BIRTHDAY.

[warning: I will probably be bad and slow at blogging this entire summer. (save time and stop checking;]) ]
But about a week ago I celebrated my 19th birthday. On my actual birthday I got to come home from school for the summer, and well forever from NAU, and needless to say I was excited and ready to be home. My actual birthday was to say the least VERY interesting, but that story would take far too long to tell. I will say it involved frustration, two phone calls that weren't enough, chocolate shakes, dressing up, a lonely show and me with a very ill boy, his car and a good story to tell. haha. But two days later I celebrated more normally (sorta) with my family and best friends. We had delicious food, laughs, and songs. My family has a thing about all the previously mentioned and it was nice to share that with my friends. Upon my request my grandpa played the guitar and we sang, a lot. This is not a rare event in my family which becomes very obvious when you realize that even my eight year old cousin knows all the words.
It was a good start to a wonderful summer to come!

so by the way..

IT IS SUMMER!!!

finally final.

after a year at NAU I am ready to go home...
it was interesting to say the least. .

These are some things I learned:

1. School closes down when there is too much snow and ice and on these days it is okay to have snowball fights with complete strangers.
2. Even though it is a big campus you will not be able to avoid those boys that you never want to see again.
3. If you are downtown and it is night time, take a boy, or two, or three. And be ready to run away.
4. School might be the reason you are here, but that doesn't mean it is the reason other people are here.
5. It is very possible to fit nine plus people in my car. Even if most of those people are boys.
6. The walls in the dorms are, to say the least, not thick. And we can hear how much you are enjoying yourself. our turning up the volume on the TV means, "please be quite." not "please get louder."
7. The "free hugs guy" is an elementary education major and will one day be a teacher.
8. Snow is more fun when you don't have to dig your car out of it.
9. When it hits 72 and partly cloudy girls suddenly don't have to wear clothes, just bathing suits.
10. Flagstaff has very unique characters and you will get to meet them all.
11. Your roommate might come home drunk and throw up in the sink for the entire night, so for your own safety put your toothbrush away.
12. Text asking to "hang out" after midnight are usually booty calls. You don't have to feel bad for ignoring them.
13. Email is a formal form of communication.
14. The guy that wears all orange all the time does it for Jesus.
15. Trees can be PINK. and they are BEAUTIFUL.
16. Legit hippies do smell bad and are tripped out on drugs.
17. You can send packages from the NAU post office that are covered in foamy dinosaurs and hearts! (but think twice before sending those packages to your friend in boot camp..he could end up having to make "dinosaur noises" on command.)
18. Eating is not as important as sleeping.
19. If you leave your door open while you are in your room you will make lots of new friends. half of them will be drunk and a third of them might in fact be high too.
20. The most important thing I learned was DO YOUR RESEARCH before you pick a school.

Don't get me wrong I have had a lot of fun at NAU and I learned a lot, but if given the choice I think I would have picked something a little different. I am thankful for the experience to grow though, and I am sure things I learned here at NAU will serve me well down the road.

but now, BRING ON THE SUMMER!

out of my league.

"& the feeling that I'm falling further in love makes me shiver, but in a good way."

FACTS.

This summer I hope to do a lot of good things.

And let everyone know just how much I love them.

I like face time. more than any other form of time.

This summer my "number" will change from three to four.

Black nail polish doesn't mean I hate the world. (most of the time.)

Sunflowers are the happiest flowers in the world.

I think freshman year of college was a bit overrated.

I recently rediscovered that I love to dance. Especially if the music is Mexican.

June 10th will be a good day for me;]

as will July 11th:]

I love TOMS shoes. I think I have become obsessed.

Sunshine and warm weather make you happier.

I am going to train with B to run a marathon.

I think some people were put in our lives only to teach a lesson

and once they have taught it, it's okay that they are gone.

I have VERY high hopes for this summer:]

"As the world spins around her, she laughs, rolls her eyes..."

MEXICO.

last weekend I went to Mexico with B, her parents, and her church people, this is what happened...

FRIDAY.
We started the drive with chocolate milkshakes and laughs... and a little late. We drove basically all day trying to catch up to the group if only so Brittany could say, "Golden Egg riding top gun." on the walkie talkie. We arrived in Caborca at about six thirty at what was called a steak center (which has nothing to do with steak. I also learned a lot of Mormon things on this trip.) We meet up with other people from Brittany's Steak and church and the people of Caborca and ate dinner. Then we did what B called "the auction" and found out who we were staying with. Although apparently B's family is so pro that they always stay with Pancho and Letti and their son's Miguel (Mikey) and Pancheto. After that B and I ventured out into the church yard and meet the most adorable little boy, Mikey. We played with Mikey for awhile, and quickly found out he likes to climb and jump and swing..and you're the jungle gym. Then we went "home." We stayed up for so long talking about nothing and everything and finally mid-conversation fell asleep.

SATURDAY.
We woke up early because we were on what B's grandpa called, "the special crew." We ate some breakfast and walked to the red cross center where we were to paint inside and out. We got there before most and started to get to work. We were supposed to go on the roof to mask and paint but we weren't allowed to go up until the boys put down wood planks for more support. We finally got up on the roof and started masking and painting. It took a good two hours to just get the first coat and then they just brought the sprayer in and it took like two minutes. Then we had to get down, SCARY. After that we painted the sides of the building and did little jobs here and there and played with Mikey. Then it was lunch time. We had the most delicious food. SO GOOD. After lunch most everyone left to go to the beach, but because we weren't done we stayed until everything was finished. When we were finally done, like six hours later, we went "home" took showers and got ready to go out. We had a few hours so B's parents took us to this Catholic Mission with bullet holes, the bullet holes are there because of a war and they symbolise something.. I just never figured out what. Then we went to the town square and looked at the cute stuff. Got some bracelets, and some tortillas! Then it was time for the FIESTA!
This was so fun! We again ate delicious food, played with Mikey, and made new friends. We had to have a translator, Sarah, but we asked them to dance and to teach us how to dance like them, so they did. It was so fun. I learned a lot. We danced to so many songs, we did the gorilla dance and a lot of others. It was a blast and I think that B and I can now dance how they do in Mexico! Oh and we also meet B's Jose but not really met just saw;]. After this (yeah the night was not over yet!) we were all getting ready to leave when one of our new friends ran up to us and started speaking in Spanish (which we obviously did not understand) so again we went and got a translator, Seath this time, who told us that they wanted us to go with them into town. So we jumped into a van with about 2o plus people. B and I sat on a cooler while others sat on the floor and a random chair and the back seat bench. We drove trying not to fall and laughing. The Mexican boys sitting across from us kept turning the light above our heads on and looking at us and saying things. The girl next to me who also spoke English and Spanish told us they were saying we were cute. Brittany, who's plan when she doesn't understand people is to just say "SI!" and "BUENO!" ended up telling one of the boys he was cute. Hahaha. The whole van grew quite and started laughing and "ohhhh"ing. So funny. They took us to the Mission Church again and we played on the playground we had somehow missed before. There were very cool swings and teeter totters. It was sweet. I laughed so much this night. And we really got to experience the culture and the people which was so neat. Then they took us "home." I was so tired.

SUNDAY.
We got up early for church, which was so interesting for me. I have never been to a Mormon church service not to mention it was in Spanish, needless to say it was an experience and very cool. I made friends with a baby boy sitting in front of me. So they just passed him back to me and all the sudden I had a little baby. I think he thought I was crazy. But he played with B and I for awhile, we made a lot of noise and we probably very disruptive but we had fun. He eventually started crying and was passed back to his mother. After church we took pictures, lots of pictures. haha. And then we changed and were on the road. On the way home B actually got to use the walkie talkie, that was exciting. I slept and listened to voicemails;] it was nice.

This was the first time I have ever been to Mexico . It was such an awesome experience and apparently once you go you have to go back every year, which I am totally okay with. I loved Caborca, it was really all around a beautiful experience, and I am so glad I went.

BURN!!

growing.

Firday was my mom's birthday!

so we went out to lunch. I got her TOMS.

I think it is really cool that I can say, "yeah, my mom has TOMS.". :]

Saturday was family

Easter party at KID KOUNTRY!

so I took the girls (savannah&delaney) and Bec & Brandon took mia & sam. Those girls are all growing up so fast. Becca is also growing, and eating (which is so fun for me). You should see her after she eats a lot. She is like an expanding balloon. It's so cool!

Anyway, they had a blast! there was egg hunts, the Easter bunny, cookies, crafts, the train, and REAL bunnies!

And then we went to Grandma's and ate. mmmm.

Sunday was of course EASTER!

so we went to church, Becca and I with our yellow dresses. (Karl said we looked like canaries. hahaaa.) Then we went home and had brunch. mmmm. I love when my family makes real food when I go home.

All the while this was happening...my plants back at school were growing like crazy! I came back to find my bean plant huge (on the left) and my sunflowers (right) sprouted! I was so excited! they are growing so fast and so well! I need bigger pots!