I missed an entire week!!! Sat-Sun 8/15--8/24

Haha, my bad. I have slacked off horribly with this blog! Yikes!so much has happened this past week and it stinks that im going to just have to sum it up to what i remember!!!! Our show in Aspen/Snowmass was kinda rough. It was FREEZING so we all were cold the entire time. I started to get really sick and losing my voice because the cold wind was going down my throat and my vocal chords couldn't stay warmed up. It was so hard to sing with the wind blowing in your mouth. And it was about 45degrees when we performed. I didnt talk most of show day because i knew i needed to save my voice. Mariah and Jada came to see me and so did my cousins Charlotte and Ashley! It was an awesome surprise to see them. They froze watching the show and i was so thankful to at least get to see them!!!! Then we had to Strike down and we all were bundled up, i helped with costumes because i felt so yucky!!! =( we finally got home at 1am and then my host parents woke me and Kristine up at 6:50AM. and i was so exhausted and my body was aching from the day before. I guess i was coughing all throughout the night and i didnt get much sleep. At one point Kristine said i was coughing so bad she woke up and stayed awake for like 10 minutes while i was coughing just to make sure i was still breathing it sounded so bad. =( it was so scary. So when Barbara and Jack woke us up, i couldnt get up. I needed to stay in bed so i wouldnt get any worse. So they left and went to a monastery without me. So i was able to sleep until about 10. Then i got up feeling a lot better than i had that morning so that was a good sign even though i was still coughing really badly. Then me and Barbara made a carrot cake because that was the recipe i got from her and we made it together. We then went sightseeing with them. They drove us to Independence Pass, it was Amazingly beautiful! Then we went to Maroon Bells and that was just as beautiful! When we got home we ate a good dinner!!!! Shrimp Alfredo and i dont remember what else. but the carrot cake was for dessert and it was Delish!!!! Monday we left at 7am heading to Durango! I was soooo stoked because that meant i got to see my family!!!!! =) The drive was long and i couldnt sleep because i was so excited! We stopped in Ouray and i talked to my mommy, it was so exciting to know i was going to see my parents so soon!!!! =) When we got to durango they briefed us on the city and what we were going to be doing while we were there and then the host families were waiting for us outside! It was so funny cause everyone was holding me and quita back because they knew our families were out there waiting for us. Then finally they said we could go and i jetted out and ran to my mom and dad and sister! IT WAS AWESOME! I cried like a baby cause i was sooo happy, and so did they!!! =) we picked up rico from football and then we went home. IT was so sweet, there was a huge welcome home sign in the den of my house so i was able to walk in and see it right away! SO AWESOME! It was sooo weird walking into my house and room, i felt like i hadnt been there in forever!! I kept asking, "what did you guys change? it feels different!" haha So then we ate my favoirte Thai food and i went to bed, I already had got a little emotional because i knew that my stay was going to be super short! I woke up in the morning and went back to durango. We had a community impact day and we worked on trails in the mountains! I got a little altitude sick so i wasnt able to make it all the way to the top! I was soooo sad! It was such an intense hike though and i had made it pretty far. So instead i went back downtown and helped with promotions for the shows. Then after my mommy came and picked me up. Aude from Quebec went with us too! That night my family came over for dinner and then wednesday i had the day off so it was nice getting to just hang around my house and town for a day. I went to my little brother Rico's school and ate lunch with him and met his teacher. It was so cute!!! I miss my family so much! Doing the little things like that are what i miss the most. Thursday was our first show day and i was so excited because it was the first time my family was going to get to see what i have been doing for the past month! The day went by so slow because i was so anxious!!! Then i saw my family after i got ready for the show and there were so many people there for me! I felt soooo special. The show went amazing and my parents bought me Red Roses! It was awesome!!!!!!! Then Friday was another show day and it was the night that all my family was going to be there! every time my picture came up on the screen they would scream, even when i finished my solo they screamed! It was hilarious! Everyone in the cast was making fun of me!! Bruce Erley (the father of our Marketing Manager) even asked me if i could take all my family to all my shows! It was so funny!!! Then after our strike on Friday night i stayed in a hotel with my parents, sister and little brother because we had to leave at like 7am. I cried leaving them the next morning but they were happy tears because i was just so thankful i was able to see them and spend time with them as much as i did!!! We were on our way to Chino Valley and then we stopped at the Grand Canyon on our way there! It was sooooo cool! I had never been to the Grand Canyon so it was exciting to get to see it for the first time! The only downfall was that it rained...and rained...and rained! We were SOOOO SOAKED by the end of our two hours there! It was fun though, we took a huge cast picture when it was pouring rain! Every single tourist was looking at us like we were CRAZY! Then when we got to Chino Valley we met our host families! I am roomies with Yui our show manager and we have a cute little family! Our host dad Jim was an UwP Alum and his wife Lynn was a professional dancer in Las Vegas. They did shows together and all kinds of cool stuff! They have two little kids named Owen (5) and Jordyn (2) They are the most adorable little kids i have ever met! They are so free spirited! I am sooooo happy i finally got to be around little kids! They are such a great passion of mine!!! That night we just hung out and visited with them! It was so nice to get to relax and sleep! On Sunday morning it was our host family day so we woke up at 9am and went to church at 11. I definitely was stoked to get to go to church! It is something i have been missing so much!!! The worship was absolutely remarkable and i felt so at home! =) Then we ate lunch and just hung out with the family! We took a walk, sat outside! They have a beautiful home and neighborhood! I loved getting to know them better and im so sad that i dont have more time to spend with them. But its cool that they are so close to my home so that when i come back i can just go right next door to Arizona and hang out with them! =) We went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant for Yui and then we got ice cream and walked around the little park around downtown! It was so fun!!! Me and Owen raced a lot around the park! And Jordie was adorable eating her cotton candy ice cream that was all over her face rather than in her mouth! =) We had a little fire outside and visited with our neighbors! Shelsea and Helen were staying next door to us! So we had a bonding time!!! now today we are at Chino Valley High School doing a show tonight and then tomorrow we leave for Lake Havasu City! And next week i will be in MEXICO! =) woo hoo!! I shall write again sooooon! XoXo