Larry and Roxy!

Life in a nutshell.

2012-01-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Blogging World,

I am aware that it has been quite a while since I've last blogged. Since we last chatted, the following have occurred:

•Christmas
•A trip to Logan
•New Years
•School started for Larry
•I started school again
•It got cold

That sums it up. Until today.

Today shouldn't have been a good day. I was informed yesterday that today would include, in a metaphorical sense, a giant lemon being hurled at my face at MLB speeds.

It was not shaping up to be pretty.

Then something happened. I was prepared, I was confident, and I punched the lemon in the face.

Metaphorically.

It was awesome. What could have been a wall turned into a stepping stone.

Today was a glorious day, filled with rainbows and unicorns and donuts and chocolate cake.

So, until next time...

A Charming Lunch

2011-12-23T14:44:00.000-08:00

I got off work early today, which was absolutely delightful. Larry brought me lunch, so we decided to go to one of our favorite places in St. George: Townsquare. It is always such a peaceful place to spend a few minutes. We often find ourselves eating lunch there before we race away to wherever the day takes us.

Today was no exception.

As we got out of the truck, we heard Christmas music. We looked to see where it was coming from and, to our utter delight, realized there were 6 saxophonists caroling away. One bari, two tenor, and three alto sax players standing in the [St. George] cold playing all the classics. It was an absolutely delightful concert! Nothing like some impromptu Christmas music to get you in the right spirit of the season!

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Weekend, at last!

2011-12-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving weekend was a blast! We had most of Larry's family come to St. George for the weekend. We missed Ami, Val, and Michelle, but were delighted to have everyone else here!

We were able to go up to Dixie Rock for a beautiful sunset the first day the Merkets were in town. Chris had to finish a test and Larry had to work, so the rest of us went. It was so fun and so beautiful! I simply love that spot of town!

Thanksgiving Day was a hoot! We had a total of 13 people at dinner, and actually for most of the day. Our friend Brian came from Rexburg, and Larry's cousin and her family came from Cedar City. It was so pleasant to have everyone enjoying themselves in our home. I could get used to that feeling!

We went for a walk and did a little geocaching while everything was cooking.

These two ladies were just too cute!

Chris and Marissa brought their dogs, who were so fun to play with. They have hilarious personalities!

At the Thanksgiving Table:

We had an amazing dinner thanks to everyone's help! Dessert was simply stunning as well. We had a feast of pie and cheesecake. It was incredible.

The weekend truly was wonderful. Saturday we headed over to Dixie Rock again,
this time for some family pictures.

Dan and Cathy were adorable.

As were Chris, Marissa, City, and Indie!

A few more pics from the day...

All in all, it was a phenomenal weekend. Many thanks to the many hands who did so much to make it easy on me! The weekend wouldn't have been the same without you!

So, until next time...

Logan Quickie

2011-12-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

The weekend before Thanksgiving, Larry and I were able to take a quick trip up to Logan to spend some time with my family. While there, my Mom wanted to take a family picture.

50+ photos and 4 locations later, this is what we got. :)

I'm pretty pleased with the result!

LA Quickie

2011-12-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, one of my best friends is getting married in less than 2 weeks. I am so very excited for her. Over Veteran's Day weekend, she was able to fly home and go through the temple for the first time. Larry and I were honored to be there. It was a beautiful day!

The Los Angeles Temple is absolutely stunning on the inside and out!

The Finlay Crew.

Moving in!

2011-12-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

I am fully aware it has been an obscene amount of time since I last blogged, but a lot has been going on. So, without further ado...

We closed on our house October 24. It was a pretty adventurous time, but we made it to home ownership despite the ridiculous hoops we had to jump through for the VA and Fannie Mae. It was totally worth it, though. We LOVE it here!

My parents brought all our stuff down from Logan. Bless them a million times over for this. It was SO fun to have them in St. George for a few days, even if we were just moving in. We did take some time to explore Town Square, an area my Dad developed a particular fondness for when he was here with me months ago. It was a blast to take my mom and explore as well!

We were especially excited to take my mom to the eagle statue by Wells Fargo. She has loved eagles for as long as I can remember, and thus was elated to see the glorious statue.

Despite it being a chilly October weekend, we had our share of fun playing in the splash pad.

We took a quick trip to Dixie Rock to see the sunset. It was cold, windy, and absolutely beautiful!

Aren't they adorable?

Thanks again for all your help, Mom and Dad! We couldn't have done it without you!!

And we're live!

2011-11-03T19:25:00.001-07:00

It's official.

The internet has graced us with its presence.

i.am.so.happy!

Quick Update

2011-10-30T20:57:00.001-07:00

Bonjour blogging world!
Just a quick update from the land of sun and iron. We are officially in our new house! We love it and are working to get everything unpacked. We should have internet officially on Thursday, so i promise more pictures after that. Life is good, though.
So, until next time...
xo

Roller Coasters

2011-10-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Good news, blogging world.

Thanks for all the well-wishes, prayers, positive juju, and karma-induced thinking.

It paid off! More on the interesting parts of the story later, but until then,

Thank you!!

$20

2011-10-23T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm not quite sure I'm ready to post this story, as I don't want to summon bad luck upon Larry and I, but it really is too good not to share!

We are in process of buying a home. Our loan application spent the greater part of this week with the underwriting department of the mortgage company. Had I known three months ago what I know now, I wouldn't have used cash for anything. If I was going to pay cash for something, I would have deposited it in our checking account first, then withdrawn it so the underwriters could see where every single penny was going.

I'm talking every single penny.

Case in point:

I got a call from the mortgage company that went as follows:

Them: I got your loan application back from the underwriters and they have a few questions. Do you have a minute?
Me: Sure! What's up?
Them: Well, they want to know where the $1000 earnest money came from. It doesn't show up anywhere on your bank statement.
Me: Oh, sure. Larry bought the money order with the refund from his student loan. He cashed it out and took the cash straight to buy the money order.
Them: Can you verify that?
Me: Yep, no problem. I'll email you his statement.
Them: Thanks!

A few minutes later, after I had emailed the statement, I get another call from the mortgage company.

Them: Ok, I got the statement you emailed, but I have a question. It looks like he only withdrew $980.
Me: Uh-huh.
Them: So (exceptionally long pause) Can you tell me where the remaining $20 came from?
Me: Oh, yeah, he had a $20 in his wallet. He figured he may as well use that.
Them: Can you verify that?

-Here's the part where I dramatically paused. Can I verify that Larry had $20 in his pocket 8 weeks ago?!? Absolutely not!!! How do you verify something like that anyway?!?

Me: No.
Them: Ok. Well, Underwriting may ask for a letter of some sort documenting that the balance of $20 came from his pocket. We'll see what we can do.

I hung up the phone in a little bit of an irritated-humored-shock. $20?!? I mean really people.

As a conclusion to this story, we didn't have to write a letter because the nice mortgage lady did it for us. Our loan got approved and now we're just waiting for Fannie Mae [read: The Government] to sign the closing papers.

More on that later.

Until next time...

xo

Weekend Adventures

2011-10-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

This weekend was quite the adventure.

It started with a quick trip to Townsquare. I’m loving the free internet there! We were sitting at a quaint little table when I looked down and just started laughing. There was the cutest little ball of fluff I had ever seen. It couldn’t fly very fast, but it hopped along like it had been born with the instincts of a kangaroo. It was hilarious!

Larry’s parents and little cousin came up to visit us on Friday.

We had a ball, but who wouldn’t with a face like this?

We took them into Zion. We hiked to the

lower emerald pools, which were especially beautiful.

We enjoyed the sights along the pathway.

That evening we went to the top of Dixie Rock to watch the sunset. It was beautiful!

We had a great time with them! It was a quick weekend jam-packed with adventure!

Until next time...

xo

Walking on Water

2011-10-09T16:20:00.000-07:00

There is a story in the bible about faith. Actually, there are many, but one in particular has been especially pertinent this week.

Matthew 14:22-33:
22 ¶And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to apray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25 And ain the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good acheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was aafraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little afaith, wherefore didst thou bdoubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

I think it is interesting that before Peter walked on water, he took a step. He exercised the faith to take a step out of the boat and onto the water. It was then, after he got his feet wet, that he realized what he was doing and called out to the Lord for an increase in his faith. He didn’t wait for the wind and the sea to calm before stepping in. He went right on ahead, relying on his faith amidst the turbulent situation.

I had a lesson in this last week. We are in the process of buying a house. We ran into some issues that held life up a bit; issues over which we had no control. We waited, waited, waited... Finally, we decided to move in another direction. It didn’t make the most sense to us, but we knew we had to do something. Within hours of making that decision to move forward, everything fell into place. Those things for which we had been waiting came through in unexpected ways. We have been highly blessed. We had to rely on faith we didn’t realize we had, building it for the next great adventure. And now things are working out in perfect ways!

We should close on our house within the week. I’m so glad we took that first step into the water!

Until next time...

xo

Why I will NEVER run a marathon.

2011-10-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hello from sunny St. George! Life is good. Busy, generally lacking in the internet department, warm, sleepy, and wonderful. That about sums it up.

Saturday was the St. George Marathon. One of the Docs for whom I work was running in it. He mentioned that it was pretty emotional at the end, and I should check it out. So, Saturday morning, Larry and I went on a bike ride to the finish line.

The Doc wasn't kidding. It was one of the most emotional events I've been to in a long time. I literally was fighting tears - and I DON'T cry!

I think the fact that these people did something crazy was pretty inspirational. For two days prior, I had been making a running list of reasons I'd never run a marathon. It got pretty intense. Reasons included:
•Inability to wake up, let alone run, before 6 am.
•Inexplicable fear of pooping in public
•Severe attachment to toenails (apparently they fall off...)
•I do not want to be "that girl" next year who died last year
•Running... there's running involved...
•I don't want to catch asthma
•Running doesn't make you live longer, it just makes you feel that way

The list went on for pages.

There were a few things on the Reasons to Run:
•Free ice cream
•Free massage
•Who doesn't love a parade?

That list was all inclusive.

Nevertheless, it was inspirational. I watched people rally around individuals to help them accomplish a great feat. It was moving.

I think I'll keep the list, though. If I ever have a crazy thought to do anything irrational like run a marathon, I'll refer back to it. Let me know if you need more justification.

Until next time...

xo

Reasons I love the desert.

2011-09-12T18:59:00.000-07:00

Awesome, awesome electric storm last night!

Same photo, a touch modified...

Roxy's Birthday!

2011-09-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

It seems a little weird to blog about my own birthday, but it was completely awesome, so how can I resist?

I officially turned a speed limit this year. It was weird not celebrating with my family, but Larry did make the day wonderful. I got off work early, so I got to "open" my present early. Larry bought me a new bike! It is beautiful!

To celebrate, we decided to take our bikes (and new helmets) for a ride. We drove up to Zion National Park and put our bikes on the shuttle, which we rode to the top of the canyon. We got off at the Temple of Sinawava stop and rode right back down. It was incredible!! The warm canyon wind in my face was truly perfect.

It was a perfect way to celebrate. We came back and ate steak & eggs, had cake and ice cream, and watched a movie. It was a wonderful day!

Marinate.

2011-09-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog World. I suppose the time has come for us to get reacquainted.
My name is Roxy. It's a pleasure to meet you.

Now, getting back into things...

We are settling quite nicely in Saint George. Larry and I both absolutely love it here, although we do miss Logan. Here's a shot from a few weeks ago. We stopped in Mantua to snap this before the clouds dispersed.

We've really loved getting all settled in, temporarily at least. (More to come on that matter...) We took a quick trip to Zion National Park last week and hiked Hidden Canyon. Larry had done it years ago, but I never took the opportunity, so we decided Saturday was as good a day as any to hike it. It was beautiful. The trail to Hidden Canyon was breathtaking, and the canyon itself was so peaceful. There was a free-standing arch just hanging around in the middle of it all.

It was simply stunning.

So, we're adjusting to life in hotter weather, which has been rather pleasant. Yes, it is significantly warmer here than in Logan, but it really isn't that bad. The unforgiving sun is much closer and actually quite pleasant. I can probably say that because I work in an air-conditioned building all day. I do take every opportunity to step outside, though!

Also, as some of you may know, we are in process of buying our first home. We had an excellent realtor recommended to us (Shane Wood, if anyone would like to know!) and have really appreciated his guidance in the whole process. We found a townhome we love and now are in the waiting stage. I've actually changed the name to the marination stage (hence the blog post title) because I hate waiting. Marination, on the other hand, is worth every moment of the wait. I pulled a few pictures off the listing for your viewing pleasure. There will be more pictures as we get closer to moving in.

All in all, we are delighted to be here. If you ever get a hankering to get a few feet closer to the sunshine, give us a call! We'd love to have you visit!

So, until next time...

We're still alive...

2011-08-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hello from Southern Utah!

We are still alive and well, just getting into the swing of things. Larry and I were both fortunate to find full time jobs, which are going great. Larry is really enjoying work as a CNA, and school started for him last week also. We don't have internet where we are currently staying, so we take advantage of a few free wi-fi spots across town. It has certainly killed the blogger inside me.

The last few days a forest fire has been burning in Arizona, just across the border from us. Last night we went up to our favorite park to take pictures. This is my favorite from the evening shoot. Many thanks to Jeff, Liz, and Tony for playing along with my antics. I've been playing with silhouettes for a while, as well as long shutter shots. This picture seems to combine them both. I'll be posting more pictures soon from our crazy adventures down here, but until then know we're doing well, and would love to have you visit anytime!

Until then...

xo

Update

2011-07-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

Lots going on... Here's a quick update:

*Larry passed his CNA skills exam. Now he just has to take the written exam and he's in good shape.
*I got a job.
*We found a temporary place to live.
*I took the GRE.
*Larry's almost done with anatomy.
*Lots more, I'm sure... but this is enough for now.

It will be a whirlwind the next few weeks, but I'll post as much as possible!

Until then...

xo

Dear Chris

2011-07-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks for fixing your 'stache... You could look like this:

A Letter.

2011-07-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Tiffany,

Thank you for restoring my faith in RC Willey. Thank you for reminding me that our frustratingly quiet and apathetic salesman was not worth the frustration caused over the course of 8 weeks. Thank you for making things happen to make my experience better. Thank you for sending me a new TV after our first one, which finally arrived after weeks of back order and even more weeks of us sitting, waiting for our salesman to call, was faulty. Thank you for understanding my nerdiness and being willing to replace a TV with one dead pixel, because heaven knows that one pixel on a 23" TV will drive me to insanity. Thank you for being one of the kindest customer servicers with whom I've ever had a conversation. I hope your day is filled with sunshine and butterflies.

Love, Roxy

Weekends in SLC

2011-06-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Last week was week 1 of 2 self-inflicted crazy weeks. Larry is doing double duty school for 2 weeks. The catch is one of the classes is in Logan, and another is in Salt Lake. It hasn't been too bad, all things considered. We've been blessed, to say the very least. Anyway, last Thursday there happened to be a free concert in Salt Lake roughly the same time as Larry's class. If you haven't heard of the band Parachute, look them up. They are fabulous live! Toph came to the concert with me, and Larry was able to join us for most of Parachute, who headlined. We had a grand ol' time!

This is one of my favorite pictures from the evening, and not because Toph and I look so dang good.

Saturday night, my Dad cashed in his Father's Day gift. We all met up at Spring Mobile Ballpark for a Bees game! Even though the Bees got trashed, we had a grand time! Nina was even able to run around the bases after the game. Oh, did someone mention after the game? That's right... those who stayed for the end of the game were treated to a dog-riding cowboy monkey named Whiplash who rounded up a trio of sheep. I submit, life cannot get any better than that.

Geocaching

2011-06-12T16:40:00.000-07:00

I've referred to geocaching many times over the course of this blog. Saturday we decided it was exactly what we wanted to be doing on such a beautiful day. We took Nina with us and headed up Green Canyon.

We found 3 caches, and have plans for 4 more!

Nina found her first-ever cache! She's been in on many findings, but this was her first! She found it just before we were ready to throw in the towel. Way to go, kiddo!

In the same cache she found was documentation that we'd been there before! The log for May 29, 2006 was from us!

Nina found this lizard along the trail too! It was nice enough to pose before skirting off.

We had a great time, and can't wait to go find some more!

Until next time...

Celebrate in Style!

2011-06-12T16:35:00.000-07:00

My parents celebrated their 28th anniversary this week. They decided to celebrate with a concert of a selection of songs they've written and arranged over the years. As kids, we were happy to assist in this. We really didn't have to do much planning: put music in front of us and we'll play! It was a special way to celebrate a special couple! Happy anniversary!

June Thunderstorms

2011-06-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

June has had some of the most bizarre weather.

I love it.

I love it for so many reasons, only one being the pictures that come from these strange days:

I love it.

Larry's birthday!

2011-06-08T22:03:00.000-07:00

Larry's birthday was while we were in California, but his present was too big to take with us. I decided we should just celebrate twice: once with Larry's family, and once with mine. My dad was sweet enough to make a cake while we were driving home so we could surprise Larry with a mini-party!

Quite possibly the most epic candle picture ever.

Nina and I set up a treasure hunt, including a GPS, for Larry's present.

He got a bike!

Happy birthday, Larry! I love you!!

California!

2011-06-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

Bright and early the morning after Daniel graduated, we loaded Daniel, Toph, and Grandma K into the truck and headed South! We dropped Grandma K off at the airport and proceeded to drive to Anaheim! Because of conflicts in Larry's school schedule, our August trip we had scheduled got bumped to May! There were no complaints here! It was so wonderful to see Larry's family and experience so many wonderful things!

Larry's family was getting ready for a play that opened a few days after we left. The Logan crew was able to help set up a stage for A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was fun watching the stage transform before our eyes!

While we were helping set up the stage, we explored the school a bit. This is the school where Liz and Cathy teach. The school has an incredible garden right in the middle of it. We found snails and fed them to the turtles. It was fantastic!

The first day we were there, we went with Larry's parents, Liz, Grandpa M, and Uncle Steve to the Getty museum in L.A. It was Larry's first time there, as well as Daniel and Toph's first visit. It was so much fun seeing everything we could in the few hours we spent. (We were there 5 hours and barely touched the surface! The museum is packed with incredible things!)

These flowers were in the sculpture garden. Yes, they are real flowers. No, I do not know the name (yet). Yes, I want one too.

Daniel was in heaven.

Larry is so much fun! He had a great time exploring the museum.

At the Getty:

Toph grabbed my camera and snapped a few shots of us. I love this one. Isn't he handsome?

Dan and Cathy

Liz, Daniel, Toph, me, and Larry.

Daniel's silhouette.

A few more shots from the Getty.

On our way back to Anaheim, we stopped to walk along the grounds of the L.A. Temple. I love feeling so small in comparison to the great majesty of this holy building!

After a memorable Sunday, we were ready to head to the beach! Monday morning we headed to Newport! We played on the beach for a while before heading to a birthday party for Larry and his cousin Sam.

My boys.

The four of us.

I love feeling the sand between my toes. Something about the soft grains relaxes me from my toes up!

My handsome husband.

That evening, Liz and Cathy took us to the Orange Circle. If you've seen the movie That Thing You Do, you may recognize the significance of this picture. If you haven't seen it, call me and we will watch it together.

Liz showed us a place that sold specialty sodas. There were some bizarre flavors, but I think they were all satisfied.

While in the Orange Circle, we went geocaching. Liz was SO excited to find this one! I love her face in this picture!

We ate at a waffle sandwich place that night called Bruxie. It was deliciously wonderful! Bruxie is close to Chapman University. We walked through the campus and got a few great pictures. This is an actual piece of the Berlin Wall! It was lit so beautifully with wonderful quotes surrounding the pond.

Toph, Daniel, and Larry playing poser for me.

Daniel.

That night we stayed in an amazing beach house, courtesy of Larry's aunt and uncle. It was just two blocks from the beach. We walked along the beach in the morning, enjoying the smell and sound of the waves.

Watching the waves roll in.

Trading places.

One of my absolute favorite pictures from the day.

And another one...

Tuesday was Larry's birthday. We dropped Daniel and Toph off at Disneyland to meet up with Karla (introduced later in this post), and then headed to Knotts Berry Farm. It was my first time there, and about Larry's millionth! We had a blast, despite it being middle school day. We were able to come back to Laguna Beach and celebrate Larry's birthday with his family. It was such a pleasant day!

The next day, Toph and Daniel continued their Disney adventure and Larry and I played at the beach. Is it any wonder beach is playa in Spanish?

The beach house at Laguna.

At Main Beach. The waves were so strong! We tried to play in them, but the lifeguard advised against it. We did for a minute anyway, and then headed back to the sand.

Larry asked me to draw something with the sunscreen earlier in the day. It turned out better than we planned!

The beach was amazing. I love the smell of the salty water. I love the way the sound of the wind blends in perfectly to the sound of the waves so you don't know where one ends and the other begins. I love the feel of sand underneath my feet. I love the variety of blues found in the sky and water. I love the taste of the mist constantly rising from the ocean. It was so relaxing to be there!

And, don't worry, I had some fun with my camera!

Thursday was our day to head home. We took a detour via the San Diego Temple. Karla, who Toph met on his mission, was going through the temple for the first time. We were able to go through with her. It was such a special experience!

Karla with her missionaries, Toph and Shaylon.

Daniel was able to do baptisms while we went through a session.

Toph.

Toph and Karla

Larry and I

All in all, it was an incredible trip! Many thanks to Larry's family for showing us such hospitality, and Daniel and Toph for joining us on a crazy adventure!

So, until next time...

May.

2011-06-08T19:09:00.000-07:00

Remember how I wasn't going to do these catch-up posts again? I lied.

Life is sometimes too fun to blog!

But, I'm going to try and catch up anyway!

May was a busy month. Daniel was in a play called Everything I Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten. It was one of the most amazing plays that I have ever seen in regards to the script. Daniel's class did really well performing it, but the lessons were priceless. I think that's what set it above the rest for me. Daniel did a great job!

Siblings on Closing Night!

Daniel's Senior Ball was also in May. It was a masquerade! Their group had dinner at my parent's house, so I got to help and play photographer.

Daniel and Kallie looked great! I LOVE his white tux!

Moving on in the month of May... This gorgeous girl asked me to take her mission pictures. She is gorgeous! We had so much fun!

I love the temple in May! The tulips are incredible!

Also in May... We got a Wii!!! We used the money from 2 semesters worth of selling back textbooks to buy this beauty. It has been a blast!

Bountiful Baskets have continued to surprise us. A few weeks ago we tried Swiss Chard. I loved how colorful it was, and the taste was fantastic as well! If you find Swiss Chard, try this recipe! It was incredible!

Daniel and Larry both have birthdays in May. Daniel received Just Dance 2 for his birthday and we have loved playing it!

I should have titled this post: "Why May Matters to Daniel." He also graduated from high school! I'm so proud of him! He had a great high school career. I look forward to seeing where his life leads him. Way to go, kiddo!

Daniel with his ladies!

Nina, leading the support crew! We had grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, and friends there to support Daniel.

That about sums up the month of May... Now, onto our trip!

Welcome Home!

2011-06-03T20:15:00.001-07:00

We just returned from an EPIC vacation in California... Pictures to come. Right now, I think we'll sleep...

Ch-ch-chaaaaange!

2011-05-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

This announcement is long overdue, but it is high time we let the blogging world know of our current plans [pending finding a job]!

Within 48 hours of learning the Air Force wasn't in our cards, we've shifted into high gear trying to figure out which direction our life needs to go. What started out as a joke has turned into a new life goal. Larry is now pursuing a degree in nursing, so we'll be moving to Southern Utah for him to attend nursing school!

This is where we'll call home for the next [undetermined] years.

You're welcome to visit us anytime!

Stay tuned for further details!

Until next time...

xo

Update: Why Wait?

2011-05-18T12:56:00.001-07:00

Fresh day: Fresh perspective.

If you should get a moment, read the comments on the last post. My Dad is one smart cookie. I am forever grateful for his constant words of encouragement and support. I'll be the first to admit I was acting (and in turn posting) pretty selfishly yesterday. I definitely could use the reminder. Thank you for that, Dad!

So, today, here's my changed self...

I heard an awesome quote earlier:

If I think someday I'll look back on myself and laugh at this moment, why wait?

So there you go. I hope today you get a chance to laugh. If you can't find something to laugh about, check this out: http://youtu.be/PpKmFuOpshk

Totally worth eight minutes and forty one seconds.

Have a beautiful day!

Thoughts for Tuesday

2011-05-17T14:57:00.001-07:00

I realized today something kind of sad. I have a friend for whom I have bent over backwards so many times I've lost count. It has never bothered me until today, when I realized that friendship was not reciprocated. Not a big deal, but it sure made me remember who my close friends are. Seth Godin, a genius marketer, discussed this in a larger sense on his blog. If you have a minute, you should read it. It was a good refresher for me today.

In other news, life in Logan is grand. We're trying to pack in as much as (or more than) physically possible before we change scenery. Life will be drastically different, but we're excited.

Daniel's senior ball was Saturday. He looked great, his date looked beautiful... I'll post pictures later.

That's about it. Kind of a pointless post. I thought I had a whole lot more to say, but, as it turns out, some things are better left unsaid.

So, until next time...

xo

Playing Catch Up!

2011-05-01T13:17:00.000-07:00

I imported all the pictures off my camera(s) today and realized I haven't blogged in a LONG time! More for journaling than anything else, here is a mere sample of the hundreds of pictures imported!

TOPH'S HOMECOMING

I know I already posted a few of these, but all the original members of the Barefoot Band were in town for Toph's homecoming! The classic shots:

Oldest to youngest:

Tallest to shortest: (Great angle... thanks Dad!)

LARRY'S QUILT

Larry has been working on a quilt in likeness to a denim quilt, only with his Army uniforms instead of old jeans. There are three different types of fabrics, all that he wore in his tenure with the Army. It has been so much fun working on it with him! Nina is making a denim quilt alongside Larry, and they are both having a blast with it!

Laying out all the pieces...

210 pieces ready to go!

GOOD FOOD

Larry and I have been loving Bountiful Baskets. One thing we love about it is trying out new veggies and fruits that we've never even heard of. Case in point: Chayotes (AKA alligator pears, Christophenes, chochos, chuchus...) They are a squash that looks like a pepper and apple and pear. My aunt Bonnie sent us a recipe called Chayotes Rellenos that we tried and LOVED! (Thanks Bonnie!)

Larry preparing to stuff the chayotes.

Pre-oven...

They were amazing!

EASTER!

Easter weekend was kind of strange this year, with so many schedules to work around. We were able to have the traditional Carter Easter Egg Hunt on Friday, with a few twists added to spice life up a bit!

My Dad decided to add a sound egg and a geocache egg to the hunt this year. Both were epic!

For the sound egg, he took us all to Merlin Olsen Park and blindfolded us. He then placed an egg with a horrific alarm on the other end of the park and we had to find it using only our ears. It was awesome.

Getting ready for the hunt:

Ready to go. We are so hardcore.

Searching for a sound...

I found it. Prize: fudge. Totally worth it!

The second of the three sections of our hunt was the geocache egg. We split up into two groups: Larry, Nina, and me; and Daniel, Toph, and my Mom. We each had a gps with the coordinates. As soon as my Dad said "Go!" we raced off to find the egg first. Our team won! Can you spot the egg?

This find was a team effort: my GPS skills, Larry's sleuthing skills, and Nina's reaching skills.

Part three was the traditional hunt. It was so fun, as always. We each found 6 numbered eggs and our name egg, winning awesome prizes like silly putty and flarp.

The hunt was a blast!

Later that night we met up with Chris and Marissa in SLC. We had so much fun I forgot to take pictures... It was great, though!

ADDIE'S BLESSING

My best friend from the time I was 18 months old is Megan. We've been through everything. She and her cute family live in Ohio now, but they were in town for Easter. They blessed their 2 month old little girl Addie while in town, and we were lucky enough to be able to attend!

Addie, Megan, and I

Joe, Megan, and Addie

This is one very loved little girl!

EASTER SUNDAY

After our mustache episode a few weeks prior, my Grandma Kenna decided to support the crazies and purchase a few items for a new favorite game: Bang! Its a card game set in the Old West with Sheriffs and Outlaws and Renegades. She bought us hats, bandanas, and, yes, mustaches. Easter Sunday included quite the showdown!

It was amazing, to say the least. We'll have to do this one again!

Sunday night was a little different than years past. The Cantata is usually a big affair, but didn't happen for a variety of reasons this year. We decided to do it anyway, more informal, as a sing-in type deal. There were four people in the orchestra, and many people in the choir. It was a very intimate setting, where the spirit abounded. It was beautiful and wonderful and just what I needed this Easter season.

MEGAN'S BIRTHDAY

Last Tuesday was Megan's birthday. I haven't celebrated a birthday with her in years, due to the distance between us! It was so fun to have her in Logan again, and to celebrate her birthday with her!

It was a fun evening full of hilarious memories!

SALT LAKE

I was able to go to Salt Lake this last weekend for Clerk's conference. Larry was able to arrange his schedule to come with me as well! We enjoyed every adventure packed into a short 48 hours!

We were able to go to Brugge, my most favorite place in all of Salt Lake because of their [very legit] Belgian waffles. Larry tried the Machine Gun sandwich, made famous on Man vs. Food.

It was huge.

He wasn't too impressed, but still finished the whole thing!

After Brugge, we went to a Bee's game. I had never been to a baseball game of any level, so this was a fun way to start! The Bee's played pretty well, but lost to Fresno. Notwithstanding, we had a great time!!

So there you go. I am caught up now and promise to try harder so as not to overwhelm any readers with 32 pictures again...

Who am I kidding? I know this will happen again. I'll still try, though!

So, until next time...

New Life Goal

2011-04-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

I've been dreaming of a bucket list for quite some time. I've now found the item to top that list, which means the list has begun.

Bucket List Goal #1: Tickle a Penguin

Mid-Week Musings

2011-04-14T11:27:00.000-07:00

Well, we've made it past Wednesday.

My mind has been fluttering about like an indecisive butterfly, circling some subjects repeatedly, and skirting away from others as quick as mentally possible. For your reading enjoyment, and perhaps even more for my mental sanity, here are just a few:
__________

Today I had someone mention to me the subject of trust. This individual is in a tough position because they do not, in any way, shape, or form, trust their immediate superior. As they expressed this to me I realized how crucial trust is in any business, whether it be service or product related. Trust drives everything. Lack of trust is probably the one thing that sums up everything wrong with where I work.

Now is the part where I tell you I'm writing a book, starting a blog... For real. Its just in the developmental stages right now, but I'm excited for the possibilities. It is this essential lack of trust that has inspired the book... Should be interesting.

___________

Life changes so fast. Less than three weeks ago our life was shaping up to be completely different than it is right now. Within 24 hours of our world collapsing, we had completely revamped our life goals. I realized as I was describing this process to my mom that I have a funny belief: All important decisions should be made in color. I had an opportunity a few months ago to switch jobs. As I was trying to decide, I pulled out a sheet of confetti paper and my Caribbean colored sharpies and made a pros and cons list with as much color as I could justify. As Larry and I talked about alternative paths for him, we chose a purple pen instead of a black or blue one. Color. You've got to have at least a little color in decision making.
___________

Today I've also had a few minutes to think about dynamics. I'm not talking about forte and pianissimo, I'm talking about how the dynamic of any environment can change by the addition or removal of only one individual. Today at work one individual is gone. The dynamic change is unreal. Everyone here is relaxed, happy, and incredibly productive. People are laughing and eager to help each other despite their differences. It reminds me of a quote I heard once: "Everybody brings joy to this house; Some when they enter, some when they leave."

It seems pretty applicable today.
____________

Well, that's about enough. Maybe I'll post pictures sometime soon... I guess we'll see.

Until next time...

xo

What it means to me to be an Air Force Officer...

2011-04-06T18:03:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it seems like an inappropriate title for a blog post considering the way our last week has gone, but ironically this is the title for an assignment Larry has due next week. As we were talking about it tonight we came up with several possibilities to fill in the blank: Nothing, Failure, Opportunity, Integrity, Fairness, Honesty, the list goes on...

As we discussed the matter further, however, I realized that to me it means one thing: choice.

Let me explain...

We had an opportunity to become an Air Force family. That was the choice we had made. We had to put that choice in someone else's hands, though, and they chose for us otherwise. We then had to choose how to respond. Bitterness seemed like the obvious choice, but in all reality, we chose the complete opposite. We chose to take the opportunity that had just been created for us and chose something completely different. We made the choice to seize life and experience it for all its worth. We now have an incredible opportunity to choose!

What did we choose, you may ask?

Well, you'll just have to wait and see...

Until next time...

xo

Then the phone rang...

2011-03-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies of all time is While You Were Sleeping. There is a part at the very beginning where Sandra Bullock's character says "Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan. I just wish I'd realized at the time, he was talking about MY life."

That's kind of how I feel right now.

Larry didn't make it to field training. He's doing surprisingly well. Now we just have to figure out what's going to happen.

I heard another quote once that said: "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." I've noticed that in my life I figure out what it is I want to do and make all the necessary arrangements, then the Lord says, "That's a very nice idea. Now that you've figured it all out, why don't you try this instead." I suppose that's what is happening now. Interesting how the Lord prepares you for these things and you have no idea...

Anyway, that's it. No field training. No more ROTC. Maybe no military... Who knows?

So, stay tuned... Its sure to be a wild ride!

Nerves

2011-03-28T14:18:00.000-07:00

I sit at my desk listening to Elgar, Beethoven, and Debussy as loud as my earphones can handle. Nimrod, Moonlight Sonata, Clair de Lune... Whatever it takes to calm my heart beating at lethal rates. The terror hit me last night. It has been plaguing Larry for weeks. I suppose it is contagious. That would be the only explanation since I have known about the implications of this decision for weeks, if not months. Why is it only hitting me now?

Terror.

It grows and increases with each breath. Then, suddenly, it increases at cancerous rates. One email, one phone call, enough to realize everything you've been waiting for is suddenly here, and you don't want it. The fear of discovery seems easier to deal with than a potential negative result. My heart races faster, faster, grows larger, moves higher. I feel as though I am choking on my own heart beat. I know I want to know. Easy really isn't my style.

Then, suddenly, peace.

Nimrod comes to a close and in the transition from Elgar to Beethoven I am suddenly calm. My nerves, which at their peak were tingling with rushes of silver, sparkly consternation, suddenly feel rushed with peace, calm. It is almost ethereal.

Five minutes into Moonlight. And I am waiting. Waiting for a phone call that will let me know our fate.

Peace and anxiety flood my being. 38 minutes since the phone call that made the fear explode at catastrophic rates.

Clair de Lune.

I process the last moments of my life: A call from Larry. The email had come. He was to go receive the news at the soonest possible convenience. Of course he would drop everything and go. This was it: the moment we had been looking forward to with such anticipation, excitement, and dread. His voice is filled with innumerable emotions. I try to calm him knowing my voice is trembling with excitement and fear. So, he tells me he loves me and he'll call me when he finds out. I punch the button ending our call and realize I am spinning. Emotions without name or description drown me in an instant. I walk, I sit, I twiddle, and nothing calms me. Music. That's the key. Clair de Lune on repeat. A text from Larry that he is waiting. My heart is attached by a bungee cord, jumping to my throat and then sinking to the pit of my stomach.

Nimrod again. Thank goodness for repeat.

45 minutes since he called. I can't focus on work. The phones ring and I know if I answer it Larry will call a moment later. I stand, I sit, I pace...

Waiting. Nerves...

The emotion in Nimrod has made it one of my favorite classical pieces. The emotion builds and builds, the drums roll as thunder, and then, at the last moment, peace. Calm. It is beautiful. Calming.

Moonlight again.

There is nothing I can do but wait. Every time my phone beeps or lights up I jump. I have to lock it so the lights don't distract. My eyes can't focus. I close them and get lost in the sonata. It envelops me. The piano seems... not enough. Not enough emotion to compare. I listen anyway. It pulls me away. The distraction is welcome.

Clair de Lune.

Rinse and repeat...

Then, the phone rings...

Mustache Muffin Moments

2011-03-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Toph's "homecoming" so we had all sorts of family come into town. It was such an incredible, impromptu family reunion. We played games and talked and laughed for hours.

I took inspiration from my friend Meg and we made mustaches to accompany our game of Bang! It quickly became a family affair, moving from a simple 7 mustaches to 15 of all shapes and sizes. It was absolutely hilarious!

Here are a few pictures to document the event.

So, I think I'm caught up on blogging now. The new blogger has made life much easier!

Until next time...

xo

Picture Day

2011-03-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate enough to be able to take pictures of this adorable little girl on Saturday. Mindy, they're all ready for you. I couldn't resist editing them as soon as I got home!

She was so much fun and has so much personality.

It was one of the most delightful picture sessions I've done yet!

Left, left, left right left...

2011-03-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

March 19 was the Braveheart Race in Logan. It was a 5k/10k run to raise money for a baby in Logan with severe health problems. The ROTC was very involved and so Larry ran. The cadets preparing for field training ran as a flight. It was fun to hear them singing jodies before they would round the corner. I had a lot of fun taking pictures of them as they ran. If only you could hear their singing...

They had a great run. It was fun to watch!

Toph is home!!

2011-03-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

Toph is my little brother. We claim to be twins (3 years and 9 days apart!)

He has been serving a mission for the LDS church for the last two years.

On March 16 he came home!!

We all went to the airport to greet him.

We became rather impatient as we waited...

It was sure wonderful to see him!

He looks fantastic!

Welcome home, kiddo!

Spring Break in Zion and Vegas... (Extremes if I've ever hear them!)

2011-03-27T21:37:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are a few pictures from our amazing Spring Break trip South.

We left as soon as work was done on Tuesday and drove to Cedar City. Our plan was to head to Zion National Park on Wednesday, spend a few hours there, and then head to Vegas. One of our good friends (Jordan) is from near Zion and happened to be home for Spring Break. He was kind enough to be our tour guide. Jordan decided that if we only had a few hours there we would hike Angel's Landing. Larry had done this once before, but I had never even attempted it. It was simply stunning.

There were suggestions to hike with crampons. We decided we were too cool for that and we would do it anyway. We ran into Larry's friend Cory at the trailhead and gave him all sorts of grief for succumbing to the crampon pressure. As it turns out, we really did need them. Fortunately, we hit the icy sections right as Cory and his buddies were coming down. They didn't hold our grief-giving against us and were kind enough to loan us the crampons so we could make it to the top.

The view was breathtaking.

Larry, at one point on the way down, decided he was done with the crampons. It was probably the name or something. He slipped on a patch of ice and was saved from an 800' plummet to his death by a single chain. It was terrifying. I'm sure glad he survived!!

With our fabulous tour guide Jordan.

Once we were done in Zion we headed to Vegas. We were there for the WAC tournament. Larry's family (minus Ami) all made the trek to Vegas and we had a great time. Many thanks go out to Chris and Marissa for providing accommodations!

It wouldn't be a trip with the Merkets without grilled pizza! Cathy is a pro. It was so fun!

And, in case you were curious, the Aggies won!!!

It was TOTALLY worth the trip for many, many reasons.

Until next time...

xo

Playing catch up...

2011-03-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

Doesn't it seem like nothing happens and then everything happens? Maybe my life is unique in this matter, but experiences come in waves. When people ask me what's going on in my life the answer is either "everything" or "nothing" depending on the week. If I am consistent in my blog, the latter is usually true. When everything is going on, however, I tend to fall behind.

So, here's a quick update as to our life at this moment:

-Larry is still waiting to hear if he gets to go to field training. This is causing stress comparable to medium salsa - just enough of a kick that you can't forget it.

-We were able to go to Las Vegas via Zion National Park for spring break. It was so much fun. We hiked Angel's Landing. We also went to the WAC tournament. Pictures and a blog post to come.

-My brother Toph came home from his mission! He and I are twins (just 3 years apart) so it has been a ball having him home. Again, pictures and a post to come.

More has happened, I'm sure, but it is all a blur right about now. Work is almost done for the week, which is always a relief.

I love when Blogger works at work.

So, until next time (which I promise will be soon)...

Top Ten Things I've Learned This Week...

2011-03-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

•Coconut, while flavored divinely, has the texture of weeds and is hardly worth the insane amount of effort required to open the darn thing.
•Lime meringue, on the other hand, is a sweet gift from Heaven.
•Mangoes are like lime meringue (see above).
•Strawberries + mangoes is even better.
•Yesterday was National Grammar Day.
•Clouds are not light and fluffy. They are HARD!
•Expectations are funny things.
•Dreams can largely predict the mood for an entire day.
•Sometimes you have to restart. Sometimes that's ok.
•Cleaning is very refreshing.

The Photographic Perspective

2011-02-25T13:46:00.000-08:00

I love pictures. Only recently have I discovered what exactly it is I love about them. It is the same thing I love about meeting people. For a brief and beautiful moment, I catch a glimpse of one life - their life.

In a photo, all you get is a bite-size piece of an incredible picture. What is outside that square, though? I love the unknown, the mystery of a picture. Have you ever looked at a picture and pointed to directly outside the photo border while saying "Right here is __________"? Let me give you an example:

Immediately to the right of this picture is the Logan Temple. Me telling you that takes away a little bit of the mystery, doesn't it? Try it the next time you look at a picture. Don't just see what the picture holds. Let your imagination run away with what the picture isn't telling.

People are the same way. I've always been fascinated with watching people and wondering where they're coming from, where they're going, what makes them who they are. I've realized this again lately working at the court. My Dad taught me from a young age there is always more to the story. I've tried to remember that as I deal with many a hostile phone call. I wonder what minuscule slice of their life I'm suddenly part of. This "Photographic Perspective" has offered me relief in a way I never knew imaginable. I'm able to be a little kinder, a little more understanding, while not letting the professional side of things wear me down. The relief is almost tangible.

I suppose the Photographic Perspective is applicable in all sorts of life, but this is the one that has struck me the most the last few weeks. Who knew a picture that showed so little could be so enlightening?

Until next time...

xo

Thanks to you.

2011-02-22T14:03:00.001-08:00

Dear Unknown Giver,

I don't know how you knew.
I don't know what made you decide to do something.
I don't even know who you are.

I do know, however, that you made my day.
I know your decision to climb 11 steps facing North and 3 steps facing South was one that made a strong impact on one person.
I wish I knew who you were so I could hug you, thank you, reciprocate the graciousness.

Not knowing, however, I can express, perhaps even more deeply, my gratitude without the worry that I will say too much or not enough.
I can try tell you how much those hand-written words meant to me on a day that warranted a little extra sunshine.
I can pray you will know that you made a difference.

I hope the kindness karma spreads to you when you need it.
More than that, I hope the kindness karma spreads to you when you don't think you need it;
When you are silent within yourself, but someone still hears you.

I hope your soul rejoices at the thought that someone, somewhere, is listening to you at just the right moment;
That someone not only listens, but acts.
I hope you know they act, they move, they respond for you.

Dear Unknown Giver,
You know who you are
And I envy that knowledge.

I wish you could feel the immediate lift.
I wish you could hear the kindness your words sang to me.
I wish you could see the thoughtfulness radiating in the beautiful color of sea foam green.

Sometimes the lack of words is discouraging
For as many options as the dictionary gives,
It is never quite enough; Never perfect.

So, as cryptic as the message may be,
In nothing but beautiful simplicity,
There is nothing more I can say or do but say Thank You.

The Human Body is Amazing

2011-02-19T08:03:00.000-08:00

I am completely fascinated with the human body. The ability it has to heal itself is amazing to me. Several years ago I sliced off the fleshy tip of my thumb with a meat slicer. Painful, I know, but it was an interesting experience. I never went to the doctor. I couldn't figure out what a doctor could do that I couldn't. We couldn't find the tip of my thumb anywhere, so there was nothing to stitch back on. Instead, my Dad and I played doctor. Every single day we redressed my thumb. For weeks it had a little beehive sitting on top of it. Every day we would take off all the bandages, reapply Neosporin (we quickly learned to use actual Neosporin, not the store version), and put on fresh bandages. Every day we would look in amazement at the progress my thumb was making. I wish we had documented the healing in photographs, but nevertheless, we were able to watch. We saw my body heal itself. It was incredible. All that is left now is a tiny scar that is barely visible if you don't know it is there. I think it was at this point that I became truly fascinated and amazed with the human body.

This weekend I have relearned this amazement with something not quite visible. I learned it again five months ago, almost to the day. I continue to be amazed that the human body can heal itself. It knows something is wrong and takes immediate corrective action. What an incredible creation. Everything in this world points to God, and this is one of the most obvious to me. I'll be the first to admit there are many, many things in this world I don't understand. Even though I don't understand, though, I can truly appreciate the incredible power of the human body. I'll be forever grateful of its ability to heal.

This brings me to point number two. Laughter. It is often said laughter is the best medicine. I have to agree. Yesterday I was feeling awful. I knew what was going on, and was willing to accept it, but I felt horrible. Thank heavens for high potency pain killers! Last night, conveniently, was also the Brian Regan show in Logan. I bought Larry tickets for Christmas and there was no way we were going to miss it! So, even though I felt horrible, we went. It was hilarious. By the time the show was done, I had been laughing so hard I was crying. I had no energy, but my soul felt better after laughing hysterically for two hours. I'm convinced it was healing. I felt much better this morning. While I still have no energy and am in no way completely better, I can't even begin to think how much worse I would be feeling if I hadn't laughed my head off for a solid two hours last night!

So, until next time...

In case you were wondering...

2011-02-16T08:39:00.000-08:00

Larry passed!

Translated: We are not necessarily sorry-out-of-luck when it comes to the Air Force. If Larry had not passed, there is no way he would have earned an enrollment allocation, which is a critical step in being able to enter the Air Force as an officer.

Even more translated: This is a VERY good thing!

We'll keep you posted!

Until then...

xo

If I could have a moment, please.

2011-02-16T08:07:00.000-08:00

Let me start this little ventatious (yes I made that word up) post with some background information. I LOVE to travel. I love everything about it. I love taking in everything with all my senses. I love reading about travel, I love pictures of travel, I love the mere thought of travel. I love it so much I graduated with an emphasis in Travel and Tourism. One of the reasons I'm so excited for Larry to be in the Air Force is because of the opportunity we will have to travel. I'm not just talking international travel, though. I love going anywhere for any amount of time. I love taking quick trips over the mountain. I love weekend getaways. I love visiting the mountains within a mile of our apartment. I just love to experience life. Travel is a way for me to do this. It is something about which I am very passionate. It is exhilarating and thrilling.

That being explained...

I had an experience recently that went like this:

Person A: I'll be going to Boise, so maybe I'll get a chance to play when I'm all done.
Person B: Boise? That sucks. Its so boring there.
Me: Boise isn't that bad. There's lots of fun things to do there.
Person B: Like what?
Me: There's always stuff at the university, Ann Morrison Park is great, the zoo is awesome, downtown is cool... (I go on...)
Person A: Oh cool! I'll have to check it out.
Person B: You only know about that stuff because you have family that lives up there.
Me: Not necessarily true. We've discovered a lot of that on our own. Person B, have you even been to Boise?
Person B: No.
Me: Well, there you go...

Case in point: DO NOT go ragging on a place you've never been. If you have been, and you genuinely tried to have a good time, go right ahead and knock it if it didn't live up to your expectations. However, under NO CIRCUMSTANCE is it EVER ok to say a place "sucks" if you've never even been there. I just had to get that off my chest.

For the record, Person B stated that s/he was going to try and go to Boise soon. I'll believe it when I see it...

Thank you for bearing with me. I'll put away my soapbox now...

Until next time...

xo

Do-Or-Die

2011-02-13T20:37:00.000-08:00

Well folks, this is it.

We've reached the week that will determine whether or not we should keep shooting for this goal of being a military family. Tomorrow is the weigh-in and Wednesday is the PT test. Larry is very dedicated and prepared for the week, but the stress is still pressing. I thought I'd figure up a plan of attack. (These are things I do to be useful around the house!)

Monday's plan for weigh-in day:

Think light thoughts. You know, clouds, cotton candy, butterflies, whipped cream, feathers, bubbles... you get the idea. I'm pretty sure that will provide a competitive advantage. These are things I learned in school.

Wednesday's plan for the PT test:

For the run: Pretend like you're running from something big and scary. This includes things like lions, bears, Iraqis, any WWF wrestler, Sasquatch, and taxes.

For the push-ups: Chuck Norris approach. Don't push yourself up, push the world down.

For the sit-ups: Put a donut just outside arm's reach. Also, put a tack sharp side up directly beneath your back.

I am confident these tricks will help Larry not only pass but kick the living daylights out of the weigh-in and PT test. I've researched this for weeks now, and I'm optimistic my results will prove themselves. (I'm a pretty resourceful wife.)

I guess I'll let you know how it goes on Thursday!

Until then...

Moments...

2011-02-10T23:29:00.001-08:00

Here's a quick glimpse into our life right at this very moment...

Larry is working hard on an assignment due in the morning. His book has been missing for a few weeks now, making it impossible to finish the assignment. Thank goodness for textbooks on reserve in the library. Now he is frantically typing away with the loaned book and I am trying to stay out of his way. What better thing to distract myself with than blogging, right?

I took my time getting ready for bed, knowing full well it would be a late night. My mind goes a hundred miles an hour and during the silent external moments I find myself remembering and thinking and processing at a ridiculous rate. Have you ever tried to trace a thought? You find yourself thinking something completely bizarre and random and wonder How did I get here? or What the... Where did that come from? and then try and figure out just how you got there?

Here's my thought process tonight:

•Facebook thread on how working in an office is like acting lessons.

•Wondering if I ever had an acting interview how I would tell the interviewer that even though I never took a formal acting class, I had everyone at my last job convinced that I liked them (which, of course, would be entirely false, because I like them all, but wouldn't that be funny?) In the interview I would tell them I only liked one individual, and to call and ask each coworker who the "one" was. When they all answered with a simple "me", wouldn't that prove my acting ability? (I have no idea where these thoughts come from, I promise!)

•Wondering if, in fact, everyone I work with does think I like them.

•Remembering a conversation I had with a coworker years ago.

•Realizing I remember not only the conversation, but exactly where we were when we had the aforementioned conversation. I'm talking exactly. I remember which lane on which curve of which highway we were on when we had a discussion that, at the time, we both thought completely true. I find it so interesting how deeply inaccurate that simple conversation truly was.

Now that you've experienced my journey to the thought that occupied my mind for the largest portion of time tonight, let me expound.

Moments. They are small, they are memorable, they are life-changing. They are huge, they are forbidden, they are deceitful. Some moments change meaning as time goes on. Some moments you wish you could take back, others you wish could be repeated infinitely. Some moments you hold on to like a security blanket, while others you dismiss without a second thought. Each moment passes as quickly as it comes, and few will be discussed in depth. I find it interesting that some moments remain burned in my memory, yet the emotion surrounding them changes so drastically.

Moments.

Sometimes the moments correspond with each other. Today I had two moments, seemingly unrelated, that wound up combining to teach me more about gratitude than I anticipated.

Moments.

This moment I dedicate to you, dear blog reader. Maybe you will remember in 5 years where you were when you read it, and maybe tomorrow it will mean nothing to you. Either way, thank you for giving me this moment to share my thoughts with you.

Until next time...

The Day Before You

2011-02-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

Two years.

Life has changed so much in two years.

Two years ago today I was in Provo at a Chris Merritt concert with Toph, Bridgette, and James.

Two years ago today Larry had determined he was going to introduce himself to me at the only basketball game I have missed in 5+ years.

Two years.

Two years ago today I had no idea how I made it home alive.

Life has changed dramatically in two years.

Two years ago today I was wondering how life could get any better than the year before.

Two years ago today I couldn't have fathomed how amazing life would become.

Two years has given me a glimpse of how amazing life can be.

Two years.

Time.

2011-02-06T20:50:00.000-08:00

Last night I had one of those "Ah Ha!" moments. You know the type. Something smacks you in the face with a metaphorical ton of bricks, you shake off the dust and realize you know more than you did seconds before?

I love those moments.

I'll try and tell the story as vaguely specific as possible.

Larry and I ran into someone at the basketball game last night that triggered a flood of memories. This was more a positive flood, though, not a negative flood, which was a nice change of pace. Anyway, as we sat talking to this individual I realized how beautifully my life is orchestrated and I don't even realize it until later, sometimes much later. As we chatted, I realized how what I thought was perfect was actually just good. I didn't (and wouldn't) know perfect until several years later.

Let me phrase it in a picture.

A started. While A was going on, B started. Then C began. Because C started, B ended rather abruptly, and made A slowly fade away. Then C ended and suddenly D appeared. D will never end. I think that's awesome.

Have I confused the living daylights out of you yet?

I supposed that's ok. Suffice it to say I know without a doubt that the Lord knows what is going on with me, and what is the absolute best for me, even when I don't. It is when I put complete faith in Him that He guides me exactly where I should be when I never knew the path existed.

And it is working out better than I ever knew possible!

Until next time...

Thoughts for a Thawed Out Thursday

2011-02-03T22:16:00.000-08:00

Today I had a clumsy episode. I'm talking seriously clumsy. I was knocking over garbage cans, over filling sinks, burning steaks, setting off fire alarms, and then this epic moment happened. I accidentally elbowed a glass off the counter. I was positive it was going to shatter into a million pieces the moment it touched the floor. However, four feet down it landed beautifully, capturing about 50% of the water inside. Larry and I just laughed in amazement. It was a graceful end to a clumsy routing.

A few more quickies:

•Homemade pizza in skookie pans is amazing.
•Pineapple/mango/apple/orange juice is a perfect way to begin (and end) a day.
•You know you live in a cold place when 21 degrees seems balmy.
•Fudge always makes life better.
•I love my elephants.
•Taking pictures every day is a whole lot harder than it sounds, but totally worth it.
•Life is amazing, even when clumsy episodes happen for weeks on end.
•Whether the glass is half empty, half full, being filled, or being emptied, at least there's some water trapped in there somewhere.

Until next time...

xo

November through March

2011-02-02T22:23:00.000-08:00

Aggie Basketball season is serious business around here. And when I say serious, I mean serious. We owe our entire marriage to Aggie Basketball. So, in sickness and in health, we never, ever miss a game.

Tonight the Ags played the Nevada Wolf Pack. It felt closer than the final score. Larry was sick but went anyway. At the beginning of the game, someone (bless whomever it was) passed out blue medical gloves to the entire student section. It added a little magical hint of plastic to our already overwhelmingly loud cheers. Epic. There is no other word for it.

I love this game.

Until next time...

Sometimes, things are just so good...

2011-02-01T20:42:00.001-08:00

...that you feel obligated to share.

Today I learned that you can substitute cauliflower for potatoes when it comes to mashing things.

That's right, you can mash cauliflower. And it is delicious.

Here's how we did it...

Steam cauliflower for about 10 minutes.

(We don't have a steamer, so we put a metal colander in a stock pot. We filled the pot with water to the base of the colander, boiled the water, put in the cauliflower, and loosely covered the pot.)

Put in a bowl.

Add butter, milk, salt & pepper. (Next time we'll add a little garlic.)

Mash.

Eat.

We made gravy to go on top and it was heavenly.

Who knew such a nasty vegetable could taste SO GOOD?

Anyway, just thought I'd share.

Happy February.

Since January is nearly done...

2011-01-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

Hello again, Blogging World. It has been brought to my attention that I have been slacking in the blogging area, so here is my feeble attempt at redemption.

2011 has already been full of adventures. I set a goal for myself to take a picture every day for a year. It has been tough so far, but so extremely rewarding. I've been blogging each picture, too. You can follow my progress here.

This is one of my favorite pictures so far. Larry was instrumental in making this picture happen!

In the beginning of January, my cousin got married! I was lucky enough to get to play photographer for their big day. The night we arrived I took a few preliminary shots. This is one of my favorites! (Daniel asked what building it was... In case you are wondering the same thing, that is the sun.)

A few more shots from the day...

My favorite wedding planners!

A friend of mine gave me a macro lens several months ago. I finally built up the courage to figure out how it works the day before we left for Boise. I was delighted to use the lens for pictures of their rings!

In other news, here are a few quick notes to catch you up:

School is back in session and I'm back to work. Basketball season is in full swing, which has provided many nail biting opportunities in the last few weeks.

We started doing Bountiful Baskets which has changed the entire way we eat. It has been a major blessing for our health.

Larry is working towards his big, major, huge, important physical fitness assessment. This one is do or die. If he doesn't pass... well, actually, he'll pass, so it's all fine and good.

We had our friend Brian in town for the weekend. Some of my extended family was in town, also, for my cousin's opera. Bridgette did awesome, and looked beautiful!

Tonight we had fruit pizza and played Bang!, which is a new favorite of ours. If you haven't played it, let us know and we'll have you over to play!

Work has been full of ridiculously irritating drama, but that has no place here. Everything is a lesson, I suppose. I wonder what this is supposed to teach me...

So, I hope this is a satisfactory post to catch you up to speed (Marissa :) ). I promise to do better.

Until next time...

While I'm blogging...

2011-01-13T15:28:00.000-08:00

I may as well write a quick bit about Christmas. I don't have any pictures on this computer, but I can tell you that it was a wonderful day!

We woke up and headed to my family's house to open gifts. We had a marvelous time, enjoying a delicious breakfast, fun games, and letting the missionaries Skype with their families from our house before the gifts even became a priority. It sounded like a hostel, and we had a great time! Larry bought me a gun (wahoo!!) and a pea coat, and I bought him tickets to see Brian Regan and new shoes. We were spoiled by each other and our families. We were able to Skype with Toph, who is doing marvelously! We were also able to Skype with Larry's family, most of whom were in in Blanding. It was nice to add a 3rd party to our conversation so Ami could join in the fun. It was a wonderful day!

The next day, Larry's parents and Liz, Chris, and Marissa came up to party! They stayed until the following Thursday. It was so fun to play games and go geocaching while they were up here! We were sad to see them go, but delighted they made the trip! The best part was having all seven of us stay in our travel-size apartment. It was hysterical!

So, now school is back in session and work is back in session and basketball season has started, and we don't have another trip planned until March (which I'm sure will change within a few days!). The tree is down, the treats are gone, and our nice, calm, relaxed lifestyle is back. (HA!)

Until next time...

xo

Work

2011-01-13T15:26:00.000-08:00

I have no idea how long blogger will work, but I'll keep trying!

Work has changed dramatically lately. We finally got a new judge after Judge Russell passed away in August. As a gift to all our substitute judges [insert diabolical laugh here] we framed a picture with us and our office Christmas tree. Here are the wonderful ladies with whom I work. This is about as calm as it gets!

Basketball!

2011-01-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

The Gossner Classic was the week before Christmas. Six games in three days is a little bit like heaven! We took Nina with us to the first game day, and my dad to the last two. It was pretty much amazing.

Clockwise from bottom left:
Nina with Wild Bill
Nina with 4 of the Aggie post players
(Tai Wesley, Matt Formisano, Morgan Grim, and Brady Jardine)
Nina and Big Blue!
Nina with Larry and Roxy
Nina shooting at halftime of the first game
Nina with Leon Cooper

We had such a wonderful time, and were thrilled to see the Aggies win!

So, until next time...

Temple Square!

2011-01-13T15:18:00.000-08:00

I had to take advantage of blogger working at the courts today!

Here's a quick couple of shots from our fast trip to Salt Lake with Alana and Steve!

Thanks for a great time, guys!

Blogging? Never heard of it.

2011-01-11T22:10:00.001-08:00

So, remember how I was going to blog all sorts of things like lights on Temple Square, and an amazing Gossner Classic where Nina got her pictures with all sorts of hotty-patotty Aggie post players, and Christmas, and geocaching with the Merket clan, and New Years, a new blog dedicated to a new resolution, and a trip to Boise? Yeah... about that... ahem.

In other news, Jeff Hornacek (of Utah Jazz fame) came and spoke at USU tonight. OF COURSE we went. It was great. He was totally chill and fun to listen to. I missed half of it, but what I did catch was inspirational. Work hard. Seize opportunity. Make opportunity. Don't be afraid to take advantage of a little luck. He was great.

After his lecture (if you even want to call it that) and a "brief" (HA!) question and answer period, the whole group of people headed over to the fieldhouse where he and Brian Green (of USU basketball fame) had a 3 point shootout. I had a whole lot of fun with my new lens, even though it was super dark.

Brian won.

It was a fun evening!

Until next time...

Insert Title Here

2010-12-25T18:09:00.000-08:00

SO many things to blog, but a quick shot of a great moment today...

He is alive and well!

Many more pictures to come from a wonderful Christmas season!

Cheers!

Christmas is Coming!

2010-12-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

Once our tree was up, the decorating began!

We're now just about ready for Christmas! There are cookies on our tree that don't last long. Our supply is replenished on a weekly basis. Come on over and get a cookie off the tree!

Here's to a very merry Christmas season!

Until next time...

xo

Finding the perfect tree!

2010-12-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

The day after Thanksgiving, we headed up to Idaho to cut down Christmas trees! There was much more snow than we had encountered last year, but it proved to be an adventure nonetheless!

We had a grand time trudging through the waist-deep snow and picking the perfect tree!

Playing Catch-Up

2010-12-08T12:07:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the speed-post, but if I don't catch up now, I never will!

Thanksgiving week[end] was a hoot! It began with the blizzard of 2010...
(actually pretty cool for such an underwhelming amount of snow!)

Daniel was in Logan High's musical "White Christmas," which was performed 4 days prior to Thanksgiving. He was one of the dancers and looked utterly fantastic!

Thanksgiving was delightful! It began with a traditional trip to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City. Nina met the reptile keeper who fed the siamese crocodile baby just for her. She's a lucky gal! Afterward, she got to hold a crocodile egg and tooth! She thought she was in heaven!

Thanksgiving dinner was delicious! We went over to the Carter Casa and were joined by all my grandparents, my mom's aunt Sam, my aunt Robyn, and the missionaries! We had a delicious meal and a great family conversation that went late into the evening. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Forgiveness

2010-12-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

For those who read this, everything got worked out. Gandhi said "The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." I'm so grateful for the strong people in my life, and those who encourage me to be strong as well. Forgiveness is hard. It is such a romanticized concept. When it comes right down to it, though, its a vertical battle. However, as with faith or sports or music, with perfect practice comes perfection. So, my challenge to myself this week, and each week following: forgiveness.

Until next time...

xo

Conflicting...

2010-12-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

I have all sorts of pictures to post that will hide this one eventually, but I've been placed in a very conflicting situation as of late. Those on one side of me feel very strongly one way, and I can see their point and tend to agree with them completely. However, those on the other side of me feel very strongly in an opposing way, and I can see their point and tend to agree with them completely as well. Is it possible for me to feel one way 40 hours a week and another way the remaining 128 hours each week? This could be exhausting if I don't figure out a solution, and quick! I know what I think, but my loyalty runs deep. I know what I want to think, but I can't change the conflict. What a mess.

In other news, it is now 5:00. Have a beautiful day.

Snow!

2010-11-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

This weekend has already been quite the adventure! Larry is at FTX training for the AFROTC, so I've had all sorts of time to fill... HA! There just aren't enough hours in the day!

Today was the last home football game. Larry was bummed to miss it, but I was delighted to have my Daddy join me! We bundled up, made amazing hot cocoa, and headed to the game!

The weather for the game started out cloudy,

turned drizzly,

then rainy,

then slushy,

then wound up like this:

It was wonderful!

Football in the snow is great!

We left the stadium after a sad loss

and looked back upon the beauty of the first snow of the season!

Welcome winter!!!

Reasons to Love Logan; A Picture Story

2010-11-20T09:45:00.000-08:00

You know those weeks (days, months, years) when you are just grateful to be alive. This week has been somewhat testing, and now that I've made it to Saturday I realize this week produced some of the most wonderful moments, some of which have been captured on camera.

Every day this week the sunset has been breathtakingly exquisite from every angle.

Also this week, I got a call from this kid saying

"I look like Grandpa! Hurry and come take a picture!"

Minus the Newkirk cheekbones, I'd say its pretty close!

They even open their mouths similar!

Until next time...

The Military Ball

2010-11-14T14:49:00.000-08:00

Saturday night was our very first Military Ball! We had SO much fun! Larry was sweet enough to let me buy a new dress and also to get my hair done. He got his Air Force dress uniforms just in time, too! (He picked up his suit from the alteration people that morning!)

We stopped by my parent's for a quick photo shoot before heading out...

We ate dinner at a little Italian place called Le Nonne. It was incredible. Totally legit Italian food. We both got raviolis: Larry's with shrimp and mine with spinach.

And the dessert... wow. I tell you what... wow.

The Ball was very well attended. VERY classy: cake, punch, and a live military band. They had a big band, a show band, and a rock band that rotated through 15 minute sets. We danced for about three hours and had SO much fun!

This picture was at the end of the night, when the party had really died down. Most of the night the dance floor was packed! It was so fun to see all the pretty dresses, all the military uniforms, and meet all the cadets with whom Larry has been associating all semester!

We truly had a ball!

Until next time...

Jackson Hole!

2010-11-13T10:38:00.000-08:00

As anyone who tried to go to a bank on Thursday knows, November 11 is Veteran's Day. Several Bed & Breakfasts around the nation offered a free night stay to veterans the night of November 10. Because Larry is a veteran, we decided to take advantage of this generous opportunity! The closest B&B to us was the Inn on the Creek in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I took work off on Wednesday and when Larry was done with his classes, we headed north!

The B&B was charming! We both fell in love with it instantly. We wandered around Jackson a little that night, and enjoyed the movie Nights in Rodanthe. (Larry served near there, so it was fun to see some of the scenery he enjoyed!)

Thursday morning, after a delicious breakfast of lemon waffles and bacon, we decided to go geocaching! We opted to start at the town square and see how many we could find from there.

The first cache we found was not a traditional cache, rather a webcam cache. We'd never done one of these before, so we weren't quite sure what to expect. When we arrived, we looked around and found the camera...

We called up my dad (who kindly interrupted his session to play along) and he took this screen shot of us! It was one of the coolest caches we have ever found!

We continued on our quest. There aren't very many caches in Jackson Hole, which surprised us both. There were, however, two "travel bug hotels" which provided us with a grand adventure!

In another cache near an elk refuge, we found a travel bug attached to a lego man that we couldn't resist taking in honor of Daniel!

See if you can figure out where the cache was hidden in this picture. Hints: The cache was named Light Up My Life, and Larry is standing within inches of it!

We had a marvelous time celebrating Veteran's Day. I am so grateful to Larry and his dedication to our great nation!

Until next time...

Thoughts at 1603

2010-10-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

You know those beautiful moments where you feel like your actions are making a difference? I thrive on those, yet they don't happen nearly as often as I'd like. I've had a few experiences lately that have made me realize how much I crave those positive experiences and how much it is my responsibility to take hold of my destiny and carpe diem. Elbert Hubbard said "Positive anything is better than negative nothing." I agree. Happiness is contagious. I hope you catch it from me!

Here's to today!

Cheers!

A new game

2010-10-25T22:24:00.000-07:00

Larry marched in the homecoming parade last Saturday (pictures to come). He came home in disgust as the army had out-cadenced the Air Force. Since then, we've been stuck on a cadence (or jody as the AF calls them) kick at our house. My personal favorite is the Bearded Ninja.

We've been so inspired, we created a game. Its called

"Make a Jody Verse using your favorite Chuck Norris Fact"

or MAJVUYFCNF.

We'll come up with a better name soon...

Today's verse:

Instead of taking Nyquil

When Chuck Norris can't sleep

He doesn't bother counting

He just eats all the sheep

By the way, we thought this was a good enough post for #100!

St. George...

2010-10-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

I'm in St. George for a work conference. The conference starts tomorrow, but I arrived today. This is what is produced when I arrive somewhere a day early...

Hopefully tomorrow will be half this productive!

And We're Back!

2010-10-16T14:59:00.001-07:00

Well, it has been a while since I last blogged. So many things have happened that it is impossible to share them all, but here are a few select pictures!

October 1, BYU football came to USU to play! We bought tickets for my Dad and Nina, as well as Nate Benson, one of our favorite BYU fans... For the first time in 17 years, USU won!!! 31-16. It was a beautiful game!

This last week, our friend Brian came to visit. He's moving from Reno, NV, to Rexburg to go to school, so he stopped by and visited us before heading up to finalize some things. We took him geocaching where he found these amazing glasses:

On Wednesday, Larry made Merket history! He signed out of the Army!! After serving our nation for 8 years, including one tour of duty in Iraq, my sweet husband is out of the Army. Now he can spend his time devoted to the next phase of our life: The US Air Force ROTC. That's right, we'll be a military family for many more years.

Larry called me after signing out and said "For the first time in my adult life, I'm a civilian!"

Wishing him off...

On his way...

Sweet freedom!

Last night we headed up to Rexburg to go to the reception of one of the Elders Larry served around while in Virginia. Taylor Romney and his bride were glowing!

Missionaries! Merket, Merrill, Shock, and newly-married Romney!

These three were hilarious all night!

Brian caught the garter... Shock couldn't resist another picture.

These three boys were so much fun to listen to during the reception. I also learned a new phrase: Divine Banter. It is this phrase that led to mine and Larry's eternal happiness. ;)

So, until next time...

Fudge

2010-09-16T20:14:00.000-07:00

Fudge is the best lesson in patience I have ever experienced. If I'm ever facing any type of predicament in which I need to exercise a little patience, I make fudge.

Tonight may or may not have been one of those nights.

To make matters worse, Larry just called and is ready for a ride. And I can't leave the fudge boiling while I'm gone, or it will burn. This fudge is for Toph. I can't do that to Toph!

Patience.

So, I'm blogging to pass the time, but as I type I realize I'm frantically typing and there is absolutely nothing I can do to make the fudge be to a leave-able state any faster.

So typing fast helps no one. In fact, it probably worsens things because I make more mistakes and get more frustrated as I type.

Its been one of those days.

Patience.

I better go test the fudge again...

Blanding really isn't that bland...

2010-09-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

(Any regular readers of our blog know that I'm snap happy, especially on trips.
So, instead of apologizing, I'll just tell you to enjoy! Thanks for reading!)

Labor Day weekend turned into an awesome road trip very quickly. Originally, we had hoped to help Chris and Marissa move into their new house in Blanding, thus justifying our trip. As it turns out, we need no justification when it comes to traveling, so we went even though their closing date was pushed back.

Larry and I drove to Blanding via Park City. Not really on the way, I know, but we had already purchased passes to go down the zipline and we figured since we were already on our way...

This picture was great of Larry...

The sun proved to be too much for my eyes.

Getting ready to fly:

Park City was awesome, but we were anxious to get further south. We arrived in Blanding late Friday/early Saturday. Chris and Marissa were kind enough to stay awake until we got there, but we all crashed when we got to their house!

Saturday we headed out to Natural Bridges National Monument. There is all sorts of awesome history with this N.M., but I think I'd rather just show you the pictures.

There are three main bridges to be seen, two of which we hiked. The first was Sipapu. We made sure to check out the view points before each hike, just in case we died of dehydration on our way. (Turns out we really weren't hydro-ly prepared, but we didn't get to the point of drinking our own urine, as recommended by Bear Grylls...)

This was our plainly stated trail:

We knew the hike would be awesome when we saw this ladder:

Which we all toughed out...

Because if Bear Grylls can do it, so can we...

As scary as it may seem...

Chris was an especially helpful tour guide, pointing out that "This is what we call sandstone."

Although we ignored the sign, we turned back quickly when we saw the drop off at the edge of the cliff.

Sipapu Bridge:

Enjoying some shade after another ladder:

Because I'm cool like that... er... more because I wanted all of us and the bridge in the picture to prove we made it to the bottom...

Playing on the water while a random angry granola muttered profanities under his breath...

Us. :)

Deciding we had too little water/ambition/energy left, we just took a picture at this bridge.

It was awesome. We went back and enjoyed Chris' grilled pizza.
And we all slept really good that night...

The next day we headed north to Arches National Park. We learned the difference between an arch and a bridge (see 14 pictures above) is the presence of water during formation. Random, but potentially useful fact!

Balancing Rock: our first "hike" of the day. There are two different types of rock in this formation. It is created because the bottom type erodes faster than that on top!

Double Arch. Photo credit to Marissa!

If you look really closely you'll see a tiny blue dot (Chris) and a tiny white dot (Larry).
Those two had SO much fun scaling nature's playground.

Inside the "pot hole" of Double Arch

We're awesome.

By the elephants!

According to Marissa, "Those Merket boys... The Ham peaked their interest, but the Parade of Elephants was the clincher!"

We went to Skyline Arch next. Chris hurried ahead of Larry and I, who rounded the corner to this amazing sight:

Larry couldn't resist joining in the fun:

And that's where I lost them...

We were out of time/energy/motivation towards the end of the day, but still hiked to the Delicate Arch lookout point. I feel like our license plates can arrive now that I've paid tribute to this famous landmark.

We went back to Blanding via an Italian restaurant in Moab. Random, yes. Delicious, almost.

Monday, Larry and I had to head back to Logan, but not without one more awesome adventure. All four of us are pretty hooked on geocaching, so of course we couldn't leave without finding a couple! There was one that has had Chris intrigued for some time, so we headed that way. It was hidden on an island in the middle of Recapture reservoir. And by island, I mean surrounded by water. So, Chris and Larry donned their trunks and went swimming while Marissa and I watched and photo-ed nearby.

The best quote all week "Marissa! That's my brother!"
(also heard as "Larry! That's my husband!" and "Chris! That's my husband!")

Larry was sure to keep my GPS dry as they swam to the fire ant infested island.

They looked like little sea otters. It was kind of adorable.

Unfortunately, the cache was a micro and remained hidden.
But we had fun watching them anyway!

We had an awesome weekend, thanks to Chris and Marissa!

Until next time...

xo

Inspirational

2010-08-22T21:13:00.001-07:00

Watch it to the very end.

I promise you won't be disappointed.

(If the video doesn't work, click here)

COLOR!!!

2010-08-20T23:54:00.000-07:00

I met a man today who was color blind. He was very kind and very personable and allowed me to be vocally fascinated with the concept of which I have heard so much about over many years, but have never really internalized. He pointed out the example of our flowered pens at work and said "I know these flowers are yellow and these leaves are green, but that is only because over the years I have learned to associate what I see with a name." I was blown away and nearly lost in thought immediately concerning color.

COLOR!!!

It is not a name. Color is not blue or red or green or magenta. Color is light! Color is emotion. What we categorize as blue or yellow or purple is merely our language lacking the perfect words of description.

Try this: Describe the color blue as though I've never seen it before.

What is blue? Did you use words such as "Cool" "Refreshing" "Relaxed" "Calm" ? These are not color words, but they are used to describe one of the most amazing gifts of this world.

COLOR!!!

My Grama saw color in everything. When she looked at a red rose, she didn't see red alone. She saw a rainbow: blues, purples, yellows, blacks, oranges, greens, whites... All in a single rose. Her gift of color lasts in each painting she crafted, and in each life she touched.

COLOR!!!

I think I've rekindled an old love.

Another post from Larry!

2010-08-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

So, as many of you know, because of my time spent in Iraq, I am entitled to VA (Veterans Affairs) education benefits, namely, the GI Bill (free money). The GI Bill pays a percentage of my tuition, and that needs to happen by Thursday, or all my classes get dropped.

So about a week ago, I got an email stating that I needed to fill out a paper to certify my classes. I needed to contact the VA guy on campus to do this. So last Friday, after work, I went to his office, but he wasn't there. I asked someone in the same office when he was usually around, and was told he was usually there from 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday. Despite this, he had gone home already, it being 3:30 at the time of my visit. So I decided to go back to his office Monday before going into work at 10:00.

When I got to the office at 8:30, he again wasn't around. This time I was told by another person in the office that the VA guy was moving to a new office down the hall. The informant even offered to walk with me to find the VA guy at his new office. I was grateful for the help, but when we arrived, we could not find him. The informant said he was probably in transit, or getting things for his new office. So I waited in the TSC for an hour, then tried again, to no avail.

So I went back Tuesday, not wanting to be dropped from my classes. I went to the new office, and nobody was there at all. So, not wanting to go away empty handed, I went to his old office. There was VA guy, sitting at his desk as if he never planned on moving. I went in, got the paper, and was told -with a touch of rudeness- I needed to have it signed off by my advisor. Okay, this I can handle, there are like ten advisors in the same office, and its just down the hall. With relief in my gait, I almost skipped to the advisors' office. When I got there, the secretary informed me that the advisors were at an advisor conference all day.

I needed to go back the next day to talk to an advisor.

Having to work at 10:00 on Wednesday, I went to the advisor's office at 8:15, and after a little waiting, and only a few hoops jumped through, I had my paper all filled out and ready to ensure my tuition payment. All that was left was to find VA Man and give him this piece of paper I had fought and scratched to receive and complete.

As I walked into the original office (remember, this is the one he was in the day after I was told he had moved) I was again informed that he had moved to a new office (this is the one I was earlier told he had moved to, but apparently hadn't.) So I went to the new office yet again, and was told that he hadn't been in yet. It was 9:00. I don't recall which helpful, yet uninformed idiot told me the VA guy was usually in his office from 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday, but I'd had enough, and had to be getting to work. I gave the paper to someone who shared the office with VA guy, hoping they would in fact give it to him by tomorrow, and walked out of the office feeling beaten down, yet somehow victorious. As I frustratedly walked to my truck, I hoped the paper I spent almost a week on would find the right desk once and for all, and secure my tuition payment.

I guess this ordeal proves there's no such thing as free money.

Carpinteria and Such

2010-08-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

[*WARNING* This post contains a ridiculous amount of pictures, but considering the amount of photos that were taken on this trip, I feel as though we did a pretty good job of consolidating... Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy all of them before you fall asleep!]

Once upon a time, immediately after buying our amazing new truck, we ventured south. We drove 12 hours north the week before, so figured we may as well give I-15 some more driving time. Larry's family gets together every year at Carpinteria State Beach, so we thought we'd join! (For the record, I'm not allowed to call it a family reunion because there are no special shirts involved.)

We stayed in Anaheim for a day before heading north to Carpinteria. On our way up, we stopped to see Elder and Sister Benson, who are serving an LDS mission in Ventura. They were sweet to feed us and take us to see a few sights. One of those was the cross on the hill overlooking Ventura. It was a nice drive with an incredible view.

They also took us to the Ventura pier. Elder Benson was with the car, so we were only able to snag a photo with Sister Benson.

It was wonderful to see them and hear of their wonderful adventures in the California Ghana Mission... ;)

We continued our northern quest and landed in Carpinteria only a few minutes later. It was so nice to spend time with Larry's family on the beautiful Pacific coast. We enjoyed a gorgeous golden coast sunset that evening.

Sunday, August 8, was our anniversary! Larry took me to Solvang, where we spent our honeymoon, for the day. We were able to stay in a cute little motel and enjoy some time celebrating our one year mark!

We went on a hike we had enjoyed one year prior. It was much greener than last year!

The hike was to Nojoqui falls. They were actually more falls than sprinkles this year, which was pleasant!

We couldn't wait to get our hands (and tastebuds!) on some aebleskivers! Warm raspberry jam atop delicious Danish pancakes, a la mode! My stomach is growling just thinking about it!
Monday morning we woke up and went geocaching! If you've never been, we promise to take you whenever you want! We're totally hooked!

This was Larry's first time actually being the "finder" of the cache. He used some amazing sleuthing skills to discover a hidden altoid tin filled with wonderous goodies.

Inside was something Larry has dreamed of finding since he began geocaching: A travel bug! We looked it up to log our find and discovered the bug was a Military Dog Tag, with the goal of visiting as many bases as possible! What a perfect find for him! We hope to place it near Hill AFB soon!

We found another trackable in another cache in Solvang. This one was trackable on another site, but we'll place it soon, too!

We brought back to Carpinteria a little taste of Solvang. Our favorite bakery (we can have a favorite because we've tried several!) is Mortensen's. The most heavenly pastries you will find in the USA are here. We brought some to share that evening.

Butter Roll

Raspberry Strip

Monday evening we played a game called Minute to Win It. I guess it is a TV show. Liz and Cathy prepared it and we had a blast doing random things with ping pong balls and cotton wads. It was hilarious!

Larry won a pirate bandanna.

and I won a pink flowery bandanna!

The next morning Larry and I went for a walk down by the ocean. It was gorgeous!

We walked back to the main hub where everyone was gathering and Larry's aunt Laura asked if anyone would like to go into Santa Barbara. We jumped at the chance! We, along with Liz, Laura, Jo, and the little boys (Larry's cousins) headed in two cars to play!

Laura took us all on a pirate tour!

Laura, Jack, Sam, Lucas, and Liz:

The highlight of the tour was seeing the seals!

Liz, Jo, and Larry

Us. :)

Larry got to drive the boat!
(Quite possibly his highlight of the ride!)

It was a sweet ride!

We wandered around the pier before going to the Sea Center. Looking down, we saw this guy schnoozing! He woke up just long enough to wave at us, and then slipped right back into a peaceful slumber.

We took a few of the boys geocaching in Santa Barbara. Larry found a tough one hidden creatively in the sign pictured:

We tried for some more geocaching when we got back to Carpinteria, but were unsuccessful. It was a gorgeous walk, though!

The next morning was the start of our departure day. Larry and I snuck down to the tide pools to play before we left. He found a lobster tail:

We both touched anemones:
Larry missed some big splashes:
I was not as fortunate!

We had a blast all week long, enjoying the beautiful California Sun!

And we can't wait to go again!

Until next time...

xo

Newest Addition

2010-08-15T14:49:00.001-07:00

So, we bought a truck. We love it. His name is Rocky.

Better pictures to come...

Skype

2010-08-15T13:41:00.000-07:00

Reasons we LOVE Skype:

And even more reason why we LOVE Chris and Marissa. :)

Canadia!!

2010-08-04T11:36:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, Larry and I took a weekend trip to Canada. :) It was amazing! My cousin Chelsie was getting married, and we thought it would be fun to go!

We left after work Thursday night with plans to drive straight through, stopping for a few hours to sleep, and continuing on so we could get to the temple at 10:30 Friday morning. Our brilliant plan went something like this: Drive. Stop in Great Falls, MT. Sleep. Shower. Drive.

It didn't work quite like we planned.

We drove to Great Falls, only to discover the state fair was going on, so there was NO place to stay- anywhere! We decided (at almost 2 am) to drive another hour north to Shelby MT and stay there. I was out fast, but Larry got us there. We pulled into Shelby only to learn that - again - there was no place to stay! The hotels keep in touch with each other so they know what is available. There was nothing! By this time, it was 3 am. We were exhausted. We made the best decision possible: Sleep in the car. We slept for about 3 hours in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn, woke up and showered in the truckers showers, and got all ready for the wedding. I'll be honest - it fulfilled a life long dream showering in one of the trucker showers!

So, we continued our quest! We got off I 15 at Shelby and drove on Highway 89 along the east edge of Glacier National Park. It was beautiful! We saw a young bear eating on the side of the road, and had to swerve to avoid hitting horses as well. The views were breathtaking!

We found this gem right before the border:

We left with plenty of time to get across the border, but it didn't take long. Larry has been to 5 different countries, but this was the first time he has ever used his passport! (All the other times were with the Army)

We made it across the border onto Canadian soil in a manner of minutes. I think this was living a dream for both of us!

While we were preparing for our trip, we were advised to try several different candies that were unique to Canada. Smarties was among that list, which are more like M&Ms on steroids! They were tasty!

The wedding was beautiful! Chelsie looked like a princess! Her husband Brandon is fantastic as well! He and Larry are about the same size. He's great, and I'm SO happy for Chels!

This trip added another temple to our list, which excited us very much! The Cardston Temple is beautiful. It was designed with a combination of Mayan/Aztec design and that of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture and Design. It was incredible, inside and out!

If you look closely, you will see owls that live on the temple. Many years ago, there was a problem with pigeons defecating on the top of the temple. The temple president didn't want to kill them, so they prayed about what they should do to alleviate the problem. Not long after, these owls arrived and there hasn't been a pigeon problem since!

Saturday, Alan and Alyson took us to Waterton National Park, which is right across the border from Glacier National Park. The views were absolutely breathtaking!

This is on the way to Waterton:

We hiked a short trail to a waterfall with Alan, Taylor, Tiff, and Grandma and Grandpa. It was a nice hike with gorgeous views!

The first set of falls:

A little further up the trail:

With Alan, Taylor, and Tiff:

Grandma and Grandpa:

Waterton has 3 big lakes. We went and had lunch by the middle lake and then walked along the shore. If you look closely in this picture, you'll see some kids in a raft. They kept us entertained. The wind picked up and they slowly started drifting away. When they were about 20 feet from shore, we heard screams of "YOU IDIOTS! HELP US! WE'RE DRIFTING AWAY!!!" We looked and the group of people they were with just started laughing while looking for the keys to the boat to go get them. These kids were probably 6. It was hilarious. We turned and watched them take the only oar they had by 2 hands and chuck it out of the boat, which was followed by, "WE LOST OUR OAR, YOU IDIOTS! HELP US!!!" It was SO funny! They were rescued with no harm done! :)

We drove to Cameron Falls and stopped for a quick photo-op.

As we were leaving we stopped and saw the Prince of Wales Hotel, which was incredible. This is the view the hotel overlooks. There was a small wedding going on while we walked around the mountain top.
Again, breathtaking.
We drove over to another lake, the name has escaped me, and wandered around for a few minutes. This is our travel crew:
Tiff, Taylor, Alyson, Alan, Grandma, Grandpa, Me, and Larry

We stopped in Cardston to eat right at blue hour, which created a perfect photo opportunity. The Cardston Temple doesn't have a Moroni statue, but the locals call the top their "pearl of great price."

We ventured home Sunday. Canada is beautiful. They have rolls of hay in the median of the freeways. It was awesome.

After a [much longer] border crossing, we landed on US soil. The Missouri River begins in Montana, so we stopped to see some of the river on our way. It was so beautiful around every turn of the freeway. By far, the most scenic portion of I15 ever.

We crossed the continental divide a few times. This was one of them.

Near Butte Montana there is a huge statue of the Virgin Mary on top of the Continental Divide. They call her Our Lady of the Rockies. She is 90 feet tall! The statue was originally promised to St. Mary by a man whose wife was dying of cancer. He promised St. Mary if his wife was healed, he would build a 9 foot statue of the Madonna in his yard. The goal gained popularity, and after his wife was healed, he along with many volunteers formed a dream bigger than any of them could have imagined. The Madonna was built entirely by volunteers and donated materials. She is 90 feet tall. Her head alone is 16 feet tall and 10 feet wide. She sits on 400 tons of concrete on the Continental Divide and was air lifted by the Army National Guard in 4 pieces to where she sits today. At night, she glows a brilliant white overlooking the city. She is the second largest statue in the US, second only to the Statue of Liberty. It was incredible!

Montana was a beautiful state to drive across, and we loved every second of it!

Many thanks to the Scoville clan who took such good care of us on our weekend adventure! We hope to visit again soon!

Until next time...

xo

Freedom

2010-08-03T12:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the first day in 58 days that I felt freedom from something that has torn me apart internally and externally.

It really isn't a big thing (I say now, after the fact), but that sweet breath of freedom that I have felt since 11:00 am yesterday is invigorating. I've learned so much in the last 58 days, about impatience and tolerance and anger and endurance and faith and fasting and love. More than anything, I am so grateful to have made it through 58 days of inconvenience. Larry has been amazing. More than ever, I know I married the right man. He and I are perfect for each other and I love him dearly. And, perhaps even more important than that, I have an even stronger testimony of prayer and fasting and faith and of the fact that Heavenly Father knows me, knows what my body needs and knows how to teach me what I need to know through trials and amazing learning experiences. I didn't mean for this to be a testimonial post by any means, but I am so grateful right now I don't know how else to express my thoughts.

28 days wasn't even close to the experience I would have. It was almost the half way point, but I would have had it be the end. Now, looking back from the other side, I'm catching a small glimpse of what 28 days meant then and would mean eventually. And now?

58 days.

Relief.