Documentation of Recent Events

I've been informed, ever so politely, by my sweet husband that its about time I posted on the blog again.

Since my last post was, lets see, almost two months ago, I guess I shall oblige him.

First of all, I cut bangs, which was a rather silly idea, it being summer time in Arizona after all, and bangs happen to fall directly on your face, creating such close proximity as to trap heat, and sweat, and {gross I know, but true} oils which your skin naturally produces. Need I say more...another {not-so} wise decision made by yours truly.

After I cut my bangs, Taylor and I embarked on a wild and glorious adventure known to some as Summer Vacation, although Taylor still has to work...so I embarked, with Taylor's company on most week nights, and week ends. 

We got a lot done in June, including a trip to Roosevelt with our dear friends Brent and Christy Smith. It was so nice to be at the lake for a whole weekend and get a break from the valley, Brent and Christy are probably our most favorite people ever, seriously though, we are SO excited that they are coming to Powell with us this year! 

Mid-June Taylor, being called to the Varsity Scout leader position and all, got to go on the Scout High Adventure activity, which included a lake-day {Taylor took our boat, looked no worse afterwards surprisingly, pretty sure Taylor just cleaned it pretty good}, a bike ride {Taylor got to drive :)} and camping, while he was gone I slept with EVERY SINGLE light on in the house, I'm not one to be scared of the dark, but sometimes I am. 

The weekend after that I had a girls trip with Taylor's mom, sisters, aunts, and cousins, up to St. George {we missed a few weekends together, which is always sad...but the girls trip was so fun!} We went to Tuacahn and saw the play Grease {for those of you who think Tuacahn is a colorful bird with a long beak, you happen to be wrong, it in all reality is a beautiful theater whose stage opens to the side of a freakin' mountain, check it out yo...also practice your spelling, its Tucan, totally different.}.

 Also while in St. George I got to go see my favorite 89 year old ever, Milton Sealy. For those of you who may not already know this, I lived in St. George winter of 2008 after Milton had a pretty serious stroke, I lived with him and his wife Shirley {my second mom Loni Hatch's parents} and was his care taker from October 2008 to February 2009. They were some of the hardest and most emotional months of my life, and going back to see Milton was very hard for me, but I'm so happy that I went {you probably wouldn't have pegged my emotion as happy if you saw me leaving the home he's living in now..} My prayers are constantly with my friend Milton, and I know its cheesy to ask, but if any of you reading this wouldn't mind, I would appreciate it if he got even more prayers, he's having a hard time right now. I love Milt, and I know even though he may not remember me now that that's only because of his physical condition and that when we meet again in the next life we're going to best friends again :)

After St. George the girls caravaned to LAS VEGAS for a little Cirque Du Soleil {Beatle's style, coolest thing I have EVER seen, legit-imate. Don't try and take pictures, they take that rule pretty seriously...} and shopping and relaxing by the pool. It was such a fun trip and I'm glad I married into such a fun family!

{ze women}

{Susie made the awesome tie-dye shirts we're all wearing, go sus!}

July has been equally exciting, and equally as busy! For the 4th Taylor and I attempted to hike Giesela/The Narrows, which, for those of you thinking of going, now has no legal, open to public trailhead...SO we met native to Giesela Noah {who was completely wasted, and completely friendly, and completely hilarious} who asked us for a ride and took us to the local swimming hole, where all the locals were having their own little get together, to which we were not actually invited and felt quite awkward intruding upon, but we went on a little adventure up stream and had a good time anyways :)

{our leaf-boat race!}

{I won :), Taylor's is the fat one at the bottom of the shot, and if you look closely you can see mine approaching the rapids!}

{Taylor using survival skill #1: If at risk of sunburn, find shade.}

{muddy}

After our little hiking adventure, we made it over to the Gonzalez residence {my side of the family} and had a little swim and had a little BBQ, Ben and Colton made it into town from DC and Ben brought his FIANCE {congrats!} Jacqui {she did my wedding-day hair :) yaya!}, and in the evening we went and had MORE BBQ with Sam, and the Nings, saw the new Transformers movie and got out just in time to see a few fireworks on the way home {very few.} It was a perfect day!

The week after that I finished up my summer class and flew to Houston Texas to see my best friend Stephanie Hartman Hulse {I prefer to call her only by her full name <lies}

I had SO much fun! I missed Stephanie SO much, ever since we've been friends {aside from my little 5 month moves from AZ, and then me moving to PHX} we've only ever lived about a mile from each other, and I'm so used to hanging out with her a TON every summer that I think I was having withdrawls, bad ones.

Houston was super humid, and super hot, but also super green, and pretty :) I likey.

We made our way down to Galveston, which is basically the coolest little town ever {I might have been only looking at the adorable houses, most of which were built in the 1850's! how cool is that!}

{no, the twiner bangs were not planned, we're just cool like that}

{gorgeous!}

{Bishop's Palace, costs to go inside, pretty awesome building!}

{I want a window room like this! beautiful!}

{all the houses in Galveston were so patriotic, I loved it! and all had state pride! It was great, I wish Arizonans were proud to be Arizonans!}

On our way back to Houston from Galveston we stopped by NASA, no big deal. 

P.S., they don't just let you drive in, and if you try you get super dirty {suspicious} looks, so I wouldn't go there if I were you.

We could have paid $90 to take a tour, but that was not conducive to our financial situations.

{there is actually a man in that suit!...false}

I had such a great time, and I'm so grateful that I got to visit Stephanie and Ben! Houston is legitimate.

As SOON as I got back into Phoenix from Houston, I left again {literally, Taylor picked me up from the airport took me home to change and then we took off again} to go up north {about 30 miles south-something of Flag} to camp with The Stapleys and The Campbells! 

The area we camped in was SO beautiful, I don't know exactly where we were, kind of close-ish to Clint's Well I think...Logan and Mandy brought baby Lincoln {he IS the Gerber baby, only not officially.} and Tyrel and Ann brought their so-ugly-she's-cute dog Molly, and Taylor brought his Kelcie. 

A lot of other people were invited, but bailed, THEIR LOSS! We ended up with the funnest group! 

Also, I practiced being a good loser, and even won my least favorite game ever! {although I think they just told me I won to make me feel better...}

It was a beautiful weekend and it was so fun to relax in the woods with our friends! Thanks for being awesome Campbells and Stapleys!

{not my best}

{nice face Logan!}

{bed head!}

{The gate Taylor's dad welded back when they owned the Cabin it leads to!}

{the best natural spring water I've ever tasted!}

{the hills are alive!}

{baby lincoln!}

I think we're up to speed now, and really all that left before school starts is the annual Robinson Lake Powell Extravaganza next week! Maybe I'll take some pictures of that...maybe not...who knows!

Summer 2011 has been wonderful! Between all the stuff I actually blogged about and all the stuff I didn't {lake! every friday! me=jumping wakes and doing grabs and falling much less! Taylor=GMAT prep and awesome projects at work, my husband is the most brilliant man alive!}

we've had an absolute blast.

To be honest though, I kind of am excited for school to start again. Might have something to do with the fact that I only have a year left, what what?

If you made it to this point, I congratulate you on your extraordinary attending skills.