my life as a scarecrow

It's 2:48 am and I can't sleep. I have so much running through my head it's impossible for me to even begin counting sheep. Plus I haven't taken a math class since high school so I probably wouldn't be very successful in the whole number business right now. I'm not going to get into the things running around my head in a way resembling my cross-country-star-little-sister barreling along at her 5 minute miles (speaking of, she actually sounds like she's awake right now too. GO TO SLEEP SISTER) because that would just not be appropriate. Instead, I'm just going to go on a sleepless rant that probably won't make much sense later. Oh well. People do this type of thing when they're drunk tired. Right?

for the record, i'm really not drunk. i don't even know what alcohol smells like. moving on.

Tomorrow morning (aka later today) I get the stitches from my face removed. I seriously can't wait because as of right now they just seem like weird hairs growing out of my face that I can see in my peripheral. I feel like a scarecrow or a witch with one of those hairy moles. Except for that was the whole point, to have the mole removed. So that's confusing.

It's been interesting, this whole surgery/cutting/bandaging/numbing/swelling/stitching thing that's been my life this last week. Everyone knows I'm not one to relish in any of those things on other people, so the fact that it happened to me? I don't think about it too much because....ugh. I was so lightheaded the first time I took my bandages off to switch them that I had to lay down. Twice. Later that day I resolved to not be a "pansy", took the band-aid off, and really looked at what was going on up in there.

I promptly started crying. CRYING. Like, tears rolling down my cheeks. My mom and sister were kind and asked me what was wrong. Through the sobs I responded, "I just looked at myself in the mirror." Legitimately, my reflection made me cry. you can laugh. They comforted me while I cried things like, "What have I done to myself?" Looking back I think I might have irrationally jumped to the conclusion that the surgeon had messed up, the cut was too big too heal and my smiling/laughing/talking the previous night had destined me to a life of dis-figuration. The only bright side was that maybe Dumbledore would hire me because I would now so closely resemble Mad-Eye Moody.

If I were Mad-Eye would you be in my fan club? 

Please?

The first few days of my bandages I tried not to go out at all. I mean, I went to church and that happened to be the day that the directory woman insisted on taking my picture, despite me pleading that maybe I could just send her one instead. Every person at Home Depot probably thought I had had a bad run in with a chainsaw and all the kids thought I was a mummy. I'm sure of it.

Eventually I got used to my band-aids and would even forget I had them on. So once I regained some self-esteem I went shopping at the mall. On the escalator I was behind a cute baby/toddler who wouldn't stop looking at me. I tried smiling and making faces at him, then realized that I was probably traumatizing the child and decided to just take a picture of him instead.

Oh, you thought I was lying?

Anyway, it's been an hour. Maybe I could sleep now. Oh, and I promise I'm not as creepy as I sound/look. Sometimes I just take pictures of kids. No harm.

Ok. I'm beyond creepy. Someone help me. It's late.

peace and Chuckie Keeton.
usu deserved to win solely because of him. 

rrw

*****OH MY GOSH THE BIGGEST SPIDER IN THE WORLD JUST CRAWLED UNDER MY BED. LIKE, THIS SPIDER WAS SO BIG I HAD TO KILL IT WITH A BROOM. ITS YOUNG ARE GOING TO EAT ME IN MY SLEEP. FAREWELL WORLD.*****

totes the best fam vacay

The Weiler family is known far and wide for the fun vacations we go on.

...Ok, so maybe not, but we should be. To throwback to just one of these vacations is an injustice to my childhood. I mean, do I choose the three day river-rafting trip down class 5 rapids when we slept on the side of the Colorado River and lost our guide's bocci ball? Or do I write about our road-trip to Mt. Rushmore when my parents totally rented a CruiseAmerica vehicle and we duck-taped a full on TV to the side of it so we could watch movies like rednecks? But then there are all the little local trips to Moab, Bear Lake, and Capitol Reef during Easter break when we had to hunt for our Easter baskets in the cliffs of the National and State Parks. And I can't forget about the trip to Virginia and our 9 hour drive to see the wild ponies of Chincoteague Island and they ended up being tied to a post.

We've hiked through Canada and biked in Colorado. We've lounged on the beach in Seaside and we've ziplined through the jungle in Puerto Vallarta. We've walked through Historical Williamsburg during a rainstorm and we've had marshmallow gun wars in the goblins of Goblin Valley. We've ventured through slot canyons in Kanab and we've para-glided in Mexico. We've boated in Montana, swum in the natural springs of South Dakota, rappelled in Southern Utah, taken in the grandeur of Glacier, stuck our feet over the side of Halfdome in Yosemite Valley, and shot guns at the Sun Valley Gun Club.

And all of these have stories and stories and stories to go with them, which make for terrible dinner conversation because you end up laughing so hard you can't even enjoy the Thai Peanut Chicken shish kabobs.

But the best? Maybe the best was when we were in Cancun and going to visit a monkey reservation in the depths of the jungle. As soon as we got out of the car, monkeys attacked. They stole Rebecca's sunglasses, climbed on our car, and teased us endlessly- much to the amusement of the other families sitting safely in their minivans. We were dealing with the situation and laughing it off, when the last straw was reached.

My little sister, about 6 or 7 at the time, came face to face with a monkey twice as big as she was. She turned and started running away as fast as she could, but the monkey was faster. It went chasing after her, arms raised above it's head like a full on ghoul-monkey and screeching at the top of its lungs. We all stared in disbelief while my brother sprang to action. Picking up a nearby log stick, Spencer went chasing after the monkey chasing after Caroline, swinging the tree he had uprooted and yelling at the monkey screeching at Caroline who was crying. we never knew spencer could be so protective.

In the end, we were all ok. Spencer was almost arrested for threatening wildlife and a monkey bit all the beads off my recently braided hair.

Good times in Mexico.

peace and vacations

rrw

welcome to fabulous

In the last 5 days I have been in 5 different states. Can we just acknowledge that this is crazy? I mean, how in the world did I get so lucky? I love my summers like this - chuck full of vacations with almost no time to do anything else. People generally like to travel, but how in the world do I manage to plan a vacation every weekend? Maybe it's because I've been in Provo for 3 years straight and I'm starting to get antsy here. Maybe it's because my family has always done this during the summer and I just can't help myself. Maybe it's because I figure, when else am I going to be able to do this? Maybe it's because I've been in so many weddings I feel like I should be going on honeymoons too. Maybe it's because adventure is out there! And I can't help taking a teeny taste of it. I mean, if you can't get your blood pumping a little faster every now and then, how do you even know you're alive? that should become a song lyric. someone contact ben gibbard or adam levine. 

Well, there have been more than enough moments in my life recently that have gotten my blood moving through my body, proving that I am a living human being and not slowly turning into a zombie. Here are a few of those moments.

-Eating three delicious cookies from Paradise Bakery: chocolate chip, lemon zester, and the {{winner!!}} coconut chocolate chip. ohmygosh go get it right now. everything's better with coconut.
-Listening to The Lion King soundtrack. Anytime, anywhere, that gets me excited.
-Seeing a cop hiding out in the bushes and praying that he won't notice you going well over the speed limit. happens every time!
-Coming over the crest of the Las Vegas valley while listening to Brandon Flowers singing about how fabulous Las Vegas is. it's basically inspiring. 

-Driving on the strip. I try not to be too proud of my accomplishments, but dang. I will put that on all my resumes from here on out because I have never been so beyond the edge of my nerves in my life. all the lights! all the honking! all the limos! all the pedestrians! all the stop and go traffic while driving a stick shift!

-Manipulating parking garages. Daedalus (that's the guy who created the labyrinth and yes I had to go look that up just now) would be proud of the monstrosities we have constructed. They are endless and exitless and you will get eaten by a Minotaur before you find your way out.
-Interacting with people on the strip."Please don't touch me." "I'm sure you are an excellent Christian Rock singer but I just can't take that CD from you." "Excuse me I'm just trying to stand here." "No we are not going to any clubs tonight, no matter how many free drinks you offer us."

 people were so happy for us.

#thanksguys

#stoodup #yousir #wouldyouliketomarryme?

-ACTUALLY watching the Bellagio fountains go off and feeling like we were in our own Ocean's Eleven show. Or on a date courtesy of ABC. see any season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette for reference.

-Trying to find the pool for a quick dip before checkout time and eventually just asking the strangers in the elevator with us where it is because you've gotten off on three different floors and it's nowhere to be seen. Only complaint with the pool: why was there no diving board or platforms or slides or lily-pads to crawl over? I mean, what do they expect us to do there? Just swim around and flirt with boys? 

found this gem on my camera while going through the pictures so i added some commentary and put it here.

cool. i know.

-Eating at Serendipity because that stuff was just so good and that word is just so fun. I also give my official thumbs up to the Frrrrrrrozen Hot Chocolate. Personally I'd just stick with the classic flavor but hey, it's your life. Live it the way you want! What's the phrase? #yol....never mind. I can't continue.

holy cow why is my best friend so pretty?

-Shopping. I don't even know where to begin with that. So many things to buy. I got some yellow-sandal-heel-things and can't wait to wear them...somewhere. A wedding maybe? Next week? Ok. Will do. I totally did the "selfie in the mirror" while trying on other clothes so that my bff could tell me what she thought while she perused a different store but I won't inflict those pictures on you.

so, i would always take pictures of the other three and then they'd offer to take one of me. 

but then no one would be in the photo with me.

so it looks like i went to vegas alone.

#coolbeans

It was an exciting trip. From having a man named Jared come to our room to fix our TV at midnight to finding out the Nestle Tollhouse Cookies shop gave out free water to having heart attacks while walking through Tiffany's and wishing it was realistic for me to get some sparkly from there, it was just all good.

The last 10 minutes of the trip might have been the most exciting as we found ourselves spinning out of control across 4 lanes of traffic. All I have to say about that is miracles are real, everyone is fine, there were no collisions, and miracles are real. Wait, did I say miracles are real? Because guys, miracles are real. I've been saying prayers of gratitude that we're not all in the hospital with broken bodies right now.

Miracles, man.

peace and vegas

rrw

4 Pics 1 Week...ish

-A lot of funny things happen when you're on a road trip with the Weilers. This one took the cake though. After stopping to get groceries in Pocatello and trying to get everything to fit in the already jammed packed minivan, Caroline and I heard my dad muttering about how he was going to keep the watermelon cool. We heard "Ok, that'll work," and turn to see the watermelon tucked away with one of the bike helmets keeping it safe. I about peed my pants right there in the middle of the parking lot.

-Sometimes my parents can convince us to help with yard work. But sometimes it's at the house in Logan and it's just super muddy and you come away with hobbit feet that way 6 pounds heavier than normal.

-Stupidest, most addicting game. "Llama or Duck?" And a lot harder than you'd think it would be. And all the pictures of the llamas are priceless. We spent a good hour passing the phone between me, my sister, two cousins, and uncle. Family bonding right ther.

-While sitting on the boat with my 8 and 10 year old cousins, I called them babushkas. They absolutely loved that and took every opportunity to do their best imitation of the Russian grandmas. They even got my sister to do the same during our only-girl-cousin-slumber-party. And doesn't Caroline look great?

I've also never gotten better boy advice than from those little girls.


peace and drinks from sonic
you know who you are

rrw