Let the Good Times Roll!

Hello Family, Friends, and who ever else finds themselves reading my blog!

Welcome to Kyle's blog! For those of you who are new readers, this blog is a weekly (ish) posting of my doings and whatever that entails. Photos are in the link on the left and then categorized and sorted.

So, where did I leave off? Last Thursday we were just finishing the first week of classes. The first week went well. I changed up a few things, but have since gotten things straightened out.

Last Friday was a half-day. In the afternoon it was K-Day (Keweenaw Day). We all went out to McLain State Park to enjoy free food, visit tables of all the student organizations, and enjoy a day on the beach. We had wonderful weather to be at the beach and enjoyed the photo booth, swimming, and frisbee (among the more unusual, such as fencing!).

On Saturday we went to the football game on Sherman Field. We won 51-15! Lots of fun memories were made at this event :)  Saturday evening we ordered pizza from dominoes because it was 50% off! (because of the football game).

On Sunday I went to church, we had house meeting, and we made laundry magnets after our meeting.

On Monday I had my full set of Monday classes, including my Soils Science Lab. We traveled south throughout the Keweenaw looking at different soil types and variations. Again, it is always nice to get off campus and explore, especially in such beautiful weather. Monday evening we went to the womens' soccer game at Sherman Field. They played our arch-rival, Northern Michigan University. We won 2-0! I know a few players on our team, so it was certainly fun to cheer them on. Also, a girl from my high school was there playing on Northern's team and another friend from high school was in the stands cheering. It was kinda fun to see them right here in Houghton. Many more fun memories occurred at this sporting event :)

On Tuesday we remembered the attacks on the Twin Towers, Pentagon, and the crash the occurred in PA. The 11th anniversary still conjures up many memories for everyone. I, too, will never forget that day in 3rd grade....Prayers will continue to go out to the victims and their family and friends as the anniversary is marked, year after year.

On Wednesday I had a full day of things to do. Preparing for the camping trip was heavily down on Wed. Wednesday evening I had my WAM and USG meetings. Wednesday night we had a practice fire drill. I got to put on my bright vest and use my light up baton :) Also Wed. evening, Jen arrived in Houghton! Jen was the RA of TreeHouse last year and is the fiance of my friend Dave. Jen came up to visit Dave (and see the rest of us, of course :)

On Thursday I was booked from 8am-10pm. I had many classes, a lab, and a few meetings. I had an Honors Institute Mtg. and a Frisbockey Meeting. We also had our first house movie night.

On Friday I had class from 8-10am and then I had the rest of the day to prepare for the camping trip. I paid the remainder of my student bill, dealt with the community recycling, went to Walmart to return refundable cans and buy food for the camp-out, and went to OAP to pick up all of the rented tents and sleeping bags (which there were a LOT of!). We were ready just in time and gathered at 5:30pm. We collected money, gathered all of our things, and packed up!

We took 6 cars and 26 people camping at Agate Beach, in Stanton Township, MI. We got there around 6:30pm and started a fire. Dinner was hot dogs over the fire and chips. We played frisbee, walked the beach, and witnessed a BEAUTIFUL sunset (see pics!). I really enjoyed bonding we my residents/friends :) We had s'mores for dessert. Some of us roasted potatoes, apples, and candy bars (butterfingers, crunch, etc.). We had lots of fun singing songs and telling stories. The camping trip as a whole was a wonderful bonding experience for everyone. We stayed up and star-gazed, which, in case you were wondering, is beautiful on a clear, dark night on Lake Superior.

This morning we all woke up at our own pace. We boiled water and had oatmeal and fruit. We enjoyed a small fire and packed up. We took our time and came back to campus around 11:30am. This afternoon we returned all the rented gear to OAP and I aired out my sleeping bag, tent, and blanket. I finished a little homework and then we went to eat dinner before our first frisbockey game. Frisbockey, for those who don't know, is a mix of Ultimate frisbee and and hockey (hence the name). You play Ultimate, with some variations, and then you have to get the frisbee in a net, like hockey. We played Excello this evening and lost 3-1. We tried hard and have two games tomorrow. As TreeHouse is known for, we take a fun and friendly approach to all competition and always act with good sportsmanship :)

Now I am here, uploading photos and writing this blog. I have more homework to do and paperwork to fill out. Tomorrow we have two frisbockey games, I am going to church, and I have homework to finish.

All and all the past week as been an amazing time getting to know new people and more about the ones I thought I knew before. I am excited for TreeHouse and the upcoming year and for classes. The camping trip (as camping normally does) cleared my mind, and has allowed me to re-enter campus with an open mind and willing attitude. The year ahead won't be easy, I know, but we must remember that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and that diamonds form under pressure.