holidays.

this is what living out of a suitcase for a month looks like.

i'm going to be sad leaving my family, especially my grandma, this weekend...

but i am so ready to have my own space with places to put everything. 

as you can imagine, i am so frustrated with my current living conditions. 

it's been really great being here. i currently DON'T have a legit camera, so these are taken from lizzie on fb.

this was christmas day. me with the birthday girl.

then the three of us and lizzie celebrated NYE! it was such a ball with these cuties.

we celebrated at 10 with audrey and then drove them home. 

at real midnight, we had robbie bang pots and pans. 

we came back inside and i put him in a blanket to warm him up and the next thing i know, he's sound asleep. cutest little kids. 

and this is how gary and i celebrate every christmas, puzzling!

this year, he got me a 500 piece puzzle. it was much too easy.

we went back and got a 1,000 piece puzzle which was way better! it took a few days and boy those painting ones are difficult. 

it's been such a good vacation!

tonight i...

• watched lizzie's video. 

• went to see harry potter with my cousin, her boyf, and my friend natalie.

i know i mention this every time, but seriously ron? SERIOUSLY.

he looked so hot in this movie. his stubble, his smolder....he was the hottest when he was mad. 

he just looked so cute and miserable the whole time, i just wanted to squeeze him.

when he touched hermione's cheek.....so adorable.

nephi, how can you be mad at that face?

its been a life changing experience to read harry potter 1-7 in a row and watch all the movies. J.K.Rowling is a literary genius. she is so smart and i'm obsessed and in love with her writing and how she connected the books 1-7. every character she introduces has a major role, even those you'd never expect. its so great. and i lovelove comparing the story of voldemort infiltrating the ministry to evil infiltrating our government. its so interesting. 

• anyway, i came home and read about this beauty. 

queen elizabeth. what an intriguing life she has lead!

She is the last surviving head of state who served in uniform during the Second World War and married her second cousin once removed. if that doesn't make an old lady interesting, i don't know what does. 

St. George

at the end of July, jon and I went to st. george with my family!

it was such a ball. we spent most of the time...in the pool.

but we also wore swimsuits backwards and stretched our limbs.

and we compared muscles. sorry jon...

on saturday, we hiked the narrows. 

i usually don't like to hike, but this was so fun.

i wonder why i don't like hiking? here...let me hold that for you.

twin moms and cute babies.

i thought this was so funny and cute. little robbie.

here are all the kids! this was at the beginning of the water hike.

<3

i seriously loved hiking through the water.

and i loved playing with the doll.

(I meant to type this doll. the doll is pretty darn funny though.)

she is so precious.

and so is he. look at my boy, sleeping away.

two cuties.

(see how good jon's new picture smile is?? so handsome!)

here is the whole group. such good company.

doesn't this look like a paparazzi shot? or maybe i just want it to...?

we hiked as far as we wanted, then turned around. jon, sam, and I decided to get all the way in the water and just float down the river. it was so relaxing. and cold. 

the rest of the weekend was spent reading, nintendo-ing, and playing who wants to be a millionaire.

swimming!

and eating, obviously. 

yummm.

since i LOVED the hike soo much, this guy invited me to go hiking this weekend. 

it's called the bridge to nowhere. 

it is somewhat similar to the narrows, we'll be passing through water.

and it is ten miles. 

ten. 

miles. 

i haven't asked nephi yet if its ten miles in, ten miles back. 

i dont think i'll ask him until we finish.

oh, and i guess she can come too.

nephi talked me into it by sending me this email-

"I think this commenter said it best:

"After passing through the river a bunch of times (so much fun!) and about 4.5 miles in, we called it quits. Why? We got a late start (2 pm) and it was starting to get a bit dark... 

Upon return, we realized we were a mere 10 minutes-ish away from the bridge.

Though we “gave up” and never found the Bridge to Nowhere, we built a stronger bridge — a metaphorical bridge that connected the five of our hearts. A bridge we’ll never forget."

that could be US!!"