"Now THAT'S a trashy family!!!"

What do you get when you combine fried twinkies, Linsey's birthday, and NASCAR?

Just another night out with the fam!

Here's to race car tournaments, infra-red shoot-a-thons, muscle shirts, mustaches, and blue eye shadow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LINS!!

Chi-Chi-Chistosa

Some pictures from my recent visit to the mission... oh, things are much different now that we aren't in skirts!


Las Hermanas y Evelyn at Kassandra's quincinera. When you have a moment you should ask me about the bathroom incident... bless you Moffy for saving my butt. Literally.






LtR: Kath, Kassandra, Vero, Evelyn, Moffy, and Shay.

This was the best night... we danced the night away!!









Hermana Teresa and two of her kids, Juanito and JoAnna. This afternoon we learned how to be models and learned the REAL meaning of CHISTOSA.

SOOOO good to see everyone. Para ustedes que quizas estan leyendo esta blog, gracias por todo! Les quiero y les extrano mucho...

Direction

Do you ever wonder if there really is a direction that we are "supposed" to be headed in? I think that all of my life I have been terrified to make a "mistake" and therefore end up letting a lot of great things pass me by simply because I fear that I will take a step, even if just a small one, in the "wrong" direction.

Well what the heck IS a mistake, anyway? And what direction is wrong? What qualifies one decision as valid, yet another as useless? I'm starting to really believe that we each have control over our realities, and that our small, daily choices frame our individual worlds. Here's to throwing caution to the wind and reclaiming our lives. I'm tired of doing what I'm "supposed" to.. I'm choosing the roads less traveled by. I think it really DOES make all the difference. Care to join?

What's in a name??

Have you ever wondered what's with the name Okie? Well, probably not seeing as how all 5 of you who read this blog know my business and therefore know that of all the states on the U.S. map, it is the closest to mi corazon. I am returning to Oklahoma City tomorrow to celebrate the 15th birthday of a very dear friend. In my country we call that a Quincinera baby! I never realized that the midwest could hold so much of me, and retain it after such a long period of time, but it does. Here's to re-living the past, enjoying the present, and riding into the sunset. Oklahoma? OK!!!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!!!

It's moving time once again! I never got the chance to thank my family and friends for helping me move casas. The move came with spectacular timing as the skies of Salt Lake City dumped feet of snow on us the night

before. I was extremely impressed with Krysten's mad mechanic skills. Dad, Wenda, and Nate saved me on helping to move the big stuff, and of course Tara and Chels came through with helping me with the small details. Loving the new house, and the new roommate. Life is good!

Another notable thing about this day: I bought my first power tool. Basically, I'm now an adult, and now awesome.

Secretas St. George!!!!!!

Anyone looking for a fun trip? Head to St. George with my family!

We had a great time visiting the Potter's in St. George. Dad, Laurie, Nate and I piled in the Honda (it's a lot smaller now that we are bigger) and headed off to red rock land to lend a fellow missionary support in her farewell. While it was good to be supportive of the extended family, even better was being supportive of the immediate family.

The weekend was filled with lots of laughter and fun, and thanks to Nate, Spanish TV (thus the title of the blog). Of course there were the occasional .75 cent condom vending machines in the bathrooms (gotta love Southern Utah) as well as the occasional pedofiliac mustache sported by Daniel Boone (aka my hermano.) And you can't leave out the token mock-musical written by the Leslie children... "Colorado City"... it's gonna be huge.

Thanks to Dad, Nate, and Laurie for a great fight in doubles ping-pong (we won! thus the large antlers) and to Dad for reminding me that he can still waste me in everything (ping-pong, mini golf, you name it). How glad I am that of all the people in the world, those who make me the most happy are people that I am lucky enough to call family.

By request: Highlights from Costa Rica

The beach at Manuel Antonio- this would be the cloudy day. The following day was sunny... and scorched us!

LtoR: Me, Matt, Meena, and Jim










Just off of my very first rappel in La Fortuna. 175 meters high, you can see someone doing it behind me, also. I'm addicted! Went again in Monteverde.










Isn't this beautiful? This is in the La Fortuna area












La Fortuna. This is the catholic church I attended for Christmas mass. This was one of my favorite cities.

















Me and Regalo. This was a test of character for me... we got through it though. The trek was nearly three hours from La Fortuna to Monteverde.










Christmas Eve in Monteverde at the Tree House. This restaurant is built around a huge tree, very cool. Christmas gift exchange with the group.










Off of Rio San Juan on the way to Tortuguero.













This was also taken from the boat... a bit intimidating to see crocs like this. Really they are just letting their mouths hang open to cool themselves off. Either way, I'd have preferred to be a bit further away...









La Catarata (waterfall) in Rara Avis. This was SUCH a beautiful hike through the jungle. It wasn't until later that I realized it was probably stupid to go by myself in the rainforest. Here's to survival!















Swimming in the waterfall. This is la PURA VIDA


















Learning the tricks of the trade: making Costa Rican tamales for Christmas

















This was our first adventure of the whole trip. Hans, Matt, myself and Shelly after our trip down the Rio Pacuare, which are class 3 and 4 rapids. Pacuare is in the top 5 for white water rafting in the whole world. And it's BEAUTIFUL. Think Jurassic Park. In a raft.








Cahuita National Park, Carribean side. We were on the way to snorkel...













And here's snorkling in the Caribbean Sea. Strange feeling to stick your head under water and breathe...

















Paradise. The Carribean from the shore of Cahuita, Costa Rica.













One of the many monkeys of the trip... this is a white-faced cappuchin. He was very playful!

















San Jose, la capital.