Ice-cream, soda, and Mexican food

 Me getting my fix of AGGIE ICE CREAM (This is Maple Nut). I've given it up (for now) in order to join Annie in her no-sugar quest.

 There was a band for Business week. They got Recycled Percussion, but I liked the pre-band better.

 I also went to Poetry and a Beverage! Not the coolest thing in the world, but it was entertaining. There were a few reaaally good singers though. Also, poetry is weird.

 Me and my friends Katrina and James

 Getting our soda fix

 From right to left: Taylor, Bob, Kelene, Katrina.

And I made... ENCHILADASSSSS!!! 

 So freaking delicious.

I also tried to make homemade flour tortillas. They tasted delicious, but were very thick. Having a rolling pin next time might help... a can of beans doesn't quite cut it!

On my quest to get a (big girl!) bank account, I saw at the bus stop this cute little tree. Are they cherries?

What is this?! The leaves are changing color and falling ALREADY?!

And a nice view of the business building. I'm a sucker for the view.

 And finally, because I have been being a bum lately, I decided to go work on scholarships! This is one of my entries into the "Love your body" contest. Basically You come up with an image that counters public perception/influence of beauty. The link for the info is here: http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/posters/contest.html

You should go and give me ideas! I can enter as many times as I like. Any feedback?

PS- I finally got my major changed. I am officially majoring in Business Administration.

Over and out.

Things to do on a boring day...

Things don't have to be boring. And they don't have to revolve around technology. Here is a list of things I collected (for a friend's status on facebook) of things you can do when you are bored: for free!

You could... bake, 
draw, 
read, 
write poems, 
write stories, 
take a walk, 
play games, 
do a craft, 
write a letter, 
make s'mores, 
memorize a poem, 
write a thank you note, 
try and write a story exactly 100 words long, 
illustrate and write a children's book, 
make and/or draw with sidewalk chalk, 
clean,
compose a letter for the future inhabitants of your apartment,
learn how to moonwalk, 
have an interpretive dance party in the basement, 
design your halloween costume, 
perfect the art of counting seconds accurately, 
write a song, 
learn to play guitar, 
meditate, 
perform random acts of kindness, 
perfect an accent, 
come up with a (g-rated) rap and get someone to set up a beat for you....

and BE AWESOME (and not bored).

Over and out. I'll update with my actual life tomorrow.

Questions, Part III

11. Describe 10 pet peeves you have.
   Is it bad that I am really excited of this question? I have so many pet peeves... I think I need to put some down.
1. When people keep me from my sleep in what seems an inconsiderate way (when my roommate has to get up in the morning for class, I don't count that) but when my roommates have people over until 1 in th morning, that makes me want to murder them.
2. When people make loud noises while they are eating.
3. When people interrupt me when reading.
4. When I really don't want to be social and people make me be social
5. People who brag
6. Annoying people
7. People who think being stupid is cool (I don't read!)
8. People who are redundant
9. Laziness
10. Bad spelling and grammar

12. Describe a typical day in your current life.
  Depends on the day, but I'll just say... Monday. 
  Wake up at 7:30, get dressed, make breakfast, get out the door by 8:15, ride my scooter to class. My favorite thing is riding my scooter to that part of campus, because you hit a certain point and  just sit don't and whiz past people without doing any work at all. So fun (going uphill... not so much.) 

Then I sit in biology lecture for an hour and take notes. It is probably my favorite class. After that I go to the Fieldhouse and sometimes work out for a half hour and then do homework, or do homework for the entire hour. 

I walk a few feet to billiards and play for an hour or so (I'm still terrible). I go back to my apartment then, make lunch and do some math homework. Algebra is at 1:00, a few feet from the front door of my building.

Then I work on (more!) homework and off to my Bio lab (I hate labs :/) That stretches from 3:00 to 5:50, though it doesn't often take that long. After that is FHE and then relaxation/hanging with friends, then bed around 11:00!

 13. Describe 5 weaknesses you have.
   I am a lazy person. I take things too personally. I like to read too much. I hate math. I am not good with people.

14. Describe 5 strengths you have.
    I grasp concepts very quickly. I am very artistic. I exist very well by myself. I cook very well. I have a strong sense of right and wrong.

15. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
    Dolphin. Because they are so happy and get to play all the time (they are one of the few animals that does things for fun). They are very intelligent. Nothing really messes with them. they live in a family.

:)

Adjusting to Logan

This past week I got my first rainstorm in Logan! 

It was definitely weird. First of all, it was super cold, not the nice semi-warm rain we get in Arizona. Second, it came on FAST. It was a bit cloudy, but nothing seriously, and then it was POURING. for about 15 minutes, then it was gone again. Still, it was fun. I've been missing all the rainstorms in the valley.

And on Tuesday, my ward got to go to the Brigham City Temple open house!

Here is the ward...

Taylor and I were EXCITED to be there!

There was a gorgeous, geometrical fountain in front of the doors.

And a pear tree!

It was beautiful. This temple was one of my favorites. when I first went into a temple, I was expecting everything to be pristine and white. And while the Mesa (and Gila Valley) temples were both very beautiful, they weren't exactly what I had pictured. This temple was. Everything was white. It was gorgeous.

Also, On Wednesday morning I woke up and my nose was cold. We had left the window open the past few weeks because it was warm out, but that morning, I checked the weather and it was 36 degrees! And I decided it was time to break out some (Arizona) winter clothes. Here is my first winter outfit!

I also cleaned my desk. My roommate and I had both been letting the room go, and I decided to change that. (She cleaned hers a few days after that)

My crowning glory for this week is *drumroll please* 

HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP. And when I say homemade, I mean HOMEMADE. 

I even made the broth myself! Chicken carcass and a few other ingredients, left to simmer for a few hours, make the soup, add some noodles.....

It's probably the best thing I have made yet. And oh so warm :)

Just last night, Taylor and I decided to do something stupid... We played Slender.

If you haven't heard about it, it is kind of the "horror game of the week". I knew the basic premise of it, and honestly it doesn't sound that scary: You are in the woods, and there is a man-creature (with no face, in a suit) who is stalking you. The more notes you gather, the faster he gets. If you gather all 8 notes, you win. 

Scariest game I've ever played. And I wasn't even playing. Everyone needs to experience it. Either play it yourself (free to download) or watch someone on youtube play it. Worth it. So worth it. 

But terrifying. 

After that, we listened to Jack Johnson and ate brownies. With all the lights on. 

It was awesome.

Questions, Part II

6. What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?
  The hardest thing I have ever experienced... would probably be my move to Tucson. I was 13 years old, incredibly unexposed, had never moved before, and did not want to move then. I've blocked out most of what happened. It wasn't particularly bad, but it was the worse thing that had yet happened in my life. 

Now I'm used to moving, and making friends, and doing whatever I want once I've moved, and I know it helped me grow tremendously, but I don't have to say I liked it.

7. What is your dream job, and why?
    My dream job is to be a mother and a homemaker. It makes me think of the words of C.S. Lewis: 

“The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career. ” Not to mention, I love to cook, and organize, and improve my home. It'll be grand. Not to mention the fact that I want to be a stay-at-home mom!

8. What are 5 passions you have?
   This is a hard one, if only because there is very little I am passionate about. 
   I am passionate about art, about writing, about books, about my friends, about my family. 
   I wish I was passionate about... my talents, the gospel, my family, my education, my life.

9. List 5 people who have influenced you and describe how.
   In no particular order:
My sister Annie; She is the closest to my age and has taught me basically how to act in the social 
situation. 
My sister Jade: She's just awesome, and we can hang out and be addicted to shows together.
Mrs. Knappenberger: My favorite teacher. If not for her, I think I would hate learning. 
The Willie and Martin Handcart Company: my favorite even from church history. It moves me every time. 
Jeffrey R Hollard: He is the most powerfully speaking apostle I have heard. I love his words and listen avidly every time he opens his mouth.

10. Describe your most embarrassing moment.
     I don't think I have one. Seriously, I don't think that I've ever been incredibly embarrassed in my life. The worst was probably in middle school, I went to the wrong class... on the second day.

That's all :)

Questions, Part I

I recently (pinterest!!!) discovered a very interesting list of 30 questions you can ask a date (or yourself!) I figure I have changed quite a bit in my 4 weeks at college, but I've also kept about the same.

Basically what I am getting at is that I have had an "intellectual" post lately, and I wanted to do one. So there.

There are thirty questions, and I'll be doing 5 at a time. Here goes!

1. List 20 random facts about yourself.
I am tall. I like to read. I have dyed my hair twice in my life. I like gingers. I'm addicted to the Internet. I analyze things. I think in really weird ways. I love hypothetical situations. I sometimes wish I lived in books (and/or movies or TV shows). I want a superpower. I like having long nails, but they always break. I hate standing up for long periods of time. I don't think I am a good writer, even though people say they like my stuff. If someone offered me an adventure I would take it. I had a dream last night I got a cat (I miss my cats). I don't put my feet on the floor when I go on long car rides. I have never been on a date that wasn't also a dance. I am judgmental. When no one is around I like to cry when I watch movies. I would usually rather be alone.

That's about it.

2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears.
I am completely and totally irrationally afraid of the dark. I don't go outside at night if I have a choice. When I go out in the dark, my mind brings forward every angle scary thing or thought I have ever seen in my life. It terrifies me. The more people I'm with, the better it gets. Two-three is iffy, but once there are 4+ I'm basically fine.
I am afraid of not being in control of my own body. I'm going to count this as two, and I'll explain in a bit. First, this covers physical things, like rape or the cold or having a seizure. When I am cold, I can't control my self. I shiver and chatter whether I want to or not and I hate it.
My third goes with number two and that is losing my mind. I never want Alzheimer's or to have a stroke or a brain tumor or anything like that. I value my mind just about over all else about me, and I don't ever want to lose that.

3. Describe your relationship with your parents.
Hmm... I don't really know. It's probably just a mutual respect. I am the youngest, and I know that shifts it a little bit, but I don't know. We have a pretty average Parents-Child relationship. I'm good with it, and I like it :)

4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could.
Well, considering this was only two years ago... Get as ahead in math as you can in high school. Taking it in college sucks. Don't worry about moving to Thatcher. It isn't that long anyways. Ignore boys. At least, boys in Thatcher. Don't worry about being a nerd. Work out. Seriously, just work out. Get a job. Get off the computer. Do service.

5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?

Classical Music.
Reading a good, comfortable book.
No homework (likes that is going to happen!)
Rainymood.com
My friends


And that is it! Some fun, some serious, some stupid. But that is me!

Cooking, Cold, and a View

 The day before the big rival game against U of U (Thursday night), there is a tradition to sleep on the quad (so you can get a bracelet to get a seat at the game), and, because I'm insane, I decided to try it!

There were so many people there.. at least, at the beginning. 

I went with my friend Taylor, and a few guys from our building. Most of them chickens out early and went back but I endured!

At least... until 2:30am. at which time I woke up, cold and shivering, packed up my things and left. Lucky I did too. Apparently some crazy with an air horn set it off at 3, at which time my friends packed up and left as well. I guess we couldn't hack it!

The next morning I was exhausted!

On Friday, Taylor and I went grocery shopping. It was my first time getting making an official meal plan and readying my list of things I needed to buy. We even took the bus system!

Let me tell you, there is nothing better than opening your cupboards and seeing that you have enough food to last a couple of weeks!

The view from my living room window.

On Monday night, the Ward playing some ultimate frisbee. (wow, these pictures are all out of order, haha). We also played missionary tag-- so fun! I got to meet a lot more people from my ward :)

Oh, and speaking of ward... I got my first "big kid" calling! I am the secretary to the Sunday School Presidency! Yup, that's me. I'll keep you updated, but while I'll be busy on Sundays, it seems pretty low-maintenence the rest of the week.

This is my favorite little stretch that I walk every day. It's a little pathway between Moen Hall and the business building and for some reason, I LOVE it!

the library :) I love to spend my Saturday days here, getting caught up/ahead on all my homework.

Here is an example of my ideal study spot. Put my legs up, computer on lap, papers on table... I love it.

I made homemade hot chocolate on Saturday as well. I'm a sucker for hot chocolate. I don't even care that it technically isn't cold enough.

I also made crepes! I love me some crepes! They have blackberry cream cheese filling.

and chocolate on top :)

This is a little stretch of flowers that I pass every time I got to my church building (we call the building the Golden Toaster). Flowers flowers flowers!

And this is the area in front of my apartment. That tall building on the left is the business building. 

anyway, I've been having a grand time. I had to see a play I didn't want to, made biscuits and gravy with my friends downstairs for Sunday dinner, and have about 5 hours of homework that I need to finish before Wednesday...

but life is GREAT!