Going Back to My Roots

This month has been awesome! I'm starting to come around and hold on to what's real. The same God who got me into this mad world is the same God who is pulling me out of it and revealing all things real: My family, clutch friends, and of course the outdoors. This month was all about remembering who I am.

I'm selling my car and going back to my college years driving around the ranger. I feel like I'm 19 again! Who would sell that beautiful Acura you ask? The hobo writing this blog...

I started running and eating healthy again. I've officially given up Costco cheese pizza (saddest day of my life) and traded it in for all things good. My newest favorite is this balsamic chicken from Trader Joes, Light Babybell Cheese, Granny Smith apples and shaved almonds. I can't live without Andy's veggie smoothies either. They're a daily staple for me to get energy to run. I ran 25 miles in 3 days and after my last day, I wanted to stay in this position for the next 3 days...

 

This week, I was reminded there are still good men in this world. Phil sent me the most thoughtful package to tell me there was someone on the other side of the world thinking of me. Until he's home in July, this picture of me, and Phil on top of Jonathon at the river makes me happy. 

I've experienced my two year old niece potty training and it's hilarious. I think the funnier thing is Sis and I standing by, cheering her on while bribing her with gummy worms as she looks at us like a couple of suckers. I'm loving her like crazy. Seeing her excitement when I walk in the door as she says "BEBBAAAA!!!" makes my heart smile every time. She loves seeing herself in the camera and laughs like it's the funniest thing in the world.

We took a camping trip up to Santa Barbara and I'm pretty sure Jayme is more my kid than my sister's. She loved the water and as soon as I set her down, she would bolt for it. The water was cold and all she could do was stand there shivering, with chattering teeth, pointing to the ocean saying "more more." She loves her sweats and beanies just like her Bebba. I love this little girl. 

Sis and I successfully pulled off camping cones! Wrap a waffle cone with some foil, stuff whatever you want in it (we did strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips.) Wrap em up, throw them on the fire for 5-10 minutes and voila. Everyone loved them, especially you know who... 

I love my family. This photo of my dad makes me laugh. He made up a song about what an idiot Chris is while Chris laughed hysterically. I haven't seen my dad play guitar in years, and I think I've seen him get in the ocean twice my entire life. This weekend, he played guitar, and for the 3rd time, he swam in the ocean.  I also got to see tipsy sissy which I don't think anyone has seen. She even tried to sneak a pee in Jayme's potty while no one looked until she was reminded it plays music anytime pee hits the bottom. She'll never live that one down.

This bible verse has always been my favorite and I think it's appopriate after this week. I forget sometimes I'm not in the driver seat and if I could just sit back, shutup, and let God drive, he'll reveal his plan for me.

Proverbs 3:5-6

 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understandings. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will lead your paths straight."

Easter Tent Hunt

What a weekend! Since everyone in my family goes to different churches now, Stace and I thought it would be cool to do a weekend in Joshua Tree and read the story of the Resurrection at the top of a rock. Her boyfriend Sean, and his friend Brian came along for the adventure.

We had to take Sean to Del Taco because we took Brian last time for the experience of a lifetime. This Del Taco has better people watching than any Walmart I've ever been to. The first quote of the trip goes to Sean.

Becca: "Sean, what are you eating?"
Sean: "An egg roll"........long silence........ "filled with caramel and cheesecake and it's friggin DELICIOUS."

We got to the parking lot and loaded up everything to hike in. We decided to do back country camping which is what I will do every time from now on. So awesome. Brian didn't get his camping gear in time, so I was given the job of carrying an extra large sleeping bag tied to my back pack. Brian had all the firewood we weren't supposed to be bringing in. Stace had the chest full of ice and Sean carried all the beer which he threatened to leave with if we pulled any shenanigans with snakes.

We got to camp and Stace and I went to put the tent up. Rewind for a second. Originally, we all had our own tents. My dad had the great idea to just take his 4-man tent to limit the load hiking in. Perfect. Thanks Pops. Except when we went to put up the tent, there were no poles. Lesson learned: Always check your gear. The boys rigged it in the trees somehow while Stace and I went to explore the area.













Our weekend diet consisted of Del Taco on the way up, PB&J Crustables (best invention ever), Coors Light, Ha-Weet Thins, and Taco Bell on the way down (I'm detoxing as we speak.) We sat by the fire and had a lot of good laughs which included Stacey's neck turning into the flying squirrel, my hair getting gnarlier by the hour, Sean visiting a rock that we think God made just for his convenience, Brian's German school girl socks, and one line from the movie "Wanderlust" that never got old: "I'm gonna hit you with my dee-ick." For some reason it was always funniest when Stacey said it. I've never seen the movie, but it was hilarious to hear these guys constantly quoting it.

The view from our tent Easter morning was enough to thank Jesus for allowing me to have it all. It was perfect. We set off for a hike that was about two hours to the summit. While filling up our bottles, Stace asked why we all couldn't just share one nalgene between the 4 of us. I told her we need at least a liter per person just in case. YOU'RE welcome for making us do that because our two hour hike turned into a 6 hour escapade. I decided it was a good idea to climb up the crack of a steep rock. Once I got to the top and saw there was a way down the other side, everyone else came up. I read Mark 16 at the top of the summit, we passed around a beer in celebration of making it to the top, Brian and I attempted to boulder the Lion's Den, and we made our way down the back side only to find there was no easy way back from there.

Water was getting low, the sun was getting high, and we were all fatigued to the max. I'd been in this situation before so I knew my best bet was to stay quiet and let everyone else who had a good sense of direction figure out which way to go. We had never been so happy to see that scraggly green tent. Stace had blood pouring from her nose, we all had cuts on our hands and legs, and there was nothing more on our minds than food. We high-tailed it out of there, went straight to Taco Bell and we may or may not have gone to McDonald's for a vanilla ice cream cone.

We got home to welcoming arms of family and a happy niece who reminds me why I live: God, family, friends, and the beauty He created for us to enjoy.

Isaiah 35:1

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. 

Joshua Tree-kers

A wonderland of fun. Literally a playground for adults. Stace, her friend Brian, and I went to Wonderland on Saturday and has such a blast. It was really windy and cloudy driving out so we were a little bummed but as soon as we got there, the winds died and it was in the 70's with bluebird skies. 

We started at Del Taco because last time Stace and I went, the staff there was so nice and we wanted to prove to Brian how awesome they were. Let's just say, this trip might have topped it off in the "memorable" category but definitely not pleasant. The only words I can say are.... fupa, reptile skin, wedgy, sweaty loofa and mutant teenager... I caught the giggles and had to get out of there as quick as possible. We did however treat Brian to his first Del Taco Cheeseburger! 

We went back to the house and sat by the fire with the fam, ate bbq and "fished" for my little brother and his friends. Life is good.