What a summer...

Ok prepare yourself! Because I was neglectful of my blog during the summer due to being so busy, I have a lot to make up for and this is pretty long...

Wow, where to start?! This summer was not at all what I expected in so many ways. This was what I pictured: a pretty laid back summer of hanging out with the family and a few of my friends here with lots of down town when I wasn't working. I was considering picking up extra work through people I knew to fill the time. And I was thinking of all the books I could read or movies to see since I'd have lots of extra time. Now here is what the summer was really like...

*I actually had a busy social life! I didn't expect this one at all. I was not really planning on being super involved in the Young Single Adult activities in my stake, but I went on a temple trip to ABQ at the beginning of the summer and ended up having so much fun! I realized that a lot of my girl friends from high school were still here and still so much fun to hang out with. And then there were several guys who were here working for the summer that were a lot of fun to get to know too. So after that I decided to go to some of the activities now, and then ended up going to almost all of them! It was so great to reconnect with old friends, really get to know people that I had sort of known before, and to meet new people. I really had a lot of friendships strengthened or formed this summer and it was very exciting!

Brianne and I at one of the YSA temple trips

Cami's Harry Potter birthday party!

Some of my girl friends and I started our own little book club to discuss some books. It started because some of them hadn't read The Hunger Games yet(*gasp*) and so we wanted them to read it and then discuss!

YSA pool party in Santa Fe! We had the place all to ourselves!

YSA overnight conference in southern New Mexico

Hanging out with friends from High School!

And there were a whole lot more fun things too!

*New found confidence: This kind of goes along with what I was talking about above. Its not that I was unconfident, because I wasn't, but I guess I'll say I had some insecurities. Looking back on my year at school I would say I did a good job of breaking out of my shy tendencies from High School for those I don't know that well. I was really happy that I had been so successful and had been able to make lots of friends, but I also realized that I could have done much better. I did tend to still stick with my roommates or group of friends and I could have reached out to more people, let my personality show more, and not stuck to the background in groups so much. This summer I was able to take a huge leap forward in that. I was around a lot of my church friends from high school which was a context in which I was always comfortable and myself, but then I was able to meet new people in that context and still be myself with all my quirks and craziness. I discovered the obvious: when you are yourself, people who would want to be your friend are naturally attracted to you. Like I said before, I made several new friendships and strengthened and developed old ones. I was able to reach out to those that were not as social as well and to just get to know and get along with everyone in the YSA. I would go to activities without knowing who all was there and without needing any 'comfort friends.' And when I was at activities, I was in the middle of it. Not the center of attention, cause that's not what I want, but still very involved. I definitely want to take who I have been this summer and bring it with me to college because I feel like I will have more friends, more fun, and be able to help others more. I definitely reached a new level of confidence in myself and where I stand with others as well. In past experiences I have felt that in most of my relationships with people I would usually care about the person and friendship more than the other person did. It may have just been insecurities, but I think it was more than that. Well for the first time I can really say that it is not true anymore. I have had many friendships really develop this summer, both with people still in Provo and people here. I think one of the best feelings in the world is knowing that there are people who care about you, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the great friends that I have been blessed with!

*Soccer every week!: A definite highlight of my weeks this summer were Thursday nights when a group of us would get to together to play soccer at the park. It varied every week in skill levels and number of people there, but we usually we had a pretty big group and had competitive games even if all the people there were not intense soccer players. I love soccer!! Seriously the more I play it the more I love it! It was awesome to be able to do something to stay in shape and to have fun and get to know people.



*Best. Weekend. Ever. At the end of July my previous roommate and close friend Kylie came to visit. It was something we had talked about doing for a long time, but we were not sure it would be possible because her car couldn't make the drive. But she ended up being able to come with a new friend of hers that had been roommates with Desta (a girl from my town) and also wanted to visit. Kylie was here for 3 days and 4 nights. I was also able to have two sisters from my ward in Provo that I was friends with visit at the same time. We had talked about having them stop by to see me on their way home from their trip around the country and so they planned to come the same weekend as Kylie(they had been her roommates this summer), but to leave it as a surprise for her. And surprised she was! Every seriously worked out perfectly during this weekend and I would not have changed a thing. And it was definitely the highlight of my summer!

So she got in Thursday night and I met her at Desta's house where we all caught up and then got to have a real New Mexican meal from Desta's mom. Then we went to my house where we talked to Jeff for a while, and then to Brad and Jet's house where we were going to be staying and talked to them for a long time, and then the two of us got ready for bed and talked again! Sensing a pattern? :) It was so great to finally be able to talk in person again!

Friday I showed her all around the town including the science museum(which was at the top of her list of things to do!) and then we met up with Desta, Staci, and Stephanie K(Desta's two roommates that came) and we all bought awesome t-shirts and then headed to Santa Fe, stopping along the way at Camel Rock. Then that evening we went to a party at Desta's house.

The Science Museum! Complete with the video "The Town that Never Was" about the secret history of our town.

Most popularly sold t-shirt in Los Alamos!

Camel Rock!

Shopping around the plaza in Santa Fe... so many different neat homemade things!

Yummy meal containing lots of New Mexican foods and sopapillas!

Saturday morning me, Kylie, Staci, and Stephanie K went to Bandelier National Monument and hiked around and saw some Indian runes and caves. Kylie and I hung out at Brad and Jet's for a while in the afternoon and then Heather and Stephanie G got there and surprised Kylie! We went to a stake activity at my church for a bit and then went back and talked for a long time and caught up on everything. It was so much fun and I love all three of those girls!



Outside of a kiva, an underground room used for prayer and meditation.

Surprise!

Sunday we all went to church in my ward and I got to introduce them all :). Then we went by Overlook park and then spent the rest of the day at my parents house because they had just gotten back in town. It was so fun to relax and talk and have fun. A perfect Sunday afternoon. In the evening Jeff gave us a detailed tour of Los Alamos complete with commentary, facts, stories, and exclusive access to the national laboratory.


Before our adventure in the backyard in which Kylie picked and tried her first raspberry... and liked it! We also picked and snapped green beans, and picked cucumbers.

Monday morning all three of them left and I went back to work, wishing it could have lasted longer!

*Grew in appreciation of both Los Alamos and New Mexico: This goes along with the things above as well, because what better way to appreciate what you've got then when you are sharing it with someone else? And when I was trying to help Kylie experience Los Alamos and New Mexico I actually got to do somethings that I have never done or have not done in a long time. One of the main ones was shopping around the plaza in Santa Fe! I had actually never done that before(when I've got all brothers there aren't a lot of opportunities :) ) and I loved it! Stopping at the Camel Rock and going to Bandelier were both things I have not done since I was a kid. I already knew I liked Los Alamos, but I realized this summer how much interesting history we really have!! Going to the museum again and hearing Jeff's tour was pretty cool. But I can't say that I was a huge fan of New Mexico. There are still a lot of things about it that I don't really like, but there is also a lot of culture, a unique kind of beauty, and actually a lot of things to do!(Only if you like outdoor stuff though, which I realized I really do).

Ok really New Mexico can be quite pretty.

The hand crafted turquoise rings that Kylie and I got in Santa Fe. New Mexico is known for its turquoise and it happens to be Kylie's birthstone too! Now I will always have a piece of New Mexico with me, and I'm ok with that :)

Another way that I have been able to grow in appreciation of New Mexico is through work(at a YMCA child care summer camp)

The lavender farm that we toured and got free products from!

Abiquiu Lake: we took the kids here to look out at it, and I also got to go cliff jumping here with the YSAs!

Jemez Falls: There is big waterfall and then on the river above it there are several spots like this that people can get in and play and swim around.

Once a week there is a farmer's market in Los Alamos. We took the kids one week and I hadn't been there in a long time, if ever. I loved it! I love places like this and in the Santa Fe plaza where the people who made or grew the products are right there selling them to you. Since I liked it so much with the kids, I went back again with Mom a couple days ago. There is lot of variety and between the two of us we got a fresh scone, potatoes, peaches, a couple different breads, lavender products, and flavored honey sticks.

*An awesome trip to New York City! Another highlight of my summer... I got to go on a trip to New York City with my parents and Jeff and Wes to see where Jeff served his mission. It was so neat to be in a city that has so much of America's culture. I saw so many things that are always referred to or in stories. I saw so many different cultures, languages, and types of people. We got to meet people from Jeff's mission as well. Each day was packed full of adventures, sites, and neat experiences.

Here are just a couple of the many many things we did...

So neat to be right by the statue that was such a symbol of hope to so many!

I loved the skyline!

On top of the Rockefeller Center

Wax Museum!

*Hyrum will one year old in less than a month! When did that happen? It's been so fun hanging out with him this summer and seeing him grow! And on Thursday he took his first steps!! I was really hoping I would get to see it before I headed back to college and I got to see it just in time!



*AND... Thanks to work and having to wear tennis shoes everyday, I got the best tan line I've ever had: No words needed...