Christmas Lists

So I can't really put down what I'm doing for everyone else, but I can remind myself of the things I wanted to ask for Christmas. I keep forgetting what they are, so I need to keep track because they're all practical things that I just need.

- Under armor or long johns
- Ear-cover headband thing
- Simple mp3 player with earbud headphones that have clips to go behind your ears and an arm band for exercising
- Better Homes and Garden Cookbook
- A stuffed animal whether it be a dog or a horse, just something big enough I can hug and sleep with
- Gift card to Wal*mart
- Gift card to Broulim's

For OTHERS:

Laura, Belle, Lily and Jennifer - Homemade Snowglobes with Baby Food Jars
Hunter, Nathan, Jeremy and Noah - ...?
Grandmama and Grandaddy - Nativity Scene
Sabina and David - Check.
Sarah and Jason - Check.
Mom and Dad - half-Check.
Becca and Allen - Not checked yet.
Stephen - Have to decide...
Bonnie - N & H checked
Brittney - Horse figurine
Brandy & Kristen - Snowglobes and Ornaments
Taleea - Apron and Ornament
Katie 204 - Ornament

Ready for a Break

Mary needs a break, not a school break, but a social break. I've gotten worn out by several people whom I see everyday and I just don't care about hanging out with anyone right now. The few that are exceptions are my roommate, my roommate(s) and a couple friends from our floor. Other than that, I'm wore to pieces and anxious to go home and get rejuvenated!

Life has been good. I was asked to the Fall Formal where me and Mike dressed in 50's (the theme was Dancing Through the Decades) and literally DANCED the night AWAY! We're both in Social Dance 180 and it was a live jazz band, so we Foxtrotted, Cha-cha'd, Waltz'd and did TONS of swing! There was lots of Swing, we did single and triple step and that was probably what we were best at. He was an awesome dancer and leader, so it worked out really well and it was super fun. It was different dancing with the same person the whole night, but he was good at dancing so it was fun!

Then I asked a guy to the Preferance (themed "Baby It's Cold Outside") and we had alot of fun. Me, Taleea and Katie all fixed a 6 course meal for our dates which we all ate together in our living room decorated to the dance's theme (all complete with winter coats on all the chairs, a fake fireplace on the t.v. and fake snow and christmas lights), and then had a BLAST at the dance itself! During fast songs, we'd all 6 of us get in a circle and just dance however we felt like, and then partner dances we'd partner off. My date didn't know how to do anything like swing, cha-cha, etc. but he had good rhythm and so we'd mostly just improv it, make it up and had alot of fun. I actually got to put spirit and dramatizing into my dancing and it was so fun!

Me and Katie dressed up (me as a boarding school girl, her as a nurse) and went to the Halloween Carnival for Halloween, it was fairly small but tons of fun. Cami and her boyfriend Justin were there dressed up as Hillbillies together working the pumpkin seed spitting contest booth, and i paid 50 cents to have her taken to "jail" (a big fake styrofoam iron-bar'd square) where she had to sit on a huge ice block (nothing covering it) for 60 seconds or pay $1 to "bail" herself out. She didn't have money and afterwards had a big wet spot... hahaha, but she had fun and I know it. When we left the place, we saw five guys dressed like the NEWSIES so i got a picture with them. They also had a carriage with two clydesdale mares sitting outside, because one of the IBC business major businesses is Teton Trails Wagon Rides, where you pay $6 to ride in a wagon or carriage for an hour around campus and stuff. I of course made sure I petted those mares before the night was through!

Sunday evening I'm planning a big Thanksgiving-ish meal with 18 people that are gonna come by, where we're gonna read our thankful notes (I made us a turkey to put thankful notes in, thank ya Mom and traditions!) and just spend good time together. It'll be our last thing together as an apartment/family before the end of the semester, so its necessary.

But I am sure ready to go home! I think about Virginia, my Family and Justin the horse EVERYDAY. There has not been a day where yall haven't been in my thoughts, and the last three nights I've dreamed about going home and seeing Justin and family and Virginia. I love yall!

Overwhelmed to the Core

Life is overwhelming. I want to be able to pull out my hand writing journal and write about the last couple of weeks, but it's all overwhelming. There's too much to say, too much I'd have to catch up on. I want to be able to sit down and do a bunch of homework tomorrow, but I can't. I have to work tomorrow, which is odd (since I usually don't work Tuesdays), and it makes me sad because I won't be able to go to devotional.

I was chastized by a friend just today for something that hits close to my heart. A way that I act and a way I talk about things or just am. I don't really feel like listing specifics, but it was a slap in the face. All through class I couldn't get it out of my head, and it's still not out. I don't want to be angry at him, because I know he's right but at the same time the guilt I feel and the sadness... ugh.

Why can't I simply lay down and look at pictures of my beautiful horse and my family and Virginia and forget about going to work tomorrow? Forget about facing the world and the problems Mary has. I feel like I've been trying, but then I realize I haven't been trying hard enough. Plus today, I realized that I truly DO have a food addiction and I need to begin working on it. I went to Food Addicts Anonymous and ordered some pamphlets about it so I'm hoping I can get started.

I miss Virginia, I miss my family... Taleea's Dad is reading aloud (on speaker phone here in our room) a letter from Taleea's sister. She's having a hard time being away from her family, how the heck am *I* suppose to live for a year and a half without my family?! I'm really having a hard time right now and I've only been gone for a little over two months! Plus I don't know if I can ever live without my horse again. It is 10 times harder than I thought it would be. Being without horses really sucks, and my horse especially.

Plus, I need my family. I want to be able to talk to them about my social and friend troubles. I want to sit around our kitchen table after dinner and have end-of-the-world discussions. I want to sit on the couch in the trailer with the lights off while Sarah sits in the recliner and talk about problems and people. I want to ride double with Sabina and talk horses because she's the only one who understands. I want to connect to a Network and play Team Fortress with Stephen and David even when I'm not that good. I want to see Laura and hug her and watch movies with her and be extremely irritated by the way she keeps fast-forwarding and rewinding. I want to ride in the car with Dad and listen to him tell me that the gospel is true and that he knows that this truly is the path to eternal life... and then I want to listen to him sing Bluegrass songs and the hymn "How Firm a Foundation" with his country twang. I want to sit and talk to Mom, because she always listens and always helps me to see my faults and resolve to become a better person. And I want animals! Life really truly sucks without them. I perk up now when I even SEE a picture of ANY animal, not just horses! I miss them all... Dixie, Lady, Princess, Ashes, MALIK! Justin! Chickens! I miss family hugs... I miss family prayer... I miss the green of Virginia's lush scene. I have to admit that if I didn't have the gospel, my life would suck out here; I wouldn't be able to do it. I know the Lord hears and answers my prayers and comforts my heart and strengthens my resolve to do better and to forget about Virginia and my Family for a little while so I can keep pressing on here. He is there and he guides me, I know it. If I didn't have that support and comfort, I would be nothing and I'd be home already.

Ugh, now I need to go do New Testament homework.

Made Up with Make Up

So Mary was never much of a make-up person, because I've always told everyone I dislike it and all but... I do like it. I've been wearing it every Sunday while here at BYU-Idaho (the way Sarah showed me how to apply it) and I've been enjoying it. Well... Taleea's Aunt came up here from Ogden this evening to do a Mary Kay party, mostly just using us as guinea pigs cause she's just started, and we had SO much fun!

She bought a big pizza and a whole bunch of breadsticks from Papa Murphy's, so she cooked those and had cookies and M&M's and cider and three kinds of WONDERFUL Hot Chocolate. So we introduced ourselves (there was 11 girls at first, but only five did the facials and makeup everyone else left then), ate, then did satin hands and then those who wanted to did facials, satin lips and makeup. We filled out cards with our information and face shape and hair color and stuff, then she drew one to recieve some winterberry body spray which Amanda won. Then later, she had us write down as many names and numbers as we could think of that would be interested in learning about this stuff, all to win the Vanilla body spray, and I won. I'm glad I did, the body spray smells SO divine!!! Our friend Amanda was there too, she's enrolled in one of the local beauty schools Paul Mitchell, so she's learned all about hair, makeup, face shapes, etcetera. She put all of my makeup on me except for the foundation, and did a FABULOUS job! I liked it WAY too much.

I contemplated purchasing 3 eyeshadows, especially because the lady was gonna give me a 50% discount, but I didn't. Then later, she said she'd give me this mint lotion (HEAVENLY! we all tried it!) for $5 when it was normally $10 so I was like "Five bucks I can do!" then I realized she would give me the foundation for half off, when it was normally $28 with the brush, so she gave it to me for $16.18 instead. I gave in. It was too good of a deal, and the foundation made my face look airbrushed and flawless. It was amazing! So... Mary for the first time actually spent MONEY money on makeup. I just about croaked at the prices, and I'll probably just get cheaper eyeshadow from wal*mart, but I wanted to help her out and she gave me a 50% discount so that really couldn't be beat!

Climbing "R" Mountain

This weekend I was supposed to go home with Katie (she lives 3 doors down from us in apt 204) for conference, but Taleea was staying here all by herself so I decided to stay here instead and keep her company. Turns out, Taleea was very glad I stayed, despite her telling me to not stay for her but to go with Katie. So anyways, after making that decision, we ended up sitting on the couch while Cami was preparing to leave (everyone else had already left for their conference weekend trips) and played "MASH-OUT" together. It was really fun! Well, finally Cami left and we were still sitting there when Matthew dropped in. He is Cami's boyfriend's cousin, one of the many "Strassers" that are up here and everywhere else in the United States. He invited us to go hike "R" mountain, which is really the Menan Butte. I did it before for that date I went on for Taleea with her sister Arianna and our old Counselor in the bishopric's brother in laws. So, we decided to go. It was windy and stormy and rainy when we left but once we were up there it was only a little cloudy and windy.

So Matthew, Ephraim (Matthew's brother), Shawn (Justin, Cami's boyfriend's brother), Taleea, some girl named Emily and I all went. Well, we arrived and what do we find but a bounding around blue merle Australian cattle dog! (well, something like that, she looked similar to an australian cattle dog) She was SO sweet, just bounding around to each of us and rubbing on us and wanting attention. In fact, she went with us on our entire hike, and Matthew called her "Shian" because he said if he had a dog that would hike with him like her, he'd name her Shian.

Well, the last time I had gone, we went on the actual path which consisted of a sandy deer-like trail that a few time went over flat rock and made for a very slippery way to go. After all, sand on top of slick rock is not a good combination period. But, since we were with Strassers (who not only bugged us all about the strength of our shoes, if we had snake bite kits or not, and all brought along knives, rope and repelling equiptment!) they of course decided to go in the opposite direction through a way that we had to climb rocks and ascend several rocky staircases basically. It was a little intimidating, especially when there was a part that Ephraim jumped up and shoved his feet against the sides of these rocks and then straddle walked himself onto the ledge that was above our head. Several times there were places where I wasn't sure if I could do it or I'd fall, but I didn't want to seem weak and once I did it, I felt better and it was actually really fun and challenging! At one point, we had to run up a slick rock face to get up on the ledge, but Ephraim and Shawn went up first because when I started to run up it, I hit a spot where I could ascend anymore so I hollered "OKAY! I CAN'T go up anymore!" and I threw my hands down on the face while my body began to slip, but Shawn and Ephraim grabbed my hands and heaved me up. After that, I did everything else myself, mostly because there wasn't anything more, and I refused help or occasional man hands that flew out to grab my arm, support my back, etc. I didn't wanna feel weak, and I really just wanted to do it myself.

So, we had an awesome time and that good ole dog followed us the whole way! Once we got up on top and experienced the beautiful view, the boys found a place where they were gonna do some repellin', but it was getting dark so after they had already put on their homemade harnesses and realized they didn't have enough rope (or something like that) they just packed it up and we descended in mostly darkness. It was really nice though, at the end by the dusty parking lot (thats at a slope covered in sand and rock that you slide on real easy) they've got a log fence that we hefted ourselves on (me, Taleea and Matthew anyways) and looked at the stars for at least 35 minutes. It was SO pretty, and you could see lights from Rexburg, Rigby, Idaho Falls, etc. it was amazing! Ephraim and Emily were laying in the dirt where Shawn joined them. It was really nice. So then, we eventually got back in the car, went to Little Caesars and got two pizzas then went to their apartment. We didn't really stay long, I ate 2 pieces of pizza and Taleea ate 1, but we had really been planning to get Dominoes with our starving student card, so we left.

Me'n Taleea ended up speed walking to Dominoe's and the Backyard Grill where we got a junior custard with cookie dough that we shared, and then we got a large cheese pizza. We ate the custard while waiting for our pizza, then when we got home watched While You Were Sleeping while eating pizza and popcorn. It was SO fun!

So anyways, it was a fun Friday evening activity. I regretted the whole time we hadn't brought a camera, but I'll just have to remember it next time I suppose!

Terrible Thanksgiving

So... I'm really sad. And since no one reads this blog, I can just rant! I miss home, my family and my horse. For some stupid reason I thought it would be a good idea to come back here and stay off-track, WAS I STUPID?! I love it, don't get me wrong, but I'm missing everything I do at home right now. There is SO much going on in Virginia right now!!!

- Leaves changing colors
- Decorating the house for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Going to Fall Renaissance Faires
- STATE FAIR!
- Chilly Fall Air
- Watching Justin's coat get thicker each week
- Leaves...Leaves... and MORE Leaves! All Over the place, all over the ground!
- Family time with Thanksgiving and Christmas

I miss it...ALOT, and I'm not sure why I'm here at BYU-Idaho right now. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying my time here, but my time at home just seems so much more appealing. I'm not dating anyone here, I'm not involved in anything really with school other than some classes, and I'm not involved with horses at ALL. Mom, Sabina, Sarah, Laura, Grandmama and Sarah's boys are all going to the State Fair today... I've been wanting to go ever since we moved to Rocky Mount 9 years ago! It was our tradition and now they're picking it back up where we left it!!!

And now, Mom is taking away my only source of immeadiate family by shipping Becca and her family back to VIRGINIA for Thanksgiving! I didn't think it'd bother me, but now... *sigh*

Day Date for Distraction

Okay, I was very homesick this morning (read post below), called Mom, cried a little, but she of course helped me to feel so much better. I love my mom. Anyways, I decided I needed something to distract me because all of my friends that are up here right now are occupied elsewhere today, so... I made the trip to Idaho Falls (that I'd been planning). Got on Google around 11am, got directions to Target and headed out.

Wow. The directions were crap, dumped me off on an exit 7 miles before Idaho Falls, I went off it and on some other roads for an HOUR, ended up retracing my steps, getting back on 20, then going off a different exit which took me right next to the temple and some dam of sorts (oh, maybe the Teton Dam? haha), I stopped at a Wal-mart (everywhere I'd been looked like a trashier part of town, so when I saw the temple and then wal-mart I was relieved), went inside, it was SUPER busy but also a SUPER big walmart, got a sandwich, asked for directions to Target. So, I arrived at Target TWO HOURS after I left to go there, when it normally should've taken me 40 minutes max?

I browsed Target for close to an hour, maybe over. All I purchased were pants for work and a super cute shirt because I felt like the prices of the clothes were too expensive. Oh, I also got double stick foam things and push pins to mount my cork squares on my wall. I browsed college items for awhile (they have all of these 'college 08!' items), but resisted the bed risers until I know if I need special ones for wheeled beds. Then I went in a different clothing store, tried on some clothes, ditched 'em and went to Michael's. At Michael's I got the stuff for... well, it's a surprise. Then I went to Pet Co, looked over hamsters, birds, fish, etc. I really want a hamster, and since I have no animals here it wouldn't be neglected! Problem is, while its not in our contract, I don't know if it'd be okay to have and our Landlady is super strict so I better not chance it. We're gonna get fish though, maybe one... maybe two... I dunno. I looked over beta tanks and smaller aquariums for awhile, and of course went and stared at this adorable Teddy Bear male hamster. I wanted him.

I then went to the mall. Went through JC Penny and literally went in the changing rooms 4 times! I had a buttload of clothes each time too! But... none of the sweaters looked good on me, it was really disappointing. But, I did discover that I'm not a size 12 in women's or a size 13 in juniors -- I'm a size 10 in women's and a size 11 in junior's!!! No wonder all my pants have to have belts with them! They had corduroy's on sale for $20 bucks a pair, really cute corduroys and I'd been wanting a pair, but... I didn't get 'em. Went into Old Navy, tried on some shirts and discovered (and remembered!) that I HATE the way Old Navy's clothes fit, they just get longer and not much wider and just suck to your sides. I discovered that I really do gain weight on the sides ('love handles') and even though I've dropped 2 1/2 pant sizes, no shirts that grip you at ALL look good on me because of my nasty fat on the sides. A big disappointment, but I was happy about the pant size.

Also dropped in Barnes and Noble, found the 4th and 5th books of the Bloody Jack series, then went and tried to find the only Manga I've ever read because it's so funny, but they didn't have it. So... I left. Went by Arby's on the way back and got a Martha's Vineyard Salad, omitted the sliced almonds, choked down 2 of the 3 tomatoes, and only used a little less than half of my lite ranch packet. Drank all my water.

I was gonna retrace my steps to get back on 20, well... I retraced them at least 3 times, and FINALLY got onto highway 20 25 mins later! Rode it all the way to Rexburg, then I decided that I would treat myself to some ice cream that I would savour. I went to Coldstone Creamery for the first time in my whole life, sampled this new frozen yogurt (it's plain frozen yogurt, literally! 25 calories) and some other flavors, but ended up getting the smallest size of Cake Batter ice cream because I wanted to splurge. I was tempted to get mix-ins, but I resisted! Took it and went to Porter Park, walked around in the FREEZING cold (well, freezing for eating ice cream and it only being September 1st), allowed my fingers to turn red and got back in my car.

I ended the day by going to the temple's parking lot. Basically I looked at the view from up there, gawked and gazed at the temple, took some pictures and headed back to the Kay's house. I arrived at 7:30pm. It was an 8 hour trip!

It poured rain here in Rexburg yesterday, but today it didn't rain here at all yet it poured rain in Idaho Falls. Oh, and it's 46 degrees outside. :) I love it.

Fall Favorites

It's amazing what idleness does to your brain and your mind. All my friends are occupied today, and I don't start work till Wednesday. I am really having a hard time...

It's getting chillier here which makes me SO excited for Fall, decorating for Halloween, going to Becca's for Thanksgiving, and eventually decorating for/having Christmas! But, it also reminds me of decorating for Halloween with Sabina, making Christmas decorations, driving on Five Mile Mountain Road with the GORGEOUS fall colors surrounding you, going to the apple orchard place and picking out pumpkins and apples by the dozens. Most of all, the outdoors with the animals and their fuzzy coats, watching their breath steam into the cold air as they bleat while I feed them. Watching Justin's coat gradually thicken, riding him in the cold air all bundled up in coat, scarf, gloves, watching his breath steam into the air as he turns his bridled head to look at a deer that runs past. There's such a peaceful quiet serenity about riding in the Fall, hearing the bridle clink around as Justin moves his head in time with his foot falls. It's so nice when your fingers are chilly from being ungloved as you're trying to do something with your horse, so you seek shelter under their mane where it's REALLY warm.

I miss that. Alot. Hopefully once school starts I'll get distracted and it won't bother me so much, but... Fall is my absolute favorite season, and there's so much that makes it that way. I think its gonna be harder being away from home this time... aLOT harder.

Taco Time Employee!

Yup. I got a job! And I know it was because of the Lord, because I'd been praying and praying and hoping that I'd get a job I could walk to, and DREADING a job that I had to drive to... and I got one right across the street and down a building! YAY! It's fast food, but hey, someone's gotta do it and it'll give me responsibility and something to do. The man who hired me was awful kind about it; I could see he was really trying to justify hiring me, and finally he just did.

I hope he's blessed immensely for it, although I think he'd think a plate of homemade cookies from me would be kinda weird... oh well, the thought counts right?

I was handed an application by the cashier kids (well, not kids but college students) but I asked to see the manager anyways (thank you Sarah!). He talked to me and told me to come back at 2:30. Awesome, I felt a little more confident because he told me to come back. I did, and -not really meaning to- RIGHT as the clock struck 2:30. Well, those same 'kids' were there and were like, "Oh, came to drop off your application?" I didn't give it to them. I told them that the manager told me to come ask for him, so was he here? They said he was out running errands, I could wait if I wanted to? I'll wait. I told them, sat down and waited for 35 minutes and he arrived. He sat down in front of me, went to grab a pen (I didn't realize it was going to be an interview) and basically interviewed me... then hired me! It was so kind of him, he told me "I probably won't be able to give you many hours at first, but I don't want to turn you back 'on the streets' so-to-speak, many jobs out there?" I told him I'd tried 15 places so far, and he hired me. Good GOOD man!

I start next Wednesday at 3:30pm. I also told him -to the question 'how many hours would you like to work?'- to give me as many hours as he could. Hopefully it'll all work out. I am grateful. SO grateful!

Job Huntin'

I'm in Rexburg! Duh. I've been here since Sunday and I'm staying with these nice people that are friends of the Williamson's that used to be in our stake. They're really nice people, got a nice (big) house, a beautiful yard (that they tend just perfectly), got three horses, and all their kids are grown up and gone so they didn't mind me staying here. :) Ugh, but I've been job hunting...

I applied at Melaleuca, Dollar Tree, some Copy & Print place, Broulim's, Subway next door to my apartment, and the Rexburg Opinion Center. Of those, Dollar Tree and Broulim's were hiring; Melaleuca hires alot of students but I don't know how long it'll take them to review my application; the Rexburg Opinion Center I KNOW I have a job there, you just call 24-48 hrs after submitting your application and set up your group interview/orientation. The only problem is, I can only work night shifts (3:30pm-7:30pm) at the "ROC" and you have to work a minimum of 2 days (Mon-Thurs) and a minimum of 4 weekend days a month (Fri & Sat). I can only work that shift Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays because I have evening classes M-W. And, I'd really prefer a job elsewhere where I could work during the day 5-6 days a week.

I think I might just call them up and tell them it won't work out this time around. But at the same time, I -need- a job... how long should I wait? I applied at all of those places either yesterday or the day before...

On the Road Again!

Except this time, we're driving ALL the way out to BYU-Idaho, not just from Alma's house to Rexburg.

Nothing exciting has happened really... just the usual, go through horse-filled Kentucky, stop in Nauvoo Illinois to see the temple and some buildings (about 3 hours we spent there), nab lots of postcards on the way and send 'em, mosey through Corn-covered Iowa, TONS of sunflower filled fields in VERY windy Nebraska, get some more postcards, then enter Wyoming and enjoy its beauty and spendor (seeing as how its one of my favorite states) then spend all day and well into the evening and darkness trying to get OUT of never-ending Wyoming, and then stopping a little ways short of Logan, Utah for the night at a Crystal Inn.

I ate way too much for breakfast this morning at the continental breakfast... In fact, I'm stuffed to uncomfortable-ness... >.<

Nauvoo was nice, there was a little shop there (actually, there were several, and all in old-fashioned and mostly original brick buildings with old signs - very cool!) that we stopped in, I got some postcards and they had Old Tyme-y Portraits... *dies* I was JUST talking to Brandy about how fun it would be to go to a place that did these and have 'em done! Too bad she wasn't with me, we would've wasted NO time in paying for them, dressing up and posing dramatically!

Lots of horses. All over. Lots of cowboys at one of the rest stops in Nebraska too... ;D Hopefully I can find some in ole Rexburg, daggonnit! Dad's been driving the whole way, but I've only had a couple urges to drive so I'm good. He can be rather exasperating though, as he's asked me at least 20 times (that is no exaggeration, I've kept a vague count in my head) "You doin' alright?" - to which I reply, with some exasperation in my tone - "Doin' just fine!!!" "FINE!!!!" ugh. But he means well, and he's been awful kind to ask me at every truck stop almost if I "found something ya can't live without?" hahaha, I love that line of his, I'll have to remember to use it one day. And of course, I don't exaggerate with the southern-twangy-ness of the way I'm writing these phrases, yall know his accent. I have to say its somewhat refreshing too, I won't be around any southerners for a good long while. *sigh*

Gotta Love Technology!

Wow, so here I am sitting in an airport in Cincinnatti, Ohio on my laptop without it plugged in, enjoying the internet with their free Wi-Fi. I'm even connected to David's automatic-answer-and-start-video webcam and am watching the inside of his house, haha! I just think its cool as can be, and it gives me something to do for the next 25ish minutes that I have to wait to board the airplane.

Super cool, that's what!

FHE

Last night's FHE was really good. Well, we decided it wouldn't be FHE... see, we have a 'Brother' apartment and a 'Sister' apartment. Well, our sister apartment NEVER comes to FHE, it's always us and our brothers (and they are all always really busy so its nice they always make time for FHE), so on Sunday we took a 'Family' picture and last night we went to Anthony's house (he's our oldest 'brother'). He has this next door neighbor who turned 94, so he suggested to us that we go see him and sing him Happy Birthday. It was such a good experience! Anthony's house is out in the country and it was beautiful!!! We went to his house, his mom gave those who hadn't eaten some spaghetti and then we all ate these delicious cookies she made.

There were cows and farms (Anthony's folks have a farm) and horses all over, and they had a tire swing! I got on it and Anthony gave me an underdog and since he's 6'4" he shoved me up into the trees! It was on a willow tree, and so so so beautiful! After we were done at Anthony's house, us girls scrambled in the back of his pickup and we drove to the 94 year old's house. That guy looks great for 94!!! He was up and moving, came right to the door in his plaid shirt, jeans, old battered up cowboy boots and belt (I think its so cute/sweet when old guys wear their cowboy boots! Anthony's dad was too). He seemed awful touched that we came and sang to him, and he gave us one of the cakes he got for his birthday because he got two.

Then on the ride home, Anthony took us the scenic route and it was beautiful and breathtaking. Definently showed the reason why Idaho's my second favorite state, I want to buy me a ranch out here sometime its so pretty! (Even if you have to irrigate all over the place)

Teton River Dam... at 11:30pm!!!

So, yesterday I saw Jon Schmidt -- AMAZING! And afterwards I went to Cami's boyfriend's apartment and watched Newsies with Justin and Cami and Justin's roommates. We had to leave RIGHT before the very TIP of the end because curfew was upon us, but I LOVED it, that movie is so amazing and fun and it just gives me chills!

Anyways, Friday night (curfew is 1am on Fridays) I was wondering what to do until Justin and Cami invited me to go to the Teton River Dam even though it was already like 10:30 at night. It was the two of them and then Justin's friend and his ex-girlfriend Brittney who I talked to almost the whole ride, she was really nice!

To sum it up, we drove into the middle of nowhere, I discovered that Justin is a crazier driver than David (and while I felt safe-ish, I still feel the safest when David is driving, even if he is peeling out around corners on dirt roads), then we parked on the side of a cornfield in the middle of nowhere, hiked through it for like 10 minutes, then proceeded to descend a rocky slope that was VERY steep (and if it had been daylight, I probably would've considered it impossible and not gone down), and while everyone else would confidently walk on steep flat sheets of rock, I kept getting on my butt and sliding - it was SO much easier! Finally, when we got to the bottom, we walked out to the edge of the river bank and I could SEE in the dark the beautiful grand-canyon-like thingy that had the river flowing through the bottom. I SO wished I could've seen it in the daylight, but the stars were beautiful. We walked way far down the river bank until we found a bunch of jetting out rocks that we decided to climb over to get to the dam opening. I thought I would slip and fall, but I didn't.

Then we got to the opening, slipped through an opening in these iron bars, then slid through a small opening in this cement wall (they had apparently cemented it off, but people busted a hole through) then we got in there and ran through the tunnel, it was SO fun! You had to either straddle run or run on one side then run on the other, then back and forth so you didn't lose your balance. It was so fun just running through there! Plus, everything echoed like a second later so it was loud but cool sounding. If you said something, you could wait a couple seconds then it would say it back to you. Pretty cool! Then we reached the control room, slid underneath this big thing that was being held up by a iron grate (if it fell, it could've sliced us in half, kinda fun/freaky) only, oh we THEN had to climb up a ladder and then up a tunnel thing with a rope -- Justin and Cami had to pull me up because I'm so weak-muscled. Really, I felt stupidly dependent the whole time because I"m so weak and clumsy and unbalanced. But, we went into the control room and saw the neverending ladder (its like 12 flights of ladder steps Ephraim told me later, somewhere around 300+ steps). Then we came back.

I had alot of fun, even if I was clumsy as heck and weak besides, everyone was patient and the guys were nice. We got home just barely under curfew, and then me and all of our roommates peeked out the window at Cami and Justin who stood outside embracing and talking for 20 minutes before he shoved a kiss on her face (literally, I watched the whole thing!) which was THEIR first kiss and HIS first kiss and HER first kiss in 5 years, so it was something we'd all been waiting/expecting for. Plus, Taleea had a HOTT date Friday night as well, he was VERY good looking and she had an awesome time with him - we're hoping he'll ask her out again, he's just perfect for her - tall, kind, sweet, caring, and plays the guitar besides!

4th of July!

Okay, I really don't feel like posting in this blog, but I kinda sorta oughta, ya know? Anyways, I got a bus ticket July 1st to go to Becca's on July 3rd at TWO IN THE MORNING on the Salt Lake Express. I didn't know how to get the dang thing, but luckily my roommate's boyfriend's cousin pulled it up for me. Oh. Speaking of which, last Tuesday night we had our "bake off" it turned out just to be a pie fest. I made a blackberry pie, Ephraim and Shelly made lemon meringue, Justin made an apple pie, and Cami made this delicious cracker candy. It was all very good. I made mine ahead of time because I thought it'd take longer than it did, and when I took it over, they had all just started, but I was able to get some math homework done so that's good. We had a good time, I learned how to play "Poo Head" a card game, and we enjoyed eating all the pies with ice cream. Mmmmmmm mmmm good! I had 4 pieces of pie leftover afterwards and on my way home gave away 2 of them at apartment 204 and then had 2 leftover for Katey and Taleea.

Anyways, so before I could leave for Becca's, I had to turn in my take home math test that was due Thursday (the 3rd) at 2 PM and I was leaving 12 hours before at 2 AM, so I finished it up by about 10:30pm and I had 30 minutes to get to the Romney and turn it in. Well, I RUSH up there and then once I'm in the Romney I ran through the dark halls (lights were being turned off all over the place, it was odd being in a college building at night, I've never done that before), luckily, I ran into a security guard and he had to actually unlock a door that led to a hall of offices where my math teacher's office was so I could drop it in her slot. Thank goodness for him! If he hadn't been there, I wouldn't've gotten to turn it in on time! But anyways, I got it turned in, then ended up walking with Taleea and Katey to the park, slid in some mud and got blasted by a sprinkler, came home and changed and then packed and stayed up till 1:40 when I left to go catch my bus that made one stop on the way to Becca's and that I attempted to sleep rather uncomfortably on the whole night.

So Becca picked me up at 8:15am Thursday (July 3rd) morning. I had eaten somewhat of a breakfast with snacks in the car, but I ate some bacon at her house once we got there. After awhile, we left and took Belle, Lily and Noah to play putt-putt while Allen went to a comic book store. Had fun, but I got bored fast putt putt gets old, especially when poor Lily kept getting distracted by other things than hitting the ball. We went to Carl's Jr afterwards, climbed up the play thing with the girls and slid down these slides in there that were really fun! I think we went to Wal*mart at some point too... Friday, Allen kept Noah and they went and saw the Hulk while me, Becca and the girls went to a picnic thing with her sewing/quilting/knitting friends and their families. I ate WAY too much stuff, all kinds of crap, but enjoyed myself. Came home, finally went to the stadium to watch fireworks, paid $4 in all and it was AMAZING! The fireworks were set off on the ball field and some would come RIGHT OVER us and looked like they were gonna fall on us, it was the BEST firework display I've ever witnessed.

Saturday we got up, ate breakfast, went outside with the girls and Noah and let them play in this wading pool that Becca and Allen got on Thursday when we dropped by ToysRus. We put their plastic play slide's end into the pool then put the hose on it, but the girls wouldn't get on or slide unless we held their hands or held them while they went down it. Don't think they liked it too much, because neither of them wanted to do it again. :D Me and Becca tie-dyed, then we ended up going to Craigo's for lunch (Mom and Dad's treat) which was wonderful, then went to Wal*mart for about an hour, then went to Sam's Club at some point. Came home, not sure what we did... late that night I know, me and Becca went to Wal*mart and then RUSHED to Winco so I could get some Beef Jerky in bulk (haha) and WHAT a place! It was so cool! Bulk of everything! So, I'm planning a huge shopping trip there when I come back in the fall to stock up on food. Finished right about at 12am with the shopping.

Sunday morning was interesting, hahahahaha, we walked to church for their first time, got a little sidetracked but got there almost on time. Church was nice, everyone was nice and I love their building, its like this old institute building Becca said, and it was cute, reminded me of the AME church our branch stayed at for awhile. Then, the walk home took about 1 hour 20 minutes because we didn't go back the same way, tried some shortcuts, got sidetracked, and had to stop at a motel for Belle to go potty. Anyways, I had a great time on the walk because I needed the exercise and could only think of the calories I was burning. We were all tired and sweaty afterwards, I napped a little and then got up to help Becca with dinner. We made biscuits, beef chunks in gravy, mashed potatoes and peas. Allen made salads for me and him. Once I was done, I rushed and got all my stuff (and a heck of alot more!) packed up and Becca took me to the bus. I hugged her sadly and left.

My bus dropped me off where I was supposed to catch another, but it wasn't there and he told me it could be anywhere from 10:45 to 11:00PM before the next one came (apparently, it was 10:00 and we had missed the 9:45 one), so I was a little bummed. But, Heavenly Father is merciful and 10 minutes later (after my bus left me) the next bus arrived! They were running 20 minutes late!!! So, I got on and actually got home 30 minutes earlier than I was supposed to -- before curfew! All of my roommates were up except Vanessa and I was SO happy to see them and be home! I loved being at Becca's, but I was anxious to get back on schedule with exercising, school, eating, etc. They all loved the tie dye I did for them too, which was nice.

Our OWN Ball!

So, last night there was this "Enchanted Garden Ball" that Taleea and I REALLY wanted to go to, but... no one asked us! So, Taleea brilliantly thought up this: we do our hair, makeup, etc. but dress DOWN; go to Taco Time like that, then go play soccer, come home and eat strawberries with chocolate and sherbet with Sprite while watching Jurassic Park. We ended up not playing soccer, and only watching a little bit of Jurassic Park before we got bored with it. But anyways! It was fun! My first time wearing make-up while I'm here, and I'm wearing it this morning... I think I'm gonna start wearing it every Sunday or something.

Anyways, so we went to Taco Time, then came back and ate it, then ate some strawberries with chocolate. We walked down our porch thing and met some girls from apartment 203, they were so nice and one is a Clogger! And she JUST started clogging while she was here, went through Beginner-Advanced classes and is now a clogger in the Collegiate dancers team! That gives me HOPE! I'd LOVE to get on that dance team! We eventually started Jurassic Park and Mike dropped by and watched a little with us, but we mostly talked. Then he left and we finished eating our sherbet with Sprite. I ended up turning off Jurassic Park and then going to the lounge where they were having a celebration for Mandy from apartment 206 because it was her birthday. Met some new people, hung out for awhile until I realized if I stayed any longer, I would eat myself to 200 pounds! Once we came back, I'm not sure what we did but I eventually got bored again so I left to walk a lap around our apartment complex. I ended up coming up the second floor on the other side and meeting the people who at Mandy's party and taking up the rest of the food and stuff. We all ended up talking and hanging out, I met a guy who's from and hour or so south of me in Virginia! And he said he'd be my running buddy, so that's cool!

Anyways, we all ended up taking blankets to Porter Park and stargazing for a while, it was fun! I almost didn't go because I was like "Well, what if someone fun comes by our apartment?" well, that was silly, because I need to socialize! So I went with them and had a great time! We got back just about 10 minutes before curfew too!

Sociality

There is SO much to do at college it is SO fun! I went to Swing Dancing this week AGAIN, but not Latin/Ballroom (I went to that last week). People are popping by all the time and since our door is almost always left open (because its hot inside right now - not extremely but just uncomfortably warm at times) since we don't think we have air conditioning, people just come in whenever! Last night one of our home teachers, Bryan dropped by and then this guy named Ron (I've respelled his name for him: Rahnn, good huh? xD) and we already had my friend Katie from a couple doors down and Amanda (who was Taleea's and Katey's roommate last fall) was over, so we all stood outside and talked and laughed for a good 40 minutes. And tonight, good ole Taleea planned an "International Dinner and Zorro" is what we've all been calling it; we're gonna eat international foods and watch Zorro. We've invited alot of people, so hopefully they'll all show up!

Ya know, it's a good thing I brought all my movies, because this is the second time we've had an activity to watch a movie and the only reason we're watching it is because I own it! I just think its funny, so its a good thing I'm such a movie hog.

Oh, and I won't be able to do any of the trail rides they do each Saturday because the "tickets" are all sold out. >:( Oh well, I guess others need to ride horses more than I do, no matter how much I feel I need to... Anyways, I need to go post on the bruingtonbiggestloser.blogspot.com blog and still check my math homework answers. Tootle-loo!

Quick note!

Gotta make this quick because I've still got to do my ab workout, shower, write/sign Kristen's b-day card, make Daddy a Father's Day card, brush my teeth, say my prayers and go to bed!

I'm having TONS of fun here at college! Yes, homework stinks, botching my eating plan stinks, and other things stink but there's still good stuff. I went to the Swing Dancing thing last night and was there from beginning to end - I had a BLAST! I had SO much more fun this time than last, learned a few Charleston moves, went with my math buddy Kathryn and met her very fun friend Alyssa. If the three of us weren't asked to dance, we'd just do the Charleston and some weird move that was a variation of the Charleston I think... dunno! I also tapped and clogged around during some of the songs, and I just had fun! Maybe next time I'll lay off a little on the clogging/tapping so people don't get freaked out by me, but I was just being myself!

Tonight we went to the Latin and Ballroom dancing, but there weren't many people. We went to Ballroom first and they'd already started teaching the Samba and it looked hard/intimidating. So we meandered over to Latin (Latin and Ballroom were in separate Ballrooms) where they were Salsa'ing - yay! I know how to salsa! - so a girl who said she's normally an instructor but was playing a guy's part to partner with some of the girls, asked if one of us wanted to dance with her. So I did, learned some moves and then this guy named Phil came in and we partnered, I taught him the salsa basic move and some other ones we had done and then he took it away and led me perfectly! He caught on really fast, then we danced a couple dances, and he taught me the Tango and some really cool spin that had me spinning like 5 or 6 different times. I actually FLEW onto the floor at one point, he felt terrible I could tell, but I just laughed it off - it was fun!

Anyways, the dancing is really fun and I'm going to a workshop this Saturday from 10-12... not sure what kind of dancing it is, but hopefully it'll be ballroom/partnering.

On and Off...

..the wagon of excitement. Some things are fun, some things are disappointing, some things are awkward, some things are hard, some things are confusing, some things are exciting, and some things are just plain boring. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying college alot, but I still haven't adjusted fully yet. I know I know! I've only been here a week! But, the days don't go by very fast so its frustrating when my acquaintence collection is dinky enough to barely extend past the apartment door.

Last night me, Megan and her boyfriend Pablo went to the Swing Instruction and then Dance. The instruction part was... awkward to say the least. Of course Megan and Pablo were dancing and learning, but the only dancing I did during it was when one of the instructors met the three of us on the side and did the basic Lindy Hop move twice. Then I just sat and watched the rest of the time, because there was obviously men in short supply and too many girls. Ick. But when the dance begun, I had 3 different guys ask me to dance so that was nice. Especially because in our home stake, NONE of the guys asked you to dance. I was surprised but thankfully so. I felt bad for all three of them though, because the first was sort of flailing me around while staring intently at me, and he looked like he was combining the paso doble and the lindy hop but making it look more like a bad paso doble. The second one was a small guy who really liked to dance around and spice up the Lindy Hop, so in turn was very loose and not necessarily very good at leading (which sucked for me because my clogs were slipping on the floor the whole time and since I don't really know how to move in any of the moves except for like 5 of them, and even then only with a good strong leading partner) and would like spin me out and then jump around on his own for a few seconds. He was a good dancer though. Then the last one was tall and real cute and nice, and obviously knew alot about what he was doing but probably needed to work on his leading. I felt bad for him and kept apologizing because he'd try to lead me into a turn or something weird that I'd never done before and I'd be all over the place. He was nice and tolerated it though.

Then the three of us (Megan, Pablo and I) left at about 8:30 (the dance itself was from 8-10) to get ready for hip-hop, but then when we got home realized that it wasn't from 9-10 but from 8-9. So, next week we're gonna go to modern and hip hop, from 6-9. I felt bad I didn't go with her this week to them, but I DID want to try out the swing dance thing. I'll probably try it again and get there EARLIER so I'm paired up with someone at the beginning, or maybe make better friends with our FHE brothers and try to get one of them to come with me so there's another guy in the partner rotation. They need guys... BAD.

Oh, and did I mention I need to get some shoes that stay on your feet?! >.< no more clogs for dancing for mary...

BYU-I'd

I'm liking it here quite a bit. Church on Sunday was cool, we meet for Relief Society, then Sunday School and THEN Sacrament Meeting. We're one of the few wards (there's 89, we're the 20th) that gets to meet for Sacrament Meeting, and all the rest of our classes are in classrooms. Our ward consists of the entire Brooklyn Apartments building and some other boy apartments. There's 3 Relief Societies (dunno how many Priesthoods), 3 Sunday Schools (you can attend whichever one you want), then a Temple Prep and Family History Class (both done during Sunday School/Gospel Doctrine). It's huge! Oh, and our Bishop is Bishop Bishop. Get it? The last name's Bishop. Anyways...

Me and Cami went and visited the guy she's dating (though they're not 'official' yet) named Justin. He's so super nice! We hung out at his apartment with him and two of his roommates, then he invited us to eat this delicious (but fattening I'm sure) dish of scallops potatoes and meat and also green beans, canned peaches, and homemade grape juice. All the canned stuff was home canned, and the guy has a wheat mill too! He apparently only eats homemade bread, so he's got his own 5 gallon buckets of sugar, wheat, etc. and his own wheat mill! No wonder he shares my horse's lovely name. :)

Sunday evening I can't remember what we did. Stayed up late that's for sure. Yesterday morning though at 6:30am me, Katey and Vanessa went to the gym and worked out on the ellipticals. I'd never been on one before and it is a SERIOUS Leg workout! I really liked getting my card swiped and using their gym clothes, they were real comfortable. The rest of Monday I occupied myself by going to some I-team stuff where we got the BYU-Idaho welcome from President Clark and his wife, watched some videos of the campus and info about it. Then we went and played games in our groups which were fun (one of them consisted of pulling apart a frozen t-shirt and putting it on someone - harder than it sounds, and lining up shoulder to shoulder, tying all of our legs to our neighbors and manuvering across carpet pieces placed on the ground) and then ate lunch which was a 'barbecue' but consisted of only burgers. Ick and fattening. I wish they woulda just called it was it was, a COOKOUT, because Barbecue means barbecue... at least to ME it does!

Me, Taleea and Katey went shopping when my i-Team stuff was done. We walked all the way to Broulim's (which is thankfully VERY close to Kroger, which is nice since there AIN'T none here!), I got my groceries and on the way back as we were about to collapse (it was a good 10-15min. walk) one of our FHE brothers, Stace, pulled up in his car and took us home.

Then we had FHE with our FHE brothers and sisters (FHE consists of two girl apartments and one guy apartment), we had planned beforehand for all of us at our apartment and our brothers (only one of our brothers did it, and two others joined in at the end) to eat with our hands and NOT tell our FHE sisters. None of them said anything and it was hilariously fun! They had planned the FHE and had planned for us to have a dinner and for US to bring the main dish... a little odd, but whatever, Taleea made lasagna. It was fun, then Stace gave a spiritual thought and we discussed FHE activities. We might go to a Circus next week, and we're planning on doing a FHE Trail ride, because they have it available for $60 for your whole FHE group. So hopefully that'll happen, I know I'll have fun! Oh, and ALL of our FHE Brothers are really cute and very nice.

Taleea made cookies later last night, I ate way too many and we took some to our 'brothers'. I was very bored last night actually, until Katey and Taleea and I put on Pocahontas and were chatting. We leave the door open all the time when we're in the living room, so some random girl ran in the room and said "I LOVE Pocahontas!" and started singing with us. Hee hee, it was actually quite funny and also fun. The social stuff is so fun here! I finally got to bed around 12:15-12:30...

Woke up this morning permanently at 8:00. There was some Morningside Devotional and breakfast as part of the 'i-Team' stuff, but we were supposed to meet at 6:30 and I was way too tired. I woke up at 6:30, then at 7:22 and then at 8. I finally made myself get up, fixed myself some breakfast and went up to the gardens for the i-Team's service project. We cut fabric for bags, so we cut the bag part and the straps and pinned them together so someone can sew them later I guess. Not sure what it was for. Then, I went with one of the i-Team leaders, two guys and two other girls and we went to the boys' dorms' lounge. Sat and watched one of the girls and one of the guys play ping pong for about an hour, and then some lady came down and said that girls aren't allowed to visit until noon. Which is true and I knew that but... I forgot, haha. So then we went and looked around the Benson building which is the Horticulture/Agriculture building, there's all these greenhouses and one of them is set up like a rainforest with a waterfall and stuff and it was so pretty inside! Then we went and looked in this wild animal museum room with ALL of these animals mounted in there and that was pretty cool.

So afterwards and later, I met Sara Anderson for devotional and went to devotional with her, then went and saw her on campus dorm, then came back here. I cleaned the kitchen, started a load of laundry and now am writing on here. I'm gonna go to this I-Night Extravaganza tonight with some girls I met, so hopefully that'll be fun.

Apartmented at last!

So, this morning me'n Daddy went to the apartment building and signed all the forms I needed to. Then, I went up and met my roommates, and they were all so nice! Taleea basically tackled me as soon as I entered, it was so nice to be so well recepted! Then me and Dad went grocery shopping, and when we came back, I stayed and put stuff away and basically did all my unpacking and organizing while Dad went and did a session at the temple. Oh, I forgot that we went and got my i-card, my books and a pair of byu-idaho sweatpants from the bookstore before we went to the grocery store. Anyways! My i-team leaders came by (i-team leaders are part of each group of new students for the get connected activities for the first 2 days to get to know others and get used to campus) and invited me to the 3:30-4:30 Get Connected preview. I thought I probably should go, but... Taleea said she didn't go, and the people who I signed up for it with said nothing really happened till Monday, so I'll just attend that stuff on Monday.

Taleea finally got back, we hung out here for a bit with some of the other girls, then walked down to the local Park with Vanessa to visit Katie and just see it. There's a carousel there and a little water park area thing, it's really cute. Apparently though, it's a big couple hangout, one of the quite a few it seems. Afterwards, we went and walked all around campus, Taleea showed me around and helped me locate some buildings that I've got classes in. It's not a super big campus, but it still is big... 460 acres, I think they said. After that, we hung out at the apartment for a little bit then me, Katy, Taleea, Vanessa and Nathan (one of our FHE brothers) went and saw Prince Caspian (I saw it for the second time; the first time was with Bryan, Brandy and Bonnie). I actually got bored with the movie this time and while we were watching it, I was thinking about college, getting paranoid, getting homesick and getting kinda nervous/scared. But, once it was over, we went to Dominoes and ordered a couple pizzas, then ate them in the Lounge. I didn't stay long in the lounge though, because Dad got me and we went to Wal*mart and got a bunch of stuff I realized I needed AFTER I moved my stuff in. Plus, I got three pairs of shoes, because all I had with me were my brand new Brookes for running, my adidas, my flip flops and a pair of slippery black sunday shoes.

Anyways, I really like it, my roommates are all so nice. There's Vanessa, Katy, Cami, Taleea and Megan. Sometime I'll have the motivation to post pictures!

Purchases and Cousins

We left the Allred's yesterday in their small truck at about 10:30 and went to Orem. We were gonna go straight to Tina's, but Dad decided that we'd go find me a camera first. Well... we went to a Target, a Wal*mart, and a Best Buy in Orem and didn't find it. Target had the camera model, but it wasn't in stock. Wal*mart didn't have it in stock. Best Buy had one below the one I wanted and above the one I wanted. So then we backtracked to American Fork. Well, we went into the Best Buy there and I decided to get the one a smidgen below the one I originally wanted, which I ended up liking better anyways because its prettier and smaller. And we got a fast read SD card for it. Anyways, I had been meaning to get fitted for new running shoes at Fleet Feet in Roanoke before I left, but never got the chance. So I checked for them in Utah before we had flown and there was ONE in American Fork (but I wasn't sure if that's where it read it was). We asked everywhere we went to get a camera if anyone had heard about Fleet Feet, "Nope. Never heard of it." Well, I was a little bummed, but when we stepped out of Best Buy I looked to my right and THERE IT WAS! So I got fitted and purchased some new running shoes. YAY!

We ate lunch at Subway then went to Tina's house. I sat with Tina and Dad for a bit, April came by and hugged and fussed over me and we chatted for a bit until she left for school. It always takes awhile to warm up to your cousins, but eventually (after spending time with Aaron and Jared, the youngest as they played on Lego.com) I went into the boys' room and sat on the bed and talked to Jacob, Matt, Zack and Josh. The four of them, me and Jared eventually walked down to Hogi Yogi's I think it's called, where they proceeded to offer to buy me something and they themselves purchased shakes and cookie/ice cream sandwiches (which looked divine). I refused, which it helped to resist seeing April and her mom and how skinny they were. I'm gonna be skinny too! The walk down there was about 20 minutes but not very exerting... well, not exerting at all, it was all flat at a meandering pace and then slightly downhill. Tina picked us up.

I went to Julie's to say Hi, but the reception was not as enthusiastic as Tina's. Mark said hello from his office and then Lauren and Ashley were preoccupied with their friend but I sat and talked a little bit anyways until Julie came home. They were all pretty busy since they were getting ready to go to a piano recital, but Zack was probably the sweetest and most accomodating (he was the one who kept offering to buy me something at Hogi Yogi's and I thought it was sweet until I realized he had his Mom's credit card... hahaha). Oh, *adds note to put 'small homemade peanut butter cookie' on her eating list from yesterday* Then I walked back to Tina's when they were about to leave, had some Taco Soup and me and Dad got in the car and followed Tina's family to a local park where the BYU Management Society or something like that was having a free barbecue and silent auction raise tuition money for people on scholarships. It was just a bunch of families there, but not really that big of a group. We got some food (I just got side items since I'd already eaten taco soup) and then left. Tina and April made sure I made promises to come visit, and they're gonna check to see if anyone is coming down from Rexburg to there on the weekend of the 14th so I can be at Dan's farewell (he's going to Hong Kong!)

Then we rode back to Alma's and got there about 8:30 and it was still light! I love their house, it's so bright and cheery, they've got two birds (George and Figaro, George is mean.) that Nathan their son introduced us to, he lives in the house beside them with his wife they're both planning to be doctors and he just finished medical school. I went to bed around 11:30 I suppose... talked to Sabina for a bit, got my scriptures read, my teeth brushed and then kept busy until I stopped myself by reading the 3rd Vampirates book. I'll post pictures in just a minute.

Posting yesterday's journal entry

it's long... I'm just posting it because I want it posted, you don't have to read it.

The flying was not very interesting. Luckily, we got through all the airport security checks just fine (haha, ALL of them, there was only one!) and they had SOOOO many people there and nothing we had bothered them. Thank goodness! Then, we got a bagel with cream cheese, and each a bottle of water from a bagel shop in there, and I had a few healthy snacks packed, but I botched my eating plan later (read about it on the bruingtonbiggestloser.blogspot.com). First class was cool, all the seats had a packaged small blanket, a small pillow and a bottle of water sitting on them. Then, they went around offering their ‘Beverage Service’ which I refused until later, when I got a club soda. I wasn’t sure what to order, but people were getting stuff from Tomato Juice to Diet Sprite to Coffee to Club Soda. So, when I heard Club Soda I asked for the same thing, and it was delicious! I also had the breakfast they offered, which was free… and wonderful. The lady next to me was an older lady named Dixie and she was real sweet. Her and I talked off and on, but mostly we just read. Taking off was AWESOME and I LOVED IT! I was so frustrated that it took us so long to meander down the runway to get to the spot where we got to go FAST, but we finally did and it was thrilling! Landing was also fun, but not as fun. Flying itself was just boring unless we had turbulence (which we did, twice) because it actually FELT like something.
I mostly read the whole time, looked out the window when there was a break in the fluffy white, got on my computer at one point and started typing up a horse training sheet for Sabina, for a few minutes watched 27 Dresses on the headphones I was offered. (Me: *watches the lady offer the headphones, on a PLATTER, then walk away* “Hey wait! Umm… do I have to pay for those?” Lady: “Pardon?” Me: “Do I have to pay money to use those?” Lady: *overly kind smile* “Just in coach! Not up front!” Me: “I’ll take a pair then”) But I didn’t use them for very long, because I couldn’t really see the movie screen for the glare, the sound was crackly, and I had to hold them against my ears to hear, and it wasn’t very interesting. By the time the flight was over, I was anxious to get off. Oh, and I don’t think the lady next to me was mormon, though she was very nice, but she did seem family-oriented, her husband was back in coach but he came up a few times and they just seemed to really love eachother (he seemed real sweet), AND she said she was going to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s practice session.
Alma picked us up from the airport (luggage claim went just fine), oh and it was SO CUTE! At the end of the elevator there was a bunch of families with “WELCOME BACK ELDER [insert last name here]” that was so cute. There was also quite a few people that were holding up little signs for people too. I thought that was funny, but efficient I suppose. We then went to a Chinese buffet place and ate, then for about 4 hours walked around Temple Square, in the church office building, I went in the Tabernacle, went to a 20 minute organ concert thing (low key, they do it everyday, and I fell asleep I was so tired) in the conference center, etc. I’d been to all those places except IN the tabernacle before, so that was cool, but the rest was pretty much old news. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, but I was so dang tired I was having trouble staying energetically happy. Alma and Dad found two sister missionaries from Italy though and the four of them had a bunch of fun chatting in Italian. All the missionaries on temple square and all the other buildings around are all sisters and they have their name tag and a flag of the country they’re from hanging beneath it. It was really cool, they were all really nice (of course), it was a nice change to see dedicated spiritually excited missionaries… :-D
Finally, Alma had to go to his temple session (he conducts temple sessions in the Salt Lake Temple all the time, and all day Saturdays) so we took his car back to their house and while Dad slept on the couch I read and talked to Sabina for a little while. Then, when Robin got home (Alma’s wife and one of the nicest, accommodating people you’ll ever meet!) a little while later, we all chatted for a bit until my stomach really started growling and we all went to a burger joint and I ate unhealthily. The rest of the day was pretty much uneventful… well, we did go wait for Alma by parking and walking through this small park thing where the city creek ran through and they had a cute little pond with random islands growing trees in part of the creek’s path (with one lone duck swimming in it!). I talked to Jon for a bit as well, updated him on the fact that I’m not in Idaho yet. I wish I was though! Then, we got Alma, all came back to the house, and later the missionaries arrived. Apparently, the missionaries around here are staying at member’s houses now and so the Allred’s have a set. They’re both VERY cute, one’s from Canada and the other’s from Arizona.

BYU-I Trip Phase 1 - Comfort Suites

So, me'n Dad left around 3:00, when we meant to leave around 2:00... oh well! I attempted to sleep for at least 1.75 hours of the 3.00 hour trip, but it passed pretty uneventfully. Then, we arrived at Comfort Suites, the place where we're staying, and WOW! Man it is NIIIIIIIIICE!!! It's got a pool and a jacuzzi outside (thank heaven Monday was Memorial Day!), 5 floors (each one has a presidential suite and two executive suites), an exercise room, breakfast (that we WON'T get to have, since we're heading out before 6am) from 6-9:30am, a beautiful fountain out front, and if it ain't in the ritzy-ist part of town! I love it. For those who don't know, I LOVE staying at hotels - especially nice ones - and I'm so excited that it has a pool! I've been wanting to swim in a hotel's pool since last year when we went on the family reunion and stayed in 5+ different hotels. But we ALWAYS got in too late and out too early, so I'm glad that we got here at 6:00!

After we got here and checked in, went up and dumped our load of luggage, we scouted out food. Luckily, Dad didn't want a restaurant setting, so we went to Arby's! Why was I so enthusiastic about eating at a typical fast-food restaurant while on VACATION?! Calories. That's it. I was really dreading going to a restaurant and facing temptation and not knowing the calories (because I had no idea where we were going and couldn't look up their nutrition facts on line first!) but luckily, gratefully, thankfully, Dad wanted to go to something quick so we went to Arby's. I got a Martha's Vineyard Salad that I had looked up nutrition info about a week or so ago for mine and Olyvia's Arby's trip with like 272 calories and only used a little less than half of the 100 calorie pack of ranch dressing. Then I drank water. (I did eat 5 lemonsnaps before we left, but that was only 120 calories so I probably consumed a 450 calorie dinner... not too bad.)

I was considering using the exercise room, but I couldn't find it on the map and I don't feel like asking. But I still might... depends on how quickly my food settles. Anyways, I'm gonna go dress for the pool!

Justin's Birthday!

So yesterday was Justin's birthday, his 6th Birthday! Wow! Six years on this earth, it's hard to believe! And I met him just when he was TWO weeks old! So, I've really known him from his birth... what a cutie.

I celebrated it with him by making Horsey Cupcakes (which I altered and then almost completely re-did the 'icing' recipe, I felt like a chef!) with molasses frosting, which it made about 12 so I shared one between all the goats; Me, Mom and Dad tried one (they had carrots, flour, bran, sugar, water, molasses, nothing unedible); and all six horses at Ann's got one (Justin got two!). Mom told me to sing him Happy Birthday, but I just told him...alot. :) It was so fun celebrating his birthday like that, I felt like a little kid! I let him loose in the barn/ring/"stable yard" area to nibble on the grass for a while, and I fed him there too instead of in his pen. He was a good boy, I brushed him and untangled his mane and took some pictures... it was fun. :-P

Then today I tied him to the intertube on the tree in Ann's backyard for patience, and he did pretty good. I was brushing and saddling Rayme while he was tied over there, so when I was done prepping her for riding, I went over to him, brushed him for a little bit, he stood still the whole time (didn't spend too much time on it) and so I went ahead and let him loose in the stable yard area to graze while I rode Rayme in the round pen. She did pretty good, and since Ann said I could borrow one of her horses for the beach ride (awesome!) I'm probably gonna take Rayme. I like her because she's not as small as Roxie (who's like 13-14 hands pony size) and I'm not sure if I'll be able to get Cowgirl as trained as she really ought to be by the beach ride.

I ended up trying on another one of Ann's saddles on Justin, tied the stirrups together so they wouldn't flap around, then hitched two lunge lines through the stirrups and on either side of his halter and long lined him for a bit. He did really well, especially with turns, but the problem is there is no flat, clear area big enough to work in (except maybe the front yard, but I can't ride/work him there!) and I was in his hilly pen.

I feeeeeeel good!

Okay, so guess what? TALEEA's my ROOMMATE!!!!! *SQUEALS* She's my friend from our stake - who is also out at BYU-Idaho - and she's my roommate! Okay, so it's not just chancey lovely coincidence, I actually found out what Apartments she was in, signed a lease and requested with fingers crossed to room in at LEAST the same apartment with her (each apartment has 3 bedrooms) and by golly she sent me and email and we're in the same ROOM! YAY! And we might have the same soccer class, so that'll be SO nice having someone I know to help get me adapted to life on campus.

Anyways, I feel good! Y'know why? Everyday this week (tomorrow and Saturday included ;D) I've eaten good (only a few messups but not majorly), worked out, and gotten schoolwork done. I accomplished my goal and am now done with Government, now I just have 16 days (minus two sundays, so really 14 days) to finish my Chemistry! ... :( Hopefully that'll be alright.

So here's some pics of comparison (the above quite a few months ago playing rockband, the most recent full-body-without-renaissance-clothing-pic I had), and a pic of me eating a healthy snack I made (does my face look thinner or is just my imagination?)

I'm such an idiot...

So my day was going wonderfully until... I had the nerve to break my laptop's keyboard and scratch the screen!!!

My laptop was open on my desk, and I was holding a big journal and a few elementary school year books that I was attempting to sorta toss onto the highest shelf... then then came crashing down onto my laptop...

As you can see, the whole top right corner of my laptop is bent in, the \ button is broke off, the backspace button is scratched and hard to push down, and there's a scratch on the screen (that you can't see, oh and btw I took the picture w/my webcam due to lack of digital camera by using my JC Penny handheld mirror, nifty eh?) Anyways, another one of my stupid rash decisions has caused something to be broken or someone to get hurt, or in this case, hurt emotionally. I'm such a idiot I can't believe it so now I get to use my broken keyboard. Mom said we could (or more like she snappily/exasperatingly suggested) give it to Laura and get a new one, but I don't want them to do that. The buttons still work... somewhat.

Needing Update

I'm so bad for not writing on this in ages! I need to get into a habit of it, so that when all my school-related woes come I can blog about them whilst I sit pitifully, homesick and sad in Idaho all by my lonesome.

Update on Justin's eye: It just recently got worse after getting better. We moved him to Ann's, and after fasting and alot of prayer, I'm now able to put meds in his eye. (and he stands still while I do it! - by prying his eye open and wiping it in with my finger) I did his eye 3x daily for a bit, then twice a day, now it got worse so we're back to 3 x daily and putting Atropine in it 2 x daily to dilate his pupil to increase blood flow or something like that. *crosses fingers* Let's hope it'll be significantly better before I leave for college...

On a bit of a lighter, yet somehow not-so-light-er note, I've just been working on my packing list for school. WOW! There is SO much stuff I have to think about, and I'm only gonna be there for 6 weeks! There's clothes, medicines, toiletries, stuff for the apartment itself, food (I'm making a grocery list so I'll have it, and I'm gonna make some meal plans), but half the stuff food-wise and kitchen-wise I have to wait till I get there because I don't know if my roommates will have certain kitchen stuff, or if they'll share food, or what! It's kinda confusing/frustrating/exASPERATING the fact that I'm moving in halfway through the semester, so EVERYONE'll be established except me. And I can't just barge in and say "Hey, all the pots/pans are mine because I like to eat healthy and therefore some of the time fix my own food- yes I can cook!" or "Yep, all that food's mine, you can have some if you'd like, just let me know or ask" because I have no idea if the refridgerator is gonna already be full of everyone else's food or if the cabinets are gonna be bulging with everyone else's crap, etc.

*sigh* I hope I'm going about this the right way for now, what doyall think?

...

...so Justin has had this ulcer on his cornea (ulcer is just like a scratch/scrape) and I THOUGHT that Shadow Ridge was treating it, but I guess not! It's gotten worse and worse, and now it's bluish and cloudy. So, Dad called his vet friend and apparently bluish and cloudy means he's already blind in the eye (or going blind, I don't think he's all the way blind). He suggested using Acromycin Crumbles, which I canNOT find anything about online, I hope they have them at Jack Garst... and then giving him a shot of Demosedan in the vein before I do stuff with his eye. I'm hoping my vet will be able to mail some shots to me, because there is NO way that I want another visit, I'm really hoping to switch to a different vet. They are just too expensive.

Anyways, I feel like it's all my fault, just letting Shadow Ridge treat him (when they obviously WEREN'T doing it, which I should've figured because every time I'd email her and ask her, she would never really SAY that they were putting the meds in his eye) and not attempting to treat him myself. I feel terrible that I haven't done it and now I'm bummed and sad and depressed and Mom isn't helping and it's just... >_>

Activity!

You gotta check out me and Sarah's 21-day plan! It's simply awesome! And it's awesome the fact we're both doing so well these days! Check it out here: http://bruingtonbiggestloser.blogspot.com and leave us comments of encouragement!

Anyways, this week I have been ACTIVE and BUSY and DRIVING aLOT. I'm house/horse/dog/cat/ferret/bunny/chicken sitting for my friend Brittney's family, and what a job! I go to bed by 11 or usually a little before, wake up around 6:30-7:00am-ish, get horses out of barn (if they're in it, which they have been the past 3 nights) and grain them, feed all dogs, check water/feed for chickens, get eggs, check on cats' and ferrets' water/feed, feed myself, take my meds and leave for work. Go to work, finish, go to MY house where I: grain/hay/water goats and move/untangle Billybob. About then it's usually 1 or 2, so I feed myself, then I either hang out or go get something done at Wal*mart or whatever, exercise around 4-5ish and after that I come back to the house or before I exercise and do it here. Then, night feeding includes dogs, cleaning up litter of cats/ferrets, feeding/watering cats/ferrets, feeding/watering rabbit, graining/bringing in/haying horses, checking water/feed of chickens. Not to mention letting the cats go outside somewhere in the day, and regulating the field turnout of Samson the big Great Dane. Then I have to feed myself dinner somewhere in there, and do my bed prep and most of the time I haven't even had time to read/watch a movie/think by the time I crash in bed.

I HAVE been out and about alot this week though as well, so that's also taken up alot of time. My only problem is, I haven't gone to see Justin... I guess I don't feel like confronting Michelle since the whole 'strangles' issue, so it's keeping me from my horse. Oh well! We're moving him to Mom's quilting friend Ann's house, so he'll be good there until Mom and Dad find a house with land to purchase. Oh yeah, they want to purchase a house with land for David, Sabina and Justin. ^^ I'm glad they think about Justin, especially because they could say that I need to sell him and not worry about land. Though, I think they secretly want land for themselves. Let's hope they don't obsess over it and claim it once David and Sabina move in, for David and Sabina's sakes. ;)

I could STRANGLE Strangles...

So Justin had this equine virus/disease thing called Strangles two years ago. When I brought him to his current boarding barn, it had been almost a year since the quarantine was over (not the disease itself, PAST the disease - the end of the 6 month quarantine!) and since I wasn't asked about diseases or whatever, I didn't think to tell her because I figured it wasn't an issue anymore. I was told after 6 months that we could move them and take them places. Plus, several horses had been in and out of there since the Strangles, one to a hunter/jumper trainer in North Carolina, so I figured it was safe and why bring it up?

Anyways, I talked to the vet who came to the barn I work at two days ago, and I told her that when the vet came to where I keep my horse, that he gave all the horses Strangles vaccine - Justin included. She said that he probably should not have the vaccine because he's already had Strangles before. So, I emailed the barn manager/owner where Justin is, and told her to please not have the second part of the vaccine given, seeing as how he's already had Strangles. Well, apparently this was a terrible thing, despite it being two years since he's had it (AND he's already been at this barn for a year) and he's putting the other horses at risk since we don't know if he's a carrier. Luckily, the vet had apparently hurt his arm an HOUR before he came to the barn to vaccinate and couldn't give the Strangles vaccine because it's intranasal (a TERRIBLE vaccine, I never have given it to Justin, but apparently it's required where he is now) so the barn manager emailed me all the specifics of how it could affect the other horses and how we should do a titre test to determine his antibody levels and then a guttural pouch swab test to see if he's a carrier or not. Combined cost: $360 give or take. >.<

Daddy is not happy. He's never happy when we have to spend money on Justin... thankfully though, Mother is more forgiving! I do thank the Lord when I realize how close Justin came to having it, because whether he's a carrier or not (I really don't think he is) the vaccine wouldn't be good for him.

Why do I not think he's a carrier? Apparently, if they're a carrier they have bacteria in their guttural pouch, and during stress/stressful situations they "shed" the bacteria and therefore infecting other horses. Well, it has been TWO years, and Justin's had his fair share of stressful situations. At my previous barn, during the summer I had to pull him out of sight from the herd to ride and he'd prance, snort, whinny and scream for them the entire time -- Stress! We moved him to the barn he's at now with lots of kicks, and then put in a stall for half a day from then on where he had to adjust, kick, etc. I took him to Brittney's house at night one time, and he was pawing and kicking during that ride. Then, he was shipped to South Carolina for the Beach Ride for a SEVEN HOUR trip! Every time we stopped he'd paw and sometimes kick, so that was obviously stressful! And once when I was attempting to give him bute, he reared and was freaking out: aka- STRESS; he also did that a few times when I've tried to do stuff to his eye. So, lots of stressful situations and NO horses have been infected.

*sigh* But I do understand her concern, and she says I don't need to leave/take him somewhere else if we can do these tests (and of course, only if they turn out negative). The problem is, if he IS a carrier, he's one for life. Yay. Wow it sucks! Luckily, Justin's a pretty no-stress horse on a regular basis, seeing as how he's not wound up and sensitive, but he can stress (as I previously wrote). I really don't think he IS a carrier, so I'm allowing myself that thought to make me think positively. Hopefully I can just let him run with Ruby this Summer and then bring him to Mom's quilting friend Anne's house with her horses, she's ten minutes closer than the 25 minute drive to where he's at now though.

Okay, so I just - for the last 30 minutes - have been reading articles about Strangles. Guess I'll go ahead and post this now.