Utah's Fall.

Chase thinks i'm a freak.

Simply because i'm obsessed with the mountains. Ha. It's not my fault. I love the way this state looks sometimes. ESPECIALLY when its cloudy. The clouds sit around the top of the mountains and they look SO cool. Like really eerie and something out of a movie!! I haven't been able to capture how cool they look but I tried. So here is my catalog of Fall pictures that I took.

I just found out you can click on pictures to make them bigger. I dunno why all my pictures come out really small? I click and tell them to be large! Xtra-Large makes them run off the page. Oh well...

 I'm nowhere near a pro at shooting these kinds of pictures, but I really like taking pictures. :)

Heritage Halls

I really like these next three!

These leaves are all over campus.
People are always sweeping, raking and vacuuming them up. It's
semi-funny.

 

I felt like my mom would like the previous three. I dunno. Don't you like all the trees changing colors? 

Maybe i'm imagining things. But those three are my favorites. Prolly cause I think i'm a real good photographer.

:) Cool Huh?

There is snow on the top of the mountains!

Have I mentioned how much I love the mountains. I can't wait to take some of the snow!

Heritage Halls.

Halloween

I've gotten really bad at this everyday thing. It's just I don't have a lot to say.

The weeks are going by REALLY fast. It's weird.

It snowed on Tuesday. Strangely enough the people out here in Utah don't appreciate the snow quite like those of us from the south. ;)

I was sick and didn't get to take any pictures of the "first snow." Lame. I know.

For Halloween i'm going to the Howl. With Chase, Mariss, Jenna, (2 guys from our ward), some friends from Ogden and possibly Chase's friend Russell.  :)

Last night we went to a haunted house! Nightmare on 13th. It's supposed to be one of the top ten in the country! It was SO much fun. I don't get scared too easily but this was enough to get me. What with Jordan popping out from behind corners at me, Jacob tugging on my arm and well, the house and people themselves it was pretty AWESOME! I talked to Jenna and we were able to get a pretty decent group to go. We had to take 2 cars. In Jordan's car: Jordan, Jenna, Jacob, Lewis, Nikole and Ashley. In my car I had:  Me, Ashley L, Ammon, Michael and Bruce.

Back row: Jordan (orange shirt), Michael, Lewis, Jacob, Bruce, Ammon.
Front Row: Ashley L, Ashley S, Me, Nikole and Jenna

Halloween shopping is getting old fast. Ha. I've been probably 6 times just in this month. Which is like 6 more than I went last year. :)

Mariss and Me in our Halloween Costumes.

Nikole, Me and Jenna Halloween Shopping/

More shopping. Ha

Anyways, I'm really excited. :) And I think that Ammon kid is pretty cute. But other than that this week has been uneventful. Me and Chase went shopping together to put the finishing touches on our costumes. And my lovely Aunt B, was able to find just what I needed. I went to two Walmarts and BOTH were out of a small black tank top. There were only larges left. In both. Weird. I agree. :)

Me and the 3 roommates (Ashley, Jenna and Nikole) have all become really close and really good friends with Jacob, Lewis and Jordan. I like those guys. I needed some good guy friends. :) But, I really love hanging out with Chase, Russell and Dave too. :)

Scary huh?

Letters.

As of right now I have mail to respond to.

I have letters to write to the following people:

• Elder Sammons (my cousin)
• Elder Hallam (my cousins friend/MTC companion)
• Aeryn (my Best Friend)
• Stephanie Spain (My GOOD friend from way back in the day aka my new pen pal)
• Elder Schow (Another of my cousins missionary companions.
• Elder Mauler (One of my friends from BYU's older brother.)

I am so far behind. It's insane. Ha all those letters. Thats 5 of them. My hand will be mad sore after that. But, I should probably get on that SOON. 

I have FHE in a few. I'll blog more tomorrow. 

Here's a picture from the weekend.

We went to The Cheesecake Factory. From left to right.. Whitney, Mariss, Chase, Karlie, Me, Matt.

Matt takes me out to lunch on Tuesdays. He works down in Provo on tuesdays. 

He's really nice. :) I'll blog about that the next time we go.

Till then!

Something Cute I Found

Chase thought it was funny. But also thinks i'm extremely weird for liking it as much as I do.. I dunno... I think it's cute!! :)


How I found this you may ask?? Well when sitting in sociology of course! Our teacher showed us this video and told us (we have a test this week) "that it is NOT our grade that matters in the end... it is who we are that matters." I would like to quote her on that if I get anything less than an A on the test.

I've studied for it and my physical science test like crazy. If I do NOT get at LEAST a B on both... consider this my formal resignation from college.

I am constantly reminded that BYU is just as hard to get into as Chapel Hill and that I am clearly under-qualified for such rigorous classes. I am thinking of dropping out and becoming just a social student. One who lives in the dorms and parties hard, but never gets a degree.

I'm just kidding. But I have studied SO much for these 2 tests.

So Marcel the Shell, With Shoes On... (and everyone else) wish me luck. And enjoy the video. :)

No Pictures.

My mom is gone.  This weekend was beyond needed though. We didn't take any pictures sadly, so there will be none to post. I thought about one of me, but I look a mess today. I promised i'd try to do this everyday, so maybe I will post one of me tomorrow. Because blogs with pictures are ALWAYS more interesting.

I have a LOT of work cut out for me this week. I have a physical science test tomorrow that I am dreading. I am  sure I wont do very good. I'm not very good in that class. Correction: I am good in the class, the test questions are just harder than the ones he gives us as practice. It's rather annoying. I feel unprepared because all the work we do with the TA and in class is so much easier than the tests he makes. College work sucks!

Anthro is too much writing. I have so much to do for one class it's ridiculous. The class is huge. The teacher is arrogant. And wrote most of our reading material. That doesn't make since? How can we learn ANYTHING real about anthropology if all of what we are learning is coming from this one guy? It's dumb. And a lot of work.

Waking up at 7:45 is harder than I thought. Note to Self. NO more 9am classes.

I miss my mom already! I had a blast all weekend. We did a LOT of shopping and eating. But, I feel much more well fed and my spirits are higher than they were previously. It was so good seeing her. She talked to me for awhile on the trampoline at my Aunt B's. Probably one of my more favorite moments, because it was just me and her. Don't get me wrong I LOVED it being me her and chase and even when Mariss and Aunt B joined. But i'd missed that one on one time.

Now. Off. To. More. Homework. YUCK.

Dear Mom,

I sent this to your phone and your email. I'm not sure what you'll check first in the morning. I love you Mom.

Dear Mom,

I miss you SO much. I miss everything about you...

I miss coming home and seeing you there.
I miss having my friends over and them talking about how much they like you.
I miss talking to you.
I miss pestering and bugging the living mess out of you.
I miss your laugh.
I miss your smile.
I miss sitting down in a cafeteria and eating a lunch I know you made.
I miss your hugs.
I miss joking around with you.
I miss me, you and Aeryn talking.
I miss coming home and seeing you on the computer.
I miss Hayden, Blake and Dad too.
I miss Grams. I miss her tons too.
I only cried a little when writing this.
I don't want puffy eyes tomorrow.
I love you.
You were right... I am curled up on my bed thinking how much I miss my Mom.
I miss your secrets and the things I can't tell anyone.
I miss YOU mom.
I miss you lots.

You really are the best.
I cant wait till Christmas... Here's my list of things I want:
I'm teasing.
I do love you though.
And I miss you.
There is no one quite like you.
You mean the world to me.
I love you.

Goodnight.

I miss you.

Just so everyone else wouldn't feel so left out.

I miss him too.

:)

Only our family knows what this means... Family Business.

I love you!

Aunt B made her appearance. :)
Miss this... and you.

Twins? ;)

LOVE YOU MOM.

I'm Trying to Do Better at Blogging.

My head hurts.

My head hurts lots when I wake up in the morning no matter how much sleep I get the night before. Maybe it's cause i'm tired. Maybe because i'm exhausted and spent. Or that i'm stressed? Or thinking too much? I'm not sure but it's no fun.

I've made a resolution to nap more. Not that it will do anything. But, just like 20 min power naps. And going to bed earlier. And not as much social this week. More study. I'm not sure what that will accomplish since most of my pain and suffering comes from college classes.

The work is hard. It takes a long time. My teachers grade hard. I want a day off. Not one where I skip all my classes (WHICH I have YET to do). But like a REAL day off. Like a day where I can just take a break. I need one of those soon.

Also Halloween is coming up. What should I be? I was thinking Katy Perry. And wear an Elmo t-shirt or something. I can't think of anything clever or creative. Suggestions please... This was Katy on SNL. Now granted my choice in top would be a BIT less revealing. ;)

In an attempt to be classy and trendy, none of my clothing is really costume appropriate. So do help with throwing out ideas.
(I told Chase this was for him. We'd go to walmart. And buy him a tight fitting Superman tshirt. Then he'd wear a white button down over it buttoned halfway. Wear a tie thats tied loosely and off centered. Mess up his hair a little. wear some cute jeans and some dorky glasses. then walah!! Clark Kent aka superman) :) His ideas consisted of Harry Potter, The Rapist from Youtube and the Joker. :) HELP!

The Kitchen.

My kitchen is GROSS.

And to make my point this week that NONE of it was mine, I refused to eat at home. I had a few meals at home like peanut butter and jelly, yogurt, apples and other finger foods. For the most part though all my meals were eaten at the cougareat. In an attempt NOT to get fat though, I had lots of Subway. (Yes Mom, with little or no mayonnaise.) I tried to eat as healthy as I could. (I'm sure most meals were healthier at the food court than the ones we eat at the apartment.) Along with the subway, salads, wraps etc... I walked around with my stomach flexed. I'm not sure what all that does for your stomach, but I'm sure it helped. Like I walked around ALL the time with my stomach flexed. It not only keeps me feeling fit it also makes my stomach look flatter, so it must also make me thinner. It's the only explanation.

What caused this terrible turn of events, you might ask?

Well, I came home Sunday after Aunt B's. The kitchen was a wreck. I FINALLY understand why my Mom hates coming home to a dirty house. The kitchen was FULL of dishes. The stove had dirty pots and frying pans. The counter had food sitting out on it. The refrigerator was full of WHO KNOWS what. I went straight to my room and my new project came into effect.

That being said. I made a comment about how dirty the kitchen was everyday. They all agreed. Nothing was ever done. I holed up in my room on Saturday until the game. I worked on my 10pg paper. I got dressed and ready. I cleaned my half of the room. I vaccumed our room. And when I came out, the kitchen was clean.

I am looking forward to more pasta. That's really all we have to eat here. Pasta, Cereal, Top Ramen and Fruit  Snacks.

Thursday night Dexter and Shawn asked Ashley and Me on a double date. We drove up to where you start to hike the Y and looked out over Provo and just talked. Afterwards we went to Denny's for hot chocolate.

Dexter (Ashley's Date) Shawn (My Date)
Dexter is at UVU. Shawn is manager of a Discount Tires.
They live in the same apartment complex. 

Shawn, Me, Ashley and Dexter

Me and Ashley.
FREEZING.

My First Time to Conference!

First of all, I would like to explain that I HAVE in fact been to Temple Square. I have seen it in the daytime, at night, with Christmas lights, and even under construction. Everyone who found out I was going to Conference for the first time immediately decided that it MUST have been my first trip to Utah. Upon hearing I have never BEEN to a session of General Conference I usually get a stare of disbelief. Followed by a judgement on my spirituality and testimony (now they don't say this out loud, but i'm sure it's going through their minds).


HOWEVER, I unlike many of my newly acquired Utah friends, have been outside of Provo AND out of my state. I have seen both coasts, England, France, the Bahamas, Belize, other random Islands and quite a few of the 50 states. I have eaten in a cafe in Paris, gone to Buckingham Palace, seen ocean water clearer than water from the tap, eaten delicious deserts (and meals) from a cook who makes a mean Trifle like you wouldn't believe (My Mom), I have had REAL southern food (Grandma Nancy), HECK I have had some DANG good southern food from Bojangles, I have partied hard with the best of 'em (The Z's), I have held naked cats (Tanners), eaten grits and woken up at 5am for seminary. I, my friends from (and some not from but mostly from) Utah AM cultured. So, if you will stop giving me those looks when I say i've never been to a session of General Conference. And you know what. I now have that under my belt as well. BOOYAH. :)

The 3 of us at conference.
Chase hates this picture. He says he looks like a fat midget.
I couldn't crop him out though. 

My week has been so stressed.

I have felt the pressure of college full force as i'm finally in the swing of things. Its SO hard. High school did NOT prepare me at all. Socially it's a lot of fun. But academically it's beyond hard! AH!

I am not going to post my General Conference notes. I took quite a few. And that would take a long to type them all up. I will bring them home at Christmas for all of you who wish to read them (aka my wonderful mother). Plus, why are you reading mine?! Shouldn't you have taken some yourself?!

General Conference was amazing live or in person. The biggest difference was how TRULY amazing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir is. Like HOLY COW. Beyond amazing. The spirit was SUPER strong and singing with all those people in the Conference center (Aunt B said it holds like 21,000) was an experience all in itself. I loved going.

Saturday night.
I got my hair trimmed.
I asked her to show me how to curl it using the straightner.
This was the result.
This is Mariss. My PiC. :) 

 Chase before leaving to the Priesthood Session. I love him.
My mom says my hair like this makes me look older.
What do you think?!

After looking at these. I realized I have none of my beautiful and amazing Aunt Brenda. Which truly is a shame. Next time I see her expect a picture. She must be represented. As I love her TONS and she is the BEST Aunt (from Utah ;) her joke) that we could EVER ask for! And her hugs are extremely good almost as good as my Mom's.  But still really good and always much needed (Shout-out to you Aunt B :)  ).

I was asked to Homecoming by my good friend Lewis. I had just gotten home. My roommates had called and made me come home from a friends house because they had something REALLY important to tell me. Upon arriving home. They said there really was nothing. So, I was like really?! Instead of going back, I decided to get some reading/homework done. A few minutes later there is a banging on my door. Jacob is there:

Jacob. Me. Lewis.

I had to digress so you could SEE Jacob. He's from Winston Salem, NC and is BEYOND funny. Anyways. Like I was saying, Jacob comes and tells me I'm needed on the balcony. I get up and follow him from the basement to the 3rd floor out the door to the Balcony. I go out there confused as to why I needed to go there. I go outside and hear a guitar strum.

*A couple nights before Lewis and our friend Brian came to our window at 2am. Playing us Howie Day's Collide and singing along. We went outside and listened to them play. They are quite the performers. Lewis ended up on the ground doing a guitar solo while spinning in circles. Intense? We thought so. ;)*

Brian and Lewis. Performing. Ha.

Me and the Boys. :)

Ok. So hearing that I laughed. Knowing it was those two again. I looked down off the balcony to see them playing and Lewis singing. This time the song selection was Wonderwall by Oasis. He sang the first 2 verses. On the third he freestyled it with lyrics like: "Sophie.. Will... You..... Go... To.. Homecoming.. With... Me..." I responded with "Of course i'll go with you Lewis!" He proceeded to turn to the people passing by, and watching and yelled "SHE SAID YES!!" Hahaha those boys are too funny.

Homecoming is normally a date to a dance. But, due to lots of reasons we decided NOT to go to the dance! However, I do NOT mind this at all. I've been to 4 so far at BYU and while they are lots of fun, they are a lot like EFY dances. So, I know what i'm missing. INSTEAD. I think we're going to hike the Y! Something I have yet to do! I am SO EXCITED! :)

That's my post for the day. More to come this week... hopefully. :)