Our trip to exotic...Canada?

As of July 13, Erik and I have been married 10 years. Yeah...that wasn't a typo. 10 years. To me, that seems like such a milestone. And it's been an amazing 10 years, so we decided to treat ourselves to a fabulous vacation. Since we love cruises and we hadn't been on one in a couple years, we started looking at itineraries. There were the usual, of course. Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska. And all of them would have been fantastic, I'm sure.

But then we noticed an eastern Canada cruise leaving out of Boston. No, it wasn't tropical. Heck, it wasn't even exotic. And we got plenty of mildly confused looks when we started telling people where we would be sailing. Canada? You mean that country just north of ours that's pretty much the exact same as here? But that was our final decision. We've both wanted to check out Boston forever and we'd already done the tropical thing. As fun as it was, we wanted to try something new. So Canada it was.

Since Boston was a main impetus for the choice, we headed in a day before the cruise left. We actually ended up on a red eye that left Saturday at 11:30p and arrived in Boston at 7:30a on Sunday. Airplane sleep is the worst. Even with the cute shut-eye kits of eye masks and ear plugs. We slept as well as we could and hit the ground running once we landed. Luckily, we were able to check into our hotel early so we could at least freshen up a bit.

We only had about a day and a half before boarding the boat, so based on the recommendation of the front desk, we headed straight to the Quincy Market Place area. It's right near the water and has a ton of shopping and food. It's also right next to Faneuil Hall, which was a market built in the 1700s. So we got to shop and feel like we were learning something at the same time. Always a plus. And we scored some great brick oven pizza at Regina Pizzeria . 

In that same area is the New England Aquarium. Seeing as how we recently set up a tank, it was a must see. We also hooked up with a tour through part of the Freedom Trail and ended up at the Old North Church and then went on to see Ol' Ironsides (USS Constitution) and the Old State House, where we got the real story of the Boston Massacre...as real as it can be, I suppose, considering no one really seems know what happened.

By the time we hit the boat on Monday afternoon, we were beat. Good thing the next day was a sea day, for sure. And remember when I said we wanted something different than the other cruises we'd been on? Well, it was. Usually, the days at sea are spent by the pool in a swim suit reading a book or taking a nap. In between, you grab some ice cream or a drink or some pizza and then maybe take a dip in the pool. For us, it was foggy. And I don't mean a few low thin clouds. We couldn't see anything. It was a little unnerving, really, to be on a boat in the middle of...nothing. So rather than lie by the pool all day, we hit the spa. Yes...Erik, too. It was wonderful!

Our first port was Saint John New Brunswick. Apparently, the big thing to do here is see the Reversing Falls. They have the highest tides in the world, so when the tide comes in, the Saint John River will actually change direction. The thing is, unless you hit the site at both low and high tides, you don't know the difference. Plus, the site to view the falls it across from a refinery. Talk about scenic. While we were there, we were able to see the water change a little, and some rapids started to form, but I don't know that I'd say it was a must see. We probably had more fun wandering around the town and their huge food market. And lunch was amazing at the Urban Deli. Without knowing it, we picked the #1 Saint John restaurant on Trip Advisor. And we whole-heartedly agree. Who knew grilled ham and cheese and club sandwiches could be so good?

The next day was Halifax. Turns out we were there during the tall ship festival. So while we waited for our tour that afternoon, we stolled the harbor walk and admired the ships. We also had some amazing ice cream (made with PEI blueberries and strawberries). Our tour actually took us out of Halifax to a fishing village called Peggy's Cove. Apparently, the permanent population of the town is about 40, but during the tourist season, it goes up substantially. It is the home of the most photographed lighthouse, which was our main destination. And I can see why. The lighthouse itself is just a lighthouse. In fact, we had a very similar one a little island next to the cruise ship. But the landscape around it was so pretty. Tons of granite right up to the ocean. But remember to avoid the black rocks. Or You. Will. Die. They make sure you understand that black rocks mean wet rocks, which means the ocean might come up and take you with it. While we were there, I snagged a watercolor print from the artist, who happened to be there signing them. I don't think he's anyone super famous, but it's kind of fun to have, especially for only 20 bucks.

Our second stop in Halifax was to the Titanic grave yard. The bodies retrieved from the water were brought to Halifax, and if they went unclaimed or the families didn't want to/couldn't ship them home, they were buried there. There are 121 graves, including a J Dawson and an unknown child who is actually now know thanks to DNA testing. Our guide was great and was able to tell us some stories about some of the people who ended up buried there. Definitely a fun, if a bit morbid, stop.

We had a second day at sea on the way back, which ended up being a lot like the first one. While we were in port, the weather was amazing. But those two days at sea were foggy and windy. But there's always something to do on board, so we managed to stay busy.

We arrived back in Boston Saturday morning, but we'd opted for another day so we didn't have to cram all of Boston into that first day and a half. So during the rest of Saturday and Sunday morning, we finished the part of the Freedom Trail we didn't do earlier, including the Bunker Hill Monument and its 294 steps. No elevator option. Erik ran the first 75 or so but soon realized that probably wasn't the brightest idea. The view was pretty cool, but it's a tiny room with a lot of people, so we didn't stay long to check it out. So we headed back down the 294 steps. Back at the bottom and 588 steps later, I was pretty sure my legs were about to mutiny and stop working all together.

A quick rest and we headed back to the Quincy area for lunch at Saus. French fries and sauce. That's it. I guess that's not true. They had sandwiches, too, but the fries were the thing. We went with the Poutine: fries with gravy and cheese curds. Seriously...it was so good. Then it was a trip to Boston Harbor so Erik could dump some tea in. We also hit the other side of town to see Prudential Tower. It wasn't as impressive as Willis Tower in Chicago, and it's not even the tallest building in Boston. But it had a good enough view that it was worth the trip.

By the time we got to the airport, we were ready to get home and see the kids, who had been staying with Nana and Grandpa Len. But we had a great time. Now we just need to start planning the next one. Maybe we'll let the kids come this time...
 

Read more...

Memorial Day Weekend

Every once in a great while, the planets align just right and Erik ends up with an honest to goodness long weekend like a normal person. It just so happens the planets were kind to us for Memorial Day this year. So we packed up the kids and headed down to St. George with some friends.

We weren't sure how the kids would do on a six-hour drive, but they were both actually really good. Lily only asked, "Are we there yet?" about 5 times, and it could have been sooooo many more. I think by the end, they were both ready to get out, and so were we, but they were definitely troopers.

Once we'd made the official arrangements to go, we told Lily we would be taking a vacation, which would mean staying in a hotel - where you can jump on the beds! Apparently, this is what Erik remembers most about vacations. So the first thing Lily had to do when we arrived was...

That night, we took a dip in the pool. Timothy had never been swimming before, but he seemed to enjoy it...without a single tear being shed until we pulled him out and he was cold.

Getting everyone to bed that night was a little rougher than usual since Timothy could still hear us milling around while he was in the travel crib. But it wasn't too long before he dozed off. Even though we played up the advantage of having a great big bed all to herself, Lily decided she wanted someone to sleep with her, so for the first two nights, Erik had the privilege. I was nice and took the last night.

On Saturday, we headed into Vegas. The last couple times we've been down there, we've talked about going to the shark reef at Mandalay Bay. We decided it was time we finally did it...plus, Lily would LOVE it. And she totally did. They had some huge, beautiful fish and two tunnel aquariums you could walk through. She was severely tempted to touch the stingrays, but she couldn't quite reach and I don't think she really wanted to anyway.

After the aquarium, we headed to the M&Ms store...our must see in Vegas. Lily was grabbing things left and right, and although we planned on buying her something, we were sure we would have a major melt down when we made her narrow it down to one. As we were getting ready to go, we helped her pick out a star-shaped box of M&Ms. Then she remembered the wall of candy dispensers. She wanted some in a bag, too. We helped her get them, and then said we'd get a smaller box instead of the star one. Then she surprised us completely and said she just wanted the bag. Since they're sold by the pound, we managed to get out of there for about 2 bucks. Sometimes, she amazes me. (I just wish I could predict when she's going to be easy going and when I should brace myself for a fight. I never seem to get it right.)

We rounded out the evening with some shopping in St. George and some pizza for dinner. A great day, really.

On Sunday, we drove the little ways out to Snow Canyon. We stopped at the dunes for a bit, but it was pretty windy, and sand and wind are not a great combination. So we headed to a trail a little further in to climb on some of the great red rocks. So gorgeous!

For our first real family vacation, I think we can call it success. The kids behaved themselves for the most part. We had some fun. We got some great pictures. There wasn't any fighting. No one got hurt, at least not majorly. (Timothy did fall off the bed and get a rug burn on his nose, but that's a completely different story.) And Lily got to jump on some beds.

Read more...

Vegas Birthday

This weekend, Erik and I headed down to Las Vegas for a concert...Erik's birthday present to himself. In all my 28 years, I've never been to a concert. You know...other than the occasional band/orchestra/choir/symphony type one. So I was super excited to be able to say I'd actually been to a real live concert. Of course, when we told anyone we were seeing Jack's Mannequin, we'd get very confused looks accompanied by a, "Who?" But that was ok.

We arrived in Vegas Friday morning about 10 am and headed to House of Blues to pick up our tickets. It was then that we realized the concert started at 5 pm...much earlier than we expected it would. So we didn't get as much time to wander the strip as we had hoped. But we still had a great time with stops in the Coke and M&Ms stores, lunch at the Harley Davidson Cafe, and several trips on the monorail. As a side note, each trip on the monorail required singing part of the following:




Our only real disappointment for the trip was not taking a real camera with us to the concert. We had totally planned on it, but House of Blues has a no camera policy. After a little internet research, we determined they're actually pretty strict about the policy with several people having their cameras confiscated. So we decided not to risk it. And we SO should have. Not only did people bring cameras, they didn't care AT ALL. I watched one guy get wanded before coming in, which included pulling a camera out of his pocket in front of the security guard and then putting it back in. We were able to get some pictures with Erik's phone, but they aren't great, and of course, I didn't think to get any of us actually at the concert. Major bummer, but at least the concert was good. Although we could have done without the opening band that opened for the opening bands. Had we known the actual good stuff wouldn't start until 6:30, we could have seen a few more sites.

Even though we didn't get good pictures at the concert, we did manage to snag a picture of what we're calling the Jack's Mannequin tour bus. Even though we have absolutely no proof of any kind, it made us feel sort of special...


We were going to head to the Shark Aquarium the next day, but it didn't open until later in the morning, and we didn't want to get home too terribly late, so we nixed that and headed to St. George for some outlet shopping. We decided we could have totally used another day of vacation, but it was still way fun and worth the long drive. Not to mention the GLORIOUS weather!

Read more...

Western Caribbean Cruise

After about 8 months of anticipation, planning, working out, and just plain excitement, September 5 finally arrived, and Erik and I (along with 4 other couples) set out on our Western Caribbean cruise. (And in case you're wondering, the whole "working out" thing wasn't as successful as I'd hoped, but what can you do?)

Our adventure started when we picked up the McCombers at 4:00 a.m. - yes, four in the morning - for our flight to Miami. Just let me say, flights to Miami from Salt Lake are not convenient. It was either this ridiculously early flight the day before the ship left or a redeye on the same day. Despite the early hour, I'm glad we went in the day before. We were able have a nice, relaxing evening (including a Cuban dinner) and didn't have to feel rushed getting to the cruise terminal.

Once on board, it was pure heaven. Ice cream and pizza 24 hours a day. Gorgeous views every where you look. A new country each day. A fantastic manicure. Some good shows, including a very funny ventriloquist. Not quite Jeff Dunham, whom I LOVE, but it was fun.

This time around, we opted for the Caribbean rather than Baja Mexico, and I am so glad. While snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas was fun, it was nothing compared to the warm, beautiful, amazingly blue water of the Caribbean. Our first stop was Grand Cayman where we did some snorkeling and went to Stingray City. Stingray City was AMAZING!!! We were able to stand in water a little more than waist deep and just watch the stingrays swim all around us. Well...they did more than that. They were very friendly and even jumped out of the water and bumped up against everyone. I was brave and held one although I decided I didn't need to feel one suck a raw squid from my hand.

Roatan, Honduras, was our next stop. To me, it was the epitome of "tropical island." It was so green and beautiful. Erik decided to windsurf along with Jared and Eric. The rest of the group did some more snorkeling, but I decided to hang out on the beach with my book and watch Erik fall off his board. :-P Not really. All three guys did a great job for their first time despite Mickey's (the instructor) constant insults and complaints at their lack of ability. Let's just say he lacked some people skills. Mickey's operation wasn't affiliated with the ship at all, so we were able to get a view of the island that probably many people don't see. We headed to the opposite side of the island from the pier and had fabulous views all the way there.

Our third port was Belize. This was the stop I was most looking forward to since we were taking a tour of the Mayan Ruins, and I loved them. The site wasn't as big as I had expected, but for the most part, it was very cool. We were able to climb to the top of the tallest ruin to see the entire site and learn about some rituals that were performed on the altar (they weren't pleasant). One disappointing thing about the site was the reconstruction of some of the ruins. Apparently some features were covered up when they rebuilt parts of the temples, but it was still pretty impressive. The second half of this excursion was a river tour. Honestly, we both could have done without it. It was blisteringly hot that day, and the boat didn't have a cover. And the animals weren't really cooperating so it ended up mostly being a hot ride in a bumpy boat, but the iguanas were very cooperative and posed nicely for us.

Our final stop was Cozumel. Erik and I went on Mini Jeep tour of Punta Sur, an ecological preserve. It was very dusty, but we were able to see come cool stuff. There was a Mayan lighthouse and hurricane alarm. The top had conch shells placed in a way that when the wind blew just right, they would sound and warn everyone a hurricane was coming so they could move inland. We also climbed to the top of a modern lighthouse with an amazing view. We wrapped up our day in Cozumel relaxing in some hammocks at a fairly deserted beach.

One unexpected twist to our trip was the rescue of some divers after leaving Cozumel. The ship detected a distress call, and we headed out to investigate. It turned out to be some divers whose motor broke and started drifting. We ended up anchored in the middle of the ocean for a while with a little boat tied to the side until the Mexican authorities could come pick them up. So even the time at sea was eventful!

Our last day was spent in Miami. Again: flights between Salt Lake and Miami are not convenient. We were off the boat about 8 a.m. but our flight didn't leave until 5:30 p.m. So we all rented a few cars and headed out to the Everglades. We stopped at the Everglades Alligator Farm and took an air boat ride and watched a crazy guy stick his head in an alligator's mouth. We ate lunch in South Beach and then headed home.

It was a great vacation, but we were both ready to get home to Lily and Laddie. When Lillian woke up Monday morning, she looked around for Nana before realizing were were in our bed. "You guys came home?!?!?" She was so excited to see us, and I have to say, I was thrilled to see her. I think we're done cruising for a little while, but maybe next time she can come with us.

Here's some pictures from the trip because I know everyone's favorite thing is to see slides from someone else's vacation... :)

Read more...

Just a little glow

So I've never been a tanner, not that kind any way. I've never had a desire to pay to put on weird goggles and lie on what looks like a very uncomfortable bed under UV lights for something that is completely and totally free. Don't take this to mean I'm an SPF freak, though. (Although, I probably should be, especially as I continue to inch closer and closer to 30. I'm sure my skin would appreciate it.) Admittedly, this means that my tan usually has several layers with my arms and neck getting fairly dark by the end of summer, my legs having a little color, and a lighter layer that outlines my swimsuit. Since the number of times I'm actually in swimsuit is pretty few and far between, I don't stress about it too much.

Last year, we had one of those coupon cards for some local organization with all sorts of discounts. One included a Buy One, Get One Mystic Spray Tan. As our May cruise approached, I was SO tempted to use it. I did some research to see what to expect. It seemed simple enough: stand in a booth and get sprayed with a mist. A few hours later, gorgeous tan. But I never did do it. I'd used self-tanners before and as hard as you might try, you always miss a spot or you use too much and turn orange. I just decided I didn't want to risk looking like a Cheeto in my cruise pictures. I opted instead to go on our cruise in my normal post-winter paleness. After the cruise (and once the sunburn faded from the spots my spray-on sunscreen missed), I had a beautiful tan. You could still see my tan line this spring, actually.

Here we are again, getting ready to go on another cruise. This time however, it's after summer, so I've had the chance to get a little color. Which, as I mentioned, means I have a couple different levels of tan depending on where you look. I had resigned myself to this and figured one good "Fun Day @ Sea" would probably adjust any inconsistencies and I'd be good to go.

Then Tina, a fellow cruiser I happen to work with, sent me an email. "I'm getting a mystic tan," she said. "It's BOGO on Mondays. I also have a coupon if you can't go today. Would you be interested in using it?" I thought about it, remembering all the reasons I opted out last time. But I was still EXTREMELY tempted. I figured, at least we'd look like Cheetos together if it turned out bad, right? Plus, I made sure her appointment was right before mine in the hopes I'd catch her on the way out of the spa and have the chance to be warned to RUN AWAY!!! if needed.

When I arrived, I was told someone was just getting instructions on using the booth so it would be just a little while. Turns out it was Tina because soon, she came down the hall looking...well, let's face it...not any tanner than when I'd seen her at work. Apparently it does take a while for the color to actually develop, but I was wondering where my instant tan was. She relayed her experience with the only admonition being not to forget the hair net as she had, but otherwise, it was painless. Judging from her account of her time in the booth, she left out a few details.

When it was my turn, the staff member explained the process and showed how to apply the barrier cream that would keep dry skin and hands/nails from absorbing too much tanner. It should be goopy, she said. Before she left, she asked if I wanted "clear" or "bronze" tanner. Apparently, the bronze version put a little color on immediately while the actual tanner develops the end color. I went for the bronze option. After she left, I donned my hair net so there was no way I would forget it and lotioned up. Once I thought I'd done a particularly goopy job, I waved my hand in front of the sensor and stepped in the booth.

"Spraying will commence in 5 seconds." I assumed the position as she'd shown me and prepared for the cool blast of mist I knew would be coming. I'd been warned not to scrunch my eyes when it hit, so I was making a conscious effort not to. But that was the LONGEST FIVE SECONDS EVER!!! The anticipation of the first blast was causing me to scrunch my face more and more as I waited. Once it finally hit, I had to remind myself to relax so I didn't get scrunch marks. When the process had been explained, I was told it would spray "up and down, up and down, up and down." After the third round, I expected it to stop. I don't know how many more times it went up and down, but it was definitely more than three. The theory is that it's safe to breathe, but who can remember to breathe when you're surrounded by suffocating, nasty-tasting mist and being shot with cold jets? And that was just the front side! The back was much easier since at least I wasn't being sprayed in the face, but by then, the booth is so full of mist, it might as well be spraying you in the face.

Once the door opened, I stepped out, dried off, and made my second appointment for Friday to make sure I have the best tan possible before we leave on Saturday.

The next morning, I was putting in my contacts and noticed my thumbs were orange! Apparently my definition of goopy and the correct definition weren't the same thing. From my hands, I looked to my feet, which were just about as bad. No where else seemed to be orange, so I tried to exfoliate the orange off. It didn't really help. I chalked it up to a learning curve and just accepted it. Thankfully, a few showers later and some more exfoliating, and my hands and feet have pretty much returned to normal. I was told that in my first shower, it would look like a lot was coming off - and it did - but that was just the bronzer. But apparently my hands and feet absorbed more bronzer than anywhere else and they needed a few extra washings.

So, I'll be keeping my follow-up appointment on Friday and will not skimp in any way, shape, or form on the barrier cream. All this to avoid tan lines in my swimsuit...

Read more...

Pioneer Day Fun

First, I need to apologize for my lack of blogging. Usually the summer is so full of activity I have a lot to post, but this year just seems more relaxed, I guess. It's probably been the calm before the storm, and August will have an exorbitant number of posts to make up for my slacking. Either that or we're just boring...

Now...on with the post. July 24 was Pioneer Day, which meant a three-day weekend - always a good thing, right? Erik was able to arrange his schedule so we could hit Island Park, Idaho, with some friends (it's about 30 minutes from West Yellowstone). So we packed up Friday morning and headed on our way. We stayed in a great cabin (one of those houses in the woods, really) with a full kitchen, two bathrooms, two bedrooms, a loft with two more beds, and our own PRIVATE HOT TUB!!! Unfortunately, I passed on the hot tub the first night to play a rousing game of Wackee Six (Ryan and Amber absolutely creamed Ashley and me), and despite the absolute convenience of a hot tub right on our deck, it wasn't put to use again.

That evening, we had a DELICIOUS dutch oven dinner of BBQ chicken, potatoes, and strudel (although there was some debate about the appropriate term for what we had for dessert, right Tina?). I think it's safe to say Jared has perfected his potato recipe; it was FANTASTIC!!

The next morning, we got up early and headed for the river to do a little floating and fishing. It was so gorgeous. The water was crystal clear and the sky was as blue as could be. We couldn't have planned a better day to sit on a lazy river. We stopped a few times to allow some fishing, which (let's be honest) wasn't all that fruitful (fishful?). A few small specimens were stupid enough to take the bait being offered, but nothing was impressive enough to take back to the cabin for roasting (thank goodness!?!).

After a nice shower and nap (Hey - floating a river can be exhausting!), we headed to West Yellowstone for dinner and the Playmill's production of Guys and Dolls. My only experience with this musical is the medley we did for Chamber Choir my senior year. And most of what I remember from that is lame choreography to Sit Down! You're Rockin' the Boat! Without any costumes other than what we always wore for Chamber Choir. (If you'd like to see my lovely black, sequioned blazer, I would be happy to oblige. It currently resides with other choir and formal dresses that haven't seen the light of day in 10 years. Why I kept it, I don't know.) Anyway...it was nice to learn the story that went with the songs, some of which I actually remembered the words to. How can anyone not LOVE musicals? :-)

On Sunday morning, we packed up to head home, but we spent some more time in the area going to Big Spring (with some ginormous fish) and Mesa Falls. We also stopped at the river again for one more chance at catching the "big one." This stop wasn't any more productive than the day before, but there was some more beautiful scenery, and I was able to snap a ton of pictures.

Some of you may have noticed that Lillian's presence is conspicuously missing from our weekend adventure...and you would be right. While we were enjoying the company of other adults, Lily was enjoying the company of Addison with Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Trent. They had a weekend as packed full of activity as we did: the Ogden Pioneer Day parade, the zoo, swimming, fireworks, finding bugs, and just plain wearing out grandma and grandpa in general. (Thanks to Trent for the pictures.)

Read more...

Independence Day Weekend

Because our babysitter decided to take a trip to Florida, I decided to take the same week off and enjoy a chance to be a SAHM. Lily and I were able to spend a lot of time outside playing at the park in front of our house and just having fun together. We took a trip to the Willow Park Zoo one day, and even though we'd played at the park already that morning, she was more interested in the slides she could see at Willow Park. So we headed over there after checking out the monkeys and birds.

My week of vacation was capped off with our Independence Day festivities, and we sure kept busy for those couple of days. July 2 was the performance day for Lillian's swimming lessons, so Erik and I actually got to see what she'd been learning. Unlike the lessons we took her too a few months ago, parents weren't allowed to even been seen by the kids let alone get in the pool with them. They learned how to float and kick and blow bubbles, and even go off the diving board (video below)! If they cried when doing the diving board, they had to do it again. At first, I thought that was a little harsh, but after seeing how great she did, I've decided the teacher knows what she's doing.

It was so fun to watch her follow all the directions and actually enjoy being in the water. After our first round of lessons, she was still clinging to me for dear life and would scream bloody murder if her face went under water; what a different experience we had when I took her to the aquatic center last night. It took a little while for her to decide she'd be ok actually playing in the pool and not just sitting on me, but once she got going, she didn't want to leave and even went down the twisty slide. She starts a second session today; she'll be ready for the Olympics in no time, I'm sure.


After Lily's swimming performance, we headed to the park for some good grub and great company before heading to Hyrum City's fireworks. Unfortunately, my camera battery lasted just long enough to get the diving board video, so no pictures from that event . :-(

But I made up for it by taking a ton of fireworks pictures the next night during the display at USU stadium.


During both displays, Lily decided they were too loud and spent most of the show cowering under a blanket with hands over her ears. During the stadium event, she actually fell asleep in the middle, so I guess they couldn't have been that loud. And for the Hyrum ones, she did end up watching the end very sneakily, peeking out over the blanket periodically - until she realized we knew she was watching; then right back under she went.

For the actual 4th holiday, Lily and I headed down to West Jordan to see my Dad, step-Mom, and sister who were in town staying with my Grandma. Even though she's the closest great-grandma for Lillian, they've never actually met, so it was a lot of fun letting her meet some cousins and play with her Aunt Cassandra. We had a BBQ, watched the celebration at the National Mall on TV (wha-hoo, Barry!), and created our own display of sparklers and fountains outside. All in all, a very fun evening.


I have to say, I love the 4th of July. I probably don't ruminate on it nearly as much as I should, but going to events like the one at the stadium always remind me of how grateful I am to live in this country and for the sacrifices that were made so I can have the freedoms I do. I don't even know anyone in military service, and the medley of service songs and seeing those who've served stand up when their song is played always chokes me up. Not to mention the National Anthem, God Bless America, and I'm Proud to Be an American...just my little patriotic self coming out, I guess.

Read more...

Jackson Hill Climbs

After several years of trying to convince me attending the Snowmobile Hill Climbs in Jackson Hole would be fun, Erik and I finally went up last weekend along with the Chattertons and McCombers. And I have to admit, I had a good time.

Of course that could be because most of the weekend centered around where we would be dining next. Since I'm an absolute food junkie, I was more than willing to let that topic take a good portion of our discussions. And the end result of each discussion definitely didn't disappoint. We ended up at Bubba's BBQ twice, once for dinner and once for lunch, and it was fantastic. I *heart* bbq, so I wasn't going to argue over going twice - although I did resist going for breakfast also. With so many great places to eat, you need to experience more of what's available, like the delicious Merry Piglets with chicken and spinach enchiladas. Yum!!!

And luckily I was able to get my first breakfast choice of the Bunnery on Saturday. Even though the guys were embarrassed to be seen in such a tree-hugger establishment (complete with OSM toast - oats, sunflower seeds, and millet - and granola), I thoroughly enjoyed my turkey and swiss croissant and eggs. I think you can pair pretty much anything with a croissant and have it turn out great. :)

The amazing part was that after such fabulous fare, I'd lost 5 pounds by Monday morning!?! Of course, it's all come back now, so I guess it doesn't really count...but it made me feel a little less guilty about not exercising the entire weekend but still eating all that wonderful food.

When we weren't eating, we spent some time in the lodge watching the hill climbs and staying warm all at once. And Tina and I wandered down to downtown Jackson for some shopping and some interesting exhibits at Ripley's. We did finally head up the mountain on Sunday...leave it to us to pick the day when it dumped two feet of new snow to trek up a mountain, but that's what we did. Thankfully, though, Tina was with us, and it was nice to have someone along who seems to hate the cold more than I do. ;)

But it gave me a whole new appreciation for what was going on seeing how steep this "hill" really was and almost taking the entire group down with me in once particular klutzy moment. And a new respect for Landon, Ashley's brother, who went over the top twice.

After a couple hours of watching a blizzard up close and personal, the best part of the weekend came: the butt luge! From the top of Snow King Mountain, we were able to slide most of the way down in the trench that had been created by those who went down before us. If you've ever been on an alpine slide, it was very similar only soooo much more fun! I was almost willing to pay for another lift ticket just to slide down again, but alas....we had to get home to pick up Lily and Laddie at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Read more...

Reflections on time

This week has absolutely flown by for me. Maybe it's because after a week off work, I had a TON to do and respond to as a result of the rest of the world continuing on as usual. Maybe it was because I felt we had a lot going on at home since Erik has been home every night this week. Without at least one night where he didn't get home until 10, it must have messed up my week chronometer. Maybe it was because the weather is absolutely gorgeous and life just seems to move by more quickly when the weather isn't gloomy and depressing.

Whatever the reason, the weekend is here and I'm ready for it, but unfortunately, the forecast says that even though I'll have the time to enjoy wonderful spring weather, mother nature has a cruel sense of humor and will probably dump rain on us the entire time.

Last week seemed to fly by, too. But I can't think of what kept me so busy. With a week off, I had hoped to come back to the blog with a great post of all the things I'd accomplished, enjoyed, and participated in. Somehow, things never work out how we hope.

I did leave the Valley for a couple days to spend some time with my mom down in Utah County. Lillian came with me of course, and we had a fun time just hanging out and keeping it very low key. We spent Monday afternoon wandering around Ikea, and all I can say is, I'm lucky there isn't one closer or I'd be there all the time. As we eyed everything, my yellow shopping bag was getting pretty full, and I was sure I was going to end up spending a ton more than I wanted to. Truth be told, I only spent $25 and walked away with lots of fun stuff to show for it. Of course, I took Erik back with me on Saturday so we could get a new entertainment center, so I guess if you add that in, I spent way more than I planned on. :-) Because of the snow storm Monday, we stayed another night and came home on Tuesday.

The rest of the week was pretty unproductive. By the time Sunday night rolled around, I realized I hadn't accomplished half of what I had originally planned on; where had the time gone? I felt like I spent the first few days like I was on vacation, and I didn't want to do anything. By the time I hit my ambitous groove on Thursday, it was really too late.

But it was fun to spend an entire week just being "mom," without having to worry about email and projects even when I'm at home. When Lily asked me to read or play, I could do it right then and not have to tell her "in a minute" or "let me finish this first." And I felt I was enternally more patient with her in the evenings than I am when I get home from work. I'm not sure how spending all day with her made me more patient with her at the end of the day, but that's how it seemed.

This week, Erik started working up in Logan as the new Wal-mart is now getting ready to hire. It's been so nice to have him home every night, and he doesn't have that 45-minute drive to get here. We also found out he'll have weekends off for the next 6 weeks, so we're thrilled. Next weekend, we'll be heading up to Jackson for the snowmobile hill climbs and a mini vacation.

We also found out he's been assigned to overnights. That I was not so thrilled about. With my addition of another day in the office starting in April, we had planned on Erik taking Lily as many as two days a week to help keep daycare costs down. Now, depending on how they do the schedule, he may only be with her one day, have to go without sleep to get back on a normal schedule but still be with her two days, or not be with her at all. I like that they've been able to spend some one-on-one time together for the last two years, so the chance of that disappearing and the idea of sleeping alone for the next year had me pretty bummed. But it will mean that he'll be home every evening, so that's something we haven't had for a while and it will be nice.

Read more...

What I did on my Christmas vacation

Well...Christmas and New Years are over. The last couple months have flown by for me, and the last two weeks zoomed by faster than ever before. The sad thing is, looking back, I can't even remember everything what kept me feeling like I was seemingly so busy. We had two work Christmas parties (mine was definitely the better of the two), a night of sledding on a golf course (and now Lillian refuses to walk on any amount of snow no matter how small), a marathon of painting at work, the end of boot camp (and sadly, I don't think I'm fitter than a 5th grader), loads of Christmas shopping followed by loads of Christmas wrapping, and a trip to California. I know there were more things in there, but it's all a blur.

But we had a fantastic Christmas. Lillian got an art easel from Santa and is loving it. After opening presents Christmas morning, we drove to Roy and opened more with Erik's parents. Well, really...Lillian opened more. For the second year, Erik and I opted for the more adult, responsible gift of a freezer full of meat. But it's best if it just stays in the freezer. Plus, wrapping it would be a pain. Lillian, however, made quite the haul. I don't know where we're going to put most of it, but I guess we'll find some place. With a birthday in just over 2 weeks, we're going to have stuff all over the place.After lunch, Lillian and I left for the airport. Lillian had never met my grandmothers (her great grandmothers), so my mom and I made the trip to Modesto to see them. We stayed with my mom's mom and had a nice visit. On Saturday, we made the half-hour trip to Oakdale to my uncle's. My dad also came up from Arizona, so Lillian was able to spend time with the whole family. My dad's mom didn't know we were coming, so it was a fantastic surprise for her. It was so nice that Lillian was able to spend some time with family she doesn't get to see often.

But, it was also nice to be home. Since our babysitter doesn't tend kids between Christmas and New Years (and the University decided not to give us the time off like they have for the last 5 years), I took some vacation time. I had a million things planned for that time off, but not much of it panned out. I did start one of the books I got for Christmas, and I bought the new paint and painting supplies for the kitchen, but that's about all the progress I made.

On New Year's Eve, we made the trek to Springville so Lillian could open her presents from Nana and Grandpa Len. On the way back, we made a pit stop at Cabella's. Oh. My. Gosh. It was like a zoo...only you could get closer to the animals and it didn't stink. I had no idea such a place existed. But disappointingly, they didn't have snow pants for Erik. Or at all for that matter. Foremost outfitter my foot. The rest of our New Year's Eve was spent with the gang going to dinner, of course; playing games; and having a rowdy time. What can I say...we're a crazy bunch. ;)

Our final event before heading back to work was sledding out in Mendon. They have some great hills out there that are best reached by snowmobile. We left Lillian with Karina (where I probably should have stayed, too) and headed up. Watching people go down the hill on their tubes made me think about those annual combined YM/YW tubing activites. You know, where you pile four, five, six, as many people as you possibly can on a tube and see if you can all stay on. That in and of itself is great fun, but the best part was really the anticipation of getting on a tube with one of the cute YM or, even better yet, getting in a position where they had to put their arm around you so everyone fit in the tube. Yeah...good times. Was that really the wholesome activity the leaders were hoping for? At any rate, this tubing was nothing like that. I just said it made think about it. This tubing was really more of a luge. In fact, the green sled we bought for the golf course adventure sent Jared and his brother-in-law all the way to the road. That included a trip through the canal. And if we needed snowmobiles to get there, you can imagine how far they went.

I ended up just watching the fun since I'd hurt my back the night before. I figured that since I could barely bend over, I shouldn't be bouncing down a solid sheet of ice. Oh yeah...did I mention that it had rained the night before so there wasn't any nice fluffy powder to do the sledding on...

But the vacation is over. Tomorrow I have to report to work and get back to real life, I guess. But I still need to paint my kitchen. I suppose that's one way to extend it all just a bit longer...sort of...not really. Dang.

Read more...

Mexico

Erik and I had our 5-year anniversary last year, but Lillian wasn't to the point yet where we felt comfortable leaving her for a long time. So we didn't do anything real big. But we decided that she could handle it by May 2008, so we booked a cruise to Mexico.

My mom came up to Logan and watched her for the 5 days we were gone. They had a great time together, and I don't think they missed us at all.

Erik and I loved the cruise and are already trying to figure out when we can take our next one. We left from San Diego, and our first stop was Ensenada. Not the most exciting place to visit; I don't think we'll go back. But we had fun at the market street on the way to the blowspout (the one attraction there) and haggled for some silver earrings.

We also stopped in Cabo San Lucas, which was much better. Definately geared more towards tourists, which I'm fine with. I don't really want to see the "real" Mexico, I guess. We did some ocean kayaking and then some snorkeling. I have to say, it's a little weird at first, but once I got used to it, it was great. We had a waterproof camera, but none of the pictures really turned out. It wasn't the clearest water. I hear the Caribbean is much better. Maybe next year.

We also had a couple days at sea, so we got in some sun bathing and some shows. The food was great (and plentiful), and being waited on most of the time is pretty nice.

Read more...