Welcome July!

Can you believe that June is almost over? I spent so much time dreading this month and now it has already come and gone!

It is a new month and so I am changing some things in my life. I guess it's kind of like making New Year resolutions but in July instead of January. Except I am going to call it my Happy List because I have so many reasons to happy and it's about time I start taking advantage of them.

~Lake Powell, a place you can't help but be happy in

~One month marks

~~Patriotism. I love the month of July because it is full of patriotic music and fireworks!

~Old and new friends which also means getting on with life

~Getting determination and motivation

~Letters from unexpected friends and letters from best friends

~Being busy with work

~Pictures, I discovered that I love TAKING pictures of people and capturing moments

~Tennis Camp is coming up!! Pebble Beach here I come!

~Spontaneity

~Family Vacations, just got back from Powell and now we are heading to the Valley of the Sun

~Summertime-Swimming, Snow Cones, Drive-In movies, and lots of sun!

I am going to be sure to make July the most fun month of my summer!!

Toy Story 3

      If you haven't seen Toy Story 3 yet, get off the computer and go see it right now! I have already seen it twice I loved it so much! From the very first seen I had the biggest smile on my face, it was like I was a little kid all over again! I have grown up with Toy Story and a year ago I was Andy leaving for college so it definitely hit close to home. I was laughing so hard that I was crying and then I was crying because it was all ending. I'm pathetic, I know. I definitely give it 5 stars. I can't say enough good things about it! So I suggest that everyone goes and sees it!

Time

Isn't it strange how Time can move seem to move slow but fast all at once?

Lately, Time has been on my mind. It feels as though Time has decided to go into slow motion for me. What feels like should have been a month has only been 2 weeks. Time is playing a mean trick on me.

When you look back on a year ago and it seems like it went to fast. But then you think about that year and how much happened. It was full of experiences, new faces and friends, problems and challenges, and so many more memories. When you are looking back a year seems like nothing, but when you are living that year it is a whole different story. 

I always think about how when I am hanging out with my friends the Time flies by and all of the sudden it is Time to go home but when I am working out 5 minutes feels like 30 minutes. Or how when you are in school and Friday can't come fast enough but in the summer you couldn't care less.

I have learned that Time really does fly when you are having fun. When I am doing the things I enjoy, spending Time with the people I love, and keeping busy it feels like I don't have enough Time in a day. So the past few weeks I have tried to keep as busy as possible-it hasn't really worked.

 Time is a concept that I haven't been able to wrap my head around and probably never will. To tell you the absolute truth-Time freaks me out.

Oh Time, please stop torturing me and pick up the pace! I want to get on with my attempt at a care-free summer!

Hello, Goodbye

I realize it has been a couple weeks since I have blogged so bear with me because this one is going to be kind of long. 1 week ago I was getting on a plane to come home from Hawaii...for good. I was excited to be coming home but sad and shocked that my Hawaiian experience was already over.
Lohren and I started packing up our room at the beginning of the week and although it was weird, sad, happy, and so many other things, we made sure to make our last week one to remember as roommates.
One of my favorite nights was when we were attempting to study for our biology final the next day (attempting being the key word) before we knew it the time was 2:00 am. Lohren and I had been singing Aaron Carter's "Aaron's Party" for a few days and decided that we had to make a video of it:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150154055780084&subj=512411426
After a few tries we finally perfected it and then went on to study till about 3:30 am!

The next day I was so excited because I was able to go pick up my mom from the airport! She was coming over to help us get ready and packed to go home. We made a stop at the temple to snap a few pictures before heading to her hotel.

The packing continued and before we knew it we were just about done with our finals. We spent the last few days either sorting through our room or sitting by the pool at Turtle Bay trying to get the last few rays of sunshine before heading to Utah. Our last final was in sign language. We had to get up in front of the class and do a children's book in sign. So as we were tanning by the pool we were also practicing.
Of course the last weekend of being in Hawaii I had to get sick. It made it a little harder to stay up late and celebrate finishing my
freshman year of college but somehow I managed. Lohren and I spent
our last days watching movies, packing, and reminiscing. On our last night we went to a party with everyone but I started coming down with a fever so we didn't last to long there. Instead we came home and tried to get all of our odds and ends together before having to check out the next morning, but of course we made it much more fun then it sounds.
Sneaking around the dorms, eating oreos, laughing, singing, falling off chairs, and of course dancing. We were finally getting into bed when I realized that we hadn't done the one thing we promised we would do. On our first day as official roommates we were feeling like losers so we sat in our room and learned the Hoedown Throwdown from the Hannah Montana Movie. We kept saying that we were going to film it and never did. So I dragged/pulled/forced Lohren out of bed at 3 am to make this:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=420640231426&comments

We didn't get too sad checking out until we had to close our door to our room. I couldn't believe that I would never open this door again into the little 5 by 5 space we had made to be our home.
We had to make one last stop at Ted's before leaving, so we decided to go on the way of taking Garrett to the airport and it worked perfectly because we ran into Egan there.

On our last day we woke up to do something that we hadn't done yet. After 7 months of living in Hawaii you'd think that we would have gotten up on a surfboard but the truth is we hadn't even really tried. So we signed up for lessons and the hotel and hit the waves.
We were pretty nervous paddling out there, it is quite the work out. Our nerves grew when our instructors realized that the waves were much bigger than they thought, but that didn't stop us. By the end of the two hours we had both stood up and unfortunately had both gotten crushed by the waves as well. It was the perfect note to end such an amazing experience on.

Good as New

This year I have discovered that I am probably too emotional for my own good, but I can't do anything about that. So last night as I was talking to my Mom and we were both in tears-I was homesick and didn't like being away for my birthday-and she didn't like being away from me at all. After getting off the depressing phone call I needed something to make everything better. Do you have something that no matter what the situation is it can make everything okay? If you don't then I suggest you find it! For me, it is the movie You've Got Mail. I curled up in my bed, turned it on, and was smiling again within seconds. And now, today, I am as good as new and ready to attack the SUPER busy week ahead of me and then get on a plane HOME!!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

This weekend was very special because it was our last full weekend here at school and it was MY BIRTHDAY!! Let's just start by saying I have the best family in the entire world. My week started off by getting about 7 packages.
My mom had sent me a package for every day of my birthday week full of things centered around 19. My cousins and grandparents and sent a combined package and then I had one from Kacey. It was super hard not to rip them all open on right when I got them but I made it through. At midnight I opened a package from my mom and it was a birthday cake!! I couldn't believe it! For all of our birthday's we always have a Mrs. Backers cake so my mother made sure I got one! Kels, Jess, Lo and I dug in right away! I also opened my cousins package that was a super cute headband and rings!

In the morning I woke up to a completely decorated room with a banner, confetti, and balloons. I opened my other two packages-shoes and necklace from kacey and a new watch, family picture, and vera bradley wallet! The girls went to Hukilau Cafe for breakfast which was delicious. Unfortunately, I had to go to class and then a thing for my piano class after but it was fine. Then Jess, Kels, and I went to go get me a nice diet coke!
We came back, showered and headed into town for a fabulous girls night! We ate dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise where Lohren pretended being deaf and I was her translator, we needed to start practicing for our sign language final! Our waitress was so great and brought me out a mud pie on her for my birthday so they sang and I blew out my candles!

After we hit the streets of Waikiki where I got my fortune read-she told me that I needed to enjoy my youth, I am going to fall in love immediately, my husband is going to worship and cherish me, and that
whatever I do next in my life will

make me very very happy!
That was quite the experience! After that, we went and I opened a pearl and had it set on a beautiful ring. It was an amazing birthday!

The next morning we woke up and rounded up Garrett, Egan, and Walker and headed to the water park. It was SO much fun! haha We were having a blast. It was such a riot. We were just laughing the entire time down every single slide. It was a beautiful day and we all got some sun! Overall it was an amazing birthday! Thank you to everyone for all the texts, calls and birthday wishes, it made my day that much better!

Tagged

I was tagged today by Chloee in her random facts which means I do it too, so here I go

What song has captured your mind lately?

Smile by Uncle Kracker

What TV show do you watch regularly?

Too many: Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, and my new favorite Modern Family

What book really has lately engaged you?

I am reading Freedom Writers for my english class and it is very inspiring

What movie do you find yourself re-watching?

Two Weeks Notice

What is something that is overrated lately?

Facebook (even though I am on it all the time)

What comfort food as been important to you as of late?

Anything peanut butter

What is the best kept secret in music you NEED to share?

I am the same as Chloee, I love the new Genius app, it's so nice

What place is your hiding place?

My room at home, can't wait to be there in 11 days

Do you collect anything? If so, what?

I collect junk, I don't know how but I seem to become in possession of the most random unimportant things and they just build up around me.

What beverage is a daily consumable to you?

I wish I could say diet coke, but I am going to have to boring and say water.

What store or shop do you frequent most?

In Hawaii it has become Forever 21, at home I love JCREW and Nordstrom

Who are your favorite male/women celebs?

Male would be George Clooney, I can't get enough of him

Women would be Sandra Bullock, love everything about her

Favorite color as of late?

I am becoming a fan of purple and gray

I tag aish and drey and I honestly can't tell you if anyone at all reads this blog so if you so happen to come across it go ahead and do this!

The Buried Life

I was alerted to this new MTV show by a friend at home. I knew I had to start watching it when we were in the middle of skyping and this friend told me he would rather watch this then continue skyping me. (no hard feelings Daniel) haha. So I got onto my trusty computer, since that is how I watch T.V now, and found it online. I am completely obsessed. It is about 4 guys who made a list of 100 things they wanted to do before they die, and they are actually doing them! They started 3 years ago straight out of college, found a bus and started traveling through the country. These boys have become my heroes. Not only because they are accomplishing their dreams but for every item they cross of their list they help someone do the same. In each town they start talking to people on the streets and ask them what they want to do before they die, then these 4 boys make it happen. What a life they are living! They have inspired me to take full advantage of life and to just go for it, anything is possible! So I leave you with this question

What do you want to do before you die?

P.S

Just a little reminder-my birthday is on Friday!! I am turning the big 19! I cannot wait, I am sad my family isn't here to celebrate with me, but I know my friends here are going to make it a great day!

Scuba Diving

It was an early morning on Saturday. I was up at 5:00 am, getting dressed and ready to go scuba diving. Since I have been certified, I joined scuba club about a week ago so I could go on a dive with Garrett and Egan got certified through the club. We headed to the dive shop with two other guys from the club, met with our dive instructors and then were off to the boat. We had to drive about an hour, to the west side of the island, and then we unpacked, got on our wet suits and hopped in the boat. Our first dive was about 90 ft. down and a ship wreck called the Mahi. It was amazing. It was such a nice day and the visibility was perfect. We saw all sorts of fish, a bunch of eels, and a couple eel rays.
After we were back on the boat, we had a little snack, tried to warm up in the sun a little bit and then started getting ready for the next dive. This dive was 70-75 ft. it was another ship wreck called the LCU. This one was bigger than the first, we saw this massive turtle hiding in the ship, and Egan was lucky enough to see a white tip reef shark about 5 ft. Both dives, were great, I hadn't dove for a couple years so it was so much fun to do it again! We all had such a good time.
After, we were exhausted and hungry so we headed to lunch and then the boys went to meet up with Garrett's mom at Turtle Bay and I met up with the girls. We ended up going back to Turtle Bay where I immediately passed out I was so tired. That night we went and saw How To Train Your Dragon in 3D. I recommend all of you going to see it. We loved it!

Prince Kuhio Day

Thanks to this Prince Kuhio, we didn't have school on Friday! To celebrate, we decided to pull out the tent one last time on Thursday night. We wanted a legit campsite this time,  but after driving around for a half hour only to find that you needed a permit for each one, we headed to the 7th hole on Kahuku golf course. We had heard of this as a camp site but none of us knew how to find it, after calling some people we finally figured it out. We had to cross through the golf course and then onto the beach where we found a secluded little area. It was so much fun! It was Egan, Garrett, Kelsey, Jess, Lohren, and I.

We just sat around talking and laughing, Lohren, Garrett, and I were the sole survivors up till about 3:00 am. We woke up at about 9, packed up and then started heading back to the car. It was a sight to see! 6 college students, sprinting across the golf course, with pillows, backpacks, and a tent, trying to get avoid being hit by golf balls or caught by the people in charge.
After we safely made it across, we went home, and the girls headed for a full beach day at Turtle Bay. It has been so sunny lately so we've had to take advantage. That night we headed to Sunset beach to watch the sunset and then to Ted's Bakery for a delicious dinner. Thank you Prince Kuhio!

Cougar Town

I have been accepted to BYU Provo for Fall 2010! I cannot wait to become a Cougar and to start wearing blue! Although I get a lot of crap about it from people here (I guess I am a traitor for transferring) but I don't even care because I am just excited to be home, for a little bit at least.

Sunshine Warms the Soul

For the first time in about a month, we woke up to blue sky and sunshine. My morning class could not be over soon enough! I was itching to get out of that musty classroom and into the fresh ocean breeze. Lohren and I got in our suits and headed down the road to a beach we had only been to once before. 

It was beautiful. You know the feeling when you feel the heat from the sun on your body and it literally feels like it reaches into your soul? That's what it felt like today. We laid in the sun for awhile and then walked the beach writing in the sand and taking pictures. 

Now, seriously I am not trying to brag, even though it probably seems like it since it was snowing in Utah today, but today it really hit home how soon the beach won't be an option for us at all. Although, I am ready for the semester to wrap up and am so excited to get home and be with everyone again, I am also getting sad to leave. I wouldn't trade this year for anything, it has been one of the best experiences of my life!

Free Falling

This past weekend was extra special because we had visitors from Utah. The Richardson Family came for the weekend before they headed off to a weekend in Maui. It was so much fun to have Maile with us for a couple days. We loved just hanging out with her and hearing about everything going on at home. On Friday we took her to Waimea Bay and then that night we went to dinner with her family in Haleiwa. Even though it wasn't our own families here, it was so nice to go out with a family and to have people checking up on us. After dinner, Lohren and I headed home and met up with Garrett and Egan for a late night adventure. We went into the woods a little bit and found a rope swing. We had to climb up a tree and then just put one foot in the loop and off we went. Except it wasn't as easy as it sounds.
Lohren and I were definitely nervous when it came to pushing off the tree but even more nervous about getting down after. Garrett and Egan made it look simple, but when it proved to be much more difficult for us, luckily we had the boys there to help us. I was laughing so hard when it was my turn, I couldn't gain control of myself, haha. It was such a blast. Then we headed back to campus, sat in the car and chatted about life for 2 hours. I am so glad that the four of us all live so close to each other in SLC, so after we leave here we can still see each other and hang out all the time.
On Saturday, we slept in a little later than usual, we were tired after our late night out. We finally got going and headed to Turtle Bay beach with Kelsey and Jess to try to find some sun. It ended up being a beautiful afternoon, it felt so good. Afterwards, Lohren and I headed into town to meet up with the Richardson's one last time before they left. First, we went on a little date with each other and went out to dinner and then did a little shopping. We then went and found Maile and were with them for about an hour before we made the long drive home. There was a birthday party going on and one of the off-campus houses, so we decided to head over there when we got back. It turned out to be a lot of fun. We were actually some of the last people to leave at about 1:30. There were a ton of people there so it was fun to go socialize and just hang out.

Luck of the Irish

 If you don't know already, the Schneider family LOVE holiday's. We always go all out on decorating, dressing-up, and celebrating. St. Patrick's Day is no different, but it has another meaning for us. It is the day that my parents were married. Not only do we celebrate the Luck of the Irish on March 17, but we also celebrate the union of mom and dad. This year marked their 27th anniversary, and after all this time they still love to be with each other, and love each other even more now then they did 27 years ago. Congrats!

I hope that everyone else also celebrated St. Patrick's Day! That you were all wearing green, and no one had to be pinched! I wish for the Luck of the Irish to be with you for the rest of the year!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Quest of the Quartet

Our weekends here in Laie are numbered, as in we only have 3 left. I have absolutely no idea where the time has gone! We are now working extra hard to get in all the things we want to do. On Friday we decided to have a girls night. We drove to Kaneohe mall for a little shopping, I ended up doing a lot more spending than I intended too, but everything I left with was needed and really cute! We went to Ruby Tuesday for dinner, I had never been there before so it was nice to try something new-it was delicious. I was so excited because they had a salad bar that was exactly like Cowboy Grub's, it made my entire night. Plus it was diet coke Friday which made everything better-funny how it really is the little things that can make us so happy. We then went to the movie She's Out Of My League, I was very surprised that I laughed as much as I did, it was pretty cute.
On Saturday a huge group of boy's went and rented scooters to drive around the island. Well, we weren't just going to sit around while they had all the fun.We woke up early and headed to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. We went on a cute little train ride around the pineapple fields and learned the history of the pineapple and James Dole.
We then got our sacked lunches to eat and finished it off with delicious pineapple ice cream. But, that was only the beginning of our adventure. We got back in the car and decided we were just going to drive and see where we end up. Well, we passed through some cute little towns and then before we knew it we were at the Honolulu Jail. Now this isn't your typical jail just off the road, we actually had to drive about 5 minutes on a long, winding road through the woods before we even got to the entrance. When we finally reached the gate we still couldn't even see the actual jail so we turned around and headed back to the main road.

We figured that this was going to be a road that lead us back to the ocean but it ended up being a dead end that ended with a cemetery. Since the road led to two options-a jail or cemetery, Jess named it the road of doom. After that adventure, we decided to start heading back north. We ended up in a town called Wailia and found a secluded beach. We pulled out our towels and were excited to lay in the sun, but that lasted about an hour before the clouds came. We stayed for another hour anyways and then began our journey home. In this cute little town all the mail boxes were painted and decorated.

Lohren just got a new camera so she decided she wanted a picture collection of these mail boxes. It was pretty funny to drive around and pull right up to people's houses snapping pics, especially when people saw what we were doing luckily, they just chuckled and waved.
When we finally arrived back at campus we got showered and were planning on going to see the Princess and the Frog that was being show on campus. Well, we thought it started at 7:30 but it started at 7, so we went to Jess and Kelsey's room, curled up and turned on Beauty and the Beast. I hadn't seen that show in forever, it is one of my favorite disney movies. Fortunately, they showed Princess and the Frog again at 9:30, I hadn't seen it yet, and I absolutely adored every minute. It is definitely up there on my favorite's list.