How do you spell pomegranate?

So....Today Jerrica and I drove back up to Logan. Oh how I have missed this place. My mom let me take one of the HUGE pomegranates that she had. So, as Jerrica was making herself dinner, I went to work on the massive winter fruit. Success! It is super delicious (I am saving the rest for breakfast in the morning). I hope this picture of the juicy jewels makes your mouth water.

On a side note, there are only two weeks left of school. Wow, I am going to have a party making up for the two and a half weeks I have missed and preparing for numerous projects and finals. Blah. Wish me luck.

Lots of love to you all.

Highlights of my weekend.

Spending almost every second with my family.

NOT dying when I drove home to Sandy at 3:30 in the morning.

Getting a nice visit from Elder W. Craig Zwick.

Hugging a million people I have never met.

Having understanding professors.

Finishing the Hunger Games.

Getting to see Lexie Berrett and Tiffany Bond.

Bethie bringing me a Jamba Juice.

Jer, Melissa, Jen, Josh, and Dallin coming all the way from Logan to see me.

Oreo truffles and a super soft blanket.

Getting Elder Zwick to stick out his tongue, along with hundreds of other people. No big deal.


I'm sorry to all you bloggers for slacking in my posts lately. I will try to be better.

A True Friend

She came to my house to bring me a Jamba Juice. 

Not just me, but she brought one for each member of my family. 

She came and talked to me. 

About anything.

But she didn't mention the sad stuff until I brought it up.

She was just there as a friend.

We talked about Boys.

School.

Family.

Missionaries.

Everything.

We laughed.

She makes me super happy.

I miss her when she is in Provo and I am in Logan.

I love best friends.

Thank you Bethie.

My Hero

David R. Kasteler, age 44, born December 28, 1966, died of cancer at his home on November 18, 2011. Son of Rodger David and Emma Lou Swinyard Kasteler, husband of Lisa Scharffs Kasteler, father of Lauren, Maegan, and Spencer David Kasteler, brother of Lee (Lucé) Kasteler, Lynda (Christian) Jensen, Jeffrey (Jodie) Kasteler, and Michael “Mika” Kasteler, he was preceded in death by his sister, Jennifer Kasteler, and his grandparents.

Dave attended Olympus High School and graduated from Skyline High School. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Alabama, Birmingham, where he met his future wife and fellow missionary, Lisa. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in August, 1999. Dave graduated from BYU in Construction Management and supervised commercial construction projects in Northern California, Utah, and throughout the Intermountain West.

He was an avid scouter for over 20 years and received many awards for his service including the Silver Beaver. Over 40 boys received their Eagle under his direction. He was on the board for the Great Salt Lake Council and served on numerous committees and projects.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, November 21, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lone Peak Stake Center, 11570 South Wasatch Blvd (3600 East). A viewing will be held on Sunday, November 20, from 6-8 p.m. at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East, 10600 South, in Sandy, Utah, also from 9:30-10:30 prior to services at the church. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Alta High School Fundraiser benefiting Huntsman Cancer Foundation at www.huntsmancancerfoundation.org/altahigh.

You find out who you're friends are.

You find out who you're friends are.

Somebody's gonna drop everything,

Run out and crank up their car,

Hit the gas, get there fast.

Never stop to think "what's in it for me?" or "it's way too far"

They just show on up with their big old heart.

You find out who you're friends are.

Good hair day? I think, yes.

I love getting compliments on my hair from random strangers. Yup, confidence boost.

I've been sitting 

in front of this computer screen 

for almost ten minutes 

trying to come up with 

something to blog about. 

Sorry. 

I got nothin.

The Beauty of a Woman

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a woman," she told him.

"I don't understand," he said. His Mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will."

Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?"

"All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry.

Finally he put in a call to God. When God got on the phone, he asked, "God, why do women cry so easily?"

God said, "When I made the woman she had to be special.

I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world,

yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart - the place where love resides."

Tonight's Musings

I don't really know what to say. 

Thank you all for being amazing, supportive, great people.

I got all my homework done.

I miss my friends in Logan.

Last night I got to spend the night with my best friend Bethie.

We went to BYU Divine Comedy. So funny.

Nine hours yesterday.

Eight hours today.

My heart hurts.

Best. Roommate. Ever.

Yes, this morning I woke up to this lovely surprise on my desk. Who left it there? You guessed it, Jerrica Ciel Osmun. She noticed yesterday that I was having a really hard day. She bought some of my favorite things for me even before she knew why I was upset. What a thoughtful, kind, amazing friend I have!

Dear Jerrica,
Thank you for being one of my best friends. You make my life so much brighter and I am so grateful for you in my life. Thank you for always being there. Thank you for loving me and trusting me. It means a lot. I don't know what I would do without your friendship.
Sincerely, Lauren

Just Fishin'

And she thinks we're just fishin' by the riverside, 

throwing back what we could fry, 

drowning worms and killing time.

Nothing too ambitious.

She ain't even thinkin' 'bout 

what's really going on right now 

but I guarantee this memory's a big'un.

And she thinks we're just fishin'.

Trace Adkins

Just Keep Swimming

Life is hard.
Sometimes you have to scream into your pillow.
Sometimes you have to take a few deep breaths.
Sometimes you need to lock yourself in your room.
Sometimes you have to cry your eyes out.
Sometimes you have to smile and pretend everything is alright.
Sometimes you have to sing primary songs or hymns to yourself.
Sometimes you have to do homework to get your mind off other things.
Sometimes all you need is a hug.

Miss Matched

Those who know me really well know that I LOVE socks. I have a lot of great pairs of socks. This is one of my favorite. They are different but they still match! Yes, I did buy them this way. I'm wearing them right now. And they make me smile. A lot.  

I went home today. We had our family pictures taken. It was awesome to be with my family for the day. I love them a lot. And my mom gave me a bunch of food. She is the best mother ever. No battle.

And now I'm with some really great friends. (Procrastinating my homework)

 :) :) :)

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

I am quite sorry for my decrease in blog posts this past week. (Well, I don't know how many people would even notice. I can probably count my consistent readers on one hand.) Anyway, I have been SUPER busy.

It snowed today! Wahoo! I actually really love the snow. Yeah it's cold, and it isn't fun to scrape it off of your car at 7:00 in the morning (especially in Logan), and after it has been there a while it looks really gross because of the pollution, but other than that I think it is so fun and beautiful! I love how the snow makes everything look so magical and I love playing in the snow: snowball fights, sledding, ice skating, skiing.

In celebration of the snow I am currently listening to Christmas Music. Please don't judge me because of that. I know a lot of people get annoyed with people who listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but I don't mind. I really love the ENTIRE  holiday season. That includes Thanksgiving. There just isn't a whole lot of good Thanksgiving music. Anyway, I'll Be Home For Christmas. :)

This morning at 8:00 I went with Jerrica, Mike, Cameron and Eric to a place. A secret place. It may or may not have had a No Trespassing sign on it. Anyway, we went there because Mike is an awesome photographer. He needed models and since we are The Best Friends Ever, we were his models. I'm not too good at the whole model face thing but it was so fun! It was cold as well. But the fresh snow made for some amazing pictures! At one point Mike told us to have a snowball fight for a couple pictures. I wanted my mittens to stay dry so I could put them on after the snowball fight so I participated in the snowball fight with bare hands. Painful! My hands were so cold and I could not even feel them. I'm excited to see all those amazing pictures, Mike.

I think the snow is so pretty. Absolutely beautiful. I once had a seminary teacher share something about snow with my class. He compared snow to the Atonement. The snow covers the ground, the trees, the cars, everything. Likewise, the Atonement covers everything in our lives. It covers our pain, our sins, our heartaches, our imperfections, our fears, our trials, everything. I know that the Atonement covers all of the horrible things in life, and because of it I can return to live with my Heavenly Father again. My Savior made it possible. When it snows, I think of my Savior, his sacrifice for all mankind, and this glorious Plan of Salvation.

Have I told you yet how ECSTATIC I am for the Holidays?!
Hallelujah!!!!

I'm Just Keeping Up With Myself!

Someone once told me that and I love it. 

You don't have to be someone you're not. You don't have to be the best of the best. You just have to be YOU. 

I have a hard time with this because I always want to be the best. I have been like this all throughout my education. 

I guess it is good because it motivates me to work harder. But I need to stop comparing myself to people. I just have to be the best ME I can possibly be.

So....now I am going to try my hardest to stop comparing myself to others. 

I'm just keeping up with myself!

On a couple different notes.....

I'm enjoying my practicum class a lot. I love my second graders! I love learning how to be a better teacher. After tomorrow there will only be three weeks left. I can't believe it.

I currently have homework coming out of my ears and eyeballs. Don't ask me how it feels.

Jer and I decided that it would be absolutely wonderful if some good friends of ours would spontaneously come visit us. That would be grand.

I like sleeping with the window cracked open. Otherwise it is so hot in here! Luckily, Kenzee likes it too.

I went to the library tonight. I was actually productive (most of the time). 

I really like glitter art projects and shaving cream fights.

My sunglasses broke. This saddens my heart.

I am really thankful for my friends. You know who you are. Thank you. For always being there for me. I don't quite know what I would do without the support of my fabulous friends.

I made my friend a birthday present. Unfortunately she lives in Provo so I haven't had a chance to give it to her yet. Even though her birthday was a week and a half ago.

Three months from this day I will turn twenty-years-old.

One of my second graders asked me today if I have a boyfriend. Wanna know what I told them?

I am really looking forward to the holiday season. I am excited to go home and spend almost every waking hour with my incredible family.

Thank you for your time.