paradise.

After landing, getting out bags and renting our cars for the week we were ready to drive to Poipu but not before stopping at Brick Oven Pizza for some amazing pupus [hawaiian for appetizer] and pizza. We arrived luckily a day too early to check into our timeshare so our families booked rooms at the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i. We checked in, put all of our stuff down, took naps and then headed for the pools and spa.

After soaking up the sun we all changed and walked up stairs to the Terrace for dinner and fruity delicious drinks. Jenna and I sat at our own little table and talked about life. It amazes me how much she is my mini me. After dinner we all walked back to our rooms and retired for the evening.

The next morning I was woken up by Papa saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOO MOO!" I knew it was going to be a perfect birthday in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The grounds at the Hyatt are unbelievably gorgeous and we spent most of the morning playing in the pool and ocean.

Mom and Jill.
We ate lunch at the pool side bar where the manager treated me to free drinks and lunch for my birthday. Score!

John playing with Jared. He's one happy boy!
Wubbas and I swam all day.

At four o'clock we checked out of the Hyatt and into our home for the week at the Marriott.

kaua'i

Friday July 30th

Went to bed at 4, woke up at 5.

Drove to the airport, checked bags, went through security and got on a plane with all of these lovely people headed for HAWAII! We landed in Kaua'i after a five hour plane ride and began our week long party on the island.

Mini Me!
My little Gauthier girls.
Jessica, Jenna and Jocelyn.

Four years later... nothing has changed.

but I'm glad nothing has changed.

best thing ever.

This is my all time favorite YouTube video.

I do an amazing impression!

35 and counting.

I ate whatever I wanted in London, yes I fussed about gaining weight but who didn't.

Then I came home and lost it... and then some.

I hate to brag on myself [dad would say I love to brag]

but I am looking pretty dang good these days.

That is at least compared to about three and a half months ago.

Both of these pictures I have posted somewhere on this blog,

but when they are next to each other they look a little different...

I know, that "before" shot on the left is EMBARASSINGGGGG.

But that's not me anymore, thankfully!
I feel great and I worked hard to do so!

Want to know my slim down secret?

Stop eating more than your body needs and fruit is just as sweet as ANY dessert.

stanislaus county fair.

This summer fair was a week earlier than it always is so I was only home for three days of it. Erin and I went to see Blake Shelton and eat fair food. The corn dogs at the fair are crispy, flaky, mouth watering goodness. I can not go a summer without one. Luckily I got two and downed both in about 5 minutes, and these things are about a foot and a half long. :) So you can tell just how much I love them.

Blake Shelton was awesome minus the fat chicks dancing on the bench in front of us in mini shirts. That made me a little sick after stuffing my face with corn dogs and a milk barn strawberry milkshake.

I live for the food at the county fair!

new bike!

Early in July Erin and I decided one afternoon to drive to Modesto and look for bikes. We both found the greatest bikes in the world at none other than super walmart.

Mine is a navy blue Schwinn.

I love him!

We go for rides pretty much every day.

Best purchase all summer!

back to school... minus the school part.

In the beginning of July I started to get a little "home"sick for my second home in Idaho and all the amazing people that are there so I packed up a few things, hopped in the acura and made the 14 hour trek to Rexburg, ID.

A five day trip turned into some of the most fun two weeks of my life. Although finals were going on and graduation was on a few peoples minds we never stopped partying. My two week vacation at school consisted of

tanning at the sandbar

huge bonfires

dancing in the rain

clubbing[rexburg style]

Saturday sand dune slip n' slide parties

BBQ's with the crew

best of concert

late night Maverick runs

4a.m. adventures with Court

cliff jumping

Jackson Hole

meeting new friends

laughing two weeks nonstop

and

spending time with my best friends!

Fab Four aka The Queens of Rexburg.

Courtney. Gina June. Macy. Allison.

The Crew. love every one of them.

KSH is my love.

Burkeeee!

Carson. We go way back. hahahaha.
Kambri!

Volleyball tournament champs!

Dunes Slip n' Slide. SO MUCH FUN!!

Me and Court aka Nannerpuss aka Miss Moogoo.

You will never meet a more funny person than this girl.

We went to the sandbar seven times while I was visiting.

The sandbar is a tiny spot on the snake river that has about four feet of sand, a slide and a swing set. Very oakey but perfect for laying out.

It's also conveniently located down the street from Big J's where the greatest milkshakes in the world are made. We most definitely got one every time we went.

Sandbar crew.

Shayne, Hill, Dallas, Court, Kellie, Jackson, Grand, Hayden, Gina, Andy, Erik, Allison and Me.

Jefferson and Me.

Allison, Chris, Court, Justin, Me and Chayce at the sandbar in St. Anthony

Allison and Me

I love Mere Meres and I love that she goes to school with me!

I would die without this girl.

Lindsey, Anissa, Mere, Alyssa, Gina, Court, Me, Katy and Tiffany at the "best of" show.

30 ft. bonfire at the "crack" got rained out... lovely huh?

Sunday BBQ's and football games at Porter park.

Best part of the trip was getting to spend every second with my best friend Allison.

I'm going to miss this girl next Fall.

until september...

lameeeeeeeeeee.

Most of this summer I have thought my life is absolutely fabulous. I have done so many fun things and been around so many amazing people. Today is not ones of those days. I have literally sat in my bed alone all day.

Ate lunch here,

sat on facebook for who knows how long here,

I watched a movie here

and I even worked out here, in my bed

[oh yeah it's possible].

I don't know if I am the laziest person in the world,

if I just need my own space for a little while

or if I realize that in less than a month I wont be able to enjoy such a large bed.

Whatever the case is today my life kind of sucked.

I tortured myself by looking at pictures from London. This lead me to thinking about how alone I am here which then lead my to tears. After two minutes of crying I realized how pathetic I was being and bucked up a little.

What always makes me feel better is being productive. Hence my blogging today. It has been at the top of my to do list pretty much all summer and I have been terrible at keeping up with my own life.

So on this extremely boring day I will catch up with me!

On to the next post...

powell. [continued...finally]

It's begun to get ridiculous how far behind I am on blogging... I have edited this post at least ten times and I am hoping I am finally going to publish it tonight while I am on a vacation that I am sure will take me another few weeks to blog about. So finally on August 6th I am finishing up with June and Lake Powell. I would put this into several posts because it was a week long of some of the most fun I have had this summer BUT I don't want to drag this out.

Lake Powell is one of the most interestingly beautiful places I have ventured to.

I loved every second of being there.
and here are loads of pictures to prove it...

Me and the sisters chillin on the Bu

New found loves, the Nash girls, Lindsey and Mandy!

First day out on the boat surfing.

Steve looking like a very dapper surfer behind us.

[Left to right]

Brady, Abby, Kylie, Mandy, Jake, Me, Matt

We hiked the cliffs of insanity in the dead heat of the day to see this beauty....

Rainbow Bridge

Throughout the week we literally did just about everything you can behind a boat. Our whole family got up on single slalom skis [which is extremely hard... let me tell you], we tubed, we wake boarded, we cloud jumped, we wake skated, we knee boarded and we surfed. I have wake boarded since I can remember but lately, not sure why, I am a chicken. So I have now taken a new liking to riding a different board.

There is nothing like surfing in the middle of this...

and it's pretty fun to help a sista out. Get it Ky Ky!

The Nashes youngest son is Pete. If he were 15 years older I would make this boy mine. I, along with my entire family fell in love with this little guy at Powell. Kidfest!

There were fourteen of us young adults including Mandy and Spencer.

Our houseboat had a lot of hormones to handle that week.

The last night on Powell we did a HUGE [picture does it no justice] bonfire. We cooked s'mores and sang songs. The Nashes were impressed with our family because we knew all of the songs they usually sing. [I guess no one else usually knows them] Thank you Falke camp outs haha! We also taught them a campfire song or two as well.

Abby and I attempted to find wood for the campfire... big FAIL.

Mama and I had fun hanging out all week!

Just a few of the lovely ladies of the houseboat.

[Left to Right]
Shauna, Lynn, Me, Mama, Lindsey

The last night was hilarious and extremely entertaining, all we needed was my camera. Ky, Abby, Brady, Lindsey and I stayed up until I'm assuming around three and took about five hundred pictures of ourselves just laying in out cushion and sleeping bag beds under the stars.

Lots of laughs attached to each photo.

The fam-bam had one heck of a long drive home, so we stopped in St. George after three hours in the car for our third helping of Cafe Rio salads and a short lived walk around the St. George temple.

It's the fourth new temple I have seen this year and I'll admit it was my favorite!

[Sorry London you're in second.]

Gorgeous!

We then sadly left the land of many Mormons,

drove six more hours,

spent a night in Vegas,

got a flat tire in Barstow the next morning,

had a two hour wait for AAA,

and after yet another six hours in the car

we pulled into the very welcoming driveway of the place we call home.

Home has the best feeling!

Lovely week that was followed up with lots of limeaway for our waterspot covered Bu.

Powell.

My dear friend Rachel facebooked me the other day to order a blog update so picking up from almost a month ago...

On the 20th of June the fam and I took off for Lake Powell with the Bu trailing behind us. It was a surprisingly quick 14 hours in the car watching movie after movie but we eventually pulled into Wahweap marina around 11:00 p.m., unloaded our stuff and met all of the families staying on the houseboat with us.

We stayed on Nash’s houseboat along with their friends the Rowleys and Smiths.

LOVE them all!

After loading the houseboat with 22 people and all the stuff needed for a week in heaven, we made our beds under the stars, got a good nights rest and were ready to set off in the morning. Around 9:00 a.m. we were towed out of the marina and started our engines for Last Chance Cove later known as Twelve Moon Bay. It was a fun four hour ride there and I laid out on the deck to get some much needed sun. Once we were to our destination we tied up the houseboat and untied the boats for some wake boarding, slalom skiing,wake surfing and tubing. This continued for the next week and I will post more of our adventures later today.

I'm not going to lie... I'm a pretty good wake surfer :)