Sand in the City

JD and I had a blast going to Sand in the City in downtown Portland.  They truck in 4 tons of sand, dump it in Pioneer Square, and then have a building contest.  There were a lot of different entries that were pretty fun.  They were on a smaller scale than what was at Cannon Beach but we did see a couple of participants that were at the Cannon festival.  Some of the fun ones that we enjoyed were Dr. Seuss, Finding Nemo, Despicable Me Minions, and a cool rocket ship castle.  After our sand castle fix, we finally used the gift card that JD won at Deschutes Brewery.  It was kind of fun calculating things out to ensure that we spent $50 before we left, which is not super easy when we don't drink alcohol.  After appetizers, soup, lemonades, main entrees and desserts we were able to spend $51.50.  It was a super fun day and it was so nice being able to spend it with JD.

Four Years

Four years together we have been

and boy oh boy I can not help but to grin,

Oh the things we have done, the places we've been shown,

What adventures we've had, and my how our love has grown!

 

To National Parks we have gone to explore

Geysers, dolphins, cactus, gigantic trees, and oh so much more.

We have been to many temples and seen many a great site,
Lived in two states and worked hard with all our might.

We have earned some degrees,
Worked a job here and there.
We have had fun callings with kids
Teaching things like sharing and prayer.
 

We have a cute kiddo coming on his way,

Our family is growing and at the very least we must say,

What a blessing it is what a gift we've been given,

To be sealed and to love and to know what in life is worth livin.

So while four years is really quite neat, and we have had so much fun,
Each day is a blessing as we enjoy the long run.
So sweetheart, I thank you for making this journey a treat.
The two of us together is what makes life complete.

Coast Trip Day 2: Lincoln to Coos Bay

It was a rather rainy day for us, but the sun would occasionally peak it's head out and the weather didn't do anything to change our plans.  We got to see the waves crashing into the ocean wall at Depoe Bay, Sea Lions coming in to rest on the rocks in the sea lion caves, JD found his first agate on Agate Beach, we saw some lighthouses, and had fun enjoying the coast line.  Below is a clip of a 'spouting horn' a formation in the rock that when crashing water is funneled through it is forced up through small openings in the rock, the more water and pressure, the higher the spout.

We're having a baby!

Early Valentines

Since I have work and JD has a hard class section coming up we did some early Valentine's celebrating tonight. We went to a delicious restaurant called La Fogata. We ordered a what we thought would be more of a sampler plate to try new things and were brought out huge platters of food that resulted in a lot of left overs. Afterwards we went home and watched an IMAX movie off of Amazon Prime. We both fell asleep around 9:30 PM. What a romantic night, right? I am grateful to be with my best friend and that any time spent together is special. He is pretty great.

Peace on Earth

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong, And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.

07-08-09

Today is our 3 year anniversary!  We have had so much fun together the past three years, it is kind of crazy to think about.  We have been to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, Utah, California, and Idaho.  Disneyland 3 times.  We have gone to 10 National Parks.  We have attended 23 different temples, after this week it will be 24 or 25.  I have graduated three times and JD twice since getting married.  We have graduated from institute.  We have dealt with a pulmonary embolism, and that recovery.  Applications, interviews, and acceptances to pharmacy schools and now we are getting ready to move.

I am so grateful for my best friend that I can adventure with and experience all of these exciting things with. He encourages me in all I set my mind to and is always there to help me.  I like to think that we make each other better.  Happy anniversary!

Goodbye October

October 31st is a fun holiday. Halloween is just crazy if you think about it, people dressing up, knocking on strangers' doors, and asking/demanding candy, and if you don't comply it is implied that you will be sorry. As fun as this holiday is and as fun as decorationsand such are, I have to say Halloween is kind of a sad day for me because it marks the end of October.
It certainly has been a wonderful one this year: fall leaves, hiking Waterfall Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, (snowballs one week, hike up Donut Falls the next), Moab, River Walkway, Alpine Loop, General Conference, peaches galore off of Jeff's trees, Arches, birthday celebrations, crafting, zombie 5k, the opera, family parties, fall break, and so much more. All in all it was just wonderful. So long October, it's been great.

Moab Part 3

After church this morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed back into Arches. We drove straight to the trailhead for Delicate Arch and hiked our way up to the famous landmark. I have always been too chicken to go around the bowl and stand under the arch but I did today and it felt great. I love the ray of sunshine on me in my moment of triumph that JD was able to capture. The upper right corner pick was taken from behind the arch on a sandstone outcropping, I had to be extra brave to get that, the skinny part of the arch is closest to me (then you feel dumb when people are running over there and not even thinking twice about it or hugging the cliff wall to be able to get that angle, curse my fear of heights). The last picture is of my feet right next to Sand Dune Arch, we went back there before heading home because we were close and I love the slots you go through to get to it.
This has been one of our funnest adventures yet. We had a great time and did a lot in just a few days. National Parks pretty much rock!

Moab Part 2

Day 2 of our adventure was incredibly busy and spontaneous (in other words we had no plans and I wanted to do everything). We headed out to Dead Horse Point State Park, followed by Canyonlands National Park. Mesa Arch was beautiful but it was freaking me out because people were letting their kids run along the top of the arch=dumb. We also did several arches at Arches National Park: Skyline, Landscape, Pine Tree, Tunnel, Broken, Sand Dune, as well as hiking through the fins at Devils Garden. The slots were awesome and the temperature was great. I think my favorite arch of the day was Sand Dune, kids were playing in the sand, burying each other in the sand, and running through the slots. One creative kid had made a replica of the sand dune arch out of the sand below it and it was pretty accurate too. One more day before we go back to work and school.

Moab Part 1

Today was a long day of driving to say the least. We drove straight to Monticello from American Fork (thanks Grandpa) and made it in time for the 12:00 session. The temple is beautiful and the set up reminded us a lot of Redlands and Newport Beach. We drove back to Moab afterwards, dropped off our stuff at the hotel and headed straight for Arches. We did a few hikes before sundown, the lighting was fantastic, and in case you didn't notice, the leaves are changing in Moab too. It is fun to see bright yellows contrast the red rock. Another exciting day coming up tomorrow! :) I LOVE adventures with my very best friend.

I Want......

While shopping at Costco today and perused through the books=BIG MISTAKE. I want pretty much every single book in the picture on the right hand side. Some of the titles included are: the entire set of Beverly Cleary, the entire set by Roald Dahl, all of Shel Silverstein, a ton of Dr. Seuss, Harry Potter, pretty much all of my favorite reading material from learning to read to now; why oh why did I have to go by the children's books?!?!? I want them ALL.

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!

Sure is Pretty Up There

I'm famous! Apparently I also say things like, "It sure is pretty up there." Why yes, Roland, yes it sure is.

Alpine Loop

It is my birthday week this week and so far it has been amazing. We woke up early on Sunday morning and drove down to American Fork Canyon and went through the Alpine Loop. I am a sucker for fall leaves, especially down in that area because we used to have a cabin in Heber that was surrounded by bright yellow quaking aspens for my birthday. We listened to General Conference as we went through Heber, Park City, and Parley's Canyon. We had dinner at the Speth's, watched Conference at the Hewlett's where I got some amazing gifts from the family, and went back to the Speth's for the Miner family party. The night ended with a fresh box of peaches and shooting basketballs for about an hour with Sye and JD. Perfect.

Millions of Peaches

I love peaches! My amazing father-in-law happens to be an expert in the art of growing food: tomatoes, raspberries, corn, squash, and my favorite: PEACHES! I have loved eating peaches for just about every meal the past week. Later this week will bring making peach jam and maybe even a cobbler into the celebration of peach harvest time. Peaches: just another reason that fall rocks!

Happy Birthday Grandma Speth

Great Grandma Speth turned 98 yesterday and her entire family celebrated with a birthday party which equals a gigantic family reunion. In her time she as seen horses turn to cars, trains turn to planes, the invention of computers, radios turn to televisions, World War 1, World War II, Vietnam, 9/11, and the list goes on. She is sharp as a tack, she even knows me, her great-granddaughter in-law. She lives by herself in her own house. She is an absolute sweetheart. In her speech this year she said she would see us next year and the year after and that would probably be it. We love her like crazy. Happy birthday Edna Speth!

Real Salt Lake/One Republic Concert

For any of you who don't already know.....I LOVE going to Rio Tinto Stadium. It is one of the most beautiful, wonderful stadiums ever built in my opinion. We went to the game last night against Sporting Kansas City, and RSL won despite some pretty dumb refs. There was an after-game concert featuring One Republic that we were also greatly looking forward to. To my great surprise and delight they let the entire stadium of people onto the perfectly manicured field for the concert. Just to be honest with you, I am not sure what was better: the game, winning, the concert, or standing on that field at the midline and touching the grass of that place; I am seriously leaning towards the last item on that list. It was a fun night with my sisters and JD.

Happy Roald Dahl Day!

Happy Roald Dahl day! I love Roald Dahl and all of his books including James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, The BFG, Matilda, Esio Trot, The Giraffe the Pelly, and Me, The Twits, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and the list goes on....I have grown up with and loved these books forever. I remember my mom reading James at night to us before bed and loving the BFG and his distaste for snozzcumbers but his refusal to eat children, and who doesn't know of the Oompa-Loompas? Thanks Roald for amazing books and memories!

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."-Roald Dahl

" 'Mrs. D, Mrs. I, Mrs. FFI, Mrs. C, Mrs. U, Mrs. LTY. That spells difficulty.' 'How perfectly ridiculous!' snorted Ms. Trunchbull, 'Why are all these women married?' "-from Matilda

Questions