For Shnee!

I don't cook that much/Venting

We had a service project/barbecue for the Wednesday night joint activity last week, and all the gals and ladies were supposed to bring chips or cookies. I had Tanner and Porter with me at the store and Tanner requested Oreos-no problem. I don't cook/bake too often and it was freakin' hot. Anyways, following the yard work extravaganza, we headed over to the barbecue/pool party and the other YW leaders and I were arranging everything in the kitchen. One of the other women saw the Oreos and then looked at me, saying, "Of course; that's such a Candice thing to bring." Seriously? A few months back we had a dinner at my house and some of the women would not shut up about the fact that I only had two dishtowels and limited cooking utensils. How many dishtowels does one person need? I don't go to their houses and comment on their kids' toys being everywhere, or ask personal questions about their relationships. Why do they feel the need/right to do so with me?

Europe pictures...finally!

Meteora, Greece (what Linkin Park named its album after)-people actually climb these. There are crevices where, every year, climbers gather scarves from people in the surrounding villages and string them up.
The Colosseum-our guide was amazing and described for us all of the sights, smells and sounds one would experience. I just kept on thinking of Russell Crowe's awesomeness in "Gladiator"-"Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?"
Monasteries in Meteora. It is CRAZY to think these were built, brick by brick, centuries ago. It is also crazy to think that the priests and nuns pray for 8 hours EVERYDAY...I bought some pretty sweet handmade candles from the convent-thanks, ladies!
A bit of our group at the location of the Battle of Thermopylae, in front of the statue of Leonidas, King of Sparta. (Insert your own quote from "300" here-I never saw the movie, though it looked pretty cool.)
A very important pillar (I don't know why it's important, I can't read ancient Greek and it was too hot to listen to the guide and baby-sit) in Delphi, the "center of the world." Apparently Zeus sent out two eagles to circumnavigate the globe and this is where they crossed. How is this possible, if Mt. Olympus is also in Greece? I think something is a bit shady in the world of mythology. Right, that's why it's MYTHology...
At the Acropolis with Elliott and Rane.

Gorgeous sunset in Florence, my favorite Italian city.
Assissi, on the steps of the Church of Mary and Minerva. (As we all know from "The Da Vinci Code," when Christianity was officially adopted, many pagan churches and holidays were kept and simply renamed.)
The American media even has control in Italy!
A lovely moment of relaxation at the beach.
View from my room in Sorrento, Italy. Jealous? (No AC and the water didn't work, so calm your envy.)

What's in a name?

For those in the know, Nicole had her baby boy last Wednesday at 3am-YEA! As I was at Girls' Camp, I found out when they announced it at Friday's campfire to the whole crowd (Dixon Kumer had told my parents just a few minutes before). After much discussion, they finally christened him with the name of...Daniel Skeet Tristan Panero. Hmmm...For all who are interested, go to urbandictionary.com to find out the colloquial meaning of the second name (if I were computer savvy I would give you the link, but life isn't that good, my friends). Good luck in life, cute new nephew of mine. (And yes, I know that is Dave Chappelle as Lil' Jon-I could not live with myself if I ever posted an actual picture of the man who gave us Crunk Juice.)

Girls' Camp, Shmirls' Shmamp

I and the other Rosedale Ward leader are crap and failed to bring a camera, hence the file photo-Google never lets me down. Fun fact: the average person uses Google 40.7 times a month. Obviously I am above average, as I use it about 400.7 times a month when school is in session. But I digress...I was one of only two leaders in camp, and 7 of our 9 girls were on the 4th year hike for most of the week, making ward campfires a tad quiet. The ward next to us stayed up until the wee hours most nights, though, so I still managed to be annoyed and engage in telling some girls to can it, as it was past midnight, to which some 12 year old with a death wish replied she could "sing if [she] wants to!" Seriously? Rather than give her the beatdown she deserved, I just zippped up my tent, figuring black eyes don't really invite the spirit. Overall, though, it was a great week, and Big Meadow is as amazing as ever. I got a chance to get to know my girls better and to hang out with Jamie Bingham (nee' Bedke), whose mom supplied me with peppermint oil to relieve my huge mosquito bites. Gold star to my mama who served as camp director and did an amazing job. I'm sure she'll start planning next year's camp as soon as she gets back from Hawaii- I'll help as long as she brings back a coconut monkey for me!

"That lady's scary!"

The frightening picture above is a sticker I've had on my car since I purchased it almost 9 years ago. (Go Honda! Maybe if American companies made better, more fuel-efficient cars, they wouldn't be shutting down car plants around the country. Sorry, Detroit.) Yesterday Jacob took my door apart to fix a stuck window (thanks, Jacob!) and Talia, whilst watching him work, noticed the sticker and proclaimed it a "scary lady." Mom jumped on the chance to convince me to remove it, as my family and students have always looked at it and wondered, but even though my darling Talia asked me to remove it, I just can't. It probably sounds weird, but it's like a remnant of my 18 year old self that I just can't let go. Thus, the scary lady stays until I run my good ol' Civic into the ground.

Checklists suck.

So we left Greece at 4am yesterday, landed in LA at 10:30pm, and arrived in Bakersfield at 2am. Taking into account time zones, I was up for a total of 28 hours; I HATE that I am a light sleeper and can't snooze on planes. (PS-"The Spiderwick Chronicles" is a hot mess of a movie and should not be shown on land, sea, or air.) The jet lag hit me this afternoon, but I had to post this picture, as it pretty much sums up all that was NOT fun on my European rendevouz. I was required to take roll of everyone whenever we arrived at another really significant pile of rocks, a random church, or when someone had to stop to buy another crappy souvenir that most likely broke in their suitcase. I'll put up more pictures and info. in a couple days when I have had some sleep and am not so bitter...but let's be honest, sleep won't rid me of cynicism.