Pfiefferhorn

Although Derek may have run off to have fun with James, I have done a pretty good job keeping myself occupied and entertained.  Girl's night.  Bike ride with dad.  Babysitting my awesome nieces.  Hiking the Pfiefferhorn...that was awesome.

I have lived in the Salt Lake Valley my entire life, yet there are so many places I have not yet been.  The Pfiefferhorn being one of them.  So, on Saturday, Lisa, Dad, and I conquered it.  And much props must go to my dad because he is TERRIFIED of heights.  He did the boulder field, trekked across the snow field, climbed up and all over the spine (rocks with cliffs), and up the steep face (not as bad as it looks) to the top.  (my uncle didn't think he'd do it).  But he did it!

Dad coming across the spine

Lisa, Dad, and I at the top!

It is such a beautiful trail and actually hardly a trail at all for a good chunk of it.  We just picked our way up and intermittently followed the trail after Lower Red Pine Lake.  The top is unreal.  You can see everywhere.  The back side of Timp is still COVERED with snow.  I don't think it will ever melt.  You look face to face (possibly slightly down) on Lone Peak.  It is crazy cool.

The Spine from above

Side view of Lone Peak

The final ascent

No justice done to the wildflowers

I spent the remainder of the afternoon chillin' with dad and his friend Dave in Dave's pool.  Had Indian food with Lisa and then possibly got into some prank-like mischief.....but that cannot be proven.

1 down. 8 more to go.

Derek finished his very first semester of Physical Therapy School this week.  He managed to squeeze by with 4 A's and 1 A-.  I KNOW!  Holy Toledo.  He won't brag, so I must.  I am very proud of him.  He loves Loves LOVES what he is doing and is so excited to keep learning.  At night he'll ask to show me what he is learning.  Needless to say I've had toes, feet, fingers, hands, hips, legs, arms, neck, back, and my tmj played with, manipulated, or painfully massaged.  Someday, in 2 & 2/3 years he will be an AWESOME physical therapist.  Until then, he is an amazing student.

Props to Derek.

He is celebrating in southern Utah with friends having a wild adventure.  I'll write an update for that if he ever comes home.

Baby Josephine

Yup.  This is my new baby, Josephine.  She is a brand spankin' new (2009 but never ridden until me last night) GIANT.  400 bones.  She is a great addition to our family.

Oh, and I just inherited an elliptical machine from Derek's mama.  We are slowly building our home gym.

Lake Blanche and Sundial Peak

Yesterday was an adventure day.

We spend the day hiking up to Lake Blanche and on to Sundial Peak once we were there.  (And back down of course).  It was awesome.

Us at Lake Blanche with destination #2 (Sundial Peak) in the background

This picture is for my dad.  He always makes me take pictures in the wildflowers on Timp.  

There isn't really a trail up Sundial so we did a lot of bushwhacking and climbing.  It was fun.

Summit of Sundial Peak.

On the top

View from the top.

Oh yeah, Derek was there...He was also the one with the camera the entire time.

Climbing back down the cliffs.  Not as bad as the boulder/rock fields.

You can see by the huge red dent in my leg why I don't particularly like coming down boulder fields...but at least it smashed my leg and not Derek's head, because my leg stopped it.  I am glad it just dented me instead of gashing me open.  What a thoughtful rock.

One last look at Lake Blanche and Sundial Peak.  Both fun hikes.  Both beautiful.  Gotta love Utah.

That evening we went to a good friend's wedding reception and then to a free Real Salt Lake game courtesy of my work.  RSL won.  3-0.  Technically 4-0.  They scored a goal during the last few seconds but it wasn't counted, I don't know why.

Bountiful Baskets

Every Saturday Derek and I pick up our "Bountiful Basket" and it is Bountiful, and no we don't have to go to Bountiful to get it.

Every week it is full of different fruits and veggies for the low cost of $15.  Let me tell you what a deal it really is.

I just got:
a Big bunch of bananas
Strawberries
2 mangos
a few plums
a few peaches
a catelope
tomatoes
an English cucumber
a big sack of French green beans
a big head of green leaf lettuce
celery
a bunch of small sweet potatoes (most would say yams)

I think that is all.  There may be more I am forgetting.  All fresh.  $15.  You couldn't get that whale of a deal at the store.  You should sign up.

Good Stuff

I can't believe it is all over now.  The books are done.  The movies are finished.  I may sound like a nerd.  I am.  Harry Potter will live forever in my heart.

We saw a 9:00 pm pre-premier the night it premiered at midnight.  It was amazing.

The whole fam went.

Belatrix LeStrange (Lisa), Luna Lovegood (me), Doby (Wells), Severus Snape (Beth), Witch (Mom), Albus Dumbledore (Dad), and Harry Potter himself (Derek)

This last weekend (as in yesterday) was awesome.  It began with us waking at 5:45 in the morning and you know whenever you have to get up early for something it's gonna be good.
Anyway, we participated in an Adventure Race for Africa that was run by one of the Professors at Derek's PT School.  It was really fun.  It was like a tri but we canoed instead of swimming.  1 mile canoe, 5k run, and 10 mile bike.  It was really fun.  Not timed.  No prizes.  All money went directly into the fund for building schools in Kenya.  (But we did get 2nd overall because you have to do ALL tasks with a partner).

Another thing that was cool is that at the half way mark of all events there was a challenge for Africa.  So at the turn around spot for the canoes we had to get out, tie up the canoe, and walk up and down the dock with a bucket of water on our heads.  Half way through the run we had to tie bracelets that are sold to raise money for the cause.  After the bike we had to cut up plastic bags that women there crochet into really cool purses to sell to earn money.  Then we had to go to the finish line and spell AFRICA with our bodies.  It was so fun.  Also, you got to choose what order you did the events in.  (I am glad not everybody did the canoes at the same time, that would have been absolute chaos).

A bunch of people from Derek's class at PT School did the race as well.

To make it better, we went to the Provo Farmer's Market where we bought a new herb garden.  We bought 2 jalapeno plants, a dill (ours died), more chives, cucumbers, inca berry, gogi berry, stevia, and chamomile.  We got to see Ali!  Which was a major plus because I love my Ali and haven't seen her in FOREVER!  And I got a MASSIVE zucchini and a MASSIVE squash for $1.00!  What a deal.

Then we went rock climbing up Rock Canyon.  Always fun.  Except it was SO HOT.  and we ran out of water.  Then we got to the car and realized we lost our keys.   But never fear, we found them.

To finish it all off, we had a late lunch at Pita Pit and I think it was the most delicious food I have ever eaten in my life.  Wow.  Spicy black bean with a million veggies (even artichoke hearts) and their new mango habanero sauce.  Wow.  Wow.

Good Day.

Independence Day

I love the 4th of July.  I am all about fireworks, BBQ's, and parades.  I still chase down the candy (even though I don't eat it), I don' eat meat at BBQ's, and I still run around like a 4 year old being allowed to play with fire with sparklers.  What can I say I am still a child.  However,  we are never in town for the 4th of July, so I never get to do ANY of those things.  How sad.

This Independence Day we were at Lake Powell (per usual).  It was just the fam (mom, dad, lisa, derek, dave and julie hunt, and I.)  However, Derek's mom and little bro happened to be there at the same time, so we got to see quite a bit of them too.

We spent the days water skiing, hiking, swimming, surfing, and exploring.  It was so hot.  I actually hung around in my bathing suit while the boat was going.  (that is a first for this year.  I think it only happens in Lake Powell in July).

But it was really fun.  Carefree.  And wonderful.

Plus, we came home on the 4th of July.  So, we water skied and surfed in the morning/afternoon and at night we were home and able to at least do fireworks.  (Which are better than parades and BBQ's).  Plus, it is legal to have aerial fireworks now.  We dropped 80 bones on fireworks between dad, lisa, and us.  So worth it.  Especially the "Happy Penguin"  It would shoot fire out different parts of its body (eyes, mouth, butt, etc) and spin.  It was SO RAD!  And I bought like 20 sparklers and I think I personally used about 15 of them.  Half the time I was in my own world dancing around with my sparklers.  The best part was as soon as we finished our fireworks (with our grand finale of an aerial firework) the Sandy City Fireworks started and we could sit on our driveway and watch them.  It was great.

Happy Independence Day America!  I know everyone likes to rip on us and we even rip on ourselves, but we are lucky to live here and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I know I say I want to move to New Zealand or Argentina all the time and they would both be wonderful.  But I would miss all the opportunities and freedoms America gives us.  Until next year, I am proud to be an American!