Blythe's Bloggity Blog

Hello Blog, Remember Me?

2009-08-11T15:22:00.001-06:00

I made it back from Europe! I feel like I have been gone for SO long, and my poor neglected blog reflects my absence. I unfortunately have no idea when I will actually have time to update this bad boy and tell all of you about our European adventures! Easton and I took over three thousand pictures on our trip, and it is proving to be quite a chore to sort through them. I’m sure I would have already spent more time trying to organize pictures and draft some blog posts if it weren’t for the fact that I’m moving back to San Diego in TWO WEEKS! I can’t believe the time has come for me to move! I’m excited and absolutely terrified at the same time.

To complicate matters even more, I’m taking off tomorrow for a final hurrah in Lake Powell before I permanently leave Utah in the dust. Time is definitely not on my side, friends. After I get back from Lake Powell I’ll be turning into a packing machine, and I think it’s safe to say that blogging will continue to take a back seat to the events of my crazy life. I hope it won’t be TOO long before I can get my butt in gear and give my blog the attention it deserves!

I hope everyone is having an amazing summer!

So long, Farewell

2009-07-06T10:32:00.001-06:00

I’m off to Europe for the rest of the month! I’ll see everyone in August!

Interstate Love Song

2009-07-01T19:41:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago I had a date with Scott Weiland. After seventeen years as the front man for two of the greatest bands of all time…Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver…Scott decided to take a break from the fame and glory to come visit his number one fan and true love. Yes, I’m referring to ME. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way he has stared earnestly into my eyes from the stage during the plethora of concerts I have attended over the years. Some people have tried to convince me that Scott’s intense gaze has merely been the result of my insane, somewhat fanatical behavior at his shows…but I know the truth. That’s right, Scott loves me…and he came all the way to Salt Lake just to do a little singing for yours truly.

Okay fine, I may have exaggerated a little bit. It is possible that my recent encounter with Scott was less of a meeting between two enamored people in love, and more of a meeting between rock star and stalker. You say potato, I say potahto.

Anyway, the Scott Weiland concert did not disappoint. I have been following Scott’s career ever since he first emerged with Stone Temple Pilots when I was in junior high. As a matter of fact, I purchased STP’s first album on cassette tape…THAT is how long I have loved Scott Weiland.

This picture was taken right after Scott came onstage!
I think my enormous grin speaks for itself.

The stage was rigged with a huge dry ice machine, and during a really long jam of “Sour Girl” the band played their instruments while simultaneously rolling around in the haze.

At one point during the concert, the lead guitarist walked along the stage with his guitar held out for the crowd to touch. Easton snapped a picture of me touching the guitar and acting like the frenzied groupie that I am.

Hey Court, does the sticker on this guitar look familiar to you?

After two hours of incredible music along with the obligatory encore, Scott and the band said good night and walked offstage…but not before the bass player threw his guitar pick into the crowd and hit me in the head with it! Luckily, Easton is an extremely observant and sprightly boyfriend who managed to snatch up the offending pick before anyone else could grab it.

Yep, this bad boy pelted me right in the forehead.

I also yelled at one of the roadies (while bouncing up and down for emphasis) until he agreed to peel a set list off of the stage floor for me. The particular set list I ended up with was stationed directly in front of Scott’s microphone, which means that I am the lucky owner of a set list covered in Scott Weiland’s footprints!

To top off an already incredible evening, we waited around after the show to see if we could track down Scott…and our stalkerish ways paid off! We managed to bombard him on the way to his tour bus…and OH HAPPY DAY…Scott Weiland autographed my favorite STP album booklet and let me take a picture with him!

Here I am with the man himself…who has most certainly changed quite a bit since his sexy heartthrob days on MTV’s unplugged.
Despite my sneaking suspicion that he possibly dabbles in illegal substances…Scott Weiland still rocks my world.

Easton and Justin jumped in on the action as well.

Overall, our night with Scott Weiland was an absolute blast! The experience was also fairly lucrative, considering that I walked away with a set list (AND a collection of Scott’s footprints), a guitar pick, a signed CD booklet, and the long-lasting memory of getting up close and personal with Scott Weiland.

Here I am with all my loot from the show:

I really don’t think I will ever get sick of going to concerts. One day I will probably become one of those old ladies who rock out at concerts while all the young folk stare mockingly. And when that day comes, I have no doubt that I will still love every minute of it.

Dynamite Dinosaurs

2009-06-04T16:30:00.001-06:00

Did you know that Thanksgiving Point is home to the Largest Dinosaur Museum in the World? At least, that’s what the billboard says. So, in an effort to break up the monotony of daily life, Easton and I decided to jump in the car on Saturday and make some new prehistoric friends.

I was pretty pumped to see all of the huge dinosaur bones, but Easton was so fascinated by the posters about dirt and tectonic plates and the separation of Pangaea that I could hardly drag him away. I had to impatiently tap my foot for at least thirty minutes before he was finally willing to move on.

The museum was huge! And I was totally fascinated by all of the exhibits. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that creatures as huge as dinosaurs actually lived on the very same planet that we live on today.

Do you see a resemblance here?

Dancing with Dino.

Watching the 3D “Dinosaur Giants of Patagonia” movie.

Megalodon. I was beyond terrified by the description of this shark.

Yes, Easton and I are technically adults. But that didn’t stop us from running around taking pictures of ourselves pretending to be eaten by dinosaurs and climbing into exhibits that were supposedly off-limits, all while simultaneously eating blow pops that had previously doubled as walrus tusks.

Other people at the museum may have scoffed at us…but we thought we were absolutely hilarious.

What Happens in Vegas…

2009-05-19T18:36:00.001-06:00

…stays in Vegas. But I must admit, my recent trip to Las Vegas didn’t include a single scandalous or sordid event that would need to be locked away in a secret vault in Vegas. In fact…I think the population of Las Vegas was probably bored to tears by our mellow group.

I have been SO stressed out lately and I was in desperate need of a relaxing getaway. My friend Tom offered up the perfect excuse to escape town for a few days by suggesting we all meet in Vegas, and I was pretty quick to jump on the bandwagon.

Our weekend consisted of a few distinct elements:

We hung out by the pool…

...tackled some roller coasters…

...ate A LOT of food…

...and were driven around all weekend by our chauffeur, Justin, who is from New York and is therefore accustomed to crazy driving conditions.

Overall, our quick Vegas jaunt was incredibly low-key and restful, which was just what the doctor ordered. When the weekend came to an end and we began our drive back to Utah, I started to feel a little blue about the fact that I was heading straight back to all the stress and anxiety of daily life. We drove into a patch of gloomy rain, which added to my melancholy mood even more…until we emerged from the rainstorm into the bright sunshine and saw the most beautiful rainbow.

This definitely made me smile…

I’d like to think that the rainbow was a little sign that life will work itself out and everything will be just fine. Or maybe it was just a kick in the butt to remind me that I am so unbelievably blessed and shouldn’t be complaining about the challenges that tend to stress me out. Or maybe it was none of those things at all, and I was just searching for some special meaning in a simple rainbow.

Either way, I hope I never stop being grateful for my amazing life. The world is wide open to me right now! How lucky am I?

Spoonman

2009-05-12T22:46:00.001-06:00

I have a few sincere words of wisdom I would like to share with all of you:

Chris Cornell is a Rock GOD.

That’s right, I said it. He rocks my world. And that’s exactly what he did at his mind-blowing concert a couple weeks ago!

Here we are waiting for the doors to open…

This picture was taken right after Chris Cornell stepped onstage!
That huge smile didn’t leave my face ALL night.

We started the concert in the second row, but those of you who know me will understand that second row would never be adequate when Chris Cornell is involved. Once the music got going and everyone started pushing and shoving, I just kept my little hand in a deathgrip on the front rail and managed to squish all the way forward.

Let me paint you a picture. Chris Cornell was no more than a few measly feet in front of me, and I was in a position to see every miniscule detail. I was close enough to see that Chris had Calvin Klein underwear peeking out of his Chip and Pepper jeans. The jeans I speak of were being held up by a shoelace instead of a belt, and were tucked nonchalantly into Fluevog boots. He was wearing a simple bracelet made of little wooden beads, and among his multitude of necklaces was a thin leather cord bearing a tiny turquoise charm. That’s right folks, I could see all of this in perfect clarity.

Now for the best part of the whole evening…Chris grabbed my hand TWICE during the concert. I almost fainted! And you can make fun of me all you want and say that I’m pathetic and fanatical, but I don’t care because I got to hold Chris Cornell’s hand and you didn’t.

Here are a few highlights from the show:

About halfway through the concert, Chris Cornell threw a guitar pick into the crowd and Easton caught it in midair! He clearly has some very impressive hand-eye coordination.

I would like to take a second to point out that Easton is the BEST person to go to concerts with. Without him around to be my bodyguard, there is no way I would be able to withstand the front row of a rock concert without getting totally trampled. But when I have Easton placed strategically behind me, I just get to jump around and enjoy the concert while he acts as a very effective barrier from all the wild people around us. I suppose there are some very distinct advantages to dating such a big guy!

We ended up running into our friends Justin and Christine in the swarm of crazy fans, which meant that we were able to expand our team for even more efficient crowd control.

By the end of the concert, I was running on pure adrenaline and continuing to scream myself hoarse. When Chris Cornell finally said good night and walked offstage, I felt a surge of disappointment…until the guitarist handed me the guitar pick he had been using and the drummer gave me one of his drumsticks! Oh what a night.

Here I am with my loot from the concert. Lucky lucky me.

Life can be so fun sometimes! Music has always had an amazing power to make me happy. I’ll never forget such an incredible concert…or the feeling of Chris Cornell’s beautiful hand in mine.

And Chris…if you happen to stumble upon my blog and are reading these words, I’d like you to know that I LOVE YOU!

Happy Mother’s Day!

2009-05-10T20:27:00.001-06:00

I have the best mom in the world.

No, seriously. I know you’re sitting there thinking, “Come on now, don’t exaggerate.” But really…my mom is absolutely, positively, unquestionably, indubitably, assuredly, unconditionally the GREATEST mom in existence.

One time I picked up my mom’s scriptures and a small scrap of paper fell to the floor. I hastily scooped the paper into my hand, intending to return it to the front pocket of the scripture case, and I glanced with mild interest at the words written on the little note. The paper had clearly been given to Mum at church, and one side was stamped with instructions for each person to write down their hopes and dreams.

I turned the paper over and discovered my mom’s answer to the question, written in her familiar handwriting: “I wish for the happiness and success of my children.”

I have no doubt that Mum is overflowing with hopes and dreams of her own…but I am certain that she would willingly sacrifice everything in this world to ensure the happiness of her children. My sisters and I are so, SO lucky to have a mother who loves us so much.

One day I hope to repay my mom for her selflessness and generosity by purchasing her a luxury condo on the beach where she can eventually enjoy retirement. Sounds pretty plush, eh? Although I have no doubt that she would appreciate the gesture, even extravagant real estate seems to pale in comparison to everything my mom has done for me over the past 28 years of my life.

I love you, Mum! You are my best friend and I don’t know what I would do without you. I love the way we can sit and talk for hours and hours, and I am constantly amazed that we somehow never manage to run out of things to say. No one else is capable of making me laugh until my cheeks hurt the way you do! You guide me through every twist and turn that life throws in my direction, and you offer infallible support whenever I struggle. I am so grateful for you, and I hope that I can always take care of you and enrich your life the same way you have always done for me. Happy Mother’s Day!

The Verdict Is In

2009-04-16T16:36:00.001-06:00

After a lot of flip-flopping between the pros and cons of Pepperdine and the University of San Diego, I have finally decided that I’m going to start grad school at USD in the fall. A couple weeks ago I took a trip down to So. Cal to visit Pepperdine in the hopes that I would get a feel for which program is right for me, and although Pepperdine was extremely tempting (translation: I had a difficult time passing up a school that is right on the beach in Malibu), USD’s benefits ultimately surpassed Pepperdine’s. Although both schools undoubtedly offer amazing programs, USD is nationally accredited, allows flexibility with class choices and schedules, and offers study abroad opportunities. I just couldn’t deny such substantial benefits, and USD consequently seems to be a better fit for me personally…but I’m still lamenting the loss of Pepperdine’s incredible campus.

Although my trip to San Diego was brief, I was grateful for the chance to spend a little time with the fam. The weather was absolutely gorgeous (big shocker) and we made sure to take advantage of the sunshine.

Courtney and I hit up a sunset at Ponto one evening, and I was vividly reminded of how lucky I am to have spent my whole life right next to the beach. The sand, the waves, the sunshine, and the salty air always manage to lull me into some kind of euphoria.

We also spent a sunny Saturday in Encinitas doing a few things that were reminiscent of good old high school days. Talk about a blast from the past! We started our day with breakfast at the Potato Shack (oh American fries, why do you have to be so delicious and fattening?)

After breakfast, we walked around our favorite stores and surf shops until our food had digested enough to make room for slurpees and Funyuns from the 7-11 on D Street. It has been way too long since I have indulged in this little pleasure.

We also made it to the Seaside Bazaar, which is always a fun place to find unique and homemade little treasures. The economy has clearly taken a toll on everyone, because one sales guy actually chased me around the bazaar with a messenger bag I had momentarily considered buying. He kept offering to give me a special deal on the bag, and for a moment I couldn’t actually figure out whether I was in Encinitas or Tijuana.

Courtney bought me this darling hat from a little stand at the bazaar, along with an adorable purple one for herself: Cute, eh?

I guess it won’t be too long before I’ll be back down in the San Diego sunshine for good! I can’t believe how many changes are taking place in my life right now. I won’t deny that I’m a little apprehensive…I’ve always been the type of person who likes security and consistency. I am NOT looking forward to racking up a load of debt from grad school, and I’m kinda nervous about packing up my whole life and starting a brand new chapter. But I guess the flip-side of fear is excitement, and I am thrilled to make a fresh start towards improving my life and making a better future for myself. And while we’re on the topic of personal enrichment…being back in beach country won’t be the worst thing in the world either.

Festival of Colors

2009-03-29T21:18:00.001-06:00

The local Hare Krishna temple hosted its annual Holi Festival of Colors yesterday and thousands of people flocked from all over Utah to attend. I have been looking forward to this festival all month and there was NO way I was going to miss it. The Holi Festival celebrates the arrival of spring and the passing of winter, and tradition dictates that all grudges and negative feelings must be abandoned for a day of merriment. According to the Hare Krishna website, people are supposed to “bury their hatchets with a warm embrace and throw their worries to the wind”…and those worries are apparently represented by enough colorful powder to bury us all.

The festival began with singing and dancing, followed by a bonfire and ceremony in which an effigy of the evil demoness Holika was burned…and then we all counted down to the moment when we could throw around our multi-colored powder with reckless abandon. You would not believe the wonderful chaos that ensued! The air was so thick with powder that I couldn’t breathe…I had colors caked in my eyes, nose, and mouth…and the massive crowd trampled me like a herd of wild buffalo. It was fantastic!

We may have been gagging on powder and unable to open our eyes for a while, but we had so much fun...and we definitely looked festive!

We spent the next couple of hours dancing and singing along with the music (which wasn’t difficult to do, because apparently the Hare Krishnas just repeat the same words over and over to different tunes).

Not so sure about this weird food on my plate…

The Holi Festival of Colors was an unforgettable experience and I loved every minute of it! I was genuinely disappointed when the sun started to go down and the freezing temperatures forced us to leave…

…but I received quite a shock when I got home and saw this in the mirror:

Yikes! I hadn’t realized how truly colorful I was! My hair is still kinda pink (even after four shampoos), my eyes are still burning, and my fingernails appear to be stained purple…but it was SO worth it.

Oh Happy Day!

2009-03-27T18:17:00.001-06:00

I think that Robert Smith from The Cure was talking about me when he wrote the opening lyrics to the song Mint Car:

The sun is up, I’m so happy I could scream!

WHY am I so happy, you may ask? Because I just found out that I was accepted at the University of San Diego and Pepperdine University for my master’s program!

I must be honest…I was a little skeptical about getting accepted into these two schools. I mean…come on…USD and Pepperdine are hard to get into. I applied with high hopes, but I was grateful that I would have San Diego State or Cal State Long Beach waiting in the wings if I needed them. Yet somehow I was lucky enough to be accepted into my top two choices!

I feel so, SO blessed.

So now what do I do?! Which school do I choose? Both schools have amazing programs (and both are unfortunately really expensive). Do I pick USD, which is located in my beloved hometown, has an incredibly beautiful campus, and offers an impressive curriculum with a chance to study abroad? Or do I opt for Pepperdine, a school that also has a remarkable curriculum, a reputation that speaks for itself, and is located right by the beach in Malibu?

PLEASE give me your opinions!

Blog Visitors

2009-03-23T18:46:00.001-06:00

Ever since I added the live traffic feed to my blog page, I have been wondering about the plethora of IP addresses from random locations that visit my blog on a regular basis. I mean…who ARE these people who take the time to type in my blog address and read about the happenings of my life? Family? Friends? Acquaintances? Complete strangers who spend their time blog-stalking? People from my past?

I’ve considered making my blog private many times, but I’m hesitant to block out the family members and friends who seem to be constantly popping up in the blogging world. My blog has therefore remained public, although I still don’t really like the idea of having my posts on display. I am fully aware that the world wide web is a public place where anyone in the world can gain access to your personal information…however, I can’t help but find it strange that I get visitors from places like Malaysia, Brazil, and Thailand. Who are these people?

And more importantly…who is the person in Fort Meyers, Florida who has apparently discovered my blog and keeps coming back on a regular basis? Strangely enough, this person also seems quite interested in my sister Courtney’s blog. I’m fairly certain that I know who this visitor is, and I must admit that I am intrigued. Despite the fact that my blog is extremely enticing and oh-so-delightful, I can’t imagine why this particular person would want to read about my life. I suppose the answer to this puzzle can be summed up by the wise words of Jim Morrison and the Doors when they aptly stated, “People are strange.”

2 Legit 2 Quit

2009-03-10T20:33:00.003-06:00

February 27 was a historic night on which a phenomenon swept through Utah. This particular rarity had not occurred on the earth for nearly twenty years, and those of us who were lucky enough to witness it are not likely to forget the experience anytime soon.

The miracle I am referring to goes by a plethora of titles, the most recent of which is “Hammer Pants and Ice”…more commonly known as the MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice flashback concert!

All technicalities aside, these labels are simply euphemisms for “Two washed-up rappers from the early 90’s who must be a little low on funds and therefore want to earn some extra money by putting on a ridiculous concert in Utah.”

Yes, the concert was ludicrous. Totally absurd. It was also completely and utterly AWESOME! I mean, seriously, how many of you know every single word to “Ice Ice Baby”? I certainly do! And who has participated in a little booty-shaking to “U Can’t Touch This” on countless occasions? I have!

Be honest…at some point in our lives, haven’t we all wanted to roll in a 5.0 with the rag-top down so our hair can blow? And come on…you know you got to pray just to make it today. Oh the nostalgia.

I'll be the first one to admit that the concert was pretty idiotic, but there is no way I would have missed it! We laughed through the whole thing, sang along to every song, and danced until we almost passed out from exhaustion. I quickly learned that just because I was surrounded by music from the early 90’s didn’t mean that I had the same level of endurance that I had in back in 1992.

This is some of the priceless merchandise available at the concert. Admit it, you are so lusting after the “Word to You Mutha” shirt.

All in all, I give the concert two thumbs up. I think MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice have officially proven to the world that they really are too legit to quit!

Valentine’s Day Rebuttal

2009-02-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

It has been a week since Valentine’s Day, and over the past seven days I have heard a lot of boo-hooing about this particular holiday. So many people seem to have cynical attitudes about Valentine’s Day! I can’t even begin to tally the instances where I’ve heard someone say that V-Day is nothing more than a marketing ploy invented by greeting card companies…or that it’s a cheap excuse for shallow romance and unnecessary gifts…or that Valentine’s Day is a fake holiday where relationships are irrelevant and women are simply competing over who will get the most expensive bouquet of flowers from their significant others. I even know a particular someone who used his blog to immortalize his opinion that the traditions of February 14th force men to “perform like circus monkeys.”

I acknowledge that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have any kind of firm foundation as a holiday. It wasn’t built around a religious occasion…it doesn’t represent any significant event in our history…and it doesn’t carry any deep symbolism. But you know what? WHO CARES?!

What is really so bad about one day a year where we are all reminded to show extra love and consideration to the important people in our lives? Yes, I know that we should be expressing our love all 365 days of the year and not just on Valentine’s Day. But where is there written a rule that says Valentine’s Day compels you to only put forth extra effort this one day a year and, by doing so, makes the other 364 days obsolete? I know it can be difficult to keep the fires of love burning every single day of the year. We all tend to get wrapped up in our busy lives, and sometimes we forget to divulge the little tokens of affection that are paramount to making your loved ones feel valued and appreciated. It doesn’t mean that we don’t feel those things…sometimes we just need to be reminded of our priorities. And that’s how I perceive Valentine’s Day! What’s wrong with a little kick in the pants get us back on the right track?

I agree with the naysayers about one thing: Valentine’s Day shouldn’t necessarily require gifts or flowers or spending money. I don’t think possessions or monetary rewards represent happiness or love, and I most definitely appreciate simple kindness and sweet sentiments over anything purchased from a store. But once again, where is it written that gifts must be involved in order to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and people can say whatever they want about the triviality and cheesiness of Valentine’s Day. But as for myself, I have a great appreciation for a day that includes lots of extra kisses…heart-shaped candy…listening to sappy love songs all day…chocolate-covered strawberries…free Facebook gifts that you get to digitally unwrap…sparkling cider…colorful little dinosaur cards that say things like “You’re dino-mite!”…mushy romance movies…holding hands…and countless other little joys.

Whether you’re on a date, or with friends, or snuggled up at home with someone…what could possibly be so awful about a holiday that emphasizes being grateful for the people in our lives?

And on that note, I’d like to say…YAY Valentine’s Day! You were good to me this year. I look forward to seeing you again next February.

Walking on Water

2009-02-16T20:31:00.000-07:00

Easton and I spent a day in Park City for Valentine’s Day and we had so much fun! Our day was frivolous and playful and full of silliness. We shopped, ate an amazing dinner, played in the snow, and consumed a multitude of chocolate-covered fruit. I loved it!

As many of you know, I am NOT a fan of snowy weather…but Park City is just so gorgeous when it is covered with snow! I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face (although my smile may have been a little distorted by the chattering of my teeth).

As we passed Deer Creek Reservoir on the way home, I noticed several people ice fishing and commented on the fact that I haven’t ever stepped foot on a frozen body of water. Easton immediately pulled the car over and suggested that I broaden my horizons by trying something new.

As we approached the edge of the lake, I quickly noticed that the ice did NOT look exceptionally thick and I began to question our endeavor. Easton told me that he knew what he was doing and I needed to trust him, after which he confidently walked towards the lake. When he stepped onto the ice I heard little crackling noises and I could see bubbles shifting under his weight. Does that sound stable to you? No way! So I promptly began skirting the perimeter of the lake to find a sturdier entry point.

I soon came to an area that looked fairly solid and tapped the edge with my foot to test its firmness. The ice felt pretty secure and, satisfied with my assessment, I took a step forward…and my foot plunged into knee-deep frigid water! I screamed and stumbled backwards, and Easton just roared with laughter and yelled, “See, you should have trusted me!”

Despite the fact that my foot was frozen and weighed nearly a hundred pounds, I allowed Easton to help me onto the ice and we played around on the surface of the reservoir for a while.

Even though my lower extremity was on the verge of frostbite, I was totally overwhelmed by the beauty of the landscape. The snow was pure white and the mountains looked like they were straight out of a painting.

When it was time to leave, I begrudgingly walked behind Easton so that he could use his keen abilities to guide us safely to solid ground. As we neared the edge of the lake, Easton told me that he would go first and I should follow by stepping into his footprints. He dauntlessly walked forward…and managed to take a few steps before both feet suddenly plummeted through the ice! He gasped and did the most hilarious little dance while skipping the rest of the way to the edge. I pretty much died with laughter and cursed the fact that I hadn’t videotaped his little exhibition!

Moral of the story: Next time you’re participating in a potentially dangerous activity and a guy tells you that there’s nothing to worry about and you should just trust him…you might want to think twice!

Viva La Mexico!

2009-02-02T15:19:00.000-07:00

A bunch of us went on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera last month and it was absolutely incredible! The past few months have been SO stressful and this vacation was the perfect way to purge myself of a mountain of anxiety.

Our first stop was Puerto Vallarta and we spent the majority of our day on a zip-line tour through the jungle. The zip-line course was built around the movie set of “Predator,” so we occasionally had scary alien action figures jumping out of the bushes to startle us. They were lucky that I didn't reflexively pop them with the big steel pulley I was carrying!

Zip-lining was a blast! We all had so much fun and the scenery was unbelievably gorgeous. Our tour guide referred to Easton as “Grande” the whole time, and I won’t deny that everyone looked pretty nervous every time he came flying into each station at warp speed.

After the zip-line tour we spent some time exploring Puerto Vallarta. What a beautiful city! I was so sad when we were forced to get back on the cruise ship later that night.

Our second stop was Mazatlan! We got off the ship at the crack of dawn and made our way to a beautiful beach resort called El Cid. Our day in Mazatlan essentially consisted of eating (I just couldn’t get enough of that Mexican food), boogie boarding, and a lot of sitting around on the beach with my book…which is pretty much my idea of a perfect day!

Our final stop was Cabo San Lucas, and I can safely say that Cabo was my favorite destination. We took a water taxi over to Lover’s Beach, which is the stretch of beach where the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortez meet (hence the name). I was completely astounded by the beauty of Lover’s Beach…words can’t even describe it!

Legend has it that if two people go into this little cave…three will come out! Wink wink. Don’t worry, we never actually made it to the cave…although Easton kept trying to lure me in there.

The section of ocean on the Pacific side of the beach was technically off-limits to swimmers because of the extremely powerful waves and currents…which naturally compelled all of the boys to run directly into the water.

They thought they were so rugged…

…and too tough to steer clear of restricted water…

…until the massive waves got ahold of them…

…and gave them the beating of their lives.

All the boys ended up with cuts and scrapes all over them, and Ben even popped his eardrum after being slammed into the ocean floor. I’m sure they considered their injuries a small price to pay.

We also had plenty of time for snorkeling, ultimate frisbee, wheelbarrow races, and shopping. I’m such a sucker for the street vendors.

Between ports we somehow managed to fill our time on the ship as well…

I had so much fun on the cruise and I met lots of new people. I guess we all need a chance to escape reality sometimes, if only for the sake of our own sanity. But I suppose all good things must come to an end…and now I’m just wondering when I’ll get a chance to execute another escape plan!

Newsflash...

2009-01-17T21:20:00.003-07:00

...I am a bad blogger. There's a chance you already knew that. I'm aware that my blogging habits are lame and sporadic, but hey...I do my best.

I finally got my grad school applications in! I went through some form of personal hell in the process (including sprinting through local campuses to try and get applications handed over before the deadlines), but it's finally over! Now I can just sit back and wait to see which schools actually decide to let me through their doors.

And with that in mind, I'm off to Mexico for a week! I am SO looking forward to a little sunshine and relaxation. I'll worry about that whole "finding a job" mumbo jumbo after I get back. So, until then...Adios amigos!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T18:33:00.016-07:00

The Holidays were pretty mellow for me this year, but I have absolutely no complaints about skipping the craziness that usually accompanies Christmas and the New Year. It was so nice to spend some time just relaxing with family and friends! I'm so sad that it's all over...in fact, I'm in complete denial and I haven't stopped listening to Christmas music yet.

I spent New Year's Eve in Seattle and had so much fun, even though it was freezing up there! In fact, I almost couldn't make it back to San Diego because my airplane was stuck in the snow. The plane had to be de-iced twice and then tugged away from the gate before we could finally take off amidst a blizzard of snow. Thank goodness for dramamine, because the contents of my stomach were dying to make a reappearance during all of the turbulence.

Here we are sipping cider during the final countdown to 2009!

I haven't ever been very good at keeping New Year's resolutions...so perhaps my first resolution should be to work on following through with this year's goals! That being said, my New Year's resolutions for 2009 include, but are not limited to:

1. Hopefully get accepted to grad schools and decide where I want to do my master's program.
2. Exercise at least a couple days a week...which will be a huge step up from my current frequency of NEVER.
3. Take better care of myself so that I don't get sick so often.
4. Find a job in the psychology field until school starts in the fall...and avoid being swallowed by the country's "financial crisis" in the meantime.
5. Learn to play the guitar! I bought a guitar years ago but I have never actually committed myself to taking lessons and learning how to play. Hopefully by this time next year I will be posting a video of myself playing a Ramones song to exhibit my sweet new guitar skills.
6. Be happy!

I hope that 2009 brings you an abundance of health, love, and laughter! Happy New Year!

Congrats Becky and Weston!

2008-12-22T23:09:00.010-07:00

Over the weekend I flew up to Utah for a few days to finalize my letters of recommendation for grad school applications, and my short trip just happened to coincide with the birth of Becky and Weston's adorable little guy, Holland! I'm pretty sure that Becky purposely extended her pregnancy past the due date to wait until I was in town. So thoughtful.

Holland is absolutely adorable and I am so happy for the lucky new parents. Good luck you two...I hope you can manage to get at least a little bit of sleep over the next few months!

Giving Thanks

2008-12-05T01:08:00.005-07:00

I love the holiday season! I find so much comfort in the consistency of my family's holiday traditions, and this Thanksgiving was everything I had looked forward to. We cooked all day, ate WAY too much food, and consumed enough pie for five families. Talk about living the good life!

We also had a chance to visit with our Uncle Dennis and his whole clan while they were in town over the holiday. It has been way too long since we have had a chance to see our cousins and it was so fun to catch up!

Does anyone else see a family resemblance here?

Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect on my millions of blessings and all the things I'm thankful for, so to name a mere few...

I'm thankful for Kylie...the best dog in the world. Every single day she makes me laugh, gives me unconditional love, and keeps me warm in bed at night!

I'm thankful for old friends. I love the way holidays bring everyone home again, and I will always appreciate the fact that no amount of absence or distance can ever change some friendships.

I'm thankful for Easton, who has supported me through some of the most challenging times of my life.

Most importantly of all, I'm thankful for my family. I am so blessed to be a member of such a loving family, and I continue to be amazed by their kindness, selflessness, and unwavering loyalty. I'm deeply grateful for my parents and sisters, and I love them so much.

Christmas is right around the corner! I'm definitely going to soak up as much Christmas music, tree decorating, hot chocolate (regardless of the fact that it's practically beach weather outside), Christmas shopping, and pumpkin pie as I can! Happy Holidays!

The Grim Reaper lives in San Diego

2008-11-19T18:40:00.003-07:00

Today I decided to celebrate the amazing San Diego weather by hitting the beach with a friend, and on the way we drove by this hearse parked a couple of blocks from Cardiff beach:

Apparently the Grim Reaper enjoys a sunny day at the beach just as much as anyone else!

Tagged!

2008-11-11T14:33:00.010-07:00

Angela tagged me on her blog a couple weeks ago and I somehow completely missed her post, so now it’s time for a little belated tagging action. Sorry it took me so long Angela!

Apparently I’m supposed to tell seven weird or interesting things about myself, and then tell seven other people to do the same and leave them a comment about it. I can’t promise anything very interesting, but here ya go!

1. I love nail polish and I tend to buy a lot of it, but all nail polish must meet TWO requirements in order to be considered worthy of my purchase: It must be an outrageous color, and it must be sparkly.

Here is an extremely flattering (not) picture of me at a concert last month. You can see my bright turquoise nail polish...one of my favorites!

2. I eat my biggest meal of the day around 2:00 in the morning. I have always been a night owl by nature and I am generally awake until ridiculous hours, and for some reason I get ravenous when the 2 a.m. hour rolls in. Last night at the aforementioned time I ate a bowl of spaghetti, a piece of pumpkin pie, a packet of fruit jammers, some canned pears, and a few potato chips. I fell asleep with an uncomfortably full stomach and told myself that I really need to break that habit…but I guarantee that I’ll be gorging myself again tonight.

3. I am obsessed with flip flops. I have a huge tub full of them but I never feel like I own enough. One of my favorite things is when I find really cheap flip flops at a grocery store or gas station, which is exactly how I found my favorite fluorescent pink ones in a barrel at Food 4 Less. I wear my beloved flip flops all year round, even during frigid Utah winters. You can take me out of San Diego, but you can’t take me out of my flip flops.

4. I hate R&B music and I think it physically raises my blood pressure. There have been times where I have started to feel really irritated for no reason, and I find myself flustered and annoyed and can’t figure out why…and then I realize that there is R&B music playing in the background somewhere.

5. My pupils are ridiculously oversized. I hate having such big pupils for a plethora of reasons: My eyes are more black than they are blue; I flinch every single time I walk outside and the bright light hits me; I look like the devil in pictures because my eyes turn bright red; and I am already getting horrible crow’s feet around my eyes from squinting so much. The only silver lining I can think of is that I have pretty good night vision!

This is a totally raw picture of me with my beautiful friend Lisa. She is a total knockout...and I'm just evil.

6. I am completely obsessive-compulsive about cleaning my teeth. I don’t know why I’m so fanatical but I hate it when my teeth feel dirty. I usually brush about four times a day and every night I have a ritual that includes brushing, flossing, using a tongue scraper and gum stimulator, and rinsing with fluoride. Make fun all you want, but I have a very clean mouth.

7. My biggest vices in life are Dr. Pepper and fruity candy. I don’t believe all of that mumbo jumbo about how food can’t make you happy, because if I have a Dr. Pepper in one hand and a strawberry Laffy Taffy in the other…I guarantee there will be a smile on my face.

I'm not sure if there are seven people who even read my blog, but I tag: Courtney, Jessica F., Sam, Tisha, Mallory, Anna, and Hilary!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Thief

2008-10-29T22:14:00.012-06:00

Last night Easton and I carved pumpkins in an attempt to fully embrace the Halloween spirit. We roasted pumpkin seeds, baked pumpkin muffins, watched scary movies, and spent a few hours meticulously carving our perfect pumpkins. Easton carved an impressive witch and I chose a kitty (with adorable whiskers and everything!) for my pumpkin.

After working for three hours with those tiny little pumpkin-carving utensils, I finally finished my masterpiece and couldn't wait to put it on the front doorstep. Easton and I put candles in our pumpkins and brought them outside to view the full effect. After briefly admiring our handiwork, we went inside to eat a pumpkin muffin and find the camera to immortalize our creations. We were in the house for no more than ten minutes...and when we came outside again my pumpkin was GONE! I expected to find it smashed in the street by some little hooligans, but there was absolutely no trace of my cute pumpkin. I still have absolutely no idea what happened to it, and I don't even have a single picture to illustrate my hours of hard work.

This is Easton's beautifully crafted pumpkin:

And here is Easton proudly displaying his artwork...
while I proudly display my anger:

Still pouting. So sad...

On that note, I have a message for the dirty pumpkin thief that ruined my night: I sincerely hope that you run into the Blair Witch, or Freddy Krueger, or Hannibal Lecter, or Jigsaw from those awful "Saw" movies, or any other equally terrifying villain...and I hope they teach you a lesson about stealing other people's pumpkins!

28 is Super Great!

2008-10-22T21:55:00.012-06:00

Yes, it's true...I'm another year older. Yesterday was my birthday and I had such a fun day! Easton planned dinner with a few friends at Olive Garden, and then we gorged ourselves on Easton's special fudgie-bottom cake (which was SO delicious...even though the tremendous number of candles on top almost set off the smoke alarm). We spent the rest of the night playing Rock Band because I just can't seem to get enough of that rad game.

I got some really fun birthday gifts from my family, and Easton blessed me with this little beauty:

Although my birthday was a blast, I won't deny that I do not enjoy this whole getting older business. I am really starting to feel ancient! The other day I actually found myself storming upstairs to tell the boys that live in the apartment above me to turn down their music! Those crazy kids.

Arizona Antics

2008-10-19T15:10:00.001-06:00

Earlier this month Easton and I jumped in the car and drove down to Phoenix for the wedding of our friends Curtis and Candace. Our driving buddies were Wyatt and his girlfriend Courtney, and we all survived the many hours in the car by eating way too much junk food and singing along to old, sappy music. I'm pretty sure that the song "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins will forever remind me of that road trip.

Curtis and Candace had a beautiful wedding! They are beyond cute together and it is clear that they make each other so happy.

Here we are with the blissful couple at the rehearsal dinner:

The reception was gorgeous! I caught the bouquet and Wyatt fought off all the other boys for the garter. Our dates were spotted running towards the exit shortly thereafter.

The trek to Phoenix was also a perfect excuse to visit some old friends! Our friend Tom graciously offered to let us stay in his magnificent house, and my sister Courtney drove out from L.A. so that we could all play together. We had absolutely no trouble filling the time between wedding activities!

We started off with an outing to the lake and some pedal boat adventures...

...spent Saturday at an outdoor festival with lots of live music...

...took full advantage of Tom's amazing hot tub (of course Easton thought it would be absolutely hilarious to try and throw me in the pool)...

...and naturally we spent countless hours playing my favorite game ever: Rock Band!

When the weekend came to an end (sad!) I decided to get in the car with Courtney and head home to Cali for a couple of days. On the way back we drove through...drum roll please...Blythe, California! Of course we had to pull over on the side of the freeway and snap a couple pictures amidst a barrage of honking and catcalls.

I need to send out a HUGE thanks to Tom for taking us in and entertaining us! I had a blast and I can't wait to go back!

Oktoberfest

2008-10-09T14:42:00.001-06:00

My roommates and I went up to Snowbird a couple of weeks ago to celebrate Amanda's birthday and we were lucky enough to be there during Oktoberfest! There were people running around everywhere in lederhosen, and we were surrounded by German music, food, and big beer steins.

We had so much fun riding the mechanical bull, the alpine slide, and the zipline, along with all of the other fun outdoor activities in Snowbird.

This is what happens when you lie about your weight to get stronger bungee cords so that you'll bounce higher on the trampolines: I kept flying all over the place when I would do a flip on the trampoline and then I'd get stuck up high where my feet couldn't reach the tramp. The attendant kept having to lower me down so that I could start jumping again, and the whole time he had this suspicious look on his face like he knew I had been dishonest.

We took the tram up to the top of the mountain and the scenery was absolutely beautiful! We had to start our descent back down the mountain sooner than planned because of a lightning and thunder storm that spoiled our fun, and the tram ended up getting stuck halfway down the mountain. The storm was raging all around us while we dangled in our little steel box, and it is never a good sign when the operator tells you not to touch the metal sides of the tram in case it gets struck by lightning. Yikes.

We did eventually make it back down the mountain, but my hair was sticking straight up from all the static. I had no idea that Snowbird was so much fun during the off-season! I highly recommend heading up there before all the Oktoberfest merrymaking is over!

Monkey Wrench

2008-10-03T13:11:00.001-06:00

Last weekend Easton and I went on a little getaway trip to Las Vegas to take a break from our hectic schedules in Utah. Easton needed to pick up some Hobie Cat sailboats he bought on ebay while we were down there, but I must admit that my personal motivation for our Vegas jaunt was a Foo Fighters concert at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Words cannot describe the awesomeness of this concert. That's right, I said awesomeness...you're allowed to make up words when nothing in the dictionary will suffice. The venue was really small and we ended up standing SO close to the stage. If it weren't for the big bouncers who insisted on getting in the way, we probably could have reached out and grabbed Dave Grohl...and I seriously considered doing so every time Dave rocked out with his guitar.

This Foo Fighters concert was absolutely one of the best concerts I have ever been to! Dave put on such an incredible show and drummer Taylor Hawkins performed a mind-blowing drum solo. I had whiplash for at least three days after the concert because I was jumping around so much! I ended up missing my high school reunion because I opted for the concert, and I can easily say that it was one hundred percent worth it. I'm sure I would have really enjoyed seeing all of the people from high school again...but they'll just never be as rad as Dave Grohl.

Our next order of business in Vegas was to pick up the two Hobie Cats that Easton and Ty had bought on ebay. The seller lived in Bullhead City, Arizona, which was about an hour away from Las Vegas. Our visit to Bullhead City was interesting, to say the very least. The whole city seemed to consist of trailer parks, and we spent hours in the 106 degree heat getting the sailboats and trailers ready to travel. By the time we got the boats back to Vegas I was totally sunburned, my hair was stuck to my face, and I felt like I had run a marathon.

If you ever take the time to admire the view of Utah Lake and you happen to see a lightning-fast blur out on the water, it will probably be Easton on one of these bad boys:

The Joys of Camping

2008-09-25T23:00:00.019-06:00

Those of you who have read my previous posts know that our camping trips this summer haven't exactly unfolded very smoothly. We have experienced robberies, four-wheeler accidents, rain, lack of supplies, and a variety of other mishaps that have caused our camping experiences to be less than ideal...but we have always embraced our fiascos as adventures and laughed away our worries.

I must admit that I did not experience the same kind of positivity on our recent Labor Day camping escapade. We decided to head up to the Uinta Mountains to celebrate Labor Day weekend, but we began our drive without any specific destination in mind. After hours of driving we settled into a beautiful and isolated area out in the middle of nowhere. Once we picked out the perfect spot to begin our fun, we had just enough time to set up our tent, start a fire, and appreciate the scenery for a few minutes before we were hit by one of the most evil rainstorms I have ever encountered. Our cabana was blown to smithereens and we spent the majority of the evening hiding in the car. The tent held up extremely well considering the downpour it was forced to endure, but I still experienced a steady drip of water on my face all night long.

The only silver lining to our camping trip was the discovery of a little cafe and campground a few miles from the campsite where we had almost drowned during the night. We stumbled into the cafe for breakfast the next morning and ended up laughing enough to almost make up for the hurricane from the night before. Defa's Cafe was straight out of an old movie, offering an abundance of banjo music, funny old men with beards, and paintings of cowboys galore. We all ordered hot chocolate and each of us got our own special mug. I was given the Irish mug because apparently I look like I'm from Ireland, and Easton got a Valentine's Day mug because I think our server had taken a liking to him (wink wink).

This picture was taken during our attempt to flee the area as quickly as possible. Yes, that's SNOW.

This may seem like a reasonable time for our story to end. However, we are all gluttons for punishment and decided to try another camping trip the following weekend.

We went to the same area in the Uintas and discovered a spot that was beyond perfect...except for a few minor details. There were articles of clothing strewn around the campsite and we even found shoes and socks scattered in a couple of places. Creepy, you say? The campsite was a veritable scene from The Blair Witch Project!

To make matters worse, we discovered this pillow hanging from a tree in the center of the site:

In case you can't see the pillow clearly, there is an angry stick figure drawn on the pillow with slash marks across the head and neck. This kind of thing would probably send most people screaming in the other direction...but since we're a bunch of crazy, danger-seeking kids...this is where we camped for two nights. That pillow was staring at me the whole time.

Even though we were staying in such a spooky campsite, we had perfectly ideal weather for the entire trip. We went four-wheeling and did a lot of exploring, and as usual we ate enough food for a whole army.

The only downside to the weather situation was the unbelievably FRIGID temperature that rolled in at night.

Can you tell how cold I am in this picture? I think it is quite possible that I was actually frozen to that chair.

In an attempt to battle the arctic temperatures, we built two fires so that we could try and keep our fronts and backs warm simultaneously. We abandoned the fires for a while to play capture the flag, which was SO fun (although I may have been on the verge of frostbite while I was out hiding in the bushes with the Blair Witch).

I must say that our final camping trip of the summer was a huge success, even taking into account the freezing nights and the scary pillow. I had so much fun! I hope our good luck lasts until next summer so we can do it all over again.

Motownphilly Back Again...

2008-09-04T23:12:00.001-06:00

I'm not a huge R&B fan (in fact, I usually compare R&B music to the sound of nails on a chalkboard), but when Boys II Men rolled through Utah we were simply obligated to go. The cheap price and close proximity were the major selling points of the concert, and I must admit that I attended the concert without any real expectations. My lukewarm attitude was immediately blasted out of the water when Boys II Men walked onto the stage and started dancing in perfectly choreographed unison, while simultaneously singing ALL of their old classics along with a bunch of Motown hits. I surprised even myself by knowing all the words to every single song and I ended up having SO much fun!

We all crammed onto a couple of blankets in the grassy area of the stadium because the concert was completely sold out and incredibly crowded.

Kristen and I joined an outreach program and volunteered to take these mentally handicapped boys out on dates:
We are hoping to get some kind of tax deduction for our charitable works.

Lake Powellooza

2008-08-11T00:56:00.029-06:00

I know it has been a really long time since my last post...but hey, I never claimed to be a good blogger. I'll do my best to make up for the monumental time gap, so prepare yourself for picture overload.

A couple weeks ago we went on an incredible trip to Lake Powell! Easton planned the whole thing and I am fairly certain that he missed his calling as a party planner or travel agent, because the house boat was SO nice and I ate enough delicious food to make myself gain five pounds.

These boys spent most of their time posing for the camera...

...which meant that we spent most of our time like this:

This is a shot of Easton showing off his phenomenal wakeboarding skills:

Now...I know what you're thinking. You're wondering if Easton's shorts are really as small as they appear to be. Well don't worry...they're even smaller than they look. As a matter of fact, we were lucky enough to witness an abundance of teeny tiny shorts on our Lake Powell trip, and I'm not referring to the girls!

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Needless to say, we had a really fun group on the houseboat. It has been a really long time since I laughed so much...and after the many hours Easton spent teaching me to wakeboard, it has also been a really long time since my body hurt so badly.

Getting ready to jump off the houseboat...

...you can probably guess what happened next.

I was so sad when we were forced to vacate the houseboat and head back to reality...especially because we encountered a pretty harsh reality immediately after stepping off the boat. When we got back to our truck we discovered that the boat trailer had a flat tire, and Easton and Natalie had to run all over town to track down a new one. All of the other cars took off, and three hours later we finally hit the road.

Our drive began fairly peacefully, and we were lucky enough to have two whole hours of smooth, uninterrupted travel…and then another tire blew on the trailer.

We were out in the middle of nowhere and we were completely stranded. Natalie called her Allstate emergency roadside service and the conversation went something like this:

Natalie: Hi, one of the tires on my boat trailer just blew and we need a replacement.

Roadside service lady: What kind of car needs the tire?

Natalie: No no, we need a tire for the trailer carrying our boat.

Roadside service lady: You're driving a BOAT?! And you need a new tire?

No wonder it was taking so long for us to get home! We're such idiots...boats aren't supposed to drive on the road!

In a nutshell, we ran out of options because you can't tow a trailer with a flat tire. We prepared ourselves for a long, uncomfortable night in the truck until Ashlee remembered that she knew someone who lived in a bordering town. After a very late wake-up call at around one o'clock in the morning, a sweet 75-year-old man came to rescue us. He was nice enough to let us stay in a rental house that he owns and which happened to be vacant, and we were pleased to discover an uber creepy basement that looked remarkably similar to the one in Silence of the Lambs. We even found a big meat hook on the wall to complete the effect.

We did eventually make it home the next day, although I don't think I have ever been so tired in all of my 27 years of living. I won't deny that the drive home was one of the more miserable experiences of my life, but the Lake Powell trip was absolutely worth it!

I'm going going, back back...

2008-07-02T04:14:00.009-06:00

to Cali Cali! I finally got a chance to head home for a much-needed break. I haven't been down to San Diego in FAR too long, so it was really excellent to get back where I belong. I spent my trip hanging out with my family, going to the beach, visiting friends, EATING (I always go way overboard with this one), shopping...and the highlight of my trip was a Stone Temple Pilots concert with Courtney at the Hollywood Bowl!

I almost fainted from excitement when I heard that STP was going on a reunion tour, and I just couldn't pass up a chance to see them at the amazing Hollywood Bowl. The concert was beyond incredible. They played all their big hits and Scott Weiland totally hammed it up for the crowd. Court and I had really great seats and we were close enough to feel the ground vibrating beneath our feet. I'm still on a high from the show...and not just because we were surrounded by some very suspicious smelling smoke the whole time we were there.

This is a picture of us on the shuttle we took to the concert. I was so excited that I was practically bouncing in my seat the whole ride. The only camera we had was my phone camera, so you'll have to excuse the grainy picture.

This is a shot of Scott Weiland singing "Crackerman" with a megaphone.
So rad! The whole band put on such a fantastic show.

Here are a couple pictures with some of my high school friends down in SD. Jack loves posing for the camera.

Murphy, on the other hand, whines like a little girl when you try to take his picture. Here we are trying to get him to stop sulking and give us a smile.

To sum up, I had SO much fun on my visit home. I got a chance to spend some time with my mom, which I really appreciated because I don't get to see her nearly often enough. I think it's safe to say that I am just meant to be in San Diego. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely beginning to learn that Utah does have its positive sides...but I'll always belong in California.

Little Sahara...Round Two

2008-06-14T03:20:00.003-06:00

Last weekend we decided to venture out to Little Sahara for our second camping trip of the summer. Our last visit to Little Sahara was SO fun...even though we forgot almost every important camping necessity and were forced to improvise. Keeping in mind our previous camping blunders, we double checked everything before we left and made sure we were fully prepared. Well...apparently we are the butt of a really bad joke, because little issues like forgetting flashlights and firewood seemed insignificant compared to the events of our latest camping adventure.

The evening began ordinarily enough...we arrived at Little Sahara and went out on the four wheelers before the sun went down. We saw the most amazing sunset out on the dunes! This picture can't possibly do it justice.

We had our usual bonfire with marshmallows and hot dogs, and the boys had really outdone themselves with all the amazing food they brought. Jeremy whipped up some of his delicious scalloped potatoes and we ate enough food to make ourselves sick. Ben entertained us with his "Wilbur the Worm" performance (you should definitely ask to hear this one if you haven't been fortunate enough), and even though it was unbelievably freezing I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.

By the time we went to bed the weather was looking a little questionable, so Easton and TR put their cabana over the trailer as a last minute precaution.

It turned out that Easton and TR were even more clever than we realized, because a storm rolled in sometime during the night and we were all forced to huddle underneath the leaky cabana all night. It was SO cold, and I was just waiting for the crazy wind to blow over our measly little sanctuary and leave us to be soaked by the buckets of frigid water that were being dumped on us. The rain finally stopped sometime the next morning, but I felt like I would never be warm again. Do we look happy to you?

When we ultimately emerged to inspect the damage from the storm, we discovered that we had been robbed during the night! Yep, some sleazy buggers had snuck into our camp in the pouring rain and made off with our coolers. Jeremy tracked down the coolers somewhere along the road but most of our food was gone. The dirty thieves even stole TR's wind-up lantern, but ended up dumping it once they discovered that it doesn't really work very well and is basically worthless. Have you ever heard of such picky bandits? Fortunately Easton still managed to make his famous breakfast for us. Camping wouldn't be the same without it!

Here's a picture of Ben taking out his anger about the robbery on a big piece of wood. He probably chopped at that thing for thirty minutes straight. Yep, he was pretty mad. Remind me to never steal from Ben.

Daisy Cruiser Bike!

2008-06-09T21:22:00.008-06:00

Easton and I were fortunate enough to be invited down to an amazing house in Saint George for a little weekend getaway. We had so much fun! Some people brought their bikes with them to take advantage of the fun trails in the area, and since I didn't have a bike I just threw my rollerblades in the trunk and planned on spending most of my time by the pool. Little did I know that Easton had a big surprise planned for me once we arrived in Saint George. Easton disappeared for a little while, and after wandering around the house looking for him I walked outside to find him standing there with this incredible Electra Daisy Beach Cruiser!

I have been lusting after this bike ever since I saw it last year at a little bike shop on Highway 101 in Encinitas. Being the clever boy he is, Easton did some research and tracked down the bike at a shop in Provo. How lucky am I? I think it's safe to say that my new cruiser bike is officially the cutest bike in existence, and I absolutely LOVE it!

Can you tell this picture was taken after riding around in the blazing heat for a couple of hours? Even though I was totally sticky and on the verge of heat stroke, I was still jumping around with excitement about my rad new bike.

Summer Camping!

2008-05-22T01:15:00.013-06:00

Summer finally seems to be showing its face! I am definitely a person who experiences the winter blues, so I have been anxiously awaiting the warm weather. As a reward for surviving the very VERY long winter, we decided to drive down to Little Sahara for our first camping trip of the summer. We had SO much fun, but I'm frankly surprised that we were still conscious by the time we arrived at our campsite because Jeremy turned the car into a deadly gas chamber.

It has clearly been way too long since our last camping trip because we forgot to bring a few vital pieces of equipment, including flashlights, firewood, an air pump for our air mattresses, and condiments for our hot dogs. Dry hot dogs (or turkey dogs in my case) are not as appealing as they sound, and going to the bathroom with nothing but the light from my phone to guide me was far from enjoyable. However, we are all resourceful people and we came up with some impressive solutions. Easton and Jeremy rounded up some tree branches on the four-wheelers, I enticed some intoxicated neighbors into letting us borrow their air pump, and Jeremy convinced another fellow camper to fill up a ziploc bag with ketchup. We still had to use the potty via phonelight though.

The four-wheelers were definitely the best part of our trip, although I was a little nervous about driving by myself on the sand dunes. The sand was deep and slippery which made it a little difficult to maneuver the ATVs.

Easton fancies himself an expert four-wheeler and was proud to pose with his machine.

Kristen couldn't handle TR's crazy driving and decided to abandon ship before he killed them both...

...which was a very smart choice, because I managed to roll this bad boy down an embankment.

Fortunately the four-wheeler and I both came out in one piece. For a little while I was kinda embarrassed about being the only one to cause trouble with the four-wheelers, but this sentiment didn't last long because my little blunder was FAR from the worst thing that happened. We headed back to camp...the next group took off on the four-wheelers...

...and Ben got stuck in a tree.

To top everything off, Jeremy slammed his chin into the handlebars of his ATV and we had to cut our trip short to take him to the emergency room.

What a RAD camping trip! Can't wait to do it again soon.

Here Comes the Sun...

2008-05-02T17:20:00.008-06:00

Just like the Beatles said, it's been a long, cold, lonely winter. Well, maybe it hasn't exactly been lonely, but it has definitely been LONG and COLD! Let's hope that the sun decides to stick around this time. I have had enough freezing weather to last me a lifetime!

I finally finished the misery of last semester and I feel like I can breathe again. It's nice to actually have time for trivial things like sleeping and eating. This summer won't exactly be easy -- I'm working on a research project and taking a prep course for the GRE -- but I'm sure the next few months will be a vast improvement from last semester.

My family came out to Utah for my graduation, which I know was long overdue. It was so nice to spend some time with my parents and Courtney, although it wasn't the same without Shannon with us. As always, we spent a lot of time eating and shopping...two of my favorite things to do!

I must admit that I'm going through beach withdrawals, especially now that summertime is just over the horizon. San Diego is calling my name!

Finally!

2008-04-24T02:26:00.003-06:00

I took my last final today! I think I'll do a dance of joy like Balki from "Perfect Strangers."

Spring Fever

2008-04-18T02:06:00.007-06:00

I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring, and Utah is seriously disappointing me. Every time the sun comes out just long enough to extract all the skirts and short sleeves from my closet, I wake up the next morning to discover snow on my car. WHY?! It's April and time for Spring to stay for good! Spring is nothing but a dirty tease.

School has continued to devour my life and soul, but I had my last official class today! If I can just get through all my finals next week I'll be home free.

On Sunday I had a very valid excuse to take a break from all my studying because my friend Liz had a baby! I went to visit her at the hospital and had the chance to hold her teeny-tiny little guy, Nicholas. He is unbelievably adorable...almost cute enough to inspire me to have one of my own. ALMOST. I should probably work on the whole husband thing first.

Science Experiment

2008-04-04T15:41:00.026-06:00

Try to imagine a scenario where a few silly boys decide to make hydrogen in their backyard. Let's say that these boys buy some industrial drain cleaner, a few plastic tubes, a Sobe bottle and a peanut butter jar...and then attempt to surpass Mr. Wizard with their impressive science skills. Now imagine that the aforementioned silly boys go by the names Easton, Ty, and Brad.

Easton was the one who actually started the madness, and he insisted on dragging me to Lowe's to pick up the supplies he needed for his science project. For those of you who know Easton, you won't be surprised by another one of his attempts to blow himself up. He gets a big kick out of putting himself directly in the path of oncoming danger. I wasn't too keen on the idea of homemade hydrogen, but Easton managed to brainwash Ty and Brad into thinking it was a good idea and I was quickly outnumbered.

The boys drilled holes in the tops of a few bottles to create the reactor container and scrubbers, hooked up the tubes, and attached a plastic trash bag to (hopefully) fill up with hydrogen. Easton cut up a Cafe Rio aluminum tin to put in the Sobe bottle, and we all watched him add the Drano to kick off the chemical reaction. I hid behind the barbecue for safety while I yelled at Easton to get away from the bubbling, vibrating Sobe bottle.

After a couple of setbacks involving a cracked reactor bottle and insufficient Drano, the boys finally figured everything out and managed to fill up a trash bag with hydrogen! Sometimes I think Easton's too clever for his own good.

Don't they look so proud of themselves?

Of course the boys needed to prove their maturity (or lack thereof) by using a flaming sock on the end of a plastic samurai sword to light the floating hydrogen bag on fire. Everybody laughed and cheered and toasted Easton's success...but I think the crowd was ultimately more interested in the big blazing sock than the melted bag of hydrogen.

And although I don't really approve of Easton's tendency towards hazardous projects, I must reluctantly admit that the hydrogen experiment was pretty fun. Who wouldn't get a kick out of seeing a bunch of fully-grown men sprinting around the corner of the house for cover from a deadly and dangerous Sobe bottle?

Easter Fun

2008-04-01T21:05:00.013-06:00

I miss being a kid. I’ve decided that Easter was much more exciting back in the days when I used to wake up at the crack of dawn and gallop around the house to grab as much candy as I could get my little hands on. The Easter treats always seemed to taste better after brawling with my sisters to claim the best loot.

Easton made me a magnificent Easter basket, complete with a white chocolate cross and all the fruity candy I could eat.

What could be better than a holiday that gives you a legitimate excuse to eat enough candy to make yourself look pregnant?

TR was nice enough to invite us to his family’s house for Easter dinner, and I think it’s safe to say that we all gorged ourselves on way too much food. It was all SO good!

After eating everything in sight...

TR is very excited about Easter, in case you couldn't tell…

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

2008-03-18T19:59:00.016-06:00

On Saint Patrick's Day a few of us decided to go see some friends perform in the Thrillionaires improv show in Provo. These guys are SO funny! They have a show every week, so if you haven't had a chance to see one of their performances I would highly recommend it.

TR deserved a big pinch for being the only one who didn't wear green, but Kristen was too nice to punish him.

Farewell Spring Break

2008-03-16T03:19:00.005-06:00

The few pathetic days I had off school this week...otherwise known as spring break...are coming to a close, and I'm mourning their passing. This semester has been unbelievably difficult and time consuming, and my stress has been magnified even more by the fact that I need impeccable grades to help my grad school applications. I'm hoping to be accepted at USD's Marriage and Family Therapy master's program, which would be absolutely perfect for me (but will put me in the poorhouse for many years to come).

On that note, I bid adieu to my few days of freedom. Sad! Time to say hello to more stress headaches and nervous breakdowns. Just a couple more months to go!

Blythe's Bloggity Blog...

2008-03-12T04:04:00.001-06:00

As if I wasn't a big enough nerd for being on myspace and facebook every day...I decided it was time to add blogging to my regimen. This could potentially work out in one of two ways: I will end up becoming obsessed with blogging and add new postings every day, OR this will be the only post to ever appear on my blog. Only time will tell!