the people around us

Ya know, lately I've realized how blessed I am to have all these amazing people in my life. The Lord has blessed me so much with each of them. 

First off, lets start with Ellie. Ellie is the brightest person I know. She is so friendly to everyone around her and so willing to help others. Her enthusiasm and sense of humor is contagious and she inspires me to be happy despite the circumstances. 

Then there's Lexi. Gosh I love Lexi. She is so full of patience and love towards everyone. Literally. Whenever someone does something that's frustrating, she takes a step back and looks at their situation and is so understanding and forgiving about it. I love that. Lexi has the best intentions and always makes me feel loved even when I don't deserve it. 

Here's mike and Dalton. Mike is great, he's quiet yet so full of happiness. He does all he can to help those around him. And Dalton is just plain adorable; full of adventure and smiles. 

The beloved Taylor clan. Oh how I miss them! All of them are honestly FULL of love. Each of them are so encouraging and uplifing to other people. And if I ever want to just hang out and chill, they are the perfect people to do that with. Just sitting there with them is SO FUN! 

And gorgeous Keikikalani....where do I begin? I seriously love her so much. She has the sweetest spirit. She can make anyone's day brighter, whether it be through a smile, a compliment, or when you startle her. Oh man, I miss those days. 

Oh Kelsie. Basically, Kelsie is my source of laughter. We are both in mads and women's choir together and it's great. Exchanging glances with her is the best. Kelsie has the biggest heart and I swear she would never EVER put anyone down. Her eyes are gorgeous and I love laughing with her. It always makes my day. 

This girl is awesome. And what makes her even more awesome is we share the same first and last name. Alyssa has the most contagious and beautiful smile! Young women's is a BLAST with her and I LOVE her personality! If you don't know her, you're missing out. She's a gem.

These are my friends from my dance class last year. Most of them don't dance there anymore and I miss them tremendously. We had a great connection and love for each other that was really special. And it still is special to me. I love each of them.

Oh Sabrina, how I love you! I look up to Sabrina and her pursuits and her individuality so much! She has the deepest perspective and I love that about her. I love her honesty and sincerity. Her testimony strengthens me every time she shares it. She truly knows who she is.

I'm so blessed to know Ashlyn and Ceili and I've gotten to know them so well throughout these past few years. Ashlyn is so honest in her pursuits and intentions and Ceili is full of life and humor that she shares with everyone.

This picture is my favorite. I can't describe the feeling of happiness it gives me every time I see it. This was at our mads christmas trip in slc. Oh man, it was the best. These girls made it the best. (Plus the others who aren't in this pic). But each of them has their own testimony that they share so beautifully through music and it uplifts me and strengthens my testimony so much. I can't convey my love for them and my gratitude for the bond that has formed between us. Each of them are so priceless to me.

Kimball. Oh kimball. I love this kid. I'm so proud of him and his diligence and worthiness in serving The Lord. I'm so grateful for his testimony and conversion to the gospel. He always knows how to make me happy when I'm having a bad day. I love him!

Caleb is the most entertaining little brother ever! He is brim full of love for everyone and despite my resistance, he hugs me daily and his hugs mean a lot. I've grown closer to him now that I'm the oldest at home and my other brothers are gone. He is so talented and adorable.

 

Devon is just as talented as Caleb, but in totally different ways. I love his diligence and dedication to wrestling and jazz band and other activities. He always throws in random hilarious comments during family conversations and I love them! I'm so grateful for his worthiness in holding the priesthood too.

 And last, but DEFINITELY not least, Cherileigh. I love Cherileigh. I don't even know how to describe my love for Cherileigh. I don't know how to describe how thankful I am to The Lord for blessing me with such a close friend, role model, and sister. Our relationship as twins is so unique and precious, and once again, I don't know how to describe it. She is so ambitious and diligent, not only in school, but in her personal church studies. And I love her insights. I love her personality and her spirit. We have the best of times together. I'll stop there because there just aren't words to explain. But I love her.

For now,

Alyssa

to Texas

After years of painful pleading, we finally convinced our parents to take us to texas for a Christmas vacation. In summation, it was awesome. More than awesome. But here's a bit more detail:

We headed out Christmas afternoon with a RV full of fabulous family. Fabulous being used very lightly. Throughout the long roads of Texas, I slept, did a tad bit of homework (yes my teachers were cruel enough to assign homework over the "break"), whipped Jennings in five games of speed, listened to music, and lived off of lindor chocolate truffles. 

Oh, and this is Emilee. I love her to death. 

We arrived at my aunts house Thursday evening and they served us a first class Texas meal. And some famous Texas ice cream. And it was divine. 

The first day in Texas, our parents dragged us unwillingly to Fiesta Texas Six Flags. We had a photo shoot in the parking lot while waiting for the rest of our crew. 

I think we achieved our awkward pose. 

Aust and mike were insane--ahem--I mean brave enough to do the human sling shot. Don't know what motivated them, but they had a good time. And then they vowed never to do it again. 

I also rode my first Ferris wheel. With my parents. How romantic. Every time I think of Ferris wheels I think of the movie "Charly," yeah well, so much for that. Ha. 

And now: the beach. Needless to say, it was gorgeous. This is literally where we parked the whole time. We slept right there just a couple hundred feet from the shore. Ah man. It was nice. 

We attempted to build a sand castle....

The kids fed the seagulls cheez-it's. so very nutritious. 

And who could resist reading a good book on the beach?

I practiced my ninja skills. 

Alayne almost killed her only child. 

Altogether, this trip was priceless. I made some fantastic memories and had the time of my life. I am so grateful for my family and each of their unique personalities. I couldn't have asked for a better family. I love them so much. 

For now,

Alyssa :)