I've started a new Christmas tradition...

So, for the second year in a row, on my way home for Christmas I have gotten a free flight out of it. Last year, on my way home from Madrid, they were overbooked and offered me 800 Euro, a free night at a hotel, and free food. Um, yeah! Needless to say, that was a good investment.

This year, I traveled through Phoenix on my way home to Milwaukee. After I got on the flight (from Phoenix to Milwaukee) they announced that they were looking for volunteers (because they were overbooked). Anyone who volunteered would get a free upgrade to first class on a later flight today and would receive a voucher for a free flight anywhere in the continental US and a meal voucher for some food. I'm a sucker for deals I guess--I took it! I guess the idea of a free flight ANYWHERE in the continental US was too good to pass up (I'm a student with limited funds--remember), plus, I love first class (especially on long flights... Phoenix to Milwaukee is nearly 4 hours). I'm not sure where I'll use it yet, but there are plenty of people I could visit!

So, I've been spending the day in the Phoenix airport. The bummer was that my flight was supposed to leave Phoenix at 10 AM and my new flight leaves at 8 PM! So, that's one long day in the airport. Since I haven't gotten much sleep in the past few days with finals and such, I slept basically the whole day here and there on those airport couches, which are surprisingly comfortable! Maybe it's because I'm sleep-deprived.

Other funny things that have happened... a little girl peed on her seat on my first flight this morning (I'm sorry, it was hilarious as she announced to the people in the row in front of us "I peed on myself" and they offered their condolences. I felt bad for the dad though).

Also, I saw a guy from my high school on the second flight (the one I boarded and then immediately got off of... since I took the upgrade). He graduated a year before me and I didn't know him too well, but he remembered me and was so nice! It was a fun, random coincidence.

My brother is also stuck in transit to Milwaukee... his connecting flight got canceled and he's spending the night in Cincinnati. Hopefully we'll make it home!

Merry early Christmas!

P.S. Any ideas on where I should use my free ticket? I can use it anywhere except Hawaii and Alaska. :-)

Finals are upon us...

It's that time of year again. Finals. I love 'em and hate 'em.

Things I love about finals... no class, late-night bonding with people in the library, going out to breakfast with my roommates, getting ready to be DONE with the semester (always a relief)...

Things I hate about finals... well, this is obvious. Late nights, incredible pressure to get things done, feeling like I have no time to do anything but study (even eating, working out, cleaning get pushed aside), arg.

Two tests, one oral presentation, several internship hours, a giant editing project, and several assignments/papers to go before I can breathe easy. Although it sounds crazy, I actually feel like I'm in a groove... I'm in that mode where I will spend whatever time necessary to get it all done... which means several sleep-deprived nights. But, it's worth it in the end when I can look back and say, "I'm DONE!'

I love college (usually).

'Tis the Season to Eat Sugar...

So, it's that time of year again! Ahh, yes, I love it. Anyhow, Diana (my roommate) came up with the idea of having a little cinnamon roll/hot chocolate gathering! It was great... we played some Christmas music and the First Presidency Christmas Devotional, and we ate cinnamon rolls, drank hot chocolate, and decorated gingerbread cookies! We must have had at least 75 people filter in and out throughout the night... as you can see, they were enjoying it:


Below are some cookies that Eurah decorated... my favorite is the gingerbread man with the red heart.


Two girls from my ward came wearing matching Christmas pajamas!


Anyhow, it was a huge success and a great way to start off the month before we all get super stressed with finals... this is my last set of "fall" finals ever! I am graduating in August, so don't worry, I still will have the lovely opportunity to take more finals. Anyhow, I'll pretty much be living in the library for the next 2.5 weeks, and then home for 2 weeks! I am looking forward to someday being able to enjoy the Christmas season a little more without the stresses of school during all of December (I don't fly home till right before Christmas) but I'll squeeze in what fun I can!