la la la... 

Have you ever been to Utah?...

I think you'd really dig Provo.
well, first off the shift button on my comp sticks like a banchee with a glue gun so i won't be using it. sorry. so saturday i took a test that i bs'ed through most of then angela showed up and we hung out, went sledding at the dunes and she headed to her grandma's in idaho falls. i went bowling with my bro, his friends and my roommates. by the way i won a jamba in a bet against janessa. i got a whoppin' 90...or maybe it was 95 but it doesn't matter it was higher than hers so i won. gosh i hate not capitolizing i's. Maybe I'll just do it anyways. Alex gave me a ride down to idaho falls that night and I went to church with Angela, her sisters and grandma. It was fun to be there where everyone knew her mom and was so excited that they were all Gayle's kids. After church we ate dinner, and drove down to Provo. This morning we woke up at 6am and went swimming in the BYU pool. It feels so different here. There are so many more people and everyone dresses nicer and everything is just bigger and more. I feel like I've been out in the middle of no where for years...
After swimming lindsey swiped her card for us to get into the all-you-can-eat place. I haven't seen that much food in a long time. I had tons of fruit, a cinnamon & sugar bagel, and omlette, hashbrowns, an english muffin and juice. It was soo good. Then we got some more food at the grocery store and went back to Ferns. I showered, we got ready for the day and came up to campus to meed lindsey for lunch. Now we're in a computer lab in the library. Things feel so different here with all the people. I'm missing 3 days of school but I'm going to try to stay caught up on line. Sam comes in tonight at 2am. I really don't know who I'm telling this to. I'm here with Angela, Fern, Randy and Karah. I talk to my brother all the time and so I guess I can dedicate this blog update to Mary and Sven. (unless there are other people who read this thing and never comment. If this is true you should start commenting!) Anyways, I'm really going to miss my friend Angela. I have absolutely no idea where I'll be when she gets back but I'm sure we'll still be best friends. We(Fern, Angela and I) 've even got the beginnigs of a trip already planned for when she gets back. I'm so glad she's serving a mission though. It will probably be something I will always look up to her for doing.

ok, here's a little list of cool things that have happened:

• I got a new phone and it's gorgeous
• I took 4th out of 12 in the 'western riding' contest today
• angela's coming tomorrow
• I'm going snowboarding tomorrow
• sam is coming monday night
• I paid off my credit card in full
• I'm actually making progress towards my BMI goal
• and right now I'm eating a really good apple and I smell like a horse.

I went to put the saddle away and left salmon river (my horse) in the arena to cool down a little before I took him outside in the snow and when I got back he was rolling around in the dirt like a puppy. It was soo funny. But I guess you're not supposed to let them do that because if one does, all the rest want to too. In case you're wondering the rumor is true. One by one all the horses in the arena started to go down and roll in the dirt. ha ha good times!
As far as the riding contest goes I was doing good for a while then my right leg started to spaze out. Not the whole thing but the lower right side of my calf was bouncing kind of like when your muscles are shot and you're trying to rock climb. In the mean time we had been trotting for a while. Well, first off here's how the contest works: There were 3 judges and the teacher was calling out what to do. ex: 'soft trot' 'fast trot' 'walk' 'lope' 'turn a half circle in a soft trot'. And if you broke gait you were out and had to go to the middle. Then the remaining riders were judged on astetics pretty much. I ended up getting called out because Bro. Baldwin said I didn't make it look like that horse was fun to ride. I didn't mind though, because it wasn't. After I stopped I was scooting around trying to figure out what was wrong with my leg when I realized my right stirup was a link shorter than the other one. So the whole time I was riding I was resting mostly on that side. The other major problem I was having I probably shouldn't mention on my blog but I'm going to put a disclaimer here: If you are male or just don't want to know 'too much' about me DO NOT read this. Or I guesss I should say read at your own risk. You can start reading again at the new paragraph. We had been trotting for a while and I guess it was just too much bouncing because my tampon was sliding out and I wanted nothing more that to get called out to the middle so I could stop! Sick I know, sorry I hope that wasn't too inapropriate. But anyways between one short stirup and my tampon problem I had an interesting riding day.

Well, now I have a test to take and one to study for. *

Here's me and Kori like 5 seconds ago 

the new ricks building looks so typical college. It's weird. I feel like it's almost too fancy for BYU-I. This picture doesn't really do it justice, but I felt odd taking candid shots of people.  

So yesterday I was pretty much in the hart building ALL day long! Well, from noon until 11pm. I went and lifted weights at 12 and then decided to stay there and do my homework so there would be less distractions. I was wrong. I ran into a ton of people I know and it took me forever to finish my chapter. In the mean time I ate my dinner that I had packed in my bag (well I ate part of it) and then went to the spinning class. By the time that was out I saw another person I knew and we talked for a while. Then Kori showed up for work (yes she's a personal trainer at the gym). I hung out with her for a little bit and then her boyfriend showed up. I left, got dressed, ate the rest of my dinner and then saw Erin Grover in the hallway. She invited me to go to the rock climbing wall with her. So I did. Then on my way out I ran into my old friend Billy and we sat and talked about how it feels to be graduating for a while. Then I saw Kori again and we talked for another little while. By this time it was 11pm and I headed home. Then I talked to Sam till about 1am, slept till 7:45, ate some granola that I made (shout out to angelas recipe), put the same clothes on that I wore yesterday (my jeans and white thermal shirt incase anyone was wondering), and made it to my 8am class. I don't know why I feel like making an incredibly detailed list of what I've been doing, but I do.

yo yo yo! Did any one else used to think yo yo's were the coolest thing ever? If you could 'walk the dog' or go 'around the world' it pretty much sealed your future as a successful person.
Saturday night's guitars unplugged was awesome. I love watching talent. I don't know why but I was really in the mood to watch a performance that night. Usually it goes on for a little too long and I get a little bored, or at least a little bored in the middle of someone's sappy original, but I totally soaked up the whole thing. Then I even stayed to dance until 11pm. I made me think of Fern and Angela. I felt like if I were going to dance I should be doing it with them. Kind of like if I were to play soccer, I would want it to be with Angela or if I were going to learn to knit, I would do it with Fern. Ok, I don't know if those examples worked because I used the same people again, but I'm pretty sure Angela and Fern know what I'm talking about so there! A few funny things happened: first off John played an awesome drum solo (Ok, it wasn't funny, but it happened and I wanted to tell about it). The funny thing was that on a slow song this guy asked me to dance and while we were dancing he mentioned that he saw me snowboarding on Friday (I think he was trying to make me think we were already friends or something) and then casually asked me how old I was. A huge sign that he's pretty young but I answered truthfully "I'm 22, how old are you?" Then I could feel him shrink and he stuttered around and stated: "um, I just turned 18". Ha! They just keep getting younger. He was in junior high when I graduated from high school. The other funny thing was that I ripped my pants open at the crotch! Yeah, I don't know how I keep doing that, but it sucks. I'm not really sure at what point it happened but I know that by the end of the dance there was a hole about the size of my fist right where my underwear stops on my upper inner thigh. Yeah, not good.
Ok, now for some huge news that I just got yesterday. Are you ready? I got my first real calling at church. You'd think they'd ease me in gently, but no- every body said I have this out going personality and assumed I'd be totally comfortable up in front of everyone so they called me as a relief society teacher!!!! AAHHHH!!! I was freakn' out!!! I'm too scared to get up and bear my testimony in church let alone have everyone focus on me for a half hour for their spiritual up lift! Relief society is supposed to be the most spiritual part too! And on top of it all they have me teaching on the 4th weeks which means that I don't even have a lesson manual. I just teach what I feel the sisters need to hear from the conference talks!!! Talk about hard. And what's even more annoying is that everyone keeps telling me that they would absolutely love that type of teaching opportunity. Sheesh, as if that's going to make me feel better. So while I'm up there strugglin' through my first lesson I'm going to look out there and see a handful of 'wonderful sisters' who I know for a fact would rather be doing my job than listening to me. All I have to say is I hope there really is something to this begin set apart and being able to perform thing. I guess it just goes to show that you get called where the Lord knows you are weak. Stretching yourself is good right? Well, I'm going to be a little nervous for a while.
As of now I have a ton of homework to catch up on, a late paper to write and turn in, and a seminar to make at 4pm so I'm outty 5,000!

sorry it's been a while. I've been cramming for a test and writing a paper in the mean time. Thanks for the mitten opinions. I'm going boarding again today :) Yesterday in my horseback riding class a girl lost control of her horse and started screaming at the top of her lungs. She couldn't stop him so the teacher made us all stop and her horse did to. Then he snagged me and made me trade her horses. I was flattered but at the same time I was beginning to really like my horse. His name is chuck wagon and he has a really soft trot and breaks into a gallop pretty early. It makes it really nice to ride bareback. Now I'm on salmon river, who I've ridden before and used to really like, but after riding chuck wagon I'm not so stoked to switch back. I guess it will help me learn though.
I'm just starting to get into my study/workout/live on a schedule routine so hopefully next week I will feel more acomplished. Yeah, a late start I know
Well, I'm actually in my GIS class right now and shouldn't be on my blog so ~chao~

ok, I searched through all my pics and my brothers and this is one of the only ones I could find with me in my snowboarding coat. Weird huh? Well, I know everything I'm putting on my blog goes on in reverse order of what I would like so me putting a picture of my coat doesn't really make sense, but hopefully it will soon. 

These are the 'gray' ones. I like them because they have green on them.  

ok, heres the 'taupe' option. I like it because it's pretty neutral. 

fern made a really good lemon tart from scratch.  

. 

our mini summit reunion 

my new shoes. woo hoo (thanks fern) 

here's tyler 

fern cut her finger on the tart plate thing... 

Last weekend was a hoot. I stayed with Fern and Tyler and chilled with Randy for most of monday. I can't believe how much warmer it is in utah than here in idaho. Well, I think my hand is getting better because instead of just being numb it constantly has that tingling coming back to life feeling.
My roommates played a bunch of pranks on eachother while I was gone. I'm not really a prank kind of person. It makes me mad when people play them on me and I don't find it very entertaining to do to other people. I'm glad I wasn't here for it.
Ok, I need some opinions on mittens. Which color do you think I should get? For those of you who haven't seen my other snowboarding gear I'll post a pic. Also keep in mind that I'd like to get a new jacket soon. Probably a green, or brown one. And yes I know this is not a very deep or important question but I don't care.

life plans...

first of all, can you really even plan life? Sometimes I feel like I get so caught up in planning that I forget to do! I like being sparatic and doing what I want to at the time. But on a more responsible level (just because I didn't take the beach bum table dancing route) I'm applying for a job at sea world, the san diego zoo and and internship in Hawaii doing marine research. I'm also going to start studying for the GRE and apply to the University of Utah and Northern Arizona University. I want to look into a few schools in Ca as well. I decided just a little while ago while I was at a biology banquet that I'm not ready to be done learning and I want to be a part of the biology 'clique' forever (I think) so I'd like to get enough education to 'run with the big dogs' or at least read the papers they publish. And I finally got some papers to read about rattle snakes from Bro. Kelson (my new boss) so in other words my job finally started! woo hoo, but I'm only going to have a few hours a week at first. I hope it kicks in fast...I was kinda counting on it in my budget.
I went to my horseback riding class yesterday. It was soo much fun. I ride a yellow horse named chuck wagon, but I just call him chuck. On the way to class there were a few girls who were talking themselves up and really actually intimidating me and making me wonder if I could hold my own in an intermediate class. But once we got in the arena I found that most of it was talk (of course). I think it's going to be a blast. Oh, and for some reason I can jump on a horse bare back with out a boost and apparently that's something that a lot of people can't do. I have no idea why I can, but it made me feel better when the teacher told us to ride bare back and I jumped up and a few of the big talking girls had to get a boost from the T.A.
Today was my 2nd day back at the ghee and it felt soo good. It didn't take too long for things to come back to me and I'm almost comfortable enough to start wanting to learn new things. I love snowboarding and I love the mixes of music that Randy made for me (shout out to rando!).
After snowboarding I went to a biology banquet. Kori came too (of course). I ate fried chicken, harvest cheddar sun chips, potatoe salad, pudding, strawberry lemonade and no bake cookies. Then we listened to a 30 seminar by a man doing population, predator and prey relationship research with moose. Now I'm at my brothers house and we were going to watch a movie but my roommate wants to play raquetball. hmm

wed-nes-day

does anyone else sound out wednesday wed-nes-day every time they spell it? I still think it's a strange word. Well, yesterday I fell asleep on the floor in the back of the Taylor building about 15 minutes into devotional (app. 2:15). I didn't end up waking up until a quarter to four. Everyone was gone, devotional was long time gone and I drooled on myself. Sick, I know. Then I headed to the pool and feeling strangely energized and lazy from my nap I decided to swim as many laps in a row as I could. I'm pretty darn sure I set my p.r. On lap 46 I sucked in some water and started choking, but believe it or not kept my rhythm and went on to swim a total of 52 laps in a row. That's 104 times across the pool. It took me about an hour. The strange part is that at the time I feel like I could have done more, but going back and fourth in the pool was getting very monotonous and about an hour later I was pretty darn tired.
My snake job hasn't started yet. I hate politics. I don't really understand what's going on, but I hope I still have a job, and it starts soon.
I finally bought new mittens! I was going to wait till I got a chance to get down to Idaho Falls, but things weren't looking to hopeful so I stopped by sled shed and shelled out $50 for some Burton mittens that are leather on the outside and lined with this thick wool stuff that's like the stuff on the inside of my uggs. They're called the toastermit and supposedly the warmest one out now. We'll see how they work this friday. It's pretty nippy here.
mare, I'm jealous of your sb tan, and update your blog! I want to hear all about your first impressions of new Zealand.
Well, for the rest of today I'm just going to class, working out and I'm going to apply for summer jobs and make some sort of decision for my future: work, gradschool etc...

sam came to my house for FHE.  

Here's me eating a mango...all by myself. I used to share mangos with angela and I realized she always cut them because I don't know how. I wanted to eat it the cool way where you can pop it out and eat the little squares...but I made do.  

the first day back mary and sven woke me up to go snowboarding. I've been awake for maybe 5 min. and you can tell...I was tired.  

Brian and I had our flight bumped, then delayed and we were at the airport forever with very little sleep 

sam at my house...like the tan lines?  

doesn't brian look like he's enjoying this 

sterling took this and thought it would look neat at an angle 

sterling...all puffed up 

sam and my little bro 

Ha ha it's monday again. It's only $5 for the ghee today so I'm heading up after classes. I'm a little nervous though, it feels really cold and the snow is kinda crunchy here. Well, I know I haven't posted in a while, but I don't really have much to say, not much has been going on. Life is mellow and I feel like I'm just movin along as usual.

home again home again jigati jig

There's snow every where in the burg and you know you have true friends when they let you sleep in through your first day of classes but drag your butt out of bed to hit the hill. Yeah, I slept through all my classes yesterday but mary came over later and her, sven and I went to the ghee. It was a good snow day, but really cold. I didn't have my little hand warmer things that I usually take and a piece of ice got built up around my left wrist for a while. I think a combination of those things lead to me having to take a break at about 3:15 and thaw out my hand. It was starting to turn weird colors and it was past the burning cold stage and had been numb for quite some time. It got to the point where I couldn't even move a few of my fingers. Well anyways, I stayed in the bathroom for a while and only got to do one more run. The weird part is that the inside of my hand is still numb. I hope it gets better. I need to get new gloves I think. And another pack of 'hot hands'. I'm sore as heck today though. And for some reason my energy has been drained for the past couple of days. I think I have a little bit of a cold and I just haven't been eating or sleeping on any kind of a schedule.
I went to classes today and I don't think they're going to be to bad. My student loan came in finally too. whew.
My lizard survived all through christmas break. So did my fish. They're tough pets.
ok, now for the sam update. Everything is going good. We talk on the phone and hopefully soon he'll get a verizon phone so we can talk for free. He changed his plans for this summer. He's not going to california, but will be in Utah, working at the MTC and most likely enrolled at BYU. I'm not quite sure how that effects my plans yet.

Church was canceled today because of the weather. I don't think I've ever had that happen before. It was a bummer because I really like being able to take the sacrament. I especially depend on it when I'm on 'vacation'. I like having the focus time. And I would have seen Sam at church. I guess looking on the bright side though I got to sleep in after talking to Fern till about 1:30am and I forgot to pack church clothes so it just made things a little easier. My mom has made me 2 skirts since I've been here so that part is ok, but I don't have any shoes or tops. Sam's here...I gotta go!

waa ha ha... Sam came home today. After his flight was delayed. When I got to the airport and waited....then he didn't come...then we called and found out the flight was delayed and I really started to think I wasn't ever going to see him. Then my ultra-dramatic paranoid side that I think comes from my mother was suppressed as usual and I went home to get some lunch. An hour or so later we headed back to the airport. This time my brothers weren't as excited to go and wanted to wait to the last minute. It was a little frustrating, but we got there...after Sam's plane got in. We were the first ones there though. I saw him when we were walking across the airport, he had just come out and walked up to the desk to ask what time it was. I was carrying annamarie because of course I was babysitting and he didn't see me till I was pretty close to him. I walked up to him and didn't really say anything...just stared I guess. I think maybe I stepped a little to close to him because (after I put the kid down of course) he held his hand out inbetween us and I shook it. Then he said hello. And I said hi. Then to be completely honest I don't know what else I said or he said. But I do remember that it wasn't akward. He looked really cute in his suit too. After a few minutes he asked if we had seen his family and then they started to show up one by one. Some members of the ward came to see him to. We took a few pictures. My camera batteries are dead and I lost my extras somewhere so I'll have to post them later. Speaking of pictures: Angela, I still want to see one of your new haircut :) So then his mom, dad, sister and I went with him to get him released. The drive was really slow and there were cars off the road everywhere. The weather has been really bad here. It's rain/sleet stuff that freezes immediately. I've never been on roads this slick before. So he had a really neat blessing that said he was a good missionary and would be blessed for his service. We walked outside and he gave me a hug before we got in the car. Then he sat by me in the back seat (on the way up he was in the front seat) and his arm around me and held my hand, ahhh (cheezy sigh). We just casually talked on the way home. He's still obviously really stuck in missionary mode. Everything we talked about was related to missionary lessons etc. Then we went to his house and unpacked his stuff. He brought back a lot of souvenieers. Including more of those little bracelets I like to wear, a leather box thing, and a bag. Then we had dinner with his family, they gave him some Christmas presents, I gave him mine and we looked at pictures for a while. Then...I started my period! Yeah, random I know but what am I supposed to do about it. Luckily my brothers were going in like 5 min. to pick my dad up for work so I rode with them and got some tampons at target which was conveniently located right next door to where my dad works. On the way home the roads were so bad that we totally lost control a few times and slid down some hills. We couldn't even turn down most of the roads we tried to and one time I really thought we were going to hit this car we were sliding towards. Sterling and I scrambled in the back seat for our seatbelts and the car barely stopped after sliding for a good 30 feet or so. It was strange to slide so far when we were moving so slow. Even in our driveway which is not very steep at all, when you step out of the car if you hold still you'll slide all the way down to the street. So, it took us forever to get home and it was pretty dangerous so I didn't get to go back over to Sam's house like I was planning. Ok, now for the good part, for all of you who are still reading this novel long, pictureless blog: right before I left his house, Sam gave me 12 yellow(pink tipped) roses that his older (and married w/kids) sister had gotten for him to give to me. He didn't even ask her to. I thought it was nice of her. So, he gave them to me and then leaned down and kissed me. Then he gave me a hug and told me he missed me. ok, that's about all that's getting posted on the blog. But I will say that he was being really cute and got my plate of food for me at dinner etc. I'm really glad he's home. I think it'll take him a litte while to adjust though, as it does for all missionaries. I wish I wasn't leaving so soon. We're going monday to buy him some clothes. I guess while he was gone most of his stuff he left behind got lost. A bummer, but I think it will be fun.
I hate cramps.
ok, I need to go find church clothes for tomorrow.
did I mention that I hate cramps? -chao