twenty eighteen review

Remember last year when I said I thought this would be the best year yet? I was right. I have never been happier in my entire life. This year brought about so many changes, so many hard times, so many new experiences, and the happiest moments of my entire life.

2018 was the year I have been waiting for and it definitely was worth the wait. This year brought true meaning to my life. The experiences I have gone through this year will be with me for the rest of my life and I could not be more grateful.

This year I learned to really ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS

"Enjoy the little things," has always been my life motto (hence the heading of this blog). This quote, which seems extremely simple can be one of the hardest lessons to learn.

Easily the highlights of this year were...
- Ending high school with my best friends crashing dances, going to baseball games and doing new things
- Washington D.C.
- Graduating high school
- Starting my photography business
- Senior trip with my best friends to Mexico
- GHANA, easily the best three weeks
- Greyson coming home!!! happiest day of my life
- Spending every day of summer with my best friends before they left
- Disney Land with my lover

This year I truly did learn to enjoy the little things. All of those highlights of my year are the reasons why. I never new I could be so extremely happy by spending time with people I love, hours of laughing with my best friends, and serving complete strangers. The happiest moments of this year and possibly my whole life was helping people in Africa. They had so much love to share. I was drenched in sweat and thirsty and I had never been happier. Helping build an orphanage and seeing the gratitude of people were so worth it. The next happiest moment was when I was able to hug my best friend again. HOLY, that felt so good.

I am no expert, but I truly believe life is best enjoying the little things and always keeping that in mind. I mean I would rather have a girls night eating popcorn with my mom than attending a college party, that is me enjoying the little things too haha. It can be anything, but mostly not worrying what other people care about, helping others, and living life how YOU want to spend it not how others think you should spend it.

Now this post was extremely random with random scattered thoughts... but every. single. word. I MEAN! This was a year to remember with so many scary but exciting changes and I am a bit sad it is over. However, I KNOW for certain next year will be the best I will ever have.

2019 will be filled with the best of the best.
- Greyson
- NEW changes
- Graduating college
- Florida
- New service projects
- Growing my business
- CHINA

This year was by far the fastest time has ever flown.. IT NEEDS TO SLOW DOWN or speed up IDK!

Enjoy the new year and enjoy the little things

HAPPY NEW YEAR
-Lex

lovell family holiday card 2018

Here. Are. The. Lovell. Family. Annual. Pictures

This year has been full of SO many changes. With graduating high school, going to college, starting up my own business, some of my best friends moving across the country/world, and with my best friend coming home; this year has had many downs followed with the highest ups. One of the things that are most comforting in life is that I have this family to lean on. They motivate me with everything I do and our my biggest supporters. Family pictures are one of my favorite traditions. You would think after taking them for so many years we would be half decent at them... WRONG! My dad still says so many (dad) jokes and cannot take a serious pictures, my mom is still a model, I am still as awkward as can be, but this year was good to Alec; look at that smile! He finally took a non serious picture. We are a proud family over here. Anyway, here are the pictures of my favorite people. 

 

 

the best three years

Today, my best friend and I are celebrating our third anniversary. I cannot believe it has been three years; I remember it as if it was yesterday. 

Three years ago, an 18-year-old boy came to hang out with my friends and me for the third day in the row. The first two days my friends had set it up with me knowing it, and I was incredibly awkward. I was a sophomore in high school and tried to avoid the situation. However, the night of the second day I was crushing hard. The third day I invited him to come with us to Dixie Rock, and we talked for hours. Although we talked about ice cream and fire trucks, we talked the entire time which was a huge improvement of me. The rest of the night we looked at Christmas lights and just talked, and I knew he was something special. That night we kissed for the first time. We hung out every day of Christmas break and almost every day for the next six months until I said goodbye that summer. 

The next two years were some of the longest and hardest of my life. Greyson was there every step of the way. He was there to write me every Monday morning, and we were able to talk for an hour back and forth on google chats (hands down my favorite app back then). We wrote letters to each other for two years and finding a new batch of them in the mailbox was always the best part of the week. With being able to communicate between letters or emails for two years, we became closer than I could have imagined. 

June 5, 2018, was the best day of my life. Greyson returned from his LDS mission, and it was like he never left. My best friend was back! That summer we were able to date, I took him to one of my favorite places: Blanding, we went to Lake Powell and so much more. Now were are dating and I have never been happier. I have never met anyone so selfless and kind. Greyson is the best person I have ever met and is the biggest blessing in my life. He brings me more happiness than I could have ever imagined. Three years ago I opened up to a stranger, although it felt so comfortable. I have always been quiet and have kept to myself. I still am, and I still could talk to him for hours and laugh with him about everything. He knows more about me than anyone else. I knew three years ago that he was someone special and that I could not live without him.

This is to you Greyson, thank you thank you. Thank you for your constant example in my life. I look up to you in every way, and you make me strive to become better. The love that you have for your family and this gospel is so strong. You are selfless, kind, caring, respectful, hilarious (dad jokes and all), and so much more. You are everything to me. Sitting by you on the state bus 38 months ago was the best decision of my life and hanging out with you on Dixie Rock was even a better one.  I cannot wait to see where our future leads us to, and I could not be more excited for all of it. I will be here forever and promise to be there for you. I love you. Thank you for all of our memories and for making me the happiest girl in the world. 

Happy three years and can't wait for the many more years to come!

In honor of our third year anniversary I put together this video of some of our best memories the past three years. Follow the link & enjoy.

-Lex

the ultimate christmas bucket list

Hello, everyone! Since this college semester is over and I have a free minute for the first time in what seems like FOREVER, I finally have time to celebrate my favorite time of the year. Christmas is in twelve days and I cannot wait. Every year to celebrate the holiday season I have a list that I try to complete and am really determined to finish it. The list may be long and intimidating, but SO worth it. Here are my favorite traditions to do during Christmas time! 

- Start a Christmas count down

- Hang Christmas lights

- Bake gingerbread cookies

- Buy an unique Christmas ornament

- Make Christmas cards

- Decorate the tree (and many more)

- Go Christmas caroling

- Read Christmas stories

- Look at Christmas lights

- Light the World challenge

- Decorate gingerbread houses

- Make Christmas cookies for neighbors 

- Act out the Christmas story

- Ugly Christmas Sweater contest

- Eggnog on Christmas Eve

- Go see the temple lights and nativity

- Watch all Christmas movies

- Give gifts

CHRISTMAS MOVIE WATCHLIST

- Elf

- The Grinch

- Frank Clause

- The Santa Clause 1, 2, 3

- The Polar Express

- A Christmas Story

- A Wonderful Life

- A Charlie Brown Christmas

- A Christmas Carol

- Home Alone

- The Nightmare before Christmas

- The Holiday

- Christmas Vacation

- Winnie the Pooh Merry Pooh Year (Christmas Eve tradition)

- Hallmark movies

This is it! Enjoy

Merry Christmas

xx- Lex

the bigger picture

Life is hard sometimes. Sometimes we are so overwhelmed with work, school and other priorities that we feel like we're losing ourselves. We have so much stress, and it can be hard to keep the motivation to keep pushing. This is how I have felt many times in the last few months. I have kept my schedule so busy that the only time I have to hang out with my boyfriend is when we are doing homework, and I see my friends when we study at the library. However, when there is a bigger goal in mind and a desire that is worth working for, it can make this stress become lighter and our commitment stronger.
There are so many things to look forward to in life and so many things to work for. I know someday that I want a family and I want a successful job to support them. I know by working hard, it will make my life easier in the future. By achieving good grades, it will save me money in the future for scholarships. I know by placing all my energy in my hard classes it will increase my knowledge of my future career.
What I am trying to say here is to always keep the bigger picture in mind. There is always a bigger, better plan that we may not know of right now. The only way we will know of this plan is when it is all over, and we can look back on what has happened. Steve Jobs once said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” Keeping this in mind and knowing that one day all my dots will connect and I will see how the bigger picture came together, I know all the stress and hard work will be more than worth it.
This is something I have been finding myself thinking of multiple times during the day. Because it can be hard. Especially when you are taking generals and spending all your time on them, and they do not benefit your future career. However, these classes are just another dot that will someday connect, and everything will come together in the end. 

I hope you guys understand this random rambling and possibly even learn something from it!

much love, Lex

growing my love of photography

WOWOWOW! I do not think I have ever felt so busy and overwhelmed in my entire life. College has definitely been a crazy ride and it is not because of the parties. Trying to balance taking 20 credits, working, spending time with my boyfriend, friends, and having multiple shoots a week I feel like I never have a break. BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER! I have a lot of change coming up and it is slowly preparing myself, and besides I love it all. Especially, photography. I absolutely love it. Somedays I wonder if I should drop out of college and work on progressing in photography, but I know I need to do this and once I finish my pointless classes and start working towards my major, it will all be worth it. However, I love photography and I really hope it continues to grow as much as it has this last month. I wanted to share some of my shoots from this last month. There's much more where this came from and so much more coming up! I CANNOT WAIT. 

our first Halloween

Wanna hear a story? So two and a half years ago me and Greyson had our first kiss in December and dated through the spring and summer, but we never got to spend my favorite season together.. FALL! I love this season so much. I love pumpkins, Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town, Thriller, pumpkins cookies, the leaves changing, everything. This was the best one yet because I was able to spend it all with him. 

Here are some of  my favorite highlights from this month!

We spent fall break up north with my best friends and went to fright mares, many haunted houses, and tried ice skating! Greyson is extremely talented at Ice skating let me tell you, he even tried to race ten-year-olds, too bad he lost..

OUR PUMPKIN WE CARVED! This is hands down the best one I have ever made, this took us so long haha

Last but not least.. HALLOWEEN! This was the best Halloween since trick-or-treating and I owe it all to him. We dressed up and went to Thriller at Tuacahn. 

I love this season and I love him and I love we finally got to spend it together

FINALLY

- Lex

I have a dream

This was easily one of the best nights of my life. 

In order for you guys to understand the importance of this night, let me throw it back to three months ago... One day in Ghana, Nsawam, a group of Americans were working in the blistering heat trying to get to know this random group of people who they traveled across the world with, so they asked questions. Many questions. The vital question that led to this moment in history was, "What is your favorite Disney movie?" obviously we all agreed it was Tangled. AND WHY?? Because of the LANTERNS! That question created a bond between us that will never be broken. Haha not really, we became close because of many reasons, but I would be lying if I said this was not one of them. Anyway, since that day in the hot sun we dreamed a dream of attending the lights fest as a group. 

Three months later that is what exactly we did

I cannot even begin to describe how much I loved this night. I felt complete happiness for the first time in a long time. The night was surrounded by some of my favorite people. Nothing cannot beat that. We scream at the top of our lungs. Dance harder than 99% of the population. And start parties wherever we go. For example, this crazy amazing singer that was performing had no audience, and once my friends and I went over to the stage EVERYONE DID! This might have almost beat the lanterns. This guy was absolutely amazing. He had the coolest performance and if anyone heard my voice the next day you KNOW I had the time of my life. Obviously, because that was the first time I have EVER lost my voice. It was just that good. 

After we were almost completely exhausted, the lanterns began. I am not going to lie, we cried. The Ghana gang fulfilled our dream and it was even better than I imagined because Greyson tagged along;) road trips with him are so much better.

I highly recommend going to the lantern festival!

Make sure to bring some tissues... and deodorant if you dance as hard as us jkjk

I am so extremely blessed

I will never forget this night. literally amazing!

until next time... if I ever find a free minute to write again, thanks college

-Lex

I AM MOVING TO CHINA

The rumor is true. 

I AM MOVING TO CHINA! 

Now, it is only for five months, BUT STILL! That is five months of living in China. I still cannot grasp the thought. 

I would never have imagined in a million years this would ever happen in my life. When I was little, I sat in my room one day and made a bucket list of one hundred things that felt impossible. Teaching English in China was one of them. 

Teaching English to children in China has always been a dream of mine, and I can do it because of ILP! ILP (The International Language Program) has programs in multiple countries where students are able to do this. I seriously cannot wait to teach and travel to China. Sadly, it is not for another year... So when this actually becomes a reality, you guys (or my grandma and Greyson, who I know read this blog) better be ready to hear all about it!

Until then, Zaijian

-Lex

we are country

Does anyone have those days where they are so random, and spur of the moment, but you are with your favorite people, and you have so much fun, and you make the absolute best memories???

Well, if you have not, I highly recommend getting out more.

Anyway, this was one of those days!

So a couple of months ago my good friend Canyon opened up his mission call to Columbia... and he was set to leave in September. He was extremely disappointed, but I was very content with this because I had four months left to spend time with him.

Sadly, the day is coming and he only has a few short weeks left. In honor of him, Canyon and a few of our friends took a trip up to Brian Head for the day. 

We spent the day riding razors, eating yummy food, making dance videos, watching the Office, and taking risks.

(if you want to know what risks we took, read on)

Andddd in risks I mean stopping at a country fair in a hick town on our way home. Yep, that is right we went to a fair. It was expensive and it was smelly. However,  I got in a floss dance off, watched Greyson country dance, went on my first fair ride, and someone bought us tickets for the rides.. so obviously it was A.W.E.S.O.M.E. 

A quick shoutout to mah dude CANYON! Because he is one of the best people I know and I am so glad we instantly became friends at work. Columbia is lucky to have him.

I LOVE THESE PEOPLE

-lex

quail lake

Life is difficult after high school. Not to seem overly dramatic or anything, but EVERYTHING changes. My entire life I have had the same schedule: sports, school, homework, piano, etc. I had the same friends, we would go to the same games, and we lived a comfortable life. Now all of a sudden everyone is moving on and going in different directions. My friends and I are slowly heading in different directions, and although I cannot wait to see what they all have in store, I want to make most of the time we have left. 

This summer, we have all spend the majority of the days together. We have finished countless things off of our bucket lists, and once again we completed another. This week we all went to quail lake. We spent the day in the blistering sun jamming to music on the boat, wake surfing, and having dance parties. 

with love

-lex