Worth a thousand words...

I haven't blogged in over a week! Shocking! Instead of telling you about my week, I'll give you some pictures.

Not pictured....lots of wrapping of presents. Daily trips to Wal-Mart. Lunch with the ladies. Finishing the book "Up in the Air" which I decided I didn't like. Winning the title of Shaker Box Champ for the second year in a row (Jeff wraps a present we can shake and if we guess what is in it, we win a gift card....this year it was 7 whistles for our emergency 72 hour kits). And lots of tormenting my siblings and mom. They love it.

Dr. Randle's Awesome Shindig

Dr. Randle and his family invited us over for some food and fun at his home Sunday night.

After getting lost in the hills of Orem, getting stuck in the slushy snow 3 times, and knocking on a stanger's door for directions (turns out he was Amy's former music teacher) we made it.

Lot's of good food, and I learned A LOT about Randle and his family.

Here is some of the crew.

(Top from left to right: Dr. R, me, Kelly, Amy, Katie. Middle row: Kevin, Carissa, Alicia, Natalie. Bottom: Everett, Spencer.)

Sunday Thought - The Love of God

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Love of God,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 21–24

Why Should We Love God?


God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not diminished should we disregard, deny, or even defile His name. His influence and dominion extend through time and space independent of our acceptance, approval, or admiration.

No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!

For what we love determines what we seek.


What we seek determines what we think and do.


What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become.

We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are God’s spirit children. Therefore, we have a vast capacity for love—it is part of our spiritual heritage. What and how we love not only defines us as individuals; it also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.

Since the beginning of time, love has been the source of both the highest bliss and the heaviest burdens. At the heart of misery from the days of Adam until today, you will find the love of wrong things. And at the heart of joy, you will find the love of good things.

And the greatest of all good things is God.

Our Father in Heaven has given us, His children, much more than any mortal mind can comprehend. Under His direction the Great Jehovah created this wondrous world we live in. God the Father watches over us, fills our hearts with breathtaking joy, brightens our darkest hours with blessed peace, distills upon our minds precious truths, shepherds us through times of distress, rejoices when we rejoice, and answers our righteous petitions.

He offers to His children the promise of a glorious and infinite existence and has provided a way for us to progress in knowledge and glory until we receive a fulness of joy. He has promised us all that He has.

If all that is not enough reason to love our Heavenly Father, perhaps we can learn from the words of the Apostle John, who said, “We love him, because he first loved us."

(find more when you click on the title of this post)

dear santa....

Dear Santa, baby,

slip a macbook under the tree, for me

I've been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight


Santa baby, an offer for a DC internship too, or a few
I'll wait up for you dear
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight


Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be oh so good
If you'd check off my Christmas list


Santa honey, I want you to snow blow Provo’s sidewalks, and really
that's not a lot
I've been an angel all year
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight


Santa cutie, there's one thing I really do need, the deed
of you finishing up my finals,
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight


Santa baby, fill my stocking with hundred dollar bills and
diet pepsi refills,
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight


Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought from Adobe
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me


Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
from a really good man
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight


Love,
Lexy

sometimes boys are okay

Mmmm warm, homemade apple pie. With vanilla ice cream. Could it be love? ;-)
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twins.jpg

Proof that Leah Marie Wasson and Alexa Lee were meant to be besties.

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What are roads for?

As I sat in voluntary solitary confinement Sunday, resting myself well, I watched a few movies. One of them being an old favorite Jodie Foster flick, Anna and the King. Wow, I cried.

But one line, that the Kind of Siam says, has stuck with me the last few days. And so I share it with you:


Roads are for journeys, not destinations.

Hmmm. How's that for depth?

Now, as Dr. Laura often suggests, go do the right thing.

Swines

A few of us in the newsroom got the H1N1 vaccine today. And a sucker, too, because we were good girls.  By the way, that weirdo on the left is yours truly. Center is my future fellow independently wealthy world traveler Chelsea. And on the right is Natalie, a campus editor.

In other news it snowed snowed snowed snowed snowed most of the day today. Of course the streets are a mess and I honestly kind of fear for my life walking home tonight.

And my sinuses are giving me a fun treat to deal with ever few seconds. Sniff, sniff. Other than that I'm rocking and rolling through the end of the term.

of wreaths and tea

Whilst waiting for my chamomile & mint tea to seep, I listened to some Christmas melodies and finally decorated the wreath that's been hanging bare on my door. I used orange ornaments with cream and gold accents. I know. Orange. I can't help it, the color draws me to it.

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Frolicking

I made it up to SLC last night to play with some friends. Melanie and I caught some Thai food at one of our favorite little places, Me Kong Cafe. Mmmm. Pad Thai. Though my pork was a little dry. Crap! I forgot my leftovers in Mel's fridge. She, graciously, let me nibble on her yellow curry. Once again, mmmmm.

This morning I went to silly Kathryn's bridal shower in Murray. There was a delicious brunch and much laughter and womanly chatter. Can you believe this silly girl is getting married in less than three weeks?

Now I'm back in Provo, at the Web desk for the DU. Sporting my cute new hat though.

Mel, in her sweetness of trying to be a good host, turned on her humidifier so I could have "white noise"while I slept. This is the second time she's done this for me, and both times I wake up feeling like I caught a cold. Sore throat, runny noise, cough....I was going to bring some tea in my Newseum mug to help sip this silly cold away, but, lucky for me, my roommate had taken it with her on whatever stupid errands she went on. Very frustrating.







And here's an enjoyable tune that just popped up on last.fm. I liked it.

You're in the right place, you're running with the right forces, and if the wind should howl tomorrow, let it.

-Walter Kirn

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Good News

Hey all -

Just wanted to let folks know that I've been hired as the opinion page editor for The Daily Universe. I'll now be getting 10 bucks an hour, my own computer/cubicle area, and not have to work nights/weekends (most of the time). It's not all perks and glory though. Rich warned me today about hate mail. And, there is an increase of pressure because the opinion page is one of the most consistently read pages, and it's made up of opinions, which always stirs emotion.
I'm excited though!

A 5 dollar adventure

We ventured up into the woods to get our Christmas tree this year. Turns out that it only cost 5 bucks to get a tree cutting permit in Oregon. It was quite the bonding time for the whole fam. Zoey especially loved when we tested the four wheel drive up steep snowy hills and off the road into inches of snow. Eli sampled snow from every surface he could. Jeff was mistaken for sasquatch as he went the distance to try and find the one. Max was a loyal saw carrier. Riley proved she's the burliest of us all in her frequent references to not wearing her coat. Mom was a great supervisor, and evenutally we returned to get the tree she originally had chosen. I promise it was the required 50 feet from the road. And I just looked fabulous as usual.

The view from the supervisors' perspective.

I know Max is well camoflauged here, but I promise he's there, cutting the tree like the burly woodsman he claims to be.

Jeff holds the chosen one.

Cute little round faces!

Mom "helps" the boys put the tree on the car. Take note that the lights are on and doors are open.

Due to our neglectful behavior of leaving lights on, doors open, and no engine running, our battery died. Zoey and I were frightened for a moment.

Luckily we got a hold of Stephanie. An hour and a half after hoisting the tree on top of the car and loading up to go, and just before sunset, we were rescued.

Good memories! Well worth the five bucks! And we learned what we needed in our car for emergencies, most importantly snacks and matches!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a pleasantly casual affair this year. The Smith's were gracious in hosting Thanksgiving at their house. Between the two families making dinner, it didn't seem too stressful. Stephanie set up a pretty table in their living room that all 10 of us could sit at. That was probably my favorite part, that we could all sit down together and feast.

After eating we returned home to watch "Up." Soon after we were all in a food induced coma. Even the pets.

Yay for good food and a loving family!

the brothers grim

Who knew the twin terrors could be so sweet and peaceful?
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Assignment: Feature Page

Here's my latest design assignment, a feature page with a column.

Plan D?

Before I get to a few thoughts, where in the heck was Izzie tonight on Grey's? It was the first night since September that I was able to watch Grey's on tv. I didn't have to work tonight! Also, as much as I like Christina, I think that Hunt should be with Teddy. Don't stone me for saying that. 

I think I'm being taught some very important lessons right now, and I'm not sure that I'm being the best pupil.

One of them is that you can plan as much as you want, but things rarely go according to plan. You aren't working on your timing, your working on God's. And sometimes you can't understand what in the heck the point is as to why things can't just go to plan. I honestly think that I've had my next 12 months planned out about four different times now. Each time it's been a bring-you-to-your-knees-type-of-quick-kick-to-the-shins where it takes some time for me to feel comfortable with the "new plan" and as soon as I find some level of comfort another kick comes.

I've found a lot of comfort in my scriptures these last few weeks. This week, after some frustrating news, I opened up my scriptures and read in Ether (in The Book of Mormon), the first chapter. About Jared and his brother and their families.

"(38) And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother, saying; Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto him whither we shall go. And who knoweth bu the Lord will carry us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth? And if it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive it for our inheritance.
(42 - part of the Lord's response)....thou shalt go at the head of them down into the valley which is northward. And there will I meet thee, and I will go before thee into a land which is choice above all the lands of the earth.
(43) And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed...And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me."

Essentially what I got out of these verses was that we should pray for guidance, have faith that the Lord has a plan, prepare to follow in faith and then let the Lord lead you from there.

Soon after reading this, my plans were changed again. A few hours later I was able to feel fairly at ease as I remembered to put it in this perspective. And so I continue to make plans, because I think in some way it makes me feel more secure, but I also count on them changing. 

Finally, I'd like to thank my mom. My mom is human, she makes mistakes, she's the first to admit she's far from perfect. But, I must thank her for her strength and her example. I think through a combination of genetics and growing up watching her, I've been blessed with some of that strength that she posseses. I do a lot more complaining than she does, that's for sure. But, I think this week, has been trying for the both of us. And yet somehow she is so brave and so strong and I sometimes wish that she had more of a partner to lean on. Yet, that's the great thing about my mom, she makes it, with or without other people.

And now, I must go to bed. I have a long day ahead of me as I move forward with something like plan D.

Good night and good luck (and enjoy this song from one of my favorite movies).

IMG00024-20091117-1637.jpg

Just a sample of the lunacy that surrounds me at work, in class, doing homework. Love my Everett. Love all my newsies.

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Are you a Guru?

My friend Joseph took me to lunch this afternoon to discuss all sorts of things, mainly related to our current jobs at The DU (what we newsies call The Daily Universe ), and about our future careers. Joseph just got a copy job at The Daily Herald in Provo, I'm really excited for him!

We went to Guru's , which is all the rage with the young hipsters these days. I'm apparently not young or hip because I have yet to go. It's got a quirky, modern and casual atmosphere. The food is good and not too spendy. I enjoyed my time here, aside from the infamous B rock or whatever this guy who roams Provo trying to sell rap cd's trying to use our cell phones to get a job. Actually, I enjoyed that, too.

Joseph gave me a lot to think about as I look to my professional future. Like, maybe I should stay on the Web desk next semester. Maybe I should work for the DU this summer ( I guess they let you do that for summer). Maybe I should take some different classes.

Maybe maybe maybe I should just go home, get in my sweats and read New Moon.....(yes, I got sucked in by my roommate to read the second book in the Twilight "saga,") And avoid thinking about any of this for awhile. That is my coping method of choice, avoidance.

Made it to the gym today! Yay! Even though I've been feeling flabby, the scale was nice to me today. The lightest I've been in about 5 months! Woot. And I can't get this song out of my head today...... you tell 'em Carrie Underwood!



*Oh, and for the record (Mom and Grandma) Joseph is happily married, just a good friend and mentor type. 

What's on your nightstand?

I think a person's bedroom says a lot about a person. So, in a effort to tell you more about me and to hopefully learn more about you, I'm sharing what's on my nightsand.

Towards the back is a box of facial tissues, in an effort to clear up my face and keep it clear (does anybody else have worse face problems than in highschool?). I'm too lazy by the end of the day to walk into the bathroom and actually clean my face. It's much easier to pull out a tissue whilst lying in bed.

Next to it is my Olay night cream. I have pretty impressive crow's feet for a 22 year-old. I only remember to put it on once every couple of weeks, but that's gotta help, right?

A little orange flashlight for reading on sleepless nights or writing things down when my mind won't stop racing.

A biography of the Kennedy family that I sometimes pop open and read for a few minutes.

'Stand a Little Taller' by Gordon B. Hinckley. It's a calendar book with scriptures and thoughts for each day.

My fancy new glasses case with my glasses.

'The Miracle of Forgiveness' by Spencer W. Kimball. I read a page or few from it each night.

'Lectures on Faith' by Joseph Smith. It supplements Kimball's book and my nightly scripture reading.

So there you have it.

What's on your nightsand??

Dear Mom,

I know it's almost 4am my time, but I can't sleep. I also know that you're not feeling well, and I hate to bug you, but...

I'm coming home in aproximately five days and I just had a couple of requests.

Will you still buy me the latest "Real Simple" magazine? I missed out on November's issue, but December's is even more enticing!

And will you sponsor a hair cut for me? It keeps growing and growing and not in a good way. I can hardly take it anymore. Plus, shorter hair will look cuter under a wintery hat.

Finally, could you maybe set off a bug bomb in my "cottage" before I get back? Please?

Think about it. Feel better. Respond promptly.

Love,
Me

Currently....

Currently...

...I can't stop, won't stop, listening to this and this and this.

...my favorite thing to wear is usually my yellow cardigan, but everyone notices when I wear it, so I can't wear it very often.

...I am trying to rationalize eating everything I know I'm going to eat over Thanksgiving.

...ready for a new laptop. It would make my cumulative hours spent on campus per week a lot fewer.

...I am a dreamer.

...wishes I could see this girl sooner than Christmas. Lame.

...I have not been to a rodeo in over a year. I need this to be rectified quick.

...I would probably marry the man who buys me a CCR t-shirt.

...I miss my old Blackberry. This guy just isn't worn in yet.

...ready to be done with the Provo life. I want my own little place, in a new environment, with a new routine, meeting new people who weren't born in the 90's or married (everyone I go to school with).

...would do almost anything (just shy of prostituting myself) to go see my love, Garth, in Vegas.

...I could really go for some genuine Japanese curry, gyoza and sushi roll.

...have been wanting a no-strings-attached spoonfest.

...it's been 8 days since I made it to the gym. Feelin' flabbbbby.

...I could use a massage.

...I am wearing scandal on my fingers and siren on my toes.

...am really grateful for such supportive peers in the journalism program. Thursday night we came together to help a girl get her internship application FedExed overnight even though it was after 5pm. These people are pretty great.

...in the mood to go sledding or Christmas shopping.

...misses Kara's morning, usually towel-clad, serenades.

...nostalgic for that family trip to the coast we took two summers ago. We laughed a lot, in between the fighting.

...I am reading "The Miracle of Forgiveness," finally making some headway on this spiritually intense book.

...I have been working on a muse wall. Does that make me lame? Really it's just a billboard with crap on it.

...liking the name Ellis for a boy.

...compiling a mental list of places to potentially apply for an internship at. Including The Hill, Niche Media (Capitol Living magazine), The Washingtonian, The National Journal, Fox News' online magazine, etc. etc.

...wants to get the H1N1 vaccine.

...thinking that sleeping all day sounds pretty good to me.

...and finally, wishing my shower would magically grow a porcelain tub for me to fill with hot water and soak in.

...and did I forget to mention, I'm engaged (who could say no to a rock that big)?

Countdown to Christmas.....

There are something like 40 days til Christmas....so you better start planning what you're going to get me now.

Many of you know I'm headed to Washington D.C. in a measly 9 months (ha ha). Since learning this I've become slightly obsessed. Therefore you should feed my obsession with gift idea number one:



You can conveniently gift subscribe here.

Assignment: Photo Spread

We were technically supposed to do a photo spread. Mine kind of developed into a feature page...about sushi....mmmm.

Potomac River mist

Oh, how I love this photo. Love, love, love it. Mom threatens my life when I threaten to put up in public. But, she is sick and 544 miles away. We took this on the little Duck Boat fairy ride which on this picture was sailing down the Potomac River. Good times! I love you Mom. She's been sick with the swine or something for almost two weeks now....send her some get well wishes...... 

Oh Blogspot! I'm baaaaack.

Can I tell you how much I love my header??  A LOT!

The great thing about learning InDesign is that I now can basically make whatever I want anyway I want it (my only real limitations are my lack in depth of InDesign knowledge).  And so, I probably love my header because I designed it. Woot! Your first taste of my baby designing skills. I really am just a baby with lots to learn about design. 

I'll soon post some drafts of some assignments I've been working on for my 428 class as well as for my portfolio. I feel like I have so much to learn and to do, especially to make myself more marketable. Right now I feel like the more I learn about this stuff the more I feel like there is I don't know. I am having little successes though and building confidence in my own tastes and instincts. 

Um, I think I have to change.

Looking at a new domain for my "blogging."

Look for life updates, random rambles, and sporatic chat at

http://alexalee.wordpress.com

Weekend Momento

The only pictures from the Three Cousins' 4th of July Reunion. Morgan has the rest on her camera, and she just happens to be in Romania! Because she's Insania. Ha.

Today I got out of bed.

"There are times on the farm when nothing goes right. Much like life, there are times when it would have been better if I had just stayed in bed. Of course, if that would have happened, something would have gone wrong there too.
But, there are times when things just go right."

These are the words of a man who tweets (what you do with Twitter) from his tractor using his blackberry. He has a 4,000 acre farm in Nebraska, he's a God fearin' man, and he uses twitter. For that CNN used him in an article Twittering from the Tractor.

He also has a blog, an that is where I pulled these phrases from for a description of my day, my week, my current life really.

I haven't quite decided in which category my life fits, especially today.

I guess, even when it seems like bad things are happening and there is nothing to be done about it, it still might be what's right. Because even when it's hard, and dark, and scary, and frustrating, you learn lessons. You hopefully become better, you go through the refiner's fire once more.

Now, onto other things.....

I have a new addiction. Well, I don't know if you can call it an addiction if you only have 12 ounces a day. I guess if it was any other drug...say marijuana, cocaine, herione, etc., 12 ounces would be a lot. But, it's not. It's just caffiene in this brilliant little can.

I was 3 for 3 this week. Yep, 3 stories, 3 front pages. But, it's not all glory and crowns. My last two stories were cut for length and I was much displeased. They generally cut from the bottom of an article up, so it feels like I don't know how to end an article....Or important quotes are cropped out. Oh well. I just spent the afternoon popping out another story for Monday's metro page (we were seriously lacking in stories), and am working on an Iran piece tomorrow. Did you know that BYU has a room on campus that Muslims can use for prayers, kind of like a mosque? True story....

Twins! Oh fer cute! Everett and I were both wearing plain Hane's v-neck tees today. The thing about my classes right now is that we all spend so much time together that after two weeks we feel like good friends. Love this guy. He makes me laugh.

And finally, I was able to take THE briefest of trips home last weekend and I saw this one very much missed lady. Here we be, both stunningly single...per usual. At least for me (the single part that is). Apparently (as shown by this photo) my friendship is a burden. Ha. She loves it.

And that is all, because for the last hour I should've been working on my first writing assignment for my media ethics class. An assignment that is due in 24 short hours. Adieu.

Too Legit

My first article was finally published in the Daily Universe today (you can click on the link to see the online version). It was on the front page, too, which always comes as a little boost to one's healthy ego. To see a pdf version, go here http://newnewsnet.byu.edu/pdf/du20090629.pdf. It's not my Pepsi Boycott story, that'll probably come out tomorrow. It's about the new climate bill that was pushed through the House on Friday evening. I stayed up until 3am that morning putting the finishing touches on it.

*Author's Note: They didn't do the byline I requested (A. Lee, not Alexa Lee), and they changed my Obama quote because he spoke out on Sunday about the passing of the bill. You'll see a word missing, not my fault, but my editor's. That is all.

Oh, here is my official press pass that legitimizes my need to pester people profusely. Neat.