'Tis the Last Rose of Summer

Gloria requested that I do more blog posts, so I will. Well, I'm done with work until I leave. It was the summer of working for me. I worked at three different places, sometimes all three in one day especially when business is busy during pageant season. It was funny to see people come to all three places and be like, "you're everywhere! where do you NOT work?" I love that the minimum wage in Illinois is the highest in the country - $8.25 (only D.C. and CT are that high)

I'm slowly packing and cleaning out my room. Giving all my hand-me-downs away, throwing away crap, saving stuff in my hope chest. It feels so weird to go live without my family, and to have my stuff in two different places. Oh well, I'll get used to it.

I'm excited about the classes I'm taking:

Biology of Women
America and the Enlightenment
Becoming a Leader-Servant
College Algebra
Bella Voce (Chorus)
Reason and the Self
and Institute!

I'm actually not to keen on the algebra. But I'll do my best. All my books came in the mail, except the one I have to get at the bookstore when I get there. Orientation is 4 days long! (If you include the Sunday before classes start. There's going to be a movie party, Luau, a dance, and lots of firesides and institute stuff too. I keep going from super relaxed about it to super excited to super stressed out (I can't breathe.) Which is normal I guess. I wouldn't be half as scared if I was going to Utah and be surrounded by people I know, but then that just sounds too easy. I need my adventure of being completely on my own. Classes start the 30th.

Well, I had a long Friday and Saturday of working doubles, but on Sunday I got to sleep in (I love afternoon church, even though nobody else does), and go to Quincy! We got there just as the sun was setting. Gloria hurried and snapped a few shots of our family just in time. Then we had a college/mission prep family home evening together. (Basically for me and Austin). Including a scripture chase and learning to sew on buttons. Me and Austin planned to pull an all-nighter. It started off with s'mores, watching Salad Fingers and Rémi Gaillard on YouTube, going and buying a bunch of junk...this is where Brady dropped out because he had to wake up early the next day. So me, Tash, Kennedy, and Austin played the skittles game. When it our mouths got full enough, we just spit it out. But Kennedy had to wake up early too so she went to bed. And Tash said she had to work the next day so she went to bed too.

Me and Austin were determined to stay up. We watched a Disney Singalong, watched all the Balloonshop videos on YouTube, told each other all the jokes we know...and played the skittles game again. Just the two of us. Which is suicidal, especially because we decided not to swallow. Just chew. I had to use my hands to move my jaw to chew at one point. Then I sad let's see how many skittles we can stuff in our mouths. I had to hold my lips closed I had so many! This is where Austin gagged and started throwing up. I smelled it, and started throwing up in my hands and had to wait for him to finish with the bowl. Yes, we shared a throw up bowl. We are seriously like cousins. We go all the way back to Bro. and Sis. Guthier's CTR 8 primary class in Tokyo :) But it's weird because our birthdays, he's a grade older than me plus he graduated early. And it doesn't help that he's over a foot taller than me. I think he always has been, actually. But anyways, enough rambling.

We ended up only staying up til 4 am, because we didn't want to die the next day. I was about ready to beat the little kids who came down and played Wii and Kingdom Hearts at 7:30 in the morning. I didn't get to go to Qdoba's because it was closed. Being with the Rodenberg's was worth it, though. I love having old friends that feel like family because you've been there for everything together. I will miss them so much in Virginia. They feel like family. And I think that was the perfect way to start wrapping up my summer. Tashi and the babies start school tomorrow. I never have to set foot into that possessed school again. Hopefully she can do something good by being senior class president. I am in a good mood! I think I shall go cuddle up with Cranford. :)