Seattle Mania!

I promise I am still alive! It has been way too long since I've blogged but I've been busy and am finally getting around to it. I go back to school in TEN days! I am so excited and seriously cannot wait to see everyone again and start another fun and adventurous semester. Plus, I found out my favorite Coloradan is going to be riding on the bus with me from Salt Lake to Rexburg next week, which will make for a fun 5 hour drive :)

Earlier this month I went to downtown Seattle with Elizabeth and her roommate, Ester, to go spend time at the Pacific Science Center. My friend Thad recently moved to Seattle so we invited him to come along and it was SO much fun! (Well, except for the butterfly exhibit...didn't enjoy it at all!) After we went to eat lunch at Red Robin in Redmond.

I rode my first ferris wheel! My aunt, mom, sister and I spent the day in Seattle and had a great time. We rode the Great Seattle Ferris Wheel, strolled through Pike Place Market, added gum to the gum wall, had lunch at Ivars and visited my grandpa at work. Even though we live just a few minutes away from Seattle, we don't get the chance to go very often, so its always a good time when we do!

We also had the opportunity to go to a Mariner's game. My grandparents, mom and I were lucky enough to go to the yellow t-shirt King Felix night! Everyone was wearing bright yellow and holding up King Felix "K" signs. It was such a fun and relaxing night at the ball game. I don't know much about baseball but it definitely was fun to pretend like I knew what was going on. I am excited to go again next season! Go Mariners! (PS - they WON!!! This doesn't happen very often!)

Feeling Pretty Good

We had A champs today (for those that don't know what this is, it is the big championship with all 27 teams that are part of the league we swim in). It's safe to say that going into the meet, I was nervous. We spent all day Saturday, part of Sunday and Thursday night putting these line ups together. Every possible line up had been thought through and considered. No joke, we spent hours and hours and hours staring at the same 10 papers we had to go off of. Lucky for us, all of us coaches get along really well this year, which made all of this a little bit easier. Anyway, after some exciting, nerve wracking and even some "bummer" swims (1 relay DQ and 1 individual DQ), the points were tallied up and the results were announced.

FOURTH.

You read that right...Samena placed FOURTH!

Grant (one of my assistant coaches) and I literally screamed our heads off when this was announced. In the past, Samena hasn't place very well at A champs (usually any where from 10-15th), so this was huge! I seriously almost cried I was so happy. All of the hard work that we had put into the many hours and days of practices, meets, line ups and champ line ups had paid off!! Such a great feeling! I went from being so exhausted after a long day at the pool to overwhelmingly happy and excited. I know this is super cliche of me to put on here, but I really am so proud of my swimmers for all the hard work they have put into the season. I'm so grateful for the parents and especially my amazing parent reps that helped me out soooo much this summer...seriously couldn't have done any of this without them. I am super lucky to have the boys (my 3 other coaches) by my side, I am so glad that we were able to have such a strong team of coaches this year that worked so well together! Can't wait for next year...the stakes are high :)

I've got about a month until I go back to Rexburg...pretty crazy, huh?! I love being home but I'm definitely ready to be back. I'm going to be taking some really fun classes this year, which should be exciting. Oh, and I'm excited to see my Shmannalee and Mikele and all of my other buddies that I miss so much!

Pretty darn happy right about now :)

And the countdown begins...

3 more weeks and my summer can finally begin! I've been out of school since April, but work has taken up a lot of my time. The swim team season will be over in 3 weeks, and the day after the final championship meet, I am going camping for a week with my family for a huge family reunion. I am so excited to get away for a few days and enjoy a few days up in the mountains!

The theme for last week's home meet was super heroes. My grandma and I made the coaches some capes to wear at the meet. Usually I hate dressing up for the theme meets, but it was fun to wear the capes and I think the younger kids liked it.

Confession time: I didn't realize how short I am until I saw this picture! I laughed pretty hard when I saw how short I am next to these two giants. Tomorrow is team picture day, and lets just say, all 10 of my kick boards that I will be standing on are ready to go :)

I can't believe how fast this summer has been going so far. Pretty crazy to think that I've been home for 3 months already, and before I know it, it will be time to go back. I am so excited to get back to Rexburg and let the adventures begin. My classes are all signed up for and we got our living arrangement a few weeks ago, so now its just the waiting game!

Victory!

Last night we had our first swim meet, which was super scary as it was my first meet as the head coach.  When putting the meet together and getting in touch with the Edgebrook coach (our opposing team), I was shocked and a little frightened to hear that they have 270 swimmers....which is almost double the swimmers that I have! The boys (my 3 other coahces) and I spent 7 hours putting line ups together this weekend...we did a lot more talking that we should have, but it ended up being really fun! Any way, we WON!! The final score was 368 to 290, which is awesome! We had about 1/2 of the DQ's that we had at last years first meet, and twice as many best times!! I am so proud of my swimmers and all the effort they put into the meet last night!

We have another meet tomorrow, which again, I am a little scared about. We have some very fast swimmers, but they have even faster swimmers. But, who knows, fingers crossed I will be surprised at the end of the meet again!?

Green Corn Starch

For mothers day, my family decided that we would volunteer as color throwers for the Color Run in downtown Seattle, which was a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House. About 6000 people had signed up to run a 5k in white clothes and were sprayed with 5 different colors along the way. It was a lot like the festival of colors that I had gone to in March, only this was a fundraiser. We were in charge of the green color and we definitely got our share of color...to say the least! It was so fun and such a great way to spend one of the few sunny days we have had this year. After the race was over, we walked around the park/fountain area next to the Space Needle for a while...we had SO many people stop us and ask to take our pictures. I guess that it isn't an everyday event to see 8 people covered in green corn starch from head to toe :)

Swim team started on Monday and its going pretty well so far. Just a few little registration problems, but nothing too major, which is always a good thing. We have about 150 swimmers this year and luckily I have been able to remember/learn everyone's names with the exception of a few here and there. I am hoping that this season goes well and is fairly quick!

I am so excited for LB to come home. I miss her so much! I am super excited for the adventures that I have ahead of me with my friends that are home so far and can't wait for the last few to finally get here already!

One of my friends from high school just go married and found out she is having a baby boy this coming fall, which is super exciting! And, one of my other friends that I've known for a long time just got engaged!! Everyone is growing up and its pretty crazy how fast things have changed in such a little time since graduation high school. I'm excited to see what happens next!

Let the Craziness Begin...

We had swim team try outs on Saturday, and I was surprised to see how many people we had try out. I am excited for the season to start and to get the ball rolling! We finally have our coaching staff finalized...it looks like it should be a pretty fun year! My fingers are crossed that everything goes well this year and that we can win a little here and there. It was fun to see the kiddos that I haven't seen in a while, and loved all the little hugs that my little kids gave me when they walked in and saw me at the pool. Practices start on Monday, which means that I start living at the pool again...which is okay with me as long as I get a nice tan ;)

I got to Skype with some of my college friends yesterday, which was really fun! I talk to Annie a lot, but of course it was still exciting to see her! Colin and Thad were having dinner at her house. It made me miss Rexburg so much and I cannot wait for September to be here already so I can go back. 

Sorry - my posts have been super boring lately...not much has been happening, but as more people slowly start to come home, it should pick up a little!

This will happen.

Since I've got nothing to do for a little while...or until swim team starts up and my friends come home from college, I've decided its time to get back into my habit of working out. It doesn't matter what type of exercise I am doing, just as long as I am doing something, thats all that matters! Summer is just around the corner, so its time to get back in shape! Wish me luck!!!

Phone Calls

I love getting phone calls from people that are willing to spend hours talking about nothing, especially when we are talking about inside jokes for the thousandth time! I've spent a lot of time this past week on the phone talking to some pretty fun people that are far away right now, and am so glad that I can talk to them even when they can't be with me. I've been known to talk an ear off on the phone, especially when I was younger, so it was nice to take a break from texting and be able to talk for a little while.

Surprisingly, I am missing school right now. Okay let me rephrase that...I am missing the social aspect of school and the many adventures that we have been known to have. It is so weird to think that I am so far away from so many people that I have grown to love, and that I won't be seeing them for a while. When I was at school, my roommates and I always sat down and talked about the random details of the day, and I surprisingly miss this so much...which is when the phone calls come in handy! I never really thought that I'd be saying this, but I am excited to be back in the burg in a few months and see those that I miss seeing everyday!

But in the mean time, I need those friends of mine to hurry up and finish school so the partying can begin in Bellevue!

Work, work, work.

Tomorrow my family is going back to school and work, which means that I will have the house to myself for a few hours each day...party time!!! Haha, I wish! Both of my friends that were here earlier have returned to school, which means that I am counting down the days until they and some of my other friends come home for the summer. Until then, I will be working at the pool starting tomorrow. I am sort of excited to start working, not only to get extra money, but also to get more of a regular schedule going. I will also be starting up p90x again...I stopped while I was at school due to a knee injury that held me back for a while and then I just got lazy. Fingers crossed that I will stick to it this time!

Country Music?

Yep....I'm maybe, probably, definitely hooked! I've always kind of liked it, but lately I've really been craving it! And by craving it, I mean it is all that I have been able to listen to for the last few days. I guess Idaho has rubbed off on me a little bit! Oh well, what can you do??

Let the singing begin! Yippee!

Sail away from the Harbor.

I saw this on pinterest and couldn't help but think how true this is. It is the risks that you take that help you to know what you want most in life. No one can make these choices for you; its up to you. I know all too well that taking risks is not by any means easy to do, but the outcomes from taking theses risks can make the world of a difference. Mark Twain has said it best. The risks that you take will be worth it, just take that leap of faith and trust that you will be okay in the end...because after all is said and done, you will be. Never forget or question that.

Sunny Bellevue...what is this?!

My first weekend home was pretty fun! The weather was awesome, which doesn't happen very often in Bellevue, especially in April. After being picked up at the airport on Friday night, I went to get frozen yogurt with my family and stopped by my grandparents house to say hello. On Saturday I met up with one of my favorite people ever, Elizabeth Soffey...it was SO good to see her! She was just in town for the weekend, so I was very lucky that it just happened to be the weekend that I came home. We went and saw a movie and then fed some ducks at the pond at Robinswood park.

After hanging  out with the LB-ster, I met up with an old friend that I haven't seen for a long time. It was really nice to catch up with him and find out what he is up to! We went hot tubbing and then watched a movie at my house, it was a lot of fun! For Easter, I went to church and hung out with my family. I had some of my out of town family come into Bellevue to eat dinner with us. It was super chill and laid back, which I am always a fan of!! (Even if I fall asleep and get socks, pillows and keys thrown at me to wake me up....guess its better than getting woken up by someone picking your nose...BUBBA!).

My fingers are crossed that even after my friends go back to school, I can still find things to do to entertain myself until they come home for the summer!! Keep the warm weather coming, Bellevue!

Airpot Maddness

I am currently sitting at the Salt Lake City Airport waiting for my flight to take off. I have about 3 hours to wait, so I have a lot of sitting around doing nothing time. I don't know how I do it, but for some reason every time I go through security (sa-currrrity...haha Annie, Michelle and Marquel!) I somehow manage to be the one person picked in line to go through the full body scanner. I promise, this little 5'0 girl in jeans and t-shirt is not a threat!! Oh well, at least I was able to get through and get some food. I rode the bus from Rexburg down to the airport without eating more than a few crackers, so needless to say, I was more than thrilled when I saw the big Starbucks sign next to my gate. I haven't had my usual peppermint hot chocolate since Christmas time, so I was a very happy girl! I should be getting into Seattle around 9pm Pacific time, which means just a few more hours and my summer break has officially begun!!

Goodbye...Adios...Ta Ta For Now...

Well, its official...as of 10 am this morning, I am no longer a college freshman. :) Finals are done and over with. My apartment is spotless. Luggage stacked by the door. My keys are ready to turned in. Checked and ready to board the plane home tomorrow. I only have a few more hours left in Rexburg, and only a few more hours to spend with some people that I have grown to love and be very close with. I'm not looking forward to the hard goodbyes, but I know it won't be a goodbye forever. I'm so blessed to be where I am right now with so many amazing people that will never be forgotten. There are so many memories that still make me laugh to this day, and I am so excited to for the ones we will make when we all return in a few short months. I thought I would give a few shout outs to some people that have had a huge impact on this semester and all of the good times we have had.


1. To the Chileans: You all are so awesome! It is crazy to think that we have really only known you guys for a few months, especially when I think about all that we have done in that short time. Good job at all of your basketball games...even though you lost every game except for one, it was still fun cheering for you guys. Thanks for all the temple trips and bon fires. Some of my favorite memories of this semester is when we are all just hanging out together and doing whatever crazy thing we could think of. I love that ever since that first game of catch phrase we played and the bon fire we had that first weekend, we've continued getting to know you guys better and enjoying every minute of it. Sorry for the pranks you've been the victims of....hope you can laugh about it now! ;) It will be very weird not having all of you here in the fall!

2. To my Traveling Friends: So many of my favorite memories from this semester have been from the trips we have taken. It is crazy to think how much we were able to do in a few short weekends. It was so much fun meeting Mikele's family in Yakima, going to the beach and meeting the Fletcher family in California and throwing some chalk at the Festival of Colors in Utah. There are so many inside jokes that we have from these trips and so many times where I found myself not wanting to return to Rexburg when the weekend ended. I love how close we all got during the long and hot car rides, many gas station stops, and all nighters we pulled. I can't wait for the trips we take next semester!!

3. To Mikele: You are seriously one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I have loved getting to know you better this semester, and am so said that I didn't get to know you and Annie last semester! You have such a big heart and are always so wiling to lend a hand when one is needed. You finally made it through Anatomy, thats so exciting!! Good job on all that hard work, I don't know how you did it. I love that you are always up for having fun and somehow think of the funnest things to do, even if it means you are begging us to dare you to do something...promise?! :) Have a blast in Ecuador, you're going to have so much fun! I can't wait to hear all about it next semester. Love you!!
4. To Marquel: It is crazy to think that we have finally finished our second semester...finally!! It has been fun living with you this year and I can't thank you enough for all the fun times we have had. It is fun looking back through all the pictures and videos we have taken. I still think you are crazy for taking all online classes because there is no way I could have done it!! I hope you have an amazing time on your trip...still jealous by the way! Don't forget to wear that band aid on your finger and sleep with that knife by your bed! You goober! I am excited to see you in the fall and hear all about how your summer went! Thanks for being such a great roommate!!!

5. To Michelle: You are one of the most giving people I know! Thank you for all of the rides you have given me and for all the times you have offered to make me food just because you feel like making someone food! I love that you are always laughing and know how to have a good time! It has been so fun getting to know you over the last two semesters and seeing how much has changed within just a few months...crazy!!! I love that you have changed your major more times than I can count and knowing you, it will change a few more times between now and when you graduate :) Keep me posted on what happens with the hair/nail school, I think that would be so cool to do! Thanks for everything!!

6. To Annalee: My bathroom buddy. Where do I begin with you? It is crazy to think about having to say goodbye to someone that you've grown to be so close with. Thank you for all the all nighters, all the advice, for all the laughs, for the time we spent looking out our window watching people go by, lunches at the crossroads and so much more. You are so kind and have such a giving heart. I love that you are so "go get them" about everything. I am so excited to turn on the TV one day and see you on the sports channel being the sports broadcaster, you're going to do a great job! I laugh when I think about so many times we've done absolutely nothing and still had such a fun time, or even the many times I've walked into my room only to find you asleep on my bed! And yes, your language and funny sayings are catchy...but I think I have heard you snort when you laugh a few times here and there... :) Love you Manners.

It is safe to say that I have been blessed with so many great people this semester. I am one heck of a lucky girl.

*Shout out to Tad Pole!

Sophomore year...ready or not, here I come!

Let the "Lasts" Begin

Tonight we had our last FHE. Unlike most Mondays, a few of us headed over to the pool at the Pinnacle Security Center...I didn't know they had a pool, but apparently they do, which is really cool! All semester we have been trying to find a hot tub that we can go in since the hot tub at Apline is for guys only. Lucky enough for us, the hot tub at the Pinnacle Center has one that is open to anyone, so we made sure to get as much hot tub time in as we could. It was so much fun to just hang out, play some water volleyball and share some final laughs in before the semester is over. After swimming we got some pizza, which was perfect because I was so hungry at this point!

Today was my last Monday of being here in Rexburg. I washed my last load of laundry. My last weekend with my friends is over. The list of lasts goes on and will continue going on for a little while longer. I go home in 3 days. My room is completely packed minus a few things here and there that I will need by the end of the week. As excited as I am to be going home, it is kind of sad to realize that this semester really is coming to an end and goodbyes are starting to be said. The last 3 months have been a crazy, exciting, insane, and a memory filled blast! There are some people that I have gotten really close to and I am not looking forward to saying goodbye to. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to get to know them and to have had so many crazy adventures that will not be forgotten. Some of these goodbyes will be temporary and only last until the fall semester begins in September. Others will be more long term that will last much longer. I am not the best at saying goodbye...I got that one from my grandpa...so wish me luck that I will be able to get through them. This week is just starting and I will be boarding the plane before I know it, so I am going to enjoy the last few moments of my freshman year of college. College is awesome. It is not what I thought it would be when I first rolled into this tiny little town, for so many reasons. It has been a hard year to say the least, but one that I can proudly walk away from and will never forget. I once said that I didn't want anything to do with BYU Idaho, but I am now beginning to understand why I have been put here, in Rexburg, and can't wait to see what the future has to hold.

This past week has been absolutely crazy. Things I never thought would happen have happened, which makes me curious to see what will happen next. It is so funny to look back and connect dots, only to realize why things happen the way they happen. Everything truly does happen for a reason, and although we don't always have a perfect understanding of why things happen the way they do, in the end it seems to work out and to be okay. My fingers are crossed that dots will continue to be connected and I am excited to see what happens next.

Back to studying for finals and writing my last few papers.
3 more days until summer.
3 more days until summer.
3 more days until summer.

Paul Stratton

I have the world's cutest nephew. I love getting pictures of him from my sister, Melanie, as well as seeing them on Facebook. Living on the opposite side of the country from this sweet face is pretty hard, especially when I realize that he is already 2 months and I have yet to meet him in person. I am hoping to take a trip out to Maine soon so that I can finally meet him! I can't wait for when he is older and I can start interacting with him, even though I am so far away from him. Even though he is already 2 months, it is so crazy to think that I am an aunt and that my big sister is old enough to be a mom...time seriously does fly by!! It definitely makes me excited to see what the future holds!

 I love you, Stratton!!

COLOR EXPLOSION

This past weekend, we went to Spanish Fork, Utah for the Festival of Colors. This is a Hindu tradition that is held at the Hindu temple, where thousands of people come each year and throw dyed chalk at each other. It was so much fun, to say the least! The streets surrounding the temple where lined with cars and people walking to and from the temple. I have always seen the pictures of friends who have gone to the festival and thought it looked like so much fun...I was definitely right! I have never seen so many people in one spot in my life. I would definitely recommend going to the festival to anyone that wants to have some fun and is okay with getting a little dirty! (The chalk came right out of my clothes, so no worries there!!) SUCH A FUN WEEKEND!

9 Days!

It is crazy to realize that I will be home in 9 days! We had our check out meeting for our apartment tonight, which means the next 9 days are going to be spent cleaning, studying, packing, taking tests, making a final last memories and saying some pretty tough goodbyes. iTunes cleaning play list is in full effect! It will be nice getting out of Rexburg and seeing my friends that I have missed, but it will also be weird turning my key in and saying goodbye to my freshman year of college. Goodbye windy Rexburg, hello rainy Bellevue!

We went to Utah this last weekend for the Festival of Colors and had a BLAST! Pictures soon to follow!!

Go SHS Drill!

This weekend my little sister, Cadison, will be performing in the Washington State Dance/Drill Competition. It is her senior year of high school, which means that this is her last and final performance of her high school dance/drill experience. This is her fourth year of being on the team, and her third year being in one of the leadership positions of the team. She's really enjoyed the time she's spent being on the team despite some injuries and early morning practices.

It has been really fun being able to go to her competitions over throughout the last 4 years and cheering from the sidelines. I am bummed that I will not be able to be there to watch her perform at state, but I can't wait to see how well her team does and watch the recorded performance when I get home!

Hearing about all of the drill excitement that has happened this year makes me miss high school swimming so much! I miss my teammates, my crazy coaches (...just kidding Zachy-Poo!), tiring workouts, time cutting goals, lane meetings, swim meets, championships, pasta feeds, cheers, broken caps, lost goggles, and much much more. 

~SHS here we go, here we go...ahhh ooooohhh eeeeee!~

~S-A-M-M-A-M-I-S-H LETS GO!~

~Yell out your colors Totems: RED, RED, RED...BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK~

The semester is coming to a close...

I cannot believe how fast this semester is coming to an end. There have been so many super fun and exciting times, but also some times where we wondered if the end was ever going to come. Gallons of laughter have been laughed (Mikele....haha) and feelings have been hurt, but in the end it all happened for a reason. Everyone has definitely grown and learned a lot about themselves throughout these past four months. I am so grateful to have had a chance to meet some pretty amazing people and make some life long friends that I hope to have many more memories and adventures with.

 

Goodbyes will be hard to say the least. I am excited to be done with school and to go back home but there are definitely a few people that I wish I could avoid saying goodbye to altogether. But for now, I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet them and hope nothing but the best for them in the future. Thanks for making my semester so eventful (to say the least) and one that I definitely will not forget.

<3