on my bookshelf

one reason i love the holidays so much is the fact that i get to read to my heart's content, much to the dismay of my father and sister who wish i would "be here with them" instead of living in the fictional worlds which i love so much. i have read three books so far, and all of them are worth reading.

first up on my list was: the clockwork prince by cassandra clare. it is the second book in a trilogy titled the infernal devices. these books are a prequel to the best-selling series the mortal instruments which is another series i love a lot and think you all should read. this book left me hanging and broke my heart a little. i want tessa to end up with will although i love jem. the whole situation is just sad. she does a good job of writing a good love triangle. im extremely anxious for the final book in the series to come, but i have to wait a WHOLE year. oh well, as much as i hate waiting for a book in a series, i also love it. there's nothing like speculating and anticipating how a beloved series is going to end. it makes me miss harry potter.

second to be read was: the picture of dorian gray by oscar wilde. it is a dark book that showed me a whole new way to look at the world. while not my favorite book ever, it was a quick read and i liked it. it has a lot of good life lessons in it, and oscar wilde is witty and i enjoyed his writing style.

the third book i read and now i am obsessed is: JANE EYRE. i can't believe i had never read it before. i loved mr. rochester and loved jane even more. she is passionate and bold and loves deeply. and i loved the way they loved each other. i am a sucker for love stories and this one thrilled me! thank you alexis for telling me to read this book. it has become one of my favorites.

“Thank you, Mr. Rochester, for your great kindness. I am strangely glad to get back again to you: and wherever you are is my home—my only home.”
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

“I had not intended to love him; the reader knows I had wrought hard to extirpate from my soul the germs of love there detected; and now, at the first renewed view of him, they spontaneously revived, great and strong! He made me love him without looking at me.” 
― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Not a human being that ever lived could wish to be loved better than I was loved; and him who thus loved me I absolutely worshipped.
-Jane Eyre

love story

and one more thing...

one day i am going to have an EPIC love story.

because as they say

"the greatest love story ever told is YOUR OWN"

that's all.

Venting

Writing might become the death of Melanie Duffy.  It just took me six hours to write a three freaking page paper on a stupid little poem. The first few hours were spent changing the poem I was doing about six times. The next three were spent trying to get my mind to remember how to write correctly. And now I have finally finished and you know what? I think it kind of sucks. But I don't care at this point. And now I am venting whilst writing some more! Gosh. I can't escape. akljshdfalkjsdhflakjsdhflaksjdhaui sdjfhaklsjdhflkasjdhfaklsjdfh asdkljf askjdfh alksjdh aksdjfh alksdjhf laksdjh alksdjf alksdjf alksjdf alksdjf aklsdjf alksdjhf alksjdf alksjdh alksdjhfalksjdhf alksdjhf alksdjhf alksdjhf alksdjhfa lksdjfhal ksdjhfa lksdjhafl kds!

Here is how happy I was this weekend before the paper. Hopefully I can feel this way again sometime soon.

Well I hope everyone is having a great day. Good luck with finals. Let's all party over Christmas Break.

Brooke's Wedding

Brooke and Doug got married today! It was so beautiful. She is gorgeous. Isn't her dress stunning? When there are more pictures, I will post them. I love Doug and am excited to have a new brother. Their wedding was at Heritage Gardens. Shannon did all the flowers and it looked amazing. She is so talented. It was a small wedding, but it was so nice to have all the people we love most there! I love my family. I am so happy our family has grown. Doug's family is great. It was just a really fun day and yesterday the open house was a blast too. I love love and marriage and family and friends. Can't wait to see how happy Brooke and Doug are going to be. Congrats you two crazy love birds! I love you both so much!

At the Open House on Monday night with my gorgeous sisters. I love them a lot. 

Obsession

Who else is loving The Vampire Diaries this season? I love it every season, so that is not saying much. But still. So INTENSE. And I miss the old Stefan, but I love Damon and Elena's relationship and I am so torn. And Bonnie and Jeremy need to stop fighting and be in love. And Tyler has come so far and now is being bad! And poor Matt. And I miss Jenna, and love Alaric. And Katherine better still be alive even though she is a biotch. AND OMG WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? And maybe I should get a life and worry about something a little more important? Oh well. Thursdays are great days. And can I also just say that they are all so hott? Well that's all for now. VD is now streaming live on Netflix, so go NOW and get caught up and then we can all love it together.

I Know.

I just wanted to bear my testimony. This blog has a lot of nonsense on it. And while nonsense is always fun, I just want to tell my friends, family, and anyone else who may read this what I KNOW.

I know Christ lives and loves us. Sometimes it is hard to imagine that someone can love you that much, you know? But he does. Just think about it for a second and it will blow your mind. He volunteered to take on YOUR sins. He willingly felt all the pain there has ever been in the world just because he loves us and wants us to live with him again. He is with us. He knows us. He understands how we are feeling. I wish I didn't let him down so much. But I am going to try to be better. And I am going to try to get to know him better. I don't know him as well as I should. But he knows me.

I also know that we need to have faith in him and his timing. It is hard for us to see the whole picture a lot of the time but he sees EVERYTHING. He won't lead you astray. Trust in him and love him. It is really hard sometimes. Just pray for patience and peace. It will come. I am a firm believer that things always have a way of working themselves out. Not always the way we planned or hoped they would. It is usually better than we could have imagined.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I don't understand or comprehend everything about it but I know it is true. And I am so grateful for it. I would be lost without it.

Prayer is real. Heavenly Father is listening to you. Talk to him. He is waiting. I have to remind myself that.

We have a living prophet. He guides and directs us. Listen to him. Sustain him and love him.

Life is hard, but through the gospel we can overcome anything. If I am ever having a hard time please remind me of that.

I love the gospel, I love Christ, and I love all of you. If anyone ever needs anything, or just wants someone to listen please come to me. I love talking to people. It is one of my favorite things to do. Keep your faith. And just keep having hope. Life is hard sometimes but it is also wonderful! And remember

"Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith"

-President Thomas S. Monson

If this doesn't make you cry, I don't know what will...

If you didn't already know, I LOVE HARRY POTTER. More than any other story in the WORLD! And although I love the books more, the movies really did bring it to life for me. So watch this. And maybe cry like Chandler and I just did. Maybe we are just emotional? So be it. It is lovely. I don't think I will ever get over my sadness that Harry is over. But like J.K. Rowling says, "the stories we love the most stay with us forever." I know Harry Potter will. I love the characters as if they were my own best friends. Ridiculous maybe? You are probably saying to yourself "Mel, they aren't real!" I think they are, and you can't prove to me they aren't so BAM. Well, I am weird so I guess I should just shut up and let you all watch this now. If you watch it, please comment and tell me what your thoughts were. See you next time friends!

Hey Baby, I Think I Wanna Marry You...

No it's not me who is getting married. I wouldn't mind having a diamond ring though... I guess a boy wouldn't be too bad either.

 Anyway..... I have the happiest announcement in the world. My beautiful big sister Brooke Duffy is getting MARRIED! Did I mention that I LOVE LOVE? And I love weddings. And I love happiness. Did I also mention that I love my sisters more than anything in the world? And did I also mention that seeing Brooke this happy and in love makes me ecstatic? I am just so giddy about the whole thing. 

When she came over Saturday to show us her ring, she was practically glowing. Her whole countenance was radiating happiness, peace, contentment, and pure joy. I decided right then and there that I will wait as long as I have to, to look that way one day when the man of my dreams asks me to marry him.

 Brooke and Doug make such a good couple. They are so good for each other. He calms Brooke down and she makes sure that he is on time. Like my grandma said, "they have electricity between them." I asked her if her and my grandpa had electricity between them too. She said "of course!" as if that was the silliest question in the world. So ladies (because let's be honest no man is reading my blog) wait for someone you have electricity with. Among many other important things, of course. Wow I kind of get off topic don't I?

Anywho.. I am so excited for Brooke. She deserves this so much. She has been so patient and good and strong. I hope I can be half as amazing as her some day. I will be sad to see her have a new best friend now. But it is so worth it. I wouldn't have it any other way. My family is gaining a new member and I am so happy about it. Doug is so great. I hope he can get used to how annoying and involved in each others lives we are! My dad said to him, "when you marry one of them, you get four others along with her." (Including my wonderful mother who is sometimes like a sister as well) I am so grateful that my sisters and me are so close. They are my best friends, even though they all drive me absolutely nuts sometimes. What would life be without sisters?

 I love this quote I found about sisters. I think it is perfect. Thank the heavens for giving me three sisters.

"Sisters annoy, interfere, criticize. Indulge in monumental sulks, in huffs, in snide remarks. Borrow. Break. Monopolize the bathroom. Are always underfoot. But if catastrophe should strike, sisters are there. Defending you against all comers." ~Pam Brown

Congratulations Brookie. I love you so much. And I can't wait to see how happy your whole life is going to be.


 

why do you wanna be me?

oh and this time next week i will be stoked because i will only have one more day till VD!! YES!

these is my words

Everyone read this book. Please. I don't think a book has made me cry this hard. Ever. It has become one of my favorites. I can't stop thinking about it. The love story between Jack and Sarah seriously has gone on the list as one my favorite love stories, which coming from me, is a high place of honor. I loved how strong Sarah was. She's so independent yet needed him and missed him so much when he would leave. Jack was such a MAN and so good and brave and loved her so much. This story will stay with me forever. I dont know how to describe why this touched me so much but it just spoke to my heart and soul and I can't stop crying. Can't wait to read it again. It also doesn't help that "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine just came on either. Too many emotions. Time for bed.

“I’d rather be with him in a bad mood
than most other men when
they’re trying to pay me a compliment”
-Sarah A. Elliot (These Is My Words)

“Now he is back, and I feel like my arm
or something has been missing
and now is returned to me”
-Sarah A. Elliot (These Is My Words)

I have named the star Jack’s Star. It is beautiful and bright and gives me joy when it is here and pain when it is not, and every year as the summer approaches, I have seen it coming over the hills. I used to think that maybe someday I will learn what educated people have called it and why it is only here sometimes, but now I think it wouldn’t matter. It is Jack’s Star, and they have only to ask me and I will tell them its name. They will have to ask the star itself where it goes and why it is not content to stay.
-Sarah A. Elliot (These Is My Words)

am i the only one?

do you ever just feel like you suck? haha. dramatic i know, but i am just feeling bad about all the things i say that i really shouldnt say. i dont think i am an awful person. it's just that i have a lot to work on. especially when it comes to the things i say. i am a little outspoken and have learned many hard lessons about watching the things that come out of my mouth. sometimes i just say too much. it is something that i have really seen about myself this summer. that i just need to be kinder and not so sarcastic. i need to stop with the bad language. i need to not get so worked up over things and just run my mouth off about a situation that is hurting or bugging me. i know sometimes you just need to vent things but i feel like i do it to much. and i express my opinions a little too freely. soooo here is my goal. i know that im not going to change the fact that i like to express my opinions, i just want to be kinder about it. and be a better example to those around me. and not let things bug or get to me so much. and be someone that i am proud of. so i am going to really keep this in mind this coming school year. i just want to be a better person. sometimes i feel like i am never going to get better. but that is just not a good attitude to have. im going to be a better friend, sister, student, and daughter. so if you ever hear me complaining remind me to change my attitude! alright well that is my rant for the day.

on a lighter note.... I MOVE BACK TO LOGAN ON THE 25th!!! i am really excited! i have missed everyone so much. and i am just ready for school to start. it will be a busy year but i am ready. bring.it.on!! i cant wait to see what it going to happen. the change i can feel in the air is almost tangible! i can lick it up. eww i am sorry that was incredibly disgusting. too late..

oh and it is my half birthday today!! presents welcome! ahhh i will be 20 in six months. that truly freaks me out.

anyways... i just really love everyone and i feel so much better. so thank you blog for letting me get some things out. and as always let me add some pics so this is funner to look at (more fun? i am supposed to be an english major. oh well)


Ready for some Harry Potter. One of the most emotional movies I have seen. A great ending to a great set of movies.


Fun times in Heber!!


HP and Voldy face off. I love Tiff!


On one of Lexi's horses. So much fun! I want to marry a cowboy.

for chandler

this post is for my best girl chandler daniels because the other day she got mad at me that I never blog...
so here are some things i have been up to this summer because really i know everyone is DYING to know.

work work work work. i have two jobs. sorenson communications and studio cove. it has been a little rough working so much and being an adult. but it had to happen sometime right?

i have seen some movies.

i went on a hike one time haha.

been going on runs.

went to the parachute concert. it was free. and they sang kiss me slowly. ahhh how i love that song. and it would be cool if a handsome boy would kiss me slowly (preferably against a wall. or a car.) anyone who has seen my ravishing demonstration understands. haha that is probably not something i should put on my blog.. sorry.

harry potter is coming out and i am going to the midnight premier on thursday. i am heart broken. but also so excited to see it that i might burst from my skin (that was a little gross i am sorry). it is going to be amazing, i just know it.

i have been seeing a lot of my wonderful friends. we don't even really do anything cool but i always have a smashing time with them.

read a lot of books. gone to the library and bought some online. no other place in the world can calm me down like a library, and at the same time give me lots of anxiety because i dont know which book to read next.

been with my family a lot. we are going to jackson hole on friday and i really can't wait. i am in desperate need of a vacation.

been to a lot of farewells. basically everyone is gone now. so that is pretty sad.

the 4th of july was really fun.

i snuck into the storage room and found old letters from my mom to my dad during his mission and visa versa. they had forbidden me to read them. but i was determined. and my goodness those two love each other. they were adorable. i still have a lot to go through!

kimmee and i went through letters of her great grandparents that are over 100 years old! the way the talked back then was so eloquent. i wish we hadn't dumbed language down so much over the years. it seriously was beautiful. and to be holding paper that was around 100 years ago was really special to me. i LOVE history and old things.

i went to a bees game with channy and her cute boyfriend. it was so fun. i have seen a lot of her this summer thankfully. and i have seen mar, al, and lex a little bit. not as much as i would like to but i am just so glad we have at least seen each other!

i haven't even gone swimming yet. what is wrong with me?

jordan elsie: have you finished hp7 yet? i hope you are reading like crazy to have it done before we go on thursday.

my camera broke. i am depressed about it.

this has got to be the most random blog post in the world.

well here are some cool pictures. i hope this was enjoyable for you chan.

i hope everyone is having an amazing summer. xoxo

Miracle.

This kid is a miracle boy. And I am so grateful to have him in my life. Love him and his family so much. They are my second family.


Kimmee has been the best friend I have ever had. She is my sister. And I don't know where I'd be without her. We have been there for eachother through EVERYTHING. Not many people get to have a once in a lifetime friend. But i sure do. And she is strong, mature, fiesty, weird, a clutz, crazy, beautiful, caring, understanding, a worrier (she needs to calm it down sometimes), happy, smart, compassionate, good, and so many more things i can't even list them all. I am so proud to call her my friend. I feel like sometimes I take out things on her. And I know it isn't fair. But no matter what she has stuck by me. So Kim, thanks for being my best friend. And letting me be apart of your family. And for being apart of mine. I LOVE YOU. And we both love Brandon so much.





"you only meet your once in a lifetime friends, once in a lifetime"

one year

it has been ONE year since i graduated from skyline high school and then my amazing two week trip to europe. do you ever feel like time is flying by too fast?


i always wanted to grow up-i couldn't wait to be an adult. and while college has been much better than high school, and i am at a good place in my life, i can't help but look back and sometimes feel a little sad that life isn't that carefree anymore. i am so glad that i enjoyed it while i could. senior year was a blast and last summer was one of the best summers of my life.

this year has really been just what i needed. heaven knows i have grown up a lot since this time last year. as the saying goes, "the only constant thing in life is change." and the changes this past year have changed me for the better. here's to another fabulous, growing, changing year.

and for my own enjoyment, some pictures from europe. im really wishing i was back there right now, instead of stuck in cold utah working. but such is life.


on top of the eiffel tower with my two loves: claire and jessie!


the night train=hell. this is for you paige.


assisi, italy


colosseum


gondola ride in venice.


it was pouring rain there!


pub in germany!


salt mines. sweet jumpsuits right?


austria!


trevi fountain. my wish? to get proposed to there someday. one of my favorite things of the whole trip.


biking through versailles! it was incredible. best bike ride ever.


peasant girl. the beautiful neuschwanstein castle. and lesial! i miss her


isn't this picture amazing? sweet photo taking skills compliments to paige heyn.

europe, i hope to see you again for a study abroad soon!

all good things must come to an end...

this is it folks. one more final tomorrow morning and i am officially done with my freshman year of college. what a year it has been. never in my life have i grown so much. at first it was painful, extremely painful, and at times i wanted to give up. but in the end, it was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. this has been the best year of my life. i am going to copy my great friend amelia and list some things i have learned this year.

being away from my family is hard
but it is fun to skype with my sisters
and with kimmee and maggie
bullen hall 205 is the best place to live
girls from heber are the best girls there are, especially if there names are allie and lexi
keeping in touch with friends back home isn't hard. sometimes you become even closer
you have to study if you want good grades, it just doesn't come as easy anymore
chandler, whitney, mary, and amelia are cute names. and cute people. and great friends.
jordan elsie jones is no longer just a friend, she's my sister
it's okay to cry sometimes
it is also okay to let people hold you when you cry
it's fun to get letters from missionaries
music always gets me through and doesnt let me down
i have my own testimony and it is stronger than i thought it was.
you can pray about anything, even the things you might think are stupid.
reading scriptures really do make me feel better.
math sucks.. but i think i already knew that
money doesn't just always appear magically in my bank account
sometimes you cant just go buy things when you want to
calling people on the phone isn't a life or death situation
deep conversations are the best, so are spiritual ones
when you live in bullen hall, you make lifelong friends
i am really going to miss the cute boys i met here going on their missions
going to college isn't just about getting an education
if you are pmsing, take some alone time
walking through the graveyard is therapeutic
a lot of people love me and have my back
change is hard but brings the most growth
the priesthood is incredible and so essential
sometimes you have to clean things and it sometimes isn't fun
doing the dishes sometimes relieves stress.
nicholette is a great roommate. and a great person
things always seem to have a way of working themselves out.

thanks to all who made this year so good. i love you.

harry potter is life

"it swept us away to a world we've never returned from"

this is how i have always felt about harry potter. i have been in love with it from the first time i got it for christmas when i was 7. my mom and me read the first books together, and then i got older and read them by myself. that is another reason why it means a lot to me. they helped me to truly love books and reading. they will ALWAYS be my FAVORITE books of ALL time. when this movie comes out it will really be over. and my heart will break a little. and yes, i will probably cry. i know i sound dramatic but seriously, harry potter is very important to me, and means a lot to me. from all the memories it's given me, to the amazing world it introduced me to, to the characters i LOVE and feel as if they are my close personal friends, to a love for reading, for making me a better reader, to bonding me with friends, for teaching me wise lessons (let's face it, dumbledore is the wisest persone ever), to teaching me about being a true friend, it comforts me, and has gotten me through some tough times. As you can see it's really given me a lot. so yes, i know i am a nerd but harry potter is real to me. haha call me crazy but its true. thank you j.k. rowling, for being so brilliant and creating a series of books i will cherish forever.

i tried to post the video on here but got confused! so just go to the link instead!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcf6cwr9TnY&feature=player_detailpage

home sweet home

I got to go home for Easter and it was marvelous. I hung out with family and friends whom I love dearly! I took a lot of my stuff back so my room looks lived in again. It was looking pretty lonely with just my dolls on the counters.

Yes i know, once again I act like a little girl. But, I think we are all little giggling girls at heart right? We never fully grow up and if you do than you are boring so BAMM! I also watched The Little Mermaid and Sleeping Beauty with my mom and Harry Potter 7 with Brooke and Katie. Two of my favorite things in the world Disney and Harry Potter.

My sister Brookie is moving out this week. It's so unfair that right when I am moving back in, she's moving out. I am excited for her though. I will just miss her lots. I will miss her weird expressions, her movies, her laugh, her waking me up in the morning even when i want to punch her in the face, her making me do things I dont want to do, when she sings everything she says, her rage (it's scary, and just living with her in general. I know I haven't really lived with her this past 9 months but it is still just sad. We will probably never live together again. She is one of my best friends and I love her so much! At least she won't be too far away!


I also got to hang out with some of the funniest, beautiful, trustworthy, super amazing, super awesome, lovely ladies in the world. Jessie, Paigey, Kels Bels, Tiffy, Ky By. We all became close playing soccer together. They are some of my BEST friends and I can seriously tell them ANYTHING. We have all been through a lot together. I can't imagine life without them, and even though we all live all over utah (hahaha) we have gotten even closer this year. Thank goodness for soccer. I miss it and them a lot. This summer will be so fun. Love you girls. Thanks for everything you do for me.