Word to the wise: if you're home alone and bored, make sure there aren't any hair cutting scissors around or you might end up with bangs!

Me and Laura in our younger years. If you don't like this picture you probably don't like puppies on Christmas either, and I probably don't like you.

Hey its my bro!

No! Not the Chinese one, the other one!

There's no place like home.

Keeping in touch with your Provo peeps is a 24/7 job.

Cost of parking in a covered lot in downtown DC: $22.00

Matinee ticket to see "Mongolian Ping Pong" at E Street Cinema: $7.00

Maggie Moo's gourmet ice cream: $4.69

A new used book from Chapters Antique book store: $6.24

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory: $13.00

Reconnecting with family and friends in our nation's capitol: Priceless...OR dang expensive! There goes all my janitor cash.

Scandal!

Poor Shorty. All dressed up and nowhere to go...

The Mongolian Pocket Rocket

My first Mongolian!

Sad day, guys. I'm getting rid of my cell phone and using my sister's for the rest of my pre-mission life which means I'll lose all my pictures! Here's a little walk down memory lane to try and salvage my faves.

Ryan the minkey.

Smoking lady. Creepier than school on a Saturday.

Guster!!!

Heh. Thats just funny. Seabass singing to Bret.

They were having an "art" sale at Smiths and I wanted to buy this but never ended up doing it. Regrets...

Bad times! I miss you, Ronda the Red Honda.

Aw man, Elizabeth would KILL me if I put this up on my blog! Better not, then.

CHERYLAND!!!

Do y'all see these? These are TREES! And this is Pennsylvania! Next state: Maryland.

Ohio! OHIO, everybody! I'm almost there!

Here's the "hotel" we stayed at last night. DANG my momma got us da hook up! Hmm. It sounds considerably less cool when you put the word "momma" in there.

South Bend, Indiana. If you look real close you can see Rudy!

Don't worry, Javelin. I totally skipped the exit and never looked back.

Illinois: just like Iowa but with a few more trees.

Well, its not heaven, but it is Iowa.

Nebraska: stormy style.

Voila le Wyoming.

Good morning.

What's not to love about Saturdays at DI?

This is what Park Place would look like if your left leg was a foot shorter than your right leg. True story.

The cheese stands alone, everyone. The cheese stands alone. Let this be a lesson to you all.

Oh there you are, Esther. Welcome to the party!

I got to go to my Grandpa Johnson's wedding yesterday. He's so handsome! Congratulations!

Look! A brand new cousin! And she SINGS!

ALAN. Anna. thomas.

Awww! I have a new Grandma!

For all my Provo-area readers out there, get y'self to the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum if you haven't already, or I'll sic Leroy here on you. He may be mounted to a wall and DEAD, but he can get really cranky when people don't respect his museum.

Call him "Whiskers" if you want, cuz Bret is curious to a fault.

Ha! GaZEBRA! This one's for Lissa.

Hey wait a second...Lichensteins Hartebeests don't work in the library!

Oh. No. There's an African lion 'bout to land on my head.

If you don't look like most people do
Some people run away from you,
But Mess won't!
Mess won't!

The amazing thing is the bear actually lost the staring contest, and he's DEAD. Way to go Bretty-Bret.

To quote the sea captain from the Simpsons: "Yarrr! I'm...not attractive."

Yeah, that whole thing where they tell you not to feed the animals? It also applies to dead and stuffed ones. Give in to them just once and they get all aggressive on you.

Ooh look! The animal closest to the camera on the second pedastel in from the left is from MONGOLIA. Say it with me, "Mon-GOH-lee-ah."

People always ask me how I keep my self-esteem up living with such a gorgeous roommate. I usually tell them, "Huh? Hobbies? Oh, well I guess I get along alright."