STRESS

This is me right now.

and that is okay.

EVERYTHING in my life is changing right now. 

EVERYTHING

I like change, or so I thought. 

Thank goodness I have Katy right?

The hardest part isn't that everything is changing really. 

It is that I keep loosing my best friends.

They keep finding things like amazing jobs and husbands,

and all kinds of really good things take them away.

And since they are GOOD things I have to be happy for them. 

Because that is what a friend does.

So when you feel like this you ask for help right?

Right.

Don't forget however, 

That most of my friends have new jobs or are planning weddings.

But there was one friend that wasn't too busy.

"Come over and we will make deviled eggs..."

The Screaming Catfish

We need a picture of the entire group, which I don't have. 

Sadness. 

The Screaming Catfish, is the fishing club that
Katy and I are a part of.

There will have to be a later post to introduce you 

it's founding members, Cameran and Kathy. 

Yesterday we started at Rockport where after two hours,

and only one catch, we moved onto East Canyon.

We had MUCH better luck at East Canyon

See how happy I am?

At one point, both Kathy and I felt a nibble and reeled it. 

When Kathy went to inspect and see who had caught the fish,

and who had caught the others line it turned out we had both caught the fish. 

And he had swallowed BOTH hooks. 

What a piggie!

And finally here is a little sneak peak of my fishing setup. 

In order to be an expert fishermen there are some essential items. 

Can't wait for next time!

A word to the unwise

If you ever happen to loose a flip flop on the beach. Don't walk around the rest of the day with just one.

You see we wear shoes for a reason.

I couldn't figure out why one leg was so swollen. It is just because I am so sunburned I told myself. But there was this nagging question as to why only one was so swollen. Well maybe it was burned a little bit more. But that still seemed no reason for one to look as though I had elephantiasis and one to look just a tiny bit bigger than usual.

Can you see how one has a much more defined tan line? Well that is because I went almost the entire day with only one flip flop. And that is the leg that is more swollen. It would seem that we wear shoes to keep our feet from getting tiny cuts.You see when we get tiny cuts from things like broken shells and sand itself, wearing shoes keeps nasty things from entering into those cuts. When nasty things stay out of your cuts, your leg stays average size.

I think not wearing shoes is how people actually do get elephantiasis. Also on the way home I saw a billboard in St. George that said "Practice safe sun: Wear protection." I did not. I would like to say publicly that as a blond haired, blue eyed girl of viking ancestry, sunscreen is a must.

NAU-AU-GHTY

Some of you may have gotten a text from Katy while we were gone, asking which of us was more naughty. The question came because Simon reached across the table at the luncheon and told Katy she was being naughty. An argument then ensued about who was the naughtiest.

I would like to put my vote in:

This is Simon at Coronado beach right after the luncheon. If you mistakenly think he is looking at the waves in awe and pondering deep things let me assure you that he was doing nothing of the sort. He was throwing everything he could find into the ocean. Shells, water bottles, and when nothing else was available.. sand. We will leave all pondering of deep things to Jarom for now. That is his niche anyway.

If there are ever any doubts as to why this stinker has me wrapped around his sand throwing fingers, let me tell you this story my dad posted yesterday. He caught Simon talking to himself in the mirror. "You are me and I am you and sometimes we are nau-au-ghty."

Yes please! I will take two! Okay if we are talking naughty little boys for me I will take as many as Heavenly Father is willing to send me. Just have to find a man first.

Laguna Beach

We will start here even though this is not
where the adventures begun.

This is where this SD card begins our journey.

Saturday night we had Jake's reception. 

So in the morning, after I drug Katy out of bed
and away from her DS...

 (She will KILL me for posting this, but look teeny brother is in the picture)

We headed to Laguna Beach.

Cuteness on all levels correct?

Of course Robot was being goofy and wanted to know 

if there was a way we could make this into a necklace. 

When I said no he made it into a hat.

 Just a few more pictures.
One of me, so you know I really was there too. 

At some point I lost one of my favorite flip flops of all time. 

At least it wasn't the keys right?

But the sand became warmer and warmer
on my poor foot as the day went on.

This was also the day we, and by we I mean I,
didn't apply suncreen.

I didn't want the 50 SPF they had for the kids 

so I thought we would stop and getting something a little tamer.

That didn't happen. 

Sunburn happened.

And finally one to show you that it really was a
sunny beautiful day at Laguna Beach.

After Laguna we jumped back into the car and made our way up 

The Pacifc Coast highway through Newport Beach
and up to Huntington Beach. 

It was absolutley gorgeous and the weather was perfect.

The beach part of the day ended at Huntington Beach 

where we did lots of swimming and lots of sunbathing. 

Try not to forget that I did this sunbathing minus the sunscreen.

Thanks to my step mom for meeting me with a new pair of flip flops.

You are a life saver, or a foot saver at least.

Sexy

"You know what would be sexy? If you went home and studied so you can graduate, get a good job, and afford to fill your backseat with carseats!"

LA-SLC

This morning I was driving to work, listening to the Beach Boys and reminiscing about my fantastic trip.

You know Southern California was GREAT and I spent a lot of time on the beach and soaked up a little too much sun.

Remember here when I had a hard time coming back to Utah?

Well this morning I saw the phone number I got from a super hot guy, sitting in my console, and I thought thank goodness I am home to my sweet Mormon boys.

And I thought how much it sucked to be driving in such a nasty rain storm but I was driving and not in stopped traffic and I was again grateful to be home.

It just feels good to be home this time.

The sea

My mother absolutley above anything else, other than her family, loved the mountains.

I also enjoy the mountains.

But my true love is the sea.

I feel for it like I do a best friend. 

When we are together we don't have to do anything. 

Just being together makes everything all better.

Stay Tuned

Tomorrow morning we leave for San Diego.

I haven't even begun to pack yet.

It will be Katy and I, as well as Robot (Jon), and my brother Logan in the car! 

I can barely handle how excited I am for this road trip!

Katy and I ALWAYS have adventures and stories 

and THIS time we are being joined by two handsome men.

Once there we will join the rest of the family to explore San Diego 

and observe these two kiddos getting hitched.

Here:

Doesn't it make you so happy to see your family making good choices? It makes me happier than anything else!

So stay tuned for updates, and embarrassing stories!

Dear Mando,

I woke up this morning with a text from a 208 number I didn't recognize:

"I'm sorry for bein a *naughty word* towards u if i've ever been n im sure i have."

I asked a bunch of people if they knew who it was. I couldn't think of any of my 208 friends who would text me and swear, and only two who had ever behaved poorly toward me, and I knew neither of them would ever text me such a sincere apology.

So I texted back this afternoon:

"I would love to tell you that all of our interactions have been nothing but pleasant but I don't know who this is."

Reply:

"U don't know who this is? Well it don't matter but this is mando. So can i get my movies or u still don't know who this is."

I STILL don't know who this is.  Movies? What movies? Must be a wrong number.

Date Night

Tonight I got to go on a hot date with one of the cutest men I know...

He also just so happens to be my photographer and stylist for the evening.

Usually your date doesn't help you get ready but mine was kind enough to assist. 

1. "Could you just fix this one spot there."

2. A close up of the master at work.

3. Adding some flare.

4. Wah lah! The finished product!

We went out for Puerto Rican food. Quite the adventure and very delicious. I don't want to embarass my date but during dinner he dumped my ENTIRE drink in my lap and then he just laughed. Then when the waitress came to mop up my chair and I stood up I knocked over all the water glasses on the table. Between the two of us, I looked like I had gone for a swim. But no worries we just laughed and laughed and I dried out eventually. 

 

Maybe you can blame his clumsiness on the amount of Pina Coladas he'd had.

"Reese, Do it now please!" 

He wanted me to finish his dessert.

But I was too full from the flan we had shared.

We got along so well that he spent most of the date in my lap. 

Good thing I am already a pro at eating one handed while snuggling. 

I got a big hug and a kiss at the end of my date and think that just maybe, we will go out again sometime. 

He is after all, a very cute boy.

Matthew K

What rhymes with cooking spray?

I spent 20 minutes of my Friday night trying to write a poem for you.

It was a dismal failure.

Nothing rhymes with PFHE.

P.S.  My previous post is not about you, although you should give back, maybe you could write me a poem.

Stupid Boy

Have you ever known someone who was this really awesome amazing person?

But really they weren't.

they were actually kind of a jerk? 

Or incredibly selfish?

It really sucks.

Because you are going to miss him.

But you can only love someone who doesn't love you for so long.

After awhile is starts to wear on you.

And awhile later you realize he has taken and taken and never given back.

And you have nothing left to give.

So you cry a little and you move on.

And you are probably better off.

But it REALLY, REALLY sucks.

Clerk's Office Club

Because even if I am just hanging out in the clerk's office eating gummie bears...

I like me when I am laughing.

And they like me as long as I don't disappear with the gummie bears.

My boss was asking me today about a key. 

You see it is the only one in the office and he was worried that we only had one key and that I had it.

"No worries I'm not going to lose it."
"But what if one day you just don't come into work."
"Then I will be back the next day with the key."
"But what if you just never come back? What if you just disappear like that one lady they just found in like southern Utah?"
"They found that lady who disappeared from West Valley?"
"Yeah she had just up and run away with some guy from work."
"That is NOT going to happen here!"
"Why not?"
"The only single person is the *OMC!"
"Well you never know Annie, we better get another key made."

I have not made another key.

*Open Mouth Chewer

Mormon Superbowl

... as miss Lolly calls it.

Oh my goodness how I love General Conference.

This year we watched conference with friends from their cabin in Bear Lake. 

We listened to the first session on the radio while driving up to Bear Lake. We were at the light at the bottom of the canyon in Brigham City when I rolled the window down, and signaled to the car next to me that it was time to rock out. I then leaned over and turned up conference on the radio. Everyone in the car was bobbing their head, rocking out to conference. The guy thought we were crazy but really we just couldn't even handle how exited we were to hear our prophet's voice.

The weekend was full of good friends, good food, amazing views, and a lot of just being together. They have a plaque up in the cabin that says  "together is our favorite place to be." I couldn't agree more! 

This is how Katy enjoys conference.

She will kill me for posting this. Ha!

I of course, and Katy also, spend most of the time knitting it up.

Part of the Noah's ark I am knitting for my non-existent children.

Yes I am that girl. 

 

and a scarf I am working on for my brother because his mission requires one and they were VERY specific about what was allowed and what wasn't. So I decided to knit him up just what he needed. Now he can have the perfect rule abiding scarf AND one knit with lots of love in every stitch. In this picture you can also kind of see the quilt I made out of my mom's clothes. I made one for all us kiddos. Well mine isn't done, but everyone else has one.

What a perfect weekend. I feel bad that the boys got chastised. Mostly because it seems to be the only thing being talked about afterward and I feel that instead of being so excited that the boys got told, we should be reflecting on the instruction meant for us. Do you think due to the talks given that we will see any change in the single adult men of the church? And if so what changes are you anticipating?

I hope that everyone who was listening, as Elder Holland said, found themselves to be not only the comfortable who were afflicted but also the afflicted who were comforted. I know I was, and I say we give the boys a break. I LOVE the men in my life, and know they try just as hard, if not harder, than I do to live righteously.

Personally, I loved Elder Scott's talk so so much. But it made me a little sad that I had no one to make a hole punched love note for, because that is the kind of thing I do. 

I also loved Elder Robbins talk, and found it extra interesting as I home teach one of his daughters and know well one of his sons. 

I can't wait to get my copy of the conference Ensign. 

I wish it was out today.

I didn't forget!

In my zest for General Conference this weekend don't think I forgot my other favorite part of April!

Today is OPENING DAY for the Phillies!!!!

Are you as excited as I am?

Some people are saying that our rotaion is one of the best in baseball history.

YES PLEASE!

We are starting the season with Utley indefinetly sidelined.

Never fear however, because one person does not make a team AND my favorite, and yours, Roy Halladay is starting this afternoon!

And guess what? For those of you who care... This kid is LDS!

In honor of my favorirte city on earth we had one of these last weekend.

 (P.S. My nails are very cute, don't you think?)

Oh my goodness and I want another one right now! I can get the meatball sub, and I can find somewhere to watch the game, but I will miss the Italian men in the cheap seats! My favorite part of going to the game!

And in case you were wondering.

This is what a best friend looks like. Look at her.

She has no reason to love Nebraska enough to wear the shirt except that she loves me.

Now we just have to get her a Phillies shirt!

And I suppose I would need an Oklahoma one.