Mexicali Here I Come! March 29, 2012

     Woke up early. Life and Teachings. nap. lunch: dino nuggz for the win! pack pack pack...I seriously HATE packing...it is the absolute worst. Tons of people partying it up in our room. Learning guitar from Ian. Driving home to Azusa tonight, staying with Katie Allen, and heading off to Mexicali in the AM! I'm on Team Barnabas...the prayer and encouragement team! So basically we get to work with all the other teams! It should be quite the adventure...camping all week in the heat of Mexico with...no showers. Maybe I'm more prepared this year because of High Sierra and Trek? I can dream...right? Prayers would be very much appreciated this week! I'll hopefully have updates and pictures next Monday when I return to High Sierra! Yay for Spring Break!

Professor for the Day March 28, 2012

    Today was crazy! Student leadership team in the morning...Burns brought us Starbucks coffee and doughnuts...yum! The rest of the morning was spent preparing for the lesson I had to teach today in leadership for my independent study on making decisions (ha!) I put a ton of work into the presentation...and think it went very well! Curious that the people who never sit front and center decided to the day I present...my friends can be oh so cruel! haha Then....it was off to Kingdom Krew! Us college kids were totally in charge today, and Ian, Christy, and I were specifically in charge of the younger ones since the director was gone on vacation. I would say...the kids were insane and it was exhausting...but I think we pulled it off and did an excellent job! Hooray! Jamba run. Dinner. Classics. For some reason I was super dizzy tonight??? So weird. Classics got out early and I've been messing around attempting to get some homework done...but mostly just hanging out with people since tonight is our last night all together for a while...because tomorrow begins our spring break! I will be headed to Mexicali, Mexico on a mission's trip...the same as last year! I'm stoked! Peace out lovahs.

HACKED. March 27, 2012

    Busy busy day! Life and Teachings. Plenary. Lunch. Meet with Rob (I have to teach class tomorrow as part of my independent study...eek!). Homework. Run into town with Burns. Homework. Dinner. Watch Vampire Diaries (you have to have breaks cha know?!) Girl's hall meeting (we combined with the boys and wrote encouraging notes to each other) and then yes...more homework...all night in Burn's house. Ian decided to change my relationship status tonight on facebook while my lap top was sitting in Burn's house...so for those of you that panicked...I am so sorry to disappoint. No...I am NOT in a relationship...and if I was or am going to be....I don't even think I will change it on facebook...what's with this having to be "facebook official" nowadays? DUMB. But anyways....I came back to my phone with about 20 text messages and was so confused as to why people were talking to me (if you know me...I'm not a big texter)...and when I found out why...Ian was a dead man...no fear. Also...there's a beautiful new password locking my computer.

Thrifting Adventure! March 26, 2012

   Today we had no concepts class! So...we decided to go into Oakhurst and have a thrifting adventure! Me, Andrew, Ian, Alex, Danielle, and Michelle all went! So fun and some good finds! I got a sweater! We also went to Jamba Juice...immunity boost for the win! I need to get better! Ate dinner as a small group and Nols shared with us his dating advice! So fun! Then for concepts, we all got together in the meeting hall to watch "No Country For Old Men" because we are reading a book by the same author right now. Let me tell you...this is a super hard movie to watch...so much gore and weirdness. YUCK. NOTAFAN. Homework time and bed!

The Craziest Weekend Here Yet! March 22-25, 2012

This was such an insanely busy weekend...it was ridiculous! Yet so fun! Here's the low down!

Thursday, March 22nd:
     Life and Teachings. Plenary. Nap. Independent study. Exchange of life stories with Ian. Homework...and finally: MIDNIGHT PREMIER OF THE HUNGER GAMES! Let me just tell you this was such a good movie...they did an excellent job of adapting the book! Contrary to popular belief..there are benefits to living in a small mountain town...no huge crowds to get into the theater! (minus a group of high schoolers) We all loved it! A few people here decided to dress up as some of the characters (see picture)...hilarious! We got home at around 2 am and time for bed!

Midnight Premier of Hunger Games! With dressed up characters and all!

Friday, March 23rd:
     Chapel. Lunch. Hanging out. And at night...Trek team reunion! We went to a campsite down the road had a bonfire, s'mores, and IBC root beer (in the glass bottles and all!) It was so fun to be reunited with my team (even though we see each other every day!) I can't wait to go on 2nd Trek with these people...the rumor is that 2nd Trek= Twice as far, twice as hard, and twice as fun? We'll see!

Saturday, March 24th:
    A bunch of people went skiing today...I was supposed to go but woke up feeling oh so sick so I opted out. I spent most of the day in bed and then went outside and read for a good chunk of the day. Ian decided to steal my phone last night and take a bunch of obnoxious pictures and videos on it. So...conveniently he was gone skiing so I stole all the pillows off his bed...so great. However, he decided to get me back upon his return and stole all of my bedding...rude. Tonight we headed to Sky Walk: aka Fresno's indoor trampoline arena! It was so fun! We went from 10pm-midnight and they had laser lights and music playing while we were there. After we were all sweaty and gross...we made a late night run to In and Out...another night not getting home till 2 am...and this time I had to make my bed at 2 in the morning...not fun! [thanks Ian] Such a great night though!

A beautiful spring day here at good 'ole High Sierra!

View from Star Rock where I read today!

Sunday, March 25th:
     Church. After church several families adopted all of us students. We went in groups of 2 to 4 and got to go home with a family and they served us lunch! It was so great having a home cooked meal! I went with Amanda, Drew, and Arielle, and the nicest people had us over! We ate fried chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies, and drank from iced tea in mason jars while listening to their record player (ummm...my life?!) They even had 2 girls who decided to first dress Drew up and then dress us all up! (See pictures!) Upon return to campus I did homework, napped, and then we had a Q&A session with our professors. Here at good old High Sierra we read a lot of tough stuff...tough in the sense of it's sometimes hard to understand...but more tough in that challenging topics are brought up (some examples:  predestination, evolution, mythology in the Bible, etc.) so many of us were feeling discouraged and exhausted of reading all this material that truly challenges your faith. However this impromptu Q&A session was great and we were encouraged to "take up our yolk" and keeping working hard in this time of our lives as students and scholars. Next...we had a community meeting...we talked over some stuff and took communion together...greatness! Time for bed!

At our family's house that adopted house...and dressed up Drew!

Ope...and now we're all dressed up with the 2 girls!

Crazy weekend...AMIRIGHT?!?!

Recap after Recap March 19-21

AHHH LAST WEEK CATCH UP!

Mon. March 19th
Concepts. Small group.

Tues. March 20th
Class, running, me time, Vampire Diaries!

Wed. March 21st
Leadership, Kingdom Krew!, Classics

So brief...but I was sick all week...so nothing too exciting!

Romping around San Francisco! March 16-18, 2012

Sorry for such a long absence! This week has been INSANE and...I'm sick! Boo...So here's last weekend's San Fran trip Recap!

Friday, March 16, 2012
     Head out bright and early! Burns had me wake up all the girls at 5:20am by blasting music through the hall...we played "Tik Tok" by Kesha...let me just say...I'm pretty sure many girls were not too pleased...but everyone made it to the vans on time! Road trip to NASA...we had such a fun van! Exploring NASA and sitting through 2 lectures...then lunch in the parking lot. On the road again to San Francisco...first stop...the Legion of Honor Museum...So much interesting artwork...but definitely not my favorite stop. Then...finally off to our hotel! We stayed at The Mosser...right smack in the middle of Union Square...it was such a nice hotel...but the rooms were so tiny...no fear...I got one all to myself! It was such a strange hotel...it was like being in the dorms with community bathrooms and all...only in San Francisco! We were then set free to explore the city all night! Me, Taylor (roomie), Ian, Jess, and Drew all took off together. We ate at Chipotle and scrambled around in the pouring rain! Me and Taylor bought these great bubble umbrellas to keep us dry! We then went back to my room and a big group of us piled on my bed and we watched a movie! At about 10pm we went back out (it finally stopped raining!) to Coldstone for late night dessert. Back to the hotel and...bed time!

NASA

Legion of Honor Museum

Exploring the city with new bubble umbrellas!

Movie night in my room!

?

Legion of Honor Museum

Legion of Honor Museum

Legion of Honor Museum

Eating lunch outside of NASA

Saturday, March 17, 2012: ST. PATRICK'S DAY...NO REGRETZ
     This was our motto all day! We began the day by all heading to Grace Cathedral by cable car and spending a few hours roaming around there. We ate lunch together in the park across the street...and then were given the rest of the day to ourselves...and were even given free passes to get us on the public transportation all day! A group of us first went back to our hotel and watched the St. Patty's Parade that was happening right in Union Square! It was not that exciting...but we made it exciting...by screaming, being obnoxious, and even joining the parade at one point. Then we took the half underground metro to Haight and Ashbury...aka hippy street! We spent most of the day here thrifting, walking around, eating crepes, and yes...even getting piercings! I fell into peer pressure and got my forward helix pierced! Reed videoed it...but I made him hold my hand too! haha From here we took a bus back to the hotel, changed, and took the cable car to Fisherman's Wharf. We ate at Boudin (sourdough bread for the win!), went to Ghiradelli Square for dessert, and went to Pier 39 to see the sea lions! We took a retro bus back and finally made it back to the hotel a little after midnight. I was so exhausted...I don't remember much...except that I laid on my bed and did not awaken until the next morning!

In front of Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral

Watching the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Union Square!

Dessert at Ghiradelli Square!

Ghiradelli Square...obvi

Piercings! Mine is the 2nd one! (the one that's bloody...ewww)

Today's main transportation: cable car!

Parade time!

Riding the retro bus back to the hotel from Fisherman's Wharf!

A random swing we found walking to Haight and Ashbury

Waiting for the cable car

Riding the metro to Haight and Ashbury!

Exploring grace Cathedral

Reed and I riding on the outside of the cable car...so fun!

Kristyn and I strutting our stuff...you gotta strut like you mean it, free your mind...cheetah girls, anyone?!

The whole crew outside of Grace Cathedral

Dinner at Boudin!

  
Sunday, March 18, 2012
     Awaken. Hope in the vans...to the De Young Museum...I enjoyed this one so much! They had a 360 Panorama view of the city on the 7th floor...so cool...and the artwork was just so much more interesting and intriguing. After, we ate lunch together in the courtyard...and began our journey back to APU. Upon arrival we were greeted with tons of SNOW! It was crazy how much there was...apparently what spring semester here is supposed to look like...haha. Homework time and bed...this weekend was SO MUCH FUN! Not only do I love San Francisco...but getting to explore it with people I love?! Even better.

Hanging outside the De Young  Museum...this is where we ate lunch!

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum artwork...O'neil and I admiring

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out....typical...me

De Young Museum Look Out

De Young Museum Look Out

Chilling outside the De Young Museum on a beautiful, sunny Sunday!

What we returned to...snow covered campus!

IPHONE and San Fran Prep March 15, 2012

     Early rise. Life and Teachings. Plenary...it was all about preparation for our SAN FRANCISCO TRIP THIS WEEKEND! So stoked...I absolutely love this city! It's going to be so weird returning since last time I was there for a whole different purpose...a little thing I like to call Bridges. It's going to be strange being an actual tourist! We're hitting up NASA, a few art museums, and we get transportation passes so we can roam the city wherever we want to go for the most of the weekend! We're even staying at a hotel right in the middle of Union Square...civilization once again! I then received a great package that contained...MY NEW IPHONE! I love it and was so in need of a phone! Thanks parentals! I was so distracted by it all day...I couldn't get any work done! Oops. Independent study, helped load the food for San Fran (the joys of being a student leader!), random Oakhurst run with Robert Hake to get pita and hummus, dinner, Psych, laundry, Vampire Diaries, pack (why do I always wait until the last minute? hehe), and now trying to get to sleep before I have to wake up at 4:45am and have to wake up the girls on the hall at 5:20am. Hello sleeping the entire van ride. I'll be absent until Sunday living it up in the city! Talk to you all then!

Hermit Day March 14, 2012

Wake up extra early for small group life stories and breakfast. nap time. hermit day= homework in my room allll day. boo. running with taylor. dinner. christian classics. up late doing more homework. bed time...finally

Tamales and Trust Walk March 13, 2012

     Life and Teachings. Plenary. Epic nap. Productivity. One on one with Burns...we made dinner for the rest of our staff tonight...she had homemade tamales (yum!) and I made cookies! Then for a staff meeting we ate dinner and went over our results from a survey everyone here had to take rating us on our status as leaders so far! Then we had individual sessions to get our personal ratings...I was very pleased with mine! Hard work pays off! Attempted to do some homework. Hall meeting...tonight we did a trust walk (leading someone who is blindfolded) around campus and talked about the importance of communication...and then played with the giant ball of questions. Back to homework. Roommate cuddle sesh. Bed time!

TRINITY RA WHAT?!!? March 12, 2012

    Today I woke up to discover my phone has officially died...and is not coming back to life...ever. So...if you're trying to get a hold of me...sorry 'bout it. Also...I immediately checked my email to discover...I was accepted as an RA IN TRINITY STAFF NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!! I'm so blessed to have received this offer...I know it is going to be so great!!!!! yayayayayayayay! So stoked! I could barely focus on anything else today...not good...because my big Concepts midterm paper and presentation were due today. No fear...I finally got it done..and it's finally over! Praise the Lord! Received a package from home, went to small group, and just hung out with people all night. I'm going to go watch the new episode of Once Upon a Time now to celebrate today: getting RA and having my midterm be OVER! Hope you're all having lovely weeks

Lesson of the day: If you let it...the peace of the Lord cannot be crushed, even among chaos and anxiety. Dwell in hope and trust and you will be just fine.

Spider Attack March 11, 2012

    Church, lunch, working on concepts homework alllll day long, short small group trip into town, driving the back roads back to camp, concepts homework again, spontaneous dance/karaoke party in the meeting hall, back to concepts...and finally...harry potter with the roomie taylor! We had a spider attack us...a spider literally propelled from the bunk we were under, landed on my laptop, and scurried off. After searching for it for 30 minutes we decided to both sleep in my bed, and as soon as we laid down, were greeted by Ian scaring the crap out of us by pounding on our window. good stuff. dear lord, I am getting no sleep tonight.

Week Catch Up! March 5, 2012- March 10, 2012

    Wow! I am such a slacker! gah! This week has been so crazy...midterms, papers, life decisions...So here's my recap!
     Monday: Ski day! So flipping fun! It was hot out and I wore a tank top...definitely my favorite kind of skiing conditions. Since I have class usually on Mondays, our professor decided to come skiing with us and have class on the ride there and back, as well as at the lodge for about an hour! Best.class.ever. I came back exhausted and a little rosy...but so worth it! Mozzy taught me some ski skills...and I had an epic occurrence accident getting on the ski lift...not my fault...but it knocked the wind out of me and I got hit in the back of the head by the lift...such a funny story...ask me about it! Came home, went to small group, and peaced out for the night!
     Tuesday: Class, one on one, stressing out to the maxxxxxx....gotta pick my major, people. hung out with Jess, staff meeting, girl's hall meeting where we debriefed the panel and brainstormed for what we want to learn this month...we are doing a "What every girl should know" series...different kinds of braiding, baking, basic car maintenance, fishing, etc. have all made the list! I'll keep you updated (if I'm way better at blogging than I was this week) on what we decided on.
     Wednesday: Only one class today! Leadership! Spent the rest of the day slaving away on my independent study and a paper I have due Friday. Worked outside because it was so gorgeous out! Tonight was kind of hard... I think I had a mental breakdown.
     Thursday: Class, an extra long independent study, self care time, still slaving away on this beast of a paper...it is on Soren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling...and let me tell you...it's a woozy...I barely understand the reading on whether there is a "teleological suspension of the ethical" much less can write about it...good grief charlie brown.
     Friday: Finally Friday. Praise sweet baby Jesus. Chapel, homework, and then...Emerald Cove Camp work day! We worked from 1-5pm and I was on the painting team! We took apart screens and framing, primed, and painted all the outside windows of the dorms...all while blasting country music...they even provided iced tea on our break...loved it! Dinner, Christian Classics (it was switched from Wednesday to today due to our professor being gone) and after just relaxing. I'm starting to watch Harry Potter with my roomie Taylor...and I kind of like it! (Yes...I just admitted to that...Elise) We made a bed out of the 2 couches in the lobby and watched it...well we fell asleep in the middle...but I plan on finishing it later this weekend!
     Saturday: Such a lazy Saturday! Slept in, basically did nothing, and am now slaving away at another midterm paper I have for my Concepts class on Monday...the worst part? We have to present it for 10 minutes too! Yuck! I was distracted for a good hour by Ian and Jess...but I read them a bedtime story so it was well worth it. haha. Did my rounds, Drew sang me his rap he made up about High Sierra to the tune of "Back and Yellow" (it is epic!), and now I am blogging! hehe Tonight starts daylight savings...after living a year and half in California...it still throws me off...Andrew is from Chandler so he's the only one who understands me here...native Arizonan problems for the win.

Waterfall Adventure March 4, 2012

     Sunday. Chapel instead of church by Dave. Brunch. Bye Previews. Tanning on the deck. It was so hot out today! Giant group trip to the waterfall...where we decided to go swimming? Nope. I got pushed in...the water was freezing! Thanks Andrew. But it was so fun! We had a natural slide right into the water. Dance party island. (I named it...where we stood after being submerged in water...and danced to warm ourselves up!) Adventuring with Arielle to stand behind the waterfall...so cool...but cold and slippery! Slipping into the cold water...this time...my fault. Hiking back to the dorms...to discover a beautiful sunny spot...where me and Arielle decided to stop, lay out, and read! Yay for getting some color! Finally return. An epic hot shower. Dinner in O-town, aka Oakhurst, Chinese takeout for the win. Fall asleep (extra long nap on accident...being in the sun always makes me overly exhausted), paying for the nap doing homework into the wee hours of the AM. But...I don't mind...because...tomorrow we are going SKIING! Wait! McKenna...you have class tomorrow...how are you going? (you might be asking) Well...our professor is going too, and we are having class on the way up the mountain and during lunch at the lodge. Freaking high sierra...I like you. a whole lot.
     Lesson of the day: Keep up your bucket list and actually do stuff on it. It makes life that much more interesting. Today I crossed out some of mine: swim in a creek/waterfall...aka I did both. woo!

Fun in the Sun March 3, 2012

     Such an absolutely gorgeous Saturday! Filled with so much sun and fun! This morning was the 5K, where I was in charge of recording everyone's times as they finished. The ending location was a picnic spot right near the lake...and after the race we ate lunch there. So beautiful. Return to campus. Attempt to homework on Star Rock...but...let's be real...it was much too gorgeous out! I just wanted to play! Especially since the ropes courses were open due to the preview students being here. Therefore...I went and played! You only live once you know! I went on the King Swing (see posted video soon!) which is basically a giant free fall between the trees...so scary! Did the crossing, of which I fell multiple times...so so so scary!, and basically hung out all day. Did some homework after, dinner, and then we played this crazy goldfish game that Rob invented. Then...it was dance party time! I got my krump on...hehe. Got to hang out with the one and only K. Allen and played a game of liar's dice....time for bed!

     Today's lesson: Always make time to play and be with people. Enjoy the gift of the Lord's beautiful creation...especially on days with beautiful weather...they are not worth wasting. The work will get done. Life is too boring going at it alone and only focused on task after task.

Panel and Previews March 3, 2012

     Friday! Today we had our relationship/beauty/marriage/singleness panel! It went pretty well...everyone had great questions (kept anonymous) and the panel had great advice to offer! Off to clean the dorms for the preview students...a 4 hour ordeal...dun dun dun. We then proceeded to get dressed in our greatest tribal face paint and crazy outfits...to welcome the preview students of course! We all lined up along the driveway and jumped and pounded on the vans as they drove out, scaring the students...so fun! I get to hang out with Katie Allen for the weekend! Wooo!

March Madness! March 1, 2012

    Today was stressful, in a nut shell. Have a lot to think about over the next few weeks concerning the future. On a brighter note...I took a great nap and pretty much rested outside of classes and cleaning. Preview weekend starts tomorrow...it's going to be an insane weekend!

Leapy Leap Day! February 29, 2012

    Alert! Today only happens every 4 years! Get excited! Happy Leap Year! Hooray!
    Today was spectacular...despite the fact I am so exhausted! Class, worked at Kingdom Krew today and helped out with the preschool and kindergartners! They brought in a puppy today! So fun to play with and the kids loved it! Then...me and Ian were put with them for 45 minutes of arts and crafts...it was rainy today...so let's just say these kids were on CRACK. They were all over the place! So crazy but so fun! There was a point when Ian left the room and so I had all the kids hide from him...kept them occupied and they loved Ian pretending he couldn't find them! We played with play-doh, water colored, made bracelets, played with chalk, built towers...you name it...we did it. If I wasn't tired already...this made sure I was!
     Dinner, Classics (where I nearly fell asleep), great prayer time, great conversations, homework, and I went all hyper-maid...I did a mega clean up of my room and it felt so good! Can't wait for tomorrow to be the start of my weekend after classes! I need the rest!
    Lesson learned today? The importance of not worrying and putting emphasis on relationships, not work or plans for the future. God is in control. Always has been, always will be...and the work will get done.

Filled Up February 28, 2012

     Pretty solid day. Lots of learning and then dedicated the rest of the day to self care...I needed it after this weekend and after yesterday's insane homework overload. I went for a run, took a great shower, painted my nails, called my mom, and pretty much just chilled by myself. So needed and it was a great re-booster! Dinner, hall meeting (we just gave each other back massages tonight! So great!), and homeyyyy work.

     I want to start posting lessons I learn by the day. Today I was reminded of the vital need for self care. Sometimes I just get so energized by people and by my leadership position that I do not make self care a priority. Here is to change! Because...in order to pour out into others, I must be poured into and filled up...a great reminder of this came to me in a great conversation with my dear friend Aaron this past weekend!

Main Campus Mayhem February 27, 2012

     I'm baaaaaaaaaack!!!!! Sorry it has been so long! Crazy weekend down on main campus in Azusa! Seriously...I did not think that it was going to be that stressful/overwhelming...but oh so great at the same time! So many people to see...so little time!

Weekend recap: crazy 5 hour van drive down where yours truly was the entertainment, barely any sleep, Disneyland trip with Bianca and Jackie (it was way too crowded!), lunch at Newport Beach with Bianca and Taylor, Hannah's basketball game, hanging out with Hannah and her roommates and Kate who happened to be visiting, watching Psych, seeing/reuniting with so many lovely faces, coffee dates, caf meals, hanging out with Aaron and Brooks, hanging out in the infamous I5, Target run, forwarding my mail, getting locked out of the mod we were staying in, so much laughter, wandering around campus with Taylor, alphie reunions, girls night out in Old Town Pasadena, staying with the lovely ladies of H3, so many great hugs and great talks, catching up. And of course...no homework done....

so...can you guess what I did today? Yup...nonstop homework day. Baking with the small group for a small break...and back to the books. Lord Almighty...I need coffee.