Liz's Lair

Let the Game Begin

2011-09-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

As most of you hopefully know, this week is Rivalry Week. It hasn't
felt like it at all on campus. The only evidence of the big match up
is the Saran wrap on all the statues. I've blogged of this ritual
before, but it never gets old. Since the game is in Provo this year
the statues got an extra heavy dose of Saran wrap. I wonder how much
longer this tradition will last now that BYU and Utah are no longer in
the same conference. Since I don't know the answer to that I'm going
to take the opportunity tomorrow to enjoy my last rivalry game as a
BYU student. Cheers to Cosmo!

Treasured Souvenirs

2011-08-30T21:04:00.001-07:00

After three weeks of walking I saw a lot of cool things. And there
were lots of cool things to buy too. I bought a couple souvenirs but
one of my favorites was free: my tan line from my Chaco sandals. I
know they're not fashionable but they were great for all the walking
we did. My pedicure also lasted pretty well. Hopefully my purchased
souvenirs last longer than my tan lines. I know my memories will :)
PS: Being in Russia sparked a desire to watch Anastasia. Luckily Abby
has it and we watched it tonight.

Moscow Accomplished

2011-08-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

Step count: a whopping 30,350! Trip record!
We woke up and hurried through breakfast at the hotel. Activia yogurt
is recognizable in any language. Then we went to the Kremlin and
walked around the Armoury and saw fancy dishes, clothes, thrones,
sleighs, weapons, an anything else they wanted to show off. We went to
the Diamond Fund Exhibit in the Kremlin and it had an impressive
collection. They let you into the room when you feel like it but have
scheduled exit times so you're a hostage until they open the door.
We walked to the Bolshoi Theater after that. It's one of the most
famous Russian ballet and opera houses. Nothing is showing until
September. Next we went to the souvenir market. I got a fir hat and a
stacking doll of Cinderella. We ate lunch there also and there was a
very cute babushka that took care of everyone.
After a short nap we met with our relatives at their home. They were
very nice people and fed us the most beautiful and delicious crepes.
There was every kind of topping, even raw salmon. We talked with them
for about three hours took lots of pictures for Jo Ellen.
Our time in Moscow has come to an end and so must this blog. 3:00 am
wake up call!

Mockba (Russian for Moscow) part 2

2011-08-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

Step count: 26,820
Today started off at the World War II Museum where we met with
Kristy's friend Masha. While we were waiting for her we saw a boy
walking by wearing a BYU shirt. He is from Uzbekistan and bought the
shirt at a legitimate store, not some junky market. He had no idea
what BYU was.
After the museum we ate at Hard Rock and I got another shirt for my
collection. It deserves its own post so you don't get to see it yet.
We came back to the hotel to get our jackets and use a clean bathroom,
one squatter in a day was plenty (WWII Museum). After that we went to
the Russian Space Museum. It had tons of cool space stuff and it was
Bret's favorite of the trip.
Another cool park was close by so of course we went. We rented a
different kind of bike and had a much better experience. Everyone got
to pedal and it wasn't nearly as difficult. One of the coolest things
you could do at this park was water zorbing. The little kids looked
like they were having fun. We got the best fresh donuts from a street
vendor in the park. I could eat them forever.
Next we went to dinner with more of Kristy's mission friends. It was
all traditional Russian food and was a good way to try lots of new
things. We walked around for a bit before coming back to our hotel
where we quickly went to the hot tub. Now I'm very relaxed and ready
to take on my last day in Moscow tomorrow. Until next time!

Hello Moscow!

2011-08-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

Step count: 26,645
Today we made it to Moscow and it has been packed full of adventure.
When we got off the train and started figuring out which metro lines
we needed to take to get to our hotel we noticed that we were already
there. It was a great coincidence.
We dropped our bags off and headed straight to Red Square where we
went inside St Basil's Cathedral and saw Lenin. Besides arctic tundra
these onion domes were my only expectation of what Russia would be
like. So far my expectations have been far exceeded. Lenin was a weird
experience. They don't allow any cameras in and there are several
guards throughout. He's kept in a climate controlled box and dipped in
formaldehyde every 12-18 months.
Kate with the horses was also at Red Square. The horses are part of a
celebration that's taking place here next week and they were
practicing their routines.
After RS we walked to the Church of Christ Our Savior. It was really
pretty and very new, built in 2000. After that we found the statue
garden. About 700 statues were dumped in a park area and just recently
were they sorted and put on display. Gorky Park was close by and very
amusing. We rented a 4-wheeler bike that was fun but exhausting. Only
the two people in back had pedals and there were no gears. Going
anywhere but downhill was a challenge. We laugh till we cried.
We came back to the hotel for a rest and a swim before we went to
dinner at Cafe Pushkin. Dinner was amazing. The picture is of my
hazelnut cake dessert. All our entrees were beautiful and delicious.
Kate and Kristy each got the beef stroganoff (traditional Russian) and
raved about it.
Tomorrow should be just as exciting and just as tiring so it's time to
call it a night. Ciao!

On a Midnight Train to Moscow

2011-08-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Step count: ? The pedometer wasn't on right. Probably around 23,000.
Our hotel was super swanky in the middle of the party. We woke up and
went to the spa in our matching robes. Breakfast was included and
better than the Grand America.
We had a driver and guide for half the day and it was awesome. The
guide spoke great English and was an encyclopedia of knowledge. We saw
lots of palaces and ended our tour at the Hermitage. The only painting
I knew to look forward to was The Return of the Prodigal Son by
Rembrandt. Thanks to Jo Ellen I knew a lot of background information
because of the book she sent me with the same title.
The rest of the day was spent walking around and looking at cool
stuff. The onion domes are at Church of the Spilled Blood. It
fulfilled all my Russian expectations.
Dinner wasn't nearly as good as breakfast so we ate a few times.
Subway was our final stop. Now we are sitting on our train waiting to
leave for Moscow. It's an 8 hour ride.
So far my impression of Russia is exceeding expectations. I'm much
less anxious than I was 24 hours ago. Every lady is wearing 4-6"
stilettos and short skirts. Smoking is very popular here. The age of
people smoking is a lot younger here in St Petersburg. I'm looking
forward to Moscow. Kristy says we'll love it or she'll make us. Nighty
night!

Finnished?? Not Quite.

2011-08-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Step count: 17,885.
Our cruise was super fun. We took a hearty nap (4.5 hours) before we
started karaoke at 9:30. Kristy and I did a duet to Sweet Caroline and
then she sang I Don't Want to Miss a Thing. She was a crowd favorite,
because the crowd was just me.
We did some dancing on the boat. The music was too techno to stay so
we found the live entertainment instead. This band rocked. I wish they
could perform at any future Rock n Roll parties my mom might be
thinking of hosting. We called it a night after Kristy was nice enough
to dance with a Finnish boy. We didn't know about the time change
between Sweden and Finland and stayed an extra hour on the boat. We
had wondered why no one else was around...
Everything in Helsinki was within walking distance. That makes two
days in a row without paying for public transit. We saw the sea
fortress and an orthodox church and tried some food at an open market.
Kristy found her book and magnet and we spent the rest of the day
mozying around. We took a nap in nearly every location.
Our train ride to St Petersburg was 3.5 hours and they are very
serious about customs and immigration. Officials came through the
compartment several times checking all the documents.
Now that we've made it to Russia I can't believe I'm here. Maybe it
will feel more real after I wake up. There's a 10 hour time difference
to Utah so maybe today I'll say good afternoon. Bye!

"Pioneer Stock"-holm

2011-08-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

Approximately 26,000 steps, all taken by 3:00 pm. We refused to pay
the outrageous prices for public transit even though we spent money on
other ridiculous things.
Stockholm is very beautiful and also very expensive. That's why we
packed some sandwiches at breakfast this morning.
My friend Rima has been nannying here for the summer and met up with
us this morning and showed us around. Her services were invaluable. We
walked around the main part of Old Town called Gamla Stan and took
lots of pretty pictures on my real camera. Then we walked to Hard Rock
where I added another shirt to my collection.
On our walk back to the hotel we tried to find Ikea. The directions
from my phone led us to a free shuttle to Ikea. We didn't have enough
time to take the bus which was a big disappointment.
Lunch was at Subway and it was better than I could have imagined. Our
hotel sandwiches have to wait for our non-inclusive cruise. We're on
the deck now and the only question running through our heads is 'where
are the lounge chairs?!' The cruise ride to Helsinki will be really
fun. I hear they have a disco tech and karaoke. Better go warm up my
vocals!

Bye Bye Belgium

2011-08-21T15:07:00.000-07:00

Step count: Unknown. I couldn't attach the pedometer to my dress. But
I'd guess around 20,000 steps.
Kristy and I went to all of church today and had a great time. We took
a picture of the missionaries in the ward and sent it to their moms.
The one on the left is from Taylorsville and gets home in February ;)
You could say we went to church twice since we visited this basilica
after LDS church. Yay for us.
The rest of the day consisted of us walking around Grand Place and
eating our last waffle. We gave the last of our euro coins to an
awesome street performer and headed to the airport for Stockholm. Our
hotel was a bit farther from the metro than we expected but we made it
here in expert fashion. Kristy and I should really do the Amazing
Race. Our only problem would be the freaky food.
In the morning we are meeting up with my friend Rima who has been
working as an au pair for the summer. It's going to be so fun!

The Last Cats Standing

2011-08-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Step count: roughly 14,000.
Today we got Kristy moved out of her apartment and celebrated with
some frites. Let the real party begin now that she doesn't have to
worry about Buster and Simon anymore. We checked into our hotel
downtown and walked around Grand Plaza.
The second picture captures everything Brussels. The waffles are
great. My favorite is plain. The statue is called Mannekin Pis and has
been here since the early 1600s. On holidays the city dresses him in a
costume. I don't know what today's holiday was but it was the first
time Kristy saw him dressed up and she's been here lots.
The macaroons in the third picture are too good for any description.
Simply amazing. And expensive.
The caged statue is Jannekin Pis. The locals hate it (for obvious
reasons). She was put in place because some feminists thought there
should be equality between statues of peeing kids. Bad idea on their
part.
Finally came the foot rub. Kristy and I have talked about it for days
and tonight it finally happened. I traded her a back rub and now I'm
hoping I can talk her into this trade more often. Church tomorrow.
Good night!

Table for Two

2011-08-19T15:33:00.001-07:00

Today was a low walking day: approximately 10,000 steps.
We woke up at 3:00 to catch our taxi to the airport. Shannon left us
for her boys and Kristy and I are now back in Brussels. It has been a
very leisure day which was much needed. We got back to Kristy's
apartment, made breakfast, and took naps. After that we scouted out
the laundromat and then went to the grocery store for dinner supplies.
While we were there we got an entire yogurt cup (Dannon Greek) each as
a sample. We liked it so much we bought a two back. We loved the
surprise that the package was buy one get one free. If you do that
math that makes six yogurts for the price of two. It's the best deal
we've had over here. And the experience of a sample made me a little
homesick for Costco which means I'll be going there very quickly after
I get home.
Making dinner was really fun. Salsa chicken, basmati rice, and steamed
veggies. Besides the fact the salsa was hot it was a total success.
Later we attempted making peach cobbler with very few ingredients. It
was all so tasty and American :) Bye Bye Birdie was our movie of
choice. Sadly I fell asleep for the last chunk (typical). With that
said, I'm pretty sure it's time for me to go to bed.

My Blog of Prague

2011-08-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Step count: 28,000. A new trip record. Many of these steps were uphill
in a convection oven with the way the heat was coming from the ground,
the wall, and the blazing hot sun.
But Prague is awesome. The architecture and scenery is amazing.
Everything else is super smokey. I feel like I've smoked a pack a day
here which I'm sure is doing a number on my lungs. Unfortunately it's
not just cigarettes if you know what I mean (cigars, pipes, and weed
to be specific).
Top photo: Astronomical Clock. It's the third oldest is the world and
the oldest that is still functioning. It's coming up on it's 601
anniversary in October. Masses of tourists wait in front of it on the
hour to see some things happen. Check out Wikipedia for the details.
Second photo: Vitus Peter's Church. Most significant church in the
Czech Republic. It had exquisite stained glass in the widest variety
of colors.
Third photo: a view of the back of the church.
Fourth photo: We had heard from a backpacker that KFC had free refills
so when it was lunch time and we were passing one it was impossible to
resist. Not only was there ice, but the diet pepsi tasted more like
diet coke than coca light. We spent a considerable amount of time here
enjoying the free refills and bathrooms.
Last photo: There was an awesome open-air market where we found dinner
that was some of the best food from the trip. Chicken shish kabob on a
baguette. We had crepes for dessert. It was all so good.
We did a lot of window shopping. I did manage run into Hard Rock Cafe.
We didn't eat here but a bought a shirt that I'm happy to add to my
small collection.
One of the funnest things we did tonight was totally random. Picture a
bike with one driver, six seats in a circle facing each other, and
crowds of people dashing to get out of the way. The contraption might
be called a spider bike and all we had to do was tip the driver. It
wad five minutes of sheer terror, laughter, and excitement. We walked
around for a bit after and ran into the newer part of Prague which was
a nice change of scenery.
It was a great way to end this leg of trip and say goodbye to Shannon
and our other travel buddies. Bon voyage!

Prague? Czech!

2011-08-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

Approximate step count: 17,500. Most of this was in Vienna, some in Prague.
The hotels we've been staying in have had breakfast included. Today's
breakfast was the best. Our hotel was really nice and let us leave our
bags there today while we went to Shönbrunn Palace. The exterior and
gardens were most impressive. While we were walking in the garden a
spider crawled on Kristy and she had a major freak out. We had a good
audio guide that explained a lot of the details of each room in the
palace. Next the boys went on an outing to see some of the building we
walked past last night while Shannon, Kristy and myself went to a
chocolate shop/cafe for dessert. Kristy had been there before and was
very excited to take us there. The desserts were beautiful and our
Rose/Raspberry macaroon and chocolate cake were pretty delicious. I
also really liked the gelatto we got down the road. After that we
collected our bags and made it to the train station to head to Prague.
Funny stories were told on the train. A funny thing happened also.
Kristy misread the military time and told us our train ride was only 3
hours instead of 5. We almost got off at the wrong station but we
figured out pretty quickly and kept going. We landed and walked to our
hotel. We were only confused a little bit when navigating there.
Prague is beautiful at night. We strolled through Old Town and found a
nice restaurant to eat at. The food has been good during our whole
trip which has been nice.
We've already had some excitement at our hotel. As soon as we dropped
our stuff off Kristy noticed two giant spiders and had an even bigger
freak out. She was brave enough to kill one and had Ty kill the other.
Now that dessert is here I'm going to say goodbye. As of right now
Prague is worth a visit. Czech it out.
PS- figuring out the dividing of the dinner bill was far too
complicated considering the amount of college education at the table.

A Real Life Geographer

2011-08-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Step count high for the trip was achieved today: 26,764. We did this
by walking around Bratislava, Slovakia for the first part of they day,
and Vienna, Austria for the other part.
There wasn't much in Bratislava that we couldn't see from our hotel
but we had a nice time in the older part of town. Kristy found the
book she collects, The Little Prince, in Slovakian in a bookstore with
almost no books. Shannon is the one that really found it.
The first picture is of a building in the old square, I don't know
what, I just liked the roof. The next picture is of the most Slovakian
dose our lunch restaurant had, gnocchi in soft sheep cheese with
sausage. It was a very strong cheese but overall pretty good.
After lunch we caught the bus to Vienna and had a bad first impression
because of the transportation system and signs. That impression was
quickly changed and we spent our time in the city walking around the
town center. We were able to see a few churches and managed some
window shopping as well.
The third picture is from outside a large church that was the location
for a film festival. They were broadcasting an orchestra concert to a
crowd of thousands. In the vicinity they had several food booths that
smelled amazing. It reminded me of Taste of Chicago.
The highlight of the night was being navigator for Shannon, Trevor,
and myself while Kristy and Ty were at a different concert. We walked
around the main attraction buildings and had a fabulous time. Using
the map made me feel like the last three years of my college education
haven't been in vain. I think most helpful may have been my class
called map use and interpretations.
My second souvenir from the trip is a mirror compact with Gustav
Klimt's 'The Kiss' on the front. It's one of my favorite paintings so
I'm glad my trinket will be useful. There has been a lot of Klimt work
made into souvenirs here. Without doing any research I'm guessing that
he was born or lived here.
The content of this post is factual but the order it was presented in
might be a little less accurate. But you get the idea.

Rise and Shine, it's Bath Time!

2011-08-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Daily step count: approximately 21,000. Today started out great. We
woke up at 5:30 so we could make it to a traditional Hungarian bath
house for the 6:00 opening. Kristy, Trevor, Ty, and I thoroughly
enjoyed it. Shannon would have loved it but she didn't come.
The bath house had at least 10 different hot and cold tubs of varying
sizes. There was a large tub outside that was more beautiful than
anything in Vegas, or maybe even Disney. Wow, I know. There were
multiple saunas as well. We were brave enough to test out the 80-100
degree C for about two minutes. It felt like Hell. Even the slightest
sniff felt like my nostrils were on fire.
We made it back to the hotel and ate a delicious included breakfast at
our hotel. Luckily we got to store our backpacks at the hotel because
today was HOT!! We decided to spend our little amount of time on a hop
on-hop off bus tour which proved invaluable. We were able to see the
highlights of the city without the waking. Downfall: being in the sun
all day.
One of the stops on the bus tour was at Heroe's Square. It has An art
museum on either side and a giant statue in the middle. It was on the
list of things Ben Carlson told me to see so I'm glad I did.
My favorite thing from the tour was the castle. It was mostly a giant
permanent sand castle wall that surrounded a church. The church had
the most exquisite tile roof ever. It's even better than roof on the
church by the capital.
After the bus tour we went on a boat tour of the Danube. That makes a
boat tour in every country so far. Maybe we'll keep the habit. Another
thing we've run into in every country is missionaries. The pair in
France didn't stop to talk, the Belgian set was at church, and this
Hungarian set was interested in conversation. 3/4 were from Utah, and
1 from Cuba.
After the boat tour we ate a traditional Hungarian meal, goulash stew
and potatoes. We made it back to the hotel and got our bags and headed
to the train station across the street. It took a while for the ticket
lady to sell us the tickets to Bratislava but it finally happened. The
train didn't come on time and we finally made it out of the station
more than an hour later. We are sharing a compartment with a cute
Swedish girl who played Phase 10 with us.
We've been on the train for nearly three hours and I think we are
almost to Bratislava. Who knows what we'll do tomorrow before we go to
Austria but I'm sure it will be fabulous.
Good night my dears.

Hungary? No thanks, I just ate

2011-08-14T14:32:00.001-07:00

Hello all! Today was our shortest walking day yet, only 14,754 steps.
We have an early wake up call tomorrow so today's entry will be short.
First stop was the Atomium in Brussels. It was in the 1958 World's
Fair. Then we went to church which was nearby. We wore headsets that
broadcast a live translation from French.
After church we went immediately to the train station to meet Ty's
brother and catch a bus to the airport for Budapest. With a few
glitches and some separation along the way the 5 of us miraculously
ended up on our flight. Kristy, Shannon, and I had some time to bum
around the airport which allowed me to find a favorite candy of mine,
crispy M&M's. Good luck finding them in the states.
After a pleasant flight we landed in Budapest and made our way by bus
and subway to our very nice hotel. We dropped our stuff off and went
out to explore the town. We ate at McDonald's and walked along the
Danube river before coming back to our hotel. Tomorrow should be
exciting. We are starting at 5:30 to go to the baths. I hope a swim
suit is a requirement and not just a suggestion. Hello! (How the the
Hungarians say goodbye, maybe).

A Day Full of Brugge

2011-08-13T12:46:00.000-07:00

Day 4: 22,100 steps
Today we started off by going to the local grocery store to get things
for packing our lunches. Then we headed to Brugge with three of
Kristy's NATO friends for a day of enchantment. The city was A+. Total
medieval town with numerous buildings and even more chocolate shops.
The town is also famous for their lace. There were lots of towers and
gorgeous architecture everywhere. We took a canal tour to see a lot of
the city which is my new favorite way of touring a city. The top
picture was taken when we first got into town. This was before the
flash rain storm but during the continuous misting.

Bruxelles

2011-08-12T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today has been mostly about food. We left Paris after finding Kristy's
friend Ty and headed to Kristy's apartment here in Brussels. After a
day of walking 24,500 steps I feel okay about eating a waffle with
whipped cream and strawberries as well as the best lasagna ever. Not
pictured are some tasty truffles and a Parisian crepe. The building in
the top photo is in the grand plaza and is a government building, not
a church. Brugge is on the agenda for tomorrow and now I'm going to
bed. Good Night bloggers.

Happy is the Wrong Word

2011-08-11T13:21:00.001-07:00

Day 2: 22,330 steps and counting. Today has consisted of an amazing
breakfast at a bakery followed by a subway ride to Disney Paris. I was
nervous about not being about to get in free because I've been
disconnected from the Walt Disney World system. Turns out I didn't
need to be, Disney Paris is too! All they did was photo copy my work
ID and Main Gate pass and the three of us were good to go. They have
an Indiana Jones roller coaster here, a complete Pirates set and ride,
a beyond psycho-amazing Space Mountain (we all might have brain
damage), and Phantom Manor. At the Disney Studios park we went on
Tower of Terror, Crush's Coaster, a backlot tour, and the worst thing
ever: Armageddon Special Effects.
Throw in some awesome sandwiches from Earl of Sandwich, some crepes
and waffles from Gibson Girls and that pretty much sums up our day.
Disney Paris has a lot of smoking, very little written English (but
more than most places), and a beautiful castle that you can walk
through.
Thanks Abby for scouting this place out a few months ago. Your advice
has been greatly appreciated. Only a few more minutes until the
firework spectacular.
Adieu mi amores!

Midnight in Paris

2011-08-10T15:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, it was really 10:00, not midnight. I do recommend the movie
'Midnight in Paris' with Owen Wilson though.
Anyway, today was our first day here. Shannon and I met Kristy at the
airport and proceeded to walk 20,000+ steps throughout the day. After
making it to our hotel we took the subway into downtown Paris and saw
the Arc de Triumphe, walked the Champs, then walked towards the Eiffel
Tower and took a boat cruise on the Sienne River. It was the best way
to see the city because we didn't have to spend all day walking.
Next we ventured over to the Eiffel Tower and found some bland crepes
to eat for dinner. We people watched and talked for an enjoyable
amount of time before finding a sweet treat. We waited around for the
tower to light up and twinkle on the hour.
It was a most enjoyable day and I'm looking forward to sleeping very
well tonight.
On tomorrow's agenda, Euro Disneyland! Hopefully I'll still be able to
get in free. Until then my faithful readers!

We Made It...Finally!

2011-05-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

I've been at BYU for three plus years now and it's taken me this long to finally do something most people do as Freshmen. Abby and I mustered up the courage to finally hike the Y. It was the first time for both of us, but definitely not the last. We've made a combined goal this summer to become tan and fit and regular hiking is a nice way to combine the two. It took us about an hour to get to the top and back to the car. With some rough calculations I think it was about 2.25 miles round trip. It definitely made me huff and puff. Luckily I didn't see anyone I know till we were on our way down. There are 11 switchbacks and some of them feel completely vertical. We were fortunate enough to avoid any serious injuries and falls. I included a map of the trail so you can see the intensity. The picture of our feet is evidence of us making it to the top. Way to go, us!

And the Winner Is....

2011-04-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

So I realize it's been a ridiculously long time since I've blogged so I thought I'd treat you all to another post. Life has been moving approximately 5,467 miles an hour and it's finally slowed down to a manageable pace. I finished my last final about 90 minutes ago and I'm overjoyed by the amount of free time I have. It feels good to have no obligations for the next week. Springclasses start again on Tuesday so I'm going to have to really enjoy this next week and be completely lazy. Last weekend I was a contestant in the Days of '47 Royalty pageant for the second time. Thanks to Kristy and Lucy for helping me get my application polished and submitted on the last day they were accepted. Last year my number was 37 out of nearly 50. I made the top 20 then and was satisfied with that result. This year there was only 35 contestants. My number was 30 and it seems to be a little better luck. After an interview with five judges, giving a 40 second speech, and answering a question on stage I made the top 10. As the announcer was calling the girls to the front of the stage, (in no particular order), I came to terms with the fact that there weren't many spots and I wouldn't be likely to get one. To my surprise I was the 7th one called and I even made the jaw-drop-shocked face. Each girl was asked the same question and then the winners wereannounced. Aside from the Royalty they have a Miss Congeniality award. The recipient gets a $500 scholarship. I wasaware of this opportunity because of my experience last year so I was extra attentive at the seminar and triedto learn everyones names. I even brought name tags on the second day which I thought would make me a shoe-in since everyone knew my name. Sadly, I didn't win this award either. Overall I had a wonderful experience participating in the pageant. I was a little relieved not to win since all the activities you have to participate in take up your whole summer, but a crown would have been nice. The highlight and ultimate draw of being in the pageant is the gift bag each participant gets at the end. Last year Nu Skin was a sponsor and we got some cosmetic items along with a few things from other sponsors. This year the high ticket item was a paper cutter. I guess they'll hope we'll scrap book ourexperience.

Now that I've sufficiently filled you in on the recent events of my life, I'll leave you with a few pictures from the event.

Tim is Debt Free!

2011-02-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

So about 15 months ago Tim lost a bet to me. He proposed that Utah would beat BYU in the football game and clearly that didn't happen. BYU beat Utah in overtime and I won this most glorious bet. It's commonly known that Tim hates mayonaise and American cheese. Because he lost he had to eat a Double Double from In-N-Out which includes both. This picture was taken before he started to eat this burger like a champion. He only gagged a few times and didn't even come close to throwing up (thatI know of). I let him take off the tomato so hopefully he'll remember that mercy if I am ever in a bet debt with him. I have a video that I will post eventually. Until then my faithful readers!

Campus Celebrity

2011-01-21T11:05:00.000-08:00

So I know this isn't Jimmer Freddette but it's probably going to be
the closest I get go any basketball star this year. I'm pretty sure
it's Noah Hartsock. I walked behind him for a good portion of my walk
today. It was one of the best things that's happened today. Why?
Because people treated him like Moses. The 'sea' was parted and I
didn't have to play any sort of pedestrian guessing game in order to
walk in a straight path. It was also funny to watch the faces of
people walking in the other direction. You'd think in college that
people would know not to stare. When they realized who he was their
expressions turned to awe. I guess that's acceptable considering he's
a big part of the top ten basketball team here at BYU. Maybe if I keep
seeing him I can ask him to line me up with Jimmer ;)

A Big No-No

2011-01-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

As you can see from the picture, the "Big No-No" isn't the fact that we still have Christmas decorations up past the New Year. The "Big No-No" that I am referring to is the fact that I had to walk home from my evening class in my all-black ensamble. Mom-I know you raised me better than that. The Invisible Pedestrian costume, as my family likes to call it, had me walking home with caution. Just kidding, the un-shoveled sidewalks I encountered on my .75 mile walk back from campus were what really kept me guessing. Luckily I had Brandon Flowers new album on my iPod to keep me company. You're probably thinking I had both ear phones in to drown out my sorrows of walking home in 18 degree weather, but you'd be wrong. I only used one ear piece so I could still hear all the cars that were coming to hit me at each intersection. But as you can clearly see from the picture, and having not heard of any horrific accidents happening to me in the last 24 hours, I made it home safely. And, the only thing that froze were my fingers. Darn you leather gloves!!

Look Around You

2011-01-04T22:44:00.000-08:00

Can you guess what we'll be talking about today? That's right, hand rails. Now write that down in your copy books.

Psych! We're not talking about hand rails... Now I try not to be one to complain, but really?! The mat is encrusted with ice which has been frozen in the shape of various shoes and sizes from each person walking down to the garage without the snow being taken care of. Aside from the fact that the main level patio at my apartment complex is just shy of an Olympic sized ice rink, the real problem is the icy floor mat at the top of the stairs. By now you've probably made some calculations and figured out that ice by stairs is bad. Well done. In the short 36 hours I've been back in Provo I have had to use this stairwell at least 5 times which always makes for a small adventure while I try not to fall to my most certain death at the bottom of the stairs. Obviously the picture doesn't do the amount of danger involved justice but it's the best I could do. So, in order for me to end this post I'm going to plead for you to feel a little bad for me that walking down to my car is so dangerous because I could slip and fall and receive any number of injuries. Also, does anyone have a spare shovel so I can do my best to eliminate the danger for me and everyone that walks through this place?!

Love me some Walter

2010-09-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Courtney on getting baptized!

I Am My Mother's Daughter

2010-09-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

I've worn these shoes a lot. So much so that the tops have gotten
pretty scuffed up (difficult to see in picture, but very real).
Instead of taking the 15 minute drive to Target to buy a new pair, I
followed my mother's example and pulled out my handy dandy Sharpie!
Within just a few seconds my well-worn shoes looked almost as good as
new. Maybe now I'll go buy something with the money I saved.

Really?

2010-08-01T06:15:00.001-07:00

The only thing these shoes are good at is making you look ridiculous.
To the numerous individuals that have been suckered into thinking
you'll achieve "Jennifer Aniston legs" by wearing them, I apologize. I
also thank you. Thank you for making me laugh about such bazaar
looking shoes.

Who Said You Needed Leg Room On A Road Trip?

2010-07-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

We're off on our road trip!

2010-07-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

We've only got an unspeakable number of miles left to go :)

Mmm...Tonga Toast

2010-05-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Eating at Kona Cafe

2010-05-24T07:56:00.001-07:00

Does this look appetizing to you?

2010-04-27T17:14:00.001-07:00

Kara and Nick insisted I try a White Castle slider upon my arrival. I
can't say I'm craving another. Possibly for the remainder of my life,
but never is a long time.

Uh...Oops

2010-02-23T07:16:00.000-08:00

This picture was taken through the back window of Abby's car. It
reminds me of a certain Texan who had a similar experience. Apparently
they were a little unaware of the planter box with a tree stump hidden
inside. At least there's another car to blame for my accident.

Are we there yet?!

2010-02-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I'm posting to say that I am half way done with my fourth semester at BYU. This is a major sigh of relief. Of the six classes I'm currently enrolled in I like all but one. The one I don't like, borderline hate, is History 369: Travel and Tourism in America. The topic of this class would lead you to think that the class was enjoyable, but you'd be deceived if you thought that. The main reason this class is so bad is the teacher. It isn't so much that she's a bad teacher but more the fact that she thinks she is the bees knees of travel history. Any question you ask can be answered in her book. Fortunately it isn't one of the eight required books to read. Unfortunately she talks about it on a nearly religious level. My friend Abby is also in the class with me and pointed out that she blinks a lot. Not necessarily a bad thing, but the more you dislike someone the easier it is to pick them apart. The real kicker to loathing this class is the reading assignments. As noted before, there are eight novels. Every time we come to class we are expected to have read several chapters from the current book. These readings entail about 100 pages on average and I would rather walk barefoot on glass or hot coals than read these books. I'm going to end this post before I begin to rant about the research paper she has us working on. This is an undergrad class lady! Not a Master's thesis!

Not quite the dyson

2010-02-05T18:25:00.001-08:00

This is a Mitsubishi version of the Dyson airblade. It lacks in
comparison in all areas but one: hot air. Perfect solution to numb
fingers.

It's a Hot Spot

2010-02-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Liberty Square, my apartment complex. This is the crowd I
could hear outside my window Sunday night around midnight. Why is
there such a crowd? The answer is simple: housing contracts. Liberty
Square is known for being the popular sophomore housing complex which
makes it a little tough to get into. These people started lining up
around midnight Sunday and didn't get in the office until 10 am
Monday. The line extends from the office door (right side of picture)
and wraps all the way along the sidewalk through the middle of the
complex. Luckily I didn't have to wait like this to get accepted. I
was part of a group that got there early and I joined them closer to 9
am. I'm on the hunt for housing for next year but I don't think it's
quite the hassle it is for the younger crowd. Lucky me :)

Another Rivalry Game

2010-01-30T11:54:00.001-08:00

These tents have been here since Monday night. Why? Because today is
the big BYU vs Utah mens basketball game. If you have an All Sports
Pass you get in for free. The catch is that they only save 6,000
student seats. The doors open at 5:30 so I guess I have 4 and a half
more hours of sitting on a blanket :)

A small Update

2010-01-19T11:39:00.000-08:00

For those of you frequent blog checkers (Tim), this is for you. I'm in my fourth semester at the Y and this is our third week of school. I'm taking 15 credits and enjoying my class schedule so far. I have registered for the Disneyland Half Marathon on September 5. Kate and Tim and my friend Abby will also be participating. I would also like to go to the Jazz vs Lakers game on February 10 if anyone has a set of tickets.

TTFN

Welcome to Finals Week

2009-12-14T10:34:00.000-08:00

This sight is a common occurance here during finals week. Many times
students admit to having a date with "Harold" instead of going out and
doing something social. "Harold" is a reference to the Harold B Lee
Library (HBLL).

Rivalry Week

2009-11-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

This is a statue of an Indian pretty near the heart of campus. You may
be asking yourself, "Why is it covered in Saran wrap?" The answer is
simple: Rivalry Week. Every year around this time the grounds crew
covers all the statues and decorations on campus with Saran wrap
because of the pesky Ute fans. They tend to enjoy using spray paint to
express their feelings about the dominant Cougars. I'm not sure if
they take more extreme measures because of the home field advantage
this week but last year things were well-managed. Tim 1, this was for
you.

Twilight!!!

2009-11-19T19:38:00.001-08:00

In N Out

2009-11-19T16:37:00.001-08:00

Say hello to In N Out in Provo. It opened today.

Happy Halloween From E-577

2009-10-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting in my hospital bed with nothing to do, so you get a blog update. I've got a blood clot in my left lung but I've started taking blood thinning medicine so it's only uphill from here. I got to the ER Thursday night/Friday morning around 12:30. I then went back for a CT scan around 2:30 and was informed of my Pulmonary Embolism (PE) around 2:50. I was admitted to the hospital at 4:30 am and hooked up to a heart monitor. Since then I've had my blood drawn 4 times that produced probably 10 tests. 5 of them are to see if there is an underlying condition that would have caused the clot. The others are to test my blood level and the thinness. I'm taking shots called Lovenox and a pill called coumadin to thin my blood. The shots are more temporary than the pill. 1 week vs 6 months. I've had lots of visitors and hoping for more. I will be here until Sunday. If you are unable to come visit, text messages and phone calls are more than appreciated. 801-652-5104.

Witchy Treats

2009-10-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

This is a treat bag fashioned to look like a witches broom. I made it with my old roommate Abby and our "little sister." This week was my first week in joining Abby with her service in the Big Brother Big Sister program. The little girl is 10 years old and likes to dance. To make the treat bag you need two lunch sacks, a stick, ribbon and candy. Take one bag and cut all sides into strips for the broom. Place the other bag on top and fill with candy. Insert stick and tie the ribbon around the strips. Walah! Perfect Halloween goody bag.

Child Leashes

2009-09-26T19:43:00.001-07:00

In short, I am against children on leashes. Leashes are for pets, not
children. Also, pets do not count as children. Contrary to Jessica
Simpson's belief you are not a mom if you only have a dog. Even if it
does get snatched by a coyote right in front of your eyes.

Blind Date Numero Dos!

2009-09-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

I went on a date last night with a boy I'd never met. But, I guess this one can't really be considered a blind date since I've talked to the kid for two years, but still. He was in the MTC when Harry was there and started writing to me at the beginning of his mission. We wrote for the two years he served in Australia and finally met yesterday when we went out to dinner. It was a double date with the other couple consisting of one of his old mission companions and his fiance. It was a little amusing to have such a contrast in progress of relationships...engaged and just meeting. Pretty fun. We went to The Pie up by the U and had a really fun time. I'll let you know if there is a sequel.

These people know how to make a good party

2009-09-11T20:33:00.001-07:00

In N Out :)

2009-08-21T10:15:00.001-07:00

Ruben Studdard: He's bigger in real life

2009-08-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

I'm finally at American Idol! :)

2009-07-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

Third time's the charm!

2009-07-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

I'm 19 and riding Dumbo.

2009-07-19T22:59:00.000-07:00

Splash Mountain

2009-07-19T22:16:00.001-07:00

Another perk to living in Florida :)

2009-06-27T10:34:00.001-07:00

Visitor!

2009-06-27T09:40:00.001-07:00

Getting ready for the big movie!

2009-06-23T19:32:00.001-07:00

At the movies for my roommate Abby's 19th birthday :)

2009-06-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Wonderful FHE. Ultimate Frisbee

2009-06-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

Daytona Harley= closed. No T-shirt for me :(

2009-06-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

Clouds, not waves at Daytona Beach, Florida. YSA regional activity.

2009-06-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

Street legal? I think not...

2009-06-13T09:31:00.001-07:00

Thanks for the directions haha

2009-06-13T09:28:00.001-07:00

NASCAR anyone?

2009-06-13T09:11:00.001-07:00

Paying my respects to Grandpa and his awesome headstone

2009-06-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

My wedding wardrobe

2009-06-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

Is soaking wet the "Disney look?"

2009-05-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

For about a week now...

2009-05-22T11:44:00.001-07:00

This is the pond I see when I go on the balcony of my apartment. Today
there is a rather large white bird. Did I mention it's not even 3:00
and it's already this dark?

A few good laughs

2009-05-21T20:39:00.001-07:00

So I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while but this story might make
you laugh. I was on my way home from work last Saturday and needed to
get gas so I could drive to church. After prepaying inside I walked
back to my car and was then asked if I was a taxi service by some
older men. At first I thought it was because of the pants to my
costume but later realized that crown vics are used as cabs here.
Another time when I was coming home there was a frog on the hand rail
of the stairs of my building. Needless to say I used the other stairs...

Sent from my iPhone

Flowers at Epcot

2009-05-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

On our way to Dinoland!

2009-05-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Me with the gang

2009-05-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

At lunch with my homeboy

2009-05-13T10:01:00.001-07:00

This is me with my friend Steven Sellers at the Tusker House Buffet in
Animal Kingdom. I love hanging out with the Sellers! I get 20% off
meals so I think they like having me too :)

Not so sunny Florida

2009-05-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Always a Hoot

2009-05-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

My picture on the new board at work

2009-05-09T16:57:00.000-07:00

My costume sans Black shoes and white apron and hair bandana

2009-05-07T09:57:00.001-07:00

My kitchen

2009-05-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Lovin the Beach!

2009-05-06T10:27:00.000-07:00

For all you followers out there

2009-05-04T14:56:00.001-07:00

As per request I changed my profile picture. There you go Mom and Toots.

Love Liz

My new girl Martha

2009-05-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

Woah!!!

2009-05-02T19:21:00.001-07:00

I'm hanging out with tinkerbelle and peter pan tonight. They're going
to tell me when the next casting auditions are :).

Sent from my iPhone

I'm on my way

2009-05-02T05:12:00.001-07:00

It's about 8:10 and I'm waiting for the bus to take me to my first
real day. I am training from 9:00-17:30 and I can't have my phone
during that time. I don't know what exactly I'm doing today but I know
there will be a costume fitting. I'll try and post a picture. Off I go!

Sent from my iPhone

It's about time...

2009-05-01T09:35:00.001-07:00

It's 12:30 and we're finally on the bus to epcot for the flower show.
We wanted to sleep in today and apparently we had skewed versions of
what that meant. After epcot I think we'll go to Hollywood studios for
some rides. It's not really convenient to park hop but we'll manage.

Sent from my iPhone

My day so far

2009-04-30T12:55:00.001-07:00

So I started off today by getting on a bus at 6:30 to go to the
Traditions class. Once we got there we saw a balding man in a denim
mini skirt and large hoop earrings. He then proceeded to use the
ladies rest room. I don't think anybody followed him in. After a 4
hour meeting I went home and got lunch and changed out of my business
clothes and came to Magic Kingdom. Here my friends and I have gone on
Pirates, Buzz Blasters, a Lilo and Stich show, and we are now in line
for Monsters Inc laugh floor. Crowded and hot but totally free!

Sent from my iPhone

On board fairy to MK

2009-04-30T11:14:00.001-07:00

2009-04-30T04:43:00.001-07:00

I'm official!

2009-04-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

Disney university

2009-04-30T04:30:00.001-07:00

This is where they send us for class. I have traditions today and
another orientation Sunday.

My Florida address

2009-04-30T04:04:00.001-07:00

Liz Smith
12750 Anson Manor Court
Apt# 26203
Orlando FL 32821

Sent from my iPhone

The things I do for disney.

2009-04-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

Dropped Pin

2009-04-29T13:43:00.001-07:00

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&q=28.385254,-81.495163%20%288350%20Vineland%20Ave%20Orlando%20Florida%2032821%29

Sent from my iPhone

What is it with this town?

2009-04-29T12:36:00.000-07:00

If you can't tell there are hundreds of things pasted to this car. The
top contains some nice spiritual relecs.

This just in

2009-04-29T10:06:00.001-07:00

I got my emplayment assignment. Drum roll please! POP century resort
food court. I heard something about me being in the tye dye building
so I'm sure my costume is going to be awesome. On a delightful side
note, my hair isn't in compliance with the "Disney Look" so i've got
to dye it tonight before I can do any of my things tomorrow. I hope
you can all sense my joy for dying my hair twice in 2 weeks.

Any input?

2009-04-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

Early start

2009-04-29T07:34:00.001-07:00

It's 10:16 and I'm waiting for the bus to take me to my castings
orientation. I'll find out my job and when I start training.
Everything is very organized. I brought a jacket and granola bars so I
don't freeze or die of hunger like the meeting yesterday. It's now
10:32 and been standing on the bus for the last 15 minutes. I don't
know how long this meeting is but I've got a free afternoon. That
means a trip to costco for my contacts.

Sent from my iPhone

The many "too's" of Florida

2009-04-28T15:31:00.001-07:00

Too short, Too tight, Too red.

The World of Disney

2009-04-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

> I'm in a meeting right now. It's freezing and I'm hungry. It's been
> like this since the meeting started almost an hour and a half ago. I
> hope it's over soon.
>
> Sent from my iPhone

Double-hitter

2009-04-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

All-in-all it's been a pretty good week. Take away the fact that I have already taken 4 tests and still have one more it hasn't been too bad. One of the highlights would definitely be lunch with my sister and nephews, another highlight would be my free shirts. I say shirts as a plural because I got another one yesterday afternoon from the BYU Public Health department. If I continue at the rate of two shirts a week I'm bound to get enough for a T-shirt quilt by the time I'm done with my third semester here. Maybe one of the quilts can be made solely of blood donation shirts.

.