I Don't Want This Weekend To End.

What a full, fun {and productive} weekend.

It began strong:
I beat Dom, Matt and Mish in Catan.

Saturday:
I caught up on Grey's Anatomy:
completely unimportant, I know
I signed up for a 5K:
In September. Would you like to join me?
Picked up our 16 days {at least} of mail that had been taken back to the Post Office
While I was there, I received two strong recommendations to pick up my mail daily since I get a lot of mail because "people think about [me] a lot".

Then I watched these people get married:

They were the most relaxed bride and groom I have ever seen. I really like Josh and Christina...which was only confirmed as I watched the beauty in the simplicity of their wedding. No need for a giant wedding party or lots of bells and whistles; the day was about the two of them getting married...and that's what happened.

After the wedding: dinner and a movie with Katie and Ron:

Always a treat!

And finished two books before bed:


Sunday:
My new Sunday routine: HSM service | Lunch | Nap
I created my Kenya 2011 support letter
Went to 7pm Chapel service:
one of the highlights of each weekend
Bre wrote a ridiculous {and, of course, hilarious} song
We gathered for two games of Settlers of Catan:
three {or four} hours at this table

Monday:
A few episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210:
Thanks Gina!

A good house-cleaning:
soundtrack by Madonna, George Michael and Jay-Z {they go together, right?}
Target | Staples | Starbucks
Address, stuff, stamp and seal Kenya support letters
A big gathering {with dinner and dessert} at the Edwards:
such easy, comfortable friends
And, no Monday would be complete without bowling:
I'm not sure what I bowled tonight, but I know I had fun
Finished one more book:

Now, here it is: 1am
And I really should be sleeping

A Road Trip: In Pictures (Well, And Some Commentary)

Three of the five Mariners HSM team members had not seen our Summer Camp site: Lost Canyon in Williams, Arizona. Obviously, a scout trip was necessary.

This year, we are partnering with Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells, CA. (Their Student Ministries Pastor, Aaron Gutridge, and our Student Ministries Pastor, Matt McGill, have been friends since High School.) So, three of their staff took the trip with us.

Four boys and three girls.
seven-straight-hours of talking.
and the girls were reading and sleeping.

Lunch at Cracker Barrel
Yum.

Ryanne and I shared the
Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake

Classic Cracker Barrel photo

Two hours later, we arrived.
Or, as Matt would say, "Somehow we found it!"

Last year, I had tried to sneak away from camp to see the Grand Canyon (only an hour away), but just couldn't make it happen. So, Ryanne and Brooke arranged a visit this time!

We made it just a few minutes before sunset.
It was beautiful!

Matt was parking the car, so he missed the sunset.
He walked up and said "Eh, I'm seeing it now...it's still cool."

The Mariners HSM Team {minus BP}
Ryanne, {me}, Matt and Brooke

Some mediocre Mexican food and a night's sleep later.
And we were back in the car driving home.
Seven more hours of talking (again, just the guys.)
We did, of course, stop at Cracker Barrel again. Yum.
(We were all so tired and car-ride-looking that I couldn't post those photos.)

Half-way home, Matt said he wanted to "show us something"...
So he pulled over on the side of the road and got out of the car.
The girls stayed put...it was too hot to explore the desert.
The dudes got out and kicked dirt around and pretended to see snakes.

We dropped the Southwest team and made a final stop at Starbucks.

The best line of the trip came from Matt as we were crossing back through Riverside. He said, "Okay, I need 30 seconds of no talking."
We, of course, burst in to laughter since he had been the one leading the previous 14 hours of car ride conversation.
To which he responded, "Well, 14 hours of conversation with those guys and I'm just fine...14 minutes of conversation with you three ladies and I need a break!"

We continued to laugh...and talk--mostly over one another--all the way home.
Exhausted, but excited, our two day scout trip was over.
And I was able to cross another item off of my 30 Things List!

How Do I Get This Job?

Rachael Morrison is working to smell every book
in the Museum of Modern Art Library Collection.

She then records the smell of each...
My favorites: old person smell | dirty sock | glue and armpit

Seriously. I would love to make art that's this awesome.
And delicious smelling.

The Burning House

The concept: If your house was burning, what would you take with you? It's a conflict between what's practical, valuable and sentimental. What you would take reflects your interests, background and priorities? Think of it as an interview condensed into one question.

Then: one photo.

And a short list describing each item in the photo.

So simple. So clever.

Amy Merrick

Luca Mariani

Mikael Kennedy

I think I'm going to submit my photo...

The-Burning-House.com

I Am Ridiculous

I am absolutely ridiculous.

And I know it full well.

I can't stop my brain from looking at photos, reading blogs, or hearing stories

and thinking...ugh!

I want to live

here

or here

or here

But then, I remember.

I love my job, my friends, my house, my roommate, my small group

I almost said I love Settlers of Catan, but that's just embarrassing.

And, really, who wouldn't want to live here?