K-razy Kickball!!!

I almost forgot to mention the exciting happenings that took place last week. My intramural co-ed kickball team won the upper division championship for the 4th year in a row! Unfortunately this is only my first year playing with them, but it was a blast. Usually it's an easy thing for them to do, but this year was totally different. We played in pure mud and I slid (if you can call it that...) for the first in my life. Thank heavens for cleats. Anyway, we had a forfeit early in the tournament, so we had to beat the team twice in a row...which we barely did. We won both games by one run, and it was honestly one of the most intense sports activities I've ever been part of. Ask Mom and Dad...they were about peeing their pants while watching. It started pouring during the last few innings, but it made it that much sweeter to win. Especially the gigantic rainbow that appeared shortly after. Way to go, Thundercats! I can now officially say I've won an intramural championship t-shirt!

(notice how dirty we are)

(lookin' tough)

(We reenacted our sliding abilities...bad idea. We were even MORE soaked after that. What a way to ring in the victory though, right?)

(Finally getting our shirts. Number one, baby.)

Summertime in San Diego

I know I'm a little late on this post, but I finally got my computer up and running to allow for some serious blogging. (I'm not kidding...this is going to be quite the post.) A few weekends ago my parents and I flew out to California for a little vacation. It was definitely a quickly-planned trip, but we found cheap airfare and decided to go for it. We rented an adorable beach house right in Mission Beach, equipped with 2 bathrooms and beds to fit 6! We flew out Thursday mid-morning and arrived around noon in the San Diego airport. Naturally, the next step is to get the rental car, right? We figured it would be a quick trip and then we'd be off on our adventures, but Dad ended up waiting in line for over an hour! Apparently everyone else thought Budget was the way to go as well, because everyone and their dog was there. We FINALLY got our car (a Suzuki, which, by the way, has the WORST turning radius known to man) and found our place. We then found a little cafe on the beach for lunch, walked the streets of Mission Beach and did some shopping. I, naturally, found a pair of $5 sunglasses (I collect them) and a few other items worth purchasing. We went to the Belmont Park there on the beach and Dad and I rode on an awesome rollercoaster! The place was dead, so we were the only two on it, and chose to sit in the last row. Definitely more of a thriller than we were anticipating, but it was a lot of fun. We then went to Ralph's, which is the grocery store nearby, for the first of many trips. (Mostly for Hostess powdered donuts, I might add.)


The next morning we got up early and went to breakfast at the most incredible cafe known to man. We shared an order of strawberry-banana pancakes and french toast, which we couldn't even finish. Their orange juice was to die for, freshly squeezed just hours before we had it. Mmmm. We then made our way to the ever-so-famous San Diego Zoo. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to go to SD, so I was quite excited. When we got there we took a bus ride through the zoo and got to see most of the main places for animals we wanted to go back and visit. They had just about every animal possible, including meercats and creepy smiling lizards (see photos below).






My favorite part of the zoo, however, was the giraffes. Anyone who knows me probably could have guessed that, but I couldn't wait. We spent quite some time next to them and I think Dad was starting to wonder what my fascination was. I loved every minute of it, though. :) The SD Zoo was just as wonderful as I'd imagined.

(possibly my favorite picture...)

(classic)

After the zoo we had time to go back to the beach house for a sec and then we went into the city. We did a little shopping along the streets while we scouted out the area for a place to grab an early dinner. Mom and I managed to find an adorable boutique with some stunning rings we couldn't pass up. :) Then Dad and I got some Padres hats to help us blend in with the crowd before we hit up the big game. We went to dinner at a nice restaurant a few blocks from the stadium, and Dad claims they have "the best fish and chips I've ever tasted". He even made me have a bite, and they weren't too bad.



The game was a lot of fun, regardless of the final score (the Diamondbacks beat the Padres 8-0). We had great seats and enjoyed the "baseball" atmosphere. We even bought some nachos and popcorn, and stayed just long enough to sing "Take me out to the ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch. We left a bit early to beat the crowds and get back to our place for bed. We were exhausted from a long day in the sun and wanted to relax a bit before bedtime.




The next morning we got up fairly early and headed to the beautiful San Diego Temple to do some baptisms for the dead. We made an appointment but tried to squeeze in a bit earlier. Apparently it was during the Spanish sessions, which meant there was a ton of youth from Mexico there at the same time. It was packed, and it took me at least 45 minutes to shower, but it was a great experience to have Dad be the one to baptize me there. I absolutely love that temple. :)



After the temple we ate a late breakfast at Starbucks (some things don't apply on vacations, right? Ha ha) and then headed to the beach. It was a beautiful day and each of us just brought our books out to read and get some rays. Mom and Dad both got scortched (especially Dad's legs) while I tried to work on my tan. It was extremely relaxing, and Mom and I decided we could sit there for the rest of the weekend and be totally content.




After we spent a few hours on the beach we went back and got ready for the evening. We went into the city again and found a HUGE outdoor shopping mall, which Mom and I did some damage in. We then went to see "Up", which we all loved, and then went back to Mission Beach to grab a late dinner. We ate at a delicious restaurant called "World Famous" and even got valet parking (which really meant they just left our car right out front of the restaurant and then gave us the keys about 10 minutes into dinner because they were off to eat...weird). We had some great conversations that night over our "world famous" food, but unfortunately the kitchen closed before Dad could order the sought-after dessert. So sad. After dinner we made our third trip to glorious Ralph's and the door-greeter basically called us by name as we walked in. We got some stuff to make our meals for Sunday and a few other things...including our 3rd box of powdered donuts.


The next morning was Sunday and we had some delicious yogurt and orange juice before heading off to church. We actually went to the same ward my parents went to when they lived in SD while Dad was going to law school. Although Mom claimed to recognize someone, I don't think she really did. :) After church I drove around following Mom and Dad's directions to get to their old apartments. We found one with ease and I made them get out of the car so I could take a picture of them in front of it. It was the back of it, but still...a sentimental photo. We then got on the freeway and tried to find our way to another one of their apartments (government housing). After driving around for about 45 minutes, we decided we needed a map and some younger brains (no offense, parents). :)

We got back to the beach house and Mom and I put our feet up while Dad made a delicious lunch consisting of eggs and hashbrowns. Sooooo good. We all took long naps and enjoyed the down-time a Sunday allows. Mom and I both woke up before Dad and decided to walk to the beach and sit for an hour or so. Once again, it was extremely relaxing and beautiful. I found myself enthralled in "people watching" and taking pictures of the beautiful ocean.

(you can kinda see Mom's sunburn in the photo...) :)

We figured that Dad might start to worry, so we headed back to our place to recooperate for a bit before heading back to the beach to watch the sunset. We read for a bit and then got our jackets and beach chairs (thanks to Mom) and headed back to the ocean. I took a billion pictures of the sun setting over the waves, but I'll only post a few. It was the perfect way to spend our last night in California and I was trying to soak up every minute of it. After the sunset we went back and made delicious hawaiian haystacks for dinner. We hung out a bit and then popped in "While You Were Sleeping" to wind down to (my all-time favorite movie). None of us made it through the entire thing before falling asleep.




The next morning we got up and went back to the delicious Mission Cafe for breakfast. We, once again, couldn't finish our breakfast, but it was as yummy as we'd remembered. After stuffing ourselves we rented some beachcruiser bikes and rode along the boardwalk for about an hour. It was a lot of fun, and I think Mom and Dad enjoyed it just as much as me. :) After that we packed up our stuff and headed to drop off our car. It was the perfect amount of time for a little getaway, and I had a blast with my parents. We got to the airport with time to kill, but of course had to wait for Dad to get frisked by the creepy old man with the wand-thingy. Due to the metal in his knee, he ALWAYS has to get checked. It's kinda funny, as long as you're not rushing to catch a flight. Mom and I had a good laugh while watching him. We finally got settled on the plane and Mom whipped out something she'd forgotten she had in her pocket...a paper toilet-seat cover. She brought it for a purpose, which I don't feel inclined to share, but know that it was hilarious. Dad about switched seats when he realized everyone was looking our way. Oh well - we didn't mind.





Thanks again, Mom and Dad! The trip was an absolute blast, and I've realized that traveling with just the two of you is a lot more fun than I'd anticipated. :) We'll have to do it again sometime. I love you guys!!!

Familiar Face???

Adam Johnson

Does this man look familiar to any of you...? I realize this is a glamor shot of sorts, but look closely. Do you recognize him? The reason I ask this question is because this very man showed up at the info desk window a few hours ago to pay for a bodpod test. After practically staring him down for a few long seconds to figure out how I knew him, it suddenly clicked. This very man is a movie star from the ever-so-popular movie CHARLY, and plays the role of Mark, Charly's old boyfriend. Little did I know that this job would land me opportunities to meet celebrities in the Mormon world... :) He made conversation with me for 2-3 minutes and when he saw that I was reading the Twilight series (I know, I know...) he said he's planning to read those books too! I couldn't help but laugh. This post is just a reminder that A. famous people are roaming the streets of Provo and B. I am not completely alone in having an odd desire to finish the Twilight series.

flying softballs and awkward encounters...

HELLO AGAIN, dearest bloggers. I understand this post is more than overdue, but I figured I had to start somewhere. I'm sure I'll be the only reader for my own blog now since I refrained from updating for so long (although Cami will most likely read this...she seems to have a lot of extra time...ha ha) but I still feel the urge to update the world on my "dream life" these days. The most important thing right now is that school is officially OVER and my true summer is in full swing. It is definitely a relief to give my brain a rest after almost 2 straight years of school, and therefore I'm trying to avoid using it at all costs. The two jobs I'm working make that process fairly easy, since I'm working for BYU Intramurals and the information desk here in the RB. While these two jobs may sound strenuous and near impossible (ha ha) they are quite far from that. I actually really love both jobs and am glad I have 2 different ones to keep things interesting.


Intramurals definitely keeps things fun. Spring term is possibly my favorite due to the sports involved and the position I work. During fall and winter semesters my title only enables me to supervise, but during spring and summer I also get to officiate. I both supervise and ref softball and coed kickball (the best...) and the warm summer nights make things even better! I've only worked a few shifts so far this week, but I've already had quite the experience. I was umping in the field for a men's softball game and was positioned between the pitcher's mound and second base. There was a guy on first base and one up to bat, and a fly ball was hit toward the short stop and quickly thrown to 1st base to get the runner out. After turing to call the "out", I spun around and dropped to watch and cover 2nd base, since a force-out could occur there as well. Right as I bent over I got drilled with the softball, right in the middle of my back - making a very audible THUD. At first I wasn't sure what had happened, but I could hear everyone on and off the field laughing at the situation while a few people came up to ask if I was ok. When it was determined that I was fine, the game went on, although I don't think the laughter ever stopped. Thankfully it was a softball and didn't do too much damage, but it definitely felt like someone kicked me square in the back and actually left a good-sized welt when I checked later that night. I'm going to do my best to avoid encounters like this in the future, but no guarantees will be made...what can I say? My job is dangerous and can only be done by those willing to take the challenge. :)


Speaking of challenging and dangerous jobs...I'd now like to talk about my second job - the RB info desk. It doesn't sound too bad, right?? I sit in a small room about 7 ft by 10 ft with a window open to the hallway and answer phone calls, process transactions and give out wristbands. When I'm not doing that, I can check my email, listen to pandora (which I've recently discovered and LOVE), blog (yes...I'm at work right now), watch movies, read, and anything else I can access from a computer. This job seemed to fit my perfect job description because I really want to read a lot of books this summer, and I figured this would be the ideal job for that. What I failed to consider, however, was the vast number of bold and somewhat strange males that walk this campus...and visit the info desk. Generally it isn't much of a problem, but occasionally if the line isn't too long, a guy will sit and chit-chat for a while. Seems harmelss, right? For the most part it is, but it begins to wear on you when you realize that you are stuck in a small room with nowhere to go, and a young (or old...) man is parked in the hallway in front of your window! Definitely a dangerous situation for me to put myself in. Ha ha. I'm working my 4th shift at the moment and so far this past week I have been asked out 3 times. :) The stories are pretty funny, but I won't bore any readers with them in case they are only amusing to me. You would be amazed, however, at how many guys fail to find it awkward to stare at me and then say, "you have REALLY beautiful eyes!" or, "do you whiten your teeth???" Ha ha. I try not to laugh, but I can't help it. Anyway - I really do love this new job and I'm excited for what it'll bring...regardless of if it's a few weird dates, a boyfriend, or just some extra cash. :)


The last update in my life deals with the wonderful Relief Society program we have in the Church. Brace yourself for this one, but I was called a few weeks back to be one of two relief soceity presidents in my BYU ward. I'm sure this news shocks you just as much as it did me...but it is somehow truth. It has been quite a challenge to learn the ropes of running a relief society, even though it's a student ward, but I am enjoying it. It definitely keeps me busy (especially on Sundays) but has already been a huge blessing for me. I'm still very new at it, and need a lot of help and guidance - so I'm hoping I'll survive this summer without messing things up too much. The sad part is I won't be able to go home for Sunday dinner as much with my new busy schedule, but I'll have to make due. Maybe I can try to get a dinner date from my RB job for Sunday night dinner, eh? ;)

All in all, things are good. Chels and Brian just got married this past week and we had our annual Anderson Family Reunion directly after. I have some pictures of that to post later on, but I don't have access to them on this computer. Anyway - regardless of what you all may believe, I am actually alive and doing well. I plan to update this at least once a week with my new "busy work schedule" here in the RB. Get excited for another phenomenal post in a few days... :)

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Thanksgiving thoughts

Due to the Thanksgiving season I have been thinking a lot lately about things I am grateful for. Of course I initially came up with the usual things right off the bat, but when I took some time to really think about everything I have been blessed with, I was overwhelmed. Every year during this time I vow that I will forever be thankful for what I have, but once winter is in full swing it’s hard to be grateful for the cold. :) I just thought I’d take a minute to share a few things that I am extremely grateful for, regardless of if they are the standard blessings we recognize in our lives.

I am so grateful for flowers. Daisies are definitely my favorite flower, and seeing them instantly makes me smile. All flowers are beautiful, however, and seem to brighten this bleak world.

The colorful leaves are another part of nature I have fallen in loved with. I often find myself wandering through campus looking up rather than forward, amazed at the beauty of the trees. I love the crunching noise they make when they get stepped on, and they way they randomly fall from their branches. If I could pick my favorite season – one to have all year long – it would definitely be autumn. It’s simply gorgeous.

Another blessing I’m grateful for is the opportunity to receive an education. As a college student I often find myself slacking a bit in school, not realizing how lucky I am to be attending BYU. It is only recently that I have discovered my love for learning, and I’m glad I am able to attend such a prestigious school. Regardless of their football record, I’m still a Cougar through and through. :)

Music is another blessing we all have that often goes unnoticed. I did not realize how often I listen to music, and how quickly it can change one’s mood. It allows us to relax and contemplate, or dance and laugh. What a wonderful thing to have in our lives, eh? Mmm…I love it.

I am thankful for the country in which we live. I am only beginning to recognize the never-ending opportunities America provides for its citizens, and I feel a responsibility and an excitement to make a difference. Although I still feel a little unsettled about the upcoming Presidency, I will put my full support in Barack Obama’s hands and pray that we can all stick together. It worries me a bit with how divided our country has become, and I hope we will be able to remember our heritage and unite as a people again. I love our country and I feel so blessed to have the freedom we are all granted. God bless America.

Another thing I LOVE and am grateful for is the delicious combination of Oreos, peanut butter and milk. My roommates can testify that it’s my favorite snack and they think I’m crazy for eating it, but it truly is the best. Try it out. :)

Well this list could go on and on with the little things I am grateful for, but I’ll wrap it up by talking about my Savior. I am so thankful for all He did for me. I was extremely fortunate to visit the places He has lived and walked, and my love for Him grew more than I could have imagined. What a blessing it is for us to have that knowledge and testimony of Christ. May we all remember what is truly important this season…and after this season. We have all been given so much we often take for granted, so I’m going to do my best to remember all I have. Happy Thanksgiving!