life right now.

time seriously flies. since when is my brother 18 and leaving on a mission in less than two months? and my baby sister is starting high school in a couple weeks? and we've been in living in germany for a solid eight years. WHAT. this isn't real life.

but it is. and i love how life just has a way of working out. it may feel like a total and complete mess in the moment, but you look back and every thing just fits so perfectly into place it's unreal. so, a lot has happened this year. and a lot of it has been scary and kind of nerve racking, but i'm grateful for all of it.

so, quick update.
i go to school at byu. and i really love it. the school is absolutely wonderful and i've made some of the greatest friends and i feel truly blessed. i got stranded at the denver airport and had some amazing friends rescue me. it's so great knowing people all over the world. my family signed up for 3 more years in germany. what's up, 2016?! i got a smartphone. how did i live without one for so long? i went to a taylor swift concert with my best friend and it was possibly one of the greatest nights. ever. check that one off the bucket list. i don't drink soda anymore. and it feels prettttty great. some of my best high school friends are back from missions now. can't wait to see them. cousins are home too! and that's pretty awesome. i was a nursery leader in my ward. legit snack time at church? it doesn't get better than that. i'm officially a communication disorders major. super stoked about that! i'm rooming with one of my best friends this fall and it's going to be awesome. and i just got back to germany for a quick visit and i'm loving every second of it. seriously. it's the best.

and that's my life right now. i love it.

it's been a while

since my last post.....

my baby brother went to his senior homecoming. 

(so this was actually a while ago...but i just had to share.)

also, as you can see, my baby brother isn't exactly a baby anymore.

not really sure when that happened. 

thanksgivng, a.k.a my favorite holiday, has already come and gone.

(hey, time, i think you should slow down.)

why do i love thanksgiving?

because not only do you get to eat  to your little heart's conent, 

but these chocolate turkeys are something i look forward to every year.

and i think it's just plain wonderful to have a day devoted to being thankful.

first christmas market of the season: bernkastel-kues!

usually when we go to these things it feels like antartica outside and it's just downright miserable.

but this day was 50 degress. ALL. DAY. with no wind. the sun may have even made a rare appearance.

and if you've ever spent any time in germany...you know that this happens pretty much never.

especially in late november. so you can imagine our excitement. 

good friends, good flammkuchen, giant advent calendar, four glasses of kinderpunsch--

the makings of a lovely day.

life is pretty grand right now.

things like this just make me giggle.

i saw this on facebook the other day and just had to share. don't get me wrong--i'm all for romney. but this is just genius.

what makes me, me

I have sometimes red hair and blue eyes.

I like having my hair in a bun with bangs on my forehead.

When I find an outfit that I love, I wear it until I can’t stand it anymore.

I don’t make good first impressions. Or second…or third….

Dark chocolates are my favorite.

I watch a lot of tv.

I’m not a last minute person. I make plans.

I love birthdays.

Playing the piano is my escape.

I don’t like feet or driving with the windows down.

I’m in love with the snow.

I'm about as clumsy as it gets. You have no idea.

I wear a lot of gray and black. No, I’m not depressed.

I get really grumpy when I’m hungry.

I’m pretty sure I have diet coke running through my veins.

I’m Mormon. And I love it.

Popcorn and cereal are staples in my diet.

I can relate almost anything to a Friends episode.

My goal is to fill my passport. I’m going to see this world.

last sunday was wonderful and lovely and just perfect.

last sunday president monson was in frankfurt. and for those of you that don't know, that's only about an hour and a half from where i live. he was holding a special conference for german members and my ward got their hands on some tickets, and i was one of the few lucky ones who got to attend. and it was perfect.

we woke up at o'dark thirty and made our way to the netto, the meeting point for all things church. we got our tickets and were on our way. (my best friend emily and her mom also got tickets to go, so that was pretty darn awesome, and i rode up with them.) we got to the place a little early and waited in line. once they let everyone in, we found an amazing seat and played a little hangman. very mature, i know.

when president monson walked in that room, everyone stood but i felt like the spirit was going to knock me over. i could hardly sing the words to 'we thank thee, o God, for a prophet'. partly because it was in german, but mostly because, if you ask me, being in the same room as a living prophet is a little overwhelming. having lived in salt lake for the past two years and attending conference and christmas devotionals, it wasn't the first time i'd seen president monson. but watching the faces of the german members, knowing that this would probably be one of the only times they would see him, was just so beautiful. the lady next to me couldn't hold in her tears. president monson spoke of many beautiful things, my favorite being the idea that 'love is the catalyst for change.' i took notes the whole time and they are already notes that i will cherish for always.

after the conference, we drove to the frankfurt temple. i'm very partial to this temple--it's my favorite. it's the temple i grew up with, and it holds a very special place in my heart. (plus, the most delicious chinese restaurant you will ever go to is right down the street. but that's besides the point.) we walked around the grounds and took pictures and enjoyed the gorgeous grounds. we start walking back down the stairs when the doors of the temple open. temple? open? on a sunday? something was up. and out walks president monson and we just stop. we make our way back up the stairs as some german ladies make their way to him to shake his hand. we weren't quite sure what to do, so we didn't have the courage to go shake his hand. but just seeing him there was the perfect ending to the day. my heart was full.

President Monson!

Frankfrut Temple.

we also wore the same outfit. not planned. people noticed.

hi, my name's amanda and i'm a swiftie.

the first thing i did monday morning--even before i got out of bed--was buy taylor swift's new album. and let me just say it was the best 14.99 i've spent in, like, forever. and it's been on repeat all week long.  it's catchy and classy and just all around amazing. there isn't a song of hers, on any of her cds, that i don't like. they're all so good. the songs are so easy to relate to that i'm pretty sure she's watched a movie of my life and put it into songs. 

someone once said to me that when people look back on our generation there won't be any really memorable musicians like there are from, say, the eighties. well, i think they were wrong. because i'm pretty sure tswizzle is pretty memorable. her and michael buble, of course. so go listen to red. it's wonderful.

"what a shame, for i dearly love to laugh."

someone please explain to me how tonight was the first time i ever watched pride and prejudice? the words, the setting, the story, the everything was so lovely i can hardly stand it. i always wondered why everyone always said they wanted a mr. darcy, but now i completely understand. it's probably because he's an eighteen hundred's equivalent of a prince charming. and elizabeth bennet is kind of amazing too. her values and intelligence are refreshing. her wit is classy. and i kind of want to be just like her.

i foresee many nights of falling asleep to this gem of a show in the future. because it was just that good.