Commercial Break

My parents got a new computer. YEA!! I love this new computer. It does all sorts of fancy things. The only down side is that I have all of my pictures from the cruise on the old computer. I have the posts written, just no pictures. All I need to do, is hook up a monitor (and hopefully I can get the old computer to work. We got a new one for good reasons. It was starting to be temper mental) to the old computer and burn the pictures onto a few cd's. As soon as that happens I'll update you on the Bahama cruise. I really need to get that done soon, since I just got back from another AWESOME cruise with some cousins to the Mexican Rivera!!

the Bahamas!! Day 1

So I got a phone call about 4 weeks ago from my friend Sharesa. She was in need of some help, so she called me. She was in a bit of a predicament. A few of her friends from school were all going on a cruise. She wanted to go, but the rooms her friends were in were already full so she'd have to get her own room. And since she's only 18, she'd need someone over 21 to stay in her stateroom with her. Being the good, loyal, friend I am. I decided to help her out and offer to go along, so she could enjoy a cruise to the Bahamas.

I didn't have my passport, so the next day I went to get it expedited since we were only leaving in 4 weeks. Well there was no need to expedite it. I got it two days later. . .

The time finally arrived for us to leave for Miami. Sharesa and I were SO excited! Most the others that we were going with had a little earlier flight than we did. Preston was on our flight so when we got to the airport we met up with him. We left Salt Lake around 3, had a lay over in Atlanta for about an hour, then headed for Miami.

Sharesa is taking a class this summer so she had to study...

On the flight to Atlanta the flight attendants were coming by asking what we wanted for our snacks. I thought all they had were peanuts, or pretzels. So when the guy asked me what I wanted and he offered me cookies. I was REALLY excited and apparently it showed by my response. The guy that was sitting by Sharesa, and the flight attendant, got a good laugh out of it and since I was SO excited about the cookies, he gave me two! We got into Miami we met up with the others for a quick second then went our separate ways since Sharesa and I were in a different hotel. Our hotel was SO nice. We stayed at a Marriot Courtyard. It was AMAZING! Not to mention, the beds were pretty fun to jump on.

The next morning we slept in a bit since we didn't have to check out till noon and we couldn't even get on the ship till one.

Our shuttle driver to the port was so funny. He's only been here in the US for a little while, but he was a good lil driver.

Sharesa and I a lil excited to be on our trip

Once we got to the port, we had to go through security. That was an adventure all in itself. We had to go through a line where they check your passport. Well, the line we went into had a cute kid as the security guard. (mind you we weren't in Utah were every one was white) He took my passport and looked at the picture and he started telling me how 'beautiful' I was, and that 'Utah boys are crazy since I didn't have a boyfriend'. And that 'if I was in Miami, I wouldn't be single very long at all'. Then he looked at Sharesa's passport and the compliments kept goin. He gave me his number and told me to look him up on Facebook (gotta love the echo generation. haha) He wanted to hang out when our cruise got back Friday, but he had to work. I was just so disappointed! (insert emoticon with it's eyes rolling here) Since Evns, that's what his friends call him, kept us for a while talkin to us we had to go through extra security since it made us look suspicious?. I still don't get what the point of that was since we just walked through a metal detector. After that we went upstairs to the regular security check point where everyone goes through that's just like airport security. Oh well.

We got our seapass cards and were on our way to the ship! Once on the ship we decided to check out our staterooms and get some food! After all, why else does one go on a cruise, other than for the food, right?!

Sharesa was struggling with this orange

On the way to our room we found these random closet things

I was surprised at how not small the cabin was. I've heard so many horror stories about how there is absolutely NO room, but it wasn't bad at all. Yeah it was small, but it was definitely livable.

Once we got into our room we decided to check out the ship and head up to the pool deck for when we set sail.

The pool deck; Looking out at Miami Beach; the pretty clear water; Sharesa and me

Me, Shalese, and Nathan; Me Sharesa, Nathan, and Shalese playin with the wheel we found; some more pics

After we left Miami and played by the pool for a while, it was time for dinner. Dinner was probably the most-looked-forward-to events of the day, everyday. Monday night was no different. Our wait staff was awesome. We not only enjoyed the food (and a ton of it) but it was VERY entertaining as well.

This was the main elevator and commons area in the middle of the ship

That night, we had to take advantage of being away from the city lights and check out the night sky around the boat. Here's some pictures from our lil walk.

haha Sharesa got her pants stuck in the door; a cool lil hiding place under the stairs; butts; and I stole Blake's cool sunglasses :D

Sharesa and Shalese on the pole; butts (me, Sharesa, Shalese, Blake, Natalie); some of the gang in the hallway (L to R counter-clockwise: Blake (green striped shirt), Preston, me, Nathan, Sharesa, Cami)

That night we all slept pretty good. A little bit of a gentle rocking, just enough to rock us to sleep to prepare for the next day in Key West. . .

Alright! Alright!

Since I've been bugged, I guess I'll update this thing. Lets see. . .what all's been going on in the life of Me?
Well, After New York I came back to good 'ol Utah and got a job at the JC Penny Salon. That was a short lived job since there was a job opening at SportClips. Really can you see me anywhere other than in a sports environment? Yeah, me either :)

We went to Disneyland in September. My parents, Gary and Jana, and their boys, and me! Jana running in the 1/2 Marathon there at Disneyland was our excuse to go. But lets be honest, since when do I need an excuse to go to Disneyland?? We went to breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen, and lunch at the Golden Horseshoe. I ended up having to go up on stage. Thanks Gage, for crying when your mom went up so I had to make a fool of myself. Which really wasn't very hard :S

The Fam at Goofy's Kitchen and me making a fool of myself!

Halloween my sister made me my very own CareBear costume! I was so excited! (When I was living with them, it was a late night, and the dress up clothes were out. . .I found a costume she made for my nieces. Now I get my very own!) AND you can't have Halloween with out Sis. Hoffmann's divine donuts! mmmmm!

The dress-up costume (Friendship Bear), My costume (Champ Bear), and Elisabeth and me with our mmmmmm good donuts!

This last fall I was helping at Westminster College with their volleyball team. I learned SO much! I loved it! I am coaching for High Country again. Our season started up with tryouts in November. I love my team! They are so fun! Yes, we have already partied and the next party is in the works. (I'm lame I didn't get any pictures of the party. Sorry) The first tournament we took second. The second tourney we took first. And we're not going to talk about the third tourney. Other than the fact that (long story short) the coach we were playing against was driving all of us crazy so my outside hitter purposely hit the ball out so she could try and hit him in the face! I've never been so proud to coach :D

January I went up to Green River Wyoming again to watch my stud of a cousin (and the other boys) wrestle. The coaches at Chaparral are amazing! We had parents from another team comment on how well the Chap coaches interact with the boys and everyone around them. They sure are amazing coaches!

Me and Jackson

I also had my annual Birthday Hockey Game! I'll have to get pictures from Elisabeth. I didn't think to bring my camera :(
February I took my annual road trip to Denver for State. I am so proud of Jackson and how well he did! He took second! He is definitely one of my hero's! He is such an amazing kid! I look up to him so much. I have never met anyone who has a solid grasp on life and has such a strong head on his shoulders. We had five boys make it to State and two of them in the finals. It was awesome! I lost my voice for about two weeks from all the screaming we did (that, and I came home with strep) Oh, and The Pepsi center is crazy about not letting food in. . .Not a problem for us!

Our food stash, Finals (It's hard to see Jackson and Jason, but there there about in the middle of the pic)

The poster we made for Jackson for the Finals, Jackson and Kurtis' lil fan club (those lil boys adore Jackson!), and Jackson and Kurtis preparing for the Finals match

For Christmas my parents got me a gift certificate to get my very own pair of K'boy boots. Or shit kickers, as I like to call em. Aren't they super cute?!

The middle of March my parents and I went down to Arizona. One of the guys my brother-in-law works with decided to make a great decision and get baptized and become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! My parents and I decided we wanted to go down and support him. . .and get in a Spring Training game! I have NEVER seen the desert SO green! It was beautiful! And the facility there at Camel Back Ranch was INCREDIBLE! We watched the Dodgers and Angels play. It was so much fun! 85 degree weather. Bright blue skies. Dodger Dogs. You can't ask for anything better!

Ramirez up to bat, me with the pretty green grass behind me!

On the way back to Flagstaff we stopped at the gas station. I had to get this. It's one of my favorites, and it's next to impossible to find!

When I got back from Arizona, I went down to the Paul Mitchell the School Graduation. It was so nice to go to a graduation and not have to do anything (since I was in school, and when I worked there, I was over Student Council. Student Council is in charge of all the graduations). My good friend Crosby was graduating so I went down to support her. I'm so proud of her and all that she's accomplished! After the graduation we went and had a yummy dinner with an amazing cake for desert. Her cousin made this incredible cake.

Me and Crosby after her graduation, me and her dad

Here is the amazing cake. All of it's edible, except for the scissors, the nail polish, and the lip stick. She made those out of clay.