Mother's Day/Weddings!

I was able to go home for Mother's Day and I had a blast! It was nice to go home and be with family. It's amazing how much more you appreciate the time you get to spend with your family when you grown up and leave the nest.

I know I don't always spend as much time as possible with them when I'm home because there are also friends that I like to go hang out with. But the time that we do spend together is awesome.

Not only was it Mother's day, but it was also my best friend Jordan's wedding. I've never had a friend get married before that was very close to me, so it was an interesting experience to see my best friend walking down the aisle. I got a little choked up as I watched her look into the face of the man that she was in love with. She was so happy, and I hope nothing but the best for her!

I was also able to spend some time with some friends that I've missed greatly. We got together both Friday and Saturday night, had some barbecue, played some pool and watched some movies! I had a great time, and I can't wait for this weekend when I head down again!

(I was also able to get some good pictures of me with my parents. I don't know the last time I got pictures with my dad, but I have some now!)

Jed and I went four-wheeling

(I know these upcoming ones are on my sidebar, but I like them)

Finals

I'm sitting here studying for finals today. I have already taken 3, hoping to have gotten good enough grades to maintain my A's. So as I sit here.. I have to think to myself, "Why in the world do they do finals?"

It's not like they're a REAL interpretation of what we have learned over this past semester. In all reality, it's more show of what someone can cram study for the night before for hours on end. Not to say that I haven't learned things this semester, but really teachers, you're fooling yourselves if you really think that I actually learned (and understood) what ATP is and what it does and who Vladimir Zworykin is. Silly teachers.

Oh Rexburg

Rexburg is seriously such a tease. Like so many guys here, it likes to make you think it's all warm (hot) and awesome.. and then you see it for what it truly is.. a cold desolate (hearted) place (person). So, that might be a joke, I haven't really found guys like that here. They're actually all pretty nice. But Rexburg still teases. It makes you believe that Spring actually has a chance to show through, and then it freezes over in a bed of cold, white, frozen water.

Yesterday, was that day. It looked like a bit of a stormy day, but nothing that looked too bad. As I sat in my work office, I looked out the window and saw a flurry of hellacious snow. It was going in all directions causing havoc to the poor students that were left outside to walk in it. When I got done with work. I put on my hood, and headed out. With snowflakes the size of 1/2 dollars, it took approximately 5 flakes to completely ruin what used to be my straight hair. I walked into my apartment, looking like a wet dog, put my bag down and went straight into the bathroom. I wrung my hair out and continued to blow dry and straighten it.

Dang you Rexburg..

I suppose one of the things that make going through days like this worth it, is to capture days like this...

* I suppose I'll put up with you.. for now.

Life as I know it

As it comes to the end of my semester, I realize, yet again I have failed to show the excitement that happens in my life. I really have to say that I feel bad for anyone who doesn't have my life. It doesn't get any better. Ok. So that could possibly be a HUGE exaggeration, but this semester has happened.

This semester has been filled with broken friendship, confusion, anxiety, frustration, roommate arguments.. and all other things you can possibly imagine. I never thought that I would ever go through this when I chose my roommates. But it happened, and there's nothing that can happen that would repair it.

But even with the negative things that have happen, there have been lots of happiness, excitement, laziness, and good ol' college fun. I may have not gone on the most dates, and I may have gotten extremely stressed with work/school, but this semester has definitely been one of learning about myself.

Without going into tons of detail, this semester has been a huge growing time for me, not just in my knowledge of secular things, but I have learned and have grown when it comes to knowing more of who I am. I have realized the type of friend I am, the type of person I am, and the person I want to become.

So I raise up my plastic cup full of milk (I have seriously gone through so much of this). Here's to this semester for being some of the worst of times, but also some of the best!

Some of my favorite things this semester:

• Basketball-My team was way fun
• A rekindled love- No.. not a boy.. Peanut Butter & Honey
• Pasta Salad, Vanilla Tart Froyo
• Rock Climbing
• Good Cries
• Lots of Eye-Candy
• English Accents
• Writing a missionary in Africa
• Miniature Cadbury Eggs (the solid chocolate, not the creme filled)
• Spending time with my best friend Brennan.. We've had SO many fun times this semester which will only continue to the next..

Drumroll..... All the pictures!

The pictures I've been hoarding!

After my birthday 5K

Halloween!!

Just Call Me Hermione :)

Sprecher's!

Girl's Night!

My Best Friends- Sarah, Me, Kara

Me and Brad

Christmas Time!

Me and Tiff

Road Trip: Back Through Denver

Back at College! -Me and Brennan

Countdown Soon Approaching

Let me just start off with a disclaimer.. I'm horrible at keeping this up, but really, I'm a busy girl. You just don't even know. I mean come on. I'm 20 years old (now), two jobs, and a social life. Shoot.. I just barely called my parents up after weeks of no contact. So.. back to updating.

As you know, I've been living in Milwaukee for the past 4 1/2 months with my sister and her family. It has been nothing but an amazing time, and I'm so sad to see it coming to an end soon. I've met amazing people, I've absolutely LOVED my jobs, and I really feel that I've grown up a bit here. Sure, I'm still the fun loving person, but I feel that things that really used to be a big deal to me, really aren't so big anymore. I've become more confindent in myself and my abilities as an individual. Being here has really given me the confidence to know that I can only go up from here.. Corporate America better watch out!!!

Aside from dominating the corporate world, I have enjoyed spending time with Hallie and Hunter. Man.. Do those two kids know how to melt my heart. Hallie is hilarious.. and Hunt-man. ugh.. he kills me.. When he smiles at me, he can have the world if he wants it.

Leaving them will probably be one of the hardest things. Not because I don't think I'll see them.. But just because I know that I will remember and cherish the time that I've spent with them forever, where they're at the age.. where they won't remember that I was with them for 5 months everyday. That's kind of heart wrenching.

As far as the people I've met here, I can't even begin to say how thankful that they took me in and accepted me into their group. If I didn't have the church in my life, moving places would definitely be a harder transition. Here, I felt like it wasn't really a transition at all. So to Kara (my friend..not sister), Sarah, Scott, Bryce, JB, Jared Mc D, and everyone else.. Thank you for EVERYTHING! My time would have been alot different without you guys. You are all so amazing! (I'm not really saying goodbye yet, but it could be a while before I post again.) ;)

I know that I haven't really posted many pictures lately.. but right now I'm in the process of compiling and collecting all of the pictures that I've taken or have had taken of me so I can have a full blown spread on here. It'll be fantastic, I can just imagine.

So for now, I suppose that will be all but I'll leave you with a few highlight points. (Not all. That would take FOREVER!)

Highlights:

• Being the new girl in the ward. ;)
• Spending countless hours with my family here
• Having my mom and Marva (Steve's mom) come and visit while Kara and Steve were in Peru
• Wakeboarding with the Tyson's and other great families here
• Trips to Sams Club/Mayfair mall with Paulina and Kara
• Another countless times of get togethers with friends
• Temple trips
• Running a 5k for my birthday. (Pictures to come)
• Ward Halloween Party (Again.. Pictures to come)
• Fiasco in Ikea with lost keys and two children.. (who weren't lost)
• And probably one of my favorite things.. spending time with Kara (my sister.. who is also my friend.. Who would have predicted that? ;) I've loved our late night talks together.

Until next time..

My life.

My life has been absolutely fantastic. It was a tiny bit rocky not having anyone that I really knew out here, but after being in the new ward for a little while, and making some new friends, I absoutely love it here. I love my jobs, I love my ward, and I love living with Kara and Steve.

They have made it so nice for me to be out here. I love the fact that I get to wake up to Hallie sometimes in the morning telling me I'm going to be here for her birthday, and then Christmas! And I love coming upstairs to see Hunters happy little face looking at me. I feel so at home here and I've only been here a short amount of time.

I love the fact that I'm getting real world experience just after my freshman year of college that I can take with me throughout my career, and the fact that I have a job that is fun and allows me to socialize.

I'm so glad that I made the move here. Like I've said multiple times, I'm definitely meant to be here at this point in my life.

It's definitely going to be hard to go back to how my life used to be. It'll be a definite pay cut, and the friends and people I've met here are going to be hard to leave. I feel as though I don't get enough time to get to know them before I have to go back to my old life.

But for right now, I'm having the time of my life, and enjoying the beautiful weather and sites here in Milwaukee!

Until next time..