18,718,193.78 seconds

so... Joey (my missionary) has been gone for

18,718,193.78 seconds!
311,969.90 minutes!
5,199.50 hours!
216.65 days!
30.95 weeks!
7.10 months!

AND!!! is exactally 30% done with his mission!

This is HUGE people, HUGE!

I got an email from him today and this is a part of what it said.... (happiest moment of my life when i read it!)

"so i tell everyone that your my girlfriend and i want to be official as well. so kaylee will you be official with me? haha and be my girlfriend. i'm sorry thats so lame over the email but its the best i can do lol."

I am the luckiest girl alive!!! Only 16.86 months left to wait, then he will be home with me!

I tried dating other people and it just never worked out... they were all lame. Well not lame.. but not Joey. I am done dating other people and I am going to wait for Joey to come home! I feel so good about this decision, it's the right thing to do! I LOVE ELDER JOEY LEE BROWN!

It's gonna be 100% worth it!

Good Food, Good Friends, Good Times

Apartment 301!

My first semester at BYU-Idaho was amazing and only because I had some really great roommates! They made it easy for me to be away from everything that was familar to me and I got 5 more best friends!

everybody minus Kendra (her excuse for not being in pictures is being a interior design major lol)

Kylie and Hailey eating Wendy's frostys with fries

and

Courtney and I on our way to the Benson building for church walkin in the snow



Chantelle and I went to watch Hailey dance to Thriller at the football game

and

Hailey, Kailyn (not a roommate), Courtney and Me on our "Tye-Dye" day

Let me tell ya a little bit about them :)

Hailey (My room roommate) is amazing! I definately got the closest with her. She's from the "armpit" of America and likes all the same music as me! I love having roommate scripture study with her in the mornings, working out, and being crazy with her. She loves to dance and she's cute when she sings ;) haha Hopefully we will stay roommates until we get done at BYUI, one of us gets married, or she goes on a mission... which ever comes first.

Courtney is crazy! but awesome. She lives in Cindrella's castle in Disney Land! .. no really she does. She likes to rap and dance (the courtney dance) and sing high, medium, and low! haha sometimes she's loud, she doesn't like to study (but who does?) she loves T-money!

Kylie is awesome! She lives in Washington and yes she has been to Forks. She likes to make cookie dough but never ever cookies. She has a ton of movies! She actually reads my blog! She doesn't like to dance... but one time she did on the way home from church and it made me smile! :) She is the best music conductor i've ever seen!

Chantelle is way cool! She's a Utah girl. Loves her family. Has a secret recipe for "The Pasta" haha. She likes to donate her plasma. She really likes cheese sticks and pizza. She is in the BYU-I choir and can sing the high C (only if she rests her voice though)

Kendra is sweet! I probably know her the least of the girls cause she was always busy doing homework. But she was from Idaho and had a dairy farm close by. and i was always jealous of her pitcher of real cow milk in the fridge! When she did get to hangout with us she was hilarious! haha good times!

I was blessed last semester with great roommates and hopefully this next semester will be just as good!

On your mark.. Get set..

GO!!!!





Welcome to finals week everybody! We'll see if I survive this week or not.

I'm dreaming....

I'm dreaming of a white THANKSGIVING....?

no actually i would never dream of such a ridiculous thing

Things I could be doing..

I have a HUGE test on Thursday in Anatomy. Before then I have to memorize all 103 muscles, their origin, insertion, and the action of each muscle. NOT.FUN. I have been studying these for a week now trying to memorize...I don't know them yet but I am SICK of muscles. I dream about muscles. I constantly think about which muscles I am using. For example right now while typing this I am using my

Abductor pollicus brevis, Extensor pollicus longus, Extensor policus brevis,
Extensor digitorum, Flexor digitorum superficialis, Flexor digitorum profundus,
and Flexor pollicus longus.

Things I could be doing right now instead of studying...

Writing this blog post
FACEBOOK! (huge distraction)
Reading the letter from Joey again... and again
Working on the saweet rainbow bracelet I'm making
Looking in my pretty much bare cabinet.. then grabing a handful of cereal cause that's all I have
SKYPE
Going to the bookstore to buy some goodies (for a couple of my girls back home that were awesome enough to send me packages! You know who you are)
One Tree Hill!
BYU-I intermurial football game
YOUTUBE
Dancing to "Show me the money"
Just dancing
TEXTING
Cleaning the apartment (Yes, I really don't want to study THAT much)
Take a nap
Paint my nails
Make snowflakes
Play guitar
Play ukulele
Just sit here and try to think of other things I could be doing

but..... I really should start studying.

P.s. I actually really do love my anatomy class. I think it's AMAZING that we have all these different bones, muscles, nerves, organs that work together so perfectly that let us be alive! No man could ever design anything so complex. God is amazing!

B-SOG

I would like to dedicate this post to my amazing friend.

His name is Bryce.

and he is awesome!

We have a "secret affair"

Bryce is really amazing and handsome

we have helped each other out with a lot of things

and he's there for me to complain to

and to answer my questions about scriptures

or tough "mormon questions" that I get lol

(that was a really bad sentence)

Bryce is a beautiful (tough)- son of GOD :)

story of a poor college kid..

Necessities of a poor college student..

1. Chocolate chips (that was a crazy spurge)
2. Flour (for the occasional pumpkin pie making adventure and homemade mac & cheese)
3. Can of tuna (notice the can of spaghetti sauce underneath and i have no spaghetti)
4. Soup (for those cold winter days.. which is every day)
5. Kool-aid (a must!)
6. Cheese Nips (gets me through the day)
7. Ramon (i forgot to label it. I eat this for dinner probably 4 days a week)
8. bread (sandwiches everyday for lunch)
9. Peanut butter (by the spoonful)
10. and Garlic Salt (for the special occasions that I actually eat meat)

What's in your cabinet?

3 days of Halloween

Halloween this year was awesome!

3 crazy nights, 3 awesome costumes!

Friday night: Dance party as colorful people

Saturday: Watched Hailey dance to Thriller at half-time, went to the Halloween carnival as a pirate and Hailey was Michael Jackson, and made Halloween cupcakes

Monday: Ward Halloween party I was Michael Jackson and Hailey was a pirate (yes we swapped costumes)

1-800-BYU-I-DO

To my best friends in Arkansas!

Dear Morgan, Katie, Emma, & Autumn (mostly Autumn because of her blog post to me :)

A lot has changed since I left Arkansas for me. The weather has been AHmazing so far, but it feels too much like fall wayy too quick lol. Its gonna keep getting colder, but until then it's great here!

Rexburg is awesome and yes I am in Mormon heaven, no kidding! There are sooo many georgous guys here! Even tho i'm not "looking" for a new guy I can still LOOK! haha jk jk

For the 3ish weeks that I've been here the only time i've had potatoes was the day I got here at a breakfast buffet. Potatoes are too expensive to buy lol I'm living off of cereal, cup of soup, and sandwiches for the most part.

I'm very excited to be Pen Pals with all of yall! so write me! Here's my address

129 Viking Dr.

apt 301

Rexburg, ID 83440

I love all my roommates! They are awesome! It's pretty fun to try to introduce us all to new people. Hailey, Kaylee, Courtney, Kylie, Kendra, & Chantelle. It's takes everybody a couple days to get it straight lol

and actually i'm sitting around with the Bible in my lap due to the huge amount of reading I have to do for my New Testament class.

I'm definately getting my workout on walking up and down the hill from class to my apartment and back like 3 or 4 times a day! I have yet to go to the gym here tho lol even tho I bought the "byui approved clothes" for the gym!

My skin is already suffering from the dryness out here, but i'm not complaining too much cuz i'd take desert over humidity any day. I do miss all the trees tho.

Now that I'm poor I gotta do what I gotta do lol

Even take a few extra forks and napkins from Bajio on our way out!

Hailey, Me, Courtney, & Kylie went to a gas station to get $.80 cokes!

Me in the BYUI gardens :)

I miss and love you all!!!

*Peace and Blessings*

*Peace and Blessings*

Happy Birthday Roomie!!

Monday was Hailey's birthday!!! Woo! The big 19!

We threw her a little party with tons of cupcakes, cake, and brownies!

This is Hailey with her 2 sisters that are going to BYUI too, Kara and Alicia

I'm falling in love.... with BYUI!

My frist week here was really awesome! really busy but awesome! I love everybody here, i've met sooo many people and i got a date already on tuesday! woo! lol

Hailey (my roommate) and i went to Porter Park with a blanket and studied while we listened to my Itunes! We needed a little break after like 40 minutes so we hung upside down!

Then we colored in our kitchen. We are in the process of making a "quote" wall! i'm very excited about it!

this is another roommate Kylie. she's skyping her family

my side of the room (with really hott guys right out that window! ;))

i made our first sunday night dinner together! Spaghetti, french bread, and salad! we are gonna rotate sundays on who gets to cook for everybody!

Hailey and I eating my yummy dinner!

Hailey studying at the park

me studying!

It was a great sunday! and of course i went to church today too. i'm in the 85th ward!

*peace and blessings*

Chapter 1: My New Life

I'm blogging from my Aunt and Uncle's house in Mapelton, Utah, a stop on my way to BYU-Idaho! My Dad and I drove up here with all of my belongings in the back of his truck wrapped in a tarp and bungee chord-ed. The last 24 hours were full of Rockstar energy drinks, sunflower seeds, and loud music (and even louder singing lol)

The trip starts in good ole Arkansas

Then through Oklahoma with the cowboy/indian decorated EVERYTHING!

Looong, flat Kansas

Beautiful Colorado, except we couldn't enjoy any of it cuz pitch black the whole time

FINALLY, it was a happy moment to be in Utah! (I love this state)

Utah's sunrise :)

Sunday we will be on our way to Rexburg where I'll be moving into my new apartment with 5 other roomies! I'm very excited to meet all of them!

The mailbox is my friend!

Here's the mail, it never fails.

It makes me want to wag my tail.

When it comes I want to wail - Mail!

Having a great day at sonic..

Joey, the monkey who loved sonic peppermints!

I said those words for the last time on thursday! I've been listening to that horrible beeping sound of the switchboard going off for almost 2 years now and I finally quit. Only because I'm moving to Idaho tho.

Working there for so long I learned a few things and got a few pet peeves..






~"the customer is always right" and it's as annoying as heck! cuz they NEVER really are!
~people love making you walk/skate out to their car 10 million times for napkins, ketchup, freakin peppermints in the 115 degree heat!
~Don't make me stand there, sweat forming on my nose, and tell me about how hot it is outside and that you feel bad for me and then not tip me!
~don't go to the drivethru if you don't know what you want! We have stall specifically designed for you to stare at the menu for as long as you need.
~Get off your cell phones when we bring your food and actually acknowledge our presence.





~Be nice to us.. we are handling your drink and food and can do whatever we want to it.





~Tip your smiling carhops! We don't get minimum wage!

...only with the MISSES!

From 8th grade on I think when Morgan and I would have a sleepover we would put crazy makeup on and take crazy pictures! I don't think I'm ever gonna get too old to do this with my Misses!

Enjoy our craziness over the years with these pictures!

I'm in the works of making a list of all the things I wanna do before I leave Arkansas and all my friends for BYU-Idaho. One thing on that list is to do crazy makeup pictures one more time with Morgan. But it's not like it's gonna be the last time EVER, I will be coming home, PROMISE!

~pEACe and bLESSINGs~

This Picture & Those Promises..

I sit on my bed and across the room on the wall is this picture...


it's of me and you.





i was taking a picture of us on prom night when you gave me a surprise kiss on the cheek.
i love this picture.
i have the biggest smile on my face.



that was a GREAT night.



still sitting on my bed and i look to my left on the wall are lyrics to all the songs you wrote me.
they're full of lines like..



"never wanna let you go"
"we can run away"
" you are my angel"
"how you make me feel"
"remember that day"
"you're everything"
"you're amazing to me"
"stay with me"
"this seems so impossible"
"you're all i want"
"you're all i need"
"you are my world"
"i love you baby"


ya ya corny i know.. but i love that kind of stuff..



because you were scared. you broke my heart.
because you played the "what if" game. nothing is the same.



my walls used to be covered in pictures of you, us, and anything that reminded me of us.
i took it all down.



except that surprise kiss and those words and promises.
i can't make myself forget you.
you were the one... are the one?



at your farewell talk at church before you left i swear you were glowing.
maybe they just changed out the lightbulbs.. but you looked amazing
filled with the spirit, i knew you were gonna be the BEST missionary.



now you're across the pond in another country..
and that picture is all i can see.



i miss you.
i don't wanna play "what if" anymore.
i want you to make me smile like you did in that picture on the wall again.

but.. but.. i CALLED it!

The rules of calling "shotgun"

The Theory

The term "Shotgun" refers to the front passenger seat of an automobile. "Calling Shotgun" is the act of claiming the position of Shotgun for one's self. As this position is the most coveted of all positions when riding in a car, the following list of rules has been created to ensure that Shotgun can be acquired in a fair and equitable manner by any passenger of an automobile.

The History The history of calling "Shotgun" goes back to the days of covered wagons and the Wild West. On a trip across the plains, the driver of a wagon would hold the reins of his horse team and concentrate on driving. This left him and the occupants of his wagon susceptible to sneak attacks from bandits and thieves. To avoid this atrocious circumstance it became necessary for one person to sit next to the driver with a shotgun and fend off the enemy.
Defending against bandits is no longer the priority of Shotgun however, but it has evolved into a pre-driving ritual that is experienced before almost every car ride across America and even the world. Because of the obvious evolution that has already occurred with Shotgun, we ask you to consider Shotgun as a living entity and be aware that it is always changing for the better good of society.

The Rules

The following rules have been created through many years of exploring the ritual of Shotgun and are designed with the idea of fairness to all as the main priority. They are also the most complete and comprehensive listing of Shotgun rules available today.

...You Must Say The Word "Shotgun" You must say the word "Shotgun" to stake your claim on Shotgun. This must be done clearly and loud enough so that at least one other to-be occupant of the vehicle can hear you. No variations of this word are acceptable. After you have rightfully called Shotgun, you have exclusive rights to Shotgun for that ride. However, if no one hears you call Shotgun it is still fair game for everyone.

...There is no crime greater than calling Shotgun on Monday in reference to the ride to the concert on Friday. Some people choose to play this way, and they are fools.

...You Must Be Outside To Call Shotgun The best way to establish exactly when the deed is done is to define this moment as the instance that you have left the building in which the deed took place. All passengers need not to have exited, but someone must hear you call Shotgun.
Some people choose to use a variation of this rule and require that all occupants be out of the building before Shotgun can be called. This does not work. It leads to everyone calling Shotgun at the same time and often ends in physical violence.

...The Barefoot Rule Since you must be outside to call Shotgun, some people will just grab their shoes, jump outside, and call Shotgun before putting their shoes on. This has been deemed "gaping", and is not a legal procedure. You must have your shoes on, if you choose to wear any, before you may call Shotgun.

...The Re-entry Rule If you call Shotgun and then go back inside for some reason, you must re-call Shotgun after leaving. After you have re-entered the building, Shotgun is once again fair game to all.

...When The Deed Is Outdoors If the deed takes place outdoors, which it often does, the completion of the deed must be agreed upon when Shotgun is called. Any major disputes over the completion of the deed, as with any discrepancy, can be easily settled with a quick round of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

...The Line-Of-Sight Rule In the situation of the deed being a hike or other extensive outdoor activity, you may not call Shotgun until the automobile is within your sight. This rule needs only to be used when the passengers are outside for a long time and have traveled long distances from the car, as with a day of snow skiing.

Miscellaneous

...Hand On Door Shotgun can no longer be called once someone's hand is holding the shotgun door handle. This officially stakes their claim to Shotgun and calling it at this time is just redundant. This is one scenario where a person does not actually have to say Shotgun to get the seat. This rule's importance is that no one has to be around for you to stake your claim to Shotgun, whereas usually one other would-be occupant must be present for you to call it.

...Sit Down If you manage to sit in Shotgun before anyone has called it, you keep the position even if someone else calls shotgun after you sat down. This is very similar to the Hand on Door rule, where you do not actually have to say Shotgun nor does anyone else have to be present for you to claim it.

...The Balk This rule is applied when you have called Shotgun and are waiting for the doors to be unlocked. If you lift the handle while the doors are being unlocked and therefore cause the Shotgun door to remain locked, then you are "voided" for that ride. At this time Shotgun is available for all of the other passengers to call.

...Other Seats Once the Shotgun seat has been called by someone, the other less prestigious seats in the car may be claimed using the same rules as calling Shotgun. For example: you can say "back-right" or "back-center". In addition, you may also negate calls such as "not back-center" which would put you in any seat except for the back-center.

...The Shotgun Gaper Gapers (gay-pers) are people who prioritize Shotgun much more than a normal human being. These people will alter their usual behavior and even undermine their own ethics in order to gain the rights to Shotgun. They do this through legal means such as sprinting for an exit, and therefore they cannot be voided. The term gaper was originally given to Will Henderson who once rode Shotgun for 2 months straight. The advantage to being a Shotgun Gaper, of course, is you always get Shotgun. Being a Shotgun Gaper, however, is frowned upon.
If you know any Gapers and disapprove of their gaping ways, visit our Gaper page. There you will find tips and tactics to help you beat the Gaper at their own game.

Exceptions

Although the Shotgun rules have been created with ultimate fairness in mind, there are situations where exceptions need to be implemented.

...Significant Others This is the most important exception. If a significant other (SO) is included in the group of automobile passengers and this person is the SO or potential SO of the driver, then they get automatic Shotgun privileges.

...Owner-Driver Switch If someone is driving an automobile other than its owner and the owner becomes a passenger, then the owner automatically gets Shotgun. When applied, this rule shows respect to the owner of the car.

...The Long Haul The rules listed above have been designed around the shorter trip (less than 1 hour). For longer journeys it is best not to use these rules because the incentives to be a gaper are too great. Rather, you should divide Shotgun equally among those who want it.

i found all the fabulous "shotgun" rules on www.shotgunrules.com

calling shotgun in my family is a BIG deal! lol and we have mastered the art of doing so. Thought i would share the rules with everybody else. :)

p.s.

***this was all done jokingly, most of the time i could care less about getting to sit in the front***