Daily Dreamer

I do love my candy

2010-10-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry about being lazy about my blog. It seems that when the most exciting stuff in my life happens I neglect to write about it. But as in the words of some general authority that I should but can't remember 'you should constantly strive to be better the next day.' So I will strive to be a better writer.
A lot has happened since my last post. I am now attending SLCC taking an Art history class (Which is fantastic and has motivated me to do a world tour when I marry a ridiculously rich man some far off day in the future), a French class (c'est magnifique), and a geology class (which is moderately boring except when my teacher brings his doll to class and then it is mildly creepy). Overall I'm loving school. I love to learn and meet the new people. It is a very different environment than BYU. I think I saw more tattoos on one girl than I saw my whole two years at BYU. Apparently they aren't that painful to get...
I also met a boy. My friend Heather lined me up with her husbands cousin, Garren. A cowboy, airplane mechanic from Bluffdale. Cool, huh? :)I dated him for a little over two months. We just clicked which was weird because I haven't really had a connection with a guy since high school. He has a motorcycle, which terrified my parents and a Corvette, which he restored by himself. He is also a decent pool player although I did beat him once (only cause he accidentally hit the 8 ball into the pocket too soon). Right now we are just friends, though, cause I have my mission. So if it is meant to work out it will.
On to some more exciting stuff my mission papers get turned in by my stake president tomorrow! Woot! I can't believe how fast it has come. So I should get my call in about two to three weeks! :) I will definitely write about where I go and who knows maybe I'll be lucky enough to go to Boise, Idaho. :) I hope that I will be able to lose some of my pride so that I can be a useful missionary in the Lord's hands. So so excited.
That's about it for my updates. Work is still wonderful, it is a little hard because a lot of old people have passed away recently. I guess it has something to do with winter. Darn these cold months. We had some little kids come trick or treating at the facility and one of the ladies refused to give them any candy preferring to eat it herself. We tried to convince her that the candy was for the little kids, but she just didn't agree. I can imagine myself doing that when I'm old, I do like my candy. :)

He Never, Ever Forgets You

2010-06-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Working in a nursing home I sometimes become quite frustrated with the Lord. I see these wonderful people who have to not only experience the disease of Alzheimer's, but have to endure it, sometimes for years. Some of the residents are in their 90s! I find it hard sometimes to understand why the Lord doesn't just take them home with him so they don't have to live with the adverse affects of old age and Alzheimer's. It seems almost as if he has forgotten them as so many families forget their parents and just ship them off to a home because it takes too much work to care for them. Today, though, I received a different view which has not answered my questions, but instead helped me live with them unanswered.
A lady at the nursing home who we'll call Ida has been a resident there for years. She is very sweet, but as of late has become so confused that she often wakes up at night thinking it is day and sleeps during the day. She also thinks about every other day is Sunday so she is constantly getting dressed up and bringing her scriptures to breakfast. She has become more combative as her illness has progressed because she can't understand why others have a hard time understanding her. Despite these things she is sweet and chipper and has a wonderful smile and spirit. I love her very much and it is hard to see her try to endure the confusion and age.
Today she went for a walk with her daughter, something that is quite usual and I didn't expect to see her for a while, when suddenly the locked doors swung open as her daughter was trying to help her into the facility. At first I was afraid that Ida had fallen because she was stumbling and weak. She hadn't, but she her legs had given out as they were walking. "I don't know how I made it back here!" she exclaimed as we helped her into a recliner. Her daughter went off to talk to a nurse as Ida rested in her chair. I noticed a few minutes later that Ida was crying. Worried that she was upset at her body for giving out on her I knelt in front of her chair and asked if there was anything I could do and if she was OK. She nodded as her shoulders continued to shake and said simply, "I just received a blessing from the Lord, he helped me." I sat there for a minute a little surprised, but touched by how much faith and trust she had in God. A little after that I saw her with her eyes closed muttering and when I got closer I realized she was praying. So at that moment when she could be cursing her fate of being alive so long that her body was failing she was actually thanking the Lord, enduring, and having the faith to continue on.
So although I don't know why some of these residents have to endure the disease of Alzheimer's so long I do know one thing and that is that the Lord never, ever forgets them or us. He remembered a sweet old lady that had a moment of weakness and could have been helped back inside if she fell, but he stepped in when she needed him most. He was right beside her because of the love He has for her. Even when it feels like you're all alone he never forgets you it's just life and life is hard, but the Lord is there waiting to help us if we have the faith.

One Request

2010-06-20T19:51:00.001-07:00

To anyone who reads my blog I have one request: Please pray for my cousin this week. Parker is a sweet little boy of three years old who (despite everything) is always smiling:). About two years ago he was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. This puts lots of pressure on the heart and lungs making life and growth difficult. It was predicted that he wouldn't live for very long, but defying the odds he has made it. This week, though, he is going in for a heart catheterization. This is where they put a tube in his heart to test the pressure it is experiencing. This helps with diagnosis as well as treatment. The first time he went through this procedure we almost lost him. It was terrifying to say the least. The second time was easier and we are praying it will again go smoothly this week. So please pray for a smooth procedure for my sweet little cousin. Thanks so much!
Also on a side note I did end up texting Dan. We had a pretty good conversation and he said he would look me up on facebook. To say the least I haven't heard from him since that conversation, but oh well I found I was brave enough to chase a piece of fate, right?

Fate and Filipino Food

2010-05-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

"Hey McKayla this is Dan from (garbled) and I was wondering if you weren't doing anything tomorrow night and if I could come over and make you Filipino food."
This was the message I received last Friday night and the first thought that passed through my head after "mmmm Filipino food", was "who is Dan?"
I repeated the message assuming that I had simply misunderstood the name, but it was Dan and I had no idea who he was. So being the assertive individual that I am I called him the next morning. Our conversation went like this.
"Hey this is McKayla I got your message."
"Hey how are you?"
"I'm good, but ummm I'm not exactly sure who you are."
"This is Dan Funk"
pause
"From school...."
"I still am not sure who you are, sorry"
"Do you go to the Y?"
"Yep"
"Are you going to the Philippines on your mission"
"Ummm not that I'm aware of"
"Oh....I don't know how I got your number. Well are you here in Provo?"
" No I'm actually home with my family"
"Oh..."
Awkward pause
"well...it was nice to meet you."
"you too, talk to ya soon."
So pretty random conversation. After hearing his last name, though, I realized I had at least heard of him so I decided to facebook stalk him to see if I knew his face. While doing that I remembered where I'd heard it. My friend Alli Evenson had sent me a message a while back asking if I knew Dan Funk, but I hadn't. He had talked to her about a girl named McKayla that went to BYU and that he wanted to take on a date, but didn't have her number and such. Alli thought he was talking about me so she gave him my number. He never called so I'm assuming he found the right McKayla and just mixed up our numbers when he was trying to call her.
At this point in my realization I had found him on facebook and low and behold I do know him. It turns out he was the really attractive guy in my physiology class last fall that caught me staring at him. Small world, huh? My sister and mom had followed me on this realization and after saying I did know him my mom declared that it must be fate for us to meet and said I should text him and say I did know him. What do I say though? "Hey Dan so in a weird coincidence I do know you. We had physiology together and are both friends with Alli and ya my mom thinks it's fate we meet. What do you think? Do you still want to serve me Filipino food? I love food. Well basically anything edible I love...."
So ya I didn't text or call him, but I'm curious. What do you think? Do you think I should let him know about his fate? I'm not sure I buy the whole fate scenario, but hey I could get free Filipino food.

"The Best is Yet to Be"

2010-05-10T16:50:00.001-07:00

I've given up on trying to predict how my life will turn out. Planning seems silly unless it is pretty general like planning to get dressed in the morning or go to work. Just when I think my course is set the road takes a sharp turn, hits a dead end, or I fall into a black hole that transports me to another universe.
I have recently been given one of the most amazing callings ever that will not only change my life for the next year, but possibly my plans after that. Drum roll please.....I am now the young womens secretary. :D woot! I am so so excited, but also pretty nervous. I loved young womens especially girls camp. In this past sacrament meeting I listened to some of the girls talk and I was blown away with insecurites because these girls are so amazing. They have such a depth of spiritual knowledge that I can't fathom how there is anything that I could teach them. So I've come to the realization that I've been put back in young womens so they can teach me the things I missed and I'm more than happy to learn. :) Plus I get to go to camp.
So the reason it has affected my life so much is because I have decided to stay home and work instead of returning to BYU in the fall. I want to dedicate myself to my new calling as well as begin to save money for my mission in March. I can put my papers in by October so I should be able to leave by the end of March. Another scary thing, but exciting and life changing :) So ya it is basically a 180 degree turn from how I was expecting life to go. I am way excited and humbled that the Lord trusts me to help out in the young womens organization. Did I mention I also get to go to camp? :)

Advice From My Elders

2010-05-06T20:37:00.001-07:00

Those who have lived for more than three decades often have a treasure box full of advice. As a CNA I work with individuals that have lived at least eight decades, so that is like three full boxes! I work in the memory care clinic and often have the opportunity of being the recipient of the little pieces of advice they want to give. Alzheimer's mixed with medications for the aches and pains of getting old sometimes make these good intentioned gifts of advice very interesting. A few examples I have received over the past two weeks are as follows:

1) I should get married - practical and understandable
2) I should marry the 92 year-old man- not my first choice, but it was a sweet proposal
3) I should shave, preferably my chin area- I'm a little worried about this one.
4) I should become a hair dresser because I'm good at shampooing- That is the main duty of a hair dresser, right?
5)I should turn myself in to the FBI because apparently I'm a Russian Spy- Pretty cool job, huh?
6) I should go to the doctor because I'm crazy- I already knew that, but I didn't realize my type of crazy was treatable.

So those are just a few of the tidbits of advice I have received. Other than getting a new razor I haven't acted on any of them, but they do make me laugh. I mostly enjoy these pieces of advice because I love the old folks I get to help take care of and because they appreciate my amazing dance moves.

Expectations vs. Reality

2010-04-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I had the opportunity to see a movie entitled "500 Days of Summer." Basically it is a boy meets girl story with a twist. At one point in the movie it shows the main guy character going to a party. It compares his expectations to reality. His expectations are way off and in the end he is disappointed.
I was thinking the other day about how often that happens to me. Either I'm disappointed or pleasantly surprised because my expectations are wrong. I have this funny idea that if I try to imagine how an event will turn out (usually in a way that everything would fall into place) it never happens that way. So I try not to daydream which inevitably causes me to daydream more. :)
unfortunately this week I had one of those moments. My trip that I was blogging about in earlier posts has been cancelled. This is due to a few people dropping out so we no longer had the funding to support the trip. It is very heartbreaking because I had all these silly day dreams of being in Mexico for two weeks. Spending time with the people there, learning how to serve people who I probably couldn't even communicate with and just being with some friends I hadn't seen in a while. I was really frustrated with the people who didn't stay committed to the trip. I was even frustrated with my Dad because he kept saying how it was a good thing because of all the turmoil in Mexico. It was one of those moments that I just didn't want to hear common sense, I'd rather just sulk in pity.
Why is it that our expectations are almost always off whether good or bad? The only thing I can come up with right now is either to keep us on our toes and surprised by life or to keep us humble. To help us realize that somehow our expectations aren't the right size for that specific moment. Maybe I lost this experience because I need to consult more with my Heavenly Father about what he really wants me to do and where he wants me to go. Or maybe it was just kind of a kick in the pants to help me realize that I am interested in humanitarian work and that since this one didn't work out it will just motivate me to work that much harder for other opportunities that come my way. Also I guess it is possible my Dad is right about it being too dangerous. I don't know I guess time will just tell. What I do know, though, is that sulking never got anyone anywhere so I thought I'd blog about it instead. :)

The Good Ol' Bunk Bed Days

2010-04-29T07:34:00.000-07:00

Growing up, sleep wasn't my favorite past time. Don't get me wrong, I loved to sleep. It was just the process of getting there that set my nerves on end. Primarily it was the fact that I was terrified of having bad dreams. I remember sitting by my door and crying just loud enough for mom and dad to hear so they would call me into their room to help me get over my fear. After a few years I was able to get past this fear, but a whole new obstacle presented itself in the form of my little sister, Saydie. We shared a room, which was wonderful because we had bunk beds, but she had this lovely habit of not wanting to sleep. Especially when I most wanted to sleep. She would talk, and talk, and ask me to stay awake till at least she fell asleep. I usually would promise that I would stay awake, but end up falling asleep anyways. Sometimes it was quite a frustrating process to get to sleep.
These past two years when I've come home for the summer I'm amazed at how much my younger siblings have grown and how much can change in a few short months. The other night I was able to come home from work and talk to Saydie for a few minutes about life and such and it reminded me of the good old bunk bed days. I love my family and can't believe how blessed I am to have such a fun and kooky one. :)

Super Senior Prom

2010-04-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest joys about being home is that I have been able to get my old job back at the assisted living facility that I worked at last year. So I get to see a lot of the old folks that I helped care for last summer. A few of them have passed away, but there are some of the same and the new ones are just as fun to get to know.
Yesterday was a lot of fun because the facility hosted a senior prom for the residents. Hillcrest high school students also came to dance with and get to know the residents. It was so much fun to see some of the residents get asked to dance and to see how their faces just lit up. It took me back to when I was able to go to high school dances. I can't believe that it is already two years ago! It was so much fun to get all dressed up and wait in anticipation for your date to pick you up (especially if you really liked the guy :) The dances were usually silly, held in the cafeteria of the high school with a bunch of kids attempting to dance and a few succeeding. Feeling like Cinderella as you look into the blue eyes of your prince charming. haha I miss it now and wish that I could go back and whisper in the younger me's ear, 'enjoy this moment, really live it, 'cause it goes by fast.'
Unfortunately time travel hasn't been invented yet so I will have to settle with committing myself to work harder to live in the moment now so that I won't ever need to remind myself of how precious a commodity time is. That way if I ever get the opportunity to dance at an assisted living facility with a young whipper-snapper I will be able to show as much joy, if not more, on my face as the sweet residents showed me last night.

Dashed Dream = A Blessing in Disguise?

2010-04-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

One of my lifelong dreams has been to take a trip to Paris. A few months ago this seemed like it was going to come to fruition and I would be able to finally fulfill one of my bucket list goals. Yet as I began to plan the trip with some of my friends I kept having this nagging feeling that I was doing something wrong. Nothing seemed out of place. We had safe plans, we were going with a group, and I could afford it. I was kinda frustrated about my feelings. Then I found that the trip would land right on finals week. I would have a day to take all my finals. What I didn't realize then was that taking my finals all in one day was what I would end up doing anyway. At the time I used that as an excuse to back out of the trip. I was pretty bummed, but I figured that I would eventually get another chance to go.
The funny thing is that I have only now come to realize just how good of a choice it was to back out of the trip. I don't know if you have been watching the news, but a volcano has been exploding in Europe stopping all plane traffic. My group that I was going with to Europe have been stranded in a part of Romania and if I had continued with my traveling plans I would have arrived in Paris all alone. I was going to meet them in Paris when they flew out of Romania on the 17th. In hindsight I am very glad that I chose to back out of the trip because now I have the opportunity to go to Mexico and learn how to build a home to help an impoverished family. Woot! Kinda interesting that the dashing of my dream was a blessing in disguise and the opening of other opportunities. So next time a dream is thrown out the window just think it could be because a greater one is just around the corner, you just can't see it yet.

"Two eggs, fold in gently."

2010-04-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

My Cartoon Character

2010-04-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

Waking up at four AM in order to clean up after other people makes for a very boring job, unless you get to work with crazy people. Luckily I have this opportunity and one such person is my friend, Kristy. We were assigned the extra jobs of cleaning drinking fountains and washing windows. A fairly boring job so we began to assign cartoon characters to each of the people we work with. When it came to decide who I was Kristy siad I was like the fairy on sleeping beauty, Fauna. This made me very happy although the reason she thought I was like her is because she is kind of clueless. Ha ha So I've attatched a clip of my cartoon character counterpart. :)

A Wink and a Smile

2010-04-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

The other day in my psychology class I learned about a study that was performed to see if simply doing the facial expression of a smile would make an individual happier. In order to keep the tester unaware of the experimenters' purpose they had the individual put a pencil in their mouth and read comics. The first time they read them with their lips closed and the second they had to read them griping the pencil in their teeth so it was like they were smiling. On average the person was happier, if only subtly.
I decided to try something along the same lines. I walked around campus and would smile at people. It was actually quite entertaining how some people reacted. The average person would smile back and continue to smile as they walked away. Then there would be the person who would continue their intense study of their feet. Or the individual that wouldn't smile, but dart their eyes at me in a confused expression and look away. Finally I would get the guys who wouldn't smile, but just as they were about to walk past they would mutter a quick nervous 'how are you.' I was rewarded today for smiling at people because not only did I get a cute guy to smile back, but he said how are you, as well. :) So I believe my experiment was a success in the fact that I have become happier by smiling.
I've been pondering on whether to take my experiment one step further and actually wink at a guy, but as of yet I lack the courage. My ponderings have been along these lines, "If I wink at a guy what do I say if he asks for my number and I don't want to give it?....Maybe that I'm conducting a social experiment and can't give out my personal information....Maybe I can just wink at guys who have girlfriends, then they won't make a move.....but would that make me a home wrecker?....Also what happens if their girlfriend happens to be in one of my future classes and has to be my partner...." So maybe I'll just stick with the smiling. At least this way I know I won't get beat up by an upset girlfriend for trying to make a move on her guy.

Shucks, it's Hard to be Humble

2010-04-10T10:42:00.001-07:00

I know it blows the mind that I am posting for the third time in one week, but I've just had the desire to write lately. So I've recently had an epiphany. I am extremely confident in myself, sometimes to the excess. I was walking across campus the other day and I was thinking about ballet and how it has benefited my life. My thoughts went something like this,
"It's helped with my posture and grace...hmmm since I am graceful and have good posture I must look really good when I walk." There is only one word for this, "wow." A piece of humble pie would probably be very appropriate.
I think having confidence in yourself is good, to an extent. You don't have to always be searching for validation from other sources. I know who I am and frankly I am very happy with myself and confident in my abilities. If I ever cross the line, though, from the realms of my mind to lauding my perceived 'amazingness' on those around me then I will have gone too far and may need a few packages of humble pie.
I told my friend, Cindy, about this discovery of my cockiness and we found the wonderful song Shucks it is hard to be humble. If you have time you should look it up, it makes for a very diverting few minutes and I think the song may have been written about me ha ha. So, yes world I definitely don't lack for confidence, but I'm happy and that's what matters, right?

The Key to Happiness

2010-04-08T06:45:00.000-07:00

Happiness. Such a simple word, but such a difficult thing to find for so many people. I had the opportunity this semester to take a creative writing class that, surprisingly, taught me more than just techniques to become a better writer. On the last day of class my professor lectured us not on being successful and rich because of our writing, but on finding happiness. He talked about a man, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (I know crazy name), who went all over the world searching for the key to happiness and then wrote a book called "Flow". What he found was surprising. Those who should be happy because of riches or success often weren't. Those who shouldn't be happy because of poverty and trials were. Before jumping to the conclusion that you have to be poor in order to be happy Mihaly also said there were hundreds of people in between that were exceptions to these findings.
So what's the point? If there are hundreds of exceptions maybe there isn't a one sure way to happiness. Yet, Mihaly believed the key was actually work. You strive toward a goal that will not just be for you, but for the greater good. It can't be an easy goal, either, it has to stretch you to your limits. You find happiness in living not just for yourself, but to benefit those around you.
This made me think of missionaries. Almost any missionary you talk to will often say that they loved their mission, but in the same sentence they will probably say it was the hardest two years of their life. My conclusion from this is that Mihaly was right. These missionaries were constantly striving to help those around them come to know of the love of their Heavenly Father and it was hard. But because it was hard they truly appreciated the work and joy that came from their efforts. They reached true happiness. Quoting Mihaly, "The best moments usually occur when a persons body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile." So in a sense everyone has the key to happiness, we just need to do the work and turn it.

Updates, Updates, and more updates

2010-04-03T19:28:00.000-07:00

Professor Newell rubbed his brow, removed his glasses and reread the few lines I had written. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, knit his eyebrows together and then spoke the terrifying words. "I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say." Not the best words to hear from your creative writing professor. Especially when you have put your heart and soul into a piece of work, yet I still love that class and I continue to have hope of amazing my professor with my brilliance. haha. One day I will have an actual book in print with my name on it and my words in it or at least a column containing my thoughts.
So if you haven't realized it yet, I have changed my major. A pretty grand leap from the medical field to humanities. I've always enjoyed writing, but my talent hasn't extended beyond simple stories from my imagination as exemplified by my professors' confusion. Though, I plan to keep trying and enjoy trying in the process. Along with changing my major I've also become involved in a humanitarian trip to Mexico and am in the process of trying to raise money in order to go. So if you are at all able to donate that would be fantastic. :) On another note I was actually involved in a relationshipa while ago, a short one, but a relationship nonetheless. Crazy, huh? His name is Sam and he is in my Spanish class. Since we split we haven't really been on speaking terms. It makes for an interesting class. Well these are all my updates and I will attempt to be a more diligent writer in the future.

Ode to Ballet

2009-09-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

So basically I don't know how I would function without ballet. This past week I was having the hardest time convincing myself to go to class and I'm ashamed to say that I missed it twice both which ended up not being very good reasons. I couldn't figure out why something I previously loved so much I now didn't want to go to. So I rededicated myself today at dance and it was fantastic. When I really focus inward and just kind of forget everything but ballet I kinda reach my Nirvana. :)
School and life in general is so crazy that I have a billion thoughts flying around inside my head. I'm constantly thinking, "I have to get this and this done...ok now I have to get an A on that test....wow he was really cute.....I have to make sure I start that paper.....mmmm ice cream sound really good right now......ooooh another cute boy....k focus on homework.... hey he smiled at me.." So you kinda get the picture. Many many distractions some good some bad, but when I go to ballet it's like all that falls away and I'm able to calm down and see, not necessarily an easy way, but an easier way to get things done so I don't fly into a million pieces.
I was trying to explain to my roommate how ballet made me feel, but I really couldn't and I don't think I'm doing it justice here. Just know that without ballet I would probably be a lot crazier than I am now. It is kind of like ballet is an integral piece of who I am and without it I can't function to the best of my ability. Funny, huh? So ya this is kind of my Ode to ballet. :)

Oh Superman

2009-08-28T15:21:00.000-07:00

Over the past week I have added many men into my life. Three to be exact. As you read this your jaw drops, "McKayla has not one, but three men in her life....is that possible?" Well before your mind starts to hurt from trying to accept this I will clarify. I have added them as my dream dates: Hugh Jackman, Hugh Grant, and Dean Cain.
These are the men many women spend their Friday nights with, along with a canister of Ben and Jerry's. Wooing these women into the belief that men like these guys actually exist. When in reality these fictional characters are only dooming these women to a life of searching and never finding the perfect man. Despite this depressing thought I still am gladley wooed by these men. Hugh Jackman in Kate and Leopold... oh my gosh a guy dressed as prince charming that sets up a romantic date on a rooftop. Need I say more?
Hugh Grant in Two Weeks Notice. Of course he kind of starts out as a butt, then in the end he gives up everything to just be with the woman he loves. Even though he can walk across the apartment in six seconds.
Then we come to the cherry on top of the sundae: Dean Cain.
I have only recently been introduced to Dean by my roomates through the adventures of Superman. A man of steel that saves lives, while looking amazingly good. He adds a whole new dimension to slow dancing through his ability to fly.
To say it simply, I'm in love. It's possible, though, to see my feelings for these men as not actually loving them as human beings, but loving the ideal they represent. To think that there could be someone out their who would love me even if I lived in another time period, if I left him, or if I acted self absorbed like Lois Lane. This thought is golden and is probably what makes many women (myself included) go ga ga eyed around these good looking, seemingly perfect despite their imperfections men. Hmmmm....well I kinda lost where I was going with this, but I think my favorite tv series is now the Adventures of Lois and Clark. :)

The Fray and the Fireside

2009-08-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

So not much has happened lately. I continue to work a lot and summer is getting closer and closer to being over. I did have the opportunity to go to the Fray concert a few weeks ago which was AMAZING. It was tons better than my first concert, mainly because I knew more of the songs and went with people I knew better. I love music and recently I've been more motivated to actually learn who sings what song so I'm not musically illiterate. I have gotten better and realized that I really like Daughtery and the Dave Mathews Band. Crazy what paying attention can do, huh?

I also was able to go to the YSA summit thing this past weekend. Well I only went to the last event which was the fireside because of work, but it was fantastic. Alex Boye spoke/sang about his conversion and about staying strong in the Gospel. It was really inspiring and made me realize how blessed I am to be raised in the Gospel so I know these truths and don't have to worry about what happens after I die and other of life's conundrums. Alex Boye is from England and I went with one of my friends Jesus E. and his friend Tyler M. and Jesus is actually going to England on his mission. So after the fireside Jesus wanted to meet him and he was so scared to go up and talk to him which was really funny. Tyler and I were so busy making fun of him that we actually got lost on the way home. So this would be my second time getting lost in Salt Lake. Ya think after 19 years I would know my way around. Oh well I'll eventually figure it out.

Uno and Alzheimers

2009-06-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was little Uno has been one of the favorite games in my family. Probably because the concept is so simple. Match the color or the number. Well at my job as a CNA we are encouraged to keep the residents busy so that they are able to live a full life. So on a particularly slow afternoon one of the other CNA's suggested I play Uno with some of the residents. No problem right? Well here is a snap shot of how it went.
Me: Ok to play the game you match the cards in your hand to the color or number of the card on the table. Try to get rid of all your cards. Ok?
Mandy: Ok I think I get it.
Jane: Ok
So we go around the table and it is Jane's turn.
Jane: Now what am I supposed to do?
Mandy: Match the card or the number.
Jane: Which is better
Mandy we aren't keeping score so neither.
Jane: Is a High or lower number better?
Mandy: It doesn't matter because we aren't keeping score.
Jane: Ok I think I get it now.
Then we would go around the table again and the scene would repeat, almost word for word. Until finally Jane laid down the last card.
Jane: what do I do now?
Me: You won :)
Jane: oh really?
Then they both laughed at how many cards I had accumulated trying to extend the game. I love these old people so much they make me laugh. Not only have I have learned some pretty fantastic words and phrases like Jeepers, bonkers, and criminey, but I think or at least I hope I'm learning to be more patient.

What's a Birthday without decorations?

2009-06-09T19:43:00.001-07:00

Wow, I think this must be a record, two posts in two days! I just thought I'd show you some of the cool pictures from decorating for Saydie's birthday.

In order to make Saydie's 17th birthday extra special two amazing decorators known for their creativity and perseverance in decorating were called in. Namely me and Cody. We began with the traditional birthday banner and then attempted some balloons, and finally moved to the cake. Cody and I learned quite a few things from this amazing decorating experiment.

1) We stink at being amazing decorators (took us five freakin times to get the happy birthday sign up)

2) Cheap balloons are extremely hard to blow up. I'm pretty sure one of my lungs almost collapsed. (All for love I guess)

3) Decorating is kinda boring...so tape balloons to the ceiling (much more interesting)

4) Cakes fall apart when you take them out of the pan. (Thank goodness for frosting....lots and lots of frosting)

5) If you persevere success may be just around the corner...maybe, if there is love and acceptance involved.

In the end Cody and I have decided that we may not have been meant to be amazing birthday decorators, cake decorators on the other hand....that opens up a whole new door.

The balloon wouldn't stick to the wall so cody

taped all around it. It finally stayed.

Balloon excercise for your lungs.

Ceiling art....we call it 'Three circle balloons

and two long balloons'

Not my best work. I ran out of frosting. Too much

surgery need to be done on the cake.

Success!!

One Good thing from College

2009-06-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been over a year since I graduated. I remember looking at the kids who were seniors or who were going to college and thought, 'man, they are way old'. Now I'm the one that is way old, or so it seems. The time goes by so fast. I remember playing tag on the playground at my elementary school and now I have to figure out how to pay rent and who I want to be. Not to mention I have to find someone that I can stand to be around for eternity.
With the world going by so fast and everyone growing up I am so thankful for summer which makes it seem as if the world is stopping for a little bit so that I can enjoy the warm summer rains and ice cream in the shade. One thing that I especially enjoy is having all this time to spend with my wonderful family, especially my little sister Saydie. It's funny cause all through high school and junior high we really didn't talk much mainly, I think, because we were on different wavelengths so we thought we were too different. Now that I've been away at college she has realized that she actually missed me and I am more patient then I used to be. So we get to go running together and actually talk! I am so thankful she is my sister and for how many times she makes me laugh. She is amazing and if there is one good thing that came from college it is that I now have a better relationship with my sweet little sister. Happy Birthday tomorrow Saydie! I love you!

Who'da thunk old shows were so fun to watch :)

2009-04-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

The semester has finally ended. Woot woot! I get to spend the rest of summer home (almost an entire five months at home can you believe it?). I love being home especially since it is summer. You get those wonderful summer evenings where you can stay outside and play basketball. You can go swimming and hiking. I'm way excited to go camping. :) Well along with the relaxation I have to work. I actually got two jobs this summer because I need to find a way to fund my education. I get to work at Coldstone again, mainly as a cake decorator and I also found a job at Canyon Creek Assisted Living.
At first I was really scared to take this job because it is my first CNA job and the lives of people will be in my hands (kinda). Now, though, I love it. :) I get to take care of little old people who are really sweet, but a bit forgetful. I spend my days playing solitaire, serving chocolate pudding, watching old movies (mostly black and white western), and reminiscing with the residents about their 'good old days'. It is a lot of work sometimes, but it makes me really appreciate the fact that I am only 19 and I have quite a few years before I can be thought of as 'old'. Plus it is nearly impossible not to love the people I get to take care of. It kind of goes along with the saying that you learn to love those you help. Also if I had never taken this job then I never would have known that old western black and white shows were so...interesting. :)

To think or not to think....

2009-04-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

I love to think. Especially about conundrums that no one else understands. My friends sometimes get annoyed when I watch movies with them because I ask too many questions instead of just being patient and watching the movie all the way through. Or I get up and leave the room when the characters are frustrating me because unfortunately they can't hear the 'wonderful' advice I am giving them. :) The sad part about this love of thinking is that I haven't been able to do it lately because my brain has been so swamped studying for finals. Learning the citric acid cycle, glycolysis, and the endocrine system can really take it out of ya.
Luckily (although some people might think the total opposite) my Bishop has asked me to talk on Sunday. Now you may be thinking 'Oh no someone get a doctor McKayla wants to talk'. But listen for a sec. I was given a choice between a parable or to talk about love. I chose love because it is a bit broader topic and I can choose a variety of different angles to approach it. The reason that talking is going to be a good thing is I get to think. :) I am not sure exactly what I am going to say, but I know I want to use Elder Wirthlins' talk about love. I'm not sure if you remember it, but it was fantastic and just reading it made me happy so if you want a good talk to read go to this site http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-775-10,00.html .
So if you have any ideas or good anecdotes to add to my talk I would be very happy because my previous talk was only 2 minutes and this talk needs to be 8 to 9 minutes! Kinda scary. Well I'm going to go think or maybe sleep and then think some more tomorrow. :)

Star Soaking

2009-03-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

So the other night I had nothing to do, the natural thing would be to go to bed early and get a good nights rest, but that is really boring so I decided to star soak with Becca instead. What is star soaking you ask? Well it is where you lay outside on those amazing summer nights and soak up the sparkles from the stars into your eyes. Once you have soaked them up you have beautiful sparkly eyes that will dazzle the next guy you date. Then maybe, just maybe you will stumble upon a fairy tale romantic moment...or so says Becca. :) She proceeded to tell everyone that as they passed by our blanket while we studied (or star soaked) under the sky.

Our sparkly eyes must have worked, though, for who should come upon us, but Cory. He was so smitten by are sparkling eyes and witty personalities (at least we like to think so) that he asked us to join him for an 'authentic' Irish dinner of Corn beef and cabbage on St. Patricks Day.

So the next day I showed up for dinner. (Because of the free food. It had nothing to do with the fact a cute guy would be part of the dinner as well:) Not only did Becca and I get an amazing dinner, but he even showed us some of his dance moves that I'm sure my Dad would be proud of. I'm not exactly supposed to share that part, but I don't think Cory will ever read my blog so it will kind of stay a secret. Overall it was a very swell St. Patricks Day.

P.S. The above is a picture of Cory at the Halloween party in case you're curious (he doesn't really wear those glasses).

P.P.S He isn't technically single so we are just buddy buddy.

Why I'm Single

2009-02-18T19:29:00.001-08:00

So I have discovered that there truly is a 'whole new world' when it comes to blogs. My friend Melissa showed me a very interesting one recently. It is entitled 'why Mormon girls stay single'. That really is a very important question since a lot of LDS girls are amazing and have the light about them. So I decided to read a little bit. It ranges from wearing too much makeup to not belching at the dinner table. I have discovered that according to this author I am in trouble of reaching spinsterhood all too quickly:) But no worries I have the perfect answer to this little conundrum I will just refrain from my belching, making my date wait longer for me to get ready, and whatever other skeleton qualities I have hiding in my closet. (The famous saying 'wait till after the vows' goes perfectly with this plan)
This made me think, though, isn't Mr. Wonderful supposed to love you despite your 'interesting' habits or personality traits? After all we are supposed to love this Mr. Wonderful despite his love affair with his car and 'gasp' should I even mention his other love... sports:) Plus they have the entire belch thing under control.
I do agree with what this other author is trying to do, because a lot of girls really don't know why they scare away the guy on the first date (me included), but maybe the real reason they scare that guy is because there is another around the corner that will be the one. The one that can handle their 'interesting' personality, the one that may have an 'interesting' personality of his own, and the one that will love them for who they are. Maybe this is a little cheesy, but cheese goes good with almost anything why not add it to writing every now and then?

Tae Kwan Do and Hometeaching

2009-01-29T12:31:00.000-08:00

The most random things seem to happen at BYU like an obsession of High School Musical and David Archuletta or running into a friend you had from elementary school. The other night I had enrichment and we did a get to know the bishopric night. This included interviewing them about how they met their wives and how they proposed. It was very interesting and entertaining. The last part was about them giving us advice on how to 'snag' and guy. The main advice was make yourself available because it is a lot scarier to ask a girl out than we think. Well a girl that a gave a ride to enrichment took that advice literally and that night Natalia took Emily, Melissa, and me to apartment 39 to 'drop off' the extra desert we had from enrichment.
The guys there (Jeremey, Grant, and Eric) are in her FHE group so throughout the night she was attempting to play matchmaker and make Eric sit between Melissa and me. Despite all her attempts we were the only two that shared the coach...well almost:) But I will explain that in a second. So then the conversation went from what guys like about girls (bringing them food and smelling good) and the kind of cologne us girls liked. The room was smelling very potent (each of the guys had to show us all their cologne to decided which was the best)when Natalia agreed to show us some tae kwan do moves. She proceeded to throw each of the guys over her shoulder to the ground including one that was over 6 foot!
I have to admit it was pretty impressive, I attempted and I think I need a little bit more work. Well all this crashing on the floor(with eye of the tiger playing in the background) doesn't usually go unnoticed. So a few minutes later Jigga and Zolton who were hometeaching the apartment below us knocked on our door asked what was up because aparantely all the crashing was making the lights flicker. Well one thing led to another and we ended up having a home teaching lesson from them. At this point Jeremy had returned to the apartment from running and joined me and Melissa on the couch (too bad he has a girlfriend:)
After the lesson and a complicated handshake with Jeremey(and more praise for the dessert we brought who woulda thought it was store bought) Melissa and I made our grand exit. So ended a very interesting night.

My top ten of Christmas Break

2009-01-10T16:11:00.000-08:00

I decided that since I had so much fun on my Christmas break I would write a list of the top ten things that I enjoyed the most. They aren't in any order because I couldn't decided for sure which I liked the most so here they are.
1. Dumping snow on my fav not so little brother anymore while shoveling.
2. Dad clicking his heels in the theater parking lot.
3. Decorating my sad gingerbread house with Saydie.
4. Hearing Chris laugh on the phone (I didn't even realize that I missed it)
5. Laughing with Tim so hard that I almost cried at the show "Bolt".
6. Talking with Jesus Espinoza about that wonderful thing called life.
7. Learning to play the Pride and Prejudice song (even though it was in slow motion)
8. Seeing high school friends on New Years (Oh high school such a long time ago) :)
9. Feeling so loved that I could pop from all the hugs.
and finally
10. Eating a Good homemade meal.

There's no place like home...There's no place like home..

2008-12-20T18:40:00.000-08:00

I love, love being home. There really is no place like home especially during the holidays. I think I am more excited for Christmas then I have since I realized Santa didn't exist. I was able to go shopping with Saydie today. It was fun to walk around the mall with her and talk since we don't get to spend as much time together as we used to. I also have been able to spend loads of time cooking with mom. We have made more candy delights then I have the whole time I was at school. Our poor chocolates had a meltdown and the divinity only worked once, but it was very fun (and very tasty:). Sometimes I wish that time would stop on the moments you enjoy and make it last forever, but then I remember that if I look for the silver lining then I will always have moments like these that I enjoy. They will just be a little bit different. Only five days till Christmas!

Lost and Found

2008-12-11T16:45:00.001-08:00

Sorry I know two posts in one day is a little overkill, but I wanted to add one thought. In college it is very easy to get lost in the crowds especially at a big campus. I feel like a little fish in an ocean. Then finals come along and I essentially become a hermit because I'm bad at balancing friends and school. So then there comes the stress and feeling of being lost, as I mentioned earlier.
Then out of the blue someone steps out of their comfort zone and shows that they notice you and care. I had a friend like that today. Her name is Maveny and after class she just walked and talked with me. A simple thing I know, but I felt noticed and not so lost in this big sea of college. So if you don't think what you say or do affects someone, it really does and they really appreciate it. Even when life is crazy try to take a moment and look outside yourself to someone else they need you as much as you need them.

The Bark Yorkshire

2008-12-11T10:31:00.001-08:00

I love surprises, so it is good that life is full of them. My surprise happened the other day in the family history lab. I have been given the project to learn about a family in my history that had a child born before 1900 so kind of randomly I chose to search for my Grandma Carter's Father's family. I had to find dates of birth, marriage, and death and record them for the first few projects.
This final project, though, had me searching for the actual story of the family. This has been really neat because there is so much to find, it is a lot of work but I love it! So anyway back to the family history lab. I was trying to find information about Walter St. John (my great great grandfather) and I couldn't seem to find very much so I decided just to go back a little bit further and see what I found. At first I didn't find very much then like buried treasure I found that Walter's father and immigrated to America in 1843 and then I found his immigration records from the boat The Bark Yorkshire! I found some of his family and learned more about his story.
He and his family had been converted in England by some elders and had promptly left for America. On the way they hit a storm that broke the foremast, mainmast, and mizzenmast! So they came into the port in New Orleans with just the hull of the vessel. They lost two children on the voyage and the mother and another daughter died on their trek across the plains. I can't even imagine the hardship they went through and my Great great great grandfather was only 4 years old! I am so grateful for these ancestors who sacrificed so much for me and made it possible for me to have the gospel in my life! So now I am happily addicted to genealogy. :)

Snow, Stress, and Sleep

2008-12-09T11:18:00.001-08:00

It snowed on campus the other day and I loved it! I wanted to run around with my arms spread wide and my face up toward the sky, but of course there were classes to get to and the little problem that people might think I'm crazy. My goal is to be able do what I want without caring about what other people think..someday. So I didn't run or jump or play, but I loved the snow anyway.
Finals are coming up and I am stressed out so pray for me, please. The good news, though, is I get to come home in one week and then I can sleep! See you all soon!

My BIG Announcement

2008-12-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love Thanksgiving! This year it was especially sweet since I was able to truly appreciate being with my family because of being away at college. The fun part about visiting them is they believed I had a BIG secret. Let me explain and show you how my crazy family loves to blow things a little out of proportion.

I have never been the one to pamper myself, go shopping, or get my nails done (I'm too busy playing basketball or reading:). So I decided to surprise them and get my hair done- highlighted and cut. It was a perfect plan, they wouldn't know that I'd stopped by sister Peck's to get it done and she wouldn't tell them. Then poof! They would see me on Thanksgiving with a whole new hair style.

Well as anyone knows plans don't always work out. I decided to head home a little early and say hello to my grandparents the only problem being that my Dad was visiting them because of the infamous BYU vs. U of U game. He saw me and asked why I was there. I of course couldn't tell him. He then proceeded to jump to conclusions ( I was engaged, going to soon be engaged, I had a secret boyfriend that I was secretly visiting or something along those lines). He then called mom and my other family and it became this big fiasco over a silly hairstyle. Needless to say I didn't tell them why I was there and they continued to fret over what my BIG announcement was. I think they felt a little silly when they found it was just my hair:) I fear for my family's sanity when I do have a BIG announcement to tell them.

I also learned to make the famous Carter pies as you can see from the pictures. I was tempted to add another picture because of the warmth it brought to mine and my mother's hearts, but I fear Saydie might shave my eyebrows off if I post it :) so these will have to do.

Precious Moments

2008-11-18T11:48:00.000-08:00

Right now I am pretty happy with who I am. Of course I would like to be a little bit better ballet dancer and I would like to be able to resist ice cream, but other than that I have only one thing that really bugs me. I have trouble living in the moment. There are times I wish I could go back to moments in my life and enjoy them more. If I had maybe they would have lasted longer or I could have appreciated them more, but then I lose moments that are happening right now. Like last night when I was able to school some guys in my ward in basketball (not really, but I didn't shame the family name so I think I did ok:). So I guess there is only one solution and that is to not dwell on the past and make my own moments that I can cherish without worrying they will end too soon.

You actually think?

2008-11-05T21:15:00.001-08:00

One thing I love about college is it actually teaches you to think. Crazy huh?:) But really, when you are in elementary through high school you are given theorems and rules that you have to drill into your head. Your taught, in a sense, to act like a parrot. Say what everyone wants you to say. In college I am actually invited to share what I think about the subject the class is discussing and I love it.
In a way it helps me to open my eyes. I especially love my writing class for this reason. There are people in my class who paint amazing pictures with words; not just of subjects and scenery, but feelings and life in general. The colorful trees of fall are no longer just stark images on the horizon, but splashes of color on a canvas that give off the aroma of a crisp Thanksgiving morning and glisten like colorful diamond tiaras in the dawn.
Another amazing thing about college ( I know the mind reels that there could actually be more) is that I have come to realize that nothing in this life is simple. Think of a table. A boring, brown, square table. In reality, though, it is very far from boring. It is constantly exerted on by forces and gravity, it is made of wood which is made of molecules and atoms and quarks that are constantly moving, but you can't see them. Then you add the chemical reaction of the staining of the wood and so on. It never ends.
I know your thinking "It's a table...so what?" But what boggles my mind is that this complexity goes for everything. Nothing in the world is simple and that is what makes it wonderful. You can constantly be discovering new things the only problem being we only have a lifetime to learn and discover all these things.
All this thinking makes me so awed and inspired by my Father in Heaven and that he has created such an amazing world, and even our own bodies, so that we are constantly learning and growing. Again the only draw back being we only have this life to discover it; so why not live it to the fullest?

THRILLER!

2008-10-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

Right now I am involved in a mentoring program called 4H. It is where we, as mentors, get involved not only with the kids but their families as well. My mentee is named Alex. She is really sweet and has an endless amount of energy, oh and she likes to talk...a lot. :) Once a month their is an m and m activity where we meet with the entire group of mentors and do an activity. Since it is Halloween this month we were able to go down to Salt Lake City and see the dance performance Thriller by Odyssey.

Unfortunately one thing I did not realize was that Alex does not do well with scary stuff. So when we got to the building a dressed up dead girl started following us and Alex freaked out. Luckily the dead people went away if we told them to. The performance was actually really good (except for the dead girl part. But the best part had to be the crazy ride to and from Salt Lake. Here are a few of our awesome pictures. I think we should be models:) We also drove all the guys crazy on the bus with our continuous singing of Taylor Swift so now we are known in infamy as the girls with the Taylor Swift cell phone that never ends.

G.S.N.S

2008-10-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you have a chick flick, a room full of dateless girls, and food? Guys stink/stupid Nights of course! A few of my friends and I have decided that since no eligible bachelors had asked us on dates this weekend we would have a guys stink night and watch chick flicks (a.k.a The Runaway Bride). This entails talking about how guys stink, trying to figure out why they stink, and wishing we were out with a guy that stinks/is stupid. Apparentely, though, this night wasn't nearly as exciting (maybe it has something to do with our love lives) as you can see from the picture. So we will have to see if more G.S.N.S nights continue or not, but if we don't have dates and we get to eat food why not?:)

A Wave and Fudge Brownies

2008-10-21T22:18:00.001-07:00

Who knew a simple wave and brownies could make a person so happy? My neighbors in my apartment complex always have their kitchen blinds up so you have a clear view into the guys apartment across the street because of course they have their blinds up as well. The only problem being they never look out their window. It got to the point that we began to wonder if they even realized they had a window. My friend Melissa made a bet with me that they would never wave back to me. So of course I continued to wave....and wave....and even dance around the kitchen trying to get their attention to no avail.

Today, though, was different. I continued to wave like an imbecile, but this time a revelation came to one of the guys that there was actually a girl waving to him in the apartment across from him. You'd think he'd been struck by lightning, then he gave the head nod and waved back. Oh but it doesn't end there. I celebrated my success with a few turns and a lot of jumping up and down with Kathy and Melissa. Then testing my luck I waved again..and again. Then more success! I got not only the first guy to wave, but his dumbstruck roommate as well. I felt pretty cool.

How do the brownies fit into this you may ask. Well I had another movie night with my friend Alyssa (watching the wonderful Sydney White) and we made the most delicious fudge brownies with chocolate chips and chocolate frosting on top. As you can tell from the picture they were too good to waste. So it was pretty much the best way to end the day...with a wave (actually two waves) and fudge brownies.

My Magic Word

2008-10-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

I love to run, sometimes I wish I could run forever without getting tired. I have a friend who had a dream where she ran so fast she flew. That would be part of my dream, but basically I would like to run as fast as the wind. One thing I'm confused about, though, is why guys decide to hit on girls while they are running. Do they think that this is the time they are weakest and the most willing to agree to a date?
Boy: Hi my name is Tom
Girl: Hi (I don't really want to talk because I can't breathe)
Boy: So...do you like to run?
Girl: Nope, it is the bane of my existance
Boy: What are you studying?
Girl: Nothing I'm running.
Boy: I'm going to be a bio chemical nuclear physicist engineer and minor as a lawyer.
Girl: Fun
Boy: That way I can provide for my future family...you could be a part of that family.
At this point I usually use my new magic word.....Freshmen:). Then the attempting charismatic fellow uses the favorite word of most of the BYU male population, "Oh". He then makes a hasty excuse and sprints away, just like Hermes with a new pair of winged sandles. It is amazing how much energy that little word gives them. It's not that I don't want to go on a date with the guy. Just at that moment I would much rather run then make small talk with a guy who only sees me as a potential mate. So for right now I will keep running until eventually I can run as fast as the wind. Maybe then I can catch up with Hermes.

Chemistry Night Owl

2008-10-16T23:20:00.000-07:00

When I first moved into my apartment my roomates joked about how they were going to convert me into staying up late. I thought they were kidding, but as you can see it is 12:21 and I don't really want to go to sleep. Oh well writing is a lot more fun anyway.

I love my chemistry class, but when it comes to the actual work I get a little frustrated. So I was able to visit my friend, Alyssa today and attempt to figure it out. I think we did more talking then actually figuring it out, but it was way fun. I even got to watch 'Penelope':). It is this really cute chick flick where the girl gets the guy in the end (of course) even though she has a pig nose.

Very cute show. One thing that's funny though is that Alyssa and I were friends in elementary school (awww recess..the good old days:) and then she moved away, but now she is back at BYU and amazingly we are still friends. Well I should probably be doing my child development review so I'll write more later.

Oh!

2008-10-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd add something funny that I just remembered. I was talking to my friend Hope and we have decided that we are both cursed when it comes to relationships. She has never had a relationship for more than three months (her current guy is leaving on his mission on the exact day of three months..creepy) and I haven't been on more than four dates. So we have decided that that is the reason we are friends. Ha ha no she is one of my really good friends because she is just awesome. :)

Brrrr BYU

2008-10-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

It is freezing! I was able to go to the football game on saturday and it was so cold and so fun. Since I went to the game in the cold weather I am now a true BYU fan (or so says my dad:) We of course kicked butt and it even snowed a little bit! I love the snow I just wish there was enough to make a snowman or have a snowball fight.
I have a pretty exciting FHE group we decided last night that we are going to have spy wars with the other apartments with marshmellow guns. I'm way excited. We even have a water balloon launcher. :) But I think we are going to save that for the summer because it is a little too cold to get soaked.
I also was able to go do baptisms for the dead at the Provo temple this morning. It was really neat because I haven't been in a while and a few guys came with my group of girls and they baptised and confirmed us. I need to go more often, I just need to find the time.
Well that is about as exciting as it gets for now, except for more tests....yaay tests.
Oh and barbecue sauce and cheesy macarroni don't go together. :)

Busy at BYU

2008-10-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Hello sorry about slacking on my blogging. I've decided I am going to try really hard to keep up:).
Well I have made it through an entire month of college. Can you believe it? I've come to realize I can actually play soccer, but have a tendency to foul (possibly a side affect from churchball:)), hot dogs and maccaroni actually go really good together as does pasta and salsa (weird), and apparently I have the marriage vibe.
I have three apartment mates. Amy who is from Fresno, California and has a missionary in Minnessota. Bridget who is one of Amy's best friends and is from Texas (I forget which part, but it is a pretty big state so I think I'm ok). She might be getting married in the summer, but the guy hasn't proposed yet, so we'll see. Finally we are down to my roomate, Sara. She is from Layton, Utah (yeah Utah!) and is the craziest person I have ever met, but a good kind of crazy. All in all I love my roomates and I love living off campus so I don't feel like too much of a scared, little freshmen.
Well that is about it for now. So far no proposals yet so I think I'm circumventing the marriage vibe.:)

Life's a Racetrack

2008-08-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast time flies, one moment I am trying to make a decision between a purple or green popsicle and the next I have to decide my future. I am going to head off to BYU-Provo on August 16th and nothing has ever been so exciting and terrifying at the same time. I actually have to learn to survive on something other than poptarts and pizza pockets:).

This Picture is of me and Hope in 'our' apartment. We actually didn't get to share an appartment because I didn't get registered in time so that kinda stunk, but oh well. Now I get to stay at the Riv with a bunch of unknown..possibly crazy..roomates:). It should be pretty exciting. I guess it is off to the unknown for me so hopefully I survive, I was able to visit me rooms today and apparently I have a pretty good ward so that will help:)