A jumble in my noggin.

     I really have had a lot on my mind lately & I need to empty it out. That's where a blog comes in handy sometimes. [:
     This past week, two more of my good friends from BYU entered the MTC to prepare for their missions. One's off to Pennsylvania, and the other for Russia. That makes my tally of close friends on missions bump up to thirteen, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I miss them, but I know they will be blessed for their service and will absolutely love what they're doing. But mostly... it makes me feel really old.
     I really miss someone. For so many different reasons and in so many different ways. My feelings are so mixed up about it. I've gotten a lot better with him being gone, but the fact that it's summer kind of rakes over the coals again for me. It brings back a lot of memories. I'm so used to sharing everything with him, being able to talk about anything and everything with him, and having him do the same with me. I miss having someone I was completely comfortable being with, someone who knows me inside and out, someone who I could do something as simple as just sit in a booth at DQ with and laugh about nothing. I realize Brazil needs this boy a whole lot more than I do, but still, moving on is hard business, yo. Dumb heart.

     Summer skipped us this year. The other day I heard on NPR that the UW Atmospheric Science Department has found Seattle to have had exactly 18 hours and 48 minutes of summer so far this year {and by "summer" they mean anything over 75 degrees}. It's mid-July. That is just plain wrong. Goodbye, Hawaii tan and summer freckles. You sure were nice while you lasted! {Ughh I still need to finish blogging about that trip... maybe it will just never happen haha.} PS... it just started raining. I kid you not.
     Money has been weighin heavy on my mindddd lately. The job my brother and I have had for years via an old church friend is starting to dry up, and I still need to make a good chunk of money before the end of August. Dad and I are trying to start up our own business doing the same thing but not selling them through our old employer, and though it is possible, it won't really kick off and start bringing in profit in time for my leaving for school. That's where my heaven-sent grandparents step in. As Public Affairs directors for the church in Washington, Northern Idaho, and Oregon, they have a lot on their plate, meaning lots for me to do, meaning casheesh AND getting to spend time with two of the most amazing people on the planet. It's been a blessing in so many different ways. I've still been applying for scholarships up the wazzooo, though, and praying hard for help in the future as well, since I'd love to do a Study Abroad at some point, among other money-guzzlin things.
     I still have no inkling of an idea what I want to major in. No, scratch that, I do know what I want to major in. Geology, English, Environmental Science, Geography, and maybe some Graphic Design and Business Management mixed in there. Oh heck just forget it, I just want to major in Everything. Hey BYU, could you gimme one of them there degrees in Everything? Yeah thanks, get back to me on that asap, would you?
     Today I helped Lydia get decorations together for her Girls Camp bucket. She's old enough to be going to her first year of Girls Camp. Weird? Yeah. Real weird. She's not allowed to do this to me.
     This week I've been really thankful that I've kept a detailed journal in the past. I didn't start doing it until a month or two into fall semester of last year. Up until that point I had been writing in an actual journal notebook like most people, and though I know it's much more meaningful that way, I couldn't find the time to write everything I wanted to in that thing. So I started a second, private blog and made it my journal. Just the fact that typing is so much faster than hand writing changed the way I journaled, and my entries became more and more detailed and frequent. Reading back through the entries is a really gratifying experience, not only because I can see in what ways I've grown stronger or improved, but because it makes me feel human and alive! [: Re-experiencing my first-ever date with an RM, or that one hellish day when I missed my scheduled Humanities exam, and reading through the little answers to prayer I recorded in there or the neat experiences I'd had in my personal scripture study - it all just makes me think, you know what? I am so thankful for this life. Regardless of silly achey hearts and school worries and money stress, I really do have it good.

I know that for a fact.

That is all. [:

A good case of the Mondays

     I really admire people who view their their blogs as more than just a way to archive life events. To record more personal things like setting goals, steps in self improvement, and just random observations and musings is something I really want to start doing more of - to have posts that are actually more about the words than the pictures. Some of these bloggers do this and their four thousand readers comment and encourage and praise them through the process, and though of course I do feel like that'd be really nice, I've lately been finding a lot of little blogs just like mine, who have a lot less than four thousand readers {I've got a grand total of eleven, plus two sneaky little private followers... slightly creepy haha [: But I digress} that I like even more. The authors are just quietly putting their personal thoughts and goals out there without looking for acknowledgement, just out there for someone like me to stumble upon & get all inspired by and whatnot. They write for themselves, but in a way that is accessible to other people who might be able to relate to them and draw strength from that common opinion, struggle, or goal. I really like those people, and I wanna be more like 'em.
     With that in mind, I'm starting a weekly thing for myself. In my journal each Monday morning after my run, I come up with one or two things I want to improve on during the following week and stick 'em on a sticky note on my mirror. Then, I DO them. {Yeah. I hadda think that through reeeeall long and hard to work out all those complex details.} I'll post them here if I feel like it, but no guarantees. We'll see.
     #1) My first goal is something I want to get better at because my room/peace of mind/my parents' peace of mind will benefit immensely from it. I have the bad habit of not putting clothes away when I take them off. They just kind of get haphazardly folded and stuck at the base of my dresser or sometimes not even that. Normally I'm a pretty tidy person and a dirty room really bugs me. I'm not sure how I've gotten away with this for so long. Pretty embarrassing ): So this week I refuse to let any article of clothing touch the floor on its way from my body to its location of residence.
     #2) My second goal mostly stems from hearing from all my dude friends on their missions and reading their testimonies about the manual Preach My Gospel. I've had my own copy for years and have done a few FHE lessons, EFY morning devotionals, and stuff like that out of it, but mostly it just hangs out in my bookcase with my old yearbooks and photo albums. This week I want to start making a habit of reading 20 minutes of PMG every night after my two chapters of scripture reading.
     Goal settin! Woo! Makes a girl feel pretty good. [:

This ward knows how to party.

This past weekend was a dream come true - our ward finally had a ward camp-out, after almost 

a decade hiatus. I dunno about anyone else, but I was stinking ecstatic. 

Friday afternoon we packed up the van and headed east, arriving at the Ensign Ranch an
hour later to this beautiful sight.

{More ecstatic-ness.}

After gettin the lay of the land and saying hi to everyone who had shown up so far, our big momma tent was assembled, sleeping bags were rolled out, and charcoals were prepared for one of my personal favorite parts of camping. Foil dinners. Ohh yes.

And they didn't disappoint.

One of my most favoritest babysit-ees. Isn't she a doll!

Game night consisted some amazing Dutch Oven desserts, a round of Chubby Bunny, some Girls Camp songs, and a handful of Minute To Win It challenges. I represented the Cedar River ladies as I went up against two of the Priests in a task titled "Chocolate Unicorn" and emerged victorious.

Not sure if I should be proud of that fact or what... but hey, you never know when 

the skill of stackin food {or more specifically, dingdongs} on your head may come in handy!

While the boring grownups talked around the campfire, us older kids went out into the field that night for some star tipping {We all had headaches for hours haha. [: But it was well worth it.} and ghost stories before hitting the sack at 1am. The next day everyone enjoyed breakfast prepared by the bishopric, followed by a hardcore Ninja Destruction tournament,

and an epic pyramid. I do believe I've still got a bruise on my spine from those knees haha.

I love my ward, I love my fam, and I love camping! 

One whole decade ago

this little princess became my sister. All the spunk, wit, and energy our family needed came bundled up
in one little package, complete with dimpled cheeks and the curliest hair anyone in our
entire family had ever seen.

 Sarah Bear. I still remember the night you were born. Getting dragged out of bed in the middle of the night so that we could get Mom to the hospital {no hard feelings; I realize you probably didn't have a say in your time of arrival}. Getting pulled over for speeding on the way and watching Dad leap out of the car, shout to the cop that Mom was in labor, then bolt back to the car and leave him in the dust {I think you just might have heard that sassy little interchange... That would explain a lot [: }. Sleeping over at Gramma & Grandpa's that night with Merr & Lydia, unable to keep in our ecstatic giggles as we thought about a brand new baby sister that we would be able to see and hold the very next morning. Hearing what your name would be. Sarah Elizabeth.

    You are the energizer bunny of this family. You aren't afraid of what anyone thinks. In fact sometimes I wonder if you just aren't afraid of anything {except bugs!}. Even at an early age you showed a natural gutsy "stage presence" & I guess we can safely say you never once had a problem being in the spotlight.

We became especially close, you being the youngest, and I being the oldest. I felt this naturally fierce & protective kind of love for you {and still do!} and wanted to make sure you knew you had someone looking out for you. We became bestest buddies. I remember when you used to beg me to piggy-back you everywhere, all day. It was your preferred mode of transportation.

From the very start, I was so amazed by how bright you were, how quickly you picked up on things. You said and did things that kids twice your age would never even think of trying. You put us older kids to shame with your plucky readiness to try something new & your never-ending enthusiasm for anything fun. And now that I'm old and boring, you continue to show me how important it is to stay young - to get excited about the little things and find the fun in everything. You have taught me so much.

And now you are ten years old. I really cannot believe that.

Most stylish 10 year old this side of the mountains, wouldn't you agree? We Krops
know how to do birthday presents.

So, littlest sis, happy birthday, and thank you for bringing sunshine to our family and my own life every day with your dances, handstands, giggles, songs, silly faces, and inspiring persistence to be the happiest, best freckle face you can be. You have so much potential and so much to give. I wanna be like you when I grow up. I LOVE YOU.

Today I am my to-do list's worst nightmare.

I'm going to run with my mother. I'm going to finish & send off my letter to Elder Batschi, plus finally write back to Elder Bezzant, Hancock & Bond because the letters keep comin and I feel like a completely terrible friend each time I find one in the mail & fail at responding. I'm going to weed the side of the house where five trillion dandelions decided to have a party and make a bajillion babies while we were in Hawaii, then deep clean my room. And then I'm going to pick up four of the cutest kids in my ward and have three hours of playtime. Finally, when they're in bed, I'm maybe going to attempt to finish my currently-in-draft-status post about said trip to Hawaii & some other stuff. But that's only a maybe.
To-do list, you better be shakin in your boots. Rawr.

Harry Potter brings out the giggles in us

So tonight as we finished unpacking & sat down to a family movie night of HP 7 Part 1, which I hadn't seen until now (preppin for the 15th!!!) Lydie was trying to get me pumped by telling me about her favorite song from the soundtrack, which is the music in the opening scene. In short she just couldn't find those notes, which I found stinking hilarious & couldn't stop laughing at her attempts. Covert footage via phone was in order. Golly I just plain adore that girl. She is the cutest.

Aloha, real actual summer weather

Familia. Kauai. 12 days. This girl is happy.

{And so are these feet, soon to be free of that running shoe tan line.} 

Yeeeeeee. [: 

Just how cool is my family?

Merritt's face cracks me up. We love ice baths!

Yeahh. Pretty much swept the Maple Valley Stake 5k/10k. That's how cool. [: 

It doesn't get much better than this

Memorial Day weekend was spent doing one of the things we Krops do best: sailing. It's something my family has been doing for as long as I can remember. My parents co-own the Syntony with my grandparents & some family friends, and we go up and cruise the San Juan Islands as often as we can. Puget Sound is one of my most favorite places on the planet, and I'm convinced there's really no better way to explore the islands than on a sailboat. Nothing beats sitting on the deck with the sea breeze in your hair and the sun on your face, or peeking into a tidepool to see a tiny, perfect little world inside, kayaking past bright orange sea stars and a sea otter or harbor seal along the shore, or hiking the islands among the gorgeous red madronas and huge douglas firs. Now that I've waxed poetic and nerdy, I will stop. Anyhow, uploading and trying to arrange multiple photos on a blog post always ends up making me want to punch Blogger in its unintuitive little face soo I made this little beauty to help me share those four days of no make up, no cell service or internet, no worries, and all the time in the world to enjoy family and God's creation. Pure paradise as far as this girl's concerned. You'll see why: