Only a few more hours...

Yesterday, as I was cooking dinner hysterically fast so that I could deliver it to the family I cook for on time, Friend walked in with 2 packages.

As she walked in, I didn't notice either because I was flipping the slabs of meat I had over the stove.

After exchanging hello's she says, "There are 2 packages here for you!"

I expected one with my new phone case, but the second was a mystery...

She then pulled the second package above the counter so that I could see.

I recognized the package right away... its the flat rate box. The one that is usually personally sent.

Clearly, confusion was the emotion. 

I walked over to look at it and the return address was clearly ( but not exactly legibly haha) marked Elder Hunter Moore.

WHAT?!?

The confusion quickly turned into utter happiness and disbelief.

I blurted out "Awww he is SO sweet!" and then set the package right next to me as I continued to cook.

The entire time I would catch myself smiling and staring at it as if I had x-ray vision to figure out what was inside.

Right before I left to deliver the food Friend asked if I was going to open it. I told her that I just havee to wait until my birthday. 

So that, is what I am doing. Waiting until my birthday :)

And the anticipation is killing me! 

If only I could transfer some of this waiting will power to the lack I have thereof when it comes to sweets. 

Sometimes, just sometimes, I really enjoy this whole long distance situation. 

2 years apart, and more in love than we ever could have dreamed of :)

Ohh and a sidenote...

We have this game going on. 

We have been trying to one up each other with clever nick names throughout practically the entire journey. 

Sometimes they are just realllyy out there.. other times they are straight out of the notebook. 

This past letter, made it all the way to outer space. And its the little things, like calling me his muffin squash, that make me fall that much more in love :)

Ps, I totally called him my hot snuggly zucchini bread. It only makes sense if I'm the muffin squash right?

I sure love having a pen pal :)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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A jumbled post.

Because sometimes life gets so dang crazy that you just have to speak through pictures;

* My best friend is home from school and I couldn't be happier.

* Tomorrow, May 3, I'm going to wake up another year older. (That's a weird concept)

*Last week I made a total of 22 dozen cupcakes, and I never want to see another cupcake again. No that's a lie, I would love to eat one right now.

* The ladies I work with are spectacular human beings and I am reallyy enjoying spending my Thursday nights with them. Last week was rock climbing and this week is Iron Man 3!

* I have discovered the most perfect gelato that ever exists and it will be the death of me. Talenti is killer and all 3 flavors that I have eaten my way through have been beyond anything my taste buds have ever experienced. 

* Have I ever told you how much I love my sunbeams? Ha, yeah I really like those children. Except when they tell me I look preg, then I try my hardest to smile through the self conscious feeling ha.

* Insanity kicks my hind end day in and day out. 

* Fruits and veggies are the bomb, I just can't seem to get enough these days. Oh and veggie burgers of all sorts.

* I'm actually reading a book! The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks. I'm a hopeless romantic ya'll.

That's about all for this post!

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Real Beauty.

I wasn't planning on blogging tonight, I didn't have anything in particular to say.

Then, I came across a video, and I got an impulse to type. I've learned better than to deny those thoughts and feelings so here goes nothing.

A woman is her own worst, and most harsh critic.

Not many women can look in the mirror and say to themselves, "I look beautiful today" and truly mean it. 

Most of the time, a woman doesn't live up to her full potential because an abundance of necessary self-esteem is lacking.

My fingers are stumbling over the keys so slowly as I try to figure out the right words to type.

Trying to enlighten others on a topic I struggle with myself is not the easiest task.

You are more beautiful than you think.

and why was that so hard for me to type?

Because, I belong to the majority. Just like you, and you, and all of you. 

So let's work together. It starts with one simple step.

Take a couple of minutes to watch this video.

   

Seriously, how powerful is that?

It got me thinking on a whole new level.

I wondered what my sketch would come out as, as I thought about the way I would speak of my features. 

She probably would have chubby cheeks and a nose like Pinocchio. 

But why do I perceive myself that way if others don't?

I remembered something I had written in a journal some time ago and stumbled across it tonight as this topic danced around in my mind. 

"I have been thinking A LOT about insecurities lately. Isn't it funny that we think we are the only ones on the face of the earth with an insecurity of some sorts? Here's the problem: We are so down on ourselves because we only see the very best of people. They can't show us what is going on on the inside, they make us believe their life is perfect and ours is no where near it. Funny because truth be told, we are all fighting our own battles. Everyone has insecurities because we believe that nobody else does... sound about right? I think so."

We truly are, as women, our toughest critics.

So stop.

Stop degrading yourself, judging yourself, comparing yourself, starving yourself, overworking yourself, hurting yourself, and trying to be someone other than yourself. 

Because you are you, and the only person you should try to be better than tomorrow, is the person you were  yesterday.

We are all beautiful in some way or another and all of our strengths are different.

That is what makes us unique.

Let's all do ourselves a favor and treat ourselves a little bit nicer.

After all, life is way too short to spend another day at war with yourself.

Whether it is beauty, talents, fashion, your figure, or anything else...

You've got to be kind to yourself.

:)

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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The Beehive State

This past week I spent my time in the state of Utah.

I surprisingly really like it there... although it could be because it stole practically all of my friends.

I drove up with my best friend Lauren, and that my friends, was a blast.

The music of choice ranged anywhere from Glee, Celine Dion, Imagine Dragons, Burlesque, and Natasha Bedingfield, to City of Colour and Hilary Duff. 

We just really like to sing our hearts out. 

The snacks involved sour rips, vitamin water, smartpop, nutty bars, and everything else that is good in the world. 

Once we made it to St. George we took some snaps of the beautiful temple and headed over to Cafe Rio for the famous sweet pork salad. 

For that salad alone, I wouldn't mind moving to Utah tomorrow. 

We had about 100 miles left when we hit a ridiculous thunder/lightning/ you name it storm that broke the windshield wiper. Perfect, just what a couple of young girls need.

We stopped on the side of the road and attempted to fix it in the pouring rain, ha... that didn't last long.

Here's a video to help you better understand all that we endured (ha)

Somehow, we made it safe and sound :)

The rest of the trip was wonderful, it was the perfect little getaway I really needed. 

It was filled with tons of amazing food. Think the sweet toothfairy, zupas, cafe rio, kneaders, blue lemon, sonic, beyond glaze and everything else that made my taste buds do a little dance. 

The memories were filled with amazing company. Some new friends, some old.

 It felt so good to be reunited with my sweet Samantha. I was so lucky to spend a couple nights in her dorm at BYU. Let me tell ya... those twin size beds are bigger than you think haha. 

I was also so happy to be able to attend general conference for the first time.

It was an amazing feeling being inside that conference center filled with the latter day saints as all received inspiration from the general authorities. 

It was such a bittersweet moment when I hugged my Lauren friend goodbye Monday afternoon at the airport. 

We hadn't been that close for that long, but let me tell you, as soon as we both let our walls down we clicked instantly. 

She is the best friend I have been searching for. 

We can talk for hours on end without worrying what the other one is thinking. We could live off of frozen yogurt or ice cream. We can spend days on end literally just sitting and talking without getting bored of each other. We are practically twins, in the sense that our lives are ridiculously similar. We love imagining our future families going on vacations together and day dreaming about how much fun it will be to maybe be pregnant together one day. 

To say the least, it was hard to say goodbye once our friendship seemed to be just at the peak. 

I had to quickly try to wipe my tears away and act like a big girl while checking my bags in.

In a few short months we will be reunited, and thank goodness because I miss her already. 

on the road!

sweet little one

the cutest

Zupas, I miss it already.

Shopping day!

Cake Bites!

The. Creamery. Yes.

Reunited and it feels so good

Chillin on a dirt road

New friends at Spark

Mango mint, who knew that would be so yumm?

Dinner with the Moore's!

yuuummm. i will seriously miss my dessert buddies

part of the conference crew. I love those Chapman gals

getting ready to go inside!

chills

amaze

Moroni, he's the man.

beauty

I will never grow tired of taking pics of this temple

So much happiness

Walking on sunshine

I love this temple, picturesque.

Maybe one day I will get to this story, but for now, just know this lady is awesome.

So much beauty

Our Hungry faces?

St George!

The storm is on its way

80's Dancing!

It was a good trip, and it seemed to go by all too fast.

All my love,

Aleigh Joy

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