Today I didnt even have to use my a.k.

I got this in the mail-



My stomach was tied up in knots, I couldn't sleep at all last night. This morning I sat in a cold room and stared at a computer for three hours and walked out with this-


I went for a walk and found this for FREE at the side of the road-



These showed up at my door because someone was thinking about me-



I went to dinner with Maren and Aliah and Maren bought me this to congratulate me-



I went to see these guys for free-



Today was a good day.

Saturday Morning

I have been feeling really introspective lately. I am sure it has something to do with the changes going on in my life and my completely unknown future. It's funny that things can be so great, SO great and you don't even realize it and then when things start to go a little crazy that's when you realize how good it was. Don't get me wrong, life is pretty good. I am not depressed or unhappy. I just have my moments of wondering what it is exactly that I am supposed to be doing or feeling or even being.

A friend of mine put pictures on facebook from high school. Some of them were positively mortifying (what is it with the 90's and floral dresses???) but they brought back so many feelings of that time in my life. I loved my friends, I loved my family, life was really fun. I thought it would always be like that- or at least I wanted it to be. Now, of course I still love my friends and family. That hasn't changed. But life has changed, age and responsibility has changed and things are just . . . different. I am sure I would be completely annoyed with my high school self. I was extremely obnoxious, but I do miss that idealistic side of myself. Anything was possible. I was going to do so much. And I have, just not the way I pictured it. Not at all.

I have amazing people in my life. I really do, my friends (old and new) are really a part of me and I love them. My family is still wonderful, although we have had a lot more tragic times in my adult years than we ever had when I was a child- some of which we have not fully recovered from. I still love and appreciate them.

I definitely have stressful money woes, wondering where and when I will get a job. But I am educated and I feel so blessed for that.

I still have the gospel in my life- I never thought there would be ups and downs in that area, but there has been. I always seem to make it out OK.

I have had heartbreak. Sometimes big, sometimes small, but you change a little with each one and I am not sure you ever truly recover. Maybe you aren't supposed to.

Sometimes I wish for a crystal ball, just for a minute, just to get a peak at how it all turns out. Until that time, life goes on, the good the bad and the ugly- and I guess all I can do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

So I get in a funk and then blogging seems near impossible. BUT TODAY I WILL BLOG. I am not sure anyone even cares, but I do. It's not like I keep a journal- this blog is for posterity. I'm sure when I finally have posterity, blogs will be completely primeval, but whatever.

What have I been up to lately? Hmmm. Studying. It's official. I have paid my money ($175) and I am taking the big licensing exam on August 18th. I really hate that I just put that in writing, because now I will have to admit it if I fail (please don't fail, please don't fail). It's a four hour exam and I have no idea if I am ready for it. Oh and my degree posts tomorrow. I will officially officially have my masters degree as of tomorrow. Crazy.

My mom had surgery over two weeks ago and they kept her in the hospital for about 5 days longer than planned. It was scary. She is better now- although we have had a fair share of drama since then. I hate drama. But things are looking up.

My room has been so hot (I live in the attic), so my roommate helped me make curtains so that I have a makeshift cubicle of cool where my bed is. My bed is in a little alcove and I have a window unit, so when I sleep I close the curtains- as seen here (they are open and sorry my bed is disheveled).

Tomorrow I head to Arizona for a week with Nolan. He is moving there for 2 years to get his MBA at Arizona State. Sad. We are taking the drive past the grand canyon (which I have never seen) so I am super excited about that.

The job search has begun. Who knows where I will end up! I am totally freaking out about money, but I found this cool free budgeting website where you can keep track of ALL of your finances. You should check it out here.

Boring post, I know. But I will soon be adding some amazing pictures of the grand canyon!!!

July 4th

If you have read my blog for some time you will already know that the 4th of July isn't really my favorite holiday. It's probably not even in my top 5. It's not that I don't love my country or that I am not happy we have independence or anything. It's just the hassle of it all.

So this year I celebrated a little differently. A group of us went to Yellowstone and stayed in a cabin for a couple of nights. There were no fire works, just steaming holes in the ground and animals, as well as playing cards, watching silly movies (The Little Mermaid and A Pirate movie), not showering, but jumping in a VERY cold lake and roasting marshmallows for breakfast. Oh yeah, and really good company as well. I LOVED it. Here are some pictures to document the fun.

The view from the cabin and the lake we swam in:




The hilarious warning and then the risky picture (I could have been gored . . .) from the safety of the car:



The steaming holes and beautiful water:






The people I went with:



Why there are no pictures of Jeff, Aliah and Shereka I do not know. I only used my camera phone- so this is what I have. This next picture freaked me out. Jeff the Dentist was not afraid, but my hands were sweating when I took this.



What a good way to celebrate independence.

I am in love with this song

But can't find it so that I can put it on my Ipod and listen to it on repeat. Can someone help me?

Pacific North West Day 6

On our last full day, we decided to go to Seattle, since we were flying out from there the next day. We drove to see Nolan's cousin and spent some time with her and her little boy and lots of animals and then took the ferry to Seattle. I had never done this before. It was really fun and a little cold, but totally worth it.


We then ate at the Crab Pot right on the pier. So good. They steam everything you want together and dump it on the table right in front of you. You have a crab fork, a wooden board, a mallet and a bib.


When we started . . .
Nolan dared me to eat a shrimp eyeball and with much protest and whining I finally did. I don't know what took me so long, I lived in Thailand for goodness sake.
When we finished . . .
We were stuffed, but it was so good. Then we just headed back to the hotel, sat in the hot tub for a minute and slept to get up early for our flight. The trip was super fun and quite a success. These are all the pictures I have. Sarah took some and I will post them when I get them.

I love Portland. So so much. (and Sarah)

Pacific North West Day 5

This is the only picture I took of Day 5. We went to this old old hotel in Washington. It is an old bath house that pumps in hot mineral water. You sit in a really hot mineral bath in a big claw foot porcelain tub. I love baths, so this was amazing. Then you get wrapped in blankets and sweat for another half hour or so. It was really nice. The girl side was a little more modest then the boy side (from what Nolan told me).

That night, we went with Sarah and Joel to see I Love You Man (yes another movie), but this theater was so cool. It was like Brewvies, but way better. A really old theater, with over stuffed chairs and love seats, beautiful inside. Their food was really good too. I had their hummus plate- so good. And the movie only costs 3 bucks.

Pacific North West days 3 & 4

Ok, I didn't take any pictures of Day 3, but it consisted of a lot of walking. I mean a lot. We went to the Saturday market, rode on the street car (well a couple), went to the farmer's market and ate cherries. That night, Sarah and Joel went to Seattle, so Nolan and I set out on an adventure of our own, which started out at Sarah and Joel's and ended up at Powell's books only after we walked over the whole city. Pretty much literally. My feet were killing me, but it was totally worth it. We spent about an hour trying to figure out how my GPS (on my phone) would get us to a Thai restaurant. We found one and ate Som Tom, one of my favorite things in the world and then rented another movie (leave me alone, we were on vacation).

Day 4 we drove to the coast and stopped at a cheese factory. Not really what we expected. Lots of families and not much opportunity to really see how cheese was made. So we got ice cream instead and even though we stayed less than 15 minutes, Nolan insisted he get a picture in the cow cut out. How could I say no to that?


The coast was beautiful. We headed to Cannon Beach, saw Haystack Rock, drove through Seaside and ate in Astoria. I wanted a Goonie adventure, the closest we got was going into a restaurant, sitting down and realizing it was not what we wanted. We tried to think of an eventful escape plan (before ordering) but couldn't, so we just walked out.




The drive home was beautiful, but I totally fell asleep with my mouth wide open, head bobbing and probably some drool.

Pacific North West Day 2

Then we went to Multnomah Falls. I love this place. It's like a little piece of Heaven just off the freeway (with lots of touristy people, but heaven is probably like that too, right?). We stopped and got lemonade at this cute stand some girls had up, hiked the falls (a little), Nolan stepped in dog poo (a lot) and Sarah's hair caught on fire (not actually, but doesn't it look like it?).



Then off to the infamous Voodoo doughnuts. As you see by the sign below, they have VERY clever marketing. You should see what is written on their box (I left it off on purpose, children read this blog!), also they have some doughnuts shaped as body parts. I won't tell you which body parts, but it's strangely appropriate for a doughNUT, if you get my drift.
We ate this wonderful thing. I know, I know, it looks gross, but it's divine. Maple syrup frosting and covered in bacon. Seriously. SERIOUSLY.
Then we watched this movie:



of which I really liked. The thought of just finding a place where you fit and moving there is really appealing. Maybe I'll do it sometime.

We then had Korean tacos. SO good. And then rented a movie (hey we like our movies).

Pacific North West Day 1

Went to Seattle and Portland for a week and it was so fun. Left the rainy weather of SLC and it didn't rain once while in the North West. Day number one was jam packed.

Got off the plane and headed straight to Pike's Street Market.


And then ate the juiciest peach of my life. I kept dripping juice on my shoes. But enjoyed every minute of it- as did Nolan.



There were samples everywhere, cherries, jellies, crackers, peaches. So delicious and so free.

The flowers were AMAZING and cheap. So Nolan bought me a bunch- such a nice boy.




There were street performers everywhere. This guy made this saw sound beautiful.



Then we headed to Portland to stay with Sarah and Joel. They weren't home when we first got to Portland and so we drove around a bit. We ended up in a rose garden that was gorgeous.


I took this picture because it is my exact favorite color.


We arrived in time to meet her relief society presidency and I said premature ejaculation (it was in context of what we were talking about and regarding my profession- I guess you had to be there) and then went and ate at this hipster hang out with carts of food. We ate fries with poutine (cheese curds and gravy) and they were delicious- I wouldn't have believed it.



Nolan and I dubbed it the trip where we try things we normally wouldn't, hence the poutine. More to come on that.

In fact, more to come on all of it- this is only day 1.