Pictures of me

Here you go, mom, pictures of me! Taken by Hannah on Sunday evening, when we were all outside.

Dinner

I actually ate healthily tonight. Well, more healthy than my lunch, and better than other nights. I had rice and peas.


My dinner of rice and peas. And roll. And Dr. Pepper (bad. must stop).


Geneil doing something.... Yeah. I like taking candid photos of her because it bugs her.


Shanelle trying to stick her ice cream cone in my face.


The cafeteria. Interesting, I know. I just like to take pictures.

Rosh ha-shanah

Last night was the beginning of the Jewish holiday, Rosh ha-shanah. To begin the holiday, the Jews blow trumpets, one long blast, several short blasts, and another long. The first long blast is a symbol of hope. The short blasts are tears of repentance, and the last long blast is asking God for forgiveness. And they pray and read scriptures that specifically ask that God remember them.

On the night that Rosh ha-shanah began in 1827, three things were going on: The Jews were praying and blowing their trumpets. Joseph Smith Jr. received the gold plates from the angel Moroni. And Heber C. Kimball had a vision. Note: at this time, Heber C. Kimball did not know of the Restoration.

I had retired to bed, when John P. Greene, who was living within a hundred steps of my house, came and waked me up, calling upon me to come out and behold the scenery in the heavens. I woke up and called my wife and Sister Fanny Young, who was living with us, and we went out of doors.

It was one of the most beautiful starlight nights, so clear that we could see to pick up a pin. We looked to the eastern horizon, and beheld a white smoke arise toward the heavens; as it ascended it formed itself into a belt, and made a noise like the sound of a mighty wind, and continued southwest, forming a regular bow dipping in the western horizon. After the bow had formed, it began to widen out and grow clear and transparent, of a bluish cast; it grew wide enough for contain twelve men abreast.

In this bow an army moved, commencing from the east and marching to the west; they continued marching until they reached the western horizon. They moved in platoons, and walked so close that the rear ranks trod in the steps of their file leaders, until the whole bow was literally crowded with soldiers. We could distinctly see the muskets, bayonets ... and could discover the forms and features of the men.

The most profound order existed throughout the entire army; when the foremost man stepped, every man stepped at the same time; I could hear the steps. When the front rank reached the western horizon a battle ensued, as we could distinctly hear the report of arms and the rush.

No man could judge my feelings when I beheld that army of men, as plainly as ever I saw armies of men in the flesh; it seemed as though every hair of my head was alive. This scenery we gazed upon for hours, until it began to disappear.

After I became acquainted with Mormonism, I learned that this took place the same evening that Joseph Smith received the records of the Book of Mormon from the angel Moroni.

Isn't that pretty much the most awesome thing ever!! I'm not sure what it means, but it's cool.

Sunday Evening....

Hannah



Katelin



Geneil

We didn't feel like going inside after dinner, so we didn't. The end.

It's Thundering!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just wanted to share that little bit of joy with you. I love thunder!!

Stroll Downtown...

Yesterday me and Brad went for a walk. He had to go to the bank, but when we got there we found out it was closed. So we went looking for the Wendy's. It wasn't very fun, but it took up a good chunk of the morning and gave us something to do.


Main street looking one direction.



Main street looking the other direction.



Pretty red motorcycle that reminds me of New Moon.



The Post Office. Or I'm assuming it was the post office at one time. Now it's probably the post office and something else too.

Update

Well, there were all these things I meant to blog about, but I just kept putting it off and now I forgot. But there are somethings I remember. So here we go.

I saw this thing the other day that said:

1. Good grades
2. Social life
3. Adequate sleep

Pick 2.

Welcome to college.

So true.

The other day at dinner they were serving these cupcakes:



Doesn't it look just like the ones in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film that Hermione uses to put Crabbe and Goyle to sleep? OK, not JUST like them, but similar! I just thought that was funny.

Tonight they had "Italian Night" in the cafeteria. They had cheezy Italian music playing, and stuff. The food was all out on a buffet style table all fancy, and it was WAY better than the food they normally serve! In true Lila fashion I took a picture of my dinner:


I forgot to take a picture until after I'd started eating my salad, though, so it looks rather depleted in this picture. Oh well.

Tomorrow I am performing for my voice studio class. I really hope it goes well!!!

blogging from my iPhone

I'm at dinner. Testing out my phone.


HISTORY EXAM PART III

I got a 50/50 for a perfect 100% on my history exam!!!

History Exam Part II

So, at 1:00 I had my History exam. The professor passed out the test, I got mine at about 1:02 or so. I was walking out of the classroom at 1:17. That's about 3 questions a minute. How insane is that?!

History Exam

I've got a history exam tomorrow, and I went to a review session today. I had fun highlighting stuff, and it made my notes look really pretty. Ha ha ha.



I just noticed that if you click on the picture and make it big, you can actually read my notes. That's kinda funny.

Forever Amber

I've had this old book in my possession for a while, and--- huh, probably should have taken a picture of it before I took the cover off... Anyway, I ripped off the old blue cover and drew pictures on it. The first is a picture of the dress that Amber wears at the beginning of the novel, and the back is the dress she wears at the end. In the beginning, she's just Amber St. Clare from Marygreen, in the end she's Amber Stanhope, Duchess of Ravenspur and mistress to King Charles. Takes place in England in the 1660s. Sorry the pictures are so bad quality, but I do what I can with an iPhone, which is still not activated....

60 Posts!!

Half of which have been in the last month, no doubt. Kind of backwards, no?

Here are some pictures of the campus here, mostly for mom, because... uh, because.


The clock tower during the day.



The clock tower at night.



Old Main, the oldest building on campus. Incidentally, the first building on campus.



Uh, whatever this is. It's the newest building, that's all I know.

There's this thing, I like to cal it the "Smart People" Shrine. Mom loves it. I didn't want to take pictures of ALL the smart people, so I just took pictures of the people I liked. Enjoy.


William Shakespeare



Albert Einstein



Thomas Jefferson



Leonardo da Vinci

Emma's Pirate Costume

Hey, Em, here's your costume.  It's your black boots, your skirt, the Jack Sparrow scarf from the Halloween box, the white eyelet shirt from Halloween box (or another white shirt), and mom's white bleached bandanna. Wear with random jewelry, lots of it.  And make ONE hoop earring maybe.  Here you go:

The Tony Award Winning Shakespearean Festival

Yeah, I pretty much live there. Here are pictures of it for you.



This is the ticket office, I assume.





These are the seats, from the outside.


I used to be able to go in through these gates:





But they were locked. So I went around the back of the theatre and used the stairs:




Honestly, there is no way to keep someone out of that theatre if they have a mind to get inside. I'm amazed it still looks so pretty, if anyone can get in. Here's some pictures of the stage.




I'm not sure what remodeling they're doing, it wasn't there last week.

Found this...

...On my uncle's blog. Thought it was SWEET so decided to share.

Weekends...

Weekends are boring. Today my plan was to get up, do laundry, and then go look for a job. But all the washing machines were full. I'm probably going to do my laundry on Monday morning, because I have a break then, and most people will probably be in class and stuff. Hopefully. Cross your fingers.

I've got two places to go apply for jobs today. I applied at Smith's during the week, and today I'm going to go to Arby's and Dairy Queen because they're close enough that I could walk if I had to. I'm really hoping I actually get a job, because I REALLY need one.

Drawings

So, during Institute, I like to draw. I also found that that's the only time my little doodles ever come out good, so I figured I'd share them.



This is what I did on Tuesday, when I had Water Night stuck in my head. (to hear the song, use the mp3 player on the left side of the page and scroll down to Water Night in the choral section)





I did this the Thursday after my first voice lesson.




I did this today. The arrow and the water wheel are from my voice lesson. The flag is for 9-11, today.

More Churchy Things

In institute, we're currently studying Nephi's vision of the Tree of Life. Here's a few interesting things I learned.

Someone said a quote that I liked, so here it is:

Don't have a hard, cold heart. The Holy Ghost doesn't have time to chip away the ice.

Today we learned that Joseph Smith Sr. had a vision of the Tree of Life in 1811. I didn't know that! I thought it was so cool. Imagine being the prophet Joseph, and translating 1st Nephi, and reading the vision and being like, "Hey, Dad, guess what I translated today. You know that dream you had a few years ago? Yeah. It's in the Book of Mormon." I thought it was really cool, so I'm going to write it here. Wish me luck!

I thought I was traveling in an open, desolate field which appeared to be very barren. As I was thus traveling, the thought suddenly came into my mind that I had better stop and reflect upon what I was doing before I went any farther. So I asked myself, "What motive can I have traveling here, and what can this place be?"

My guide, who was by my side as before, said, "This is teh desolate world, but travel on." The road was so broad and barren that I wondered why I should travel in it, for, said I to myself, "Broad is the road, and wide is the gate that leads to death, and many there be that walk therein; but narrow is the way, and straight is the gate that leads to everlasting life, and few there be that go in thereat."

Traveling a short distance further, I came to a narrow path. This path I entered, and, hen I had traveled a little way in it, I beheld a beautiful stream of water which ran from the east to the west. Of this stream I could see neither the source nor yet the mouth, but as far as my eyes could extend I could see a rope, running along the bank of it about as high as a man could reach, and beyond me was a low but very pleasant valley in which stood a tree such as I had never seen before. It was exceedingly handsome, insomuch that I looked upon it with wonder and admiration. Its beautiful branches spread themselves somewhat like an umbrella, and it bore a kind of fruit, in shape much like a chestnut bur, and as white as snow, or, if possible, whiter. I gazed upon the same with considerable interest, and as I was doing so, but burs or shells commenced opening and shedding their particles, or the fruit which they contained, which was of dazzling whiteness. I drew near and began to eat of it, and I found it delicious beyond description.

As I was eating, I said in my heart, "I cannot eat this alone, I must bring my wife and children, that they may partake with me." Accordingly, I went and brought my family, which consisted of a wife and seven children, and we all commenced eating and praising God for this blessing. We were exceedingly happy, insomuch that our joy could not easily be expressed.

While thus engaged, I beheld a spacious building, standing opposite the valley which we were in, and it appeared to reach to the very heavens. It was full of doors and windows, and they were all filled with people, who were very finely dressed. When these people observed us in the low valley, under the tree, they pointed the finger or scorn at us, and treated us with all manner of disrespect and contempt. But the contumely we utterly disregarded.

I presently turned to my guide and inquired of him the meaning of the fruit that was so delicious. He told me it was the pure love of God, shed abroad in the hearts of all those who love him and keep his commandments. He then commanded me to go and bring the rest of my children. I told him that we were all there. "No," he replied, "look yonder, you have two more, and you must bring them also." Upon raising my eyes, I saw two small children standing some distance off. I immediately went to them and brought them to the tree, upon which they commenced eating with the rest, and we all rejoiced together. The more we ate, the more we seemed to desire, until we even got down upon our knees and scooped it up, eating it by double handfuls.

After feasting in this manner a short time, I asked my guide what was the meaning of the spacious building which I saw. He replied, "It is Babylon. It is Babylon and it must fall. The people in the doors and windows are the inhabitants thereof, who scorn and despise the Saints of God because of their humility." I soon awoke, clapping my hands together for joy.

Isn't that just so awesome!! I especially love the bit about the two other children, and they all eat it on their hands and knees, stuffing their faces, ha ha. It reminded me of Willy Wonka. Apparently Bro. Staples thought of it to, but he couldn't remember what it was called.

My Testimony

I'm not sure why I suddenly thought that I should write this here, but I did, so here you go.

It was fast Sunday this last Sunday, and I didn't stand up to bear my testimony. I did write it in my journal, and I felt that I should write it here, too, so people can read it, so this is exactly word for word what I wrote.

"It's testimony meeting. I don't think I'm going to get up, but I want to bear my testimony here, in my journal. I know that God is there for us. That is really something I've learned these last two weeks, especially because I was sick for the first two days. I was more homesick and lonely than I would have EVER believed possible. And I knew that the only way I could get by was with the Lord's help. I've never WANTED to read my scriptures before. I always knew that I should, and so I did, because it was was expected of me. But until I moved out on my own, I never felt that I wanted to read the scriptures because I WANTED the help. I know that the Lord is there for me, even when it feels like no one else is."

Epiphany

Before I started college, I remember thinking about how college students always seemed to be doing certain things. Things like eating on the run, eating cheap food, being sleep deprived, wearing the first thing they could throw on out of their closets. The other day, I realized something. It's not because we choose to do those things, but that we have no other choice. Yes, for the first week or so, with our newfound freedom, we choose to stay up late, and eat junk food, and sleep until we have to wear the first thing we see when we wake up. But now that I'm getting into the swing of things, I realize that college students don't do that stuff because they want to, they do it because they can't afford to go to bed early enough to wake up in time to wear a decent outfit. We are busy, and we eat on the run. We are poor, so we buy cheap food. I used to think college students were the way they were because they wanted to be. But now that I am one, I realize that it's because that's what we have to become in order to BE a college student.

If you could make sense of that madness, kudos to you.

Back To Old Header

I've decided I don't like this new header, so I'm going back to the old one.

New Header

As you may have noticed, I'm trying out a new header. I don't really like it, what do you think? Please comment and let me know, Yea or Nay. Thanks!

Football....

I don't particularly like football. I only stayed for half of the game. At halftime, we were up 35 to 0, so I left. But I did get some pictures. So here you go:




This is the back of the shirt of the guy in front of me. I don't know who he was, but I have reason to suspect he's European.




This is my friends. Yes, wow, I have wonderful grammar. You can tell it's 12:20 am! Anyway, from back to front, that's Katelin, Alli, Hannah, and Gwen.




I think this is kickoff, but I'm not actually sure.




Lila, this one's for you. But I suppose Mom and Shannon can have a crack at it too. If you didn't know who that was, who would you think that was? Having trouble guessing? Think like me, it'll come to you.




And this is the massive red crowd. Just thought it made a nice picture.

Finger Painting!!!

So, our floor activity last night was fingerpainting. My right index finger may never be the same. It is permanently pink. And I didn't even use pink. I used purple a lot, though... So here's illustration for you of the different paintings I did:



This is the floor before we started. They cleared the living room and put down TONS of newspaper. It was pretty sweet.



This was my first painting, because I had no idea what to do.




After that I got a little artistic. I really like this tree, actually. It took about 30 seconds to do.




This is a funny face. I'm not exactly sure what I was trying to do. I was thinking green + purple = Joker, but it didn't really work...




And, of course, seeing that red paint, and the way it smears ever so nicely under my fingertips, I just HAD to do a Joker face. They didn't have any black paint, so I ripped circles out of a black piece of paper. Nice, isn't it? (I actually threw it out. It wasn't cool enough for me.)