Just more fun

Well, this semester is going really well. My classes are going well, and work is same as usual. David Archuletta came to the PCC and it caused somewhat of an uproar. I had gotten the chance to meet him while I was in Utah with my friends during Christmas break, so it was fun to have him here too. Things have been going well. It's been cold for HAWAII, but there's those sunny Saturdays that I've definitely taken advantage of. I have declared my major as Instructional Design and Development (Graphic Design)with a minor in Business. Right now it's whale season, so I have been able to go watch whales from the shore which has been awesome! For Valentine's Day I got to go to Sea Life park where they have dolphins, turtles, penguins, sea lions, etc. It is the park from 50 First Dates. It was really fun. I have found some new beaches that I LOVE, and I'm just still having alot of fun!

Mele Kalikimaka

The Family Home Evening Crew!Me and Jboy opening presents!
Well, I've been celebrating Christmas as I can with my friends here before we all split up for our holidays. Our Family Home Evening group decided to have a Christmas Party after the Christmas Devotional Broadcast on Sunday. We had Santa bring us all t-shirts with a picture of our "family" and we had a gift exchange.
Our Stockings all hung by the chimney!! This week I decided to introduce Jboy to gingerbread houses. He's never decorated one before. We used whatever sweets we could find for cheap and my left over graham crackers and made a house and shop. "SAnta" brought my house a REAL lil Christmas pine tree, which I decorated with snowflakes. As this week is coming to a close, we have had a huge rain storm since last night, flooding the island of Oahu. I woke up this morning to a lake outside my door and to news that PCC and the school were completely flooded. All the roads here in Laie along with cities all over the island have turned into rivers. Kids on campus are boogie boarding in the flooded hallways of the dorms and cars are filled with water up to the dashboard! Rain is supposed to continue for the next couple days, and we are hoping the roads will at least open! Kids today that have flights to go home can't get to the airport because of the bridges that are blocked off. The end of this semester has turned into an exciting one, but I still had hoped for some sun before I come back to the snow!


These are pics of todayof the streets here in Laie.
It's still raining, and it's only 1.

This is the street in front of the temple

This below is the temple parking lot and the front of the temple grounds.

The Visitors Center is flooded

More of the roads around campus...

Thanksgiving!!

Too poor to go out, so weekends are spent testing my artistic abilities..

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone, and now it's time for finals, but here's a lil overview of what has been going on...

I've been taking a makeup class, and have made myself look old with makeup, make a bigger nose, and recently we had to do a nonhuman object, so I painted a football on my face. That class is alot of fun!

Grr!

For Thanksgiving I went to the waterpark with a bunch of kids from school for a discount price, and the next day had a dinner together, only AFTER waiting in line outside of Wal Mart for 3 hours to shop the Black Friday sales!

Me N' My roomies

12:30 AM....Headed to Wal Mart!

Lately, with no money-I am a college student after all- I've been just spending time at the beach, and enjoying the Laie Temple, which will be closing for 18 months starting December 28th.

I'm trying to just stay busy with school and enjoy Hawaii before I come home to cold for Christmas break!

Fall Ball

Last friday was the Fall Ball in Kaneohe, a town near by, at the country club. I hadn't planned on going because it had come up so fast. Usually it's in November. Well, anyways, the night of the ball, at 9:35, me and J (Jaliz) decided that we didn't want to be the only ones not going, and so we hurried to put some sunday clothes on, and went to the dance. It was alot of fun to be dressed up for once and to see everyone. Here are a few pictures from that dance... Me and Jay

My group of friends!!

Best friends...and roomies

Kat and I

Me and Jay around 10pm after we decided to go to the ball...

ALOHA!!

Wow, So much has happened and there's so much always going on.....I'm FINALLY going to update!

I'm back in Hawaii, Laie to be exact, for my second year of school. I'm still taking generals, wish I knew what to go into! I'm working back at the Polynesian Cultural Center as a "GReeter"..."Aloha! Welcome to the Center!"...I lei people all day and have my picture taken with people. Super easy! I'm living in a Beach house with 3 of my best friends at school! We have such a blast! We also have a girl living with us from Alaska that we have been able to become good friends with. We are always having a blast at our house. Our house is bright blue, and has just been remodeled. There is another group of girls living above us in a studio, and others living in another "house". In total there are thirteen girls living in the house, but we have a downstairs area to ourselves. We have a cute lil kitchen and living room. Our bathroom is a "luxory" bathroom, our landlords are tilers so they went ALL out with nice tile, and a tile portrait of dolphins in our shower. Haha.

I've just been busy with school so far, and work, and lots of play on the weekends. People still think I'm a local, and it's nice to be back and already know where everything is and what to do. My girls and I have made a tradition of going to the beach together Saturday mornings, which has been a nice way to get rid of stress. I've been missing the fall colors, but I appreciate this beautiful place that I get to live in. I can't wait til mom comes to visit me and I think everyone else should plan to come too!

Sunday Drive....

Yesterday Alana and I needed to get out and see the rest of the world, instead of just the people we worked with so we went and looked in all the cute little shops and took some fun pictures. Here are a few shots from Saturday...

Well, I've been here for a week and today after a fabulous afternoon in my new single's ward, Alana, Shanae, and I went for a drive to explore a little of Jackson. We went towards Yellowstone towards the Tetons and headed west towards Jenny Lake. We realized that we didn't want to PAY, so we took a different road to circle back to Jackson. It took us towards Teton Village where the Four Seasons Hotel and condos are. We saw three moose and two elk on the way. Everything was SO beautiful! We were in awe that we are so lucky to have the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place! We can go there whenever we'd like because it is so close! Here are some pictures from the drive. ...

Cowboy time!

Well, the rest of my Winter semester at school was AMAZING and VERY busy! I was able to do alot of things! I went hiking, went to the Kokua Festival concert where Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews played, I made an AMAZING Easter Dinner, had a blast at my two jobs, I went to the School Ball which was held on a cruise ship over by Waikiki, played tourist at the Polynesian Cultural Center, at breakfast at the REAL Hukilau Cafe, went snorkeling and got to swim with turtles, and MORE! It was awesome and I LOVED it. I even got okay grades!

When I left school to come home I still wasn't sure if I wanted to go back or transfer to Utah State. As soon as I landed in Idaho Falls after more than 12 hours of traveling, I KNEW I wanted to go back. While I was at home for the month of May, I received an email from BYUHAwaii stating that I once again would be receiving the same scholarship for this next year at school so I will be lucky enough to not have to pay for schooling again! It is such a blessing! I am very excited to go back!

During my time at home I spent time at home and went to Utah a few times. I was able to finally meet the new babies in the family! Stan and Aub's twins and my dad's new baby boy. It was so fun! It was really good to spend time with my friends when they got home from school also. We had alot to catch up on. It was nice to have my friend Sheena and Billy in Blackfoot so we could spend time together. My friend Alana left after just a few days after I got home for Jackson Hole to work on a ranch. The first few days I was home was exclusively spent with her because I didn't know when I would see her again.

After searching long and hard for a job something came up at the ranch that Alana is working at in Jackson Hole and they were hiring a few extra hands. Alana called me and referred me and I was able to talk to the owner and get a job. I found out last Friday that I was hired and Monday I drove up to Jackson Hole and here I am! I am working at Bar T5 Ranch right in Jackson Hole. I am a dutch oven cook and I help prepare food for the show at night. In the evenings, I put on my cowgirl attire, my real RED cowgirl boots, levis, belt with the big buckle, western shirt, wild rag around my neck, and my levi jacket, and SOON a real cowgirl hat, and I go help load up the covered wagon with food. We drive up to the mountains to a place where the show is and we start cooking in dutch ovens. The guests are pulled in covered wagons and horses and when they arrive, the show starts, and the food is served. Then we haul everything back down and clean up and do it again the next day. VERY LONG day! But it is alot of fun! We all live in the house on the ranch and everybody gets along and we have alot of fun. It's fun to be with all these cowgirls and cowboys.

My first night on the job, there were some people that were from Hawaii and my boss told them he had an employee that went to school to BYU Hawaii, so when they had a minute during dinner, the lady came and found me and talked to me and told me how much she was enjoying herself. She was from Pearl City and she was thrilled that I was able to experience Hawaii and Jackson Hole. She gave me a large tip and wished me success in life. It was an awesome experience. It is amazing how some people can share such sunshine. It was really neat.

I live in the same room as my friend Alana and another girl Shanae from Blackfoot and we all get along great. I don't know how we all fit our things in one tiny room, but we do. I sleep on a homemade bunkbed, and I'm definitely getting a workout getting in and out of it if not anywhere else! This is such a different experience. It is so much hard work and I am so tired all the time, but it is very rewarding. I think this summer is going to be alot of fun!