Lament for Jimmer

Fun Fact - Addictions

So I have a few food addictions that I'm not too proud of, but we all have them and these are mine:

• Mountain Dew
• Vitamin Water
• Chocolate
• Chocolate/Peanut Butter Anything
• Chips & Salsa

I can only go a few days without consuming any of these food items. They make me happy and I just plain love them!!!

Ben's Birthday

So Ben turned 26 a few weeks ago (crazy, I know). However, his birthday was on a Thursday which turned out to be a crazy day. He had to take a test and finish a massive project. So he was gone all day and didn't get home until around 7:00, then once he did he had to return some birthday phone calls. So we didn't do much except we were able to go to Olive Garden for his birthday dinner and he indulged himself in his own cake (since I can't eat cake anymore) and ice cream. It was a good low-key birthday and he seemed very happy. I got him ESPN's 30 for 30 (a great gift idea for that sports fan of yours) and decorated the house for him. Both of which he loved. Below are pictures from that special day.

I wrote 26 things I love about Ben on 26 hearts and hung them all throughout our living room along with streamers.

The Birthday Cake

Just blew out the candles

What Makes Me Different from Everyone Else

I saw this as a post on someone else's blog and liked it so I thought I would write about it too. I think the biggest thing that makes the different from other people, at least most girls, is that I'm a girly-girl but still a sports junkie. I love make-up and can hardly go out of the house without showering and getting ready. However, I know sports teams, players, and stats better than most boys. Many of Ben's friends make fun of me because I can carry on a sports conversation with the best of them. But then, within seconds I can dish out all the latest pop culture gossip. I like to think that this makes me very well-rounded. But it's fun to watch a sports game and talk the sports talk and then change the channel and find myself equally enthralled with an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians!

St. Louis

So I've been meaning to post these pictures for a few months now but have been procrastinating, however on this lazy Sunday I can't procrastinate any longer!!! I got the opportunity to go to St. Louis, Missouri the first week of November for an annual New Student Orientation Conference where orientation directors from all across the country meet and talk about how to better orient students to college campuses and make the intense transition from high school to college better. However, I got to see the sights of Missouri and had a blast doing so. Some fun things I got to do: ride to the top of the famous Arch, visit Forest Park (Ulysses S. Grant's old stomping grounds), eat at Pappy's (featured on both Food Network & the Travel Channel), visit the Cardinals new stadium and the Rams stadium, walk along the Mississippi, walk around downtown St. Louis, visit St. Louis & Washington University, tour the historic Delmar Loop & shopping district, explore the rest of St. Louis by metro, and relax in a 5 star hotel. Thanks BYU for such a great experience :) Here are some pics from my trip:

About to board the tiny elevator to get to the top of the Arch with my boss, Heather

Standing underneath the historic St. Louis Arch

Just finished enjoying some world-class BBQ at Pappy's

Mr. St. Louis himself

Looking out the window of the very top of the Arch

My view of the St. Louis Rams (football) stadium from the top of the Arch

BYU Tours

I love my new job. I get to do some pretty fun things. My boss is a professor for a University 101 - Traditions class. I scheduled tours all around campus that the students attend to learn about the various traditions surrounding different places on campus. So far the coolest tours have been of the Marriott Center and of LaVell Edwards Stadium. My favorite part was visiting the team rooms. So sweet to see where the teams meet before and after games, and during halftime. Made me wish I actually made it as college basketball player. Here are pics from our Marriott Center adventure:

The Women's Team Room

The Women's Team Room (If you Look Closely You Can See Maya Moore from UConn when they played each other a couple of years ago)

The Men's Team Room

On the Basketball Court

Home Court

Ben Lomand

On Labor Day we took the challenge to hike up Ben Lomand Peak just north of Ogden, Utah. We went with Ben's Uncle's family, the Smiths. It was quite the hike. It was 8 miles up to an elevation of 9,712 feet and then 8 miles back. But it was definitely worth it and super fun. Here are pics from our adventure.

Yummy Hydration Pack. Definitely became a fan of this innovative backpack on this hike.

The Smith family minus Uncle Chrys...he was too tired to move.

The view from 9,712 feet in the air.

We made it to the Peak!!!!

Happy Trails :)

Camping

So Ben and I have gone on two camping trips during the month of July. We both love camping and being outdoors. I grew up camping on the beach multiple times every summer and find that I just feel better nestled in a forest :) Camping in Utah also makes me feel like I'm at home since its the only place you can find trees.Also it doesn't hurt that camping food is super yummy and campfires and pretty much the best. So on the 4th of July we went up Manti Canyon where these pictures of our trip were taken. Enjoy :)