KG's Daily Lessons

Farewell and Farewell!

2010-07-30T11:08:00.001-07:00

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

2010-07-12T11:17:00.001-07:00

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

2010-06-07T14:14:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-05-17T00:12:00.001-07:00

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...

2010-04-06T19:10:00.000-07:00

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

2010-03-31T15:06:00.001-07:00

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

2010-01-28T16:39:00.001-08:00

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

Christmas Time = School's Out!

2009-12-20T20:13:00.001-08:00

I took my last final on Friday and got a good grade on it! If that wasn't awesome enough, as I was walking home the "Party in the USA" song by Miley Cyrus came on and I knew right then life didn't get much better, but nay, I was wrong! Saturday morning I woke up (too early) to my buddy Ben convincing me to go half day at Snowbird! My answer was obviously "yes" so I hopped out of bed and headed to the local board shop. One pair of goggles and one jacket later I was on my way to the slopes! It felt good to shred my first day of the season, and then I figured life couldn't get better again, wrong! I went on a "hot" date (except we froze our aces off) with a cute girl named Jessie. We went to a restaurant called "The Dodo" and had some amazing food and shared a yummy slice of pie! Then we went and saw the Christmas lights at the Hogle Zoo... It was soooo cool! Then we went to this house that has these Christmas lights that dance to the music on a radio station! We ended the night with watching Elf, one of the most hilarious movies ever... All in all the entire weekend has been nothing but excellent, bordering perfection if it wasn't for my aching muscles and sore butt from boarding. Lessons of the Day: first day of the season = sore body, I'm thankful for those who spend WAY too much time on Christmas lights for my entertainment, and even dates in the freezing cold can be hot ;)

New goggles!

New jacket!

Zoo fun!

- Posted from my iPhone

Turkey and Such!

2009-11-29T17:58:00.000-08:00

Ohhhh Thanksgiving weekend!!

It was quite eventful! First off I drove a black VW bug home, and because of this every girl I drove by laughed and pointed for five and a half hours... I looked bitchin. Once your with the Russ Garrett clan the laughs start, and they don't stop until the last aunt, uncle, cousin, or grandparent walks out the door. I got an ab workout and now have a six pack (ok fine I have less of a keg). Little Cal was my pick for stud of the week. He has an obsession with computers and iPhones and he knows how to use them! I watched as he navigated around mine like a pro, and I thought I was on my phone too much haha. He tricked me into thinking he was excited that I was showing up but then the question came, "ummm Kyle do you have your iPhone? I wanna play on it." He's a cute kid. It was really good to see everyone, we missed out on the Grant Garrett family though. I usually end with lessons of the day but this time I'll end with what I'm thankful for in light of the holiday, ready for the sappy Kyle side?! I'm thankful for: parents who love and guide me and work harder than anyone else to make a better life for me and my siblings, extended family that I love as strongly as immediate family, and is just as fun, and for friends who influence who I've become today...

Cal and KG (sounds like a sitcom)

- Posted from my iPhone

News Team Assemble!!

2009-11-02T17:28:00.001-08:00

So Halloween has come and went... And it's already November! So first off I wanna mention my amazing costume. I decided to borrow one of great grandpa's suits and get a fake mustache and be the legendary Ron Burgundy! I had my friend Ryan be Brick, and cousin Brady was Champ, to top it all off Bethany McCullough (Chelsea's older sister) was the lovely Veronica Corningstone! It was a hit everywhere we went!! School is kicking my butt and work keeps me busy but I love working with these boys and trying to be a good example to them... Lessons of the Day: great grandpa is a stylish man, group costumes are more fun, and I look damn good with a mustache!

-- Post from my iPhone

New Found Hobby (Maybe)

2009-10-13T19:54:00.001-07:00

Sooo I've had a crazy week. I got a new job that I feel like I'm going to love! I'm a mentor at a boys home called Discovery Ranch. It's a good way to help others out and is going to be a great job that fits into my schedule. Also I had some heavy tets this weekend (O Chem and Genetics). I didn't do so hot on the O Chem and was feeling pretty ticked about all the studying I did. A random series of events led me, Erik; and Derrin to the driving range. I felt my stress melt away as I smashed the little golf ball (sometimes even straight!!). Anyway long story short it was fun and I ended up doing really well on genetics so we're all good!! Lessons of the Day: golf is therapeutic, o chem is evil, and genetics and me are cool for now.

-- Post from my iPhone

Babies Everywhere (Kind of)

2009-09-22T14:50:00.001-07:00

So I went home this weekend for baby Chase's blessing (cousin of mine brought to existence by Adam and Michelle Garrett, ask your mom if you wanna know exactly how). I hadn't seen him or the rest of my family since I moved back up to school. Chase definitely looks like his dad. It was fun to see everyone and get some great bonding time with the cousins, especially Maggie and Matt. Saturday was all football all day, just the way we like it. Saturday night we saw Imagine Dragons perform (for the thousandth time, not complaining) at Mandalay Bay and met up with great friends from St. George, Megan and Jess. The blessing went well, not that I've been to a blessing that didn't, I mean what could go wrong besides like dropping the baby?? Their ward chorister about killed me with how over the top he was... I sang "Onward Christian Soldiers" half the time in a powerful man voice and the other half in my can't stop laughing voice. All in all it was a good weekend away, which started with doing pretty well on an O Chem test (at least the multiple choice part). I slapped some pics of the cute babies running, or rather crawling, around the Garrett family. Lessons of the Day: football is a bonding experience, Imagine Dragons never get old, and my real singing voice isn't much better than my laughing-while-singing voice.

-- Post from my iPhone

What a Deal!

2009-09-12T11:50:00.001-07:00

So school has started back up and it's already stressing me out. I have all 300 level science classes (that's what I get for being a biology major). I'm actually having a really good time once I'm out of class haha. I have great friends up here and our favorite thing to do is eat! Arby's has been a hotspot lately for us ruggidly handsome men since they now have the 5 for $5 deal! Below is a pic of mine, Derrin's, and Ryan's roast beefs in a lovely tower. As most unruly gangs of single men do, we cause havoc on a nightly basis and hope one day we'll meet a group of unruly women who would love not only us but to cause havoc with us on a nightly basis. Lessons of the Day: none of us can finish all five roast beefs, women don't magically appear, and water balloons + launcher + drive-thru = funny reactions!

-- Post from my iPhone

Late Night Games and Munchies

2009-08-19T11:58:00.001-07:00

Soooo I'm back in Provo now, and as crazy as this sounds I'm actually loving it!! Right now I'm job hunting by day and partying by night! I've actually met some cool people in the short time I've been here already... Me and Erik are always having a good time, like last night: we met up with some girls named Jessie and Bre Rutledge (sisters) and their cousin, we played some board games, laughed until we were all sore in the throat and abs... Here's a pick of our late night munchies from Wal-Mart! Lessons of the Day: it's good to be back in Provo, most board games can be funny with the right people, and wal-mart passed midnight is a poppin place to be!

-- Post from my iPhone

Newport Paradise!

2009-08-12T10:48:00.001-07:00

So another year at Newport Beach has concluded and it was a good time! It was full of bike rides, family love, and of course as is the case with all Garrett family events, full of laughs! Chelsea tagged along with me and the fam and we had fun together! Newport is the one week a year I get to do absolutely nothing except what I want and leave all worries behind... Awwhhhhhhhh yeah! Lessons of the Day: Newport is theraputic, beach cruisers, if ridden for long periods of time bruise your butt, and after all is said and done, Newport is where it's at!

-- Post from my iPhone

Bring Your Brother to Work Day!

2009-07-26T20:34:00.001-07:00

Here's a snapshot of the new holiday I invented (see title of post). Mase and I, aka Security Sam and Security Steve busted heads all day and night. We stopped a kidnapping of an infant, busted six drug deals, and notified all "tools" of their toolness (the gym parking lot is full of em). All in a good days work though! Lessons of the Day: Work is faster with a companion, one can go tool hunting at most gym parking lots, and 2 guys + 2 iPhones = worst security guards ever. (In fact I blogged this from my post and tweeted about good deeds before doing them).

-- Post from my iPhone

Called to Serve

2009-07-22T13:21:00.001-07:00

So we dropped Tanner off at the MTC... We packed up small bags while Tanner packed for two years to go serve a mission in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. We drove up yesterday and had a "last supper" at Five Guys Burgers and Fries!! It was DAAAANG good so if you're ever in Orem and want a burger, check it out!! Then today we drove to the MTC and took some pics and now that they do curbside drop-off we said our quick goodbyes and he was off! A few tears were shed, maybe a little more than a few lol. Good luck Tanner! You'll do great!! Lessons of the Day: Five Guys is yummy, new curbside drop-off @ MTC makes it easier, and Tanner will be a great missionary!

Couldn't pass up a quick pic in front of Five Guys after being fully satisfied!

Last pic before Tanner was on his way!

-- Post from my iPhone

Playing Catch Up!

2009-07-19T15:39:00.001-07:00

Ok so I haven't blogged in a while, I get it!! It's been a crazy time in my life, lots of changes and lots of growing up, so I've selected 5 awesome events in my life (that had pictures) to recap and catch everybody up!!

My buddies are finally home from their missions!! Here's Mike Winn as we do some catching up of our own at Buffalo Wild Wings! It's been fun to have all my friends come back safe and sound, and still as devilishly handsome as when they left!

Here is my summer job, a freaking security guard! Once you get passed the 100+ degree weather, the loneliness, being the complaint box, and working for people who hate their jobs it's a great job!! I get to sit on a golf cart for six hours and watch cars drive by in the parking lot of Las Vegas Athletic Club!

Our dog Lily had four precious little girl puppies on my Dad's birthday! They are so cute and it was a really cool experience to watch the miracle of doggy birth. I'll have to get updated pictures now that they're wrestling and actually do a little more than eat and sleep, but just a little bit more.

Mason got his braces off! Ladies watch out!

And this is the grand finale!! This gorgeous girl next to me (yes that's me) is miss Chelsea McCullough! She's a beautiful lil' Texan girl that I met at BYU and have been dating for over four months now! She's an absolute babe and a sweetheart! It's been a rough summer being miles and miles away BUT she is coming to the beach with my fam (pictures will come after the trip) and then I'm going to Austin, TX for a week to meet the rest of her family right before school starts!!

Oh and how could I forget my daily lessons?! How about we let this post slide since it'd be more like lessons from the past 7 months (and I've learned a lot of lessons!) but I promise in my posts from now on my lessons of the day will continue! Boom! Caught up!

Gramms and Gramps

2008-10-05T14:51:00.001-07:00

So everyone could put a face to the names, these are my GREAT
grandparents that Tanner and I live with hole we're at BYU. Gramps is
91 and Gramms turned 89 on Friday. They are the two best roomates you
can ask for... Free food, Sunday breakfasts and dinners, and the best
dang stories that can entertain for hours. The funniest thing is that
our dad and his brother lived in this very house with these very
roomates several years back. Tanner and I carry on the tourch. I love
my great grandparents; gramms and gramps. Lessons of the day: You can
never be too old to be active (gramps still golfs and gramms gardens),
Monday is gramms' laundry day so don't even try, and love lasts
forever... (awwwww)

Weds Night Party

2008-08-06T22:33:00.001-07:00

So this is my and Tanner's idea of a good weds night party! We rented
two FREE redbox DVD's and got ourselves a hot-n-ready Little Ceasar's
pizza with crazy bread. Could it get any crazier in Provo, UT?! Work
is rocking, or rather I am rocking at work, selling like a maniac.
Lessons of the Day: $7.99 can fill two teenage stomachs, signing up
for text messages from redbox was the best idea ever, and I could sell
a ketchup popsicle to a woman in white gloves.

Holy Pizza!

2008-07-31T20:35:00.001-07:00

This is actual size pizza! Mason and I ate at Nina's Original, home of
the 14" slice! After Tanner was done with class we took great
grandma's clubs and tested our skills at the driving range. I was
surprised at how well both my brothers can crank that tiny white ball.
Mason's week with us comes to an end. I started work back up again and
it was like I never left. Lessons of the Day: 14" is plenty, grandma's
clubs are old school, and days off are nice.

Epic Journey to Gateway

2008-07-29T20:55:00.001-07:00

So today was a glorious day after a horrible night. Last night I
dropped my iPhone and it cracked the screen. Today I trecked in this
beauty to the Gateway Mall in Salt Lake City to talk to an Apple store
where I met a glorious wizzard named Marshall. He did his magic and I
walked out, nay danced out, with a brand spanking new iPhone. Mason
and I jumped for joy as our quest had found success. Lessons of the
Day: apple rules, Marshall the wizzard is amazing, and driving a stick
up hill makes people behind you angry.

Pioneer Day

2008-07-24T22:49:00.001-07:00

Pioneer Day is usually a day that Utah celebrates the day the pioneers
trecked west and arrived to the great valley I now go to school in.
This event, although technically used to demonstrate the difficulty of
pulling wagons manually, was used on this glorious day to show
affection for their older brother. Whichever brother reached further
loves me more, and therefore wins. I'll leave you in suspense wondering who was victorious. Lessons of the Day:: pioneer day rules, my younger
brothers love me, and pulling a handcart is too hard for me.

I Finally Gave in to Having a Blog...

2008-07-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

So I've put up a good fight against having a blog. But I figured
since I don't have a regular journal, I'll have to chronicle my
amazing life somehow. I just returned from Nebraska and met some
really cool people from all over the U.S. Some people I'll never
forget (photo above) and some people that will help me get into dental
school. So here goes my run at this while blog thing. First post in
the bag!