Field Trip

I went on a Field Trip today to SLC! (I think the last field trip I took was in 6th grade- well actually 8th grade to Kings Dominion but anyways...) My Meetings and Conventions class (yes- it is an actual class!) went up to Salt Lake today and took a tour of the Salt Palace and of the Marriott across the street! We met and talked to the GM and two of the people who do events and catering. I have never been so sure about what I wanted to do with my life- I know exactly what career path I need to take!

I was able to meet Elisa, Bub, and Miriam for lunch at The Gateway!

Bub has grown since I last saw him in August!

I love Miriams new hair cut!

Thanks so much for meeting and treating me to lunch Elisa!

A Girls Best Friend!

Birthday Surprise!

An unmarked box with no recognizable return address!
A note from my BFF Elaine- good thing we have telepathy or else I may not have known who it was from!
I would recognize this color and ribbon from a mile away!

The necklace is so so cute- it has my initials engraved on the back and everything- each picture I took of it came out funky! I will post it later!

Elaine! Thank you so so much- you completely out-did yourself! I love you! (Not just because you bought me a Tiffany & Co. necklace- because as we learned that does not prove anything!) Oh but I need to know, are yougoing to break up with me in a month?!

Birthday Week!

I am all about celebrating for as long as possible! I was able to spread my birthday out for an entire week!

Shar and I at Wingers!
Tiff, Jess and I ate at Lupitas and they sat us at both #21! (Coincidence? I had to take a picture with the number!)
My "fabulous" birthday cake!
Me and my fabulous birthday cake!

Thanks for the sweet cards, calls, e-mails, and gifts!

Peace. Love, and Alpha Phi

We had our Alpha Phi Bid Day party today! We had a great RUSH and were supposed to have our party on Monday but it got postponed because of a crazy snow storm! Which meant that our room got changed, so our entire set up got a little messed up! I along with another girl were the "day chairs" for this day! We did all of the planning, decorating, setting up, etc. It was so much fun! Here are a few pictures I took... I wish I had taken more!

"Peace Love and Alpha Phi"

Our Spring 2008 RUSH theme

Centerpieces
Balloon holders- I used glass jars, put the extra fabric inside, glued some ribbon and tied the balloons on top!
A few of the girls waiting for the getting to know you game- don't you just love those?!

It was such a success- I was so thrilled with the outcome! It was exactly a year ago that I received my bid for Alpha Phi and was at my own Bid Day party!

**Thanks Cristin and Mom for helping me with ideas!!**

Gordon B. Hinckley

Today in my Institute class my teacher had us write down where we were when we found out about his passing away, and also our favorite memories and things we want to rember about him. My teacher also shared some of his memories which were very neat because he was called as a Mission President and a Member of the Seventy by President Hinckley.

Here are a few things I wrote down so I will not forget them...

Where I was when I found out...

I was at the Alpha Phi house waiting for our meeting to begin when someone received a text message telling them that President Hinckley passed away. At first I did not believe them, but as the meeting went on I kept receiving the same text message. It is so sad but at the same time it is amazing to know where he is and that he is reunited with his sweet wife. Yesterday was our ward conference and I was able to sustain President Hinckley one last time, which I am grateful for.


One of my very favorite Talks is from the closing remarks from the October 2001 General Conference
I re-read it this afternoon and it seems perfect for today.

He was the driving force for the building of dozens and dozens of temples there are now over 120 temples all over the world.

He stressed education for everyone, "It is so important that you young men and you young women get all of the education that you can..."

"Be grateful, be smart, be clean, be true, be humble, and be prayerful."

Happy Birthday!

Happy 13th Birthday Emily!

Hope your birthday is even cooler than monkey on a stick!

I hope you remember that joke from a few years back!

My bad...

I had a family newsletter written and everything- I just sent it to someone else! So now somebody knows all about my January! That is what I get for sending stuff late at night! Well... here it is! I figure that the readers of the newsetter are the same readers of my blog!

Dear Family,

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday and a great first week of the new year! I had a busy December with finals, projects, etc! It was nice to have a break! It was great to spend time with my family. We got all of things in that I needed to do- ribbon outlet, scrapbook store, Target, American Eagle, all of the important stuff! I think one of the best highlights of my break was finishing my A-Z family scrapbook for my parents! I think my mom is going to blog it! I started my new semester on Monday. I love all of my classes, really I do! I think my favorite so far is my food and beverage class! My teacher is still trying to figure out why her class last year was not excited about learning how to brew their own beer- she said it was a hit when she taught at UNLV! I am still busy with Alpha Phi- I applied for a position and now am Director of Administration! It is great to be involved! I was asked to be a day chair so I am in charge one one of the days during our Rush week, which is themed "Peace, Love, and Alpha Phi! It was so much fun to plan- I will have to take pictures of my day! (Thanks Mom and Cristin for ideas!) Hope you all are doing amazingly well! Love you all!

I loved reading the newseltter this week! I read it tonight in the library and it completely made my night!

New beginnings!

I can not believe it is already time for a new semester to begin! I am pretty excited for all of my classes- I am sort of a nerd! I love new semesters because I feel like I have a fresh start. I have set some new goals and have have a bunch of projects and things I want to do! Here's to 2008!

Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for....

Autumn
Family
Babies
Transportation
Friendship
Nertz

I have been so so busy and I have so many things I want to blog... they will have to wait a few more days!

Haunted Hospital

Last week I was able to work at the Sigma Nu Haunted Hospital... it was fun but so scary! It was cool to see all of the behind the scenes kind of stuff that goes on! It actually takes place in the old hospital that has been abandoned (no electricity, or heat!), and is rumored to be haunted. The guys who do it do a really amazing job- last year they made over $25,000, most of this money is donated to a charity. The Alpha Phi's had a room set up like a house- which is why we are in aprons and dresses.

BEFORE

AFTER
My flash is so bright- it was really dim in the actual hospital which made it even scarier!
I had to sing a lullaby as the people passed by- and then I would follow them through the room! In our room there was also a woman in a kitchen, someone watching a static tv, a woman ironing, and someone who stepped out from behind the curtains.

Letter to Me

I heard the song "Letter to Me" by Brad Paisley the other day on the radio. It is a cute song and it gave me something to think about while I drove home. Here are the lyrics (listen to the song- someone made a video of the song-ignore their typos)

If I could write a letter to me

And send it back in time to myself at 17

First I'd prove it's me by saying look under your bed

There's a and a no
one else would know you hid

And then I'd say I know it's tough

When you break up after seven months

And yeah I know you really liked her
and it just don't seem fair

All I can say is pain like that is fast and it's rare

And oh you got so much going for you going right

But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night

She wasn't right for you

And still you feel like there's a knife sticking out of your back

And you're wondering if you'll survive

You'll make it through this and you'll see

You're still around to write this letter to me

At the stop sign at Tomlinson and Eighth

Always stop completely don't just tap your breaks

And when you get a date with Bridgett make sure the tank is full

On second thought forget it that one turns out kinda cool

Each and every time you have a fight

Just assume you're wrong and dad is right

And you really should thank Mrs. Brinkman

She spent so much extra time

It's like she sees the diamond underneath

And she's just polishin' you 'til you shine

And oh you got so much going for you going right

But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night

Tonight's the bonfire rally

But you're staying home instead because if you fail Algebra

Mom and dad will kill you dead

Trust me you'll squeak by and get a C

And you're still around to write this letter to me

You've got so much up ahead

You'll make new friends

You should see your kids and wife

And I'd end by saying have no fear

These are nowhere near the best years of your life

I guess I'll see you in the mirrorWhen you're a grown man

P.S. go hug Aunt Rita every chance you can

And oh you got so much going for you going right

But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night

I wish you'd study SpanishI wish you'd take a typing class

I wish you wouldn't worry, let it be

I'd say have a little faith and you'll see

If I could write a letter to me

To me

How great would it be to have a letter from yourself 5, 10, 15 years down the road? I would love to have a letter from myself 5 years down the road!

I wish that this 18 year old Alicia

This picture was taken the night before I left to go to my freshman year of college

knew what this

20 year old Alicia knows now...

I did not realize this picture had such a glare!

I wrote a letter to myself... and here are a few things I wrote

I gave myself some advice: (somethings I did and somethings I wish I had done)

When you heart gets broken do not cry for more than a day about it.

Even though you hate school take advantage of living in NYC. Soak up the culture, and love it.

Swallow your pride, please do not think that you failed or even made a bad decision, because you didn’t.

Do not date anyone you work with, no matter how cute they happen to be and no matter how much they flirt with you.

Take advantage of living at home again, offer to help mom cook and clean, you might just learn something.

Be nice, work on smiling and being friendly.

Value the time you spend with your family.

Give yourself some credit, you are smarter than you think. Have a little faith in yourself.

Everything is going to work out.

I think we all would love to have a letter telling us what or what not to do, or just reminding us to have a little faith and that everything will work out in the end! I wonder what my 27 year old Alicia would tell me...

I'm a Big Sister!

I now have a LITTLE SISTER in Alpha Phi!

These are a few of the little gifts I have made her...

A paint can filled with candy

A flower vase with her name

Pin box

I have had so much fun putting everything together... we have Big Sis/Lil' Sis reveal next week!

I am so excited!

Homecoming shirt!

These are our Alpha Phi homecoming shirts!

They are soo cute!

What a week!

I have been doing so many fun things I just have not gotten around to blogging about them...

Last week was homecoming and the Inauguration of the new President...

which meant...

Street Fair on Monday

A hypnotist on Tuesday

An ESPN dance on Wednesday (as much as I love to dance- I did not attend!)

Some speakers on Thursday

AND

The Goo Goo Dolls concert on Friday!

Alpha Phi Amumni/Family BBQ A rained out parade and tailgate party and a freezing football game!

We got the cutest homecoming shirts- I will have to put a picture up of them!

Happy Birthday Dad!

I hope you have a wonderful Birthday...

I love you!

My fabulous fall

I had a little incident Thursday morning... I fainted (I have never fainted before, and it was possibly the scariest thing that has ever happened to me) while getting ready for class and hit everything on my way down! (This included the counter, open drawer, wall, floor and I brought down the hot hair straightener as well.) Luckily my roommate was there and stuck with me the entire day!

Note: That my hair loks really good- I was on my way to hand out bids for Alpha Phi! I had a flower in my hair until one of the nurses took it out!

I am doing much better today, I am still tired and my face is sore but everyday I know I am going to get better!

Be Fabulous!

"I want fabulous, that is my simple request, all things fabulous, bigger and better and best, I need something inspiring to help me get along, I need a little fabulous is that so wrong?!"

Not the best picture- but it is the back of our Rush shirts for Alpha Phi this semester!

My word for this year is FABULOUS!

This year I am going to...

Have FABULOUS grades

Have a FABULOUS social life

Get into FABULOUS shape

Make FABULOUS and maintain FABULOUS relationships

Try to have a FABULOUS personality

I know it has been FOREVER since I have blogged... It is RUSH week so I have been busy every single night! It has been a ton of fun meeting all of these new, and fabulous girls! It is going to be a FABULOUS semester!

I love the Disney channel! I have been a fan of Disney since forever, and I absolutely love High School Musical! I even went to High School Musical Live this past January! (I went with my 12 year old sister!) I was even counting down the days until High School Musical 2- I was a little skeptical at first with it being a sequal and all but I was very impressed! I watched it the night it came out and I have also watched the "sing-a-long" edition! Yes, I did sing along! I even own a copy of the soundtrack!

Luckily my roommate loves HSM2 just as much as I do, so there is no need for me to try and explain why I love Disney! I sometimes think I missed my calling in life- I think I was supposed to be a Disney Pop Star! If you haven't seen it, sit down and watch it!

I LOVE my family!

I know that this is out of order but I just want to have it blogged!

We had our Ray Reunion in July and it was so much fun! Here are a few pictures and memories from those few days we all spent together!

Karaoke, Talent Show, GPS, Tye dye, pool, paper plate awards, eating, talking, picture taking, hiking, and being a family!

Maddie and I! We had so much fun with each other- we bonded over High School Musical, and Hannah Montana! She really was so much fun to be with!

We somehow got Darin in this funny pose!

Got cups?!
All of the grandchildren!

A few of the cousins on the GPS scavenger hunt!

Trip Wrap Up!

We stayed really busy the entire time Elaine was here, but I did not document everything with pictures! We took a tour of Temple Square, and also the Conference Center. I just love Temple Square! We met my Aunt Elisa and her kids for part of the afternoon, it was fun to see them!

On the last day we hiked Emerald Pools. It was a lot easier than Angels Landing but I was still tired!
It was sooo much fun to have Elaine out for the week! I wish it could have been a little longer! It was great to share my new surroundings with her! Miss you Elaine!