Things to do when you have an hour between classes...

1) Be productive. Go to the library and do homework. (Not preferable)
2) Sit at the fountain outside of the TSC and read. The roar of the fountain shuts everyone else.
3) Go to the hub and eat a bagel. They is good :)
4) Grab a Utah Statesman and read up on campus events. Usually.. there's not anything going on.
5) Take a nap on the grass. (Good for catching up on sleep and a kickin suntan)
6) (And becoming my favorite...) Wander aimlessly around campus. This accomplishes multiple things...
-Exercise for the day
-Familiarity with campus
-Finding out random, hidden, peaceful places to chill.
-LOTS of thinking time.
You come to find that walking from one side of campus and back wastes a pretty good amount of time...

Haha I just thought I'd start a list. Pretty soon though, I'm gonna have to find out what to do in the winter... But for right now, the fall is suiting me just fine :)

None of those things is what beetles eat... Try again!

Just your average update, guys.
I never really have anything super cool to blog about.
My roommates are pretty super cool.

We do things like get Aggie Ice Cream for birthdays, read each other children's books, go for late-night chocolate milk and cookies run, destroy our neighbor's facebooks, and other such fun things.

This is one of my best friends...

His roommate...

And a puddle.

We hiked yesterday.

Welp, speaking of BEST FRIENDS...
My best friend ALEXIS came down to visit for the weekend :)
We went to Chili's, gave a waiter our (um, I mean, MY) number(s), went a-shopping, randomly decided to chop my hair off, spent a fair amount of time at Walmart (my favorite place. IN. THE WHOLE. WORLD.) (Please note the sarcasm.) Had a sleepover on the floor of my apartment, Alexis getting a parking ticket (sorry), "I only went 80!", watched Batman Begins, Bride Wars, and Breakfast at Tiffany's, colored, and ate Oreo's. I've missed my best friend :(
That was fun. We did lots of cool things :) Sadly enough... No pictures... Oh well.

Oh. And I have decided to change my major to Elementary Education.
:D
Liiifeeee is goooooooood!

Hi. My name is Kaitlin... And I love college.

First off, I attended my first home game.
It was... AWESOME.
So much fun.
I loved...
Every second of it.
Well mostly.

Yeah, I think it's cool that Zack and I are still so tight.

Sometimes, I hang out with people like this...

And sometimes... I hang out with people like this.These are my cool beans roommates.
They're cool.

If you're wondering what we're doing in this picture, we're playing the role of "awkward family".
I'm the silent, intimidating father.
Rachel is the crazy inquisitive mother.
Alison is the obnoxious little sister.
And Sarah is the victim.
MUAHAHAHA.


Yeah, I'm having fun. :)

Partyin, Partyin, Yes.

So. Last night, my roommates and some of our neighbors went to Logan Canyon.
Wanna know what inspired it?
So Casey (yellow hoodie) and Alan (Creepin into the first picture) come over. We're all just chillin, and I wanted a s'more, so I was like "Hey. I have s'mores stuff. Let's make some s'mores." And they were like "...Kay."
So then, after roasting the marshmallows over the stove and deciding we could do a little bit better, we decided that Logan Canyon was the way.

It was so fun :]
I love campfires.

My job was to hold the flashlight. :]

Roomiess!.... And Alan.

Haha. Casey was trying to get us to do this all night. I finally did...

This one turned out a little better.

First home football game toNIGHT....
Awh yeah :]

I'm a big kid now...

Okay sooo.. I've had to refrain from blogging lately.
Cause I am in college now.
And my internet sucks.
It takes wayyyy too long to do anything besides check my email and occasionally do some FB.

So I waited till I was home!!
I've only been gone for a week...
But I wanted to come back and visit cause it'd be the last chance I got till my parents came back from Nauvoo, so it'd be another like 3 or 4 weeks until I could come back.
Nobody knew I was coming except my mom, dad, grandma, and Alexis.
I surprised everyone haha :]

College is sooo fun. I've met so many people and made so many new friends! So far, there's been something fun to do every night. Unfortunately, I haven't really picture-cated a lot of what has happened. I forget to let my camera tag along =/
I'm learning lots of lessons...

1) Some people, no matter how good of friends you thought they were, will always abandon you for someone or something they think is better. The lesson here is to avoid relying on these people when hard times (such as, say, moving away from home) come along.

2) My parents are the best! Before I left, my mom and I kind of butted heads... A lot. But since I left I call and talk to her every day, sometimes for a half hour or longer. I'm so grateful that we built that relationship as I was growing up so that I have now and forever will have a permanent best friend. When I came home, I cried when I saw both her and my dad just because I was so happy to see them.
I honestly don't remember a time when I haven't been able to hold back tears of joy...
Ok that's probably not true.
But still, I can hold it in pretty well.

3) My brothers are awesome.
I love them so dearly! They are also my best friends. I adore them. A lot.

4) It's sooo important to have your own testimony. When you move out, it's easy to say "my parents aren't here, I can do this cause they won't be mad." And fall away. Not saying that I've experienced this personally, but I can see in my classmates how easy it was for them to, as soon as they got the boot, stop doing what they were taught to do.

5) The concept of "Studying" actually does apply in college.
Majorly.

6) I made some very good friends that I will treasure and cherish for the rest of my life when I lived at home! I hope those friends never fade away.

7) Heavenly Father loves me!! A lot. A lot a lot.
I have such a great life :]

Countdown...

I move next thursday.
This is my last week of work.
I'm starting to pack.
Bleeehhhhh.

I'm actually breaking out I'm so stressed!
You know how often I break out?
Hardly ever.


This.. Will be interesting.

Oh...

I forgot I promised pictures.

Obviously...

The gratitude thing worked well.
Went for a long time.
Haaaah...
How funny.
This is me, kinda rambling, kinda being like "Wow, I haven't blogged for a long time. So I'm going to post something. The thing is, I don't know what I'll say."

So I'll say this.
I'm moving in 26 days people!!
Blaaahhh.

Too excited for words.

I'm going to display it in picture form.

This is my happiness flower.
Pretty darn happy, right??

Now, to go with this picture, a poem.
Doesn't really apply to the picture,
but kinda does.
So bear with me.
I like it.

Robert Frost - The road not taken.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Well... Just got back from a great weekend of camping :]

Friday night I went with my friends.
It was a freaking BLAST. I love those guys to no end!
I've tried to imagine what my life would be like without them.
{[BORING.]}
is my answer.

Then I went with my family on Saturday to Warm River...
I adore that place. So much.
Today was one of the best floating days I've had up there in a looong time.
It wasn't windy.
It was HOT.
The water was nice and cool.
Braden and I were in our swimsuits today from 11 to 5, only stopping for food/chapstick breaks.
That's the way Warm River should be :]
Except... I was missing my cousins.

Something I've been thinking...
Oh, the places you'll go!
Kid, you’ll move mountains!
So be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ale Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So get on your way!

Well, I'll post some pictures here within the next few days... I'm exhausted. :]

We are now the knights who sayy...

Eki eki eki eki-baKang-zoop-boing gun zao oozoo!

I hate the dentist.
However, my new ones won me over with their Ben and Jerry's ice cream.
Darn them.

A little behind..

But only a couple days.

I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR . . .
Family.
Friends.
Sisterly bonds, even though I don't have a sister.
Patience.
Scriptures.
A house. A nice one, I might add.
President Thomas S. Monson and his Apostles.
Money to pay for college.
A chance to further my education.
Being strong enough to voice what I want and need.
Freedom.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Happy list of the day...

Freaking great deals at Bath and Body Works.

Shopping for college.
Warmth.
Cute pants.
Campfires.
CTR.
New cereal to eat.
HARRYPOTTERR!!
Home made ice cream.
Tin foil dinners.
Wit/Sass.
Yummy sandwiches.
Scriptures.
Justin Bieber.
Piano.
Prayer.


And, to top it all off, here's a picture of something I find hilarious.


Does the little girl with pigtails not look EXACTLY LIKE ME?!

Optimism...

..Is something often neglected in today's world.
Sometimes, I feel like everything around me is put there to bring me down.
I think I forget that it's up to me to choose if I'm happy or not...
So I'm going to try something.
I'm going to blog every day about things that make me happy.
For today...

Helping people.
Italian food (even if it comes in a box).
Lifewater.
Music (Clean and happy :])
Sunshine.
Best friends.
Spongebob.
Eternal families.
Heavenly guidance.
The true church.
...It's already working :]

On top of this, I'm going to only listen to clean music and watch clean tv shows and movies. Yaayy! :]

Sanctuary...

I call it Warm River.
Warm River is a place I've been going with my family annually since... Well as long as I remember.
Warm River is the one place where, no matter what stage I'm at in life, where I'm living, or how old I am, I can go there and be at peace.
Of course, it's not the same without my cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents.
But hey...
Close enough. :]

Anyways. This was my weekend. We went to the family reunion for the other side of the family. With it being the second year in a row of coming with this side, it's fun cause I'm starting to collect a whole new group of memories :]

I love my family.

My dad is...

Strong.
Brave.
Witty.
Talented.
Smart.
Happy.
Funny.
Cool.
Unshakable.
My mentor.
My example.
My best friend.


He has helped me to better understand life (and to better understand boys).
He has shown me that I deserve the absolute best.
He's taught me to always stand up for what I believe in, even if I end up sticking out of the crowd.
He's given me the respect that a peasant would give a princess (when I deserved it).
He's helped me to know that I am a Daughter of God.
He has helped me understand Gospel Principles.
He stayed up with me countless of hours helping me with math through school...
Oh. And taught me the basics of Trig in the fifth grade.
He introduced me to Seinfeld, Austin Powers, Jim Carrey, Mike Meyers, ACDC, Metallica, Ace Ventura, and all the other good stuff that makes my world go 'round.
Needless to say, he's the ULLLLtimate daad. :]

It's going to be hard going away to college, and when some dumb boy breaks my heart or my friends are jerks I won't have your shoulder to cry on. But that's why you raised me as strong as I am, because I know I can overcome the challenges I'll face like that... But I'll probably still call. :] Thanks Dad. I love you.

And Mom, don't feel left out cause you've got one COMIN.

Excitement with a hint of bad news...ish.

This is my excitement.
I'm verrrry proud of these pictures :] I loveeee taking pictures. And I kinda feel like I need to progress, like I'm doing the same things over and over and over... But I don't know how?

Anyways.
For the bad news...
My job has asked that I switch clients :[
I'm very sad.
We were goobers!
I put Hannah Montana on my phone and we'd sit and rock out to it while we were working on her objectives.
We'd make faces at each other... Constantly.
Jump over puddles.
Jump IN puddles.
Go swimming.
Play spies.
Play motorboat in the pool.
Watch signing time.
She'd kick my trash at UNO.
Most the time, I didn't even try to lose.
Play frisbee.
Weave through random construction cones in parking lots.
Paint each others nails.
Color each other pictures.
Quote movies such as Tangled. Meet the Robinsons. Nemo. Toy Story. Tarzan.
She'd sing the "Flower gleam and glow" song whenever she'd brush her hair...
And much much more...

To be fair, it very much is time.
I've been working with her for nineish months.
My client and I are like sisters, in that we love each other to death and we work really well together, but we also get sick of each other.
Quickly.
And then we don't work so well together.
So I guess that's where the "ish" part comes in...
Anyways.. Starting Monday it's a whole new page.
Wish me luck...

Giddy. :]

And this is why.
This is Jon Schmidt.
He is one of the best piano players I've ever seen.
I've looked up to him for many years.

Anyways.
He came for a concert tonight!!
And after it was finished, I was able to take the above picture with him and have him sign my ticket.
Pretty much awesome :]
One of my favorite songs he played was a song called Michael meets Mozart. It consists of two Michael Jackson songs and a song composed by Mozart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR94NDIfGmA

Watch it.
Listen to it.
And prepare to be amazed.

For some reason...

The word "Country" has been really appealing to me lately.


Especially the musical aspect of it.
Don't ask me why.
Cause I'm gonna tell you.
I think it all kinda started when I was listening to the radio.
It was a Sunday.
And the normal Sunday station was advertising.
Which I just don't have patience for...
Anyways. So I was like "Well... Country music isn't that bad, and I can tolerate it for three minutes while I drive to church. Right?"
So I did.
And I kinda liked it.
So the next day I was flipping around all the normal stations. Came across a Ke(dollarsign)ha song and realized something...
I WAS LISTENING TO EXTREMELY DIRTY SONGS!
And country is usually not that dirty...
Anyways. I've been cursing the name of country music for years.
And I feel kinda dumb cause one day I just decided "I like country music. Cool."

But that's not the bad part.

I'm starting to say "Y'all" without even realizing it...

Graduation.

Meet:
The graduate.

Meet:
The new obsession.

I don't know why I'm so behind. This album is old... But I am in love with it as of a couple weeks ago. It's happy.. And that's what I need :]


...Yep.

You know what's awesome??

THIS. is awesome.
So the secretary at my work told me about this cause she was involved with this in college.
Basically what it is is you go to a third-world country for two weeks over the summer and volunteer doing whatever the people there need you to do!
Part of the cost is paid by a sponsor, and the other part... This is the exciting part :]
You spend the whole school year doing service and once you reach a certain amount of hours, that pays for your portion of the trip :]

I. AM SO.. EXCITED. :D

OHboy.

Graduation is on Wednesday.
*shudder*

Oh, and I'm speaking at seminary graduation on Sunday.

I must say. All of my thoughts about graduation are very... Idk. Varied?
One second... I CAN'T WAIT.
The next second... I'm dreading it.
This is really a very confusing process.

However, I'm realizing just how many people love me, care about me, and support me.
It's a very humbling process.

I like to sing.

There are extremely few things that give me greater peace and joy than singing the hymns of the Lord.
Today I went to a mission farewell, grandmas for mothers day, and stadium singing with my friends. It couldn't have been a better way to start off my last week of school.



And, because Bridger said to do it...

I LOVE VANILLA TOOTSIE ROLLS.

Happiness. :]

Ode to the Sponge!

I had a blast.
Seriously, the night couldn't have been better.
Steven made sure I was well taken care of and that I was having fun, not like I was an obligation to fulfill to impress someone.
Which, sadly, has been what many of my dances have been like.
But FORGET THEM.
It was pretty nice. :]

WARNING... I wrote a lot. So bear with me here.

For the day date, we went to the DI. The girls picked out outfits for the boys, and vice versa.
We had some awesome outfits, I'll say that much right now.
We then wore them while we went rollerblading.
And... Got some awesome looks.

I went home and got my hair did by my lovely aunt Nae. :] (I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL TO YOU!) We went to dinner at Olive Garden, and then went to the dance.
I just want to say... My group was awesome.
I have been in many different groups and with many different guys to dances.
I've been in groups where NOBODY dances, and just stands in back and talks.
I've been in groups where they kinda dance, but they keep to themselves... in the back.
I've been to dances with guys that kind of bob their heads...
I've been to dances with guys that don't move at all.
(Although, as a disclaimer, my junior year homecoming was pretty much the bomb.com!)

This dance, however, my group went RIGHT to the front.
We were constantly dancing.
Nobody cared if they looked stupid or what anyone else was thinking.
Everyone just made it the best it could possibly be.
Plus, we didn't go, get our pictures taken, dance for a half hour, and leave (which makes me crazyy)
We were at the dance for two hoursss. :]
So. Much. Fun.

Something I thought was cool:
We were standing in the lobby outside of the dance, waiting for the rest of our group. Right before the last couple came out, my favorite song since sophomore year (Hear You Me - Jimmy Eat World) came on. I looked at Steven with a look that screamed "PRETTY PLEASE?!" And told him what song it was. He looks at the rest of the group and goes "Uh, we'll be back out as soon as this is done." And pulled me back into the dance.
I got to dance to my all-time favorite song at my last high school dance with someone I actually respect and don't regard as a dirtbag. :]

And then we went to Lucas' house and had ice cream and brownies with homemade hot fudge.
Which, at midnight, doesn't do the best to your tummy.
But it was super good, regardless :]

I'LL NEVER FORGET:
bopwaf, starlight, geese, italian, why did the chicken cross the road?, WHAT THE RANDOM COW? ...IS THAT A U... oh. Nevermind. The DI. CHIEF DIRTYBUM FROM THE NO-WIPEUM TRIBE! Longboarding (or the failure thereof), random jogger taking our picture, new experiences, bingo, random drunk lady freaking out over our attire, poor old man who fell on his bike :[, Hear You Me, and everything else.

Last two weeks of high school...
I'm going to give it my all.

Dances! Easter! College! Oh my!

To start out:
I answered Steven back for the dance.
He came over to Krissa's house and we watched Zoolander. He didn't know at the time, but we were secretly looking for ways to answer him since he asked me with a movie quote.

So I wrote "Since you're soo ridiculously good-looking, of course I'll go to the dance with you!" And hung it over his rearview mirror.
Simple... But I liked it :]

NEXT... e a s t e r.

Easter was awesome as always. We had tons of food. Tons of candy. And the ever-famous Easter egg hunt at grandmas house.
See.. What's unique about this Easter egg hunt is that Grandma fills it with money.
We like money.

Anyways, the brilliant Kenz ended up getting the whopping prize of $20.

WOOT! :D


And now... College.....

BLAHHHH!!!

My mom and I went to visit my college today.
Oh, what a joyous occasion.
We spent a lot of time on campus.
Went to the bookstore.
Asked people questions.
Got confused.
Asked MORE questions.
Got unconfused.
And most importantly... I picked out an apartment.
Like, it's mine.
I already know exactly which one is mine, too. And I know what it looks like. Because the landlord took me through it. And showed me.

May I just say??
I'm getting real scared.
But also kind of not?
I guess there's a lot of mixed feeling going around in my brain.
But mostly fear. Meeehhh!