Gift of Life and Breath/ Wyatt's Birthday

This was our second year running this race (5k) and we both got better times then last time. Ben ran alone and he ran fast ending at 28 minutes.  I ran with Mylie and we ended at 43 minutes (?). She was great and really kept me going.  It was so much fun and fun to do things with Mat’s family.  

Afterwards we went to a grad party for two of Ben’s scouts and a baby shower for one of our good friends. THEN we headed to Longmont for Wyatt’s 2^nd Birthday party.  The Birthday party was so much fun- to be with the whole family and the Wilson’s.  It was so cute watching Wyatt (with Alice’s energetic help) open presents- he is talking more and it’s fun to see his personality coming out!!

Roasting at the firepit.

Wyatt didn't really care about anything but his cars.

Sean with a GIANT roasted marshmellow.

(Sorry I didn't get to posting this before I left for my trip...)

 

Frog Jump Jubilee

The Sierra Nevada’s are an extraordinary mountain range packed full of history and adventure.  Each small town, tucked away in the vast trees, has it’s own story, festival or quirk that makes it worthwhile.  One of these towns is Angels Camp California home of the Calaveras County Fair.  This fair is especially exciting because it hosts the ‘Frog Jump Jubilee.’ 

This ‘sport’ of frog jumping is based on the book "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" a short story written by Mark Twain (who lived in these mountains).  The participants catch a frog, train the frog and then (on a stage/platform at the County Fair) see how far they can get their frog to jump. Some people clap, some bang the ground, some yell- but in the end, the frog jumps.  It is really interesting and fun to watch. (Click here to see a video of this Festival on Jay Leno).

Because of this exciting event the town is…frog-a-fied. There are frog statues, frog decorations in yards and on doorsteps, and frogs painted on the intersections. As we drove through this city I could not stop myself from laughing at this town’s creative way of ‘putting themselves on the map.’ It was hilarious and at the same time really interesting. 

Yellowstone National Park

Charlotte and I went to Yellowstone National Park on Saturday.  It was Charlotte’s first time (and we figured since she was leaving Idaho, it would be a good memory). For her first time it started out great- about 10 minutes into the park we saw a bear! It was a medium sized black bear up on a hill. It was so exciting to see a wild bear (a rare and slightly dangerous thing) and it kind of lessened the excitement for the rest of the animals we saw through the park- herds of buffalo, birds, deer and more buffalo. 

We also got to go and tour the many geysers, mud pots and mineral pools. Although when we were walking around these areas it started to SNOW (yes, it was almost June and it was snowing- only in Idaho).  Although we were freezing we kept going and saw some really pretty and amazing things. 

 

One of the “must see’s” at Yellowstone is Old Faithful (a huge geyser).  We got to see that and walk through the visitor’s center.  After that we went and saw the Yellowstone ‘Grand Canyon’ and some beautiful falls.  It was such a beautiful trip, despite the cold, and we were really glad that we went. 

 

 

 

 

Japanese Tourist!

Did you know there is an I-MAX in Yellowstone?

Road Trip: Part 1

Charlotte has been living in Rexburg and it now moving to California to go to grad school.  I decided to go help her pack and move (it was really just an excuse for a fun road trip).  We had/are having so many adventures.  Here are a few…

I first flew into Salt Lake City and got to spend the afternoon with Jer and Heidi’s family.  I am always amazed by how tall the kids get between visits- they are all so fun and so great. Charlotte picked me up there and we went up to Rexburg to pack. 

Charlotte took me around the BYU-Idaho campus to see all the new changes and renovations. Ben and I graduated 2 ½ years ago and haven’t been back since.  There were so many changes to campus- new sky walks, a new Conference Center (BYU-I Center aka the Coliseum), and all the updated stuff.  She also drove me around the town and showed me the new complexes and strip malls. It was great to see Rexburg again but it just solidified the feelings that we needed to move and we are done with that phase of our lives. 

We worked hard to pack Charlotte’s stuff and then try to pack everything in the car. The downfall- it was raining and hailing when we had to pack the car AND there was a lot of stuff. We managed to get everything in with the great ‘push it in and slam the door’ technique.  We ended up driving with a trash can and piano stand between us and some stuff in the passenger’s feet- but it was all in!

We started for CA Tuesday morning at 7:00 and drove…and drove…and drove.  From Rexburg to Sonora is about 13 ½ hours- we only made two stops (one at In-N-Out for dinner) and gained an hour in the time change- so it was a great drive.  It didn’t feel so long because we talked a lot and sang loudly to most of the Glee Soundtracks.  I had never been to Northern California and the drive through the Sierra Nevada Mountains was beautiful.  The trees look different than Colorado trees and it was just beautiful.  While driving Charlotte told me about the towns and countryside- I learned so much and am excited to share it all with you!!

Rockies vs Padres

Ben and I went to the Rockies/Padres Baseball game on Saturday.  It was a great game, full of suspense and action (during some innings).  The only problem- the RAIN! It was not hard enough for the game to be called but enough to make it uncomfortable. We had on rain coats and an umbrella over our legs. The Rockies were up 2 at the top of the 8^th so we left… come to find out- we lost! But it was still a fun game- that left us cold and damp the rest of the day!

Italian Backdrops

Mom had to make some wall hangings for a Ward Activity she was in charge off.   We went down to Erica’s house, hung a sheet on the wall and painted all day.  It was so much fun to paint and be creative. The theme of the activity was Italian so we did two Italian wall hangings- one of Vienna and one of an Italian wall.  I mostly did background stuff (Mom and Erica are great at details) but they turned out great!!

Mom's Graduation

My Mom just graduated from Nursing School. We all went to her graduation and then had a party in her honor.  I am so proud of my Mom for her accomplishment.  She has worked many countless hours studying and in her clinicals. She is such a great example and inspiration to me.   I love you Mom!

Girls Night at the Rio

One of my good friends, Jamie, returned from London so we decided to have a Girls Night Out.  We all went to the Rio, a delicious Mexican restaurant in Boulder. It was fun to be with all the girls and we had a great night!

Tribute to our Taurus

So we got a new car about a month ago…but we never got rid of the Taurus. It just sat sad and dejected in the corner of the drive way. Ben finally decided to take action and call a tow truck to pick up the car and take it to a junk yard. I actually ‘wept’ because I did not want my wonderful car to be a junk car.  So this is a tribute to our first car as a married couple.

Movie Quotes

Today during a slower moment at work I found a list of famous, most quoted and 'favorite' movie quotes. So I started to think of some of MY favorites, my quoted, and what I consider to be famous. (Some of these I had to look up the movie and character. These are stared.) These are in no particular order!

What would YOU add to the list?
“Po-ta-toes!! Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew…Even you couldn’t say no to that.”- Sam  “Oh yes we could. Ssspoiling nice fish! Give it to ussss raw and wwwriggling. You keep nasty chips!.”- Gollum (Smeagol)/ The Lord of The Rings

“Luke, I’m your Father”- Vader   “NOOOOOOOO!”- Luke/ Star Wars

"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." – Inigo Montoya/ The Princess Bride

"I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick BUTT. And I'm all out of bubble gum."- NADA/ They Live*

"I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen."-LLOYD DOBLER/ Say Anything

“Peeing your pants is the coolest.”- Billy/ Billy Madison

"What we've got here...is failure to communicate."- Captain/ Cool Hand Luke

"It's not a tumor!"-Arnold/ Kindergarten Cop

"There are two types of people in this world: those who like Neil Diamond, and those who don't." - Bob Wiley/ What About Bob?

"You can't handle the truth!"-Colonel Jessup/A Few Good Men*

"There's no crying in baseball!" - Jimmy Dugan/ A League of Their Own*

"Inconceivable!"  "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."- Inigo Montoya/ The Princess Bride

"...Bond. James Bond."- Bond/ Bond 1-100

“I read it once…in a book.”- White Goodman/Dodgeball

"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." – Rick Blaine/ Casablanca

"I'll be back."- Arnold/ The Terminator

"My Mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.'"- Forest/ Forest Gump

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”-Clark Gable/ Gone with the Wind

“You talkin’ to me?” – Travis Bickle/Taxi Driver*

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore."- Dorothy/ Wizard of Oz

"Here's looking at you, kid."- Rick Blaine/ Casablanca*

"Go ahead, make my day."- Dirty harry/ Sudden Impact

"May the Force be with you."- Star Wars

"There's no place like home." - Dorothy/ Wizard of Oz

“STELLA!!”- Stanley/Streetcar Named Desire

“Buehler…Buehler…”- Principal Rooney/ Ferris Buehler’s Day Of

“Rocky Road?”- Sloth/Goonies

WARNING: MAN COLD

Ben has a cold! Watch this video...Man Cold Video

Enough Said!

But in all reality I do feel bad and he is really sick. But he is slowly getting better and feeling a little better the more he drinks...

LEADVILLE!

Ben and I went up to Leadville to visit Mat and Andi. It was so much fun to see the kids and hang out with Mat and Andi.  We got to tour around Leadville (a very small but cute mountain town), go hang out at Copper Mountain (an awesome ski town), play in the snow with the kids, and played games (Ticket to Ride and Settlers all night long).  We hope to be able to go up there again in the summer time (to go camping)!!

Playing Ticket to Ride- Europe

This is what happens when you give Mylie the camera + about 500 more pictures!

Copper Mountain Ski Resourt

Look who we saw skiing at Copper Mountain!



This is the spring snow!



The start of SPRING...