Goodbye Oklahoma

The last couple days were full of 'goodbyes' and 'see you laters'. I really hate goodbyes; they're never fun, but they always remind me of the many people I'm grateful to have in my life.

Here's a few of the pics I've taken this week..

Tuck! 

Alisha and Cara! Went and ate at BJ's for C's 21st yesterday! 

The Bailey's! I've babysat them for the last 7 years.. Love these kiddos.

Gillespie's dressed up in their BYU gear for me :)

But it's official. I am no longer in Oklahoma. The trek to Utah begins Pops is coming with Betty and I. Betty's never been this far away from home, so let's hope she makes it! It is a long, unexciting 19 hours; however, it will be worth it. :) 

Okie friends and family... I love y'all. See you in December!

Two Days

It's funny how time can sneak up on you.

I've been looking forward to this week for months, and now it's here! I never thought I would be this excited to get back to Utah. It's not that I'm ready to leave home... but I'm ready to be in Utah. (I know.. kind of an oxymoron.) But at this point in my life, BYU is definitely where I'm supposed to be.

I am really excited to unpack everything in my apartment. I know that seems weird, but I can't wait to decorate everything and turn it into my home for the next year. Then to be reunited with my roommates.. :) It'll be fantastic. I'll have to introduce them to you soon.

This was a good week though. Lots of sleeping in, and finishing up little projects around the house. My good friend, Tyler Bean, came home from his mission this week. He served in Mexico. It was good to see him, and hear him speak today. (His accent is priceless.) I was looking at my brother, Tyler, and Ryan Hawkley all talking together and was thinking how crazy it was that they are all home. I know it's brought a tear to our mother's eyes as they realize their kids are all growing up.

Not a bad group, eh? 

Two more days of craziness. I'm a pro at procrastination, so it shouldn't be a problem ;)

Alaska Cruise!

Wow. What a trip.

My pictures say it better than I can.

Here's all 25 of us on the way to the cruise terminal.

Almost to the boat!!

First stop.... FOOD.

Grandparents were on a different cruise to Alaska at the same time as us, so they were able to see Brandon for the first time in Skagway, AK

We took a train ride up into the mountains in Skagway.

Some cool hats our waiter made for us.

MINNIE!

Relaxing!

The fam by Tracy's Arm, AK

Out on the balcony reading a book with hot chocolate! Definitely my favorite part haha

Our awesome waiters, Gyula & Baha. They were the best.

 Pirate Night! With Meg, Trenton, & Baha.

 Trevor & I in Victoria, CA!

Baha! :)

The Boat!

Eskimo kisses! I love my baby sister.

Overall, it was a fantastic trip. Alaska is BEAUTIFUL! Words and pictures are nothing compared to being there. I had so much fun with all of the Orr family. 

Other notable things: 

• It was COLD, which was a nice change compared to the 100+ weather in Oklahoma. 
• Which... by the way.. we were gone the week Oklahoma had it's hottest weather (over 113 degrees!) Great timing on our part.
• We ate a ton. 
• The food was fantastic, and we had a lot of fun with our waiters. 
• Austin had over 50 ice cream cones in one week.
• My cousin had over 70.
• We had a cute, Turkish waiter named Baha. He was great. Let's just say.. he made the trip a little more entertaining for everyone hahaha (or should I say.. BAhaha..!)
• When I get older, I wouldn't mind living in a place with mild summers.
• My hair lightened up some more. I think I'm starting to get used to it.

Hello, Seattle.

Saturday morning... we left for Seattle, Washington!!

 Brother!

Sydney would "hook up' to mom's purse anytime we walked around. She's a mess!

This... is my dad and this picture shows exactly why we call him 'Pops'. His hair is getting grayer, his vision is starting to fail him, and then there's his "turtle tongue". (You'd be better off not asking.) But, no matter how old he gets, and how many gray hairs we give him.. we'll still love him :)

Seattle from my hotel room. 

Ran into one of my friends from BYU! Hannah Hoyt. AKA: The QB.

We spent the first day in Seattle just wandering around. There was a huge parade for some festival they had going on, so most of the downtown area was packed! We saw some pretty sketchy people. Washington is a pretty liberal state, and between paying 5 cents for sacks at stores, 4/20 t-shirts everywhere, and covering Sydney's eyes a few times I realized, again, how much I love Oklahoma. (Even if it is absurdly hot there in the Summer.)

The second day we did some shopping, and walked down to the pier. We also went to the market, which was really cool. Lots of fish, fruit, and flowers. 

 At the pier!

Quickly making friends at a park in Seattle.

So far, so good! And.. the best is yet to come. Getting on the cruise boat in a couple hours, and then next stop... ALASKA!

P.S. Dear Okies: I apologize for leaving you at this dreadful time. I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a temperature of 110 on my 7-day forecast for Oklahoma. But.. gotta say, it's wonderful timing on my part. 

My brother is home :)

My brother is home!!!

So happy the family is all together again. It's a feeling like no other. So blessed to be with them for eternity :) 

---Yes, my hair is brown. Kinda crazy, huh? I've highlighted it since 8th grade, so its always been blonde... but my natural color has darkened quite a bit. So, I decided to go brown :) 

Headed to Seattle now, and then cruising to Alaska with the Orr family this next week! It's going to be AWESOME!! (and cold!)

Texas & the Week Ahead...

Went to Texas for the weekend with Sydney, Mom, and my roommate Jessica! My aunt Jenn had her baby! His name is Brody Scott Krueger and he is adorable.

While in Frisco, I saw my other roommate, Madison! We all went shopping at the outlet mall, and scored some awesome deals. Then, of course, I saw my Texas besties - McKall and Mallory. Hoping to squeeze one last trip in before I go home, but... I think it's time they make a trip up to Oklahoma now :)

I'm not sure if you know this or not, but I have an older brother coming home this week!! Brando will be home Thursday.. yes, Thursday. I am so proud of him. He had to come home for 3 months for knee surgery, and still went back out. That's not an easy thing to do, but he did it. He was an amazing missionary; he shared the gospel with more people than I could have ever imagined. Ah..  I've missed my big bro. 

 April 2010

 Easter 2010

 My 17th Birthday

Sending him back out after surgery, Nov. 2010

So much has changed in the last two years! But, I can't wait to have the family all together again :) He gets home, and then we leave Saturday for Seattle, and hop on a cruise Monday to Alaska! We're going with Orr side of the family for Grandpa's 80th. This week will be super busy.... but very fun.

Utah... I miss you.

I've been home for over 2 months... and I'm ready to get back to Provo.

I miss the mountains, the cool weather, and all my friends.

I'm excited to see my roommates again. 

I'm ready to put all the different Pinterest crafts we've made in our apartment.

I'm just...  ready for this next school year... Please come faster!?

Don't get me wrong...I love Oklahoma. But at this point in my life... it's not where I'm supposed to be. 

4 weeks until Brandon gets home & our Alaska Cruise

5 weeks until my last day of work

6 weeks until I head to Utah

7 weeks until I move-in to my apartment

8 weeks until sophomore year begins..

It's going to all go by fast...

P.S. My current crafts: I finished 2 aprons, in the process of working on 2 more, and then still need to find fabric for the last 2. Also working two other crafts. I'll post pictures soon.

OKC Thunder

As many of you know... I'm kiiiind of a big Thunder fan.

Since the Seattle Sonics moved to Oklahoma 3 seasons ago, my family has had season tickets Their first season they were 3-27. I'm not going to lie to you and say that I was crazy in love with them at that point, but I was still a fan and went to as many games as I could. After they received a new coach and started to turn that season around, I realized how much I really was falling in love with this team. The next season we continued to progress leading up to last seasons Western Conference Finals appearance. And now.... the Thunder are the 2012 Western Conference Champions and are headed to the NBA Finals.

Can you believe it?! 

This is the team I've met at the airport multiple times around 12-2am. I read their team blog by Royce Young every day like it's the newspaper. I follow all of their twitter accounts. I watched most of their games this season from my laptop at BYU, and have been lucky enough to go to some of the playoff games since being home. This is the team that has unified the OU/OSU division in Oklahoma. This team exemplifies everything this great state stands for, and has put us on the map for something besides OU football, the OKC Bombing and the "Oklahoma!" play from the 50's. Our players are some of the most hard working, resilient, and humble players in this league. One of my favorite things about this is that they are just such good guys. Every one of them. Sam Presti did a great job of building this team into something our state could be proud of, and I must say he did a fantastic job.

Last night's game is one I will remember for years. Down by 20 points in the 2nd quarter, but our team fought back. The entire arena was on its feet the 2nd half, trying to give this team the lift they needed to make a comeback. They did it. They won the game. I watched as Kevin Durant, hugged his mom and brother on the sidelines. I watched as the team hugged each other. I looked on, with tears in my eyes, as they lifted the trophy up for the world to see.

"It just had everything to do with who we are as men, who we are as a team, the type of spirit that we want to show every time down the court. It was all about that.. and about being a family." - Coach Scott Brooks.

Everyone.... Thunder Up and watch as this team wins the World Championship next week.

Trip to Texas

Last weekend.. was amazing! We somehow ended up getting a big group of BYU friends to meet up in Dallas. My friend Meghan flew to OKC from California, and along with Jessica (a future roommate who lives in Edmond) we drove down! It was a fun road trip. Then in Dallas, our friend Randy flew there with his dad (for a business trip) from California, Ryan lives in Plano, and then Rex is in Norman for the Summer and drove down Friday afternoon.. 

ANYWAYS... Jess, Meghan, and I drove down Thursday night. We picked up my cousin, Dalton, and headed to Bahama Bucks to get a snow cone!

Cousin!!

She is so talented.

Then we all went to the lake Friday (along with Eric, and Jarett). We rented a boat, and had a lot of fun tubing, and just swimming around the boat. Here's some pics...

The group :)

Eric and me on the tube!

Love these chicas! 

Miller driving the boat!

Eric.... being Eric.

After the lake we ate, and watched a movie at my aunts house. Then on Saturday we went to Hurricane Harbor! (Yes... I did get a tan being outside so much.) No pictures from Hurricane Harbor.. but it was pretty fun. That night we watched the Thunder BEAT the Lakers, and stayed up late having fun while... doing a lot of nothing.. haha :) Then Sunday... church! 

Looove this picture. 

REX!! This guy is living in Norman for the Summer.. Can't wait!

Doing the "Miller".. 

 Drove home Sunday.. and before Meghan left for Cali early the next morning we took her on the zip line at the farm!

.... yep... that's my sister! 

 It was great to get away for a few days, see some old friends, and make new ones. Since being home from the Y, my social life has drastically decreased.. which is completely expected, but it was definitely a nice change for the weekend. BUT.. now back to work and all of that fun stuff :) 

I started Insanity on Monday.. I'll keep you guys updated with how much that's kicking my butt... and I have started 1 of the 6 aprons I'm making this Summer for myself and the roommates. 

Here is the "before" picture...