Australia

T-minus 11 days.

And I'm still planning.

Summer Begins.

Hello!
How was your weekend? 
Mine was wonderful. 
I went on a little trip down to a small town near St. George, UT (about 4-5 hours away).
I went with a couple of my roommates and a couple friends, staying at one of the friend's family's vacation home. 


It was BEAUTIFUL! Here is the view of the back of the house:

We spent many hours laying next to the pool, laying and swimming in the pool, relaxing in the hot tub, watching movies in the theatre room...

One night we even busted out the sparklers!

Oh, and went on a midnight bike ride.
The streets were so dark we needed a flashlight to see.
The problem with that was that I had injured my knee just a couple days before and so got behind the group.
And couldn't even see the road!
Freaky? Yes.
Good thing one of the guys stayed with me and then a search party was sent back!
No pictures of the ride, but here is some of the group after, just a little exhausted!

I love weekend trips!

Home again!

I'm back from my trip to San Antonio! A day later that I had originally thought, too...

On my first full day we went downtown and went to "The Alamo."
I now know why they had to try to remember it...it's a lot tinier than I realized!

We ate lunch at a nearby mall, and my dad got suckered into buying 13 cookies by the cookie lady-for 5 people and a baby! Typical of my dad...

The next day we went to the Riverwalk.
So beautiful! It's amazing that it is hiding right in downtown San Antonio!
But, of course, I was way too distracted by my nephew to take any good pictures...oops.
I do have us getting saranaded at lunch, though!
And my mom, sister-in-law, and I under a pretty canopy.

[Isn't he just the cutest?!]

Also that same day...
I FINALLY SAW THE HUNGER GAMES.
Remember how I posted about how obsessed I am with it?
Yeah, well, I recently moved and by the time I made friends everyone had already bought midnight showing tickets. I didn't feel so keen on going by myself...so I [not-so-]patiently waited...
I finally went.
It's amazing!

Day 3 in San Antonio was chill.
I hung out with my family.
Looked at some potential future houses for my brother and sister-in-law.
Went out to lunch and had my very first taste of brisket in a burrito. Delicious!
Also. Got a million salsas... [I look really weird here...pay no mind]

The [supposed] last day was Easter!

I love Easter, it represents so much.
It represents my entire purpose here on this earth.
It represents the amazing sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
And because of that sacrifice, it represents the opportunity I have to live again, and live with my family again. Live with that beautiful blue eyed boy again. Forever.

Well, my post should end right now.
But alas, it does not.
My flight to go home was that night, last night.
CANCELLED.

So I got to be so super lucky and go back to spend more time with my nephew.
And then wake up at 3:30 am to try for the first flight in the morning.
Didn't make it.
So instead I flew from San Antonio to Atlanta ["but wait!" I know your thinking.."isn't Atlanta the opposite direction??" Yes. Yes it is.]
So then from there I went to Salt Lake.
And now I am finally home.
Still tired after a nap, but so happy I had such a great spring break with the people I love!

I'm in Texas!

I'll post pictures when I return!

Right now I'm just enjoying hanging out with my family, especially my little nephew.

He calls me "Taytee."

Adorable.

But the best is that he calls my little brother, Sammy, "Zappy!"

Don't forget it's Easter Weekend!

Why I love Africa...

"Westerners arriving in Africa for the first time are always struck by its beauty and size -- even the sky seems higher.  And they often find themselves suddenly cracked open.  They lose inhibitions, feel more alive, more themselves, and they begin to understand why, until then, they have only half lived. In Africa the essentials of existence -- light, earth, water, food, birth, family, love, sickness, death -- are more immediate, more intense.  Visitors suddenly realize what life is for.  To risk a huge generalization: {In the west}, amid our wasteful wealth and time-pressed lives we have lost human values that still abound in Africa."

-Richard Dowden

I am...

here.

[tybee island]

and here.

[historic savannah, ga]

and here.

[haunted historic savannah, ga]

and here.

[hilton head island]

I will you update on my adventures when I return! 

sources: here, here, here, and here. 

the end of D.C. and the start of Atlanta

We spent our last day in D.C. (Monday) being tourists. 

We started off in the Museum of American History...of which I sadly have no pictures. 

How did that happen?

Then half of us walked to the Lincoln Memorial. 

It's quite a little walk, and my dad was injured so my younger brothers stayed behind with him.

We passed some other cool things on the way too.

The Lincoln Memorial...

I was so very excited to see this.

I've been to D.C. two other times and never been here.

It's sad because for some reason, Lincoln has always been my favorite president.

It might have to do with this story my mom used to read to me...my favorite book as a kid:

So here I finally was, at his memorial

Then we moved onto the Korean War Memorial, and The Air and Space Museum.

We left the next day for Atlanta and went straight from the airport to a Brave's game!

And now after this crazy post with too many pictures (sorry, I can't help myself),

I will leave you with the cutest nephew in the entire world

so far in D.C...

I have been in Washington, D.C. since Friday evening. Good news and bad news. Bad news: I have allergies and I am not feeling so hot. Good news: My entire family is here! My parents and my two little brothers from Atlanta, me and my older brother from Provo, and my oldest brother, sister-in-law, and nephew from here in D.C.!

Its been a blast so far. My family is awesome.

The reason for us being here: my oldest brother's graduation with a Masters from George Washington University. 

Basically, he is awesome.  

Saturday was ceremony number one, and instead of going, my 15-year-old brother and I babysat our nephew. Right in downtown D.C. Super awesome.

We took him to the American Indian Museum.  I saw a lot of people doing double-takes.

Baby, me, baby, Sam, baby, me, baby, Sam.

It was pretty funny. 

Here are a few pics from our outing:

[Yeah, I know, I have the cutest nephew in the world. What of it?]

Then today I actually went to my brother, Steve's, graduation ceremony. 

It was on the front lawn of our nation's capitol. 

Can't get much better than that. 

We were a little bit worried.

Why you ask?

The forecast for the entire day: Thunder storms.

We lucked out though! 

We ended up having to move our chairs away from the blaring sun!

Congrats, Steve!

I love you big bro!

[Sorry, this was the best one we got. Also, the Washington Monument is behind us. Above my head. Too bad you can't see it better.]

Stay tuned for an adventurous day in D.C., then my trip to Atlanta!

P.S. Before I left I went skating with some friends. Ummm...so much fun!

Anyone else do random things with their friends?

p.p.s Wow this is a really long post!

help me please!

guys. 

I went out on a limb here.

did something I've never done.

I entered a photo contest!

Theses are travel photos, so I chose my favorite from my trip to Ghana.

This little girl broke my heart for whole week, before she finally smiled. 

It took even longer to get a laugh out of her.

So please vote for this photo!

Vote here.

I get a safari in Kenya if I win!!! How cool would that be!?

To be honest, I don't think I will win at all, like I said, I'm not a photographer,

but I would like a few votes. 

 You can vote every day!

Thanks! 

 I love you all!

p.s. here is the link again: http://photocontest.iexplore.com/images/view/40941

just can't stay put.

Yeah, I went to see my family in Atlanta for Christmas.

Yeah, I ended up in Minnesota for three days.

Its just what I do. I go places.

I got to see a really great friend I haven’t seen in 2 years and 1 month…not like I was counting or anything…

We had fun reliving old memories and making some new ones! 

Old Memories

Minnesota State Fair.

Everything on a stick.

Yeah, it was closed, but driving around the grounds without the crowds was fun!

My old house..

Over 12 years of memories.

Pretty depressing that it’s not mine anymore. 

North Park.

I loved getting lost in the many passageways when I was 6,

 and getting lost in my inner child when I was 16.

New Memories

My time was short, but we did make it to the Como Zoo!

Somehow in my 18 years living in Minnesota I never went to this particular zoo.

I loved it!

We also stayed up all night talking about the many ways we’ve changed, 

and the many ways we are still the same two people.

 I never knew how much I really changed until I talked with someone that was my best friend, 

yet I hadn't spoken to in over two years. 

I felt like I was viewing myself in a different way than I ever had. 

A strange experience, but I’m glad I had it. 

And I’m glad for my friend…who never stopped caring. :)