What a day!

My day started at 5:50 this morning, when I amazingly pulled myself out of bed. I know. It's Saturday AND that's two hours earlier than I woke up for work this past week (the earliest I woke up this week was 7:30 and that was honestly only because my new bed was supposed to be delivered between 8:30 and 12:30 that day). But I was talked into hiking Camelback Mtn for the first time ever and being a competitive soul, I couldn't back down.

Fourteen hours later, after having accomplished that feat, I've decided that I'm pretty sure I could teach a crash course in all of the wrong things to do while hiking. For instance, trying out your new joke (you know, the one that probably only you will think is funny) is not a good idea while climbing down the rocky part that's as slippery as ice with virtually no hand-holds (not sure if that's a valid term, but it fits in well so I think I'll use it). Not only was I the only one who heard the joke (apparently people had other things to concentrate on), but I was the only one who laughed. Somehow that resulted in me crossing my feet over each other, getting one temporarily stuck in a crevice, and almost tripping myself. Also, when using the handrails on the rocky part, do try to use as much leg power as possible. I'm pretty sure I pulled something in my arm and for that to happen while hiking is just plain embarrassing. Last, but not least, make sure that on the descent, you're the last one in your group. That way, your pals can't laugh at you when you slip on that stray patch of gravel and end up sliding sort of on your butt, "butt" mostly in a squatting position, for approximately 4 feet. My hands acted as damage control -- no idea how I didn't break any skin.

The good news about the hike is that it is far more manageable than I presumed it to be. Maybe it was the rest stops every 20 feet, or maybe it was the 3 gallons of water I was carrying on my back... but I lived to tell about it and will definitely be going back. Plus, I think I lost at least an inch off of each of my thighs and an inch off my waistline. According to my calculations, I should be down 4 dress sizes by the end of October.

After the hike and quick bite to eat, Jen and I showered up to head down to Tempe for the ASU football game. It did not even cross my mind that sunscreen would be a good idea in an outdoor stadium in 100-degree weather. That is, until I found out that our seats would be directly in the sun. Needless to say, I may have suffered the 4th all-time worst sunburn. Some of you (Renee, Tom, and Kyle in particular) may remember the September 2006 sunburn from the outing in the right field bleachers at Wrigley Field. That took 3rd place. First and second places are a toss-up between the July 2003 Florida burn (remember those pictures, Rousey?) and the [approximately] June 2000 Arizona burn (the one where the 2.5 hour plane ride home the next day felt like the longest day of my life). So anyway, tomorrow I will know exactly how bad this sunburn is. Nothing hurts...yet. However, I have some major tank top "tan" lines and my nose is a suspicious shade of red. Yuck.

By the time the game ended (ha, we left after the 3rd quarter because ASU was playing horribly), I was sooooooooo ready for a nap. (Call me a 3-year-old, but sometimes I just need my afternoon nap.) But nope, it was time to head to the west Valley for a potluck (which, I've been told several times today, is something that only old people do after church...au contraire, mes amis!) Good times were had and all I can say is... You know it's a successful potluck when you end up bringing home more than you initially brought. Tonight I spent $3.58 on garlic bread and came home with a tuxedo truffle cake, strawberries and cool whip (hehe), and two 2-liters of soda. Now that is what I consider a job well done on my part. It almost makes up for the sunburn. NOT.

And with that, I'm off to bed. No part of my body is going to appreciate the 7:11 am alarm that I will hopefully not forget to set before I hop (yes, literally) into bed.

Good nighty, sleep tighty!!!