Winter Craziness aka Break

Semester is over, the weather is bold. Everyone left Cedar City, I left the cold.

So I got to come back to beautiful weathered Laguna Hills! The lowest it has been here is at night about 40 degrees. People are wearing large winter coats, shivering, complaining about how "freezing" it is here. I wore shorts to the beach today to walk the dog, t-shirts during the week or light long sleeved shirts at night. I am feeling like it is the warmest place ever! Not wearing sweatshirts, no scarves, and the best part is that I don't have to go out to my car 20 minutes before I have to get somewhere to turn my car on! Yippee! Merry Christmas to me.

So...everyone asks what you have been up to for the break once you get back to school. I am trying to think to myself...what have I done? Lots of family stuff, cooking, tide pools which you heard about in my last post, and more.

(Me: The Slave)

I have been the onion chopper all week. I am pretty sure I have probably chopped up at least 15 onions added up over the different meals I have worked on. The benefit of this, we are making multiple batches and so I get to bring homemade deliciousness back up to school for myself and friends.

I REALLY wanted to go to the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, it reminds me of all the good times as a kid, plus it is just fun. But, John Leahy is lame and decided to not go with me, therefore I was left my myself and so I didn't go. Tragic.

Oh, I got my hair done! Fixed, and back to good...thanks to Camry Brown! I dyed my hair about a year and a half ago Strawberry Blonde

 (Picture below with friend Jourdan Wilson who is now 22(?) weeks pregnant with a boy!)

So, now I am back to my original hair color hopefully to not have to ever dye it again. And it will be easier to work with and I have good shampoo, conditioner and things to use on my hair when I straighten or blow-dry it. So, hopefully my hair will grow and grow and be purdy again. Please? I take Biotin e'rry day to help out the process! And I got it trimmed by Camry when I got the color fixed! That would be so incredibly helpful if it decided to grow fast. I don't want to look like a boy in a beanie.

Did I mention I got a job? Oh, hey! I got a job! I am a Ski Instructor up at Brian Head Resort. It is just a blast! I work with the best people. Sometimes I am embarrassed to be around them, but hey!, that probably happens for them around me ALL of the time. Yikes. Sometimes I can be cuh-razyyyy! It's cool. I approve of myself. I like to have fun, if that includes a little embarrassment for those around me? So be it. I like what I do because I adore children, and seem to be able to relate (back to my crazy silliness) so it works out for all of us. I haven't yet taught adult lessons, so we shall see how I am with that. But, as of now, I love kids, I love my job, and I dig the snow recently. 

(Kaitlin Kelley, Me & Paige McCullough)

Some friends friends (first) and co-workers (second) of mine went up one day to just have fun! We were so cute. That is probably the main thing. Paige and Kait have had a lot more practice than I did. Good thing we met up with this guy Kale that teaches boarding up there and he helped me out. Sharpened my skills a lot! I was cruisin' down the hill by the end of the day! But, I still continue to fall, tumble, and embarrass myself. That's okay with me! I don't try to pretend that I am phenomenal, definitely not a 9 out of 10 snowboarder (hahaha) probably barely a 1 out of 10! But I have fun, I smile, laugh, and enjoy the winter when I am out there on the slopes. Why worry about being better than everyone else, I am just worried about getting better all the time and having FUN. So...alas, we should all do things that we enjoy and not worry about impressing that guy, trying to be the best, but to have fun and smile a little! 

(the girls after the day of boarding. we look cool, yes I know)

So, that was my second rambling of the evening. I love life, I am so grateful for what I have, the opportunities that I am given in life, and as the days pass I just keep getting more excited to go to India next summer. I have nothing to complain about (although I find little dumb things ALL THE TIME) and  I am spoiled more than I would like to admit (Thanks Daddy!) 

Life is so good. I am healthy, happy, and full of holiday cheer! 

Livin' the Good Life

Every time I come home one of my favorite things to do is visit the tide pools. Something about them make me so happy. I feel like such a child most of the time because I get so giddy about it. This time, I dragged my friend from High School, Luke Ross along with me. He was such a sport about it, we ended up hanging out there for about two and a half hours. For me, I felt just at home and so relaxed and happy. I know he enjoyed it, but probably in a different way. 

A reoccurring theme on this visit to the beach/tide pools was cool looking rocks with patterns and colors. 

I decided to take lots and lots of pictures, this is only a snippet of the ones that I took. But as we took the long walk around the sand I couldn't help it. I am incredibly grateful for the earth and especially the beach and the beauty that I am able to enjoy. 

And, of course I HAD to take a picture of myself. Proof that I was there. The rocks, as wonderful as they are, hurt A LOT when you don't have shoes on! Ow :( 

One of the VERY few things about the beach that I do not like is the seaweed. It is just guh-rooossss! So, naturally I made Luke sit on the rock by the huge amount of seaweed that was sitting there on the beach just for my enjoyment!  

Sea Anemones...one of the COOLEST things to see/play with/touch in the tide pools. If you haven't experienced them, please do let me know and I would absolutely LOVE to take you there to experience them. It is kind of a weird feeling because they are slimey and a little gross at first, but they think you are food and so they close up to try to eat you! Good thing I am stronger than them so that I can get my fingers out of there! 

Here are just a big colony of sea anemones! 

This one was a victim of mine. 

There goes my finger!!!

And now he is all closed up because he thought it was lunch time! 

Since I have no pictures of Luke and myself I wanted to take one. Ignore my crazy excited huge smile here. I was SO happy to be there! 

So we found this really cool little cave like thing that has two entrances. Small little thing that you have to either "boulder" on the rocks or go through a bit of water. Something that I didn't notice until the second time we went into the smaller side was the green rocks! It was so different but legit. I have never noticed anything like that before. And no, it was NOT moss on the rocks. I know what moss is thank you very much. 

So, as Luke decided to just go through the water and take the easy route, I decided to then use the rocks so that I didn't get my jeans (that were rolled up) wet. 

I have nothing to say. Look at it for yourself and enjoy. 

Can you say beautiful? Home, how you spoil me. 

The other side of the cave-ish thing that Luke was coming in! I love the reflection in the water. Such beauty. 

Out here in this direction there were two dolphins that we had seen just about ten minutes earlier. I still thought it was something to capture even though they weren't still there! 

Sometimes I get picture-happy. I just want to take pictures of everything that I think is cool, exciting, superb, splendid, and more. This reminded me of the one and only movie Finding Nemo because of the coral, anemone, hermit crab, and fish that was around! So fun. 

Have you ever eaten muscles? Well here are hundreds of them! There were at least ten huge rocks like this that were COVERED in them. Lets be honest. They hurt really badly when you walk on them without shoes on. Oops... 

And then, I wanted to look at the insides before they had been cooked! I'll be real. I couldn't open it. Luke had a hard time and ended up throwing it against a big rock and it split open. Those puppies are STRONG!

Do you like to make friends wherever you go? I do. It's fun! You have someone new to talk to, maybe they are a cute girl, cute boy, silly kid, crazy person, dog, cat, and in this case bird! They kept slowly taking a step or two away from me as I was taking steps towards them. They didn't want to be friends? Sad, cause I know that I wanted to! 

And then one of them flew to the other side of me. Like that would stop me. I chased him a bit. Nbd. Typical. 

So, here is another overly excited picture of me. It happens. Things tend to make me happy easily. I'm kinda childish like that. But, I am okay because it means that I go through life smiling rather that being complacent!

Well, that's it for my excitement of the tide pools. I will be back down there when I am home again. Maybe I will take a road trip with some friends from school. Now that would be fun! Skip some school, enjoy the water, play with some animals, try paddle boarding, etc. Gotta love the life here at home in Southern California. I sure am blessed. I can't emphasize enough how much I love where I am from but (I am going to probably regret saying this) I am SO EXCITED to go back to the snow and see old friends and new friends. And, if i may, I am excited to work! I like my job. I might complain a bit, but what's a job if you don't have a day or two that frustrate you. Welp, Merry Christmas! 

The Cookie Fiasco

All day. I just wanted cookies. My favorite cookies, they are fluffy, delicious, soft, melt in your mouth delectable cookies. There is no way to refuse them. Once they are in front of you, the only answer is yes. You will eat at least two, just because you can't say no. So, I set off to make these cookies. I might have hit a bump or two in the road. A stop to Sydnie & Amanda's house for some Mary Kay facials with Bailey, along with a trip to Walmart for tights after Cheri was picked up. Alas, Cheri and I returned to my house to finish with this task of cookie making and to watch a classic, Little Women. After making both batches, butterscotch and chocolate chip, the oven was preheated and then the baking began. Sheet by sheet, every 8 minutes a new tray would be put into the oven. And then there was a problem. As usual with events in my life, they aren't just simple. Something silly goes wrong, a little bump in the road. Alas, there is always a way to get through it. Well, this time, the oven WOULDN'T OPEN! 

We tried and tried. 

Pulled and pulled. 

And I even yelled for Cheri and Jordan to help me. Jordan came RUNNING from her room thinking someone was hurt, dying, thought I was crying. Nope, only the oven. But not ONLY that the oven wouldn't open, but there was a perfectly done batch of cookies in there that were SO READY to be taken out. It was the perfect moment for the cookies, the ideal time for them, not too brown, not uncooked, only wonderfully golden. 

So, then, Sarah, my roommate, came home. It was such a relief. Apparently this had happened to her many times, and she knew exactly what to do. So, we finally got the cookies out of the oven. They don't look as dark as you might think, however Cheri did try one of them and it was NOT very good. Way too cooked for anyone's liking. 

And here they are. The over-cooked cookies. 

Such the worst ever. However, I did turn the oven back on, and put more cookie sheets in. The newer cookies turned out oh, so well. And then they were done. So I made my cookies, and was able to eat my cookies. In reality, that is all I wanted. To be able to eat one of each cookie type. They were delicious and exceeded my expectations. Happy day. 

And that was the story of my cookie debacle. 

Want some cookies? I'll make 'em for you. I just love to bake. And, I promise. I won't give you any burnt ones! 

My To Do's While at SUU

Mossy Cave in Bryce Canyon

Moqui Cave, Kanab

Grand Canyon. Love.

Spring Creek Canyon

Angels Landing!!!! Haven't done this hike in forever. Must do soon.

Go snowmobiling. Never done it, always wanted to!

Camping. Somewhere good. I don't know of the good places.

Picnic: Who doesn't just love a good picnic?

Horseback riding. Yes, please.

Go to the Best Friends Animal Society

Emerald Pools: Just the name alone sounds fantastic!

Why the list? I say, why not?! Why not enjoy the things I have around me. I love the outdoors, and it can be just what I need. To get out and about. Enjoy the nature that God has given to us. Love life, relax and take it all in. After all, it might just reduce that stress, just give me that time to think, have fun, smile, and remind  myself of what beautiful things are here on the earth.

On that note, I have been thinking. Run a half marathon? Should I start training for one? Not sure. Reason #1: Will I be motivated enough to go running 6 days a week? #2: Do I have anyone to run with to make sure I go? #3: Does it even sound enjoyable?!

Well, that is what is on my mind for right now. We shall see. Just gotta take it one day at a time. Oh, SUU, how you come to surprise me. I know this is for me to be here, now the question: Why?!? Well, guess that's just what I am trying to figure out. Or maybe I should just stop asking and start living.  Good call, guess I will try that one.

Oh, how I am so thankful for everything that I am given. First off, I just want to say that I am so thankful that I have such a wonderful, supporting family. My parents: Mom, well she just deals with me no matter what. She never does know what to expect when she gets a phone call from me. Dad, he is so silly. I love him. And he teaches me so much all the time. I am so thankful to be like him. (Never thought I would EVER say that, did ya!?!) Andrew, he is such an example to me, so patient, kind, loving, and always does things that invite the Spirit into his life. Best role model ever. Hannah, such perseverance. Never have I ever met someone who will continue no matter what to become better at something she loves. How I wish I could be so dedicated. No matter how much I give her a hard time, I love her so much.

I just noticed, I am SO all over the place right now. I haven't actually blogged in a while, forgot how relieving it is.  But, these were the main thoughts I have had in my head for the last few days. Figured I would spit them out onto the screen. Maybe now I won't be so confused about things. Hmmm, I don't know. But, what I do know is that I am so grateful for my life, for the things I am so blessed to have, some being an education, a car, a family to go home to (literally and can call at any time), friends, a place to live, and the gospel in my life.

Why such optimism today? Well, why NOT?!