The Sweet and Sour!

SOUR:
- Over the past month I've been having bad stomach pain. A sharp pain that shoots through my gut, usually after I eat.  I've experienced it before, when I first got in Ethiopia. I half joke that I have a parasite. Yesterday I watched a nasty video of a little girl having worms surgically removed from her intestine. Today I read up on symptoms... Maybe I should go to the doctor.
- Having a little nephew empty a tub of gel on your mirror and bed and you can't even get mad because he looks so cute with the other half in his hair.
-My Mother went to warm AZ and I'm stuck in cold Rexburg. Batam Biiird!
-Walking out of the house reguarly for the day looking like you "just got hit by a bus." hotttttie.
-Having 4 test one week then 3 the next. Can't a girl catch a break??
- Waking up at 5:30 am four days a week.
- Realizing there is not enough time in the day to complete everything that has to be done.
-Having a malfunction with photoshop while needing to edit an entire engagement session. (Don't worry, Cassie and Kenny, it's all fixed now!)

SWEET:
- Sunday night Alyssa and I made an ingera start. Which triggered the coolest dream that night!... I was back in Ethiopia AND speaking in Amharic!! This is a sign I need to go back, right?
- Making delicious veggie couscous, green salad, and salmon for the Father.
-Getting a free download of a Joshua James song.
- Actually getting homework done on time. Can I get a hooraww!
- Talking with my amazing Ethiopian Family on skype even when some can only speak 5 words in English.
- Receiving thank-you notes.
-Feeling the spirit while being remind of the importance of our choices at church this Sunday.
- Going to bed at 10 pm.
-Making a wish on a shooting star soaking in the hot tub.
-Hearing "the dumbest song you ever heard" sung by a 90 year old. The video won't upload, sorry.

...flashback...(massive adventure/partying update in photos)

Lets start here.

During Christmas break I got together with all these lovely gals. 

We reminisced, giggled, caught up, laughed, and ICE SKATED, like pros I might add. 

After some good warming up, we decided it was time to pull out our stunts!

It didn't end well.

We're awesome.

Next stop, New Years Eve.

Ellie and I got our shop on.

We got some sweet deals, like always.

We even ate on a budget! and I just love corn dogs.

The partying didn't end with corn dogs... 

Us (yelling outside): HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Neighbor: YOU'RE 3 MINUTES LATE.

Us: whatever as we continued to dance it up.

Janessa and Chloe got pretty close.

And the lovely Tristen put a hair wrap in for me

sadly, it fell out this week.  :( 

Oh, I went blonde.

And Chloe went brown.

AND THEN, Cassie called us with news... she got ENGAGED!!

So, of course we had to go see her.
We all had different reactions to it...

"AHH, I"M ENGAGED" dancing occurred.

Ellie and I had New years toasts!

oh, working at 6am new years morning was not the funnest thing. 

ENGAGEMENT PARTY!

FOOD and the HOT TUB were wonderful.

Did our nails and watched vampire diaries. In my opinion, they looked great.

This is big news: I am now sporting a rockin' pony tail!! 

sure I have a million bobby pins in but a pony tail is a pony tail, right?

Hot pool adventure!

What started as a big group ended up only being me and Sam.

and we loved it.

We explored a ghost town and got frozen feet.

saw wildlife.

Hike to gold bug hot springs on a beautiful sunny day and soaked.

then froze hiking back all wet.

but not really.

Then we got stuck in Leadore with no gas... gas station was closed at 6. They still have pumps without a credit card machine?? yes, yes they do. Thanks Aunt Susan and Uncle Steve for saving us!!

Life is good.

Notes to self...

1. Try not to fall asleep in primary ever again. responsible teacher right here.
2. Keep going on dates with 90 year olds.

3. Don't fall asleep for 2 1/2 hours when it is 5 PM.

4. Go ice fishing this winter.

5. Manage time better.

6. Remember this:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Thanks Mark Twain.

7.  You really are a good shopper. (2 dresses, skirt, tank, 2 belts, and 4 shirts. all for $40)

8. Get more sleep. 5 hours a night is (obviously) not cutting it.

9. Make injera this weekend.

10. Don't blog so much about your sleeping habits and instead get the blog caught up or at least do your homework.

A Uncle, Aunt, and Cousins.

On a cold windy day,

besides doing awesome on a chemistry test, what could be better?

The necessities for studying!

To my faithful blog readers (aka: Mom) sorry I've been so MIA. 

Life can get so busy.(school, work, family, and of course adventures.)

I have oodles to tell you about. 

and I will, just not now.

now I will share my secrets to successful (hopefully) study sessions...

I may or may not be sharing these simply because I'm sick of studying.

oh well.

First: The trusty lucky sham rock head band that is sure to make everything stick in your brain!

 Second: Purple spandex and Dad's church socks. Comfort is a must.

 Third: A great big stack of note cards, a pencil with a good eraser, and calculator (depending on the subject of course)

 Fourth: and probably my favorite... Tea! Licorice flavor is WAY better then it sounds. Keeps your insides all warm and happy.

 Fifth: Of course, good tunes. Joshua Radin is always an excellent choice.

Now, lets pray I can pass this chemistry test...