Midgets and finals??

So I am at school and got out of my Italian class early (we had our final). So I find myself at the library avoiding the cold and rain and writing on my blog since it has been a while.

Thanksgiving was great! We had so much fun at the La Rosa and Mortenson homes! (check brad and emily's blog for pictures). Brian and I went out on Black Friday....we're poor, okay? haha. Anyway, we only got one thing, a new camera. Due to my last camera breaking :( Anyway it was a success and we spent one hour in total of getting there, waiting in line, buying the camera and getting back home. Not bad. At the La Rosa Thanksgiving there were a lot of people. More than have ever been there in the past. But it was fun to share Thanksgiving with them. We headed over to the Mortenson home in Prescott to celebrate Thanksgiving #2. We ate and had fun, and then it was Abby's birthday the next day, so we had a little birthday party and saw New Moon. We had lots of fun over Thanksgiving break!

Now school, finals and all that great stuff. I am working more, since more people want tutoring during finals and trying to find time to study and sleep. So sleep is kind of out of the question for now. But once Saturday hits I will only have one more final...why Saturday? Well I have a Spanish final, which is a play we are putting on for downtown Tucson, YIKES! It's going to be pretty funny I think because it is a musical and out of no where we break out in song and start dancing. HAHA. Yeah..lol. Brian too has a ton of work going on. Actually his teachers thought they would make it easier on him by making his finals the week before finals week (so this week), except ALL his teachers did this, so not only does he have all his finals this week but he has work and regular class too! What luck!

So I have to share this really funny story real quick with you, let me preface it by saying in no way do I have anything against midgets, lol. So the other day I was waiting for Brian to pick me up in front of the Education building on campus and he was a little late, and as I was waiting, I see this car full of midgets drive by and they slow down when they get to pass me and all yell (simultaneously) "Big people suck!!" . I was in shock, as they drove away real fast, as if they commited a crime, I just couldn't help but laugh. That moment definitely made my day! haha. AND THEN, I went to Safeway Saturday and as I was leaving the parking lot I see like 4 midgets walk out of the store, then go to a canopy they had set up in the parking lot in front of Safeway. There was a sign on the front of the canopy that said "Little People Kettle Corn sale", and there were about 10 or more midgets under the canopy making kettle corn and dressed up as Santa's helpers. haha. This makes me wonder if there are an extra amount of midgets in Tucson or if I just started noticing them. Because that was NOT my first encounter with a midget. One of my first was on the drive home from Tucson to Phoenix freshman year when I got a ride with Natalie (Purtymun) and her cousin drove and had a Russian midget friend with us...it was an interesting ride...only because she was VERY mean and had a strong Russian accent. Anyway, I guess I will stay on the lookout for more "little people"

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!!

I am thankful for...

el templo y mi familia

well, this past weekend Brian and I went to Glendale to see Vanessa and TJ get sealed and then onto their reception! It was a fun time!

Well, I have been to my share of sealings but never on my anniversary. so it kind of represented brian and i in a way, one year ago. Temples are amazing!! They are truly the house of the Lord and I know the covenants you make in there are completely sacred and represent so much more. What would we do without temples? I am just glad I have one 2 hours away from me because in reality it is not that far compared to other places. I am just grateful for that opportunity to go into the temple and feel the spirit so strongly....

by the way, congrats vanessa and tj!!

As for my family....when we got to Glendale my mom made papas rellenas...if you don't know what that is look it up. Because it is pure deliciousness. Seriously. Well my family and newly adopted family (well not that new anymore) are so wonderful!! They do so much for us I don't even know where to start. So I won't haha. It is great to have family live close by to talk with and visit. Brian and I are truly grateful for that. We hope it doesn't ever change. Thanks to our families who are great examples to Brian and I and who inspire and motivate us daily. You guys are the best!!! Love you....

I have to have a special segment for our brothers, the missionaries. I feel so deeply about missionary work!! It just makes this feeling more deeper that John and Jonathan are diligently serving the Lord. We (brian and I) couldn't be more happy for them!!!! They are great examples to EVERYONE! They also are very giving, in the sense that they are now currently serving the Lord in full time (2 year) missions. wow, is all I have to say. We love them both and wish them a happy mission. Thanks guys we love you!

I am thankful for ...

Recently I have been reflecting on what I am thankful for this past year...

I had a lot to ponder and I felt inspired reading my cousin Nathaly's blog. Thanks Nathaly!!

So I know it isn't thanksgiving yet, but I have a lot to say so until then I am going to try and post something I am thankful for every day. (we will see if this works out!!)

First of all, I am so grateful for my brian bear (haha). He is a great husband and always is willing to help me first before anything else.

He protects me...

sometimes...

He is silly...like I can get

and

He has fun with me...and

He is my travel buddy

Although sometimes he is a little crazy, I still love him.

i love him!

I guess this is close enough to be an anniversary blog as well...Brian and I are celebrating our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! yay! I can't believe it has been one whole year since I became Mrs. Mortenson! I love every minute of being married and am so glad I chose Brian. I am happy to have spent this year with him and look forward to the many years to come!!

One year ago, we made covenants..that will last forever.

One year ago, forever began

One year ago, we were enjoying the our honeymoon at the D.R.

our first date to the suns game...

this picture is hilarious. i dont know how to make it bigger, but click on it to make it bigger to see if you can figure out why this picture is SOOO funny. (ps- brian and i were NOT dating when we took this picture hahahahha!!!)

Gutentag

Just a warning this is a lot longer than I had planned on....

So I had a dilemma in choosing between what class to take next semester: Piano or German. Well considering I have to be a full time student and have 3 credits to fill for graduation it became a hard decision....lol, I know youre thinking that's an easy choice...I want to learn more piano yet the class is given at a completely inconvenient time (4-5pm...no thanks, I have to work!!) So I decided to pick up some German. I figured it shouldn't interfere with my Spanish, Italian or Portuguese because it is not a romance language and more like English anyway. This is all in preparation for Brian and my trip to Europe (is that grammatically correct?)....which has sadly been postponed for next summer-ish. We decided it would be best to just focus on school stuff (since Brian has to take some summer classes). So as a graduation present we will go off and backpack through Europe, sometime after graduation. Since we graduate in December we think we may go during March, if people are in school it means less tourists!

As of right now I am learning to speak Italian in Italian class and Portuguese in Portuguese class...yet sometimes I am catch myself talking Italian in Portuguese class and vice versa. I think I have Spanish down, so that one is safe for now.... I know I am crazy for taking 3 different language classes, yet next semester will be 4 different language classes. But I am completely enthralled by languages and how people communicate using different sounds and gestures which make up a language. Anyway, I am excited for German and hope to keep it up post-graduation...maybe I'll go back to school and study linguistics...nah. I think I will stop here. Yet, I am considering graduate school, although it will be along the lines of a Secondary Education M.A. or even Internation Education or TESOL M.A. interest me....we will see.

A Brian update is that he is happily ALMOST done with school, he is ready to move onto more school, well graduate school/dental school, so far it looks like we are going to graduate so that is good. We decided to apply to some dental schools early just in case....if he got accepted he would not graduate and just jump on into dental school. But now it is looking like he will graduate and then go into dental school. So that is usually what is done but we just wanted to get his name out and familiarize ourselves with the whole application process (which sucks and costs a ton of money, by the way haha). He is excited to almost be done and ready to move into something he is more passionate about...teeth! haha.

Just a little update, last week, Brian decided to take his Scouts out to Peppersauce Caves (since he is scoutmaster). Brian and his scouts went through the caves and loved it! Except for the part where Brian found a small hole and decided to go into it and got stuck. Yeah, my camera was in his pocket....sadly, it was smashed :(

Hrmo. Amezquita carrying a "Mousey" down haha

Cleaning after breakfast

Ronny

Well since Brian was gone, I was left home alone....Considering I HATE being home alone I had only a few options....

a. hang out by myself, b. hang out with friends or c. go home.

I decided to go home because I had already cleaned the house (we had the missionaries over for dinner last week), I had finished most of my homework, and I really didn't have any friends to hang out with. So I went home for the night and hung out with my parents! We actually had a lot of fun and got many things done! It was a good weekend!

By the way, I was asked to play piano in church Sunday and I was so nervous that I forgot the hymn I was playing hahaha. My hands were all shaky in the first & second verse but I redeemed myself for the verse 3 & 4, and dominated the closing hymn....you can ask Brian how stressed I was the night before when they told me I was going to play the next morning.

Well, on Veteran's Day off we went BACK to Glendale, and I got a hair cut! Lanie cut off like 6 inches (maybe more???) and it is shorter now! And I like it, so pretend you do too!!! Also, my mom made a big colombian dinner and Andy and Lanie came over to eat followed by Liz and Daniel it was really nice to see everyone, but we missed Kirsten (and Mark !)

Missionary update:

John was transfered and is now in San Luis Obispo ( 1 hour from San Francisco), where there is lots of hills and he has to ride a bike . He really likes it there, it is a very wealthy area so I imagine that being a missionary there is hard....yet he has a lot of investigators he is teaching, and is starting to really immerse himself in the Lord's work.

Jonathan was transferred as well and is in various small towns on the outskirts of London. Right now he lives in Deal, Kent (he can see the France shoeline from his flat). He is driving (stick shift, with your left hand on the opposite side of the road). He drives a Vauxhall Mervia...

haha!! Anyway, he is speaking English again in this area and just opened it up with his new companion from Utah. He is teaching a lot of investigators he is teaching right now.

o dia das bruxas

(this is shaun, he is in our Spanish branch, isn't he cute?)

Happy Haloween!!
O dia das bruxas is Halloween in Portuguese !

Well, recently school and work have kept me crazy busy! Yet, I found time for some fun!! Natalie came to visit and that was so much fun to have one of my best friends come down and see me (and Brian :) haha). I felt loved usually no one wants to come to Tucson!!

By the way I got released from the Primary :( Suprisingly I am sad about that, I loved those terrible kids. I will miss them, just not teaching them haha. Brian and I are also in the rama (branch) choir. HA! Has anyone ever been to a Spanish branch? Well, everyone knows that Spanish people can NOT sing. We had the stake choir director come today to help us and oh boy do we need work!!! I just hope that when the stake hears us they feel the spirit strongly and tune us out! :)

Anyway, Brian and I have been going to most of the football games, this weekend there is homecoming too. Since when did U of A have a good football team? Well this certainly makes the games more fun to watch!!

I have a crazy Spanish class where my teacher is nuts. Seriously. Anyway, we had class last Saturday (class on Saturday, LAME!) anyway, it actually turned out really well. We did a "Dia de los muertos" presentation with games and entertainment and dancing and singing, and I think it turned out really well. It was for low-income families in Tucson. Mainly for little kids (elementary age whom dominately speak Spanish). And I had to dress up as a skeleton and this picture of me is when I got home after la presentacion!

For Halloween Brian and I had no idea what to dress up as. How could we top last year's costume?

We decided we really couldn't so we were nerds. I know that is kind of lame, but we liked it and had fun with it. We went to a branch activity and NO ONE recognized us! HAHA. I didn't think we looked THAT different but I guess we did.

There was a trunk or treat, so we decided since we didn't decorate our car, we would do something else. So I cooked noodles, spaghetti, lentils and peas and mixed them all together in a big bowl with the candy. I originally wished I hadn't done this when the first few kids were highly hesitant to get our candy, but before I knew it we had 20 kids pushing their way to the candy bowl to touch the "BRAINS" haha. It was really funny. Actually one little boy was confused and grabbed a whole handful of spaghetti and put that in his bag. hahaha. I just laughed and handed him a piece of candy....I hope he doesn't eat that later!

We hung out with Ferenc, Katie and Anjuli and of course went to free Chiptole !

I almost forgot the funniest part!!! We bought these candy teeth, that are nasty looking...check it out haha...

This is TRUE LOVE! hahaha

Prescott

BENTLEE!!!!

So Brian and I spent this weekend in Prescott! We had a lot of fun, considering the last time we went up was around John's farwell, which was around June!! We visited with Brian's family and got to see Bentlee. She is super cute, I mean these pictures don't do any justice! Well, we loved spending time with her and seeing Laura and Joseph and helping them get their new place together. (I have to say it is huge! And I know it will turn out beautifully!) We also hung out with some of our favorite people from Hawaii, Jared and Anepo!! We played shuffleboard and then afterwards went to play cards with Laura and Joseph. It was a great weekend and we had so much fun...it was hard going back to school... I just can't wait until I am done!

she has this nazi sign she does....

So, do you remember my older post, when my computer crashed and deleted all my pictures including the ones of our Mortenson family cruise around Hawaii ? Well, Brian found some he took and I am just excited we have something left! So here are those pictures from December/January.

Jared & Anepo

at the PCC, before the night show

this guy was awesome haha! Best Samoan ever!!! (kirsten, he kind of reminds me of Mark for some crazy reason hahah)

Oh, September.

Well, school has begun and a lot has happened:

Brian and I went to Disneyland with his family over Labor Day weekend!!!! :)

hahaha, i had to share my score :) haha

What else? Well I turned 22! Yikes! haha



Brian bought me this Kelty backpack... we have future plans to use it.. this summer backpacking through Europe. I am soooo excited!

Chantelle and Zack got married :)

Vanessa had her bridal shower!

Well... on top of all this fun, I was bound to get sick right? Well I am unhappy to announce this is my 3rd week sick! Yeah, after some long nights without sleep, constant mucus and one trip to the hospital I can honestly say I am feeling "somewhat" better. September was rough. I hope October is better.