week long run away.

Saturday, get off work and head to Kelsies, spend weekend there. Sunday help her teach the five year old primary class. Monday she drops me off at Mikes and we get ready to head out to St. George for a week of camping.

so lets start with Monday.

Like i said, i get up early and we head out to Mikes where a group of us is meeting up to head down to St. George. Me and Kelsie are the first ones there. (she isn't going with us she was just giving me a ride) We get there and I start getting my stuff out of her trunk and Mikes mom (who is a very nice lady) comes out and tells us that she has taco soup inside for all of us and Kelsie is more than welcome (as in she IS staying) to have some as well. So we walk in the door and immediatly know where Mike is (there was electric guitar sounds coming from downstairs) So we start dishing up soup and Mikes mom gets her husband and gets Mike and we start eating lunch. After that we play about 3 songs of "just dance" on the wii when Kelsie is able to make her escape. (she needed to drive back up to Layton) So me and Mike play a couple rounds of Mario Kart when he gets a phone call from Kylie and the rest of everyone is (besides 2 people we are meeting in Lehi) almost there. So they get there and we start loading up the van (mikes parents are letting us borrow it) and then they all start eating, well Mikes mom also had gotten stuff so we could have lunches when we get down there. So I help her make sandwhiches while everyone else is eating taco soup. Then we finally are ready and head out.

We meet up with joe and Andrew and everyone has figured out which car they are in, everything is loaded and we head south toward the warmth. In the mini van is Me, Mike, Chris and Rylee....and nine peoples worth of camping stuff. Chris and Rylee are sleeping and me and Mike chat and listen to music. Although the further south we go the more we still see snow, which was very depressing. It was also raining a lot out side and slushing in a couple parts of life. But when we get to Quail creek it had stopped raining. So we set up camp, start playing and then make a Wally world run so we can get lunches and breakfasts. Then back to camp to make dinners (we were making dinners together and lunches and breakfasts on our own) Monday night we had spaghetti and by the time it was ready it was dark outside. ALSO, one thing i learned on this trip...you really can't roast a marshmallow peep, it really doesn't work out well.
Then we attempted to play games in the boy tents, but it really didn't work out. So we all headed to bed.

sleeping at night was FREEZING COLD!!!!! Monday night was the coldest night and it was freezing.

Tuesday morning i was the second one up and i got up to the sunrise which was gorgeous. Mike was the one up before me. So me and him chat for a little while and everyone else starts waking up about an hour - 2 hours later. than we all eat breakfast and pack up to head to Zions. Well...Kristi was taking some trash the dumpster and we decided to grab it from her while we were in the van. So i roll down the window and grab it...The window didn't roll back up. The switch had broken. So instead of going straight to Zions, we hang out at a church building while Mike goes and gets the van fixed. Then we drive to Zions, just outside we pull into another church parking lot and all pile into the mini van (with 2 people in the trunk) and head into Zions. (we didn't want to pay for 2 cars and the gas for 2 cars around Zions) We took it easy that day because we got started later in the day. We hiked up to Canyon overlook and the view was incredible. I took some pictures, we ate lunches and the climbed and scampered around for the next few hours. And I got higher than i ever thought that I could. AND managed to get back down in one piece. Then we headed back to camp and start chili.

I don't actually like chili...so i ate one of my lunches and everyone felt bad. but i didn't really care. We roasted marshamallows and chatted around the fire then Mike came into our tent when the fire was going out and we all chatted for awhile. When he was starting to fall asleep he went back to the boys tent and so did chris, Megan came back to ours. and we all fell asleep. (real quick, everyone on this trip is Me, Mike, Chris, Rylee, Kristi, kylie, Megan , Joe, and Andrew)

Tuesday night was also a very very cold night.

Wednesday morning I'm the first one awake. And i go sit on the dock for awhile. Then there was the great debate. Do we go back to Zions or just play around the campsite. We decided both. Those who wanted to stay stayed and those who wanted to go Hike went and hiked. So me, Mike, Chris, Rylee and Kylie go to Zions. We hiked emerald pools, found a cave, and hiked weepeing rock. We stopped at some gift shops and Chris bought an ostrich egg. (some guy outside Zions raises ostriches) We get back to camp and i'm wiped out ( i really hadn't slept well for like four days) and my back was really really hurting. (and only got worse as the night went on) We have dutch oven for dinner, which was great fun and way good. And then we all end up in the girls tent to play scum. (except me. My back was hurting so much that i couldn't really sit up anymore, it didn't want to support me. And i knew lying down i would be in and out of sleeping. So i didn't play)

Wednesday night was less cold and i switched mny sleeping postition so that all of us had more room.

Thursday was Angels landing.

I got up before everyone again and watched teh sunrise (i took a picture of the sunrise everyday) we made lunches and we headed out to Zions to Hike Angels Landing. I was determined to make it to the top this year. Basically how angels landing works is you Hike walters Wiggles 2 miles up to the base of angels landing (a series of switchbacks that are a royal pain in the butt to hike up) Then you have Angels Landing; where you have chains, cliff, 3000ft drop. Probably not the brightest idea in the world to hike up it. But we did it anyway. So i tell everyone not to wait for me, i'll get there eventually. (which was good that no one waited for me, because i don't think i would have made it up. I would have quit and been angry at myself for another year. So i go, and there were spots i wanted to quit and go back, but i managed to pull myself together and always a kind stranger would come along and help at the spots where i really just couldn't figure it out. As I'm almost to the top i see everyone else in my group coming back down. That was actually the hardest part for me, i didn't tell any of them this. But i really just wanted to be in the group picture on top of Angels Landing, but by the time i got there they had turned back. So i hurry up to the very top, look out take a picture by myself and head back down. Up there for less than five minutes. And everyone was ahead of me, and they had my lunch. They had all eaten by the time i got there. I thought that they were going to wait at the base of Angels. But by the time i got there they had headed back down to the car. So they were all about 2 miles ahead of me.

i don't think i'll probably ever do Angels Landing again. I've made it to the top now and it pretty much got the rest of my nerves. Plus (mom, don't yell at me) there was a bunch of snow near the top that was actually kinda slick and slightly terrifying to go up. Especially at the one spot where there was no chains, only rocks and some trees. And anytime of the year that i could make it there will probably be snow at the top, i don't think i could handle the heat of hiking it any other time of year.

Then we get back to camp and eat hot dogs for dinner and play scum again. Chat for awhile and head to bed.

Thursday night was the warmest night, but i kept getting kicked, so i really didn't sleep well.

Friday we get up and load up camp. Then play for a couple hours before heading home. We stop in Cedar for lunch so i can see Kim and meet her boyfriend. So far i like him, but i don't give approvals out as fast as i use to. Then the long drive back to Sandy where Mikes mom had dinner waiting for us. Then to Salt Lake to get Chris's car and then back to Logan. Where i was very excited to take a shower and sleep in my own bed. There is something very wonderful about the shower after a week of camping.

And that was basically the highlights of my spring break. I learned a lot of things this week. About myself and about people i was with.

I learned that I'm faster, stronger, and more fearless than i was last year. I am slowly starting to improve on everything. Am I where i want to be, oh no. But i could climb around a mountain without freaking out and wishing that i had help every step of the way. I handled myself.

I also wish that i could go camping much more often. I LOVE CAMPING!!! its such a great escape and its great fun. Its hard work, but somehow its relaxing. Plus you have some of the greatest conversations around campfires.

That was how I spent spring break this year, and now of course i have done no homework this week, but it was nice to run away for awhile.

The little Mazda that could

Tithing and prayers.
ALWAYS PAY YOUR TITHING!!! ALWAYS SAY YOUR PRAYERS!!!! that is how my car is still running.
For those of you who don't know my car, i have a little white '98 mazda proteg'e named Shakespeare Bon Jovi. It is named such because it is old, it's white, its still around and its Living on a prayer.

literally... my car is living on prayers and tithing. Although it is still trying to die and i just keep not letting it. So my wipers have decided that they don't want to work at all anymore. My battery is dead. (i got it tested) and yet my car still starts. I have a leak in my tranny. I need to get my breaks checked. And i can't actually have the heater or de-froster going while the car is stopped.

I honestly wouldn't trust driving my car to salt lake anymore.

But somehow it keeps going. And lasts a little longer than anyone is expecting it too.

Its just adding to my testimony of tithing, prayers AND of acquiring knowledge. The only reason i've managed to keep it alive this long is because of what little knowledge i was able to learn from Nelson before he went on his mission. So i always know when there is a new thing going wrong, because i can tell that something is different. Now don't make the mistake of thinking that i actually know anything about cars, i really don't. Someday i will, but today is not that day. I mostly just know when something isn't normal and i can guess kinda whats going on with it.

But all that aside, my car really shouldn't be running anymore. Thats where the other blessings come in. I found out i have a kid i work with who is a part time mechanic. Another girl i work with's dad owns a mechanic shop or something and said he would take a look at my car for free. AND i have a guy in the bishopric who is kinda a big deal with o'reily auto parts and knows about cars who thinks he can fix my wipers for me.

So basically, my car defies all laws of something i'm sure. It should be dead, and its a pain to drive. But i'm still grateful for him everyday that I am driving him or i have a friend who needs a lift around Logan.

But in all honesty i love my car, i hate that its become unreliable and that i don't have the money to fix everything that needs to be fixed. But al the little quirks my car has gives it something.

my car has character.

So i can't actually unlock the passenger door from outside. But its not like i ever get in that side anyway. I have to turn off any heating or air conditioning at any stop sign or red light or else my belt starts squealing like a banshee. I can't really listened to burned CD's in my car. If i do i can't change the song or else it goes back to the beginning of the CD, if it will play it at all. It makes very distinct rattling noises every time i turn it on, and they change around a little bit when i'm going faster or slowed down. People who ride in my car get very concerned when i first turn it on. But i know what its suppose to sound like, so if i'm not yelling at it or looked don't worry, the car will stay in one piece. I have rust growing around pretty much every edge anymore, and if you get under the car not only is it incredibly dirty, but it is rusting away under there too. I have stains here and there all over, it really needs a deep deep cleaning. (but i don't clean it in the winter, its to cold.) i'm pretty sure something in the trunk broke from the Jack stands falling over. (just cracked it or something) (yes, i keep jack stands in my trunk, but they may get moved soon, to my closet or something) And basically the only reason i don't let people borrow my car, but i'll give you a ride is not because i don't trust you to drive my car. I don't trust my car to be driven.

But its MY car. He'll work for me, and lets be honest, it is NOT a car that you want to break into (which is actually very very very hard to do. I locked my keys in once. My cars is fortress) But its also my space.

More than once Shakespeare has been my get away car. When i'm angry or sad and just need to run away for a little bit, Shakespeare has never let me down. I can't count the number of times i have completely broken down into tears in that car (we've been together for around three years. Three years full of lots and lots of change) He never gives me trouble when i'm having a melt down. He's been there for me when i've needed to give others rides and when i've needed to chase down friends because they were walking in the dark. He also has made it so I've never had to walk in the dark. He actually has a very nice back seat that i've taken quick cat naps in when i had time to kill, but didn't want to drive back home just to come back somewhere. And he keeps me on my toes; just from having him as my car i'll probably be able to extend the life of future cars beyond what people think they should be.

That is Shakespeare. He's kinda like me. Is entirely out of his element. A lot of other people would have given up on him by now, especially if they had other options. Really not the classiest or prettiest thing to look at. Is not in anyway, shape or form the fastest. But he keeps plugging along. All his dents and rust flakes is what make him unique. And to know him is to love him. And I highly doubt that anyone will ever actually love Shakespeare the way i do. And as badly as i really could use a new car, i will be very sad the day that Shakespeare is no longer my chariot.