ALASKA!!

So I may have been slacking a little on posting this blog. I mean its almost been 2 months since we've gone, but here you go! Here is the Alaskan cruise blog.

The whole crew went! Me, Zach, Preston, Dad, Marina, Nick, and Christian. It was fun! We had lots of good food, including the CHOCOLATE BUFFET! We hit some comedy acts, and a juggler, and went on some awesome excursions! We went to Ketchikan, Skagway, Juneau, and Prince Rupert BC! It was fun!

Now, keep in mind, there were 2 other cameras also taking pictures, so I don't have all of them, but here are A LOT of pictures.

We had a blast, even though it was sooo cold! We went to the Lumberjack Olympics, a glacier helicopter ride followed by dog sledding, we went to see icebergs, and even went on the longest train ride ever! But still fun!

At Pike's Market in Seattle.

Marina and the boys.

I was really excited!

Me and Zach were afraid for our lives!!

Bored waiting for the comedian!

Again...

again...

Preston looking cool in his shades!

It was windy!

Zach is on a boat!

Look I got a pet towel! I was pretty excited!

Lumberjack Olympics!

Preston and Dad waiting to get on the helicopter

On the helicopter! I didn't get sick like last time! Yay!

Pretty glaciers!

Dogs for dog sledding.

Marina and Dad

I WAS FREEZING!!

Me and my iceberg friends

They were so blue!

They used to use this to clear snow off train tracks!

Zach and Preston are Alaskan explorers!

I almost got ran over by a train...

well not really... but I was scared!

OMG!!! CHOCOLATE!!!

I was feeding my new pet towel some chocolate!

Prince Rupert! Yep, I am a crazy driver!

Yep, we're in Canada!

Preston looks excited to be in Canada!

They were scared of the tsunami!

Hello Canada! Nice to meet you!

Krafty Kayla!

Hey everyone!

So as you know I have a friend named Michaela! She's pretty much awesome, if you can't already tell from all my previous posts!

Anyway, she is super crafty, and she is now sharing all her talents with you! Well, I am sharing them with you, but they are by her...well you know what I mean...
Go to http://kaylaskraftroom.blogspot.com/

There you will find all her creations for sale! You can customize them anyway you like!
Have fun and enjoy! I know I do!

Cheers!

Help Us Win

As some of you know, I love music! And I love to play and write music. Now I'll admit, I am not very good at it sometimes, (especially singing) but I still love to do it!

Recently I had the opportunity to play some songs at my family wards small BBQ. Here is part of one of the songs I've written.

It's called "Help Us Win". I have never sang with a microphone before so it is pretty hard to hear me because I wasn't close enough. Oops... my bad. But here you go. I hope you like it. The lyrics are below so you know what I'm saying. :) (fyi the video picks up at the second verse)

Help Us Win -

written by Rachel Jenkins

Verse 1

The fight it seems may never end

One's alive another one's dead

but when will it stop?

Your mom, your dad, your sister your son

who will have to be the next one to fight

for the chance to be free again

CHORUS

All the people around the world are calling to you

Who will help us change a life will it be you?

So stand tall

Don't give up

Don't give in

Just be the one

To help us win

Verse 2

Look at all the people who

who haven't survived, but who have tried

to no success.

And all the others who

who've made it through it may be because

because of you

Repeat Chorus

Bridge

To bury a friend is the hardest thing you'll ever do

So just give

Your time, your money, your heart let's help them live

Repeat Chorus

Summer 2009

Hello! Now, I am sure that a lot of you are wondering where I have been all summer! I have neglected the blog, but only slightly, because you see, I have been having an awesome summer! So much better then last summer! Not that I didn't LOVE visiting Tennessee and Russia last year, but this summer has been great!!!! I've had the opportunity to travel, play, and hang out with my bestest peeps!

Here are some of the crazy adventures! For Michelle's Birthday I took her to Lagoon! It was so much fun and she had a blast! We met up with Michaela and Jeremy and went to Lagoona Beach and on rides all over the park! I can't believe Michelle is 9 ALREADY!! Time sure does fly, and you know what that mean... I'm getting OLD!

The fam and I have also done some temple visits. We hit the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open House, which was amazing and fun! Then I've also had the chance to visit the Draper Temple, Jordan River Temple, and the Boise Temple! Yay!

Speaking of going to Boise, one of my bestest friends EVER!!! Michaela Faye and I went up to Payette, ID which is her old stomping grounds . We had the chance to spend a couple of days with her family, whom I love! It was totally a chill weekend! I loved it! We just hung out in Payette, made some yummy food, and got to play with MJ's cute cute niece and nephew!

All in all my summer has been awesome! Worked a ton, but now that is over with! Alexa and Katie got married, had the chance to play with some peeps, and there is still more fun to be had! (possibly camping in a couple weeks?) :) And now school has begun, which is always good? But it takes up a lot of my fun time!

So here are pics from some of my summer adventures. I hope you enjoy them! Just beware, there are A LOT! :)

Me and Ash cakes at the Weber State fireworks!

Oquirrh Mountain Temple!

Jordan River temple

Michelle's breakfast in bed on her b-day!

Having fun on some rides!

Michelle, Michaela, and Jeremy!

Yes, Jeremy is wearing Michelle's

Hannah Montana hat!

I refused to go on the Samurai, but Michelle was all for it!

She's fearless!

The water bottle exploded and

gave MJ a fat lip! :( Poor girl!

The girls at Lagoon!

Yes, I am aware I look like poop on toast, but it was fun!

We REALLY like cotton candy!

The birthday girl!

Draper Temple! I love this pic!

Me at the Draper Temple!

Eating pasta at Applebee's with Sarah

Me and Sarah after dinner.

Hill doing what she does best....

Michaela with Khapri and Graham in Payette

Little Khapri! So cute!

Kyndall, MJ, and Brennick at the bon fire

Me and Michaela Faye

B and MJ!

lol! Look how excited he is!

Brennick is a crack up! I love this kid!

Alexa and Levi emerging from the temple.

Me and Kirsten waiting for Alexa

Me, Rex, and Kirstine!

Congrats Lex! We love you!

RIVER RAFTING!!!

At the begining on August Zach and I took a little trip up to WY to go RIVER RAFTING! Now my singles ward has done this trip the last 3 years and I have never been able to go... until now!

I was totally stoked! I have never been rafting, so I was pretty nervous too! But I talked it out with my peeps and they calmed me down a bit. Kellie even knew the exact rapids I was going to be riding. I thought she was CRAZY when she said they were named Lunch Counter! lol! But turns out, she's not so crazy! She was right!

I was only there for one day! It was a quick trip, I had to get back to work, go to Katie King's wedding reception, and get ready for my awesome trip up to Payette, Idaho with Michaela!

So this was just the first of many vacations I took during the month of August. August was really BUSY! I felt like I was living out of a suitcase the whole month! But it was great! So here are some pics from my amazing adventure! It was so much fun!

Ewww....

At the geyser in Soda Springs!

It really did stink! Bad!

Zach wearing the pimpin' hat we found!

Yeah, I am cool! It's ok to be jealous!

The hat does that to people!

We were looking for a map of Idaho, but the only map they had

was an atlas of the Middle East. I though it was strange.

Do people in Soda Springs, ID, frequent the Middle East that much?

They had this sign AFTER the last gas station,

by that point we had already passed the last gas station

we needed to fill up at!

JENKINS LANE!!

I wanna live there!

Jackson Hole!

Zach wouldn't let me go inside! Boo!

Zach walking through the maze!

It took FOREVER!

I like posing like statues...

Me and the sheep in a kick line!

You can't see me, but I am totally in the middle of the raft!

My old lady knees wouldn't let me sit on the side!

It was super fun! AND FREEZING!

WHAT?!?! SHE CAN COOK?

Alright, so I actually have a lot to blog about. I will get to my river rafting trip in Wyoming, me and Michaela's awesome time in Idaho, and even my Alaskan cruise... eventually. lol! I don't feel like doing it right now! Now, I want to take the time to share my cooking experience with you all!

So one of my bestest friends, Rachel Dawn Porter Smith, loves to cook! And she is really good at it too! She loves it so much she even has a cooking blog.... Get in the Kitch! I recommend you all stop by and see the yummy recipes she has on there! I've tried many of them myself and they are amazing!!

Me on the other hand... do not cook! It is very rare that you see me in the kitchen except to make banana bread or some cookies or something tasty with sugar. But the other night I was feeling pretty hungry, so what did I do? I cooked! That's right! I'll say it again... I cooked!! I made an entire meal for me and Zach, which consisted of Spaghetti, peas, and garlic bread! Now, it may not sound like much, but it was pretty awesome if I do say so myself! lol!

So here is some proof! Pics of the lovely meal I made! I know it makes your mouth water, but if you really wanna try some yummy stuff stop by:

getinthekitch.blogspot.com

you won't be sorry! :)

Zach really likes Spaghetti!

Yummy!

I was pretty proud! lol!

HAPPY BIRTH-MONTH TO ME!!!

I have the most amazing friends in the world! Seriously! You can be jealous if you want to! But I mean it, my friends are the best! They do so much for me! I absolutely love them and this is why! Here is the lowdown:

To start off, a week before my b-day my good friend Kellie Romer took me to dinner, MJ joined us, and we went to Red Robin! I really liked it! Tasty tasty food! Although we totally forgot to tell them it was my birthday to get the free mud pie! LAME! But for sure next time we go we will!

After dinner, Kell and I were trying to decide what we wanted to do… movie? No… bowling?… no… mini golf?... hmmm…. Getting warmer… and the final decision was…. Drum roll please… Laser tag, go carts, and a shootout basketball competition! (which I totally won!) It was awesome! Kellie hasn’t done it since high school! (wow she’s old!) lol ;) I joke, but Kellie is pretty much my big sister! So I’m allowed to tease her. :)

Then we went back to her place, watched her wedding video (LOVED IT!) and had root beer floats! Lol! It was an awesome night. It was like I was turning 12! Not 22! Lol! Thanks Kell! It’s always fun to hang out and chat! LOVE YOU TONS!!!

Then on the day of my birthday is where the big surprise came. Rach and Michaela have been planning it for awhile; they just would never tell me what it is. I had been trying for weeks to get it out of them, but nothing. Not one peep! I was quite impressed they kept it a secret for as long as they did. I also tried to get other friends to tell me, but still nothing!!!

So what did they do? They took me to dinner The Roof (amazing!) and to the movies to see The Proposal! (So fun!) It was awesome! First of all, I love spending time with my friends, like I said before, they are amazing. Plus, yummy food and a cute cute movie! What is better then that? :) Nothing! It was a blast! Thank you girls!

And not to forget, my sweet mother, gave me flowers and breakfast in bed. It was a great day! I had so much fun!

Then later that week, My dad took me out to dinner… TWICE! Once at the Cheesecake Factory with my bros, and then to Tepenyaki with Marina. Mmmmmm…. Foooood…. Yummy. :)

Thanks to everyone who helped make my birth-month so great! You are true friends and I love you all!

This is what Kellie and I look like in the dark!

Yep, Laser tag! We cool!

After our delicious dinner at The Roof!

Friends FOREVER! lol!

So, I'm pretty clumsy! MJ and Rach gave me

On the Go Neosporin! lol! I've definitely used it!

At the movies!

Me, Rach, and Michaela! These girls are the best!

We bad... we know!

Preston was REALLY hungry at the Cheesecake Factory!

Birthday Cheesecake... mmm... yummy!

Flowers from my mommy! LOVED THEM!