5 Important Lessons

Here are 5 important lessons that Cam has taught me (or tried to teach me):

1. How to Lay Hardwood Flooring: His living room looks awesome, and I had a blast holding the giant stapler as he would whack it with the mallet!

2. How to Drive a Stick Shift: This is crazy! All I did was hold on to the stick while he put his hand on top of mine to shift, and I was still confused! I don't think I have the brain power to work the clutch and the stick at the same time!

3. How to Fish: This was so fun! We and the kids went up to Payson Lakes for a day of fishing in the canoe last Wednesday. I am not one to brag, but I caught more fish than Cam!!!!

4. How to Swim: I have always been afraid of swimming, so I think this may be a lost cause. Cam gave me a lesson last Thursday when we took the kids to the Lindon Aquatic Center (which is very cool). As long as he was holding me up, I was fine! As soon as he would let go, I would sink! Oh well! I had fun playing with the kids anyway!

5. How to Skip Rocks: I do not have this skill! We went up to Bridal Veil Falls and the surrounding areas yesterday, and Cam tried to teach me how skip rocks, but all of mine just went plop!

My Two Heroes For the Week!

I have to thank two wonderful people who helped me this week and are truly my heroes.

First, my sister-in-law, Becky. She is my hero because I now have the Internet because of her! Yea!!! I am finally connected to the world again and now I can blog all the time! Becky is a technology wizard and set up the Internet for me on Monday. She is always so willing to help, and I am so glad to call her my sister. She also let me try her Chi, and I fell in love with it, so I ordered my own. I am so excited! It is the first time my hair did what I told it to do! Anyway, I love you Becky!!! She is also my hero for being a wonderful stay-at-home mom to my amazing but exhausting niece and nephew, McKenna and Tanner. I greatly admire her for all of the sacrifices she makes for these two wonderful children.

Second, my good friend, Cameron. He is my hero because he broke into my house for me on Sunday! So, I accidentally locked myself out of my apartment. I got home from church and couldn't get in! I had my keys, but I had hung a sign on the door knob on the inside and it had jammed the door knob so it wouldn't pop. I felt pretty stupid! I worked at it for awhile, but soon gave up. So, I called Cam. He was home teaching, so he told me to go on over to his house and just hang out until he got home. So I went on over and sat in his family room reading my scriptures (remember I was trying to go home from church!) until he was finished. Then he grabbed some tools and we headed over to break into my house. I had already broken my library card trying to break in, so Cam decided to try a Sam's Club card. He worked and he worked for probably about half an hour. I just stood there and laughed! Well, as he was jiggling the door knob and pushing the door, he suddenly went flying into my house! You should have seen the look of surprise on his face when he realized he was in! It was priceless! I laughed and laughed for the rest of the night! Cameron is also my hero because he is pushing me to run farther and faster than I ever have in my life. Thanks, Cam!!!!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

It was my goal this week to keep myself busy. So, here is what I did:

Wednesday: I went into work and moved all of my furniture back where it should go in my classroom. I also covered two bulletin boards. I hate bulletin boards! Then I went to lunch with my amazing girls from work: RaeAnn, Heather, and Kerry (we missed you Marci!!!). We went to Bajios (YUM!) and ended up sitting there and talking for 2 1/2 hours! It felt so good! Then I went to my sister-in-law's birthday party. Happy Birthday Becky!

Thursday: My sister-in-law, Liz, and I (and my nephew, Eli) went to Tai Pan to spend the gift card that my wonderful work friends gave me. We ate a delicious lunch and then spent about three hours shopping. It was so fun and I got some really awesome stuff!

I then went and played BUNCO with Heather and her friends. It was so fun! I ended up winning a picture frame - from Tai Pan! He he he! I am going to paint it black so it will match the other stuff I bought.

Friday: I spent the whole day at Lagoon with my amazing and wonderful family. I have not been to Lagoon for years, and it was so much fun! I loved watching McKenna and Tanner (my niece and nephew). They were so excited over everything! My nephew Eli had no idea what was going on, but he was fun to watch anyway! I was dragged on "Wicked" and thought I was going to die! It was terrifying!!!! The day flew by as we rode fun rides, ate yummy food (including Dippin' Dots - just for you RaeAnn!), watched a monkey show, and enjoyed eachother's company.

Saturday: Now it is finally Saturday and I am trying to make this day pass by blogging, painting my picture frame, spending time with my family, etc. It has been a very fun week.

Happy 4th of July!!!

This was the most fun Fourth of July ever!!!! Cameron took me on quite the adventure. We went hiking at six o'clock in the morning up Dry Canyon. We hiked quite far up the mountain and into Provo Canyon. We met a rattle snake that Cam shooed away for me then we came to a fork in the trail and decided to "take the road less traveled by." It was an overgrown trail marked by pink marking tape in the trees. I would follow Cam anywhere, so off we went! It took us down a steep incline into this gulley. Well, pretty soon, the trail and tape disappeared. We didn't want to go back up that steep incline, so we decided to hike down the dry creek bed. What an adventure! We were slipping on rocks, falling through bushes, walking through stinging nettle, clinging onto a 6 inch wide trail that would drop off, and we were laughing our heads off! Cam kept apologizing and telling me I had every right to get mad at him. I just laughed and told him, "Come what may and love it!" When we finally found our way out of the creek bed, we had quite the surprise: the trail was right on the other side! We just laughed! I got quite the battle wound when my shin met up with a rock, but it was worth it! So we went home and showered then he and I went to my parent's house for lunch. It was fun to visit with family and friends and tell about our adventures. Then Cam went to the "Stadium of Fire" with his kids and I went and watched the fireworks with my family. They were spectacular! We got the hugest snowcones ever and had a great time eating, playing, visiting, and watching the fireworks. I am so thankful for my country, my freedoms, and my life. Happy Fourth of July!!!

I love waterfalls! I hate snakes!

So, yesterday (June 30) I went hiking with my friend Cameron and his dad. We decided to hike to the hot springs up Diamond Fork Canyon. Cameron and I had already ran/walked 8 miles that morning, so it is a good thing I am in pretty good shape! Hiking felt wonderful and it was a lot of fun talking and laughing with Cam and his dad. On our way to the hot springs, we met a friend in the path - a snake! EWWWWW! Cam of course gets excited and decides to get closer. Luckily, the snake doesn't like this and leaves. When we got to the hot springs and waterfall, it was so beautiful we decided to keep going to see what else we could find. Cam suddenly stops and asks if I smell something. He looks around and finds 4 (we think) of the hugest snakes ever in a clump maybe ten feet below us. EEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW! I am not kidding - they were bigger around than my fist! Crazy Cam of course wants to get a closer look, so he climbs down there while I am yelling at him to stay away! Well, finally, he comes back up and we continue on our way. I am so glad we decided to keep going because we found the most beautiful waterfall just past the hot springs. It was amazing! Cam's dad decided to stop, but Cam and I kept going for maybe another mile. It was so much fun and felt so good to be out in the sunshine and mountains with friends. On the way back, we met another snake in the path and Cam decided to try and move this one with a stick. Unfortunatley, he ended up throwing the sucker down a cliff! It was really funny, but Cameron felt bad for the snake. I didn't! When we got back to Cameron's parent's house, his sweet dad insisted on making us lunch, so we ate hamburgers and fried zuchinni, fresh out of his dad's garden. It was a fun but exhausting day. Total, Cam and I figure we went about 18 miles - 8 this morning at the track and 10 on our hike. Crazy!!!!!!!! It felt so good though!

My Disneyland Adventure

Just in case you have been living in a cave somewhere and didn't know, I LOVE DISNEYLAND! My brother Jeremy, his wife Liz, my nephew Eli, my brother Nathan, and I had a wonderful trip to California from June 11-June 19. We left around noon Thursday and drove to St. George where we ate a delicious meal at Pancho and Lefty's (this is a must stop in St. George) and went hiking on Dixie Hill. I tried climbing up a small crevice between two boulders until I heard a bat screech at me. I then high-tailed it out of there! The next day we drove to California, set up camp (camping in the middle of downtown Anaheim was so fun!), and headed over to Disneyland where we spent a few hours riding some of our favorite rides and watching the fireworks. The next day we spent at the

beach. I tried to work on my tan, but just burned one shoulder that is now back to being extremely white! Eli loved playing in the sand!

We spent the next four days having a blast in Disneyland and California Adventure. My friends from college, Anna and Alvin, and their two little girls, Amelia and Emma, came and joined us for a few days, so it was one big party! Here are just a few samples of the fun we had:

We started driving home on Thursday morning, but got caught in a huge traffic jam. It took us two hours to go 15 miles! (By the way, do not chug Dr. Pepper while stuck in a traffic jam - I came so close to peeing my pants!) We were wasted by the time we got to Cedar City, so we got a hotel and drove home the next morning. I have a ton more fun photos, so I will continue to post things from my wonderful Disneyland Adventure!

Summertime Fun

I have had about 1 1/2 weeks of summer vacation now, and I feel like I have been busier than when I was in school! That's ok though, I enjoy being busy. I have taken two classes already this summer: The ABCs of Kindergarten with my wonderful friend Kerry, and the Literacy Institute with my amazing friends Kerry, Heather, and RaeAnn. (I had - I mean got - to teach at this one which was exhausting!) I have to say how much I love these amazing women who have become some of my very best friends. They plus Marci (who will always be a part of my team and one of my very best friends even if she is in San Fransico) took me out for my birthday and were so sweet and got me a gift card to Tai Pan - one of the most awesomest stores ever! I also had a fun family picnic for my birthday and got some fun stuff for my apartment. I have still been getting up every day to go running and it feels WONDERFUL! If anyone is looking for a boost, I suggest an early morning run. It helps to have a friend to go with. I have spent time with family and friends, worked in my parents' yard, continued to get settled in my apartment, got caught up on some reading, etc. So far, it has been a wonderful summer. And I know it will continue to be a wonderful summer because. . . .I leave for Disneyland in two days! Yeah!