Speth Trip Day 1: Church, Roses, Hoyt, & Pittock

The Speth's are here!  It was so fun meeting them at church, though it was weird saying most of a bench when we are used to just two of us.  We had a quick lunch and then headed up to the International Rose Test Garden, Pittock Mansion, and Hoyt Arboretum.

After our adventure we went back to our apartment and cooked the Papa Murphy's pizza we bought after getting home yesterday and played games.  We are all (almost all) now versed in Bohnanza, also known as the 'bean game'. 

Tulips Panoramas

Tons of Tulips

Once upon a time I pinned a project on Pinterest that involved growing tulips in glass jars with only water.  One day, while out shopping for Christmas I saw a bag of 50 tulips on sale and thought it would be worth getting a bag to give my pin a try.  Amidst all that was going on, I forgot to remove the tulips from the back of my car.  There they stayed for months until I found them while looking for something.  To my great surprise I discovered upon opening the bag that all 50 tulips were budding and growing!  This week has consisted of trying to find ways to plant the tulips.  I gave some to friends, put some in a vase of water per my original Pinterest plan, planted some in a pot and took them to work, and I still have many more to get into some soil this week.  Moral of the story: why bother planting bulbs in the fall when you can just grow them in the back of your car?

International Rose Test Garden

It is still so strange to me that we can drive to downtown Portland in 20 minutes.  After a long week, JD and I went to the International Rose Test Gardens for a change of scenery before he spent the rest of his Saturday studying.  It was overcast and cool, a very welcome change from the 100 degree sunny weather we have had the past week.  We had fun walking around taking pictures, sniffing roses, and looking at the names of all the different roses.  They have everything from Fragrant Cloud to Betty Boop to Ketchup and Mustard.  I was a fan of the Octoberfest Roses (second ones down on the left), and that was even before I knew what they were named.  It was a quick get away and it was fantastic.

Quarter of a Century

Today is my birthday. Some of the fun things that occurred included: finishing all of my presentations for the semester, got home from school and got into my pajamas to read a book by the window with one of my favorite blankets, my parents brought me delicious cookie dough instead of cake, JD gave me flowers, letter, Tangled, and the entire day homework and computer free (he also arranged for me to have work off), we went to Bombay House for chicken pakoras, drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon into the clouds and snow, ate dinner at Ganesh, went bowling, and watched Tangled. Fantastic way to celebrate turning 25!

Salt Lake Day 2

Day 2 began with the Hogle Zoo. I will admit I have always hated this place; I thought the animals were sad. Feeling this way, I don't think I have been there since I was in junior high. It was SO much better! The animals weren't pacing, the compounds were nice, and the 'lands' were fantastic. It was a much better than expected stop.Red Butte gardens were beautiful! We had fun walking around the different themed gardens and enjoying the water features. We spent a lot more time there than what we planned on, and I wouldn't be surprised if we go back, even without a Connect Pass.

We ate lunch at Crown Burger and then went back up to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. This activity was 'ok'. I actually do like going to art museums, this one just felt like it was trying too hard. There were a few pieces that stuck out and their current display was from an artist that had a lot of work in the Layton, Ogden, Huntsville areas circa the Great Depression, so that was kind of fun to see buildings I recognized in the art work. On a whole, I probably could have done without this attraction, but it was new and now we know.

Our day ended at the Gateway with a dome film in the Clark Planetarium and a quick walk through of the Discovery Gateway. Just a warning, if you don't have kids, they think you are a threat and you have to hand in your ID before entering. That was kind of strange.

Another fun day, but I am tired, we were going to try to add in a couple more things, but there was no way, maybe if the sun and heat were a little less intense. We did a lot of fun things and saw some fun stuff. The best part was being with JD and not having to worry about O Chem. Day 3 happens today so more to come of our vacation in Utah.

Sprummer?