a long overdue update...

 Holy cow...
It has been a long time since I last blogged. And, a lot has happened.
Let's recap...

Elise's little sister Erica came up to Utah on the 16th...the same day I flew home to CALIFORNIA!!! My great granny was in California from Hawaii...which is a HUGE deal because she never leaves her island. So, I had an eventful trip home...my flight was set to leave at 7:00ish in the morning but I was on standby and didn't get on the flight...and was 28th in line for the next flight 5 hours later. Pooo. So, my parents bought me a ticket on another flight to be home by 1:00ish. THANKS MAMA AND DADDY!! They picked me up and took me to get my favorite food...SUSHI. Boy, have I missed California sushi.. That night, we met up with just about all my immediate and some extended family at this Chinese buffet to see my great gran. So fun! It was a lot of catching up and laughs....Inn style. It was fantastic!

All the fam!

 4 generations :)

My wonderful family with my great gran!

On Saturday, Dad took the fam and I to Santa Anita arena to watch a few races on St. Patrick's Day...it was some fun family bonding :)  Sunday was fun to catch up with old friends from my ward back home. So, I was set to leave from Long Beach at 7pm that Sunday night...and again, because I was on standby, I didn't get on :( So, again, my parents arranged for me to fly back to Provo Monday morning. Whoo! Best weekend ever :) Then, my kind roommate Elise and her sister Erica picked me up from the airport....bless their hearts!

Tuesday the 20th, Joe Brooks and Tyrone Wells were performing at the Velour. Elise, Erica, and I bought these tickets months in advance so we were incredibly stoked!

Joe Brooks and Tyrone Wells singing TOGETHER. Oh, lovely...

Joe Brooks!

The drummer for Joe Brooks, Matt de la Garza

Tyrone Wells!

Elise and I drove Erica to the airport early Thursday morning :( After work, my co-workers and I got to go to a book signing in Orem with Kristi Yamaguchi! We got this sweet pic with her and she signed my skates :)

Then, it was the Hunger Games premiere! We got to the Provo Town Center around 10pm and it was PACKED!! Lines inside the theater lobby as well as outside. It was nuts....but so worth it! The movie was amazing!!

Saturday was Elise's 20th birthday!! The girls and I went to Festival of Colors this year right after I got home from work.

Hare Krishna!

 

The group :)

We came home, showered up, and then headed to dinner at Olive Garden. We had one FINE man of a waiter....and I definitely wrote him a letter on the paper from straws saying what we liked about him and how he should text Elise Happy Birthday and put her number down. After we left dinner, I said "Caleb...I have something for you from the birthday girl" and handed him the note. He took it like a good sport and gave me a thumbs up and a "thanks!" And, he definitely texted her...and is still texting her to this day! If they end up getting married, I'm taking full credit.

That same night, my roommates and I realized it was 11:00pm...and, our ward's "preference" week (where the girls ask the guys out on dates) was quickly coming to an end and we have yet to ask anyone out! So, we quickly came up with a BRILLIANT date idea, wrote our notes asking our boys out, shoved the notes into blown up balloons and taped them to their doors...and ding dong ditched. So exhilarating.

We are so cute and creative.

So, Elise had an idea to go to the Disney store at 9am to get in line by 9:30am for free mickey ears to celebrate their 25th anniversary. So, naturally, we skipped our 10am class yesterday and went! We got some Starbucks for breakfast and got in line and we were the only college aged people there....and the only ones without kids. Oops.

It definitely was a successful trip :)

So, there's my update! Learn to Skate ends this week...which makes me sad, but it will be nice to have a break. And, my UVU/BYU classes perform next week for their final! I am so excited!! Their programs are fan-freaking-tastic if I do say so myself ;)

I am so excited for conference weekend! The roommates and I are pulling our mattresses off our beds and laying them in the living room, kicking off the weekend tomorrow with a movie marathon and junk food. It will be a most triumphant weekend! (Elise is making me watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure...)

Happy Conference Weekend!

cuts and bruises or a life lesson?

yesterday had its ups and downs.

Downs - i got tackled at work on tuesday. we were playing capture the flag to warm up for the BYU skating class and this girl decided it would be great to use me to stop her....she came up behind me and knocked me to the ice with my lovely knee breaking my fall and belly flopping to end it. Great. another girl who also couldn't stop when i fell in front of her decided to try and jump over me, only to kick me riiiight in the hip. AWESOME. needless to say, i sat the rest of the game out.
Ups - i have a wicked bruise on my knee and a bruise/cut on my hip. gotta love them toepicks.
Downs - i still taught my BYU class, but mostly from sitting on the boards and gliding on one foot when i had to demonstrate.
Ups - i got to sit down for most of the class :P
Downs - i had to teach my cute Learn to Skate students from the hockey box with no skates on. :(
Ups - my WONDERFUL co-worker, Alex, was kind enough to combine my first class with hers as well as help teach my second class. A big THANK YOU to Alexandra Gerday! :)
Downs - i'm walking with a slight limp.
Ups - i'm walking wtih a slight limp :D
Downs - walking to/around/from campus with a limp = taking FOREVER to get to classes. Wednesdays are my busy days, too (
Ups - luckily, I see Elise often on campus. She's been such a good sport and will slow down so i can keep up with her :) i have a great roommate and friend!

When I was thinking about writing this post, I realized that to every "down" I also had an "up". This is definitely more than just an unfortunate injury; it's a life lesson. I am a firm believer in taking every unfortunate situation and to make light of the bad and focus on all the good. My dad would drill this into me when I was competing and I've had enough experience with this to believe it! So, even though I can't walk as fast as I could before 3:00 yesterday and my knee & hip are killing me, I know something good will come out of this. (perhaps an even better looking bruise?? or maaaaybe that i'm going home on Friday? :D) Besides, behind every bruise is a great story....right? :)
BY THE WAY, if you didn't watch BYU beat Iona yesterday, do yourself a favor and watch the highlight reels. Don't forget to cheer our boys on when they take on Marquette on Thursday! RISE AND SHOUT! Happy March Madness!

the beginning of march madness

let me tell you a little bit about the month of March...

IT'S SO BUSY.

On the 3rd, the girls and I celebrated Heather's birthday with a Princess Diaries movie night complete with M&M's on pizza and facials with cucumbers. Best party ever. You know you wish you were there.

On the 9th, I went to football practice until 7 for my athletic training program's observation hours and then met up with Elise for the Volleyball game. We were amazed how many good looking men were there....and so many babies! Definitely a jackpot for us... Our volleyball team won, by the way ;)
Saturday the 10th was Relief Society's birthday with a guest speaker, Janice Kapp Perry! I missed it because of work, but I heard it was absolutely amazing. Fortunately, I made it in time for the free Costa Vida and cupcakes and sat behind Sister Perry herself. Winning.
After that, we had an apartment date to go see VOCAL POINT!! 4th row seats, baby! Ahhh best day ever. They are just adorable. I love them! Here's one of the few pictures we took with VP. We got one with the new guys....have I mentioned how much I love them?

                                                             Roommates! (minus Sarah :[ )

 On Sunday, Joe was nice enough to invite Elise and I over to his apartment and we all made lunch! He taught us how to make tortillas from scratch...never knew how easy it was! It was absolutely delicious. Thanks again, Joe!

Also, CAN I JUST SAY HOW AMAZINGLY NICE THE WEATHER HAS BEEN?! Elise and I spent 2 hours yesterday in our courtyard tanning and doing homework. It's so beautiful outside! Supposedly it's supposed to be in the 60's this week, but then drop down to the 40's over the weekend. But, this doesn't upset me because....I'M GOING HOME TO CALIFORNIA FRIDAY MORNING!! Words cannot describe how happy I am..I can't focus on anything but going home! ...aaaand the basketball game tonight.

Everyone should cheer our cougars on tonight at 7:30 on TruTv!
Let March Madness Begin.

i love thursdays.

Why you may ask? Let me break it down....

1. I only have one class. Enough said.

2. So, I teach the BYU figure skating class at 12:00 and then again at 2:00. However, my 2:00pm class is probably my favorite. For the skating class, they have a final that they take in the testing center as well as performing to a program choreographed by your truly. So, for my 12:00 class, they are skating to a 90's mashup of Dirty Pop by N'sync and Hit Me Baby One More Time by Britney Spears. I've even attached the song so you can listen to it.

Isn't that just so fun? The only downside is that only half my class showed up today...so, that stunk.
But! My 2:00 class skates to Footloose by Kenny Loggins. Now THAT is SO SO SO SO MUCH FUN TO CHOREOGRAPH!!! My students are so enthusiastic and have great ideas as well! We just finished the program today. I am one very happy coach.

3. I absolutely adore my Learn to Skate students. For those of you who don't know what that is - it's young kids that take group lessons with me for about 30 minutes. But, mine are just so cute! I may be biased...but, they are also so talented! I am amazed by how much they have improved each week. I JUST LOVE THEM!!!

4. For those of you that live in Provo - wasn't it just gorgeous today?!?! The sun was shining, the skies were blue, and the weather was delightful. The only downside is that I'm in an ice rink all day. But, it's okay. I got to enjoy it while walking to my one and only class today :)

Hope everyone has had a wonderful Thursday!

First post...oh boy.

So, here we are! I NEVER thought I would have a blog....as I read my friend's blog posts, I always find myself saying "this is so cute....why don't I have a blog? Oh yeah...." ;)
But, I finally caved. And, here is my first post.

Let's see how long this lasts....