18 months

Can we just take a few moments to realize that this handsome fellow comes home in just 6 months?

Why yes. Yes we can.

I'm not going to lie, the past year and a half have both flown by and dragged slowly.

But, one of my most favorite people will fly from Brazil and into the states for Christmas.

Yup.

Christmas day

Can you say "Merry Christmas Harris family" any better than that?! 

 I didn't think so.

Happy 18 months, Elder Harris! Only 6 more to go :)

What time is it? Summertime!

I have officially made it through my first week of my first summer semester.

Here’s my summer schedule:

Monday – Geography 130: 9-10:50

Tuesday – Anatomy lab: 8-9:50

                Anatomy lecture: 2-3:50

And repeat.

I am already loving my classes (I know I know, it’s only the first week) but the teaching styles are clicking with me which makes me so excited! I have had more than enough freshman boys asking me if this was my first semester at BYU too and I can’t help but feel a little bit of pleasure at watching their faces as I tell them I am a junior. Silly boys.
Went to Rock Canyon on Saturday for a Tri Ward slip n’ slide/BBQ with Ali and Ethan – it is activities like these that make it start to officially feel like summer!

Summer is going to be great, I can feel it. I love my classes, I get the opportunity to bond more with Sarah and Ethan, it’s getting warmer which means WATER ACTIVITIES, annnnnnnnd……I am going to Stadium of Fire!! 

Volunteering for an hour is a wonderful thing…especially when I get a stadium of fire ticket out of it. I am so excited to see the Beach Boys and Scotty McCreery! 

Happy Summer!

California Lovin'

So, China picked me up and surprised my second daddy aka: her daddy at work. I have not seen him in FOREVER so it was nice to hug him and quickly catch up :) China took me to breakfast at Julian’s – amazing Mexican food!! We babysat her nieces and nephew – whom I also have not seen in at least 2 years. They are so dang cute and darling, it kills me! My trip to California was tough and tiring and I ended up falling asleep while the kiddos and China played Just Dance :P China drove me to Brea where I met up with my daddy!! Yay! We stopped at my grandparents for a very brief visit because dad had to get back to work but it was nice to see them regardless. Dad had to finish up a few things at the office then we headed home where I finally got to see my mama and little brother! We went to dinner at Corky’s and stopped at the store to get some ice cream, since Deanna had a craving ;) Came home and dad and I had a heart to heart before diving into our ice cream. We are all reunited again and it couldn’t feel any better than this.

Saturday

Mom and I went shopping while they boys drove us around :) I have missed shopping with my sweet mama! Mom had work at 3 so we cut our shopping trip short and took her to work so dad and I could get all the ingredients for dinner and dessert that night – Enchiladas and baked s’mores! I was so surprised by how many enchiladas were made – a whole pan was not even touched! Granted there were 15 in the first pan ;) Mom stayed up late with me to make the baked s’mores and we got to talk and catch up – always one of my favorite things to do with her :)

Sunday

Mom and I went horseback riding! I have not been out riding with my mom since my horse died of old age a few years ago so it’s safe to say I was a little nervous. The new horse we have, Cali, is an ex race horse so I was definitely nervous to get on her for fear she’d take off on me! But, when we took the horses out and groomed them before saddling them, I remembered how simply therapeutic it is to groom a horse. Cali and I got to know each other a bit before I saddled her up and went out. Mom and I took this opportunity to really talk about anything and everything while enjoying each other’s company and doing something we both love – riding horses! And, luckily it was a smooth and easy ride :)

Mama had work that evening but the boys and I watched Joyful Noise – if you haven’t already, go watch it! It’s actually really good!

Monday 

I fly back to Provo today :( Didn’t get on my first flight so I got bumped to a later flight. The parentals and I took this opportunity to go to the beach – one of my all-time favorite places. We stopped to eat at our favorite little taco shack in Surfside and then lounged on the beach, taking pictures and soaking up as much salt water into my skin as I could. It was windy and cold but the ocean has such a calming effect on me, I could have fallen asleep on the sand. I ended up taking a nap in the car and then we headed back to the airport – a whole 10 minutes away. This goodbye wasn’t tearful – I’d be seeing them in 8 weeks :)

 California sunset view from the plane :)

  This weekend has been amazing and I feel rejuvenated and ready to start this Summer semester. 

Bring it on Summer.

I’m ready.

And thus ends Spring semester, 2012

It’s catch up time…again. Let’s do this:

-June 8^th – Sarah, Elise, and I volunteered from 12-5pm at the Provo Marriott Hotel for the Utah Valley Marathon. Boy, was that fun! It was so fast paced, I got to be stationed with Elise, and I met a lot of interesting people. Victor was also volunteering and he was stationed with Sarah so it worked out perfectly!

                That evening, Elise and I had a double date scheduled with Victor and Jon. We made yummy shakes, made our own kites, attempted to fly those kites, and went star gazing at Vivian Park. It was so fun! :)

-June 9^th – The stake paid for us to go to the Waterpark! We got free admission, free tubes, AND they served us breakfast. Perfection. We caught up with Victor, Jon, and Courtney and spent the day with them. Elise and I laid out some, conquered her fear of wave pools, and went on some amazing slides. The weather was perfect (chilly at times) and it really didn’t get crowded until we were leaving. That night, the roommates and I went onto campus to practice our musical number for Sacrament meeting the next day. Melissa, Sarah, and I sang while Elise accompanied us on the piano to “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” – beautiful song!!

-June 11^th – for our last FHE, our apartment made dinner and dessert. Two crockpots of Ranch Chicken, rice, fruit, pumpkin cookies, and brownies alamode were served. I think we did a pretty dang good job ;) We played a hilarious game and then bid our family farewell.

-June 12^th – Elise and I were actually productive! We woke up early and went to the gym with Sarah, came back to shower and get ready for the day, I went to teach a private lesson, and when I got back, Lisey and I went to the library and ACTUALLY studied! JK, I fell asleep for the first hour, Elise fell asleep the second hour.

But, I feel like we really got a lot accomplished! That night, Sarah, Elise, and I made salmon for dinner together and then grabbed Melissa to take hilarious pictures on my laptop as roommates. It was a great night together and we were all wondering why we didn’t do this more often throughout the semester. I’m sure going to miss this group :(

-June 13^th & 14^th – FINALS. Oh jeez. The 13^th consisted of waking up early to study and then going to a day camp at the rink that I was partly in charge of. It was a great time, but it was just 4 hours out of my day that could have been spent studying or taking another final. Oh well..came home and took my ExSc exam and then my scheduled first aid final at 5pm. The 14^th, I took Stats in the afternoon and officially ended Spring semester! And what better way to celebrate than with a trip home to California!! :) I headed to the airport with Elise and Ethan, but unfortunately, I was on standby and didn’t get on that flight and there wasn’t another one until the next morning at 6am. So much for the tearful goodbye Elise and I shared at the airport ;)

 Being the amazing person he is, Ethan picked me up and took me to dinner at The Pie (side note: AMAZING PIZZA) and headed home. He put a movie on when we got back, but I quickly fell asleep. Poor kid. Woke up at 2am and chatted/got ready with my roommates before Sarah and I had to leave at 4am to the airport. (Sarah was going to Seattle for the weekend). Another tearful goodbye to Lisey and a trip back to Salt Lake later, I got on my 6:30am flight!! Yay! I’m currently sitting at the Long Beach airport waiting for China to come pick me up! Best friend ever = me calling her at 5:30am her time and asking if she could pick me up and her saying yes before I could finish my question. She did it with no questions asked, no complaining about how early it was, nothing. She’s the best and I cannot wait to see her and my family and spend some time in California! :)

mirror mirror

The roommates (minus Sarah) and I went to go see Mirror Mirror on Friday night. Elise had a frisbee game that evening and wanted to go to the 9:50pm showing, but Sarah was going to a choir party and wouldn't be home until later. Ultimately, we decided to go for the 12:25am showing.

It was about 11:30 when we started to feel REALLY tired and began second guessing our decision to go out so late (gosh, we sound like old ladies)

Sarah ended up not coming so we really could have gone to the earlier showing.

But i'm glad we didn't.

Because WE HAD THE ENTIRE THEATER TO OURSELVES!

And, i'm not talking about just OUR theater. 

I'm talking the entiiiiiiire dollar theater was empty with the exception of the 3 of us.

 

 Singing along to the Titanic trailer because I can.

It was kinda creepy at first...but then I came to the conclusion that I never want to see another movie with other people again. It was so dang fun to be able to laugh as loud as we wanted without getting judged and talking to each other during the movie. Now, I HATE it when people talk during movies (although i do it...hypocritical, i know) but it was so fun to do whatever we wanted! 

When the movie was over, there was only one man working and we were 1 of 2 cars in the parking lot.

Did i mention how great the movie was? No? Oh. 

Well, it was fan-freaking-tastic! 

If you haven't had a chance to see it, GO NOW! It is so dang cute and funny!

Love is someone passing the potatoes....

...and seeing dollar theater movies with my roommates :)