Curse that Gingerbread Man ...

My nephews slay me. Really though. They're only 4 and 2 years old, and yet they've already developed killer senses of humor. Mitchell and I played Candyland [Deluxe Version] for over an hour on Tuesday morning. And the scoreboard says ...

Andee: 1

Mitchell: 10

Not even kidding. I got my butt handed to me by a 4-year-old! Not only that, but he managed to trash-talk his way to victory, too!

Curse that gingerbread man. Curse him ...

Happy Christmas, Ron.

Santa was too good to me this year. After a very stressful semester, I received the greatest gift ever: a much needed break. I have been so blessed to be able to come home and bum around with my friends and family. I love them all so much!

BYU BASKETBALL AND BONFIRE!

BASKETBALL SEASON IS FINALLY HERE!

We celebrated the season opener by ...

Eating good food...

Watching the game from the nosebleeds, and ...

Driving out to the boonies for a bonfire that you could [maybe] see from space.

Top-notch night, if I do say so myself!

TESTIMONY THROUGH STUDY

Favorite class of fall semester 2010: human anatomy, hands down. As stressful and time-consuming as it is, I can't help but love it. It has seriously changed my life.

I don't look at people the same way anymore, and that includes myself. When I see a person, I don't see a face; I see muscles, bones, ligaments, arteries, you name it.

In an odd way, this class has been a HUGE testimony builder for me. While sitting in class, I've often found myself quoting Albert Einstein in my head: "The more I study the universe, the more I believe in a higher power." For me, the more I study the human body, the more I KNOW a higher power exists.

I once heard an interesting analogy somewhere relating the creation of humanity to a watch on a beach. It goes something like this: pretend you were walking on a beach and you came upon a watch lying in the sand. You wonder how the watch got there. Someone explains to you that over an exorbitant amount of years, the combination of waves crashing upon the shore and natural elements caused the formation of the working watch. What would you think?

My thoughts: No way. That's impossible. There has to be something more ...

And there is. The human body is EXTRAORDINARY. It's difficult to believe that a watch, which works simply with only a few gears, would be created out of chance; imagine comparing that to the human body. As I sit here and type this, my hair is growing, my food is digesting, my heart is beating on its own, among thousands of other processes that must happen quickly and in perfect sync with each other. After everything that we're made of, after all of the systems and processes that must come together to form us as an organism, we're here. Not only are we here, though. We're here and we WORK. We SURVIVE. We THINK. We ACT. We CARE. We LOVE.

Sure, some could still manage to argue that our bodies are here by chance, that we were made "naturally" and without intelligent design. But what about our souls, our consciences, our minds that lead us to explore, to question, and to cause our bodies to act? What is that essence of life that gives rise to our sense of right and wrong and the attribute of consequence? Where did it come from?

I know.

Do you?

Midterm Madness

Let me first begin by apologizing if this post seems to be out-of-whack. Midterms have come up on me faster than a grizzly on an obese, unsuspecting hiker, and I may or may not be going crazy in response. My mind is going a million miles a minute, and just when I think I'm finished studying, something else manages to be added to my to-do list. Don't get me wrong, I love school. Really, I do. I feel my knowledge increasing more than it ever has before, and it's honestly one of the most gratifying feelings I've ever experienced. However, on the flip side, I thoroughly enjoy breaks. I can't explain to you just how comforting it is to know that while my family will be spending a week basking in the glory that is Disneyland, I get to spend hours on end in a lab with formaldehyde-drenched body parts as my mind implodes from memorization overload.

Despite the fact that my mental capacity could deplete at any moment, I am seriously having the time of my life. I feel like I've grown more this semester than any other period of my education, and I think it's fair to say that I owe most of that progression to my time spent in Haiti. Ever since I've come back from there I've felt more motivated, more confident, and more ready to take on the hard work that's ahead of me. It's ironic to me that I'm in the midst of the toughest and most demanding class schedule I've had the privilege of encountering, and yet my grades are the best they've ever been. As I look back on my freshman year, I realize that I had no idea of what I was doing. Doing well in school was at the top of my priority list, but the hard work required to do such a thing wasn't. Even though I managed to do pretty well with my studies, I know I could have done better.

So where does that leave me now? Long story short, I'm a pre-med sophomore at BYU majoring in Exercise Science and minoring in International Development. I'm living the college lifestyle and loving whatever comes my way. Doing well in school is still at the top of my priority list, but this time the hard work required to do it is there, too. I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do with my life, but then again, life has a clever way of throwing things at you that you're not prepared for (like two weeks ago when I got called to be a Sunday School teacher).

Bottom line: COME WHAT MAY AND LOVE IT!

I Want Names.

This school year started out in a momentous way.

When I say "momentous way," I mainly mean that Tim, Peter, and I went to the John Mayer concert at the USANA Ampitheater on August 31st. Owl City opened, but yeah, not nearly as good as the man himself.

MY. MIND. WAS. BLOWN.

"Slow Dancing in a Burning Room" - John Mayer

Quick P.S.: A guy named David Ryan Harris is touring with Mayer. He had a moment to perform all by himself during the set, and let me tell you, he was A-MAY-ZING. Check out his song "For You" here. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Haiti: The Two Weeks That Changed My Life

Some of you may be curious as to why it has taken me so long to report on the fairly recent experience I had in Haiti. I mean, I've been home for nearly a month and haven't typed a word on this thing. Most people would imagine that such an experience would be reported on almost immediately, but I've found this to be difficult for me. Why? Well the fact of the matter is that I've needed this time to reflect on everything I witnessed and everything I felt, to take everything into account and process how it changed me as a person. Indeed, it did change me. I've only had a handful of events in my life that I can say truly changed my life, but this one by far has had the biggest effect on me. It wasn't in the seemingly big things that I found the largest causes of change in me, either. It was in the small moments, the quiet, unseen, and inconspicuous actions that sculpted the epitome of my experience in Haiti. It was in the quick and selfless instants that, had I not been observant of my surroundings, could have gone by in the blink of an eye, not to be absorbed by those who could continue to tell the tale.

[This little cutie is Akon. No, that's not his real name, but it suit him well. He went everywhere with us. Every time I look at this picture I get a huge grin on my face as I remember him and all the shenanigans he would try to pull.]

Before I went to Haiti, I made the assumption that I would ease into the culture, into the poverty-stricken lifestyle that permeates the country. Haiti, however, had other plans for me. My first gut-wrenching feeling hit me as I stepped out of the airport and into the busy environment that is Port-au-Prince, seeing young boys and girls scurrying along the other side of a chain link fence, begging for money. My heart sank. Already? I'm seeing it already? I thought to myself. I sat in stunned silence as we drove the rough road from Port-au-Prince to Léogâne (lay-oh-gone). I've been in third-world countries before, but never had I seen anything like this. Tent cities were strewn out in before open places. People weaved in and out of cars selling plastic bags full of water to the tune of honking taptaps and moto taxis. Smells that I had never perceived before permeated the van, and I sure as heck didn't want to know what they came from. It hit me like a ton of bricks: this was where I was going to live for the next two weeks of my young adult life.

[BIENVENUE A LEOGANE, or WELCOME TO LEOGANE. That's a taptap in the foreground.]

My daily schedule went a little like this:

5:45 AM: Wake up [to the crowing of a very annoying rooster that lived on a large garbage pile just outside our house]
6:30 AM: English class
8:00 AM: Breakfast
9:30 AM: Split to different projects [i.e. orphanages, hospital, square-foot gardening, hygiene classes, etc.]
1:00 PM: Lunch
2:00 PM: Split to different projects
7:00 PM: Dinner
8:00 PM: Group meeting
10:00 PM: Sleep time
1:00 AM: Wake up to a dog fight going on just outside the house or a large truck passing by.

[We would walk past this sign every day when going to and from different projects, especially the hospital. I risked my life to take this thing!]

There's no doubt that all of the projects were great and had a lot to contribute to helping the Haitian people become more self-sufficient, but everyone had their favorites. During my first week I spent a lot of time at the Hopital Sainte Croix (oh-pee-tall san-qwah), just a few blocks from our house. The hospital was equipped for out-patient services, but they were in the process of preparing themselves for in-patient services, and that's where we offered to help. We painted many of their rooms and fixed some spots in the ceiling where water dripped through. It was a great project, and I was sad to see it come to an end when we finished what we could. I miss walking through the busy waiting room in the morning and saying bonjour to complete strangers. I also met a few different people there who had an amazing impact on my experience as a whole, namely Gladdys, the hospital administrator, and Erlantz, the community health director of Léogâne. They are people who are truly dedicated to serving their fellow countrymen through the talents and abilities they've worked hard to develop throughout their lives.

[Outside of the Hopital Sainte Croix.]

One of my other favorite projects was English class. It was amazing to watch the confidence of the people grow as they learned to speak the most influential language in the world. I think it's fair to say that, as a volunteer, the main question on your mind is whether or not you're actually making a difference to the people who you're trying to serve. I distinctly remember the moment when all of my doubts pertaining to that very question went away. One morning I was helping the intermediate English class, holding mock interviews in small groups, about four Haitians to every volunteer. We went through the hour, making small talk, practicing all the English we could, and getting to know each other. After the class was over, one of the men in my group named Joseph came up to me. He shook my hand and simply said thanks for everything that we were doing, for the time we were taking out of our own lives to help them. I mustered a simple, "You're welcome," and continued on my way. It was then that I realized he wasn't the one that should have been saying thank you, but rather that I should have been saying thank you to him. The Haitian people are some of the most wonderful people I've ever had the privilege of being with, and just being with them instilled an amazing desire for me to become better.

[English class. About 20 people showed up the first time Sustain Haiti taught an English class. In a manner of weeks over 150 people were attending regularly.]

[Some of my English class buddies.]

My two weeks in Haiti provided me with a feeling of love that I had never before experienced. My most distinct memory of this emotion occurred when we were paying a visit at the "Field Tent" orphanage. A young girl named Maureen and I instantly made a connection. I held her in my arms and rubbed her back as we watched some of the other volunteers play soccer with the orphan boys. After a time I looked at her to see that she was sound asleep. My heart swelled and I had an idea of what my mother must feel for her own children. It was in that moment that I realized the greater love that exists in the world. My new distinction of this love was reiterated as I visited the "Mormon Orphanage" the following week. I sat in as the children were served their food for the day, nothing more than some broth with fried rolls of flour and rice. I was taught an important lesson as I watched a young orphan boy share his sustenance with another small girl. Despite the little he had, he gave of his food so openly, without even batting an eye. It was in this small moment that I realized I had been missing giving that love in my own life, that innocent, humble, unpretentious love that comes through in the quiet instances that connect people at a deeper level. I promised myself, then and there, to become better.

[Maureen and me at the "Field Tent" orphanage. I asked Beth to take a picture shortly after she fell asleep.]

[This boy and girl taught me one of the most important lessons I've ever learned. I MUST BECOME BETTER. I'll never forget them.]

I knew when I signed up with Sustain Haiti that I was in for something special, but it wasn't special; it was EXTRAORDINARY. Sustain Haiti had the opportunity to partner with differing NGO's (Non-Governmental Organization) on various projects, but I have a deep belief that none of them had the same experience or affect on the people of Leogane like Sustain Haiti. Sound cocky? It's not cockiness, it's confidence. Confidence in our projects, confidence in our volunteers, and confidence that we made, will make, and continue to make a difference. Where does this confidence come from? It's simple, really ...

Love.

Good Luck, Elder Buxton!!!

This last weekend was one for the record books! Friday morning Kennie and I hopped in Giuseppe (AKA my red Honda CR-V) and headed south for good ol' St. Geezy from P-Town. Unfortunately, we weren't more than five minutes past Nephi when I saw the blazing lights of the po-po pull up right behind me. BUSTED. My mind scrambled as I tried to compose myself. I won't reveal just how much I was going over the speed limit; instead we'll just say that the fuzz was pretty lenient in giving me a ticket for only going ten over.

Finally in George, Kennie, Jennie, and I reunited at the Olive Garden and spent some time adventuring around. After cruising the 'Vard and making a new friend in a Mexican pedestrian who seemed interested in our bumpin' Justin Bieber tunes, we made our way to Kaylee's new place of employment, Krave. A quick surprise and we were out of there, headed to my house for some down time until we later spent the night escapading with Kaylee.

Saturday morning came. After some deliberating, it was decided that we would leave George early so that we could get to Vegas in time to watch the United States vs. England World Cup game. Kennie and I set out for Vegas and got to Matt's a few minutes before the game started.

Note to self: never use Google Maps ever again. We got to the right place, but it took us about a half hour longer than it should have.

After witnessing the US pull a tie against England and eating a very satisfying meal of chips and salsa, Kennie, Matt, and I hopped in my car and drove out to Red Rock Canyon in search of some wild burros. It wasn't too long before we discovered some and promptly made our way out to the field to greet them, much to the attest of Kennie who at one point yelled, "They're charging!" Luckily, they didn't charge and we were able to get pictorial proof of our contact. Two things could possibly be happening in the picture above:

1) I'm impersonating a wild burro. If that's the case, then I'd say I'm pretty spot-on.

2) The excitement of being in such close proximity to such primitive creatures caused me to I have to sneeze really, really badly.

Later we met up with Jennie and her brothers, Adam and Ryan, and their friend Nate, fresh off the EFY scene. Although the Strip probably isn't someplace you'd want to go right after a week of intense spiritual enlightenment, or after any week for that matter, Matt was a great guide and drove us there so that we could see the fountains at the Bellaggio and whatnot. I mean, you can't be a visitor in Vegas and not go to the Strip, right?

Adventures at the Strip said and done, the gang piled back in the van and headed off to Jeff's open house. Full of good food, great friends, an awesome dance after-party, and lots and lots of laughter, the party was an absolute blast. Highlights included dance lessons from a five-year-old, the coining of the future Millennium High School (Home of the Falcons), and attempted mastering of the raptor run and roar.

(Right here I'd like to give a special shout-out to the amazing Doxey family. It's not every day that you meet a family so willing to allow six hoodlums to come and crash at their house on such short notice. Thank you so so SO much for all of your generosity and kindness! You guys are the best!)

And then came the moment we had all been waiting for! Elder Jeff Buxton, pre-missionary extraordinaire, gave his farewell address. Without a hint of nervousness, Jeff spoke like a pro and gave us all the more reason to realize just how blessed the people of Scotland are going to be to have him in their midst.

So, Elder Buxton, as you embark on the adventure known as the best two years, I want to just thank you for being such an amazing example to everyone around you. You are going to do extraordinary things as an extraordinary missionary! And remember, it's not goodbye, only so long for now!

God be with you 'til we meet again! :]

Pupusas, Anyone?

This last Saturday was eventful, to say the least. It all began with "light" cleaning checks, which basically entails a little tidying up here and there around the apartment and shutting your bedroom door so that the landlord can't see the messy abyss that lies within. After cleaning checks, Alyse, Anna, and I hit up the Relief Society picnic at Kiwanis Park. We met a few of the girls and did the usual for any RS activity: talked.

After laps at the RB pool, Alyse and I participated in a friendly little game called "Melonball" in the Regency pool. Basically what you do is get a watermelon, grease it up with Crisco, and then play water polo. Instead of throwing the melon into a net, you just hold it and touch the opposite side of the pool. It was so much fun! I don't know who thought of that game, but they are brilliant and should be given their own show on ESPN.

All those crazy shenanigans said and done, Alyse and I went to the home of our awesome friends AJ and Nate Morris for pupusas. You may ask, what's a pupusa? Put simply, it's paradise in food form. If I ever go on a mission, my one request is to go somewhere in which pupusas are a food staple.

Note to my roommates: GIRD YOUR LOINS! Pupusas are going to be a regular meal in the Regency 107 household come this fall!

Nate and Jacob taught Alyse and me the art of making pupusas. This was my first one! Not too shabby?

My first pupusa and me. How precious :]

Nate, Jacob, and me reveling in pupusa splendor.

Isaac and I threw it down on the Wii after going buck-wild on batches of pupusas. I'm convinced that he would be the Michael Jordan of Mario Kart if it were an official sport. The picture above is of us playing Rainbow Road upside-down. And yes, he kicked my butt.

BYU Jerusalem

Someone once asked me, "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?" At that moment the obvious answer for me was the bathroom; I'd just spent my afternoon hydrating for a tennis match the next day and I had to pee like Seabiscuit. Potty thoughts aside, I think I answered with Spain or New Zealand or something like that.

Months later I was perusing a website sponsored by BYU and stumbled upon some information about the BYU Jerusalem Center. It hit me: if I could go anywhere in the world, it would be Jerusalem, hands down. Ever since then it has been a dream of mine to attend the BYU Jerusalem Center and I am excited to say that this November I can apply to be a student there next spring and summer! If you want a better idea of why I want to go there so bad, just click here.

Rumor has it that it's very difficult to get in; they only accept about 80 students a semester.

Bottom line: CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR ME! I'M GOING TO NEED ALL THE LUCK I CAN MUSTER!

Please and thank you.

Sincerely,

Andee Gempeler

P.S. Along with thoughts, prayers, and blessings of good fortune, money donations are now being accepted. Contact Andee Gempeler for further info. Cash and checks only, please.

Finals Days as a Freshman ...

The Last Hurrah:

No finals + water basketball + breakfast shmear + sardines in the HFAC + eating our weight in ice cream + midnight round of ultimate frisbee = AWESOME.

I can't believe how fast the year passed. One moment we were just getting to know each other, testing the waters and not wanting to cross any boundaries, and then next thing I knew Mandy and Kennie were engaged in hand-to-hand child prison combat. Before college I'd always imagined it as being a fun change, but I'd never imagined it being this fun. All of the fun I had I owe to the wonderful friends I made.

I met some amazing people who taught me lessons about life that I may have never learned otherwise.

If I have to be grateful for one thing, though, it would have to be for my roommates. They're my best friends! I look forward to the many crazy adventures we're sure to have together :)

New Photography Blog!

For the last few days I've been working on my

new photography blog.

It's a work in progress, but hopefully I'll get to the point where I can add new stuff to it every few weeks. So far I just have some of my favorite work that I've done in the past posted, but with luck I'll be able to get some more recent shots on there.

In the meantime, in the words of the Beastie Boys,

CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CHECK IT OUT!

A Very Busy Beginning to Spring (To Say the Least)

A few people told me that the month of March goes by slower than tar because while everyone else in the world is having fun on Spring Break, BYU students are stuck on campus studying their brains out. I found, however, that this is not necessarily the case. March went by in the blink of an eye for me, much in the same fashion as this entire semester. While studying can be very daunting and time consuming, I have definitely been able to make time for plenty of fun. How? Well, most things happen spontaneously, off the cuff, no planning needed.

April, thus far, has not been a disappointment whatsoever. Of course it helps that the first day of the month is April Fools. We found ourselves being pranked left and right, beginning with Kaylee waking up in the morning to find Megan Hatch sleeping in Alyse's bed, claiming to be Alyse. Little did we know that Alyse was doing the same thing over at Megan's dorm, claiming to be Megan. Other pranks played on us included plastic sacks being taped across our front door, pudding snack packs being placed on our doorknobs, and coming home to find the milk in our fridge dyed pink and green (shown above). Tim put his roommate's fishbowl (complete with live goldfish, also shown above) in Jell-O and kept it in our fridge for the afternoon. It was quite the day!

Friday I woke up, went to class, threw it down on my Physical and Developmental Biology test, and then met Jennie back at the dorm. We ate lunch and headed down to the Smith Fieldhouse for the BYU Football Alumni celebration. I met Jennie's most amazing family as we took our seats for the Q & A with Bronco Mendenhall. After Coach Mendenhall's presentation, we trekked up to the Hinckley Center for a quick look around and then headed down to the practice football field at four for spring practice with the current team. It was crazy how close we were. There were multiple times that I thought we were going to get run over. We were seriously right behind the team, all of their words easily heard. My favorite? Harvey Unga: "This is ridiculous. I'm hungry and it smells like burgers."

After practice, we headed back to the Fieldhouse for a barbecue. I was starving, and it had been a really long time since I'd had a burger, so I stuffed myself with a huge burger and salad. Why I did this is beyond me, seeing as how my good friends Forrest and Matt had invited me over to their place for Thai food that night. Jennie, her brother Adam, and I moseyed our way back to Heritage Halls to grab a pitcher and then hoofed it over to Kimball Hall to eat again.

First time ever eating Thai food, I'd say it was a success. It was super good, even though it was a Korean and a white boy who made it. I was seriously stuffed to the rafters, but they kept piling it on. I was in the middle of doing dishes when Matt suggested we go play Ultimate with a light-up frisbee. I warned them that I'd probably puke in the process because I was so full, but I ran home and changed anyway. It was sprinkling and windy when I finally made my way up to the dark field, and by the time we were done it was pretty much snowing.

I ran home, changed, and then met Daniel at my car. We fulfilled a long-ago planned excursion as we made our way to the 7-Eleven on University Avenue for Slurpees. Yes, I was eating once again. We finished up at the gas station, made a quick stop at the Creamery, and then headed back to A. Richards 106 to watch a movie with Kaylee, Alyse, Amber, and Tim. Playing that night? Singles Ward.

I eventually got to bed around two. I woke up Saturday morning to watch the morning session of General Conference until Matt came and picked me up at 11. We decided that we were going to wait in the standby line at Temple Square and try to get tickets for Saturday's afternoon session. We met Forrest at his car and made the drive up to Salt Lake.

We got to Salt Lake a little before noon and parked in a parking garage a few blocks away from Temple Square. Equipped with bagels, cream cheese, and oranges, we made our way to the Conference Center. I knew immediately that it was a bad idea to wear heels. After searching for twenty minutes, we finally found the standby line. We kept walking as we saw the line going on all the way around the west and south sides of the temple until we claimed our spot in the back. Eventually Sarah, one of Forrest's FHE sisters, joined us as we waited.

Around 1:30 pm we decided to call it quits and headed to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building to find a spot in the theater. We wandered around in the foyer until they finally opened the doors, only to discover that there weren't any spots with four seats in a row. We gave up there and headed to the Tabernacle, confident we'd be able to find seats inside. There was plenty of room, so we chose to sit on the left side.

It was a great session. My favorite talk was by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. Luckily I only fell asleep for a few minutes during the whole session; unfortunately, when I woke up I had forgotten that my notebook was on my lap, so naturally it fell on the floor and made a huge noise. Embarrassing? Quite.

The Salt Lake City Temple

Eventually the session came to a close and we were back on the road. Although we didn't get into the actual Conference Center, it was still fun just to be at Temple Square during the session. The Spirit there was so amazing; everyone was so happy, despite the crowds and long lines. It's definitely a day I will never forget.

Tribute to the Maori ...

Dinner at Kimball Hall, some studying here and there, catching up with the roomies around the kitchen table by the glow of laptops, an ab workout. All-in-all, it was just another Thursday night at the residence of A. Richards 106. Well, that was until we asked Kennie to do her awesome impression of a Maori warrior. Everything after that was a blur. Next thing I knew, we were out in the lobby, Kaylee drawing Maori war paint on our faces with eyeliner. We took turns trying to put on our most ferocious warrior faces, tongues sticking out, eyes as wide as humanly possible. It turned out that it was fairly good timing, seeing as how Alyse was taking on Johnny in a mac-and-cheese eating contest. We looked fierce, intimidating, and ready for the challenge. The designs must have done the trick because Alyse devoured her food like that scrawny Japanese hot dog eating champion.

We now look forward to a nice dinner put on by Johnny Wenzel, courtesy of Alyse's mad eating skills.

Yet Another Epic Rivalry Game

If BYU scores over 80 points, Magleby's gives everyone who came to the game a free slice of cake.

MEGAN AND I WANTED CAKE.

Tip-Off

This was our posse waiting in line for the game. We played a pretty intense game of Swedish Twister to pass the time.

Well, another week has come and gone here at BYU. The more I'm here, the more I realize that this is the place where I need to be. Although it's true that school is hard, especially when you have to study for hours and hours on a substantial lack of sleep, it certainly has its fun (and often bizarre) moments. For instance, last Thursday I went to Classic Skating for a ward activity. Never before had I been rollerskating, so I was a little nervous, but I'd like to think that I slowly caught on. At one point Kaylee went down pretty hard, twisting her ankle, forcing her to sit on the sideline while the party continued onward. After debating with her for quite some time, the bishopric and I finally convinced her that it was time for me to take her home. Mandy and I grabbed Kaylee's stuff and followed Brother Steffenson out to my car, Kaylee in his arms. Eventually we were home, safe and sound.

The next morning I took Kaylee to InstaCare in Orem. After some X-Rays and observation, it was ruled that she definitely had a sprained ankle, and maybe even a fracture. I took her home, threw on my neutral Utah State tennis sweatshirt, and headed out to meet Mandy, Bryce, and Justin at our tent that was pitched outside the Marriott Center. It was somewhat of a revival of our College GameDay experience back in October. We played games on the south side of the arena as we waited for the north doors to open around 5:30 pm. Five o'clock eventually rolled around and we packed up our goods as the line started to move. Eventually we were inside, knowing that our day-long wait was well worth it.

The White Sugar Cubes Photo Shoot

About a week ago I had the opportunity to do a photo shoot for two of my most excellent (and very photogenic) friends, Bryce and Alyse. They have just started their own band dubbed the White Sugar Cubes. We trudged around campus looking for good spots and I think it's safe to say it was a success!