Episode 51: In Which Jessica Cannot Think of a Title...

So, we've been rebuilding the engine for my 1984 Toyota Celica. We've now taken the entire thing apart and are waiting on parts which are on order.

Currently, it looks something like this:


After working on it for about 4 hours a day, you get tired and need a break so...you go shooting! duh!

Well, Andrew and Jared went shooting. I shot them shooting with my camera. It was a TERRIBLE day for photography and that little "shutter priority" mode that I was so fond of before I started doing full manual, I forgot about it. Could have saved me a lot of pain.

But Andrew and Jared had fun. Jared has quite the collection of guns and Andrew took full advantage of all of them. They used soda cans as targets and by the end of the day, Jared's truck was covered in soda. They shot rifles and handguns...but mostly rifles. They took turns spotting for each other for long distance shooting  and just in general had a lot of fun. I got some good pictures despite the changing light. (the sun went in and out and in and out of the clouds CONSTANTLY)

My favorite part honestly was just riding in the truck. 4 wheel drive! It's like nature's roller coaster :)

Here are some more shots from our adventure.

Now you see it

Now you see it EVERYWHERE =P

After shooting, Andrew and I went over to his Aunt and Uncle's house to see everyone there. His mom was visiting as well as several of his extended family members. It was crazy busy with kids running everywhere and all the adults sitting around the table playing Canasta. All the adults except me. I suck at cards. Like...badly. It's ok though. I'm a good watcher.

We stayed for dinner (hamburgers and hot dogs, yum!) and for a bit after that. It was a lot of fun! Just a small amusing anecdote for you, while Andrew's uncle was trying to secretly make root beer floats, one of Andrew's cousins asked for some root beer. The root beer wasn't chilled and she complained that she didn't like warm soda, however, with all the people in the house, the ice was gone. Andrew's uncle suggested that she could put some ice cream in it, and showed her the tub of vanilla ice cream he had been trying to conceal.

"EW GROSS! NO THANK YOU!" she exclaimed, but after thinking for a moment followed it up with "unless...you made like a root beer float"

...yes, that is what I thought the point of the ice cream was. =P

We went home and went to bed and got up early the next morning. We went to Music and the Spoken Word up on Temple Square. It was gray and rainy (my favorite weather) and a little bit chilly. Luckily, I had my umbrella and we didn't have to wait in line TOO long to get in. It was my first time sitting in the Tabernacle for an extended period of time and I have to say President Hinckley was right, "the seats are just as uncomfortable as they were before [the tablernacle's renovation and restoration]" Not that I know what they were like before, but my back thanked me for standing up after the broadcast was over.

That being said it was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning. It's not my first time hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir live, I've gone to conference before, but it's my first time hearing them in the Tabernacle. Plus, it was the memorial day broadcast so there was a wonderful arrangement of patriotic songs accompanied by video montages that made me want to go camping in a national park.

Oh, yeah. We were suppposed to do that...kind of. One of my mission companions was supposed to come visit around Andrew's birthday. Utah isn't the most exciting place to visit if you're a foreigner, though church members DO find more excitement than most I am sure. All the same, I think its kind of sad to come to America and not really see it...so Andrew and I were planning on driving up to Yellowstone with her. It's only about 7 hours away so we were gonna leave early in the morning and come back late at night. But she didn't end up coming cuz she got sick and couldn't fly :(

Someday.

Andrew and I did, courtesy of his parents, get tickets to Seattle though! We are going in July and I'm so excited! I love Washington. Though I loved Oregon too when I went and I also love California...so I have to just say I love the Pacific Northwest...and California. =P  That picture is neither by the way...its Utah. I just like it. I took it while we were shooting on Saturday. =P

That's about all...because as usual I've taken forever to write this post and now I've forgotten much of it. =P