Double Trouble

This blog is overflowing with little sisters! I have been spending lots of time with the twins, and they tend to create one picture worthy moment after another. The girls have begun to embrace summer and swimming. They are getting some cute little tan lines because we have been spending lots of days in the sun.
And behind those irresistible little smiles are ornery sides too. Every once in a while you will see their crazy faces come out!A few Fridays ago we traveled to Chanute, Kansas to visit my oldest sister Kristen and her daughters. We went to Chanute's aquatic center while we were there. The girls got a kick out of the water fort, slides, and lazy river.On Wednesday we went to Springfield to do some shopping. The girls found Veggie Tales hats at the bookstore. Sarah liked Bob, the Tomato, and Hannah liked Larry Boy, the super cucumber. We couldn't leave the store without the hats so the girls wore them out of the store, and even to bed that night!Then was the church's annual Independence Day celebration. I was so happy that Erin got to join us! We had a good time catching up. Her big test is just around the corner, then we will be able to hang out a lot more.The girls loved watching fireworks with our cousins Leah and Darcy, and yes, they still have not taken their hats off!

Ah Summer!

Summer is in full force. Shorts are a must everyday, and the sun is shining. This time of year is my absolute favorite! I spent last weekend in Pittsburg. Saturday's main event was the USA vs England in the FIFA World Cup. We all got together for grilling, chips, dips, and soccer watching! I was glad Kaylee and Erin could join in on the festivities for a bit! Go USA!That evening I took Brooke out for an evening in Pittsburg and met up with some Sigma girls! We tried to take a silly picture, but Kacee always smiles during silly pictures. Luckily, I know her and I got her with the sneak attaack bunny ears! Brooke, Sarah, and Kaylee had no problem making a crazy face for the picture!After my weekend of fun, I headed back to Monett. We ordered pizza one night and the girls made a mess, but it resulted in plenty of bathtub fun!On our rainy day, the girls were pretty disappointed that they could not play in the pool. I convinced them that inside wasn't so bad when we built a giant blanket fort! Living with the twins is bringing back all of my old childhood memories, and I don't mind one bit!

Blah Blah Blah

As I continue to settle into life in Monett, the twins continue to amaze me with their wit and charm. It is incredible how something so little can make your heart melt, and they do it daily! Even though I love life as a big sister, I have been out of town for a few days traveling all over Kansas. Eight of us made a road trip across Kansas for a wedding in Cheney, Kansas. I met Shauna and Steven at Pitt. They have been wonderful friends and I am so happy for the two of them. Lucky for me, we share a lot of the same friends, so their wedding was a mini reunion for all of us! Michelle Jordan and I had to stick together, we were outnumbered by all the guys! I can't get over how blessed I am to have the group of friends that I do. I can count on them for anything, and we know everything about each other. Knowing so much is what makes us so close, and also opens the door to lots of poking fun and pulling pranks, but that is part of what makes our group so fun to be around! At the end of the day we are all looking out for each other. We tried to capture a photo of all of us, but this is about as good as it gets with this crazy bunch!After the reception, we all booked rooms at the same hotel. It was fun to have the whole group in one place again. It made for a lot of reminiscing about old memories, and making new ones! I had 3 of my best friends in one place, which has not happened since Sigma formal, so it was refreshing to spend an evening with Michael, Gabe, and Jordan. They have really been like brothers to me at my home away from home, and I jump at every chance to spend time with them.Monday, I volunteered at Pitt CARES, which is the freshman orientation program for PSU. While I was there, I saw Gus Gorilla and President Scott. They were kind enough to take a picture with me. Doesn't Gus look good? He happens to be one of my closest friends!

This week Shelly and I attended a Bible study and discussed how to live a life that is above average. We also took the twins shopping in Joplin and picked up some much needed items. Other than that, I am continuing the job hunt, and heading back to Pittsburg this weekend. I am sure that will make for more pictures and memories to share next week.

Life after Pitt

So for all my faithful followers, (by that I mean Grandma and Christel!) and due to popular demand, I am going to continue my blog post-graduation in order to keep you fully updated on the happenings in the life of Melissa! Since graduation I have been super busy moving, but I have managed to have a little fun along the way.
The week after graduation, Michael and I relieved my parents of their parental duties for an evening and took the twins to Chuck E. Cheese. After 2 1/2 hours of chasing them around we both went home extremely exhausted, but filled with smiles and stories. The saying is true, kids really do say the darndest things! The girls are no exception. Their favorite part of Chuck E. Cheese was climbing in the tunnels, but they weren't quite tall enough. Lucky for them, Michael was not afraid to take off his shoes and climb in there with them!The next night, Adam and I went on our last dinner date. Adam is one of my very close friends, and we joke that we make a great pretend boyfriend and girlfriend, because people assume we are dating when we go out to dinner together. So for our last get together before the summer, Adam took me on the most spectacular fake date ever! He showed up with fake flowers, took me to Cafe Del Rio for dinner and we even shared a banana split at Braum's after! Then we rented movies and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Adam is certainly going to be missed, but I expect visits from him next year.That weekend, we celebrated Michael's birthday in Kansas City before he shipped out to Las Vegas for some celebrating with the guys. We went to a Royals game on Friday, and spent Saturday by the pool, with his family, in Lee's Summit. The Royals have had a winning record recently and we got to see them beat the Rockies followed by a Friday night fireworks show!This last week has been spent moving and adjusting to life in Monett. I am on the job hunt, but will be staying with my parents until I find a position. It is nice to be around the twins so much, and they have a way of keeping me on my toes and laughing all day long! They are probably the most entertaining roommates I have ever had, and I am so glad I am getting to spend this time with them while I transition into adulthood.

Graduation Station!

It is official. I am a college graduate. This was my last week of college and I am happy to say it is over, but interested to see where life is going from here. Wednesday, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Tau Gamma, and Panhellinic Council hosted a benefit concert and bbq for a scholarship fund. It was nice to take a break from finals week and get together for music, food, and fun!
Friday, I graduated! The ceremony was held that evening. My family and a few friends got to come see me walk across the stage to adulthood! I was so happy that my younger brother, Bryce, got to come to town for the big occasion.
After the ceremony, I was able to hit the town with a few friends. Erin and Gabe are two of my closest friends since moving to Pittsburg, and they both joined me in celebrating my accomplishment.The next day I attended graduation parties for all of my fellow graduates. A group of us were joking about some of our favorite childhood snacks. We laughed about Funyuns and Bugles. At Andy's graduation party they had Funyuns and Bugles. Like old times, we wore the Funyuns as rings and put the bugles on the tips of our fingers! Mitch, Michael, Kacee and I were showing off our edible accessories.

Hello May

Wow it almost seems impossible that May is already here, and it has started off with a bang! SAC hosted our annual Spring Fling. Adam, Meghan, and Michelle manned the table and greeted everyone that came out for the event.Spring Fling was a fiesta theme and was filled with all sorts of fun activities. We had live music, pin'iata, a Mexican buffet, and a photo booth. We managed to cram eight of us into the photo booth. I think we almost knocked the thing over, but the pictures that resulted were well worth the effort!After Spring Fling, we all headed to half-price appetizers which has become a weekly ritual with our crew. Lauren was there too and we captured a photo in our sombreros!The next day was the Student Activities Council End of the Year banquet. We recognize our members, the outgoing and incoming executive officers, and give out awards. As Vice President, part of my duties are to plan this banquet. This was my last big task as VP. We feasted on a delicious dinner and handed out awards. Kyla will be taking over my position in the Fall. Adam is the current executive chair of Campus Stew committee, and they won the committee of the year. Michelle won the Markivee Award, which is the SAC member of the year! I must say, I have some pretty quality friends!This last weekend I spent relaxing and hanging out with friends. I participated in a movie watching marathon, cooked some delicious meals, and just tried to spend as much time as possible with all my pals before I head out of this town. I have known these two trouble makers for quite a while now. Michael, Brett, and I have spent a lot of time together, and even done a little exploring! I am working on my persuasive skills and trying to peer pressure them, and the rest of our friends to follow me to wherever I end up after school! We will see if my efforts pay off, but I definitely expect them to take a few road trips south next year!

Here, There, and Everywhere

This last week was filled to the brim with fun activities. I have had a list of things I want to do and try before I finish college, and with the end of college approaching, it is crunch time to finish my list!

On Monday, some friends and I declared a senior skip day and headed to Kansas City for a Royals game! Although some of us are from Kansas City, some of the girls that joined us had never been to see the Royals live, and they were in for a treat with the newly renovated stadium! The weather didn't exactly work in our favor, but in spite of the cold temperatures and freezing rain, we managed to have an awesome time! Here is the whole crew; Sarah, Katie, Mandy, Me, Cassie, Brittany, Mallory, and Audrey.

I met Zach, Mitch, and Jake for lunch at the Farris' Cafe later in the week. The Farris' Cafe, "Where every bite is a delight," is on the road I take to get to school every day and I have always wanted to stop in. I am now disappointed that I did not try it sooner! The food was delicious and our help was super friendly. Hopefully I will have the chance to try something else on their menu in the next two weeks!

Thursday was the last day for my job at the Phoneathon. It has been fun getting to know the people I work with and raising funds for the University. Everyday that I go to work I am reminded how awesome it is to be a Gorilla and I get to talk about my experiences and hear the stories of our alumni. Rebecca is my calling buddy. I have enjoyed getting to know her and the jokes and fun that has come from our time at the phoneathon!

This weekend I took a day trip to Kansas City to see my buddy Andrew perform in his Kindergarten Celebration! He was the pig that built the brick house in The Three Piggy Opera, which was a musical version of he three little pigs. So that makes him the smartest, strongest pig right?!? He did such a great job and I was so excited to see him shine on stage!

On the way home from church on Sunday we stopped traffic to capture one of the largest turtles I have ever seen! We ended up giving him a temporary home in our friend Andy's bathtub. Needless to say Andy had quite the reaction when he got home to find a giant turtle in his bathroom! It was all fun and games and everyone got a good laugh out of our new friend Howard! Here is the church crew/turtle tamers after capturing Howard!

The rest of Sunday afternoon was spent checking another thing off the list, Big Brutus. Big Brutus is one of the largest electric mining shovels in the world. It is 16 stories tall and it's dipper can scoop up to 90 cubic yards or 150 tons!

Jeff, Erin, and I posed at the bottom of the beast! Each of the pads over our heads weighed over 2,000 pounds.