Loving the Outdoors

I love being outdoors and I love hiking and camping. Some of my favorite things I have done outside include...

• biking with my family at Ohiopyle
• Kayaking at Ohiopyle
• Beams rock 
• White water rafting down the Youghiogeny River
• Caving in multiple places
• Backpacking through the mountains (half a day in a severe thunderstorm without my poncho and sleeping in a wet sleeping bag)
• sleeping in lean-to's 
• Hiking Rock Canyon in Provo

and who knows what else!

Mostly I like nature and all the beautiful things around me as I am walking through the woods or going down a river. a couple of weeks ago I went hiking for my first time in Provo and my hike was no where near the same as all the times I have gone in Pennsylvania. I know that the areas are different just by looking at the huge mountains versus the rolling hills and the dirt and sand compared to trees by the thousand. I enjoyed the hike I took with my Egan girls (ok Nicole really is and Ellis now) but I was able to compare that landscape with people who understood where I come from! Lets just say that I have found that I prefer hiking in PA versus here in Utah. I did love going up high on a mountain side and being able to look out over Provo and then watch the sun set behind another mountain, and in PA there are just so many trees you would never be able to see all that. But I love the scenic view as you are hiking along a trail and are able to enjoy the flowers and plants and trees and animals.

You have some chalk on your face....

God loves Variety is the overall message that I understood from this year's Festival of Colors. At the end of the day some man gave a speech about bugs and insects. The point was that God made over 650,000 types of beetles, and why you ask? Because God loves variety. it would be boring if we were all the same, everyone is different and that's the way it is supposed to be. I am not sure how that tied in with the holiday that was being celebrated but that's okay it was still a good message.

 In case you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about, I will explain for you. There is a Hindu Temple in Spanish Fork called the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple, which is about an hour south of where I live in Utah. Each year at spring time the Hindus celebrate the holiday Holi, which in this area is celebrated by 50,000 people ages 1-50 years old, but mostly high school and college students that are not at all Hindu. And you buy colorful chalk and literally walk around and throw it on whoever you want and no one gets mad. You turn all kinds of funny colors, you get chalk in your ears, eyes, mouth, and nose. It stains your skin and you have to scrub hard to get it off, and it really is no fun the more you breathe in. But for some reason it is a lot of fun to throw at people and see how colorful you can get. Then every other hour everyone gets together in a bog group and throws it in the air at the exact same time. From far away it looks like a color bomb went off. It is ridiculous when you are in the middle of it!

Explanation of Holi: (from the reliable Wikipedia)

Holi is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as Festival of Colours.

The main day, Holi  is celebrated by people throwing scented powder and perfume at each other. The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad accomplished when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of god Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion.

Holi is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna

In most areas, Holi lasts about two days. One of Holi’s biggest customs is the loosening strictness of social structures, which normally include age, gender, status, and caste. Holi closes the wide gaps between social classes and brings Hindus together. Together, the rich and poor, women and men, enjoy each other’s presence on this joyous day. Additionally, Holi lowers (but does not remove completely) the strictness of social norms.  

No one expects polite behavior; as a result, the atmosphere is filled with excitement,fun and joy.

Every year, thousands of Hindus participate in the festival Holi. The festival has many purposes. First and foremost, it celebrates the beginning of the new season, spring. It also has a religious purpose, commemorating many events that are present in Hindu mythology. Although it is the least religious holiday, it is probably one of the most exhilarating ones in existence. During this event, participants hold a bonfire, throw colored powder at each other, and celebrate wildly.

  I think these are the coolest pictures ever and really capture the moment!

If you can't tell it is actually a lot of fun and it would be great if everyone could experience it, and I think that is starting to happen because it gets bigger and bigger every year.

Random Fact #2

I love my family and the people who raised me, although sometimes I feel as though I have been blessed to be apart of 3 families! Of course one is my own McLaughlin/Evans family who I love the most, and they are the greatest ever!

2. Then I have the Beitel family. Erica has been my best friend since about 7th grade. It has been an amazing friendship and I have loved every minute. She is an only child and only grandchild on one side, and the other side she has got 3 cousins who are interesting folks. Over the last 10 years I have grown close to her parents Eric and Donna who I just absolutely love and I know that they love me:) I have gone on multiple vacations with this family and we have many great memories. Also Grandma and Pappy Bob are like an extra set of Grandparents, as well as Pappy Guy who rock on is 95! Love that precious man! I know most of the other family as well and they just accept me as one of their own. I hope Donna doesn't kill me for posting pictures of her, but it is our of pure love! And Donna if you are reading this, believe me not many other people are. Oh and ps Donna next time we are together I want in on a family picture!

3. The third family I have been joined into is the Lingard family. Elise asked one day if they could just adopt me, but I am already a part of the family was the answer from Annette. The Lingards are a family that I went to church with in Pennsylvania. When I moved out west to go to school in Idaho in August 2008, they moved to South Jordan Utah in November 2008. I was not privileged to afford multiple plane tickets back and forth during certain holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter with it being so close to the end of semesters. Instead I started going to their house for the breaks and hanging out with their family. I knew Clay and Corinne and Alex from back in Pa and it was not weird staying with that at all and we got along great, or I forced them to get along with each other lol Now as I am student teaching in the area they allowed me to live with them full time and it has been great fun. Although Clay is now married, Alex lives in Germany with his girlfriend, Elise lives in Colorado with her husband and it is Corinne and I that watch 'our shows' together each week (the bachelor and Pretty little liars) she has got me hooked on these teenage dramas lol I am excited to also go see the Hunger games with her next week! I feel as though I have a sister that I never had growing up.

The Weekend

Do you remember TGIF! Everyone used to say that when I was growing up. And that was the night that everything good was on TV. Friday's were the best because of those things, and being out of school for a few days. The same is still true all these years later as we look forward to the upcoming weekend and the new adventures! RECAP of my weekend.

Friday- I left school and quickly headed home as Corinne was getting ready for prom and I did not want to miss this! Kayla came over to do her hair and makeup and DANG did she look good! Cori's dress was beautiful, her hair, her makeup, her nails, her shoes, her date all looked good! They were so stinkin cute together. Afterwards Clay, Kayla, and I went to see This Means War and Reese Witherspoon is one of my favorite actresses and she did equally well in this movie. We were laughing, oh and I want her job in the movie! And can you go wrong with Reese, Chris Pine and his beautiful blue eyes, and a man with a British accent! Like seriously it was bound to be a great movie.
While we were watching the movie these girls down in the front were standing up doing cartwheels across the floor, it was so weird! Then I went to a birthday party for these wonderful women in my ward Katie and Meagan. It was a good time!

 My new friend Jessica and I. We explored the house together and talked most of the night!

Saturday- I slept in for a little while and then went shopping with Cori. She is intense to shop with usually but being the night after prom she didn't get much sleep and kept comparing it to Black Friday. But to me this was nothing like a Black Friday with this girl, She is usually the crazy one while I am lagging behind dead tired! ANYWAY...later we went down to Clay and Kayla's to eat some ANTELOPE! Yep that's right I ate antelope stew and it was so good! And Kayla made salad and some french bread and YUMMY cream sodas! I loved all of it! We decided to make it a kids only night (by kids I mean younger than 49) :) It was obviously Clay, Kayla, cute baby Cody, Corinne, Eric, Jake and myself and things can get pretty awesome with this bunch of people! When we were done eating the question came up of what to do next? I don't even know how it happened but all of a sudden Kayla was calling a babysitter and the plan was to go to Jump On It.

This is a place full of trampolines and foam pits and slides and rock walls to pretty much be a big kid and get out lots of energy for as long as you want. I was pretty excited to go because I have heard so much about it and have wanted to go. We bounced around between trampolines for a while and the pain started coming once we decided to do a race.
#1 There was a big block of wood in the middle for people to sit on and you can jump off of it and do crazy stuff. We decided to start there and bounce to the wall and back to the block. I was doing so well when someone threw off my bounce and I skidded across the trampoline and my face went into the wood block. It hurt but all I could do was laugh at how ridiculous I must have looked. And I was right as I looked up at all my friend laughing at me! 

#2 A little while later I decided to run across a few of the tramps and bounce off one of the wall trampolines. As I looked around my coast was clear but out of no where this kid comes and runs his legs into my head in midair! And then he landed on my face! OUCH. This one I was not laughing so much but it caused a good headache for a while. 

#3 I sat and watched for a while Eric and Jake doing back flips. They make it look so easy. I wanted to try but obviously this was not going to go well. Eric showed Cori and I how to bounce on our backs and then flip real quick, it was so much easier. Welp I didn't flip fast enough and landed on my neck. I would have to say I was actually pretty scared with the crack that I heard, but I guess my neck needed a good crackin. That one hurt alot as I laid there not wanting to move, that is when I realized my mouth was full of blood! When I landed on my head I bit my lip REAL hard. I had a nice fat bleeding lip. I went and got a paper towel and as I looked in the mirror I had 4 distinct teeth marks in my lip. As I sat on my block of wood taking yet another break, holding my towel hoping the bleeding will stop all Jake can do is stand there and laugh! He says it is because he was thinking of all the times he did that before getting it down. I'm still not sure if I believe him or comparing me to the 12 year old who was also holding a towel on his bleeding lip.  

#4 I was going to try and run into the wall trampoline again and bounce off of it, but for some reason I didn't bounce as far out as I would have liked and I landed hard on the metal bar separating the trampolines! I'll tell you what I could not catch a break all night!

JUMP ON IT

Sunday-The Penguins game was on national TV! This was the most exciting thing that has happened! I love watching hockey games but they don't like hockey here in the west or at least in Utah. :( It makes me so very sad. Even though they lost for the first time in 12 games, I still loved seeing the Black and Yellow skate back and forth on the ice. I got to see some fight, and even overtime. I wish it would have gone into a shoot out, and they were so close, but oh well. Then it was a Harry Potter weekend on ABC family so I watched 3 of them on and off while rereading the first Hunger Games book preparing for THURSDAY NIGHT!

Random Fact #1

I wanted to start writing some random facts about myself and someone the other day asked me what I was most afraid of. So I thought this would be an interesting first fact about Megan. I don't like to think of myself as a really scared person but some things that really just give me the heebie jeebies are the following and yes I did look up the technical term because at school the other day we were looking up what the name of being afraid of going outside was because we were encountering that problem at school.

1. Nosocomephobia- Fear of hospitals-The smell. Sick people. People die. Angry overworked nurses and doctors. Patients or parents constantly placing blame and being angry as to why they are there. The ridiculous cost and bills that come from even a few hours there help or no help. And for me the list goes on, and yes I do understand that hospitals help people all the time as well. And do not ask me what is going to happen when I have a baby, because I will think about it when the time comes which is not now so why stress out.

2. Coulrophobia- Fear of clowns. CREEPY. Fake Faces. Weird clothes. Giant Shoes. WAY to happy all the time. I had one follow me and scare the daylights out of me. The ones that walk around Idlewild for a week during the summer love to come and find me as I have had team members send them my way. 

3. Brontophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning. I grew up near Johnstown PA where the giant flood happened in 1889. In third or fourth grade we took a field trip to the museum and I haven't been the same since. A movie that we watched flashed through my mind all the time. It is of great thunder and lighting and pouring rain and all of a sudden a huge gush of water comes in through a window where a sweet little girl is innocently playing with her doll house and washes her away and then they show the doll floating in the water. Obviously meaning the girl drowned! How awful for me. And thunder comes out of no where like a balloon pooping, instantly there is a loud crack and causes me to jump! And I also have this fear at night when I am sleeping. I have a window right next to my bed and at the end of my bed is a dresser with a mirror facing my bed. Laying in bed i can look in the mirror and see out my window. I have had multiple dream that during a thunderstorm I wake up and open my eyes and lightning flashes and a clown is in my window!

4. Pharmacophobia- Fear of taking medicine. Who knows what the long term side effects for those things are! And the short term for that matter!

5. Claustrophobia- Fear of confined spaces. Just not cool to be squeezed in a small space.

These were some on the list that have real names and people really live with. I cant believe it but they made me laugh the most. The list goes on and on for pages and includes almost anything you can think of, it is a bit ridiculous, but who am I to judge?

• Fear of hearing good news
• Fear of laughter
• Fear of chins, knees
• Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words (really?!)
• Fear of Sitting down
• Fear of The color white
• Fear of The figure 8
• Fear of Bald people
• Fear of thinking (how do you avoid this one)

"The love of a family is life;s greatest blessing"

I have been thinking a lot about my family today. I got the chance to talk to my Grandma and Pappap as well as my mom today. I am so grateful for the family that I have and the influence they have had on me growing up. Not just for my immediate family but for my extended family and the ones that I saw very often growing up.

To my family:
Dad- You have taught me so much in this life in how to be a good person and a successful person. I know for sure that if I could pick one thing that meant the most to me that you taught me was the value of hard work. Never have I met a harder worker than my dad, (except his dad who he learned it from first). Whether it was running his own business of building amazing cabinets or doing work around the house, it was our motto to never do your best because if you only do something half way you are going to have to finish it eventually or someone else will and that is not cool.

Mom- You have chosen to raise me in a church that I love and owe my life to. You have been a wonderful example of a loving mother and someone that I want to be when I am a mom. I never remember you using harsh words (although you had perfect children :)) but always love. You looked out for me and I am grateful that growing up you were able to trust me and not have to worry so much about me.

Nick and Kevin- To the brothers that I have loved my whole life and will continue to love always. You guys have been some of my best friends and I think that is how it should be with your siblings, you are stuck with them forever. But I am lucky to be stuck with some pretty great guys. I love the memories of vacations, parties, family time, and just sitting around talking and telling stories. We always have so much to laugh about and that is part of makes being with you so happy! May all your dreams come true :) we love you Joe Winkle

Grandma and Pappap- You want to talk about the best grandparents in the world and well I win! They come bike riding in the summer with us, Eatin Park breakfast :), Grandma texts us and latch hooks amazing rugs! OH and they make the best cards ever! They are just the funnest grandparents and we always have a good time when we are together. Some of my favorite memories are when we go to their house with the rest of the family or just Uncle Ed and Aunt Beth. There is never a dull moment. I have seen Grandma be sick and really down in her mood, it was hard to see her like that but she bounced back and gave meaning to living life to the fullest every day. I have also seen Pappap sick but he is a fighter too and can get through anything. I love both of them dearly and it is hard being so far away but thank goodness for technology and the ability we have to skype and talk on the phone!


Uncle Ed and Aunt Beth- I know you arent supposed to have favorites but lets be honest I spent a lot of time with these guys growing up with them living the closest to us, and well they take the prize on that one. Aunt Beth is an amazing cook, I love her nut roll and cucumber sandwiches the best but lets be honest everything is good that she makes (unless it is something that I am picky about like asparagus) She is also the cat lady but she isn't crazy! I don't even know how many cats they have but my dad built a 2  story cat house for them and they are always hanging around and having babies it seems like. She is so caring to everyone and everything. Uncle Ed is pretty much the coolest guy I know, and the funniest. I don't know if I ever told him this but ever since I was little and when I would get scared I would close my eyes and for some reason a picture of Uncle Ed eating a doughnut with pink frosting and jimmy's would pop into my head. I dont know where it ever came from but I still have that picture in my head when I am scared.

Rachel: My favorite crazy cousin! Maybe because she is only a year older so we have grown up together but we have been close ever since we were young. She is now even crazier by planning a wedding in September and asking me to be a bridesmaid! I dont know if I can express how happy I am for her. Josh is a pretty ok guy :) not sarcastic! haha I like him so far.

Heather, Mike, Dan, Bucky, Toot, Matthew, Leo, Molly and Marcus: Heather is a college professor and soon to be mom, how cool is that?! Mike and Dan are awesome enough to be in the military and serving their country I am so proud of them and thankful for their service. Bucky and Toot (not real names but who in our family really knows their real names lol), they think they are tough guys and it cracks me up. Although they are pretty tough and I would not mess with them. Toot has had a few broken noses and his jaw wired shut lol Matthew is a pretty legit hockey goalie, can I just say our family LOVES hockey! And if I am being perfectly honest I dont know much about Leo, Molly and Marcus. I have not seen them in years.

Aunt Faith, Uncle Tom and Uncle Ken: The rest of the family from my dad's side. Faith and Tom live in Ohio and we see them a couple times a year but not as much as Uncle Ed and Beth. Uncle Ken lives in Michigan so we see him even less. One time I went and stayed with them and it was the big power plant explosion that took the east coast from having power for 3 days, yea I was in Michigan at that time dying in the heat. Like I have said before no matter how much I see or don't see my family I love them dearly and know that they are there to support me.

Amazing family vacation at Cedar Point!

What a good day!

As I am sitting here tonight I was thinking back on my day and I cant help but smile. Overall it was a good day!

One month from today I will be a college graduate! I cannot believe that it came so fast. I loved college and everything that was included in those 4 years.

Since moving to Utah, my favorite thing about this place is that Applebee's knows whats up! They have bingo nights every Wednesday from 9 to 11 and that is also half price appetizer night. I LOVE BINGO. I won 2 times tonight winning a $5 gift card and a snickers bar. ROCK ON! My friend, also known as Meagan won $15 in gift cards and a coupon organizer! Needless to say between the 2 Megan's we swept the night! The people at the bar may have a grudge against our amazing bingo playing skills but come on, they just jealous!

Lastly I officially got my passport in the mail today! I am allowed out of the country and then back in! It looks so official and I just love it.

Suicide doesn't hurt just you...

I am not quite sure how to start this, but writing helps me get out what I am thinking so that it is not all bottled up inside. I know that I shouldn't be hurting anymore or shed anymore tears, but I can't help it. March 3 has been looming in the back of my mind for about 2 weeks now. March 3, 2011 was one of the worst days I can remember.

Around 6 pm I got a call from my best friend Erica back in PA. She told me that our good friend Alex Haun was dead and that was all the news she had, she didn't know how or when just that he was no longer alive. I was in complete and utter shock and we busted out crying together on the phone. I tried getting myself back together and we talked about how we could find out more. Alex had moved to South Carolina a few years ago and we didn't know any of his friends. But that was not going to stop me. I went on facebook and sent messages out to some of his friends looking for information. The worst was yet to come....apparently he had killed himself . I had never lost anyone close to me before and this was a whole new experience for me and now I knew that he had done it to himself, that doesn't make it easier to accept at all. From that moment all we did was question what we could have done more for him. Alex was not always the best kid and did not mind doing some illegal things and who knows what he was mixed up in before making that decision, but we will never know. Losing Alex was like losing a little piece of my heart, I know that sounds corny but it is true. Like I said it was the first time I had to face the reality of death and that first time will always be a small wound for me. There was nothing I could do living in Idaho and it did not help I was surrounded by people who wouldn't understand. So I turned to the one who I know understands everything...Christ. I prayed and prayed for Alex, his family, and myself. I thought I would be okay with death as I have thought about it over the years, but when it was his own choice to end everything, that's what got me. I went through many tissues before my eyes were able to stay dry. But I had great friends and roommates who through the next week helped lift me up when they could. I had professors who could see the bad week I was having and offered to talk about it and allow me extra time for things. I had an amazing support system at that time of need. I only wish I could have been there with Erica, she needed me and while we talked on the phone and such, it just wasn't the same.

One year later it still hurts and a tear or two were shed in his memory, but it reminds me of how important each person is and that no one should ever have to feel that bad, defeated, or depressed to want to end their own life. 

THE GOOD TIMES:
I first meet Alex through Erica while she was in CAP Civil Air Patrol. We formed a group of friends that I had the best times with. Whether it was at the Friedline's or Beitel's house, or fairs, we always had a good time. Jimmy, Lanell, Brendon, Eric, Alex, Montana, Erica, Lizzy, Kait, Ali, and I. These are the friends I went corning with, bush diving (one of Alex's favorites), watching movies, bonfires, hanging in the pavillion, and walked white lady hill.

• Alex's nickname for me was Mormon.
• I don't have much feeling in my head so Alex used to love to pull me around the kitchen floor by my ponytail.
• One night Alex and Montana hog tied me and threw me outside. 
• Alex dropped a tray we were serving and a drunk lady gave him a tip for it.
• Alex gave me the biggest wedgie of my life and ripped my underwear. 
• Alex always had the most energy no matter what time of day or night. He didn't know how to sit still. 
• Montana and Alex together was a whole different world of fun! I think they put each other in Donna;s new washing machine a few years back. (She was ticked)

Sure it seems like they picked on me a lot, which they did, but it was all out of love! 

He was the most hyperactive, crazy, hilarious male I have ever met. I don't think that will ever change either. No one can compare to the man Alex was. Even though you are gone I hope you know how loved you are and how much people miss you. You brought so much joy and light into lives. You were loved by a lot of people in Ligonier and you always had a home there and I am glad that you knew that and were able to visit us even after you moved. We worried about you but did not think you were capable of such an act. You seemed to be a different person when you were with us, you could have moved back and stayed with us forever. But where ever you are I hope you have found happiness and that you are not causing too much trouble!

Meg and Meg

I went out to college for the first time in August 2008. I knew one of my roommates Erika from growing up, other than that I knew no one in all of Idaho or in the surrounding 20 states. My roommates and  next door neighbors turned out to be the best girls ever. That is when I first met Tamara, Megan, Kristie, Jenny, and Erin who are all my friends still. Tamara has moved on in life and gotten married and has the cutest little girl now! Kristie is also married and Erin is well on her way to that ceremony in August. Erika, Jenny, and Megan are all serving missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Erika in Washington, Jenny in Baltimore, and Meg in Missouri! I am so proud of all of them. In one particular semester I roomed with Jenny and Meg, and I mean there were literally 3 of us in a small room. I pulled my mattress in their room for a weekend and it stayed there the rest of the semester, my roommate had gone home a few weeks into the semester. I was able to grow close to those lovely ladies and will forever remember that semester. Megan is one crazy girl and I have loved her from when we first meet. We clicked instantly and became very good friends. Megan is returning home from Missouri tomorrow and I am so excited!! I talked to her mom (WANDA) on the phone last week and the entire time we were both just freaking out on the phone because we were so excited. But I told Wanda I was going to let her come home and be with her family a bit before I start bombarding her with my phone calls. I promised to call on Monday after school! So even though she comes home tomorrow it will really be til Monday that I talk to her. But these are the best pictures that I look back on and it describes Meg and I pretty well when we are together.

 We went to a David Archuletta concert together at school 

and we were so excited and it was a lot of fun!

I love this one below! We are so creepy. I used to scare Meg at night in the dark

 because she hates the dark!

 Valentine's Day

 For some reason we were looking for Wales and could not find it on the map, 

hence the sad faces!

 We were going to a rodeo! First one ever! Going inspired me to do one myself :)

 Tamara, Me, and Meg This was normal

 Conference Center

 I will forever love this picture and I don't think the background 

of my laptop will ever change from this picture!

 Before Meg left my family went to Cedar Point and Meg met up with us there and we spent an amazing 2 days together of fun and she got to meet my wonderful family!

 Sister Birch serving in the visitor's center in Missouri. I was on my drive home from school and Independence was along the way. I went and Meg wasn't there but the older couple working called and told her they needed her to stop by. She did and I was the best surprise she ever got! We both cried and it was amazing to see her even for just 5 minutes. She also shared how she had been struggling and it was a great blessing to see me. So it really has only been 11 months since I have seen her rather than 18 :)