seriously. i'm on cloud nine.

It's pretty crazy that today is supposed to be my last day on earth...but I'm making the best of it. Laundry, lounging in pajamas, hearing Zac and Josh fight each other in Street Fighter, and watching tons of Netflix. :)
I never thought this semester would end! Ah! But here we are! 19 credits, Women of Faith, my brother going on his mission, KCACTF, TA business, and lots of auditions/writing projects.
Realization that I just have one more semester until graduation is a beautiful and terrifying experience. Next semester is looking pretty flipping sweet: Working backstage for Phantom of the Opera, KCACTF in LA in February, acting in Gone Missing and The Cleverest Thief (end of February-early March), acting in Wrinkle in Time (end of April-May), Playwriting 3 and Writing Fiction classes, and graduation April 26th-27th. My heart is so full. I thought I'd share with you some highlights from the semester and some awesome news (if you feel so inclined to suffer through all of these awesome pictures, you'll find out my good news :])!

Final Makeup Adventures

My awesome makeup partner, Sheridan, did this fantastic eel makeup for her final!

I did this adorable lion makeup on Sheridan for my final! 7:30am-10:30am. BAM.

I am so happy to know her. :)

Elder Poplin Serving in Boise, Idaho and Oregon (!!!!)

Women of Faith (pictures borrowed from Jennifer Chandler and Shutter Slapped Photography)

(I feel that a more in depth post about Women of Faith will happen--Perhaps while I'm in Arizona and California for Christmas break!)

Congrats! You made it through all of the pictures. :) Now for some good news!

I just found out today the ten minute play I submitted for KCACTF (Kennedy Center American Collegiate Theatre Festival) has been selected as one of the six plays from region VIII to attend festival next February! I'll be going to LA for a week (Feb 12-17) to hold auditions for my show, cast it, and then rehearse it. It will be read for a panel of professional playwrights on that Saturday and I'll get feedback from them. I will also be attending tons of playwriting workshops--to help my craft mature accordingly. Basically, my career is taking a much needed step forward and I couldn't be more excited!

Ah. Contented sigh. Heavenly Father knows what's up. Now just need to clean the apartment, finish laundry, pack, and fly out to our families on Sunday night! Hooray for family and Christmas and blessings. :)

BEST SENIOR YEAR EVER

You guys.
This semester hasn't killed me yet!
Can you believe it's already November? I for one, cannot. Just two weeks and three days until Thanksgiving Break and I'm so pumped!
Quick rundown of my life right now: 5-6 hours of sleep every night, classes anywhere from 8am-5pm, auditions, callbacks, rehearsals, makeup help backstage, stage crew shenanigans, kicking butt and taking names with my TA awesomeness, homework all over the place, and a very dirty apartment.
That's me, every single day. On Tuesday, I was on campus from 7:45am until MIDNIGHT. Not kidding, people. But goodness, I couldn't ask for a more theatre filled senior year. :)

\\Good News//

I'm in BYU's main stage A Wrinkle in Time! It goes up next spring, after I'm graduated. Rehearsals start next Wednesday.
My brother goes into the MTC for his mission this Wednesday. He'll be serving in Boise, Idaho! He gets here Monday. I haven't seen him since getting married (so about a year and four months) and I'll have to say goodbye two days later. And not see him for two more years. Good vibes and thoughts would be lovely for him and myself. :)
I submitted a ten minute and one-act play for KCACTF (Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival) two weeks ago! I may write a whole new, full length play before December 1st for it as well, but may just wait until next year.
A student sent me an email two days ago. At the end of his email he said, "Thanks for your work as a TA. You're one of the best TA's I've ever had." !!!!!!! AH. Life complete. :)

Awesome zombie makeup.

I did a stylized adorable Halloween makeup! It's supposed to like a pumpkin sitting outside your door. :)

We have a script for Women of Faith! Being a devised piece, this is a wonderful accomplishment, seeing as we got it done in one week.

Opera Awesomeness!

Backstage is where I live.

Wicked cool Waldo Zombie makeup. Hooray Halloween!

She is the best ever. For more insight into her Halloween costume, go watch this rad video.

a family recipe (i love you grandma)

Sometimes, school starts and you love it. Sometimes, you get to work two shows in one semester and you're pumped. Sometimes, you get offered new theatre//acting opportunities after heartfelt prayers the night before wondering if you'll ever be a part of theatre again. ;] Sometimes, you get to workshop new plays and imagine what you can create. Sometimes, you finally get into the dinosaur class you've wanted for three years and laugh the whole period. Sometimes, you cry because the house is so messy and then clean it with tears on your cheeks. Sometimes, you wipe away the tears and make a dinner that is close to your heart. Sometimes, things just work out and you can smile.

This is a family recipe, one that my Grandmother passed down to my Mother who passed it down to me.

Ingredients

1 lb of ground beef

1 can of Cream of Mushroom

1/2-Whole Onion

Milk

Salt//Pepper

Garlic Powder

(Not in original, added by me!)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

Mince onion as small as possible.

(Note--I didn't chop mine up so small. I wanted my onions chunky :])

Flavor ground beef with salt//pepper//garlic powder. Be generous!

Add in onion and roll into patties.

(1 in thick and about 3 in wide)

Heat up pan with a light coating of vegetable oil.

Cook patties until almost done.

Clean out pan once the patties are almost done.

Stir one can of Cream of Mushroom and half a can of milk together.

Dump the mixture into the clean pan.

Bake all of it (with a lid!) for half an hour in the oven.

Get ready for something so full of love, you can't speak.

I love you, Grandma.

bumblebee chelsea (part one)

Sunday evening through this morning was magical. Zac and I got to spend time with his family, who we haven’t seen in about a year. They drove up from California and stayed with a family friend in Syracuse while visiting us. Zac’s four year old brother, Ian, was so excited to see us. He couldn’t stop saying “Zac and…Chelsea!” His little lisp when he says my name just about broke my heart. By the end of their stay, he was calling me “Bumblebee Chelsea.”
Hugging Danielle, Marc, and Amer when they first arrived was so wonderful. Laughs were shared and memories made. Marc made us his famous Sunday breakfast dinner, we played Apples to Apples, and we sat under summer trees watching Ian run about our quad’s playground. We saw The Lorax at the dollar theatre and had an Outback dinner. Amer and I got pedicures together, watching the beach volleyball Olympics. And we had dinner last night with the Latham’s in Syracuse (yummy kfc haha). Zac and I had a super soaker fight, rode an airplane, and I clucked at the chickens. Then we had game after game of volleyball. I may or may not have hit the ball over the fence several times... haha Most fun I’ve had in a long time! We got back into Provo last night around midnight or so and they camped out in our small Wymount living room. We hugged them goodbye this morning as they pulled out of our parking lot.

I’m one lucky girl having married into such an awesome family!

:]

Part Two coming soon!

(more pictures haha)

one year anniversary...pt 2

When you have your sweetheart...

You can be yourself.

You can laugh.

You can cry.

You can hug.

You can eat good food.

You can frolic.

You can watch Brave.

You can hold.

You can comfort.

You can be there for him//her.

I love my sweetheart.

He did all of this with me today.

Today we celebrated our first year of marriage.

We also had a huge emotional surprise--one I'll never forget.

You're in my prayers, Daddy.