Practice Makes Perfect (&& an Update)

Well everyone, it's been a while since the last post!  The college semesters always get so busy, especially for junior year accounting majors.  My senior year is looking to be just as busy, but moreso due to extracurricular activities rather than academics.  Not only will I be doing my last year of cheer, but I have been accepted as a student leader for the 2016 Jamaica spring break trip for Whitworth's Center for Service Learning!  So my fall semester will be filled with cheering for the football team and the basketball teams, recruiting and team-building for the Jamaica trip, and competing for coveted accounting summer internships.  I have also been offered to return to Fruci and Associates, PS for another internship for the next tax season!  On top of this, I have been accepted to a January-term trip to Oahu, Hawai'i!  I am going to have one heck of a senior year, and I am so grateful for each and every opportunity.
This summer, I will be spending it with my aunt and uncle in Bremerton, Washington.  I am job-hunting right now and I have an interview with one Certified Public Accountant (CPA) already coming up in June!  In the first half of July, I will be going back to Whitworth University for summer classes.  I am trying to keep up on my credits so that I may be eligible for the CPA exam after graduating - an individual needs at least 150 credits in order to be eligible.  If I can get some sort of position with this firm, that will give me a very much needed advantage when competing for summer internships during the fall semester.
I have also submitted job applications to two nearby Starbucks stores.  I will try to stop by both of them today or tomorrow to drop off a resume in person, and hopefully secure an interview.

In the meantime, here are some self-timer photos of me practicing and improving my scorpion!

Leotard: Discount Dance Supply
Harem Pants: Bohemian Island

Spring Break in Jamaica with Mission Discovery

For my spring break this year, I went on my very first mission trip to Jamaica.  I stayed at a hotel in Montego Bay and visited two schools: the Jamaica Christian School for the Deaf in Eden and the Blossom Garden Child Care Facility in Montego Bay.  No photos of the children were allowed at the Blossom Garden facility, and that is where I spent most of my week.  While it is unfortunate I do not have photography of my wonderful experience with the toddlers there, I still do have many photos of other parts of my trip.  The children seen in these photos are from the Jamaica Christian School for the Deaf.  

My friend, Megan, chatting with kids from the Jamaica Christian School for the Deaf.

An abandoned car on the side of the road on the way to the school for the deaf.

Our first Sunday in Jamaica, we went to a two hour service at the Victory Christian Fellowship Church,  Their worship style is so fun and so passionate.

One of the kids at the Victory Christian Fellowship Church sits among our mission group.

Green growth on the way to the school for the deaf.

Sitting in the shade on Fun(d) Day at the school for the deaf.

Melissa is tackled with affection on Fun(d) Day at the school for the deaf.

The school for the deaf's dog, Tiger.

The children will play with your hair at the school for the deaf.

Casey and Melissa play catch at the school for the deaf.

Jordan and Anna push a girl on the swing at the school for the deaf.

Jordan approaches the teeter-totter while Jamie and two kids play.  This is part of the playground at the school for the deaf.

Jacque lets a boy play blow bubbles at the school for the deaf.

One of the girls from West Virginia University gets her hair styled by a student on Fun(d) Day.

The children at the school for the deaf loved to play with our cell phones and cameras.  Pictured here holding the phone is Marika.

Melissa and Marika take some dance move notes from one of the students on Fun(d) Day.

Mission Discovery T-shirt on Izak on Fun(d) Day.

Emily and Megan take a rest in the shade with the students on Fun(d) Day.

Casey takes on a hug while looking on at Akasha's cell phone.

The dancing festivities have begun at Fun(d) Day!

Alan from Wisconsin gets help turning the swing wheel ride on Fun(d) Day.

This is Kayla at the Fun(d) Day event at the school for the deaf.  She was not deaf, but she was very enthusiastic in posing for my camera.

One of many beautiful flower bushes on the way to Blossom Garden.

First Gel Polish Manicure

Got my first gel polish manicure today.  I originally picked out a ballerina pink but my manicurist picked up some other color instead, saying the pink was too old.  I don't mind this sparkly nude color though, and I love how fast gel polish dries.  I meant for the flower design to be along my cuticle, but she had already started it before I saw.

Gel polish is so expensive!  And the skin of my fingers felt a little sensitive to the UV light machine, but not by too much.  I hear the gel polish doesn't chip though, so hopefully it's worth the extra price for the extra manicure life.  I think I will go to a different salon next time though.  The ladies at the salon I went to are nice, but their selection of gel polish colors is rather limited.  I would get my own gel polish set, but I hear it's tough to remove the polish from your nails on your own.  The next time I go will probably be in 1.5 or 2 weeks, and I'll pick out an actual color.  Maybe a nice green just before St. Patrick's Day.

Following My Cat Around Today

Much to his dismay, I followed my cat, Brutus, around today.  First, he was a briefly obedient subject on my bed.  Then he grew impatient.  Later, I found him outside out on the porch railing and he was a much less annoyed subject.  He makes my breaks from school so happy.

Playing Catch Up I

College sure knows how to bog a student down!  I have many many updates to share.  But I want to recollect everything in chronological order.  So allow me to tell you through photos:

Some classic scenic photos of Spokane:

The before-after process of my dorm room:

Got to attend my first wedding!  The bride was proposed to last year during a football game in October.  So I went with a couple of other cheerleaders to this beautiful wedding:

The Asians got to matching in navy blue dresses!

The Bride and I.

Went to another stunt festival in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho!

Had a mini-stunt fest at Gonzaga University with the Gonzaga cheerleaders!  I didn't get photos of my stunting, but these two are what I got!

A cute little house near the Gonzaga campus.

Whitworth's Fancy Feast with my freshmen teammates!

All Tied Up event with my RA (resident's assistant), my roommate, and our next-door neighbors!

Big chocolate mousse ice cream concoction at the Coeur d'Alene Resort!

My family got to come up and visit me during Whitworth's Homecoming weekend!

Another football game:

I'm to the right of the center ginger-haired cheerleader (the cheer captain).

A visit to Greenbluff is a Fall tradition at Whitworth!  These ladies are part of my hall in my dorm.

I'm the far left in the bottom row.

Me with a farm cat at Greenbluff.

At Whitworth, there is a little tradition where you have a small bucketlist to complete in order to graduate.  I got to complete the hardest item one rainy day.

I caught a virgin pinecone [a pinecone that has not touched the ground)!  I heard it crack in a pine tree, and I stuck my left hand out with my mug of coffee in it and I caught it perfectly!
The other two items in the bucketlist (known as "The Little Three") are to accidentally drop a plate in the dining hall, and to accidentally get hit in the head with a frisbee.

I got a Siamese fighting fish (better known as a betta) and named him Hank!

Took a few typical fall photos.

Got these boots for $11 and the stockings for $6 at Burlington Coat Factory!  The stockings came with a solid black pair as well.  Love bargains!

Whitworth featured this photo on Facebook!  I was so excited.  I called this one 'Leafblower Arrangements' on Instagram.

Dressed up as a black bunny for Halloween with my teammate, Sara!

Whitworth Cheer got to perform at Midnight Madness!

Close-up on me and Sara and our makeup and hair!

Here is a link to our Midnight Madness performance!  I am the black #15.  I start off as the left back tuck basket and then I am the right lib to heel-stretch, and then the middle layer for the pyramid stunts.

Whitworth Cheer made the front page of the Whitworthian (college newspaper):

There I am to the right in the black #15 jersey!

Accomplished the standing scorpion pose (it's a yoga position):



And these are from Whitworth's first basketball game against D'Youville!

Braced extension with our freshman male cheerleader, David, under me!

Heel stretches!  Mine could be a lot better, but I'm still feeling quite accomplished.

Some ending things that are the most exciting things that I do not have a photo for:
1. I got accepted to go on a service-learning trip to Eden, Jamaica over my spring break at the end of March!

2. I also accepted an internship offer with Fruci and Associates, PS in downtown Spokane for a tax season internship!  It's a paid internship and I get to work with CPAs.

I will try to keep this blog more updated with better planning.  I cannot wait for this semester to end so I can get on with my internship and my service-learning trip in the Spring.