We Need Your Help

First of all I think everyone should know that lisa and i have successfully gotten my mother's chihuahua to eat 2 pea pods, a piece of cucumber, and a green bean in the last week....she's dumb enough to believe them to be dog treats....

Anyway, we desperately need your help.

Derek will be starting physical therapy school next summer.
Problem: we'llprobably find out what school in March.  The U of U starts in May, most others begin in August.  Therefore, we have about a month or so to travel (in case we go to the U).  The problem is where?

Options
1. India for a month.  We'd be there for all sorts of festivals (including the festival of colors), we'd really get in to know the people, and we're set up with an awesome lady to volunteer in a spinal cord rehab hospital and to journey into villages to help with various health conditions and problems there.  It would be incredible.  Very culture rich and impactful on our lives.

2. Israel.  We would do the whole shabang.  Jerusalem, Garden Tomb, Galgotha, Temple of Herod, Dome of the Rock, Bethlehem, Jordan, Sea of Galilee, Dead Sea, Mount of Olives, Mount of Transfig, go into Egypt and do all that stuff etc.  Basically everywhere the Savior ever went plus Egypt.  Oh and did I mention it will be Easter/ the Passover????  This trip would be absolutely incredible.

3. South America.  We'd be spending a LOT of time in Argentina (where derek served).  In the Patagonia (where derek served).  We'd go to the very end of the world (farther south by far than anything in nz), we'd see penguins, learn to tango, backpack in the patagonia, meet the people he knew, walk the streets he walked, then head into Chile for some more adventures and up into Brazil.  This would be epic because it would be an adventure.  But i'd have to eat beef....ps this would be the cheapest

4.  Backpacking Europe.  We'd fly into Spain, and make our way around.  We'd train to Switzerland and have epic outdoor adventures there and eat cheese and find Matt fuller.  We'd go down into italy and then across into greece.  it would be awesome.  by far the most touristy of the trips.  but my dad has been to 3 of th 4 countries, i've been to 1 and we know how to get away from tourists....we;d also be able to stay in hostles unlike israel and i;m not sure on india....

so if you could vote on what you think is best that would be so very helpful.  thank you!

Close Encounters of the Serpent Kind

Yesterday was an adventure.

I have been at Camp Hanna (a massive scale entire campus of West Ridge Academy month long camp out).  (2 weeks for girls, 2 weeks for boys)  Anyway, so I've been up in our property in Hanna Mon-Fri doing all sorts of therapeutic games, 3 day backpacking trip (i have never walked so slow in my life!  No joke.  5 hrs. to go 4 miles.  I kid you not, by 2:30 on day 2 we weren't to where we wanted to camp the 1st night.  it was bad news bears.  insane blisters within the 1st hour.  slow moving girls.  i was running with my pack to dump it and run up to carry other girl's packs, pulling girls (attached to my backpack) carrying my pack and another girls.  the list goes on and on.  but the girls pushed themselves to the limits.  those who could handle the trek helped out those who could not.  they learned a lot about themselves.  although it was hard (because we walked so slow) it was fun.  especially now when i think back on it.  it was HILARIOUS!

Anyway, so i got home Friday and we decided Saturday needed to be an adventure.

We started by watching Tom and Jerry and the Smerfs on Saturday morning cartoons.  We then took Addie to the Hogle Zoo.  It was fun.  And it was Christmas in July....

After dropping off Addelbug Derek and I hiked Mount Olympus.  Man, that mountain kicked out butts.  Especially mine.  

First of all, don't decide it's a good idea to hike that thing in the middle of the day (starting at 2:45 pm) in the middle of July.  Bad idea.  Also, it is freaking steeper than steep.  The beginning isn't THAT bad, and i started off really fast.  Luckily the really steep part is the last 1.5 miles or so, and it's in the shade.

Anyway, what really kicked my butt out of this world?  I had a reenactment of days past with a rattlesnake.  If you know me, I have an irrational fear of snakes, aka, phobia.  Especially rattlers.  (I almost got bit my one when I was about 7 years old). (I won't even go into the reptile house at the zoo.  Last time i did (9th grade), I ran out crying because i saw a python).  So just after the saddle I'm walking along, when I hear it start rattling, I look down, I see it, it starts to move...I'm frozen with fear.  Derek yells, "Katie!  Run!  Don't stop running!"  So I took off up the trail (and it's steep) and I stop once Derek says i'm ok to stop (by know i'm scaling rocks to make the final ascent).  

I was super shaken up, shaking, and anything, and i mean anything that moved on the trail, in the bushes, made a noise, or if it happened to be a stick that looked like it could some how be a snake freaked me out.  I swear my entire throat nearly closed off.  I wanted to cry, but I didn't because I don't think I know how.  

But coming down Derek once again proved how absolutely wonderful he is.  He walked in front throwing rocks, clapping, and being loud so if the snake was around, he'd find it, not it find me.  We were ok.  We ran down the last half (the part that isn't so steep and steppy).  Also, we saved some climbers that had been bushwhacking  their way down the mountain and were all out of water.  (We nearly were, but we still shared).

Twas a good, but scary workout and adventure.

View from the Saddle

Luckily I ran toward the summit from the snake or else I NEVER would have made it.

Raft for the Cure and 6 Months of Greatness!

On June 26 was Western's 4th Annual Raft For The Cure.  They are always short on guides (and boats), so we decided to give them a hand and raft for the cure.  It was a BLAST!  Derek and I happened to find a group of 20 lovely ladies on the bus up to Hittle Bottom, so we each took half.  They were crazy fun, we were all "Saving Ta Tas One Rapid At A Time" (they had shirts that said that).  So we became the Ta Tas.  It was really really fun!

On June 29 was Derek and my 6 month anniversary.  But Tuesday is Derek's late day (gets home at 10:30) so we celebrated on the 30.  I planned a surprise picnic.  And I could NOT have done it without the help of mum and Lisa.  Ladies you are awesome!  I planned the menu, they made it happen.  All I had to do was sneak the baskets into Derek's car after he got home.

Anyway, we drove up Little Cottonwood Canyon and found a lovely nook to eat in.

It was a lovely dinner.  We had cheese and crackers to start off with (mom's addition), salad, cous cous salad, watermelon, and Derek got an entire rotisserie chicken to himself.  And the best part was the beautiful setting we got to eat our dinner in.

When we got home, mum had made an apple crisp (Derek's favorite).  

A perfect evening to celebrate the perfect marriage!

I love Derek.  Derek loves me.

We are happy as can be.

Thanks to everyone who has been there to help us along in our new journey of marriage.  Especially our families.  You guys are all awesome.