California Gurls we're UnFoRgEtTaBlE...

I love being home!  It feels soooo great!  It might feel a little greater if I was going back to school on Sunday though, just because I love it there so much.  Oh well, I'll get my turn in April I guess.  Now I just get to work on my online classes and hunt for a job.  This warm weather in December is AMAZING!  I've missed that a lot!  I definitely love living in and being from California.  Eighties at this time of year is the complete opposite of what I just came from.  It makes me realize that I think I really do like the beach over the snow.  Something else I love about being in California around Christmastime is that Annie and Jordan come to visit.  Not that I've had a shortage of Marsden visits lately. :)  I'm going to be so sad when they go back home tomorrow and I won't be going with them!  They make such good Tuesday lunch dates!  I'm jealous Blake gets to go!  So lucky!  But I also can't wait to take advantage of the time I have at home.  We've already done so much that makes me glad to be here.  I've missed my family tons and I'm so glad to be back in the same ward with all the rest of them.  They are the BEST company and I'm so grateful that I'm able to spend Christmas with them.  I love them so much!

It's the MOST WONDERFUL Time of The Year...

Thanksgiving makes me feel really thankful, like it's supposed to.  I'm thankful for school, which I'm not sure that I've ever said (I'm also very thankful for the internet BECAUSE OF school); I'm thankful for my family, especially now that I don't see them very much; I'm thankful for my friends that are both old and new; I'm thankful for where I live; I'm thankful for church; I'm thankful that I can now listen to Christmas music without being criticized; and I'm thankful for DECEMBER!  I love having a Christmas tree up, looking at Christmas lights, and watching A Christmas Story.  And thanks to Joan for all the Christmas stuff. :)  Thanksgiving was awesome!  We got to spend it with Dad's family, which we don't get to do very often so it was tons of fun.  It the first home cooked meal I've had in 3 months and it tasted so good.  Unfortunately, it was a HUGE home cooked meal, after which I stayed up till 7 in the morning Black Friday shopping with Mom, didn't get much sleep the rest of the day, then the next time I ate was dinner Friday night.  It didn't stay down.  I promise.  BUT luckily, I didn't have to take the shuttle home.  Grandma was nice enough to drive me all the way to Rexburg, then all the way back.  SUPER CONVENIENT!  Thanks so much!  I'm glad to be back, but excited to go home.  17 days...

Halloween!

The Midnight 5K was SO fun! And let me just make it VERY clear that it is much harder to run up here than it is at home.  I was so tired!  I don't know why I'm so motivated to do these things when I'm not as motivated to train for them.  I need to work on that, because it is definitely one of the most rewarding things EVER!  I love that it's something I'm able to do.  Halloween was so much fun!  It might not have been the best idea for our apartment to run out of candy BEFORE Halloween.  We weren't thinking much of the trick-or-treaters that came to our door before we left for our ward's dance.  So instead, I handed out Ramen.  I've got way to much of that junk anyway.  And I don't even really like it that much!  Either way, they loved it!  So I didn't feel so bad after that. :)

It's been snowing this weekend and it's so pretty!  It's not like stormy snow like last month.  It's more like drifty snow.  So I like it a lot better.  It's SUPER cold!  Tori and Chelsea get here on Thursday so I'm excited to see what they think because I live here and I don't even have enough clothes!

...

Tori and Chelsea left yesterday! :( So SAD! But it was so much fun with them here! We trekked up to the temple a couple times, made it to Idaho Falls for the mall, SUPER Wal-Mart, and Olive Garden, had sleepovers with Liz :), Cocoa Bean, and a movie.  And I'm sure we did lots of other stuff, but Rexburg is just way too exciting and I can't remember it all. :)

Rexburg is so exciting that even Stan and Ian came to visit! Thanks for lunch! :)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Okay, I know it's only October, but seriously, we play Christmas music nonstop here and there has already been SNOW!  The fall has been really nice and it's not even supposed to snow for the next week at least.  That couple days of snow at the beginning of the month was a weird fluke.  Anywaysss...these last couple of weeks have been super fun and full of midterms! Gross.  BUT It's also included Guitars Unplugged, a dance, McDonalds, the gas station, Psych, Skypeing with Alex, letters, and running into fellow BALD students.  It's pretty crazy.

I am SO excited because Tori and Chelsea get to come here and visit me in TWO weeks! I. Can't. Wait.  Blake and I going to rent a car and go pick them up from IF and then they get to spend the long weekend living like I do! :)

I'm not sure when this is going to happen, but I'm pretty sure this apartment is going to drive to Star Valley,  and chop down a Christmas tree!  I am so excited for Christmas and I don't even know why!  It might be all the new Justin Bieber Christmas songs, but who knows.

Ok I gotta go get ready to run a 5K at midnight.  Happy late birthday, Abby and happy birthday, Grandma! :)

Idaho Falls = Panda Express

General Conference was the best!  I loved all the talks (that I heard) and I've never seen facial expressions better than President Monson's.  We laughed over that. A lot.  While watching GC, we saw a commercial in between sessions for Dieter F. Uchtdorf's book: Your Happily Ever After.  I got SO excited!  That is my favorite talk of all time!  We knew we'd have to go to Idaho Falls and pay a visit to Barnes & Noble. :)

Friday was by far the hardest day of the week.  From 3:15 to 5:15, I have a Chemistry lab.  Sometimes we don't always get along with our lab partners...

BUT I felt much better by Saturday.  We woke up, made french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns for breakfast, got ready, and drove to Idaho Falls to run some errands and spend a while in Barnes & Noble to get President Uchtdorf's book.  Which, by the way, is one of the best purchases I have ever made!  The cashier that checked me out was a girl that obviously was not a member of the church but super nice.  She saw what I was buying and asked me what it was.  When I told her what it was about and that it was actually a talk that was given and that it is MY FAVORITE, she got so excited and wrote down the title and author.  She told me how she had just come out of a bad five year relationship with someone that had no religion in his life and that she was looking for something Christian.  She said "Is it like, a God thing?"  "Umm yes.  And I promise it's worth reading." :)  I left feeling good.  Maybe it's true when people say that Idaho and Utah missions really are the most successful.  Anywaysss, Hanna and I got Panda Express for lunch since I haven't had it in MONTHS and I LOVE it!  We took it to Cafe Rio where everyone else ate.  Our last stop in IF was SUPER WALMART!  We got a few movies to watch when we got home.  One of them was Singles 2nd Ward. All I have to say is: I have a brand new appreciation for those movies actually being in a singles ward.  It was great. :)

Your Happily Ever After:

http://www.theideadoor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1784&Itemid=2438

Applebees

I LOVE Applebees, I think I'm the only person in my family that does so I sad when it went out of business at home.  BUT I was so excited when I learned that there was one HERE! :) And that the roommates like it as much as I do.  Last night we went to Applebees and waited 3966394739 hours for a table.  But it was so worth it!  Then we came home and watch 4 hours of Criminal Minds, fell asleep out in the living room, woke up in the middle of the night, and went to bed.  I love Fridays. :)

This morning we watch the first session of General Conference and how cool was it that they announced FIVE new temples!? Especially that the Provo temple is being used so much that they need another one!?  I think it is so amazing that it's being built on the grounds of the old tabernacle  There isn't a spot more perfect.  I think Paris is going to be gorgeous and STAR VALLEY, WYOMING!  I've never seen President Monson make a better face than he did when he announced that one.  We almost went there this weekend to spend conference at Hanna's cabin.  I can't wait to see all these temples and how pretty they're going to be.

I'm leaving in a few minutes to spend the rest of today and tomorrow at Annie's.  Enjoy your conference weekend... :)

Daughters In My Kingdom

Today marks my first Relief Society broadcast.  I've been a little reluctant to go to relief society.  I just feel like its not where I'm supposed to be yet.  So, while getting ready to walk up to the I-Center today, I was thinking about how I did NOT want to go.  I'm fresh out of YW, so I still think anything that is going to be said is completely unrelated to me and my life right now.  Of course, the first talk, given by the Relief Society General President, was titled "Daughters In My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society."  It was all about the purpose of Relief Society and what Heavenly Father has in mind for this organization.  She explained how special it is and how Heavenly Father needed faithful women to help run the church.  She also talked about all the contributions they have given since the start and how much they mean to the church.  That talk was so much more personal since Sister Beck talked about all the things she wanted her granddaughters to know about what she does in her calling in the church and how amazing she finds Relief Society.  Now, I feel like it's something to look forward to and that it actually is something that Heavenly Father has set up for so many reasons.  And what meeting is complete without President Uchtdorf?!  I don't know how right it is to say this but he is just the coolest!  And his talks are my FAVORITE!  In case you missed it....

https://lds.org/study/prophets-speak-today/unto-all-the-world/president-uchtdorf-reminds-sisters-of-five-things-to-forget-not?lang=eng

Week 1

I have never actually like school till now.  Its been just ok before.  Now I like to go.  I love being able to start class with and opening song and prayer.  I feel like I learn a lot better because of it.  I can't say that I love Chemistry, but I do like going to class.  All  my teachers are amazing and I got super lucky. :)  AND, I've read my scriptures every night without having to be reminded to "Read your scriptures and say your prayers."  I'm so happy here and its very exciting.  Being at a BYU, dating and marriage is obviously the first thing on everyone's mind.  While my roommates and I were sitting and studying in the MC, an RM came up to one of my roommates and told her that he "couldn't help but notice her beautiful face."  After he left she said, "Welcome to BYU-Idaho, Kacy." They now have a date set for next weekend. :)  On Friday night, the Marsdens were in Rexburg, so they took Blake and I to Fat Cats where we bowled and played mini golf and ate pizza.  I'm a good bowler. :)  I had a great first week and I can't wait for the rest of the semester.  So far, so good.

BYU-I 63rd Ward

My first Sunday here (September 11) was AMAZING!  I LOVE my new ward and I had such a great experience for my first week.  I already started making connections with people I had known a long time ago and the bishopric is awesome.  They are so hilarious and gave great testimonies the first week.  Our ward meets in the Taylor.  I walked in having no expectations of anything special, and then we sang the opening song.  How appropriate was it that the opening hymn was Where Can I Turn For Peace and the closing hymn was I Need Thee Every Hour!?  Those were the two songs us graduated laurels sang a medley of in Sacrament Meeting the week before we all left for school.  I was so grateful that we sang those songs because I felt so comforted knowing I was in a place where the Spirit could be and I was reminded that I'm being taught the same things at church as my friends and family around the world.  I'm discovering that the church is true everywhere you go and the teachings never change.  I am so thankful I belong to something so constant and steadfast.  It feels so good.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqHraht2zMM

So, today I actually just got home from church, and today was just as good.  I ran into McKay Hatch who gave a fireside in our stake about three years ago and was very memorable for his "No-Cussing Club."  About two weeks after that, Pearl and I saw him at Mormon Prom and took a picture with him.  While I was sitting in Sunday School today, I noticed he was sitting in the front row and afterwards I told him that, not to be creepy, there was a picture of him, me, and Pearl on my Facebook.  He will now be tagged in it.  Oh the connections...

http://www.nocussing.com/

I-Night

This morning Mitch gave us a tour of the campus and helped us find where all of our classes are.  I still think I'll be lost on Monday. But I can't wait! :)

I got a special surprise today! Kirby was on campus as a part of I-Night tonight and he decided that before he needed to be there, he was going to be really nice and take Troy, Blake, and I to dinner. And it was so good! The last thing I ever expected to see while waiting for him to pick Blake and I up by my apartment was Kirby Heyborne pulling up in a yellow Camaro that the school rented for him asking if we wanted some candy.  That was something new.  It was great and his show was awesome. Thanks for dinner, Kirby....

Move-In Day

Today Mom, Dad, Grandma, Annie, Allie, London, and Jill helped me move in.  I LOVE my room and roommates!  So far three of us are here but the two I've met in person are great!  It was a loooooong day today. We started out by moving in and making everything look all pretty. :) Then we went to get my I-Card and get some stuff from the bookstore.  It was quite crowded.  Then we picked up Blake and went to lunch and Wingers.  After that, we came back to my apartment and did more stuff in my room and then Blake and I left to meet our I-Team and listen to Vice President Henry J. Eyring speak.  We left to do some "get-to-know-you"s with our I-Team while our parents stayed and listened to President Eyring some more. After that was WAL-MART. I will never go into Wal-Mart again this close to school starting! There wasn't enough room for one body to walk around! Later we met with out I-Team again and danced, played games, and ate ice cream. It was a lot of fun and extremely tiring. And I need to be up at 7:45 tomorrow. Goodnight....

Life is a Highway

With the exception of Calli's stuff, my room is empty.  Everything is packed, boxed up, or thrown away.  But that's only because I'm leaving for school!  And I couldn't feel better about it.  On December 7, 2010, I received my acceptance letter to Brigham Young University - Idaho.  I was so happy! :) And I haven't been able to stop being giddy about it.  Tomorrow night, I'll start my journey to Idaho with Mom and Dad, 3 suitcases (most of which are stuffed with jackets and jeans), a carryon, a backpack, a basket of shoes, a camera, and ONE cookbook.  Mostly because, I won't be making much. :)

I've discovered recently how much good can come out of Facebook.  I love that I've been able to reconnect with my old EFY friends that I'm going to be spending the semester with.  I love that I've been able to meet my roommates before I get to school.  I love that I've been able to already feel like this school is where I'm supposed to be.  Right now, I'm talking to a Bro. Sanders's niece via FB, who I've never met before, but seems great! I'm so excited to get to know all these awesome people. :)

My last three weeks of church in my home ward were tear-jerkers.  All the graduated laurels bore their testimonies in YW a couple weeks ago.  That was hard.  We've been in the same ward and primary classes since who knows when.  And now everyone is going all different directions.  Well, actually I'm the only one going to Idaho.  The rest are either at BYU in Provo or staying home.  Either way, it's a very strange feeling.  Since BYU started about a week ago, I've been one of the only ones left at home waiting for BYU-I to start.  So the last two weeks have been flooded with people coming up and saying goodbye, asking for my Skype username, and giving hugs. Crazyness. Not to mention my mom bore her testimony in Sacrament Meeting yesterday on this huge milestone. :)

I seriously cannot wait. This is something I've been waiting for since I visited Annie at school when I was 10 and absolutely fell in love with BYU-I.