishi Bashi

According to my "Spotify 2014 Review," this is my most played song, Lighght is my most played album, and Kishi Bashi is my most played artist of the year. I previously deemed this the summer song of 2014, but I will go so far as to call it the song of the year. Well, my year at least. A lot of fond memories come to mind any time I listen to it. It takes me back to the happiest road trip to sunny California where me, Drew, and friends attended Kishi's incredible concert, soaked up the sun at Newport Beach, and I visited Disneyland for the first time. It is the ultimate song by the ultimate Japanese pop/classical violinist. 

Top 5 Albums of 2014:

5. Goddess- Banks

4. White Women- Chromeo

3. 1989- Taylor Swift

2. Stay Gold- First Aid Kid

1. Lighght- Kishi Bashi

 Congratulations if you've made it through this monstrosity of words and hardly any pictures. I really enjoy making these lists every year, so thank you for taking the time to gander at it. I would love to hear what your favorites are too! Here's to 2015 and hopefully another year of spectacular music!

For a complete list of my favorites from the year, check out my spotify playlist which includes all (32) of my honorable mentions.

(every)body likes you when you're 23

ANDREW'S BIRTHDAY WEEK 2K14 went a little something like this:

Monday: As one of Drew's birthday presents, I bought us tickets to see First Aid Kit play in Salt Lakc. We went with one of Drew's friends Colin and met up with some other friends at the show as well. This was the ~*dreamiest*~ concert and I loved every second of it. These Swedish sisterly songbirds were absolutely incredible live and I adored everything about their set, from their gold wardrobe to the glittering backdrop. So glam. And what concert would be complete without post-In-N-Out? To ring in Drew's birthday at midnight we of course had to go and sing him happy birthday on the ride home.

Tuesday: Mitt & Ann Romney graced BYU with their presence at our Tuesday devotional. Naturally they came to wish Drew happy birthday. I brought the donuts. Best quote from the devotional? In regards to receiving a lot of advice throughout his campaign: "Someone told me I should go a few days without shaving so that I would look more sexy...as if I needed that." LOL claaaassic Mitt.

Communal is for birthdays. I took Drew out to our favorite restaurant in Provo for a delicious meal and more presents to open. We saved room for Sodalicious and spent the remainder of the evening watching episodes of 'Goosebumps' and then 'The Nightmare before Christmas'. I dk, it was his choice.

Wednesday: Since Andy's birthday was two days after Drew's we decided to host an Andrew Birthday Bash on the day in between their respective days of birth. So on Wednesday night we picked up Chipotle burritos for a birthday dinner, followed by partying with birthday pies and friends. ALSO, that night we posted the full-length promo vid for Provo Yacht Club's launch party. In case I haven't told you about this already, it's a music blog started by Andy and Drew. Not only do they (and other blog contributors, including me) post new music on the site daily, but they will also be hosting a number of dance parties in Provo as well. SO CHECK IT OUT NOW: www.provoyachtclub.com and Facebook for the event info. I promise it's cooler than my blog.

Friday: So Thursday was spent doing all the homework we neglected to do during the week. But on Friday we went to see Vance Joy who put on the most chill show. We met up with a bunch of other people there and enjoyed dancing and singing and meeting new friends. It was the perfect ending to the week. Happy birthday Drew, I'm really glad you were born. Blink 182 is dumb, because EVERYbody likes you when you're 23. Especially me :)  

happy guac/awk/october

October is almost over guys! If I'm being honest, my feelings about fall are pretty indifferent. Sorry to my white girls everywhere. Out of the four seasons, it is my second to least favorite after winter (the devil's hour). Pumpkins are just OK, I prefer sundresses and sandals over sweaters and boots, and I haven't had a PSL in over a year but I think I'll live. I am just a warm weather kind of gal, and when you live in an area that rarely reaches temperatures over 50 for five months in the year and you're hardly seen without your sleeping bag coat, you really cherish those bright sunshine-y days. 

Fall does have a few redeeming qualities though. I love guacamole and ever since my favorite twitter account Awkward Girl deemed this month Guactober, the month when you celebrate by eating copious amounts of guacamole, I figured I should follow suit. Also, Halloween is just around the corner and I am very very excited about my costume this year :) I typically never put much thought or effort into a costume, but this year I thought it would be fun and I cannot wait to debut it so stay tuned! Another great thing about fall is apples. Apples are delicious and I have found so many easy, yummy recipes to utilize the abundance of apples this season. My favorites so far can be found here and here. I tried the second recipe over waffles on General Conference weekend (another wonderful aspect of the season. If you missed it, watch/read/listen here!) at Drew's apartment, and it was well received by those boys. Both are so simple but so delicious!

The best part about fall in Utah is fall in the mountains. Everyone and their mother--minus me-- drove up Alpine Loop last weekend, because that was when the trees were in their prime. Fall in the mountains is akin to an avocado. Stay with me guys: you anticipate the moment for a while and get really antsy, and then BOOM for one glorious hour (or one to two weeks) it's perfect and then just as suddenly everything turns brown and dies. #dark but true. I was determined to catch the end of the golden hour so after church on Sunday, Drew and I did just that. Many of the  leaves had already fallen, but if you drove farther up the Loop, the aspen trees still had gloriously yellow and orange hues and it was a beaut. Plus the mountains are majestic any time of year. So if you haven't already, take a drive up the canyon before everything is dead, get crafting on those Halloween costumes, and eat as much guacamole as possible because October is quickly coming to an end!

"October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came-

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, 

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band."

-George Cooper

vintage, so adorable.

"All these things are pieces of ourselves. I've built a future by rummaging through the past."

One look at my tumblr page is enough for anyone to see my obsession with home décor. Ever since I moved into my first apartment last year, I developed a love for decorating. More specifically, I love decorating with art and random oddities I find at vintage markets and thrift shops. I'd say more than half the fun is finding stuff, the other bit is figuring out where to put it. There's nothing like scouring aisles (or piles) of antiques and finding gems from over 40 years ago and thinking of how you can revive them in a different setting. I used to cringe at the idea of buying old, used clothing or items, but in the past the few years I've branched out and discovered how much I actually love it. 

Lately, Utah county has been on point with the vintage market scene. In the past few weeks I checked out two fantastic markets, one in Provo and another in Pleasant Grove. The first one in Provo was hosted by Unhinged, my favorite store on Center Street. The vendors were all so fun to talk to and I loved hearing their stories about how they came across what they were selling. You could just tell how much they enjoyed doing this. I thought to myself that one day I'll be like that, and travel all over, buying random things as I go to share them with people like me. Not pictured are the frames, keepsake box, antlers, and globe bought there as well.

Remember how much I love globes? No surprise that maps were a hot item for the both of us. Geography, man.

Guys. GUYS. I just about died when I saw this artist setting up shop on our way out of the market and caught a glimpse of some of his crazy artwork. Good thing we caught him when we did because Drew snagged these two portraits of The Fantastic Mr. & Mrs. Fox. We chatted with the artist who goes by Bacee about his clothing and art brand: Panda Propaganda. Check him out!

 The second of the two markets took place in Pleasant Grove this past Saturday. This one was even bigger, held inside a massive warehouse that was absolutely stuffed with antique furniture, art, clothing, housewares, you name it. I found the most perfect deer skull (see above) which I have been on the hunt for for AGES now. I also scored a few more gold frames I've been needing for my room, as well as another map. Of course.

Story behind this jacket? It was a team jacket for a women's bowling league in Alaska. So rad. Also globes.

Drew found himself a polaroid camera that still works!! He will need to buy more film for it but I am very excited to use it in the future :)

In my element. Give me a donut and antiques and I am content.

TA-DA!!! This stupid wall is finally finally done and it only took me two months to do it. This is the reason I have been collecting so many gold frames. I either found them, spray painted them, or friends donated them to me. My favorite element is easily the white elephant head with gold tusks, which is the one thing on here that wasn't thrifted, but found on White Faux Taxidermy. They have EVERYTHING. I also bought this gold velociraptor skull that I keep on my desk. The more glam the taxidermy, the better.

I've discovered my happy place and it is at a vintage market, searching for hidden treasures to display, use, read, wear, or simply admire. I love that each item has a history behind it, and have all been around much longer than I have. I love that each item I find is unique. I know for certain that I wouldn't be able to find this stuff anywhere else, and I am ALL for that one-of-a-kind style! I am thankful I found a guy who appreciates and enjoys this stuff as much as I do :) I would never consider myself an expert on this by any means, but I would be more than willing to tag along with you the next time you want to venture to a thrift shop or flea market or need any decorating ideas. I'm your gal! I am not kidding when I say it would make me the happiest to do this all over again.

"The joy of junking comes not only from a great find, but also from that moment you figure out how to breathe life into an old piece."

what happens in vegas...

...ends up getting blogged about. After a wonderful week at Lake Powell with Drew, the two of us left for Las Vegas for the weekend. We arrived Friday afternoon but were too tired to do much  and ended up going to bed around 9 P.M. We made up for a boring evening with a jam-packed Saturday. Both of us have only ever driven through Vegas, so we wanted to do as much touristy business as possible. Since the Strip is obviously more exciting at night, we researched things to do and ventured to The Mob Museum during the day, a museum devoted to organized crime and law enforcement in America. I found this museum so interesting and very informative. I learned a lot more than I probably wanted to know about mobsters in the early 20th century and their rise to power in the biggest cities in the country. Afterward, Drew and I expressed our need to watch some classic mafia movies that neither of us have seen. So sometime in the near future we're having a Mob Date Night: gangster movies and pasta.

convicts

phat staxx

Our main reason for hitting up Vegas was for the wedding of Mr. & Mrs. Nilsen on August 23rd, 2014 in the Las Vegas Temple. I am lucky enough to know both of these sweet people and I was so happy that Drew and I could make it to their reception! Bradley served in my mission back home in Lancaster and actually spent Christmas Day with my family one year. I met Karli through Desireé last summer when all three of them were sports camp counselors together (which is when Karli and Bradley first met each other too). I hung out with them quite a bit at the beginning of fall semester when they first started dating and it was so fun to be able to see them on their wedding day one year later! They make such a cute couple and Karli was a vision. I remember wedding dress shopping with her and Karli describing exactly what she wanted in a dress. She didn't find it that day, but the dress she did find was EXACTLY what she had in mind and it was gorgeous. Congrats and best wishes to the Nilsens! 

08.23.2014

#bradandkar

To end our Vegas weekend we hit up the Strip after the reception and walked around feelin' fat and sassy in our wedding digs. I kinda felt like Harry on his first Diagon Alley trip where he wished he had eight more eyes to be able to take in all the sights and flashy signs. The Bellagio Water Show was beautiful and the second time we watched it (it goes on every 15 minutes) "Proud To Be An American" played and for some reason we found that hilarious. However, both of us came to the conclusion that Vegas is a little too crazy for us and if it wasn't for a show to attend there, we would not care to return again. I am glad I could experience the glamour of Vegas at night, but I am content with it being a one time thing. 

"Con te Partiro" played during the first Bellagio Water Show and it was majestic 

my girl CELINE <3

Bellagio lobby umbrellas and/or psychedelic mushrooms

my dapper wedding date <3 <3 <3

I had such a happy and exhausting past week with Drew and it was perfect after being apart for the majority of the summer. We survived a roadtrip together too so I guess that means we're doing something right. I came back to Provo with so much craziness awaiting me. I am in the process of moving into a super cute house with new roommates which will be a nice change. And then fall semester starts a week from today! How the eff did that happen? RIP summer 2k14. But this new semester should be a fun one and I can't wait to share it with all of you!

powell pals

For those of you who didn't know, I recently finished summer classes and it was pretty miserable. I took two classes in Chemistry which happen to be my worst subject. I was also back to working part-time meaning no more phat staxx. On top of all of this, Drew was in London for a study abroad for the duration of summer semester. I missed him lots and finding time to talk and Skype was difficult due to our busy schedules and the seven hour time difference. Basically the majority of my summer was pretty sucky. This past week certainly made up for all of that. Two days after taking my final, I left for Lake Powell with Drew and his family and it was a dream. I have never been to Lake Powell before and I can honestly say now that it is one of the prettiest places I have ever seen in person. We stayed on their houseboat in Padre Bay and the week was a blast filled with tubing, wakeboarding, exploring on jet-skis, Cards Against Humanity rounds, crazy storms, and sleeping under the stars. Spending the week with Drew and the rest of the Tekulve's was such a treat and my first ever Powell experience was a success! 

 fifty shades of blue

Harvey! Drew's nephew and the baby with the longest lashes known to man

photocred: Drew on his IPHONE. Not kidding.

Chinese lanterns (cue songs from Tangled)

guys I got up on the wakeboard on my first try ever!!!

#neature

pocahontas + john smith vibes

These pictures do not even do this place justice. I totally get what all the hype about Lake Powell is now and I would love to visit again! After our week on the lake, Drew and I roadtripped to Las Vegas for the remainder of the weekend for a friend's wedding and some touristy business. But to avoid writing a novel, expect a separate post about it with even more pictures! Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

life elevated

"Everything the light touches is our kingdom" -Mufasa

After living in Utah for almost two years, I've realized just how little I have really seen of this great state. "Trust me, I"m not a big nature girl" (name that movie!), but I made it a goal this summer to be more outdoorsy and visit some of Utah's finest destinations. I started by tackling the second highest summit of the Wasatch Moutains: Mt. Timpanogos, elevation: 11,749 ft. Me, Yuki, and two new friends Daniel and Kayleigh began the 15 mile hike at 1 A.M. in order to reach the peak by sunrise. I don't think I would have been able to hike this at any other time of day, tbh. Hiking in the dark removes the psychological effect of seeing just how steep and tough the rest of the trail is ahead of you. Walking blindly gives you no indication of how much longer you have to go, so you just keep going. The last hour of the hike to the peak was the coldest and toughest since the trail turned into mostly loose rock and required legitimate rock climbing, but we made it to with two minutes to spare before the 6:07 A.M. sunrise. Those first five hours were definitely worth the absolutely incredible view.

sun at sunrise

moon at sunrise

After taking a quick nap on some rocks, we ventured back down the mountain, which was about a thousand times tougher for me than on the way up. It was hella treacherous on the rocks and occasional snow, not to mention significantly hotter in the daytime. However, it was amazing hiking down the same trail and actually looking around you this time at all of the #neature. UTAH IS RAD, GUYS. No really, there is an entire instagram account to prove it. It was crazy to look at my surroundings and back up to the peak thinking, "how in the world did I just hike that?!" Once the parking lot was in site I nearly collapsed from relief. We were all exhausted and yet exhilarated, so a trip to In-N-Out was definitely in order :) Alhough I will probably not hike Timp again for a LONG time, it was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever done and made me even more grateful for my opportunity to attend school in this incredible place. For the beauty of the Earth, y'all. 

blinded/oranged by the sunrise

leaving our mark in the little hut at the summit

WE DID IT!

running through fields of wildflowers was easily my favorite part of the hike

dem colors doe

OKAY UTAH, I SEE YOU.

home is wherever i'm with you

LANCASTER LOVIN'. Last week I flew home for Nic's graduation from high school, and I chose the BEST week to come home. Seriously. So many other happy things happened and I was so lucky to be home for all of it! East coast beast coast indeed.

My lil bro Nic received his mission call the same day I flew in! How lucky is that?!? The first text I received when I landed was a picture of his envelope. Once my family picked me up from the airport, we drove straight to Ocean City, NJ, where we stayed at this adorable little bed & breakfast on the beach for the remainder of the weekend. As soon as we settled in, we FaceTimed Ynna and Preston for the big reveal. Nic deferred his acceptance from BYU-I and has been called to serve an LDS mission in Melbourne, Australia, speaking Mandarin Chinese! He will serve there for two years and leaves for the Provo Missionary Training Center on Oct. 1st. So ladiezzz, hit up this righteous hottie because you won't be seeing that face for 24 long months. I will miss him so much but I cannot wait to hear all about his adventures and the Aussies he meets. I know he will be amazing in the field and learn so much. My baby's all grown up and saving China (or at least the Chinese people of Australia).

Sweet sweet frands <3 I love being in Provo for the summer, but I definitely miss hanging out with some of my best friends whenever I want. Sadly didn't get pics with them all, but I had such a wonderful time catching up with them at grad parties, Starbucks, bonfires, and some of my favorite Lancaster spots like Central Market and the new and impossibly cute Rachel's Creperie. I even tried out Skinny Park Juice, which Vanessa raved about in a past blog post of hers. Above are my cute friends Trevor and Alexa in Alexa's mystical garden for a bonfire on my last night home.

On one of the days I was home, I went to Philly with Chris. I looked up GQ's City Guide to Philadelphia (I remember Ynna referenced this list when we visited Philly over Christmas break) for some new places to hit up. Our first stop was the Mutter Museum. The description of this place was 'the grossest museum in America' so I was instantly intrigued. If you weren't aware, I love all things dealing with anatomy and the human body. I'm eventually going to take a cadaver dissecting class offered here at BYU. I have prints of organs framed in my room. If I could get my hands on a skeleton, I would want one in my future home. You get the picture. The museum is part of Philadelphia's College of Physicians and is full of medical oddities. We're talking Siamese twin specimens in jars, an entire wall of human skulls, and a colon that once held 40 lbs. of feces. It was a medical student's/horror movie junkie's dream. Sadly, you weren't allowed to take pictures in the musem, so here's a candid shot of Chris in the pretty garden outside of the museum. We then walked around old city to explore some of the shops and boutiques. I took Chris to Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, which is one of the chic stores I visited a few months ago. It had those hanging lightbulb bottles on the right, a Warby Parker station, sign language alphabet wallpaper, and Hillside ties. Favorite find of the day? Meandering inside this junky little thrift shop next to A.K.A. Music that was cluttered with floor-to-ceiling piles of books, creepy old dolls, and baskets upon baskets of records. I searched through the records (since we have a now working record player in our apartment!) and scored two: Touch Me by The Temptations, and Big Bands: Greatest Jazz Hits. They were gifts for Desireé and Drew respectively. I asked the lady working there (who looked about 104 years old) for the price; $3 !! I only had a $20 on me, and she said she didn't have change for that. I figured I could maybe muster a dollar or two in change. JK I only had 56 cents. SOLD. What a steal.

The last of the Padilla's graduated from Lampeter-Strasburg on Friday! Pioneers 4EVA. Nic was definitely the flyest graduate there in his cute chambray bowtie. I die every time I look at the picture on the right, which I snagged after commencement as the seniors exited the auditorium. #swaggie. After the ceremony and spending half an hour taking pictures of Nic and all his friends, we celebrated with dinner at Aussie and the Fox, a classy and fairly new restaurant in Lancaster City that I also made sure I visited before I left. I loved how this place was decorated and the color scheme of oranges and purples. The price was surprisingly not as fancy as this place looks. Ironically enough, this place serves Australian and American cuisine. Just tryna culture the kid before he heads to the land down under for two years.

I spent my last day at home attending church back in the home ward and celebrating Father's Day with my dear daddy. Also, Nic was ordained into the office of Elder this day and I am lucky to have witnessed such a special moment for him. I'm so happy I was able to be home for Father's Day, since I am usually away from my family for most holidays throughout the year. My time at home was a little too short for my liking, but very sweet like always. I picked a prime week to visit with my loved ones in my cute hometown. Hopefully I will be back real soon!