Here We Go...

Tomorrow begins the first day of the last year of my education. I start my senior year for my bachelor's degree. This time next year I will be done with college and working at an architecture firm in Salt Lake City (this is what I keep telling myself until it happens).

I'm nervous. I don't know what to do with myself. The senior year in the interior design program is intense. All I've heard from past students are horror stories, and yet I'm jumping in with both feet; and then some.

For the last couple of weeks I've been exciting and nervous all at the same time and it has caused some weird butterflies to fly inside. Regardless of how I feel - it all starts tomorrow. Deep breaths. I can do this. I can do this.

We're In Cahoots...

Jake and I competed in the Cahoots Duo Challenge last week (a 5k mud run with obstacles). It was a blast!

We decided to dress like the Hunger Games characters in training so we ordered these awesome shirts online - the same shirts Katniss and Peeta wore while training for the games. We figured since they won those games, our shirts might give us a little advantage to winning these games ;-)

A few of the obstacles included mud pits, balance beams, a 10 foot wall to climb over, tires to run through with your leg tied to your partner's, a cargo net to climb over, etc. You got more points for teamwork, costumes, and overall spirit.

Our absolute favorite obstacle... the zip-line. We stood in line long enough to watch 99% of people fail...

Most people looked like this...

And most didn't even make it halfway. But Jake and I? We rocked that zip-line! Even got an ovation at the end. 

Although the event wasn't organized super well, we enjoyed the challenge and the adventure together.

And we'll probably come back again next year - check out these stellar medals we got at the end! Ya, they are magnetic and attach to your partners. So sweet.

Paddle Boards...

There was a single's ward activity last weekend up at Bear Lake. Jake and I went... just not exactly with the ward. We decided that instead of waiting in a line of cars for an hour just to pay $5 to park, squish on one little beach, and hang out with awkward single's (those whose reasons for being single are easily determined), we would enjoy the lake on our own terms...

So we went paddle boarding! :-) It was crazy fun! I did fall off once on account of high winds and waves, but I eventually got the hang of it. The best part? Learning how to dive! I've never been able to, and now that I'm 21 I'm embarrassed to learn - especially in a pool where other people can watch an awkward adult dive into a pool from her knees. A few weeks ago Jake and I had Dan and Sharli's pool all to ourselves and he took the opportunity to give me a few small knee dive lessons. It took a lot of convincing on his part because I was sure he would laugh at me and I was already embarrassed. Jake was very patient and did a very good job treating me like he probably did the three year old he taught in swim lessons ;-) 

Jake was very excited for me to have the chance to dive off a paddle board and it turns out it wasn't as difficult as I thought! He said I looked great!

If you're also having trouble diving, think of it as a handstand. That was the best advice I've ever received. **Thank you, Jake!**

Jake also fell once - however he deleted the incredible falling picture that I snagged and sent me this one instead. I guess it hurt his pride a little bit (pardon my finger in the way).

And finally we have another picture of us together! I think that brings us to a grand total of four after almost a year of dating... We're pathetic. 

We also sat on the beach and enjoyed Jake's lovely sunburn from last week's lake activity. It was another wonderful weekend spend with a wonderful boy :-)