Halloween - FUPA Fighters!

Mike calls a person with a lot around the middle a FUPA Fighter.  FUPA stands for Fat Upper Pelvic Area.  I know, I know... it's weird.  So we decided to go as FUPA Fighters Bill and Barb Schwartzky.  (Those are our alias' we use on a regular basis, but now they have faces!)

Here are some pictures just in case you were wondering how they turned out.

Mike and me at his grandparents' house in Utah.

Barb and Bill at Comic Frenzy for Halloween.

Fireworks and Waterballoons!

So for the Fourth of July a bunch of us went up to R mountain. (I've seen good fireworks from mountains before, but R mountain is so far away that it doesn't really give you the effect you're looking for. I wont make the same mistake next year.) Anyway, so, we went up there, and watched some of the firework shows put on by different towns and counties. You could kind of see Idaho Falls' from where we were, but it would've been better had we been farther up. You just have to keep in mind it was pretty dark and there's not really too much of a path in lots and lots of places, so we decided to stay where we were. We shot some fireworks off ourselves on the tiny plateau we were on. Not the most brilliant idea, but they weren't anything big, so nothing happened ... at least nothing we started. There was a fire down below us that some other hoodlums started. Foolish kids. What kind of an idiot doesn't realize that fire around dry brush is dangerous?! Once we realized that they didn't quite have it under control, two boys rushed down to help and the rest helped us girls get off the top of the plateau. By the time we got down there our boys had it pretty well contained. The other kids had climbed up away from the fire and called the fire department. One of our guys looked at them and was like, "well, is that all you're going to do?" He rushed in and started pulling the branches away from one another and away from other bushes. (Two had lit.) As we drove away, we saw the trucks rush past us. Stupid kids.



The rest of the pictures are from out ward's closing social! We had a catered Dutch oven barbeque - it was soooo good - and a huge waterballoon fight, including Bishop Walker and Brother Wright (the first counselor). Afterwards there was a big game of ultimate frisbee. (It's a fun game, but quite frankly, people have become obsessed.) We also had kickballs, a soccerball, a baseball and some gloves, a hose, a football, and a tug-of-war rope just in case anyone was interested. Most were used, but the others were there just in case anyone wanted to start something.



We had hundreds and hundreds of waterballoons. They came in packs of 250 I think, and we had like, 6 packs. We had three or four bins filled with them. They were really heavy. Plus, there was a hose was involved. The kid in the white shirt is Jon, and the girl in the blue shirt all hunched over happens to be me trying to defend myself. Don't worry, I got him back.

Here's a good picture of the fray. It was crazy! Everyone was in on it here, until we ran out of balloons. Then those of us who knew where the last bin was, ran to the other end of the field and got in a big fight there too. That's when Bishop and Bro. Wright joined in. It was pretty fun. I was the first to throw at Bishop, but it didn't pop.

That was frustrating!

Utah - Memorial Day Trip

Here's me in Melissa's car, playing with Melissa's new phone, on our way to go scouting for our shopping trip to the Gateway Mall we were planning for Monday (Memorial Day). This was Saturday. I just got back. Maybe I'll put more pictures on here later. Oh, and Mum, I know I'm making the lip face thing. I'm meaning to. It's a pose.

Catching Everyone Up - Picture Wise at Least

Okay, here are some of the pictures I have been meaning to post over the last couple of weeks. They cover from our crepe party, which was the last week of winter semester, to the day I got back from Houston.

Here's Ang, enjoying a crepe filled with, I think, apples, strawberries, and a little whipped cream.

Me making bunny cake! I had to get it decorated before we left to Bro. Wright's place for dinner.

Kyle named it Derryl. It's some inside joke the boys have, but I am totally out of the loop here. I haven't a clue as to what they're talking about.

This is what you get when the ratio of men to women is 3 to 1. Easter dinner hadn't started, so they ate Pizza Bites or whatever they're called. Jym and Kyle were done, Josh had some left - you get the picture.

Jym and me down in Houston. It was a relatively cold day, so I borrowed his brother's jacket, which, come to find out, is actually a girls jacket anyway. It's not that great a picture of me, personally, but Jym looks good, and I know he's the one everyone wants to see anyway, so there you have it.

This is Josh and me in Angela's new apartment over in Nauvoo House. They're right across the street from where I live. This is the night I got back, I think.

How to Have an Awesome St. Patrick's Day

Sorry these are so late getting up here. I've been busy - you know, end of the semester stuff. But these are great pictures, so I can't really pass them up. Besides - it's a step-by-step guide to some good ol' Irish fun! (With out the hangover the next day!)

STEP 1: Start with a 3-foot balloon.

STEP 2: Completely cover in paper mache.

STEP 3: It is important here, to spraypaint said balloon with a good shade of green. After it is completely dry, pop what has become big nasty balloon, and fill shell with candy - or at least the bottom portion.

STEP 4: Decorate house with gold streamers and green balloons. Green celephane over the light fixtures is always nice. Make green food - we had a broccoli/celery tray with dip.

STEP 5: Find the loudest costumes you possibly can. "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" pins are encouraged for those of us who are. Giant hats and masks are just so much fun!

STEP 6: Invite a bunch of people you know...

...and some you don't so much.

STEP 7: Play games, dance to Flogging Molly Songs, and bust open the GIANT green ball with a broom handle, while it swings from the second story!

STEP 8: Take lots of pictures to record the rediculousness of the evening!

Christmas Traditions - REPUBLISH NEXT WINTER

My family has many traditions. I'm talkin' lots. And we're very protective of them, at least us kids are. For example, one year when I was probably about ten my parents announced to us that Thanksgiving would be held at our Grammy's house. For many children, this is the tradition. We on the other hand have always had it at our own house. We may invite people over, but we do not go anywhere else. My older brother had a fit.

"What?! You mean we're going somewhere else for Thanksgiving?!" That set us all off. We made such a ruckus about it that Mum and Dad called up Grammy and told them that we'd have to pass. They were welcome to come to our house, but we would be staying home for Thanksgiving.

All holidays call for such traditions in my family, but none are quite like Christmas. Christmas is a meaningful, wonderful time in my house, but it is also full of pointless traditions that we have always just accepted, until one of us realizes - and points out - just how weird it all is.

Christmas morning. Kaitlyn rolls over to me and asks what time it is. 5:30 is the reply.

"We woke up late!" Yes, usually us kids wake up between 2 and 3 am. We sit in the family room watching movies until 5:30 when we're allowed to bother Mum and Dad. We rush around waking everyone up. When enough kids are awake to make rousing the parents necessary, I venture over the upstairs and down the steps to the master bedroom. Mum drousily tells us to go ahead with the stockings.

While we're sitting in the family room looking through our stockings, Jake pulls out the apple and orange from the toe.

"Ahhh, the apple."

"Jake, we get apples every year," I say.

"Yeah, but do you ever actually eat the apple," he whispers so that Mum wont hear, but she does and we know it.

Thanksgiving in Elk Ridge, Utah

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am down here in Katie's house right now. (Katie's one of my roommies.) It's been a pretty fun week. One and a half days 'til we go home. I'm just going to recap some of the things that have been happening.

Thanksgiving was fun. Lots of food, mostly familiar, some new. Katie's grandmother is from Louisiana so her mom puts on more of a southern Thanksgiving, but it still has all the essentials of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and of course, turkey! She made some of the best sweet potatoes I have ever had in my life! They were covered with a praline-type topping. (Mum, you're gonna love it! I'm getting the recipe.) Yeah, it was good. I made an apple pie, which 11-year old Bonnie helped me with. It came out beautifully! And man, it tasted so good. Katie asked me to make something that is more what we have. (I automatically thought of oyster-stuffing, but decided that with two kinds already, that would just be detracting from the meal.) So I made something I have always liked, and must be by far the easiest of all the dishes: peas and sweet onions in cream. I've never made them before, and wasn't sure if it was really cream, or what the real name of the onions were, so I just went by what looked right. (Dutch onions. Crazy.) I just emptied the peas and onions into a dish, stuck 'em in the microwave for 10 minutes, poured 1/2&1/2 over them, warmed them up again, and stuck them on the table. Everyone really liked them. I was like, well, it's not like it's really hard or anything.

A lot of the time I spend with Katie, her 17-year old bro. Matt, and all of their mutual buddies. The boys are hillarious. I was sitting in the back of the car with Matt, Brad, and Cloward, and Matt starts "singing" along to some techno song on the radio. He was making one noise, so Brad and Cloward joined in with the harmonizing noises. I just sat there and thought, "Wow, I'm in the back seat of a car in Utah with Levi, Todd, and Lincoln." That's exactly what it was like. I was even cracking up like I would with those guys. It was fun.

Earlier tonight, 13 of us went to play lasertag in Provo. It was so much fun. The first game was kind of lame 'cause we were mixed with another group, and they had these little kids (like 10-13 year olds) that just would not play fair. They kept taking off their vests and putting them under their shirts so that the sensors couldn't be hit. Or covering your guns if you were in close-combat. It was lame. The second game was just with us and other people from our first team (that we didn't know, but at least they were cool). It was pretty fun. I accidentally hit Kevin right in the eye. Yeah... that was embarrassing. Oh well.

All us ladies of the house of Shallenberger went to Pudding on the Rice (obviously a rice pudding place) which really impressed me. It was way good! (The amarretto... amazing!) Then to Pirates of the Carribean 2. Not an Oscar-winner, the writing needed some boosting, but at least it sets us all up quite nicely for the third one. Besides, Johnny Depp is way too good an actor to let a little thing like mediocre writing get in the way of entertainment.

All in all it's been pretty fun. Yeah, I wish I was home with my family for Thanksgiving, but the Shallenbergers have been good to me. They've got a house full of 7 kids (all with varying degrees of ADHD... and I'm not kidding - each one is diagnosed) so it's kind of crazy. But they're a good family, and are full of hospitality!

Calls Home

So, yesterday was Sam's birthday, (or today it was rather, but not really, just here, not there) and today was Eden's birthday, (or tomorrow, here, but not there, if you catch my drift) so I made some calls home. I try to make sure I call them separately, even though their birthday's are only one day apart.

Yesterday, I called and talked to Sam-a-hamma-whamma. That was fun. We laughed at things and people, and then we put them together and really got laughing! Oh man, some of the stuff people do. It's just too funny. So that was good. Sam's a good kid. It sounds like he's done a lot of growing up since I've seen him last. That's always a good sign.

I'm not the kind of person that kids grow up "too fast". I think that there are some people that just don't grow up, which is bad, and people that take on a lot of responsibility at a young age, but seeing as many of the people in this position that I know personally just use that as an excuse to feel sorry for themselves because they "never had a childhood", shows their immaturity and therefore, they really aren't as grownup as they would have you think. I mean, if a kid had to start taking on these responsibilities at like, age 9, okay, that'd be, maybe, too early, but I don't know of anyone like that, so - yeah, no.

Anyway, moving. Let's see, what were we talking about, oh! Birthdays! So, yeah, talking to Sam was fun. I just got off the phone with Eden-peanuty about half-an-hour ago. She's such a cutie. I can't really talk with her as long as I can with Sam, but she's always a pleasure to chat with. She was searching frantically for someone who knew the title of the song her new music box made, and I could hear in the background, Kait, Jake, and Ez go, "da-na-da-na-da-na, da-na-na." I knew what they were singing, but no one was really sure what the title was. I tried to tell Eden, but she ran off to get the box so I could listen to it.

"Ede, Ede."
"Yeah?"
"It's 'Fur Elise'."
"Fa Elise?"
"No, 'Fur', like the hair of a dog."
"Yeah, that's what I said."
"Okay, yeah. That's what it is. 'Fur Elise.' That's a pretty song."
"Yeah."

So, for those of you that don't know, "da-na-da-na-da-na, da-na-da" is Morse Code for 'Fur Elise.' Everyone knows that.

Happy 17th and 7th Sam and Ede. Keep on rockin' out.

Easter Thoughts

Church today was fantastic! In fact, it was so good, I'm going to transcribe some of my notes and put them on here. I have some good quotes, some excellent points, and some touching stories. The other two speakers were excellent, but I'm going to be focusing on the third speaker.

Brother Ross Baron, a professor of religion here at BYU-Idaho and a high counselman in my stake. (Not to mention my personal goal for a religion teacher for Fall semester!) He gave a fantastic talk!

Bro. Baron was raised in a Jewish family in southern California. So, naturally, he was raised under Judaism. When he was about 9 he asked his parents what happened to one after death. They said that "your memory lives on, but other than that, we don't really know." When he reached his teen years he began to look into other religions such as Buddism, Hinduism, Taoism, Shinto, and Confucianism. He never considered Christianity because they were those "Sunday morning preachers on T.V. that we'd watch if we got bored one Sunday." However, he did eventually end up looking into it (I can't remember how exactly that came about, but it did, obviously) and he asked a friend about Mormonism. The kid (he was 17 at this time) layed out the Plan of Salvation for him 5 minutes before class, then referred him to his dad (who was a bishop) for all other answers.

So, this is what Bro. Baron said that I loved so much. First of all, he said that "The Plan of Salvation, with Christ and His Atonement at the center gives us life, hope, and a purpose. ... Maybe we don't appreciate the Atonement enough." He also said that he used to feel a little bitter towards Peter, James, and John for falling asleep when Christ asked for them to watch with him one hour. Just one. The only time Christ asked them to do anything for Him, and they let Him down. Until he realized, Christ has asked each of us to "watch with Him 10 minutes" [in Sacrament] every week, and what do we do? "Our minds wander. 'Oh, she's cute.'"

He told a sweet story about a young boy in Primary with Down's syndrome. The teacher gave each of the kids a plastic egg and asked them to go out and find something to put in the egg that reminded them of Christ. The little Down's boy came back with nothing in his egg. The other kids laughed at him, and the teacher asked how that reminded him of Christ. "Because Jesus wasn't in the tomb. It was empty, wasn't it?"

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen!"

The most interesting point Bro. Baron made was about the Fall of Adam and the Triumphant Entry. It says that Christ cursed the fig tree upon entering Jerusalem. The only record we have of Him cursing anything and having it immediatly destroyed. In the Old Testiment, after the Fall of Adam and Eve, it says that they tried to hide their nakedness from the Lord with the help of the serpant. They did this by covering themselves with fig leaves. This is a false covering. When the Lord came, the first thing He did was cover them - but with skins. It was a direct foreshadow to what was to come. They could not cover themselves completely with leaves, an innocent animal had to be sacrificed in order for them to be covered properly for the Lord. The fig tree represents Satan's false covering, and the cursing of it and the killing of the animal for the skins represents Christ's triumph over Satan, and His sacrifice for each of our sins.

Hush the Hype!

Really, I don't see what the big deal is about Valentine's Day! Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that I don't like it; I love it! What I don't get are all those people out there that are just sulking around, feeling sorry for themselves because they don't have a "sweetheart". Who cares?! You didn't have one yesterday, and you made it! You may not have had one over New Years, when everyone is making out as they count down in their heads; you're still alive! For goodness sakes people! Get over it!

I was over at Seth's house yesterday, and on their white board it reads: "Happy (?) Valentine's Day! AKA Single's Awareness Day." I had never even heard of "Single's Awareness Day." My friend said it was probably because I had never been single on Valentine's Day. To tell you the truth, I've never had a boyfriend on Valentine's Day! Not even a date! I'm not trying to get you to feel sorry for me, I'm just stating a fact, and ya know what, I'm alive, happy, and full of love!

I never really realized what a big deal it is for single people on Valentine's Day. I mean, just hanging out with my friends today, they would not stop talking about "how depressing it all is." I just rolled my eyes and tried to explain to them that it is not a holiday designed by the candy and card companies, it is not any more a commercial gimmick than Christmas is. It is rather a day dedicated to the celebration of the love we have for one another. It was never designed to be strictly for couples. I have received a Valentine's Day gift from my parents ever since I can remember. I have always wished all of my beloved friends happy Valentine's Day. I give out more hugs and kisses to my family and friends. Believe it or not, all those relationships are based on love too. Why do we forget them, and focus strictly on the thought of how alone we are? That is not what St. Valentine stood for. Good grief! I know that and I'm not even Catholic!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE AUGUST KIDS!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! This is my gift to Sam "The Man" and Eden "Peanuty", since their birthdays are today and tomorrow. (Or actually tomorrow and the next day if you're going by Eastern Standard Time, but I'm not!) So, yeah, since I couldn't actually send them anything for their birthdays, I figured I'd write some sweet stuff about them!

SAM: Sam's pretty cool... you know, for a sixteen year old. I even found myself annoying at that age, so that's saying something! He's wicked funny! I just got off the phone with him about an hour ago. Man! We had each other cracking up over the funny things Eden was asking for her birthday, which lead us to laughing over Indian curry for and Chamorro empanada's for Indian and Chamorro Thanksgivings... long story, I'll touch on it later! Yeah, so we had a good time. The great thing about Sam is that I've really been able to watch him grow up. I remember spending late nights in the boys' room late at night, usually after Ezra was already asleep, and we would talk about everything and anything! Usually it would turn to who likes whom if Jake had anything to say about it! But we talked about a lot of stuff, and had fun doing it! If Dad ever found us he would send us out so that we wouldn't wake up Ezra, not that you could wake the kid up with a train whistle! But if we ever were kicked out, the boys would usually run in to my room and jump on my nicely-made bed and kick off their shoes and make themselves comfortable. See, it didn't matter if I did that in their room, because you really couldn't make their room much worse! But in my room it was terrible evident that something was out of place. Ah well, the point is I love Sam, he's a pretty cool kid!

SAM'S THEME SONG: "Teenage, Mutant Ninja Turtles" It's always been the cartoon I've associated with him, so naturally the song just fits!

EDEN: What a sweety!!! "She reminds me o' me!" as the great John Wayne would've said. She's a funny one too! She actually told Dad that since she couldn't get the bike she wanted for her birthday she wanted a car instead. When Mum asked her what she wanted for her birthday dinner she suggested "that meal with the big bird and potatoes and everything" (a.k.a. Thanksgiving Dinner). So, yeah, my six-year-old sister is getting a mini-Thanksgiving for her birthday! GOOD GRIEF! Anyway, like I said, natural cutie! In fact, Lexi was just telling me last Sunday that Eden was gonna be one of those really irresistable girls that all the guys would be in love with but too intimidated to say anything to. In Lexi's opinion it's kind of sweet. In my opinion that kind of sucks! But she'll just have to deal with it I guess!

EDEN'S THEME SONG: "I'm Cute!" - Dot Animaniac. She just is! ;)

Feliz Navidad... and all that jazz

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Yep, that's what I said: Christmas! YEAH!

So, when you work for the Acadia Corporation, like moi, you get to celebrate Christmas in July. The company really likes to come up with holidays they can celebrate in the summer for their employees... this is a good one. Our dorm-mom, Maisy, breaks out the tree and decorations and we go to work on them. Our downstairs common room has tinsel and lights all around it. Last night we left our shoes outside our doors and Somebody went around and stuffed them with gifts like candy, sprays, postcards, binoculars... and all sorts of stuff like that. We thought it was Maisy that did this but we realized today that it wasn't... but rather somebody else from the office. Hmmmmmm... we all have our suspicions. Maisy got roses, an awesome beach bag and something else... hmmmm... potpourri! That's it.

Anyway... the day isn't even close to over yet, so I'm sure there's more to come. We actually are supposed to have a big Christmas dinner but we had to postpone it until tomorrow night because today there's going to be a big inspection of the housing facilities run by Acadia Corp. done by the Feds. Maisy is freaking out because some of the boys rooms are so bad. She really flipped out at one kid last night, and forced him to sweep and mop his floor. HA! I mean, I like the kid, he's a good friend of mine, but he should have known that she was going to be upset if all you do is pile your junk on your bed and cover it up with a blanket! HAHAHAHA!

The best present I've gotten so far was the chance to call my family and to talk to Renae and Jenny. It was fun talking with you guys on the phone. I really liked listening to Kait and Eden on the phone. Peanut, you're just so dang cute! And Kait, so grown up... but then, you've always been like that. Both of you!

Well, today is my day off... which ROCKS! So, I need to go to Bar Harbor and buy some essentials like laundry detergent chocolate. (I've decided to get all the girls in the dorm chocolate from Ben & Bill's... I'm talking the HUGE filled chocolates. They know nothing! Bwuahahahahahahahaha!) So, I must shower and leave you now. I also need to call Chels! Dang!!! I forgot about that!

This is Mallory Conenr; tune in next time for This Is My Life!! (So Move Out!).

GOD BLESS AMERICA... it's been stuck in my head for weeks now!

I know it's past the Fourth of July, but you can always write about how you feel about your nation in your own journal... and guess what, this is one of my journals!

Okay, so, the Fourth was awesome here in Bar Harbor... then again, when has it not been? MDI can sure put on a show. The night before I spent at the Dalton's house with Chelsea. Anne and Greg weren't there. They had gone down to Portland to spend the Fourth with Greg's family. Logan and Andrew went with them but Steve stayed home. He had work. We stayed up ultra late talking to my parents, making peanut butter cookies (that I forgot to take out of the oven in time and so they were much too baked), and watching an episode of Wildfire that Chelsea had taped. That's her favorite show and she wanted me to see it.

We didn't go to the parade. I wanted to go hiking but it would have just been too much on my knees. (I still haven't gotten to Wal*Mart to get my tablets.) So instead we went on a nice long walk along some of the carriage roads. Those really are an engineering masterpiece. We only had to stop twice so that I could rest. (It's not that my knees hurt so much, it's that I can feel them start to hurt and I want to avoid the real thing at all costs, so I tend to take it easy until I can get my pills. They've slowly been getting worse as time wears on, but I hope to get to Ellsworth on Monday.)

Anyway, I hung out at the dorms until later when Chels picked me up to go to Cadillac with some Polish friends of mine. We stayed until the sunset then we got off that windy, freezing place as soon as possible. (Which turned out to be nice, because we missed the hardcore traffic.)

When we got to Bar Harbor, we parked at our friends' apartment. Chels walked over to Agamont Park with them a little bit after I walked over with my Polish friends. We met up with a ton of our friends from the dorm, but later I split off and hung out with Chels and the single adults from the church. We watched the fireworks and then went back to the apartment to hang out a little bit. It was really fun! We really just hung out. Some of us were in the living room while the rest of us were in the kitchen. Those of us in the kitchen played a really fun game where you just give everyone else in the room choices between two things, and they answer as to which they prefer. It's really just a getting to know you game, but we really had fun with it!

Well, that was my Fourth of July. I hope that all of you had a great Fourth! As great as mine was! I hear that out in Saipan you were having an awesome time! And congrats to Vasu on his first Independence Day!

Loving My Country Every Day -

- Mal