My dad likes Justin Bieber, and My mom respects Lady Gaga...

Oh the joys of being home.

Being home is such a mass of emotion. I love it, and miss school all at the same time. I finally got a job. I know why I didn't have one for so long too. It's amazing what the Lord does when we don't realize it.
We are so lucky to have such a loving Heavenly Father. Since I have been home I have grown in spirituality for sure. I go to church on Sunday, FHE with the singles ward on Monday, Wednesday is mission prep, and Thursday is New Testament Institute. It is so wonderful.
Casey leaves in a few weeks, and it doesn't feel real. I am so happy for her though. I can't even contain my happiness and sadness all at the same time. The happiness definitely out weighs the sadness though.
I have bought new shoes black stilettos, black flats, black work shoes. and Three pairs of jeans. and cardigans... Okay I have gone a little spending crazy!
I miss all my friends. Missions are so wonderful and I love to write them, but sometimes I just want to see them. Or go hang out with them. I miss laughing until my face hurt, and feeling so loved, I miss going to the park and playing soccer, I miss doing weird, crazy things. I miss not caring if I ever did anything else other than sitting in the terrible grass at the park with those boys. It's hard to be left at home. I am so happy for them, don't get me wrong. It's just hard. I have not been able to find anyone as good as my boys. I feel bad for my husband. He has a lot to live up to. Sometimes I just want to find a makeshift replacement group up at school. It is not easy though. I have not found anyone that makes me laugh so much. I think the problem with school is that I don't laugh that much. I'm not as funny, and people around me aren't that funny. I just want funny friends... okay I'm done with this rant.
Katie, my sister, has Bieber Fever. She wants Bieber babies. oh my.
Sometimes I hate work more than anything. It's so monotonous.
I love my home ward. I love everyone there. When I see anyone from it, I get so happy. I went to a birthday dinner last week, and it was so great! A couple ladies from the ward and I sat, ate dinner, and talked (laughed) it was wonderful. I will never be able to replace this wonderful ward. They are truly spectacular.

Being home is so wonderful. I am so glad I have the track I do. Truly a heaven sent from God.

Songs that Describe my life.

So my friend a while ago was like what are some songs that  describe you. So I made some and these 5 were the closest  to my life. I love them. They are great. 

Catch up.

So as of now no job. Oh well, still searching.

Fake job. I teach a reading class. It is way fun and I love it, but I don't get many hours and I need money to live off of next semester.

Weekends. That is the time Casey and I get to play.

• One time we went the worlds largest H&M and worlds largest Forever 21. Then we went and played in the Cosmo. Party. It is so extravagant. 
• Casey and I had an awesome sleepover. Then her friend came and we went on the strip. And pretended to live here. 
• This past weekend Zach came. That was the best thing ever. I played with him for an hour the first night at his house, then the next night Casey, Zach, and I went to the park and talked. I miss him mucho. 
• This weekend, Casey is gone. So my mom and I will play. Hopefully I will have a job.

Mom. Her and I have been spending time together, and it has been so good for me. I can literally feel my self-worth going up, because I have something to do. It is so great. I have missed her a lot. 

Job hunt. I have been hunting for jobs. Literally. I go to the actual places and it is horrifying. I need a freaking job. I am dying of nothing to do. 

Letters. I have gotten letters from Jeff, Andrew, and Matt. I need to write them back. Also Casey and I sent the boys Valentine's Packages. It was awesome, and pretty cheap. Love it. 

Love, 

Rachel.

EFY

So once upon a time I went to a magical week of EFY in Provo. EFY is a church thing.
You spend a week at a university with a bunch of people your age, and you learn about the church and you get to be all flirty, and you have counselors that are college students.
I LOVED it! Ever since then I have wanted to be an EFY Counselor. I think it would be a blast. Problem is that it is in the summer, and I go to school until July 24ish. Except for the fact that Rexburg has 3 sessions right after the semester ends! So anyway, what I am getting at is I applied. Then they emailed me and told me to schedule and interview!
I scheduled an interview. The bad news is that it is in Cedar City, UT. So on Wednesday I will be driving 6 hours, and going through a 2 1/2 hour interview...
OH WELL! Totally worth it. I am so super duper excited. If I get in, it will be the best thing ever for sure. Who knows I may meet my future husband through this, well probably not, but a girl can dream :). 
Well, this is it for me tonight, just want to keep writing, and be a real blogger. I am so excited and I just can't hide it.

Oh p.s. Zach one of my besties got his mission call to RUSSIA! I am excited about that as well! haha and I got a letter from another one of my besties Trey. 


Now all I need is a real job this Winter, and the EFY job and I will be sitting pretty :).

Update...

So a quicky update on what I have done so far...

1. I have put in a bunch of applications,
2. Cleaned my room out, 
3. Rearranged the furniture,
4. Painted the walls, 
5. Gone to one FHE,
6. Started getting into a good routine,
7.    I've been reading the scriptures 30 mins every morning, and praying a lot.
8. My dad and I spent some time together today putting in my desk,
9. I've been putting my brother to bed for my mom (he's difficult, but I love him)
10. I went to dinner with my family,
11. My mom and I have been hanging out a lot,
12. I got a letter from Trey and have already started writing him back,
13. I went to Ross and bought some cute professional clothes :)
14. My dresser is painted white, now I have to add some decorations and new handles

Anyway, just a quick update, it's not all fake stuff, I really am changing my life. I listened to "what I wish I'd known when I was single" by John Bytheway, and it was so great because it was just a reinforcement to what I had been feeling that night. Oh man I feel so refreshed and renewed, and Casey and I have had so many good talks. One that lasted till 4:30 in the morning. NBD. It's so nice being home. I've really missed it. I'm so ready to start a real job, but until then I am going to continue to clean and love my life basically. I just bought "The Art of Possibility" on amazon.com. I read some of it when I was younger, and loved it. I want to read it again, because I think that plus eat pray love plus Les Miserables, will really add to my new life :) 

I love my friends so much. Pretty much I am pretty sure that I am super blessed with the people that enter my life. My boys (plus Casey and Taylor), everyone at college, and anyone else I've met/known has been placed in my life for a reason and I am so grateful. I am a really lucky girl and I totally know it. I love people. I'm so lucky. So whoever you are, reading this blog, thank you so much for being my friend, because I know you have changed my life for the better and I am grateful for you. 

New Life!

So just right now as I was about to write this post I realized it's a New Year and it's kind of like a New Year resolution, but it was not my original intent. Anywho, I am so ready to start my life anew. I have so many plans for myself. It’s a new year and a new semester!

1)  I want a job that gives me at least 28 hours a week

2)  I want to clean my sister’s room and turn it into mine again

a.  Clean out her stuff

b.  Rearrange the furniture

c.  Paint the walls a fresh coat of white

d.  Clean the carpet

e.  Put up stuff that’s mine again

f.     Deep clean the room

g.  Move my stuff out of the hallway and into my room

3)  Go to the singles ward

a.  Be active in the singles ward

b.  Go to FHE

c.  Go to institute

4)  Be super committed to reading the scriptures and other good works of the church

5)  Finish Les Miserables

6)  Join a book club (and read the books as well)

7)  Be a good daughter to my mom, and support her

8)  Be a good sister, and help my siblings with anything

9)  Be a good daughter to my dad, and hang out with him

10)               Learn to love myself (sounds crazy but it isn’t)

a.   Be okay without any sort of crush

b.   Take myself to the movies and be okay with it

c.   Go out to dinner by myself

11)               Hang out with Casey

12)               Hang out with my family

13)               Be a good pen pal, and write all my missionary friends for real

14)               Keep my room clean, and clean the house for my mom and keep it clean

15)               Buy more professional looking clothes

16)               Be happy with my choices

17)               Work out and love my body

a.  Run

b.  Lunges at the softball park

c.  Pilates!! (Found my DVD)

18)               Read Gordon B Hinckley and Thomas S Monson’s biographies

19)               Plan fun things to do

20)               Save money!

a.  Don’t feel guilty about spending a little bit of money on myself

21)               Pay for dates with my siblings

22)               Pay for gas

23)               Pay my rent, and be able to pay rent for next semester

24)               Have money to live on for Spring and next Fall

25)               Go to bed happy

26)               Get into a healthy, happy routine

27)               Lower my caloric intake, and increase my caloric output

28)               Do things for me and not feel guilty

29)               Enjoy me time

30)               PAINT!

a.  Make paintings for me

b.  Decorate my room with my paintings

31)               Stop putting myself down

32)               Learn how to sew for real.

33)               Paint my dresser…

Pretty much, it’s just a list of things I want to do this winter that I will do, if I really want to. I’m cleaning right now and I feel so good about it. When my mom told me I could paint my room I felt so good about it, and I know that it will make a difference to come into a clean room, and have me time. Yep this is going to be a great semester, no longer the days of bittersweet. No longer the days of being dependent on others. I am going to enjoy myself. I am going to live for me. I am going to just enjoy every moment of every day and not wait until spring semester, because it’s only as good as I make it. Well now, it’s time to listen to some good ol’ Glee, sit with Jack, and clean my room :).

New Years!

So it is a new year :) But this last year was pretty great, so let's do a quick recap.
So the end of the semester was good. It was hard, but man it was a pretty good one. I was sad to say goodbye to my roommates, but I welcomed the new BYUI-Center. It was so awesome to see the apostles and how beautiful the new building was. I was able to date a really amazing guy for about a week. Then I came home, and was able to spend time with my family and friends, It was wonderful. I got to have 2 Christmas's with my family. They were both fantastic. And then for New Year's we went over to Scott's. We said goodbye with everyone during his farewell. And then Casey and I got dressed in our   formal gear, and came down for the dance party. It was so fun, although we really missed Zach, Matt, Trey, and Jeff. When Midnight came we watched Las Vegas get all Fireworky, and drank some Martinelli's. Then we got up and made breakfast! It was so great. Now tomorrow I say goodbye to Scott. It's so sad. I will miss him so much. But I am so happy for him. He's going to have so much fun. He is going to serve the Lord, and do amazing at it. Tomorrow will sure be an interesting day. I will also need to start looking for a job. Woot Woot a new year. Oh well I will make the best of it. I am excited for this winter, and the wonderful things it will bring. I am very excited.

Christmas Music!

Here's some music to match my new background.

Casey-Rachel Time

So I really wanted to send a shout-out to my best friend! Casey J Marv Spain Ross. So here is the deal. We are besties. Don't you test these besties. We met a long, long time ago.

One day I walk into mutual. I have been busy for a bit so haven't been to the ward in a while. Everyone is sitting in a circle when I walk in. I go over to Tyerra and sit down. Some girl I've never seen before says something and I was super curious as to who she was. That girl ended up being this "best friend" that this blog is dedicated to. So there is no way I could possibly go through everything we have been through. Or even possibly scratch the surface of our friendship. So I grabbed some pictures of us and have decided to explain them and therefore explain our best friendship.

1. St. George

St. George has a special place in our hearts.

For Casey's senior trip we went to St. George. We had the whole day planned. It was so much fun :). We got a full day of happiness. It was awesome. We got to spend our time together and that was our first road trip.

The next year we decided to go for a day again (which is where this picture is from). We brought our Mitcha. It was super fun again.

Then we went there with everyone to go to the temple this summer. We took a friend trip. It was so much fun. We took tons of pictures and had a blast.

2. High school.

We went to high school together. It was awesome. We drove home together Casey's junior year. And we drove together Casey's senior year as well. It was awesome. That's where we made plans to hang out with the boys. We had so many inside jokes it was the best.

3. Halloween

We decided to make our halloween outfits. Not costumes mind you. We bought white shirts and wrote boo. on them. Then we had orange and black ribbons and ghost earrings. and our names written with orange on the back of our shirts. Also it was so fun. We had a blast making them and wearing them. We love making shirts.

4. Vintage Party

So Taylor threw a vintage party. We got all dressed up and went. Mainly it was awesome because we got to dance, and we brought Andrew (and got him to dance) It was sweet. We like to dance, and party.

5. Going to see shows.

So we go give blood and get show tickets a lot. This particular instance we were going to see a bad show. Oh wait. That was all of them. Anyway this was amazing. Because we got to spend time together and she made me happy. I had been crying. She made it better then I left for Spring semester.

6. Jeep.

We love to drive in the jeep. When the doors are off and the top is off is the best. We went off-roading in it. And had parties in it. It was wonderful. We take pictures while driving also. This is one of these times.

7. Play time.

Just another picture of play time. It's the best. This one was right before my stake meeting to get into College. We love our lives :)

8. Beach.

So for my senior trip we decided to change things up a bit. We went to California to my uncle's beach house for 4 days. It was so much fun. We spent our time in the ocean and on the shore, reading and making sand castles and laying out. It was a perfect vacation. I loved it. We like to do random things.

9. Logan

We went to visit our good friend Trey in Logan one weekend.

It was a blast our friends came up from Provo.

We played the whole time.

It was a nice vacation away from school.

Anyway, so that was badly written. But here's the deal, Casey is my best friend. We met a little more than 4 years ago. We have had so many good times together and I've really enjoyed being her friend. She means a lot to me. I am so excited for her to go on a Mission. She is going to do so well. Whoever she gets married to will be the luckiest man. She is the best friend someone could ask for. If you don't know her you should try, because she will change your life. She has changed mine. I am so grateful for her.

Thank you Casey Ross.

Mi Familia es Loca.

Oh thanksgiving. Finally a break from the stress of the semester. I feel like this week has been a week of adventure. It's a week that most BYU-Idaho students look forward to since the beginning of the semester. It also comes down to being a stressful week by itself. Balancing friends, family, and that homework we all planned on doing (because we would have so much time). Mainly this week I have played with my family, played with my friends, driven my dad to Barstow, driven to Bullhead City, Eaten way too much, Seen HP7P1 :) (it was awesome!), shopping for 6 hours, Sleeping all day, Playing games, going shopping again, and now working. Crazier things have happened. But the time has come, it is Saturday I leave tomorrow, and my homework is staring at me with evil eyes. And there is housework to be done. But to get off a depressing note... My family is crazy. They lecture me about getting out there, and looking for love in all the wrong places. They yell to speak in a regular tone. We talk about everything. We play so many games. We make way too much food. And have a blast.

Also here is some more. I have 3 weeks of school left. Ahh. I cannot wait. I will do my service, homework, and yoga. Play with friends a little more. Be ridiculously busy, and then I will come home and take a long break. Get a job, work a lot, make new friends, Casey-Rachel time, spend time with my family and prepare myself to be busy all over again. Oh the life of being a college student. I love it and hate it. Hopefully Katie gets in :) that will be some good times.

Anyway this blog is all over the place, but it's just a little bit of my thoughts. :)