wizard of oz.

first things first,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I love this holiday! Most def one of my faves.

This morning I had Reese's pancakes with my roommates.

We also watched Edward Scissorhands. Then went to stake conference.

We are having a full fledged Halloween feast with friends tonight (pics later),

and then going to a partyyyyy. And watching MORE scary movies!

That is what I call celebrating.

I don't know if you remember last years fantastic costumes,

but this year definitely surpasses them.

The Wizard of Oz has strangely played a large role in my childhood,

my dad has been known to quote it over the pulpit. So when my genius roommate

Lauren came up with the idea to be the cast of TWoO, I was so excited! Plus, the same

genius roommate HAND-STITCHED my costume. That's right.

Basically I owe her my life. She is the best.

Feast your eyes on this:

Glinda and Dorothy

The Cowardly Lion

The Wicked Witch of the West and Dorothy

The Tin Man and the Wizard himself

ME (Glinda the Good)

"I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!"

Tin Man, Scarecrow, Emerald City Girl, Wizard of Oz, Cowardly Lion, Wicked Witch of the East, Glinda the Good Witch of the North, and Dorothy!

Are my friends awesome or what?

big day.

My newest name is Miss Stutz. I went into a first grade classroom as a real teacher for the first time today. It is exciting and overwhelming. It is perfect. Somehow, surprisingly, it felt so natural. Those children are so smart and so loving! "MISS STUTZ, come help me with this word." "MISS STUTZ will you stay with our group for every center?" "MISS STUTZ do you like my skirt?" "MISS STUTZ my face got all red at recess because it is snowing out there."

MISS STUTZ. Miss Stutz. miss stutz.

That is going to take some getting used to. But I love my new name. And another new one is coming soon.

Love, Aunt Breanna

some upliftation.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

- Eleanor Roosevelt

"This life is yours. take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. take the power to control your own life. no one else can do it for you. take the power to make your life happy."

-Susan Polis Schutz

"If I had one gift that I could give you, my friend, it would be the ability to see yourself as others see you, because only then would you know how extremely special you are."


-B.A. Billingsly

"Now, my dear sisters, that is the way with you. You are doing the best you can, and that best results in good to yourself and to others. Do not nag yourself with a sense of failure. Get on your knees and ask for the blessings of the Lord; then stand on your feet and do what you are asked to do. Then leave the matter in the hands of the Lord. You will discover that you have accomplished something beyond price."

- Gordon B. Hinckley

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now."

-Thomas S. Monson

"for verily I say unto you, that great things await you;"

D&C 45:62

new zealand.

This is my first official announcement. Sort of.

I'm going.

To New Zealand.

January 5, 2009 - April 11, 2009.

Did you hear what I said?

I'M GOING TO NEW ZEALAND!

SERIOUSLY? SERIOUSLY!

I'M GOING TO NEW ZEALAND!

It doesn't feel real yet. I will be studying abroad and teaching the children in the outskirts of Aukland. I get to travel the island and hike the trail to Mordor (kidding). It's going to be like a school-filled vacation! Wow. I'm going to New Zealand. I could say that over and over again. So I will. I'm going to New Zealand.

Let me tell you, it was not the easiest decision to make.

What could possibly be wrong with going to New Zealand? A lot of things.

Debt, missing weddings, missing friends, being far from BYU (my parents would add being far from BYU boys), etc. And most of all missing the daily contact with my family. I made a pros and cons list, I weighed the decision out in my mind, and I took it to the Lord. It took me months of frustrations, days of fasting, and a few hours of crying. But it is finished.

This is something I am supposed to do.

For me, not you. Sounds selfish, right?

Right.

But if there is time to be selfish, it's now.

What a beautiful country. That I'm going to.

dear blog.

Ok, I'm back. And I've been withholding posts because I thought there was a blogger issue.
I'm really smart. It was actually my issue.
Sometimes I think I'm tech-savvy, but other times I realize that I'm really not, at all.
Anyway:

Dear blog,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY {eight days ago}!

Yes, I made this. No, not for my blog.

But I don't think I ever uploaded it.

Thought you'd appreciate it.

One year, eight days, 56 posts.
I was trying to remember what was going through my head when I named my blog Simplicity.
I'm pretty sure I was working on simplifying my life. Obvious, right?
Everything was fitting together, everything I read, everything I studied, seemed to say,
"BREANNA, calm down. Life is happy. Remember the basics. You are doing great."
Somehow, this theme has remained persistent. It is such a strength on days like these!

I have loved this year of blogging! I love posting. I love comments. I love sharing my life with my dearest family and friends through this medium. But my favorite part? Reading your blogs. What a cool, technological community we are. You are each full of great stories, great ideas, and inspiration. So, for my sake: BLOG ON!

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

-Leonardo DaVinci

The simplest things are often the truest.

-Richard Bach

Simplicity is the glory of expression.

-Walt Whitman

"stop right now.

thank you very much."

Can you name the quote?

Ok, just so you all know, I have multiple posts waiting to be published with lots of great news! BUT, for some reason Blogger will not allow me to change the font sizes or add pictures, both of which are critical to conveying my messages.... But seriously.

But I wanted to tell you I love you. And I feel the blog neglect growing. And I'm sorry.
And today is a weird and awesome day, October 15th.

today.

today

i feel beautiful in a sweatshirt.

i feel ready to take on the next few months.

whether they'll be lonely or lovely, i don't know.

but i feel ready.

today

music fills my soul.

music reminds me.

today

i am missing you.

and you. and all of you.

but i am doing just fine here alone.

today is dark and cloudy.

but today is beautiful in my eyes.

this "on top of the world" feeling must be coming from general conference. it must. i am ready to take a chance.