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.

things i'm lovin

lately...

it was always on at nine, and seeing as how i could never stay awake

 to actually finish an episode,

i just stopped watching. it's more fun to watch them 

in a matter of three days, anyways. right?

seriously, such a good song. all of their songs are wonderful.

it's new discovery that i like dark chocolate.

i'm just upset it took this long to figure it out,

because i've been missing out.

still haven't quite made it all the way through--but what i have seen is

absolutely wonderful and lovely in every possible way, as always.

so classy. you just can't go wrong with harrison ford. 

just a little thought for your sunday

"There is power in our love for God and for His children, and when that love is tangibly manifest in millions of acts of Christian kindness, it will sweeten and nourish the world with the life-sustaining nectar of faith, hope, and charity." -M. Russel Ballard

general conference is kind of the best. so many inspiring talks that just make you want to be and do better in your life. find out for yourself, here! i promise you won't regret it. 

prague prague prague

i'll just say that prague was absolutely lovely. i think the pictures and quotes speak for themselves. czech them out! (there was some serious overuse of this joke on this trip. and it was wonderful.)

just a church made of bones. human bones. no big deal.

windy.

rainy view of the city from the castle.

john lennon wall.

my cute sister.

leaving my mark.

the gurls at the jewish quarter.

the whole family. plus one. but she might as well be family.

best friends.

hard rock cafe has the best food. and free wi-fi.

mirror pictures. too fun.

we almost lost the room key. not too surprised.

rub for good luck! i'm sure everyone and their brother's dog has touched this.
there was some serious hand sanitizing going down after this.

he'll always be baby brother to me.

oh, and we're pretty quotable too.

"Alison, am I invited to your wedding?" -Emily

"If you're still alive." *insert dirty look here* -Alison

"You realize you just dissed yourself, don't you?" -Dallin

"You know how animals crossbreed? Well if cars did that..." -Dallin

"So, did Bella become a vampire?" -Alison

"But if they all get married, then my life is over!" -Emily

"Hold on. What? Are you okay?" -Me
"I will never be okay!" -Emily
"You're such a girl. I'll never understand them." -Dallin

"Awww, Emilyyy, come talk to Papa Cherringtooon." -Papason

"I put on my paper that you were the smart one in the family..." -Alison

"Ahh! What is this dance? What the footwork?" -Hard Rock Cafe Guy

"Oh, this is just me." -Me

"Hey! Look! It's Amanda's favorite animal. An ass!" -Papason

"Did you stop and pick blueberries? What took so long?" -Papason

"I fell down the hill." -Dallin

"That's where they put the little girls that talk too much." -Me

"Nooooooooo!" -Alison

"I feel funny." –Me (the water was a little sketchy, okay?)

"Stupid girls." -Dallin

"People aren't supposed to bend that way." -Dallin

"I'm flexible. Or so they say." -Emily

"Hey! I'm known for being flexible too!" -Alison

"Uh. By who?" -Dallin
"My gymnastics teacher. You can ask her! If she's still alive. She was old." -Alison

"You know, everyone thinks you're quiet, shy and sweet. Little do they knoww..." -Emily
"Yeah, they're sadly mistaken." -Me

"The world doesn't revolve around you." -Emily
"Yeah, well you don't revolve around the world!" -Alison

"They put a boot on his car?" -Alison

"I feel like I'm back in Rexburg." -Emily

"I was thinking the same thing." -Me

"Does the camel back there have to pee yet?" -Papason
"Noo, and I'm not a camel." -Emily
"You never pee." -Me
"Sally, the camel, has five humps. So, ride, Sally, riiide!" -Mom

this weekend

i'm going to czech out prague. i've been there once before and it wasn't my fave--but i'm excited to czech it out a second time. i've czeched out the weather and i've czeched off everything on my packing list. i'm ready to go! and who knows, maybe there will be cute boys to czech out in the czech. fingers crossed.

i crack myself up.

please and thank you

i just want a jim halpert. is that too much to ask?

deep thoughts of an avid television watcher

i'm just going to come right out and say it- i love tv. i watch a lot of tv. and i'm not even ashamed. 

moving on...

out of the many shows i obsess over, one of my favorites is so you think you can dance. it's one of those shows where you feel sore just watching some of the moves they do. i've been watching it for quite a while now, and every time i watched it i just wondered why i couldn't dance as incredibly as they could. i would become so overwhelmingly jealous and frustrated with myself because i couldn't do those things. lame, right?

last night, we sat down to watch one of the last episodes of this season. and it dawned on me. i'm not jealous that i can't dance like that. i'm not even envious of how fit and in shape they are (okay, maybe just a little but that's besides the point). i'm more jealous that those people have found something that they are truly passionate about--something that i have yet to find for myself. 

i'm out of school for a while. so i have quite a bit of time on my hands.

and i'm going to find what i'm meant to be passionate about.

ready, set, go.  

now, these are some pretty cool kids.

i think this is kind of awesome. a flash mob of primary songs in downtown ktown complete with dancing and flips and just visual happiness. it doesn't get much better than that.

at first i thought about writing something really thought provoking

but then i watched this video. and i about died laughing. so, i'll save my thoughts for another day and instead share this completely stupid yet incredibly hilarious video with you. i'm still laughing. hopefully it makes you smile just as much as it did for me. enjoy!

you gotta love those british artists

they always seem to have some of the most beautiful songs. and this, my friends, is by far one of the most lovely songs i've heard in a while. it's one of those songs where you just want to listen to it and do nothing else. when i found it on youtube, i just sat on my bed and watched planes take off from my window. and i hit repeat about 10 times. sounds kind of lame, but you know what? it felt pretty great just to listen and just be. i'm pretty into that lately, if you can't tell.

'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone 
where you go when you’re alone 
Is where you go to rest your bones 
It’s not just where you lay your head 
It's not just where you make your bed
As long as we’re together, does it matter where we go? 

just a little thought for your sunday

"There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

most of the time i think we over think things, and therefore we just make everything more complicated for ourselves. and sometimes in this race we call life, we just go and go and we fail to realize and appreciate all the simple and beautiful things around us. we become so busy and continuously wrapped up in one activity or another that we don't take time to just be. not only that, but taking time to truly think about what we're doing with our lives gives us a chance to discover what really matters most.  i could keep going, but just go here and learn from the words of an apostle of Christ. i promise you won't be disappointed.

ich liebe es

a wonderful read.

it's actually really good. don't judge me.

3.5 million. 

radioactive. love.

and this lovely pinterest find just makes me smile.

ch-ch-changes

it's taking a lot longer than i thought it would to get used to germany life again. for starters door handles. there are no doorknobs. and actual light switches? forget about it. my feet hurt from the hard tile floors, and the internet is painfully slow. europeans are much more inconsiderate than i remember, and not having air conditioning is exponentially worse than i remember. and it takes at least a half hour to get to the store. oh, and the roads are about as wide as a minivan and a half. but it's a two lane road. scary? yeah, extremely. especially when a city bus whips around that tight corner. my heart races.

but you know what? all of that is oddly enough exactly what i love about this place. not that i love sweating to death in my own house, or having terribly slow internet, or that my feet are killing me at the end of the day, but just the fact that it's different. it's a change from constantly having my phone glued to my fingers and having a walmart less than two minutes away. it's a good change. it's just what i need right now. it's good to be home.

berchtesgaden: round three

berchtesgaden is our favorite, so much so that this was our third trip there. not just because it's arguably one of the prettiest places on earth, but we go with a huge group of families from our ward and we have the best time. the week was complete with lumpia, nertz, constantly trying to connect to facebook, people magazine, naps, movies, reading, sunshine, rain, inconsiderate europeans, and so on. oh, and we took about a million pictures. so here are some of my faves...i hope you're ready for some serious picture overload. ready, set, go!

lumpia is freaking delicious. needless to say, it was a hit.

we cool.

love ice cream cone pictures. 

strawberry gelato. yummm.

oh, you know, just being a velociraptor inside Hitler's old bunker.

photobomb where Hitler's house used to be.

alpine slide. you're never too old.

eagle's nest. easily the most terrifying bus ride of my life.

vati and muti

the 'dallin' pose.

making our dinner of lumpia and chicken adobo. 

he felt sick...?

the tactical shirt. velcro and all.

how presh

love my seestor

jump!