Give all you have, and let life follow.

I think this is a good phrase to describe the epic run BYU basketball had this year.  There is no doubt that Jimmer Fredette gave everything he had in today's game against Florida.  Some days the shots just don't fall, but Jimmer played through all the hard fouls and the non-calls.  We gathered the faithful BYU fans of our complex and had an awesome party with stadium seating (placing one of the couches on top of the table behind the big couch), buffalo chicken, chips and dip, rice krispy treats, and drinks.  We cheered wildly when Jimmer hit his three point shot from five feet behind the arc.  After the game we let out some of our anguish playing volleyball and spiking the ball over the net with all our might.  All we can do in life is give everything we have, and then we can feel fulfillment in the journey.  We will have moments  of triumph and moments of defeat, but in the end we will learn and grow and achieve our fullest potential.

Monticello March Madness

Some of my friends at Monticello and I were enjoying March Madness and the return of good weather to Provo, and so we decided to do a little 3 on 3 basketball tournament.  We're trying to get as many people involved as possible.  So far we've had quite a few people say they are interested and so I sent out a form to sign people up on teams.  I played some more volleyball today outside and had a pretty sweet block.  I was running back and forth between cooking dinner group and then when it was in the oven running back out to play volleyball.  The weather has just been fantastic, so after dinner group we recruited more people for the basketball tournament and then we played basketball for like 2 hours outside on the court at Monticello.  Then it was time to celebrate Emerson's Birthday.  I bought some sweet candles for his cake that burned different colors, and we played a game called in a pickle while eating melted Rolos Pretzel things.  It was quite an enjoyable evening.  I'm really excited for BYU's game tomorrow, and I'm stoked for my Intramural Basketball Tournament Game on Friday.  It's been another good day at Monticello.

The Return of Yellowcard

Today Yellowcard released their first brand new album since their hiatus of the last few years.  Yellowcard was the first band that I really loved in high school.  I remember when I was with one of the varsity debaters that I really looked up to walking around in the mall in Boise.  He bought Yellowcard's Ocean Avenue album and I remember spending squad nights over at his house preparing debate evidence to the tunes of Ocean Avenue.  So yesterday when I found out Yellowcard was releasing this album today, I decided I would buy it with the itunes gift card from my mom.  This is the first time that I have ever bought an album on its release date.  It is fitting that it is a Yellowcard album.  I've listened to it all day and the music is classic Yellowcard just like the good old days, and it just seems to fit perfectly for me right now.  It's fun to have some new music that I can jam out to and relate at least a little to.

BYU Homecoming Adventures, at the Airport

So after having an already amazing Saturday afternoon filled with stake activities, volleyball, and BYU's Divine Comedy.  The BYU Baskeball game made everything that much sweeter!  So in order to cap things off right I took an epic journey with Missy, Hailee, and Emily from my FHE group and one of their friends Mike to the Provo Airport.  We weren't sure of the exact arrival time of the team, so we got there what turned out to be an hour and a half early!  It was a little cold standing outside in the rain, but when the plane touched down and the players ran past touching the fingers of the crowd, and we all rushed to congratulate Jimmer and getting pushed back by a police officer before I could give him a high five-- it was pretty much all worth it.  Most of the starters including Jackson Emery, Noah Hartsock, Charles Abouo, and Chris Collingsworth all stuck around and I managed to get photos with each of them with our group.  It was a great way to greet the Cougars and get pumped up for Thursday's Sweet Sixteen game!

March Madness

Today was the traditional start of March Madness, games going all day long from 10am to 10pm.  As you will note in the picture above, I pretty much have the best job on campus.  I worked quite diligently today, but I was also able to watch 3 games going at once simultaneously most of the day with the volunteers in the area.  This years tournament seems to be one of the most exciting tournaments of my life, not only did I fill out three brackets, but also most of the games I saw today came down to the very last shot!  It was so intense that I decided to make up some of the work hours I had missed earlier in the month by skipping class to keep working and watching the Madness of NCAA Tournament basketball.  I like many of you was shocked by Morehead St.'s last minute victory over Louisville, and I ended up on the wrong side of the Richmond vs. Vanderbilt upset.  I found myself rooting for Princeton when as they nearly beat Kentucky even though I had Kentucky winning the game in my bracket.  Sometimes you just feel inclined to root for the little guys who never make it.  From here on out I have to be careful I don't become too absorbed by the madness and drop the ball in my schoolwork and other responsibilities.  There is just something special about this American Tradition of cramming sixty-seven basketball games into a brief three week period.  After tonight my best bracket appears to be the one in which BYU goes to the Final and plays Ohio St. So I'll just give one more shout out to Jimmer and the Cougars!! GO BYU!!!

Adventures of Spring

Me, Seth, Dan, Hayley and Gwen in epic Rain Volleyball Championship poses.

  It has been wonderful weather although these photos might not indicate that.  So today started out in the sixties and soon clouds covered the sky.  So being in the epic dinner group I am in, we decided to play volleyball, and when the Richards Building didn't have any courts available we spontaneously decided to play in the rain on the Monticello Volleyball court.  We quickly had a great following and about 14 people came and filtered in and out playing for like an hour in pouring rain!  Below you'll see me spiking the ball, using my recently acquired volleyball skills from the Volleyball class I'm taking this semester.

 

 I wore the Jimmer shirt for extra power, because Jimmer = greatness.  I personally must say that while singing in the rain is great, spiking a slippery volleyball and diving on the wet grass is definitely at the top of my list of fun things to do in the rain.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Not a creature was quiet, save perhaps the mouse.
For there was quite a riot, all through the house.
Three anxious siblings, no longer little criblings.
Laughing and giggling at the good ol' times of yore.
Despite all the ruckus there was heard a snore.
Mom's delicious dinner had Dad done in.
Soon enough we'd laughed ourselves thin.
So quickly to bed before whining begin!
But, wait came the cry I've some wrapping to do!
In the blink of an eye the hustle and bustle had started anew.
One by one the presents appear, now wrapped with Christmas cheer.
To bed, to bed Santa soon will be near.
Tromp, tromp, tromp, heavy feet downstairs go.
Now everything's quiet, everything's in a row.
Tis the night before Christmas, and now        now
Not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse.