Whats wrong with me....

That I'm not dying to go back??

Lately Ive Realized/Decided

There is beauty in simplicity.

a lot of beauty.

Im talking about simplicity in a lot of different aspects too.

Hawaii taught me to love the simple. To Find more joy in rainbows than in shopping sprees. To Need less and not in a sacrificing kind of way but in a "truly more happy without quite so MUCH" way If that makes sense? It like un-cluttering your life.

I learned a different definition of necessity here.

I learned to love simple moments too.

The most fun doesn't have to be sensory overload Disneyland experience ( yea I said it!)

This world is really really crazy. Life is busy and sometimes a slow moment to just sit in the sunshine with a popsicle is incredible. And nothing beats a great surf session when it's not crowded and you didn't bring anyone and it's just you in the water having a great time. I think for the first time in my life I've really learned to enjoy solitude.

"knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others with out using them as a means of escape."

You have to love yourself enough in order to really live confidently.

Simplicity in a design aspect is another thing Ive really really started to love.

Sometimes the clean lines and fresh white is so stunning.

yes this is coming from me, the girl who wears as many colors in one outfit as I can get away with. But sometimes thats obnoxious. Whether its clothes or a room or a table top or your life... Over-styling is gross!

And I think a lot of people can decorate a house really cute or pretty, to truly design something beautiful and that perfectly balances all the elements it should, for it to be full and interesting and lively and colorful and not lose the simplicity... thats amazing!

How do they make this look so eclectic and simple at the same time?

this is seriously amazing to me.

and pop music has its place in my life and my itunes library- I have my share of Hannah Montana and Spice Girls in there- but a lot lately, I've been into these like jazzy instrumentals. It kinda just lets your thoughts flow and its just so cool sounding.

any way I guess I could have summed this all up in a lot less words by saying

sometimes... less is more.

Simplicity is what allows us to savor our life. It is so much richer and sweeter when we stop long enough to really really appreciate how amazing it is.

Simplicity give light to increased gratitude.

so stop for a second and smell the roses .

its coming.

im so excited im dying.

Can't we all just get a longboard....

Super great surf session at castles today. Im super stoked on it. And on the last wave of the day as I was dropping down the face and the water was so clear and I could see a turtle. He dove under and I rode the rest of it. Seriously awe-some. I'll still be so happy about it a week from now. Surfing is my favorite thing probably. I wake up and want to go. I sit in class and wait to go. I rush into work a minute before I'm late because I couldn't stop. I think about surfing A LOT. I designed a longboard in my dream. It was so cute. I want someone to shape it for me. I wanna surf like this...

Cockadoodle-POO!!

I love Hawaii

I love so many things about it.

If I were to make a pro and con list the list would be ridiculously disproportionate

(Ten Million Pros Vs. A handful of cons)

Cons like huge cockroaches everywhere or stores/businesses arbitrarily being closed when you go there because its "aloha friday" and that means people don't want to work [shocker].These are things that I have been absolutely amenable to dealing with and just accepting and often loving because that is island life. I dont get mad when my chips go all soggy after being open for 10 minutes because of the humidity, I find the silver lining which is that you know now i wont accidentally hurt my mouth on a jagged chip corner.

BUT THERE IS ONE THING I AM STRUGGLING TO ACCEPT.

Roosters.

and all their stupid cockadoodle-dooing

it's ridiculous.

It's been 17 months of living here and I still hate the Roosters.

Maybe one day when Im an old lady in some weird nostalgic way I'll miss that shrill raucous sound. But for right now I really do hate it.

THEY are the reason I am up at 2:35 am BLOGGING!!

THEY start with that unrelenting noise before its even close to dawn.

Honestly I think the biological clock is all wacked out with these hawaiian chickens. Because they start right out side my window at about 2:00 am and just keep at it all night.

I HATE Roosters.

This really is the ramblings of a bitter bear. I really should focus on the fact that at this moment In between each rooster-schreech I can hear the palm trees and the ocean. I am so lucky and so blessed.

But seriously I'm like one more night away from getting a paintball gun and doing work on these chickens. I'm just saying....

Now I am going to put in some headphones and head back to dreamland

xoxo

Lyss

I'll do a big halloween post later BUT....

right now im just super super stoked about tarp surfing! If you dont know that that is watch this

I "helped out" my friend Devin Today who is making a little motion picture all about tarp surfing and how it is the sweetest way to get barreled without actually being in the water. You take a big blue tarp make it into a wave and skate/shred through it. It was seriously so FUN. I skated for like a good 2.5/3 hours tonight hahah on a tarp!?!. LOVED IT. I'm a big fan. Honestly it can never beat real surfing but it's up there.

SO RAD!

Today....

was a LOVELY day. Despite the sporadic showers where it pours for five minutes at a time. But those bring the best rainbows.

When I see those I am overwhelmed by how blessed I am! I feel so lucky to be here. BYU-Hawaii really is Heaven on earth. When I drive to school, sun shining down in my little jeep usually listening to some Taylor Swift or Miley Cyrus and I see that bright aqua blue water with waves crashing less than 10 feet away or when I see all of the flags around the little circle as I drive up to campus I honestly feel so happy its hard to put into words. I am so blessed.

Heavenly Father just knew that this would be the most perfect place on earth he could possibly send me and I am so glad he did.

Lately I've been stressing a little about the idea that at some point there must be an end and I will have to leave this Island.

I know it seems like its a little premature to stress about that now but I cant help it! I love it here so much and I can't imagine leaving. But Ive just decided that I need to have faith that If I am listening to the spirit Heavenly Father will make sure I am wherever will make me the happiest.

Im realizing...

once again that most likely now that Im not in London and that I post so infrequently the likelyhood of anyone actually reading my blog is very small but I like the idea of it. So once again I am going to make an effort to acctually update my blog more often.

Whats new lately?

Happy Easter

Easter is definately on of my top favorite holidays. Its right up there with Christmas and my birthday and Fourth of July ( ok so i really like holidays) haha this year Easter sunday fell on Conference weekend and I couldn't have asked for a better weekend! It was so uplifting and wonderful! And in between sessions on sunday my buddy Chase and I threw a big easter egg hunt and lunch! It was so fun! We hunted for dyed eggs all over the yard and had a sandwich bar, fruit salad and desserts everyone brought to share! Soooo rad! What an Aloha way to spend Easter with your friends!

I know its been forever...

But this semester has been busy busy busy. I have loved feeling so productive and busy. It's been fun balancing BYUH Student Association, Service Council, Student Advisory Council and my job with Kama'aina Kids. I love my job so much and being Aunty Alyssa and playing with my kids is so fun.

Also dating Christopher meant that I had spent so much time with him and even more working on learning sign language. I'm still working so much on learning ASL. Between all of my activities and school and work time to be creative kinda quickly got lost. Which I could totally feel that absence. I missed it. I missed photography and how it made me and the people I work with smile and feel. That use of creativity makes me feel like I've done something worth while.

But what a blessing Hawaii is. This wonderful place just reminded me to slow down. All it took was a bike ride on a sunny day after the rain passed through and seeing a big bright rainbow for me to remember why slowing down is so important. Its true what they say, great ideas come from great bike rides.

It just reminded me to find peace and joy in the journey. To do lots of good things, but never to get so busy that you forget to make time to do the things that make you the most happy.

To stop and look at those rainbows every once in a while. Whatever that rainbow is for you in your own life. Stop for an ice cream cone, or to smell the flowers or fly a kite. Just enjoy every day.

By the way kite flying is a new favorite way to spend my time.

Aloha....

I love that from my couch where I currently reside I can hear the waves crashing on temple beach <3 its a little overwhelming how unbelievably blessed I am.

I need to do a BIG update with a lot of new pictures....

but i don't feel like doing it now... so I will just show you my

Latest Obsessions

I would like to own these

and eat this

Beach Bonfires
Eating these delicious treats at bonfires
this movie
Halloween Costume Surf Competition

After School Activities...

I finally have a pretty good routine down. Everyday after all my classes I go to temple beach and have a little fun in the sun for a couple of hours. Then is usually home/library for homework and then hang out with cute friends at night. There is also usually a trip to foodland, some shave ice, or a taco bell cheesy roll up mixed in there for a nutritious dinner and lots of spontaneous night time adventures.