Here are Some of The Pics I've Promised...

We'd moved our table out into the living room and had a traditional English dinner before the show. This is me...I'm dressed up as Ginny.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Ron-Kristian Mostert, Hermione-Rachel Matheson and Harry-Jeff Hawks.

Headed to Lunch after a few hours at the beach.

Dinner at Claim Jumper.

Melinda and myself on the drive back from Cali.

Me at Salt Creek Beach. The waves there were AWESOME!

There are A LOT more pics from both Harry Potter and California on Facebook. You should check them out and leave me some comments!

CaLiForNia!!

It was fun. The Waves were flippin' SAWEET! SO BIG. No really! I got knocked over a few times. It was great. The sand and the salt weren't so great but that's no big deal. I camped in the back yard with 90% of the other girls and now I really want to go on a real camping trip....Grand Canyon anyone? Hmm...I do have sisters close by who like adventuring...I'll have to ask! Anyway, I took about 100-125 pics but not a lot of them are of me. Most of the pics of me are on other people's cameras! ;) I'm just going to have to have them e-mail them to me. (Wow, did you follow?) lol. So like I've said previously about Harry Potter pics..they are soon to come! AND if you really want to see all of them (because I won't stick them all on here...) you can find them on my facebook! YAY! Sheesh! I have about 3 albums I need to put up! I promise to do them tomorrow, since I have the day off. But I'll also intend on enjoying that day off and using it to wind down.
I've already unpacked...showering is my next goal. :) But you have to admit, unpacking is the hardest part. And it's not like I stink or haven't showered, I've just been in a car all day long and you know how that can be.
Anyway so about the trip. We, my little group, left Thursday morning at around...7. We arrived in California at about 3:30 and I basically stretched my body as far as it could go and layed on the ground until dinner time. Which was yummy hot dogs and hamburgers...as was almost every other meal on the trip, but not all of them. That night we went to Laguna Beach. We didn't swim, we just watched the sunset and if that's not magical I don't know what is. Anyway, Friday we went shopping and to the pool, some of us played games, some watched movies and others basically just took naps. That evening, Edwards dad, the host of our adventure, gave us a mini concert. He's a professional singer/actor. For those of you who have seen Rigoletto, he's the butler, Hauns. He sang a few old hymns/songs in honor of Pioneer Day. I never thought I'd ever hear a version of Home on The Range that would make me cry...yeah, I was wrong. He also sang, Brother, Can You Spare A Dime from New Americana (but it was made famous by Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee), No One Is Alone from Into the Woods, which had me blubbering, it was the last song and SO powerful...SO powerful, he also sang The Melody Within from Rigoletto, Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) from The Roar of the Greaspaint, The Smell of the Crowd another one that made me cry and he sang The Impossible Dream from one of my favorite shows, the Man of La Mancha. Every note, every emotion that came from that man was divine and splendid. Couldn't have been more impressed. After the concert we went to Claim Jumper...the reason all Americans could lose some weight. I swear it. Burgers the size of your FACE, sandwiches as tall as your forearm is long...MASSIVE amounts of food. Yes, you pay about 13 bucks a plate but one plate could feed and FILL a family of four. Easy peasy. It was yummy. Saturday we went to Salt Creek Beach. That was FUN! I got tired of playing in the water after about 2 hours though. The sun, sand, and salt is really a lot to take in. Not to mention that the waves were ridiculously strong...and HUGE but that made it much more fun. Then we went to In and Out for Lunch, it was good. First time for everything, right? After that some people went back to the beach but I had a feeling I'd be pushing it had I gone back. (Energy wise...) Instead a few of us went back home and played in the pool. Partially because it was water to play in without getting eaten alive by sandy-salt monster and partially because we wanted to be the first ones to get to really rinse of and enjoy some quiet time at the pool! Then we had pizza and salad and fruit for dinner and then we all just hung out...like usual. Only because we were on vacation we were all kind of forced to hang out together...lol. No, it was nice to be able to chill after a long day. Then today we got up, took down the tents, packed the cars, went to Sacrament Meeting and headed out! It was nice to be on vacation but it's also nice to be back with my own bed...not on the ground without a sleeping bag...and have my own bathroom, well, one that I have to share with only 3 others instead of 27. It was a bizarre but so worth it and so fun. I'll put the pics up soon...tomorrow, because I promised, but for now, that is all. Good night!

HIHkndlfhalsdfjuhijfmakldfnlidsf;ok;.,ijhliyfg!!!!!!

No, I have no idea. I'm usually not one to describe my emotions by randomly running my fingers around on the keyboard...yeah, well, today is just one of those days. So sue me.
I really just have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. One that's just bugging me to death. Maybe it's a mix of guilt and boredom and anxiety....actually, I know that's what it is. Guilt for a really valid reason...I broke a rule...boredom because I'm at work and that's always just so much fun...no, not really, and anxiety because I'm leaving for California tomorrow morning as a soon as I get out of here I'm FREE! At least for the weekend. Which is definitely more than I need. Just a little vacation where I don't have to worry about work or school or...anything. I mean, eventually I'm going to have face whatever problems I have in front of me but I just can't right now. I just want to put them all on hold, build up my "I can do this" meter and then face it like Daniel faced the Lions. (Plus, my rule breaking will probably be forgotten by next Tuesday...) Anyway, I feel like I'm going to throw up but I guess that's what happens....oh well.

Just call me Eponine.

I know this sounds ridiculous and well, yeah, ridiculous but I'm feeling very much in tune with Eponine. Or Elphaba when Fiero first liked Galinda. Let's just say that now I am the only lonely one in my apartment. Two engaged, one who likes a boy who I liked but he likes her so...you know. Now it's just, me. No prospects to look to no nothing. Just two weddings and a potential new boyfriend for my roommate.
To be honest it's not the fact that I liked the guy who now likes my roommate. It's the fact that my roommate is someone I envy and compare myself to often. It's just my luck that life would play out like this. I'm just happy that they're happy. It's not like they're dating...yet. And we've talked about it, she knows I love her and knows I'm going to be okay with it. I just need time.
My insecurities are definitely highlighted right now and that's really hard for me. That and I'm finding out, for the first time why it's called a "crush". I've liked people before but this situation is new and I'm hurt. For now. I'm sure I'll be fine soon. Just need some time.
This is probably making no sense....uhg. Life.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Yes, that's right. I am dressing up as Ginny and will be leaving in about 15 minutes to go see this movie. I'm sure it's not going to be as great as all the hype...(things like this never are)...BUT it's just so awesome that everyone finds that little piece of childhood in them still because of all the magic. It seriously rocks. Yes, yes, yes, don't worry about me I'll watch out for those creepers...(The ones who think that dressing up as dementors and scaring little children is fun.) I AM SO EXCITED! I'll be posting pictures here and on facebook ASAP!

My Lament.

To be honest, and objectivly so, I have to say that I am no size two 5'10" super model with sweeping blonde hair and eyes that just scream, "You know I look gorgeous and can't deny it." Nope. I'm 5'5" somewhat curvatious and I have straight, red (yes, it's dyed...so sue me!) shoulder length hair and regular brown eyes that don't really scream much of anything. I'm struggling to pay my way through college and I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands to just lie around and work on my "tan". Not that it would be much of one anyway (I'm the girl who really should've been born a red head due to my freckled, pale skin.) I'd basically just become a lobster. I'm not a very good dancer, therfore my "grace" is somewhat...misplaced. I'm not a very talented writer. I don't cook or bake well...at all. School isn't really my thing..acedemically that is, and I'm not very good at sports
However, I am outgoing, I care about people, I can sing, I can act. And in fact, I feel like all of my faults and imperfections are trumped by the things that I AM good at. Things that I CAN do.
So let me ask one question. Why is it that so many people feel that they have the right to look at me, without knowing me, and make a snap decision on WHO I am, what I'm capable of, of ME? I just don't get it! It's lame.
Though I'm comfortable, 90% of the time, with who I am and what I look like, it's still hard and it still takes a toll on my confidence when someone just won't let up on the fact that I'm not that sexy super model previously mentioned. I mean, let's get real here, I'll never be that tall...or thin, EVER and I'm okay with that but that doesn't make it any easier sometimes. Especially when you have constant reminders drowning you. (Like the fact that you are single and though you've been set up on dates with some really nice people they've all decided that 'you just aren't their...'type'") Somebody gag me, please.
Now please don't think that I'm ever going to waste time or tears over someone who can't see me for who and what I am. No thank you, I'm much smarter than that. They aren't worth fighting for or even giving the slightest notion to. Go your way and find your type (though shallow it may be) and I'll go mine and actually find (hopefully...someday) a relationship that is deep and meaningful. I know, I'm just serving cliches here but it's true. Yet, somehow it still gets under my skin. Why is that?!
It seriously makes me so frustrangry! (Yes, my made up word has made its second appearance.)
So there you go. My Lament. Though futile my attemps may be to convey just how annoyed I am, I've tried. Sorry , Yoda, today, there is only trying.

Sacrifice is Love Undimmed by Selfishness.

I know this is a day late but I wanted to thank those men and women who selflessly give up time with their wives, husbands, children, parents, and friends to the call of duty and protect the rights and freedoms that we are able to live everyday here in the great United States.
Today in sacrament meeting as many bore their testimonies of their gratefulness of our Independence, a common theme played on the tip of everyone's tongue. God sacrifice his only begotten Son to suffer in this world so that we may have a path to return to Him by. In the scriptures we can read "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." -John 15:13 Christ did this. He did this on a level that can not be matched for he laid down his life for everyone who was to ever enter this world. On a much smaller but still very noble scale, men and women lay down their lives for the rest of us. They are those who serve their country with pride and honor.
I am proud to say that my Dad, though he did not die for his country, did serve his country valiantly. He put aside whatever else he may have desired to be in the United States Air Force. My dad is my hero. I'm so grateful for him and the sacrifices he has made for me and my family. I'm so grateful that there are not one but two national holidays in which I can celebrate my Dad.
Sacrifice is the ultimate gift of love that anyone can give another. It is selfless and pure in the highest form.
Though the weekend is drawing to a close and Independence Day is becoming just another dimming memory, I hope that we all can remember everyday to be grateful for those who serve this country, those who sacrifice so much for us such as parents, but ultimately Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who laid down his life so that we could live and enjoy the beauties of this world.
I know that my Redeemer lives and that he loves each and everyone of us. I hope that you all can come to know of that as strongly as I do.