IV and STD's

You may have noticed that I skipped over Wednesday in my last post and that's because it deserves a post of it's own.

Wednesday night I drove up to Santa Barbara to visit Kelly and Claudia who I haven't really spent a lot of time with since high school except for the occassional lunch when we're both in town.  They live in Isla Vista where people never sleep, really I'm pretty sure I woke up every hour during the night and could still here people partying.  However I have some great friends and they know how to party.

I'm sure we only stayed in and played scrabble because I was there but I still thought it was nice of them.  Claudia defintely cleaned up on that game. 
Kelly went outside to chat with the neighbors after the game and quickly called me outside so that I could witness an IV fight.  I went something like "bleepity bleep bleep bleep" "who do you bleep think you bleep are?" "get the bleep away from me"
classy right?

The next morning Kelly said we were gonna go on a little "stroll" down the beach.  Little did I know a stroll meant a mile and a half walk in the sand, up some cliff, through campus, and then through vegetation back to their apartment.  Kelly is also the one who tried to make STD a saying in high school (abbreviation for "So Totally Down")
It wasn't too bad though since I made them stop and take pictures with me.

I was beyond excited to find an entire seashell just chillin on the shore that I took a picture of it.  Then I kept walking and realized there are shells every 5 steps in Santa Barbara. Didn't feel so cool then. 

I had one more thing on my agenda while I was in IV and that was to chow down on some of the most delicious food there is.

you guessed it. Freebirds.

And I mean the original. Not the americanized Texas chain that's going around.  There's something about having Mexicans make your mexican food and then having to eat your tacos with a knife and fork that just makes it all the more delicious.

We laid around in a food coma for a little bit and then Claudia went to work and I went home.

I seriously have some of the greatest friends ever.

Sugar Overload

This last week has been kinda crazy. Around the time of my last post I was completely ready and in the mind set for school but I've kinda been in vacation mode for the last week and I haven't even been on my computer to blog so we'll just go with bullet points of the last week.

Saturday started with Natalee's baby shower. Me and Shaina made some legit cupcakes the day before. Natalee got lots of goodies for baby Josh and even though she's now officially 9 months prego she still looks like she has a small balloon under her shirt.  I should've won every game, since it is my sister but I think some of them were rigged.  I left with a huge jar of kisses for guessing the closest.  143 will never do ya wrong.
ps she totally loved my gift.

That night I made a return trip to the fair with Amelia, Shelbee, and Peter. Even though I was in a total food/sugar coma we still managed to eat more funnel cake, kettle corn, and the world's largest waffle cone.

Fair food is the best.

Amelia just moved into a house in the coolest place ever for many reasons. 1. it's on a lake in westlake 2. it's about 2 seconds away from pinkberry which we have indulged in just about every time I go to her house that's not sunday.

the first night. followed by a veiwing of Crazy, Stupid, Love. "I love you Jessica Riley"

Tuesday night I splurged for the take home size that I've always wanted. Nick and Nate come into town that night so I had some help but we still couldn't finish it all.  So on Thursday we had a kinda going away party for me and Peter and Amelia made us some delish dinner to eat on her boat.

And then of course we got more pinkberry

If you don't know what Pinkberry is you should probably learn.

Friday was probably one of the best days ever and had a big impact of my vacation state of mind.  I introduced Nick and Nate to Deer Creek and they loved it as much as I do.  We were the only people there until a topless lady and her fisherman husband showed up but that didn't stop us from having fun.

and then watching it get destroyed.  The ocean definitely had a vegeance that day.  We got super clean and went to the Glendale dance where Nick showed off his booty poppin skills. So jealous.
Clearly my week has definitely been better than yours.

Now I gotta pack :-/

Two Trees

With the number of days i have left in California down to single digits i'm trying to squeeze in the most efficient amount of people and fun into every minute.
Today i joined in a perfect day in the Ventura sun(fog) with some of the tops peeps on my list.

Shaina, Shelbee, Candace, Carlotta, Raegen, and Ryan(who i just met)

started out with a little hike to two trees.  i've lived in ventura county my whole life and never down this hike so it's only appropriate for me to finally accomplish it a week before i leave.

Candance and i were hiking buddies. Not because we're both out of shape, but because we like to enjoy the hike. We're also a little afraid of walking downhill fast and eating all the cow caca that's on the trail.

We stopped to take a group shot about halfway via the timer. 

Finally made it to the top!!!
Exhausted.
These, however, were not taken with a timer because we happened to run into a fellow hiker. A football player for Brown University to be exact.  i asked him if he knew Hermione, obvi.  we saw him at in n out again later, not planned.

Shaina likes her trees.

Yup we're awesome, or at least Shelbee is.

Forget planking. it's all about handstanding.

I put the rest of the pictures on facebook if you'd like to check them out. 

Got a hot date with Amelia, Pinkberry, and some very important TV shows tonight.

ALSO, Elder Nathan Johnson who served an honorable mission here 4 years ago will be at my house in about 4 hours or so.  Pretty much that means this next week is gonna be full of adventures.

Deer Creek

Is totes my fave beach in all of California.

It can be found along the PCH past that sandhill in the distance where there's a fancy green sign that says Deer Creek Rd.

Just walk down the stairs and you're on one of, in my opinion, the best beaches ever. It's just you, the beach, and maybe a few old men fishing.
The only downside is in "tsunamis" season when the sand gets replaced with gigantic rocks.

But nature renews it's splendor and I was accompanied to my spot today with Tyson for a couple hours where we had a spontaeous photo shoot.

I don't know how I feel about just putting up a bunch of pictures of myself but I'm gonna do it anyway. At least I was consistent in the effect I put on them.

 

 

 

 I'm falling more and more in love with the beach and I'm leaving it sooner and sooner. (2 weeks guys) I definitely don't think I'll feel this way about the snow in Utah.

More beach? I think yes.

Ventura County Fair

I actually made it to the fair this year!!

As I walked around the dirty fairgrounds with vendors yelling at me to buy various knick knacks that I don't need I looked up and saw this.  I then heard myself say to DJ, "this is what imagine heaven would be like"
I obviously was seperated from my brain for a minute because in heaven they may have awesome swings like this, except:
this ride cost almost as much as my funnel cake
they wouldn't stop
none of their rides would make you vomit

Back to the real world.  Deanna Smith went to the fair with me this morning to take advantage of $3 admission before 3 o'clock. 

          Saving our money on admission was perfect because we spent a lot of it on our favorite treats

                             

Funnel cake for me and cotton candy for DJ.  But that wasn't enough because I continued to pig out...

I was surprised that I wasn't too miserable at work afterwards.  Definitely proud of my stomach at that moment.

We walked off our indulgences and I found an awesome present for Natalee's baby shower on Saturday. I've already given her all the perfect things I've found for my soon-to-be-born nephew because I have no patience when it comes to gift giving.  But I think this is the best of all so I can wait a couple days. She just can't read this until after.

Cutest??? I hope she loves it.

Until next year, stay classy Ventura :)

Shelbee Lea Younce

is my best friend

that may not be the best picture of the two of us but i'm going to explain why it is so great right now.

this pretty lady and i became friends on January 19, 2010 when we had the pleasure of going on a double date together.  it didn't take long for us to become the best of friends after that, i mean when someone is there for your first kiss it's almost guaranteed to pretty dang important.

let's get one thing straight, we are completely different people. we have both been raised in incredible families which taught us how to deal with situations differently.

shelbee is lighthearted and has a beautiful free spirit while i tend to be too serious and try to fit in.  but in both way we even each other out. and we always laugh, i'm sure it's more her than me because anyone would say that about her: she's great at making people laugh. (i used that colon just for you even if it may not be right)

however amazing and awesome and seemingly perfect our friendship is, a few months ago we began a downward spiral leading us to commit the carnal sin of all friendships. yup the one thing that breaks the weak and crumbles a once successful bond.  i'm talking about the awful occurence when each friend takes the opinions and advice and rumors of others over their own gut instinct and let this miscommunication hinder attempts at a resolution.  not following? hopefully this will confuse you more:

we got caught in a terrible web.
not to mention it was our first fight. ever.

this web caused heartache, hurt, lies, rampant miscommunication, mixed signals, and a repeating telephone game of false information.

no one is to blame in this situation because i know that no one involved had any intent to cause pain. 

the good news: we're tough  :) i know i made lots of mistakes and luckily shelbee was kind enough to forgive me and thankfully i was able to humble myself enough to ask for it.

having my best friend back is one of the best feelings in the entire world. the one person who always laughs with you, understands you ,and always sees the best in you and wants the best for you.

i'm not mad at anything that happened because we needed the growth.  the only thing any one in the web is guilty of is caring and i wouldn't say that's a quality i mind being surrounded by.

Now i can't post this and not be immensely grateful for the fact that i know we wouldn't have come to this point without a lot of faith and prayer.  so i thought i'd share a few of the things i came accross that helped give me strength to fight for the honest truth and...yeah basically faith. it's such a great thing. so just this once i'd like to give credit to those who helped me and possibly it will help others, although no one except Melanie really reads this.

disclaimer: i don't want people to get the idea that this blog is meant to be particularly inspirational all the time, that's far too much responsibility.

"If someone hurts you so much your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you shall be freed again."
F. Enzio Busche

"If you are carrying some burden, forget it, let it alone. Do a lot of forgiving and a little repenting, and you will be visited by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost and confirmed by the testimony that you did not know existed.  You will be watched over and blessed- you and yours."
Boyd K. Packer

"fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith"
Thomas S. Monson.

this one i can't take all the credit because i saw it on another blog i stalk. i just changed it to the JST version
Phillipians 6-9
Be afflicted for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Finally, brethen, whatsoever things are true,whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virture, and if there be any praise, think of these things.
those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

i think that's all.  it's just a lot of words to sum up the one i feel.
thankful

:)
Life is sooo good

20 more days!!

I leave for BYU in 20 days and I'm still not 100% sure how I feel about it.  I've realized that I'm more stressed about it than I thought.  But I'm also super excited and know that I'm gonna have a ton of fun.  My roommates already seem awesome.
My main goal though, is to go to the beach as much as possible before I leave. I slacked on my tanning while I was in summer school and that is such a shame.  Yesterday I went to Zuma with the beautiful Mariah Murphy and it such a perfect day.

We tried for a jumping picture but we were too fast for Hogan.

I'm practicing for Baywatch

Later that night we went to the dance in Huntington Beach with Mikey and Skyler and made lots of friends ;)
Life is good