Festive Makeover

I thought it was time for a change in the festive direction. Enjoy :)

Christmas Ball

I'm a big girl now and going to college which means an institute ball with fun people and lots of Christmas cheer. I went with my good friend Josh Boatright. Probably one of the funnest people I know and also one of the funnest dates!

1. Ashley Tucker

she is crazy cute! She has become one of my best friends-love her!

This is us at the dance...the dinner part.

(the entire thing was free! free food...DJ...and professional pictures!)

2. Me and Josh wanted to get some of the professional pictures but the line took forever!

Thought we'd have some fun while we waited.

Many wiggle pictures and weird looks from standers by ensued.

3. 2 of my favorite people that we got to play with all night.

Olivia is just hilarious and Ryan...made for some good laughs...haha

4. K-I don't know these people that well...

...but they were all over each other the entire wait in line...

...at least 45 minutes.

Its ok...I guess...since they were getting married in 2 weeks.

(picture totally taken on the sly-no worries)

5. Didn't stop us from making a little fun though

(They were right behind us in line too)

6. There was a pretty tree in the middle of the dance floor so we took advantage of it!

7. Isn't he so cute!

There are maybe 50+ more pictures of the two of us from this night...just saying.

8. Mistletoe!

(self-explanatory)

9. ...haha

10. Dan and Ashley being awesome!

11. My cute friend Jessica that I met back in all state choir in high school and goes to ASU.

Such a cute cute girl!

And I was lucky to be the provider of her dress from the evening.

She totally rocked that dress better than I ever could!

12. After the dance Josh and I went for a little refreshment

...if you will...

at the neighborhood Sonic.

Josh is a dancing fool!

We were dancing the entire time!

Even in the line...in the middle of people :).

It was such a party! But that kid wore me out! haha So fun though.

He was thoughtful to stop here-and I got to see my good friend Carl!

This dress got its first debut with this boy at Prom junior year.

That date was like this one: super super fun-lots of dancing and good food...and a really fun awesome guy friend.

Couldn't ask for a more festive evening! LOVED IT! And love Josh...

..and that awesome dress!

(I may need to find a way to get it white...for sometime in the future)

loving life

1. babies...namely this one (and her cute sister)

Her name is Chantelle Lorraine~Mac and Cam's second one.

bonus: she's cuddly!

She was blessed this Sunday.

2. institute: I had two classes this semester...

...which is too much but they were great.

Here's a highlight-we had a sub one day who played pictionary with us

so funny! (old guys getting excited over winning ='s awesome)

(yes that is Paul Green helping out. He was a needed addition to the class)

3. ASU/being manless...for now

I really do love ASU

(and the fact that I have a camera to document things like this)

Ma says that girls are poison until they turn 20...I've still got a while.

4. missionaries

This is Chelsea Wells the first day she got back from her mish to the historical sites in NY

I was standing in proxy of Abby...we are the same person after all :)

I love all of my other friends that have decided to go on missions.

I'm so so proud of them!...I could be better at writing though.

5. being a missionary

I have had so many experiences to share the gospel at ASU its crazy!

More in the last few months then in my entire life so far!

I'm so grateful to be at a place that allows that kind of experience.

6. spontaneity

For my buddy Nay Nay's b-day we went to Denny's...

at 4 in the morning!...it was early

(notice the shoes...earliness ='s confusion)

but totally fun and worth it

7. new hair cut

I've been wanting to donate my hair for a very long time.

so when I had a free saturday I was just going to go in to get my bangs fixed because they were driving me crazy!

I cut off a little more than that...

when I left the lady asked me if I was holding a rat...

..."no...uh, thats my hair" haha

classic

I didn't realize that you had to send in your hair yourself, but thats ok!

I sent in all 11 inches of it!

8. cousins...namely this one

Cole has been my buddy forever! We get so excited to hang with each other come time for thanks day (only every three years). It was so fun to play and to sing with this boy!...he is crazy good at anything musical. We spent a good 2 1/2 hrs in the chapel (of the church where we were having our lil reunion) singing songs that he would arrange on the spot. Piano. organ. doesn't matter, this boy is a prodigy I'm convinced! I love him...too bad he lives so far away in Vernon Hills, Illinois!

9. sisters

this is a pic from the reunion...

but I have loved having meg not move away like she wanted to this time last year.

Seriously, what a blessing! She is now married, getting her masters, and close to me!

In addition-she is getting us all healthy around these parts.

she's real fun

Thus ends my update for today...I've stalled from studying long enough!

Getting so excited for Christmas...16 more days!...(but who's counting?)

Matt Speakman ='s prom bliss...

(I had this written but never posted...don't know why)

Matty and I have been good friends for quite a while. Lots of fun memories including being in Chamber Choir together and Seussical the Musical.

Matt was the GENERAL GENGHIS KHAN SCHMITZ. "He wants only regimentals to make him completely charming."...check! He asked me the last day of our show in between our matinee and night performance. So cute! I was changing out of my costume (always an ordeal that took some time...it laced up in the back!) Someone came in to check on me...or to hurry me up so I would walk out... A few friends were lined up in the hallway and started chanting "Schmitz. Schmitz. Schmitz...." like they did in the show. Then Matt walked around the corner with a balloon tied around a fancy invitation "cordially inviting" me to prom. I was giggling and beaming the rest of the day. I couldn't have been more excited to go with Mafew! He's only one of the sweetest, funnest, cutest boys I know!

Only pic I could find so you'd get the idea (yea...stole this off of facebook)

We started the evening of right

Had a delicious dinner

And then danced as ugly as we knew how and had the funnest time doing it!

(Now this boy is on a mish!...man how time flies)

Catch Up #2 (Warning: lots of pictures)

So the next big event (according to the few pictures I actually have)

Prom!

Meg decided to come over before my date (Matt Speakman...more on him in a minute) to take some pics. For those of you that don't know, my sister is a budding photographer. That works out for me!...Meg needs people to take pictures and I gladly volunteer. I'm not the best subject, but its fun! But lets talk about the cutest photogenic girl ever...Shelby Clifford! Meg and Chris grabbed me and Shelbs-(going to the Westwood prom that night too) and had a little sister photoshoot. It really was so fun.

Here's how it turned out...

(All fotobymeg)

(so just go ahead and guess where I found this dress!

Thanks Ma for adding the bussel and the sleeves!)

Yea, she's perfect. So so pretty Shelbs!

Candid!...What am I 5? (oooh...wet shiny ball!...look there's my face!)

So right after our shoot...courtesy of Gilbert, AZ we sped home to try and get there before our dates got there. I got home literally only minutes before Matt!

Thanks for the fun Cliffords (all 3 of you).

Catch Up #1

Meg Clifford!

Megs was the first huge event since my last post. Holy cow! Who woulda thought round X-mas time that my sister would be married by the time I graduated! haha...crazy. I love you Meg-so happy for you! If you want some update on her and her amazing husband then check em out here http://nutmegs12.blogspot.com and better yet...here! http://m-c-squared.blogspot.com

Sad I missed this day...I was at All State for choir. But what a beautiful couple, day, and place to be! Meg was so excited for this day and still talks to me about how amazing it was. I can't wait until when I can go through the temple and have all of my family there...I'm so lucky to be the youngest for that reason alone!

Congrats Megs!

Shortly following that fun day...

Bridal Shower!

Check this out! How freaking cute is the B/W and Green?

We had maybe one too many creative minds on this wedding...Mama Clifford, my mama, and the whole HP crew etc made this whole wedding catalog worthy. (more pics of reception and whatnot so you can see what I mean...their nuts!)

This would be the refreshment table...

doesn't do it justice really (of course I start with the food)

Bride Shower Babe = rubber gloves, cooking utensils, ironing board, apron, kitchen towels

(became the focal point behind Meg as she opened gifts)

Me and some of the cute new fam (and Allise, friend of Megs from way back)

Notice the pad in my hands? I may be a little cheesy, but I made myself a notebook all decked out in the wedding colors for my MOH (maid of honor) duties. I have dreamed my whole life of the day when Megs would get married...including being the one to write down the gifts for the "Thank You" list instead of the one picking up wrapping paper or handing the bride the gifts...I got to be the one to smile at her and giggle over each little gift...you know-enjoy it! haha I'm a little sappy...maybe...

Red Kitchen Aid...nuff said

The whole Clifford/Moffat Crew! So happy to be connected to you cute peeps!

(Darlene, Jayme, Megs, Kelly, Shelby, Cammy, Ma, and I)

Stay in tune for more catch ups...I'll do my best with the few pics I have on my computer...

(note to self: talk to Megs about my MOH book and get more pics on my cute little computer...thanks Daddy!)

Get ready for the roller coaster ride Maddi!

Update!

I have loved having my sister home and getting to play with her for a little while...and now she is enGAGed!! (jk-not about the engaged part though).  Congrats Meg!!-I'm so happy for you and Chris.  Way to pick out such a good one.  I couldn't imagine a better-suited boy for my brother-in-law ;)  

I have decided on going to ASU.  It was a hard decision to make.  I battled out the positive and negatives of ASU and BYU and decided that it would be better for me to not miss the fun family things (two babies in October: congrats Lolo and Cam!! Thats so fun!), transition of married life, and then having my support team for my transition into adulthood as a college student.  It sounds so scary!  I could be okay being away from home and doing school...but it would not be easy.  I'm having a hard time right now keeping up with the little schoolwork that I have without the added distractions of roommates and boys and singles wards.  It would be best to have school payed for and just get used to school and then after I get that down I will most likely transfer to BYU.  I won't want to do much performing studies at ASU...haha a little liberal.  Then again...who knows what my major will be...I may not do anything performing at all.  However, I would still want to live out of the home in a few years.

Lets add to the fun shall we?  My show, Seussical The Musical "goes up" (aka: we perform...for those that don't know show lingo) in a month.  So I am working out and learning how to sing like crazy in the next month.  During that time sister and I are sending out invitations for the big changes in our lives: May 21st Mesa High Graduation (yay) and May 23rd Wedding. Yea...that will be an eventful weekend!  Get ready for a roller coaster ride of emotions Maddi...that week has it in for you!