Mr. and Mrs. David Fox

One of my best friends from High School got married this weekend. Her wedding was beautiful and it was nice to have all our friends back together again, even if it was for only a few hours. Our family also went to Indianapolis this weekend to visit mom's side for Christmas. It was so good to see everyone. We are planning on heading to Maryland on Wednesday morning unless it is snowing or there are snow issues in Maryland already. It will definitely be a busy break.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like CHRISTMAS!

So, every Christmas season in Salt Lake City for the past 30 some years there has been a festival of trees. Basically families and businesses buy and decorate ( or make as in the case below from a glass blowing company in Sundance) Christmas trees however they want to and then donate them to the festival. After they have been donated (by a certain date) they put all of the trees in a convention center and the public is allowed to come in a purchase the already decorated trees. All of the proceeds from the event go to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City as a "Christmas Present." I think they received over a million last year. The original festival started out with only about 30 trees and this year there were over 600. They have small and big ones, wreaths, other center pieces and decorations, and my personal favorite were the gingerbread houses. I have never seen such elaborate gingerbread houses, they were phenomenal, for lack of a better word. Brent and I went up and checked them out and were shocked and amazed at the crazy stuff they had going on there. Anyways, I thought you would enjoy some of the pictures, they were crazy! All of the trees were about as elaborate as the ones above, and they had another one made out of wood that had a bunch of "bells and whistles" and had marbles work their way down it, kind of like a toy. They were great. P.s. This is of Dorothy when she Landed in Oz if you can't read the sign, or can't tell from the picture. There were so many awesome ones, I got pictures of a few more, if anyone is interested in seeing them just let know.

I'm still standing in the closet

This was a learning experience for Jeff and Jo. We had fun mixed in with a little work and a day of computing discovery. I thought everyone might want to see a little of what we were doing while the kids are at college. They have waited patiently for this movie so we published it without anyone seeing it first. The closet is finished and the shelves and the "laundry shoot" work great. Cool huh!

Thanksgiving Break

Hey friends, and family. My family (aka Mom and Dad) came out to Utah to visit Kevin and I for the break in case anyone didn't know. They were here for about a week. It was really nice to have a long break from school and to have the family together for Thanksgiving for the first time in 4 years. We made our own Thanksgiving feast together and went and visited Sundance Ski Resort and Temple Square. It was one of the first nights that the Christmas lights were up, so it was a little bit crowded, but fun. The rest of the week we kind of just hung out, played games, and spent time together. Mom and Kevin did get in a pretty amusing tickle fight though. I can't believe there are only 4 days left of regular classes. It's really exciting, and scary at the same time. I have so many different projects and portfolio's going on right now that it is a little overwhelming. I am currently in the middle of a project on Nestle Crunch bar. We are rebranding them, launching a new candy bar, (fake) and giving them an identity. After all, there is no crunch man! I'm also putting togethere two portfolios of my work for different classes and resumes and stuff for internships for the summer. I actually have another blog with a bunch of old and current class projects on for anyone who is super bored, is interested in advertising, or just wants to see what I'm actually doing. Anyways, Thanks for reading this rambling thing :) Its been fun. I posted some pictures of my family's visit and a link to my other site.
http://www.byugroupprojects.blogspot.com

Projects Galore

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So, I am doing about a bazillion projects right now for my classes. The one I'm the farthest into is for a client called jobpix.com. They are relatively new, but their plan is to list summer job offerings for college aged students. Their big idea is that they have a lot of options. So, here is the basic ad I have been working on. It is my final project for a class. So if you have any suggestions let me know. The full body shot is for magazines and posters, etc. the close up, is for billboards, and the black and white is for newspaper. I realize all the ones I posted are males, but there are more that I have that are females so that isn't an issue.

Kevin's Birthday and Halloween

So, Kevin's 19th birthday was Monday, and he had two surprise parties... kinda funny. We got a video from one, and some pictures from the other. I believe his camera is currently broken, which is why he hasn't posted for a while. He told me he was the tinman for Halloween, but I haven't seen any proof. Kayla Goldman and her family are out visiting from Indiana so she came with Brent and I and we were Willie Wonka and the Oompa Loompas... Some people didn't know what we were... then they figured it out.. Kinda sad... I thought I looked pretty Oompa Loompa...y.. Oh yeah, Monday we did a service project for kids in hospitals and care homes and other places like that. We made them Halloween treat bags and little activity books and stuff. It was fun.. :)

Just Life...

Wow, this semester has been intense. I'm always working on some kind of project. I have two due this Thursday, and tomorrow is Kevin's Birthday. Oh yeah, and I didn't make it to the finals of the Loreal project I was working on, but at this point I think it was probably for the better because I'm so busy. I'm on an intramural co-ed volleyball team right now with some kids in my complex, and last week we played our first game. We killed them.. I felt kind of bad for them... It was fun though. On Monday night, a big group of us went to a corn maze in the shape of american idol runner up David Archuletta, we couldn't actually tell if it looked like him, because it was dark, but we kinda got lost and ended up coming out at the "kiddie maze" entrance. We went on a hike last Sunday and took some pictures of the fall scenery, it was amazing. I will put some on here...

Moab and My Birthday

HAHA! Ok who wants to hear a funny story? I had this whole huge thing typed out and then my computer froze Internet explorer, so here I am typing it again. It probably won't be as good though. I just wanted to thank everyone who wished me a happy birthday/etc, because it was greatly appreciated. I would write everyone individually thank you notes, but I am so busy right now its surprising. I am currently participating in a nationwide contest with Maybelline New York (the make-up company) to design a new fragrance for them (their first). I, along with a team, have to design the bottle, the fragrance name, the concept, I have to market it, advertise it and present it. If our team makes it through the prelims we have to present it with other teams to Loreal right here on campus, and we all get job/internship interviews with the company. Also, whoever wins at BYU gets to go to the national competition in New York, where we meet with a prestegious Ad Agency (McCann Ericson) and Maybelline New York. The winners there go to Paris in June. Last year BYU swept it all, including Paris (international). So if anyone has any ideas for a brand new fragrance, or a fragrance bottle, or any of the above, let me know, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, I am currently working on a campaign for the BYU Museum of Art, also known around here as the MOA. We are trying to get students to find the MOA exciting and give them a reason to go. We have been working on it for about two weeks and it is due on Monday, so I have a lot to do this weekend. Also, the same teacher that is having us do the MOA project, gave us the word refreshing and told us to make a magazine ad around it. So, I've been working on that as well, and it is due Monday. Hopefully it turns out good. I will post the projects on here so those of you who don't get to see "my work" as often, get to see it. Also, I got to go to Moab last weekend as a much needed break from school. It is beautiful down there. I went to arches and canyonlands. When we were in canyonlands it was storming, but half of the sky was light, so it was unbelieveable. Definitely one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. Anyways, I probably should be doing all this homework that I'm talking about, considering that that is only for 2 classes and I have five, and of course all the other teachers think I should do their homework too :( YIKES! OH well, I love my major and I'm glad I found something that I can actually excel at and feel comfortable doing. Oh yeah the international winner of that contest gets 15000 dollars to "travel." I'm not sure what that means, but, I think you have to use the money to see the world. Which, is not really a bad deal :) but it will definitely take a really genious idea and a lot of hard work to get there.

Jeff and Jo

Not a whole lot going on around here except work. Jeff has been building a linen closet with a laundry chute where the chimney used to be. It should be nice when it gets done. Jo will be glad to get her broom and sweeper closet back.

Jo has been doing some canning. She canned tomatoes, green beans and ketchup. She also made apple juice. The garden work is basically done. So now she will have to find something else to keep her busy.

Hurricane Ike went through here last week and did a lot of wind damage. We only had sticks and branches down (lot of them). We were without power for about 4 or 5 hours. A short time compared to a lot of other places.

Sammy and Mama, our dog and cat, are doing fine. They miss Heidi and Kevin, too.

The bird on the flowers is one that we see frequently. I think that he eats the seeds from the flowers. Not a real good picture. We had a hard time getting that one.

Mission Call/ The Peak

As most of you are aware now, Kevin got his mission call this week. If you weren't aware, scroll down and read about it. I have pictures of him opening and reading it. Also yesterday was absolutely gorgeous so Eric, Brent, and I went up to Squaw Peak and took some pictures. They are amazing! We also went to the BYU fall festival and partied it up... kinda :) Sorry it isn't too exciting, only pictures... :)

Dear Elder Rothert

Yesterday I received and envelope in the mail. It was a large one and the moment I saw my name on it I knew what it was. It was addressed to Elder Kevin Rothert and it was from The Office of the First Presidency. My mission call had finally come! At first I couldn't believe it but I immediately called Heidi and told her it was here and I wanted to open it with her. So she came over to pick me up and we went to her apartment calling Mom and home and Dad at work. We put them on speaker phone and then when we finally got to Heidi's apartment we sat down on the couches and I began to open it. (I say finally because that's how it felt to me, she only lives about 5 blocks from me.) I started reading.

Dear Elder Rothert:

That sounded so cool!

Dear Elder Rothert:

You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Nevada Las Vegas West Mission.

So many thoughts went through my head here. I knew imediately that this was right. The past two weeks I'd had a feeling I was going to be going somewhere Spanish Speaking but I pushed that asside and thought. Wow! This is right! The Lord REALLY wants me to go here. For those of you who don't know, my dad also went to Las Vegas (it was only one mission then). Some may say that was just a crazy happenstance but I know the Lord had a hand in it. I don't know why I was sent to the same area my dad served but I know that the Lord wants me there. I kept reading:

It is anticipated that you will serve for a perious of 24 months. You should report to the Missionary Training Center at Provo, Utah on Wednesday, 17 December 2008.

I knew then I was not going home. I was sad but we'd expected that.

You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish Language.

That was when the tears started to flow...and here they come now. Everything was so perfect. Everything was so right and I could feel it. This was exactly what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do and exactly where he wanted me to go. It still blows my mind.

I looked at the mission bounderies and it's basically all of western Nevada and a little bit of CA here in there. I can't believe it! I was telling everyone after that. I called everyone I could and told people on Facebook to call me. I was telling people all over the apartment complex.

It's such a great feeling to know I'm doing what my father in heaven wants me to be doing.

Day 1

So, Kevin and I had interesting first days. The IRS contacted me yesterday to tell me I didn't sign my tax form and that I had to submit another one within ten days. Well, with all the moving back and forth I misplaced my tax form so, I had to request another one, which the IRS recording said would take 10-15 days to arrive. Yeah, well, about 3 minutes after I got off the phone with the IRS mom found a copy of my form, so it worked out, but it was stressful for a few. The Aguirres will be happy to know that I'm 2 for 2. Both of the classes I have attended so far have contained BYU basketball players and they are both good. :) Kevin's first day was just as interesting, we walked to class together because we both have it at ten, then Kevin came home to try to fix his Spanish class, because for some reason it had no classroom or building posted online. He eventually found out that in order to take that class he had to be living in Spanish housing, which is a little strange since the computer let him sign up, and there was nothing online about that particular requirement. Seems like a weird thing to forget to mention. He eventually signed up for a Human Development class, but he doesn't know if he is keeping it or not. We'll see. I have 17 credits right now, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them all.. yucky!

School!

School starts tomorrow! Wow! I'm a senior. Unfortunately it probably isn't my last year of school. I'm one of those lucky ones who get to be a super senior! Lucky right? I guess that's what I get for changing my mind so many times. Sometimes I wish things were just a little easier, but then it wouldn't be as rewarding when its finished right? I have seventeen credits as of right now, but I'm thinking about dropping at least one class to make it a little easier on myself. I will make my final decision after tomorrow or maybe Wednesday. Anyways, our apartment is nice, and I like my roommates. I have 3 of them and we all just met for the first time upon moving into this apartment. They are all juniors. Shawndeen is from Kansas City and is majoring in Math Education. Donalee is from northern Washington and is majoring in Biology. She plans to graduate in April and wants to play with dolphins when she graduates. Anna is from Maryland and is majoring in English. We all get along really well and are all pretty laid back so it should be a good year. Also, good news, THEY ARE CLEAN!!!! There is a bad side to that though, I might not have any roommate horror stories from this year. :) Oh yeah, Guess what?! THERE IS SNOW ON THE MOUNTAIN! Yeah, you better believe it, we had the first snow on the mountain this morning, SEPTEMBER 1!!! It isn't supposed to snow yet... boo! :(

NSO at BYU!

Well, I'm at BYU! I didn't know if that would ever come or not. And sometimes I wondered if I wanted it or not. But I'm here! I love it! It's so cool to see mountains everywhere you go! Also, this week was New Student Orientation (NSO). It has been a blast. I've met some awesome people. I don't know most of their names but hopefully I will soon. Tomorrow is the last night of NSO and I'm really bumbed but it's going to be amazing because it's a dance! My group was Purple 7. We wrote songs, made signs and all of it was just because we wanted to! NSO didn't have groups make cheers or anything. The most amazing part is how well we bonded. I think that with the right people and the right situations (and the right games) can bring people together in such an amazing way. I am very glad that the Lord was kind enough to give me another perfect group of people here at NSO. Classes start next week (eek) and I'm way excited, and also not at the same time......I just wrote "way excited" I think that's a Utah thing....oh no. Anyway. I'm in a really good mood and I love it here but I miss all of you back home too.

California Trip

I went to California in July to visit Brent and hang out and see the sites. I guess I got lucky cause it wasn't smoky really at all, and it was overall pretty good weather. We went to San Francisco a few times as well as Lake Tahoe and Sacramento. I got to add two temples to my checkoff list, Oakland and Sacramento. Also, Kevin and I are leaving this Thursday to head out to Utah for school. We are excited but, ready to go. :) Here are some pictures of my trip. We will have to teach mom and dad how to use this site so they can keep it updated while we are gone. p.s. Kevin now has the cell phone since he will be out at school, so if you try to call my parents on it, you will probably get Kevin :)

Especially For Youth

Efy was amazing. Everything was perfect. If perfection were possible July 14-19 would have hit the spot. I had the best group ever and the best councilors ever! Our group name was No Temptation. The theme this year was Steady and Sure going along with this scripture in the Book of Mormon:

Mosiah 5:15

Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in ^agood works, that Christ, the ^bLord God Omnipotent, may ^cseal you his, that you may be brought to heaven, that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who ^dcreated all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all. Amen.

I love this especially "Be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God Omnipotent, may seal you his". It's so beautiful and true. I learned at efy that reading my scriptures and saying more personal prayers was how I could become steadfast and immoveable but most of all looking to Christ.

A quick run down on efy: Monday-Check-in, orientation, Family Home Evening. Tuesday- Classes, Dance. Wednesday-Classes, game night, cheer-off (which No Temptation won by the way), pizza night. Thursday-Young Men and Young separate for meetings, Variety show (Nathan, Alec, Mark, Marisa, Luke, Jake, and I all participated), fireside, testimony meeting. Friday-Service activity, For the Strength of Youth activity, Taking it Home, dance. Saturday-check-out, drive home, miss efy so much.

Zion is described as "the pure in heart". This week at efy we talked about how efy could be a Zion of we made it so. We had to be of "one heart and one mind and [dwell] in righteousness" and leave no one behind. I believe my group accomplished that and much more and if that's what this world will be like after Christ comes again then I want to be there. That means that I must be righteous and follow my Father in Heave 100%. If He says go on a mission then I will. If He says to keep my body, language, and thoughts pure then I will. If he tells me to study his word then I will. One of the main things I learned is that I MUST study the scriptures everyday or else I can not stand steadfast and immovable against the adversary and the world. I know that Christ is the savior of the world. I don't just believe it, I know it. But I have also learned to have a great love for everyone. I struggled to love some people in the past but this week I have seen such a change some of my best friends that I no longer can deny that the light of Christ is in everyone. He loves everyone I now know more than ever that he will prepare a way for everyone to come back to Him if we accept Him.