San Fran-A Lovely Vacation Destination

I recently returned from a road trip to San Francisco with Tatjana, Lis, and Kelly this past week! It was a fabulous vacation filled with many, many memorable moments. The drive through Nevada made me realize how much I really hate Nevada, but other than that, it was a grrrreat vacation!
Our road trip started off with a bang whilst we were admiring the general splendor of the Nevada (i.e.: sage brush, salt flats, dirt, puddles, police cars).  We were plugging (actually, it was more like flying) along through the great state of Nevada when in the rear view mirror we saw the ominous lights of a police vehicle flashing. We pulled over, the cop gave us a ticket. Within ten minutes, we were pulled over again for failing to change lanes when the cop car was pulled over. Luckily, we didn't get a ticket for that. Then, it was my turn to drive. I was going along (and I really was following all rules and regulations-I promise!) and then I went down a small hill. Well, those darn cops have all those speed trap areas staked out. I guess I gained some speed on this particular slight decline. I realized this, applied my brake, but it was too late. I saw out of the corner of my eye a black vehicle which wasted no time in peeling out on the gravel and flipping on those stupid lights. I felt like such an idiot. I pulled over and tried to put on my best scared-out-of-my-wits face (which wasn't hard since I was pretty much scared stiff...this was the first time I had ever been pulled over.) I said a silent prayer that the cop would be a nice one. I guess should have been more specific. I glanced in the rear view mirror to see what the cop looked like. To my great dismay, a lady stepped out of the car. My eyes started to fill with tears. I knew I was done for. She was really nice though. That was really all she had going for her though. She noted that we had been pulled over previously and asked if I had been driving then. I told her 'no.' I think she might have arrested me if I had been. Anyways, she printed up my first speeding ticket EVER. I took it without looking her in the eye. I was embarrassed, and frustrated. The rest of Nevada was really quite uneventful until we reached the boarder to which we all exclaimed our great joy to be out of that godforsaken chunk of land.
We visited the Oakland Temple, Alcatraz (which was awesome...definitely a must see if you go to San Fran), Chinatown (The best deals you'll ever find! They're even better than Savers. It was mind-blowing. Really.), the Painted Ladies, Coit Tower, Winchester Mansion, The Golden Gate Bridge (of course), Little Italy, Golden Gate Park, De Young Museum of Art, Farmer's Market (very cool, but ridiculously overpriced), Cable Car, Fisherman's Warf, and many others. It was a very eventful vacation and I enjoyed every minute of it. Here are a few photos for your enjoyment:

De Young Museum: It was super cool.

The Painted Ladies!

Lombard Street. I'm glad I wasn't driving.

This is me...in San Fran, by the ocean.

Alcatraz

Golden Gate Bridge!

This sign that drew a smile on my face was found in Little Italy by Miss Lis. 

Winchester Mansion

I think it can be agreed among all that this trip was really awesome.

Some memorable quotes:

Me: "That was the fastest trip across Nevada EVER!"

Kelly: "Yeah, we have the tickets to prove it too."

Upon arriving at the agriculture check point:

Agriculutre lady: "Do you have any produce?"

Lis: "Uh...chips?"

Kelly (in the back seat): "Yeah! DORITOS!"

(agriculture lady motions us to continue through)

I was literally dying of laughter in the back seat when this conversation took place.

Kelly flooded the bathroom in our first hotel. When we arrived at our second hotel, I guess the shower exploded or something. Lis came out with a pile of sopping wet clothes. I must have looked confused because all she said was, "I pulled a Kelly."

On the way back from Cali we got stuck in traffic by Donner Pass. It was pretty desperate...we almost had to resort to eating the weaklings. No, not really. :)

I-80 was closed down because it was "snowing." The roads were pretty clear. It was just kind of wet, and slushy. We were stuck in the same spot for something like 5 hours. The only way they would let you pass was if you had four wheel drive (which we didn't) or if you had chains on you tires (which we also didn't have). It was a joke. So, we semi-patiently awaited the time they would lift the warning which I guess was valid seeing as how we saw an SUV that had flipped, and a truck that had run into a bridge. Stupid Nevada/Cali drivers. They really don't know how to handle the snow. To kill the time, we played ipod Idol. I am quite sure that I strained my vocal chords while singing along with Lady Gaga. Great fun. I'm glad Tat was smart enough to think of that brilliant plan. I think that is  my new favorite game to play on road trips. We were waiting in line with something like 60 other people at the gas station to buy chains when they announced that the warning had been lifted. I was kind of upset, but at least we didn't have to pay 50 bucks for chains! :D

This was definitely a memorable trip. I am sure glad I was able to go with the lovely ladies that also went. They were a blast to be with. It was a good trip to have right before I leave in THREE WEEKS!

I Love My Mommy

Today is Mother's Day. I sure do love my mother dearest. She's always there to save my bacon. I'd really be in deep trouble without her to give me advice on life, rescue me in Ogden when I lock my keys in the car, make food, etc. She rocks.
As a gift to my mother on this fine Mother's Day, I decided to buy my mom a John Denver CD. Why?
Well, let me tell you:
We were driving to Salt Lake a couple of weeks ago with my neighbor and Mr. J.D. happened to come on. My mother then exclaimed her love for John Denver's music. It then occurred to me that we didn't own any John Denver music and thus the grand idea of purchasing a John Denver CD was born.
So, that's just what I did. It was pretty hysterical when she opened it up. Ashlyn came over to see and immediately said, "Hey, he looks like Harry Potter!"

I think Ashlyn's statement is completely valid. The glasses, the hairstyle...I can definitely see it.

In other news, I recently discovered that my Lamprocapnus spectabilis (aka: bleeding heart flower) successfully took root last year! I am obsessed with planting flowers. I love love love to garden and plant flowers, but the soil around our house has proven itself infertile and downright pathetic in regards to planting flowers and such. I suppose it would work really great if I had a ceramic pot maker. It could make some fine pots for sure. Anyways, it has taken years to get to the point where I can actually dig deep enough to plant flowers and have them manage to stay alive and grow.  On the right side of my house there is a spot with particularly awful soil that the cats have also staked out as the neighborhood litter box. Sometimes I really hate cats. I have attempted to plant three different bleeding heart plants in this spot over the past three years. Two of which quickly withered up and died within a matter of weeks. The one I planted last year made it through the summer, but looked pretty awful the majority of the time. By the time September rolled around, it looked as if it had given up the ghost. I was feeling kind of bitter and discouraged about the situation, but decided I would try again the coming year. Well, spring came and the other bleeding heart on the left side of the house sprung up beautifully as always, but there were no signs of life on the other side. We bought some dirt a couple of days ago to help with the awful dirt situation our house is plagued with and....SURPRISE! Sticking out of the dirt, about an inch or so was a teeny little bleeding heart plant.  I am so proud of my little bleeding heart plant.

I took some extra precautions  to ensure the  d*** cats don't kill my little plant.

You Know You're From Utah When....

You Know You're From Utah When...

• Green jell-o with carrots mixed in doesn't seem strange.
• You can pronounce Tooele.
• The U is not just a letter - Neither is the Y.
• You have actually eaten funeral potatoes.
• You've gotten both heat and frost burns off your car's door handle in the same month.
• You are not surprised to hear words like "Darn, Fetch, Flip", "Oh, My Heck" and "Shoot".
• Your tulips get snowed on three times after they come up and twice more after they bloom.
• Hunting season is a school holiday.
• The largest liquor store is owned by the state government.
• You can go skiing and play golf on the same day.
• 30% humidity is muggy and almost unbearable.
• Somewhere in your family tree is a polygamist.
• You know the difference between a 'Steak House' and a 'Stake House'.
• The elevation exceeds the population.
• You've broken down on the highway and somebody stops to help you.
• You can see the stars at night.
• You have a bumper sticker that says "Families are Forever."
• You were an aunt or uncle before you were three.
• Your spouse's mother was pregnant at your wedding.
• You have more children than you can find biblical names for.
• Your family considers a trip to McDonald's a night out.
• Your first child was conceived on your honeymoon.
• You feel guilty when you watch Monday Night Football.
• Your kids believe the deer hunt is a national holiday.
• You drink Coke from a brown paper bag.
• You consider a temple recommend a credit reference.
• At least two of your salad bowls are at the homes of neighbors.
• You believe that you must be 18 or older to order coffee at a restaurant.
• You wonder why fire truck drivers honk when you drive 35 mph in the left lane on the freeway.
• There is a similarity between a ward basketball game and the L.A. riots.
• You think Jack Daniels is a country western singer.
• You negotiate prices at a garage sale.
• You can make jell-O salad without the recipe.
• You've heard about BYU football in a testimony meeting.
• You have two gallons of ice cream in your freezer at all times.
• Your father-in-law thinks Ronald Reagan was a liberal.
• A member of your family wrote in Lavell Edwards for president in the last election.
• Cars in the slow lane are traveling the fastest; cars in the fast lane are traveling the slowest; cars in the middle lanes are always trying to exit.
• Sandals are the best-selling shoes.
• You have to ask for the uncensored version of "Titanic."
• Hotel rooms all have the Book of Mormon.
• You buy your wardrobe at the local grocery superstore.
• You learn about the Mormon Church by taking history in elementary school.
• You live in a state where Democrats always come in third place, unless a zoo animal is running. Then they come in fourth.
• You're on your own if you are turning left.
• Schools stay open, even if two feet of snow falls overnight, but close for the opening of hunting season.
• People wear shorts and T-shirts if the temperature rises above 32 degrees.
• There is a church on every corner, but they all teach the same thing.
• The most popular public transportation system is a ski lift.
• People drive to Idaho, Colorado, (or Arizona) to pick up a gallon of milk so they can play the lottery.
• In-state college football rivalries are bigger than the Super Bowl.
• Beer drinkers don't shop on Sunday.
• You don't have to breathe cigarette smoke until you walk outside a building.
• The cost of living rises while your salary drops.
• Every driveway has a minivan and a pickup truck.
• When you buy a new vehicle, cigarette lighters are optional equipment but gun and ski racks are standard.
• Every time a new family moves into your neighborhood, the local elementary school has to hire a new teacher.
• Your paycheck has an additional 10 percent deduction.
• "Temple recommends" is acceptable identification for cashing a check.
• More movies are filmed in your town than in Hollywood.
• You've never had a Mormon missionary knock on your door.
• Your neighbors complain about where they live, yet refuse to return to the state they moved from.
• You make a toast with red punch at your wedding reception.
• You have more raw wheat stored than some Third World countries.
• Your idea of a good time is playing Pictionary in the cultural hall.
• Your idea of a wild party is a six pack of Pepsi and a PG-13 movie.
• You and all your friends come to your mother for a haircut in her kitchen.
• You measure Kool-Aid by parts per million.
• You think "You're a 10 cow wife" is a compliment.
• You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Utah.

I was literally dying of laughter when I read this and thought it was worth posting. The only thing missing from this list is the 5 seasons of Utah: Winter, More Winter, Road Construction, Fall, and Winter. Anyways, I hope it puts a smile on your face.

The Benefits of Having an "A" Name

Touch screen phones are pretty awesome, but when your name starts with the letter "A", they're even more fantastic! I have found over the series of a couple of years now that having a name that starts with the letter "A" comes with some exciting benefits...especially when your friends own touch screen phones. Because the letter "A" happens to be the first letter in the alphabet, "A" names happen to be the exceptionally lucky individuals who have the unique privilege of receiving unintentional phone calls from their dear friends. I have thoroughly enjoyed this unique privilege. I get to hear people in their element and they don't even have a clue. It's really quite exciting. I love my name. 
Top Conversations:
1) One of my best friends singing her lungs out to Paramore.
2) Boy I dated for a while unintentionally called whilst on a date with another girl. I had a really long voicemail with their whole conversation about the benefits and disadvantages of changing ward boundaries.
3) Friend was hiding in the fridge at work because crazy lady was yelling at her. All I could hear was labored breathing and rummaging around of stuff (I guess that would have been stuff in the fridge?)
4) Friend who was talking to themselves in the car about stuff they needed to do when the got home ( I think). That's what I deduced from the conversation anyways.
I love having a name that starts with the letter "A". My parents were very wise in choosing my name.


Thanks for making my day a great one technologically-advanced-awesome-friends. 

Crepes and Conference!

Quote of the day: "The Holy Ghost is holy, and he's a ghost!" -Ashlyn Breeann


Watched more conference today. It was amazing! I feel like the general theme of conference was that we need to be more willing to help those around us and treat others with kindness and service. Conference pumps me up. I love it! 


My friends, Ashley and Anne-Marie decided to throw a crepe party at their home and watch conference. It was delish! They are so clever.
We watched conference and ate crepes and it was awesome! I tried making Hollandaise sauce to go with the ham I was bringing for the lunch crepes. First (and only) attempt=fail. I ended up washing it down the sink and bringing some Dijon mustard I found in the fridge instead. I hate cooking 99% of the time...
I need to find a lucky apron or something. Actually, I should probably just get a better attitude about cooking.


It was a good day.

GC, GC, GC

Today was a great day! Drove home from Park City after spending some quality time with the lovely sisters in my singles ward, listened to some awesome GC (General Conference), ate some salt water taffy, thought about life and where I'm going. It was good.
I looove General Conference. I had butterflies over waiting for this weekend to finally arrive. I really am so easily entertained. I am going to continue believing this is a good attribute to have.
My favorite talk from today was Elder Oaks' talk about Desire. 

"Desires dictate our priorities. Priorities shape our choices. Choices determine our actions."

His talk really touched me. It made me contemplate my own desires. I think I'm on the right track. 
My Goals: Go on a mission, finish college, get married in the temple to a worthy man someday, eventually have a family, and continue to serve and try to brighten the lives everyone I come in contact with.
Elder Oaks' talk was basically a further confirmation of my desire to serve a mission. In D&C 4 it says, "If ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work." Well, I have desires. Thank you scriptures, Elder Oaks, Heavenly Father, Holy Ghost, family, friends, church leaders, etc. for helping me along the way. I am very glad to be where I am right now.
Elder Oaks also mentioned that when we have a vision of our desires and where we want them to take us, then our desires intensify. Those intensified desires then become our actions.
"What we consistently desire is what we will become here and in Eternity." -Elder Oaks
GC is the best!

13.1: The Beginning

Today, I decided I want to run a half marathon before I leave for the mish. I'm debating between either the Provo Half (May 7th) or the State Capitol Half (May 30th). I have a feeling it's probably going to end up being the State Capitol one...which would be SWEET! The route looks like it would be pretty awesome (there's trail running!), but a bit hilly. I guess I should start brainwashing myself into loving hills. 
I love hills, I love hills, I love hills!
Theoretically, I will have 6 weeks of training before the Provo Half (which is why I'm thinking the State Capitol one would be a wise decision...then I will have 9 weeks of training!)
I like this idea. A lot.
My run today was quite the adventure. It was a blustery day and rather chilly (about 45 degrees with wind chill). I went about 3.5 miles today and it took me 28 minutes and 51 seconds. It was hard. The wind not my friend today. I think I now know what it must feel like to be the victim of suffocation.
Once I made it home, I collapsed on my front porch for about 5 minutes and then cooled down. I felt good after my cool down and decided to do a few sprints as well. Those were SO much fun! (sigh) I miss doing interval workouts.
My right ankle didn't bother me too much today either-which was great! I can tell my right achilles is not a happy camper though. It's pretty tight. Note to self: stretch better. 
IT band problems that have plagued me for the past 2 years weren't terrible either. I could definitely tell it was still there, but nothing like it's been in the past.
I'm just so happy to be running again! :D