My Summer Finally Begins!

This past week was pretty great! I finally got to enjoy my summer vacation that I've been working so hard to make it to. I've been reading a lot, watching pointless TV, and just enjoying the few short weeks I have before my school year starts at the middle school!

On Tuesday our friends Kelsey and Kenzie came up to visit us! It was so great to see Kenzie again, and to finally meet Kelsey in person. We got dessert at Kari Anne's here in Rexburg, and walked around on BYU-Idaho's campus so they could catch Pokemon. I just watched and kinda giggled at how many people were up on campus during the summer break, all trying to catch Pokemon and whatnot. I never got into Pokemon as a kid because I wasn't allowed to play video games, so I don't really get the hype over Pokemon Go, but hey if it gets people outside and walking around more, awesome!

I'm a College Graduate!

These past few weeks have been CRAZY. I'm so glad they're over with, even though I'll miss being a student (sometimes...probably not very often haha!). I can't believe I'm done with college. It's a SUPER weird feeling, since I've been in school practically my entire life...what am I supposed to do now?!

My "last day of college" selfie!

My whole immediate family except for one of my younger brothers was able to come up to Rexburg for my graduation, and it was so great to see them again. We hadn't seen each other since last Thanksgiving, so it was so much fun spending time with them again! My mom and little brother Alex arrived on Monday afternoon, and Zoe was thrilled to have so much attention!

Zoe loved all the attention she

got from Uncle Alex!

My sister and dad got in on Tuesday night, and we all met up at Red Robin in Idaho Falls for a late dinner. It always makes me smile to see how easily Jake fits in with my siblings and parents. My dad and Jake have very similar senses of humor and personalities in general, so it's always fun to see them together. 

Wednesday was a busy day! We met up in Idaho Falls for breakfast at IHOP, and then Jake, Sarah and I ran a few errands before picking my mom and Alex up at their hotel for our next adventure: Yellowstone Bear World!

Jake and I have driven by the park more times than we can count, and have heard bits and pieces of what it's like, but hadn't been yet. My mom and I decided it would be a fun activity while my family was here since this was probably the last time they'd be visiting us while we lived in Rexburg, and man are we glad we went! It was SO COOL!

Bear World is exactly what it sounds like: a world of bears. You drive through a nature park and living, breathing bears walk RIGHT BY your car! It was the coolest thing!

After the driving portion, there was a little park area that had amusement rides, a gift shop, and a petting zoo. There was also an area where LITTLE BABY BEAR CUBS were playing and you could watch them. They are ADORABLE. 

I got to pet a BABY DEER at the petting zoo. It was seriously one of the coolest experiences I've ever had.

After we came home from Bear World, I had my sister Sarah take some graduation pictures for me.

The photo I'm holding is my school photo from
kindergarten. So, you can see from the beginning
to the end of my school career!

Then...it was time for GRADUATION!!

My friend Makayla and I before the Commencement

Ceremony!

Walking across the stage! They pronounced my last
name wrong...what makes people think "Gwilliam"
should be pronounced "Gwill-um?!" THERE'S AN
I THERE, PEOPLE!

My graduation present from my parents was a pretty big deal. They drove up the car I drove when I lived at home for Jake and I to have, so now we are a two-car family! It's going to make our lives SO much easier, and we're so grateful for my parents for doing it. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

See ya college, it's been real.

Happy July!

I try to make time to post on here weekly, even when things get really hectic. So you know I must be insanely busy when I haven't posted for TWO WEEKS! Good grief, this senior semester is ROUGH!

I've been really focusing hard on completing all the work necessary to make it through my classes, while trying to actually absorb the information and feel like I'll be able to apply it to my teaching career. Which is no easy task, lemme tell ya. Thank goodness there's only a few weeks left!

This past week was a bit rough on Zoe, since she's in heat currently and going through her "puppy period." She's extra cuddly and gives us her sad puppy eyes when neither of us are paying attention to her...life is RUFF for a weenie with parents in college!

Remember that Edgar Allan Poe unit I've been working on for one of my classes? Well I had a conference with my professor last Tuesday so she could look over it. I was pretty nervous about it, because this professor is SUPER picky about how detailed our lesson plans are, and how things are organized. Everything has to be a certain way. I showed her my unit plan (which was 73 pages long...thank goodness I only had to submit it digitally haha) and she LOVED it! She said she was worried when I told her that I was doing Poe for 8th graders, because Poe can be boring for kids. But the activities I'm doing with them are things that will really make the stories fun and interesting, and she's just really impressed by what I've created. So basically I felt like I was on Cloud 9 all day haha. It was AWESOME that all my hard work was received so enthusiastically! Hooray!

My "brain blast" moment of the week was a few days ago, when something randomly occurred to me. You know those "open when" letters people make for friends that live far away, or for missionaries? Well, the scriptures are like "open when" letters from God. They're there when we need them; when we're having a hard day or are upset over something, or we need some encouragement. Or even when we're having a great day and some love from our super awesome Heavenly Dad doesn't hurt, it only helps. Just thought I'd share that with y'all.