The Happiest Place on Earth

99% of the time.... clearly the happiest place is Disneyland... but there have been a few rare times when there is a place that hands down beats Disneyland on it's best day.  This unbelievable place is Red Cliffs.  As my dad put it, "Even if man tried to create a place like this, a genius couldn't dream such a specaturlar place."  Now Red Cliffs is beautiful all year.... but this trip was different.  It was like when I was a kid... It was HOT. (Well over a hundred degrees) the water was DELIGHTFUL! Frogs, toads, and polly wogs everywhere.  SO much fun.

So of course we did some cliff jumping....

Note Del watching Craig jump from above....

I thought I'd take a picture of Chad.... note that Del is still above....

I see a splash...... WHO was that.....

Del had just shown EVERYONE up by jumping from the top!

Of course Craig couldn't be shown up by his dad.... so he did it too.

Baby Troy enjoyed his nap....

I HEART Red Cliffs.

A great way to start the Hobo Fest... AKA Parson Reunion 2011

Sneak Peak into Family Pictures 2011

I don't have the official family photos yet.... but here is a sneak peak of a few of the stars...

Utah Haters.

Warning: I am getting up on my soap box.... although I must admit this is a very very very small soap box because I must preface this post with.... I am a terrible driver.  Possibly the worst around.  How do I know that you might ask?  Well if you remember this post: Any Luck at All It's Bad Luck back in 2008... I have been in a lot of car accidents.  Knock on wood... I haven't been in one since I wrote that post....  but anyways I am a horrible, terrible driver.  I have no shame what-so-ever saying that.  For two reasons really... first my track record clearly supports such a statement.  Second, when I say I am a terrible driver, it's like I have no responsibility to be a good driver after saying such a statement.

Okay back to my teeny, tiny soap box.  So I feel bad that it is so cool for people to be Utah Haters... It seems everyone hates Utah.  In a geography of North America class back in my college days we saw a study that suggested the only state that is valued lower than Utah is North Dakota... Even people in Utah hate Utah.  (Clearly I am exaggerating a bit to make my point)  but sometimes I just feel bad how much people don't like Utah. Sometimes I feel I should make it my personal crusade to change popular opinion about Utah..

There are hundreds of complaints of why people don't like Utah some completely valid some completely unwarranted.  Today  I would like to address in my opinion the most unwarranted claim.

Utah has the worst drivers.

Now I am not going to try and prove that Utah does not have poor drivers.  Because clearly I am from Utah and I am a terrible driver.  But what I would like to prove today is.... EVERYWHERE has terrible drivers.  One particular complaint about Utards is slow drivers in the fast lane.  For the past month that I have lived in California, I was really hoping to see better driving.... more kind drivers, more patient, and most important, drivers using the fast lane for passing or actually going fast.... 

Bottom line.  Every where has horrible drivers. 

When I looked for the statistics of what states have the most fatalities caused by car accidents and states with the most car accidents... Utah did not make the top ten on either.

So although I can't change popular opinion about the gorgeous state of Utah..... at least I can sleep well tonight that I am a terrible driver.... because I am a terrible driver.  Not because I am from Utah.

Classroom sweet Classroom

Walking into my classroom is almost like coming home.  It's pathetic how much we get attached to walls.  So when I walked in my classroom I saw my board covered in notes from students from the last day of school.  My favorite message on my board.

Home

After a late night at Disneyland I got up at 4 AM to drive through the desert back home.  

I'm ready for a sunrise instead of a sunset.

My lil brother was sitting by the door waiting for me to get home.... (you would think he was 5 not 23... but it sure made me feel special) "Hey Kristin, Hey Kristin!!! Let's go catch polly wogs!"  So off we went. My mum handed me this cute hat as we went to leave... although the wind was not cooperating!

Chad in a DEAD sprint!

We let the soon to be froggies in our pond.... it's good to be home!

Family Home Evening

So we went to El Segundo for FHE last night.... I had a roommate from there once.  She told me how charming her cute little town was located on the beach just southwest of LAX.  She also told me that The OC was filmed the school scenes at her high school.  She said she saw the actors from the show all the time her senior year... of course I had to go see her school!

Although it was a darling school.... it was sad as I walked around the campus and realized.... definitely not Harbor High... she lied to me!  But I guess I shouldn't be that surprised... she lied to everyone.

FHE is so much cooler at the beach...

 And I met a really cute boy........ going to Harvard......... yes a successful night.

Sunday Dinner

at my uncles' house....

Kelvin and Ernie

Saturday is a special day.

We had no plans... nothing in particular we were planning on doing.  That is what is so awesome about living here!  So once again Lars and I decided to hit ride out bikes the 45 miles to the beach.  I think doing this bike trip is like having a baby.... at times, particularly the end is MISERABLE.  The headwind was gusting sometimes I would peddle and question whether or not I moved!  But as soon as I feel the sand between my toes... it's like I forget all the misery.

The whole Crew came to pick us up... I realize I haven't taken many pictures of the cute lil girls I am living with!

This is how windy it was...

Later last night Lars took a shower after me.  As he walked out of the bathroom he said, "What was that delightful smell!!" Next thing I know I hear Lars saying, 

"They are good separate.  The tea tree shampoo.... the minty conditioner.... but you put them together.... HEAVEN!"  He sniffed and sniffed and sniffed... until he squeezed too tight... and minty conditioner all over...

White is the new black in Range Rovers.

Yesterday we shopped in Old Town Pasadena...Old Town might be my favorite non beach or Disneyland place in Southern California.  It is gorgeous.  Perfect example is this building:

Pasadena City hall

After we went to Glendale to attend a Oscar's night at the singles ward... you know it's going to be good when half the ward works at a motion picture studio... so far I have met someone that works for Disney, Extreme Makeover, Warner Brothers.... ya know, no big deal.  Anyways, we were early (actually on time but everybody knows you can't show up to ward activity on time.) so we went for a drive straight up the mountain to look at the houses on top. 

My favorite House

The view from the top

but my favorite part.... at the bottom of the hill there were black range rovers.... but as soon as we moved up the hill to the nicer houses, all the range rovers were white.... who knew.

It's a rough life around here...

So today Lars and I were toying with the idea of the beach... but June Gloom was out so we figured we'd go to Disneyland until the clouds burned off, then we would head to the beach.  Well we never made it to the beach because it was SO MUCH FUN! (Don't worry, we are planning on hitting up the beach tomorrow) Oh my gosh Disneyland is always fun.  But today the really different and fun thing was our company.  While waiting in line for Splash Mountain I heard the lady behind us.  She was from Australia.  We started chatting.  Found out she was back packing around the western United States for 6 weeks by herself.  How cool!  So of course I asked her all my favorite questions I love to ask foreigners like "What's the thing that has most surprised you about America?" "What have you liked the most?"  or "What is the worst thing about America?"  Ya know... typical questions that would be great information for my geography students.

Anyways while on Splash Mountain I got thinking... how lonely. Disneyland by yourself?  So after Lars and I got off the ride I asked him if it would be okay if we invited her to hang out with us for the day.  It was crazy being with someone that had never been to Disneyland before.  She had no idea what to expect on any of the rides.  She had a map and had systematically tracked her visit through the park.  You should have seen her as we went on Pirates.  It was like being a kid again.  But probably my favorite event of the day was going on the Tea Cups.  She had gone by herself, but clearly couldn't spin the tea cup very fast..... so course we had to go again.  It was amazingly hilarious!  She said it was one of her favorite rides.  I hope we made her visit to Disneyland just a little bit more magical... because I know she made it more magical for me!

Caught Red Handed.

Well I realized today that this California Adventure is the first time in 9 years that I haven't had access to a gym.  Although I hate love running and biking all the time... I figured I couldn't stand much more of it.  So I went to Walmart today and purchased a step to do step aerobics.  I tried to explain to Lars, completely confused about what step is,  that step looks pretty ridiculous by yourself.... well I don't think he really believed me until he saw it first hand... clearly he thought it was so hilarious, that he taped me on his iphone.  He yelled out the door after he finished recording, "THIS is going on facebook!"  Just in case you wanted to see how ridiculous step really looks, here ya go!

Why oh why can't I always be a California Girl????

Push play... it'll make you think you are really here. :)

Yesterday on my run... it started normal, I was actually listening to Grey's on netflix on my iphone (pretty amazing!) but then about mile 5 I realized how freaking AMAZING this place I live is!!! I just started taking pictures. So welcome to "The Pride of the Foothills"

Look at this running trail!

Oh Lemon Trees

Palm Trees?  My new Tulips....

 What was next on the agenda? I met up with some new friends at...

I'm obsessed, French Onion Soup. Yes, I will go to Disneyland just for it.

What does this all mean?

A very very very happy  California girl