bookworming and music madness

What I'm Reading...

I just finished reading this AMAZING book at 4 am this morning:
"Dead Iron" by Devon Monk

I ate this book up, man.
Honestly, I've never read anything like it; it was so wonderful breaking free and reading something that challenged me. 

The time period and focus of the book is something I've never really had an interest in, but after reading "Dead Iron," I can't wait for the sequel!

Tim, Emily's HUSBAND (:]), lent me the book about a week and a half ago. It took me a while to really get into the book because it's set in the Old West time period and very much attentive to gears, steam, and mechanics. But there's MAGIC and LOVE and FOLKLORE and EVIL.
Paint my wagon!

Now I'm looking for another book to escape into...I have been reading Harry Potter fanfiction a lot this break...><...

Any suggestions would be great!

What I'm Listening To...
We Are Young by Fun

Now I'm gonna be honest...I heard this first on Glee.

><

I don't really listen to the radio anymore...I'll blame it on not having a car...or a social life...or any life...

hahaha

Anyway.

I love this song and kind of feel like dancing...

Tonight we are young.

So let's set the world on fire.

We can burn brighter.

Than the sun.

6th month anniversary, BERT, a purse named Zoe, and Christmas

Hi, my name's Chelsea, and I have a pretty awesome life right now.
Merry Belated Christmas (by 5 minutes)!

Christmas Eve was our 6th month anniversary.
We've been married for 6 months and two days now.
AWESOME.
I was planning on taking more pictures throughout the day...

but in the end, these last mintue, "Zac, will you please take a picture with me?" had to do.
We spent our very first Christmas Eve together with Josh's family.
We had good food, good conversation, and Mario Kart the whole night (I got 4th every single race >< I will get better, I promise!)
And...

I GOT TO CUDDLE WITH BERT AGAIN.
You remember Bert, don't you?
Yes, ladies and gentlemen.
I am proud to say that Bert cuddled in my lap on several occasions and once even fell asleep.
Quite the feat, if I do say so myself.
He's very ferocious.

For our Christmas, we stayed in Provo, due to being poor married college students.
It was both of our first Christmas's away from family.
So...it really sunk in that Zac and I are our "own" family now.

Of course, we still have our moms, dads, siblings, and extended family to share Christmas with by phone and internet. But it was still somewhat hard waking up this morning and realizing we were on our "own."
However, I think we were also excited to start a holiday with one another, just the two of us, with new and unfound traditions.
We tried pulling a Christmas Eve all nighter...but ended up falling asleep at 3 or so. 

We were laying in bed at 1 am, not very tired. 

Zac says to me, "I'm not tired. Are you?" 

"No, not really." 

"Do you wanna pull an all nighter?" 

"Really? Right now?" 

"Why not?" 

"...Okay." 

"Really?" 

"YEAH! Okay here's what we're gonna do. 1) Get out of bed." 

"Right." 

"No, you say 'check.'" 

"But we haven't done anything yet." 

"Oh, right. Well then just say 'right.'" 

"Right."

 "1) Get out of bed."

 "Right." 

"2) Turn on the light." 

"Right." 

"3) Clean up the living room and kitchen." 

"Do we really have to?" 

"Yes. 5) Open presents." 

"YAY!" 

"6) Hot cocoa...and a movie?" 

"We'll figure it out from there." 

"Ready?" 

I felt him nod next to me.

 "LET'S DO THIS."
<3
We enjoyed a humble and quiet Christmas with one another.
Thank you Karen and Stephanie for sending us these amazing gifts!
We love you so much!!!

Zac is so handsome. :3
And I can't wait to wear my two new dresses and my BOOTS!
I have also named my new purse, Zoe.
:]
MERRY CHRISTMAS

i.love.break.

Best thing about Break
1) Comfy clothes and braids

Best thing about Break
2) Hot cocoa and new mugs...

Best thing about Break
3) Playing outside with the hubby as the sun sets

Best thing about break
4) Cheap dates

Best thing about Break
5) Super Mario Kart

FENTON and Christmas shopping!

It's finally time for me and Zac to venture off to the amazing land of Target and get some serious Christmas shopping done!

Our very first Christmas together and I couldn't be more thrilled!
\\Blessings have landed in our laps recently//

Zac's mamma, Karen, was so thoughtful and selfless [WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH, MOM] by sending us several presents which are tucked away underneath our Charlie Brown Christmas tree, Fenton.

[We named our Christmas tree after this video you may or may not have seen...]
Now, while the man does take Christ's name in vain, we laughed so hard. Like crying laughing so hard. Like side splitting we can't breathe oh my gosh funny laughing so hard.

---

Our ward is so awesome, you guys:
1) We were given a $100 gift card to Target on Monday and
2) someone doorbell ditched us last night. We opened our door and found a HUGE package of Christmasy goodies. My personal favorite item was the cute brown box a few cans came in! hahaha It's very decorative. It's sitting on our kitchen counter, next to our adorable spice rack.
Who says being married is lame? 

Zac and I are trying to decide if we should get one another several small gifts today, buy a bigger gift for the two of us to share...or something different. With our birthdays in less than a month (I'm two days older than him...holla!) we'll probably get each other small gifts for our birthday presents rather than Christmas...But we're looking forward to a fun day of shopping thanks to some wonderful people we know and care so much for. :]

Happy Holidays indeed!
I do believe hot cocoa will be on the list...
Pics to come!
:]

A night of tears for both the "believers" and "nonbelievers."

Tonight, Michaelyn, one of my very dear and good friends, posted on her Facebook a link to an article entitled, "Theists Threaten to Kill Atheists, Again." She's an atheist and a beautiful woman who means a lot to me (haha I hope I'm not embarrassing her...She's been a close friend since middle school). I read the article and was instantly disgusted; as Michaelyn means so much to me, I felt a surge of sorrow and a need to speak up.
Normally, I'm not one to raise my voice in religious matters on Facebook, seeing as people's feelings can get hurt or people can react exaggeratedly to a simple statement. From past experiences, I've learned that no matter how kind and considerate someone is, once religion is brought up, that person can turn into something...not pretty. It goes both ways.
I've definitely been the "ugly one" more times than I'd like to admit.
Religion is a very touchy and personal subject that should always be treated with the utmost respect and sacredness, whether or not you personally believe or disagree. Whether or not one approaches religion from a "believer"or a "nonbeliever" perspective, common decency should exist. That is why I was so affronted by that article.
I'm all for standing up for what you believe in--but not when it threatens another's life. You know something's not right when your immediate reaction to an opposing opinion is to CAPSLOCK obscenities and make continuous grammatical and spelling errors. ;) But seriously, disregard for the sacredness of life is not what a believer should proclaim or what a nonbeliever should uphold. We are all living on this Earth together; we might as well try to get along.
---
I've found in my life experiences that pride is the source of all that is evil in the world, no matter the scale. Evil exists through pride; whether by mass killings, rape, abuse, rumors, lies, petty arguments, misunderstandings, family upheaval, crumbling friendships, or even a thoughtless word--Pride is the foundation for these horrible events. It can plant itself in our hearts and before we know it, we're all alone.
I've been there.
(I'm crying).
---
Pride, in itself, is an odd word--it can have both a positive and negative connotation. For the most part, pride is used as an encouragement and comforter. I'm proud of who I'm becoming; I'm proud of my wonderful family making it through the hardest trials imaginable; I'm proud to know and love my friends; I'm proud of my education and where I'm studying; I'm proud of others when they've struggled through hell and come out alive.
Pride, just as with anything else, can easily cross that positive-warm-encouraging line and transform into something like blind rage: Dark, ugly, hurtful, disrespectful, chaotic, and cutting. Once that line is crossed, it is very difficult coming back. You begin to love the hate; You begin to divulge in it; You begin to smother yourself in emnity, looking for any way you can to hurt someone, whether consciously or unconciously. It becomes a habit; a sought after activity; a way of life.
---
Alma 26:11-12
"...I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
"Yea, I know I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."
*Poor in spirit- (See also Meekness)
*Alma 29:9
"...I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy."  
*Romans 15:17
"I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God."
---
"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours."-Atlas Shrugged

---
Two very different sources for what I think is the same message: Be proud of who you are, but be mindful of where it comes from. For some, that is from within ourselves; for others, it is bestowed upon us from a higher power. For me, my identity is a combination of both my inner potential and the blessing God's given me to live on the Earth. Take that as you will, but I love you FOR YOU. I love you no matter what you do or don't believe in. If that seems like a stretch, don't let it.
Please return the same respect I'm pouring out to you.
I love you.

temples bring happiness

My best friend, Emily Buhler, married her cute boyfriend, Tim Loveless, yesterday in the Mount Timpanogos temple! Zac and I were blessed enough to witness the temple sealing with some family and friends of Emily and Tim's. The spirit was so strong in the sealing room: full of love, hope, and faith. I cried the moment Emily and Tim entered the room and the waterworks never shut off, they only got worse. hahaha While hugging Emily and Tim after the ceremony, I was filled with a promise and reassurance that my life was on the right path at the right time with the right person.

The happy couple! Yay!

I was so ecstatic I got this picture.

True happiness right there.

As I witnessed Emily and Tim's sealing, I felt and pondered my membership of the Church and felt and pondered some more. Guys, the best decision of my life was choosing to believe again. Choosing to change my heart and open myself up to new experiences lead to where I am today: I am sealed to my best friend for time and all eternity.
There's something ethereal and quiet about the temple; something I'm still trying to figure out and probably never will in this life. There's a different atmosphere, a special buzz or warmth encompassing any temple. You can feel it if you're open to the promptings. Sometimes, though, vulnerability and softness are far from where you are or far from where you want to be.

Emily's mother made her cape! Gorgeous, if you ask me.

Handsome boys are handsome.

I've been reading in Alma 33 the past couple of days. I haven't read my scriptures regularly in quite some time and I dedicated myself the other day to searching them with questions for each study session. Just as with any new learning opportunity, answers happen with time and patience for me. I don't know what it is exactly, but nothing has ever manifested itself with obvious or straightforward clarity the first time. I have to ask the question, experiment, get it wrong, then go back to square one and start fresh with a more refined or completely different question. Obviously, this process makes school SO HARD and time consuming. I don't think of myself as a perfectionist anymore; it took a while to get out of that rut, let me tell you. :] Now, I use my constant questioning as a way to fuel imagination and hard work. My questioning is more than just academic, it's spiritual as well.
There are times when I don't listen for an answer because I'm so focused on my desired outcome; even if that desire starts out as a righteous one, I've let myself become so wrapped up in the moment, and found myself selfishly wanting rather than selflessly needing.
Being worthy to enter the temple yesterday with my husband to witness Emily and Tim's sealing taught me something I came to understand over a course of several years: Never take anything for granted. Ever.

Emily's theme for the reception was Stargazing.
Quite appropriate with the suspended lights.

Emily designed her own cake!
She wanted to recreate the night Tim proposed to her.
ADORABLE

"And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen."
-Alma 33:23
:]
I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm a Christian. Through Christ's Atonement, I have found an eternal joy so unfathomable, it doesn't seem real at times. But in all the sincerity I can gather, it's real. It's as real as I am. I am a living, breathing, loving, questioning, experimenting, mistake-making, and choice-making human being. But more than that, I am a human being with eternity outstretched before me. Eternity is forever, just as I am.

Best friends :]

Me and that one guy...He's really cute, no?

My fabulous outfit with the skirt I got from H&M!

Now, I'm gonna go play Super Mario Kart with Zac! Wee!

WE MADE IT.

I AM DONE.

I finished my last final of the semester today and I haven't felt this happy in a long time.
I'm getting my best GPA while at BYU this semester!

Playwriting
I got a 95 on my last play
Final grade: 89.8%...
and I thought I was gonna get a C...silly Chelsea!
TMA 251 was by far the hardest class I've ever taken with the hardest grader, George Nelson.
Overall, I got the third highest grade in the class of eleven people.
Nothing to scoff at, methinks.

Fundamental Literary Interpretation
I got a 90 on my final paper
 Final grade: 92.54%!

Psych
I got an 88 on my final test

Final grade: 91.81%!

Theatre History
Current grade: 91.6%...
which will mostly likely go up once my final is graded
(All short answer and essay questions could take a while, though)

Beginning Stage Combat
I got a 95 on my last fight
Final grade: 97% (or thereabouts)!

You probably won't believe me, but studying for finals this semester was actually...fun. >< Don't stone me before I defend myself! For lit, I got to write an 8 page paper analyzing one of my favorite books and got a 90...I was kind of hoping for a higher grade, but I understand why I received the grade in the end. What's more important to me is the experience I had rather than the grade I got. I couldn't possibly put a grade on my personal growth this semester--it wouldn't feel right and wouldn't be the point.

The night before our last final this morning. We weren't happy, to say the least.

My final face kicking outfit! I tried editing my red eye...Hmm. I look odd.

Go, honey, go!

Best recognize.

study.break.

I've decided to start writing more by hand in my long forgotten journal.
It's been gaining dust on our bookshelf for a while now and it's so sad.
I wrote by hand the other night and it was sublime.
So I think from here on out, I'll post online with Good News//Not So Good News...and whatever else tickles my fancy?
Yeah, sounds good to me.
haha

//Good News\\
I got a $1140 scholarship from BYU!
I had quite the successful audition Monday night...no callback yet, but if I don't get it, no worries.
Zac and I got a free tv...Zac's been reunited with his video games and he's quite the happy dude.
I played Super Mario Kart for the first time in a decade Monday night and IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. Wow! My inner nerd came out and it was just fantastic.
I got a 90 on my 8 page lit paper.
Zac and I made homemade chicken alfredo last night! Super delicious.
Emily and Tim are getting married on SATURDAY! FREAKOUTHAPPYINTHEFACEEXPLOSION!

"I got a scholarship!"

I love you, Panda.

You wish you could do this, don't you? :]

//Not So Good News\\
My skin hates this Utah weather...acne and dry skin all over the place.
Stress to the max with finals.
I've eaten so much chocolate lately...it's kind of embarrassing.

Anywho, with finals all this week, I needed a break and found it through my Ludo Playlist on Pandora.
Oh, thank the Heavens.

First song:
"Look What You've Done" by Jet
This video scared the dickens out of me as a middle schooler...
I wasn't sure if I was brave enough to post it...but here we go!
*Holds breath*

I DID IT.

I need a pat on the back, methinks.

Second Song:
"Naked As We Came" by Iron & Wine
Odd, a very personal song from the past.
Whoa, you get a treat!

Third Song:

"Good Will Hunting By Myself" by Ludo

OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS.

Easily one of my favorite videos and songs of all time.

Ludo seriously is my favorite band.

Check them out and find out what true happiness is!

:]

Fourth Song:

"Blurry" by Puddle of Mud

Gosh, this playlist is just too good.

I love this song and all that it brings back from Memory Lane...Mmm

Last Song (I promise):

"Believe" by The Bravery

Om nom nom.

finals approaching and chocolate mousse torte om nom nom

Hey guys.
Oh, how I've missed you! You know how college is with finals approaching and all the mini-projects due right before finals week. :]
All week long I've been working on my third 10 minute play, "Zombies, Zombies, Zombies" (better title in the works, I promise). I just finished the first draft, which was due yesterday, and it went over really well with my classmates and George. I posted it on my other bloggity blog, you should go check it out! It's about an elderly couple turning into zombies! It's a dark romantic comedy. I've never written a comedy piece as long as this one before; mostly just one to two page scenes with quirky characters. But this is a 13 page (or so) fantastic hilarious read! Please go read it and feel free to leave a comment. :] I'm looking forward to seeing where this play goes.
My last day of classes was yesterday! HALLELUJAH! Now I just need to clear these three finals...

1. Fundamental Lit. Interpretation Final Paper- Due Monday, Dec 12.
2. Psych 111 Final- Tuesday, Dec 13.
3. Theatre History Final- Wednesday, Dec 14.

Compared to last semester, this will be a piece of cake...

AND SPEAKING OF CAKE.
Zac got up a little earlier than me today to go to the Wymount Office here and grab some day old bakery goodies. He picked us up some muffins (both the blueberry and bran variety) and A CHOCOLATE MOUSSE TORTE. Um, yeah. I'll go ahead and say it. My husband=Good. Chocolate mousse torte=Better. My husband AND  a chocolate mousse torte=THE FREAKING BEST COMBO THERE EVER WAS. hahahaha 

I just shaved my legs for the first time in...3 weeks? Ashamed? Not really.

I'm meeting up with my Hedda Gabler cast in a couple of hours for the first read through of the script! I need to be off book by next semester...which will be difficult, but I'm excited to get back in the swing of things with acting.

AND SPEAKING OF ACTING.
No proficiency audition for me this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah.
Wonderful.
I'm finally doing what I love doing at college: Writing plays.
Look out, world. Here I come. :]

Adventures of the lost engagement ring and Bert

Really fast.

Yesterday (Saturday) was the day I will always remember as the day I lost my engagement ring. You know, the one that was custom made for my small dumb fingers and had my grandmother's pink sapphire stone (worth $3,000)? Yeah. LOST IT. 

Zac was out and about playing video games with his friend; I stayed home, baked muffins, and played Scrabble with my madre. Sounds like a homegirl kinda night, right? WRONG. As I was webcamming with mommy, she noticed my engagement ring wasn't on my right ring finger. I looked and totally freaked out. We finished the call and I got up to turn the house upside down for the ring. I even tore apart the deliciously warm blueberry muffins thinking I may have baked my ring...No such luck. Then came the realization it may have fallen down the bathroom sink...

I FREAKED OUT.

I screamed.

I cried.

I may even have let out a few choice words.

I prayed and apologized for those words, then asked for help to find the ring. haha ><

Then I paced the house (I don't have a phone currently, so I couldn't call Zac to come save me).

He came home at midnight, I told him the situation, then we took apart the pipes below the sink. We called Emily and Tim. They came over, Tim helped Zac out with the sink, Emily sat with me on the bed and held me while I cried. My engagement ring is like a direct link to my grandmother-I never knew her, so any connection I can have to her is...well, you get the idea.

On goes the night.

Tim and Zac both affirm that the ring couldn't have gone all the way through the piping and into the wall. It just isn't physically possible because of how heavy my ring is. We eventually say goodnight to Emily and Tim, I fall into bed, not wanting to think or feel anymore, and Zac stays up looking. I fell asleep at 2 am. Zac stayed up until 4:30 am looking and trying all sorts of experiments on the bathroom sink but to no avail.

We wake up at noon, with church starting in half an hour. Needless to say, we were unsure if we wanted to go to church, feeling grumpy and tired. But I hopped in the shower, Zac got dressed, and we flew out the door.

In church we were reminded it was fast and testimony meeting, so I immediately opened my fast with the hope of finding my ring. Church was amazing, btw. :] Then we came home, exhausted.

Zac heated up some left over pizza for himself in the oven, while I warmed mine up in the microwave. We both weren't paying each other much attention then all of a sudden...

"CHELSEA, LOOK."

I turned and saw my adorable husband holding my engagement ring!

IT WAS IN THE OVEN MIT HE USED FOR HIS PIZZA.

HOLY COW.

I stood in shock, mouth hanging open, and let out a small sob. Zac pulled me into his arms. Pure happiness right then. :]

Conclusion: While I was taking my muffins out of the oven, the ring slipped off into the oven mit.

Case closed.

[SCENE BREAK]
Now onto happier things, yeah?
Our home is currently getting more festive...

PANDA HAT

CHRISTMAS TREE

COLORFUL MAGNETS

See my Scariest Costume Award? :]

NEW LOVELY GREEN TABLECLOTH

and...

BERT CAME BACK

For those of you who don't know Bert...here you go...

Poor Bert

:[