a birthday post!

Well, since today is my birthday I decided it would be fun to post my theme songs from past years, as long as embarrassing pictures from my teenage-hood!

So... for starters we have the theme song of Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard. Let's be real. Who didn't love this song in junior high?!?!
Also, does anyone remember when selective color was like the dopest shiz? Well, that's pretty much what I did during my 16th year of life. Like, literally the first camera I purchase, I purchased solely because it had selective color. 

This brings us to Seventeen Forever by Metro Station. I still really love this song. It just gets me, ya know? Lol. 

But OMG THE 17TH YEAR OF LIFE.

This was the year that I chopped allllll my hair off and got weirdly into outfit photos and circle cropping (literally all my photos are circle cropped!)

Oh, also I discovered Photoscape and The Public Diary during this year, and it literally changed my life! I was convinced that if I used her same editing program, I could get my photos to be as beautiful as hers. Well, that obviously didn't happen as you can tell by photo #2, but I did get really into photography because of it.

When I was 17 I also had the opportunity to teach these cute kids in India! (The nose ring is fake and was a gift from one of the teachers haha).

And I also hiked a mountain! Hardest thing I've ever done in my life so far! The foothills of the Himalayas baby!
On a more serious note, the experiences I had in India literally changed my life. Like, I'm in no way exaggerating. It was the most spiritual, enlightening experience and I am so thankful to all of the wonderful people I knew/know who donated to me to help me get there. I wouldn't be the same person I am today without that experience, and I'm so glad to know I have people who support me with all the extreme things I want to accomplish. Thanks for being amazing, friends and family! I love you all!

18!! Being 18 was the bombbbbbbb.  My theme song for this year was obviously Soco Amaretto Lime by Brand New! Days after my birthday, I finally pierced my nose (although I didn't keep it for very long at all because it was much bigger than I originally wanted).  I also scored an awesome vintage dress and went to a different school's prom at the capital with some very good friends!

I met some of my very favorite friends this year (Jayne and Hailey not pictured, but I still really love them) and had some of my very favorite memories with my already-friends.

Also, I finally let the public aware of my and Trixie's closeness as best friends. We adventured often. Some of our favorite places to go were Beans and Brews and the cement block by my house to watch the sun set.

 I also finally got a 35mm lens, and as a result some very, very strange photoshoots happened. My favorite of which was when I painted my and my brother's faces like skeletons. He would kill me if I posted the picture of him!

But, as awesome as 18 was, I lovedddddddd being 19! It's been my favorite year so far! My theme song was Nineteen by Tegan and Sara! My 19th year of life has been my favorite because I married JAKE. Although... (1.) We met at the Jenn Blosil concert and (2.) had our first picture taken together (on Halloween!) when I was 18, so many cool things happened when I was 19! 

3. We rung in the New Year together by building a blanket fort where I promptly fell asleep after 10 p.m. and Jake sent this hilarious photo to my mom and sister. It's our favorite photo to date.

4. I wore my Betsey Johnson (that my mom bought me for my school's senior prom, because I promised her I would go, but then decided I didn't want to after all haha) for a cute photoshoot we did for one of my friend's school projects!

5. We had an awesome city creek/temple square date, which was my favorite ever! LOVE WINTER.

6. Signed the wall at Muse Music with a bottle of fingernail polish I had in my purse. It's something every couple must do in order to be immortal. Didn't you know?

7. GOT ENGAGED.

8. Got the cutest engagement pictures taken by Alyssia B. Photography

9. Sealed the deal!

Then, a bunch of awesome things happened after we got married. 

Like when we went camping just the two of us and it was literally so fun.

Also we went to the drive-in with an air mattress and that was also really fun. 

Oh! And our super cute apartment! (Which has gotten cuter, I will have to post about it.)

Also, my mother-in-law brought me back macaroons from France which was the nicest thing in the world because I really, truly love macaroons very much and they were literally so delicious.

We explored the nature side of Cancun and it was so beautiful!! 

And we went to a plethora of weddings which were super cute and we were super cute in this picture which is the background on three things I own.

Farewell, 19! You were a very, very, very, very, very, good year. Perhaps the best yet!!!!!

Now, for year 20. I found this song (please, for the love, do not watch the video, just minimize the window), and have literally been listening to it non-stop. 

It took me a while to find a song that talked about being 20, but it's such a gem!!!!

I feel like now that I'm no longer a teenager, I somehow gain validation in the world. You know? Like, now when I say things people will nod their heads silently instead of staring at me blankly and discrediting everything I say in their heads because I am a teenager. VALIDATION TASTES GOOD, FOLKS.

Anyways, this post took me forever to make, so I hope it was fun. 

XOXO

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E