HAPPY CUATRO DE JULIO!

What an awesome picture. It looks like Alice stole all my dad's hair.

Last weekend I made another long journey back home to California. The only difference about this time was that I didn't feel like I was going to crash and die while in the car. My friend, Meredith, from my ED 200 class (and who happened to be baptized with Ry when they were 8) told me that she was going down a day earlier than my ride was going and that she had room for another! I jumped on the opportunity and left the next day. We drove down to SLC to meet up with a friend of Meredith's then journeyed home. I got into Elk Grove around 1 am Friday morning safe and sound.

I fell asleep in the guest room my mom had prepared for me and woke up promptly at 6:15. I have no idea why I was so awake after not having slept in the car and receiving about 4 hours of sleep but there I was. Awake and alert. Not wanting to lay in my bed till a more reasonable hour I "frolicked" into my parents' room and crawled in between my mom and dad. I don't think Dad appreciated that too much but Mom talked to me in the bed for about an hour. After chatting, we got up and did Denise Austin's "Boot Camp" workout video. It was a fun, kickin' workout.

I was supposed to meet Ry to go swimming at 10:30 am but I stopped at Arden Fair Mall to buy a pair of cheap sunglasses (I had forgotten mine at college) and a cute little toe ring. I've been eye-ing toe rings for a while and think that they are so adorable. So I waltzed right in to The Icing and purchased a simple three wired toe ring. Yes, I had to stop and put it on right in the mall... Then stop 2 times on my way out to readjust it. I'm still getting the hang of it but it was a good buy.

Around 11:00 I picked up Ry and we went to the clubhouse pool to lay out and swim. I'm grateful that I'm comfortable enough with Ryan to go swimming with him. It makes these activities that we do I a lot more fun. Anyway, we swam a bit (me without getting my face and hair wet) and then laid in the sun on the pool chairs. Ryan is one of the biggest sun babies I know. Any chance he has to get out in the sun he does. ha, ha.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at my sister's watching "New Moon" and getting psyched up for seeing "Eclipse" the next day. We then went to my parents to eat the traditional Friday pizza and called it a day.

Saturday morning, Sarah, Aaron, Ry, and I went to the early bird showing of "Eclipse". Did I love it? YES. Mucho. But I'm a sucker for those kinds of movies. After the movie nap time came for me and Ryan. We sure do love our naps.

That evening, the Hogge clan got together at Gma and Gpa Hogge's house and had dinner, dessert and fireworks. Ry walked onto the patio area where the dinner was set up with the chargers and goblets and fabric napkins and said "Wow, this is nice" (or something to that extent). This doesn't seem humorous but anyone who has ever been to a Hogge dinner at Gma's knows this is a very common scene. That evening was extremely fun. After dinner, Natalie, Josh and Tarzan showed up after driving all the way from Texas. What a fun treat!

A lot of us got to sit around the table and chat, chat, chat! I loved it!

Earlier that day, Mari helped my mom decorate these red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

Mari and Kendall loved them!

Ryan thought it would be funny to smash the lovely cupcake into my face just as the picture was being taken.

Ry and Manna had time to react. I, however, did not. Boo.

That night was so much fun!

Sunday, I attended sacrament meeting in my family ward then went to the Sacramento Stake's YSA ward with Ry. I got to see Kelsey with her fiance, Corey, or Elder Rich. ha, ha.

After church we went to my house and I demolished Ryan at Checkers. The only game I can beat him in. ha, ha. After dinner, my family played Quibbler. A cross between phase 10 and scrabble. It was a lot of fun! Even though I placed last... Oh well! You win them, you lose them. After the exciting game, Dad made some Fruit in the Season thereof to-go and Ry and I made our way back to his house. We watched some fireworks and played a game of Sorry! with sister, Ellen.

All in all. It was one of the most fun weekends I've had in a long time. Nothing beats being able to spend a weekend with your family and boyfriend. I know a lot of people don't think family time is the most enjoyable time they have but going away to college has really helped me realize how much I enjoy being home!

Happy Fourth of July!