The Sandy Castle

I Hope They Call Me On a Mission!

2009-07-16T11:42:00.003-06:00

I thought it unlikely that I will ever grow another foot or two, so I went ahead and sent my mission papers in this summer. I received my call to the Argentina Bahia Blanca mission, Spanish-speaking. We leave tonight to take me to the Missionary Training Center where I'll spend two months working on the language and other such missionary need-to-knows. After that I'll fly down to South America and spend the rest of my time serving the people of Argentina and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So, if you're wondering why I'm not posting anytime in the next 18 months, now you know.

But if you ever want to get a hold of me or send me a letter (which I would love, by the way) - Here's my address.
Sister Sandra Wilding
Argentina Bahia Blanca Mission
Las Heras 124, Piso 1, Oficinas 1-3
8000 Bahia Blanca
Buenos Aires
Argentina

Wish me luck! - Or better yet, you can pray for me. ;) See everyone in 18 months!
~Sandy

The Many Faces of Me, Sandy.

2009-06-29T19:41:00.005-06:00

So on Saturday we spent all day singing and recorded a whole bunch of songs onto CD. We flew Jeri in from Denver, and the whole family got together to sing. It was so fun! But we were also exhausted by the time we were done! And so at some random point, I was making strange faces, and Rosie decided to take pictures of them. Little did I know, she was actually taking a VIDEO!! So anyway, I decided to willingly post this myself so she couldn't use it as blackmail someday against me.. :)

My final words were, "And you got me with Mustache Man!" haha!!

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout

2009-06-26T09:16:00.003-06:00

Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout
Would not take the garbate out!
She'd scour the pots and scrape the pans,
Candy the yams and spice the hams,
And though her daddy would scream and shout,
She simply would not take the garbage out.

And so it piled up to the ceilings;
Coffee grounds, potato peelings,
Brown bananas, rotton peas,
Chunks of sour cottage cheese.
It filled the can, it covered the floor,
It cracked the window and blocked the door
With bacon rinds and chicken bones,
Drippy ends of ice cream cones,
Prune pits, peach pits, orange peel,
Gloppy glumps of cold oatmeal,
Pizza crusts with withered greens,
Soggy beans and tangerines,
Crusts of black burned buttered toast,
Gristly bits of beefy roast...
The garbage rolled on down the hall,
It raised the roof, it broke the wall...

Greasy napkins, cookie crumbs,
Globs of gooey bubble gum,
Cellophane from green baloney,
Rubbery blubbery macaroni,
Peanut butter, caked and dry,
Curdled milk and crusts of pie,
Moldy melons, dried-up mustard,
Eggshells mixed with lemon custard,
Cold french fries and rancid meat,
Yellow lumps of Cream of Wheat.

At last the garbage reached so high
That finally it touched the sky.
And all the neighbors moved away,
And none of her friends would come to play.
And finally Sarah Cynthia Stout said,
"OK, I'll take the garbage out!!!"

But then, of course, it was too late...
The garbage reached across the state,
From New York to the Golden Gate.
And there, in the garbage she did hate,
Poor Sarah met an awful lfate,
That I cannot now relate
Because the hour is much too late.

But children, remember Sarah Stout
And always take the garbage out!

Like poor Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout, I think I have a problem. I think it's a communication problem - I'm not very good at keeping up with people. Or keeping in touch in general. If, as a hypothetical example, I were to create a blog, I would probably write a few entries faithfully and then slowly yet surely drop off the face of the internet. I write in my journal once every month or two... I will usually return a phonecall or facebook message within.. Two or three weeks. Perhaps it comes down to.. laziness? This is probably something I should be working on - Any advice?

The Price of Freedom

2009-06-06T09:39:00.005-06:00

Today, June 6, is the 65th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Europe, known as D-day, which was the beginning of the end of World War II. Beginning at 6:30 am on June 6, 1944, over 150,000 American, British and Canadian troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of the beaches of Normandy, France to finish a war they did not start.

We honor them as we honor those who serve today for the freedom of our country.

The Price of Freedom::a musical presentation on World War II

Shared via AddThis

Long Time No See...

2009-04-27T20:50:00.004-06:00

Do you ever feel like you haven't updated your blog for about a month?? Sometimes, I feel that way.. :) Kaely and Rose got after me yesterday for not writing, so here I am.

What's happened in the last month of my life? Well, school and finals finished. done. Gone. The ever-dreaded white glove. A sudden road-trip to Colorado starting early one morning, just as the sun was rising. A Golden week with Jeri and Adam. And then I'm on my way, Home sweet home.

I was welcomed to Texas by a great big Texas-Thunderstorm (a real thunderstorm), and a family who loves me! My week at home has been filled with running errands, helping the kids and Mom where needed, and working on my mission papers! Hopefully I'll have them turned in by the end of the week!! I've been so busy to get it all fit in, but I am so excited!

As far as my "sudden" road-trip to Colorado goes, thanks Jeri and Adam for a wondeful week! I love spending time with you. And it was fun to see Katie and John for a night too! I had a misunderstanding with my ride, and we ended up leaving 24 hours BEFORE I thought we were going to go. Luckily I was already mostly packed when they knocked on my door at 6am on the Friday morning after school got out (not Saturday) ... I missed saying quite a few goodbyes, so I want to say BYU-Idaho and all my roommates and friends, I will miss you for the next 2 1/2 years! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to study and experience life at BYU-I. And I am also so thankful for the chance to serve a mission! (Luckily, we'll be at Disneyworld for a week, and then I'll get my mission call soon after we're home - It'll cut out on the waiting time. :)

AND, since I don't like writing any posts without pictures, here are some of the trip to Golden (although they're not mine - they're from Google Maps. :) They're the part of the trip before we got to boring, nothing-to-see-but-tumbleweeds Wyoming.

The Teton mountains were beautiful to drive by!

We also drove through the Palasades, and the fog was thick above the lake - So ethereal!

And I'm a big fan of raging brooks.. Even though raging brooks is an oxymoron. :D

Skyler, The Pizza Boy

2009-03-26T23:10:00.005-06:00

Did you know that when you order pizza online at dominos.com that you can track your order as it goes? Well, you can!

"David is reviewing your order."
"David is putting your pizza in the oven."
"David is putting your pizza in a box."
"Our delivery expert, Skyler, has left Dominos at 8:02..."

We felt a little like stalkers, but it was fun to watch as the website updated as the cooking expert and delivery expert worked on our pizza. And so we wrote a song for Skyler when he knocked on our door.. He liked it. What do you think?

Skyler, the Pizza Boy
Bring me pizza, bring me joy.
Oh Skyler, the Pizza Boy
I love him, I love him, I love him.

Okay, so just kidding. We didn't actually sing it to him when he came. But we did write it in the online feedback... (see the PrintScreen below)

Dear Snow,

2009-03-25T21:22:00.004-06:00

Dear Snow,

I thought I told you we were through! What are you doing here? Please, just go away! I tried to make it work with us, but you just weren't enough. Spring is here now, and you need to go. No, don't try to make me change my mind. No matter how mushy you get, I'm not falling for you again! Your heart is cold as ice, and I need something more.

All I've got to say, is you better not still be here when I wake up.

(inspired by Katie. Thanks.)

Keep eating! Go back to sleep!

2009-03-23T14:42:00.002-06:00

Hooray for Spring! Last week was beautiful! I studied outside all weekend for my first final, and it was AMAZING! Sadly, all good things must come to an end. Sooner or later. For this Rexburg pseudo-spring, it was sooner. We awoke this morning to a fresh coat of snow.

On the way to class, Becky and I walked past a tree where we heard a crow pitifully crowing, lamenting the false start to the beautiful season of warmth. (Seriously, he sounded like he was physically in great pain.) And then further up the hill on our 15 minute hike to the Hinckley, we passed a family of squirrels. They were all frantically scrounging in the snow and snarfing down anything they found. They seemed to be saying to eat other Keep eating! Spring's not here yet! Eat all you can, and go back to sleep! It's still Winter!! Haha, too bad I didn't have my camera on me..

A Day in the Life of Me, Sandy

2009-03-14T12:29:00.006-06:00

Since I am an Elementary Ed major, words are not my forte. Therefore, today's post is a depiction of my day yesterday - In Pictures. :)

I woke up and went to school in the morning, passing by the other housing complexes on the way... ah Rexburg. (In case you can't tell, the sign in that window says "I'm Desperate! Call me" with a phone number. People here are always trying to get dates. Typical...)

The campus is decorated this time of year (okay, ALL times of year, EVERY year for the last three years) with scenic construction zones that we have the privilege of circumventing on the way to our classes.

Home sweet home.. Time for classes - Linguistics and Religion today.

As I passed the Hart, I decided to catch the flowers I saw the other day. It's true - They're real. Spring is in the air!

This flower is actually part of the rose plant in our house... But it still brightens my day to see real flowers blooming! Isn't it pretty?

When I got back from class, I did the dishes that were spilling over the sides of our sink, oh so fun.. But smiled at the message we've got on the wall above the sink - a reminder that Life is Good!

Then I got ready to head to the temple, since I don't have any afternoon classes on Fridays

I love the temple!

Sadly, I realized I forgot my wallet - which has my temple recommend in it - and so I didn't get to go in. But it's always pretty to make a visit to the temple anyway. And I thought the trees in front were so cool, all covered in ice!

I went home and did some homework all afternoon, and then headed out to make dinner with my friend Alex. We made sweet and sour chicken, and he helped me improve my chopstick skills. Haha...

After dinner was a fun night of ballroom dancing - And before you ask, because I know you were wondering - No, that's not me in the picture. :D

The day was finished with a beautiful Rexburg sunset - This is a picture Clerissa took. She went to the nature park to get better pictures of the sunset.

Yes, Life is Good. :D

Life Truths I Have Learned Today

2009-03-10T13:00:00.004-06:00

1. The sun shining does not imply warmth.

2. When you fall on your knees rollerskating, it will leave a bruise.

3. When you audit a class, you are less likely to attend it.

4. When the house is clean, you feel more productive.

5. Boys are, generally, kinda crazy.

6. The people you love are the best roommates.

7. Prayer works.

8. Whoever invented the dishwasher was a genius.

9. Skirts should be outlawed in Rexburg due to the wind.

10. There is no end to construction.

11. There IS such a thing as walking to school in six feet of snow, uphill both ways.

12. The song of the righteous is a prayer unto God.

13. It IS possible for little flowers to start growing in March despite the snow and the cold (This is a true statement - I saw one this morning outside the library, trying to grow.)

14. If you don't practice what you've learned, you'll forget it.

15. Some people eat smallish birds for breakfast.

The New Girl in Town

2009-03-06T13:16:00.001-07:00

After so long enjoying the blogs of my friends and family, I have finally joined the bandwagon. Now you may all read up on the oh-so-eventful life of me, Sandy - a girl studying at BYU-Idaho, making friends that will last forever, gaining a testimony that will fortify me for a lifetime, and learning to find joy in the little things. Stay tuned, I'm the new girl in town! :D