IT'S A VOTING PARTY!

taylor b. here.

i'm trying to win $500 in a photo contest

so i can use it for jerusalem

here is a link for YOU to vote for the picture i submitted.

http://www.facebook.com/DeseretFirstCreditUnion

yes, i know you have to "like" deseret first credit union first.

yes, i know that is not the most ideal thing ever,

but you can "unlike" it after the contest is over.

so, my photo is titled "SUMMER" and it's the top three.

it's a picture of my friend, thatcher, jumping off of

a waterfall, with me crouched down in the background.

i would love you forever if you voted for it

once every 24 hours.

gotta beat those paintballin' polynesians

and they seem to have all the pacific islands voting for them.

THANK YOU.

i don't want to be anything other than me.

reunited and it feels so good.

reunited cause we understood.

there's one perfect fit,

and sugar, this one is it.

we are both so excited

cause we're reunited.

and we are.

just like the song says.

it's been a while,

but time tells no tales.

like dead men.

we've got 43 days until jerusalem

and a whole lot of summer to enjoy

before that fateful day.

enjoy it with us, won't you?

text, call, facebook.

we're reachable at all locations.

tah, tah.

i'm in love with someone and that's all that i know for sure.

hi.

to start: 45 days, 3 hours and 32 minutes.

until what? jerusalem, obviously.

we're really going there.

i can't believe it.

only, i can.

it's one of those things that i can and can't believe.

it rains pretty much every day here.

i mean, not every day, but yeah.

it's like we get a morning rainstorm,

and an evening one.

sometimes i like to pretend i'm actually

living in london, or maybe the amazon.

but then i remember that i'm here in utah,

and as it turns out, fine with that.

so i saw harry potter 7.2 at midnight last night.

i have to say, it was AWESOME.

seriously, it was really fantastic.

you'll obv be seeing it when you return to the US of A.

also, it was a treat to see it with true die-hards.

i trust pictures will be posted on facebook soon.

i want you to see my costume.

today i went and got breakfast with the braydster

at this quaint little diner called "callie's."

maybe there were life-size cowboy carvings

scattered about the building, maybe there weren't.

maybe there were 3 or 4 different patriotic

displays in each of the corners, maybe there weren't.

let's just say, it's my type of place.

also, i really love it when things have a "type,"

especially when they are my type.

now clint and i are just watching

some "friday night fights" on ESPN.

you know, quality family time.

i guess that's what happens when

a brother and sister are left alone for a week.

some people party, others watch boxing matches.

i just never thought i would be the latter.

oh well. life is full of surprises.

anyway, i'll catch ya on the flip side.

mostly, i'll just see you in a few days.

can't wait.

reply soon.

lovez,

taylor.

rock pillows and sandpaper towels.

Hello from Munich.
Or as they spell it here, München.
Not sure how those could possibly be the same word...
but whatevs.
If that floats their boat, it's cool.
I have never really liked sinking boats.

I'm pleased to inform you I also got a Google+ invite.
From Thatch.
Glad he's in.
And that Tyler's in.
And that my dad's in.
And that you're in.
And that I'm in.

As for this trip,
there is nothing quite like driving through
the European countryside.
Lots of naps and windy roads
and beautiful views, of course.
We managed to swing through Italy
to eat pizza and gelato.
Mmmm.

We thought they would be personal sized pizzas
so we ordered 4.
They weren't personal sized.
Oops.
Typical Americans.

Our main tour guide here is my mom's book.
aka Rick Steves.


He's the best.
He is teaching us how to see Europe through the "back door."
Well Rick, we successfully did that last night
when we stayed in someone's house.
Or should I say their attic?
Not sure how that one worked out...

Anywho,
life is good.
Tomorrow is sure to be great.
As is the next day.
And we're going to Jerusalem soon.
So that's cool.

I love ya.
Tay.

P.S. cin happen to have internet for the first time in days
right during the one hour Ben Coburn is emailing?
Yes.

P.P.S. I could have seen Harry Potter 15 times by now.
But I haven't.

and then there's that.

hey tay bay.

let's get something(s) straight:

1. i like it when you ask all kinds of questions.

2. HOLY CRAP! "MISS" IN MISSIONARY. genius.

so my first point of the day is about google+ again.

tye-dye sent me an invite, so i feel like i'm on the "in."

really, though. google+ is legit.

i already sort of feel like facebook doesn't exist anymore.

after spending a little bit of time on my profile

and the profiles of my 2 friends on google+,

i went back to my facebook profile page.

i felt like i had time warped to an older,

less-cool social media decade.

so, there's that.

i'm here in provo tonight, which is fine.

i mean, it's provo.

mostly i just went to wendy's and got this:

and here's the thing with this guy.

see how all the berry sauce is positioned in the center

of the cup, with equal amounts of yogurt/ice cream

above and below it?

yeah, well, that picture is pri-tty misleading.

it all sits at the bottom.

gravity is working against me.

so then i sat on the grass and talked with

megan until the sprinklers kicked us off.

and then we just sat in a stairwell that wasn't even ours

until we kicked ourselves off.

that's when you know you're having fun.

other than the occasional child who walks in the store,

pulls everything off of every wall,

races up and down the track on the fitting stools,

and jumps into my personal bubble,

all while "meowing,"

(meeeow. meow. meow, meow, meow)

there is nothing to report here.

oh, and there's been some real rain.

yeah, there's that.

i have nothing else to say,

other than, this blog works.

it just does.

and we work it.

work it, girl.

you're not gonna go for a walk anymore?

Why did I have to be in another country when all this Google+ hoopla started?
Why did I like every comment you made asking someone for an invite?
Why did I have to miss the boat?
Why do I feel like such a loser?
Why do I base my self esteem off of social media?

Life is full of tough questions.

Like, what's with me and sandpaper?
Give that one a try.
And, what's with you and the international cinema?
Give that one a try too.
Really though, do.

I wish I could say lots of more exciting things about my trip,
but I can't.
Because it's top secret.

No, I'm kidding.
It's cause I didn't really do anything exciting today.

I did learn this though:
Bike riding + the Alps = a bad idea
Who let hills exist?

Also, I can't even tell you how much it kills me
that I can't watch that music video
on my dinky internet.
You know about my fetish with music videos lately.
Speaking of, you should watch a video of
"the best thing I never had" for me.
I have a feeling that'd be a good one right now.

Another thing.
Why did I just realize that the word
missionaries
contains the word
miss?

missionaries

I'm really missing good old Andy today.
What a guy.
Why are the only good guys in the world missionaries?
Seriously though.
And why do guys have to go to Jerusalem?
Wouldn't it be better without them?

I'm just full of questions today.
I guess that's what happens in foreign countries.

Kids,
when you are reading this blog post years from now,
know that when you travel to foreign countries
you will begin to question everything you once knew.
And everything you never knew.

Anyway.
I can't wait to live in Jerusalem.
That's all for now.

Love you and miss you,
Taylor
(ha. see how I was addressing you there
AND signing my name? Funny.)

Really though, bye.

another day, another storm.

one more thing.

can we both just be thankful that i'm alive?

it's hard to say if i've ever seen anything

more beautiful than THIS:

i'll work on getting a life-size version for you.

i've already had my mom frame it.

i'm either having a really good day or a really bad day.

tay,

first things first.

please tell me you've seen the music video

that is currently posted here.

it might be one of the best things i've

ever seen. country and rap are like salt and pepper.

something funny that you said in your last post was

the part about the mountain being called "young maiden."

the fact that mountains have names over there

reminds me of somewhere.

oh, here. that's right.

any place that names its mountains has got to be rad.

anyway.

utah is, well, great.

better than great, if you ask me.

here are some great things about it:

1. the cooler, summer weather.

2. the occasional rain shower and overcast sky.

3. the hustle and bustle of the utahn summer.

that last one is my favorite point.

there is just nothing quite like the

hustle and bustle of a utahn summer.

speaking of hustle and bustle,

how 'bout them folks at google?

google+ and all that jazz.

you know what would be funny?

if our missionary friends got home

and facebook was gone, replaced with googlebook.

or whatever.

that would be a real hoot.

like, "let's go to facebook. PSYCHE!

facebook's gone. joke's on you!"

here's something else that's funny

from our favorite WRC employee:

top 10 things to say to break the ice with a customer:

10. i love your hair. may i run my fingers through it?

9. do those pants feel as tight as they look?

8. uh, no. you're totally going to crush that shoe.

7. is that her diaper i smell? may i check it?

6. may i hold your hand as we walk to the shoe wall?

5. does your husband always give the young girls

this much attention?

4. you've got something stuck in your teeth.

3. wow! how much do you weigh?

2. they look great on you! yes, it's supposed

to come out over the waistband like that.

1. that's, ibuyonlinetoscrewthelocalguy.com

oh, and one more thing,

bluejay

-the blue

+sunshine

-the shine

+something bug spray should have

-the last two letters

+the country andy is in right now

=

international cinema invite again

and a legit textersation.

odd.

well, that's all i've got. loves!

sprechen sie englisch?

First off, let me explain.
I know you posted on July 5th.
And I know that it is July 8th.
But life is hard sometimes.

Like when you are in a foreign country
where you have to go to
3 different stores
3 different times
before you get a SIM card that works.

But we only have
1 SIM card that works in
1 country
because they're not cheap.

So, hence, I am tethering

(for those of you who are technologically-impared
and don't know what that means click here
[sorry it's in German - like I said: life is hard sometimes.])

Enough explaining on my part.
How about this picture does some explaining instead.

Yep. That's the view from my window.
Well, hello there, Alps.

That particular mount is the Jungfrau -
translated to "young maiden."
She is protected by two mountains on either side
whose names translate to "ogre" and "monk."
Cool? You tell me.

Not that I speak German or anything though,
'cause I don't.
Unless knowing how to say "I am vegetarian" counts.
By the way, I'm yet to say that,
in case you were wondering.
And in case you are reading this and wondering,
"is she really vegetarian?"
I am.

There is a general trend here
of things being steep.
the Alps
the stairs
the prices

There is also a general trend here
of lots of driving.
I have been in 3 countries so far
(including Switzerland, France and Germany)
and that number will reach 5
by the end of the trip.

The other general trend would have to be
AMAZING VIEWS.
If I wasn't tethering,
I would post some pictures for you.
(Bet you feel dumb if you still
don't know what 'tethering' means)
Hopefully you'll get to see some soon.

Other highlights include:
- Stuffing my face with chocolate at a chocolate factory
(the winning flavor: "crement")
- Entering France just to buy some almond croissants
(reminiscent of last November...?)
- eating delicious cheese in the quaint village of Gimmelwald
(just to give you a feel for the place:
Less than 200 people live there,
the only way to get to it is by aerial tram or trail,
and there is a store that still lets you buy things on credit)

Obviously the highlights all involved food.
That just seems to be how it works.

Also, I have finished one book so far.
Reasons to Live
It was a winner. You'll have to read it.
Meaning you, specific (Taylor)
and you, general (hello there, follower).

Well, when it comes to slow internet,
I can only take it for so long.
And it has been so long.
So, so long.

Love you.
(once again, specific and general)
Can't wait to hear more about Utah.

Tay

the hunger games.

dear taylor olson,

did you know that some of our

most-read blog posts are from last november

when we wrote letters back and forth?

what does that mean for you and i?

don't care.

here i am in sandy, ut. just like always.

i'm going to do a load of laundry today.

i washed and vacuumed my car on saturday.

i'm reading a really good book right now.

those are the updates.

how was your 4th?

i wore a flag shirt to work yesterday

and everyone at work was surprised for some reason.

apparently they had no idea how much

i love this great land.

i lead them in singing the national anthem

just before we opened the store.

duh.

i had some cafe rio yesterday

with ally, natalie, lisa and julie

and then we sat around a fire, made s'mores

and listened to fireworks.

julie's house has a great ear shot of all

kinds of fireworks, so there was no need to see them.

here's a question: why not entitle your next

facebook picture album, "real busy" ?

here's another question: why haven't

we jumped on the "words with friends"

bandwagon yet? it seems like just our

cup of bandwagon. kind of.

one more thing: ally told her sister i was coming

over and her sister replied with,

"is that the more outdoorsy taylor or the one who sings?"

it's cool that she reads our blog.

so here is a "shout out" to her.

so, tell me something pretty about europe.

i'll make sure you don't miss anything stateside.

here i am, holdin' down the fort in utah, like always.

what would it do without me?

time for breakfast.

ciao.

p.s. the book i'm reading isn't the hunger games.

but the hunger games is sitting on my bed shelf,

so it gets the honor of titling this post.

p.p.s. is that a boyfriend belt?

did your boyfriend leave it at your apartment

when he left at 12:00?

it's a beautiful morning.

it's been a while.

good thing we've been making good use of our time.

reading, facebooking, writing and summering.

also we should add camping, hiking and vacationing.

and burning.

we should add that too.

taylor o. got burned real bad.

what's that one type of burn that comes

right after a 2nd degree burn?

oh, 3rd degree, that's right.

she got a third degree burn.

don't worry, though, she's just fine.

and plus, she has another neat scar to add to her

rather impressive collection of "battle" wounds.

we like battles and wounds,

and we especially like them when they're combined.

anyway. that's all for now.

we'll keep you posted, and we'll keep posting.

---taylor & taylor.

p.s. redsicovered this beauty.