Mail Time!!!

I love getting mail! Especially now because it is my connection to home. Emails, phone calls, and to some extent social networking websites are nice ways to keep in touch, but real mail is physical evidence that I am still loved. It is so nice to walk to the mailbox and actually have something inside. It's even better when it comes the day after a rough "homesick spell" (which typically happen every weekend). Like these lovely letters and pictures that Klarie sent me.






It is so sad thinking that she and all my other siblings are growing up without me.
I couldn't help but respond with:


I also received a typewriter style letter from my brother Colten. He is so kind and considerate to ask questions about how school is going for me and if I had "made a boyfriend yet". I could not help tearing up, especially when I read, "I miss you very much!I hope you don't get homesick. I already miss your dinner arguments at the table. JK. But I do miss you... PS Miss you a bunch"

Bus Stop

I have learned the ropes of riding the Utah bus system...for the most part.I thought this sign was kind of funny. It is the back view so no one really looks at it, but while I was waiting for the bus on Saturday morning I realized that one set of numbers was upside down.

I used the weekend to visit some cousins, but sadly did not take any pictures. I did, however, have a lot of fun. We rode the Trax (the train) to Downtown Salt Lake City for the Dew Tour (it is an extreme sports competition that I am pretty sure is world wide). The train was a first experience for all 10 kids, me included. My cousins and their friends all enjoyed watching the scenery fly by. Zach was so sure that we were going 100 miles an hour, but I am not sure we went that fast. We didn't actually watch any of the competitions due to some wrong information, but we did get to see a few amazing bike stunts and a whole bunch of crazy, sometimes a little scary, skate enthusiasts. We also had a very entertaining dinner at a nice Mexican restaurant. I am so glad our waiter Andy was patient and put up with the wild kids. It was really good food and we barely had time to let it sit before we had to dash of the the train station to catch a crowded train home. But well worth the experience.

I cannot believe that I already have some mid-terms coming up. There is no way I have been here long enough. And yet there are still times, like today, that I find myself feeling so homesick. Wishing that I could go back in time. Back to when all the kids were home.



Back to when my dad would try to set up the camera and accidentally take a picture without getting in the frame, when my mom was trying to teach me helpful skills, when Kamber had long hair and braces, when I wore clothes that didn't match the rest of the family, when Calvin actually looked at the camera and smiled, when Colten was in his bow tie phase, when Katelyn liked to pose for the camera, when Kelcey looked cute pouting, and when Klarie was a happy little baby who could have passed for a boy in a dress. I miss those days and wish I hadn't simply tried to get through them.

I wish I could hear their voices without the use of a telephone. I wish I could see their faces without having to look at past pictures. I wish I could hug them and hold them close.

Mas notas y no fotos

I took more notes and less pictures this week. Guess that is school.



We have picked up a new hobby, and Brooks hobby is kissing paper. Not exactly. We wrote fake love notes to some friends. It is so funny to hear how they have been looking for these imaginary girls.


This week I am going to be going to a World of Dance Festival. And I am also looking forward to attending a talk given by Stephanie Nielson about Finding your inner beauty. That isn't until the 30th, but I am totally excited and cannot wait.

College 101

So after school started I somehow got busy and wasn't able to blog. I have had a lot of fun regardless. My classes all seem like they will be good.
My schedule is as follows:

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays- Writing and Rhetoric at 9, Book of Mormon at 10 (not on Fridays), Atmosphere and weather at 11, and intro to Geology at 12. (So I am done by 12:50!)
Tuesday- Intro to Humanities 7:30 to 8:45 at night! (So I have all day to do homework, laundry, cleaning, write letters, and whatever else I need to do, then one class at night. I think it will be pretty nice, but I guess we will have to wait and see.)
Thursday- Intro to the English major at 4 in the afternoon and then Intro to Humanities again at 7:30 PM.
I think that I have a pretty nice schedule, but it would be nice to have something in between English and Humanities on Thursday so that I don't have to go home then come back.

I am so glad that all of my roommates and I have gotten along so well. It is like we have known each other for years and are all best friends. I have been able to learn a lot about my roommates through their study habits.



Megan is very studious! She spends hours in her room sitting at her desk, reading, studying, if it is for school she is doing it. I could barely get her to look up for a picture. She is wanting to be a nurse.



Brooke inspired me to start taking pictures because she was getting so frustrated with her chemistry reading. I don't blame her that book is huge! She was wanting to be a chemical engineer, but thinks that she is going to do something different now.



Chelsea has a totally different method of studying... she uses her phone. Not all the time.. but a lot. She says that it keeps her motivated to get done. I am not quite sure how that works out.
I guess I cannot say much because I wasn't doing much studying as I was the one taking pictures and blogging.



We have had quite a few interruptions including a visit from Taylor Lottner. OK so it wasn't him, but some guys were going around with a life size cut out of the Werewolf off of Twilight. I didn't get a picture of they cutout and the guys, but I did get a snapshot of them putting Taylor in the window some girls apartment. This must be college.



Isn't this a beautiful picture? It is the Provo temple.



If you are worried about us being stuck in our apartment studying all the time, don't. We have had plenty of opportunities to get out and spend time together. In fact, on Saturday morning we all took the time to go to the Provo temple to do a session. It was so pretty outside with all the flowers and the mountains in the background. Inside it was so peaceful and calm. We all really enjoyed it and are hoping to make it there once a week.





I also made it to the Salt Lake City temple, but not with my roommates. I rode the bus all the way up there by myself (it was like a 2 hour bus ride and about an hour or so drive by car, for all of you that don't know the area that well.) I was able to meet up with Kamber there and then spend the afternoon with her. It too was very nice!



And of course we went to the football game. Well kind of. I didn't actually get to go because somehow there was a misunderstanding when I purchased my all sports pass this past week. But we got a picture. If you are wondering why I only have one sock on don't worry there was a reason...
So on Friday night after I went to the womens soccer game, there was a carnival at my apartment complex. Bounce house things, a dunk tank, rock band, and a dance. I participated in a few of these events, but after the soccer game I felt way pumped with adrenaline that I just had to play soccer. So I went and found a soccer ball and started up a game of keep away. The only problem was I had no shoes on. Somehow I rolled my pinky toe and might have broken it... Silly me. I contemplated putting a picture on, but figured that it would be a little too weird. It is a pretty sweet bruise though! So that is about it for last week. Lots of fun, some pain, some school, a little more school, and a lot more fun!