Patrick, I wish you weren't such a drunk

Anyone who knows me knows that I thrive on awkward situations. This weekend something so funny happened.

I was house sitting for Kodi (brother) and Lindsey (sister in law) for a few days. I really enjoyed it and made good friends with their dog Patrick. (This is kind of a big deal because I hate animals.) Well Sunday morning came along, and I picked Bradley up to come hang out with me. We watched a movie and hung out with the dog for a little bit. Then it came time for church. I ended up leaving Bradley at the house while I went to sacrament meeting. Well Bradley smokes, which is gross but I love him anyways, and he is also known to have a drink or two... and happened to have vodka with him. His cigarrettes and alcohol were sitting on the end table as he sat down to play the piano. As he is playing, Lindsey's family walked in the door to pick up some things on their way back from California! Imagine their surprise, expecting to find me and instead finding a strange young man, rocking the piano next to his vodka and cigarrettes hahah. Bradley explained himself, and luckily everyone saw the humor in the situation instead of being freaked out. They took a picture of Patrick with the handle of vodka and titled it "Patrick is having a good time", which they sent to Lindsey and Kodi.

Oh goodness, I love you Bradley and I am so glad you and Patrick could bond while I was in sacrament meeting :)

Joyfull expressions

"In order to have joy, you need to understand that, as a child of your Heavenly Father, you inherited divine traits and spiritual needs - and just like a fish needs water, you need the gospel and the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be truly, deeply happy. Because you are the offspring of God, [whether you believe it or not, you are], it is incompatible with your eternal nature to do wrong and feel right. It cannot be done. It is part of your spiritual DNA, as it were, that peace, joy, and happiness will be yours only to the degree you live the gospel."

Marcus B. Nash

Murderer

does anyone else have a hard time looking their dog in the eye because you know what they've done?

a couple days ago my family was out of town, and i was left to hold down the fort with woody, the family dog. unfortunately i got really sick one of the nights. i took drowsy medicine hoping to sleep it off, but instead of making me sleepy it just made me a little loopy and somewhat emotional. becca came over to take care of me for a while, and when i was ready to go to bed we walked up stairs.

the first thing i saw in the living room was woody, hovering over bits and pieces of the bird he had killed and brought inside. there were feathers everywhere, and i think bones too. after yelling some harsh words at the creature (dog), becca and i locked ourselves securely in my room. i immediately burst into tears. whaaat?? i NEVER cry haha. i think it was the medicine... but all i know is i cried and laughed and gagged for a few minutes.

like the big sweetheart he is, our friend grant came over and cleaned up the bird remains. why he did this for us, i dont know. but i'm so thankful.

teddy was worried i might have beat woody, so she told marianne to come check on him the next day. we took pictures to prove that i was trying to make friends with the dog... he is still scared of me though.

World Traveler

Prescott on the 4th of July, who would have thought it could be so much fun? Becca and her friends invited me to tag along, and even though I had gone to bed at 5:00 a.m. the night before (due to swimming adventures with klay) I went to Prescott in the morning and had so much fun.

Things to remember:

the best meal I have EVER eaten, a mushroom sanwhich.

the biggest farmer's market I've ever seen with a ton of cool art

a carnival with music, snow cones, and naps in the grass. I love Becca and co.

So I drove back from Prescott and arived at home around midnight. The very next morning I drove, and stephanie mills (who was then a stranger) accompanied me on my drive to Lake Powell. We talked the whole 5 hours and had so much fun haha. Lindsey Barney invited me and it was even better than I had hoped! We met up with Lindsey's brother Justin and some of his friends.

I was really impressed with the boys' ability to prepare and plan ahead for the trip. All of us slept comfortably on air mattresses or cots (I take that back, only two of the air mattresses stayed blown up in the night, but it was the thought that counted).

(the boys trying to spear a catfish)

One of the days was super windy and we were all pretty tired of sand blowing in our faces, so the boys got out this pump/fire hose thing and sprayed down the sand. Who thinks of that? So impressed.

I woke up early and drove home Wednesday morning, and as soon as I got home I washed my clothes, packed my bag up again, and left Thursday for Rocky Point!

Mexico is one of my favorite vacations. I loved it. About 20 of our friends went and stayed in the Williams' condos. The beach was beautiful and so are my friends :) I got to know a lot of people who I didn't know very well before, what can I say Mexico is a bonding experience.

We filled our days with beaching/swimming at the pool, and then we filled our nights with Manny's and ice box (mexican clubs). Clubbing with my friends is just a whole new realm of fun. We had people riding mechanical bulls, Ernest falling off the table, and the rest you'd have to see to believe.

I love my friends! Thanks for all of the fun adventures right before work started :)

reality check

"And the question is, was I more alive then than I am now? I happily have to disagree; I laugh more often now, I cry more often now, I am more me." - Peter Bjorn and John

• Sometimes I think back on who I used to be and wonder how I got here today. I know that at some point, I had the innocence of a child in my eyes. Along with "growing up", in the midst of all the wonder and excitement, came people and circumstances that hurt me. Yes they may have taken away that sparkling innocence in my eyes, but there is no other way to become a real person. I would rather know pain so that I may know joy. I would rather witness the bad in people so that I may appreciate the good.

While I realize that I'm not the carefree little girl I once was, I laugh more often now, I cry more often now (maybe not literally), I am more me.

In Odd Company

Since I haven't been working this summer, what better way to fill my time than to go on random adventures?

I've made a ton of new friends since I moved back to Arizona, and here is why:

Every time someone invites me to to something, no matter who it is (even if its someone super random) and no matter what they are inviting me to do, I say yes.

As long as the company and the activity are not harmful to my health, why not go? I've got nothing better to do.

So last week, I went to the lake in odd company. Bradley Cluff (one of my best friends) and some of his friends invited me and we had such a great day :)

Me and Bradley Bear

This is daniel, he's the one who invited me to come with them on his boat :)

I find something so refreshing in talking to people who are really different from me. Just because we have very different lifestyles and different goals doesn't mean I can't enjoy their company and learn things from them.

Here's to unconventional friendships :)

Trip to the cabin, nothing gets better

Last weekend Becca and I wandered up to my family's cabin. I have been a lot of cool places, but going to my cabin has got to be one of my favorite get aways. It is absolutely beautiful, and feels like home to me. We went on some hikes, and swam/laid out in the creek. I got FRIED. Other than than we just watched movies and hung out :)

My mom always makes me look so white haha.

Nothing gets better than some old box springs chained to trees with a feather mattress on top. This really is my favorite spot on the planet.

Getting in touch with nature :) haha. but really.

One night while at the cabin, I went for a lovely run. The run turned kinda ugly when the sun went down and I had a mile left to run in the dark. Yep, running down a tiny dirt road next to vacant cabins in the sliver-of-moonlight resulted in me running an ultra fast mile haha.