My Hard Core Life

I feel like I've done more awesome things in the last 3 weeks than i did all summer. And it's time to blog about it, even though I have a million other things that I need to do.

Lets go over the events of my life since school started.

1. School started

2. I found a job! MTC Cafeteria baby

3. I went on a camping trip with a few awesome Jerusalem friends

4. More school

5. I had an awesome Jerusalem Reunion at the Muhesltein's (my New Testament teacher)

6. I went on an awesome hike up Mount Timpanogos to see the sunrise

7. More school

8. I ran the Red Rock Relay!!!!!

9. And now I am very behind in school.

Let me elaborate on said activities.

3. Camping Trip

The weekend before school started, a few of my Jerusalem friends and I decided to go out into the mountains. So Faith, Nathanael, and I joined Austen and some of his friends on a nice little weekend trip into the Uinta's. Austen and his friends mostly just fished, but Faith Nathanael and I had a wonderful time hiking around all the beautiful lakes in the area. 

Also, Faith and I made awesome Foil Dinners, and I made homemade rolls, and we brought up freshly made strawberry freezer jam. Needless to say, the boys loved us. 

Also, Nathanael brought up a monster tent. The biggest tent I have ever seen, slept in by me and Faith on one side and Nathanael on the other (don't worry, there was a separation barrier). 

The view from our campsite

Monster tent. Dwarfing all others.

Butterfly Lake

Austen Fishing

Me and Faith!

5 and 6. Jerusalem Reunion and Timp Hike

The next weekend, we all had a wonderful reunion at the Muhelstein's house in Pleasant Grove. They had been home from Israel, for about 2 weeks. It was a dream come true. So many people were able to make it! There was so much love going around. So many hugs. So many people with significant others. So much food. It was good. 

To finish off the night, Faith, Nathanael, and some other friends and I met up with my brother Matt and a million of his friends to embark on the annual beginning-of -the-school-year sunrise Timpanogos hike! It was great. I was hoping that I'd be in good enough shape so the beastly 14 mile hike wouldn't get the best of me. And I was! Well, mostly. 

We began at 1:11 a.m. and my friends and I ended up separating from Matt's large group. I led the way up, hoping that I wouldn't lead my friends astray, since those switchbacks can get confusing in the dark. But we successfully made it all the way up, traversing through a field of snow/ice, and making the final climb to the shack, just in time for a beautiful sunrise! Only 7 of the 18 of us made it to the top. Booyah!

Matt and I on the top!

View of the saddle. Gorgeous!

8. RED ROCK RELAY!!

Oh man, guys. This is honestly one of my favorite things to do. This was my second year doing the relay and I just absolutely love it. Here's how it goes: 

187 miles

Brian Head Ski Resort to Zion National Park

12 people on each team

2 vans, 6 runners in each

3 legs per runner

Team Tortoise!!!

My brothers and I were in the the second van, the Sun Van and we ROCKED it! Well, I was proud of how I did at least. I ran the last leg of the second van, which was a 5.4 miler down out of the mountains to Cedar City. I did pretty good. I ran it in 47 min, which is under a 10 minute mile, so I was happy. 

Then our van drove over to Enterprise, UT (it's ok if you've never heard of it) and stayed at our teammate's in-laws house. They were so nice! They made us dinner and let us sleep there for a few hours, and then it was our turn to run again. But this time, it was night. Very late, or early, depending on how you look at it. I was the last runner for our van again, a whopping 7 miles between 4 and 5 a.m. and to my pleasant surprise, i did quite well. I ran it in an hour, and it felt great! There's something about running at night, when you can see anything but what the headlight shows in front of you and the faint outline of trees or mountains in the distance. And we were in the middle of nowhere. There's something very liberating about running in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night.....try it sometime.

Well we took off to Washington, UT (it's ok if you've never heard of it) and fell asleep in some gym facility that they provided for us, while the other van finished their last run. That meant that we were up, to finish the relay in the hot sun of southern Utah. yay. 

The last leg is always the worst. The courses are all long and difficult, and hot, and they basically push your body to its very limit. About three miles into my five mile run, i hit a wall. My exhausted body was telling me that it didn't want to run anymore. My aching legs were telling me that they didn't want to move anymore. My heaving lungs were telling me they didn't want to heave anymore. And my side ache was telling me to walk.

So I did. 

And it was the sweetest relief I could ask for. But then I still had to run. I still had another 2 miles to go. And let me tell you, they were the longest 2 miles of my life. 

But hey, I am alive and well, and i finished that awful 5 mile run to hand the stick to my brother who had to do some 6. something run up a longer hill than I had.....so....I'll stop complaining.

But our team was awesome. And i ran a total of 17.4 miles. Yay me! 

The Monster 15 seater.

It rained.

Ready to Run!

Matt going for the hand-off.

Now I have to do a lot of homework.

BYU

Guess who's back? I am!!

Provo is a good place to be. Especially right now. I forget how lucky I am to be going to this school sometimes. I mean really. What if I didn't get in?? My life would be.....I don't really want to think about it.

I wouldn't have gone to Jerusalem. yikes.

So I moved in last week! The Riviera. My 3 wonderful friends Faith, Jamie, and Ashling from Jerusalem are my roommates, as well as 2 great girls Nicolle and Brooke. I am happy here. My ward seems awesome, though I still have to get to know everyone a lot better.

Unfortunately, I care less about my new ward and more about hanging out with all my Jerusalem friends. We've had several reunions, get-togethers, and camping trips the past week and it's been so wonderful! It feels so great to be back with these kindred spirits, these bosom friends. Every time I see someone on campus my heart leaps for joy!

So I guess I'm going make some goals this year.

• Scripture reading a priority. 
• Temple attendance...once a week?
• Stay on top of homework and reading
• Try to stay caught up in my sewing class (this will be difficult)
• Eat healthier/less
• Exercise
• Date boys
• Be happy. I suppose that should be at the top of the list.

BUT two weeks ago, I spent the most wonderful time at my family's cabin with everyone but Matt! (Sorry Matt). I will show you some pictures of my beautiful cabin, family, and nephew.

A jolly baby indeed!

Moving

This past week has been fun. And kind of crazy.

I just packed. You know those packs. When you have to pick up your life and transport it across several states. Its kinda stressful.  And two nights ago i got 2 hours of sleep. So...It hasn't been a very energetic pack.

But i'm pretty much done now, and I just want to collapse into bed. And it's only 8:30.

But I'm excited because (after a 13 hour road trip) I'm going to spend one gloriously fun and relaxing week at the cabin. Hanging with my incredibly awesome family. And then I get to move into my apartment and start school! Weird....

So goodbye Summer, almost. Goodbye Bothell.

I kind of hate saying goodbye. I had to say goodbye to my Preservation Kitchen coworkers last night. I was sad to leave some, not others. I had to say goodbye to the Branch today. That was sad. Mostly I was sad to say goodbye to Jamie. One of my best friends.

Farewell Bothell. Till Christmas!

Hello Utah.

Independence Day Weekend

So last weekend my brother Jeff and his wife Kira and their incredibly adorable and amazing baby Jeffrey (the second) visited us! It was such a fun weekend. Mom, Dad, and I were all freaking out about seeing baby Jeff because....well who wouldn't be? The first grandchild/nephew in the family, perfect in every way, cutest baby ever, and we never see him. So we were EXCITED. And of course we were excited to hang out with Jeff and Kira too.

Coming home from the airport. He is a jolly baby!

Cutest baby ever? I think so.

Saturday was kind of lame because they all went to Leavenworth, but I had to stay home so I could get to work. :(

Sunday we had an amazing dinner and invited Jeff's old friend to dine with us.

Monday was the 4th of July! It was the best! We went on a hike to Barclay Lake. But we had to carry the baby because we didn't have a backpack...and he got a little fussy the last 20 min. Oh well. We went home and watched a movie and ate a BBQ feast, and lit off fireworks! (because its legal in Snohomish County ;).

Jeffrey's gangsta hiking attire.

Barclay Lake

A little tired and hungry :(

Tuesday we drove into Seattle and went to Pike Place market and got Dicks. Who wouldn't love that?

Pike Place Market

Having fun in the stroller. 

So that was my weekend. It may look like I'm an obsessed Aunt....because I am. And why shouldn't I be? :)

Kangaroos in the Great Northwest

Last week Jamie's friend Nichole was in town so they were doing a bunch of fun things visitors to Washington just HAVE to do. Well I've lived here my entire life and I've never been up to Kangaroo Farm in Arlington, so they invited me! It was super fun, though it did start raining. But this is Washington....

The Kangaroo Farm called "The Outback" includes dozens of Kangaroos and Wallabys (and apparently Wallaroos too...??), several Tortoises, Donkeys, Llamas, a Miniature Horse, Emus, and an Ostrich. And I can't forget the Lemurs, and all of the poultry: chickens, roosters, a turkey, peacock, and strange mutated ducks.

Enjoy the pictures!

Outside the cute Cabin where we bought our tickets

Lemur! Everyone who danced like they do in "Madagascar" got to feed them. That was us and the children.

Turkey

Kangaroo trying to take shelter from the rain

It is fuzzy, but this wallaby has a little Joey in her pouch!

Miniature Horse, apparently he's a little aggressive cause they didn't let us near him

First Kiss :)
Actually, I'm feeding him.

I'm excited.

So.
I feel like I start out every post saying "so". I don't care. I like it.

So, well, I went to the zoo yesterday!!! Emily Culp is home for a short visit so I went to the Woodland Park Zoo with her and her parents. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. But I will steal pictures from Emily. Pictures from the zoo to be posted soon.
But visiting that wonderful park brought back many warm and happy childhood memories. I was sad that the Nocturnal house seemed to have disappeared. Perhaps it was replaced by the new Dinosaur exhibit. WHY WOULD THEY REPLACE REAL, COOL, ANIMALS WITH FAKE, DEAD ONES???? That was my burning question. Lets just say I was disappointed. But I did have fun. I felt like a young girl again, getting overly excited at seeing the giraffes, lions, the brown bears. It inspired me with a new-found desire to travel back to Africa and see, not the pyramids, but go on a SAFARI!! Oh man! One of these days....maybe in the next 30 years.... I will get there. I will see zebras and elephants in the wild. I WILL!
It also inspired me to watch Planet Earth. I forgot how much I loved that show! It is so cool! If you haven't watched them, I strongly encourage you to check it out. I watched one last night....they make learning enjoyable!

Well this is what I'm looking forward to this summer:
Matt is coming home this weekend!!! I am seriously so excited. Not only do I get my wonderful brother back for a week and half, but we'll probably eat some delicious food, watch a good movie or two, and play some awesome frisbee. I'm excited.
Also. I get the car back ;) Just sayin.

Also, my brother Jeff, his wife Kira and my adorable nephew Jeffrey are visiting over the 4th of July!!! YAYY!! It's going to be so fun. I get to play with the cutest baby in the world and hang out with my awesome brother and sister-in-law to celebrate the wonderful birth of our nation!

(thank you to Kira for supplying me with these pictures from her blog.)

Next, I get to go to New York and D.C. to visit my sisters and brother-in-law starting July 14th.! My parents and I get to spend a few days in my sister's sweet apartment in Manhattan, and then we just get to spend some quality time with everyone.

picture taken at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland - 2010

You know, everything that I'm looking forward to this Summer has to do with family! I love my family. There is nothing more special :) I sure am grateful I was blessed with such wonderful parents and siblings.

taken at the Acropolis in Athens, 2008.
missing: Josh Dalton, Baby Jeffrey Michael McDonald II

p.s. I didn't mention one VERY important thing. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART 2. We will just happen to be in New York City the night it comes out. I am determined to go the midnight showing, alone if necessary. My parents and sister may not be as excited about this as I am, but...HELLO! This is my childhood! Harry is my past, present,...and future! How can I tell my children I didn't go to the midnight showing of the FINAL Harry Potter movie, because I was in New York?! Its against everything I stand for. Don't worry fellow Harry Potter fans, I won't let you down.

Summer

So. Life keeps moving on. Mom told me I needed to do another blogpost....and I thought, what am I supposed to blog about? It's not like I saw the pyramids last week, or went to Petra yesterday. Do people really want to know about how my night at work was, or how my Ultimate Frisbee game went?

I don't know. Maybe you do.

Also, I never take pictures anymore. I took out my camera for the first time last weekend when we went to folklife. That's weird, and boring. My life is boring now. But that's okay. Here, I'll update you:

Besides pleasure reading, my latest project has been organizing all my Jerusalem pictures so I can print them out and put them into a real life album. That's right. REAL. Not just on the computer. You can actually touch it and turn the pages. You may think it's old school, but I like it.

Here is one of the pictures I came across, and I am obsessed with it:

I miss my beautiful roommates

Next up. Monday was Memorial Day. So fun! My friends and I went to Folklife down in Seattle. What a blast. I mean, if you want to see the wonderful and crazy people of this city, go to Folklife. Hippies, musicians, artists; tattoos, piercings, and pot. All of it. And I saw tons of stuff in little shops and stands that I saw in Israel. Except that it was 3xs more expensive here. haha. Good thing I bought it all there! Though I only took a few pictures, here is a sample of what we saw:

WAY creepy.

Strange mirror man.

Also, SO much food. Wonderful food. First we got some delicious corn. Then I got a crepe, with strawberries and whipped cream and chocolate sauce drizzled over and cinnamon and powdered sugar sprinkled on. Divinity. Then I got "Shishkaberries" Chocolate covered strawberries and bananas on a stick. Too bad I didn't take pictures of those, cause there were all so pretty.

To finish off Memorial Day, we went to the Branch picnic at the good 'ole Bothell buildig. We played soccer, which was a blast, though I bruised my ankle hard core (dad said I burst some blood vessels, guess I'm not used to playing without shinguards). And then we feasted on hamburgers, salad, chips, homemade root beer and delectable desserts . Classic.

No matter how much I miss Israel, I will always love the great United States. "God bless America! Land that I love...." 

After living out of the country for a few months, I am definitely more grateful for the freedoms that we hold here in the U.S. Never forget how lucky we are and always thank those who sacrifice for our blessed freedom and liberty.

Till next time...