Myrtle beach-check
Touring DC-check
Hershey, PA-check
Amish Country-check
Gettysburg-check
Niagra on the Lake-check
London, Ontario-check
Detroit, Michigan-check

And you wonder why I don't have more time to blog?!?!

Stay tuned for pictures and anecdotes expected in early fall when I return to my regularly scheduled life.

A whole summer off with nothing to do...okay so there is plenty to do but at least I have a whole summer off.

And I've been slacking again. Slacking on blogging and on a million other things (exercising, reading, projects, visiting family).

But I've only been slacking because I've been so busy having an amazing summer. Chelsey's wedding was endearing, Hawaii was amazing, Phoenix and HSM the play were awesome, and visiting old friends and family in UT county has been priceless.

On Wednesday I head to VA where I will be picked up by Britt, Jerry and the kids and we will head directly to Myrtle Beach where we will spend the 4th. Then my friends from Blanding are coming to visit on the 8th and then on the 17th I'm headed off to Michigan (and Canada if my passport gets here in time) and then quite possibly back to UT before heading to Idaho for Lola's 1st birthday and then to Edmonds WA to welcome a new niece.

So you can't blame me for not writing more, right? I'll do my best to post (with pictures) while I'm in MD...and I'll be back full-time to blogging in the fall.

For now I'm just wishing everyone a happy summer and clear skies!

This is me. At the beginning of the year. Driving alone to Mexican Hat.

Remember how in August I hated being here? How I complained all the time about living in the middle of nowhere and having no friends? Well...I might still feel that way sometimes but I think that I've also learned a lot about myself this year.

I've learned that I'm stronger than I think I am and that I can handle pretty much anything life throws at me.

I've learned that I enjoy having some alone time and I enjoy having some people time. It's good to be friends with yourself first because it makes it easier to be friends with everyone else.

I've learned to appreciate the now. I tend to only look forward to the future and where my life will be eventually. I've learned to stop and enjoy what I'm doing right. at. this. second.

I've learned to appreciate absolute silence and not be scared (okay...so sometimes I still might be scared at night when I hear one little noise but that's normal, right? right?)

And I've learned to appreciate the amazing people who have entered my life at the times when I needed them most. Right now I'm especially grateful for the people I met in Blanding who may or may not have saved me from going crazy.

Usually Monday's aren't my favorite. I'm always tired, behind on my work, and depressed that Saturday is 5 whole days away.

I still feel all those things this Monday except for the fact that after today I only have one more day of work left. And only 3 more days until Chelsey's big wedding where all my family will be together. And only 7 more days until I'm on a plane headed for the beautiful and relaxing North Shore.

So while I may be more tired than usual (having a talkative 3 year old sleep with you doesn't bode well for a good nights sleep) and I may be more behind on my work than usual...there is an end in sight so I'm happy!!!

PS...I just might have spent some money on a cute new swimsuit for my vacation...and it just might look like this...

Yeah for Monday's that proceed 3 month vacations!!!!

Good news moment #2

And now for the good news moment of the day....tomorrow is this girls birthday:

(excuse the lame work picture...it's a sad thing when this is the best picture I have of the two of us!)

Meet Nicole...one of my bestest friends for about a million reasons. But since I don't have the time and energy to write a million reasons...I'll just come up with three.

1. She is the best listener ever...I can go on for hours when I'm with her and she never complains or looks bored. But she can also tell some pretty good stories. I love to hear about the drama in her family because it makes the drama in my family seem just a little bit more normal!

2. She never judges, ever. I could tell her the worst thing about myself and I think that she would still think the same of me. Doesn't everyone want a friend like that? It means that I can always be completely 100% honest and not worry that she'll think less of me.

3. She is a great example to me...she was working full time, finishing up her degree, and taking care of Riley and Cody while Cody was in grad school. And she still had time to come up with the cutest lessons ever for nursery. Because she is a-maz-ing. Someday I want to be the kind of wife and mother that she is.

If you ever get the chance to meet Nicole, you will be super lucky. Because she is the best. And we get to hang out tomorrow! Hurray!

Today is our special science day/night at school. In which I am kinda/sorta in charge of. Which means that people ask me a bunch of questions to which I have no answers for because I haven't actually made any of the arrangements. But since I'm getting paid to be in charge, I can't complain about the questions too much.

The main activity of science day is one of those huge blow up planetariums. Which is amazing. I mean, you get to lay inside on the floor and watch the stars zoom around. I'd rather be laying outside but I must admit that the no bugs/bats/scary rez dogs of the inside sky make me appreciate it a lot more. I'm pretty sure I want one of these in my own house when I become a millionaire. I'm pretty sure I'd never leave though so the whole house might have to exist inside of it.

This new dream of mine might work out fabulously with my plan to go to the UFO convention in Vegas to meet my future husband (inspired by the new Witch Mountain movie). Good plan, yes?