A Little Jr. Miss Story

Clark thinks he's funny sometimes. I was crossing my fingers, praying that Hannah would win Jr. Miss. I had been texting my brother to tell me about the awards and if she won. All of the sudden, I receive a text saying SHE WON!!!!!!!!! SHE WON!!!!!!!!!!!. I proceed to call my brother and I get an answering machine saying, "hello? hello? if you haven't figured out by now this is my voice mail leave me a message!" The voice on the other end was not my brothers. It was my niece's. My devious husband had changed my niece's name in my phone to my brother's. I got my hopes up for nothing. I then proceeded to be mad at him for 10ish minutes and I then receive another text saying Hannah won! I turn to Clark and say calmly, "Really? She did! This isn't funny anymore!" He replies, "She really did Brynne! Aren't you so happy!?" It took me a while to really get excited but then I called my brother's real number and confirmed it and now I'm more excited than ever. My cousin (McKayla) and one of our great family friends (Hannah) are both going to State Jr. Miss. This gives two really good reasons to skip school in October and go!

PS... Here's a little bragging sidenote. My mom was Laken's (the recent Jr Miss) hostess and she was Hannah's (the new Jr. Miss). Saturday night, two Preston parents asked her to be their daughter's hostess too. Lance Hemsley (Laken's Dad) came up to her and said, "I'll be your agent, we can go big!" She is very modest and says to everyone, "It's not me! It's 17 years of parenting that create these talented and confident girls!" I think she is right about that but I also think she knows how to polish and fix the little details perfectly. She is one great lady that sacrifices a lot of time to help others. I hope I can be as wonderful and talented as she is someday.

The Sunday Blues

When I was growing up in the Cook house on most given Sunday evenings you could hear my mom say... "I have the Sunday Blues." What are these you ask? They are a disease, a curse, a blessing, a longing, etc. etc. My mom passed these blues to me. These are the blues you get when the excitement of Friday night is over, the catching up on everything on Saturday is finished and when Church is done for the day, dinner has been cleaned up, the muddy buddies have been eaten and you're finishing your movie with your family and getting ready to go to bed. These are the blues you get when you realize Monday is coming faster than you know and you will have to leave your comfy home and fun family and venture out to school again. I had a bad case of these blues last night.

Friday night, Clark and I drove to watch Hannah in Jr. Miss Dress Rehearsal and she was beautiful. Her talent was so good, she walked and talked perfectly and above all we knew she was a great girl with a positive/sweet personality and a strong testimony. We wanted her to win! After Dress Rehearsal, we went to my parents house and chatted and watched a Psych episode until 1 AM! Poor Clark drove us home and let me sleep most of the way. I love how he takes care of me.

Saturday morning, Clark had to work. I selpt in. We went to breakfast with Brooke. Then we drove to NSL where I met Claudia, Jayleen, Aspen and Brielle and we went to a shower for our cousin-in-law Katie. The theme was popcorn with the saying "she popped!" She had the baby earlier than expected, hence the "she popped" and not "she's going to pop!". It was darling and the baby was so tiny and sweet with beautiful olive skin. Meanwhile, Clark was rock climbing with his big bro Dave. We met back at the Evans residence to celebrate Dave and Aspen's birthday's with Mandrin food. It was so delicious. Then we stayed up chatting and laughing a lot.

Sunday, we went to church, ate, napped and drove home. When Clark and I got home we unpacked and watched a show and that's when the Sunday blues hit hard. I started crying. I know... I'm pathetic. I know it's cliche but I sincerely don't like Monday's. They are really hard for me to get through. The thought of going to work, school, doing homework and taking care of the details of my life just bombards my thoughts and I stress out a little.

I have found a good cure though: a good night's sleep + a run on Monday morning + saying over and over, "Friday is in 4 more days." These things can get you through any Manic Monday.

Five Favorites Friday!

So here are 5 things I'm lovin' on today...

#1-

I'm lovin'...the thought of being a college graduate in 22 days! It's a life long goal that is finally being accomplished. I cannot believe I will have my degree in less than a month. It is so surreal to me. It's bittersweet but definitely more sweet than bitter! Oh and Clark suprised me with a graduation trip a few nights ago. He booked a B&B in McCall, Idaho. It is right by a lake with a bike trail so we are going to hike, fish, bike and sleep!!! I am so excited to go have a little adventure/road trip with him!

#2-

I'm lovin'... that I get to see this cute girl perform in the Distinguished Young Women Program (Jr.Miss) tonight. I only get to see the dress rehearsal but I'm so excited for her. By the way, this is Hannah. This picture was taken one year at state basketball. My mom asked her to come be our nanny and in return we would take her to the games and to stay in a fun hotel. She was happy to do it and tended a billion of my cousins and was still happy by the end. She is one of the most pleasant and genuine girls I know and I'm really plugging for her to win so she can have a fun state experience with my cousin McKayla!

#3-

I'm lovin'... the fact that in 3 hours I will be headed home to Clifton for the evening to hang out with these people. And I absolutely love this picture minus the fact that Clark isn't in it. I don't know why he isn't but I love it. They are the best!

#4-
I'm lovin'... that on Saturday I get to see my in-law's and go to a baby shower for my cousin-in-law's sweet little girl. We also get to celebrate Dave and Aspen's Birthday with Chinese food from The Madrin and some Michael Jackson Dance Experience on the Wii. It's fun having older siblings.

#5-

I'm lovin'... that Becca, Brooke and I bought tickets and are going to an Ingrid Michaelson concert in JUNE!!!!! I gotta start memorizing all the songs now so I can sing the whole entire time! It is going to be one extreme Girls Night Out!

True Blues...

So... I'm a little sentimental sometimes and I considered not writing this but I want to talk about some people who have made my life a little easier and a lot better. I call them my true blues, no they aren't my family (although I love my family). They are some of the best people I know and they are true friends.

When I was in high school, I didn't have the best experience a girl could have with friends. I know a lot of girls have this same experience. People can be mean and interpret who you are trying to be as someone you're not trying to be (hope you get my drift). This post is for the girls out there who don't feel like they have anyone. Guess what, YOU DO! Somewhere in this world there is a true blue friend out there whose mind, goals and spirit resonate with yours. You will find them, it may not be when you want, but they are there. So, here are mine, in no particular order.

1- Wyatt and Korby

                                          

These two guys saved my life my senior year. I had an extreme case of SENIORITIS. I needed some friends and here they were.

Wyatt and I ate our sack lunches in the hall together almost everyday of high school. We would write notes during class about the most random things you could think of and he truly is one of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met.
Korby came with Wyatt. He played basketball with JD and became good friends with him too. The best thing about Korb was he was willing to do whatever crazy thing I had concocted in my mind whether it was hanging out at the edifice at the cemetery or eating cinnamon roll after cinnamon roll at my house, he was always there.

The thing I loved the most about hanging out with these two is that they were nice and easy to be with. We never argued and if we did it was always about something dumb. We truly enjoyed each other's company and we supported each other in everything. We all had the same standards and helped each other live up to them too. And every time we got in a car to go somewhere we would turn up "Hands Down" by Dashboard Confessional and sing it as loud as we could. I'll always be grateful for these two guys. They are the best. They both are on missions right now. GO Wy and Korb!

2- Camden

 This guy was really meant to be my brother. He is one of the best guys you'll meet. I told Camden when we were little he had to take me on my first date because our birthdays we're together. Well guess what... he kept his promise and took me on my very first date. We dressed as cowboy's and rode in a covered wagon with a bunch of other people to a camp fire. It was the funnest most unique first date ever.

Camden was in my ward all growing up and I always enjoyed his company but as we grew older I loved being Camden's friend. He was nice and respectful and he knew how to have a good time. Life was never dull if you were doing something with Cam. Oh and he's a dang good cook. He lived down the street from me when we came to USU and I would make sure to check in with him to see if he was making something tasty that day. Bottom line... this guy is great. He's always treated me like a sister and been the best to me and because of that he is a TRUE BLUE. (He's on a mission now too. Go CAM!)

3- Becca 

I love this girl. We met at State Jr Miss. She was Aberdeen's I was Franklin County's. We had the same host family and were rooming together. One night at state, I got icy hot in my eye and we became instant friends. Our friendship has always been a long distance one. As I said, she lived in Aberdeen. I lived in Clifton. During high school, we would set each other up on dates and enjoyed all the boys West Side and Aberdeen had to offer. I made a lot of fun friends doing this. We would go to each others plays, Jr Misses, Proms and even grandparents funerals. College came and so did all the decisions. I decided to go to USU and she decided to go to BYU. She soon found a boyfriend and got engaged and so did I. We both got married the summer after our freshman year and we kept in touch. Now, I'm staying at USU for Grad School and she's going to Texas to help her husband start a business and finish her schooling.

Becca and I are kindred spirits. We have had many similar experiences and I have truly learned and grown from being friends with her. No matter how far we are, we can talk on the phone, have a conversation and pick up right where we left off. She is my true blue because she has always been there when I've needed a friend most.

4- Brooke

This, my friends, is Brooke Elise Rice. I met her here at USU. She is in my major and just this year we have become great instant friends. I have never clicked with someone so fast. We spend almost every day with each other and even finish each others sentences. Brooke is an amazing person and I look to her for advice and example every single day. She is high class and so much fun to be with. She is willing to do crazy things, like pick up and go on a road trip in one day's notice, and I love that about her. She listens. She talks a lot. She is hilarious. She has high standards. She is a hard worker. She is brilliant. She is one of my BEST FRIENDS. Some lucky guy is going to snatch her away from me one day. Brooke has seen me at my best and seen me at my worst and still likes me through it all. That is what a true blue is supposed to be.

5- Clark Saville

Ya, you might think this is mushy but this guy is my truest and bluest. I'm so glad I found him. He is all my other true blues packed into one. He is the entire package! I love him so much and am grateful everyday for who he is for me and what we have together.

I know my list is short, but if you have these six people and your family in your life, you don't need anyone else!