13 more days til Christmas

I like countdowns. We have one at work! Only 13 more days until Christmas. Only 4 more days of work. Only 5 more days until I'm home!

Today I got home from work and didn't feel like doing anything, so I took a nap, and then I put in How to Train Your Dragon. I think after this movie ends I'm going to get a blizzard!

Yesterday I swallowed a pill for the first time in a long time! It doesn't seem like anything, but its a pretty big deal for me, so that was kinda awesome!

Also, yesterday we had a Christmas music fireside. I have always loved listening to Christmas music! But there is something even more special about the Hymns that are Christmas music. Sure its fun to sing Jingle Bells and I'll be Home for Christmas, but listening to really good singers singing Silent Night and Away in a Manager is the best! My ward has so many talented musicians, it was such a good fireside. It reminded me of my stake back home doing a christmas concert each year! I just love Christmas!!!

I played Scum the other night with my friends, and I went from scum to king in a matter of games. When I was king I had the best hand ever, and got out before anyone even had a chance to go basically! That game is so much fun, but when you go out so fast, its a little lame. But I rocked it, so it was fun anyway!

At work we have this huge project to get done. It involves clearing all the accounts payable since about 2006. We have over 2000 pages with about 10 charts on each page that have on average 10 different payments we have to clear. Today after lunch I asked my supervisor what she wanted me to do, since I have trained my replacement and didn't have a project or something to do for the next week, so she showed me how to do the project she had been working on. I worked for about 3 and a half hours just on these accounts and I only finished 15 pages. There are OVER 2000 pages to do! Its insane! And then after that project we have to do the same thing with Insurance payments which will probably be just as big! So I think for the next 4 days I will be sitting at my computer, listening to David Archuleta Holiday station on Pandora, clearing these accounts.... can't wait!!!

I just really want to be home. I know I was there like 3 weeks ago, but I miss my family already. I miss my sister Keri. I miss playing games with my parents. I miss my bed! But I'm afraid since I'm getting there a whole week before Christmas, I will have ruin everyones surprises before the 25th. Here's to hoping I don't... but I just am so bad at secrets! I'm a little worried.

Watching How to Train Your Dragon reminds me of my niece Anika. One time I went to give her a high five and instead of hitting my hand, she put her head into my hand and said "Train Your Dragon." Then Avery laughed really hard and she had to do the same thing! Those two are the funniest! I won't see them again until about April, but I think about them on a daily basis. I love those girls!

I want to learn spanish just so I can understand the songs David sings in Spanish. I sure do love listening to music in another language. But it would be nice to understand what it is they are singing about! The only thing I understand from David's new song is, Feliz Navidad mi familia, feliz navidad mi amigos. But there is a ton of other spanish words that I wish I knew!

I think I ran out of ideas to blog about... so... The End.

Sleep and Thankfulness....

Today I was thinking about how incredibly fast my vacation went, and then it occurred to me why it was so speedy quick! Usually my days consist of about 16 hours of awake time and 8 hours of sleeping time... this past week, it was more like 12 and 12. I was sleeping in that oh-so-comfy bed in my parents house, and I never wanted to stop sleeping! Everyone in my family goes to bed pretty early, and I don't like being alone in that huge house all by myself, so I would usually go in my room and be on the computer until I fell asleep. One night it was around 2 before I fell asleep, but the norm was 11 or 12. But then I didn't have anything huge to wake up for, so I would sleep in until 9...10...11:30... It just kept getting later and later. Then it would be 9 that night and everyone is going to sleep again, and I'm thinking, I have only been awake for 12 hours... I can't go to sleep now. I think that might have had a huge impact on why it zoomed so fast.

That was the greatest vacation I have had since... my last vacation! I had a blast just hanging out with Ty, Kyle and Nat and little Abby, going to lunches with my mom and dad, and just talking and being with Keri! We have the most fun together! Sometimes she would have homework, so I would play with play doh on her bed until she was done! I liked those times!!! I'm pretty sure we ate out everyday, expect last Sunday and on Thanksgiving, but I'm not complaining! It was a blast just being in the warm Arizona sun, hanging lights up with my dad, eating In-n-Out, and teaching a 6 month old to crawl!

Everyone likes to use this time of year to say what they are thankful for. I think I'm pretty much telling my Heavenly Father each night all the things I'm thankful for, but I think I will share it with the blogger world tonight! This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for my wonderful family! I'm thankful for the laughter that is in my home! I'm thankful for the friendships I have amongst my siblings and especially with my parents. I'm thankful for a dad who will take me on car rides and will listen to me talk his ear off for hours. I'm thankful for a mom who appreciates lazy days where you just need to watch Chopped and Say Yes to the Dress before you shower! I'm thankful for a sister who can open up to me and share anything she is thinking. I'm thankful for Ty who held my hand as we walked in to Kay Jewelers to surprise Kyle, and I'm thankful for Kyle for laughing at what Ty and I thought was super funny! I'm thankful for an older sister who calls just to talk and allows me to invite myself to spend a week at her house next year!!!

I hope that one day I can create a home for my family that is half as wonderful as the one I grew up in!

Doo daa lee dooooo

Basically, I just love being home!!! If you didn't know that already, you should just know it! I just think Arizona is the best state in the whole world, and if you don't know that yet, move to Arizona, and then you will know it!

I got home yesterday. About a month ago, Southwest Airlines didn't consider me to be a full time student since I was only doing my internship and not enrolled in 12 credits of classes. So they didn't give me any benefits, NO FREE FLIGHTS!!! It was horrible, I'm not sure how the other half live without the ability to hop on a flight whenever they would like to come home. So I had to buy my first plane ticket. I went through Aliengent Airlines which is this small little company that flies small little planes to small little airports. I flew out of Idaho Falls and into Mesa (both airports were smaller than the food court of the Salt Lake or the PHX airport). I paid for a ticket and got squished between two big men, one of which had a carry on dog that smelled. (Remember how I hate pets, I really hate sharing airplanes with pets!) But I was pretty tired and slept/played bejeweled on my ipod for most of the flight anyway. It was delayed about an hour which was annoying, but I tried really hard not to be annoyed. I kept reminding myself that there was nothing I could do about it, and I would be home eventually, so there was no point to be mad. But I was still mad!

But eventually it did land, and my mom and dad were waiting at the airport for me! They picked me up and took me to Oregenos! True story: I had never eaten there before. "Really, I'm sure we have taken the whole family here before..." my dad said. I'm pretty sure they all went without me :( But it was really good food, and it was fun to be with my parents.

We played a ton of games of Racko last night. And then we watched Jeopardy, Chopped, and Bones! My mom made delicious chicken and potatos and vegies in the crockpot. Then my dad and I went to the Apple store to fix my laptop. Then we ate ice cream!

And that was just the first day!!! I am so excited to be here for another week! I have some big plans, like going on a date with my dad later today, going to see Breaking Dawn with Keri and maybe with cousins and then tomorrow again with Staci!!! Watching my mom jump out of an airplane on Monday! Meeting my best friends fiance!!! Putting up Christmas decorations and lights! Oh ya, and Thanksgiving!!!

I just love being home with my family and seeing my friends again! And I'm NOT looking forward to going back to the snow and ice and coldness that Idaho has to offer! :/

Homebound...

I want to go home... so so so so so badly!!! There is just something about Thanksgiving time that makes being at home 1,000x better than going home any other time of the year. Maybe its the weather in Gilbert in November! Maybe its spending time with extended family. I think its putting Christmas lights up with my dad!!! I am literally waking up every day reminding myself that if I get through today, I will be one day closer to going home! I feel as though time has moved very slow since August, the last time I went home. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I do the same thing EVERY DAY! Don't get me wrong, still love my job, but I can't wait to be home and not go to work for a week and a half! Hopefully after I get back the rest of the semester will just zoom by, and before you know it, I will be taking classes like, HR management, Project Management, Program Planning, Research Methods, Linear Algebra, and Prep for Eternal Marriage! That sounds like a whole heck of a lot more fun than sitting at my desk and looking at schedules and excel spreadsheets and thinking about what I'm going to say to President Clark when I present at Presidents Council.

Point is, I go home in 2 weeks from tomorrow. Thats only 15 sleeps away! And in 2 months, I will be my busy self taking classes! I hate not being in school. I just hate it! The ONLY upside is that I get to take a 10 day vacation at Thanksgiving!!!

Being 20!!!

What is it like being 20?

Its. Like. Heaven!

Its like sleeping in...
Its like showering in a shower with two heads! (Which by the way is very luxurious.)
Its like going to the pool and tanning.
Its like going to the beach and tanning.
Its like taking fun roadtrips and listening to my favorite music!
Its like playing card games with my mom all day long!
Its like WINNING card games all day long! (hahahaha)
Its like watching TLC and Chopped!
Its like going to the spa!
Its like being on vacation! Oh wait, its exactly like being on Vacation!!!

On my 20th birthday, my parents had planned to let me go to California with some of my best friends. I had been planning on the vacation of a lifetime since about April... but some things changed last minute. It ended up being just me and my mom, and let me tell you, it was the BEST VACATION EVER!!! My mom and I had so much fun! We got there Friday evening and just took the night to chill. Saturday we went to the Outlet mall and got some fun things! Then we went to the movies and saw The Help! Sunday we just chilled, we watched a lot of Chopped and just hung out and played games. Monday we went to the spa and the beach, Tuesday we spent a lot of time by the pool, Wednesday the beach again, and Thursday the pool again! It was all about spending time in the sun! I really didn't even get all the burned, just tan! (kinda!) Thursday afternoon we drove back and my mom is on her way back to Cali right now for a cousins wedding. I am just chilling in my parents house right now waiting for Kyle and his daughter to come over! This morning I went out by our pool and finished reading my book! Even though I'm not in Cali, I'm still on vacation!!!

I have a feeling that being 20 is going to be the best year for me! I am super excited for two main parts of this year. 1) I am going to get my bachelors degree this year. 2) I am going to get my MISSION CALL this year!!! Like I said, I think being 20 is going to be the best year EVER!!!

Two Weeks Notice

Here is my two week notice!

Dear Rexburg, you have 2 weeks to get all this crappy weather out of the way. When I come back next semester it better not be here. OR ELSE! (jk, how do I threaten the weather... really!)

Dear male population (and some females too), you have 2 more weeks to talk about this Madness that goes on in March. Luckily now that BYU is out I won't be hearing as much about this Mr. Jimmer guy. I have gotten to the point that I pretty much zone out when I hear his name... lets be honest people, I DON'T CARE!!! And last night, having to watch him with his weird band-aid on his chin OVER American Idol... well that was just the last straw. No more Ms. Nice Girl.... American Idol takes priority over Jimmer. Sorry Jimmer but it just does. (side rant... I CAN'T BELIEVE the judges saved that weird leprechaun Casey! Saves are meant to be used when there is a really good top 4, not when the bad person gets kicked off during the top 11! Crazies!)

Dear classes, you have 2 weeks left! And yet inside of me I feel like you are never going to end. I hate you. Honestly, I have never hated a group of classes more so than this semester. Usually I have one or two classes, Accounting, or Business Communications, that I can't stand. But having a semester full of stupid classes is just about killing me! 2 more weeks, and I will never think about you dumb classes ever again! :P

Dear current roommates, we only have 2 weeks left together. This really does make me sad, and I'm sorry for bailing out on you and moving to American Manor. Its not personal I promise, I just desperately need a change. I will miss you dearly and promise to still hang out with you.

Dear future roommate (Tamazine) - ONLY 2 MORE WEEKS UNTIL WE ARE ROOMMATES!!! Literally I am thrilled at the thought of this! We are going to have the most fun EVER!!!

Dear Arizona, in 2 weeks... I will be with you! :D

Dear Mortensen family, 2 (and a half) more weeks until I'm with you! I have not wanted a Spring Break to happen more so than I want this one to happen! I can't wait to spend time with my favorite older sister (and the fetus inside of her) and my favorite nieces! We are going to have a blast! I especially can't wait until I watch American Idol with Angell and my mom, because that just sounds like the best time ever!

Dear Greys Anatomy, I just started watching you in the middle of the 3rd season last night, but I suspect we have a good next 2 weeks in front of us. Once I move out, I will no longer be able to watch you with Brittney's netflix, so lets make the next 2 weeks count!

Family Pictures!!!

I love my family, I think they are all pretty cute! And it was really fun having them all together at Christmas! Because it has been a while and probably will be a while that all 5 of us kids were together, we got our pictures taken. If you go to facebook my dad imported an entire album, but I picked out my favorite ones to put on here!!!

Best Day Ever!

Friday, December 17th, was one of the best day's I have ever had. Lets forget the little fit I threw in the middle of the day when I had to pack up my apartment and car, but lets focus on the beginning and end.

Ever since I got to BYU-Idaho there has been construction all over campus. Well as of now, it is finally OVER!!! The BYU Idaho Center, (BYUIC, pronounced Buick) is finally done! And to top it all off, President Eyring came to dedicate it. This building is incredible. It looks just like the conference center on the inside. I had no idea something of this magnitude and beauty could fit inside little Rexburg. Everything about this building is fantastic. Elder Bednar and Elder Nelson gave a talk, and then President Eyring spoke and then he dedicated it! When these men walked into the room, everyone stood and it was silent, and what a powerful feeling and spirit filled the room.

I got to have that same exact experience later that night, but this time in Salt Lake City in the conference center there when President Monson and President Uchtdorf walked in. You may ask, "Tara... whatever were you doing at the conference center?" Well I will tell you, I was listening to the most amazing voice of all time. No I am not talking about Finn Hudson, I am talking about David Archuleta, singing with the astonishing Mormon Tabernacle Choir! My good friend Terra scored 4 tickets and she gave me 2 of them. So Gaby and I headed down to SLC after we were done in Rexburg!

The new building was astonishing, the spirit I felt was amazing, and music I heard was unforgettable. And now to top it all off, I am home! Oh how wonderful Gilbert is! I am here for a whole 2 weeks! I love being here with my family! Oh, speaking of them... you should all check out Keri's blog! I made her make it... She doesn't like it now, but one day she will, trust me! haha!!! You're welcome Keri!!!

Best Break Ever!

I have absolutely loved everything about this week! Spending time with my family, enjoying the 60 degree weather, eating food I didn't pay for! Everything has been so wonderful!

On Saturday my parents took my to see How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the ASU Gammage theater, and it was so much fun!

On Sunday I got really sick at church and almost threw up during Sacrament meeting, so I came home early which was super depressing because I was really looking forward to going to Vintage Ranch Ward and seeing all my old friend.

Monday I went to ASU with Kyle and went to his Kinesology class and then went to Institute. I was so excited because I got to see my old seminary teacher Sister Brinkerhoff teach again! Then Kyle and I went out to lunch and then played games with my mom.

Tuesday my mom and I went to the movies, and then Keri and I went to the temple. Then we went to Bahama Bucks!

Wednesday I hung out at Kyle's apartment! We also went to Bahama Bucks! I love that place! Then I went to the store with my Dad and we picked out a bunch of new lights to put on our house to change up the lighting display a little bit. Then my BFF Amy came over and we went to Sonic and then went to our other friend Janessa's house to watch her open her mission call! She is going to Warsaw Poland!

Then Thursday my dad and I put the lights on the house (and missed the entire Macys Day Parade... I'm not bitter though!) Then my cousins came over and we had the best day ever! We ate dinner from 2 to 3, talked from 3 to about 4, went to see Unstoppable at like 4:30, then we came home, ate some pie, and played games!

Friday was really fun because I went shopping with Keri and completely finished my Christmas shopping. Then Friday night, all of my high school best friends came over and we talked forever! I don't know how I would have survived 8th grade and all of High School without the help of my best friends Amy, Alix, Morgan and Staci! Oh how I love them!!!

Today was supposed to be it. I was going to hop on a flight and get into Salt Lake about right now, and then drive to Rexburg. But I guess there is a big snow storm that my parents didn't want me flying home in, so instead I will be coming back first thing Monday morning. And I mean 1st thing, my flight is at 6am. So I have to leave at about 4:30 am... YIKES! Thankfully I got someone to teach my relief society lesson tomorrow, and I got people to cover all my hours at work on Monday. So I just have to make it back for my classes! And if I miss those, I'm not going to be too heartbroken!

I LOVE THANKSGIVING!!!

I fail

Ok, so I don't really fail, in fact I have only ever failed 1 thing in my life, and it was an accounting test. But in the end I got a B- in the class, and a GPA of 3.7 for that semester, so I didn't consider it a failure.

But last night, I went to a straw maze with my roommates and FHE brothers, and let me tell ya, nothing more humbling than being stuck in a maze for 40 minutes and walking out of the entrance. The worst part was the fact that the entire rest of my family was standing outside waiting for us, and they had finished a long time ago. One of my brothers actually went through it twice. :( Dang it straw maze...

But really, that straw maze was crazy fun, and it was just a small glimpse of the fun-ness I have had this semester. I have so many fun adventures to blog about, and about 0 time to do it. I had a class cancelled today which is the only real reason I even have time to write this blog.

Some fun adventures lately:
Robyn's 21st Birthday!!! I love (root) beer, I love margaritas (virgin of course), I love beer pong, I love loud music, I love pizza, I love laughing so hard I have to pee, I love my roommates, I love Letters to Juliet, I love Killers (the movie, not actual people that kill others), and I love ice cream cakes!

Going home!!! I love AZ, I love Tucson (but mostly I love Amy Webb and Staci Beckham), I love my family, I love the comfy bed in my parents guest bedroom, I love Prince of Persia, I love Costco, I love In-n-Out, I love traveling, I love Ulta (even if my makeup wasn't there...) And I love the welcome I get in the 205 when I am gone for more than a day!

Road Trip to Panda Express!!!
I love Christine, I love talking with my roommates, I love listening to fun music, I love driving, I love Beef and Brocolli, and I love Idaho Falls!

Conference Weekend!!! I love this church, I love the leaders of this church, I love that my roommates love this church, I love staying in pajamas for an entire weekend straight, once again I love Prince of Persia (HOT PERSIAN BABIES!) and I love eating!!!

And now for the best thing to happen to me all semester.... (drum roll...)
The Other Side of Down is finally out! Oh David, how I have waited for this CD to come! It totally makes me smile! I have already listened to it probably about 4 times since I got it at 1:00 today! I wouldn't have listened so much, but because I did have a class get cancelled, I have had to occupy my extra time with something, right! Oh how I love him!!!

So ya, I love this semester, also I love pictures, but I have lost my camera. So if anyone is in the Rexburg area and wants to come tear up my apartment with me to find the camera, it would be much appreciated! Then I could take fun pictures of yellowstone (which I am going to this weekend) and put them online for all to enjoy!

Hopefully I won't fail at writing in my blog and I will keep you updated more often!

Ghosts of Birthdays Past

If you know me, (which I hope you do since you are reading my blog, if not you're a creeper and maybe should stop reading this) then you might know that I love my birthday! Its the real deal for me! I'm getting so excited for tomorrow! The Big 1-9! I CANT WAIT!!! haha, In all honesty, this isn't that big of a birthday, but there is kind of a negative connotation when you tell people up here that you're only 18! I can see where it comes from because some 18 year old college students can act silly, me included, but still, being 19 just sounds so much better! But I did like that I could say, ya I'm a junior, oh and I'm 18... That was kinda fun for a while!

Anyway, I was thinking about my past few birthdays, and wanted to reminisce on them...

15th- It was a Saturday, and there was a Stake Dance that night! My moms present to me was some cash and a trip to the mall! I loved it, I got a lot of cute new clothes and got all ready for the dance that night! And then my friends told the DJ it was my Birthday and they sang to me! Ahhh.... fun times!

16th- I had gotten my cast off 2 days before my birthday. My parents told me that was my birthday present! NO MORE CAST!!! Not quite the present I wanted, but I liked not having the cast. It was a Sunday on my birthday and when I got home from church, my best friend Amy had snuck into my house and decorated my room. Like hard core decorations. Pink streamers and more pink balloons than I have ever seen! What a sweetheart she is! Then later that day my parents pulled me aside and said, hey, we need to talk... I thought I was getting in trouble on my birthday, instead they asked me if I was interested in a trip to Europe for the next summer! UM, HECK YES!!!
Who would turn that down?!?! The next day I got 16 balloons from my friends at school, and my dad picked me up and took me to the DMV to get my license! Good times!

17th- My senior year had JUST started, and I needed a job, badly! What a hard first few weeks of school it was looking for a job. I had an interview on my birthday, so lame! So since I was an awesome senior and had a half day at school, I had a lunch party for my friends and me. It was Hannah Montana themed! And no, I wasn't and am still not ashamed of that! It was awesome. We had pizza and cake, and then I opened presents from my friends! I miss them a ton! After the party I scurried off to the interview, which I bombed, and then came home and ate some more cake! :D

18th- This probably SHOULD be the most exciting, but it was just kind of another day. My parents were both out of town, and Amy was gone somewhere too... I went to work where I wore a princess crown all day, and then my boss paid for me to go out to lunch with all my coworkers. We went to Barros, which I just put together is what pizza I ate on my 17th. Then when I got off work, Keri was at home as cute as ever. She had drawn me a picture of all the fun things I can do now that I am 18! I loved it. Then I called my friends Morgan and Staci, and us with Keri went to dinner at the yummy Italian place behind my subdivision.

And for the future...
19th- AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! I am going to go to my class in the morning, take a mid-term (blah) and then go to IF to pick up my parents at the airport. Then we are going straight to the Honda dealership where I will buy myself the best birthday present ever! A CAR!!! I can't wait, I think I am going to name it Clive... :D Then my parents and I are going to go to The Olive Garden, and then play Settlers of Catan, and then my friend with a movie projector is going to show Sherlock Holmes on the side of a building and we are all getting together to watch it! Then on Saturday, Party at the Dunes!!! :D

So ya, I love my birthdays! Thanks mom for giving me a birthday! LOVE YA!!!

Just Waiting...

I don't know if anyone else has ever thought about this, but it has been on my mind a lot lately. I feel like I spend my entire life waiting. It seems like there is always something that is going to be happening that I am waiting for.

For example today:
Went to work, and spent the day waiting to be done with work.
Sent a text message to someone, and waited to get a respond.
Went to the kitchen to make my lunch, and waited for the microwave to beep.
Then I get off work, and now I am waiting for my friend to get off work...
I'm sure when I get to Red Robin tonight I will be sitting there waiting for my food to come.

In the long run...
I am waiting for someone to get back into town!
I am waiting for my parents to come see me!
I am waiting for my birthday!
I am waiting to get my new car!
I am pretty much always waiting for a text message.
I am waiting for my roommies to return back to me in the fall.
I am waiting to get my scholarship money!
I am waiting for the day I can go home again (probably Thanksgiving and then Christmas)
I am waiting for the best vacation ever! PARK CITY! (even if I can only go 1 day)

In the longer run...
I am waiting to be done with school so I can start working!
I am waiting to see if Graduate school really is for me.
I am waiting to find the special someone who will take me through the temple so we can be married for time and all eternity.
I am waiting to be a cute little house wife.
I am waiting to go on vacations with my siblings and their spouses to Disneyland (which my sister promised we would do since I missed the last Disneyland trip)
I am waiting for the day that I will leave my kids with my husband and meet my sister at Paradise Bakery Cafe like we have talked about so many times!
I am waiting the day that I will return to Europe, even if that day doesn't exist, I am still waiting for it!

point is, I feel like I am always just waiting... Maybe if I spent more time in the moment than looking forward to future events, life wouldn't feel so long!!!

One Whole Year

I cannot believe that it has been a whole year since I graduated high school. Looking back at it it seems just a few weeks ago. So much has happened since then! One of my favorite things to do at the end of a year is go through and make a little diagram of the huge events that have happened in my life since then! So I thought I would do that again.

After I graduated, the next biggest thing that happened was Summer '09. I went to Ohio (twice) and California. I saw Wicked (which was the best show ever!), and the David + Demi tour. Then I turned 18! WOOHOO! Yay for being an adult! Shortly after that, I MOVED TO IDAHO!!!

While in Idaho, live moved super duper fast. Before I knew it, it was November. I went home for Thanksgiving. In a way it was like I never left, but at the same time, I knew that AZ was no longer my home, and that I was supposed to be in Idaho. Like right after that, I got hired at the health center, and then after that, I MET DAVID ARCHULETA! And then it was Christmas! And oh what a glorious Christmas that was! My favorite part was definalty the after Christmas shopping that I got to do with Keri and Natalee!

Right after that I was back for my off-track Winter semester. I worked a bunch, took classes at night, and snowboarded all the time! Basically it was one of the best 4 months of my life. I was kinda board during this semseter, but now that I'm busy again, I look back and wish I had done more with my life then sleep in and snowboard. (not that I regret either of them, there was just more I could have been doing.)

This semester included some fun memories, like meeting Brooke White, going to Park City with the family, and surprising Keri for her birthday! What a great time! After that semester I got to spend Spring Break at my grandparents house and I got to see my sister Angell and her little kiddos. I love them so much!

And then before I knew it, it was Spring Semester, and I'm half way done with my sophmore year at college. I am crazy busy, and working all the time, but life has NEVER been better. I can't remember a time where I have been happier in my life. Like honeslty, I'm not just saying that! My roommates make me happy, my classes are going well, I get along with EVERYONE at work, and life has just been amazing lately! So ya! Thats basically it!

1 year since High School and life is going good!!! :)

Best Part of the Week

So if you know me in the least bit, you know that i absolutly LOVE American Idol! I have been watching it every year since I was 10, and I get really obsessed with it. So obsessed in fact that I have cried when the person I wanted to win didn't win... But that sad story came to a happy ending last December!!! :D



Anyway, thats not what I wanted to blog about! I wanted to say how much I love this season! I finally got the chance to watch last Tuesday and Wednesdays episode tonight. I was so into it. My roommates probably thought I was crazy, just sitting here on my computer with my head phones in, clapping and dancing and shouting!!! And then watching the results show was fun too because I was totally good at guessing. I TOTALLY knew who was going to be in the bottom 3, and then the bottom 2, but I guessed the wrong person would leave. I was all for Paige leaving, but instead Lacey left, which makes me sad, because I like her! I pretty much love everybody, so it will be interesting to see how they do each week, because as of right now anyone could be my favorite favorite. I really like Tim Urban, even though he hasn't done so great every time, I think he is way cute, and I think that he has potential to do really well, also I love the little 16 years olds, Aaron and Katie, they are both way good!! I think that they guys are pretty much better than the girls this year, even though people have been saying the opposite, I don't really think so. I don't really like Crystal Bowersox. I think she is an amazing singer, but something about her personality rubbed me wrong the first few weeks and now I just can't stand her, and the werid thing is I don't really know what it was.... Anyway, I am ready for Paige to leave, but other than her I think it is kinda anyones game! And I love that the judges get to save someone again this year, like they saved Matt last year! That made me happy! So ya, I love this show, and I am sad that Lacey is leaving, and Crystal is not my favorite! :D

This year has been so weird with American Idol. I pretty much only watch the episode once, unlike last year where I would re-watch the peoples performances multiple times a week. And since I watch it online days after the real performance, I don't get to vote. Which is WAY SAD! And this year I don't really have someone I can talk to about it. I would ALWAYS have my family to talk with, and then the next day I would go to school and either spend all 0 hour chemistry talking about it, or the entire lunch time talking about it, or I would non-stop talk about it on the way to seminary, all with my bff Staci. I still text her about it occasionally, but its just not the same. Staci, if you're reading this, I MISS YOU!!! So ya, its just been weird watching it alone.... But its all good. American Idol is still my favorite past-time! haha!!!

Snowboarding!

Today was my last day snowboarding for this winter. If I wanted to I could go up again on a Saturday because I do have a season pass that lasts for another month, but unless the temperature drops and a ton of snow comes, I don't think I will. It was a good last day, except for the weather was not the greatest. I am used to boarding in the teen weather, one time it was even like 5 below at the top, and I was totally fine with that. Today it was in the 40s, and it was so gross. It did not feel like snowboarding in Wyoming, it felt like I was playing soccer in Pheonix, in August. Okay, maybe thats not the best comparison, but it was really hot. But the best part of my day was when I saw a sign that said photographer, and I saw the person take a picture of me. At the end of the day I went to see my pic, and they were selling them for like 20 dollars, and I was like, no thanks! But they put them online, so I kinda took some them from that!


So ya, this is me doing my most favorite thing EVER!!! Thanks again parents for getting me into this fabulous sport. I can't wait to have kids of my own and take them on ski trips! Best part of the year for sure!!!

SURPRISE!!!

Now most of you may have heard stories about me, stories like me telling Angell that she was getting luggage for Christmas, or me winking at mom when she told me that she liked Micheal Buble when I had gotten her that CD for Christmas, or the fact that usually by December 23rd, EVERYONE knows what they are getting from me before they get it. So I somehow got this reputation that I can't keep secrets. I would just like to tell everyone, that if I wanted to... I CAN KEEP A SECRET!!!

And as a matter of fact, I have! Yesterday was Keri's birthday, and for the last 3 weeks or so I have been planning with my dad to fly home and surprise her! And it totally worked. My parents picked me up from the airport Friday at 1, and I got home before Keri did from school. So I was just sitting on the couch when Keri came home and she walked in and my dad yelled, Keri's home, and my mom yelled, Keri's home, and I yelled... KERI'S HOME! But she really didn't respond, she said.... IM HOME! So Mom said, YAY, and Dad said YAY, and I said YAY!!! But still she didn't really respond. Then she walked into the kitchen and I peaked my head over the couch and saw her coming in from school, and then she saw me... Taras..... OH MY GOSH.... TARA'S HOME!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH........

It was the best reaction ever! She literally screamed in my ear as we hugged each other. It was so much fun!

Then on her birthday we went out to this super fancy restaurant The Landmark. (I say it was fancy because they gave me sherbet it cleanse my palet). It was so much fun!!!

So ya, and then I am just hanging out today and headed back to Idaho first thing tomorrow morning. I have so much homework to do once I get home... YUCK! But until then, I am enjoying my weekend off in lovely Arizona!!! :D