Top Ten Reasons I'm happy I moved to Oakland!

1.I'm only 15 minutes from the Temple.
2. My ward is super friendly, especailly the young men!
3. I'm only 3 hours from my home town and can see my family often!
4. I am a grad student at a school that is very much about the students.
5. I get to live in an adorable little town house.
6. My roommates are great.
7. People here keep telling me I'm beautiful (don't worry I wont get a big head but seriously this has happen to me about 4 times since I've been here).
8. I'm still near the ocean.
9. There's alot to do an see and explore...
10. I know this is where I'm supposed to be and there's alot of peace in that.

Yosemite!

So my new ward went to Yosemite this weekend to camp and hike half dome and since I'm really trying to just jump right in I went along (there was a group of people not going on the hike that were hanging out and doing shorter hikes, another important reason why I went). We all arrived Friday night and set up our beds under the stars (above is a pic I took of our tarps and one girl still sleeping in the morning). It was beautiful.


In the morning I went with two girls from my ward for a 5 mile hike along a beautiful reservoir. Here we are at the beginning of the hike.



Here's a beautiful view from along the trail.

Here's another beautiful view from close to the end.

Here's a pic of half dome from the valley floor where we met up with the rest of the non half dome group after our hike. I figured I would take of pic of it since most of the ward spent the day actually hiking it.

Here's a friendly deer we met as we were walking across the parking lot to go swimming.

Here's a beautiful spot along the river where we went swimming and floated along on blow-up rafts that our bishops wife brought along. It was a wonderful day and so Relaxing. After swimming we went back to Curry village and waiting for our ward members to get back from the hike. Once our car was full we headed out. Our trip home was full of bonding we chatted, laughed, listened to music and sang along. It was an amazing trip.

Family Camp

During the last week of July my sister Brianna and I went with our friend Hillary and her family to a camp near shaver lake called "Camp Sierra". A group of families that Hillary's family knows rent the camp for a week each summer. They plan church meetings, devotions, lake days, swim days, skit nights, and much more. It's a blast and it's in the most amazing setting. It was so great to get away and just relax for a few days.

Here we are we our "family" at the ice breaker activity: Brianna, Hillary, Tara, Dale (Hill's mom), Kevin (Hill's dad) and Jay (Kevin's friend)

Here we are ready for the opening night "ice breaker": Amanda, Me, Brianna, Hillary

Family Reunion 2008!

Ok, it's taken me forever to post again because our internet is so slow it takes forever to download pictures but I finally am buckling down. This year during the week of Fourth of July week we had a big family reunion for my Dad's side of the family at our house. We had a great time to spite having the stomach flew rampage through the entire family. I have an amazing family. We went to the beach, had water fights, were able to participate in the program of and attend the baptism of my 8 year old cousins, had a talent show, played games, and just enjoyed being together. Since I just posted pics on our family blog go ahead and click on the link to see pics.
http://dgriffithfamily.blogspot.com/

Memories!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!
2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Hearst Castle!

Last week while my cousins were here my sister Callie, my cousin Christina and I planned to go to Hearst Castle (an amazing mansion located build by William Randoph Hurst, who was a big newspaper man in the late 1800's, on a hill top along highway 1 close to San Simeon about an hour north of San Luis Obispo) anyway the Hearst family donated the "castle to the state of California and they give tours of it. It is popular tourist destination in our area and since I haven't been in about 10 years I decided it was the perfect opportunity to go. Turns out Thursday morning on the way to meet Callie and Christina at the castle I, my body decided it was time for a change of plans...and I had to pull over and be sick on the side of the road....so I called Callie who was already there and asked her to have the ticket agent exchange my pre-paid ticket for one for Tuesday of the next week instead. So Tuesday I headed out for my solo visit to Hearst castle (since it was a last minute change of plans everyone I invited couldn't go) which I was ok with. I decided when I order they tickets to try tour number 2 which I had never been on before. It was an adventure. Here 5 highlights from my journey:
1. I was the only person waiting in line to board the bus when I first arrived but fortunately a couple who were on their honeymoon joined me shortly. We got to linger and ask questions alot more since there were only 3 of us.
2. On the bus ride up to the castle they play this happy music that reminded me of Disney land that really put me in the mood for a good time.
3. When we arrived at the castle and began our tour we started with the outdoor pool but on the other side from where tour 1 starts. There were 3 deck chairs arranged by the pool that we got to SIT ON...I could almost imagine I was lounging by my gigantic, amazingly cool pool.
4. Our tour guide kept sharing with the young man in our group (the one who just got married and who is from Quebec and speaks french) the Spanish words for things...and the poor french guy kept being like "cool" and looking slighly confused as to why he was doing that. Our tour guide didn't quite get it, I mean come on the guy is French not Spanish and it seemed he was having a hard enough time following everything in english.
5. Our tour guide thought I was hilarious, smart and very witty. When he pointed out that Hearst was building this castle during the depression, and I said that it must have been nice for the local economy to have so much work...he just about died, how could I be so clever...wow...what kind of people are normally going on these tours?
So if anyone ever is visiting the central coast, give me a call and we'll visit the castle together it's a great time!

The Best Complement Ever!

My cousin Ross has always been one of my favs. He is 20 years old and is developmentally disabled. He is a smart guy and knows more about politics that I could ever dream of.
This morning when I was getting ready for church he came into the bathroom where I was putting on a necklace and said "Tara you look so pretty, you could be a member of the first family"...It took me a second before it dawned on me "oh he means the first family as in the president of the united states, first family" we then proceeded to have a conversation which decided that I would need to be the first lady since I'm good at organizing parties...plus I don't think there's a chance my Dad will ever become president. Knowing my cousin Ross and how much he loves politics I know this was one of the highest compliments he could give. It was great!