detour

we have a new blog!!! posting on it is still in process...but check it out. it should be up and running within hours. :)

lecheminantlife.blogspot.com

...the soon-to-be Tara LeCheminant :)

I'm alive! I know I haven't posted anything for months and months, but I'm back to the blogging world...and with great news. I'm engaged! :) I'm not going to write too much, but just wanted to post some pictures of the two of us and show off my adorable Ryan. We are so happy and are getting sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on June 26th! He is my everything and reminds me everyday why I'm in love with him. I'm the luckiest girl in the world...






















I finally found my prince :) Everyday is a fairytale with him...

New Orleans

I don't have too much time right now (I'm "studying" at the lovely library) but I thought I'd post a few pictures from the wonderful weekend I had with Mom and Dad and the New Orleaners. :) It was a blast visiting Dust and Linds, and Grace is cuter than ever. You should all be jealous of our trip...especially since we got to witness the cougars dominating Tulane. But we won't mention BYU football for the time being. (tear, sniff sniff).

our rental car... :) it was sweet. thanks, daddy.

Gracie was an adorable cheerleader

The Gang

If you haven't heard Grace's tiger noise, you need to soon. It's adorable. Mom and I decided this costume had to be purchases for her... ha ha.

Thanks again, Dustin and Lindsay, for letting us come crash with you for the weekend! It was a blast! And thanks, Mom and Dad, for letting me talk you into going down there. I love our trips. :)

confessions of a movieholic

I have a confession. I absolutely love Sandra Bullock. Not in a weird way - but I think she is a great actor (the term "actress is apparently now politically incorrect because it differentiates between men and women...lame) and she does an incredible job in her films. She is the lead actress (I don't care, I'm still using it) in my all-time favorite movie While you were Sleeping, and I love just about everything she stars in. I saw this movie and thought it was great (minus the scandy part that seems to make it's way into EVERY so-called "good" movie these days). But that's not my full proclamation. My real confession regarding this heart-throbbing romance is that I went to the theater to see it with me, myself and I. Yep, ladies and gentlemen...that's right. I went to a movie ALONE. It's something I've been dreaming of doing for quite some time, and the opportunity presented itself nicely one evening when I realized my schedule was more than free. What a blessing ;) For those of you who are thinking I'm completely crazy to solo a movie, maybe try it out for yourself. There's something liberating about walking out of a good flick by your lonesome, realizing that although you haven't yet found your fairytale ending, someday it'll come. And even if it doesn't, at least you have enough guts and security to fantasize about it in a movie theater by yourself. How's that for liberating???

Oh, and another quicky confession...while we're on the topic. I find Ryan Reynolds (pictured below) quite sexy and irresistable. Oh how I'd love to be Sandra Bullock for a day. Spending time with this beautiful man. Someday...someday.

Shouldn't these be on a billboard???

Apparently I'm now an avid mountain biker. Or so it appears, right? ;) These are just a few more photos from the adventures in Moab this past month that I just got. Kinda cool.

TIMPANOGOS TREK

After living in Provo for over 3 years now, I finally had the opportunity to hike Mt. Timpanogos. I'd been anxiously awaiting this time for quite a while, and last Saturday morning the plans were finally put into action. I went with my friend Chad and some of his cousins and friends. After getting lost on the WAY to the parking lot (not a good sign) we started the hike a little before 6:00 AM. It was a BEAUTIFUL morning and the scenery was almost too much to handle. Wildflowers everywhere, along with clear streams and blue-blue skies. Wow. All seven of us made the trek in fairly good time, considering the occasional snowy trails that caused some slowing-down. :) We made it to the saddle (up the mtn, but not the summit) in about 3 hours, and took a break for some pb&j. After eating, Chad's cousin Roman took his girlfriend aside (Shaley) and proposed to her with the beautiful view...adorable. We had Martinelli's to celebrate and then continued up to the summit. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL, and totally worth it. Despite the fact that I may have gotten a bit dehydrated and suffered some heat stroke afterward, I would most definitely do it again. If you live nearby and haven't hiked it yet - do it! It's pretty long, but you won't regret it. :)

Yep. This is what we climbed. All the way to the top of that peak. And this was after we'd already hiked over another mountain and through the valley. Dang.

Super-Chad carried 2 backpacks most of the way up - all the while, serving as our team leader. What a guy.

View from the saddle.

Roman and Shaley - right before he popped the question.

Making the final ascent to the summit - so fierce. Chad's eagle bandana pulled us through (that's quite the story...)

The top...

Me and cute Shaley.

Notice the orange bracelet. Candice and Rachel brought "team bracelets" for each couple/team for the hike. It was awesome. I believe team Chad-Tara dominated :)

The whole gang, chillin' up top.

We found a sweet hill to slide down that already had a bum-trail for us. Possibly a main highlight of the adventure. We got some serious speed, and stopping became a problem for a few of us. Just the perfect thing to cool off, though. :)

That hill...from far away.

Sidenote: My favorite thing was probably Chad's occasional challenge he'd yell at the mountain..."Is that all you've got, TIMPANOGOS!!??" Ha ha. Needless to say he kept us all entertained. What a day. :)

A few things worth blogging about...

I know my blogging has been somewhat lacking, so I thought it was time for a quickie-catch-up post. Here are just a few things I believe are worth a post…

1. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince came out in the theaters late Tuesday night and I happened to have a ticket to the 11:59 showing. My two roommates and I carpooled with Chels and Brian to meet Cami in Draper for the (almost) midnight movie. Loved the movie…love-loved it! Chelsie and Brian designed our attire and I talked almost everyone into drawing scars on their foreheads. We’re pretty hard-core. P.S. For those who’ve seen the 6th movie, imagine walking out of the theater wearing what’s written on our shirts. Not the best feeling.

Harry decided to show up to the premiere. What a champ.

Apparently Voldemort was near - Cami's scar was hurting.

Couldn't stop laughing when "Dumbledore" sat next to Brian - the picture seemed necessary.

2. I’ve lived in Utah all my life and had never been to the Southern / Eastern beauties of the beehive state…until just recently. I made a trip with some friends to Arches, Goblin Valley, Canyonlands, and Monument Valley - all of which are must-sees. (Especially Canyonlands.) This trip was also the beginning of my “modeling” career. More to come. :)

I loved this place...

Canyonlands...you people need to go here.

Famous "Forrest Gump" road - recognize it?

3. Today I learned a new word. Auspicious. It means promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable. Use it. I’m going to.

4. Last night my friend Kelly and I made a quick trip to St. George to run a 5k in memorial of one of our teammates who passed away last year. Regardless of the fact that neither of us were in shape for it, we had a blast. Possibly due to not getting pulled over while making the trip in under 3 hours. Possibly because we landed a sweet deal with the cheapest hotel, which included a king-size bed. Possibly because during the race some man standing in the street gave each of us an otterpop. Or maybe because we went to Denny’s after the race and each ate a delicious “moons over my hammie” (or, as the waitress called it, "moons over your hammie"). All were great contributors to our successful trek down south. Oh, and by the way - it’s HOT down there. :) Our race started at 11:00 PM and it was still blazing. Crazy.

What a surprise to find that we both brought the exact same outfit to run it - courtesy of BYU athletics. Our shoes are even the same. Kinda funny. Kinda not.

We finished...otterpops in hand. :) Looking like twins.

5. I’m officially getting paid to blog. What a great feeling. Somedays I truly love my job.