So I've been told...

That my last post was less than clear, quite muddy in fact. Sorry, it all made sense to me at least! :) And just to be even more random - cuz that's what is so awesome about a blog, I can do whatever I want! - I'm gonna post this picture:

And the only thing I have to say about it is this: I love Walle!

Where to begin... I have no idea.

There have been so many things happening lately that I don't really even know how I'm coping with it all. Things have just been thrown at me and I am trying to catch them all, but it doesn't always work out too well. I am one semester away from graduating college and as such, I get bombarded with the question "What's next?". Too bad I have no idea! Up until now I had some kind of plan, but now that's looking less and less like the right option. Instead a new, completely unexpected course has popped up and if I take them up on the offer (and surprising even myself, I'm almost seriously considering it!) it would mean taking a big leap of faith that we wouldn't end up killing each other (or the kids) by the end of it, that where they move to is really a good place for me to go, that I will be able to find a job there in the field that I want (cuz trust me, I'm getting a job once they're settled, part time at first. I love the kids and all, but I didn't go to school for five years just to be a nanny and I'm gonna want an escape at some point, I've learned that one enough over the years), that there will actually be a social life for me that gives me what I need and want... I could go on and on about all the "if's" and "what about's", I've thought of many! But I won't, cuz you don't want to hear about them, they're only interesting to me, the one they impact. I will tell you that interestingly enough, taking that big leap of faith sounds oddly fascinating and exciting. It's been a while since I've done something like that (2007 to be exact, when I flew across the country to work for the Mouse) and just jumped with no real planning at all. I still have time to think it over and that just might be my biggest problem. It's hard to just jump, when first you have to wait 4 months to finish college.

My new love!

TURKEY BOWLING!! I have never done this before. Heck, I've never even heard of turkey bowling before this week. But I love it! It was pretty freaking awesome! I'm so gonna do this again!

Mychael tossing her turkey

And it's a hit!

It didn't last long because we realized that the turkeys were leaving green marks on the floor from their plastic wrappings and we had to stop and make sure that the marks could come off. Luckily someone ran home and got some Magic Erasers and the marks came off magically (hehe, I couldn't help myself :) ). I also got a whole pizza to take home because there weren't many people there and we had lots of pizza leftover. Basically, I had a blast!

Missionary Farewells

Two of my good friends, Marcia Coats and Kayley Davis, entered the MTC today. I was lucky enough that their farewells were on different weeks so I could go to both of them. I love these girls so much! They are both amazing and have been there for me when I needed them. I'll miss them both, but I can't tell you how proud I am of them choosing this difficult, but worthwhile path.

Sadly, this is the only picture I have of Marcia's farewell

Left to right: Brook, Laura, Marcia, Me, Michelle

I remembered my camera for Kayley's farewell and her mom was nice enough to take lots of pictures for me.

Al, Kayley, and me after Kayley's talk

Later that day, we had a photo session where we acted like ourselves - crazy!

Don't you just love us?

A normal one, who'd thought that was possible? Not me, that's for sure!

Poor Kayley!

Al is always attacking her and I have to step in to save the day

I told you we are crazy.... crazy awesome that is :)

I just love this one! It's probably my favorite.

It shows off just how we act when we're together!

Mom comes to Utah

As she does multiple times a year, but this time was different. She came to Utah just to visit ME! I was so stoked that everyone I saw or talked to on the phone this week heard about my Mommy coming to town. The best part was that she had no reason for coming to visit other than that she missed me and I invited her to come (technically, I invited both Mom and Dad, but poor Dad had to stay in Cali and do bishopy stuff. Mom came without him anyway!).

She drove up on Friday, skipping work to get here sooner (which made me even more giddy). I was able to get all of my homework done before she drove up. I was getting in my car to go to Walmart for a Halloween costume, literally as she drove up the street. Luckily I saw her before I drove away and quickly jumped in her car instead and away we went! I was able to find a cute costume at Walmart that I needed to wear to the Trunk-or-Treat that the Institute was putting on that night. I quickly changed, allowed Mom to take my picture (she has it on her camera, so no picture for you, sorry), and away I went. Mom visited Janet while I was fulfilling my crazy calling at the Trunk-or-Treat. When I got home we stayed up talking till way late.

Saturday, we got up and went back to Walmart for cereal (apparently it's half the price here than in Cali). On our way out of the parking lot we got stopped by SHEEP! Again with the sheep! Mom was so excited that she pulled the car over, jumped out and started snapping pictures. Then when the sheep were out of the way, she proceeded to follow them down the road to get close up pictures (isn't my mom awesome?!). Again Mom has those pictures, but imagine hundreds of sheep just moseying down the road. It's pretty epic.

Once Mom had stocked up, we headed to the SUU vs. UCDavis football game - which amazingly enough, we won!

Look at how happy we are!

We won!!

I had to document it cuz it doesn't happen often

The rest of Saturday was spent shopping. That night we went out to dinner with Cindy and Becca (she had gone down to St George to visit friends and stayed the night with us). Again Mom and I stayed up way too late talking :) She left early Sunday morning for home. It was awesome to have Mommy come! I have been so busy with school and Institute Council stuff that I haven't had a moment's peace. Her visit was very muchly needed! Thanks for coming Mom!! Love ya!!

It's a race! And I'm winning!!

Too bad the sheep got in the way....

The sheep parade shut down Main Street, I was one of the silly ones stuck behind the parade.

I tried to get around them by taking a detour - the detour didn't work too well when the road took me back to Main Street.

So many sheep, so little time....

DI Dance

What better way is there to keep DI in business than to have a DI dance? That's what the Institute Council thought and why we decked ourselves in the dorkiest clothes we could find at DI, decorated the gym in a Napoleon Dynamite fashion, and invited the whole Institute to join in!

Decorations!

Putting up the DI logo - with toilet paper

Our photo op spot

This place was always full of people! It was the hit of the dance. And we had a "Best Dressed" contest, which also was a hit.

Sofia and I at the dance with our awesome outfits!

I know I'm blinking, but I wanted you to see all of my "sweater" (that's what DI labeled it as, but it didn't do a very good job of keeping me warm). Isn't that just too awesome?! The color strips are ribbons woven through the netting and to top it off, the ribbons were unraveling all throughout the dance. People kept coming up to me and telling me how much they liked it. It helped that I had bright green pants and an interesting belt to match. All-in-all, it was a great dance and lots of people showed up. I'm sad I don't have any more pictures! Next time I'll channel my inner "Mom", and take way too many ;)