the weekly

christmas came and went and it already feels like a far passed event. boo.
i have been watching more gilmore girls than necessary this past week, thanks to the complete boxed set of seasons as my christmas gift. believe me, that was a long time comin'
i taught primary on sunday and the cutest 4 year old girl in my class legitimately thought i was THE Elsa. i mean, i am. but she thought i was also the queen and asked why i changed my hair red, because 'she thought it was better white'.
do you ever think that maybe sometimes new year's eve is a little overrated? its not my favorite.
i am a super shopper. really. (i get it all from my mom) and it benefits during the holiday season.
the kardashian's are in park city. and its rumored that kanye's even with them. uh WHAT?
mostly, i just don't want this break to be over.
aren't flowers just the most loveliest of things?
that's me up there. on our trip. everyone keeps making those slideshow collage things of their year in review, and while mine was definitely a fabulous year to review (i mean this summer alone could have been a novel - don't get me started on the months before and after it!), i feel like the one thing that was best this year, was me. that sounds really full of it, but for the first time in a while, i've enjoyed really thriving in being myself and doing what i love. here's to hoping another year is just as grand.

that trip of a lifetime

remember that trip i took this summer? the one that i still fawn over when i think about it (which is almost every day) and tell stories of? my grandma talks about it more than i do, and seeing how much she loved it moved me to make a video of the trip for her and my grandpa to watch and remember it by. after all, the trip was for them. i'm still learning all this video stuff, but its fun to see it all over again. i want to always travel, but this trip will always be one that i remember.



Europe from Elsa Jensen on Vimeo.

just in case you missed it on other social media platforms ;)

gold syndrome

guys, i am so obsessed with gold and glitter lately, its insane. i also can't get enough of that song 'do you want to build a snowman?' and then it always turns into 'let it go' and i sing it alllllllllllllll day. and then i think about how much i love it that her name is elsa and my name is elsa and then i hope that someone else will want to talk about it too. so if i bring it up, thats probably why. anyways, back to gold and glitter. its like i have a radar for it, and all that my eyes can spot is something that is gold or glittery, and it jumps out and says "BUY ME ELSA".  it kind of makes me laugh. i also have this problem that makes me want to watch all of the modern family episodes ever made but its like i have to jump through illegal hoops just to do it (i mean, why netflix doesn't have it, i will never know), and it kind of poops me out, so most times i just don't watch it. i also want to cook and eat all things wonderful and paint all things wonderful. and so is my christmas break life.

a christmas of people

christmas for me, is people. this year had felt different for me and i couldn't quite explain why. the joy of presents or the hustle and bustle of holiday cheer didn't seem the same. and i think that's because i changed a little bit. i have so dearly come to learn of the importance of the people around me in life, and i think thats where it all changed. because there's a certain feel in the air around the holidays that changes the way we are with people. and i think thats when i realized that i'd rather have people for christmas any day. people that i love and wrestle with daily, like brothers, and roommates, that always keep me laughing.  people that i look up to and admire, watching to know how to live, like my parents and grandparents. people that i connect with, that bring me such a feeling of solidarity and understanding that is accompanied with a bond that even i don't understand, but only us best friends truly can. and just those people. those people that we see all the time and that i somehow seem to take for granted that they are always just there. for me, people is what christmas is about. i could live on a christmas of traditions and people and still just be as happy. and i think thats why we are all here together. God gave us people to love us and nurture us. to influence us, teach us, and bless us. and my testimony of that is really the best christmas gift i could have received.

monday

somehow, its much easier to blog when i'm at home. somehow its also much easier to take self portraits at home.
i finished another semester at school and i couldn't be more happy with how that one turned out.
i'm in a disney movie, and its pretty darn cute. yes, you can ask me if i want to build a snowman. my mother also suggested i stay away from red-headed men after that. ironic.
i don't know what it is, but certain people seem to have a radar to when i'm in the area and it is not what i prefer.
we've watched so many christmas movies at my house, we could be called the holiday cheer-meisters
for some reason, i've been pondering a lot about myself and the things i want to do differently, and it makes me excited for fresh beginnings.
the more i think about creativity, the more i realize that its a gift and talent from God, on lend to us all.
i've booked two weddings within the next three months. TWO! i feel so legit.
sometimes i dream that my roommate and her fiance didn't move out over the break and i wake up super bummed out.
hey, best friend, i had a coffee oreo shake the other night but i added BROWNIE BATTER. it was phenomenal. then i watched new girl and wished you were there.
then i promptly went to the gym. #holidaysmakemefat
my other best friend spent the night last week, because we are never too old for that. and her husband was out of town.

monday

i have two days left people. TWO. DAYS.

the fact that i'm not at home right now, but i was at the same time last year is really upsetting to me. 

on a happier note, it was my birthday this last weekend! i am now 22. you may now begin asking and saying silly lines that involve my age and are from taylor swift. everyone else did. 

i now have a professional working website! it was so hard to make, i literally can't explina to you in words how hard coding a website is and how much time it takes (but I'm thinking i locked in about 40+ hours), but i am so stinking proud of that simple website. so proud, that i can't get my fingers off of it and once my teacher grades it, i'm adding more. 

i was slightly regretting watching a ton of SVU last week because i had a crazy dream that i was a detective, so i moved onto revenge. and OH MY GOSH. 

i officially booked my ticket to my best friend's wedding and i am so excited! but looking for a light pink bridesmaid dress right now is about impossible.

i also booked a wedding today and i feel so professional! its all in your website ;)

i want to be emily thorne. 

december looks like

whats new with me?
i'm sitting in my living room watching probably my 10th or 11th episode of SVU. its always on usa today, and its sooooooo addicting to this apartment lately.
i spent all weekend, (literally all weekend) working on the hugest and hardest project i've had in my college experience yet.
but the best feeling is when you actually nail what you're doing and it works out.
i love december. have i mentioned that?
i'm definitely over the whole "i'll just talk to you on mondays" thing.
my birthday is definitely only 3 days away. 3 days people.
me and my roommates discovered the taco bus, which is down the street in small college town, and it was probably the best discovery we made in a while.
i've turned into a lazy blogger. i promise to do better once these finals are over.

blessed day

my small college town gets so cold it, the power can't even handle it. its the best thing in the world to wake up all groggy and confused and find four mass texts from your college that say classes have been postponed until 12:45, which is precisely when I am done for the day. thank you retched -12 degree weather for gracing us with your presence and giving me the entire day off. i truly appreciate it, and all of the 54 snowflakes i made for a ward party. what else is there to do when the power is out?

tuesday. because monday is oh so busy.

this is my face, because the cold snow makes me happy, and cold.
i know, i know. i haven't blogged in a while.
if you couldn't tell from everyone that resides in the states surrounding me, it snowed today. like, a lot.
thanksgiving break was wonderful in every aspect of a break.
but now that is december, i can start talking about how much i love december. because hello, it has my birthday. and the world turns into a gorgeous snow globe of goodness. oh, and the best way to spread christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
i also sang "snow" from white christmas all last night and today because it snowed.
and the apartment is decorated like a winter wonderland. its fabulously fabulous and i find myself wanting to be in my living room next to my little pink tree always.
i also hung mistletoe above our front door ;)
oxblood and gold are officially my two new favorite colors.
i love this season and i want it to stay a while.