End of a long EFY

I finished my last final yesterday morning, took a load of stuff home, and am spending my last night in Provo tonight.  It's bittersweet.  I'm relieved that school and homework is over for a couple of months but I am sad to leave Provo and my friends.

Rachel F. and I procrastinated packing our room as long as possible.  Yesterday morning we gave into the inevitable and started to pack up our home.  I got really depressed when I had to start taking things down from my walls.

Now I am sitting in my desolate, white room wishing it was last September.

2 days ago: my beautifully decorated room

Today: my white washed walls

See how happy I was two days ago?  Now, well not so happy (despite how the picture makes me look)

Even if it's just for the summer, I'm going to miss this place more than I thought.  I've grown to love Provo, BYU, and every single girl on my floor.  I'm going to miss:

• Being able to talk to Rachel F. whenever I walk into my bedroom 
• Running down the hall to Tess and Cara's room to tell them some embarrassing or funny story
• Having all my meals prepared for me by the Cannon Center staff
• Late night study dates with HBLL
• Random runs to the hospital for shakes or to Yogurtland for frozen yogurt
• Pow wows until midnight with Tess and Chris about the "ay oh's"
• Movie nights with our beds pushed together
• Christmas lights in my room
• Getting Vitamin Water from the vending machines
• Tyler's laugh after I make a joke even if it isn't funny
• Not having to knock when walking into my friends rooms
• Watching Tess' perplexed look on her face when I say something super sarcastic
• MY ROOM

But the thing that I can't stand most? In two weeks there will probably be some snot nosed 14 year old boy who thinks he is the coolest thing since slice bread staying in my room for EFY. I guess I just can't let such depressing thoughts enter into my mind.

Now I will indulge myself by publishing my favorite pictures from this past week.

Breakfast with the hall

Cara, Craig, Tess, Me, Rachel, and Josh

C.R.A.T. and Chris

Cara, Tess, Chris, and Me

Skousen Sandwich

Goodbye Stover Hall

Saying goodbye to Freshman life

Today I finished my classes for winter semester.  It is starting to sink in that I am leaving the dorms.  Only 7 more days until I officially finish my first year of college.  It feels like I just started.  I can't believe how fast time flies.  A week or so before I started college a friend told me to take advantage of freshman year because it was the best year for him and it went by really fast.  He told me to live every moment to the fullest and have all the fun that I want because you're only a freshman once. When he said that I just thought "ya, ya....it feels like such a long year ahead of me."  Now that I am looking back on the last 8 months I realize what he meant.  It went by extremely fast and I know that I will never be able to have these experiences again.

I never thought I would say this but I have loved living in the dorms.  I'm going to miss having 30 sisters and our mother figure (our R.A.) just down the hall.  I realized that I might never see many of these kids again, but at the same time I'm looking forward to living in an apartment and meeting new people.

In remembrance of my freshman year here are some of my favorite photos/memories:

visiting the Sweet Toothfairy Bakery

that night we slept 5 people on two beds pushed together 

going up Provo canyon for a bonfire

taking future roommate photos

unintentionally matching outfits

Spring City/ATVING 

BYU basketball! 

Festival of Colors

General Conference at the Conference Center

Late night studying with HBLL

Surprising Rachel by picking out her outfit for her date

Mitt for President

Mitt Romney is DA BOMB

Recently

I'm sorry I have taken forever since updating my blog but for the two of you who actually read it, well, you already know what's going on in my life.

Anyway last week was General Conference.  I was able to come home with Rachel and Tess and go to the conference center for the Saturday afternoon session.  It was fun to show my BYU friends around my home town..... er.... uh, city.  We went to the Sweet Toothfairy Bakery, drove around Salt Lake, and then returned home and watched a movie.  It made me miss Salt Lake but also made me sad that in two weeks I'll be leaving Provo and my friends for the summer.  I'm excited though to come home to my family and old friends.

A lot of fun things have happened since the last update:

1.  Going to Spring City with my friends, eating aebleskivers, getting the ATV stuck in the snow (don't worry mom I was the one driving, not one of the other girls), seeing the breathtaking Manti temple lit up,  and enjoying each others company

2.  Going to Spring City with Rachel and her friends.

3.  Going to the Festival of Colors at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna temple in Spanish Fork

Cara, Me, Chris, Tricia, Kristal, Tess, and Rachel

after with Mary Katherine

Tess, Rachel, Cara, Kristal, Me, and Tricia

4. General Conference with Tess and Rachel

Well ENJOY this beautiful week!

Tiiiiiiiii(yawn)iired

2 hours in the testing center + 8 hours in the library = 10 hours on campus today.  Surprisingly this day has been long but fast....probably because I've been cooped up all day and I'm not even done with my homework yet.  Ugh, joy.  Aren't Saturdays suppose to be a day off from school?!
p.s. on the bright side, the late night study dates with the library paid off.  2 tests down 1 to go.

TGoodnessIF

There are few things better in [college] life than getting a "WAY TO GO" next to my test score in the Grant Building this morning.  It was like the testing center was saying, "hello Abby, we hope you have a great rest of the day this lovely Friday!"  Well, good morning Friday.  I am glad you are finally here, even though you are starting off a weekend that is jammed packed of study dates with the library, preparing for two tests and loads of homework due next week.

Which is where I am right now as I right this: the library.  In addition to getting a test taking confidence boost, and as if getting a "WAY TO GO" next to my test score wasn't enough, I also received a compliment from my cubicle. (p.s. thank you whoever wrote it for making my day a little better)

sorry for the bad quality and glare.
In case you can't see what it says it says "URpretty"

I must say my weekend is off to a pretty good start, but I hope it stays that way.  Hopefully the multiple late nights this week in the library until 11 P.M. (sometimes later) will pay off.

Late night study break with Ana and Rachel,
"pigging out" at the HFAC vending machines

Now I am back to the books feeling pretty good about today, and it's not even 10 A.M.

I hope you have a GREAT Friday, and take advantage of your free time this weekend because I am envious of you (unless, of course, you're stuck in the library like me, then I empathize with you)!
Maybe I'll be able to get out in this glorious weather and throw a little frisbee to de-stress myself.

The Real Thing: Coca-Cola

For my geography class I have to write an essay on an innovation or idea that started in the United States and has diffused domestically or internationally.  I chose to write about the Coca-Cola Company.  Since researching the company I have been nostalgic for the old (at least to me) commercials with the jingle that ends with "whenever there is fun, there's always Coca-Cola."  Man I miss hearing that jingle on television.  Well anyway I have been reminiscing by watching Coke commercials and am including my two favorite.

Enjoy the videos while I get back to writing my essay.

Todays mood: summer-sick

Is there such a thing as being summer-sick?  If there is then that is what I'm feeling today.  Todays weather is perfect.  All I want to do right now is drive along Foothill Drive and the belt-route with the windows down while belting to some summer jams with my sisters.  Maybe I'm just being nostalgic but that is the epitome of my summer : driving Chug (my trusty toyota) to Target on a hot summers day with the sunroof open and all the windows rolled down.

My ultimate summer playlist includes:

1.  Summertime - Kenny Chesney
2.  Summer girls - LFO
3.  I Go Back - Kenny Chesney
4.  Swing Swing - The All-American Rejects
5.  Move Along - The All-American Rejects
and last but not least
6.  ANY Jesse McCartney song...because what is summer without Jesse?!  It just wouldn't be the same.

This picture does not to it justice but imagine this scene with sun, marshmallow clouds and without the inversion

February Frenzy

I feel it's time to catch up on my February activities before I fall behind too far.

BYU vs. Utah Hockey

It was nice to finally get out of the dorms for once on a weekend.  We decided we lacked a little violence in our lives so we headed to the BYU vs. Utah hockey game.  I always forget that even though BYU kids are usually well mannered, they can start full on fist fights like one player did about 3 times.  I know I am technically a cougar but I still have to be somewhat loyal to my hometown, right?  Can't I just bleed purple?

Mattress Dominoes

My floor finally did something we've wanted to do for months.  In hindsight I should've actually done it and not just video taped it.  But because I just washed my sheets earlier and made my bed, I didn't want to take my tempur-pedic off and have to repeat the tedious process of lifting the foam mattress and tucking in all my sheets.  But we're suppose to do it again before finals so I will definitely be in on the action this time; however, I am a little hesitant to have something like this mattress falling on me.

Lazy Sunday Walks

While attending East High I made the mistake of never taking any pictures at the world's most famous high school.  Well, I decided that I'm not going to make that mistake again while attending "America's most popular university" (U.S. News).  We only hit two landmarks but we got some good photos.

Babysitting

Tess and I went to hang out with Rachel while she was babysitting her niece Sadie.  Since we're about marriageable age we thought we should practice our domestic skills.  With the help of Betty Crocker we made a fun-fetti birthday cake and cookies 'n cream brownies.  Both were quite delicious.

Rachel forgot that she could squeeze the frosting back into the container instead of scraping it out

Valentine Decorations

Every month Rachel and I try to think of a creative way to decorate our door .  This month we decided to do something similar to what we did for November.  For thanksgiving we did a thankful poster where everyone who walked by could write one thing they were thankful for.  For Valentines Day we had hearts that people could write what they loved.

For 3 days the Cannon Center had tables set up for students to make Valentines to put in other people's mailboxes.  My roommate and I received a couple little ones and a poem.  We still can't decipher the meaning of E.E. Cummings words or who the anonymous person who sent it.

Happy Late Birthday President Reagan!

I know yesterday was Ronald Reagan's 100th Birthday but I saw this quote today and decided to post it:

"I know in my heart that man is good.

That what is right will always eventually triumph.

And there's purpose and worth to each and every life."

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Sorry for neglecting my blog lately but I'll catch up on everything later.  

Right now I am too excited about this.  

Punxsutawney Phil better be right because I can't wait for an early spring.

World Class University

Well tonight Jimmer Fredette basically won BYU their biggest basketball game of the year!  He scored 43 of BYU's 71 points.  He almost scored as much as the whole SDSU team did the whole game: 58

After I finished my homework I headed over to the Cannon to watch the game with the other unlucky kids who didn't get tickets for the Marriott center.  The only bad thing about watching it soooooo close to the actual arena was knowing that the action was just yards away yet we had to watch all the commercials.  I've only ever seen this commercial on TV once but I LOVE it. It makes me proud to be a cougar.



During this commercial everyone was roaring!  I couldn't even hear the music when the stone cold sober statistic appeared.

I'm proud to attend a World Class University

Weekend Highlight

My weekend highlight included this:

I promise I was there, I just didn't fit in the frame

A few days ago when Rachel invited me to go up to the Sundance Film Festival with her friends I thought to myself, "if I get to see a celebrity I hope it's not Ryan Seacrest." Personally, I don't understand why he's so famous.  It's not like he's a singer or actor, but a radio and show host.  And, of course he's the first celebrity (well second) we saw.  Go figure.  But other notable people include 50 Cent, and James and Dave Franco.

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

Every week for my Geography 250 class I have to write a page on American culture.  It can be about a current event, an American product, a place, or pretty much anything about America.  This week I chose to write about the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
About 9 years ago my family and I were in Albuquerque with no clue about we were about to experience.  We were driving when all of the sudden we saw dozens and dozens of hot air balloons filling the sky.  It was one of the coolest landscapes I have ever seen.  When doing research on the fiesta for my class I came across this page.  I can only wonder how they make these amazingly shaped and colorful balloons.
Right now I should be writing my paper but instead I'm still in awe about such rad balloons.

Birthday Festivities

Here is a shout out to Rachel on her birthday.  HAPPY 21st!

We started off with a trip to Sweet Tooth Fairy Bakery for a birthday treat with Allison whose birthday is conveniently also today.  I think it's evident from the picture that the birthday girls left with quite a few sweets.

For dinner Rachel invited me and some friends to go to Gurus for dinner. 

Halfway through dinner Neon Trees showed up.

Doesn't he look like he's missing a pie piece in his head?

For those of you who wouldn't have recognized him like I didn't I attached one of their music videos for your education in rock music.

Sad Sad Day

One of the most depressing days of the year is the day you have to buy text books.  Now I am $100+ poorer and twenty pounds fatter (when I put my backpack on)

Happy New Years!

May we all contribute some way in 2011

Christmas Series #4

Two of my favorite traditions of Christmas are:  

1. Eating at Siegfried's Delicatessen.  

Even though we're not a huge fan of the food we go because it's nostalgic for Dad 

who served his mission in Frankfurt

and

2. The annual family tamale party at the Crowleys home