Two Days... but who's counting?

Two days of school and I'm off for thanksgiving break!. Wow. It's hard for me to believe that another semester has almost come and gone. It's amazing to be able to look back and say time is flying by. I'm grateful for cameras... Without them I would probably forget how much I love life!. As the holidays get closer I can't help but count the blessing in my life that have brought me to this point. With every trial, accomplishment, and memory experienced, I have learned how to accept challenges and find joy in the journey. (even if i do it the hardest way possible)
 I'm grateful for family- they are my backbone. I always have them to fall back on - what a blessing! I know at times I'm not the best aunt...(that doesn't mean I'm not still the favorite;) or daughter... sometimes I forget to call my mom and tell her about my week or sister... I have the hardest time finding time to talk to my sisters. But I truly wouldn't be who I am today without the support, love, and existence of my forever family.
 I'm grateful for freedom- Freedom to choose, love, create, live, worship, laugh, speak, and learn. Lately I have been guilty of getting caught up in little, un-important things. I'm making a plan for myself to take time to smell the roses- get out of my daily routine- and enjoy the stage of life I am in right now. I have so much to experience! And because of that I can be free and be me.
 I'm grateful for school. As much as I say I hate the work, I really do enjoy being at BYU-Idaho. It has blessed my life in more ways than I can count. My professors, peers, friends, and even my roommates have helped  make this semester great- and I really am thankful for that.
 I'm grateful for every breath I take, every memory I make, every miracle I witness, every person I meet, challenge I face, and
 'Tis the season... and we all have something to be grateful for.
Today, count your blessings.
xoxo
KIM

 p.s. here's what I've been up to lately!

happy halloween! 18" fish

BYU-I Interior Design Tour in SLC

Ruby Mae Chappell

Shay and I accidentally match sometimes...

sometimes more than once a week :)

Thursday lunch date on the Taco Bus

Sunday in I.F. with the BEST mother in town:)

another CHECK off the list

Well, I'm not planning on kicking the bucket anytime soon- but I can check another item off the list! I WENT TO A CARRIE UNDERWOOD CONCERT! And it was UNREAL.
If i could I'd just stop there because I really can't explain how great it was.
But since that would be a waste of a blog post... I'll do my best to explain.
First of all, SHE'S INCREDIBLE. Her voice, her songs, her stage performance. EVERYTHING. I was blown away..(haha get it? (It was called the "Blown Away" tour)) Anyway, I couldn't record everything! but I tried:) I didn't want to forget any of it. But here's a few of my favorite moments!

Hunter Hayes opened for her... which was FABULOUS. I think I found a new crush:)
My best buds Shay and Chlo were so great to buy tickets and come with me- definitely not a cheap trip! But complete with Zupas, off-roading, and many memories... I'd say it was a PERFECT getaway from school.

Park City

PARK CITY!!

This is as close as my family can get to Disneyland in October! But thanks to my mom and dad I'd have to say this was almost better! I absolutely love getting to spend time with my family and it always seems like it happens at the best times in my life, when I need it most. I'm so grateful that my parents make it a priority to get our family together- I'm convinced that's why we all turned out the way we did. (dorky, loopy, and crazy) I look up to every one of my siblings and their spouses. Their examples and words of advice mean more to me than they will ever realize. I find myself wanting to be more and more like my nieces and nephews ever day! Each one has a very unique personality and teaches me a valuable lesson because of it. As I get older I am realizing how precious those few minutes of one-on-one time are. I truly believe that we should all try to be less prideful and a little more teachable.Time with the ones you love is PRICELESS.
Thanks to the new camara I got for my birthday, I was able to catch a few of these priceless moments.
No need to explain my weekend. Let's just say, pictures are worth a thousand words :)

the SIMPLE things

It's the simple things in life that make us happy.
I've decided to make sure to enjoy each moment and find the good in every situation- the best i can. So today i found three things that make me happy: Snapple with a bendy straw- studying with my friends (sometimes we take breaks and draw pictures:)- and hangin out at the clarke in my superman shirt eating gummy worms while i do homework. ok so being at the clarke doesn't make me happy, but the gummy worms do:)

today, recognize the simple things in life, and never take them for granted.

21 and loving it

Yes the rumors are true... I'm officially 21!!! wooo:)
don't worry everyone I haven't done anything crazy to celebrate!. I've been too busy with school (my dad would be so proud if he read that)
But i did have the best day- well more like the best weekend- apparently I can celebrate my birthday as long as I keep on having parties:)
On Saturday (22nd) I drove to I.F with Shay and my brother Jeff, to spend the afternoon with my mom, sister, Whitney, and her new little baby girl RUBY:) I was in HEAVEN!!! That sweet little thing loves you no matter how bad your hair looks that day, or how nasty your breath smells. (but she cries if you kiss her cheeks too much) I felt so blessed to get to spend time with them... no interruptions. My sister and mom are always so interested in my latest dating life, school, and friends. I always feel like I dump on them... but at the end of the day I'm happier than ever. They are so great. I'm so blessed to have so many great people in my life to look up to.
Saturday night my lovely roommate/adopted sister/best friend ShayNiel threw me a birthday bash. She invited everyone we had talked to since we'd moved up to college. She is the BEST:) Even though a few people bailed on the party, and NO ONE showed up til 9:30 (the party started at 8... mormon standard time took on a whole new meeting that night;) But after people started to show up the party was bumpin' and I felt like the coolest girl on the street. Friends from all over came to see me!... some live across campus from us... and some live an hour and a half away!! I'm so lucky to have such good friends. I even got a surprise visit from a few friends who live in provo. The night ended well and I didn't feel like my birthday could get any better...
BUT... it did:) Spending my birthday (Sunday, the 23rd) with my family was EVERYTHING I needed. I can't explain the feeling I get when I walk in my house and see my mom's smiling face. She's always cooking something yummy! My sister came with my two nephews, max and abe. As well as little fanny pants:) (annie) her other kids (conner and logan- her husband) were home sick My dad came home from meetings with a big hug waiting for me:) My grandma even showed up! and my friend Chloe came for a bit too. The party was complete with old family videos, grilled pizza, presents, and pumpkin pie. I LOVE pumpkin pie. more than birthday cake. :) The day was everything I dreamed of and more! I'm so blessed.

Shay and I

Ruby Mae, Me, Max, and Whit

Also... since i'm updating my life....
here's a little video we took. we're trying to document our lives a little better.
Aside from long school days and no dates... we're trying to be fun:)

We're not good at softball... but we have fun doing it!! and its a good way to meet new people. I'm so grateful for BYU-I and the spirit I feel there. Life is good and as much as I complain... I'm happy doing what I'm doing:)
Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
From me, to you

welcome to year three

Yes, I have officially started my third year of college.
There's not much to say except for....
I'm very grateful to only be 30 minutes away from my family. Sometimes I get embarrassed when I tell people I'm from Idaho Falls- like, "Yeah I haven't really grown up and moved on 'cuz my parents live in the next town over!" But the truth is that I have seen so many blessing come from it. And I wouldn't trade these memories for anything.

Annie Laine and Grandpa

This is one of the many....

My nephew,s Conner and Max, had a flag football game on Saturday! They are all-stars! I was so proud of them. Conner is a natural athlete and has a deep passion for the game (and sometimes looks a little too much like the guys on sports center). Max on the other hand is still getting used to the idea of playing sports with Conner...he is one patient kid. (But never hesitates to give us a thumbs-up at the end of a good play). I'm so glad I was able to cheer them on and see their cute little freckle-face grins when they looked to the side lines and saw their fan club! I couldn't be more thankful for these memories!




The other day Shay and I took a trip to the shoe store. Shay said she NEEDED shoes really bad. I didn't realize that this is what "really bad" meant:)

She really bought 5 pairs (the 6th is mine

Oh... and we won a Frisbee...Thanks for the killer deals Shoe Carnival!!


















Spud Day:
Did you know there was such a thing??
Here in Idaho we are proud of what we are known for... Potatoes:) Spud day is in Shelley (where my blood runs deep through the streets) Both of my parents grew up there and can I just say I love it there??
This year my cousin won her school beauty pageant and we now refer to her as 'Miss Russet' little did we know that she had such a big part in the spud day celebration! she performed her dance routine, strutted her stuff (crown, sash, and all) and even tasted the potatoes from the spud tug pit. Yep... the spud tug pit. Then the Coop Troop signed up for the spud tug and gave Rachel the opportunity to be in the front. Here's a little taste of the excitement we experienced :)

even the missionaries participated!

this is how they mix and fill the pit:)

                                                                   Happy Spud Day!

little brother, best friend

Have I ever mentioned that I have the best little brother anyone could ask for?
He basically holds our family together. 
I've always claimed Jeff as my best friend. He's always been there for me. As my awesome and exciting summer comes to an end and a new chapter begins... I can't help but think of all the good times we've shared. He's my partner in crime, my shoulder to cry on, and most of all my hero. Growing up we were pretty much joint at the hip. Some people thought we were twins:) Even though he is the star of the football team, the baseball team, and even the basketball team... he's also a celebrity. He is the best at making you laugh, being a true friend, and caring about others- especially those who need a pick-me-up. I've always admired his attitude towards life. The other day I heard him talking about someone who was sitting alone at a church activity. He told me everything the two of them talked about that night since Jeff decided to sit by this person...and at the time, I couldn't believe my brother could get any cooler. But every time I get blessed to spend more time with him I see that he is the perfect example to our nephews, he's the funniest person I've ever met, and he really does love life. A week ago I came home from work... tired and grumpy. He is always the first person to poke me in the side, pass on a big smile, and give me a hug to make me feel better. This particular day i was lucky enough to be invited to go bowling with him and two of his friends. my first thought was "me and three 18yr olds going bowling together?" But i decided it couldn't hurt to have a little fun... so Jeff ran downstairs to get me a sports jersey- i had to match the boys:) that was probably one of the best nights of my summer. See what difference you could make by being selfless for a few minutes and reaching out to someone? I got a chance to see how much Jeff's friends look up to him. He has a big influence on the choices they make and the kind of guys they want to be. Tonight he texted me before he went to bed. the text said "Alma 7:23" I couldn't be more grateful for a best friend.
Jeff will be turning 19 in a month. And he made one of the biggest decisions of his life so far... he will be going on an LDS mission. He was called to the Chihuahua, Mexico Mission. I couldn't be more proud of him for realizing the importance of this decision and serving the Lord for two years.
I joke about the day he leaves (Jan. 9)... I might have to go on a mission too, just so I don't miss him too much. Or maybe I could just fit in his suitcase? He's going to need someone to do the dishes for him since he has to 'go to the bathroom' every time the water starts running!.
Even though I might be joking... the truth is that this kid has made a huge impact on my life- since the day he was born... literally! (I was the princess until he came along) But I'm happy he did. I'm grateful for families but especially for little brothers.
Today... reach out to someone 
from me, to you