2013 — The Traveler's Chant

So usually I write really deep, sappy New Year's blog posts. I was too lazy to do that this year. So enjoy a nice song and some lovely pictures instead!

This song pretty much became my theme song this year. Press play.

2013 was pretty rad. I did lots of awesome things.

1. I moved to freaking GERMANY!!

FRANKFURT!!!!!!!!! Best city in all of Germany!

Schoneck-Kilianstadten! My happy little village!

Left: Wurzburg. Right: My FIRST wiener schnitzel in Rothenburg ob der Tauber *drool*.

View of Heidelberg from the castle!

Middle of nowhere museum.

2. I made new friends. 

The Cravens were kind enough to take me on all of their German adventures!

Left: Stephan and the Taylors. Right: Stephan! Miss him so much :(

Gwynners!

Thomas. Aka the classiest 6-year-old British kid EVER.

Dylan and Jake are both on missions now and I kiiiiinda miss them a ton.

I got to work with the Europe Area Public Affairs staff for three months and it was a freaking BLAST. Such good people!

3. And got closer to some old ones.

Hobo camping with these fools. We go way back.

Left: Green River Sunday adventure with Nick n Nate! Right: FREE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DONUTS with Trenty boy right before I left for Germany!

Left: Cody freaking Johnson. Hadn't seen him in two years! Right: Steve-o's 21st birthday bash!

 

4. I went to Belgium and it was glorious.

Yeah, I fell in love with Brussels instantly.

Left: The Atomium! Right: My first Belgian waffle DID NOT disappoint.

5. I landed a job as editor-in-chief of BYU's newspaper.

Holla.

JOURNALISM.

6. I went on lots of adventures.

We were out shooting over Thanksgiving break and thought it would be a good idea to blow up a toilet because we're hillbillies and that's what hillbillies do.

Wyoming sunsets are the best sunsets.

Left: Fort Worth Stockyards by night. Right: On the way to the top of Mt. Timpanogos!

We finished up Conference weekend by taking a lovely drive! Overlooking Utah Lake and Springville. Squaw Peak Road is easily one of the most scenic drives in Utah. 

I wandered around Potsdam, Germany all by myself without a map and I didn't get lost or die and I'm pretty proud of myself for that.

I GOT TO MEET ELDER JEFFREY R. HOLLAND! I got to hear him speak to church members in Leest, Germany, and it was easily the coolest thing I've ever experienced.

We roadtripped it to Moab the weekend Utah paid to open all of its National Parks!

Hello, Delicate Arch! Nature is wonderful.

My daddy at Cedar Creek, Texas!

7. I took lots of pictures of people.

Erik gettin his GQ on.

Left: Cody gettin his gas station on. Right: Nathan being an idiot.

Baby Xander!

Momma Street and Cam in Washington.

8. I went to a bunch of concerts.

JASON ALDEAN AND JAKE OWEN BROKE GEORGE STRAIT'S CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS CONCERT RECORD AND I WAS THERE FOR IT!!!!

Left: Tim McGaw! Seriously the best concert I've ever been to. Right: Luke Bryan's equipment wouldn't work because it had rained all prior to and during his concert, so he sang his entire set acoustically and I thought I was going to die and go to heaven.

Left: MACKLEMORE! (P.S. I did not take this photo and was definitely not that close, but all my pictures were terrible so, thanks Google!) Right: The BIEBS. 

9. I turned 22. 

And am proud to say I have NOT ONCE listened to the Taylor Swift song.

My momma recreated the train cake she made me when I was 3!

10. I became a better person. 

Probably the closest thing to a selfie you'll ever see of me.

2013 had its fair share of ups and downs. Challenges. Triumphs. New experiences. 

I lived in a foreign country. I got straight A's. I ran like a bajillion miles. I got addicted to German chocolate. I learned how to take pretty pictures. I sent out my first real job applications. I bought my first designer accessory. I ate eight donuts in one night and not a care was given. I got over a guy I had been head over heels for. I rode hundreds of trains and busses. I got my truck dirtier than it has ever been. I explored old castles. I spent a lot of time alone. I got outside of my comfort zone. I learned new things. I overcame adversity.

And, most importantly, I loved life.

And I intend to do the same thing in 2014. Hopefully you'll do the same, too. Cheers to being awesome!

Don't wait this year to be happy!