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!

Kuhio Day

Well, the last week has been busy!! Easter Sunday was alot of fun. My friends and I decided to have an Easter dinner, so we all pitched in and had the first real Sunday dinner since we got back here. I made some potatoes, and was in charge of the ham. I made close to 10 calls to mom and dad on Saturday and Sunday, but the food all turned out great! It was alot of fun to have our own little celebration. Unlike there, it was nice and sunny. It was a perfect Easter Sunday.

Wednesday was Kuhio Day, a Hawaiian Holiday, so I didn't have work or school. My friends and I went to the beach, Waimea Bay, and we were lucky enough to be there when the dolphins were there. There was probably around 100 dolphins in the bay, jumping, doing backflips, doing 360s in the air. It was SO awesome! When I thought there couldn't be any more excitement, we saw two whales also. They jumped completed out of the water. It was SO SO amazing! It was awesome to be able to see it, because it is the end of whale season, so they won't be around much longer. It was a fun way to spend my Hawaiian holiday!

I talked to the lady about the nanny job in ALaska today. It's a go! I am going to be living in Sandpoint with the family in May, and then travel with them to the fishing lodge that they own in Sitka Alaska in June. It should be amazing! It looks beautiful there! I'm very excited! I will come back in August. I still haven't decided where to go to school. I WAS thinking that I would go to Hawaii again if I got this job, but even though I now know that I will be in Alaska for the summer, I still don't know if I want to come back. I am the most indecisive person I know.

But, it seems that things are finally working out and hopefully I will be done with all these decisions soon! Well, that is the latest! Love and miss you all!

March Madness-

Well, March has been even more crazy that February. The weeks are flying and I'm going to be done with this semester before I know it! I have been busy working, finishing midterms, and going to school activities. Work is going well. 2 weeks ago I saw a married couple, just a year older than me, that I went to school with while I was working at the luau at the PCC. Again yesterday, I ran into the brother of my friend Raimee from home. He recognized me before I recognized me! It really IS a small world! What are the chances! My job at the PCC is so easy it shouldn't be called work, but I make up for it at the Seasider Snack Bar. It's tought stuff, and I am learning for the first time how to cook all different kinds of eggs, and am again cooking hamburgers, sandwiches, fries. I had past experience from Rupe's. It's hard work, but it's okay. I am custodian one night a week there, so I DO have to get down and dirty. So, I have the best and worst jobs at college right now. haha. I went to the "BYUH Got Talent" the last couple weeks. It's supposed to be like "America's Got Talent"-the tv show. So all the talented people at school showed what they can do. Last semester we did a BYUH Idol-there were some AMAZING singers. So many people from all over the world, with so much TALENT! Our school is probably one of the most enthusiastic schools you will ever meet. People are singing, and dancing, and cheering, SO loud. Everybody get's into the program SO much! And the performers were AMAZING! Dancers, TONS of dancers and singers, from all over the world singing songs and dancing from all over the world. It's VERY entertaining. It's so awesome. My friends lip synced to Bon Jovie, and dressed up, not really a talent, but very entertaining. I haven't had much time for other things yet. Things are getting crazy with the end of the semester and projects and papers piling up. There is a Winter Ball in a few weeks, which is going to be held on a cruise ship! It will be awesome! I'm very excited! I think I will go even if I don't get a date, but I think it would be more fun with a date, so I'm crossing my fingers and winkin' at cuties on the way to class these days. haha. I'm still trying to decide where to go to school in the fall. I am looking at houses to live in for fall here, just in case. My friends and I want to live together so in order for that to happen, we need to find a place now. Laie has no apartments; students live in houses. It is very expensive-ranging from 375-450 for a shared bedroom. I guess that is Hawaii. I know that to have an entire apartment in Logan for a married couple (meaning only TWO people) is only 425 or so. I think this is ridiculous. The houses usually hold 5 girls also. And these houses are old, and not in very good condition. It's funny that the expense isn't enough to make my decision on where to go to school. I still don't know. STill writing pros and cons, still praying. If anyone gets a revelation on where I am supposed to be, let me know. Also, I am not sure what I am going to be doing for the summer. If I am going to attend here again in the fall I need to make alot of money this summer in order to survive, so I was thinking about nannying somewhere. I don't really want to be gone for the summer if I am going to be gone for another school year though! I want to be close to home so I can enjoy being around everyone. If I go to Utah State, I don't mind if I go away for the summer, but I don't really need to because I won't need to be putting away so much money. I have talked to a few families that are interested in hiring me, but nothing is set in stone. I have recently been talking to a family that wants me for May to July in Alaska at a fishing lodge that they own to take care of their kids, and possibly work at the lodge after I finish nannying if I choose. Alaska would definitely be the opposite of here! I am not sure though. More praying to do. If anyone has input on job ideas let me know please! Chelsea here is a mess with all of this decision making! Those are the things that have been going on with me, crazy as always, alot too. I'll keep you updated on any changes-if I ever decide on anything! Miss and love you!

Work, work work!

Well, I have been super busy the last week and having lots of fun!
Last weekend I had three days off so my friends and I crammed in the fun. We went to Hukilau Cafe (Every seen 50 First Dates?) and had banana pancakes! We went to the beach and met some pro surfers, went camping on the other side of the island, and learned to paddle surf! It was alot of fun! I also met Hailey Price who is from Blackfoot! Her parents are in our ward! THat was nice to have someone around from the same place as me! My weekend was alot of fun!
My week was full of school and lots of job training. I started both jobs. I am having alot of fun at both. Both are very social. It's alot of fun to dress up and meet tons of people at the PCC. It's funny when people want to take their pictures with me. I met some people from Shelley yesterday! That was neat! I dress up differently every day and my cheeks are quivering by the end of the day. I get dressed up, and wear BRIGHT red lipstick, and smile for hundreds of pictures. Definitely not a hard job! It's alot of fun. I also like working at the snack bar! It's the hang out and alot of people come in that I know. I work alot, and I don't really have energy for much more than that, but, I can tough it out. It's fun.
This weekend I have been working, but that is about it. I am still trying to decide where to go. I don't know what to do for school. my friend and I were looking at houses to live in next fall, but nothing definite yet. I need to feel more positive about what I am doing.
Well, that is what I have been up to! I'm off to work! love you!

Valentine's Day

Well I hope everyone felt especially loved on Valentine's! I loved it! I received many letters in the mail from my friends and school went well! I went to training for my job in Photo Poly and my classes were easy today! My girlfriends and I are all single and loving it! We are having so much fun lately with all our excursions! To celebrate our day we got dressed up and went out to Chillis. It was alot of fun. On the way down to Mililani, the waves were ENORMOUS!! I'm not very good with measurements, but I KNOW they were at least 30 feet high. We were on the road in a car, but looking at the waves was SO frightening. Each set made a perfect barrel. I've never seen anything like it. Pictures in magazines of waves doesn't explain what I saw at all. It was interesting because we haven't had a storm recently to cause such big waves. The sunset was amazing also. The sun set right over the ocean. I tried to get a good shot of it. We had delicious dinner and had these little chocolate that came in shots. So, we got our "shot" of RICH chocolate and we came home to watch a chick flick. Our friend bought us all each a rose which was delivered to our rooms today also! Today was alot of fun. It was good to hear from many friends today saying they thought of me. It was really nice! I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's! I missed making sugar cookies with pink frosting. I DID make lots of cards which I left at people's doors. Alot of people didn't understand why I knocked and ran, but that is what we always did ever since I can remember! It was fun to leave surprises for people today! I hope everyone stayed toasty warm today and enjoyed their Valentine's! Know that I love you! Infinite X's and O's....

Pro Bowl Weekend..

Well, last weekend was intense and full of fun! In Honolulu there was the NFL Pro Bowl and so all the amazing football players were in town! My friends and I went to a beach clean up on saturday morning and hung out with our wonderful hippy friends that were there! We went to Honolulu to go to the swap meet, which is a huge outside market where you can find any little Hawaiian trinket you can imagine. It's held at the stadium on Saturdays. After, we went to the Waikiki Beach to catch some rays and play volleyball. It was a wonderful bright, sunny day, one of the hottest in a while. It was wonderful! We heard that the football players were putting on a festival sort of on the Waikiki strip. The entire road where all the stores are, (Coach, Nike, Gucci, etc.) and some of the Waikiki Beach was closed off and shops were filling up the entire road. There were also 6 or 7 stages that were being put up along the road. There was a block party for the game that would be held the next day. It was awesome! There was food, games, NFL players, mascots, cheerleaders, dancing, singing. It was a lot of fun. It is a really big deal here and it is held every year. It was way awesome to experience it and see all the pro football players! Afterwards, we went to listen to our friend play in his band. They are a regae band and we all listened to them play bob marley, etc. I decided that I probably wouldn't hear a band like that in Idaho or Utah. It was so fun! There are so many things to see and do that are free, we're always having a blast!

This week I am busy back with homework, and trying to get a job sorted out. I work on call at the Polynesian Cultural Center as a "model". I dress up like a Hawaiian girl and give away leis and say Aloha to people, take pictures with them. I start next week. It should be fun. I am trying to find something else I can do on campus to have a more stable (yet minimal) income.

Right now I am busy thinking about school NEXT year. I'm not sure what I want to do. I originally thought that I would go to Utah State after a year here, but I am really starting to love it and want to experience more for a year. But, there is much to think about when deciding. I'm realizing more and more how this is a one time show. I only get one chance, and time keeps going. I'm not sure what I would go into if I stay here. I am pretty sure that if I went to Utah State, I would go into nursing right away. It's difficult to decide what to do with my life! Depending on where I go to school in the fall, I may be in Idaho or far off somewhere to work during the summer. There is just so much to take into consideration it seems! Who thought growing up was so complicated! Well, that is what is on my mind right now. I'm not sure how to decide or what I should do exactly. If anyone has some advice or ideas, feel free to share your input. Well, that is me as of right now. Who knows though, I may know by tomorrow or the next day, or maybe I'll change my mind again. It's so confusing! Well, I love you all and hope everyone is doing well! Miss you all.

The next few pics are of Waikiki Beach. They are taken at the back of the hotels. Each hotel on the strip has a small beach in the back right on the ocean.

Me and the statue of Queen......somethin.
Ice Cream in Waikiki! Mmm..

Me waiting for the sports show to start...