Surprising the Roommates!

Right now I am currently in the BYU library attempting to touch up some essays so I can turn them in and finish this dumb class. Yuck. In between editing and writing I am, of course, updating this fabulous blog that I use as an excuse not to be productive. 

So yesterday I up and flew to Utah for the weekend :) I only told one person (in Utah), my very dear friend Aric so that he could pick me up from the airport and help me surprise my roommates. And what a surprise it was! First of all it's freezing in Utah, and I couldn't believe I was actually going when I got on the plane, nor when I stepped off into the Salt Lake City airport. Second, we almost missed the girls on their way out to dinner and a movie. Aric and snuck up the stairs of my apartment while I waited outside the door and listened to Kim and Kat talk (oh, how I've missed their voices!) and then when he came back to open the door, he grabbed the camera from my hands as I walked in, Kim started screaming so loud Hannah's dad came upstairs to see what was wrong, and then Kat started crying. Best. Moment. Ever. 

I love my roommates so much!! Through a wonderful series of fortunate events (and the help of some very good friends) I was able come back to Provo for the weekend, and couldn't be happier :) 

We ran into a few more friends at Cafe Rio after (Mauri, Hilary) and then went to see Breaking Dawn, which is definitely the weirdest, grossest, and most entertaining of the Twilight movies thusfar. I can't say I'd necessarily enjoy seeing it again, but when we walked out of the theater is was SNOWING, big huge flakes of wonderful icy cold stuff from the heavens! We drove around in Kim's car, singing at the top of our lungs and laughing and gasping at all the beautiful Christmas lights now decorating the Riverwoods. I couldn't ask for anything more. 

But I got more--friends I haven't seen in what feels like an entire summer showed up at our apartment (I was exhausted from not going to bed the night before and traveling all day, but who cares! :) ) and played Apples to Apples with us, and then Skjelse and I shnuggled on a mattress pad thing all night, happily giggling til we passed out. I also finally got to see Trent in person, the one that basically made this weekend happen :) Finally! And that's a whole 'nother story.

they had no idea! Aric did well

Kim, Kat and I in the SNOW :) And Brad on the phone

Skjelse's and my favorite Apples to Apples description: "Fat and Sassy." And man I missed my onesies

best sweater ever!! The story of my life in clothing, and you can't see it but #50 is the best: Hugs :)

The Many Adventures of Chip -n- Dale

Chip and Dale were at Camp Minnie - Mickey today in Animal Kingdom when something neat happened :) On their way back into Camp after a break spent stealing chestnuts from Donald, the chipmunks passed a whole group of people, and one woman exclaimed "Oh look, it's Chip and Dale!" Her companion, a blind woman with sunglasses and a walking stick turned her head in the direction of her friend's voice and replied "Oh really?" and smiled. Timing and spacing throughout the crowd synchronized perfectly, making a clear pathway for Dale to catch up with the blind woman, place a friendly hand on her shoulder, and give a her a loud surprise smooch right on the cheek. And the lady smiled again, wider, as Dale continued on his way :)

Chip got a wonderful key chain present from some very nice Japanese girls!

Ready for Next Week

.....but I'm actually not, because I forgot what it's like to not be counting down the days to something, waiting for the semester to be over, for finals to be over, counting down the hours til work is over, til class is over, etc. I stop counting down time because I'm having too much fun. I just love it here! I can't even describe it. And I do get to meet John Smith soon!!!!

The other day, the first day of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in Magic Kingdom, my friend Jordan and I decided to stay til 6:15 for the castle-lighting ceremony. Basically the VIP's (Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy) all come out onto the castle stage, notice the castle is the one thing not decorated yet, and argue about how it should be decorated (Minnie wants candy canes on the towers, Goofy wants strings of popcorn, etc.) until Fairy Godmother comes out of the main balcony, Cinderella and Prince Charming walk out to help (since it's her castle and all), and Fairy Godmother grants Cinderella's wish to light it with magical icicles. Or something like that, but anyway, it's November 8th and at Disney that means it's official the holiday season, so as we watched the castle slowly light up with icicles...I thought I heard Jordan accuse me of crying (I totally was) but she was actually saying she was, and oh my goodness it was SO MAGICAL! Go ahead and mock us. But I'm not even much of a hopeless romantic anymore and it still made me totally wish I could be Cinderella as she leaned her head against Prince Charming's shoulder with his arm around her waist as they watched their castle light up together. So cheesy. I love it. 

Also of late, I went to Hong Kong auditions this week and that was fun :) Honestly it was, auditions are so interesting. To see who went, run into friends, meaet the casting directors, dance and act a little, it's a good time. 

I went to the Christmas party the other night with Belynda, Jordan, and Emily, which I think is not worth the money I'm paying for 'free' cookies and hot chocolate, but whatever. We basically just saw all our friends at work, it snowed foam a lot, and the castle Christmas show is my favorite, the chipmunks talk and are so cute! And it made me miss the Disneyland Christmas fireworks. I listen to that music every year for Christmas. 

Thanksgiving's in a week! I think we're all going to get together and try and whip something up, since most of us can't go home for the holidays. I'm also finishing my independent study class in a week (TG) and many other exciting things are coming up....ALSO, I found Pocahontas on Flickr for the first time ever!! Made my day. As always, I'm making new friends every day and finding more and more reasons to wish I could stay here past January. It's going to kill me to leave. But I'll be back :)

magical

Chelsea-Marie's birthday--and I'm obsessed with my new beret

Suz and I found Raja in Animal Kingdom!

love love love love

Prince Ali--probably my most favorite person to meet at the Christmas party

loooove Belle's Christmas dress, she's a colonial holiday goddess

I just love hugging Sulley--Kitty!

It's Been Awhile

I've been so busy trying to force myself to do school work! Ughhh I hate it, always have always will. This week has been crazy, we have cleaning checks soon and have to make sure we pass with flying colors this time although I have nothing to clean my bathroom with and my room is currently a mess after doing laundry, Halloween, and taking things off the walls (management demanded the removal of all decor). I was sick this week too, and working while sick SUCKS. One of my least favorite things in the world, most of all because I can't breathe and then it's just a mess. It's very hard to perform when you can't breathe, or talk without spreading disease, are exhausted, and can't sleep at night. Glad that only lasted a few days. This week we also went to the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party again, I finally got to meet Tarzan and my friend Rebekah and I spent our day off doing costume surgery to be Megara and Esmerelda. Jack Sparrow told me it was especially nice to meet me, and the picture I gave Tarzan with Pocahontas and himself on it made him laugh. Also, tonight my friends and I went to see Disney create a little Christmas magic, and it was AMAZING. So beautiful, so fun, and I am so ready for Christmas!! :) Haha. It even snowed!

my friend Steve got baptized last Saturday! he's in the middle

Paul drives me nuts. We're constantly battling each other.

everyone from UP!

I kind of love him

FINALLY

the picture I gave Tarzan

Snow White and I are good friends

we asked Flynn if Rapunzel's tiara was in his satchel

Happy Christmas :)

Main Street, plus snow