Trip South

I keep delaying posting about our pre-christmas vaca to Zion National Park because i keep promising myself i will actually put some panorama pics together for it. Since thats not happening, i'll just post what i have. (and if it does ever happen.. i'll still post those)

I finished my last final of my first semester of law school on a Thursday! The Thursday that the Hobbit came out. Went to a law school christmas/finals party and then to the Hobbit at midnight. Got home about 4am. Danny left to take his last final and like 6:15 am. Somehow he aced it.

A couple of days later we left for St George and ZNP!

We dug our hotel-- especially the indoor outdoor pool & hot tub! It pays to travel in the off season! We had a king suite and the aforementioned amenities for $50 a night. Nice.

I'd never been to ZNP in the winter and I was praying for warmer weather but it was SO pretty with the snow and the winter angle of the sun. And it's always a pleasure to get out of Provo.

Whew

Holy canoli. I finished my first semester of law school. 

I loved it. 

Maybe that's cause I don't have my grades yet. 

But I love learning it-- I find it almost addictive. 

I feel a little sad today with nothing to study. 

Kind of like when I finish a marathon or race. 

And I'm happy its over. 

But also a little sad. 

Because the journey getting there was so great. 

They call it runner's blues.

Don't worry, I'm sure I will find lots of fun things

to do to keep myself distracted. 

Including but not limited to: 

1. Road trip with Dan

2. Christmas, in general

3. Snow shoeing

4. Snow boarding

5. Watching every show I missed

6. Running/working out so that I can:

7. Bake lots of delicious things. 

So I have some updating to do. 

Not that I have done much besides hang in the library for the last four months. 

Here is some fall stuff:

Went on a bike ride in the fall leaves 

Then some weeks later in snowed while it was still fall. 

And all of these peaches got hosed

Derek and Hope and sometimes Danny and Aly and James hang with us on Sundays where I make it a point not to study. 

Derek made us some delicious mexi salsa made of the above ingredients-- which he grilled himself. Impressive. 

Then it was Thanksgiving. We missed my fam who got together in Seattle but got to spend the day with the Masters. Played some badminton and ate more than I thought humanly possible. 

I made this turkey out of fruit. 

And I made mommy brown's delicious heavenly hash brownies. But I added oreos, m&ms, grahams, and chocolate chips. Because I felt like getting diabetes I guess. 

Maybe that gets us up to speed. I'll have to look through some pics. Speaking of pics, I made time to squeeze some photography sessions over the semester which you can see here. I'll be updating all the sessions over the next couple of weeks.

Went to a little Christmas party then the midnight showing of the Hobbit last night. So magical. Then I slept til like 10:45 which I really think is a personal record. On to Christmas shopping!

Zombie Chase 5k

Hope and I did a zombie run this year (thanks again Tamara!!). 

It was SO fun and creepy. 

We shot paintball guns at zombies, got chased, crawled through tunnels and graves

A great way to celebrate Halloween. 

I wore the go pro but i am to wobbly of a runner so I will spare you. Just know, it was awesome and we are planning on getting the whole Masters clan in on the fun next year. 

Celebrate good times

Every year I try to convince Danny to have a halloween party. 

But usually its just the two of us because i dont think of it until the day of. 

This year we had our sibs over. 

this is supposed to be an eyeball. Whatever. I am not a crafter. 

mummy pigs in blanket, a tradition

sunday afternoon bike ride.

i tried to make danny take pics playing in the leaves. we need a child. or dog. 

Halloween through the ages

2008: ninjas
2009: Storm and Wolverine
2010: Mariokart Peach + Mario
2011: Chinese lady and Chinese take out
2012: Orbit gum girl and Brawny paper towel guy

Happy Halloween one and all!

Aunt Elberta's Funeral

Ahhh it felt amazing to get out of Provo. 

Actually it felt amazing to just get out of the library. 

Derek, Danny, and I drove down to AZ for our Auntie Elberta's funeral. 

She fought a hard fight with cancer. 

We were sad for the reason to all be together, 

but excited to see lots of fam we hadn't seen in a long time. 

Dad reunited with his twin bro Wayne

and chumming it up with his old high school buddies. 

Aunt E was known for her cinnamon rolls-- they passed them out after the funeral. Dad stuffed like a million in his pockets. True to form. 

We LOVED spending time with Grandma Brown! Isn't she precious. I'm going to start wearing pink suits to funerals. We hung out with her all Sat night. Fun to hear stories and giggle with her.

i LOVED the orange trees that were everywhere. they literally made me feel giddy.

hahaha how ive missed my sissay. This is her funeral hat.

Post funeral we enjoyed being outside in the delicious 95 degree weather, swimming @ hotel, hanging @ Grandma B's house, and having dad give us the tour of Mesa and tell all his crazy stories from his youth.

AND eating blue bell.

This is the house my dad grew up in! Amazing. 

Mesa temple reminds me of Laie and makes me feel at home. 

Stopped by lake powell on our way home. 

Proof that derek really is a punk.

Dew made it all possible. Except I am quite sure i have a dew hang over. 

Good fam good food good times.