Farewell and Farewell!

So the countdown is winding down, in just a few days I will embark on a two year adventure in the Mississippi Jackson Mission, or more cooly reffered to as the "MJM." It's been some crazy weeks leading up to this, getting ready to leave for two years is quite a task. My favorite weekend though was easily last weekend when all my friends and family were in town to hear me speak one last time before I go (as if they don't listen to my voice enough already). We had fun as we all crammed into Hotel Garrett with air mattresses and couches and ate, slept (seperately), and breathed together for 3 or 4 days. Saturday night we ventured down to the strip as a big group to have some fun before I'm put to work. We did a little window shopping, attempted to ride the tallest thrill rides in the world (I say attempt because they were closed, dang wind), and had a delicious meal at Peppermill, the once mob-ran diner down on the strip. I have the best friends in the world, and an even better family. So sadly, this blog will go into hibernation for a few years, and many of you will think to yourselves, "Self, how on earth am I going to be light-heartedly entertained by the whimsical day to day life of the ever witty, charming, and devilishly handsome Kyle Garrett?" Well have no fear! You will all hear from me again! Lessons of the Day: Mob food=good food, wind=no go on the Stratosphere, and I will dearly miss my friends and family alike these next two years


The Whole Gang!



I like to think of this as our cardigan swag



The two best people on earth, plus me in the middle

- Posted from my iPhone

Back in Vegas

So the countdown only continues as the mish creeps up closer and closer. In true pre-mission fashion I've been trying to enjoy myself with my friends and soak in all the goodness, just in case things aren't the same when I come back (you just never know who will be married and/or knocked up two years from now, hopefully in the right order). We went camping up in Oakley, UT and that was a pretty fun night. Nothing beats stuffing a bunch of friends in a tent as a way of drawing closer to each other, both physically and emotionally. I've moved home to Vegas and now I sit around being bored out of my mind, pretty much just waiting to head to the MTC. But before I drove away from my home for the last four years, my good friend Hannah organized and threw me the most amazing surprise going away party. I was kind of stressing having to track down and say goodbye to everyone, and she made it easy for me, as well as showed me that I was loved. She did an amazing job baking a cake in the shape of my future missionary nametag, and a shmorgusborg of cupcakes in the shape of the Mississippi flag! I had to fight back some tears as I saw a room full of the people I love jump up and yell "surprise!" Another fun story from that night that was told over and over again was when my mom won what is called "The Penis Game." It's not as gross as it sounds, you just say/yell the word "penis" and each person has to say/yell it louder than the last, whoever is the loudest wins! Well while everyone was waiting in the dark to surprise me, they started playing, and good ol' mom was the winner! My friends really enjoyed that and told me over and over again. I went and did some of my first missionary shopping with the parentals on Saturday and walked out one suit, two slacks, one belt, and four ties richer. Two weeks until my farewell, three and a half weeks until I'm outta here! Lessons of the Day: I wasn't meant to camp for very long periods of time, I have the best friends in the world, and it's getting cloooooose!!



Happy Campers!


Best Friends a Guy Could Ask For


My Momzy and the Penis Game Winner!

-Posted from my iPhone

The South Won't Know What Hit 'Em

Well the mission call came in the mail a few weeks ago and it's been pretty crazy since. Are you ready for this?! I've been called to serve in the Mississippi Jackson Mission! My mission will cover southern Mississippi, northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas, and even three cities in Texas! I couldn't be more excited or humbled to be called to serve in the dirrrrty south!! It was awesome to have friends gathered at my house in Provo, and family gathered via webcam back in Vegas. It's been a long time comin, and a path full of road blocks, but I finally tackled every last one and am proud to say I'm going to embark on a full-time mission. The next exciting step is to head to the temple in Las Vegas to take out my endowments just in time to see my cousin's sealing. I've been excited every time I hear "Mississippi," "the south," or anything close to it mentioned haha. I even ordered an Ole Miss hat so that I can rep it before I head out. Well that's about it for now, I report to the MTC August 4th and couldn't be more stoked about it! Lessons of the Day: thank you technology for making families closer, waiting for a mission call is intense, and I will be serving the great people of Jackson, Mississippi! (And one extra one, it's fun to spell Mississippi, try it!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhoSTjnvjQw

Here's a clip of me opening it!




Here's the mission boundaries!

- Posted from my iPhone

The Big Two-Two!

So the Bday has come and went and it'll be a memorable one at that. I'm now a 22 year old kid, not much different than when I was a 10 year old kid. This bday was amazing. I walked in to a surprise "my size Barbie" sized cardboard cake and a group of my friends singing Happy Birthday. Just as they hit the last note, a cute girl from our ward jumped out of the cake in a sequin-covered (modest) top! I laughed so hard I almost dropped my real cake on the floor. Later that night my buddy Ben walked in to the apartment all bloody and cut from falling off his longboard so I got to spend the rest of my bday night in the hospital listening to Ben say funny things on morphine, like when he gave the doctor permission to "draw a weiner" for all he cared as his signature. I've been home this weekend and it's been great because I haven't been home since Christmas! Well the mission call should be here this week so that's exciting! I'll be sure to update the blog world on that when it happens! Lessons of the Day: being 22 is a lot like being 21, wear a helmet while longboarding, and a weiner drawing is an acceptable signature for Ben.



Yay 22! Celebrating at Pizza Factory!



Wear a helmet kids!



Lookin' good for Megan Winn's reception


- Posted from my iPhone

Now That I've Grown a Foot or Two...

I sure hope this makes sense, I'm super excited to just type this. I have semi-secretly been working on going on a mission, or at least trying to. Today I can officially say that I am planning on GOING on a mission. I met with my bishop tonight and we had been anxiously waiting for a response to our letters to the first presidency in Salt Lake to see if I could even start papers or not. Well he said it came back favorable and now I get to start the process of filling out the paperwork so that I can go on a mission this summer!! Well I'll be keeping the blog world up to date so no worries... Peace and Love! Lessons of the Day: I'm going on a mission! I'm going on a mission! I'M GOING ON A MISSION!!

My Family is Cooler Than Yours

Well it was a big weekend for me, and nothing could have made it better than having my family in town. I was excited to see them, since the last time I was home happened to be Christmas break (that's a long time for me)! They came up this weekend because I received the Melchizedek Priesthood and was ordained to the office of an elder. This is a big step of course, and I'm sure even bigger steps are on their way (more about that another time). It was neat to have my great grandpa there amongst my dad, friends, and church representatives. I got to experience the lineage of the priesthood across 4 generations! Well since Sunday is only one day out of the four my family was here, we of course had more fun than you probably did. Mason crashed with me at gma's and so did cousin Brady. It was nonstop laughs and always a good time. We went Saturday to a driving range, and brought little sister Sadie and little cousin Cole along. It was great because we got 9 buckets for the price of 4! As Brady said, we were merely "practicing for Easter" as we collected a few more golf balls to smash towards the mountains. In case you've never met my family, or have and don't have eyes, we are (dare I say it) a good-looking, fashionable bunch. To support my buddy Jesse's clothing company, and because it's cool to be a trend-setter, each member of my family is a proud owner of a ParadeMaker t-shirt. Amongst other fun and funny moments we stopped to take a picture of an inapropriate shaped bush in Provo, and the pic was our parents idea. This is just one of many reasons why my family just might be cooler than yours. Lessons of the Day: Mason + Brady + Kyle = unstoppable, Garretts are natural golfers, and having parents who think a weiner-shaped bush is just as funny as you think it is means your parents are awesome!



One word: Studly


Don't tell me this shaped itself like this...


He hit that tower with a golf ball... Easily

-Posted from my iPhone

In the Swing of Things

I haven't posted on my blog in a minute! (ps I hate that saying)

So the winter 2010 (twenty ten, not two thousand and ten please) is finally in full swing! You know what that means... Homework, tests, reading, and less of a social life. Ok the truth is I'm really good at sacrificing the priors to supplement the latter. I had a creative streak at the beginning of this semester and dropped some benjamins on redoing my room at gramm's and gramp's and turning it into a bachelor pad, after all, I AM a bachelor!! Speaking of bachelor, I try to go on dates, and have with some cute girls! Go me! Life is stressful when you're becoming an adult I've decided, as I start looking at dental schools to apply to and need to start studying for the DAT (dental admissions test). I just take life one day at a time and try not to let it ge to me, it's been a long road and it's nowhere near over. Lessons of the Day: winter semester is cold and snowy, I'm way better at being a kid than an adult, and having a bachelor pad is saaaweeeet!!




Couch and table



TV and desk (yes it's high def and wall-mounted thanks for asking)



Date w/ Jessica (matching shirt and beanie... Fate?)



3 guys, one couch, and an epic trip to IKEA

- Posted from my iPhone