St. Petersburg, Florida

I just got back from a week in Florida. It was much warmer there than here in Utah, that's for sure. I, along with a co-worker took 8 students down to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. This is something that is done every year, and I have been fortunate enough to go almost every year.

We were put up in a church. It was kind of like roughing it. We were in the fellowship hall. We were given mats to sleep on. There was a bathroom for men, a bathroom for women, a kitchen, and a shower (inside the kitchen, yes, inside the kitchen). It sure made for interesting schedules of eating and showering and sharing the space. It was actually pretty fun and I think it helped bond our group of 10 even more!

The house that we worked on was a "rehab" house, meaning they were remodeling it instead of building a brand new house. While we were there this week, we painted the entire inside of the house (2 coats), roofed (I didn't, I hate being on the roof), installed all the switchplates back on the walls, did touch up work, installed closet shelves, pulled up carpet, and prepped the floors for tiling. We definitely had a great week working hard and playing harder.

We got there on Saturday the 21st. On Sunday we went to Busch Gardens. Wow, what a fun time! Most of spent the majority of the time riding the roller coasters. One coaster, the Sheikra, we rode 3 times. We rode 2 water rides as well and got completely soaked. I don't think we thought that through entirely. It got super cold after that! After working Monday - Thursday we had some down time and went to Indian shores (a beach that was really winding and made it kind of chilly), St. Pete Beach (pretty and we ate amazing seafood at Philthy Phil's), The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg (I wanted to retire here until I saw the cost of a condo on the waterfront) and Clearwater Beach (the perfect day, temperature, and Crabby Bill's restaurant was great too!). I think I want to retire there!!! What a way to end a perfect day and trip, with a perfect sunset!

Apparently I am a slacker. . .

Ok, I admit, it has been a long time since I posted but when I started this blog, I wasn't promising anyone anything spectacular (that also includes not updating my blog often). I did chang my wallpaper, so it is no longer my birthday. Amanda came out to celebrate, which was a lot of fun. She baked a wonderful orange cake decorated like a hockey rink! My brother also brought me a cake, a cake that had the Eiffel Tower on it that served 96 people. Yes that's right. It was good and I shared with 95 people.

Let's see, what else. . . Oh yes, a student or a friend of a student backed into the front of my car and then two weeks later a student (this time from the U) rear ended me. Needless to say I am still trying to get the dents fixed.

I had a girls' weekend the past few days. My mom came to town and we went to Park City to get our hair done from Larry. We both got the same color put in our hair, but they totally look different, go figure! We then went shopping and headed out to dinner for a surprise birthday for her BFF, Claire. After dinner, the 11 of us went to a piano bar to continue the celebration. The picture of my mom and I is from the bar. She left today, but because I am brilliant, I bought a bus ticket for Thursday night and am going to ride the bus to Green River for the weekend and my mom and I will drive home together on Sunday.

As far as school goes, I am behind in the reading. I have one professor that likes to assign 300+ pages of reading a week plus a paper a week. I am hoping to catch up on some of the reading on my 4 hour bus ride Thursday night. After this semester is over at teh end of April, I will be officially half way through with getting my Master's!

The only other thing that I have started doing to up date you all on is personal training. My trainer Bre kicks my butt. Or as GB says, it is "Death by Bre". It is a good kicking, evben though I am sore for the following two days! I have gone down another pants size. None of my clothes are fitting anymore. This is a good thing, except with my checkbook. It has been 6 weeks with Bre so far and even though I continue to complain before, during, and after the workout, it is so WORTH it!

Ok, you all are officially updated to my boring uneventful life.