So Far So Good

Two weeks into winter semester and things are going very well. For those of you who don't know, I am taking 14 credits: Moral Foundations of Family Life, Western Literature II, Clogging, Basketball, Choir, ASL, and Introduction to Teaching Seminary. I love all of my classes! My schedule and work load are the best I can remember ever having. It is really nice to be able to sit and read Harry Potter or another book and not have to worry about procrastinating homework. I don't know how long this will last, but I've enjoyed it so far.

A couple weeks ago we had a ward snow fest where we played capture the flag. My team's name was Big Birds Army (like Dumbledore's Army, but not). We had a lot of fun, but we lost. I am still the activities committee co-chair. Fortunately, this semester's activities will not be as stressful as last semester's activities.

As for the ward, there are lots of new people in the ward, which is really nice. There is a small group of us that go tunnel singing on Sunday nights after ward prayer, which I haven't done since I was in Nauvoo. I've been asked on two dates already this semester, so I am feeling good about that area of my life right now, too. There isn't much more to report than that.

Remember Lot's Wife

This was an amazing BYU Devotional given this past week. I felt like he was speaking directly to me. I am so grateful I could hear this talk. Listen to it, it's amazing!

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1819&tid=2

Pictures in the Park

The day after Christmas we took these pictures at a park nearby us. So you know, I am back in Provo starting my final semester at BYU! I am very excited, needless to say!

 

  

  

 
 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

 
 

The Kelly Elfs

Check out this link to see us... it's hilarious! Mel did this for us.
http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/xpogyk58diuRWjwrXrKl

One Year Older and Wiser, Too!

Happy Birthday to me!! Yes, I am officially getting old, but I'm not old yet (I had to say that before someone commented on that fact). I'm not bragging, but I'm still pretty young and limber. Okay, so not THAT limber, but enough to say that that is why I decided to go to the tumbling gym with some of my friends! Before going, I spent the afternoon after class making my favorite whole wheat cinnamon rolls. Sorry, I didn't take a picture for all you starving readers of mine!

That night me and nine others went to the tumbling gym in Provo. It was so much fun!! I felt like a little kid again and I didn't care who saw me. I was happy and having a blast.  The tumbling gym had lots of spring floors like are used by gymnasts to do the floor routine. They also had some trampolines and a hug pit full of square foam pieces. There was a rope that you could swim into the pit or you could jump into it from a trampoline. That was my favorite part of the gym. We had fun throwing foam pieces at each other, especially when we were jumping in. When you jumped in, the foam kind of sinks you in and it is really hard to get out. I got buried in it and eventually learned some tricks to get out of the pit quickly so others could jump in. Another part of the gym was a room with a blow up hamster wheel type of thing. I will post a picture of it. We could run on it like a hamster or we could sit inside of it and be flipped around. It felt like a roller coaster's flip, but over and over. I loved it. It was funny because I was screaming and laughing just like I do on rides. I kind of wished Amanda were there with me because she does the same thing. The other part of the gym had trampolines, runways, and cushions to land on. For a while we watched Troy Taylor (one of my Home Teachers) do back flips and try to teach John Mahler how to do a back flip. That was pretty funny.
    After the tumbling gym, we all came back to my apartment for cinnamon rolls and ice cream and we just talked. I could tell I was in a really good mood because I was saying some pretty funny things. For example, two of my roommates have a huge obsession with two of the main actors in Prince Caspian. When someone saw that we had the movie, they said something about it and I said that they currently had an obsession with it. When one of the guys guessed it might the cute boys, I knew I was in trouble (since one of those roommates likes another one of the guys that was there) so I covered it up by saying that it really was Aslan they were obsessed with. I went off saying that I had a hug poster in my room and tons of stuffed lions on my bed and that I had a lion under my bed (along with everything else). By then they knew I was kidding, but it was a pretty funny cover up. I didn't care how foolish I sounded though. I know that this post doesn't sound like I'm any wiser than I was last year, but I assure you that I am! :)

Oscars Night!

This was the second annual Oscars Night in my ward and this year I was one of the two people in charge. I acted as the MC for night and collected all the movies to put onto a DVD. FHE groups and individuals made movies 5-7 mins long to be shown and voted on at Oscars Night. We had eight movies turned in this year, which is three more than last year. They were all very good so we had a lot of competition. We had some very close votes. Fortunately, the night went off without a hitch and everyone had a fun time. We had a red carpet and one paparazzi to take pictures of people as they came in. It was really fun dressing up and feeling really cute for the night. My only regret is that because I was the MC, I didn't get to dance or socialize as much as I would have liked, but I still had a really great time. I am very proud of myself that I wasn't stressing out trying to make sure things were going right and people were having fun. I was relaxed and able to enjoy it. I know it was Heavenly Father that made that possible because the few days prior to the night I was really stressing out about everything. Anyway, I think the besides the movies and the dancing, the highlight of the night was the really good food-taco salads and italian sodas. I didn't get to eat much of it because of all I had to do, but what I did eat was REALLY good. I will post more pictures as soon as I get all of the pictures from the paparazzi. Look at the photos link to see them! Enjoy!

 

  

  

  

For each movie that won an award, we gave them an Oscar, which was actually a random Christmas decoration from DI. This group won for the best movie overall. Theirs was a funny movie called Deb in Real Life. Deb is our Relief Society president and in the movie was was doing mean things to people and then doing a little dance after each one. It was really funny because it's not true.

I also made a pie on Friday in my food preparation class. It was apple and it was yummy!! I think there will be more pie making in the future. :)

EK3 enters the MTC!!

EK3, or Elder Kelly # 3 is now officially a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He went into the MTC today at Noon and I am very excited for him. He has been staying at my grandma's in Pleasant Grove for the last few days and skipped some classes so that I could spend some time with him before he went in. My Aunt Vickie and cousin Nathan came by to visit with both of us, so last night was spent mostly talking with them. We also had a really fun time using isight to talk with family at home and used video effects to make funny faces while we chatted with them. Grandma, Ryan, and I also played dominos for a few hours yesterday and this morning just to pass the time.

I forgot how short the MTC orientation meeting really is. We got to the MTC early enough to be seated near the front and on the left. We sat there watching LDS commercials about family for a good 45 minutes, but I'm not complaining. I got teary-eyed a couple times when we sang "Called to Serve" and watched the video, but I was too happy and excited to cry even when I had to say goodbye. Ryan got teary-eyed a couple times himself, which I always find cute.

I got a couple really good last hugs from Ryan (which are my favorite hugs) and then he tried to start going toward his exit. We were way in the front, so there were obstacles, namely crying missionaries and families, in the way. He ended up going down the hall instead of out the other door like Steven and Kevin did. There was no way to really take pictures of that part, one, because they said no picture taking, and two, there were too many people blocking the way, even Ryan's way, from getting to where he was supposed to go.

Anyway, I am very excited for EK3 and all the experiences he will have for the next two years! I'm looking forward to hearing from him and seeing how much he grows.

Here is his MTC address. He will depart for Ft. Lauderdale Florida December 2, 2008.

Elder Ryan Matthew Kelly

MTC Mailbox # 274

FL-FTL 1202

2005 N. 900 E. 

Provo, UT 84604-1793

His Mission Home address is:

7951 SW Sixth St. Suite 110
Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33324-3211
United States