MAY 22, 2008- HOME SWEET HOME!!!

I FOUND THIS BLOG POST THAT I WROTE BUT NEVER POSTED! I NEVER ADDED THE PICTURES EITHER, AS YOU WILL SEE. BUT IT WAS A FUN TO READ THIS, JUST LIKE A JOURNAL AND I HAD TO POST IT TO KEEP THE MEMORIES! ENJOY HAHA.
(background: this was the summer I went home after my first year at BYU. KR and I had been dating that semester prior but nothing serious and it was basically, "well nice meeting you have a nice life" when we parted ways, so that's why there is no mention of him, and I obviously was trying to distract myself from thinking about him!)



Oh my goodness I am finally home!! (Well I have been for almost a month now...sorry!!)

I was actually quite sad to leave Provo, only because I knew I was leaving all of my amazing friends and I would have to go all summer without them. But knowing I am going back in the fall makes it a little easier. I don't know how I am going to handle it when I graduate in APRIL! But it also made it easier because I was leaving to go to the best most fabulous, sunniest place ever!! CALIFORNIA!!!!

SO I don't remember if I have mentioned this before, but the screen on my camera broke and so although I can still take pictures, I cannot really tell what I am getting, nor can I review them afterwards. So, I have been relying on others who have attended the same events for pictures, and that's one contribution to my lagging in blogging. Hha. Sorry, that sentence made me laugh.

ANYWAYS enough excuses...on to the good stuff!!!

Since being home I have had loads of fun and enjoyed the sun as much as possible! You might notice a slight change in skin tone as this blog progresses..... :)

Well first let's go back to saying good bye to my beautiful wonderful friends.

The sisterhood had to have one last hurrah before we all went our seperate ways for the summer (sound familiar?) so we went to Mimi's Cafe (one of Ithink 4 times I went in the last week I was in Provo) and celebrated! We got dressed up, had dinner and even a little present time. We always joke about how we are like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and so being the cheesy person I am, I bought the first book and made a plan: each girl will read it and write notes in the margin as they go, and when they finish, they will mail it to the next girl! I know, I am so creative. haha. Hey don't judge me. But yes. I am in Hungtington, Carli and Traci are in San Diego, and Bobbi is still in Utah, so this will be our little way of keeping together. I am excited. Traci has the book first.

So yes, this was such a fun night, but being the dorks we are, we never got a shot of all four of us together!! Dang it!! Also, I think Traci got some better pictures but I have to get them from her. Man, I say that a lot. Ok too much writing....

Another most wonderful person I had to say goodbye to was Sarah!! I love her so much and I am missing her terribly!! It's nice to know I will see her in the fall too. She's one I am not too worried about, I know we will stay in touch and I just know we have a special friendship that will last throughout our adulthood years. You know how your mom will have a few friends from college, and she'll drag the whole family to their house once in a blue moon and you're like "Mom! We aren't even related! Who is this? I don't want to go!" ?? Yes, Sarah will be one of those friends for my kids. I can't wait! Haha.

It was sad to say goodbye, but I love her and I will see her again soon! Yay Sarah!

I went to Traci's graduation that Friday and it was pretty neat, and I am so proud of her. She graduated in four years and did so well and is so beautiful. I just love her. She's another one I am not too worried about because she lives in San Diego and, *spoiler alert*, she comes to visit it me a few times in the next few weeks. So, stay tuned! It was a great graduation, and kind of weird to think that will be me next April.

So I was supposed to leave Saturday morning, but I just got kind of antsy and just wanted to get out of there. So I didn't tell me parents and I left Friday night and just drove straight through the night. I've done it a few times before, and it would have been fine except I had been sick and so my normal way of keeping myself awake (singing at the top of my lungs) had to stop about half way through (I lost my voice by singing at the top of my lungs). You may laugh haha. But yes, I started to get kind of tired on the back half, but so many people love me and care for me, they kept checking in on me, and let me chat with them on the phone to stay awake and it was totally fine. Once I hit the 91, I was so excited, I was completely awake. Hooray for California!!

So, I woke up Saturday morning and I bet you can guess the first thing I wanted to do. That's right! THE BEACH!! It was super hot and I didn't even unpack yet, I just took my sister and went to the beach! It was beautiful and I was just so happy!!!

Then I kind of unpacked my clothes, but my room was still a mess!! Boxes everywhere, and I just felt like, why bother? I have to pack it all up in four months anyways. Then I realized four months is a long time, and so a few days later, I finally unpacked and my room is now completely back to what it was before, minus a few bags of get rid of stuff. ANyways, sorry I am babbling.

The next weekend was Sandra's wedding. Sandra is my beautiful cousin who I have been really close with my whole life. We've had our seperate lives the last few years, but we picked up right where we left off. It was sooooo fun to spend time with her and it meant a lot to me that she included me on a lot of things that week.

Wednesday, Traci (who was roommates with Sandra last year, remember that's how we met) came up to Huntington and we went to the Angel's game. It was so fun!!

Thursday we had Sandra's bachelorette party! Oh Em GEE! It was so fun!! There was a hummer limo, and we all had cute sashes and got dressed up! Steph made a scavenger hunt about special places for Sandra and Tyler and the first stop was Olive Garden. We had dinner, it was great, but they took too long, so we had to forgo the rest of the hunt, and just enjoyed the time we had left in the limo and danced like crazy!! It was so fun!! We even had Martinelli's (I promise that's what it was!!)

Friday, the day before the wedding, I went with Sandra and a few of her friends to get pedicures. It was nice and relaxed and so fun. That night I spent the night in what I could call "sandra's house" for the last time. It's so weird to me that she doesn't live around the corner for me since like, forever. It's so crazy that she's grown up and married and not living there anymore. AH! A good crazy though.

Saturday was the wedding!!! We went to the temple and watched them come out of the temple and she was SOOOO beautiful!! Oh my gosh! She looked like a princess, as you can see!! It was wonderful!

Then we went to the luncheon and it was delicious. Carli was in town by this time which was so fun!! She came over and we hung out a little bit while waiting for the reception to start.

The reception!! It was GORGEOUS!!! As you can kind of tell from the pictures. It was beautiful and fun and I just enjoyed myself. Haha, it was funny. Everyone who knows our families, knows I am the next oldest in our family (Sandra is a year older than me, and then Steph is a year younger, so the three of us have always been clumped together) and everyone kept coming up and asking, "So, are you next?" Hahah ya right. I was like, no, talk to Steph, at least she has a boyfriend. haha.

All in all it was a great day and I am sooo happy for her. I love her so much and Tyler is so fun. It meant a lot to me to be a part of it all and I am glad we were able to reunite. Thanks Sand!

So, after the hustle and bustle of the wedding died down, I found myself twiddling my thumbs a lot. Haha. Traci and Carli had gone back to San Diego, and Ivy wasn't home yet so I had absolutely no friends. Oh my goodness. I went from EVERY single night of having someone to hang out with and something to do, to every single day thinking, ah!! It's been a hard adjustment for me, but oh well, what can you do? I started working out again, and tried to find something productive everyday. I work 2 days a week at the Salon until my lifeguarding job starts, and that's been fun. Finally gave me a reason to get dressed in the morning haha. Just kidding. But it's also been nice to not have anything to stress about...

Ivy came home and boy am I going to cling to her this summer. I have been hanging out with Steph too, but she works and has her boyfriend, so we can only hang out sometimes. It's fun though. I love her too. But Ivy and I have gone to the beach a few times, and it's been super fun.

Saturday was my dad's birthday. Ivy and I went to the beach all day, and then a pool party at the Mason's and then dinner with my family. It was a good day, I like when I have lots and lots to do.

Then this week, Steph took me to the gym and I got a 2 week pass and guess what!! I RAN!! I ran for my cardio on the treadmill oh my gosh aren't you proud of me?? Anyone who knows me well enough, knows how much I hate running. So it was a big step for me and it actually felt good. I went again with Ivy last night and we are going again today. I want to get the most out of my two week pass, cuz I don't know if I can afford to get a real one. I gotta be money smart...dang it. Oh well.

Meanwhile, I started shadowing some people from my new job, doing swim lessons and coaching the little kids swim team. It was SOOO FUN!! I start life guarding on Saturday, I can't wait. If you don't already know, I am working as a life guard and doing swim lessons in Newport Coast. It's gorgeous there and the kids are so cute. I think I am going to love it.

SO, if you couldn't tell, I am very happy here in California and enjoying the sun and things are going well. I miss all my friends, but it's ok. I will see them again. I hope your summer is off to a great start as well and keep in touch!!! Love you all!!