INSPIRING

Life

It's July 26 and the last time I wrote was 21 days ago. Nevertheless, I find myself in the exact same chair, on the exact same balcony, with the exact same hair (ok, that is a given...maybe). The difference today, however, is that I have the IKEA lanterns actually lit -- and I am being eaten alive by mosquitoes. But you know what? I don't care. It's nice and cool out here, and my apartment is the Mohabi desert.

In other news (now that you know the temperatures in my life, as well as my light source), Tyler is almost done with his anatomy course! I would, of course, be more excited if I knew this was the end with a big, fat juicy break afterwards. But alas, he'll start full force only one week following his final anatomy exam. So he is at school right now, where he shall remain until midnight. Meanwhile, as Tyler shares late, intimate date nights with his cadaver, here's what I have been up to as of late...

I went to Roseburg two weeks ago where I got to lay by the pool, walk the hill with my mom, and pick rasberries. Nothing says summer better than picking berries and then spending the rest of the day poolside. NOTHING. The next week my mom and little brother Bryce came up to Albany for a golf tournament. He is, to say the least, OBSESSED with the sport and has his mother going all over the state in search of trophies and pee-wee glory. This was the first golf tournament that I've ever been to. And all I can say is " Tiger Woods, eat my little brother's dust." Bryce took second. And I couldn't have been more proud.

The surroundings...

Last hole!

My brother, the giant.

The next weekend, Tyler got a rare evening off and we made a mad dash for Corvallis, aka civilization. Da vinci days was in full swing, a weekend dedicated to, you guessed it!, Leonardo the main man, himself. Unfortantely, the festival was anything but exciting, and the fried bread was just not what I remembered it to be in my fatter childhood days. Even cousin Rilee thought the lemonade was just a tad too sour. Nevertheless, Corvallis is pretty. And I was with Tyler...

 I know more things have happened since last weekend. It has, after all, been over a week. But all you need to remember is that mosquitos are drawn to light in dark places. Eeeeeek! I'm outta here!

Evening Breezes

Right now I am sitting out on my balcony with our two new lanterns (thank you IKEA) lit, a slight breeze blowing through the tall trees in front me, and listening to Ray LaMontagne. It's dark, but I can still just barely make out the green hill in the distance. If my downtsairs neighbors weren't smoking and yelling at their dog to shut up, this might be close to a classic summer night, the kind of nights I relish. But, alas, it's a give and take world. I'll take the delicious summer breeze, while I give my life to second hand smoke. No big deal. Fortantately, the suffocating aroma has not squashed my desire to blog. And because of that, I can update everyone on life as of late........

Since we don't have children, we share pictures of our new television.

This last weekend Tyler and I competed in a 5 mile all-terrain mud run. Keep in mind that I use the word "competed" loosely. Whlile Tyler may have been able to literally compete, I kept him close to my side should I fall off the climbing wall or drown in the numerous mud pits. Someone would have to be there to execute my will and dish out my cherished belongings to the living. In short, (noting that the course was anything but short) we survived and are here to tell you about it.

Monkey bars! My uncle Jason (the big black dude in the mowhawk) is halfway across and as you can see, I am in the water, having grabbed but one bar. Don't judge my Relief Society arms.

Post monkey bar mishap. Did I mention I went completely under the muddy water and some actually entered my MOUTH?? You can see Tyler just finishing the obstacle below getting ready to climb the dirt hill.

Run run run.

I saw my life flash before me at this point.

And again at this point.

I remember doing this back in 'Nam.

At the finish line. Tyler is celebrating.

Finishing together!

Happy to have yet another day to live. I still haven't been to Europe.

The next day, after finding that I could hardly move, we made our way to the Portland International Airport to pick up our dearest and most "special" friends, OJ and Karen. We greeted them with a homemade cavity fest waiting to happen...

And Karen greeted us in large pink women's panties over his plaid shorts. Apparently he lost at mini golf and had to wear them from the plane to the car in the parking garage. In true Portland fashion, where the goal is to "Keep Portland Weird," hardly anyone flinched. We love them. Over the course of five days, we went to Walmart in Lebanon (because it's not a trip to Lebanon without a trip to Walmart) and found one lonely BYU shirt for sale among the Oregon State and Oregon sport clothing. It was very...odd.

Later we went to Crater Lake, Roseburg (where we saw some lions, giraffes, and a hippo or two) and Susan Creek Falls (seen below).

For the evening of the Fourth, we came back up to Corvallis and hung out with my aunt and her family and watched her adorable child lick all the butter and salt off of corn and then give it to his mother to have her eat it. Did I mention I need to start with a plant before having children?

After a firework extravaganza, the night would not have been complete without a stint in a Mexican bar drinking Shirley Temples and singing karaoke. Karen was a star.

Karen and OJ were simply a "delight" to listen to. May they dress up as Sonny and Cher for Halloween. 

Today came too quickly and we had to say goodbye to Karen and OJ. Luckily Colorado is only a plane ride away. We will make sure to visit them before there is no Colorado left to visit. 

Luckily I could end the fabulous festivities with a bang at the cannery with my grandma getting some oats, wheat, beans, and other food that I really don't know how to cook, but will most certainly learn how! (No comments please). It was a great time for all, and we even made a new friend. His was name was Mark, and he helped us can. He really liked me.

And now we jump back into reality. It's always hard to get back into the swing of things when you've been laughing so hard and haven't remembered what day it was for five days (maybe it was the Shirley Temple, but who's counting?).

Cheers to mud. Cheers to saltless corn. Cheers to friends named Mark who help you can beans. Cheers to crazy friends, good times, and smoke-filled evening breezes. Ahhhh, gotta love summer.