Brittany's Birthday :)

Today my beautiful roommate turns 20. Woohoo!
In celebration we are going to go out to eat for dinner with a group of friends.

Speaking of groups of friends, I feel like I've made a lot of new friends this semester.
That is a fantastic feeling.

I've become a lot closer to Sean and David.
They're boys at the institute (Sean was the first student I talked to at the institute. David is his brother.)
They're super nice.
Also we (and by we I mean Brittany, Jenkin, and I) met this guy named Justin at the dance last weekend.
He's great, very funny.
I've also become friends with Ali, Zac, and Joseph. They're in my art history class.
Also, this boy named Anthony has been hanging out with us lately.
He's quite hilarious.

I seriously have the funniest people in my life.
I feel like I'm constantly laughing around them.
I love it.
So much.

Now, the happenings in my wonderful life..
I went shopping with Becky! She needed business clothes and didn't have any. So we had a fun time (because neither of us like shopping so it was easy and quick. Perfect.) :)
Last weekend there was a dance (it was technically a Valentine's Day dance, but whatev).
It was quite enjoyable!
They played Singled Out and I won a date with Jenkin.
Victoria won a date with Ben.
Anthony won a date with another girl.

That night we met Justin and went to IHOP after the dance.
We also longboarded (I love it. I want one.).
That was Lyndsay, Brittany, Justin, Jenkin, and I.

Me being all pro'd out on the board.

Lyndsay and Brittany

Jenkin and Justin

That was really fun. We were up super late.

The next night we went to see a movie together. Then we went back to our apartment and hung out. It was really fun. That group was Brittany, Jenkin, Justin, David, and Sean.

The week held many tests and homework assignments, some of which did not get done (I hate group work...)  it was good. Most of the tests went pretty well though.

I got a 99% on my Italian test.

And a 90% on my psych quiz.

Yay!

Still waiting to hear about my Nutrition and Art History tests though.

I talked to Tyler (friend from high school) for like an hour and a half on Thursday night, it was great catching up.

Zac and I finished a crossword puzzle. Okay, honestly I only helped with the last like 4 clues. But I helped FINISH it so I think that should count.

On Thursday Zac, Jenkin, and I all matched accidentally. It was pretty tender.

Our blue rectilinear patterns.

Isn't that just adorable? Also on Thursday I was invited to this scholarship awards thing, I thought it was just a dinner or something so I invited my mentor (Kathleen) to come with me. She did and it was absolutely fantastic seeing her. The dinner dealio was actually an awards ceremony and they called everyone up individually to get a certificate of academic excellence. That was pretty cool I guess.

After the awards thing and the crossword finishing Justin came to the institute with his longboard (I want.) and we did that for awhile and then went to Which Witch which is the most fantastic sandwich shop ever. Okay not really, but it definitely beat out Subway in my book. It was suuuuuuuper tasty. Then we longboarded some more and had a grand ole time.

Friday night was fun. I went to Target with Sarah! I never seem to hang out with her anymore.

There was another dance, it was actually this whole activity at Old Tucson for the YSA wards. I missed the gun show, which was sad. But the dance was great. I danced like a crazy person.

It was actually gross how much I was sweating. Bleh.

Zac and I rocked out to Bulletproof and So What. That was super fun. We were great together.

I also loved dancing with Bethany, Victoria, Anthony, and Lyndsay. We had a killer group going.

I didn't enjoy the speaker at the activity, but she talked about marriage so that isn't surprising.

After the dance we went to QT and got drinks and then went to Brittany and my apartment and talked until like 1:30. It was a really good night.

I worked out 2 times this week AND danced like a maniac last night. I hurt. Haha.

I'm on this kick where I feel like I'm not healthy so I've decided to start working out.
It'll probably go away next week, but its been nice while it lasted.

I'm starting to look for housing. I want to find a house or apartment with a yard. And roommates that will let me have my dog. I miss her greatly.

Great quotes:
Anthony: "I love fruits, like if I were Adam I would have already eaten the apple you know?"
Justin: "Do guys have a manstration period..?"
Jenkin: "His voice IS going to fade. The next day. BECAUSE of this song." (referring to a metal core singer)
Jenkin: "Cuz that could be showing too. It happens-- A LOT."
Bethany: "I bought new laundry detergent...?" (We asked if she had changed anything lately because she is on fire if you know what i mean.)
Kalee: "Her tiny clinging hairs are presents. They are tokens of her canine affection."
Brittany: "I just got flipped off by an eighty year old woman for no reason!"
Sarah and me: "Turn. Left. NO." (it was written on the road backwards so you read it as you drove but it was on a hill so you could see the whole thing..)
Bert: "Like brisk pine kissed by the dews of heaven" (it rained. MMmmmmmmmmmmm)
Bert: "Hey guys.... Hey Jenkin <3..." (you could hear the heart in his voice.)
Zac: "I love semantics. They're pretty much my fave."
Zac: "I love that I could hear you say "oh crap" during the art history test Chanda, because that's what I was thinking too."

I love my friends.
I do believe I am surrounded by the best people that this dear little life has to offer.

Chanda

The Cure to Sinus Infections

I think I have a sinus infection.
But I'm not certain.
I keep getting headaches.
And my sinuses (sini?) hurt.
But I can breathe out of my nose and it isn't runny or anything.
So that's strange.

I looked up home remedies to sinus infections.
Haha, there are some interesting things people suggest doing.
I took garlic and honey.
And vitamin C.
And echinacea.
And then I attempted an oil pull...
That was weird.

But today I feel the same plus with a little sore throat.
Dang.
I think I might need to go see a doctor :)
But I don't have a doctor here.
So I might just wait it out a bit longer.

In other news,
I'm going to a dance and a play (The Shape of Things) this weekend.
I'm pretty excited about both of those occurrences.

I also have a psych test tomorrow, and art history test on Tuesday,
and I had an Italian test yesterday.
uuugh.
But I took a nutrition quiz and got a 95% on it.
It was online and I had 4 hours to take it, so thats really not very impressive.
But I didn't look at my book and I did it in less than 5 minutes.
So I guess it was stupid.
But that's okay.

I got a Valentine's day card from my friend Kim :)
That made my afternoon.

I hate Valentine's day.
But I love that she sent me a card.

I played ping pong with my friend Sterling today.
That was great. I'm slowly getting better.

I also saw my dad last weekend.
I got to drive his Mini.
It was fantastic.
I very much enjoyed myself.
(Once I mostly got the hang of a stick shift again..)

I also fed the missionaries.

I've had a fairly productive week.

I'm going to go do more reading or homework or studying or something.

Chanda C.

Carrot Bread and Snogging

I had a Nutrition chapter test yesterday.
I thought it was for chapter one...
....
Yeah, it was for chapter 1 AND 2.
Oops.
I think I did alright though :)

And I got a 93% on my Italian! :)

Yesterday Bethany, Lyndsay, and I made carrot cake.

Or that is what it was supposed to be anyway.

We used the Institute's food processor to shred the carrots.

There was A LOT of juice so Bethany got worried that they were pureed.

So we used a recipe for pureed carrot cake.

But they were definitely shredded.

We also used half whole wheat flour.

It was THICK.

It tastes alright. Not quite sweet enough but very ... wholesome.

We still had carrots left over from the cake, so after some debate we went and I got in a bit of a carrot fight with Jenkin.

It was fun.

The carrots would leave my hand in a ball but splat EVERYWHERE when they hit Jenkin.

I very much enjoyed myself.

After that we went to Victoria's and watched Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging.

CHEESY movie.

But it was funny. I enjoyed it.

If they hadn't had British accents I don't think I would have enjoyed it.

Haha.

Funny quotes with pictures:

Bethany, me, and Lyndsay

Soooo many carrots!

Sooo many pans.

Victoria

After the carrot fight (which I totally dominated).

Bethany wrote me a fantastic song last night. But it isn't really appropriate to share on my blog....

Victoria (dropped something out of the freezer): EEK!!! ..... (looked at me, staring at her) that was too much?

Me: way too much.

Victoria (after our debate about who to throw carrots at): But ya know, throwing carrots at people isn't something you just do to anyone.

Bethany (while watching the movie and after already mentioned the amount of old people extras): What is with these people on their hover rounds!??! They're everywhere!!!

Bert (while I was shredding carrots and couldn't hear him): (making lots of crazy hand motions, and air fighting) (I turn off the food processor) ...and that was what happened in TRAD today.

HAHAHA.

I love my friends.

Today my dad may or may not be coming to visit me. If he doesn't then I'm going to hopefully get gelato with Bert and then I'm feeding the missionaries with maybe Bert and Jenkin and maybe Bethany and Lyndsay.

I also need to do laundry.

My life is so repetitive.

Chanda C.

Always Something New

Last Saturday was great.

I did laundry at my aunt's house.

Jenk came with me, it was fun.
He "pulled quarters" out of my cousin's ears. They were fascinated.

After laundry we went to The Green Hornet with Bert and Sarah.

It was a good movie! A lot of language, which is unfortunate. But still good.

Then I dropped Bert and Sarah off and started driving to drop off Jenkin, but then we realized it was only 10:00. You can't go to bed at 10:00 pm on a SATURDAY night. Especially since none of us had church until 1:00.

So we picked Bert back up and then kidnapped Amy.

Then we went to my apartment and watched Anchorman.

That movie is ridiculous.

It was a good night.

Sunday was a good day.

Linger longer after church was delicious as always.

Then I hung out with Jenkin again.

Yesterday someone that has been upset with me said hi to me.

It was weird.

But very appreciated.

I've been impressed with how many people have gotten past differences.

I was seriously concerned about social life at UA this semester.

But so far it seems to be moving along quite nicely.

This week has been busy. It just goes by so quickly.

I have 5 classes back to back on Mondays and Wednesdays.

It makes the day go by quickly, but I get so much information thrown at me.

Its ridiculous.

I am so thankful for the classes I'm taking.

They're fascinating. I love what I'm learning. Which makes it easier to learn.

I was listening to Italian radio last night and Circle of Life played (but it was in Italian).

Brittany made some seriously fantastic brownies last night too.

Mmmmm.

I'm so lucky to be rooming with her.

This semester is so much less stressful than last semester.

And considerably less stressful than I was expecting it to be.

I'm thankful for my classes, my roommate, forgiveness, and for people who care enough to hang out doing nothing.

Chanda C.