The Great Outdoors

A couple of weeks ago, my sister, Lizzie, and I decided that we were going to go hiking. After searching for a cool hike online, we decided on hiking out at Antelope Island. Big Mistake. For those of you who have never been, or have moved away and forgotten what Antelope Island looks like, picture an astronomically big mound of dirt and rocks with sagebrush and desert plants everywhere. We left the apartment at about 11:30 a.m. and began on the 40-minute drive towards Syracuse, UT. After $9 and a drive across the causeway to Antelope Island, we embarked on a hike to Frary Peak. It was 95 degrees outside, so after about 40 mins of trekking up the mountain, we gave up and turned around. WAY TOO HOT TO BE PLAYING OUTSIDE IN THE DESERT. We decided that instead of hiking, we'd explore everything that Antelope Island had to offer, which wasn't much. We walked around the Fielding Garr Ranch (which had some really creepy old-school buildings and farming equipment). We also drove around to the cafe and listened to an old guy play guitar while we ate buffalo burgers. All in all, it was a good day.

It may smell like rotten eggs, but it sure is pretty!

A family portrait of the ghosts that still hang out on the island? I'm not sure.

The infamous buffalo burger which I think tastes the same as a cow burger...

A Tribute to CHI

I am sad to say that my CHI flat iron finally gave out on me after 4 1/2 years. This was the best flat iron I've ever known and it was very hard to replace. Until the poor guy started smoking from the on/off switch on Monday, he stuck with me through thick and thin. My CHI has been around longer than any boyfriend I've had, and although CHI was pricey, he also cost me less than any guy I've ever had in my life :) He's definitely the best investment I've ever made, and although I had to make it again, if the new CHI lasts 4 1/2 years, I'm only spending 8 cents a day for the best looking at-home hair possible.

My CHI has traveled with me everywhere: Hawaii, Florida (twice in one month even, right Amy?), Oregon, Texas, Las Vegas, New York city (multiple times), Philadelphia, California, Idaho, Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Montreal, and all over the Western Caribbean. Let me just tell you about the mere two trips that my flat iron did not go on: one was backpacking throughout Europe and my hair was under a beanie and braided most of the time, and the other was a last minute weekend trip to Vegas where I was waiting for CHI-CHI to cool down before packing him in my bag. I got to Vegas and after showering and blow-drying my hair, realized that he was missing, so I called a hair salon and asked if they would let me borrow a flat iron so that I could do my hair. I lucked out, because not only did the stylist do my hair for only $10, she used a CHI of her own!

I've been called a hair snob for times that I've gone out of town and friends had their own flat iron plugged in, already heated and ready to go, and I unplugged it to use my CHI. It's not that I am scared of hair germs (although I sort of am), but it is that I WILL NOT use another flat iron on my hair. The other brands just do not work as well.

Honestly, if you have somewhat naturally curly hair that tends always want to do its own thing, you should buy one. If you don't use hair appliances because you have to wait 10 minutes for them to heat up, get a CHI -- it's perfectly hot in 15 seconds, NO JOKE! You can even use it as a curling iron to make your hair wavy. And it keeps your hair pretty soft. It is the best invention EVER!

I am sure you all think I am nuts for writing such a long posting about a flat iron, but I have to say that it truly was a sad day when I realized that I had to put the CHI in the trash.

OK, that's a lie, because I haven't actually brought myself to throwing it away yet!

Happy Father's Day!

Here are some pics of the good ol' days... Isn't Dad sweet? What other man do you know can hack it out in a house with 7 girls?!? We love you, Old Man!

Sorry that Liz and Allysa didn't make it into this pic, but they weren't around yet.

The lovely view...

I know you all have been dying to see my backyard, so I took some pictures of it. This is from the back porch, I mean door. It's amazing, don't you think?