Baby sister!

Yeah, yeah, I'm well aware that I'm overdue for an update. Sorry, my little sister was hogging my computer all week.

I'm sure everyone's aware by now that my eighteen-year-old baby sister came to visit. The entire rest of my family have blogged about it, so I guess it's my turn.

Hm.

We hiked the Harding Icefield Trail. Well, most of it. Somebody that wasn't me got tired before we even reached the snowline, so we didn't make it quite all the way. That's all right, though. It was still fun. Actually, it was pretty cool, because there's this plank where there's a plank about two feet wide that goes over a waterfall. Well, kind of a waterfall. It was the kind of waterfall that's really just a stream running down a very steep slope. The stream was maybe thirty feet wide. But we refilled our water bottles in the waterfall and the water was ice cold and crystal clear, and it tasted fantastic!

After that, we watched a movie with Tom and Rye, then headed to a barbecue at the church. Before we'd even gotten inside the door, I had two kids hanging off of me. When we got inside, four more lunged at me and dragged me over to eat at the children's table. Have you ever tried to eat hot dogs while sitting in a child's chair with a six-year-old trying to climb onto your shoulders and a four-year-old tugging at your arms, another kid telling you about her Barbie lunchbox, another telling you she's going to start kindergarten soon, and a mother telling you how her kids take turns pretending to be you when they play House? It was hilarious! Especially since I'd never even met two of the kids, and within five minutes, they were my best friends.

Then there were potato sack races, and I got to demonstrate to the kids how to do it. When it was the grown-ups turn to race, I lost. But that was only because just before the race started, one of the kids climbed into the sack and insisted on jumping with me. I nearly killed her. Oops!

I beat a soccer chick at leg wrestling, by the way! I was super proud of myself for that. I also beat my sister at both leg wrestling and... that stick wrestling game.... You sit on the floor, your feet touching your opponents, and you both grab a stick. Someone says go, and you both pull on the stick as hard as you can. First person whose butt comes off the ground loses. I'm also proud to say I didn't actually LOSE to the strongest guy there, who creamed every opponent he played against. I gave up because I knew I couldn't budge him, but I never lost my seat. Go Lint Monkey :P


What else did we do? Ha, I got Dianna hooked on World of Warcraft. Well, no, not hooked. She thought it was kinda fun, I think. She obviously has virtually no experience moving in video games, though. It was really funny to watch. She kept running into walls. And then running into them again. And then trying to get out of the corner she stuck herself into by... running through it? Tee-hee!

Oh snap, and we took candy from strangers on the hiking trail. I never turn down free food! Anyway, we were about to take a picture, and this older man and lady offered to take a picture with both of us. The lady asked if we were sisters and both of us almost simultaneously claimed the other was adopted. "Yep, definitely sisters." Apparently, the lady's a teacher and is also working towards her fifth college degree... and she still doesn't know what she wants to do when she grows up. Also, she has five adult daughters. She reminded me of my mom a bit, just because of that. Not the five daughters (my mom only has one daughter... and me), but the not knowing what to do when she grows up. Anyway, her husband gave us candy. He had a whole pocketful. I bet children love him! I've dubbed him the Candyman, and he's my new best friend.

We also went to the Sea Life Center, which is (go figure) a marine science museum that's pretty much the only real tourist attraction downtown. The branch president at the church is the manager there, and when he met my sister, he pretty much said, "Take her to the Sea Life Center. I'll leave you tickets at the desk, so just say your names and they'll let you in free." WOOT! It usually costs about twenty dollars per person, so that was pretty awesome! And the harbor seal, by the way, totally farted at us. Twice. It wasn't just a little fluff, either. We're talking, the seal lifted its butt out of the water, raised its tail up, and went PbbtPbBpptt!!!! Twice.

After that, we were driving home, and I said "Hey, let's have dinner at Rainy Daze, because this family at church owns it!" So we stopped and got a milkshake and a ham/turkey/meunster panini, which was absolutely fantastic, and Brother DeLand refused to let us pay him for it. Pretty awesome again!

Sunday, we just walked around Seward. Found a shed behind the high school that was labeled "Sacrifices," which is always a little disturbing... or hilariously funny. There were dead bodies in there. If they hadn't all been insects, it might have been terrifying.


Yesterday at work, Rye gave me a hickey. On the neck. With his hands. What a man-slut.

Just kidding. Here's the real story: I was trying to wrestle something out of Rye's hands, and he tried to do some kind of Vulcan Neck Pinch to me. Of course, I have super sensitive skin, so I got red marks on my neck from where Rye was messing with me. Well, Toby came in and asked who gave me the hickey on my neck, and the only honest answer I could give was "Rye did it." Rye tried to say it was Tom's fault, because I had taken Tom out to lunch (which is true). Yeah sure, way to take it like a man, Rye. Pansy.

I got contact lenses today after I dropped Dianna off at the airport. It was the single most unpleasant experience I've ever paid to subject myself to. Worse even than going to the dentist. First they shot me in the eyes with blasts of air (I loathe that monstrosity of a device!) and then this lady insisted I let her put the contacts in the first time and started repeatedly poking me in the eye with a plastic suction cup. Of course, my reflexes about things being near my eyes are very strong and definite. No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep my eyes open to let her put the stupid things in. She admitted I was one of the worst patients ever, at least about that, and was getting noticeably frustrated with my inability to open my eyes. She seemed content to blame my deep-set eyes. I was unaware I had deep-set eyes. Then again, I was also unaware that I have minor astigmatism. Apparently, I've had it for a while, but no one ever told me.

Despite being uncomfortable and taking forever to get in and out and the prescription being weird and well-nigh impossible to get used to, I can say one thing for contacts. Three, actually. One: They'll allow me to wear sunglasses. Two: I got to clearly see what I look like without glasses for the first time since about fourth grade. Three: Everything looks bigger with contacts instead of glasses. Apparently, that has something to do with the astigmatism that I didn't know I had.

I wanted colored contacts because I've always wanted dark brown eyes. Like, really dark, virtually black. The doctor talked me out of it, though, which is fine, I guess. Saves me thirty dollars anyway.

And that's all. Toodles!