Less is More.

Nudist colonies.
I've been planning on one for awhile now. I have grown up in a house of naked-ness. No my family didn't just saunter around the house naked (very often...), but my parents often talked about how once I moved out they were going to turn my room into their "naked room." I think I really decided on it when I went to Mexico for a senior trip last summer....
Ever run around in the nude? Ever go swimming in the nude? Some like to call that skinny dipping (or chunky dunking). It's a freeing feeling and highly enjoyable. This, for some, might be 'TMI', but I would venture to say that they are those that have not experience such a free-ness. Try it, I dare you, I will even join you. For a while, I tried to rally together some members. This was pretty unsuccessful. I think I managed to round up 3? My co-founder Cailey is the most enthusiastic about it. We often have discussions about our future colony and what it will involve; where we will live, what will be allowed, what wont, the name etc. However, as of late, I have been thinking, "maybe I don't want to have a completely nude nudist colony, but rather one with just the bare minimum (bra and undies)." I brought this up the other day with a few of my chums and the membership of the not-so-nudist colony skyrocketed (+2-3). Apparently people aren't completely comfortable running around naked. Weird. So, as of this moment, I am throwing around the idea of "SkivvyVille." I like it. Want to join? There is still room on the roster.

Life Would Be Easy If You Just Married Your Brother

Breaking the spring. Welp, I found another reason why UVU is pretty dandy; you get a spring break. I got to hang with my family down in Limbo. It's not quite hell, but it's nearly there. You want to get stranded? Don't go to south eastern Utah. Bad choice. However, if you are with family, it's not so bad. My whole family (all 7 of us) hit up the Natural Bridges. They were pretty cool, even if we only hiked to one.

[Erik, Me, Bec, Jason with bridge in background]

After an extended amount of time in the car driving, we made it to Mesa Verde and drove for .25 miles that ended up being 20 miles. The cliff dwellings there were actually really neat, but the park rangers are major grumps. They probably aren't married. We obviously also went and saw the four corners. Fact: the four corners monument is not actually on the four corners. The indians rob me of my money just to have me take pictures on the fake four corners. What the crap?

[I'm in four places at once, but techincally one.]

So, my family is completely innappropriate. It can get pretty bad, but it's hilarious. I'll explain what it's like. Picture this: there is a plane flying high and steady and then all of a sudden (and fairly quickly) it falls out of the sky, nose dives into the ground, and bursts into flames. This equals the conversations of my family. We will be having a wholesome conversation and then all of a sudden it just snowballs and we go downhill quick (hello metaphor overload). The title, yeah, that had to do with one of our conversations. I don't know how we do it. I am probably the most innappropriate child in my family. How do I have friends? I don't know. 

Want to know how to survive extremely long car rides through the middle of nowhere? Cadburry Eggs, and find a good podcast. This is a snippet of my favorite. Enjoy.

Bear Hug

I got my first teddy bear today. Build-A-Bear Workshop. His name is Macsen [there is no specific reason why. I just felt like it. My roommate (Erin) said she would have judged me if I chose another name I was thinking about.] It is such a comfort. I never thought of myself as a touchy person, or someone that even really needed comforting, but after holding this bear, it just makes me feel so calm.
I have always enjoyed hugs, and I like people touching me, or I guess, it doesn't bother me if people touch me. Some of my best friends are the most touchy people ever, so maybe I have just grown accustomed to it. In most cases, I will not instigate a hug, but I will gladly receive it. It's weird, I think I get really attached to things that I hug. For example: Senior year. All my friends got those fake real babies that cry and you have to shove a key in their back, I didn't. I was their aunt and after a couple of days of holding them, I grew super attached and seriously almost cried when they had to be returned. All my friends that give me those good sincere hugs, I can't imagine leaving, or them leaving me, it hurts. <-- notice the emotion that is going on right there, it's weird. I don't feel emotion, so when I talk about it, it's got to be legit.
Some people were blessed with the ability to hug, and for them I am grateful. There are some great huggers in my life. My dad is one of them. Whenever I see him, I just fall into his chest and he wraps his big arms around me. I miss it. All you huggers out there, I appreciate you. You are capable of something I am not.

The Joy of Having a Countdown.

I love countdowns. Maybe it's just the thrill of having something fun to look forward to somewhere in the future, or the high I get when I get to take yet another chain off of my countdown-chain. Right now I have two countdowns, or three or four.... Mostly it's for Bear Lake. Can we just take a moment to bask in the light that the thought of Bear Lake brings? My family has been going there for 50 years. My grandpa and all the F.O.G.'s (friend of Gerald) and ALL of their families come. Rendevouz Beach is the place. Here are some of my favorite things about Bear Lake (I also love lists):
1. The blue water. It's a perfect bright blue.

2. The food. Please, is there anything better than food in the first place? I submit that there probably is not, but when you put good food amongst tents, campfire, family, friends, and a lake, it becomes better than the best.
3. Quotes. Need I say more?
4. Good boating music and a boat (with cute boys). When I boat, I like to listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers (in my normal life I don't choose to listen to them), Jack Johnson, John Mayer, and good ol' country.
5. Living in a swimsuit. It's the best to wake up at 7:30 (naturally) slip into your suit, eat breakfast, put on the screen, and party it up till 8:00 PM when you slip into your sweats after a shower. Sometimes you are forced to sleep in your swimsuit due to a vicious sun burn....
6. A tan? Yep. I personally think that I look best when I am tan, not to sound conceeded or anything. Also, I love tan lines. Isn't it a great feeling having evidence of a tan transition?
7. Braided hair. Lucky for me all my aunts have insanely long hair and are very talented in the art of braiding (their husbands are also). Unfortunately, my hair has been chopped which makes it a tad bit harder...

8. tradition. TRADITION. [that was suppose to spark the tradition song from Fiddler on the Roof]: kissing the bouy daily, diapers, sand castles, grandpa telling the bear lake monster story, lip ripper...
9. Sailboat much? "TTTWOOMS." Sailboating is brilliant. Sleeping on a sailboat is brilliant. Tubing behind a sailboat is brilliant (yes, it means exactly what you think, and it works). Swinging off of the sailboat is brilliant. Pretty much the whole thing is brilliant. Try it sometime.

10. Competition. My one goal at Bear Lake is to beat Riley at tube wars. One day. One day... Good thing he is on his mish so that I can prep myself for when he gets back.
11. The stars. I can't even express how much I enjoy a clear sky with bright stars. So, just pretend.
Oh Bear Lake, how I love thee. I shall see thee in 133 days. The thought of Bear Lake in the future is helping me survive. Thank you countdowns.

It Just Sticks.

Why can't we just go through the day smelling like ONE thing, preferably a smell we actually pick out? I went out to dinner with my dad to Bajio smelling like Bath and Body Works' Japanese Cherry Blossom and came out smelling like Mexican food. As much as I enjoy their food, I don't want to be a walking restaurant. Sometimes the smell I pick up can be offensive to some people. For example: cadavers. I'm accustomed to the smell and almost find it comforting, but it makes others gag, especially if you tell them it's dead people they are smelling (I say that with as much respect as possible). [Sometimes I make my roommates smell me when I come back from lab]. It's amazing how fast a stench can cling to you. I wonder if Mythbusters have done an episode on it.

Enlightenment

Institute: it helps me breath. If you live in Provo/Orem area, take an institute class from Sister Terry. Incredible. I am so thankful for her and her spirit. Today I left shaking it was so good. She started talking about how we need to treat ourselves like the temple: eat healthy, exercise, get efficent sleep (I am a slacker in all three) etc. in order for the Spirit to dwell in us and to receive revelation. [Lightbulb--ding]. It makes sense. If you are eating unhealthy, you just want to throw up, be sick, and pass out. If you are tired, you get irritated and can't focus on anything but the weight of your eyelids. When you don't exercise, you tend to have a lack of endorphines, your stress levels rise, and you just want to curl up in a little ball and cry. Right? Sis. Terry continued to say that while you are distracted with all these things, you can't pay attention to the Spirit and what he has to say. Also, when you are healthy, you are able to respond to the promptings more quickly. Want personal revelation?: Live The Word of Wisdom. A couple of Sundays ago, my bishop came up to me and asked me if anything was wrong, that I looked burdened and didn't have the usual light in my eyes. Today I figured out what was wrong. I don't take time to eat healthy (or at all sometimes), exercise, and I definitely don't get enough sleep. I am not treating my body like a temple and therefore the Spirit isn't as prominent as it usually is. Today I felt the Spirit and how great it is. I actually came out of the testing center smiling and laughing. That is disgusting, especially since I had just taken a quiz for Anatomy. So, I have decided to make a few changes. Today I am going running, I am going to the temple, and hopefully on Saturday I will be able to go grocery shopping (hello vegetables and fruit). Praise the Lord, The Church is true.