~~ All I Hold Dear ~~

Happy 4th!

2011-07-19T19:33:00.001-07:00

Andrew and I drove down to Tucson for the 4th of July to visit Julie and her family. They'd never met him and wanted to before the wedding. Makes sense. I guess. ;O) Anyway, we had to buy a car before we left in order to get there and so we introduced Vera to our almost-family. A nice long road-trip was a great way to break her in. She's a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer. We (I) love her to death and she's been treating us well.

I got the "Got Fossils?" decal from Julie and Spencer for Christmas a couple of years ago and I've been saving it for when I bought my very own car. I stuck it on literally the day after we bought it.
We headed out Friday morning and drove to Tucson. It's about a 13 hour drive and I enjoyed the time spent with Andrew. We got there later that night and had an enjoyable evening chatting with Julie and Spencer and their adorable girls. "Andry" was a big hit by the end of the weekend. Those girls sure made a new friend!
Saturday we spent the day shopping and exploring Tucson. We stopped at the San Xavier Mission for a few minutes and went swimming later that evening! It was over 100 (hit 110 at least one of the days) the entire time we were there. Swimming was greatly appreciated!

Sunday, we went to church and then drove up to Tucson for dinner at Texas Roadhouse. YUM! Later that evening, we stopped at the Safari Park and watched the fireworks from their back yard and set off a few of our own small firecrackers. We also got to play with a few sparklers. :O)

On Monday, Andrew and I headed out and drove back home. We stopped at The Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. My family and I have stopped there a few times before to feed the deer, ostriches, and lorikeets. (They're either new or I just don't remember but they have goats and donkeys there too... maybe they're just boring compared to the rest...) Andrew hadn't ever done anything like before so I think it was fun for him.

We had a fun, fun, fun weekend! I'm so grateful that Andrew has finally met the rest of my family and can't wait get together again soon!

Speaking of getting together soon... I'm getting married in 24 days. When the heck did that happen!?!

Oh heyyyy!!! I'm gettin' hitched!

2011-05-16T20:35:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I are getting married!! Things have been going really well between us and we've decided to get hitched! It's something we've been talking about for a couple of months, but I finally got my ring on April 23.

So we were taking engagement pictures the day I left to go home to Cali for a couple of weeks. Andrew had told me earlier in the week that there was, and I quote, "No way" he'd be able to get a ring by the time I left. We went to take engagements (my parents were in town and we wanted my dad to take them for us. This was the only time we could take them before the wedding.) We took a dozen or so and then we reached this ramp. My dad told us to walk up it, turn around, and come back so he could take some pictures. Only Andrew decided to keep walking once we reached the top. We stopped a little ways away and Andrew turns to me and says "Today is gonna be fun, but we're missing something..." and pulls out this absolutely GORGEOUS ring. It actually took me a second to register what it was because I wasn't supposed to have it for another 2-3 weeks. I started flipping out... and crying. After a full minute of my squealing, he could finally ask "Will you marry me?" I said "Yes." :O)

Andrew's dad is a jeweler and made this ring in about a 24 hour period. (Andrew and his dad chose which design late Thursday night and the ring was ready to give me by Friday night. Thank you, Richard!!!) I couldn't have asked for a better way to get proposed to. It came as a complete surprise (the timing... not the actual event) and I was able to go home and tell my friends "I'm engaged." and have a ring to prove it. I wouldn't have it any other way. :O)

Holi Spring!!!

2011-04-04T19:29:00.000-07:00

Andrew, his sister Caitlin, and I went to the Holi-Festival of Colors a couple of weeks ago. It was a BLAST!! Read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi

The Sri Sri Radha Krsna Temple (http://www.utahkrishnas.org) in Spanish Fork celebrates this holiday and it draws thousands and thousands of people every year. Over the past couple of years, it has drawn national and even worldwide attention.

Here are a couple of pictures from when we went:

Before.

After.
Caitlin & Andrew.

I went two years ago with my sister and one of her friends. We got there late and didn't have a chance to buy any color so we didn't get very dirty. I think we did better this year. ;O)

It was so much fun and I can't wait to go again next year!!

Sundust

2011-01-19T15:13:00.001-08:00

As I sit here surrounded by little flecks of sunlight reflected onto my walls by 3 golf ball sized disco balls, I'm in awe at how much motivation a little sunshine can bring. After 2 weeks of below freezing weather (in the teens during the day, that is) I opened my blinds when I got home from class a few minutes ago, saw those little flecks of sundust on my walls, and instantly felt like I could conquer the world. I feel as though everything is going right in my life. Classes are going well. I'm caught up with all of my homework. Winter seems to be breaking and spring is near. (I realize it's still January, but still. Spring is coming rather than going.) I'm dating the most wonderful guy in the world. And after this semester, I will only have 4 semesters of school before I graduate! It's amazing what a little sunshine can do.

Cornbelly's!!!

2010-10-31T16:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew and I doubled with Vania and Abe and went to Cornbelly's on Friday night. It. Was. A. Blast!! A few of the highlights from Friday night included:

Tractor Go-Carts!

The corn maze!

Watching Abe (over 6 feet tall) beat Vania (a little over 5 feet tall) at tetherball. (She gave up after a VERY SHORT while.)

The Jack-O-Lantern Hayride

The Corn House! (Basically a giant sandbox. Only the sand is actually corn kernels. Get's stuck pretty much everywhere like sand, too.)

(My finger got in the way in this one... oops...)
Getting tackled in the Corn House...

And ending the night with a cup of hot chocolate, brownies, and ghostmallows!!

Vania was given the assignment of getting a few good pictures of Andrew and I (drastically needed because we've been dating for 3 months and had a total of 2 pictures of us together before Friday night...) So, here's two more of the cute ones she got. (Along with the others posted above.)

Friday was such a fun night! Some of the other activities they have at Cornbelly's (that we tried out) included a playground with 'big kid' slides, rubber duck racing, and taking pictures in the huge rocking chair! I can't WAIT to go again next year!

I'm Still a Kid at Heart...

2010-08-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

Andrew took me to the Utah Hogle Zoo today. It was such a fun day! We started out with a *fancy* breakfast at my place of scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, cottage cheese, pears, and oj and then headed to Salt Lake. When we first arrived at the zoo, we were welcomed by these two:

Can I just say I love eagles?

Anyway, we wandered around the zoo enjoying the exhibits and even stopped for a ride on the carousel and the train! (Like I said, kid at heart. The ticket guy even said when we gave him our tickets that "you're never too old to ride the carousel!" And I agree whole-heartedly.)

(Sorry, this one's a little dark...)

What day at the zoo is complete without a trip to the playground and trying on a new shell?? Our day was definitely complete.

(The slide was a snake. And Andrew was apparently a tasty snack.)

In the reptile/small mammal house, there was a sloth hanging out in the middle courtyard. His little hideout looked mighty comfy!

We finished off the day at Bruges Waffles & Frites (http://www.brugeswaffles.com/main.php) in Salt Lake City. We both tried their Machine Gun sandwich (lamb (yes, I voluntarily ate a baby sheep...) sausage sandwich served on a baguette roll, with Bruges' special sauce and french fries) and shared a vanilla waffle with crème fraiche and raspberries. Mmmm tasty!
(More or less what it looked like. It's the picture off their website...)

Today was a great day full of laughs and many new memories. Thanks again, Andrew!!

Let Freedom Ring!

2010-07-04T17:01:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July! What a wonderful time to dwell on the things we are blessed with, like our freedom, this beautiful country, and the lives we have to live! Last night, in celebration of the 4th of July, my co-workers (and great friends Brayden and Andrew) and I hiked the Y and watched the fireworks being set off from the Stadium of Fire. It was a blast! We met at around 9:00 last night and headed to the top. And yes, it was just as painful as when I hiked it the last time. We reached the top about 45 minutes later and sat around enjoying the view until the fireworks started between 10:15 and 10:30. We could not only see the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire, but could see personal fireworks going off all across the valley! It was so cool! The fireworks show was good and we could even hear some of the larger fireworks explode. Below are some of the better shots I was able to get of the fireworks and some pictures of my goofy friends (who couldn't seem to take a decent pictures... thanks guys, thanks. :OP) and me. We did get some good laughs out of some of these pictures, so yes, it was worth it. As you can see I was dying by the time the second posted picture was taken...

Brayden, Me, and Andrew

Change. It's good. Honest.

2010-05-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

With the end of this last semester came a lot of changes in my life. I can't say I like all of them 100%, but I do like most of them. I finished the semester with finals, as always, and passed all my classes with flying colors! The Thursday after finals ended, I started moving into my new apartment. It's only a little over a block south of where I lived last year and it's still in the same ward. I loveloveLOVE my new place. It's a lot newer than my last apartment and so much NICER!

View from the front door into the apartment. Large and spacious.

View of the front door/living room from the kitchen. The hallway on the left leads to the bedrooms and bathroom.

Left side of the kitchen.

Right side of the kitchen. LOVE all the cupboard space!

My bedroom. My friend Alicia will move in with me in the Fall. Nice BIGGG bedroom. To the left is a large desk with shelves on the wall above it.

There's also a smaller bedroom (Two girls who lived here last year will move into it again in the Fall. Both super nice girls.) and a bathroom. (I'll spare you the pictures of those... :OP)

I'm living in an empty apartment for the time being (No one else signed a contract for this apartment for Spring/Summer.) and it's been an interesting adjustment. I love having control of everything that goes on within these walls (keeping it clean, keeping on top of my own dishes and no one elses, camping out on the couch for hours on end watching whatever I want on TV...), but I admit it gets lonely. I haven't seen or talked to very many people outside of work all week and most of my close friends went home for the summer. It's been a big adjustment.

Anticipation is mounting for the various events of this summer. I have a lot of new things happening at work (see My Geology Blog for details) which is going to be fun all by itself. I turn 21 in July. August brings my Hawaii trip (!!!), a trip to California, my friends coming back to Provo, and the beginning of another year of school! (Yes, call me crazy, I AM excited for school to start again...)

Overall, life is good. I have had a TON of time to relax and be lazy. It'll get old at some point, but I quite enjoy being able to come home from work, eat dinner, and watch TV until bed time and not have to worry about a SINGLE thing. It's wonderful. I leave Monday for a week of field work. I'm really excited!

I think that's all for now... Hope all is well with my readers!

Fun Stuff...

2010-04-07T17:05:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, my friend Rachel called me up and said she wanted to go home for the following weekend. So we made plans to head home on Thursday and didn't tell our parents. I was really grateful for the chance to go home and surprise my parents (Jessi knew I was coming. I had to have an inside person, of course...). Things went perfectly. There were 4 of us that drove out and we pulled into Concord at about 11:00 that night. Dad was in bed already and Mom was getting ready to head to bed. They both were uber surprised. Friday, Mom, Jessi and I went into San Francisco to visit Dad at work and get lunch with him. We went to Chipotle (Yum!) and after dropping Dad back off at work, headed out to Pacifica to visit the beach. It was overcast and rainy most of the weekend, but California rain (not to be confused with any other rain. Especially Utah rain...) is totally worth it! Please forgive my hair in this picture. It was windy that day...Friday night, the 4 of us went to a Warrior's game to cheer on the CHS Men's Chorus who sang the national anthem. Saturday was spent watching General Conference and while Dad was at the Priesthood session, Mom, Jessi and I went and saw How to Train Your Dragon- 3D! Such a cute movie!! Sunday was filled with more Conference and celebrating Easter. The Easter Bunny came and brought a ton of candy, as ususal, and new dresses for Jessi and me. We dyed Easter eggs (with our Camo Easter egg dying kit) and topped off the night by watching Sherlock Holmes. Rachel, her roommate Hope, and I drove home to Provo via Las Vegas due to a snowstorm over Donner Pass. And I drove for the first time in a snowstorm... One of the craziest adventures of my life... ;O) It was a really good weekend. It's been an adjustment getting back into the swing of things, (schools done in a week and a half...) but I am so glad I was able to go.

Nothing New....

2010-03-25T23:37:00.000-07:00

I am alive! Just in case you were wondering. :O)

Nothing much is going on in my life right now. I'm about three weeks away from the end of the semester and things are going well. I should pass all my classes this semester with flying colors (barring any unforseen misfortunes...) and am loving my job more and more every day. Change is in the air, though. Spring is here, (don't get me wrong, I'm loving the weather), but Spring means end of school and a new chapter in my life. I'm staying in Provo this summer for the first time in my college career and although I am stoked for the new experiences that are in store for me, it's bittersweet. Friends will leave, I'll make new friends, old friends will return and the cycle will continue. I love my ward that I am in now, but the turnover at the end of this semester will be fairly large. It'll be weird staying in the ward and becoming one of the "old-timers". Really weird. But I'll adjust. I always do. Eventually.

My old roommate, Vania, performed in the BYU Lu'au this week. I had the opportunity to go and watch her perform last night. What a fun time! It just reminded me how much I love the different cultures and dances of the Pacific Islands. I went to Hawaii my Senior year of high school and have been dying to go back ever since. Last night reminded me how much I miss Hawaii. Even after only being there for a week almost three years ago. For a band trip, no less, where I didn't get to experience the full extent of Hawaii's awesomeness. I'm planning a trip back for later this summer... Cross your fingers for me and hope it works out! :O)

I'm getting ready to register for classes for next Fall. Already!? Crazy. I'm planning on taking Chem 106, Calculus, Biological Diversity: Animals, Geology Seminar, and a Paleontology class. It should be a pretty good semester. I'm really looking forward to it.

Overall, life is great. I'm learning to have a positive attitude about life and, although I'm taking my fair share of blows, I'm pulling through. Life is beautiful. Life is great. Get out there and enjoy it. Be happy. Life's too short to waste it away. Love you all.

Called to Serve!!

2010-01-31T18:41:00.000-08:00

First of all: Happy New Year to everyone! I know, I'm a little late, but it's all ok. Cuz it's technically still January. For the next couple hours anyways... :O) I had a great new year with family and friends and am loving being back at BYU. I'm already a fourth of the way done with the semester and classes and work are going great! I have made the official decision to stay in Provo this summer and work. I'm staying on the BYU Paleontology team and will have the opportunity to work at 3 different quarries this summer searching for dinosaur bones!! (Keep checking my Geology blog, It's a Hard Rock Life, throughout the summer and hopefully I'll be able to blog a little about my adventures! There's a link on the right.) I am way super excited for this opportunity and think it'll be a great experience!!

My friend Jalena got her mission call this week. I went up with her and a few friends to be there while she opened it. She's going to Copenhagen, Denmark! I'm am so excited for her and know that she will make an amazing missionary!! Congrats again, Jalena!!!

Below are some pictures from Thursday night.

The group of friends that went to support her (minus my roommate Lisa who left early): front row: Me, Hailey, Mallory. Second Row: Jalena's aunt, one of Jalena's old roommates and husband behind her, Jalena, Jon, Ward. Between Jalena and Jon: Heather (Jalena's sister) and Reid (Heather's fiance).

Almost... Done...

2009-12-09T22:05:00.000-08:00

I can't believe this semester is almost done. Tomorrow is the last day of class, finals start on Monday, and I fly home for Christmas on Friday. And I am wayyyy excited. Classes went fairly well this semester, I think. I'm going to have to re-take one of them, but a fairly successful semester otherwise.

I especially can't believe 2009 is wrapping up. Where the heck did this year go!? Here's a few highlights from my 2009 year...

I came back to BYU. Probably one of the BEST decisions of my LIFE.
I changed my major to Geology. Couldn't be more happier with this change either!!
My friend, Erin Capson (now Treasure) got married. Couldn't attend her reception, but I am still soooo happy for her!!
I graduated from high school two years ago... so weird.
I turned 20!! Woohoo!! Less than a year until I can gamble and buy alcohol!! I mean... ahem...
I successfully (?) completed my third summer at Subway (Eat Fresh!). I won't be going back. EVER. (even though I have splurged a couple times this semester.... I don't know what happened, but I sometimes crave Subway sandwiches...)
My childhood friend, Rachel Van Vliet (now Reilly) got married. Hooray!!
My friend, Stephen Jensen, completed his mission! 2010 will be the year for all my freshman boys to come home and I can't wait!!
My friend, Sherry Lambertson (now Lacy) got married. What a wonderful day for her!!
My bestie, Rachel Baldwin, came to BYU!!! I hardly ever see her, but I still LOVE that she is here!
I got a job at the Museum of Paleontology here on BYU's campus. Most interesting job I've ever had.
Cambree Belle Quinn (my second niece) was born!!! What a beautiful, happy little baby!!
I moved into an amazing new ward. I've made so many great new friends. This ward has been one of the biggest blessings in my life.
I conquered a cornmaze at Cornbelly's. Funnest Halloween adventure I've probably ever been on.
Caylee turned two!! Whenever I bring up this small tidbit, my roommates from freshman year fondly recall that they still remember her as a fetus in an ultrasound photo. And now she's two. How fast time flies!!
My friends, Jessica Petersen and Jennifer Lambertson, both got engaged! Jennifer's getting married in January, and Jessica in February. Congrats, girls!!!
I conquered the Y! First time I've ever hiked it and it was... painful. :O)

Let's see... did I miss anything? I think I got most of the best highlights. What a crazy year this has been! I have been so blessed this year and I owe it to all my friends, my family, and especially to my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. I love you all.

Kimmy-1, Mountain-0

2009-11-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

So I FINALLY did it! My dad's been bugging me for the past 2 and a half years to get a group together and go hike the Y. Well, after over 2 years of being at BYU, I went! I called up one of my friends in the ward and he drove me up and we hiked it. It was definitely a bit more strenuous than I realized, but totally worth it. Below are a couple of pictures from my adventure up the mountain. The first is my "victory" pose. The second is of me and Brad. It is most definitely an afternoon to remember! And something that I will physically remember for at least the next 3 days... haha :O)

Thanks again, Brad!

She'll probably hate me for this, but oh well...

2009-11-09T20:29:00.001-08:00

My roommate, Vania, from Freshman year is pictured in this month's (November) New Era Magazine!!! Yay Vonnie! :O) For those of you who have a hard copy, it's on page 4. For those of you who don't, you can look it up online. Below is the link for the PDF version of the magazine. (She's the one on the right) Love you, girlie! And congrats to BEING FAMOUS!!!!

http://www.lds.org/churchmagazines/NE_2009_11_00___04251_000_000.pdf

Another small update...

2009-11-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

I got registered for my Winter 2010 (2010 already!?!?!) classes this last weekend while I was in Arizona. I'm way excited for my schedule and I think it'll be a little more relaxing than this semester's. I'm taking:
Historical Geology
Geology Seminar
New Testament - 2nd half
Greek & Roman Mythology (WAYYY!! excited for this one!)
Advanced First Aid & Safety (I'm planning on signing up for the Driver's Education Safety minor sometime soon and this is one of the classes I will have to take.)

Along with all of this, I will be working at the Museum of Paleontology again and the plan is to have a little more time for a social life... :O)

I went to a bonfire last night up Provo Canyon with a bunch of friends in my ward. Don't have any pictures, but it was fun anyway! I'm so happy I've been able to (and brave enough to... haha) branch out and meet tons of new people in my ward! It's been such a blessing!

Halloween Weekend

2009-11-07T14:38:00.000-08:00

I drove down to Arizona with my sister Jessi this last weekend to visit my other sister, Julie, and her family. It was a blast!! Saturday was Caylee's 2nd birthday and we celebrated by going to Chili's, eating cake, and going Trick or Treating! Sunday was Cambree's blessing day. It was fun being able to take a break from school and work to go visit family for a few days. Playing 'catch-up' in my classes is always not fun, too. But it was worth it!

Me and the Birthday Girl Saturday morning.

Fairy and a Strawberry. Two of the cutest little girls EVER!!!

Out Trick or Treating. Me, Cambree, and Grandpa/Dad.

Caylee and Julie.

Jessi, Spencer, and Caylee.

Cambree's Blessing Day. It was awesome being able to see my whole family!!! :O)

As Promised...

2009-11-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

As promised, here's a couple more pictures from my Cornbelly's adventure. The first is a picture of the bouncy thing they had there. The second is more of the group in the corn house. It was basically like a giant sandbox only it was corn kernels instead of sand. Way fun!! I'm kinda bummed that the camera lense got covered in corn dust, but I still think its a way cute picture of all of us!

Front row- L-R Rick, Hailey, Kasse, & Travis
Back Row- L-R Me, Brad, Vanessa, Jalena, & Dave

We bounced, we screamed, we conquered.

2009-10-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

Pretty much the funnest thing I did this month so far (besides grueling midterms, being sick, and surviving the first "snow" of the season) was go to Cornbelly's with a bunch of friends in my ward, many of which I hadn't met before that night. There were 12 of us all together (5 girls & 7 boys. totally opposite what I'm used to...). It was a blast! We all bought the "spookier" ticket and all got to experience the haunted cornmaze, getting eaten by a beast (heh), and a good, old-fashioned cornmaze. Another fun attraction(?) they had was a contraption kinda like a trampoline. It was basically a huge plastic air bubble on the ground that we got to jump on. Hopefully I'll get my hands on some more pictures soon that I can post and have a more accurate description/visual of what it looked like. It took our car-load of people, what is normally a 25-minute drive, almost an hour to get back to Provo, but we made it fun by having a dance party the whole way back. Thanks guys for making it such an awesome night!!!

Waiting in line to buy our tickets. L-R Brad, Me, Vanessa, Rick's head in the distance, Dave, Kasse, Travis, & Hailey. (8/12 of the people there that night)

Jalena and I got put in the stocks apparently for "breaking the rules" in the cornmaze. She was probably the only person out of the 11 other people there that night that I knew.

A Much Needed Update... Again

2009-09-26T13:22:00.000-07:00

Life is great! I am back at BYU, my roommates are awesome, my ward is awesome, classes are great, and I LOVE my new job (see my Geology blog for an update on that). I have been so blessed to live so close to some of my former roommates, whom I visit all the time. I am also excited to have Rachel here at BYU and to be able to see her more often. I am proud to say I am an official BYU sports fan and went to my first home football game last saturday! Below is a picture of the Rachel and me at the football game and also a view of the field from our seats. You can also see the exasperated poses of the Cougar fans sitting in front of us. The Cougars played an awful game, but it was a blast!

More exciting news: They're building an In-n-Out in Orem!!! It's located in the same parking lot as the Outback Steakhouse on University Parkway, I believe. In the background of the picture below, you can see how far they've built. It should be open by the end of this year!!!

My last bit of news is that my second niece, Cambree Belle, was born on September 2, 2009. She's adorable and I can't wait to meet her in a couple months!!! Below is a picture of Caylee (almost 2) holding her new baby sister. :O)

Google Knows...

2009-03-20T23:29:00.000-07:00

Q1: Type in “[your name] needs” in the Google search.
Kimmy needs your help financially to help fund her surgeries.

Q2: Type in “[your name] looks like” in Google search.
Kimmy looks like a misfit muppet baby that was tucked away hidden from the public for a very good reason!

Q3: Type in “[your name] says” in Google search.
Kimmy says "she’s not engaged … yet”

Q4: Type in “[your name] wants” in Google search.
Kimmy wants to keep her toes.

Q5:Type in “[your name] does” in Google search.
Kimmy does Bad @$$ Hair!!!!

Q6: Type in “[your name] hates” in Google search.
Kimmy hates grocery shopping and hasn’t been to the store this year.

Q7: Type in “[your name] asks” in Google search.
Kimmy asks a little bird for a Christmas wish, but needs to work on her diction.

Q8: Type in “[your name] likes ” in Google search.
Kimmy likes attention.

Q9: Type in “[your name] eats ” in Google search.
Kimmy eats a chocolate covered cricket.

Q10: Type in “[your name] wears” in Google search.
Kimmy wears maroon Kenneth Cole glasses, a black sweater-dress, a magenta scarf, a greenish grey army inspired jacket, a brown leather over-sized bag, ...

Q11: Type in “[your name] was arrested for” in Google Search.
Kimmy was arrested for drugs.

Q12: Type in “[your name] loves” in Google Search.
Kimmy loves danny forever! (Danny??? Who's Danny!?)

A Quick Update...

2009-02-28T18:10:00.001-08:00

So I figure it's been a while, and I do have some stuff to post. I guess this is my February update... :)

Excitement #1 - Julie turned 25 this month and Jessi and I sent her a new Willowtree to add to her collection. Happy Birthday, once again!!

Excitement #2 - I got a letter from Latvia!! A friend of mine that I grew up with is serving a mission in the Baltics, currently Riga, Latvia. It was good to hear from him and hear how he's doing. He gets back in July/August of this year.

Excitement #next - The most intense part of February took place Valentine's day weekend. My roommate from earlier this semester got married on Valentine's Day. The night before, Melissa and I decided to have a girl's night... paint toenails, facials, shave legs, etc. and it went DRASTICALLY wrong. :) We decided to rat our hair and ran around with facials and ratted hair for at least an hour. It was a fun, fun, fun night!! We both spent an hour in the shower afterwards trying to wash our hair out... My hair in particular hated me after that. :) Bedtime: 3:30am. Wake up time the next morning: 7:30am. The next morning, we woke up and my five roommates and I braved a Utah blizzard and drove and hour and a half to Farr West, Utah area for Amanda's wedding. My roommate Angela, who's also from Cali, borrowed her sister's car and drove for her first time in the snow... Good job Angela!!! It was nice to be able to go and support Amanda and her family.

On our way North. L to R Chynna, Melissa, Me. Below picture: Angela is driving. Ashley in passenger seat.

After the ceremony. L to R: Angela, Ashley, Amanda, Chynna, Melissa, Me

After that, Valentine's day was spent sleeping (4 hour nap) and staying in an empty apartment watching Stardust.Excitement? #4 - Sunday morning, Feb 15, my roommates and I left for church and I decided to shin-sled down the stairs in our apartment building. I was at the top of a flight of about 7 or 8 stairs and the heel of my shoe got caught on the top step and down I went. I don't have a picture of my legs afterwards, but I was bruised from the knees down, including the tops of my feet. I don't have a picture because they felt A LOT worse than they looked. I mostly bruised my bones, but I did have two nice impact bruises, one on each leg. What a weekend. :)

Excitement #5 - I changed my major! I decided that Biology was not the thing for me and I am now going to be studying Geology with an emphasis in Vertebrate Paleontology. I am so excited for all the doors this change has opened up for me! I already have a potential job for next Fall. I will be working with fossils and (I'm guessing) preparing them for transport, and possibly getting them ready for exhibits and such. Not really sure, but I'm STOKED!!! I also have a potential job for summer of 2010 working as an assisstant to a Paleontologist. I'll get to live in a tent and help with work at archiological dig sites. I am so excited that I have made this transition and I can't wait to start working on it!!

I started watching Smallville online earlier this week. It's been really fun for me to start a TV series from the beginning and get to know the characters from the start. I'm starting to become emotionally attatched to the characters, which is new and kinda weird for me. It probably isn't that great of a habit to have gotten into, but it fills my time (cuz I'm SO BUSY!) and gives me something to analyze and think about. I have to admit that Lex Luther is one of my favorite characters... which is funny in its own way because he becomes the bad guy later on... but whatever. :)

I think that's all for now. I have about a month and half left of this semester then I'll be heading back home to Cali. I'm so happy the snow is finally going away around here and we've been seeing more and more of the sun lately. I'm still loving being back at BYU and am so grateful for all the experiences I have been blessed with.

25 Things...

2009-02-28T18:05:00.000-08:00

This is something that has been going around for a while and I finally got around to it a couple weeks ago on Facebook. I just hadn't posted it on my blog yet. So here it is!! :)

1. I love glowy things... Glow sticks are my favorite. Glowy stars come in a close second.
2. I love stars. It's one of my favorite shapes. But I am terrified of outer-space. Explain that one...
3. I regret to admit that my current roommates got me hooked on the Bachelor. :)
4. Daisies are my favorite flower.
5. Elephants are my favorite animal.
6. I like being alone. There are times when I have to be alone or I'll go crazy. But I hate being lonely. It's one of my greatest fears.
7. I usually don't consider myself a very funny person. But people usually find something about me to laugh at...
8. I'm procrastinating a pile of homework by writing this.
9. The sound chicken bones make when being pulled apart makes my skin crawl. My family laughs at me during dinner because the sound makes me cringe.
10. I love music! I can't go for very long without rocking out to an awesome song. You can usually tell what kind of mood I'm in by the music I listen to. I love music but anything that has to do with music theory has me running. It's my worst subject.
11. I'm a true California girl, born and raised, but I've never surfed or been to Hollywood.
12. After working at Subway two summers in a row, I'm aching to go back. I love and miss my job there.
13. I can't wait to be married in the temple! I can't wait for the day when I can go there and be sealed to my eternal companion.
14. My dream pet is a dragon. They are magnificent creatures and I only wish they were real.
15. I love to read. I would spend all day reading if it was socially acceptable. I practically do spend all my time reading, but I do occasionally show my face to let my roomies know I'm still alive.
16. I'm in the middle of reading the Twilight Saga all the way through, again. I started the fourth book today and it will probably be done by Wednesday. Thursday at the latest....
17. I love milk! It's the best drink EVER! I can't drink icy milk. I have a mental block against it. It makes me gag.
18. I miss marching band.
19. I currently make ranch for a living. It can get pretty entertaining sometimes...
20. I want to be a mom. It's my number one dream job. Once I get married, I could happily live the rest of my life at home raising kids and never work another day.
21. I have a hard time meeting people and making new friends. My shyness usually comes across as rudeness. I really don't have a bad attitude all the time! Promise!!
22. I love BYU! After spending a semester at home, I know it's the right place to be and I LOVE it here! If only it was located in California! It would make it that much better!
23. I love sneezing! I'm having a sneezing fit typing in this list and LOVING IT!!! :)
24. I'm a member of the unofficial NBK club. My 2009 goal is to get myself kicked out of that club.
25. I love cats. Having grown up with cats, it's hard to adjust to a non-feline atmosphere at school.

Fighting Crime. In Style.

2009-02-08T22:40:00.000-08:00

So my roommate Melissa just shared this fun website with me. We just spent the last half-hour creating our superhero selves. Feel like fighting crime? Well you can, too!! :) My superhero is followed by Melissa's.

http://www.cpbintegrated.com/theherofactory/

My First Week Back at the Y!!

2009-01-18T14:20:00.001-08:00

These are a few uneventful photos from my first week back in Provo. I'll obviously add more as I have more adventures with my roommates and friends, but that'll come later.

When I first checked into my dorm, I was nervous. I've lived in Heritage Halls before, but with new roommates, comes new adventures and experiences. My lovely roommates put this basket and poster together before they left for Christmas break. I knew instantly that I would be living with five of the most amazing girls imaginable. I have truly been blessed by them and hope this semester turns out amazing.

My room. My half anyways. This is the day I moved in. And I can GUARANTEE it doesn't looke this good anymore.... :) After all, I've been living here for over two weeks now...

The day after I moved in, I went to my FIRST BYU basketball game!! My first BYU sports game in general actually. I went with two of my roomies and a girl in my ward. It was a lot of fun if you disregard the fact that I barely knew them and I just didn't know what to expect. The mass of white you see in this photo is the Student section of the stadium. Everyone is wearing the same shirt and there is so much SCHOOL PRIDE!!! I loved it and can't wait to go to my next big BYU sports event!

Christmas, New Years, and a Little in Between

2009-01-18T13:37:00.001-08:00

One of my goals before I went off to school this last time was to reach 150,000 miles on the car I've been driving and I did it! On my way to pick Jessi up at the airport I look down and I'd reached my goal!

Christmas Eve I was told to go look at my car. I did get a white Christmas after all!! I figured out later that my sister was responsible for this.

Me, decked out in some of my new Holiday attire. I kinda look like a headache, but whatever.

The biggest Christmas present this year! Calypso joined our family all the way from Idaho. Dad, Jessi, and me were in on the whole thing. Mom didn't have a CLUE!!!

Nap time after a long, hard morning of opening presents.

Christmas night we all gathered together and played card games.

Everyone. Including Mr. OMalley, who was having a rough day due to the new addition to the family. He sat bundled in this blanket on my lap for a good half hour. Poor guy. He had a very stressful Christmas.

New Years Eve was spent in Utah. That morning Mom, Dad, Jessi, and I went to Wheeler Farm in Murray, UT and wandered around. Below are a few of the friends we made.

For some reason, Utah seems to have PLENTY of mules. I've seen more mules here than horses.

Thanksgiving anyone??

Two calves that weren't very old. They were cold. And completely ADORABLE!!!

In carrying with tradition, Jessi and I had our Annual Gingerbread House Building Adventure. It took place on New Years Eve this year instead of Christmas Eve. But that's ok. We still had fun with it.

Hard at work.

My house.

Jessi's house.

The next five pictures were the "highlight" of our New Year's Eve. All I can really say is that I love my family. And my sister's Mac Book. But that's besides the point.

All in all it was a great Holiday season for me. The best part about Christmas is the memories made, the gifts we give, and the Spirit that is felt. I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for the Christmas season and for the chance we have to celebrate the birth of Christ. I know He is my Redeemer and died for all of us that we might live again. I love the life I live and the opportunities I have been blessed with. Thanks to everyone I know for being my friend and for being you. May the Light of Christ always be with you throughout this 2009 year and in the many years to come!

44 Randomnesses

2009-01-06T16:26:00.000-08:00

Yes, I copied this from my sister's blog. No idea where she got it, but since my camera is freaking out.... I needed to blog SOMETHING!! :) When I figure out my camera mess, I'll be posting pictures.

1. Do you like blue cheese? Not so much.
2. Have you ever smoked? uhh... no
3. Do you own a gun? uhno
4. What flavor kool-aid was your favorite? Tropical Punch with lemon juice
5. Do you get nervous about doctor appointments? nope
6. What do you think of hot dogs? I have a mental block against hot dogs, though I do eat them on the rare occasion.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Elf
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Milk
9. Can you do push ups? push up. singular.
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I don't wear jewlery, but when I do, my silver daisy slide necklace
11. Favorite hobby? reading.
12. Do you have A.D.D.? not officially.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? tendency to over-think
14. Middle initial? A
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? I wish I had some better snow boots. I really should be working on homework, not posting this on my blog. Andddddd a series of thoughts that will not be posted at this time. Call me if you really want to know.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Milk, water, saliva?
17. Current worry? aheh. See question 15, thought #3
18. Current hate right now? walking a mile (feels like) to work in the snow at 6:45 in the morning
19. Favorite place to be? Anyplace where I can be alone if needed so I can relax or think.
20. How did you bring in the new year? Making myself sick drinking Martinelli's with Jessi, calling Mom and Dad to yell "Happy New Year!", then proceeding to go to bed at 12:15am.
21. Where would you like to go? I'm currently content where I am
22. Name three people who will complete this? Peoples A, B, & Julie. Since Jessi already finished.
23. Do you own slippers? Yes. Three pairs.
24. What shirt are you wearing? Green Aeropostale shirt with a black undershirt
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? ick not.
26. Can you whistle? Yes.
27. Favorite color? Black. Pink (all shades). Sky Blue.
28. Would you be a pirate? Keep your ARRRRms in!
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Negative on the shower singing. Unless there is music playing and I'm home alone.
30. Favorite girls name? Can't think of one right now. Depends on what the last name would be...
31. Favorite boys name? Taylor
32. What's in your pocket right now? Lint.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? My roommates talking about how boy desperate they are.
34. What vehicle do you drive? currently my two feet. When I'm home, Beatrice. White, two-door, manual shift, Nissan Sentra
35. Worst injury you've ever had? Hairline fracture in my left wrist in fourth grade. Or setting my hand on a stove burner that had just been turned off in first grade and having blisters on my hand in the shape of a burner. You choose.
36. Do you love where you live? meh. It keeps me warm and dry. and I have a bed.
37. How many t.v.'s do you have in your house? one
38. Who is your loudest friend? ummmm.... prolly Travis.
39. Do you have any pets? At home in Cali. Two cats. O'Malley and Calypso
40. Does someone have a crush on you? I wouldn't know. Ask them.
41. Your favorite book? The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
42. Do you collect anything? Key chains. Elephants. Started a pillow/stuffed animal collection for my dorm room...
43. Favorite Sports team? uhhhhh....
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? something that will remind everyone of me. never really thought about it since it will hopefully be a while before my funeral.

Headed Back...

2008-12-28T00:21:00.001-08:00

I can't believe it's already time to leave again. And to think, as of four months ago, I wasn't going to be. I am way excited for this new opportunity to be going back to the Y to learn and to grow. I was blessed last year with the finest of roommates... and here I am, practically starting over again. Now is the time in my life to meet new people and expand my horizon. I am ecstatic for this chance I have been given to try again.

Wish me luck. And a Happy New Year, 2009 to all!!

One Fun Night!!!

2008-12-26T14:05:00.001-08:00

Ali, Erin, Sherry, and I went bowling a few weeks ago... and it was awesome! It was good to have a night out just us girls. Definitly needed. Thanks a bunch girls!! (You can also see my awesome new haircut in this picture. I LOVE it!)

The Sweet Life of Zak and Sophie

2008-10-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

While I was successfully procrastinating an english essay, I bought two new goldfish. Jessi wanted to see pictures and I want to brag about my adorable new fish, so here they are!!

This is a video I took of them... at the very end you can see Sophie's tail fin fairly well. It's a double tail fin, if that makes sense, and is how I tell the two apart.

Sophie is on the right in the above picture and Zak is on the left.

What a fun way to procrastinate!! :)

Have You Ever...?

2008-09-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

I was bored. Had a bunch of time on my hands. Here is the result.

1. Touched an iceberg - no
2. Slept under the stars - GIRL'S CAMP!!
3. Been a part of a hockey fight - not big on hockey...
4. Changed a baby's diaper - yes. and a record of about 2 or 3... that'll prolly change at Thanksgiving now that I've mentioned it...
5. Watched a meteor shower - a long time ago and I barely remember it.
6. Given to a charity - yes
7. Swam with wild dolphins - nope
8. Climbed a mountain - I think I've climbed Mt. Diablo before... not sure though
9. Held a tarantula - ummm... no
10. Said "I love you" and meant it - of course.
11. Bungee jumped - on the wish list
12. Visited Paris - not yet
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea - sounds fun!
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise - no...
15. Seen the Northern Lights - on my wish list
16. Gone to a huge sports game - A's and Giant's games
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty - no
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables - my dad's... :)
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope - yes
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment - ummm... yes.
21. Had a pillow fight - for surely
22. Bet on a winning horse - no
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill - I don't think so... sick day from school yes. work no.
24. Held a lamb - no
25. Gone skinny dipping - nope
26. Taken an ice cold bath - no
27. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar - I grew up going to San Fran a lot. and no.
28. Seen a total eclipse - no
29. Ridden a roller coaster - OF COURSE!
30. Hit a home run - prolly not
31. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking - usually when I'm home alone...
32. Adopted an accent for fun - nope
33. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - don't think so
34. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment - at some point probably
35. Loved your job 90% of the time - sadly yes. I can't seem to get away from Subway....
36. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - no
37. Watched wild whales - no
38. Gone rock climbing - in a store. and halfway up a portable one at GradNite
39. Gone on a walk on the beach - yup, not a romantic one. just with friends
40. Gone sky diving - nope
41. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - no
42. Bench-pressed your own weight - no
43. Milked a cow - it was made of wood... and had a rubber glove for udders...?
44. Alphabetized your personal files - nope
45. Worn a superhero costume - no... made a Batman shirt for the midnight release of Dark Knight tho...
46. Sung karaoke - yes. 8th grade dance
47. Lounged around in bed all day - couldnt do it. unless I was sleeping
48. Gone scuba diving - SNORKELING!!!
49. Kissed in the rain - proud (HA!) member of the NBK club...
50. Played in the mud - when I was little...
51. Gone to a drive-in theater - when I was like.... 5
52. Done something you should regret, but don't - prolly
53. Visited the Great Wall of China - no
54. Started a business - no
55. Been in a movie - yes. titled "Attack of the Raptor"... *sigh* college freshman memories...
56. Gone without food for 3 days - never!
57. Made cookies from scratch - of course. but what's more impressive is I bake cookies 5 days a week... (they're pre-made and frozen...)
58. Won first prize in a costume contest - no
59. Got flowers for no reason - prolly
60. Spoken more than one language fluently - no
61. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone - no, well... not physical
62. Bounced a check - nope! *knock on wood*
63. Read and understood your credit report - what the heck is a credit report?
64. Found out something significant that your ancestors did - yes. see the bottom of yesterday's San Fran post.
65. Called or written your Congress person - no
66. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over - no
67. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge - not all the way. but yes
68. Helped an animal give birth - not yet. but I plan to a lot in a couple of years...
69. Been fired or laid off from a job - no
70. Won money - $1 scratchers! on my 18th birthday!
71. Broken a bone - yes. hairline fracture in 4th grade
72. Ridden a motorcycle - no
73. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph - sadly no
74. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon - no
75. Slept through an entire flight - no
Where's number 76??
77. Had your picture in the newspaper - no
78. Read the Bible cover to cover - no
79. Changed some one's mind about something you care deeply about - no...
80. Gone back to school - umm... yes
81. Changed your name - not yet
82. Eaten fried green tomatoes - no
83. Read The Iliad - no
84. Taught yourself an art from scratch - not really
85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - chickens
86. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt - prolly
87. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language - not sure
88. Been elected to public office - Band Council? in high school...
89. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream - not really
90. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you - no
91. Dyed your hair - Heaven's no!
92. Rocked a baby to sleep - sadly no
93. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours - surprisingly no
94. Raked your carpet - uh... no
95. Worn a mood ring - worn one but never owned one
96. Ridden a horse - yes
97. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap - yes. out of rock.
98. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe - prolly
99. Buried a child - thankfully no
100. Gone to a Broadway play - no
101. Been inside the pyramids - no
102. Shot a basketball into a basket - yes
103. Danced at a disco - no
104. Played in a band - yes
105. Shot a bird - no
106. Gone to an arboretum - an arbo-what-ium?
107. Tutored someone - no
108. Ridden a train - BART!
109. Brought an old fad back into style - haha no
110. Eaten caviar - no
111. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn't need - no
112. Ridden a giraffe or elephant - no
113. Published a book - no
114. Pieced a quilt - yes
115. Lived in a historic place - no
116. Acted in a play or performed on a stage - Mouse "King" in the Nutcracker and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Both in 5th grade
117. Asked for a raise - yes
118. Made a hole-in-one mini golfing - dont think so
119. Gone deep sea fishing - no
120. Gone roller skating - yes
121. Run a marathon - no
122. Learned to surf - no but I've skim boarded and boogie boarded
123. Invented something - no
124. Flown first class - no
125. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury hotel - no
126. Sang a solo - yup. wizard of oz play in 5th grade
127. Gone spelunking - no
128. Learned how to take a compliment - prolly not
129. Written a love-story - everyday in my mind
130. Seen Michelangelo's David - not in real life
131. Had your portrait painted - no
132. Written a fan letter - almost
133. Spent the night in something haunted - no
134. Ran away - no
135. Learned to juggle - no
136. Been a boss - no
137. Sat on a jury - no
138. Lied about your weight - no
139. Gone on a diet - no
140. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget - I've found 2 four leaf clovers before...
141. Written a poem - yes
142. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox - yes
143. Gotten food poisoning - not that I'm aware of
144. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission - no
145. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks - yes, many times
146. Gone to the opera - no
147. Gotten a letter from someone famous - not really
148. Worn knickers - knickers? i think so.
149. Ridden in a limousine - yes
150. Attended the Olympics - nope. didn't even watch the 2008 ones.
151. Can hula or waltz - yup. both
152. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books - no
153. Been stuck in an elevator - no
154. Had a revelatory dream - not that I remember
155. Thought you might crash in an airplane - no
156. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert - no
157. Saved someone's life - not that I know of
158. Eaten raw whale - no, but yes to raw fish
159. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint - yes
160. Laughed till your side hurt - of course
161. Straddled the equator - no
162. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing - hopefully will soon in my photo class at school
163. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival - no
164. Sent a message in a bottle - no
165. Spent the night in a hostel - yes
166. Been a cashier - yes
167. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - no
168. Joined a union - no
169. Donated blood - yes, once. tried to about 4 other times.
170. Built a campfire - yes, many a time
171. Kept a blog - um...
172. Had hives - no
173. Worn custom made shoes or boots - no
174. Made a PowerPoint Presentation - yes
175. Taken a Hunter's Safety Course - no
176. Served at a soup kitchen - no
177. Conquered the Rubik's cube - GAHHH!! NO! I saw in a catalog once a Sudoku Rubik's cube... gave me nightmares just looking at the thing...
178. Known CPR - basics
179. Gone fishing - yes
180. Found a long lost friend - yes
181. Voted for a contestant on American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance - no
182. Successfully convinced someone you were of a different nationality - no
183. Received a promotion - no
184. Movie-hopped - no
185. Planned a surprise party for someone - helped
186. Beaten all levels of a video game - yes
187. Driven more than 2,500 miles on a cross-country trip - no. furthest i've been is utah and arizona
188. Cried yourself to sleep - yes
189. Stayed awake for more than 24 hours - no... but it's one of my life's goals...
190. Crossed a national border by car - no. never left the country
191. Been to an island - yes. hawaii
192. Been completely out of debt - uh... yes. before college.
193. Read a book from the Twilight series - YES!!! and can't wait for November 21!!!
194. Traveled to Italy - no
195. Given birth - uh, no.
196. Helped solve a crime - no
197. Learned to meditate - no
198. Owned your dream car - nope
199. Learned to love eating raw vegetables - yes
200. Seen all 50 states - only been to 7 of them. another one of those life goals though.

Football Goofballs

2008-09-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

I went to Concord High's first home game last friday. Here's a couple of fun picts from that night. Thanks, girls for an awesome time and for rescuing me from my empty house when my parents were gone!!

BATTER BLASTER!!!

2008-09-11T21:52:00.000-07:00

Mom bought batter in a whipped cream can today... these are pictures/video are of our waffle making experience. I was kind of repulsed by the idea of premade batter in a high pressure can... but the waffles actually turned out good...

Happy Birthday, MOM!!!

2008-09-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Mom celebrated her Almost 50th Birthday a few weeks ago. We had friends over for dinner and games and I made her favorite Oatmeal Cake for dessert. She got SO excited when she figured out what kind of cake I was making her. I haven't seen her that excited in a long time!

She sadly caught on before we could get all the candles lit... SO CLOSE! :)

Bargain Shopping! -ish...

2008-09-11T21:41:00.001-07:00

I went to Kmart one day to look for something. I got really frustrated because they didn't have what I was looking for and somehow I ended up in the clothes department. I found this dress (it's white with dark brown accents) on the SUPER CLEARANCE (my name for clearance price on top of a clearance price...) rack. It was the only one they had and it was my size! I paid $4.55 for it!! I bought the shoes a few weeks previously... (my um.... expensive Kohl's trip I mentioned a few blogs ago...) and they matched perfectly! I was so excited!!

Something New in San Francisco

2008-09-11T21:23:00.000-07:00

My mom and I recently took a trip to Fisherman's Wharf with my Aunt Kathy and two cousins Dan and Josh. Out two families have been going to San Francisco for years together and we decided to do something new and exciting this trip. Located nearby is an old WW2 submarine and a Liberty Ship. We took tours of both and got to learn more about what goes on on one of those big vessels. Here are some of the cool picts I took.

The Submarine Pampanito

The SS Jeremiah O'Brien

One of the big guns on top of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien.

So my Aunt Kathy told us when we walked past this sign that my Great-Grandma, my Grandpa, and my Great-Aunt all worked in the shipyards in Washington building Liberty Ships.

More Birthday Madness...

2008-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

So my sisters keep beginning me to put more pictures up of what I got for my birthday... gift cards, my 2007 graduation present, etc. So here they are!

The first two pictures are of my new purse ($7) and wallet ($12) I got at Mervyn's. The second one is the back of my wallet. The inside of the purse is hot pink. LOVE IT! I still have $25 left at Mervyn's to be spent on who knows what...

The third picture is the series of books I have been reading lately. Jessi's gift card to Barnes & Noble bought me three of those books and I still have $4 left to spend!!

The fourth picture is of the four new skirts and new shoes I got at Kohl's. I also bought a black shirt and a white shirt. I spent $80 of my own money that trip on top of the $50 gift card I had for Kohl's.... Can you say RETAIL THERAPY??? :)

Picture Next is of my 2007 High School Graduation quilt that my sister sent me for my birthday. It is camo patterned with a nice denim back on it. It has officially been dubbed my car quilt. The picture following that is me with my nice new blanket. THANKS JESSI!!

The final picture is of one of the cards Julie gave me for my birthday. She gave me a box of about 50 blank multi-colored cards. This one is the first I have used and I decorated it (it's light blue) with some stickers I had lying around. I will be using it to write to a friend on his mission.

Re-United Once Again

2008-07-31T13:06:00.001-07:00

Friday night I was able to get together with a bunch of my friends. We've all been away at various colleges and it was good to see everyone again. There were still a few of us missing from this outing but here are the 6 of us girls that were there that night....

Left to right: Alison, Me, Sherry, Jessica, Hannah, Celia

We also went to the park near one of the houses I used to live in. Ali and I sat in (on) the baby swings...It was so fun to be able to talk and catch up. I hadn't seen some of these people in over four months. Too long I say.

One word is so not very descriptive...

2008-07-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

I figure that since my sisters both did this... I should too....

Answer the following with only one word:
1. Where is your cell phone? bra
2. Your significant other? unknown
3. Your hair? soft
4. Your mother? friend
5. Your best friend? Rachel
6. Your favorite thing? music
7. Your dream last night? umm...
8. Your favorite drink? milk
9. Your dream/goal? family
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your children? none
12. Your fear? single
13. Where do you want to be in 10 years? family
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? girlfriend
16. Muffins? yummy?
17. One of your wish list items? boy
18. Where you grew up? California
19. What you read last? book
20. What are you wearing? clothes
21. Your TV? old
22. Your pets? ONE
23. Your computer? messy
24. Your life? boring
25. Your mood? content
26. Missing someone? yah
27. Your car? dirty
28. Something you're not wearing? glasses
29. Favorite Store? book
30. Your summer? Subway
31. Like someone? sure
32. Your favorite color? black
33. Last time you laughed? blonde
34. Last time you cried? awhile
35. Your favorite thing? twice??

Another Birthday Celebration... the Crazy Way

2008-07-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

So my best friend Rachel and I decided that to celebrate my 19th birthday we were going to go to the midnight showing of the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight which came out today. Two days after my birthday. So we did. It was SO GOOD! It was totally worth the two hours of sleep I got last night... I still had to get up and be at work at 6:30 this morning... Rachel and I even painted shirts to wear to the showing.

Heath Ledger stole that movie away. He did a phenomenal job. It truly was his acting Masterpiece. It is a shame that he didn't live to see it released, but people around the world will always remember him because of this movie. I personally was very pleased that, even though he was the Joker, you still caught glimpses of the real Heath Ledger.

Birthday Celebrations

2008-07-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

I can't BELIEVE it! I'm 19! Is that even POSSIBLE!? Well it is, and I am...

Tuesday night, my parents informed me we were going to carry out our family tradition of them taking me out for my birthday at 6:30 sharp. My dad needed to get back in timeto work on a few things before he went to bed that night... I was like ok.... I had already decided that my birthday dinner had been taken care of the week before in Tracy (Texas Roadhouse... pict of me on their "birthday saddle" is below... heh.) and on my official birthday, we were going to Boudin's for clam chowder bowls (YUM!)... I was confused because I had already explained this to them, but they told me not to complain so I didn't. Tuesday night rolled around and I was ready to go at 6:30 on the dot. And my parents weren't... Three of my friends, Jennifer, Celia, and Hannah, from church/school came and kidnapped me and took me to dinner! So much fun! And a HUGE surprise!

Wednesday, my actual birthday, my mom and I drove into San Francisco, picked up my dad and went to Boudin's for lunch. SO GOOD!! We then wandered around Pier 39 and then took my dad back to work. My mom and I drove home (the long way) over the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a cool experience because I haven't driven over that bridge in years! That night we ate dinner, opened presents, and ate cake and ice cream just the three of us. Such a fun day! Below are a few of the presents I recieved along with $130 to go clothes shopping..... (YESSSS!!!)

My mom saw this elephant at a store she went to and since I collect elephants, she bought it. It apparently went with the book on the left so she bought that to go along with it. He sleeps on my bed and protects me from the Boogie Man.... :)

My parents and I recently watched the new movie based on these books.... and since they went like hot cakes at our White Elephant gift exchange at our Family Reunion in June, we decided we better read them.... They're really good so far...
Julie brought my presents to our Family Reunion in June and this is one of the things she and her family got me. My very first WILLOW TREE! They also got my a box of multi-colored cards... which will be used to write to the many missionaries that I know in the field. I still haven't gotten a gift from my other sister... wonder when it'll show up... :)

The Misses Robisons

2008-07-13T14:54:00.000-07:00

Is it possible for your heart to be split, scattered, and living all across the U.S.? Yes, a rhetorical question. And yes, it is possible. Pieces of mine are located in Virginia, Wyoming, Georgia, and Hawaii. I miss these girls and our crazy times SO MUCH. These are my roommates from my Freshman year of college. Fat Ash. Vonnie. Lola. Jenny P. And though she'll kill me for saying it... ELMO. We were the Dungeon Dwellers. I miss you girls. See you soon.

~*~ All I Hold Dear ~*~