Happy Halloween!!

Happy Halloween to all of you who actually read my blog!!

It's been another crazy week of college life but the things worth writing about have definitely happened within the last few days :)

So Friday was just basically awesome.  I went to a reading by an author who wrote the book that my Late Summer Honors class was based on.  His name is Brian Doyle and he is one FANTASTIC author and person.  During my Late Summer Honors class we were actually able to interview him and have a conversation with him over the phone.  I went to the reading with my friend Jason who was also part of my class.  We had an awesome time and were able to get Brian Doyle to sign our books.  It was pretty epic :) I was also able to go to the Temple again this week with my friends David and Sydney.  We actually took a picture too!! It's one of my favorites from this semester :)

So Saturday night was our Stake Halloween Party/Dance thing.  It was super fun.  Heather (my roommate) and I had probably some of the best costumes ever!  She was Mac and I was PC (from the commercials)  What made this even more funny is that Heather has a PC and I have a Mac.  We met up with some of our friends at the dance and had SO MUCH FUN!!!  Here are some pictures :D

"Hi. I'm Mac..."

"And I'm a PC."

Ummm...Hold on a second...What's wrong with this picture?

One of my FAVORITES of Heather and I.  I think this describes our relationship quite well :)

So this tie is from my guy friends' RA.  I learned how to tie it all by myself! I know it looks bad in this picture but at this point, I was super hot and tired.

Me with Snape...I mean Jordan...and David

ALEC!! He's a flower.  It made me smile :)

The Chicas!! PC, Mac and the Goddess Nike (aka Emily)

Yay group!! Well some of the guys I have no idea who they are...but I'm pretty sure they are in David, Alec and Jordan's Ward.

Today Heather and I got our mission call! This week Heather and I are going to live like missionaries for a week.  We made our own "Mission Rules" and goals for the week.  This means no Facebook for me!! It's going to be tough but I'm really excited.  It's going to be fun and a wonderful experience.  I can still Skype and get phone calls so...CALL ME :D

Things are Changing

Another week has gone by in the blink of an eye!  It went by so fast I'm trying to remember what exactly happened...

The highlights of the week:

• Had an awesome FHE making scripture cookies with my FHE brothers and sisters.  They were very good :-d
• Spent many hours (and many late nights) in the library this week studying and working on a paper.  Yay for my guy friends who are always willing to walk me home! :) You guys really are the best!
• Had the best dinner conversation EVER on Thursday night when my friends Tyler and David came over to eat with Heather and I.  It was so hard to eat because we were laughing the whole time :)
• I went to the Temple on Friday with one of my FHE brothers and had a really good time.  Following that, Heather and I had a Phantom of the Opera party in our room.  Our other friend Heather and our FHE brother Tyler came over to watch it and have pizza. Very fun :)
• Saturday Heather and I had a roomie date day :D We went to DI with our friend Emily to get stuff for Halloween costumes.  Then Heather and I went to Wal-Mart and dinner and the mall and a dollar movie :)  
• Today Heather and I went to a morning side at 7:00 AM!!! Then we came back and crashed/hung out until we went to church...in the POURING rain...my feet are still cold :(  I gave my first Relief Society lesson today and it went well, much better than I thought it would go.  :) Now Heather and I are just waiting to go to our hall meeting followed by Ward Prayer.  Then I'm going to tunnel singing if I don't pass out first xD

We found a duck for Jordan...

A suit jacket for me and a table cloth for Emily

On our roomie date, Heather and I saw this truck and thought "only in Utah" until we saw that it was from California

YAY ROOMIES!!!

YAY for normal looking roomies!! :)

In other news...it is FINALLY starting to be fall!! The leaves were BEAUTIFUL this week and it finally started to cool off :) I also completed my first week of training!! I don't know how many of you know, but I am running a 5K on Thanksgiving Day with my aunt, uncle and cousin.  I've been running every morning this week (except for today :) and will continue to run every Monday-Saturday until I race.  My friend Sydney usually runs with me which is awesome!! She hates running as much as I do :)

La Familia

This week was an ok week, not amazing but it could have been a whole lot worse.  The weekend was the best part of the week by far :) I had one class on Friday that was over at 10 and then I went to the Temple.  Apparently I picked an even more popular time to go that usual.  I left my dorm at 10:30 and was back at 1:00.  I went by myself but it was really nice and did not seem like that long.  It was wonderful to reflect and think about what had gone on that week.  I realized some things that I need to do in order to have a better semester and to be happier :)

I got home from the Temple and found a package from my mommy in the lobby of my hall and I also got a letter from a missionary in the mail the same day! It was very exciting :D Later that afternoon my grandparents came to pick me up to spend the weekend at their house.

So I LOVE my family so much! I'm sad that I don't come see them more often but I am going to try to come see them more often :D.  There are a few things you need to know about my family:

1) We are LOUD! If you're looking for a quite afternoon or a nice evening at dinner do not come with us :) We are crazy, obnoxious and oh so loud but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way.

2) We like to tease.  If you can't take a joke you will not fit in and will have a miserable time.  I realized how much I miss my family's teasing.  No one at school teases me and if they do it's just not the same.  That is how we show we love each other: through teasing and joking around.  Our common term of affection is "dork" So if I call you a dork, I don't mean it offensively.  I say it out of love ;)

3) We love being together.  Family gatherings are always fun.  Everyone is screaming and yelling and running around.  It's great :) We play games, shoot rockets, shop, talk, joke, and just goof off.  Favorite past times include short sheeting each other's beds, playing Pit and "Book of Mormon Thumps", sleeping, cooking and baking, eating, shopping, doing the "whipped cream in the hand and tickle the nose with a feather" thing while people are taking naps, and just sitting around the table with desserts and milk talking and telling funny stories about life's adventures.  I love it when I sit with my parents, aunts, uncles and grandparents and they tell me funny stories about each other when they were younger.  My favorite is hearing about my dad and the "cool" things that he did when he was a teenager.

4) We know how to party.  Ok so not really.  We know how to party like Cherrys and it's great :D We definitely have our own definition of a good time but it's all I've ever known and I LOVE it.

5) Everybody, ok so a majority, of my family's names start with the letter "M" It is very confusing when you are trying to call someone because you have to go through a list of about 8 or 9 people long before you get to the person you want.  My name is Meagan (obviously) and I have an Aunt MaryAnn.  Her children's names are Madison, Morgan, Marley and Mitchell.  My grandparent's used to have a dog named Molly and I have another cousin whose name is Emily but she goes by Em or Emmie.  We have a lot of M's.  It gets crazy but we all laugh because no one can remember anyones name.  But when I get married and have a family, I will not name my children with a name that starts with M.  I don't know if we could handle another generation of M's ;)

My family is crazy and loud and ridiculous but I love them with all my heart.  I do not know how I would survive without them.  I'm glad I went "home" this weekend.  I needed a good dose of teasing and Cherry humor.  I'm so glad that my grandparents and my parents and my aunts and uncles have been married and sealed in the Temple.  We can be together forever and it will be awesome! When I get married it will definitely be in the Temple so that the family that I have will be able to stay with me through eternity.  My family plays a huge part of my life and it is so great.  Family is really one of the greatest blessings ever given. Amo a mi familia.  (That's "I love my family" to you non-Spanish speakers ;)

poems, Poems, POEMS!

So I really like poems, like a lot :) I was reading through my journal I found some that I wrote down that I love.  I hope you enjoy :D

Walking in the Park
I didn't fall for you,
Or you for me;
Yet we were in love
In love with the world around us,
In love with beauty of life,
And we enjoyed each other's
     company
As friends.

“Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful”

Every day as I enter my room it stares at me,

That stunning poster.

The single white daisy among a dozen red roses.

“Be your own kind of beautiful,” the subtitle reads.

I never thought much about that poster until tonight.

As I was getting ready to go out, I looked at that poster as I was doing my make-up.

“Be your own kind of beautiful” the daisy seemed to whisper to me.

I reflected on the thought wondering if I was my own kind of beautiful.

I know I’m not beautiful by worldly standards,

I’m not a size zero, paper thin, bronzed goddess.

Nor am I the fair, thin, princess with dainty feet.

The more I think, the more I realize that I AM my own kind of beautiful.

I care enough to make myself look nice,

I’m not drop dead gorgeous,

But I am beautiful in my own way.

With a smile on my face and confidence in my steps

I am my own kind of beautiful.

I am the single daisy

Marching out into a world of roses in my four inch heels

Beaming from ear to ear and walking with poise.

“Be your own kind of beautiful”

The best advice a poster has ever given.

The Dance

A dance is a simple thing.

One song, two people.

One movement, one connection.

Holding each other close,

Moving to the beat.

Swaying and gliding

Across the floor.

You don’t need to talk,

The song says everything.

Describing everything you want to say

But can’t find the words to speak

His hand on her waist.

Hers on his shoulder.

The others together

Resting on his chest.

A dance is a special thing.

An easy way to show you care.

Whether it’s in the kitchen,

Or in the gym;

Out in a parking lot,

Or under a street light,

It holds a million memories

Some may say a dance is a dance

But it’s more.

It’s a living, moving thing.

It has a life and a feeling

Of it’s own.

A dance is a simple thing.

One song, two people.

That’s all you need.

Rise and Shout the Cougars are Out!!

Even though the week was filled with clouds and rain, it was such an awesome week for Homecoming!

Monday-It was a long, rough day on Monday.  I got caught in a horrific rain storm going to my last class of the day.  I was soaking wet and very cold...I had a lot of stuff to get done so I ended up spending THREE HOURS in the library doing homework.  The day ended well though when my friend Alec walked me home from the library (it was after 10:00 and I did not want to walk across campus by myself...)

Tuesday-Homecoming officially started with the devotional that ended up being more like one giant pep rally.  I took my last of my first chunk of mid-terms and only missed three questions! Tuesday night, Heather and I hiked the Y.  It was so much fun! Since it was homecoming, they also lit the Y and it looks AWESOME at night time down in the valley.

Provo from part way up the mountain.

Provo from the actual Y

 

Heather and I on the Y looking down at Provo

Wednesday-I had an amazing Book of Mormon class on Wednesday.  We learned about the Isaiah prophecies in 2 Nephi and how they applied to our day.  It was very interesting and my professor makes it seem so easy to understand.  My favorite part was when my professor said to the guys, "Guys, when you see a nice looking girl, you KNOW how long it took her to look that good. Compliment her ok? And girls when you see a good looking guy just think 'golden wedge of Ophir'" If you're really interested in knowing what I'm talking about the reference is 2 Nephi 23:12.  Look it up. It's good stuff.  Later that night for more Homecoming activities, Heather and I went to Mr. BYU.  It was so much fun! I decided that my friend Alec needs to be in it when he gets back from his mission...we'll see how that goes ;) The winner's first order of business was to say the closing prayer. Only at BYU...

Thursday-David and I attempted to go to True Blue Football, where they spray down one of the fields with this blue foam stuff and there are football games, volleyball games and slip and slides.  It looked like so much fun but the line was ridiculously too long so we decided to not go :( 

Friday-I went to the Provo Temple again.  It was so nice! I love being able to live within walking distance of a Temple.  When I got back Heather and I sort of hung out in our room for a while before we decided we should probably get something accomplished.  So at 9:15 Friday night we packed up our bags and went to the library.  It was dead. There was absolutely NO ONE there.  Which I suppose can be expected for it being so late on a FRIDAY night.  Oh well.  I actually did get some things done which is good :)

Saturday-Definitely my favorite day of the week! So Emily called me Saturday morning to see if I wanted to go to the parade with her.  I told her to give me 15 minutes to get dressed and I'd be over.  So at 10:00 Emily and I along with Jordan and his roommate Connor and R.A. Curtis watched the parade.  It was a lot of fun and I came home with a pocket full of candy...not a bad way to start the day :)  After the parade, I came home and got ready.  Heather and I ate lunch then she went to go run some errands while I waited for Emily and David to come over so the four of us could go to the game together.  When Heather got back the four of us trekked across campus with the million other people to go watch the game.  It was lots of fun and we actually won!! We broke our four game losing streak!!

Roomies!!!

Heather, me and David

Las chicas: Emily, Heather and I

Y Mountain at sunset. Isn't it beautiful? I still can't believe that I hiked up that!

SEE?!?! We actually won!

After the game we all headed back to our respective dorms and I helped Heather get ready for the dance.  Jordan and David came over and Jordan and Heather went off to the dance (they looked so beautiful/handsome :) and David and I went over to the soccer game which was a lot of fun too.  After the soccer game David walked me home and I sat on the couch and worked on uploading/editing some of pictures while watching Mythbusters.  Heather got back from the dance and I passed out on the couch that is currently living in our kitchen because we haven't moved it back to our room.  

Sunday-Today I gave my first talk in a singles ward.  It ended up being really short but that's ok.  Relief Society was good and Sunday School was way more entertaining than it should have been.  Heather made a DELICIOUS dinner from the meager ingredients that we had in our kitchen.  I love Sundays! They are such an awesome day and they are such a relief.  I love having one day where I don't have to worry about anything, I can just sit and relax and enjoy time with my roommate and ward members and occasionally my other friends :)

A Week in the Life of ME!

I can't believe how fast the weeks (especially the weekends) fly by here!  I've been at school for almost two months! Yet it still seems like I just moved in and that I've lived here forever.  So let's see, what has happened this week...

First, it was my second of three weeks of mid-terms.  I took my American Heritage Exam and my Child Development exam this past week, my Book of Mormon exam the week before and next week I'm taking my Physical Science exam.  Then in another three weeks will be my next set of mid-terms. Oh the joy!

For FHE (family home evening) with my pseudo family, we learned how to latin dance.  One of my "brothers" is from the Dominican Republic so he taught us and it was so much fun! It's really fun having FHE every week.  It's nice getting to know our little family better :D Speaking of our family...we are in charge of Sacrament Meeting next week so Heather and I along with one of our brothers, are giving talks next week.  We'll see how that goes...

Tuesday night was AWESOME!! My roommate Heather and I went with our friends Alec, Jordan and David to an a cappella show.  It was so amazing!  It is crazy what people can do with their voices.  In addition to being entertained by Mister Tim's musical stylings, he also gave us a quick lesson on how to beat box.  As we left the show Alec declared that he needs a mic.  David suggested one of the toy ones with a spring in it so it echos.  My friends are pretty much the most awesome people on the planet :D

Thursday was my most productive day all week.  I spent about 4 hours in the Eyring Science Center (in 3 separate trips mind you) and a good 5 hours in the library (between two trips).  I got all of my lab write-ups and a pre-write for my child development paper done in my first trip then I went back later that night and whipped out my 8 page paper in 2 1/2 hours.  I was pretty proud of myself.  My brain was fried but I left the library at 9 which was a full hour earlier than I was planning on :D Since I was so productive and Heather had gone out, I went over to my other friend Emily's dorm and we talked and learned about photosynthesis for a couple of hours.  It was nice because we haven't really talked in what seems like FOREVER!!

Let's see, on Friday the highlight was definitely going to the temple with Heather and Jordan followed by hanging out with Heather and her friend Aaron.  We went to the science center and wandered around campus for a bit before meeting up with Sydney and finding David and we headed over to the Creamery for ice cream.

Yesterday, Heather and I watched General Conference.  It was pretty much amazing :) Alex and Sydney came over for the second session then we ate dinner and watched Pride and Prejudice.  It was my first time watching that movie and I am now in love with it.  Thanks a lot Sydney ;)

And finally today! Heather and I went with her brother and sister-in-law to the morning session.  It is such an amazing experience to go and actually be IN the Conference Center.  I LOVE General Conference weekend. It is such a great weekend :) Now Heather and I are just chilling in our dorm, talking to our families, well I'm trying to contact my family...they're not answering the phone :( Then we are going to go tunnel singing with some of our friends later tonight.

YAY! This post isn't too terribly long and I'm keeping up with one of my goals for this semester! We'll see how I do by the end.