Haunted Houses

Ever since I was 12, I was absolutely obsessed with being scared, watching scary movies, popping out and scaring people, telling scary stories to scare my friends, etc. On Friday, I went to a haunted house on a date, and I hated it! I could not wait to get out. I was clinging to my date like a baby (not because I wanted to - I needed to) and laughing hysterically because I didn't know what else to do. Does becoming a chicken mean turning into a grownup?  Just imagine this guy following you down a dark, quiet hallway and you not noticing until he taps you on the shoulder...

I'm going to be a teacher!

After having my mid-college crisis, I came to the conclusion to change my major to Math Education. I felt pretty good and excited about this new change. I honestly can say that I am headed for the right direction because the more I think about being a high school math teacher, the more excited I get! That's not to say that there aren't a few bumps along the road. Not having taken a math class for two years really rocked my world the first month of college Calculus. Not going to lie, this made me start to question if I could handle majoring in math. But I was reaffirmed in my decision after having completed two "observation days," one in a 6th grade math class and the other in a 4th grade class. I loved being back in a school again! It was so fun to be looked up to by the kids and being around their high energy.

While observing:

-In the fourth grade class when asked to partner up, one girl was paired with a boy, she had an absolute look of disgust on her face.....I would really like to see her in another 5 years in the same situation.

-I was told I look like I am in high school.

-When I said my favorite color was green in my introduction, there were so many shouts on how that was THEIR favorite color too! One boy even had to show me his green pencils.

-6th grade girls are so complimentary, I was told multiple times how pretty I was.

-I heard this about 5 times, "It's under there." "Under where?" "Underwear!!!!"

-Along with this:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hh6w-r17hk

General Conference

I remember the days of living at home and General Conference meant a Sunday that I got to stay in my pajamas and sit in the living room with the family and try to keep myself entertained, or even awake. It never hit me just how important and how much it can spiritually benefit me until the last couple years. I will admit, after leaving home I realized that I had the freedom to choose whether or not to listen, but after taking my Institute class, Teachings of the Living Prophets, my testimony of General Conference began to develop. I had never watched all of the sessions until the Fall Conference last year. It truly was a blessing in my life to finally do that. It really makes a difference when you make the choice to listen and watch with the mind set that you want to learn how to become better.

This year I just couldn't get enough of it. These are some of the talks that really stood out to me.

Elder Boyd K. Packer spoke in the Saturday morning session. He spoke of the power we have, claiming our second estate, our bodies. One line that really stuck out to me was that the Atonement is the key we have to the prison we lock ourselves in through sin. And the Atonement, no matter what it is, can heal whatever hurts. I believe this to be true. He also advises us to look forward to the future, that even in the awfulness that surrounds us in the last days, we still can have the righteous desires of our hearts, and we must live a life to get them.

Sister Elaine S. Dalton's talk in the Sunday morning session was so sweet. She talked about the important roles a father has in raising a daughter. Her advice was to love her mother. It made me think of all the things my dad did for me growing up, some of which I resented (not being allowed to hangout with boys before I was 16) and how I was so blessed to grow up in a home that had a father who held the priesthood and a mother. It made me so excited for the future in my own family on the things I am looking for in a husband. 

Other quotes that I liked from the Conference were:

"Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that the things that are important to us become important to Him." - J. Devn Cornish

"The Atonement covers all of the unfairness of life." -  Elder Quentin L. Cook

"The greatest compliment in this life is to be known as a 'covenant keeper.'" - Elder Russell M. Nelson

"Look up. Most of what we worry about will not effect our eternal salvation, and if it does the Lord will help with it." - Carl B. Cook

Also, there's going to be a Wyoming temple! (These truly are the last days)

Party Crashers

Walking back from the Institute fireside last Sunday night, Ash and I came upon the baptist church that is on the block of where we live. If you need to know anything about Ash, her two loves are food and dancing - get them in the same place and she is there. The door was open with Mexican music and the smell of extremely good food wafting out. Ash was like a moth to a flame, walking in the door, leaving me standing alone, awkwardly on the sidewalk. After a couple minutes, she pops her head out the door and waves me in.

Confused, I go in and immediately get handed a Mountain Dew by a smiling Mexican woman, and find an entire (extended family included) Mexican family, celebrating a birthday party, with a Mariachi band playing. They shake our and hands and ask our name and offer us food which of course was fantastic. Why is it that ethnic family gathering's food is always super good? They were so warm and welcoming, and did not even ask why we stopped by. Ash said she just walked in and asked what kind of party they were having and they invited her in and told her to stay and see.

We stayed for about an hour, chatting with anyone who came near to see why there were two white girls  along with the family and played with the kids who looked at us curiously. Two guys came and chatted us up, I think they had a game plan because one gave specific attention to Ash and one to me. When it came time to cut the cake, we even sang the Feliz Cumpleanos song with them (the 5 years of Spanish sure paid off right then). They took pictures of cutting the cake with all of the family and even waved the "surprise guests" to come join in. It was so random, but so nice. I absolutely love the Mexican culture that they were so inviting and eager to share, we pretty much felt like their less tan relatives!

I have been the worst blogger in the world!

 I apologize that this post is not too detailed, but something is better than nothing right? Things I think of note that happened in the last couple months up until now:

Summer 2011
I went home to Wyoming for the summer and was all alone. Three of my best friends from Powell all had great adventures going on during the summer months (check out their blogs) and I went back to selling fireworks. Not to complain, because I really did love living at home again, sleeping in my own bed, having my mom take care of me, making and saving some money, but there really was nothing too interesting to report about the summer except that I...

....And my mom continued our annual tradition of running in the 5 mile Montana Women's Run. I made it until 500 yards to the finish line before I puked, having taken cold medicine prior to the race. Hopefully next year will go smoother....but we still shaved off about 6 minutes of our last year's time!

....Saw the midnight showing of the last installment of the Harry Potter movies (with a date......and my mom) which was AH-MAZING!

....Drove 24 hours for a two day trip to St. George after the midnight showing

....Brought back four year old Mr. Q, who puked 2 hours into the 12 hour drive

....Made friends with plenty of bikers toward the end of the summer that were coming through for Sturgis, I got many invites to the bars (all of which I declined).
                                            
Funny/Embarrassing Story:

One night these two middle-age guys came in to the store to stop by to look at the fireworks. Towards the end of the summer, I love whenever anyone comes in because they will usually chat and entertain me for awhile since there's really not a whole lot to do in a firework store in August. These guys were talking to me and asked me to take them around the store to show them what was good. They were very friendly, making jokes and teasing me and challenging me on my knowledge of fireworks. When we got to the roman candles, they asked why there were different sizes and I immediately respond, "Oh it's because those ones have smaller balls." They didn't even have a second to crack a joke or make it awkward because I turned bright red and started laughing uncontrollably. If it wasn't obvious before, it was clear that I was very young.

....Watched tons of movies...the only ones really worth remembering were The Adjustment Bureau, Limitless, and Unstoppable 
                
....Read The Help and 1,000 White Women both very good, and have been the only novels I have read since Breaking Dawn was released


Fall 2011


--I started my junior year of college with an Associates of Arts degree, and am looking at about another four years to get my degree in Math Education. Good thing I'm excited about it! Calculus is a beast after having gone a year and a half without giving the slightest after thought to math, but I love my education classes, and I am sure that I am heading in the right direction.

--There was a YSA Conference where John Bytheway AND Elder Dallin H. Oaks came to speak! The day was truly a day of spiritual feasting, I learned so much! It was just like EFY with hints (maybe not so subtle) to get married. I absolutely love the Institute program in St. George! They sure take good care of us.

--My roommate of two years, Camilla, got married!!!! She was absolutely stunning, and the day was just filled with so much joy and beauty, it's hard not to imagine how anyone would settle for anything less than a temple marriage.

just to keep you updated...

I'm now officially declared as a math major!!!

The Sneaking Out Game

We created this game to add some excitement to our lives for this week. Yes, we have accepted the undeniable fact that we are weird - but we have lots of fun!

As a member of Chancellor #6 participating in the Sneak Out must follow these guidelines: 

- All members of aforementioned apartment must follow the agreed upon curfew/bedtime for the week of March 6-12 of 11:00 p.m. 

-Members must be picked up by a non-roommate friend(s) and participate in some cool/crazy/legal activity

-Members must leave the apartment and re-enter the apartment without detection by other members of the apartment

-If the members' absence is noted, the discoverer of said absence sleeps in the bed of the "sneaker" and awaits their return

                      *Members may not set alarms to do periodical
                        checks of the other roommates. 

-In the event that a "sneaker" is caught, they owe Chancellor Apartment #6 ice cream.