a spoon full of sugar...

Twice a week for a few hours a day I am happy to take a break from the studying to work. Yeah, I am happy to go to work and thats because I work at the cutest/most adorable/most delicious cupcake bakery on the planet... The Sweet Tooth Fairy. 

I get to enjoy all the broken cookies, lick my fingers after frosting cookies and cupcakes and other delicious treats (and then wash my hands of course). It is delightful and I love it.  My favorite treats...

1. Peach Cupcake

2. Iced Oatmeal Cookie

3. Orange Roll Cupcake... Lemon Cupcake... okay just all the cupcakes.

It's too bad I don't like chocolate (for those of you who were unaware, I know I am crazy and not a woman and everything else, but I do like Christmas and puppies and babies, so does that make up for it?).  If I did like chocolate I am sure these little babies would be at the top of my list.  They are called cakebites and even Rachel Ray is a fan.  

So come visit me at work! And try a treat... I'll warn you though. You'll probably get addicted. 

Oh and if you want to check it out click here thesweettoothfairy.com

thoughts from a desk at the harold b. lee library.

Okay so I have been a very poor blogger. But as I sit here in the library utterly miserable from being stressed by all the midterms I have procrastinated studying for I thought I would turn my procrastination into something a little worthwhile and write something on my blog that nobody but myself and my mother read.  So here goes. 

Update on Life: 

For those of you who aren't aware I am going to be an elementary teacher.  I decided this semester and I am quite excited about it (despite the fact that I will be getting paid next to nothing for a job that is difficult). 

It seems like a good fit mainly because I kind of act like a 7 year old a lot and I figured I should probably hang out with kids my own age.  I think the fact that the nickelcade is one of my favorite provo hangouts is evidence of this, and my adoration of the dinosaur stickers I am able to win by obsessively playing games and winning tickets also proves that point. 

Also the saying "those that can't do teach" can be kind of true in my case. Its not that I can't do anything its just that I can't do any one things well.  I can however understand everything at about an elementary level, so no fear future parents your children are in good hands.  I can handle the addition, subtraction, and times tables... I might be a little iffy on carrying over for big numbers but I'll work on it. 

Plus I like teaching and I like children. So why not teach the children? And I'll get to decorate my classroom and color. And I am really excited to make a difference someone's life.  I would love to teach inner city kids or something like that.  We will see.  For now I had better get back to studying human development so that I can stay in college. 

check it...

So. I have this assignment to start a blog about history, and religion and all the things we are learning in my Honors 240 class (aka... American Heritage but we get to do fun stuff).  So I started a new blog because some of it could be potentially boring, but some of it is cool too. So I might put the highlights on here, or you could check it out... 

click here!

So if you are a blog stalker, or if you just want to read about my thoughts on history (really riveting I know) take a peek... if not it's okay, I am getting points for it anyways.

Back to Life in the 801

So here I am. Back in Provo.  I can't say it's lovely, but I am loving it.  It's weird to be back and this whole week has been a massive learning experience.  So since I like lists here is a list of all things that I have learned this week.

1. Change and I had a very big battle this week. I learned that I don't like change... and then I learned to like change, because it's definitely not going anywhere.  Every semester is going to mean new friends, new classes, new places.  This semester is going to be so different, I mean it already is so different, but its up to me to decide whether its a good different or a bad different. 

2. The snow really can be my friend! I don't really like living in the cold or living in the snow, but I'm going to be here for awhile so I decided to like it.  And now I do! I just get nice and bundled up an book it to class. Plus I got a snowboard pass to sundance, which helps to eliminate the seasonal depression. 

3. I can't live in the past.  I have had so much fun the past year and a half.  I have met people I care so much about and I have spent four months in London, I mean really, how is Provo supposed to compare? But I know that I have so much to look forward to, its just up to me to find it. So I am going to. 

4. My dad always told me about this infamous weather phenomenon called the inversion, where this gray smoggy air gets stuck covering the valley.  Well its here, and its kind of disgusting. 

5. Being social can be tiring... actually it is tiring. I wish I could just be a homebody and sit at home, oh wait, I do... that's called studying. So the combination of studying, playing, and making new friends is tiring. In a good sort of way. 

So aside from odd weather patterns this new year is shaping up to be a good one. I have been making lots of new friends and spending time with lots of old friends. My classes are great and I am really excited for my new major. 2009 is going to be a good year. 

The End.

I am sitting here amongst the three large bags of things I brought to London. I have finished packing up my London life... and am trying not to think about the massive charges I will get for my overweight bags. But that's not really what's on my mind. I am thinking about all the million things I will miss here.  I have fallen head over heels in love with this place.  I love everything about it. Being here has changed me in so many ways. I have grown up so much in the past 4 four months, in ways that I didn't even know possible. I have met 42 amazing friends who are such wonderful people. I learn from them everyday. Coming here was a dream come true. I have always wanted to go, and here I am... 4 months later and I feel like I haven't woken up yet. This whole time has seemed like dream. England is magical.  Everyday I just fall in love even more.  

I love the random faces that I see on the tube. 

I love the beautiful parks that seem to be right out of a storybook. 

I love the london dogs, that are more like people.  

I love all the london animals, the sauntering squirrels, and the friendly pigeons.  

I love the architecture and being awestruck everyday by the amazing buildings, including the one I live in. 

I love the National Gallery, and the way that it taught me to fall in love with art. 

I love the greenest green I have ever seen... in all the plants and hills here. 

I love getting so excited to see an empty tube train and not having to fight to get a seat.

I love having dinner with 42 of my closest friends.  

I love the feeling of coming home after being away for a couple of days. 

I love the shows I get to go see.

I love my professors, who teach me so much and have helped to make this experience even more meaningful.

I love St. Pauls. 

I love  being so tired and sleeping so well every night.

I love 27 Palace Court. 

I love Shakespeare, and the RSC.

I love the tube and all the billions of places that it takes me.

I love my ward... and really loving and caring about people I hardly know. 

I love grilled toastie sandwiches at Bourough's market.

I love my roommates.

I love the opera, and the ballet.

I love talking about feelings.  

I love Tony the busdriver, even when he tells stories about war monuments while I am trying to nap. 

I love movie nights in the classroom. 

I love playing Spaz. 

I love being the only one in the room and finding a bit of peace and quiet.

I love having 12 awesome roommates, so that I can enjoy my peace and quiet.

I love walking in the city alone, and just being in the city alone.

I love the markets, especially Portobello.

I love searching for Peter Pan books, and getting to hold ones that are 800 pounds.

I love old books.

I love all the adorable London families. 

I love the little children's school uniforms, and matching hats, and backpacks and everything. 

I love Victoria station and traveling there every Sunday. 

I love talking to my mom on Sundays.

I love getting letters in London, and putting the letters I send in the pretty red mailboxes here.

I love the double decker buses. 

I love my camera. 

I love escalators. 

I love palaces and pretty places that we go visit. 

I love the Queen... even if I never got to see her, or meet her.  

I love pounds. 

I love Marks and Spencer, and Percy Pigs.

I love Monet, Van Gogh, Holbien, Turner, Renior, Constable, Degas, Cezanne, Rodin, Caravaggio, and all the other artists I have fallen in love with here. 

I love being so excited to wake up every morning and knowing that I will have an adventure every day. 

I love the person that I have come to be here. 

I love all the other millions of things I can't even remember right now.  

I just can't really bear to say goodbye. So I guess I'll just say see you later... 

I am in denial that I am leaving on tomorrow and I don't know if it will even hit me until I have woken up from my 48 hour post-London recuperation nap that I am planning to take.  I'll wake up with all the other things I love, my family, my home, Christmas, Kwazi, my bed, and 2 weeks of relaxation. And although I will miss my new home very much it is no replacement for my old home.  I am just so grateful to have had this amazing life-changing opportunity.  

I love you London... and I will miss you oh so very much. 

Chapter Eighteen

Okay so I suppose my decision to forgo the blogging until I get home didn't last long, but I was taking a break from my essays and watching Elf so I decided to multi-task and at least catch up a bit on my blogging. So here goes. The past few days... er, the past few days of last, last week. 

Regents Park:

Okay so let's start with Regent's Park. The squirrels at Regent's are the most precocious squirrels I had ever met.  I was just pretending to feed one and then he decides that it's cool to climb up my leg... like shimmy up my leg, which is not cool, when you are a squirrel, or anyone for that matter. But hey, I don't think I have rabies yet, and at least I got this awesome picture out of it. 

Squirrel on my leg!

Jane Austen's House: 

Yay for Jane Austen! And yay for her house! There is only so much to do at Jane Austen's house so I saw it, and then we went and played at this awesome park that was across the street. They had the coolest swing thing ever. If only America's parks were this cultured and awesome... I mean Jane Austen probably played there too right?

Thanksgiving! 

a.k.a. We get all dressed up and go to tea at Kensington Palace.  What could be more American?  Well probably a lot of things, but I do think it's appropriate to do something typically British while celebrating Thanksgiving in Britain.  Although this is a little late I would like to take this time to give thanks for some of the things that I am thankful for.  I can't even believe how blessed I am to be here in London.  I love everything here, the shows, the parks, the museums, the history... everything! I have learned so much here and met so many amazing people. I am so grateful for all the awesome girls (and boy) that I live with... it is so fun to live with 40 of your best friends. Not to mention all my other amazing friends that I have at home... who I miss very very much.  I am so thankful for my parents and family and for all that they have taught me, and encouraged me in everything that I do, and for helping me to go on this program.  I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.... the church makes me so happy and I don't know where I would be without it, but I am glad I don't have to find out.  I am grateful for my bed... after being run ragged every day I really understand how glorious a good night sleep is... oh and I am grateful for naps too! Okay so those are the big ones I guess. I really am just so grateful to be alive and to have so many opportunities in my life. I am so blessed in so many ways.  

Chapter Seventeen

To my dedicated blog readers: 

I don't know if there are many of you, but if there are, please note, it is finals week and I am stressed. So there may be a lack of blogging in the next week until I go back home in 8 days and recuperate from the the busiest three and a half months of my life. I will be sure to blog about anything and everything Londony from my couch... I am sure I will be going through withdrawals and will want to relive every moment, and share it all with you.  

Sincerely,

Lauren