In the eyes of an eight-year-old

I've been thinking about this post for a while, ever since my little sister Kennadee sweetly distributed papers of gratitude to my family on the eve of thanksgiving. Mine said, "I am thankful for Megan because she's a fashion queen at collage." I immediately thought "oh to see things through 8-year-old eyes." It seems so perfect and glamorized almost doesn't it?

In the eyes of an 8-year-old

My clothes are pretty darn cute. Even "fashion queen" status and last years clothes are no different than the others.

In the eyes of an 8-year-old

I'm the coolest big sister because I'm old enough to wear makeup and sometimes I share.

In the eyes of an 8-year-old

I'm independent

In the eyes of an 8-year-old

I know how to do so many things, and I'm good at them.

In the eyes of an 8-year-old

My life is limitless.

In the eyes of an 8-year old

I'm near perfect

When I think of the people I look up to I don't notice every little flaw or short-coming. Are they there? Absolutely. Instead we recognize and admire what sets them apart, makes them stand-out, and makes them unique. Those things will ALWAYS carry more weight if it's what we look for.

May we all be a little bit kinder to others but also to ourselves. They say we are our worst critics. Maybe it’s a girl thing maybe it’s just a me thing but there are days when I feel like I can’t win. I can’t do anything right or good enough or efficient enough or as good as someone else. Like I mentioned earlier good things are there but we won’t realize them until we look for them. We’ll still have those days where the whole world seems to be against us, for those days my sister katie and I always joke. “well at least I got out of bed” or “at least I look good” followed by “it’s all about the small victories lately.”

Now whenever I’m sad or being ridiculously hard on myself I can just think about how the cutest darned 8-year-old is my biggest fan. Which is truly an honor because I was her biggest fan first.

Thanks Kenn for teaching me a lesson. I think when you’re in college you are going to be a fashion queen too. As well as a whole lot of other incredible things.

Everyone has a fan

xo Meg (F.Q)

The people of Walmart

Going to a Walmart in a college town is as social as I get sometimes. Trust me, it would be worthwhile to actually get ready. I tend to be on the end of the spectrum that could be classified as "people of Walmart" attire. Who looks cute at Walmart though, really?

Now a short tale of what happened the other night.

I left my brother and sister-in-laws apt in need of the essentials. They live closer to the Walmart on the south end of town. Not the one close to my apt where you could legit hold relief society. Not going to lie I was way excited to go to this Walmart to avoid every awkward encounter that seems to happen best at the grocery store.

I walked in briskly because there was a slightly creepy man behind me. Barely through the entrance I heard someone say my first and last name. Confused and a little disturbed I turned to see none other then KYPAY sitting at a table looking at her phone, scrolling. (Kylie and I always know where the other person is at all times. We both send and receive the following texts practically daily. "Where are you?" Or "when are you coming home?") So it was weird that I didn't get either of the texts. It's fine though because we both ended up at the same Walmart, which we NEVER go to at the same minute for the same reason. For real, when I saw her I collapsed to the ground laughing. 

Ky: "why are you here?"

Meg: "why are YOU here? Rough day?"

Ky: "yeah, it's just been an off day."

Meg: "is that why you came to this Walmart too?" 

Then we went and bought tampons togeth because that's what best friends do.

competitive-less

As an elementary education major I am in enrolled in a PE class this semester. A PE class where we learn to teach PE. My first day of the new semester I only had one class, this class. I feel like it's normal on the first day to feel completely overwhelmed. Teachers tell  you about every single assignment, pop quiz, and test that will be required of you over the course of the coming months. My teacher went over all of that but the only thing that really remained with me was "whistle blowing pass offs". Yes, you read that right. We were required to purchase a FOX 40 whistle (apparently there are different kind of whistles. I thought there were only two kinds of whistles: rape whistles and then just whistles) and then pass off our ability to blow the whistle correctly and confidently.

Ridiculous right? I know, but I still got nervous because my teacher spent a solid 5 minutes talking about this whistle blowing technique. WHAT?? Sometimes I think I pay to be taught the strangest things. Never in a million years would I EVER think that my tuition money would be going towards this. woof. 

Here's the part where I talk about how this is going to be my new favorite class. plot twist!! Every Friday we have Lab which means class is held in a gym and we are basically taught as if we we're in elementary school. We learn about space, movement, and basic techniques like throwing and catching. Last Friday we spent the whole entire class period running around, I swear. Most of the activities turn into a game of some sort that are seriously so fun. By the end of our first Friday lab I concluded that I'm definitely counting this as a workout. Today our lab focused a lot on skills. We discussed sport cues for dribbling a basketball, bumping a volleyball, and throwing a football. I ROCKED IT! I don't know why but for once in my life I felt like I was athletic and coordinated. For years, or my whole life I have pretended that I was athletic and sporty. I wanted to fit in with the boys and be accepted by three older brothers. Whenever I have competitively participated in any sport I have failed miserably. I am probably the least competitive person there ever was. Yeah, I can dribble a ball with my head up, keeping it at my waist level and using my finger pads(what we learned today). Put me in a basketball game and I would rather pass my opponent the ball then have her scowling at me trying to steal it away I would probably smile back or something. I might even just give her a hug. 

So today, my teacher kept praising me.  I enjoyed it way too much I think because i'm writing a post about it. Maybe I should reconsider what I want to teach. PE at the elementary level is so competitive free and still so fun! Just how I like it. 

and I passed off my whistle blowing. If you need any tips, I've got a few. ;) 

errybody's doin it

My name's Megan, and one time I gave into peer pressure.

Mayyyybe that's why a Spring Break cruise was just booked. (*insert nervous face emojii here) I think it's the good kind of peer pressure though, the kind where you have no regrets. you know?

I made this jar for my apt where we put the best moments of 2014 on paper and stick them in there. Needless to say last night needs to be documented into that paper form. I was thinking something like this.

we all booked a cruise...then squealed and cried simultaneously. We're literally broke.
or
neighbors came to check on us tonight because we were being obnoxiously loud and alarmingly giddy. 
or
dropping money you don't have is...liberating or maybe just really stupid. YOLO 

I have a new budget plan. It's called the PB&J budget.

Sending 2013 off, It's the least I could do really.

After posting about 2014 I felt guilty about not having a proper send off and saying "see ya later" to twenty thirteen. well because it's been a good year. Full of up's, down's, triumphs, setbacks, and sometimes disappointment. But that's why it's so beautiful- this is who I am becoming.

So some pictures to illustrate some of the blessed events of my past year.

Welcomed the newest baby, Adrian Mckay in Jan. // Became a part time model. ;) Helping the sis with her Etsy shop. 

Sophomore year//(kidnapping Tayler for her bachelorette party)

Spring break to Cali with some of my favorite humans//reunions with the whole dreamteam

Aggie ice cream(most were first timers)//quality family time

Moved apart// Said goodbye to Cook and Gill for 18 months

Heading off to camp//First time being on the bottom of a human pyramid

Summer in Logan//Summer in my favorite PV

Weekend adventures. (I was a weekender this summer)

Got a new car (put Kenn and Aub to work)// cow poop on me after a cow totaled my old car(lived to tell about it)

Just's graduation//kenn's bapt

potato gun shooting//first surgery(had to post this one!! ha) if wisdom teeth counts...

New adventures with new roommates and new friends at the start of my junior year of college

playing with my favorite kiddo's

OVER and OUT 2K13

2.0.1.4.

I feel like every other post on here is me ranting about a realization I have about growing older and wiser. These realizations also come to me probably much later then the normal person.

All Christmas break I felt like a robot on repeat. "Utah State. Yes, it's great. I have 3 semesters in total left." I must have said it a dozen times. I've had a couple of anxiety attacks realizing how fast college has already gone and how it's going to keep going by faster and faster.

However, when my sister-in-law, Maggie commented how far I am in school I had this flash back to when she was the college student and I was the graceless, terribly loud, and most certainly annoying girl. It's strange to think the person I admired so much and loved visiting in Provo for sleepovers (in her OWN awesome college apartment) was essentially the age that I am currently. Maggie was so mature and old seeming. She had a strong sense of self, something that I feel i'm totally lacking at this point in my life.

I have been a very independent person financially since I was old enough to work. However I have been dependent on everyone but myself for other things- trying to accomplish things because they are simply expected of me and my circumstances. I think because i'm the youngest of 4 older siblings I have a hard time not just being "baby meg" who is playfully teased with and pleasing to everyone. That's like expected of the youngest, right?

I have neglected figuring out who I am along the way. (don't get me wrong though there isn't anything I regret. And to be clear this is not the start of a rebellious stage or anything.)  Thinking of the new year ahead I am going to make it a goal of mine to discover more about myself, venture out of my comfort zone more, and not be caught up in "what is expected of me" I think I'm even going to learn the ukulele. (regret from camp was not knowing how to play, so I really wanna make that happen.) It is a quite liberating and empowering feeling. Watch out world!

Ryan and Maggie pre-children. Now it's their own children on their backs but before they had their own, you better believe it was me. All my siblings like to take turns being my parents, I think.

Also I just received an email regarding the deans list. Guys, i've finally made it life!