Thank you Bathroom Stall Singer, thank you.

I just enjoyed the vocal creations of some random girl in the stall next to me as she unashamedly (is that a word) and unrelentingly sang Lady Gaga's Bad Romance whilst taking care of business. Thank you for making my bathroom experience a bit brighter. You win all the points for the day.

Dear 17 year old me,

Congratulations! You have officially just finished your journey of compulsory education, a moment you never thought would actually come. Such a small part of your adventure is now over, just a chapter in this novel of life. There is a beautiful, terrible, terrifying world in front of you but don't be afraid. Life, as you know, is hard. There is no more eloquent way to state it, but you already know that. What you need to know is that life is beautiful. You have incredible people that surround you; people that you have forgotten. Friendships will be made that will change your life. The things that you thought you needed will surely fade away and you'll realize what is really important in life.
I remember the raw excitement you had to go away to college, but before you get ahead of yourself let me offer you a few bits of advice.

• College isn't like kindergarten. I know that you think you're going to go off to school and become the person that you've always wanted to be, but quite frankly it doesn't work like that. You must remember who you are! I can't emphasize that enough. Make a name for yourself. It's too easy to get lost in masses, to hide in the back of the classroom. Be who you are because you're fantastic.
• Don't worry about fitting in with the cliques; they never last. 
• Be sure to build relationships with not only your roommates, but with the people in your ward and in your apartment complex. You'll regret not doing it. 
• Control yourself. You're loud. You're giggly and by the time you get to school you will be so obviously 18. Laugh quieter. Giggle less. You don't have to stop being who you are just tone it down a little. Growing up isn't a bad thing, but it is requisite. No one wants to hang out with the girl that laughs at nothing. 
• Take advantage of the people that you already know. You don't know it now, but your brother is absolutely phenomenal. He'll take care of you if you let him (especially if you work on that laugh of yours). His roommates are so great, too. Become their friends. Hang out at his apartment. He loves you and he won't think your a tag-a-long.
• You can do it. Life is hard, but it's worth it. College is full of strange adventures, spontaneous dancing, laughing til you cry and crying til you laugh. You will find people the complete you and discover friends that were there all along. Be brave, Cami. You can do anything that you set your mind to. 
• Christ knows. He understands. Don't forget that. 

You see, college is going to test you (literally, you and the people at the testing center will know each other on a first name basis). Don't give up. Don't get discouraged. Call your mom. Find some friends. Put on your running shoes and take a step back. Your priorities are going to change the older you get, but in such a good way. Growing older is undeniable, but growing up is a choice. Be an adult but don't lose your zeal for life. You are going to learn so much about love and life. Is that too cliche? I've come to realize that the things in life that seem cliche or overstated are usually the most true! So, on that note, and 

Love, Cami 

Ore-gone

I have a sneaking suspicion that Oregon and I would get along just swimmingly.

Let's set the world on fire

Rules for Friday Night:
1. do your hair. you never know who you're going to run into.
2. wear deodorant. no one likes a stinky friend.
3. be willing to try anything.
4. keep your plans flexible. after all plans are made to be changed.
5. brush your teeth. stinky breath and stinky pits = no friends.
6. have a carton of ice cream at the ready

Just in general- be prepared for spontaneous adventures and never ever let yourself believe you can have a relaxing friday night in rexburg

Don't judge me for words spoken out of exhaustion

My name is Camille Peterson.
I am a unique person capable of making decisions for myself.
I'm not his little sister.
Her best friend.
That girl from wherever whenever whatever.
I'm not Phoebe from Friends
or Jess from New Girl.
I am Cami.
I am separate.
I am individual.
It's nice to meet you.

My Guy

"Tanner, do you promise that when you get old like me we can still be best friends?

"I pinky swear."


No one in the world can melt my heart like my nieces and nephews. Tanner, though, has an especially special place in my heart. He was my first nephew! The first grandbaby! From the first moment he looked up at me with those big chocolate puppy dog eyes I knew; I knew what love was. I thought my heart literally might burst it was so full. I was afraid to hold him. He was so precious, so tender and angelic, I didn't want to break him. I didn't want him to change. I wanted to hide him away and protect him from the world. Sometimes I would hold him as tight as I could because I wanted him to know how much I loved him; how much he meant to me. I wanted my love to flow from my soul to his.

This April he turned seven and for a moment I understoond what mothers always say about wanting to turn back the clock to when their children were little. He's growing up so fast. We've grown up so fast. I've learned so much from the boy with the big eyes and even bigger imagination.

I was the one that locked him in the car the first time.
I cried with him when he got his first bad cut, his first bad burn.
I felt his anxiety and excitement as he ran out the door on his first day of school.
I taught him silly songs and how to play pirates.
I watched along in wonder at his first firework show.

It looks like someone has a lot to compete with if they want to get my heart from this little boy that stolen it away so many years. No one can compare to my guy. 

Missing

Me: I am SO homesick!
Her: Really? :( Home is Camisick.
Me: We should change that.




I could stand a heaping dose of home.

Truth

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

First college party?



Success.

NATURAL FACE LIFT

First we saw this

So then we had to do this

Swimming, Sweats, Scary Movies, Saturday

This Saturday I was lucky enough to have my family in town. It really turned out to be a miracle considering my cousin decided to get married the same weekend that my sister Kate and her fam would be in the area and that it was my nephew's seventh birthday! I'm basically in love with my little men! If I had pictures of our swimming adventures you had better believe they would be posted, but it wasn't my camera and I really don't care enough to put worth effort to get them from my sister. We had a blast though! I had an evaluation to write, a test to study for, and a chapter to read, but I definitely was not going to pass up fun for homework. This semester has been a real trial for me in the homework department. Even as I type this I have a test that I need to study for. On my behalf, though, I'm anxiously awaiting a text to find where my group is meeting to study.
After bidding farewell to my wonderful familia, Mariah and I decided we probably needed to be social and so we threw together a "Sweats and Scary Movie" party. Two people showed up. We call that an epic fail! Nevertheless, we had a pretty sweet time together getting sick off of popcorn, muddy buddies, and rice krispy treats. I think I could do Saturdays like that more often.