The Baja!

January 7, 2013 Weather Forecast

BOISE: snow. cold. awful. maaaaaaaaaaaybe 4 degrees F

CABO SAN LUCAS: sunshine. warm. a lofty 72 degrees F

snow starts to fall as our plane lifts off....bu-bye Idaho, 

HELLOOOOO Mexico!!!!!

on a week-long trip with my roomies. could you ask for a better trip??

weather = tropical. perfection.

car = 2013 jeep wrangler. epic.

lodgings = el zalate. luxurious.

company = fun, flirty, and fabulous!

everyone needs a shot of Cabo Karma now and then. 

so take a look, enjoy, and book your flight to this wondrous land!

kathy taught us quite a bit while we were there.... 

first stop: CABO WABO CANTINA

home of sammy hagar. the red rocker. vocalist in van halen. now....he owns cabo wabo cantina!!

Cabo Wabo Cantina:
where the world comes to party!

kathy introduced us to worthwhile seafood in the baja...

we are so silly.

she introduced us to fresh baked bread at MEGA.
DELISH

she bought us margaritas! sin alcohol of course :)

she introduced us to real spanish culture.

she even convinced us to go jet skiing. not that it took much convincing ;)

she took us to the 

One and Only Palmilla

hotel to celebrities and richies

and bought us drinks...

only $12 a glass.

but hey, we rode in on a golf cart after the valets parked our jeep...

and best of all....

 

 she showed us the power of the eagles. 

and hotel california!!

and you can't go to cabo without spending a little time on the beach!

i'd only wish for one thing

my harm :)

 but seriously, best. trip. ever. i love these women! they are absolutely the greatest roomies i could ever ask for! i love you both so much, and hope that we have many more adventures together!!!

my advice? 

STOP.

"Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight." 

Elder Gordon B. Hinckley

a time to prepare... and reminisce

and so it has come... i am FINISHED with my last semester at byu-idaho. the Lord has definitely been with me there! he has strengthened me and changed me for the better. it's truly a "discipleship preparation center" there! and of COURSE i have had my share of adventures!!!

best. FHE group. ever. 

a little reunion! last winter's roomies and home teachers :) can't beat that!

an adventure to west yellowstone for the weekend!

i felt like katniss....

blacklight volleyball team! 

riding the gondola... $89 a plate at the restaurant at the top. 

you better believe i won that showdown

big juds! someday i will beat the one pound challenge...someday

swingin with my bestie :)

could i have asked for better roommates??  

 harmon... why are you so awesome? who else would go to denny's at midnight?

but now it's over... it's a thought that brings conflicting emotions. i am so grateful for what i have been able to learn and experience up in rexburg, but i am so excited for this new adventure! two new adventures in fact... one begins april 24.... 14 days. 14 days until i climb aboard a plane destined for tel aviv! it's too soon! i'm not ready! and yet...i feel like i've been ready for a while now. i have been wanting and preparing for this for much too long.

my only hope is that i never forget. never forget to keep exploring

freezing my fanny off and LOVING IT

yup. you heard me! its rexburg and i am LOVING IT HERE! 
compared to last year's frozen tundra, rexburg is a tropical paradise! i walk to class in 32 degree weather, and that's SO WARM compared to last year's -10! it snowed for the first time a little over a week ago.... i'm ok with that. although i know how much the farming community depends on the snow for crops. that's a bummer. 
but anyways, jess and i party as usual....

sammy's.... again. miss you cole! and ben!

thanks jason and brady for the sunday morning present. appreciate that!

i have such a friggin HAWT sister!!!!

she is also a decent photographer :)

and i got my first email from my jerusalem cousin!!! YAYYYYYY!!!! and yes. i chewed her out for not emailing me sooner. i just love her so much! 
as jess is well....busy... on many nights, i am responsible for entertaining myself. this has included eating junk food, going to concerts at sammy's, playing basketball, wallyball, and futsal, and NOT training for my half marathon because me FRIGGIN KNEE has been hurting me! butt. 
i did talk to my beloved sister whitney today, she is presh.
and i am starting to apply to boise state's radiologic science program! WOO HOOOO!!! i am finally feeling like i'm on the right track!!! i have to keep moving forward. KEEP MOVING FORWARD! 

As Will Rogers said: 

"Even if you're on the right track, 

you'll get run over if you just sit there."

the last BURG winter!

It's now been exactly 17 days since I came back to the arctic part of the state...
And I must say, it has been a FAN-freakin-TASTIC few weeks! For one, I have the greatest roommates. I know people say that all the time...but this time it's TRUE! I have already connected with each of them, and I love them so! Here's the gorgeous gang!

Yeah. We is adorable.... :)

And life is well....stressful as always! I don't know what I am doing with my life, and it doesn't help that I keep hearing, "During these next few years you will make important decisions that will impact the rest of your life." Thanks for turning up the heat! I KNOW that these next few years are important, and I am TRYING to make the best decisions! I have decided something though. I can only do so much. After all I can do, I need to turn my life over to the Lord. I will act in faith, and know that He will lead me. I may not know it at the time, but by acting in faith I allow Him to influence my life. 

I am taking a vocal class, and we are required to sing 2 songs: I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go and I Know My Father Lives. So powerful.... Lord, I really will go where you want me to go. I will go because I know that you live! I have no better place to go than where you would have me.

These lyrics truly testify of a lesson that I am continually re-learning. I really will be what you want me to be, dear Lord!!

ALSO!

I have learned the power that comes from true meditation.... from PONDERING. My religion teacher had us read some very inspiring words of modern day prophets: 

"I think we pay too little attention to the value of meditation, a principle of devotion.  Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord."

                              President David O. McKay

"Let that be something to remember-you do likewise.  Take time to meditate.  Many times you will be wrestling with problems, the solution of which can be spiritually discerned.  Don't get so busy that you don't have time to meditate. Take the time."

                         President Harold B. Lee

heck.

even i have found time!!! 

so take my advice, and do a bit of meditating today. it's good for the soul :)


OK. and i made this map of the world...
of my travels: past, present, and future!

Red = Where i have LIVED
Blue = Where i have BEEN
Green = Where i WANT to GO
Where do YOU want to go??

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!