Last Week of Freedom

Where to begin. First off, since i've began blogging more regularly about a year ago, my journal writing has suffered. I've written every day in my journal since the end of 9th grade. That hasn't changed. but what has changed is how well i write in it. My blog has become my journal of sorts. a lot of time i'll put a lot of detail into my blog and then when it comes to writing it in my journal I am extremely vague. I think it should probably be the other way around.....? So this year, i think i am going to work on this. I am still going to blog.... not because a lot of people read it or because it keeps my family updated on my life, etc.
But, because i honestly enjoy it. I'm a memory keeper. It's a part of the definition of Brianna. I think i've always been a very sentimental kind of girl and one of the most important things i have are memories. I hate goodbyes {and change [which is one reason Obama and i could never be friends....]}and writing things down and taking pictures help me hang on to those memories for forever. {there really is no better major for me than photography} Blogging just happens to be a way to keep them.
I want to print my blog into a book. I've heard of people doing that, but i don't know where to look. And i don't have a lot of money. {Ya know, because i'm going to germany! :D}

That was probably too long of an explanation, but, that's what i'm going to try for.

This past week has been a great one. It has gone by in the blink of an eye and for that, I am really sad. Christmas break was 3 weeks. Much has happened, i've had some great times, and tons of memories were made.

But as they say {whoever "they" are} "all good things come to an end" which is a statement i would like to prove very wrong someday. In fact, i WILL prove that wrong someday.

next item.

It's about this kid.

Is this not a handsome picture of him?

It seems that everyone has been asking me about "who Taylor is" lately {which i guess is a natural question} so I will tell you a little about this amazing man named Taylor.

I met Taylor the summer after i graduated high school. He was my new boss at work. And by far the most favorite boss I've ever had.

anyways, we gradually became really great friends over the next year. And now a year and a half later, I'd consider him one the best and greatest friends i've ever had and probably ever will have. When I'm in Logan we talk everyday on the phone. Usually for the time of hours, not minutes. Which always interferes with the recommended 8 hours of sleep i'm supposed to get, but I'm used to it now. When I'm home in Orem I'm pretty sure i take up most of his free time that he's not working and still talk on the phone the other times but i don't think he minds. And when none of those 2 are happening, we're usually texting. Thank heavens for unlimited texting.


Random facts about Taylor that I find interesting-

• He despises the taste of lemon in his water. At restaurants where you get your own water out of the pop machine, he'll let the water run for a good 20 seconds before filling up his cup because the water thing is always with the lemonade. 
• He's a horn honker in his car. He literally will honk for fun because he likes the sound of it. I always get embarrassed. 
• He loves his mom more than anyone i've ever met. Not kidding you. It's something I admire greatly about him. And his mom is darling. I am a fan of her too. He has what he calls "mommy and me day" with her once a week or so. {p.s. it's quite entertaining to see them watch judge judy together}
• you will never see his feet. In the year and a half I'v known him I've never seen them. And he assures me that I probably never will {don't worry, i will one day. It's a goal of mine}. Opposite of me. If i don't need shoes, i don't wear them. 
• He served his mission in Toronto Canada and is beyond faithful to that country. Canada is brought up far to often in our conversations and I think that i may be able to sing you their National Anthem. yes, all 4 verses. I'm pretty sure if this kid ever got a tattoo, it'd be the red maple leaf. 
• He has funny phrases that are 100 percent unique to him and loves to annoy me by answering my questions with questions of his own. And i catch myself saying them every once in a while.
• his favorite ice cream is Huckleberry. Which i got lucky and bought that one time cause it sounded good and then when i offered him some he got excited because it was his favorite. 
• He sings all the time and has a great memory when it comes to memorizing things. 
• Dr Pepper and french fries are his cravings. guess what? Those are mine too. 
• His favorite color is purple. And anything that is purple becomes his interest for that moment. Doesn't matter what it is. I've seen it from cars, to ugly dresses, to towels, to him talking about how he'd make the sky and grass purple if he could. 
• His car always smells so good. Like a mixture of his cologne {acqua di gio [yes, i do know this]} and air freshener from his {purple} air freshener owl thing in his car. I don't know how he keeps the smell. I feel like my car's air freshener lasts all but 2 weeks. if i'm lucky. He must be talented. 
• That i hardly ever take pictures of the things we do. My mom asked me why that is and i said "I have no idea. I think he just distracts me." {Taylor: we're going to work on this.}

Anyways, there's some info about this Taylor guy that I seem to talk/blog/think about a lot. The only other thing I'll say is about how happy I am when I'm with him And how sad I am when i have to say bye at the end of a date or night or when heading back to Logan. Except, Goodbye is not really what i should say in any of those cases because within about 2 minutes of him leaving or me leaving, my phone rings and it's him. Without fail. I love it. {the one time this didn't happen i thought he'd been in a serious accident and died a tragic death}

Anyways, I won't bore you with more about that. Although i could write a 200+ page book about it. haha But best stuff is going in my real journal. Because it's what means more to me. So, at 2am the morning i go back to Logan, i bid ado. 

p.s. Ashleigh and I finally got a taste of Louisiana at Bucket o' crawfish. 

we're secretely models because we are just
 that attractive in pictures like this. 

Next post will undoubtedly be about school. Sorry...

Taylor's Half Birthday Adventures

I like half birthdays. I think they're fun. Fun to surprise people too!

Taylor had no idea it was his half birthday. That is, until the waitress at Milagros brought out his meal on two plates. half on one, half on another. :D


I'll just give the quick version of what we did. no need to bore you with the exciting details of the day. :P

First i collaborated with his sweet mom to make part of this work, then we fed the ducks. Got Dr. Peppers, Bought ring tones for his new iphone, went through the car wash, picked up a treasure chest, went to the provo temple, reminisced about lots and lots of memories, more DP, Half a cake, his mom helped me sing happy half birthday, drove around orem a bit, visited his mom at work, FYE, went to temple square and saw the lights, good conversations, JB's restaurant, more lights, free six dollar parking, Denny's milkshake/smoothie, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc. etc.

I really enjoyed the whole day! 11 am to 1 am! new record? sadly no, but still a really good day filled with one of my favorite personages ever! here are a few pictures of things throughout the day. I didn't take that many because Taylor doesn't really like getting his picture taken candidly. I know, i don't know how we survive together. Most of the people i'm with a lot probably feel like i'm the paparazzi because i take so many pictures of them. But not Taylor, he's some what camera shy. haha you can probably tell in these few pictures that he doesn't really enjoy it. Thanks Tay for being a good sport... sometimes. ;) And thanks for letting me surprise you and not trying to figure out what was going on before i told you. :D  {and for guessing the color right.... again! I don't get how you do it! so please tell me! :D}

they put a fence up around our ducks!!
and they wouldn't fly over it. :(
it was funny to watch them slide on
the ice of the pond chasing the bread. 

half a cake, for a half birthday. :D
you can't really tell, but the candle in the
middle is only a half. :D

the cake before i cut it in half.  

memory chest.
yes, i did watch 5 youtube videos on how to make
this kind of bow. I feel as if it turned out well....
for having to use super glue instead of wire..... :D

temple square. love the random guy in it with us. 

Well, there's some of the day. It really was a fantastic day. I'd do it over again if i could. :D

Christmas Post

you know, it's hard to keep a blog going when you worked 40 hours in a week. Among other things....


Anyways, Christmas this year was different. Mainly because the weather felt more like fall or spring and there was absolutely no cold, white, fluffy, stuff on the ground. Which was some major disappointment for me. I have no idea how people can feel like it's Christmas every year that live in places where it never snows. It was just a really bizarre experience to wake up to a bright sunny day.

But, I can say that I honestly really really miss Christmas as a kid. When my parents played Santa and the stairs were blocked off to go downstairs to the living room so we couldn't peak, and the elaborate displays of our plates {we have plates instead of stockings. always have. It's a German culture thing that my grandma did in her family and passed it down}, etc. it was so so fun to wake up at 5 am and be so excited to see what i got for Christmas. Now, i pretty much know what I'm getting. I think Christmas is better when there are kids present. I'm excited for Ashleigh's baby to be big enough to know what's going on.

But, I have good news.

You know how I love pearls? And how they've been on my wish list to own a pair of real ones for like 5 years? Well, they're no longer on my wish list because that's what Taylor got me for Christmas! *big smiles* He is such a winner! I love them. :D

aren't they BEAUTIFUL!?
they even came in a pretty box! He did good. :) 

We were at a store looking at jewelry randomly one day and I was making googly eyes at the pearl earrings. Anyways, he bought the EXACT pair that i had fell in love with that day. I had no idea how very much he pays attention to things I say and do until yesterday. It was happy. He also bought me this knitted headband that i liked one day at a different store, and bought me a really cute picture frame! I told him i'd probably put a picture of us in it and he said, "good, i was hoping you would!" Do you people reading this realize how much i love picture frames? i own like 50+. I'd say that Taylor knows me pretty well. haha. Oh, and thank you to Taylor's mom for wrapping them because his least favorite part of Christmas is "wrapping  the sides of presents." haha i laughed really hard when he told me that.


I wrapped one of the things i got for Taylor in a ton of different sized boxes. all of them were wrapped individually.  It was great. Quinton helped me with it. He's good at that sort of thing.

the last part of him opening the many boxed gift.
It was a CTR ring. Because he doesn't own one. But now he does. :D 

This was the first Christmas in a long long long long long time that i didn't get to spend it with my Grandma and Grandpa Cobb. It made me really sad. But I did talk to them on the phone for nearly an hour. :D I love them. I can't wait till they move here! {hopefully this summer!}

and here are a few random pictures from Christmas.

Grandma Cobb gives all her grandsons a
new bathroom reader book for Christmas.
Nathan even got one. I guess he's officially
welcomed to the family now. haha

he loved the book ash got him. re-gifted
from a white elephant trade.

fam picture in front of the tree after church.
{minus ash.} My hair was having a trial.

We're practicing posing for awkward fam photo.com.
I think we finally captured one worthy enough. 

ems opening something. Kandi smelling for Chocolate. 

look at the snazzy socks my dad got from grandma cobb.

In other news, it's one month till my 20th  birthday! Taylor reminded me of this just a few seconds ago. :D sorry it isn't really that much of an update of what i've been doing lately. 

p.s. Taylor says "hello" to all my blogger readers

Since I've been home.

My life is rather ordinary at home.
There is not that much going on round these parts.
well. For me.
you see,
I have worked 8 hours every day this week.
and my feet are hurting me,
but
i'll have a nice pay check.


so here's a bulleted list {because i'm real good at them} of things i've done since i've been home

• Em's band concert
• ear wax candle with taylor {weirdest experience of my life}
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir Concert
• gateway mall
• Church
• Dinner with grandma and grandpa Dickerson
• walmart mouth wash run to Walmart with Taylor
• brought my pregnant sister Huckleberry Icecream
• Dressed Elmo up with Taylor.
• Slept in several days
• Long phone conversations
• lunch with Betsy
• work
• work
• work
• work
• work
• made rice a roni
• laundry
• thought about going on a run
• took my fingernail polish off
• missed my down comforter and electric blanket every night.
• wrapped presents
• snuggled with my puppy, Kandi.
• etc.

ta ta

The most Christmas decorated house i've ever been too!

Allison and I went to Brigham City on Sunday to visit her grandparents. And her grandma is crazy when it comes to Christmas decorating! I have never, ever, ever in all my life seen anything like it. Al told me that i should prepare myself for it. yeah, i had no idea. here are the pictures i took. {which does not do it justice in the very very very very least. this MAYBE covers 1/3 of it. MAYBE. but you can't even see the details of any of it.}

looney toones tree.

i swear, every one of the ornaments does something cool. they're not just sit there look pretty stuff.

the Disney tree.

full of Christmas stuffs.

why yes, that is special Christmas toilet paper. 

have you ever seen a bathroom this decorated??

cute lil allison.

 she had her whole bedroom decorated too. but i figured no one wants pictures inside their bedroom taken....

also, she makes these extraordinarily elaborate dollhouses her self. and they all sport Christmas decorations as well. Allison said she changes the decorations in the dollhouses for different holidays. She had an entire bedroom full of this dollhouse village!

this is ONE tiny little room inside ONE of the doll houses. look at how incredibly detailed it is! and ever room is like this! 

here you can see a little of the village.

even has a green house with real dirt!

love the wrap around porch. :D

and a school house.

and a barn. WITH A REALLY COOL SADDLE! :D

i didn't take any more pictures after this because i felt embarrassed to take more.

but you get the idea. I can't imagine how long it would have taken for all the set up! i'm exhausted just thinking about it.


Well, i'm off to bed.

but i finished a present tonight! One that i spent a lot of time on and is really neat. :D