III. Birthday with Coworkers

The Kitchen Sink: Dun dun dun! To celebrate, I got a bunch of people from my location together and we all went to one of the Disney Resorts after work. We went to the Beach Club, to the little restaurant called Beaches and Cream (cute, huh?) to do a Kitchen Sink. Now, let me tell you about this Kitchen Sink. Oh boy! According to the Beaches and Cream Menu, "The Famous" Kitchen Sink is...scoops of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, and mint

chocolate chip served with all the toppings in the house and a whole can of whipped cream. A whole can?? Yes, a whole can! We devoured that massive thing!! Holy cow!! So many people ended up coming that we got two Sinks to share between everyone. But still, it was A LOT of ice cream and syrup and brownie/banana nut muffin/cherries/cookies/ice cream/sprinkles/whipped cream :)It was super fun, and really delicious, too. I'm glad I added that to the list of things to do while I live in Disney World, and that I got to do it with friends from work. TTFN

II. Birthday with Roommates

On my actual birthday, something amazing happened. All 6 of us roommates were in the same place (not the apartment) at the same time for the first time since we first got here!! Look! Here's proof.

We all got to go to church together, hooray!! And then we went to EPCOT and ate lunch at the Rose and Crown in the United Kingdom in the World Showcase. EPCOT really is the most "World"y part of Disney World and I love it! I loved being with ALL my roommates. It really did feel like a special day. Duh, my birthday :)

Oh, and by the way, Kristy does not appear in this pictue beacuse she had to bolt for work before we got around to snapping it. Bummer. TTFN

I. Birthday with Family

11 days later and I have so much to fill you in on! I'll break it into separate posts to keep with the relatively-short post thing I've got going on. You can read one now and come back for another later, or read them all right now :) Either way, I hope you enjoy the magical happenings here in Disney World.

This first part is about my birthday weekend. My family got to be here from Thursday evening to Sunday morning, and we absolutely threw the parks to shreds. We tore up Walt Disney World! It felt just like when I was a kid. When we would come back to the hotel at the end of the day and our feet would throb and eyelids droop, then get up the next morning to do it all over again :) I know I was raised right, for sure. Oh yeah. I loved celebrating my birthday with my family. All 6 of them! I missed out on both Mothers' and Fathers' Days this year and that was weird. And I had to wish EVERY one of them a Happy Birthday from a different state this year. Although it's kind of self-centered, I like that we were all together for MY birthday :) The only bum part of it was that I did not take one single picture the entire time my family was here. I just uploaded a bunch of pictures and I do not have even one of a sibling or parent. Fail! I guess it was more of a vacation for me. I felt comfortable having Daddy capture all the memories for me. Just like normal :) I loved getting to see them and share my magical world with them. That weekend, I was "The Hostess with the Mostest", the one calling the park shots. I felt powerful, taking the reins instead of following Daddy, the Disneyland Master. It was exciting. Giggle giggle. Sunday morning, they wished me a Happy Birthday and we parted ways, me to my bus and they to theirs. I miss growing up with my siblings. TTFN

Take 2

Oh fail. For a few days there I almost forgot I had a blog :) I'm leaving for work in a few minutes, but I just wanted to post and say I'm still alive. And that MY FAMILY IS COMING!!!!! ...I hope... They tried a month ago and the flights got full. Now they are trying for Take 2. I won't have my computer with me at the resort, so y'all will just have to wait until they leave for the lowdown on all our fun. I know you'll be on the edge of your desk chair/couch/bed (wherever you use your computer) all weekend, but you'll just have to be patient ;) Let's pray they make it on the flights. I'm off to work. Have a great day and a fabulous weekend! TTFN

Happy Independence Day!!

I had to work today. Booger. So I listened to the music from last General Conference all the way to/from work. I think my favorite is the BYU Men's Choir in the Priesthood session, though I could be a bit biased. (I go to one of the most talented schools...ever!) I did have an opportunity to honor my country after work by sticking around to watch the special 4th of July fireworks show at Hollywood Studios. I cannot even describe how AWESOME that show was!!! I got to see the Magic Kingdom display last night and that was magnificent. But Hollywood Studios was so much better!! It was probably the music that made the show. It was a movie-themed, rock-n-roll version of the Richmond Symphony concert. Great music, great pyrotechnics, amazingly choreographed timing, and the sparkle of Disney Magic. I the love that I am so blessed to be here. I love the legacy and standard of this company and the Disney name. And I LOVE MY LIFE!! TTFN

A Day Off at the Studios

I am so spoiled! I don't want to brag, I just want to be grateful. Yesterday, I had the day off. After sleeping in, I packed up my wallet-clipped-on-a-lanyard (a one-day-in-the-park, convenient alternative to a purse) and headed off to Hollywood Studios. I really did feel like I was walking the streets of Hollywood and seeing the shows. I got to experience The Voyage of the Little Mermaid: a super cute stage show telling the story of Ariel and her friends with puppets and actors alike, Lights, Motors, Action!: an epic, testosterone-boosting stunt show complete with custom-made cars, motorcycles, and jet-skis, Indiana Jones: a movie stunt show spectacular, and The Backlot Tour: where I got to participate in a thoroughly drenching film sequence. It was so much fun!! I don't even think residents of Hollywood, California get that much action in one day :) At the end of it all, I got to break it down at the Rock-n-Glow Dance Party to the beat of the park-local band Mulch, Sweat, & Shears (a landscaping by day, rock band by night family). I love Disney's attention to detail, storytelling ability, and the atmosphere shows and characters. Ooo! I also ate my very first funnel cake yesterday! After listening to my mom's stories of making them at Dutch Wonderland, I can't believe I've never had one before. But I'm glad my first one was a magical one :)

And now as I sit writing all of this, a thunderstorm passes by. I am crossing my fingers I won't have to face a hurricane while I'm here. But a bit of thunder and some light rain I can handle with enthusiastic satisfaction. I love the rain. I blame it on growing up in Mesa (where, when it rains, you run outside and dance in that sucker before it stops), but I think I'd love it regardless of where I grew up. It could be the cleansing the rain brings, the fresh scents of nature, the beautiful overcast lighting, or the romantic fantasy every girl thinks about :) Whatever the reason, I love this weather. TTFN

It's July!!

Wow! This means I only have a little over a month left in my program and that my 19th birthday is on it's way!! Today I had a meeting with one of my managers and a few other CPs. We talked about what we can do for Disney and what Disney can do for us, what we should be taking away from this, and that there literally is a job in the company for every major, including Biophysics :) That made me feel a bit more invested in this program. Of course I am giving it my all. But there might be more to it than just a summer job. You never know. I was also humbled to learn about how few people really do pass all the applications to be a part of the program. I am truly blessed to be here right now. In the morning, I'll talk to my academic advisor about my major and possible careers and life paths. But which one is best? And should it be Disney? Oh, the places I can go :) Just some thoughts to ponder.

And while I'm philosophizing, my roommate asked me the other day if I was ready to go home. I thought about it for a sec and answered that I loved it here but I love my family too. But after I answered, I got to thinking. I reflected on the idea of homesickness and the sense of home. I've known for a long time that I don't get homesick. I like this about myself because I think it gives me the ability to enjoy the present and have fun traveling. I also don't have a real attachment to a house since I lived in a few that summer we added the 2nd floor. And moving to Texas helped too. My idea of home is where you family is, or the people you love and trust and genuinely care about. I enjoy the present because I love where I am and what I am doing. My whole life has pretty much been like that. So thank you to all those people who help me feel at home in Arizona, Texas, Utah, Florida, and everywhere else I spend my time. You make my life wonderful and happy. Now enough deep thinking, I'm going to bed. TTFN

By the way: I love hearing from my parents that y'all are reading and loving my blog, but I'd love to see it here too. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you think