From New York to Utah to Wisconsin to Utah

In the 5 or so weeks (now more since I keep forgetting about this post) I've been "home" from New York, I've done a lot of stuff. So here's a summary of it.

Flights I've taken: 6

Meals eaten at Chick-Fil-A: 4.

Recipes cooked from Sorted Food: 5. The pizza swirls are by far my favorite thing I've tried.

Meals/snacks cooked by Badger: 3. Possibly more.

Visits to Yogurtland: 2.

Games of Spaceteam played: Too many to count already.

Wedding receptions I attended: 1. But it was the best wedding reception I've ever been to. #camgelaforever

People we explained the mick-mack scale to: More than 3 but less than 7.

Seasons of LOST I've watched: 3 1/2 and counting.

Pieces I've written for the Universe: 2. (The first on binge watching TV and the second on the importance of mentors)

Snapchats Kelly has sent me of her dogs: At least 5. Probably more.

Letters Margaret and I have both sent to/received from each other: Around 6.

Boating trips I've been on. 0, sadly. But I did enjoy a good rope swing.

Times Becca, Ryan and I were slightly to moderately terrified while climbing down Bridal Veil Falls as rocks slipped out from under us: A fair few.

Pages I've designed for The Universe: 4.

New movies I've seen: 2. Monsters University and Great Gatsby.

Costco runs Becca and I have made: 1. It's the start of something great.

Times I've watched Wreck It Ralph: 3.

Awesome Seven Peaks visits: 2.

Games of Wii Bowling Peter and I have played: Probably around 10.

Games of Wii Bowling I've won: I'm pretty sure it's 2 but he will vehemently disagree.
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All in all it has been a crazy summer. It's hard to believe that next week I'll be walking for graduation. And then the week after that Becca and I want to embark on an awesome little camping trip. And then it will almost be time for my final semester at BYU to begin. Where did the last four years go?

Last YouTube video I watched: Vlogumentary trailer (If you only ever watch one video I post, please make it this one. Expect a post solely dedicated to that trailer within the next few days.)

Salsa salsa salsa

Saturday evening after I returned from Seven Peaks and Stacy finally returned from Europe, we decided we needed to make SALSA. Stacy's salsa became quite famous following our "Feliz Navidad Christmas Fiesta."

The original plan was to make it to bring to Sunday dinner w/ Badger and others, which we did do. But we also made a big batch for ourselves to eat on Saturday. It's simple and fantastic recipe but it's also the kind of thing you can just make up as you go along if you want more mango or something like that.

• A number of roma tomatoes. (I never remember how many. Maybe 5? 5 sounds like a good number.)
• 1 cucumber
• 1 mango
• 1 green pepper
• 1 can of whole kernel corn
• 1 can of black beans
• A chunk of extra sharp cheddar cheese (However much cheese you want really)
• Some amount of Italian dressing (You just kind of keep adding it until it tastes right)
• A dash or more of salt, probably more (Once again, it's a keep adding it until it tastes right kind of thing)
• 1 avocado

You guys all know what salsa is, so chop everything up in little cubes, small enough so you could potentially get a little bit of everything on a chip. The trick is to not cut up the avocado until the very end because you'll be mixing it as you go along and if you add it in before the very end it ends up getting all smushed and you no longer have nice pieces of avocado.

So there you have it. Stacy's famous salsa. We eat it on tortilla chips but eating it on a spoon is totally acceptable as well. Or in tortilla of some sort. Seriously. Eat it however you want and it will be delicious.

Last YouTube video I watched: The Sounds of Ahh by Kurt Hugo Schneider

It's not good-bye. It's see you later.

On Wednesday, you, Lorraine Nicole Hilton, my sweet roommate of nearly 4 years, enter the Missionary Training Center to truly begin your training before heading off to Paris for 18 months. 

Lorraine, you and I have lived together since the fall of 2009 and have stuck together up to this point. You moved out of our lovely apartment on Saturday. If I had to name one constant from my last 4 years at BYU, it's you. You're it. You're basically my everything. I have been with you every fall and winter semester since 2009. I'm fairly certain I have not spent more time with anyone else since coming to BYU.

I will miss you. Miss you more than anyone else I've come to know and love at BYU. It was terrible to lose the boys from my freshman ward, and I'm sorry boys, but you've got nothing on Lorraine.

I wanted to write a whole list of all our greatest moments but I have no idea where to start. You and I have been together through the most incredible times, both good and bad.

We've laughed together,
Shopped together,
Sang together,
Cried together,
Run together,
Dreamed together,
Cooked and baked together,
Said good-bye to people together,
Traveled together,
Played frisbee together,
Studied together,
Felt lost together,
Mailed letters together,
Planned together, and
watched those plans fall apart together,
Stayed up late together,
Eaten together,
Loved together,
Celebrated together,
Sat in silence together,
Worked through basically everything together.

Lorraine, you are by far one of the most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure of associating with, and not just associating with but loving.

And now we will no longer be together, at least not physically in the same place. But you will be a part of my life literally forever because of how you have changed and influenced me. I owe you so much and I know I'll never be able to fully explain how much you mean to me. And we know when I don't have the words for something it must be pretty incomprehensible because usually I have words for everything. Though all I really need are these five: I love you, Red Hawk.

So as you're reading this Lorraine, know how much I love you. Know how thankful I am that we ended up in the same building and apartment in Heritage Halls. I believe with all my heart that we were meant to end there. Together. That we were meant to keep living in the same place. Together. That we were meant to go through everything we have. Together.

Lorraine, you have changed my life and I know I've changed yours. I also know we'll keep changing each other's lives for years to come. These next 18 months are going to be absolutely wonderful for you and for me. That doesn't mean they'll be easy, I expect they'll be particularly difficult for each of us for a number of reasons, but they will be wonderful.

Girls as fascinating as ourselves could hardly expect anything less than an awesome time. In fact, I'm fairly certain everything will be dream.

22 (and counting)

This weekend was a whirlwind of fun. I decided on Thursday it would be an entire weekend of birthday celebration and excitement. That meant no homework/studying. (I managed to get everything done before the weekend, actually.)

Friday
I went on my first run of 2013! It felt so good to get out in the 36 degree air and just run. I only went a mile but it sure was a nice mile. Between my own sickness and Utah's terribly cold winter this run was much needed. After the run I didn't have too much time before I had to leave, though. Peter and I spent our afternoon/evening together per our new tradition of watching Community. It's easily one of the best traditions I've ever been a part of.

I didn't have time to eat much before or after my run so by the time Community was over I was quite hungry. Peter and I hit up Chick-Fil-A for dinner and then we watched the movie Hoosiers. Nothing quite beats waffle fries on a Friday night with one of your closest friends. And it's quite the experience, watching a movie with Peter, especially when it's a movie he really likes. He quotes his favorite movies like I quote The Office. (For those who don't know, that means he does it and he does it perfectly.) I haven't had a Friday night so nice since . . . I guess last Friday. But two great Fridays in a row is a big deal this semester.


Saturday
The morning/afternoon was spent lounging around in my Nike running pants. I watched some YouTube, read parts of a few books and looked up a lot of John Green quotes. Around 3 o'clock, Stacy, Becca and I went to Kohl's so I could spend a $50 gift card I have from Christmas. I ended up buying a chambray that was on sale, but that's it. Of course what I really wanted was shoes but there was nothing particularly enticing. Soon after that we hurried to the grocery store to buy things for Sunday's breakfast for dinner birthday shindig.

I quickly changed when we got back so I could meet Peter for dinner and then the basketball game. We went to Sammy's most especially because I wanted a mint Oreo pie shake and sweet potato fries. BYU played Portland which didn't make for a particularly close game because Portland is not all that good, but neither is BYU lately. It was still plenty enjoyable, though. Basketball is Peter's first, and possibly only, love so I had a great time listening to him explain certain nuances of the game. Like different zone defenses. There's something incredibly fascinating about listening to someone explain something they love and understand like the back of their hand. I've always had a general understanding of the rules of basketball but the more technical/strategic aspects of the game are often lost on me. It got to the point where Peter could say to me, "Okay, do you see the 2-3 zone?" and I could answer with a definitive yes.

After the game we played Super Mario Bros. Wii. I've always enjoyed video games even though I've never been very good at them. Peter was definitely way better than me but that's not saying much . . . To make a long story short, I have a lot more respect for Hank and Katherine Green after playing that game for an hour. There was definitely a lot of yelling going on between the two of us but even more laughing, especially after I failed to jump on the flag pole in time for two straight levels. I did, however, learn that I am a master at hitting that A button to bubble.

To get over how terrible we were at the game, I suggested we watch Arrested Development. Somehow he has never seen it before! That was quite unbelievable. My goal for the rest of the semester is to make sure he sees all of it before the new season comes out in May.


Sunday
And so I turned 22 on Sunday. Becca, Stacy and I all wore different items of Lorraine's clothing since she was gone this weekend at home w/ her family. Going to church on your birthday is pretty cool. Bronwyn and I even matched!

After church I went over to Lava Lounge, ate pizza and watched Planet Earth. Soon enough it was time to start prepping all the delicious breakfast food. We had traditional waffles w/ blue food coloring, funfetti cake waffles, chocolate cake waffles, Reese's Puffs, breakfast corn dogs, Swedish pancakes and  brownies. Friends from all 3 1/2 years of my schooling came. I love when my groups of friends collide in situations like that. Perhaps the best part of the night was my freshmen friends Alex, Warren and Westen staying around longer than anyone else. Stacy and Justin also did a shoe swap, so that was pretty great.

Oh, and once everyone was gone Becca, Stacy and I put up Becca's tent in the living room and watched a couple episodes of Arrested Development. You know, because we're all mature and stuff.

My only regret from Saturday, and from during my party on Sunday, is not taking any pictures. I originally had this grand scheme of documenting everything from my birthday weekend. That went downhill quickly. Even without the pictures, it still might have been my best collegiate birthday to date. You can't exactly go wrong with Community, Chick-Fil-A, basketball, Wii, Arrested Development, breakfast food, tents and plenty of attractive friends.

Obligatory thankfulness post

Forever family

Heyyy, brother

Pretty sure I didn't even know how to read yet

Just chillin' on some rando boat

Roommates who never stop loving

Soft Hands, Red Hawk, Dancing Squirrel, Screaming Eagle, Arctic Fox and KelsNels

Sophomore year survivors

We're family now

Boys who make me laugh

Jeffrey, Jeff, Jeffrey Grant, Jeffy. If I call, he will answer.

Am I fascinating enough for you?

Pedro & Cam Cam

The Egg

Benjamin: the platonic love of my life

Freshman year frisbee fiends

The looks.

The personality.

Harry Potter

YouTube

shaycarl & the shaytards

NERDFIGHTERS

Vlogbrothers

Beautiful places I've been

Utah. Moab. Arches.

Utah. Provo. Utah Lake.

Utah. Spanish Fork. Spanish Fork Canyon.

Idaho. Boise. Arrowrock Reservoir.

Nevada. South Tahoe. Emerald Bay.

Wisconsin. My hometown. The creek.

California. Oakland. Oakland LDS Temple.

California. Santa Cruz. Manresa Beach.

England. London. Hampton Court.

Utah. Provo. Provo Airport.

Wisconsin. Sheboygan. Lake Michigan.

Nevada. South Tahoe. In the mountains.

England. London. Atop the London Eye.

Delicious food

My all-time favorite candy from my all-time favorite missionary.

Peanut butter sundae from Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco.

21st birthday cake.

20th birthday cake. (We threw it on the ground)

Swedish pancakes. Just because.

Forever friends

Kate. Hassan. Kateface. Juice box & fruit leather companion.

Margaret. Margo. Marge. Margie. Margs.

Anna & Megan: friends since 1997

Shurazzle Dazzle.

Mik.

Sports

Wisconsin. Milwaukee. Miller Park.

Utah. Provo. LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Idaho. Boise. Arrowrock Reservoir.

Utah. Provo. LaVell Edwards Stadium.

My first love.

Utah. Provo. Provo Canyon/Bridal Veil Falls

I bleed green & gold.

Wisconsin. Milwaukee. Miller Park.

I love my life.