massive blog warning...

It's been a long time since I blogged so I'm doing a massive blog catch-up. Then I promise I'll have my life more organized and I'll make my blogs regular, short ones.

One of my favorite things was when my aunt, Annmarie, came to visit me and my mom. We had a lot of fun. I love how camera happy she is! This was taken at Olive Garden. Isn't she cute! I can't remember why, but we kept trying to get a picture of our waiter. All I remember is that he was weird.

My roommate's ward had a trunk or treating night, so we all went dressed up as 80's rock stars. Then we went to our friends house where we drank apple cider. (I'm still off hot chocolate, due to finding worms in the last cup I drank.) The black wig I wore was awesome, and it got me re-thinking going dark for the winter. I wouldn't color it black... but maybe the color of Annmarie's hair. What do you think?

We also had a little bonfire and I learned what "doughie's" are. It's dough you cook on a stick, over the fire and then fill it with delicousness... such as pie filling and whipcream. Peanut butter and chocolate or whatever you want. MMMMMM!! See how happy Shannon is with it!

I LOVE Halloween! And I especially love some of the traditions I've started here in Las Vegas. Like, dressing up and going down to the strip. I love doing that because you can see everyone's costumes and people want to take pictures with you if your costume is cool enough. I went as the California Raisin (retro costume from 1987!), my roommates went as Snagglepuss (female version) and Sydney Bristow (from Alias).

Another tradition is that I make dinner in a pumpkin and watch Troll 2. Troll 2 is by far my favorite Halloween movie and I usually force people to watch it with me. But it just makes me so happy!

Recenly, my roommate and I battled the teenage crowds and sat in line to watch New Moon. It was lots of fun and lots of craziness. We saw the midnight showing... on a school night, even. I liked this movie better than Twilight. It was so much better because it was mosly about JACOB! Ahhhh!!

I recently found a train that takes you on a little ride in Boulder City. Even though it goes at a painfully slow pace, it's still lots of fun because the people who run it are old volunteers and they dress up like the conductors did back in the day.

The other day, my mom moved out of state, and so my roommate and I went to clean out the rest of her apartment. She left a patio chair that I really wanted but it just wouldn't fit in my car... so, this is what we came up with... I don't know if you can see if very well, but Megan is sqished inbetween the legs of the chair, and because the door wouldn't close, she's holding it closed with her arm. Luckily I live close by!

Ok, I think I'm all caught up now. I'll stay on top of it from now on!

I want it that way!!

My roommate showed me this video tonight and it made me so happy!! And although I really was more an N'sync fan, it made me miss the Backstreet Boys. Are they still around?

Spektor Spectator

It's been so long since I've seen a really great concert. The last one I went to was Matt and Kim... who I love! They opened for a band called Cut Copy. It was such a fun show because everyone in the audience was dancing crazy. I'd never seen anything like it.

Before the Matt and Kim concert, I saw Snow Patrol. That was hands down the best show I've ever been to because...
a) it was free
b) I could see because I made my way up to the stage
c) Snow Patrol is my all time favorite band
d) we were surrounded by such fun strangers, who, during the concert, became our best friends and then became strangers again once the concert was over (one of these strangers/friends promised to email us some pictures of the show but as we left, we neglected to exchange email addresses. *sigh*)

And now guess who I get to see in a few weeks...



Regina! I just love this lady! (It's wierd, but her music will always and forever remind me of the Christmas season because when I first discovered her, it was Christmas time and I listened to her nonstop.)

On a completely unrelated topic... I am racing in a sprint triathlon this Satuday. This one is here in Vegas and I keep forgetting that it's coming up... oops! But wish me luck!!

no place like home

Lately I have been out of town so much! I've been doing really fun things and have enjoyed it IMMENSELY... I don't regret it at all! However, my home life is struggling...

Yesterday didn't make my bed for the first time in YEARS.

I have no food and have acquired a new breakfast food addiction... delicious parfait. delicious sausage burrito. No so good fat roll. Thank you McDonalds.

I found there is food rotting in my fridge. I think my roommates are leaving it for me to clean up. Which they should. Who wants to clean other people's rotting food??

My clothes are strewn all over my room. Dirty clothes and clean clothes all mingling together on my chair while my dirty clothes hamper sits empty.

My dog has such shaggy hair, he can barely see... even after his home done, temporary hair cut 3 weeks ago. And his nails are super long and sharp and he keeps chewing them off. Gross.

Because of all this, I feel like my life is so out of control. This weekend will be the first weekend I've been home in 5 weeks. I have so much to do!! My home has missed me...

I got a feelin'

When I went to Seattle this last weekend, my best friend in the Whole Wide World recorded this Oprah and I'm just so thankful because we watched it over and over and over! Every time I watch it, it makes me happy!! I hope it makes you happy too!

no bears are out tonight....

Last weekend I went backpacking at Big Pine, CA. We hiked up to Seven Lakes at almost 11,000 ft elevation. It was the most intense hike I've ever done, but it was well worth it because it was BEAUTIFUL up there!


Here we are at the trailhead. We are all pretty eager to get going.


Pretty waterfall and bridge.

I think this was the first lake. It was glacier water. Brrrr!

Here's our camp all set up.

This is us about to eat dinner.

My roomate, Megan, and I enjoying our mountain man food.

This picture was taken about an hour before the scariest night of my life began! I had no idea when I took this picture that soon I would wake up throughout the night feeling like this was the end. I really thought I was going to be ripped out of the tent by a bear. But at the time this picture was taken, I was having a super great time! We kept trying to take a picture of us "sleeping" but we would start giggling before the picture took. If only that fun could have lasted...

During the night, Laurel heard something and flew out of the tent to go investigate. It ended up being nothing, but that was the beginning of a very long night for us. I woke up to every sound with my heart POUNDING and my body shaking. The boys in the tent next to us were useless because when we called out ask if they heard anything, they were both dead asleep. When I woke up the next morning I swore off camping forever. But now I think I can go again, I just need to sleep next to a gun. :)

The next day we hiked up to a few different lakes, all very pretty.

This is Summit Lake. We didn't go down to that one because we were getting so very tired.

We ended up hiking out a day early because Megan and I really didn't want to spend another night like that first one. It really was a fun trip overall... I'm just happy that on my next vacation I get to sleep inside a house, on a nice bed, and I probably won't get blisters on my feet. :)

500 Days

I LOVED this movie for so many reasons!!

Don't worry, I'm not going to give anything away, but 2 reasons why I love it so much are...

1. SWEATER VESTS
2. REGINA SPEKTOR

Island Park Getaway

Things I learned from Island Park:

1. Sleeping in a camper is much warmer than a tent

2. Bears can run 40 MPH

3. ALWAYS investigate why your hot chocolate tastes like cardboard. It might be worms

4. 4 wheeling is DIRTY

5. When they call it a lazy river, they really mean LAZY! Thank heaven for oars!

ELVIRA

I should not make impulsive decisions about my hair stylist ever again! I still haven't found anyone I like enough to go to the same person consistently. Last weekend I decided to get a trim and a color and she just started cutting and layering me until I looked like a blonde version of this...


I just don't know what to do about it! I've thought and thought and can't come up with anything other than wearing a ponytail for the next 3 months. Which I'm not entirely against because it gives me an excuse not to do my hair. But so much for looking cute. I guess I could try to go a little funkier and style it like this...

But that's just not me either. Ponytail it is!

All things summer...

I know it's been a super long time since i posted anything at all but tonight I'm cramming it all onto one post.

Here is what I've been doing this summer...

I took my first trip to San Diego.

And I loved these sea lions/seals. They were so funny trying to get up on that rock. It made me grateful for legs.
I saw the beautiful San Diego temple. I was here by myself because the boys were playing basketball. A senior missionary yelled across this lawn "Can I take your picture??" And I thought... why not. That memory has been officially documented. Thanks Elder someone from Boise Idaho!
I am allergic to ants in Las Vegas. When they bite me this is what happens. Followed by days and days of painful itchiness. I've been ambushed my the ants so many times I can't even remember!

Remember the Obama's dog? Do you see a resemblance? This is RoccObama.
I finally got out on the lake to wake board. Such fun!

I found a dog park that's a little closer to my house than the one I have been going to and it's been re-sodded recently, so I'm pretty excited about that. But check out this sunset from that location. Ohhhh!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!

This is the Boulder City 4th of July parade. There is a water fight during the second half of the parade. Next year I'll be better prepared!


And I'm SPENT! WHEW!

Sprint Triathlon

My first sprint triathlon... check.

I'm going to be brief about this because I could really go on and on. I trained for 5 months for this and when it was finally here, I looked at the ocean and thought I was going to pee my pants! We had to swim out to the yellow triangle buoy... not the orange one that's close... the yellow far away one. And the waves looked out of control. I wish a big wave had rolled in when I took this picture so you all can feel my pain, but oh well. ANYHOW...


My friend Rich did the triathlon with me and he was nice enough to rent a van so my mom and both my roommates could come and watch. And we all got to spend some time in Encinitas, CA. Very pretty.


This is Rich and I scoping out the ocean the day before the race. We are about to do a practice swim. Don't those wetsuits look nice??

The day of the race, I woke up earlier than I have in years and got all ready. It was really fun being at the event before it started because everyone is so excited and nervous and it was cool to be a part of that. And I got there just in time to set up my equipment and get down to the ocean to swim. Mom and my roommates made their way down to the ocean to take pictures. Here I am in the ocean... one of the pink caps is me.

I was so happy to be out of the ocean! I was really nervous during the swim because you just never know when a big wave is going to come and pummel you. (Maybe I should take lessons from the guy in the background who is lapping me. He's already got his wet suit down, and cap and goggles off, and the look of concentration... while I'm busy smiling at the camera.)


Next was the bike section and I'm sorry but I don't have any pictures of that for you. All you should know is that I avoided slipping on the slick, wet road, but I did loose my water bottle. Sad! And whoops!

Then it was time for the run. This is always the hardest for me because I HATE running! And because it's the last event and my body gets tired. But I finished in a respectable time.


And got a medal just for finishing.



So, all in all, it was an amazing experience. Lots of fun and a good excuse to see San Diego County. There are two more coming up in September and October here in Las Vegas. So if any of you want to join me, let me know!

Whew!

Hi there! I am finished with school! I passed all my tests and finished with flying colors (despite my fears since one professor told us NOT to study for her final and so I didn't study like I usually do and was freaking out because it was the HARDEST final ever!! Not nice of her!). I walked last Saturday and was reminded how boring graduations are. But I was glad I did it because it feels like I got some Graduate school closure.

I love being done with school and not working yet. It's the best feeling in the world! It feels like I have a summer break again. That's one thing I first started missing when I started my undergraduate schooling. I felt like my summers were stolen from me. If I wasn't taking summer classes, I was working. Full time. Which was a crappy situation, because I had to stop my tradition of watching Wonder Years re-runs. And that's just sad. But I feel like the public school system has set us up for disappointment in the "real world". We never get 3 months off... once we get jobs, our lives are over!! But for now I'm enjoying my time off, and my pseudo summer break. I've been passing my time by painting my apartment and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning! I've been looking at this one junk cupboard for about 3 years now, always saying to myself, I have to do something about that. And today I DID!! And I took before and after pictures to show you.


Wow! I am still so amazed at how great it looks! And what was all that crap crammed in there before?? Sheesh!!

So, I have my long awaited sprint triathlon this Sunday. All I ask it that you all pray that I don't drown. :) But we get tee shirts, AND they said there will be a celebrity appearance! Who could it be?!? And I get to go to San Diego for the first time EVER and I asked some close friends to come with me for support, so it should be a fun time!

Spring Breaker!

Well, Spring Break was finally here! And I feel like I made the most of my week off. I took my yucky big test and immediately left town for Disneyland!! I went with some friends from my ward and we got a hotel room close enough to see Cinderella's castle. So fun!

I believe this was the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. So dark. And scary. Say hi to my friends Lisa and Anne. Does anyone think Anne and I look alike? We hear that we do sometimes. What do you think?


Can you guess what this ride is?? Anyone, anyone? This ride is also scary but in a different way.

I took a video of Thunder Mountain Railroad... take a look at the end of this blog... you'll feel like you were there!

My friend, Anne got a little sick while we were here and sadly it wasn't the most fun Disneyland trip for her. But you can't win them all!

Two days later I got on an airplane and flew to Washington. I stayed with my Best Friend in the Whole Wide World. (Shout out to Jessamyn!!) It was super fun to see her! But I started to get a little sicky-sick. *Sigh*

I gathered my best friends from High School and we went to Seattle for fun and shopping. I love that place! And I love these girls! Being with them again was just like it always has been. They make me laugh so hard. So goofy!

Overall the trip was super fun and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Only I'd leave my germs at home. Now it's back to school and work for the final month. Then I'll be done FOREVER! It was a good last spring break.



(Don't forget to watch me!!)