papa smith.

I kind of had a breakdown last week when I found out my dad paid $4000 to fly all us Smith kids home for Christmas.  One: WOW, Ticketzoo, you couldn't find anything better?! Don't you know this is a recession?  Maybe we should try Kayak next time.  Just kidding, those are the worst commercials ever.  Two: WOW, thanks Dad!  I love that cute guy.  He is the nicest, most selfless person ever.  I'm only five lines into this post and I'm already crying thinking about how great my dad is, and my only hope is that I find someone for me that is even a little bit on the same spectrum as him.  I respect him so much, especially the way he raised me.  He and my mom were the perfect parents for me...isn't that fun how that works out?  

The other day, I ran across such a fun read and I want to share it with all of you, to remind us of how great our dads are.  Please go here and you will thank me, I promise.  

I love these guys!

some places scream perfection.

Yikes, I haven't been able to stop thinking about Paris in too long.  Please oh please let me go soon!  I can't imagine anything I would like more right now than to read a good book at a cafe, walk down the street to the boulangerie and purchase a baguette, study Monet and van Gogh, just walk among the Parisians.  

Monet's "Impression: Sunrise"

So over the next year and a half, I am going to work my little toosh off in school and work so I can be fully deserving of all the chocolate eclairs and French men I am going to indulge in (kind of just kidding).

As for right now, I'M HOME!  That is, Provo.  Yes, in my little cozy apartment.  I arrived last night to a much-missed little J (my other two darlings will arrive shortly), who then embarked on an adventure with me to the dollar theatre to see The Help.  I loved it, almost as much as I loved the book.  If you haven't read it, read it right now.  It is too good.  And so, little readers, it's time I face the facts: school.  The truth is, I shouldn't even be blogging right now because I spend thousands of dollars a semester in hopes of doing well in academia, which isn't really the case right now.  If you don't see me for a couple days, I'm probably holed up in the library.  Or a casket.  Whichever presents itself first.  Work, work, work!

on my mind.

Ever since I was a little girl, I was always taught to be respectful, polite, and appropriate.  The big S was no joking matter in our house, and shut up was a "bad word".  However, with time and independence, I may have slipped once or twice in public.  The worst part about this, though, is that I am so frustrated when I come home at night after having been with guys that didn't act as a gentlemen.  HELLO.  Christina.  If you don't act like a lady, then you won't be treated as one.  Demand the respect you deserve!    This includes surrounding yourself with people who are intent on being ladies themselves.  So while I've been trying so hard to be clean and maintain good humor, some of the people I'm with don't always adhere to the same mindset.  And guess what happens?  A bad light is cast on me as well.  It's vicious.  So let's all please clean up our acts and see how the boys drool, ok?

"If more females would sit down and be ladies, then more males would stand up and be gentlemen."

There.

In other news, I have a curse.  I always have, I suppose, but it's just been manifesting itself in the past couple years.  I don't have a hair color, really.  It is so in between dark brown, light brown, and red.  I have tried fixing this so many times, but it always comes back to the same what-is-that-color.  However, I think my hair will always pull red and I need to accept that.  I'm not afraid.  In fact, I like red hair.  It has a bad rep for being ugly.  This is my opinion: it's not the color that's ugly, it's the people sporting the color. Rude, but true.  Let me tell you, though, I kind of have a thing for guys with red hair, sometimes.  So here I embark on a life-long journey.  Here was a fun inspiration:

(if this is someone's actual friend, then that will be embarrassing. I just found her out in Pinterestland, but for all I know, she could live in my apartment complex)

Ok little kiddies.  Give me a day or two to let all this sink in and I'll get back to you.  

catching you up to...now.

Hello lovelies!  Let's talk about how much time has gone by since I last posted.  No? Ok I didn't want to anyways.
Well let me show you what I've been up to the past few months:

saw THIS girl (favorite)

spent some time with the louisiana crew and did the scuba thing in florida

started school and met new friends!

roommate sleepovers with...

my marshall 5 ladies :) 

(hello kitty)

(letter to JB)

(nerd)

(pebbles)
celebrated halloween with some class (and sometimes, without class. but we won't show those pictures)

welcomed fall (@marshall 5)!

and spent Thanksgiving with this adorable family in san diego.

PLEASE, let my children look like this.


So I may be inheriting my parent's ancient Canon for Christmas (crossing my fingers!) in which case, we can all enjoy many more pictures and posts!  That is, more exciting pictures and posts.  In the mean time, I'm going to continue having just as much fun as I have up to this point and hope you do the same!

Happy Thanksgiving, turkeys! Take your time recovering from your food comas and slip Elf into that DVD player.  We can now officially start listening to our favorite holiday songs (for all those grinches that held off until now, that is.  I know I'm guilty of pre-Christmas spirit) and deck our halls!  If you're near a decent mall, do me a favor and show it some love.  Provo doesn't offer a lot to give love to. 

p.s. I got my ears pierced.