Labor WEEK

Last week was one of my busiest weeks ever. Monday for Labor Day I hung out at Trisha's from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. We bottled peaches, made peach pie filling, and froze peaches and carrots. Trisha and I had some serious quality time together. We talked about anything and everything. There was never a dull moment for sure. I really like having Trisha close to hang out with. It reminds me of the time I spent with Mitzi in Boise when we would make applesauce and do all sorts of other crafty things. I really have two amazing sisters to look up to! They did everything right; they married right, and they are fantastic mothers. Let's hope I don't drop the ball!

 
We went out for lunch at Papa Kelsey's, and that night Travis grilled some steaks. Hailey planned some "Minute to Win it" games which were quite entertaining.

fit six pieces of penne on a spaghetti noodle

roll the ping pong ball into the cup using measuring tape

way to concentrate Trisha!

Katie and I--old FHE sister

From Tuesday to Saturday I was an I-Team leader for the Get Connected program which is a program set up to help the new students coming to BYU-Idaho. Tuesday and Wednesday all day were training days, and Thursday through Saturday we met our assigned I-Teams (roughly 35 students each pair of I-Team leaders are in charge of) and did all sorts of activities with them. 

Joseph and I

Tuesday I met my I-Team leader Partner. His name is Joseph Hancock, and he and I had about 35 students we were in charge of (our I-Team). On this day we basically went to devotionals all day and did a few group activities with out mentor group (about 19 other I-Team leaders). We listened to Vice President Miyasaki which was pretty cool! President Clark is down and out recovering from a kidney transplant surgery he had over the break, and he won't be out and about until October-ish. 

Farid and I; this guy was seriously so awesome. I was so jealous that he wasn't my I-Team partner. He calls me K.B. which I LOVE!

Wednesday was the same story as Tuesday, except our mentor group decided to put blue paint on our faces. Everyone was super jealous! We took a bunch of pictures that day and we had a lot of really awesome spiritual experiences. It was fun to get together in our mentor groups and discuss different parts of the gospel, and I feel extremely blessed to have had this opportunity to serve. It was 5 very long days, but it was worth it.

our "Titanic" pose

Thursday it was finally time to meet the new students. From 8 AM to about 2PM Joseph and I walked back and forth between the two dorms as we tried to find the new students moving in. At 3 we met for the BYU-Idaho welcome in the BYU-I Center, and then we played some get to know you games at the stadium. That night everyone met at the Upper Fields for some competitive games and dancing. There are so many new students this semester! I heard someone say there were 3,000, but then I heard someone else say there were 7,000, so I don't know, but either way that is a ton of people!

Reuben and I; he was my FHE brother in the winter, and he and Kyle (other FHE brother) convinced me to join student support.

dancing to Justin Bieber

Friday morning and afternoon we took the new students to meetings about the Learning Model, information about their majors, and ways to get involved on campus (like playing competitive Ultimate Frisbee and doing Get Connected!). That afternoon I went to the Civil Defense Caves outside of Rexburg with this guy:

Preston (frickin) Jones

Meet Preston Jones. I met Preston through Ultimate Frisbee in the spring. He coordinated for the league, and he was the one who actually recruited me into playing competitively. He and I have become really good friends, and it was nice to relax from Get Connected for a spell. Thanks Preston for taking me out during the few hours of free time I had!

Friday night there was the new student talent show and let me tell you folks... I was blown away!!!! There were the usual piano players and solo singers, but the acts that stood out to me were a boy singing totally falsetto, and a crazy good jump roper (which was my favorite). I had videos of these, as well as a video of me dancing to Justin Bieber's "Baby" but I couldn't get them to load...check out my facebook if you want to see those!!

Saturday morning Joseph and I gave our I-Team a tour of campus. That afternoon I met my mentor group for some sand volleyball, and then at 2 I went to Winco with Lauren and Justin! It's true I could've done the same shopping at Rexburg, but it was fun to go as a group to Winco since Justin already had to do some stuff in Idaho Falls. At 5:30 there was a women's conference in the BYU-I Center that we went to and it was fantastic. I definitely felt inspired during the meeting. The Lord truly answers our prayers! That night was I-Night, but it wasn't as fun for me this time (probably because I'm not a new student and I'm sort of over it). However, it was still fun to catch up with my mentor group. I went out to Beaver Dick with Justin and Lauren when I was bored of that business.

Sunday at 6 there was a fireside where Sister and Elder Oaks spoke. That was such a good meeting! I was totally fired up about it the whole time because it made me think about my American Foundations class last winter that totally changed my life. It's so important to have an opinion about the issues that surround us, and it is our responsibility to stand up for what we know is right.

"The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"--Edmund Burke

That night Justin and Chad came over for dinner. We made chicken in a crock pot, potatoes, onions, and carrots in the oven, and I made peach pie with the filling Trisha and I made earlier that week. Our bishop came over and had a piece while he explain to Lauren and I how to put the FHE groups together for later today. I met Lauren's old roommates Thea and Grace and they are both SO FUNNY. I love funny people, and pretty much everything they say makes me laugh! We went stadium singing where we sang a bunch of patriotic songs which was really cool for 9/11.

So now the fall semester has started and it's a bit shocking having so many people in Rexburg again. It's going to take 3 hours to get through the temple, and I won't be able to practice the piano on the Grand in the Hinckley anymore, but I'm excited for Ultimate Frisbee to start and to make some friends! It's interesting to think back a year to what you were doing and how different your life is now. I'm so grateful for the life the Lord has seen fit to bless me with. Thanks to all you wonderful people who make my life so rich! Peace and Love!!! =]

smile, for life is good!