Moab!
Hubby got a job offer in Moab, so we're off on a new adventure! Lots to do over the next few weeks, but we are excited! Excited for the new opportunity, for the great location, for all of the visitors we know we're going to get, and for the adventure of it all. And I can't wait to live 5 minutes away from all of this!!
One Year Down!
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5 April 2015
One year down, and an eternity to go! Good thing, because I'm not sure even an eternity will be long enough with this man I call mine. :) In lieu of figuring out gifts, we journeyed down to Bryce Canyon National Park to explore it in the winter. Too bad we chose the mildest winter ever...no snowshoeing or sleigh rides like we had hoped. You'd think January would be the best month for that! Well, instead, we went hiking and star gazing, which was still super fun and incredible. We also got to go ice skating on an outdoor rink, which was new for me. We had the whole rink to ourselves! And I didn't even fall! Another first. :) It was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary. I thank God every day for leading us to one another! :) |
Holidays
5 April 2015
I love the Holidays! 2014 did not disappoint--such a wonderful time to connect with family and friends! We got to go up to Idaho for Thanksgiving. My nephew was blessed at Church, and we got to spend time with my family and my brother-in-law's family. The best part was helping my parents and sister cut down their Christmas trees in Island Park, and then snowshoeing! So many happy memories doing just that throughout the years. And now a new memory to add to the list. :) We got our tree from a Christmas tree farm, but it was awesome and HUGE! Literally the size of my car. Ha ha. And also, there was a Mickey the size of me at Costco. We didn't buy it, but a picture had to be taken. One of my very best friends and her hubby came to play with us for a weekend. We spent some time on Temple Square in Salt Lake City and had a blast! Christmas was spent with another sister and her family. Other than waking up at 5:00 a.m. to open presents (blech!) it was a lot of fun. We've decided we are going to deadbolt our kid's doors so that never happens again. ;) And the New Year was rung in with a fun city celebration complete with animal shows, crazy music groups and hypnotists and other entertainers, a carousel ride, and fireworks. So much fun! Oh, and look at the size of that Jenga game! |
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Welcome Smile
5 April 2015
I couldn't help but smile as I noticed the critter paw prints running down the windshield of this convertible. This was on a car parked at Aspen Grove on my way into work one day. Hilarious! Note to any convertible drivers out there: if you don't want a woodland creature to bed down in your warm and oh so inviting car for the night, be sure to close the roof! Especially if you're staying in a canyon. :) Warmed my heart. |
Retreats
15 November 2014
The end of October and beginning of November saw 2 different work retreats for me. One was down in Moab, and we got to hike the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. Loved it!
The end of October and beginning of November saw 2 different work retreats for me. One was down in Moab, and we got to hike the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. Loved it!
Escape
15 November 2014
Hubby and I both needed a break. So we took one. :) We went down to Bryce Canyon National Park for a night/day, saw a play at the Tuacahn in St. George that night, then went to camp in Zion National Park for a day. Hiked Angels Landing, one of my all-time favorite hikes. Then stopped by Kolob Canyons and Cedar Breaks National Monument on our way home. It was a good idea. Adventures like this always make me feel alive. :)
Hubby and I both needed a break. So we took one. :) We went down to Bryce Canyon National Park for a night/day, saw a play at the Tuacahn in St. George that night, then went to camp in Zion National Park for a day. Hiked Angels Landing, one of my all-time favorite hikes. Then stopped by Kolob Canyons and Cedar Breaks National Monument on our way home. It was a good idea. Adventures like this always make me feel alive. :)
Making a House a Home
15 November 2014
I am so excited to make our little house a home! In fact, I'm leaving work in January to do just that. January 9th, in fact. It is admittedly a little strange to tell people I'm just going home when they ask me where I'm going next. I've worked forever! I even had a bit of an identity crisis the first time I was asked the question by someone who doesn't know me personally. I've gotten used to saying it now, though, and it feels good and right. I'm ready to just go home.
I also will start training as a Health Coach, which I'm really excited for. About 10 hours a week, online training through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. We'll see where that takes me! It also feels good and right.
Change is always scary, but I'm ready for this one.
I am so excited to make our little house a home! In fact, I'm leaving work in January to do just that. January 9th, in fact. It is admittedly a little strange to tell people I'm just going home when they ask me where I'm going next. I've worked forever! I even had a bit of an identity crisis the first time I was asked the question by someone who doesn't know me personally. I've gotten used to saying it now, though, and it feels good and right. I'm ready to just go home.
I also will start training as a Health Coach, which I'm really excited for. About 10 hours a week, online training through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. We'll see where that takes me! It also feels good and right.
Change is always scary, but I'm ready for this one.
A Year in Review
15 November 2014
Ahem. I know you thought I disappeared, but I didn't. And I was still having adventures, just not taking time to blog about them. So, here's a year in review: Midway Ice Castles, BYU basketball game, Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival, Montana for my brother's graduation (go Steve!), Yellowstone National Park with the parents and grandparents, my first (and somewhat successful) attempt at gardening, Aspen Grove Family Camp with my parents (don't you love our cookie jars?!), Idaho Falls/Bear World/Big Springs for the 4th of July, my sister's baby shower and a fun flea market with my mom and sisters in August, and the circus! Phew.
Ahem. I know you thought I disappeared, but I didn't. And I was still having adventures, just not taking time to blog about them. So, here's a year in review: Midway Ice Castles, BYU basketball game, Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival, Montana for my brother's graduation (go Steve!), Yellowstone National Park with the parents and grandparents, my first (and somewhat successful) attempt at gardening, Aspen Grove Family Camp with my parents (don't you love our cookie jars?!), Idaho Falls/Bear World/Big Springs for the 4th of July, my sister's baby shower and a fun flea market with my mom and sisters in August, and the circus! Phew.
The Honeymoon
15 November 2014
Best. Vacation. Ever. The new hubby and I got Southern California City Passes, which allowed us a day in Sea World, a day in Universal Studios, and 3-day Park hopper passes for Disneyland and CA Adventure. So much fun! I love this man and look forward to the remainder of our adventures together. :)
P.S. If you ever meet Donald Duck, you should definitely try talking to him in "duck." Hilarious!
Best. Vacation. Ever. The new hubby and I got Southern California City Passes, which allowed us a day in Sea World, a day in Universal Studios, and 3-day Park hopper passes for Disneyland and CA Adventure. So much fun! I love this man and look forward to the remainder of our adventures together. :)
P.S. If you ever meet Donald Duck, you should definitely try talking to him in "duck." Hilarious!
Climb a Mountain!
16 November 2013
I am blessed with a best friend who loves many of the same things I do! I love sharing adventures with him. Last weekend we climbed Squaw Peak in Provo, Utah, which comes highly recommended. You walk up Rock Canyon, cross 5 bridges, look for the rock that says "Squaw Peak," and follow the trail up. It skirts along the backside of the mountain up to the top. Beautiful hike! There were some steep parts. And there was A LOT of mud because we did it in November. But mostly it was just a beautiful hike and an awesome day. And the views at the end are incredible!
I am blessed with a best friend who loves many of the same things I do! I love sharing adventures with him. Last weekend we climbed Squaw Peak in Provo, Utah, which comes highly recommended. You walk up Rock Canyon, cross 5 bridges, look for the rock that says "Squaw Peak," and follow the trail up. It skirts along the backside of the mountain up to the top. Beautiful hike! There were some steep parts. And there was A LOT of mud because we did it in November. But mostly it was just a beautiful hike and an awesome day. And the views at the end are incredible!
The Greatest Adventure of All
3 November 2013
On October 10, my sweetheart asked me to spend eternity with him! I, of course, said yes. :) Well actually, I may have said, "Really?!" first, but he surprised me! We went for a walk up a canyon that has some back story for us. It was raining out, and not out of the ordinary for us. We got to a little rock alcove and he asked me to hold the umbrella so he could tie his shoe. Once he knelt down it finally hit me that this might be it, and that's exactly when he asked me. We're getting married on January 16, and I can not wait to start forever with this man!!
On October 10, my sweetheart asked me to spend eternity with him! I, of course, said yes. :) Well actually, I may have said, "Really?!" first, but he surprised me! We went for a walk up a canyon that has some back story for us. It was raining out, and not out of the ordinary for us. We got to a little rock alcove and he asked me to hold the umbrella so he could tie his shoe. Once he knelt down it finally hit me that this might be it, and that's exactly when he asked me. We're getting married on January 16, and I can not wait to start forever with this man!!
Man I love Autumn!
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3 November 2013
Ha ha well it appears I'm not much better now that summer's over. :) In my defense, I got engaged and that is sure keeping me busy! I still play a lot though. :) Utah State Fair, birthday dinner with friends, playing with roomies, a hike to Bridal Veil falls, walking the Provo Canyon trail from Vivian Park all the way down to the mouth of the canyon, climbing on a giant rooster because I can, spending time with visiting family, checking out the Gardner Village witch festival, hooking up with old friends, a day of fun at Hee Haw farms, etc. You get the idea...it's been a fun couple of months! And as always, all of my adventures come highly recommended. :) Some of my favorite adventures haven't cost a dime, though, and could be done wherever you're at! Adventure 1: constellation activity. Overlay a star chart on a map of your city, pick a constellation, poke holes through the stars in that constellation, get rid of the map and go find those stars in whatever city you're in! We took pictures at each stop and ended with a treat, which definitely made it a little more fun. :) |
Adventure 2: scavenger hunt. Make a list of a bunch of random things to do, find some people who know how to be silly and have a good time, choose a location, and race to finish! In case you're wondering, we won. ;)
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Summer Fun
2 September 2013
July and August were full of many adventures. Maybe now that the busy summer season is officially over I'll be better at blogging my adventures! Ha ha we'll see. I have awesome neighbors who have been teaching me a bit about gardening this summer. I'm a pro raspberry and blackberry picker now, and I know a thing or two about growing them. Someday! The past 2 months have seen me at Aspen Grove A LOT, but I also went to a rodeo, day tripped to Yellowstone with my momma to see our favorite geyser, dressed up as Professor Trelawney for a Harry Potter themed Christmas in July party, hiked up to Timpanogos Caves, went camping with my family at Timpooneke campground, rode the Heber Creeper for the first time, went to 7 Peaks once or twice, and all in all had a great summer! I'm ready for the cool fall weather and the fun it always brings. :) |
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Cascade Springs & Living Planet Aquarium
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13 July 2013
Two very cool places! It's been a fun week. :) Cascade Springs is in the Uinta National Forest, Pleasant Grove Ranger District, and it's amazing. If you've never taken the time to check it out you definitely should! Only $6.00 for a 3-day pass into the canyon and worth every penny. The Living Planet Aquarium is in Sandy, UT. My sister tipped me off to it and I'm so glad she did! Fun touch pools, cool critters, and a lot of fun. The picture of the frog and snake hanging out together is for my Momma~she is a professional storyteller and tells a story about a frog child & snake child who become friends. She's pretty cool, you should probably check her out sometime: Teresa Clark, http://teresaclark.blogspot.com/. |
Summer Fun!
5 July 2013
Lest you think all I've been doing is working, I thought I'd check in. Granted there has been a lot of working and also editing our book, but I've been having adventures too! Granted, many of my adventures happen at work during the summer months because my work prevents much traveling. It's hard to roam far if you never have 2 days off in a row! Aspen Grove provides plenty of summer adventures though as I meet new guests, reconnect with old-time guests, and have family & friends come visit (subtle hint). I've also had plenty of adventures around Utah County with friends and family over the past few months. If you're in the area, run a 5k, go to Thanksgiving Point's tulip festival in April, come visit me at Aspen Grove, go hiking, go to 7 Peaks Water Park, enjoy any number of festivals (Scottish Festival, Orem's Summer Fest, and Provo's Freedom Fest just to name a few), go to the Manti Temple Pageant in June, visit Hokulia for the BEST shaved ice (mine's a small!), and don't miss Provo's Stadium of Fire! I know that's a quick overview, but it's all you get! I'll try to be better at posting my adventures now that work is settling down and the book is off to press. :) |
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I'll be There!
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21 April 2013
Admittedly, when my sister announced she'd be getting married halfway across the country I had three thoughts in this order: Oh that's going to be expensive. Well, at least I'll be able to see some cool things--it will be an adventure. I'm so happy for her! Ha ha maybe the order was a little skewed, but there it is. And it was an adventure! As the only single child left, I got the distinct privilege of seeing the sights with my parents who double as two of my very best friends. :) We spent time at Nauvoo, Carthage Jail, the Mississippi River, Mark Twain's boyhood home, the St. Louis arch, and the Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel and Walton's Original 5-10 in Arkansas (just to name a few places). Then back to Idaho to wrap things up and play a bit more. Four flights and countless hours of driving took me to five states and plenty of fun sights in a two week period of time. So much fun, great memories, so many people I love. Ok, well, I think I'll go take a nap. |
Story@Home/Roots Tech
24 March 2013
Mom and I presented our workshop at Story@Home/Roots Tech this past week. It is always an adventure to get up in front of a crowd of people who know more than you do and try to teach them something! We were both happy with how the workshop went and can't deny the fact that God is the master teacher every time we stand up to do this. We teach nothing. Yet, He has given us tools to use to help Him reach out in love and service, and we are happy to use them. My favorite part of the day was hanging out with my crazy mom and sister. We were also able to spend time with grandparents and friends. The best people to have adventures with are the people who know all about you, allow you to be yourself, and love you anyway! Sure missed my other sisters this year! |
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Museum of Ancient Life
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15 March 2013
I love love love the Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point in Utah. It never gets old. Pretty fun displays in general, but they always ham them up around the holidays which keeps the museum fun and interesting. Even more so if 2 grown up kids go together. :) Three little leprechauns snuck into the museum to play some tricks on the dinosaurs. Hilarious! It's moments like this that make me proud of my Irish heritage. Granted I'm barely Irish, but I sure claim it! That's where my mischievous side comes from. :) The museum also has 13 gnomes hiding throughout the museum right now. I promise we were looking, but we only found one. They're sure hidden well! If you succeed in finding all 13 your name goes on a plaque. Good luck! You can start by finding the gnome in the pictures. Anyway, if you're looking for a fun adventure, you should check it out. And remember to get your kid on before you go, because it makes it about a million times better! |
Tea Party
15 March 2013
Who needs to leave home for an adventure? Not us! Peppermint tea, cucumber sandwiches, thumbprint cookies, and we're off to Neverland! It only took us about 30 minutes to get the food and tea ready, and it was so much fun! Let me know if you want the thumbprint cookie recipe, it's my roomie's and I didn't grab it. Love living with people who will be kids with me and do random and crazy things! Those are always the best adventures. :) |
Playing with Fire
10 February 2013
This is cool. Admittedly, I'm a bit of a pyromaniac, so maybe you'll be a little wary like one of my roommates was. Or maybe, just maybe, you'll jump on board with the rest of us. Step 1: wrap a piece of cotton tightly with cotton thread, tie off Step 2: douse in lighter fluid Step 3: light on fire and play catch, juggle, etc. Look, I'm holding fire in my hands! Wanna play? |
Newfound Respect
7 February 2013
I did it. After all my years of loving ice skating and dreaming of being a figure skater, I finally went for the first time. I only fell a handful of times, though it was admittedly helpful to have a boy catching me every time I started to fall. I may or may not have inadvertently made him fall a few times too. Ok, I did. Hazard of offering your arm to a first timer I suppose! Ha ha even though I only fell a few times, you should see my bruises! Battle wounds are my favorite. Ok so professional figure skating is probably not in my future, but it was fun! I'd go again. And I have a newfound respect for all of the skaters I've watched fly gracefully across the ice over the years. I'll keep watching! |
Taking a Lunch
3 February 2013
I love my job! I love that I can take a long lunch, walk outside, and be in the midst of an adventure within seconds. My coworker and I did just that on Friday. We grabbed some snowshoes and headed off on an hour long adventure on Aspen Grove's snowshoe trail. One of these days I need to take a long lunch and go cross-country skiing! This is the second time I've gone snowshoeing this season, and I'm in love with it. I'm even going to get my own snowshoes when my REI dividend comes in so I can do it whenever I want! I thank God every day for granting me the blessing of working at a place I love, where I can literally step outside and be surrounded by the trees, mountains, sights, sounds, and smells that testify of Him. |
Nurturing Old Friendships
27 January 2013
Oh how I love these girls! We all went to Ecuador together, and I am so grateful we stay in touch and remain a part of each other's lives. We have shared countless unforgettable memories with orphans in Ecuador, and have also shared in education, marriage, babies, and so many of life's transitions.
I am often frustrated by relationships in today's society. We are so busy updating social media, sending mass texts, and watching the latest video that we forget how to build real and lasting relationships. I know I'm old fashioned. :) Those things certainly have a place, but I am so grateful for phone calls and time spent face to face with friends and family. That's what really counts in my book!
Oh how I love these girls! We all went to Ecuador together, and I am so grateful we stay in touch and remain a part of each other's lives. We have shared countless unforgettable memories with orphans in Ecuador, and have also shared in education, marriage, babies, and so many of life's transitions.
I am often frustrated by relationships in today's society. We are so busy updating social media, sending mass texts, and watching the latest video that we forget how to build real and lasting relationships. I know I'm old fashioned. :) Those things certainly have a place, but I am so grateful for phone calls and time spent face to face with friends and family. That's what really counts in my book!