And the living is easy.

Finals week is kind of a blur. I know that I didn't sleep very much, but honestly I didn't study very much either. Right when Logan starts getting beautiful and people come out of hibernation, school ends and everyone has to move out. So we spent the last few weeks of school cramming in lots of Logan memories, trying not to fail school, and eating out twice a day for a week. It was a great time.

The last night before moving out was pretty Utah State-esque.  We had dinner at Firehouse and then Kait, Mal, and I ran around Logan like crazies. I mean like really cool people.

And I swam in the fountain on campus.

The night naturally progressed to a one a.m. too-many-people-in-the-car Walmart run (classic), last minute cleaning party, and four people ending up in my tiny bed while I recited the state capitols so we could check it off our list of goals. Hilary learns the state capitols: check. Good quality cuddling: check. (That was really on the list.) 
Moving home is always weird. I thought that this year it wouldn't be, because I only have three weeks at home before leaving the country, so it's more of just a visit. Nope, still weird. I love my family and I love being with them, but moving my stuff back into my room in the basement always feels like a step backwards even though I know it's not permanent.  So I've looked for lots of ways to fill up my time, such as:

The Cystic Fibrosis Walk

This is also kind of a blur, because I drove straight to it early in the morning the day I moved out. You know, the morning after staying up all night. It was so much fun though, and my family helps with it every year so I couldn't miss it. This year we walked around downtown Ogden, around Union Station, which is actually a really pretty area.

Funny story - we entered a bunch of tickets into the raffle because we really wanted to win a pinata for our Cinco de Mayo party. I knew that Lauren would win because she seriously is the luckiest kid on the planet. We had like 15 raffle tickets and the one ticket Lauren was holding won the pinata. No joke. BUT she ended up giving it to a little boy who was crying because he wanted to win. I told her she should submit the story of her good deed to The Friend.

Walks up to the reservoir

We like picnicking at this secret spot near our house and looking for frogs. Sometimes while we're there a giant snake slithers across my mom's foot - yeah, that happened.

Going back to work at my aunt's

There is no picture of this because there is nothing exciting enough to take a picture of. But I am so grateful to my aunt and uncle for always letting me come back!

Learning to play the ukelele

I know six chords! Which gives me lots of options, most of which are One Direction and Justin Bieber songs.

Pinterest-ing things 

 

Owl cupcakes! We also tried making these cloud parfaits. We're going to have to try again- ours got a little messy.

Ours did not look like this.

Visiting Delanie!

Sharing the joys of Baby Mama with her and Chris, looking at wedding magazines, and getting lots of cuddle time with Nollie in the process.

Making vereneky

Kaitlin would be so proud. My mom and I visited our neighbor and made vereneky with her.(Her husband is Ukrainian.) It was so good - and so fun to make. Especially with all her cute dogs waiting at our feet for scraps. We also got to hear her sweet story of meeting her husband in Russia - should definitely write a book because it is one of the most romantic stories I've ever heard. Plus they were followed by the FBI when they got here, so it's kind of amazing.

The first hike of the summer

I took my sisters up to Adam's Canyon for some adventuring. The weather was perfect for it. We're excited to make it to the big waterfall another day.

Janie's dance recital

I'm biased, but Janie was definitely the best dancer at her Dancing Around the World recital. Well, she tied with Addie, Delanie's cute little sister! We all went out to Brick Oven afterwards. I would recommend the Jambalaya – yummo!

Watching Endless Summer

School's out, so it was time for the fam to watch one of my/our favorite movies of all time. Endless Summer – the iconic documentation of surfers traveling around the globe in search of the perfect wave. It's from the 70s, so the commentary is hilariously ridiculous. It is not just a movie, it is an experience.

Reading
 

First library trip of summertime! I'm working on Catcher in the Rye right now, and I've got The Thirteenth Tale, Slaughter-House Five and Touching Spirit Bear up next in line. I guess I should mention that Rachel and I also read Justin Bieber's classic novel, Next Step to Forever, out loud to each other in one sitting.

Visiting Rachel at Pace's

Rachel is always either at work or getting ready to go to Taiwan, so I have to visit her during her break in order to talk to her. It is worth it though because the best fry sauce that has ever touched my lips is right here in Layton, Utah, at Pace's.

Getting ready to go to Samoa 

Don't worry; I've already figured out where this is and we are going.

 

A couple of days after I got home I got to have a phone conference with the Principal at Pesega High School, the English department head, and...my dad's friend? He works with my dad in Samoa; it's awful that I don't know exactly he does. Anyway, it was nice to hear the voices of the people I'll be working with, especially with the recent change of plans. Our grandparents were kind of going to take care of us – pick us up from the airport there, etc. Well this week we found out that my grandpa has kidney stones and they had to come home immediately. We will be picking them up from the airport tomorrow. It's all weird now, because we planned all our flights around my grandparents – now we have to find people to take care of us in American Samoa and Hawaii. But if we're going to be stranded somewhere...Hawaii's just fine.

Cutting my hair

Saturday morning, I was driving home from Mother's Day shopping and on my way to my sister's dance recital when I randomly decided to pull in to the salon by my neighborhood and cut my hair off. I'm getting more impulsive in my old age. Cutting any amount of my hair off is always a big deal for me , but then no one can really tell a difference because it's still so long. I promise she cut three and a half inches off though.

My hair last week

My hair yesterday

Celebrating Mother's Day

We had a barbeque at our house for Mother's Day. I love my family and I am so glad that my mom is my mom!

family partying

We had lots of sangria to celebrate Mother's Day. My Grandpa was a little concerned
 that we were drinking "Sin Alcohol." That means without alcohol. It's fine.

In other news, all of the money I am saving by living at home is going to be spent on driving all over the state visiting friends. I'm excited to see you all! Happy summer!