little discoveries.

how much do I love summer?

IMMEASURABLY.

But isn't it really the greatest thing? It is like this feeling of such airy-ness and freedom.

I am living at my grandparents for the summer, on the weekends when sports camps are out. They have a garden in their backyard & it has recently become one of my favorite things. All the flowers and fresh veggies that we get to eat for every meal. It just says summer. I went out to the garden and just walked around for a bit today. It was such a lively place, on a micro level of course! :] I snapped some pictures of the things I found, including a butterfly. This butterfly let me get so close it was ridiculous.

Also, my Aunt Jen has introduced to me a new healthy eating website. DASHING DISH. It is promotional toward healthy eating and healthy living patterns! I fell in love with it in just a few moments of visiting the site. I hope to put to use some of those brilliant recipies soon...like a huge healthy breakfast cookie?! GREAT! Also, ran in a 5k with Sar this weekend and it rekindled the love of running/motivation to run that I lost when my roomates left for the summer. I need to kick it into gear for our Red Rock Relay coming up in September....

Step 1: FORGET how much I love ice cream.

Also, #186 is OFFICIALLY CROSSED OFF MY BUCKETLIST....Sit in a Suana!!

Random and wierd.... but it had to be done! I accomplished it after an early morning swim in the BYU pool with these lovely ladies! This is not the most atractive picture but, DIG IT!

here's to another great week at camps... Cross Country and Speed and Power!

of the heart.

The smallest moments in life can make a huge impact on what we become. 

I was getting cash out at the small market near my grandparents house this last Friday night and had one of these greatly small moments.  I was running a bit late and had impatient feelings running through me. The woman in front of me in the express line was writting a check, and also seemed to be in a rush. I looked more closely at her and recognized the name of an event written on the sleeve of her shirt. It said in small letters,"Run To Walk." My non-profit fundraising class had helped the Now I Can Foundation, a special organization local to Utah that helps give therapy to children with disabilities, with this event. My heart got a little excited in the fact that I recognized this. I remember being so touched by their organization and their goals. I reached out to her and softly asked if her shirt was for Now I Can.  She looked a little taken aback at the fact that I knew of the organization and introduced me to herself as the Executive Director.  I explained to her that I was a student at Brigham Young University studying Nonprofit management.  She first responded to me by apologizing for the way she looked for she had been cleaning and working all day. After this she grabbed her grocery bags, paused for a minute and said to me, " Keep doing what you are doing. Good girl" , and she was out the door.

My interaction with this woman was but a few seconds and yet it ment so much to me.  It was a tender mercy from the Lord reminding me of what I have written on my heart. It reminded me that I was in the right place and to keep moving forward.

The heart is such a sacred and tender place. When we write something on our heart it is something we can never forget or deny,  Written on my heart I have the gospel of Jesus Christ. The love of my family. The illuminating power of love and service. The choice to be happy.

This is the largest girls week for the entire summer at sports camps. It is going to be another whirlwind-ly great of a week. I have tried resting up all weekend in preparation for the good times ahead.  Hopefully we will have some memorable stories to tell. Actually, I KNOW WE WILL.

:]

I have it written on my heart that this is going to be the best week of the summer.

"There is no limit to your influence for good."

~President Thomas S. Monson

This is a picture from one of my favorite & latest activities. Downtown Provo DANCEWALK.

Dance Walking through the streets of Provo with my fellow counselors.

Also in GREAT NEWS:

I am a self professed EFY lover/nerd. The new EFY CD is out. HAPPINESS. :]

The life changing CD can be found RIGHT HERE.

todayy.

#1 of today.

 I have discovered that I am no longer the unburnable Starlee Jacobs, that I once was in high school.  I went to the pool with my family last week when they were here and didn't think to put on sunscreen.  A hot shower and a couple of hours later I seriously began to regret the no-sunscreen decision.  As girls we have this sub-concious thought than sunscreen=continuous winter delight white skin...Therefore, we just forgettttttt...to wear it. :]   This sunburn actually took me back to the days when I went to Hawaii with The Smith family & Sarah and I fell asleep on the beach...entire bodies ROASTED. We could barely walk, sit, or sleep, and radiated more heat than a bonfire. Considering My skin is now peeling away from me, I am going to have to be careful with the new clean canvas of skin. Well, lesson learned, right?  Tomorrow, I go to the lake...wish my burnt back luck and a whole lot of SPF.

#2 of this most adventurous Friday.

 (which has been one of my favorites of the whole summer, thanks to Madison Mackey).

TENNIS. We played tennis for a couple of hours today.  We both played in high school but, haven't played since.  It was seriously so much fun to start to kind of get back into the feel of tennis.  It really is a blast-and-a-half of a lifelong sport! PLAY IT. You should really play it. We set a goal to be able to actually play a full game by the end of the summer. Also, if we get good enough we might sign up for intermurals. Keep you eyes peeled for the new dynamic duo of tennis AMURICAAAA! We commin. We commin.

ALSO. THE FOURTH OF JULY IS THIS WEEK.

(my favorite holiday x 10,000000000000000.3)

Unfortunately, I won't be able to participate in watching, my favorite things in the whole world, The Freedom Festival Grand Parade or Stadium of Fire but...I will be working & I love that just as much. We will be at Seven Peaks that night...Let the sports camp party begin!

reading report

..."but with a cultivated mind, quick sympathies and that power of enjoyment which is a priceless treasure-- he was well equipped for the battle of life." pg. 18

 

Cool. Stuff. This book. I really have to be in the right mood to read it but, I have already learned so much. So far I have just read about the family of Florence Nightingale. They really fought for what they believed in no matter the consequences. They set so many of the precedents for they ways in which we live. So many of the comforts that we have are because of the many discomforts they lived through. Inspiring-ly great history and people.

 

I am finding my love for reading again. DO IT.

 

:]

Daily Adventures of a Sports Camp Counselor

Wow. Yes, that really just happened.
A whirlwind of hilarious kids, lost keys, puking, all-you-can-eat ice cream, late night activities, and the funniest people I have ever met!
BEST WEEK EVER.

Week one of Sports Camps done. Check mate. 
I will tell you this much. It is the most fulfilling job in the world! The phrase, "never a dull moment" definately applies here. I don't even know how to adequately describe how much fun this job is.  It is alot of work but the kind of work that makes me more HAPPY than any other!

Monday came and went...all of the kids checked in, started camps, and we ended the night with field games and of course, ice cream! The counselors turned in their headcount and all kids were accounted for.  I crawled into bed with a sign of relief and gratitude of how great the day went no matter how tired I was.  Right as I started to doze off I heard a doors in the hallway opening. I kept hearing little things for the next couple of minutes, and finally decided to get up and check it out.  One of the girls in my hall had gotten sick and had thrown up. This moment was the actual moment in which I realised how much I loved my job. Wierd moment to realise this? YES.  The kids are what we are here for!  With my hair tied back, and a little chuckle, I put the big-girl mommy pants on, and dove on in to clean up. Working with the kids is the most rewarding thing.

My counselor roomate for the week said to me last night, " I don't think you can get hired for this job unless you are weird." TRUTH. We are all just kind of weird in our own little way, which is why it is so much fun.  Wackyness is totally neccessay! I can't even wait to work all summer with these counselors.  Every one of them is a bucket full of laughs/weird :], hardworking, and really know how to really have a good time. Let the games begin.

Here we have Exhibit A of the stellar hilariousness of my fellow counselors:

It was introduced to us by Romney as "OSTRICH-ING."
Planking at a whole-nutha level. The competition has begun, to say the least.

We may or may not have worn pastel shorts on the same day! HOW RAD IS THAT!?

  Another thing that I was not lacking this week,
along with entertainment and awesome kids, was sugar. HOLY COWS. Cookies. Candy. Ice Cream. Whadaa Dream. Scary-Gotta-Be-Careful Dream. Here's to self control NEXT WEEK!

Late-as-of

Spring Term is a heavenly thing.

I am sad that it is nearing its end. It is the perfect blend of school and summer.

I am lucky to be spending it with the best people too. :]

Whats new....

Our kickball team...Von Trapp Family kickers is in the TOURNAMENT. We have to win 2 more games to be the champions. WHOOP.

Post game treats have also become a vital part of our weekly routine. The Houkilou Snow Cone Shack is a new favorite of ours.

Snow Cones dancing in our heads.

We went camping for memorial day!

This is where we ended up... Rachel's family owns this beautiful property. They let us come out with them and spend some time in a cell-phone service free zone. It was peaceful and a truly great time.

We did have on injury happen...

Hollie sprained her ankle in a four wheeler accident.  She is our champion of late and has had many "crutching" adventures as she has had to trek accross campus everyday on her crutches.

And finally...I have started reading for pleasure again! To kick off the summer I am going to learn about somebody I hope to become more like. FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. I am really excited to learn about her life...I will report back if it is any good.

Well, onward and upward.

The weekend is here. All is awesome.

thought.

Do your BEST & The Lord will take care of the rest.

I have the name tag and the manual. LETS DO IT. 
I first felt a little overwhelmed for the awesome job ahead of me...not for long! I am beyond ready and excited to have the time of my life, helping others to have the time of their life. If that makes sense?  Heres to a great summer and more camp counselor training on the morrow!
Also...cool fact of the day. My name tag. IT'S MAGNETIC.

Wacko Wednesday

so check her out.

Happy Wednesday, y'all from our neck of the woods. TOMORROW we go home for the weekend of weddings!

BIVAAA LASS BEGASS.

Tonight was full of music blasting and headphone singing contests where the music is so loud you can't hear yourself...but everybody else can :]

ggggggnighhhhhttt!

pop-carn

On of my favorite things lately is popcorn...I just can't seem to get enough!
My roommates & I have made up our own reciepies and experimented with some others. My favorites are cinnamon & sugar and Jello popcorn!

This popcorn was really cute & tasty too. White chocolate & sprinkles? Can't go wrong!
The bright colors made it adorableeee.

This is our favorite....
CINNAMON & SHUGA SHUGA.
We always have the ingredients on hand & its a crowd pleaser.

-BUTTER :]
-Air popped corn
-cinnamon
-sugar

Intructs: Pop corn, melt butter & stir into warm popcorn. Sprinkle & mix in Cinnamon &Sugar until desired amount reached!

Another Favorite is Jello Popcorn.

Sounds kinda funky, but it is so gooddd!

(from Our Best Bites, Fruity Candy Popcorn & Michelle from Campus Floral)

Recipie:

1/4 cup butter

3 T light corn syrup/honey

1/2 cup sugar

1.35 oz box of jello, Flavor of your choice! (not sugar free)

1. Add butter & syrup to pan and heat until butter melted.

2. Add in sugar and jello & stir well!

3. Increase heat until a boil & then lower heat and allow to simmer 5 minutes.

(texture will be think and kind of weird, go with it!  It will become more liquidy as time goes on! )

4.Mix mixture with popcorn immediately and then spread flat over a foiled cookie sheet to dry.

Some then put it in the oven at 300 for about ten minutes to let it melt and cook a bit. I find it okay if you don't do that as well. So if you are feeling impatient,  I say dig in after cooled!

It is really fun to mix flavors, like strawberry & lemon for strawberry lemonade of toast coconut and mix it will pinapple jellow popcorn! The possibilities are endless!

In other news...

Spring semester is going GREAT. It is so much more relaxed & nice to have less people on campus. Classes are going at a really quick speed but it is nice to be able to focus on just a couple of them!

Hollie & I spent a night in Logan, UT and it is BEAUTIFUL THERE! We ate at one of the town classic landmarks, The Bluebird!

Alex's wedding is this weekend! I can't wait to see her & am so excited for this time in her life. We will be road-trippin to viva las vegas on thursday for the festivities.

The Von Trap Family Kickers (our kickball team, nerdy names are the way to go)  start their spring season this Thursday at 9:15, if you care to join! It is going to be a great adventure. Yes we will be playing in our lederhosen. Yes we will be singing our cheers in harmony. Yes our warm ups will not only be physical but vocal to bat. :]

In sad news, my calculus class was short lived. I lasted a bit of a painful  day. DANG IT! But I am in statistics now!

HAPPY FIRST DAY DE MAYO!

#27.

MONDAY WAS THE DAY...

 ...that I crossed # 27 off of my life bucket list!

TANDEM BIKING

We felt like the giant helmets and sunglasses were a great combo for the day.

it was a blast...and tragically funny at the same time.

one for the books.

It was the best kind of day to ring in spring semester.  We woke up early to the sunshine and bird chirping weather, I tell ya. After we got everything done in the morning, we headed off for our adventure.  I don't think, actually I KNOW, we had no idea what in the world we were getting our selves into.  It is harder than it looks. It also goes  down as one of the days that I have laughed the hardest in my life.

We look relatively pleasant in all of these pictures.  They don't do the craziness of our day justice.  Our first problem was that the bikes seats were too high...we all have short legs and struggled in the first place to get on the bikes. Then once we were on the bikes (thanks to a stranger helping us mount.) we had to learn how to balance and steer the piece of machinery. They were a piece of work, those bikes. We were all laughing so hard that we could barely stay balanced/didn't stay balanced. We also struggled with stopping and getting off the bike. I can't count the number of times Hollie hit the ground during at attempt to stop/start. We even dropped the bike in the middle of a big intersection at one point...

We had planned to go all the way up the canyon, but quickly realised we probabaly would not make it back to campus in our 2 hour limit considering our "tandem skill level."  Our second incident happened right after we succesfully were able to ride the bike.

  Hollie was in the front of our bike and was a champ at steering. I on the other hand, eventually became a good partner after I stopped freaking out and squealing. We were riding down University Parkway together, and as we were driving past a gas station exit we saw a car rolling forward.  We made eye contact with the driver and assumed she would stop for us to roll on by (especially considering we did not look like we had control of the bike, and we both had looks of horror on plastered on our faces).  BUT. She didn't stop. She hit us. And our bike squished up her liscence plate like you squish an alumminum can against your head. WE GOT HIT BY A CAR. ON A TADEM BIKE. I could not even believe at that point what was happening and lost control in laughter.

We eventually made it down to the Riverwoods and had subway for lunch. The trek back home was 100% better than at first for us, once we developed a little system of mounting and dismounting. :]

It ended up being one of the funniest/scarriest adventures I have ever had. We all returned home with grease stains and scratches on our legs, and sunburns covering our bodies.

Good Provo had some solid entertainment on its streets Monday afternoon courtesy of helmet-head-tandem-bike-riding Lex 23. Boy did it.

#27 is crossed offfff!

Here's to adventures & SPRING TERM.

Let the games begin.

these two...

As of today, two of my favorite people are back in AMERICA! I can't even wait to see the two of them. Sarah/Sari (on the left) is getting back from Jerusalem today & Madi Dawg over there on the right got back from Spain about a week ago.  She will be in Provo this Saturday! CELEBRATION! i will hopefully be able to see Sarah in the beginning of May! I have missed them alot & I am so happy they were able to go and having such exciting and life enhancing experiences!

wooowwzaa palooza

HI.

My Name is Starlee Jacobs &

 I AM DONE WITH FINALS.

Wowza palooza is what we have on our hands here...I am done and not exactly sure what to do with myself & with free time. Now for some ice cream and an excess amount of movies. :]

It has been the greatest of years.

LEARNED ALOT

WORKED ALOT

LAUGHED ALOT

GREW ALOT

ATE ALOT

RAN ALOT

WATCHED ALOT

HAD FUN ALOT

SMILED ALOT

Flashback moment...

This was us a year ago tenting out for liberty square contracts. One of the crazier things we voluntarily decided to do, but it started it all! Also, Check out how great we all look? :]

past blast

Chech out this picture eh? I laugh everytime I look at this picture. Mom & Dad have lots of hair. This girl had none, but she did have very cute lace tights on. :] Also, the pleasantly mischievious grin on my face cracks me up like nobody's buisness.

I wish I could say how much I love my parents.  They are the most positive people I know and yes, I often miss them everyday. They have allowed me to become independent & they answer the phone with a "hello, Starlee Marie!" even if I call to bug them with a million questions a day. 

Just talking to them on the phone calms me and remind myself of the right perspective I should have in life.  I am so thankful for all that they have taught me and continue to teach me in regards to the manner in which I should live.  I don't thank them enough for the power and positive influence they have had on my life.

Today and Everyday I am grateful for Mommacita Pantalones & Daddiooo.

Proof that I am losing my Brains.

These days I think I am losing my brains...its finals week?!

 Losing your brains is totally allowed. The amount of studying going on around this campus is out of control!

Double Belt Day it is. Yes I am proud to say I wore two belts on the same day...on accident & realised later.

&&&&....in GREAT NEWS: Our friend/ one of the members from our Y group at the beginning of the school year got baptised this past weekend! It was such a special baptism.  It is so great to go to a baptism to feel of such a strong spirit and be reminded of the importance of our baptisimal covenants.

Congratulations to Chloe girl :]

Last day!

Can I share a nerdy moment (or 3?)

p.s. today was the last day of my sophmore year of college...woowwza!

Nerdy #1:

 My nitelight, given to me by my grandma,  has officially been batteried up and installed on the bed. Ready to rumble and guide me through my efficient late night reading adventures.
I was beyond excited about this gift that I recieved and have had to wait to use it until I got AAA batteries.  I made it a point yesterday to put batteries on my grocery list. I just couldn't wait to get my nitelight locked and loaded ready for use...even if the semester is over!

Nerdy #2:

In the beginning of the semester, the first week or two, I ran out of black ink in my printer. I decided to try printing my papers in gray ink instead of black and...IT TOTALLY WORKED.  When I say It totally worked...it totally worked for the entire semester.  I have printed all of my papers successfully in 80% gray  ink in Microsoft Word. Yes. I feel accomplished to say that! This semester is the semester where I have written the most papers and the longest papers that I have ever had too! On the other hand I also can't believe myself...how pathetic! In any case... VICTORY & a nerdy moment.  Put it on my tab!

Nerdy #3



THE SUNSHINE HAS ARRIVED! Study time this week has turned into the effort of trying to turn transparent skin into skin with a little color color lovin! We have spent our time out in the beautiful sunshine on the grass! Also, a new favorite word has been discovered! While quizzing hollie on Molecular biology we came across the word...Flagella. AWESOME. Add it to the list with peroose, congeal, & woowza palooza.

HAPPY FINALS!!!

Public Speech-ing & mas.

Today was one of those "best days in history" for me. I say that alot... but today really was. REALLY!

I HEART WEDNESDAYS

1. Woke up on time & Lucky Charms for breakfast. Heeelloo.

2. Out of class early

3. My Family Coming to Town :]

4. SPRING DAY: 70 degrees...for real?!

those beautiful little yellow bushes are what my roommates and I like to call flushes.

FLOWER BUSHES.

5. Met with my advisor: code for figured out life. YAY!

My program just got changed to to RecM and I decided to start the new program. Took care of buisness!

6. Pleasant Work Day = only 2 hours!

7. Thought about buying a Moped...

8. Public Speaking Class...rules the world.

Wednesday nights from 4:15-6:30 I am with these crazy and hilarious people. It has go tto be one of my favorite classes I have taken and BYU and I think it will probably remain that way! Tonight was our final night of class and we had demonstration speeches and our professor ordered Brick Oven Pizza.... AHHHHH! Because we are all characters, the demonstration speeches included (but were not limited too) Oragami Flower Making, Airplane making, Inchworming, Chess, Body Beat Boxing, & how to remember the stages of mitosis! I will miss this class...boy will I. One class you must take at BYU... Public Speaking!

9. Sports Camp Counselor Meeting. Victory.

10. Temple.

Check out that beautiful view why don't cha. :]

I do have one very sad annoucement.

 Remember our Eternal Flame of Love, Balloon Style? Well is has reached a progressive all time low. It hit the floor yesterday, and we are seriously mourning its loss...In the words of my hilarious roommate Holly Smith,as posted on facebook,

".r.i.p. the valentine's day ballon of lexington 23. our little miracle balloon, filled with some sort of supernatural helium, has finally hit the ground. it lived a long life tied to the kitchen chair in the corner, outliving its life expectancy of 2 days for a total of 53 days, almost longer than kim kardashian was married. we will never forget you, little pink balloon. may you deflate in peace. ♥ "

As Lex 23 likes to say, Bless it's heart.

&&&& HAPPY ALMOST FRIDAAY!

Shower.

or should say showerS!?

This weekend was the weekend of showers. Let me tell ya...I had THREE to attend this weekened. And they were all great!

 Jamie and I through Alex a shower this weekend and it was suppaa great! The stage of life we are in is so surreal that sometimes...it doesn't feel real? It was nice to be with a couple of close friends and celebrate for Alex and show her our love.  It was weird not to have all of us there though...again another part of our stage of life! I can't believe one of my greatest friends growing up is getting hitched... & I couldn't be more excited.

Congrats to beautiful Al!

nice and simple...lookie, lookie :]

<3