you make me happy

Saturday, December 28, 2013

hey guys.
i've been awful at posting lately. i'm terribly sorry.
with the combination of the holidays and basketball season, i've been SO super duper busy.
not only busy, though;
i have been so incredibly happy.

you know that feeling when happiness sorta hits you all at once? like good things are happening to you and you feel so blessed and lucky, like you're on cloud 9? but then you look around, and you realize that most everything around you has been the same forever. your family, your friends, they've all remained constant. they haven't necessarily gotten better, your attitude has just changed? well, that's what i've been feeling as of recent.

i have been blessed with the most amazing people in my life. everyone says that and it is SO cliche. but really, i don't know what i would do without my mom, dad, siblings, cousins, doctors, Kady, Addie, Braeden, Connor, Chris and Ashley Miles, all of the dance company girls... i could go on and on. these people have just made me so happy and i will never be able to say how much i love and appreciate them in my life. 

just a small post of gratitude, cause my heart is full of it tonight.
xoxo
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__________________________________________________

song for the night:

i've been obsessing over this song. if you haven't heard it, you need to listen to it. NOW.

Say Something by Alex & Sierra



christmas hot chocolate

Sunday, December 15, 2013


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sunday words

Sunday, December 8, 2013




happy sunday, loves.
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my little mini me

Saturday, November 9, 2013

tonight i have been babysitting.
the dreaded task of the oldest child, especially on a saturday night.
i took 8 year old anna to basketball practice with the intentions of letting her run around the marriott center getting tired so she could sleep soundly and i could happily watch desperate housewives.
i love my sister more than anything. i would truly do anything for her. it's the duty of a sister to love and protect and be a best friend. but tonight, i realized how really true that statement is.

i have no problem with cooking. i actually really enjoy it. making dinner for my siblings is never a big issue, but tonight was one of those "i'm too lazy to lift a finger" nights, and i took my sister out for ice cream. yes, ice cream for dinner. anna told me i was the coolest sister ever. i felt like all of the mothers before me who ever told their kids to eat their vegetables were very disappointed in my little sister's so called 'meal'. the smile on her face was worth it, though. she ordered pistachio ice cream, because, and I quote, "that's what YOU always get Aly, so i got it, too!" in that moment, i felt a sense of responsibility. i've gotta be a good example for this little rascal, cause she watches my every move. she thinks i'm such a cool, old kid, when in reality, i'm just a crazy 18 year old who likes long drives and hot baths. i'm such an average girl, but somehow, she wants to be just like me. that makes me really happy, and a little bit nervous.


we came home and watched a movie. she giggled at the funny parts, and i smiled at her cute little raspy giggle. she decided that she wanted to read me a book. we layed on the floor and she read me Junie B. Jones; it took me back to when i was her age and those books were my absolute favorites. after we read 2 chapters, she closed the book and just started talking to me. not like a sister, but like a best friend. she told me about how her favorite books are mysteries, because she likes to try to figure out "who did it". she told me that she's a lot better in reading and writing than in math.



i smiled, not an empty smile, but a smile with a lot of thoughts racing behind it, because...

i loved mysteries as a kid. and i've NEVER been good at math. i never will be. but writing and reading are my strongest areas. i love getting lost in a book, letting the pages take me to a different world and having a little escape from my reality. i love writing what i feel, what people feel. this was the moment that i realized that my sister and i really are so much alike. she tries so hard to be like me by getting pistachio ice cream and wearing camo skinny jeans and white converse. but i see a lot of myself in her, the things that she doesn't TRY to do. it makes me really happy.

this got me thinking:
i can NOT wait to have little kiddos of my own. for the longest time, i didn't want kids. i kinda planned to just devote my life to my music. i wanted a marriage, but kids seemed to be a lot of baggage at the time. i'm not quite sure when it was that i realized that my mind had changed; maybe it was when i was finally single after a long period of dating a boy who hated kids, maybe it was when i took my cousins for snow cones and they told me i was the best cousin ever. i really don't know. but let me tell ya, i live for the day that i can hold my very own baby and say, "awh, she has my nose" or "he has his eyes". i live for the day that my 10 year old trusts me enough to tell me who her 4th grade crush is. i can't imagine the joy that will bring me. i just know they'll be so rewarding in my life once i have been married for a while and am ready to have little rascals running around.

goodness that was a lot of words i just typed.
a lot of scattered thoughts.
i always try to keep these posts brief but it's so hard, i just have so much love and gratitude for everything and everyone around me, and especially the lessons i learn from them. i want to express it all, but sometimes it gets a little lengthy. :)

thanks to all of you who've taught me valuable lessons and given me experiences that have made me truly grateful for everything. i'm just blessed to be here, in provo utah, with the coolest family on the galaxy, surrounded by the most beautiful mountains on the planet, and with a bright future ahead.

 have a wonderful saturday night, lovelies.
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butterfly kisses

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

yesterday i got my eyelash extensions done by my cousin, ellie. i was always a little skeptical of them and was never quite sure if i wanted them. but when i saw that my cousin was having such an INCREDIBLE deal on them, i figured i would try them out. the verdict...
 I LOVE THEM. so so much.
they're so beautiful and they save a lot of time. they're really easy to manage; you don't have to do anything special to them. they were made to be manageable and to save time, and they exceeded my expectations!
i usually take maybe 10 minutes or less on my make up, unless i'm going out or want to look extra done up. i really like a natural look, because i think natural beauty is the purest and most real form of beauty. my lashes are the perfect length and fullness, because they look noticeably long and gorgeous, but they don't look fake at all. this morning, it didn't even take me 5 minutes to get ready. i put on some powder and blush and i was done. it was so awesome.
so all in all, i give the lashes 5 stars. they're gorgeous and very low maintenance. 

AND GUESS WHAT!

my cousin ellie is doing lash extensions for only $55 until November 1st!! that is the best deal on lashes i've ever heard about. they're usually close to $80 or even more. you're getting an amazing deal on gorgeous lashes AND saving time.

call or text ellie to get your lashes done and i promise you will absolutely adore them!

these lashes will give the best butterfly kisses in town.


Ellie Beckstrand
Located in Provo
801-822-1649
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the little things

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

the other day, i was driving over to alpine to see my grandma and to visit the cemetery. while i was driving there, a song by Due West came on the radio. i couldn't help but smile and know that it was a little sign from my guardian angel saying hello to me; telling me he loves me. and i sure do love him.


my eighth grade year, devin's seventh grade year, one of dev's favorite country bands came to utah to do a local concert to fundraise for devin and his family.  he seriously loved this band so much. i went early to help out with setting the whole venue up. we set up chairs, decorations, if i remember correctly there were candles that we were lighting. and then there was devin and his family. when Due West came on stage, devin did his up and down bouncy thing he did when he got excited. i thought he was going to burst. that night was pure happiness.

it's really hard to grasp the whole concept of death- especially when it's someone you really loved. to think that they're gone, absolutely GONE, it's really difficult and it's not an easy thing to come to terms with. but it's little moments like these that bring him back to me, for just a moment. the times when i'm driving around and his favorite band or one of his favorite songs come on, and i know that he's sitting in my front seat jammin' out with me.

it's like the clouds open up and let him come down just when i need him the most. it's pretty amazing. life is a really cool thing. it's really hard sometimes, harder than i would prefer it to be. but it's really so wonderful.
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red leaves & a happy girl

Monday, October 14, 2013

it's that time of year again when the chill of the air isn't enough to wear a winter coat, but it's just enough to make your skin tingle and feel alive.
i love fall. i always hated it growing up, because it got cold and school started. i really didn't start enjoying it until last year, but it's probably my second favorite season now (summer being first, of course). i think i get a little bit sentimental in the fall. i see beauty and appreciate it more often than i do during the other seasons. i see beauty everywhere- the red leaves, the beautiful mountains, and it just brings me a little taste of heaven.

i've been reflecting lately on things of the past, people of the past. specifically about the people who hurt me, really REALLY bad. i've been extremely bitter toward them in the recent past. i never thought i'd forgive them, and i still know that i'll never forget them forever. but interesting enough, the less i thought about the hurt they caused me, the more time my wound had to heal, the more i forgave them. for me, the forgetting came before the forgiving, but either way, they both happened. how great it feels to move on, i can't even tell you... of course, i still think about the hurt sometimes, because i'm only human. my scars are healed but they're definitely still scars, they'll be there forever.

i guess i've felt very happy as of recent. just very content with my life, my friends, even myself. i've decided that feeling inferior is a really big waste of time. there are so many great, beautiful, and amazing things in this life that there are to appreciate. and i've learned to truly appreciate them. it feels a lot better not to have any issues with people. it feels good to forgive. it feels amazing to take the power to hurt me away from people, because no one make you feel inferior unless you give them the power to do so. it feels so good to be happy about myself, to not worry about other people, to be friends to everyone, to be civil to everyone, to not have any problems with anyone. and it's much, much easier to see beauty in things when you're not full of hatred and negativity. no one likes a negative nancy anyways, right?



these words are SO true, and once you believe them, you'll know exactly what i mean.
goodnight, my happy friends.

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thoughts of a future mother

Monday, September 16, 2013

hi pretties.
today has been great. busy, but great. anna turned 8 today which has been a weird realization. i remember the day she was born. i left school early and went to carl's jr. just to get the call that momma was in labor. carl's jr. will never be the same again.
she had a big party (pics coming soon) and had a bunch of girls over. i thought about the cute little girls who were screaming over boy bands and watching a disney princess movie. i thought of what advice i would give them in growing up. would it be to be happy, to live with no regrets, would it be a cheesy quote like "live life to the fullest!"? the thought was dismissed when it was time for cake and ice cream, but as i scrolled through my bloglovin' feed, i saw this photo and it brought me back that thought. 



this is ALL of what i want my daughters AND sons to know, summed up into one single quote. beauty is within. i have a hard time accept myself at times. sometimes i do wish i was skinnier, sometimes i do wish my hair was longer, sometimes i do wish i was ridiculously talented. but at the end of the day, i really truly can accept myself for who i am, because i know that beauty is within... because that's the way God see's it. i sure hope my little kiddos will grow up with a strong knowledge of this. i already love them so much and think they are so perfect and so beautiful... 

it's hard to imagine what i'll think when i've actually met them.

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a vegan's paradise

Saturday, September 7, 2013

so, i'm sure most of you are not vegans. but who knows, maybe some of you vegans out there will see this and find the BEST vegan product out there.

i've become obsessed with So Delicious non-dairy, vegan friendly products. they've got ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, yogurt. and it's all made with coconut milk. seriously, i think these are even better than regular yogurts and ice creams. and they're vegan friendly! yay!

visit the So Delicious website HERE, and i promise you will not be disappointed!






fragile territory

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

tonight i'm going to address a subject i wouldn't normally publicly address.
as some of you may know, since the day i was born, my body hasn't worked correctly. a natural, everyday function that your body does without even hesitating, mine just cannot do. that's just how i've always been, and it's how i'll always be.

i came to really accept this reality about a year ago. i came to accept the fact that this is my body, this is what it always has been and always will be. however, this does not define me. or at least, i shouldn't let it do so. i am not a disease. i am not a disability. i accepted that, i really, truly did.

but accepting these things doesn't make people's critical, ignorant words any easier to swallow... i felt some of these words sting my always-healing wound today. at the time, i blew it off like it was nothing; but the moment i was alone in my car, i thought about it. such a fragile subject treated with such aggressiveness: it was no longer easy to hear those words echoing throughout my mind.

interesting how people are so quick to shoot their words just as easy as firing guns in a war, when they don't even know the fight. i know that people don't mean these things to be hurtful, and i should never take offense when offense isn't intended. but isn't it only human nature to want to feel normal; to feel just like everybody else?

this got me thinking.

isn't it fascinating... humanity? i sound like a 70 year old, retired professor analyzing everything. but it truly amazes me. every single human being on this earth, knows how it feels to hurt. whether it's physically, emotionally, or both. everyone has felt pain and discomfort in some way. and for some reason, we are so quick to talk about people and their situations, as if their lives are easy. and no one's is, i can assure you that. hard times come, and they go. but no matter what things may look like, life isn't easy for anybody. it is so easy these days to look at the amount of someone's instagram likes or their blog posts and say that they are living on a cloud, that nothing can tear them down. but that assumption is nothing but the root of ignorance surfacing.

as i was driving home, shaking and sobbing like a little baby, i felt like a zero. like i didn't exist. i thought about how awful the feeling was, and how i hope i never make anyone feel like that. EVER.

as hard as it was to hear what were, to me, harsh words, i did learn from them. it is 100% truth that anyone can mask what they are feeling, what is going on in their lives, what their struggles are, without anyone even thinking about it.

the girl in my sixth period who wears black lipstick and has scars on her wrists: maybe she isn't just angry at the world for no reason, maybe she needs some love and affection. that "fat" kid: maybe he's got problems at home and finds an escape in food. maybe the girl with 2,000 instagram followers has a low self esteem, and relies on other's opinions for her to feel satisfied with herself. i could go on and on; we HAVE to start thinking of the effect of our words on others before we say them. there are so many things that people struggle with and i hope that i will never jump to the conclusion that looks to be what is true on the surface.

so there it is... probably the millionth lesson i've learned the hard way. but nobody's perfect. we all live, we all learn, we're all better people today than we were yesterday...

isn't humanity BEAUTIFUL?

find indica

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

my heart breaks thinking that anyone even has to write posts like these- especially those who I went to school and shared the same neighborhood grocer with for so many years.

four days ago, on August 16, 2013, indica huddleston left her parents a note explaining that she did not want to go back to lone peak high school. she also mentioned that she was being "taken care of" and that she will be safe. she has not been seen since.

indica's parents first issued this as a runaway situation, but after evaluating indica's cell phone and facebook, they quickly found that she could very well be in danger. there were some signs of indica talking to some older males who may or may not know that she is underage. some people are just bad people, and any of these men could be one among those bad people. but we can all only pray that indic a is only being an irresponsible teenager and return home safely and unharmed.

my facebook timeline has been blowing up with requests for prayers for the huddleston's and that indica will be found soon. it is truly humbling how many good people are in the world and who want to help mankind. this generation gets a very bad reputation for being "out of control". people say that as the years go by, the human race becomes worse and worse, greedier and nastier. which i definitely could see being a valid point, but in situations like these, you really do get to see all of the kind, tenderhearted people who are willing to do so much to help people. i am sure that the huddleston's are feeling and appreciating that love which they need so much in a time like this.

however, this situation also proves that all it takes is one rotten person to almost outnumber the many, many good people. this should be a lesson to us all that we should absolutely see the good in people, but also not to have complete blind optimism and trust in those whom we don't personally know are good people.

again, the pit in my stomach is leaving me in a very somber mood this evening. the fact that people even have to type these words... i cannot imagine the absolutely crazy emotions running around inside indica's family members and close friends.

PLEASE keep your eyes open for indica. she is most likely in utah, seattle, los angeles, las vegas, or somewhere traveling in between. you may not be the one to physically see and find her, but prayers are so powerful and no situation can receive too many of them. so please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers; we have hope that indica will come home soon.


indica huddleston 16 years old
from alpine, utah
missing since friday 8/16
5'3" long brown hair, hazel eyes
like the 'find indica' Facebook page made by her sister, Sierra, by clicking HERE
#FindIndica


inadequate at best

Tuesday, July 23, 2013



in·ad·e·quate  
Adjective
  1. Not adequate; lacking the quality or quantity required; insufficient for a purpose.
  2. (of a person) Unable to deal with a situation or with life: "inadequate to the task".
Synonyms
insufficient - unsuitable - inappropriate - unfit

_____________________________________________________________________

feeling inadequate is probably the worst feeling in the whole entire galaxy. feeling like you're trapped in this bubble of so called "perfection". stuck in a mold of what you are expected to be. intimidated by people who strive to be exactly the person that everyone is counting on you to be.

i just really want to get out of here: out of this ignorance and judgement, expectations of this nonexistent perfection that everyone seems to believe exists. i'll never be even close enough to "perfect". never.

full

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

ya know that feeling?
the one when you feel, not empty...
because "i feel empty" is too poetic.
you don't feel poetic.
you don't feel like beautiful words with a deeper meaning.
you just feel a sort of hollow.
like if someone were to knock on your chest,
it would echo.
echo.
e c h o .
you're stuck in the same old.
there's nothin' making your heart go-
BEAT BEAT.
BEAT BEAT.
and even though you're just shy of 18 years young,
and you shouldn't need someone to make you feel special,
you kind of feel that you do.
or at least you want it.
you want someone,
someone out of the ordinary,
to be your best friend.
to look at you and admire everything about you.
even your quirks.
like the dimples by your eyes,
or that snort after you giggle.
someone to watch movies with,
to waste friday nights with.
someone to miss when you've been busy.
someone to make you feel at home every time you're with them,
even if you're miles away.
a best friend.
who accepts you for your faults.
for your past.
for your present.
and WANTS to be a part of your future.
you feel like everyone's found something to make them feel special-
something...
someone.
but you haven't yet found that.
and you really want to.
remember when i said you don't feel poetic?
well maybe you do.
cause when you start thinking about if this "someone" were to exist,
you think you'd feel quite poetic about them.
poetic and full.
full of,
i don't even know what.
cause i've never been "full".
full of that unknown, mystery thing.
but again, i'm just shy of 18.
i'll get there.
i just wish everyone around me WASN'T there.
or at least,
i wish they didn't THINK they were.

it's a girl!

Hello bloggers and blog readers!
Tonight we had a fun little party at the LaComb house.
My cousin, Ellie, is pregnant with her first little baby. I'm so excited for her and I've loved watching her grow up, get married, get pregnant. She's such a good example to me and I look up to her so much. I really do consider her the big sister I never had. She's having a little girl, Kinley Mae, and is due in September. She'll give us the first opportunity to be aunts, great aunts, second cousins, and great grandparents. It's easy to say that Kinley Mae will be spoiled rotten.
We had a shower at my house tonight for Ellie and little Kinley and it was so fun. The decorations and the food were great, and the company was even better. I managed to capture some photos throughout the evening that I thought I'd share with y'all.


























k for kinley mae



shot of the huggies cake that danielle made












jack was very proud of the tag he made :)






and of course, anna had to help with a warm welcome






how cute is she? like really.



my favorite picture...
abe was a smidge embarrassed as the only boy in
the room when grandma veloy started talking about
boobs.








cutest mama within miles



a hunky cowboy and a summer night

Thursday, June 27, 2013

I've sucked at posting lately. Oops.
Sorry y'all.
I have so much to update on- summer has treated me so well and I am so happy with my life.
A couple weeks ago I went to the Tim McGraw concert here in Salt Lake.
He's a 46 year old man...
But have mercy on me, he's the most gorgeous 46 year old within a million country miles.
(see what country music does to the vocabulary?)
He was seriously incredible live. I had the chills all up and down my body and I couldn't help but smile throughout the whole entire concert. As a musician, I really appreciate artists who are truly talented, who sound the same as they do on the radio as they do live. Tim McGraw was breathtaking.

He also wore tight jeans and a cut off t shirt.
Good mighty man above, his biceps and his little booty...
Enough said.

My favorite song performed at the concert was not in fact what I expected it to be.
I thought my favorite part of the night would be 'One of Those Nights' or 'Just to See You Smile'. But nope.

As Tim McGraw sang 'She's My Kind of Rain', I literally cried.
WHAT IS MY PROBLEM.
Tears. Literally coming out of my face.
He was so good and that song was just so beautifully written that I just lost my mind! If you've heard the song, you understand my obsession with it because it really is amazing.
If you haven't listened to it, do it.
Right now.


See, it's amazing. You're probably not a freak like me and you probably didn't cry but still, COME ON. How perfect is he?
Pretty perfect.

I hope you're all having the greatest summer ever.
I'm gonna get back into updating you all and posting more often.

Have a fabulous summer night, love bugs.



like really, nothing could beat this happiness right here




xoxo,
aly juliet

oh so small

Sunday, June 16, 2013

That feeling when the lump in your throat starts to form, and you know you're about to break.
Vulnerability builds up in your eyes until it's blurring your vision so much that you feel as if your head is underwater.
You're drowning.
Your breathing becomes short and quick, and with each breath in, your stomach fills with air until it can't take any more.
A gust of wind comes out of your mouth.
The wind blows the vulnerability right out of your eyes and in two streaks, it falls down your face.
You haven't even blinked.
Vulnerability falls to your hand.
You look at it.
In just one droplet holds every feeling you are having.
Just one small droplet.
You feel as small as that droplet.
Maybe smaller.
You wipe your hand on your shirt.
You have to shake this off.
Vulnerability is not an option.
Breathe in again.
Breathe out.
Walk away...
Even though you still feel oh so small.


midsummer souls

Monday, June 10, 2013

The photos from the collaboration shoot are finally out!
Last night felt like Christmas Eve, I couldn't wait for the reveal.
And to be honest...
I let myself down in this shoot. My photos aren't completely terrible but it's definitely not my best shoot. I guess we all have our good and bad days- this was just a very inconvenient time to have an off day. I'm really disappointed in myself. I feel quite defeated, actually, like I didn't do what I know I could have. My confidence feels a little bit shaken. But I CANNOT and WILL NOT determine my self worth based upon a roll of film or the way a camera captures me. I have learned throughout my modeling experiences that I have to love myself, my every single "flaw", and as long as I do that, I will always be content with myself and my work. So no, I'm not absolutely thrilled with my results in this shoot, but I know that I won't let it get me down, and I can't wait for my next shoot to work even harder than before.

The photos really do look AMAZING though. Absolutely stunning. Our photographer is pretty much absolutely brilliant, as well as our hair and makeup artists. The group of models we had were breathtaking and as I sit here looking through these photos, I am humbled, honored, and so grateful that I could work with these sweet girls and very funny boys.

Here are a few photos from the Midsummer Souls shoot!
Enjoy. :)









Photographer: Steight of Mind
MUA: Gentri Lee
Stylist: Gentri Lee
Creative Director: Gentri Lee