Speak Now...

Oh, Taylor. I remember the first time I heard one of her songs and we became instant best friends, even though she doesn't know it. She has this knack for writing songs that are so real that everyone can relate on some level. Whether it's songs about love hoped for, love lost, how much she loves and appreciates her parents, telling off people who were mean to you or living for the moment and enjoying the people you love, she speaks to my soul. I know this sounds super cheesy and if you haven't rolled your eyes by now it's probably because you know what I mean. Her songs are the words I wish I could say, an expression of the emotions I don't know what to do with.

Emi got me her new CD (featured above) for Christmas (along with the Glee Christmas CD...best little sister ever?? I think so!!!) and I have listened to it at least once or twice a day since then. I love it! A couple years ago, Emi actually got to meet her (I am still kinda jealous..ok a lot jealous) but I did get an autographed picture out of it, so that was nice.


I haven't written on my blog much lately because honestly, I haven't had much to say that I either haven't already said (stressing over my future) or that I don't want to tell the world. Some things are meant to stay with me. That's what journals are for. My blog is the part of my journal I let you see.

Christmas was nice this year. It was kinda weird to be honest because my little brother is gone on his mission. I miss him a lot. It throws off the dynamic of our family to have him gone. But he's doing really well and seems to be really happy. He goes out into the field on the 3rd, so we'll see how that goes. haha Poor boy. I don't think he knows what he's gotten himself into.

Well, this is my last post of the year. haha Another corny joke, regardless of it's actual truth. I can't believe it's 2011. It's the year I graduate from college, the year I have to find a real, big girl job. Hopefully it will be a year when I experience exciting new things (maybe a trip or two...after I am making real money?). My best friend comes back from her mission this year, as does my cousin. Emi turns 16 and (theoretically starts driving). It's exciting to think about all the life adventures 2011 has in store. Can't stop it from coming, so here we go!

Killer Icicles

So with the snow and cold has come ice. Lots of it. The roads are kinda scary at times. I definitely slid on a turn as I was driving back from a friend's house last night. But sometimes I forget how pretty ice can be in the form of icicles! However, this year seems to have brought on some super intense icicle creation! There are MASSIVE icicles everywhere! I decided to share a picture of the ones outside my bedroom window.

I also took a picture of my friend Desiree standing next to one hanging off our church building that was probably bigger than us! It was truly huge!

There's only like a day and a half left of this week, then No Test Week (also known lovingly as Dead Week) and then Finals, which might kill me. On top of that, we are also in the middle of hiring for next year's A-Team. Yesterday was the last day we accepted applications, so now we have to go through all of them and decide who we want to interview. Next week we'll be conducting interviews and then the last day of Finals Week we'll post a list of who made it. Sooo much stress! I just really can't wait for the break! 3 weeks off! One of those weeks I'll get to be with my family and the other two I'll be back up in Logan working. It's going to be very needed!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

CHRISTMAS!!!!!

We put up a tree in our apartment today. It's the first tree I've had in my own place so I'm pretty stoked about it. I think it's super cute, even though it could probably use some lights. Still, I love it and it makes me so excited for Christmas and for the holiday season!

P.S. The big bad blizzard was more like just a big snow storm. Yeah, it wasn't quite the power-outage, make sure you have food and blankets kinda of an event. But still big. And I got off work early, so successful! :)

There are now 2 weeks of school left and then Finals week! Then only one semester left of college! Well, for now. Grad school to come sometime in the next couple years, but not right away.

Peace and love and blessings and stuff!

Severe Weather Warning...Blizzard!

So this is what it looks like outside my apartment right now...except you can't really see the flakes in this picture. Plus it's snowing a lot harder ever though this picture was only taken about 10 minutes ago. My car was totally clean when this storm started about two hours ago. By morning...you may not even be able to tell I have a car! haha They weren't kidding when they said this was going to be a big storm!

They even closed campus at 2 pm today. The last time they closed campus for snow was my Freshman year, but they didn't do it til the evening, which I thought was dumb. So really this is my only snow day that has benefited me. I got to go home 3 hours early! Whoo hoo!

Now I can't see the apartments across the street. This thing keeps getting worse and worse!

Tomorrow I'm going to the rents' condo in Murray for the Thanksgiving holiday! Tomorrow night we're going to Katie and Steven's wedding reception. They are some of my friends from Texas. Then we're spending Thanksgiving Day at my Craig Grandparents' house in Cedar Hills, UT. I'm excited to spend time with my family and I'm actually most excited to see my sister. I miss her lots. Plus this will be the first Thanksgiving in three years that I'll be with my immediate family! I think that's something to celebrate! :)

Here's another shot of the blizzard, taken at the same time as the one at the top. It's too dark to take an update shot right now so I'll take another picture in the morning.

Have a happy, blizzardy day!!!

Kinda embarrassing...

So Tuesday I was on campus and I was hungry so I got out my granola bar to eat...innocent right?? no! Sometimes I like to break my food into pieces rather than take bites out of the whole thing. Maybe that weird but I do it with granola bars, cookies, sandwiches that are in plastic sandwich bags...

Anyway, I went to break off a piece of granola bar and it was a little harder than I thought it would be (I remember this brand being particularly sensitive to cold and freezing easily) so I gave it a little more effort. Well, a piece broke off...but it also caught under the nail of my right hand's pointer finger and broke my nail! Yes, I broke my nail on a granola bar! What the?! Who knew that was something I would ever need to admit.

When I got home I tried to cut it down but the break is actually a little too far down my nail to do much about, so I have been wearing a band-aid for the last three days so that the nail doesn't snag on my clothes. It sucks. I hate wearing band-aids that high on my fingers. I didn't realize how much I use my pointer finger too. I mean, have you ever tried to use the mouse pad on a lap top with out the ability to use your pointer finger?? The mouse pad does not pick up the touch of a band-aid...so annoying. I tried putting nail polish on it this morning, hoping it would kinda seal the nail broken nail down to the rest of the nail but it didn't work very well.

So here's to a band-aid on my finger til my nail grows out and I can cut off the broken part. Last night I was at a High School college open house for USU and I kept pointing at this flier I was handing out and I felt really self conscious about about my band-aid. It was kinda funny. Anyway, that's my story. Peace and blessin's!

Lots of Change

So Christian went into the MTC a week ago and it was a lot harder than I was expecting. I'm afraid I might have embarrassed him but oh well. When your little brother is going to be gone for two year, regardless of the reason, I think it's ok to cry a little...or a lot. Whatever suits you. We got our first letter from him today and it made me really, really happy. He seems to be doing really well and is happy. I was really worried about him being homesick or not liking it or something, so I can breathe a little easier now.

My graduation packet is currently at the Dean's Office awaiting his (or her...I'm not really sure actually) signature so I can take it to the Registrar's Office, pay $10 and officially turn in my application for graduation. So weird!!!

My family is most of the way moved to Utah. They are in Texas now getting all the last stuff done and then in about a week and a half, they'll be moving out here. I am excited to have them close and to not have to choose if I am going to see them on Thanksgiving or Christmas. I can do both! Stellar. It's funny how we're so used to me doing my own thing and not really being home very much. This is a conversation we had last week when I was down there:

Mom: So you're coming down for Thanksgiving?

Me: yup!

Dad: The whole Thanksgiving Break?! Like you'll live here for a week?!

Me: No!!!! Just for Thanksgiving Day! Maybe one more day after that...

Mom breathes a disappointed sigh and Dad and I breathe a sighs of relief that we cleared that up!

This might sound mean, but it's really not. I wouldn't know what to do living with my parents again in their condo and I don't think they'd know what to do with me since I haven't been home very often the last three years. I think it's funny.

The weather has taken a decisive turn for the worse. It's cold, rainy/snowy/sleety, and by the time I walk home from campus at 5 pm on most days..it's already getting dark! I don't appreciate it very much. But winter is coming and there is no doubt about it! Here's to Logan weather and having to deal with it for the next six months...maybe we'll see the grass again by graduation...maybe.

Funny Day Light Savings story- so I woke up on Sunday morning and was very cozy in my bed but definitely awake. I looked at my clock and thought "oh! 8:30! That's a nice time to wake up! I can still get things done but also have some lazy time before I have to get ready for church" (I have church at 1:30, so there is a LOT of down time in the morning). Then I pick up my cell phone and the time says "7:30". I had forgotten about the "fall back". I was pretty upset that on my only day to sleep in, I had woken up at 7:30 in the morning. And once I'm up, I'm up! I was sad. I ended up getting so bored by the end of the morning that I cleaned the whole kitchen, including sweeping and mopping, which actually had to be done anyway. So it worked out I guess.

Well, school is hard, life is good and for the most part I'm happy! Until next time!

Fall Days are Happy Days!

So yesterday was the Homecoming football game and about 3 minutes into the second quarter it started pouring super cold rain. So being the fair weather football fans that we are, we left! We decided what we really needed to warm up was a bowl of soup from Great Harvest. So off we went! I got a bowl of the tomato raveoli soup in a cute pumpkin bread bowl!!

See! There it is!!! It was super delicious and a lot of fun. I love Great Harvest. It's yummy and super cheap. :)


So because it's starting to get closer to winter time and because I love Fall soo much, I have been taking pictures of the trees and the colors before all the leaves fall the trees just look dead. Because I basically spend my whole life on campus, most of these pictures are from campus.


These are the same trees but at a different angle so you can see how they're actually a super pretty orange color!


This is a tree at the end of the drive way to my parking lot. I snapped this on my way to school one morning.


This one I took out a window (obviously) from the student center looking out onto the TSC patio. It's soo pretty!


Today it's cold and rainy again but I don't really mind because I don't have to go outside today! Well, besides walking (or running) to my car, into the church building, back to my car, and into the apartment...maybe a couple other times but that's about it. Tomorrow when I'm walking to school, I may not like it quite as much! haha Good thing I have my cute new umbrella! :)

So much excitement!

Look at what was in the Statesman today (the USU newspaper).......


Yup! The Basketball insert!!! You know what that means?! Basketball season is right around the corner!!!! One week from Saturday! That's like... 12 days! bah! I can hardly wait.

This week is also Homecoming Week and I am sooo excited!!! There are so many fun things that happen. Tonight there is a paint dance, although I'm pretty sure it's glow in the dark dust this year, not paint. huh. Then Tuesday they're showing a movie, Wednesday it's Mr.USU, Thursday there's a Luau, Friday is the Homecoming Dance along with True Aggie night (not that it really matters...), Saturday is the Homecoming Game, and there's lots of free food all week and fun things going on. It's one of the best weeks of the semester!

Go Aggies!!!!

Lazy Day

Today has been one of the laziest days I have had in a while and it has felt soo good! Until 1:30 pm, I did not make my bed (I know!!), put away my laundry that I washed yesterday (still breathing?), shower, get dressed and put on make up...I'm still working on getting my hair done. It might not if I don't have to go anywhere today. It has been fantastic, liberating, and full of Gilmore Girls and talking to friends who have moved away. What more could a girl on Fall Break want?!

Girls Night was super, super fun! The movie was amazing too. Got an A- in my opinion! (the minus for some..well PG 13 material that I didn't really appreciate) It was fantastic. I cried multiple times (that's right, I'm not afraid to admit it!) I highly recommend it.


So yesterday I went to an Aggie soccer game and got a glasses tan line on my face. It's really attractive. But you know what, I don't mind. It was so nice to just sit on the grass, watching a good game and having the sun beat down on me while the temperature was only 70ish degrees. Another reason why I am in love with Fall! The weather during the day is perfect. The leaves have faded in the canyons but in the valley they are finally turning bright yellows and vibrant reds. It's so so so pretty!!! They're starting to fall a little but right now it just accentuates the essence of Fall rather than looking dead. Here's a little look at what I get to see outside my window.


This doesn't come close to doing it justice. It's super pretty! and yes, I can sometimes see into the apartments across the stream. Nothing awkward has been seen and I keep my blinds closed :) Well, when it's important to have them closed of course.

Now I have to go start making flash cards for my Kinesiology class. My teacher really kicked it into gear on Thursday and I feel a little overwhelmed with everything that I need to learn. So here I go! Off to be more productive on my lazy day.

Fall Break!!!!

After a couple of super intense weeks at school, we are granted the privilege of Fall Break. This is not like Spring Break, although the name does elude to it. It's one day that we get off. One day! The U gets the whole week. Like, you know, Spring Break in the Fall. Not that I'm that upset. I really am super, super excited to have a three day weekend.

Tonight we have an A-Team Girls Night Out! We are going to eat at Gia's (an Italian restaurant that has been close forever and just reopened this summer) and then going to see "Life as We Know It". I'm pretty excited for this! We all become such good friends during the summer and then school starts and we rarely see each other! Well, not all of us, but there are some of my A-Team ladies who I haven't seen in way too long! So it will be so fun to see each other and get some yummy Italian food (my favorite!) and go see what I hope will be an awesome chick flick (also my favorite).

Then tomorrow is Fall Break and dang it, I'm sleeping in! It's going to be great! Then I'll probably have to do some studying at some point this weekend...but probably not tomorrow. I'm going to take the whole day off! Saturday will be back to business. I am so excited for my one day break!

Today I'm going to whine

So there I was, studying in the library and minding my own business when bam! I feel it. That tell tale tickle/turning into a slight ache in the back of my throat. I was getting sick. By the time I called it quits at the library, I also had a headache and my body just felt weak and achy all over. It took me forever to fall asleep and it wasn't very sound. This morning I woke up feeling more weak and not very rested at all. But I had work at 8 (which I was a little late to...) so here I am, not caring how I look and hoping I don't actually have to do a whole lot today. The sick part of me is saying to tough it out during work and then go home instead of class. The part of myself that is there all the time, rain or shine, is telling me to suck it up and quit being such a baby. We'll see who wins at 12:15 when it's time to leave work and go to class.

I like to think I'm pretty tough when it comes to being sick. I usually don't like to show weakness in anyway (silly I know) and being whiny is being weak. If I don't feel well I keep it to myself and do what needs to be done, unless I absolutely can't. But today I don't care. I am going to whine away. When I have to, I'll put on a happy face but when people aren't looking, I'm going to mope around. And there's nothing you can do about it. Then whenever I decide, I'm going to go home, get back in my jammies, and sleep. It's going to be wonderful. Thank goodness it's Friday!!!

Marketing scheme got me!

I was at the Walmart the other day and fell victim to this:

It was only $2 and I was going to buy cereal anyway!!! Plus, look! It turns my milk green. How fun it that?!

Cereal people 1. Alyssa 0. Happy Alyssa? Yes! :)

I love...

seeing the sun hitting the mountains across the valley as I walk to school every morning
I realize this is a sun set picture but it will do.


how clean my apartment always stays!


my fantastic roomies






















all the leaves changing colors. fall is my favorite time of year ever! October is my favorite month


















home grown, garden veggies our managers gave us. I can't wait to cook them tonight!



Utah State. I couldn't have asked for a better college experience

Blogging Drought

I honestly have not felt like blogging a lot lately, which is strange. I actually don't really feel like it right now either. But I'm doing it. Here goes:

Let's see...I went home a couple weeks ago. That was nice! I hadn't been home since May 09 before that, so it felt good to be home. It was a typical trip home, including a Sunday basketball game with Dad. I'm major out of shape and out of practice! We also went to a Goo Goo Dolls concert, opened by Switchfoot. It was pretty awesome!


School started this week. Which means my senior year started this week. So weird!!! And since I made the decision to hold off on grad school right now, this is really my last year of school for a while. I'm really freaked out. I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I'm just along for the ride and hope a get a job after graduation so I can pay off my student loans...and you know, live.

The yearly 80's Dance was last night. Usually it's my favorite dance of the whole year. We get all dressed up, the music is awesome and it's just an all around fun night. This year was not as fun. The DJ decided he was going to play whatever he wanted, so he made lots of techno versions of classic 80s songs and then adding in modern songs. SO not cool!!! It's the 80s Dance! It's only supposed to be legit 80s! That really bugged me. But other than that, the night was really fun.


Oh! How could I forget?! I got two new roomies last week also! They're my good friends, Shana and Kaela. So far we're all having a lot of fun living together and the apartment is staying clean, which I LOVE! It's going to be a good year.

I also started my new job in the SOAR (student orientation) office. I am now a Student Coordinator for the program and help run the day to day things of the program. So far, so good! I haven't deleted an email account or anything like that.

So basically, I have a great job, love my classes (oh I didn't mention that. I do!), have amazing roommates, and have been having a lot of fun. Sums it up pretty well! I'm a lucky girl!

I'm a regular Annie Oakley!

This last weekend I went up to a cabin in Oakley with some friends. We had a lot of fun. We went on a hike, watched a scary movie ("The Others"), ate a cute diner, shot BB guns, ate lots of good food, relaxed and just had a good time.

We got really into the BB gun shooting and even ended up having a tournament. We had two rounds to determine the top four shooters. I ended up being one of them (HUGE shocker to me...honestly!). It was me and three boys. We created a created a course with four stations for the championship. There were 10 targets, 2 minutes and 20 BBs allowed. At the first station you had to crouch behind a bush and shoot down three targets, then run to the next station where you stood and shot three more. The third station required that you lie down and shoot three more and then the last station had you shoot down a target up the hill in a tree. I ended up shooting down all of the targets except the three at the third station and got second place in the Championship. It was a lot of fun!

Summer is coming to a close really fast! I go home for a few days next Thursday and then the next week is Connections Week, where I'm a peer mentor, and then BAM! School start Monday, August 30. That gives me less than 17 days now til my senior year starts. Crazy stuff!

Inception

This movie was fantastic. I would highly recommend it to any one wanting, wishing, or even thinking of seeing it. I'm not going to say anything about the plot or something like that because you really just have to watch the movie to figure it all out. I thought the acting was great, the effects phenomenal and the plot complex enough to keep you on your toes. Let me tell you, if you are at all tired or not able to give this movie your complete attention, wait until you can do so. Otherwise it will not make sense. But it was so great. Definitely one to keep your attention the whole time (despite the long running time of the show) and totally blow your mind.

Feet!

It's been a long while since I've written a post about something not related to my life. Just my thoughts, not a journal-type entry. Well, here's one for you:

I've recently noticed that a lot of girls have some strange fear of feet. I'm sorry if this statement applies to you and you're offended, but I think it's weird. Feet are not gross just because they're feet. If they're actually dirty from walking around, then yes, gross. But just being feet. Not so much.

I personally have no problem with feet and no objection whatsoever to having my feet touched. I love getting pedicures and although I don't think I've ever had a food massage, I would not put up a fight if someone wanted to give me one. Well, not just anyone...but you know what I mean.

So to all you feet fearing people of the world, I think you and your whole "foot thing" is strange. and if my feet ever accidentally touch you or if I accidentally touch your feet, I apologize in advance. Both for upsetting and for the odd look I might give you because...well...you're weird. Doesn't mean I don't love you though!

Playing Catch Up

So here's a little post to catch you up on what I've done since the last post. My family came up, as I mentioned before, and it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed seeing them. I miss them a lot. We drove all around Utah and parts of Idaho visiting family members and attending a family reunion.

My parents surprised us and took us indoor skydiving in Ogden! It was soo cool. I have to admit, I was nervous at first but I ended up having a lot of fun. What a neat experience.

On a side note, Brother got his mission call! He's going to the Cochabamba, Bolivia mission and leaves November 3rd! So crazy! I am very proud of him!

This is Heidi, Kaili and me on our first hike of the Wind Caves this summer. We actually ended up hiking it at night a couple days later. It's a Logan Canyon favorite and always a good time. It's so pretty up there! I love Logan Canyon and want to go on more hikes before the summer is up.

This last weekend, a group of friends and I went up to Bear Lake for the day. This is some of the girls building a sea monster. It ended up being pretty cool if I do say so myself. After playing at the lake we went to La Beau's for dinner and then finished up by hanging out at the Knighton family's cabin. It was a great day!

So far this is probably the best summer I've had since I've been up here. I'm having a lot of fun but also balancing it out with work and other responsibilities. Life is good and I am happy! :)

Tots looking forward to family time!

So the fam is coming up to the great state of UT tomorrow. It's going to be a family packed week! I'm pretty sure we're going to see every family member possible in a 5 hour radius. Lots of driving. Should be fun.

I'm just hoping we don't revert back to childhood with the three of us squished in the back (now that we all take up more room since Christian is taller and Emi and I now have hips) and fights breaking out periodically. haha

Probably will. :) Yay for family vacations!!! More to come next week with updated pics

p.s. for all those who read anything I write, you need to know this. I have recently started using "tots" as a shortened version of "totally". So it's pronounced like "totes" but it's just "tots". Get it? Ok good. Now you'll all know what I'm talking about

Wrong side of the bed

You know those days when you wake up and for no apparent reason, because well, you just woke up and nothing's happened yet, you are mad, irked, pissed off. Well, that was me today. It's such a frustrating feeling because I don't know what to do to make it better. All I know is that I'm mad and nobody better get in my way today. My first relief came when I was in the shower (sorry...TMI) and when I opened my shower gel bottle two little bubbles floated out. It made me laugh a little and I literally felt some of the bad mood melt off. Crazy what little smiling and laughter can do for you. I don't know why I'm telling the www all of this but here it is.

Tonight I'm going to the new A-Team movie because, well, I'm on the A-Team. Obviously not the same one as in the movie but it wouldn't be right if us A-Teamers didn't go see this movie together. So we're going to the midnight showing (ba! not excited for that. I'm getting old) and we're wearing our A-Team shirts that we have for Connections at the end of the summer. We're going to look like crazy fanatics but really, we're just the A-Team too and we happen to have shirts that say so. That should make tonight fun and give me something to look forward to that will cheer up my weird mood. Maybe after work, I'll take a nap... :)

Mon Parapluie

This is actually one of the pictures up in my apartment. Keep reading to understand.

So as has been the case for the last month or so, it was raining pretty hard when I woke up. Now, I don't mind the rain. I actually like it a lot! Especially since over the weekend I was even treated to some thunder and lightening! Rainy weather makes me want to go eat at La Madeleine back home. or Great Harvest here. Anyway, so as I was walking out of my apartment to make the 15 minute trek up to work I opened my umbrella and...it wouldn't open. I tried again, it wouldn't open again. I examined it and well what do you know?! It was bent. I have absolutely no idea how it happened but my umbrella (mon paraluie!) is broken! So I threw it away in the nearest dumpster and now I have to go buy a new one. Good thing I had on my new rain coat! Not quite the same as an umbrella though. However, I'm going to have to wait until after my next paycheck (on the 10th!) to buy a new one since I have next to no money. Paying for things when you're poor really sucks! :)

To go along with this post our apartment has a theme! Like, the decorations in the living room/kitchen area. Can you guess what it is?? Parapluies! It just kinda happened that way but it's all coming together very nicely and I am very excited for when it's all put up. Maybe I'll post pictures? Is that too much info for potential creepers? By the way, all the decorating creativity is coming from Kaili and her mom and sister. I have zero decorating creativity.

Also, SOAR starts on Thursday! Let the boredom, lecturing, crying, happiness, nervousness, difficult parents, apathy and overachieving begin! haha

Happy Rainy Day!!! :)

picture found at http://www.dann-online.com/Gitman/Sweaters/Umbrellas.jpg

Selfish List

http://cdn.thefrisky.com/images/uploads/selfish-061609-main.jpg

This is going to be a very selfish post so watch out! I'm going to write an "I want" list.

I want:

• Enough money to pay off my loan from last year, pay for school for next year and pay for my school year rent. Roughly $13,000! yikes!
• A couple of cute cardigans
• Some cute, new shirts that are a little dressier so my wardrobe stops resembling that of a 15 year old
• A new dress and/or skirt
• The energy to work a lot and play a lot...and the time
• To go home to Texas for a while
• The motivation to get into shape and drop some lbs
• A computer that functions properly
  
• To know what I'm going to do after graduation next year
• To know what I want to be when I grow up
• To travel the world
  
• A vacation

So yeah, that's what Alyssa wants. Right now I just have to be content with being super poor and not being able to do most of those things. This time of my life is definitely a waiting game and being a slightly impatient person, that doesn't sit too well. But I guess patience is a virtue so I should probably develop that. Yay for being a poor college student!

On a happier, less selfish note, my high school best friend Stacey Robin Lehman married Joe Bolke on Monday! It was so great to see them and be a part of their big day. I've known them both for a long time and I couldn't be happier for them. I knew Stacey back from middle school and then I ran cross country with Joe in high school. Well I was the one who got Stacey to join the cross country team, which is how they met, so...I'm claiming them as a matching making victory. Unintentional, but still successful :)

Congrats Stacey and Joe!!!

Retreat and Brother

So I've realized that while my blog started out as a a place for me to express any thought I want it has now turned into a sort of online journal. Of course, I don't put everything on this blog that I would put in my journal! But I do tend to talk about my life a lot more than anything else. Which is fine by me. I don't know why I just ranted about that. Beauty of the blog I suppose; you can write about whatever the heck you want! :)

Well the point of this post was to talk about A-Team Second Retreat that took place last week. It was soo much fun! I love it every year and I am so sad that this was my last year. I brought my camera to work so I can put pictures up with the post. enjoy:

We play a lot, a lot of volleyball

hung out in the sunshine

Made a fort!

Ate more food than is definitely healthy

Smiled for the camera

Smiled again

Had a bonfire and told scary stories....green canyon!

had a modified "breathing orange fire" competition

played safely by the fire

and took lots and lots of pictures!

So there's a little taste of Retreat. I seriously love the A-Team! They are my best friends up here and I wouldn't have survived life away from home without them.

So Christian turned in his papers and it totally freaks me out. I know I don't see him very often but for some reason the thought of him being totally gone for two years scares me. I know it's a good thing and I'm so glad he's going but it doesn't change the way I feel. I am going to bawl when he leaves. I'm so selfish and such a cry baby. My poor brother....has to deal with his crazy big sister.

Ok I'm going to stop now because the pictures made this a super long post. I'll talk about my summer goings on later. Peace!