It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I love Christmas time.  It is fun.  People are happier.  People help others more.  And, my house ALWAYS smells great.  No joke.

FIrst, I used the left over oranges and cranberries from Thanksgiving to make this bombed potporri that I keep in a small crockpot on low heat.  Our house always smells so Christmasy now.  It is super easy.

1 orange cut into slices (peel on)
1/2-2/3 c cranberries
3 cinnamon sticks
3 T cloves
Nutmeg (to your liking)

Put it in a small crock pot on low and cover with water = A-MAZING.

Now, onto bigger and better things.

On Wednesday, my sister called me in a frenzy to tell me there we HUGE Christmas Trees at the Shop 'N Go by her house.  Yes, the Shop 'N Go is a tiny old schoolish gas station on 17S and 17E(ish) in SLC.  I had an eye appointment (that is another story in itself) so on Thursday we got our tree.

I work out in SLC, so Derek took Trax down to 2100 S and I picked him up.  We stopped by my sister's house and picked up our 3 year old niece to help us pick out the perfect tree.  Sure enough, we did.  We got an 8 foot tree for $35.  That is a STEAL!  It is so full.  No holes.  And, Santa picked it out.  Yes, in my family, Santa picks out our Christmas Trees.  We know it is the right one because there are candy canes on it.  I do have to say "K" was excited to see the candy canes on the tree.  However, at first she hated them all, "Because there are no lights on them."  (They have a fake tree so she has never seen a  tree without lights).

Once we got it home, we actually had to cut off part of the top and a bunch of the bows on the bottom because it was too tall for the basement.  It is everything wonderful and glorious.  AND....makes our house smell even better.  Woot.  Woot.

Last, but not least, on Friday night we went to the Helper City Christmas Electric Light Parade.

Go ahead and read that last line again to soak it in.

Helper, UT.  Population 2,189,  has a Electric Light Christmas Parade every year.  This year we were a little late because I had to get from work, stop by the house, get gas, get Derek from school, and to Helper (through Spanish Fork Canyon) by 7:00.  And, because of the craziness that has happened to my eyes, my night vision (we learned) is quite impaired.  So we eventually pulled over and had Derek drive because I couldn't see worth beans.

So we were a little late.  But it was awesome!  I love Helper.

One more thing.  We went to my 3 yr. old niece's Christmas dance recital yesterday morning.  Oh my cute.  Something about 3 yr old girls up there dancing that is the best.

27 and Loving It

Okay, I am not sure if he is loving it.  Derek turned 27 on the 10th of this month and he is now convinced he is super old...don't ask.  My teasing probably doesn't help.  Just kidding, I don't tease him about being old.

But, we did have a super fun birthday party.  He decided he wanted it Mexican themed = chips and salsa and torta de tres leches (which I made).  Everybody also had to wear a mustache (which all ended up stuck to our wall), and we had a pinata.

It was super fun.

Pictures later.

October Re-cap

Where did October go?  Because it was the marathon (Oct. 6) and now it is November 4th.  Where did the in-between go?

I guess we have just been busy.  Working, climbing (although it feels like hardly ever), Lake Poweling (that will be another post), Derek's injury, Halloween, friends, etc.

Anyway,
Halloween was awesome.  We went to my sister's big party at Eggs in the City (but that photo is currently MIA), party at Nickischmidtclark and Ty's house, and Crocktoberfest at Georgia's house.  Halloween we manned the fort for the trick-or-treaters, then went climbing.  (Which turned out not well because I scratched my eye because I wore make up for my costume.  I am officially never wearing make up again)

(Me at work)  (I'm a bird)

(Me and my Rec. Team, Michael aka Dog the Bounty Hunter, and Shaylece, aka Cookie Monster)

Yesterday (Nov 3), we ran the Snow Canyon Half Marathon.  Derek sustained an injury in Lake Powell, so he hasn't been able to run.  So he ran it "easy" aka he ran with me.  But I didn't mind.  It was kind of fun to have a friend the entire time.  But we kicked butt.  13.1 miles in 1:41 (don't have my clock time to the second.  We just timed it on Derek's watch).  That is an average of a 7.7 minute mile.  (It has just come to my knowledge that we did the 1st 8 miles in 1 hour.  Derek never told me how fast I was going.  The soreness in my calves is starting to make sense now).

But it was great.  Beautiful course.  Lots of downhill.  And of course, we took no pictures.

 But, we did take pictures of where we went climbing later.  And...we taught my dad to rappel.  I am so proud (he is super scared of heights.  And he made him a rappel of like 20 or 25 feet that was super easy and he did it twice.  Unfortunately, those pictures are on his phone).

Funky belay spot.  So we were able to both be off the ground when I was coming down.  Safe?  Not very, but I was on top rope.  And we are close to the ground.

This was a cool climb.  I don't know how Derek made it up that roofy part, because I couldn't and I was on top rope and he was on lead.  Goes to show that he has far surpassed my climbing abilities.  (Not to mention he is stronger and longer than me).  But it got cool at the part and you had to chimney a little, the scary part is I could not see him at this part so my sister and dad had to tell me when he needed me to take out slack etc.  Anxiety?  A little.

Very fun.

Broken Records

The St. George Marathon was this last weekend.  If you know my family very well, you know that it is a tradition.  (My dad has run it 21 times in the last 22 years.  He only missed a year because he had a fluke heart attack and the Dr. was more worried about the incision in his leg healing well enough to train than his heart.  Tangent.  Sorry, back on track).

So we ran this weekend, Dad, Derek, and I.  This is the 1st marathon for me since the injury in 2010.  Boo.  (I got injured a month before the marathon and ran it anyway and dropped out at mile 16.  I didn't run it last year because I didn't get in).

Anyway, we all ran.

Derek ran a 3:03:00 marathon.   That is a sub 7 minute mile pace for 26.2 miles.  Wowzers!  His goal was 3:10:00 so he blew that out of the water.

I ran a 3:37:23.  My previous PR was 4:00:00 and I just wanted to beat that (but secretly I wanted a 3:50:00) so I blew that out of the water.

We trained hard.  We had perfect conditions.  Not too hot or cold and a tail wind.  And, I ran with music for the 1st time.

Derek post marathon (eating his 1st sugar after a few weeks of abstaining to prep)

Me finishing.  (I passed both those dudes)

 So Derek is faking the tired.  That is really how I felt.

Derek's parents came down for the race too 

 Super star right there.  My dad.

My dad, had an injured foot, so he ran in brand new shoes (bad idea) and did a 4:45 with an injured foot and brand new shoes.  He is a super star.

Dad and I after the race.

This was the 1st Marathon in 21 years my mom has missed.  She was sad and so were we, but she had to work.

September?

I write it as a question because I have one.  Where did September go?

I don't know.  You tell me.

I guess it passed us by in our whirlwind of life.

September in a nutshell
-Lake Powell with family.  We got pulled over 2x in 5 minutes out on the lake (yes, that is possible)
-Derek started his first internship at a Legacy facility in Layton.  Awesome for him because he is learning so much and has made the transition from Aide to "Therapist" he has his own pts and does everything, under the guidance/eye of his instructor.  Sucks, because he leaves about the time I get home from running and gets home between 6:00 & 7:00 depending on traffic EVERY DAY so I kinda feel like I don't have a husband.
-The Car Show & Carnival I have been planning for months came to pass and I no longer need to be pulling my hair out over it.  (But that is mostly because our car vendor backed out on me 1 week before the event.  But we made it work anyway.  Thank you to everyone at work for helping with that one)
-Running.  A LOT of running.  (Marathon is officially less that 1 week away now)
-Mom's Birthday
-Katherine, our niece, turned 3 and she is obsessed with pirates.
-One of my best friends, Ali, had her baby
-One of my good friends from high school, Jamie, had her baby
-Alzheimer's Walk
-I won a Go Pro, a $50 Target gift card, and an ipod shuffle
-I am trying desperately to hire someone for the weekends at work, if you are interested please apply
-Went camping up Little Cottonwood Canyon with Derek and Dad last night

And that my friends is what happened to September.

San Francisco

It is kind of weird.  We went on a vacation, just to go on a vacation.  Not for some certain adventure.  Kind of out of the ordinary for us, but it was really fun.

If you couldn't tell from the name of this post, we just got back from San Francisco.  It was really fun, a really neat city.  We had a lot of fun.  I shall relay our fun via pictures because that is the best way.

1st night.  I so wish we'd taken a picture of our place.  We booked 3 nights and stayed the 4th with my cousin, Josie.  We got in at about 12:30/1:00 a.m. and our hotel was on the corner of Larkin and Eddy aka "The Tenderloin" this is to be known by all the homeless crack heads and hookers outside.  Lovely.  Luckily for us, we aren't much for nightlife because there really isn't that much to do except drink...so we only had to see the hookers once.  The homeless crack heads were there in the morning to wish us good morning as we ran.  They never bothered us.  The hotel was fine and came with free breakfast and wifi.

Day 1

After our running tour of the city (aka 15ish miles), we quickly got ready because we HAD to be to our boat to Alcatraz by 10:30....we got off the bus too early and ended up running over another mile and BARELY got on the boat.  This is me saying, "Whew....we made it, and I am hungry."

 Approaching Alcatraz

 Home Sweet Home

 Me in Solitary Confinement....I am sad.

 Fresh Oysters and Clams from the Ferry Station Market

 A fountain

 The Aquarium at the Bay

 Chomp!

 This is the funniest homeless person sign I have EVER seen.  He deserved every penny.

 Finally, after waiting 90 minutes in line, we got on the Trolly

 We missed eating dinner with Josie (my cousin) and David (he bf) but we went to the burger joint anyway.  This beauty is a lentil, sweet potato, curry burger.  Delish.

 That there, that is bison.

 Day 2: The Palace of Arts

 The Exploratorium

 No Comment....Drinking Fountain at the Exploratorium

The America's Cup was going on.  Free Sailing Competition.  Go USA!

 We went full blown tourist and rented a tandem to ride across the Golden Gate Bridge

 Before crossing (ps it was SO COLD)

 After crossing

 China Town

 Day 3: We checked out of our hotel and took our stuff to Josie's flat.  Then we missed church due to bus schedules, so we hit up the California Academy of Sciences.  Basically, the coolest museum ever.  Better Aquarium than the Aquarium....I so wish I had my niece with us.  We spent 3 hours there, ate, went to church, and came back and still didn't see it all.

The BEST food ever.  We bought this Indian spread and some veggie stuffed naan at the farmer's market.  Ahhh....so good.

 Me by the bridge

 Day 4: We tried to get to the Muir Woods.  Figured out the bus schedule, got across the bridge and the shuttle to take us there only runs weekends and holidays.  We were on holiday, but that doesn't count.  What to do?  So we whipped out my mom's trusty smart phone (because we are too cheap and poor to have them) and saw some trails near by.  Hooray for nature!

 So, we hiked back to San Fran.  On this hike, we found a random rope swing.  I fell off and it is all on video but it won't upload to my computer.  So if you would like to laugh at me, I am sorry, you will have to do it in person when Derek shows you the video.  I guess that is Karma to me for relentlessly showing everyone and anyone his hospital catfish pictures...

 Their plant life is as diverse as their people life

Before walking back across the bridge.

Goodbye trusty map of the city/bus routes.  (We got really good at the bus system)

Twas fun.

Wind Rivers

It has been a long time since I have been to the Wind River Mountains in WY.  I forgot just how amazing they are.  See for yourself.

 Leaving the Trailhead.  Me, Lisa, Dad, and Jared (cousin's hubby)

 This is my dad.  He is The Man.  Look him up in the dictionary.  He is there.

 Due to the amount of fires all over the west.  The air up in the Wind Rivers was even smokey.  Well the 1st day.  The 1st night was really windy and blew all the smoke out.  So that is why this picture is a bit hazy.  But you are looking at Temple Peak from a distance.

 HOORAY FOR NATURE!

 GO TEAM!  (Get it?  He is doing a hurkie which is a cheer move)

 Deep Lake

 Funny thing about this picture.  I was taking a pretty scenery picture and Derek was offended that he, "wasn't pretty enough to be in my picture" so we had to take another one.  Hence the funny smile.

 Hiking up to Jackass Pass.  Me, Dad, and Lisa

 The Cirque of the Towers.  Well part of them.  They go in a Cirque so you can't get them all in one photo.  But I felt like this one was a fairly good representation.  You can't tell but all those peaks are separate peaks.  It is really magnificent. 

 Dad, Lisa, and I at the Cirque at Jackass Pass

 Derek and I

 Me and Dad.  He is my hero.  60 yrs old and kicked my butt.

 Forgotten lake on the other side of Jackass Pass

 Derek's photography skills

And just to prove I wasn't kidding about the name of the pass.  See for yourself.

It was an awesome trip.  I also caught a fish.  I have never fly fished before so my dad let me just try his pole and I caught the biggest fish out of everyone (well, Derek got a bigger one but it got away).  They all wanted to eat the fish, so Jared put it in shallow water among all the rocks so he could come get it later, but it got away.  Live on and long little fish.