Spontaneous Splurge :)

So school has officially begun! I have mixed feelings about that...on one had I'm excited to be doing something productive with my life again. You can only go to the beach and Disneyland so many times before you just need more :) however, on the other hand I'm not ready to be that productive! 

So I started my masters classes and found out my supervisor is super cool and didn't make me go in on Friday like I was supposed to. I was planning on checking out Big Bear (by myself because no one would go with me!). When I got my good new from my supervisor, I was talking to a friend from SLC and she told me to fly out there...so I did :)

I know a lot of you are thinking...how come she didn't call me?!!??! Well because I booked my ticket Thursday night, flew out Friday day and flew back to So Cal Saturday night! It was a super short trip but it honestly couldn't have been better!

I LOVE SKIING!!!!!!

I was able to squeeze in a couple good runs Friday before they closed and a little after hours (the hook ups you still get from working on the tram!) It didn't hurt that Snowbird got 8 inches of fresh powder that day!

Saturday was great also because I got some pre-public runs and freshies for the first 2+ hrs! Oh and did I mention I got frost bite on my nose! Yea I was scared my kinder kids would be scared of me! Anyway, I was able to ski with a variety of people on Sat and loved every second :)

Here is me with one of the regulars, Brett, from back in the day! We're both going to school out of state but no worries we both have season passes to the Bird! Brett is super good but was nice enough to not only wait for me but cheer me on for a couple runs...or maybe that was just him yelling at me to hurry up ;) He used to be a ski instructor and has flawless style!

Not only does he have flawless style but he encourages people like me to go for "big" air! We met up with some of his friends and had fun messing around on Wilbur. After a couple runs we looked around and it was just myself, Brett and his friend Tim. Tim is a pretty good boarder also but I can't so no to cute boys so they made me attempt to catch some air. Brett wanted to capture this moment on my camera...I think he just wanted me to be able to look back and laugh at what a beater I am! You can see Tim going first (I made him!) then you see my landing (you just know it's not going to end well!) and below you have me covered in white! It's a good thing I landed in powder! I've seriously never had such funny falls this trip! Tim had a snowball prepared to throw at me but decided it wouldn't do any good after my landing. Geez they're such gentlemen :)

I started skiing at 8 in the morning and was able to squeeze in 22 runs before I had to take off for the airport! (I couldn't walk for 3 days!) I finished up my day with my good old friend, Mikey! 

I think we all know how much I love Utah! School is intense but what gets me going through these next couple weeks will be the thought of President's Day weekend! Hopefully we get some good powder!

*side note* Anyone want to buy any ski/board gear...I'm selling! Pass the word! It's cheap and all in really good condition!

Let's go hiking...or not!

Let's go for a hike

Up to the highest peak

...oh wait! Not if my tire has anything to say about it!!!

My brother Dan and his girlfriend get Kari (my favorite sister-in-law) to go hiking a couple Saturdays ago. I'm on my way to pick up Kari and my light goes on...of course I think nothing of it and continue to drive. It's a good thing I needed gas because once she started to blow, my tire was literally flat 2 minutes later! I have no idea how to change a tire! However, I thought it would be entertaining to try :) In the meantime Kari called AAA

Here I am attempting to take the lug nuts off. I have no idea what they're called, if that's how you spell it or anything! I know NOTHING about cars! This is apparently the hardest part but I'd like to think I did ok

AAA shows up right in the middle of me trying to get the lug nuts off...he told me not to strain myself haha He pretty much takes over and finishes my tire in 5 minutes flat! Check out the size of his jack compared to mine! No wonder he is so fast! Well that and I'm sure he does it about 15 times a day!

Here I am excited to have my doughnut on my car so I can drive to Vergil aka my tire guy! That's right, he knows me by name because I was in there less than 2 months ago with another flat tire! 

I was just glad that this didn't happen in the middle of my drive back from Utah on the icy roads with no cell service! Hopefully I find my way off my lazy butt and back onto the path of "hiking". Apparently people train to hike this mountain but after hiking to Hidden Peak I feel like I can do anything!

Friends!!!

I love having a break from school, it honestly gives me a chance to breathe...and hang out with my friends! I absolutely love the fact that Cameron is from San Diego! This means I can drive 1hr as opposed to 6hrs to spend time with Lyndsgrove and her adorable family! We went to Islands (Lynds always knows how to pick 'em!) and then played a little rock band (my first time EVER!!!!) and then hit up Starbucks which was an experience in and of itself! Thanks for sharing the family time with me Cotters!

On the way home from San Diego my friends from high school called and wanted to hang out as well. They did the usual: dinner, show at Improv, and then drinks after. I caught the end of Jon Lovitz's comedy act and had a couple Shirley Temples with them :) It was fun to have Tay and Bobby down from LA and Ferg all the way down from SF!

Presents!!!

With everyone married and dating someone it was nice to spend Christmas morning with the entire Armstrong Clan!

Ryan, always eager to help me open my presents!

Kaleigh and Papa...don't you think they look alike???

Grandma and the boys opening presents! Ryan's head tilt is adorable to me in this picture!

Dan and Tiffany aka my snowboarding buddies...hopefully!

In one of my earlier posts I said how our family needs more grandkids...well Roger and Kari are expected a baby in July!!! I'm so excited! We thought it would be funny to stuff Kari's shirt and make her like prego. She looks great! You wouldn't even be able to guess she had something cooking in her oven; they kept it a secret until present time. 

My favorite and sister and I with the new babe! She wasn't so happy...we stalled her dinner too long but I insisted on taking a picture of her in her Christmas jammies :)

Note: Yes we all my how fast my sister's body goes back to normal...she just had the kid 2 months ago, not me!

Hilarious Nephews :)

Papa wants to be young again and purchased a guitar not too long ago. The little ones were jealous so he purchased them one as well; the littlest one was lucky enough to to receive my Ukulele...here is a video of them in their Christmas PJ's singing Christmas Carols while strummin to the music with their guitars. It's only a minute long but the second song is far better than the first! This might be the sole reason I moved home, I just used school as a cover up!

Christmas Eve

This is Christmas for me! When I walk in my house and see it decorated like this I know it's Christmas. I know a lot of you see the first snowfall and it reminds you of Christmas but for me it's the tree and staircase...it's my favorite part!

It's dinner time..almost! My dad passed the silver spoon over to Roger this year! I was a little sketched to eat the meat but I just had to remind myself...he only carved the prime rib and didn't cook it! Good job Rog!

My favorite sister-in-law holding my favorite niece :)

My mom and I <3

It wouldn't be Christmas Eve without reading the first a bit of scripture! Here are the shepherds looking at the star! I'm sorry but I thought it was hilarious that they both looked up! Roger may or may not have been playing with the lights:)

The 3 wise men and baby Jesus

I felt like our family was going to get struck down for allowing a girl to play baby Jesus

...we need more grandkids!!!