I Love Utah

Note: This post is late. Sorry. I just haven't felt like sitting on my computer lately or have been busy doing other things. Apologies to those of you just dying to hear about my exciting life. [Crickets chriping.] Oh. Never mind. 

Utah. [Insert state song that gets stuck in your head here.]

Once upon a time we went on a family vacation. We were supposed to go gemstone mining in Montana but the combination of bad weather in Montana and my parents wanting to meet Megan's fiance's parents meant that Southern Utah really was going to be the better option. So to Southern Utah we went. We went to Bryce Canyon National Park, which I'd actually never been to before. I LOVED it. We hiked down in the canyon which actually isn't a canyon and has a name that my sister could tell you but I forgot. I thought it was gorgeous and such a unique version of red rock because there are pine trees everywhere. And since we all know that I love red rock I was a happy camper. Literally. :] Although I did get kinda grumpy at one point when I hadn't eaten enough. [Note to future roommates, husband, etc: I get grumpy when I don't eat. I don't need a four course meal. Just a granola bar will make a world of difference.]

When we got back from that we spent two days doing wedding stuff for Megan. Wedding dress. Check. Bridesmaids dresses. Check. Wedding Shoes. Check. It was quite productive. 

Then Mom and Megan went home and I moved back into Roman Gardens for a week. It was fantastic. :]

We started with a birthday party for Andrea and Russell who were turning 22 and 23. It was a classic birthday bash with party hats, birthday cake [yes, there are 80 candles in it.], pin the tail on the donkey charades and prizes. We ended outside in the pool. A lovely time was had by all. 

Wednesday was the day Eva went into the MTC so I drove to Lehi and picked up Alyssa and then we drove together to Salt Lake to pick up Eva from the airport. She looked positively radiant. So beautiful and so ready to go and serve her mission to South Korea. We talked and laughed all the way back to Provo where we dropped her off. Her flight was delayed so she was late getting there so we got to take her all the way into the front desk. I only cried a little. I will miss that girl so much. She has been a HUGE part of my life since Heather invited her into join our big hair competition early in our Freshman year. I cannot possibly explain how grateful I am to know her.

That night I did senior pictures with Claire and went to The Princess Bride outdoor at the Scera in Orem. So fun!

Thursday night Tayte, Aubrey and I went down to Manti for the Mormon Miracle Pageant. I LOVE the Manti Pageant. I love eating Turkey before it starts and sitting under the temple for the show. I love that it's a little cheesy but so full of the spirit.

On Friday Aubrey and I hung out. Just the two of us. I can't tell you how much this girl has blessed my life. I've said it before and I'll say it again. She was exactly the roommate I needed this year. I adore everything thing about her. Just a peach of a girl.

Saturday I had lunch with Patrick. Just a good catchup with a good friend. And that night Alyssa, Dan, Jacob and I hiked the Y and because Dan was craving it we literally ran down the Y and got J Dawgs afterwards. So much fun.

Sunday was Andrea's farewell talk so we all drove up to Ogden for her. She did such a great job. She is so ready for her mission and is going to do just a stellar job. I can't believe how close we've gotten in the last few months. It's going to be really hard to not have her just a phone call away. However, I will be writing her obnoxiously often and we have grand plans for when she returns. Cruise, skydiving... :]

On Monday I was planning on going home but Aubrey talked me into staying for one more night so we went on a stroll up by Bridal Veil Falls with Nunja and played games at FHE. I really like Aubrey's current roommates Natalie and Christie. They are so nice to let me bum at their house for a week.

Finally on Tuesday I packed up and went home. :]

In addition to all of that I spent the week going back to basics. Scripture study first thing in the morning. Going to the temple. Laying out in the sun and getting warm to the bone. Reading Harry Potter. Spending time just sitting looking out the window. Eating well. And all of that healed my poor broken heart. I'd been spending so much time on edge that I kept crashing and then would spend my time getting back up to the edge and then something else would make me crash again. My little vacation week gave me time to actually regroup, put life back into perspective, breathe. I felt so much more like myself.

And that my friends is why I love Utah. Just don't tell anyone. :]

The End.

And I like it that way

Let's talk about country music for just a second. I love it. Adore it.

It regularly can summarize my life quite nicely. 

Take Tracy Byrd for example:

I do like it that way. I like my life.  [Thank you to my Dad, my Mom, my Uncle Scott and Aunt Jodi for making it so I can live the way I do. I have a spoiled life and I'm grateful for what they do for me.]

We go shooting for our branch home evening. 

We go shooting on Friday night. Just because we want to.

It's vanilla root beer. Come on people.

Emily wins the prize for most quoteable of that night:

"Do I have to put my headphones on?"

"I didn't even look. I had my eyes closed."

and

"Wait. Do I have to aim this thing?"

This girl cracks me up.

Also she blogs. Go check her out.

However Aubrey comes in as a close second with:

"I tried in multiple positions and I still couldn't get it."

and

"I'm not your friend or a girl."

I really like this girl. Also. She introduced me too Pterodactyl the movie. So bad it's good.

And let's just take a second to talk about how much I love this girl. 

I've known Jessica since we were like 12. 

She makes me laugh always. ALWAYS. 

She gets me. Better than almost anyone. She knows where I'm coming from and where I want to go. 

We can pick up where we left off no matter how long it's been since we've seen each other. 

She's probably the person I am still closest with from high school. That's saying something.

I adore her. [And just look at this picture. How could I not?]

We have family campfires and roast s'mores. 

And I get to hold a new kitten on my lap. 

The fire pit was my uncle's birthday present. On Sunday when I went down my attire was pearls and irrigation boots. I'm classy like that.

 We go to Succor Creek for branch home evening and get ridiculously excited to take pictures with the Oregon state sign. 

We had hot dogs roasted over the campfire for dinner for this activity. Delicious. Nothing quite like a fire cooked hot dog.

We hike up a steep mountains to caves and slide back down on our bums. 

Let's all take a minute and appreciate Emily's face in this picture. Fantastic. 

In summary: 

I'm from the country and I like it that way. 

And then there were none...

On Tuesday, April 19th I finished all of my finals. 

Finished, completed, accomplished, achieved, fulfilled, concluded, ended, done. 

DONE. 

BEST. FEELING. EVER. 

So what do you do when you have no finals left and it's Tuesday night in Provo? 

Wake up your friends. 

And then... 

Go to Sammy's for Two-Shake Tuesday of course! [Sammy's makes pie shakes = DELICIOUS]

And then take goofy pictures just for the heck of it. 

Because well, you're done. And you don't have a care in the world. :) 

K'nex and Barbie

Once upon a time my friend Tayte [who is totally awesome] took me rock climbing. It was a BEAUTIFUL day up Rock Canyon. And I was SO happy to be outside in the sun. And I had so much fun! I'd never climbed outside before. Only in a gym. It was the best. 

Our friend Michael came with us too. We climbed one called K'nex first. 

And then Tayte climbed one called Barbie. It was awesome. 

Except the part where Tayte fell and broke the rule where you aren't supposed to grab the rope. 

Awesome? Awful? Both? You decide. :) 

The great part was that I got to drive Tayte's truck home. Truck + stick shift = one happy Rachel. :) 

Things That Make Me Happy

NOTE: The only cohesion to the following pictures is that they make me happy. There is no other rhyme or reason to why they are together in a blog post.

Things That Make Me Happy 

Going on Dates

This was from a date night my roommates and I (& Tayte) planned. The Provo Library puts on a live version of Clue for free so we did that, Pizza and Clue the Movie. So much fun. Me and my date (Mitchell) totally won. 

Being a Celebrity 

These are from our ward FHE Oscars Night. Each group made a video and we watched them all. The picture on the left is my I'm-too-famous-to-even-give-you-a-smile face. In the right, you can admire my zebra heels and my calf muscle. :)

A quiet night at home

A Fruitista Freeze from Taco Bell that was ALMOST like a snow cone. Green tree tops and a spring storm. A clean apartment. It doesn't get much better. Really. 

Boys

Sometimes boys are obnoxious (they have cooties, you know) but most of the time boys make me happy. Especially ones like Tayte and Russell who make me laugh til it hurts braiding my roommates hair. 

Sensuous Sandwich

K. First off the name of the shop is Sensuous Sandwich. It has to be delicious. Second off. I'm still not sure whether I'm impressed or grossed out but Tayte and Russell did a two foot challenge. A 2 foot sandwich in 30 minutes. They rocked it.

Warm Weather and Hiking

I love nothing more than sunshine. There's a lot of reasons I'm going to Las Vegas for grad school. And one of them is definitely the sun. Being able to take a hike made my weekend. I was so happy. Yes, I had a storybook. [Long story - it was in my bag to keep things from poking me]. Yes, those are my friends. :)

Aubrey

This girl makes me SO happy. Enough said.