thanksgiving break + a road trip

We left Grand Forks bright and early Thursday morning.

First stop, Starbucks. Nate had a couple gift cards and since he doesn't like coffee, I kindly asked him if I could use one. :) He said yes. #bestbrotherever

I just wanted to fill my travel mug with regular brewed coffee, nothing fancy.

The lady asks if I wanted the Thanksgiving blend. Sure...

It didn't taste like turkey and mashed potatoes fyi.

She was impressed with my Pike's Place mug from Seattle and even more impressed when I said I used to lived there. Ha.

So why did you come here, she asked. my short answer: school.

3 pounds of entertainment. 

This (plus music) kept us going.

We saw a  whole lot of nothing and farms (sometimes).

second stop: bathroom.

third stop: Subway.

A little less than 6 hours later, we made it to our grandparents' house on my mom's side.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal with them and about 12 other extended family members.

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving was Skyping the family in Hawaii! They had my cousin over at their place while her mom (my aunt) was with us! 

kinda crazy, kinda cool. It was a big old Skyping reunion. 

Oh, and we even got to witness Elias eating his first food: poi! :) 

He hated it, but his facial expressions were priceless!

I should practice getting more pictures of PEOPLE...

In the morning, Nate and I headed out on the icy roads to REI then the Mall of America. Just because we could :) I wasn't out to buy anything; I just wanted to walk/explore/window shop.

Remember me talking about recognizing people everywhere I go?

Well, I saw two people I knew from school on this trip. haha! ;)

Late afternoon on Friday, we headed a little north to my Great Uncle and Aunt's. The rest of the day included relaxing, playing pool in their basement, chemistry homework, Chinese takeout and a movie! Thanks guys!

The next day we were able to meet up with some friends from Grand Forks/church, and have lunch with them.  That night, my Aunt's sister had us all over for dinner, and we were able to meet more extended family :) Surprisingly, almost half the people there were graduates of the school Nate & I are going to! small world.

This is Bob. He thinks he's more important than chemistry.

As long as you get the questions correct on my chemistry homework, Bob, I'm more than happy to let you lie right on top of my papers and laptop.

Oh, such a silly cat. :)

We were going to spend the night at my other grandparent's house in St. Cloud, but they were feeling under the weather, so we ended up just going out to lunch with them on Sunday. Better than nothing :) They aren't exactly the most tech savvy people, so we were able to help them "fix" their new digital camera while we were there. Oh, they're so cute! :) I only had to push a button twice, and it was fixed!

I'd have to say the trip down to Minnesota was successful.

We're blessed with so much, and I'm so thankful to God for all of it!

awkward and awesome

awkward

+

I needed a band-aid so I asked Nate for one. His mini first aid kit had matches, gorilla glue and duct tape... normal band-aids are for wimps I guess.

+

When my hands are freezing and sweating at the same time.

+

This one's more annoying than awkward (for me, anyways):

listening to a guy snore really loudly in a lounge area at school. I mean, so loud I could still hear him through my headphones- while they were playing music. And this went on for 15-20 minutes...

+

Finding out that sock buns actually include putting a sock in your hair.

my attempt at the sock bun.

awesome

 +

hoping to get a B on a math test and then getting a 94%. Oh yeah. BIG improvement from the first test... I really couldn't believe it for awhile. I found out my score online, so I was debating about emailing my teacher and asking if it was true or not. haha

+

Celebrating Thanksgiving break with extended family in Minnesota AND getting to Skype my mom/dad/brothers.

+

Black Friday and the Mall of America.

+

Medical lab class:

TA: you want the good news or the bad news first?

*no one says a thing*

TA: Ok, the good news is the quiz is open book/notes. Bad news... there is no bad news unless playing with pee is bad news. urinalysis in lab. Oh yeah! :)

+

a relaxing evening of Bible reading and listening to my brother play the guitar.

The day my brother got back at me

The one year Nate and I went to public school, he was in 2nd grade; I was in 3rd. 

From 2001-2002, I didn't learn a thing. 

Wait, I take that back. I learned how to put Elmer's glue on erasers, let it dry then peel it off. You can create cool designs when markers are involved. ;) (Did anyone else do that as a kid?) My friend and I had a whole factory going. I learned how to beg my classmates for Top Ramen at recess, and I also learned that 15 minutes just isn't enough time to play outside. So besides those things, I was basically babysat all day. My teacher wasn't exactly the best of teachers...She would assign homework 10 minutes before class ended for the day, but the homework was so easy that I would finish it before the bell rang. Yeah, it was pretty nice not having homework. ever. Oh! and the sociology of assigned seating... I know what that teacher was up to. She would put good kids next to the bad kids in hopes that the bad kids would rub off on us (yeah, I was a "good kid"- I guess.) On the first day of class, I got to sit by a nice/respectful girl, but that seating arrangement didn't last long. Instead I got to sit next to this kid named Andrew for awhile. He was double my size and ate erasers. What the heck. I don't think he showered either. |:

Nate's teacher was the COMPLETE opposite. He had to do book reports everyday. I think he would be up til 9pm doing homework (9pm was late fyi).  Back then, I didn't care much, but now a feel bad. Poor guy.

All of that being said, we were homeschooled the rest of our schooling years.  

But I need to go back to what this post is suppose to be about! 

My mom made this rule that everyday after school, my brother and I would meet at the corner of a specific building, THEN get on the bus together. This way, we could be safe and keep track of each other. One day, I got distracted and got on the bus without him. I completely forget about him! The second part of the rule was: never get on the bus unless you two have met up first. Needless to say, I was at home, and he was still at school. It was probably the most traumatizing days of his life up to that point. I don't remember getting in trouble, BUT I do remember feeling absolutely horrible. I received the Worst Sister Award that day. He still brings it up sometimes: "Yeah, remember that one time you left me at school? I waited and waited and waited for you. I watched the bus leave..." 

10 years later...
my brother gets back at me. 
he probably didn't mean to do it, but it still happened, nonetheless. haha.
 
I work evenings to midnight and if Nate needs the car that night, then he has to pick me up. So last Thursday, I get off of work, change, and text him. No reply. I stand outside for a few minutes, still nothing. It's about 12:15am at this point. I assume he was at home asleep with his phone on silent. great. I go back inside because my fingers were starting to freeze and then I start texting my mom. She couldn't do much, because she's in Hawaii, but she could at least be there mentally. 

Options, options... what are my options?
I could sleep there. Definitely not. 
I could walk 3.5 miles back home in 20 degrees. Probably not a good idea. 
I could call a taxi. Taxis and taxi drivers scare me (plus I didn't have cash), so no. 
I could call a friend to pick me up. I didn't want to wake up anyone though. 
I could walk half a mile to see if one of the main buildings on campus was open. I knew it was closed, but I just wanted to try it anyway. 
First door. Locked. Second door. Locked. Third door. Locked. I went to the parking ramp, because there's a tunnel going from there to the building. (it's not a creepy tunnel, if that's what you're wondering.) It was closed too, but not before the area I was considering to spend the night. It was warm at least! I go to the bathroom and look in the mirror. Then I break-down, start crying and praying. God put me on a direct line to Nate, because the next thing I know, I'm getting a call from him. Praise the Lord. The car ride home was very quiet, but I think I was more thankful than mad.  

Nate's side of the story: he accidentally fell asleep without setting his alarm.  
He wondered what even woke him up. 

Immediately, my answer was: God did! :) 

We finally got home a little after 1am, and I was very thankful to be in my own bed. 

The End.

awkward and awesome 11/19/12

awesome stuff.
+Seeing people I know everywhere I go. :)

+Chapstick. nuff said.

+Saving $15 a month by hanging our clothes up to dry

+Understanding my math homework.

+A cozy fireplace at the gym. For the people who know about Black Bear Yogurt in WA, it's like that, but at the gym. :)

awkward stuff.

+this picture.

I'm surprised I was able to capture this moment at a coffee shop. He didn't even know. I laugh every time I look at it ;)

+Having a German song stuck in my head.

+When my chem teacher describes elements as "squirrelly". He also says groovy...

+this conversation at the library:

guy: "are you limping?"

me: "No" *smiling embarrassingly*

guy: "Well, it looks like you're limping."

ok then...

+Having a test the day we get back from Thanksgiving break. I am thankful that.... I get to... study for a chem test. Yeah, not really.

last weekend

  

I basically did nothing. It was three whole days of professional procrastination.

 I watched three movies on Saturday. THREE! I can't even remember the last time I actually sat down to watch a movie... haha.

Ok, ok. my weekend wasn't completely nothing:

I  learned how to drive on snow and ice. And while I was doing that, my parents and other brothers were spending their lovely Sunday afternoon on the beach. in Hawaii. This isn't what I signed up for...

oh wait,

it was.

 Screen shot of my phone (within the same minute).

 It's starting to look mighty Christmas-y outside! :D

That's one good thing about North Dakota. 

Not only does Walmart start their Christmas 2-3 months in advance, this weather does too!

 Once a month, a wonderful church here does a thing called Proverbs 31 Women. An older lady teaches us college-age gals a variety of skills. Last month, we learned how to make all different types of breads including caramel rolls. So this weekend I tried it out- they weren't too bad. ;)

  

#procastinationmuststop #mybrainhurts #math

 

When I don't want to wake up in the morning, 

God reminds me how awesome and caring He is.

<3

You make known to me the path of life

  you will fill me with joy in your presence, 

 with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

psalm 16:11

canada, eh?

This country is amazing!
After visiting all our family in Minnesota,Wisconsin and Illinois, we drove up north. This was the last hurrah for the summer. We stayed at my grandma's cousin's (we call her Aunt Rita) little cabin on Lake Superior near Thunder Bay. This cabin, along with all the other cabins on this street, was built in the late 1800s because of a silver mine. Needless to say, this cabin still has no internet, phone, electricity or plumbing. But, I think it was worth it (as the pictures might suggest).

Everyone was SO nice in Canada! It's a part of their culture to say hi to complete strangers. Yeah, we were greeted by many wonderful Canadian when we took walks along the street. It felt weird at first, but I soon got use to it and said hi back.

Aunt Rita is in her upper 80s and she's about 4 feet 10, but she has some spunk, let me tell you ;) She's hilarious. And that "eh?" thing, she used it in every sentence. :) That's talent if you ask me.

skipping rocks

relaxing :)

We fed them cinnamon rolls.

 

I really like sailboats. :)

Oh, Canada!

 This is the cabin. They call it "The Camp".

It was the 6 of us + Aunt Rita + grandma&grandpa W. who stayed there.

the old fashion wood-burning stove/oven

the 'modern' gas stove

It's hard to tell from the picture, but the stairs were very steep.

 

This is the room I shared with my mom and Elias.

I think it looks like a museum.

my view

wc/el baño/the lou... whatever you want to call it, it's still the outhouse.

This is the road/sidewalk. :)

This is the view from Nate's room- looking at our car and the "ocean".

This was a neighbor's dock, but I just love this picture.

Nate and I

This is just a picture of a building we would walk past on our walks.

The nightly activity: fire on the beach.

Nate and Josiah

Being creative with the rocks.

Mom and baby E

Josiah's chaco tan. :)

my mornings looked like this. :D

This picture doesn't do any justice.

Nate's room and view.

:)

Josiah and I did a little biking along the water and around town. 

Taking this picture was probably more dangerous than texting and driving.

Kai and I

THAT. WATER. WAS. FREEZING.

Leilani and her bed

 Aunt Rita loved Elias!

With only rocks to keep us busy, I tried dusting off my math skills...

 

last night + a mini bonfire

 

packing up :(

yes, everything (6 people+luggage) fit in the car.

 

I don't remember if this was a sunrise or sunset... 

Oh Canada, I will come back someday!