CALIFORNICATION PHOTOS

I'm a woman of my word (usually that is) so here are the pictures. First off I must explain that we vacationed with ghosts. Yup...GHOSTS. We stayed in Cory's (Clayton's cousin) house in San Clemente. Cory lives in a super nice house that is right off of the beach. His house is also haunted. People have seen and heard strange things there. I can't remember the reason it is haunted...I think that some girl fell down the stairs and died, but I'm not sure. Anyway last time we were there nothing spooky happened. This time was a different story... We got to the house about 1230pm and went to bed. A couple of minutes later we both heard noises up above. I mentioned to Clayton that it sounded like someone was upstairs and he said, "except for that there isn't an upstairs." The part of the house that we were staying is did not have an upstairs. Crazy, huh. Things got even spookier a couple of nights later when I heard someone in the room next to ours. Cory was at his house at Palm Springs so we were in the house alone. It was really late and Clayton was asleep. I woke him up so he could hear the noises. It sounded like someone was opening and closing drawers and moving things around, but there was no light on and no one was in the room. Creeped me out a bit. But hey you can't beat vacationing in a free multimillion dollar house even if you are sharing it with ghosts.

We planned to go to the beach every single day, but Friday was rainy, windy and cold. So we drove up the PCH and went shopping. This is the day where we fell in love with Sprinkles cup cakes.
Saturday we finally were able to go to the beach even though I kept my sweatshirt on and covered my legs in a towel. I'm a wuss when it comes to the cold. I think my body temperature is 30 degrees colder than normal people. Later that night we went to the Newport Beach Temple. We did a session at the San Diego Temple a few years ago and wanted to go to a new Temple...just to see if they all are true. Just kidding. Clayton mentioned that we have almost done more sessions in the California Temples than the Utah Temples. The NB Temple is gorgeous on the outside and inside. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend you go.
They grounds are absolutely amazing. They even have these wild bunny rabbits all over the place.
Sunday, we went to church and heard talks about nutrition and planes. Later we drove down to La Jolla to see the seals and the coves.

On the coves there are really small mussel like shells that cling to the rocks called Opihi. They are really hard to get off unless you have a knife or a trusty set of HHR keys. Clayton told me that they are a delicacy in Hawaii. He pealed two off of the rocks, opened up the shell and we ate them (that's for you Jodi). I don't know how safe it was we washed the Opihi out in the stagnant water in the holes on the rocks and the rocks were crawling with un-potty trained little kids. But we are still alive. You can learn more about Opihi here




Monday and Tuesday we hit the beach. I don't know how anyone can get in the Pacific Ocean on the California coast without a wetsuit. That water is always cold no matter what month you go. Bear Lake is warmer that the ocean on the Cali coast and that is saying a lot. I did brave my wussiness and did get in...even though it was only for a few minutes
How I wish life was a constant vacation. I loved our endless Gelato trips, morning runs on the beach (to work off the Gelato), loved the sound and smell of the ocean, relaxing in the sun and finding awesome deals at stores. But what I loved most about our trip was being with Clayton all day and doing whatever we want, whenever we want.

CALIFORNICATION THOUGHTS

Unfortunately we are back from the sun and sand of California. It is not good to be back. I miss the sun, sand, sound of the ocean, runs on the beach, sleeping in, shopping, gelato, hanging out with the ghosts at Cory's house and just relaxing. Work sucks. Before the pictures I know everyone is dying for here are a few deep thoughts from yours truly.


Thought # 1 - Why do people dress up to go on an airplane? This has always baffled me. Clayton and my approach is all about comfort. Basketball shorts (or fat pants), t-shirt and slippers/flipflops. Fact: Airplanes are not comfortable. So why not relieve some of the uncomfortableness by dressing comfortable? This particular trip we started counting the number people who dressed like us as we were waiting for our flight for TWO HOURS (No our flight wasn't late...Clayton gets really nervous before our plane leaves...really nervous). Our fat-pant wearing kind were probably only 1.5% of the total airport crowd. I guess I can understand if your flight left earlier in the day and after the flight you were heading out to do stuff, but 830 in the pm!?! Come on! By the time you get to your destination you will just go to bed. The only, ONLY time I have ever dressed up for a flight is when Clayton and I were dating and I went to go visit him in Hawaii. Trust me I didn't move a muscle on that 6 hour flight. Didn't want to mess up my hair. Plus when they announced that we had 1 hour of flight time left, I went to the bathroom 4 or 5 times to check my hair and makeup. However, I had not seen him in 4 long months...so that justifies my action on that trip. Let's live in comfort people!


Thought # 2 - Why are Chevy HHR's drawn to us? Last September when we went to California with my fam Clayton and I got stuck with an Chevy HHR. Clayton was constantly talking like Jose and finding Hispanic radion stations. This time we joked about getting stuck with an HHR again. We must have tempted fate because we got another one. At least it wasn't copper colored like last time.

Thought # 3 - Why can't Utah have the "good stuff"?
By good stuff I mean Gelato, It's It and Sprinkles. We discovered Gelato when we visited San Clemente a couple of years ago. I have been a fan ever sense. AND it has less fat then ice cream. So instead of a medium size cone I can get a large. It's it was discovered by Clayton while watching the Travel Channel. They are made in San Francisco and are only sold west of the Rockies. Is Utah NOT west of the Rockies? I guess if you are in the Rocky Mountains you are not included in the "west" part. Anyway Clayton saw them on the TC and it just so happened that we were going to San Francisco a few weeks after he saw them on TV. They are amazing. Two chocolate chip cookies with vanilla ice cream in the middle and the whole thing is covered with chocolate. Like I said...AMAZING. Sprinkles was a recent discovery. We were in Newport doing some shopping and we saw this cup cake store with a huge line. Needless to say being the food lovers we are we were intrigued. However, we are not patient people and didn't want to wait in line. We figured that the line was for the cup cake lunch rush. Apparently not. We stopped by again 3 hours later and there was still a huge line. We waited and waited and devoured and devoured. Betty Crocker couldn't bake a better cupcake. Clayton wants to open a franchise in UT. Some may say that we went to California just for the food. To you I say...you're probably right!

So those are my thoughts. Pictures will follow.

DOUBLE TAGGED

So I have been tagged. Actually make that double tagged. I thought that I would put these off until we got back from San Clemente next week, but... Oh and Kami get's mad at me if I don't post pictures (reading is HARD for her) so there are also some random pictures

4 Jobs I have had:

1- Slave laborer on Andrew Dairy Farm. I got paid $3.00 -$4.00 an hour. AND I can proudly say that my pops never fired me. Wish you could say the same huh Rachel!?! Yes folks my dad fired my sister.

2- Cleaned the dorms for the summer camps at USU. Was an exciting two summers filled with HS football players running around with nothing but a socks on...and the socks weren't on their feet...figure that one out. I would like to keep my blog somewhere between the PG-PG13 rating so I will not attempt to explain that one.

3- ICON Health and Fitness human tester. Yes I got paid to workout.

4- ICON Testing Administrative Assistant. Going on 9 loooong years. Clayton won't let me quit!

Movies I could watch over and over:

1- Saturday's Warriors..."I will wait for you. I will wait for you. Why Wally Kessler you ought to be ashamed of yourself. I've given you the best years of my life..." Seriously if you haven't seen it you are missing out on some great 80's Mormon musical action.

2- Dumb and Dumber. Classic. No explanation needed.

3- How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.

4- I will save this spot for the December release of Twilight.

Places I have lived (this fact is depressing):

1- Trenton, Utah

2- Logan, Utah

3- Married Clayton so he would take me back to Hawaii to live but that plan backfired...again Logan, Utah. Still love the guy though.

4- Still holding out for Hawaii

Places I'd rather be:

1- have I mentioned Hawaii?

2- in my bed

3- hiking with Clayton

4- California...hey what luck. We are going there tonight.

Things I am looking forward to in 2008:

1- hopefully Hawaii

2- Being married for 3 glorious years

3- BYU football season. Rise and Shout!

4- Kami's wedding. I get a new dress/skirt. Woohoo.

If that didn't bore you enough maybe this one will...

7 Random Facts about me

1. I am very, very superstitious. I will avoid the number 13 and the devil's 6 like the plague. Once I saw a black cat on the side of the sidewalk and I had to walk the other way so it wouldn't cross my path. I am constantly knocking on wood.

2. I am a picker. I pick in everything. My face. Food. Nails. You name it I will pick it. I also find joy in picking/popping other peoples zits. Gross I know. But it is a habit that I have a hard time breaking. I can't even make food without picking at it. Ever seen the Seinfeld episode about the muffin tops? I am constantly eating the tops and leaving the stump for Clayton. If we eat a pizza the majority of the toppings will be gone in minutes. This habit drives my husband crazy.

3. I don't mind leaving the house without makeup. Natural beauty? Heck NO! Have I let myself go? I don't think so because it has never bothered me to be without makeup. However as most women do, I do feel more confident with makeup on and I always wear it to work (except today because I had to come to work real early and I ran) and Church. Maybe I am just lazy...

4. Clayton is the ONLY person who can make me laugh when I am mad. This is not an easy feet to accomplish and it is one of the many reasons I love him so much. When I get mad I like to hold grudges and give people the silent treatment. If I am being quiet don't think that I am mad and it is the silent treatment. It could just be a case of shyness. Trust me if you have crossed me you will know.

5. I HATE snakes. This isn't really a random fact because if you know me you know this. I. Hate. Snakes. It all started when I was little. The fam was camping and I had to use the facilities (a.k.a. outhouse). I pulled down my pants and underwear and sat on the toilet (hey I wasn't aware of the sanitary neccessity of squating in the outhouse at that age). I looked to the side of the toilet as I was doing my business and I saw a WATERSNAKE. I ran out of the outhouse with my pants down. Not my proudest moment because we were camping with another family who had a boy I had a crush on. I can't even watch TV shows or pictures that have snakes in them.

6. I've broken my nose twice. The first time was swimming. Don't dive into the shallow end. The second time was mt. biking. Going mt. biking on Sunday even if you HAVE gone to church is not a good idea.

7. I hate, hate, hate to pee/urinate. OK it isn't that actual urination process that I hate, it is having a full or even semi full bladder. That is what I hate. I would give up drinking water (and booze:) if it meant that I would never have to pee again. Having a bladder full of liquid is the most uncomfortable thing in the world. They say that when you are pregnant you pee more. If that is the case then we won't be having kids...sorry mom and dad...and Rachel. I go to the bathroom 8x's the amount of normal people...maybe that should be my random fact.

Welp that is it. Hopefully this will keep you company until we get back from California.

CONGRATS

Since Kami refuses to get a blog (but she is on facebook, go figure) I will share the happy news. Last night for Family Home Evening Erik purposed to my sister, Kami. Congrats you guys.

Just a reminder Erik, All sales are FINAL...No returns.

LIONS, TIGERS, BEARS AND NO SNAKES

Saturday after the 5K we met up with Kami and Erik. We first went to the Living Traditions Festival in downtown SLC. We were told that there would be mucho (lots) of free food samples from different countries and cultures. I guess that free in other languages must mean money, because NOTHING WAS FREE!!! Not even the ATM where it cost Clayton $3.00 to withdraw money! Grrrr.... Anyway we wandered around for awhile and decided that it looked cooler (as in rad or groovy, not the temperature cool) from the outside and decided to leave. But not before we found a rousing game of bocee. We lost the first game against some unkown hippies, but won the second. Ya we're pretty awesome.

Leaving the festival we decided to hit Hoogle Zoo. I haven't been there in a million years. Ok so maybe not that many. The last time I went I was probaby 5 or so. Here are some pics from our zooing... WARNING: there are a lot of pictures.

Ahhh...how cute! I was talking about the elephant not Kami and Erik...Kidding!
Love the butt shot. Thanks Kami!
After breeding a cow a few weeks agao, Clayton thinks that he also knows how to breed an elephant.
Shout out to the cougs! Go BYU. This might have been the most exciting exhibit of the day. This cougar was irrate with this man. He (the cougar) kept coming up to the edge of the cage where the man stood and growled. The guy must have been a Ute fan.

Kami is the world's SLOWEST photographer.




This drinking foutain is one of the only memories I have of visiting Hoogle Zoo as a kid.
Erik chasing the peacock.

Ya I coordinate my clothes with my activities. Not really, but pretty appropriate, eh!?! Maybe next time I will dress in a safari vest or something.

5K WITH GRANDMA

I must start this post by bragging about my grandma. She is amazing. I can only hope that I have HALF of the energy she has when I am her age.

Saturday, her Stake was putting on a 5K and she was planning on walking it. Her goal was to walk it in under 45 minutes. That is a fast walk...4.0 mph pace. Clayton and I ran the race and then went back and walked the rest of it with her. I thought that walking with her after running would slow down my heart rate, but it didn't. I had a hard time keeping up with her.


The best part is that she TOTALLY beat the time that she wanted to get. She walked it in 41 minutes and 8 seconds and she wasn't even winded. Way to go Gram. She came in 2nd place in her age group. Clayton and I also tied (with each other) for second place in our age group. Doesn't she look more like my mother than my grandma.!?! Love you Grams. Thanks for letting us run/walk the race with you.