last birthday

for my birthday last year i was in the Middle East.

best way i know of to enter into your second decade of life

-if i do say so myself.

the week leading up to my 20th birthday was spent in Egypt.

and the day of we were in the Sinai Peninsula.

we woke up at 2:00 am and hiked the one and only MOUNT SINAI.

it was unbelievable.

i can't even begin to tell how amazing it was.

we got to watch the sun rise from the most breath taking view.

on the way down Rachel and I met a donkey and became its whisperer and went trail running.

we wanted to make it onto the 1st bus back so we would have time to go swimming.

we flew down that mountain like no other.

once we picked up our speed the momentum wouldn't let us stop, even if we wanted to.

needless to say we made it on the 1st bus and got to go swimming.

then we headed back home to Israel and had a dance party on the bus.

the next day all the girls took me out to lunch in West Jerusalem to Babettes.

best waffles bar none.

and the workers were so sweet- they gave me a birthday dessert and sang to me.

there also happened to be a parade going on as well.

on the way back to the center we hit an art gallery going on.

i really really really loved my birthday last year.

parade

art gallery

lunch at Babettes

i met Moses on the way down from Mount Sinai.

how legit.

our travel directors put on a celebration for my birthday at our Cairo Hotel- and yes there were 3 different kinds of cake and those swords were on fire.

some people were not as jazzed at 4 am after climbing a mountain like i was

best waffles

MOSES

on the way down

donkey whisperer

view from the top

watching the sunrise

made it to the top and waiting for the sun

group hug

the only time i have ever been swimming on my bday.

strange things are happening

1. as i walking down stairs of the Museum of Art for my class, i saw a man. a man who was not wearing any shoes.

also had plastic elf ears tapped on.

(lord of the rings? star trek? i may never know this nerd reference)

and just for a touch of juxtaposition- was wearing ray band sunglasses.

he was also carrying a large black case that looked like it would hold media materials.

his friend walking with him was a classic zoobie hipster

- skinny jeans, low v neck and ray bands as well.

he was also carrying a large black case.

don't know what to make of this......

they headed towards an exhibit in the back corner of the MOA.

super artsy project going on?

byu students trying too hard to stand out?

its a tough call

2. for open lab in anatomy i was all gloved up and getting into the back muscles of a cadaver. i was learning a lot and had a "whoa cool!" moment when right then the power goes out.

that is right ladies and gentlemen, i stood frozen holding muscles in my hands in the dark.

with other cadavers all around me.

needless to say it was scary and gave me the chills.

something to tell the kids about and something i will probably never do again.

a bientot mon amie

well today one of my very best friends went into the MTC today.

she is going to Paris for her mission!

honestly, it is perfect for her.

and i am a little jealous.

the only way i would be seriously tempted to go on a mission is if i could go to either:

a) Paris

b)London

c)Milan

d)Belgium/Netherlands

e)Brazil

i am really really really going to miss her. it kinda feels like a hole is in my life.

i think its harder to say goodbye to girl friends going on missions than boys.

because when the boys leave, you had so many adventures (like starting college) ahead of you and the boys only miss a couple of things.

(like a couple of girls getting married but boys don't really care if they miss their friends weddings like girls do)

when they come home it is easier for them to get in the swing of things.

when girls leave, they are leaving right at the climax for a lot of their friend's lives-right when bigger adult events happen.

and when they come home, they sort of start all over.

when they come home everything will be so different.

so many things are going to happen and it will be harder to tell alyssa about them, because letters are slow and can only capture a few main points.

i can't call her or meet up with her at 2 am to talk about dumb little things.

but somehow all those little things turned out to be something.

that is why i am so impressed with alyssa's choice.

she is so brave and dedicated.

when she comes home, I will be graduating BYU (scary thought!) and then going to Grad school.

our days of going to school together are done.

i always knew she was going, and i really want her to have this wonderful experience.

i just forgot that her going and having this adventure meant i would have to be without her.

and i don't want to be.

maybe i am being overly dramatic.

as in i am.

but it is late, and i am feeling real emotional.

looking back this post is semi depressing and filled with self pity.

but guess what- that is how i feel so too bad.

I JUST REALLY REALLY LOVE HER SO THAT MEANS I AM REALLY REALLY GOING TO MISS HER.

so:

bonne chance et a bientot mon amie.

je t'aime beaucoup

carlsbad crew 2.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_sJ1xTIDiY

(copy and paste)

life is rad in carlsbad.

here is how i spent my last week of summer- dream vacation.

cougar love

i still love BYU.

i still love being a cougar.

and i will never stop.

ever.

happy birthday keki

whilst you are away adventuring in new york, know that i am thinking of you

and that i love you.

you are the best big sister and such a blessing in my life!

byu isn't as fun without you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEFI

jru reunion

over labor day weekend i had a massive jerusalem reunion at one of our professor's house.

it was a total blast seeing everyone but also made me really really homesick for Israel.

it was strange to see everyone:

a) not sweating

b) not wearing hanes white v necks from walmart and genie pants

c) no giant water bottle strapped to their side

d) listening to our professors without our headsets

e) singing the Shefela / Goliath song and dancing the Waka Waka in non-exotic settings

f) strangest of all was the absent need for me to con people into buying me ice cream bars on field trips.

{thank you again Charles for the Chocolate Banana @ Peter's Primacy;

Craig - Magnum Bar @ Luxor;

Justin - Watermelon fruit bar @ the Herodian;

Tahna - Target bar @ the border crossing between Israel and Egypt;

Peri - Magnum Gold @ bordering crossing... again

Chaddy - Watermelon @ Mareshah.

+ all the others.

and Dr. Jackson- i still have your "I owe you" so don't worry.

i will be cashing in soon}

Daddy M

Uncle Judd

twin reunion

Chaddy

sweet emily

everyone's favorite

BJ ad Lexi!

Sister Judd and Megan

a few of us had an after party at Sonic. we couldn't get enough of each other

latino festival

it has become a fall tradition of mine to always go to the Latino Festival

in ptown the first weekend of school.

first year I went with my sister stefi. we both got colored highlights.

mine were pink and purple for her.

when our dad saw us he said "you are gone to college for one week and you are already rebelling."

oh please. they were one dollar and left out 5 days later.

but still SO worth it.

this year i went with my roomie Miriam and some new friends in our Ward.

it was a very successful outing.

my favorite thing can cross all borders- {Peruvian} Headbands!

i heart el salvadorian pupusas!

i just really love this picture. this was in a Peruvian stand. not sure why but i still loved it.

i {heart} NY

god bless america

land that i love

last week of summer

to say goodbye to summer
and have one last hurrah with Alyssa before she leave us all for a mission to Paris
we went to Carlsbad California for round 2!

two summers ago a bunch of my best girl friends all went to Carlsbad for our Senior Trip and it was so unbelievable we were all dreaming of the day we could go back.
and we finally made it happen!
not all of the original girls could come and we missed them very much.
But we did add some new girls who have become some our very best friends since starting college. we had such an amazing group! it was perfection!

dream beach house!!!!!!!!!!

pelican on the pier- look how close we got. we could have touched him. i thought about it but then i chickened out

fish tacos at Wahoo's

we found a bird crashing in the waves. cassi went in and saved him, lizzy called Animal Control who came and picked Victor (yes we named him) up. animal heros!

we got to see our good friend Whit-Nasty who i haven't seen since Jru

we made the Salt Lake Temple out of sand! best castle i know of

best waiters in the world, seriously so nice to us! they gave us so much delicious free food

party platter of pazookis!

our last meal in Cali- breakfast at Naked Cafe

haha

this vaction was so amazing, i never wanted to come home and start school.
and that is a big deal because I LOVE SCHOOL AND I LOVE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
so something has to be really really really special to top that.

everyday this was our schedule:
sleep in
breakfast
walk across the street to the beach
stay on the beach all day till dinner
go out to eat for dinner
rent a movie
make dessert
make prank calls (yes flashback to jr high days)
watch movie
stay up late talking
ALL DONE WITH SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE GIRLS = HEAVEN

thanks again rachie poo for letting us have the best week of summer possible!