elevation // ninja style

Just can't get over how lucky I am, especially these past few months, they've been straight radical, so very surreal.

There is something so magical about just going with the flow, if riding the waves of life was like surfing I'd be a mega pro. Whether life is working the same job everyday and feeling SO MEDIOCRE I COULD DIE, or spending three weeks away from home with only a little bit of a plan, I'll take it, I'll ride that wave. This is now, now is what we have. Firm believer in being present in whatever the moment brings. 

I mean, sure I may be a little spontaneous and unorganized when it comes to life, but I love it. That's all that matters RIGHT. Loving the life you live. 

The past couple of months have been a wild ride, sometimes pretty chill, others times up on a high, but every moment is beautiful, and I'm so stoked with all the memories I have to cherish forever. 

I feel like I've been all over the place (I haven't really) but the nomad in me had it's fix for a little bit back there. I spent two weeks in St. George working at Elevation (stay tuned bc that's what all this post is about if I ever get to it), a week in California with potential (my truest homies), a few days in Moab with my church (s/o to my ward for being extra stellar), and countless days up in my mountains, hiking, camping, backpacking, all the good stuff. It's a colorful life. 

It's a beautiful life really, sure there is lots of greys but to be honest, I think grey is a beautiful color, there are lots of bold, bright colors, swishes of stunning colors here and there, all over a pretty great painting my life is turning out to be. Perfect, hah no. Pretty rad? Dang straight. 

I know I've been CRUMMY at posting but here is me trying (attempting and flopping really) to not abandon this blog;

Let's take a journey back to the 8th of May, the beginning of my traveling adventures (bc everyday is an adventure and have you seen where I live amazing amirite). 

I packed up probably all of my belongings because I procrastinated packing (literally to the very last half hour) and thought to myself, "If I take everything I won't forget anything." FALSE. I forgot wet wipes, who forgets wet wipes, honestly. Frantically threw everything into the back of my dads truck and he so graciously drove me to my sisters house an hour of so away. Got to spend the night with my pretty neat sister and her husband. We baked sweet potato fries and sat on the kitchen floor, the best nights right. 

May 9th. I love Masina, and what is better than taking a six hour drive with the people that you friggin love amrite. Even if you have to wake up early in the AM and repack all your possessions three times.  The drive literally flashed by in a jiffy, those are the best kinds of road trips. When you're having to much of a good time to feel the tug of the hours as they tick by. The best. BUT I ALSO LOVE RACHEL. Rachel is rad because she let me crash at her house and ran me around with her expert driving skills, and fed me food, truly a saint. Got to Rachel's house where we hung out in her hipster attic room and helped her study for her midterm. THEN AUTUMN AND MADDIE SHOWED UP. We cruised around the grocery store in one of those electric carts like a bunch of teenagers. I have never felt so teenager-y in my entire life. Then we made food and made weird videos on Autumns phone. Always feel so at home whenever I'm with these people. 

May 10th. Rachel literally lives like 5 minutes from the St. George Temple, such a beautiful temple. So crisp and white against the deep blue desert sky. Let's also not forget that the chapel smelled like old people, perks of living in an old neighborhood. After church, SANNEKE SHOWED UP. I LOVE SANNEKE. We got all ready to head out to the canyon for the week, and Autumn blessed us with her mad driving skills and drove us to the canyon in her MuMu. 

((PAUSE FOR A SECOND. Elevation is the rad outdoor leadership camp with the amazing online liberal arts school, Williamsburg Academy, that I was so lucky to attend for most of high school. I've gone three times as a student, and this year, I was so ridiculously lucky to go as a trail guide. (TRAIL GUIDE. I repeat, TRAIL. GUIDE.) It was hands down the best experience ever.))

I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to be reunited with the mentors and other trail guides, (like JULIA. Forever my internal explosion buddy), I look up to them so much and am so fortunate to have them in my life. We did orientation, walls (actually such an incredible experience doing it with the mentors), set up camp, and were overall just so happy to be together in the canyon. 

Elevation Week One // May 11th-May 15th. This is IT. This was the day we had been preparing for, the day I had been WAITING SO (not) PATIENTLY FOR. The day the students arrived and the life changing 5 days began. It felt so good to see my people again, oh how I love them. 

Let me tell you about my pod, Pod Four. There was just something so weird about us. For starters, our pod name was, "Here at Pod Four, we're better than you, and we know it." said while we tilted out heads and then ended in a loud roar. Hailstone was the mentor (nicknamed papa bear) and I was the trail guide (nicknamed goldilocks). Our podlings were Cedar, Briar, Jefferson, Caleb, Dallin, Jarom, Jane, McKenna, Meghan, and Clay. We were such an odd bunch but in the best kind of way, we all goofed off and meshed together so well, we were so close and I really admire these kids, they are all such incredible leaders and Pod Four IS better than you. 

^^^100% blinking and 5000% high on life.^^^

If I went through every single day of elevation, this post would be EVEN longer than it already is, so presenting, bullet points of my favourite moments from week one. 

• Belaying/helping kids up their first ever climbs. Your first climb is so magical, also terrifying if you're most people. And when you finish your first ever climb, it's a moment you'll cherish forever. The best feeling was when those kids thanked me for helping them with huge grins on their faces. That's the best. 
• E-Ninja trip. I could type my fingers off with this one. The E-Ninja trip was the BEST. We had a huge group so we did repelling at Dixie Rock and did a repel rescue simulation where I was the one being rescued. Let me just say, I make an excellent unconscious person, not to brag or anything, but my leg and hands DID turn purple and not once did I speak or break character. S/o to John and Tim for working through the problem and not killing me. Next we went to fat mans squeeze (a slot smaller than the width of my foot in some places) did a simulation where Rachel had a broken leg and we had to get her to the end of the canyon. It's so rad seeing the leaders stand up and lead and everyone work together in harmony. The last thing we did was go to the lava tubes, a really cool underground cave thing. It smelled sorta nasty but at the end there was this really big cavern, there were glows sticks laying all over the ground so we picked them up and sprayed them on the walls, IT WAS SO COOL. It looked like a galaxy. With our lights off, we sat and had a little devo. I love those people with all of my heart. Such an incredible experience. 
• Pod Talent/Skit night. MY POD. Haha. It kills me. We had the best skit ever. We danced around like chickens and then acted out a cock fight and had such a blast doing it. I was so proud of the kids for getting our of their comfort zones and having a good time. That was the best night. Earlier that day in morning pod devo, I had quoted "20 seconds of courage" to the kids and told them that really all they needed was 20 seconds of courage and something great would come of it. During skits that night, after a wild day, as we were practicing our chicken impersonations, one of the kids was having a difficult time with it, it was something that was out of his comfort zone and as he was nervous he said out loud, "Okay. just 20 seconds of courage" and he KILLED IT. I was so proud of him, and I loved watching all the kids grown and learn throughout the week. 
• Chatting with all the kids in my pod during solo time. Wow I really really loved talking to those kids, they have so much character and I can't wait to see where they take their lives. 
• Tent happenings with my tent buddy Julia. Oh wow I love Julia. Who knows what went on in our tent, but we did wake up the other mentors/trail guides at like three in the morning with our laughs and we did have some really great conversations. Loved out little crowded tent. 
• One night after all the kids were in bed (trail guides don't have a bed time, WADDUP) me and Julia decided to *try* to sneak up on the boys sleeping in the volleyball pit. We failed thanks to Tim. But it was fun while it lasted. The boys had pineapple, and of course we had to have some. So we went and got some, and Riley handed it to use in his dirty hands and there were rocks and sand on it which I bit into, that was an experience for sure. Don't know how we would have survived if it weren't for John and his lifesavers, it saved our lives.
• Taylor Swift dance parties in the rain storm. 
• Standing on one foot contests. 
• Repelling station, hanging out with all the students was the best. 
• Meaningful conversations with the mentors. 

The whole week was full of favorite moments, the whole week was my favorite, there is so much more I could say but I'll leave it at that. 

May 15th. After elevation, a bunch of us headed to Mr. Browns house. THE BROWNS ARE THE BEST. They were so kind to let 20 or so kids invade their home, and then feed us the MOST delicious dinner. I look up to and admire them so much. I cannot even put into words how grateful I am to have gone to a school where the mentors are such phenomenal people who care about their students and YEAH I cannot even tell you but I'm so fortunate. S/o to the Browns for putting up with the horse masks, the loud, indecisive "planning" and the boys horrible jokes. When we got back to Rachel's house, we played on the tramp in this rad foam machine that her dad made. It made SO MUCH FOAM. Obviously we shaved our legs, because what else would we do. OH OH AND ERICA SHOWED UP. I LOVE ERICA.

May 16th. Unfortunately we had to say goodbye to some stellar people like Josh, Lilly, and Caleb, and oh man I love them. After saying goodbye we all headed to SNOW CANYON. Absolutely beautiful. We hiked to some mosquitoes puddles, and climbed some rocks, it was rad and I just love being with my people. When we got back to our cars, the sequoia and 15 passenger van headed in separate ways. The van to Vegas, and the sequoia to St. George. As we got in our cars, Riley got out his speaker and played When Can I See You Again / Owl City and him and Tim busted out some sick dance moves, holy crap, I love those kids. That night, those of use left in St. George (at Rachel's house) picked Ryan up from the airport. RYAN IS MY FAVORITE. He is mature beyond his years and I so hilarious and brilliant. We dyed Sanneke's hair with kool aide, played spoons (I DOMINATED) and ate ice cream. Such a chill, fun night. 

Elevation Take Two // May 17th-21st. Week two of elevation had SUCH a different dynamic. The first week has such high energy, it's always loud, "I'm a little tea pot" is rapped 24/7, fingers are broken, rules are broken, etc. Week two on the other hand is super chill, and I loved it. Most of the kids were freshman (70% to be exact) and so although there was pressure to make their first experience amazing, they were all so cute and I loved being able to experience that with them and get to know so many new, neat kids.

Pod One was the BEST. We had such a great group and they all bonded so well. Greg (nicknamed Papa G) was our mentor and I was the trail guide (nicknamed 'Nola short for granola bc I'm so granola and I also like granola a lot), our podlings were Alleigh, Katie, Katlyn, Jeffey, Belle, Ryley, Seth, Colleen, Rebecca, Berkley, Harrision, and Syndey (also so sorry I probably butchered their names). We did this sick chant thing and our name was Legion. Seriously so cool. When I left early on Thursday, all the girls in my pod came and tackle hugged me as I left and oh wow, loved seeing them grow and learn, such great kids.

^^missing me bc I left early, but aren't they cuute. love these kids^^

• Gear inspection with Ben. Loved meeting the kids as they first came in and loved hanging with the mentors up top. So fun. 
• Teaching the lead climbing workshop with Bambi. I love Bambi and he's such a great example to me, also hilarious and rouge workshop was the best. Near the end of the day when we only had three pods left to go, Bambi had to run do something else and they left me in charge of teaching the lead climbing workshop. It meant so much that they let me do that, and trusted me enough to teach kids to lead climb. 
• KOOSH. After the koosh championship, the winner plays the mentors and trail guides. OBVIOUSLY we always win. We spent a lot of the night playing koosh with the students and it's was the bomb diggity. At one point I dived for the ball and ended up wrestling underneath a pile of bunch of kids. The best. Koosh is the best. 
• Crazy yoga with Alleigh and Erica. 
• Nights in the tent with Erica and Masina. 
• Spence digging a trench around our tent so it wouldn't flood. He's the REAL mvp. 
• I left late Thursday afternoon, and so I spent all of free time sitting around the fire (it wasn't burning in the middle of the day alright) talking with the mentors. Hands down my favorite moment from both weeks. I look up to those people so much and sitting there I just couldn't believe how luck I am to know them. 
• When my homies came to pick me up, they rolled into the canyon, limping, and so dirty, and all of the sudden, the canyon was echoing with "I'm a little teapot" and it was so great. Love them. 

And then.....WE HEADED TO VEGAS. Stay tuned for the wonders of my trip to CALI. Such good times. 

I'm already remembering so many great moments from these two weeks, IT WAS SUCH A GOOD TIME. SUCH A GOOD TIME. Blessed beyond measure to be surrounded by such incredible people, and I'm so stoked I got the opportunity to be a trail guide (!!!!!). Thanks a million to WA for giving me the opportunity. :) 

Life is colorful, life is rad, and I'm stoked to be alive. 

PNW Road Trip

So I have decided to post about my road trip, because I can. Do I need a better reason? And I have a plethora of pictures....and when I put them on my phone from my camera, they turned into really crappy pictures, so bear with me ;)

A little history: We spontaneously decided to go on a road trip to the grand pacific northwest. We would be gone for like 5 days, which is mostly driving, ew, and we would go to Oregon, and Washington. And that was the plan.

Basically there were 5 girls on this road trip, and no men or parental supervision. GIRL POWER Y'ALL. It was myself, two of my older sisters (they're adopted, I swear), and one of my sister's friend, and my sister's friend's friend. And we were squished like peas into my older sisters Pontiac G6 named Saphira.

I started off by getting like 30 minutes of sleep because I went to bed super late because I was too lazy to pack and that plus a whirlwind of panic and anxiety attacks and longing and nostalgia for my ocean. Therefore I did not sleep, and was singing Fun like a madman. IT WAS GREAT YA KNOW.

After we all got tightly squeezed into the car it was like 4:30/5 and we decided to make a run to Walmart, the only open store in Cache Valley to get some technology to play our music. DO YOU REALIZE HOW HARD IT IS TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE AT A WALMART AT 4:30 AM. SO HARD. Once we got our techno we ran out to our car. As I was running to my car, I heard some laughing and I was like...."Um creepy" so I looked back to the Walmart and to my surprise there were like 15 Walmart employees sitting on that patio furniture stuff that they display at the front of the store drinking sodas. The heck. THAT was why it was so hard to get some assistance guys.

Anyways. So we started rollin' and THE SUNRISE WAS PERFECT. Although I was driving so I couldn't fully enjoy it.

The drive was beautiful. From the construction worker that picked up that fallen over cone so gracefully at like 6am, to the beautiful things like this waterfall. 

And this super rainy windy river gorge. So perfect, so intense. Especially when the winds are extremely high and you have a flat tire.....and you are trying to drive while trying to talk to the auto store on the phone but you can't hear them because of the wind and the car noises and yeaaaaah. SO FUN. 

And can we just acknowledge how super attractive everyone was when they slept? ;) I am adorable when I sleep, too bad I don't sleep in the car ;) And no, I'm no posting a picture. I value my life. 

Yeah so the drive was good and all. Until we got a flat tire and had to have 2 tires changed which took like 1 and 1/2 hours and our life savings. Actually I didn't pay anything, make that THEIR life savings.

So after eating Chipotle for the first time and being totally incapable of pronouncing it, and charging our phones at Starbucks, we got rolling to the OCEAN, with a quick whirl through Portland. Like literally we got of on the wrong exit and we ended up driving through the part of Portland by the university. I LIKE PORTLAND. It was cool. Lots of hippies, and all the wild roses, I approve so good. 

After all that ish, we made our way to the coast for reals. THIS IS MY FAVORITE DRIVE EVER OKAY. Through the walls of the Oregon rain forest, with the smell the Ocean lingering in the air. PERFECTION. 

*hyperventilates* 

Basically we got to Cape Lookout State Park at like....10pm. A massive storm was blowing through and it was SO windy, and SO cold, and SO rainy, and we were like, "No. Let's go home" Because we are from hot dry Utah, and I was wearing shorts. Pretty much. Not to mention, the first thing the ranger told us was, "Oh, you are way out in the open, so make sure your tent is staked in really well and you have a good rain fly so you don't get rained on." But he was bearded and super cheerful about it all, so that was great. When we were driving to our tent site, literally everyone was in long pants and down coats....I felt sorta unprepared. ;) And some chick in the bathroom (which was super warm btw) was like, "I REALLY hope tomorrow is better, because last night was a nightmare." Thanks. Thanks a lot. ;) But we got in our warm tent and only two of us got rained on (myself and my sister ;) ). 

I think God must love us a lot, because the next morning we woke up to partly cloudy skies, and a light drizzle, which cleared up to be a sunny, 60 degree day. :) I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE THE OCEAN I WAS LIKE JUMPING UP AND DOWN. Because we got to our ten tsite so late, we actually couldn't SEE our surroundings, or the ocean, because the view was blocked by a dune. But we woke up and the campground was beautiful. Truly. 

And then I ran/skipped to the ocean waves and danced through the foamy fingers and laughed and cried and yes that happened and oh man, it felt so good to be home. HAPPY HEART Y'ALL.

LOOK. OCEAN WE LOVE YOU. 

AND LOOK HOW GORGEOUS IT WAS. IS. IT IS. 

And there were waterfalls on the beach, and it was pretty magical.

Speaking of magical. THIS.

And the clouds were reflecting on the wet beach and yeah, I was sorta in heaven.

Anyways. My heart was super happy and content. And it felt so good. Next stop, The Oregon Coast Aquarium. HOLLA. 

Let's flashback. Left: fashionable childhood me, (honestly I don't know why those were ever in style) in total awe of the magical sea life, Right: me still in awe of the magical sea life. 

See? Nothing has changed there. I love love the marine life, and I could spend HOURS at the aquarium. I always have, I always will.

After the aquarium, as we were driving back to our campsite, we saw the results of a really really bad car wreck. One mini van was crashed into the side of the forest, and one van was flipped over on it's head. I kept expecting to see someone seriously injured but all I saw were there suitcases and souvenirs thrown out of the car, they had tow trucks there to move the cars, so ambulances were loooong gone. Oregon's windy roads make accidents lots more likely. It was tragic and I couldn't help but wondering if the people were okay. I'm so grateful we stayed safe, it's crazy to think that at any moment that can happen to any of us. Anyways. 

After we got back, we packed up and went to Oceanside Beach. Brace yourself for a looooot of pictures because this is my home. Basically the 19 minute drive was me dying of feels. Like. Just look at how freaking cute all the houses are. Can I just live there please? 

We also went and stalked the house my family used to rent. SO MANY FEELS. I just wanted to be in the house eating granola and drinking blackberry tea with my family. :( BUT. The people staying in the house definitely noticed us stalking, and the waved. I wonder if they would have given us a tour, I would have asked ;) 

Literally the view from the house is perfect and I want to buy it and live there. Blackberry blossoms, just yes.

Anyways. So after a good dose of stalking, we went down to Oceanside Beach to roast hot dogs and eat sauerkraut and explore the beach.  I was literally so happy to be there. Tears might have been shed people. But a major plus to just being on the beach, is being there during sunset, and it was AMAZING.

Climbing rocks + the ocean = happy happy happy. ^_^ 

After chilling on the beach, we went back to our campground and....slept. BUT THE STARS WERE AMAZING. And that was great. Clear Oceanside skies and lots of stars makes for perfection.

The next morning we woke up early to head down to Oceanside for low tide. Seashells and tide pools ya'll. We got a lot of seashells, and found this little guy...

(my pictures aren't actually THAT bad of quality, I just pulled them off my phone and they turned out crappy) 

And tide pools are seriously the coolest.

And sunrise on the beach, also the coolest. 

I seriously loved seeing all the houses and the sun rising. It brought back a loaaad of memories. Happy ones.

 After that, we went back to the campsite and packed up. Into our tiny car. It was FULL to the brim and it barely fit. #Expertpackers 

Once that was all done, we head towards Cape Meares to see the lighthouse. The VIEW was great, and I was having flashbacks of childhood me running through the woods there. 

And once we explored there, and hugged trees, we got ice cream from Tillamook. You might have had Tillamook ice cream, but you have not lived until you have had fresh Tillamook ice cream right from the factory. Thne headed along highway 101 to Washington. HIGHWAY 101 IS THE MOST PERFECT ROAD IN THE WORLD. HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THIS A LOT. Like, you can't complain driving on highway 101, it's magical ;) 

Another thing Oregon/Washington has a lot of, is freaking awesome bridges. 

LOOK WE MADE IT TO WASHINGTON. I'm actually really sad that we never got a picture or the "Welcome to Oregon" sign, I missed seeing it every time. :(

So basically we were staying with complete strangers in Washington. HAH. But they were super super nice, and that was great. We didn't actually get there until 10pm or later, and I don't have pictures of any other parts of the 4-ish hour drive because I was on my phone the whole time. :/

The next day we got up and it was nice to sleep in a house although I was still in my sleeping bag on the floor. CLEARLY, I would have rather been camping. ;) First place we headed was to catch a ferry! Whoo! We had a little bit of a mix-up and ended up waiting for 1-2 hours. Ferry lines are hilarious. It's a HUGE line of cars up the highway, and it moves slowly, so basically people just get out of their cars and hangout, and when the line would move, they would just walk. It was hilarious to me, even though it really isn't. ;) And there was this adorable little Indian baby girl that we waved and, and she waved back, her parents had no idea ;) I also waved at a group of guys chilling at their VW van getting ready to go scuba diving, they weren't super friendly :( In Utah people wave at strangers, I guess they don't do that in Washington ;) 

Once you drive onto the ferry, you can get out of your car and walk around, and it was the BEST. I was in heaven. I love boats, and I love the ocean. I didn't get a picture of it, but the water was FULL of jelly fish, and you could see them, and that was super dope.

I was basically in heaven.

When the ride ended we found this super cute Gluten Free bakery and just HAD to go check it out and buy lots of stuff ;) After that we drove to Port Angeles so one of the girls could go see her family, and while she hung with her family, we went to this AMAZING cafe called Cafe New Day. I am no where NEAR a foodie, food does not bring me joy, and it basically all tastes similar, but this was probably the BEST gluten free food that I have ever had in my entire life. So good. 

After all that we went to Silverdale, WA to meet up with some of my sister's friends at the mall. While they were talking, the rest of us went to Barnes and Nobles. Obviously. I read kids books, and bought a reprint of the US Army Survival Guide, typical. ;) I could spend hours in a bookstore, it's a problem. And after that, we embarked to get back on the ferry. We waited to forever again, and there was a jazz band playing, and I hate jazz ;) So basically on this side of the bay, you pay for the ferry, and go park in a parking lot and wait to board the ferry. Everyone is sitting on their cars, and drinking coffee and stuff, and I like that vibe. And then we got back on the ferry, and the sunset was pretty great. 

The next morning, we woke up early, packed up, and headed home. YAY. I love traveling, and road trips, but going home is always the best feeling EVER.

On our way back, we drove past Mount Rainier, I actually have no idea which mountain is which, there were so many in the distance, and it was hecka confusing. But I'm pretty sure that the sign knew what it was talking about ;) 

With our car full of sand, and our hearts full of memories, we pulled up to the curb in front of my house. We were all almost exploding when we got into Utah, because we were so excited to be home. I mean, these people are great, but 40-ish hours in a car with them and I was more than ready to be home. 

Anyways. It was great. I'm super glad I went, it felt so good to go home to Oregon, man I love that place :) It was definitely a good fix to my extreme wanderlust. Life is good y'all. :) 

(apologies for the length, and excess of pictures, and overall bad grammar, you're welcome)