California and New Harmony Trip

I spent two much-needed weeks in California to ring in my big 21st. It was paradise. I stayed with Rikki for the first week, watching her house while she was at work. I spent the days tanning at the pool, running circles around Ladera Ranch, walking Rikki's adorable puppy, Leia, snuggling with her cat, KiKi (and consequently breaking out in hives and having sneezing fits), and parading around in these, my first birthday present:

I've always hated shopping and I suppose that makes me a bit unfeminine, but these shoes compensate for it. I hope I marry someone tall so I can wear adorable heels like these all the time.

It's because of this hot lady here

that I didn't have a single boring moment during my vacation in California.

We played cribbage, danced Kinect, ate Sushi, 

pigged out on Mexican food, "got crabs" at Joe's Crab Shack (I love Brian's face in this picture),

golfed,

watched Brian play softball,

bathed Leia,

and took a road trip down to Imperial beach for the day.

 

 I went kayaking with my Dad in Oceanside and got sunburned, but it was SO fun! We pedaled out to the buoy and I fell in love with the seals.

My best friend Becca was getting married that first weekend, which was the reason I planned my trip to Cali. It was exciting to be a maid of honor for the first time. It was a beautiful wedding at the Redlands temple, followed by a reception in her family's backyard in Wrightwood. I can't believe she's married!  Becca and Andrew are such a beautiful couple.

 

 The following week I stayed closer to the beach with Randi and my cousins. We ran and biked to the ocean, basked in the sun, got pedicures, and went to an Angel's game. 

Unfortunately, my frolicking in California couldn't last forever; luckily, we had some pretty fun stuff lined up. Like a family reunion in New Harmony!! I may be the shortest sister in the family, but I still wasn't short enough for the cramped spot I had in the back seat of the TEENY TINY rental car we drove to Utah. The road trip was made more bearable by listening to Harry Potter on CD in anticipation for the upcoming movie. (We are all Harry Potter geeks, through and through.)

Aunt Deb and Uncle Gary own a gorgeous ranch in Southern Utah, and they spent a lot of time teaching us to ride horses! I won't put up pictures, because I discovered later that my posture was DISGUSTING, and that's just embarrassing. My horse, Chexy, totally took advantage of my sweetness and it was an adventure to say the least trying to steer her around. I guess I have to learn to be more demanding and in-control.

Stay tuned for the rest of my summer adventures....and an exciting announcement!