Christmas Memories

Well my whirlwind of a week at home has come to an end and I am now back in Vegas. I wish I had more time at home considering I only had 4 days. I got to spend a lot of time with y Mom during the days and I spent time with my friends during the night. I was excited to see a lot of my friends that I haven't seen for almost a year.
I did get spoiled for Christmas though. When I arrived into Edmonton on the 21st, my uncle picked me up and I got to spend time with him and my aunt. Then I went with my sister and we spent time with each other and watched a movie. I also got to open a Christmas present! So nice. She didn't get to come home for XMas so thats why I got to open early. Then I caught a bus home the next day and it was all going well until there was a bad accident an hour away from home and we were held up for 21/2 hours! I just wanted to get home. But I made it and I had a good Christmas. I got spolied with clothes and then I got a memory stick which makes my life so much easier. I also got to spend time with my baby cousins and more family.
I got to see a lot of friends which made my short time in GP. Everyone is looking so well and I can't wait tillt he summer to see them again! I'll hopefully attach some pics for y'all!

Done Semester One

So I have arrived back here after my last final and I am officially done my first semester here at UNLV. I am so happy to be done with finals and I think that I am looking forward to going home now more than ever. But first this weekend is our UNLV Winter Invite. I am not going to swim fast but I hope that I still do okay. I doubt it though..I don't swim well unless I am rested a bit..which I am definately not. We'll I am really lacking sleep and I need to make myself catch up before I go home because I get 4 days to catch up with everyone and if there is no time for sleeping, then so be it. I am really excited about going home on tuesday...can't hardly wait! Oh but during these stressful times I did have a great surprise from my darling Caleigh. She somehow knows the times to surprise me. She sent me a package in the mail...my XMas present and I couldn hardly believe it! She included the things I love the most and things that she knew would make me smile. I can hardly express how much I miss her and appreciate what she did for me. Thanks C. Ellis!!! Okay well I am going to nap it up now and make sure my body is well rested for this weekend and next week back home.

Greatest Library Day EVER!

Well finals begin tomorrow officially and so being in the library has gone into over-time. To kick off our finals we had a major library sunday. Jonas and I got there around 9:30 or so and we were closely followed by Johan and Amanda (main group). We spent the entire day in the library staying, drinking coffee and breaking only to eat. I am telling you that this study session was one to go down in the history books. Now to emphasize again that we studied and dranka lot of coffee because coffee is a main staple for college students....just see what we did with our empty's. This tower represnts our hard work and dedication to our school work. Check it out and tell me what you think!

St.Lucia

Well yesterday I had a new experience in my life. I was invited to a swedish Christmas tradition with Jonas, Johan and Marina. I was a little hesitant at first but then I agreed. See there is this friendly lady that swima at the pool and she knows that we have a significant amount of Sweds on the team and so she introduced herself to them and invited them to this traditional ceremony during Christmas. This ceremony is a tribute to Saint Lucia and there is a huge story behind it but its a big thing that happens every year in Sweden. I felt a little weird because I was amoung the very few who didn't speak swedish and I was probably the only one there who had no idea what this thing was about. First when we got there we just sat down in a room with a bunch of table and visited and was introduced as the UNLV swimmers (Me as the Canadian who wasn't swedish). We then went to the church where the sermon began. They handed out the words of the songs to be sung (luckily half were in english) and they proceeded. They begin with Lucia walking down the aisle and we sang. Once the procession was down the aisle (taernor (girls) and star boys), Jackie (the lady) got up and told the story of St. Lucia to us in english. After that we sang some more and then we were dismissed and sent to go socialize and eat. Okay this is the coolest part. Now we got to eat a bunch swedish treats and some non-swedish. There was gingerbread, gloegg (sweet, warm, red wine with christmas herb served with raisens and almonds), soft gingerbread, risgrynsgroet (porridge), polkagris (candycanes). It was so cute because the women made it for me. Jackie is such a character and she is SO nice. She was so happy that they came to this. Then Santa came to give out presents and the boys got really excited about that. They went and got a present and took a picture. We then got to go to the tree and get a smaellkaramel (bangcarmel) its a contained present and you open it on Christmas Eve...cause thats when they celebrate Christmas so I apparently can't open it till then...we'll see. But here are some pictures to show you...I am slowly lerning the swedish heritage. Check out the pics!

Finals...kill me

Alright well its the students favorite time of the year! FINALS! Yes thats right and I am going to shoot myself in the head. I feel like I live in the library already and its just the beginning. I have 3 this week on wednesday and then 2 next week and a presentation. I am stressing out so this is going to be the only harsh entry in a while because after finals is one meet (Winter Invite) and then home time! TO CANADA! I am quite excited and that is what is getting me through this time...thinking about the snow. Alright so I am done and getting back to work..or going to bed because swimming must continue throughout this stressing time. Hope all my other fellow students are keeping their noses in their books because its all worth it in the end. Plus remember you get to treat yourself after..and the better you do, then better the treat!

Partying Vegas Style

Okay well last night was the most fun party I have had since I have been here. We were invited to a "Anything But Clothes" party and I must say...FUN!! Sarah (girl on my ream) and I decided to go together on the costumes and we decided on tin foil. Yes thats right, Tin Foil! It seemed like a good idea at the time but after the whole thing was over...not such a good plan on the tin foil. See its sharper then I intended it to be...and a lot less strong too. Plus the design was not a good one. I had the worst time going to the bathroom...I mean bad...even just sitting down...couldn't happen. So I stood all night and had help going to the bathroom by friends. Until the end of the night my dress help up....okay until Hooper found out how much fun and easy it is to tear my dress off piece by piece. So by the end of the night it wa a little too short and so Sarah and I went upstairs and (with cameras) ripped eachothers "clothes" off. I have to say that was the most fun of the night. So we we left in our underwear and had to wear our parkas over top to cover us up. Shortly after we left. But the pics are forever and hilarious! I'll post some for ya!