big ball of sweat

Today I went running for an hour in the great humid state of Maryland. Once you're done doing that, this is what happens......

You leave an outline on the sidewalk when you collapse afterwards.
Your shirt is soaking wet and it feels like you wet your pants.
Your not allowed to sit on the couches or your mom will yell at you.
You can't cross your legs, they just slide off each other.
You feel like its a hundred degrees in your house when you walk in.
You take a shower but no amount of towels can dry you off.
You straighten your hair and it is curly in the next 10 minutes.
You play DDR and you slip on the mat because your feet are sweaty!

Nonetheless I felt so good today after finally running like I said I would every day this summer even though I've almost been home a month. It's finally starting to be humid though, while before it was bearable. It finally feels like home. And it's so good to be back. =D

Zach and Cody

Yes, I finally made it back to Maryland and am now living the suite life at home for the rest of the summer. I can take joy in the fact that while my sisters agonize over AP tests, I am over that, and I have already finished 4 years of seminary. Today, I went to a YSA devotional. mistake.

I can't munch and mingle without my mom!

My sister gave up her extra bed for me, my Dad pays for my gas, my Mom will make my lunch, and best of all, I didn't have to search around for a job and go to all those interviews.

This is the suite life...

Please don't tell me the odds

I am really not looking forward to my OChem final, especially since I am barely riding on a B in the class. I have not been able to focus like I thought I would be able to yesterday and today.
No thanks to warm weather, j-dogs, applebeer bees, storage units, blogging, marley and me, and the Biggest Loser, roommates packing, shorts and flip flops, etc.
Dang it, Provo has failed me! Why couldn't it snow just one more time this april so I could stay inside and be focused and study.
So I guess tonight will be an all-nighter with my textbook. -- the one that I bought new for $186 and they're switching for a newer edition next year, so I can't sell it back. It's been a long year and we've really bonded, all 1175 pages of it that I have dutifully read and been enlightened by.
Please help me make it through Smith!

When I grow up, I want to be a rock star.

This weekend after finals me and my roommate wanted to play, but what to play? We didn't know, so we made a whole list of stuff to do:
- listen to Keith Urban (since I'm going to a Keith Urban concert in September!)
- have an eating contest outside
- hike the Y at midnight
- go swimming at our old house
- ice blocking
- Dollar Theater
- go to Utah Lake and have a mud fight
- rent a tandem bike
- spy on Kristen
- pack our Christmas tree...finally
- put couch on balcony and watch a movie
- bring laptop to Provo canyon and watch a movie
- play hide and go seek in Walmart
- play frisbee
- prank Diane
- go running to temple
- make a smoothie
- get ice cream
- die hair
Great list, huh? Well it was kind of late and we were on a budget. We decided to dress up like rock stars and play rock band and take pictures. Then afterwards, we grated up some leftover chalk and had our own Holi Festival of Colors, since none of us could go this year. It was a good last Saturday night in Provo. Is it so vain of us that the way we decided to have fun was to take pictures of ourselves?
Unfortunately, I think I have disowned my hope to be a famous rock star. Too much hairspray. Seriously, it took me 3 shampoos to get it all out.

Finals!

I got to go to the testing center for the last time this semester and actually come out happy. I actually jumped with joy after seeing my grade on the TV! A Congratulations from that screen means so much to me!
I'm so happy that I already have four done with on the first two days of finals and I didn't procrastinate, so now I only have one more final to master on Wednesday. That would be my hardest one...OChem. :S But I know I can do it!
And now I'm off to play....will post pictures later.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

This weekend, I actually took the time to read a book merely for pleasure. I have missed reading so much and it was so worth it. I first picked it up in the bookstore for a few minutes while I was waiting to go to work because it was by the author of the Twilight series. Twilight is not even a comparison to this book which is a million times better. I would seriously recommend it to anyone looking for a good book to read. What's great about it is even by the first page, you trying to figure out what is going on in this strange new world that is given almost no introduction and there is action all the way through the book. It is not drawn out like in Twilight and not as obvious as, oh look his skin is cold, he is super fast, ...he must be a vampire. You are constantly turning the page trying to see how everyone can get there happy ending, even the "soul." The only objection I do have is why do Meyer's characters have to be SO emotional all the time? But I do give her so much credit for making up this new world that I could have never thought of before. You see, "souls" have taken over the human world, and they are injected into human (and other kinds of) bodies, and while the human is still present in the body, the soul is much stronger and it controls thoughts, actions, speech, everything. The body in this story is so unique because she fights back for control over her body and eventually they become friends. All the drama and history that goes into making these completely different worlds like in Harry Potter and Twilight must be so incredible for the author. If I could pick a talent, that would be it because I am in such awe of authors that can do that.

"Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind."

Seriously, read this book!

Christmas Vacation...Finally

All the fun we had really wore us out this vacation. My family got to come out this winter break to see all the family out west. First my Grandma took all of us to Disneyland to the place where all your dreams come true. We were in Provo for Christmas and then went up to Idaho for New Years. Sorry for all the pictures but just bear with me. There were so many good ones and I couldn't leave any out. Let the good times roll...

The best man made hill ever!

We went to Gertie's all you can eat pizza. Every kind of pizza you could possibly imagine. Some of the favorites included: Idaho, Seafood, Meat Lovers, California, Hot Mama, Ranch & Cheese and the desserts: toffee, Butterfinger, Reeses Pieces, and Oreo. My mom and aunt kept a tab on all the pizza they ate...but I just ate to my heart's content.

We got to do baptisms for our family at the newly dedicated temple in Twin Falls, Idaho. All of the family together!

He's the cutest Grandpa ever!At the Sephor at Disneyland. Who knew?

With Goofy

Bug's Life: It's a Tough World

All of us girls with Minnie

Colton hasn't got his muscles yet

Poor ducks. Patrick shot them both. And Amy caught 12 fish so we had a feast that night.

At night in Disneyland. We went on all the rides the first day.

Being in the front is scarier than you think. You literally go straight down vertically into the water.

All of the cousins with Grandma

The best roller coaster in Disneyland: California Screamin', even my 10 year old cousin went on it, and my grandma, and my carsick mother.

Pipelinin' Patrick with Tubular Toby. Dude...totally awesome

Amy's favorite character Woody

Scared out our minds. This is the most thrilling ride ever

Smiling like the chestershire cat

Be a blueberry! very nice

Sad day. It actually started raining one day we were there so we got very fashionable raincoats to wear instead of bumming it inside. They didn't really work anyways and we went on the wet rides too so they didn't really surve a purpose.

My family is too cool

roar!

haha

double haha

AmY and AubreY

We also went to do baptisms at the LA temple where Patrick served his mission.

Leftover coats and hats on the farm are the best!

Playing airplane, which sadly they had to leave on the next day. I miss them!