Golden Weekend

Well, Marissa has finally hit 24. We did a lot this weekend to celebrate!

First, dad came down to surprise her. Everyone was so good at keeping the surprise! I almost slipped quite a few times because I was just so excited to see him! He got here around 4ish on Friday, we talked a bit then headed to the football game where dad got to sit with us in our 3rd row 40 yard line seats.  They won, so it was an awesome game.

Nick has the picture of us with dad.

We headed up to Sherry's for the night but didn't get there until like midnight because we got stuck behind the cop doing the slow roller thing on the highway. Thanks again for letting us spend the night Sherry!

Saturday morning Marissa and I headed up to Timpanogos caves to meet up with Chris, Aaron and Stacey.  None of us have been up there before and Aaron wanted to surprise Riss with it.  It was National Lands Day so we got free parking and free admission! Woo! They were super cool and the trip was tons of fun.  We even got to sing to Marissa in the first little cave. Enjoy my awesome singing :)

We then headed back to shower and dad treated us with a trip to good ol' Costco and dinner at Pizza Pie Cafe! We had to get back to our apartment to set up for Marissa's party that night.  We made tons of cupcakes. Here are the kinds we made!  Red velvet, Better Than Sex, Chocolate Coconut and yellow.  All those were made from scratch besides the chocolate part of the BTS ones.  Chris made Banana and Kelly brought over some Strawberry Lemon and Chocolate Mint. They were awesome, so people said.  It was great to catch up and see tons of friends again! I was able to pack on all the candles. :) Guess what, you get to listen to me sing again!

This morning we went to Jason Coleman's farewell talk.  He told the story about how he and Jared were pretty much stuck at the Wenatchee airport and how they had to walk along the street like lost puppies and be taken by a taxi driver to Seattle. He failed to mention how his GIRL cousin had to come back from Entiat to pick them up and wait for them until the driver got there.  He said it was a better story without me in it. Thanks Jason! It was awesome to see family again.  We got sent home with plenty of food :)

Thank you dad for EVERYTHING! It was awesome to spend some time with you this weekend! And Jason, good luck!

"You'll know when I don't have enough air when I stop breathing."

While we were stressing out about tests, homework, work, school and all our personal lives we decided that a vacation was needed.  Stacey, Javier, Pepe, Marissa and I headed down to Moab. None of us have ever gone so it was an adventure for all of us.  We headed down Saturday afternoon, checked into our (tiny, gross, spiders in the pool, women's flip flops under the beds) motel room then headed down to the arches!!!

We first went to see Cache Valley.  There was a cut in the rocks that kinda looked like a unfinished heart.  Marissa decided to finish it.

Stacey got attacked by a bush and decided to fight back by falling on it.

After cleaning her up we went to the Balanced Rock.  Which looked like a fish. Just not in any of these pictures.

Then we made our way to the Delicate Arch.  This is where we first got a taste of the wind. And yes, we did taste it. Well, all the dirt that was flying around.  We also said goodbye to Pepe's hat which was taken by the wind.  We just hope some kind of rodents are enjoying it as a new home.

We went out to eat in downtown MOAB.  I was being tortured by all the jeeps and Javi was being tortured by all the motorcycles.

We were going to wake up early to get some sunrise pictures.  We are college students on vacation, you really think we would? Woke up just in time to get ready and check out before noon and headed back to the arches.

First was the Sand Dune Arch which Javi and I climbed on top of.  Don't worry, mom, I was careful.  This is where we had tons of sand in our shoes.  Not smart enough to take off our shoes.  

Further past this arch was the (not very broken) Broken Arch which Javi and Pepe climbed to the top of.  A lady there reminded me of mom because she had to look away because she was so worried.  They were careful too and survived.  

We then headed out to hike the 17ish mile hike around the rest of the arches.  It was so much fun.  The beginning was a paved walkway that just seemed too touristy.  Once we got up higher we got to climb random rocks, get scared we were on the wrong trail if on one at all, were by ourselves for a majority of the time and got to see some sweet sights.  We were like little kids jumping around the rocks and getting excited about different places to climb and explore.  Marissa peed on me, made me throw up my Crystal Light by making me laugh and jumped up and down clapping her hands when we met people from Washington.  She is glad I am her sister because if she peed on anyone else they probably would have cried, no one else laughed at the joke she made when I threw up my Crystal Light and I am the only one who understands why she got so excited when we met someone from Washington. 

The trip was so much fun!!

Just got burned.

Is it sad that I have been down in Provo for two years and have never once done the BYU thing of hiking the Y? Well, I finally made my way up there.  I headed up there with Marissa, Zach and Stacey on Saturday.  It was such a nice day! I thought I put enough sunscreen on. Nope. Not at all.  (I looked like I wore sunglasses, but I didn't.) Zach showed us "his spot" that is a little above the Y on a sweet rock.  It was tons of fun and we can't wait to do it again.

Zach isn't as mean as he looks in this picture... haa

Javier brought us some brownies after he got off work at the Creamery.  Super sweet of him because they tasted sooo good after the hike.  He gave Zach a ride home on his bike. So cute.

When we got back I realized that I definitely needed some Aloe Vera.  But, we were out.  So I headed to Buy Low to pick up some.  I couldn't find it so I walked up to this guy that was stocking the shelf.

Me: "Hi, do you guys happen to have some Aloe Vera?"
Employee: Turns around... "WHOA!..... uhhhh ya."

I was super burnt and he could tell.
Thanks jerk.

After I couldn't get real Aloe Vera at Buy Low Javier sneakily went to Walgreens to get me some Menthol Aloe Vera that made my burns not hurt so bad.

Now two midterms this week and home!!!! :)