Best in the City

Today was our first free day to roam the old city.  Most everybody went out today, and it was lovely.  I probably took 100 pictures today, and so did the fine people I was with.  But I just had to choose a few of my favorites from my camera

Some of my main duffs.

The cutest little children all over the city.  What good brothers holding hands :)

Tried to go here today, but it was closed for sabbath tomorrow.  Had to get a far off shot instead!

Oh what? The cutest little kids in the city?

Yeah sure, they'll help us find the church of the Holy Sepulcher! Why not?

Like bosses.  What fine gentlemen.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher 

Hahaha k I had to post this picture of two reasons:

1. How cool WOULD this have been if that LADY weren't in it?

2. I had to document the fact that she somehow made her way into like 7 of my pics today!! And in completely different locations every time!  I was dying.  So funny.

Rachel wanted to buy some candy from this sketch joint.  There were flies all over that ish.  No way, uh uh.

Jaquel and I were feelin pretty retro today.  We were diggin these indie profile shots...

P.S. MOM, I love that watch.  I'd die without it.

"This here is the corn, best in the city! And THAT, is a crasssey lady."

Travel Travel Travel

Okay, a few pictures.  This here was right before our second flight to Tel Aviv.  After 5 hours waiting around in the hair port.  Love both of these two fine people.

My first sights of Tel Aviv from the plane, (Super American looking, right??) and going through customs at the air port!

 Kinda funny, because Liz and I first bonded on our trip to Disneyland with the Orchestra Junior year, and now we are on more bus trips in JERUSALEM together!  So exhausted by this point.  We were heading to the Center for the first time here.  Both lookin fly.

 Some of my favorite peeps here in Jerusalem so far.  This is our group from the Jerusalem tour today.  Diggin my fanny pack? So was everyone else.

JeruZalem

So I'm here in Israel.  I can't even believe that right now.  The center is a serious lap of luxury, I feel like I'm in a hotel!  We showed up and there was security here to greet us with bread and punch!  The only thing they were lacking was a cool damp towel for my face! ha!  Here are a few things I have learned so far.

1. Tel Aviv looks just like Utah.  

2. Jerusalem is NOT just like Utah.  during the 45 minute bus ride, it was gradually getting more and more old fashion.  But it's so beautiful.

3. The call to prayer is a literal 10 minutes long!!! Maybe not literally, but I mean at least 5-7 minutes.  And it's so loud!  Woke up at 4:30 this mornin hearing it and never did go back to sleep... Jet Lag.

4. Israelis like to party.  They warned us that if we hear bomb sound, not to fret because they are just fireworks.  I thought they were joking until 4 hours later when I heard bombs and looked out my window and people were setting off fireworks during the call to prayer!

5. They have Toyotas and Mercades Benz in Israel.

6. The locals say JeruZalem.  I have now started to call it that myself.

7. Everybody here is cool.  The faculty is awesome, and everybody was so excited to greet us.  All of their children were out in front waiting for us when our bus arrived.

8. Half of our faculty is not LDS, and they speak Arabic or Hebrew to each other.  I'm not exactly sure which it is.

9. The food in the center is pretty good.  Nothing to worry about getting fat off of, however!

10. There are cats all around the balconies at the center.  

11. Some of the security guards look like Rambo.  They are great and we love them.

Anyway,  I am loving everything about this place.  So many people have told me stories about Israel and the Center and how GREAT of an experience I'll have.  But none of that did it justice, and you really can't explain something like this.  I love it here, and I don't know how I'm going to see and do everything I want to in FOUR MONTHS!!! Gotta hit it hard...

Hopefully I'll post some pictures next time.  We took some on our tour of the City today -- which was SO awesome.  I can't even explain it on here because again, I won't do it justice.

A Season & A Time

I am embarking on the most incredible journey (Wait, am I on the Bachelor?) of my life tomorrow morning.  I haven't felt sad at all that I'm leaving -- until yesterday afternoon when Drew came in the door, yelled ANDERS!!! and ran over to give me "snugs." It hit me that I won't be able to see my family for awhile and I lost it.  I definitely had some tearful goodbyes tonight with all my brothers and sister-in-laws after our last family swim party, but that's just cause I'm a baby with goodbyes, and I LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!!! But thanks to my best gal MEL G (holla) I watched a fair amount of her memory videos from her session this Spring/Summer, and it got me so PSYCHEDDD!  And after orientation today, and meeting all of my roommates and others, I know it's going to be crazy fun.  My dad keeps telling me I shouldn't be sad because it's such an adventure, and he's right.  And I'm really not sad, actually.  I know that once the goodbyes are over to my parents, and I get on the plane, I'll be good to go.  No more sadness, just excitement.

Ecclesiastes 3:1&4 -- 

To every thing there is a season, and a time

to every purpose under the heaven.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

Good thing I'm studying the Old Testament this semester, because that stuff is poetry.  I know that there is a time and a purpose for everything we do.  I know that I am supposed to go to Israel this semester and experience everything that I will.  Even though I love P-town, and fall in Provo is unbeatable, and I love Halloween parties, and my birthday, and the crunchy leaves, and the chill in the air, hot chocolate, and the cute clothes and boots, living with Reid, and General Conference in my PJ's; I know that Jerusalem is where I'm supposed to be this fall.  And I'm sure there will be weeping, mourning, laughing and dancing -- lots of dancing.  

Shalom, homies!  See ya fer Christmas!

As of Late

Okay, this summer has been a great time bonding and re-bonding with a lot of my High School gals.  A few days ago we made the trek out to Brigham City to go through the Temple open house.  It was a treat to be in the car with them all and laugh our heads off.  And then some of them (All of them) fell asleep while I quietly sang along to the Country Strong Soundtrack.  You're welcome, guys.

Up next, we have no small news here: REID IS BAAAAACK!!! Psyched.  Always love our pillow talk.  Christopher came this time too, and I'm excited to go hard with them when I get back in January.  Love my Reids.

 We went to dinner with everyone to celebrate their homecoming, and also my uncle being in town to drop them off.  Of course I always love being with my babies.

One of my BFFLs IN THE WHOLE WORLD got married on Friday!!!  I'm so happy for her and Nolan.  I became friends with Ashley during my senior year of High School.  We always knew of each other, but ran in different friend groups, so never hung out! We ended up in the same homecoming group because our dates were friends, and after she invited me to Draper with her, and Nacho Mamas later on, I knew we'd just be the best of friends.  How could you not after a place like Nacho Mamas.  We went on our Senior trip together with some other friends later that year, Vegas, we lived together for a summer and BLEW through 6 seasons of One Tree Hill, and just loved each other.  So many great times.  She is honestly one of the most entertaining and fun people I've ever met.  Not to mention she's a great friend, and so sweet.  Love.  And let's remember how sweet her hubs is in THIS video here!

I wish I had more pictures of their reception, because it was literally the most amazing wedding I've ever been to, but maybe when they show up on FB, I'll share a few.

LOVE YOU ASH!

Crawls getting a little antsy waiting for the love birds.

That same day was one of my other BFFL's birthdays. Mr. Kev D. Dunleavy, everyone.  The best guy around.  I seriously love him to death.  He is definitely one of a kind.  The lucky lady who marries him better count her blessings. Seriously.

The Liberty Square crew got together and went to The Chocolate on State to celebrate his quarter of a century.  Seriously laughs all around for two straight hours.  It would be hard to beat my level of laughter with any other group of people!  I just love them all.  And I'm SO happy to have Brother Josef back with us all the way from CHINA people.  One year later.

We were cracking up over the water dispenser, because it looked like a serious frog pond.  And THEN we saw the lady refill it with a FISH BOWL. What.  And then Morgan did this.  Luckily.

As Hailey would put it, I'm leaving for Jerusalem after two sleeps.  TWO. SLEEPS!!!!!!  I can't believe it came up on me so fast, really. It seems like yesterday that I got the letter in the mail. I finished everything I needed to do with my Major application, and I just need to turn that in on Monday, and finish packing my bags and off I go!  Even though I will miss my family and others very dearly, I know that I am in for the experience of a lifetime.  I really cannot wait to go.  We had a little get together with the people that are in Provo already, and there were definitely some people that I can already see myself getting really close with.  It just made me that much more excited to meet some of the people I will be spending all of my time with.  I can't wait for the next four months of my LIFE.

Pretty Pretty Princess

It looks like we have a couple of Princesses on our hands...

HELLO. Even in a dress he's the cutest little thing.  Love all my babies.

It's Wedding Season!

A lot of my friends are getting engaged and MARRIED!  I went to Corey and Chelsee's wedding tonight, and my were they beautiful! And their decor was SOO cute and vintage.  So many old fashion record players and cameras and nick nacks!

Here is the lovely couple!  They photograph so well.

 Kami and I on the other hand....

We struggle hard...

 I sure do love her though.

 Uhhhh, what? We weren't sneaking any cake from the back room...

And THIS pretty lade is next! Can't wait for her wedding on Friday!

This series of events went like this:

Brielle crawled underneath my arm to get into the picture.

Ashley pinched my side.

I jerked cause it tickled.

My jerk NAILED Brielle in the face.

I'm so sorry, Brailles!

Weddings. Love. Friends. Summer.... is ALMOST OVER!!!!! :(