Easter Weekend

I rushed home from Provo on Sunday night and immediately set to work making a giant cardboard rocket and control board for dramatic play for Preschool on Monday. 

the finished control board. 

i forgot to get a picture of the rocket, but it was awesome. and i make helmets out of ice cream buckets and the children looked adorable in them. too bad. 

that week was INSANE because it was my last week of preschool and i was trying to get everything done, and this is what our room looked like:

Around this time, Sophia started spending literally every hour she was awake with Travis. completely understandable, but we wanted her to come to the grocery store with us, so we stole her. we may or may not have looks terrifying:

snap chats i sent to Stephanie's fiance during the kidnapping:

Then finally, it was Friday. I got out of Preschool and had a text from Karl saying he was 2 hours away. I ran home, took a shower, and cleaned as much as i could before i heard a very welcome knock on the door. He came straight from work, so he was in a suit. cutie. 

We went to the Rexburg temple and then to eat at my favorite restaturant in Idaho - The Great Bambino's. a calzone place. bomb. 

then we headed back to my complex for the rest of the night and just talked about everything. 

You guys, this boy is so good. 

I've never felt so close to anyone in my life. 

halfway through the evening he asked me, 

"How much should i like you?"

I said, "well, it's been a week. So probably a week's worth."

to which he replied, "hmm. nope. i like you way more than that."

swooning happened. 

the Saturday morning before Easter, my family has Easter Bunny day, that way we can spend the whole of Easter celebrating Jesus Christ.

I'd planned on making Easter baskets for me and Jonathan anyway, so i made one for Karl, too. They were cute. I didn't get a picture of them. i need to get back in the habit of documenting things. 

I remembered that i had a new phone with a better camera than the old one so  said, "Hey, let's take a picture!" Jonathan stuck his tongue out, so Karl stuck his out. But at the last second, Jonathan retracted his. Karl didn't. I saw none of this as it happened. hahaha. 

Ten points to Karl for seeing me with no make up on, two days in a row, and still telling me i looked beautiful. He rocks. 

After easter baskets, and eggs for breakfast, we headed over to my lounge to watch the Saturday morning session of the General Conference of our church. 

IT WAS INCREDIBLE. 

i'll talk more about it, and my thoughts/impressions/feelings in my next post. 

But can i just say, Karl says "Amen!" emphatically, and he stood up to sing the intermediate hymn even though we were at home, and he took notes, and he held my hand whenever he wasn't taking notes and was adorable in general. If you can't tell, i am still totally in the twitterpated stage. I never tire of bragging about him, so get used to this. sorry not sorry. 

in between sessions, we hung around the house for a bit, Karl twisted balloon creations for me and some of my roommates. 

he a seahorse for me, a giraffe for ashley, a motorcycle for Jade, and a Beyonce for Sophia. 

Then we had a waffle lunch with our ward in the neighboring complex's lounge. Karl came early with me to set up and my Relief Society President and i had a conversation in Spanish about how he was my boyfriend but i hadn't said that out loud yet, but that i was super into him and impressed that he came to Rexburg and so was she and it was great. in spanish. 

That afternoon session, was wonderful, too. 

we hung out with my roommates some more after that, and then i helped him set up the TV in my lounge for the Priesthood session. He's so good. 

while he watched that, i went home and got cleaned up, complete with a crazy meltdown while i was getting out of the shower, "I  LIKE HIM A LOT, THIS IS FREAKING ME OUT, WHAT DO I DO THIS IS DIFFERENT, I'VE NEVER FELT THIS, WHATS GOING ON, IT'S BEEN A WEEK, MELISSA, CALM DOWN."

But then once i saw him again, i was completely calm, and i just knew everything was going to be fine. he makes me feel at peace and confident. he always has.

we went out to dinner, and did Dr.Aron's 36 questions. (I totes believe in them, btw. i did this with Sophia last semester, it's what made us best friends. so i did this with Karl, and it was awesome. i learned a lot about him, and vice versa. He's amazing.) We ate pizza and i kept wondering how this was so easy and natural. unreal. 

Then we went to Walmart (hashtag there's nothing better to do in Rexburg, Idaho.) and each picked 10 things. 5 that described us, and 5 that described the other person. and then we showed them to each other and laughed and laughed and laughed. 

the last item was supposed to be like, a culmination. the piece de resistance, if you will. 

I said: I got these, because you're an OVERALL great human

He said: oh...well i got this necklace, because you're pretty gangster

aka he's perfect. 

On sunday morning, as per tradition, i woke up to watch the sunrise over the hill in front of the temple. I asked my roommates if any of them wanted to join me. Jade did. I told Karl he could sleep in, but that if he did want to go, to come over at 6:30.

6:29 am? knock knock knock

This boy. 

he's wonderful. 

So we drove tot he hill and watched the sunrise as we read from the New Testament about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and listened to some songs about Easter from "Lamb of God" by Rob Gardner, that i love. 

another 10 points to Karl for seeing me at 6:30 am and then staying with me for the rest of the day. 

we went back home, and Karl went back to my FHE brothers' where he was staying, and we slept until Conference was starting. we watched in my lounge again, and Karl got teary eyed when they showed a group of people doing American Sign Language during a hymn. he joined them. I smiled. 

then we went home and made DELICIOUS resurrection rolls. the bomb.com. 

I crept on Travis and Sophia because they're adorable. 

and then we watched the Sunday Afternoon session on campus in the Taylor Chapel so that it stll felt like a Sunday. Jade was doing an assignment for class and had to be in a wheel chair that day. Karl pushed her all the way up the hilly campus. this BOY. 

After the session, he helped me make dinner, we talked for literally hours longer than planned, and then he left for Provo and my heart was so full.

He's incredible, and i am so lucky, and we work so well together it seems too good to be true. 

plus, is he cute, or what??

More on Conference next time!

Utaaaaahhhhh

HI IT'S BEEN A WHILE. 

A LONG, LONG, WHILE. 

Almost a month ago, (it feeeeeels like aaaaaaaaages) i went to Provo for an interview, and stayed with Raycelan. I stay with her way more than is polite to impose on a friend. hahaha. 

you guys, i just sincerely love Provo. I always have. I hope i always will.

these mountains fill my heart right to the brim. 

After my super intimidating interview, i spent the evening with Derek and Raycelan! They were trying on outfits for their engagement pictures and Derek, as usual, was being a goof. they are adorable. I'm obsessed with them. 

Derek is wearing 3 pairs of pants in these pictures, by the way. 

Friday morning, i went to spend the afternoon with my sister Allison and her family in South Jordan where they recently relocated. 

i haven't seen them since OCTOBER, so it was lovely to finally see them. 

Friday night i went on a date with this cute boy named Karl! He'll get his own post soon enough. don't worry. 

Over the summer, we were friends and went on a few dates. We had planned to go to the Monte Bean Museum to see the Boyd K Packer exhibit, but the day we had planned to go, the museum was closing early. so we missed it. 

So in stead, we went almost exactly 8 months later. haha. on March 27, actually. 

It was so much fun! He's goofy and fun and handsome and i was, needless to say, totally smitten. all over again. 

The Noah's Ark that Boyd K. Packer hand carved for his grandchildren!

I have genuinely waited years to see this in person. 

thanks for taking me, Karl! I had a blast!

i took a picture of this wolverine thing for Jenae, since you know, she too is 'the evil one' ;)

Then that night, Karl and i maybe stayed up until literally 5 am talking in the Cinnamon Tree parking lot, and it genuinely felt like half an hour.

He is so cool. 

I spent Saturday with Derek and Raycelan. painting and talking and laughing. That afternoon, Dylan joined us for some frisbee down the street.

love these humans. 

also, Dylan fixes his own car. no big deal. Hey, Dyl. 

then i watched the general women's session of LDS General Conference with my provo friend Shanna. 

after which, I spent the evening with Karl.

He was a professional Balloon twister a few years ago. It's how he funded his mission for our church. 

like i said, HE'S SO COOL.

waking up to these mountains on Sunday morning was a sight, let me tell you. I cannot wait to be back in Provo again this summer, you guys. it's unreal. 

I went to church in one of my favorite wards ever - Provo YSA 146th. sniff sniff tear tear. I sat with Raycelan and Karl. Raycelan spoke to the congregation at one point, and bore witness of the Priesthood. i cried. She is so wonderful. I can't wait to be her sister (in less than a month!!).

Also, Karl held my hand all during church and it was pretty stinking adorable. When he first reached over to take my hand, i literally heard gasps from behind us. haha. 

and after church Dylan and his roommate, my other friend, Mitchell teased me as if they were my own brothers. Dylan pretty much is. 

Karl is kind of a big deal in that apartment complex, so i'm not gonna lie, i felt really cool walking around with his hand in mine. 

cutie, cutie, cutie. 

this boy.

i just really appreciate all these people. I love Provo. I'm so excited for Derek and Raycelan to have their big beginning, and i'm just stinking happy, you guys. 

After we'd eaten dinner and taken these pictures, 

Karl helped me carry my things to my car, he surprised me by insisting that he'd visit me in Rexburg the upcoming weekend, and kissed me goodbye right there in the parking lot for the whole ward/complex to see. 

needless to say, i was smiling like an idiot the entire drive home. 

and with that cliffhanger, i bid you adieu. 

until next time...

March

It's a good life, guys. 

This semester has rushed by in a whir of Preschool and Family Home Evening activities. and food. 

i remember all the food, haha. 

and SNAP, just like that, it's all over and i'm cramming all my last assignments into a 2 hour period tonight before i go to bed. smart. 

I heard that every REM cycle you get in before midnight actually counts as double, so maybe i'll just go to bed right this minute and then wake up at 5AM. 

lol, not. 

Here's some snapshots of my life in March.

also known as a bunch of times that i tried to document the tender little mercies in my life:

I got a new phone (FINALLY. no more 2006 Nokias. holla.) and Sophia took full advantage of the front facing camera. leaving me about a dozen selfies a day that look like some variation of this:

Speaking of Sophia, she's an angel. She works early morning janitorial, and some days she goes out to eat with her co-workers afterward. One morning i woke up to a note telling me that there were donuts for me on the table. and another morning, i literally woke up to the smell of heaven. 

A McGriddle at the foot of my bed. 

one day i was doing homework in the lounge and swiped a pen from on top of the mailboxes. when i was cleaning up my things, i tossed the pen back at the mail boxes, in some blind attempt to walk 3 less steps. 

and it made it. and then i was still too lazy to walk over there, even to take a less grainy picture. 

but do you see it? 

beauty.

one night for FHE we made Eiffel Towers out of Play-Doh. this was my groups. taha. i know, ugly. but it was leaning and we had a time crunch. i think it's cute. 

then we had crepes, and the boys had decorated their apartment with stringed lights, and were playing french music. cuties. 

Rexburg sunsets will always be my favorite. 

Sophia is taking a class where she got to teach a part of preschool for one day, and she got to teach in my lab!! I was so happy! It was fun to have her with me. she was so cute and engaging with the children. 

Stephanie took my clothes out of the dryer, brought them home, and folded them for me one day. 

just because she loves me. 

my bangs naturally turn into Ariel's when they air dry after the shower:

I GOT FLOWERS!

Just kidding. i bought them for a preschool science activity. 

I have an FHE friend named Hunter who literally despiiiises my Crocs. 

SO much so that he actually bought me a seperate pair of shoes to wear when i'm around him, because he hates seeing my crocs that much.

so now i have a second pair of shoes. 

cool. 

and they're purple. 

cooler. 

LOGAN CAME TO VISIT!!!

it was so weird/fun/normal to have her here again. i love that girl. 

i still think we look alike. 

she was a fun roommate last semester. 

Stephanie doesn't. eat. 

not like she can't. 

not like she doesn't want to. 

she just literally doesn't think about it, because she does so many other things. 

i don't understand how that can work, considering i have to eat like every hour to stay sane, but she just genuinely forgets to feed herself. 

So I feed her probably 3 times a week, and Sophia 2 times a week, and on the other 2 days, she eats chips and salsa and an apple and thinks she's nutritionally sound. 

shake my head. 

one night, she was doing like 10 homework assignments at once, and Sophia literally spoon feed her pasta as she worked, because Stephanie genuinely didn't have the time to make and eat dinner. 

I love how much light pours in from the window in my room. i always keep the blinds open during the day. it absolutely fills the room and hallway with pure white morning light, and i love it.