Oh boy

There is the very real possibility that Matthew and I will be going skydiving in a few weeks. Part of me is excited and really wants to do it, and part of me is scared spitless at the thought of it.

My dad is the best!

Remember the post a while back about how our apartment has been HOT?! Like 95 degrees hot? Yeah...

Well, my dad was here last weekend for Father's Day! He had to present at a conference in LA early Monday morning, and couldn't get a flight from Minnesota to LA early enough to get there on time. That meant that he would have had to go to LA on Saturday and spent Sunday (and Father's Day) all alone by himself. That wouldn't be fun for anyone, but for my dad, who breathes and lives nostalgia, it would be like finding coal in your stocking at Christmas: "What did I do wrong?!!"

So instead, he flew out to Utah on Saturday, spent Father's day with us, and then got a (super) early flight to LA.

Back to the heat... we were telling dad all about our predicament. More background: we have a little tiny air conditioning unit in our bedroom that keeps it fairly cool. We also have a swamp cooler in our kitchen that is meant to cool the kitchen and the living room. In the fall, it did pretty well, but since we've turned it back on after the winter, its just blown around hot air.

So, dad is here, we're telling him about this, and he brilliantly looks out the window, sees a water pipeline, Matthew and him go outside and fiddle with some stuff (I was holding down the fort; a very important job) they get the water turned on and voila we have cool air blowing through our swamp cooler! Success...for an hour.This actually was only part of the problem... we called our landlord a little bit later and they came and changed the filter and the pump, and now we are enjoying cooler air in our apartment.

Besides helping us fix the swamp cooler, we had a rockin' awesome time climbing Ensign Peak in the Salt Lake area and Rock Canyon in Provo, picnicing, and eating the best steaks and pork money can buy, as well as fresh picked strawberries mom sent with dad from Minnesota.

 I was standing on a rock or something, that's why I look a little taller than dad. Also, it was really windy.

Did I mention it was really windy up there?

One of the best meals I've eaten in months

It was so much fun having him out here for Father's Day. We're so glad you came Dad!

If only I was seven

These past two weeks Matthew and I have been volunteering at the Princess Festival. Its designed for little girls to come dressed up as princesses, go on an adventure and treasure hunt, meet all of the different Disney princes and princesses--and all of the proceeds are for a charity that helps people in Africa. Its been really fun. Matthew has been a prince most days, he's been part of the treasure hunt where girls get "fitted" for a shoe and if it fits then they are a true princess. Cute right? I've been making balloons, I'm the Balloon Fairy. Everyone who volunteers or is a vendor has to be dressed up in princess or fairy tale stuff, so you come into the place and its like you are in princess land. It all takes place at someone's private property in Lindon, and the place is amazing! Seriously its crazy awesome cool. When I first showed up there it blew me away. So I thought I would share some pictures:

Notice the little girls dressed up as princesses

You can sort of see the castle behind the playground. We didn't get an awesome picture of it.

A tower of the castle (and Rapunzel...)

This is "the ballroom." Crazy animal statues in front, can you see the gorilla on top of the house?

The inside of the ballroom. Seriously so awesome.

Sweet gazebo thingy

And of course, your favorite prince and balloon fairy

To go or not to go

At  BYU you run across what I like to call The Dilemma of the Opened Door. This happened to me just a few days ago. Here's the deal:

Guys at BYU are pretty into being chivalrous and gentlemanly and so they often will hold open doors for girls. I think its nice. However, what do you do if you think they are opening the door for you, but they're not being obvious about it? As in, they open the door, but don't stand quite to the side so that someone could pass through, so you're left there for a split second wondering what to do. Let's consider the options in these special circumstances.

Option A: Guy means to open door for you, but you don't go through.
Not being sure of his intentions, you hold back, waiting for him to go through. But he is waiting for you, so there is this awkward little gap of time where no one is really moving, until he makes a gesture to you to pass. Awkward all around.

Option B: Guy means to open door for you, and you go through.
This is the ultimate win-win situation, he feels like a good man, and you've gotten a door opened for you.

Option C: Guy doesn't mean to open door for you, but you go through.
This really is the worst option. This is what happened to me the other day. Now with this option, you never really know for sure what his intentions really were, but you wonder, and then feel like a jerk thinking that maybe you just barged right past him, essentially cutting in line. Rude. At this point all you can do is hope you don't run into him on campus in the next few hours.

Option D: Guy doesn't mean to open door for you, and you don't go through.
Again, win-win, although less win-win than option B because guy isn't fulfilling his chivalrous duties. Still, no awkward or potentially rude moments, so win-win it is.

There you go. What's the take home message? Well, as bad as some of these options are, none of them are as awkward as when you think someone's waving at you, but they're waving at someone behind you.

Wishing/Whining

What a summer day should be:
Wake up at 9:30 and eat a fruit smoothie from a hurricane glass
Go volunteer your time at a worthy cause with lots of cute little girls running around
Lift weights with your husband
Enjoy the summer sun and breeze
Go swimming
Leisurely read a book for fun (thanks to everyone for the suggestions, and to Matthew's mom for all the books!)
Play games with friends
In other words: what I did today (minus the swimming part. I did want to do that though). It was practically perfect.

What a summer day shouldn't be:
Go to class
Do homework... inside
Go to class
Go to work
Do homework
In other words: Not ideal, and what too much of the summer might be. I don't want to go to school. I want to play with my husband all day, explore canyons and work on a tan. Matthew wants to go camping.

How I like my bananas

I like my bananas just right before they are completely ripe. Not green, except for just a tinge at the top of the banana. I don't like it when they are ripe ripe ripe. I like them a bit firm.

I also appreciate when grocers take time to take care bagging my bananas. I don't appreciate it when they are just thrown into the bag and other items are carelessly tossed on top. Bananas are fragile. This is one of the many reasons Matthew and I usually choose the self check out line, so we can control the variables.

In other news: This weeks snack of choice: White Cheddar Cheez-its. You may be wondering why the recent flurry about cheez-its. When I was home a weekend or two ago, my mom had bought the biiiiggg box from Costco and I was reminded how much I like them.

Recap

We are on break this weekend. BYU gives me a whole day off after spring term before starting into summer term. Let's recap the past 7 weeks:

I got 4 GE's out of the way! And I took 12 credits in a spring term. 6 credits is full-time, 9 is the maximum, and I took 12. Granted, 1 of the classes was independent study, but I started it and finished it during spring term. Awesome.

Friday, the one day off before school starts again, I got emails from the professors who are teaching my summer classes, and its SO depressing to read about all the stuff you have to do in the next 7 weeks on your only day off! It's ok though because these will be the last classes I take...ever.

If anyone is curious, I'm taking Physical Science, LDS Marriage and Family, and weight lifting. My last GEs ever. Matthew is taking weight lifting too. I'm not sure if I can even bench the bar right now. That's pretty sad.

I'm off to pick up my dad from the airport. We are going to have a rocking time this weekend!

Obsessed? I think not.

You've heard the stories of our favorite board game: Star Wars Epic Duels. You may have even experienced the epic-ness yourself.

Now, I give you...

10 months and counting

This weekend we went to my grandma and grandpa Thibaudeau's 50th wedding anniversary. I think that's pretty awesome--to still be happily married after 50 years. I can't quite fathom it. I'm sitting here thinking how Matthew and I have been married for 10 months, and that feels like a long time! In our ward, anyone who is married for more than two years is a pro, they are the old-timers.

I'm super excited to spend the next 50 years and beyond with Matthew... even if he does eat his toaster strudels frozen (sick!).

Speaking of to infinity and beyond...TOY STORY CHEEZITS!

Jokes on you!

Bahaha. Ryan told me this joke today. Hilarious, 'nuff said.

How do you wake Lady Gaga up in the morning?
P-p-p-poke her face, p-p--poke her face.

Update

Our apartment is stifling! Oh my goodness it is so hot. We have a little air conditioning unit in our bedroom, and a swamp cooler in our kitchen, but even with those going full blast, the thermometer in the living room read 95 degrees for many hours today and yesterday. Thankfully our bedroom has been cooler. I'm thankful its actually spring, not the faux spring that was May, but I would love it if my brains didn't melt.

Matthew doesn't think its too bad though, and he's been super nice by bringing me water, a cold cloth, food, etc etc when I whimper about going into the sauna-kitchen.

Oh Provo...

...where couples compete for the best stroller parking spot in the gym

Baking with Stephanie

I like reading cooking or baking blogs; I find them stimulating, sometimes in the same way that I find art stimulating (although I must admit I'm not very artsy fartsy). For some reason, I feel like the people who have cooking blogs are Cooking Goddesses, even though I know many people just make recipes from cookbooks or other websites. At times I've wondered what life would be like with a cooking blog. Today I dip my toes in the water. I give you:  Caramel Bars

These babies are one of my favoritest treats. I really do quite enjoy them: they are a divine mixture of chewy and gooey. What's not to love?

 I only have one picture.

Here is the recipe:

2 c flour
2 c oats
1 c butter
1-1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
Mix all of these ingredients together, and press into a 9x13 greased pan. Bake ~15 minutes at 350, then remove from oven.

In microwave, melt:
1 package Kraft caramels (any kind work, I just think Kraft work the best)
3/4 c heavy whipping cream
Stir every 1-2 minutes until smooth, then pour over crust, return to oven, and bake another 15 or so minutes until it looks "set."(You can decide what that means)

DEVOUR!