empty

...is what my apartment is.
Good thing: I now have twice as much desk space, closet space, bathroom space, fridge/freezer space and kitchen cabinet space! I can keep all my food in the kitchen instead of on shelves in the laundry room. (The shelves were great, though--thanks, Walmart.)
Bad thing: Kris and Nat checked out Friday and I was kinda sad.
GT: I have a bedroom and bathroom all to myself.
BT: No more TV, cute blue curtains or black and white tables.










GT: Kristin left her dishes for me to use, marked with K in pink nail polish.
BT: All that extra space means I actually have to clean out my desk.










GT: Orlando's still here to keep me company.
BT: I still have to do a cleaning check tomorrow.
GT: The complex owner visited this weekend and his sons replaced my blinds (pictured), fixed our messed-up lights and our vacuum, which now actually sucks up more than it spits out.
GT/BT: Met my new roommate last night, who's nice but veeerrrry quiet. She's been shut up in her room for the past four hours since we got home from church.

In other news, I went to my first BYU baseball game in two years with Mark, aka Mr. Cocoa (that's what Logan calls him). He's the boy who asked me out after talking to me for five minutes, then after the date said, "I might call you again." It was a tad cold but fun, especially since we ran into my friend Stephy and her date and sat with them. On Saturday I worked a special shift at the stadium and got to explore places like the locker room and the roof. The other guard on duty was a big friendly Polynesian guy who used to be on the football team. We hung out in the president's box--good thing because it was cold and rainy. I wish I'd had my camera because the field was stripped in preparation for the uberexpensive new turf they're going to lay. We circled the stadium every hour in a golf cart, and the rest of time I read Phantom of the Opera and my new Agatha Christie (I'm amazed that I still haven't read all those). Then I did what is now my regular Saturday shift at the MOA (I worked 30 hours last week!) and saw Doris' old friend Megan, another former MOA guard, who is on her way back to Australia. She was sad that she missed D&T but is sure they're having a blast in Hawaii. Who wouldn't?

hodgepodge

Picking up where I left off. Highlights.
4/8 Cheered on Natalie's sister and Mary Weidman in the BYU Idol finals. Neither won, but they were both good. It was definitely entertaining to see the variety the contestants brought to the stage.
4/10 Went to the Kevin Bacon Memorial Closing Ward Social at Payson High School (where Footloose was supposedly filmed), ate 40 pizzas, and socialized with Natalie. :)





And took pictures because I was obviously bored.








And flashbacked to Ms. Barnes' PE class at Parkway watching people play with the parachute.

















4/11 Listened to Bonnie D. Parkin and others speak at the BYU Easter Conference. It was really good, and Nat and I even got to meet her. Saw the always-chatty Sis. Welch there and caught up with her (my study abroad director).





Experienced Divine Comedy for the first time, on a double date. That's right, I actually went on a date. The show was ubermega funny. Depicted is the post-show ice cream-sculpting.




4/12 Found out our bishop is getting released. Had fun at a ward potluck and at the Erdmanns' Easter dinner. Natalie's and Stacy's babies sure are cute!
4/13 Worked. Had our last FHE. Aw. Our group this semester was a lot of fun.
4/14 Rocked a test, went to 4 or 5 hours of anatomy review and a saxophone quartet concert. Last day of class!
4/15 Worked. Almost slipped and died about 67 times on the snow/slush. Studied. Went on a blind/double date with a former MOA buddy and her brother. Bad movie. Good ice cream.
4/16 Nature was pretty but a little confused.



























Speaking of the Great White North, took a break from studying to watch Strange Brew with some ward friends.








And only drank one of the root beers.








4/17 Studied.
4/18 Got a 97% on my microbiology final. Studied more.
4/19 Woke up to remember that I'd heard this prank being pulled the night before while watching the History Channel (couldn't sleep). Didn't take a picture of the mound of wet paper behind the cardboard.








Was visit taught for the last time by my adorable VT, made this chocolate snack cake,







and Kristin made her Texas sheet cake, for our last ward dinner. Decided boys are immature.











4/20 Went to work. Studied.
4/21 Studied. Kristin and I got haircuts and mine is really (!) short.
4/22 Went to work. Took my last final. Nichelle left. Went to a fun party with some ward people. Pinata + air hockey table + mafia = a good time.
4/23 Said goodbye to MOA people who are graduating. Saw adorable little graduating families taking pictures. Sold back my books. That's a good feeling.
It's weird to have free time, and also weird that school is starting again on Tuesday. I can't wait to see everyone in June!

interesting week

Some highlights and lowlights:
The MOA, Wednesday at 7am.








The MOA, Wednesday at 9am.








The MOA, Friday at 7am.









The MOA, Friday at 9am. It was pretty much foggy and snowing the whole week. Thankfully, the extended April Fools' Day joke seems to be ending, at least temporarily.






Friday was a day of running back and forth across campus, which involved me trying for the second day in a row to be a good person and give blood but being shot down by the assuredly-younger-than-me nurse, who, after announcing that my iron was too low, offered to prick another finger to see if she got a higher number. No ttthhanks. Anyway, as a result of this running back and forth, I went through the bookstore a few times. The first time I saw Kirby Heyborne posing with adoring fans.

Two hours later, he was still there tailed by an even longer line of hopeful tweenage girls and their moms.

The adorable ducks from the duck pond had also migrated all over campus and some followed me around. It made me think of Make Way For Ducklings, my favorite Boston book. :)


Saturday night Kristin and I were by ourselves and had to get out of the house so we went to the mall where we saw this. Hilarious, especially since we have an apartment inside joke about aprons attracting boys. We were reminded that the mall can be disappointing and that we have no money to spend, but it was still fun. The high point was our discovery of the black and white store, which sells adorable dresses, other clothing and accessories that are...you guessed it...black and white! It was refreshing to see a store with such clean-cut, adorable wares. If I had $100 to burn I'd buy one. The tragic discovery of the night was that one of our favorite getaways/rice pudding suppliers, Pudding on the Rice, is closed! So we bought supplies at our next discovery, a grocery store we didn't know was there, went home and had a Monk/rice pudding party. It was great. So was conference. In other news, Nichelle's family was here this week. They were pretty entertaining when they were here at our place. AND I'm officially done with anatomy lab. Nichelle and I took our final today. I'm kind of sad that I never get to go back but that's one less thing to worry about. AND today is the 179th anniversary of the organization of the Church! Yay!
AND for your viewing pleasure, our FHE group playing Mad Gab tonight. It was mad fun.

spring, you fickle thing

Recent things in my life:
March 8-14: It looked like this.







March 18: Kristin annihilated her rock ID test and let us know about it.





March 20: Spring officially starts. Apparently Utah is not very official.





March 21: I snapped this on my way to take a test, with the help of a newly-discovered camera setting.








March 21: Brian walked on coals at the ward bonfire while we pigged out on hot dogs, smores and roasted Starbursts.










March 23-26: It looked like this.

















March 26: I'm not sure what we were doing.






















March 28: Roommies and I went to the hot springs in Midway.

















March 28: Kristin and I went to Hope's orchestra concert, where one of the trumpets was wearing this pink vest. ?? I was embarrassed for him. Then we went to Walmart and had fun looking at shoes (and kitchen gadgets that we don't need) and picking out a pair to replace one of the FOUR she got me for my birthday, which was too small but the bigger size didn't really fit either because they're made for someone with feet half as wide as mine (thanks, Dad). Kristin got a fun silver pair. Then we went back to Spanish Fork (long story) to check out the annual Festival of Colors at the Krishna Temple. It was like a cult gathering and we were afraid, so we went back home for a low-key evening. What an interesting day. I think we put about 59, 212 miles on Kristin's car.

March 29: Kristin and I played in RS and I rehearsed with the choir again for our Easter program. The snow recommences and is supposed to continue throughout the week. Just our luck.

Happy birthday, Forrey!

your typical 21st

What happens when you turn 21?
Well, typically, you wake up at 5:30 after staying up past 12 to celebrate the beginning of your birthday. You walk into the kitchen to find that your sweet, adorable roommate has made you breakfast--pancakes with fruit, to be exact--and has spread goodies all over the table--flowers, a sweet card, treats (Pim's and Petit Ecolier), and FOUR PAIRS of new flats. You enjoy a leisurely breakfast with Full House on in the background, then prettify yourself.


You see the banner on the kitchen wall, the artwork on the bathroom mirror,







and the headlines on the white board.












Your roommate drives you to the art museum where you work (which is SO nice because it's colder than a cast-iron commode on the shady side of an iceberg). At work, your exhibit lighting buddy and your late-morning custodian buddy give you goodies. Later, you're bored, and because you're a freak who documents everything for your blog, you have your camera with you...so you take pictures of the Dan Steinhilber girls reinflating the exhibit of that name, and you remark to yourself that yes, that is indeed what the sign says.











You also document the "peanuts room" where the fans periodically send the styrofoam in the corner into a frenzy, forcing you to keep the tots out of it.






You go to class, come home at 1pm (!!!), listen to goofy messages from F&A and Kaci, check the mail and find presents from M&D (necklace and earrings!)











and DL (new scriptures!).









You watch some Gilmore Girls, take a nap, and wake up feeling guilty that your roommate has been working on a take-home test for hours and you've done squat. Then you go to the store because the ice cream cake and cupcakes that your roommates made and the brownies you made just aren't enough for your party. You buy ice cream and make a chocolate pie.
















You bask in the sound of 20 people singing happy birthday to you,











try to blow out 21 candles spread over 4 plates of stuff, proceed to have a sugar overload from that stuff and get into a whipped cream fight with Hope.



You play fugitive on campus, bond with your roommate for an hour over a non-alcoholic shirley temple and mango mojito, come home and crash on the couch at 1:30. Doesn't everyone do it that way? They should.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

Friday Favorites: Kristin edition

Hey guys, guest blogger Kristin here. Summer and I have come across some hysterical things this week that we'd like to share with you...

Part I: The Daily Universe
BYU's own The Daily Universe is frequently a source of hilarity for us...

Police Beat: March 17, 2009
"March 12: A diamond ring was found outside the HBLL, and turned in to police. Owners can claim the item by coming to the police with a description of the ring."
"March 10: A male student called his insurance company and was told he had bad credit because of a mortgage he took out in May 2004 when the student was on a mission. The victim then discovered his identity had been stolen." Thanks for the news flash!
"March 10: A 13-year-old female stole a $5.95 mood ring from the BYU Bookstore. The juvenile was released into the custody of her mother."
"March 14: A female student reported a wild duck in the basement of Whitney Hall. Police opened the door and ushered the duck out of the building." How'd that duck get in there??
And our favorite...
"March 13: A student walking near the Crabtree Building reported being hit in the face by a small hard object thrown from a passing car. The student discovered the object to be a Skittle. The student got the license plate of the car, but the owner of the car denied any involvement in the incident." I would deny any involvement too over something that dumb!

Follow-up to the Skittle incident: "Treat Longboards Equal," Letter to the Editor, The Daily Universe
Discussing why longboards should not be banned on campus:
"...I believe the main issues for banning longboards are damage to property and collisions with pedestrians. I know that skateboarders causing property damage are breaking a state law, so why punish those who use their longboards responsibly? In the March 17 edition of the Police Beat, a student was assaulted by a person with a Skittle. We could ban Skittles, and M&M's for good measure, but it would only punish the good Skittles eaters."
Summer says: "Psssh! He can't even use adverbs properly (in his title). What is he talking about?"

I love the Daily Universe. It gives us a great reflection of BYU's finest.

Part II: "A Century of Disasters: The Top 10 Worst Inventions in History"
This is from an article found on foxnews.com. In the article, they are posted in no particular order, but I've placed them in order of our favorites.


10. iFlyz Portable Media Player Airline Holder.
Bag of peanuts? $3.50. Toilet entrance fee? Pending. Hands-free iPhone viewing device ready to use even in the "stowed and locked position?" Priceless (i.e., $29.95 with shipping).







9. The Cat Wig.
It's pretty difficult to decorate a cat, but with a kitty wig, it's easy!









8. iPhone Fingers.
Ranging from small to extra large, one Austrian company offers only the best in latex digital protection to keep your iPhone smudge free!




7. Method for Collision Recognition with a Pedestrian.
After a hit-and-run accident, it might be nice to know whether you hit a person or a traffic cone - not that there's a difference or anything.






6. The Pedal-Powered Wheelchair.
For those who can't stand...but can still pedal.







5. The Inflatable Dartboard.
Completely collapsible, the inflatable dartboard could - amazingly - be stuffed into a space the size of a small cup. Great for use in tight spaces and for those looking for a quick, single-player, single-hit game. There's no need to worry, though - it comes complete with a "puncture repair kit" in case anything should go wrong.




4. The Prankster Fire Alarm Trap.
Comin straight out of the February 1938 issue of Modern Mechanix magazine, the prankster-proof fire alarm traps the hand of any offender in a metal handcuff until the fire brigade arrives to release him. Perfect for fake fires, but in the event of a real blaze, you're taking one for the team.







3. Battery-Powered Battery Charger.
Motorola's P970 was Zen-like in its simplicity - a rechargeable battery that recharged your cell phone's battery via a mini USB port. Too bad it's no longer on the Motorola Web site.






2. The Detachable Dog Sack.
Enjoy a drive with man's best friend, but hate the hair he leaves behind? Then the detachable dog sack is for you. Now your pet can ride outside the car in a pouch attached with rubber-padded hooks to the open window of your vehicle. Because, let's face it, who needs safety when you have a sack?






And our all-time favorite...
1. Anti-Eating Face Mask.
Essentially a metal cage that attaches to your face to prevent those of us lacking any self-control from ingesting solid foods, the Anti-Eating Face Mask is pretty straightforward, but there must be easier ways of losing that extra winter weight.




Well, it's my first time to blog and it's been a pleasure. I hope you have gotten as much humor out these as Summer and I have.

Kristin