Santa Clause is Coming to town!

It has been GREAT being at home!  I love it!  I love the weather- although I do admit I was hoping for another random 80 degree hot streak like last year.  But sitll, 52 is nice.  =]  Although I am now getting adjusted to that being cold, not quite, but getting their.  I am even okay with the wind.  Its just great to be in Santa Maria. I love it here! =]

Today my mom and I drove to Santa Barabara to pick up my oldest sister Maureen, it was GREAT to see the Ocean again!  No pictures taken, I need to do that.  It is nice to be surrounded by Californians and the ocean and hills and bunches of fields of brocoli and strawberries, haha, who would have thought.  =]  

I am deffinately also getting in plenty to Missionary time!  Well all the time in the world is not enough, but I am with them as much as my mom will allow.  =]  

It does not feel like Christmas, which is sad.  I am not ready to see this season leave, but in a way I am really looking forward to whatever next semester and year has to offer.  I feel like Chirstmas day tomorrow will be a good day filled with home and family and good feelings and good food.  =]

It has been great to so far to see all my friends and family and ward family.  I have loved everything, driving and know where I am going.  Watching Christmas movies, going into a store where I can expect to see someone I know, getting a million hugs from seeing everyone again.  It is super!

Merry Christmas Eve to all and to all a goodnight!  =]

I'll be home for Christmas....

FREE AT LAST FREE AT LAST!!!!!! I AM HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, these last two weeks of school were....different. They went by fast, but slow at the same time, but then again too fast! Mostly, they went by fast because I had SO much to do with too little time, especially the last week! My last weekend in rexburg was probably one of my worst- I was freaking out about my bank account, and worried about finals coming up and last minute homework, packing and moving, plus I had to plan my RS lesson. A busy weekend, with little sleep the last two weeks as well.
The very last week of school was stressful, I got little sleep but somehow survived and was not too tired. I studied SO MUCH, especially for my math test, I went all out....I would prefer to not think aobut it to much since I failed it. I am just now waiting to see what my grades were for my classes, I am really only worried about 2 classes, and I am about 70% sure I passed both. I did HW all on monday, and tuesday-wednesday I studed for math, and scinece a little. I was done with two classes on wednesday, and another 2 on thursday. After my last two finals on Thursday I finished 2 last HW projects, then I danced a bit at the relief of being done, then started packing. I ended up getting an hour of sleep that night. Work was a bit hard, but I got through it- came home and slept for 3 more hours. I was awoken by my Canadian friend saying goodbye. A few of my friends left early because I big storm was coming in and they wanted to leave so they did not get stuck.
I only had to go to one class at 3:15 on friday, so my day was spent last minute packing, then moving all my stuff across the slipery parking lot and to the dorms across the way. fun stuff. I hastily cleaned, a little, and tried to get as much done as I could- not enough time. I said an actuall real goodbye to about 3 or 4 people- which I am just now realizing, but I will see most of them again, so it is ok.
After my class I was immediately on my way to Provo with Erik Fillerup. We drove to Provo and stayed with his Grandparents, then left the next morning at 6am, stopping to get some Krispy Kreme Donuts. =] yumm....it was a long drive, but sort of short- got home at 5:00. =] And it was a good thing we left when we did, becuase I have a friend from home who got stuch in Rexburg because of the snow, we just barely missed the storm. PHEW!!!!
Being home is SOOO Nice. My mom and I went to Costco, then got some Chinese food, then I went to the Community Nativity at the Church, I was SOOO excited to go! It just made my week to see all my friends again! I LOVED IT! I was running around and hugging everyone. There was cookies, old friends, and christmas songs. =] It was all good.
Now I am home. I got to see all the lights around my house, and being home is a great feeling. A few changes, not much. It was so exciting driving home, down the Bradely dip. It just all felt so familiar. Being in my house feels a little wierd, but I love it, and I am looking forward to my bed. =]
So, now it is time for us to meet once again. =]

26 degrees

It is a Friday night.  I am watching a movie for my History class about America. After wards I will go back to my dorm and clean it like crazy for white glove check tomorrow, which I am very nervous about.  Partly because I am afraid that I am gonna get charged tons, secondly because I scrubbed a door with the wrong side of a sponge so some paint came of, so it is like off-white with streaks of white.  Yes.  I hope all goes well.

It is very cold here.  And it is going to get colder!!!! But it still has not snowed yet!! =] 

I go home in one week!  I am SOO excited! =]  It is amazing.  =]

This week went by fast, and next week will go by fast as well! I have so much to do!  I have to clean our dorm tonight, and I need t do homework for next week and study for my finals next week so that I can pass my classes and not have to try and survive math or science again.  I also have to prepare another lesson for Relief Society this Sunday, which I love to do, but I just feel a bit overwhelmed.  I also need to start packing since I am changing dorms- and get all my stuff togethor to go home! So much to do and too little time!!! 

So Yes.  That is how I am.

My Thanksgiving break was nice, very relaxing.  I saw the Twilight movie, and liked it.  I saw Temple Square with all the pretty christmas lights, and got some much needed sleep, and I actually even worked on homework, and re-watched The Office, and I got to see some family, and eat lots of food. =]  

This semester has gone by so fast, its crazy.

The Beehive state

Day #4 in UTAH!

Yay to Thanksgiving break!  Although, I have been able to sleep in the past 2 days and I have been going to bed- fairly early, I am still really tired.  odd.  More annoying actually. 

So yesterday I did homework and I went to Temple Square for a few hours.  It was just so nice and quite. =]  I am really excited for Friday, that is when all the lights come on!  yay!  =]  

Then today I went to the Gateway (the outside mall) and attempted to do some christmas shopping....ya...I ended up with a pair of jeans for myself and a gift for a friend.  Who does not even celebrate Christmas.  I know.  I am good.  

Yes.  Oh, no, Last night I also saw Twilight!  I had heard a lot of bad things about it, and I was not expecting it to be good, but I was surprised at how much I liked  it!  =]  It really was better then I was thinking it would be! 

Oh, and I went to a Costco today!  Costco's make me happy!  With all of their free samples and yummy food for some good eatin.  

And yes.  It is still warmer here then in Rexburg.  I find that sad.  And I might go play water polo tomorrow night.  So yes. =]

But I am really looking forward to eating on Thursday.  mmmmm.....good.  =]

No songs about Utah...

Day 1 in Utah!  

Sorry... no exciting pictures to add.  Maybe later, but nothing too exciting.

I am very upset to find out that Temple Square will not be lit till the friday after Thanksgiving, when places have already decorated for the Christmas festivities.  

Last night I drove down here with Erin Said and Niccole Bendixen and we stayed the night at my sisters, then they left this afternoon to fly home.  I ate Chinese food! =]  I did some homework, and have been for some time watching TV with my sister.  It is an exciting life here in the big cities.  

Yes.  That is all for now.  =]

One step at a time...

So about 3 weeks ago everyone here started the countdown till they got to go home for Thanksgiving break.

Now just as everyone is packing up and really excited to go home tomorrow, I am just now beginning my 3 week count down till Christmas break.  Funny yet a bit sad.  

Tomorrow night I will drive down to Salt Lake city around 5 after my classes with Niccole Bendizen and Erin Sais and we will stay the night with my sister in SLC.  Their plane leaves saturday afternoon, and I will stay in SLC.  If any one has ideas on how to occupy my time, suggestions are great.

So far I plan on going to Temple Square every day and acting like a missionary- getting in as much sleep as I can- doing homework- but at this time in the semester my homework load has slowed down.  And I need to do christmas shopping, so I have a small list.  I do have a couple of friends who are also supposed to be stopping in SLC and will hopefully give me a call to have lunch or something for a few of those days!  

It has been nice here lately.  And when I say nice, I mean, like it has been moer like 40-50 degree weather.  Ya.  Thats nice.  Who would ever have thought such a thing is possible?  I think people lie when they say they are from Alaska.  It just is not possible.

So yes.  That is my update for now.  =]  School is fine.  Just two more weeks left!  It went by SOO fast!  Next semester I am moving to cooking dorms, and so I will be leaving all the friends I made here in Chapman behind, so I REALLY hope that our wards are at different times so that I can go to both.  =]   Hopefully it will all work out!

Love to all!

Life is a highway

Alright.  So this was a fun weekend!  I went to Arco, Idaho, which is about 100 miles away from Rexburg.  (I could not tell you what direction it is.)  It was a blast!  

We left here saturday morning and got there about 1 1/2 later.  Our first stop was to take a picture on this big green chair, where a truck with two dead deer in the back were laying.  I have pictures, but not all of them, I am waiting on like 3 other cameras still.  But it was great.

So yes, I was a bit freaked out by the dead deer but excited as well.  I truly was in Idaho.  

We stayed with these two guys from our wards house, Andy and Carl.  We stopped at their sisters house- they had so many dogs!  And they had buffalo!  It was so cool!  =]  Then we went to their home.  It is so cool to see such flat fields all around!  Not like in Santa Maria with strawberry fields, but empty hay fields!  Idaho is so pretty- the mountaints had snow at the high parts.  It was warmer then Rexburg, still a bit cold, but nice outside.  When we got there we saw their cows, fun stuff!  And while we were leavin we like drove through a crows on cows!  OMG, I was so excited.  Ranches rock.  Then we ate lunch, and then we got to ride their 4-wheelers!  Their 8 year old niece can drive one better then me.  Sad, I know.  By the end of the weekend I don't think that anyone ever will trust me to drive anything again.  The 4-wheeler needed to be shifted though, it was harder then a car I promise!  But so much fun!!!!  =]  Then we rode horses.  I got to ride  a horse bare back! omg, it was so cool!  Then we rode them- with saddles, around.  I got to go fast(sorta) on it to!  Like, I got the horse to run!  OMG, it was so cool and awesome!  I want a horse so badly!  And yes, I am SORE!!!!

Then we went 4-wheeling again, it was intense and exciting!  Then we went shooting!  I can not tell you which guns I shot- I shot like 3 different ones, I just know that I shot a shotgun. It kicked a bit, but totaly worth it!  And I hit a target one time!  Way exciting! =]  We went up to these mountains near them- Idaho has such pretty sunsets!  And we watched all the porch lights come on- it was such an AMAZINGLY pretty view!!!

Then we went to their ward Chile cook off.  Oddly enough, I do not remember ever going to one of these.  It was great.  I was SO excited to be in a ward building again- I cannot begin to tell you how stoked I was to actually be around a family ward again.  It was magnificent.  And I participated in primary bingo. Yes I did. 

Then we went caving.  There were bats.  It was dark outside and I am surprised that they could even find the cave, it was underground, you had to climb down into it.  It was a bit scary, but exciting. The last part how we got out you literally had to crawl through a hole that was so small I really almost got stuck.  It was pretty warm in that cave as well.  It was such an exciting weekend with new experiences!  =]

After the cave we went back and watched a few movies, with me falling asleep throughout them, and then we slept.  I slept straight through the night.  Sleep felt so good.

Then I woke up.  Ate breakfast.  Went to bed.  Woke up and went to church.  A family ward.  Way cool.  Then we came back and ate lunch, such an amazing lunch, it tasted so good!  Then we sat around and talked, then we went and rode the 4-wheelers again.  I drove into a ditch, not on purpose, after almost running my roommates off the road.  Then I got out of the ditch.  And drove back into the ditch.  Promise neither time was on purpose.  I eventually got it as well.  =]  Yes, it was so much fun!  I loved it.  Then we sat around and talked some more, played cards for a bit, ate dinner, and sadly had to leave.  That was sad, we did not want to come back and have to go to school.

But we ate so much this weekend, it was such great food to!  When we got their on saturday, they were making homemade donuts.  AMAZING,  honestly.  They made SO many as well, well over 100 donuts, and they were gone by sunday morning.  Then we had pie, and so much Chile, and food and omg, it was so yummy!  

It was sad to have to go home.

But I am home now.  I just got done registering for classes.  I got all the classes I wanted and I am so happy with my schedule for next semester.  The only downfall is that they are all back to back, with one class I am gonna have to sprint across campus in 15 min. the 2 buildings are the farthest apart- but I will get through it.

yes.  =]  Great weekend.  

Some of the horses that we rounded up on the 4-wheerler and rode, I rode the brown one.
Yep- here is an 'in-action' picture for ya.
That was their two nieces- the girl that is driving is 8 years old.  She has been driving the mini van since she was 3.  
Cows!  Sure, they have them in Santa Maria- but it is just about being in the atmosphere and so close up!
The first place we stopped at had puppies!  Is it not just SOOO adorable???
=]  They just make you want to smile and hug them!
The buffalo!  They get scared pretty easily.
Ya....there are the deers, just sitting there on the back on the truck, relaxing.  
There is a nuclear plant of some sort near Arco (first city to be lit by nucelar energy) and this is there- and it has the devils numbers.  That's about it.
Some of the surroundings around Arco.
Just more of the pretty scenery!

This was after our shooting trip, we went up to the mountains.
Someone actually walked down on that thing- to scary.  But that up in the picture is Jill, Brooke, Andy, Me, Jessica, Josie.
Josie and I walk up the hill from the car that could not make it the whole way up.  Amazing view!

About 10 min. later the sunset at this exact spot was the prettiest out of this whole day.

So amazingly cool and way exciting.

LOOK LOOK! That is way totaly me shooting that gun!!!

=]  So cool.



The girl on the left was Andy's cousin Sierra, then Jessica, Josie and I.
Arco is a small town, about 1,000 people, and like everyone knows each other.  Cowboys.

It looks like this everywhere.
Me, Josie, Jill, Jessica, Brooke, and their niece Missy.

yay 4-wheeling!  This was before I ran into the ditch, but I was just not driving.  Made your hands FREEZE.
Me in the begining of my 4-wheeling adventure.
This was my first time on Sam, bare back!  Scary, felt much better once I was in a saddle.
He was a good horse.  =]

I've gone country....

Alright, so here is an update for yall:  In about 30 min. I will be making my way to a place called Arco Idaho with my roommates Brooke, Jesssica, our good Canadian friend Josie, and two new friends Jill and Mae Mae, along with Andy and Carl- the two guys that live in Arco whom we are going with whom are the people we normally go to on sunday to make dinner- and one other of their roommates.  

Have I ever been?  No. 

 How big is it? I have heard people say that in less you look for it you will pass by it.

Why Mary?  Because:

1.  I get to shoot a gun.

2. I get to chase cows.

3.  I get to ride a horse.

Oh yes.  I am excited!  =]  Half of us are staying until Sunday and coming back Sunday afternoon, the other half are coming back tonight.  It shall be grand fun!  =]  I will be sure to update yall about it when I get back with pictures and stories galore. =]

Last night I had a 'Canadian night' (sort of) with Josie and two other girls McKenzie and Anne, we watched the first Anne of Green Gables. I feel asleep at the end for about 45 minutes, I felt bad, but I woke up to find Anne and Gill friends.  oh Glory day!  So my night consisted of Josie, Sarah and I shopping for food, and then eating this most amazing cinnamon roll.  It was delicious.  We wanted to be like Anne and drink Raspberry Corrdel, but we just got cranberry apple juice and sprite and made our own drink.  =]  Oh, good times.  Pictures to come of that as well.

Rain, Rain...

It is raining outside.

This is what I have learned:

1. When it is cloudy outside, it is warmed then when there are no clouds, because the clouds keep the warmth in, the little warmth that there is that every student here on campus is fighting for.

2. When it is raining it is warm- sorta- warmer then snow- because that means it is humid.  

That is what I have learned in College.  How to survive, weather.  Not how to survive the big world, or the rule of the Man, or Big Brother- no, If I did not learn about Big Brother in preschool with every adult watching my every move, always stopping me from gulping down that grape syrup, then there is no hope.  Now, they teach you what is really important.  They teach me how many sprinkles are in a GIANT size box- 3X as big as a whopper box.  They teach me about the weather- and how to survive.  They teach me that if we want to be useful in society, make a rateryourlawyer.com, or a rateyourdoctor.com.   Yes, I learn much in big school of much snow and many teachers. 

Anyways....I am good.  It is not Monday and I miss my weekend.  It was the first weekend that did not fly by and that I feel my saturday was wasted and dwindled away....I did homework like all day on friday, and no more the rest of the  weekend after about 7 on friday.  It was amazing.  =]  Friday night I watched a movie with some girls who live a few doors down ( Different then the ones I normally am with), and we hung out and did things.  It was fun.  Then on Saturday I worked on my lesson for Relief Society, watched Pride and Prejudice, then me and my roomies went to Walmart- bought a Christmas tree, and had a Christmas party. =]  We (well, Sarah, I and another girl named Andrea) Decorated for Christmas!  Yes, It isn't even Thanksgiving yet- BUT, Canada has had theres!  So It is ok.  And YES, everyone is jealous. MAJORLY.  And besides, we are only here 2-3 weeks from Thanksgiving to Christmas, so we are celebrating early!  We have a small 4ft fake tree with lights and decorations, and a strand of lights around our room.  Of course we are not done yet- But it will suffice for now.  We finished off our Christmas party with Elf.  Great movie.  

On Sunday was church.  My lesson went well, I think at least, and people complimented it!  Some people who I had no idea where even in my RS, which makes me feel bad....But I feel good about my lesson! =] Then we went over to these guys in our ward to make dinner, since they have a kitchen.  We made spaghetti and had bread and salad- and it tasted so good!  It was a fun night, then it ended with Stadium singing. =]  A good weekend I say.  =]

 

Here are some pictures for you delight now:

OK, so this one is sorta old....it is from the trip to Salt Lake, trip #2, that I took with Holly and her roommates Canada, Maura, and Anna.  I am eating a pixie stick, that I had reserved a week in advanced- that also became a burden to eat in the car because I had no scissors to make it shorter.  I tried sticking it out the window and almost lost in- that will never happen again.
A couple of weeks ago, after our first snow but prior to the rain and real cold, it was still warm enough to walk outside and not get frost bite....we walked to Walmart.  I am hugging a tree in this picture.  I cannot remember why, There must have been some great significance at the time, but I cannot remember now.  Probably the fact that I was not freezing and having a good time. 
There we are!  Well, Canada is taking the picture, so yes....
Ok!  So, here is what the dorm sort of look likes now!  Here is me with the tree!  ( More pictures of the actual night of decorations to come.)
Our lights, and one of the walls.  Very essential to have walls in your home.
THE TREE!  yes.  =]  It just needs a topper now.

Our room furniture actually changed to, and I greatly like the new arrangement a lot more now.  =]

(Oh, and of course I am learning lots here!  =]  I promise!   When I graduate of course I will be one of those graduates who thinks I know everything!  Do not worry at all! =])

All I ever wanted....

Wow, I feel horrible for not updating so much!  My roommate Brooke is really great at taking pictures of everything and updating, I should probably be more like that....sorry!  =] 

So this past week has been good.  =]  Halloween was not too exciting, but that was fine, I really was not looking forward to it that much and it did not even feel like Halloween so it came and passed and I barely took notice.  We did thought father and watch the old time classic, "Hocus Poccus" and frost cookies, then went to the dance we had here on campus.  I quickly dressed up like Mrs. Incredible.   My weekends are always so busy with homework.  Plus last weekend had a lot of church things going on, and then we went over to these guys in our ward and watched scary movies that has us all screaming....good times.  But I just do not understand where my weekends g to.

I just worked this past week.  It started to snow again!  Although it is just about all melted now, although it has been raining lately as well.  On tuesday night as we all waited up impatiently to hear the results of prop. 8 and discuss the outcomes of the elections is snowed a lot- to my a californian, and we had a snow ball fight at about 11 pm.  It was a lot of fun and SOO worth it.  =]  Even if I did rip my pj pants.  

Work has been going good.  Still early.  This last week I was sick, and one day- I AMAZINGLY went to get around 7.  It was really amazing.    And I got paid today!  Pay day's are super amazing.  =]  Yep.  And its sad/scary to see my money before taxes.  O those darn taxes....

Sarah bought christmas lights for our dorm the other day.  With it snowing, it just feels like christmas.  I love listening to the music already! =]

This weekend I plan on sleeping, and doing more homework, and having an Anne of Green Gables marathon with some of my canadian friends & others.  =]  Hopefully make a trip to Idaho falls as well. It is always nice to get away from Rexburg for a bit.  

Oh, and last weekend my Seminary teacher Brother Salvesen came up so I got to see him for a bit, it was cool to see someone from the outside world, or from back home.  

Hmm...Lets see.....what else have I been up to.  Not much.  School. Homework. library.  Sleep. Work.  Laughing.  =]  Yep, that is me in a nutshell.  

I am posting up some more pictures....some from what have happened in this past week, some that are a few weeks over due.  

Enjoy!

This was the second trip to Utah.  Actually, this is the way home- because on the way there I was in the front.  That is Canada in the front now, and sitting next to me is one of her roommates Maura.
This was our trip to the Temple last week.  the 30th, sure, it was cold, but not too cold- not snowing.  5 days later, it snows.  But see how pretty it is!  =]

My parents are so nice and sent me a delivery grocery sundae kit!  =]  So we made sundae's before our trip to the Temple.  Oh how yummy they are!  Ice cream is so magical.
This was when I was in Utah a few weeks ago and I went to the Lagoon with Mimi and some of her friends.
Halloween!  =]  Me, as Mrs. Incredible. I would go on, but I am horrible at names and will stop at that.
This is our adventure in the snow this past tuesday night, we were attempting to build a snowman- it only got this far.
Part of our snowball fight- we are totaly possing.
Making our snow angels!  =] Well me at least.
This is pretty much what it looked like before anyone ruined the peaceful snow, well...allmost.


This is Kali.  She lives 2 doors down. She is fun, and she plays the piano and sings so pretty!

Thats all Folks!