DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT I GOT STRAIGHT A's ONCE AGAIN AND HAVE BEEN AWARDED FULL RIDE FOR MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF COLLEGE!!!! I AM SO EXCITED! I WORKED MY LITTLE PATUTTIE (SP) OFF!!!

SuMmEr FuN!!

I am so excited for this 7 week break! I have a list of things that I want to do, or at least try to do!

• Tie Dye- I haven't done this since the 6th grade at science camp
• Go on a sunrise hike-this one is being planned already, scheduled for Aug. 6!!!
• Go 4 wheeling
• Have a huge water fight
• Visit Chad, Lisa, Parker and Julia- Aug. 7-21
• Run every day
• Go on long bike rides-including tandem
• Clean and de junk my bedroom
• Practice the Piano and learn a new song
• Read "Our Search For Happiness" from the missionary library
• Make a lot of bows and start selling them again
• Make some jewelry
• Mow the lawn
• Make some of the recipes that I did in my foods class for my mom and dad

What do you think? Do you have any other suggestions for me? 3 days left in the semester with 4 finals to go.... then I am off to work on this list!!!

BooKs I'vE reAd lAteLy....

Another semester done? I know right? (Becky, Alicia, Jared, Lisa... you will all appreciate that!) It is crazy to think that I am 1/4 of the way through my college education! This semester flew by! I honestly feel like I was just starting to get the hang of things and now I am done? Wow! I have lots of plans for this 7 week break before I return in Sept. for the start of Fall semester. I am only going to be taking 16 credits in the fall-hopefully it will be a lot less stress even though it is just one credit less. We shall see. I am so excited because in the Fall I am taking my first sewing class up here! I can hardly wait!- wait I can wait because I want to play for 7 weeks!

There have been a ton of things this semester I have learned in nutrition that I will remember!!!

This was a fun class but it required a lot of work! This is the only textbook I have read in its entirety!!!

This was a side required reading for my Pakistan class. It is such a good book! I recommend it!

NOTE: These are not the only books I read this semester, I just forgot to take pictures of the other ones. I also read the Odyssey and then the textbooks for my other classes.

When We ShOulD be GoiNg To BeD...

The other day Ashley, Beth and I went to Wal*Mart. We all ended up getting basketball shorts ($6!) because our apartment gets so warm! Ashley also got some new eye shadow. When we got home Beth went to Harry Potter and Ashley and I should have gone to bed... Instead we she played with our make up since she had just bought her new stuff... we are nerds, we know!

FHE

This week for FHE we went to Big Jud's after our lesson to get food, then we came back to our apartment to eat. Josh was the only one feeling up to a Big Jud, but my onion rings were great! I have been blessed to have such a fun FHE group this semester!

Josh's Big Jud!

Josh-trying to get out of the pic, Rob, Me, Ashley, Beth

Lance (love his face!), Me, Ash

Lance, Beth, Me, Jordyn, Ash

I love this picture... too bad it is blurry but it is totally us!

BisHop'S cAbIn FuN....

This weekend we had our annual 87th ward closing social at the Bishop's Cabin in Island Park. I had never been before and it was so much fun! We went up Friday about 4 and started in on the fun. We played volleyball, went jet skiing, had a slip and slide into the water, went boating, tube-ing, it was a blast! Everyone was super sun burnt afterwards but me! I was a little pink but thanks to my wonderful skin am now just tan! I can't wait until we get to go again next year! (Ash and I are going to try to sneak to up to the one after winter semester too because then they go snowmobiling!)

I decided that I would see how many people I could get if we started taking a picture...

This place is incredible!!! It was so much fun!

PICTURES!!!

Ashley came out in the living room where I was a while ago and said that she wanted someone to go and play in the rain with her... well it stopped raining by the time we got out there so we took these instead!!! SHE IS BEAUTIFUL!!

LiSa wAlKeR BaNkS

PinK sHoeS... seWinG... HaiRbAll... STOP!!!

Today is Lisa's birthday! I am so lucky to have such a wonderful sister (in law but that is just a technicality!)!!!!! Lisa is so amazing! I am so lucky to be not only her sister but her friend! When Lisa and I get together things get a little bit crazy. We make things: a mess, blocks, dresses, caramels, hair bows, a tutu, headbands, sugar cookies, laughter, but best of all memories! I am so lucky that I was able to live close to her last semester, and I miss her everyday this semester when I am thinking about what I need to get done and realize I can't escape by going and seeing her and her beautiful children. Lisa is an amazing mom to Parker and Julia and a wonderful wife to Chad. I am so lucky that she joined our family!

Lisa and I are so much alike sometimes it is crazy! In the picture below, take note of Julia's dress- we made it! When we were at the store, looking for material for a quilt for Julia as I pointed out a fabric she was reaching to grab it because we both thought it was so cute! Well we split up for a while and I saw this material and thought it would be cute to make a dress out of but didn't say anything to her. Later when we walked by it together she picked it up and was like "Wouldn't this be a cute dress?" Well we made four the next day! One for her, one for me, one for Julia, and one for Lilly (her niece).

I am so thankful for all that she does for me and for all that she teaches me! Thanks for everything Lisa! I love you! Happy Birthday!

Thanks for being one of my best friends!

Lisa and her beautiful children!

This is what happens when I leave my camera out and she sees it...

What a fun road trip... :)

We don't care what you think of us.... as long as you love us!

MOM and DAD

31 years ago tomorrow, on June 26, 1978 my parents were married in the Salt Lake City temple. I am so thankful for their decision. I am so blessed to have such great parents who love and support me in all that I do! I am so thankful for them raising me in the gospel and for them strengthening my testimony. I am thankful for my mom because she is a foundation that I can always fall back on. She cheers me up when I am sad, holds me when I cry, and tells me that I am doing great and to keep it up. My mom always calls to check on me and to make sure that I am keeping my stress level down. I am so thankful for her concern for me. I am so thankful for my dad because of his supporting me always. My dad was never the kind of person that told me that he loved me when I was growing up, but when I moved to college he started to call all of the time to check on me, and ended every phone call with "I love you bubsy." When my dad was in a car accident a couple of years ago I was the first person he called, who knows why! I was freaking out! BUT he knew that I would be able to get a hold of my mom and that I would be able to figure things out. I am so thankful for the trust that my parents have in me and have always had in me. I am so thankful for all that my parents do for me and for all that they will do for me! I love you Mom and Dad!!!

On My MinD....

These pictures went all crazy and I can't move them.... but you get the point!

Karissa and Adam

Parker

Julia

Lisa (this is so our personality!)

Chad

Mom and Dad

Grandma

I have had a lot of things on my mind lately as the semester is starting to wrap up (only one or two more tests in all of my classes!). I am so thankful for many things, especially my family:

• My mom: for all that she does for me and for her support and example to me.
• My dad: for his strength to our family and his worthiness to hold the priesthood.
• 
  
• Chad: for the great father that he is to his children and his example and help in all that I do.
• Lisa: for the great friend that she is to me and always being willing to listen when I need to talk.
• Karissa: for the laughs and the smile that she always puts on my face when I see her.
• Adam: for giving me a hard time and being willing to cook for me.
• Parker: for the smile he always puts on my face and for loving me so much!
• Julia: for the bright spirit that she is and for what she is growing up to be.
• Grandma: for the laughs and her great love and support for me.

Also to all of my other family... you have been on my mind too lately. Thank you so much for all that you do and for supporting me in my adventures! I am so blessed to have such an amazing family! I love you all!

SkYpE...

I am a fan of Skype, definitely. Today I had the chance to skype with the girls in Puerto Rico! It was so fun! I have pretty much the coolest web cam ever... you can make it look like you are the phantom, a ware wolf, it is snowing, you are on fire, or you can make your voice sound like a man, robot, funny accent, the list goes on! Anyways I put on Taylor Swift love story and we danced together on either end of the video. It was so much fun! I absolutely love these girls and can't wait to go and visit! Thanks for being so wonderful Alicia, Aly and Heather! I love you all (you too Mike!)!!!!!!

DAM Volunteer and Missionary too!!

I know everyone wants a shirt like this!!!

One of the many times up the hill...

Excited for people to get to us!

Ashley and I were able to be volunteers for the Teton Dam Marathon (half-marathon, 10K, 5K, and relay) yesterday. We met at the stadium at 7:40, got our sweet shirts, and then loaded up to go to our spots. Ash and I were dropped off at the last hill, right before mile 25. When people got to us we had to keep them going, after they got to the top it was downhill to the end. For the first few people we stood on the corner and cheered "WAY TO BE!" "THIS IS YOUR LAST HILL!" "MILE 25 IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER!" and other things like that. Well I decided sure I was doing ok, but I could definitely be doing more. I noticed that some people had running partners, some were alone and some were plain tuckered out when they got to us. I decided that since I wasn't running a marathon I could at least run their last hill with them! I don't know how many times I went up and down that hill with numerous people. I was thanked so many times for being so encouraging. I tried to get people's mind off of the hill so I would ask them where they were from answers: Salt Lake City, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Shelley, Blackfoot, Sugar City, Rexburg, Virginia, Layton, who knows where else people were from! One man that I walked up the hill with was doing his 293 marathon! It is his 5th time around the United States! This part of the course was also through a neighborhood so people were out doing yard work all morning. At one point I was headed down the hill, there wasn't anyone for a ways off. A man started talking to me, he said, "Can I just tell you how much I admire you?" I was kinda like... "Sure, but I'm not doing anything spectacular." He responded, "What I have seen you doing the last 3-4 hours has been incredible. My name is Brother Groom and am over ... Services (that is all I heard I later went on and found out he is the Director of University Services), My office is 207 in the Manwaring Center. I would really appreciate it if you would come visit me next week as soon as you can." So tomorrow after I get out of class I am going to stop by and talk with him! I had so much fun as a volunteer and can't wait to do it again next year!

Oh one other funny story from the people I talked to. One man in particular was from Illinois, he was telling me how incredible it was that there were so many girls volunteering and asked if they were from the university. I told him that we went to Brigham Young University-Idaho. He asked if we were part of a sorority, I told him that they just set up a table and whoever wanted to from the university volunteered. I asked him if he was a Latter-Day Saint, he told me no that he was Methodist, but that it was ok because the important thing was that we all believe in Christ. I told him that was true and he responded, "I like to drink my Coke too!" I laughed to myself and told him that we could too. He said "YOU MEAN YOU CAN HAVE CAFFEINE?" I told him that the Coke thing was a misunderstanding and as we got to the corner encouraged him to look up the missionaries when he got back. I don't know what will happen from here but at least he knows now that if they choose, "Mormons can drink Coke".

President Henry B. Eyring

On Tuesday I had the amazing opportunity to go to devotional where President Eyring was speaking! I was so nervous I wasn't going to get a ticket, but my super smart roommate Beth decided that since the Internet was being slow she would try to call the ticket office. We both got one and I was able to get one for Ashley! The week before devotional in classes we were reminded about the honor code on campus. We were also asked to make sure to prepare ourselves for devotional. In my nutrition class Brother Keller talked about the last time President Eyring was here for devotional. Brother Keller said that President Eyring later said that he changed his talk to give them (the students) because they could receive it. I tried my best to prepare for devotional and had a few questions in mind I was hoping to have answered. The doors for the Hart opened at 1, it was a madhouse! President Eyring's son is a stake president here on campus and also the Advancement Vice President here on campus. When President Eyring's son walked in a few people in the back stood because they look so much alike they didn't realize it wasn't President Eyring (man that might be confusing!). When President Eyring did walk in though it went silent as everybody stood. His talk was inspired I have no doubt. It was AWESOME!!! His talk is titled The Temple and The College on the Hill it is so good! The BYU-I website doesn't have it in a printable version yet but you can listen to it if you click here. I recommend it to everyone, especially if you have been to BYU-Idaho or live in the surrounding area!

UpLiFtINg...

I love being assigned talks by the General Authorities as homework! It is one of my most favorite parts of going to school at BYU-Idaho. Here are a few of the ones that I have read this week:

For Nutrition: To Young Women by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Click here

For Humanities: The Example of Abraham by President Spencer W. Kimball

Click here

For FHE: Finding Joy in the Journey by President Thomas S. Monson

Click here

I love rereading conference talks or even being assigned ones that I haven't ever read before. I am so thankful for the talks that I get to read because they always have something in them that I need at the time! I love the gospel!!!

Mid TerMs....

I am so blessed! I just found out that I have straight A's at mid-term! I am taking 17 credits this semester and am working my rear end off-- too bad not literally! Tuesday is my longest day, I leave at 7:45 and get home at 4:15... at least I have a break for devotional, which helps me make it through my last class. I am so thankful to be able to get everything done and to get good grades on it all! I am so blessed! I know the church is true and I am supposed to be here going to school!

Jacob Kent Hansen

As an escort for Miss Russet

Graduation

Seminary Graduation

One of my best friends went to the MTC this week, Jacob (Jake) Hansen. I am so thankful for his amazing example to me! He has always been there for me and supported me! He will be serving the Lord for two years in the Roseville, California Mission. I am so thankful for his willingness to serve the Lord. He is going to be an amazing missionary!!! Good Luck Jake!