Attention Walmart Shoppers

This Web site of real-life Walmart customers is what I like to call nasty-fantasty. Click here if you dare. Don't say I didn't warn you.

When to ride a scooter

I was reminded today of the time I decided to ride my Razor to school—college that is. Big-kid school. So I set out, kicking away at the streets and sidewalks underneath me. Kicking away as the incline got steeper and steeper. Since when was campus uphill? I thought, a tinge annoyed. I'd never noticed the hill even though I'd walked to class every day of college. My kicking left leg got slower and slower until I decided to walk and then hold the scooter while I crossed over to the baseball stadium. My forehead was literally dripping. I'm known to drip. Half way there. The rest should've been a piece of cake, right? It was terribly embarrassing crossing over Bulldog Avenue because my left leg was limp by then, and I was wobbling on my right leg. I was spent. By the time I got to the JKHB, I'd removed my white hooded sweatshirt and was running my finger tips across my face to wipe it dry before class. And what do you do with a Razor scooter while you're in class? I slid it under my desk, hoping I wouldn't forget it. Well, my left leg was rubber the next day, and my back hurt from leaning over. Without too much thought, I decided to retire my scooter as campus transport.

So when I was walking through the lightly sprinkling rain on the U's campus today and heard a thud, squeak...thud, sqeak and then immediately saw a girl awkwardly kicking at the sidewalk to get going, I felt for her. Poor silly girl. At least the rain was coming down to hide her glistening forehead and armpit sweat circles.

Another new start?

Is it bad that I am a liar? A flat-out, no-good liar? I said I would be blogging regularly again and I meant it, but then that great idea got lost in the files of my memory. Buried completely. And since I haven't been blogging, I haven't been looking at your blogs either. So here goes for another shot at being a regular again. I can never go too long without writing before my thoughts start tugging on my heart . . . or vice a versa.

Sneak Preview

So since a lot of people outside of you my private inside friends have been asking about filming The Generations Project, I'm going to write all about that on my Egypt blog. BUT of course there are plenty of stories . . . plenty . . . that belong in this blog. So just know that both my blogs are now back up and running, so don't forget to check A Mediterranean Climate too. I've missed you guys!

A One-Liner

So what happened to blogging? I don't know how to multitask anymore! So much has happened. I now live in a cute house with red shutters in Salt Lake City, just a couple blocks from the Emigration Canyon. My cousin Laney and I actually went hiking in the canyon this morning and found a hidden unmarked trail with a little river running along side and TWO plank bridges. It's so nice to be close to the mountains!

Classes ended on Friday. All A's!! Filming The Generations Project finishes on Tuesday. The whole experience was priceless. Details TK. Three weeks ago Daniel, my 21-year-old bro, came home from two years of being a missionary in Spain. He loved it. Nate, my 18-year-old bro, leaves for a mission in Africa on August 21st. Jude Benjamin Newbold was born July 9th, and I love him to pieces. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday in Provo helping Chels, and I got to play a lot outside with Emma, which of course was hilarious. That little girl is so smart and cute and funny and determined. I don't want to think about them moving to Washington in a month. Chels is such a good mom. Two kids is definitely trouble. Mom's been staying with Chels the past two weeks while Brad's been on a dig in Southern Utah.

Okay. That's enough for now. I was planning on only giving a one-liner. Good night!

The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ Radio Dramas

I just added a new link called LDS Radio—you should see it in the right-hand column of my blog with my other links. It's a brand new radio! Once you're on the radio Web site, click on the side link called "The Light of Men." My dad writes the scripts for the radio drama and has been working like crazy the past couple months to perfect things to give us a quality experience with the stories of Jesus. Let me know what you think. It was actually his idea to start doing these kinds of old-skool dramas again, since they were such a big part of his early years of acting. Brad and I grew up listening to Joseph of Egypt and David & Goliath. So now the radio dramas are back for the next generation.

What's the secret?

Okay all you young married people, this is directed at you per my homework assignment for FHS 2570 Marriage & Family. I'd love to hear all that you have to say about how to have a successful marriage. Here are some specifics I'd like to know. Thanks for sharing!

What were the hardest adjustments to marriage?

What important things do you both need to do to have a long-term successful marriage?

Is it okay for a woman to more successful than her husband? (I'm guessing this means financially and career-wise.) What impact could her success have on the marriage?

What should your relationship be like with your your parents and your in-laws? What should your spouse's relationship be like with his or her parents and your parents?

Goblin Valley

Two weekends ago my friend Lori and I went to Goblin Valley for a spontaneous getaway. It actually all started with me inviting myself on a group's camping trip I saw posted on facebook. Ha ha! I thought it'd be a great way to meet people--they were friends of my friend Anna. It ended up that the trip was from last year! Joke's on me. I didn't even notice that it said 2008. I didn't feel lame for too long, because then I decided I was going to go anyway.

It was the most amazing weather . . . except for that one really windy part when our tent got blown over and our food got dirt all in it . . . but we were camping by the thriftiest and bravest boy scouts and they came to our rescue. We were out hiking when the huge wind came, so the boys (under the supervision of their scout leader) brought our tent back and staked it back in the ground and gathered up our chairs and food.

Our last night the boy scouts even invited us to eat chicken noodle soup and cobbler with them and then they performed skits for us. Most of the performances consisted of shooting and chopping body parts off and talking in obnoxious voices. We didn't know how to react at first, but as the night went on, Lori and I were rolling! Boys are definitely not like girls. I even taught them a skit. Do you guys remember the one where one person chews gum and then sticks it under the bench. Then another person finds it and starts chewing it? And it keeps going with people finding it? I thought they would like that. It had enough grossness to it to appeal to them, but it wasn't bloody.




In the picture above we're acting like goblins.
The trail was marked by piles of rocks. About half the time we were scaling down the mountain thinking we were on the trail. Then we'd stop and think, "This doesn't seem like a 'moderate to easy' hike," and turn around.

Where is Peace?

As I was sitting here on my bed, pausing while reading (my only true birthday wish), I started humming. I was surprised that the words coming to mind were the words my heart was saying, but they were also the words to a familiar hymn. My pausing while reading was to decide where I need to go to find myself—where I can retreat to be alone and find what I am looking for. I can't seem to escape like I need to. I tried to have a retreat day on Friday and ran into Dave's mom, who again told me Dave was engaged and how lucky he was to find such a wonderful girl. I laughed and cried inside, and decided the world was cruel. But then a couple hours later I ran into an old friend Marc (yes, Alycia), which turned the whole day around. There's always a shimmer of happiness somewhere. If you want some, I can share mine with you!


Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace when other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul.
Where when my aching grows, where when I languish, where in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand? He only One.


I know these words are not only for me right now in my life, but they are also for a lot of you. So many of you are coping with deep losses. It's amazing how I'm hearing these words for the first time today. Maybe you are too. We all want to be whole. We all ache, some days more than others. We feel alone or misunderstood or wounded or disappointed. And we all can go to the One who can heal and understand and speak peace. I didn't include the third verse, but I love how in there it says that when we're in our own Gethsemanes, the Savior finds the peace we need and brings it to us. I believe this with all my heart.

For my friends

To give a little background on this photo and how it applies to this very exciting entry, it's an apple orchard in the desert. You might ask, "How could fruit trees possibly blossom in such stark conditions?" It's because there in Capitol Reef there's an underground waterpocket fold, which creates an oasis in the desert. Just like this apple orchard completely surprising everyone by surviving in the middle of nowhere, my gift to you will be a huge anticipation and surprise. Like that?

So a couple weeks ago (I'm slow) I looked at my friend Kara's blog and found this hard-to-pass-up offer:

The first 5 people to respond to this post will get something made by me--my choice! This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees you will like what I make! (I can only hope!)
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It will be done some time this year.
4. You have no clue what it's going to be--it may be cards, something delicious, a paper weight, or a complete surprise to you (and me)! Who knows?
5. Most importantly, you must offer the same deal on your blog. The first 5 people to comment on your blog get something made by YOU!"

I was the second person to comment on Kara's blog and can't wait to see what surprise she comes up with! Now it's your turn. Leave me a comment on this post, and I will make you something AWESOME!!! (It will also be something special).

Part of the fun is that if you are one of the first five to comment, you get to carry on the task of making five more gifts for your friends. If you've already done this on your blog, comment anyway if you want and don't worry about making more gifts.