No more school...for a while!

Life was once exciting but now that its not so new anymore, the exciting factor has decided to crash. Luckily I finished my first semester of college here at NAU and am still alive. I have to say that right now is probably the hardest time of my life so far and its quite hard to keep my spirits up. I have moved to a new apartment, about a half mile from my last one and I have 3 new roommates. This apartment is right next to south campus so its really nice, or it will be once school starts and I have to go to school everyday again. I just got my grades for this past semester and I got all Bs and one A in marching band. I was really happy to see those letters on the screen because I stressed all semester about keeping a 3.0 so that I could keep my tuition waiver. I just barely got that 3.0 though, I have a 3.09 right now. That means I won't have to work as hard as I thought I would have next semester to keep my GPA up. Right now on my break I'm just working and going home on Saturday. I had quite a scare on Monday cause my boss told me it was impossible for her to give me the time off I asked for. It's a horrible feeling to know that I can't go home for Christmas my first time away from home. Luckily a very nice co-worker switched her vacation so that I could go home and see my family.
Next semester I am going to try out the business field and see if I want to major in that field of study. I'm taking a business law class, intro to business management, a computer class that is required, geological disasters, and history of clothing. It's 16 credits and 6 classes so a bit more of a load than last semester. I'm hoping I'll like these classes more cause it was pretty depressing this past semester and I didn't even want to go to school. I'm hoping these new classes will somehow change my mind about wanting to go to school.
I still don't have a boyfriend so don't anyone go thinkin or spreadin that I'm getting married. I still have a few guy friends, many have moved. I'm going to be quite lonely up here without my best friend Brooke. I didn't realize how alone I would be until it got closer to her moving away. Now that she's back down south, I'll sure miss her.
It snowed quite a bit almost 2 weeks ago...I'm pretty sure it snowed about a foot and a half. The snow is still on the ground. My first time driving in the snow wasn't too bad, only missed an entrance to a store three times so I was driving around in circles cause I couldn't stop soon enough. I also learned that my car does quite well in the snow and I'm so glad its front wheel drive. Brooke kept asking me if I was sliding around like she did when she was driving and I wasn't and then I found that her truck is rear-wheel drive and that makes quite a difference.
Hopefully I can go snowboarding when I get back from home...I have a friend who works up at Snowbowl and he gets free rentals, I'll just have to pay $50 for the ski lift pass. That's one reason why I wanted to go to school up here so I think $50 shouldn't damage my bank account too much. And plus, he's a snowboard instructor up there so he can teach me. I'm excited about that.
There's just a little update on my life here up north. Nothing too exciting...oh but I did cut down my first christmas tree with an axe a couple weeks ago. And I've had a lot of snow rubbed in my face and lots of fogged glasses when I go inside.:) Anyway, I'm still alive and that's one thing I'm grateful for especially during these hard times. Feel free to write or call or text me.

Update on life

Now I am almost half way through the semester and I am so happy. I can't miss any more of my classes because my grade will lower if I do. It's quite hard to wake up 4 days in a row to go to English at 9 AM. It's not that early but when I go to bed no earlier than midnight, it's early. It's starting to get cold up here. One day there was a light frosting of snow on Snowbowl, a ski resort, mountain thing up here in Flag. Then the next few days and today its been warm. School is difficult at times, having to do homework which I do at the last minute most of the time. I found that I don't want to be an interior designer, major in psychology or do marching band next year. So my first semester of college, instead of finding something I like and want to major in, I find all the things I don't like. But I'm still making it through, barely though. I've basically failed my past two psychology exams. Luckily I'm in a class where my professors give other assignments so that my grade isn't based on just my exams. I got some good news this morning in English, I got an A, 98 on my paper that I wrote the night before and only took like two hours to write it. And I wrote it over at a friends house too though he was sleeping or reading most of the time. That made me so happy. I've learned to appreciate the small things that come, like good grades, finding out that class was cancelled, getting a good paycheck.
Oh yes, I don't think I have mentioned that I'm working at Bashas' and I had to go to training down in Phoenix for 3 days by myself and stay in a hotel by myself in downtown Phoenix. I thought I would be scared but I really liked it. I've been working at the store here in Flag for two weeks now and have gotten two paychecks. I like the money coming in. And then my roommates are leaving this weekend and I'll be home by myself again. YES! And Mom and Dad are coming up, I'm excited about that. I'm coming up on my 9th week of being up here and I still haven't been home. I haven't really been homesick, just miss the easy life at home and being able to run to a mom that I can cry to. Now I have to rely on prayers and scriptures to get me through my rough times and only being able to talk on the phone to my family. I have realized up here how much my family does love me, though they never call me!!! ha ha. We all have busy lives and I guess all them think I'm too busy to actually talk to the people I care most about. And thanks again Mom for making me feel so much better. I just wanted something to make me feel better and nothing did for about 2 weeks until I talked to you.
Life in my apartment isn't going so great but I'm dealing with it as best as I can. I hope to move out after this semester and it looks like I probably will be able to. It'll be a new change but one I definitely need so I can get away from things that keep bringing me down.
I'm doing good in marching band, faking it the whole way. But no one can hear me, they can only see what I do and if I mess up when I'm marching. That's my objective, to do good at marching and the rest of the band does a good job with the actual music.
Anything else? I think this is the first blog I haven't said anything about guys for the first 500 words. I've been slacking too much in my schoolwork and studies and spending too much time with the boys so now I'm trying to reverse that and get good grades. I haven't been on any dates for a while but I'm not too worried. I still have my guy friends up here and still don't have a boyfriend. Yes. It's tough at times but when it all comes down to it, I really just don't want to deal with relationship things right now. I already have too much to deal with with a past relationship, inside myself anyway. So time is still moving and my life along with it. There's days I just wish I could go back home and sleep all the time but I can't so I keep pushing along. And I'm trying to keep my attitude on the positive side though it wears me out to fight the negative side that loves to reside inside me. Alright, I better get goin...I came home between classes today cause I woke up too late to eat breakfast and make a lunch. Had to come home so I could eat. If any of you want to talk to me, just write me an e-mail. lovemeansnothing.27@gmail.com And the meaning of that e-mail address, I love tennis and in tennis love means zero, therefore, it means nothing in tennis. Talk to ya later!

Margo, the college student

So as you might have noticed, I haven't written any blogs for a while. That's because school happened and I just don't have much free time with homework, practicing, church, social life, and just keeping active. Oh and sleep, I've missed a lot of that lately. I wake up, actually my alarm goes off at 7 AM Mon-Thurs, and I wake up sometime around there. I've been depending on my bike much more because walking takes too long and that means I have to get ready earlier too. My leg muscles are sure getting a work out.
This week is the 3rd week of school, only 13 more weeks left until I get a whole month off!! YAY! I'm liking my classes but I would rather socialize and hang out with fun people than stay home and do homework so I give and take. Last night I was up till 1:30 writing a 3 page paper that was due today at 9:10 AM. My paper actually turned out to be 4 pages and that's not too bad for starting it at 8 last night. I was going to start it on Tuesday but I really wanted to go to Ultimate Frisbee cause I've missed the past couple times so that's why I had to write it all last night. But I feel great this morning and I only have one more class today, Interior Design.
My first "official" date was two weeks ago. This guy Jacob asked for my number after a fireside, I had known him for a couple weeks before this and then we went to a deer farm later that week. It was fun and interesting, after the farm we went on some random road, just taking an adventure and it actually brought us back to Flagstaff. Then the next week he asked me to go to dinner with him, we wanted to go to a mexican restaurant but it was closed because it was labor day so we went to Subway instead.
After me and Jacob went to the deer farm and our little date, I went to an institute dance later that night and it was lame at first but then it became fun. Guys actually asked me which was nice and Cardon counted for like 3 or 4 dances. But anyway, my life isn't all about boys...just most of it. But I'm having lots of fun and my plan is to just not get attached and then I won't get jealous or hurt, it's not easy but it's working.
I cut my first watermelon, now I know why the men always do it at outings. It was scrumptious. I am eating well for those in my family who knew how I wasn't hungry like all summer. Marching band is getting easier but it still is hard. I found out that I can fake it and still sound great. I'm pretty good at marching, I didn't mess up at the NAU vs. UofA football game down in Tucson. The bus rides were pretty long though going down to Tucson. We left Friday afternoon and played at one high school football game in Mesa/Phoenix before their game started, known as pre-game show, and then we packed back up into the bus and headed to another high school game just down the road and played at their half time. Then after that, it was about 9:30 PM we left for Tucson. We got to Tucson around 12 and stayed at a Hilton hotel. Those beds are so nice, that's what I loved most about the hotel. Saturday morning we practiced in the morning at a high school near Tucson, Cienega High, and it reminded me why I wanted to go to school in Flagstaff. Then we had like a 4 hour break and I got to see my family for a little bit. Then we did some pre game pep rally things for NAU before the game and after that headed into the stadium and faced the dispicable UofA fans. Not all of them are dispicable but a lot of them are really mean. Then Sunday we headed home at 9:30 AM and I didn't get home to Flag until 3:30PM. It was a long bus ride home and I was so glad when it was over.
I better get wrappin this up, I need to head to class in about 20 minutes. My first psychology exam is tomorrow and I'll need to study for that tonight. And then Jacob is coming over to eat dinner with us, Levi Garner came up to visit so we're eating all our meals together. I like it, it means I don't have to cook for myself. I hope I can find some time to study, I will, I sent Russ, one guy that came to eat dinner with us last night, home cause I needed to buckle down and write my paper. Ha, but then I took like an hour break around 11 and went over to Jacob's and then Cardon's house just so I could really get away from all my writing. Anyway, if any of you want to call me or write, feel free to do so. I'll get back to you sometime, whenever I can find the time. I was supposed to be taking a nap right now but I needed to update everyone, especially mom...sorry mom. Talk at ya later!!

The craziness has already started

I'll just point out the highlights of my week...this past Wednesday I went salsa dancing at the downtown square and it was fun. I went with two guys and took my roommate Brittiny along and then I invited Cardon and I danced mostly with Cardon. He told me he couldn't dance but he sure knew what he was doing. Next Wednesday is the last "dancing in the square" but at least I found it before it ends. Then after salsa dancing, John, Jason (the two guys we went with), Brittiny, and I went and played tennis for a little bit and then we went up near Lowell Observatory called Mars Hill, aka Makeout hill, it overlooks the city. I wanted to go see the city lights and was made fun of course cause of its other name. After John and Jason took us home, Cardon was at my house and we watched a movie and stayed up late on the last night that I could cause I started band camp the next day. We watched Tristan and Isolde which is really good. Band camp...I'll just say it's a lot more challenging than I thought it would be. And I'll be faking it for a long time: ). This morning I was really sick, nauseous and everything and had the most horrible stomach pain in my life. I called my section leader and told her I wouldn't make it to band camp today. And I was miserable, I could barely tolerate talking to her for like 4 minutes. And this whole I time I was praying so that this pain would stop and it eventually did which I consider a miracle cause then I could get some much needed rest. I'm feeling fine now but still taking it easy. I had to go in and get my band uniform fitted and that took like 2 hours but that's all I've really done today besides sleeping and eating saltines and drinking sprite. I think I'll make some chicken noodle soup that my section leader brought over. She was really nice and brought me the saltines, sprite, chicken noodle soup, and applesauce. So marching band is really challenging for me but I'm giving it some time and I should like it soon...I sure hope anyway.
So for the past week I've been hanging out with Cardon. We had a "where we stand" talk and he said that he's not going to pursue anything with me which is perfectly fine with me but I do like hanging out with him and being good friends. He's a fun and diverse guy and keeps things interesting. He left for New York yesterday so I'm kind of sad cause I don't really have him to hang out with at night but I've found some others. Last night all four of us roomies went to someone's house, they had a little fire in the back...they called it a bonfire but it definitely was not a bonfire...not one I'm used to anyway. This guy actually lives like 3 houses down from Cardon. EJ, I've mentioned him before, lives here and so does the 2nd counselor in our ward. I could have gone out to a lake and stargazed last night with a bunch of people but they only had room for one and I didn't want to ditch my roommates. Tomorrow is the last day of band camp...yay!!!!!!! I found out yesterday that there are 3 other LDS girls in my section, I play piccolo (section means a group of all one instruments, like the piccolo section), but they aren't in my ward, they live in dorms.
Things are going pretty good with roommates but I haven't been home too much lately cause I've been at band camp or out with friends at night. Oh, I forgot, on Monday for FHE we played Ultimate Frisbee, my first time, and I wasn't too good but I enjoyed it. Then on Tuesday nights they play Ultimate Frisbee on a field and so me, Brooke, and Natalie went and played and had a blast. I met a few new people and this one cute, nice guy was on my team. He's in my ward too. Hmm...I'm tired and can't think too well, it's been an exhausting morning and night. Didn't get home till like 1 last night. I've really got to work on the getting to bed early part or else my grades will show it. School starts Monday, not so good but it's gotta happen. Alright, austa!

Just an update

It's been almost a week since I last wrote and many fun things have happened since then, like always. :) Friday Brooke moved in and Natalie and I went to the FAN (Friday Activity Night) and played Capture the Flag at a nearby park...Thorpe Park for those who know Flag. It was a lot of fun and me and Natalie were actually the ones to get the flag the first game. It was to our advantage cause not that many people knew us. Then afterwards we were talking to this guy named Cardon and he asked me what I was doing the next day. I knew Brooke and her parents would be doing things and I didn't want to intrude so I needed something to do. So yesterday, Saturday, Cardon gave me a tour of Flagstaff on his motorcycle cruiser. We saw lots of places and it was quite fun. I actually spent most of the day with him. At 7 that morning I went and babysat 5 kids, Tyne Ashby was babysitting but she wanted to go on a hike in the morning and asked me if I would babysit. That got me a little income since I don't have a job yet. Those kids were so cute, I didn't leave until 11 AM. Then after that I went to the Alltel store to get my new phone. Then I went to Cardon's after that so we could go on our tour. Some places we saw...Lake Mary, The Riordan Mansion, Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff Mall, parts of Downtown, a campsite place where Cardon goes rock climbing, some old neighborhoods, his friend's mechanic shop that he's going to open up. Just to let everyone know, Cardon is a mechanic and he's going to school right now to be a mechanical engineer. Now now, I don't want anyone, ANYONE, making any speculations. I have told him and many people up here that I'm not going to have a boyfriend this school year and it is very difficult to get married without a boyfriend. I'm just making lots of guy friends that I can have fun with. And most all of them are at least 7-10 years older than me...so not lookin like future soulmates.
Natalie and I this past week have walked around campus and town quite a bit. We were actually sore for a while because this past Tuesday we walked around south campus and found our classes in the morning. Then later that night we needed to get something at the store and decided to go to Wal-Mart which is almost a mile away. Then after getting back from that long walk at like 8 PM, our friend Dan called us up and said they were going to play tennis and invited us to come along. So we went and played tennis for a few hours. We were quite sore the next day from using our legs so much. Wednesday night was actually the first night we stayed home since we moved. Then Thursday we were going to play volleyball but then our friends had left that, it was too serious and too many good people, and they went to Mike and Rhonda's...a cheap restaurant with a lot of food and we just sat and ate a little, it was around 9-10 PM. Then afterwards, E.J. and Jesse came over and ate some brownies that me and Natalie had made before we went to play volleyball. So it's been a fun week and it's been nice not working and I will miss the freedom when I start working but I do need money. It was a blessing to babysit actually, if anyone has ever said that in their life but I was grateful for the opportunity and I just loved that kids I babysat. So Saturday I spent like 12 hours with Cardon. It was pretty crazy. He was over at our house for a few hours. He invited me to eat dinner at his parents but I wanted Natalie to come but she didn't really feel too social so I didn't know what I was going to do. I called Cardon and asked him what he was making and he said he would call me back when he figured it out. The next thing I know he knocks on my bedroom window and had brought over some food. He said that my phone was off and he couldn't get hold of me so he just came over. My phone wasn't off but I did have both my old cell phone and new cell on at the same time so it probably caused some complications and just came up with my voicemail first. Brooke and Natalie say that he's crazy about me and that he probably would propose if I would let him but I'm not buying into it too much. Anyway, things are getting pretty interesting but I am still having fun and trying not to flirt with one guy too much and hope to not lead them on.
But life isn't all about boys, I still love living on my own. It's been very fun and I've been getting along with so many people. Sometimes conflicts arise but I just let time take it's place most of the time. Well, I better get going...adios!

New Home

I'm about half way moved in to my new apartment. I've included some pics of the half way moved in apartment. At least we have a big couch and good table. Everything went well with the move in and my parents left yesterday to go back home. I thought I wouldn't like it or that I would be homesick but I actually love it. Me and my roommate Natalie went over to someone's house last night, after I met some people at a fireside and they invited me to come over and watch a movie. Natalie wasn't feeling too well so she stayed home but I called her up and asked if she wanted to go. We had fun and met some more people over at this guy's apartment. There are quite a lot of old people here, meaning like 5 or so years older than me. There are a lot of cute guys too but I don't think a lot of them will be in my ward. These guys we met last night were funny though. I also noticed there are a lot of return missionaries, I didn't really see any premies. So this guy I met who invited me to come and watch movies, his name is Dan...and his older brother was there and after the movie was over, a bunch of us were talking and Dan and Tom (his brother) said that I should meet this one guy they know. It was out of the blue actually when they said this but after texting Dan once I got home, I wanted to know what he was up to and what he was thinking in introducing me to this guy. He just said that EJ is really nice, tall, smart and fun and he thinks we would get along. Well I think that's just plain awesome! Finally, maybe a third date in my entire life is on the way. Just so you know, I separate dates with boyfriends and dates when I'm single into different categories and this third date in my entire life is the date when I'm single category. Things are going great up here though. Our apartment smells actually and we've been trying to air it out and burning candles and spraying febreze but nothing seems to really be working. I think that's why Natalie didn't feel good last night cause of all the different smells. The apartment smells like cigarette smoke and our next door neighbors smoke. There's smokers all around us actually. They are actually really nice. They came over the night we moved in at about 10 and introduced themselves and said we could party with them and if they ever got too loud, to let them know. We declined their offer, I think they were shocked that me and Natalie had never drank before and that we don't drink. They are party animals, mostly on the weekends and they told us that but it's alright as long as it doesn't get too out of hand. So, many exciting things are happening. I need to get movin today and hopefully get all the rest of my stuff unpacked and then turning in work applications and going to places and filling out some more. Feel free to e-mail or comment me back, I changed a setting so that anyone can comment. Thanks for all the support and love. Love ya guys!

Boredom

Hum da da hum, I'm so bored I would eat gum. JK. Here it is two days until I move to Flagstaff and once again I can't go to sleep. I'm trying to think of things I could pack but there's not that much which is unbelievable...and it's not very good to have a blank mind when I'm trying to think of things I need to pack up. I guess the major thing is my clothes...yeh, that's pretty major, there's a ton of clothes...but I'm just gonna throw those in my car and take off to Flag so doesn't require "packing" just tossing into the back seat. I got a new hair cut and I do love it, I really do. It's so nice to not get my fingers tangled in my hair when I'm trying to wash it.
Yesterday, Monday I went to Tucson to spend some time with my fam. I took Emma and Abbey to eat out with their Aunt Margo to Pizza Hut. The waitress brought the bill when we were done and she was just playing with Emma and Abbey and asking them if they were going to pay the bill and they said no. The waitress then points to me and asks them if I'm their mom and they both say, "No! She's our aunt." Then the waitress, silly girl, says to me, "Aunt? You look to young to be an aunt." Ha, too young to be an aunt? I'm too young and look to young to be a mom! I didn't say anything to her but I was just thinking that. Then after taking them home I went mini golfing with my brothers Michael and Derek and his wife Christy and daughters Caitlyn and Danica. That was fun and me and Christy got a hole in one!!! I got teary eyed quite a few times especially when Emma said this: I had Emma and Abbey in my car and was taking them on errands with me, like the bank, and Emma asks, "Aunt Margo, when are you going to Flagstaff?" I was just surprised she remembered, little kids do surprise you sometimes. I told her, "This Friday" and she said, "What? This Friday!?" And then Abbey was saying something to her and Emma goes, "Abbey, Abbey, be quiet, I need to tell you something. Aunt Margo moves this Friday to Flagstaff!" Then like 10 seconds later Emma says in a sorta sad voice, "Aunt Margo, can I tell you something?...we're going to miss you." Oh man, that brought tears to my eyes. Then I keep on gettin scared every once in a while when I think how soon I am leaving. But just give me like 2 weeks and I'm sure I'll be loving it. Until then, I'm not sure I'll have happy news, I'll probably home sick and miss how easy it was at home. Anyway, this is getting quite lengthy. And now it's wrapped up!

On the brink of a new life

So I'm trying out this blog thing...not too fond of it but I guess it's good that everyone who is involved in my life in some way can know what I'm up to. In 9 days I move to Flagstaff to go to NAU which starts on Aug. 27. I don't really know how to cook and neither does my roommate who I'll be staying with for a week until the other two move in...I might lose another few pounds...not a good thing for me because since the end of May I lost 15-20 pounds and I have only gained like a pound back. I've been riding my bike a lot to get some muscle on me and to prepare me for when I live in Flag. I'll have my car for a few months but then I'll have my parents bring it back home and I'll just have to depend on others, my bike, my own two legs, and the bus. I think a car will cost too much and though it can be a necessity, at college it would be a luxury.
I'll be taking 4 1/2 classes. My Yoga class only lasts the first 8 weeks of the semester. I'll be taking English, Psychology, Marching Band, Interior Design Visualization, and Yoga. It's a total of 12 credits but I already have 22 college credits from dual credit courses I took in high school and my two ASL classes I took during my senior year. I deserve a little break. I got the AIMS Tuition Waiver and I found out that it is renewable for 3 more years as long as I keep a 3.0 GPA and am a full time student. I'm very happy about that.
I'm also excited about Institute...you can call me a geek but I think it will be lots of fun! I can't wait to play in snow! I've started packing up some boxes...this is my very first time moving, I've lived in the same house in Pomerene, AZ since I was brought home from the hospital after being born. I've only moved from room to room before. So it's like I'm planning a big vacation where I have to take a lot of stuff with me. I've been pretty bored the past couple weeks which isn't too bad because I've been keeping myself busy this summer.
Anyway, can't think of anything else to write...nothing too interesting happening right now. Signing off...