Mr. Blue Sky

I have just been in such a positive mood this week, and everything really just seems to be going my way, what better way to share my happiness than with another blog post.

Monday

Monday was a great day because for FHE we went to Get Air (the Tucson equivalent of Jump Street). I had never been to a trampoline park place before, mostly because trampolines + a lot of people terrify me (I am easily double bounced and it freaks me out). But it was a super ton of fun. There were of course some people who could do crazy flips and tricks, and then there was me just jumping up and down and seeing how many but bounces I could do. Although I am not skilled when it comes to flips, I still enjoyed myself.

Tuesday

Tuesday was a great day because I got accepted into my study abroad program! That's right everybody who didn't see it on Facebook, I am spending one month in Italy this summer to study photojournalism and digital photography. I am so pumped! I already have two of my roommates planned out, and am starting to meet all the other people who were accepted to the program. It's going to be one amazing summer filled with pizza, spaghetti and gelato. And of course I will be tapping into my inner Lizzie McGuire and find my Italian pop star look alike. The super fun part is the cost of this trip, it's time that I stop eating out at chipotle so much...

Wednesday

Wednesday was a great day because I got to have dinner with my grandparents. My cousin, Carissa, was staying with them at their house in Tucson for a week so they invited, Rory, Steph and myself to have dinner with them. It has been years since I have seen Carissa, so it was nice to talk and catch up with her for a little bit before she heads back to Missouri. 

The most entertaining part of the night was when we all tried to teach Granny a little more about technology. She has accused me of unfriending her on Facebook because my posts never turn up on her newsfeed, turns out she actually unfollowed me and that's why I wouldn't show up. Then she started looking at everyones profiles and eventually got to Rory's where she says she can never understand any of his statuses. She read one out loud:

This is the actual status: "Reason #312 to not join Slytherin..."

This is how she read it: "Reason #312 to not join SLYVARIAN"

It was probably one of those "you had to be there moments" but it was honestly so hilarious I could not stop laughing. Granny rocks. 

Thursday

Thursday was a great day because Arizona killed Cal in basketball. I also ordered jimmy johns and it was delicious. 

Thursday was also a great day because I discovered that I can graduate from institute this semester as long as I do some make up work for this class I took the summer after my senior year. 

Friday

Friday was a super great day because it was the day of the Variety Show. Steph put a lot of hard work into putting the event together and it was a total success. Both her and Annabeth performed (Steph played the guitar and sang Traveling Soldier by the Dixie Chicks and Annabeth played the cello and say You and I by Ingrid Michaelson) and I must say it was both of their best performances yet. I popped popcorn for the event and I took pictures, so I clearly enjoyed myself.

Another super fun part of Friday was that Lauren came to visit! It was kind of strange because she slept on our couch because she obviously does not live with us anymore. But when she was over it was almost like she never moved out. But it was super fun catching her up on Tucson life and then catching us all up on her life. 

Here are some of my favorite shots of the night:

So the above 3 pictures are of Brother Bauer, Marcus Harding and Maddy Truman. They did a lip sync battle (like on Jimmy Fallon) and it rocked my socks. Brother Bauer ended up winning, he was very convincing singing Pocohantus. 

Annabeth is a cutie

They did an awesome piano duet that had me cracking up so hard core 

These beauties performed their own version of "all about that bass" but switched the words to "all about that height" it was fantastic. 

Perhaps this is my favorite picture of the night. This is my lovely friend Taylor impersonating a pterodactyl. What a gal. 

Saturday

Saturday was probably the best day of this week. I decided not to go to the last basketball game of the season (I know I still sometimes wonder if I made the right choice) and decided to go with my ward to the Mesa temple. I also decided to use this opportunity to do my video diary of the city of Mesa for my 2015 goal. 

(Side note: I have a tab below my header on this blog where I am posting all the videos I make for this little goal of mine, so you can go there to watch the last trip and then all of the future ones)

I haven't done baptisms for the dead for years and the ward temple trips tend to fall on basketball game days and I usually end up choosing basketball. I was kind of hoping we would go to Gilbert, or Gila Valley or Phoenix, because Mesa is the only temple I have ever done baptisms in. But since we went to Mesa the missionaries got to come with us, so it was a neat experience for them to bring people who they brought to the gospel to the temple so they can bring other people to the gospel. Doing baptisms is such a neat experience, whether it's your first time going or it's your fiftieth. I definitely take it for granted the blessing of having so many temples in Arizona near me (especially when I am at home in Mesa), so I am definitely going to make it a goal to go to the temple more often. 

After we went to the temple everyone went to Cafe Rio. Mormons love that place. I had never been before in my life, but I understand why everyone loves it so much. I got a sweet pork quesadilla (this was my first time eating sweet pork since I threw up from it last month, but I actually kept it down and it was very delicious). I also discovered the most heavenly drink to have ever graced my tongue with its deliciousness. It was the blood orange ginger lemonade. It's only there for a limited amount of time so you all need to go there and start stocking up for me. I seriously love this drink more than all the mountain dews combined. So clearly it's a necessity that I learn how to make this drink and drink nothing but that for the rest of my existence. 

Saturday night, Rory held a game night at my house. The party crew consisted of me, Rory, Jared, Caroline, Matt, Steph, Taylor and Dakota. We played this card game called Mao (I believe that's how you spell it) where you learn the rules as you go and get punished for not following the rules. It was very frustrating at times but it was a really fun game and I am definitely going to start playing it more often at game nights. Another game we played was Story Cubes which we renamed it Rory's Cubes (let your imagination run free) where each person rolls a dice and has to add on to a story according to the shape that appears on their dice. It was very entertaining and a good way to end such a great Saturday!

Sunday

Today was a great day because we had Brother Lawrence, a member of the second quorum of the seventy, and his wife speak to us in Sacrament meeting. They both gave really good talks and it was just a neat experience to have them there!

After Sacrament meeting I had to leave, which meant Steph had to leave too because she is my driver, because I had to go photograph and interview a zoo employee for a photojournalism assignment I have due on Tuesday. Steph and I really lucked out because the employee that I was working with was giving a tour to this family and they got the VIP treatment so Steph and I got to go along with them (for free might I add). We fed giraffes, and got up close and personal with a ferret, a crazier and much more aggressive relative of the ferret, a skink (which really freaked me out because it's pretty much just a snake with legs), a chuckwalla, an armadillo, a snake and a hedgehog. It rocked. Also the classroom we were in had a window to the money exhibit so I got to stare at a monkey's butt for a while. I also discovered how freakishly ugly baby flamingos are.\, and how freakishly cute baby elephants are.

I am super excited because this is my last school week before spring break, gotta keep the good vibes comin'!