USU, Get Connected....

Well, I am finally, OFFICIALLY a student at Utah State University!!!

:) :) This last week has been a crazy one, but it's been really good. I opted to take the USU Connections class for incoming freshman, and it was a really good decision.
Before the class we had an assignment to read the book, Zeitoun. To my surprise, it wasn't half bad. It's by far not something I would chose to read on my own, but it's a book I'm glad I read. It's about a Muslim family during Hurricane Katrina and everything they went through, from the husband deciding to stay and getting arrested, the fight to get him released, his wife taking care of their 4 kids halfway across the US without knowing where he is, to the re-building and growth of New Orleans after the hurricane struck. I learned so much about what actually happened during Hurricane Katrina, because I was so young when it happened i didn't remember much. Then, we had to write a 5 page paper on the book. not too bad.

The class started out on Wednesday, and I got to meet my teacher, my peer mentor, and all the kids in my class. They were all pretty cool. Of course, in every group of people there's the few that are really annoying, especially when most all of them are little 17/18 year old kids who haven't had any taste of reality yet. So there were a few kids I wanted to smack, but overall, it was just fine.
I got to park at the bottom of Old Main every day and hike up the stairs(let's just say, I feel like i've totally got my exercise in for sure this week!) and of course, running all around campus going to seminars, and finding our classes, learning about the computers and other resources available to the USU students, and all the other fun stuff we got to do.
Friday, we got to go do a service project for a program in our community. That was really neat, I always enjoy doing service. It makes me feel so good!! And it was AWESOME to see all 32 of us students in our USU game day t-shirts out weeding and cleaning all together. It was hot, and we got dirty but it was great. and we bonded over it as well. I love giving back to the community!

There were other fun activities that went on, friends were made, and I learned a lot! I'm really glad I took the class, even if I had to deal with annoying little teenagers all week.

I can now say, I feel a bit more prepared for my first day of official classes on Monday.

USU, Here I come!!!!

also, here's a neat video we watched in one of our workshops. It was on the Aggies Think Care Act campaign. The program is designed to:
"Encourage positive individual decisions, Promote pro-social behavior and bystander intervention, and create a culture of caring." It's about getting out in the community; both on the USU campus or around in the valley and doing things to better the community. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! :)

Summer is the Fairest time of year..... :)

I LOVE SUMMER!!!

It is by far, the best season. Yeah, sure, It's hot and humid, but it is great!! And nothing beats all of the fantastic events and activities available in and around Cache Valley for the summer!
There's Summerfest in June, and July brings the 4th of July festivities and fun Pioneer Day activities. There's camping in the wonderful Mountains surrounding the Valley, boating and swimming at Bear Lake and Hyrum Dam. Lagoon, Floating the Canal, mini-golfing, and this is just a tiny handful of the endless possibilities of summer joy!!
and then come August.... we have the Cache County Fair!! Summer would NOT be complete without it!

:) vendors, quilts, rides and games(which I never ride or participate in but they just add to the feel of the fair!) laughter, all of the animals, the bean displays, wonderful artwork, amazing foods, delicious smells wafting through the air, and my yearly dose of Navajo Tacos, Funnel Cakes, and Texas Twister Lemonade.... :) Summer would not be complete without them!!! Everything rolled into one make the entire atmosphere of the Fair the best!!!
This year, I got to go walk around the Fair three times!!

Thursday afternoon I went and walked around with Aaron. It was really fun to walk around holding hands. ;) and it was really fun to be able to walk around and talk about the things and learn even more about him-- interests and some little things I didn't know yet. We ate Churros and spent a lot of time just talking. This was especially great considering I've been sick and hadn't got to see or talk to him hardly at all!!

Thursday Evening I went back with my wonderful Momma! :) I always love walking around with my mom. She's the best. Every year we try and convince her to enter something into the craft section-- but she never listens!! This is where I got to eat my most delicious Navajo Taco-- WHICH I have been Craving ALL SUMMER(sadly I had to miss the summerfest so I didn't get one then) It was totally worth the almost 45 minute wait in line! Before leaving the fair- I stopped and bought a slice of Strawberry Rhubarb tart, and German Cheese cake from this wonderful German guy that sells the most yummy German stuff in these parts of town!

Saturday was my third time at the County Fair-- and I went with my dear Roommate!! So fun! Even though we both ate so much and drank a ton of lemonade and practically made ourselves sick!

But really.... THE FAIR IS THE BEST!!

On top of the Fair, and after getting over the bulk of my illness, the week was great!! I don't know if part of it was just the excitement that always comes along with the Fair, or if it was just a good week but it was wonderful!!

Saturday at work was probably one of the best days at work I've had for a really long time. My manager Lynn Hobbs, almost made me cry. He's awesome! He came up to me, gave me a hug, and told me how much he appreciates me, and everything I do to help him, and how he's real glad he gets to work with me. Thanks Hobbs! I didn't get stuck with too many stupid people to help, and all the girls at work were in a good mood. Sometimes, work is awesome!!!
Saturday after the Fair, Mariana and I went on a little adventure to print a project she was working on for her mom, and then we headed to Wellsville to Heart Attack Aaron's door!! He'd been in Bear Lake for the weekend, and I was hoping he was still gone(his whole family was there) but, they weren't. so the whole time we were hurrying our fastest in hopes we wouldn't get caught!! and we DIDN'T! yay!!! we have now officially been dating a month... CRAZY!
We ended out the night with a fantastic Party at Dawna Webb's house! Her Annual August Bash is always the best!! Really, it's her birthday-- but she doesn't like to let people know that ;)

I am not excited for summer to come to an end! There's still so many things I want to do that haven't happened yet!!! But, I am excited for my next grand adventure to start in two weeks: COLLEGE!!!!!!!

Bring.It.On!!!

Hello friends, it's been a while.....

Well, maybe I kinda stink at this blog updating thing. In my defense, I have been living in an apartment since June that has NOT had internet...... and, I've found myself rather busy the last few weeks.

The middle of June I took a week and went to California with my mom and brother. It was a blast!! We went to visit my grandma. It was really nice to see her again, but a bit weird being in her new house, and being there without Grandpa. It was my first visit since my grandpa's funeral last summer. But it was a good visit. We helped her organize her garage a bit. She recently moved, and everything got dumped in her garage. poor woman! Shortly after moving, she fell and broke her hip, and then got shingles. So she hasn't got too much done since right after she moved. We didn't get as much done as we'd hoped, but there is some great improvement!!!

Not wanting us to spend our entire weeks vacation just helping her, we did some fun stuff too! My brother and I spent a day in San Fracisco, which was AWESOME!! It had been a while since either of us were there last, and it was so much fun to walk around together and remember all our old trips with our cousins!! And we got some great pictures!! :) San Francisco is truly a beautiful city! It's not somewhere I'd want to live(i definitely decided I am a small town girl) but it is so great to go visit. It has such marvelous architecture, and some beautiful, beautiful sights! Not to mention, all of the absolutely interesting people there are there! :) Definitely, a great trip!
We also took a day and went to Oakland to the beautiful Oakland LDS Temple!! It is so gorgeous! and I am so glad I got to go! I got to go do baptisms for the dead, while my mom, grandma, and brother did a session. The baptismal font is in the back of the temple, and they don't have a separate entrance so I got to walk all the way through the halls of the temple, and have a cute little lady(sister Hershey) escort me the whole time. After I finished I still had about 2 hours to wait for my family, so I made my way over to the visitors center, where I spent some time talking with a super awesome sister missionary. She showed me some of her pictures, told me how wonderful her mission has been for her, and had me watch a great movie! It's called the "Labor of Love" Totally one of those super cheesey one's you'd watch in seminary, but it was really good.... maybe I cried a bit!! After my family finished their session, we went back into the temple and ate at the cafeteria. super yummy food! :) We spent some time taking some great pictures, and Mark and I walked around the top of the temple. way neat!! It was a great experience!
Later that day, Mark and I took a trip to Fairfield(which is a town not too far away from where my grandma lives) and went mini-golfing at this great little place called SCANDIA!! :) we use to go there allllllll the time when we were younger with all our cousins. It was a highlight of our California trips growing up!



Mark and I had an awesome time visiting a cute little park, eating some delicious cake at this cute German bakery, have some great "walks down memory lane" and visiting with some of my cousins and uncles and aunt. I have such a great family!! Seeing my grandma was awesome. I love that cute lady! and spending time with my mom and brother was the best!! I got a little car sick on the ride home, but it was great. I am so glad we took the time to go to on that trip!!

Well, since getting home I've just stayed busy working, and getting ready for my Freshman year at USU!! It's about time I'm starting college, and I am SO excited!! My roommate moved in so I am not living alone anymore, which is awesome and I love her so very much! We have been on some pretty fun little adventures, watched some good movies, and just shared a lot of good laughs(and dinners!) OH, and I started dating this super great guy named Aaron. He is such a sweetie, and he treats me real well. I am one lucky gal!

So, that's what's been happening since my last up-date. Aside from getting Whooping cough(which I am currently suffering from) life has been absolutely WONDERFUL!!! I thank God every day for all of my blessings, because I sure do have a lot of them. :)