sunday we got up [shower three the night before, shower four a few hours later] and got dressed and went to the bohemian brewery with justin for a brat and some beer. [chris opted to try the fifty-cent samples.] it was a ridiculously beautiful day.

after lunch, we went record shopping at slow train, and then headed out to my friends house for dinner. [she made caramel apple pork chops- and sweet holy moses. they were SO amazing! on top of that? she even taught ME how to make them, so i can enjoy their savory goodness anytime id like!] when dinner was finished i showered [five] and changed and then ate some homemade icecream [is there nothing this woman cant do?!]. we looked through pictures of her kids and then all too soon, it was time to leave. i hugged her goodbye about fifty times and we were on our way.

we met up with another friend near thanksgiving point, got into one car, and headed out to spanish fork to hike out to some natural hot springs. the hike was beautiful. there was a nearly full moon out and the air was brisk freezing cold! it took us about an hour to get to the springs, and luckily chris brought his head lamp b/c there was some tricky footing- but once we got there- it was amazing. they were so warm! and smelly! i had never been in a natural hot spring before, so i didnt really know what to expect- but i was pleasantly surprised. we sat in the water and stared up at the sky and told jokes and ghost stories and just generally had an excellent time.

when it was time to leave, we got out and walked over to a rock where we had stashed our belongings. chris took one look and proclaimed ‘animals have been in our stuff’- and then i freaked out b/c i immediately started envisioning us being eaten by a chupacabra. but it turns out it was just some mice- so i just freaked out at 25% instead of the full 100% that the chupacabra would have invoked.

the hike out was quiet. and we got off the main trail- but i was the only one who was concerned about that [i guess i watch too many 'and then they were in the woods and they DIED' type movies.]- and an eternity later, we emerged off the path, across the road, and at the car.

[i had never been so excited to sit down and close my eyes in my whole entire life.]

the ride home was patchy for me- i was in and out of sleep- and by the time we made it back into slc, it was about 3a. i took a shower [six] to get the sulfur smell of the hot springs off, and went to sleep.

the next morning [monday, our last day in slc], i was up early to shower [seven] and meet a friend for breakfast. chris stayed at justins and slept in.

when i got home, i showered [eight] and we packed and headed out for last minute sightseeing before we had to board our plane.

we stopped by the virgin mary tree. [there used to be a knot in the tree that had a spot that looked like the virgin mary, but somebody knocked it in. so sad.] + + +

our next stop was gilgal gardens to see the joseph smith sphinx. [yes. its a sphinx.] [with joseph smiths face on it.] [no, im not kidding.] [yes, we really DID get our picture taken with it.]

after that, we stopped at crown burger and then hightailed it to the airport. we made it onto the plane in the nick of time, thus ending our slc adventure weekend.

chris and i took a trip this weekend to salt lake city to visit some haunted houses. we had initially talked about a trip earlier this summer, but i didnt think that anyone would actually follow through. [three haunted houses? in one weekend? could such a thing be done?] but now i know that when chris says ‘were going on a trip’, it means that we are going on a trip.

the plane ride itself was relatively uneventful- we watched some tv, we ate some snacks, we drank some drinks, we laughed so hard that we made the woman next to us put her headphones on and turn the volume all the way up even though the plane was still on the ground and there was no sound coming through on the headset*- you know. the usual stuff.

[*the flight attendants were having a hell of a time getting through the safety instructions, and at one point said 'if there is a rabbit change in air pressure...' to which chris and i snapped our heads towards each other and repeated it. and then giggled like children. then chris said 'i think it got a hare colder in here!' and we lost it. that was it. we laughed so hard our sides hurt. and the lady sitting next to us hated us.]

we landed in salt lake, got a rental car, and then met my friend for lunch at everyones favorite mexican restaurant in slc- the red iguana. [chris said that the food was only allright, but he looked pretty excited to me.]

continue reading this story —>

october has officially descended upon us, and to celebrate, we [chris, katie, kevin and myself] went to knotts scary farm sunday night.

it was really pretty perfect. we managed to make it to all of the mazes and onto a few rides, and yet we still found time for punch, nachos, corn dogs, french fries, brick of cheese on a stick, peanuts, pringles [in a can! from a vending machine!] and sour peach o’s.

the line for ghostrider was really not very bad. after we rode it, we determined that we needed to look at a map to figure out where the mazes were. we went through a few, making our way around the park, and then took a break to ride montezumas revenge. [it is so good! why is it so good?!] we walked through the grudge 2 maze;where i promptly lost my shit. then, to shake it off, we rode the swings. chris made a new friend, dudebro! [clearly, it took me a little while to recover from the terror that was the grudge 2 maze.] and then we swung and swung.

we did manage to make it through the grudge maze one more time before calling it a night, and i actually saw rooms that i had somehow missed the first time we went through it.

it was a highly enjoyable evening! i could not have asked for better company, and if you read this and were jealous that you didnt make it out last night- well, you should be.

[please excuse the crappy picture quality. it was dark and i was working in intense conditions with naught but a camera phone.]

did you know that chris smith likes macaroni and cheese?

because he totally does.

am i the last to get to this party? maybe. but if you havent dropped in yet, its worth at least checking out.

 pandora

they peed on his rug.

overheard, in new york.

salt lake city is so totally ahead of the game.

every october these guys do an interactive haunted house called the castle of chaos. i stumbled upon my first one about three years ago, and made it a priority to be at every subsequent one thereafter and to drag new people along with me. i missed last octobers, but im thinking about road tripping back this fall to make sure i catch the new one.

 [slc rules for haunted houses, by the way:
rocky point
nightmare on 13th
haunted corn maze
etc...]

[ps- dont forget to check out the mythic realms photo gallery!]

dinosaur and robot

it might be the greatest thing ever.

 [to get you started:: pink button three, top row button four, pink button one]

the dialogue in ‘deadwood’ is probably one of the best things about it. its surprisingly clever and funny and quick and colorful- its a lot like the dialogue in ‘dawsons creek’ in that way. except its not about whiny highschool kids [except for bullock], and there is a lot more dirt, sweet ’staches, and less bathing in deadwood. also, i dont think any of the whores on dawsons creek actually let money exchange hands…

anyway, all im saying is- if you havent started watching it, get seasons one and two, plunk yrself down on the couch for a few days and get started, cocksucker.