land of the ire.

what a cluster it's been the past few days! i took a great trip with my friends to vegas. we enjoyed the pool at mandalay bay, got our tan on, and shopped 'til we dropped. h&m at caesars is amazing. you should go! willie wasn't coming because he "had to work" but surprised us all on friday night while we were eating at the one and only cheesecake factory. it was so fun! 


we got back on sunday afternoon, father's day. enjoyed a great dinner and then it was crunch time. i officially had one full day to get ready for a 2 month trip! ha! but...i pulled it out. lots of errands i had to run. little things to buy. stuff to pack. lists to make and check off, but it went great. 


i had an early morning shot that i need for africa and we headed to the airport straight from there for my 11:15 am flight. my bag was exactly 50 pounds, but i took some things out and dropped it two pounds. phew. a little bit of a tearful goodbye with my parentals (i will be back!) and i was off to check in. there were 4 other girls on my flight including an administrator. we flew to JFK in new york and then to ireland. 
i sat by the coolest guy on the flight to NY. he is a wildlife photographer from the netherlands and travels all across the world taking pictures. i asked him if he makes good money and he said no! that means he must like it. because he is spending the big bucks to travel. he was editing pictures from the tetons in yellowstone. he then showed me pictures from africa. elephants, lions, jackals. so cool. he was 15 yards away from a lion eating some animal. he was a cool dude. he was on his way back to the netherlands for the summer. i asked him where he stays when he goes and he said that he has his own camper that he just ships to the places he goes and then stays in it and can drive wherever he needs to. dang!
we had a 5 1/2 hour layover in NY. i was so dang tired. i took an unintentional tour of the airport but i had time to spare so it was okay. i slept for a few hours on the floor and then woke up to the lady announcing my flight was ready to board. i rushed to the other gate and got on just fine. 
i was seated next to a couple from minnesota who won a free trip to ireland. the guy was 6'6" and had an oompa loompa for a wife. he was in the middle seat with extra long legs making it difficult for me to put down my tray table and possibly sleep! i got maybe two hours of sleep on that flight. it was interesting. he was thrilled about the complementary beer. ha. i told him i was from byu and he goes, "jimmer!" he then said, "too bad that one kid decided to be honest. the team could have gone a lot farther in the tournament." ha. he must not know too much about being honest!
we arrived safely and i was amazed at the already green land outside. so pretty. can't wait to take pictures! 
the majority of our group is sitting in the airport waiting for the other group of girls who possibly missed their connection. because they obviously aren't here in ireland! too bad. 


good thing my pictures won't load. i made my first purchase. sweet bracelet! also some powerade that tastes kinda weird. oh well. 


i'll continue my waiting here in the airport. what an adventure awaits me! 


oh yes. the night before i left, my friends came over for a "surprise" early birthday. even though i caught on pretty quick so it wasn't much of a surprise. i have the best friends and family! they gave me some great gifts so start me on my trip! love them. 

late.

well as of late.. 

i have been enjoying lots of farr's ice cream and yogurtland. (only farr's is pictured below)

i decided to rock these kicks at school last week. in honor of the last day of classes? good excuse. 

i am branching out lets say. 

over the weekend, vegas was calling our name so we went! cougar baseball played three games and we enjoyed watching them (even though the umps were completely ridiculous, and i'm not just making that up). the weather was so nice on friday and saturday! too bad i couldn't sit at the baseball game in my swimsuit and feel okay about it. 

on the way down. sweet app i got on my phone. love it. 

friday night's game. 

how beautiful is the moon? 

disclaimer: all these pictures are from my phone. 

after a great weekend away, now i'm back and getting ready for finals. but no classes so that's a plus. i need to study my little brain out and get it done! plain and simple. 

have you ever had something happen to you that's made you stop and rethink and reevaluate what you are doing and where you're at in your life? well that same occurrence has been part of my past few weeks. and as of now, i am done reevaluating and am moving forward. and i feel good about it. i need it. 

i don't feel good, however, about the fact that i am still trying to figure out my major and what i am going to do with my life! any tips are greatly appreciated. 

longest post ever? i think so. but it was much needed. 

rainy day.

i am sitting here thinking of the total downpour that just occurred outside. how great was that sound? i love love love listening to the rain come down. 
it reminds me of a time a few years ago, i don't even know how many, that it was just coming down outside! i couldn't believe it. i went downstairs to get a better view, rather than outside my blind-covered top-floor window. it was a summer night. little did i know, my mom was doing the same thing. we were both in the kitchen and we decided to go sit outside on our porch swing and watch the rain. how calm it was. how beautiful! it makes me think of my ideal setting - outside on a wrap-around porch that i will have eventually, sitting on a porch bench, and listening to the calm rain come down on the ground. i won't have to think about anything except that beautiful rain and life! i cannot wait for the summer rain showers and to do that very thing. i will be sitting out there by myself, and i will be loving it. 
here's a few pics from the one and only L-A-S V-E-G-A-S. it was a much needed break. 

yogurtland, so good! 

curt chilled with us. 

oh, and it was papa law's 81st birthday! family dinner at la dolce vita. yumm.

get me!

get me to vegas already! t minus 15 hours until we will leave to go and party! what we are going to do because we aren't 21, we don't know. but i am ready to enjoy the pool and hopefully get roasted but come back tan, sound good? can't wait!! 


attention: here is picture number 1 of the group i will be spending 6 weeks starting june 22! some people are missing, but here goes. lots of diversity already, but that makes us all strong right? 
man, my life is good. i am so lucky to be doing all these great things! 

(p.s. since when did i have like red hair? hm.) 

i didn't take the picture, so pardon it's small size. you can't see my gorgeous face as well. ha ha. 

oh.. and.. 21 weeks and 6 days until i get to see my sweet bro bro who is rocking it in africa!! gosh can it come faster already? again, i am so lucky. :) everyone, raise your glasses. cheers to a good life!!