It is so good to be home and Merry Christmas!

It really is great to be back home with my family and friends! I am loving it! (and I'm back with all of my clothes haha) It's nice to not be so busy and for once not have to set an alarm. (yeah, I had one set on Saturday's too or I would of slept all day) I'm really excited for the next 3 months!! During the summer Audrey and I switched bedrooms. I really didn't care for hers so when it was getting closer for me to come home I was asking my mom if I could redo the room a little. She only kept saying "We'll see." Well, they had already re-did the room for me! A huge surprise! I love it!!

The first two days I'm home from college and I visit the high school both days??! haha! Monday at lunch time me, Zach, and Caitlyn made a surprise visit to the band hall. It was awesome seeing everyone! We had lunch with a teacher and Alyssa and I made some surprise visits to teachers. I'm an alumni of MHS... weird. Zach also was accepted into his architecture program at OSU. So we had to celebrate for that! I feel old celebrating for things like this haha!

Do I miss Rexburg? Yes/No. There's certain things I don't miss. Like the whole dating thing. Let's be honest here, I wasn't good at it. I gave it my shot. I should get an award for being the worse date ever. I miss my roommates and apartment!! I'm super excited for the spring now! Leah and I looked at a possible apartment we might be getting because we requested some different ones. They are so much nicer and HUGE! I'll be rooming with miss Leah, Angel and Carol again. yay!

The weather is AWESOME here. No other way to describe it. I'm happy to be in Texas :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!! 

"God’s gifts, unlike seasonal gifts, are eternal and unperishable, constituting a continuing Christmas which is never over. These infinite gifts are made possible by the infinite atonement." -Neal A. Maxwell 

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving break was a much needed break! On Tuesday the 22nd I finally left Rexburg and the apartment! It felt nice haha. I drove to Utah with an FHE brother and I stayed with Angel and her family. They seriously are the best and sweetest family! Also, two other people from BYU Provo stayed with her family too. It was a full house! And we had so much fun!

Sadly, I got really sick over the break. This happens to my body a lot... I just go, go, go. Always busy with something. Then when I finally get to relax my body just shuts down to recover from being so busy. I had been feeling bad a few days before we got out of school. But I was just so busy it was like my body couldn't acknowledge I was feeling bad. I hadn't been sick like this in a long time. It hit me hard for 2 days, then I started getting better. But I'm actually happy that it happened over the break instead of when I was in school. I slept LOTS and was well taken care of. I still enjoyed the thanksgiving break though! I had Thanksgiving Polynesian style! haha. We met at a stake center in SLC with 50+ other people, all Polynesian. (Angel's mom is from Tahiti) They know how to party! For 8 hours there was music, food, and volleyball. I had fun observing and eating:) haha.

Friday consisted of yummy IHOP and our intense game of  paintball! I've never played paintball before. SO MUCH FUN! We played games like "fend for your life" and capture the flag! In the first game we were never shot! But it was so scary. We had these good hiding places! The first time I was hit it was from a far distance and I was thinking "oh that wasn't so bad." So it gave me the confidence to really get into the game. Until I was getting hit from 3 feet away! Then I would just fall to the ground to recover haha. I have awesome battle bruises. Including getting shot on the top of my left hand! That one hurt the most. Anyways, So. Much. Fun. :P

 

Saturday morning I got to visit with some really good friends who live in Layton. My parents are considering moving to Utah. I think I would be okay with that! Then that afternoon I drove back to Rexburg. Lexi and I rode back together. Rexburg was sooooo deserted! For the first time I was in bed before 10 pm in college haha. But since then school has started back up. 

13 days until I go home!!

I know, I've been horrible at this

But my blogs been looking a little lonely and I honestly feel bad for it haha.
So here's a little update since the last one.
I'm a Texas girl living in Idaho. Something about that is just not right!
It first snowed October 6th. What the heck??!?!?! Now it's snowing again and it's here for the rest of the semester and it's 20 degrees and it will get colder than that. Bring it on.

October=Halloween. For Halloween I was one hot cave woman and then another time a bumble bee! Halloween also means haunted hay mazes (that you get lost in for hours with scary people chasing you) and haunted houses. Scariest stuff ever! But sooooo much fun! I loved all of it. Oh! I also got my FHE brothers to dress up as elements of the Periodic Table! So what if I'm a nerd? haha, it was awesome!

Life is good right now. It's definitely been a... roller-coaster. I've had to go through a few things I probably won't ever understand why but I've really learned a lot from it all. I'm working hard in school.  I turned in my application to get into the Nursing Program here. It's done and gone. Here's to waiting until March to find out what happens next. I know that whatever happens is apart of the Lords plan for me though. (I have this feeling I won't make it in) I can't believe I'm halfway through my first semester of college. But I'm pretty excited for when I'm home from January-April!!

Eric is on his mission. He was set apart as a missionary on October 31st and went into the MTC on November 2nd. Let's be honest here, I send him the best letters ever. He's doing really well now. Two weeks have gone by and he's been learning so much and I can tell that he has already come to enjoy the mtc and he's getting more excited for when he's in his mission field... which is right outside the mtc doors. He said he can't wait to walk out and start!

I can not wait until Christmas! When it comes to what I'm going to ask for Christmas I can never think of anything. I can't "make a list". There's not something BIG that I want. But once you're in college without your momma and you're poor you can think of EVERYTHING you want on that list. So I've been making my Christmas list for about a month now. I'm very, very excited to go home!!

 I should be studying chemistry right now. Ok, bye.

General Conference Weekend!

AMANINGGG WEEKEND!!

I had the opportunity to attend General Conference for the first time ever!! It was a wonderful experience. (What is General Conference you ask? click here) It's a great opportunity to hear the church leaders speak to us. Anyone can listen and hear the words spoken from our general authorities and grow and exercise their faith together. The best thing about conference is that there is something for everyone to hear. I loved it :) I'll really try to not overload about it on here haha.
If you want to read/watch any of the talks they're allllll here!
http://lds.org/general-conference/sessions?lang=eng

I hadn't planned on actually attending conference until the week before. It seemed like everyone I knew was leaving to go home or to Utah. So I made plans to go to Utah! I've always wanted to go to conference. Now with living this close to Utah it's possible! I was beyond excited!

I drove to Utah with Angel and Carol, my roommates, and two guys from my ward, Bryce and Michael. And I stayed with Angel and her family in Layton.

Saturday morning Angel and I woke up early to get ready to go to conference!! AHHHH so exciting! It was both of our first times! We were hoping to get into the Saturday morning session on stand by. We met Bryce and Michael and then went to find our line! When we found it we were a little disappointed... we were there 2 hours early and the line was already soooo long. Once we got in line 2 really sweet sister missionaries walk up to us as say "Don't worry, if your in this area of the line you usually get in!" We talked to them for a while. It was just awesome. I loved seeing the missionaries all over temple square. After a long 2 hours of waiting and not knowing for sure if we would get in, WE GOT IN! I was number 237 in line... there was about 1500 people total in line for stand by!! The conference center holds 21000 people!

Shoot. I think we got pretty good seats on stand by. We were on the first floor, sitting to the right of the center, towards the back. I LOVED IT! You should of seen me and Angel when we first walked in. It was like we were attending our favorite band in concert. We were so giddy and excited. It took me like 10 minutes to take it all in. What a great feeling that comes over you when you walk into the conference center with 21000+ other members of the church and the general authorities. What is the first thing the prophet says when he speaks? "HELLO!" hahahahaha I love that man. It was so funny! I love his humor, his facial expressions, and his sweet spirit. 

I was there for that!! He went on to announce the new temples that will be built. I loved being there for that. It was awesome to hear everyone's reactions. Lots of joy and happiness expressed by people in the audience. 

After the morning session me, Angel, Bryce and Michael went out for lunch together. For the second session Angel and I sat in Temple square and listened to the second session. That was really peaceful and I just loved it. 

For dinner we went to a restaurant called Tucanos. Sooooooooooo good! It's a Brazilian restaurant. With the biggest buffet and really good meat that just keeps coming. We were so spoiled on this trip. I felt like I ate enough food on this weekend to last me for a month!

Sunday was wonderful as well. We spent the day watching conference at Angels house. The Sunday morning session was so amazing! It was my favorite. Such amazing talks! oh! and I just love the choirs that sing. Such moving and powerful hymns. We rode home back to Rexburg with a group of friends. What should of been about a 3 hour trip from Salt Lake City to Rexburg turned into a 6 hour trip! hahahahahaha long story.. but we were 20 miles from TWIN FALLS... which is the completely wrong direction! Good thing we had to use to the bathroom so we decided to look at the gps to see if we were almost home and noticed it said we were 2 hours away! hahahaha. We decided to not be angry about it and just have a good time. We were really already having such a good time together that we made a wrong turn. You learn a lot about people when you're stuck in a car together that long. It was so much fun!! I would do  a road trip with those people again! haha But we did make it back! :)

If you want to read any of them/watch any of them they're allllll here!
http://lds.org/general-conference/sessions?lang=eng

--Rachel
:)

College has been good to me!

I know, I know. It's been forever since I last blogged. And who am I kidding? It's not like NOTHING has happened. There is no possible way for me to tell you EVERY SINGLE thing in detail of what has happened. But I've got some pretty crazy stories if you want to catch up later! haha

First, I go to THE greatest campus ever. Seriously. BYU-I is better than anywhere else. I love Tuesday devotionals. Even though nap time hits me at about the same time. Sister Dalton was the most recent person to speak to us. She was cracking us up. She peeled a potato! It was awesome haha. I love all my classes (besides those couple of classes no one likes) and my professors are legit. My professors say the funniest things. I actually started writing down quotes they say through-out class.

I love it. My ward is super awesome! We've had some really fun ward activities. My calling is birthday coordinator! It beats being Gospel Doctrine teacher like I was before haha! I'm liking FHE so far! We've been having lots of fun!

So quick catch up!

-My roommates names are Leah, Carol, Angel, Lexi and Nancy! And Leah is my room-roommate! 

-I think I really miss some friends because I'm seeing look alikes of them on campus, but I know they're really not here! ahhhhh

-I'm already complaining about how cold it is. But I can't wait until it snows!... oh wait it snowed and it sucked.
-Most mornings after my 9 am class consist of me coming home, curling up in a blanket and drinking hot chocolate. I wish we had a fireplace.
-Good thing I love reading the Book of Mormon so I can deal with it being my stinkin 7:45 am class!
-My crazy, awesome apartment. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in an apartment where you don't get along with your roommates. We all get along so well. It's truly a blessing to be living in apartment 304.
-"GET OUT OF MY YARD YOU....."
- I hate when my bread, milk, and fruit go bad!
- But random fact. I got through a whole gallon of milk without it going bad! I'm really proud.
-I hate walking to the Ricks building! Shoot.
-people questioning me where I'm from after I keep saying "y'all"

-"So Rachel I thought everything was bigger in Texas, but you're really small..."

-I feel like I laugh non-stop!
-I have to remind myself that 99.9999999% of the time the person I'm talking to/meeting is LDS.

-I enjoying praying as a class before each class starts.
ok.... I'm stopping there. haha I'm to exhausted to think.

Enjoy pictures!

Left to Right: Top: Lexi, Leah (my room-roommate) and Carol Bottom: Nancy, Angel, Me!

The bathroom all 6 of us share. 

The rest of the living room. 

Be Prayerful, Be Humble, Be Clean, Be True, Be Smart, Be Grateful

Our messy kitchen. If you come over on Wednesday about 6pm it's clean for clean checks:)

Another view

I love this quote and it's on my wall in my room! it's one of the reasons I picked this room haha

The shelf that me and Leah share. This is more my side of it.

Being Patient... Mission call and roommates!

HOLY COW, Eric and I have had to be really patient this week. On Friday, August 19th Eric's mission call was sent to him. The both of us thought that it could possibly come in the mail on Tuesday.. It didn't come. So then Wednesday for sure... It didn't come. Well then absolutely Thursday... It still didn't come! Every time was a little disappointment. Eric was watching the mailbox from his house and everyday he would text me when he checked it and it wasn't there. Eric thought he was going to go crazy waiting for it. BUT on Friday the 26th his mission call was in the mailbox! I can't imagine how Eric was really feeling. Because I was super excited, anxious, and nervous for him! I've never had the experience of being with someone as they read their mission call for the first time. It was awesome! We all gathered around and Eric opened it and read it out loud word, by word. "You have been called to labor in the Provo Utah Mission" AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Spanish speaking as well! If you are reading this and have no idea what a mission is, click this and read up on it! http://www.dearelder.com/index/inc_name/Mormon_Missionaries/     

There are 340 missions in the world. If you would have guessed Provo, Utah before I would of thought... there's so many other missions and any of those could be the one for him. But Provo, Utah is THE ONE for him! There are people everywhere who can be taught the gospel and there are one's waiting in Provo, Utah for him. While it could somewhat be a difficult mission, I know that he will be tremendously blessed. It is the place that Heavenly Father needs him for the next two years and it's part of his plan. He reports November 2nd. Someone's gotta go teach the Utahans. He's going to have wonderful experiences. I know he's going to have so much fun and be amazing! I'm so proud of you Eric! 

We've both been waiting for this for quite some time. Eric's going on his mission and I'm finally getting to college!! I've also had to be super patient this past week to find out who my roommates are, my apartment number, and my ward! Me and a group of girls were waiting allllllll week to find out.  We all thought we would finally get the email on Wednesday...or possibly Thursday, but we finally got the email on Friday. The same day of Eric's mission call. I was so excited! It makes it seems a little more real! I have 5 roommates and I can give you my address if you want it :) I leave Texas in 6 days..... woah. Let's see how much I can keep it together these six days. 

A Dedication to Marching Band

WARNING: SUPER LONG POST WITH LOTS OF PICTURES.
(maybe you'll just enjoy the pictures) 

I've been taking a stroll down memory lane. I miss marching band so much. I miss the Panther Regiment. I wouldn't trade the four years of it for anything! It went by so quickly. You should really treasure all of it. Recently graduating I've realized this. And I'm so happy that I got as much of it as I could.
All of the rehearsals, football games, contests. Even the horrible, hot long days. Or the 30 degree mornings. Rehearsing drill until leg muscles burned. Practicing run-throughs until sick of hearing "lets do it one more time." Loading and unloading instruments, carrying hat boxes. Doing everything with your jacket still zipped up. Lots of sweating. Learning that it is possible to pull a lip muscle! Arm lifts.... Standing at attention for five more minutes. Sunburns.... turned into band tan lines. Wanting 5 more minutes of sleep soooo bad. Randomly catching yourself humming the show music.. dreaming about band. Sectionals. Hating your alarm clock. More arm lifts because someone was late! Eating dinner in a car while changing and doing your homework. Mastering the art of sleeping on a school bus. Lost shoes. Lost black socks. Keeping up with a flip book. Arm lifts because someone was late, again! Learning your band is your second family. Laughing with others and learning so much about yourself. Friendship. The moment when the whole show finally comes together. Giving it your all out on the field. The stadium filled with cheers. When the band is done performing we march out of the stadium together knowing that we tried our best. And when we hear "do it just one more time, a little better," you do it! I could just go on and on. 

Freshman year

I was thinking about my freshman year of marching band.... There aren't to many memories that pop out. Marching band was really a shock to me. Really. I had no idea what it was all about and it wasn't anything that I was expecting. So after about a week of it I went home from practice one day and cried. I wanted to quit. I'm sure my parents played a part in making me stay in band.. I don't really remember. But I did stay. When I start something, I finish it. So I learned the show titled "rendezvous with the other side." After my freshman year I realized the importance of all the rehearsals. I realized we were pretty good! We went to area contest and advanced to finals. Where we came in 4th place. And the first 3 bands advance to state contest. So close. 
I can't find a lot of pictures from freshman year.. but here's one. get ready to laugh, I was into eyeliner a little to much. haha

Oh, and good-ol braces. 

I loved the show this year. The biggest part of it I remember is my Jazz run! Where you literally run across the field, but in time and "in marching band form?" haha. I have no other way to describe it. I was part of two lines that did it. I remember having to come to rehearsals early to practice it. And I mean, I have short legs! It was kind of a challenge. Especially because there was a tuba player behind me and I always thought he was going to run me over. 

Here's me and Alyssa at Freshman banquet. hahahaha

Sophomore Year--"Is this the real life, or is this just fantasy????"
Our show was titled "Queen." We played Bohemian Rhapsody and Bicycle.. with some other songs by Queen also. The best thing about this year was it wasn't my freshman year. It was 10x better and more fun. I really didn't care for the show though. It was my least favorite. There wasn't a state contest this year. My only year that wasn't a state year. Weird. Again, I had thought about quitting. I was also on the high school soccer team and wanted to choose that. But my sophomore year I was moved to Wind Ensemble. The top band... and they were going to SEATTLE!! And we went to Corpus Christi. So I stayed in band again. haha. 

We had a car wash to help us go to Seattle. 

This trip was soooooooooooooooooooo much fun!! Wind Ensemble rehearsed for months and months and it was an epic performance. It was the "performance of our lives." haha. I love the music we played.  

 

 

 

 

  

   

Junior year

SO MUCH FUN! I didn't think about quitting this time. ;) This was probably the funnest year... besides Senior year. I was a section leader. wooohooo. We bossed the section around. Had to set examples. Then were nice to them and made them goody bags for games! The first football game was in the ALAMO DOME! 

This is how me and Alyssa felt about the bus ride. haha. And showing our excitement. I lost my favorite sweat pants ever on that bus. I made the first mistake of sending someone else a text message that wasn't intended for them. Hahahaha Alyssa, remember that? Ohhhh the memories. 

This show was called "Dream of Niagara." It was a pretty cool show!!  

Oh, and Wind Ensemble went to Pensacola Beach this year. That was fun! Except we went in  February. hahaha

There are no words to express Senior year. 

It was so wonderful.

Yeah. I wanted to quit marching band again. 

I had such a full load of classes.

 I needed an A in Anatomy and Physiology to get the college credit I needed for Nursing School.

But if I wanted to stay in Wind Ensemble I had to stay in Marching Band. 

Well, I marched. And kicked-butt in my Anatomy class! 

I am thankful I stayed for my 4th and final year! 

I goofed off a lot this year. If you were in band.. you probably know what I did. HAHAHAHAHA

I loved my freshman buddies:)

And I loved our marching show! The music was awesome.

We had some awesome horn lines.

And French Horns are BEAST! :)

be ready for lots of pictures with this. 

 

  

OHHHHH YEAH! WE WENT TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So many awesome memories. And this isn't even all of them!

- Band back rub?!?!?!?! yessssssssssssssssssssssss please.

- The FRENCH HORN HANDSHAKE
- Annnnd we're marching, to the beat!
- Band Roller Coaster!
- "valve oil"
- I wish I could dance like crazy in the stands wearing my uniform
- I wanna know who now wears uniform #10... Or who's playing my mellophone!
- I realize we ate lunch everyday on a floor covered in spit. 
- I'm going to miss my awesome private lessons! 
- "Uhhhh, your gauntlets are on the wrong hands... wow, you put your plume in backwards!!"
-The summer we went to a band leadership camp at UTA and it was so stinkin hot the tar from the parking lot was melting and getting stuck to the bottom of our shoes. Making it hard to take a step. haha
-I remember the year when we owed like 5465465415515871875 laps around the track.

-I'm definitely going to miss changing in practice rooms. Oh, and having 5 minutes to get ready for school most days. 

-"With a show designed with TRUE Panther Pride, It's the Paaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnther  REGIMENT!!"

And well, if you don't enjoy the 4 years of marching band as much as I did, I'm really sorry :)