World traveler

create your own visited country map

According to this lovely map generator, I have visited a whopping 6% of the countries in the world. On the top of my list of places I would like to visit are...Tahiti, the British Isles, Greece, and Italy. However, when opportunities arise I must take them. My friend April is moving to China for a year, so I think a trip to China will move its way to the top of the list. When else might I have the opportunity to know someone who lives in China who could show me around? Seize the day!



create your own personalized map of the USA

Within the country I've done a bit better (82% of the states in the Union). Since my dad was in the army when I was growing up and we moved around a lot, we took advantage of wherever we were living and made an effort to see the surrounding sights. And driving across the country 4 times helps you see the country too! One of the funnest trips was when my mom and I drove out to Atlanta and back (a year apart!) and stopped to see all the cool things along the way. On the top of my list of things I have yet to see in the U.S. are Mount Rushmore, Churchill Downs (the home of the Kentucky Derby), Austin, the Everglades, and Chicago.

What's on the top of your travel wishlist?

Drink up me hearties, yo ho!

In preparation for Pirates 3 that is coming out this weekend, we had a pirate pre-party. Emma is the bomb! I think she loves throwing theme parties even more than I do. They had everyone "become" a pirate when they first came in. They had to choose a pirate name, put on some pirate tattoos, facial hair and sashes, and wear an eye patch.

They named all the food after things from the movie like Commadoritos, Norring Dip, Elizabeth Swalad, Jack Sparr-scones, Davey Bones, Aztec Gold and more. We had a treasure hunt in which we perfected our compass reading skills, and had a treasure chest pinata that was full of fabulous pirate goods.

Of course we had to build a big bonfire and dance around it drinking 'rum' and throw ourselves onto the sand. What a great party! Let's just hope Pirates 3 is any good...cuz Pirates 2 sure wasn't!

Firsts of the season

This week I had my first Slurpee of the season! You know it's time for summer to start when you get a Slurpee craving. Nothing says bring on the summer like a nice cold Slurpee from your local 7-11. I just want to know what happened to all the original flavors like grape and cherry and blue raspberry. Anyway, I also went on my first hike of the season and did my first yard work session of the season, climbed my first tree of the season and went on the second motorcycle ride of my life. Here's to summer...I love it!

We had our ward talent show this weekend. It was great fun. I never knew I was surrounded by such talented folk like 90s rappers, Irish jiggers, glow stick experts, swing dancers, song maker uppers, and the like. I did my annual ward talent show hula and dragged Rachael into hulaing with me...she is awesome!

She was such a hula pro! Hawaii here we come. Happy Mother's Day to my fantastic Mom today. I love you! Does anyone want to do a triathlon with me the first weekend in August?

Where a kid can be a kid

So last night, my friend Shawn and I went to Chuck E. Cheese. As we were sitting there enjoying our pizza and singing along with ChuckE and the gang, the little girl at the table next to us decides to befriend us. She waves at us and just starts chatting away and proceeds to tell us all about her pizza and her favorite games in the arcade. Then she motions for us to follow her so she can show us the “dinosaur game”. Intrigued by the whole thing, we get up from our table to go check out this famous dinosaur game.

It turns out to be this monster truck ride thing, and she climbs in and insists that I ride in it with her. So I squeeze myself into this truck made for 4-year-olds and “ride the dinosaur”. It was great fun. Then she takes us all around the arcade and teaches us how to play all the good games. We pretty much rocked at Chuckee’s Duckies and the Smokin’ Token. Her parents asked her if she’d adopted a new family. There was also this one thing like a photo booth where you sit there while it sketches your picture. It is so dang awesome!!! So here we are with Emeritus, our fantastic new little 5-year-old friend. Oh, and we won some fabulous star-shaped glasses and ChuckE playing cards that are so cool! Here’s to Chuck E. Cheese!

A little taste of heaven

Has anyone ever tried an Aero chocolate candy bar? Well if you haven't, you are missing out big time. My friend went to Canada over the weekend and brought me one of these delectable treats. I'd never had one before and it seriously was one of the best chocolate bars I have ever tasted in my entire life! Definately in the top 5 candy bars of all time. What is it with foreign candy being so much more tasty?

Don't cry for Argentina

Two years ago today I returned home from my mission. I still remember as I sat in the airplane and watched out the little window as my beloved Mendoza got smaller and smaller, I just cried and cried all the way to Buenos Aires. Serving a mission was definatley one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I can't imagine never having met the Tello family, the Elizondo family, the Muzaber family, the Perretti family, Gabriela, Adriana, Natalia, Gabriel, Andrea, Lorena, and all the other fantastic people I met. I learned so much from each one of them, and I'm so grateful they are a part of my life.

I would just like to remind myself of something I wrote at the end of my mission:

Otono en las vinas es el tiempo para mi,

Predicando el evangelio y bautizando almas alli.

Terminada la cosecha, de las vinas partire

Con frutos muy sagrados que jamas olvidare.

O sed fieles mis hermanos en la obra del Senor,

Siempre trabajando y brindando su amor.

Recordad las oraciones y sed firmes en la verdad,

Con limpios corazones, para siempre paz gozad.

Volvere a mi familia, al hogar de mi amor,

Y empezare a trabajar en otras vinas del Senor.

Mas mi corazon es triste porque mis amigos dejare.

O adios mi Argentina, pronto volvere.

As I left Argentina, my one wish was for all the wonderful people I had met to stay strong in the gospel. I promised them that I would, and so if they would, we would meet again. I was lucky enough to return to my mission last year and see some of these people still strong in the gospel...but unfortunatley some had fallen away. I don't know that I'll ever see them again in this life, so I pray that they will come back. I'm still trying to keep my promise. It isn't always easy, but I know it's worth it. I miss being a missionary. To commemerate my coming home date, I went to the MTC today to volunteer. I love doing that...those missionaries have such a spirit with them, and they are so full of love. Tonight I was reminded that my Heavenly Father loves me and knows my thoughts and feelings and truly cares and is watching out for me. I'm so grateful for missionaries and the power they have to remind us of those important things.

2:37:32

I finished the half marathon!!!!!! And I'm still alive!!!!!!! The official time was..... 2 hours and 37 minutes and 32 seconds. So it looks like Natalie is the big winner with her guess of 2 hours 40 minutes! Nat, email me your address and I will send you your prize.

I was so worried I would not be able to do the race because I was really sick on Friday, but a miracle occurred, and I felt great on Saturday. I'm so happy with how I did and how I felt...honestly I couldn't have asked for better conditions or results even if I were completely healthy. It actually feels kind of surreal...like did I really do that? But anyway, it feels great and that is one of my New Year's Resolutions I can now cross off the list and mark as 'accomplished'.

Thanks to Melissa, who is my running inspiration and for her lovely running program, to Brittany for giving me the training program, encouragement, and all her tips, to Rebecca for running with me (way to go Rebecca!), Anne and Sabrina and Jenny for the cowbells, Kristen and Shawn for the pre-race goodies, and everyone who helped get me across the finish line!

Let's play a game

So, my half marathon is next Saturday. Take a guess on how long it will take me to finish, and you could win a prize! Put your guess in the comments section, and whoever comes closest to my actual finish time will win. I'll give you a hint...it will probably take me more than 2 hours, but less than 3 1/2.

Today I went to Park City on a shopping spree! I love that outlet mall...such great stuff. And of course I spent too much money, but I got some really cute stuff. :)

Happy happy birthday Kristen dear

Happy Birthday to my lovely roommate, Kristen!!!!! I just realized that I don't have a picture of her to post...how pathetic is that? I will definately have to remedy that situation. So these birthday candles will have to do. Anyway, Kristen, I love you and hope you have a fantastic day.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. I am so thankful for the atonement of my Savior. I'm grateful for the hope that it provides and the healing power that it has. I'm grateful to be able to have a friend in Him that I can count on at any time and in any situation who will know exactly how I am feeling. He volunteered to go through it all already, so that He would be able to understand what my pain feels like, and how to help me to overcome it. And I will always be grateful for that. And I'm glad I was able to have some experiences yesterday to help remind me of that.

Less than 2 weeks before the big race!!! I hope I will be ready! Maybe I should have a rollover party when my mileage log hits 200 miles.

Who have you been kissing?

So, this week I found out I have mono!!!! I have had this horrible sore throat for the past two weeks, so my dad suggested I go get tested for mono, and yep, I have it. I didn't even know a sore throat was a symptom of mono. I really hope I will still be able to run my half marathon in 2 weeks. That is 4 months of hard training that I don't want to see go to waste.

Yesterday, I walk over to the other side of the building at my office to "meet the new editor". Well, come to find out, the "new editor" is none other than Maurianne Dunn! She and I went to high school together. What a small world.