hiking with my palestinian friends!

every year, my father's friend jimmy comes to provo. however this year i decided to show them a little of the nature here. we hiked bridal veil falls, which is basically a ten minute hike, and they loved it. samar said her mom had never done anything like it. then we brought a picnic. it was a great day and great to share a little of my ciy with them. 

xoxo

strawberry days!!

if you want to have the best strawberries of your life, you have to go to pleasant grove's strawberry days. i'm not kidding. they are to die for. and they are like 2 bucks. i mean really... and not to mention the rest of the festival is fun too. the carnival and rodeo were so entertaining! and an amazing firework show to boot (and that is coming from an idaho falls snob when it comes to fireworks ha)

such a fun night.

i'm going to miss summer...

xoxo

ps i started my student teaching today!

utah summer hikes

 ^^battlecreek in pleasant grove ^^

^^the grotto in payson canyon^^

if you are looking for some fun hikes in utah valley that aren't your typical provo canyon, i would suggest these two. i don't know why, but this year has been the year of the waterfall for me, and these two just add to the number. they are both gorgeous and really fun hikes. 

i sure am going to miss summers in provo.

xoxo

the summer of the waterfalls

^^ can you spot me??^^

so i don't know what it is about this summer but i am constantly around waterfalls. i've hiked to them, played in them, picnicked near them, and now rappelled them. i don't know how i gathered the courage to do it but i somehow did!! and it was incredible! but also frigid and sort of terrifying. i have always loved bridal veil falls in provo canyon, but this took my love to another level. and there is something about doing scary things that is so liberating! i simply felt alive as the water was beating over my head and i could hardly see and i had to trust my gear and my legs. it is an experience i will never forget. 

and it is just another crazy story i can add to this adventure called life.

xoxo

ps try something that scares you. but really. it is so healthy for the mind.

polynesian festival

so the other night we went to the polynesian fest downtown. partly because my best friend is half poly and mostly because i really wanted to go. we had this delicious bread filled with meat that i can't remember the name of. but let me tell ya, polynesians know their food. we also drank this mango drink that was like mango milk. i need some right now just thinking about it. 

with the rain fall, it was just a dreamy night.

ya for summer nights!

xoxo

100*

well ladies and gentleman... it is suppose to be in the 100's all week here in utah and it currently is living up to that prediction. everyone go out and invest in some creamies this week because that is how i am planning on surviving... 

xoxo

neis

tulip festival

sheynah and i love to go to the tulip festival each year. tulips are just so happy, ya know. and there are so many different species. i love it! it might just be one of my favorite things in utah.

xoxo

the desert noises

this weekend i went to the rooftop concert series. if you are in provo, you should really check it out. it is a fun atmosphere and it's free! the bands were entertaining although i had never heard any of them before. there is something about live music that makes me happy like nothing else can...

oh and thank you provo weather for finally remembering it is almost summer. it has been beautiful! can it just stay this temperature forever?! 

xoxo

oh and thank you rooftop concert series for the pictures!

mt. timp

the last adventure of my summer. i have always wanted to hike mount timpanogas and i am so glad i did (even though i probably never will again ha). though all odds were against us going (people canceling and the trail head saying it was closed) we made it happen. 8 hours and 16 miles later we had hiked to the summit and emerald lake, while seeing a moose, muledeer, and feeding some squirrels. it was a beautiful day and the view from the top was INCREDIBLE. i tried to take pictures, but nothing did it justice (especially with this little old point and shoot i took that apparently has a black dot on the lense. urggh) my body may still be hating me for this adventure, but it was totally worth it!

i will miss summer a lot.

xoxo

oh also, yes that is a guy with a conch shell on the summit. apparently he has blown in on every major mountain in utah valley. i love people. 

hiking battle creek

love my best friends! so much!

xoxo

photos taken by my best friend crystal burns

bubbles

galveston, tx

sheynah and i have been in texas for the last week and a half visiting my brother ben and his wife gayle. it was such a fun trip with so many adventures. i think we did a extremely decent job getting to know the city of houston. ben is going to school on galveston island so we spent several of our days playing at the beach. sadly i didn't take any pictures of us actually on the beach... so these will have to do. 

xoxo