Summer is almost over...

In honor of the last day of summer, I figured I should post some more pictures from our summer adventures. We had a "How to Host a Murder" dinner at our house and invited the guys from North #4 over. I had never done one of those games before and I thought that it drug on for a little too long, but we had fun. Lindsay and I tried to throw some costumes together at the last minute. Unfortunately D.I. doesn't really carry leather miniskirts. My vision of the perfect costume was crushed! BUT, everyone else looked great. Here are a few pictures:

Michelle, Lindsay, Britt, Kylee

Brandon, Josh, Stew, Andrew

Roley High class of '54

For Pioneer Day, Michelle, Lindsay, and I decided to head to the rodeo down in Spanish Fork. After waiting for our tickets at will call for about 30 minutes, we finally got in. We were packed into the arena like sardines. Good times were had by all and Michelle finally had a chance to wear her cowboy hat.

YAY for fun fall nights up ahead. We have had SO MUCH fun together since Katie moved in. I think that we definitely win the award for "loudest apartment" in the ward. It is a great release to come home and have such wonderful roommates here after long days at school. I definitely need them and the fun that we have. I couldn't be more grateful! :)

a few updates

I have survived the first 2 weeks. YAY!! I am currently staring at a pile of work that I need to get done by the end of the day, but at least its only a medium sized pile, right?!? Who would have known that the MBA program not only piles you up with homework, but parties/mixers/networking events also. I have been to more parties this week than I have in years. It has been really great to get to know people and I am definitely learning to enjoy being social all the time. I have met some pretty amazing people I must admit. I have a feeling this is going to be a great semester!

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks highlighting some fun things (courtesy of other people's albums on facebook):

Michelle and I with our gold miner boyfriend in Jean, Nevada

Beautiful Sunset in Carlsbad, CA

Everyone (except one) that went on the MBA singles trip to CA. Why did we come back to Provo again?

Carrie, Kate, Michelle, and I- we had so much fun driving together for 24 hours over the weekend!

At the Organizational Behavior Student Association opening social yesterday. Great people!

Possibly some of the funniest people ever: Carrie, Ray Carly, Amy

Back on the lake

I have had a great week and a half of MBA orientation. I've learned a TON and met lots of really incredible people. The caliber of people that I am surrounded with in the program never ceases to amaze me. We've talked a lot about resumes, interviewing, and networking. I have made some great friends already and I'm excited for the many wonderful people that I have yet to meet in the program. 

I figured that since I start school officially on Monday, (I have 2 days off to relax before classes officially start and my life as we know it is over) I would catch up on some fun summer posts that I have been meaning to do. 

Matt showing us his mad skiing skills

Last Saturday, our good friend Matt invited us to go out to Utah Lake with him and his sister. It was so nice just to be out in the sun. I had gotten so sick of sitting in a room all day in a suit. I was relieved to have a different kind of suit on for a change! Matt is a great water skier. We didn't have a ton of time out there, so Lindsay and I opted to just go along for the ride. But, we did get lots of sun thank heavens!! It's looking like it is going to be a pretty white winter for me with all the studying that I will be doing. I figure that I better get my sun in while I can! Matt was so nice to invite us along for the ride.

Lindsay and I 

First day of school

This week has been full of excitement, to say the least. I started school again. Not just any school, but school where I felt like I would most certainly be the lowest on the totem pole. Luckily for me, however, nobody stole my lunch money or shoved me into my locker. I got lucky. Now, you may have expected me to look a little bit like this on my first day of school: 

I mean, after all, I could pass as a princess getting dropped off for my first day of Kindergarten, right?!? I was probably more nervous than she was about this "new start". Luckily for her, she had her mommy and daddy to walk her to her classroom. I had to make the arduous journey from Millrace to the Tanner Building 4th floor all by myself.
I had told myself that I was going to wake up at 5:30 to get ready and make sure that I wasn't forgetting anything crucial. As is customary for me, I decided to hit snooze when my alarm went off. I intended to sleep for only about 10 minutes longer than planned. Well, about 45 minutes later, Lindsay woke up and realized that I wasn't awake yet (Thanks for taking care of me Linds). She decided to help me out and rouse me from my deep slumber. So she started walking towards my door. Supposedly, she heard me laughing hysterically. I guess that I was imagining all f my classmates in their underwear to ease the "back to school" tension in my dream. Who knows. But, I got to school on time (luckily) and everything worked out. 

Most of my nerves were calmed after meeting all of my new classmates that I will spend TONS of time with over the next 2 years. I am certain that I will learn a lot from them and they truly are quality people from what I have learned about them so far. 

I met my team yesterday on the way to participate in a teamwork ropes course at Camp Williams. I am optimistic for out time together. 

All in all, I am excited about the next 2 years of my life and the exciting and uncertain challenges that lie ahead of me. I can't wait to get down to business in a week and a half when classes start. Orientation has been great so far, but I am ready to see what I am made of. Overall, the past few days have really helped me to channel my fear of the unknown in to a strong desire and determination to succeed in this aspect of my life. I am grateful to be a part of this great program and to have the opportunities that I have. I am super grateful that I was able to get a scholarship to help me defray the costs of attending (minimal as they may be). 

I've got a good feeling that I'm going to love the next 2 years. Just look at my expression after getting home from my first day of school.

(I know, it's a shame I didn't do my hair in pigtails. It would have been much better for the "back to school" thing. AND fyi, in case you didn't know, that is called a padfolio. I just learned that. See, I am already absorbing so much knowledge!)

Lots of SUN and FUN

My past week has been pretty exciting. It all started out with wakeboarding with our home teachers and their roommates. That was a blast. I had never attempted to wakeboard before so it was pretty hard. I found out about muscles that I didn't even know existed the next morning! Here is a little video of my first attempt:

OK, just kidding. that is TOTALLY not me. It is the amazing Stew. If only I could be like him. I wish I could do a back flip- let alone get up for more than 10 seconds. Here is the video that is really me. Notice the screaming. Those are definitely my lungs. I was so excited to actually be up. Also notice the wobbly legs/overall beginner appearance. Priceless!

We had a super fun time with some great people. Lindsay and I both agreed that it was one of our favorite Fridays of the year. 

The next day we rafted down the Provo River with more fun people from our ward. Pictures will have to come later. Lindsay bought a disposable water camera that has not been used up yet. SO- I guess that means that we will just have to have more water adventures and use up the rest of the film. 

On Monday I drove down to Mesa to spend a few weeks with the family. My brother and niece are flying in tomorrow for the week. I haven't seen them for 2 years, so it should be really great.  Tuesday, I floated the Salt River with my friends Alison and Rachel. It was great to just lay on a tube and talk to my friends that I haven't seen in forever and get a tan. Tan Update: I am getting closer to my goal every day. I have gotten sun every day since I got here except for yesterday. My mom put me to work in the house painting ad scraping popcorn off the ceiling. This morning I played tennis and got a little pink and I am headed out to the pool right now. I am going to have a real tan for the first time in over 5 years!!!!! I am stoked. 

This should be a great couple of weeks in AZ full of family, swimming, friends, tennis and other great things. It really is nice to have a little break!

Going Crazy

This past week I have had more energy than usual. I have been extreeeeeeemely antsy and basically just bouncing off the walls. Just ask my roommates- I think I have been driving them crazy. I am not sure what it is. But, needless to say, all this extra energy has gotten me super excited for the long weekend and my trip to Mesa next week.
We have some tentative plans for the fourth but I don't want to spoil the surprise of my next blog post so I will just keep all 3 of my readers waiting in suspense!! MY week has been filled with the Michael Jackson Pandora station. I think that someone in our house has that station playing at all times of the day.
I finished my Harvard online statistics and accounting classes in 2 days (Monday and Tuesday). I am officially accepted to the MBA program now. Completing those courses by yesterday was one requirement that everybody had to complete to be an official Cougar MBA. I can now say that I went to Harvard!!! :)
Lindsay and I signed up for the Freedom Festival 5K run on Saturday. Here is my question(s) about the people who organize these things. #1- Was the person who designed this horrifically ugly shirts a 75 year old man who likes to run down the street with his shirt off and his leathery skin/silver chest hair flapping in the wind? Because that is the only person I can see wearing this shirt that is 3 sizes too big for me. #2- Why on earth would anyone plan a race to START at 7:00 AM on a holiday? Mornings and I haven't been on good terms for about 20 years. #3- Who makes you pay like $30 to register for a race and then gives you your race packet in a used grocery store bag and writes on the shoe timer that you have to return it at the end of the race or else they will asses a fine? They didn't even give us any free stuff in the used grocery sack.I was thoroughly disappointed. Oh well, life goes on without my free water bottle. Here is a picture of Lindsay and I posing in our hideous shirts that I stole from her blog.

Good times will be had by all this weekend.

What's Been Going On???

OK- So I know that an update is WAAAAAAY overdue (Thanks for the reminder,Loo). So, here it is.

#1- I found out yesterday that I got a scholarship from the Marriott School for my MBA. I am SUPER excited. Supposedly they only gave out 20 scholarships to incoming students so I feel very lucky. The school doesn't have a large sum of funds to give out this year for scholarships because their donations haven't been as large as they have in the past, AND the director said that the incoming class is one of the most competitive that they have had in past years so all of this just contributes to my elation over receiving a scholarship. YAY!!!

#2- My roomie Amanda is engaged. I am SO excited for her. Michael (her fiance) is great and they are perfect for each other. congrats Amanda!!!

#3- My roommates and I have been doing some dancing in the living room lately. Here are some pictures of Lindsay and Michelle dancing. They are going to love these!!



#4- We redid our kitchen. The walls were painted this yucky gray color, and the table and chairs were really gross, so we painted the walls and refinished the table and chairs. This project consumed my life last weekend, but it was very satisfying to finish it and have it actually look nice. Now we just need to finish the hallway and I need to get some accessory decorations for the kitchen and we will be good to go! Here are some before and afters:





#5- Michelle and I have decided to play more tennis and I have found some new random tennis buddies. I am excited to get back into playing again. It is frustrating to play and miss shots that you know you can get. BUT, hopefully as I keep practicing I will get it all back. I am so excited to start playing more and get back to the place that I used to be. Oh, I LOVE tennis!

#6- To thank everyone who helped me with the kitchen project, we had a dinner party last night. It was really fun. We had appetizers and little frozen drinks in the living room to start things out. Then, we had chile rellenos, beans and rice for the main course. Finally, we had fried ice cream for dessert. I have never made homemade fried ice cream but it turned out pretty well (except for the smoke that filled the kitchen when the oil got too hot). I had a good time and I hope everybody else who came did as well.

#7- My roommates and I have decided that we want to collect mix tapes from people this summer. SO- in an effort to get our first mix tape, we kidnapped out neighbor's prized fern palm plant thingy and sent him a ransom note naming our demands. We thought it was pretty funny.

The whole fiasco ended, however, when we got sick of having "Fergie" the fern at our house so we just returned her to Pat. We have yet to receive our mix tape. I guess we will have to find other means of getting our mix tapes from other people. Any ideas??????


#8- We planted flowers in pots on our porch a while ago. They are growing!!!! Every morning and afternoon when I come in/out from our house, I have to stop and inspect our little flowers. they are so CUTE!!! Here is a pic:



I think that is about it. I am going to AZ in a week and a half for about 2 weeks. I would love to see anyone that will be around!