KiwiLife

Some Old Updates from My Life: Summer

2011-11-19T14:28:00.000-08:00

I moved from the Elms to Park Place with a year-round contract. For someone who wasn’t planning to stay in Utah over Sp/Su I sure kept myself busy. I found that when I am sure I am not going to do something (like stay in Utah over the Sp/Su) I end up doing it. My decision was based on the fact that I had a job, I could move into Park Place, and somehow my spur of the thought application for a scholarship for those terms got me a full scholarship. Overall, it beat going back to work closing shifts at Taco Bell and not having a social life.

Things I did…

Spring Term I took 9 credits (The max you can take during a term) and worked about 30 Hours a week between watching Ethan and working at the Preschool. As busy as I was it I actually still had great summer thanks to my roommate Tianne. We are twins! We are both Elementary education major, easy going, and have very similar sleeping habits. The alarm clock situation in the morning was awesome! Mine would go off first, and then I didn’t need to press snooze because hers would go off right where mine would have. I would then get up and get ready, and right before I would go down stairs to eat I would make sure she was awake and “functioning.” Between her 12 credits (with special permission) and watching Ethan about 8 hours a week and my schedule we were antisocial together. Many nights we were both up late doing homework, relying on the motivation we gave each other to finish. With a secret stash of melt in your mouth dove chocolate and delightful chats about life we made it through the summer.

The most eventful thing from this summer was I legitimately flunked a test in family finance. Looking at it later I found out I had my calculator in the wrong mode (Begin vs. End). However, I still managed to get a B+ which is an accomplishment. Traumatic for me, but I survived.

Spring Term 2011
SFL 100 001 Strengthening Marr & Family 3.00 A
SFL 160 001 Intro to Family Processes 3.00 A-
SFL 260 001 Family Finance 3.00 B+

Between Spring and Summer my roommates, and the guys from apartment 5 went on an adventure to Little Wild Horse Canyon and Goblin Valley. It was a fantastic camp out, hike and trip with friends. The documentary Will, Adam and Mike made was hilarious!

During the Summer I also hiked Timp with Aaron and some of his friends starting at 1:00am the day of Kristi’s wedding reception. Lets just say it was a crazy day and my legs were a bit sore. These pictures were taken on our way down (it was to dark for pictures on our way up.)

Here is my class schedule for this term.

Summer Term 2011
EDLF 452 001 Foundations of Education 2.00 A
MUSIC 378 001 Mu Elem Clsrm Tchr 2.00 A
TELL 400 001 Foundations in Ed for ELLs 2.00 A

Also, during this time and shortly after a lot of changes happened. Katy and Hannah (Sp/Su roommates) are now serving Missions in Argentina. Kristi Bonkemeyer (from back home) and Eliza Bushman (friend from freshman year) got married.

Well that is the end of a brief overview of my life this past Spring/Summer. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Room mate Grocery Trips

2010-11-20T23:40:00.000-08:00

Grocery Trips are like Christmas... Roommates all pile up in the car and we all fill up on our groceries for the week!

Oh, The Things You Can Make... & Eat!

2010-11-20T23:15:00.000-08:00

Beef Stroganof

Frittata

Chili Cheese Dip

Chili Noodle

Peach Cobbler

ABC soup variation

Mashed Potatoes

Homemade tortilla frittata style

Microwave Mexican Lasagna

Dance Sport and Metal Exam

2010-11-20T20:17:00.000-08:00

Last Week I competed in Dance Sport. It was a fantastic day. I got up early (about 7) to get ready and compete just after eight. First round I was super nervous, I was shaking like crazy! To make things even worse, right before I went on the floor I was caught wearing sequins. The funny thing is I remember reading sequence weren't allowed by didn't think much about it because I don't have really anything with sequences on it, and so what do I do? I wear the only shirt I have with sequence. After the first round I was sure we weren't going to make it to the second, but we did and so my partner and I booked it back to my apartment so I could change in time for the next round. I was literally in my apartment and out in about 3o seconds, but by the time we got back we missed our round, so we just jumped in to the next one, and low and behold we made it to the third round. In fact, with a bit of help finding the 2...3... counts we made it all the way to the quarter finals, where we had to come back to compete again at 6! I went home for two hours and came back to cheer on my teacher at 1:00. I didn't feel like going home and giving up a great front lot parking spot, and so we stayed after our teacher competed (who got first after only practicing with his partner a day! WOW!) until the professionals danced. My partner and I made the top 25. We were one round from having our teaching buying us ice-cream. Oh well, we celebrated with Jamba Juice instead. I was there literally ALL day. The energetic performance and lively steps were mesmerizing. I loved watching the Cadbury dance numbers were unbelievable with all the lifts. It was so cool when the lady spun around on the guy's head. I particularly enjoyed looking at the bright colors and styles of all the dresses. Everything was so sparkly and glamorous. I felt as though I was transported back in time or maybe onset to a dance scene of an old time movie. After those of us that were still there left to go to Applebee's for dinner. The whole day was fantastic!
Here are some picture from the event:
My Partners Name is Oliver

Thursday I took a medals exam for the American Bronze (Foxtrot and Cha cha.) I passed and got a certificate and a pin for it. Yahoo! My Score was an 89.

Food & Books

2010-10-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

ROOM MATE Dinners:
So Julie, one of my fabulous room mates, thought it would be fun if we got together as an apartment and had dinner together. Each room would be responsible for either a main or side dish, and so for the past two Sundays that is what we have done. Two weeks ago we had Parmesan chicken (I made JJK'S favorite salad), and last week we had lasagna (I brought a green salad). It's great to sit down with everyone and talk, plus it's nice to have a full course meal! YUM!
These are just a couple of the more interesting meals and snacks I have made for myself, and my room mate Melissa.
Pineapple Chicken

Yakisoba

Frozen Peanut butter and Banana

About Children's literature:
So far this semester I have read 60 picture books and...
9 chapter books: Shipwrecked at the bottom of the World, The Wanderings of Odysseus, The Book of Three, Masterpiece, the Bronze Bow, Climbing the Stairs, Lincoln: A Photo biography, I Have Lived A Thousand Years, and Waiting For Normal
My favorite Book would be the Bronze Bow. It was eye opening about the Jewish Culture, and I think that Spears did a wonderful job showing the human aspects of Christ.
I still have 10 more books or 1500 pgs. left to go. Why can't all homework be this entertaining and fun to do?
So, remember how I said I got free books from this class? Well, this is my collection thus far... isn't it AMAZINGLY wonderful!?!?!?

Odds and Ends Events

2010-10-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

So, on September 5th my roommate, Melissa had a birthday. I wanted to surprise her with a cake and so I told her I had another "meeting" (I had one earlier for my calling) that I needed to attend to. Of course she believed me... but I'm surprised she didn't ask more questions when I left with eggs, or Elise repeatedly came back to get various supplies to bring back to another friends apartment to bake the cake, when I didn't come back four about four hours, or when she asked Elise where she was heading and who she was with and she replied to go visit friends, who she probably didn't know (our friends roommates, so we bent the truth a little to keep her oblivious ;) It was quite the experience with cardboard "candles", fruit loop decorations, and runny frosting. Anyway, after tons of laughs and a great delivery we ate cake.
So, I have amazing home teachers... They made Melissa and I dinner because Melissa wasn't feeling well. The got tons of brownie points for this months get to know you visit.
Ok, so as an athlete I was able to get some extra tickets to the BYU vs. Nevada Game. Me and some friends from track were seated right above the Nevada fans. Why they would put the two most competitive groups together (opponents and athletes) who know? Anyway, though we lost the game was very entertaining... especially since this was Elise's first college game, and we got to listen to the Nevada Fans.

A Long Since Due UPDATE!

2010-10-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Since it has only been about 10 months since my late update, and a lot has happened, it might take a bit of time to get caught up, so I will fill in from what's happening now and work my way back... hopefully it won't be another 10 months before my next post!

Currently I am living in Utah, back at BYU for my sophomore year at school. My major is Elementary Education with a Early Childhood emphasis.

CLASSES:
This semester I was lucky enough to have a class working in the BYU Preschool. The kids are absolutely adorable. To bad it's a block class, and it is almost over. I am also taking a social dance class where I have already learned the fox trot, and am now working on the Cha-cha and Walts. I love both my New Testament and LDS Marriage Home and Family. Language Development is another interesting class. Children's literature is a fun class, and even cooler we get a book or two each period. How many classes give you things for free? And this semester least favorite class goes to... Cognitive Development!!! For a class about thinking and exploring how the mind works, the text book is better than a sleeping pill and the tests worse than the ACT. This class is ridiculous.
I am taking 16 credits and my year has gone from hectic schedule requiring me to be out and about from 8am-6pm, because of class or track, with a promise of a 2nd block relief. Then a sudden change of plan and I find myself with a lot more time then expected. I have a lot more time on my hands since I am no doing track anymore. In fact, give me two weeks and I have 5 weeks where I will only have classes on Monday and Wednesdays, and after I will only add one evening class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I am probably going to look for a part time job to earn a little money and make my free time more productive.

General conference this past week was amazing, I watched it at my apartment. Before the Saturday afternoon section my apartment got really excited as we got a TV (FREE!) and so we no longer had to stream it on our computers.

Well, that's all for now. Next time hopefully I will have pictures to garnish my post.

Count down... & Rewind!

2009-12-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

13 Days left till I get to go home... Not that I'm counting or anything. This semester has gone so fast! Here are some pictures from the beginning of the semester, like setting my room up when I first got here... Enjoy!

Mom & I at an assembly...

Ella and Me in my room...

Amanda, Me, Mom and Ella, as we set up my room... Notice the High Jump Bar? We definitely set my room up with priorities first!

A early view of my room. (Imagine a cleaner desk and pictures all over the wall. Don't you look my pink polka dot towel?!)

Early View of My bed. (Imagine a clean bed and then first a orange picture frame hanging at an angle, and then... like after two weeks, that same frame hanging up normally)

Big Blister after Freshman orientation... It just got bigger when class actually started!

First Day of School Picture in my Room.

Once again, the semester has flown by super fast!

FHE 11/30/09

2009-12-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

So, a few week ago I got called to be one of FHE Leaders, aka I'm the "Ma" for group #1. This was one of the few activities we've had since giving the calling. Thank to the creamery, "Pa's" idea, and my organization it was defiantly a hit. We made gram cracker gingerbread houses. Here are some pictures I took of the event:

For More Pictures of this event you can check out my Facebook...

Thanksgiving Break!

2009-12-06T20:42:00.000-08:00

For my Thanksgiving Break I spent the week at Jared and Amanda's house. For thanksgiving day meal we headed over to Aunt Julie's house in Peoa for thanksgiving day dinner. Jared was on call, and has luck would have it he was called in when we were half way there, so we turned around and headed back to his work. Jared quickly took care of business and we headed up again, making it just in time for dinner. The meal was absolutely delicious, especially the orange rolls. I'm glad I had family in town to spend the break with, though I did miss making food next to mom and eating her special pudding salad- the orange juice, coconut cream pudding one!

Some of my highlights during the week were:

-Making pumpkin, I made the crusts and Amanda made the filling. Thank goodness for near by grocery stores that are open up late at night. FYI shortening not butter is used for crusts.

-Grocery Hunting for foods I have never heard of and watching a guy run off with the turkey we were in front of, contemplating if we were going to get it or not.

-Eating traditional turkey cheese sandwiches with gravy for dinner the next night

-Playing cards... (I can't remember the name of the game)

-Having a CarrotCake on Friday (to make it a bit more of a surprise) for my Birthday, In which I brought it home on Saturday, and ate it all that night by myself! I'm really glad I didn't bring the whole thing home or I probably would have eaten it all, which would not be the smartest choose, delicious... no denying that, but not the smartest. It was gone by 11:25 that night!

-Getting my wool coat from Old Navy. (I must comment how rare it is I buy things... I bought it after only looking at one other coat in one other store!... Shock!!!)

-Hitting the end of Black Friday shopping with Ella and Amanda.

ToysRUs.... Its been a while since I have seen so many toys!!! Ella loves anything with wheels

I just HAD TO stick her in the big pile of pillows at WalMart! Isn't she Cute? (Like always!)

-And spending time with them in general!!! Ella loved playing with my bag, she especially liked pulling out my scarf and playing with my hat. Here is a couple of random cute pictures.

Yah BYU baby! She knows who to cheer for in Track...

(P.S. BYU won the game vs. U of U, they should thank me

since it was my Birthday... Great Game!)

Well... That's my Thanksgiving Break 2009!

Last Week and the Week before Catch Up Post:

2009-10-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

Sheri and Lindsey came up around General Conference. Sheri was nice enough to bring some some things from home I didn't think I would need or forgot. I definitely used the windbreaker that night, THANK YOU Sheri. While she was here she treated us to Tucanos (A Brazilian Grill.) It was delicious, especially the carmel covered deep fried bananas! I also got to see Lindsey's premier of One Good Man. I would just like to let the world know that she is amazing and everyone who can should go and see this movie. It was fun to see her in the film. Oh, funny connection to the movie, I totally recognized the shirt she was wearing in one of the school photos they showed of her, I wore that same shirt, I might even have had a school photo in in! Yeah for neighbors with good taste!

Okay, so this event was a little bit ago, October 7, but here is a picture of us at the Premier:

My Ward had a temple trip at 2:00 last Friday (October 9th) but I couldn't make it, but some friends invited me to go with them on Saturday. Their plan was to go at 7:00 am, but luckily they went later, and so I was able to go with them. It takes about 30-35 minutes to walk there, not to bad, other than I wear new shoes and ended up getting 2 bad blisters, one on the back of each foot. Sadly, one popped by the time we got there. When we finally arrived we took some pictures and then went inside and did Baptisms for the Dead. It felt good doing service -even more so than having an opportunity to take my shoes off. I think we left some time around 3:00 (can't quite remember) and got home at about 6:30 (just after the Cannon Center Closes, that I do remember!) It was really an overall enjoyable experience, even if I did walk nearly the entire trip back in bare feet. The grounds were beautiful, and just reading and pondering while sitting and waiting our turn was very peaceful.

Here, we're getting a bit more recent:

This was some of last nights fun. We started off playing pool, in which my team won 3 times in a row. We then played with the shutter speed and a flashlight outside, and afterwards went and watched Ice Age 3 in the Dollar theater and grabbed some Hot Chocolate (which spilled all over just my pants while the car was turning.) I then studied for for Human Development for a while, went to sleep and set my alarm to wake up and study before the volunteer activity to play with kids with down syndrome today. I did so, so on my Test.

Very recent!:
Well, that's all for now!

I Know the Moon is out there...Somewhere?

2009-10-05T20:29:00.000-07:00

TO: Jared and Amanda

You probably were curious why you got an iChat message asking you if you could see the moon. Well, truth is I couldn't find it. It is as simple as that. You would think something that big, round, a commonly seen would be easy to find, but then you would be wrong. I will not write how long I looked, but just know that I had to. As with all thing, when you are looking for it you can't find it. But then I discovered where it went. Mom, Dad and Caity had robbed it in the night.

I have to chart the position of the Moon for my "favorite" class for a two week period, with only 3 days excused for cloudiness or else I would have to start over. Yesterday it was cloudy and so I couldn't see it. Today the skies are for the most part clear and so I thought I could find it easily... oh how wrong I was.

TO: Mi Familia

Thanks for the iChat, and I would like to inform you that I have stolen the moon back and intend to keep it... ie. I found it! look here! it's proof!!!!

Can you see it? HINT: Its the big bright sphere above the mountains :)

It's has been awhile so...

2009-10-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

Since my late update (which Jared would say would be a lifetime ago) A lot has happened. Today was the last day of boot camp! Hurray, I survived! Before I get to know if I made it our not I have to take the QUAD test on Thursday. This consists of the standing long jump, triple jump, 30m dash and the shot-put throw. My goal is to get 125-130 pts. to make the team, or at least beat my start of boot camp mark which came to a total close of about 102. Hopefully after a month of running, strength training, more running and hard work and practice, and oh yah, more running I can prove I can do it. But if not, I feel accomplished at surviving Boot Camp, something I wasn't sure I could do at the start. And I had "fun" on the way... that is if your definition consists of feeling good after accomplishing hard work and dressing up silly for friday weight training workouts. Here are some team pictures of our fun:

Bootie Show! (Sep.18)

"Hair" Day! (Sep.25)Football Day! (In honor of todays BYU vs. Utah Game-Oct. 1)What can you do for a fun get to know you activity on your day off? How about take a hike on a Saturday morning up to Steward falls! This is most defiantly a track team when our idea of a day off is hiking up a mountain. But is it not pretty? It has lots cool views of other mountains, and the leaves had already changed color so it was an especially beautiful sight. (Sep 19)One of the cool things I got to do because I am with the track team is go to the "Y" games. Basically this is a completion to see what team can attend the most "Y" games of all the different sports. The idea is to unify the athletic department by getting athletes to support other athletes. It was pretty cool. The football game vs. Colorado was this years football "Y" game. First there was a BBQ and then we all got to go out onto the field and be I got to be out apart of the tunnel as the players ran out. I also got to take a picture with Cosmo, the school mascot. It was hot, I sat up in the north stands for this game with some friends on the track team. Here are some pictures from this experience: (Sep. 26)

Other cool things I have done since my last update is go to True Blue, an event sponsored by BYUSA. (Sep. 23) It was pretty fun sliding down and playing in a massive pit of blue foam. I will have to post pictures of that event later because right now no one has posted these pictures on facebook, and I don't have my cord to download pictures... not that it would help for this even because I forgot it :(

Well, Jared I hope this mass amount of pictures and update satisfy. Until next time...

My Day: Tuesday

2009-09-15T15:13:00.001-07:00

I took a balancing board test with Pat in a research project for BrainLinking this morning at 8:15. I woke up late so I had to get ready super fast, eat breakfast and fly over to the Crabtree building. I then went to my Physical Science class that started at 9:00. It was an interesting lesson because of all the demos, especially watching my teacher trying to get them all to work right. It was also nice because he let us out at 10:10 instead of 10:40 so we could hurry over and try to get a seat for the devotional. I got to sit on the 9th row, 26th seat on the right hand side if looking from the prophet's point of view.

President Thomas S. Monson was this week's devotional speaker. It was absolutely wonderful. He spoke about all of the previous prophets he knew, their favorite food, song, and personal motto and an memorable experience he had with them. My favorite part was when he made the comment "but he was not in the Navy like I was," after talking about a man who was being kindly told off. His talk really proved that prophets are real people. They have fun, run red lights once or twice on accident, clean up by hiding their notes in the refrigerator and mess in the closet and secretaries desk. They love milk and bread and raspberries. In essence, they are human and have their own challenges and trumps. He also noted that each one also displayed a virtue like kindness, charity, devotion, and modesty. From the truth they never wavered, faltered, or failed. I am glad I got to go.

I then hurried and changed for track at 1:00. It was good today. We did various types of drills and warmups. We did 5 min. abs. And when we ran I found some people that go at the same pace or just a bit higher, and so the big 5 laps around the field doing various things wasn't to bad. I showered, wrote this post and now I better start doing my real homework, or I will pay for it later.

My Crazy Summer!

2009-09-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

Time flys by so fast, I still can’t believe I am getting ready to head of to college. I still have a lot to do before I am ready to head down to school. On Monday I went the FAFB to get my shots updated. I got three. I have turned in my resignation for work. Finally. I officially have one month of work left today! My last day will be Saturday, August 22nd, that way I have a day or two to finish off whatever needs done. I am planning to head out with Mom and the Birds on Tuesday 25th. I still have a lot of packing and shopping to do before then! Caity and I have need to sort out who gets to keep what clothes and shoes. We have grown quite accustom to sharing each others closets. I have a dentist appointment on August 3rd, so hopefully when I come home from school the insurance will cover another appointment. I am still adjusting my class schedule, and I believe I discovered I am in slightly the wrong major, but its not a big deal, I just have a couple more classes, in addition to the ones I already planned on taking, as prerequisites for starting the program.

I am keeping myself busy in the meanwhile with 38.5 hours a week at Taco Bell Tue.-Sat. and another 4-6 hours for Grandma and Grandpa Barnes on Mon. I also like going to the single adult activities FHE and TGIT with Aaron. It has really been fun working and hanging out with him this past while.

(Wed. July 22, 2009) A blog before I blogged!