Oh, How I LOVE Life :)

I seriously don't think my life could be any better right now.

• I love my life.
• I love my ward.
• I love my roommates.
• I love my family.
• I love my best friend.
• I love all my amazing friends.
  
• I love my jobs.
• I love that it is almost summer.
• I love the Gospel.
• I love the priesthood and its amazing power to bless and heal people.
• I love my guy friends who are worthy and willing to give a blessing with a seconds notice.
  
• I love having an escape from all my worries.
• I love living so close to home so I can run away whenever I need.
• I love that I might get to live in Chile with kim.
• I love the color festival.
• And I just LOVE life :)
  

I have no idea why I complain so much, when it's evident that I have so much to be thankful for. When I think of all the people around the world who haven't gotten even half of the experiences and opportunities in life as I have, I realize that sometimes I just need to put a sock in it and remember how lucky I really am.

Here are a few pictures from my life lately:

• The Oscars: It was a stake activity where every ward made a movie. My wards was UNBELIEVABLE. No joke. We won the overall award for sure :)

• The Color Festival: Remember this from last year? Well. It was just as amazing. Maybe even better! That is, until a girl got dropped on my head and I got a killer headache. Regardless of that small incident, it was great. I had pink all over my face. Random people even wanted pictures with me because it was SO PINK! Wonderful :) Loved it. Love life!

Chili, Chili's or Chile?

Chili is a staple in my diet. When you can only eat a limited amount of quick and easy meals... you eat the same thing a LOT. (Especially as a college student....oh the joys.) Only, I always have to get the expensive chili, because the cheap stuff has gluten in it--LAME! Lucky for me, my wonderful parents let me go "shopping" in the basement every time I go home (which is quite often...), and my mom is kind enough to always have some of the wonderfully expensive chili on hand. So kind :) I love chili. A lot.


I also really love Chili's. I eat there a lot. I'm especially fond of their chocolate shake. They put sprinkles on it, and it is just delightful. I really love Chili's a lot.

They've always been good to me there. However,I don't love it as much as I love............................

CHILE!!!!!

Yes. That's right, you heard me. CHILE. And why do I love Chile so much? Because I might be living there next FALL for a couple of months! YEAHHHH! :) I am more than a little bit excited about this. Why you ask? Well....

• I will be living my DREAM of volunteering in orphanages. Seriously, I'm beyond excited about this. Everytime I look at Kim's or Hailey's blogs and see the pictures of the little kids... it makes me want to go and help out... SO BAD!
  
• I WILL be the favorite aunt of those 3 super cute little girls down there. I mean, I know I'm already their favorite... but now I will be their FAVORITE!

• It will be an amazing experience. No, I don't know Spanish. (Any tips on how I could learn some basics quickly would be greatly appreciated.) BUT, the whole experience of living in a different country will probably be pretty eye opening for me.
• CAROLINA is living in the same city as Kim and Dave right now, going to college. She is for sure like a sister to me, and I'm excited to be able to see her again :)

• Going to Chile might help me get in the direction of what I want to be when I grow up. Work with kids? Non-profit organizations? Who knows... This experience will probably help with my MLC :)
  

So, there you have it. I love both chili and Chile. But I think I love Chile more. Lets hope I really do get to go down there in the fall. I think it's time for me to get away from Provo. I need to get away from Provo. ASAP. And if the fall is as soon as that will happen, then so be it :) If I go I'll be getting home just before Colton (who gets back in 8 months!!! Not that I'm counting...)


And maybe, just maybe... if you're nice to me.... I'll bring you back some yummy Chilean chocolate that I love oh-so-much :)

MLC

Yes. I'm experiencing an MLC, also known as mid-life crisis. I realize I'm probably not to "mid-life" yet, but whatever. It's a crisis none the less. Here is the dilemma.... WHAT AM I GOING TO BE WHEN I GROW UP?????

The past year I have been looking into early childhood education. I LOVE KIDS! They're so cute, and I love being able to help them grow and develop. I'm even in all of the pre-requisites for this major. I love the classes. I've learned so much.

(These are from the pre-school class I took in High School. I loved these little kids so much!)

However, as I was sitting in class yesterday it hit me... I really DON'T want to be a teacher. I don't want to teach a classroom full of little kids the same information from year to year. I would get bored. That's when I realized....

I still want to work with kids! Yeah, no idea what I'm going to do. I just would SO much rather work with kids through support/changing their lives/ giving them the things they need to properly develop... rather than just education. Don't get me wrong... that is important. Extremely important. But there is so much more that every child needs to develop and grow. They need love, support, a good home environment. SO MUCH! Stuff that education doesn't even come close to covering. Stuff that I would much rather be involved in.

So what course of action should I take to get where I want to go? Here are my thoughts:

• Recreational Therapy--- I had considered this before, but now more than ever it seems a far better option than education.
• School of Family Living, with an emphasis in Human Development--- I'm in a 210 level of this class right now. It's amazing. So interesting to learn why kids develop the way they do and how you can help them to develop properly.
  
• Social Work--- This would, by far, get me to where I want to be. Improving children's lives? HELLO! That's exactly what I want to do. However, I don't think BYU offers this major anymore, and I hear it's a completely draining job that burns you out quickly.
  

I don't know what else I should do. I'm sure there are more options that I don't know about. I don't even know how to get where I want to go. I just want to help kids, on more than an education level. I think it is all part of the orphanage thing... I simply feel horrible when I think about how some kids are being treated. It's not fair. They don't deserve it. I want to help them, SO bad. If you have any suggestions as to what I can be when I grow up, PLEASE let me know. I'm in serious need of some help on the matter :)

(Look how CUTE little kids are!!!! Of course I want to work with them!!)

Recent Discoveries

So here it is. My new findings as of late.

• So, 2 guys have gotten either ENGAGED or MARRIED to the girl that they DATED right after ME! Lets just say, thank goodness for the awkward-standoffish-stay away-I hate you vibe that emanates from me. It proves to have come in handy a time or 2. Or 3. Or 4.
  

• 9 months and 3 days in the future could NOT come soon enough!

• There has been FAR too much snow this winter, and I am more than ready for it to be done already. However, my handicap pass is quite nice and convenient during this time of the year...
  

• I would love, more than ANYTHING, to volunteer at an orphanage...just to hold the babies and show them that people love them so they can live long lives. It breaks my heart to think of the little kids laying in rooms all day, everyday, without any physical contact from adults. Volunteering at an orphanage is my DREAM!

• There is nothing wrong with epidurals. In fact, there is no doubt in my mind that I will be all for them someday :)
  
• Watching 3 baby births in 1 day was perfectly wonderful birth control. In fact, possibly the ULTIMATE birth control. I keep being told that one day I'll get over this form of birth control.
• Authoritative parenting works FAR better than yelling. Discipline with love, not with anger. (I just wrote a paper on this... so interesting! Kids respond so much better, plus they feel loved... and in the end, they don't act out nearly as much!)
• Little elementary kids are very entertaining and sweet. They always give me such nice compliments. I like them. :)
• Clorox wipes are probably the greatest invention next to duct tape. With post-it notes coming in a close 3rd. They help me on a daily basis when it comes to cleaning up my lovely roommates crumbs. And when I say daily, I mean DAILY. They are an outstanding thing.

And now... you can go and ponder these little pieces of information that have come to me during my wonderful days of sitting through long classes and my confrontations with wonderful roommates whom I adore so much. And, just random stuff because I'm weird and like doing weird posts :)

Butt= bruised, not broken :)

I slipped on ice. Again.
The doctor told me it is only bruised this time. YAY!
I get to carry around my bright red donut again. How delightful.
I now can get a handicap parking pass and drive right up on campus. It's still not worth the pain, but oh well.

Note to self: Even if you are taking little baby steps and being so so careful, the ice will do to you as it pleases. Stupid ice.

I'm apostate.

That's right, read the title and weep. Ok NOT. However... I was told that not only I, but everyone within Utah is apostate. Humph. Weird, right? Now let me put it into the context of the story for you.

Once upon a time Paige was working on finalizing her schedule for winter 2009. Through all the the hustle and bustle Paige concluded that it would be in her best interest to attempt getting into a different D&C class. Why? Because she learns from good teachers who involve the students and make it interesting... not from teachers who give ridiculously long tests. So, last night Paige was at her apartment spending quality time with her roommates (old & new. Yes, a NEW one--HOOORAY!), as well as another acquaintance. As everyone was delighting in each others company Paige remembered her desire to switch classes, so she got online and to her excitment the teacher she wanted had an opening! What a good night. However, the new roommate decided to give her a bad time about switching into an easier class etc etc. The thing the new roommate didn't understand was that Paige wasn't switching simply because the class was easier, but because it was more adept to her way of learning.

Somehow, Paige switching D&C classes lead to the statement that "All mormons from Utah are apostate." WHAT?!?!?!?!?!??!?! Yeah. That's exactly what I thought. Needless to say, Paige was pretty upset at such a BOLD statement being said not only to her, but ABOUT her. The new roommate continued to talk about how there are different types of mormons blah blah blah. It went on that Paige somehow contained her anger and explained a few points that the accuser possibly hadn't noticed. Somehow avoiding a full blown arguement.

But seriously, WHO SAYS THAT? Who makes such a BOLD and HASTY and so UNTRUE generalization about a state as a WHOLE? I realize that there are people who don't like Utah. That's fine. There are particular places that I'm not all-too fond of either. But goodness, that was a direct cut to ME! Who knew that switching classes would cause me to become apostate? hahaha. Love it. Truly. So entertaining.

I really do love my new roommate, though. Despite that one little obstacle we're going to have to get over I feel she's a HUGE improvement over the last one. I have great roommates, classes shouldn't be overly stressful this semester, Colton only has 10 1/2 more months before he comes HOME, my ward is amazing, and life is just GREAT :) (oh.. and I'm not apostate....hahah)

My final thought: If you don't like the people in Utah, then DON'T LIVE IN UTAH! Duh. :)

A few thoughts due to bordem in stats.

Last day of class.

I like when the semester is over.

Stacie is going to Dixie. I'm going to disown her. Why? Because, it's worse than UVU!!!!!! UVU is bad, why? Because. It's easier than HIGH SCHOOL. Pathetic.


I got a popcorn maker. And a hot chocolate machine. My life is complete.


Stacie decorated the apartment for my birthday. I had to wear a crown and necklaces all day. My New Testament teacher made me wear them all through class. Then I got picked on.

Next semester I plan to break at least 5 guys hearts. Why not add to the list?


There is a kid in my stats class, he looks like a guy off dumb and dumber. Bowl cut. He is really annoying. Sometimes, I want to throw stuff at him real bad.

I have an 8-12 page paper due tomorrow. I probably should do that...

When I get a new roommate one day, I'm going to convince her that Stacie is practically the devil. Stacie is going to try to convince her that she's had a baby, and it has been extremely difficult to cope with the lack of child support. So now, the baby is in foster care. And Stacie is a liar face.

We taped our sink up. So that roommates won't put dishes in it.

Our Christmas decorations are beautiful. I personally enjoy the pictures that fall off the walls and onto my head on a regular basis. My snowflakes are ugly. I can't make good snowflakes. Except I did once. But now, it's hanging at Stacie's sisters apartment, so I can't even look at it.

I have ugs. They are ugly. But they are comfy. And warm. One day, I am going to tuck them into my jeans so that I can bug all the guys at BYU. Because that's what I do.

I love sugar plums. They are my favorite candy at Christmas time. Stacie doesn't like them. She's weird.