Trouble in the Tetons.

On Friday August 2nd, I gave my last tour as a BYU tour guide :( and then Stephen and I hit the road for Wyoming! It was really fun being able to spend time in the car together and drive through exciting cities like Kemmerer, WY (home of JC Penny) as well as Daniel Wyoming, population 100. :) Stephen's Uncle Randy and Aunt Ruth invited us to come with some of their family (kids and grandkids) on a little camping trip in the Tetons, and we were excited! We'd been looking forward to this trip for months :)

Here's how the trip went in a nutshell:

Saturday-
Wake up 6:30 am.
Drive to Jackson lake (two hours).
Load boat with all the "hud." (Code for camping junk)
Boat doesn't start.
Wait on dock for 4 hours trying to get boat to start.
Get really really really sunburned.
Get really jealous of all the other boats on the dock.
Wait another couple hours for people to try to figure out how to make the boat start.
Give up and drive back to cabin.
 
Sunday-
Raspberry pick around cabin.
Drive to String Lake (two hours).
Kayak on beautiful String Lake.
Drive back to cabin.
Eat delicious raspberries with ice cream and angel food cake.

Monday-
Wake up at 6:00 am.
Drive to Jackson Lake.
Rent motor boats.
Ride motor boats to campsite.
Set up camp (while others went back to pick up the rest of the crew and return motor boats, then kayak to campsite).
Play in the water.
See Grizzly bear.
Call Park Rangers.
Watch Grizzly bear come closer and closer to campsite.
Call Park Rangers.
Pack up camp.
See a second grizzly bear.
Call Park Rangers.
Wait for Park Rangers.
Park Rangers arrive.
Listen to Park Rangers tell us we were supposed to yell and throw rocks at the Grizzly Bears.
Be confused.
Ride with Park Rangers back to Dock. (While others kayaked back, and others waited on the campsite for the Rangers to come back to pick them up.)
Drive back to cabin.

Although the four days didn't go exactly as planned...and in the end there actually wasn't any camping involved, we had A TON of fun! It was the perfect little escape before we came back to the craziness of wedding planning and preparation.  :)

I haven't spent much time in Wyoming, other than driving through it on various family road trips, but I must admit that the Tetons and the Wind Rivers are BEAUTIFUL! I can't say that I'm a crazy-intense-outdoorsy type of person...but I can definitely appreciate this incredible world in which we live.

The view from the deck of Randy and Ruth's cabin.

The view with the sunset was INCREDIBLE.

The raspberries iiiiiii picked! (above) 

Oh what a life I'm living! 

California Dreamin.

Last Wednesday Stephen and I road-tripped to CA for a "Mission: Possible" themed family reunion. [My mom chose this theme since my brother Daniel will leaving on his mission to Cleveland, Ohio a week from today!] As cheesy as it may sound, Stephen and I were both really excited to be able to spend 10 hours in the car together [each way], and in the end it was JUST as much fun as we thought! :)

We had so much fun spending time with my family in CA! My nieces and nephews are just as chatty and adorable as ever and even though it was a little stressful when Stephen and I were left in charge of all seven of them while everyone else went to the temple for a couple hours...we survived!

It was a wonderful couple days filled with:
Early-Bird Nephews and Nieces,
Minute To Win it Games,
WARM 80-90 degree days, (definitely been dreaming about those since we got back to Provo and it's basically rained every day...)
Cleveland Trivia,
Water Games,
Family Pictures,
Mini Golf,
Olympic Events [such as wheelbarrow racing and marble toes],
Miriam's first date (which was SENIOR BALL - she went as a sophomore!)
and of course rounded off With a Flinders Family Original Music Video!

Sadly, I didn't take a ton of pictures because we were so busy, but here are a couple of my favs.

(Stephen took the one above, and I was REALLY impressed with how well he did, especially considering he had to focus it manually. We have a photographer in our midst, ladies and gentlemen!)

We really are a happy couple, can't you tell? ;)

(Photo Cred: Sarah! (She's the real photo expert in the family.) [Thanks for all the photography tips, Sarah!])

Oh what a life I'm living! 

PS Check back soon for more details on our ENGAGEMENT that took place the weekend before :) 

Cheese on Toast.

Oh what a life I'm living! 

supes and totes.

I can't say I'm a huge fan of all the "abbreves" that are so prevalent as of late, 

but the other day I was discussing with some friends which word has more value: 

"totes" or "supes." 

Eventually we came to the common agreement was that "supes" is the superlative of "totes."

But either way... last night was a "supes totes" fun night.

(And yes, I know full well how ridiculous that sounds.)

What is required for an extraordinary night:

-A Thai Restaurant in Salt Lake that has mismatched dish-ware,

"That's how you know it's really good." -Alyssa

-Playing Ruzzle (a virtual version of Boggle) at the dinner table. 

(Tacky. Yet necessary. We may or may not have an unhealthy addiction.)

-Declaring a "Chinese Fire drill" at a stop light - despite the drivers' protests.

-Danny getting locked in the car during said fire drill.

-Bowling. And just being able to laugh when you get two gutter balls in a row.

(Not that that happened or anything.)

-Peer pressuring Danny into eating a box elder bug.

-Eating delicious waffles at Brugge. (Pronounced real fancy like.)

-Spending time with good friends and creating memories to last a lifetime.

Honestly...it doesn't get much "supes totes" more fun than that! (haha.)

Oh what a life I live,

Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Okay I'll be honest. I've actually never seen the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.

BUT, a few weeks ago 

(sorry I've been behind on this blogging thing) 

Danielle 

(who's first name is actually Tiffany, 

who is more affectionally referred to as T-Bone by those who know and love her best) 

(haha take that Alyssa!)),

 got married! 

 During the time leading up to her betrothal to Jonathan Williams

 (doesn't that sound like a prince name?) 

there was much cause for celebration! 

A bridal shower was in order.

 And what better way to celebrate than a classy,

"Breakfast at Tiffany's?!"

I will admit...I take unusual pride in my ability to take quality pictures of food. 

(I guess that's what happens when you love food as much as I do.)

It's crazy to think it's already been a year since Danielle and I were roommates in Jerusalem.

Oh what a great year it has been :) 

CONGRATULATIONS DANIELLE AND JOHNNY!

Oh what a life I live, 

Simple Pleasures.

As I slipped and slid to my class this morning at roughly 8:39 a.m., people were tumbling on all sides.

Though this isn't a totally uncommon phenomenon in Provo during the winter,

 the rate at which people were falling was . . . unusually high, 

due to a new concept to me: freezing rain.

Somehow in this silly, mixed-up brain of mine, I had gotten the crazy idea that 

"freezing rain" was more-or-less snow - but boy was I wrong.

FREEZING RAIN IS NOT SNOW.

As I watched person after person FALL FLAT on the ground, I knew 

it was only a matter of time before I was right there with them. 

When I approached the "bridge" that connects the Marriott center area to the rest of campus, 

a growing pit in my stomach told me that there was little to no hope.

 There was simply no possible way I would come out of this journey unscathed. 

The fifteen total strangers around me instantly became my dearest friends,

 as we took on what will be forever known as

 "the ramp of doom."

Slipping,

 sliding, 

squealing 

and screaming,

 together we ventured down the ramp to what we hoped would be the safety of our morning classes. 

The only possible way to do this? HOLD THE HANDRAIL.

During most of this experience, I was completely concentrated on where to "glide" next and how not to

'take a spill' as so many around me had done. 

But at one point I stopped and looked up. 

The majority of my comrades both in front and behind me were also clinging tightly to the handrail

(even though it had a solid layer of ice on it and I'm sure their hands were stinging just as severely as mine). 

And in that moment: The symbolism struck me.

"Hold to the rod!" I laughed and said to the guy behind me.

He didn't laugh.

He didn't smile.

Maybe he didn't hear me...?

Hahaha. It doesn't matter. I thought it was hilarious, and I still do.

In fact, I thought it was SO funny that I took a picture, and then added a caption, and then posted it to the BYU MEMES facebook page and it is now a VIRAL SENSATION. haha (okay maybe I'm being dramatic but...)

(Roughly 4 hours after being posted - 1,640 likes and counting!)

Sometimes, it's the little pleasures :) 

...and the fact that I actually went the entire day without falling. 

(Truly a miracle.) 

Oh what a life I live! 

PS Facebook is basically exploding with videos of BYU students "skating" to class today, so here are just a couple:

Sadly, my favorite video (of a BYU student who went to the thrift store and bought ice skates and then literally skated around on the sidewalk!) is only on facebook so I can't post it here.

PPS For any of you not familiar with the expression "hold to the rod" it comes from a passage in the Book of Mormon. To read the passage in 1 Nephi chapter 8 (particularly starting verse 19) click the link here.

twenty twelve in review.

JANUARY

When I went to The Holy Land,
met and roomed with some of my favorite people in the whole world,
and went to Petra in Jordan.

FEBRUARY

When I helped plan the "Arab dinner,"

it was really windy,

and the Russian-Swede-Asian became an unlikely trio.

(how unlikely?...just ask Vlad. ;))

MARCH

When it snowed on the Dome of the Rock,

I went to Turkey, 

 spent 10 days on the Sea of Galilee,

participated in the Palm Sunday Walk, 

and discovered mint lemonade.

(Oh how I miss it.)

APRIL

When I bike rode through Tel Aviv and ate my first cheeseburger in months,

 went to a "Sun Rise, Son Rise" service on Easter at the Garden Tomb, 

finally put a prayer in the Western Wall, 

and had a Farewell-Jerusalem photoshoot with my Jerusalem roommates.

MAY

When I put the finishing touches on the Total Pillow Infomercial,

the addition on our house got carpeted,

and when I listened to Tim and Cameron's mission stories for hours.

  

JUNE

When Daniel graduated high school, 

I bought my very own car,

and I got a job as a tour guide of BYU.

JULY

When it was much too hot to sleep indoors so we took our mattresses outside,

and when I finally got to camp out for the 4th of July Parade.

AUGUST

When my cousin Kierstin stayed with me for a couple days,

 I turned 21,

I was finally reunited with my jerusalem roommates,

 won GOLD in the synchronized swimming competition,

my best friend/cousin/ex-roommate got married,

and when I got an unhealthy addiction to Hokulia shave ice.

SEPTEMBER 

When I taught Kindergarteners PE and had a blast doing it,

when I participated in the Dirty Dash in Midway, UT.

OCTOBER

When we celebrated the first marriage from our Jerusalem group,

 I went to Colorado (twice),

and survived visiting the scariest house I've ever been inside in my life.

NOVEMBER

When I went home for thanksgiving

and we ordered sushi for 24 people.

(Oh my delicious.)

DECEMBER

When we stopped at the Reno temple on our way to Utah,

wished everyone a very hairy Christmas,

and went to see the lights at temple square.  

It truly has been an INCREDIBLE year,

I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store!

Oh what a life I'm livin',