tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1987832063414747882024-02-06T21:10:56.241-08:00Celebrate Life!Adventure is a state of mind - and spirit.Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-48842541782242335142011-06-13T00:34:00.001-07:002011-06-13T00:57:25.194-07:00Back from the dead and a new lookOk, so I actually was far from dead these past 18 months, but to many of you it may have seemed that way. I have been home from my mission now for about 3 1/2 months and have yet to revive my habit of blogging...but we are working on that. This is just the first step: letting you all get to hear my own voice again (through type, of course) and know that I, Carianne King, am still alive and fighting more than ever. I thank my wonderful sister, Michal, for taking over the blog updates while I was away. <br /><br />On February 24, 2011 I returned from serving 18 months in the Honduras Tegucigalpa mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I absolutely loved my time and experience there and wouldn't take it back for the world! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it and miss it and the people I came to know, serve, and love. But I know that "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." (Eccl. 3:1) I know that my time to serve a full-time mission has ended for now, and that now is my time to take what I have learned from it, go forward and put it to good use blessing my own life and the lives of others. <br /><br />Thank you all for any letters, emails, or packages you sent me, or even your thoughts and prayers...I sure felt the support and it was greatly appreciated in any form! <br /><br />My wonderful parents were able to come down to Honduras and spend a week and a half with me at the end of my mission and travel around, seeing the country and having fun, visiting the areas in which I had served, and getting to know a good portion of the people I love with so much of my heart! It was sweet to have my parents meet these Hondurans whom I love so much, put faces and personalities with names that had read so much about in letters, and understand me when I got home and was missing my Catrachos (Hondurans). If you would like to see pictures of this trip, I have an album on my facebook. <br /><br />I came home to Colorado to spend a wonderfully exciting week with all my family (19 of us including Grandma Ihli!) and have a Christmas in February all together! My family decided to wait and save their Christmas vacation time to come out when I got home and have Christmas together then - I love my family! We also got to take a new family picture!<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg464Vk6tvMIKHz6gp3uAm6A0dr4Ilk9TOj1KleufzE7ObGfJrIKZzbjG_vfZw3HoGcEfp_DNAsXNr3SktSVNaVLbhpaE59Sb5pmxa5vxNpbtmqF_AVPO5fdqVvwZ_-WFIa0m8BHNHUhyQ/s1600/King-71-Edit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg464Vk6tvMIKHz6gp3uAm6A0dr4Ilk9TOj1KleufzE7ObGfJrIKZzbjG_vfZw3HoGcEfp_DNAsXNr3SktSVNaVLbhpaE59Sb5pmxa5vxNpbtmqF_AVPO5fdqVvwZ_-WFIa0m8BHNHUhyQ/s320/King-71-Edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617605399577766322" /></a><br />Don't I have the most beautiful family ever?!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzHkWUNV5KNeUjWvbYjkcAi7iFc53eClFIKRVcP2o6kjtgxxTvO3Z_14ggUX5IecmeDCVcZcAjkwaV35tKjd_7bXt2VUtDLlIV4FupxW7HCpG0wS2e7LNE1GSFy8GXs5sKFyMRu1OzKU/s1600/King-112-Edit.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNzHkWUNV5KNeUjWvbYjkcAi7iFc53eClFIKRVcP2o6kjtgxxTvO3Z_14ggUX5IecmeDCVcZcAjkwaV35tKjd_7bXt2VUtDLlIV4FupxW7HCpG0wS2e7LNE1GSFy8GXs5sKFyMRu1OzKU/s320/King-112-Edit.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617608428926691794" /></a><br />I also came home to another surprise...realizing I do not have my perfect 20/20 vision anymore! I started noticing I cannot see clearly things that are far away (such as road signs when driving). Went in for an eye exam and...long story short, I now have these:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfzi_RIXK8dvCQ_ottcH7-QManOarMCt3bQwHJugpmDo6jNq4mEgr9rfLNAaHXlmNcytN2GPPtUCpB6D0tIv_Gtp37uTBkXkzgjO35SJG9I7_vzhSEwQdo2D_RnmO1wWvQzkFCkAKFYc/s1600/IMG_4517.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfzi_RIXK8dvCQ_ottcH7-QManOarMCt3bQwHJugpmDo6jNq4mEgr9rfLNAaHXlmNcytN2GPPtUCpB6D0tIv_Gtp37uTBkXkzgjO35SJG9I7_vzhSEwQdo2D_RnmO1wWvQzkFCkAKFYc/s320/IMG_4517.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617606333898706098" /></a><br />I don't have to wear them all the time, but am starting to like the option of wearing them now and then. I mean, since we were little, Michal and I have always wished we could wear glasses. :) But now that both of our blind brothers, Nathan and Jameson, have gotten lasik surgery, I am the only one! :)Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-41062325435216173522010-12-11T20:04:00.000-08:002010-12-11T20:13:00.788-08:00<div><meta charset="utf-8">Okay, so I have been neglectful of my sista's blog. Having a baby, moving, husband getting a new job, husband being called as seminary teacher and I being called as primary president has really been keeping us busy. <div>
<br /></div><div>But his blog isn't about me...</div></div><div>
<br /></div><div><meta charset="utf-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); ">Thanksgiving when the elders cooked lunch for the zone...</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFU15F3YdtPVkKfcMT8FssPvUlbytYfTOBQUNdXVzxAhEs2Vz4qDxGM-u_TMP_T1QIAWEqQF7WIXENqqpddcqLsZZ51sUlUAWXKXYYFNnf7HM3EfIZHVVTBxNabpb4xPOnEG46mQQO0A/s1600/c1.aspx"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFU15F3YdtPVkKfcMT8FssPvUlbytYfTOBQUNdXVzxAhEs2Vz4qDxGM-u_TMP_T1QIAWEqQF7WIXENqqpddcqLsZZ51sUlUAWXKXYYFNnf7HM3EfIZHVVTBxNabpb4xPOnEG46mQQO0A/s320/c1.aspx" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549642348839251106" /></a><meta charset="utf-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); ">As for my companion....I am training again! But this time, its a Gringa! :) Her name is Hna Hanvey from American Fork, Utah. She`s tall (like most northamericans ha ha), with beautiful red hair and glasses.</span>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoLvlNvwE5m_-PeVQrbHfT10WJwJdbb8MQNJajKWNb_k39oDsqkEXaVi-T_7mK6j8i6n_7iAORfTVwAo_dCFsv3xtFHCGc95HgVgEle57F_Gy-2rduirOIAIDG68WUm4MiAUmvEJJwcs/s1600/c2.aspx"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoLvlNvwE5m_-PeVQrbHfT10WJwJdbb8MQNJajKWNb_k39oDsqkEXaVi-T_7mK6j8i6n_7iAORfTVwAo_dCFsv3xtFHCGc95HgVgEle57F_Gy-2rduirOIAIDG68WUm4MiAUmvEJJwcs/s320/c2.aspx" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549642346675070338" /></a><meta charset="utf-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); ">Let`s see, today we actually had a fun P-day. The whole zone went bowling....it felt a little wierd bcause I haven`t bowled in so long, but guess what? Out of 2 games, I won both games!!! ha ha The elders were dying of shame....ha ha! then we played some ping pong and went to eat pizza. It was nice to do something different.
<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ8ZyIlj3u64B6S3dbOe7bi0C_-7taeaDcT3PdF0h0uMlj4MkRzpc4FDbjhjYBNdw1j8WnC4MW_zLPdGsn46dafTxxC9PZdRA9arfT-1_KR4tmrINbWLrubJ8qVX7gY4Sb_ZXeD_2Klw/s1600/c3.aspx"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZ8ZyIlj3u64B6S3dbOe7bi0C_-7taeaDcT3PdF0h0uMlj4MkRzpc4FDbjhjYBNdw1j8WnC4MW_zLPdGsn46dafTxxC9PZdRA9arfT-1_KR4tmrINbWLrubJ8qVX7gY4Sb_ZXeD_2Klw/s320/c3.aspx" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549642337857445298" /></a><meta charset="utf-8"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; color: rgb(42, 42, 42); ">what we found today on the street...</span>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdBt8tiezTMFbhumYmJL6b5BmfAKQ1MAVpcvMCJ9Tyy79-Wh-YPbEOwloHtKo0fyIy1fV4y9_l3teufEDHbB6WOVEL3z6xcG7-znegCncEpPC5RAGdBtsS7KFoGUsVyOiDyp_AGWnLc8/s1600/c4.aspx"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZdBt8tiezTMFbhumYmJL6b5BmfAKQ1MAVpcvMCJ9Tyy79-Wh-YPbEOwloHtKo0fyIy1fV4y9_l3teufEDHbB6WOVEL3z6xcG7-znegCncEpPC5RAGdBtsS7KFoGUsVyOiDyp_AGWnLc8/s320/c4.aspx" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5549642338094837026" /></a>
<br /><div>As y'all (this is a real word here in NC) can see, Hermana Carianne King is healthy and still beautiful, as always. She is still stealing the hearts of all those who come in contact with her. She's a magnet, I know. Don't forget how much she loves Christmas, send her a package!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>We get to see her in person the end of February, I can't wait!!!
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<br /></div></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-10188649040313932612010-06-21T19:44:00.000-07:002010-06-21T19:47:55.105-07:00Sorry for the delay, just had a baby so I am behind. Read her letter below- we all knew she was destined for great things. Her new "calling" is just one example of how much the Lord puts so much trust in her!<br /><br />"So I have lots to tell...this week was full of big changes and things happening!<br /><br />#1) I surprisingly had changes, not my companion. Sad to only have one change in San Luis...it was a good area with a lot of potential. I still didn´t get to see that couple married and baptized, but they are on the right path. We also had just found a few awesome families with a lot of potential!! It was hard to leave them all so suddenly and I don´t have any pictures with any of them!!!! Its sad....so needless to say, I did not sing in church, nor play the piano... I had changes for the city, I´m back in Teguc. It´s an area called La Joya and it used to be elders. They just switched it to hnas 2 changes ago and the members are LOVING having hnas! They work really well with the missionary work even though they are still growing! They are very well organized and it seems like an awesome ward! We live in a pretty nice house (for honduras and for the mission)...and it´s cool, because we live on a hill almost at the top of the hill, so looking out our window we have an awesome view of Tegucigalpa and its really pretty! I am with Hna Chen, from Guatemala and she is AMAZING!!! She came the same change as Hna Salgado (my daughter) so only has 3 changes in the mission, but is wonderful!! She is sweet and loving, fun and talkative, very easy to live with. She loves the work, and teaches with the spirit! I already love being with her! It will be a good change! She has a powerful testimony and is obedient. I already love her a lot! We have an awesome ward mission leader who has really great ideas and is very helpful!<br /><br />#2) So our mission nurse, Hna Adams, was an older lady. She and her husband were here on a mission and she was full-time in the office. but her mission just ended this change and went home. And guess who is the new mission nurse? ....yep, your very own, HNA KING! Oh my gosh...what a surprise! I haven´t forgotten practically EVERYTHING (and I´m not exaggerating when I say that, for all of you who have gone on missions, remember how you forgot names of your favorite songs, names of some of your friends, imagine how much nursing knowledge I have already forgotten!) And I didn´t even get to talk to or get training from Hna Adams before she left. It is a big step up but I know that if the Lord is asking it of me, he will help me. I have some books and stuff, and also I can call the Doctor for central American missions (hes a north American who is in Guatemala) anytime to ask him questions. he helps a lot and is very kind! I am learning a lot already. I get my own cell phone with international calls...woot woot! So I can call you guys whenever i want now...ha ha if only! But I get calls from missionaries all morning, all during lunch hour, and all evening when we´re in the house. I feel a little overwhelmed but I think with time, I will get used to it and who knows....I feel a little bad for my companion, but we are working with how to make it more efficient, because I am still working full-time as a proselyting missionary too. I have to find a good balance and I hope the missionaries can recognize that too and not call me for things that aren´t really that big of a deal. Its all a learning and growing experience right?<br /><br />#3) I have been hearing about the bishop in this ward in La Joya for some time, that he is amazing and works super well with the missionaries. He loves them greatly and loves the mission work. Hna Chen says that no one loved them like the bishop did and that he is the best bishop she´s ever seen (better than her´s at home)....but sadly I never got to meet him. We went to his house my first night here, but no one was home. She told me he had been sick and later we found out they had gone to the hospital. Changes were on Thursday (long story) and on Friday we found out he had Dengue hemorrhagic, and on Saturday morning we got a call early that he had passed away....super sad. He was only 27 and left a wife who is pregnant and 2 little girls. All day Saturday they had his body in the chapel and a service in the evening. Then yesterday for sacrament mtg. we had his funeral service (just one hour of church) and another short one at noon (Elder Falabella form the area presidency came) and then we took him to the cemetery. The saddest part is the family he left behind, they are very delicate, but we know they will be taken care of. Its kind of a sad way to come into a new area, but the members are wonderful and I know we will be able to work together to move forward. Just wish I could´ve known him....I am studying and learning more about personal conversion and how to make it happen in our own lives and then how to help others to find that conversion too. I love my study (which is shortening with this whole new nurse thing- they are always calling me!)...but I know that Heavenly Father will help me and make up the difference. I am excited for the changes, Heavenly Father knew I was needed a push to give him more, so he just pulled it out of me. :) I hope I can give all that he needs from me. Pray for the family of Bishop Archaga and his wife, Mabel and her children. We have some good investigators right now, and are finding some new families...pray for us that they can progress! Right now the investigators that I just tell names for you to pray for are Tania, Katia, and Benigno."Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-39253518713457768392010-05-10T14:27:00.000-07:002010-05-10T14:36:25.460-07:00"Wow, so I am so excited to tell you all about the Luau! It was AWESOME!!! Best activity Honduras has EVER SEEN!!! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ok</span>, so when we had our district conference, we had about 245 people....yeah, this activity, we had 335!!!! AND, the surprising thing is, it was pouring all afternoon, like the hardest I have seen it rain in Honduras so far. All the missionaries were at our church decorating, setting up chairs, etc. And about 2 pm it started coming down. The activity was supposed to be outside so we were all setting up outside (on the basketball courts) and when it started raining we all started dancing one of the group dances in the rain, it was so fun! We got soaked! And at one point during the dance it was coming down so hard, I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">couldn</span>´t hardly see!!! So we left to go home and shower and get some last minute things ready...and walking in the streets it was a complete river! When we got to the boulevard it was like a lake up to our knees!!! It was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">sooo</span> fun! And of course all the Hondurans think those <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">mormons</span> are nuts for being outside when its raining...ha ha So we went home and prayed really hard that there would be some way we could still have the activity, and come 5:30 its just sprinkling, so we go around all the chairs and tip the swimming pools off of them, and when everyone arrives, its not raining at all. It was such a blessing!! God loves us!!! Of course there were some crazy things but overall it was awesome!!! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hermana</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fuka</span> and I danced one together (Hawaiian) that she taught me the night before! I love it! I can´t wait for you to see videos of it! then the girls in our ward did their number (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">hawaii</span>) that we´<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">ve</span> been teaching them. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">THen</span> I did a SOLO!!! (Samoa) that the Samoan elder in our ward taught me. It was 6 min long, but I love it! He told me he was so proud of me afterwards, and thank you for learning it. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fuka</span> did a Tonga solo, and one with poi balls (new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">zealand</span>), then we had a group one with all the youth from all the branches! It was awesome!!! Everyone loved it!!! Pres and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hna</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Chaverri</span> and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">APs</span> came and said it was amazing! Oh I´m sure I´ll have more stories for you, but I´ll be talking to you in a week! woo <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">hoo</span>! "<br /><br />The rain before the show...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQeevhDf02WwyTyZ1cFZjNZyDkBPTEI7OshmlO5hY8qYK2RBxdV55Fo9GoAjytfCpxW7QR9mWhwej-xu7dkw7kbewMYG4soqrYOG5ppIjbuWC9601i7ve4LUWEdC3GCF5bKfn06h23c0/s1600/carrie+19.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469756612354791650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQeevhDf02WwyTyZ1cFZjNZyDkBPTEI7OshmlO5hY8qYK2RBxdV55Fo9GoAjytfCpxW7QR9mWhwej-xu7dkw7kbewMYG4soqrYOG5ppIjbuWC9601i7ve4LUWEdC3GCF5bKfn06h23c0/s320/carrie+19.jpg" /></a> We got to talk to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hermana</span> King on Mother's Day- oh how sweat to hear her voice! You all know she has a good one too! She said that the Elder who taught her this dance practiced with her the whole time, and she did not realize until late in the game that is was actually a solo. But of course, like everything she does, it was wonderful and people are still talking about it even a few weeks later.<br /><br />Her solo dance...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcn1xjtO_TpzV4PY_VE7G9sBdyEkPidpf6dsJQlaKp-V4FczR6_3d1mJXGocN_I9-sU11-ontF2tJBglLrCuyibUHvR7CZ_7_PXLIqDEvxOkmBH0b0FK7fufwFyLJz3nH0ypgYhQFQyA/s1600/carrie+21.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469756609080138322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcn1xjtO_TpzV4PY_VE7G9sBdyEkPidpf6dsJQlaKp-V4FczR6_3d1mJXGocN_I9-sU11-ontF2tJBglLrCuyibUHvR7CZ_7_PXLIqDEvxOkmBH0b0FK7fufwFyLJz3nH0ypgYhQFQyA/s320/carrie+21.jpg" /></a> Her and her companion, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hermanda</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fuka</span>, and Elder <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Falesui</span>, (the Polynesians)<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacls1KdVI9gyheG9FWhdmR8avW_F81st81x3KAdgbLQmByUvcrjtXR1XucPFuXwriOBKkRUkQmmbZLNvmEXKZuaMbGe_Mbre_4Ao7VHJl84ngdqS6H9L6LSc7fr6Y-EeykRaWBb29eOY/s1600/carrie+22.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469756597684157458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgacls1KdVI9gyheG9FWhdmR8avW_F81st81x3KAdgbLQmByUvcrjtXR1XucPFuXwriOBKkRUkQmmbZLNvmEXKZuaMbGe_Mbre_4Ao7VHJl84ngdqS6H9L6LSc7fr6Y-EeykRaWBb29eOY/s320/carrie+22.jpg" /></a><br />"I had transfers...I am now in the south of Honduras, in a city called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Choluteca</span>. And guess what? IT IS SUPER <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">HOTT</span>!!! Wow, hotter than hotter than hot! I am telling you....I am just wet and sweaty and tired all the time. I wipe my face every 5 seconds and its just dripping. And dripping down my back...<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">ooo</span> yummy. :) We buy water to drink in between every <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">cita</span> practically. I am really tired all the time (as in sleepy), boy this sun sure takes everything out of you, but I hope that I will get used to the weather here. I am excited though, because I have a good companion, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hna</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bala</span>, from Guatemala. She only has 2 transfers in the mission but she is excited to work, and work hard! I think it will be a good change. We are working with a couple right now to get them married, and then they will be baptized to join their 3 kids that are already members (and 4 more little ones that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error">aren</span>´t old enough)"</div><div> </div><div>"We have lots of little friends in our house...like geckos, TONS of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error">mosquitos</span> who have already taken plenty of bites out of me, huge flying cockroaches, lots of other little bugs everywhere that I don´t know the names of, and I keep hearing about tarantulas, but luckily haven´t seen one yet...<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error">ooo</span>!" </div></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-24305555168802632752010-04-12T18:53:00.000-07:002010-04-12T18:59:27.609-07:00Sorry for the long hiatus! Hermana King's email address has changed to: <a href="mailto:carianne.king@myldsmail.net">carianne.king@myldsmail.net</a><br /><br />She was very excited to have a baptism this week:<br />"So guess what?! We had a baptism this week! Of Milagro! Finally!! I didn´t say anything last week, because I didn´t want to have to tell you that it didn´t go through like the week before. But it was great and we have great hope for her as she is getting well-involved with the young women. We did our baptism with the elders from another branch (because we are the only ones with a chapel so all from the zone come to our chapel for their baptisms). And this area that had a baptism is brand brand new and this was their very first baptism! It was exciting! But also....so of course they didn´t bring any members to the baptism (because they don´t have any), but they brought some investigators, and one of them i recognized. After the baptism, I saw her and said, are you Lydia? And she said yes, and said, YOU are the one that first invited me to church! (when we did the contacting activity in Yuscaran)...I remember meeting her in the street with 2 of her sons and we gave her a pamphlet, talked to her a little about the church and invited her. So at the baptism I asked her how she liked the baptism and she A LOT! I said, so when are YOU going to get baptized? And she said soon, soon. (after talking to the elder, he said, they just have to get married and then she will get baptized)....Oh what joy!!! It made me feel so wonderful!! I told the elder to be sure to tell me when she gets baptized because we are coming to her baptism! :) I LOVE this work and how the Lord has His hand in every aspect of it!"<br /><br />She has been working very hard in her ward and sharing all her musical talents. She is teaching a piano class and is the sole piano player for the ward. <br /><br />"We are helping several youth prepare their mission papers and all to leave on the mission. It is very exciting because here in the branch, there are 0 return missionaries, so they are trying to get this generation of youth to go as soon as they can (some already have the age, just need to get it all rolling) so that they can come back and strengthen the branch! One girl just put in her papers, and we are about to help another girl and boy fill out their papers...it is very exciting!"<br /><br />She also got a new companion:<br />"SURPRISE!! We had changes! We totally didn't think we were going to have changes at all...but came the call, and Hna Salgado got transferred out to Choluteca (in the south, where its really HOT)....it was a big surprise, that I am staying here in the Villa....but oh so happy, because I did NOT want to leave. I feel content that we were good and all before she left...but I am also excited to be with my new companion....and here is another funny thing!!! My new companion is TONGAN!!! My 3rd Polynesian companion, out of 5! Her name is Hna Fuka and she is a cousin (2nd cousins I think) of Hna Naa....but Hna Fuka has lived most of her life in Utah. She has one transfer less than me in the mission. We are both excited to be together and I think we are going to be able to be really powerful together in this area. She struggles quite a bit with the language still but she has a desire to work hard and shares a strong testimony, so I think we are going to be just fine!"<br /><br />We love her and know she is doing a great work!Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-41553208066294657232010-01-27T19:54:00.000-08:002010-01-27T20:10:46.655-08:00On Sunday, we got to church and the branch president asked me to play the piano (normally we don{t have anything, but this week they brought a keyboard) and everyone loved it...they loved having music to go along with their singing finally. And I will now be teaching a class on Saturdays to the members who want to learn how to play the piano. There are several that are SO excited to learn! It makes me excited for them, because then when I leave, hopefully one of them can take over and they won´t be without music again.<br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431635261246398738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8O1hysHK2fjl9sbFmDIjt5XQ01Ys65vJAb4KOxhGQdwZwhkvcNVq0dt2ALKqwlZfCRCj26_lAD54M3607btdOOYJQX71Og9cUaFb1ih8WuK7AD0blbXqJ-gMMqhbZgr1L1qEN0P9DDZ8/s320/carrie+15.jpg" />So in the fields surrounding the Villa, there are fields of sugar cane and they are harvesting right now, so that means they have to burn the cane, to make it easier to cut down or something. Then all the ashes go up in the sky, float over the town, and fall, almost constantly. So it´s like its raining ashes...lovely. Especially when the houses have roofs that don´t keep anything out, so we come home and we have ashes all over EVERYTHING!!!! and we usually have dishes in the sink because we don´t always have water to wash them with...we just have to wait until the water comes. oh the adventures of honduras... ha ha<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431635541715008786" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9RRkN6yqZK15m2H4LCzxpm_MJKOz0kfjUwsDNxWgBu1W90fx5vh1b68FGxPBFqHpS9xNYornh4BJPlSUaVxtwLyMwbHHj8iUq17vMZEMjSAb5bGnBb37dQIo0zEajFB9JVzIyLm2mSm0/s320/carrie+17.jpg" /> So guess what?!?! We went hiking in the mountains today for P-day! I was sooooooo happy and have been looking forward to it all week! We went with our zone of 10 missionaries and a bunch of the youth from our ward. We hiked for about 3-4 hours and got to some waterfalls….there were 3 different ones and the youth splashed us all until we were soaked….but it felt really good. I had my Chaco´s and it was perfect! Everyone was jealous of my ability to just walk in the water and not worry about my shoes…mwa ha ha It was such a fun day!! But I know I´m going to feel it tomorrow because I haven´t done anything for like 5 months!</div><div> </div><div>Oh man, so this week I was leading the music in Sacrament Mtg and there is no piano so the person leading the music just gives the tone at the beginning (sing like the first line) and then everyone together. Well I went up there and they had picked a song I didn´t know!! I was like uh oh how am I going to give the tone?!?! I just made it up as well as I could looking at the notes, but wow…. Good thing we weren´t in the states because here nobody really has tone so I´m sure they didn´t mind, but it was still funny.<br /><br /><div></div></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-7856593316892469842010-01-11T19:39:00.001-08:002010-01-11T19:54:21.523-08:00Baptism and New Area<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cZfaVAfKibdYZO2UtM92J7ZU3Z-cp2bIcQapGbnHV7Vu6KDsvV875JVWBcY1R77BL6SM2TFswN3tqp1l-eKzNWPjy32YctLk8uQ1DiWtgQbsUkLZ2uyUz1uOFwsafo5Cl-MCAdmdqEU/s1600-h/carrie+6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425693017736501458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4cZfaVAfKibdYZO2UtM92J7ZU3Z-cp2bIcQapGbnHV7Vu6KDsvV875JVWBcY1R77BL6SM2TFswN3tqp1l-eKzNWPjy32YctLk8uQ1DiWtgQbsUkLZ2uyUz1uOFwsafo5Cl-MCAdmdqEU/s320/carrie+6.jpg" /></a> "our first one(baptism)! THere is a picture of it....Eliza, she is 9 and her whole family is members. She couldn´t get baptized when she was 8 because she had a surgery on her nose and couldn´t go under water until now. and since she is 9 she is considered a convert so we got to teach her all the lessons, etc. So not really a convert, but still it was exciting. They couldn´t do it on Saturday so we did it yesterday at 8am before church so she could be confirmed in church. She is really cute."<br /><br /><div></div><div>"So guess what?!? Ive been transferred! Hna Naa stayed in Palmira (for her last transfer) with Hna Dixon and I am out here in Villa de San Francisco, east of the city. I love it! Its a little farm town, there are just as many horses and donkeys walking around the streets as cars. We have a house and a front yard....not super nice but a lot bigger than our teeny little apt in Teguc. Its quiet and I can fall asleep to crickets and children laughing, then wake up to horse hooves on the cobblestone road. Most of the roads are just dirt, but there are a few with cobblestone. But it all makes me want to ride a horse again! We are in a valley with mountains around, its absolutely beautiful! This is the Honduras I was expecting! I do miss Hna Naa but I have a wonderful companion! Hna Lopez from Nicaragua. She only has about 2 and half months more than me but she is top quality and I know I will learn SO MUCH from her! She is a convert of 12 years and is very strong! I already like working with her! There is just a branch here, it is very small, but at least we have a church. Oh! And the cool part is, we are in a brand new zone! They just opened a new zone, called Valle Verde (Green Valley) and there are just 10 of us missionaries. We have 5 areas, and 2 of them are brand new, so we are having plenty of adventures. But I am excited, we have a bunch of awesome missionaries in our little zone. We are hoping to climb some mountains and fun stuff on P-days so it will be good! When we we came here with all my luggage, it was quite funny....we took a bus to a little town where the road for Villa de San Francisco splits off...then we took a little minibus (like a minivan stuffed full of people)....it was hilarious to try and fit all my stuff in and all the people. I was so embarrassed. Then when we got to town, we took a mototaxi (like a motorcycle thing with a bench in the back (3 wheels) and a little roof) to our house. It was a great start. I am really excited to be in this area with Hna Lopez...I think I am going to love it! I feel more content in my heart...just being out of the city."</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIbSRU4FgVR2qk4zwnPo_cTKnglVXSIQViMKnNSWYrtNK7xZO1dnW5HXVpTCrOubNb6o9hjo05wu19xnwYBdBRvpDlSsVp5ttNGbEPP9q0sBCuUypa7r6By8SBtboN86l8Ocos4JKnNk/s1600-h/carrie+9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425694772363611362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIbSRU4FgVR2qk4zwnPo_cTKnglVXSIQViMKnNSWYrtNK7xZO1dnW5HXVpTCrOubNb6o9hjo05wu19xnwYBdBRvpDlSsVp5ttNGbEPP9q0sBCuUypa7r6By8SBtboN86l8Ocos4JKnNk/s320/carrie+9.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyicflLKjmajfSNkF7nZOh-HRNwSCwDPT076ebgvc-UUGWZ449YmKNGewLw3n-4ecAhem-IXQ3VtvhH4lO_uuUpZJYPijVLlbOYLXttrDKO133S8LEWuvcvUXLl9BXU-Nt-8wyiRtaNY/s1600-h/carrie+7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425693961593957762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyicflLKjmajfSNkF7nZOh-HRNwSCwDPT076ebgvc-UUGWZ449YmKNGewLw3n-4ecAhem-IXQ3VtvhH4lO_uuUpZJYPijVLlbOYLXttrDKO133S8LEWuvcvUXLl9BXU-Nt-8wyiRtaNY/s320/carrie+7.jpg" /></a> "We didn{t do much for New Years, just had dinner at a recent converts house and went to bed, but got woken up by the music from the salon de baile thats just down the street and the fireworks at midnight."<br /><div></div><br /><div>"I am still LOVING it here in la Villa and we are working hard. I love the way Hna Lopez works, we are losing ourselves in the work and I think that is one reason I am so much happier here. This past week has brought us a cold front…which means perfect during the day, and a little chilly in the evenings, but yesterday was FREEZING! (ok, I know it’s still not as cold as it is there in Colorado and Utah, but its cold). There was a fierce wind and even with our sweaters it was soooo cold! I slept with 2 blankets and this morning, waiting for the bus at 6am was soooo cold! I have never experienced this much cold here in Honduras…in fact I never imagined it existed in Central America…ha ha.So some funny things about people here (I think its all of central America)….whenever they get sick…even just a cold (which they get sick often…I think it more a matter of the lack of cleanliness and never washing their hands), but they ALWAYS say its because of the change of weather. I don’t think they know what change in weather is really, because compared to the states, they have a very tempered climate here (its pretty much the same all year)…but they always attribute it to that. And I think its funny…but I don’t say anything…"<br /></div><div></div><br /><div>"I love this place! I just laugh every day when I hear donkeys….making the noise they make…I don’t know what its called….but its hilarious…its all over the place. Seeing the horses always makes me want to ride them….but sadly we’re not allowed to."</div></div></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-37739656082375124622009-12-23T14:01:00.000-08:002009-12-23T14:04:14.162-08:00Have a Very Merry ChristmasFrom Hermana King this week, I will post the pictures when I get home:<br /><br />"SO we had a baptism yesterday...our first one! THere is a picture of it....Eliza, she is 9 and her whole family is members. She couldn´t get baptized when she was 8 because she had a surgery on her nose and couldn´t go under water until now. and since she is 9 she is considered a convert so we got to teach her all the lessons, etc. So not really a convert, but still it was exciting. They couldn´t do it on Saturday so we did it yesterday at 8am before church so she could be confirmed in church. She is really cute.So Hna Naa and I have both been sick all week with colds. We have still been working until yesterday....after church we came home and fell asleep until about 4 and decided to stay home. While I was sleeping though, I woke myself up about 10 times because I couldn´t breathe (congestion.)<br /><br />So we had the Mission Christmas Party on Thrusday in the Hotel Marriott from 8am-4pm...it was fun! I got to see Hna Okura and that was wonderful!! We took a whole mission photo and each zone performed their drama-skits we´ve been preparing. Ours was a day in the MTC...it was kinda funny. THen we had lunch and went outside by the pool to do pinatas by zone. THen they gave everyone a zip up light jacket with the mission on the front. Then we went home so Hna Naa could pick what song she was going to dance to for the ward party that night at 6. She ended up picking the song that she taught me a couple weeks ago when we were stuck in the house...and somehow she talked me into to doing it with her! But it was really fun! We practiced a few times and went to the church. the activity was supposed to start at 6 but of course we are in Honduras, so it didn´t start until 7:30...oh boy. But we had about 8 investigators there and a tons of inactives. it actually turned out really well. And whne it was our turn, it was a surprise that I was dancing too...it was cool. Hna Naa started with an introduction call in Hawaiian, then they turned out the lights and started the music. We lit candles and carried them in then kneeled down and blew out the candles. THey turned on the ligths and we danced....everyone loved it!! I ahve a video that you will see someday! It was really fun!" After all the skits, performances, etc. we had a dinner. The Banegas loved it!"<br /><br />Hope you enjoyed it and I hope you sent her a Christmas package, cause it won't make it by now!Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-89854985310962785822009-12-16T12:23:00.000-08:002009-12-16T12:27:42.271-08:00Address Update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FAFsxJuzCrFG1SriTm35ggzD0IBq_gUX7HBzyr8zZJ1KPpyPLkagk6sUQDMWhg4C8nRTxlERUVeZBugeZxHVCZo21a4yXzjXNV2bJ8Cm7CL6NCuZ-q2Q3NJvHb9rmyQ7HxVOVa7lQz8/s1600-h/package.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 133px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 103px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415933382327132546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2FAFsxJuzCrFG1SriTm35ggzD0IBq_gUX7HBzyr8zZJ1KPpyPLkagk6sUQDMWhg4C8nRTxlERUVeZBugeZxHVCZo21a4yXzjXNV2bJ8Cm7CL6NCuZ-q2Q3NJvHb9rmyQ7HxVOVa7lQz8/s320/package.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Many of you have mentioned to Carianne that her addresses on the side bar were confusing. I have updated them in hopes that your plentiful letters and packages will make it their faster as well as your confidence in sending her even MORE!! This is the season for giving, so give her your love- send som<a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/images/package.gif&imgrefurl=http://school.discoveryeducation.com/clipart/clip/package.html&usg=__8iuVoi3Dw4AkdcnOiMH0Oc_8MAQ=&h=428&w=550&sz=19&hl=en&start=1&sig2=LePV5s7rJPJLxSo4qCFEVQ&um=1&tbnid=0iKfVsbo46FpPM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmailed%2Bpackage%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7ADBF%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=ckIpS8-nDZSXtgf-6ZjVCw"></a>ething to her!</div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-56332801428385969152009-12-09T12:01:00.000-08:002009-12-09T12:09:56.659-08:00Christmas is Almost hereJust some words from Carianne. As you know she LOVES Christmas time. <br /><br />"So last Monday, I got your package and went home and put on Grandpa Ihli´s old CHristmas music and decorated...it made me really happy. I LOVE IT!! And my comp really likes those CDs of Grandpas ;) We sleep with the christmas lights on (like i love to do at home) and I wake up really happy ;). Oh and finally Hna Naa danced for me! I have videos of it you will see someday!" <div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413329465479601250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1ZGEXmEsk71RAbg3Rh-NMquQ-gtpVRcZOICTQHOE1yHlnoJSK_KyR_ogPnAjrbiCLA-6p-VgiQsI_jjiJ5XwzNiz6rZPJHZu5cIJpfDNOqBOEHiFJ55Yi3WRczHK9VZdZDkCLZnluIU/s320/christmas.jpg" /></div><div>"SO yesterday we had our day in the house (due to elections.)CHurch was cancelled for all of Honduras and all the missionaries coúldn´t leave the house all day. We put our mattresses on the floor the night before and slept there (we have a bunkbed) I made a little fort over my mattress (ha ha!). It was kind of sad because I don´t have many resources but it was a fort nonetheless, and i was happy! Then Hna Naa taught me a hula! I have it on video too...but its not perfect. I just love learning Polynesian dance! She is going to teach me TOngan someday, she just needs to find music. Oh and everything went fine with the elections as far as we know. Hopefully this new president will do good here. My Thanksgiving was a interesting day. We had our district mtg and weekly planning. Our DL made us pancakes. THen we went went home for lunch and I was having a hard time because I was thinking of you all at home together. But once we went out to work, it got better. We had an awesome family home evening with Ana and her family. It was awesome because we brought a member couple in our ward and they were wonderful! Also, usually when we go there to teach, Marvin (one of their sons who is married also and has a little son), recently had surgery on his head and so has to stay in bed and we usually teach in his room with all of them there. But this night, we got there and they were all downstairs waiting for us (including Marvin). They always have really good questions and seem to really like it all. We talked about families and builing family relationships...they liked it a lot. And the best part was Marvin, who with a sincere look in his eyes, said, ÄS soon as I can, I am going to go to your church with my family.¨ You can tell he really feels the spirit of this message. It was so wonderful! Then on the way home, we stopped at Pizza Hut and I got a pizza and cheese bread and drinks for Hna Naa and I for my THanksgiving dinner...went home with it and ate it in out apt. It wasn´t quite TUrkey, jello, mashed potates, and chocolate pie, but it was good enough. And all of it for only 179 lempiras!!! ;) he he sounds like a lot eh? but really thats only $9."</div><div> </div><div>We are excited to talk to her in just a few weeks.</div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-2980968391938684772009-11-03T18:41:00.000-08:002009-11-03T18:49:59.102-08:00Hermana King and her companion Hermana Naa at a ward activity with some of the kids....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0p8vDLUEIT4Bcg2lJSg-srPAFXfP6A0SkAhdYGFiC5jcRLo9sod-5JOjg6Kb0fM93LQMS-IrESSqKTLDlQnb5MA0PUz_6CiXIjndUyRaKLf2VOQnN3QDUQ4NpVL4aZcCD4pgJIYNokYI/s1600-h/carrie+2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400073336078224210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0p8vDLUEIT4Bcg2lJSg-srPAFXfP6A0SkAhdYGFiC5jcRLo9sod-5JOjg6Kb0fM93LQMS-IrESSqKTLDlQnb5MA0PUz_6CiXIjndUyRaKLf2VOQnN3QDUQ4NpVL4aZcCD4pgJIYNokYI/s320/carrie+2.jpg" /></a>Isn't she gorgeous! That must be what the spirit does to you. Here are some little things from her email this week...<br /><br /><em>something funny about Latinos…is that when they sing, they don´t have pitch at all. It was something I learned a little about in the CCM, but here in our ward, it´s even better. Its interesting to be in our ward during hymns, but you can still feel the spirit. OH what fun…</em><br /><br /><div><em>-pupusas = no its not with plaintains....it´s like a little pancake thing with cheese inside...really good!</em></div><div><em>-no, I don´t wear dangly earrings...i heard something got them ripped out of their ears here, so I only wear small ones and sometimes nothing at all...as people already think Gringos have ¨pisto¨ (lots of money). </em></div><div><em></em> </div><div><em>So I gave a shot to one of our investigators this week!! Ha- I thought I would be leaving behind all my nursing staff. She needed it done, and they asked, so I did it. It was a ventrogluteal (I think…I can´t remember if that´s the right name – ha!)….I was a little nervous, but it was fine and she said she didn´t feel a thing. So we had 4 days this week with no water in our apt. GOod thing we have to buy our water to drink anyways...but we have a big trash can thing that we fill with water for times like this...</em></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-52020023424801811892009-10-18T14:38:00.000-07:002009-10-18T14:45:23.900-07:00Graduated from the CCM<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hermana</span> King has <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">officially</span> graduated from the "Guatemalan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">MTC</span>" and is about to start her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">third</span> week in the field. She really misses all the wonderful times she had there but is excited to move <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">forward</span>. Please don't forget to email or write her, she could really use some uplifting encouragement!!!<br /><br />Here are some great blips from her letters:<br /><br /><em>So I am right in the middle of Tegucigalpa in an area called <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Palmira</span>. I´d rather be outside of the city (you know me) but I guess this is where the Lord needs me. My companion is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hna</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Naa</span> from Tonga (another <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">polynesian</span>! :) ). She has 14 months in the mission. She speaks English but only speaks to me in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">spanish</span> which is good for me. The weather here is nice because the city is surrounded my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">mtns</span> so it is relatively cool. We hear in the south of the mission it is very hot but I would still rather be there. :)Our apt is teeny...but at least we have a real shower! :) I don´t have to heat up water in a pot to shower with, so that´s nice right. :) There are some awesome members in our area that I have already come to love very much. And most of the them haven´t been members that long...that are so kind and have strong testimonies even with very difficult trials. </em><br /><em></em><br /><em>So I get a lot of comments on my looks here...more so than I expected. They love my hair, and many cute little girls already love playing with my hair....which I´m totally fine with! :) They call me ¨barbie¨or ¨<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">blancita</span>¨(little white girl). They also always comment on my eyes. It´s funny because I do less to look nice here than usual. I think it´s just because I look different. There are only 2 other American <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hermanas</span> in the mission before we came and neither of them have ever served here. They´<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">ve</span> had American elders but not sisters. They are very complementary here. :)</em><br /><em></em><br />Send her some food if you can, her comp hasn't taught her how to cook yet and doesn't do much eating herself. We have really enjoyed reading about her experiences and how her testimony has grown.Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-53103532592622782482009-09-09T10:14:00.000-07:002009-09-09T12:08:46.161-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCz2vZC-rIpIYqJ_FYluoiE4uAVNX1KeaqUH_qaiEbqHKrfhg4G6dyBeqI6c13ix7-qskzFgcHF0LFflb9wTJyCKB0akO5xTj0fPOPAxMI3EA93gTEl9BEvQLnOBBZYh3Gf2pJQrqyilc/s1600-h/carrie.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 222px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379546686703929730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCz2vZC-rIpIYqJ_FYluoiE4uAVNX1KeaqUH_qaiEbqHKrfhg4G6dyBeqI6c13ix7-qskzFgcHF0LFflb9wTJyCKB0akO5xTj0fPOPAxMI3EA93gTEl9BEvQLnOBBZYh3Gf2pJQrqyilc/s320/carrie.jpg" /></a><br /><div>An update on our little <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carianne</span>. She is enjoying being in the Guatemalan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">MTC</span>. She says the rooms and the food are way nicer than the Provo <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">MTC</span>! Who would have known. She only has a few weeks left before she is shoved out the door into the field- the white field!!!<br /><br />Her top reason for enjoying South America- Everyone is shorter than her!!! Literally. No, she is enjoying growing closer to her Father in Heaven, Learning more about the depth of our Saviors love and the atonement as well as working hard with help to make her weaknesses her strengths.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hermana</span> King always welcomes packages filled with candy and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">pantyhose</span>. I have her dress size in case you want to send her some clothes! Other things she would like- Spanish/English pocket size dictionary and and English pocket size <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">hymnal</span>. I am sure she is bringing many smiles to the people through the spirit that she radiates.</div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-26380424482043928282009-08-18T20:31:00.000-07:002009-08-18T20:41:43.124-07:00Off to GuatemalaI love my district, we are the only district in the whole <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MTC</span> allowed to blog!!<br /><br />Just Kidding, this is Michal, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Carianne's</span> sister updating you on what is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">happen'in</span> in the BIG <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">MTC</span>!!!<br /><br />So little sis is doing so awesome with her Spanish speaking skills that she was moved from the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">beginning</span> to intermediate class. This <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">meant</span> she had to say adios (I am sure literally) to her district that she loved. She now has a great companion who is really pushing her. <br /><br />BUT.... even bigger news<br /><br />On Monday, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Carianne</span> will no longer be in Provo, she will be in Guatemala!! She was doing SO well that they just changed her mission all together. No really, she will be attending the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">MTC</span> there. Her new address is posted on the side bar. This is NO excuse not to write her!!! NO EXCUSE!!! Keep the fan mail <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">comin</span> okay! She will be there for 6 weeks so that is 6 letters from all of you!<br /><br />I know she loves all of you!Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-13768062800523235172009-07-28T20:23:00.001-07:002009-07-28T21:01:59.814-07:00Old Nauvoo<div style="text-align: center;">"<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Another</span> trip?" you say...<br />"Of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">course</span>!" says I...<br />But it's the last one before I leave on my mission....really, I promise. Would you like to hear a bit about it?<br />...<br />Well, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">too bad</span> (or <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">tad</span>, as Jenae would say), cuz you're gonna! :)<br /><br />After I drove home to beautiful, colorful Colorado, I had approximately 15 hours before I headed out once again in the car...this time, my parents and I were headed for NAUVOO, IL!!<br />There is a Nauvoo pageant every summer put on by the LDS church and my great uncle, David (well, he's not my great-uncle, but he is GREAT!), and 3 of my wonderful cousins, Sarah, Hollie, & Michael, were part of the cast - so we wanted to go out and see them perform!<br />On the drive we met up with my brother, Nate, and his family. Oh, and I found some interesting signs along the road...and I thought they only had cool signs in England! ;) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasej4Z_zytW0gKMlMpuueDv3QCCkraUgo7bchPBkx4RxzAUBssv_4AOyl57xrnESGt8zgqs62mksBKwl4lYgWGYE70ifqJ8RiCkh6Z7vmEhZI3i65h2xJeSIycOOuGDJVbylRbYX8dAo/s1600-h/Nauvoo+July+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasej4Z_zytW0gKMlMpuueDv3QCCkraUgo7bchPBkx4RxzAUBssv_4AOyl57xrnESGt8zgqs62mksBKwl4lYgWGYE70ifqJ8RiCkh6Z7vmEhZI3i65h2xJeSIycOOuGDJVbylRbYX8dAo/s320/Nauvoo+July+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363536363384219010" border="0" /></a>I also learned that when you are driving on the freeway at night in the east, and a firefly happens to smash into your windshield, you will have a little blob of guts that glows for about 5 minutes...its pretty cool.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We then went to Carthage to see the Carthage Jail, where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred. What an amazing place!<br /></div>We ate at a cute little pizza shop with homestyle cookin' <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">and</span> service, then headed up to Nauvoo. Just driving into that city is...well, magical. I loved the feeling! And you know what we did first thing?! Yep, we ran around catching <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">fireflies</span>! Boy, Morgan is a PRO at that! Aww, the little joys in life... <span style="font-weight: bold;">:D</span><br /><br />The next two days were filled with loads of pioneer fun - making a rope...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOsdhkegOYFW9QRebbAFO5xZeeCKxfGqPO6Tzo8ivvfDSHomDDl562fWxapg-gxkOw0PILQMVkYEWNIvmidRb1gqZU_yY4UNHMiHEKWK7i1s_byzCGNQ1VbUgH2y2zG3hNwemKN2_Hkw/s1600-h/IMG_2114.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOsdhkegOYFW9QRebbAFO5xZeeCKxfGqPO6Tzo8ivvfDSHomDDl562fWxapg-gxkOw0PILQMVkYEWNIvmidRb1gqZU_yY4UNHMiHEKWK7i1s_byzCGNQ1VbUgH2y2zG3hNwemKN2_Hkw/s320/IMG_2114.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361161599362377906" border="0" /></a>learning how to make bricks (and learning the origin of the phrase, "you can't hack it!")... gunny sack races...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdowRIZA1MwC16TNbnf-pgDEqdJvH_WiGL75ehscCejoSUedmiiZRXhVt9BLt61DutlR30FSEcp3-DAftX3n1qiNdpSERnv1jIiICKbEtAhnK2qBoDvWa-w1GPVTbIC5a00kuHigBAtmY/s1600-h/IMG_2153.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdowRIZA1MwC16TNbnf-pgDEqdJvH_WiGL75ehscCejoSUedmiiZRXhVt9BLt61DutlR30FSEcp3-DAftX3n1qiNdpSERnv1jIiICKbEtAhnK2qBoDvWa-w1GPVTbIC5a00kuHigBAtmY/s320/IMG_2153.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361161612330161842" border="0" /></a>stilt walking...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHv8yfdL8vzt5lL7KJaK5BTm5KBmv7ncLbHz_OvmXcuKOMJfV0ywgD7ACVgimXIXp6whOAcw8AtKSrJnx5Ym1xrxDljb0TXaeyDNiQzIkfu91rclbJ6FjeeNb8tE32wPnZOKjVTctRHk/s1600-h/IMG_6370.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHv8yfdL8vzt5lL7KJaK5BTm5KBmv7ncLbHz_OvmXcuKOMJfV0ywgD7ACVgimXIXp6whOAcw8AtKSrJnx5Ym1xrxDljb0TXaeyDNiQzIkfu91rclbJ6FjeeNb8tE32wPnZOKjVTctRHk/s320/IMG_6370.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361167945747914690" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(and being the competitive King's we are, of course that was a race too)</span>...<br />and seeing the sights and history of Nauvoo (including the cemetery where Joseph, Hyrum and Emma Smith (and many others) are buried).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabZZo7Bl5rZIh1Mw9At7NmDYXIKJ44YdgJlNGC-mOiTKokk2OZjzbAgrZW-FRG9Dtis7iebowpVIH1Qs1N0lobnbCBxilJSfIed19akgXiO8GUHUX29HIJO0e8YVFBgnstuu9VyDcyEc/s1600-h/IMG_2151.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgabZZo7Bl5rZIh1Mw9At7NmDYXIKJ44YdgJlNGC-mOiTKokk2OZjzbAgrZW-FRG9Dtis7iebowpVIH1Qs1N0lobnbCBxilJSfIed19akgXiO8GUHUX29HIJO0e8YVFBgnstuu9VyDcyEc/s320/IMG_2151.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363536356037827362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(me at the cemetery with my nephew (Morgan) and niece (Emma))</span><br /><br />One day, Emma decided she didn't want to let me out of her sight, so instead of holding my hand, she just stuck her hand in my pocket all day... reminded me a bit of myself ;)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrEEYMxaPVgl0SNy8YE69PyQIWidtDUeMdkwRMjIsJfqEVbJCIXDZ2kVIqKngwojUST3coHrwFPg1pTMgfiwcsP2lXZD7wjBbWiLafME2DFwxPSb7KNUm0Q3yTNE5s9vzVb0o9UA-y7Q/s1600-h/IMG_2142.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrEEYMxaPVgl0SNy8YE69PyQIWidtDUeMdkwRMjIsJfqEVbJCIXDZ2kVIqKngwojUST3coHrwFPg1pTMgfiwcsP2lXZD7wjBbWiLafME2DFwxPSb7KNUm0Q3yTNE5s9vzVb0o9UA-y7Q/s320/IMG_2142.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361161620157317906" border="0" /></a><br />We also got to go to the <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">beautiful</span> Nauvoo temple!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex2rqd2viMc6bpHcMGiSZrPjhGTt_JsB4yGgohyphenhyphenUmJuoWVNAjg9U12HkWx9hMrUIEXRa4qah9HC4yPxLlmv3J7OrNBRqHe9nPHV6JmgUtb2ygffoJO3CSFyehgpjwvwy75aW1JAGq9o0/s1600-h/IMG_6395.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiex2rqd2viMc6bpHcMGiSZrPjhGTt_JsB4yGgohyphenhyphenUmJuoWVNAjg9U12HkWx9hMrUIEXRa4qah9HC4yPxLlmv3J7OrNBRqHe9nPHV6JmgUtb2ygffoJO3CSFyehgpjwvwy75aW1JAGq9o0/s320/IMG_6395.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363536343307236882" border="0" /></a>What a place! I just can't explain how wonderful it was!<br /><br />And the reason that we went in the first place....<br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >THE NAUVOO PAGEANT!</span><br />We got to see it both Friday and Saturday nights and it was <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">absolutely amazing</span> both times!<br />And my uncle got us front row seats! It was perfect! Besides getting to see my wonderful family as actors, I also got to see a friend from England that I met this spring. He was one of the main characters (professional actor) and performed amazingly! He played a Scottish man whose wife joined the LDS church and came over to Nauvoo, so he came with her...As he lives among the people and helps build the temple, he gains a testimony for himself of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. It was so fun to see you again, Darren!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0t4y6nCnRhcMO_dR_3BCw6OlkdId5FRzR42PyVzTIM2xpxgVi-sw7DBYZQRgcyKbnXNweS6kxMUmX5XY9K2nGxdv7VhI4pWx_lBx6fDBSzy6LTvVwO86zWihCI063RkFo1V72-yWYYg/s1600-h/IMG_2159.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV0t4y6nCnRhcMO_dR_3BCw6OlkdId5FRzR42PyVzTIM2xpxgVi-sw7DBYZQRgcyKbnXNweS6kxMUmX5XY9K2nGxdv7VhI4pWx_lBx6fDBSzy6LTvVwO86zWihCI063RkFo1V72-yWYYg/s320/IMG_2159.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361161613144506610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(David, me, Hollie, Michael, Sarah, my mum, dad, & Darren in front)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">WELL DONE</span> to all! And thanks for letting us enjoy your performances!<br /><br />I can't say exactly how much I enjoyed being able to take this trip before I leave on my mission - what a power and spirit is in that city! I feel my testimony of Joseph Smith and the faith of the early saints of the church strengthened so much! I feel closer to them and I gain strength from their legacy of faith.</div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-24037028798849031192009-07-21T21:10:00.001-07:002009-07-21T22:46:17.142-07:00Come to Zion, Come to Zion!<div style="text-align: center;">Oh, my dear Zion...how I love thee! There are very few people in this world who will ever truly understand just how much I love this great place (Zion National Park)...<br /><br />And what a way to spend my last week in Utah before my mission! I wanted to spend some time there by myself before some friends joined me, so I drove down by myself Wednesday morning. I went to some of my favorite spots and just soaked it all in!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXHtpsNffDlLjMF4Al29GiC1ppnSlK0JqOjC1k-7KBOM_T15_Y2XUIw41jK5NNQ3ALGzFurFxpm_dzH1ZTZSn6Ei_rVoUfGkcWuMOp55Fm7VvfuE8CLyIHEP2Zr01IncxKYrS8JNc4xc/s1600-h/IMG_1921.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXHtpsNffDlLjMF4Al29GiC1ppnSlK0JqOjC1k-7KBOM_T15_Y2XUIw41jK5NNQ3ALGzFurFxpm_dzH1ZTZSn6Ei_rVoUfGkcWuMOp55Fm7VvfuE8CLyIHEP2Zr01IncxKYrS8JNc4xc/s320/IMG_1921.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145106624624386" border="0" /></a><br />I went up the Narrows and found a nice little hole in rock to sit and read for a bit near Mystery Falls. The people walking by either didn't even notice me, or were quite surprised to see me sitting there so peacefully, reading a book. Someone even asked to take a picture of me!<br /><br />Oh, I can't even explain how wonderful it was to be there and enjoy Zion the way I like to...it really feeds my soul. I climbed up to the top of a huge rock mountain thing (I'm sure there's some geological name for those...) and watched the sunset. It was amazing...the sky was on fire!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJl_ovNFNnfFbQhUdIPgxyY9o587MZquGkOY-1x56w13fUBEFJeG46Iysqo-5ujFdC6VbLYt8Ld6oKyxUby7x-Ag-NkDrc7v98Fwwmr42aSMM6wdwrpTY2J_1-gm0OD4Z2csQJGhWbD2g/s1600-h/IMG_1946.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJl_ovNFNnfFbQhUdIPgxyY9o587MZquGkOY-1x56w13fUBEFJeG46Iysqo-5ujFdC6VbLYt8Ld6oKyxUby7x-Ag-NkDrc7v98Fwwmr42aSMM6wdwrpTY2J_1-gm0OD4Z2csQJGhWbD2g/s320/IMG_1946.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145089512717986" border="0" /></a><br />Late that night, Cherise and John drove down and we camped out under the stars. On Thursday we hiked and explored in Hidden Canyon, while singing songs from musicals, talking in accents (well, John was doing a great job), and enjoying the beauty. Look at this awesome leaf we found!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnqA9JsnzvmgFOG7QSkCmrxCvH8po9G_AI7X9hm3XpmpD_6ks-j-tE1A15UsHn_jfLBKCmbhKPB-7KhZGyUqPanr-6kbUS6VzZPWc6LOlcjs2hB-8crdyakg-vE-wwyxlcbagA22cIXg/s1600-h/IMG_1958.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnqA9JsnzvmgFOG7QSkCmrxCvH8po9G_AI7X9hm3XpmpD_6ks-j-tE1A15UsHn_jfLBKCmbhKPB-7KhZGyUqPanr-6kbUS6VzZPWc6LOlcjs2hB-8crdyakg-vE-wwyxlcbagA22cIXg/s320/IMG_1958.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145113606942482" border="0" /></a>Oh, the simple joys in life! That's why we <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">celebrate life</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">!</span> ;) <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">LOVE IT!<br /><br /></span>Then we went and played in a waterfall - which you will see later, as we went again on Saturday! As the evening was approaching, we decided to hike Angel's Landing, because John had never done it. And boy, that hike never gets old for me :) Bliss!<br /><br />More friends joined us that night (Jenae, Amber, Troy) and we enjoyed another beautiful night under the Southern Utah sky. At 7:30am I was awakened by two more friends arriving who had driven all night (one from Rexburg, ID!) to come for the fun! For Friday, we split into 2 groups: Jenae, Troy, and Tyler hiked around in the park, and Amber, Cherise, Scott, and I went <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canyoning">canyoneering</a> in Mystery Canyon.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Here I am going down the first rappel</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwXsgHRToF-_Nq9JNfAySBPPQEK0KPwl__CUgwtVyekpadNR467aSgUine1fubpNitKtw8EjQDyTWzZfo5Taa5kxsYcUAt-vfjsI3ocHk6_uPY91plQ81c8M6i-Azeakj6zCOUmew4fU/s1600-h/CIMG0671.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCwXsgHRToF-_Nq9JNfAySBPPQEK0KPwl__CUgwtVyekpadNR467aSgUine1fubpNitKtw8EjQDyTWzZfo5Taa5kxsYcUAt-vfjsI3ocHk6_uPY91plQ81c8M6i-Azeakj6zCOUmew4fU/s320/CIMG0671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145075903807666" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Amber rappelling down into Mystery Springs...this is one of the coolest rappels in the canyon: 120 ft off a traverse and straight into a fresh cool pool at the bottom!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3LdvS_ipBrJO_IxqHBCVgpuvkwWWgZscUEHjD09pX2R9L76BmkcBtmf0D812E7Vj9EFrYocGLr8iVb7DNwawT0JDUXepuAIpdjNYj_wKZqEKijIcfV3PA1dAXvdPgZPLVVMjujQmNyc/s1600-h/IMG_2050.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3LdvS_ipBrJO_IxqHBCVgpuvkwWWgZscUEHjD09pX2R9L76BmkcBtmf0D812E7Vj9EFrYocGLr8iVb7DNwawT0JDUXepuAIpdjNYj_wKZqEKijIcfV3PA1dAXvdPgZPLVVMjujQmNyc/s320/IMG_2050.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145119640165778" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Amber on the last rappel: Mystery Falls into the Narrows - look at the view of the Narrows behind her!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzMhIwJWjfJUfUHTCxrVTkYGgVXjOjk6GArL6Ijy4SGPRoYAyCiapdqpOzbCmk-X453npjId6eN01VLQSvhKTzsHUos_5JCKqfs6UBp0ozadI7vJxpI9dM1GSenL5XO1AT0CWSKvMOMk/s1600-h/IMG_2072.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzMhIwJWjfJUfUHTCxrVTkYGgVXjOjk6GArL6Ijy4SGPRoYAyCiapdqpOzbCmk-X453npjId6eN01VLQSvhKTzsHUos_5JCKqfs6UBp0ozadI7vJxpI9dM1GSenL5XO1AT0CWSKvMOMk/s320/IMG_2072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145684836612434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Scott heading down the last rappel over the waterfall</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1VSVAcBkfwIKPMGudvB872j6SWttlcyXfMYdEqQJhTHfsJ815hckc63dimSrqfbenzy033Kzt4mBQwLYh_Wl0wb_emIYQkZA1qNI3ifkddUwH2Qf_eOgqmk5P_W1KphLXjKmNB67xxc/s1600-h/IMG_2066.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1VSVAcBkfwIKPMGudvB872j6SWttlcyXfMYdEqQJhTHfsJ815hckc63dimSrqfbenzy033Kzt4mBQwLYh_Wl0wb_emIYQkZA1qNI3ifkddUwH2Qf_eOgqmk5P_W1KphLXjKmNB67xxc/s320/IMG_2066.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361145673655414402" border="0" /></a>Sadly, no cool pictures of me on these last rappels - that's what you get for being the photographer ;) But I still had fun! On the last rappel, after I got past the rocky first part of the waterfall, I just sat down on the moss and slid down, letting the rope through my rappel device. <span style="font-size:130%;">What a ride!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwT17e4iNFzI-jgM12aiH9hqwfa3VyoPp2hMnfX_ivDt2YBWvxMIKifjQe163R7UL1d4AOCVvUWX9A9rVCja9LQgVHgpWABCFuaQGxdYbesloOE3eO0BFuPmdUCKCkMmRAtEEI-ul0y8/s1600-h/IMG_1873.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQwT17e4iNFzI-jgM12aiH9hqwfa3VyoPp2hMnfX_ivDt2YBWvxMIKifjQe163R7UL1d4AOCVvUWX9A9rVCja9LQgVHgpWABCFuaQGxdYbesloOE3eO0BFuPmdUCKCkMmRAtEEI-ul0y8/s320/IMG_1873.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358580388592850034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The Chaco brigade ;)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />On Saturday, Cherise left us to go home to AZ, and the rest of us hiked to Observation Point: my favorite view of Zion Canyon. You get to look <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >down</span> on Angel's Landing!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fsgqMHkFBw3t32ebYEhuLJOGxs3sVCp4jHs0dnqpc0sOnwQtODSu8GDOMqDTW1H05smB3f9byIsqlfFgCwvqhTczCTVl-xH-4ooBe1RFRfUNzt99rxy1HDAgNCsrCXQZ7_qIfBqQ738/s1600-h/IMG_1831.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fsgqMHkFBw3t32ebYEhuLJOGxs3sVCp4jHs0dnqpc0sOnwQtODSu8GDOMqDTW1H05smB3f9byIsqlfFgCwvqhTczCTVl-xH-4ooBe1RFRfUNzt99rxy1HDAgNCsrCXQZ7_qIfBqQ738/s320/IMG_1831.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357847461122787666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Which way do we go?</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQWwCm38nwbH3A4ssi48cIbvvsI8_GLiTupPOZaYNZhXRKHik0n5w2m6HzO-_AkQxAqy3Qv0fgwtOrrD31X-9HA2UZIp_KScyZ7Noq5Z08xLZDnT40lwvN1wvibNEEYdAiGnC00d3JPI/s1600-h/CIMG0722.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQWwCm38nwbH3A4ssi48cIbvvsI8_GLiTupPOZaYNZhXRKHik0n5w2m6HzO-_AkQxAqy3Qv0fgwtOrrD31X-9HA2UZIp_KScyZ7Noq5Z08xLZDnT40lwvN1wvibNEEYdAiGnC00d3JPI/s320/CIMG0722.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357847441966227922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Eating lunch at the top...what a great view!<br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLCieroQesiOitrQA3GYvcAQJWN6rjpns-IlyK3t16463eMyu9_yCmAlOquo3LZtCjDGTMCTOYUPIGShsAvVFBh88Mo5-UR3cA4E0rPEXeBv6kPR589EO8GF7kSqP2S9z0eX9GWJ6LyI/s1600-h/CIMG0723.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLCieroQesiOitrQA3GYvcAQJWN6rjpns-IlyK3t16463eMyu9_yCmAlOquo3LZtCjDGTMCTOYUPIGShsAvVFBh88Mo5-UR3cA4E0rPEXeBv6kPR589EO8GF7kSqP2S9z0eX9GWJ6LyI/s320/CIMG0723.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357847453756565778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Pondering...</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(and what a hairdo, eh?)</span><br /><br />Then we headed over to "the great waterfall"...I love this place. It's a secluded little piece of paradise!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LC-lXop89l96N-IKCl5PmdEKi0O3sgU2JEwK-6egeAxOigTaTgIZgvdCkZmO5wNlqwsr4hI_SWn7Nf4s_egDIMvn0vbkk93sG0wy1rbk7b_RijBSDeYTc75_IG9bNKJaPaV4sGgPNto/s1600-h/IMG_1863.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-LC-lXop89l96N-IKCl5PmdEKi0O3sgU2JEwK-6egeAxOigTaTgIZgvdCkZmO5wNlqwsr4hI_SWn7Nf4s_egDIMvn0vbkk93sG0wy1rbk7b_RijBSDeYTc75_IG9bNKJaPaV4sGgPNto/s320/IMG_1863.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358580379023739362" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Tyler and I sliding down the waterfall</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGIyYqHucr3SPqZ03pwM7kxD_Uc7NymwN-u9NurCenNnro0_MT3FUMFBjuFCO4fUVi_zUBFugk-kYEmG8CS9v8qA4xxDBZr82J_e9Le6y-Y4qCKitxXR_lJrjmMzLrixI8loGKzVR9bc/s1600-h/IMG_1848.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAGIyYqHucr3SPqZ03pwM7kxD_Uc7NymwN-u9NurCenNnro0_MT3FUMFBjuFCO4fUVi_zUBFugk-kYEmG8CS9v8qA4xxDBZr82J_e9Le6y-Y4qCKitxXR_lJrjmMzLrixI8loGKzVR9bc/s320/IMG_1848.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357847471801846658" border="0" /></a>We ended the trip with a stop in at Pizza 'N Noodle in Springdale for their mouth-watering Thai pizza and drove home (but not before bailing Jenae's minivan out of the sand! woot woot!)<br /><br />I sure hope that will fill up my Zion cup enough to last me 18 months! :)<br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-14719671845864177362009-07-12T20:35:00.001-07:002009-07-13T00:39:08.973-07:00Happy 4th! (...and 3rd)<div style="text-align: center;">My 4th of July celebrations actually began on Friday, the 3rd. A friend of ours, Curtis, invited us to Deer Creek Reservoir to play on his family's wave runners. We spent the day taking turns on the wave runners, swimming in the water, playing frisbee, eating a picnic lunch,<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS1NFP5V2NxmeRw-0NK9R_uQZUsZx2c0DmzYIvVHurq4LZx3A3mM7m9sRMx4ptzYcoIlIHrHoP4N-wKFcgxYnQWB0937bKsTtOFHFDxFa2nZwTT5CFdYbVk2JL4CDIW12KIaDfSwJlJ0/s1600-h/IMG_1677.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSS1NFP5V2NxmeRw-0NK9R_uQZUsZx2c0DmzYIvVHurq4LZx3A3mM7m9sRMx4ptzYcoIlIHrHoP4N-wKFcgxYnQWB0937bKsTtOFHFDxFa2nZwTT5CFdYbVk2JL4CDIW12KIaDfSwJlJ0/s320/IMG_1677.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357783866606896338" border="0" /></a>playing this game (where you push each others' hands and try to make the other person take a step - oh, Jenae and I have so much fun acting like 5-year-olds),<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESI3ImIXhvxH7E6VXy5KobYdpj9gt9LhEnnkMyYJtDl4inzLvK9pQr5z7oHk_FgJbSLkjdrTwxp749dnpNMqFTPooxGR3NQVfzWNRFl3wqWmLxY5960mxcF6KzKsL3iHa3Lavcdx7gus/s1600-h/IMG_1674.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESI3ImIXhvxH7E6VXy5KobYdpj9gt9LhEnnkMyYJtDl4inzLvK9pQr5z7oHk_FgJbSLkjdrTwxp749dnpNMqFTPooxGR3NQVfzWNRFl3wqWmLxY5960mxcF6KzKsL3iHa3Lavcdx7gus/s320/IMG_1674.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357788696564596114" border="0" /></a>chatting, and just enjoying the sunshine! What a beautiful day it was! Thanks Curtis!<br /><br />That night Cherise and I went mission shopping for me at good ole Deseret Industries - <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">woot woot!</span></span> - and I actually found a bunch of good stuff! Then we went out to eat and had a sleepover in the living room.<br /><br />The next morning, Independence Day, we went roller blading down the Provo River Trail in our usual 4th of July garb.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8sMg6uDz_EG0h45ikloxB3qqyJfEmAEmjeiPwWWGg0RmjiRqX8NIh_Ze4hPmwKJkSERX1NJpsCuX20EkwNHlwy8YeYoPlrLhhS523BU_Gv96mHESS4Z3RPp9StXtPNY2gbMZ1Ibgb4Q/s1600-h/IMG_1903.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8sMg6uDz_EG0h45ikloxB3qqyJfEmAEmjeiPwWWGg0RmjiRqX8NIh_Ze4hPmwKJkSERX1NJpsCuX20EkwNHlwy8YeYoPlrLhhS523BU_Gv96mHESS4Z3RPp9StXtPNY2gbMZ1Ibgb4Q/s320/IMG_1903.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357783879772430882" border="0" /></a><br />We went swimming at a pool, and that evening we got dressed up for our 4th of July festivities.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7Z27C-eW_hM4A0hU1N8HkTdCwF9e6Y3DQ95dxWaIxp4yB6g6oUsImtBXvv_ysI5DXV91WvSgD2i0a1Jbfxcow3P-vqZDhcMc_p3_hitR57YB47L5WStVX1u0yx7x6PuS2371qyDnAEI/s1600-h/IMG_1767.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7Z27C-eW_hM4A0hU1N8HkTdCwF9e6Y3DQ95dxWaIxp4yB6g6oUsImtBXvv_ysI5DXV91WvSgD2i0a1Jbfxcow3P-vqZDhcMc_p3_hitR57YB47L5WStVX1u0yx7x6PuS2371qyDnAEI/s320/IMG_1767.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357783875633644706" border="0" /></a>While Cherise went to a friend's party, Jenae and Amber came with me to my brother and his wife's party. We jumped on the trampoline and helped my brother "barbeque" the hamburgers. Actually, the BBQ was out of propane, so we snuck inside and got the George Foreman, plugged it into the extension cord and hid it behind the BBQ...except I think everyone knew the whole time. We just <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">thought</span> we were being so sneaky! ;) <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwoHFuqLIFL8ZlGa5D-XlBUA_M5pigZvq-F7BGpKwVSn1-mYFgeJgRr-BuVnEQPRXurSXSC3D211rJV2gFxvzpnollOwaHZOcNvaddLgot3qPpHUb3HXKk-2Om2RJeYgjhFby9V-Uscc/s1600-h/IMG_1904.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPwoHFuqLIFL8ZlGa5D-XlBUA_M5pigZvq-F7BGpKwVSn1-mYFgeJgRr-BuVnEQPRXurSXSC3D211rJV2gFxvzpnollOwaHZOcNvaddLgot3qPpHUb3HXKk-2Om2RJeYgjhFby9V-Uscc/s320/IMG_1904.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357783893061626146" border="0" /></a>We enjoyed an awesome meal and fun times together, then we headed back to Provo to watch the fireworks from Stadium of Fire. What a great weekend!<br /><br />We are <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >OH</span> so blessed! And I think we forget that a lot...thank goodness for reminders :)<br /><span style="font-size:180%;">Happy Birthday America! Let Freedom Ring!</span><br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-61375389436226431642009-07-07T08:54:00.001-07:002009-07-07T09:26:12.199-07:00From the Mountains to the Desert<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Times New Roman';"><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center;">Two weekends ago, Cherise and I met up with some other friends down in Moab for a few days. I was so happy to be back in my good ole Southern Utah! On Friday, we hiked to Corona Arch and I climbed up and set up a rappel. It was quite the climb to get up there, but <b><i>well</i></b> worth it. I loved just sitting up at the top of the arch, while everyone else rappelled down. Then last of all, it was my turn! Once I got to the free rappel part (no rock), I turned upside down and lowered myself down. One thing I did forget was that I had my nalgene water bottle in a mesh pocket on the outside of my backpack, so that came out when I flipped upside down. It fell about 80 feet then bounced back up about 12 ft and rolled quite a bit. But, it <i><b>IS</b></i> a nalgene, and besides a few scrapes and scuffs, it was in perfect condition! :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Corona Arch is 140 ft tall, and is located near the Colorado River in between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks ( = FREE!). It was beautiful!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtG6JW_cSjPkxeUuD39b86tPExlE1tRhpb911c4oHJlzIzE_yg_HNPDk6FWc_fd1lvjNxoSgQUmSpipnHD0-JzACTQt8VxNslPnxJ7cypLl4oQTfT_NVaIRiPxqhdl9JL-qSfg7WPcJU/s1600-h/IMG_1739.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUtG6JW_cSjPkxeUuD39b86tPExlE1tRhpb911c4oHJlzIzE_yg_HNPDk6FWc_fd1lvjNxoSgQUmSpipnHD0-JzACTQt8VxNslPnxJ7cypLl4oQTfT_NVaIRiPxqhdl9JL-qSfg7WPcJU/s320/IMG_1739.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352915298103125266" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">just hangin' around</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDfpMRPcymVk3K7spk4_LqLvms5NSoiSPtQFUn3b0hVE-B862DZdosn2yBEZFt56N6aGQJ1bKasP0_d7WV-pgKJNTcITERC0eDglI6EqYJ1B6-Xa6ie2AXuJTSiE84RqY2G-7THMXu7w/s1600-h/DSCN2530.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieDfpMRPcymVk3K7spk4_LqLvms5NSoiSPtQFUn3b0hVE-B862DZdosn2yBEZFt56N6aGQJ1bKasP0_d7WV-pgKJNTcITERC0eDglI6EqYJ1B6-Xa6ie2AXuJTSiE84RqY2G-7THMXu7w/s320/DSCN2530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352915292710624242" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx63Y6mnm55r4H_1tA0R6OpnLcsQu4idiwQri2bJ_yPO1Yd8qos4YPH7OOi8pMuegCYKDmmDHdZmxLyMCsB4mEFWZx2P_yrbHnyR6MlDuYwk7zS9cBlFwx3Jq0ldq-7KuPtTXjTEghmuI/s1600-h/Corona+Arch.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx63Y6mnm55r4H_1tA0R6OpnLcsQu4idiwQri2bJ_yPO1Yd8qos4YPH7OOi8pMuegCYKDmmDHdZmxLyMCsB4mEFWZx2P_yrbHnyR6MlDuYwk7zS9cBlFwx3Jq0ldq-7KuPtTXjTEghmuI/s320/Corona+Arch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352915291539514450" border="0" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">After that, we hiked up a canyon and played in the water for a bit (while it was raining). The water was <b><i>so</i></b> warm; it was amazing! </div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyYlQ38zs4Qofx4xuHrIb36IE36kiXfZi29mRelY-qCN7cVqjxf_B-a8TcWtGd52sbEzNDxVZA3EcQKKomFW1N9ut35TXkW3V3y2rRvB7MIg58mdK4L7O8yrWo44ORnDmHHWDZc-p3HI/s320/DSCN2543.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352918669333872402" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><div style="text-align: center;">Then we grabbed a bite to eat and tried to race the sun to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. We didn't quite get there for sunset, like we wanted, but it was almost better. We got there after the sun had sunk below the horizon, but there was still a glow in the sky, the moon was out, and not another soul was there! It was perfecto! (yes, I'm practicing my espanol)</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYDQQ1sjZp4yw8dRkTUT_t4Lz7frir6mPz5-J9DTbKh5LLP58PSojJj1FCgyAxSLM9-9FtzKa9NjIUZ_VIyn5CTQ_9KhNY3Cvy_QHpDNGHbY68g9F6PTbX9rMtjiBJst3ob2dt3-ExMs/s1600-h/IMG_0073.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYDQQ1sjZp4yw8dRkTUT_t4Lz7frir6mPz5-J9DTbKh5LLP58PSojJj1FCgyAxSLM9-9FtzKa9NjIUZ_VIyn5CTQ_9KhNY3Cvy_QHpDNGHbY68g9F6PTbX9rMtjiBJst3ob2dt3-ExMs/s320/IMG_0073.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352921652607186210" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglV4_tcPcysZF9RahiNhvhTvVHDAyNdch0b3ZZSe7j-uWW9nIHwFVC63uX2zTtTao7AFn9bWOOtVKZQ3JV18ZWrTu4K1xKcPGL9OE7BTTefNbCJixS2wQkFmrM8BAo79dE0ykmMR8nbig/s320/IMG_1803.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352921654609977954" border="0" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /><div style="text-align: center;">We camped out under a beautiful clear sky of stars, and I woke everybody up at 5am to go see the sunrise at Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park. We were the only ones there at first and just on top of the arch, watching the pink glow on the horizon grow. It was awe-inspiring! I love early mornings in God's creations!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwDvD8W9l-gZnptS0KsSTVkIHyY3FWFu2D2bMan7Jd8gz0-F30BfN-8MGQ1SX4NSM-LfWCFcCYXzYRqdIZQ2TUmR85KrSpI9nMW7P-8iJVXYRNLYDpsewPHTeZEp0nmT4raz3fzByAno/s320/IMG_0088.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352917768209210978" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">This is us trying to pretend like we're fully awake :)</span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZiOSCU1nDl5RmC3iSWGnbcnD7VEsDTPoSn6DvUT2YuIipE5jT9QuuglUqmBGqNw9YxyWkVPs37wdwFYBJKisyU8MEw1emVWvIvOLAdukm0PVDtpIMfAxu3YZkcT2Rlqq7jVmgXlbLU/s1600-h/IMG_1812.JPG"></a></div><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZiOSCU1nDl5RmC3iSWGnbcnD7VEsDTPoSn6DvUT2YuIipE5jT9QuuglUqmBGqNw9YxyWkVPs37wdwFYBJKisyU8MEw1emVWvIvOLAdukm0PVDtpIMfAxu3YZkcT2Rlqq7jVmgXlbLU/s1600-h/IMG_1812.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7zZiOSCU1nDl5RmC3iSWGnbcnD7VEsDTPoSn6DvUT2YuIipE5jT9QuuglUqmBGqNw9YxyWkVPs37wdwFYBJKisyU8MEw1emVWvIvOLAdukm0PVDtpIMfAxu3YZkcT2Rlqq7jVmgXlbLU/s320/IMG_1812.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352917763413786690" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">On top of Mesa Arch as the light builds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As soon as other people started arriving with big, fancy cameras, we decided to get off the arch since we figured they probably didn't want us in their pictures. And this is what we saw for the next half hour...</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoYlYjb5PsutuqKKCgSuwIBfvl5rlwfSBLvXDlYEv3Y5FzCcEVy5yp3BkD9x-KXsaX0kIcYefSE3x_U4SAcs51Sr3VyPQEyR3HViMJ7cma2ZSFq4_wBPndpUpoyFlfxR25Ycz43AAI50/s1600-h/Mesa+Arch.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmoYlYjb5PsutuqKKCgSuwIBfvl5rlwfSBLvXDlYEv3Y5FzCcEVy5yp3BkD9x-KXsaX0kIcYefSE3x_U4SAcs51Sr3VyPQEyR3HViMJ7cma2ZSFq4_wBPndpUpoyFlfxR25Ycz43AAI50/s320/Mesa+Arch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352917782639556610" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px; " /></a></div><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF__1Anag0IVAHmXQxrewq9G6glb-3jZYVdCBmW6M_-MyTmndp1T9efmcVjPuJHcCUpQ0Dso-yxx7I3HcaoIWtvXscnhhmUDN5yBOTXmQmDNgsBjMH0rfjaMJtODAmGVauE-_cmuQEBaw/s1600-h/IMG_1823.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF__1Anag0IVAHmXQxrewq9G6glb-3jZYVdCBmW6M_-MyTmndp1T9efmcVjPuJHcCUpQ0Dso-yxx7I3HcaoIWtvXscnhhmUDN5yBOTXmQmDNgsBjMH0rfjaMJtODAmGVauE-_cmuQEBaw/s320/IMG_1823.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352917772241596962" border="0" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">Me running across the arch</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Next we drove a little further into Canyonlands out to Island in the Sky viewpoint...I love this place!</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gh_gzuQKJKMDO1Z1UbKNXeDdcRmqbbzDsve1eUSGLIAKyyb1YllOfsVhl9ba-4dEqrqjjrK4NZFnymDVIVXpA-q7IGid5gm_4g09eZhOkTqegApAS2mZzogebQTlD5R-4xAzxLIC_-o/s1600-h/IMG_0151-1.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_gh_gzuQKJKMDO1Z1UbKNXeDdcRmqbbzDsve1eUSGLIAKyyb1YllOfsVhl9ba-4dEqrqjjrK4NZFnymDVIVXpA-q7IGid5gm_4g09eZhOkTqegApAS2mZzogebQTlD5R-4xAzxLIC_-o/s320/IMG_0151-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352923340955943714" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 177px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlnqO7H5p5UOr7hzEH5UBENwSdxhyphenhyphenN8RPbIzLpHtng_C0Lt_8XkY5n85-HQwOc4Rmri2MlwVZGFsWAYqiiZ9R6qNJRJVmBTeKWP5V_-8N4k63UFrI1om0VTKbmxZQEgio3rm0RxweAVc/s1600-h/IMG_1839.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlnqO7H5p5UOr7hzEH5UBENwSdxhyphenhyphenN8RPbIzLpHtng_C0Lt_8XkY5n85-HQwOc4Rmri2MlwVZGFsWAYqiiZ9R6qNJRJVmBTeKWP5V_-8N4k63UFrI1om0VTKbmxZQEgio3rm0RxweAVc/s320/IMG_1839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352923349656345970" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 168px; " /></a></div><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWbSQeXsxPxMSOhkNtHP7P9ZIvlLTm4fDIYRbc3fKV4aFT7r5ieidcp9WLFAlcCIMRnNyhcqV3lFwFG9oAe3J52O-CYJIOV3xPl5tnMKazSZttgRrS-Meu3cfLgcvlqgdjJQwiom6iCk/s320/IMG_1835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352923343820426818" border="0" style="text-align: left;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We went back to our campsite to eat breakfast and pack up, then we did a hike up Negro Bill Canyon to Morning Glory Natural Bridge. Its 243 ft long, the 6th longest in the United States! </div></div><div style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 3px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; font: normal normal normal 100%/normal Georgia, serif; text-align: left; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJuxAUqF9GTBX9UFKzlYRxeHzYfHmK0R5gqZGkzGxUvhRBj6UHgbyXhCrMK1Ghh4HCaFRiMXkS5zJhgiFYGHitdgoH-ucjaGrg7byXIO8aqc3POFJ0ZfOQjMETB6YISzJQ6ErgKX00cA/s1600-h/IMG_1847.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJuxAUqF9GTBX9UFKzlYRxeHzYfHmK0R5gqZGkzGxUvhRBj6UHgbyXhCrMK1Ghh4HCaFRiMXkS5zJhgiFYGHitdgoH-ucjaGrg7byXIO8aqc3POFJ0ZfOQjMETB6YISzJQ6ErgKX00cA/s320/IMG_1847.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352918667338826146" border="0" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;">We hiked back down, but instead of taking the trail which switchbacks across the river, we just walked down the river. It was great! Then we went swimming and sliding at a place where the rocks are all slippery. Then after some ice cream from McDonald's, we headed back up to Provo.</div></div></span>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-77108745133197663752009-07-06T07:26:00.000-07:002009-07-06T19:43:00.724-07:00All over the Wasatch Range<div style="text-align: center;">From the North to the South, I've covered a lot of the Wasatch Mountain Range this past month.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >#1: Wasatch Back Relay</span><br />Logan to Park City, Utah<br />188 miles<br />12-person team<br />3 running legs each<br />Mountainous terrain<br />Start: Friday, June 19, 2009 1:30pm<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Results:</span><br />Finish: Saturday, June 20, 2009 2:24pm<br />24 hrs 54 min 55 sec<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >13th</span> place Coed overall (out of 424 teams)<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">7th</span></span> place in Coed Open Division (out of 318 teams)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 0);font-size:180%;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);">LOADS OF FUN!</span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznUk0cw_qB5OrNPVtuxa0BwNxuNQ75f7gQ5-uQOY8Wz_8Pgt28EyRmdfnmYgLn-2IG5msLig5Sg-9EHgnMfOwwppKOpZtw81ArSad2Lk6GmHz_H0qo2yb97MqeBNiVCVBiBM7MpaFc1M/s1600-h/getting+ready+to+run+at+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznUk0cw_qB5OrNPVtuxa0BwNxuNQ75f7gQ5-uQOY8Wz_8Pgt28EyRmdfnmYgLn-2IG5msLig5Sg-9EHgnMfOwwppKOpZtw81ArSad2Lk6GmHz_H0qo2yb97MqeBNiVCVBiBM7MpaFc1M/s320/getting+ready+to+run+at+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355161557188540002" border="0" /></a>This is me standing in the transition area, about the get the slap bracelet from my teammate on my 2nd run, in the middle of the night! Everyone has to wear a headlamp and reflective vest. Oh yeah, and check out my awesome outfit! :)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wVWufGKUvD4YmFvbRb4vmitb-shkOTCIx4y6hz6TWpsqesm3hmnw3oUAyoiAiWFKuxB5EPQF3xPS31MSAJ_3Fmne-mvD5abTCr-UO4F7kjZwzu0tN8xeUV4pP-veA0CZyQOLqFF25S8/s1600-h/early+morning.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5wVWufGKUvD4YmFvbRb4vmitb-shkOTCIx4y6hz6TWpsqesm3hmnw3oUAyoiAiWFKuxB5EPQF3xPS31MSAJ_3Fmne-mvD5abTCr-UO4F7kjZwzu0tN8xeUV4pP-veA0CZyQOLqFF25S8/s320/early+morning.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355161553682751746" border="0" /></a>Trying to wake back up after only 2 1/2 hrs of sleep...gotta keep runnin'<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZlk8LFrE31dcLPqzwfgOajR2qUrxEu2nvn6PQcUgmAxNaJjWHfNeke6AhxIGmb_gImsLzMO-6SdncrRRDrRMnF9_dfQzin-ksH2Pf3P2IfBhbjzkHITdHqmK4tBPoM6cW3kAlTL5d-4/s1600-h/card.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZlk8LFrE31dcLPqzwfgOajR2qUrxEu2nvn6PQcUgmAxNaJjWHfNeke6AhxIGmb_gImsLzMO-6SdncrRRDrRMnF9_dfQzin-ksH2Pf3P2IfBhbjzkHITdHqmK4tBPoM6cW3kAlTL5d-4/s320/card.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355161546627984162" border="0" /></a>At the finish: wearing our awesomely HUGE, <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">orange</span> medals, and holding our precious time card...Avg of <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >under 8-minute miles!</span> WOO HOO!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72HDWXDPf-Jh8_hvpWKmVqOaOQveeLEsuWPkjtpfP5gSRaIVRMycbIqfEIW_YB_prXWkIc_o0im1nrX73HuenCSfczrCEZL28GPKtM3-C6UpA2u_-5Mt0HYjIc5gpPVYcQBbD7-KVtBs/s1600-h/toasted.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72HDWXDPf-Jh8_hvpWKmVqOaOQveeLEsuWPkjtpfP5gSRaIVRMycbIqfEIW_YB_prXWkIc_o0im1nrX73HuenCSfczrCEZL28GPKtM3-C6UpA2u_-5Mt0HYjIc5gpPVYcQBbD7-KVtBs/s320/toasted.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355161560842345154" border="0" /></a>Trying to keep track on our Suburban window of all the teams we <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);font-size:130%;" >"toasted"</span> along the way...but sadly, this is only about 1/3 of them :)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thanks for all the fun, Team Fuego Brown!</span></span> (its a long story)<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">#2: Hiking Mt. Nebo</span></span><br />Summit: 11,928 ft<br />Highest and southernmost mountain on the Wasatch Range<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEotbtY-tm-PtJMI5rf-HkJrtGNN9aUmT2feshuv998Ccv36wU1jA6fW-xumrCW_GYLkzAWp92rKl2TcVeLFQNlY124-npIW45jUOumNsQR2LIDwBeDsfWZsRSgcmd3sh47jkGETbx4SI/s1600-h/IMG_1642.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEotbtY-tm-PtJMI5rf-HkJrtGNN9aUmT2feshuv998Ccv36wU1jA6fW-xumrCW_GYLkzAWp92rKl2TcVeLFQNlY124-npIW45jUOumNsQR2LIDwBeDsfWZsRSgcmd3sh47jkGETbx4SI/s320/IMG_1642.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355165201287654354" border="0" /></a>On June 30, I convinced my roommate, Jenae, to come climb Mt. Nebo with me...down by Nephi, Utah. And what a perfect day it was!!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie32gUgNCBmiXxZcbovkosvNL4Tb9aoAh-uNlVyYJhtLXyHo4T94gTF4tqACD5e7f-Noos761OJqZNk1ff_xqb4WhWX32zbSD5BF_qiWgcsYpU5WnndGmzBJtJj58GmTMTDMGKN2LJ7rI/s1600-h/IMG_1613.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie32gUgNCBmiXxZcbovkosvNL4Tb9aoAh-uNlVyYJhtLXyHo4T94gTF4tqACD5e7f-Noos761OJqZNk1ff_xqb4WhWX32zbSD5BF_qiWgcsYpU5WnndGmzBJtJj58GmTMTDMGKN2LJ7rI/s320/IMG_1613.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355165196043903506" border="0" /></a>the summit of Mt. Nebo behind us...almost there!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PHpJVwgyzgpbhGRrVm4e-26Ox0n1-VxBHIPZZeiLQvgTWgMy5Joq1xwEpsYP7UZj1Yxjws4uM_tvp1oJ5_eC00CIwxNJjUOiqa7phT-skPbRYBlnRBJyadtLMQhRAhyphenhyphen2Ype5s72IZFY/s1600-h/IMG_1865.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PHpJVwgyzgpbhGRrVm4e-26Ox0n1-VxBHIPZZeiLQvgTWgMy5Joq1xwEpsYP7UZj1Yxjws4uM_tvp1oJ5_eC00CIwxNJjUOiqa7phT-skPbRYBlnRBJyadtLMQhRAhyphenhyphen2Ype5s72IZFY/s320/IMG_1865.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355174515226213618" border="0" /></a>THE SUMMIT!!<br />I have never seen so many lady bugs in my life, as I did on the top of that mountain. It is like a lady bug breeding ground! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqmmndyQGo25aQMhuWp23edFG0me260qNNGbE9WYEjAanYQ8esZ_FI6KZfbgmYAv7Jkr5Rj6IhAr1uJQJOGi2IK_iKNa53ji9X2T4xSWS6UaqzDApggYVUmuaYOgvJzw4wPqzIq_sh54/s1600-h/IMG_1870.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkqmmndyQGo25aQMhuWp23edFG0me260qNNGbE9WYEjAanYQ8esZ_FI6KZfbgmYAv7Jkr5Rj6IhAr1uJQJOGi2IK_iKNa53ji9X2T4xSWS6UaqzDApggYVUmuaYOgvJzw4wPqzIq_sh54/s320/IMG_1870.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355165216005452850" border="0" /></a>My victory dance :)<br /><br />It was actually a pretty steep hike. It wasn't that long mileage-wise, but definitely steep, almost the whole way. The top half is all shale on a ridge, sometimes requiring some scrambling. But that's what I like! ;)<br /><br />On the hike back down, Jenae and I made up a song about our hike. We made a video of it, but it didn't want to upload, so if you have facebook, check it out there. And if you know anything about Jenae's creative mind, you know you want to watch this video :)<br />Enjoy!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />And the day after...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyKrtZVlKgHwTZ97eJQpLp_eJRuFqDbGSRvojaAzHHCywiyU6f4AUT5Rr9gMfiQs1hXdOR8XBhv9jwkRUCwZ9UteIPcAgXCA10cWL9yG5D3Vw-Wy66rFmJEeb7zd-1y4QptRHw7oemk8/s1600-h/Mt.+Nebo+6.30.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyKrtZVlKgHwTZ97eJQpLp_eJRuFqDbGSRvojaAzHHCywiyU6f4AUT5Rr9gMfiQs1hXdOR8XBhv9jwkRUCwZ9UteIPcAgXCA10cWL9yG5D3Vw-Wy66rFmJEeb7zd-1y4QptRHw7oemk8/s320/Mt.+Nebo+6.30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355167124602071634" border="0" /></a>My tan lines look like neopolitan ice cream (brown, pink, white), and Jenae was so burned she laid on the floor the next day wrapped in damp towels and applied aloe vera every 2 hours...poor girl :( But she is now molting, and will soon have a fresh coat of pure white skin! :)<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I sure can't get enough of the Utah Mountains!</span></span><br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-89645570697650397782009-07-05T16:09:00.000-07:002009-07-05T16:10:26.711-07:00Being an aunt is great!<div style="text-align: center;">On the way home from the UK, I got to stop in North Carolina for a few days to visit my older sister, Michal, and her family. I only got to be there for 3 days, but boy, was it a fun trip! So I love big family reunions, but I am a very selfish sister, sister-in-law, and aunt, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed having my sister's family <span style="font-size:130%;">all to myself</span> for a few days! After you look at the pictures of these cute kids, you will probably agree with me...<span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> wouldn't want to share them :)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1z9qAOrI0fEecTAz5PLI9Ey9N6zgl1kSK3W5eeKr_RCKf0whVIDD0jJhq_S0VE5p4IHABbRPDED1E995BSjlOW-65G52Y4zD7yQgyvrFsgtimViBfNKmSVgKGGbtlN59rS-Vdjhe9wHU/s1600-h/IMG_2651.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1z9qAOrI0fEecTAz5PLI9Ey9N6zgl1kSK3W5eeKr_RCKf0whVIDD0jJhq_S0VE5p4IHABbRPDED1E995BSjlOW-65G52Y4zD7yQgyvrFsgtimViBfNKmSVgKGGbtlN59rS-Vdjhe9wHU/s320/IMG_2651.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355106130631369490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">My cute 3-year-old niece, Ashlyn<br /></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwxd8soJOcgnVvh2Fefdj26zDt8C57UHzwPqQN2i4kyIojufdP8LjSHc9lM4FXEgZG69L1wUDaFAHW0GE-T1ac-FHGqwAh_IfO-ruYt4hTPzbKOBrWM40Crn-52dhW9zgch68r6gjEfo/s1600-h/IMG_1699.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwxd8soJOcgnVvh2Fefdj26zDt8C57UHzwPqQN2i4kyIojufdP8LjSHc9lM4FXEgZG69L1wUDaFAHW0GE-T1ac-FHGqwAh_IfO-ruYt4hTPzbKOBrWM40Crn-52dhW9zgch68r6gjEfo/s320/IMG_1699.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353580388926559394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">16-month-old, Corbin - just helpin' out in the kitchen ;)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh7z5saqG9putxSEG5wmiw7hwyzUOkANT6vqTl4lYfgQLt84e8eXXXsj_StKfK1FU4fm57xqsQ_Ep-giBFwnH-XYsTyGJ5oTVhshKgVekH7SS3o3DkNpWoi7NbyivAaLNlzyS70iYZS4/s1600-h/IMG_1683.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlh7z5saqG9putxSEG5wmiw7hwyzUOkANT6vqTl4lYfgQLt84e8eXXXsj_StKfK1FU4fm57xqsQ_Ep-giBFwnH-XYsTyGJ5oTVhshKgVekH7SS3o3DkNpWoi7NbyivAaLNlzyS70iYZS4/s320/IMG_1683.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353580381050904050" border="0" /></a>Dylan and Ashlyn begged me to teach them how to use my stethoscope - future healers in the making :)<br /><br />And its quite impossible to go to the Thompson household and NOT wrestle...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvWXNFRqOPwfQynDmithv8XOyPI3G0x2D40sEFeuk5Dm18PVAjmxUPFgge2ntAdASFWM7z-ijxPVPSlEl_JK7LU9JAUTasTLEckuE55r2LiDF9AkyhFMBxjzNt7zSEYe_f9R0VhZvlo0/s1600-h/IMG_2672.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvWXNFRqOPwfQynDmithv8XOyPI3G0x2D40sEFeuk5Dm18PVAjmxUPFgge2ntAdASFWM7z-ijxPVPSlEl_JK7LU9JAUTasTLEckuE55r2LiDF9AkyhFMBxjzNt7zSEYe_f9R0VhZvlo0/s320/IMG_2672.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355103056678211410" border="0" /></a>Don't worry...I got 'em good. And, I got to listen to one of my favorite sounds in the whole world as I tickled them silly: Dylan and Ashlyn's laughter. Oh, that is bliss! You can't help but be <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">so </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">happy</span></span> inside! I told Michal that all she had to give me for my mission was a recording of my niece and nephews' laughter :)<br /><br />We played at the park, went running and biking on the trail, got <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >very</span> sweaty in the humidity (whew!), got pizza and went to the nature reserve (got to see fireflies!), found a really big, <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">bright</span> orange and <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);">yellow</span></span> mushroom, and had lots of fun just hanging out together! My sister even took me mission shopping for my late birthday present. She's so sweet!<br /><br />This is how my first day there went: went to the park, played tag with Dylan til he wore me out, came home, went running on the trail while pushing Ashlyn in the running stroller, came back, went on a bike ride with Dylan on the trail, his chain came off his bike (which is covered by plastic and cannot be removed without tools), walked all the way back home, fixed the bike, had lunch, and at Dylan's insistence, went back out on the bikes to do the whole trail. I finished off the day very hot, and very sweaty, but had so much fun with my nieces and nephews!<br /><br />One day it was raining but we decided to go out an play in it anyhow! We went out and made a [very small] dam in the gutter, jumped in puddles, then got out the turtle-shaped kiddy pool.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2vHByr63YOT5cmo_WLWLScmyCg-l_4fekTRtWLneT0PHLSUpzWpYbTSSwAcl6j9GZFMT3Fo0cK9SfAhiL9b3adUE_VXRwq0cv_de7AWRwUQxxjgYcm91e-E0Vyc3vn1abhb5GrgFar8/s1600-h/North+Carolina+June+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG2vHByr63YOT5cmo_WLWLScmyCg-l_4fekTRtWLneT0PHLSUpzWpYbTSSwAcl6j9GZFMT3Fo0cK9SfAhiL9b3adUE_VXRwq0cv_de7AWRwUQxxjgYcm91e-E0Vyc3vn1abhb5GrgFar8/s320/North+Carolina+June+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355106122101400482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xOwlGcyi6GVjTi__iWZe0XgsMCrTgeMV-Yk7vSubSoNSs8z_PHFdQ4HzbF0QL95OZ44UwY5vHqEZnOSqj1LfiiE4AjvERQHuuc0DEbHpA8BCMU5nYoeHozSDSsueGKI0OFVNFiz3PQ8/s1600-h/IMG_2665.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1xOwlGcyi6GVjTi__iWZe0XgsMCrTgeMV-Yk7vSubSoNSs8z_PHFdQ4HzbF0QL95OZ44UwY5vHqEZnOSqj1LfiiE4AjvERQHuuc0DEbHpA8BCMU5nYoeHozSDSsueGKI0OFVNFiz3PQ8/s320/IMG_2665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353580411672421218" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(Ashlyn, Corbin, Dylan)</span><br />I love these guys!! I don't think I've ever been so sad to leave them as I was when Wednesday night came around! Good thing Ashlyn is a good hug-giver... She really makes you feel loved when she hugs you tight at the airport for 5 minutes straight.<br /><br />And I really appreciated talking to Connor (brother-in-law) about mission preparation: we now have a challenge of who can read the most of <span style="font-style: italic;">Jesus, the Christ</span> before my farewell. Thanks, Connor!<br /><br />And of course, I absolutely LOVED getting to hang out with my only sister again. Even though she was going through her tonsillectomy recovery, she was still the perfect host! Thank you, Michal, for being my fun, silly, beautiful, selfless, tough, motivational, kind, righteous, loving sister! You are an amazing mother, wife, and sister! Thank you for your example! I love you!<br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-64733570770692559692009-07-01T11:10:00.001-07:002009-07-01T11:10:42.350-07:00Part Two: The Scottish Highlands<div style="text-align: center;">And here's the fun part! <span style="font-size:180%;">MY</span> kind of vacation ;)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />After leaving Edinburgh, we went to Dumbarton (west of Glasgow) and got off the train to go visit the Dumbarton Castle. It's pretty cool...up on a hill with some 557 steps to get all around it. We went late afternoon, so nobody else was there...we had it all to ourselves!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cCpWPjBOMXeUD9zdy6R-EzPbsFQQ_1qpFwqiePwzX7ftZBEgmkENidMM1uuXPX3Qpqx9q_41X05ZAOlLT9YpJjwpm3El8rsSwHLoJDBiYWPTaIkppWEeiNfQfHe8D69_r8U2-qvhrrQ/s1600-h/P1050409.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8cCpWPjBOMXeUD9zdy6R-EzPbsFQQ_1qpFwqiePwzX7ftZBEgmkENidMM1uuXPX3Qpqx9q_41X05ZAOlLT9YpJjwpm3El8rsSwHLoJDBiYWPTaIkppWEeiNfQfHe8D69_r8U2-qvhrrQ/s320/P1050409.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352911913932910978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a6e-v_72k5GTTZGaOEvBg3CPH-DKMbojqdcF7NTa93mj9acnFc_AVUFKSZA_oS7Z-XEfdnXezVbFXNym5qsVcOBVy35OTfowqUMjesYHKo60j49vFW6S6h564DwhEJ3f0pURm2o_atk/s1600-h/IMG_1548.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1a6e-v_72k5GTTZGaOEvBg3CPH-DKMbojqdcF7NTa93mj9acnFc_AVUFKSZA_oS7Z-XEfdnXezVbFXNym5qsVcOBVy35OTfowqUMjesYHKo60j49vFW6S6h564DwhEJ3f0pURm2o_atk/s320/IMG_1548.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353526762219223842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6RENWMsrn9C2RCrQsalxJQqZQ8zDDwh3O8bVVyv3nc_pv5s522pTMyCJgEkyB1yTEHTuuh2gUNx7Xp5TOkny1x5yAqpOuzcdyEc96dPlR9sBHbi7TTsEstiqyuekNzE8epKK3g81REk/s1600-h/P1050418.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_6RENWMsrn9C2RCrQsalxJQqZQ8zDDwh3O8bVVyv3nc_pv5s522pTMyCJgEkyB1yTEHTuuh2gUNx7Xp5TOkny1x5yAqpOuzcdyEc96dPlR9sBHbi7TTsEstiqyuekNzE8epKK3g81REk/s320/P1050418.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352911921135970258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Those mountains behind me are where we were headed next!<br /></span><br />We got back on the train and rode up to Balloch, which is a little town on the south end of Loch Lomond. This was when we first got there...gosh, it was so beautiful!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyXIfqsr35s2Gd_9nd8AnNLm-omVzuUmtKcNcUXAR6ZC4CX8TCZxJjZ2Q8-_gvWXPNcMEp-RIbpNHL78aWF8fDXhsuq8SVdhruefx_M5oqSznasWO21kES-zfoCrHmynDOtPSjUeZKOI/s1600-h/P1050423.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoyXIfqsr35s2Gd_9nd8AnNLm-omVzuUmtKcNcUXAR6ZC4CX8TCZxJjZ2Q8-_gvWXPNcMEp-RIbpNHL78aWF8fDXhsuq8SVdhruefx_M5oqSznasWO21kES-zfoCrHmynDOtPSjUeZKOI/s320/P1050423.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352909564990800098" border="0" /></a>The only hostel available near that town was located 2 miles down a busy road. We were both tired, and we had our backpacks, and it wasn't a very fun walk.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But then</span>, we finally came around a corner and our hostel came into view...<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >look at this place!</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEi6b8IaKMcZqi7SmN4hFFvjNcK7ew_jr7OLQQl7OxmhJQ3bpE1BVtkMkS0ioXQXIQ6O7wgmcWmYWa33DbAJMReD60rHF9VP1MTxLeLqxjXe1Fwfg_WSN6VUmwTDVicf2reQxMLXmbAY/s1600-h/IMG_1550.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLEi6b8IaKMcZqi7SmN4hFFvjNcK7ew_jr7OLQQl7OxmhJQ3bpE1BVtkMkS0ioXQXIQ6O7wgmcWmYWa33DbAJMReD60rHF9VP1MTxLeLqxjXe1Fwfg_WSN6VUmwTDVicf2reQxMLXmbAY/s320/IMG_1550.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352909554987543730" border="0" /></a>It was practically a castle we were staying in! This was our favorite hostel of the whole trip! (and not even that expensive) We just couldn't help ourselves...we were like little kids exploring "our castle" that night :)<br /><br />The next morning we had breakfast out in the front yard, with a beautiful view of Loch Lomond. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7sfGbldXy7Ixp428wYckfitVIJ5TAkD31nlt251cgRV964qwO3SS0q3o0Ezb_YHicvn_zfMQOQpv7Cv_4I88DTpus1YGLmxxQtM5WWp5XSu63QsjFaqmXJ9Hx8HpueiEV_gXnpvsQNE/s1600-h/P1050441.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7sfGbldXy7Ixp428wYckfitVIJ5TAkD31nlt251cgRV964qwO3SS0q3o0Ezb_YHicvn_zfMQOQpv7Cv_4I88DTpus1YGLmxxQtM5WWp5XSu63QsjFaqmXJ9Hx8HpueiEV_gXnpvsQNE/s320/P1050441.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352909571395026514" border="0" /></a>Then we checked out and walked back to Balloch. One of the very nice ladies that worked in the tourist information center let us leave our packs in her car for the day, while we explored the Loch. We met such kind people in the Highlands!<br /><br />The day consisted of a half day biking around part of the loch (gorgeous!)...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5r_UHFarjmIxWUNy9HN6eDEO6Av_7Meor7QV97r1wiXkATmfQGRdvKnmlgcl-yqQlOW_yyWgXxSxl5fIUZDUvwR4yFErEeK_vcMMKhi2qTMotfnf1aphrncX-nzsPrDhEVniTbblVIWM/s1600-h/P1050453.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5r_UHFarjmIxWUNy9HN6eDEO6Av_7Meor7QV97r1wiXkATmfQGRdvKnmlgcl-yqQlOW_yyWgXxSxl5fIUZDUvwR4yFErEeK_vcMMKhi2qTMotfnf1aphrncX-nzsPrDhEVniTbblVIWM/s320/P1050453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352909573635855954" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj69ALd-tbaHWI7LMV6zSO7lydZOXnuyqyan4FWvGluI6tLbpS3B0aIbq86fNLQvP9hSm4dsS6wQC9YIc7jY-sqNvsJmiZMZi2_1zLwj7mH37K0QVs-m-h6C_9KDn9c27s9HxFel1x8c/s1600-h/P1050463.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj69ALd-tbaHWI7LMV6zSO7lydZOXnuyqyan4FWvGluI6tLbpS3B0aIbq86fNLQvP9hSm4dsS6wQC9YIc7jY-sqNvsJmiZMZi2_1zLwj7mH37K0QVs-m-h6C_9KDn9c27s9HxFel1x8c/s320/P1050463.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352911907555647442" border="0" /></a>exploring the beautifully-kept grounds of the Balloch Castle (you can't go inside)...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiditNausltu53A6cRKUTKlNTrOe50lMbjCI02sLHQg_oFHiSSFaJfKCwFueHZeOQQKS0pJd5CpVGC-zzwuUTLjn1SyX7mQ7wh5kjr5nv7XX91WVQY5FjF7uTidXEJf4NF1MShdWbIC1bg/s1600-h/IMG_1567.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiditNausltu53A6cRKUTKlNTrOe50lMbjCI02sLHQg_oFHiSSFaJfKCwFueHZeOQQKS0pJd5CpVGC-zzwuUTLjn1SyX7mQ7wh5kjr5nv7XX91WVQY5FjF7uTidXEJf4NF1MShdWbIC1bg/s320/IMG_1567.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352911902769749330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(I love these flowers...they look like fireworks!)</span><br /><br />and eating Cherise's very first fish 'n chips on a bench by the loch. And this is where we had our first, and only experience with the "you won't be able to understand anything the Scottish say" warning. A man walked up to us and started talking to us, and I swear it wasn't english! We stared at him like deer in the headlights for a few seconds, before my mind could switch into full Scottish mode. I could only understand enough to answer back when he asked where we were from and what we were going to see while there, etc. He was very kind and friendly, but VERY Scottish! Boy, those rolling R's and long E's everywhere (and many other distinctions) sure make it hard to understand your own language. :) After talking to him for about 10 min. he went on his way, and I turned to Cherise, who hadn't spoken the entire conversation. I knew she hadn't understood anything he said, because for Cherise to be silent like that...well, if you know Cherise, that's strange. Oh boy, what a funny experience! I mean, it's been awhile since I've had to concentrate that hard! :)<br /><br />After eating, we caught the bus back up to Glencoe (we stopped there briefly with my study abroad group), which was one of my favorite drives of the whole trip! This picture is from the bus window as we entered Glencoe.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1g5PfYwYNmD15X1qA3Te6MHZLGw5WErG8NYdapeYPpQNIbge4fYIDgRtjembCOc8hEH-tK7K9kG8tVKwN6ziqgX47z_fFqTW3sIudJ7irxettCKM-iJqnbnTIyg0lwXknyUOrzArigc4/s1600-h/P1050496.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1g5PfYwYNmD15X1qA3Te6MHZLGw5WErG8NYdapeYPpQNIbge4fYIDgRtjembCOc8hEH-tK7K9kG8tVKwN6ziqgX47z_fFqTW3sIudJ7irxettCKM-iJqnbnTIyg0lwXknyUOrzArigc4/s320/P1050496.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352901229500680242" border="0" /></a>We got dropped off in Glencoe Village, and had another 1 1/2 mile walk to our hostel. As we were walking along the road (which actually turned out to be the wrong road - ha!), a young, Swiss couple on holiday pulled over and offered to give us a ride to our hostel. They were so sweet! They even waited while we checked in to make sure our reservation was correct, etc. Oh, I <span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >love</span> kind people!<br /><br />Now this hostel was a little different than the others (especially the last one). It was up in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere practically, and was actually quite ghetto. But once we got settled in, took showers, and met some other people, we were feeling more at home.<br /><br />The next morning, we hiked the Pap of Glencoe, which we were told has some of the best views in Glencoe. You could see Loch Linnhe and Loch Leven, all the way out to the Cuillin Mountains on the Isle of Skye, Ben Nevis (highest mountain in Scotland), and just the great mountains of the Scotland Highlands! It was beautiful!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgEPxLzmQrK9MvPh5Ocn666wq65xGQxXSc_ux8_K1naI2qECvT0zs5pqjiEvL9mE7HrnNkNVHe8jXnWO4vLvG0WVP5DiALZdkB5DpE1RQt3siaWHcunURrnxMIcknPpBE6Y_OuHgr9H0/s1600-h/P1050507.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgEPxLzmQrK9MvPh5Ocn666wq65xGQxXSc_ux8_K1naI2qECvT0zs5pqjiEvL9mE7HrnNkNVHe8jXnWO4vLvG0WVP5DiALZdkB5DpE1RQt3siaWHcunURrnxMIcknPpBE6Y_OuHgr9H0/s320/P1050507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352901222386991250" border="0" /></a><br />And I must tell you, there is a totally different language for the outdoors in Scotland. Somebody should write a book / dictionary:<br />Ben = mountain<br />Glen = valley<br />Inver = mouth of [river] (ex. Inverness is the city at the mouth of the Ness river)<br />Firth = where the ocean comes into a river<br />Loch = lake<br />Highlands = mountains<br />Lowlands = plains<br />Burn = stream<br /><br />...and many more...<br /><br />On the hike up, we met a couple from Holland who had just been married in December and were having a late honeymoon in Scotland. We hiked about half of it with them, and got to talk to them a lot - they were awesome! We also met a family of 3 from Canada who were on a 6 month trip (!!) and next they were headed to Iceland for 5 weeks for some backpacking, and relaxing in their many geo-thermal pools. I really wanted them to take me with them... :)<br /><br />The top part of the hike was climbing up rocks for about 20 minutes, with no hint of a trail. It was great! :)<br /><br />(this was half-way up the scrambling part)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZUI4fsYe8qtAXvsoiI2FYBjRUIk9HaaRprWa8Muv7WWwp_DG4i35AEsGVw6_jmKADGuH881fvSxfPttsGpduJa5tubk4BnvuEhp8iMqbulEznn8a3bX8zDJ5PBU1rrKJJ9T0MKZGlBA/s1600-h/IMG_1597.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCZUI4fsYe8qtAXvsoiI2FYBjRUIk9HaaRprWa8Muv7WWwp_DG4i35AEsGVw6_jmKADGuH881fvSxfPttsGpduJa5tubk4BnvuEhp8iMqbulEznn8a3bX8zDJ5PBU1rrKJJ9T0MKZGlBA/s320/IMG_1597.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352907704299984450" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We spent the evening wandering around Glencoe Village (yes, we wandered around the whole thing - it took about 10 min) and walked down by the Loch.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXYiOjQzUk7DZ53CEt2EEHKVcKhx2rjypw9Jr6oxF-0508GbhrHjuBcq75SXjIxgZiGl_65mZoVg4-V2fCrFPXKR72DDo8CO5Hs1cN7ng22Ofjd4z9vC4iXx6PmfWUI8_IefJLf8Pf0o/s1600-h/P1050543.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXYiOjQzUk7DZ53CEt2EEHKVcKhx2rjypw9Jr6oxF-0508GbhrHjuBcq75SXjIxgZiGl_65mZoVg4-V2fCrFPXKR72DDo8CO5Hs1cN7ng22Ofjd4z9vC4iXx6PmfWUI8_IefJLf8Pf0o/s320/P1050543.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352901216923517842" border="0" /></a>Then we went back to our hostel to make dinner and met 3 guys in the kitchen and ended up talking to them for the next 3 hours. They were older, experienced travelers - 1 from Australia, 1 from Ireland, and 1 from southern Scotland. It was fun to just hear about all their travels, talk about the differences and similarities between all of our countries, and what food we needed to try while in Scotland (ha ha!). I love meeting people - it just makes me realize how unique and fascinating each person is - that's what makes the world so interesting!<br /><br />The next morning, we decided to hike a mountain called Bidean Nam Bian. About 30 min into the hike we ran into 4 older adults from England and ended up the hiking the whole rest of the day with them! They were really entertaining! They have a group of 11 that are all friends and they all go on hiking trips together (but the others were doing other stuff that day). They all seemed to be in their 30's and 40's, but were so young at heart. They were just like kids! It was great!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo8s8ARy5sJawn8bSD-FRgdX2qoee_z0k8H8S-Aq7cpUDPLKkREySGbcNPspHIQ2_zmbnMA4VH6EGW6mO3PjZQ-5SP2OJDJoxf4oOrnc27NTU7TNrUJ3i4FkNAHELWmgTzsMfRZ4FIzg/s1600-h/P1050553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOo8s8ARy5sJawn8bSD-FRgdX2qoee_z0k8H8S-Aq7cpUDPLKkREySGbcNPspHIQ2_zmbnMA4VH6EGW6mO3PjZQ-5SP2OJDJoxf4oOrnc27NTU7TNrUJ3i4FkNAHELWmgTzsMfRZ4FIzg/s320/P1050553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352891916928391282" border="0" /></a>This is on the way to Bidean Nam Bian (you enter the Lost Valley - where a massacre took place during the Jacobite Rebellion - <a href="http://www.rampantscotland.com/features/glencoe.htm">click here</a> for the story).<br /><br />It was the perfect day for hiking: clear skies, sunshine, and a light breeze...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCWrTFWcs9-_6CcEjt91JzwgEI9tqHE-F7MN5819lWXZ2ZhDnaV6cIYW0q7uP3tywX6xEm3Fh_ARIC2iU_-J1CbtjsiXdBlLk2hyphenhyphenBHED5pA8OMqxB-_PNf9TIirwzGIoSCS2WttsxNJo/s1600-h/IMG_1654.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCWrTFWcs9-_6CcEjt91JzwgEI9tqHE-F7MN5819lWXZ2ZhDnaV6cIYW0q7uP3tywX6xEm3Fh_ARIC2iU_-J1CbtjsiXdBlLk2hyphenhyphenBHED5pA8OMqxB-_PNf9TIirwzGIoSCS2WttsxNJo/s320/IMG_1654.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352901232880267474" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(that peak way in the back, on the left-ish (looks like half-dome) is Ben Nevis (highest mountain in Scotland)<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlvCzL3DLBz-Lvq8yDrBCMo7IWNjVS5KY0zqNa2SGe1Neya4H5sbW-DrBSyi7XHYnrSgwH8IuR1e7qcsIC00VSS_2Sic-9zXCsxMVe0_Vx8MxMlWaZA4TTFcULMuV8UJ4dJ5VXVyZnVo/s1600-h/IMG_1665.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlvCzL3DLBz-Lvq8yDrBCMo7IWNjVS5KY0zqNa2SGe1Neya4H5sbW-DrBSyi7XHYnrSgwH8IuR1e7qcsIC00VSS_2Sic-9zXCsxMVe0_Vx8MxMlWaZA4TTFcULMuV8UJ4dJ5VXVyZnVo/s320/IMG_1665.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353538505761089298" border="0" /></a>and these are our English friends - Geoff, Karen, Patrick and Leela<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHL_bXtCKUiO5YQBurqV-nPAa00pRgjdgFMZTAsoGpqQGe9NOaEzyj9qKInpFO92GsQWCKuumZTAK5mZ1E70AaG5DlnFwP7KmlAAUKzqFBUcC-zVUx9i6yprupLIJnxJz1RJOUelUDNyU/s1600-h/P1050564.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHL_bXtCKUiO5YQBurqV-nPAa00pRgjdgFMZTAsoGpqQGe9NOaEzyj9qKInpFO92GsQWCKuumZTAK5mZ1E70AaG5DlnFwP7KmlAAUKzqFBUcC-zVUx9i6yprupLIJnxJz1RJOUelUDNyU/s320/P1050564.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352891911908690322" border="0" /></a>Cherise and I on top! (3773ft - yes, that sounds small, but coming from sea level...)<br /><br />We were quite pooped when we finished, but still had to walk about 2 miles to our hostel and pick up our packs, and another 1 1/2 miles into town to our B&B. When we booked the hostel, we could only get 2 nights, as it was full for Friday night, so we found a cute little Scottish B&B for cheap, and decided to treat ourselves. :) Boy, was it nice to finally have a room to ourselves!<br /><br />The next morning at breakfast, we met a grandma and her daughter from Edinburgh who were taking a 2-day holiday together. They could tell we loved being active and she started telling us about this book she's reading in her book club about an English lady, diagnosed with terminal breast cancer, who biked across America. She got it to show to us, and ended up giving it to us! She said she could get another one easily, and even signed our copy and gave us her address! They were so sweet - they just made our hearts happy :)<br /><br />That Saturday was our only cloudy day in Scotland (it may have sprinkled for about 20 min), but it was still warm, and we still got to go kayaking on the loch. It was great! The colors were so vivid!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzn2IE0-IefT7qsj-6tpEZiPKXlJ2uJnaZscsCvxbR0Pj7VxA5hwV8ZWUKClmKgiIr-N5yFu-IyDWIlWtQYl57qtaLoUUW9bL9xTsgQgS6bQB9MD-9yR9lurLViX2ymAIryMLvLkdAdtY/s1600-h/P1050603.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzn2IE0-IefT7qsj-6tpEZiPKXlJ2uJnaZscsCvxbR0Pj7VxA5hwV8ZWUKClmKgiIr-N5yFu-IyDWIlWtQYl57qtaLoUUW9bL9xTsgQgS6bQB9MD-9yR9lurLViX2ymAIryMLvLkdAdtY/s320/P1050603.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352907696906514594" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXxcIEdHIl7nFHlpi8z6iGHIwp3d09TtmN6oFXCfLNNBQAIVyaRcfCd5e_igR0vb_FBn5WXLs28NB4k8RaGYMA66QLgvO9io0gkfgGDsF6lLWtIlWOew8bVOgc7-Vw8JSiD0ecBNnPBI/s1600-h/P1050625.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXxcIEdHIl7nFHlpi8z6iGHIwp3d09TtmN6oFXCfLNNBQAIVyaRcfCd5e_igR0vb_FBn5WXLs28NB4k8RaGYMA66QLgvO9io0gkfgGDsF6lLWtIlWOew8bVOgc7-Vw8JSiD0ecBNnPBI/s320/P1050625.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352891901408497506" border="0" /></a><br />In the afternoon we went up to Fort William, ate lunch, did some last minute souvenir and food shopping (digestives and chocolate!) to bring home. Then we took a 4 hour train back to Edinburgh (once again, beautiful!), got my luggage back from Duncan, slept for about 4 hours, and went to the airport to fly home!<br /><br />Here is just a collage of the unforgettable Glencoe!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-jLqA5Uz8tVoznrO7Qjf8FN4f3eze5VN-h-aaSgc06IBVRCGtEgGzj7pNLgSvZZlvptYwJpRtnFcd5ALSJqbwyd_gmZZ6vjLbXZKSffx68rXRm1aizo7oTKfRpVoaBnQuBxU5azowZY/s1600-h/Glencoe.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf-jLqA5Uz8tVoznrO7Qjf8FN4f3eze5VN-h-aaSgc06IBVRCGtEgGzj7pNLgSvZZlvptYwJpRtnFcd5ALSJqbwyd_gmZZ6vjLbXZKSffx68rXRm1aizo7oTKfRpVoaBnQuBxU5azowZY/s400/Glencoe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353550610456793410" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Overall I was so grateful to have this adventure, to learn more about myself, to look at things with a different perspective, to expect the best from people, to see such beautiful country, and most importantly, to meet so many kind, funny, helpful, selfless, wonderful, beautiful people!</span> (We made a list of all the people we met and its quite overwhelming!)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" >GOODBYE UNITED KINGDOM! </span></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-39240562787147137912009-06-29T11:17:00.000-07:002009-06-29T13:20:42.767-07:00Part One: The City Life<div style="text-align: center;">So my study abroad officially ended the night of June 4th, and the next day was my birthday! And guess what birthday present I got...<br /><br />My very own, specially wrapped, <span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Cherise Burk!</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;font-size:180%;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Boy, did I feel special <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-size:130%;" >;)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA4HjEiobU9-9rkiTVfqhhy1edp6YPcBPQ2lgRCXapG-ZeC5AoZW9AyJ2Hjk0BKD_SOhOomeoPGCqs433KYIv0tlmumHmvdL3Xd6sMIbK-OLJq6JvCMRlSaR1v8vfOZLe-t83AFKNOFU/s1600-h/IMG_1466.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnA4HjEiobU9-9rkiTVfqhhy1edp6YPcBPQ2lgRCXapG-ZeC5AoZW9AyJ2Hjk0BKD_SOhOomeoPGCqs433KYIv0tlmumHmvdL3Xd6sMIbK-OLJq6JvCMRlSaR1v8vfOZLe-t83AFKNOFU/s320/IMG_1466.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352800483169758802" border="0" /></a>And here our adventures together begin!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-size:180%;" >LONDON</span><br />We checked into our hostel and put our luggage in their "luggage room" as you can't officially check in until the afternoon. It was our very first experience with hostels, and it was quite interesting. And this was no luggage <span style="font-style: italic;">room</span>. This was a luggage <span style="font-style: italic;">closet</span> about the size of a pantry. Here I am, trying to stuff my backpack in with all the other bags. What an adventure...<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBgCDocGfnnxRy0pmhFsk47_Vyqm6cb4j578DZPpVUlnbRkvFrD7-PFL_D2mAL3pXs_eAVVfr_ei3eLbICnaXBT7EHIuEFCUr4DwVt8yMuk-0RreeHapNIh7KLtZTz-ub6GkQE4BODKc/s1600-h/P1050301.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBgCDocGfnnxRy0pmhFsk47_Vyqm6cb4j578DZPpVUlnbRkvFrD7-PFL_D2mAL3pXs_eAVVfr_ei3eLbICnaXBT7EHIuEFCUr4DwVt8yMuk-0RreeHapNIh7KLtZTz-ub6GkQE4BODKc/s320/P1050301.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352800504368913218" border="0" /></a><br />We walked around Kensington Gardens (where Princess Diana's memorial is) in the light rain, and went to the National Gallery to see some art. And see some art, we did! Boy, that place is huge! Being the art fanatics that we both are (not!), we ended up walking around, picking fun paintings, and making up interesting stories of what was happening in the picture.<br />Next we went to Westminster Abbey for evensong. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKwOvNblGrKwgR7UQCZn_QeBA7XKfLv5tOgM5-QnGmUqtAWdHmRL6MTS72KYUuJd5DYRDU22wjh7yNRBuryRs3V1ySvmOKDSbMZ0ZbYSqPSf0pRf6xyqOk_o_BXvczoUi7lkpIbtADi8/s1600-h/IMG_1472.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKwOvNblGrKwgR7UQCZn_QeBA7XKfLv5tOgM5-QnGmUqtAWdHmRL6MTS72KYUuJd5DYRDU22wjh7yNRBuryRs3V1ySvmOKDSbMZ0ZbYSqPSf0pRf6xyqOk_o_BXvczoUi7lkpIbtADi8/s320/IMG_1472.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352800487061357170" border="0" /></a>Wow, was that amazing, or what?! You can get in for free (as it is a service), sit in the beautiful cathedral, and listen to the choir of men and young boys singing the most beautiful songs ever! The acoustics are fantastic! Cherise fell asleep on my lap, listening to the angelic sound - she was struggling to recover from jet lag. :) What a peaceful hour, compared to the stressful hustle and bustle of the streets of London...<br />We went out to dinner for my birthday and then headed home and went to bed early, as we were both quite exhausted.<br /><br />On Saturday morning we decided to head down and enjoy the atmosphere and fun shopping of the Portobello Market. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB1V7SNqP-A8jSGohFYyuaXcSpQ_c_tdRzP37k8H5DgNJQ-bn0BZJO8ui_Hl6aove_fK9igiJg_AE-DdnlbFWZpBJ8hcsC_1KIVluBCcruHXwwIrN398W6l-EKve1w7YJX1TOBEWIfC0/s1600-h/P1050313.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSB1V7SNqP-A8jSGohFYyuaXcSpQ_c_tdRzP37k8H5DgNJQ-bn0BZJO8ui_Hl6aove_fK9igiJg_AE-DdnlbFWZpBJ8hcsC_1KIVluBCcruHXwwIrN398W6l-EKve1w7YJX1TOBEWIfC0/s320/P1050313.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352801268839576914" border="0" /></a><br />Then just explored the sites of London some more...here is Big Ben again. :)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsrs5doUZcK2vqEu0w6Xyur5G76pUAEEqM4O2LKFdEEX18ofFgYLoXeWyXRLos0ZE57Ax3gCz6ryt3MEeECAExupm39eSl10D-j8DpXWoVKhPTDIuhzpM09oTzmnTDS8oH6nQ9jPWZpE/s1600-h/IMG_1475.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjsrs5doUZcK2vqEu0w6Xyur5G76pUAEEqM4O2LKFdEEX18ofFgYLoXeWyXRLos0ZE57Ax3gCz6ryt3MEeECAExupm39eSl10D-j8DpXWoVKhPTDIuhzpM09oTzmnTDS8oH6nQ9jPWZpE/s320/IMG_1475.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352800488356956658" border="0" /></a><br />We even went back to Westminster Abbey for evensong <span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:130%;" >again</span>, because we loved it so much! I really needed to feel that peace because I was a little stressed with the planning of our trip (as Cherise can attest <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">;)</span></span> ).<br /><br />That night we got to go see Les Mis...still my favorite show of all time. What a powerful show!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 0);font-size:130%;" >"To love another person is to see the face of God"</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERdoHdDDvGcCnBfNTPZUY8leTF3-T2COTw9sCdYAs7Z5OEup7d3F8ka1I1U0iMH8b9vZ_Vib9QCQXGUdMRFy4I2yCqoSPJoVaQGRs41QImq7BS8TNKhSygn4tvuQwkVUPkjujtZHcieU/s1600-h/IMG_1487.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERdoHdDDvGcCnBfNTPZUY8leTF3-T2COTw9sCdYAs7Z5OEup7d3F8ka1I1U0iMH8b9vZ_Vib9QCQXGUdMRFy4I2yCqoSPJoVaQGRs41QImq7BS8TNKhSygn4tvuQwkVUPkjujtZHcieU/s320/IMG_1487.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352800496018550578" border="0" /></a><br />Then Sunday morning came! We had the most amazing opportunity of getting to sit in the 6th row of the Hyde Park Chapel to see President Uchtdorf (leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) speak to the members of the UK & Ireland (it was broadcast from there). And we didn't even have tickets like you were supposed to! (What a tender mercy for us that the ushers were sympathetic to our lack of transportation and prior knowledge).<br /><br />After church, we finally had a bit of sunshine, and relaxed in Hyde Park for lunch.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6ecUr3scdApE7jLoX5yMbq5w2GLR2o6fMiKEzFwfBpJhKqhf0PhagLHDns-LfzwEEAN0sOPWf6LgPCe1YKLyPVPqE4y1678gk1Z2j1amwjPo_BDJJcNunpXcwCKTfvVRlA0Mwca7yio/s1600-h/P1050321.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6ecUr3scdApE7jLoX5yMbq5w2GLR2o6fMiKEzFwfBpJhKqhf0PhagLHDns-LfzwEEAN0sOPWf6LgPCe1YKLyPVPqE4y1678gk1Z2j1amwjPo_BDJJcNunpXcwCKTfvVRlA0Mwca7yio/s320/P1050321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352801271013818402" border="0" /></a>We got to watch some very talented rollerbladers (zig-zagging backwards, on one foot, through cones), sat in cute old fashioned beach chairs that are set up all over the grass by the pond, and walked by Speakers' Corner - quite an interesting place with all the guys on boxes and groups of people around each one, usually in heated conversation - before we grabbed our bags from the "luggage room" of our hostel, walked back to the church for the Young Single Adult fireside with Pres. Uchtdorf, and ran to catch our train to Edinburgh! First-class baby!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">EDINBURGH</span></span><br /><br />Monday was spent in Edinburgh...We walked down the Royal Mile, bought some Scotland sweatshirts, went inside St. Giles' Cathedral, and found our ancestry in the clan books of Scotland! <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;">:)</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJIuokFrz-ZXUUt867_aB7ToSMdr9bI4LasnteYwJ64wAYN4OGRsXidamU2zcKBuiGohBp8NqkycISPCxMj71mvsL4MK0jmAi3rJ_x793OB4bOtsR8ybM5Arp6PeR07YAOCRiGRxgq2I/s1600-h/P1050366.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJIuokFrz-ZXUUt867_aB7ToSMdr9bI4LasnteYwJ64wAYN4OGRsXidamU2zcKBuiGohBp8NqkycISPCxMj71mvsL4MK0jmAi3rJ_x793OB4bOtsR8ybM5Arp6PeR07YAOCRiGRxgq2I/s320/P1050366.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352824652659602978" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Then my favorite part of the day - we hiked Arthur's Seat (as pointed out in the picture below).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFOp8V8qh2M82TU2BrAb1CPNVuP4NCn5l5ZYmm48FrtP-SRS-Gh6hWCaxiMvNP0U1MB7sHiq2RXp6_S6gS35fC4ZZZ-rwHchyiGawjvDCrH5ZmbBR2GzNv-FUcLyz5Wkb8wDYcWx9wcc/s1600-h/IMG_1519.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifFOp8V8qh2M82TU2BrAb1CPNVuP4NCn5l5ZYmm48FrtP-SRS-Gh6hWCaxiMvNP0U1MB7sHiq2RXp6_S6gS35fC4ZZZ-rwHchyiGawjvDCrH5ZmbBR2GzNv-FUcLyz5Wkb8wDYcWx9wcc/s320/IMG_1519.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352816442738288994" border="0" /></a>As a trash-picker-upper when I'm in the outdoors, I found us a great Pringles can to take on our adventure with us. They were even flavored "Texas BBQ Sauce" - it reminded us of home (well, at least close to home).<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ5I3i85jNYM3P98AsChqGc45uKo_MBRpuzRJ7iwub6SdyifymtLSa3TvF4PpgXzwRrha9E53oLzYxUVZuK-fBplA-2tpkwARwSejYcRLQHCzpk0zn8ieaHXzRrUPmAwA5uXLp_TiJrE/s1600-h/IMG_1509.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKJ5I3i85jNYM3P98AsChqGc45uKo_MBRpuzRJ7iwub6SdyifymtLSa3TvF4PpgXzwRrha9E53oLzYxUVZuK-fBplA-2tpkwARwSejYcRLQHCzpk0zn8ieaHXzRrUPmAwA5uXLp_TiJrE/s320/IMG_1509.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352824648739503858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(don't worry; there weren't really any pringles in it)</span><br />Arthur's seat is a big mound of volcanic rock right near Edinburgh, so you can hike up it and look down on the whole city, and the Firth of Forth (the ocean coming into the river Forth). It was beautiful up there!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-FwB_IMTkJncsQdDx_xKSLdJjx2a_vf5N0PYvKoKAOydHRyt3hzQIUcnGGbEQDZqd_xVXIsgdJG9ZSjHt2aLQP0K5tcQAHEU2eQtrtmiVpv8m_KGVT6v0bC_Dlhv5eeZXEc4q5yHE5w/s1600-h/P1050379.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig-FwB_IMTkJncsQdDx_xKSLdJjx2a_vf5N0PYvKoKAOydHRyt3hzQIUcnGGbEQDZqd_xVXIsgdJG9ZSjHt2aLQP0K5tcQAHEU2eQtrtmiVpv8m_KGVT6v0bC_Dlhv5eeZXEc4q5yHE5w/s320/P1050379.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352816461133792450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9Kf78IUOnvVFnN9UitJkoM7VACaHY4zhO9N7wHwKtkwN3713Yq6d8mHzUuM05i4W9Ykz9OPC176i9jv9NeXCDxCKOzGdo1XX1KlFBH1iYVCRgedoMzrmr9rDBP-7uI7IVDg3trRxXnQ/s1600-h/P1050389.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9Kf78IUOnvVFnN9UitJkoM7VACaHY4zhO9N7wHwKtkwN3713Yq6d8mHzUuM05i4W9Ykz9OPC176i9jv9NeXCDxCKOzGdo1XX1KlFBH1iYVCRgedoMzrmr9rDBP-7uI7IVDg3trRxXnQ/s320/P1050389.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352825686315533794" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(my cookies (Digestives) were a little melted....but still just as tasty)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6yhfSHNp0dGatg76CPuypf74RWqDSIZz6B9gjMj8vJYhj7zeKP_BYTamcq7PM62K3y1Ew-qeWtfBajpP_2Wr6TIzcpzTW6zkUqRH84JUNlMr3mpP7mQyNr345y3KXXFB7PIPS0CRCUs/s1600-h/P1050376.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM6yhfSHNp0dGatg76CPuypf74RWqDSIZz6B9gjMj8vJYhj7zeKP_BYTamcq7PM62K3y1Ew-qeWtfBajpP_2Wr6TIzcpzTW6zkUqRH84JUNlMr3mpP7mQyNr345y3KXXFB7PIPS0CRCUs/s320/P1050376.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352824665910814258" border="0" /></a><br />There were approximately 7.5 too many people up there, and if you know me at all, I like being in the middle of nowhere, so Cherise and I walked over to another little hill that was empty, and enjoyed our own personal view over Edinburgh and the ocean. ...where we proceeded to read a little together and take a nap in the squishy grass :) What bliss! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGypsFE943QbU5DUWGGBXxkf35duUNrusgL7knCJyg1gHFkt5JPNB-PT309vZfUUV3f-vIq4ajV1PTNlYnwXPNZzDef2SxAGhS_fIFxu2-bjUBDY3cy5SjHAHSpCL_4M7JV4YIr3VI9uA/s1600-h/P1050396.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGypsFE943QbU5DUWGGBXxkf35duUNrusgL7knCJyg1gHFkt5JPNB-PT309vZfUUV3f-vIq4ajV1PTNlYnwXPNZzDef2SxAGhS_fIFxu2-bjUBDY3cy5SjHAHSpCL_4M7JV4YIr3VI9uA/s320/P1050396.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352816448722354226" border="0" /></a>The next morning we went for a run around the city, and packed up to go. We met up with my aunt's Scottish neighbor's nephew (ha ha, ya got that?), Duncan, because he was going to hold on to my suitcase for me while we backpacked through the Highlands of Scotland. What a nice guy! ...and a life-saver, I'll tell you what! It was great to get rid of that bag for a week!<br /><br />We went to the train station to catch our train, but we had just missed it, and the next one didn't come for another 2 hours. But Cherise was positive and met some cool people from Syria, and I was able to use the time to book some more of our hostels for the rest of the week. We finally got on our train, and were headed off for the best part of the trip!<br /><br />To be continued...<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" > ;)</span><br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-54311201517250748622009-06-27T22:35:00.001-07:002009-07-01T09:11:30.279-07:00Bashing around London<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24KomfD75RvA1PAK-D1Y18ugE1DT-gqxZ12D7oPq9gkdUk_0ZFbiGsWRCRptYAIh91aVrkmHCpIY681tHQb2-G0WnRK6kKmsv-TC5YMSYv_FquFc5Qa73xg5UDeLuBKAnZCikbY61UDg/s1600-h/IMG_1762.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24KomfD75RvA1PAK-D1Y18ugE1DT-gqxZ12D7oPq9gkdUk_0ZFbiGsWRCRptYAIh91aVrkmHCpIY681tHQb2-G0WnRK6kKmsv-TC5YMSYv_FquFc5Qa73xg5UDeLuBKAnZCikbY61UDg/s320/IMG_1762.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350324044957755650" border="0" /></a>Yep, welcome to London! Here are just a few highlights:<br />This building above (the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben) was my favorite-looking building in all of London.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB7E9e2LUh7EiUv0NsqsgyvbpDLyCHgy8c9CAF3Sa-E2l5NW491bgTocTFWn5L5oJhSlXmlBrRYkI27IU3TSGRC0EfP3Eu5TxTb-edpEt7fTq75mMFrOtY1r2KFZJnbrOMebeR4DAFwc/s1600-h/IMG_1435.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifB7E9e2LUh7EiUv0NsqsgyvbpDLyCHgy8c9CAF3Sa-E2l5NW491bgTocTFWn5L5oJhSlXmlBrRYkI27IU3TSGRC0EfP3Eu5TxTb-edpEt7fTq75mMFrOtY1r2KFZJnbrOMebeR4DAFwc/s320/IMG_1435.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350328809556331698" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can't go to London without going to King's Cross train station to see Platform 9 3/4 :)<br />See ya, Mom & Dad! I'm goin' to Hogwarts!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvaqOvqcb5-JSI_wLwcCgQ5RaHcx-uzwWuufliz1z38BwZlxTXpM-AQShnLu1j5CWXSZf92pMmOSmgSzmiig-1UlrVo3qneu6oVQ5KfBKxNM8lSu537eh0NVFsIWOIugy-7qDLhmYlT8/s1600-h/IMG_1460.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvaqOvqcb5-JSI_wLwcCgQ5RaHcx-uzwWuufliz1z38BwZlxTXpM-AQShnLu1j5CWXSZf92pMmOSmgSzmiig-1UlrVo3qneu6oVQ5KfBKxNM8lSu537eh0NVFsIWOIugy-7qDLhmYlT8/s320/IMG_1460.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350324039593237938" border="0" /></a>We went to Greenwich - the beginning of time! (the Prime Meridian)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B4POwFsM_-hVe2rJCouCy07BAauzMUeywZHcV-i4ke1puOfuY0o7VGJZfThEkb2tOvTwBeRSzQZ4UV5Vvr_E_2U1MKxHt9AM1XRv815blZKUJ5pObwdsqf9C__3oULvDlT_2xQBoy98/s1600-h/Greenwich.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B4POwFsM_-hVe2rJCouCy07BAauzMUeywZHcV-i4ke1puOfuY0o7VGJZfThEkb2tOvTwBeRSzQZ4UV5Vvr_E_2U1MKxHt9AM1XRv815blZKUJ5pObwdsqf9C__3oULvDlT_2xQBoy98/s320/Greenwich.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350333378753222882" border="0" /></a>On a boat cruise down the Thames River with Big Ben in the background. What a sunny, beautiful day!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6E7b9mic4RF_Uy06gXewK9ewOBf1lagpZZ5Fwo1R9QIsfjLeJq-gUXvk3s4ciLgAYwEaU7VsVQpIWxRNNFFEnzb7lKT5yn5G9uvOLAC1eMIjdtPLNVCCcnsPPdoVdo7lmYhYCZFSUjY/s1600-h/DSC03354.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH6E7b9mic4RF_Uy06gXewK9ewOBf1lagpZZ5Fwo1R9QIsfjLeJq-gUXvk3s4ciLgAYwEaU7VsVQpIWxRNNFFEnzb7lKT5yn5G9uvOLAC1eMIjdtPLNVCCcnsPPdoVdo7lmYhYCZFSUjY/s320/DSC03354.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350323200782063842" border="0" /></a>And of course, as we were on a nursing study abroad, we went to the Florence Nightingale Museum in London...loads of fun! ;)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJBe2qLjUvP4yQvIjcSuMIBuZp76WoNtEr_JBpkJkZS2yJySoQm6ck1fGk7d_kIWE1Y57qv4Z-7aQ_fN0H6508cfqJ_uZj0wFH7cvMX1bV_hFBlmf0DA3N2pdKfYnYV2c5TiN3IfJFlI/s1600-h/Flo+Museum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJBe2qLjUvP4yQvIjcSuMIBuZp76WoNtEr_JBpkJkZS2yJySoQm6ck1fGk7d_kIWE1Y57qv4Z-7aQ_fN0H6508cfqJ_uZj0wFH7cvMX1bV_hFBlmf0DA3N2pdKfYnYV2c5TiN3IfJFlI/s320/Flo+Museum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350326182188759954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(there were costumes you could try on throughout the museum, and on the bottom right is a dress made out of a maps!)</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Our first night in London, we got tickets to see Wicked!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoh3blWAA17On-h1tfec3fQkjQFXz0y1WgjmC0UoA1mnYXPIQKsVk7NBH8u3VShV62sp9kgV8jp44nKUNccqKo12yUlZmBY1RmqEHjNjM8_le3g28nKyIYYbtcmADxfh1XYjxIPfDyV8/s1600-h/IMG_1738.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoh3blWAA17On-h1tfec3fQkjQFXz0y1WgjmC0UoA1mnYXPIQKsVk7NBH8u3VShV62sp9kgV8jp44nKUNccqKo12yUlZmBY1RmqEHjNjM8_le3g28nKyIYYbtcmADxfh1XYjxIPfDyV8/s320/IMG_1738.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350058745485494210" border="0" /></a>The famous Trafalgar Square...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuAJKkvX5k-4bLAWZJVLIBzSTdYhhtmnpXdiAMrGMEoS1p-97ruaQjMm0naefH7CC8zPx4KICdiQlhMzbY390c-PtTkEeerVCXZ8QN3RwYuVHnyN-lmfFPXEJSpABM6W5uZrN7ul55M8/s1600-h/DSC03240.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuAJKkvX5k-4bLAWZJVLIBzSTdYhhtmnpXdiAMrGMEoS1p-97ruaQjMm0naefH7CC8zPx4KICdiQlhMzbY390c-PtTkEeerVCXZ8QN3RwYuVHnyN-lmfFPXEJSpABM6W5uZrN7ul55M8/s320/DSC03240.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350323198222886418" border="0" /></a>A view from the top walkway of Tower Bridge across the Thames<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKmQSfjK06TRNdDmdl7KzoGcp7Ppa4O50GTi3fLMOXwHJDm-CbnnKKOylSpSYvMPyDaPmI30d0ePicqmQxAYaTzNZDNJ8Yetb0-Y4PZL1ry4wiUqh8gcyAtVkELZGwZLayDqtRrPoNBE/s1600-h/100_3839.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKmQSfjK06TRNdDmdl7KzoGcp7Ppa4O50GTi3fLMOXwHJDm-CbnnKKOylSpSYvMPyDaPmI30d0ePicqmQxAYaTzNZDNJ8Yetb0-Y4PZL1ry4wiUqh8gcyAtVkELZGwZLayDqtRrPoNBE/s320/100_3839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350323179636189522" border="0" /></a>This was in the Tower Bridge engine room...ha ha<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1SqiaVGiXC6fRX6FOnke1tFJlgq25E7uZNpXNfc6V-XIR7OD91Gr_-9YcP0pMpzibOE0_gxko0dt7Uhyphenhyphenq-PmRBd8ReXICaaM1q1Oxykdvw03Brtz-NPgOfZvGLLLvvv5f1wOlpb3zZs/s1600-h/100_3844.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1SqiaVGiXC6fRX6FOnke1tFJlgq25E7uZNpXNfc6V-XIR7OD91Gr_-9YcP0pMpzibOE0_gxko0dt7Uhyphenhyphenq-PmRBd8ReXICaaM1q1Oxykdvw03Brtz-NPgOfZvGLLLvvv5f1wOlpb3zZs/s320/100_3844.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350323183671927602" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And Phantom the 2nd night!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8B_P4gkQAMutKP4v5FxqFE-b_5FwQFhcn5eXCOwXxq0mDkd7rhyphenhyphenF5Obv52z48ydWnbfw1_tmb6mN00PTBTFCkrjKB2dq7A9nkUVmxfV2gkPaQ_K8XWgPnqtrR3LCkr_s1U71wkIWE4gA/s1600-h/IMG_1769.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8B_P4gkQAMutKP4v5FxqFE-b_5FwQFhcn5eXCOwXxq0mDkd7rhyphenhyphenF5Obv52z48ydWnbfw1_tmb6mN00PTBTFCkrjKB2dq7A9nkUVmxfV2gkPaQ_K8XWgPnqtrR3LCkr_s1U71wkIWE4gA/s320/IMG_1769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352245823044885410" border="0" /></a>The last night of our study abroad Christina and I ran a 3.7 mile race for homelessness in London. This (running) is <span style="font-size:130%;">my</span> way of seeing the city! :) It started and finished at St. Paul's cathedral, crossed the Thames several times, went by the Globe Theatre, the London Eye, the Tate Modern, and many other beautiful sites of London. It was really fun!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sVJ7WNjhQzCr5Dt4DSLMacexTWAIAyS-IpPkvxHr1an9i_yUrn22uAPhDYTvOqmI23SwSwTQHE3BlTJrdA3wIl3hZExPjLivposKXkFOX5NOzrwuy1j9fjUcB6YbQykJlbKZjZ5CesA/s1600-h/IMG_1792.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4sVJ7WNjhQzCr5Dt4DSLMacexTWAIAyS-IpPkvxHr1an9i_yUrn22uAPhDYTvOqmI23SwSwTQHE3BlTJrdA3wIl3hZExPjLivposKXkFOX5NOzrwuy1j9fjUcB6YbQykJlbKZjZ5CesA/s320/IMG_1792.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350326174850702770" border="0" /></a>Sorry it's just a smattering of pictures from London. Its a busy, bustling city, but just as London-y as you can imagine. We also went to Buckingham Palace, the Globe Theatre, St. Paul's Cathedral, and had plenty of tube rides stuffed to the rim (and then some!)! What an experience! :)<br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-43294067089735619922009-06-22T18:53:00.001-07:002009-06-22T19:42:13.409-07:00Edinburgh<div style="text-align: center;">On our last Monday in Scotland, we once again had Bill for our tour guide. He took us to Stirling Castle and the William Wallace monument. He told us the "true" story of William Wallace. We drove down south and went to Hailes Castle. I loved it because it was in the middle of nowhere, it was <span style="font-style: italic;">free</span> (I always like free!), and nobody else was there! It was great!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhuDvkdw3KNXWGTFwj_azZQg6GlCxwJl8DC-ID0Dg_8KnuLWhXpeNxfwAZObEOho1Y5IPHfq9kw_-mmxSTdk-rq7vGu3mS2Jx_c5JkAhqlFHoMtQ41TVCtJSYPquu97frkD-lKAfWIhU/s1600-h/6.5.09+003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhuDvkdw3KNXWGTFwj_azZQg6GlCxwJl8DC-ID0Dg_8KnuLWhXpeNxfwAZObEOho1Y5IPHfq9kw_-mmxSTdk-rq7vGu3mS2Jx_c5JkAhqlFHoMtQ41TVCtJSYPquu97frkD-lKAfWIhU/s320/6.5.09+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350344278610301394" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(just hangin' out)</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbT6Ax3OSMfVPXXllOzh68kECY-E78RWfROzX6KqerXxwFPyUdCVpVn4HAyzau_r-up9F9uGZSAxmkCrgQVxrdW0JP1_EcvBecr2Kk7B_3YXOqW4g46ZI8NP1CSuCCpkBDmrEUFDs54vk/s1600-h/DSC03087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbT6Ax3OSMfVPXXllOzh68kECY-E78RWfROzX6KqerXxwFPyUdCVpVn4HAyzau_r-up9F9uGZSAxmkCrgQVxrdW0JP1_EcvBecr2Kk7B_3YXOqW4g46ZI8NP1CSuCCpkBDmrEUFDs54vk/s320/DSC03087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350336626315321730" border="0" /></a><br />Then we went to a city on the coast called North Berwick (said "North Berrick") and got to walk out to the edge of some rocks. It was SO BEAUTIFUL!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8dwwMP7loEOhMVvc_nuIa3g5L5SFXoE8zZREqvbRlwVegDWYQqv70_jNToWuLXXLUkKciV8Qo2Nn0csV9743UgvHT5Wv9Z6LViV4Ih6ENokdsn3DhPR64mla7AmW6U0UfeiFmhQVkds/s1600-h/North+Berwick.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV8dwwMP7loEOhMVvc_nuIa3g5L5SFXoE8zZREqvbRlwVegDWYQqv70_jNToWuLXXLUkKciV8Qo2Nn0csV9743UgvHT5Wv9Z6LViV4Ih6ENokdsn3DhPR64mla7AmW6U0UfeiFmhQVkds/s320/North+Berwick.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350338295139196098" border="0" /></a>And then for the second half of the day, we got the chance to roam the great Edinburgh!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5KJn29hSlKES6B8Jzt-MBzFIybg8g_yV9yVI-HWV8Tw4vOZJk07dE7CBefZqEhw9mc5wZXen0EM_VwDbf6_5bGrIMEMqCMnfXbR8fhINFHhZJHWz-F05ygIgjoHnVqhE2Tpn2v_DiWI/s1600-h/6.5.09+038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5KJn29hSlKES6B8Jzt-MBzFIybg8g_yV9yVI-HWV8Tw4vOZJk07dE7CBefZqEhw9mc5wZXen0EM_VwDbf6_5bGrIMEMqCMnfXbR8fhINFHhZJHWz-F05ygIgjoHnVqhE2Tpn2v_DiWI/s320/6.5.09+038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350336599703371826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">This is St. Giles' Cathedral<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">And of course, the Edinburgh Castle. It was fun, but I think we had just seen a few too many castles already, so it wasn't anything spectacular. </span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0t-EYvdekf_xd00SypunSFtzHAclXOWrX1MN6UrL0SZc5w8Q3uf7adbBswmP3XftQx6K1lj06OE3_hIAxJUol1LA4rD8LcdHmsGbjwch_-HKPusMNQFB0cjxBEGedoG3c5OXWM1mJmY/s1600-h/Edinburgh+Castle.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0t-EYvdekf_xd00SypunSFtzHAclXOWrX1MN6UrL0SZc5w8Q3uf7adbBswmP3XftQx6K1lj06OE3_hIAxJUol1LA4rD8LcdHmsGbjwch_-HKPusMNQFB0cjxBEGedoG3c5OXWM1mJmY/s320/Edinburgh+Castle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350342925513332306" border="0" /></a>Although the Scottish guards in their cool uniforms were pretty awesome! :) And we got to hold an old sword...man, those things were HUGE! It came up to my nose, with the tip on the ground, and I couldn't imagine trying to swing that thing around and actually be agile with it.<br /><br />We were sure to stop my the Elephant House, a cafe/pub where J.K. Rowling wrote some of the Harry Potter series.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4br92Q5PcIwJcVb-eEplK6Gv_n9hDW3t1AU46Pc7rIG50nqaYcB0K4ksg2Q5hazwKv_MLUEMLjjo8E6YBtJFNsCZZv_QuEj-wpYmGbRboMHc8muvbq9GFj0ScjetgUV6CCLRS6VMx50/s1600-h/DSC03188.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4br92Q5PcIwJcVb-eEplK6Gv_n9hDW3t1AU46Pc7rIG50nqaYcB0K4ksg2Q5hazwKv_MLUEMLjjo8E6YBtJFNsCZZv_QuEj-wpYmGbRboMHc8muvbq9GFj0ScjetgUV6CCLRS6VMx50/s320/DSC03188.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350336612424624306" border="0" /></a><br />We hurried back to Blackford to pack up our stuff, then caught the train to London at 11:45pm. But this was no average train....this was a <span style="font-size:180%;">sleeper train</span>! I have to admit, I have <span style="font-style: italic;">always</span> wanted to ride on a sleeper train, like in the old movies (specifically White Christmas). It was so much fun! You can ask the other girls; I was going nuts, I was so excited! Even when we woke up, I looked around for about 2 seconds, remembered I was on a sleeper train, and went nuts again! ha ha They came around and brought us orange juice about an hour before getting into London. Each berth had 2 beds that folded down from the wall. Candice and my room was next to Michelle and Heidi's, so we opened a little door in between our rooms. The berths were SO TEENY! We had the little beds, and a "hallway" next to the beds that was only about a foot wide, and that was it. Oh, and a little window to the outside. We had a little dance party before we went to sleep, complete with my headlight strobe feature, Candice's lovely beat-boxing and singing, and Heidi's sweet dance moves! :) Even going to the restroom on the train was quite the experience. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDqH6ZhthmIxOt4OPSl_MXk1NhhRSMvIlD0p9DtrUQeLseuCJOjxett_VFhc2IW67aMLjLHFQW-pcXS0sOSwemvHrw2ALyc06U-Jz2y0FLpMS_GfcZLWlvN7PMxdQuaKL1v6c5pLMx_g/s1600-h/Sleeper+Train.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDqH6ZhthmIxOt4OPSl_MXk1NhhRSMvIlD0p9DtrUQeLseuCJOjxett_VFhc2IW67aMLjLHFQW-pcXS0sOSwemvHrw2ALyc06U-Jz2y0FLpMS_GfcZLWlvN7PMxdQuaKL1v6c5pLMx_g/s320/Sleeper+Train.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350339974437856306" border="0" /></a>I can finally check "ride on a sleeper train" off my list - yay! :)<br /></div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-198783206341474788.post-81525654162670585352009-06-22T00:57:00.001-07:002009-06-25T12:28:30.868-07:00Ooo...big, burly Scottish men in kilts!<div style="text-align: center;">Sorry for the delay on updates, but I'm finally back in the states and am playing catch-up.<br /><br />So, picking up where I left off 2 posts ago in Inverness... On Friday, Bill picked us up once more and was in charge of getting us from Inverness down to Blackford (our next stop), which is near Stirling. But the awesome guy that he is, he wanted to show us more of Scotland. So here was our wonderful itinerary for the day:<br /><br />1) We drove west to <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Loch Carron</span> - beautiful!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON0Q-Dq1GzZJh8DcReQU8kSTOJNXumBAcgsOXG4WR2pFXpYzYvws9CrkEwabbI8xuJ62VlIyTGJK2k_sUd_ynOAAujcAzwYolAeyEavmmSM7fBQ58UWSfYekB_bwWeigWxIxT3ENeSJg/s1600-h/100_3756.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiON0Q-Dq1GzZJh8DcReQU8kSTOJNXumBAcgsOXG4WR2pFXpYzYvws9CrkEwabbI8xuJ62VlIyTGJK2k_sUd_ynOAAujcAzwYolAeyEavmmSM7fBQ58UWSfYekB_bwWeigWxIxT3ENeSJg/s320/100_3756.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343512544415346050" border="0" /></a><br />2) We <span style="font-style: italic;">kept</span> driving west and took a pit stop at a cute little fishing town called <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">Plockton</span> (not pictured here). The town pretty much consisted of one street along the water and one row of buildings/houses along that street. It was so quaint and beautiful with all the sailboats sitting in the bay. Candice and I walked out in the water - which was ocean water! It felt so good!<br /><br />(I have to tell a quick funny story Bill told us on the drive: So there are two football teams (soccer) there named Caledonia and the Celtics. They are big rivals, and they were playing once and it was a really close game. Just in the last few seconds, Caledonia (lovingly called Cale (like Cali)) won! But the best part was the newspaper headline the next day:<br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"Super Cale, Go Balistic, the Celtic are Atrocious!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(ya get it?!)</span><br /></span></span><br />3) And even <span style="font-style: italic;">more</span> west, we got to the <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Isle of Skye</span>. He let us out and we got to walk across the bridge to the Isle of Skye. It was so beautiful! (not to mention sunny!)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oVTy7hAlIkZ_i5MfierXfg53nTQ777mJNEiyCXuWK-CMlcYt8QAx0fkFc8U0dt1g09x8kEh5zX5qn_Vy9CZ-T0xLqRxvQviEXWR0zviOvkrbfvAYRCby0eNoDkhYz-BamXbM_YXhGos/s1600-h/5.29.09+044.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oVTy7hAlIkZ_i5MfierXfg53nTQ777mJNEiyCXuWK-CMlcYt8QAx0fkFc8U0dt1g09x8kEh5zX5qn_Vy9CZ-T0xLqRxvQviEXWR0zviOvkrbfvAYRCby0eNoDkhYz-BamXbM_YXhGos/s320/5.29.09+044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343514418814697074" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(a really cool lighthouse seen from the bridge)</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUFHz4ur_7B1y4Rs45ioka8E_eZ4Nv0N5bsAEwl1n7WPJeVL3yAKPLRFdgWRyTIkzMGJUC3WgFLntyKwCKPbL3rYB585BbFRCNECCWPKu37FdTq3lfuyX6S6UDHcpArpz0bR7T5qN_vQ/s1600-h/5.29.09+046.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUFHz4ur_7B1y4Rs45ioka8E_eZ4Nv0N5bsAEwl1n7WPJeVL3yAKPLRFdgWRyTIkzMGJUC3WgFLntyKwCKPbL3rYB585BbFRCNECCWPKu37FdTq3lfuyX6S6UDHcpArpz0bR7T5qN_vQ/s320/5.29.09+046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343512567924007122" border="0" /></a><br />4) Turned back southeast and stopped at the <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">Eilean Donan castle</span> - one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. This castle is located on a little island on a loch, with a stone bridge to get to it. I would have been totally okay with it if someone asked me to live there. ;) When we first got there, a high-school aged boy was playing his bagpipes to earn money. Oh, how I love the sound of bagpipes! I could seriously listen to it all day! We got to eat lunch and explore the castle for a few hours before heading off again. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nzYzcmKpv3SvNBgKs6BU6nbZnvJdi6JcqeGswqS4cMkjLFUjaYrxMwiEFYe5s7w5YqUGBhS1P4RL_H4flQPqqZudYzfT4dC22MsxyxgyUqwfe6m8QBX6wTf59yrO42OYpK50gNSRi2Y/s1600-h/IMG_1641.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nzYzcmKpv3SvNBgKs6BU6nbZnvJdi6JcqeGswqS4cMkjLFUjaYrxMwiEFYe5s7w5YqUGBhS1P4RL_H4flQPqqZudYzfT4dC22MsxyxgyUqwfe6m8QBX6wTf59yrO42OYpK50gNSRi2Y/s320/IMG_1641.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343512563011242818" border="0" /></a><br />5) Bill took us through <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">Fort William</span> and down through <span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 51); font-weight: bold;">Glencoe</span> - one of the most beautiful places (and great hiking spots!) in all of Scotland! And everything is <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 255, 51);font-size:130%;" >SO GREEN</span> there! (because usually it rains all the time; we were just very blessed that it was sunny the whole time we were in Scotland!)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjgeAqDvghktot9LZ9g46svTwhG5dztUdbOs2DSJ4Kl-VZTSS3JJEtN-8An0AWWh_Y-zRGriVNoKubi7tG53u6_1FIKymGRIS-VlfRbVv-EwWO3bNtjwuhyIW4dWVYfGoR6pn9DspBis/s1600-h/IMG_1337.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjgeAqDvghktot9LZ9g46svTwhG5dztUdbOs2DSJ4Kl-VZTSS3JJEtN-8An0AWWh_Y-zRGriVNoKubi7tG53u6_1FIKymGRIS-VlfRbVv-EwWO3bNtjwuhyIW4dWVYfGoR6pn9DspBis/s320/IMG_1337.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343514437955966226" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Oh, how I love Michelle!)</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7MojuNLB5uI6zVMpkhWFJ3ilxV-emcMMNg0xwSP4uEGEfj6LIIdnuer5xUxZn3JJV22a24xx1iNvgCAXsqMgAjLt53a8YX8ouW9jM3M3KpmC2Q53HQkCa-Fs80mJrn0UHB-WHz_kTEk/s1600-h/DSC02989.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY7MojuNLB5uI6zVMpkhWFJ3ilxV-emcMMNg0xwSP4uEGEfj6LIIdnuer5xUxZn3JJV22a24xx1iNvgCAXsqMgAjLt53a8YX8ouW9jM3M3KpmC2Q53HQkCa-Fs80mJrn0UHB-WHz_kTEk/s320/DSC02989.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343514430063860434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(it was <span style="font-size:130%;">super</span> windy, if you couldn't tell!)</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q14Z0yrFvAxmIWlSv-AMeroxNg0hJidJkUPazKe34ncnLBiQ_2nRh53reKmI74i0PFiBfSwDzttNOKH1uUq9KLnqcjzAQB99b3ZyXiGjjXjN2FogT-CbSWwn1aJ6-_QKCICQZ8pTIKU/s1600-h/DSC02984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4q14Z0yrFvAxmIWlSv-AMeroxNg0hJidJkUPazKe34ncnLBiQ_2nRh53reKmI74i0PFiBfSwDzttNOKH1uUq9KLnqcjzAQB99b3ZyXiGjjXjN2FogT-CbSWwn1aJ6-_QKCICQZ8pTIKU/s320/DSC02984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343514427230701522" border="0" /></a><br />6) We drove into <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 51);">Blackford, Scotland</span>, where we would be staying for the next 3 days at our instructor's sister's house. She and her husband, Alister, and their 1-year-old daughter, Isla, live in the old bank house. It was so cool! It is really tall and skinny, has 3 levels, a grand staircase, a "posh" sitting room, a dinner room with 2 different wallpapers, double front doors, a vault room (skeleton keys and all!), and 18 chimneys (yes, one fireplace in every room!). It was amazing! We each had our own room. Mine was one of the ones on the top floor, with a beautiful view out my window. This is the sunset from my window the night we got there (it probably set around 10:30pm). <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8LvgVTWqiqStc5jCbXg0p9Sz62IrBYieL-Sv2-qZM_P9BDgyUuV1f9fnN9rYe1vAP8PRYhPWxl_apII04s1hVlYaIkwPCO08XLXxRfgekym8Bdib8K9m1yJ6H52YVj-XUUSmxMRu5vM/s1600-h/DSC03013.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-8LvgVTWqiqStc5jCbXg0p9Sz62IrBYieL-Sv2-qZM_P9BDgyUuV1f9fnN9rYe1vAP8PRYhPWxl_apII04s1hVlYaIkwPCO08XLXxRfgekym8Bdib8K9m1yJ6H52YVj-XUUSmxMRu5vM/s320/DSC03013.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350208299735795730" border="0" /></a>They even have a pet turkey in their backyard. His name is Dinner. ;)<br />Saturday morning we got up and went out to Alister's parent's farm, got on welly's (boots) and gloves and spent the morning putting tubes around the little trees that were growing to protect from the deer and other animals. It was really fun! (well, at least I thought so, but I may just be weird like that)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFYLKl0PzxAnOJT5A2NXTjco5kiCnLBUFDBSFggyd0fkUt8cgA5OmnpUhKj7QwQWMMvW_JUynMIoKUQW51W4luejd3Is-n0LJ6gPDwahxUGD48gyC9w1uooB2T6BVlfKns0HT7v0Aoa8/s1600-h/IMG_1664.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFYLKl0PzxAnOJT5A2NXTjco5kiCnLBUFDBSFggyd0fkUt8cgA5OmnpUhKj7QwQWMMvW_JUynMIoKUQW51W4luejd3Is-n0LJ6gPDwahxUGD48gyC9w1uooB2T6BVlfKns0HT7v0Aoa8/s320/IMG_1664.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350052135417895458" border="0" /></a><br />After we finished they took us on a walk by the river,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRp_Tci9MLNiTz3Zw32rqEOHQhvfExc_sdvzDt03B09tGTXk9S1WX8vQNGFrQSXGviVntLzy88RiMd9VN0I0z5CslORVQ_hZIc1i7Qc6dA73e1OhUglnyU-7O5sy732vx1vz8tfiVBCM/s1600-h/IMG_1651.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRp_Tci9MLNiTz3Zw32rqEOHQhvfExc_sdvzDt03B09tGTXk9S1WX8vQNGFrQSXGviVntLzy88RiMd9VN0I0z5CslORVQ_hZIc1i7Qc6dA73e1OhUglnyU-7O5sy732vx1vz8tfiVBCM/s320/IMG_1651.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350052141842148562" border="0" /></a>and to the cave that Robert Louis Stevenson used for the cave in one of his books.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(yes, I brought the side pony to Scotland)</span><br /><br />We got home, ate lunch, and got cleaned up just in time to go to the Blackford Highland Games!! This was one of my favorite activities of the whole time in Scotland! It was so cool! It's a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture and heritage.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBxpllPCRIsLQNsiTjqXLuNRzZgUVz02vxisSbJNbqFuQQFN60Wir4bP_tDA6WEchQmyOqcIzdmC_CoxTxoVyEnbI-1VoRzS2FRVF9nBhssvstnLMm081DCSdJ33A2wVsa7fKFN99tms/s1600-h/DSC03020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBxpllPCRIsLQNsiTjqXLuNRzZgUVz02vxisSbJNbqFuQQFN60Wir4bP_tDA6WEchQmyOqcIzdmC_CoxTxoVyEnbI-1VoRzS2FRVF9nBhssvstnLMm081DCSdJ33A2wVsa7fKFN99tms/s320/DSC03020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350052122073253106" border="0" /></a><br />There are a ton of different events, kind of like a track & field meet. They had running races, and biking races; they had Scottish Highland Dancing (so cool! they did about 5 different dances, changing their outfit everytime, but this is the most traditional outfit);<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmkWzszpRR22vafbkVtjVQpgZ9oMDY7sqKPSyg_nrfK2xy6vnBBfEZcQ8hVH7ztqkCCGupqlyLb3QvCFHigCbD5VW0CE2ybLgJyfLC6X_H06asZzU8RfayTkJQm_INXjRVkXRL1Ae7WI/s1600-h/5.30.09+029.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmmkWzszpRR22vafbkVtjVQpgZ9oMDY7sqKPSyg_nrfK2xy6vnBBfEZcQ8hVH7ztqkCCGupqlyLb3QvCFHigCbD5VW0CE2ybLgJyfLC6X_H06asZzU8RfayTkJQm_INXjRVkXRL1Ae7WI/s320/5.30.09+029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350052114434711394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">(and a video of it for your entertainment)</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyuvTxonl2CLl0sV3eC3SNN6aELBg5tXPQrAfKu-qE8W4ETnderlBfD_jTSohuVhvutjQEbOe3ibeovwNLmxw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div> a tug-o-war (super intense! - they really have a <span style="font-style: italic;">technique</span> for this, it's not just any tug-o-war); a bagpipe band that plays every once in a while;<br />and our favorite... the heavy weight competitions in the middle of the field:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Pz76o65tt5h90LNlx-gUykQIk15lpDcQPjsOvE5qrAso0m99vpeR-ePn796kWd849vXNxVPNV-SPpaAjkxZmGbWjhL-8wDFfXQ9qytxo0MK3mLf1gsvdT0_4WUI_A3skiMIc02XaiKc/s1600-h/DSC03068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Pz76o65tt5h90LNlx-gUykQIk15lpDcQPjsOvE5qrAso0m99vpeR-ePn796kWd849vXNxVPNV-SPpaAjkxZmGbWjhL-8wDFfXQ9qytxo0MK3mLf1gsvdT0_4WUI_A3skiMIc02XaiKc/s320/DSC03068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350052129357648258" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here you have a bunch of guys in kilts who do everything that involves picking up and throwing rediculously heavy items :)<br /><br />- the "stone put" (like shot put),<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyC_hAZTv93WXeVNbe_r06PNRAfZ0jtp0xAF8eA4Ovep3s6byRbPTpeT9m69C1uaxLIj32L7W527JkjBqtT8Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />-the Scottish Hammer Throw (I would explain it, but it makes more sense if you read more about these events <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_games">here</a> - it's really interesting!),<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxNt1SDUZvRji07tn3Ion8Huy0S2hLU1ugwjJzC84I0E-9ZgmSm6L8VRrAKX5EKXtIIVil1mJVUbprVFFQfOw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(the best part is the grunt!) </span><br /><br />-the "weight throw" (again, read in above link)<br /><br />-the "weight over the bar" (yes, I know, very creative)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwovBAbjTk1CHmAgsUf9io3qljUtnRVhHTTF-o4Xp1Rg-c9iCUuhrbGYQ6qof_4ZsfxX1FDiD3iaHjqjeuGgw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />-the "caber toss" (our favorite) - if you get a chance, seriously read the link above - it will give you a good explanation of the goal of each event.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzx_rgALvNtlLGL_FUTBpF2IVPXILF9z6wojRGSWfL0906Dh1wVrZ0Kp3fT6vXLDXspS18AStzgkogf_P9IhA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />Oh, what a day! We even had our 2 favorites to cheer for, Bruce Robb (doesn't that just fit?!), and Ryan Neighbors. It was so fun!<br /><br />The next day was Sunday and we went to church in nearby Perth (where there was a total of 42 people there, including us! - but hey, that was pretty full compared to the 13 we heard were there the week before). After church they had a "Bite & Blether" - quite comparable to our "Munch & Mingle" or "Linger Longer." We got to meet the people and it was really fun to talk with them. We again met some of the young single adults (which just happened to be all male - hey, we're not complaining) and got to hang out with them for the afternoon. They took us to a place called the Hermitage, which was a beautiful hike (more like a walk) through the forest to a beautiful waterfall! Thanks Steven, Joe, Daniel, Robbie, and others for the fun and friendship!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9Tx7uqAKByhlapHA8XvPlx4luFFV4VfHgHa_JscCnx8QlBpOxUKen9kysfomm0K1iL5UY3PTYDRY2p7ntVSafhYLcYMbs38C_i-3KEnyNyM1kLsMJXd1CuSKCtnY1AfuTmDv-ke1Frc/s1600-h/IMG_1682.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI9Tx7uqAKByhlapHA8XvPlx4luFFV4VfHgHa_JscCnx8QlBpOxUKen9kysfomm0K1iL5UY3PTYDRY2p7ntVSafhYLcYMbs38C_i-3KEnyNyM1kLsMJXd1CuSKCtnY1AfuTmDv-ke1Frc/s320/IMG_1682.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350208567230807858" border="0" /></a> </div> </div>Carianne Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08642116833144766806noreply@blogger.com1