Recent Summer Happenings

I was looking through my pictures and realized I haven't blogged about some of the fun stuff we have done this summer. So, enjoy the picture journey of Summer 2010.

We tried to grow a garden. The only thing that survived is the squash. Kyle didn't even survive.

(I think this is why Kyle specialized in tree care, and not garden growing.)

We bought the blessed Tempur-Pedic Bed - the Cloud Supreme to be exact. I may not be on an actual cloud, but I sure am in heaven! WAA WAA WAA. I am trying to be one of those Tempur-Pedic models. Ya, didn't work out so well. They look way more euphoric than I do...

We went to Albuquerque, NM to visit all the Boise Boys. Yes, they are all tools (Kyle wrote this)...

It was a great reunion for us all. This is green chile eatins' at hers finest.

Of course, the men acted like they were kids again. But that's what you do at reunions, right? They actually didn't even have tennis balls. They just acted like they were shooting imaginary tennis fireballs at each other until Justin finally won. This is the "Finish Him" final blow.

We never thought we would all meet up in Albuquerque at our reunion - but we did, and it was great! We miss all you guys like crazy... (We go all the way from California to Albuquerque to eat, of all things.....sushi).

Kyle flew to UT for his niece's baby shower. Baby Z is super cute. If you have a magnifying glass, you may be able to make out some people that look like Kyle.

Kyle's dad, Kent, is such a great man. Lately, Kyle has been doing so many things that remind me of Kent. They even stand alike.

We rocked out at the John Mayer Concert.

Owl City opened. We felt bad because the lead singer seems like a nice dude...but how do you not laugh when after the song he grabs the mic and shouts in a high pitch voice, (exasperated and panting for breath)...."OH, WE ARE JUST HAVING SO MUCH FUN WITH YOU!"?

Owl City is weird, but good. John Mayer is wicked talented! Kyle said there is no reason to continue playing guitar after watching John Mayer shred like that.

Oh ya, I colored my hair much lighter. Weird - huh?!

In the eye of the beholder

Here is the story of my morning.

I had just gotten out of the shower. I was still butt-naked when I heard the garbage man coming down the street.

I thought to myself, "CRAP... I forgot to put out the garbages this morning." So, I make a run for it. I throw on some clothes and gather all the garbages in the house. Just as I am taking my kitchen garbage out of my back door to put in the trash can, I look over and see the Garbage Man passing right by my house.

I panic.

I grabbed the large trash bcan as fast as I could and I took off. I ran to the street dragging our garbage can, screaming and yelling, "Hey, wait for me. WAIT. WAAAIIIIITTTTT......"

Two houses later, he finally saw me. I ran to the side of his truck. At that moment I realized what this must have looked like....I had just chased the garbage man down the street frantically hauling my big black dumpster behind me. What have I become?

He was cracking up and I was humiliated. I put down my garbage bin, he emptied it, I said thanks, and he moved on.

I hung my head low, rolled my garbage bin back to my house, and realized that I have no right to make fun of my neighbors when they have campfires and blow-up swimming pool parties in their FRONT YARDS.....

I am becoming my neighbors.....White Trash.....BOO HOO.

Hog Wild Camping Trip

(This is a long post, but if you want a good story, take the time to read...)

We went camping at The Pinnacles, near Holister, CA. Upon arrival, the camp rangers made us sign a waiver stating that we would keep all our food in our car due to the gophers and racoons. So, we did, thinking nothing of it, and then set up the campsite.

We made delicious Tin-Foil Dinners, full of yumminess, including some bacon to give it an extra burst of flavor. (Yes we cook it on the camp stove instead of the fire. It is just easier... don't judge...)

The finished product.

Kyle enjoying the finished product, including the bacon. Remember the bacon... it is important...

Our friends made it up to the campsite after we finished dinner. We had a grand time roasting marshmallows...

...and filling up on dutch oven cobbler.

At about 1:30 in the morning, we headed off to bed, first making sure all the food was in the car.

At about 2:00 in the morning, we heard a HUGE crash and then a lot of scruffing and huffing. I woke up in a panic. I had forgotten to throw out our garbage bag. We knew it had to be a raccoon, because afterall, we signed a waiver to keep our food from the raccoons. Then, we heard Brett, our friend yell to us, "Guys, what is that thing? It looks like a small horse." We grabbed our flashlights, unzipped the tent, and shined the lights out on the garbage bag. This is what we saw.

OK, this isn't the actual one that we saw, but it was for sure a WILD BOAR. With Kyle growing up in Idaho, and me growing up in Wyoming, neither one of us had any experience with wild boars. We had no idea what to do. And, to make things worse, we had just finished all the seasons of LOST, in which the wild boars attack the people. So, we imagined the worst, and we didn't have John Locke's hunting knifes to fight back. Our only source of weapon was a pocket knife, which was on the picnic table right by the wild boar. So, we decided to be silent, hoping it wouldn't hear us...

In the meantime, this boar got into EVERYTHING. He ate the entire garbage bag. The garbage bag had all the leftover tinfoil dinner stuff in it, including the bacon. We like to think he was a cannible, eating his own cousin.

He ate EVERYTHING else that was on our table, including our plates/utensils, the table cloth, hot dog roasting sticks, the bottle of PAM left on the table, and a bottle of tums, that we accidentally left out. He even tried to eat the cast iron skillets.

We could hear him puncture the PAM bottle and lick the spray coming out. It was the most disgusting sound I have ever heard. At least he had the TUMS bottle to settle his stomach.

The stupid boar was there for 3 hours. We would try to sleep, but would wake up to his little feet trotting around our tent. Finally, by 5:00 am, he left the site, probably because his large tummy couldn't handle any more plastic or tinfoil.

When we woke up in the morning, this is what we found:

This picture doesn't do it justice, because Brett and Sariah had already cleaned up half or more of the mess.

We cleaned up the mess, made a delicious camping breakfast, played some whiffle ball, and then the boys went on a hike.

It was a very hot day (over 100 degrees) to be hiking without a lot of shade.

It was quite the weekend. But it will always be a good story. Thanks to the Tolley's for camping with us. The Pinnacles are great, just watch out for the wild boars!

ME TIME!

Since Kyle is out of town, and it is my first 3 day weekend since I started work, I decided to indulge.

1. I have been/will be drinking a lot of these...

...filled with...

2. I took in some sunshine and hand washed my car (something I haven't done since high school).

3. I bought a whopping 19 pound Watermelon. I am pretty sure 1/2 of it is gone already.

4. I will finish the entire first season of this before Kyle gets back. I am officially hooked...

5. While watching the above, I plan on giving myself a mani/pedi. I am thinking of this color for my mani. It's from the O.P.I.'s SHREK line. Cute, right!?

6. I plan on watching the fireworks. I am hoping all my peeps from the LSW are going to carry on the tradition of watching these at Central Park?!? (Does anyone know?)

Sometimes it is so good to have "ME TIME."

PS... Kyle, I miss you. Come home before I get fat off of Mountain Dew...

One more thing...

I forgot to mention one very important item in the last post. The school offers each of the students to participate in a professional photo shoot. You may think that there is nothing to this, but there is. First of all, the hair has to be FLAWLESS. Second, the make-up has to be FLAWLESS. There is so much that goes into a professional photo shoot.

I asked my gorgeous friend, Kara, to be my model. I cut, colored, and styled her hair as well as her make-up.

My goal was to give her a natural, yet sexy look. I wanted her hair to be sleek and shiny with a little "twist" on top. It turned out just the way I wanted!

Thanks, Kara, for being my model. You looked BEAUTIFUL, as always.

If anyone needs their hair or make-up done for an event or photoshoot in the future, let me know.

Back to the Future!

This past year has been such a wild one. On June 22, 2009, I started Cosmetology School. This was not just any old school. It was an amazing Redken affiliated school with fantastic education. Here is a walk down memory lane:

My first haircut at school:

The girls gave me a temporary perm for the day. I slept in the curlers...

...and looked like this in the end. We are hot - I know.

I learned make-up at school. One of my favorite make-up classes was the "cut and bruises" class (theatrical/film make-up):

A nasty burn. It looks so real:

This was one of many charity fashion shows in which we did hair and make-up.

Halloween was one of the best days to dress up. My 80's outfit rocked (and yes, I made the skirt)!

My first baby cut. I helped my sister, Kristi, cut her baby's hair.

BEFORE:

AFTER: Her hair looked much better!

My graduation fashion show in which landed me my first job before I even graduated! The "Cat in the Hat" hairstyle was a HUGE hit!

Ten months after I started, I finished school. It was a glorious day.

Thanks Kara... and Skittles

I was a model for another graduation fashion show. It was such a different experience walking down the red carpet. But, I would definitely do it again!

It is weird to think how much I have changed in the past year. This picture was taken right before I went to school. My hair was so blah... (and we were saying goodbye to Howie.)

And I come out of school looking like this:

It is crazy to think how much has changed in the past year. It has been so fun learning the art of hair styling and make-up. I am so glad I decided to make a career change. I have truly found my niche.

I am now working at the beautiful VJones Salon in Cupertino. I can't believe I made it. And to top it all off, I am working with some of my classmates from school.

Life is good!