New Challenge

I am home now!  Things are great!  ...Well, they're getting great.  The first week was rough, I'll tell ya.  I was tired, lonely, (living with a family of school-goers, a full-time worker, and a full-time supporter of all of the above, including me, the off-track college student who needs her Mommy too, is DIFFERENT, to say the least! from my five female room mates that collectively created an environment that was busy, fun, and CRAZY!) un-modivated, dreary (too affected by the loss of sunlight in my life that was replaced by clouds and rain that's not expected to go away for very long in the near future...it rains here generally until June) ...lalala.  Anyways, it was a hard week.  Lack of structure and lots of casual, mixed with definitely NOT-SO-CASUAL to-dos (like mailing in my tax paperwork) does me in for some serious challenges:)  BUT, yesterday while I was sweeping the sidewalk up to my house, I thought and realized that I can appreciate no homework and embrace the lovely season of life that I'm in right now and ENJOY life to the fullest!  First up, get to bed at a more reasonable hour.  A happy Heidi generally includes a RESTED Heidi! :)

My Week in Utah

This week was GREAT!  I spent my time going to Utah State University with my Mom and Sam, seeing family, skiing for the first time and driving home! :)  I also got to go to the new shopping mall in Salt Lake City called City Creek Center next to Temple Square and see a former room mate who was passing through...  I hope you enjoy the little pictures that show the fun along the way! :)  The trip was great and provided good bonding time for Sam & I along with my mom AND ...I learned how to ski!:) ENJOY!! 

FIRST OFF: ROOM MATES:)

Sunday, I went to my grandma's house and found this picture on her fridge. It warmed my soul because it's a picture of my room mates and I taken at the beginning of the semester that I sent my grandma after she looked at some and said she wanted one of her own!  I thought of my room mates that I had just said good-bye to not too long before and it just made me so happy to see us all together on her fridge among the collection of photos from YEARS of memories!  Congratulations apartment 314! :)  WE MADE THE FRIDGE!! :)

SECOND: I went yard working and tree climbing! :)

Monday, we worked in the yard for my grandma!  She loved having the help and my mom, Sam, and I enjoyed the outdoors! :)  This tree in her front yard looked like a good climbing tree so when we were done, I gave it a shot! :)

CLIMBING A TREE! :)

THIRD: GOING TO THE PARK! My cousins are SO cute! 

 Sliding...:)

Say cheese! 

There's nothing like the feeling of making a child happy!  I was having a bad day because I was tired and grumpy.  It was rough stuff going around Utah State on low sleep and a grouchy attitude, plus eventually, a headache ...eating the Famous Aggie Ice Cream helped though! ;) 

After eating the ice cream & running some errands, I took a nap and felt ...well, I felt better, but also weird (you know that out of sorts, groggy, non-social feeling? Yeah, that was me) I tried so hard to put on a good face for my cousins when we were at the park for a family picnic later but it wasn't until we got going on the slides and then went over to the swings that I truly began to feel better!  The sun helped!  I loved hearing their joyful laughs! :)

FOUR: My first Ski Trip! 

Sam and I at the ski slope! :)

Deer Valley Ski Resort:) SO fun!! :)

 Sam, my mom, & my dad's cousin Matt, the ski instructor!

 

My Mom skiing...this was a fun trip!  I love the experience of learning how to ski.  Matt was a good teacher! ...and fun to be with!  I had a great time and the snow was pretty good-even if it was melting! :)  SO fun!! :)

FIVE: Meeting my friend Miriam again, ...and shopping in the city! :)

Miriam was my room mate last semester (Fall) and we enjoyed our semester together!  She has a great sense of fun and she's also a really good cook!  Thursday, we meet in Salt Lake City to eat some food and explore the new mall before she went back to school for the Spring term (she's been home working) and though it was raining, we managed to make a good memory of it! :) 
THE LDS SLC TEMPLE:

This is the Salt Lake City, Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and it's a beautiful building that's been standing on this block of church building for years (referred to as Temple Square).  It's where special ordinances in the church are performed allowing for blessings such as forever families, so families can be together even after this life. :) When my family goes to visit it we are usually rushed, but this time, my mom and I were able to to relax a little bit and enjoy the scene.  It was nice!  The timeless beauty and castle-like features captured in this picture with the American Flag waving right next to it just touched me and I thought I'd add it in for you! :)

THE MALL:
Salt Lake City just put in a new shopping mall downtown by the temple that's called City Creek Center. It's SO beautiful, complete with waterfalls! :)

SO fun!! Such a great shopping center! SO BIG!

...the sun even came out! :)

SIX: FAMILY!:)

For dinner, we got together with my Dad's brothers and it was great to see them and bond one last night before coming home!! :) (I know the picture is kind of blurry but it's the best we had for the time! :) Good ol' camera phones! :)



SEVEN: Last, the trees...and the way back!

This is the picture of Oregonian trees that I took on the way home!! :)  HELLO OREGON!! HERE I COME!! :) :) 

THE MATTER CAR: Look at the license plate! ;) 

Great Trip!  I had fun and now I'm ready to relax and work hard for the summer so that I can go back to school in the fall! :)

For the Beauty of the Earth! :)

For the Beauty of the Earth for today because it's Easter!  I love the beautiful weather on this wonderful day that we celebrate the Resurrection of the Savior.  Also because I just said good-bye to some my best friends in the world that I spent the last three months with!  In addition to that, I realized the importance of family and the small, simple things in life.  

My mom and brother, Sam came to Idaho to pick me up from school.  I got to meet the family of my room mate, Janika.  Saying good-bye to her was hard, but I had my mom and brother to keep me chipper!  

The precious friend that I've known since I moved to Oregon right before third grade spent the last two semesters with me at BYU-Idaho as my room mate!  I love her and I'm going to miss her!  In addition to that, I'm spending the weekend with my family and I love it!  

After we said good-bye, Sam, my mom, and I went on a tour of the campus because he's thinking about attending BYU-Idaho with me in the fall!  It was fun and I am excited for bonding time ahead with him if he comes.  It would be so much fun! :)  

My mom and I were ng in my grandparent’s guest bedroom -catching up on our sleep! :) it’s been a long weekend!:)  When we heard my grandpa playing the piano, we woke up and realized that the simple things in life, like a dad playing the piano are great!  I love my family-extended and immediate.  I miss the ones that are far away.  I can't wait to see the rest of them when I'm done visiting here in Utah and I hope you all have a Happy Easter! 

 SAYING GOOD-BYE TO MY ROOM MATES::

Jessica, Krystal, Kellie, & Heidi (right before Kellie left; we didn't see Kellie much this semester because she's engaged but she's SO excited to get married and she was a lot of fun & cheerful when she was home! :) 

THE BANANIKINS: 

(a name I derived from Janika's nickname, "Janika Bananika."  Now, if you hang out with Janika very often, you could become a Bananikin also! :)

Heidi, Janika, & Krystal saying good-bye! :)  I'm going to miss those girls! 

PACKING THE CAR=squishy! :)

LOOK! I fit! :) 

 

 SAYING GOOD-BYE TO KRYSTAL=sweeeze! :)

 

This is because it's beautiful!  It reminds me of the simple things in life that should be enjoyed, including friends, family, a simple breath of fresh air, flowers, sunshine, and last but not least, the Lord Jesus Christ! :)