Look Out Provo!

This girl got accepted to BYU!!

That means that we

(I just couldn't pick one favorite...)

Will be reunited!!  Happy, happy day :)

One Proud Cousin

So, three of my cousins became State Champs again in wrestling yesterday!  I am so proud of them!  I just love these three!  They're younger than me, but we grew up together and we've had some good times!  Here's some photos from the championship matches taken by Karla Toomer.

 First, James is a sophomore and the 126# champ!

Then, older brother Brigham is a senior an the 145# champ!

Finally, Brock is a junior and the 152# champ!

All three of them after Brock's match.  I just love the joy!  Way to go boys!

These boys are not only great wrestlers, but great examples.  I look up to them so much.  There could have been a picture just like Brock's of all of them.  They are great kids and are going to be amazing missionaries someday.  I'm so proud of them and I'm so glad for modern technology and that even though I couldn't be there in real life, I could at least watch it live online.  Congrats boys!  

Also, here's a link to a great article about the Teichert Wrestling Tradition.

Dancing

So we had a big Stake activity at the Peaks Ice Arena last night, and it was super fun!  One of the activities was a dance, and I was once again reminded about my less than amazing dance skills.  Here's a little graphic I found to show you what I'm talking about: 

A Little Gem

So there is cool stuff all over campus here that I don't really know about, or I don't take the time to go and see.  It's actually quite sad, so I've decided that next semester and all the semesters after that I'm going to take a little lighter class load so that I can experience more of these "little gems."  

Today I went to the Education in Zion museum in the Joseph Fielding Smith Building.  

My class went yesterday, but I missed to go and eat out with some friends before the BYU vs. USU game (we won, and it was super exciting!!).  Anyways, so after class today, I went by myself.  There was the nicest little tour guide lady, and she did a perfect job at telling me about the coolest stuff.  There's no way she could cover everything, and thank heavens she didn't!  I would have been there all night!  It is a really lovely section of a building, and it has so many interesting stories and facts about some really amazing people as they were starting BYU.  Here are some of my favorite quotes that I jotted down:

"Be yourself, but always be your better self." -Karl G. Maeser   

"The Lord has used imperfect people in the process of building his perfect society." -Gordon B. Hinckley

"You have it in your power to set in motion waves of action, love, and kindness that will reach the shores of eternity."  -Edwin Smith Hinckley

"Be the man you would be proud to have your son become."  -Brigham Thomas Higgs

Hopefully I'll be spending some more time in that museum and all of the other awesome places around campus that I have yet to find!!

Home Teacher Challenge

Mini Vacations

So, I've always been a little attached to my mom.  My siblings pointed this out to me my senior year, and I didn't believe them until they gave me cold, hard evidence.  It's true, almost every time I walk into our house I ask where mom is.  In the summer I wander around our yard calling her name, and when she finally responds I just say, "I just wanted to know where you are."  I talk to her on the phone a lot.  The other night I was with some friends, and one said, "Your mom seems like a really awesome lady!"  I was like yea!  Then I wondered how much I had been talking about my mom, haha!  You'd talk about your mom as much as me if she was as awesome as mine :) 

I've been lucky because my mom has had to come down three times this semester for some dental work.  I feel a little bad that she's had to drive down here so many times, but I feel mostly happy, because when she comes it's like a mini vacation for me, and I love it!!!  Every time is great fun, but I especially loved this last time.  Here's a run down of what we did:

Walked down Center Street stopping in all the sewing shops and an antique store.  I would do that everyday if I could!

Went with Ashbee and looked at the apartment I'll be living in next fall.

Ate steak and endless shrimp at Sizzler's--YUM!

Got a "Happy Valentine's" jean shirt with a $10 off coupon at JCPenney's.

I dyed mom's roots. 

She did my nails.

We talked lots and had a super fun time together.

That was her last dentist appointment, a little sad, but I'll be seeing a little bit more of my family this next month, so it's okay.  Thanks so much for coming and making my Tuesday so much fun!  I love you mom!

Sharing one of my favorite moments with mom:

Small town, blonde haired, home-grown girl :)

There are many things that make up my cultural identity.  There are so many aspects that go into one's identity, but if I had to pick only three artifacts they would be: my great-grandma Duncan's buttons accompanied by my Grannie's poem, a picture of Cokeville, and my Young Women's medallion. 

First of all, I am defined by my heritage.  My great-grandma Duncan's buttons along with my Grannie's poem say so much about my heritage.  

GRANDMA'S BUTTONS

Grandma Duncan was a saver,

Of this there is no doubt. 

Everything was plum wore through

Before she'd throw it out.

I recall a woven basket, 

Setting beside her rocking chair,

And every sock that had a hole

Was sure to wind up there.

Many evenings she would spend, 

After working hard all day

Patching socks, or pants, or shirts, 

There never was time to play.

She always used to wear a dress,

And when the front wore through,

The back became an apron--

Or a shirt for me--"good as new"!!

In winter the boys wore wool,

The outside work was cold.

Shirts and pants turned into mittens

After they were old.

Bed comforters were sewn from scraps, 

Then filled with carded wool,

Backed by flannel, tied with yarn,

Our nights were warm when it was cool.

No matter how ragged or worn the piece, 

If there was a button,--any size 

Color, shape, two holes or four, 

Mom saved it like some precious prize!!

She didn't leave a lot in worldly goods

Just sacks and boxes of buttons remain

From worn out shirts, and coats, and dresses,

Some are pretty, most, very plain.

Grandmas' buttons in a jar,

A simple legacy left for us.

I hope you'll cherish this symbol

Of a life well lived with little pomp or fuss.

by June Duncan Oberg

My mom has carried on the tradition of living within our means.  This has helped shape me in more ways than one.  First of all, I have learned that a simple life is a good life.  We don't need all the "pomp or fuss" to be happy.  Second, I have learned that it is important to be grateful for what you have.  This is a cultural norm of the past, but we need to keep it alive.  Third, these buttons and poem remind me of my future calling as a homemaker.  Today so many mothers are in the work place, but because of influence from my family culture, I feel that my role is in the home.  This artifact is very important in my cultural identity.

Next, this picture of Cokeville represents my cultural identity.  

My hometown plays a HUGE role in who I am today.  Part of my culture is the small-town life.  I love the open spaces, knowing every one's names, and the unity that is felt in my hometown.  I loved growing up swimming in the river, riding bikes, coming home when the street lights came on, and all the other small-town luxuries that I got to enjoy.  The feeling I get every time I pull into Cokeville is indescribable.  There's just something about going home.  I don't think I'll ever be able to shake the culture of this town.

My last artifact that represents my cultural identity is my Young Women's medallion.  

This medallion represents the values I have learned by striving to live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Young Women values are values I try to pattern my life by.  They are:

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works

Integrity 

Virtue

To earn this medallion I had to do a lot of activities concerning these values that taught me more about the Savior and myself.  I learned perseverance.  I wasn't always consistent at keeping up with my Personal Progress, but just like the gospel, you don't have to be perfect at it.  Personal Progress is a process to help Young Women become closer to Christ.  That means sometimes we have to pick ourselves back up and get back on track.  This medallion is a symbol of my commitment to the gospel.  The temple reminds me of my goal to be sealed for eternity there.  The gospel and the principle of eternal families has been shaping my cultural identity from the day I was born, and I feel like this simple necklace represents that part of my identity.

While it is hard to chose only three artifacts that represent my cultural identity, I feel like my great-grandma's buttons accompanied by my grannie's poem, a picture of Cokeville, and my Young Women's medallion do a fairly good job.  

Girl things

So, this is what the girls at the White House did at about 12:30 last night.  A braid line!  

(LeChelly is taking the picture :) )

I just love these girls!  We have so much fun together and we've had some good late night talks this week.  Cheers to girl things! 

Just some views from the mountain today.

Have I mentioned that I can't get enough of being up here?!

Another Call

Rachel's going to the Micronesia/Guam mission!  I'm so so so excited for her!  She's been assigned to speak English, but there's a bunch of little islands in her mission that speak a bunch of different languages, so chances are she'll probably have to pick up some foreign dialect.  

I'm just so excited for her, and all of the girls getting their calls.  It's weird to me that I'm so excited and so look forward to these girls opening their calls, yet I'm not going.  I'm just not supposed to go right now.  Some moments I wish I was, some I'm glad I'm not.  I am so proud of everyone that decides to serve a mission though.  It is some TOUGH work!!  I know that Rachel is going to be a great missionary.  I have absolutely loved living with her.  She has such a strong testimony and the people of the Micronesian islands are SO lucky to have her coming to serve there for 18 months.  She's going to touch so many people with her light.  Even though I'm going to miss her so bad, I know that what she's doing is right!  TCOB Rach :)