108 Days of MY Summer Vacation

Woweeeeee!  Where, oh where, did this summer vacation of mine go.....

My summer vacation started out with a bang.  The Sis and I did a VERY LONG ROAD TRIP - remember that???

14-15 days...give or take a few, (I can't remember) of traveling in a circle amongst the states of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming.

4 days of Cake Decorating Classes - to which I might add, I'm not a fan of decorating cakes.  I was stressed the whole time because of my chemistry class that was going on the at SAME TIME.  And, I think the icing we had to make was absolutely disgusting.  Therefore, my cakes that I ended up producing got thrown in the trash.  My final cake for the class didn't even make it to class because of stress and poor planning - that cake was a complete mess, and so was I!!!  I will say that the one thing I gained from this experience was some nifty baking tricks, and an admiration for anyone who decorates cakes.  Let me just fork out the big bucks to those cake decorators in the world, because you won't ever see me decorating another cake!

Me and my two girls - Staci and Reagan at our favorite flower bed - Presidents house.

 Some of the other fun flower and ground girls.  (Back:  Julianne, Kim, Kali, Reagan, Staci.  Bottom:  Vonae, and Me.)

63ish days of working the grounds of SUU.  I got "stuck" with two younger girls in a threesome this summer, and let's just say I wasn't looking forward to it.  BUT, I ended up having a blast with my two young co-workers, and we had a fun time working together each day.  Reagan (20) and Staci (18) taught me a lot.  I go back to what my Boss said when he paired us up, "You can learn a lot from these two girls."  I said, "How can I learn something from a 20 year old and fresh new High School graduate???"  I looked passed the age difference (finally) and had a great time working the grounds with two young'ns.

Kyle, Me, (Kyle + Me (Libby) = "Kibby") Erin, and Auntie Cami!!!  Best 31st Birthday EVER!

3 days of birthday celebration!  The night before my birthday my Sis and one of my Bro's baked me some cookies, lite a candle on fire, sang "happy birthday," and let me open my presents.  The day of my birthday I was surprised with flowers, singing, and Dairy Queen ice cream cake!  What a wonderful surprise from dear friends!!!!  A few days later I was then treated to dinner by another friend to a very yummy BBQ restaurant in Cedar City.  Tasted so good, but left smelling like a fire pit - worth it, I think so!

5 days of Tiki Shack snow cone eating!  I know, totally disappointed in my lack of support to one of the best Snow Cone shacks this side of Hawaii!  Next year I will not disappoint!  (If you haven't stopped on main street in Cedar City at the decorated camping trailer known as the Tiki Shack then you, my readers, are missing out!  When you go, (next summer since they closed for winter) please get a snow cone with your choice of flavor, vanilla ice cream on the bottom, sweet and condensed milk on top, and then lastly topped off with whip cream - HEAVENLY!)

73 days, and still going....UGH!  I planted a garden.  I have decided that gardens as big as mine are for people who have kids that can help, or for people who have a spouse, and you are both retired.  I bit off more then I could chew, and this garden has been a lot of work.  However, I have reaped the benefits, okay a lot of benefits. I have more squash then I know what to do with - anyone want some?  Contact me!!!!  Sheesh! They say that when planting a zucchini plant or squash plant you plant two.  Two, just in case one plant doesn't make it you'll at least have one.  Oh no, I planted three different types of squash and six plants each of the different squash.  That makes a total of 18 FREAKING plants.  And, on top of that, I accidentally dropped some pumpkin seeds that surprisingly popped up, so now I have a huge pumpkin plant taking over a section of my garden.  Anyone need pumpkins this fall????  Well, at least I can say that I learned a lot from this garden experience.  I know what to do next time, and what not to do.  Next year, I do not see a garden in my future, at least not a very big one.

5 days of culture, as I spent time going to plays at Tuachan and Shakespeare.  I got to see "The Glass Menagerie," which was very interesting, depressing, and hit a little to close to home.  "Romeo and Juliet" where I leaned back and slept through most of the play...it was free so I wasn't out any money, and I was taking my Sister - who loved it!  "Noises Off!" which was was hilarious, clever, and I very much recommend.  "Grease" which was SO AWESOME - such a classic in my book!  And lastly, I got to see "The Little Mermaid," which was actually kind of silly - cool affects, but super silly.  (I also get to go see "Dial M For Murder" in October, which is a fall play during the Shakespeare festival.)

This is me FINALLY passing chemistry - thumbs up yo!  (Don't worry I just signed my tutor up for another semester with my Food Science class - Lord help me!!!)

38 days of studying my pea brain out over chemistry!  And not to mention I spent $700.00 on a tutor who FINALLY got me to pass organic bio chemistry.  How does it go....
A big bag of sunflower seeds $3.59
Over due fees at the library for using a study room $2.30
70 hours for a personal tutor $700.00
Passing chemistry after the fourth time (or 9th time - all together)...PRICELESS.  Heck yes, FREAKING PRICELESS!!!

 The whole hiking gang at Kanarraville Falls.

A couple of days (here and there) hanging out with family, having barbeque's, going hiking, camping, and river rafting - yeah buddy.  Our latest hike took us to the canyon right up the road from my bro's house.  Kanarra Narrows, as we always called it growing up.  We finally set a date and went and hiked the narrows.  Had a most beautiful Saturday afternoon, and couldn't have picked a better date.  The narrows were packed with people and we had some interesting experiences, but we didn't see any snakes and we all survived each other.

Lastly, out of my whole summer vacation I only watched about 20 days of Netflix.  Shocking, I know!  I should've just put my account on hold as I was so busy with chemistry, chemistry, and well whatever else I did this summer.  I didn't put it on hold, so my very few dvd's I recived over the summer sat in their envelope for days, sometimes weeks without me watching the dvd.  I also watch instant, so the rest of my watching days were set to my latest crave, (or the flashback to mid 90's watching "My So Called Life" with the beautiful Jared Leto) "Take Home Chef" - which I used to watch when it aired years ago on TLC.  This show only lasted two seasons, but has over 100 episodes.  AND, the only time I would get to watch that show was when I had dishes THAT HAD TO BE DONE.  I clean dishes and watch a beautiful (straight) Austrialian man cook dinner.  Oh the life I live!  I also want to put in my two cents about this whole Netflix - raising the price thing.  IT STINKS!  But, as my Mommy tried to calm me down...she said, "Libby, it was bound to happen - get over it!"  I'm sticking with Netflix, but they can forget me converting any more people over to their company.  SHOOT - I used to have such a strong testimony of them and their company, but then that thing called money and greed got in the way and this is how they treat their consumers.  Nu Uh - I don't think so.  I tired to wait it out by making a threat (either "you don't make us pay or I'm canceling my account") via Facebook, along with umpteen thousand others....but those Netflix folk are sticking to their guns and I am just going to have to buck up and pay the extra money a month.  So, I'm sticking with them! I am even paying the $16.00 (actually $17.07 - just got my first bill) a month so I can have one unlimited and instant viewing.

My new home - what a mess.  Wish I could find time to unpack instead of just doing a little here and little there!!!!!!

And lastly, I spent all my other time trying to pack up my CRAP and move.  Yes, I cut the cord from my younger brother and moved out to the big city of Cedar City.  I wish I would've done it sooner.  I will miss my Bro - he has been a fantastic landlord/storage unit, but the time has come.  Now I really can make fun of people who are my age and still live at home!  I moved to Cedar City, and it has taken me forever to get my CRAP to my little basement apartment that is just blocks away from campus, and in the heart of downtown.  I live below an old family friend who is my age and has a little boy.  I love my new crib, and I am almost done decorating it - you want a tour...I will be making a video of my new digs just cause it's been a while since I have made a lame video.  Stay tuned - it's going to be a good one!

I know my summer wasn't as exciting as most of my family and friends, but I sure did stay busy.  I guess that's all that matters at this point in my life.  Won't this next year of mine be interesting to watch....can't wait to see where I end up!