Bear Lake

Ok so once a year I go to Bear Lake with my friends Amy, Brandon, Austin and this year Keeley came along as well. Every year we stop at this gas station that looks completely abandoned and it seems it might have been used for the movie Texas Chainsaw Massacre...We pick up anything we might have forgotten to pack! We had such a great time this year although on the second day it ended up raining on us so the tans we usually come home with were nonexistent. We ate hotdogs, reminisced of old times, and of course got a raspberry shake! I love camping with these guys since it is always an adventure full of spontanaeity and mostly legal activities...
Amy and Brandon are engaged...hence the "W" signs ...(they stand for wedding)
It was great to get to know Keeley better..she was a lot of fun and a great camfire singer!
Do you have any of those people in your lives that are so freakin awesome that you just know ten years from now you will still be livin it up with them? That would be Amy and Brandon... We have had some incredible times over the years and I know we will continue to have more!
We ended up renting a canoe and Amy and I decided they are a lot more exciting when you use them in rivers as opposed to lakes! Too much exercise for our taste... Thanks guys for such a fun weekend!

Waterfall Canyon

One of the things I looked forward to the most about visiting Utah was the hiking. As a child my father took us up every Saturday morning to the mountains. I have a hiking buddy in Utah who has gone with me the last three years. We have a great time hiking, talking, taking pictures, and this year we got the chance to go boulder hoppping on this massive landslide of giant boulders. We had a good time. (Amanda I sure hope you don't break up with me since I like hiking....I know how you like to discriminate against the hikers! ) Thanks Em....

A blast from the past...

So yesterday I went with my bro and his fam to Lagoon....I hate theme parks most of the time (the lines, the crowds, and the overpriced water aren't things I have much patience for...) but I ended up having a great time! We took their four children ranging from 4wks to 8yrs...I haven't been there in at least 9 yrs so it was a little nostalgic to sit in the rides I used to ride as a child. My favorite ride when I was younger was the log flume. I must say I was hesitant to ride it as an adult. Do you ever have those experiences or things that are incredibly fantastic when you are growing up and you go back to revisit them they leave little to be desired...this as much as you try not to let it, taints your memories that were once so blissful. It ended up to be less thrilling firsthand when I did finally go on it but watching my nieces and nephew get so animated and excited about it helped to restore some of my own original childhood sentiments.

Viva Zumba!

Tonight I was introduced to a whole new world of endorphin-pumping, body-moving, calorie-burning goodness. I have a temporary membership to a gym called Total Family Health Club located near my parents. Tonight I attended one of their free dance classes called Zumba (Pronounced Zoomba). I had so much fun! It was a combination of all different tempos of latin music including my fav raggaeton. It uses a combination of latin dance moves derived from salsa, merengue, and others. I looked like a total fool since I have "white girl rhythm" (this comes from trying to go salsa dancing with my friend Miguel in the clubs in Fresno-his name for my efforts in dancing) While I lived in Costa Rica I took a few latin dance classes and still "my moves" leave little to be desired. After tonight I learned that they haven't improved since ;) but it took me back to my days in the discotecas and reminded me and my "white girl rhythm" how much I love to dance....Try it!

The Cradle Robber Monologues....

Ok so I am noticing this common thread in my life recently that I am simply not happy about. Example one....I am sitting on this flight from Argentina to Brazil and I am seated next to this cute (in a boyish way) brazilian with dark eyes and a mouth full of braces. He is fifteen and he is convinced I am eighteen although he won't believe me when I try to tell him otherwise.... (I have no idea what it is about the way that I look that puts me in that age group.) We start speaking in Spanish and he talks to me about his family vacation to Argentina along with things that he likes to do...play guitar, listen to music, hang out with friends (Typical high school activities.)....He starts to talk to me about music and we find that we both have a common interest in the Cranberries and our favorite Cranberry song is Ode to my Family. I am sitting there with one of his Ipod earphones in my ear with the other in his...I being the education freak that I am, ask about his favorite classes in school...He tellls me that sexual education is his favorite (My mind is screaming do they teach sex ed to children now??!! And how are they teaching it that makes it the favorite among little boys!) I try to keep a straight face and change the subject but then he begins to tell me how much he loves California and how he has always wanted to live there....(I am unsure but it seems that he is starting to flirt with me and of course this makes me a little uncomfortable since he is a baby!) I pretend to go to sleep so that I don't have to continue with the suddenly awkward conversation....he lifts the arm rest between us and snuggles up next to me....
Example two....I went to the fireworks at WSU to celebrate the 24th of July (It's a Utah thing) I am surrounded by like 50 kids all of my brother's children and his wife's nieces and nephews. I enjoy going up there each year to visit with her family and play cards. This year my brother's neighbors came along with their two children. One of which is a thirteen year old boy....somehow him and I became BFFs because he kept talking and talking and talking. He begins to tell me about all of the books he is reading (the Twilight series) unfortunately for me I like millions of other Americans have read it as well. He makes a comment about "the children" here and trys to impress me with the fact that he is a "pre-teen" now. He tells me about this "hefty fine" he has at the library as though he is a convict bragging about a jail sentence. He thinks I must be near his age since I am not married as though the only time you become an adult is when you say "I do"....
Is it the fact that I talk to anyone anywhere? Is it the fact that I have a wide range of interests that includes but is not limited to The Craberries and Twilight? Or do I look eighteen? Whatever the case I hope this cradle robber thread will fray and break soon....

A mighty big thanks....

I owe a huge thanks to all of my friends and family members for everything they have done for me....especially this last month! For letting me stay at their houses, for their much needed late night convos, for their sound advice in some potentially difficult situations, and especially for the laughs! I am so lucky when it comes to the high quality people all around me (not necessarily in a literal sense)...THANK YOU!

Mas Fotos...

Freddos' ice cream....yum!

There is an old custom that single women who walk up and down this specific street in Uruguay three times, get all their dreams of true love....pretty sure Jenn is the only one close to that!

The Women's Bridge...

PICTURES AS PROMISED

On the ferry to Uruguay...

Education Riots in Buenos Aires...




We are lovers of Uruguay...

Buenos Aires...

Update on life...

So I am finally back here in NJ...Things continue to be chaotic but I enjoy that in a sick way. I will be here for a few more days than I will be off to Utah to spend the fourth with my family. (I a have a very new niece who I can't wait to spend more time with) Oh and I am so excited because I am an official California Resident now so I can continue school without having to take some time off. Now I am just working on finding an apartment since I have to move before the end of this month. I will be moving in with two of my closest CA friends. They are amazing, brilliant, beautiful, cultured and educated. I couldn't ask for a better pair to live with. It should be fun to have roomates again since it's been a while. Also I am researching Kayak clubs....