Damn You Google Maps!!!

This weekend was the 24th of July. Everyone in Utah knows that means a few things: rodeos, a day off, parades, and CAMPING!! Darby and I made the annual trek up to Hoop Lake in the Uintas to camp with Melissa, Eric (AKA: Ornery Camp Director) and the munchkins Haylie and Mikaela. Well, Hoop Lake isn't that hard to find...or is it? Let's go with the latter. So, I like maps and most of the time I am fairly good at following them. To ensure that Darby and I arrived at Hoop Lake without any hang ups, I decided to Google Map Hoop Lake, UT.

Well, it gave me the directions which seemed idiot proof. Yeah, the directions were correct until Mountain View, Wyoming and then they were pretty useless. We were supposed to head to the left and it told us to head to the right. So, we are in the Wasatch National Forest going along and not getting anywhere near Hoop Lake. We eventually reach a sign that states "Leaving Wasatch National Forest." Not a good sign. We turn around and head back to the road, when Eric calls us and proceeds to tell us where we are, when he himself has no idea where he is. Darby told him that we were leaving Wasatch National Forest, to which he replied, "I don't know what that is." Darby told him, "You're in it!" So, Eric is not Mr. GPS. Well, after about an hour of driving all over the forest, we turned back and finally made it to Mountain View, WY and met Eric and Todd at the Maverick. Needless to say we were a little peeved! We then followed Eric the other way to Hoop Lake. We ended getting to our campsite around 12:40 am. I think we freaked Melissa out. We put up our tent, got in our sleeping bags and began cursing Google Maps! "Damn you Google maps!" Word to the Wise: Google Maps will lead you astray!!

So, I have learned my lesson: have an atlas in the car.

But camping was fun. Todd and Monica and their girls joined the fun this year. We had plenty of four-wheeler rides, fishing, cooking, and fires. There were only about four Mikaela Meltdowns (which is pretty good) and the Banana Boats were divine! Thanks Melissa and Eric for a fun weekend!! See you next year!

I love the Snuggie...and HP

Last night, we were at Lacey's watching "The Bachelorette". Lacey's basement is the bomb.com, but according to some people is "too cold." However, I love it! It is the perfect temperature to me. I think I got an extra gene that makes me super hot! My body temperature has got to be about 100.6 rather than the standard 98.6. I am always hot, so I don't mind the cold basement one bit. Well, as we all settled in to watch Jillian be super dramatic again this week with the three guys left, everyone grabbed a blanket. Well, when I looked at what was left, it was...a Snuggie. Please tell me you have seen the infomercial! Basically I looked like I belonged at Hogwarts, and in Gryffindor for that matter with the scarlet robes! All I was missing was my pointed witch hat and wand and the ensemble would have been complete!

Speaking of Harry Potter, tonight is the midnight showing of the movie (I've lost track which one...HP and the Half Blood Prince?). Well, today at work, I was down in the vault (or rather the dungeon) reviewing some documents. A girl that works down there is super pumped for the movie. Her shirt had a lightning bolt on the front with HP in the middle. On the back it read: "No one is HOTTER than POTTER!" OH MY CRAP! I wanted to burst out laughing! However, I understand her loyalty to the HP Fan club. I have picked up the books once again, and am thoroughly enjoying them. Hermana Blackburn asked if I had read them, I said up to the third one and she told me she was reading before the movie comes out. I have forgotten how much I enjoy those books! That JK Rowling sure knows what she is doing. So to all you Potter fans, I hope you enjoy the movie tonight.

I've got rhythm! I've got music!

Yesterday was my mission companion Hermana Bonnie Blackburn's birthday. As such, it was a time of celebration. Darby and I made the drive down to Provo (our favorite place in Utah! Yeah right) for the party.

Well, I have been out of college for about 3 1/2 years now, and I forgot how college parties can work sometimes. I am used to going to parties with some music and food and everyone making conversation with the occasional Rock Band auditions. However, they must do things differently in P-town, for we were placed into a circle and had our first encounter with "Big Booty". I wasn't sure what to expect from this game by the title, but it was not what I thought it would be. Darby and I pretty much realized (or rather reaffirmed) that Melissa and Erin got all the rhythm and beat in their genes while we got athleticism. Big Booty rolls on a beat that Darb and I just could not find! Needless to say we moved down to the final spot of the circle just about every round. But at least we played. We made total fools of ourselves, but we did participate.

It was a fun party and Hna Blackburn was pretty happy that it was her Happy Birthday! I guess I need to find me some rhythm!