Fall 2011: Terminated!

I have made it! Three semesters at BYU-Idaho have been trounced, and one remains. Jess and I both have one semester left...one semester to really make the most of our Rexburg experience. I plan on never stopping--never slowing down. We have no time to stop and sight see! Whether it's really learning and growing secularly, physically, spiritually, or emotionally...we plan on doing it 100%. Even though Rexburg may be brutally cold this winter, we can still have fun with a little creativity! 
I have always found wisdom in Dr. Seuss. Despite the ridiculousness of his writing, it always carries with it a profound message.  

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities."

Don't stop. I have decided that I never want to stop. I never want to stop laughing, discovering, and moving. I want to be 75 and run in a marathon. I want to take a tour of Greece for my 80th birthday. I want to literally die laughing. So much to do, so little time! 

After April, I am finished at BYU-I. I have NO IDEA where I will be for Fall 2012... scary? YES! But I know I'll make it! 

OH. and ps. I GOT ACCEPTED TO BYU JERUSALEM!!! I will be leaving the fair state of Idaho to experience Israel next summer!! 3 and a half months.....I do believe they will be the best of my life. :)

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! 

:) x infinity.

Adventures in the Burg: Act 1

I am now currently over half-way through my 3rd semester up here at good ol' BYU-Idaho, located in the ever-pleasant Rexburg oasis. Here, the sun is always shining, and the birds are always singing. "When the sun hits that ridge just right, these hills sing." Oh wait. That's Pacha's little hillside, not the Rexburg ice cube... Here in Rexburg we enjoy blizzards in September, winds that cut through your bones like knives, and winter coats all year round! It's basically Antarctica. 

Luckily we have the Spirit of Ricks to warm our souls, right? That really is what makes living in Rexburg worth every minute. That Spirit. I feel it every day in my classes, it strengthens me each week as I attend devotional. It helps me realize who I am: a daughter of God. A woman loved by my family, and cared about by my friends. The Spirit strengthens us as students in our academic and personal lives.... I'm sorry to be leaving it so soon.... 

Yup. That's right.... I'm transferring come next fall! Do I know where yet? Absolutely not! But I know that wherever I end up will take me on a new journey involving new adventures! 

Yes, it stresses me out not knowing exactly what I am doing with my life, but I know things will work out! I am trusting Heavenly Father to lead me. 

Because I mean really.... If God is with me, who can be against me? :) --Romans 8:31

Now on with life. To much has happened in the past few months to be summed up in one blog post. Fall is pretty much my FAVORITE time of year! I cannot even begin to describe its awesomeness. I'm rooming with  my sister Jess and my beautiful cousin Annalise! Our adventures are too many to even count. Yet I shall try...

 Adventure 1: Temple to Temple Relay

Adventure 2: Masquerade Ball

 Adventure 3: Exploring

Part 1: Mesa Falls

 Part 2: Cave Falls

Yes. I'm quite happy we found it! :) 

 Adventure 4: Halloween.

Flappers are HOT. Especially ones that look like this!

 Adventure 5: Nerd Party!!!

Who needs an excuse to dress up like a nerd??? 

 Adventure 6: Tea Party

Complete with my Brit Lit chums!

and herbal tea.... 

Other adventures occur on a daily basis. How can we NOT, what with awesome roommates and FHE brothers, amazing friends, and QUITE the imagination! Rexburg Rodeo, Straw maze, dancing in the rain the Haunted Mill, pumpkin carving, Dance Central and Just Dance, , cook-offs, plays, country dancing, volleyball and basketball games, concerts, Sammy's shakes, the list goes on and on! I plan on continuing to explore new possibilities and TRY to endure this frigid weather! Peace!

Brooke Ellis: World Traveler

So now I know you may be asking the question.... WHO is this girl? I figured one great way to begin my blog would be to tell a little about myself. I am a healthy-food-eating, basketball/volleyball-playing, outdoorsie and active young girl who loves meeting new people---especially men---who loves laughing and spending time with family and friends. 

I also have a dream, yes... I've got a dream!! 

I feel like we should start singing "I've got a dream!!!" from Tangled... but alas, I don't have my backup singers around me at the time. So blogging will have to suffice. But my dream is not to see the floating lanterns, but I do feel a bit like the trapped princess in the tower. I want to see the WORLD. I remember that when I was little, people asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had 2 answers: a scientist or an explorer. And so at a young age, I wanted to travel the world.

This desire seemed to go dormant as I got older. The extent of my exploring was limited to the field next to my house. And Canada. That is until my senior year in high school, when I was able to go on a trip to Spain and France. Words cannot describe the amount of awesome.... The people, the sights, EVERYTHING about it was magical. I didn't know buildings could actually BE that old, or that Spanish--a language I've been studying since 4th grade--could be so difficult to understand!

And so. desire rekindled. If my desire to travel had been like small embers, it was now quite the bonfire. Extinguishing it.... impossible. It had now become my personal quest to learn more this world that I live in. Now that I had experienced another world, I only wanted to continue to learn. Brit Lit was my opportunity, and I took it!! 

Through BYU-Idaho, I was able to travel to Ireland, England, Wales, and France. The trip lasted a glorious 25 days that truly changed my life! But rather than wasting precious words explaining how, I have simply smashed the pictures into a jolly little slideshow for your enjoyment... so enjoy! And I hope it gives you the same desire to travel!

My World Travels Slideshow: Brooke’s trip from Paris, Île-de-France, France to 20 cities London, Wales, Dublin, Lake District, Wiltshire, York, Staffordshire, Nottingham, Bath, Galway, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, Warwick, Gloucester, Winchester, Skipton, Conwy, Versailles, Lyme Regis and Inishmore was created by TripAdvisor. See another United Kingdom slideshow. Create your own stunning slideshow with our free photo slideshow maker.

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware." 

                                        -Martin Buber

He's going to ask for a glass of milk.

As I've gotten older I've discovered something about myself. I am never content living the ordinary life. I am constantly searching and discovering. Just as the little mouse in the story isn't content to only have the cookie, I am not content growing up "normal." I want a glass of milk, and when I get my milk, I'll probably want a straw... and after the straw, I'll need a napkin.... My life is like a snowball rolling down a mountain, continually growing in size. I want to explore new places, try new hobbies, learn new information, and create new masterpieces. So as my blog begins, so does the documentation of my never-ending adventures in life.