Goodbye Provo!

We had our final provo dessert party last night. A little bit heart breaking, but a little bit exciting. I can't believe how many people we love here and how much we will miss everyone. To end things right, Christian put together a few "minute to win it" games to play (Minute to Win It is a game show on sunday nights at 7 on NBC - you should really check it out- its pretty awesome). We had a few great contestants last night, but Jonathan Pratt did an exceptional job winning the game "junk in the trunk". The object of the game is to get 8 ping pong balls out of an empty kleenex box that is suspended to your belt. Check out the video below for his live performance. (I apologize for the sideways video.)

13.1

MILES. Yes, you read that right- 13.1 miles. That is how far I ran today. Well, not just me, 6 of my good friends and a few thousand other people in Salt Lake. It may not seem like that big of an accomplishment for the marathon runners out there, but that was a first for me. It was huge accomplishment in my life. I'm so happy it's over, but I'm equally happy that we did it. There were definitely moments along the way that I wasn't sure how I was going to finish. I had to give myself some serious pep-talks and pray really hard at some points. But we all did it, and we did it well. The feeling of crossing the finish line was something wonderful and worth feeling. I will however say, that the pain I have felt since about 30 minutes after I was done, and that I am still feeling right now - extreme exhaustion, aches, and pains all over- is not one bit pleasant. But emotionally, I feel good. Thank you to my dear friends that did this with me. Without you, I would have never done it.

7:00 am start from Olympic Stadium

Finish line was at the Gateway in SLC.

Only 3 more days...

until our HALF MARATHON!! Today was our last day of running before Saturday's 13.1 mile run! Though I've contemplated giving up various times during the course of our 10 week training program, I am proud to say that I've made it this far. (I realize that the worst is still yet to come.) If it hadn't been for my awesome running group, I would never have been able to do it. I'm a little nervous for Saturday. Pray for me.

Seniors!

BYU senior night was a HIT. David, Karla, Christian and I- the four almost BYU grads - took full advantage of all that was going on in the Wilk last friday night. Christian was in rare form (well, not that rare) but was cracking me up. He was running around trying to enter into every raffle, collecting all the give-aways, and participating in every activity available. He was all business when it came to the raffle. Christian was asking people for their raffle tickets when he saw them leaving early, making us split up to go to each raffle drawing not a minute late, and making loud disappointing noises every time he was "so close" but didn't win. I can't give him a hard time for it though, because I was PRETTY PSYCHED when my number was called for the racquet ball rackets, balls, and goggles. When I say "my", I mean the person who's number I was holding who had just left. I felt like a million bucks running down the aisle past hundreds of students in the WSC ballroom holding up my ticket. I will say though, that I was a little disappointed that they didn't even want to check my number to make sure I wasn't lying. It kinda made it less of an accomplishment, and I was tempted to run up there with my non-winning ticket for the knife set prize. They wouldn't have even checked. I should have done it, and I think I would have, but Christian said "no, Courtney" when I asked.

I can't believe our BYU days are really almost over. We've loved it here.

Check out the next American Idol stars...

State Street Tacos and Passion Pit

If there are two things in life that Christian really loves, they are authentic Mexican tacos and music. Around Valentine's Day Christian came up with the idea that romance is a celebration of the life of the one you love- celebrating what makes them who they are. So for Valentine's Day, I thought it would be a good idea to celebrate Christian's love of music by getting him tickets to the Passion Pit concert, which was last night. We started the night off right with State Street Tacos (the best little taco stand on State Street in SLC), headed over to Gateway to check out the iPad, and then rocked out at the Passion Pit concert. We had a great time.

The Duck Hunt

Jonathan decided that it would be an "Easter miracle" if he caught a duck from the BYU pond. So, he tried. and he tried. and he tried. Despite great effort, he was unsuccessful, but I have pictures to prove his many attempts.

He thought it would be "easy" to catch these little guys...

But he soon found out that they were much faster than he was...

So he tried changing his method.

Unfortunately, that didn't work either.

Maybe next Easter, Jay.

Easter

When I think of Easter, I think of easter dresses. I think of easter egg hunts, eating dinner outside surrounded by cherry blossoms, the smell of green grass, and spring blooming everywhere. More importantly, I also think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, his atonement, and the blessing that it is in my life. Thankfully, yesterday we listened to General conference and heard many talks on Jesus Christ and were filled spiritually. However, I woke up on Easter morning to fresh snow on the ground, cloudy skies, winter clothes, dead grass, bare branches, and what felt like freezing temperatures. I was just a little disappointed. Luckily, all was not lost. Easter was saved by Christian's Grandma, who had us over to decorate Easter eggs and for a delicious Easter breakfast, and the Dyer's who invited for a fun Easter dinner with family and friends. Despite the winter weather, it ended up being a wonderful day.

April 2010 General Conference

I love conference weekend. Especially this past one. I don't know why, I just feel like conference was better than ever before. It may be because I listened this weekend more than usual, but either way, I really loved it. My grandparents used to come to Utah every year to watch conference with all of my cousins who lived here. We would all go up to SLC and sleep there for the weekend. A few years ago, my Grandmother became too ill to make the trip, and since then, the tradition has died. I really miss those days. Conference always makes me think of her, and though she's not gone yet, I miss her already. I sometimes wish I was older so I could have more memories of her. But what I do have, I'm grateful for. I'm grateful she's my Grandmother and my Mom's mom. What my Mom has taught me, was taught to her many years ago, and I'm so blessed by those things. I felt like every talk given this past weekend was on the family. While I couldn't help but think of the family and kids I'll have for my own someday, I also thought of the family that I've come from. - And that makes me love my Grandmother more than ever. She is the source of goodness that comes from my family and extended family. She is what has kept us so close to each other and to the Lord. The family I hope to have someday is just like the family she created for us. I am so grateful to her and will never forget the example she has given me to live by.

Since the tradition of which I spoke of has died, my parents have come out every year and spent conference weekend with us to make up for it. However, at last minute, they decided not to come this year. I was sad at first, but when I realized that I was going to get to watch conference in our little home as our little Peña family for the first time in my life. It was really exciting and special. Our family of 2 became so real to me and it really hit that some day soon, that family of 2 will grow and we will have our own traditions and mottos and stories and principles to live by. Listening to the prophets words and feeling them fill our home with the spirit really touched me and made me so grateful to be a member of our church. I feel grateful to have the Gospel to teach to my children and know that they will come to a home filled with it. No, I'm not pregnant, and not planning on it yet, but when I am, I'm sure all of these things will mean even more to me than they do right now.