New Blog

I have loved writing and designing this blog! Unfortunately, I didn't have much time this summer to keep it updated, with getting married and all. Well, no longer is it just about 'madilynnslife' so I started a new blog about the adventures of my (ahem) husband... and I.
I would love you to check out gavinandmadiscott.blogspot.com and follow us there. The plan is for the Gavin and Madi blog to be a little more exciting than the one I put together on my own. Love you all!

Find Your Greatness

My favorite Olympic commercial right here.

Josh Ritter

Crawl up your trellis and quietly back into your room,

And I'll coast down the length of your drive by the light of the moon.

The next time I see you, a new kind of hello.

Both our hearts have a secret, only both of us know

About the night that I drove you home, Kathleen.

Josh Ritter @ Red Butte Gardens 7/17/2012

Mona Rope Swings

This post is pretty overdue mostly because every time I try to import the pictures from my camera to my computer one of those two items freaks out. Anyways, I have been hearing about these rope swings and have wanted to go for a long time. A couple weeks ago, I finally found a reliable source for directions here: http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/60322

The ponds are located about 35 miles south of Provo. To get there, take I-15 south and take exit number 236 to Mona. Turn right after exiting the freeway then turn left at the first stop sign. Drive south 1.7 miles and turn right on a paved road just beyond the outskirts of Mona. The road leads straight to the ponds.

We were only there for about an hour, but if you bring a raft or fishing pole or grill, it would be easy to hang out by these ponds all day! There are about 5 rope swings: 4 on the north side of the lake and one on the south side. Try them all! The one on the south side  has a water ski rope and for some reason is pretty hard for girls to do. Every girl that went before and after me on this rope swing completely face planted it, I wish it would been on film! I nervously survived though and would do it again.

I took videos but can't figure out how to load them, so here is my one picture:

(I have no idea who the guy in the green shirt is)

Let me know if you try it out or have any questions about it. Definitely a fun family or friend hot summer day adventure!

Kudos

Done with school, woot woot! I should be more excited but I don't know yet if I passed the class that would make or break my stats minor. Ha... yah. But either way, I am done! And employed!
I just finished a 12 hour shift and my 3rd day (night) at a residential treatment center and school for troubled and at risk teenage girls.

To fill you in on the comments I've received from the girls AND staff...
"Can I ask you a personal question? How old are you?"
"I didn't know if you were staff or a new patient."
"I am fourteen and look older than you!"
"You make me feel tall."
"I was like, this girl is old enough to be working here?"

I am 22. and going to bed.
Goodnight! (morning)

Chaperones

Every year since high school, we have shown those graduates how to PaRtaY!!

By keeping them in line,

 Swiping tokens,

 Going CRAZY on the go-carts, 

Winning the jackpot, 

and saving our tickets.

'08.

Because Writing Helps

Since elementary school, when something upsets me, I just write about it. So here we go again.
Tonight I had a freak out.
I cry a lot, but by cry I mean there are a lot of things that get me choked up and make a few tears come out,
but tonight I started crying and couldn't stop.
About not being able to get a job, about being mad at some people, about being sad for others, about not being able to pull off a good grade in a stats class, and mostly about the realization that my career as an athlete is basically over and that it's hard for other people to understand why that is so depressing; and maybe it's so depressing because sports were the only thing I ever saw improvement with myself in.
Just one of those nights, eh?

Bring It

Oh please bring it.

Laying Out

Unemployment is worse than employment, trust me. BUT, I have been making the most of it by soaking up the sun and spending lots of time outside.

7 Peaks 
Materials: towel, sunscreen, id
Pros: People, security, water
Cons: Lines, people

Secret Canyon
Materials: Water, towel, sunscreen, mace, whistle, good shoes
Pros: Absolutely no one is there. Ever. Best quiet place to read, relax, and think.
Cons: No security, a little hike. If I ever go missing, check here (Slate Canyon) first.

P.S. Lack of blogging = wedding planning is so much busier than I thought it would be. But Gavin was so good shopping with me all day yesterday :)
#Cantwaittotakepicturesandlooksupergoodinournewclothes!

Threaded

You turn east at the Top It intersection, not west.

Ouch!

I would do this again.

Sorry Gav, looks like we'll be paying $15 every now and then for eyebrows.

"You need highlights. Without highlights your hair will look dull and that doesn't match your personality because you are not dull Debbie!"

5 statements the sum up my experience at Evolve salon getting my eyebrows...'threaded'. 

I recommend it.

Green Machine

I got a car!
I mean... We got a car!
As in... He got a car that's basically mine!
This is the car Gav drove in high school. His parents bought it from him for his sister. They just bought his sister a new car and sold this one back to us for a super generous price. His sister said I could drive it on one condition being that he keep its name: The Green Machine.
So far, I am loving it.
Good thing my fiance' knows a lot about insurance, he got me driving that thing in no time.
No more fighting with my sister, tracking miles, losing things, etc.
I am also loving my new camera that I took these pictures with :)

P.S. Hire me.

Back On

Just finished the CrAzIeSt semester! Now I don't have to feel guilty about spending time on my blog. Pinterest is open on my other tab... no guilt. Facebook open on another tab...no guilt. The only thing I have to feel guilty about is this big empty peanut butter M&M bag.

And for the weekend I can think about Lacrosse and wedding planning all I want!

The Question

Long Version:

On Saturday (March 24, 2012) I had two lacrosse games up in Salt Lake. Gavin and Brent made it up to my second game then drove me home to Riverton. I asked Gavin what he wanted to do that night and he said he didn't really care. I asked if I should shower and get ready or if it was going to be a 'sweats' sort of night. He said to wear whatever I wanted, but Brent told me I should shower and look OK. Gavin walked me to my door and suggested we go rafting at the golf course pond that night. I said yeah, if it's warm enough, we should go.

I always kind of assumed he'd want to propose to me at the golf course. (Because yes, all eight of you other girls who went there with him, that is our special place.) I had no idea that he had the ring yet or that he had talked to my dad or anything, but when he suggested going to the golf course, I got hopeful that he would pop the question. I kept talking it down to myself because I didn't want to get my hopes up and it didn't make sense because he acted like he didn't have a plan for the night.

He picked me up a few hours later and took me to Olive Garden. Then we went to his house and I talked to his mom while he pumped up the raft and put a blanket in the car. We parked across the street from the golf course and sneakily dodged cars and hopped the fence and headed towards the pond with the raft. We got to the pond and there was no water in the pond! In my head I was thinking "If he is going to propose tonight and wants to do it on the golf course, I don't want him to be disappointed about the pond and I don't want him to wait until there is water here" so I told him I was fine with just hanging out on the green (which was true).

Once or twice before, we had gone rafting on this pond off the Jordan River, where there is a little wooden trail and gazebo and duck feeders. Gavin asked if I wanted to go there. I said no because I got creeped out on the Jordan River trail at night and I didn't want to walk that far and it was getting cold. He was like "I don't remember the pond being that far of a walk" and I argued that it was and that we shouldn't go. He asked "Do you trust me?" I said yes, and we went.

At this point, I wasn't really expecting anything, because Gavin didn't seem to care too much that we couldn't raft at the golf course. He also didn't seem like he had much of a plan for the night. So, we walked down the trail and I turned toward the gazebo/pond path. The little trail was lined with candles and flowers and inside the gazebo was a bouquet of roses.

I smiled and looked at him and he dropped the raft and hugged me then got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. I should have stared longer and really soaked up the image! I said yes quickly and pulled him up and kissed him and hugged him for not long enough. I said yes and he put the beautiful ring on my hand!

His friends Jordan and Brent came walking down the path a few minutes later and took some pictures then left us to raft (float) alone. There was lots of lights in the water that we chased down and picked up before we left. It was perfect. I want to replay it over and over. I love Gavin, I love my ring, and I can't wait for August 16th!

(Because Jordan was a big part of this and he wanted to be in our pictures. Sorry, Brent, we only ended up with a picture of your eye.)

The Story of Us

In eighth grade health class, we were playing genetics 'bingo' something or other and each student had a 4x4 table on a piece of paper. In each cell was written 'has blue eyes' or 'is taller than 6 ft' or 'can't roll their tongue' or another inherited trait. We were supposed to go around the room and find someone with each one of these traits and make them sign a square until each square was filled. A boy came up to me and said "What was your name?" I said Madi. He looked at his chart, wrote down my name and muttered "Madi has a hairy chest." That was the first day Gavin ever talked to me. I fell in love.

After years of "do you like Madi?" from various friends, prank calls, and fake anonymous love letters to his locker, he asked me to dance at a stake dance. I fell in love again when we danced to a stupid song by Martina McBride (yah, I remember).

The first time we held hands was our junior year of high school while watching Cars at my best friend's house. I have never had so many butterflies while holding someone's hand. I remember being a little freaked out about it. It made me fall in love again.

The summer after high school, he had his mission call and wanted to fill his canteen. He took me out on his raft on the golf course pond and kissed me for the first time. I fell in love again. Fell hard! He left on his mission and I cried for days.

A little ways into his mission he stopped writing me and thought the best thing to do was to write me off. That was fun. But at about that time I had another guy at the top of my priority list and I told myself I was stupid for falling so hard for Gavin so many times. I tried to forget about him, knowing he wasn't really into me and he probably never was or would be.

By the time he got home from his mission, I had another boyfriend. I didn't think anything of Gavin's homecoming besides the fact I was excited for my friends to come home. A few weeks after his return, he told me he still had feelings for me. I told him I was going to see what happened with my boyfriend first before I would consider dating him again. Luckily, the next day my boyfriend destroyed any chance of going anywhere with me and we broke up. Gavin took me out and it was just as easy to fall in love with him after his mission as it was before.

Being the realist that I am, I told him I didn't want anything serious because I was going to wait for missionary #2 to get home. When I told him (back in January 2011), he didn't care. Things between Gavin and I got more serious before missionary #2 came home than he or I had intended or expected. After dating for 7 months I told him again that I was going to date this missionary when he got home. The following 6 weeks, between the time I told him my decision and the time the missionary got home, is when I really fell in love with him. Gavin cried. (Sorry if I am embarrassing you now). Not sobbed, just a few tears, but it shocked me. He knew I would be ending things with him soon and that I was thinking about someone else. He treated me like a queen regardless. He took me on family trips with him and told me he loved me even when I didn't say it back. He always made sure I was warm and comfortable and had my doors opened and food paid for. He talked a lot and didn't hide anything, which I knew wasn't like him because I'd known him for 8 years. He made me laugh everyday and included me in everything he did.

Like I promised, we broke up. We stayed broken up for a little over a month while I dated around and cried and prayed about what I should do. It was hard. The hardest part was realizing that I was making it so hard. I knew what I wanted and what I'd always wanted and what I'd always want. I ended things with the other guy and Gavin and I finally kissed again at the end of September 2011. I fell in love again.

I have never been the type of girl who 'wanted' to get married. I always saw it happening in the future but the thought of being married at my age made me sick. I thought rings were chains that tied girls down. I hoped one day I would actually want to be stuck with someone but didn't see the day happening soon.

Early January, Gavin was at my apartment. It was getting late and he said he should go home. All of a sudden I HATED that he was going home. I have hung out with boys and friends before and wanted them to stay later than they should, but nothing like this. Like I HATED that he was leaving. HATED HATED HATED. It was weird. I knew it was weird for me and I was saying things to myself like 'I am just in a mood now, I'm not going to feel like this tomorrow' and I said that for a couple weeks. The feeling never went away. I actually wanted to get married and be with him all the time forever. Once I knew, I knew, and I wanted it so bad.

To be continued... :)

He is We

Newest obsession- their music videos are a little interesting, but I could listen to He is We for hours! They're helping me through all my work, research, and homework.

For the Record

Lacrosse has started and I have loved it! Not so much loved the very little time I have to blog though. In four years of college lacrosse, this is the best I have seen my team!

Over President's day weekend, we took our annual trip to Santa Barbara. I was lucky enough to have a boyfriend and friend drive all the way out there to support me. "Best trip ever, best friends ever."

Just for the update:

First game we lost to FL 9-7 or something like that. My stick broke within the first minute or two so I finished the tournament with my coach's stick. Second game we beat Pitt. Third game we lost to Michigan in overtime. We were ahead the whole game and really should have had it.

Last we played Arizona and beat them. Came home from the tournament 2-2. I don't think the team has ever done better than that in Cali, kind of depressing!

After our last game, I drove with Gavin and Brent to San Clemente to stay with some family and take another couple days of vacation. On the way, we took a pit stop for food and I taught the cook how to make fry sauce.

Brent was supposed to fly home early but missed his flight. I'm sure he loved every minute of being with Gavin and I the rest of the trip. We went to a couple different beaches, ate at a couple restaurants, shared my cousin's house with two other families, played lots of scrabble, and should have taken more pictures.

Last weekend we went to Georgia for our second big tournament. The first team we were scheduled to play was Georgia, ranked no. 2 at the time. We had seen them play in Santa Barbara and were blown away with how good they looked. and guess what! We beat them! We were up 8-2 at half then they scored 4 in two minutes. We were able to stay ahead the whole time though and we were all super stoked about our victory!

Our next game was that night against Texas, ranked #5. Texas came out much stronger than we expected them to. They scored the first two goals but my team was able to respond with another three within a couple minutes. After 15 minutes of playing, the refs called the game because they saw lightning. We took cover and ended up being herded into a tornado shelter! We played Pictionary against Texas until we were free to go back to the hotels.

The next morning we played Maryland. They were supposed to be quite easy to beat. Something happened to our team and at half time, we were down 10-5. Well we won that game too! During the second half, defense didn't touch the ball for about 8 minutes, until we closed the gap in the score.

Minnesota was our next game and they are one of our favorite teams to play! The girls on the team have great sportsmanship and our coaches get along. We beat them. Not by as much as we should have, but it was a chill game.

Then we had the Texas rematch! Our coach told us they heard Texas saying we were over rated and I knew Texas thought they were going to have an easy win that night. I wanted to beat them as much as I had ever wanted to beat anyone. The team came out so strong and played the best game I have ever seen the team play. Our field was bigger than a football field, I don't know how our legs kept moving. We beat them at a whopping 12-6!

So I doubt anyone is still reading but I just wanted to record how great my team has been doing this season. I really hope we keep improving for a chance to win nationals! Considering we just beat West Minster 17-5, I would say we are well on our way.

Sit tight for more post game shows. Until then, hopefully I come up with something more fun for you non lax folks to read.

Old School

One lesson I've been taught recently: trust yourself.

I went Tribal West lacrosse because my plastic strings broke (for the second time in 4 months). I asked the guy working if I could go back to regular leather and he said I should try these new strings, with the circles. I told him that I had played with sticks strung with circle strings before and I would rather just use the leather that everyone's sticks had while I was in high school. "No," he said "these circle strings are new and improved and they are the best strings yet." I gave in. Now my stick looks SWEET, but the pink circle strings are too long for my pocket to be regulation size. I have been tightening and fidgeting with my baby ever since.

I went to the bank to get more checks and the banker said "You shouldn't use paper checks, you should use new and improved online bill pay." I explained to him that my grandma knows more about computers than I do so I should probably just stick with regular checks. "No," he said "this online bill pay is easier and safer and more reliable." I gave in. Now my rent isn't paid and I just spent an hour at the bank trying to cancel the check I supposedly sent to my landlady but she never received. I am trying to figure out how to get the money back in my account too.

If you know what you want, don't listen to anybody else.

Taking a Break

I had 1 test yesterday and have 3 tests this weekend so I really shouldn't be on my blog... but it's good to take breaks.

Here's what I have learned through this crazy, study cramming week:

1. You can't warm up egg yolk in the microwave; the egg will just cook.
2. While reading a study about the heart rate of tree shrews, I first learned that trees have heart rates. I thought this was cool until I found out tree shrews were animals. So from my Analysis of Variance homework, I learned that a tree shrew is a type of animal and plants, in fact, do not have heart rates.
3. 77 days left in the semester. We calculated that in my stats computer programming class. By we I mean everyone in the class but me, because I don't know how to do anything on a computer besides scroll through Pinterest and type run-on sentences for my blog posts. The only thing I have learned in that class is that if the license for a program on your computer is expired, you can just change the date on your computer to last year or whenever the program wasn't expired, then it will work. This counts for learning something though, right?

Oh and I thought this was funny too... :)

Gets me every time.

Life's a Party, Dress Like it.

Well I am headed to the classiest town in America.

So classy, in fact, that it costs $18 for a round trip bus ticket, dinner, and tokens, and we will cross the state border twice within 12 hours.

I have gotten A's on my first 5 assignments in my probability class (stats minor), it's about time to reward myself.

Figure I'll put practice to the test.

I'll let you know my winnings.

(No I don't know how to gamble and yes I have a mere $10 to spend.)

Homestead

This was a few weeks ago, still an adventure I would like to share though.

Gavin and I are always looking for new places, joys and thrills.

I saw this picture on pinterest,

was excited about it's Utah location, looked it up, and gave it a try.

This is a hot-spring filled crater in Midway, UT (featured on the upcoming episode of the bachelor!!).

Midway is my new favorite town- half way between Provo and Park City.

Gav and I went on a sunny January day and were about the only ones there.

On the website, it says you pay for a 45 minute swim. Because they weren't busy, we pretty much got to do whatever we wanted.

We just swam around with little life jackets.

Because the crater is 70 feet deep, it is also a great place for scuba diving if you are into that or want to train to be certified.

Leap list.

(Because I use that phrase instead of bucket list now.)

If you want to check it out, visit http://www.homesteadresort.com/Crater

Superstitions

Things I will never do:

• count the cars on a train
• break a mirror
• walk under a ladder

(I am knocking on wood as I am writing this)

Happy Friday the 13th everyone!

Mr. Pitbull, is it?

Not necessarily a fan in the first place but now I just think you are an idiot.

in·ter·na·tion·al

adj. Abbr. int. or intl.

1. Of, relating to, or involving two or more nations: an international commission; international affairs.

2. Extending across or transcending national boundaries: international fame.

Down like New York city

Wild like Los Angelos

Hotter than Miami

I believe these are all cities within the United States of America,

which happens to be one nation.

I could be wrong.

Sorry... I had to tell someone.

Midway Country Corner

Cute little bake shop connected to a house, Midway Country Corner,

Has been featured on TLC twice,

Delicious cupcakes for $1.50,

Beautiful cakes,

Nicest lady who gave me

2 bridal show tickets,

and 2 free magazines.

F-POD

Resolves

New Years Resolutions. I make a lot of goals, mostly because I steer away from my goals so often that I have to write them down again and recommit. A lot of people say they don't like making resolutions because they never stick with them anyways. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, as long as you keep making goals and are continuously working for what you want in life. One factor in achieving is writing down goals and letting others see them.

Dear world (or 5 people who read this), here are my resolutions with too much explanation:

• Learn to cook... and cook healthy
• Attend the temple more.
• Score a goal in every game. If I don't get it in a game, I will just score 2 in the next :)
• Graduate.
• Get more out of scripture study. (Summer of 2009 I made a goal to read the Book of Mormon every night. I went 2+ years straight and I think I have only missed 3 nights since. Now that I have the reading habit down, I should do more with it.)
• Get up to 7 mile runs. I know that sounds like hardly anything to a lot of people. I HATE long distance runs. HATE. I figure if I work at it gradually, it will become less of a pain and more of a habit and I can get to 7 miles on a consistent basis.
• No candy- not no sweets, just no candy.
• Feed my savings account. I am not a terrible spender, I am just not a great earner. By this I guess I mean find a full time job when school ends.
• Learn to drive stick. It may take tears, hopefully not blood. I have tried SO hard to learn and have killed Gavin's car TOO many times. I will no longer use the words "I can't." I am having anxiety just thinking about it, but I want a wrangler. I have to do this.
• 6 freaking pack. I have made this goal every year for the last 8 years. So what? as long as I am working at it, right?

(My chest may never be there, but the abs I can work for!)

So... until February!

I'd say next year, but let's be realistic. I will make new goals in 2 months.