Girls Getaway

A couple of weekends ago, May 29, i went up to Park City with a bunch of girl friends for a weekend away. Even though it wasn't far, it was still far enough away to getaway. I went up with Kendra, Maggie, Lexy, Jenny, and Katy. It turned out to be quit the adventure.

It all started on Friday morning when Kendra was supposed to pick me up for work. We had decided to carpool to work so that we could just go tup to Park City after we got off. She ended up running a little bit late which had me worried about wether i should just drive in. But she did make it and then since she works downtown she just dropped me off at the trax's station so i could take the train up to the U. We made it tot he station just in time to catch the train. I got out of the car and ran right on the train. I then proceed up to work were i spent the whole day waiting for it to end. I really did nothing that day. I think the only work thing i did was get the mail. The rest of the day was spent spinning in my chair, visiting with my sister, or laying in the grass in the sun. When i got off at three i rode the train back downtown and then walked over to Kendra's office. From there we went and picked up Lexy so that we could all head up together. From here Kendra took the round about way to get to the freeway. We ended up near where we had started. It was highly entertaining and i think it took us an extra 15-20 minutes...but it was fun and funny. As we were headed up i realized that i never looked up how to get to the hotel that we were staying at. I had the conformation papers and the address but i did not know how to get there. We all figured that we could just figure it out and be fine. So when we get up there we take the Kimball Junction exit and then start looking around for Main Street. We keep going up and down roads trying to find this place. We finally start looking for signs that say Park City Resort because the Marriott hotel is supposed to be right across from it. We finally find one and it says that Park City is 9 miles up the road. It is then that we realize that we aren't even in Park City. None of us had ever actually been up there before. We had all just thought that where the outlets were was Park City. Needless to say we had to laugh at that. From there it was a whole lot easier to find the hotel. It helps when you are in the right city to start with.

After we found the place and checked in are other friends showed up as well. Good timing on our part. When we got in the room we all had to check it out and see what we could find. We found great big beds, a fireplace, a nice kitchen, and a giant bathtub that we could all fit in. so of course we all had to get it it at once.



After we got settled we took a walk down Main Street. It is very nice and pretty cool to say the least. On our walk we found our good friends Franz the Bear and Lilly the Moose.


We had to take pictures. My favorite part about the moose was that her toes nails were painted and she was wearing heels. What a moose. We then found the cutest book store.

All of us that were there really like to read and a few of us absolutly love children's books. Needless to say we spent a good hour there in that store reading the books and looking around the shop. After the store we went to dinner at .......

We got four different kinds of pizza and split it all up so that we each got to taste them all. It was really good. After dinner we kept walking down Main Street and looking at all of the shops and cute buildings along the way.




When we got back to the hotel we decided to to go the store to get some snacks for the night and some breakfast for the morning. All six of us squeezed into Kendra's car and went down to Albertson's. Lets just say that that was one entertaining car ride. After we had all decided what we wanted to eat we headed back to the hotel. We then played Mad Libs. During which we found out that we are a famous rock band and that we have a hit single called "Love Kaboom". I hear it sounds great.

If you have never played Mad Libs, or have not in awhile, i suggest that you do so. They are highly entertaining as usually very funny. Just make sure that you know you nouns, adverbs, and adjectives, otherwise it could get confusing. After that game we played Last Word. I would also recommend playing this one as well. It is also very funny and entertaining. Then we decided to watch The Wedding Planner, which is always cute. From there we proceed to go to bed.

On Saturday we got up and had breakfast and then proceeded to the outlet stores for a wonderful day of shopping. We spent the morning going in and out of our favorite shops. It was a blast and i got a few great things. And it is always fun to go shopping with friends.

Overall, we all really had a great time. It is trips like these that make me grateful for the friends that i have. i love them all and love spending time with them no matter where it is.

Memorial Day Weekend

For Memorial Day weekend i went to St. George with 3 of my cousins. I went with Brett, Allie, and Jacqui. We drove down that friday and had a blast the whole ride. It was Jacqui's birthday that day so we gave her gifts every hour of the trip to keep her awake.


Once there we checked into the hotel and then decided to go and get some dinner. We went to the Pizza factory and ate way to much yummy pizza. Then we got birthday ice cream after.


After that we went to the park and played then went back and watched a movie to end the night.

Saturday we went and got pedicures and then went to lunch at In-N-Out. When in St. George it is a must to eat there. We then spent the rest of the afternoon shopping! Which is always a blast when you get to shop the sidewalk sales and the outlets. After shopping we went and saw 17 Again because Jacqui had not seen it yet. It was just as much fun the second time as it was the first. Then we went to dinner at Taco Bell. We decided that Taco Bell always sounds good late at night. And of course we had to go to Iceberg afterwards. We then went back to the hotel and played Last Word, which was so funny i was laughing so hard i could hardly breath. (If you have not played this i highly recamend it).






On Sunday we went to Church and then we went to the Temple. It is always so much and so peaceful to go and walk around the Temple ground's. After that we went back to the hotel and hung out by the pool for a couple of hours. After the pool we slowly got ready and then went to the Entrada Resort. We had to go here to get our traditional 'New York hair cut' photos with Zac Efron. It is a must! Then we went to dinner at the Olive Garden and had to get dessert. The Cheesecake was amazingly good. When we got back to the hotel we went for a walk since it was still light. Once it got dark though we decided we should head back to the hotel. Then, since we were board, we had the grand idea to jump on the bed. It was actually really fun and entertained us for a good hour or so. Then we ended the night with a movie once again.










On Monday we got up and packed and then went to Spoon Me for yogurt before we left. The sign said "No spooning on Sunday's". it made us laugh. They do have very good yogurt though. Then we just headed home. We did have some entertainment though when we decided to follow this yellow jeep full of really cute boys. That entertained us for a good hour and a half as we tried to not loose them. I am sure that they thought we were stocking them...which we were, so they had a right o be afraid. it was fun though. All in all it was a great weekend and so fun much to just get away.

Race for the Cure

Last Saturday, on May 9, 2009, I participated in the Race for the Cure. This is a 5k race that they hold every year to help raise money for breast cancer. For those of you who do not know a 5k is a little over 3 miles long. They hold the race down by the Gateway Mail. I goes from the north end of the mail up 3rd west to the gas station and then back down 4th west to the mail.

I had not heard of this race until my cousin Brett told me that she was walking in it with her family and asked me to join. They were walking in it because her boss's wife had breast cancer and she was also in her ward. So there Young Woman's group was walking in it as well. It was sort of last minute, but i signed up right before the deadline anyway. And i am glad i did.

On race day i rode the train and trax down to the mail. I figured that this would be the best option considering how many people go and how many people would have to park downtown which is a mess anyway. It was really fun to tide the train and trax because all of the other people on them were also going to the race. Once down there i meet up with Brett and her family for the race. They got there right as it was starting so we just went up and started walking. It was amazing to see how many people were there. We could look in front of us and see people going on for ever and we could look behind us and see the same thing. It was amazing to think that all of these people were gathered together to support one cause. In a world that is full of hate and wars and so many people fighting against others it was nice to see people working together for a change.

Throughout the race we kept talking and laughing just like we always do. The original plan was just to do half of the 5k because we were not sure how far the Young Woman would want to go or how far Amy would want to go because she is pregnant. As we were going though we got seperated from the group. When we came to the point were you could cut through we were having so much fun that we decided to just keep going and do the whole thing. By the end of the race we were all really glad that we did the whole thing. By the time we got back to the Gateway it had taken us over an hour to walk it all.

When you get to the end you walk through the mail and they have booths set up were they hand out all of this stuff. We got our free banana, orange, and water. There were also booths from all of the supporter's. Our favorite one was the Great Harvest one that was giving out free slices of bread. One other thing that we all really enjoyed throughout the race was people's team name's. For the race you could sign up as a team and make your own name and t-shirts. Some of our favorite team names were The 3 B's support double "D's, Lab Rat's Forever, and Let's do the Race for Second Base.

All in all it was a great day and we all had a great time. It was a lot of fun to walk in it and to see that many people together for the same reason. We were all there to support the same cause and to help out another in the process. It felt great to be a part of something so big that was doing something for hope and for the good. We learned later that there was a total of 18,000 people that walked that day. 18,000 people that were joined together for one cause. 18,000 people who came out to help another. We all had such a good time that we have all already decided that we are going to join in again next year.

Living for Eden

A few weeks ago, on Monday April 6, I went to the benefit concert for Paul Cardaul. This concert was entitled "Living for Edan". Edan is Paul's daughter. As some of you may know, Paul was born with a heart condition. Throughout his life he has undergone may heart surgeries and treatments. He has had to take medication every day of his life to regulate these changes. Through it all though he has managed to work and write wonderful inspiring music for us all. He has also happened to get get married and have a wonderful daughter named Eden.

Paul is now in need of another heart transplant. To help raise money for this surgery his friends decided to throw him a benefit concert. All proceeds would be given to Paul and his family to help them in this time of need. This concert was held on April 6. All of the time and effort that was put into this by the musicians, stage crew, lighting, and publicity was all donated for free. For this night 1,500 people came together to support another.

The musicians at this concert where Kurt Bestor, Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band, Colors, David Tolk, and Peter Brian Holt. Through these musicians and the stage crews talent this was an amazing concert. The stage crew was good and the music was great, but that is not what made this night so amazing. What did make it truly amazing is the love that was shown by everyone that participated.

With each musician came a sense of awe and wonder for Paul and his family. They each preformed songs that had made them think of Paul or songs that they had written for him and his family. With each performance came the support and admiration that they had for a man they all cared about. A man that they all wanted to help. A man that they all love. A man that performed at the end of the concert to show that he cared as well.

This concert was such an amazing concert because of everything that it combined and everything that it brought together. It not only combined great talent with amazing music, but it also brought together a wonderful group of friends and family. This concert brought together people, which in this world today is one of the greatest things that you can accomplish. Being able to unite that many people for one cause is one of the greatest things you can do. So many people came together to support another. To show another that they cared and that they were here. To help another in the only way that they knew how. It did not matter that most of us were strangers. It did not matter that you did not know the person you were sitting next to or the people in front of you. What mattered is that they were all there. They were all there to help one person and his family in their time of need. And that one thing is what united them all. It was having that one purpose in mind that made them all friends for the evening.

It is things like this that give me hope. That give me hope that one day the world may be united. united in one purpose. In one mind. In one heart. All it takes is a person who cares. A person who cares enough to find the common ground. A person who cares enough to unite.

The Science Fair

This last Tuesday was my classes science fair. It was actually really cool and fun to see it all and to see what everyone had chosen to do for their project. Some of my favorite projects that other did were How music effects plant growth, What keeps sliced apples the freshest?, Does smell affect taste?, Which type of toilet paper holds the most liquid?, Which cereal contains the most fortified iron?, How does static electricity work?, and many others. Everyone did a really good job and presented their information well.

For my project i ended up doing Which Stain Remover Removes the Most? For this I bought 8 white wash clothes. I then spread BBQ sauce, yellow Mustard, and Raspberry drink mix on each one. I then treated each one with a different type of stain remover. The removers that I used were Oxi Magic, Shout, Vinegar, Coke a Cola, Clorox Bleach (regular), Tide-to-Go pen, and regular detergent. For this my hypothesis was that the Clorox Bleach would work the best.

What i found out was kind of interesting. First i found that my hypothesis was correct. The clorox Bleach did remove the most out of all of the products. But these were white clothes, and if you had colored you would want to use something else. Second, I found that the Tide-to-Go pen does not really work. It does get part of the stain out, and it probably works better on smaller sections, but overall it did not remove very much of the stains. What surprised me the most though was the Coke. The Coke-a-Cola removed the most of the stains after the bleach. This was surprising to learn because I thought if anything that it would just stain the clothe itself. But it actually worked really well. All I did was dump some Coke over the stain and then rub it together. Then I rinsed it out under hot water and then let it dry. And surprise surprise...it worked. Who knew? All of the other products did an ok job. Most of them got out the drink mix and at least some of the BBQ sauce. The hardest stain to remove was the mustard one. The yellow just did not want to come out.

Overall I really did like doing this project. It was fun to play and to learn what actually worked. I have learned that i really like to discover things and find things out. I like to figure out how things work and what works the best. It is fun to discover and to see new things in the world. This is something that i have always liked and been intriged by, but had never really applied it to science. Which i s really weird when you think about it because discovering is what science is all about. I guess i just never made that connection until this year. Science had always just been about memorizing facts in a book for me. It was never about learning and finding out answers to questions. It was never about discovering something new.

Through this class i have learned that science can be fun. And it should be fun. Science should be driven by curiosity not by facts in a book. As a teacher i want to be able to create an enviroment for my students that is exciting and engaging, I want them to be able to discover on their own and to learn in a way that is meaningful to them. I want them to enjoy learning and to do i have to be able to teach it in an engaging way.