hasta luego, mis amores

well lovelies, i'm off to do bigger and better things. i won't post over here anymore until march of 2014 when i get home. buuuuuuut, for those of you who would like to keep up with what's going on in my life, you're welcome to follow my missionary adventures right over here, where my mom will be posting my weekly emails home. i'm so excited about this work i'm headed to do. i appreciate all the love, support, and encouragement i've felt from my family and friends in the weeks/months/years leading up to this big time in my life. i'm going to miss you all! until we meet again. xoxo.

last instagram dump until 2014

from left to right, top to bottom

[1] i wish growing out my bangs wasn't such a dang process, its taking forevs

[2] on my last night of work my mum came in and gave me basically a million dollars

[3] i've dropped this phone a thousand times and this was the time it chose to shatter the screen. i'd like to thank it for its thoughtful timing though. i don't need a phone for too much longer!

[4] one of the last few kentucky sunsets i'll see, and so preeeeetty

[5] boyfriend took me to shogun last week and it was so tasty

[6] jimmy johns has thee funniest signs, i could stay in there and look at them all day

[7] the fam went to roadhouse the other night and just got appetizers and desserts (the cheesecake is my fave)

[8] hadley and me on her last "first day of school" dinner

[9] eight hours in a car with four other people will do somethin to you...

[10] "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" is all that comes to mind

[11] encouraging texts from idaho cory

[12] it isn't a trip to kansas without a walk down memory lane

[13] sister black sent me the sweetest note after i gave my farewell talk

[14] orange leaf date with our favorite couple

[15] we spend our days with bubbles and coloring books, so what?

[16] hotel beds >

one week

today i enter my last week as a non-missionary. on sunday my stake president will set me apart as a  full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. from then on there will be no phone, twitter, facebook, blogger, instagram, skype, movies, music, dating, swimming, working, or life as i know it for the next year and a half. on monday i will fly to utah, with my mom as my first companion, to spend some time with family and friends before i report to the mtc on wednesday. it's so strange that the day is finally coming, and it's coming this week! i can't believe it's been eight long months since i decided i was going to move home and prepare to serve a mission. i cannot accurately describe to you how badly i want to get out of here and go to work. it's literally all i can think about and i'm so unbelievably ready to begin this next chapter of my life.

in other news, we spent the weekend in kansas city for my stepdad's stepdad's (don't get confused) funeral. it was a nice service with lots of family on his side and my stepdad's mom's side as well. i was just happy we got to be there to support her. she's an incredible woman and took such great care of him. it was also nice to be able to spend a few unexpected days with my little family of 5.

well loves, i'm off to enjoy labor day festivities, which include, but are not limited to: laundry, packing, cleaning, swimming (if the weather will allow) and hopefully some downtown louisville.

kiss your loved ones - you don't know how long you have them!

winding down

it's so strange to think that in less than a month i'll be a missionary. a real live name badge wearing, book of mormon carrying, spanish speaking, investigator loving missionary. i have been waiting on this for what seems like sooooooo loooooong. but it's getting more and more real with every day. last sunday i gave my farewell talk, and then a week from this next sunday i get set apart. i'll fly to utah on monday, spend tuesday with my family, and then wednesday i'm off! my last days at both jobs were this weekend, so i'm dedicating the next two weeks to final preparations and getting in missionary mode. i plan on spending lots of time at the temple, time reading and studying the scriptures and preach my gospel, and cherishing every moment with my family. i'm so so thankful it's almost here! i don't think i could wait any longer. and as sad/nervous/anxious/ as i sometimes feel, the excitement/certainty/eagerness i'm feeling is a thousand times more.

speaking of heat

i hate being hot. i hate it so much and cannot wait til summer is over. on wednesday i went to king's island (a theme park in cincinnati) with some friends. of course we chose the hottest day of the week to go and tried to pretend we weren't miserable in the 100+ degree weather. on the flip side, the last two days have been utterly beautiful outside. by utterly beautiful, i obviously mean 75 and breezy. it feels like love and it's making me super excited about fall.

speaking of fall, this will be the first fall that i haven't been in rexburg since i graduated high school. in case you can't count, that's three years. it's going to be really strange not going school supply shopping, carving pumpkins, kicking leaves on the way to class, and wearing hoodies and jeans everyday. but i'm thinking fall in spain could be pretty nice too, ya know?

speaking of spain, i'm finally prepared. in terms of readiness. i have everything i need in order to head off to the mtc. and that freaks me out. i still haven't been able to shake the feeling of nervousness that i've had for the last couple weeks. i wish it would go away. but i feel like nerves come with every big change in life. i feel like it's okay to feel this way. i would just like some reassurance that it is.

speaking of changes, i'm going to miss so much while i'm gone. i'm going to miss my brother and sister's senior year of high school, their senior prom, their graduation, and their first year of college. as a big sister, that makes me so sad. a year and a half is a long time to be gone. i don't wanna miss all the good stuff! but it'll be so fantastic living with my baby sister in provo when i get home.

speaking of home, i like being here. i was really skeptical of living in louisville. moving in, i didn't know anybody here besides my family. i was bummed about living somewhere for 6 months without a single friend and nothing to do. but i've really liked being here, a lot. i've enjoyed the extra time i've had with my family. i've enjoyed working at texas roadhouse where it all started (even though i miss my idaho falls roadies) and i've enjoyed meeting new people and having friends to hang out with to pass the free time i have. i don't think kentucky will ever really be home to me, but if home is where the heart is, home is here for now.

in a word, or two, or five

it's august. that simple fact completely blows my mind. like didn't i just move home? no, that was in february. didn't i just turn 21 and submit my papers? no, that was in march. and all the sudden now it's august and i'm going on my mission  next month. 

in the beginning of this whole process, the best word to describe how i felt would've been excited. getting my call was pretty special, shopping for mission clothes was fun, renewing my passport and applying for a visa was stressful and all this waiting and working has been tiring. and now, though i'm still so incredibly excited, i'm starting to get nervous. parts of me feel inadequate and incapable and like i'm way in over my head. i hope that's a normal thing to feel. i'm anxious about the mtc because i've heard it's definitely not a favorite part of returned missionaries' mission experiences. i'm scared that i won't do, or be, or say the right things. i'm worried that maybe the advanced language class the language coordinator put me in will be too hard. i'm concerned my visa won't get to the mtc in time and i'll be stuck in there forever. i'm overwhelmed.

today my apostille for spain came in the mail and the thought of living there for 18 months became more real than it has ever been. 

this is happening. it's really happening. and it's happening next month.

scammage

i just had my car serviced on thursday. it was due for its 5,000 mile oil change and check-up (tune-up? i don't know, i'm not a car person). i also asked the guy if he would check my brakes for me. back in february when i got my car serviced in utah before shipping it to kentucky, the man at the toyota place told me my brake pads were suuuuper worn and needed to be replaced immediately upon returning home. 

(i've had that thought in the back of my head every time i've gone out on the road. i'm honestly surprised i haven't slammed into the back of someone's car due to barely there brake pads.) 

well, the kind man who worked on my car told me that my brakes were perfectly fine. not only were the fine, they were in great condition, and wouldn't need to be replaced for months. he said the guy in utah was probably trying to take advantage of me, seeing as i'm young and obviously know nothing about cars. this guy could've replaced my brake pads and charged me an arm and a leg for something i didn't even need done! buuuuuut he didn't. i think it's because there's still some genuinely good people left on this planet. few, but definitely enough. 

that is all.

i hope your monday has been swell.

update

i spent the first few days of july at home. and of course by home, i mean kansas. it was the first time i'd been back in almost a year! my grandma flew into kc the night we drove in so we picked her up from the airport and she stayed with us. she made fun of me because almost every time we turned down a familiar street i kept saying "how weeeeiiiird!" it was to be back. it really was though. so much has changed in the last year. i never thought 2012 would have turned out the way it has. we were only home for three days, but we did a lot in those three days...

we bought cider doughnuts/lost trail root beer/peaches from the louisburg cider mill, attended church at our old ward, visited our old house, had lunch at chipotle (there isn't one near us where we live now and it's killlllllling me), took family pictures with jen fields. and visited family and friends. the most important thing we did during our time back home, and the main reason for our return, was attend the kansas city temple. i was endowed on july 3rd and it was such an awesome experience. i had invited some people from church to my session and i was so pleased that almost all of them were able to come! after our session we had a celebratory lunch at the texas roadhouse near the temple. when i walked in, the managers had written a message of good luck to me on the floor by the entrance. i felt pretty special that day.

most of all, it was wonderful being home. i lived in kansas for most of my life, so having been gone for almost a year, it felt right to come back. i don't think i'll ever feel more at home than i did there.

lately, via instagram

i don't quite understand the point of blogging when you don't want to. and lately i just haven't wanted to do. thus, the lack of posts. i'm sure you all will forgive me. but i figured it was time to give a little update. not a lot has been happening. i am going to start working 2 jobs, though. serendipity monday through thursday in the mornings, and then texas roadhouse monday through saturday in the evenings. i need all the money i can get right now considering i won't have time to earn it when i get home from my mission. my goal is to have enough to pay for rent, tuition, and (hopefully) my own car to have at school since my brother will most likely be driving mine (unless my mom sells it, that is). that means i need to be sleeping, breathing, and living dollar signs for the next 11 weeks or so. i can do it. i'm the little engine that could. so besides work and lots of quality family time, this is a little bit of how i've been spending my days...

1. say "hi" to the daisies i spotted on a cold, rainy, windy 2 mile jog

2. finding winky faces in the scriptures makes my new testament homework fun

3. the flailing about she does typically means she needs her belly rubbed, NOW

4. still getting used to my bangs, trying to love them

5. my mother and i took a day trip to st. louis just the two of us and it was absolutely magical

6. hads and i, backseat livin' on a saturday afternoon with the family

7. to get to st. louis we had to cross a bridge over the ohio river and i thought it was the coolest thing

8. running temple errands at the st. louis temple!

9. the healthy omelet my mom and i had for dinner tonight... so delish and only 150 calories!

i'm still alive. i'm just too busy (or too busy making excuses) to blog and any spare time i do have i try to spend with my family since we don't have a whole lot of it left! every day gets me closer to my mission and every day gets me more excited for it. let's just say, i'm ready for september 12th.

today was pink & purple

that time my best friend got married... in pictures

my best friend got married last month. i already pretty much summarized the whole day over here, but i wanted to share with you a few of my favorite pictures from the day! 

basically, i love my best friend

and they lived happily ever after

(p.s. all photos courtesy of angela mccallister)

some days i do, some days i don't

i've worked in the service industry for the last six years. i have found it to be both the most rewarding and the most demanding work i've ever done. i'm a people person so most of the time i love getting to interact with different people on a daily basis. i've met a lot of really cool people through my serving jobs over the years. some days i love my job, some days i don't. 

today i did not.

we hosted a lunch for over 50 older women today (something we didn't have to do). and they were the rudest, neediest bunch of ladies i have ever met. i don't know where people get off being mean to people who are waiting on them, but it's absolutely ridiculous.

oh and p.s. "scones" and "sconces" are not synonymous. a scone is what we serve with your drink before your meal. a sconce is a light fixture that hangs on a wall. so don't ask for another "sconce" or i'll bring you a decorative light.

[end of rant]

a hairy situation

i haven't had bangs like this since i was about 4. but somehow, they mysteriously found their way back to my forehead

i've already decided i hope they're grown out by the time i leave for spain because they're too much work. but i'll let them stay for summer.

photo a day may

every month, fat mum slim puts up a photo challenge on her blog. i've been trying so hard since, i think, march to be sure to take a picture every day from her list, and every month, without fail, i don't. such a shame. i tried my hardest in may, but still came up short. here is the list from last month:

and here's what i managed to get:

and here is the list for this month:

it's a new month, and a new challenge. this is going to be the one i do every day, i just know it!

you should join :)

hi my name is paige and i am the pinterest QUEEN

this is a story about a girl who had no friends so all she did was cook. hi! that's me! 

having lived here for only 3 months, i don't have a whole lot of friends. so when i'm not working or with my family, i get suuuper bored. and i'm running out of things to do. so, i turn to pinterest, and focus my energy in the cooking direction. never have i ever loved cooking and baking so much. but in the last few days i have made so much delicious food!

first were the s'more cookies

then, pretzel chocolate chip cookies

earlier this week we made no bake cookies (which i didn't really need pinterest for...)

last night i made pizza monkey bread

and then this morning i made funfetti cookies

everything i've made has been deliiiicious. and for the most part, pretty easy! i've decided you seriously cannot go wrong with a pinterest recipe. tomorrow night, it's enchilada puffs and rasperry swirl cheesecake cups! 

to follow me on pinterest, click here!

and to see pictures of the yumminess (and everything else),

follow me on instragram @haiimpayge

do you have any yummy pinterest recipes i should try?

mormon.org

hey lds people... 

who has a mormon.org profile? 

here's mine. 

leave me the link to yours in a comment!

hurrah for israel

as part of my "pre-field training" for my mission, i had to watch six 30-minute videos about real elders and sisters and their experiences with some of the people they taught during their time as missionaries. i'm grateful that the Church's missionary program now includes these videos because so far, these have been the most helpful to me in learning what it's like to serve a mission. did i cry during every single episode? i did. i didn't have to be there to feel the spirit. seeing real life investigators changing their lives, desperate to come unto Christ and follow Him, was incredible. and all thanks to young men and women just like me. i've always put missionaries on such a pedestal. i admire them and respect them so much. especially the 19 yearold men that go. 19 seems like such a young age. but every single worthy missionary i've come across seem so mature, eloquent, respectful, and full of gospel knowledge. and now i get to be that! 

words cannot accurately express just how blessed and excited i feel to be able to serve a mission. there is no better way i could be spending the next 18 months. in the last few minutes of the last episode, one of the elders said, "if you're worthy, it'd be a mistake not to go!" but really. i am so eager to share the great message of the gospel of Christ with the people of madrid. i can't wait to see the truthfulness of His teachings change people's lives for the better. to see miracles worked, prayers answered, and faith increased every. single. day. i am so beyond ready to forget the world and get to work. i love this gospel with all that i am, and i'm thrilled to be able to share it with those who the Lord has prepared to hear it.

come on, september 12th! i'm ready for you.

a minor setback

so this little joy came in the mail for me last week. i sent in my missionary acceptance letter and then got this in return! the instructions and information for getting my extended visa. getting all these big envelopes from salt lake makes this whole thing seem so real. in less then 4 months i'll be in the mtc like a real missionary! it's stupid how excited i am about this.

so because of all the technical things i have to get done this summer regarding my 18 months in spain, i decided that this week would be a productive one. i was going to fill out my passport renewal form, take it to walgreens and have them take my picture, and start working on my visa paperwork. i had made an appointment for my visiting teachers to come over. i had even agreed to come teach my brother and sister's seminary class one day. all on top of the 40 hours i was going to be working.

and then i got sick.

so, in lieu of the productivity i foresaw, i instead went to the walmart clinic (no waiting rooms and much faster service), got prescribed amoxicillin, and have been in bed ever since. in the last three days i have watched: 

footloose

the glee concert movie

7 episodes of revenge

the bachelorette premier

some embarrassing abc family shows

and a healthy dose of ryan gosling and chris evans

people, i am ready to be well. i have a lot to do as a future missionary and a lot of hours to work in order to make some very necessary money. so if you have a spare second or two, send your good thoughts, karma, mojo, and all that nonsense my way. my one day converts in madrid, and my family would appreciate it. 

just so we're being clear, i wouldn't mind being able to breathe and taste again either :)

counting down, as usual

16 days til i get lasik

19 days til our favorite photographer comes to take our family pictures

21 days til i start my new testament class online to keep my spot at byui

125 days til i enter the mtc as sister munden

2012 has been and continues to be such a fantastic year

keep it comin'

mutha's day

dear mom, thanks for everything. 

for the years and years of going above and beyond.

i couldn't have done a better job if i hand-picked you myself.

i feel so very blessed to call you mine. 

i love you. 

happy mother's day!

(so, so weird to think that this time next year i'll be calling from spain!)

mawwaige is what bwings up togeva today

the day started early. i was up at 7 to do my makeup and pack up my suitcase and bags. i headed to amara day spa, as recommended by my friend chantelle, to get my hair done. this girl alex came in extra early (8:30) before the salon opened just for me! we talked weddings, hideous bridesmaids' dresses of her past, and of how many friends we had getting married.

at 9:15 i was off to the mount timpanogos temple to watch my best friend and her jason walk out as husband and wife. the morning was cold and windy. family and friends were huddled in the waiting area just inside the temple. at 10:00 the mother of the bride announced that amy and jason were about to walk out! i got chills as they pushed through the doors, smiles and loving glances across their faces. amy looked stunning. i had forgotten what her dress looked like until then. but it was utterly beautiful. she was the most beautiful bride i had ever seen. and jason looked so dapper in his suit. they looked incredible.

after hugs and kisses were exchanged between the bride and groom and their families, we were directed to positions for photographs. after 30 minutes of picture taking we were "dismissed" and i met up with my friend (and one of amy's previous roommates) megan and [their other roommate] chelsea. literally all the three of us talked about for the rest of the day was how much we loved amy and how gorgeous of a bride she was. 

we headed to a little victorian house in provo for a luncheon for the wedding party, family, and close friends. after a fantastic salad and yummy chicken with mashed potatoes and veggies, amy and jason's dads offered words of advice, encouragement, and keys to a successful and happy marriage. i may or may not have teared up. it was pretty special. 

after the luncheon, we made our way back up to lehi for the reception. the room was beautifully decorated in blue and yellow, with the center pieces, food table, and flower arrangements set perfectly in place. there was music, dancing, mini cheesecakes, pictures, receiving lines, and unexpected guests! apparently one of jason's uncles and his wife were my primary teachers 15 or so years ago! the lds community is such a small, small world. it was great seeing them. amy and i got a moment alone when i helped her change her clothes in the dressing room. it was the only time i'd really seen her all day and it was nice to be able to congratulate her on my own.

it was finally time to let mr. and mrs. demke go. the reception guests each took blue and gray balloons to release as amy and jason left. it was such a happy day. by the afternoon/evening the sun had come out, the air had warmed up, and the wind had died down. the balloons left our hands as quickly as the happy couple sped off. 

it was such a good day. i am so sooo excited for amy and jason. i've never seen her this genuinely happy in the three years i've known her. they are truly a perfect match and i wish them all the luck in the world as they embark on their marital adventures. i love them both and i'm thrilled i got to be there on their special day!

a mission call

i've been in utah all weekend for amy's wedding. on friday night i went to dinner at joe's crab shack with amy and jason, amy's parents, sisters, and grandparents. i got there a little earlier than everyone else so i was sitting in the car waiting for them to arrive when my mom called me.

"paige... guess what just came in the mail for you"

"MY CALL!?"

"YOUR CALL!"

i originally didn't want her to open it. i wanted to be the one to tear the seal, open the letter, and the read the words sent to me from president monson. but then i decided i didn't want it to sit at my house for two more days, teasing me because i didn't know what it said. so i told her to open it.

"mom, don't read ahead!!!"

"okay i won't, i'm covering the paragraph!"

"go, mom, read it!"

"dear sister munden, you are hereby called to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. you are assigned to labor... FDJKLSJA OMG PAIGE JFLKDJFKLA OMG!"

"mom, where!?"

"YOU'RE GOING TO DJAKLFJDKLA!"

"omg mom, tell me!"

"you are assigned to labor in the SPAIN MADRID MISSION"

this episode of screaming and excitement was followed by lots of crying and hyperventilating and more screaming. people, i am elated. i feel like i've been waiting foreeeeever for this. i honestly did not care where the lord sent me. i figured if he wanted me in some podunk town in montana or something, i would be willing and ready! but let's be real for a second. i can't wait to go to spain. i am so excited. i can't wait to get home and see the letter with my own two eyeballs and to research everything i can about madrid. i feel so blessed with this opportunity and sincerely appreciate all the congratulations i've already gotten via call, text, facebook and twitter. 

basically, i'm going to madrid, spain and i report september 12th. and i am thrilled about it.

this week!

it's here, boys and girls. the week my amy is getting maaaaarried! i have tomorrow and wednesday of work, and then thursday afternoon i'm headed out to utah! friday will be a day of who knows what and then saturday is the big day! my girl emily who i went to ecuador is picking me up from the airport (i haven't seen her since march of last year!) and then my friend logan is going to the wedding with me as my date (i haven't seen him since october of 2009 because he's been on his mission). it's going to be a weekend of smiling and pictures and pretty dresses and yummy food and lots of love. basically i am SO happy for my best friend and i'm thrilled she's asked me to be a part of her special day.

countdowns, concerts, and cuties

my best friend in the world is getting married in ten days. there's a chance i'm more excited than she is. ten days, people! and that means i'm flying out to utah in 8 days. i like that a lot. this is the longest i've gone without a trip to utah since last august. i miss utah! and i miss amy. i'm excited for her to become mrs. amy demke. that sounds like a pretty solid name i think.

also, 35 days til i get lasik! it seems really far away, but i'm looking so much forward to never having to wear glasses or contacts again. i've needed vision correction since i was in second grade. 13 years later and i'm gonna be free of it! happy happy day. and happy late birthday to me! thanks mom.

speaking of music (just go with it), i thought the last concert i went to before my mission would be parachute, but it's not! i'm seeing the maine with taylor tomorrow night and i'm seeing a rocket to the moon with my sister in two and a half weeks. i'm gonna be missing juelaine though, she's my concert buddy. hooray for live music. 

i've finally gotten into a bit of a routine. i work about 35 hours a week at serendipity, and i'm babysitting about 5 hours a week, so i'm working fulltime and i'm glad to be busy. especially since the kids i watch are pretty much the cutest little humans i've ever seen. 

anyhow, enjoy the instragram from lately

see? he's absolutely precious

hadley had an awards ceremony

free ice cream at work >>>

hooray for this article on the kansas city temple being in the kc star!

my view for thunder

s'more cookies, thank you pinterest

well, knowing me it's going to be another week before i blog again. but keep on keepin' on, or whatever.

perfect timing

we all have bad days. when a bunch of little things accumulate and become a big thing, when someone says something that sets you off, or when you just happen to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. it's a terribly unfortunate part of life. but sometimes, just as quickly as you can enter a bad mood, a few words can send you right out of it. like that time trina left a note on my pillow. the other day i woke up and was not feelin' it. but then i checked my phone and woke up to this most wonderful message...

"Paige I love you with all of my heart. You're my best friend and I really, really appreciate you. I think ypu are the strongest person I know. I've admired you since I first saw your scriptures open on your desk at your dorm one day freshman year.  Ha :) I think you're beautiful and driven and smart and close to the Savior and I know this text is weirdo but I really love you."

boom. day changed.

thanks amy lou.

my week according to instagram

1. the area we live in is so pretty. so on saturday we took a drive through the hills and the trees, and all down back roads. when we stopped we looked through my sunroof and this is what we saw.

2. i haven't weeded since i was like twelve. we were supposed to weed the raspberry bushes. we accidentally weeded the onion plants. oops.

3. frozen pizza for the win.

4. this is what i look like when i wake up at 11 on a friday morning.

5. movie date with my baby brother. i went in the clothes i slept in the night before. go ahead, judge me.

6. my pool is open and ready for business! it's sooo chilly though.

7. the main reason i will never allow myself to get on academic warning ever again is so i don't have to take this dumb online workshop.

8. i'm 21 years old and carwashes still terrify me. but my ravvy needed it. poor guy hadn't been clean since february.

9. "red sky at morning, sailor's warning... red sky at night, sailor's delight"

10. amy's wedding invitation finally appeared in my mailbox!

11. i finally saw like crazy. i loved it. did you people love it? cause i loved it. like crazy.