And I'm back. In black. Lie, I'm actually wearing blue.

Yesterday was Memorial Day. Maddie picked me up to carpool over to Lynnanne's grave site. We met our family there, to honor the greatest woman we have ever known. I love when my family gets together. I love it when we get together in honor of Lynnanne, because that's when I can feel her love the most. Although, I do feel her presence in my everyday life too! Well, that's a whole nother (yeah I said it) blog post, so back on topic---When I got in the car Maddie said that I needed to start writing in my blog again. She said she missed reading it. At the time I just shrugged it off, I have my hesitations for coming back and writing again (these will be discussed in approximately two sentences). But this morning as I was hiking, I was thinking about how it would be fun to start writing again. Also, I have an eight page paper due tomorrow, so this will also be great procrastination. A lot has happened since I stopped writing on here. I originally just forgot a few weeks in a row to write, then it was a few months in a row, and then I just stopped writing entirely. Then I realized I really had no life. I do the same thing week after week, and who wants to hear about that. Also, I am a facebook addict to the core, so really my every move is already being recorded on crackbook. I have really gotten out of the habit of writing. (Side note, my ankle is twitching, and it's freakin me out...) While I failed to write in my blog, my aunt Julie and my cousin Brooke both started blogs of their own. In the beginning, I was kinda the writer of the family. This is no longer true. I can't seem to write anything of importance anymore and Brooke and Julie's blogs blow me out of the water. They're so articulate and clever. Plus, they both actually have lives. So, I decided to not write in my blog any longer, and not even try to compare to their brilliance. But then if we fast forward back today, and the need for procrastination: I realized that my blog is a lot different than theirs. Plus, I like writing here. So as I hiked up the side o that mountain, I threw my hands up and said, "Why the heck not?!" (Spoiler alert: I didn't actually throw my hands up. I was way too tired to pry them from hanging by my sides).

And here we are.

Today is May 31st. When you go to sleep tonight, have the last words out of your mouth be, "rabbit, rabbit, rabbit." Then when you wake up make sure the first three words you say are, "hare, hare, hare." This will ensure good luck in the month of June. I always forget to say these words. I never have good luck. I am half way through a summer block of school. Summer terms are called blocks because they're only 7 weeks long, instead of the usual 3.5 months. They cover the same amount of information, and I receive the same credit amount... it's just in half the time. So, class periods are twice as long. A usually 50 minute class turns into an hour and forty minutes. But, before I can barely blink, the term is over. So, it's definitely worth it. I usually get pretty stressed during summer blocks, but I can handle the crazy amount of stress for the last three weeks of the semester, and then it's just over. Then I get to lounge the rest of the summer. Totally worth it.

Last week, or maybe even the week before that, I decided that I am young, and need to actually use my body to the best of its abilities. I miss nature, and I miss Seattle. So, I decided to go hiking. It's actually my goal to go on a grand hiking trip next summer, but we'll see how that pans out. There's a mountain just by our house, with a big Y painted on the side. BYU (the LDS college here in Provo) is just beneath the mountain. So, that's why this Y appears randomly on the side of our mountain range. It's not a long hike. I think it's just shy of two miles, or something along those lines. But it's all up up up hill. So, I have been dragging myself out of bed a few times a week, and hauling myself up the side of that hill. It's horrible. And I hate it. And I want to just throw myself off the side of the mountain, and hope for the best. But every time I make it to the top, and sit down on the Y, I get so unbelievably happy, it's worth it every time. It's also getting a lot easier, so that's nice. Before I needed CPR every 20 feet or so. But now I'm doing a lot better. It puts a skip in my step all the day long. Althou

gh my steps usually include limping once I get back down. My thighs are killing me!! This morning I rolled out of bed and drove up to the trail head (yeah, that rhymed. Legit). I hiked up, and nothing too exceptional happened. I did pass a rabbit on his way back down from the Y. I said good morning as we walked past each other on the trail. I'm pretty sure he gave me the head nod. Although, I didn't have my glasses on, so I can't be 100% for sure about that. There was an old man, no really really old man, at least 75, who ran to the top, turned around, and then just started jogging back down. He smiled at me and said good morning. He was at least 75, people! And there I was-at age 24-wheezing up a storm! Barely able to raise my hand in a salutation! So so out of shape. That man is my hero. When I got to the top it was pretty windy, so I had to cut my peaceful viewing of the valley down to about five minutes. Going up took me just shy of 40 minutes. Going down takes me just over 10. Prett

y much it's impossible to not just jog the whole way down. Heading down is when things got exciting. I was hauling down a switchback when three deer crossed my path, prancing right up the side of that thurr mountain. Scared me so bad, I definitely peed my pants. Who knew those deer could just run up the side like that?! Where are their switch backs?! I mean really...what about the out of shape deer?? Someone has got to look out for them. So then when I finally regained consciousness, my heart attack ceased, and my pants started to dry out a little, I resumed walking down. Then-in the same switchback mind you-I passed this amazingly cute (in my opinion, my sister would not have agreed, and complained that I need to have higher standards for the way men look) guy. He was wheezing like crazy, which made me like him even more. And he had the cutest bull dog ever, who also appeared to be having a hard time breathing. I was smiling ear to ear, because that's what I do once I

reach the top for about four hours straight. So, I said good morning, and smiled at him. He managed to get out a hello, and we made eye contact for a good four seconds. Nothing too impressive, but it was a good moment. If I was in Seattle I would fill out an "I Saw You" and find this guy. But, I'm not. And I don't think Utah works this way. He had a beard. He had a dog. He was out of shape. He was hiking the Y. I mean really, match made in heaven! I almost stopped and said, "Oh, you're hiking up?! What a weird coincidence, I was just on my way up also!" Then turned right back around and marched back up that mountain side. But, I knew that would result in immediate death and/or my knees falling off. So, I just smiled, and went on my way. Maybe next tuesday we will meet again. I don't think he even noticed the fact that I had wet my pants just moments before! I call that a win!

So. Anyways. That's the excitement of my life. For the first time in a long time, I really feel more like myself. Sometimes Utah sucks me in. It takes a lot of work, but I can pull myself back out if I work on it. Summers are always the hardest because my family all leaves to Montana. My friends all vacation. And I am sitting in my living room in Proho, being responsible. But, I have Juan Carlos. And now the sun is finally out. So, I'm expecting some pretty great moods, and consequently some pretty great adventures coming my way!

Thanks for reading. Hopefully I will keep up with writing, and then post less on crackbook. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go place my first letter to my cousin Covey who just left for his mission, and my one millionth letter to my friend Robby who has been on his mission in the mail box before the mail lady arrives. Keep your fingers crossed I receive some mail of my own.