Chad James & Anna Marilyn

Day 7!

Today I am grateful for a very special person. His name is Chad James Nilsson. He has been one of my best friends since the 4th grade. We met in "Good News" at Clayton Productions and we have been best friends ever since. He is my roommate, Aubrey's, older brother. We both miss him like crazy!

5 things you need to know about Chad:

1. He is the biggest BYU fan I know.

2. He LOVES Vanilla and Oreo ice cream...from Smith's.

3. He is serving a mission in Romania.

4. He has 9 fingers...that's right...9.

5. He is one of the most genuine and loving people I know.

Oh..and he comes from a wonderful family. Today I am grateful for Chad for many reasons. He has gotten me through some of the hardest times of my life. He has always been there to talk to and give me advice. His letters are full of funny comments and a strong testimony. He has always been there to make me laugh when I'm on the verge of tears. I remember the last birthday I had before he left on his mission, he called me and said, "Annie! Are you home? I have something for you for your birthday!"...literally 3 minutes later, Chad pulled up in my driveway. He walked out of his car holding a balloon, a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper and a big bag of harvest cheddar sun chips...my favorite snack. Along with a Hoops and YoYo card. Hoops and YoYo is our favorite! It meant a lot to me that he remembered my favorite snack!

He sent me this picture on Thanksgiving!

Chad and I have traveled the world together!..okay...maybe just San Francisco, Branson, San Antonio, Denver, Chicago and Orlando...but memories beyond this world were created. Chad is like an older brother to me. We've had quite the history and according to Laurel Clayton Dowse...he's my soul mate.

At the BYU-Utah game, his older brother Jace asked me, "Annie? Who is your favorite Nilsson?" That is probably the hardest question I have ever had to answer. They are all my favorite! But I just said, "Chad...since he's not here! haha!" Then I really thought about it...Chad is just one of my favorite PEOPLE! He has supported me at EVERY dance concert I've been in. Whether it be, Clayton Dance Company, Olympus High School Dance Company, all of my school musicals or Synergy...he was there. He has been my dance partner in crime since "Good News"!

Man I miss that boy! I have Kim Clayton to thank for putting us in the same group together at age 10.

I just love the Nilsson family and am so grateful for their wonderful example and hospitality!

I'm so grateful for my 9-fingered friend Chad James Nilsson!

Soothing Sundays...

Day 6 of a good month...

Today I am grateful for quite time. Got home from an interesting ward choir practice and decided I need Annie Time. I usually spend that time eating popcorn and watching a movie. Today I decided to sit in my room by myself, read a book while sitting by a mini heat fan while wearing my new favorite fuzzy socks! I did this for a few hours and it was a good way for me to calm down and relax. I am so grateful for books, heat fans and socks!

To Sum Up The Week...

This week was pretty good! Some stressful times here and there but I got through them!

So I took my science test on Monday and get a 74%. I was really excited about it because science is a totally different language to me. Then I go to class on Wednesday and found out that with the curve, I got an 87%! Good day!

On Thursday, Aub Dob and I went out to shoot some pictures for our photography class. We spotted a piece of land and decided to shoot there. Aubs noticed a tree house off to the side and so we stopped there and took some amazing pictures! It was like Neverland! We thought it was so cute!

Photo taken by me!

Photo taken by Aubs!

Then off to institute....you can never go wrong with institute. We love our teacher and he loves us! :) He knew my grandpa Hugh. It's always fun meeting people like that.

After institute, my sister Bethany and I went out for sushi! We get dinner every Thursday! I love my sister!

Friday came. TGIF! Work. Then off to photography lab! Me and Aubrey were really proud of ourselves for shooting some pretty awesome pictures! Our lab instructor liked them too...especially Aubrey's! When we got home, we put on some sweet eye-liner and made ourselves some awesome Egyptian snake type head bands. IT'S NATIONAL KING TUT DAY!! Aubrey has this sweet calendar with random holidays and today was King Tut day! Here's to King Tut!!

My friend Todd came and picked me up and we headed off to Salt Lake for the Olympus-Bountiful football game. His brother is on the team. Unfortunately, Olympus didn't win...BUT it was a good game. Todd, Andrew, Maddie and I headed up to Emigration canyon for dinner at Ruth's Diner and then to their old boss' house. His name is Rich. NICEST man I will ever meet.

Aubrey left early this morning to head up to Sandy. I was glad I was kind of awake when she left because I was able to give her a big hug good bye. Woke up late this morning...I needed it. Went grocery shopping...spent a good amount on food..but after 2 months of no good food, it was needed. Came home and watched "Eclipse"...by myself. Wasn't having a very good day so it was nice to have some Annie time. Then we had some friends over for the Alabama-LSU game! There were only a few LSU fans present. I was one of them. My roomie Hoa is an LSU fan...so I supported her tonight!

Me and Hoa!! Love this girl!

It was really fun! A good game with good food and friends! It was a good way to end a lousy day. We all missed Aubrey tonight....we always miss Aubrey when she is away.

The Bama-LSU crew!

The LSU fans in the house!!!

So happy they won!!

Then Carlos and I went in my room to talk about some stuff. He is such a good friend! He was able to give me some good advice. He brings such a sweet spirit to this apartment!

Then Kib joined us and we talked for a bit. I love my new friends down here!

Yep today was kind of lousy...but it ended with a good time with good friends...and good food :)

Gluten Free Life!

Day 5 of gratitude month! Today I am grateful for gluten free food.

About 2 months ago I was diagnosed with celiacs disease. I took it harder than I thought I would. I thought my life was over...not really...but it was hard! I went grocery shopping for the first time in 2 months and I was able to find shelves and shelves of gluten free cake mixes, cereal, flour, brownies mixes, crackers, etc. etc. Yes, it is all a little bit more expensive, but oh well! Not only am I grateful for gluten free food...but I am also semi-grateful for being celiac...weird...I know. It's a healthy way of eating! I've already lost 5-7 pounds! I feel more confident in my appearance! My sister Bethany is also Celiac and so I'm not alone! My mom is so good at making us yummy gluten free dinners! She is amazing! I love gratitude month!

TGIF!!

Thank goodness it's Friday! This past week had a lot of ups and downs. More downs that I had anticipated. But I just focus on the ups of course! Day 4 of gratitude month!! I don't think I've been this excited for November...anyhoo. Today I am grateful for a really random thing that EVERYONE and their dog uses. K maybe not their dog...it's just a saying I've heard and used. But today I am grateful for the beautiful thing called texting. I am able to communicate with my best friend Elsa up in Idaho, my sister and brother in law in New York, my family in Salt Lake and here in Provo and even my own roomie Aubrey! Yes yes yes....phone calls are SO much better and more fun! But sometimes we are not in a convenient area to take a phone call. Today 106.5 started playing Christmas music! So I text my whole family saying, "106.5 is playing Christmas music!!!!" Here were the replies I received:

Mom: "What the heck!...Atleast they waited til after Halloween!"

Dad: "Boo hiss...Too early!...I hope you're not texting while driving.. (Told him I was on campus) he said..."I hope you're not texting while walking....actually probably a great way to meet guys running into them whole distracted by your phone!"

Hugh: "Curses"

Stevo: "Hecka yeah sis! We need to jam!"

I guess it's not just texting I'm grateful for today...It's my family too and how awesome they are...but then again...I'm alaway grateful for my family!

Here's to texting!

Oh...and it's National King Tut Day According to Aubrey's sweet calendar!

Thankful Thursdays...

Day 2 of gratitude month!

Today I am grateful for my sister Bethany! We decided when I moved down here that we would hang out at least one of the the week every week. It took us a few weeks to get this tradition going but we have got it down to a tee! I pick her up from BYU campus every Thursday after I get done with institute or we meet at the restaurant. We take turns every other week paying for the meal. Tonight we got sushi at Happy Sumo! Sushi is kind of our family thing and it was delicious! We got 4 different rolls: Vegas, Fire Cracker, Cabana and Mango! They were all oh so yummy! We've had some pretty good talks during these dinners we have each week. She is getting married in January so I want to spend all of the time I can with her before she and Andy get hitched! She is one of my best friends! We do miss our other sister Jessica very much though! We count down the days until us 3 are reunited! But ya...I am grateful for Bethany and this tradition we have going on that has helped strengthen our relationship.

LOVE YOU BEEFERS!!!

The Month of Gratitude...

I love thanksgiving! I love the fall leaves, the colors, weather and of course...Thanksgiving dinner! Each day I'm going to post something I am grateful for. I know. I know...EVERYONE and their dog does this....but I've never really taken the chance to express what or who I am grateful for.

Today I am grateful for my education. I LOVE LOVE LOVE school! Last year was a rough start to college for me. Transferring down here to UVU was the best decision I have made for myself. I am able to live close to Hugh and Bethany and live with Aubrey Jo Nilsson. We have gotten to know each other in a completely different way!

I am so blessed to be able to go to school and learn about the world. I made a final decision on my major YESTERDAY!...Drum roll please....FAMILY STUDIES! I feel like it's a perfect fit for me. I am so excited to learn more about this subject. I have my classes picked out for next semester and I am so excited to get signed up for them. Yep...never thought I'd say this..but..I LOVE SCHOOL!!!