“Women of God can never be like women of the world.

The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender
There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind.
There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined.

We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need women of FAITH.
We have enough greed; we need more goodness.
We have enough vanity; we need more virtue.
We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”

-Margaret D. Nadauld

can we pretend that airplanes are shooting stars?

LOVE love LOVE L.O.V.E. lOvE life

a new goal for my list.... not only go to the temple once a week, but i need to broaden my horizons. there's SOOOOO many beautiful temples all over utah. so it's now my goal to visit a 'new' temple once a month. May was the Rexburg, ID temple. It looks like June is going to be the St George, UT temple. Ooh so excited. :) i think i'm going to have to start a whole new journal about this.

guess who's birthday is in a month?? ooh MINE. WOW. am i really going to be 23? I can not believe it. Where has the time gone? This year for my birthday I've decided to drive home and spend it with family and F.R.I.E.N.D.S. So get ready friends, because I'm going to find the most legit fire work show around and yes, going there!! San Francisco? Lake Tahoe? Santa Cruz? Oooh the endless possibilites. Time for a REAL vacation.

Eternal Families

WOW. My family is absolutely a.m.a.z.i.n.g!

So I was texting my mom about some random thoughts. I was talking about how I was up in Heaven and watching her and couldn't wait to come to this earth.

Mom's reply: "Yah you took one look at me and said, I want her. She's a sucker!"

Me: "I bet Danielle, Kaitlyn and I totally threw a party when you and dad finally met."

Kait's reply: "We were totally watching mom at her prom and singing 'she got it from her momma!'' :)

Families are Forever. true story. THE END.

when i look good, i feel good

So I was on my way to the gym....

Usually I walk, but today I decided to drive because I'll be honest, I was lacking a little motivation. Well somehow I ended up at Nordstrom and not the gym.

Just a little detor. I feel like I've been working my butt off and deserve some new work out clothes. And maybe I'm just trying to catch a little someone's attention. Ha. As I'm driving home I decide to make a deal with myself... If I don't go to the gym and run 3 miles right now, I have to take it all back tomorrow! (I wasn't wearing my new gym clothes just yet! :) So I get to the gym, and bust out 4 miles. Dang I feel good! Someone has to reward me. :) Today I'm training at 7 with my trainer and wearing a hot new outfit! Yeyy me.

Nordstrom + Golds Gym = a happy lil lady!

Life really is...

Like a box of chocolates. SERIOUSLY. you really never know what you're going to get. sometimes you think you're about to bite into your favorite chocolate but you misread the little picture thingy and bite into the most horrible tasting thing ever.... all because of one little wrong turn. Then sometimes i 'KNOW' that this is my favorite chocolate because I've tasted it before BUT NO... it only looks like something that is going to make you so happy and fulfill that little something. instead it leaves you sad and disgusted. other times you have an innocent bystander that says 'you need to try this one! it's the best.' but you chose not to listen. or they say 'no trust me it's horrible' and you taste it anyways wanting to prove them wrong. well my life is like a box of chocolates! and i've had my fair share of taste testing. some will make me happy and others will leave me saying really? hahaha, yes really. sometimes risks are worth it and sometimes they aren't. but what it really comes down to is what's on the inside. i just want to crack these boys (or people in general) open and figure out if they're really genuine and what i want without taking the risk. without having to do a little scratching on the bottom of the chocolate (aka digging into their past) which no one really likes. that's why you secretly do it... then you either like what you see and partake of this wonderful chocolate or put it back in the box. but even then looks are deceiving. sometimes it looks like caramel but it's really butterscotch. so then you try to cut to the chase and point blank cut the chocolate in half to see what's inside. you say right off that bat, okay what are you made of? but then they feel like you've just stepped into their little space bubble. 'you can't be that blunt!' well why the heck not. hahahaha. I'm totally running circles around myself right now and yes, i'm serious. life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get. :)

TRUE STORY!

um, hi hello. my name is ally and i have a BUTT.

jessica biel, i am kinda obsessed with you.

Happy Sabbath! :)

It amazes me how we have so much control over our happiness and yet some people are still unhappy. My glass is ALWAYS half full, (if not completely full) and I will always strive to find the goodness out any bad situation. I am so thankful that I have been blessed with this amazing ability. I see so many people out there unhappy. I would give anything to make them feel happy! I'm not saying I'm never unhappy or sad, but I like to snap out of it as fast as I can. This week I was driving and stressing about the usual, "what am I doing with my life?," and in the middle of this thought I couldn't help but start to giggle. Heavenly Father knows all. It's all in His timing. With this I thought, "He must be sitting up there looking down and laughing at me! Like 'really Ally? You're worrying about this again?'". Needless to say I quickly turned on a good song to brighten my mood and I was instantly better. :) Gotta find the humor in everything!! I was reading my scriptures today and stumbled upon a passage that I had highlighted a few months back. It was right after a rough situation and it was a complete answer to my prayers. I knew instantly the love that my Heavenly Father has for me. The scripture is D&C 25: 2-4, 15.

2: A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion.
3: Behold, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou art an elect lady, whom I have called.
4: Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.
15: Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.

Ah, my heart was literally pounding out of my chest when I was reading this. My Heavenly Father knows me personally. He knows the true desires of my heart. And I know that I am a daughter of God.

Welcome to 2010

What a year 2009 was. And oooh how thankful I am that it's gone and past! PEACE OUT!!! Okay, a couple good things came from 2009... it did end with some great karma: i moved into an amazing new condo with a wonderful ward and bishop. i lost 26 pounds! and i paid off my car!!!! I'll be the first to admit that I might over exaggerate just a little. But NO EXAGGERATION HERE! holy roughest year of my life!! Thus, I'm moving forward (FAST) and never looking back. Taking that good karma I ended with and jumping in with both feet to 2010.

I have some pretty high hopes and goals this year. I can't tell you the last time I've made a New Years resolution, but this year I have my checklist READY!!!
1. mission or church history tour: Okay, I realize that one is 6 days and the other is a year and a half but one of these two things WILL HAPPEN this year. The mission has been back and forth for the past year and a half. For those of you wondering, yes I still want to go! I've been asked a couple times recently, "Hey I thought you were going on a mission..." And when they ask it's kinda like they just drop kicked my heart. Right when I was about to start my papers, my stake president said "You know, I think we need to reevaluate this in the Spring. Lets give it more thought." My heart SHATTERED! I have been thinking about a mission since I was 19 years old. It's not something I just woke up and said, Hmmm, I think I want to serve a mission! But, I have put my faith and trust in my Heavenly Father and I'm learning that things don't happen on my time. It's all about the Lords timing. I know I have some close friends and family who are hoping and praying I'll find the man of my dreams, which is why I needed to wait a little bit longer.... We shall see... I'm definitely not holding my breath on that thought! Haha. ;) So if I don't serve a mission I'm going to tour the Church history sights back east for 6 days. All by MYSELF!! I have wanted to do this for the LONGEST time and it will be an absolutely amazing experience. I just know it!!
2. MONEY- finished off the year with my car PAID OFF! So this year, it's time to get down and dirty with those dang plastic cards that make me feel like I still have money in my bank account. Ha, boy was I wrong. Yes these bad boys are going to be destroyed FOREVER. Nordstrom card paid off by March. Student Visa paid off by May! DONE AND DONE!! Mom, stop asking me about it okay?!? :)
3. FITNESS- yes, I lost 26 pounds. it's true. It was a big time fad-diet though. There are only a couple women I know that have kept the weight off with diet and exercise. Mine as well add me to that list right now! :) Who would've thought that me, Allyson Leigh Barney, could run 5 miles? Just because I wanted to. I would've never thought that I would actually enjoy running. When I was on the diet, the doctor prescribed me some fancy little drug that gave me all the energy in the WORLD. That's when I learned to run. Learned to enjoy it. Learned how refreshing it is after you push yourself to the limit! Aaahh. Since I've been off the diet and medicine I have still been running and love love love it. I love becoming a regular at the gym. I love seeing the same people every day and becoming friends with them! My little weakness with this whole thing is food. Taco Bell 89 cent chicken burrito is going to be the death of me!! I feel like I'm always so pressed for time when I'm hungry. I NEED to be patient and cook my meals! Maybe even plan ahead! Hmmm :) So with this little fitness goal of mine I've added to the check list hiking Mt. Timpanogoes and running my first 10k. HOLLER!!!
4. TRAVEL- Last year I went home probably 8 out of 12 months. Yes flying everytime!! I spent WAYYYY too much money on plane flights home. Sorry family, I need to venture out and see the world. First stop Kirtland, Ohio where I will begin the church history tour. Second stop Hawaii where I will be staying with a wonderful friend who lives there with her husband! I've never been anywhere past Utah, so this will be quite the adventure! And yes mom, this won't be happening until I pay off my two credit cards! :)

Favorite new quote:
When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen.
There will be something solid for us to stand on...
or we will be taught to fly.

Well folks, 2010 is my year for expanding my horizons. Watch out! :)

it's been a while....

WOW... I can't believe it's been THIS LONG since I've written something. Well that's probably because I'm too busy with some of the best girls ever! Seriously, they've saved me from being completely unsocial. My life used to consist of work, church, the gym and babysitting. Now I actually go out with girls my age! It's very rare to find meet girls who are normal, single, and like to have good clean fun! Lol. But let me just say, we've had A BLAST...

First stop was LAKE POWELL!! Three houseboats FULL of crazy fun!

Next was Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, and Jimmy Wayne :) WE LOVE COWBOYS!!

(yes, it started pouring rain!)

randomness....

Yoga is probably my favorite thing in the whole world. Well besides my scooter, country music, vanilla ice cream cones, the beach, sunsets.... okay maybe i just love a lot of things. but seriously. yoga is AMAZINGNESS. it makes everything a million times better!

i LOVE me some cowgirl boots! i don't know how I ended up so country. But i love it!

this is my adorable scooter. except mine is silver. i LOVE that it's finally warm enough so i can ride it EVERYWHERE! favorite thing: late night scooter ride + provo temple = amazingnes....

just laying on the warm cement. feeling completely at peace. maybe listening to a little country music. looking at the stars. aaah. it's PURE B.L.I.S.S.!

I hate when you order a soda and they fill it WAY too full so when you poke your straw in, it spills soda all over you. SUCKS! hate it. lol

I want to find myself some good southern lovin. I want a cowboy. I want to live out in the middle of no where. I want all of my favorite country songs to become my LIFE! aaah :) this is literally, my dream home!!

she pulled you in
and she bit your lip
and she made you HERS
♥♥♥

wow...

life is full of endless possibilities! right now i just can't help but feel good and smile. and the funny thing is that it's not because of something in particular. i just feel confident in whatever is to come!

okay, maybe there are a few things that i'm extremely excited about. i'm flying home this week! i can't wait to spend time with my family and my BEST FRIEND TRACY FRENCH aka FRENCHIE! ugh, i've missed this girl. on top of that, i have my birthday this saturday! :) WAHOOOOOO!!! i can not wait for this week. it's going to be a BLAST! and i can not believe i'm almost 22 years old. weird!!!! haha.

love life

i love it how i've spent so much time and effort to become prepared. I'm talking mentally, spiritually, emotional prepared for something that I thought was going to happen. Well it didn't happen or hasn't yet but because i was mentally, spiritually, and emotionally prepared i was able to conquer some different events this past week.... In all honesty I KNOW it was because I put so much time and effort in. Yes I might have had a different intention, but an amazing outcome still happened. I just love life!
Something else that I've figured out this weekend, I'M WAYYYYY TOOO INDEPENDENT! Phew... My older sister Danielle is visiting me and we've had a great weekend but i'm ready for some ME time. Ha. Also, sharing a twin bed is NO FUN! Ha.

ramblings.

Wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever you decide
do it with your whole heart!

i just want to dance with YOU!

I dont want to be the kind to hesitate, Be too shy, wait too late I dont care what they say other lovers do, I just want to dance with you. I gotta feeling that you have a heart like mine, So let it show, let it shine. If we have a chance to make one heart of two, I just want to dance with you. I want to dance with you, twirl you all around the floor Thats what they intended dancin for, I just want to dance with you. I want to dance with you, hold you in my arms once more, Thats what they invented dancin for, I just want to dance with you. I caught you lookin at me when I looked at you, Yes I did, aint that true? You wont get embarrassed by the things I do, I just want to dance with you. Oh the boys are playin softly and the girls are too, So am I and so are you. If this was a movie, wed be right on cue, I just want to dance with you. I want to dance with you, twirl you all around the floor Thats what they intended dancin for, I just want to dance with you. I want to dance with you, hold you in my arms once more, Thats what they invented dancin for, I just want to dance with you.