Idleness will Getcha

I've been extremely
Idle.
Lazy.
Un-productive.
Bored.
Whatever you want to label it as.

I thrive when I am busy and running non stop. Call me crazy, but I like love being stressed out (within reason). At least I'm accomplishing things! This whole 'sitting-around-doing-nothing-waiting-for-my-mission-to-start' is just not my thing! Sure, I study. Not as much as I should...that's something I'm working on...but studying can only fill so much of your day. I feel as if I'm sitting at home, checking Instagram and Facebook every 5 seconds just to find out nothing's new. Bleh.

On the off chance that I'm NOT at home, you can find me babysitting this little guy:

He's a snoozer. Take him on a car ride, and he's done for.

On another day, I babysat his little friend Reese as well.

Took them to gymnastics class which was adorable! It was safari week and Reese loved acting like a panther.

Throughout the day with Brody and Reese, I got asked THREE separate times, "how old are your twins?"
Well...first off, they're not twins. Second, they're not mine. Guess that's what happens when you start looking old enough to be a mom (even though I'm definitely not!).

While at Chick-fil-a, a guy was on break from the hospital and was chatting with me and the kiddos for a good 20 minutes. The kids were obsessed with him! It's so funny to watch them trying to impress him, doing little tricks on the bench and stuff.

On another day, Brody and I headed to the park.

He loved this toy of his. He would try throwing it as far as he could (which was never very far), then would have me count how fast he could run and grab it.

He never tired of this game. Over, and over, and over again, until he got distracted by the swings!

This is pretty much an every-day occurrence. Teah comes over to play, and they beg me to take videos of them and "put it on Youtube!!!" Well, the blog will have to do.
Teah loves to act like a little host, and explains everything that's going on. Count how many times she says, "and every body watch____" (fill in the blank). "And everybody watch me go down the slide. And everybody watch Brody go down the slide. And everybody watch..." You get the idea.

She's a cutie.

Kaden and I had a little date night. We went out for Sushi, then went to his school's production of "The Jungle Book Musical." It actually was a super cute show! I enjoyed it. And sushi is the way to my heart, I adore it.

My father texted me and used a hash tag. #whatishappening?

 My shirt from '18 nineteen' came in the mail. I really love it. "Sorry Mister, I'm a sister"

Boys are a no!

On Thursday, I had the best day ever. Seriously.

I went on splits with the Sister missionaries here, Sister Nielsen and Sister Likes. We taught six people, and it was incredible. I loved getting to know each of them, and felt so connected so quickly! I already love them, and that really took me off guard. It's killing me not to go back to the follow up meetings with them. I've thought and prayed about them every day since.

I think going on splits is the best way for me to see what it's really going to be like on my mission--because I am doing the exact same thing! There are rules I didn't even know about, like how whenever you put the car in reverse, the other companion has to stand outside and motion to you how to proceed. 

I was able to get a glimpse into how challenging the work will be, but also how rewarding! It thrills me to think how much deeper I'll love the people I teach, and I'll actually get to be there each lesson (: 

Overall, it was really comforting. I got super nervous driving over to meet the sisters, and was flooded with feelings of inadequacy! But when I actually started talking to the people, it just flowed. Words came. I felt the spirit so strongly. It was encouraging because I could see that what I was saying was helping the people and I was making a difference. I take that back, the spirit was making a difference. It wasn't even me, it was the Lord working through me Such a neat experience! Literally can not wait to do that for a year and a half.

On Saturday we drove 2 hours for my cousin Kaela's graduation party. Great to see her again!

Funny story--I was wearing a cute white blouse with a bow on it, when I looked down to see a giant streak of chocolate down the front! I got a little too anxious after dipping my strawberry in the chocolate fountain, and ate it while it was drippy. Oops! Luckily her grandma saved the day and gave me this shirt so I didn't have to look like a mess. (:

 The pictures just get more and more people in them...

The whole side of Kendra's family--the Svanum side.

In the above picture, Kendra thought she had her arm around my dad, not her dad. She stuck her thumb down his pants before realizing this. Oops! We laughed a bunch. Even funnier is that all he said was, "Whoever's doing that, don't stop."

Today me and Parker got Chipotle.

That was the only time I left the house today. Sad? Yes. Delicious? Definitely.

And finally, the last pictures from my shoot with Michele.

And last but certainly not least, this picture:

I have absolutely no idea what I am doing, but it cracks me up! Me and Michele were dying of laughter when we saw this. Just a candid picture, but I look like a gangster or something. "Sista Bishop in da hood!" 

13 days left in California!

California Trip

So this past week, Alise and I packed up some beach clothes and food in her giant white van, and traveled down the coast of California! 

Holy cow, guys. It was SO fun! And b-e-a-utiful. We took good old Highway 1, which literally takes you right next to the ocean for the whole trip. Gorgeous! You better believe I was going craaaazy with pictures. I tried to narrow it down the best I could, but there is definitely a good chunk of 'em left. Like, we're talking 176 pictures to be exact. But don't let that number scare you away! Even though there's lots, they are all worth a looksie. Here we go!

If they're extra-large in size, that means I extra-like them! That way when you're scrolling through you know which are the best. (:

Told you it was a big van! Kind of a creeper van, but we didn't care.

Hands down the prettiest most jaw-dropping road trip I've ever been on.

Aren't all these pictures killer? We had a good 6 hours straight just taking in all the perfect surroundings.

We also listened to Nicholas Sparks' book on tape, "The Best of Me." It was such a good book! We looked forward to spending time in the car, just because we got to listen to it.

There was a squirrel! The guy in the car next to us was making fun of us for being scared.

Seriously, the beaches were SO WINDY. See how many wind-blown hair pictures you can count. I'm not talking a model kind of look, no. I'm talking the crazy Einstein and hair-in-my-mouth look.

Alise writing I <3 Alex to send a picture to her man.

My rockin' new hat (pun intended).

Sand dollar hunting

That night we crashed at a family friend's house, Lindsey! Her adorable abode was perfect, and we were so tired that sleeping on the floor didn't bother us in the slightest.

We found a place way at the end of the dock where you could go underneath it! So fun.

You can tell just how windy it was by the noise!

This next part of the trip was probably my favorite. We went to Pirate's Cove!

We started out far away and had quite the hike over, including standing on multiple cliff edges.

I LOVE this picture of it:

Do you see the cave?? I'll help you out.

It's right here...

So we hiked aaallll the way over to it of course!

Ta-dah!

We popped out the other side to find ourselves on another cliff, with a nudist on the beach next to us, just how we like it (;

It was pure serenity just sitting there with the beautiful water, watching it crash on the rocks below us.

See the water? Gorgeous.

Creepin' on some surfers.

K so this great thing happened...

and I have NO IDEA HOW! It's driving me nuts. I'm just going along, choosing all the pictures to post on here, then I see this:

Say whaaa? How did this happen!?? I wish I knew...then I could make more! But no. It just magically did it itself, and it keeps taunting me. So enjoy this one, because there won't be another one!

 Apparently Splash Cafe is really famous?

I survived Highway 1!

 This beaut was voted America's prettiest court house. I'm inclined to agree.

 Walking around the streets, looking like a maniac with my beach hair.

 We did a little shopping on State Street.

Found this amazing store where everything is $16 or less!

 We stayed with my good friend Kimi that night, and the next morning she took us surfing! We got wet suits, boards, and all, all for free! It's nice to have friends with hook-ups.

 Had the beach all to ourselves.

 Carrying the massive board down there was no easy feat.

 These pictures were taken right at shore, but for the most part, we were actually way way way far out in the ocean! That's where the big waves were.

 Basically me and Alise just floated around on our bellies, way out in the ocean. It was pure bliss. I got a lot better at standing up! That was my big accomplishment, just standing there.

The only downside was my random bursts of fear. I would just be floating along and brush up against something underwater, and my mind would automatically go SHARK! But no shark encounters, just a sting ray (which gave me a big enough scare to last the whole trip).

We got there just in time for the sunset! Holy cow, just amazing. So beautiful.

 Except the Ferris Wheel was shut down...so disregard that last statement.

 Love the colors in this one:

 This guy playing his music and singing made me over-the-moon happy. I'm a sucker for live acoustic music.

 After I sent a picture of the Santa Monica Pier & sunset saying "my view right now," this is what Corbin sent back...

I don't even find this offensive. Just way funny. Love him.

 The first sign I saw with San Fernando on it!!

 That night and the two following, we stayed at Alise's grandparents' house, which is in San Fernando (they are currently serving there!).

Here are some random pictures of my  mission.

 I love this one. It surprised me how hill-y the area was, and how green! Everyone told me it was a dessert, which I'm sure it is, but it's covered with trees and just beautiful. I seriously love my mission so much! Can't wait to be there in less than 2 months (ahhhh!!!!) (:

 We went to the LA temple, but I forgot my recommend so Alise did baptisms while I was in the visitor's center chatting with the Sisters there.

 Hollywood Boulevard!

 (side note: if you've seen the new Iron Man, this famous Chinese Theater is the one where the first explosion happens in the movie!)

 San Fernando Mission Blvd.

YOU MADE IT! No more trip pictures!
We drove up Sunday the boring way, on a different (and faster) freeway. Such an amazing trip!

Now I fill my time babysitting. I love babysitting here, the kids worship me and the pay is twice that of in Utah. Holla!

Today I watched these cuties:

And a few other kiddos as well. That baby was to die for. So smiley and happy!

Brody, on the left, is such a funny guy.
When telling him no for something, he just says,
"Well I don't listen. I'm not a listener, so I'm going to do it anyways."
Ha! That'll be something we work on (:
When eating mac n' cheese:
"I'm going to take this mac n' cheese and flip it all over your face."
I promise he likes me though, despite his threats and not listening.

I've been feeling like this lately as I try to finish up my mission wardrobe, or as I like to call it, my mishdrobe.

 

And if you want a good laugh, please watch this video. My family and I love it. It's so quotable too!

"You can tell it's an aspen by the way it is."

The animal calling is my favorite part.

Well that's all for now, have a splendid week!