Tour de Logan

Saturday was the Bike MS: Harmon's Best Dam Bike Ride in Logan, UT. BD and I joined Team Iron Myelin to help support our good friend Liz who was diagnosed with MS in 2005. I was so proud of our little, albeit strong, team because together we raised over $1,000!
First and foremost, I want to say a big THANK YOU to all our friends and family who donated generously to our ride. We are so thankful for your support to help make this day special and rewarding for all.

[WARNING: if you have been known to have an allergic reaction to seeing people in spandex, do not proceed to read this post.]

2008 Team Iron Myelin

Liz and I busted out an easy-peasy 40 miles (ha!) through the lush farmlands in beautiful Cache Valley. It was a darn-right perfect day for cycling and between the chatting and rest stops, 40 miles was over before we knew it. And if I do say so myself, we are pretty dang awesome. But especially Liz, and here's why. Oh, and our studly-macho-manly husbands rode 100 miles! Good effort boys, and way to bring up the team average! We had so much fun this year that we are already planning next year's ride. And YOU should join our team! Think about it, you could be awesome like us by this time next year. Spandex and all. Or not.We Rock! [pump fist in air]

Get yer chutzpah right here

BD has been gone this week hiking down south with the scouts and when he's not around, well, I become so incredibly bored with myself that I start doing crazy things just to pass the time. Like open all of my spice jars one by one and smell them. And then organize them. And then reorganize them. But hooray! He has returned and I can go back to relying on him to entertain me with his Brazilian dance moves. I have really missed those moves. And I've missed him talking incessantly about how bicycles are going to take over the world and if all goes according to plan he will be their ruler. I lied, I did not miss that part.
Speaking of ruling the world. While complaining about how there is nothing relatively decent on TV right now, which lead into how I missed Idol, which lead to a "did you see the one where..." conversation, my bil Kyle turned me onto a certain video that has filled all my entertainment needs, at least for today. And probably for tomorrow too.

Rhett and Link where have you been my whole life? Make sure you concentrate on Link (left, pink shirt). I'm not sure why, but there is something about his expressions that makes me want to take both of my hands, squeeze his face and kiss him all over. But not on the lips. Ew.

Spirit Fingers for Photoshop

Over the weekend BD and I took family pictures for besties the O'Neals. And when I say "Brad and I" I mean Brad was doing his thang, and I was there conveniently getting in the way where I could. Lucky for BD, this pattern coincidentally plays out in more areas than just photography. Hoo-rah! Jessie and I have both been having fun/wasting time (?) playing around with Photoshop CS3 in the past few months. She is uber talented at taking pictures and developing them and I've always been slightly kind of a lot jealous of her creative genius. Photoshop is a great tool to quickly give any picture some added UMPH. Just for kicks, I thought we would each take the same picture and ::: spirit fingers ::: compare how we put our own spin on it.

[BEFORE] Here is the picture SOOC (straight out of the camera):[AFTER] My twist on the same pic:To see Jessie's amazing version of the same picture click here. Thanks for playing!

Summerfest 2008

Nothing says SUMMER like Summerfest in O-Town, baby.

Check it.

BD and Ike are too cool for school

The lovelies enjoying the parade

Two of my favorite people right here...(Happy B-day Ryk!)Baby El was all smiles all nightTwo sweetie pies-love them

Totally focused: elbow elbow wrist wrist wrist

Nash is like so totally radical

Max was definitely not so hot on the fireworks

To all the good daddies...

A little piece of adorable

am la-uving this too cute for cake handblown cupcake stand by Amanda Goss. little pieces of adorable like this really make my happy place flutter. oh! the fun you could have with a handful of these babies on display...
but for $60 a pop...I think I'll have to stick with Ziploc baggies for now. someday!

happy friday!

I died a little today...

Any one have a defibrillator handy? My heart is broken. Tastespotting has been taken down! Check the calendar...no, it's not April Fools Day. WTF? I'm crushed, there are no words. When linking over to my favorite food porn website this morning, instead of finding the usual hundreds upon hundreds of brilliant, delicious recipes and photographs all I saw was this depressing message:Tastespotting was my daily dose of foodie inspiration where I could effortlessly browse thousands of recipes from the world's best food bloggers, all conveniently lassoed into one organized and searchable site. This is indeed a sad day for food blog stalkers...hmmm...

wait for it...

FOOBLALKERS!

Sorry, I got carried away by the possible discovery of new blog terminology. But this is no time for fun and games. This is a serious crisis in my online world. I feel crippled without Tastespotting: like I'm fumbling around on on the Internets with no where to go, no one to help direct me to the next perfect summer salad recipe or cupcake extraordinaire.

Tastespotting, I'm begging you, come back.

Major props are in order-Squaw Peak 50 Miler

On Saturday my sister Marci and her hubby Rich ran the Squaw Peak 50 Mile Trail Run for the 4th time. I can not comprehend why someone would voluntarily subject themselves to this kind of torturous pain. But nevertheless, my sis is one tough chick.

freshly

So little time these days for blogging, it seems. I have such lofty ambitions churning around in my head to blog about, and prolly only 1/8 of it ever ends up here. So, here's a miscellaneous post with random stuff I've been luvin' recently and other blog worthy snippets.

Celebrating big-time college Grads
Baking Cake Pops!

Obsessing JASON Apricot ScrubbleReading The Host by Stephenie Meyer
Listening Au Revoir SimoneDrinking Hansen's Mandarin LimeLusting Angelina Jolie in Wanted

Part III: New York City

I completely fell head over heels in love with New York City. I love BIG cities. And NYC did not disappoint. I love the energy pulsating from crowded streets. I love the chaos. I love riding the subway. I love the smell. I love the feeling of being so small-surrounded by millions of people who have no idea I even exist. I am just one. New York: I'll be back. Perhaps permanently.

The family was patient with my obsessive compulsive disorder with museums. There was no way I could be in NYC and not pay a visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). I could spend days in this place, totally infatuated. The MoMA houses the best of the best mid-centry modern art including several significant pieces by Mark Rothko, my favorite abstract expressionist. I still remember every detail and emotion of the first Rothko I ever saw. And still, every new Rothko is an entirely new experience.

NYC Highlights:

• Pizza in Little Italy
• MoMA, gettin' my modern art on!
• Rockefeller Square
• Times Square
• Grand Central Station
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Central Park
• Museum of Natural History
• Magnolia Bakery
• LDS Manhattan Temple
• Empire State Building
• Pinkberry!
• Statue of Liberty
• Wallstreet
• Trinity Church
• Brooklyn Bridge
• SoHo
• Chinatown

Thanks Duncan's for making some awesome memories!

Part II: Maryland/DC

Next stop: Washington DC! We really packed in the sites at the nation's capitol city, but that's pretty much how we roll. Just remembering it all is making my legs exhausted from all the walking and museum going. And in truth, we only skimmed the surface...

• The White House
• Washington Monument
• Lincoln Memorial
• U.S. Capitol
• World War II Memorial
• Vietnam Memorial (my personal fav)
• Arlington Cemetery-Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• Georgetown!
• Dinner at Clyde's-crab cakes galore
  
• Natural History Museum
• National Archives: The Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence
  
• National Gallery of Art, East and West wings (boo-yeah!)
• Several amaze-za-zing Mark Rothko's, breathtaking
  
• Air and Space Museum
• US Holocaust Memorial Museum (sniff)
  
• Banana Splits with Swiss Chocolate. Oh. My.
• China Gourmet
• Mount Vernon
• LDS Washington D.C. Temple
  

Maryland

The BEST part was staying with my Aunt and Uncle in Maryland. I loved being able to spend time with my East Coast family who I see, like never. Janene and Rusty were so gracious to let us crash at their house (and Grandma's house). I especially enjoyed spending precious time with my 3 cousins (who look freakishly like my dad at various stages in his life), their children, and of course the doggies Alta and Morse. I realized even if I don't see my family as often as I should (ahem), no matter what, these are my people, and I love them dearly. Thanks again!

Part I: Philly

Note to self: do NOT attempt to fly with an expired driver license, they will not allow you to board the plane. Even if your dearest hubby drives like heck, risking suspension of his own driver license, in a vain attempt to retrieve your passport...you will still miss your plane by 2 minutes. Whoops.

Philly is an amazing city. As a family, the divine purpose of this expedition was to see Dan's mission first hand and meet the people he taught and loved for 2 years. We had some amazing experiences and we all know why he loved his mission so much. I enjoyed all the historical sites, especially the one-on-one commentary from our very own history professor, little bil Rusty. Here are some highlights:

• Valley Forge
• Independence Hall
• Liberty Bell
• Witnessing little bil Dan's mission stomping grounds
  
• Philly Cheese Steaks at Gooey Looies
• Water Ice! Oh. My.
  
• South Street
• More Cheese Steaks at Jim's
• African food at Constance Brown's
• Church at South Philly branch-truly a humbling experience
• Family Home Evening with the Tepp family
• Trees! Rain! Green! Claustrophobia?
• Church at the Philly 4th Ward
• Gettysburg
  
• More Water Ice! Yeah, it was an addiction.
• Visiting Brad's uncle Jerry and family in Lehighton, PA
• The Magic Bus (rental mini-van)
  

Our Biggest Fan

5 years ago today BD lost his mom. And with her he also lost his biggest fan.
We all did.
There are many things about this time I wish to forget, but know I never will. Like the blinding flashes of emergency vehicle lights. Or hearing the doctor mutter "she's not going to make it" and Michelle, just 14 at the time, looking up at me with big worried eyes to innocently ask "what does that mean?" The pain of watching someone you love suffer so deeply. The pain of not knowing how to help. Every time during the next endless year that BD awoke in the night shaking, sobbing, and we couldn't talk, but cried helplessly together. All the pressure. Pressure. Pressure.
Release.
There are more things about this time I hope to never forget. Like the last precious words I heard her speak about family. The last kisses. The way BD and his siblings rallied around their father and managed to carry each other. And still carry one another. Her confident testimony in her faith. Her faith alone. The overwhelming outpouring of love. All things "Judy." Remarkable stories, memories that surfaced about her that no one had known, and that cannot be forgotten. Her love, her laugh. The undeniable confirmation that this life is not the end of an eternal family.
A lot changes in 5 years. But I've learned that sorrow lasts forever. And although things will never be the same, we can live so that one day, after this life, things will be more than better. I'm so grateful that I knew her, that she loved me. She continues to positively effect my life today. And I'm so looking forward to someday showing my children her picture and whispering "this is your grandma Judy, and she's your biggest fan."