Avoiding Homework? SURE AM!!!

Oh happy Day!!! I'm finally posting, thanks to a kick in the pants from my loverly sisters.

What and amazing season I've had.  I'm back in Rexburg this Winter, as I was accepted to the Year-round Program.  This means I'll be graduating sometime around April 2010!!! Thats just about a year away!! Things are going really well, I absolutely LOVE my classes, which include Biblical Hebrew, Intermediate Social Dance, Jazz Piano Improv, US History, History Writing and Research (which includes a fatty paper), Geography and World affairs, and Educational Psychology.  I'm determined to get a Good GPA this semester, and so far I'm sticking pretty well to that.  I had an awesome Holiday season at home and in Utah with the family, and I would just like to give a shout-out to all those who hosted me while in Utah.  I love you all so very much.

Here are some pictures from Thanksgiving.  I went up to Orcas to visit Dorothy and her family at the beginning of the week.  What joy I found when I learned that Julia and Clark were coming too!! We had an amazing Turkey dinner (That's right, Folks, Uncle Clark's Turkey finally did in the Vegetarianism), good pies, and an all-around wonderful visit.  I have enjoyed so much the sharing of love and precious time with my family over these past few months.

Here's Phaedra with the Pumpkin Pie she made!!!

And here's Kaya with hers.  What beautiful girls they are.  I've just adored spending time with them and getting to know their wonderful spirits.
Dorothy, Gavin, and I spent some time out in the yard turning it for the Winter.  While in Idaho I missed the green of Washington so much, and I enjoyed being outside in the cold, moist dirt, being with mother nature and my wonderful family. I caught this moment with my Camera...Gavin was playing in the Red Wagon we were using to haul stuff around in.
After a wonderful Thanksgiving Day spent with Mom, Dad, and Ramona and her family (pictures to come soon, maybe) I went back to the land of the Frost to finish up finals and get ready for winter!! Final went great and when the week was over I went down to Utah to spend some much needed time with the siblings!! I loved getting to see everyone down there, and it was especially great to be able to see Margaret and her kids, and to meet Mahana's beautiful little girl!!! I also loved getting to spend time with Ruth's family, including watching the kids, cleaning the house, and essentially playing Mom for her while she got to go see her Dad and Ramona in Tucson. I know she enjoyed herself, and I did too!! I also saw Hil and the girls (who are so big and so sweet), Mark and Martin's families, and Kathy too. I also spent time with my roommate Emilie and her family, which was awesome!! I got to do the chores with her brothers, including feeding the pigs, chickens, goats, and emu, among other things.  I had a blast!! Love her family. After playing and having fun in Utah, I got to go back to Seattle!! It was great to go home to Mom and Dad's new house and decorate for Christmas.  It was fun, even with the unsuccessful gluten-free brownies and the awkward christmas bush in the Kitchen. :-)

I loved getting to spend quality time with Mom and Dad, getting to see a few friends, and feeling the peace of the Holiday season.  I also cuddled lots with my lovely Doggy :)

This picture below is the Christmas Tree I decorated, along with the Menorah lit on the mantle. The Christmas Tree had only on present under it, a Sweater for Dad wrapped fittingly in a Victoria's Secret Bag...hehehe.

Mom and I went back to Utah for the New Years and left Daddy with the Dog.  We had a great visit when we were down there and I got to go to Mia's Baptism.  It was so great, I'm so pleased with her and love her so dearly.  Its amazing to see how much all the kids have grown!! 

Now that I'm back in Rexburg I've got new roommates, who are such a blast, and my old roomies live just below me, so I get to see them all the time!!! It's great. I'm also back on the dating seen, more good news on THAT later. I'll leave you with me sitting here in the Library, listening to dumb conversations about what a bad president Obama will be.  Let the Haters hate, its time for change, and I'm so excited!!

Nelson Rangell

Yesterday I got to play with Nelson Rangell. He's a world famous saxophonist and flute player.

Above:  Me and Nelson Rangell after the show.  He likes my last name and called me his "New Best Bud" and asked me to call him up for gigs when I get famous. What an awesome guy!

Below: Me and Kurt Reeder.  He's the piano player from combo one, really well dressed, and an all-around awesome guy.

My Newly discovered Talent

I got a 103 on my Dance midterm, and my dance teacher said that I should seriously consider joining one of the teams or continuing on in the series of dance classes.  She said I'm a natural! Yay! I was seriously so flattered by that, and now I'm so excited to learn more! Watch out, soon I'll be teaching Mario Lopez how to foxtrot. :)

Oh, and I'm getting in shape! Jon and I have been going to the gym doing a program that Dusty (see below), who is a personal trainer, has set up for us.  I'm seriously sore and feel like taking an ice bath, but the endorphins are already making me feel good.  I miss working out everyday like in high school. I'm going swimming today!! YES. Life is good.

First of Many from the New Camera.

Got a new Canon Powershot SD750.  Cost a lot. Worth it.

This is my new do....blonde in my bottom layers.  Oh, and for those of you who haven't seen them, my awesome glasses. I don't wear them often enough.

Let me back up.  This is Dusty, one of my FHE brothers.  I decided to bleach my hair on the same saturday night that he came over with nothing to do....we were bored, so....we did each other's hair. I'm pretty sure he was crying at this moment from all the chemical burns on his scalp.  Don't worry, his hair didn't look this horrible when we were done, it was dyed back the next day. Now it resembles a nice, sandy blonde.
This is me, Lisa, and another FHE bro, Jon.  We were chillin at the soccer field on Sunday afternoon.
This is my Jazz combo! We went to this mocktail party where we got dressed up, made virgin  margaritas, danced to jazz, and played pool all night.  It was awesome.  Ryan on the right isn't as anti-social as he looks, don't worry. :)
This is me and Lisa after the Jazz Faculty Concert.  It was amazing. I seriously smiled more that night than I have in a very, very long time.  By the way, I might be switching my major to Jazz Studies.  I'll keep you updated.
Love y'all! More pics to come soon!

Back in the Burg

Here I am back in Idaho!
Im loving it, actually, Though it's realy hard to be away from home with whats going on with Dad.
My new place is a townhouse, which I think is where Mahana used to live. It's called hillcrest, and its directly accross the street from the Education and the history buildings, which is where a majority of my classes are at.
Speaking of classes, wanna know what I'm taking?
Social Dance (aka Dating 101), History and Philosophy of Education, Math for the Real World (only math class I ever have to take!), Book of Mormon (Alma 30-End), Heredity, Foreign Government, and FA 100, which is a class I have to take for graduation in which I have to attend performances or music, dance, theate, etc and then do reports on them. Also, I auditioned today for the Jazz combos and I got in! Second Chair! Which means that I get to play with my own jazz combo, attend a jazz master class, and take free drum lessons if i want! I'm pretty pumped. Actually, REALLY pumped.
Life here is good. I know I'm where Im supposed to be right now.
I'll post pictures as soon as I get a new camera, mine pooped out on me a few weeks ago.
Love y'all!

And then there was none...

I was on my way to a YSA dance with Erin Reynolds when my clutch stopped working on Highway 18. Luckily I was able to coast off the Exit to stop less than two blocks from the Federal Way Stake center! So.....

Calliope, who was re-named Lalo by my best friend, now has a blown clutch that will cost WAY TOO MUCH to have fixed, which means several things:

• I wasted $1000 dollars on her


• I have to figure out what to do with her


• I get to take the Lincoln to School with me

Still here in Zion...

My new haircut. Like?

I decided to get crafty on a budget and went to wal-mart and found the CHEAPEST scrapbooking stuff ever. So I made this and put it on our front door.

Here are my living quarters. This is my bed and my desk with Computer. Guess whats outside that window? THE TEMPLE.

Amazing? I know.
Love you guys!
P.S....have any good ideas for FHE activities?

Rexburg

I would say that I'm living in my own private Idaho (B-52's anyone?) but I'm not. I've got roommates, yay! I have my own little corner of the world under a window that looks right out at the temple. It's amazing. I have the slowest internet access in the WORLD. My laundry is always clean but never folded and there are ANTS EVERYWHERE. It's SICK... I've been proposed to already and deferred the offer to go on a date with the guy. He came over and ate dinner and cookies. This might be the weirdest and best place I've ever been in my life. I have buns of steel from walking up the hill every day and I work out at least three times a week. Or, at least, I've worked out six times since I've been here, so... it works, right?

Umm....here is a picture to show y'all. I've got the crazy hair from a bonfire I went to that they had at "Beaver Dick Park".....I swear, only in Idaho. Anyways, the ladies from the Paul Mitchell hair academy were there doing people's hair so I had mine done. I'm going to go get it cut soon, only 10 dollars, and I have a friend from home that goes there, so I'm happy to have her here cut my hair.



My testimony has grown so much since I've been here, it is truly a blessed place and....as the locals say...this IS Zion!



Love ya guys.