Heck yes we did!

Fourth of July weekend was a busy one. My roommate Kaylie and I went to Preston, Idaho with our friend Tim Allen. We had a campfire, played softball, floated a river, drove around in a party bus and had the regular Preston fun!

Friday July 3, 2009

Started the day off by going to work, and it was not fun. I had 8 kids from the age of 4 to 14 and the older kids were the worst. I was by myself, so we couldn’t go outside. Somehow I managed to survive, and I was even willing to show up to work on Monday. 5:00 finally rolled around and Kaylie and Tim picked me up at work. We drove to Preston (about 2 hour drive) and met Jesse at his house. We started the night off with a few games of badminton and eventually made a campfire and had hotdogs. Oh, I forgot to mention that we had this fire surrounded by cows. That was interesting. Haha. It was way fun. We went home, did a few slam-dunkies, shot off some fireworks, and watched some TV. It was a long day to say the least.

Kaylie and I by the campfire

Tim doing a slam-dunkie

Kaylie, Tim and I setting off fireworks

Tim and Jesse with their mastpiece of a firework. Sparklers and bottle rockets. 

Saturday July 4, 2009

The best day started with a ward 4^th of July celebration. We went to this big picnic thing and had some really good food, and way too much of it. We ended up playing softball with some guys in Jesse’s ward. When I say guys, this includes ages 14 to 80. It was really fun! I didn’t make a total fool of myself and I got myself a pretty nice tan. After that we went to float the river…words couldn’t even describe the events that took place here. Only Kaylie and I know the true humor behind it. There were a few waterfall type areas, a few times where Kaylie couldn’t stay on the tube, and a lot of sun. After that we went to Logan for the night. We stopped at a few Napoleon Dynamite sights on the way.  I was dead tired by this point from the sun, but that didn’t stop us from getting on a party bus. When I say party bus, I mean a school bus with couches and music driving around town. Party bus. It was a pretty good day.

Me at the picnic

Me, Jesse, and Kaylie getting ready to float the river. Jesse is a bit taller then I am. 

Sunday July 5, 2009

We went to church, half a sleep, but there. After starting a few rumors in Jesse’s ward, we went back to Jesse’s house and had a really amazing lunch. Shortly after that we left for the burg. Later that night Leanna finally decided to grace us with her presence, and not for very long. Better that then nothing.

Kaylie and I after church.

It was an eventful weekend, and I am so glad I went!

Im Leaving on a Jet Plane

Center at night (from BYU.edu)

September 1, 2009 I leave on a jet plain headed for Jerusalem and my return will be December 17, 2009. That means I get to experience Thanksgiving, my birthday, and Christmas celebrations in Jerusalem!

Dorms (BYU.edu)

I will be there a full semester and I am ridiculously excited! The BYU center is located on Mount Scopus overlooking Mount of Olives and the Kidron Valley. Each room houses four girls and has a personal balcony with a spectacular view. While the dress code is very strict (only pants or skirts that go to mid-calf, and sleeves that almost go to your elbows) it will all be worth it in the end.

BYU Jerusalem Center (BYU.edu)

Places I will be seeing. Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Mt. Sinai, Ein Gev in Gelilee, Hezekiah’s Tunnel, Red Sea, Dead Sea, archaeological sites, Mt. Scopus (where center is built), Mount of Olives, and many more places!

Classes I will be taking.  Hebrew, New and Old Testament, Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Modern Near Eastern Studies, and I will be taking a travel studies class (we basically go on field trips).

Feel free to write me letters! 

P.O. BOX 19604

Jerusalem, 91196 ISRAEL

p.s. I will blog with updates. :)

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it." W. M. Lewis

October 2, 2002 I started my bucket list in my journal. Some of them I grew out of considering I made the list when I was 14. This is the updated list and I am publishing it as a sort of contract. Now that people know the list I am obligated to work on it. I have accomplished only a hand-full of the following and I’m going to get on it! Red- Done Blue- Work in progress

Ride in a hot air balloon

Get 4.0 on a semester grade

Go see the Grand Canyon

Go to Yellowstone
Go to Lake Powell
See the Statue of Liberty

Go to the top of the Empire State building
Swim with dolphins

Sell a photo I took
Visit every state (over half-way done)
See the Eiffel Tower

Plant and grow a garden of my own

Learn to surf
Go to a drive-inn movie theater

Go cliff jumping
Ride on a Snowmobile
Go camping for real. This includes a backpack, a hike, great foil dinner, and a tent.
Go Skydiving
Live overseas by myself -- Jerusalem
Learn to love reading

Learn to love to run (run a half marathon)
Teach English in a foreign country
Go to China to see the Great Wall

Ride in a helicopter
Go to a mavs game during the playoffs
Sing a solo on stage
Ride on an elephant
Be in a movie (an extra will do)
Visit all the temples in the US

Rexburg Temple

Go on an African Safari
Learn to snowboard
Sew something I can use (blanket, apron…)
Volunteer for habitat for humanity
Own a Chocolate Lab
Cook a thanksgiving dinner

See the pyramids in Egypt

It is definitely a work in progress, but it will happen! Let me know if there are any other additions that need to be made to my bucket list.

William Joseph or Joseph Williams?

The fact that he has two first names will no longer bother you once you hear his music. I had the amazing opportunity to see William Joseph in concert. We embraced, and then I asked for his signature. Proof below. 

My favorites include: Within (located on my playlist to the right), Piano Fantasy, and Butterflies and Hurricanes (Yes this is the amazing Muse song which William Joseph wrote).

Internal conflict resolved

Over the past several years I was faced with a serious decision that had to be made. Should I A) live my life without the wonderful world of blogging or B) live in the shadow of my eloquent sister. The decision has obviously been made, considering my new presents on blogspot.com. You will all now have the opportunity to read about pointless experiences in my life, and be forced to love it! Before I close this first, and rather short entry, there are a few things that must be known about me. 1. I don't write. As a result my spelling and grammar have and probably will always have issues. For your benefit and mine, ignore them. :) 2. I currently live in Idaho and my idea of fun has drastically changed. Enjoy the frequent entries about shooting, climbing, bike riding, and swimming in questionable sources of water. 

Until next time.